Celebrate Halloween with the Dark Knight
Want to have a Batman Halloween? NewsOK’s Nick Tankersley will tell you how. Among his tips: Check out the Jeph Loeb-Tim Sale classic “Batman: The Long Halloween,” and sit down with the Tim Burton Batman films. Check out the full article here.
- Matt Price
Vanishing Batman
Thanks to CJ for pointing out this College Humor video that explores how exactly Batman manages to vanish like that.
- Matt Price
Oklahoma writer Sterling Gates creates World’s Finest team-ups
World’s Finest #1, kicking off a miniseries teaming Superman and Batman family characters, is in stores today, written by Tulsa native Sterling Gates.
At DC Comics’ official “Source” blog, Gates is called a “writer to watch.”
“Gates has made a name for himself for his tight plotting and knack for strong and precise characterization,” blogger Alex Segura writes.
Meanwhile, at Newsarama, Vaneta Rogers has an extended Q&A with Gates about the series.
“The Batman universe is so full of change right now. So is the Superman universe,” Gates tells Newsarama. “Bruce Wayne is dead and Superman has left the planet Earth to be with his own people on New Krypton. The world is suddenly without its two greatest heroes. To me, that makes it a very exciting time for the DC Universe. You’re seeing new and different characters come to the forefront and stepping up to fill the void left with Superman and Batman gone.”
Gates talked to Nerdage back in September about the project:
“Each issue focuses on a different Batman-Universe hero and villain teaming up with a different Superman-Universe hero and villain,” Gates said. “So, you’re getting four great characters coming into conflict, and you just have to sit back and watch the fireworks.”
Gates said ” World’s Finest” also has some of his “all-time favorite villains.”
“Catwoman’s in there, Mr. Freeze, Penguin, Kryptonite Man, Toyman,” he said. “It’s gonna take all of these heroes working together to rein these supervillains in!”
- Matt Price
Musical episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold airs tonight
Neil Patrick Harris guest-stars as villain “The Music Meister” in tonight’s episode of “Batman: The Brave and the Bold.” “Mayhem of the Music Meister” guest-stars Neil Patrick Harris as the Music Meister, whose power makes those around him break into song and do his bidding.
“Brave and Bold” is always a fun half-hour, and “Meister” is no exception. While the plot’s pretty thin, it’s a lot of fun to see the proceeding turn into a musical. Black Canary, voiced by Grey DeLisle, is the show-stopper, singing about her unrequited love for Batman, but NPH gets to show off quite a bit as well. “He Drives Us Bats” is a take on Batman from the villain point of view that’s quite catchy, besides.
The soundtrack goes on sale Saturday on iTunes.
- Matt Price
Check out Neil Patrick Harris in Batman: Brave and Bold
Entertainment Weekly has an early look at Neil Patrick Harris as the voice of Music Meister in the Oct. 23 episode of “Batman: Brave and Bold.” Perhaps inspired by the musical episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Dr. Horrible,” this episode of “Brave and Bold” features hero vs. villain in song. Click the link to check out a clip.
- Matt Price
NewsOK Comics vodcast: Haunt 1, Batman Unseen 1, X-Men vs Agents of Atlas 1
Things get spooky this October week in comics, as Haunt #1 comes out from Image and DC brings forth Batman Unseen #1. Meanwhile, the X-Men face off with the Agents of Atlas in the first part of a two-issue miniseries. Kyle Roberts and Matt Price discuss these comics in this week’s NewsOK Comics podcast.
DVD review: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies
The Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader team up in this direct-to-DVD animated film based on the comic books by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness. Loeb has plenty of screenwriting experience, as the writer of “Teen Wolf” and “Commando,” and his story translates relatively easily to film. The screenplay was adapted by Stan Berkowitz, who also adapted Darwyn Cooke’s “Justice League: The New Frontier” into an animated movie.
McGuinness’s blocky, muscular style is recreated in the style of the movie, which is heavy on action but lighter on character development.
