Category: Articles

Legendary Comic Book Duos and Ultimate Friendship Goals

From between the comic book pages, to their on-screen debuts, some duos are just so legendary you never forget them. Ahead of all new interactive film Batman: Death in the Family, featuring the infamous pairing of Batman and Robin, we wanted to bring you a roundup of well-known duos that originated in comics. Batman: Death in the Family is out on digital download October 13th and on Blu-ray™ October 26th.

Batman & Robin

Often referred to as the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder or the Dynamic Duo, Batman & Robin are the ultimate comic book pair and on screen. Robin is the junior counterpart to Batman and a very useful sidekick when it comes to saving the day. The pair came together after Robin loses his parents and Batman, sympathising with him due to a similar tragedy of his own, decides to take legal custody of Robin. Their close relationship is wonderfully showcased in new film Batman: Death in the Family.

Superman & Lois Lane

Another infamous pairing, Superman & Lois Lane were one of the first superhero comic book romances, with their complicated relationship featuring in almost every Superman comic and film. The pair married in comic Superman: The Wedding Album. Lois is an essential part of the Superman mythos.

Ant-Man and The Wasp

The original comic book versions of Ant-Man and the Wasp are the ultimate couple goals, as a rare husband and wife comic book duo. With the astonishing ability to shrink to the size of an ant and a wasp, these two complement each other perfectly, fighting crime in miniature form with all their might no matter how big the task.

Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy

When she’s not flying solo or mixing with the evil Joker, Harley Quinn often hangs out with best friend Poison Ivy. Their relationship is tipped as one of the most engaging, complex and explored relationships in Batman history, as some later DC spin offs suggest the pair are in an “open relationship”. Together these two super villains commonly work against Batman, teaming up for the ultimate girl power duo.

Green Arrow & Green Lantern

Although they are known for bickering like a married couple, Green Arrow & Green Lantern are extremely similar, both being arrogant hotheads! However, they do pretty well at balancing each other out, tackling situations in disparate ways. Although the two are now hardly seen together in modern day adaptations and comics, you can see echoes of their partnership in Green Lantern and Green Arrow movies.

Batman: Death in the Family is available on Digital Download October 13th, and on Blu-ray™ October 26th.

Get to Know One of DC’s Most Feared Anti-Heroes, Lobo

One of the most rock n roll characters of the DC Universe, Lobo, gets a shining role in upcoming DC Animation Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Ahead of the digital release of the film on the 24th August, we wanted to provide you with a little insight into DC’s badass bounty hunter.

Character Creation

Lobo’s character was created by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen, first appearing in 1983 in Omega Men #3. In the special feature Lobo: A Natural Force of Chaos attached to the Blu-ray™ edition of new film Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Lobo is described as the “natural force of chaos in all of us”. His muscular appearance is said to have been inspired by WWE and WWF wrestlers, whilst also portraying him as a metal rocker. The name Lobo roughly translates to “he who devours your entrails and thoroughly enjoys it” which totally represents his character!

The Last Czarnian & Badass Bounty Hunter

Lobo is the last Czarnian alien born on utopian planet Czarnia, after he brutally murdered every other member of his species. This fact alone tells you of Lobo’s extreme violence. Being the last of his kind is also something he has in common with Superman, who is the last of the Kryptionians.

Lobo is the best bounty hunter in the known universe and trust us he is the last being you would want to get into a fight with!

The Ride

Anyone who knows Lobo knows of his “space cycle” named the Spacehog and it’s a pretty sweet ride! This mode of transport totally fits Lobo’s metal, rock n roll lifestyle, baring a resemblance to a souped-up motorcycle with all the power and speed you could ask for.

What makes Lobo different

Lobo is unique because his character often goes where regular DC stories do not dare to go. He is a larger than life character, with extreme strength and excellent regenerative power rendering him immortal. Lobo can create weapons of mass destruction and has no impulse control… a dangerous combination! On top of the physical elements, Lobo has some hilarious quotes such as “I’ve got to take a big old space dump” in Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

Is he a good guy or a bad guy?

