Official Description of CW's "Arrow"

A while back, we showed you the first image of Stephen Amell donning the leathery green suit for his upcoming role as Oliver Queen aka the emerald archer, Green Arrow.  Now, we have a few more details of the upcoming series, and, like Smallville before it, it seems Arrow takes a few liberties with the titular hero's origin story -- but hopefully, like Smallville's early seasons, they will find a stride that will be entertaining while doing the character justice.

Here's the official description:

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea, and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he’s become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. Most particularly, he seeks reconciliation with his former girlfriend, Laurel Lance. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow – a vigilante – to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society, and restore Starling City to its former glory. By day, Oliver plays the role of a wealthy, carefree and careless philanderer he used to be – flanked by his devoted chauffeur/bodyguard, John Diggle – while carefully concealing the secret identity he turns to under cover of darkness. However, Laurel’s father, Detective Quentin Lance, is determined to arrest the vigilante operating in his city. Meanwhile, Oliver’s own mother, Moira, knows much more about the deadly shipwreck than she has let on – and is more ruthless than he could ever imagine.

With today's CW Upfronts, the network has also announced their schedule for next fall, smartly pairing Arrow with Supernatural on Wednesday nights.  I admit, I want to see this show; they have a lot of places they can go with Oliver Queen.  Not the least of which - while woefully unlikely - includes a live-action recreation of the Green Arrow and Green Lantern partnership from the 70s.

Update on May 17, 2012 at 2:50 PM by Dwight Tejano

Want more Arrow? The CW has now posted a first look at the upcoming series.  Watch it here:

The Newest Trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises"

July looms on the horizon...

The latest trailer for The Dark Knight Rises has hit the web. Check it out below!

A new TDKR trailer was slated to appear in front of Marvel's The Avengers this Friday, but it is unclear if this is that trailer. I'm inclined to think so, but I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong if it means a few more glimpses at the upcoming blockbuster.

The Dark Knight Rises will conclude director Christopher Nolan's Batman epic on July 20th.

"Beware the Batman" Coming to Cartoon Network

You can't keep a good man down...or Batman for that matter.

Because of the unwritten rule that states that there must always be an animated Batman television series on the air, Cartoon Network has announced Beware the Batman, the latest animated incarnation of the Dark Knight.  Following up on Cartoon Network's latest DC-related project, Beware will be a computer animated series, just like Green Lantern: The Animated Series, currently airing on CN (Saturdays @ 10am).  Check out the new, digital Batman below the offical show description.

A cool, new take on the classic Dark Knight franchise, Beware the Batman incorporates Batman’s core characters with a rogues gallery of new villains not previously seen in animated form. Along with backup from ex-secret agent Alfred and lethal swordstress Katana, the Dark Knight faces the twisted machinations of Gotham City’s criminal underworld led by the likes of Anarky, Professor Pyg, Mister Toad and Magpie. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, this action-packed detective thriller deftly redefines what we have come to know as a “Batman show.” Featuring cutting-edge CGI visuals to match the intricate twists and turns of the narrative, Batman steps out of the shadows and into the spotlight for an entirely new generation of fans. With WBA’s Sam Register executive producing, and Batman Beyond’s Glen Murakami and Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated’s Mitch Watson producing, Beware the Batman, based on characters from DC Comics, is coming soon to Cartoon Network!

To be honest, the prospect of a digitally animated Batman series doesn't exactly get me excited.  As a Green Lantern fan, I was anticipating the premiere of the new GL series, but have been sorely disappointed by the blatantly kid-friendly turn it has taken.  Apparently the amazing writing and animation styles pioneered by the original Batman, Superman, and Justice League animated series have all but disappeared.  Young Justice appears to the sole bearer of that torch right now. It is possible, however, to make the argument that with the announcement of such Batman villains as Professor Pyg and Mister Toad, truly disturbing characters originally brought to life by the incomparable Grant Morrison, there might be the possibility of a darker element in this new show.  However, after seeing the apparent dumbing down of the Red Lantern Corps in GL:TAS, I might be grasping at straws here.

