R.I.P. Kevin Conroy - the late, great Batman

This is hardly the only piece you're going to read about Kevin Conroy this week.

The actor died on 10^th November from a short, intense battle with cancer, aged only 66, and in the couple of days since the news broke, tributes to him have flooded the internet. Conroy was one of those rare performers who seemed universally admired, and it seems that no one has a bad word to say about him. Fellow performers, notably Mark Hamill (the Joker to his Batman) and other noted voice actors such as Tara Strong and Matthew Mercer, industry creatives such as James Gunn (new DC screen head honcho) and Paul Dini (the creator of Batman: The Animated Series) have been outspoken in their admiration. But it's the outpouring of love from the fans that says it all.

Conroy wasn't just Batman, of course. He appeared in front of the camera in shows ranging from Cheers to Kennedy, and in voice roles as various characters across his career, his last work being on the revived Masters of the Universe. None of these roles, however, will ever come close to being as fondly remembered as his time as Bruce Wayne.

I was six when Batman: The Animated Series began, exactly the right age for the seminal series. It is rightly regarded as one of the greatest animated series of all time, and certainly the greatest superhero cartoon. Heavily influenced by the dark fairytales of the Tim Burton films and the almost art deco style of the Fleischer Superman cartoons of the 1940s, Batman: TAS had a haunting, timeless art and music style that immediately captured the imagination. Combined with remarkably mature but accessible writing and some truly great voice performances, Batman: TAS is the definitive version of Batman for a generation.

This was, in no small part, down to Conroy's note perfect performance in the lead role. His gravelly voice was reassuring as Bruce-about-town, commanding as Bruce when on-mission, and powerful as Batman when facing his enemies. He gave the role a subtlety that many actors would not have bothered with for a children's series. Such was his acclaim and popularity in the role that he continued to be the primary voice for animated Batman productions and video games almost through to his death, from the follow-ups Superman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, the elder Bruce Wayne in Batman Beyond, cinematic and home video movies from the great Mask of the Phantasm to the dark, adult-oriented The Killing Joke, and the acclaimed Arkham Asylum game series. There have been other great Batman voice actors, but none have ever really approached Conroy's stature. It was beyond time when he finally got to play the character in live action, portraying the elderly Bruce of Earth-99 on Batwoman as part of 2019's Crisis on Infinite Earths event.

It's no accident that when James and Scott created their World's Greatest Detective audio series it was hugely influenced by Batman: TAS, with Terry Cooper often sounding uncannily like Conroy in his performance as Batman.

Conroy came out as gay in 2016, after facing years of hostility within the industry in his early career. He wrote the comic story “Finding Batman,” an acclaimed piece in which he explored his own years behind a metaphorical mask, in this year's DC Pride Anthology. DC have made the strip available for free on their website (you'll need to sign up for a free account to read it).

It may seem odd to take to heart the loss of an actor whose face I hadn't even seen until a few years ago, but to me and many others of my generation, Conroy was Batman, the most iconic incarnation of the most iconic superhero.

REVIEW: The Batman

This is the... let's check... ninth live action Batman solo feature film. If you add in the animated features, old serial films, and shared universe movies, there have been... a lot. It's tough, against this background, to make a Batman film that stands out, not least considering that previous iterations have included some of the best superhero films ever made (although, admittedly, also some of the worst). Like Spider-Man a few years ago, this seemed like another hurried reboot far too soon after the last one. Just as then, though, Matt Reeves's new take on the now octogenarian franchise shows how well it can work when someone who really gets the character has creative freedom.

The Batman sets itself apart with its title, which now seems to be the method of dispensing with an uncertain past and heading off in a stronger direction. We've had The Suicide Squad, and I wholeheartedly look forward to The Superman, The Wonder Woman and, of course, The The Flash. It's a bit pretentious, that definite article, but it fits with the very serious, self-conscious tone of the film. Batman works best when it's taken seriously but also accepts the campness and absurdity in its concept. The Batman only really does the first part of that, and this leads to quite a dour experience. It's dark – so dark that it's hard to make out what's going on in some scenes – and by gum it's long, and on the whole it's extremely well done. Still, I do miss when a Batman film was entertaining (in live action at least – the perfect remedy to this is The Lego Batman Movie, this film's antimatter twin).

It's had a long and torturous upbringing, this film. Initially an intended as an installment of the DCEU, and virtually a vanity project for Ben Affleck, it was completely reworked when he dropped out and Reeves stepped in. One thing I continue to love about DC/WB's current approach to its films is the creative control it has given writers and directors. While the MCU becomes ever more expansive, swallowing up earlier franchises, it also threatens to become more and more homogeneous. DC, having failed to emulate the Marvel model (not for lack of trying) have allowed something different here. Unique interpretations of classic characters that can sit alongside each other, with no single one being the official, definitive version.

This is, semi-officially, the cinematic Earth-2, where a younger version of Bruce Wayne has only recently donned the cape and the cowl. I like how we've side-stepped the origin story (no need to cover that again) yet are still dealing with a very young version of the character. Yes, the death of the Waynes weighs heavily on the storyline, but this is still Batman as an established force in Gotham City. Only two years established, however, and still in the angry, emo phase of the Caped Crusader, stunted at an adolescent stage of development.

The casting of Robert Pattinson is perfect for this version of Batman. Like many, I was doubtful, but after previously surprising success stories I was happy to wait and see how he turned out. (Heath Ledger's Joker, of course, being the most famous example of “trust the casting director,” but most of the previous live action Batman castings have met with a undeserved backlash.) I was sniffy of the images of emo Bruce Wayne, with smudged make-up and lank black hair, but the character has always been an angry emo kid in a big bloke's body. This was just the first time he looked the part. Really, though, Bruce's character is almost – almost – irrelevant here. Pattinson's Bruce barely has an identity beyond Batman, subsuming himself entirely into the role of the vengeful vigilante.

(A side note – the current main actors for Batman, Superman and Spider-Man, the three most bankable superheroes in the world and often considered quintessentially American characters, are now played by Englishmen. Funny old world.)

The cast are all impressive. Jeffrey Wright is, for me, the best version of James Gordon we've ever had on the screen; gruff, straight-down-the-line and noble. Not yet the commissioner of lore, but still an established figure, much like the young Batman. There's a mystery about what happened during the last two years that made Batman such a notorious figure, yet one trusted by Gordon, but I suspect we'll learn that in time. Andy Serkis gives a version of Alfred who's both recognisably the butler and pseudo-father figure we know and a more formidable character, a veteran who you'd never cross and who has almost lost faith in his charge.

Zoe Kravitz plays Catwoman (for the second time – see again Lego Batman), or rather the Cat, as the character was originally known. Her version is more Selina Kyle than Catwoman, but you can see her slowly going down the route that Bruce himself has and being subsumed by her alter ego. Catwoman is always best as a morally complex antihero rather than a straightforward villain, and, of course, a romantic interest for Bruce to further muddy the waters. Kravitz portrays Selina as a sexually-charged figure, but this also comes across as just as much a mask for someone who has had a brutal and exploitative upbringing. It's an excellent performance.

The main villain, though, is the Riddler, virtually unrecognisable from his comicbook counterpart and previous big screen outings. Paul Dano's version of Edward Nashton (no Nygma in this telling) is a twisted but ultimately sympathetic individual. Dano's performance is remarkable, giving us a young man who is clearly mad as a jacket full of question marks, yet on whose every word we hang. Even under a mask that makes Batman's seem revealing, Dano gives Edward a depth and power, and he deserves to be remembered as one of the great Batman screen villains.

The gangsters are strong too. Colin Farrell is utterly unrecognisable as “Oz” Cobblepot, the Penguin, lathered in latex and donning a broad accent. We might ask why they didn't cast someone who looked and sounded at least a bit like the character they wanted, but Farrell's performance is suitably impressive. This scarred, arrogant version of the Penguin works, as the best iterations of the Penguin do, as a power-hungry crook who's out-of-his-depth. Perhaps the scariest of the villains is John Turturro's Carmine Falcone. No outlandish make-up, no scary mask, no voice modulation. Just a man who's cruelty and greed is outstripped only by the power he's accumulated. Tying him into the Waynes' murder is a good idea, giving the story greater structure, much as Tim Burton's Batman tied in the Joker to the origin story.

