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Friday, 18 October 2019

Marvel Action: Spider-Man #9 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

Issue nine of Marvel Action: Spider-Man sees the team having to work through their differences as they come up with a plan to stop the bad luck-inducing Black Cat.

Marvel Action: Spider-Man continues to be my favourite book in the Marvel Action line. The way that Delilah S. Dawson writes the three spider-heroes is easily the best part of the book, and they have such fun chemistry that an issue of just the three of them hanging out, not having to fight villains, would still be an awesome book.

In this issue the three heroes kind of have it our with each other following the interpersonal drama that started a few issues ago, in part thanks to the way Black Cat has been messing things up for them. Peter admits that he feels that he deserves to be the leader because he’s older and has been a hero for longer, and that he views Miles as ‘Spider-Man 2’ because that was his name first, but he comes to see that whilst he might have more experience they’re a team together, and others feelings matter a lot too.

Gwen thinks that the boys don’t like her assertiveness and wanting to rush into situations because she’s a girl, thinking that she’d be listened to more and liked if she was a guy. Miles explains that he feels like he’s often overlooked, and that the others discount what he has to say and brings to the team because he’s not the first Spider-Man, or different enough from him like Ghost-Spider.

Despite having a big chunk of the story given over to three teens arguing with each other, the book doesn’t make it annoying or un-entertaining, and you really actually want the three of them to have this conversation so that they can move past this. The characterisation is that compelling that even when they’re having a silly fight you’re engaged and want a good outcome for them.

Thankfully, the three of them are able to put most of these issues to bed and come together as a team to stop Black Cat from breaking her dad out of prison. It’s good to see the three of them working together so well, and using their smarts to beat her despite her bad luck powers still affecting them.

Throughout the time we see Black Cat in this issue too she mentions Kingpin a lot, and I genuinely thought that this was slowly being used to set up for the villain for the next story arc. However, come the final panels there was no hint of the Kingpin being around or that he would appear anytime soon. The preview cover for the next issue actually makes it definitively clear that he won’t be the next focus, however, as Venom is front and centre. Whilst I’d have loved to have seen what Dawson would have done with the character I have to be honest, I’m a little more excited for Vemon.

Fico Ossio continues to provide artwork on the book, and as per usual it’s beautiful. The fight scenes between the spider-heroes and Black Cat are full of dynamic movement and action that helps to make this book stand out from some of the other Marvel Action titles. Even the ‘boring’ scenes where there are no superheroes are so full of energy and fun that every panel is a joy to behold.

Marvel Action: Spider-Man is a great example of how good the Marvel Action line is, and showcases some of the best work that IDW and Marvel are bringing readers.

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Thursday, 17 October 2019

Titans (Season One) – Who’s Who and their Comic Counterparts

Originally published on Set The Tape

The popular television series Titans hits homes with the release of the season one on DVD and Blu-ray. Based upon the popular DC Comics series Teen Titans, the show has a huge array of characters to draw upon, but who are they, and what are their comic book counterparts like?

Dick Grayson/Robin (Brenton Thwaites)

A former circus acrobat who was taken in by Batman following the death of his parents and trained to become the crime fighter Robin, Dick is now a detective for the Detroit Police Department, following a falling out with his former mentor. Trying to step out of the shadow of Batman, he finds himself the leader of a new group of heroes.

The comic book version of Dick shares a similar origin to the series, and spent years as Robin, as well as the leader of the Teen Titans. Following a disagreement with Batman he gave up the title of Robin, becoming the hero Nightwing instead. Over the years Dick has been a member of the Titans, Teen Titans, The Outsiders, and The Justice League, as well as briefly taking on the mantle of Batman for a time. One of the most respected heroes in the DC Universe, Dick commands the respect of dozens of heroes.

Koriand’r/Starfire (Anna Diop)

A woman with strange powers and no memory of her past, she learns that she is the princess of the alien world of Tamaran, sent to earth to stop the destruction of the planet by dark forces.

Koriand’r ascended to the throne over her elder sister, Komand’r, when her sister developed a disease that robbed her of her powers. Angry at losing her position Komand’r helped an alien race to invade Tamaran, and put Koriand’r into slavery. Eventually escaping and fleeing to earth she encountered Dick Grayson and the Teen Titans. Joining the team, she took on the title of Starfire. Over the years Starfire fought alongside the heroes of earth against dozens of threats, including her own sister. She and Dick also developed a romantic relationship, and were even close to becoming married.