First Image of Stephen Amell as Green Arrow

The void left by Smallville might actually get filled.

The first image of Stephen Amell (Private Practice) as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow in the CW's Arrow has surfaced.

Image Credit: Joseph Lederer/The CW

It certainly evokes the "darker and harder-edged" tone that the producers have set their sights on.

The suit, designed by three-time Oscar-winning designer Colleen Atwood, appears to include some elements from Justin Hartley's Smallville costume, while at the same time evoking the Green Arrow of the comics. Gone is the compound bow, thankfully. And is that a goatee I see? Finally!

Arrow is still only slated for production as a pilot, but we shall wait and see if it goes the way of Wonder Woman *shudder*.

Beyond the Fringe: Digital Comics Series

Hey, Fringe fans!  Have you been reading 'Beyond the Fringe'? DC Comics has been releasing these digital-download bad boys since September, and they are just the thing to tide you over during this winter break. Plus so far, three have even been written by Fringe star Joshua Jackson!  I find it super exciting that he loves the show he's on so much that he's willing to sit down and pen these comics, including a very thoughtful and badass what-if exploring where Peter was between the time he stepped into the machine and the time he popped back out in Reiden Lake. And that's all I'm telling you about Beyond the Fringe #1A!  Head on over to Comixology and check out that issue and the rest for yourself.  I pretty much devoured them all in one sitting, and at $1 per issue, it's a much cheaper addiction than my penchant for shoe shopping.

The comics divide each chapter into A and B storylines - A storylines are written within the known and established Fringe canon, and B storylines are 'what if' imaginative adventures!  These totally fun concepts take on alternate scenarios like what if Peter never died as a young boy, what if Astrid was double-agent-ing it up as a sassy spy, or what would Peter and Fauxlivia's son be like as he navigates school with his special abilities. The art by Jorge Jimenez is top-notch and the storylines are alternately dramatic and fun, allowing the authors to play with these deeply complex and layered characters in ways we don't get to see on screen. The best part is that the series is not yet complete, so there is much awesomeness to come.

What are you waiting for?  Make like a Cortexiphan kid and pop on over to Comixology for your Fringe fix!

Who's Watching the Watchmen (Prequels)?

Earlier this month, DC Comics (with new, somewhat maligned logo in tow) announced their major summer project for 2012: Before Watchmen, an all-new mini-series prequel event, expanding the history of the Watchmen universe.

But are the fans ready for it?

The dispute between author Alan Moore and DC Comics is fairly well documented. Moore has said, in no uncertain terms, that he would never work with DC professionally again. Because of that, the lore of the Watchmen had remained in tact -- a complete story tackling the threat of then-contemporary evils like nuclear war, government control, and abuse of power. Anything else would be left up to the reader's imagination.

And most of the cult following of the 1986 12-issue series would, I suspect, prefer it stay that way.

So when DC announced their plans for a prequel mini-series for the book, there was, understandably, a bit of a disturbance in the nerd force.  Unsurprisingly, Moore himself wants none of this.  Watchmen Co-creator Dave Gibbons, on the other hand, seems a little more positive about the project, but still ultimately declined being attached to it.

I admit, it is kind of DC's M.O. to reboot what isn't necessarily broken, but I am keeping an open mind about this one.

There exists an argument that professional crazy person Moore should be the only one to continue the story of the troubled vigilantes. It's a fair point, but ultimately moot. DC's going head first into this no matter how many angry petitions show up -- so why not enjoy the ride? Did DC's schuysters screw Watchmen's original creators? Maybe. Probably. But it doesn't change anything.

"Well," you say, "if it's written by someone else, it won't be the same!" Well, no, it wouldn't be, but that doesn't prohibit it from being good. What made Watchmen compelling was the reality of their almost hopeless world. It was so hopeless that the world's first living god just up and left. And the only guy who made it the whole way though, who was right all along, was criminally disturbed.

