Watchmen TV Series in the Works

Ok, so it’s not technically set in stone yet, but the co-creator of Lost and The Leftovers – David Lindelof – is in talks with HBO for a potential Watchmen series, based on the epic Graphic Novel by Alan Moore.

The project is in really early stages at the moment, but Lindelof is super keen to be a part of it, regularly stating that he used to read the comics as a child, and that they continue to influence his work.

Lindelof is no stranger to HBO either. His current series, The Leftovers – which is an adaption of Tom Perotta’s novel with the same name, has recently premiered its third and final season, gaining unanimous acclaim from critics.

As a huge fan of both Moore’s graphic novel, and Zack Snyder’s 2009 movie adaption, I’m incredibly excited to see what comes of this. What do you think of a Watchmen reboot? Would you watch it?

Superhero Tan Lines

Today marks the first official day of Summer, and the longest day of the year, so make sure you wear plenty of sun cream, or you’ll end up like these iconic DC superheroes – can you guess which one is which?

See Mike Draws shows us what happens when you wear your costume out in the sun – though I can’t imagine Batman or Robin get too many tan lines since they mainly fight crime at night.

Villains Need Love Too

If you’re struggling through Monday as much as I am, you might appreciate these illustrations by artist Nacho Diaz – they’ve certainly made my week a hell of a lot better. Depicting heroes hugging their evil counterpart / misunderstood frenemies – depending on which way your moral compass points, these pictures are beyond cute.

Diaz’s collection is aptly named Villains need love too, and include the likes of Batman and the Joker, Harry and Voldemort, Han Solo and Jabba, and my favourite – Deadpool and.. Deadpool. You can see my favourites below, but if you need more cute in your life, check the rest out here. Which one’s your favourite?

Five New Comics Hitting the Shelves This Week

Jimmy’s Bastards

Writer: Garth Ennis

Artist: Russell Braun

Publisher: After Shock Comics

Jimmy Regent, Britain’s number one super-spy, has got it all: intrigue, adventure, a license to shoot whoever he likes and beautiful women falling at his feet. He also has a new partner who isn’t quite as impressed by Jimmy as all other women appear to be. Now, there’s a price to pay for Jimmy’s multiple romantic conquests – the results of which are about to come calling in the worst possible way…

If you watched the first season of Preacher, you may be familiar with Garth Ennis, who wrote the graphic novel the show is based on. Well Ennis is back with a brand new comic, only this one is based on a spy rather than a priest. Picture James Bond – behind the scenes, as Jimmy’s Bastards revels how living the life of a spy can come with some worrying consequences.

Defenders

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: David Marquez

Publisher: Marvel

Daredevil! Luke Cage! Jessica Jones! Iron Fist! Individually, these four heroes have been on the front lines of the battle to keep the streets of the city safe and secure! But now, with a deadly enemy from the dim past making a major move to unite the underworld, they will need to become more – they will need to become DEFENDERS!

With the Defenders TV series debuting in August, this comic has come in the neck of time for those wanting to learn a little bit more about the team. Based in the same gritty world and written by comic royalty, Brian Michael Bendis, – who is more than familiar with these characters – Defenders is a must read this week. Expect to see the likes of Black Cat and Kingpin making an appearance as well.

Briggs Land Lone Wolves

Writer: Brian Wood

Artist: Mack Chater

Publisher: Dark Horse

Isaac Briggs, fresh off a tour in Afghanistan and struggling to reintegrate, finds solace hiking the old forest trails. When two random backpackers wander onto the Land, an innocent situation quickly turns dangerous and Isaac’s military training takes a turn down a dark path. Welcome to Briggs Land, nearly a hundred square miles of rural wilderness, representing the largest anti-government secessionist movement in the United States.

Already in development for a TV series on AMC, Biggs Land is an incredibly topical comic, focusing on issues such as religious extremism, domestic terror, and ultra-nationalism, and with a large cast of characters, it’s going to be hard not to find someone to relate to. If you’re looking to get familiar with the characters before they hit the little screen, it’s a must read.

