Why the Best Batman Is…Badman?

Over the years, we’ve seen tons and tons of different Batmen, from Jim Gordon, to the OG Bruce Wayne, to Terry McGinnis. Just as there’s been a number of men (and a few women) under the cowl, there are ton of fans constantly arguing who the best Batman is. However, I instead argue that the best Batman isn’t one found in the comics. Rather, the version played by comedian Pete Holmes in videos by CollegeHumor, dubbed ‘Badman’, has clearly proven himself to be the best Dark Knight.

Don’t believe me? Remember the parody of the confrontation between Batman and Two Face? In his video, Badman didn’t even need to get shot while dealing with his version of Two Face. Babbling and talking like a moron kept the villain angry (and therefore, off guard) to the point of being easily beaten. A similar situation happened with his version of the Riddler (Riddler having accidentally shot himself while trying to shoot Badman).

Or how about when he shows off how indestructible he is during the first encounter with Scarecrow? The man is literally being burned alive, yet he never seems to be in pain. Granted, he is having a panic attack over Roombas, but that’s beside the point.

Finally, everyone knows that Batman and his family are constantly suffering because he keeps letting his villains live (would Barbara have still become paralyzed if he had killed Joker years before?). Badman doesn’t have that same problem. He’s apparently been killing every single one of his villains since he first started out, arguably saving numerous lives and Gotham City tons of money in taxpayer dollars in the process.

All in all, Badman is clearly the superior version of Batman. He’s tough, he’s a tactical genius, and he’s probably saved more people than every other version of the Dark Knight. All while acting like the biggest moron Gotham City has ever seen. Or maybe he actually is an idiot. Yeah, that’s probably it.

Seriously, who agrees with me on this? Let me know in the comments below, or with a tweet through that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel to keep up with all the latest on Comic Books vs The World.

Jessica Jones Month: AKA Marriage (Takes Forever)

Image taken from New Avengers Annual #1, via marvel.com

Welcome back to day 17 of Jessica Jones Month everyone! It wasn’t that long ago that Jessica and Luke Cage became husband and wife; back in 2006, within the pages of the first New Avengers annual, Jessica finally accepted Luke’s proposal and, much like all superhero marriages, they had to fight their way to the ceremony (despite the fact that none of the events before the marriage had anything to do with the marriage itself).

Image taken from New Avengers Annual #1, via marvel.com

One day, at Avengers Tower, Jessica furiously arrives with baby Danielle in tow. Despite seeming pretty annoyed and frustrated at everything in general, she spontaneously accepts Luke’s marriage proposal. Meanwhile, Yelena Belova (the second Black Widow) is being revived and returned to her former glory, thanks to A.I.M. and the abilities of the Super-Adaptoid, Belova having been horribly burned after a previous battle.

The mayor of New York is also taking the time to visit the Avengers, at the exact same time Belova decides to attack the super team (what a coincidence!). After a lengthy battle, the Sentry ultimately ends up being the one to defeat her, due to her lack of familiarity with the Void entity driving her to the point of insanity. Before she could spill any secrets, however, Belova is melted into a puddle by her allies.

After all that, Jessica and Luke finally go through their wedding ceremony (they’re even married by Stan Lee). Celebrations are had, and the issue ends with a single panel of the two characters finally being married. So what was the point of literally everything else in this issue?

I’ve always had this problem with a lot of superhero marriages in comic books. You can’t just have a full issue with two characters trying to get married, so it makes sense that the issue would have to have action beats and a continuation of the story it’s set in. However, when the action beats/plot elements don’t really interconnect at all or have anything to do with the actual marriage, what’s the point of having a whole issue devoted to a marriage?

Even if it has Stan Lee in it, why do we need a whole 36 pages for something that could take five, max? Let me know, either in the comments below or with a tweet through that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel to keep up with all the latest on Comic Books vs The World. Keep coming back for more of Jessica Jones Month!

My Memories of “Static Shock”

I remember in the early 2000s reading about and being an audience to what was, at the time, the “cool” superheroes: you had the usual contenders, like Spider-Man and some of the Avengers (made even more popular back then through the then-new Ultimate Marvel line); Batman and Superman were more popular than ever through their respective cartoon shows; and then you had the underdogs, like Virgil Hawkins, star of the DC cartoon Static Shock.