In Before Watchmen, thematically, what would really change? A comic book drenched in negative political discourse, government conspiracies, and privacy invasion certainly has plenty to relate to in today's world. As long as the talented writers (and there are plenty attached to the project) make the world visceral and relevant, there's a lot to be excited about. The characters themselves are almost of a lesser importance than the world in which they inhabit.

In that way, I'm excited to see what's in store for us. And if it's bad, then we'll keep going like it never happened.

New Trailer for The Dark Knight Rises........rises!

Beacuse a teaser and a prologue preview just aren't enough to satisfy fans, a new full-length trailer for The Dark Knight Rises was released this weekend in front of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.  Check it out below!

Adding to the ominous vibe already seen in the teaser trailer, the new footage showcases just about every actor in the cast, and also gives us our first sample of the voice that will be coming from behind the mask of Tom Hardy's Bane.  Sounds a little muffled, to be honest, but my faith in Christopher Nolan has paid off in the past, so I'm willing to roll with this one.

Bringing an end to Nolan's on-screen legend, The Dark Knight Rises will arrive in theaters on July 20th, 2012.

NYCC 2011: DC All Access Panel - Green Lantern

New York Comic Con 2011 saw the return of the talented minds behind DC's multiple Green Lantern comic book series.  At the DC All Access - Green Lantern panel, GL editor Brian Cunningham, Geoff Johns (writer, Green Lantern), Peter Tomasi (writer, Green Lantern Corps), and Tony Bedard (writer, Green Lantern: New Guardians) sat down to give the fans some insight into what can be expected from the three titles in the near and distant future.

Moderator and SVP Sales Bob Wayne, Editor Brian Cunningham, Geoff Johns (writer, Green Lantern), Peter Tomasi (writer, Green Lantern Corps), and Tony Bedard (writer, Green Lantern: New Guardians)

Kicking off the discussion with Green Lantern proper, Geoff Johns delved into the relationship between Hal Jordan and Sinestro.  With Sinstro reinstated as a Lantern and Hal drummed out for having too much Willpower, all is not well in the world of the Green Lanterns. Hal wants his ring back and Sinestro wants to get rid of the ring. Now that they are in opposite positions, the pair will be addressing the personal issues that have caused so much tension between them in the past.  Johns also teased that the Justice League will attempt to intervene by approaching the Guardians directly.  Not wanting to give too much away, Johns switched gears and focused on the upcoming Green Lantern Animated Series, due to launch on November 11th on Cartoon Network.  He stated that the first arc will deal with Hal and the Corps encountering the Red Lanterns for the first time.  A tie-in comic is also in the works, which will continue and expand on the show's stories.  Once the individual storylines have been established, the comic will then provide more connectivity to the series.

Preview page from the upcoming Green Lantern Animated Series tie-in comic

Moving the discussion over to Green Lantern Corps, writer Peter Tomasi came out and talked about what to expect from his book.  According to Tomasi, the New 52 relaunch has not affected his storytelling.  "We haven't torn everything down from previous stories," he stated.  "We just want to make everything accessible to new and old readers alike."  He also made quick mention of a looming threat to the Corps, The Keepers.  These mysterious new bad guys are the ones who possessed the power batteries before the Guardians took them away.  Needless to say, The Keepers aren't pleased.

Tony Bedard, writer of Green Lantern: New Guardians came out next to talk about the newest addition to the GL publication family.  At the forefront of GL:NG is Kyle Rayner, the youngest of Earth's GL's, who, according to the New 52, has only been a Lantern for two years.  Bedard went on to say that, "Kyle may not ever be as strong as Hal, but he's capable of doing things across the entire spectrum that others just couldn't."  An exciting prospect to say the least.  Again, not wanting to give too much away, Bedard mentioned that the mystery of why all those rings are choosing Kyle at the same time will be unfolding throughout the first year of GL:NG's run.  He also revealed that fan-favorite Larfleeze, the Orange Lantern, will return in issue #4 of the book.  Geoff Johns added that we will finally hear the Orange Lantern oath.  Tony Bedard closed with the statement that he is not concerned with giving origin stories to the characters, but instead is focusing on developing the characters themselves.

