How much of a The Man from U.N.C.L.E. fan am I?
Need I add, this is in my wallet?
This much.
So when I heard Guy Ritchie got the nod to bring us a new film, I was ready to believe. But of course, this is not only the man who brought us Snatch and the Sherlock Holmes movies, but the remake of Swept Away. (more…)
BURBANK, CA (February 10, 2015) âBatman and his team of fellow heroes are tasked with taming an altogether different form of beasts in Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, the latest animated DC Comics film to hit shelves from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment arrives May 12, 2015 on Blu-rayTM Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD. The Blu-Ray Combo Pack and DVD will include an exclusive Firebat figurine, while supplies last.
Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts will be available on Blu-rayTM Combo Pack for $24.98 SRP and on DVD for $19.98 SRP. The Blu-rayTM Combo Pack includes a digital version of the movie on Digital HD with UltraViolet.* Fans can also own Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts in Digital HD on May 12 via purchase from digital retailers.
Another storm is brewing in Gotham and itâs not only raining cats and dogs but evil Cyber Animals! When the city is plagued by a slew of bizarre crimes committed by an animal-inspired villain squad known as the Animilitia â comprised of Silverback, Cheetah, Killer Croc and Man-Bat â Batman must swing into action to investigate. These animalistic villains bring new and exciting challenges for the hero of Gotham, and Batman must find a way to bring these criminal creatures to a halt! But could the Animilitia be working for powerful businessman Oswald Cobblepot a.k.a. The Penguin? How does The Penguinâs new invention of robotic Cyber Animals fit into the mix? In the end, itâll the combined forces of Batman, Flash, Green Arrow, Nightwing and Red Robin to combat these Animal Instincts.
âWe are thrilled to release Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts, an action-packed DC Comics animated film that is created specifically for our younger fans,â said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Vice President, Family & Animation Marketing. âBatman is the worldâs most beloved Super Hero and this DC Comics release will provide family-friendly action and adventure for nonstop entertainment.â
DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS
Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts will be available for streaming and download to watch anywhere in high definition and standard definition on their favorite devices from select digital retailers including Amazon, CinemaNow, Flixster, iTunes, PlayStation, Target Ticket, Vudu, Xbox and others. Starting May 12, Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts will also be available digitally on Video On Demand services from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.
Last week when Marvel announced the all-female team of Avengers, you better believe we were stoked! We studied the A-Force artwork to figure out who everyone was and got right to researching the superheroes we didn’t know. Now, we’re even more excited and can’t wait to read Secret Wars in May.
In this week’s video we’ll tell you why A-Force is rad, which mutant powers we’d use to make lunch, and our thoughts on the girls not included (namely Maddy’s #2 favorite superhero, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl). A-Force Assemble, indeed!
Today, a tale of woe that will explain why your correspondent has not be much in evidence of late, but first, something cool…
Clutching the handrail. I lowed my foot slowly, wondering if he step might be slippery –
“Unngh!”
– and I was back-down on an ice covered slab of cement already hurting. A dog walker on the street called, asked if I was okay and I didn’t know, but if I could crawl across to the square of woodchips by the porch and through the garage door…
The X-ray showed that nothing was broken, but our GP suggested that there might be some discomfort in my immediate future. There was.
It was abating, a bit, when, two weeks later, watching Saturday afternoon television, I felt something ominous in my chest. It might be just a nasty bout of heartburn or it might not. It wasn’t, and a few hours later, after an exciting ambulance ride, I was on an operating table, awake, having a stent in my chest replaced, presumably by another stent. That wasn’t nearly as bad as the fall had been, but anytime you’re lying on an operating table and an unknown person or persons is threading something through your groin and up into your torso, all is not right with the world.
The humiliating part was, and is, is that the whole ordeal was my own fault. In July, I had a blockage somewhere in my plumbing, went to the hospital, had a stent inserted and four days later I was on a plane heading for the San Diego Comic Con. Heart stuff? No sweatski. The medics had given me medicines and instructions on how to use them, but did I really need to pay attention? I’d been waltzing with coronary stuff for decades, hadn’t I? I’d read a book! Oh, I’d get around to following the instructions, but if I missed a day or three, what was the big deal?
So there I was, complete with replacement stent, having that question answered. My neglect had made the initial situation worse.
There is, of course, a moral to this blather.
Nope. This one isn’t what you might think. To paraphrase Li’l Willie Shakespeare, “Not that I loved the New 52 less, but that I loved DC more.”
The New 52 is not dead. Heck, it’s not even coughing up blood. Sure, a great many of the titles they started out with aren’t around any more, and yes, in June they replace a whole bunch of others (although several seem to be excuses for new #1s), and, certainly, they’re dropping the “New 52” branding, but the New 52 is alive and well.
That’s a mixed blessing. As crappy as most of the New 52 was, I prefer to look at this new stunt as an evolutionary change and not as a reboot. You know, just like what Marvel’s doing with their latest Secret Wars event. The one that starts the month before. Super-hero publishing is a pyramid scheme infused with Newtonian physics.
