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Warner Brothers and DC Comics Getting Their Shit Together

by Kevin Powers
July 11, 2008

It looks like Marvel has officially scared Warner Bros. into action. With the success of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and the possibilities on the horizon for a bridge-story with The Avengers (among other independent character films), the studio that is debuting The Dark Knight next week is presently meeting to formulate a strategic effort for its DC Comics film properties according to reports at Hollywood Reporter. As of late, DC projects haven't exactly progressed smoothly (e.g the continued uncertainty with Superman, the start-and-stop with Justice League) and Warner Bros. has little to show at the upcoming Comic-Con, save for Watchmen. Since The Dark Knight is almost assured to be a monster success, the timing of this meeting couldn't be more perfect, or just under the gun. If Warner Bros. and DC can properly leverage the Batman sequel, Marvel might have something to finally worry about.

After all, DC Comics does have Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, who can easily contend with the awareness of Spider-Man, Hulk and Iron Man, Warner Bros. just has to do these characters justice. They're already off to a solid start with the winged one. Superman needs some real help if it's to rise to a competitive level, so it's no wonder that the studio is rumored to want a reboot of the franchise, replacing director Bryan Singer. As for Wonder Woman, the news on that has moved at a glacial pace. The studio also has films on The Flash and Green Lantern in the works, and the prospect of one on Green Arrow is intriguing, but those pose little threat to Marvel's upcoming projects, some of which are Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America, The Avengers, and maybe a sequel to The Incredible Hulk. Not to mention, Marvel has fan favorite Jon Favreau and the promising Louis Leterrier as directors.

The companies had little to report from the high-level meetings, except for the following: "We're constantly looking at how best to exploit the DC Comics characters and properties. DC is an incredibly valuable asset to Warner Bros. and plays an important role across the entire studio by providing development and franchise opportunities for all media, including films, television, home entertainment, animation, consumer products, video games and digital platforms." Standard PR bullsh*t. I think it's safe to say that most fans are screaming to themselves, "It's about time!!" So what do you think? It's not only a question of who has the better characters, but who can actually execute on them. Marvel seems to have a more solid strategy in place already, so can Warner Brothers and DC Comics catch up?

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one

DC stands a good chance. I dont think they have as many characters as Marvel, but the ones they DO have are pretty solid. Marvel needs to quit while they are ahead. THOR? are you kidding me? Captain America, maybe...but for sure not freaking Thor. I think that one will be worse than Elektra. I think all the comic book movies should be darker (like TDK and Incredible Hulk) I know they are two separate companies, but they both did good jobs making these great stories real world believable and dark. The stupid movies like Spiderman, Superman and Fantastic 4 could have all been amazing films, but they were geared towards children/families and that makes for a bad bad bad film. But hey...thats just me. What do you guys think?
Spider

It's good that DC is getting their stuff straight. However, Marvel has accomplished major success this year so far and we'll soon see how "Punisher: Warzone" turns out. I am rooting for Marvel to really rock. Suffice it to say that DC leveling out the playing field only means that we, the audience, will win. We will get great movies that serve justice to all the comic book characters we grew up with and love. Having said that, Marvel shouldn't worry about DC at all.
Eric Estrada

I believe that Marvel would not compete with DC comics. They have an all-star line up competing with a minor league team. I do believe TDK is going to be one of the best movies in history but i credit that more to the actors(Ledger and Bale) and the production team. Superman and Wonder chick wouldn't and couldn't ever hold up. I think it sounds like an interesting challenge for DC but i don't think the characters could ever hold up to marvel.
Trinket

Finally, I think DC comics (and Vertigo especially) have darker characters that I enjoy more then Marvel characters. If they can get good directors like Nolan on there side, I think they would be an almost unstoppable force to reckon with. I also enjoyed the Green Arrow/Supermax script. It has epic potential.
Darrin

let mark millar do the reboot on superman
ddot3

i think the only way to get people back interested in superman is to do either a live action movie based on "The Death of Superman" (or Doomsday whatever they call it) or the do a live action version of "Worlds Finest" with Christian Bale as Batman with the same gritty feel as Batman Begins and The Dark knight. That to me is the only way you can give Superman that same feel you get with the Batman of today..
rodan8812

DC needs to do at least 2 things 1) connect their universe after the 3rd batman, the closet I have seen to this is a mention of Gotham somewhere in superman returns. 2)make it darker also like tdk, and it wouldnt hurt to give superman a real supervillian (no problems with Luthor just over used) like brainiac
http://www.myspace.com/kevjohnphotography kevjohn

Does this mean we ARE going to get that Batman/Superman movie we saw from I Am Legend?
jason_md2020