Preview page from Green Lantern: New Guardians, featuring Sinestro Corps bruiser, Arkillo

Speaking on the subject of Red Lanterns, editor Brian Cunningham revealed that the first stories in that book will take Atrocitus across the universe, discovering there are a multitude of situations that demand his attention.  Tony Bedard added that this will be something new for Atrocitus, since all he wanted in the previous story arc was to kill the rogue Guardian, Krona.  Denied that opportunity, Atrocitus is looking for "an eye for an eye and then some."  

During the Q&A portion of the panel, Geoff Johns shared his thoughts on the director's cut of the Green Lantern movie.  In addition to a multitude of interviews with the creative team from the comics, the new cut features additional scenes that, according to Johns, "added more heart to Hal's story."

To close out the panel, Geoff Johns dropped a huge bomb on the crowd, asking them to keep it secret, at least for the next 15 minutes.  As he prepped to head over to the Robot Chicken panel, he revealed that he was working with RC creators Seth Green and Matt Senreich on a DC Comics special, similar to RC's successful Star Wars specials.  Look for it in 2012!

With the future of Green Lantern in capable hands, I'm looking forward to the upcoming stories, on both the page and screen!

Review: Batman-The Dark Knight #1

Batman is, by far, the most prolific character in the DCnU, appearing in at least 8 of the newly released titles, 3 of which bear his name.  As we close out September with the final week of #1s, The Caped Crusader finds time to make one more appearance before the #2s hit shelves.

In addition to being the final week of #1s, Week 5 also saw the biggest turnout of artists-turned-writers.  Joining fellow artists Francis Manapul (The Flash #1) and George Perez (Superman #1), David Finch throws his hat in the ring and takes a stab at storytelling in Batman: The Dark Knight #1, the relaunch of the short-lived series from earlier this year.  However, while his name appears first on the cover, Finch provides the pencils, but is only credited as “Co-Plotter” alongside Paul Jenkins, who receives the actual writing credit.  Regardless of whoever penned the story, Batman: TDK maintains the tone set by Batman & Robin #1 and Batman #1, but loses points when it comes to originality.  The book kicks off with Batman channeling his inner Yoda, delivering an internal speech about fear, describing it as a cannibal as it feeds upon itself.  In addition to sounding like a lecture from everyone’s favorite diminutive Jedi, the narration also evokes memories of Batman Begins, the Christopher Nolan film that explored the theme of “fear” as the backdrop to Batman’s origin.

As Batman wraps up his soliloquy, he quickly ditches the cape and cowl, and arrives at a Wayne Industries function.  Not unlike Tony Stark’s more public arrival to the Stark Expo in Iron Man 2, Bruce Wayne, in a glaringly uncharacteristic move, swings down to a balcony and enters the event.  I’m sorry, but Bruce Wayne does not Bat-grapple across rooftops in a tux.  That aside, it is at this gathering that the reader learns of the newest threat that Batman must face – Gotham PD Internal Affairs!  Wait, what?  Apparently, a suspicious GCPDIA officer is accusing Bruce Wayne of funding Batman’s vigilante activities.  Sound familiar?  If you saw The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins, you might have an idea of where this is going. 

As if that wasn’t enough for Batman to handle, there’s been a breakout at Arkham Asylum….again.  We follow our hero to the front gate of Gotham’s notorious nuthouse just as several of its residents are busting out.  In a stunning two page spread, David Finch depicts several Bat-villains, including Mr. Freeze and Clayface, as they assault Arkham security.  Batman arrives to diffuse the situation, and upon entering the asylum, we can clearly see that Finch has taken inspiration from the enormously popular Arkham Asylum video game.  From the guard uniforms to the distinctive corridors, it is definitely the same environment established by the game.  For the book’s cliffhanger ending, Jenkins and Finch (whether intentionally or not) take one more cue from both Arkham Asylum and its upcoming sequel, Arkham City, but you’ll just have to check the book out for yourself to see if you agree.

