There’s been a lot said of superhero fatigue given the recent box office disappointment of Marvel and DC movies, so maybe they just wanted us to miss the caped crusader a little longer. Another factor could be it just wouldn’t have been ready in time. We can all safely say Matt Reeves knows what he is doing. Little is known about what the film will be about or who the villain is, so if Reeves needs more time I’d rather wait for him to fully realize his vision.

Another factor to consider is James Gunn’s DCU. It’s common knowledge the The Batman Pt II will not be part of James Gunn’s DCU which get’s its first movie, Superman, in 2025. It could be that Warner Bros didn’t want to muddy the waters.  Lucky for fans we won’t have to wait that long to return to Reeves’ Gotham. This fall will see the release of The Penguin TV series starring Colin Farrell.

Stay tuned to dccomicsnews for more updates!

The post The Batman Pt II Delayed Until 2026 appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writers: Tom Taylor and Michael W. Conrad
Art: Sami Basri, Vicente Cifuentes and Francesco Francavilla
Colors: Adriano Lucas and Francesco Francavilla
Letters: Wes Abbott

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Gotham City: Batman investigates a murder with an M.O. that matches Heartless and the Dark Knight calls in Nightwing to help…and more begins to feel familiar as the investigation begins.

Positives

Tom Taylor is playing the long game with Heartless.  I don’t think he’s writing for the omnibus, but I think he’s got a long plan for Nightwing that casts Heartless as not just a “big bad,” but a thematic opposite of Dick Grayson.  It seems likely that Taylor saw the interruptions in the series over the past couple years, “Beast World,” “Knight Terrors,” “Fear State,” etc…, and planned the long story with this in mind.  Nightwing #111 brings Heartless back into play, but also includes a smaller story that allows Taylor to focus on Dick’s relationship with Bruce and related themes of adoption and being an orphan.  The moments between Dick and Bruce are particularly strong and it succeeds in focusing the issue on character.  Along these lines, Taylor also settles any lingering Bea vs. Babs questions with a caring question from Bruce, and insightful but straightforward answer from Dick.

This provides Nightwing #111 to include some touching moments from Dick’s childhood in parallel as a comparison to Heartless’ past which we first saw back in Nightwing Annual 2022.  These plot lines point to a larger scope that promises Heartless to become a true epic as well as developing Heartless into Nightwing’s true opposite number.

The back up story takes the reader on a journey deep into the past of Dick Grayson’s family.  The art by Francesco Francavilla provides the atmosphere that one expects in his work.  It pairs well with the period nature of the story and whets the appetite for something from Dick’s family’s past.

Negatives

It would be nice to have Bruno Redondo back on this title.  He’s still providing covers, but his art has been a big part of this series and his work is missed here. 

Verdict

Nightwing #111 feels like a return of sort.  The plot gets back to Heartless which brings the reader back to where Tom Taylor’s run began back with Nightwing #78.  Perhaps, Taylor has moved past the events which have been interrupting the DC Universe and Dick Grayson will soon face off against Heartless in a definitive if not final confrontation.

The post Review: Nightwing #111 appeared first on DC Comics News.

If you’d like to watch the post-credit scene, you can check it out below.

Kevin Conroy was the iconic voice of the Dark Knight in several different projects over the last three decades, starting with arguably one of the greatest animated television shows of all time, Batman: The Animated Series. Conroy began his journey as Batman back in 1992 with the aforementioned animated series, and went on to voice both Bruce Wayne and his dark and brooding alter ego in dozens of other projects. Some of these include Superman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond, Justice League, Static Shock, and Justice League Unlimited. He then starred in several of DC’s DTV animated features such as Batman/Mister Freeze: Sub-Zero, Batman Beyond: Return of The Joker, Batman: Mystery of The Batwoman, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Justice League: Doom, Batman: Assault on Arkham, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and Batman: The Killing Joke.

He also broke into the world of video games with Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Knight, as well as Injustice: Gods Among Us and Injustice 2.

Kevin Conroy tragically passed away on November 10, 2022.

Here is the official synopsis for Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League:

Based on the DC Comics supervillain/anti-hero team the Suicide Squad, the game revolves around the titular team of super-criminals, who are assembled by Amanda Waller and sent to Metropolis to stop the alien invader Brainiac and save the members of the Justice League who have been brainwashed by him.

Other confirmed cast members include Conroy’s fellow BTAS alum Tara Strong once again as Harley Quinn, Debra Wilson as Amanda Waller, and Joe Seanoa as Nanaue/King Shark. Seanoa is best known to wrestling fans as Samoa Joe.

Check out the trailer below:

The post SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Ends With Heartbreaking Tribute To The Legendary Kevin Conroy appeared first on DC Comics News.

To learn more, check out the official press release below, as well as the pictures of what you’d be getting.

You can start your subscription today by clicking HERE!

Fanhome and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products Unleash Classic Batmobile Build-Up Model Subscription

Construct your very own screen accurate replica of the Dynamic Duo’s iconic crime fighting vehicle from the 1966 TV series

New York, NY – Fanhome, the leader in subscription-based collections and models, brings one of the most famous cars in history to collectors with the launch of the Batmobile (1966) build-up model subscription, in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products.

In January 1966, DC’s Batman TV series premiered in the US. Starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, the series incarnated a hilarious crime-fighting duo that has become legendary. Now the series returns with an incredible replica of Batman’s most famous gadget – the Batmobile.

