DC COMICS: ABSOLUTE DC UNIVERSE!

Published on September 24, 2024October 2, 2024 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey everyone,

Paul here…

*DC ALL IN: A new initiative at DC Comics. A huge part of DC ALL IN is the launch of The Absolute DC Universe*

Beginning in October, DC Comics will be launching an ambitious new, two pronged, publishing initiative called DC ALL IN. There are two major components of the DC ALL IN Initiative. The first part is all about reinvigorating the main DCU, encouraging their artists to “take big creative swings”. However, this isn’t a universe wide reboot, like The New 52 Era. The main, classic, Earth-1 DC Universe will continue, with some of the industry’s best creators, and a new publishing mandate to take chances, try new ideas, and as said before, “take big creative swings”. The goal is to create jumping on points for fans, new and old, while also getting people excited about comic books again. Across both parts of DC ALL IN, there seems to be something tailored to every kind of fan.

For example, some of DC’s flagship books will be debuting exciting new creative teams, writer Tom Taylor and artist Mikel Janín jumping onboard Detective Comics. Fantastic comics like Wonder Woman written by Tom King with art by Daniel Sampere, will continue on with the same creative teams, while launching major new story arcs. We can also expect to see few brand new titles, like Justice League Unlimited by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, and The New Gods by Ram V and Evan Cagle.

DC ALL IN is spearheaded by writers Joshua Williamson and Scott Snyder. If I had to choose, I’d say Scott Snyder is probably my favorite working comic book writer, so his involvement here is a huge plus for me. This quote from Snyder puts it well…

“The creation of the Absolute Universe is how I always imagined coming back to DC, and DC All In will be a great jumping-on point for new readers as well as lapsed fans to discover new stories to love and the chance to explore the new directions in store for DC’s core series lineup,”

DC put out the video below, featuring Williamson and Snyder officially revealing the details of the DC ALL IN and Absolute DC. It’s extremely interesting and they explain everything I’m discussing in this article much better than I could, so I highly recommend giving this a watch;

However, it’s the second part of this initiative has been really excited: ABSOLUTE DC. Basically, this is the DC version of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, but I don’t mean that like it’s a bad thing. In this new Absolute Universe, all of the typical, iconic, external elements associated with these characters are gone, but the fundamental essence of who they are remains. Complete, top to bottom reimaginings of DC’s most iconic characters, starting with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. This is a Bruce Wayne without the fortune, the mansion, the butler, and high tech arsenal. Superman doesn’t have The Kents or Lois Lane. The only thing we know for sure is that Krypton exploded. Wonder Woman isn’t from Themyscira. These are some pretty drastic departures from your average stories about DC’s Holy Trinity of Heroes. The Absolute line is keeping the core of who these characters are, but anything else is fair game. These are some really wild changes that I’m sure some people hate and some people will love. Anyway, I’ll get into a little bit more of the details about each of these book, along with some of the cool art that’s been released.

ABSOLUTE DC

Absolute Batman

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Nick Dragotta

Release Date: 10/9/24

The first Absolute DC book to debut, Absolute Batman, alongside artist Nick Dragotta, this series Scott Snyder’s return to The Dark Knight and his world. As I’ve already mentioned, I’m a huge Scott Snyder fan. Snyder came onto the mainstream comic book scene with his incredible series, American Vampire and crafted one the greatest Batman noir, mystery tales with Batman: The Black Mirror. In fact his New 52 Batman title that he wrote alongside artist Greg Capullo is my favorite Batman run in the character’s history. Not to mention his excellent work on Dark Nights: Metal and Dark Knights: Death Metal. Bottom line: this guys knows how to write the hell out of Batman. So his return to the character, with a fresh take, is definitely something to be excited about. Snyder talks more about what we can expect from Absolute Batman in the video below:

A few details we know about the new series, is that Bruce is a city engineer, Alfred is an old guard MI6 spy/assassin, and the first villain is Black Mask. Below are some character designs from Nick Dragotta as well as some preview art from Absolute Batman #1…

Concept Art:

Preview for Absolute Batman #1:

Variant Covers:

Absolute Wonder Woman

Writer: Kelly Thompson

Artist: Hayden Sherman

Release Date: 10/23/24

Thompson has described this Wonder Woman as “lava under rocks”, which is a pretty hardcore description. Absolute Wonder Woman is the last Amazon and literally raised in Hell. She’s also the first publicly recognized “superhero” of the Absolute Universe. Oh, and she’s a witch. Beyond what I’ve already covered, there isn’t much else that we know about Absolute Wonder Woman. I guess we’ll just have to wait for Issue #1 to find out more, but I’m really intrigued about this one! Below is some concept art from artist Hayden Sherman, some art from Issue #1 and the cover for issue #2…

CONCEPT ART:

ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #1 Interiors:

*Preview for Absolute Wonder Woman #1 from AIPTcomics.com*

VARIANT COVERS:

ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN #2 Cover:

Absolute Superman

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Rafa Sandoval

Release Date: 11/6/24

Jason Aaron was behind the definitive modern Thor run, as well as working on books like Avengers and Doctor Strange. His original creator owned work like Southern Bastards, is phenomenal as well. I think he’s perfect for this kind of book. He recently had this to say about the series…

He recently gave an interview, which you can check out below, where he reveals some intriguing new details about this upcoming series. He still managed to dance around anything too specific to preserve the surprise and avoid spoilers, but there were still definitely some cool details that he revealed here. I recommend giving it a watch if you really looking forward to Absolute Superman:

Concept Art:

Variant Covers & More Promo Art:

ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN #2 Cover

Looking ahead, Absolute Green Lantern and Absolute Flash have also been announced, but all we really know about them are the creative teams, some promotional artwork, and few interesting little details.

COMING SOON

Absolute Green Lantern

Writer: Al Ewing

Artist: Unknown

Release Date: TBA

Ewing is another exciting writer, with his killer work on books like Immortal Hulk and various X-Men titles. I’m not 100% certain who the artist is on this book. DC hasn’t revealed a lot about Absolute Green Lantern beyond the creative team, some teaser art, and that it’s a “complete reimagining” of the property. However, DC has also described it as first-contact style in story, that will feature classic Green Lantern characters like Hal Jordan, John Stewart, and relatively new characters like Jo Mullein, who made her first appearance a few years back in the miniseries “Far Sector”.

Absolute Flash

Writer: Jeff Lemire

Artist: Nick Robles

Release Date: TBA

The fourth ongoing series in DC’s Absolute Universe, Absolute Flash by Jeff Lemire and Nick Robles. Like Absolute Green Lantern, very little is known about the new series except for the creative team and some teaser art. Right off the bat, just from the promo art, we can tell Absolute Flash’s powers work very differently from what we traditionally see. You can see what appear to be faces in the energy coming off of Wally, in agony, as if they’re trying to escape. However, it’s been confirmed that this is Wally West in the teaser image and he’ll be The Flash in this new iteration. On a sidenote, even though DC made the decision to bring back Barry Allen over a decade ago and focus on him in the comics and all other DC media, it doesn’t change the fact that the best, the fastest, the one true Flash IS Wally West. More specifically, in this series, it will be a teenage Wally West according to writer Jeff Lemire.

It’s been reported that 7 or 8 Absolute titles in total, have been planned by DC. Which means they have at least 2 more Absolute books coming that we don’t know anything about. As one of the main voices guiding the DC All In/Absolute DC initiative, Snyder has been clear that we shouldn’t expect any big crossovers anytime soon. Unlike DC’s Earth One, a series of graphic novels that tried to reinvent DC heroes, all of the Absolute DC titles exist in the same universe. Aside from some easter eggs and references, according to Snyder it will be at least 13 issues before we can expect to see any major overlap among the Absolute DC books. It may even be longer, Snyder only referenced 13 issues because that’s how many issues of Absolute Batman he has written and in the can, at the time of this article. So by Absolute Batman #13, the heroes still haven’t had any significant crossovers. Which makes a lot of sense because what they’re trying to establish is a very stripped down version of these characters. They don’t have the support systems around them that we typically associate with these heroes. They’re isolated and alone, in a more dangerous world. So Batman and Wonder Woman popping up in each other’s books in issue 3, would undercut the central themes and ideas in this Absolute line. However, that doesn’t mean we’re never going to see team-ups among the Absolute DC characters. As one the main creative architects, Snyder confirmed that these heroes and villains will definitely crossover, just anytime in the near future.

Absolute DC is all about showing us radical and very different takes on Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman (and more to come) with some of the best writers and artists in the business. Personally, I love this kind of stuff and was very excited when it was announced. The art immediately captured my imagination and I’m really looking forward finding more when the comics hit the shelves. So, as a huge comic book advocate, this was something that I really wanted to draw peoples attention on. Because if you like superhero movies or TV shows, and thought about picking up a comic book at some point, this will be the perfect time to do it. You’ll find these comics at your local comic book stores, you can read them online through apps like Kindle and Comixology. Even Target of all places will be carrying some of these books.

DC’s new era officially kicks off with DC All In Special #1 on October 2nd!

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 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!

Robert Downey Jr. Officially Returns To The MCU… As DOCTOR DOOM!!!

Published on August 16, 2024August 16, 2024 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

*Robert Downey Jr. returning to The MCU as Doctor Doom: Brilliant or Desperate? Time will tell…*

In the minds of many fans, the eventual return of Robert Downey Jr. to The Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Tony Stark, seemed inevitable. The question wasn’t if, but when? But I don’t think anyone could have predicted that he would be return to play a completely different character, let alone as the iconic villain, Dr. Victor Von Doom. Not only is Doom arguably Marvel’s greatest villain, but one of the greatest villains in the history of the medium. Marvel Studios also announced that the previously untitled Avengers 5, is now officially Avengers: Doomsday hitting theaters in May 2026, followed by Avengers: Secret Wars in May 2027. I suspect that much like how Infinity War was very much Thanos’ film, before the big showdown in Endgame. I think Doomsday will be our grand introduction to Victor Von Doom, where we get to know this legendary villain before the epic Secret Wars film the following year.

