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Comics

The Strange Story of Blossoms 666

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Archie was my first exposure to reading comic books. Sure, as a young kid I was into superheroes. But that was through other media & adaptations. Such as the Sam Raimi directed Spider-Man movies, or the various animated kids shows based on characters like the Justice League or the Teen Titans. My family used to have this cabin and there were some old collections of Archie comics I found back during the summer right before ninth grade.. There were a few of those large collections collecting various different issues. The most intense it got was Archie trying to figure out how to the movie theater while on two separate dates at the same time while Moose was trapped in roller blades and constantly running into other people. Fast forward to college when I saw the CW was making a Riverdale show and I was at first surprised by it’s really dark tone. But also kind of digging it for the first couple of seasons. This ultimately lead me to discover the existence of Archie Horror and the story in question.

The basic plot is that Cheryl & Jason Blossom are the children of Satan worshippers and one of them is destined to become the Anti-Christ. But it’s sort of like a contest/competition where the two of them are trying to out-evil the other by manipulating people in town. But wait! There is a third sibling that neither of them knew about – Julian Blossom. He arrives in town and now Cheryl & Jason are scheming together to get rid of their competition.

Right off the bat, I think the art work for this mini series is pretty solid. It takes a semi-realistic approach to how it depicts the characters and their world. And it has a variety of different of colors on display. All though it does lean towards the darker shades and of course red definitely has it’s fair share of page time. But I think some of more eye catching art you will find are the designs from the individual comic issues which are included in the trade. It embraces the supernatural aspect in a more flashy display.

As for the story itself, it is pretty solid. It does have a sense of fun and a touch of dark humor. Characterization for the main players are vaguely similar to how they are in the CW show with a few exceptions. Jason is more similar to Cheryl and their parents are surprisingly decent people, devil worshipping aside. But Betty and Jughead are still similar enough to their TV actors which would help bring in fans of that show. But even if you aren’t a fan of the show, they still work well in the context of the mini series. But there are a few problems that do kind of bug me.

Julian makes his surprise appearance at the end of an issue, which in itself isn’t bad. But it’s in issue two and this is a five issue mini series. It doesn’t give the story a lot of time to build tension between the three siblings. I think the thinking is that they waited on that reveal because they wanted to give us an idea of how Jason & Cheryl normally act in Riverdale and how Julian’s appearance changes life for them and the town. And the timing would make more sense of this was a six issue story. But it probably should have happened at the end of issue one. There are also a couple of cutaways to an unidentified dead body as well as an unseen person throughout the story. At the end, it’s revealed this is Julian after his siblings killed them. The implication is supposed to be that he came back from the dead and is now returning for revenge. But at first, I thought the story was implying a time loop where the events of the story play out over and over again. That could have just been my stupid brain interpreting it that way, but those cutaways do seem a little out of place at first.

Speaking of the story implying Julian comes back from the dead, the series also has another cliffhanger. Betty does investigating and digs into Riverdale’s dark past and Jughead gets s little too involved in Cheryl & Jason’s games. The two of them end up getting together at Pop’s diner and they try to come up with a plan of what to do with their information. But as far as I know, this story doesn’t have a sequel nor are there any current plans to continue the mini series. That combined with Julian resurrecting does feel anti-climatic when you come across that realization. And personally, I think it would be really cool to have the Blossom siblings use more obvious supernatural abilities. A little something to really show off that these are potential dark rulers of Hell with a wide arsenal of tricks and magical powers.

Having said that, it isn’t a bad story. I still find myself enjoying it. Though that could be me just being a big fan of Horror in general. It’s a more tame example of what the Archie Horror imprint has to offer. I mean, with other titles like Afterlife with Archie & Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, this does feel the most grounded. Think of it like a gateway to discovering a bunch of other cool Horror stories, whether it’s from Archie or elsewhere.

Comics

Let Grief Run Its Course: A Look at The Crow

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Losing someone before your ready to say good-bye is a tragic event. And its one that happened to James O’Barr, whose fiancée passed away. His mind picked apart how it happened and blamed himself for who knows how long. That pain & anger demanded an outlet of some kind. And so, the story known as “The Crow” was first published in 1989.