Designed and built by the pioneering hot rod builder, Geoge Barris, and based on a custom 1955 Lincoln Futura, this version of the Batmobile has become one of the most recognizable vehicles in television history and its impressive array of gadgets would, time and time again, foil the nefarious plots of Gotham’s greatest villains.

More information about the Fanhome Batmobile and sign-up details are available now at: https://shorturl.at/bcHSU

Pre-orders are open now!

Based on exhaustive studies of the original car and the TV show by Fanhome designers, the Batmobile measures over 2 feet (71.4cm) when completed and touts a host of the Dynamic Duo’s many mobile crime-fighting gadgets such as the Bat-phone, Bat-scope, emergency turn lever, and the iconic Bat-shaped steering wheel, which is functional and turns the wheels of the car. Opening doors, hood, and trunk panels as well as LED effects for the headlights and an illuminated afterburner that is accented with jet sound effects add to the realism of the Fanhome Batmobile.

Throughout the subscription, collectors will trace the incredible story of Batman in DC’s comics, on TV, in animation and on the big screen with special full-color magazines that accompany each month’s shipment of components.

Enjoy an in-depth exploration of the evolution of the Batman franchise year-by-year, from the debut of the comic book in 1939 to the classic TV series and on to the blockbuster feature films. Explore Batman’s origins in an illustrated review of the comics and graphic novels that feature his most famous and powerful stories and meet the heroes and villains of the classic 60s Batman TV series with a show-by-show guide to all 120 episodes.

Subscribers to Fanhome’s Batmobile build-up model will also receive exclusive gifts such us an exceptionally detailed, 1:43 scale die-cast miniature of the Batmobile, perfect for a desktop or compact space. In addition, they will receive a trio of large (12×16 inches) full-color, frameable posters, a baseball cap, ceramic mug, a Batmobile metal license plate replica, and binder to archive the collected magazines.

About Fanhome
At Fanhome we are passionate fans of pop culture, from sci-fi and movies to video games and comics. Our international team of more than 100 people consists of expert creators, editors and writers, product engineers, model makers, communication and marketing gurus, logistic masters and a friendly customer service team. Our combined efforts create original collections, magnificent models, and an outstanding experience for you to enjoy. More information is available at: https://www.fanhome.com.

About Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products  

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP), part of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Brands, Franchises, and Experiences, extends the company’s powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBDGCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning toy, fashion, home décor and publishing programs inspired by the biggest franchises from Warner Bros.’ film, television, animation, and games studios, HBO, Discovery, DC, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Eurosport, Adult Swim, and more. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, and promotional partnerships, WBDGCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC

DC, part of Warner Bros. Discovery, creates iconic characters and enduring stories and is one of the world’s largest publishers of comics and graphic novels.  DC’s creative work entertains audiences of every generation around the world with DC’s stories and characters integrated across Warner Bros. Discovery’s film, television, animation, consumer products, home entertainment, games, and themed experiences divisions, and on the DC Universe Infinite digital comic subscription service.  Learn more at DC.com.

The post Classic Batmobile Build-Up Model Subscription Now Available appeared first on DC Comics News.

One can’t blame those writers for following the entertainment trends of the era, it only makes sense.  Except when it doesn’t; when the approach doesn’t fit the core essentials of the character.  Those writers were crafting tales that fit popular trends because it’s what they thought would sell, they were not, however, focusing on the elements that had made Batman popular to begin with.  And, this is where we are today.

It’s not hard to see how many of today’s comic book writers are  writing for the time and not for the character.  It’s not easy to always balance that.  You can’t write Batman like he’s still in 1940, unless it’s a period piece of course.  The trick is to keep the character grounded at his core while exploring relevant issues that make the story feel contemporary while losing nothing of what makes Batman who he is.  Unfortunately, it seems many writers in comics today are making these same mistakes.  DC Comics as a whole seems to not understand the difference at times.  There are some recent examples we can look at to see what’s going on as we explore what makes a character that character especially ones with a long publishing history.

Alan Scott, The Green Lantern  

There are different kinds of changes that can be wrought on a character, marriage, children, death of a loved one, loss of powers, etc…..  Sometimes, characters can be reinvented, though it seems that it’s rarely for the better as a reworking that eliminates the core elements of the character most likely will alienate fans of the character.  There’s a lot of this going on at DC Comics in a number of titles, and the most recent example is Alan Scott, The Green Lantern.  This is easily the most incendiary topic in this editorial.  It would’ve been such even had writer Tim Sheridan not gone on X (formerly known as Twitter) to essentially call anyone who did not support the book as a homophobe or bigot.  He has actually completely overlooked the larger issue, which is the topic here- Is Tim Sheridan actually interested in the character of Alan Scott and his 80 year history?

Alan Scott first appeared in All-American Comics #16, cover dated, July 1940.  That first story presents the origin of The Green Lantern.  While there was very little deep or nuanced storytelling during the Golden Age for the character, writers did eventually pair up Alan with an adversary, the Harlequin, a criminal who would not only match wits with the Green Lantern, but who was also interested in his romantic affections.  This should be familiar to readers as Batman and Catwoman have had a similar relationship since their first meeting back in Batman #1 (Spring 1940).  While Bruce and Selina never dated or got married in the Golden Age, the two flirted with Selina even trying to put aside her criminal ways at times .  Batman let her go on more than one occasion because he was so enamored with her, including that first appearance.  It wouldn’t be until the Bronze Age that Bruce and Selina got together, got married and had a daughter in continuity.  It was the continuity of Earth-Two, but it’s a very similar situation to Alan Scott and Molly (The Harlequin) Mayne.

