Wow. I’ll admit, I haven’t been 100% on board with the direction they seemed be going with this installment, but holy shit and fuck me sideways! This is dope as fuuuuuuuuck! In the immortal words of Kevin Smith: “Fuck you. Take my money!”
This looks fucking incredible. Doc Ock! Green Goblin! Electro! Sandman! The Lizard! Shitty Snowboarding Goblin!
I am very pleasantly surprised by what i saw. I honestly did not think this is how things would play out, But I really like the idea of Peter not wanting to send a bunch of villains off to their deaths in their own realities, and being at odds with Doctor Strange about that. I’m calling it now, after the obligatory first “misunderstanding” fight, Doc Ock will be more ally than enemy to Peter.
These two pics have me a little nervous, though. It looks like shit just got real. I really, really hope MJ doesn’t get “Gwen Stacy-ed”. Oh, on a lighter note, I can’t wait to see how self proclaimed “Spider-Man super-fan”, Flash Thompson, reacts to all this. Ya, did good on this one Marvel! ‘Nuff said.
Doctor Strange is acting like a real cu#t.
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, on Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews for the podcast, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
Disney recently celebrated it’s first Disney+ Day. This was a chance for the streaming service to show its existing and potential new subscribers, the best currently available content on the platform. Perhaps importantly, this was an opportunity to showcase the thrilling new projects expected to debut over the next year. Unsurprisingly, a particular emphasis was put upon their plans for The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars. Including first looks at the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, new MCU shows like Moon Knight and She-Hulk, as well as some cool surprises, like the revival of the beloved 90’s show, X-Men: The Animated Series. Below we have some teasers, behind the scenes video, concept art, and more, to help you get the lowdown on the most interesting stuff coming to streaming service over the next year. A huge amount of material was released and revealed during Disney+ Day, so I decided to pick a few of my favorites and give you everything you need to know about these new shows/projects. Take a look, enjoy…
The Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase 4 Continues…
Moon Knight
When Moon Knight was first announced, I remember it was described by one of the producers, as “Indiana Jones meets Batman“. Well, that is one hell of a high bar to set, but from what I know about the character, I think I know what he was getting at. “Indiana Jones meets Batman“ is an appropriate way to describe the tone of some Moon Knight stories. Moon Knight is the story of Marc Spector, a mercenary and adventurer who becomes a brutal vigilante as the avatar of the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu. His adventures often involve various ancient and mystical forces. The Marvel presentation for Disney+ Day presentation only gave us the briefest of glimpses at how Moon Knight is being approached by Marvel’s show-runners. Its not a full trailer, but the video is long enough to be get some sense of where they’re going with the show and this fascinating character.
Moon Knight is a new globetrotting action-adventure series featuring a complex vigilante who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. The multiple identities who live inside him find themselves thrust into a deadly war of the gods against the backdrop of modern and ancient Egypt. Moon Knight is directed by Mohamed Diab and is coming to Disney+ in 2022.
Speaking of ancient, mystical forces Ethan Hawke is playing the shows antagonist, which is extremely exciting. Hawke is still in the middle of filming Moon Knight, so during a recent interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, he still looked like his mysterious character from Moon Knight. Myers, who’s a big lover, supporter, and advocate of Comic Books and Graphic Novels, casually mentioned that Ethan Hawke was sporting “a real David Koresh vibe.” David Koresh was the cult leader at the center of the infamous Waco siege in 1993. Hawke was astonished and shocked because, as he told Myers, he did, actually, base his character on Koresh. Hawke went on to say, with great admiration for Myer’s correct guess, “I guess it’s working. You’re good, Seth. Or maybe I’m not out of character yet…I will say that he is the source of great character inspiration.”. Many have speculated that Hawke is playing Dracula in the series, which would be fucking awesome.
She-Hulk
She-Hulk, a new comedy series coming to Disney+, stars Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. She-Hulk will welcome a host of Marvel characters to the series, including the Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo, and the Abomination, played by Tim Roth. The series is directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia; Jessica Gao is head writer.