Why don't they take a hint from the series Entourage and have Cameron direct an Aquaman film? No? By the way, what happened to the Flash project that was in development (He was always my fave DC character.) I like the idea of using the Vertigo characters as well. I've been waiting for someone to take a stab at Neil Gaiman's Sandman. And maybe this time Constantine will be blond & British like the comic!
BRBomber

kevjohn, or anybody, can you refresh my memory on the Batman/Superman movie from I Am Legend? i don't recall what you are talking about...and it sounds very interesting...
Rian

I would love to see a Nightwing film but I doubt that would go well with the general public since no one other than comic fans really know who he is. I do feel like if they made a Nightwing TV show in the same vein as Smallville it could be a hit and generate DC a ton of money.
Matt Suhu

@ 10 BRBomber: At the beginning of I Am Legend, somewhere when the camera is spanning the city either before or after Will Smith hunts the deer, in Times Square is a billboard of the Superman insignia covering the Batman insignia...very much like the current Superman/Batman comic. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/j4ever/misc/superman_batman_iamlegend.jpg
Matt Suhu

To address the question, of course WB & DC can catch up to Marvel. They have such a potent lineup in which one major character, Batman, has been firmly established within the movie industry. And then they have Superman which already has a launching pad with Returns, and it has the potential of having a much larger fanbase than Batman as being more recognizable and with nostalgia from the Chris Reeves films. And then they have characters within the JLA such as The Green Lantern and The Flash that can feasibly hold their own comparatively to films such as The Hulk and Iron-Man or the often rumored Cap movie. I do not believe a Wonder Woman movie will do well simply because of the weak fanbase and fear of doing another Elektra film. Yes, she's part of the "Trinity" that also has Batman and Superman, but just because she's powerful does not necessitate a solo film. And then once such pivotal characters have been introduced to the movie industry, then WB & DC can role out a much appreciated JLA film which certainly has the power to trump all the X-Men films. I highly doubt a Superman/Batman film will every be produced simply because Bale has gone on record as to not really wanting to do such a thing. And once Bale is finished with his, I think, trilogy then no one else will have the guts to step into Bruce Wayne's shoes. But regardless of who plays which character, as long as WB & DC can role with excellent directors and writers...then I believe they can catch up with Marvel. So much these days are dependent on excellent scripts by writers and great visions by directors that such a combo can do anything with any character.
Reza

The thing with DC comics characters is that they are a lot more EPIC in the scale of their heroism than any Marvel character. Marvel characters are all about the drama, the personal, the character development. Yes, DC Comics has a lot of that, but they are so much more in the vein of a Lord of the Rings scope than anything else. If the studios wanted to do a movie on Superman, they'd have to really put up an actor who knew how to play a guy who takes things on the chin, who willingly takes the responsibility of the world on his shoulders because he KNOWS he lives in a world of cardboard where he must control himself every single second. They also have to have a supervillain that is different from Lex Luthor, someone who'll really push Supes to his limit. Luthor is to Superman what the Joker is to Batman. But he is not the ONLY damn villain!!! Bring in Darkseid, Doomsday, Brainiac, anyone other than Luthor, please. And make the Superman fights as incredible as they were in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon series. God, Superman was a badass in those. Any film on The Flash should be marketed as a dark comedy. The Flash is just one of the best wisecracks ever, maybe even better than Spider-Man. If they can pull that off, a dark comedy about a superhero, that would really be genre-defining. Then the Green Lantern movie, now THAT has potential beyond most other superhero archetypes. His power itself comes from willpower, an intangible concept that has given us movies like Requiem for a Dream. REQUIEM FOR A DREAM GUYS!!!!! If they can make a Green Lantern movie as moving as that, with all the talk about willpower and struggle, that would be amazing. But no John Stewart, please. Use Kyle Raynar instead. Woot woot!!
Matt Suhu

@ 14 Reza: I totally agree with your Superman rant. He needs to be tested with more powerful villains such Brainiac or a return of General Zod. But I disagree with your Green Lantern character...why not go gold and use Hal Jordan?
http://movieguyreviews4u.blogspot.com Ryan

I think DC is in a different league. They have some poopular characters but not as many on large as a scale as marvel's. Also, DC tends to be darker.
Jake

Its good to see DC putting out more movies especially in the DC universe, but its not like they are lacking quality just quanitity. Yes, most have not been set in DC universe but other DC properties I think have been done more justice then Marvel has. V fo Vendetta, Batman Begins, Constantine (at least somewhat), Stardust, and of course The Dark Knight. Also, I guess the Fountain can be also included. The upcoming Watchmen looks awesome as well.
Blake B

I know this doesn't have very much to do with this but... Does anyone else wish they would re-do Spawn correctly? Cause that first movie did not do him justice.. I really think they could do A LOT more with that series.. Especially with how much better CG is these days.. I would personally love to see the most BADASS... uhm.. Superhero?.. lol.. Back on the big screen!
PimpSlapStick

