Film School Rejects » Comic Geekdom

Gibbons Talks Watchmen at a NYC Apple Store

Paul Sileo — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:00:52 +0000

Who watches the Watchmen? Me, on March 6^th at midnight, that’s who. I have been eagerly anticipating this film since I first read Watchmen a few years ago (I am new to this whole graphic novel thing, so sue me). It’s no secret that Alan Moore has publicly spoken out against Watchmen ever making its way to the big screen. Maybe he would rather do Lost Girls? I don’t know. But Watchmen’s illustrator Dave Gibbons has nothing but praise for Snyder’s production.

Daniel Barna, over at JoBlo.com, got the chance to listen to Gibbons gush when he recently stopped by the Apple Store in SoHo to talk about the movie and show some clips (which turned out to simply be the featurettes on the film’s website). Sounds like it was a good time, and Gibbons sure dropped a few nuggets that I was certainly unaware of. Did you all know that one of the original producers, back when the talks about a film first started following the graphic novel’s publishing, wanted Arnold Schwarzenegger as Dr. Manhattan?

Yikes.

Though honestly, I can’t say I’m not mildly intrigued at the idea of California perhaps electing a governor that had flopped his neon blue twig and berries around for two hours on-screen. Now that’s an image I needed this early in the morning. In addition to this interesting opinion on casting, Gibbons also mentioned the well-documented coming-and-going of directors like Paul Greengrass and Terry Gilliam (whom he hit with a burn! Oh no he di’int!). And at the end of the visit, Gibbons pulled a Bob Ross and produced an artistic masterpiece (a picture of Rorschach) for all to see, and take home autographed!

Gibbons sounds like a cool guy, and though he was sure to mention that he was only minimally involved in the film, he did say that he had drawn a few new pages for Snyder to use as a storyboard for some completely original scenes in the film. Awesome. He also said that he has seen the film several times, and guess what? He’s a damn fan. If you were hesitant about this film, I really think that’s all the endorsement you need. Well, that and the super-fucking-cool pictures and footage we’ve seen.

Companion Piece: Watchmen: The Art of the Film

Neil Miller — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:05:13 +0000

Before The Dark Knight came out we thought we had a lot of marketing materials. We thought the same prior to the release of Iron Man. But neither of those films seem to be holding a flame to the sheer amount of materials (mostly photos) that we’ve seen online for the upcoming comic adaptation Watchmen. And why not? This is perhaps the most anticipated, most beloved, most revered comic property of all-time — thought by many to be the Holy Grail of comic book movies. There’s no reason why Warner Bros. shouldn’t be milking every last little ounce of buzz out of this wondrous thing we call the internet.

So as we do, we are going to play right into their hands and point you to a new gallery of art from the film. The folks at UGO have scored a first look at some of the art which will be included in the upcoming Titan Books release Watchmen: Art of the Film, set to be released on February 10th. You can pre-order the book by heading over to Amazon or clicking the image to the right. Just like The Dark Knight Production Book, this companion piece will include 256 pages of production designs, set photos, costume sketches, storyboards and other pieces of conceptual art. It showcases a lot of the meticulous planning that director Zack Snyder and his team went through as they embarked on one of the most difficult, yet potentially epic productions in the history of comics intersecting with film.

As a bonus, check out some art and portraits below. For more, check out UGO’s Art of the Film Preview or just head over to Amazon and pre-order the book for yourself. You know you want to.

Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan:

A first look at Matt Frewer as Moloch:

Rorschach concept art by John Cassaday:

New Push Comic Tries to Explain What the Hell’s Going On

Neil Miller — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:12:00 +0000

After the extended preview at Comic-Con and the recently released trailer, there are two things that I’ve heard people say about the Summit Entertainment film Push; “What the hell is this?” and “This looks like Heroes.” Both sentiments are completely understandable, as the film does look like Heroes. It is also potentially confusing. Thankfully the chaps at Summit Entertainment and Wildstorm/DC Comics will be releasing a comic miniseries, written by Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman; Art by Bruno Redondo.

The two covers seen below are for the already released issues #1 and #2, which hit comic shelves in November.

We also have the covers for the December (left) and January (right) issues below.

I’ve had a chance to flip through the first issue and so far its pretty solid — engaging and aesthetically interesting, but it doesn’t shed a ton of light on the story for the film. Though it does lead me to believe that the next few issues will lead up to the film’s release well. Personally I’m stoked for this film, as it has some really solid sci-fi roots and a very complex and potentially interesting story. Then again, it is anchored by performances from three actors who aren’t worth their weight in shit, Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning and Camilla Belle. Miracles have happened before, though.

Push (the movie) hits theaters on February 6, 2009. Check out some additional stills from the movie below. For more on the comics, check out the DC/Wildstorm homepage.