The movie reunites Tim Daly, who voiced Superman on “Superman: The Animated Series,” with Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman in “Batman: The Animated Series.” The two hadn’t worked together since 1998’s “World’s Finest” animated movie. (George Newbern took over the role of Superman for the “Justice League” animated series.)
The United States, in the throes of wars and recession, turns to an exonerated Lex Luthor, who is elected U.S. president. Luthor fixes the immediate problems but also insists all superheroes work solely for him. When a giant Kryptonite meteor threatens Earth, Superman and Batman — now “public enemies” in Luthor’s regime — are forced to come up with their own plan to save the planet.
The first half of the movie zips along, but the ending isn’t as strong.
It’s great to hear Daly and Conroy working together on their signature characters, but the film doesn’t exceed the past decade of animation with Superman and Batman.
— Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman
No joke: Batman marks four weeks atop GameFly Top 10
Batman: Arkham Asylum remains at the top of the GameFly top 10 list for the fourth week. Halo 3: ODST moves from No. 4 to No. 2. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 jumps from No. 5 to No. 3. The Beatles: Rock Band, released 09-09-09, makes its first appearance on the list — at No. 9.
The GameFly Top 10 List reflects gamers’ choice from more than 6,000 titles for the Wii, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and PSP consoles.
Most Popular Games Cross-Platform:
1 Batman: Arkham AsylumPS3, Xbox 360Action AdventureEidos
2 Halo 3: ODSTXbox 360ShooterMicrosoft
3 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP Games, PS2RPGActivision
4 Section 8Xbox 360ShooterSouth Peak Interactive
5 Guitar Hero 5PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2Arcade/PuzzleActivision
6 Need for Speed: ShiftPS3, Xbox 360, PSP GamesRacingElectronic Arts
7 WetPS3, Xbox 360Action AdventureBethesda
8 WolfensteinPS3, Xbox 360ShooterActivision
9 The Beatles: Rock BandPS3, Xbox 360, WiiArcade/PuzzleElectronic Arts
10 Madden NFL 10PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP Games, PS2SportsElectronic Arts
More lists after the break.
Batman makes it a three-peat atop GameFly Top 10
Batman: Arkham Asylum remains at the top of the GameFly top 10 list for the third straight week. Wolfenstein 3D at moves up a spot to No. 2, knocking Madden 10 to No. 3. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 switches places from last week with Halo 3: ODST. Ultimate Alliance is now in the No. 5 slot, with Halo 3: ODST at No. 4.
The GameFly Top 10 List reflects gamers’ choice from more than 6,000 titles for the Wii, PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and PSP consoles.
Most Popular Games Cross-Platform:
1. Batman: Arkham AsylumPS3, Xbox 360Action AdventureEidos
2. WolfensteinPS3, Xbox 360ShooterActivision
3. Madden NFL 10PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PSP Games, PS2SportsElectronic Arts
4. Halo 3: ODSTXbox 360ShooterMicrosoft
5. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP Games, PS2RPGActivision
6. Wii Sports ResortWiiSportsNintendo
7. Guitar Hero 5PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2Arcade/PuzzleActivision
8. Call of Juarez: Bound in BloodPS3, Xbox 360ShooterUbisoft
9. Section 8Xbox 360ShooterSouth Peak Interactive
10. PrototypePS3, Xbox 360Action AdventureActivision
More lists after the break
Megan Fox in almost certainly untrue Catwoman rumor
Actress Megan Fox poses backstage at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009 in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
Popeater shares a report from a British newspaper that Transformers 2 star Megan Fox might suit up as Catwoman in an upcoming Batman flick.
It’s not the wildest rumor that’s floated about the as-yet-untitled Batman movie — that would probably be the “Cher as Catwoman” rumor — but I don’t see that this one is any more substantial than that one, at this point.
I think people are just hungry for news on a new Bat-film and will take what rumors they can get until something is officially happening.
UPDATE: People confirms that this is false.
“It’s rumor. It’s not true,” said a studio rep. “There is no script. There is no project to be cast in.”
- Matt Price
