The first full-length trailer for The Dark Knight Rises has been released by Warner Bros. and you can now tune it (and download it) from iTunes.

Scheduled for release in theaters July 2012, The Dark Knight Rises has seen quite an extensive promotional campaign and anyone that went out and caught the IMAX version of Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol were treated to an eight-minute prologue to the film. [That prologue was part of a bigger digital campaign for Mission: Impossible and helped draw big healthy business over the weekend.]

If you’re one the masses that does not use iTunes, we got you covered with the trailer for The Dark Knight Rises below, courtesy of Apple.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a script for a pilot based on DC Comics’ Booster Gold has been order, with plans to air on the SyFy Channel. Television writer and procuder, Greg Berlanti, will produce the pilot, which is being written by Andrew Kreisberg.

The story will center on Booster Gold, a washed-up athlete from the future who travels back to the present in hopes of becoming the greatest super hero of all time. Instead of chasing criminals, however, his main priority is chasing fame and money. But Booster Gold discovers that being a hero takes more than just a megawatt smile, and that the future doesn’t happen without first protecting the present.

Berlanti’s track record with anything superhero-related (No Ordinary Family, Green Lantern) isn’t is hardly what one would call stellar. Although it would be hilarious to see if this actually want to series, unlike NBC’s ill-fated Wonder Woman project.

Dear DC Comics, three months in and I can’t bring myself to give a damn about your new Superman comic. I just don’t.

I have my reasons.

Superman sucks.

I say this as a tried and true and unabashed Superman fan. I kid you not; my greatest moral influences, growing up have been my mother and grandmother, my faith and Superman.

Yes.

Superman.

Superman, a fictitious character who in his every action espouses the goals of truth and justice, ideals I’ve continuously strived to better understand my entire life.

Superman has been sure, steadfast and when things need saying he says things like, “Dreams save us. Dreams lift us up and transform us. And on my soul, I swear… until my dream of a world where dignity, honor and justice becomes the reality we all share… I’ll never stop fighting. Ever.”*

See that? That’s a guy you want to know more about. That is something to strive for. That’s the guy whose t-shirt you want to wear. Not as some lazy-ass afterthought Halloween costume but more as a mission statement of who you want to be.

The other day, I’d realized I didn’t know what the hell Superman was saying in a Superman comic anymore because I hadn’t read one in, I guess, two years and this just makes me sad. I want to read a proper Superman comic but what we’ve gotten has been severely lacking in what interests me as a Superman fan and more importantly, as a comics reader.

Last I checked, Superman was coming back from exiling himself in space and came back to Earth and decided to throw himself a pity parade after someone said they didn’t like him.

(pause)

That guy sucks. F*** him. I don’t want to read about that guy in a Superman comic. If I want to know about how bad some guy’s feelings are, I’ll go read a Peter Parker comic.

No offense to you, DC but the handling of your Superman comic just seems like a horrible afterthought. Over the past two years, all you’ve given us is “bold new directions” that have done nothing but showcase just how precious you’ve become with a character that most likely has been and could’ve been everyone’s gateway into comics.

Superman has become boring.

Superman has and almost always should be about escapism. Superman, from the outset has been about asking the reader to detach and watch this character do things no man should be able to do. Superman should be about “the impossible” and how to tear it down.

The one thing Superman should not do is massive amounts of introspection. Again, see my above Peter Parker comment. Superman should be all about what is great and good about your comics, DC.

What should be happening is every month we should be getting not an icon but a character who rocks our world with a smile on his face every single time. DC, you should make it your mandate to new writers to be extraordinary in their handling of all things Superman. Ask everyone involved to surprise themselves. Ask them to find what is grand about comics and bring it to comics’ oldest and greatest of characters. Ask everyone to stretch their imaginations and tap into the fantastic. Ask this of the reader, as well.

Give the reader the opportunity to explore new worlds and situations that require only a Superman.

Give the reader the wonder of looking up in the sky and not seeing a bird or a plane but a white dog in a little red cape soaring above the skyscrapers of Metropolis.

Dear DC Comics…

Make Superman a book everyone would want to read again.

*Taken from Joe Kelly’s excellent Action Comics #775.

People like first issues (and surprises):

Yes, that’s true. I have three issues of Spawn #1 to bear this out. First issues allow you to get in on the ground floor of things. Of course, most folks will always want to get in on no-brainers such as Batman #1 but what it really did and should be is help you find new characters and creators. Of all 52 titles initially released, I’d have ranked Animal Man very low on my “BUY” list. WRONG! Oh, how wrong I was. Having read Animal Man 1 & 2, it is a comic you deserve to be reading. It is smart, well-drawn and has a plot that dares the reader to not follow-up. The true success of Animal Man was that not only did it make me add the title to my pull list but it made me seek out other things by AM writer Jeff Lemire such as Sweet Tooth and Essex County and I’m glad DC opened that particular door.