Second Watchmen Trailer Continues the Geek Fluid Drive

Neil Miller — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:07:08 +0000

We knew it was coming. We’ve been waiting all night. And it is finally here — the second full-length Watchmen trailer. And even though it won’t be in theaters until March 6, 2009, the vision of director Zack Snyder is starting to come into frame. But before we get into all of that, lets have a look at this new trailer:

[See post to watch Flash video]

Not quite as poignant as the first trailer, but good nonetheless. This second trailer takes a more somber look at the actual plot rather than just teasing with images of the iconic characters from the book. And in that it does serve a great purpose — the first trailer was meant to get the geeks, the Comic-Con crowd excited. These next two trailers will be about selling the film to mainstream audiences. While Watchmen is, as the trailer explains, “the most celebrated graphic novel of all-time,” that might not exactly resonate with Joe the Plumber. If The Dark Knight has taught us anything it is that a comic book movie can be a good movie first, comic book movie second. All signs currently point to Watchmen being cut from a similar cloth, but in order for it to find great success at the box office the marketing is going to have to follow suit.

Watchmen is directed by Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead). It stars Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Carla Gugino and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. It is based on a graphic novel of the same name by Alan Moore, with illustration by Dave Gibbons. Watchmen hits theaters on March 6, 2009.

What are your thoughts on the second full-length Watchmen trailer?

The Boys: Possibly the Next Great R-Rated Comic Book Film

Brian C. Gibson — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:20:08 +0000

One of my favorite comic series in the past couple years has been Garth Ennis’ ‘The Boys.’ We ran a story a bit ago about how the book had been picked up for adaptation to film. The film is reportedly been left in the hands of Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay. All I can say is that if they can keep the film close to the book, I will be a happy man.

Straying slightly from source material has not always necessarily been a bad thing. Mark Millar’s ‘Wanted’ was a comic that strayed away from the clean heroic aspects that you find in many comics of the past and present. It was that exact strength of unconventionality, that made a big screen adaptation seem so distant. As expected, Hollywood squeezed hard and a pretty good film was released from its grasp. In the end though, the film was distinctly different from the comic. So Wanted turned out to be pretty good. Does this mean that Hollywood should take its liberties with the strengths and tone of ‘The Boys’?

No. If you have never read ‘The Boys’, make sure to. There will be a definitive hardcover set releasing on Amazon soon. Check it out. Here is the premise: Superheroes are superpowered, but have lost touch with humanity. Taking a nonchalant approach to saving lives, they sometimes inflict pain on the innocent and don’t really care anymore. These heroes have an overinflated sense of power and entitlement. The Big Boys are the elite team of heroes, which consist of characters who nod to Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and The Flash. The guys even tell one of there new recruits that she can only make the team if she is willing to take one from the team. If you know what I mean. So who is there to help wake them up and show them that they are just superpowered assholes? Billy Butcher creates a team to monitor and teach the ’supes’ a lesson. Why is Butcher bent on destroying the supes? Maybe because he finds out that one of the Big Boys raped his wife, only after a superpowered baby killed her by bashing its way out of her uterus. Butcher was forced to beat the fetus to death with a lamp.

Pretty twisted right? Well that is the strength of the book. Ennis does what he does best in this one, which is to take a beloved mythos and apply some sharp and unrelenting satire. The book takes jabs at some of the most popular Marvel and DC characters including those mentioned before and the X-Men and Iron Man. The book contains things that could easily be avoided on the big screen. The book contains some homosexual elements, gruesome deaths and gratuitous sexuality. For instance, the implication of Batman/Robin type characters taking a Catwoman type character back to the hideout and having a wild night. So should some of these elements be omitted?

No. I think it is these hard jabs that crack a fault in the foundation of comic mythos, that make the book so effective. No one ever thinks about how a super hero might take his/her own powers to the extreme, and take their own liberties. Even if it were just in private, these heroes would have to show some sign of humanity even if it were dark. Who knows, Wonder Woman could really be a promiscuous closet drunk. So do yourself a favor and go read the books, and create some buzz around the film. It would be better as a hard R. Don’t pull any punches Hollywood, show us the ugly side of heroics. It is time to even out the scales. We have been dished some heavy helpings of nobile caped crusaders, let’s have a little fun.

Must See: First Look at Kevin Smith’s Batman: Cacophony

Neil Miller — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 18:44:13 +0000

Kevin Smith has revealed some full color pages from his upcoming comic series “Batman: Cacophony,” which he has been working on with his good friend, artist Walter Flanagan. Many of you may recall Walt as the ‘fanboy’ from Mallrats — “Tell ‘em, Steve Dave.”

Cacophony will be a three part series that takes us back to Gotham City, where a mysterious masked killer known as Onomatopoeia has returned to set his sights — and sounds — on the Caped Crusader. The first run of the comic goes on sale November 12, and can be picked up via the Secret Stash.

Check out the full pages below, courtesy of Kevin Smith’s MySpace Blog.

I have a feeling that both Fanboy and Steve-Dave would be proud of what Mr. Smith and Mr. Flanagan have created.

What do you think about the look of Batman: Cacophony?

Watchmen Video Journal: Girls Kick Ass

Neil Miller — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:33:48 +0000

It is the 6th of the month and Watchmen fans know what that means — time for another behind the scenes video journal. And in the month of November we get to see one of the elements of the film that has appealed to me, Malin Ackerman in costume. Have a look at the featurette below, courtesy of MySpace.

