Spoiler review of Justice League

By Jim Scroggs

JHScroggs on Twitter and Instagram

November 20, 2017

Edited by Katie Westbrooks

The DC Films franchise hasn’t had the best reputation overall, especially with what happened last year with BVS and Suicide Squad. Soon after those films release, there was a tonal shift within DC/WB to get the films on the right track. Wonder Woman surely started that upward momentum amongst the audience and now that the long-awaited Justice League is here, let’s see what happens when the league is finally united.

What I liked

Considering we’ve only seen half of the league’s backstory, they did a good job of diving into (pun intended) Aquaman’s, Cyborg’s and Flash’s origin right off the bat considering this is a 2-hour long movie. There is a great exchange between Victor and Silas that shows the tension in how Victor was really created and it shows how talented they both are as actors. When Diana asked Victor to talk and get to know more about him, he wasn’t up for it at all. Eventually, he did come around when Silas was kidnapped by some Parademons trying to get to a Mother Box.

It was a nice touch to see two characters instead of just the one to be reluctant to join the team. That other character, is Arthur Curry. He’s a loner and doesn’t really know his place in this world. He is even confronted by Mera about this in Atlantis when Steppenwolf gets one of the three Mother Box's in Atlantis. He had a great moment in the Batcave. He started to somewhat wax poetic on some things but come to find out, he was actually sitting on the lasso of truth. So, I’m glad to see that Momoa can play with a sense of humor.

Flash really stole the show for me. Ezra Miller as Barry Allen was a fanboy who really didn’t know how he could use his powers. Once he figured it out, he was just fine in dealing with whatever was thrown at him. He had a great moment when he zipped around the Batcave exploring everything then ended up in the Batmobile – his eyes were so big and dart around with pure joy that he was there.

Wonder Woman was clearly the leader and I wouldn’t have put it any other way. Bruce and Diana had a little disagreement and Bruce decided to use Steve Trevor to put it back in Diana’s face. She immediately responded by shoving him about 3 feet. Diana is clearly the star of this ensemble and that’s saying a lot when you look at the whole roster. 

Batman was a lighter, more hopeful dark knight in this go around but Affleck still portrayed him like the Bruce Wayne we know and love. He took a backseat to Wonder Woman and even Superman at one point – I’m glad that he seems to be playing well with others as Commissioner Gordon would say. He really seemed to finally be open to being a part of a team. In a montage of all our hero's at the end, he joins Diana and Alfred in Wayne Manor and they discuss a large table with 6 chairs. Diana adds that there could be room for more so I really hope they pay off Green Lantern or even a Martian Manhunter joining the team. 

Superman’s return was a tad surprising – I’ll get into that later. When he was brought back to life, they used a Mother Box and a spark from Flash to kick start his heart, in a way. I was worried that he would come back angry, much like the tone of BVS or MOS, but he was confused about being alive – I would compare it to someone waking you when you are asleep. Nobody is happy if someone wakes them up so that’s the closest thing I can describe it as. The rest of the team tried to contain Superman and even Aquaman pointed out early that he wasn’t OK. Flash tried to get behind him but Superman noticed and started to turn his head as fast as Flash was running. Miller’s reaction was so perfect in that situation which made me like him that much more.

The amount of comical moments was less than I was anticipating. Including Superman carrying an entire building as a response to Flash helping a family in a truck, Cyborg and Flash had a funny moment with a fist bump that paid off later in the movie, and when Superman saw Batman for the first time. Superman referenced “Do you bleed,” and knocked Batman to the ground followed by Batman on the ground in pain saying “Yeah, something is definitely bleeding.”

The mid and end credit scenes were really good. The mid credit was pure fan service with Flash and Superman in a rural area talking about who’s faster. Some light chit chat follows then Barry lights a firecracker with his fingers and they start running. This is a nod to Superman 199 with the cover of Flash and Superman racing with the other members of the team cheering them on. I’m glad that a little piece of comics history was thrown in there. The post credit scene was something I wasn’t expecting, I’d heard that the Lex Luthor scenes were going to be left out so I didn’t think anything about him being in it. However, we finally got to see inside Arkham Asylum and someone with a bald head in a cell. Turns out, it wasn’t Lex  – he’s on a yacht somewhere waiting on someone. There’s a silhouette of someone with handles with tassels and I knew immediately that was Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke. He boards the yacht, instantly tells Lex that he better not be wasting his time and removes the mask to reveal a white haired Joe Manganiello. He looks perfect as Slade so I really hope this leads into The Batman (rumored title, of course). Lex monologues about God’s return and suggests that they should start a league of their own. I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get the Legion of Doom as the villain but this is something that DC/WB can hang over Marvel Studios –  film with a team of heroes versus a team of villains. I really hope that we get the Legion of Doom or maybe The Injustice League.

I was OK with it

I would put these next points in an in between category. I don’t hate how Superman came back to the team but I wish there had been a little more fanfare to it. When Steppenwolf seems to have the team on the ropes, all we hear is Superman’s voice to get his attention. Maybe if he used a heat vision quick strike to stop Steppenwolf from attacking, see him levitate down and then start his lines, it might have been more effective.

The editing seemed tight but not as tight and somewhat disjointed as Suicide Squad. There really wasn’t much time to let things breathe and when it did, it was a bit of a surprise since it wasn’t a regular thing in this movie.

In the battle sequence between Steppenwolf and the combined forces of Amazon's, Atlanteans, and other forces in the universe (one of those other forces were the Lanterns), I’m glad that I got to see that part of the DC lore into this film but I wanted to see more. Maybe they aren't ready to tell that tale of John Stewart and Hal Jordan but I really hope we hear “In brightest day, In blackest night,” real soon.