Reactions to this announcement seem to be decidedly mixed (myself included). With some viewing this as a desperate attempt to reinvigorate The MCU with stunt casting. I tend to have more faith in Marvel Studios than that. Especially with directors Joseph and Anthony Russo, returning to helm the next two Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. These are the guys who gave us The Winter Soldier, Civil War, Infinity War, and Endgame, which are all counted among the very best MCU movies. That’s an insane track record, and the brothers have been vocal about how, if they were ever to return to The MCU, it would be for a Secret Wars film.

*Marvel veterans Joe and Anthony Russo return to The MCU to direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars*

Right off the bat, I think it’s very clear that there’s no way Robert Downey Jr. will be appearing as Tony Stark/Iron Man in any of these films, as certain rumors before this announcement have suggested. Marvel Studios also officially confirmed at SDCC, that the new Fantastic Four, will be appearing in both Doomsday and Secret Wars as well. So let’s dive in to this casting news! Is it a brilliant idea or an act of desperation? How exactly is this going to work on screen? I’ll also offer up some important background and context, regarding the characters and stories, that these films will be exploring.

First off, for those of you who aren’t familiar with Doctor Doom (shown above), especially because his live-action/big screen portrayals so far, have had about as much in common with his comic book counterpart as Big Bird from Sesame Street. Here’s a summary of the man, the myth, the legend… Victor Von Doom, courtesy of the Marvel Database:

Dr. Victor von Doom,Ph.D a.k.a. Doctor Doom is a Latverian politician who serves as the Monarch and Supreme Leader for The Kingdom of Latverian. He was scarred from an accident and wears an iron mask and armor to hide his true face. He is considered one of the most brilliant minds and scientists on the planet Earth. He is also a sorcerer with skills in magic matching the most powerful beings in the Universe, making him a potential candidate for Sorcerer Supreme. He hopes to bring order and betterment to humanity through world conquest. Unequalled in ability, ego, and will power, he has come into conflict with both superhumans and cosmic beings. He is best known as the rival of Reed Richards and archenemy of the Fantastic Four.

*Our official look at Marvel’s First Family, The Fantastic Four*

*L. Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/ The Human Torch by artist Boss Logic*

*R. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards, wielding The Infinity Gauntlet and The Ultimate Nullifier (I wish I knew the name of this artist, because this great stuff)*

In another confirmation that the movies will be adapting the 2015 version of Secret Wars, Marvel recently revealed that Battleworld will be a major part of the film. For those of you unfamiliar with Battleworld and the source material, in the Secret Wars comic book, the multiverse is rapidly collapsing due to “Incursions”. There’s more to the story, but it’s too complicated to get into here. With help of Stephen Strange, Doom confronts the beings who set these events in motion: The Beyonders. Nearly omnipotent cosmic beings of untold power. Doom destroys The Beyonders and takes their god-like power for himself.

With most of the multiverse having been destroyed at this point in the story. Doom, using his new powers, saves what little pieces of the multiverse that are left and combines those fragments to create a new reality called Battleworld. As its creator, Victor declares dominion over this new world as God Emperor Doom.

When Victor became God Emperor Doom and created Battleworld, he stole the family of his lifelong rival, Reed Richards. In this reality Sue Storm is Doom’s wife, and Franklin and Valeria are their children, with no knowledge of Reed or their lives before Battleworld.

As was explained, Doom’s archenemies may be Reed Richards and The Fantastic Four, but he’s also a major Avengers antagonist, and the premiere villain of The Marvel Universe. Adding another interesting wrinkle to all of this, is the complicated nature of Victor and Tony’s relationship. As Victor would put it, of all the so-called “heroes” in The Marvel Universe, Doom always harbored a quiet respect for Iron Man. In fact, when Tony was badly injured and left in a coma that he may not have woken up from, Doom turned over a new leaf and became a full blown superhero. Leaving villainy behind and taking up Tony’s mantle as The INFAMOUS Iron Man (one of my personal favorite Victor Von Doom stories). Victor played this role in the comics for a few years as he attempted to make up for his sins. Doom often straddle the line between hero and villain, which is one of the many reasons why he’s so interesting.

*Victor Von Doom: The Infamous Iron Man*

Another concern is that Doom is a character that I want to see stick around The MCU for awhile. A post-credits scene in Fantastic Four, as well as starring as The Big Bad in Doomsday and Secret Wars isn’t enough for this iconic character. For example, imagine if Magneto’s only appearances in The X-Men franchise were in X-Men and X2. Think about how much great stuff we would have missed. The X-Men movies run the gamut in quality from classic to fucking terrible, but no matter the film, whether it’s McKellen or Fassbender, Magneto was always fucking awesome.

This is why DOOM is Marvel’s greatest villain.

