Deathstroke vs. Batman is coming soon

RUMOR ALERT!!

Editor's Note: JK, it's only Deanpool and myself. So it's really just my note. But again this post will be a delayed post. News of this broke some time ago, we drafted up a blog post, and let it sit in the drafts until we had time to revisit. Enjoy!

Oh we love our rumor mills. So when Ben Affleck posts a conspicuous video of "test footage" of Deathstroke. We squeal and jump on our laptops in glee. Especially owners of New Teen Titans #2. Which Deanpool happens to be one of. But seriously if you haven't seen the test footage, go to Ben Affleck's Twitter.


Whether you watched the animated Teen Titans series or more recently, the second season of CW's Arrow, you may be familiar with the potential a villain like Slade Wilson a.k.a. Deathstroke may present. A character with a drastic rise in popularity in the last couple years after first appearing in comics in 1980, created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. Gamers who played Batman: Arkham Origins got a chance to duel against the bounty hunter

Deathstroke and even play as the character as a DLC. Spoiler: he appears in Arkham Asylum in a much more annoying role. And by annoying, we mean he's in an annoying tank and is a pain in the butt to beat. Depending on when you're reading this, Netflix may still be streaming Son of Batman, an animated movie that introduces Damian Wayne to the Batman animated universe. The primary antagonist is Deathstroke as he becomes the leader of a secret organization after killing Damian's grandfather. We'll leave it at 

that. It's worth a watch. As stated earlier, Slade Wilson plays a key role in the first two seasons of Arrow, being portrayed by Manu Bennett. The Green Arrow/Deathstroke rivalry may be the most popular for either character's publication history. I mean, Slade lost his eye due to an arrow. Guess what color it was. With Season 2 of Arrow arguably being the show's strongest season, a major reason for it can be contributed to Deathstroke's character. Props to 

Geoff Johns and Guggenheim in telling Slade's background story and making him a formidable opponent to Oliver Queen on both a physical and psychological level. However, if you watched Teen Titans on Cartoon Network like we did, these kind of tactics weren't new to you. The enemy/arch-rival only known as Slade (guess Deathstroke is a bit intense for younger viewers) made the Titans, especially a young Dick Grayson as Robin, miserable.



Lots of Deathstroke in recent movie/TV medias. Even videogames. His comic book popularity started seeing a similar uptick. Surely, intentional by DC Comics. Slade had a couple of solo series, was featured in a couple Suicide Squad renditions, played bad guy as a cameo in other series, etc. The point being he started seeing a lot more spotlight. With the DC cinematic universe slowly growing, Deathstroke was poised to make a debut on the big screen. I mean c'mon, Deadshot and Harley Quinn already beat him to it.

So let's piece together what we got so far and discuss what Deathstroke being a in a DC movie, a Batman movie specifically, will mean for the DCU.

While no one will ever be the kind of villain the Joker is to Batman, what can we expect from Deathstroke as a villain? Well for one thing, it promises some kick-ass fight sequences. Not necessarily the heavyweight match we saw in BvS. More like two ultimate tacticians and skilled fighters pitted against each other. The "prepared for everything" Batman will have to match up against a foe as devoted to the details as he is. It's also a match-up that will definitely keep this Batfleck version of Batman on a darker path. Deathstroke will not hold back to find a chink in Batman's armor, whether it's personal or not. He's not afraid to cross the line, but will Batman be able to meet Deathstroke at that level? From a physical standpoint, Deathstroke has a slight advantage in the sense that he possesses enhanced strength, speed, agility, etc. courtesy of "an experimental serum". Yes readers, another super soldier. Meet the one-eyed Captain America on the DC Comics side who sports a sniper rifle instead of a shield and accepts money in exchange for assassination. But I mean, Bats went toe-to-toe with Superman, who literally had every advantage. So we think Batman will find a way to negate that and/or level the playing field.

Side note during editing: so far there's no hint to Green Arrow being apart of the DC movie-verse. But here's to hoping that Deathstroke will already be missing an eye and that Batfleck won't be the one to make him a one-eyed assassin. Because that would be kinda disappointing. To us. Don't do it DC Comics.

You're gonna want this comic!

Now, without knowing the exact context/timeline of the Batman solo movie, let's assume it's post BvS. We know we're dealing with an older Bruce Wayne. We know he's lost at least one Robin due to death. So when are we going to explore a) which apprentices has he had already, b) what happened to them? Assuming (we'll be doing a lot of this) the Robin suit we saw in BvS was Jason Todd's, a Dick Grayson likely exists and may very well be existing as the hero Nightwing. Dick Grayson/Nightwing had his beefs with Deathstroke during his time with the Titans. Seeing Batman take an assist from his old ward would be a bombshell! Everyone go buy Nightwing's first appearance, Tales of the Teen Titans #43! Jk. Just speculating here. Isn't it sad that after hearing confirmation of one surprise character joining the DC movieverse that all we want to talk about is speculation of who else might be in the movie or in future movies. But hey don't blame us. It's just how our minds work.

Batman & Robin vs. Slade & Terra
Not likely, but we could dream!

We can see how our thought process might be flawed too. We're basing Nightwing's appearance on the idea that he'd have a history with Slade from being with the Titans. But do the Titans fit into DC's movie plans? The original Titans that Dick Grayson was apart of also featured Cyborg. We know Cyborg will definitely be apart of the DC cinematic universe... but as a Justice League member. If his origin follows the New 52 path, which is what it's looking like, the first team Cyborg will be apart of is the Justice League, not the Teen Titans. Doesn't mean that every version of the Titans has to include Cyborg. A Teen Titans team comprised of Dick Grayson as Robin/Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, and Wonder Girl is equally intriguing
. Which drifts us to another thought. Maybe Deathstroke ups the stakes and adds Terra to the mix in the Batman movie. Quick background: Terra secretly joined/infiltrated the Teen Titans as a plot by Deathstroke to destroy the Titans from within. Oh, and Terra is Slade's daughter. Now a 1v1 match-up becomes 2v2! It's possibilities like these that make rumors like these so exciting!!!