# 1 One I think your retarded, not every comicbook character is "dark" or needs to be tweaked to fit your idea of perfection, sure Fantastic Four sucked donkeyballs, but the FF is not "dark" you can have both your Spider-man/Superman and your Batman/X-men. Oh and by the by the Incredibles is what the FF movie should have been. I guess you would prefer Mr. Fantastic in a trench coat bustin' "caps" wit' his 45' Stupid
http://www.zigwa.com James

DC has a lot of rich heroes and comics to use to tell wonderful stories for movies. I hope we see some good projects come to light, being a DC fan.
http://www.tnrlive.com Viper

#18 Todd McFarlane is supposedly working on a new Spawn movie. It'll be a reboot and from what I read Spawn (the character) won't have any lines at all - the entire movie will be told from the point of view of Sam and Twitch, the two detectives.
http://www.tnrlive.com Viper

Continuing with the whole Spawn thing...It would be interesting if Image threw their hat into the ring of movie making and started rolling out some franchises... Spawn The Savage Dragon Youngblood WildC.A.T.s Cyberforce Shadowhawk Wetworks Witchblade (there are 2 movies already in development back-to-back apparently) The Darkness
Edward

#19 please be careful about how you use the word "retarded", it could come off as insensitive to people with ACTUAL mental retardation. Especially when used as an insult.
Edward

Now to the subject at hand, future DC movies. I would definitely like to see a Wonder Woman movie, wish DC and Warner Bros. would get their act together. If done right it could be THE definitive female superhero movie -- 'cause really, I don't think we've had such a thing (though I say this as someone who has not seen the Tomb Raider films).
Nettle

#23 Are you completely unaware of the status of the word retarded in modern English? Retarded doesn't mean retarded anymore. Neither does gay. They've been transformed into slang which means stupid, more or less. Even Famiy Guy has noticed this where Peter once said "Oh, Louis, that is just morbidly obese." He didn't mean she was fat, it was a play on a social issue becoming a slang word.
Manic

Even if you were reffering to an actual mentally disabled person he wouldnt have the IQ to comprehend retard as an offense, so it wouldn't matter. Its the people around that person that takes offense (haha saw it on Carlos Mancia)
Reza

Wow, @ 25 & 26 when did this become some silly forum where one person picks up on the mistakes of another and rants on and on about it? Let's try and stay on topic, PLEASE, the fate of the DC Universe is at stake!!! lol, j/k about that, but not about the first part. Let's not get into frivolous arguments guys! @ Matt, yeah, for sure Hal Jordan would be a cool character, but I think the story of how Kyle Raynar single-handedly brought back the Lantern Corps after it was destroyed and thereby obliterated its weakness to the color yellow could open up a lot of doors not only dramatically (can you imagine if they throw in a tweak in the storyline that makes Kyle addicted to something? or where his willpower is truly tested? We could get a superhero movie that tests the superhero's emotional/spiritual mettle, EXACTLY what Spider-Man 3 was supposed to be!) but also that whole weakness to a flippin' color isnt too hot yeah? If there are other GL movies, then they wouldn't have to deal with that weakness, because Kyle's already gotten rid of it in the storyline. Please correct me if I'm wrong about Kyle being the one to destroy the weakness, lol, there are so many Green Lantern's and the character's story is so rich I'm having a hard time keeping track. But if they do choose Hal Jordan, I hope they include Parallax somewhere along the line. That would be really really cool. And thanks! for the Superman comment, lol, if Big Blue can just truly let loose and show everyone how really cool he can be I'm sure no one will ever again say Batman could kick Superman's butt.
Colin (brother of Mike) Hunt

Huh. Forget those spandex spastics. DC Comics own Vertigo line of comics, and that is certainly a very rich vein to tap.
http://www.firstshowing.net Kevin Powers

@ 22: Totally agree with you on Image. I LOVED a lot of their stuff And a Spawn reboot could be pretty incredible if done right. Come to think of it, maybe I'll go rent that this weekend
Matt Suhu

@22: Wildcats, and all of Wildstorm, is now owned by DC. Jim Lee sold it to them when Wildstorm was nearly bankrupt. But remember that the Wildcats cartoon flopped...so keep imagining. But I agree, the whole idea sounds awesome.
Samuel

27 that's exactly what I am talking about in regards to green lantern being the next star wars for a new generation a few movies following Hal's raise and fall and the destruction of the corps parallex all that then on to Kyle his solo career ion the rebuilding of the corps taking out parallex and the return of Hal Jordan (or go the whole final night to days of judgement route with Hal and make a spectre movie) keep guy and John in the back ground but presant then after that six-ology do a sinestro corps war movie and a blackest night you could continuously milk it with cgi films of Guy and John green lantern corps films show the creation of other corps sinestro red lanterns and all the others a movie of the GL before Hal Abin-sur if handled right marvel can't match that even with Nova which would be an outright copy of GL (which he is but still) wouldn't be as sucessful
Djozer

