On this episode, Big Paul Sr. and I look back at 2021 and discuss our favorite movies of the year! We planned on going over our favorite TV shows of 2021 as well, but as usual, things went off the rails pretty quickly. So, expect a new episode of the podcast, where we talk about our favorite TV/Streaming series of 2021. We will most likely have it posted sometime in the next week.
The format of The World’s Best Podcast has always been very informal and conversational. Which means, that sometimes, we don’t get to go over certain topics as much as I’d like. While we spent a decent amount of time discussing most of our favorite movies of the year, there were a few that got left out or under discussed. Which is why I decided to included my official Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2021 list in this article, that we mention on the podcast. I’d love to hear what movies resonated with you in 2021, so let us know in the comments below or on social media.
My Favorite Movies of 2021
The Suicide Squad
Nobody
Zack Snyder’s Justice League
Dune
Eternals
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings
A Quiet Place: Part 2
Batman: The Long Halloween
Last Night In Soho
Some of you may be surprised to see that Spider-Man: No Way Home didn’t make it onto the list. No Way Home is probably the biggest, most ambitious film to come out of The MCU, that isnt an Avengers movie. No Way Home has A LOT going on. I only saw it once and when I finally did, I was a little under the weather (Don’t worry, I’m not talking about COVID or anything like that. I would never be irresponsible enough to go to a movie, if I thought there was even a chance I was COVID positive). I have a feeling that, if I saw the film under better circumstances it would be in the Top 10. I didn’t feel comfortable including it on this list, until I see it again and decide where exactly I come down on Spider-Man: No Way Home. Anyway, enjoy this week’s episode of The World’s Best Podcast!
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The Batman is by far my most anticipated film of the year. based on comments made by the filmmakers, it seems that we’re finally going to see Batman “The Worlds Greatest Detective” on the big screen. We haven’t really seen that side of the character in any of the live action movies. Batman is Sherlock Holmes in a keep in Cowell and some of his best stories are mysteries. I always thought a great idea for a Batman movie would be to do something along the lines of, just takin a film like Se7en, but swap out detectives Mills and Somerset . Batman’s real superpower is his mind, his will, and his intelligence. He’s the ultimate strategist, it’s incredibly exciting to see all of these vital pieces of the character finally come into play in a Batman film.
Warner Bros and DC release’d a clip from the upcoming movie, it’s about 3 minutes or so long, with NO SPOILERS (Unless you literally want to go into the film having seen absolutely nothing). The scene got me even more enthusiastic about this project. Even with just a few minutes, a fairly simple scene, did a fantastic job buil.ding up tension and establishing the the tone. Check it out right here:
Check this sick new poster for TheBatman, hitting theaters March 4th!
An awesome, new set of character posters for The Batman were recently released as we get closer to the movie’s opening on 3/4/22. Take a look in the gallery below:
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On this episode of The World’s Best Podcast, after my Walkabout/Journey of Spiritual Rejuvenation, we’re back, Baby! I’ve returned fo my beloved podcast, to talk about my 3 favorite TV/Streaming Series of January 2022! Which new and returning shows make the cut? Listening here to find out… Enjoy!
One of the shows I discuss on this episode is The Book of Boba Fett, I found these cool character posters online that I wanted to make sure I shared in this article. Take a look…
Thanks for listening! Follow u M s 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!
Marvel Studios announced a lot of exciting new projects coming to Disney+, when they unveiled their grand plan for Phase 4 of The MCU. 2021 boasted a killer line up of impressive shows with WandaVision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki, What if?…, and Hawkeye, with a lot more coming in 2022 and beyond. So when Hawkeye wrapped up its first season, fans were eager to find out which of the upcoming in MCU shows would be coming to the streaming platform next. Now, it’s official: along with the announcement that Moon Knight is coming to Disney+ on March 30th, Marvel also dropped the first trailer for the upcoming series! Check it out here:
I really hope the rumors that Ethan Hawke is playing Dracula are true!
So, what do you guys think of our first look at Marvel’s Moon Knight? Who do you think Ethan Hawke is playing in the series? Let us know in the comments below!
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!
In the immortal words of Kevin Smith, ”F*ck you, take my money!”. Damn, this looks fantastic. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I think Matt Reeves is a inspired choice for director, the cast is phenomenal (Colin Farrell as The Penguin? That’s worth the price of admission alone), I think Pattinson is going to crush it as Batman. However, I don’t think I really got truly excited until I watched this trailer.
