Fanboys Anonymous

Warner Bros. Pictures has announced that the STILL untitled Superman/Batman movie has had its release date pushed back to May 6, 2016 rather than the July 17, 2015 schedule that had been in the works.

Filling its slot will be a new Peter Pan film directed by Joe Wright.

Ben Affleck supposedly suffered a leg injury, which naturally would have set the Man of Steel sequel back at least a little bit, but previous reports pointed to that time frame being more on par with "several weeks" rather than "several months." Don't they know from The Dark Knight Rises that all you have to do is give Batman a leg brace and he's all healed up? Come on, now.

Dan Fellman (president of domestic distribution) and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg (president of international distribution) made the announcement earlier today.

Fellman: "We are happy to take advantage of these coveted summer dates, which are perfect for two of our biggest tentpole releases. We share the fans' excitement to see DC Comics' most popular figures, Superman and Batman, together on the big screen for the first time, which will now be arriving in theatres in May 2016. Peter Pan has delighted people of every generation for more than a century, so we are thrilled to bring him back to the screen next summer for today's moviegoers."

Kwan Vandenberg: "We know that there is already great anticipation building for the next Super Hero film from Zack Snyder, and we are equally eager to see what he has in store for Superman and Batman as they share the big screen for the first time ever. The summer release corridor is also perfect for Joe Wright's ambitious new Peter Pan adventure, reimagining the ageless story of the beloved and forever-young hero for audiences worldwide"

Well this sure sucks for everyone who was eagerly anticipating it, doesn't it? Now that this is happening, Zack Snyder and those involved have even more pressure on them to deliver. If the film ends up being a mess, they'll have no excuses for why they weren't able to pull it off. This will give them more than adequate time to prepare, particularly as they should have been planning a large amount of this when making Man of Steel in the first place.

It makes you wonder just why they're pushing it back so far, too. If Affleck's injury is not that extensive, then this must mean that they realize they hadn't planned ahead and were biting off more than they could chew. Maybe they realized that they had a flawed concept and needed to change their direction?

How do you think this is going to affect the film and the franchise in general? Is 2016 too late of a start to get the ball rolling for the Justice League series? Is this just another example of how DC Entertainment is nowhere near the same boat as Marvel when it comes to planning their film universe?

Yeah, about that whole "2015" thing...sorry, Batman/Superman fans!

Batman/Superman will be directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer. Produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, and Wesley Coller as executive producers. Starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Laurence Fishburne, and Amy Adams.

Hello once more, Fanboys and Fangirls! Welcome to the end of Dan's and my (Orion's) Moon Knight article series, and congratulations for sticking it out this far! In Part 1, we introduced you to Marvel's Fist of Khonshu, and in Part 2, we talked about our absolute favorite Moon Knight stories for you to check out in preparation for March 5th's all-new Moon Knight monthly ongoing comic book series by creative all-stars Warren Ellis, Declan Shalvey, and Jordie Bellaire. Finally, we'll get to talk about a few of Moon Knight's mention-worthy appearances in other comics and entertainment avenues and present our individual perspectives on a fan debate that has long plagued the legacy of Moon Knight. Let's get to it, then!

The Mentionables
by Orion

After everything we just went over, there's more? Oh yes, there's a lot more to Moon Knight that what we've covered in this article series, but we can't cover it all—and not all of the stories and series are sure fan favorites. There are series worth—and not worth—an honorable mention, despite their relative inferiority to Dan's and my favorites.

For instance, we have Moon Knight's run in the Secret Avengers (first series). Just as with the main Shadowland event book, Moon Knight is pushed to the side of the team to make room for a core group of characters in the spotlight. I only followed Secret Avengers in its early days for Moon Knight (and later on for Agent Venom in the team's second roster), so you can imagine how miffed I was when he got only one or two lines in per issue and little to no development. There may have been a few redeeming factors about his inclusion in the series, and I liked the series overall, but Secret Avengers just doesn't rank up there with the likes of the third series and Vengeance of the Moon Knight.

Additionally, Brian Michael Bendis' twelve-issue monthly Moon Knight (fourth series) deserves another honorable mention. At the time this series was coming out, I hated it. I firmly believe that Bendis can't write Moon Knight or Venom, and the pace at which this story was told over the span of its monthly publication didn't do it justice.


Having reread it, though, I'll give Bendis some credit. He presents a solid story, and it's enjoyable when read in one or two sittings. It loses points, however, in the classic Moon Knight department. None of Moon Knight's supporting characters were present; the setup that Bendis intended the series to do for the "Age of Ultron" cross-title event was completely unused within that event, which was a catastrophe in and of itself; Marc's struggle with Khonshu felt completely forgotten about; and all of his main alternate personalities besides Marc Spector—including Jake Lockley and Steven Grant—were utterly replaced by Spider-Man, Captain America, and Wolverine mimic personalities. He even had Buck Lime (a new supporting character) create web swingers, a star-spangled energy shield, and retractable claws for whenever he switched personalities in combat. I like my Moon Knight to stay as he is and not try to copy other heroes, thank you very much, Bendis.


Aside from the comics, though, Moon Knight has three video game appearances worth a mention, plus an upcoming appearance that will surely impress. Moon Knight's very first appearance in video games was as a playable character in the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance game, exclusively for the Xbox 360, PS3, and Wii. Unlike other playable characters, Moon Knight only got three alternate costumes as opposed to four (including his neoclassical silver suit, the Ultimate Moon Knight suit, and the Fist of Khonshu suit; see above). This game is definitely worth picking up if not for the playable Moon Knight, though.