Marvel has a great 5 year-plan, but DC is more like a tortoise, rolling along plotting bigger fish to fry. Watchmen is a pretty big fish, for next year, releasing ahead of Wolverine (which will be around the same time as Iron Man, in May.) If Watchmen is as true to the book as it claims to be, then it will be the movie to END all Superhero Movies (just as the book was supposed to be the book to End all Superhero books). Didn't work in comics, but I think after this year the general public could use a slow Superhero Year, if not a couple of years. If they could pull off a Superman movie that was anything even approaching the Warner Bros. cartoon, w/ its bright colored Metropolis and pitting him against everyone from Braniac to the New Gods, they'd have a pretty fantastic outing on their hands. Doing Superman as a dark, brooding naval-gazer w/out a big-ass villain was just a mistake. They'll need to either put him against 2 big villains, to make up for 'returns', or somehow weave together a World's Finest movie. Or, just take a complete left turn, and focus on making a totally kick ass, realistic as Dark Knight take on Green Lantern, for "Supermax".
Shige

Sorry to say this but the only two characters DC has that can compete with marvels in terms of popularity are Superman and Batman. THis may not be true among it and comic book nerds but it sure is among the general populace. DC already got they shit together with batman. What they need is to do a proper superman flick with an actor that looks as far from the horrible youngster they used in Superman returns as possible. That and a decent director that sets a dark mood in the Superman flick. So far it always has been about the cryptonite and superman kicking everybody ass without getting visibly damaged. Id like to see a villain that does not need to rely on that to kick ass. After they release a good Superman flick they could join the SUperman and Batman universe together and make a crossover. If they can do that maybe people can start looking for some other DC chars. It is impossible now. The few they have tried to do so far has been impopular due to that nobody gives a damn about the heroes nobody knows about.
Lone Star

Anyone have any thoughts on Wonder Woman? Especially Joss Whedon's idea of it, which is dead right now?
Django

If Hillary had been elected President, yes, there could be a Wonder Woman movie. Re: Shige- The General Public had NO idea who Tony Stark was, and now he's a household name. I think a character like Green Arrow has more potential to be a front-row B-lister than, say, Thor.
Vince

I agree with Django with the General Public idea. The general public are just as familiar with DC characters or even more so then Marvel. I think there have been more DC cartoons that I have watched when I was little that make them more familar. Plus, there is the Justice League which is more familiar then the Avengers due to Batmans and Supermans inclusion which leads to familiarity of the Flash, Green Latern. Then there is Smallville that lead to Green Arrow introduction that now alot of people know. Cyborg and Aquaman included. Then Teen Titans which is another story for itself.
Shige

#35 Iron Man was just as familiar in my all white black segregated childhood neighborhood as spiderman or uperman. If you compare Spiderman to Spawn however I seriously doubt the next dude on the street will know what you are talking about. Iron Man was a success because of number of reasons. forst being the reasonable coverage during its all existance, the second being him vs the terrorist fighting thing and the third being just a damn good movie. All those points a DC film would have very difficult time to achieve. You must take in the account the amount of TV series and mainstream media coverage for the specific character. Marvels heroes have been covered much more than any DC hero except for the Batman and Superman. Not sure what we are arguing about here really. DC has tried. Hell they were the first out with the Christopher Reeve Superman flicks and the Classic Batman Flicks. It did not give them any head start at all however if you compare that to the latest Marvel success, much due to the bad marketing and due to the fact that Superman and Batman are kind of worn out. THe latest Batman flick made a good start for the upcoming DC revenge but unless they can bring back a good Superman flick they do not stand a chanse. Green lantern or whoever just does not have that kind of appeal to the average Have Seen It All Joe.
fanboy d

they need to stick with singer and nolan and beg like crazy for whedon to come back. simple as that.
Samuel