The Batman's strength as a story is its deconstruction of the vigilante hero's existence, positioning him as just as much a threat to the safety and structure of Gotham as the villains. Throughout, it's made clear that a noble mission can be easily perverted by human weaknesses, be it in Thomas Wayne's poor judgment in the face of a threat, the various lawmen and politicians of Gotham giving into corruption and greed, or Bruce's own spiral into violent vengeance. Like all the best Batman stories, it positions Batman as a reaction to Gotham's brutality, but also as a catalyst for the worst to come. It's far from the first story to suggest that Bruce's costumed crusade acted as inspiration for the various outlandish villains who came after him, but it makes it explicit and holds him to account for it. (It's exactly the opposite take to the last “young Bruce” attempt, the Gotham TV series, which had it entirely the wrong way round.)

Notably, it's not entirely down to the Batman's example, but the insidious, ongoing radicalisation of young men (particularly young white men) online. Edward commands a small but loyal following of angry men, and he has broken away from a deeply isolated existence into a world where violence is the only means of making the wider world pay attention. Like Joker, which similarly explored the explosion of violence that lies beneath masculine social conditioning, it has its real life reflections in young men and boys who dressed up in Joker make-up before shooting at cinemas full of people. We don't know the backstory of the Joker in this version of events (a recently released deleted scene gives some hints, but it's clear why it was deleted, not least because it's almost impossible to make out what Barry Keoghan's version of the Joker is saying), but it's easy to imagine that the Riddler is inspired by both the Joker and Batman (he's long been something of a Joker copycat, after all).

There's a note of hope in the climax, as Bruce turns away from the pursuit of violence and starts to actually help people, rescuing those in danger rather than simply beating up villains and abandoning their victims. Still, it's hard not to think that he's missed the point. It's an improvement, sure, but as the new mayor has been trying to tell him, his money would be put to better use in philanthropic programmes than in whatever else he's been spending it on. Thomas Wayne's failure at the last doesn't mean that his goal of using his wealth to improve people's lives was wrong.

Visually, musically, and directorially distinct, The Batman succeeds in standing out as its own animal amongst all the many Batmen that have gone before. It's a strong, solid dark detective story with an important message, but one that's a bit muddled in the telling. Clearly open for a sequel (with an entire new Bat-verse franchise planned, whether or not this is a wise direction), it's not quite the triumph some are making it out to be, but it has the potential to be the start of something truly great.

Batwoman moves on

I still haven't finished season one of Batwoman. I've not been gripped by it; the episodes I've seen don't quite seem to know what tone they're going for. It mostly seems to be after the same gritty, semi-realness as Arrow first went for, and that eventually bored me away, but it did lead to the great Arrowverse. Still, it's worth sticking with, I feel, and I'm interested on seeing where things go.

Sadly, it seems the series will have to develop in a different direction to its original plans. After filming for the first season was cut short due to the pandemic, Ruby Rose announced she wouldn't be returning for season two. The reasons behind her decision aren't clear. It has been reported that she has been suffering from a back injury, which would certainly make recording an action series difficult, but she has stated herself that this wasn't the reason. Another report has suggested the long filming hours, combined with filming in Vancouver a long way from her home, made it difficult for her, and also cited friction on set.

I also wonder if Rose is leaving due to all the shit she's received from "fans." There was a ridiculous backlash to her casting as Kate Kane, a character portrayed as lesbian in the Batwoman comics. Some of the more conservative fans kicked off about "virtue signalling," "SJW pandering" and the usual knee-jerk crap purely because of the casting of a queer actor as a queer character. On the other side, the queer fan community had many people objecting because Rose, who identifies as lesbian but also as gender fluid (she uses feminine pronouns). This, apparently, makes her not a real lesbian, and for some, means she shouldn't be playing a lesbian character. Rose was simultaneously too gay and not gay enough.

The shitstorm forced Rose off social media, and I cannot imagine this didn't have something to do with her leaving the show. Why would she want to continue after that reception?

It was announced yesterday that the showrunners are looking to replace Kate Kane with a new character, rather than recast her and carry on. This is understandable, since DC has a long and storied history of legacy heroes whose titles are passed on (Batwoman has been portrayed by two characters, although with almost identical names). On the other hand, the series is so entrenched in Kane's relationship with her sister (the villainous Alice) and cousin (Batman, Bruce Wayne), that reworking it for a new character seems destructive. Given all the sci-fi gubbins in the Arrowverse, it wouldn't have been too difficult to find a way to make recasting work.

The new Batwoman has been described as an LGBT woman in her mid-twenties, currently named Ryan Wilder, although it's also been suggested that this is just a placeholder name. (This might even indicate a recognisable character from the DC universe is being repurposed as Batwoman). Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Stephanie Beatriz has expressed interest in the role, and I could absolutely see her as Batwoman, although at thirty-nine she's a good deal older than the character description. (Although she is a mere five years older than Rose.)

World's Greatest Detective

After a tantalising wait, episode two of "The Lynx of Mbacké" is now available to stream on CP Studios website! Starring Terry Cooper as Bruce Wayne and Jessica Mathews as Selina Kyle, this two part adventure is my first ever audioplay and I'm very proud of it.

Of course, this is not at all my own personal work. Even the script, while credited to me, was written with James P. Quick with significant additions by Scott D. Harris, and they, along with director Pete Lutz, created and recorded the serial. And a huge shout-out to the cast who brought the script to life, in particular Ms. Mathews, who is perfect as Selina.

Make sure you listen to the mid-credits scene too! And don't forget to listen to the rest of the series so far, which includes a very special guest appearance from Simon Fisher-Becker (aka The Fat Friar and Dorium Maldovar). More episodes are to come, including some which I have worked on, but this is something the team are doing in their own time so episodes will arrive on an ad hoc basis.

Listen to "The Lynx of Mbacké" here! Available to stream or download. The series so far can be reached here.

REVIEW: JOKER

Finally, I've time to sit down and write about Joker, perhaps the most talked-about film of the year. And it's been out long enough now that I feel it's safe to straight in with a SPOILER-filled review, so for those who haven't seen it yet and don't want anything spoiled (although to be fair, it mostly unrolls fairly predictably), stop here. For everyone else, carry on after the break.

Now available - BATMAN: World's Greatest Detective - The Lynx of Mbacke

Very excited about this one!


The first episode of my unofficial Batman radioplay is now available from CP Studios!


Written with the help of Mr James P. Quick and Mr Scott Harris for their series "World's Greatest Detective," part one of "The Lynx of Mbacke" stars Terry Cooper as Bruce Wayne and Jessica Mathews as Selina Kyle!


It's bats and cats time!


And it's right here for free!

The World's Greatest Detective

Lots and lots to write about soon, but for now the blog's a little quiet due to my being very busy with real life. Most of it good, though. For now, may I direct you to C P Studios where the first episode of The World's Greatest Detective is now available to stream or download!

"Curtan Razer," Episode One stars Terry Cooper as a note-perfect Batman. It also features Pete Lutz, Scott D. Harris (the C P Studios Doctor), Sean Young and William E. McCloskey, and a brilliant turn from James P. Quick as the villainous Mr. Woebegone. It's written by Scott Harris, James Quick and Rick Warren and features some excellent sound design. Episode two will be out next week and further episodes are to come, including "The Lynx of Mbacke," my two-part story at episodes five and six.

Listen here, you will not be disappointed.

REVIEW: Justice League

SPOILERS

REVIEW: The Lego Batman Movie

Batman is a character that can be anything from camp crusader in purple lycra, to a brooding misanthrope in black body armour. Conventional wisdom of late is that the latter approach is the better. Seth Grahame-Smith, Chris McKay and their colleagues beg to differ.

The Lego Movie was an unexpectedly brilliant family comedy, and its standout element for many was its version of Batman. Voiced by Will Arnett (possibly the best Batman since Kevin Conroy), the Lego Batman is a hilarious parody of the brooding, gravel-voiced Dark Knight. The Lego Batman Movie carries the joke as far as it can, sneaking us a look at the sulking brute behind the mask. After all, no matter how dark and hard-nosed, no one who dresses up as a bat can be a true adult. The Lego Batman keeps his mask on almost the entire run of the film, only taking it off twice, once for a gala event at the insistence of Alfred (a note-perfect Ralph Fiennes).

The script is a very family-friendly approach to Batman, and haven't we waited long enough for one of those? Grahame-Smith's story essentially takes the growling Christian Bale Batman and shows us how he might become the cute Adam West Batman, with his extended Bat-family. Bruce Wayne accidentally adopts wee Dick Grayson (Michael Cera) while besotted by the new Comissioner Gordon. That is to say, Barbara Gordon, voiced by Rosario Dawson, rapidly stacking up the comicbook character credits.

Much of the story concerns Batman's gradual acceptance of son and sidekick ("The kids at the orphanage call me Dick." "Well, children can be cruel.") into his life, and his growing respect for Barbara as a hero and crimefighter in her own right. The secondary plotline involves Batman's other great relationship, his great enmity with the Joker (Zack Galifianakis). Bats destroys the Joker by dismissing him as his archenemy ("I'm fighting lots of villains. I like to fight around."), leading the Clown Prince of Crime to go to absurd extremes to take over Gotham and prove himself. As the Joker's plans go, the one he uses here isn't the most contrived or ridiculous, and certainly one of the most successful.