Moon Knight also makes an awesome appearance as an NPC ally in Spider-Man: Web of Shadows for the Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and PC, complete with his Moon Copter and craziness for Khonshu. He has a pretty bad-ass design for this game, too and was planned to have been possessed by a symbiote like other supporting heroes and villains in the game, but only the concept art for symbiote Moon Knight made the cut and was featured in the game's end credits.



The Lunar Crusader also got his own themed table for Marvel's Pinball FX 2 and Zen Pinball 2 game app series for Android, Xbox Live, Microsoft Windows, Wii U, PS3, PS4, and PS Vita as a part of the Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue expansion pack. The game features some of Moon Knight's classic villains, including Bushman, Midnight (the son of Midnight Man), Morpheus, and the Black Spectre, as well as the Vengeance of the Moon Knight design of Khonshu. The table is incredibly fun and full of classic Moon Knight dialogue and banter.

Moon Knight is set to make his debut in Marvel's second MMO game, the Marvel Ultimate Alliance-esque Marvel Heroes, on the PC as a purchasable hero. No details about the character have been released yet, but you can preorder him as part of a Deluxe Advance Pack for $129.99 or a Standard Advance Pack for $99.99, depending on how many other yet-to-be released playable characters you're willing to preorder. I'm going to wait until late February—his estimated release date in line for Game Update 2.3, and most definitely after their next hero release: Nightcrawler—and hopefully he'll only cost 400 Eternity Splinters (in-game collectible currency), which I have already accrued thanks mostly to the recent Holiday Event.


Other honorable mentions include Moon Knight's unlockable and playable minifigure in LEGO Marvel Superheroes for pretty much every last- and next-gen gaming platform on the market, and his playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online for PC and OS X. The former appearance is only exciting for Moon Knight's minifigure design and unique crescent throwing darts, but otherwise he didn't get his own voice actor or any special moves outside of throwing his darts (he was pretty much your basic brawler). I can't attest to his gameplay in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online as I don't care to even try it (even if it has my two favorite Marvel vigilantes—Venom and Moon Knight—as playable characters).

Moon Knight doesn't appear in any TV shows, movies, or animations, but Marc Spector was mentioned by name as an expert on werewolves in the short-lived 2006 Blade: The Series TV show. A Moon Knight TV series was announced in 2006 as being in production, but the project fell through, and there has since been no news on the subject. Hopefully Marvel's deal with Netflix will shine a light on our Lunar Avenger for any future live-action show plans, but outside of TV, video games, and comics, you'll find little else across entertainment sources.

Now to the end of our exhaustive article series. Before we release you, though, there's a small debate we'd like to address about a stereotype concerning…

Moon Knight vs Batman
Dan's Perspective

One argument that I've seen raised quite a lot is the comparison between Moon Knight and DC's original emo child, Batman. I really must say that having paid more attention to the tone in which the subject was raised, I have no sympathy for those sorts of temper tantrums. By all means have your own preferences, but don't berate the preferences of others, right? So, when Orion suggested that we should make our own comparisons as completely biased judges on the matter, I agreed in a heartbeat!

I like Batman, I really do, but it would be false of me to say that I know my DC comics. It would otherwise be a more accurate statement if I were to say that I prefer the concept of Batman to many past series that have used it. I love some of the comics, and I love the Keaton and Bale movies. To compare Bats with the White Knight, however, is nothing more than a pissing contest.

First, the opposing Knights have completely different origins. Bruce Wayne may have been guided onto the path of vigilantism after the murder of his parents, but he wasn't a mercenary, and he didn't die at the hands of a tyrant in order to be resurrected by an ancient Egyptian god and become a living specter of bloody vengeance. Batman may be the alter ego of Bruce Wayne, but Marc Spector himself is almost mythical, like The Usual Suspects' Keyser Söze, as the alter ego of Moon Knight has come to dominate his own reality.

In favor of Moon Knight having similarities to Batman, yes, he has several vehicles resembling Batman's; you could compare the Crescent Dart to the Batarang. Ooohh, and he has a cape (actually a cloak). Well, take a look around the comic book industry. Capes and cloaks are very bloody fashionable, as are signature weapons. You won't be seeing Batman carrying a pistol, a pair of spiked brass knuckles, or a set of Hellraiser-style hooks and chains anytime soon, though. Plus, Batman dresses to blend in with the shadows; Moon Knight wants you to see him coming.


As a friend once defined the Rocky movies: it may not be the very first boxing/blood sport movie, but it's the first of its kind—a successful blueprint that has been drawn upon ever since by other filmmakers looking to ensure popularity and success. Unlike Marvel's Deadpool being compared with DC's Deathstroke (because Wade is way more entertaining and successful than Slade), Moon Knight being called a second-rate Batman is damaging to his reputation.

There will always be similarities in comics, and you can't just thank Superman and Batman. Much of the source material in this grand arena has come from ancient legend and mythology since day one. Such is the fantasy element of comic book superheroes. However, Moon Knight is truer to those sources than Batman, and he always has been. If anything, I'd compare similarities with Spawn and Grendel Prime.