Secret Empire: United

Writer: Jim Zub

Artist: Ario Anindito

Publisher: Marvel

Steve Rogers has finally brought peace to the planet, securing the borders of the land that he loves against any and all threats. And his peace will be maintained-by any means necessary. So when skirmishes break out on the outskirts of mutant-controlled territory, Hydra’s supreme leader takes matters into his own hands…

Marvel Comics have released another upcoming Secret Empire tie-in; a super-powered thriller where the Avengers, X-Men and Hydra battle it out to find their place in the new world. This is a Marvel I’m not used to, where everyone seems to be on edge. It will be interesting to see which mutants pop up, though we can expect to see Archangel, Magik and Sebastian Shaw.

Dark Days: The Forge

Writer: Scott Snyder, James Tynion

Artist: Jim Lee, Andy Kubert, John Romita Jr.

Publisher: DC Comics

Aquaman, The Flash and more of DC’s pantheon of heroes suspect Batman of hiding a dark secret that could threaten the very existence of the multiverse! It’s an epic that will span generations-but how does it connect to the origins of one of DC’s most legendary heroes?

The great comics event of summer 2017 is about to begin, courtesy of superstar writers Scott Snyder and James Tynion, along with a master class of artists. Dark days is probably worth reading on talent alone, but with the promise of huge revelations about the past, present and future of the cosmology of DC, this will definitely not be a comic you’ll want to miss out on.

Five New Comics Hitting The Shelves This Week

Misfit City

Writer: Kiwi Smith

Artist: Naomi Franquiz

Publisher: Boom studios

Nothing’s happened in Wilder’s hometown since they filmed that cult kids’ adventure movie there in the 80s…but that’s ancient history. Until one day, she and her friends come upon a centuries-old pirate map drawn by someone named Black Mary…and find out there might be some REAL adventure in their tiny town after all!

Misfit City looks to be 2017’s answer to those great, imaginative adventure movies we got to watch as kids – you know, The Goonies / ET. Only this time, picture a kick ass team of girls – it’s not just straight white boys who yearn for adventure. If you like Lumberjanes and Goldie Vance, you need to check out Misfit City. Plus, the comic has been written by the queen of girl power movies, Kiwi Smith, who wrote the likes of 10 Things I Hate About You, Legally Blonde, and The House Bunny.

Rocket

Writer: Al Ewing

Artist: Adam Gorham

Publisher: Marvel

It’s a dirty universe out there, even when you’re not regularly mistaken for trash-foraging vermin. And it’s about to get dirtier. He thought his paws were clean, that he was on the up-and-up. But then an old flame swam back into his life, and he was back in the game… the heist game. If you need a safe cracked, a vault busted or a score taken…ask for Rocket. Just don’t call him a raccoon.

We’re all familiar with the cheeky Raccoon that has been gracing our screens recently with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but we’ve only glimpsed his villainous side. Rocket will explore his life of crime in more detail, so if you’re a big fan of the rodent, you need to check this out. The comic is penned by Marvel alum Al Ewing who has written Mighty Avengers and Loki: Agent of Asgard.

Bug: The Adventures of Forager

Writer: Lee Allred

Artist: Michael Allred

Publisher: DC Comics

Forager is just one of the Hive before he breaks out of his cocoon and finds himself in a mysterious house in an unknown realm. There he meets all kinds of strange creatures: a ghostly girl, a talking teddy bear and otherworldly weirdos that have literally jumped out of his worst nightmares. But these interdimensional oddballs are nothing compared to the evil General Electric, who is on the hunt for a reality-bending metal that could alter the fabric of life itself. To stay one step ahead of him and preserve the multiverse, Forager must travel through alternate dimensions to seek the metal and, hopefully, catch up with that cagey stuffed bear. If he does it, will he finally be able to distinguish himself as a New God?