Now that marvel is in real control of their movies I’m sure they’re going to start shelling out some really great fun movies (I’m hoping for a fantastic 4 and daredevil reboot) I think there are major difference between marvel characters and DC characters and it mostly all comes down to movie wise while iron man and hulk transfered well to film as fun summer blockbuster movies batman is even better (due to Nolan Goyer and the rest of the Batman begins crew) because they made a movie about batman’s world you felt gotham was a real place the city was a part of the movie it had more depth then a typical comic book movie. Now with Superman who could be a serious contender (while I doubt he could out sale an avengers movie especially after Returns no one will exactly be rushing to the theater) you really have to embrace everything that makes Superman SUPERMAN! Metropolis is the city of tomorrow make us see that. show how much pull Lex Luthor has within metropolis show Clark and Lois as real reporters show why Jimmy is Superman’s pal (and dress him like a real young man please!) show Clark’s struggles with being an outsider among his coworkers and doing the whole personality of Clark Kent at work versus when he’s with his parents and for goodness sakes realize fans are sick of Luthor and that Superman has more enemies then just him! And I promise you you’ll have a sure winner with Superman. I really believe DC characters can take marvels to the cleaners because DC characters stand for something (Superman is an inspiration, batman is justice, wonder woman is peace, green lantern is willpower and the price of power (if using Hal Jordan c’mon that guys whole life. Is about that) Flash legacy or heroism green arrow fairness for the little people martian manhunter (yeah I said it) stick to the name add a little ailen on top of a crime noir film gold! show DC how to really handle the character) and a green lantern movie could be the next star wars for a new generation! Wonder woman is a movie about peace tolerance and understanding without being preachy (changing the costume or ceremonial garments is a must the whole bathing suit look has to go) but still maintaining her warrior back ground and amazon roots her back ground and her enemies another sure hit then a justice league movie will without a doubt out do an avengers movie any day avengers will do good because its movie characters that we’ve previously seen all together in one film justice league will do good because its the super friends live action! That’s double box office revenue easy! Iron man 2, Hulk watever will be fun movies and certainly dead on characterization hopefully with marvel at the helm but with one movie I believe DC will own this year where marvel with 3 are close but no cigar because it doesn’t have the depth that the dark knight will have. We embrace the characters but not their world like with Batman and that’s what has to be achieved with the rest of DC characters if they want to make movies of them. Spidey iron man and the others don’t have such a world they are so tied to tho spidey has new york its not the same as the connection between Superman and metropolis Batman and Gotham (I will give Daredevil the benefit of the doubt though due to his connection with Hell Kitchen and Moon Knight) A nightwing Show awesome a Moon Knight show on HBO freakin sweet.
PimpSlapStick

#23 My bad
rodan8812

Also if DC and Warner can get a epic good and I do mean epic good film version of the Justice League out before the Avengers comes out it could changes things quickly.
Alex

Do any of you actually know anything about either Marvel or DC universes,respectively? DC charactors darker than Marvel??? where did any of you get that from?? Yeah,Superman is a hell of alot darker than Wolverine.
Reza

LOL, Alex, I agree, Marvel is certainly a lot more deep in its characterizations than DC is. But I think I've mentioned this time and again on this website. DC CHARACTERS ARE OH SO MUCH MORE EPIC than any Marvel character could hope to be. Samuel put it very, very, VERY well (KUDOS TO YOU MAN!!!) DC characters are SYMBOLS, ARCHETYPES, and if you want comic book movies to come out of the doldrums of "Oh hey, it's a movie about a guy in spandex, screw it, we don't have to include it in any running for any type of Oscar" then you want to bank on DC characters doing that job for you. They are way too rich in lore, in symbolism, in downright LITERARY PROMISE to deny them so easily and readily as some people have. Superman is an allegory for JESUS CHRIST guys! That's GOLD! I've said it before, the Green Lantern is all about the willpower, such an intangible piece of the human soul that if done the way Nolan has treated Dark Knight could turn into one helluva movie PERIOD, let alone a good comic book movie. The Flash movie could redefine the genre and open it wide open if they can mix comedy with the darkness that's inherent in all superhero stories. A dark comedy about a masked dude who can run fast, spit out super funny lines, and still be serious when it gets down to the nitty gritty? WOW! And Samuel, those were some fantastic movie ideas man, again, KUDOS!
Django

What it comes down to is Marvel & DC are two interdependent sides of the same coin. That Marvel can make its own movies now is excellent for everyone. It means that Warner Bros. DEFINITELY has to step up to the plate and deliver some quality movies now, and make the best of the properties they own. Being a much larger, powerful, and corporate Film Studio (Marvel compared to them is like the little Indie that could - and they're proving by spades that they CAN hang & deliver, finally!) Warner Bros. is probably sitting down and assessing their next move, post Dark Knight. It's like an epic chess battle here, folks. DC already scrapped Justice League, because they figured it wouldn't gel w/ the excellent groundwork Nolan is laying for Batman, and determined that - at least for now - it'd be better to handle their properties as single entities. Marvel is clearly not going that route - and basically DC is assessing its opponent. Will an ensemble Team movie REALLY be a good idea? Or is Marvel biting off more than it can chew? Like I said, it's the Tortoise and the Hare. Marvel's gonna do its best to use its current clout & momentum to deliver on its hottest properties (and, let's be honest - has anyone on ANY of these boards even CONSIDERED that the Avengers is NOT one of Marvel's hottest properties, overall?). The funny thing about all of this is that the Movies themselves are redrawing the books, no pun intended. Before this summer, Iron Man was a nobody. Basically a bad combo of David Hasselhoff & Geraldo Rivera w/ a shiny suit that was PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE to imagine moving in reality. HULK was also Marvel's hottest property next to Spider Man. Much as I've been a lifelong fan, I have to admit they're probably re-assessing THAT credo now, too. He's clearly got a core base of fans, but whether he's blockbuster material is not set in stone - especially after Iron Man's performance! I think DC & Warner Bros. BEST move right now, strategically, is to start making some better Fucking Comics! Right now, Bat-books abound have drawn some creative talent - but look at the rest of their roster. Seriously, take one look at their website. Fuck Movies! Who makes better BOOKS? What does DC think they're doing w/ their properties anyway? Certainly not working very hard to give talented Comic Writers & Artists free reign to re-cast them as more fully fleshed Characters, with depth, cojones, and edgi-ness, the way Marvel has over the last few years. (not that Marvel's perfect, I'm just saying overall) Superman, right now, is BORING. His Archetype is being wasted. They need to look at their characters and figure out how to have an "Ultimates"-like take on them, without looking too obvious. Seriously - if SUPERMAN existed - what would he DO?!! THAT's the question some enterprising writer is asking themselves, and if DC is smart, when that guy pitches - they'll LISTEN.
Adam Smith