Doom should be a major presence in The MCU, even after Secret Wars, like Magneto was in Fox’s X-Men franchise. Is Downey going to want to stick around for who-knows-how-many years playing Doom, after a decade in The MCU playing Tony Stark? Maybe he will. However, a recent rumor may have put this concern to rest. Unconfirmed sources have suggested that Marvel will be casting a different actor as Doctor Doom after Secret Wars. Suggesting that the film is some sort of soft reboot of The MCU, which makes a lot of sense. This rumor also gives credence to the idea that this Doom is a Tony Stark variant, but who really knows? It could be another bullshit internet rumor.

*This awesome fan art of RDJ as Doom was posted on instagram by artist spdrmnkyxxii. Check out his other excellent work on instagram.*

So the question becomes: How exactly is this going to work? They could go a few different ways. The most obvious one I’ve seen being banded about, is that this Doom will be a variant of Tony Stark. A lot of attention is being given, to how weird and shocking it will be for the other MCU heroes to encounter someone like Doom, only to be shocked to discover he looks just like Tony Stark! Yet any resemblance or connection between Doom and Tony could be handled multiple ways:

It could be shown up front (the least interesting possibility, in my opinion)
It could be hidden from the characters as a story twist/reveal
The movies could ignore that Doom and Tony are being played by the same actor all together.

In the comics, Victor Von Doom’s face becomes horrifically scared and disfigured, the result a college science experiment, gone wrong when he was a young man. An accident that Victor blames on his old classmate, Reed Richards, and is the source of their lifelong rivalry. Outside of moments in private, Doom is always shown clad in his mask and battle armor. Even when he’s alone and outside of his armor, he still wears a mask in private because of his shame and vanity.

*Doom is almost never shown without his mask.*

The few times we’ve seen Doom’s face, it still bares the scars from that fateful accident years ago. He’s also the ruler of his Eastern European homeland, Latveria. Which means he has an Eastern European accent.

Taking all of that into account, RDJ could play Doctor Doom as a totally new character, without the story or the other characters referencing any connection to Tony Stark. Personally, this is the way I’d like to see Doom handled in The MCU. Regardless, Doctor Doom deserves, no, NEEDS, a top-tier actor, and Downey certainly fits the bill.

So what do I think about all of this? At the end of the day I need more information. Let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic about the whole thing. As I’ve said, this is certainly intriguing and interesting, but I can’t make a judgment on the wisdom of this casting until I know more about how they’re going to portray the character.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps will hit theaters on July 25, 2025. Avengers: Doomsday hits heaters May 1, 2026. With Secret Wars following about a year later, on May 7, 2027.

FIRST LOOK: James Gunn’s Superman & More!

Published on May 15, 2024 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

One of the most highly anticipated upcoming films is undoubtedly James Gunn’s Superman (originally titled Superman: Legacy). Now we have our first official look, at our new Clark Kent/Superman, David Corenswet, in the new Superman suit! Check it out…

On this episode, we analyze the image of the new suit, and what it says about this new version of The Man of Steel (which is a lot more than you might think). We also take some time to sing the praises of the incredible new Disney+ animated series, X-Men ‘97.

Listen & Subscribe on…

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And wherever else you get your podcasts!

A lot of fans have been speculating as to the identity of the seemingly alien entity attacking Metropolis in the background of the photo. Some have suggested it could be Solaris The Tyrant Sun, an evil, sentient, artificial sun, seen in the image below.

The character has appeared in stories like Grant Morrison’s DC One Million and All-Star Superman.

In the podcast, I mentioned a video James Gunn put out last year, going into detail about what to expect from upcoming DC Studios projects. It’s really cool and informative, and must watch if your a DC fan:

The first look at the latest bug screen incarnation of The Last Son of Krypton is always a big deal. Below are the debut images of Brandon Routh as Superman in Bryan Singer’s 2006 film, Superman Returns and Henry Cavill in 2013’s Man of Steel directed by Zack Snyder.

Both images are an interesting contrast to this new “first look” at Superman. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and the debut pictures for Superman Returns and Man of Steel bring to mind words like: strength, power, classic, godlike, and heroic. It’s no accident that in comparison David Corenswet’s Superman comes across as far more human and down to earth. The 2 images above evoke heroes from Greek mythology. While James Gunn’s Superman looks more like a fireman, putting on his battered gear to answer another emergency call (a far more heroic image in my opinion). But I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Lastly, I think everything about this first look at David Corenswet as Supermen, and everything about it, was very carefully chosen. I think it tells us a lot about the kind of Superman film he’s making.

Recently, Gunn posted this comment on Twitter (yes, I know it’s X now, but dammit I’m not calling it that)

He went on post the below images of the Superman stories that were influencing the movie The examples he chose only made more confident in his ability to this a special film…

I certainly like what I see, but at the end of the day we’re painstakingly going over every detail of ONE photo. As fans, we tend to over analyze everything. Especially when it comes to our most beloved figures. Others have said, and I happen to agree, that you can’t get a sense of how well a superhero costume works, until we see it in motion on screen. I think that’s when we can actually judge the latest take on Superman’s iconic uniform. Again, let me know what you think!