So as for aesthetic similarities, there are very few! Superhuman similarities? Also very few. One of the few instances in which Batman would prove superior to Moon Knight is that although Moon Knight may be impervious to most things when the moon is full, Batman's plot armor makes him untouchable. Just as well, Moon Knight had the ability to see into the future, and he'd have seen his fans laughing off troll nerds so long as this silly argument continues to exist!

Orion's Perspective

There's so much that could be said in Moon Knight's defense against this accusation. I could write a whole essay on the topic, but I think we've tested your patience and eyesight long enough, so I'll try to keep this short for sanity's sake.

Okay, they do look like twins in these examples. I'll give you that much.

I think the biggest issue for accusers to get past is the appearance of similarity between Moon Knight's and Batman's alter egos. When he's not dressed in black, Batman is Bruce Wayne: a millionaire playboy philanthropist (to borrow from Marvel's The Avengers film). When he's not dressed in white, Moon Knight is usually (classically) one of two characters, the most predominant being Steven Grant: a millionaire philanthropist (playboy exclusively to Marlene—not counting Echo in the fourth series). It's easy to say Steven—who is the younger of the two in publication history—is Marvel's copy of DC's Bruce, but that's where their similarities in alter egos end.

Bruce was born into his family wealth and almost naturally developed his philanthropy from it; Marc Spector wasn't born Steven Grant, nor was he born into wealth and philanthropy. Marc grew up relatively poor in a highly religious household, which he had selfishly rejected for violence and fortune. It wasn't until after his experience in the desert with Khonshu that he decided to turn his life around. He created Steven to be the man he knew Marc could never be: a caring, cultured, honorable man. He invested his riches as Steven (initially)—a false identity—not as Marc.

When it all boils down, the Moon Knight versus Batman debate is just silly. To say one copies the other is equivalent to throwing stones in a glass house. You want to talk about characters copying other characters? Batman was influenced heavily by pulp classic characters like the Shadow, Zorro, and the Black Bat—from whom he also borrows his thematic vigilantism! It all comes down to influence, not blatant imitation. Even Moon Knight borrows influence from the Shadow: they're both men with regrettable, violent pasts that define them and their mission to better themselves. They both become grim vigilantes with low-level superhuman abilities derived from their defining origin stories. No matter what they do, though, they can't seem to shake the violent history, and they both have a singular, attractive love interest as partners in (and victims to) their vigilantism. Also, that whole thing about the New 52 Joker cutting off his own face and wearing it? Totally a Moon Knight move.

Granted, Marc was wearing Bushman's face.

Influence: it defines every mainstream and derivative character in pop culture. Get over it.

In Closing: Defining the Character of Moon Knight
Review by Dan

There are a lot of contrasts between Moon Knight’s solo series and his spells with Heroes for Hire and the Secret Avengers, and that's because, quite frankly, so many so-called heavy hitters are intellectually so far behind that Moon Knight would make most of their solo adventures look like child's play. They often are, but that's the biggest reason I can think of why you want to pick up Ellis' Moon Knight series this year. When a legend such as this states that he's going to redefine a character he’s loved from an early age, you know you have a lot to look forward to, and something that will be a serious contender with Marvel's big-name superhero books. Moon Knight will not be the watered-down version you may see in team features such as the ones I've mentioned.

Another comparison I wanted to make, and another reason I've enjoyed Moon Knight so much, is in regard to the villains of Moon Knight's colorful yet shady history. With Moon Knight being the ray of sunshine that he is (sarcasm), it's only sensible that a hero of any kind has a contrasting villain. True to character, Moon Knight, Marc Spector, Jake Lockley, and Steven Grant all seem to have had their own defining nemeses, but four stick out in my mind: Shadow Knight, the Profile, Midnight, and Bushman. All of them are intriguing and uniquely dangerous characters in their own right, especially in the eyes of our titular hero.

When you look at Shadow Knight specifically, he is a personal demon of the highest order: he's Marc's own brother, psychotically driven to find ways to kill him and take his place and power. For how crazy and sometimes demonic as Moon Knight may appear to the heroes of Marvel, he's a sweetheart in comparison to the religiously-brainwashed Randall, but the theatrical similarities and contrasts make for great comic mythology. That's a villain who cuts closer to the bone than the likes of Red Skull, Loki, or Norman Osborn could ever hope to achieve, and one who perfectly defines the necessity for a dark hero such as Moon Knight. I was reminded of that scene in the Michael Shannon movie, The Iceman, where Richard visits his brother in prison, who tells him he'll never be a true father and husband because of the monster that he really is underneath. That may ring very true of Steven Grant because of Marc Spector.

2014 could be a great year for Marvel fans, and I hope that Ellis's Moon Knight #1 marks the beginning of a long ongoing series. The chances are that if you've never read a Moon Knight comic in your life, you'll be able to start here and never look back. However, I recommend that you do look back. Moon Knight really has so much to offer, especially if you're looking for that perfect medium between glorified heavy-hitters and non-powered street-level characters; a dark and troubled personality that shines brighter than some of your most popular heroes!

Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! Did you survive to the end of this article? Are you excited to jump into Moon Knight's world? What are some of your favorite Moon Knight moments? Drop us a comment below, and let us know how we did! If you missed out on reading Parts 1 and 2, you can reach them here and here. Thanks again for sticking with us, and we hope you've found a new legacy to follow with us!

