Joker – 5 Great Joker Stories

Originally published on Set The Tape

Joker sees the classic Batman villain take centre stage in his own solo movie. The Joker is one of those characters that’s been around for decades, and has a whole host of stories that focus on him. But with so many comics focusing on him, where’s the best place to start? Well, here are five of the best to check out.

A Death In The Family

One of the most iconic Joker stories, A Death In The Family showcases how brutally ruthless the character can be. Despite being one of the most iconic Joker stories ever it actually focuses on Jason Todd, the second Robin. Having grown-up alone on the streets of Gotham, Todd is on a quest to find his mother. However, during this journey he’s kidnapped by the Joker, and eventually killed.

One of the things that made this story stand out was that there were two possible endings: one in which Jason died, and the other where he lived. Readers were able to phone into DC and vote on which ending they wanted, and ultimately chose for Jason to die.

This was one of the first times a major Batman character was killed off (even though it didn’t stick and Jason is now alive again), and the writers didn’t pull any punches as they had the Joker brutally beat Jason with a crowbar before collapsing a building on him. It really went to show how much of a threat the character can actually be.

Joker

Set in a much darker, more realistic version of Gotham, the book follows the Joker after he’s newly released from Arkham Asylum. Told from the point of view of a low level thug who the Joker takes a liking to, the story shows the crazed villain starting a war with the other gang leaders in the city. Joker hardly features Batman at all, with the story caring more about watching the path of destruction the Joker makes and how he ruins one man’s life.

The book also stands out thanks to the amazing art by Lee Bemejo. Grim and dirty, yet incredibly elegant, it showed the city and the characters in ways that we’d never seen before. Joker was also noted as the likely inspiration for Heath Ledger’s look in The Dark Knight, as the designs are almost identical.

The Killing Joke

Possibly the most iconic Joker story ever told, The Killing Joke has been released multiple times and adapted into an animated movie. The cover is also one of the best known Joker images.

The Killing Joke tells an origin for the character that depicts him as a failing stand-up comedian who is trying to support his pregnant wife. Turning to crime to try and raise money he becomes part of the Red Hood gang. As part of this gang he falls afoul of the caped crusader, and falls into a vat of chemicals that transforms him into the Joker. In the present day the Joker hatches a plan to send Commissioner Gordon crazy. To this end he kidnaps and tortures Gordon, showing him the photographs of his daughter Barbara, who the Joker has shot in the stomach.

The Killing Joke had a lasting affect on Barbara Gordon, who was crippled by the wound. Unable to carry on as Batgirl, she would go on to be the hero Oracle. Whilst this was eventually changed during the New 52 relaunch, this change lasted for decades, and made the book an important part of the Batman mythos.

The Man Who Laughs

Set after Batman: Year One, this story aims to tell the first confrontation between Batman and the Joker. Still new into his career as a crime fighter, Batman is drawn into a mystery involving mutilated corpses, and a clown that’s threatening to murder several key figures in Gotham City. The Man Who Laughs showcases how cunning and intelligent the Joker is, as he utilises his knowledge of chemistry to poison people across the city.

The Man Who Laughs is a great book for showing both the Joker and Batman in a less physical confrontation. The book isn’t about the Joker being a physical foe for Batman to fight, but a looming threat that’s lurking in the background for most of the book. It’s a good revamping of the character’s first appearance, and whilst it offers hints as to his origin it doesn’t focus on this, something that many fans prefer for the character.

Death of the Family

The biggest story on this list, Death of the Family spanned more than 20 issues across several different titles as the Joker aims to destroy all of Batman’s extended family in order to leave the Dark Knight standing alone against him. In this story the Joker believes that Batman has come to rely on his group of sidekicks, multiple Robins, Nightwing, Batgirl, Alfred Pennyworth, and Commissioner Gordon to name just a few, and wants them gone.

This story was the first time that the character had really appeared in the DC Universe since their relaunch, having made a brief appearance in issue 1. This story showcased what is likely to be the most shocking version of the character, where he’s had his face cut off and is now wearing it as a mask.

During the course of the story the Joker put the various members of the Bat Family through psychological and mental torture that almost broke them. One of the most shocking things about the title was how he broke Alfred, brainwashing him into siding with the Joker, and even cutting his hand off. One of the most shocking Joker titles by far, it stands out as one of the all time great Joker stories.


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Rambo: Last Blood – 5 Older Films That Need A Sequel

Originally published on Set The Tape

Rambo: Last Blood sees Sylvester Stallone reprising one of his most iconic roles: that of the Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. This isn’t the first time that he’s brought an older character back, however, having previously returned to the screen as Rocky Balboa in the Creed movies. With these returns proving popular with fans we’ve taken a look to see if there are any other older films that could get a sequel decades later.

Commando (1985)

Commando is easily one of Arnie’s best movies. It’s fun, full of action, and hugely re-watchable. Here Arnold plays a retired special forces soldier, John Matrix, who has to come out of retirement to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a former South American dictator. The action that follows is one of the best revenge stories around.