One of the things I find most interesting about this month’s entry is seeing Carla Gugino as the 60-year old Sally Jupiter. That was always something that could have turned out to be very odd looking, but they’ve done a solid job with it. As well, how about Malin Ackerman kicking some ass in the jail scene at the end of the clip? Not bad, eh?

Want more Watchmen Video Journals? Check them out via the links below:

Mark Millar Set to Pitch Superman’s ‘Magnum Opus’

Adam Sweeney — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:09:14 +0000

Comic book writer and creator Mark Millar has big plans for Superman on the big screen. How big? Try The Godfather big.

Millar, who brought us “Wanted” and “Kick-Ass”, has been working with a big-name Hollywood director to pitch what he called “the Magnum Opus of all Superman stories.” He spoke with Empire Magazine about the idea, which he wants to be an 8-hour saga split into 3 films, much in the vain of Lord of the Rings. Each film would be released one year apart.

“It’s gonna be like Michael Corleone in The Godfather films, the entire story from beginning to end, you see where he starts, how he becomes who he becomes, and where that takes him,” Millar explained. “The Dark Knight showed you can take a comic book property and make a serious film, and I think the studios are ready to listen to bigger ideas now.”

Millar also discussed the issues he had with Superman Returns. “The problem with Superman Returns was like releasing Star Wars in ‘77, The Empire Strikes Back in ‘80 and then waiting 28 years to release Return of the Jedi. It wasn’t relevant. I understand what Bryan Singer was trying to do, to pay homage to Richard Donner’s original vision, but I think you should pay homage by doing something completely different.

Millar’s story is, without a doubt, epic in scale. To just hear a snippet of the scope reveals that. “I want to start on Krypton, a thousand years ago,” Millar said, “and end with Superman alone on Planet Earth, the last being left on the planet, as the yellow sun turns red and starts to supernova, and he loses his powers.”

If this trilogy gets made, mark me down for a ticket to the midnight screening on opening night. I admire Millar’s ambition and would be amazed to see a series of films that could match what director Christopher Nolan is doing with the Batman franchise. The Dark Knight raised the bar in terms of what we could expect in superhero films. It would only make sense that the Man of Steel would try to soar above it.

I have always felt like Superman could become a perfect tragic character. Anyone familiar with the story “Tuck Everlasting” knows that being invulnerable isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The main complaint I have with Superman is that he is almost too powerful. But if Millar can show the conflict that comes from his inability to relate to humans, along with an story grand in scale that would make us understand the sacrifice he has to make to protect our planet, it could go down as one of the greatest superhero films of all-time.

What do you think of Mark Millar’s plans for Superman? Who would you want to direct it?

Five Reasons To Be Excited About the Thor Movie

Josh Radde — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:45:10 +0000

On our talkbacks here at FSR we’ve been seeing a certain lack of excitement for Marvel’s Thor movie they hope to adapt and bring to the screen within a couple of years. When it was announced Kenneth Branagh was to be attached to the project, a comment read “Thor has a giant dingdong” (which, I suppose could be a positive thing, depending on who the FSR talkbacker was who wrote it). There have also been some Thor fans coming to his rescue, especially when FSR’s Mister Hand wrote “This is a really stupid hero, in my humble opinion. Okay, maybe he’s not stupid, but I certainly didn’t connect with the guy at all.”

Makes sense, right? He’s a god, for heaven’s sake, how are we supposed to “identify” with a god? But on the same note, people connect with Superman and the Hulk, so why not Thor? FSR talkbacker “Gregg” defended Thor from Mister Hand’s blistering rhetoric by responding “Even if the old comics sucked, they’ve redone him after his disappearance in the Avengers Disassembled series and maybe the new story line will give some creative material for the movie. Also, don’t forget where he’s from and who he’s related to. Asgard, Odin and Loki, all good plot devices.”

So there’s obviously some disagreement on the Thor movie front. Screenwriter Mark Protosevich explained his film as “a superhero origin story, but not one about a human gaining super powers, but of a god realizing his true potential. It’s the story of an Old Testament god who becomes a New Testament god.” Maybe it’s the theological aspects of the character that are turning people off. Maybe it’s the fact that the hero resembles Fabio in metal or Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Conan the Barbarian. Whatever the reason, there has to be some solid support for the character since he’s been in existence for over 45 years. There’s got to be something to root for in a movie about Thor. In fact, I bet there’s five things to root for.

1. He’s a major part of the Avengers: Remember, Marvel is ramping up towards a huge Avengers project, so films like Iron Man 2, Captain America, and Thor are only serving to get the character introductions out of the way. Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk had cameos by Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Downey, Jr. (respectively) all but setting up the promise of an Avengers team. In fact, the first ever Avengers publication had Loki as its major villain, using his trickery to lull the Hulk into fighting Thor. It doesn’t work the way Loki intends and heroes such as Hulk, Ant-Man, the Wasp, and Iron Man decide that they work together well, thus forming The Avengers. And while it seems that the films have taken the “Avenger Initiative” angle, indicating that it will be a superhero team put together by S.H.I.E.L.D., some aspects of this origin story could still remain intact.