I'm only gonna warn you guys once: there will be MAJOR spoilers revealed in this review. Avert your eyes if you haven't read the book yet and want to be surprised. Last chance: look away!

At the end of The Superior Spider-Man #24, SpOck (Spider-Ock) embraced the power of the symbiote as the Superior Venom. When Mary Jane realized he was under the symbiote's influence once more, she put in a call to the Avengers to warn them of the danger. As this issue opens, Dan Slott, Christos Gage, and Humberto Ramos throw us right into the start of what readers have been waiting for since the beginning of the series: SpOck's throw-down with his fellow Avengers as the Superior Venom. It's clear that SpOck is tired of playing goody two-shoes with the Avengers and having them meddling in his battles. Lucky for him, the Avengers take his degrading banter in stride, believing him to have lost complete control of himself due to the symbiote. What a nice way of letting the wolf in sheep's clothing deliver his roast with the promise of a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Meanwhile, Roderick Kingsley—the Hobgoblin—is attempting to salvage his criminal operation from the utter shambles it has become under the Green Goblin. As he decides to take advantage of SpOck's distraction with the Avengers, the Superior Venom takes the battle to the next level by deploying his army of minions and Arachnauts to his location and declaring war against the Avengers. Oh yay, another war involving the Avengers! [He says, sarcastically.] Unknown to SpOck or his minions is the Goblin Knight (Phil Urich, formerly another Hobgoblin), who's taken to spying on Spider-Island's operations for the Goblin Nation.


We're then moved over to the Goblin Nation side of the story, where the Green Goblin and Menace introduce the captured-then-turned Carlie Cooper as their newest goblin to the ranks, Monster. The Green Goblin tries to get Monster to spill the beans on Spidey's identity, but Carlie is as smart as Slott lead us all on to believe, and she refuses to reveal that secret without the Green Goblin revealing his secret identity to her in exchange. Whoever this Green Goblin is, he isn't stupid, either, and has Menace take Monster out on a mission as a test to see where Carlie's loyalties lie. I have to admit, I do like the cat-and-cat game that's developing between the Green Goblin and Carlie. I'm putting my money on Carlie still being in control of her faculties despite her new form as Monster, so now it's a matter of who will blink first.

Now, here comes the part I really liked. Back at ground zero for the Avengers vs. Superior Venom war, Captain America realizes that SpOck and his forces are just too much for his current team of Avengers to take on, so he puts out a call for help to other Avengers in the area. Iron Man responds, but Cap reroutes him onto another important issue: finding Flash Thompson. He reveals Flash's Avenger status (he once was a part of Cap's Secret Avengers black ops team) and secret identity (Agent Venom) to Tony, and figures maybe Flash could reveal how he was separated from the symbiote, which would turn the tide of the battle. I just love that Slott and Gage remembers Agent Venom as a Secret Avenger, and that Cap and Flash share a history. It's like they really do care about those of us, Venomaniacs, who care about cross-title continuity concerning Venom.

How exactly does she see through that hood?

Iron Man tracks Flash (who's still dying) to Parker Industries where he and Dr. Wirtham (a.k.a. Cardiac) are receiving medical attention from Sajani (see the last review). When he arrives, he manages to patch up Dr. Wirtham from the damage to his mesh-skin-thingy he received in his tussle with the Superior Venom. Poor Flash gets another taste of the Parker luck when he realizes his secret identity had been revealed to Iron Man, too, and resigns himself to his fate with an "oh well" of sorts. I guess this means the "secret" part of Agent Venom's entire mythos is pretty much a moot point by now.

Meanwhile, SpOck's reputation with the citizens of New York City is circling the drain as they realize how corrupt their friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has become. Finally, people are starting to react to SpOck's reign of terror! Just as many of us who've been following The Superior Spider-Man since issue #1 have been saying alongside Slott, SpOck's kingdom is at last crumbling around him. There's a fat chance he could possibly make it up to everyone after everything.

We jump again to Menace and Monster's exploits, through which the Goblin Knight reveals his new flag colors to Roderick, his old employer. Then we're taken back to the big battle, in which the Superior Venom continues to vent his mental superiority and picks off the Avengers one by one. Flash lands a successful surprise blow in Iron Man's armor as Tony distracts SpOck (yet another suit for Flash to joy ride? Ugh), but when Flash tries to entice the symbiote to return to him, it rejects him and takes complete control of SpOck. Apparently, the symbiote still has some hard feelings for Flash's use of chemical drugs to control it. Again, it's as though Slott and Gage did their homework with the Venom series because they really care for the fans! [Aw, stop making me blush!]

SpOck realizesthat the symbiote had been playing coy all along and attempts to fight it. Just as he begins to lose against its influence [ready for the big BANG?], in steps Peter Parker (in astral form) to lend a helping hand! Marvel's prodigal son returns from the land of the dead! Now, this would've been an even bigger deal if Marvel hadn't previously revealed that an All-New Amazing Spider-Man series featuring good ol' Peter Parker was coming soon, but then I remembered: Marvel loves to spoil surprises days or weeks in advance. Oh well, cat's out of the bag.

Yep, it looks like Peter's ghost survived SpOck's mindwipe and had been in hiding the entire time, gathering his strength for the right moment. Peter manages to avoid detection while helping SpOck fight the symbiote and win against it. Flash reunites himself with the symbiote, becoming Agent Venom once more, and all is well in the world again. Well, not quite, actually. To save face for everything he said and did as Agent Venom, SpOck plays coy with the Avengers, explaining his strange behavior in the past few months was a result of being under the influence of trace amounts of the symbiote infection from his and Agent Venom's last battle (in Venom #4, apparently).