More than 30 years later, could this work again? Yes. It definitely could. Have Arnold play Matrix once again, this time having to come out of retirement to help his daughter rescue her own child. You could even have Alyssa Milano reprise her role as his daughter Jenny. There are a whole wealth of areas that this film could explore, you could have the bad guys be somehow connected to Matrix’s past, or just completely unconnected. Plus, if it goes well you could even go for a John Rambo vs John Matrix crossover too.

Waterworld (1995)

Okay, I know this is considered one of the biggest movie failures of all time, but I think that there’s a lot in this universe that can still be tapped. Add into that the fact that the film has taken on an almost cult status with people (largely in thanks to how it is that bad that it’s kind of fun) and there could be a decent sized audience.

With global warming being such a big issue now a film that focuses a little on the devastating affects of climate change might be a good thing. Instead of being as kooky and weird as the original, a sequel could take on a more serious tone, looking at how humanity has been struggling to survive. Thanks to how small a focus the original film had the narrative could easily shift to focus on completely new characters and places if they can’t get Kevin Costner to return.

Demolition Man (1993)

Another Stallone film that would be great to see come back. In the original Demolition Man Stallone played a cop out of time in a future that doesn’t need a grizzled action hero. Why not return to this peaceful and idyllic future to see how John Spartan got on once he’d beaten his arch foe. Does he get used to this new world, or is he still a fish out of water?

With the first film having already set up the idea that dangerous criminals have been cryogenically frozen, it would be easy to bring some new threats into this future. Stallone could be eager to come out of retirement in order to fight this threat. This threat could be similar to the first film, a criminal or group of criminals that come out of prison without having been subject to the subliminal rehab, or it could be past criminals whose rehab starts to degrade, bringing out their former criminal tendencies. It could also be fun to see the return of other actors in the franchise such as Sandra Bullock, and Billy Cobbs.

Flash Gordon (1980)

Everyone loves a bit of Flash Gordon, whether it’s the cheesy action, the brightly coloured sets, or the kick arse soundtrack, there’s something about Flash Gordon that’s a little bit special. The fact that the film has been celebrated on multiple different anniversaries and given special re-releases means that there’s a huge audience for it, even close to 40 years later.

There have been attempts to reboot Flash Gordon more than once, with none of them really gaining the recognition or love that the 1980 version did. So instead of trying to revamp the film, just make a sequel instead. Let’s have Flash, still played by Sam Jones, being called back to Mongo to help stop a returned Ming. With so many of the cast still around you could have Max von Sydow reprise the role, or have Ming return in a younger, newer body. Timothy Dalton and Brian Blessed could return too. Instead of trying to make a more ‘realistic’ updated Flash Gordon, return to the world of the old one, embrace the over the top 80’s aesthetic and be cheesy as hell.

Lethal Weapon (1987)

It’s been a long time since the last Lethal Weapon film came out – more than 20 years – so I’d be interested in seeing how Riggs, Murtaugh, and the rest of the gang, are doing. Did Murtaugh finally get to retire? Part of the fun of the Lethal Weapon films is the family bond that built between the two lead characters over the years. Having gone from unwilling partners to friends, and eventually like brothers, their relationship was one of the highlights. How would that friendship continue on? Would Riggs have retired too, or is he having to work with a new partner? Does Riggs have to deal with new issues now that his son is a young man? All of these things would be loads of fun to see regardless of whatever the big bad they’d have to go up against would be.


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IT Chapter 2 – 5 Scary Clowns To Watch Out For

Originally published on Set The Tape

IT Chapter 2 finally comes to big screens, bringing the epic tale of horror to a conclusion as the Losers Club come back together to fight Pennywise for a second time. Whilst Pennywise can make itself look like anything it often chooses a clown, in part because children like clowns, and in part because it knows clowns are scary as hell. Here are five clowns from film and television that give me the creeps.

Pennywise/IT – IT

Let’s get him out of the way straight away. Pennywise is one of the scariest clowns around. Unlike most of the other entries in this list Pennywise isn’t the natural form of IT. IT is actually an ancient entity from outside the known universe, a place referred to as the Macroverse. IT spends great deals of its life sleep, often for 27 to 30 year periods, before it awakens to feed on the fear of children. IT uses its shape-shifting ability to lure in and then terrify its victims.

Pennywise the clown is one of IT’s favourite forms, but it’s revealed that the creature is actually an otherworldly monstrosity. When the Losers Club actually see IT’s true form they see a giant spider-like creature, as that’s the closest the human mind can perceive it.

Twisty The Clown – American Horror Story

Twisty the Clown, portrayed by John Carroll Lynch, is one of the main antagonists of American Horror Story: Freak Show. A retired clown who is also a serial killer and kidnapper of children, Twisty is a terrifying sight in his dirty clown costume and prosthetic face piece. He wears a face mask to hide the horrific gunshot wound that blew away his bottom jaw.

Over the course of the season viewers learnt that Twisty was a mentally ill man who worked in a circus in the 1940s, and was very popular with kids. Driven by jealousy, the ‘freaks’ of the circus spread rumours that Twisty was molesting children. After he was driven out of the circus he tried to take his own life, resulting in the missing lower jaw. This series of trauma helped to push Twisty into becoming a killer.

