Batman v Superman Plot Leaked?

Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman

Last weekend saw plenty of pre-Comic Con reveals about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, including the above shot of the Trinity together for the first time!  However, it was a piece on the Superman Homepage that really caught my eye as they posted a link to what is possibly a complete summary of the movie (obviously major potential spoiler warnings apply so read at your own risk).  Apparently this summary has been floating around for a while but has gained some credibility this week as the new Entertainment Weekly info certainly seems to back up some of the scenes it describes.  Now normally I try and avoid spoilers like the plague.  I made the mistake once of really spoiling a film and sat watching it for the first time feeling like I'd already seen it.  But after Superman killed Zod in Man of Steel I decided that I'd rather go into this film a little more forewarned.  If there's going to be another moment like that then I'd prefer to know in advance.

So I gave it a read.  And I have to say, if it is legit, I really liked it.  It's not perfect (I'm not sure I like what happens after Superman's first exposure to Kryptonite but I can see how it's important in driving the story forwards) but given all this film has to accomplish the story does a remarkably good job of building off the world created in Man of Steel, addressing many of the criticisms of that movie and setting up the future Justice League.  Yes, there's plenty of action, that's a given in any comic book movie and especially one by Zack Snyder, but the story appears to be deeper than in Man of Steel and it doesn't just move from one action scene to another, the characters all get room to have their own plot points and moments to shine.  It even manages to work in a long rumoured second villain in a way that not only doesn't feel crammed in but also feels like a natural progression to the world they are building.  If this is the direction the film goes in then Batman v Superman has the potential to be not just the biggest film of 2016 but also one of the best as well.

Of course a LOT can change between script and screen.  Even if this summary is legitimate there's no way of knowing if this is from before shooting or during or just how much things will change in the editing room.  All I know is that whilst I was looking forward to Batman v Superman before there was always a part of me that remained hesitant, afraid of being burnt again, now I'm feeling much more optimistic for this film and the future DC Extended Universe and that's a brilliant feeling!

DC You Month 1 Review

So here we are.  After almost 4 years The New 52 brand is over.  Convergence has been and gone, showing us that our old heroes still live somewhere out in the DC multiverse and last month saw DC big rebranding - DC You!  Promising a book for everyone DC certainly delivered a much more diverse line up than they have since, well for as long as I can remember honestly and, judging by the reactions I've been reading online, it seems to have paid off!

Personally, I used it as a chance to cut back a little.  This had nothing to do with the quality of the books on offer, just reading the free "Divergence" previews DC offered in May I could easily have increased my pull list, but before Convergence I was probably 5 months behind in my comic reading and realised I was reading some books just because I'd always read them.  If anything the previews showed me that there were other books I'd rather be reading!  So I decided to cut my monthlies right back to just a few core titles and eventually get the trades of some of the previews I really enjoyed.

My five titles were Justice League, Action Comics, Batman, Detective Comics and Superman.  So for me this month wasn't really so much about new titles as it was new directions.

The first title I picked up continued right where The New 52 left off.  Geoff Johns' Justice League was the flagship book of The New 52 and that looks set to continue as The Darkseid War begins.  Justice League has been a consistently good book from the beginning but after Forever Evil it really began improving every month to become one of the best titles DC was putting out.  With the opening chapter of The Darkseid War that looks set to continue as Johns starts to pull together all of the plots he's been building since the title began.  At $4.99 it's one of the most expensive titles DC put out last month but at 40 story pages it's fantastic value.  The extra page count allows Johns to spend a bit more time laying the foundations for what looks to be an epic story.  His character work in this issue is superb and it's the little touches (like Shazam admitting he's never seen a dead body before and Superman challenging Lex Luthor to save a life) that really show just how well he can get inside the League's heads and understands what makes them tick.  And under Jason Fabok's pen (and Brad Anderson's colouring) the League has never looked better.  From a domestic crime scene to the arrival of the Anti-Monitor Fabok just nails it.  This book is gorgeous.  There's so much detail in the art that I spent a long time reading this book, slowly digesting every panel.  I don't know if Fabok's staying on the book after The Darkseid War but I really hope he does!  I'd love this team to stay on this book for years.  I don't say this a lot, but I would happily keep this book at $4.99 for this page count and this quality of story every month.  This story has been building for years and I can't wait to see it finally come to a head over the next few months!  An amazing start for what will hopefully be the biggest epic in comics this summer.