The Lego Batman Movie is a Batman movie first and foremost, but it doesn't let Lego's vast franchise reach go to waste. The rest of the Justice League make an appearance, but this is wisely kept to a cameo, so that the focus is resolutely on Batman and Robin (although The Lego Justice League Movie sounds fairly inevitable at this stage). In the second half of the film, though, the plot goes nuts, bringing in villains from every corner of the Lego Dimensions. This leads to some of the funniest moments in the film, as Sauron (Jemaine Clement, wonderfully) lays waste to Gotham, along with Lord Voldemort (strangely not a dual role for Fiennes, but a guest spot by Eddie Izzard), the Gremlins and many others. Even the Daleks are involved, although, strangely, they're referred to only as "the British robots." (Clearly, they are taken from 1979's Destiny of the Daleks.)

I had hoped that a similar array of heroes would be involved in saving the day, but the script shows more restraint than that, and correctly keeps Batman at the centre of the film. There's plenty of room for his huge array of villains, one of the best, and often the most ludicrous, rogue's galleries in comics. I had to convince some very incredulous friends that Crazy Quilt, Orca and the Condiment King are genuine Batman villains. The only really crushing ommission is the Music Meister. It's a glorious film for comicbook fans in general, and Batman fans in particular. Every previous Batman film gets a nod, even the 40s serials, plus much more. To support the excellent performances there are some wonderful minor roles and cameos, such as Billy Dee Williams finally getting to play Two-Face, and very oddly, Mariah Carey voicing the Mayor of Gotham.

This is an absolute joy from start to finish. Time will tell if it has the same rewatch value as The Lego Movie, but it definitely has the same wit, silliness and message of family and friendship as its predecessor. Here's looking forward to The Lego Movie Sequel (and, hopefully someday, The Lego Doctor Who Movie).

REVIEW: Suicide Squad

Somewhere in Suicide Squad, there's a really decent film. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, with too many characters to incorporate and too many creative influences trying to make their mark. The concept of the comicbook original Suicide Squad - a group of untrustworthy, heinous and powerful characters on top-secret missions - is certainly a fine basis for a movie. Initial information on the film described it as a superhero version of The Dirty Dozen, which would indeed make for a fantastic popcorn flick. Suicide Squad, however, never quite lives up to its premise, in spite of a highly enjoyable first half.

The first two acts are not without their flaws, but they are at least aware of the ridiculousness of the set-up. There's a real verve to the introduction of the first group of characters, and while the frenetic editing and barrage of pop music is distracting, there's a lot of fun to be had as the principal cast are introduced. No doubt about it, this is an impressive cast, and for the most part the best (or, more realistically, most expensive) are introduced first. The premise is outlined efficiently, building on the previous instalments of Man of Steel and Batman vs. Superman to create a believable, if fantastic, situation. With Superman gone, and a history of costumed and superpowered villains, it's perfectly feasible that someone such as Amanda Waller would worry about "the next Superman" and make plans for how to deal with such threats. We know it's bound to go wrong, but that's the fun of set-up.

While much of the film is over-the-top fun, it suffers greatly from an uneven tone and misjudgements in managing the large cast of characters. While it's certainly possible to manage a huge group of super-characters effectively - Civil War showed us that - it's no easy task. After the first batch of characters, including Waller, Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc and Enchantress, are introduced, we get the next bunch, with El Diablo, Captain Boomerang and Slipknot added to the team. Rick Flagg is included in order to try to control the band of misfits. Then he brings in Katana as his own personal muscle. And then there's the rest of Waller's committee. And the Joker. And the big bad of the film itself. Not to mention all his troops...

It's all rather too much, too hurriedly. There's an adage that an audience can only accept so many oddities at once. It's easy enough to accept a crackshot assassin and clown who dresses as a criminal, but we're also expected to accept a cannibal with reptilian skin and a demonic witch possessing a young woman. If you're a comics fan like me, it's fine, but even given the last twenty years of superhero flicks, there's only so much an audience member can be prepared to swallow all at once. As I said, though, the earlier part of the film revels in the silliness. Later on, though, it takes on a more serious, moralistic tone that sits uneasily with the first half of the film and the characters' background. The structure of the story is, ultimately, a mess. It would have been far more effective to start out with the team in place, learning about the characters from their interactions and actually seeing them taking on missions that the military can't be seen to do. Instead, we get one mission, going straight into the main event after spending the better part of an hour on introductions and set-up, with Flagg and his army boys along for support. It's exactly what the Squad was not set up to do.

While I'm pleased that the creators of superhero films no longer feel bound to give us long-winded origin stories, the approach taken here falls between too stools. What we do see of the more interesting characters makes me want to see more, and holds back the narrative at the same time. Deadshot, along with Harley, is one of the two main protagonists of the film. The most sympathetic of the Squad, Deadshot gets significant backstory that is more interesting than what he gets to do as part of the team. Will Smith is as good as ever, even if he is playing a more amoral version of his default movie character. Perhaps the most impressive of the cast is Jay Hernandez as El Diablo, a reformed monster who has to be broken away from his new pacifist stance. As good as he is, he's stuck with some of the worst, most cliched dialogue in the film. It's impressive that he can make such a load of tosh as compelling as he does. On the other hand, Katana, played by Karen Fukuhara, is entirely pointless to the story, in spite of a fascinating backstory, while Akinnuoye-Agbaje is utterly wasted as Killer Croc.

The biggest missed opportunity is Harley Quinn's relationship with the Joker. These aren't my Harley nor my Joker; I grew up on the Tim Burton films and the classic 90s animated series. These two fruitloops represent a more modern, utterly unhinged take on the characters, and in that they succeed completely. Jared Leto is magnetic and disturbing in his turn as this tattooed, steel-toothed supervillain; the only weakness is that we are desperate to see more of him. Margot Robbie absolutely nails it as Harley. Both vulnerable and formidable, she uses her sexuality as another weapon and sells her complete obsession with the Joker, someone whose love she'll never truly have. While we don't need an origin story for every character, Harley Quinn is one who deserves one.

Instead, we have interminable scenes of Cara Delevingne trying very hard, but failing, to portray a 6000-year-old interdimensional sorceress by speaking through a voice modulator and dancing about a bit, while the ultimate villain of the piece is a faceless monster that most people will have forgotten about by the time they leave the cinema. The final act sees the movie lose all coherence as it attempts to make this band of bastards into heroes, losing any of the good will the previous hour-and-a-half managed to gain in a barrage of pyrotechnics. Sit back, let it all wash over you and you'll have fun... but you'll leave wanting to see more of Harley and her puddin.'

REVIEW: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

Firstly, let's just get it out there: Batman v Superman isn't very good. I don't think there's going to be any argument there. Personally, I didn't think it was as terrible as many people are saying. I found a lot to enjoy. But having criticism dominated by whether a production is very bad or merely quite bad is not a desirable position for any production to be in. Naturally, the movie will make a ton of money, because it's a major event: the first time ever that the two most recognisable superheroes in pop culture have come together, in live action, on the big screen. Which is more to the point. Batman and Superman deserve better than this for their first proper cinematic outing together.

There's a lot here I'm on board with. Surprisingly, I really rate Ben Affleck as Batman. I was as dubious as anyone when that casting was first announced, but it works for this take on the Caped Crusader. Batman can, and has, been many things over the years, and it's interesting to see something a little different to previous cinematic versions. Joining Bruce Wayne years into his career as Batman, embittered and resigned to this endless fight, offers plenty of potential for interesting storytelling. There's no way of getting around it, this version of Batman is trigger-happy and genuinely psychotic, but the glimpses we have of his past - post-Joker, post-Robin - give us tantalising hints as to how he became such. I love the conceit of having Superman be the new guy, crashing into Batman's world and upsetting the balance of his worldview. There's a satisfying strangeness in hearing Bruce Wayne call Clark Kent "son."

I'm also one of the few who liked Man of Steel. I get what Zack Snyder wants to do, by exploring Superman as the modern America, representing the potential of great good, against the danger of unfettered power and collateral damage. I see what he's exploring. Batman and Lex Luthor both have a point here. Superman is potentially the most dangerous being in the world and the desire to keep him in check, to have safeguards against him, makes sense. We know he's a hero, but he has to earn that place in the fictional world. There are better ways of exploring this, though. Nobody communicates in this film. There's barely a line of dialogue between Bruce and Clark that hasn't already been heard in the trailers. There's never any particularly clear reason why Clark is so determined to stop Batman, and there's the overwhelming sense that if the characters just spoke they would actually cut to the chase and sort this out by the halfway point. Despite having a ton of things to cover, both in itself and to set up DC's new cinematic franchise, Batman v Superman is overlong. The first half hour is, simply put, dull, and this has a massively negative effect on the film as a whole. It never quite recovers from the trawl through the first act, so even once it gets going, there's a lot of good will lost.

