Category Archives: DC Comics

DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Featured, iEditorial, In Primetime, The CW

iFeature | The CW’s In Full “CRISIS” Control

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It’s all been leading up to this moment! The CW’s DC primetime universe is about to get a full-on reboot as the countdown to “Crisis on Infinite Earths” begins and an anti-matter wave comes closer to erasing the “Arrowverse”.

And then all of a sudden…there was one! One primetime universe that is! If you watched last night’s episode of The CW series Batwoman into the final act, similarly to last year’s “Elseworlds” stinger, it was revealed that Nash Wells (Tom Cavanagh) interpreted the mysterious hieroglyphs uncovered in the tunnels beneath Central City and has unleashed something sinister upon the multiverse! We’re not exactly sure what that might be — at least not yet (but we have an idea)! The intrepid adventurer disappeared in a blast of intense white light!

Heroes united! The cast are gathered to challenge the fate of the multiverse.

If you’ve read DC Comic’s 12-part epic maxi-series Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez published in 1985, and carefully deciphered the teaser trailers that have been promoting this season’s crossover event then you have an idea what role Nash has assumed in our still developing melodrama. “Some worlds will live, and some worlds will die…but nothing will ever be the same again,” was the tag line promoting the comic book run of “Crisis” and ultimately it made good on its promise. The series altered the fabric of the publishing imprint’s 50 year history.

Unless you were a Marvel Comic devotee at the time, readership was very low across the industry and new audiences coming into the genre were finding that DC’s extensive and very convoluted history was turning readers off. In order to make sense of its “Golden Age” heroes versus their contemporary “Silver Age” counterparts, DC introduced very early on the concept of a “multiverse” of earths separated by unique vibrations where its heroes like Barry Allen, The Flash of Earth-1 could join in adventures with Jay Garrick, The Flash of Earth-2.

The heroes of the DC primetime universe are preparing to meet their fate in the epic crossover “Crisis on Infinite Earths” based on the DC comics of the same name.

To Infinity and Beyond!

Somewhere along the way it became too much for anyone to follow (or even care about) and the brass at DC was eager to find a way to simplify the continuity. Enter Wolfman and Pérez who came up with the story that would solve the issue of why there were two Supermen, Batmen, etc. and streamlined the natural narrative of the DC Universe into a much more cohesive chronology that enhanced the legacy of our heroes through the ages. The idea of the multiverse came into play early on The CW network with The Flash starring Grant Gustin in Season 2.

When The Flash returned for its sophomore season in 2015 it immediately went to work to expand the worlds of the “Arrowverse” (the title given to The CW primetime series that featured DC comics properties, launched with Arrow in 2013 and produced by Greg Berlanti). By then the primetime spectrum incorporated the team ensemble series DC’s Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl starring Melissa Benoist as the Maid of Steel. The urban vigilantism of Arrow starring Stephen Amell as the Green Arrow gave way to a world of metas, magic and more!

While the intrepid cadre of “losers” on DC’s Legends (made up of several featured players that had appeared on Arrow and The Flash) navigated the time-stream, Supergirl firmly established that its storyline existed outside of The CW’s “Earth-1” — and thus a multiverse was born. Gustin and Benoist on the virtue of their personal and professional history (both were featured on FOX’s Glee) immediately engaged in teaming up. The Flash appeared in Supergirl’s National City (on “Earth-38”) during the show’s First Season.

Crossover Event Spectacular!

Since then and on an annual basis (when the series schedules work themselves into the winter hiatus) the series have found a way of crossing over in much the same fashion that the superheroes would team-up in the comic books they’re based on. For “Crisis” the latest crossover epic, a similar expectation is being lump onto it’s televised adaptation as was envisioned by the imprint when the 12-issue maxi series was released — in a dramatic 5-part televised event that at its conclusion will in some way have a lasting effect on the mythology of its characters.

Taking advantage of the primetime multiverse The CW network has benefited from since the debut of Arrow eight seasons ago Marc Guggenheim, one of the architects behind the success of that series and many of the “Arrowverse” spin-offs that followed, has been the executive producer pulling the strings behind the curtain to bring “Crisis” to primetime. The groundwork had been laid down since last season’s “Elseworlds” event, which had been scaled down to 3-parts and centered mostly around the TV Trinity of heroes: Green Arrow, The Flash and Supergirl.