The confusing question is whether Lobo is good, bad or both. Over the years, he has fought on both sides, but it usually boils down to whoever is paying him the most or which side is offering the most action. This makes him the perfect anti-superhero.

Discover more about Lobo in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, available on digital download August 24th and Blu-ray™, DVD & Limited-Edition Blu-ray™ with Mini-Figure September 7th.

Four of the Most Iconic Characters with Super-Human abilities

Some of our favourite movie and entertainment characters have hidden gifts, but many of these have been progressed and aided by science. Genetically engineered to be heroes, villains, or just an experiment gone wrong, we have pulled together a list of iconic characters altered by science. We’ve also included a sneak-peak on the super-soldier character Deathstroke, ahead of the release of Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons on Blu-Ray™ and DVD this Monday 17th August.

Spider-Man

When Peter Parker was accidentally bitten by a radioactive spider at a science exhibit, he acquired the agility and strength of an arachnid. This meant Peter now had heightened athletic abilities, allowing him to climb walls and ceilings, leading him to become “Spider-Man”. Spider-Man is now possibly the most iconic genetically altered character, originally created by comic book legends Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and now having several Spider-Man dedicated films, as well as being part of the Avengers.

Deathstroke

Another comic book character enhanced by science is Deathstroke. After being chosen for a secret experiment, Slade Wilson was transformed into a super-soldier by the army. During the experiment, the army imbued him with adrenaline serums, to enhance his brain activity. This left him with an incredible range of powers, notably accelerated healing meaning he can heal wounds in just minutes, making him the ultimate soldier. In addition, Slade’s incredible new powers included: decelerated aging, toxic immunity, enhanced senses and superhuman agility, durability, speed, reflexes, stamina and strength.

Eleven

Eleven is one of the main protagonists of popular Netflix sci-fi drama Stranger Things, after she arrives in Hawkins following her escape from Hawkins National Laboratory. Eleven found herself in the laboratory after being kidnapped for testing when it was discovered she had inherited psychokinetic abilities, with scientists attempting to enhance her abilities over several years through sensory experiments. Eleven’s powers include the ability to move objects with her mind, ranging to turning electronics on and off, breaking glass and throwing large objects. During the series, it is discovered Eleven’s powers can be trained to go even deeper, when she realises she could contact a creature from another dimension.

The Hulk

The Hulk is well known for his giant green appearance, however, this isn’t how he’s always seen. Hulk is actually Bioscience genius Dr. Bruce Banner who, after working on a program to develop weapons for the military, tested what he had learned on himself. This triggered a transformation that resulted in him becoming the immense, hulking figure we know today. When fuelled by rage, Banner transforms into The Hulk’s powers, prompting abilities including superhuman strength, long distance jumping, durability, and regeneration, alongside genius intelligence. He also can “Hulk Smash”, whereby slamming his hands together, he can create a massive concussive wave.

Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons is available on digital download NOW and on Blu-Ray™ & DVD 17th August.

Competition: Win a Copy of Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons on Blu-Ray™

Own It Early On Digital Download Now, and Blu-ray™ & DVD August 17th

Go behind the mask and into the deep backstory of one of DC’s most revered anti-heroes in Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons. A new entry in the popular series of DC Animated Movies, Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons offers a new take on the Deathstroke legacy. Mercenary and master assassin Slade Wilson leads two lives: one as the relentless killer known as Deathstroke, and the other as a dedicated family man. When these worlds collide, forced together by the vicious terror group known as H.I.V.E., it is the killer in Slade who must fight to save his loved ones, as well as what remains of himself. With his soul torn apart and his young son held captive, Deathstroke will have to atone for the sins of his past to fuel the battles of his future!


Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Michael Chiklis (The Shield, The Commish, American Horror Story: Freak Show) headlines the cast as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke, alongside Sasha Alexander (Rizzoli & Isles, Shameless, NCIS) as Wilson’s wife, Adeline “Addie” Kane Wilson.


Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons gives DC Animated Movies’ their first true look into the complicated backstory of one of DC’s most controversial characters – Deathstroke is sometimes villain, sometimes anti-hero, and always deadly,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Senior Vice President, Originals, Animation and Family Marketing. “Michael Chiklis does an incredible job capturing the ruthless approach and conflicted internal struggles of Deathstroke.”


For your chance to win a copy of Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons on Blu-Ray™, simply answer the following
question:

What two colours make up Deathstroke’s iconic mask?

a) Black and Orange
b) Blue and Black
c) Black and Red

Leave your answer down below in the comments section and I will be picking the winners on August 25th Good Luck!

*You must be located in the UK to qualify for the competition*


Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons is available on Digital Download now, and Blu-Ray™ & DVD on August 17th

The Most Iconic Supervillains Of All Time

With the upcoming release of Justice League Dark: Apokolips War now would be a great time to look at some of most iconic supervillains of all time. I have a feeling that once Justice League Dark: Apokolips is released on DVD and Blu-Ray™ on May 18 Darkseid will only grow in popularity and will further solidify his status as one of the greatest supervillains of all time. In this article we will be looking at how Darkseid stacks up against other iconic supervillains which you have seen appear in movies, comics and on TV.

Darkseid

“Bow before me.” (Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, 2020)

Appearing in the new Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is Darkseid, the Dark Lord of the hellish world of Apokolips. Darkseid is a sadistic, aggressive tyrant seeking to control all sentient life throughout the universe and beyond. In his quest for ultimate power, Darkseid seeks out the AntiLife Equation, a mysterious formula that would allow him to remove all free will from every sentient life form in the known universe and replace with his own will. With an army of mindless Parademons
who obey his every order, Darkseid can be weakened, but never truly destroyed making him a pretty good supervillain!

Darth Vader

“No… I am your father…” (The Empire Strikes Back, 1980)

One of the most iconic villains of all time is Darth Vader, aka Anakin Skywalker, the main antagonist from the Star Wars franchise. Originally a slave on Tatooine, Darth Vader is a Jedi prophesied to bring balance to the Force. Eventually, he is lured to the dark side of the Force and becomes a Sith Lord. After being scarred in a lightsaber battle with his former mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader dressed himself in the iconic headwear viewers have come to know over the years. He then serves the Galactic Empire as its chief enforcer and tragically redeems himself by saving his son, Luke
Skywalker, sacrificing his own life in the process.

Poison Ivy

“So many people to kill…So little time.” (Batman & Robin, 1997)

Poison Ivy, aka Dr Pamela Lillian Isley, serves as one of DCEU’s most captivating, intriguing supervillain, who has a twisted love- hate relationship with Batman. Evil has never been so attractive as it is through the character of Poison Ivy who is Gotham City’s ecoterrorist on a mission to control the world. Poison Ivy makes use of plant toxins and mind-controlling pheromones against anyone who gets in her way. Whilst it could be debated that Poison Ivy is now an anti-heroine, she has a reputable history of a villainous nature who will do anything to achieve her goals.

Hela

“Asgard is dead and it will be reborn in my image.”(Thor: Ragnarok, 2017)

Hela Odinsdottir, the Asgardian Goddess of Death, is well known for unleashing fury and chaos within the Asgardian kingdom. The eldest daughter of Odin was once banished to Hela due to her ambitious plans and formidable powers. After the death of her father, Hela returns to Asgard with full vengeance, taking back full control and fulfilling her mission of creating an Asgardian empire. When the Asgardian kingdom refuse to bow to her hellish and fearful leadership, Hela orders a
massacre and enslavement of the Asgardian people. Fortunately, she is stopped in her path of destruction by her younger brother Thor, but at the cost of destroying Asgard.

Lord Voldemort

“There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it” (Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone, 2001)

No list would be complete without a mention of one of the most powerful and dangerous Dark Wizards of all time. Born as Tom Riddle, Voldemort is a half- blood orphan with an obsession for blood purity. Voldemort’s main aim in the Harry Potter franchise is to eradicate the Wizarding World of Muggle (non-magical) heritage and to achieve pure-blood dominance. Lord Voldemort is the archenemy and nemesis of Harry Potter, who holds the power to vanquish him of all his power.