People (me) don’t like it when you Yoga-tize a smart, capable woman of color who was OK with not being rail-thin:

DC, you’d better bring back my capable, fat, black Amanda Waller who scares Batman and reminds me of my own mother.

Do it NOW.

DC, whenever you would massively screw something up, I could always point to Amanda Waller as the one thing you’d gotten right from the get-go and kept it right. From her first appearance on, I always loved that Amanda Waller had no problem with who she was. She was a short, fat black woman who through years of hardship and hard work, earned the right to be whoever she damned well pleased. I appreciated that in at least one instance in the DC Universe, someone had thrown out the cookie cutter and asked of the artist to draw what needed to be seen. Let Amanda Waller eat again, DC.

People, nailing a face to a wall doesn’t say, “Detective:”

In Detective Comics #1, the end comes with a fairly well-known Batman antagonist having his face nailed to a wall. Maybe it’s just me but this plays more as “Saw” Comics than “Detective” comics. For a better use of the “detective” theme, see Batman #1.

People (Men) don’t draw women like ladies:

Having read Catwoman #1, I can see what others have been going on about. Yes, when you see Catwoman for the first time you may think, “Wow, the new Catwoman comes with less head,” due to the artist’s drawing her as a flashing series of ass and boob shots before we even see her face two pages later culminating in a four page sex scene where she gets her fratboy on and pretty much sexually assaults Batman. This scene is gratuitous and does not honor the characters at all. They deserve better and as I read this issue, all I could think was,“ When did Catwoman become “Crazy Nasty Ass Honey Badger?” Get it together, guys. Everyone deserves better.

That said, what did YOU take away from DC’s 52 #1?

#10. Superboy – Thank Me Later

Young Justice + Young Money. A decent effort, if nothing else.

#9. Ol’ Dirty Baron – Nazi Please

This one’s just hilarious. Nothing like a fascist super-villain with a Jheri Curl to brighten up your day!

#8. Digable Lanterns – Ringin’

Definitely one of the more inventive pairings. Especially with a Lantern that is, in fact, a planet.

#7. Capt-M – Kingdom Come

Would anything else really be more fitting?

#6. Batman – In My Lifetime, Year One

This one trumps Capt-M for me by virtue of it drawing from my favorite Jay-Z album for inspiration, as well as me being partial to Batman.

#5. DDevil – All Eyez On Me

Yeah, he might be throwin’ it up to the Westside, but like Tupac, DD’s East Coast, first and foremost.

#4. Thor – Thou Art Too Legit For Thy To Quit

The only way it could have been better is if I could imagine Thor doin’ the Typewriter dance in parachute pants . . . But Deadpool already beat ‘em to it!

#3. War Machine – Only Built 4 Armor Linx

Between Iron Man doing the Ghostface pose and the Avenger’s emblem hangin’ in the back, that’s what’s up.

#2. Dr. Octopus

Arguably one of the most seamless blends of a comic character with the original album cover. Dr. Octagon would be proud.

#1. Spider-Man – Illmazing

One of the first entries on the site, and still the best, in my opinion. Science geek or not, you could almost imagine a young Peter Parker bumpin’ Nas’ first CD as he looked out his bedroom window.

Folks like community college student and black nerd Troy Barnes:

Easily excitable CEO Jack Donaghy:

Local government worker and red meat lover Ron Swanson:

All kidding aside, I honestly feel rather indifferent for the most part. Those who are upset about how DC is portraying these characters are free to be upset about it. Outside of Harley Quinn dressing like a goth juggalo on Spring Break, I’m pretty much on the side of Mr. Swanson in not really giving a damn. A book headlined by Red Hood and Red Arrow already has two red flags against it, anyway. And as far Catwoman, she’s been on the FBI’s most wanted list for using sex as a weapon for the better part of forever! To say nothing of the the fact that the “offending” splash page at the end of Catwoman #1 isn’t nearly as explicit as some have made it out to be (remarkably suggestive? Oh hell yeah!! But it sure as shit ain’t Skinemax! I’ve seen racier stuff on network television!) I’m sure I’ll be categorized as a boob-loving chauvinist, a member of the lowest common denominator, a sad hormonally-charge immature man-child, ruled solely by my wang, etc., etc., etc. And you know what, I don’t care enough to challenge anyone who would bestow such labels upon me.