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 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!

-Paul

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE! New Trailer Breakdown!

Published on April 26, 2024 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

The first full trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine has arrived in all its glory! Arguably the most highly anticipated movie of the year, on this episode of the podcast, we breakdown the new trailer and talk about some cool easter eggs that you might have missed! Watch the full trailer right here and then listen to the podcast below. Thanks for listening and enjoy!

Listen & Subscribe on…

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We’re also available on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, and pretty much anywhere else you get you podcasts.

”Let’s Fucking GO!“ -Wade Wilson

There’s the family you’re born with and the family you choose. So it makes a lot of sense that Charles Xavier created his own family with the X-Men, because he has it pretty rough in the biological family department….

(Clockwise, Top left: Prof. Charles Xavier, Top right: Cassandra Nova, Charles’ ultra-powerful evil twin sister, responsible for the genocide of millions of mutants on Genosha. Bottom left: David Haller AKA Legion, Charles’ son with schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder. A Beyond-Omega level mutant with off the scale telepathic, telekinetic, and reality warping powers. Occasionally a villain, sometimes a hero. David could blink reality out existence with an errant thought. Bottom right: Cain Marko AKA The Juggernaut, Charles’ step-brother. Career criminal, one of the most physically powerful meta-humans on Earth. Former member of The Brotherhood, occasional X-Man. In this family, Cain is “the good one”.)

-Paul

Should Batman Kill?

Published on March 16, 2024 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

It is good to be back!

Director Zack Snyder (300, Man of Steel, Batman V Superman) recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast for a lengthy interview that reignited a longtime debate within fandom: Should Batman Kill? We have our own, very strong opinions on the subject here on The World’s Best Podcast. So what better way to return from our long hiatus? It’s good to be back! Thanks for listening and enjoy!

Listen & Subscribe here through the Speaker app: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/should-batman-kill–59014591 or…

Listen & Subscribe on…

iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worlds-best-podcast/id1246038441?i=1000648905484

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Below, we have some of the specific moments from Batman comics, video games and film, that show how the character’s “No Kill” Rule is pretty… flexible. We covered some of these on this episode of the podcast. Judge for yourself!

The Dark Knight Returns

This is the much debated sequence from The Dark Knight Returns, that Snyder discusses on JRE, judge for yourself:

While the moment is definitely a little confusing and ambiguous, it is definitely not Batman shooting The Mutant Gang member in the head, as Snyder described it on JRE. At the very least, Batman definitely seems to shoot the guy. However, confusion about this moment doesn’t invalidate the larger points Snyder was making.

Batman Leaves KGBeast For Dead… TWICE!

In Batman #420, rather than test his skills against the formidable KGBeast, Batman traps and seals him abandoned, underground room. Deep in the bowels of Gotham. In a complete cop out from DC, a later issue retconned this moment, at the behest of DC, mentioning that Batman eventually told the police where KGBeast was. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the intentions of the writers and Batman were crystal clear when this comic was published. This was Batman committing a man to a slow and brutal death.

After KGBeast shot Nightwing in the head, causing permanent brain damage, Batman hunts KGBeast to the ends of the Earth. Culminating in a vicious battle in remote Siberia in Batman #57. To end the fight, Batman pulls out his grapple gun sticks it under KG beasts, chin and fires it at point blank range. The tremendous force instantly snaps his neck, paralizing the man. Despite the assassin’s pleas, Batman leaves KGBeast to die in the frozen wilderness. The only question was if he succumbed to his injuries, or to the cold first.

Batman Begins (2005) “I won’t kill you, but I don’t have to save you”

Well, that’s a fine line, isn’t it Batman?

Batman Mortally Wounds Darkseid

Those are just a few examples, but there are plenty more. Batman may not have outright murdered many people since his early years, but there are plenty of times when his actions knowingly resulted in someone’s death. It’s not much of a rule if Batman’s frequently bending it. Maybe it’s time to get rid of the whole damn “No Kill” Rule altogether?

– Paul

MOVIE REVIEW: Indiana Jones & The Dial of Destiny!

Published on July 6, 2023 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

On this episode, Paul and Ryan review the fifth installment in the beloved Indiana Jones franchise, Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny! This episode contains FULL SPOILERS, so check out the movie, then come on back and listen to our full discussion and review!

Below the links for the podcast, you’ll find my Podcast Afterthoughts, as well as the excellent retrospectives of the first four Indiana Jones films, by Mr. Sunday Movies, that we mentioned in the episode.