Anyways. Enough fan-girling over here. Slade is not a Ra's al Ghul. Not a Two-Faced Harvey. Not a Bane (but may be close or similar to TDKR's Bane). And definitely not a Joker. All of which were portrayed excellently in Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy. But he's also a villain we haven't seen Batman take on yet in any live-action movie. Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Riddler, Penguin, and so on, all have their appeal. But Deathstroke is a gritty villain that will challenge Batman on a physical level as well as a psychological one. He's also not a regular in Batman's rogues gallery so it'll be refreshing approach in seeing how Bruce Wayne/Batman takes on a new villain on the big screen. Deathstroke has his flaws too. Unless the rivalry between the two become personal, Deathstroke in his nature is simply a hired gun. A bounty hunter. A hit-man. He's driven by a paycheck. Which calls to question another thing to watch for. Who or what puts Bruce Wayne and/or Batman in Deathstroke's cross-hairs? Maybe Lex Luthor? He definitely has motive after Batman threatened him at the end of BvS. Maybe Amanda Waller? Not likely though for those who saw the mid-credit scene from Suicide Squad. She needs Wayne Enterprises to cover-up the mess that went down in that movie. In Arkham Origins, Black Mask put out the hit on Batman. However, Black Mask's identity was a "game-changer"... :) And what stops Bruce Wayne from buying his way out of a hit? Something else has to drive the story that pits Batman against DC's most lethal assassin.

Can you tell we're excited? A lot to look forward to from DC's movies. A Wonder Woman solo, the long-awaited Justice League movie, plus endless solo movies and sequels. And here's Deanpool overly excited with his Deathstroke mask and comics. Deanstroke???

Silk to join Spider-Man in the MCU?... RUMOR

RUMOR ALERT!!!

Coming soon...?!

These are always entertaining. It's fun to speculate.

Tom Holland made his debut as Marvel's beloved web-slinging superhero, the Amazing Spider-Man. Or just Spider-Man. However this version of the character will be titled, moviegoers and fans saw Spidey come home to Marvel studios and join the Avengers. Well, one half of the Avengers... #TeamIronMan! And in typical superhero movie fashion, one cameo/appearance can unfold into spin-offs, a television series, or if you're lucky and loved enough, your own movie.

Coming in 2017, we'll see the third adaptation of Peter Parker as Spider-Man. While the previous two renditions of the character have their high moments, they certainly have their downsides as well. Marvel and Disney's success with their Avengers franchise brings hopes and promises to die-hard fans of Spider-Man, eager to see their hero become apart of the success.

Recently, a reddit user supposedly found a leaked casting sheet for the upcoming Spider-Man film, Homecoming. As seen below. Take away what you want from a leak that came out of Reddit. Let's break down some of the highlights plus one possible MAJOR leak.

So without getting too much into it (and again it's all speculation):

-Peter Parker is played by T.H. (Tom Holland), if this is news to you... welcome back to 2016.

-Disney channel star Zendaya (Z) was announced as playing a character name Michelle though there's plenty of speculation that Michelle is really meant to discourage any Mary Jane rumors. Let's hope for an ethnicity change in Mary Jane! Plus, Zendaya matches the look for the age range they're aiming for with Tom Holland as high school Peter Parker. Another tidbit, for a studio ran by Disney, it's interesting this is the first we're hearing of them casting one of their own into a major role for this franchise. But then again perhaps now is just a moment of opportunity since this is the first movie in the Avengers franchise where the main character is the age of a high school student.

-Shocker is the villain we should be expecting for this movie? Deanpool has been excited to see Shocker get on the big screen since the original Spider-Man trilogy, but never as a standalone villain. Apart of the Sinister Six? Yes. An enforcer for an even larger villain? Yes. Doesn't exactly have the appeal of a Green Goblin, Doc Ock, or the Lizard, who all knew Peter Parker on a personal level making the match-up more intriguing. Here's hoping he's not as forgettable as Electro. Assuming this Spider-Man movie picks up where Civil War left off, Peter should already have an idea of his powers and abilities. But still, yay Shocker!

-Flash Thompson, Peter's high school bully. Likely a recurring character if the movie sees a couple sequels. Flash's comic book bio presents possibilities Marvel may explore in the movies if it chooses to. Would also mean another symbiote story though. Let's just leave him as high school bully for now.

-Liz Allan, high school classmate to Peter. Who knows how they'll portray her. Friend to Peter? Friend to Flash Thompson? Friend to Michelle (Mary Jane!)?

-Betty Brandt, another possible love interest of Peter. Gut feeling being her character plays a more pivotal role to the story. She's a secretary for the newspaper company Peter works for. Or will eventually work for, depending on the context.

-Ned Leeds- only reaction from Deanpool, "HOBGOBLIN STORY?!!"

The rest are characters that don't really standout EXCEPT

Tiffany Espensen as "Cindy".

Stop everything.

The picture on the left, Tiffany Espensen.
The picture on the right, a recent addition to the heroes in the Spidey universe with human-spider abilities, Silk a.k.a. Cindy Moon!!!

A fan favorite almost instantly, Silk earned her own spin-off comic series and may now possibly be seeing her way to the big screen. I mean, we get that she gained a lot of popularity quickly but Deanpool imagined an Ultimate Spider-Man/Miles Morales joining the MCU before Silk did. Even a Gwen Stacy as Spider-Woman, or more popularly titled Spider-Gwen. Spider-Gwen gained plenty of early praises and fan popularity in an alternate universe as another female wall-crawling hero that after joining the Spider-Man family. Just go to a comic convention and count the cosplayers dressed as Silk's and Spider-Gwen's. But hey we're not complaining.