Image taken from wikipedia.org

For those of us who had no idea, Static was just another cool comic character DC and Warner Bros. decided to throw at us. It was the early 2000s after all, and more diverse and interesting characters were just starting to appear on screen. It wasn’t until later when I found out the Static character was actually over ten years old, having been created back in the 1990s.

Much like the original comic book, Static Shock mixed your usual superhero adventures with more shocking material, such as racism, gang activities, and a lot more drama than kids were subjected to in their cartoons. Remember too that this was the late 1990s/early 2000s, when children were presented more mature themes and situations than they are now, so being more dramatic is definitely saying something.

I remember too how exciting it was to see more mainstream DC characters interact with Virgil and his group of heroes and villains. The episode with Static helping Batman and Robin track down the Joker was one of the best of these crossover episodes, in my opinion.

Then there was the show’s merchandise. I remember hearing rumors about a video game being made (although I never found out about its fate until I started writing this post), but outside of that, I never heard of anything else being made to support the show. Even back then I thought it was odd, considering how many variations of Batman and Superman toys there were. Turns out, there actually were some toys developed. But these things just didn’t sell well enough for the executives at DC, and (to my knowledge) this was one of the reasons Static Shock was eventually canceled.

I honestly miss this show. True, the comic didn’t sell well either, but both versions of the story did something not many comic books nowadays do: it took a serious look into a rougher and more realistic side of life, without getting preachy or trying to spread too many messages. Most of the time, you have superheroes dealing with battles in space or being turned into frogs, but this time you had a minority street-level superhero battling gang members. It was a product of the time when kids weren’t handled with care, but instead were given intelligent storylines and generally treated with respect. I miss those days in general, and I miss the old Static Shock.

If someone at DC or Warner Bros. ever ends up reading this, please give the old school fans of the show a truly awesome movie at some point. The character deserves it by this point.

Then again…

What memories of Static Shock do you have? Let me know, either in the comments below or with a tweet through that widget on the left. Better yet,like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel to keep up with all the latest on Comic Books vs The World.

Jessica Jones Month: AKA Resisting the Purple Man

Welcome to Day 9 of Jessica Jones Month! Time and time again, I’ve mentioned how Purple Man has the ability to control the minds of others and force them to do anything he wants. I’ll do a bio post on him eventually, but for now, I wanted to answer one specific question: can anyone resist the control of the Purple Man? Turns out, yes, a ton of people have resisted him over the years. The reason? Sheer force of will.

Image taken from Daredevil #4, via marvel.com

So who’s been able to best the control of Purple Man? For starters, his arch-nemesis Daredevil. During their first confrontation in 1964’s Daredevil #4, Daredevil found that he could ignore the villain’s commands, knocking him out instantly. However, this wouldn’t last; over the years, Purple Man’s power grew naturally, to the point where even Daredevil would fall to his will. However, Moon Knight was able to beat him this time around due to the use of ear plugs (a sound system, given to him by the Kingpin, boosted Purple Man’s voice, and therefore his power).

Speaking of the Kingpin, he too proved strong enough to resist the will of the Purple Man. During their first encounter, after Purple Man was brought to him, Kingpin was nearly coerced into committing suicide before shaking off the mind control. Afterwards, he set up the encounter between Purple Man, Daredevil, and Moon Knight as mentioned above.

Probably one of the most impressive feats of willpower comes from Victor von Doom. In the graphic novel Emperor Doom, the good doctor found Purple Man relaxing on a beach and kidnaped him, intending to use him in a plot to control the world. Before Doom activated the machine intended to boost his power, Purple Man claimed that even Doom would obey his commands if the armor weren’t in the way. Removing his mask, Doom stands inches away from Purple Man, and…does nothing. Shocked, Purple Man claimed that “No one has a will that strong!” before Doom calmly flipped the switch on his machine, enslaving the entire planet.

In the same story, Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man, also proved resistant to Purple Man. Thanks to his unusual metabolism (his body being made of pure ionic energy), Wonder Man helped those in the Avengers with the strongest wills, including Captain America, Iron Man, and the Wasp, to break free and take down Doom. This is despite the fact that Doom’s use of Purple Man’s power was actually beneficial for humanity (war was made obsolete, nuclear weapons were destroyed, and everyone lived happy lives). Thanks a lot Wonder Man.