Like the Bat and the Cat, Alan and Molly finally got married in the Bronze Age.  Both pairs of characters had a similar dynamic as hero/villain/love interest.  Bruce and Selina’s marriage resulted in daughter, Helena Wayne, the Huntress, but ended in tragedy as Selina died trying to protect her family after a false claim by a former confederate.  Devastated, Bruce was never the same and died in action a few years later.  Alan and Molly got married only after Alan learned that his first marriage had resulted in the birth of twins that his wife had hidden from him.  When Alan and Molly got married in their twilight years (Infinity, Inc Annual #1) they had a ready-made family.  Not to say it was always easy (Alan had to rescue her soul from Hell at one point), but the couple remained happily married until Flashpoint and the launch of The New 52 in 2011 when all previous DC continuity was restarted.

By the time The New 52 launched, fans of Alan Scott had more than a costume and power set to like about the character.  Heck, even more than just the fact he was a traditional hero!  During the Bronze Age, writers, chiefly Roy Thomas filled in the gaps between the Golden Age and “the present” to develop a more complex Alan Scott with compelling story elements in his long life.  Not only had Alan been duped into marrying Rose Canton (the Golden Age Thorn) but he’d fathered two children with her in their short marriage whose existence she’d hidden.  It was a surprise to Alan when he found out and it provided a whole new avenue of stories and character nuance to explore.  Alan’s relationship with his children Jennie-Lynn (Jade) Hayden and Todd (Obsidian) Rice were central to Alan’s character from the mid ’80’s until Flashpoint in 2011.  When Todd was revealed to be gay, it provided a whole other level to the friction between father and son that had been present since their first meeting.  Even if it wasn’t intended by creators Roy Thomas and Jerry Ordway, it was a natural interpretation of his character that writer Marc Andreyko seized upon when he outed Todd in Manhunter Volume 3 #18.  This insightful reading of the character by Andreyko was not only a contemporary element for inclusion, but yet another addition to Alan Scott’s story that grew the character deeper and more complex.  Scott is a man of the 1940’s and homosexuality was viewed very differently than it is today, or in the ’80’s when Rice was first created.

Even outside those aspects of Alan Scott specifically related to his sexual orientation, he was shown in the Bronze Age and beyond to have a very close friend in Jay Garrick, the original Flash.  Their bonding extended to their respective wives as well.  This was 80 years of storylines and character development when all was seemingly thrown away when James Tynion IV retconned Alan’s sexuality in the Green Lantern 80th Anniversary issue.  

With the launch of The New 52, DC Comics presented a new take on the concept of parallel Earths and the multiverse which had played a significant role since its introduction in The Flash #123.  In Earth 2 #1 (2012) we meet Alan Scott, a young man unencumbered with any history as he is a brand new version of the character who has yet to become Green Lantern.  This Alan Scott is gay.  Writer James Robinson wanted to have a gay character since Obsidian had been wiped from existence with Flashpoint.  Making Alan Scott this new gay character makes sense in a metatextual way. 

The New 52 Earth 2 characters were last seen with any sort of significance in Earth 2: Society #22 in 2017.  In a matter of five years, the New 52 Alan Scott was obsolete as DC had already launched the Rebirth initiative with the promise that the original Justice Society of America would return “soon.”

After a time travelling appearance in Justice League #32 (2019), the Justice Society of America including Alan Scott and Power Girl (more on that later) returned not only to continuity, but the present in Doomsday Clock #12.  It would’ve seemed that the original Golden Age Green Lantern was back with his history and character intact.  It was then a surprise that raised many questions about Alan and his history and family when the aforementioned Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super-Spectacular retconned Alan’s sexuality.  

With the publication of Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1,  this mini-series serves to re-contextualize Alan’s history.  With that being the purpose, how much are DC Comics interested in the substance of the character of Alan Scott?  When you eliminate a character’s history and motivation, relationships etc, what’s the interest in the character then?  All that’s left is the superficial aspects, a name, a costume, a power set?  Is Alan Scott: The Green Lantern writer, Tim Sheridan actually interested in the attributes that made  Alan Scott a founding member of the JSA?  The stories that have shaped him?  The substance of his character as a founding member of the JSA and one of the first heroes of the DC Universe?  The established history with his teammates, and family?  Or, is Sheridan interested in the idea of Alan Scott?  Is he just a JSA character that can provide representation?  Is he invested in the established history and depiction of Alan Scott or simply writing the story of a gay man in the 1940’s?

If the substance of Alan Scott’s history and character attributes are changed is it really still the same character, or is it the substance of a new character wearing the superficial particulars we associate with Alan Scott?    We can’t see how much history has changed, because very little has been done with that so far.  We’ve seen Jade and Obsidian in Infinite Frontier, but there’s no guarantee they are still in play.  The same goes for Molly Mayne-Scott.  Is that marriage still something that’s part of these characters’ history?  In this recontextualization will we learn that Alan lied and misrepresented himself to both his wives?  Is this an heroic action? We’ve seen a retcon in Justice Society of America and The New Golden Age that indicates Molly had a son who has grown up into a character known as The Harlequin’s Son.  This is new, so what else has changed?  A quick examination of Alan Scott: The Green Lantern #1 depicts what we do know has changed.