Rachel Roth/Raven (Teagan Croft)

A young empath with mysterious powers, on the run from a strange cult, Rachel learns that her father is the demon Trigon, and that his followers want to use her to create a portal to allow Trigon a path to earth.

In the comics Raven is the daughter of the demon Trigon, taught to keep her emotions in control so that she does not become possessed by her father. Raised by mystics, Raven possesses an array of magical abilities. She initially approached the Justice League to help her stop her father coming to Earth, but was refused when Zatana sensed her demonic heritage. Knowing that she would need heroes to aid her, she actually formed the second incarnation of the Teen Titans, and has been an active member of the team across various incarnations since.

Garfield ‘Gar’ Logan/Beast Boy (Ryan Potter)

Living in the Congo basin, Gar contracted a mysterious disease and we left for dead by doctors. Discovered by Niles Caulder, leader of the Doom Patrol, Gar was cured, but was left with green hair and the ability to transform into any animal.

In the comics Gar lived in Africa with his scientist parents who were trying to develop reverse evolution to bring back extinct creatures. When he contracted a rare disease called Sakutia his father managed to cure him with serum, though it caused his skin, hair, and eyes to turn green. It also granted him the ability to transform into any animal. Folowing the death of his parents Gar was rescued by the Doom Patrol, and joined the team until their deaths. Brought into the Teen Titans by Raven, Gar finds a home with the other teens and remains an active member of the team for years to come, coming to think of them as his new family.

Hank Hall/Hawk (Alan Ritchson)

A vigilante who targets paedophiles, following his own molestation as a child, Hank Hall took on the name Hawk, whilst his brother Don took the name Dove. The two of them became local heroes for helping to break up a paedophile ring, until Don was killed in a hit and run.

Whilst Hawk in the series is a regular human, his comic counterpart possesses multiple powers, including super strength, enhanced speed, and a healing factor, thanks to powers granted to him by the Lord of Chaos, T’Charr. Over the years Hank has had to battle his inner rage, though he eventually became the villain Extant for a short while before his death. Following the Black Lantern invasion of Earth Hank was raised from the dead as a zombie, and was eventually restored to life as Hawk by the White Light of Life.

Dawn Granger/Dove (Minka Kelly)

The girlfriend of Hank Hall, Dawn took on the mantle of Dove following the death of Don Hall, and joined Hank in his mission to fight crime.

In the comics Dawn was granted the powers of flight, superhuman agility, and durability by the Lord of Order, Terataya, in order to replace Don Hall, the original Dove who died during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Believed to have been killed by the villain Monarch, Dawn was actually saved by magic and placed into a coma until she could heal. She eventually awoke and her sister Holly became the new Hawk until her death during Blackest Night. Following the events of the Blackest Night, Dawn was reunited with Hank, and the two of them became heroes once again.

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Wednesday, 16 October 2019

Captain America: Dark Designs by Stefan Petrucha - Book Review

'Steve Rogers knows the art of survival better than most. Decades under ice will do that to a man. But the Avengers chipped more than rock-hard morality and super-strength out from under that permafrost. When Cap takes out a terrorist cell threatening to poison the world, he'll discover a threat far more deadly. An incurable virus has hidden in his body for years - and now it's come to the surface. To save the world, he'll have to return to his own personal hell: deep freeze.

'And he'll have to take an old friend with him. Having survived his own death by inhabiting a clone of Steve Rogers, the Red Skull has inherited the virus - and he's a little less willing to play martyr. As the deadly disease shifts and evolves, new patterns emerge. Can Captain America contain the Red Skull before the virus runs rampant?'

Captain America: Dark Designs is the latest Marvel prose book from Titan Books and author Stefan Petrucha, who has previously brought comic book characters to the world of prose having written Spider-Man: Forever Young, and Deadpool: Paws.

Captain America: Dark Designs sees the iconic super soldier having to face an enemy that he's no equipped to beat, a virus. After a routine mission to stop the launch of a deadly pathogen Cap is examined on board the S.H.I.E.L.D. hellicarrier, where it's discovered that he is playing host to a virus that could wipe out all of humanity.

To make matters worse, the Red Skull, who is living inside a cloned body of Captain America, also has the virus; though his has activated. The Red Skull launches an assault on Cap using a series of Nazi robots. Now Captain America must try to find a way to stop these deadly machines whilst not triggering an extinction level event.