Bug is DC’s latest tribute to Jack Kirby for his centenary. Written and drawn by ‘the first family of comics’; Eisner Award winning brothers Lee and Michael, Bug will give you a closer look at some of the more obscure characters from the DC Universe. If you’re looking for something strange but wonderful, and full of colour, this comic needs to be on top of your to buy list this week.

Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel

Writer: Kieron Gillen

Artist: Marco Checchetto

Publisher: Marvel

Rebel pilot and rogue archaeologist wander side by side into the darkest shadows of the galaxy as Luke Skywalker reluctantly teams up with Doctor Aphra! The Doctor makes Luke an offer he can’t afford to pass up, one that leads him to a very rare gathering at the heart of the infamous Screaming Citadel. Will Luke find what he’s looking for? Can Aphra be trusted? Or will they both wind up victims of the Citadel’s Queen?

The Screaming Citadel is a crossover between Kieron’s Doctor Aphra series and Jason Aaron’s Star Wars – joining all the characters from both to form a new gothic-horror story. Expect to see the likes of Han and Leia, along with a host of new characters. If you’re a fan of the original trilogy and want to explore the characters a little more, make sure you check this out.

Ghostbusters: Funko Universe

Writer: Troy Dye

Artist: Phillip Murphy

Publisher: IDW

An ancient Japanese prophecy foretold that when the Masters of the Four Winds unite, they would become unstoppable. Instead, the four masters killed each other in battle, proving the prophecy false. More than 600-years later, an ancient shuriken is unearthed, releasing the spirit of one of the masters to seek out and resurrect the other three in order to fulfill the prophecy. Now, the only thing that stands between the undead ninja and the destruction of the land of the living is… the Ghostbusters!

It’s impossible not to love Funko’s Pop Vinyl figures, with their oversized heads and big beady eyes. Now, Funko and IDW are joining forces to bring a us a comic FULL of the adorable toys. If you’re in need of a cute fix, make sure you pick up this one shot.

Justice League Teasers

Get ready guys – DC are releasing the first theatrical trailer for the upcoming Justice League movie later today. Who else is stoked? I’m probably one of the few people who prefer DC to Marvel, and even though Batman V Superman didn’t quite meet my expectations, I’m still super excited to see the whole team together in one movie.

To tide us over, Warner Bros have kindly offered up some teasers for each of the main characters. That includes Batman, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, and Cyborg – there isn’t one for Superman as of yet.

Check them all out below, along with some character posters. Who are you looking forward to seeing the most?

AQUAMAN

Here we get a quick peak at Arthur Curry, aka. Aquaman – played by Jason Momoa. The teaser shows snippets of Aquaman facing waves, being handed the Trident of Neptune, and most excitedly, using the trident – which is a magical weapon that gives its wielder divine power over the sea. There’s also a rather dramatic shot of the whole team, minus Superman.

BATMAN

We already got quite familiar with Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne in Batman V Superman, so this teaser isn’t really showing us anything new. We do however get a quick look at the parademons – those flying human wasp things from BvS – as the Batmobile blasts them from the sky. It seems we’ll be finding out a little bit more about these creatures in Justice League.

THE FLASH

Ezra Miller plays Barry Allen in this teaser. The best thing by far is getting to see The Flash show off his lightning bolt speed, but we also get a close up of his costume whilst he prepares for battle, and a glimpse of a casual looking Allen in his apartment. We got quite a good look at The Flash in Suicide Squad last year but it’s still nice to see more of him.

WONDER WOMAN

This was the longest teaser out of all of them. At first we see Diana Prince examining a massive statue, we then catch a glimpse of her entering a hanger holding a huge carrier – presumably the Flying Fox. In the third snippet, Gal Gadot is dressed in her Wonder Woman garb, and finally we see her protecting herself from some sort of blast with her cuffs. I cannot wait for the Wonder Woman movie.

CYBORG

I probably know least about Cyborg out of all the Justice League members, so this teaser has been the most exciting one for me. Ray Fisher plays Cyborg in this clip, where we get to see him before and after the accident that turns him into alter ego Cyborg – who looks incredible. Check out those arm cannons. He literally blasts a piece of falling building to smithereens.