Listen to the new episode below and enjoy:

Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/55640249

iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-worlds-best-podcast/id1246038441?i=1000618933034

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4jTsuLgT4CLkKqb3qPp0kq?si=M_Tgd-UsSu6B6e01-gVM-Q

PODCAST AFTERTHOUGHTS:

I love Indiana Jones. I even say in this episode that I’m big Kingdom of The Crystal Skull apologist. So I can get pretty passionate when talking about my favorite big screen hero. If you listened to the episode, you know there was one aspect of the movie that REALLY, REALLY didn’t work for me and I spent a lot of time on the topic as we discussed Dial of Destiny. In hindsight, I wanted to make it clear that despite it’s issues, I really liked this movie. It’s a solid Indiana Jones adventure. Because I grew up with this character, and I brought so much emotional baggage to this move, I’ll probably have to see it at least one more time in theaters before I really get a sense of how I feel about it. I could see someone listening to this episode of the podcast and thinking I hated the movie and that was not the case at all. So to wrap things up, I just wanted to clarify my feelings a little bit. Anyway, thanks for reading and thanks for listening! We really appreciate it!

MR. SUNDAY MOVIES; CARAVAN OF GARBAGE – INDIANA JONES

In the weeks leading up to The Dial of Destiny, the guys over at Mr. Sunday Movies took a look back at each of the first four Indiana Jones movies, and the videos are a blast to watch and funny as hell. The co-hosts, James and Mason, have hilarious takes on each film and the character of Indiana Jones. But unlike so many other movie YouTubers, they aren’t cynical or negative for the sake of a laugh. These guys love movies like this and it comes through even when they’re making fun of them. I highly recommend their YouTube channel and their weekly podcast. Check out their fantastic breakdowns of Dr. Henry Jones Jr.’s original adventures, right here:

-Paul

REVIEW: Secret Invasion – Series Premiere!

Published on June 22, 2023July 5, 2023 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

“Who do you trust?” The first episode of Marvel’s latest Disney+ series, Secret Invasion, has arrived and after watching the first episode, I can definitely say that the latest MCU adventure is off to a great start.

Right off the bat, I wanted to keep this one pretty SPOILER-FREE. So if you haven’t seen it yet, you should be good reading this review. Anyway, when Marvel began producing big budget, movie quality MCU shows on Disney+, they launched with three flagship series: WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Loki. All three both fantastic and unique. Each series was in it’s own genre and showed us completely different parts of The MCU. If I had to pick, I’d say Loki was definitely my favorite. The subsequent Disney+/MCU shows we’re all interesting or cool in their own way, but so far, none of them have quite reached the heights of WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Loki. However, after watching the first episode of Secret Invasion, there’s definitely the potential here for another first rate Marvel show.

Secret Invasion is based on the comic book miniseries of they same name, written by Brian Michael Bendis. Whenever Marvel has adapted a specific storyline from the comic books, like Civil War for example, it’s usually a loose adaptation that changes elements of the original story to better fit what works within The MCU. They’re more like reimaginings that share certain elements. So far that’s been a great formula. I don’t necessarily want to see 1-for-1 adaptations of these stories. Comics are very different from films or television, so each medium plays to it’s strengths when telling stories like this.

The best thing about Secret Invasion is that this is Nick Fury’s story. Nick Fury is such an interesting character and Samuel L. Jackson is (as usual) fantastic. I’m happy Marvel went with a miniseries instead of a solo movie for their Nick Fury-centric project. If Marvel decided to give Nick Fury a solo film, it would probably have looked a lot like Black Widow. Fury deserves something grander than that. The threat of a shape shifting alien race, The Skrull, infiltrating our world at the highest levels, with the goal of making Earth their new home, certainly fits the bill. The Skrull made their first appearance in The MCU in 2019’s Captain Marvel.The Skrull need a new home world and they’ve got their sights set on Earth. How do you combat an existential threat like this? Who do you trust? Have they infiltrated The White House? The Avengers? Is the person you think you’ve known for years, not who they appear to be? This why Secret Invasion is the perfect way to tell a great NIck Fury story. Shadowy threats lurking in the darkness. Secrets and double crosses. Subterfuge and spy craft. This is Nick Fury’s world. Fury isn’t just a spy, as Tony Stark once said, “He’s THE Spy. His secrets have secrets”. But has Fury lost a step? Is he still THE Nick Fury? That’s the question the series asks, at least in the first episode.

What we end up with is a sci-fi, spy thriller and it works great. The cast is fantastic with Ben Mendelssohn returning as Talos, a “good” Skrull and an old friend of Fury’s, Game of Thrones’ Emilia Clark plays Talos’ estranged daughter, as well as Don Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes, Martin Freeman as Everett Ross, and Colbie Smulders as Maria Hill.

Don’t come into the show expecting a non-stop action extravaganza like The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. This is a spy thrillers, so it’s a little slower and builds tension. Which works perfect here, it’s exactly what this show needs to be, it’s what makes it compelling. The show does a great job showing the audience what’s at stake. You catch on pretty quickly to why this would be such a dangerous situation, and it has some interesting real world parallels.

With Nick Fury at the center, a chilling threat, and a great cast, this was an excellent start to Secret Invasion. There’s huge potential here and I hope the rest of the series lives up to the promise shown in its first episode.