One of the things I was most curious about with this series, was how they would handle the look of the character. She-Hulk isn’t an inhumanly large powerhouse like her cousin Bruce Banner, but she’s not exactly a petite young woman either. She’s usually portrayed as being almost like an Amazon. Slightly larger and more muscular than a normal human. Even though she inherited her cousin‘s green skin with her transformation, what she lacks in raw physical power like the classic Hulk, she makes up for by having complete control over her mental faculties at all times. Meaning there is no split between Jennifer Walters and She-Hulk. We don’t see a lot of Jennifer Walters in her She-Hulk form, but I thought what little we saw looked great. Tatiana Maslany is a spectacular actress whose going to absolutely crush it in the role. Plus, it’ll be cool to have another Hulk running around The MCU, and any opportunity for an appearance of Prof. Hulk is a win! Check out the quick teaser here:
Marvel Animation Drops A Bomb!
X-Men: The Animated Series ‘97
Now this was a pleasant surprise! With the exception of Batman: The Animated Series, there is no superhero animated show of that era, more beloved, than X-Men: The Animated Series. The show’s ability to tackle mature content, not typically seen in “children’s programming“ at the time, as well as the extremely faithful adaptations of classic X-Men stories, made the show a hit, fan favorite.
Courtesy of Marvel.com, the producers of the new series have said that it will have the “DNA of the original show,” and follow a roster of X-Men similar to the original 90’s series. A major “impactful event” will be the jumping of point for this new series, setting the story in motion, and acting as a call to action for the X-Men. Many of the series original cast members will be returning for the new series, including Cal Dodd (Logan/Wolverine), Lenore Zann (Rogue), George Buza (Beast), Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm), Chris Potter (Gambit), Catherine Disher (Jean Grey/Phoenix), Adrian Hough (Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler), and Christopher Britton (Nathaniel Essex/Mr. Sinister). Unfortunately, some members of the voice cast have since passed a way. It also seems as if the show intends to grow along with it’s original audience, at least to some degree. Most diehard fans of the series are adults now and it sounds like this new iteration is evolving along with it audience. According to the show’s producers at Marvel; “As an animated show, the original X-Men was the forerunner to some amazing action series. Everyone that is making X-Men ’97, top-down, is a fan. On this project, instinctually, we knew exactly what this is. To bring this series forward and pick up that baton, and not just keep running at the same pace, but to really elevate. That’s the responsibility.”Unfortunately we have quite a wait until the show premieres in 2023. Despite the wait, I am really interested and intrigued by this new project.
Star Wars (Or Lack Thereof …
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Official Synopsis:
“The story begins 10 years after the dramatic events of ‘Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith’ where Kenobi faced his greatest defeat: the downfall and corruption of his best friend and Jedi apprentice, Anakin Skywalker, turned evil Sith Lord Darth Vader.”
After huge presentations from both Marvel and Pixar, many found it extremely odd that this teaser trailer for Obi-Wan was literally the only new Star Wars project showcased or discussed for this event. Nothing was announced about The Book of Boba Fett, or The Mandalorian Season 3. Let’s hope there aren’t any behind the scenes problems at Lucasfilm. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before we start to hear gossip one way or another.
Anyway, people has been clamoring for on Obi-Wan Kenobi film for years. Despite the reputation of the prequel‘s, they’ve aged surprisingly well. An entire generation grew up with the prequel trilogy as “their Star Wars”. With Ewan McGregor being particularly beloved in his portrayal of the Jedi Master also known as Ben Kenobi. With the Obi-Wan Kenobi series debuting in 2022, I would argue that a mini series on Disney+ is a much better option as a fan, than one movie. Considering how fantastic the Star Wars shows on Disney+ have been, I think we can expect to get what is a miniseries that’s essentially an 8 to 10 episode Obi-Wan Kenobi movie. One of the most exciting piece of information confirmed during this presentation is the return of Hayden Christiansen as Anakin Skywalker. I love the idea of another confrontation between Vader and his old master, taking place sometime between their duel in Revenge of The Sith and when they meet again in A New Hope.
