Man of Steel Teaser Poster

It's got a very Alex Ross (Kingdom Come) sort of vibe to it. Sombre, not gritty but grounded. The first official trailer comes out this weekend when the Dark Knight Rises debuts. Zack Snyder said this at the MOS SDCC panel when someone asked about Superman heading up a Justice League:

"Let’s say this…We know that Superman is the jewel in the DC crown. And really what we’re trying to do is get his house in order…and then who knows what’s possible."

Well, that was not a no. Now we must keep our fingers crossed that MOS performs well. A Wonder Woman reference/cameo would be the icing on that Supercake. 

Man of Steel to Feature Wonder Woman Cameo?

Wow, so we have another rumor flying around the place but if this one is true I am going to be over the moon!

This report is originating from Comic Book Movie, who claim that Warner Bros. is hoping to reveal plans for their “movie universe” later this month. The report goes on to say that the studio will use Man Of Steel to “drop hints that Superman is in a shared universe with his DC counterparts,” kind of like Marvel did.
It then goes on to mention that one hero they are intent on referencing is Wonder Woman. The studio is hoping that if Man Of Steel takes off, these references can be used as a springboard to launch either solo films for the heroes or the Justice League film.
 CBM claims that these references won’t be that big and they tell us not to expect any character cameos. While that’s all well and good, it seems odd that Warner Bros. wouldn’t use Man of Steel as an opportunity to introduce Wonder Woman with more than just a reference.
In thinking this, I spoke to one of our sources that has close ties to the project and he confirmed to me that CBM is correct in that the studio is trying to find a way to reference Wonder Woman. But, our source also disputes CBM on the fact that there won’t be a cameo.
From what I’m hearing, the studio isn’t opposed to doing a cameo and if the timing works out (ie: if they find a Wonder Woman and announce the casting on time), then they may be able to pull it off. So don’t rule it out just yet.

Read full report here

Well, it makes sense to me to use MOS as the foundation to build a JL movie. And if there is any character WB needs to generate excitement for after Superman and Batman is Wonder Woman. Batman is only coming off a high with the Nolan movies and certainly does not need the referencing. Most everyone know about Batman. But Wonder Woman, though she is DC's most popular female and iconic as Superman and Batman, she has not had any screen time. If the plan if to introduce her in the JL and then spin her off, then starting by referencing her or something about her would be a smart move. A cameo might be too much to ask for but I would say if they do get this off the ground, casting is going to be crucial. They need not only someone who looks like a beautiful, exotic, amazon warrior princess but who can convince the audience she is one.  Presence, grace and charisma is going to be very important. Be nice if she had some real chemistry with Cavill too.

This is going to put a lot of pressure now on the MOS to do well at the box office. But if it performs I think WB might be on their way.

Justice League

by  thecreatorhd

by  nickelbackloverxoxox

Superman and Wonder Woman by Gene Espy

Justice League Babies

More BATB Screen Grabs

Batman The Brave and the Bold. Triumvirate of Terror. Screen Grabs

JL Screen Grabs

Superman #10 Review

The world thinks Superman is Spencer Becker after Morgan Edge runs the story scooped by Vic Barnes. The young lady calling herself Anguish is naturally now pissed at Superman because she believes he is a deadbeat dad that left her.

We have the obligatory fight between them and find out a few things about her. She was fostered and abused and her body changes density and she feels nothing. During the fight Superman breaks a locket (which belonged to her mother) she had taken from the bank and that cheeses her off even more.She decides to go after his "family."

Naturally Lois appears on the street to demand if the story is true. For a woman who is running a department she always seems to able to show up where Superman is. Jimmy is there for comic relief it seems as well. Not a very smart Jimmy. So different from the Action Comics one.Anguish goes to Spencer Becker's home and attacks his family but Superman reaches in the nick of time to save them and then we have another fight.

This time it's short lived. Superman mended her locket and apologized and she calmed down. He offers to get her help because he empathizes with someone who can't feel anything. Much like himself, I guess. Anguish takes her locket and vanishes and that was that.  The public realizes Superman and Spencer Becker are not the same but the question of whether he has a dual identity is still up in the air. We end with the Russians we saw from the last issue and yeah, the cargo in the lead lined submarine is bad news.