In the story, Eric and Shelly were engaged when a group of criminals attacked them when their car was stalled. He was forced to watch as they physically & sexually assaulted Shelly until they were done and they put a bullet in his head. One year later and Eric has come back with one purpose – to seek vengeance against the ones responsible. Some readers might view Eric as a hero not unlike someone such as The Punisher. The fact this comic was printed in black & white does vaguely give it the impression that the world in this story operates in the same way in regards to moral judgement. The bad will ultimately be punished while the good are rewarded for their hardship and good deeds.

But this isn’t a story about a hero. Despite Eric’s resurrection having the makings of a magic-based superhero, that is not what the story is about. In between hunting criminals, we see Eric do a few other things. He talks to a young girl who is going through her own kind of suffering and connects with her. By the end of the story, he makes an attempt to make sure she has a chance at finding something better. But mostly, he loses himself in his memories. Remembering the woman he lost and wallowing in the grief he still feels. It is only after he finally kills all those he deems responsible that he is forced to confront that pain and find some sense of closure. Enough for him to finally find some rest and peace.

Some of you are probably most familiar with the 1994 movie adaptation. It is a great movie, no doubt about it. But there is one difference between the two version that does make the meaning of the story slightly less impactful. The movie gives him a limitation that he is forced to work through during the climax. A way for him to die before his mission is complete. But the comic places no limits on Eric. That is because Eric should be seen as the personification of Grief itself. All the pain, sadness, and anger that comes with it. It is a force of nature that can’t be stopped. A force that attacks everyone and everything in its path. The silver lining is that the people getting hurt are irredeemable criminals. But the bloodshed alone isn’t enough to bring peace to him. It’s only when he feels like he is ready to move on that he doesn’t feel as bad anymore.

Many people deal with grief in their own way. But it’s important that you don’t bottle it up. Later on, that can erupt and become more destructive than the story printed on these black and white pages. A color palette that doesn’t distract too much from the reader having to look at what is happening and reflecting on the events. It all clearly touched a lot of readers as many still read it or watch the movie version and find a connection to the emotion being depicted. There are a lot of quotes that are memorable from “The Crow” but there is one that feels most appropriately right here:

Life is lousy with hurt but it also shimmers with beauty. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of that beauty. You may not get another.

Comics

The Time Travel Issues of Flashpoint

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Hard to believe it has been over a decade since this event comic and the beginning of the New 52. While that era of DC wasn’t devoid of good stories, titles & characters, they tended to be the exception as opposed to the norm. But most people tend to be all right with the story that started DC on this path, “Flashpoint”. I wanted to take the time to air some of my frustrations with this story in regards to the time travel logic it uses.

Before I get into it, something we should discuss. The rules of how time travel can work varies a lot in fiction. Lots of different approaches to how to travel & how changes to the timeline work. One theory you might have heard about that was popularized by fiction is The Butterfly Effect. The general idea is that if you step on a butterfly in one part of the world while time traveling, an earthquake happens on the other side of the planet. I believe this…to an extent. I understand we are dealing with a type of fiction that plays with stuff like this on a daily basis. But I believe there should still be a sense of logic for how these timeline changes occur. And a number of them don’t really add up. So, the big change that happens in this story is that The Flash – Barry Allen – goes back in time and saves his mom from dying. This results in a lot of timeline changes that we see through the story.

With that being said – how does that cause Bruce Wayne to die instead of his parents? Barry is in Central City and Bruce is in Gotham. Hard to tell how far apart the two cities are supposed to be, but let’s assume it’s a fair amount. How does saving Barry’s man cause a mugger to shoot Bruce instead of his parents? Actually, now that I think about it…how old are Bruce and Barry supposed to be canonically? If Bruce is supposed to be older, chances are this origin already happened for him. Even if they are the same age, we again still have the issue of geography. As far as I can tell, Bruce’s origin shouldn’t have been affected at all.