In this first issue, Alan is blackmailed by FBI head J. Edgar Hoover in joining the JSA.  This is a massive change from the established origin of the JSA.  The JSA formed when British Agent Intrepid asked The Flash, Green Lantern (and Batman in pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity) to help with a mission in Europe which was first told in DC Special #29 (September 1977).  It led to all the founding members coming together with a final save of Washington, DC from a special Nazi bomber and stopping the assassination of U.S. President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Is this still the JSA’s origin?  If so, was Alan Scott involved?  

While some of the ideas that Sheridan introduces are compelling and fitting for the story of a gay man from the 1940’s, it doesn’t fit Alan Scott ‘s 80-plus year history.  Changing something about a character that fundamentally changes the character’s history and make up does not honor the substance of the character or engage the fanbase that’s built up around the character over the years.  For Alan Scott, that’s 80 years.  There have been so many stories with so much consistency in Alan’s portrayal, changing things doesn’t  genuinely fit.  He’s now a reluctant hero not that interested in using his power to fight evil and and is being controlled through blackmail.  It’s a change that seems to be there for other reasons and is not pertinent to the core of the character.  What if Superman was Superman only because he was being blackmailed over the fact he was an alien.  What if that was the mitigating factor in his decision to be on the JL and/ or to be a hero at all?

It’s this that raises my question about Sheridan’s interest and even DC Comics’ interest in the character.  It doesn’t make sense to move a character away from the aspects that brought the character appeal over the years.  Ignoring these established things in favor for traits that are topical would logically turn fans away as seen with Batman in the ’50’s and ’60’s.  It’s something we’ve seen recently with another well established character that has since changed back.

“Ric” Grayson

The reasons behind the “Ric” Grayson era of Nightwing may be different from the motivation for changing Alan Scott’s sexuality, but the results are the same.  When Nightwing was struck with amnesia he developed a new personality that severed all his relationships with the Bat-family- Bruce, Alfred, Barbara Gordon, his brother Robins, etc.  Not only were these relationships severed, but “Ric” forgot his history and his personality shifted somewhat.  Without Dick Grayson as part of the Bat-family, memory of his history or friendships and his past as a blank slate…he was no longer the character people liked.  He was no longer the character that appealed to readers.  “Ric” was a different character, with a different outlook on things and different relationships.  While this direction may have garnered new fans, and kept some, readers were ecstatic to have Dick return. 

Essentially, everything people liked about Dick Grayson was gone with “Ric.”  Dick is a character that has a long history and to eliminate that takes away what people like about the character.  It’s no different than what’s being done with Alan Scott.  The change to “Ric” was an in-story change, but the results were the same.  This situation is different when compared to Alan Scott because it doesn’t appear that DC or the writers didn’t care about him.  Instead, it felt like they wanted to either kill time or have a reason to change his name from “Dick.”  It’s important to remember, however, that like Batman before him in the 60’s, readers lost interest in Nightwing because he was divorced from the elements that had made him popular.  There are some other DC Comics characters that are suffering the same treatment as Alan Scott.

Power Girl … Paige Stetler ?

Alan Scott isn’t the only JSAer suffering an identity crisis that suggests the writer isn’t really invested in what made the character popular.  Power Girl has recently been relaunched in a new eponymously titled ongoing series from DC Comics.  Power Girl has been around for nearly 50 years, like Alan Scott, the New 52 resulted in a new version of the character.  Unlike Alan Scott, the New 52 version had minor changes to the character.  Especially notable is that Power Girl maintained her personality, attitude and a very similar history with one of the most significant aspects being retained, her friendship with Helena Wayne, the Huntress.  This is of course the New 52 version of the Huntress who managed to be very similar to her original incarnation with all the essential elements intact.  While there is now a third version of Helena Wayne appearing currently in Justice Society of America, it’s her bestie Power Girl who’s suffering at the hands of writer, Leah Williams.

The chief element of Power Girl’s characterization that fans point to for liking the character is her personality.  From the outset, she was portrayed as a brash, confident, outspoken young woman.  She’s always wanted to be her own and make her own way and not rely on her cousin, Superman.  More than anything this has defined her character.  Her history after the Crisis on Infinite Earths suffered, but her original origin was returned to her in 2005.  Through it all she maintained her personality that had won her fans.  It is very perplexing then that despite professing that the Power Girl in current continuity is this original version when the most glaring inconsistency is her personality in this new series by Leah Williams.  It’s diametrically opposed to what readers have come to love about the character.  It’s like seeing Batman as a snarky, wise-cracking, bombastic street acrobat.  It just isn’t who the character is.  Furthermore, the writing itself contradicts the stories that are referenced in the comics themselves as well as the official DC Comics blog that servers as a primer for readers on the character and this series.

The blog states that this version of Power Girl is the original pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths, Earth-Two version.  It references her first appearance in All-Star Comics #58, her changing back story and return to form in JSA: Classified.  What’s confounding is that while these new stories by Leah Williams reference her past, including the Karen Starr identity and supposedly her job as a Tech company entrepreneur, Williams doesn’t appear to understand the substance of them.  

In the back up stories from Action Comics #1051-1053, PG is being attacked by Johnny Sorrow.  He claims that he and Power Girl are the last two survivors from their universe.  If PG is from the original Earth-Two, this doesn’t make any sense.  It’s well established that Psycho-Pirate is the only other survivor from Earth-Two as well as the only one who remembered the Multiverse for decades after the Crisis on Infinite Earths wiped out the multiverse.  Furthermore, Johnny Sorrow was never an Earth-Two character.  He appeared in Earth 2: Society, but the blog makes it clear that the Earth 2/ New 52 Power Girl is a different character, and these new stories aren’t about her.  In fact, Johnny Sorrow made his first ever appearance anywhere in New Earth continuity (post-Crisis, post-Zero Hour) in Secret Origins of Super-Villains 80 Page Giant #1, (December 1999).  He would have no memory of any life on Earth-Two, since he never appeared in that continuity.