Next up for me was Action Comics #41 by Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder (with colours by Tomeu Morey and Hi-Fi).  Picking up straight where the Divergence preview left off this issue begins with Clark almost powerless and trying to make his way home after the Fortress took the last pieces of his Kryptonian heritage from him.  With Superman telling the story of how Clark's secret was revealed Action Comics is free to get straight to exploring the new status quo in Hard Truth.  If there's one thing Pak does well it's get in Clark's head and it's a joy to read how he feels about his new power level, about being more human.  The man knows what makes Superman tick and continues to cement his status as one of the best Superman writers in recent memory.  After seeing the sadly realistic scene of the men who wanted to beat Superman up because he's weak now and an alien it was great to see Kentville and people standing with him too.  And it was great to see Superman still leaping into action to save the day despite his recent power loss.  The issue is a fast paced and enjoyable read with just a hint of mystery (like who is Dawn Command and how does it link to the shadow creatures?).  Just as Pak continues to show himself to be a great Superman writer, Kuder's art has gone from strength to strength recently.  I may not be the fondest of Superman's new look (I really miss the cape and don't like the shorter hair) but Kuder makes it look good and I think his style really suits Superman.  Overall a very strong start to Superman's new status quo and I can't wait to read the next issue.

Whilst Action Comics explores Clark's new status quo Superman #41 begins to tell the story of how we got there in Before Truth.  I was a little disappointed when it was announced that Geoff Johns was leaving Superman.  I loved his run on Action Comics way back in 2006-2009 and really hoped that he'd stay for a longer run on the title this time.  That said, if this issue is anything to go by then I'm extremely happy with his replacement.  Gene Luen Yang gets off to a great start as he brings the focus of the book squarely back on to Clark, Lois and Jimmy.  It's a good move as the Daily Planet and Clark's supporting cast have played relatively minor roles since The New 52 reboot.  His characterisation is extremely strong and it was nice to see the reporter side of Clark getting some attention.  The anonymous source blackmailing Clark raises some intriguing story potential.  How far, morally, should Clark go to protect his secret?  We already know that the secret will come out and that Lois is the one to reveal the truth but does she do it to try and protect Clark from his mysterious opponent's bribery or is she herself being blackmailed?  John Romita Jr.'s art (with Klaus Janson's inks and Dean White's colours) may not be my favourite style but there's no denying his story telling ability.  I'm loving the whole Truth crossover so far but I have to admit I'm now extremely excited to see what Yang can do when he's not tied to an event.  A brilliant start to what will hopefully be a long run.

I'm still not totally sold on the idea of James Gordon as Batman but Batman #41 was a solid start from Scott Snyder and Gregg Capullo (with Danny Miki's inks and Fco Plascencia's colors).  And let's be honest, Scott Snyder has earned my trust so I'm more than happy to go along for the ride and see how this plays out.  After the frantic battle against the Joker in Endgame, this issue returned to a slightly slower pace, switching between present day and recent past to explore Gordon's reasons for becoming a new type of Batman.  I loved that Snyder had Gordon echo fan's complaints about the new robotic batsuit and whilst I'm not the fondest of it, it makes sense for the story being told.  James Gordon is not Bruce Wayne or Dick Grayson.  Even with his military background he doesn't have the training to be Batman.  He needs the suit if he's to do the job.  The scenes with Bullock were probably my favourite in the issue.  I know that Harvey's busy over in Detective Comics but after this issue I would love to see Snyder write him more.  Capullo's art is simply fantastic.  I don't think I can say anything that hasn't already been said before, the man has earned his place as one of the best Batman artists of all time and continues to amaze me every month.  Superheavy Part 1 may not be the best issue of Snyder's run (to be fair that does set the bar exceedingly high) but it is a strong start and you can already see seeds being planted for what promises to be another great story arc from one of DC's best creative teams.