Anyways, we're not expecting a full-on Silk cameo right away. It would be extremely difficult to keep those kind of set photos leaked. You know, with Silk having such a distinct costume and all. But let it be known that adding another Spider-hero character to the mix would automatically distinguish this cinematic version of Spider-Man from the others. However, it all comes down to how well Marvel can execute a move like this. We're all eager to see Wally West don the Kid Flash title in CW's The Flash, but they're making us wait until S3 (Note: this was drafted pre-S3 debut). And we've yet to even see a Robin in any of the recent depictions of Batman. That's right we meant Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, we're not counting Batman Forever or Batman and Robin. Sorry Chris O'Donnell. 

Don't be surprised if Cindy is some new transfer student that becomes a classmate of Peter's. She'll likely be shy, awkward, out of place and strangely yet naturally attracted to Peter without any sort of initial interaction with him. And as Silk fans are fully of giddiness and geeky hard-ons, that will likely be the end of Cindy/Peter ineractions for the rest of the movie. Maybe a few plugs to add more mystery to her backstory a la scenes of her stalking/creeping on Peter in a secret admirer fashion. Or also some kind of ambiguous mid- or post-credit scene that Marvel loves so much. And pull off oh so well to leave us nerds drooling for more and running home to blog about it... :) 

For readers who aren't familiar with Silk, look out for another post where we'll break down her relatively short comic bio. Pretty much she got bit by that exact same radioactive spider that gave Peter his powers and was locked away in a panic room for most of her life. What are the chances, right? The hormones from being bitten by the same spider forces them to be sexually attracted to each other when around one another. Her presence will likely be very subtle in the scope of the whole movie, but could lead to an awesome foreshadowing if they bring her character to life in future movies. Here's hoping that our speculation comes to fruition!

Marvel adding some diversity?

It's no secret that the MCU lacks diversity. And diversity is of course a hot topic in pop culture and media. The Avengers could use more heroines. We'll be seeing Brie Larson as Captain Marvel in a couple years. The galactic superstar Zoe Saldana as Lieutenant Uhura, oops meant Gamora will be back again in GotG Vol. 2. Adrianne Palicki's Mockingbird will be getting her own "Agents" spin-off TV series. Jessica Jones made her debut via Netflix. Can we get a Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman in MCU already?! Keep in mind, we purposely left out both Invisible Women, both Storms, both Jean Greys, and the rest of the X-women/women from Fox movies. Except Psylocke. We loved Psylocke. And Olivia Munn. But back to the diversity talk. We've seen comics explore dynamic changes in well-known characters in this movement towards creating more diverse characters. Changes in race, gender, and sexual orientation have been applied to a variety of existing characters and have also been explored in introducing new characters. Zendaya rumored to actually be Mary Jane would represent a similar type of (exciting) change to a well-established character in multiple medias. Silk was also likely born out of this movement. But sorry Cindy Moon, you won't be the first Asian female hero to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Shoutout to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Chloe Bennet as Daisy Johnson/Skye and Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May. Speaking of that show, they'll be introducing a latino version of Ghost Rider next season (Note: Again, drafted before the season debut). Another example. They also had a gay Inhuman hero join Daisy's Secret Warriors team. Look at S.H.I.E.L.D. winning. Now they just have to produce a consistently good season. But that's another story for another time.

Closer

Well now that this blog has turned into diversity talk, let's u-turn and close. If this casting sheet bears any truth, the upcoming Spider-Man film shows a lot of promise. Hobgoblin and Shocker are two villains we haven't seen adapted in movies yet and will be formidable opponents to a young Spider-Man. RDJ is rumored to play a role in the film, but what are the chances of an Iron Man appearance? A 2v2 showdown makes it a must see. But please don't spoil it in previews or trailers (like how much cooler would it have been if Gal Gadot's appearance as Wonder Woman in costume in BvS was a surprise in theaters!). Lots of female characters that will likely be classmates of Peter's, but which ones are going to play major roles in the movie is the key question. After 5 movies of Peter Parker royally screwing up his love life, as an audience we can live with a movie of high school crushes and awkwardness. Jim and Pam from The Office weren't together by the end of the first season. Build the relationship, build the love. Make us want them to be together! Come to think of it, don't think the Avengers franchise have pulled off a successful love story for their characters yet. Those arguing for Hulk & Black Widow, we need to see Hulk back before we can judge that one. Civil War showed Pepper is gone. Reports of Thor: Ragnorok tell us Jane Foster won't be returning. Moving on. Giving another Spider-Man female character a chance is path worth exploring. Speaking of which, are we ever going to see a Black Cat? Where's Felicia Hardy at in that casting sheet?! Lastly, if Cindy Moon really does make her movie debut, Deanpool will lose his mind. Even if it's only speculation now, go and read up on Silk. The Spiderverse story is a good start. She also has her own solo series that relaunched at least once (Marvel's been doing some funky stuff with their relaunches of series). The character has only been around for a little over a year. Read, collect, and enjoy. Whenever we post our "Silk" post, we'll be sure to include what books may be hot to pick up now. We doubt we're the only ones to have this kind of speculation after a rumored leak like this so one can expect some price jumps from sellers capitalizing on the speculation and rumors, but trust us... If Silk does make a cinematic appearances, no matter how small, those books will skyrocket in price. Deanpool and I aren't fans of resellers, but we'd be lying if we said we weren't interested in seeing a couple of books that we own go up in value.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy this Skottie Young variant of Silk to close!

Deanpool: Rebirth!... And The Flash #1

I kid you not this is probably the 5th time Deanpool and I have opened up a new post, joked about the long hiatus, and wrote drafts on endless material that's been on our minds since the last blog post.

And frankly, we don't want to write another one. So let's jump right into it as if we never left!