Deadline is reporting that FOX has bought the rights to the DC Comics character The Spectre, and are now in the process of developing the property as a supernatural drama for the network.

The Spectre, which has received a script commitment, centers on a former cop serving time in afterlife limbo who hunts down earthly criminals on behalf of the dead — and mortals soon to be dead if ultimate justice is not served. DC Entertainment’s sister TV studio Warner Bros TV will produce with Gerber Pictures.

A reactionary move on Fox’s part to contend with the Deadman series being developed over at the CW? Who knows? But Deadman’s got Supernatural creator Eric Kripke running the show, and The Spectre has . . . . the screenwriter of Love Happens.

As the relaunch of the DC universe continues, Barbara Gordon has returned to the role of Batgirl, a decision that’s sparked some controversy, given her prior standing as one of the few mainstream superhero characters with a physical handicap. In the 20 + years since Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke, Barbara Gordon had grown not only as an ally to Batman and his colleagues, but to the entire DC Universe. As Oracle, Barbara had become a vital component in an all-encompassing battle against evil, and for many fans, the relaunch of the entire DC universe has meant losing one if its best characters of the last two decades. So How does Barbara’s return to Batgirl measure up in the grand scheme of things?

The biggest problem with Batgirl #1 is how the book tries desperately to have its cake and eat it, too. It struggles to find a balance between pre-Killing Joke Batgirl, and post-Killing Joke Barbara Gordon, and the character suffers as a result. For new readers, Barbara’s shooting as it’s reflected upon in the book, is jarring and handled rather clumsily. And while there’s an attempt at presenting Barbara with a bout of post-traumatic stress, there’s no feeling behind it. Mostly due to how disturbingly cocky Batgirl is portrayed at the beginning of the issue. Even in her internal monologue, it never feels like she’s trying to re-assure herself, and more like she’s got all the angles covered, making it that much harder with the connect with her character, especially when she screws up.

For fans familiar with Barbara/Oracle, the inclusion of her shooting from The Killing Joke can be problematic; The Killing Joke was never a story primarily about Barbara Gordon getting shot, and the fact that so much of it is overlooked, especially considering what both Barbara and Commissioner Gordon went through, both physically AND psychologically, AFTER she was shot, the whole story feels somewhat cheapened by the way it’s been forced into this new continuity.

Still, I’d like to give Gail Simone the benefit of the doubt, given her history with the character. Seeing essentially rebuild Barbara Gordon as a character is could be interesting, but there’s no denying that this title is off to a bad start.

Verdict: C-

Nothing says gritty quite like the opening pages of Detective Comics #1, which features a naked Joker stabbing the hell out of a man who purports himself to be one of his biggest fans, clearly evidenced by the fact that he’s wearing a mask made out of skin, ala Leatherface! It’s all delightfully gruesome, as we’re reintroduced to the Clown Prince of Crime, as well as the Caped Crusader.

What makes this issue work so well is that, unlike titles like Justice League, which will probably spent the next two or three issues introducing all the characters to one another in the most forced and contrived ways possible, all Detective Comics has to do is focus on establishing Batman, which is done rather efficiently. What we have here is a first issue where stuff actually happens. Even with the story arc destined to span multiple issue, it’s balanced with some sense of a beginning, middle, and end to the one issue. Batman is obsessed with catching the Joker, and it’s made quite clear that for one, cops don’t like him, and two, this is a Batman that seems to genuinely regret not having a normal life. Missing out on dating seems to genuinely affect him. There seems to be less focus on him putting on a billionaire playboy front, choosing to portray him as someone frustrated that he doesn’t have enough time to be Bruce Wayne and he really wants to be. It’s impressive how well Tony Daniel illustrates this without over-selling it. It’s played more as something for readers to merely keep in the back of their minds, while the main story is going on.

And part of the story is establishing Batman’s relationship with Commissioner Gordon. De-aged to his ginger state, Gordon is still a man who believes in what Batman is trying to do, but makes it clear that it’s a balancing act for him, having to play to the loyalties of his police force, as well as thinking about the Mayor’s political interests. Both characters are still trying to prove themselves to one another, and it’s an aspect of the book I’m very much looking forward to.