One of the biggest draws to comics is the artwork, and they way that it's used in super hero comics to create a level of action and spectacle that sometimes the written word can find difficult. Action scenes in books are great, but can sometimes feel like the weaker part of a story as the author tries to describe the amazing feats their characters are making. This is something that comics can sidestep, displaying amazing scenes across splash pages and dynamic panels. The problem when you take characters that we're used to reading in this one format and moving it to another is that you run the risk of the action becoming the weaker part of the story.

Whilst Stefan Petrucha is able to tell great action scenes, and there are some great moments of action to be found in this book, it does feel a little like he's fallen into this pitfall here. The succession of different robot foes, and eventually the Red Skull meant that towards the end of the novel I started to find myself becoming a little tired of the action scenes and just wanted to skip over them. This isn't the best thing when writing action stories.

However, this doesn't ruin the story in any way. yes, it means that there are duller moments every now and then, but the core story was so engaging that I was able to forgive these dips in my engagement. Seeing Captain America stuck within isolation was such an interesting take on the character, especially when he was faced with the possibility of having to go into cryogenic suspension in order to stop the virus. We get to see the internal struggle he has with this idea, of having to be frozen once again and potentially lose everything and everyone he knows and loves a second time.

Captain America lost out on having his life once already, of seeing family and friends, the woman he loved. He missed out on settling down and having a life with Peggy Carter because of becoming frozen, and it still haunts him. Seeing him knowing that he will have to go through that all over again, but volunteering to do so to save other lives shows how admirable and good a character he is.

This is one of the benefits of telling this kind of story in prose form over a regular comic, as we're allowed to have these scenes of personal introspection and deeper conversations as the writer isn't trying to write to a pre-set comic issue page length. It also means that some of the side characters get more of a spotlight too. Doctor Nia N'Tomo is one of these characters, a disease specialist who is working to cure Cap. We get to see a very real and somewhat sweet relationship develop between her and Cap across the novel, and I was often finding myself wanting to see more of the two of them together in scenes.

The standout character of the book, however, was doctor Winston Kade. A much older and more seasoned disease specialist than N'Tomo, he;s the man who first discovers the virus inside Cap and predicts that it's possible for it to destroy the human race. Initially just seeming to be a bit of a brash and grumpy man there turns out to be a lot more layers to the character than initially expected, and the more I learnt about him and his past over the course of the book the more I found him to be fascinating. He's a character that definitely sits within the grey between good and bad, who has only the noblest of intentions but will go to extremes to meet them, his arc was by far my favourite part of the story.

Captain America: Dark Designs is an interesting Captain America story, one that I don't think would have worked as well in comic form as it does here. The longer time with the characters and their inner minds were a highlight, and helped to keep me interested between the action scenes. A great read for any Marvel fan, and a must for anyone who loves Captain America.

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X-Men: Dark Phoenix – 5 X-Men Books To Check Out

Originally published on Set The Tape

X-Men: Dark Phoenix might be the swansong for the Fox era of X-Men on the big screen, trying once again to adapt one of the most popular X-Men stories. Whilst the X-Men films have been a very popular series they’ve often avoided some of the bigger stories from the comics, with the exception of X-Men: Days of Future Past. With it potentially being a long while until we have more X-Men in a live action film, here’s a list with some of the best X-Men books to go check out.

Days of Future Past

As already mentioned, this story was the basis for the popular film of the same name, and tells the story of a future world where the mechanical Sentinels have taken over, killing thousands of mutants and herding others into internment camps. The few surviving members of the X-Men, which include Wolverine and Shadowcat, form a plan to send the mind of Kitty Pryde back into her younger body in order to stop a mutant from assassinating a US Senator, thereby preventing the rise of the Sentinels.

Though a short story, originally published across just two issues, Days of Future Past is widely considered one of the all time classics, and has been adapted across many different incarnations including the live action film, the 90’s animated series, Wolverine and the X-Men, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., and Ultimate Spider-Man. Differing a lot from the film version, even those who are familiar with the story will find new and interesting things in the original version.

Astonishing X-Men

Written by Joss Whedon, Astonishing X-Men was an ongoing series that told a number of important stories. It dealt with the fallout of the death of Jean Grey (which would remain in place for many years), the blossoming romance between Cyclops and Emma Frost, and the return of Colossus after his death years. The series slimmed down the number of ‘core’ characters, focusing on a small team so that it could tell more personal stories. Despite this, Whedon also crafted an unfolding narrative that put the fate of the entire earth on the line.