Disclaimer: Deanpool hasn't purchased comics in roughly 8 months now, much less been in a comic store. While he may be catching up with what some of the latest and greatest stories on, he's been reading plenty of graphic novels and TPB's during the hiatus so plenty of reviews will be coming this way... hopefully. These things can become very exhausting when one tends to be a perfectionist.

2nd Disclaimer: Deanpool still hasn't finished reading the New 52 series of The Flash. If there are storylines or ideas that affect this current series, we won't be able to make the connections until we catch up... eventually!

ANYWAYS... in case you missed it, DC Comics launched a new event that puts all characters back into their pre-New 52 stage. If you want to read more about how it all unfolds go read "DC Rebirth". The Rebirth event is affecting all the series and marks an easy "jumping on" point for readers who, like Deanpool, can't simply start a series in the middle of its run. The biggest storylines coming out of this event will answer some of the bigger questions such as what stays in canon and what returns to canon since before the New 52 reboot (courtesy of The Flash and the Flashpoint storyline, another recommended read!). Keep in mind this Rebirth is not tagged as a "reboot." From that, we can only interpret that there will be some overlapping transition from pre-New 52 to the New 52 to this Rebirth timeline. That explanation will undoubtedly be confusing for everyone. One example of a return to canon, and perhaps the biggest Rebirth reveal, has been the return of the original Wally West! Although Deanpool has developed mixed feelings about this. The New 52 introduced a new Wally West, an African American character that no doubt influenced the direction of CW's TV series The Flash. We'll see later how events of Rebirth, like the return of a character that was redefined in the New 52, will affect an ongoing series that's went through major changes since the New 52.

And with that, we'll transition into to our main review of this post, the latest Flash #1. (as usual, spoilers in review!)

Not to confused with the graphic novel The Flash: Rebirth seen to the right.

The Flash will always be Deanpool's favorite comic superhero. The team of Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato did an amazing job of capturing Barry Allen's good-hearted and down to Earth nature, while creatively portraying his abilities as The Flash. They tackled popular villains with new twists as well as reinvented a villain that's been a staple to The Flash's character, the Reverse Flash. So what does this new team of Joshua Williamson and Carmine Di Giandomenico have to offer? A solid, yet safe start to the series that builds upon Barry Allen's origin of becoming the Scarlet Speedster AND... (last spoiler warning)

Introduces a new Speedster!

Now, if you're apart of the population that has had its fill of speedsters associated in the Flash universe and may or may not be currently rolling your eyes... you likely won't agree with this review. The introduction of the new speedster is the highlight of this comic. It starts the series with a big bang (although it comes within the last pages of the issue) and invites readers to stick with the series to see how this new player and Barry co-exist. Oh and if you're reading this without reading the issue (and obviously don't care for spoilers), the new character is named August and also acquired his powers by being struck by lightning. Hence the title "Lightning Strikes Twice". Guess that's kind of a spoiler in itself. It plays as a contrast to the opening panels where we flashback to the storm that gave Barry his powers. Williamson utilizes the opening pages to summarize Barry's powers/the Speed Force and even places references to the events that led to DC Rebirth, which also explains red-head Wally West's whereabouts. After briefly setting the stage for the reader, we dive right into the life of Barry Allen as The Flash.

only uses the first couple pages to summarize the accident, explain Barry's powers/the Speed Force, and also reference the events that have led to DC Rebirth setting the stage for the reader to jump right in to Barry's adventures as The Flash.

"Everyone deserves justice."

A common theme throughout the issue was how overwhelmed Barry was as both The Flash and as Barry Allen, the forensic scientist. It's not an uncommon story that we've seen used for The Flash, however it serves as a tool to possibly foreshadow what we can expect from August in the coming issues. We also see that the return of old Wally West did not mean writing off new Wally West, however the newer Wally West is no longer the New 52 Kid Flash. Bear with us, having two versions of Wally West is as challenging to write about as it is to read about. With older Wally West returning to the Teen Titans, Barry is left without a sidekick or any other help in his never-ending heroics to protect Central City. No real villain, or even known bottom-tier villain for that matter, were shown or introduced in this first issue. Most heroics shown were common heroics. You know, saving people from natural disasters. We see some clues toward who may be the main antagonist, but no hints toward it being an easily recognizable villain. Williamson's contrast of The Flash and Barry's personal life however really shows off his understanding of Barry's nature. Although it was one of the slower scenes, Barry's conversation with Iris West is where we learn the most about Barry's character and his drive as a hero in Central City. Best summed up in one panel (pictured) where he states, "Because everyone deserves justice." Whether it's his father wrongfully jailed, the victims he sees as a forensic scientist, or the victims he doesn't save in time despite being The Fastest Man Alive, Barry cares deeply about doing what's right and wants to be able to save everyone. However he still can't be in two places at once.

The West's

Easy to make comparisons of this Wally to the TV version.

"... People try so hard to do everything that they end up doing nothing"

This idea becomes heightened when he's forced to make a decision between rescuing citizens from a burning building (how stereotypical) or help out a S.T.A.R. Lab transit that's being attacked. Of course, Barry does his best attempt to deal with both. He deals with the fire first since it's on the way to the transit. However, we return to the motif that Barry simply can't do everything himself. What brought more drama to the decision was the fact that August had been assigned to escort the S.T.A.R. Labs transport.

Bromance in the making.

Let's rewind a bit and discuss August's progression throughout this issue. Introduced in the opening panels as an officer desperate for Barry's forensic help to put away a murderer who killed the officer's brother, who was also a police officer. We later see the both of them at a crime scene where the both of them appear to have a very friendly, yet professional relationship and August is especially appreciative of Barry's help with his brother's case. This is also the time we learn that he is assigned to assist in the S.T.A.R. Labs transport. As you can imagine, under heavy fire from the attackers, August finds himself in a dangerous situation. Here we see August as the noble and courageous police officer, prioritizing the safety of the nearby citizens and offering himself as a hostage when the attackers go after one of the doctors from the transport. The only hint we get about these attackers, assuming they are the main antagonists for this arc, is a) they have access to advanced technology like STAR labs related tech *GASP*, b) supposedly the tech inside the transport "belongs" to them, and c) they bear a symbol that is related to the murder of August's brother.