Art-wise, it’s amazing to see just how much Tony Daniel has evolved (and continues to evolve) as an artist. For someone I honestly believed would be little more than a poor man’s J. Scott Campbell (and this was even before coming out with his “poor man’s Danger Girl” title, F5!), he’s managed to truly come into his own in the past few years. It’s a more restrained style that doesn’t skimp on the detail, grit and grime, that perfectly fits Batman. To say nothing of nods to the art of Dave Mazzucchelli and Dark Knight Returns-era Frank Miller that are present, but never overbearing.

While I’m still on the fence regarding DC’s bold relaunch, I’m more than happy to support the good books that come as a result, and Detective Comics is leading the pack at the moment.

Verdict: A-

Within a week, everything you know about DC Comics will change. The Batgirl you did or didn’t grow up with could potentially become someone else’s favorite character.

The familiar red and blue image of Superman becomes a little red as DC Comics has, in a move that could very well be seen as the ultimate form of symbolism or cynicism, taken down Superman’s red underwear, exposing him to the greater world.

Your favorite team or character may not have made the final cut of  the new 52 titles to be launched in September. Secret Six or Power Girl? Well… you’ll always have the memories. The actual issues, as well. Well, as long as you haven’t shredded them up or mailed them back to DC in some form of protest. Memories, like the physical comics, are yours to do with as you please.

Personally, I’m kind of excited for this. I want to be surprised and yes, DC has surprised me very much over the last three months. More importantly, they’ve managed to keep my interest in all 52 titles over three month’s time. Am I interested in all 52 titles? No, but I can say this. Over the past few weeks, as more news and images have been shown, I’ve truly gotten the sense that DC is trying and that’s something I can’t necessarily say I’ve seen them do in a good long while. There’s a sort of manic energy going on here that I sort of appreciate. Is every title worthy of even being looked at? Certainly not but there are gems out there to be had.

Stormwatch, a comic written by Doctor Who tv series writer Paul Cornell has a cold and dour Martian Manhunter owing very much to the Manhunter of the Justice League Unlimited cartoon series essentially taking over  Wildstorm’s The Authority, the book that put writers Warren Ellis and Mark Millar on the map. The Martian Manhunter not only has access to arguably The 21^st Century’s first superhero team but he has access to The Bleed, a universe within itself that allows its users to bend space and time to their will. If you’re a longtime DC Comics fan and that doesn’t excite and scare you a bit, you’re somewhat in the wrong place.

This couldn’t have been possible if someone, somewhere hadn’t asked questions and seen possibilities. Imagine if someone hadn’t said, “Maybe Superman should fly.”

This is a chance. This is a chance for rediscovery. This is possibility amidst the very much known. We know Superman and no one can take that away from us and no one’s trying to do so. This is change, plain and simple. I welcome it. And yes, I’ll miss Wally West just as much as anyone will.

The truths of comics are simple ones. We know them inside and out.

The rocket from Krypton will always land in a Kansas cornfield.

A young boy will weep gently to himself while kneeling in a pool of his parents’ blood.

A baby girl will be born and be held up as the greatest of the gods’ gifts.

This is canon.

This is truth.

Everything else is simply story.

Enjoy.

It’s like a strange cross between Jim Lee and Frank Quitely’s renditions of the character, and that sure as shit ain’t bad!

It certainly isn’t easy being green. Between the prospect of John Stewart’s Green Lantern being part of a Justice League film that never came to fruition, and the property coming close to being a screwball comedy starring Jack Black, the road to bringing the Emerald Knight to the big screen has been more than just a little bumpy. At the end of the journey, we find Martin Campbell in the director’s chair and Ryan Reynolds in the starring role, as we discover how a cocky test pilot became the Green Lantern of Sector 2814.

One of the frustrating things about Green Lantern as a film is how it manages to have so many of the right pieces, but does little with them. Outside of Blake Lively (why does Warner Bros. insist on casting women who can’t be taken seriously as adults as love interests in their comic book movies?!), the cast is certainly impressive enough. Reynolds shines as Hal Jordan and Green Lantern, but as the main character, it’s not surprising that he gets the lion’s share of character development. Mark Strong handles what little he’s given as Sinestro brilliantly, but given the significance of the character within the comics, it’s a shame we didn’t see him have a more defined dramatic arc. To say nothing of seeing very little from other prominent Green Lantern Corps members like Kilowog and Tomar Re (voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan and Geoffrey Rush, respectively). It’s actually surprising how many missed opportunities there are in the film where these characters could have been explored in more detail. Angela Bassett is especially wasted as Amanda Waller. You know you’re in trouble when Smallville does a better representation of the character.