Do you think you could beat Purple Man’s powers? Let me know, either in the comments below or with a tweet through that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel to keep up with all the latest on Comic Books vs The World. Keep coming back for more of Jessica Jones Month!

Jessica Jones Month: AKA Emperor Stark

WARNING: Spoilers below

Welcome to Day 8 of Jessica Jones Month everyone! It should come as no surprise that Marvel will use and reuse their stories over the years, especially when those stories make the jump to other forms of media, such as television. It’s here, during the “Emperor Stark” episode of Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, where we essentially see an abridged version of Jessica Jones’ history take place, only with Tony Stark in Jessica’s role. Don’t believe that both stories are pretty much the same? Watch the episode below, and we’ll take a look.

Image taken from moviepilot.com

The parallels between both stories, whether intentional or not, can’t be ignored. As I’ve mentioned a few times during the past week, Jessica was a costumed hero after she gained super abilities (thanks to the indirect involvement of her father’s boss, Tony Stark), who quit after a traumatic run in with the Purple Man at a restaurant. “Emperor Stark” reveals that Stark, after embarrassing Purple Man in a restaurant, fell under his control later that day. One character tries and fails to fight him, the other fights and succeeds. Both in a restaurant, and both obey his every command.

The similarities don’t stop there either. Both characters are tortured by Purple Man while they’re under his control (Jessica through physical and psychological means, Tony through strictly psychological means), and both are forced to attack fellow superheroes. As is fitting for his character, Purple Man eats up every second of it. Both characters are also eventually set free by a specific couple in the Avengers: Jessica was freed by the Scarlet Witch, while Tony was indirectly saved by the Vision (Vision being the one to set off the chain of events that freed Tony).

With all that in mind, is it really so hard to think that the writers for EMH might have been at least a little influenced by Jessica’s story? After all, if you’re going to write one of Marvel’s creepiest bad guys, you might as well take inspiration from the creepiest parts of his history.

Do you think “Emperor Stark” was, in some way, influenced by Jessica Jones? Let me know, either in the comments below or with a tweet through that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel to keep up with all the latest on Comic Books vs The World. Keep coming back for more of Jessica Jones Month!

Jessica Jones Month: AKA ABC vs Netflix

Image taken from logos.wikia.com

Welcome to Day 7 of Jessica Jones Month everyone! Jessica Jones has been on a long and difficult road on its roughly five year way to the current November 20^th release date. Some of the biggest changes, however, stem from its network switch of ABC to Netflix. Based on what information was revealed during announcements while the show was being considered by ABC, as well as we’ve heard after the fact, it seems that the ABC version of Jessica Jones (titled A.K.A. Jessica Jones) would have been far different than what it seems we’re getting with the Netflix version.

To start with, the show’s timeline would have been changed significantly. Rather than starting sometime after Jessica started Alias Investigations (roughly around the second time Purple Man escaped from prison), like Netflix’s version, A.K.A. Jessica Jones would have seen the former superhero “rebuilding her life as a private detective in New York City,” while also interacting with Marvel heroes Luke Cage and Carol Danvers (Ms./Captain Marvel). We know now that Danvers will have her own movie in the future, but it’s still cool to think that she was almost introduced to us on television first.

Image taken from hollywoodreporter.com

Speaking of the Purple Man, it doesn’t even seem like he would have been a major part of the show. Variety reported in 2010 that the premise of A.K.A. Jessica Jones was that she wanted to help other superheroes, and while their article did say the character would be “flawed”, it seemed very likely that the focus would not be centered on Jessica’s past. In a separate interview, showrunner Melissa Rosenburg also stated that the character had PTSD, describing her as “an incredibly damaged, dark, complex female character that kicks ass.”

While Netflix’s Jessica Jones may bring a number of MCU references/crossovers (there’s a possibility that the show will feature some of the MCU film characters or characters from other Netflix shows, like Daredevil), ABC’s A.K.A. Jessica Jones was guaranteed to have Tony Stark and Stark Industries referenced in the pilot episode. However, Hellcat’s involvement might have been at risk, since Rosenburg also stated that, “Everyone else we can be digging into lesser known characters or taking known characters and renaming them.”

All of this is ignoring the fact that, had the show been picked up by ABC, A.K.A. Jessica Jones would have been far less dark and gritty than Netflix’s version seems like it’s going to be. Aside from the obvious (the show would have been on ABC, and therefore wouldn’t be able to cover as much material as Alias was able to get away with), even Rosenberg acknowledged that the show wouldn’t have been as dark if it had been on ABC.