It’s been around for about three and one-half years, so the New 52 is hardly new. And, well, actually, they’re not really publishing 52 DCU books each month. If I’m counting correctly, in June they’ll have 49 – plus whatever annuals, specials, and clutter that may be. Or, maybe, the only reason they’re dropping the tag line is because it leaves a bitter taste… much like, oh, New Coke.
(Hey, Mike! Damn with faint praises much?)
The news sites have been full of the details of what’s missing and what’s coming and who’s doing what, and since ComicMix is an opinion site littered with some of the finest critical minds on Earth-Prime, I’ll cut to the commentary.
Many of DC’s new titles (New 24?) appear to be flop-oriented. Is the world really lusting for a brand-new Prez series? Bat-Mite? Harley Quinn and Power Girl? Bizarro? Maybe Section 8 will click – it certainly has the pedigree – but in the aggregate, the chances for long-term survival for some of these books appears minimal.
The fact is, I applaud many of these decisions. Do something different. Do something a little wacky. They’re not breathing new life into these (and other) characters, they’re breathing new life into the DCU. Original Marvel publisher Martin Goodman thought Spider-Man and the X-Men would flop. Superman sat in the drawer unsold for years. So, history tells us nobody knows what the hell is going to stick to the wall. Marvel’s bringing back Howard the Duck based upon a 10 second post-credit appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy; you’re telling me a Bat-Mite title is a bad idea? Who knows?
I’m looking forward to a few of the titles, although I will sample more than that. Most of all, I’m looking forward to the new Doctor Fate series by Paul Levitz and Sonny Liew. I love the character, Levitz has a solid track record with Justice Society heroes, and the guy is a lot more interesting than your off-the-shelf mystical hero.
On the other hand… I see where we’re getting a new Green Arrow #1 in July. Who would have ever expected First Issue Special would be so influential?
From http://textsfromsuperheroes.com/post/110641416306/spideymcu
Wait, what? You guys, what?? Is it…is it true? Did the magical wish-granting fairy grant my (second biggest, after the upcoming Deadpool movie) Marvel movie wish? Is Spider-Man really coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in time for Civil War? Or am I hallucinating due to lack of sleep?
Nope, it’s real, and what’s more, I’m not the only one speculating that Spider-Man’s first appearance in the MCU may be in the Civil War storyline, which is something I’ve been wishin’ and hopin’ for ever since the possibility of Civil War on the big screen was even a glimmer of a speculative thought. It’s no secret that I love the Civil War crossover storyline, and if you don’t know why, just read those two links for plenty of reasons (and, uh, SPOILER WARNING and all that, both for those links and below).
But in brief: the Civil War crossover, though complicated in many ways, can be distilled down to the introduction of the Superhuman Registration Act into the Marvel universe, and the two sides distilled down to those who decide to register and reveal their secret identities, and those who fight registration to retain their personal privacy and freedom. It was a brilliant concept when introduced, because not only can readers identify with it via the analogies that can be drawn to various real-world issues (like surveillance and invasion of privacy and personal freedom, and the fact that S.H.I.E.L.D., which is supposed to be a governing force for good, ends up being a brutal enforcer of the Act), but it’s a fight that every main character in the MCU has a stake in, merely by dint of being a superpowered or vigilante fighter.
The secret identity angle is such an integral part of most super-folk that it pulls most of them in to some extent or another – but also, the backstory and personality of a particular character do a lot to determine what side they choose. And some of the choices are surprising. The Civil War storyline allowed writers to delve into the heart of why the heroes make the choices they do (although I always wish they’d done even more with them). And it gives us a legit reason for more badass scenes like that one in The Avengers where Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America duke it out full force, even while they remain (more or less) the sympathetic heroes that we love.
But despite all of the reasons I’d be excited to see any version of Civil War onscreen, if it turns out that Spider-Man’s first MCU appearance is in Civil War I’ll be doubly excited because Peter Parker’s heartbreaking journey during that storyline really gave it a focus and a character’s path to follow, even in the midst of all the rest. The choice he made to support the Act for both logical and personal reasons, and to work with a man he looked up to, Tony Stark; the consequences of that choice in both the short term and the long; the manipulation and betrayal by Tony even while they both thought they were doing the right thing; and the decision that Peter made to turn his back on his original choice, despite it almost being the death of him, make for a compelling story that pulls the rest of the characters’ journeys together; and any Civil War without Peter’s story will be severely lacking. Not to mention that the visual and emotional impact of some of Peter’s scenes would be amazing on the big screen, as would the Iron Spider suit that plays a big part in Tony’s betrayal.
Really, I could go on for hours about why Spider-Man is, in some ways, the heart of the Civil War tale, and it just wouldn’t be the same without him; but instead I’ll just take this moment to rejoice in his return to the fold of the Marvel family on the big screen, and to hope with all my little comic-book-loving heart that he takes his rightful place there in a well-told story during Civil War.