Story-wise, Green Lantern has a good enough starting point, but the problem is that it doesn’t seem to reach the finish line. There’s a good combination of elements that are touched upon, but few of them are taken as far as they could be. We’re introduced to the Green Lantern Corps, but not nearly enough time is spent on any member of the corps outside of Hal to believe them to be such a powerful force in the universe. We’re given a few brief glimpses of the Green Lantern planet, Oa, but very little of it is explored beyond the giant assembly hall (that’s really just a big-ass cave) and the training bridge.

The film’s handling of the government’s discovery of Abin Sur, the alien whom Hal received his Green Lantern ring from, is used as a set-up for Dr. Hector Hammond being infected by the film’s villain Parallax, but nothing else becomes of whatever research he gathered before turning evil, nor are any of the implications of this alien’s biology or technology explored. Even once Hal appears as Green Lantern to the public, it’s rather implausible that there isn’t further investigation into what all this might mean for the planet Earth. What would have been a strengthening subplot becomes a distraction for a film that can’t balance itself between the events on Earth, and the sprawling space opera fans expect Green Lantern to be.

Not a total loss, Green Lantern’s best moments come from Reynolds’ earnest performance, as well as some impressive effects. The motion-capture/CG approach for the Green Lantern costume was surprisingly well-executed, and the 3D was especially impressive. What little action there is in the film was, at the very least, competently staged, showcasing Green Lantern’s powers in exciting fashion. It’s just a shame the filmmakers couldn’t push some of the good ideas they genuinely had further.

Verdict: C+

Though he couldn’t divulge any classified information about what’s actually going to happen inside the covers of the comic, Chiang was able to discuss what makes Wonder Woman such an enduring icon as well as why Diana would make for a badass rock star. Also discussed: Cliff’s love of ’80s music and giant robots. Not necessarily in that order.

UPDATED June 27, 2011: Pre-order information for Cliff’s “Mecha” t-shirt is now available at Epic Proportions!

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What was your initial reaction upon learning you were penciling Wonder Woman?
Excitement, then dread. It’s a lot of pressure!

My daughter, who will be four soon, just instinctively says Wonder Woman is her favorite superhero. Why do you think she has been such an enduring icon?
She’s THE female superhero, and is the vessel for everything we want women to be. Like Superman, it’s an impossible standard, so it’s a good thing she’s fictional!

Since NBC didn’t pick up the television show starring Adrianne Palicki, are you disappointed there won’t be a high-profile live action Wonder Woman this fall?
It would be great to have more Wonder Woman stuff out there, but I’m kinda relieved that our book won’t have to “compete” — or worse, tie into — a show that has a very different premise.

Why has it been so difficult to adapt Wonder Woman for live action?
More than any other character, Wonder Woman means different things to different people. If you put ten people in a room, you’ll get ten different answers, and most of them will not make for good comics or adaptations.

Speaking of “adapting” Wonder Woman, I kinda love the piece you did recently depicting Diana as Joan Jett (and Canary as Cherie Currie?). What was the inspiration behind that?
I was watching “The Runaways” with my wife, and I realized how important women rockers are to young girls, as a model for independence and confounding expectations. Check out the Willie Mae Rock Camp for Girls, and you can see how rock becomes an important tool for empowerment and growth. It’s awesome. Female superheroes do a similar thing, so that piece is not about Wonder Woman having Joan Jett hair — fun as it is, but really it’s about rocking out and owning your identity.

Your “12 inch remixes” are always consistently great in concept and execution. Clearly, you’re a big fan of 80s iconography. How did the idea of mashing up superheroes and classic 80s album covers first come about?
A friend needed flyers for a club party where he’d have dancers in costume, so I needed to figure out a way to combine music and
superheroes. He’s a huge Batgirl fan, so I was looking at images of Batgirl and her motorcycle and something clicked: the colors, the
bike, the attitude — Prince! I just started laughing and pretty much laughed the whole time I was drawing it.

Batgirl/”Purple Rain” is an all-time favorite, for sure! Do you have any more “remix” ideas brewing at the moment?
No, I’ll probably take a break from them. It’s hard to find the right combination of character and album cover. Both need to be pretty
recognizable for the gag to work, and the original album images need to have enough story to comment on the character. I rejected a lot of ideas because they’d just end up being portraits. It’s a tricky thing to balance.

I still remember a pretty epic night of karaoke a few years back with Jeff Yang, Derek Kirk Kim, and a few others. What’s your ultimate 80s karaoke playlist?
Two words: Peter. Cetera.