Not so much

Many jokes were made about how Henry Cavill’s re shoot's taking place with a mustache since he was also shooting the latest Mission:Impossible film but I thought that since there were very talented VFX artists in Hollywood, this could be pulled off. (I actually saw a screenshot on Twitter of his face 5 minutes before the trailers started so I kind of blame myself for that) Sadly, it wasn’t pulled off very well. The very first scene are kids shooting cellphone video of Superman helping at an accident scene and it’s clear that was a re shoot. I’ve never seen the uncanny valley on half a human's face but I can now cross that off the list. I’ll make the same criticism with this film as I did with Thor:Ragnarok – the CGI backgrounds weren’t the best all the time but that’s forgivable in my opinion with how heavy CG’d this movie is at times. Maybe the effects artists ran out of time or maybe the budget didn’t allow them to go further. Who knows? But I hope this doesn’t become a trend or consistent in the future, regardless of movie. Little side note: In order to bring Clark back from the dead, they took him to the same place that Doomsday was born and you can tell it’s a “dummy” of Cavill. I wish they had actually used him for that scene.

This has nothing to do with the movie in itself but rather the marketing for the film. I really, and I do mean really, wish that Warner Brothers or whoever is cutting the trailers for this universe will stop putting out 3 or 4 fairly long trailers. Almost every part that I laughed at or enjoyed seeing in the movie, I saw it in a trailer that was a large portion of an entire scene. For instance, 70-80 percent of the scene or sequence with Bruce and Barry when they meet was in one of the trailers. That shouldn’t happen at all when you are trying to promote a film and I don’t want to see fairly large sequences in trailers.

Final Verdict

            I’m glad we got the tonal change with this movie instead of continuing with the tone that Man of Steel, BVS and Suicide Squad set. This movie isn’t perfect by any means but I think this is a good start to what could come from here on out (with or without Ben Affleck). It’s fun, it’s got heart, and shows the value of teamwork. I know that sounds like the synopsis of a Justice League cartoon but in a way, it felt like an episode of Justice League Unlimited put on the big screen. I know the reviews and box office dollars aren’t saying much but I really think this movie should be given a chance and the same goes with the future of the DC Films universe. I would put it at number two in the DC Films slate above Man of Steel and below Wonder Woman.

Justice League is in theaters now

Geektified's review of the Justice League Comic-Con trailer

     

By Jim Scroggs
JHScroggs on Twitter and Instagram
July 24th, 2017
Edited by Katie Westbrooks

    

        Wonder Woman was a global success for WB and DC Films, which was what we as fans all wanted so the momentum for this film is swinging in the right direction. The cast of Justice League, minus Henry Cavil, gathered in San Diego to celebrate the release of the newest and I pray, final trailer of Justice League.  So, what our favorite DC heroes are up to?

      The trailer starts with faceless thugs breaking into a public place with children. The children appear to be on a school trip so maybe it could be the museum that Diana works at. Wonder Woman comes dodging bullets, taking a gun to the back of the head  - which obviously does nothing - and it ends with her sweeping the legs out from under these guys. The next shot is a coworker asking Diana what she did over the weekend -  of course, she downplays her activities.

     The next series of shots has a voice over of a news broadcast detailing how the world is still mourning Superman from London to Metropolis – so, it's clear he is missed. Jim Gordon is seen turning on the Bat signal as well as another voice over asking where the Gotham bat is – as Batman looks over the city of Metropolis, I believe. Diana and Bruce are talking with Diana saying "You said the age of heroes would never come again" with Bruce responding "It has to."

     A shot of Themescyrara comes up with someone saying "something is coming." A beam of light comes from the sky into a chamber of some sort on the island and Hippolyta looks really concerned. I'm not quite sure if that's a flashback or in what context she shows up but It's always great to see her, especially after the performance Connie Neilsen gave in Wonder Woman.  What comes from the sky is our first look at Steppenwolf. I believe it's the voice of Steppenwolf and it sounds like he says "No protectors here". Theres a shot of Aquaman swimming up to a throne or something like that then it gets a little interesting.

     Individual shots of the Justice League members follow with possibly the voice of Steppenwolf saying "No Lanterns," "No Kryptonian," and "This world will fall like all the others." But the coolest shot of the members of the Justice League is Barry Allen vibrating his finger to break through the glass by stretching it.

     Alfred and Bruce are seen talking with Alfred saying, "One misses the day when one's biggest concern was wind up exploding penguins." Arthur Curry doesn't have much confidence in this whole thing saying, "We're all going to die," as the Batmobile flies out of the flying fox ready for battle. Bruce has a speech ready to go asking everyone to not hold back as Diana says, "Don't engage alone. We do this together.”

    Barry seems a little out of place with doing battle since he says he "just pushes someone and runs away." The Nightcrawler seems to have hit a snag somewhere and Cyborg uses his technological abilities to take over the situation telling Alfred, "I've got it from here." Alfred has a nice line of confusion asking "Do I know you?"

    Some battle shots that are just extended from what we've already seen but the coolest of them is Aquaman riding a dead parademon like a surf board in the sky. The trailer somewhat concludes with Jim Gordon on the roof with Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Cyborg asking how many are there. Batman responds with not enough and everyone disappears except for Flash. He realizes it and calls it rude how they just vanished, then he does it himself. The trailer closes with Alfred working on something but the ripples of a water glass tip him off that something is close by. He looks up, recognizes someone and says "He said you'd come. Let's hope it's not too late."

    The biggest mystery of the trailer is the last scene – and I think it's either Superman or a Lantern. I know the obvious choice is Superman, so if WB is trying to pull the wool over our eyes, maybe Bruce has been doing research on the Lantern lore. Who knows, but over all this movie looks fun and a nice direction that everyone has wanted from WB and DC.