And why does Barry’s time traveling act affect how Billy Batson’s powers work? In case your unfamiliar, Billy Batson is Shazam. He says the name and he is magically transformed into a superhero. But in this timeline, multiple kids have to say the name and then they all collectively become the superhero in one body. While an admittedly interesting idea, I doubt Barry’s mom has any influence on how Shazam’s power is supposed to work. This concept doesn’t even appear in the New 52 afterwards! Yes, Billy does share the power of Shazam with some people, but it’s still just one person turning into one person and not six into one. I know this is a smaller issue in comparison, but still something to bring up.

Back on track – how does saving Barry’s mom cause a war between Atlantis and Themyscira? I understand that in this timeline Barry doesn’t become The Flash. But would his existence as a hero really prevent this? But more importantly, I don’t think this would happen in the way this story chooses to go with. Arthur & Diana have an affair which leads to Mera getting killed by Diana and that leads to war. I think I remember coming across something how in the main DC Universe Arthur admitted to having feelings for Diana. Probably while under the influence of the Lasso of Truth. But I don’t think that means Diana would have the same feelings and go through in exploring them in that way. Even IF she did, she wouldn’t kill Mera! I’m not an expert on Wonder Woman, but I have read up on the majority of her comics post Crisis on Infinite Earths up to the modern day. And she is not written to be like that. She is in touch with her feelings, including empathy, and has too much respect for everyone she considers a friend to ever do anything like this. Would Barry’s time travel affect her very personality?

And how the HELL does Barry saving his mom affect where Superman’s ship lands?! I’m sorry, but this is a BIG one for me. Clark’s ship came from an alien planet many light years away and comes to Earth and – unless this is an Elseworlds story where the whole purpose is to fundamentally change a character – lands in Kansas. But in this timeline, it lands in a city and causes some damage and is secretly experimented on. But Barry’s time travel shouldn’t affect the speed of the Earth’s rotation! Seriously, that would be the only way how this new timeline could explain how Clark’s ship lands in a different spot. And that’s just nonsensical and illogical.

Last thing, this story is supposed to start the New 52, where all heroes are starting off and they don’t know each other yet. Except the ending of “Flashpoint” doesn’t establish that. The ending of the story has Barry talking to Bruce and they know each other to the point where they don’t need to wear masks around each other. There is no way this is supposed to start the New 52 if they aren’t supposed to even know each other yet. Oh my god, this story has so much that doesn’t make sense! But I guess that’s not uncommon for anything in the New 52, so I guess in that way it connects. Look, this isn’t an awful story. But I’m glad that we have recovered from the long lasting damage this story has brought to the DC Universe.

Comics

The Three Jokers: Was It Worth The Wait?

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Back when the DC Universe was still under the New 52 banner, there was a big Justice League Storyline called “Darkseid War”. At one point, Batman sat in the Mobius Chair. It’s basically a super advanced computer that can answer any question you have. He tests it by asking it who killed his parents. And then he asks a bigger question – who is the Joker? We don’t hear the Chair’s answer, but we see Batman’s shocked reaction. Later on in 2016, not too long after the end of that storyline, there was a special one shot that revealed the answer. There are THREE Jokers. The story going into this answer had been teased for years but kept getting pushed back. Until finally it came out in 2020, even though it was under an imprint that takes place outside the main continuity and the main Batman title never addresses this revelation again. But is it still worth reading?