Speaking of “epic,” (see what I did there?) how did Jerry Ma sucker you in to designing a t-shirt for Epic Proportions?
We’ve been talking about doing an Epic Props shirt for a while, actually, and this year we’re sharing a booth at San Diego, so I had to rally and give him a cool design. It’s for his Signature Line, which has shirts from Walt Simonson, Geoff Darrow, and Larry Hama, so there was a lot to live up to.

It really is a fantastic design, can you talk a little about the back story behind it? You’re not normally associated with giant robots or that whole mecha aesthetic.
I’ve been watching a lot of anime and reading manga, so giant robots are never far from my mind. But the prevailing anime aesthetic is pretty different from my own design sense, so I tried to figure out what a giant robot would look like in my world. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve loved commercial planes and the idea of these hulking, riveted machines taking flight, so I wanted my robot to have some of that styling, and for the pilots to be wearing functional flight suits and not skin tight fetish gear. I didn’t want the shirt to be too masculine, so the female pilot is taking a smoke break, just a quiet tiny human moment set against this weird sci-fi backdrop.

The Cliff Chiang Signature T-Shirt will be available exclusively at San Diego Comic-Con. If you’re planning on being in San Diego this July, be sure to stop by booth #1221 and catch Cliff with fellow SIUniverse alums Jerry Ma and Bernard Chang! You can also find Cliff in San Francisco this weekend at the Sing Tao Education Expo talking to young Asian American students about colleges and careers. Wonder Woman #1 will be available, along with all the other #1s in the new DCU, this fall at comic shops everywhere.

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Keith is the Editor-at-Large of the groundbreaking graphic novel anthology SECRET IDENTITIES and Outreach Director for SIUniverse Media. Visit the official Secret Identities blog to keep up with Keith and the rest of the SI team.

With news of DC Comics relaunching their major superhero universe with #1′s for over 50 titles, as well as day and date release for comics in both digital and print form, myself, Howard, LeRon, and Reubin got together to talk about DC’s plans, and what it means for their overall comics universe.

Cotdamn!!! After months of speculation, bad word of mouth, and confusing details and what costume the character would even wear, The Hollywood Reporter has broken news that NBC has chosen not to take David E. Kelley’s revamp of Wonder Woman to series. It’s certainly been a roller-coaster ride for DC Comic’s Amazonian princess! When it seemed like no network was interested in taking a chance on the series, NBC swooped in like a peacock to snatch it up . . . . and then the pilot script reviews came in. Needless to say, more than a few fans took offense to what looked to be turning into Ally McBeal with superheroes. To say nothing of the initial costume reveal, and the wholesale backlash that was to follow.

Between this and Joss Whedon’s failed attempt to bring the character the the big screen, you can’t help but wonder (tee hee!!!), What in crispy Panko-breaded hell is it gonna take to make the character interesting enough in live-action to actually succeed??!?

Source: Superherohype

While I can’t say I’m thrilled with the decision to rely on Superman villains we’ve already seen on film, I can’t argue with the casting Michael Shannon, who will be playing General Zod in the new Superman film, now titled Man Of Steel. Shannon’s been praised for his roles in Revolutionary Road, The Runaways, and the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire. I can definitely see him bringing the right kind of menacing demeanor to a character like Zod.

According to Superherohype, the character of Tomar-Re will be voiced by The King’s Speech actor Geoffery Rush.

Meanwhile, Latino Review is reporting that Michael Clarke Duncan is in talks to provide voice talent for Kilowog.

Both characters are part of the Green Lantern Corps in the film, helping Reynold’s Hal Jordan learn how to use his new-found powers.

Fans and other moviegoers can also expect to see a new trailer for the film to debut with the release of Marvel Studios’ Thor, which opens May 6th. Marketing for Green Lantern has been admittedly lax, and executives at Warner Bros. are hoping the new trailer will give audiences a better idea of the grand scale of the film, which most fans didn’t get an impression of from the trailer released last November.

The Martin Campbell-directed Green Lantern will be in theaters June 11th.

PCS Villain, Colt 45 running across the bay

Recently, Sony Online Entertainment brought PopCultureShock to tour the SOE Studio in Austin, Texas where they’ve put a tremendous effort in creating the much-anticipated DC Universe Online game. After a tour of the office and a debriefing of the game’s inception, creative process, and breakdown of the main elements of the game, I got to spend a few hours exploring the game in Beta, and what follows are my first impressions of the game. Click on images to enlarge

Harley Quinn guards the Joker Suit

DCU Online is not a pure MMO, at least not in what longtime MMO-ers are used to; it’s more of a hybrid of a few game types mixed together. There’s a little real-time strategy, a little bit of RPG, and all of it is encompassed in this MMO world. It’s heavy on the combat and logistically so because DCU Online is getting a simultaneous launch on the PS3 and PCs. Because of the amount of combat that’s involved, I found the PS3 Dualshock controller to be much more natural when dishing out combos and making changes on the fly. I played on a PC, but played with a Dualshock controller after quickly ditching the keyboard route.