So this was not that bad an issue. The art was good and the writing was not the worse. Superman's character was actually pretty okay. It's just everything happening around him was run of the mill. It still feels like one of the many Superman stories we have read before. The villain again, came and went and there was no sense of real build up or peril in the story or even a sense of danger in future.

I give this 3 stars out of five. More so for art and Superman coming off okay personality wise.

Best Panel: Yeah, Superman...reporters.

Justice League # 10

We see that the new villain, David Graves, got his powers from cast out Gods called the Asuras. He is determined to make the Justice League pay for the loss of his family. While he was unsuccessful in breaking Steve Trevor to get information, he gets to feed on his feelings of loss and pain over Diana.

The League gather to discuss Graves, who has been attacking villains, and the concern is that Graves knows a lot about them while they don't know much about each other. And they supposed to be a team. Or at least one who had been working with each other for the last five years. Superman and Batman are close allies and work outside the League.

Graves attacks the Satellite and proceeds to use the teams' feelings of personal loss to suck the energy or life force from them. With Diana, we see it is her mother who is at the heart of her pain.

The whole team fall while Graves swears to make revelations to the world.

While it was nice to see the team interact some more, it still feels as if we need to see something with more emotional resonance to make this group a unit. Geoff is still telling and not showing enough. Again the story feels so short. You just getting into it and it ends. Sigh.

3 out of 5 stars.

Back up story. Well, Black Adam is here.

Best Panel: Clark holding Diana but I like that one where they are in the background while the others rush off.

Wonder Woman #10 Review

Diana is about to be lynched with her own lasso of truth  to prove her love for Hades. She answers to loving him but when she realizes she wants to bind her without trust, she defies him and escapes the noose.

There are some wonderful sequences with Diana trying to escape Hell's clutches and Diana gives us some great lines that I am sure will be quoted for years to come. I particularly loved seeing that she seems to have come to terms with who and what she is and what she needs to do : ie, a demi-goddess and Amazon who will protect innocents. Hades' daughters attack her but Hephaestus, Lennox, and Eros come to her aid. Even Strife turns up but I think she came to watch and smirk too. Hermes is absent. He is with Zola. Hades challenges Diana's attempt to fight him and she tells him in this battle she cannot lose.

I must admit, I was a little bemused when Diana said she loved everyone. I was thinking how could that be? She grew up isolated from men, from the world, she is new to the world...how can she love what she does not know? Then it occurred to me that she was reared with love and if a person is happy and content with who they are...then they can genuinely view the world from a more benevolent point of view and have innate compassion for all things... and they would not have spite, hate, jealously, or cruelty  driving them. Diana has no reason to hate him. Universal  love for all things I can see driving her but I still would like to have DC show us how and why Diana would be this way. So yeah, some back stories of her youth and time in the world etc might help cement why this young warrior would be so empathetic. She tells Hades no matter who he fired the pistols at...they would not love him because you can't make anyone love you if you don't love yourself. In disgust, Hades tells them all to go. Hephaestus gives Hades a gift before they leave. It is a mirror.  Diana wonders to Hephaestus if he did not plan this all along. While Hades views his gift Diana, from afar, takes aim with the pistols and shoots him in the heart.

That last page I found very touching. I am left to wonder, now that Hell has been shot with love...how could this change him. Would it? I enjoyed seeing how important trust is to Wonder Woman and how naturally compassionate she is. The girl has class. Hippolyta raised her well. I am liking Hephaestus more and more but as with Hermes, who is another favorite...I am still uneasy by the way they always seem to be a step ahead of everyone...Who is going to betray Diana?

The art was good. Atkins and Kano did commendable job.

I give this issue a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Best Panel : Hell's daughter's attacking Diana.