…you know, I don’t know if it’s an ABC show. It might be a cable show, really. The graphic novel is the first one that Marvel did that was meant to serve an adult audience. I toned it down a little bit for network, but it’s very, very easy to translate that into cable.

-Melissa Rosenburg, IGN

What do you think about Jessica’s (almost) network home? Let me know, either in the comments below or with a tweet through that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel to keep up with all the latest on Comic Books vs The World. Keep coming back for more of Jessica Jones Month!

I Kind of Want to See the “Real” Fantastic Four Movie

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few days, you’ve undoubtedly heard of the cinematic train wreck that is the recent Fantastic Four film. According to legions of reviewers and internet commenters, the film simply isn’t good (it’s made a whopping $25,685,737 at the domestic box office so far, according to Box Office Mojo). But supposedly, it could have been, dare I say, fantastic. At least according to director Josh Trank.

Trank, who one imagines is pretty bitter about the kind of treatment he’s been getting recently for the way the FF have been portrayed on film, took to Twitter a few days ago to give his two cents on his version of the Fantastic Four, leaving this:

Image taken from ew.com

The tweet was quickly deleted, although fans snapped it up and reposted it for the world to enjoy. However, all of this backlash does invoke the question: what was Trank’s original vision? More importantly, was it good?

A number of reviews about the film seem to contain similar sections focusing on elements where Trank’s original vision of the film shines through, especially during the beginning (including hacker Domashev playing video games while surrounded by computers), and it’s supposedly during these moments where the film is actually enjoyable. Other sections, including the team discovering their powers for the first time, invoke the Scanners and The Fly type of feeling Trank mentioned wanting to explore with the FF, and are also described as being fun to watch.

While the theatrical version of the film may not be getting the most stellar reviews at the moment, a DVD/Blu-Ray release of a director’s cut could help save face and establish a more acceptable legacy for this version of the team. After all, Daredevil managed to get away with it, and we know Trank’s original versions of at least a majority of the film still survive on the cutting room floor. Why not give it a try Fox? It wouldn’t hurt, that’s for sure.

What do you think about a director’s cut of this film? Does anyone care, or, like Daredevil, is anyone else going to give a director’s cut a chance? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or maybe you could send me a tweet with that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to theofficial Youtube channel.

Fantastic Four Week: Challengers of the…Fantastic?

Welcome back to Day 4 of Fantastic Four Week everyone! Ever since our trip through the multiverse during Daredevil Month, I thought it’d be fun to go at it again and take a look at one of my all time favorite alternate versions of the Fantastic Four: The Challengers of the Fantastic.

Image taken from comicvine.com

A merger of Marvel’s Fantastic Four with DC’s Challengers of the Unknown (also created by FF co-creator Jack Kirby), the Challengers of the Fantastic battled other amalgamated menaces, including Galactiac, Dr. Doomsday, and the Communists of Gorrillagrad.

At first, Reed “Prof” Richards was a scientist employee for Victor Von Doom who created a rocket with the idea of making space travel safe from cosmic radiation. Reed invited S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sue “Ace” Storm, Senator “Rocky” Grimm, and Sue’s younger brother Johnny “Red” Storm to take part in the test flight of the craft while Doom controlled the mission from Earth.

Image taken from wikipedia.org

However, Doom was jealous of Reed and attempted to kill the group during a sabotage attempt. Despite this, all of them survived and took the moment as a second chance at life. Dubbing themselves the Challengers of the Fantastic, they formed a base in Fantastic Mountain and began keeping watch over the growing number of villains.

While the story itself is pretty awesome and full of that wonderful 1990s cheese writing, it’s the character portrayals and the mashup overall that I like best. It might be because Jack Kirby worked on both teams, but Challengers of the Fantastic seem like the best mix in the Amalgam Universe, especially compared to odder mashups like Lobo the Duck. Both teams had a sense of family and teamwork that no other super team has ever really managed to duplicate, and I’m glad to see that the writers carried these ideas into the Amalgam Universe.

What do you think about the mixed up super team? Do you even remember, or care about. these guys anymore? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or maybe you could send me a tweet with that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel. Be sure to stick around for the rest of Fantastic Four week!