While Affleck impresses, Henry Cavill doesn't get to do much as Superman except scowl. OK, neither does Affleck, but dramatic scowling is Batman's thing. I enjoyed Cavill's performance in Man of Steel, but he has little to work with here. I've only good things to say about Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne and Jeremy Irons - whose Alfred reinvents the character as Q to Bruce's Bond - but the standout is Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonderwoman. Casting a talented actress who has been both a model and a soldier in her career is perhaps the perfect decision for Wonder Woman, and Gadot is very easily the best thing about this movie. Admittedly, for a large part of the film she mostly gets to smolder in provocative dresses - for the same reason that Amy Adams has one of her major scenes naked in the bath - but she has a powerful presence whenever she's on screen.

On the other hand, we have Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. I tried to keep an open mind about this one, but it really is the worst case of miscasting I've seen in a long time. It's not purely the actor who's wrong, the entire conception of the character is a mistake. There's not a thing here that recollects Lex Luthor in the comics or any previous iteration. The eccentric, babbling youngster is more like the Riddler, and having the Riddler almost bring down Superman is as poor as it sounds. This Lex is driven by daddy issues, and I can only assume that in this universe the real Luthor is dead and this is his brat offspring. At least he seems to be having fun, which is more than you can say for anyone else in this movie. There's some good material to be had from his interactions with Holly Hunter's Senator Finch, but god, that poor woman has to deliver some of the worst dialogue in recent memory. It's as if the script is trying to sabotage her performance.

Which is a shame, because - CG overload accepted - once the battle finally hits, the film goes into melodramatic overdrive. The fight between Batman and Superman is just as dramatically over-the-top as we'd hope, and, once it twists into the battle against Doomsday and brings Wonder Woman into the mix, it's spectacular. Lex's back-up plan, resurrecting Zod as a malformed killing machine, would have been a great surprise if it hadn't already been revealed in the trailers, but it still works. I'm all up for three heroes fighting a monster, and for me, this is what it's all about. Operatic and ludicrous, like a superhero fight should be.

So, while I found much to enjoy, it's too little to save the film. When looking at the films of both Batman and Superman in the colour era, Batman v Superman is probably the second weakest of each run (I've leave it to you to guess which of each hero's movies I think is worse). The biggest problem is how joyless it all is. I'm not averse to dark and issue-driven takes on popular heroes, and these kinds of productions can work. Jessica Jones is dark. Daredevil is dark. But they both have room to have fun and entertain. While I might question the wisdom of producing a Batman/Superman film that's unsuitable for kids, I can see why it's been done. However, it can, and should, be fun.

December Comics Round-Up

Ultimates #2 (Marvel)

Yes, this is definitely the Avengers-esque title I'm going to follow. Black Panther's team - Blue Marvel might nominally be calling the shots, but it's definitely Black Panther's team - are all incredibly powerful, hyperintelligent, or both, and they're travelling the universe to sort shit out. Dan Brown's art is perfect for this. There's a real cosmic feel to this issue, ending with a complete inversion of what Galactus stands for, that could lead to some very interesting things indeed.

Doctor Who - Eighth Doctor #2 (Titan)

Emma Vicelli absolutely nails her depiction of the eighth Doctor. I prefer this issue to the first; this is the other side of the eighth Doctor, the careworn old man who's trying to remain positive in the face of an overwhelmingly cruel universe. It ends on an optimistic note, but we know that this Doctor is going to have to face his own war soon, which adds depth to the story. Very good.

Doctor Who Magazine #494 (Panini)

Haven't we had sword-and-sorcery planets in the comics quite recently? This is fine, but there's not an original element in it. Adrian Salmon's art style doesn't really work for it, either. I'm going to call this one a miss.

Batman/TMNT #1 (DC/IDW)

Just much more fun than it has any right to be. I like that this avoids going for all out campery. Batman and the Turtles might actually work very well together. And using Killer Croc here is so obvious it would have been foolish not to do so.

Ms. Marvel #2 (Marvel)

This is rather excellent, with Kamala facing the twin evils of gentrification and the exploitation of fame. There are some rather lovely moments with both Bruno and her adorable older brother, and pitting the youngest Avenger against a new, corporate version of HYDRA makes sense. The important stuff is Kamala's entirely believable reaction to the developments, though.

The Mighty Thor #2 (Marvel)

"Just take me to my cell, serpent. I figure it's best I get one now... before all the good ones are filled." That's just a brief line showing how awesome Heimdall is, but this is brilliant throughout. Thor is just excellent right now. The war between the Light and Dark Elves rages, with the incongruous sight of Roxxon tanks mowing down unicorns. Loki is back, all re-grown up and bad again, while the Elves and Jotnar lay waste to the Nine Realms in a beautiful and finely written story. Recommended.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #3 (Marvel)

A fairly middling issue for Squirrel Girl, but still way more fun than pretty much any comic series running right now. Retro-Dr. Doom just about works in this context, revelling in the campness of the character, but Nancy isn't quite up to the task of holding the storyline up against him without Doreen. Things work much better once the girls team up again. Digging Doreen's sixties costume. Includes the perfect footnote, "That guy's The Punisher! Like all men who take themselves extremely seriously, he likes to spend his downtime sewing cartoon skeleton heads onto every shirt he owns, so that way everyone can tell right away how extremely serious he is." When a comic running at half-power has lines like that, it's a keeper.

Lucifer #1 (DC/Vertigo)

Well, that wasn't nearly as bad as I'd feared it would be. I still don't really see the point of it; the original Lucifer series by Mike Carey was truly brilliant and a closed story, ending in the most perfect and final way possible. I'd expected this to be a reboot, rather than a continuation as it is here, and I'm not sure which is more pointless. Still, Lucifer returning to the Universe in the wake of God's apparent murder has some potential. Not a patch on Carey's work, but approximately 130 times better than the shit they cooked up for TV.

The Wicked + The Divine #17 (Image)

Wow, this has gone off the boil. The last issue of the current "let's look at everyone's backstory" season, this one focuses on cat-goddess Sekhmet, who is only interesting in fucking and drinking and is correspondingly boring as hell. Looking forward to how the series kicks back into gear upon its return in April, as it really needs some forward momentum.

And that's yer lot. I'll be cutting right back on the comics next year - Saga, Squirrel Girl, Ultimates and The Mighty Thor will be on my list, probably along with Ms. Marvel and maybe Spider-Woman. 

Casting Call: DC television villains

Following my round up of the various heroes set to appear on DC series this coming season, here's the current info on the many villains being introduced. This may be updated soon - I've been hoping to see casting news regarding Mr. Freeze, Flamingo, Non and Red Tornado.

Caspar Crump
Vandal Savage (Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow)

One of DC Comics' most persistant and deadly villains, Vandal Savage was born Vandar Adg around 50,000 BC, becoming immortal when he later encountered an irradiated meteorite. Over the millennia, he has been known as Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, Jack the Ripper, Vlad the Impaler, Blackbeard and various other violent individuals from well known history. He might even be Cain, and thus the first murderer in historical record. The similarly powered Immortal Man and Resurrection Man are his longest serving foes, but over the years he's faced pretty much every major DC hero (and Captain Kirk). His parallel world alter egos have been even more pernicious, and he has been encountered in various points in the timeline by time travelling heroes. With enhanced strength, speed and endurance, he's a formidable foe, but the real threat is from his tactical genius and his lust for power. Oh, and he's Grendel's dad.

Savage has made several animated appearances over the years, and some very similar characters have been featured in live action series (one time Superman Dean Cain played Curtis Knox in Smallville, a character who was intended to be Savage until this was changed due to rights issues). His upcoming appearance is thus his official live action debut. He's set to be the Big Bad of Legends of Tomorrow, the superteam brought together purely to fight him. Described as having "the greatest army ever assembled," his reign of terror throughout history means they'll be using time travel to battle him. Caspar Crump is a Danish actor, little known in the English-speaking world, will appear in all three live action Arrowverse series. I've never seen him act, but god he looks perfect.