The blog explains that Power Girl was raised in a simulation on her symbioship, however the title scrawl from Power Girl #1 says she was sent to Earth to watch over baby Kal-L.  Both Kryptonians were sent as infants so PG could certainly not look after baby Kal-L as she was a baby herself.  Her ship took longer to arrive, and thus she was raised by it arriving on Earth as a young woman when it took longer than anticipated.

The blog states that she doesn’t wear the “S” symbol because she didn’t work long with Superman on Earth-Two.  This is patently false for a number of reasons.  Her reason for not wearing the “S” can be found in All-Star Comics #64, her 7th appearance ever as seen in the image below.

And interestingly, the blog clearly indicates that the All-Star Comics stories are part of her past, a past that did include time together plus she made the decision about the “S” BEFORE she revealed herself to the world.  Also, the title scrawl mentioned above claims she DID work along side Superman.  

One of the most curious and off-putting aspects of Power Girl’s portrayal in this series is her 180 degree personality shift.  The blog claims the biggest thing for PG is her identity:

“A Power Girl so far removed from her point of origin, so many worlds and continuities away, that anyone would have a hard time telling who she’s really supposed to be—much less herself. This is a Power Girl who needs to undergo some serious soul searching to find out what she’s really about, which is where we find her today.”

It’s not clear how PG got to this point.  We have the Karen Starr identity referenced so we know that part of her history is intact.  The blog says she has returned with the rest of the JSA during Doomsday Clock.  The quote from the blog above tries to make readers believe that she’s having some sort of identity crisis, but as it states elsewhere in blog, that was resolved in Infinite Crisis and the JSA: Classified storylines.  Leah Williams suggests these identity issues in her stories, but never explains how PG went from a confident, independent woman insecure, unsure of herself and dependent on Superman for an identity (she wears the “S” now).  When did that happen?  It’s diametrically opposed to how she’s always been portrayed.   It doesn’t make sense and it appears that Williams (and blog writer Alex Jaffe) isn’t aware of the substance of the character.  To Williams she’s just an alternate Supergirl, instead of a distinct character that has always behaved differently from the main universe Supergirl.  In fact, it appears that is the length and breadth of Williams’ understanding of Power Girl.

There’s another bizarre quality to Williams’ portrayal of Power Girl.  She writes Power Girl like she’s new to Earth, like her rocket landed, she met Kal-L and a few days later found herself lost and showed up on the main DC Earth.  She seems wholly unconnected with her past with the JSA which is currently on display in Justice Society of America which is currently publishing.  That book acknowledges Power Girl’s past and provides a depiction that is in line with her established personality.

The question remains: Is Leah Williams actually interested in Power Girl as a character?  Does she understand anything about her history or personality?  These are the elements that won Power Girl fans over the years.  Williams seems to be ignoring them outright, or she’s just ignorant of them to begin with and has made no attempt to make them make sense.  Either way, it points to a lack of interest in the character other than the most basic superficial description, simply an alternate Supergirl, like Sheridan’s Alan Scott, a version of the character that doesn’t utilize the history of the character and shows no interest in the substance of the character.

And, There’s More…

This situation isn’t confined to Power Girl and Alan Scott.  The new Wonder Woman series from Tom King’s pen indicates much the same.  King is known for his controversial takes on characters, more often that not bending characters to fit the stories he wants to tell.  The new Wonder Woman is no different, and in this case the intent from the outset seems less rooted in an interest in Wonder Woman, but a desire to tell a story that requires great leaps in status quo and characterization to make work.  When did all those Amazons emigrate to the U.S.?  Are there even enough Amazons on Themiscrya to be statistically significant even if they ALL moved to the U.S.?  Why would Diana sit by and wait if the killer was identified as an Amazon immediately?  Why wouldn’t she investigate immediately?  The real reason is that that is not the story King wants to tell.  He doesn’t even seem to want to tell the story from Diana’s POV as The Sovereign is narrating the tale.  Very little so far indicates that King is interested in Wonder Woman outside the broadest definition of her.

It’s not new though, Human Target depicted all the Justice League International characters wildly out of character except for Guy Gardner.  He was already broken so King didn’t have to break him.  Strange Adventures turned the hero, Adam Strange into the villain.  King does it in nearly all of his stuff, the most notable outlier being Superman, “Up in the Sky” which perfectly depicts the Man of Steel.  If a writer has to change the fundamentals of a character is his/her interest really in the character or the idea of the character?

Even the new Birds of Prey comic doesn’t seem to really be interested in the core concept of the Birds of Prey.  Kelly Thompson is approaching the book like the concept is just a team of women.  She isn’t including founder Barbara Gordon, or centering the series on the relationship between Barbara, Dinah (Black Canary) and Helena (Huntress) Bertinelli.  In fact, Dinah is the only one of these characters in the comic.  Combined with the fact that the series reads like Thompson was looking for an excuse to write Harley Quinn, a character who has zero business being involved with the Birds of Prey, it again appears that the writer isn’t actually interested in what the made the Birds of Prey concept popular to begin with.  Instead, it’s being rebranded as something else, which would indicate that this rebranding is what Thompson is actually interested in and not the substance of the concept as it was developed over the years.  For Thompson, Birds of Prey is just a team of women characters, and again that’s the absolute basic definition of the concept with no substance.

