Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Tuesday, May 13, 2014
As I was saying yesterday, this is the way to release your movie hype: your pace, your footage, your own director taking the pictures himself! Here is an amazing first look at not only the Batmobile but also Ben Affleck's bat suit for the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie!
The Batmobile is less surprising than the batsuit, so let's focus on that! The ears are short and the insignia is huge. This is definitely inspired by The Dark Knight Returns, hinted at by director Zack Snyder months ago. As much as I rag on DC and how I think the handling of this movie may end up going (poorly, in case you were wondering), this is one awesome photo.
Batman vs. Superman stars Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, with Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane reprising their roles from Man of Steel. New to the big screen is Wonder Woman, played by the sexy and currently beefing-up Gal Gadot. Jesse Eisenberg is surprisingly cast as Lex Luthor.
This picture has surprisingly won me over, what do you think? Is Batman too brooding? Is he too heavily contrast to Superman's bright blue and red?
Posted by
Jeff Penner
- Monday, May 12, 2014
Zach Snyder has teased the Batmobile from the upcoming (and currently filming) Batman vs. Superman project! I can't write anymore, look at the pic!
The movie is set to come out against Captain America 3: Electric Bugaloo in 2016, and hype is going to be off the charts for this one. It will be the sequel to Man of Steel, Ben Affleck's first appearance as Batman, the first major movie for Wonder Woman, and the first live action for Aquaman since the WB screwed him up. Also, DC will ram Cyborg down our throats some more while probably adding Green Lantern and potentially showing us that the film is somehow tied to CW's The Flash and Arrow TV series! It's all very exciting, and if it's the train wreck many (who…me?) think it could be, this will be amazing to watch on-screen and off.
Snyder has the right idea though: tidbits. Drop cookie crumbs in your way, on your own social media. I'm sure he needed to get approval for this but as long as the right people listen to the right other people, there's a chance they could keep the potential over-hype controlled. Here is Snyder's tease for possible more:
It looks like it will be a mix of Val Kilmer's Batmobile from Batman Forever and the Tumbler from Batman Begins. The next round of excitement is going to come when Affleck's bat-suit starts making the rounds. For now, the Batmobile is a great start.
What does it look like to you? If you could mash two past Batmobiles together to make the perfect car, which would they be?
Posted by
Unknown
- Sunday, May 11, 2014
The former lead singer of American Rock Band, My Chemical Romance, might be creating a new monthly comic book series. Here is a snippet from his recent blog post:
"A dream of mine that has seemed elusive in the last 5 years has been the possibility of a monthly comic series, and that is starting to look like it is more feasible as I move forward, it just means even less sleep than I am currently getting but I think I'm ok with that."
Source: GerardWay.com
Way's first major comic, The Umbrella Academy, was published by Dark Horse in 2007. It went on to win 2008 Eisner Award for Best Finite Series/Limited Series. Part two, The Umbrella Academy: Dallas came out in 2008, with parts three and four on the horizon.
After My Chemical Romance's album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, Way penned a comic book sequel by the same name. It premiered at Free Book Day 2013 and ran until January 1st 2014 under Dark Horse.
The hint at a new monthly has fans buzzing with excitement. With My Chemical Romance's break-up last year, we can assume that Way will be dedicating more time to his comic book career, and can hope to see many more titles in the future.
What are your predictions for the new monthly? Let us know in the comments below!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
What's happening, peeps? Are you ready for another review of the All-New Marvel NOW! Moon Knight comic book series? Who said you had any choice in the matter? (Well, you're the one holding the mouse or thumbing the touchscreen…so that answers that, I guess.) Let's roll, then!