Custom Make it Your Own

For those that don’t know, DCU Online has always been about a custom hero that you bring to the table. One of the early misconceptions is that you’d be able to play the classic DCU heroes and villains for an entire campaign, but not so. It’s possible to play a few dozen of them in alert missions, and you can tailor make your character to look like and act like your favorites, but it’s better to make it your own, no? Well you have that choice, regardless. You create a character that exists in the DCU, and you choose to be male or female; design your build and stature including both the look and abilities/powers; and live out the fantasy of a hero or villain. Those choosing the heroic path get to pick one of DC’s classic Trinity: Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman as their mentor, while those who decide the villainous route get to choose from their arch enemies in Lex Luthor, Joker, or Circe.

One of Gotham's finest getting the beat down, or with the red flashing, is it me who is getting beat down?

The name I chose for my super villain was Colt 45. (The creative juices were flowing a little slow that day and I’ll blame it on traveling eastward.) It’s so easy to make a character with the powers you always wanted as a kid, and so I did. I had to go for super speed (I love the Flash and ran track) and had to have sorcery powers because I wanted to see the visuals of comic book magic. Besides super speed, flight and acrobatics are the additional choices in terms of traveling. Given my limited time with the game, the ability to cover a large amount of area in a short time was a luxury I considered heavily.

Other core powers include: gadgets, fire, ice, nature, and mental while even more staple powers can be unlocked and added to your utility belt. You can pick your personality, which you can see in your character’s saunter or posture when you leave your character idle (I chose flirty), fighting style (martial arts), and then the costume. I knew that I could have spent hours just on costumes so I patterned my look after Deathstroke, and then tweaked the colors. You can pick the color for each piece of the costume or you can pick from several three-color palettes that can be helpful in shortcutting this part of the creation. In the end Colt 45 looked a little more early 90’s comics than I ever intended but I think gamers and comic fans alike, are going to love making multiple characters. After about 25 minutes of creating my character, I just wanted to jump into the action but it’s easy to spend an eternity in character creation.

Running down a building

No matter what combination you choose, each campaign starts off in Braniac’s ship where you have to escape out of. Here you’ll get a tutorial and get your feet wet while coming to grips with the controls. Once you exit, you get brought to one of two worlds. All villains and techies go to Gotham. Everyone else is sent to Metropolis to start. Shown here are both images from Gotham, Metropolis and the Legion of Doom and you’ll get a taste of some of the massive worlds created by the design team.

The Dashboard

In Gotham or Metropolis, your mentor will list out your goals to the bottom right of the screen; your map is in the upper right corner; your customized utility and abilities “belt” lies at the bottom center while the health and magic/powers bar is at the familiar upper left. None of the Heads Up Display is overwhelming or covers up the action, just make sure you’re playing with a widscreen set.

A different view of running on water; up close and behind

Feeling the Need, the Need for Speed

I loved playing with a character with super speed. The blur and lightning visuals in combination with the sounds of the Speed Force were awesome as seen in the screen caps. Being able to run up and down buildings was a trip. Camera movement and angles were fluid and it gives you unlimited access to Gotham City and Metropolis. Because I just had to, I ran across the Metropolis Bay, and when I stopped in the middle, I plopped right in and began treading water.

This is not an endorsement for the super speed route for travel powers. When creating my villain, I was torn on choosing flight or super speed. While it’s possible to unlock flight, you just don’t command it like you do if it is one of your main abilities. In speaking with the other journalists, the acrobatics route is apparently a lot of fun too and very intuitive. After about three straight hours of super speed though I can tell you, I had to take a break for my eyes. I was a bit too enthusiastic travelling and fighting in super speed mode, but luckily it’s very simple to toggle that on or off.

The sorcery powers added another level to the combat not normally seen in comic book console games. I could levitate detectives in the distance and knock them out in the middle of the air before they could set their feet down. I could cast spells and make Gotham City Police Department’s finest think they’re on fire. More time would have unlocked even cooler skills for sure.

One of the more exciting parts of the game is leveling up. Whenever I got a notification of a level up or an item grab, I’d race to see what exactly I could add to my fighting or grow my powers tree. The more combos you unlock and learn, the quicker you can get through battles.