The Balance Between Character and Story … Both Matter

I won’t say that some of the the stories mentioned above don’t have compelling aspects.  However, the big question is whether or not they work for the characters with which they are associated.  At one point comic book writers understood they were writing characters.  Characters that had histories, personalities, ways of operating….  Readers were following these characters because of how they had been built up and developed over he years.  Readers followed the continuing stories because they were invested in the substance of the characters.  Like people in the real world, we are attracted to substance, not color, gender or any other superficial element.  It’s the person inside that matters, and if that changes, that’s when relationships break down.

Even Alan Moore when writing Watchmen created his own characters instead of using the recently acquired Charlton characters that he had originally intended to use.  That story would have destroyed them for further inclusion in the DC Universe.  And, that’s what a lot of these writers are doing.  Adam Strange can’t be used in the DC Universe if Strange Adventures is “in continuity.”  The same goes for the characters in Human Target.  Everything readers liked about Power Girl has been removed from her characterization.  Fans just want to forget this run already, especially since they are getting the Power Girl they love over in Justice Society of America.  Alan Scott is completely out of step with his history and characterization and Sheridan’s aspersions about the JSA make this series inaccessible to existing fans of the team and Alan Scott.  

Creating new characters is the best option if one is not actually interested in existing characters but just the ideas of the characters and not the substance of the characters that have been developed through the years.  There’s got to be a balance.  Create a new character if necessary to tell a story, but don’t destroy or bend existing characters unrecognizably in order to tell a story.  We can only hope that some of these takes get cancelled and return the characters who were beloved to begin with.  We can also hope that writers will have the opportunity and means to tell their stories in a manner that will allow them to be judged on their own merit.  With long standing characters it’s difficult to separate the quality of the story, the writing, the themes if they do not fit the character.  It’s a balance, and the pendulum is swinging away from the importance of the substance of characters to simply the broadest definitions of them leaving the stories that MADE these characters left out in the cold.

The post Are Today’s Comic Book Writers Actually Interested in the Characters They Are Writing? appeared first on DC Comics News.

At the time Jason Todd wasn’t well liked by readers, but the vote to kill him was surprisingly close. From a total of 10,614 votes, fans decided that Jason should succumb to his injuries by a narrow 72-vote margin of 5,343 votes to 5,271. The story remains an important part of the Batman mythos to this day.  The “faux-simile” issue will hit comic shops on December 12! Put it on your pull list now! Robin Lives!

The post NYCC 2023: Robin Lives! appeared first on DC Comics News.

While this may be disappointing, the folks over at Rocksteady gave a good reason, saying, “More time is needed to bring players the best possible experience on Nintendo Switch. We apologize to fans who are excited to play this version of the trilogy. Thank you for your patience.”

pic.twitter.com/Pmjmkf5zA7

— Batman Arkham (@BatmanArkham) October 3, 2023

Needing more time to make this version of the game great is fine by me. The Grand Theft Auto Trilogy, when released on Switch, was buggy, and probably could’ve used more time as well, so I think this is a good move. Also, it’s only seven weeks, and will still be available for Christmas.

Batman: Arkham Trilogy will include the first three games — Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, & Arkham Knight — but does not include Arkham Origins, which was release by Warner Bros. Games Montreal, who also recently released Gotham Knights.

It promises to allow players to experience “the definitive versions of Rocksteady’s Arkham Trilogy games.” This trilogy also includes all post-launch content, including DLC expansions, suits, Batmobiles, and more. All three of these games have been available elsewhere for years but this trilogy marks the first time Switch players can play through all three games.

Pre-orders for Batman: Arkham Trilogy are open now, so be sure to order your copy today so you don’t miss out.

The post BATMAN: ARKHAM TRILOGY For Nintendo Switch Has Been Delayed appeared first on DC Comics News.

[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Directors: Bruce Timm & Eric Radomski

Story: Alan Burnett

Screenplay: Alan Burnett, Paul Dini, Martin Pasko, & Michael Reaves

Starring: Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Stacy Keach, Mark Hamill, Abe Vigoda, Hart Bochner, Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

Reviewed by: Joshua Raynor

Summary

Gotham City’s most feared gangsters are being systematically eliminated, and the assumed blame is falling on the Caped Crusader. But prowling the Gotham night is a shadowy new villain, the Phantasm, a sinister figure with some link to Batman’s past. Can the Dark Knight elude the police, capture the Phantasm and clear his own name? Unmasking the Phantasm is just one of the twists in this dazzling animated feature, which provides new revelations about Batman’s past, his archrival the Joker, and Batman’s most grueling battle ever — the choice between his love for a beautiful woman and his vow to be the defender of right.

Positives

There are so many great things to say about Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, so many that I’ll probably forget some. So, let’s start with the two things we get right off the bat (pun intended) — the score and the animation.

While the score for Batman: The Animated Series has always been top tier, composer Shirley Walker kicked it up a notch for this theatrical film by making it much more operatic. This gave the score a far more grandiose feel, which felt right at home on the big screen. It helped to create the dark and brooding atmosphere so well known with the Dark Knight, but in a bigger way.

Then there’s the animation. For those of you who know, Batman: The Animated Series was a unique case of animation style, where they painted their backgrounds on black paper to make the scenes darker, and that was carried forward into this film as well. Even though it’s 30 years old, the animation is simply incredible, and the new 4K version makes it all pop even more. It’s just stunning to look at.