What makes Twisty all the more scary is the fact that he is loosely based upon the real life serial killer and kidnapper John Wayne Gacy, who murdered more than 30 men and children.

The Rakshasa – Supernatural

The main antagonist in an early season two episode of Supernatural, the Rakshasa is a creature from Hindu mythology that eats the flesh of its victims, sleeps on a bed of insects, and can shapeshift to disguise itself as a human. In this case, disguising itself as a blind knife-thrower in a circus, where it selects its victims.

Whilst the Rakshasa doesn’t appear as a clown often, the opening scene of the episode, where it follows a family home is one of the creepiest in the show’s history. Convincing the family’s daughter to let him into the house he allows the little girl to lead him to her parents bedroom, where he then brutally murders the parents. It’s a hell of a creepy scene, and takes its time in building up the tension and fear as the clown lurks in the shadows, and the image of him looming over the sleeping father that’s shown in his POV is terrifying. Whilst scary clowns make more appearances in the series, this first time is easily the creepiest.

Clown Doll – Poltergeist

Not much of an entity or antagonist, the Clown Doll in the Poltergeist movie is an inanimate object that gets possessed by the evil forces at work in the Freeling house. Despite not being in much of the movie the Clown Doll is often cited as one of the most iconic entities.

The Clown Doll is set up early in the film, lurking in the background of the kids’ room. Robbie Freeling even gets creeped out by the doll and covers it with his jacket so that he can sleep. When the doll finally does come to life towards the end of the film it’s something of a relief as it feels like the threat of it doing something has been hanging there for ages. The scene where the clown is suddenly missing, and Robbie has to peek under his bed in order to find it is one of the tensest in the film, and helps to ramp up the horror of the final scenes.

If you’re not against the idea of clown dolls already, this one will certainly help to put you off them.

The Joker – Batman

One of the most iconic clowns in the world, The Joker was created in 1940 by Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, and Bob Kane, appearing in the debut issue of Batman. The character was originally planned to be killed off in his first issue, but thankfully was spared this fate and went on to become one of the most iconic comic book characters of all time.

Over the years The Joker has gone through many evolutions, ranging from a goofy prankster to a terrifying psychopath. One of my personal favourite versions of The Joker was in Batman RIP, where he was depicted as a cold blooded killer, dressed in a doctor’s gown, gunshot wound to the forehead, and his tongue slit to look like a snake as he stalks his way through the halls, killing everyone in his path. Whatever version of The Joker you prefer, he’s sure to send shivers down your spine.

One of the few non-powered super-villains in the DC Universe, he has managed to hurt a number of heroes in ways that others haven’t, having murdered Jason Todd when he was Robin, crippled Barbara Gordon, and even mentally broken Alfred, making him one of his lackeys. Other versions of the character have been just as destructive, driving Superman to commit murder, and brainwashing Tim Drake. The Joker is one of the most destructive forces in the DC Universe, and one that’s hard to predict. This, along with an unknown origin make his one of the scariest comic book villains of all time.


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Playmobil: The Movie – 5 Other Toys That Could Have A Movie

Originally published on Set The Tape

Playmobil: The Movie becomes the latest toy franchise to make it to the big screen, joining such hits as The Lego Movie, Transformers, and Battleship. It’s not clear yet if Playmobil: The Movie will be remembered as an all time cinematic great, but for fans of the toys it’s sure to please. With so many toy franchises in existence with fans waiting for their favourite childhood past-times to make the leap to the big screen, we wondered – what could be adapted next? Here are 5 suggestions.

Hot Wheels

Kids love cars. It’s one of the things that is always a certain. The bright paint jobs, the fast speeds, and the run of the races – cars appeal to kids and adults alike. Which makes it an ideal toy to make the switch to the big screen. There are a number of options open for a film based on Hot Wheels, any of which would work.

It could take inspiration from the Disney Cars movies, where the vehicles themselves are alive and have their own personalities. The film could be a story that focuses on the drivers, focusing on an up and coming young racer trying to break their way into the sport, or a rivalry between two racers as they compete for a championship. It could even make itself a kid orientated Fast and Furious film, with crazy stunts and big action sequences. As well as the previously released animated TV movie, there is, apparently, a Hot Wheels film in development with Warner Bros, but no details about what it’s going to be like have been released yet, other than that it is set to be live action.

Furby

One of the most iconic toys for the last twenty years, Furbies, if we’re being honest, are pretty weird: mechanical ‘pets’ that speak gibberish and sing to each other. A lot of people in their twenties and thirties probably had one growing up, and their kids might even have one too. Furbies have appeared in film before, in a television movie from 2005 called Furby Island. Being a TV movie it kind of slipped under the radar, and the cheap CGI actually makes the film scary more than anything else. The Furbies in that film are the stuff of nightmares, so they could really do with another crack at it.

Taking a leaf from popular animation such as My Little Pony, a Furby film could be quite a cute little adventure, featuring magic and mystical creatures that inhabit the world of the Furbies. You could even address the fact that there have been multiple versions of the toys, and feature the original Furbies, Furby Babies, and the Crystal Furbies, helping to ignite interest in the franchise as a whole and getting people wanting to collect as whole range of toys.

