Courtesy of DeviantArt user spunkywulf, I present this emerald warrior as you never seen him before.
He's still working it, though...His trademark face-hand proximity pose is still fierce!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Organically created major comic events and webcomics…
My comments on Blackest Night have been sparse, because I’ve been so excited by the event that I didn’t want to jinx it. The reason for my excitement lies in the fact that Blackest Night premise seems organic to me.
Allow me to explain. If you know the history of the guardians (who they are and some of the stuff they’ve done) and the GL Corps (how they operate) only superficially to mildly well, you would believe premise of Blackest Night. It’s even believable that Nekron would try to exploit the above. Blackest Night seems to be the product of organic extrapolation in that sense.
Yet more organic creation for your enjoyment:
A while back, I came across a superhero team webcomic called Awesome Storm Justice 41, which was created via spontaneous organic collaboration: an internet forum discussion turned into a webcomic with multiple collaborators. It all started when internet forum members were just playing around with superhero ideas when a commenter noted that it sounded cool and came up with the name Awesome Storm Justice 41 right there. The peeps on the forum loved the name and adopted it for actual webcomic project. They even had an open call for character concepts (hero name and proposed powers) to be used in webcomic. It must’ve been quite a feeling to be part of this type of spontaneous event. It’s a comedy webcomic, by the way.
Please note that this post was NOT meant to suggest that Organic is always better, as is illustrated with this image:
Allow me to explain. If you know the history of the guardians (who they are and some of the stuff they’ve done) and the GL Corps (how they operate) only superficially to mildly well, you would believe premise of Blackest Night. It’s even believable that Nekron would try to exploit the above. Blackest Night seems to be the product of organic extrapolation in that sense.
Yet more organic creation for your enjoyment:
A while back, I came across a superhero team webcomic called Awesome Storm Justice 41, which was created via spontaneous organic collaboration: an internet forum discussion turned into a webcomic with multiple collaborators. It all started when internet forum members were just playing around with superhero ideas when a commenter noted that it sounded cool and came up with the name Awesome Storm Justice 41 right there. The peeps on the forum loved the name and adopted it for actual webcomic project. They even had an open call for character concepts (hero name and proposed powers) to be used in webcomic. It must’ve been quite a feeling to be part of this type of spontaneous event. It’s a comedy webcomic, by the way.
Please note that this post was NOT meant to suggest that Organic is always better, as is illustrated with this image:
Thursday, January 28, 2010
As lifted from Chris's Invincible Super-Blog...
GL fans go here. Now!
Really. Go now and come back to read my other post.
Yup, there'll be another post today.
Really. Go now and come back to read my other post.
Yup, there'll be another post today.
Monday, January 25, 2010
JLA: The Movie - How it should be done (Part 4)
The obligatory notice for first-time blog readers: If you haven’t yet, please read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.
The above has reminded me that I picture “JLA: the movie” not as a single movie but as a trilogy. However, not as three adventures in three movies but rather ONE huge adventure/mission cut into three movies (ala Lord of the Rings). Except that our third movie won’t be four hours and change long.
Some omissions from previous installments of this fanboy daydream:
Desaad
I kind of forgot about this guy when I thought about who could play Desaad…
Willem Defoe kind of sounds like Desaad (Check out Spiderman 1 if you don’t believe me) and wearing a hooded cloak he’d probably look like him as well. Desaad is a pretty interesting character from the perspective that he revels in chaos but he serves Darkseid who forges order in an absolute way.
Barda
How about Lucy Lawless (from Xena Warrior princess fame)? Can you picture anyone else playing the former fury?
Mr Miracle (Scott Free)
Obviously, it has to be someone shorter than Lucy Lawless and someone who’s into BDSM. Scott loves to be chained up. Barda has punched him on occasion and his typical reaction is to kiss her.
Okay, time to get a little more serious.
Ray Park may be a good choice, since Scott could be wearing a mask for most of the movie. Also, Mr. Miracle is a pretty graceful flyer (he needs to be flying standing or crouching upright most of the time) and Park has loads of physical grace. Lastly, Ray Park seems to be connected to a dozen masked superhero roles at any given time. So, what’s one more?
Who is XXXX?
I haven’t really decided yet, but there are some options with major implications for the story.