JR Bourne
Jeremy Tell/Double Down (Arrow)

A fairly recent addition to the Flash's rogue's gallery, Double Down is a con artist, a compulsive gambler and a murderer, who uses a powered-up deck of cards that is bonded to his very skin. JR Bourne can be recognised from various genre appearances including Stargate SG-1, Josie and the Pussycats and Teen Wolf. This is the character's first live action appearance, and while he's set to debut in the third episode of Arrow's next season, I would not be surprised to see him return to face his traditional foe, the Flash.

Alexander Calvert
Lonnie Machin/Anarky (Arrow)

Created by the prolific Alan Grant, Anarky is one of Batman's most popular foes, so much that he got his own spin-off series in the nineties. Lonnie Machin was a child prodigy who grew up to use his considerable gifts to further his anarchist, anti-statist activism. Little more than a kid when he first appeared, Anarky is a mirror to the Dark Knight, a vigilante fighting not criminals, but the whole structure of modern society. More an antihero than an all out villain, Anarky is the latest of many Batman-linked villains to be adapted for Arrow (a character he has rarely met in the comics). Although he's been used as the main antagonist for the animated series Beware the Batman and the game Arkham Origins (voiced by Wallace Langham and Matthew Mercer respectively), this will be his first live action apperance. Alexander Calvert has had loads of junior roles on TV.

Adam Copeland
Albert Rothstein/Atom Smasher (The Flash)

From a family of superheroes and villains, Albert Rothstein has been both in the course of his comics career. An experimental procedure by his grandfather, the villain Cyclotron, gave him the ability to control his molecular structure. As a hero, he's also gone by the name Nuklon, and has served in the JLA and JSA for a time. He has, however, gone rogue on occasion, and can be a dangerous foe. In the first season of The Flash, Alber Rothstein is seen on a list of the people who were killed in the particle accelerator accident that gave that series' metahumans their powers. Clearly, he survived, and is set to return as a villain, with the intent of killing the Flash. Given that even such scoundrels as Captain Cold and Heatwave have been brought into the Legends of Tomorrow superteam, I think it's safe to say Rothstein will eventually turn to the side of the angels.

Chris Browning
Ben Krull/Reactron (Supergirl)

A persistant enemy of Supergirl (and her alt-world equivalent, Power Girl), Ben Krull is a Viet Nam vet, who went nuts and massacred a village of people. Serving with him was Joshua Clay, later known as the hero Tempest, who used his energy powers to blast Krull down. This had the side effect of granting Krull radiaoctive powers, which he later used in his villainous career. He's been part of the Suicide Squad and the radiation-themed team the Nuclear Legion, but more often works alone. Lately, he has been given a Kryptonite heart, which naturally makes him a particularly dangerous foe for Kryptonian heroes like Supergirl. He's set to appear in the third episode of the Supergirl series, played by Chris Browning, one of those actors who's been in everything over the years, usually in tough guy roles.

Brit Morgan
Leslie/Livewire (Supergirl)

Livewire is a villainess introduced in the 1990s animated Superman series, before being incorporated into comics continuity, not unlike the more famous Harley Quinn in the Batman series. Voiced then by Lori Petty, the live action version of the character is to be played by Brit Morgan, who has comicbook adaptation experience from The Middleman, but is better known for her role as Debbie in True Blood. Working for the same media company as Kara, Leslie is sure to cause problems both in everyday life and in her supervillain guise. Leslie is converted into pure electrical energy, with corresponding electromagnetic powers. She most recently showed up to menace Batgirl.

Justice Leak
Hellgrammite (Supergirl)

Another Superman villain to be repurposed for the Supergirl series, Hellgrammite was, initially, Roderick Rose (also known as Robert Dobson), an entomologist who experimented with insect DNA, transforming himself into a powerful insectoid creature. As well as the expected insect-y superpowers, such as super-strength, the ability to leap great distances and an inpenetrable exoskeleton, he also had the unpleasant tendency to infect others, transforming them into his larvae. (A hellgrammite is, in the real world, the larva of the dobsonfly.) The Supergirl version is going to be reimagined as more straightforward alien villain, played by Justice Leak, whose name is perfect for a supervillain in itself. He's appeared in several indie films, and is best known for the movie The Great Debaters.

James Frain
Theo Galavan (Gotham)

James Frain has experience in a comicbook universe: he was rather brilliant as Leet Brannis in Marvel's Agent Carter. The English actor has also appeared in True Blood, The White Queen, True Detective, Oprhan Black and Grimm, but is perhaps most recognised for his role in The Tudors. He's playing a new character to the mythos. Theo Galavan is a powerful business, whose altruism hides "a centuries old vendetta." He and his sister (see below) are set to cause chaos in Gotham, leading to various villains taking on their characters.

Jessica Lucas
Tabitha Galavan/Tigress (Gotham)

As with so many DC heroes and villains, the Tigress persona has been shared by several characters, going right back to Action Comics #1 in 1938. However, the Gotham character sounds like she's based on the most recent Tigress, Artemis Crock, who has made it to the New 52 continuity and appeared in several animated outings. Some versions of the character have Wolverine-like animal abilities, including superhuman strength, an enhanced sense of smell and enhanced stamina, but the modern version is simply a highly trained combatant and marksman. Her skill with a bow and arrow is phenomenal (an earlier Tigress became the villain known as Huntress, another identity taken by various individuals, one of whom appeared in Arrow).

Tabitha Galavan is said to be the sister of the aforementioned Theo, and acts as his lead enforcer. Jessica Lucas has appeared previously in Cloverfield, Evil Dead, She's the Man and Melrose Place.



Leo Fitzpatrick
Joe Pike (Gotham)

Joe Pike is set to be a fairly major pest to Gordon and Bullock in the coming season, over the course of several episodes. He's described as the leader of a gang of arsonists, and doesn't have any explicit links to any comicbook villains (yet). Several fans have suggested he's going to become Firefly, a pyrotechnic villain from the Batman comics (in which his identity was one Ted Carson). There's also a reasonably obscure Wildstorm villain named Pike, who DC have the rights to, but it's unlikely he has anything to do with this. Leo Fitzpatrick found fame as Johnny Weeks in The Wire.

July Comics Catch-Up

A few bits and pieces picked up over the month o' Julie. EDIT - 18/7 - popped a couple more acquisitions on rather than start a whole new post.

Batgirl #41 (DC)

A good issue, worth picking up, since it represents a pivotal point in Barbara Gordon's life. After all, not only was she bound to discover there was a new Batman in town, but eventually she'd learn that he was her father. I like that they didn't bother keeping this a mystery for her and just had him come right out with it. Now that he's been tasked with bringing in all vigilante heroes, Jim Gordon is pitted against Babs... although I find it hard to believe can't recognise Batgirl is his own daughter. The returning villainess I've never heard of is less interesting.

Superman/Wonder Woman #18 (DC)

The problem with both Marvel and DC is that any time there's a big shake up or plot development, it's necessary to pick up reams of comics to get the full picture. The changes with Batman and Superman require, what, seven titles to fully appreciate? Anyway, this is pretty good stuff. It's an appreciable change in status quo to have Wonder Woman the more powerful of the couple. It's good she's there for Clark, they're really putting him through the ringer in this storyline.

Ghostbusters Get Real #1 (IDW)


A cracking crossover following the popular GB/TMNT, with another cross-dimensional shift between New Yorks. Very much aimed at dedicated fans of The Real Ghostbusters, this takes place within the episode "Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster," with the 'Busters shunted into another reality in an encounter with the god Proteus. Schoening and Delgado work together to make brilliant artwork, which changes subtly between the realities - the quality of the lines and depth of colour improves when the RGB 'Busters arrive in the IDW comic universe. Just lovely.

Saga # 30 (Image)

The Eisner Award-winning series comes to a temporary close, resting for a few months between runs. This is a better issue than we've had for a while, really pushing the narrative forward and leaving the characters in very different places to where they started. It's got to be said, though, there's not a lot of story in this issue in real terms; it's a couple of major events, violently told.

The Spirit #1 (Dynamite)

Dynamite have picked up the rights to Eisner's classic hero, and this is their first issue, which I finally got round to picking up. This is the first Spirit comic for a while, I think. I love the Golden Age revivals, and this is a strong opening, concerning itself with the Spirit's absence, rather than actually having star in his own comic. A brave approach, and one that works. Of particular note is the strong characterisation of Ebony White, a problematic character when handled poorly. Looking forward to issue two next month, plus Dynamite's relaunch of The Shadow.

The Wicked + The Divine #12 (Image)

As with Saga, not much actually happens here, but what does happen feels significant. To be fair, nothing was going to match last month's climax, so this issue was inevitably going to be a bit of a letdown. It's going to be guest artists for six months, and I'm not particularly keen on Kate Brown's work this issue. I don't feel it really suits the comic. But it's only one issue.