The Whedon run introduced a number of characters that would go on to remain a part of the X-Men universe, such as Blindfold, Danger, Armour, and Dr Kavita Rao. The first story arc, dealing with a potential cure for mutants, not only won the 2006 Will Eisner Award, but was also part of the basis of X-Men: The Last Stand cure subplot.

Second Coming

Second Coming is the culmination of years of storytelling that began with the near extinction of mutantkind. Forced to band together, less than 200 mutants came to live and fight against the outside world under the leadership of Cyclops. Even former villains such as Namor and Magneto would go on to follow Cyclops, serving as trusted advisors. Second Coming tells the story of Hope Summers, the only new mutant since the events of House of M, and her adoptive father Cable, returning from the future.

Hope’s return brings a number of villains out of hiding, including Bastion, the Purifiers, William Stryker, and Bolivar Trask to name but a few, all intent on killing her to prevent the return of the mutant race. Every mutant must come together and fight to the death in order to secure their future in this event that involved every X-book. Villains fight alongside heroes, long time fan favourite characters die, and the very future of the mutant race is put on the line in the dramatic conclusion to one of the darkest and most dynamic eras in the X-Men history.

New X-Men

Written by Grant Morrison, New X-Men ran for a number of years and encompassed several story arcs, where it shifted the focus away from the X-Men as a superhero group, instead taking a look at the running of the Xaviers School. The series would introduce a number of characters that would remain part of the X-Men series for years, including Cassandra Nova, Beak, Quentin Quire, and Fantomex.

The series dealt with a number of important storylines, including the outing of Professor Xavier as a mutant, the destruction of Genosha, Emma Frost joining the team, and the return of Magneto. The series also took a different look in art style, taking the team out of their iconic costumes and adopting a look that was similar to their movie counterparts.

Mutant Massacre

The X-Men would become used to death and disaster over the course of their run, probably more than any other Marvel book. Mutant Massacre is a prime example of a story where even when the heroes stop the villains, they don’t really win.

When the villainous Marauders attack the mutant community of the Morlocks, the X-Men and X-Factor teams rush to their aid. Whilst they manage to stop the Marauders many Morlocks are killed, and a number of heroes severely wounded as a result. Colossus is left as a quadriplegic thanks to injuries sustained to his metal form; Kitty Pryde is trapped in her phased form which almost kills her; Nightcralwer is put into a coma; and Angel is literally crucified, which eventually leads to him losing his wings and becoming the villain Archangel.

A sobering look at the X-Men universe, and one that would play into a lot of future stories, this darker tone would become something of a staple for the X-Men books during several of their big events, and many X-Men have ended up severely wounded or killed over the years, probably more so than any other superhero team.

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Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Marvel Action: Black Panther #3 – Comic Review

Originally published on Set The Tape

The third issue of Marvel Action: Black Panther concludes the first story arc in the title as T’Challa and Shuri battle to save Wakanda from deadly disasters.

Continuing from the literal cliffhanger ending in the last issue, T’Challa, Shuri, and Ashei are left to travel through the jungles of Wakanda to reach their downed plane and the cure they need to stop the malaria outbreak that’s threatening the population. The journey through the jungle is a little bit of a disappointment, as the trio don’t really have any difficulty in reaching their destination, despite a moment of thinking that things could have gotten exciting when Ashei trips over a giant snake. Sadly, the snake does nothing and its inclusion in the story seems like more of a tease rather than anything else.

Fortunately for readers, things do go a little wrong for the heroes as the plan to stop the malaria outbreak is interrupted, forcing Shuri to confront her fear of Piranha Cove by having to jump into the piranha infested waters to lure the infected mosquito swarm to their deaths. We also learn why this is a big thing for Shuri, as Queen Ramonda explains to her royal guard that one of her friends got hurt as a kid. Whilst this explanation is almost a throwaway moment it does show how Shuri has been living with trauma for years. Her diving into the cove isn’t just her doing what needs to be done to save the day, but overcoming her own childhood trauma.

The story also sees a surprise revelation about a long time Black Panther villain, in a twist I genuinely didn’t see coming, and which shows how much care has been taken by writer Kyle Baker. The book also boasts a lot of great artwork by Juan Samu, who really manages to put a lot of expression and character into the artwork; even masked characters like Black Panther are capable of showcasing more range than you’d initially believe possible. The previously mentioned giant snake was also a highlight in the issue, despite its all too brief appearance, thanks to how Samu draws it. More of the snake would have been good not just from an action point of view, but I’d have loved to have seen more of what Samu could have done with it.