It’s sort of tracks that there would’ve been another confrontation or fight between the two of them, before their final reckoning in A New Hope. Because, when you think about it, Vader is pretty calm when he runs into Obi-Wan on The Death Star in Episode IV. I would think that if someone cut off my arms and legs, left me to burn alive, forcing me to live in agony inside a cybernetic suit that keeps me from dying, I’d be fucking PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISED! It will be interesting to see if and how they rehash the past upon their meeting. Will Vader blame Obi-Wan for Padme’? Will Ashoka be discussed? As much as I love the idea of Hayden Christiansen returning to play Anakin Skywalker again, I wonder exactly how they’re going to use him. For example, when he becomes Vader in Revenge of the Sith, that’s Hayden Christiansen in the Vader costume, but it’s still James Earl Jones‘s voice. I would think if they’re going to go to the trouble of using Hayden Christiansen, they would want the audiences to at least see him. I think flashbacks are probably very likely, we may even see some thing like his helmet get partially damaged, just enough damage to keep him going, but also just enough to see Hayden Christensen’s face inside. Allowing him to show us his portrayal of Anakin whose utterly and completely given himself to The Dark Side. I’ve always wondered what it would’ve looked like if Anakin wasn’t mutilated in his fight on Mustafar. Even if Anakin didn’t necessarily beat mObi-Wan in the fight, what would’ve happened if he had gotten away more or less in one piece? Without his horrific injuries, the robotic suit, and a near constant state of agony, what would Anakin have become? Based on his track record and what we know about The Force. Anakin most likely would’ve killed The Emperor after a relatively short amounts time and seized control of The Empire himself. I can say with confidence that he probably would’ve ended up as the most powerful and horrifically dangerous threat, the galaxy had seen in thousands of years.
The show boasts and impressive cast of new and returning characters like Luke’s aunt and uncle, Owen and Beru Lars. You can take a look at the full cast below.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is by far one of my most anticipated projects of 2022!
As of Disney+ Day, Disney upgraded multiple MCU films to IMAX level quality. You’ll notice a bit of a crisper, cleaner, more realistic look. All of the upgraded titles are listed below:
Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings
Iron Man
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Captain America: Civil War
Doctor Strange
Thor: Ragnarok
Black Panther
Avengers: Infinity War
Ant-Man and The Wasp
Captain Marvel
Avengers: Endgame
Black Widow
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, on Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews for the podcast, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
On this episode of The World’s Best Podcast, we review one of the years most anticipated films, Marvel’s Eternals! This episode ran a little long, so we’re breaking it up into 2 parts, with Part 1 available below.
Without getting into SPOILER territory, one if the reasons I found Eternals to be so exciting, are the doors the films opens for news stories and characters to appear in future MCU projects. Eternals brings some exciting new cosmic ideas and story oppportunities that make my imagination run wild: The Coming of Galactus! The Silver Surfer! The Beyonders! Secret Wars! The Illuminati! These names may to mean anything to some of you right now, but I have a feeling the whole world will start to recognize them in the not too distant future. After, all after Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3, the next film on the docket in Phase 4 is, Fantastic Four or FF. I don’t think there’s a single Marvel property that I’m more excited to see what Marvel Studios will do with it.
Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/47415279 Or subscribe/listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Podchaser, Castbox, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, & Apple Podcasts/ITunes…
Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
Last weekend marked the second annual DC Fandome Event. Where fans got an exciting new look at upcoming projects like The Batman starring Robert Pattinson, The Flash film starring Ezra Miller and featuring both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck‘s Batman, Black Adam starring The Rock, and many more. Personally, I found the new trailer for The Batman and the behind-the-scenes look at The Flash were particularly exciting. Below, I’ve posted all of the major trailers and behind-the-scenes videos. There’s something here for every DC fan to be excited about. Another pleasant surprise that coincided with this event was the premiere of the new season of Young Justice on HBO Max. The first two episodes of the new season, titled Young Justice: Phantoms, are currently available on the platform. Anyway, enjoy diving in to all of the cool new projects coming up from DC!