Secret Invasion will be a 6-part miniseries with new episodes premiering each Wednesday on Disney+.

-Paul

THE FLASH: New Trailer!!!

Published on April 27, 2023May 2, 2023 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

Last week was the annual Cinema-Con event. Movie studios give presentations to all of the major movie theater chains from around the country, to promote the major films they have coming out for the year. The studios want the theater owners to get excited about their biggest films to get them on as many screens as possible. Most of the presentations of trailers, scenes from a film, appearances from directors and stars. But occasionally studios will show films in their entirety at the event, often months before the movie’s premiere. Studios only do this if the have a tremendous amount of confidence in the film they’re showing. A recent example was when Paramount screened Top Gun: Maverick at Cinema-Con, a film that would go on to become one of the biggest commercial and critical hits of the last few years. In some circles (Quentin Tarantino, for one), Top Gun: Maverick was even credited as having a large roll in reviving the movie theater industry. So when news comes out that a studio is planning to screen one of their movies at Cinema-Con, it’s a pretty big deal. So when Warner Bros. announced that they’d be screening The Flash at Cinema-Con, it got the attention of a lot of people.

To say The Flash solo movie has had a bumpy road to the big screen would be an understatement. With an original release date of March 2018, behind the scenes drama plagued the films development, causing the film’s release date repeatedly pushed back. From the jump, Warner Bros completely lacked any real plan or vision for their DC films beyond a vague attempt to duplicate the success of The Marvel Cinematic Universe. Multiple directors were attached to the movie only to subsequently leave the project. Even when the movie was finally completed, The Flash was dragged. Greatinto another massive shit storm with Ezra Miller’s very public break down last year.

Despite all of it’s problems, the buzz surrounding the movie itself was extremely positive. James Gunn was on record saying The Flash was one of the best comic book movies he’d ever seen (considering that he’d recently become the head of DC Studios, most people took that statement with a grain of salt). Miraculously however, it look like Gunn may be proven right after all. Since it was screened at Cinema-Con, the consensus among those that have seen The Flash, is extremely positive. The general reception seems to be that the movie is excellent. In spite of it’s production problems, this movie has some big things going for it.

The return of Michael Keaton’s Batman, is a huge draw for audience. And people who love comic book, movies, and people who just love movies in general will both be excited about his return to this classic character. Keaton’s Batman is the wildcard. Out of all the actors who played The Caped Crusader, no one has portrayed Bruce’s rage and mental instability, quite as well as Michael Keaton. Getting a look at how that guy, that character has evolved over the last 30 years is really fucking interesting.

The film also has some very talented people behind the scenes. Such as director Andy Muschietti, the filmmaker behind the fantastic IT movies (a director who has apparently knocked this one out of the park, too). Early word is that it’s total blast, the performances are great, and there are quite a few surprises.

I’ve been looking forward to The Flash for quite awhile, so I was very happy to hear that the final product sounds like it’s gonna be something pretty special. Check out the new trailer right here.

It’s sort of funny and ironic that Michael Keaton’s Batman is much older than the last time we saw him play The Dark Knight on the big screen, yet he’s far more agile and physically formidable than he was 30 years ago. Comic book movies were still a joke before 1989’s Batman. Superhero films weren’t all that common when he first played Batman in the original Tim Burton movies. The Batman suit was a giant, uncomfortable, thick piece of rubber, so much so that the actors and stunt men could barely move in it. Looking back on those Batman films, you’ll notice, whenever Batman hast to look to the left, or to the right, he can’t actually turn his head. He had to turn his entire torso, because he couldn’t move his head., which looks really weird. That was just a result of the filmmaking imitations of the time. So it will be really cool and exciting to see a Michael Keaton Batman that is actually physically formidable.

Here’s the official synopsis: Barry Allen uses his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without super heroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future.

The Flash hits theaters on June 16, 2023

Grant Gustin’s Flash (The TV/Arrowverse Flash) was rumored to be, but is ***NOT*** appearing in the movie. I just thought this was a cool piece of concept art

Star Wars Celebration 2023! Big Announcements! Trailers & More!

Published on April 15, 2023 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone,

Paul here…

Over the weekend Lucasfilm held it’s annual Star Wars Celebration event, showcasing what the future holds for a galaxy far, far away. In addition to several interesting trailers, which you can watch below, there were several major announcements to come out of the event. The most notable being, that three new Star Wars movies are currently in development.

The current stewards of The Star Wars Universe (the good stuff anyway)

No official release dates have been announced so I’m not certain what order these films will be released in, but I am going to break each of them down. First, will have an Avengers-style, team-up movie, directed by Dave Filoni, bringing together the characters from The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and the upcoming Ashoka. The series will act as the epic culmination of the overarching storyline that began with The Mandalorian and serve as an ending to the story of Din Djarin and Grogu. But don’t freak out yet! We still have multiple seasons of The Mandalorian before the film will hit theaters. At the very least we know Season 4 is already in early stages of production.