Warren Ellis keeps up the pace with his one-shot Moon Knight stories in Moon Knight #3, titled "Box," and never ceases to please. It's surprising how little is actually written in these issues as Ellis taps into the artistic synergy of Declan Shalvery and Jordie Bellaire, whose lines and colors, respectively, take the heft of the storytelling. Ellis gives us the bare essentials of the one-off plots and weaves in another morsel of Marc Spector's overarching story before letting Shalvey and Bellaire run free with their talents.
 |
| I feel quite proud of myself for the captioning! |
This issue introduces another stunning new look in Moon Knight's repertoire of costumes: the Egyptian bone armor, which allows Moon Knight to fight otherwise intangible malevolent forces—in this case, the poltergeists of four punk-styled gangsters terrorizing a certain stretch of road in New York City. The visuals of his new costume are absolutely stunning, and I tip my hat to both Ellis and Shalvey. Shalvey had revealed in a few interviews his intensive collaboration with Ellis to get the look for the new costume just right, particularly in the large bird skull mask. The frustration and effort paid off, guys!
I loved this issue the most compared with the past two—which were both great, mind you!—not just because of the new costume, but because Ellis once again draws his inspiration for the story from a classic Moon Knight tale. As soon as I saw the spectral gangsters and the mysterious box on the title page, I immediately recognized the callback to Moon Knight (Volume 1) issues #31–32 and their two-part story written by the Moon Knight-legendary Doug Moench and illustrated by Kevin Nowlan, Terry Austin, and Christie Scheele, "A Box of Music for Savage Studs," and "When the Music Stops…."
The classic tales told the story of Dough Row, a decrepit street in Brooklyn of merchant shops plagued by a gang of teenage punks called the Savage Studs who terrorize the shop owners for money to fund their club dance party. It's a beautifully written, sad story about desperation and broken dreams that not even Moon Knight could fight against to bring peace to Dough Row. The original story was very street level, so there was no supernaturalism to it despite what the cover to issue #31 would have you believe. Although the names and locale were changed in the new story, the memory was still there for Moon Knight's hardcore fans, and it was a very nice nod from Ellis and company.

This issue saw the continuation of the Marc and Khonshu relationship mystery that the first issue had touched upon, but it only gave us enough of a taste of the pie to keep readers hooked. Ellis, Shalvey, and Bellaire continue to prove their worthiness for any Marvel book through Moon Knight, and I only hope we get at least a double-digit run from the current creative team before they pass on the baton.
Moon Knight #3 receives 5 out of 5 stars for both Ellis' writing and Shalvey and Bellaire's art, making this issue a definite must-read for any Marvel fan. Don't forget to check out Moon Knight (Volume 1) #31–32, both of which can be found in the cheap Essential Moon Knight Volume 2 compendium.
If you read this issue as well as its inspiration, how did you feel Ellis and company did with honoring Moench and company? Was that bone armor badass or what? Let us know in the comments section below, and look forward to my next review here on Fanboys Anonymous!
Posted by
Orion Petitclerc
- Saturday, May 10, 2014
Oh no, me again? What more could I possibly do to make your lives any more chock-full of symbiotes? Well, I can definitely talk to you about Marvel's Deadpool Vs. Carnage #3, if you'd like. But as you know, there's always a catch to these reviews—and that catch is a recap of the last issue in this frenetic tour de sang! Let's waste no more time!
In Deadpool Vs. Carnage #2, Cletus Kasady—aka our debonair symbiote, Carnage—proceeds to tear into Deadpool with the assistance of his fan-favorite squeeze, Shriek, after getting his own butt handed to him by the Merc with a Mouth in issue #1. Convinced that Deadpool won't be coming after him anymore, Carnage and Shriek put some miles between them and Deadpool to continue their cross-country murder spree. Deadpool, being Deadpool, pulls himself back together with the help of his mutant healing factor and continues to follow his divine muse through seemingly random signs pointing in Carnage's direction. He meets up with a large fellow named Doverton, who's wearing one of his spare costumes after winning a storage locker full of the Merc's gear in an auction. Together they ride their synchronized crazy wave to locate Carnage. Deadpool gets the drop on Carnage and Shriek on the highway with a large farming tractor, bumping Shriek into yet another coma (sort of… stay tuned) before recommencing his duel with the symbiotic psychopath.