The Batman:
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League:
The Flash:
Gotham Knights:
The Peacemaker (HBO Max):
Black Adam:
Shazam: Fury of The Gods:
Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom:
Smallville: 20th Anniversary Celebration:
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
On this episode of The World’s Best Podcast, Ryan McDonald and I review and discuss, Venom:It’s Time To Carnage, Baby! The hit film, taking the world by storm, starring Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson! The Venom franchise is one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved superhero films of the last 20 years, so we put 110% into this episode of the podcast! So get ready and buckle up for the ride of your life! The 1st Venom film is a cinematic masterpiece and modern classic. Does Venom 2: You Better Believe There’s Carnage live up to its predecessor? (This episode contains SPOILERS)
All kidding aside, I was very intrigued about this movie because it was directed by Andy Serkis, one of my favorite artists in the movie business. He pioneered performance caption technology, with his role as Golem in The Lord of The Rings Trilogy. His performance in those films, and the technology that helped bring it to life, had an enormous impact on how movies are made. He recently had another memorable mo-cap performance to his resume, playing Ceasar in the recent Planet of The Apes Trilogy. We’ve seen him without his digital make up quite a bit as well, playing characters The MCU villain, Klaw in Avenger: Age of Ultron and Black Panther. As a big fan of his work, I tend to follow his career. So when I heard he was dipping his toes into directing, I was really curious to see what he’d do. While I enjoyed the first Venom movie, Serkis was definitely the biggest draw for me here. He was Peter Jackson’s second unit Director on The Hobbit films, so it’s not like he’s completely unprepared for a film like this. I’ll let you listen to the episode and hear for yourself…
Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/46925356 Or subscribe/listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Podchaser, Castbox, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, & Apple Podcasts/ITunes…
Thanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
Last week Netflix launched TUDUM, it’s first live, online fan event. Netflix used the event to give audiences a first look at it’s most high profile, new and returning, content. Trailers, clips, and behind the scenes videos were released for projects like The Witcher Season 2, Stranger Things 4, and Extraction 2, a sequel to last year hit action film, starring Chris Hemsworth *. Those are just a few examples of the cool and interesting stuff Netflix has coming down the pipe. I posted the best of them below for you to see for yourself. Enjoy…
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
“When the first living thing drew breath, He was there. Waiting…”
Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece, the groundbreaking comic book series, The Sandman, is being adapted into a live-action show for Netflix. A teaser trailer, along with a few stylish character posters, were recently released online. The Sandman is many things, but first and foremost, it’s the story of Dream of The Endless: Lord of The Dreaming & King of Stories. Dream has gone by many names over the eons, but these days he is mostly known as Morpheus.
Morpheus, Lord of the Dreaming
When all mortal beings sleep and dream, we enter his realm, The Dreaming. As I mentioned before, Dream, along with his 6 siblings, are immortal beings called The Endless. They’re physical embodiments of fundamental aspects of existence. From oldest to youngest, there’s: Destiny (Dream’s big brother), Death (Dream’s big sister), Dream, Destruction (Dream’s wayward younger brother, sometimes referred to as “The Prodigal” among the family because he abandoned his duties), Desire (his brother/sister), Despair (his sister and Desire’s twin), and Delirium (his sister and the youngest of The Endless, once know as Delight).
Dream & his Sibling, The Endless: Destiny, Death, Destruction, Desire, Despair, Delirium.
The Endless aren’t simply manifestations of these concepts, they also take responsibility for their proper function. For example, Death ensures that recently deceased mortal souls reach their proper destination, after they leave the realm of the living. One of my favorite quotes in the entire series is from Death, when she says ”When the last living thing dies, my job will be finished. I’ll put the chairs on the tables, turn out the lights, and lock the universe behind me when I leave.” But this is all just set up, establishing the spectacular world of The Sandman.
Death in her various forms
In the introduction to Endless Nights, one of the volumes of The Sandman, Neil Gaiman talks about how he was asked to describe the story of The Sandman in 25 words or less. His response was “The Lord of Dreams learns that one must change or die, and makes his decision.“. That is a beautifully simple, brilliant, pitch perfect description of something so wonderfully sprawling and complex. It’s one of my favorite quotes and it completely encapsulates one of the central ideas at core of this incredible tale. Throughout this incredible fable, the story takes us to ancient Rome, Hell, the beginning of the universe, Arkham Asylum, New York City, a serial killer convention, and a million places in between. Along the way we encounter characters like John Constantine, Batman, Superman, Martian Manhunter, William Shakespeare, Lucifer, and a cast of thousands!