I, too, call bullshit.

Then we skip over to the Goblin Nation, where the Green Goblin reveals his tinkering with Roderick's business to him and declares a War of the Goblins [yay, yet another war]. After that, we return to Mary Jane's story, in which Captain Yuri Watanabe (a.k.a. the Wraith) releases her from custody with a warning for MJ and Peter. MJ rushes home, where Peter (SpOck, not the real Peter) surprises her, sings the same tune he sang to the Avengers, and wins her trust back.

Finally, at the Avengers Tower, the Avengers plus Agent Venom collectively call bullshit on SpOck's cover story. Agent Venom tries to use his connection to the symbiote to find out any info it may have learned while bonded with SpOck, but after finding only an inexplicable static from its memories, he bids adieu and takes off for Philadelphia, where he says he has business to take care of. Hopefully he's referring to his sidekick Mania's situation, but I have a feeling we won't find out in the time between this issue and his debut in Guardians of the Galaxy in April. Just as well, too; this is the "Venom fan luck" at work. The issue ends with Iron Man checking up on the tests the Avengers had previously conducted on SpOck and finding nothing because the files had been erased by the hero in question, and with Cap issuing an arrest on Spider-Man.

Woof! What an intense final issue to "Darkest Hours," huh? So much has happened in this story arc that I'm still reeling. Flash learned that without the symbiote he would die, adding on a whole new layer to Agent Venom's story; the citizens of New York City and the Avengers are no longer accepting SpOck's bullshit; the Goblin Nation is on the verge of its big reveal; and Peter Parker's ghost/consciousness still lives. So many feels, but as I am a Venomaniac and the only reason I've reviewed this story arc out of all of the others in The Superior Spider-Man is for Agent Venom's involvement, I'll rate this book and the story arc as a Venom fan.

Slott and Gage earn a bunch of brownie points for their homework on Agent Venom—particularly for his mentioning his new home and exploits in Philly and Flash's understanding of his relationship with the symbiote. Their Flash Thompson really feels like the Flash Thompson I knew from Venom, which is remarkably good on their part considering the absolute manhandling of Agent Venom in his other team book, Thunderbolts. Thankfully I had a sense of security on Agent Venom's part due to his imminent membership with the Guardians of the Galaxy, but the additional angle of Flash's fragility without the symbiote kept me on my toes.

No it won't. Not for me, that is.

They lose points, however, with their further muddying of Agent Venom's continuity. First off, even if SpOck retained Peter's memories of his first encounter with Agent Venom in Venom #4, Spider-Man didn't know at that time that the hulked-out Venom he was fighting was Agent Venom and, by extension, Flash. As far as Spidey is concerned, their very first encounter was in Carnage U.S.A., and even then they didn't have a tussle by which Slott/Gage/SpOck could excuse himself for his bad behavior. Also, what's the symbiote's deal? Does it love Flash or still hate him for his abuse? I thought they had already had a heart-to-heart and come to an understanding near the end of Venom? What happened to Eddie Brock, a.k.a. Toxin, stalking Agent Venom and keeping an eye on him? Where was Broxin (as we Venomaniacs endear him) when the symbiote jumped onto Spidey and went on a rampage, huh? What about Mania; where is she during all of this? I thought Flash had promised her he would devote himself to helping her out with her demonic possession problem? Unfortunately, this story arc spawned (hah!) more mind-boggling continuity questions than we had at the end of Venom. What sucks the most is that these questions may never be answered, and poor Broxin and Mania will still linger in comic book limbo after this.

Did "Darkest Hours" satisfy my symbiotic needs? Yes, absolutely. I'm still miffed, though, with the way Agent Venom was handled in the end. As for the continuation of the main Superior Spider-Man plots, I can honestly say I'm satisfied. I'm disappointed Anna Maria, SpOck's new girlfriend and the best thing to happen to this series, didn't make an appearance in this issue, but I suspect she'll return with a vengeance in the next issue. Let's just hope SpOck doesn't go and ruin it by hanging around with MJ again. I want to savor this SpOck/Anna Maria thing as long as it will last (which is probably for another six issues before the series ends). I give The Superior Spider-Man #25 a whopping 5 out of 5 stars for an explosive ending (figuratively speaking), and I give "Darkest Hours" in its entirety gets 4.5 out of 5 stars for a mildly entertaining story with enough Agent Venom and Superior Venom to keep me turning the page.

Let's hear it, Fanboys and Fangirls! Do you think I rated "Darkest Hours" fairly? What were your hopes and fears for this story arc, and what are you looking forward to as we approach the end of an era? Leave a comment below, and I'll see ya' around! (If you missed out on the previous reviews, check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 by clicking on them.)

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Daniel Radcliffe has come a long way from little Harry Potter. Now we see him play a young doctor alongside Jon Hamm (from Mad Men) in Season 1 of the dark Russian comedy, A Young Doctor's Notebook, originally written by Mikhail Bulgakov. Based on Wikipedia, this television series was to be broadcasted by Sky Arts December 6–27, 2012, but the company Ovation began airing it on October 2, 2013. Its second season began on November 21, 2013.