Justice League hits theaters November 17th

Justice League 2017 Comic-Con Trailer

Part 2 of Geektified's "What If?" series

By Jim Scroggs
JHScroggs on Twitter and Instagram





Have you ever wondered what a Batman rogue's gallery movie or a Superman movie starting Nic Cage would have looked like? These are the films that we've all wondered if they would have worked or very thankful that they didn't get out of developmental hell.

Joss Whedon's Wonder Woman


Between his time of working on Firefly and leading the charge for Marvel's The Avengers, Joss Whedon was making plans to bring Diana to the big screen. Warner Brothers tapped him to write the first movie adaptation of the princess in 2007 but it was a short lived process after the studio kicked him off the project. Some of the drawings that were leaked of the costume showed a fashionable but warrior ready Diana, almost similar to how Whedon's previous works looked like on Buffy, Firefly and Dollhouse. Nobody was cast in the title roll but I still think this could have been a solid attempt to get a strong character on the silver screen but I'm so glad we finally saw Gal Gadot steal BVS and I hope that momentum will carry on into her solo film in June.

James Cameron's Spider-Man

Long before Marvel and Sony decided to play nice with our favorite wall crawler, a certain director who was looking to "Terminate" the way we thought of comic-book movies with the "Titanic" notion of making the first big screen adaptation of Spider-Man. (Yes, I know the Cameron jokes were forced) That's right, coming off The Abyss and Terminator 2, James Cameron agreed to direct,  wrote a small version of the script for the movie and that would've hopefully put Marvel on the same standing as DC when it comes to films. This version would have put Leonardo DiCaprio in the suit and to be honest, I wonder how much of Peter Parker we would've seen or even if the character would have been correct. The villains would've been Sandman and Electro but with different human names instead of the regular Flint Marko and Max Dillon. Lance Hendrickson was tapped to play Electro and Micheal Biehn, an actor who I don't have that much familiarity with, would have been Sandman. Robyn Lively, who's known from her time on Twin Peaks,  was to play Mary Jane Watson. The rest of the script called for a love scene between Peter and MJ on top of the Brooklyn Bridge, Organic Web Shooters,  and it was fairly heavy on the profanity so this would've been a more grown up version of Spider-Man. So far, I don't have a huge issue with these casting choices but the next two characters certainly peaked my interest. The joke on the Internet is by the time Aunt May gets cast again, she'll look 25 but I think the one character that all the Spider-Man films have gotten right has been Aunt May. Rosemary Harris did an amazing job in the Raimi trilogy, I'll certainly give Sally Field her due as well, even though the "Amazing" films didn't live up to it's name and I'm excited to see what Marisa Tomei will bring to the table in the MCU version of May Parker. Now, with all that said, I think the Cameron version could have been better than all of those. His Aunt May was to be Dame Maggie Smith. I do wonder if she would have kept her accent but I'm certain that it would have been a good performance. Finally, the character that I think is the perfect translation from page to screen that I've ever seen.  J.K. Simmons portrayal of J. Jonah Jameson is up there with Christopher Reeve as Superman/Clark Kent and I'd even put Alfred Molina's Otto Octavius in that conversation but my point is, I didn't think I would've wanted to see anyone else run The Daily Bugle than Simmons. That might be up for debate now after I saw who James Cameron wanted to step in those shoes. R. Lee. Ermey was tapped to play Jameson and I think the tirades would have put Simmons to shame. I think this was a product of the late eighties/ early nineties action films. A little dark with some comedy as well so I get what they were going for but I'm glad we finally have an appropriate version of Peter/Spider-Man in the MCU almost 25 years later.

Justice League Mortal


For the Justice League fans out there, November can't get her soon enough and I think it's going to be a really solid outing for WB/DC when we finally see the historic team up on the big screen. George Miller was signed on to direct the film and the cast was a nice mix of young actors. Adrian Brody was Flash/Barry Allen, Armie Hammer was Batman/Bruce Wayne, Megan Gale was Wonder Woman/Diana, Hugh Keays-Byrne was Martian Manhunter), Santiago Cabrera was Aquaman/Arthur Curry with Zoe Kasan as Iris Allen. The villains side were Jay Baruchel as Maxwell Lord and Teresa Palmer as Talia al Ghul. The script called for plenty of story lines coming straight from the comics like Tower of Babel, where Batman's files on his friends get stolen to be used against them, Crisis on Infinite Earths and The OMAC project, kind of Age of Ultron-y. The writers strike of 2007-08 was one of the bigger causes of the failed project, as the studio tried to get a script done it time. The other was involving Australia and allowing the film to be shot there. A documentary is being worked on now so I hope that will shine some light on to this project that sounds like it would have been a win for DC/WB

Batman Unchained

Say what you will about the Joel Schumacher Batman films but I somewhat enjoyed them for what they were. They were an obvious 180 from the Burton films, which were to appease the mid 90's colorful period with marketing and to be family friendly. WB thought  (that is the key word here) they had a good thing so when they saw the dailies for Batman and Robin, they hired Shumacher to make his third film in the franchise. The film was to be called "Batman Unchained"and it would have brought back George Clooney, Chris O'Donnell, Alicia Silverstone and added Scarecrow, played by Nic Cage,  along with Harley Quinn, rumored to be played by Courtney Love. Personally, I would have gone with Brittany Murphy in that role. The little caveat in this was Harley would have been Joker's daughter instead of being in a relationship, which on paper sounds decent considering the really messed up relationship they have but it's not true to the origin so that might have put some fans off. The script called for Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler and Two-Face to be played by the original actors(Yes, even Jack Nicholson) in a hallucination brought on by Scarecrow's fear toxin. The concept alone of seeing Jack, Michelle Pfiffer, Danny Devito, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carrey all interact in something this crazy would have been worth giving this movie a chance but I totally get why WB put the brakes on the franchise.