Teddy Ruxpin

Okay, Teddy Ruxpin is creepy as fuck. I think it’s important to get that out in the open straight away. My husband has one, and it has to be shut away in the attic because I’m convinced it’s haunted. And that’s totally my pitch for a Teddy Ruxpin movie.

Haunted and possessed dolls and toys have been a thing that’s been around for decades. Whether it’s Chucky from Child’s Play or Annabelle from the Conjuring universe, kids’ toys coming to life and trying to harm people has been a very popular niche. Let’s put Teddy Ruxpin into this category too. For a start, he already looks pretty creepy, and the fact that the toy speaks and has cassettes in its back could make for some great scary moments too. I’m 100% convinced that my husband’s one is haunted, and a film that highlights this possibility would do a lot for my argument that we should get rid of it. This film would have to be a separate entity from the upcoming Teddy Ruxpin television series in development from The Jim Henson Company, as I doubt that they’d want to scar their pre-school audience that much!

Monopoly

This one was actually a pitch my husband made, and I think if done right it would make a great film. Monopoly meets The Wolf of Wall Street. It could be about a young, up and coming businessman who has to navigate his way through the world of property management whilst competing against others who are trying to get rich and screw him over. I can see it as a film that tries to get the idea across to the audience that capitalism is a bad thing, something that exploits people, punishes those who get bad breaks, and ultimately corrupts. Then again, it could go full on The Wolf of Wall Street and be a bizarre comedy that highlights the ridiculous lives of the super rich. Plus, I’ve got the image of the Monopoly Man snorting cocaine off a hooker’s tits in my head now and kind of want to see it on the big screen. The fact that the film is already in development with Kevin Hart set to star means that there’s no telling what direction it’s set to go in, though it’s sure to contain some comedy.

Action Man

This one kind of has had a movie (aside from animated and direct-to-video), as Action Man was the UK reworking of the original G.I. Joe way back in the 1960s, but the two franchises have evolved over the years to become completely different entities, so I’m pretty confident in saying that the G.I. Joe films don’t count at all. To be fair, they struggle to count as good G.I. Joe films either, but that’s a different point.

Over the years Action Man evolved to become less of a soldier and more of a super spy, complete with an arch nemesis, Dr. X. A lot of the Action Man toys and characters became a little goofy and over the top, especially during the 90s and early 2000s, and I’d propose a movie that would lean into this.

Have Action Man be this super spy, part of Action Force fighting against Dr. X, a cybernetic mad scientist. Action Man travels the world, taking part in crazy missions to thwart the plans of Dr. X, but then discovers that it’s all fake. There is no such thing as Action Force, and Dr. X is made up. It’s all been done by Action Man’s parents to let him have his childhood dream of being a super spy. The outraged Action Man turns his back on this fake life and tries to become a real secret agent, but discovers that the weird gadgets aren’t real, the bad guys don’t have elaborate plans, and people will try to kill him.

Part Archer, part Mission Impossible, have the film be this silly, over-the-top super-spy thrown into a very real and grounded world where his crazy way of doing things just won’t work. James Bobin, a director on the cult hit comedy series Flight of the Conchords, was announced to direct an Action Man movie over a year ago, so my hopes of a film that would contain some comedy are high; but unfortunately there’s been no news on the film since it was announced over a year ago.


Honourable Mentions

Whilst I wanted to keep this list just at five, there are so many toys that would make for great films, especially from the 80s and 90s, where toys had such mad designs, and usually an awesome television series to accompany them. Give us films based on Mummies Alive, Visionaries, Sky Commanders, Micronauts, Brave Starr, Dino-Riders, Mighty Max, Street Sharks, and M.A.S.K. to name but a few of the amazing toys that made up our childhoods.


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Becoming Disabled

It's been a long while since I wrote a personal piece on this site, years even. For the most part things have been going well for me, and I've not really felt the need to share, but truthfully, I've been through a lot lately and felt the need to share.

I've been sick for several months now. It didn't start as anything serious, and at first I thought that it was just my bad leg giving me trouble. But the pain kept getting worse, and began to spread. It went from one bad knee to pain throughout my whole lower body. Then it spread further. I began to get pain in my hands, and started to find it difficult to do even simple tasks.

Work began to get more and more difficult, and I regularly had to sit in my car and cry before I was able to drive home because of how much pain I was in. It got harder and harder to get over my days working, and all my time off was spent in pain and tired, trying to get myself psyched up to going back to work again.

My doctors were worried about my symptoms and decided to test me for Arthritis, but the tests came back negative. Whilst waiting for these results things got worse for me, and I started to develop intense pain on the palms of my hands and soles of my feet. Standing would cause me pain, and holding things would feel like the skin was being stripped off my palms.

When this developed into just being touched by people feeling like my skin was burning, or that i was being cut my doctors started to worry that I was suffering from Fibromyalgia.

This is where I am right now. Multiple doctors are saying that this is the likely cause for what I'm going through, especially as all my symptoms lining up. I'm waiting on seeing a Rheumatologist in a few months time to see if I will be diagnosed. Until then I'm stuck in agony, taking pills that barely take the edge off the pain whilst I'm waiting to be told told what's wrong with me.