Yeah, that swirly sign on that guy's
chest is the symbol.

The intensity of the scene builds as one of the gunman fires at August while Barry is simultaneously racing to aid August and the transport. While it appears to be another case of "too little, too late" for Barry, a burst of lightning hits August but then subsequently  we're shown that a form of lightning attacks the gunman. Di Giandomenico depicts this awesome scene beautifully, showing the yellow lightning take the form of a human attacking the gunman while Barry is running and reacting at his top speed. The contrast of colors along while detailing the difference in the two character's Speed Force makes for an amazing Flash page. A panel that can only be used working with multiple speedsters, and it worked great!

The panels to the right = best scene in this issue

Where will this all lead? August has a background that is practically identical to Barry's. There really is no need to dig to deep into it, but why not! Let's write about it. Other than being struck by lightning and becoming a speedster, he cares deeply about justice for all after the murder of a family member and he's a member of Central City Police Department. We get it, they're alike. Now he's found something (can we call it a clue?) related to the murder of his brother, how far will he go to uncover this mystery? Will he look to the Flash for assistance with his new powers? Will Barry open up to him and reveal he's the Flash? It's easy to dream of these two becoming a dynamic duo, but who's to say August won't go down a darker path than Barry. He's not a kid or young adult that Barry can influence to stay on the right path. If August abandons his seeking of justice for revenge, it'll leave Barry with a difficult choice. Especially if they do partner up for a short time. But we've seen that story before haven't we? We've seen Punisher in the second season of Daredevil; we've seen Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight (or The Long Halloween for those who read our review from like 2 years ago); any more examples feel free to comment, etc.  Deanpool wants to see more speedsters in the world of The Flash but we don't want to see them fall into the same tropes. It's a fine line that we're sure writers are often challenged with from a creative perspective. You don't want to have this new player just become the new sidekick because the other ones have other storylines set up. It's also hard to set up a new player as a new villain when his powers don't differ from another major villain like Reverse Flash (at least so far as we know). CW's TV series of The Flash cleverly pulled it off in their second season with Zoom following Reverse Flash, so we can't say it never works. But a rogue Speedster that walks the line of hero and anti-hero would be a nice change of pace. It has worked well for characters like Marvel's Punisher mentioned above or DC's Red Hood, which have both earned their share of fans as darker, morally ambiguous characters. Seeing a speedster in that kind of image could be entertaining. Even The Flash's own Captain Cold has turned into a fan favorite as an anti-hero, thanks to his portrayal in the New 52 and in CW's "Legends of Tomorrow". Or just having another speedster as a hero in the neighborhood can be cool too. With so many speedsters in the DC universe, we've still never seen Flash establish a team of speedsters. Similar to John Diggle's character relationship to Oliver Queen, Barry could find an ally that he doesn't necessarily mentor as a sidekick but works side by side with. It would an intriguing dynamic since they work together in their personal lives as well. The TV series has done a good job developing the supporting cast around Barry Allen. It would be a nice change of pace for the comic version of The Flash to adapt a similar concept, receiving help from August, Iris, and possibly even New 52 Wally. But as with every comic, it comes down to the storytelling and character  development.

Some fun panels showing off Di Giandomenico's art style of The Flash in action.

Di Giandomenico's Quicksilver

Williamson seems to have a strong understanding of Barry Allen's character. Again, Deanpool is spoiled with the amazing run Manapul and Buccellato had with Barry so it's tough to compare. The art took some getting used to for Deanpool but comes off striking and vibrant. Definitely not the doom and gloom you'll find in a Batman comic. Di Giandomenico brought life to Marvel All New X-Factor where he had some experience drawing another quickster in Quicksilver. A lot of that transferred over to The Flash and the bright colors really bring life to Barry Allen and The Flash. Colors are essential to Flash comics when it comes to portraying the Speed Force, but DG also properly captures the character's emotions when things are slowed down. It's eye-catching and it's fun to see. We got to hand it to these creators. It can't be easy to launch new series, especially for well-established characters. Do you retell the origin for new readers or assume they can figure it out? Deanpool read a review calling it a nice "back to basics" story. Very appropriate description. A little bit of old with a lot of new sounds like a good formula for new and old readers.


Flash fans have a lot to look forward to with this comic series. Deanpool gives this issue a
7.5/10 Lightning Bolts!

Thanks for reading! The review for issue #2 will be up soon! Hope to be more consistent and find time for these now that Deanpool's reading load has decreased significantly. The content may not vary that much for a while until we really find our groove again. But for now,  stick with us and keep following for more!

Supergirl getting her own show?

Arrow, The Flash, Constantine, Gotham, iZombie

All new upcoming shows, minus Arrow, that will center around popular DC characters. Deanpool has told me before that Green Arrow was a perfect character to be adapted into a TV series because of his similarities to Bruce Wayne/Batman. He relies on his own skill set to take down his enemies; his drive to being a protector of his city stems from a tragedy of someone close to him; family wealth gives him almost unlimited resources; Starling city forced respond to this new vigilante and his methods of taking down bad guys that are too much for just the police to handle. And the show has done a fantastic job hitting all those notes while building a supporting cast around Oliver Queen and his heroic "vigil-antics"(Deanpool made me use that word). Of course, there's one too many love interests when viewers already know who Oliver's "soulmate" will end up being but that's just apart of CW's formula to make a TV show popular. The one other thing that has worked in Arrow's favor is the inclusion of a flurry of B-list characters from the DC universe. While many may not know of the rivalry that Deathstroke and Green Arrow actually had in comic history, other characters like Black Canary, Deadshot, Amanda Waller, Huntress, and more expanded this TV universe that Arrow has slowly built. You would expect a Count Vertigo, Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow, and other Green Arrow characters. But then there was Barry Allen, who is getting his own spin-off in The Flash! You know Deanpool is quite excited for that one. That show in itself will likely present its share of DC character cameos and regulars.