Super-Man Lives

This was the closest movie to getting made on this list. So much so that Jon Schnepp produced a documentary on it, which I recommend you watch. At the time, which was mid 1990's, Tim Burton signed on to reinvigorate the Superman franchise and a lot of people thought it would be a success considering what he did for Warner Brothers with the Batman franchise.  The film started out as 'Superman Reborn" with Brainiac and Doomsday as the villains.  The storyline was based off the recent "Death of Superman" comic and that seemed to be the one constant in the pre production process. Director Kevin Smith wrote the first draft of the film that included a cameo from Bruce Wayne/Batman and he was eyeing Ben Affleck for that role. Smith was later replaced by other screenwriters, Wesley Strick and Dan Gilroy, which had scripts that were a little darker than what Smith had penned. Nic Cage was cast as Clark Kent/Superman and I can be certain that it would have been an amazingly bizarre but believable performance. I believe they wanted to copy the look from Superman 75 and give him long hair so to see Nic Cage in a possible black suit and maybe some late 90's neon looking thing would have been amazing. Sandra Bullock was eyed to play Lois Lane, Chrisopher Walken was set to be Brainiac, Lex Luthor was to be played by Kevin Spacey and I think at one point, Chris Rock was cast as Jimmy Olsen. Producer Jon Peters wanted to put his stamp on this project so much so that he suggested there be polar bears at the Fortress of Solitude and having Superman fight a gigantic spider. Smith appeased Peters by calling it a Thangarian Snare Beast and I think in one of the following scripts, Brainiac turned into a giant spider so Peters must have had a thing for them. Peters did get his giant spider in Wild Wild West so not all was lost.  One of the main reasons why this didn't happen is at the time, Warner Brothers had a string of flops, failures and disappointments coming out of the studio and considering the amount of money that was probably going to be spent, they pulled the plug on it. I get why from a financial standpoint but some of the artwork and seeing Nic Cage in a Superman suit is the biggest "What If" on this list.



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2017 Movie Preview: Part 3

You can read Part 2 of this series here: 2017 Movie Preview: Part 2

by Jim Scroggs
December 2, 2016

Thor: Ragnarok

The Thor franchise has been the hardest egg to crack in the MCU and I can certainly understand that. It’s not quite Game of Thrones but it isn't quite a space epic. The first film in the trilogy is the best one so far and The Dark World is considered by many to the worst film in the MCU. The heads at Marvel Studios had to think outside the box on this one and I think they accomplished that given some of the rumors/confirmations of appearances from new actors and MCU staples. Jeff Goldblum will be the Grandmaster, an eccentric character that can go across the galaxy to learn as many gaming styles as he can so he can outsmart anyone that he comes across. I think this is perfect for an actor like Goldblum, especially with his history of playing Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park. Other notables that shouldn’t be downplayed are Cate Blanchett as Hela, who could be the “Death” that Thanos is courting, Tessa Thompson will play Valkyrie, Sam Neill has been cast in the film as well and I’m praying there is a scene between him and Jeff Goldblum.  Mark Ruffalo will appear in as Hulk and maybe Bruce Banner in a small adaptation of the Planet Hulk/World War Hulk storyline. (My next sentence contains a spoiler for Doctor Strange so i’m giving you the chance to stop reading if you haven’t seen it…..Ready……...Ok.) Thor will get some help from Doctor Strange as they both search for Odin and probably come across the final Infinity Stone as well so add those arcs with the direction of Taika Waititi and Ragnarok will clearly be something new and desperately what the Thor franchise needs. Thor:Ragnarok will be in theaters on November 3rd, 2017

Justice League

I’ll file this under “Cautiously Optimistic”. The usual analogy when something doesn't perform is saying it hasn’t been a home run. It’s fair to say that in the eyes of some, the DC Films have been a base hit that strands the lead runner because he collided with the 3rd base coach who couldn’t get out of the way in time. Man of Steel was fine, BVS should only be judged by the Ultimate Edition meaning I'll never watch the theatrical version ever again and Suicide Squad had some interesting choices in regards to editing, song placement and writing but it’s a passable film for fans. I think this is when we’ll see the first couple but not full changes with the structure at DC/WB with Geoff Johns in charge. If I’m playing Marketing Executive for a second, the first thing that needs to be done is only release 2 trailers. That's it. I count what was released at Comic-Con as a full trailer so you've got 1 more to release before November of next year. In my opinion, one of the many reasons why BVS didn't perform as well was the amount of trailers and we didn't need to see 4 full trailers for that movie. Leave something to the imagination and you could actually have more excitement for this than what we saw leading up to March. The casting has never been an issue and I really hope they focus on Arthur Curry, Barry Allen, Victor Stone and how they come into play in all this.  Maybe get some insight on Bruce and if he has regrets on the amount of killing that he’s done and with the news of the Green Lantern Corp possibly making an appearance, this could be a nice redirection that DC/WB needs going forward. Justice League will be in theaters on November 17th, 2017