It will be interesting to revisit this discussion with Darkseid in particular once Justice League Dark: Apokolips War is released.

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War will be available on DVD, Blu-Ray™, Blu-Ray™ Steelbook & Blu-Ray™ Minifig on May 18 and is available on digital download NOW.

WIN SUPERMAN: RED SON ON BLU-RAY™

As stated in my previous post I would be running a giveaway for you to possibly win your own copy of Superman: Red Son on Blu-ray™, thanks to the people at Warner Bros. All you have to do is answer the question in the comment section down below:

Which of the following characters has Jason Isaacs, the voice of Superman in Superman: Red
Son, voiced for DC Universe Movies?
a) Sinestro
b) Ra’s al Ghul
c) Lex Luthor
d) All of the above
Superman: Red Son is available on Digital Download now, and Blu-ray™ & DVD on March

*You must be located in the UK to qualify for the giveaway*

Good luck!

This competition will close on the 16th March, 2020

Superman: Red Son

What if the Man of Steel was raised behind the Iron Curtain? So begins DC’s acclaimed Elseworlds story, Superman: Red Son, now the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe Movies. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC, the feature-length animated film arrives – along with a new DC Showcase animated short, Phantom Stranger – from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on Digital Download from February 25, 2020, and on Blu-ray, Blu-ray Mini Fig, Blu-ray Steelbook and DVD on March 16, 2020.

Superman: Red Son – Out Now!

The latest instalment into the DC Animated Universe is here! With the huge event of Justice League: Dark Apokolips War on the horizon. It’s time for another Elseworlds story in the meantime to hold us over until then. Superman: Red Son (by Mark Millar) has been given the animated treatment by the ever present Sam Liu. If that name doesn’t ring a bell to you, it certainly should. Liu has made a huge contribution towards the DC Animated Universe with his previous works such as All Star Superman, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract and most recently, last year’s Wonder Woman: Bloodlines.

I have been looking forward to this movie so much because not only is Superman my favourite comic book character, but this is also one of my favourite storylines ever. I’ve always loved the Elseworlds approach on certain characters and Superman is one of them. Because while he is rooted in Metropolis seeing him grow up and operate in an entirely different environment was fascinating when I first picked up the comic.

If you’re new to Superman: Red Son, here’s a brief summary of the story:

“In Red Son, Superman‘s rocket ship lands on a Ukrainian collective farm rather than in Kansas, an implied reason being a small time difference (a handful of hours) from the original timeline, meaning Earth’s rotation placed Ukraine in the ship’s path instead of Kansas. Instead of fighting for “… truth, justice, and the American Way,” Superman is described in Soviet radio broadcasts “… as the Champion of the common worker who fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, socialism, and the international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.”

Via. Fandom

Superman: Red Son is already available to purchase on Digital download as you read this. But if you’re like me and you love your physical media, you’re going to have to wait until 16 March, 2020 to purchase it on Blu-ray™/DVD.

You might be tempted to purchase the limited-edition gift set which comes with your very own figure of the Soviet Superman himself.

(see pictures below)

Be sure to keep a look out for my review of course, and for a chance to win a copy of Superman: Red Son (courtesy of Warner Bros.)

Superman: Red Son is available on Digital Download now, and Blu-ray™& DVD on March 16, 2020.

Robert Pattinson to Play Batman in Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’?

Just an hour ago social media exploded when Variety dropped a bombshell on us. They finally gave us what we have been waiting for. Who will be taking over the mantle from Ben Affleck as the caped crusader? Variety are pretty confident Robert Pattinson will be stepping into the iconic role. They claim a deal hasn’t been made yet, but Matt Reeves had him in mind while writing the script. While I was just taking in this news Deadline also released their own report on the potential casting. Both outlets agree that a deal hasn’t been made final yet. But where they differ is Deadline claiming that Robert Pattinson isn’t the only person in contention for the role. Deadline states that both Robert Pattinson and Nicholas Hoult are at the top of Warner Bros. list. However, Deadline’s report does seem to imply that Pattinson is the favourite for the role by claiming “the bat suit isn’t filled yet and that they like both guys, with Pattinson holding the edge”. This is a bit frustrating isn’t it? We finally get the news we wanted, but nothing has been confirmed yet. I guess we gotta sit tight and be patient, as if we haven’t already been doing that for several months. I have a feeling it will end up Robert Pattinson taking the role. But you never know with Hollywood.