Sadly, things have deteriorated to the point where I can't work anymore. I was unable to perform my job, and even when trying it would leave me close to tears. I can't walk more than five minutes without it taking everything out of me, and some days just getting out of bed takes everything I have.

One of the worst things about this whole thing hasn't been the physical pain, though, it's been the emotional pain. I feel like my body has turned against me, and that's what hurts the most. I want to carry on being me, to be able to live my life the way I did before. I want to be able to have the job that I loved. I want to be able to go places with people. I just want to be the way I was.

That's been the hardest part. I'm disabled. I can't do everything that I could before. I need help doing simple things, and even then I struggle. And coming to accept that has been the hardest thing. Disabled wasn't a descriptor that I ever thought would apply to me, and in some ways I felt shame when it did. I know that that sounds horrible, and I don't mean that disabled people are bad in any way, or that they should feel shame, but it was the first thing that I felt at the time. I felt like it was somehow my fault, and that I was letting people down.

I felt that I was letting down the charity I worked for, and that stopping work for my health was a bad thing. I felt that I was making it so my partners and I couldn't go places or do things because I was unable to be physical. I felt like I was worth nothing because I was stuck at home. But that's not true. That's how a society that's obsessed with work and capitalism wants me to feel. Society wants me to feel bad because I don't have a job anymore, to be ashamed for receiving disability benefits to survive. But I won't feel bad about that. I didn't choose to be sick. I didn't do this to myself. And I won't feel guilty for trying to survive.

I'm disabled now. That's my life. Maybe I'll get better one day, maybe I wont. But either way, I won't be made to feel bad for what I'm going through. I'm disabled, and I'm proud that I'm surviving.


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Shazam! – What Could Come Next?

Originally published on Set The Tape

Shazam! hits home release this week, bringing the decades old superhero to new audiences. Thanks to the popularity and success of the film a sequel is more than likely, but with such a big catalogue of villains to choose from what could come next for the red and gold clad hero?

Mr. Mind & The Monster Society of Evil

Seen briefly during the events of Shazam!, Mr. Mind is one of Shazam’s oldest villains. A two inch tall alien worm with a level of intelligence that rivals the smartest humans on the planet, and possessing telepathic powers, he has proven to be a deadly enemy despite his physical appearance. Mr. Mind created the Monster Society of Evil, one of the first super villain teams in comics history, to help him with his schemes.

Thanks to Mr. Mind having already appeared in the first Shazam! film the odds of him reappearing as a main villain are high, and his making a deal with Doctor Sivana means that the Society may be included too. However, some of the stranger members, such as Dummy and Ramulus may not make an appearance.

Eclipso

Shazam! brought gods and theological ideas from the DC Comics to the big screen, following the introduction of Greek gods in Wonder Woman. Thanks to this, it may be possible that further Shazam! films could explore of these themes and feature the villain Eclipso. The former Wrath of God (yes, THE god) and angel of vengeance, Eclipso is one of the more powerful entities in the DC Universe.

An entity that is capable of possessing a host and imbuing them with powers powerful enough to put the entire planet in danger, Eclipso is a villain who would put Shazam to the test. Thanks to having a substantial catalogue of hosts to choose from, and a broad array of powers that could be showcased, Eclipso would be an excellent choice of villain.

Sabbac

A dark opposite to Shazam, Sabbac is actually a human named Timothy Karnes who was granted extraordinary powers and a physical transformation after shouting a magical phrase. Whereas Billy receives his powers from gods, Timothy gets his powers from the demons Satan, Aym, Belial, Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Crateis; the initials of which spell the name Sabbac. Once shouting the phrase Karnes is transformed into a horned, red skinned demon with a blazing inverted pentagram on his chest.

Whilst an inverse of Shazam would make for an interesting villain for a future film there is a much more obvious choice for such a role in Black Adam (more on him later). The fact that the first film also featured demons could mean that DC will steer clear of repeating this for a sequel.

Lady Blaze and Lord Satanus

The two demonic children of the Wizard Shazam, Lady Blaze and Lord Satanus have fraught both each other and the forces of good numerous times in their quests to become rulers of Hell. Able to transform into humans and walk earth in order to try and trick people into selling their souls, the two of them have plagued the Shazam Family, Superman, and the Justice League on numerous occassions.

Whilst having more than one villain would be a way of making a Shazam! sequel more interesting, especially ones that are connected to the Wizard Shazam and could explore the history behind Billy’s powers, these two are less likely to appear than some of the others in this list.

Captain Nazi

Okay, this one will obviously not be used in a Shazam! film, but he’s worth mentioning for a number of reasons. First of all, Captain Nazi is one of the oldest Shazam villains, making his first appearance way back in 1941. Made during a time when comic publishers were regularly pitting their heroes against the axis powers in order to inspire allied troops and civilians, Captain Nazi was made to be a chief  foe for Shazam, then Captain Marvel, during the war years.