Detective Comics has had a few ups and downs since The New 52 re-launch but I've really been enjoying Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato's run.  In fact I thought their 8 page preview was one of the best DC put out and I actually preferred it to the Batman preview!  This first issue didn't quite live up to the amazing preview but it was still a great read.  The preview hit the ground running with Harvey Bullock asking Gordon's Batman to help him kill his partner and appearing to actually go through with the act.  This issue takes a step back and begins to lay the ground work for those events.  It's a solid first issue and whilst I miss Manapul's art (I seriously need to check out The Flash run by these guys!) Fernando Blanco does a fine job.  Manapul and Buccellato's work developing Harvey Bullock has been the highlight of their run for me so I was happy to see that continue here and I love the direction they seem to be taking the character in with this arc, the lone cop in the city still searching for the real Batman.  I was saddened by this week's announcement that this is their final arc on Detective Comics but it looks like this will be a great story to go out on.

As for the rest, well based on the previews I will definitely be checking out Batgirl, Grayson and Starfire when the trade paperbacks come out and I'll probably check out Batman Beyond if the reviews are good (I'm still uneasy with it not being Terry but if it's good I'm more than willing to try).  A friend of mine recommended Robin: Son of Batman and the preview was good fun so I'll probably give that a try too.  The Flash looks like it could be good and I've been meaning to try the title since I loved the first season of the TV series but I'll definitely be checking out the Manapul/Buccellato run first.  And finally I really must check out Harley Quinn at some point too!  All things considered it's a good job I've cut back on the monthlies as I think I'll be reading a lot more trades in the future!

Arkham Knight - All Who Follow You

If you're a comic or super hero fan and you like video games then chances are this is the one you've been waiting for.  Rocksteady's epic finale to their Arkham trilogy!  Batman: Arkham Knight!

After a few delays (thankfully Rocksteady decided to take their time and get it right rather than just release it and patch it later) we're now just under 2 months away from the games release on 23rd June.  Over the last few days Rocksteady have been teasing a new trailer "All Who Follow You" and revealing the return of some of Batman's most important allies.  Today they released the full trailer so watch and enjoy;

 

It looks so good!!  This is the reason I bought a PS4 and it looks like it won't disappoint!  And the new team combat is an awesome surprise!  I also love how they've built on the teases from Arkham City Azrael's return as the prophecy he spoke of comes to pass.  Makes me wonder what Hush will be up to in the game!

 

Can't wait to "Be the Batman"!

Batman v Superman - Trailer Analysis (No Spoilers)

I'll be honest, this trailer had been rumoured to be coming so many times I actually wasn't that excited for it.  When the rumour first hit that a teaser would be shown at the end of last week with the full trailer revealed an IMAX event this Monday my response was "I'll believe it when I see it."  I thought it was way too close to the Star Wars event to be true, but it was!

My first reaction was pretty mixed.  It's good as a teaser but part of me couldn't shake the feeling that is was too dark.  It lacked any contrast between the lightness of Superman and the darkness of Batman.  But the more I watched it, the more it grew on me.  Because the trailer isn't about Superman, it's about the world's reaction to him.

Man of Steel was an extremely divisive film, especially amongst fans.  I myself have mixed feelings about it.  I think it looks beautiful and Henry Cavill was a perfect Superman (in fact the entire cast was great), the opening on Krypton was simply breath taking and I love that the film embraced Superman's full potential rather than try and play down his power level.  But I disliked the film's version of Jonathan Kent (I prefer Jonathan as Clark's moral compass) and hated it when Superman killed Zod in the film's climax.  I understood what they were going for and can see the logic behind it, but as a life long Superman fan my heart just wouldn't accept that he'd make that choice.  Plus there was no pay off for it, no consequences.  Just Superman screaming in anguish (which Cavill nailed) then cut to the final scenes for a happy ending without mentioning it again.

That changes now.  Judging by the teaser if Man of Steel was about first contact then Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be about the consequences.  The opening of the teaser plays directly to the divisiveness of Man of Steel stating "Is it really surprising that the most powerful man world should be a figure of controversy?"

What follows is a series of shots of Superman looking uncomfortable as humanity reaches out to him or worships him as a saviour intermix with shots of the camera approaching a statue of Superman which is gradually being lit up as it get closer.  We hear the very mixed opinions of the people of the world, and whilst there are a few who feel "maybe he's just a guy trying to do the right thing" the overriding impression is that people are afraid and don't want him here which culminates in a chant of "GO HOME!" as the statue is fully illuminated and we see the words FALSE GOD spray painted across Superman's symbol of hope.  There's even reference to the destruction of the first film as we hear a man say fearfully that "they brought their war here".

