Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Duology (2012, 2013)

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Felix Vasquez

For better and for worse “The Dark Knight Returns” duology is a loyal adaptation of the Frank Miller graphic novel. Both films are very ugly and violent, not to mention incredibly grim to the point where any and all sense of entertainment value is absolutely gone. Miller’s tale of Batman is violent and grotesque, painting Batman more as an avenger of the people while Superman is a despicable asshole working as a fascist tool to help restore order for a president whose lust for violence is very laissez faire. “The Dark Knight Returns Part I” is actually quite riveting with brilliant animation, as Bruce Wayne experiences a mental crack in the vein of his past foes, and uses his insanity as a form of instilling justice. Even Commissioner Gordon has somewhat given in to his baser urges and turned to Batman as a means of hope by putting in jeopardy all of his beliefs, and completely dismissing the establishment altogether.

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Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Felix Vasquez

When “Batman Beyond” was introduced in 1999, fans of old and new were given a peek in to a Batman for a new generation while also exploring what happened to Bruce Wayne’s legacy many decades in to Gotham’s Future. When the series took off, fans were able to see that the legacy of the Joker lived on, as he inspired one of future Gotham’s most violent army of gang members “The Jokers,” however we were never given a definitive explanation as to what happened to the clown prince of crime. “Return of the Joker” holds true to its title, spending a feature length narrative explaining what happened to the Joker and how he left a lasting scar on Bruce Wayne and his family.

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The Batman Superman Movie: World’s Finest (1997)

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Felix Vasquez

In 1997, Batman the animated Series moved over from FOX to the Warner Bros. Channel Kids WB and the two superheroes Batman and Superman were unofficially together. To maximize ratings, Warner teamed the pairing of DC Comics titans for “Batman/Superman” which involved new episodes of both shows on alternating weeks. They would also eventually cross over in to one anothers’ universe. Taking off from the successful series of crossovers, Warner launched the TV movie “World’s Finest,” and it’s a bang up success all things considered. “World’s Finest” manages to take what we love most about both series, and plays Superman and Batman off of one another beautifully.

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“Marvel’s Daredevil” Season Two Review, Top 5 Moments of the Season

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Felix Vasquez

I for one loved the introduction of “Daredevil” to the small screen universe. Much like Spider-Man, his is a character that works much better in episodic form rather than feature film format where every narrative has to be compressed. I loved what Marvl brought to the table with the first season, so it’s surprising to say that season two is not only better, but a huge improvement every way shape and form. Season two is, dare I say, amazing. The suit is better, the choreography is better, the performances are better, the writing is killer, and the characters have evolved from the last time we saw them. The entire battle with Wilson Fisk in season one felt a tad stretched out for the sake of a season. This time around the show provides Matt Murdock with two central plots and three sub-plots. At thirteen episodes, the show never feels padded, nor does a single episode feel like filler.

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Five Marvel Characters Who Should Fill Iron Man’s Shoes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Felix Vasquez

With the news that we likely won’t be getting an “Iron Man 4” and increasing rumors that Robert Downey Jr. might end his run as Tony Stark and Iron Man for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, director Joe Russo explained that if Downey Jr. leaves the series, Iron Man might go away for a while. Iron Man experienced a huge comeback in the early aughts thanks to John Favreau bringing him in to a very successful and excellent live action film. Iron Man then became the foundation the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe was built upon, spawning the seeds for the Avengers movie, and then opening the door for a wave of Marvel superhero movies we see now.

With the potential departure of Downey Jr. and Iron Man, it would present a good opportunity to bring the Marvel Cinematic Universe in to a new era, and offer up some new dynamics and interactions between their superheroes. Many forget that once upon a time Iron Man was considered a fourth tier superhero. Before being rebooted in 2008 and transformed in to an icon, Iron Man was quite unpopular for a very long time, and even mocked by many comic book fans. The nineties saw Marvel trying to reboot the character repeatedly with no success, even bringing in a teenage Tony Stark to take over for adult Tony Stark. With Iron Man receiving his proper fame and admiration, since he is one of the early Marvel titans and one of the founding members of the Avengers, should Downey Jr. exit the series, it’d be a great chance to pass the torch on to another hero.

Here are five other Marvel characters who could and should fill Iron Man’s shoes if Iron Man is not included in future Marvel and “The Avengers” films.

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