Positives Cont’d

Alright, let’s get into the film itself now. Batman: The Animated Series, and therefore Mask of the Phantasm, is the greatest version of Batman ever put on screen. He embodies everything the comic book version of Batman has built, and did so right from the beginning. And in this film, we get to dive deeper into who this character really is and what motivates him.

We see Bruce’s early days as a budding vigilante, ten years prior to where we see him in the movie, wearing just an all-black outfit with a black coat and ski mask. He does, however, have one thing that has become a staple in Batman’s wardrobe — the utility belt. And we even get a glimpse of a young Bullock when he was still a patrol officer.

I loved getting to see the early side of Bruce, without getting the death of his parents, yet again. A large portion of this story is spent in the past, setting up Bruce’s relationship with Andrea Beaumont and what it meant to him, and for his future, to lose her the way he did. She was the one that got away. I’m sure many of you out there know just what that feels like, but for Bruce, it sent him on a path, a path toward being the vigilante hero we all know him to be.

He was completely ready to give up his quest for vengeance for a happy future with her, which is funny because he barely gave her the time of day at first. He showed no real interest in Andrea until she takes him down with a martial arts move. This is where he sees that there’s so much more to her than all these other women that surround him. She’s a strong, capable woman, and we all know that’s Bruce’s type — Selina Kyle, Talia al Ghul, even Wonder Woman occasionally. But when she leaves him, this pushes him deeper into the darkness, and he spends the next decade as Batman before he sees her again.

His willingness to give it all up shows how deeply he just wants to be loved and to love someone in return. We even get a heartbreaking scene where he begs his dead parents to let him break his promise to them so he can finally have some joy in his life. He’s been holding onto an incredible amount of guilt all these years, and his subconscious makes it very difficult for him to move forward in any way. This is one of the best displays I’ve ever seen for why he continues to do what he does, and why none of his relationships ever seem to work out.

Positives Cont’d

While I absolutely love the past storyline in this film, it’s the story structure that really makes it work. The cutting back and forth at key moments to give present day scenes more context was a perfect way to tell this story. One of my favorite moments to do this was toward the beginning of the film, where Bruce is at a party and a woman comes up to him and throws a drink in his face, saying that he essentially led her on and then ghosted her. This woman has red hair and blue eyes. Right after that scene, we are introduced to Andrea Beaumont in a past scene and we see that she too has red hair and blue eyes. This tells me that Bruce was attempting to recreate what he lost after she left, to no success. It’s a very small detail, but one that really fascinated me upon my rewatch of the film.

One other thing I love about Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is how the mob plays a major role in the story, something most on-screen Batman tales fail to utilize, though the recent Matt Reeves film, The Batman, did a great job with that. In this, Batman is being blamed for the mob murders perpetrated by The Phantasm, and we get a major tie-in with the mob, Andrea’s father, and even The Joker. We also get a small peek into Joker’s past because of this, and I thought that was really intriguing.

I would also be remiss if I failed to talk about the stellar voice acting throughout this film. Kevin Conroy shines as Batman/Bruce Wayne, as he always does. He will forever be the extremely high bar set for anyone else voicing the character. The way he is able to show such complex emotion just through his voice is simply incredible and shows how much art and skill there is in being a true voice-over artist. He is joined in this by Dana Delany as Andrea Beaumont and she does such a wonderful job, especially as she came into this never having done any voice-over work before. And, of course, Mark Hamill is superb as The Joker.

Negatives

I honestly have no real negatives about this movie. I love it so much. But if I had to list anything, I would say that the lack of resolution to what happens to The Joker would be one. We see Andrea take him in a cloud of mist to presumably kill him, and Batman doesn’t stop her. So she’s gone with Joker and we never know what happens to him, leaving the audience to assume she finished the job.

However, three years after the film, DC released the comic book issue Batman & Robin Adventures Annual #1, which explains what happens after she leaves with Joker. It’s a fascinating issue to read, and that part is just the beginning, so go check it out if you want more Phantasm.

Special Features

The 4K Blu-ray includes three special features: a 4×3 version of the film, the episode of Justice League Unlimited titled “Epilogue”, and the short documentary Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight.

4×3 Version – It was really cool to see them include this version, as the series was all done in 4×3. You actually get to see more of the screen with this, as the widescreen just cuts the top and bottom off of this version. So, if you want to enjoy more of the amazing art that is the animation of this film, check out this version.

“Epilogue” from Justice League Unlimited – This is one of my favorite episodes of JLU, and for multiple reasons. This episode serves, as the name suggests, as an epilogue to both Batman Beyond and Mask of the Phantasm. The events that take place show that she still cares about him after all these years.

It also has one of the most heartbreaking moments in all of Batman history with Batman and Ten from the Royal Flush Gang. If you haven’t seen it, you need to watch it.

Kevin Conroy: I Am The Knight Documentary – This was an incredible tribute to the man who voiced Batman for three decades, the man who many of us still hear in our heads anytime we read a Batman comic, Kevin Conroy. The documentary included many great people who all praised Kevin’s work as the Dark Knight. And we even got some interview footage of Kevin himself, which was absolutely wonderful to see.

Verdict

For me personally, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm is the best Batman film ever made. It is an absolute gem and a classic that everyone who is even slightly a fan of this character needs to watch. And with the documentary about Kevin Conroy included on the Blu-ray, this is a must buy for all fans. So, do yourself a favor and pick this up today!!

Score: 5/5

The post Blu-ray Review: BATMAN: MASK OF THE PHANTASM (1993) appeared first on DC Comics News.

