DC Showcase: Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010)

Director: Joaquim Dos Santos

Writer: [Superman/Shazam!] Michael Jelenic, [The Spectre] Steve Niles, [Green Arrow] Greg Weisman and [Jonah Hex] Joe R. Lansdale

Starring: [Superman/Shazam!] Zach Callison, James Garner and Josh Keaton [The Spectre] Gary Cole, Alyssa Milano and Jeff Bennett [Green Arrow] Neal McDonough, Malcolm McDowell and Steve Blum [Jonah Hex] Thomas Jane, Linda Hamilton and Jason Marsden

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1701223/


 The feature on this is the Superman/Shazam! cartoon with running time under a half hour. Each of the bonus shows are just over ten minutes each. Pretty lame, they need to be given full treatments.

 "The Return of Black Adam" teams up Superman and Captain Marvel against Black Adam. What's cool is Captain Marvel and Black Adam are basically like Superman as far as strength and general powers, except that they are fueled by magic... which happens to be one of Supe's weaknesses just under Kryptonite. This is actually the origin story for Captain Marvel. He's just a ten year old kid who is pure of heart, so the wizard Shazam bestows the power of the Gods upon him. All he has to do is call the wizard's name and a lightning bolt strikes him and turns him into a bad-ass.

 "The Spectre" is definitly the coolest of the bunch. Written by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and has a kind of film noir feel to it. A lot darker than the feature. Definitely my pick of the bunch.

 "Green Arrow" was a let-down. The story felt rushed, just jumping right into an adventure. Seemed more of a showcase for his toys than an actual story. The voice actor was a total mismatch for Ollie. Malcolm McDowell was cool for the villain though. Brief appearance by the Black Canary, but still couldn't save this short.

 Finally we have "Jonah Hex". This one is of a darker nature as well. Joe Lansdale happens to be another of my favorite writers. Just a short episode of a Jonah Hex story. He's a lesser known character, but I guess since the live-action movie had just come out they didn't feel the need to go into origins.

 All in all this collection wasn't too shabby. I think another Superman or Captain Marvel short would have been fitting, but I'll probably go out and buy it just for Jonah Hex and The Spectre. Especially since Niles was involved. The direction was great. Animation was definitely top-notch.

Verdict: * * *

- Xtoph

The Watchmen - TPB - Angled Doors Review

 The Watchmen is one of the greatest comics ever written. I've owned this well over a decade and I still re-read it about every year. Now with a new movie about to be released I have to pull it out again. Beautifully drawn and well written. I've picked up something new every time I've read it. I highly recommend getting this and reading it before the film. I pray they don't ruin it like they did Alan Moore's last comic turned to film, V For Vendetta. But just in case buy the book and read it first. Basic plot on this is it's a real world with super-heroes and costumed crime fighters. The American people don't like this. Not knowing who they are. They watch us, but who watches them? The government starts a new act to unmask all of them. (similar to the mutant registration act from X-Men) This is just a fraction of the whole story. It all delves much deeper than this. Do yourself a favor and check out this book.

- Xtoph

Plastic Man: Rubber Bandits Vol. 2 - TPB - Angled Doors Review

 Kyle Baker brings us this series of crazy antics that would only come from Plastic Man. Dude is wacked. Basically, The Time Trapper is messing around with time and some lady busts in on Plas' and his girlfriend claiming to be his wife and has a shapeshifting kid. The DC continuity is getting all messed up and some how President Lincoln ends up in the picture. He ends up being Booth disguised as Lincoln. They take Booth back in time to kill Lincoln to save the future that hasn't happened. Booth dies. Plas' and Woozy decide they have to kill Lincoln themselves. More craziness. It's just non-stop. Later on, a vampire story. This book is out there, but a lot of fun.

- Xtoph

Green Arrow: Road To Jericho - TPB - Angled Doors Review

 This collects issues 66-75 of Green Arrow. Pretty good run in which we get to see Ollie (Green Arrow) change his tactics. He gets trained by the guy who trained Deathstroke, runs for Mayor of Star City and gets hooked back up with Dinah. (The Black Canary) He teams up with Batman to fight The Red Hood who happens to be Jason Todd. (The Robin that was brutally murdered by the Joker) In the closing we get to see Ollie propose to Dinah. Good series. There were some gaps in time where I would have liked some more story, but it's a good read.