That crossover event immediately established the significance of a perpetually long-established “multiverse” and was illustrated with the appearance of John Wesley Shipp (a series recurring guest star on The Flash) reprising his titular role as The Flash as the hero appeared in the CBS 1990 series, facing off against the mysterious “Monitor” (guest star LaMonica Garrett) an omnipotent character warning the heroes of an impending “Crisis”. The “Elseworlds” crossover also introduced Ruby Rose as Batwoman and Gotham City, which has since gone to series.

Stephen Amell as the Emerald Archer from “Arrow”.

With Arrow coming to a close this season, and its star Stephen Amell accepting the fate of Oliver Queen’s Emerald Archer (whom it has been established would be meeting his demise at the end of the “Crisis” event) The Flash will inherit the mantle as the lead series, with Supergirl running closely alongside, helping to shepherd in the returning DC’s Legends (entering into its Fifth Season) and welcoming Black Lightning starring Cress Williams into the mix, while Batwoman carves her own path across the primetime fabric of DCTV storyline.

Setting an extremely high bar for itself, the writing staff for each of these series have the unsurmountable task of defying expectations for literally a story narrative that was so expertly crafted more than 30 years ago and is still held up as the benchmark of epic comic book storytelling. In any event, it’s an incredible feat in of itself and undoubtedly fans will have their own take on “Crisis” — Some will tune-in, others will tune-out, but the DCTV universe…

…well you get where this is going.

Crisis on Infinite Earths the 5-part crossover event begins Sunday, Dec 8 on The CW and concludes on Tuesday, January 14.

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Coming Soon, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Entertainment, Featured, Movies

Trailer | WONDER WOMAN 1984

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After much anticipation audiences are getting their first look at next summer’s blockbuster WONDER WOMAN 1984 and the Amazing Amazon is riding the storm the bring her fans all-new excitement!

<span class=“dropcap”>S</span>he’s back! After making an indelible debut in the controversially charged Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice it appeared that movie audiences were intrigued enough to make 2017’s Wonder Woman starring Gal Gadot a hit, proving that superhero movies featuring leading ladies are just as bankable at the box-office as their juiced-up muscle bound male counterparts — if their down right! The first solo outing for the Amazing Amazon proved a winner especially with acclaimed filmmaker Patty Jenkins at the helm.

Armored up! If the new gold suit is throwing you off, it makes quite the impression, giving “Wonder Woman 1984” a look all of its own.

Which is no surprise that when the discussions began about the follow-up, Warner Bros. didn’t hesitate to reach out to Jenkins who had moved into an exceptionally good position as the movie continued to set records around the world. It helped that WW also received a very positive critical reception and its star, Gadot, appeared unscathed from the dismally reviewed next appearance of her character when she fought along the rest of the assembled team in the epic failure Justice League which reunited the trinity including Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck.

Almost immediately the fandom soared when the first images emerged of the sequel in production and featured not only the star and director hard at work, but also included Chris Pine whose character, Diana’s love interest, Steve Trevor had apparently perished. Jenkins had always said, that if there was a way, they would bring Pine back, and although there is plenty of skepticism around whether he is reprising the role of Trevor, or perhaps playing an ancestor of the Air Force captain, it doesn’t matter because the trailer for Wonder Woman 1984 is just that good!

Back to the Future…A New Era!

The movie is a period piece and finds Diana (Gadot) looking as glorious as ever in the decadent age of over-indulgence that was the benchmark of the 1980s. Diana has been keeping a very low profile (and as we also learned from the contemporarily placed Justice League) she went into hiding for most of her life following her emergence into Man’s World. Whether it was because of a broken heart or something else, we don’t know, at least not yet, but it’s possible that she will divulge some more secrets of her time away from paradise.