I think he'd inspire a city like Metropolis to come into being, the same way Batman "inspires" a city of mad criminals in Gotham. Maybe their best next move is to make a compelling film about Metropolis itself, and focus less on its nearly invulnerable protector. A kind of farce in which a city thinks its impervious to 'invasion', and then something comes along to contend w/ Superman, and suddenly the city has come together to try & save Superman. ...The problem is, the best take on what Superman'd be like is Dr. Manhattan, and that stories about to be told on the screen, in Watchmen - and it ain't pretty!
Samuel

Justice League doesnt need to come out before the avengers to turn things around it just needs to be handled well and done right and no matter when the avengers come out justice league will still kick their assembling ass. trust me when avengers comes out the first thing older people and teens will be asking where is the justice league/super friends movie? and when it arrives the theaters will be packed why? WE KNOW THESE CHARACTERS! Someone said that the Marvel characters are more well know then DC? PLEASE! Super friends showcased Superman Batman Wonder Woman Green Lantern and Aqua man. Flash had his own show! Justice league showcased nearly everyone in the DC universe! The most renowned female superhero sure in hell aint wasp ms. marvel kitty pryde storm or even pheonix its WONDER WOMAN! SUPERGIRL! In the comics DC calls themselves the original universe there is a reason for that because everything EVERYTHING!!!!! That comes later was encourged from them nearly everyhero in the marvel universe are aspiring to be as good as Superman. Daredevil Moon KNight night thrasher night hawk all of these characters? you already know BATMAN and any female character whoever had her own book never would've happened if not for the amazing amazon Wonder woman. the Nova corps? GREEN LANTERN FREAKING CORPS BABY THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST!giant man? Atom smasher!. I'll give marvel their due x-men (my favorite thing within marvel tho looking back at their movies those are just wolverine movies guest starring the x-men) and Marvel does outsell DC why? their characters are more grounded their books arent just heroics its the hero and their problems as a person (not that dc cant they just dont i mean their superheroes have issues Superman an outsider and the restraint with his powers he and Lois as a married couple can never have what other married couples have children (and i just dont buy superman wont grow old or he's immortal he grew up under our yellow sun) Batman a tragedy that happen ten or twenty years ago still rules his life and how many lives have been lost since he began his mission? Wonder Woman sent here on a mission of peace but how can you teach peace to a people who are hell bent on war and fighting over such foolish things race religion shoes someone is wearing) and DC is more epic where marvel is more down on the streets the common man level. Ultimate take on DC characters not needed thats what the movies are it be nice to see comics like that but they dont want to blantly copy marvel (thats marvel's thing) and no metropolis was called the city of tomorrow before clark got there in the Mark Waid superman: birthright comic the city was amazing futuristic a place befitting of Superman the city needs its city for a reason metropolis just calls the mad scientist types while Gotham just calls the mad insane types. and Django pick up superman today (preferably action comics) he's plenty interesting and hell of a lot fun to read under Geoff Johns and Kurt Busik's run was fun too and Superman was human in these stories he was doubting himself or hesitant but He was a strong assertive man not boy scout as he is classifed a MAN. Justice League was scrapped because fans werent happy with it they wanted to use teenagers (tho they should grab the chick from the that Movie for wonder woman while they struggle to get a script) and they were rushing to get the movie out. i dont know if its WB or DC but they dont have faith or a accurate handle on the characters and understanding as many of the fans have. People keep suggesting a darker take on superman and the other heroes what exactly does that mean? it was more then just becasue we got a sense of how dark Gotham is in Batman Begins that made it good its becasue it was human Bruce struggled with what he was doing everybody didnt just go with the program (commissoner and Gordan) it was a human story about a man who lost his parents in a city taken over by fear and the man who is doing everything in his power to show the people of that city that it doesnt belong to the murders and rapest but its their city. Same thing that should be present in a Superman movie a Man who has come to show them that their is a better way that they can be better he leads by example thru his action he'll smash a giant robot but at the same time rescue a cat in tree. Like Reza said he's Jesus Christ he inspires he teaches (thanks for the Kudos by the way Reza) I dont understand what everyone means by a darker movie.
Samuel