Star Wars: Episode 8

I'm going to be upfront about this. I'm not the biggest Star Wars fan and that's not to say that I don't appreciate and care about the characters. I know that compared to some of my friends, I will never come close to their level of knowledge and fandom, which I greatly respect. I thought Episode 7 was a great start to this new era of films and even with the loss of a major character, the new cast of Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac should give fans plenty of confidence in the next 2 films that could close out the Skywalker saga. The questions of how does Luke play into story along with is Rey a Skywalker have been asked ever since opening night and to be honest, I hope Rey has her own family name, own roots and not part of the Skywalker legacy just to show that there is much more to this universe that one family. I have faith in what Kathleen Kennedy is doing and along with the influence of JJ Abrams that will continue on with Rian Johnson into another chapter of this epic series. Star Wars: Episode VIII will be in theaters on December 15th, 2017



This truly is the Golden Age of movies for geeks and nerds alike but we should always remember that it wasn’t like this a decade ago. All it takes is a few less than stellar films in a row to put an end to this gravy train so as I write this, cherish each moment that we see Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and even Hawkeye because it won’t be like this forever. The characters will probably survive but the way we see and experience them will change before we know it so even if you hate Superman or Spider-Man, I hope you can appreciate their appearances on the silver screen

2017 Movie Preview: Part 2

If you'd like to read Part 1 of this series, you can do that here: 2017 Movie Preview: Part 1

By Jim Scroggs
December 1, 2016

Wonder Woman

She was clearly the bright spot in Dawn of Justice, even with a small amount of screen time as either Wonder Woman or Diana Prince but this is the film that could jumpstart the hope and optimism of the DC Films universe that Geoff Johns has set to instill. The trailers have shown us a completely different world in the Island of Themyscira as well as a group of warriors who can really handle almost any threat. I’m excited to see how Diana transitions into her new environment during the perils of World War One and to see how powerful she really is both mentally and physically. Gal Gadot has taken this role with such seriousness but at the same time, she’s having a lot of fun with it, especially if you’ve seen that GIF of her twirling around on the set of BVS. I really hope that this film is not only what the DC Universe needs but what film fans need to show studios that strong, powerful women can be viable in this marketplace and all it takes is putting women in front of and behind the camera. I fully believe that Patti Jenkins and Gal Gadot will deliver on both of those statements. Wonder Woman will be in theaters on June 2nd, 2017

Transformers: Last Knight

This is a bit of a touchy franchise for me. I'm a child of 80’s and Optimus Prime is my favorite cartoon/toy character but after what I saw with Age of Extinction, I seriously doubted whether this would be a good series of movies again. I loved the first one for what it was, Revenge of the Fallen had it’s moments but that happened during the writers strike so I gave it a pass and Dark of the Moon was a slight improvement but it’s still Micheal Bay directed so you knew what you were getting. The only part I enjoyed with Age of Extinction was seeing the Dinobots and everything else was kind of forgettable. With this upcoming entry, there is a glimmer of hope with the addition of Sir Anthony Hopkins along with the return of Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson. I hope that Michael Bay heard the criticisms of the last film and will try to improve this struggling series of films but I still have my doubts. Transformers: The Last Knight will be in theaters on June 23rd, 2017

Spider-Man: Homecoming

When I saw Captain America: Civil War the 1st time, I teared up 4 times and 3 of those were because of Peter and Spider-Man so yeah, this is my most anticipated movie for next year by far. I think we've finally got the quintessential Peter/Spider-Man in Tom Holland and the cast is certainly nothing to overlook. Some of the names you've heard of already in Michael Keaton as Adrian Toomes/Vulture and Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark but the younger/supporting players are pretty solid. Donald Glover, Kenneth Choi, Martin Starr, Abraham Attah(who I believe will be Miles Morales) and depending on if you believe the rumors, Zendaya playing Mary Jane Watson. I love that Peter is being focused on when he’s a 16 year old kid since his High School stories are some of the best ones, which makes the John Hughes like style that is going to be portrayed quite brilliant if you think about it. I'm aware of the criticisms that this character has had with the 2nd and 3rd chances that he’s gotten but this is Marvel’s flagship character. As a fan, I want to see him done right and hopefully, out of the ashes of Sony’s mishandling, comes a perfect version of Spider-Man. Spider-Man:Homecoming will be in theaters on July 7th, 2017


Part 3 of this series will be available tomorrow

Review: Wonder Woman #11

Review: Wonder Woman #11

Submitted by: Theresa Stier

27 November 2016

“The Lies: Conclusion,” by Greg Rucka and artist Liam Sharp, is a very sad comic for Diana. She's with Steven at her “home”, with her mother. She's happy that she's with her mother and that she's not really dead, like she had believed. However, what makes this sad, is that she finds out that she was never home and that this was all a lie. She seemed very happy to be home, to be with her mother and her family again. Now, that's all gone and will most likely be gone forever. She's lucky to have Steven there with her, to help her see that something was wrong and that it didn't seem right. If she stayed in that place any longer, who knows what it would have done with her mind and her body.

I am curious to see what the next issue is going to bring, if Diana is going to find out how she was trapped in that lie. I hope she's not trapped in another fake reality before she finds out that answer. One thing is for sure though, Wonder Woman is a very strong character and she won't let this bring her down until she finds the answers that she's looking for.

The Verdict: Even though this is a sad comic, unless you don't like Wonder Woman (which I'm not sure why you would be reading this comic if that were the case), it is a comic that I would recommend. I have a feeling the net issue is going to give Diana some answers and I have a feeling when she gets those answers there's going to be some action.

Follow Theresa on Twitter @Smallville0628 and @Geektified for the latest comic reviews!  

 

WELCOME TO DC'S FIRST-EVER NEW TALENT SHOWCASE OF THE MODERN ERA!

A little over one year ago DC launched the Talent Development department. The goal: to find, instruct and nurture new and current DC talent. In just a short amount of time since the launch, DC has run two successful workshops taught by a few of the greatest creators and teachers in the business; one for writers led by Scott Snyder, and one for artists led by Klaus Janson and Jim Lee.

