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 SAN DIEGO — Ran into Matthew “Feedback” Atherton, the winner of the first season of Sci-Fi Channel’s “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?” while walking the hallways of Comic-Con International.  He was about to shoot an online Webisode in full “Feedback” gear, and told me to keep an eye out for it. When I have a link, I’ll post it here.

He’s a gracious and fun guy, and I look forward to continued success for him.  It’s great that the “Superhero” winners so far have been guys who understand and love the comics medium and the superhero genre.

– Matt Price

The first act of “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” is online at www.drhorrible.com.  Starring Neil Patrick Harris and directed by Joss Whedon, “Dr. Horrible” is about a down-on-his-luck supervillain.  Act 2 is scheduled to go up Thursday, and Act 3 is scheduled to go up Saturday.  The videos will be online until midnight Sunday.

– Matt Price

Black Voices, an AOL site, follows up AOL’s top superhero movies with their own list, one of the top 25 black superheroes of all-time.  Somewhat timely, with “Hancock” making a ton of money this weekend.  Will Smith’s character from the film nabs a No. 7 spot.   This list isn’t the same one I would make — “Meteor Man” is at No. 5, and “Blankman” tops Geoff Johns’ excellent Mr. Terrific. Still, some classic characters like Luke Cage and Black Panther make the cut, and Todd McFarlane’s Spawn comes in at No. 12.  Black Goliath outranking The Falcon seems misguided, as the Falcon was a much more important character for much longer.  Static, of “Static Shock” and the Milestone Comics, is No.1

Notable omissions: Captain Marvel, from the 1980s Avengers, though she never appeared outside the comics.   I could argue for Hardware, Icon and Rocket, all from the Milestone line.  Black Lightning would have been a nice comics-only choice, and I’d even prefer the SuperFriends Black Vulcan to some of the characters chosen.  Bishop of the X-Men is another well-known omission.  Neither Halle Berry’s or Eartha Kitt’s portrayal of “Catwoman” were named, though Berry’s Storm is listed. Nowhere to be seen on the list, despite an appearance in the summer’s most popular movie thus far, is James Rhodes, AKA War Machine.

Edit: I misread the list earlier, apparently, as Damon Wayans’ “Handi-Man” is listed as “NOT No. 1.” 

– Matt Price

AOL has compiled a list of the best and worst superhero films, by their estimation.

On a few, they are right on, but on several, they miss the mark.

Hard to argue with “Catwoman” as the all-time worst, but “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” also makes the worst list, while 1990’s “Captain America” escapes criticism?  “FF2″ is miles more enjoyable than the “Cap” film. (And I say that with Captain America as my favorite character.)  For that matter, both recent Jessica Alba-starring “Fantastic Four” films are listed in the worst 10, while the 1994 “Fantastic Four” film escapes criticism? (Maybe because it was never officially released, but, it is listed on IMDB.)  I realize I’m one of a minority who like “Ghost Rider” and “Daredevil,” but I enjoyed each of those more than 1993’s “Meteor Man.”  If you think that maybe AOL’s staff just took the 1990s off from watching superhero movies, well, what about 2007’s “Underdog,” a movie that begs for inclusion on any “worst superhero film” list?

It’s a little harder to argue with their top 10, with “Spider-Man 2″ atop the list, but I’d probably reorder much of their top 10, and give a higher placing to “Superman: The Movie.” 

– Matt Price

Over at BAM’s blog, ace reporter Brandy McDonnell points out a recent poll of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists.  The group took a look at superhero films, and what worked and didn’t work within the genre. Check out awfj.com for the full roundup and commentary.

– Matt Price

Hard-drinking superhero Hancock (Will Smith) finds himself out of favor with the public in “Hancock,” a film directed by Peter Berg.

The 1996 screenplay “Tonight, He Comes,” by Vincent Ngo, was considered one of the great unfilmable screenplays, about a superhero with an existential crisis having an affair with a married woman.

Rewritten by Vince Gilligan and eventually renamed “Hancock,” the movie that viewers see is neither the dark superhero drama of the screenplay or the light Will Smith comedy of the trailers. The jittery, TV-style camerawork keeps the film from feeling epic.