Joining the cast is actress Kristen Wiig who is often most commonly known for her comedic skills in such hits as Bridesmaids and the Ghostbusters revival, stepping into the role of Barbara Anne Minerva who is most commonly known to fans as Wonder Woman’s arch nemesis, The Cheetah. Also appearing in the film is PR agent and power broker Max Lord who will be portrayed by Pedro Pascal the star of the Disney+ Original Series The Mandalorian (which is set in the Star Wars universe) and was also featured in HBO’s hit Game of Thrones.

Gal Gadot as “Wonder Woman”
Chris Pine as “Steve Trevor”
Kristin Wiig as “Barbara Anne Minerva”
Pedro Pascal as “Max Lord”

Wonder Woman 1984 starring Gal Gadot, Chris Pine and directed by Patty Jenkins arrives in theaters June 5, 2020 and is being released by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Collectible, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Featured

UnBoxing | DC Prime: BATMAN Action Figure

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DC Collectibles inaugurates its new line of “Prime” action figures with an impressive update of The Dark Knight to commemorate the hero’s 80 Anniversary celebration!

Fans will never outgrow the hands-on experience that comes with holding an action figure inspiring them to revisit their most cherished moments from a favorite film, graphic novel or television series. It’s like owning a piece of history or becoming a part of the action, especially as the business of providing more coveted items for the adult enthusiast is manufactured to appeal to their high-end sensibilities. Always ready to seize on an opportunity, DC Collectibles joined the fray about 20 years ago and continues to aspire to greatness.

In 1998 the publishing imprint decided to take a more personal approach to produce and provide its readership with products that not only spoke to their audiences more closely but recruited DC artists, writers, and graphic designers to effectively become much more collaborative. The action figure lines produced all much easily resonated more authentically than when parsed out to manufacturers. DC Collectibles has prided itself on creating items with a functional playability but also an enthusiastic dedication to collectibility with an aesthetic to match.

The DC brand of DC Collectibles continues to excel in the market. After the recent line of  “Icon” action figures that spotlighted in extreme detail the most iconic characters in the DC Comics Universe wrapped in 2018, the next series of offerings began to take shape. The first series meant to celebrate the 20 Year Anniversary of DC Collectibles were the “Essentials” line. Based on the designs of some of DC’s most favorite artists the action figures measured approximately 6.9” in height and were tailored to appear as the characters currently in publication.

DC Collectibles | DC Prime: THE BATMAN Action Figure available now.

In order to keep up with a tradition of innovation and excellence, DC Collectibles has now pushed its boundaries with an all-new set of action figures that are primed to make your mouth water. Introducing DC Prime from DC Collectibles and it is only appropriate that the most commercially successful and popular character, The Batman inaugurate the new figures in this extreme offering!

Primed For Battle

The Dark Knight Detective is celebrating 80 years of pop-culture relevance. In his most recent incarnation since the publishing-wide “Rebirth” relaunch of the DC pantheon of heroes, The Batman was redesigned and outfitted to more properly take on the dregs of Gotham City in a streamline Kevlar armor suit that is perfect for contemporary urban warfare. That is on full display and in an ultimate representation in the new DC Prime: BATMAN Action Figure from DC Comics Collectibles.

The DC Prime action figure comes in at a whopping 9.2” and is heavily articulated for durable playability as well as intense posing. Designed by renowned artists Riccardo Federici and Wonil Song it features over 23 points of articulation and more than 18 additional parts and accessories, all specially designed to complement Federici’s urban street fighter. The wired, fabric cape is also posable and shields our Dark Knight Detective from the most perilous assaults. The figure comes packed in a blister box decorated with product designs and a stand to display the figure.

You can be guaranteed that billionaire Bruce Wayne is constantly readapting and perfecting his suit especially as his enemies become deadlier and more lethal in their tactics. Utilizing the most durable materials in his fight, Batman’s armor plating is meticulously detailed and perfectly constructed; each piece in place to defend the Caped Crusader and also traverse the concrete, steel terrain of Gotham City. His utility belt is aptly armed with the most sophisticated weapon systems including grappling guns, Batarangs, and Batman’s uniquely crafted tools.

Whether you’re a fan of The Batman or an avid collector, this DC Collectible is unlike anything offered before and is accurately suited to its new moniker as a DC Prime offering. “The Batman” figure is promised as the first in the new line, and fans are already anticipating what the second DC hero to come to life will be. Many hope that given that The Flash is celebrating its 80 Years in publication next month, DC Collectibles will honor the Scarlet Speedster with his own DC Prime interpretation.