One of the most distinctive voices in the mix is Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor who speaks with a quiet authority as he tells the audience "We know better now, don't we?  Devils don't come from Hell beneath us.  No, they come from the sky."  We never see his face, but his presence is felt.  It's a perfect introduction to the cinematic universe's Lex.  Sowing seeds of doubt and mistrust, turning people against Superman.  Maybe even those who would be his ally...

"That's how it starts.  The fever.  The rage.  The feeling of powerlessness.  That turns good men cruel."

Alfred's monologue is perhaps the most interesting piece of dialogue in the teaser.  He's likely talking to Bruce but who is he talking about?  The people of the world?  Lex Luthor?  Bruce himself?

Whilst the teaser doesn't offer the contrast between Batman and Superman that I was hoping for, Alfred's line offers a nice contrast to the chorus of the mob chanting "go home" and coming where it does in the teaser gives the impression that Alfred is on Superman's side in this conflict.

Though he may not be talking about Bruce in the final film, that's certainly the impression the teaser gives as we see Bruce Wayne staring at the batsuit whilst Alfred speaks.  The shot is lingering, giving the impression that Bruce is weighing his options.  We know that Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns is one of the big inspirations of this film and they're going with an older Batman so could Bruce already be retired and this is him deciding whether or not to put the suit on again?  It would be an interesting choice to start the DC cinematic universe with an already retired Batman, but DC have certainly shown they're not above taking some risks when reimagining their characters for the big screen (just look at the Joker image that was released the other day).  Or maybe this is the moment where he's trying to decide whether he's on the right side of this conflict, perhaps this is Alfred telling him he's gone too far, that he was a good man but this conflict, his doubt, fear and mistrust of Superman, has turned him cruel?

What I love is that it clearly portrays Batman as the antagonist, the aggressor.  There was a lot of fear amongst Superman fans when The Dark Knight Returns was announced as inspiration for the film that Batman would be played up as the best to the detriment of Superman's character.  This teaser alleviates that fear.  It doesn't answer the question of how Batman can begin to stand against Superman (look at how quickly Faora took out the soldiers in Man of Steel) but it certainly doesn't come across as "Batman's going to teach Superman a lesson" like many fans feared.  If anything it comes across the other way around as it appears Batman is the one on the wrong side of the conflict.

The next part of the teaser doesn't give anything away but it gives a great look at Batman in the most comic accurate suit to date.  Seeing that on screen, I don't think they could have done any better.  Batman looks amazing, like he just stepped off the pages of the comics.  We get to see the new Batplane and Batmobile in action, albeit very briefly, and a wide shot that offers a small hint at the Riddler's existence in this universe (though likely not in this film).

The final part of the trailer shows Batman all suited up, The Dark Knight Returns style, ready for conflict with Superman who stands in the sky above him.  The challenge is issued with the already iconic "Tell me.  Do you bleed?" before Superman slams to the ground in front of him.  "You will." he says as the screen goes black and the title comes up.

Given that the only time we saw Superman bleed in Man of Steel was on Zod's ship, unless the line is just bravado on Batman's part I'm guessing we're going to see Kryptonite introduced this time around.  After all, that and Superman holding back are the only way this fight isn't over in a heart beat.

Personally, I'm a little torn on the ending.  I love how comic book it is and seeing these two characters on screen together for the first time is a massive event, but I'm a little tired seeing hero fights hero (even though DC have never done it on the big screen).  For me the best part about Batman and Superman together is their contrasting personalities and how they work together so well despite those differences.  That's what I'm really looking forward to seeing in the movie.  The physical fight is the least interesting part for me.  But it was still insanely cool to see.

All in all I thought it was a great teaser.  It may not have got my blood pumping the way the Star Wars teaser did, but it did an incredible job at building up the world of the movie, showing how Superman's arrival and the events of Man of Steel have changed things and hinting at how the new characters are going to fit into this world.  Plus, it's Superman and Batman together on the big screen.  How can you not be excited for that?!  Roll on March 2016!