Oh one last think about Batman inspiring the crime in Gotham yes and no Gotham was already a dark place Carmine Falcone and others ruled that city and where responsible for its state and Batman changed that his being there inspired and brought with it the escalation as we'll see in the dark knight Joker sees his opposite in Batman the the order necessary to live in Gotham where Joker is the chaos to batman's order. Luthor transformed Metropolis into this huge city greater then any other its HIS city and this Flying do gooder comes along and everyone looks to him like a god they dont even notice who much Luthor has done for them how a MAN has givin them jobs changed the entire city made it better but when someone from another planet comes along and says he's here to help and they take notice not that he's curing cancer but catching planes and mad scientist but he's so much better. Luthor shouldnt be by the way some crazy guy obsessed with land he is a man who wants to better mankind and show them they dont need a super ailen (not a superman) to bring their dreams to come true but that if they try and work hard enough that they can bring their dreams to fruitation (while that sounds like a good idea for a movie still new villain PLEASE!!!!)
Django

I think it's as simple as this: Marvel is currently benefitting from its ability to think outside its own box, while DC is currently stuck in the sand with only one character worthy of portrayal on the screen, b/c superman is an Icon, a different thing to every person, as opposed to a character with a real human personality that general audiences can relate with. Donner's Superman was great, and I just can't put my finger on exactly why. Maybe b/c it was unabashedly a patriotic movie. Also, every time Superman used his powers - kicking the football into the sky, reversing the orbit of earth to save Lois (which you could never do for today's audience!) - in each of these cases, they were all very Human motivations. But once you have a real actor going against a giant cybernetic Brain, or countless other unbelievable aliens, what's in it for a general audience to relate to? The desire to wear red undies over our tights? What I'm basically getting at is, what is left unexplored for an actor to "disappear" into, the way Christian Bale, etc. clearly are doing in Nolan's films? I agree w/ your take that Luthor is a deeper character than he's been portrayed onscreen. (Grant Morrisson NAILED it in the All Star Superman feat. Luthor's jailtime interview w/ Clark Kent. Both insightful and fitfully Hilarious!) I'll see if I can pickup Kurt Busiek's run. Unfortunately, as an artist, it's also REALLY hard for me to get into books unless I also like the Art. And just glancing over DC's catalogue is what has me in starts - I just feel they have no style, no pinache'. W/ the exception of Bat Books, and at this point, some of the Green Arrow stuff. When you look at it, Supes needs a couple years before he gets a re-boot. Hulk kind of proved that, even w/ a by measures improved, more entertaining film, a Franchise re-boot NEEDS to be far enough removed of the memories that sunk it in the first place. In that time, following the example of Iron Man, taking a promising B-List character and making a household name out him, by elevating him (or her) to something they've never even achieved in the comics would probably be DC's best move, at this point. IF they want to keep up w/ Marvel's slated output. In the meantime - it's Watchmen against Wolverine for next year. For the overall Comics to Movies quotient - I'd say things aren't looking half bad, at all!
Samuel

Yes yes I see what your saying totally agree we need more to a Superman thats human? in Superman: Birthright he does what he does because he can (yeah like spidey's with great power comes great responsibility) Clark being selfish and using his powers for his needs and wants is a very human thing which Clark is (I've always hated when i"m reading Superman comics and he would say "great rao!" why would he do that? He wasnt raised on Krypton he was raised on Earth "oh my god" is more fitting to him then a krypton god just because someone is from china doesnt and raised in america automatically they go "great buddha" or whatever) I totally agree Clark needs to be protrayed more humanly. but on the same not he's superman he doesnt have the earthly elements to attach himself to (I mean like: Hulk a super human project and things like that) I"m not saying clark just bust on the the scene and bam he's superman one day I'm saying Briefly focus on his time in smallville what it was like for him have him try and find himself see some tragedy that he could've stopped if he was open with his powers (like superman Birthright (django I agree with a book being hard to read when the art is horrible something DC doesnt seem to care about right now concerning their current Titans book now that is horrible) show Clark struggle with creating his "other" Clark Kent persona how he looks different from when he's clark and holding back as a person and how he behaves as superman oppose to clark (I just want to say superman is the REAL clark kent not Kal-el thats just his alien name ) its not who he rights that we relate to but what he goes thru as a person that we relate to. His struggles as a man thats something everyone can relate to. His going toe to toe with Brainaic and Toyman parasite and others are the icing on the cake and some of his villain's motivations come from a very human place we can focus on that and yes All-star superman rocks especially all of Luthor's scenes only thing i'm disappointed about it is we didnt get to see more of clark. I think Gary Frank is a good artist his superman looks like Christopher Reeves and his Superman and the Legion of super-heroes story arc and current Brainaic story arc with Geoff Johns are so far very good. And yeah in a movie with a real world feel wearing your underwear on the outside of your pants might not fly maybe an updated look on SUperman's costume (like the one wizard did when the ultimatized the DCU it was awesome!!!) Its like the 5 for fighting song superman (its not easy) its not easy to be superman but at the same time who has an easy time being themselves trying to fit in at a new job or at school with Superman he always feels that way if he puts his hand down to hard on a desk at work its gone. All of DC characters are worthy or portral its just finding the right way of doing it I've thought of many ways for each character works all on different levels its finding the right emotion in the hero and working with it in Batman is frustration and anger and channeling it working to make a better city. Superman can be rebooted any time (it'll be a couple of years anyway) Its just finding the right emotion to tap into with whoever he's fighting. or the emotions of those around him. With Marvel they are putting out fun movies based on their characters Nolan and gang digged deep and gave us a very in depth look at Batman his motivations and his world same thing is achieveble thru Superman Wonder Woman Flash Green Lantern Martian Manhunter (I'm sticking to J'onn J'onzz after DC killed him someone needs to show them the proper way to handle him) Nightwing the Titans Justice Society and even the Justice League (hmmm have to rethink my JL idea now that i've said what i have). Singer messed up because he thought the only way to relate to superman was give his a child out of wedlock stalk the woman he loves and go off pouting all the time all human emotions superman is capable of but not superman an outsider someone trying to fit in while do the right thing because he can because its how his parents raised him there are elements in superman that we can relate to just like in Batman we can relate too thats what I'm saying DC movies need to come from
Django