Phew, where was I? Right! Cullen Bunn begins issue #3 by giving us an earful (er, eyeful?) of Deadpool's banter as he exchanges blows with Carnage, downplaying the existence of Carnage's own muse—Chaos—as nothing more than an imaginary friend. Throughout the past three issues, Deadpool has been showing up Carnage's ideals of chaos by literally locating him through order in the form of his divine road map. At every turn, Deadpool is right there waiting for Carnage, and it really shows in Cletus' reactions that this notion of organized chaos is getting to him.
Carnage escapes, dragging Shriek's unconscious body along in some sort of serial killer lover's relationship. (Aaaaw, Bunn finally did what Carnage's fandom has been asking for and shipped the lovely couple!). But none too soon, Deadpool receives another of his divinations, this time foreshadowing the appearance of a particular group of symbiotes that hasn't been seen since Carnage USA. I have to admit, half of the entertainment I get out of this limited series is just seeing how Bunn comes up with ways for Deadpool to get his messages.
Defeated by Deadpool's incessant tracking method, Carnage gives in and decides to ride this organized chaos wave. They end up in the same place together, at which point Deadpool receives a much-needed upgrade in his war with Carnage—which you'll have to find out about by picking up an issue or waiting until my next review! (Option A preferred.)
What more can I say about Bunn's work on this series than what's already been said? Bunn gets Deadpool and Carnage, and he knows what the fans want (at least, I think he does for symbiote fans). Hopefully, this organized chaos plot thread culminates in the next and final issue, and I speak for all of my fellow Venomaniacs when I say I hope we see one or two more special symbiote guests before the grand bloody finale.

Salvador Espin and Glenn Fabry continue to please hemophiliacs with gory and animated art to complement the dark humor Bunn churns out at an alarming rate. I also want to congratulate Espin for managing to make Shriek look like the sexy badass she really is. She hasn't had a great run with Marvel artists when it comes to her feminine charms, but Espin finally delivers Cletus his murderous beauty queen—born from the rags and musk of '90s grunge and metal, and blossoming as a goddess of tempered insanity. Bravo!
Deadpool Vs. Carnage #3 receives 4.5 out of 5 stars for Bunn's writing—which is reduced by half a star only for something that upset me and a few other symbiote fans but which you'll have to read about later—and 5 out of 5 stars for the superb art. Again, I urge you to pick up issues one, two, and three before the fourth comes out on June 4. Don't forget to follow Fanboys Anonymous for more comic reviews by yours truly, and The Venom Site for all of your symbiote news, reviews, and points of views!
Posted by
Mike Paden
- Friday, May 9, 2014
Sand & Snow is a Game of Thrones podcast covering all the weekly happenings in the world of Westeros and beyond! Hyle Snow is a film major who exclusively enjoys Game of Thrones through the HBO television series. Jade Sand is a science major who has also read all of the books in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. Together they gather to discuss and review the latest episode while also comparing it with the books, with their own brand of insight and speculation.
Beware! This podcast is dark and full of spoilers! This show covers all the content up to and including the titled episode of Game of Thrones. It also discusses the details of the book series A Song of Ice and Fire up to the current part of the story that the show has reached. However, there will be no spoiling of anything in the future of the TV series or story within the books.
:: Season 4, Episode 5 ::
"First of His Name"
This week: the crown is placed on Tommen's head; Sansa enjoys lemon cakes at The Vale; and the Night's Watch throws a housewarming party at Craster's Keep.
- Follow the
Sand & Snow Podcast -
Posted by
Jonathan Jackson
Yesterday saw the release of a new trailer for the upcoming Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, showing in cinemas July 2014.
Set over a decade after the events in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the human race is on the verge of extinction after a deadly virus and civil unrest have all but wiped out mankind.
Caesar's nation of genetically evolved apes is threatened by a group of human survivors of the devastating virus led by Dreyfus (Gary Oldman). They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.
Let us know which you prefer, the original series or the reboot? Or, if you're feeling brave, what did you think of the Tim Burton version?