Suicide Squad Posters

These were actually released quite some time ago, but just in case you haven’t seen them, I had to show you – because they’re super sexy. Seriously, are these not the coolest posters? No cliché landscape background, just a simple animated skull made to look like each character. 

You don’t even need to read the label because each character is distinctive enough as is. Katana with her mask, Rick Flag with his cap.. I think Enchantress is my favourite, but I love the fact they’ve given Harley a heart and a diamond for her eyes. What did you think of them? I kind of want some for my house!

  
    
    
    
    
   

Rock Candy Funko Figures

Funko is probably best known for their cute chibi style Pop! Vinyls, but they also have a huge range of other toys and figures available which they seem to add to every year. Their latest collection is a new line called Rock Candy, showcasing the ‘most powerful women around’, and I already adore them.

These new vinyl figures stand at 5 inches tall and come with a removable base. They will launch in June with a collection of heroines from the DC universe; Sugergirl, Harley Quinn, Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman (Batman v Superman), Batgirl, and Batgirl (Burnside) – my personal favourite.

The figures can currently be pre-ordered from Entertainment Earth for $10.99.

  
  

Batman v Superman Pop! Vinyls

The one movie I’ve been looking forward to watching in 2016, above any other, is Batman v Superman. I don’t think it will be the greatest movie in the world, but I LOVE Batman and everything he stands for, so no matter what the movie is like, I HAVE to watch it, and I already know I’ll love it.

I’m preparing my pockets for the inevitably huge array of merchandise coming to tie in with the film, and already know what my first purchase will be – a new Batman Pop! Vinyl to add to my collection. Funko have just released images of their Batman v Superman Pop! Vinyl collection, and they are perfect.

The collection includes Batman, Knightmare Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Superman, and a Superman Soldier. Knightmare Batman has gone straight to the top of my want list. He looks steampunkly badass with his clenched fists, trench coat and goggles. I’m also in love with their Aquaman. The detail on this pop is incredible; all of his tattoos are there. Funko have even added Jason Mamoa’s iconic missing chunk of eyebrow.

I can’t find a specific date detailing when they will be available, but January 2016 is listed so I expect soon. You can pre-order now from Entertainment Earth.

   
    
    
 

Will Batgirl be in Batman v. Superman?

At the beginning of the year, it was revealed that actress Jena Malone had been cast in Zack Snyder’s Batman v. Superman. Her role was never confirmed, but a drastically short, ginger haircut led everyone to speculate that she would be playing the role of Carrie Kelly, otherwise known as Robin.

A female Robin you say. Well yes, in Frank Millers graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns, Batman’s sidekick is a girl. It’s no secret that Snyder is basing aspects of his movie on Miller’s Batman novel, so it seemed like the most appropriate role for her. I mean, give her some glasses and she could be Carrie Kelly’s doppelganger.

Well it turns out we were wrong because word on the grapevine suggests that Jena has supposedly been cast as none other than Barbara Gordon. Barbara is best known as being the vigilante Batgirl, but she has previously gone by a second alias during her time in Gotham City; Oracle.

You’ve probably all heard of Batgirl, but Oracle is a little less known. The character came to life after Babs was paralyzed by the Joker in Alan Moore’s graphic novel, Killing Joke. Instead of retiring from the superhero world, she combined her extensive computer knowledge, hacking abilities, and photographic memory together to form Oracle, who acts as an information network source for the superhero community.

So which Barbara is Jena Malone going to play; Batgirl or Oracle? As a massive fan of both characters – like, MASSIVE, I can’t particularly picture her playing either, but then.. I’m not sure I visioned Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor until I saw it with my own two eyes.

Thinking about Malone’s previous roles in Sucker Punch and Pride & Prejudice lead me to believe she would play a better Batgirl, but I would love to see Oracle on screen. What do you think? Batgirl or Oracle? Will Malone do the role justice?