Deadpool: All Good Things tp (Marvel)

Collecting issues #41 to #44 and #250, because Marvel numbering makes no sense ever. This is the grand finale for Deadpool, and works well in collected form. I really enjoyed this; bloody, irreverent and strangely touching. Deadpool finally manages to find some peace with himself and even gets to settle down into a strange, but affirming, family or friends. Then the universe ends. Tsk. It's kind of amazing that the only thing that could kill Deadpool is being hit by a planet.

Captain Britain and the Mighty Defenders #1 (Marvel)

Mostly avoiding the Secret Wars stuff but bought this one recommendation... and yeah, it's really quite good. Dr. Faiza Hussain debuted in Paul Cornell's Captain Britain and MI-13, and having her take on the mantle of Captain Britain for Battleworld, itself the conjunction of all the realities that the Captains defend, makes sense. This then segues into Mondo City, a Mega City One pastiche... I don't know how this will progress beyond Judge Dredd vs. Marvel, but this could be quite brilliant.

21st Century Tank Girl #2 (Titan)

Missed issue one, but I watched the movie yesterday and got a hankering for Tank Girl. A tankering. The new adventures of Tank Girl, Jet Girl and Booga have all the subtle wit of their predecessors. There's a seventies theme to this issue. It's all written by Alan Martin so it's the genuine article, and out of the strips, the opening "Nanango '71" works best, partly because the artwork feels like the classic run. Jonathan Edwards's art suits the comedy dreamscape of "Journey to the Centre of the Tank," though (also, the Doctor's in it). Plus, the cover is at least twelve times sexier than cheesecake Starfire or Power-Girl comics.

New Bats, New Supes, New Bats'n'Supes

Action Comics #41
Batman #41
Batman/Superman #21

Batman towers over Superman on the cover of issue 21.

Things are changing at DC. Again. One of my problems with DC is their continual reboots, which for the most part only make continuity more complicated. 2011's New 52 movement, thankfully, was a cleaner break than most, tweaking characters and storylines that in many cases worked well in their new guise (although not all). Now, though, DC are at it again, with their Convergence event; not a reboot, but a major shake-up, changing the situations the key characters find themselves in and posing new challenges. Post-Convergence, the main lines have settled and we have the first indications of their new direction.

It's no secret I'm a Marvel man, but the core DC heroes are irresistible. Some of the the changes coming up might be little more than costume tweaks, but the central duo, Batman and Superman, have truly been shaken up. I picked up this week's Batman/Superman as the quickest way to check the new look out, and enjoyed it so much I went and downloaded both characters' solo titles for the month as well (Batman came out this week too, Action Comics arrived last week).

To summarise: Bruce Wayne is dead (supposedly). There's a new Batman in Gotham. Superman has been drastically de-powered, and his identity is known. Things are not as they should be.

I love what they've done with Superman. One of the big problems with Superman has been his gradual increase in power over the years, to absolutely ludicrous levels (the movies are perhaps the worst offenders here). There have been several attempts to downgrade his abilities, alter them or take him out of the picture, but this one really works for me. He's still astonishingly strong, but no longer so absurdly powerful that he can knock a moon out of orbit or punch a hole in space-time. He can jump pretty damned far, but no longer leap tall buildings in a single bound, let alone fly. He needs to eat, he gets tired and feels the cold. He's been locked out of the Fortress of Solitude and even his costume has been shredded.

Superman been humanised, and it's a fantastic move. For the first time in ages, he feels like Clark Kent, a man, doing the right thing despite the fact he might pay the price. It's made all the more compelling by the outing of his identity. Luthor can't bring himself to believe it, and suspects it's all a trick. Meanwhile, the police want him for his part in the endangerment of Metropolitan citizens, and those citizens themselves have turned against him, in a wave of xenophobia against the alien interloper. All of a sudden, it seems the whole of Metropolis thinks like Luthor. He doesn't even have Lois to turn to. And yet, there are those who remain loyal to him. There's a wonderful scene where he returns to his old neighbourhood, to be greeted by an overwhelming show of support, from people who remember the good he has done and are proud to have known Superman. He keeps fighting, even as he bleeds and bruises, because he owes these people. It's a great reaffirmation of the character.

I'm less certain of the new direction of Batman. It's very clear that Bruce Wayne will be back, and the writers aren't even playing coy about it. For now, though, Jim Gordon is Batman, an unexpected development but one that is, in the circumstances, quite logical. Part of Batman's central conflict is his position outside the law, and the reversal of this - a police operated Batman - is a strange but understandable about-face. In that set-up, there's no one it could be but Jim Gordon. The much-mocked robo-flopsy armour works much better in context, but its ridiculous looks don't escape a jab or two in the script. Thankfully, it's not the only new Batsuit available. The final pages reveal another look which works perfectly.

I'm still not quite sold on the new direction for Batman, but one thing it has done is totally shake up the relationship between the two heroes and their titles. With all the Batman vs. Superman hype, it's easy to forget that Clark and Bruce are firm friends and allies. Clark no longer has Bruce to back him up, and it makes his situation all the more vulnerable. It's also a fascinating reversal; Batman working within the law, Superman hunted by them. I'm really interested to see where this goes.

Casting Call: Suicide Squad

I am, in general, less than enthused by DC's upcoming roster of superhero movies. The trailer for Batman vs. Superman looks grim and boring; what's worse is that I'll almost inevitably end up paying to go see the damned thing anyway. There are a few announcements that have peaked my interest, though, and one of them is Suicide Squad, the first film outing of DC's ever-changing crack team of villains and anti-heroes. If they get this right, it could be genuinely brilliant. If they don't, well, at least it's got a cracking cast.

Will Smith
Floyd Lawton/Deadshot

Deadshot is the primary recurring member of the Suicide Squad, a crack marksman and assassin who, due to years of training and the helpful addition of a cybernetic eye, never misses. Well, he missed once, but that was against Batman. He has suffered a particularly abusive history and is a lot more sympathetic than most of the characters on this list, but he still has an absolute disregard for human life. More amoral than evil, but no less deadly for it.

Everyone knows who Will Smith is. Previous screen Deadshots have been played by Michael Rowe on Arrow and by Bradley Stryker on Smallville.

Jared Leto
The Joker

The Joker needs no introduction. The Clown Prince of Crime is Batman's greatest enemy, and will surely go on to appear in future films against the Caped Crusader after this. Jared Leto, lead singer-songwriter for Thirty Seconds To Mars and a very well-regarded actor known for, among many other things, Dallas Buyers Club, is set to take on the role. He'll have a very difficult time convincing naysayers he's right for the part, and has to equal, if not better, Heath Ledger's legendary performance in 2008's The Dark Knight. Ledger, though, had the similar problem of coming into the long shadow of Jack Nicholson, whose role as the Joker in 1989's Batman was considered definitive... until Ledger outdid it. In recognition of the character's 75th anniversary, director David Ayer has released the first official image of Leto in full make-up. Quite wisely, they're going for a completely different take on the signature look to previous screen outings, one that will no doubt appeal to some while enraging others. I'm not sure about the forehead tattoo, or the wanky glove, but otherwise, this is interesting. Pure poser Joker.

Margot Robbie
Harley Quinn

Created for the excellent Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn has gone onto become a staple character in DC's comics and a fan favourite. The former psychiatrist for the Joker, Harleen Quinzel (really) fell for the villain and became his lover and sidekick. They have a passionate but fractious relationship, and it'll be fascinating to finally see this in live-action. Harley had no superpowers to begin with, but became fast friends with Poison Ivy, who injected her with a serum which increased her resilience and strength. In recent comics, she has become more vicious, before attempting to reform her character by turning to crime fighting. We'll see how much, if any, of these developments make it to the movie. Harley is probably the most fun of all the characters in this film, and getting her right could make or break it as much as the Joker. Her initial cartoon portrayal was modelled heavily on her voice artist, Arleen Sorkin. Margot Robbie certainly looks the part. She's previously appeared on the big screen in About Time and The Wolf of Wall Street, before co-starring with the aforementioned Will Smith in Focus.

Joel Kinnaman
Rick Flagg

Rick Flag is actually three characters, father, son and grandson, but they're all heavily associated with the Suicide Squad. The original Captain Rick Flag led the Suicide Squadron during WWII, while his son was the leader and core member of the modern incarnation of the Squad, and has been responsible for some of its most glorious missions. Joel Kinnaman is Rick Flagg (sic), previously known for the Robocop remake and The Killing. He should be a pretty important character in this admittedly huge cast. Tom Hardy was initially linked to the role but dropped out of negotiations.