The Sandman includes appearances from a large and diverse cast of characters. Like William Shakespeare, Lucifer, J’onn J’onzz The Martian Manhunter, and even Batman.
I truly and deeply love the work of Neil Gaiman, and The Sandman is my favorite of his creations. I’ve re-read the series at least a dozen times over the years and I find something new and exciting every time I revisit it. Which is part of the magic of this amazing story. It was incredibly exciting to get our first look at this show, when the teaser trailer was released online, along with several character posters. This is the perfect time to tell the story of Morpheus of The Endless, in a medium other than comics. So, let’s take a look at the teaser trailer, a behind-the-scenes video, some cool new posters, concept art, and much more! Let’s dive in!
Morpheus can be prickly, standoffish, and solitary, but one of the few people (or beings) he trusts and opens up to, is his older sister, Death. Like in this scene, in which Death pays her little brother a visit, while he’s feeding pigeons in the park.
The Sandman: Teaser Trailer
Check out the trailer below:
This is a fantastic teaser trailer, with imagery pulled straight out of The Sandman #1
Official Posters & Plot Synopsis
Here’s the official series synopsis from Netflix:
The Lord of Dreams has been summoned, and captured, by mortal men. Once free from his captivity, this eternal ruler of Dreams will realize that his troubles are only just beginning. The Sandman is a Netflix series based on the groundbreaking comic book series created for DC by Neil Gaiman. The series is Executive Produced by Neil Gaiman, Allan Heinberg, & David S. Goyer.
Behind-The-Scenes Sneak Peek…
A few months ago, Netflix put out a Behind-The-Scenes look at the making of The Sandman. If you’re unfamiliar with the source material, this video will definitely put the teaser trailer (above), in better context and give you a clearer picture of what exactly the series is all about…
Netflix also released some behind-the-scenes images that shows some of the beautiful sets they’ve designed and created for this series. This image gives us a look at the set for Lucifer’s palace in Hell, along with a piece of concept art that illustrates, roughly, what one of the scenes being filmed of the set will look like.
Lucifer’s Thrown Room (Set)
Concept Art: Morpheus meet with Lucifer in a scene taking place on the above sets
It’s really heartening to see that Netflix is investing in the time, money, and imagination to build amazing sets like these. It’ll require the use of both practical and VFX to effectively create a successful Sandman series. I absolutely adore this next piece of concept art, that shows, at least visually, the series is going to be a pretty faithful adaptation of the comic book.
The concept art depicts a key moment from the events that kick off the entire series and set the whole story in motion. Dream has just escaped 100 years of imprisonment at the hands of mortals, who so foolishly attempted to summon and imprison Death. Fortunately for the universe, (and eventually unfortunately for the idiots who kept him captive) they summoned Death’s younger brother Dream, instead. Eventually he escapes through patience and gets his retribution. I’ve included the same moment as depicted in the original comic book, to illustrate exactly how the Netflix series seems to be swinging for the fences with scope and wonder to bring us a faithful adaptation.
Below I included a cast list, as well. It’s not the entire cast, obviously. However it does give you a good idea of who is playing some of the key characters.
The Sandman Audio Series: Acts I & II(Audible Original)
Its’s a great time to be a Sandman fan, and the upcoming Netflix series isn’t the only reason to be excited. If you’re a fan of the graphic novels, like myself, and you’re eagerly anticipating the show’s Netflix premiere in 2022, I highly recommend you check out Audibles adaptation of The Sandman. It is far and away the best audio drama I’ve ever heard. It is top-of-the-line, excellence across the board. The music and sound design are fantastic. The voice cast, headlined by James McAvoy as Morpheus, is spectacular. Other standouts include, Michael Sheen a Lucifer, Kat Dennings as Death, and Jeffrey Wright as Destiny, but it’s McAvoy in particular who gives an unforgettable performance as Morpheus. Neil Gaiman himself does a great job of narrating the entire project. Those are just the highlights, there are literally dozens of great performances across these two volumes. Comics are a visual medium, so it’s truly impressive how the team behind this audio drama created such a faithful and entertaining adaptation. If you want to start listening or you’re just curious to check out, I’ve posted the links for both to both volumes below.
