Whether “Hancock” ends up as a fantastic attempt at creating a franchise around an original hero, or just a pure messy product of a big star known for hits like “Wild Wild West” and… ugh… “Men in Black” will be irrelevant in the end. Because even after the receipts have been counted, the message is loud and clear. “Hancock” is a try for a superhero that’s anything other than Caucasian. In a season of comic book movies where all the major men in tights are white, “Hancock” seems to be Will Smith’s own Superman. It’s his superhero.
And that inspired this new list. Our top 10 Minority Superheroes. Most of whom could make for some interesting movies. Oddly enough I had a tough time finding great minority superheroes, wouldn’t you know it? I could have opted for more Asian choices but they’re already quite prominent in comics and pop culture with the same glut of stereotypes, but with much more accessibility. Hispanic and African American Superheroes, though? The pot strains it thin, but I was up for the challenge.
On the cusp of the upcoming “The Dark Knight,” Warner Bros. has taken the two best animated Batman movies ever made, and re-packaged them together for a double feature DVD with the extras. Now I bet you’re fuming that you spent ten bucks on “Mask of the Phantasm” when you can now get it for essentially the same price but with another movie, and I don’t blame you, but I don’t have either of these movies, and for someone like me looking for a Batman fix before “The Dark Knight” juggernaut slams onto the big screens, this double feature DVD comes with convenience, and good timing. Timm did Batman like no one else did Batman, and that’s a true caveat as well.
It was the Atomic age, it was the age of cynicism, is the age of optimism, it was the age of civil rights and feminism, yes folks, “Justice League: New Frontier” is not just a new frontier in its world, but a new frontier for the DC Animated Universe who for once approach a more adult Justice League with intellect, sophistication, and wonderful if startling glimpses at politics, racism, and military corruption. The folks behind the film vie for a more young adult approach by offering perspectives both psychological and social in these hero’s lives and dares to look behind the gods into the personalities.
This new WB series featured the introduction of a new style of animation for the new Millennium of DC audiences. Once WB broke out of the Bruce Timm era, “Teen Titans” ushered in a semi-anime style that was influential and hipper, arguably. The quasi-anime was appealing to the pre-teens and tweens who didn’t quite like the Timm blocky style. “Legion of Superheroes” is a much more dramatic turn for the animation aside from the goofy and often over the top “Teen Titans.” Inspired by “The Animated Series,” the Legion needs the help of their god, the one and only Superman. The Legion now lives in a reality where Superman is the one and only inspiration for young avengers, even with monuments built in his honor.