2. He won’t be “Thor” 100% of the time: It would be hard for Marvel to sell us a god-like figure wielding a big-ass hammer for 2 hours on film. But just like The Incredible Hulk had a solid performance by Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, Thor could benefit from a good leading-man playing Donald Blake, the body Thor inhabits when he comes to Earth. There have been rumors that Brad Pitt and Kevin McKidd (”Rome”) were cast, but neither has been substantiated. But if you can get a guy to play physically handicapped medical student Donald Blake (my vote is a good, young actor like Vincent Kartheiser from Mad Men or a more established Hollywood actor like Joseph Gordon-Levitt — I just won’t stop throwing Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s name in superhero chatter until he finally agrees to do one. And I don’t count the upcoming G.I. Joe in this sentiment), who then could change back and forth into Thor, I think that may work.

3. Godly characters = Epic battles: Gregg was right. If Branagh, or whoever is directing, shows us Asgard, it could be an awesome film. Throw in Thor’s godly father Odin and his main villain Loki, who also happens to be his brother, and you can build some serious drama leading up to some intensely epic action sequences. And if Branagh is in fact doing it, we have to remember that this is a guy whose directed Shakespeare successfully on film. Showing Hamlet’s relationship with his uncle, or Iago’s hatred of Othello may not be much different than showing two Marvel gods going head-to-head. Besides, bringing this element into an Avengers movie may be necessary, because….

4. Bigger villains: As much as I liked Iron Man, Jeff Bridges wasn’t a very satisfying villain (Tim Roth as the Abomination in The Incredible Hulk wasn’t really that great, either.) I know that the first film was used to set up that there’s a bigger villain in Mandarin, but Thor brings monsters, gods, and other-worldly beings to the table. With the Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America on board already, there’s not many villains that would stand a chance. Bring in some Asgardian villains, throw in a vengeful god in Odin, and you’ve got an Avengers team who would meet their match.

5. He may not be so super, after all: There’s no proof that the Thor movie will take this angle, but the Ultimate Marvel Thor is a man who many think is crazy because he claims to be this “Norse God.” The story is about a man who spends 18 months institutionalized thinking he has godly powers and has been sent to Earth to save humans. He’s also an activist and anti-military. This story also has Nick Fury in it, so Samuel L. Jackson could be given a larger role in a film as Marvel ramps upward toward Avengers, where he’ll no doubt be a major character. Besides, when screenwriter Protosevich talks about a god “realizing his powers,” then him not even knowing who he is for half the movie could be fun to watch.

Bottom line: There’s more to Thor than a guy in viking-ware who wields a big ol’ hammer. There’s at least enough of a history and storyline to get comic-book movie fans excited, and a call for Thor fans to come out and defend their boy.

Talking Point: Do you think a Thor movie could work? What would you like to see as they build up to an eventual Avengers movie?

‘Kick Ass’ Set Update From Creator Mark Millar and First Photos

Rob Hunter — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:52:58 +0000

Next year’s release of Kick-Ass will mean different things to different people. For fans, it will be fun, cinematic escapism. For creator Mark Millar, it’ll be “the greatest movie of 2009.” And for me? For me it’s become the first Nicolas Cage movie in a very long time that I’m extremely eager and excited to see. My excitement just started a few minutes ago (yes I’m slow) when I read the following from Millar’s day one set report from the film’s shoot in London.

“Coincidentally, the first scene shot on the movie was the first scene I wrote on the comic (now the opening to issue six) and it’s Hit-Girl in her secret identity, wearing a Hello Kitty T-shirt and a kevlar vest as her Dad pumps round after round into her chest so she knows how a bullet feels. I loved the scene in the comic, I loved the scene in the screenplay, but Nic just took it to a whole new level with his delivery, the genuinely mental glee and beautiful comic timing as we see this little kid in pink clothes and a pink hat blasted back into mud in an abandoned factory… All I’ll say is that nobody is going to be prepared for this movie when it opens late Summer 09. Nobody is going to have seen anything like this before and that’s very, very exciting.”

Good god this sounds great. And I can already see troubles with the MPAA. Millar acknowledges as much with the opening to his post.

“Holy fuck.
We are all going to…
a) Hell
b) Prison
c) Both.
But it’s worth it, believe me. If I absolutely have to go to jail for a comic-book movie then I accept no substitutes. This is the one. I hereby declare Kick-Ass as the greatest movie of 2009.”

Millar also had glowing praise for the scene’s two stars, Cage and Chloe Moretz.