Let me know what you think of these potential castings

Mysterious Line Dropped in New Avengers: Endgame Clip

Earlier today Marvel released a new clip from their upcoming movie Avengers: Endgame. The clip shows us the remaining Avengers, plus new recruit Carol Danvers at Avengers HQ coming up with a plan to kill Thanos. Now, this clip dropped around midday. And I thought nothing of it. I mean I was still hyped and it was great to see these characters strategise and clash heads. But fast forward a couple of hours later, it seems like I missed a crucial part of this clip. And it turns out that I wasn’t the only one.

Just as Thor goes up to approach Carol you hear a voice say “I have telepathy”. Listen closely down below (Turn up your volume really high)

https://twitter.com/ComicBooksTalk/status/1115433234144399361

Crazy right? Once you hear it you can no longer unhear it. From this clip it sounds like Carol’s voice. I’m no expert on the Captain Marvel character so this came as a surprise to me. But it kind of makes sense in the context of the clip. Straight after that line is said she isn’t phased by Thor summoning Stormbreaker right next to her. Maybe she read his mind and saw it coming. Other people have said the voice could possibly be Scarlet Witch as she’s communicating to the Avengers from the soul world. I personally don’t buy this theory. But what do you think of this line?

Let me know your thoughts below.

The Joker Trailer: First Impressions

As expected the trailer for Todd Phillips’ Joker movie arrived today. And to take a phrase from Heath Ledger’s Joker for a second…it didn’t disappoint. I mean where do I start with this one? Before the trailer even dropped I was fascinated with the idea of this movie. Now this is my most anticipated movie of the year. I love the whole vibe I’m getting from this movie. It’s dark, tragic, crazy and will most likely be full of dark humour. Just as a Joker movie should be.

Here are my main talking points from the trailer:

Beautifully shot

Joaquin Phoenix is getting a lot of praise as expected and rightly so. But I want to start this off by giving Todd Phillips and the rest of the crew behind the scenes some praise. The way the movie is shot caught my eye immediately. There are some amazing shots in this trailer and I think they did a good job at capturing the 80s. Plus the music they chose fits the tone of the movie/trailer perfectly.

Joaquin’s Joker

On to the main man himself Joaquin Phoenix. I’m trying not get carried away here, but I think he’s going to kill this role. It looks like he went all out for this role. His mannerisms and the presence he commands on screen with the full make up on. I was in awe the whole time. His Joker laugh is great too. Again, I’m trying not to get carried away here, but it feels like they made a great choice by picking him for this role.

Origin

The most interesting thing about this trailer to me is the way they’re approaching the Joker’s origin story. From the moment this movie was announced people were automatically turned off because the Joker is someone who doesn’t really have an origin. But what they’re doing with this movie. I’m all for it. I’m not one of these gatekeepers. If you’re going to do it, just do it well. The way the trailer starts by showing us Arthur caring for his mother and seeing what the character has become by the end of the trailer had me hooked. I want to see this journey the character goes on. I want to see him start off as someone we can sympathise with and then it just takes a sharp turn to where we aren’t meant to be rooting for this guy. We should hate him, but love him at the same time. At the end of the day he’s a bad guy. And he’s going to do some crazy shit to people in this movie, I can guarantee you that now. I also love how they’re focusing on mental illness in this movie, something a lot of people can relate to.

God, I cannot wait for this movie. I’ve already watched the trailer more than 10 times. And I love it even more with each watch.

Here are some of my favourite shots from the trailer:

Let me know your thoughts on the trailer down below.

The Joker is set to be released later this year on October 4