The 3 issue story is written by famous comic book writer Geoff Johns. If your unfamiliar with comics and who he is, there is one important thing to know about him. He has written both good and bad stories, like anyone has – but one thing that is common in most of his stories is that he tends to introduce retcons. The reason he does this is to help support the story that HE wants to tell. Even if the retcons he uses might go against what has been established or well known characterization of favorite characters. One the one hand, this can lead to “Green Lantern: Rebirth”. After Hal Jordan turned into the villain Parallax back in the 90s and then died for several years, Geoff brought him back to life and retconned the reason why he turned bad. This lead to a huge expansion of the Green Lantern mythology that will help provide truly great stories. And it didn’t necessarily take away the importance of the other characters that have took on the role of Green Lantern. But on the other hand, Geoff’s style can also lead to “The Flash: Rebirth”. Barry Allen had a heroic death back in the 1980s that allowed his sidekick, Wally West, to take over as The Flash and develop his large fanbase. While Geoff might not have resurrected him in 2008, this story from 2009 pushed Barry Allen into the spotlight and pushed Wally West to the side. Wally would either become ignored by the DCU all-together or be completely mishandled in the following years. Point is, Geoff tends to use retcons to help tell his stories and the consequences can easily go either way in terms of affecting the quality of his stories or later stories.

Anyway, back to the story at hand. It is discovered in this story that while one Joker came into his own by himself, he ended up creating two other Jokers. Each one has their own nickname and it usually how they are addressed in the story. The Criminal is a representation of the Golden Age Joker who thinks and acts like a crime boss. The Clown is a representation of the Silver Age Joker who does some of the more over the top schemes. While also being the one who killed the second Robin, Jason Todd. Don’t worry, he came back as the Red Hood. And then there is The Comedian, the representation of the Bronze & Modern Age Joker. And the one who crippled & sexually violated Barbara Gordon AKA Batgirl. She also got better. As they gather once again, the plan seems to be for them to create a new Joker. And the choice they end up settling on is Joe Chill, the man who killed Bruce’s parents. It is up to Batman, Red Hood, & Batgirl to find and stop all the Jokers.

It was a smart idea to have Batman’s only allies in this story be the two that have suffered the most from one of the Jokers plans. It ties into the theme of trauma and how someone tries to move on from that experience. But there is more focus on Batman & Red Hood than there is on Batgirl. Jason goes through a variety of emotions and even ends up killing The Clown – the one who had originally killed him. But there isn’t a lot of exploration of what Batgirl is going through emotionally. You can make the argument that she has come to some sense of closure in her own title back in the main DCU and that since this only has 3 issues they need to cut something to keep it going. But considering Jason already aired out all of his baggage about his trauma back in mid 2000s and his feelings are plain and simple, it would be more interesting to see the complex thoughts Barbara has. Especially since in “The Killing Joke” – the story where the Joker crippled and violated her – her trauma was really just used to advance the story of all the male characters in the story, mainly the Joker’s. So to see her get less focus again is annoying.

Another issue this story shines on is the relationship between Batman and Jason Todd. As mentioned earlier, Jason came back as the Red Hood in the 2000s and he was a villain when first brought back. He used guns, he killed, he tried to get Batman to kill the Joker himself. Jason was angry, furious at Batman for not seeking vengeance against the Joker for what he did. But in the years since Jason Todd has come back, he has been transitioned into more of an anti-hero role that will sometimes be an ally to Batman. He still uses guns and keeps going back and forth on whether or not he kills. And yet when he kills one of the Jokers in this story and Barbara informs Bruce, he seems to want to forget it. Which is against how one of the most well known things about Batman is that his one rule it that he doesn’t kill. And makes sure any other vigilante operating in Gotham and allied with him also follows that rule. I think this is supposed to shed some light on why Batman has tried to bring Jason Todd back into the Bat Family since his resurrection. It’s supposed to be his way of trying to make up for what he sees as his failure for not saving him and him trying to not react & punish Jason for this murder ties into that. If so, it isn’t really explained that well. And it still goes against his one rule and how he is usually portrayed in the main continuity.

But on the other hand, this does also tie into one of the positives of the story. How Bruce is shown with some more humanity and emotion than he might normally be portrayed as. Which makes sense considering the inclusion of Joe Chill and how Batman ultimately has to choose to save him from becoming another Joker. We do get some insight into the history between the two and how he seems to have some closure about that trauma towards the end of the story. And we do get a good final scene between Batman & The Comedian – the last Joker left alive by the end. It isn’t groundbreaking but it does shine some light on how he views himself in their relationship.