And until next time, cross your fingers with me and Servo Lectio!
The Wachowskis might never reach the heights of The Matrix ever again and, as someone who was 15 when The Matrix was released, maybe it wasn’t that good to begin with—but the films are always wildly ambitious. While Jupiter Ascending fails on many levels, and the script would be generously called hot nonsense, I would much rather see the Wachowskis fail than I would like to see Michael Bay “succeed” at his style of filmmaking. Jupiter Ascending is a film full of interesting ideas and while not all of them get properly explored or pay off in the ways I would like they’re frequently fascinating to think about and that’s way more fun than so many of the incarnations of slow motion explosions I’ve seen in movies this decade.
In a superhero reunion, Sony Pictures Entertainment has announced a new deal with Marvel Studios that brings new Spider-Man movies into the Marvel cinematic universe.
The next Spider-Man film will hit theaters on July 28, 2017.
According to the announcement, Sony and Marvel will cast a new Spider-Man after Andrew Garfield starred in the last two films, “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.” Tobey Maguire played Peter Parker in the previous three installments for Sony.
Sony will continue to distribute, finance, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man pics. They’ll work with Marvel, owned by Disney, on how to weave Spider-Man’s character into Marvel’s upcoming superhero films, which includes the popular franchise “The Avengers.”
via Spider-Man Movies: Sony, Marvel Join Forces | Variety.
I’d suspected this might happen when the info was leaked during the Sony hack, because Sony might need the money and boost very quickly. And lo and behold, here we are.
First off, “I just think he’s hot.”
That’s a line from the end of Man Of Steel, which I watched again last night. And the captain who says it is right. Henry Cavill is – im-not-so-ho – hot. Extremely so. Perhaps more importantly, the man can act. Given a script that does not serve Mr. Cavill, in its, let’s say, frugality of characterization, exploration, and screen time of Kal-El alias Clark Kent actually being Kal-El alias Clark Kent, Mr. Cavill does a helluva job in conveying the confusion, loneliness, guilt, anger, and prickly emptiness inside this alien immigrant from Krypton.
The first time I saw it, I thought it sucked. This time, I thought, well, it doesn’t so much suck as it does come up empty, running on fumes instead of a full tank. And, no, it’s not because *gasp* Superman Kills Zod! *gasp* – which is what got so many bowels, including mine, in an uproar. Given the (truncated) emotional journey that Kal-El alias Clark Kent is on in the film, it’s – im-no-so-ho – the right action at the right time, for not only is Kal-El alias Clark Kent killing the warlord, he is also killing Kal-El the Kryptonian (and by inference, finally laying to rest the planet of Krypton) inside of him, killing the “otherness” that has haunted him all of his life. In that moment of final brutality, he transforms into Clark Kent alias Superman, born and raised in Kansas, U.S.A., and citizen of the planet Earth. As Clark Kent he will love Lois Lane; as Superman he will love Earth.
The problem with the film as I watched it the second time was that I had trouble staying awake to watch the very, very, very protracted battle scenes. Frankly, it got B-O-R-I-N-G. Director Zack Snyder, like George Lucas before him, is not interested in “what makes people tick.” He’s the toddler who knocks down his building blocks because it makes a big noise. He’s the kid with the Erector set building a giant John Deere crane that can knock down his Legos Empire State Building. He’s the adult ultimate SFX and CGI geek that is given a zillion dollars to play with.
And so in Man Of Steel we got an eternity of destruction played out before our eyes. We got IHOP and SEARS demolished real good. We got shockwaves of roiling dust clouds rolling across the Kansas plains. We got tidal waves sweeping across the Indian Ocean. We got F-16s and alien ships crashing to the ground. We got skyscrapers collapsing. We got pummeling and we got blood-and-guts – only there was very little blood and there was absolutely no guts. We got death without bodies.
It’s not really Zack Snyder’s fault. Nor is it the fault of so many young adults, mostly men, who have said to me, “Man Of Steel was so cool! The best part was the fight between Superman and Zod, and when Superman killed him, that was the best!” For they are all part of a generation that, as kids, saw the real towers fall down on television. Too young to really understand what was happening, too young to think about the political implications, too young to grasp the murky history of the Middle East and how it led to that moment, 9/11 and its aftermath, the televised “Shock and Awe,” was the ultimate video game, with explosions and lights, full of sound and fury, and signifying nothing.
They did not know that it was a tale told by an idiot.
And now Superman has a new power. An incredibly destructive and unstable power, to quote writer Geoff Johns. Because heat vision and telescopic vision and super-duper strength and invulnerability and x-ray vision and the ability to fly at super-sonic speeds and across space and into suns and to cross the time barrier just isn’t enough anymore.
Because, you know, all that stuff can get so B-O-R-I-N-G.
Columns / Glenn Hauman / News
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