I absolutely adore the looks of the rogues gallery in this movie. In a stroke of genius, The Riddler was clearly inspired by the infamous Zodiac serial killer, resulting in a profoundly disturbing look.
Colin Farrell is unrecognizable as Oswald Cobblepot and anyone who’s been following his work over the last 10 years or so, knows that he’s going to absolutely murder this role.
Finally, Zoe Kravitz looks amazing as Selina Kyle. I love her simple, back to basics look, which is clearly inspired by her appearance in a Frank Miller‘s Batman: Year One. After all, she’s supposed to still be relatively early in her career in this movie.
Then there are these guys, who I’m not quite sure what to make of. If I didn’t know anything about the movie, I would guess that there some version of The Jokerz, a violent gang first introduced in Batman Beyond, who saw themselves carrying on the anarchy and legacy of The Clown Prince of Crime. In Batman Beyond, most if not all were born years after the death of The Joker. They never saw what Gotham was like during a real Joker attack. Because of of The Joker’s “legend”, the gang revered him as an outlaw and anarchist, while in reality they don’t really understand the death and evil that The Joker represented.
Batman Beyond takes place decades in the future where Batman and the Joker haven’t been seen in years and are presumed missing or dead. A group of punks who didn’t really understand the evil that The Joker represented, thought he was just decided to start cool and started The Jokerz. In the years since their formation, they’ve been terrorizing the good, decent people of Gotham. While they aren’t a major threat like Bane, or any other major members of Batman’s rogues gallery, they can still be quite dangerous and violent.
I also have a sneaking suspicion that there may be a few more villains appearing in this film, that they’ve been able to keep hidden from the audience so far.
I’m not the first person to say this, but I have a sneaking suspicion that there’s more to this story than meets the eye. I think it’s possible that The Riddler could have a benefactor, someone pulling his strings. But who? The Joker? Hush? If there is indeed someone behind the curtain, I think villain(s) that makes the most sense in light of this new trailer, would be The Court Of Owls. Green
The Court of Owls are a secret society that have exerted their wealth, influence, and power over Gotham, from the shadows, since the founding of the city. This new trailer makes it clear that Riddler knows Batman is Bruce Wayne and that the central mystery of the story seems to have something to do with The Wayne family. The Waynes are of course, one of the oldest and most respected families in Gotham. In the comics, multiple members of The Wayne family (as well as their lifelong friends, The Pennyworths) had their run-ins with The Court and their deadly enforcers, The Talons.
Talon ( The Court of Owls personal enforcers and assassins)
The Court of Owls are among my favorite modern Batman villains and we haven’t seen them on the big screen yet. Not only would it be great to see something a little different from a Batman antagonist, they’re just plain cool. This is all just speculation, of course. Regardless, this is definitely a movie to keep your eyes on.
The Batman opens 3/4/2022
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!
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!
On this episode of The World’s Best Podcast, Ryan and I review Last Night In Soho, the latest film from director Edgar Wright! A new Edgar Wright film is a big deal for all of us here at World’s Best Media. He’s best known for his iconic Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End.
Wright also directed the excellent Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and Baby Driver. I love his entire filmography, but his last movie, Baby Driver, is one of the best movies of the last 20 years, in my opinion. Now, we have Last Night In Soho. So we were pretty damn excited going into this new film. As I said in our review for The Suicide Squad, like James Gunn, Edgar Wright easily makes it onto my list of The 10 Best Working Directors. So if Edgar Wright is writing/directing, you can bet your ass I’ll be watching.
Some thing Edgar Ray has in common with another one of my favorite filmmakers Quentin Tarantino is that the feature of fantastic music in all of their films. Wright and Tarantino are very close friends, and one night while discussing music Quentin brought up the band Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. Their music was featured prominently in Tarantino’s movies, Death Proof. Quinton asked Edgar “Have you ever heard Last Night In Soho”? Edgar said he hadn’t, Quentin played the song (by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich), and said ‘This is the best title music for a film that’s never been made.’”. The original titles for the film didn’t work because there had already been obscure movies made with the titles Edgar Wright wanted to use. He remembered te conversation with his old friend Quentin Tarantino and decided to call the film Last Night In Soho, the rest is history…
If you actually plan on seeing Last Night In Soho, I definitely recommend going to watch the film for yourself and then come back and listen to this episode. Because one of the great delights of the movie is how unique and unexpected it is, and that’s very rare at the movies these days! FULL SPOILERS in this episode!!!
Director Edgar Wright with Anya Taylor-Johnson on the set of Last Night In Soho.
Listen here: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/47257223 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 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!
“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!
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