Breakout at Arkham Asylum!

Scott Snyder’s Batman #1, was a hard act to follow, but that’s no excuse when your book is a mishmash of concepts from other material.  Batman: The Dark Knight #1 has potential with the IA arc, and Finch’s art is definitely a boon to the project, but unless the book finds its own rhythm soon, it might be as short-lived as its pre-New 52 run.

Review: Teen Titans #1

They might be on your lawn, but don’t yell at these damn kids.  The Teen Titans band together in the New 52, giving us a look at the other side of Scott Lobdell’s emerging crossover that kicked off with Superboy #1! 

With core Titan members such as Starfire and Cyborg appearing in other New 52 titles, the lineup of DC’s adolescent avengers looks to be getting some new faces.  However, Teen Titans #1 focuses on veteran members Tim Drake, Cassie Sandsmark, and the currently unidentified Kid Flash.  Like fellow team-based books Justice League and Justice League International, Teen Titans #1 takes us back to the genesis of the group, chronicling Tim Drake’s recruitment of his fellow Titans.  However, while this retelling acknowledges recent DCU continuity, such as Tim’s falling out with Batman after the events of Brightest Day, the story presents the Teen Titans as a new entity on the cusp of formation.

The book opens with an appearance by Booster Gold in a Kid Flash costume.  No, not really, but the pubescent speedster, who we can assume is Bart Allen, is presented as a showboating hotshot, intent on making a name for himself in the public eye.  Showboating hotshot from the future?! Skeets, get my lawyer on the line!  Elsewhere, Tim Drake, now semi-retired, but retaining the identity of Red Robin, which he adopted in 2009 following the “death” of Bruce Wayne, stays off the streets in an Oracle-like role, monitoring and fighting crime via a vast information network.  This is an appropriate role for Tim, and writer Scott Lobdell presents him this way to maintain the notion that Tim is just as good a detective as Batman.  However, he is forced back into action when he receives a visit from N.O.W.H.E.R.E., the secret organization presented in Superboy #1, bent on capturing teenage superheroes.  Donning a newly designed Red Robin suit and evading capture by N.O.W.H.E.R.E.’s chief, Zaniel Templar, Tim takes on the new assignment of reaching the targeted youths before Templar and his goons.  Tim’s first recruit?  None other than Cassie Sandsmark, aka Wonder Girl.  (But don’t call her that.)  Tim’s encounter with Cassie is classic teenage byplay.  Boy meets girl.  Boy warns girl of evil organization.  Girl doesn’t believe boy.  Girl gets attacked by said organization’s mechanized hit squad.  Boy attempts to save girl.  Girl transforms into superhero persona and hands hit squad its ass.  Classic.  In his portrayal of Cassie as “Wonder Girl”, artist Brett Booth presents her in a new, yet familiar costume – a sleeveless red suit, highlighted with star field patterns.  Classic Teen Titans fans will recognize both elements from costumes worn by former Wonder Girl, Donna Troy.  A subtle, yet appropriate nod to the character’s lineage. 

Tim Drake: a little bit Oracle, a little bit Tony Stark

Now facing a growing threat to their agenda, Templar, Dr. Fairchild (also reappearing from Superboy #1), and the rest of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. prepare to unleash their ultimate weapon, the Kryptonian clone himself, thus establishing the final element in the crossover and mirroring the end of Superboy #1.  With Scott Lobdell penning both Teen Titans and Superboy, I’m definitely looking forward to the future of both titles.  While the writing is consistent, I favor Brett Booth’s art over that of R.B. Silva.  Booth’s style is reminiscent of Ed Benes, a favorite of mine, so I’m fairly biased.  His brilliant spread of Cassie’s transformation is the standout image of the book.  I definitely give Teen Titans #1 high marks.  Coupled with Superboy, I’ll be coming back for more in October.