One last issue to shed light on is the revelation that Batman has known the identity of this version of the Joker for a long time. And that his wife from before he transformed didn’t actually die but has been living in the Witness Protection Program with her son she was pregnant with back when she was with Joker. First of all, this goes against the established fact that he doesn’t actually know as show in the main DCU. Secondly, this does complicate how “The Killing Joke” is viewed. It kind of indicates Joker wasn’t the best husband prior to the transformation. Which might sound logical, but it goes against how he was characterized before he actually became the Joker. But I think this might actually balance out. That story wasn’t exactly the best in regards to handling it’s female characters. I already mentioned what that story did to Barbara. So actually having her survive and kept hidden so that they don’t get harassed by the press, Joker, or someone seeking revenge against Joker does give her a happy ending. Complicated as that revelation might be.

With all of that being said, where does the story stand quality-wise and is it worth the read? If you go into this story hoping to find something new and earth shattering, you might be disappointed. But it does play around with a cool concept that touches on the Joker’s entire comic history. There are some cool scenes and there is an emotional element to it that I think is well done. And the theme of finding a way to move past from past trauma is relevant. Yes, a couple of characters should have gotten more focus and some stuff that happens in the story goes against what has been established in the main continuity. But I think the advantage of it being published under a different imprint means it can be decided later if it is canon or not. Even though that means the main DCU just dropped one of it’s most interesting story teases in recent years. What I’m trying to say is that I was still able to enjoy this story. Maybe not as much as I wanted, but I think I was able to focus more on the good than the bad.

Comics, Film Editorials, Movies

Film Editorial – The Best Villain for The Batman 2

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The latest film version on the Caped Crusader has opened to positive reviews from both critics and audiences. With early talks for a sequel already underway, many people are trying to guess who the next villain will be. Most Batman fans and actors from the film have their money on The Court of Owls. A recent addition to Batman lore, they are a secret society of Gotham’s most powerful controlling everything from the shadows. They are also a group of villains that have been growing in popularity thanks to their appearances in other media. As exciting as they would be, it runs the risk of repeating the same story of corruption that the previous installment covered. Which is why, if you ask me, the best villain is a guy who used to wear a potato sack on his head.

Dr. Johnathan Crane is a psychologist at Arkham Asylum and a professor of Psychology. His experiments relating to fear and the effect they have on the human mind lead him to becoming the villain known as The Scarecrow. He has appeared in video games and various animated Batman shows over the years. But his most well known appearance was in the Christopher Nolan film “Batman Begins”. There was potential in him in that film, certainly not a bad performance. But it’s safe to say he was underutilized, especially when it came to showing what people see while under Crane’s fear toxin. But it is because of this lack of focus and development that Scarecrow can receive the same treatment as The Riddler. But what kind of story would work with this kind of character?

There was a recent storyline in Batman comics that focused on Scarecrow as the main bad guy. Known as “Fear State”, Dr. Crane took advantage of a city trying to recover from two back-to-back city wide traumatic events by using the media to intensify the sense of fear throughout Gotham. He even manipulated city officials into turning against Batman by framing him for terrorist attacks, forcing him to team up with a group of people – The Unsanity Collective – who try to move past their traumatic past by wiping their memories clean and losing all sense of fear. The entire purpose behind this plan is to push Gotham into what Dr. Crane calls the Fear State. His theory is that once they confront and push beyond the limits that fear puts on the human mind, people can grow and become better versions of themselves.

This is a storyline that can be used effectively in the next Matt Reeves film. After The Riddler kills several high profile officials – including the mayor – and then uses bombs to flood Gotham where his followers attempted to attack Gotham’s citizens, there would be fear that more people like The Riddler will start appearing. Dr. Crane could be inspired by what the serial killer was trying to accomplish and tries to help the city in his own way. Through a series of attacks and the spread of his fear toxin, he would push Gotham’s citizens into a state of panic in an effort to have them let go of their fear and become new people. The movie could even do justice when it comes to what people see when under the toxin’s influence. While the first movie had a psychological element and a Horror atmosphere, the movie could create truly disturbing visions and hallucinations that – if presented the right way – can make you question what is real in the scene you are watching. In this way, it can take inspiration from “Joker” by using subtle choices and framing to keep you guessing what’s really going on until the very last second. There can even be a way to adapt the Unsanity Collective where they are formed by Dr. Crane to help him in his mission.