Fantastic Four Week: The Fantastic Four Movie is Bombing (and Hard)

Welcome back to day 3 of Fantastic Four Week my dear readers! Have you seen any of the latest reviews for the 2015 cinematic version of the team? I didn’t expect it to do well, but even I have to admit that some of these on RottenTomatoes are pretty brutal.

“Director Josh Trank has assembled a quartet of engaging, charismatic performers and stranded them in a miasma of exposition and set-up. So much time is spent putting the pieces on the board that there’s barely any time to play with them.”

“In the face of such bad buzz, it’s hard not to feel a little sorry for the finished product, which is a harmless and endearingly cartoonish throwback to more simple comic book movie times.”

Cartoonish? That’s coming from the only “Fresh” rating of the movie on the site as of right now, and individuals across the Internet aren’t exactly as forgiving.

“Do not buy the tickets, if you have, return them or exchange them for ant-man or mission:impossible! Quick, before it’s too late!”

-IMDB

Ultimately, Fox’s stab at reviving one of its inherited Marvel properties feels less like a blockbuster for this age of comics-oriented tentpoles than it does another also-ran — not an embarrassment, but an experiment that didn’t gel.

-Variety

The hits just keep on coming with this film. Honestly, I expect more negative reviews to come in as more people go to see the film. While I refuse to see this movie, I won’t argue against anyone who feels the need to see it. I only ask that they at least consider other people’s words before they try it out. Besides, if you really feel the need to watch something Fox related, why not stick with the Deadpool trailer airing tonight?

What do you think about the reviews the new film is getting so far? Let me know what you think in the comments below, or maybe you could send me a tweet with that widget on the left. Better yet, like the Comic Books vs The World Facebook page, and subscribe to the official Youtube channel. Be sure to stick around for the rest of Fantastic Four week!

Quicksilver vs Quicksilver

Image taken from screenrant.com

With Avengers: Age of Ultron being released in American theaters next week, I thought it would be a great time to talk about the “Quicksilver Issue”. You know the one: yet another moment between Fox and Marvel fans, all of whom get together and argue over which Quicksilver is faster, who would win in a fight, etc. But honestly, what’s the point? Both have their good moments and bad ones, based on what we’ve seen so far.

Faster Speedster?

To start off, there’s no way of knowing who’s faster yet. The only clue we honestly have is in this featurette featuring Joss Whedon himself, who states that the MCU Quicksilver is “as fast, or almost as fast, as a bullet”. Going off of this one statement, the MCU version of the character is possibly slower than the Fox version, who we’ve seen run faster than anyone could process.

Yes, the MCU Quicksilver seems slow compared to the Fox version right now, but maybe Marvel is saving the scenes with the character going even faster for the actual film’s release. Also, keep in mind that Joss might be lowballing his version’s speed to keep fans guessing, or reshoots could have happened that made the MCU version faster. Either way, we won’t actually know until May 1st.

Even if the MCU Quicksilver does turn out to be slower though, at least it won’t be like –

Outrunning the Plot

Viewers have constantly poked fun at and complained about Fox’s Quicksilver since the release of Days of Future Past. Why couldn’t he have come along with the rest of the group to deal with Trask and the Sentinels? If anything, Quicksilver could have handled all of their problems by himself. I understand that’s the reason the writers didn’t want the character in the rest of the film, but the excuse they did give was pretty weak.

In contrast, if the MCU Quicksilver is slower, then it’s not like he could be a deus ex machina for any problem. He’d have to rely on others to help deal with Ultron and his army, despite being able to run faster than the other characters can react to. In this regard, I have to say Marvel did the better job with the character. He’s fast, can throw some witty one liners, and seems really cool. Not to say that the Fox version isn’t cool (did you see that kitchen clip?), but maybe he’s too powerful for his movie.

Does it Matter?

In the end though, it really doesn’t matter who’s faster/stronger/cooler/whatever else you want to say. Like I said earlier, both versions of the character look great. They’re fast, really powerful, and give the writers and special effects wizards the chance to play around and try out new things.

Really, we should all just put away the hate and enjoy what we have. It’s not like the MCU Quicksilver can’t get faster, or the Fox Quicksilver can’t get more screen time to do more fun stuff. Just be patient and wait for the good times to roll in.

Don’t forget to leave a comment below, follow me on Twitter, and also check out the Comic Books vs The World Youtube channel.