Little League

More Adorable Little League by YaleWS

Action Comics # 10 Review

Maxim Zarov, or Nimrod, the greatest hunter on Earth is after Superman and he has worked out he is linked to Clark Kent. He goes to the Kent farm based on sightings of Superman in the Midwest, only to find out the farm was sold and Clark Kent had moved to the city. We cut to Clark who is part of the Daily Star's Crime Desk, and he is tracking down a child murderer.

Superman (who is still wearing those hot tees btw) finds him and he is pissed. I totally can empathize with Clark here and understand the rage and emotion he feels. It is a case he followed and solved and in real life we all feel child murderers should swing from the gallows. Clark manages to control his rage and allows the justice system to take its course. He also takes the two hamsters owned by the creep.

We have a really good encounter with the League. At least the ones Morrison allowed to talk. Poor Cyborg and Aquaman just stood around but it was interesting to see Superman showing his idealistic nature. Not pacifist. Not reactionary. But a guy who wants to genuinely help the world with a passion. Only he is as we all are when we are young. He is not thinking it through and believes he can march into other countries and fix things. He even comments about Bruce, Arthur and Diana's backgrounds. Bruce stands his ground and challenges Clark. It is funny Clark makes judgements about Bruce being a billionaire while he is blessed with many abilities while Bruce does what he does as a human. Superman has a lot to learn.

I do hope Morrison will expand on this and not just want to show Clark has a bleeding heart while the others are not as conscientious. I hope we see Clark realize with power comes restraint because they have to follow international law as well. It was nice to see Diana stand supportive of Clark. The only thing I think let this great scene down was Rags Morales' art. I love Rags raw style but the League looked wooden and Superman looked way too young and soft. He also looked as if he was about to cry when Batman almost gave his identity away. This Clark is too defiant to have that kind of submissive/apologetic expression. But even with his unrealistic goals, it was great to see him walk out on them and Bruce saying they will have to go after him on day.

Lois, Clark and Jimmy are showing hanging out. Lois has her usual Superman obsession, collecting every article she could find on him and some of the sightings were ten years before Superman's official appearance. Seems there might be a second Kryptonian out there. We get a glimpse of him but it he might have some telepathic/hypnotic powers.

Lois, Clark and Jimmy make their way to the Daily Planet. They encounter a suicide bomber outside the Daily Star and it turns out to be a man, Angus Grundig, Clark's reporting had brought down. It is not clear but Morrison seems to be hinting that Lois knows Clark is Superman by having her hinting it at Clark. I am wondering why is Clark so clueless not to realize/work this out this? Be nice to think he was one step ahead of them all. Oh Super brain...where art thou? I hope Grant does not ignore you the way DC did for the last decade.. Anyway Grundig detonates the bomb.

Nimrod finds himself at Clark's apartment to find out from the landlady that Clark Kent is dead. Understandably the great hunter is really cheesed off. Because he wanted to kill Superman. He gets his chance to try when Superman appears and ends up with his guns twisted and his face burnt. He is sent to the hospital and guess who shows up? The strange, creepy little man who  now promises to make him part of the Anti-Superman army.

Clark has to maintain that he is dead, so now we are left to wonder what new secret identity he will assume and more importantly how? Maybe he'll grow a beard...who knows.

The back-up was basically the eulogy for Clark Kent. Everyone likes and misses him a lot and found him inspirational, that simple but good hearted boy from Kansas.

I enjoyed this issue. It packed a heck of a lot of stuff in these limited pages and for that it gets full marks. But the art was a little bit of a let down to really make it perfect. Rags was excellent in some parts and weak in others.

I give this 4 out of 5 stars.

Best Panel: I wanted to put up Clark and Diana in the shared panel but the art was too stiff. So I choose the one of Superman twisting a gun. Now that's what I'm talking about.

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Superman/Wonder Woman New Frontier Screen Grabs

Best moment from the movie. Shame they cut it and the big kiss that followed in the graphic novel. Stupid Bruce Timm, tried to justify it, "because of the Lois relationship". What relationship? Diana had all the chemistry and sexual tension with Superman in the graphic novel and the movie! AND they cut Diana's lines and screen time and gave it to Lois!

Superman Wonder Woman Young Justice Agendas Screen Grabs