When crusading public relations specialist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) is saved from near-death by Hancock, he decides to do the ne’er-do-well superhero a favor: repair his public image.

But when he brings the superhero home for dinner, Ray’s wife, Mary (Charlize Theron) is upset by the hero, and his influence on her young son, Aaron (Jae Head).

There are a few laughs as Ray shows Hancock his career mishaps via YouTube. But halfway through the film, as an uncomfortable chemistry develops between Hancock and Mary, the movie is turned on its head.

A surprising revelation begins a tonal shift into a darker story, possibly more in tune with the original screenplay, but incompatible with the first portion of the film. The exposition comes fast and furious as everyone’s relationships are explained, but by the time it’s done, the audience has stopped caring.

Smith and Bateman are fine in their performances, but the movie is a mishmash of styles and ideas that never comes together. The PG-13 film feels like an R, with constant strong language and drinking; “Hancock” is by no means a superhero film for the whole family.

The film was produced by Akiva Goldsman, who won a screenwriting Oscar for “A Beautiful Mind,” but also stalled the “Batman” franchise for nearly a decade with “Batman and Robin.” He might have been better off staying away from superheroes.

— Matthew Price

Hancock

PG-13 1:32 2 stars

Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman

(Some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.)

From Friday’s The Oklahoman:

The documentary “Confessions of a Superhero” takes viewers into the mind of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Hulk — but not in the way you might think.

The film looks at the superheroes that populate Hollywood Boulevard, outside Graumann’s Chinese Theater. Christopher Dennis, who resembles a thinner Christopher Reeve, portrays Superman, officially licensed by no one, taking pictures for tips. But he follows a strict code of ethics, at one point informing a newcomer posing as Ghost Rider of the rules of being a costumed character. Dennis is obsessed with Superman, and his apartment is crammed with Super-memorabilia.

The other characters aren’t as obsessed with their characters, but they have their own eccentricities.

Maxwell Allan, who plays Batman, has a resemblance to George Clooney and says that has kept him from getting other roles. He battles anger issues and claims a dark past, but his wife says she believes “about 50 percent” of what he says.

Joe McQueen, an aspiring actor who was formerly homeless, wears the sweltering Hulk outfit in 100-plus degree weather. He continues to audition, hoping to land a role that doesn’t have his face covered in a giant green grimace.

Jennifer Gehrt is a Tennessee bombshell who dreamed of making it in Los Angeles. While she attempts commercial auditions and works on her marriage, by day she’s the Wonder Woman of Hollywood Boulevard.

Despite the performers’ baggage and the quirkiness of their profession, the dreams of these four people shared in this visually interesting and compelling documentary are arresting and real.

— Matthew Price

Kyle Roberts and I discuss this week’s new comics, including Amazing Spider-Man #549, Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season Eight #11, Speed Racer Chronicles of the Racer #1 and Uncanny X-Men #495, in the weekly comics podcast.

Tor Books brought the Wild Cards universe of George R. R. Martin back this month with “Inside Straight.”  Now, go deeper into the world of the novel with the American Hero Web site, exploring the reality show that provides much of the plot for the novel.

From Tor Books:

Tor Books is proud to present “American Heroes,” the Wild Cards website spin-off blog featuring the characters from Inside Straight, the newest Wild Cards mosaic novel. One of the longest-running series in the shared worlds and fantasy genre, Wild Cards has the superheroes in its latest installment competing in a top reality TV show called “American Heroes.”
 
Now, in addition to the brand new Wild Cards website that launched in December, George R. R. Martin and the authors of Inside Straight have contributed all original narrative and scintillating “behind the scenes” material to a new “American Heroes” blog. Each week, the narrative follows the characters of Inside Straight as they compete–some surviving for another round and others getting voted off the show.
 
Featuring all original artwork by Mike Miller, the “American Heroes” site shows visual profiles of each character and “confessionals” from the individual superheroes.

Working on a possible fun Nerdage idea… if you have a moment, post your favorite superheroes here, or mail a list to me at mprice@oklahoman.com .   Thanks!

- Matt