“But nothing– I mean nothing– can prepare you for Nic and Chloe as Big Daddy and Hit-Girl. As I said to Nic after the first scene was shot on Saturday morning, this is a movie about comic-book guys MADE by comic-book guys. We are absolutely in our comfort zone here and doing something really special. Cage’s eyes just gleamed. He said it’s the most excited he’s been by a role in a long time… You heard it here first: Chloe Moretz is going to be a superstar after this picture. There are so many great actors and characters running around here, but this kid is just spectacular. I hung out with she and her Mum and older brother all day yesterday and she’s brilliantly unaffected by it all, switching from cute as a button eleven year old to potty-mouthed sociopath the moment Matthew yelled action. I have already nicknamed her Han Solo because she’s going to be the one every kid wants to be when they see this thing as an illegal download.”

It’s nice to see Millar embracing the reality of illegal internet downloads so openly… Kick-Ass is based on an ongoing comic book series following the adventures of a teenage kid who decides one day to be a superhero. He has no special powers or skills mind you, but that’s half the fun. Joining him on his adventure are Big Daddy and his ward, Hit-Girl, a father/daughter duo with the father as trainer and the daughter as a ten-year old crime fighter. Kick-Ass is directed by Matthew Vaughn who previously made the awesome Layer Cake and the abysmal Stardust.

Check out Millar’s full set report here, and head over to TheBadandUgly for more on-set photos (unfortunately not of the shotgun and Kevlar scene.)

Jason Statham, Frank Miller Would Dig a Daredevil Revival

Paige MacGregor — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:33:59 +0000

“Just give me the chance, I would love to be Daredevil.” – Jason Statham

Should comic book superheroes that already made their filmic debut be rebooted and given a second go-‘round on the silver screen? If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Batman franchise, it’s that the answer to that question is an emphatic YES. It may not be the case that superheroes can always be made better a second time around, but there certainly are a handful of masked crusaders out there who could use a second look, and as Jason Statham and Frank Miller’s recent conversations suggest, Daredevil definitely is one of them.

Statham was at Comic-Con in San Diego promoting Death Race, set for release August 22nd, when writers from The L.A. Times caught him having a beer and chatting up comic icon Frank Miller, who was there to promote The Spirit. Turns out, this British action star is chomping at the bit to play the hero who was last brought to life on the big screen by Ben Affleck and filmmaker Mark Steven Johnson. Although Affleck delivered an admirable performance as both Matt Murdock and his alter ego Daredevil and Colin Farrell’s portrayal of the crazed villain Bullseye was nothing short of memorable and entertaining, Jennifer Garner’s lame and borderline annoying portrayal of Elektra makes the film difficult to sit through, at best.

That’s why we’re so stoked about the possibility of a Miller-Statham collaboration that could infuse some life into the cinematic portrayal of what is actually an extremely interesting comic book superhero (Daredevil gains his “super powers” when he is blinded by radioactive waste, which heightens all of his other senses to astronomical levels). And it sounds like both Frank Miller and Jason Statham are more than excited about pushing another Daredevil project into the works. As one writer from The L.A. Times recounted:

Sitting with Statham and Miller, it was easy to get excited about the idea of another “Daredevil” movie, one that was not a remake as much as it was a new installment. Hey Miller is the man who wrote the “Born Again” story arc in “Daredevil” — there’s plenty he could do with the character in a new movie. Statham said he is eager to work with Miller at some point and that he adores the Daredevil character. I made the mistake of asking Statham if might not make a better Bullseye than Matt Murdock and I thought he might hit me with his pint glass. “Forget Bullseye, I want to be Daredevil!” Miller nodded. “I think he should be Daredevil too.”

What do you think of this purely hypothetical team-up between Jason Statham and Frank Miller?

Group Discussion: Of All the Heroes, Why Batman?

FSR Staff — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:41:47 +0000

Robert Fure Starts Us Off…

It takes something special to stay in the public eye for nearly 70 years – Batman has not only done that, but has managed to really up his popularity to levels above and beyond his previous bests. What is it about Batman that makes him such a fan favorite despite his descents into darkness and the gritty nature of this brooding hero? Two FSR staffers discuss their views on The Dark Knight and why he’s still the top vigilante in our hearts.

Robert Fure: One of the things I like about Batman in general is that, for a good guy, he’s pretty bad ass. He’s rocking the all black look, throws sharp objects at people. His goal is to frighten the hell out of people, he jumps out of nowhere, he doesn’t mind roughing people up. Broken arms, missing teeth, Batman isn’t messing around. He’s just there to kick you in the face and toss you in jail. No discussion. In a way, while not as severe as The Punisher, he’s kind of an anti-hero when you look at him in his darker time periods.

Adam Sweeney: I absolutely agree, he really is the darkest mainstream hero in comics today. Superman and Spiderman are two guys that a girl could bring home to mom even when they’re in costume. But mess around with Batman and mama might take a batarang to the mouth.

One of the many qualities that separates Batman from the rest is that he is a self-made-man. Bruce Wayne could easily have settled for a life of women, fame, and wealth. (Isn’t that basically what GQ teaches men to strive for?) Instead, he uses the tragedies in his life, combined with an unrivaled energy and resourcefulness, to transcend normalcy. Kathleen Hammond of Time Magazine wrote an article in 2006 about Theodore Roosevelt, another self-made-man. She speaks of Roosevelt, who in his autobiography said “that his life changed forever because he set fearlessness before him ‘as an ideal’ that by dogged practice he achieved.” You could apply that same statement to Batman.