The second film will be directed by James Mangold. Mangold is a fantastic director, behind movies like Logan and the upcoming 5th Indiana Jones film. The movie take place thousands of years before The Skywalker Saga and chronicle the origins and beginning of The Jedi Order. As much as I love The Mandalorian, this is the film that I’m most excited for. Mangold is a great director and the story has a lot of potential. Taking place in a completely different time period, with all new characters, is something a lot of Star Wars fans have been wanting for a while now. I think going back as far as the beginning of The Jedi, has the potential to be very unique and cool.

The third and certainly most controversial film, will focus on Rey from the sequel trilogy, and take place years after The Rise of Skywalker. The story will follow Rey, as she attempts to rebuild The Jedi Order. Considering how divisive The Sequel Trilogy was, especially Rise of Skywalker, this seems like a somewhat surprising and misguided, move on the part of the leadership at Lucasfilm. We’ll be following the production of these movies and keep you updated as new details come to light these films begin to come to light.

On the streaming front, as I mentioned before we got our first look at the Ashoka series in the awesome trailer posted below, as well as several other exciting interesting Star Wars TV projects. Take a look:

Ashoka

Star Wars: Visions Vol.2

Both of these shows look amazing and I can’t wait!

A new series called Star Wars: Acolyte was also announced. The series is set before The Skywalker Saga, in The High Republic Era. Very little is known about the project at this point and is shrouded in secrecy. The show has been fully cast, with most of the roles being kept under wraps for the moment. However, we do know one thing for sure: We’re getting a Wookiee Jedi! Which is worth the price of admission all by itself. I will keep you updated as news of this new series develops.

-Paul

FIRST LOOK: The Flash! New Posters! Videos! & More!

Published on March 21, 2023March 21, 2023 by theworldsbestblogwithpaulwrightLeave a comment

Hey Everyone

Paul here…

Hands-down, DC/WB”s upcoming movie The Flash is by far my most anticipated film of the year. The return of Michael Keaton as Batman! Supergirl! Dark Flash! The DCEU spin on the classic Flashpoint storyline! That KILLER trailer! The return of General Zod! It all looks fucking great.

Plus, say what you want about the guy, but I really like Ezra Miller as The Flash (or more specifically Barry Allen). I do think that when they’re done with Miller, because let’s be real his relationship with Warner Bros. as this character is going to be done after this film, they should make Wally West their new Flash, instead of just re-casting Barry Allen.

Wally West: The One, True Flash!

Alongside Barry/The Flash, It looks like the most important characters in the upcoming film, are Michael Keaton’s Batman and Supergirl. This reality’s twisted reflection of the classic The DC Trinity (Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman in the main DCU).

The Trinity from The Flash…

Which I am all about! Because I’ve loved everything I’ve seen about this new Supergirl and once again, give me some Michael Keaton as Batman ALL. DAY. LONG. Which brings me to today‘s topic. As some of you may know, I love me a good movie poster. I love a good movie poster almost as much as I love a good trailer. Well, that’s over stating things a little bit. However, I believe that movie posters are an art form. A great movie poster cannot only sell the shit out of a film, but it can be a work of art. I have countless books solely on the art of movie posters. Books collecting some of the classic movie posters of our time. A great movie poster can capture the imagination. Which is why I was excited to see Warner Bros./DC Studios premiere, these three, very cool character posters for their upcoming Flash film. Take a look.

All in keeping with the them of this universe’s DC Trinity. Speaking of Supergirl, I’m particularly happy to see her included in this film, because Zack Snyder actually set up her presence in the DCEU all the way back in Man of Steel. In the films first act, when Clark discovers the Kryptonian scout ship, he notices pods filled with the bodies of dead Kryptonians, except one of the pods was open, with no body inside. Implying that someone got out alive. Fans, of course, took notice of this and when asked about it, Zack Snyder insinuated that, that was indeed an Easter egg intended to set up Supergirl.

Anyway, as a big fan of Zack Snyder’s Justice League Trilogy, I thought this vide was cool:

James Gunn, the new co-head of DC Studios has repeatedly stated his “love” for The Flash film, calling it “one of the best superhero movies ever made.”. As the co-head of DC Studios and director of the upcoming Superman: Legacy, Gunn may be a little bias. However, Tom Cruise, who many credited with helping to save the moviegoing industry with last year’s mega hit Top Gun: Maverick, was asked by WB CEO David Szazlav to screen the film and give his thoughts. After a print was delivered to Cruise’s home and he watched the movie, Cruise not only “loved it’, but he was so impressed, he called director Andy Muschietti to rave about the film and told the director “This is everything you want in a movie. It’s the kind of film we need now.”. That is one HELL of an endorsement!

…And just to wrap things up, not for nothing, but the McFarlane Action Figures for The Flash and Keaton’s Batman for this movie look sick! Needless to say, there’s a lot of reasons to be excited for this film!

The Flash opens in theaters June 16th, 2023!

-Paul