Jon Hamm and Daniel Radcliffe standing side-by-side as the older doctor and the younger doctor.

Opposite Hamm, Radcliffe plays a newly graduated doctor who is trying to make it in a deserted village in ice cold Russia. Even though the village is small, the problems are big! Hamm plays the older version of the doctor.

In the first episode, the show begins with Hamm, the older doctor, sitting in his office in Moscow in 1934 while soldiers go through his things. From this, Fanboys and Fangirls, we can assume that the doctor is being searched for some reason, obviously not a good one! In this scene, the older doctor finds the notebook he kept as a young doctor, and he begins telling us his story:

Jon Hamm a.k.a. Don Draper

"They say happiness is like good health, you don't notice it until its's gone. Me, I was happy in 1917. I've not long graduated from the Imperial Moscow University of Medicine and Dentistry until I was sent to the old village of Murjevo to run a hospital. It was a long and arduous journey."

Then we meet the younger doctor played by Radcliffe. First, we see him in a horse-buggy being taken to the hospital where he will station. It is freezing and snowy, yet he still tries to smoke a cigarette. We will later see throughout the show that this is his addiction, among other things.

When the younger doctor arrives at the hospital, the staff do not believe that the flimpsy, small, young man is actually the doctor and are shocked. Of course, at this scene you can't help but think of Radcliffe as little Harry Potter and remember how no one ever took him seriously as well. Then, again we see Hamm showing up in the scenes—only visible to Radcliffe—as a guardian of the younger doctor, who is actually himself in the past. Putting Hamm and Radcliffe together and making us think they are the same person is quite a longshot.

Daniel Radcliffe--the grown-up Harry Potter

The younger doctor settles in by episode 2, and we see a shift in the character. In my opinion, Radcliffe makes this shift very subtly and professionally. Although there are some bloody scenes that might make your insides squirm, it seems that Radcliffe grows as an actor as his character develops as a doctor.

In episode 3 we see that the older doctor has a morphine addiction. Throughout this episode Radcliffe plays a depressed, more bitter and less motivated younger doctor. Unlike in Harry Potter, Radcliffe plays more of a pessimistic character in this show. We slowly see how the younger doctor gets sick and decides to use morphine one day.

In the last episode of season 1, episode 4, we see the older doctor getting caught by soldiers as he shoots up morphine. Other than that, the scene goes back to the younger doctor, and we see him doing more and more complex operations such as delivering babies and treating syphilis patients.

Season 2 consists of four episodes that are not quite as intriguing or entertaining as those of the first season. If you're in for some more gruesome scenes that are bloody and dark, then you're set for a treat. Generally speaking, however, there isn't that much to look forward to. The younger doctor becomes more of a morphine fiend while the older doctor tries to save himself from his addiction.

According to IMDB, the show was given an 8.0 out of 10. The episodes from season 1 and season 2 of A Young Doctor's Notebook shows us, Fanboys and Fangirls, how the kid playing Harry Potter has grown into a more revered and mature actor. Playing a part such as this does show that he has matured. Yet I still can't get the image of Harry Potter out of my mind for some reason.

The New York Times says that this television show is considered to be one of those based on serious literature. Alongside HBO's Parade's End and other shows like Game of Thrones, this show stands out on American television simply for being a serious adaptation of serious literature. Also, the show is based on the autobiographical stories of the Russian writer Bulgakov. I suppose that would make it seem a little bit more realistic. Otherwise I found the material to be too sarcastic and surreal, especially during the scenes where the doctor does operations. As the audience we do not really receive a grasp of how the doctor feels or what he thinks. The show may have tried to do so by showing the doctor at different stages of his life, but using two very different people to play those parts just does not help make the point.

In the second season, Radcliffe's acting does not change so much because the character does not progress. Overall, as stated by the Telegraph:

A gruesome scene from the second season with the younger doctor operating.

"A Young Doctor’s Notebook was a pacy, ribald and often queasy romp, as Radcliffe grappled with gruesome operations, including a particularly blood-soaked amputation, while descending into addiction to the painkiller morphine. Hamm, meanwhile, was shown either in slapstick tussles with his younger self, or in the future, as a hopeless drug addict who bleakly confronts the horror of those youthful choices as he faces arrest."

In my opinion, the only interesting part of this show is the cast. Where else could we have seen Harry Potter and Don Draper come together? Don't you all agree, Fanboys and Fangirls? Watch the show and tell us what you think below and on our Facebook page!

"Holy This Hasn't Happened Yet, Batman!" I'm not sure why but when I found this news, I hadn't realized that I never realized that this hasn't happened yet!

The beloved 1966 Batman television series, blanketed with pastel pink & purple backgrounds, knockout gas, and costumes, is heading to DVD. The huge camp cult hit, which only grows in popularity every year, starred Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin, respectively. On the crazy, off-chance you have never actually seen an episode, do yourself a favor and order this set. Each episode was a two-parter, with the first ending in a cliffhanger as our heroes were tied up in some kind of death trap. The second episode always began with the duo escaping in the most outlandish, impossible way.

"If only I could just get the (blank) across the room to (blank) before the (blank) decapitates us, we can escape," Batman would sputter, while Robin struggled by his side. "That is impossible," you would mutter to yourself as the intrepid viewer, before exclaiming "Holy crap, they did it!" as the heroes escaped just in time thanks to the help of daily flossing and the scientific findings of Copernicus. What? Exactly. The show is amazing.