DC Collectibles | DC Prime: BATMAN Action Figure | $125.00 available from DC Comics Collectibles here while supplies last.

Coming Soon, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Featured, In Primetime

Trailer | DC Universe TITANS Season 2

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Don’t call them sidekicks! The new generation of DC’s greatest heroes are back and if the Second Season trailer of Titans proves anything, this hit series is about to get real!

In the premiere season of DC Universe’s Titans Original Series, the story centered on an adolescent named Rachel (Teagan Croft) who becomes the target of some seriously disturbed attackers, but fortunately she has come under the protection of one beat detective named Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites). The one-time ally and partner of Gotham City’s Dark Knight defender, has moved one from living in the shadow of The Batman. Don’t call him Robin, anymore.

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Dick finds a kindred spirit in Rachel, who he swiftly discovers is far more than what she seems and elicits some help from former allies, including fellow vigilantes Hawk (Alan Ritchson) and Dove (Minka Kelly), and as the mystery surrounding Rachel becomes far more complex than they could have anticipated — serious end-of-times implications are unearthed — Dick realizes it’s going to take more than he can muster alone. It’s going to take a team of titans! Fortunately for him, Koriand’r (Anna Diop) and Beast Boy (Ryan Potter) are happy to tag along.

Now the Titans are back for a Second Season on the DC Universe subscription site, and the action is running wild! It appears that the group is formalizing their camaraderie and coming together. In the trailer, it looks like the group may have defeated Rachel’s evil father, the demon Trigon (Seamus Dever) who appeared to have Dick in the thralls of his influence at the conclusion of Season One. Donor Troy (Conor Leslie) is back! The Wonder Girl in full battle gear is siding up to Starfire to take on a meta-human villain, and Dick is seeking advice from his mentor, Bruce Wayne (Iain Glen).

As the roster grows; this season will indoctrinate the Aqualad and a Superboy into the line-up while a classic Titans adversary steps back into the spotlight. The wrath of Deathstroke, The Terminator (Esai Morales) will be felt and his bringing Ravager and Jericho along for the ride. Produced by super-producers Greg Berlanti and Akiva Goldsman, Titans stands apart from The CW series based on the DC Comics properties, and makes a very distinct departure while proving one of the best adaptations of any superhero series currently in production.

Titans the Second Season premieres on DC Universe, Sept 6. Join now at dcuniverse.com . The First Season is currently available on Blu-ray, DVD and as a Digital download.

Collectible, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Featured

UnBoxing | Mezco BATMAN: Sovereign Knight

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The third in a series of designs from the high-end collectible action figure designers at Mezco examines the legacy of the Dark Knight, the Batman: Sovereign Knight is fully articulating the hero for the 21st century

With everyone knee-deep in celebrating the 80th Anniversary of The Batman, the iconic DC property continues to stagger the imagination and inspire limitless iterations of the Dark Knight as he continues to evolve year-after-year to take on the most nefarious forces of Gotham City’s criminal underbelly. Whether in story form or animation, live-action big screen blockbusters or primetime dramas, the Caped Crusader’s always at the ready.

The high-end toymakers at Mezco have always developed the most sought after collectibles on the market; the fully articulated action figure line is among the more expertly crafted, with highly detailed accessories and carefully crafted cloth uniforms that enhance the creative playability and solidify the bragging rights of an avid fan on the scene. The One:12 Collective line remains one of the most revered of the adult collector toy lines to watch, and stands out among the rest, especially due to the 6.5” manageability of the figures themselves.

In celebration of the fandom of the DC comics hero, Mezco released its latest figure in an evolving line commemorating the evolution of the Dark Knight. Batman: Sovereign Knight realizes a very contemporary 21st Century look and feels to Gotham City’s most battle-hardened defender. The action figure appears modeled after DC Comics legendary artist Jim Lee’s reinterpretation of The Batman for “The New 52” publishing wide reboot, which remixed the established pantheon of heroes with a very modern twist.