The Sandman Act I & II are now available on Audible and The Sandman comes to Netflix in 2022
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @thebestdamnblogwithpaulwrightPJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
One of humanities greatest holiday’s, Batman Day, is upon us once again. In honor of this joyous occasion, it’s officially Batman Week here at World’s Best Media! It’s that special time of year when we can all take the time to reflect on the greatness of The Dark Knight Detectve. Like Superman, people will still be telling stories about The Batman, in one form or another, hundreds of years from now (unless of course, mankind doesn’t wipe itself from the face of the Earth in the near future). Characters like Batman and Superman are our modern day gods. Like Achilles or Beowulf, these heroes resonate with people because they’re such primal archetypes.
Even more so than Superman, the tragic tale of a boy who witnesses the brutal murder of his parents, is a fear we can all relate to. The boy made a vow to rid his city of the evil that took their lives, and turned himself into a monster to do it. The tragedy of Batman is that his war can never be won and he knows it. That’s deep, primal stuff. The brillliant simplicity of Batman allows for endless stories and reinventions.
Batman isn’t only my favorite comics book character, he’s by far my favorite character in all of literature. The complex psychology of Bruce Wayne, the greatest group of villains ever assembled, the sprawling urban nightmare that is Gotham City, and a phenomenal supporting cast… it all comes together to form the unforgettable tapestry of The Batman mythology. So in honor of Batman Day, I decided to put together a list of my favorite modern Batman stories. This was harder than you might think, because there are literally hundreds of classic Batman tales. I left out the obvious ones like “The Big 3”: The Dark Knight Returns, Batman: Year One, and The Killing Joke. Including those 3 classics on my list, seemed redundant and obvious, so I decided to focus on some great modern Batman stories. I was able to narrow it down to these amazing tales, that I encourage all of you to check out. Let’s dive in…
Batman: The Black Mirror
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Jock & Francesco Francavilla
DC has a long history of “legacy heroes”. “Legacy heroes” are characters who take up the mantle of an iconic, classic superhero, when the original cannot or will not continue on. “Legacy heroes” are almost always characters who are close to the original incarnation of the superhero in question, usually a sidekick or a partner. For example, when the original Flash, Barry Allen, died in Crisis On Infinite Earths, his sidekick, Wally West AKA Kid Flash, inherited the role of The Scarlet Speedster. In fact, many fans believe Wally West surpassed his mentor to be the best version of The Flash in the history of DC Comics. Another good example, is when the entire Green Lantern Corp were wiped out (including Hal Jordan), artist Kyle Rayner was chosen to become the only living in Green Lantern in the universe. Eventually, he was instrumental in rebuilding the Corp. We tend tp not think of Batman as a character that ”passes on the mantle”. However, there has been some notable exceptions, like Dick Grayson, that were excellent and unique versions of The Dark Knight.
The Black Mirror took place at a time when, for reasons that are too complicated to get into, Bruce Wayne was MIA as Batman. Dick Grayson a.k.a. the original Robin a.k.a. Nightwing, reluctantly donned the Cape and Cowl to become the new Batman.
Like so many other excellent Batman tales, the story is just as much about Jim Gordon as it is Batman. The veteran Gotham police officer and the rookie Batman, must solve a grisly mystery that hits far too close to home for both men. With amazing art by Jock and Francesco Francavilla, it seems as if Gotham City itself is alive. A dark and hungry thing, ready to devour those that walk it’s streets. This was the breakout story that launched Scott Snyder’s career as one of the biggest creators in the industry. This isn’t the only time you’ll see Snyder’s name pop up on this list, because The Black Mirror was his first step on his journey to becoming one of the greatest Batman writers of all time.
Batman: R.I.P.