The series only ran from 1966 to 1968 but spawned a nationwide "Batmania" that skyrocketed comic books sales and West, Ward, and their costars' night lives to "Frank Sinatra" proportions. It was many people's first introduction to Batman, and the character has been clawing his way back to respect ever since. The Tim Burton movies were a great start, only to be ruined by the return to camp via Joel Schumacher's films. Now, with Christopher Nolan's films carving a new template for the hero, the '66 Batman series is finally being viewed as the hilarious joke it was intended to be.

No word yet on the size and scope (or cost) of the DVD set, just that it will be released in 2014. The news broke when late night talk show host Conan O'Brien tweeted the news to his almost 10 million followers.

The key to this set is going to be fan nostalgia, and that means DVD extras. Behind the scenes footage, interviews, lost episodes, and bonus content (perhaps a Riddler game using all Frank Gorshin's actual riddles throughout the series?).

Aside from the kneejerk "yay" reaction, are you excited to get this DVD set, or is it too little, too late in the digital age? Comments below!

What happens when Nintendo takes some of its early NES video games, throws them into a blender, and spins them around? You get one of the most interesting Nintendo eShop games, NES Remix.

Rose Colored Let's Play!! NES Remix

On this episode of Rose Colored Let's Play!! I will take a look at what the Big N has concocted and whether this game is worth your time and money.

Also, please pay very close attention at the top of the video for a special message about an upcoming charity event hosted by our own Chris Dace.



If you like what you see, then please like, comment, share, and subscribe!

Check out Episode 30 of The Dace Man Show live from the Nation's Capital with regulars Dace and Gibby as well as the returns of Frank Ward, Nikki Mills, Travis Goss, and London himself Michael Burhan!!!

Join The Dace Man this week as he breaks down the following:

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NFL Playoffs heat up and we've got the touchdown…see what I did there?

• Current NHL Leaders…It's not maple syrup, I'm being told.
• The Los Angeles Dodgers and Clayton Kershaw have agreed on a seven-year, $215 million deal.
• Charlie Manuel has been hired as a senior advisor to Phillies General Manager Ruben Amaro 

 ::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• Let's see if we can get through this with all staff on deck.

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• [Maniacal laugh]

::CELEB NEWS::

• Trace Adkins falls off the wagon and beats the beejeezus out of a Trace Adkins Impersonator.
• US military launches an investigation after a pictures from 2004 surface of marines burning the bodies of Iraqi insurgents. 
• Kanye West beats up an 18-year-old after a racial slur as Kim K. watched.
• Gov. Chris Christie comes under fire for bridge closure.
• OctoMom charged with felony welfare fraud
• Beiber's house gets raided. Lil Za busted for cocaine.

Plus the High Five: Top 5 Tourist Attractions and The Douche Bag of The Week. All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show!



Step onto the crazy train with Chris "The Dace Man" Dace and crew only on The Dace Man Show…cue the "Final Countdown"!!!

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A masked vigilante known only as X dispenses justice without mercy to the criminals who rule the decaying city of Arcadia. When muckraking blogger Leigh Ferguson snoops down the wrong alley, she gets swept into X’s bloody war with a politically powerful crime lord!

That is the solicitation for tomorrow's release of Dark Horse Comics' X Volume 1: Big Bad.

Maybe only a few of you out there know of this character, but when 2013's series marked his return, he made waves. Even having never known or heard of X, I'm not surprised. With writer Duane Swierczynski and artist Eric Nguyen pulling gears, this hooded and caped vigilante—dubbed Dark Horse's most brutal and exciting character—should be on the radar of comic fans, especially those leaning towards darker antiheroes.


So who is X?

A vigilante based in the fictional city of Arcadia, the amnesiac citizen John Smith 24—injected with an experimental serum before he lost his memories of who he was—was supposedly killed and his body dumped in the river at the orders of crime boss Carmine Tango.


Some time later the dark vigilante, marked by a red "X" across his mask, appears in Arcadia, brutally battling it out with the city's organised crime elements. This character has the power to heal, but also possesses a sort of "blood memory," meaning that his body remembers every injury he sustains and will heal quicker the next time he suffers the same injury.

X is also distinguished by his attitude towards criminals. He gives everyone one chance only, marked by a slash across their face. If they do not change their ways, that slash will become an "X" and he will kill them. As the tagline reads, "Crime doesn't stand a chance!"

Aesthetics-wise, I myself am sold on the amalgam of some badass favourites here—Batman, Black Panther, Deathstroke, and Crossbones. The character is a little moodier than his sources, in fact.

Originally created for Dark Horse in 1993, X was first brought to us by Steven Grant, Doug Mahnke, and Jimmy Palmiotti in the pages of Dark Horse #8. The character's eponymous series ended in 1996, only to be relaunched last year. Despite the massive hiatus, it's safe to say that this otherwise exceeded expectations.


Sound off! Have any of you read X before? Let us know what you think. Comments below and thanks for reading!

Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana have been announced for their return to Pandora for the next three movies in the Avatar franchise.

Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Invision/AP Images

The two stars have signed on to reprise their roles as Neytiri and Jake Sully for three more sequels, Fox announced on Tuesday.

Director James Cameron recruited all-star screenwriters Josh Friedman (War of the Worlds), Shane Salerno (Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem), and duo Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) to collaborate on the screenplays for the next three installments of the award-winning sci-fi blockbuster.