Deanpool believes that The Flash will have its own lighter tone compared to Arrow, but will still have mysteries of its own that Barry Allen will be looking to uncover. Mainly, the mystery of who killed his mother to prove his father's innocence (something already alluded to in Arrow).

Constantine will be played on NBC. First off, let's give props to the casting team. The closer this show stays to CW's Supernatural, the better this show will be. It's about dark magic, mystic arts, kicking demon's butts with that smug, I-don't-give-a-f*** look. It is a side of DC that often gets overlooked. A lot of the "Justice League Dark" characters came from Vertigo titles, but their shift onto the DC brand didn't lead to long-lasting runs for many of these characters. But cameos of characters like Dr. Fate, Madame Xanadu, Zatanna (Deanpool is hoping for this one the most), Swamp Thing, Phantom Stranger, or Etrigan will really pull viewers in and get them excited for the show. DC can also use this to gauge how they should approach the long talked about Justice League Dark movie supposedly to be directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Gotham... c'mon now. Gotham = Batman = everyone loves Batman. Of course, there won't be a Batman in this show. But the Batman mythos is so well-known, that a TV series that will show many of the Batman character's origin stories is just as gripping and interesting. Centering the series around a young Jim Gordon will give the series a very "Detective Comic" style. However, Deanpool believes this may also be the biggest downfall of the series. There's plenty of detective mystery series in television already. Fox needs to take advantage of the comic background it has in order for this series to go past two seasons, especially on a network that is constantly looking for its next big television show. Gotham has the potential to be it. It has a blank slate to work with to creatively tie in how these various villains and characters turn into the popular characters we know them as in movies and comics. Plus, we're in a period of time where movies and writers are looking for different ways to portray popular villains or to creative ways to show a different side of the same story. Examples: Malificent; Oz the Great and Powerful; Pan (to come out in 2015 centered around Peter Pan and Captain Hook). It is a fad right now, why not do it with the universe of one of DC's most popular characters.

Which finally brings us to our main point of this blog, and finally tie in with the title.

Now there are rumors about a Supergirl series coming to television, and this is Deanpool's quick reaction to the news. Rumors say it's coming to the CW network too, joining The Flash and Arrow. Maybe her cameo will come in The Flash? Deanpool thinks they should do it through Arrow. Seems only right that its first successful show be the prism that branches out into two other TV shows. It would also reaffirm that all three would be apart of the same cinematic universe, giving possibility to one day having a major crossover event where all three shows can have related episodes. It's something to consider if one ever starts to plummet in ratings, just a little trick that seems to work in comic publications. But we're sure Geoff Johns already has that one up his sleeve. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves, the idea of a Supergirl show is a genius move on DC/WB and CW's part. They have shown success with the superhero shows and only stand to gain something by coming out with a third one that will have a female lead. There are only so many female heroines in the DC universe that can hold their own in a TV series. Deanpool's short list of female leads would be: Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Catwoman, Batgirl,  Zatanna, Black Canary, Wonder Girl, Harley Quinn.

Let's start crossing names off his list. Wonder Woman is apart of DC's trinity and can easily be considered an A-list character. She's also on her way to getting her own solo movie after her upcoming appearance in Batman vs. Superman. As cool as it would be to see the Amazonian princess deal with an island of Amazons and other godly foes, we'd rather see it on the big screen rather than week to week on TV. So how about Wonder Girl? Many of Wonder Girl's best stories came from her time on the Teen Titans. She didn't exactly deal with the same issues as Wonder Woman so it's not easy to assume that you can just adjust a Wonder Woman TV series to Wonder Girl. But this leads Deanpool to another idea... let's get a live-action Teen Titans show!

Catwoman would be plausible if she wasn't already going to be featured in Gotham. Batgirl would be an interesting show... but may not offer anything different than the already upcoming Gotham show. Any story that can be told with Zatanna is probably going to be in Constnatine. Black Canary has already been shown in Arrow. And to be honest, those three characters would be better off being supporting characters in those respective shows. Now Harley Quinn, as entertaining of a show as that would be, Deanpool doesn't think TV is ready for "that kind of hero" just yet. More antihero actually. It would probably be best to be a spin-off if she ever gets her cameo in Arrow. But even then, not sure if she can maintain a show for more than a couple seasons.

All that leaves Supergirl. In the same way that a Batgirl show sounded intriguing, Supergirl is perhaps an even better idea. Batman and Superman both respectively have two of DC's best supporting casts. In Gotham City we have Jim Gordon, multiple Robin's, Batgirl, Alfred Pennyworth, Selina Kyle, and seemingly endless villains. In Metropolis, we have Jimmy Olsen, Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Perry White, Supergirl, Superboy, Steel, Lex Luthor, and much more. It's only right that the Superman/Metropolis universe get its own show as well. Other than the successful Smallville. A
Supergirl show meets a lot of criteria that CW needs to round out its superhero universe. A female lead with a rich background that has its own unique sense of cameo possibilities. We'll want to see a Superboy, a Lex Luthor, Jonathan and Martha Kent, heck even a Clark Kent would get us buzzing. As long as it stays very Smallville-esque, a Supergirl show will have the ability to hold its own with Arrow and The Flash. Seeing Kara as a young adult trying to balance her life and struggling to control her powers. Maybe even have her living under Superman's shadow. Hey can we get a Krypto in the show too? But as long as she's spunky, kicks ass, cute (but since it's CW this will probably be a requirement), and has that headstrong attitude, she'll be alright with Deanpool.