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Tony Daniel
Grant Morrison is not only a personal favorite of mine, he’s also one of the best and most celebrated comic writers in the history of the medium. All-Star Superman, Arkham Asylum: A Serious House On A Serious Earth, JLA, if you’ve ever read Morrison‘s work, it will come as no surprise that this is one hell of a weird, fucking Batman story. However, in this instance that’s a really good thing. Batman R.I.P. marks the end of ACT I of Morrison‘s epic Batman run. When I was reading this nightmarish and disturbing story for the first time, it genuinely felt like anything could happen, which is rare when you’re dealing with such a well-known character like Batman. The brilliance of Morrison‘s run, is how he mines some of the most ridiculous and wacked out Batman stories from the late-50’s, 60’s, and early 70’s, (that any other writer would just as soon forget) to tell a truly unique Batman tale. Some fantastic new villains, like demonic Dr. Hurt, and new spins on old dynamics, make this an unforgettable story about madness, evil, and the indomitable will of The Dark Knight.
Batman & Robin: Reborn
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Frank Quietly
Another fantastic story taking place during Dick Grayson’s tenure as The Caped Crusader. Grant Morrison’s ambitious, and entertaining Batman run, consisted of a broad, 3 Act structure. If Batman RIP was the end of Act I of Morrison‘s epic, then Batman and Robin: Reborn is the beginning of Act II. This story follows Dick as he struggles to fit into his new role as Batman. One The most compelling parts of the story, is the relationship between Dick and the new Robin, Damian Wayne, Bruce’s son. Reborn puts a fun new spin on the Batman and Robin dynamic. Normally, Batman is the dark, brooding one, with Robin as the bright, quipping, colorful, and lighthearted side of The Dynamic Duo. This story completely flips that dynamic on its head. This Batman smiles, tells jokes, and has fun. Damian’s Robin is arrogant, violent, and brutal. Basically the kid is a real pain in the ass
Regardless, he is, after all, Bruce Wayne‘s biological son. To Dick and Alfred, Bruce was family, so they both feel a responsibility to keep Damian on the right path. Both men know that Bruce would want them to watch over Damian, a task that certainly isn’t easy given Damian’s violent upbringing before he came to live with his father. But Dick and Alfred would never give up on the boy because of their love for Bruce. After all, Damian was raised in The League of Assassins, under the tutelage of Tallia and Ra’s Al Ghul. He could kill grown men by the time he was four years old. With Damian, The House’s of Wayne and Al Ghul would finally be united. Talia and Ra’s were grooming him to stride across the world as a modern-day Alexander The Great. Fortunately, Damian had more of his father in him than his mother and grandfather thought. Inspired by his father, Damian chose his own path, even if that meant being branded as an adversary to The House of Al Ghul.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between Dick, Damian, and Alfred in this story. One of my favorite subplots that evolves as the story goes on, is how Damien, who has nothing but disdain for Dick and Alfred, gradually comes to love and respect them both, arguably even more than he loves his father. Add in some gorgeous art by the legendary Frank Quietly (who’s one of my favorite comic book artists), the introduction of one of my favorite and most disturbing modern day Batman villains: the grotesque Professor Pyg, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a Batman comic book. This story is a new era for Batman and it all comes together to make this a must read.
Batman: The Court of Owls
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Greg Capullo
The Court of Owls marks the beginning of what would become, one of the greatest writer/artist teams in modern comics. Together, writer Scott Snyder and veteran artist Greg Capullo, would go on to create one of the best Batman runs in the long history of the character.
Gotham City is synonymous with The Dark Knight. He knows it’s broken streets and dark alleyways, as well as he knows his own reflection in the mirror. Gotham belongs to The Batman and he knows all it’s secrets. Or does he? After a series of bizarre murders, Batman is blindsided by the realization that a cunning and dangerous enemy has existed and operated right under his nose. This powerful adversary has had its claws in Gotham for hundreds of years, going all the way back to the founding of the city. Bruce Wayne might be the worlds greatest detective and the legendary Batman, but in his hubris, he forgot one of the most important lessons he learned in his years protecting the city: The second you think you know Gotham, is the moment it swallows you into the darkness.