When you level up, you get a chance to upgrade your fighting abilities, or your superpower. Also any items you pick up along the way or buy are added to your costume or arsenal on the fly. Because it’s an MMO, I was repeatedly reminded that there is no pause button, so if you want to make a change you can fly up to the top of a building and make the necessary changes.

Another suit in the Legion of Doom to unlock guarded by Mr. Freeze

The Verdict So Far

Essentially, you’re playing to get through 30 levels, the current cap, which amounts to roughly 40 hours of play. My propensity to explore everything would probably extend that period of time. But then the fun really begins because you can then enter the PvP mode where you get to interact with other players. Each month new missions and new worlds are being added to the game, potentially making the game as endless as your favorite monthly comics. There are battle suits (from actual stories) to unlock and use, several skill challenges and missions where you’ll need to team up with others online. For instance, we were shown an Alert Mission that transports you to Smallville where you take on Doomsday and fight beside the Justice League.

Gameplay is extremely smooth. There’s no jerking or staggering in battles, even when there’s as many as 15-20 characters on the screen. I also found no glaring glitches or noticeable areas where the game feels underdeveloped or needing more. The game is so close to completion and understandably, the delays have hurt the buzz, but it’s only because they are taking the time to put the detail that will overwhelm the most ardent DC Comics fan and gamer.

Voice acting for instance is one of the finishing touches needed to complete the game. Kevin Conroy is recording for Batman and Mark Hamill reprises his familiar role as The Joker. Other voices include Summer Glau (Supergirl), Adam Baldwin (Superman), James Marsters (Lex Luthor), Michelle Forbes (Circe), Diedrich Bader (Solomon Grundy), Gina Torres (Wonder Woman), Powers Boothe (Gorilla Grodd), Dwight Schultz (Flash-Barry Allen), Wil Wheaton (Robin-Tim Drake), Tony Todd (Darkseid, Kevin Michael Richardson (Clayface) and Robert Patrick (Hawkman).

The streets of Gotham City

In trying to describe the experience, I’ll compare it to other games I’ve played. The combat is reminiscent of God of War or Batman: Arkham Asylum only with no cut sequences or stoppage of play; just fast, live, and seamless action. It can be intense, relentless, and button-mashing will be mandatory. The mentorship missions remind me of Grand Theft Auto, where you slowly gain skills and experience as you rise through the ranks of becoming a villain, or by doing accumulative acts of heroism. Bribing rookie GCPD cops or strapping bombs to their squad cars may not appeal to everyone, but that’s why you can put a stop to Gorilla Grodd and his apes.

The cities and environments are immersive and overwhelming at first glance. You can go to the Daily Planet, or Metropolis Stadium. The Batcave has the penny, the T-Rex, the Batmobile and a bunch of bats flying around. Comic readers will geek out interacting with artifacts and places that they’ve only read about. One thing I really enjoyed about DCU Online was that the learning curve was small but still presented a challenge. I felt I could come in, drop an hour or two whenever I wanted and not feel like I had to put in several hours at a time on each campaign to feel some sense of accomplishment.

A penthouse view of the Metropolis Bay.

Hardcore gamers may wonder how much they’ll enjoy this game, and I can’t answer that based on what it is each person is expecting out of the game. There’s plenty to see and do, that much I do know. What I can do is let you know what my perspective is on MMO’s, games and comics and how DCU Online fits in with that.

I came in with an open mind and a broad gaming experience, skepticism on paying a monthly fee for a game, and a long love and knowledge of comics. Though I am a console gamer and spend countless hours on my PS3, no MMO has made this comics fan take the plunge so far. I was not just thoroughly entertained with DCU Online; I’m brainstorming ways to shift my monthly disposable income around to accommodate playing this game in the winter. The DC Universe is a world I’m familiar with, unlike World of Warcraft or Everquest. I invest in a portion of the DCU each week in the comics I buy and that’s truly what the draw is for me with DCU Online: the characters, the universe and the license. The fact that the game delivers on multiple fronts is a bonus in my mind.

Hopefully my impressions keep the anticipation high for those waiting for DCU Online, which is now scheduled for early 2011 release. But if this wasn’t enough, throughout November and December we’re going to continue covering the game through to the release date. Check back here for screen shots and videos, an exclusive interview with DCU Online Senior Producer, Wes Yanagi, and a detailed tour of the SOE Austin Studios. We enjoyed what we learned at DC University and think comic fans and gamers alike may want to consider enrolling when Spring Semester arrives.

A glimpse of the massive Metropolis. In the distant skies is one of Braniac's ships