RF: For some reason, the idea of Batman punching someone’s mama is hilarious to me (sorry mom). Another thing I like is that a lot of the time he’s going out on his own. Sure he’s in the Justice League and, yeah, Robin is there sometimes, but my favorite Batman adventures are the ones where he’s off on his own. Sometimes the writers make a point about him needing help, but really he’s an independent operator. He doesn’t need someone to hug him at night and tell him good work. In fact he probably resents it a little bit, because the job is never done. He doesn’t need a girlfriend or someone to make him feel good about himself. Deep down I think we all want to be able to be that independent where we don’t need that affirmation. We don’t hate getting it, or we even like it, but not needing it is key.

AS: Seeing Batman “fly solo” (had to say it) is always riveting. What’s equally amazing about him is that he is just a man. Granted, he’s a man with wonderful toys. But strip away the suit and utility belt and what do you have? Currently, a naked Christian Bale, which I am sure girls loved in American Psycho, but more importantly you have a vulnerable human being. His life is centered around the loss of his parents and a loss of innocence, something so many people have dealt with, whether it be through death or a broken home.

He’s a man who has issues, a person who has lost and continues to have something to lose. His invulnerability puts him in situations where he is forced to make real life decisions with heavy consequences. Not the son of Krypton who has the ability to let bullets fly off his eye or a gamma radiated smashing machine, Batman is essentially one of us and still puts his life on the line, again and again.

RF: Mmhmm, that vulnerability is rare, but it’s definitely there. The pain he went through materializes in like, these moments of silence and an intense desire to almost torment criminals before putting them away. They sort of get away from it, but Batman can be a really scary character. I’d really like to see someone write him like it was a horror show. Think about it, this guy is in all black, looks like a damn bat, is over 6 feet tall, weighs 220lbs, all of it muscle and he’s creeping through the shadows, jumping out randomly, all the shit you’d expect from like Michael Meyers or something. That is not something heroes normally do. Superman rarely is going to dangle someone over a building or jump out of your closet. Batman might. A lot of comic characters fight in the daylight for whatever reason. Batman exclusively haunts the night, again this sort of anti-theme of him being unique. And that was original in its day. He’s not a clone of anyone and that’s probably why he’s so awesome to me and a lot of people.

AS: The sheer determination of the character is something to behold. He will do whatever it takes to get the job done, something that is rare in our current society of instant gratification. Does this mean we will always have a happy ending? If you buy into the darker version of Batman, and I think everyone should, then more often than not there isn’t an uplifting end. But as Harvey Dent says in the Dark Knight “the night is darkest just before the dawn.” Through his willpower and persistence Batman has been that dawn to the citizens of Gotham for 70 years, even if it meant that he took the burden of the darkness on his shoulders.

RF: He’s also got this good relationship with Commissioner Gordon, which can bring a touch of lightness to his character in some arcs. He’s on the side of the law and he’s doing right by the law, for the most part, but sort of wrong legally and in the eyes of justice. Moral justice maybe, a higher authority. Is a few years in the clink really proper punishment? Don’t we all wish that instead of putting some chump in the can for breaking your windows and stealing your stuff you could just smash through his apartment window, pummel his face, toss him out the window, then drop him at the police department. He’s the original “heroic vigilante” in comics. He hits that primal part of you that wants to say “Forget society’s rule” and just blare “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N Roses while drop kicking people. Maybe he’s not going against the law, he’s above it like Steven Segal only with a better hairline. It’s not that he’s breaking the law, it’s just that law limits the real justice he can dish out with his fists and batarangs. Also he has batarangs. That is awesome.

AS: But the rules help keep Batman from crossing the line, which is important. Even the greatest superhero would fall without structure. We love Batman because he does the right thing, makes the selfless decision when others won’t. Sure, he may get a headbutt or two in before the fight’s over, but the punishment fits the crime. You can’t write The Joker a speeding violation and call it a day. But you also can’t kill out of vengeance. Still, in spite of all the pain the criminals cause he somehow finds a way to hold back from issuing a death blow. Batman’s whole persona grew from that ideal, to serve as a beacon in the face of adversity, and to always fight for what is right.

RF: Very true. I guess I also have to mention, and I think we can agree, that very basically being tall, good looking, cut, an awesome fighter, and like a billionaire playboy who can get any girl in the city that he wants, has macked on Catwoman and Wonder Woman, and he drives the damn Batmobile. And hell he invented it. You just can’t top Batman, whether you think he’s awesome because of his badass darkside or some of the more honorable stuff. He nailed Poison Ivy too, I mean come on!

AS: Yeah, you could do worse than being a combo of James Bond, Hugh Hefner, a UFC fighter, and a more morally sound Punisher. But nothing has ever come easy for Bruce Wayne. You know that even with all the fame, toys, and girls hanging on his arms that he would give it all up in a heartbeat to have his parents back.