OPTION 1: XXXX is Orion
This may dovetail quite nicely with Darkseid being the villain of the story. I picture one or two Darkseid-Orion face-off scenes: the son defying the father. This choice will also allow us to explore the whole Apokalips-New Genesis history. Oh, and I’m not sure that Orion is known to the league before his try-out…
The same could hold for Apokalips – perhaps the heroes should be as shocked by the planet of the evil gods when they see it. Perhaps, they only have a vague notion of the planet. However, whatever we decide, Apokalips knows all about the league.
Who should play Orion? I have no clue, but let’s go Brit for this one.
OPTION 2: XXXX is Booster Gold
Who’d have thought Goldie would play such an important role. Booster knows the leaugue is about the face the Apokalips champions before he ‘tries out.’ He knows this, because he’s from the future and he’s a huge JLA fan…and history tells him that the JLA dies during the battle with Apokalips. Booster doesn’t know how they die exactly, but he wants to stop it from happening. Of course, he doesn’t how to stop it and he doesn’t share any of this with anyone on the team until the near the end of the first movie. Thanks a lot, Booster!
Who should play Booster Gold? There’s really no actor that screams Booster…Any suggestions?
I’m kind of leaning toward Option 2, because of my science fiction bias for time travel stories. I’m also of the opinion that a time traveler with only half of the whole picture would open up great story ideas. That and I don’t think Orion was well-written in the JLA comic. I know it’s not the character’s fault, but still Booster is more of JLA-fan favourite than Orion ever was.
Of course, choosing this route, we would still be able to introduce Orion in the second movie when some of the leaguers ask for some help from New Genesis, but are turned down for the most part. This is still open for debate.
Who should play Darkseid?
I know many might be screaming Anthony Hopkins, but who would play Highfather in the second and third movie? Unless Darkseid is all CGI motion-capture, that is. Then, he can do both roles. He’d probably want a dramatic scene between the both characters…could be arranged.
Again any suggestions for this uber-important role?
The above has reminded me that I picture “JLA: the movie” not as a single movie but as a trilogy. However, not as three adventures in three movies but rather ONE huge adventure/mission cut into three movies (ala Lord of the Rings). Except that our third movie won’t be four hours and change long.
Some omissions from previous installments of this fanboy daydream:
Desaad
I kind of forgot about this guy when I thought about who could play Desaad…
Willem Defoe kind of sounds like Desaad (Check out Spiderman 1 if you don’t believe me) and wearing a hooded cloak he’d probably look like him as well. Desaad is a pretty interesting character from the perspective that he revels in chaos but he serves Darkseid who forges order in an absolute way.
Barda
How about Lucy Lawless (from Xena Warrior princess fame)? Can you picture anyone else playing the former fury?
Obviously, it has to be someone shorter than Lucy Lawless and someone who’s into BDSM. Scott loves to be chained up. Barda has punched him on occasion and his typical reaction is to kiss her.
Okay, time to get a little more serious.
Ray Park may be a good choice, since Scott could be wearing a mask for most of the movie. Also, Mr. Miracle is a pretty graceful flyer (he needs to be flying standing or crouching upright most of the time) and Park has loads of physical grace. Lastly, Ray Park seems to be connected to a dozen masked superhero roles at any given time. So, what’s one more?
Who is XXXX?
I haven’t really decided yet, but there are some options with major implications for the story.
OPTION 1: XXXX is Orion
This may dovetail quite nicely with Darkseid being the villain of the story. I picture one or two Darkseid-Orion face-off scenes: the son defying the father. This choice will also allow us to explore the whole Apokalips-New Genesis history. Oh, and I’m not sure that Orion is known to the league before his try-out…
The same could hold for Apokalips – perhaps the heroes should be as shocked by the planet of the evil gods when they see it. Perhaps, they only have a vague notion of the planet. However, whatever we decide, Apokalips knows all about the league.
Who should play Orion? I have no clue, but let’s go Brit for this one.
OPTION 2: XXXX is Booster Gold
Who’d have thought Goldie would play such an important role. Booster knows the leaugue is about the face the Apokalips champions before he ‘tries out.’ He knows this, because he’s from the future and he’s a huge JLA fan…and history tells him that the JLA dies during the battle with Apokalips. Booster doesn’t know how they die exactly, but he wants to stop it from happening. Of course, he doesn’t how to stop it and he doesn’t share any of this with anyone on the team until the near the end of the first movie. Thanks a lot, Booster!