A fine conclusion to the first story that touches upon some little known Black Panther history. However, the story really pushes Shuri into the forefront, and whilst I like that her character was given things to do it did feel like Black Panther himself was almost not needed. Hopefully T’Challa will be given something more to do in future issues.

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Monday, 14 October 2019

Soon by Lois Murphy - Book Review

'On winter solstice, the birds disappeared, and the mist arrived. The inhabitants of Nebulah quickly learn not to venture out after dark. But it is hard to stay indoors: cabin fever sets in, and the mist can be beguiling, too.

'Eventually only six remain. Like the rest of the townspeople, Pete has nowhere else to go. After he rescues a stranded psychic from a terrible fate, he's given a warning: he will be dead by solstice unless he leaves town - soon.'

Titan Books have definitely picked a good time of year to publish Soon, the latest horror novel by Lois Murphy. Whilst horror works anytime, there's something about a creepy, slow-burning ghost story at Halloween time that just feels right.

Soon is set in the small Australian town of Nebulah, a former mining and farm town that's all but abandoned as a small group of people try to continue living in what has become 'the most haunted town' in the world. Each night a mist descends upon the town, filled with spirits and ghosts that torment and disturb the townsfolk with awful visions, trying to lure them out of their houses to their deaths.

What makes this story stand apart from a lot of other ghost stories, however, is that this isn't a new thing for Nebulah. The mist has been there every night for months. This isn't a story about a sudden new, frightening phenomenon, but something that the people in Nebulah have learned to live with. Yes, the majority of people have moved away, leaving half a dozen people behind who can't afford to leave, but to those still there the mist and the hauntings are just part of their regular routine now.

The townsfolk make sure that they're home before dark. They lock their doors and stay inside. They also close their curtains so that they can't see what's out there, and turn their TV's on loud so that they can't hear the ghostly noises. I kind of loved this. There are ghosts just outside their door, but they turn their TV up louder to drown them out and act like they're not there. There's something about this approach that I found fascinating. It speaks to the very real human nature of wanting to pretend that something bad isn't happening, or that things are normal.

I loved that Soon began far into the story of Nebulah, and that we learn a little about what came before through flashbacks and conversations, rather than seeing it in real time from the beginning. If the story had started with the appearance of the mist we would have straight away seen what it was capable of, would have known the kind of horrors it contained. Instead, it actually takes a while to even learn what happens at night. We're dropped into the narrative with characters that have gotten used to it and have it as part of their lives, so we're on more of a back foot about it than they are.

Whilst this somewhat 'regular' life in Nebulah seems to be going okay to begin with there are clearly some cracks as not all of those left in the town completely get along. There's some interpersonal issues at play, which is completely believable as even when facing ghostly killers you're not going to get along with the douche-bag from down the road. Despite this, they seem to have a fairly good system worked out.

Things begin to change in Nebulah, however, when Pete, an ex-cop stuck in the town, discovers a young woman outside just before nightfall. Managing to get her inside before the mist descends he saves her life, but is also set onto a course that could end his own. The woman is a medium, and is deeply affected by spending the night in Nebulah, but does warn Pete before she leaves that he needs to leave the town soon or he is going to die there. She even gives him the date that it'll happen.

Now most people would probably think that this would be good motivation to leave, but Pete and the others have been living with the threat of death over them for months and haven't gone yet. It's not bravado or stupidity that keeps them in the town though, but the simple fact that they can't afford to move and have nowhere to go. This puts a very real world spin on the scenario that I really liked. If no one will buy a house in haunted town how can you pay for somewhere new to live? If you've got no family to take you in where can you go?

The looming threat and the difficulty in just leaving town make for a great ticking clock that Pete has to face, and fills the book with tension. Even when it appears he's managed to get away from Nebulah there's still tension as you know it can't be that simple because there's still a third of the book left.

I loved Soon. Its pacing was great, with a story that didn't feel like it needed to rush, and a threat that Lois Murphy chose to unveil slowly rather than all at once. The characters feel like very real people, and we learn more about them as the story progresses, and you come to care a lot for them; I was desperate for Pete to be able to survive the book. The fact that you never really find out about what the mist or the ghosts are, how they came to be or why, makes it really fascinating too. Whilst I wanted answers I wasn't upset that I didn't get any as the journey itself was amazing. A must read for horror fans that is full of tension, and great characters, that will leave you stunned.