This year’s Showcase represents the work of writers from DC’s Writers Workshop Pilot Program, a 13-week program held January through March 2016, for professionals from an array of writing backgrounds who were brand-new to DC. The stories you’ll get to see in NEW TALENT SHOWCASE #1are just a glimpse of what they created during the workshop, and they represent the various strengths seen when these creators were asked to join DC.

Many of the artists represented here are also products of DC’s Artists Workshop Pilot Program from the fall of 2015. For that, DC invited current artists to the Burbank offices for a week of master classes, get-togethers with the editorial staff, tours of the offices and the amazing DC library, and discussions on craft with Jim Lee and Klaus Janson! These artists and their colorists, and letterer Josh Reed, were instrumental in bringing to life the vision and story put forth by the new writers showcased in this new publication.

We plan to make Showcase an annual event, and truly hope you enjoy what you see. Special thanks to our wonderful teachers/advisors: Klaus Janson, Andy Kubert, Jim Lee and Scott Snyder!

What follows is the first page of each story that will be featured in NEW TALENT SHOWCASE #1, available in comic book stores and online on November 30th. Please help welcome these new writers to DC! And big thanks to the artists that contributed to this year's Showcase!

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HELLBLAZER: THE ROAD TO HELL AND ALL THAT by Smith & Oum:“Being a dude from the south writing a famously British character was pretty intimidating, and with Steve Dillon passing away I’ve been thinking a lot about how much Hellblazer meant to me as that right book at that right time in my life.”–Adam Smith
WONDER WOMAN: BLOOD AND GLORY by Ayala, Randolph & Rauch:“Wonder Woman has always been monumentally important to me. She was strong yet gentle, a warrior and a peacemaker and, most important, her power was dependent on no man. She was everything I saw in my mother and my grandmother, and what I wanted for myself. I thought she was Puerto Rican for an embarrassingly long time, and while that was wrong, it was critical to the formation of my identity and my self-esteem. She protected my brown-ness, my queer-ness and the part of me that is woman.”–Vita Ayala 
WHITE LANTERN: DEAD BEACONS by Moreci, Bagenda & Fajardo Jr.“I’ve always been fascinated by space—the adventures, the exploration and taking the human story and pitting it against the unknown. Since I was a kid, Green Lantern has always resonated with me, but it was Kyle’s story that hit a major chord with me. I love how relatable he is, but he’s still driven by nobility and courage. He faces all those things I love about space with a set of eyes that feel like my own.”–Michael Moreci 
HAWKGIRL: WEAPONS OF WAR by Schultz & Liew“I’ve always been drawn to strong characters, but what really solidified my love for Shayera was the Justice League cartoon show. Maria Canals-Barrera and Susan Eisenberg voiced Hawkgirl and Wonder Woman, respectively, and their portrayals left an indelible mark on me. I was honored to be able to have Shayera fly once again.”–Erica Schultz    
DEADMAN: KILLING TIME by Sebela, Messina & Dinisio“When I was a kid buying comics for the first time, I found Mike Baron and Kelley Jones’ Deadman stories, which were so different from all the other Deadman stuff. Poetic and grotesque and emotional and creepy as heck. Those stories burned themselves into my mind and have stuck there ever since. When I got the chance to pick my first DC character I’d write for, well, Deadman had spent so much time occupying my mind, I thought it was only fair to put some thoughts in his.”–Christopher Sebela   
WONDER GIRL: DIGGING UP DEMONS by Khan, Lupacchino, McCarthy & Morey“Wonder Girl has been an exciting character for me to explore because she is young, flawed and relatable. As someone who also writes for children, it’s satisfying to work on a strong female role model who still faces challenges many can identify with, like falling for the wrong person and having her heart broken, or struggling in her relationship with her mother. She may not be perfect, and still has a lot to learn about herself and being a superhero, but that just makes Wonder Girl even more awesome!”–Hena Khan    
CATWOMAN/WONDER WOMAN: THE AMAZONIAN JOB by Beeby, Jung & Mulvihill“It was so tough to choose: I wanted to write the ‘bad girl’ Catwoman, with all her sardonic quips, but I also wanted to explore the strength and mythology of Wonder Woman. Then I had this crazy thought: maybe I don’t have to choose…? They’re not enemies, but they are opposites. It’s hard to even think of them together. But I’m nothing if not a sucker for a challenge!”–Emma Beeby   
SUPERMAN: THE MAN IN BLACK by McMillian & Ferreyra“One of the first titles that kicked off my obsession with comic books was SUPERMAN #21 by John Byrne, which I purchased off the rack at my local grocery store. Ever since Superman’s discovery of the post-Crisis Supergirl, I have been a major fan of the Last Son of Krypton. Not only is he the world’s greatest superhero, but he grew up in Kansas like me, which was a major plus. With ‘Man in Black’ I wanted to spark a story that juxtaposes Clark’s hometown roots with his sci-fi origins and add to his ever-expanding backstory. Hopefully I will one day get to continue Clark’s fateful run-in with Joker, the mysterious Mister Coal and the role Deputy Conrad “Bud” Hunt played in Clark’s childhood…and the secret he’s kept hidden for over thirty years.”–Michael McMillian 
HARLEY QUINN: GOOD MORNING, GOTHAM! by Jones, Lotfi & Pantazis“Because the story is so short I just wanted to have some fun with it, and there is no better character for zany good times than Harley!”–Joëlle Jones

Review: Wonder Woman #7

Review: Wonder Woman #7

Submitted by: Theresa Stier, Comic News Writer

28 September 2016

“The Lies: Part Four,” by Greg Rucka and artist Liam Sharp is an action packed one, but that's not surprising considering it's a Wonder Woman comic. First, Wonder Woman saves a group of girls that have been taken from their homes. She doesn't take them to safety (her friends do). She tells the girls that they will be safe and when Wonder Woman says that, you best believe her. Wonder Woman is one of those characters that you know won't double cross you and send you into a trap.