Whilst at first you’d think that there’s no way that DC, or any company, would want to put a super powered fascist on the big screen as a main antagonist, the fact that white supremacy and fascist groups are a very real and serious issue in the real world means that it’s not totally off the table. What better way to remind people that Nazis shouldn’t be tolerated than having a super hero beat the crap out of one?

Black Adam

The most likely on this list to actually appear in a future Shazam! movie, Black Adam is the most iconic Shazam villain, and one that a lot of people were expecting to be the antagonist for the first film.

Born thousands of year ago in the Middle-East, Teth-Adam was the son of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II, and impressed the Wizard Shazam with his bravery and good deeds. The Wizard granted Teth-Adam magical powers, transforming him into the hero Mighty Adam when he shouted the word Shazam. He was a hero to the people of Egypt for many years, but was eventually corrupted by Shazam’s daugther Blaze and became a villain before being sealed away until his tomb was opened in modern times.

Over the years Black Adam has been a hero, a villain, and even walked the line between the two. He’s been a member of the Justice Society of America, and has laid waste to nations in rage. He’s one of the more complex characters in the DC Universe, and a perfect adversary for Shazam.

He was mentioned in passing in the first film, but not shown, despite Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson already being cast in the role. It has been reported that he will be receiving his own spin-off film, before going up against Shazam in a future movie.


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Pet Semetary – 5 Films With Killer Animals

Originally published on Set The Tape

Pet Semetary, the latest Stephen King film adaptation, comes to home release next week, bringing the story of cursed burial grounds and killer zombies into people’s houses. One of the more iconic parts of the film, and one that was used heavily in marketing, is Church, the killer cat. If you’re like myself you’ll love a good bit of Natural Horror in your movies. We’ve made a list of 5 other films that are worth checking out if you want more of this, and something a little unusual too.

Arachnophobia (1990)

A black horror comedy starring Jeff Daniels and John Goodman, Arachnophobia tells the story of a new deadly species of tarantula that’s discovered deep in the Amazon rainforest. The scientists discover that the spider appears to be a drone, making it part of a larger colony; something that is unusual for spiders. When one of the team is bitten and killed by one of the spiders his body is sent home to the States, along with one of the spiders that crawled into his coffin.

Now in small town California the spider mates with a regular house spider, producing a legion of spiders that look no different from regular ones, but possess a bite that can kill. As the spiders begin to slowly kill people all over town it’s down to a local doctor, played by Daniels, and an exterminator, Goodman, to find a way to destroy the deadly colony before it spreads across the country.

Arachnophobia is a film that never takes itself completely seriously, something that actually helps it, as the premise is a bit silly. However, thanks to some great writing, a brilliant cast, and a crew that includes such names as Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, and Stephen Spielberg, it is easily an overlooked classic.

Piranha (1978)

When Jaws hit the big screen in 1975 it inspired a lot of studios to want to produce their own version of the film, in much the same way that Star Wars prompted a slew of science-fiction movies. One of the more famous films to come out of this was Piranha. The film almost received an injunction from Universal Studios to stop its release as it was due to coincide with the release of Jaws 2, but the plans were dropped after the film received a positive review from Spielberg.

Directed by Joe Dante (of Gremlins fame), Piranha tells the story of a community that becomes terrorised by a swarm of gentically altered killer Piranha that get released into the local river. Having been created as part of Operation Razorteeth to combat Viet Cong movement in the Vietnam War, the creatures are set loose into the river-ways during an investigation. It’s then down to a local, drunk boat captain to find a way to stop them before they reach a water park and local summer camp.

Piranha proved to be a successful film in its own right, spawning both sequels and remakes thanks to it’s popularity. Whilst the 2010 remake, Piranha 3D, may be much glossier and sillier, the original is still an all time great.

Anaconda (1997)

Anaconda sees a documentary film crew travel down the Amazon River in order to capture footage of the long-lost tribe of Shirishamas people. When they come across a stranded snake hunter the group finds themselves drawn into a hunt for the deadly green anaconda.

Whilst the film centres on the giant killer snake, and many people are killed by the creature, the main conflict of the film comes from the human characters, particularly the hunter Serone, played by John Voight. It’s Serone’s obsession with the anaconda, and his desire to make money, that puts the other people on the boat in danger, and he even kills in order to achieve his goals.

Thanks to some decent writing, effects that were good for the time, and an all star cast that included Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Trejo, and Owen Wilson, Anaconda became a hit, earning more than three times its budget and receiving three sequels, as well as a crossover with Lake Placid.

Night of the Lepus (1972)

When creating a list of animals that would make for a good antagonist in a horror film you’d be likely to go for something that’s large, dangerous, and possibly scary looking. That makes perfect sense, as audiences need to fear the creatures that are killing characters on screen. However, Night of the Lepus seems to have forgotten this and done things their own way when it told the story of giant killer bunnies.

Based upon the novel The Year of the Angry Rabbit, the film tells the story of a small town that falls victim to an infestation of giant mutant rabbits. In all honesty Night of the Lepus isn’t a good film. However, it falls into that category of being so bad and so silly that it’s actually a hell of a fun experience to watch. The film uses a combination of real rabbits on miniature sets, as well as actors in rabbit costumes to create the scenes of rabbit carnage that look so ridiculous they become somewhat charming.