This is admittedly my suggestion for where The Batman 2 could go. But it’s a direction I believe would help further the themes and story of Matt Reeves’s universe.

TV

The Boys Presents: Diabolical – There Will be Blood

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WARNING! This contains spoilers!

Amazon’s adaptation of “The Boys” comic books have become a massive hit for the service. With two seasons already released, it has become insanely popular. With that popularity naturally comes discussions of how to expand the show and it’s universe. The first one out of the gate is this animated anthology series. With people like Seth Rogen, Awkwafina, Anthony Starr, Don Cheadle, and even comic book creator Garth Ennis working on this series, you can expect to see a wide variety of stories that will satisfy you until the next season of the main show comes out.

There is a wide variety of animation styles used for these stories. From a style influenced by classic Looney Tunes shorts to styles heavily influenced by Japanese animation, this show will try a little bit of everything. Some visual styles might be more to your liking than others, but that’s okay. Because all of the stories features in this anthology can fit right into the tone of the main show.

In the first episode, no dialogue is spoken and it takes it’s influence from Looney Tunes to tell the story. A scientist trying to free a super baby from Vought before she is terminated, a lot of physical comedy can be expected. Physical comedy that is drenched in blood of course. But there are a couple of episodes that have more of a dramatic leaning. One of the final episodes focuses on an elderly couple, the husband works as a janitor for Vought and steals Compound V in the hopes it will cure his wife with Pancreatic Cancer. The episode has a lot of death as it has an unintended effect on the cancer within the wife’s body. But it is arguably the most human episode of the entire series. You do feel the desperation and the sadness of the two main characters, as well as how much they care for each other. Even though the husband doesn’t want to loose her, he does realize that in order to do the right thing that he must let of his feelings and come to peace with loosing the love of his life.

But there is one question that does need to be addressed. Even though this is an anthology, does it actually take place in the main show’s universe? The answer is both yes and no. It really does depend on the episode. The final episode shows a young Homelander just joining The Seven and going on his first mission. It contains both Stan Edgar and Madelyn Stillwell to establish, with the latter especially showing early signs of grooming him and establishing the relationship we later see in the first season. We also see how Homelander starts off wanting to be a genuine superhero but ultimately loses control. The only other Supe in the episode, Black Noir, helps him cover it up and tell a story that earns the newest Supe support and admiration. This also establishes a level of respect for Black Noir that we see Homelander briefly show in a couple of episodes from the main show.

Another episode that can easily exist in the main universe is one that sees the debut of Groundhawk. But the focus of the episode is on the young daughter of two Supes, Nubian Prince & Nubia. The two of them are on the brink of divorce and the daughter seeks out Groundhawk to recreate the first battle her parents had together that began their relationship. While it does briefly rekindle their romance, it comes at the cost of the two of them seemingly killing Groundhawk as well as leaving emotional scars on their child who witnesses the entire thing. Ultimately pushing her to get her parents to sign the divorce papers.

But there are episodes that make it a little tricky to see existing in the same universe as the original show. There is one particular episode that, while definitely well done, basically makes it impossible. Written by original comic creator Garth Ennis, Billy Butcher confronts a guy who sells drugs for the Supe community and gets him to inject something into the drugs that he plans to give to a Supe about to be entered into the Hall of Fame. The events of the episode don’t contradict anything from the live action show. But character inclusions and appearances do go against what has already been established. Hughie shows up in the episode with a look that’s more in line with the comics than the live action show. And The Seven includes the Supe known as Jack from Jupiter, an actual alien. The live action show doesn’t have any indication a character like that was on the team in the main show, nor does the show have any signs that aliens actually exist either. Meaning that this episode does have to take place outside of the show’s universe in order to exist.