Instead she and Cheetah go to find (and fight) Urzkartaga. Cheetah and Wonder Woman are definitely two women you want on your team, especially if you are up against some supernatural like creature (or fighting any bad guy for that matter). By fighting, and defeating, Urzkaratage, this frees Barbara Ann. She keeps telling her Wonder Woman that he lied, that everything that he made her do was a lie. Diana makes sure that she knows that she's okay and that she's there. This is why Wonder Woman is such a great character and such a great hero.

The Verdict: This comic is one that shows just how great of a hero Wonder Woman is. She's a strong woman, that's for sure, and this comic captures that. I'm curious to see what the next issue brings and what is in store for Wonder Woman.

Follow Theresa on Twitter @Smallville0628 and @Geektified for the latest comic reviews!  

Top 10 Justice League Episodes

      With the live-action Justice League movie making headlines around the world, we here at Geektified thought we'd share some love for Bruce Timm's animated Justice League. Airing in the early 2000s, the animated series was nominated for nearly a dozen awards, including two Emmys, and is regularly cited as one of the best animated series of all time.

      Justice League ran for five seasons and actually comprises two shows: Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. After the conclusion of the second season, Justice League was retooled/renamed Justice League Unlimited for the remaining three seasons. JLU differs from its predecessor in that it has a larger variety of characters and the two-part episode structure is replaced with a single episode structure. Besides those two differences, the only real reason for the name change is to confuse new legions of fans.

      The series is terrific for both newcomers and veterans of DC Comics and is enjoyable for any age group. A great jumping off point, Justice League truly excels at embracing the huge scope of the DC Universe, introducing fans to more obscure favorites like Solomon Grundy and Booster Gold, all while telling exciting and character-driven stories.

       We highly recommend that you watch all of the episodes, but if you want a taste of what Justice League can offer, Geektified has assembled our own super-team of episodes that you need to see before the release of the new movie. Without further ado, the Justice League Top 10.


1) Injustice For All (Season 1, Episodes 18-19)


     
         Not every television show works right out of the gate. Despite the experience that creators Bruce Timm and Paul Dini had with animated DC franchises, Justice League initially struggled to find its footing, unsure how mature it wanted to be in tone and subject matter. This episode doesn't fully commit to the more adult themes, but it does show glimmers of what Justice League would ultimately become.

The plot kicks off when Lex Luthor assembles his own team of super-villains to fight the Justice League. In keeping with the wide-ranging spirit of the show, Lex's team features mainstream staples like The Joker, but also lesser-known characters like Star Sapphire, Ultra-Humanite and Solomon Grundy.

What makes this episode special is that the writers imbue all of the characters with recognizable personalities and motives. Rather than stock heroes and villains, we see the real characters for the first time. That's what allows Batman, when taken captive, to fight the Injustice League (Luthor's genius evidently doesn't lie in branding) with nothing more than words. Maybe not an all-time great, but “Injustice For All” is a fun episode that shows the true potential of the series.

2) Wild Cards (Season 2, Episodes 22-23)



        We warmed up with “Injustice For All”, but “Wild Cards” is Justice League playing with a full deck (Ed Note: We are so, so sorry). “Wild Cards” is aptly named, not only because it takes place in Vegas and features the Royal Flush Gang, but because it just keeps throwing more and more surprises at us.

A seemingly routine mission to disarm a bomb in Vegas goes truly off the rails with the introduction of The Joker. Starting with The Joker's bomb being both more and less than it seems, the ante is upped continuously throughout the episode (Ed Note: We are looking into who hired this guy. Somebody will be fired for this blunder). To make things even more interesting, The Joker is filming the superhero proceedings and proceeds to narrate the action directly to us, the audience, turning the action into it's own show within the show. This isn't superfluous either, but leads to even more twists and turns. Fake bomb reveals, brainwashing, government experiments, psychological terror, fourth wall breaking, explosions galore - this episode has it all. A masterwork of writing, directing, and voice acting.

But beyond all the plot pyrotechnics, this episode is about trust. We see it with The Flash trusting Batman's bomb expertise, with Superman pleading with a foe to believe that he is not the enemy, and with the Joker's inevitable defeat. Nowhere do we see the theme of trust more than in the romance that lies at the heart of this episode. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl have been edging towards a relationship all season and “Wild Cards” delivers on that in spades (Ed Note: This hurts us as much as it hurts you). Their beautiful final shot together shows that Hawkgirl trusts Green Lantern with her identity as well as her life.

3) Starcrossed (Season 2, Episodes 24-26)



        In an incredible conclusion to season two, all of the heroes' secrets are unearthed. If “Wild Cards” was about trust, this episode is surely about betrayal. Conflicting loyalties cause the Justice League to be torn apart from the inside and all their chickens come home to roost. Earth is occupied by an alien force and the remaining Justice League superheroes must flee into the populace, blending in to survive.

A three-part epic, this episode has something for everyone: romance, action, cheesy one-liners, the list goes on! This episode is a favorite because of the operatic drama and expansive action, but also because of the little moments. Batman and Wonder Woman, close to being caught, are saved by a café owner who was simply moved to help strangers. We hear so much about protecting Earth and this episode reminds us why it is so worth protecting.

This could have been the last episode of Justice League and the show makes sure we understand that while there may be betrayal and heartbreak, there is also forgiveness and compassion. A bittersweet finale that shows just how far this show has come.