It's hard to say if CW can duplicate its success from Arrow into other shows without creating a stale formula that threads through them all. A Flash and Supergirl show would surely suffer if this is the case. Green Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl are three very unique characters in their own way and have potential to all coexist in the same DC/CW universe. It'll come down to the choices in storyline, casting, supporting characters, villains, etc. How they creatively adapt Supergirl's origins (multiple retconned origins for that matter) for TV will be a quick deciding factor for most fans. Who will they use as an arch-villain? Maybe a Brainiac or Bizarro? Zodd or H'el? Deanpool highly doubts CW puts things on a cosmic level with a villain like a Darkseid... we'd rather see him take on a whole Justice League anyways. Metallo, Parasite, Cyborg Superman basically any B-list Superman villain that can be easily portrayed would work.

What do you think of the upcoming DC shows and/or the possibility of Supergirl coming to TV?

Guess who's back!

Okay okay sorry for the long, 6-monthish hiatus. I've been busy. Deanpool has been busy. BUT after readjusting to new schedules we're going to try to be updating this regularly again. Might not be as much content as before but let's just see how things go.

So if you still follow/read, be sure to check back regularly once again!

Moon Knight #1, Magneto #1, Wolverine and the X-Men #1

Moon Knight #1
Deanpool was pretty excited about this Marvel Now debut. Moon Knight isn't one of the most exciting Marvel characters based off first impression, but he has his own appeal.

The intro starts off with a lot of dialogue about Moon Knight. Things like rumors and legends, a lot of hearsay of other people recounting stories of the Moon Knight. One theory was that Moon Knight had Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) previously known as multiple personality disorder. Some talk about his origin with the Egyptian god, Khonshu.

When we finally see Moon Knight arriving at the crime scene, we see a completely different, redone Moon Knight. No more cape and hood type thing, which means he gave up the whole ghostly look he had going on in earlier, more popular versions of Moon Knight. Instead we see him in an all white suit (like "suit and tie" type of suit) with a mask covering his whole face and the crescent moon symbol between the eyes. The whole comic sets their noir, detective tone right from the start. The artwork is very gritty and dark, showing a very distinct contrast to Moon Knight's all white appearance. The storytelling even has a very detective-like feel to it. Murder scene, mysterious killer, Moon Knight carefully deducing clues that no one else can catch. Lots of similarities to DC's Detective Comics, only Batman has a much bigger fan base and more interesting foes. Nonetheless, we dive into this murder mystery. Someone is going around slashing people, literally taking chunks and pieces of innocent people and leaving the rest. Moon Knight tracks down the killer into the sewers and discovers it's an ex-SHIELD agent who was injured in action. The agent cured himself using illegal supplies that doctors wouldn't sue on him and as a result, it turned him into a hideous looking monster. The agent would track down fit people, kill them and essentially take pieces of them and paste them into his own body using exotic medical machinery.

Much like the ancient Egyptian god, Khonshu, Moon Knight stands up for the overnight travelers. He accuses the SHIELD agent of harming innocent overnight travelers. In a fast sequence of events of what originally appeared like simple dialogue between the two characters, Moon Knight reveals that during the conversation he took out one of the agent's machines (that he was pretty dependent on) without him noticing with his moon-shaped disc. It's very similar again to Batman and his Batarangs. Moon Knight even uses them to deflect the agent's bullets. Soon after, Moon Knight finished the fight with ease. Not a bad first issue if you can make yourself look as badass as Batman, and do it in an all-white suit.

The issue then flashes back to before the events of the issue. It appears to be some sort of retreat where Moon Knight's alter ego is trying to get help for his DID. One of the therapists there reveals that Khonshu had four aspects: pathfinder, embracer, defender, and watcher of overnight travelers. And even a vengeful secret aspect, "the one who lives on hearts." This doctor/therapist/whoever then tells him that Khonshu has chosen him to bring vengeance to those who would harm travelers by night and that his brain cycles through the four aspects, struggling to define them. This is meant to explain the different identities. It's his brain trying to find a way to define the different aspects of Khonshu by taking on multiple personalities. Yup it pretty much ends here, in what was a very confusing ending. The doctor lady looked creepy, can't tell if it's in the man's head or actually happening. All we know is that eventually he goes to New York, where this issue starts the readers off.

This is a much grittier Moon Knight, and came out on his first issue more badass than ever. Deanpool likes the storytelling and is very interested in learning more about this version of the character. Maybe a hero spotlight soon? 8.5/10 DIDs.

Magneto #1
Deanpool loves stories/series where bad guys don't believe they are bad guys, especially when it's done right. DC's New 52 Green Lantern Vol. 1 where Sinestro was a Green Lantern again; DC's Forever Evil event; the new Loki: Agent of Asgard ongoing series. Okay those are the only two examples Deanpool can come up with at the moment, but he's hopeful that this series can be added to this list!

We start off with usual Magneto mythos. We hear from a witness that he took the metal fillings from a person's mouth and then impaled him with a street pole in the middle of the street. In a motel room, Magneto has a little monologue about the different names he's went by: Max, Erik, Magnus, Magneto. He ends it claiming all his actions are in the name of mutants, in which it goes to a flashback of him actually doing those actions claimed in the beginning. Yes, he impaled the man. He was a doctor who contributed to anti-mutant organizations. Those first couple pages set the tone for this series' direction. Magneto is going on a one-man mission to defend and protect mutants, and he will not hold back from killing. The creative team is sticking to Magento's strengths while still giving us a character we can root for. Punisher doesn't work much differently if you think about it. Also, it takes a while seeing Magneto look almost like a comic version of Jason Statham without the helmet in this series. Bald head, looks like he has a pretty imposing figure, and is typically dressed in all black. Guess he went with the Prof. Xavier look.