Who should play Booster Gold? There’s really no actor that screams Booster…Any suggestions?
I’m kind of leaning toward Option 2, because of my science fiction bias for time travel stories. I’m also of the opinion that a time traveler with only half of the whole picture would open up great story ideas. That and I don’t think Orion was well-written in the JLA comic. I know it’s not the character’s fault, but still Booster is more of JLA-fan favourite than Orion ever was.
Who should play Darkseid?
I know many might be screaming Anthony Hopkins, but who would play Highfather in the second and third movie? Unless Darkseid is all CGI motion-capture, that is. Then, he can do both roles. He’d probably want a dramatic scene between the both characters…could be arranged.
Again any suggestions for this uber-important role?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
As promised, here’s some Hal Jordan DeviantArt Icon fun…
A few weeks back I mentioned an image I came across featuring Hal Jordan. Scroll down to 'Webcam' section on the left. Only Hal could get away with saying that.
He’s kind of like Austin Powers in that way.
Or like the Love Guru.
Maybe I'm just indecisive from the neck up.
He’s kind of like Austin Powers in that way.
Or like the Love Guru.
Maybe I'm just indecisive from the neck up.
Novel about superheroes raises more questions...
A while (almost two years) ago, I heard about an original superhero novel called Soon I will be invincible authored by Austin Grossman. I’ve been undecided about to buy this novel, because (i) I prefer both comics and short fiction to novels and (ii) I’m unclear what to make of the title...
Seriously, what does Grossman mean?
A] Soon I will be invincible (as in: “before you can say Shazam!”)
But if you’ve gotten past ‘the mystery’ of the title, check out this review by Karen Healey of Girls read comics. While you’re there, take a look at the cover. The helmet combines the headwear of Magneto and Thor. Is the Grossman or his publisher trying to tell us something? Egomania and Megalomania are a great combination in the same person?
Here’s another review for your enjoyment. I do however differ regarding this reviewer’s opinion about the character named Elphin’s comic book origins.
Here’s yet another from January Magazine.The column title forced me to include it.
Now, go forth and make up your own mind if novels are your thing and superheroes are your other thing.
Seriously, what does Grossman mean?
A] Soon I will be invincible (as in: “before you can say Shazam!”)
OR
B] Soon I will be invincible (as in: “That’s right. Me. I’m the one who’ll become invincible. Not you. I!”)OR
C] Soon I will be invincible (as in: “All you haters that’ve been hating on my ambitions of power can take my future invincibility to the bank. And. Cash. It.”)OR
D] Soon I will be invincible (as in some sort of existential statement) OR
E] Soon I will be invincible (as in: “You want to know what I will be in the near future? I’ll be invincible, that’s what!”)But if you’ve gotten past ‘the mystery’ of the title, check out this review by Karen Healey of Girls read comics. While you’re there, take a look at the cover. The helmet combines the headwear of Magneto and Thor. Is the Grossman or his publisher trying to tell us something? Egomania and Megalomania are a great combination in the same person?
Here’s another review for your enjoyment. I do however differ regarding this reviewer’s opinion about the character named Elphin’s comic book origins.
Here’s yet another from January Magazine.The column title forced me to include it.
Now, go forth and make up your own mind if novels are your thing and superheroes are your other thing.
Follow-up OPINION piece post may be indefinitely delayed...or not
Some of you may remember this post. I had planned to do a follow-up about pros whose work I have less strong opinions, but for many reasons (including blogging safety) I decided against it...
Specifically, I remember what happened in the comments of this post and the fact that M to the A to the R to the K to the SPACEBAR to the W to the A to the I to the D googles his own name once every hour for about 21 hours of out every 24. I haven’t even included his name in the labels to this post, because he doesn’t just use Google. No, he whose name shall not be typed uses other search engines that use other algorithms that rank web pages differently.
Wait-a-minute! Maybe it wasn’t the brightest idea to include that link in this post. AARRRGGGHHH!!!!
Specifically, I remember what happened in the comments of this post and the fact that M to the A to the R to the K to the SPACEBAR to the W to the A to the I to the D googles his own name once every hour for about 21 hours of out every 24. I haven’t even included his name in the labels to this post, because he doesn’t just use Google. No, he whose name shall not be typed uses other search engines that use other algorithms that rank web pages differently.
Wait-a-minute! Maybe it wasn’t the brightest idea to include that link in this post. AARRRGGGHHH!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