- Xtoph

Green Arrow: The Archer's Quest - TPB - Angled Doors Reviews

 This collects issues 16-21 of Green Arrow. This follows Ollie (Green Arrow) and Roy (Arsenal/Speedy) as they travel around picking up some personal effects of Ollie's that we're lost after he died. We find out he had asked Shade to find everything when he died, but Shade sub-contracted Cat-man to do some of the work. Throughout the story we get to see him bash on Cat-man a couple times (If anyone ever needed it, wasn't it Cat-man?), take out Solomon Grundy, almost ask the Black Canary to marry him and we find out his darkest secret. Expertly written by Brad Meltzer, this is one of my favorite Green Arrow tales. There are also a few bonuses. A cover gallery, sketchbook gallery and one of the original scripts.

- Xtoph

Green Arrow: Sounds Of Violence - TPB - Angled Doors Reviews

 This collects issues 11-15 of Green Arrow, continuing the run written by Kevin Smith. (Clerks) There's a lot of good stuff in this. It starts off with Mia dreaming about being the next Speedy. Then Ollie (Green Arrow) has his first date since his return with the Black Canary... which gets interrupted by the Riddler, then ends with Ollie duking it out with The Hawkman. Later Ollie's son Conner, the other Green Arrow, get's shot while they are out on patrol...

- Xtoph

Green Arrow: Quiver - TPB - Angled Doors Reviews

 This collects issues 1-10 of Green Arrow written by Kevin Smith. (Clerks) I just re-read this for the first time since they came out. Still stands up. If you've seen any of Kevin's movies you know he has a great knack for dialogue. Although it's only 10 issues, it feels like we're getting more. There is so much story. Ollie (G.A.) returns, after being dead for over a decade. Everything has changed, but the thing is... he is still the same. Turns out he was brought back the way he was pre-crisis, pre-eclipso, pre-any universe altering events that have happened in the DCU for a while. To top things off, he has no soul. If you are an old-school Green Arrow fan, as I am, you will love this... but even if you're not it's a great read. Lot's of appearances by other favorite DC characters. All the old Justice League and more.

- Xtoph

Batman: Under The Red Hood (2010) Netflix Review

Director: Brandon Vietti

Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Jensen Ackles, John Di Maggio & Neil Patrick Harris

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1569923/

Dug this up on the netflix "Watch Instantly", totally worth it. I've been down on a lot of the straight to dvd comic flicks that have been coming out as of late. Not so much worth it. They started off strong, making good quality flicks. Good animation with a tight storyline. Then they started dropping 'em out every five seconds. They became a dime a dozen and the writing and art both started to suffer. Not the cast with "Under The Red Hood" though. This it top choice.

We all know the story of Batman, but you all may not know the story of The Red Hood or of Robin. Two central characters in this film. So let me fill you in. The Red Hood was a career criminal identity taken by many, the night it became significant was the night The Joker was created. (This was told in Alan Moore's "The Killing Joke" go to your local comic shop and get this key book) So The Red Hood from this fateful night became the infamous villain the Joker. The original boy wonder, Dick Grayson, grew up and left Bats to become Nightwing. Batman later picked up a new squire by the name of Jason Todd. In the comic book world the readers hated him. He was a whiny little prick bitch. They hated him so much they actually had a contest where the readers dialed a number to vote what happened to him and had The Joker off this kid. So in the "A Death In The Family" story arc (also available at your local comic shop) The Joker beats this kid to near death with a crowbar and then, blows him the fuck up... and Batmans bitch ass still doesn't kill him.

SO here we are at the dvd... "Under The Red Hood" opening with what I never thought I'd see on the screen... The Joker, beating Robin into a bloody pulp with a crowbar. Nice. Then... blowing him to Kingdom Come. Now, I don't want to give the story away, for those who have not seen or red the comics about this story. So, if you afraid of spoilers skip this... I'll be vague, but it still might give some away. Basically, a new Red Hood comes to town. He's crime boss supreme, turning all the crime bosses against each other and taking over the turf. Of course the Joker is suspected so a trip to arkham is necessary. We got some Ra's Al Ghul action and a little Black Mask and if I tell you more I've told you the film. All you need to know is this... if you only rent one comic book themed cartoon this year... this is the one to get.

Verdict: * * * * 1/2

- Xtoph

Jonah Hex ( 2010 )

Starring: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich,  Michael Fassbender, & Will Arnett

Directed By Jimmy Hayward

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1075747/

Here's how you know Josh Brolin has become a movie star: "Jonah Hex" may not be much with him, but without him? Perish the thought. Perish it, throw an ax in its heart, then burn it to a crisp.