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Friday, 11 October 2019

Joker – 5 Batman Villains That Deserve A Solo Movie

Originally published on Set The Tape

Joker sees the iconic Batman villain take centre stage as the lead in his own movie. Whilst this isn’t the first time that a comic book villain has had their own film it’s the first time a major Batman villain has. With such a big history and really great villains, surely there are more that can headline their own movie!

Poison Ivy

Botanist Pamela Isely was experimented upon by Dr Woodrue, an insane scientist who transforms himself into a plant monster called the Floronic Man. Woodrue transformed Isely into a metahuman with plantlike abilities, and an immunity to various toxins. Now acting as Poison Ivy, she skirts the line between hero and villain as she tries to protect plants and the environment from humans.

A Poison Ivy film could show this origin, and she could be painted as something of a villain for the majority of the film, as she attacks big companies that are polluting the environment. However, it would be nice to have her end as a more traditional ‘hero’, by her having to save people from Woodrue, getting her revenge against him at the same time.

Whilst DC cancelled the Swamp Thing series early into its run, a Poison Ivy film could definitely have a similar look and feel to this. It could even attract some of the same fans, as Woodrue was actually in the show, played by Kevin Durand. Hell, go so far as to have him play the character again!

Bane

The son of a revolutionary in the South American nation of Santa Prisca, Bane was placed in prison to serve out his father’s sentence following his escape. Bane spent his childhood and adolescence in one of the most brutal prisons on earth, building his incredible physique and keen intellect in order to survive.

Following Bane during his prison years would be so much more interesting than seeing him go up against Batman, as he does in almost every other version of the character. Make a Bane movie as a prison drama. Have him brought in as a young boy, made to serve out his father’s sentence alongside hardened adult criminals. Show an innocent young boy turn into a cold blooded killer as he learns how to survive in hell on earth.

A film about Bane told in this way would be able to highlight not just how brutal and strong the man is, but how he was a victim of his life. He was made into a savage by his environment. Show how this happened to him, and don’t shy away from the brutality of the situation. Let’s see an innocent boy enter prison, and follow his life there until he gets out and begins his journey to Gotham. There wouldn’t be any need to show him go to Gotham and face Batman: end the film with him getting out of prison and setting off there. Not only would this act as a great stand alone film that tells his origins, but he could then be used in a Batman film with a fully fleshed out backstory, as a character that audiences will care about.

The Court of Owls

A relatively new addition to the DC Universe, The Court of Owls are a secret society that has been running Gotham from the shadows for generations. What makes them stand out is their main enforcers, the Talons. The Talons are a group of lethal assassins, and the society has had many over the years. What makes them different, however, is that the Talons have been made close to immortal thanks to strange science.

A Court of Owls movie could focus on a new Talon, a person recruited to fight and kill for the court. This Talon could then try to turn against the Court, and have other, older Talons sent against them to kill them. Whether or not they manage to survive, it’d make for an interesting film to see one of the world’s best assassins fighting undead killers.

Penguin

Whilst a lot of audiences will be familiar with the character thanks to Danny DeVito’s brilliant performance in Batman Returns, this version of the character is actually quite different from the comics. Batman Returns showed him as an outcast mutant living beneath Gotham. Instead of this, make him like his comic counterpart, where he’s just a regular guy.

What’s interesting about a regular guy? Well, not a huge amount, but once you have him being part of a crime empire it starts to get a little more interesting. Introduce him as a low level operator in one of the crime organisations in Gotham, then let him work his way to the top. He can’t be a physically imposing character, so let him plot and scheme his way to the top. Make him Little Finger, but he doesn’t fuck up at the end. Mob movies are always popular, so make a mob movie about the Penguin.

Owlman

Owlman comes from another world, a parallel earth where villains rule instead of heroes. Following the murder of his family, Thomas Wayne Jr. becomes the super-villain Owlman.

Much the same way that Brightburn told a story of an evil Superman, an Owlman movie could do the same thing. Have it follow an almost traditional Batman movie formula, but instead of a hero he’s a villain. He kills to expand his empire, he uses gadgets to commit crimes, and he was behind his parents’ death. Why focus on a hero’s villains when you can make your hero the villain instead?

This is probably one of the hardest sells on this list, but imagine being able to take the DC Universe and flip it on its head. You could show alternate versions of characters that audiences know and love, and add in little hints to other villains such as Ultra-Man. Plus, if ever Warner Bros. wanted the Justice League to fight the Crime Syndicate this could be the perfect set-up movie.