What are your favorite Batman stories? Please let us know in the comments below or on social media!
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
Take a look at the the first traIler for the next all-new, live-action MCU series, Hawkeye, premiering November 24th on Disney+! Jeremy Renner returns to the role of Clint Barton, the world famous Avenger known as Hawkeye! When he lost his family in The Snap, Clint went to a pretty dark place. When I say a “dark place”, I mean a full on murderous world tour, butchering the scum of the international underworld as the masked vigilante, Ronin. Finally reunited with his family, Clint is back for another adventure as everyone’s favorite bow and arrow wielding Avenger!
I really love the direction their goiung in with this trailer. It has a great ”Die Hard”, Christmas action movie vibe, which I think is a really fun and interesting way to go with this series.
We finally see finally see fan favorite Kate Bishop make her MCU debut with the perfectly cast Hailee Steinfeld as Clint’s protege. The series looks to be drawing heavily from the modern classic Hawkeye comic book run by Matt Fraction and David Aja, with many of the scenes in the trailer pulled straight off the pages of this spectacular book. If you’ve been looking to jump into reading comics/graphic novels Hawkeye by Fraction and Aja is the perfect jumping on point for readers new to the medium. Check out the links posted below if you want to read it for yourself. It receives my highest recommedation!
Your Local Comic Book store In the Boston area? Check out Hall of Comics in Southborough, MA conveniently located on RT.9 right off the Mass Pike (Tell them Paul sent you!)
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
Here are some beautiful alternate and artist made posters for Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings
On this episode of The World’s Best Podcast, we give our straight out of the theater reaction, to latest MCU film, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings! While not a FULL SPOILER review, a few MAJOR SPOILERS get dropped in our discussion, so listener beware! Instead of the studio, we recorded this in our car, immediately after seeing the film, which is why there’s a little background noise. However, I did want to include some Easter Eggs, interesting background info, and connections to the rest of The MCU, that just might enrich your experience when seeing Shang-Chi.
I absolutely adore this Special Edition Cover for EMPIRE Magazine’s Shang-Chi issue
One of the cool things about Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, is that certain elements of the character’s history have been present in The MCU, all the way back to the first Iron Man film in 2008. None of this really counts as a spoiler, because it’s nothing that hasn’t been shown in the trailer. is nothing that you haven’t seen in the trailers. The Ten Rings is like a more mysterious, ninja HYDRA. I’m going to elaborate on how the organization was pulling the strings and making moves during some key moments in The MCU. The Ten Rings make their debut in the first MCU movie, Iron Man, in 2008. The Ten Rings were the terrorist organization that kidnapped Tony Stark at the beginning of the movie. They want him to make a weapons of mass destruction but instead Tony plans an escape by building his Mach 1 armor. With that Iron Man, and the MCU, was born.
In Iron Man 2, it’s revealed that, in a deleted scene, agents of The Ten Rings, helped Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash get past security and onto the race track, where ha attacked Tony in his race car during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Even in Ant-Man, towards the end of the film the current head of Pym Tech, Cross has finally been able to replicate his hands on Hank Pym’s shrinking technology. Cross, who’s a real sack if shit, intends to sell it to the highest bidders. Many shady buyers showed for the unveiling of the Yellowjacket, Cross’s version of the Ant-Man suit. Including Hydra, A.I.M., several agents of The Ten Rings. If you have Disney+ I’d also recommend checking out the short film All Hail The King, starring Ben Kingsley‘s character from Iron Man 3, Trevor Slattery. Not only is it a really fun little short, it also has a really cool connection to Shang Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings.
Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/46360628 Or subscribe/listen on Spotify, Stitcher, Spreaker, iHeartRadio, Deezer, Podchaser, Castbox, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, & Apple Podcasts/ITunes…
Thanks for reading! Follow us on Twitter @PJWrightWBM, Instagram @worldsbestmedia2017, and our Facebook Page, Worlds Best Media. Those likes and follows, as well as iTunes reviews, go a long way to supporting World’s Best Media. We really appreciate the loyalty and support shown to us by our fans, so thanks again! Stay healthy and stay safe!
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