But at the end of the day, that’s for the best. A few episodes that can’t take place in the live action show’s main universe with a couple that could feasibly be integrated in. The rules don’t have to matter as long as an interesting and entertaining story can be presented. And that’s what you get with all eight episodes. With all the characteristics and trademarks that helped Amazon’s main show become a smash hit. The good, the bloody, & the nasty.

Comics

The Eternal Nature of Spawn

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The mid to late 1980s saw the release of a couple of graphic novels that would forever change the comic industry. Both “Watchmen” & “The Dark Knight Returns” had dark storylines that integrated mature themes not usually associated with comics, as well as explored complex philosophies/ideologies. After receiving widespread acclaim from within and outside the comic book community, comic book editors and creators took the wrong lessons from those books. Working under the assumption that comics need to be more dark and include intense violence, we got a lot of stories and characters that would define the industry for the early to mid 1990s.

If you read comics during this time period or you sought out books from this era, you are probably familiar with the most common traits across various titles. You have characters carrying these huge overdrawn guns. Ones that make you ask how the Hell can that guy hold that with just one hand. Characters that are constantly growling or expressing anger and never showing any other emotion to help you truly connect with them. The rise of the anti-hero, characters willing to kill or do ethically questionable things to achieve their mission. While the concept of the anti-hero isn’t inherently bad, it was over-exploited during this time and not always well executed. And while the industry always had an issue drawing female characters sexy and not fleshing them out, it was probably at an all time high during this time. Basically, these years weren’t the highlight of comic book history. While some good did come out of it, there is a lot of underwhelming. A lot of titles and characters created during this time have mostly fallen into obscurity.

But why has Spawn prevailed? After 30 years and now attempting to create it’s own universe like DC did in the 1940s and Marvel in the 1960s, he is still around with a strong fan base. To answer that question, you have to look at his origin story. For most people who don’t read comics this is the probably the only part of Spawn they would be familiar with. But it also touches on the best stuff of the character. Al Simmons was a solider and special agent serving his country. But he was betrayed by the people he worked for and killed by his own during a mission. He gets sent to Hell where he is offered the chance to see his wife again. But it came at the cost of serving as one of that realm’s soldiers, a Hellspawn. And when he does return to Earth, five years have passed and his wife has remarried his best friend and they have a kid. He also has to regain his memories as he fights against foes – human and supernatural – who try to manipulate him for their own ends.

The story of Spawn is one that touches on a few universal themes. Mainly the idea of second chances and redemption. Al isn’t a perfect person, as many different issues over the years will showcase. But he is someone who tries to do what he thinks is right. Which is what all of us aspire to. And even though his life has been destroyed and he has lost everything, he finds a way to move forward and make the best of his situation. Making better choices and break free from the influence others have had on him, before his death and now as a Hellspawn. This universe also establishes that Heaven isn’t all what it appears to be either. The relationship between Heaven and Hell reveals that it doesn’t truly matter if your an ethically good or bad person. Where you go to once you die is random…for most people. But it is revealed that Al and his ancestors have been manipulated so that he follows a destiny of becoming the Hellspawn to start Armageddon. And while that war does come, Al takes on both Heaven & Hell and wins Armageddon in defense of mankind, who are used only as soldiers by both forces. Years after Al beats them, he ends up closing the doors to both realms. No more angels or demons can come or leave Earth. Their influence on a cosmic/supernatural level has been taken away. And now Spawn is there to take on who remains and make sure that humans have the freedom to make their own choices and be free of manipulated destiny.

Spawn is the story of realizing you don’t have to be perfect to be good. You could make questionable choices but as long as you do what you feel is the right thing to do, you will be all right. As long as you get to decide what you make for yourself and not let someone else decide for you. These ideas, accompanied with some truly great artwork and imagery and the writers realizing what works for Spawn while getting rid of the weaker elements, connects with everyone and has made sure Spawn has endured for so long. And hopefully he keeps being a strong presence for many years to come.