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Thursday, 10 October 2019

X-Men: Dark Phoenix – 5 Times Superheroes Have Gone Bad

Originally published on Set The Tape

Superheroes are often portrayed as larger than life icons of everything good that regular people should look up to and aspire to be. However, writers have made often made a point of showing that these heroes are real people underneath their costumes, and that they can make mistakes. Sometimes this leads to heroes becoming villains themselves. To celebrate the home release of X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Jean Grey’s journey to the dark side, here are five other heroes who went bad.

Warren Worthington III/Angel

Another of the X-Men who became a villain, Angel was one of the original five members of the team, and was a hero for decades. During a crossover event called Mutant Massacre, Warren was tortured and his wings mutilated, leaving him unable to fly. Following this he was captured by the mutant Apocalypse, who offered to restore his wings if he served him. Warren was experimented upon, and given organic metal wings. The experiments also turned his skin blue, and resulted in an extremely aggressive personality. He became the villain Archangel.

Over the years Warren has been able to regain his normal personality and appearance, but Archangel lurks beneath the surface, occasionally breaking free and turning him into a cold blooded killer, and villain, more than once.

Clark Kent/Superboy Prime

The DC Comics multiverse was very complicated, and was streamlined a lot during the event Crisis On Infinite Earths, where a number of other universes were destroyed. One of these worlds was Earth Prime, where superheroes only existed in comics. In this universe a young boy named Clark Kent discovered that he was just like the Superman of comics, and had amazing powers. Unfortunately, during the events of the crisis he lost his world, and ended up trapped in a pocket dimension.

In this dimension he could see into the main DC Universe, and he didn’t like what was happening there. He felt that his sacrifice during the Crisis has been for nothing, and literally punched his way through the dimensional barriers into Earth-One. He helped to instigate the Infinite Crisis and murdered several heroes in the process, including members of the Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, and the Doom Patrol.

Eventually imprisoned by the Guardians of the Universe inside a red sun, and watched over by dozens of Green Lanterns at all times, he broke free and took part in the Sinestro Corps War, where he continued his bloody rampage. Superboy Prime made the ultimate sacrifice to save all of creation, and it ended up twisting him into the very thing he hated the most. He remains one of the deadliest threats within the DC Universe.

Steve Rogers/Captain America

Captain America is one of those heroes who comes to mind as being truly noble. He was made to fight Nazis, has stood up for the downtrodden, and is generally seen as one of the all time good guys. So it’s understandable that fans lost their shit when it was revealed that he was actually working for the Nazi organisation Hydra the whole time when he declared ‘Hail Hydra’.

The comic event Secret Empire revealed that Steve Rogers, who had recently been made young again following his rapid ageing, had been altered in more than one way. It turned out that his arch villain Red Skull had made it so that Cap’s memories were altered, making him believe that he was a Hydra agent.

Whilst this was only a temporary change to the character, and he was soon returned to normal, it was a big moment for comic readers. The incorruptible Steve Rogers had been corrupted, and for some fans this was a storyline too far, and a lot of people took to social media to condemn making the character a Nazi, even temporarily, especially as his creators were Jewish. This storyline was given a slight nod in Avengers: Endgame when Cap uses the phrase ‘Hail Hydra’.

Jean Paul Valley/Batman

During the 1990s Batman was put through one of his toughest storylines in Knightfall, where his back was broken by the villain Bane. Unable to carry on as Batman, Bruce requested that another vigilante, Jean Paul Valley, take on the mantle for him. Jean Paul was the hero Azrael, a former assassin for The Order of Saint Dumas.

When he became Batman, Jean Paul was a lot more aggressive than Bruce, and used a new set of weapons in his mission. He eventually goes on to create a whole suit of armour that’s reminiscent of his Azrael persona, and tells Robin to get lost. This is all thanks to the brainwashing that he was put through by The Order. When he eventually starts letting people die Bruce thinks enough is enough and becomes Batman once again, battling Jean Paul for the mantle. Jean Paul is broken free of his brainwashing and becomes a hero once again, but will always be remembered for that time Batman went bad.

Hal Jordan/Green Lantern

Often referred to as ‘The Greatest Green Lantern’, Hal Jordan was one of the best heroes Earth had to offer until his hometown was destroyed by the villain Mongul, killing millions. Blaming himself for not being strong enough to stop it, or to bring everyone back, Hal gave into his fear and became possessed by the entity Parallax, the embodiment of fear. Parallax travels to Oa, the home of the Green Lanterns, and kills several key members of the organisation, before killing the Guardians of the Universe.