Jai Courtney
George Harkness/Digger/Boomerang

Yes, this is Captain Boomerang, a pretty laughable villain who was recently given a shot in the arm when Nick Tarabay portrayed him in Arrow and The Flash. "Digger" Harkness is an Australian criminal who uses various trick boomerangs to aid his crimes. He's also a massive racist, so this should be fun. Tenner says he gets his teeth punched in by Deadshot.

Viola Davis
Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller, known as "the Wall," is a former congressional aide who has proven herself to be both a powerful enemy and ally for various heroes in DC comics. Ruthless and uncompromising, it was Waller who recreated the Suicide Squad, enlisting various supervillains with the promise of pardons or parole. She's had a number of screen appearances in recent years, played by Pam Grier on Smallville, Angela Bassett in Green Lantern, Cynthia Addai-Robinson on Arrow, and now Viola Davis. Initially they were looking at getting Oprah Winfrey to take on the role, and she's certainly evil enough.

Scott Eastwood
Steve Trevor

Steve is primarily a Wonder Woman character; as her primary love interest in the earlier comics, he goes right back to 1941. It's no shock then that Eastwood is set to reprise the role for the upcoming Wonder Woman movie. Usually portrayed as a US intelligence officer, his role here would seem to be as the straightforwardly heroic side of the leadership of the Squad. Scott Eastwood is, of course, Clint Eastwood's son, and whatever he achieves, that's the first thing anyone is ever going to say about him.

Carla Delevingne
June Moon/Enchantress

The "Switcheroo-Witcheroo" as she was first billed, the Enchantress is, as she sounds, a sorceress armed with an array of magical powers. Interesting that DC are including a magic-based character so early on. Being profoundly non-magical, both Batman and Superman are susceptible to magical attacks. The Enchantress has acted as both villain and hero over the years, and was part of the Shadowpact, the original magical superteam in the DC universe. This has since been superceded by Justice League Dark, who faced the Enchantress as an antagonist; still, I wouldn't be surprised to see her turn up in the JLD movie. The upcoming starlet Cara Delevigne is set to play her.

Adewale Akkinnuoye-Agbaje
Waylon Jones/Killer Croc

A favourite Batman foe, Killer Croc began his appearances as a thug with a tragic background, who suffered from a genetic abnormality that gave him scaly, reptilian skin. Unlike real-life diseases of this type, this is in Croc's case a form of genetic atavism, and he has gradually become less humanoid and more reptilian as time has gone by, his strength and agility increasing while his human personality subsides. Adewale is best known as Mr. Eko in Lost, but has a host of genre and non-genre roles under his belt. His appearance in Suicide Squad sounds like it'll be little more than a cameo, but you don't waste an actor like that so he may well be back.

Raymond Olubowale
King Shark

If a crocodile man wasn't enough, there's also a shark man! King Shark, aka Nanaue, is the son of the Hawaiian Shark God and displays all the characteristics of a shark in a (roughly) humanoid body. Able to breathe underwater and almost invulnerable to harm, he's potentially a very powerful opponent but has never really hit it big. Again, this looks like a cameo for the little known Raymond Olubowale, but I could see him coming back for the Aquaman feature. King Shark is, however, primarily an enemy of Superboy, and actually had to work alongside him in the Squad before.

Karen Fukuhara
Plastique

Primarily an opponent, and love interest, for Captain Atom, Plastique, aka Betti Souci, is another character of shifting affiliations, having worked for both the Suicide Squad and the Justice League for brief periods. She has the power to generate explosive forces from her body. Jessica Parker Kennedy portrayed a young version of the character on Smallville, while Kelly Frye plays her on The Flash. Karen Fukuhara is a young actress and Suicide Squad seems to be her first major production.

Adam Beach
Slipknot/Weiss

Christopher Weiss is another of the lesser DC villains who's main fame comes from joining teams like the Squad. He developed a unique formula for super-durable ropes which he combines with his expert mastery of knot-tying. He's an assassin as well, but good luck to Adam Beach in making this guy cool. Currently starring in Arctic Air, Beach has years of TV appearances on his CV.

From left to right, standing: David Ayer (writer/director); Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flagg); Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Killer Croc); Jay Hernandez (role unknown); Jai Courtney (Boomerang); Viola Davis (Amanda Waller); Adam Beach (Slipknot); Jim Parrack (rumoured to be Deathstroke); Ike Barinholtz (rumoured to be Hugo Strange).

From left to right, seated: Will Smith (Deadshot); Karen Fukuhara (Plastique); Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn); Cara Delevigne (Enchantress). Jared Leto was away on tour when this was shot.

Comicbook Movie Release Calendar

It seems I am only permitted to watch movies based on comics these days. Really, I watched Blue is the Warmest Colour the other day (I have lesbian movie nights with lesbian friends. Don't you?) and it turns out that's based on a graphic novel. Anyway, this is the latest, most up-to-date list of the upcoming comic-based films, double-checked with Den of Geek, io9 and the like.

2015

Avengers: Age of Ultron
Marvel/Disney
Release: April 2015 for UK, May for US
All the Avengers plus Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and the Vision join forces to defeat the android Ultron.

Ant-Man
Marvel/Disney
Release: July 17th on both sides of the Pond.
The last installment of Phase Two of the MCU. Edgar Wright is out, who knows what this is going to be like.

The Fantastic Four
Fox
Release: 6th/7th August 2015
Reboot of the Fantastic Four franchise which is planned to revamp the other half of Fox's comicbook properties.

Bananaman
DC Thomson/Elstree Studios
Release: uncertain
The first part of the Beano Cinematic Universe (oh yes), Bananaman is clearly the most exciting movie project in development for years. Might be subtitled Man of Peel, which is brilliant. Absolutely no idea who is starring.

2016

Deadpool
Fox
Release: set for Feb 2016
Ryan Reynolds finally gets to do the Merc with a Mouth justice in what we expect to be a fourth-wall breaking slice of madness. Part of Fox's X-Men universe which may also cross over with the Fantastic Four films as they try to build up a cinematic universe akin to Marvel's.

Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice
DC/Warner
Release: 25th March in both UK and US
DC are going head first into a huge superhero team-up movie to try to do what Marvel have done, but in reverse. Henry Cavill is back as Supes following on from Man of Steel. Ben Affleck makes his debut as Batman, with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman and sundry other DC superheroes.

Captain America: Civil War
Marvel/Disney
Release: April 2016 in the UK, May in the US
Marvel's Phase Three kicks off one year after Age of Ultron with another barnstormer that might as well be called Captain America vs Iron Man. Chadwick Boseman is set to debut as the Black Panther and Spider-Man is expected to make his MCU debut following Marvel's deal with Sony.

X-Men: Apocalypse
Fox
Release: May 2016
The X-Men franchise completes the trilogy started with First Class and continued in Days of Future Past, coming full circle with recast Cyclops, Storm and Jean Grey. Channing Tatum debuts as Gambit, and expect Huge Ackman to return as Wolverine to face down the mighty mutant Apocalypse.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2
Paramount
Release: 3rd June on both continents, supposedly.
Hell, I haven't even seen the first one yet. More Michael Bay stuff with Megan Fox and some unsettling repto-humanoids. Apparently Krang might be in this one.

Suicide Squad
DC/Warner
Release: August 2016
Beating the ever-delayed Sinister Six movie from Sony, DC manage to make the first villain team-up movie to expand their cinematic universe. Genuinely quite interested in this one. One hell of a cast lined up, with Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jared Leto as the Joker, Will Smith (!) as Deadshot and more. Could be something quite amazing.

Gambit
Fox
Release: October 2016
Channing Tatum returns as Gambit for his own solo adventure. Not much information to go on so far.

Doctor Strange
Marvel/Disney
Release: November, most likely.
Everyone's favourite Benedict Cumberbatch joins the MCU as the Sorceror Supreme. Rumours that Chiwetel Ejiofor is also involved. This should mark an interesting development point for the MCU as magic and parallel dimensions are introduced.

2017

"Wolverine 3"
Fox
Release: Early March, 2017, but expect things to move around a bit this far ahead.
No actual title for this, but it's the third Wolverine film from Fox after the dreadful X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the rather better The Wolverine. Patrick Stewart is also expected to appear in some capacity. No real information on the storyline, although Huge Ackman has been angling for the "Old Man Logan" arc from the comics as a source.

Guardians of the Galaxy 2
Marvel/Disney
Release: the now-traditional April/May slot.
Guardians of the Galaxy was the film of the year for 2014, so we're all stoked to see the sequel. Not much info yet, but we can expect it to follow up on the mystery of Quill's parentage.