Movie Reviews, Movies

Review – The Batman

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It’s been a long journey to get to this point. When this movie was first announced, Ben Affleck was attached to direct and star in his own film following “Batman v Superman” and “Justice League”. Long story made short, Affleck ended up walking away from the film and the role entirely and the new director Matt Reeves was given the freedom to come up with the story he wanted to tell. And now it is finally here. The Dark Knight returns to the big screen.

Let’s start by taking a look at the man wearing the cowl. Robert Pattinson has worked hard since “Twilight” to work on his acting, taking roles in indie films. And you can see the result of those years of dedication in his performance. When he first shows up in the movie wearing his Bat Suit, he gives off a menacing aura. The way he moves makes him come off as someone like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. He intimidates all the criminals he comes across. The first time the Bat Signal turns on, the movie lets us see the reactions of the criminals who take notice. They look to the shadows in fear of seeing the Caped Crusader walk out. Robert Pattinson puts forth terror. His Bruce Wayne is a version that is addicted to this lifestyle, who has almost given up entirely on having a life outside of the Bat Cave. But over the course of the movie, we see him interact with those he considers allies, creating new relationships and deepening old ones. The story forces him to rediscover his humanity, remember the true reason he put on the suit and go out into the night. You see his emotions in every looks he gives, in every movement he makes. Robert Pattinson does right by the role and gives one that leaves a dark yet complex impression.

But that’s not to discredit the the quality of the other acting performances. Jeffrey Wright as Lieutenant James Gordon is a standout in this film. The partnership between the cop and the vigilante is unique from the other film versions and you can tell that there is respect and some trust between the two, especially as they go against a corrupt city in order to solve the case. It is arguably better than the chemistry Robert shares with Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. Their interests and goals align for most of the movie, which is when we see the spark between the two slowly grow between the two. Since this is the first time meeting each other, the relationship isn’t as intense as one might hope for. But that doesn’t mean you will be disappointed. You will see the beginning of a deep connection that would hopefully be revisited and deepen in future installments. Paul Dano as The Riddler reinvents the character from practically every other popular version in past movies, TV appearances & comics. Taking influence from both The Zodiac and Jigsaw from the “Saw” franchise, Dano’s character is truly disturbed with a dark sense of humor. You carefully watch and follow him as you want to know what his endgame truly is. Lastly but certainly not least, Andy Serkis as Alfred is a strong choice. The relationship between the butler and Bruce is more distant than in past iterations, but their relationship is also an indicator of how Bruce slowly reconnects to his humanity. And Andy shows genuine love and affection in those later moments, but you will also be impressed by the more stern posture he gives off early on as he subtly displays the role he played in creating the young Batman.

There is one character that has shown up in every film version of Batman that doesn’t always get the proper attention – Gotham. While Tim Burton gave us a city with beautifully gothic visual style, Christopher Nolan gave us a version that’s as realistic as it could be. Both have their strengths, but both ultimately don’t truly portray an authentic Gotham. But Matt Reeves takes the best of both versions and gives us the best portrayal yet. You feel the grit whenever you follow Batman out into the night, the aura of crime that is a part of every brick. A version of Gotham that makes you wonder why does anyone choose to live here. This is enhanced by the strong visual direction of the film, letting scenes speak with very little or no dialogue. The action is also well choreographed and displayed, allowing you to see what is happening in style and let’s you feel the weight of the vigilante’s punches. All of this accompanied by a beautiful musical score. One full of terror, beauty, and even hope. If you fear that the length is too long, you will probably forget that once you follow the along with the protagonists working to unravel the mystery put in motion by Gotham’s newest serial killer. Every scene feels like it has a purpose or reason for being in the movie.

Here you have it. A Batman movie with a strong Horror atmosphere, a story that has psychological effects on all those involved. Performances that keep you glued to the screen and a menacing Batman that reconnects with his emotional side by the end of the movie in the hopes of better serving his city. This is a film that you can’t miss.