The entire space from the outside was decorated like a beacon to Batman. It’s one part museum and one part interactive immersion space. The area downstairs is an atmospheric recreation of the Batcave where a mighty, eight-screen Batcomputer shows newsreels from when the Tumbler was in Trafalgar Square, and a glowing podium around rocky cave walls where one could imagine Batman standing, ready to go forth and dispense justice on Gotham City.

We also get that and the creepy insight into the Joker’s insanity in “The Joker Room”, which I’ll leave for you to discover on your own visit.

The majority of the Batman Unmasked venue serves as both a museum and a sale space. After the airy and welcoming cave, you’re greeted by the immense motorcycles used by two different Bat-men. Their costumes loom over you, tall and imposing, and their gadgets are laid out for all to see. These are not replicas. Each item has a card saying it was used or worn by the many actors who have played Batman, and in which film it featured.

The event showcased props from all the way back to Michael Keaton’s first legendary appearance in Batman ’89 to his action-packed return in The Flash in 2023. I do mean it when I say sale space. Each item is for sale, but unless you have a Clooney-esque Bat Credit Card, it’s out of the price range for many of us regular citizens.

After the truly terrifying Joker Room, you get the final main hall where the cowls of every Batman are on display, next to the costumes of multiple Jokers. Some of Lego’s finest stand side by side with Nintendo Switches loaded up with Arkham City.

The floor mural of a detailed map of Gotham City is almost lost in its crowning jewel, the Comic Book Library. The shelves are full of single issues, facsimiles, and trade paperbacks from across Batman’s history. Sealed issues of Batman: Fortnite are also there, next to this week’s release of Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #1. Trades of Year One and The Long Halloween can be found alongside the Dan Jurgens’ run of Batman Beyond and the numerous crossovers with Scooby-Doo and the Ninja Turtles.

This library is the true, genius MVP of the event. Most of the general public will be lured in by the grand scope of the Batcave and Joker rooms, and gawk at the details of the costumes and gadgets. They’ll have their fun looking at the Lego or playing Arkham, but the fact the event ends with the comics is incredibly important.

Most people who love the movies will get to leave with new Batman reading material of their own, bringing fresh readers to the comics. At the same time, for an enfranchised fan such as myself, the very newest releases are right there among true Bat treasures.

Batman Unmasked is an event like no other. This is the first pop-up of its kind, and they’ve done everything to make sure it’s rightly unforgettable, starting with the magic of the movies and then leading us to the masterful comic-book storytelling that made it all possible. If it goes well this year, then it’ll come back bigger, better, and Battier.

Entry to Batman Unmasked is the hottest ticket in town and the show’s only on from September 15th-17th, so you need to check it out for yourself right here!

The post Event Spotlight – Batman Unmasked appeared first on DC Comics News.

Produced by: Enso Rings

Finish: Iridescent

Width: 6.6mm

Thickness: 1.75mm

Reviewed by: Joshua Raynor

Out of the darkness, the DC collection calls forward the stark symbols that represent the Super Heroes you love and what they stand for. Perfect for the DC fan in all of us, these high quality silicone rings are precisely what you need and are great as a gift.

I recently received some samples of the new DC collection of silicone rings from Enso Rings, and I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised.

The collection includes three rings based on superheroes from the DC Universe — Superman, Batman, and The Flash.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I would like them, as I’ve never worn a silicone ring. I’ve worn different metal rings, including a wedding ring and a Green Lantern ring, but silicone was never one that crossed my mind as a legitimate option. But after trying these on and wearing them for awhile, I don’t think I would want anything other than silicone for any future rings.

I’ve had issues with most metal rings I’ve worn, mainly because they’re just uncomfortable. I need a ring that is rounded on all the edges, and you get that with these. Enso rings are super comfortable, and the silicone provides a bit of stretch, which is great for when your fingers inevitable swell for whatever reason. They are easy to put on and take off, and you barely even know they’re there.

They also have a simple, yet great design, showcasing the symbol and key colors for each of the three featured members of the Justice League. Batman gets a black pearl band with yellow topaz inlay, Superman gets a sapphire blue band with ruby red inlay, and The Flash gets a ruby red band with gold inlay — and they are all gorgeous

SUPERMAN SILICONE RING

Fight for truth and justice. Wear the symbol of hope with our DC Collection Superman ring in commanding DualTone, encouraging strength and commitment to doing what’s right. Keep The Man of Steel’s mark close. And when you think you can protect your world by yourself, friends aren’t far who’ll join the cause.

BATMAN SILICONE RING

Darkness before the dawn. Our all new DC Collection Batman ring in striking DualTone made in the Rockies. Inspired by The Dark Knight to ignite your style.

THE FLASH SILICONE RING

Quick! Get your favorite speedster’s symbol on this ring. Our DC Collection Flash ring is featured in a vibrant DualTone, true to the iconic colors.

While they are great rings, there are a couple of small downsides for me. Being silicone, they can’t be resized, so if your ring size changes, you may be out of luck. And the other issue I have is the lack of female hero representation. While I love The Flash, if they’re only going to have three designs available, it should’ve been the DC Trinity — Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.

My hope is that they expand their collection in the future and bring in heroes like Wonder Woman and Green Lantern, and maybe even some villains like Harley Quinn, Reverse Flash, and the various other Lantern Corps.

You can order yours today right HERE, and with a modest price point of $114.99 for the 3-Set, you can’t go wrong!

The post Merchandise Review: DC Collection Enso Silicone Rings appeared first on DC Comics News.