Wonder Woman
DC/Warner
Release: Set for 23rd June in the USA.
DC are one step ahead of Marvel with this one, creating a female-led superhero movie before their rivals. Wonder Woman is one DC's Big Three, along with Batman and Superman, so it's pretty bizarre that she's not headlined a movie before. Gal Gadot returns to the role after her debut in Dawn of Justice.

Fantastic Four 2
Fox
Release: 14th July on both sides.
If the FF reboot does well, a sequel is guaranteed. All the main cast have signed up for the sequel, which is expected to feature Mole Man as a villain, probably with a returning Doom. On the other hand, if the first film tanks, this will probably be quietly shelved.

Untitled Spider-Man movie
Sony, with Marvel/Disney
Release: July 28th 2017 is the currently scheduled date, which has bumped back some of Marvel's other films.
The first proper Spidey film to come out following the deal between Sony and Marvel, this is as yet uncast and we have little information on it beyond the fact that they're looking to cast younger and send Peter Parker back to high school again. Don't expect yet another retelling of his origin story, though. We all know he was bitten by a radioactive/genetically engineered spider.

Thor: Ragnarok
Marvel/Disney
Release: Originally slated for July 28th, this will now be released on November 3rd in the States.
Apocalyptic events could mark Chris Hemsworth's final appearance as the God of Thunder. The Fire Giant Surtr will most likely be the villain this time round, but pound to a penny Loki will be back too.

The Justice League: Part One
DC/Warner
Release: 17th November in the States.
The Justice League is DC's premier superhero team, and they want a slice of the Avengers' money pie. This huge two-part blowout should reunite most of the Dawn of Justice crowd, potentially with yet more heroes added in for good measure. Darkseid is heavily rumoured as the villain, but he's essentially identical to Marvel's Big Bad, Thanos.

The Lego Batman Movie
Warner Bros.
Release: Uncertain, some time in 2017 most likely.
Will Arnett's hilarious take on Batman was the best thing about 2014's magnificent Lego Movie, and now he gets his own spin-off. Lego seem to have free reign to use DC characters so expect cameos and villains galore. The Lego Movie 2 is currently slated for 2018.

2018

The Flash
DC/Warner
Release: Currently set for 23rd March, Stateside.
I still haven't managed to catch any of the acclaimed Flash TV series, but since this is a complete reboot and recast that's pretty irrelevant. Hopefully this Billy Whizzard will be as fun as the concept should be. Ezra Miller is playing Barry Allen, the Flash.

Avengers: Infinity War: Part One
Marvel/Disney
Release: That April/May slot.
Marvel's answer to the big double-blockbuster, wisely not going directly up against Justice League but inevitably set to be compared. This is the beginning of the climax to Phase Three, the event that all the movies of the MCU have building to. Josh Brolin is back as Thanos, battling pretty much every character thus far introduced in the MCU, potentially including the upcoming TV characters too. No Joss Whedon though.

Black Panther
Marvel/Disney
Release: 6th July 2018
Finally, a black superhero headlines a movie for the first time since Blade and that dreadful Catwoman thing. Boseman will already have appeared as the Black Panther in Civil War and probably Infinity War, and we can probably expect Andy Serkis to appear as Klaw.

Untitled X-Men movie
Fox
Release: July 2018
Another X-Men flick is scheduled for 2018, but so far we have zip on the details. Very probably keeping on the young mutants from Apocalypse along with some new faces, but no news as yet.

Aquaman
DC/Warner
Release: 27th July 2018
The King of Atlantis gets his own movie, played by Jason Momoa. Some have written this off as too silly - Aquaman has been a bit of a joke character in DC animations recently - but it looks like they'll be playing this one straight. Momoa will have already played the character in Dawn of Justice and Justice League, of course.

Captain Marvel
Marvel/Disney
Release: Currently slated for November 2018.
Marvel's premier female superhero gets a chance to shine on the big screen. No news as to who's playing Carol Danvers yet, although it's entirely possible that, like Black Panther, she'll first appear in another movie (Guardians of the Galaxy 2 seems a reasonable bet). That said, we do know this movie is currently intended to be set mostly on the Earth, rather than the good Captain's frequent forays into space.

2019(ish)

Shazam!
DC/Waner
Release: 5th April 2019
Genuinely can't wait for this one. The other Captain Marvel, as yet uncast, pits his mighty fists against the nerfarious Black Adam, played by Duane 'The Rock' Johnson, taking five minutes out from filming Fast and Furious 26 or something. Mixed messages concerning whether this will be part of the elaborate movie universe DC is constructing or completely separate, but expect something quite standalone either way.

Avengers: Infinity War: Part Two
Marvel/Disney
Release: One year after Part One
The second part of the big shebang. With Captain Marvel showing in between the two halves, expect even more characters to be included, but Inhumans being delayed until afterwards might change plans a tad. Hopefully not just wall-to-wall scraps, but expect lots of spectacle.

Justice League: Part Two
DC/Warner
Release: June 14th, 2019.
DC are leaving a longer gap between installments in their gigantic blockbuster. Again, the two comics giants aren't going directly head-to-head with this one, but there's only a month or so between the US release dates. The new Green Lantern might be appearing in preparation for his upcoming solo film.

Inhumans
Marvel/Disney
Release: 12th July 2019, at the moment.
Marvel, not having the movie rights to their own X-Men characters, are bringing this lesser known crop of superhuman beings to the big screen. The Inhumans are already being seeded in Marvel's Agents of SHIELD on TV, so this is a slow burn set-up. Rumours are already flying, with Vin Diesel cheekily putting himself forward as Black Bolt. As he's already voiced Groot, amusingly this would make him two Marvel movie characters who can barely speak. Nice easy gig for him.

Untitled Batman movie
DC/Warner
Release: sometime before 2020.
A solo Batman outing starring Ben Affleck following his Dawn of Justice and (probably) Justice League appearances. No info so far.

"Man of Steel 2"
DC/Warner
Release: again, some point between 2016 and 2020.
As with Batman, Superman will also be enjoying a further solo appearance, again, probably, post Justice League. It's hard to see how they can fit both Batman and Superman movies in the schedule though. Henry Cavill is on board, natch.

The Sinister Six
Sony
Release: unknown, but it's still on the books.
With the Sony-Marvel alliance, this has been confirmed as still in the pipeline. Undoubtedly coming after Suicide Squad, this is going for the similar villains-as-protagonists route. No cast confirmed at the moment, and with Spider-Man being recast, everything's in the air. We also don't know for certain whether Spidey himself is going to taking part, or if Marvel will have some involvement.

Other Spidey-related projects that haven't officially been cancelled yet, but which are looking less likely to see the light of day, are the long-awaited Venom movie (last heard to be titled Venom-Carnage) and a team-up movie of unspecified female superheroes from the Spider-Man franchise.

X-Force
Fox
Release: unconfirmed
The final movie currently planned for the X-Men franchise, X-Force will involve a darker, less heroic team of mutant superheroes. Jeff Wadlow, from the fairly dreadful KickAss 2, is writing the script. Ryan Reynolds is expected back as Deadpool, along with an uncast Cable. I wouldn't be surprised to see Channing Tatum back as Gambit in this, and probably Colossus, who is usually part of the comics and is also appearing in Deadpool, but is currently uncast. Wolverine is also a likely candidate, but Huge Ackman can't play him forever. Given the bigger antihero role Mystique has in the newer X-films, I wouldn't be shocked to see Jennifer Lawrence involved.

2020

Cyborg
DC/Warner
Release: April 2020
One of DC's less well known and popular characters, Victor Stone, aka Cyborg, is still a pretty major Justice League hero. Ray Fisher is signed up to play Stone in Dawn of Justice, both Justice League films and finally his own movie. Good to have another black headline star.

Green Lantern
DC/Warner
Release: June 2020
The 2011 Green Lantern film tanked, and so DC are clearly not very confident on this property, running pretty much everything on their books before trying again. Ryan Reynolds is now Deadpool, and it's unlikely DC would want him back anyway, so there'll be a new man in green.

Justice League Dark
DC/Warner
Release: unknown
Not given a definite slot on DC's release calendar, but apparently coming sometime between now and 2020. Guillermo del Toro is currently set to direct, which would be pretty much perfect (I'd still like to see a third Hellboy movie). Justice League Dark is set to feature DC's biggest horror-themed characters, including Constantine, Swamp Thing, Deadman, Zatanna and Etrigan the Demon. Whether this ties into DC's main cinematic universe is unknown.

Sandman
DC/Warner
Release: not a clue
Can they really do Sandman justice on the big screen? It remains to be seen. Author Neil Gaiman is directly involved and wanted Benedict Cumberbatch for the role of Morpheus, but he's busy being Dr. Strange. The great Joseph Gordon Levitt is involved, probably to direct and possibly to star as well.