Adam’s Thoughts In closing…

What makes Batman even greater is that he has evolved to fit his respective time period. We see that more than ever with his struggle in The Dark Knight. The story of Batman really champions the idea of anti-materialism and valuing the love and support of those close to us. It speaks to us in an age of 4 dollar gas prices, YouTube, a war that has polarized our country, and a vanity driven world. I think comic book writer and artist Grant Morrison said it best. “The stronger a hero is the greater the challenges he should face.” Considering the fight Batman faces every day within himself and in the streets of Gotham, combined with his unflinching willingness to risk his life for others, it’s clear there’s no greater hero than Batman.

Why do you love the character of Batman?

‘Werewolf Women of the S.S.’: Comic Book Before a Movie?

Paige MacGregor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:56:46 +0000

Since the release of Grindhouse in 2006, differing degrees of buzz have continued about the double feature’s various faux movie trailers and whether or not Robert Rodriguez, the ambitious director who seems to be continuously accruing new projects without finishing any of his old ones (maybe this whole with McGowan, not with McGowan, with McGowan thing is getting in the way of his creative process… or maybe they’re just spending a whole lot of time having sex… I mean, that’s what I’d be doing if I were him), will be turning any of them into feature-length films. As you may have heard, after much ado Rodriguez is set to direct perhaps the most infamous of the faux trailers, the Danny Trejo vehicle Machete, which was scheduled to begin shooting in June (although no one has heard anything about that since February) and slated for release sometime this year. Now, a post has appeared on Rob Zombie’s MySpace blog claiming that another favorite Grindhouse faux trailer, Werewolf Women of the S.S., is being made into a comic book.

The blog says:

“Werewolf Women of the SS is back! This time it’s back as a comic book series! The wacky exploits of Commandant Hess, Lt. Boorman, Von Strasser Eva and Gretchen Krupp, Fu Manchu and even Hiltler will be coming you way. Everything you ever wanted to know about Project Pure Wolf but were afraid to ask!”

I’d wager that the release of “Werewolf Women of the S.S.” is a planned stepping stone to creating a feature-length movie based on these characters. As we’ve seen in other cases–most recently with director Guy Ritchie, who rushed to write a comic book version of Sherlock Holmes solely for the purpose of pushing the story into film production–the world of tangible hold-in-your-hand comic books and graphic novels and the more elusive world of larger-than-life silver-screen action have become increasingly intertwined during the twenty-first century, and writing a comic book has become one way to fast-track an idea to Hollywood as more and more studios are striking deals with graphic novelists rather than heading straight for screenwriters (hmm… could any of that strike stuff have something to do with that? I wonder…)

Playing Fu Manchu in Werewolf Women of the S.S., a thriller/horror/action/comedy that would likely rival horribly amazing (or horribly amazing) movies like S.S. Doomtrooper and Hatchet in both quality and character would be an amazing comeback for Nic Cage, who has little to show for the past couple years other than the National Treasure franchise. Keep checking back for updates on Rodriguez, Machete, and “Werewolf Women of the S.S.” When we know, you’ll know.

Guillermo Del Toro’s Golden Army of Usual Suspects

Robin Ruinsky — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:00:38 +0000

Guillermo Del Toro has a distinct talent for the unusual, the startling and the unexpected. In 2006, his award winning Pan’s Labyrinth took a distinct and unusual view of fascism, war and death, all through the eyes of a young girl and a cast of some unusual characters. It was and still is a defining film in his career. The director of Hellboy surprised a lot of critics with his dark fairy tale for adults.

Del Toro likes surprising us on film but when it comes to the people he works with he likes to keep the surprises at a minimum. Three of the key players involved in his latest Hellboy II: The Golden Army have worked with the director on other projects.

First, there’s the story of the two Guillermos, Del Toro and Navarro. The newest Hellboy is only the latest of five collaborations which included an Oscar for Navarro’s cinematography for Pan’s Labyrinth.

The two film makers spend time before filming begins to decide on the look that a particular project demands. Their research can include everything from great works of art to comic books. It’s their goal to have their vision clear even before a single frame of film is shot.

Decisions about lighting, costumes, hair are all made ahead of time and then are rarely if ever discussed during the shooting of a film. All of these technical decisions are set and the concentration can shift to the actors and the film itself.

“Guillermo is a friend and I trust him as an artist and a partner.” says Del Toro.

Another repeat visitor to Del Toro’s world is actor Ron Perlman the man who once played a sewer dwelling leonine Beast to Linda Hamilton’s Beauty in the television version series “Beauty and the Beast”. It’s no surprise the actor knows his way around prosthetics and heavy makeup. He’s adept at not allowing his work to be overwhelmed by the makeup.

Perlman first worked with Del Toro in the director’s first film 1993’s Cronos as the Guardian Angel. The two worked again in Blade II nine years later. Del Toro always saw Perlman as his Hellboy and finally got the chance to realize that casting dream with Hellboy in 2004. And now Perlman reprises the role in the new Hellboy II :The Golden Army.