Battle Up

The perfectly crafted action figure is heavy articulated with over 30 points of articulation giving collectors the ultimate in posable playability. Mezco warns collectors that they should play carefully, especially given the cloth overlay costume which is crafted to fit over the proportionately sized body frame, but it could pull or wear out depending on how the figure is positioned. The Batman: Sovereign Knight is ready for battle, in sturdy all-terrain boots and gauntlets, with a suit to simulate a protective kevlar armor and an all-purpose utility belt with a clip for a grappling gun.

Expertly packaged in a window box for proper display the figure comes equipped with an array of weaponry including multiple batarangs, grappling gun with hooks, a sonic gun and even a kryptonite-knuckled glove for mixing it up against an unruly Man of Steel, if necessary. The packaged also includes 3 different expressions: a battled damaged cowl, Batman unmasked as Bruce Wayne and an alternate version of the cowl with shorter ears. Mezco also includes an emblemed display stand so that you can pose your Sovereign Knight properly.

As far as collectible figures go, Mezco has (again) hit out of the ballpark with this release, which matches anyone of their others in the line. What sets this particular one above is its attractiveness to Batman fans, especially those happily in the midst of the 80th Anniversary hoopla, will be over the moon at the care given to bringing this Batman to the masses. It’s an awesomely looking design and has enough gear in the box to keep any of the Bat’s notorious rogues at bay! Mezco’s promise to quality is also met in spades which helps to validate the ticket price of this item.

Out Of the Box

It’ll be impossible to resist taking this handsome figure out of the box, though Mezco does make it easy to keep all the accessories intact and in the same place. The grappling gun attaches to the back of the figure’s utility belt for display and playability, and the cape is sturdy enough that it hangs securely from beneath the hood, though it does not have an inserted wired frame in case you are attempting to make that a part of the display story. The cloth coverings that simulate the character outfits maintain their durability but try to keep them out of direct light.

If you are concerned or deterred by the Mezco One:12 Collective ticket price, rest assured it’s worth every penny and can be purchased some certain retailers at a competitive price. The heavily sought after figure line is historically known for selling out online, and the toy makers do not immediately begin manufacturing additional quantities unless they have a sufficient demand via a Wait List. With Batman mania sweeping the social conscious at the moment, this may be one of the best ways to pay homage to Batman. 80 years later, he’s still kicking major ass!

Batman: Sovereign Knight from Mezco One:12 Collective is available now. Visit their website to order yours.

Coming Soon, DC Comics, DC Entertainment, Featured, In Primetime

Season Pass | KRYPTON Season 2

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The Second Season of SyFy Network’s original series set on the home world of Superman, returns and the future fate of the Man of Steel hangs in the balance as Krypton spins into anarchy!

Perhaps among one of the most underrated Original Series that premiered in recent times, is executive producer David Goyer’s deep dive into the backstory of the homeworld of DC’s greatest hero. In Krypton Season 2 the fight for the future of the planet is in the hands of only a few. The planet devourer Brainiac has come to claim the capital of Kandor, and Superman’s ancestors have been forced to side with their greatest enemies in an effort to preserve the future.

The Original Series returns to SyFy on June 12, 2019, and if you don’t want to miss an episode you can subscribe to a Season Pass available now on iTunes. The First Season is also available at a discounted price and will give you an opportunity to get familiar with the show that every Superman fan has got to be watching. The origins and sociological backstory of Krypton have intrigued readers for years. The planet was further explored in Zack Snyder’s Man Of Steel and given a significant amount of texture, illustrating just how alien the culture is compared to Earth.

Goyer takes the audience to even greater depths of Krypton’s history, through the lens of the experience of Seg-El (Cameron Cuffe) an ancestor of the Man of Steel, who learns that a villain from the future has set in motion a series of events, in the past, determined to erase Superman from history altogether. At the conclusion of Season One all looked grim, Seg-El was lost to the Phantom Zone, the tyrannical General Zod had risen to power, and Black Zero prepared to form a resistance force just as the destructive force of Doomsday appeared to be awake!

Krypton Season 2 is available now on iTunes and returns to SyFy network on June 12, 2019.