Despite the kooky nature of the film it was treated with great seriousness at the time, and included some big name actors, including Janet Leigh and DeForest Kelley. Watch Night of the Lepus if you want a little fun and aren’t after a real horror experience.

Orca (1977)

Have you ever watched Jaws and thought, ‘this is good, but I’d rather be able to identify with the shark more’? Then Orca is the film for you!

One of the films that tried to cash in on the success of Jaws, Orca tells the story of a fishing crew that falls victim to a vengeful killer whale. The fishing crew capture a pregnant female orca, who miscarries when they bring her on board the ship. Tossing the dead baby into the sea they are attacked by the orca’s mate, who manages to drag her back into the water. When the female subsequently dies the distraught orca begins to target the crew, killing them off one by one. Yes, Orca is a revenge story where the whale is the hero.

Despite this somewhat ridiculous premise, Orca takes itself completely seriously, which just adds to how good it is. The boat captain, played by Richard Harris, sympathises with the animal, having had his own pregnant wife killed by a drunk driver, and film culminates in a battle between the two of them on an iceberg. Orca is so bizarrely different to other films in the genre that it’s worth checking out just for the unusual nature of it, and is sure to leave an impression simply for how strange it is.


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Shazam! – 5 Great Shazam Books To Check Out

Originally published on Set The Tape

Shazam! comes to home release this week, bringing the latest entry in the ever expanding DCEU to new audiences. Possibly one of the bigger gambles that DC has made, Shazam! introduced a lot of new people to a character that has existed for decades, but has never really reached mainstream awareness. With that in mind, here are five books that are totally worth checking out for anyone wanting to learn more about the character.

Shazam! Origins

Recently re-released in a new edition for the movie, Shazam! Origins collects together several issues of Justice League following the New 52 relaunch. These issues tell the new, revised, origin story for Billy Batson and the superhero Shazam. This version of the character is incredibly close to the one seen in the movie, and several plot points and characters that were new to this version of the character were featured in the film.

However, one way that this book differs from the origin story as seen in Shazam! is that the main villain for this story isn’t Doctor Sivana but Black Adam. Possibly the most iconic villain in Shazam’s rogues’ gallery, the conflict between Shazam and Black Adam is legendary, and this book makes great use of both characters.

Shazam! Origins was written by Geoff Johns, one of the most prolific writers in comics in the industry, a man responsible for reinventing and popularising series such as Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, and Green Lantern. Artwork was provided by Gary Frank, who has worked on titles like Action Comics, Superman: Secret Origins, and Wonder Woman.

The Trials of Shazam!

Written back when Shazam was still known as Captain Marvel, The Trials of Shazam! is set shortly after the events of Infinite Crisis, where the entity known as The Spectre destroyed the Rock of Eternity and the wizard Shazam. Following these events Captain Marvel becomes the new wizard, using the name Marvel, leaving the title of Captain Marvel vacant.

Freddy Freeman, Billy’s friend and the former Captain Marvel Jr. takes it upon himself to take up the mantle of Captain Marvel, but first has to set out on a quest to prove himself worthy to the ancient gods that bestow their powers upon the hero. However, Freddy isn’t the only person vying for these powers, and he finds himself competing against the evil sorceress Sabina. Culminating in a huge battle involving several heroes and an army of demons, The Trials of Shazam! was such a big story that it ended up being spread over two volumes.

The series was written by Judd Winick, a popular DC writer who had previously worked on titles such as Green Lantern, Batman, and Green Arrow. Winnick’s work has been celebrated in the past for his inclusion and diversity. Artwork on the book was provided by Howard Porter, until a hand injury prevented him from finishing the book, which was then completed by Mauro Cascioli.

Shazam! Power of Hope

Shazam! Power of Hope shifted its focus from the hero to his alter-ego Billy Batson, in a story that highlights that despite his appearance, the hero is still a young boy. When Billy receives a letter from a terminally ill child in hospital he decides to visit them as Captain Marvel. Billy wows the children with stories of his exploits, and even takes some of them flying in an attempt to make them happier.

The book took some very dark themes and tried to use them to show that even in some of the worst circumstances hope still exists, and made Billy face some difficult realities. One scene, in which he goes to the father of one of the children as the hero and threatens him not to hurt his son anymore is a particularly powerful moment.

The book is written by legendary superhero writer Paul Dini, a man who has worked on numerous titles over the years, but may be best known for his work on Batman: The Animated Series, where he created the character Harley Quinn. The artwork is provided by the phenomenal multi-award winning Alex Ross, who hand paints every panel of the books he works on.

Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder

Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder tells the first meeting between the two heroes. Unlike a lot of first meetings between superheroes, where they end up fighting each other until they realise they’re on the same side, the first meeting between Superman and Captain Marvel proves to go remarkably well. The two characters find a mutual respect for each other, and quickly become good friends.  The story tells more of a ‘laid back’ adventure as the two of them help each other to tackle a plot that puts innocent people in the crossfire.

The story also marks the point where Superman discovers Billy’s true identity, something that ends up causing him to confront the wizard Shazam for bestowing these powers on an 11-year-old boy. By the end of the book Superman becomes something of a mentor to the young hero.