Doug Jones was a journeyman actor until he met the role of Abe Sapien in Del Toro’s 2004 Hellboy. The role raised his profile among audiences, but it also made him an actor that Del Toro wanted to work with again.

When the time came to cast the pivotal role of Pan in Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, it was Jones who got the call. The role was a defining one with the actor working under prosthetics that left him unrecognizable. But it’s the actor’s way with movement that in many ways defines him with audiences. He also portrayed The Pale Male a child eating monster in the film and spoke his lines in archaic Spanish which has different phrases and pronunciation than modern Spanish.

In the wake of these higher profile acting challenges Jones took on the role of the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. He’ll reprise the role in Silver Surfer.

Del Toro has an affinity for the unusual and says of the characters that he and the artists who are his collaborators create:

“We all need monsters to dream and that’s what we’re doing.”

Those monsters created by Del Toro’s two favorite actors have raised the profile and the careers of both. And working with Del Toro has brought acclaim to much of his creative team, including of course Navarro.

The loyalty of a strong team, actors and technical artists alike, have perhaps been one of the reasons that Del Toro’s monsters have become part of our waking lives.

“Guillermo is one of those people who, I’m not the only person he’s collected over the years. He’s collected a lot of people over the years on all levels of filmmaking. He collects a lot of young film students who want to be a production assistant on one of his movies and if he likes your personalities, works well with you and respects your creativity, he’ll keep him on the team and will use them again and again for different things and music people. He has music submitted to him on his little email address that’s open to the fans. Someone will send him a little file of a song, and if he likes it it might show up in his next film, and once he’s met you, worked with you, likes you, has a connection with you, and develops a language with you, which he has with me, he’s loyal, he’s as loyal as a hound dog.” — Doug Jones on Guillermo Del Toro (Quote courtesy of FirstShowing.net)

Hellboy II: What’s With The Cats?

Kevin Carr — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:00:26 +0000

If Hellboy put a personal ad in the paper, it might read something like this…

SRM seeks companion. Must love cats, cigars and candy bars. Enjoys old movies and kicking ass. Won’t do dishes. Demonic lineage okay. Must not be evil.

A scant few comic book heroes would have as interesting an ad, and that’s why we love Hellboy. He’s one of the most idiosyncratic comic book heroes out there. Mike Mignola, who based the character partly on his father, describes Hellboy thusly: “a blue-collar guy – a plumber or an electrician – who comes in with a box of tools and says, ‘Where is the leak?’ and goes at fixing the leak.”

Producer Mike Richardson concurs: “He’s a blue-collar hero who just wants to be one of us.”

And perhaps that’s why we relate to him so well. He’s just a regular guy with a whole lot of badass inside. And here are some of our favorite Hellboy quirks that help make him human…

THE CATS
There is no other comic-book-superhero-turned-movie-hero has such an affinity for fuzzy friends. Not even the Batman has such love for his namesake. But Hellboy… the dude just loves cats. With his comic book mother being a witch and his demonic appearance, he has found a special kinship in his feline pals. And they seem to like him too, so he’s gotta be allergic.

THE HORNS
As a product of a darker world, Hellboy’s demonic appearance is fully realized when his horns grow out completely. (And we get a glimpse of this in both films.) He files them down to appear more human. Still, we don’t know if it’s doing the trick, considering the bright red skin and the tail don’t quite look normal.

THE BIG GUNS
The Doom video game may have the BFG, but in the new film, Hellboy has the Big Baby. His oversized pistol from the comics is called “The Samaritan” in the first film. His new gun not only fires huge, flare-sized bullets loaded with everything from holy water to garlic, but it’s also frickin’ huge. I’m going to call it the BMFG.

THE RIGHT HAND OF DOOM
It’s as much a physical signature of Hellboy as the horns and the fiery red skin. His big, stone hand is great in a fight. It’s also the focus of multiple stories in the Hellboy universe. Formerly the right hand of one of the greater spirits watching over Earth, it was also used to create a dragon. In both the comics and the first film, Hellboy’s hand is meant to bring about Armageddon. In a way, Hellboy is the protector of this tool, preventing it from falling into the wrong “hands,” if you’ll pardon the pun.

FIREPROOF
In the new film, we get confirmation that Hellboy has a heart (similar to how we got proof that Iron Man’s Tony Stark has one as well). But is he really fireproof? He says so in the first film (to Sammael: “I’m fireproof. You’re not.”). However, from the comics, he’s vulnerable… just incredibly resilient like the Hulk or Wolverine.

ALL THE TVs
Well, in the films, Hellboy is sequestered to his room in the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. What else is there to do but watch television. He’s got a bank of them, from all the ages, and it keeps him entertained. And, the new film is filled with monsters and happens to be produced by Universal, the home of the Hollywood monster. Look for cameo clips from the classic Universal monster movies, including The Bride of Frankenstein and The Wolfman.

THE SMELL
It’s said that Hellboy smells of dry-roasted peanuts, but we’ll never know for sure until the studios bring Odorama back to the theaters.

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