4) Fearful Symmetry (Season 3, Episode 4)



        With the introduction of more superheroes, supervillains, and vigilantes, Justice League Unlimited naturally gravitates towards more morally gray areas. An expanded cast means more viewpoints as each hero has a different idea of the problems in society and how to tackle them. “Fearful Symmetry” is the first episode to really capitalize on this idea.

When Supergirl, a new introduction to the Justice League, begins to have hyper-realistic and disturbingly violent dreams, she looks for help among her new colleagues. This leads to the introduction of The Question, a faceless muttering conspiracy nut, who is a highlight throughout Justice League Unlimited.

Supergirl, The Question, and Green Arrow track down the source of her visions and find themselves pitted against nothing less than the US government. This is the beginning of what is often called the Cadmus Arc which pops up throughout the next two seasons. Arguably the most mature examination of superheroes in an animated medium, the arc explores the famous maxim: “Who watches the Watchmen?”

5) The Cat and the Canary (Season 4, Episode 1)



        Season 4 is the apex of Justice League and “The Cat and the Canary” starts out the season in style. Before the CW's Arrow we could see Black Canary and Green Arrow together right here. After Black Canary discovers that her mentor, Wildcat, is illegally fighting instead of helping the Justice League, she enlists Green Arrow to help track him down.

On one level, “The Cat and the Canary” is about how even heroes need to feel needed and validated. But mostly it's just a whole lot of fun. The episode has a ton of kinetic action sequences and pairs those with some great comedy.

Also want to point out that Morena Baccarin does a great job voicing Black Canary. Whoever was in charge of casting must have loved Joss Whedon shows because we are also gifted with the voice stylings of Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof and Juliet Landau. Didn't mention it at the top, but the voice casting in general for Justice League/Justice League Unlimited is incredible (and incredibly Geeky). It is hard to think of another show with such a wealth of talent.

6) Task Force X (Season 4, Episode 4)



       Whether or not you enjoyed this summer's Suicide Squad, you will love “Task Force X”. In a continuation of the Cadmus Arc started in “Fearful Symmetry”, the government attempts to use villains to infiltrate Justice League headquarters.

A classic heist episode, complete with double-dealing and backstabbing, this episode is fantastic entertainment from start to finish. A great examination of doing bad thing for a good reason, the only regret is that we didn't get an entire series dedicated to these villains.

7) Double Date (Season 4, Episode 6) 



       Who knew that an episode about revenge could be so much fun? The Huntress, a decidedly lesser-tier superhero, is expelled from the Justice League after seeking out the supervillain who killed her father. For help in tracking him down, Huntress turns to none other than the Question. The Question agrees to help but only for his own enigmatic reasons.

Opposing the Huntress and Question are power couple Black Canary and Green Arrow. Heroes fight heroes as the villain watches with amusement. A perfect balance between dark themes and sparkling dialogue easily vaults this episode into our Top 10.

8) Question Authority (Season 4, Episode 9)



        The entire Cadmus Arc, and arguably the entire DC Animated Universe, has built to this episode and it was the first pick for the Geektified list. In a recurring theme for our Top 10, it also heavily features The Question.

Events kick into high-gear when The Question and Huntress discover a video tape showing Superman murdering Lex Luthor. Although he knows this is an alternate reality (see Justice League episode “Legends” for the backstory here), The Question believes that this reality is just one push away from doing the same. Determined to prevent the same catastrophe from befalling the Justice League in this dimension, The Question decides to deal with Luthor himself. Of course when The Question catches up with Luthor, he finds that he's been playing the wrong game all along.

Meanwhile, Superman must deal with the fallout of the tape and questions about his own power. A personal story for Superman as well as the rest of the superheroes, “Question Authority” is a mature meditation on paranoia, trust, and power. The first of three consecutive episodes that bring the Cadmus Arc to a satisfying close, “Question Authority” may be the high point of the series as a whole.

9) Flash and Substance (Season 5, Episode 5)



         If “Question Authority” was a dark and mature examination of power, “Flash and Substance” shows a kinder more gentler side to superheroics. This episode shines a spotlight on The Flash, showing that what makes him a superhero is mostly his innate good-natured outlook.

This episode really just celebrates being a good humble person with your heart in the right place. Sure there are villains and grudges, but when we connect to each other and believe in what we do, the world is a much better place for it. Plus, this is one of the funniest episodes in the entire show.  A quirky favorite, “Flash and Substance” proves that in an age of dark and gritty superheroes, more optimistic and light-hearted fare can be just as powerful.

10) Destroyer (Season 5, Episode 13)



        The final episode of Justice League Unlimited and the connected DC Animated Universe, “Destroyer” is the end of an era. A more fitting tribute to DC comics would be hard to find. We see all kinds of characters here, from Superman to Giganta, all teaming up to fight the villainous Darkseid.

The entire episode is essentially one giant fight sequence and director Dos Santos delivers. A lot of rip-roaring sequences ending with an all-time great Superman beat down. This may not be the strongest episode in terms of plotting, but emotionally it is very powerful and serves as a fitting sendoff to a great series.

Honorable Mentions: The Terror Beyond (Season 2, Episodes 15-16), This Little Piggy (Season 3, Episode 6), Flashpoint (Season 4, Episode 10), The Great Brain Robbery (Season 5, Episode 8)

We hope you enjoyed this list. If you've seen the show, please let us know your Top 10 in the comments and, if you want any other Geeky show to be given the Top 10 treatment, be sure to shoot us a message so we can agonize over those. Full episodes of both Justice League and Justice League Unlimited are available on Netflix.