Brolin is not exactly being challenged here, but he is a very droll fellow, and without his taciturn delivery of some rudimentary zingers, typically delivered after throwing an ax into someone's heart, you'd be stuck wondering what's up with John Malkovich's amusing attempt at a Southern dialect. Or wondering how this short (about 80 minutes minus credits), sour and absurdly violent picture got by with a PG-13 rating. Did the ratings board members all have jury duty the day of the screening?

"Jonah Hex" is the latest DC Comics title to reach the screen. It is best suited to the jaded teenage children of weapons manufacturers. At one point Jonah shreds his enemies with Gatling guns attached to his horse's saddle; at another, he demonstrates a dynamite-loaded crossbow.

In print, John Albano and Tony DeZuniga's tales of an ex-Confederate bounty hunter who has a way of communicating with corpses began in the early 1970s, and soon started wigging out, story wise, in terms of time travel and such. The film's scenario sticks to 1876, focusing on Jonah's quest to kill the insane yet rather dull terrorist played by Malkovich, because he's the one who burned his family alive and then branded Jonah with a terrible branding iron. The adversary plans on destroying America. Director Jimmy Hayward apparently planned on destroying his film with hackwork; he never seems to know how long to sustain a shot (usually not long enough) or where to put the camera in relation to the actors' faces.

Yet if Hayward is, in fact, the one who cast Brolin, well ... that was smart. He nearly saves "Jonah Hex." The film also boasts Michael Fassbender, so good as the Trevor Howard-esque film critic turned Basterd in "Inglourious Basterds." Here he's a gleeful Irish killer in the employ of Malkovich's dour evil genius. Megan Fox and her "feminine wiles and whatnot," as Brolin refers to them, portray the role of Lilah the courtesan, whose cleavage threatens to tear north and south asunder.

Politically "Jonah Hex" is pure Libertarianism, showcasing a hero who spouts off about hypocrites in Washington, D.C., and getting the government off his back. The action rarely relents. It's also rarely interesting, but if for whatever reason you enjoyed the film version of "Wild Wild West," which shares some story traits with this revisionist historical fantasy, you may forgive "Jonah Hex" its soullessness.

( * * ) Mr. What?

Watchmen: Tales Of The Black Freighter - DVD (2009)

Director: Mike Smith & Daniel DelPurgatorio
Starring: Gerard Butler
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1295071/

 "Tales of the Black Freighter" is the comic book within the comic of Watchmen. In a world where superheroes do exist, pirate comics become the norm. This is that comic brought to life. "Under The Hood" is the autobiography of the original Nite Owl, Hollis Mason, this is his story.

 "Tales of the Black Freighter" ended up being really good. My favorite out of all the Watchmen crap flooding the market. It's just an animated short, about a half hour long. Looks different than the comic, but came off amazing. I was glued to my set.

 "Under The Hood" was done as an old news magazine style show form the period. Interviews and clips with the different characters from the film. It was alright... not as awesome as I had hoped for, but a good companion piece to the movie.

 Also included a short doc on the two shorts and how they fit into the world of Watchmen. Everything together is about the same length as a film... but way too overpriced for something that should have been included as extras when the actual movie comes to DVD.

Verdict: * * *

- Al B. Damned

Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic (2008) DVD

Director: Jake Strider Hughes
Starring: Tom Stechschulte
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322240/

This is the closest thing you are going to get to a faithful adaptation of the actual graphic novel. Problem is, for some it's going to be an acquired taste. Reminiscent of the old 60's cartoons from Marvel. This is very limited animation and one guy narrates and does all the voices. It is literally the comic brought to life. 12 issues make 12 episodes. I dig it, I still prefer reading the book, but this is a lot of fun. My biggest problem, no extras at all. Nothing. Lame.

Verdict: * * *

- Al B. Damned

Watchmen (2009)

Director: Zach Snyder
Starring: Billy Crudup, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan & Malin Akerman
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/

 The long awaited, much anticipated Watchmen... honestly... I totally expected to hate this film. I hated Zach Snyder's last project '300' and I thought they destroyed Alan Moore's 'V For Vendetta' when it was adapted. But as it turns out, this wasn't half bad. Most of the subject matter is close enough to the graphic novel. I'm not going to waste time debating the differences and how it could have been better or what they shouldn't have changed. I knew it wouldn't be perfect. Most adaptations aren't, but this still managed to be an enjoyable film. I may not be going back to theaters to see this, but I will definitely get the DVD. Let's hope for an extended cut on this.

Verdict: * * *

- Al B. Damned