He would reappear a number of times over the years, once trying to wipe out all of time, but eventually Hal was able to break through the evil personality and save Earth by giving his life to reignite the sun. Thanks to it being comics, Hal didn’t stay dead, and is now back being a hero. What makes his story stand out, however, is that it wasn’t revealed that he was possessed for more than a decade and fans were left to believe that everything he did as Parallax was by his own choice.

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Wednesday, 9 October 2019

The Troop by Nick Cutter - Book Review

'For the scouts of Troop 52, three days of camping, hiking and survival lessons on Falstaff Island is as close as they'll get to a proper holiday. But when an emaciated figure stumbles into their camp asking for food, the trip takes a horrifying turn. The man is not just hungry, he's sick. Sick in a way they have never seen before.

'Cut off from the mainland, the troop face a terror far worse than anything they could have made up around a campfire. To survive they will have to fight their fears, the elements ... and eventually each other.'

The Troop by Nick Cutter follows a group of teenage scouts that have travelled out to the remote Falstaff Island in northern Canada. The five teens and their scoutmaster are expecting a weekend of trekking and exploring when their outing is interrupted by a mysterious man with an insatiable hunger.

The initial setup for the story sounded pretty creepy when I came across it, and the back of the book was filled with quotes about how scary it was. Whilst I do enjoy a good bit of horror every now and then I often find that horror books can be pretty hit or miss, so while having good hopes for The Troop was wasn't expecting anything spectacular. Boy, was I so wrong.

I read the entire book in about two days, I couldn't put it down. Nick Cutter manages to craft a narrative that completely hooks you and draws you in, despite it being so disturbing that you kind of want to put it away too.

The basic premise of the book is that Tom Padgett, dubbed 'Typhoid Tom' by the media, is carrying a deadly, man-made contagion to the island. This infection is fast acting and devastating to the body, resulting in a horrific death; it's also highly contagious. What is supposed to be a fun weekend away for the scouts turns into a mix of The Thing and Lord of the Flies as mob mentality and paranoia turns people against each other as they try desperately to survive and make their way off the island.

At first I thought that there was no way the narrative could be held as long as it is, the book is close to 400 pages long and Tom has already reached the island and the group by page 20. The beginning moved so fast that I thought the book would struggle to keep me entertained, that it would either lose momentum or the story would end up stretched too thin. However, Cutter crafts a story that has enough twists and turns in it that the pace manages to feel brisk, even spread over a number of days. He also includes a lot of backstory as the narrative unfolds, revealing more about each of the kids during relevant, related points in the story.

The slow revealing of the kids back stories works really well. At first they're all fairly blank slates without much to distinguish them, but as the story progresses we learn a lot about them not just from their actions on the island, but the small glimpses into their past. Each of the children end up being a lot more complex than initially expected, and the small cast of characters definitely helps with this. Keeping the group small means that every boy has a chance to shine, and you come to learn about and care for each of them, well, maybe not one of them.

Cutter also knows that setting the whole narrative on a small island with a group of kids that doesn't know where this contagion came from or what it is wouldn't work as well on its own, so spaced throughout the books are glimpses at the wider story in the form of news articles, interviews, and congressional hearings. These moments not only give the reader a better background to the infection, but some of the additional content is really disturbing for a number of reasons. Cutter admits in the Afterward that this was inspired by Stephen King, and thanks him for the inspiration.

The infection itself is one of the most disturbing parts of the book, not least of all because it seems so very real. Yes, it's something that exists in the real world that has been manipulated and made into something more than it is, so it's not completely realistic, but the fact that it's even loosely based on reality is frightening. It's disturbing in a visceral way, one that makes your skin crawl and the hairs on your neck stand on end. Body horror where it's otherworldly like The Thing or Alien are horrible yes, but one where its something that can work its way into your body for real, though to a less damaging extent than here, is truly horrifying.

Nick Cutter has managed to craft a story that's not just a intense and engaging character led narrative, but a horror that freaks you out and stays with you long after you've finished the book. Don't read this when you're feeling hungry either as I made that mistake and it made the whole experience a lot worse.

I saw a 5 star review for the book on Good Reads that simply said 'Fuck this book', and I would have to agree with that. In a good way. The Troop is a brilliant example of horror, and I'm damn sure I'm going to be recommending this to any horror fans I know.

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