Anyways, as the issue goes on, it follows his actions in this motel room. He mentions that he's been hiding out in there, paying off maids to keep quiet about his presence, that kind of stuff. He also brings up how he's rarely recognized without his iconic helmet. In his motel room, Magneto has a set up of newspaper clippings and a map all connecting to deaths of mutants. He admits his resources are limited, but still manages to stay one step ahead of groups like SHIELD. Again, it's quite clear Magneto is on a vengeance for innocent mutants. He figures out his next killer, someone who murdered three mutants. But unexpectedly, the killer turned himself over to the authorities, complicating Magneto's mission a little.

When he enters the police station, the artist shows the metal items around him as Magneto identifies them. Again, Magneto's monologue talks about the different personas he has taken up: terrorist, savior, hero, villain. But instead of being stealthy, he uses his powers in the middle of the station, using all the metal in the room to form a new iconic Magneto helmet for himself. When he apporaches the killer in his cell for murdering those mutants, the man actually turns out to be a hybrid version of the Omega Sentinels! Cybernetics fused with human muscle and one, developed with a single purpose: hunt and destory. To kill mutants. Magneto deals with this surprise by ripping the metal from the man's flesh. Magneto notes that someone must have turned him into that machine, making him as much a victim as the mutants he killed. As the boy dies, he mutters a few words, "I'm not a killer... I couldn't stop myself... it was like i was on autopilot."

Magneto isn't a cold-blooded killer. He kills with a purpose. And with the way this issue ended, it brings Magneto out of his usual role of seeking vengeance for mutants. While it could be argued that Magneto may be motivated to find who turned that boy into a mutant-killing machine in order to protect mutants, it looked more like Magneto felt he made a mistake. All of his preparation and research, and his record for not falling for false information to draw him out, all failed. Bunn seems to have a good handle of how to write for Magneto and art gives off a gritty, dark tone to the series. Magneto and his creative team mean business and this issue hits all the right Magneto notes while still giving a slightly different take on a popular Marvel villain. It's interesting to see Magneto take his own path, apart from the X-Men or the Brotherhood (and it spins out of the events in Uncanny X-Men #16). Deanpool is hopeful for the series and will definitely pick up the next couple issues to see if it can keep up the solid work. 8.5/10 metal objects.

Wolverine and the X-Men #1
Okay, Deanpool doesn't want to be too harsh, but this issue did not stick with him at all. So warning everyone now, this review may feel very detached and make the comic seem boring... but the more appropriate way of phrasing it is "it wasn't Deanpool's cup of tea."

This one issue is all over the place and though it is a number one issue, it must be continuing off a previous ongoing series. Thanks to the prologue we know that Wolverine losing his healing factor is still in continuity. There's a new kid, Quentine Quire, who is destined to wield a mysteriously renewed Phoenix Force. All of this sounds interesting enough AND the artwork from the beginning looks amazing! But the rest just doesn't follow through as equally interesting.

The issue mainly follows different kids at the Jean Grey School. There's a new girl who joins with the ability to control and bond with animals. And gets dubbed Nature Girl. Yes, it's pretty lame. But this scene seemed more like one of those that are like a parody to the fact that there are so many different X-Men and different names. Elsewhere Wolverine is in some inter-dimensional prison and looking as badass ever with a new eyepatch. This looks more like a Wolverine we want to see who has lost his healing factor. Not changing anything about himself despite the loss of his power, still as scrappy as ever. Storm is the headmaster of the school, hopeful that kids ultimately get the guidance they need. Beast is off in space with a small group of his students. Doop is working in the cafeteria. Only noting it since Doop will be getting his own mini-series next month. Deanpool never even heard of the guy before this month.

The story continues to jump around to different scenes for different characters throughout the school. It feels similar to an after school, high school show: cafeteria scene, physical education scene, students wearing uniforms, students gossiping about recent news. A young mutant named Rockslide is seen trying to kill bamfs, no not Bad ass mofos, but more like mini-Nightcrawlers. Meaning they can teleport as well. Quentin is blamed for the little skirmish since he has the new responsibility of running the school. Not that he wants to anyways, he doesn't feel he should be running the school, but the X-Men have trusted him with this responsibility. Via context clues, we learn that Quentin has a run-in with some future X-Men where he must've learned something about his future connection with the Phoenix. Still, he seems pretty hard-headed about his new responsibilities. It's clear he is scared of becoming the Phoenix, something even the younger Jean Grey is going through in the All-New X-Men series. But the biggest thing bothering Quentin is that he feels he can no longer choose his own destiny.

Back with Wolverine, he finds Fantomex in the prison. Wonder if Fantomex will become a regular for this series, since he's already a member in the new X-Force comic. Deanpool forgot Fantomex is another mutant with a healing factor. After all the fighting, Wolverine reveals he is trying to recruit Fantomex to help out at the school and to help give him some sort of purpose. Fantomex believes he belongs in the inter-dimensional prison with everyone else in there.

The whole issue ends with each of the different settings see a Phoenix insignia popping up on all TVs, computers, and phone screens.

It may be harsh, but Deanpool just didn’t connect with the issue. Not too many old-school characters. Out of the new ones, none really seem relatable. It's hard to tell too much where this series will be headed or who the real voice of the series really is. There's some tease to the beginning of the issue in what looked like a "flash forward" that Wolverine may die. That rumor has been floating around now, so maybe it will happen in this ongoing series. The book definitely has potential for some interesting storylines, but doesn’t seem like "must read" material in the endless X titles. But the art is top notch talent. Can't take anything away from that aspect of it. Maybe for big X-Men fans looking for a fresh set of X characters or for younger readers who can relate to the school-type environment. But for Deanpool 5.5/10 bamfs.

Not a bad set of debuts for the first week of March for Marvel NOW. Minus the Wolverine and the X-Men one. Moon Knight and Magneto look like some promising series that are showing a newer version and telling of Marvel characters that have been around for a while. Don't forget to check out the Weekly Pick-Ups from the same week as these debuts. Thanks for reading!

One of the best variants ever.