The book is written by Judd Winnick, who also worked on The Trials of Shazam!, with art provided by Joshua Middleton, who has also provided art on books such as X-Men Unlimited, NYX, and Street Fighter.

Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told

Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told collects together stories from across the DC universe to bring readers a series of stories that span the entire history of the character. The book gives a good insight into not just the various versions of the character, but how comics in general have changed over the years.

The book includes Whiz Comics #2 from 1940, which was the very first appearance of Captain Marvel; as well as stories that showcase members of the Shazam Family, and their many villains. Collecting stories across more than 50 years, the book is an incredibly interesting read for anyone who wants learn more about the characters origins.


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Pet Sematary: 5 Best Stephen King Film Adaptations

Originally published on Set The Tape

Pet Sematary becomes the latest Stephen King adaptation to come to home release next week as the DVD and Blu-ray hits shelves across the country. Thanks to a career that has spanned decades, and stories beloved across the world, there have been literally dozens of films made from his works. To celebrate this new release here are five films based on his books that we consider to be some of the best.

IT (2017)

Whilst the 1990 television mini-series Stephen King’s IT is considered by many to be one of the all time classics, with a brilliant performance from Tim Curry as the titular creature, the 2017 adaptation of the first half of the story is by far the superior of the two. Updated somewhat to bring it into line with our current era, setting the past in the 1980s rather than the 1950s, the new version of this story remains much truer to the King original in tone, if not in every tiny detail.

Director Andy Muschietti and screenwriters Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman have altered a few of the smaller details, such as Mike’s parents having died in a fire, or Georgie’s body being missing. This version is much more a horror, with the killer clown being so much more frightening and sinister. The film mixes slow burn tension and jump scares to great degrees, and spends the time with the characters so that you actually care for them.

With an absolutely stunning performance from Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown, beautiful cinematography, and the promise of more to come from the second part when it hits cinemas in September, this is one of the best recent Stephen King films by far.

The Mist (2007)

Based upon the short story The Mist, part of King’s anthology book Skeleton Crew, the 2007 big screen version of this tense horror thriller wowed audiences not just because of its amazing cast and great acting, but because of an ending that would live long in the minds of those who had watched it.

Written and directed by Frank Darabont, who had previously also adapted The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile from King’s work, The Mist chose to tell a very personal kind of horror story, one where the people are just as frightening as the monsters that stalk through the mist. Described by Darabont as “Lord of the Flies that happens to have some cool monsters in it”, he focused on how people handle otherworldly horror differently, and how it can make them turn against each other. If you’ve not seen the film, please go and do so, but avoid talking to anyone about it before you do as you do not want this one spoilt for you, as it may have one of the best endings in film history.

The Shining (1980)

Based upon one of King’s most iconic works Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is held up not only as one of the best examples of a Stephen King adaptation, but one of the most popular horror films ever made. Starring Jack Nicholson as a former alcoholic who travels into the snowy mountains with his family to look after a hotel during the winter shutdown, the film tells a story of a man battling with not just his own demons, but the evil spirits that haunt the hotel.

With some creepy performances from both Nicholson and his co-star Shelley Duvall, intentionally bizarre and disturbing set design and editing, and a soundtrack that sends shivers up your spine, The Shining is a film that has sparked discussion and debate amongst film fans for decades. Famously hated by King as an adaptation of his work when first released, he admits that it has become one of his favourites over the years.

The Green Mile (1999)

You’d be hard pressed to find someone that has watched The Green Mile and hasn’t been touched in some way by it. Set during the great depression, the film tells the story of prison officer Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) as he encounters the mysterious John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a man accused of the rape and murder of two young girls. Over the course of the film both Edgecomb and the audience learn that not only is John a gentle soul, but has the power to cure the sick and even raise the dead, something that he was trying to do for the murdered girls when he was found. The story of John Coffey, and his subsequent execution for a crime he didn’t commit, is both wonderfully touching and heartbreaking.

Nominated for numerous awards, including Oscars for both best film and best supporting actor for the late Michael Clarke Duncan, it is still one of the best received King film adaptations to date, and one that is sure to break even the most stoic heart.

The Running Man (1987)

Possibly the most surprising entry in this list, especially as a lot of people forget that it’s based upon a King book, The Running Man might not be the kind of story that you’d expect to come from the ‘master of horror’. Based upon the short story originally written by King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, the film sees Arnold Schwarzeneggar star as Ben Richards, a former soldier and prisoner in a dark future.

Framed for a mass murder that he didn’t commit, Richards escapes from prison and goes on the run, only to be recaptured by the authorities and forced to participate in The Running Man, a televised game show where competitors are made to fight for their lives in a gladiator like setting.

Despite being an over the top action film The Running Man is surprisingly deep, containing themes about poverty, sociological collapse, and government corruption – all themes that reviewers and commentators have pointed out that the film predicted well in later viewings.

The film might not be for everyone, especially as it’s very different from a lot of King’s more popular themes and tones, but The Running Man is widely considered to be not just a classic Arnie movie, but a great example of an over the top 80’s action movie.


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