Surprisingly, Stephen Lang—who played Col. Miles Quaritch—is said to also be returning for the next three films, despite his character dying in the first movie. "I'm not going to say exactly HOW we're bringing him back, but it's a science fiction story, after all," Cameron told Deadline.com.

Cameron revealed to the Associated Press last month that the sequels will "create a family epic in the mold of The Godfather that will introduce views to new cultures and go underwater" on the fictional moon Pandora.

With new technology, environments, and creatures across Pandora, the sequels have a lot of room to measure up to the major success of the original.


The three-time Academy Award-winning Avatar, which came out in 2009, remains the highest-grossing movie of all time, bringing in $2.8 billion worldwide according to BoxOffice.com.

Filming for the next three movies will be shot back-to-back in New Zealand, with Avatar II due in theaters in December 2016. Avatar III is scheduled to premiere in December 2017 and the final sequel in December 2018.

Are you looking forward for the return to Pandora in the upcoming sequels? Comment below and let us know.

On January 11–12, Team PIE hosted Defend the North, the first fighting game "major" (or large tournament) held in New York City. The event took place at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel and hosted over 300 gamers. I was only able to attend for the last day of the event, but that was enough time to meet new people, play some casual matches, and spectate at high-level matches.


People who wish to attend a fighting game tournament can either register for the entire tournament, or buy a spectator badge that grants access to the venue to watch matches, play games, and buy merchandise. I missed the first day, so I was only eligible for a spectator badge—or in this case, a wristband. I walked into the ballroom just in time to see the conclusion of the grand finals for King of Fighters. The competitors shook hands briefly and scurried away to earn more money, either by winning at a different game or by playing money matches with anxious challengers. Moments later, a tournament organizer announced that the top 16 competitors for Street Fighter 4 were about to play on the main stage, so I found an open seat with a clear view of the projector screen. The few people I met before Defend the North were in the top 16, so I ended up sitting alone, but that gave me the opportunity to make friends with strangers while we geeked out during the fights.

Image courtesy of Shadiq Williams.

High-level play in the Street Fighter 4 series can be methodical and calculated, requiring anticipation and pixel-perfect precision to maintain an advantage. It can also suddenly turn into a game of cat and mouse because of one mistake that puts you two 50/50 guesses away from death.

Watching the tournaments from home through a computer and being a stream monster is cool, but there's nothing like the experience of being in the audience. Of course, New Yorkers brought the hype train with them to the crowd, which helped some players stay focused and destroyed the morale of others.

Eventually, Team Pie's Zeus won with his patented Vega, the first time a Street Fighter 4 Vega player has won a major in the United States. I think he's the first Vega in the entire world to win a tournament of note. Only players who main Vega would know if this were true, but that's like trying to find a grain of sugar in snow.

Image courtesy of Luciano Alicea.

Next up was the adrenaline rush known as Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and its top 16 did not disappoint. Other tournaments had their share of nerves, but the amount of salt was raised exponentially when this game hit the main stage, as is always the case. For example, take this dandy:



One of the screaming spectators after the round ended is me. Don't worry. I'm too short to be seen in the shot.

UMvC3 featured impressive play from some previously unknown players such as Justin White, Dang, and Punisher. Most people watching Defend The North expected Chris G to win. He did just that by defeating Flocker, the Evolution 2013 champ, in the grand finals. In fact, I'm fairly certain Chris G did not lose one round for the entire top 16. His dominance in UMvC3 is likely to go unchallenged until he gets bored with the game. Unfortunately, I had to leave after Marvel ended to go be a family man.

Defend The North was a great event, and I'm sure it will only grow to become an even larger success next year. My next major of the year will be Atlanta's Final Round XVII. I'll be out of town with nothing to do but game for three days. It shall be glorious.

Until then, fellow geeks.

And as always, please comment if you feel the unmitigated desire to do so.

One of the rumors going around for Avengers: Age of Ultron was that Baron Wolfgang Strucker would be a secondary villain introduced in the film. The theory behind it was that it would be structured similarly to the James Bond film franchise's typical opening pre-credits sequence. A somewhat unrelated (but still at least marginally tied to the rest of the film) action set piece would reintroduce the characters and prevent the movie from having to dive right into exposition. Baron Von Strucker would fill that role and would also be used as a means to bring Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch into the mix.

Well, we now have our Baron Von Strucker: Thomas Kretschmann, who plays Abraham Van Helsing in NBC's Dracula. This guy really likes the "_____ Van/Von _____" names, doesn't he? Maybe he'll be the next Victor Von Doom as well. For those who don't know, Baron Von Strucker is normally an affiliate of the HYDRA organization, which we first saw in Captain America: The First Avenger. It makes sense why they would cast someone like Kretschmann, who has been a Nazi officer in both The Pianist and Valkyrie, so he clearly fits the bill for that look and the mannerisms.

Speculation could easily point to Von Strucker possibly setting up the third Captain America film, so while Kretschmann might not get much screen time in favor of James Spader's Ultron, the way this universe is set up, you can never look past the probability that his character could return in another film down the line. Chances are, Marvel's signed him on for a multi-picture deal, or he may even be someone that could translate over to the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. show to help bridge those films together.

What do you think about this casting decision and on Baron Von Strucker's place in the film in general? Sound off in the comments below!