Holy sh*t, dude! Take a breath & use some punctuation now & then! I'm just sayin'- whew! Try readin' your stuff aloud. You'll get an idea what I mean! I- uh- THINK I agree w/ you, but at times it's quite honestly a bit difficult to follow your point (or points). But I'm glad we seem to be on the same page, though ... I think.
Samuel

I heh got carried away I noticed it tho yeah sorry about that
Revise

Supposedly Plastic Man is Wachowskis Brothers next directing project. I would love to see it if Warner Bros and DC can let them. I also say do Joss Whedons Wonder Woman
Django

I think any smart studio would see just how talented they are as directors with a much smaller budget to waste. Wachowski Plastic Man? Where do they get off suddenly thinking they're even capable of making kid's fare? Maybe they could do Mr. Mxyzptlk: the MOVIE. (And honestly, World's Funnest, by Evan Dorkin was my single favorite book by DC in the past decade. Period. You can't beat an imp & an elf unintentionally destroying not only the entire DC Universe, but every OTHER alternate Universe ever concieved by DC as well! Serves 'em RIGHT for putting out so many lame books!~ Kltpzyxm!
samuel

other thenthe matrix trilogy and speed racer how many other movies have the wachohski brothers done? Plastic man doesnt have to be a complete comedy he was a gangster so it can be a dark movie and still funny. I havent seen speed racer and the last two matrix movies were alright to me i dont know what the strengths are as directors so best i can say is hope if they get to do it that its at least entertaining
http://www.monsterscifishow.wordpress.com Montgomery (Monster)

In light of this summer's blockbusters with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, The Dark Knight really outpaced both films. However, the DC/WB relationship does need to crank up the development of other DC heroes. I while back, before the writers' strike, I reported on the Justice League movie in pre-production back in the spring. Many rumors had Brandon Routh and Christopher Bale reprising their roles for the JL movie but that was a bust. Suddenly, for some reason or another, the whole movie came to a screeching halt. Flash forward to May, for those who saw the very last part on Iron Man saw the potenial beginnings of an Avengers movie. read more: http://monsterscifishow.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/thompson-on-hollywood-superman-status-update/
the punisher

I sure do hope DC comics is gettin the heads outta their asses. i for one would like to see a showdown like competition between DC & Marvel in make movies by having all their heroe films take place in the same universe as Marvel is already doin now. let me set get in the clear, The Dark Knight was good but its sad to say time will water it down just as it did with Tim Burton's Batman film and that was just as poplular in a different time so i expect 10 to 20 years The Dark Knight wont be such a big deal. dont get me wrong, i like Nolan's work. i just find Burton's film were darker and i realized both director's had thier flaws. anyway's i find it a possibility that DC can give us hero films that exist in the same universe. even thought i doubt he'd want tobe involved, i i bet Bruce W. Timm can do one heck of a job overseeing all the films exist in the same universe just as all the animated series he work on. from Batman: TAS to Superman: TAS to Justice League. make a trilogy for each major character like batman, superman, green lantern and flash in thier solo franchises and then introduce the other half of the team in a Justice League film. of-course you would want cameos in each other's movies. anyways, i wrote too much but i know Warner Bros. and DC Comics and do us justice just as Marvel has.