tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80767963268242398392024-03-20T04:54:55.935-07:00Great Scott ComicsWriting comics and blogs about pop culture. Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-47637530747763238652018-05-04T06:27:00.000-07:002018-05-04T06:30:56.904-07:00A Star Wars Story<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Solo:
A Star Wars Story</i> on the horizon, I was thinking back on my first
experience seeing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> in
theaters and how it briefly intersected with my (non) love life in junior high.
But teen romance aside and more importantly; I recall the experiences which
shaped my firm belief that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>
is for everyone, despite any online chatter to the contrary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Enjoy and May the Fourth be with you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">-------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Heading into the seventh grade, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> was my everything. I lived and
breathed those space operas, consuming them in all their forms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">From toys to video games to novels to trading
cards to my fine pewter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire Strikes
Back</i> keychain proudly secured to my school backpack – for a good chunk of
my adolescence my allowance belonged to George Lucas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">I was thirteen, had recently moved to Ohio, and
quickly formed friendships with fellow <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Wars</i> fanatics who shared my obsession. My best friend Richard had a bedroom
the size of a private jet hangar, which housed the largest <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> collection in the Midwest by my guesstimate. A shrine to
all things <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>, it probably
helped fund a good chunk of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Phantom
Menace</i>. I was in paradise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">But <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Wars</i> wasn’t the only thing my life revolved around during this period. I
already possessed a healthy curiosity concerning the opposite sex and it was
rapidly accelerating into hyperspace. All my friends and I ever talked about
was girls and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars </i>and girls. That was it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Light side or dark side? Jenny or
Stacy? Nothing else much mattered to us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Weekend sleepovers were frequent and if we
weren’t watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>, we were dialing
up crush-worthy girls having slumber parties of their own, inviting them into
our world via speakerphone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Not exactly knowing how to talk to girls
without embarrassing ourselves or each other, we mostly let them carry the
conversation. Thankfully they were happy to do so. It was through this that I
discovered who Leonardo DiCaprio was. I hadn’t seen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Romeo & Juliet</i>, but I understood that Leo was a big deal and totally
dreamy. Apparently none of these girls had seen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> because no one on the other end of the line was drooling
over Luke Skywalker from what I could tell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">So you can imagine my excitement when it was
announced that in 1997 the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>
trilogy would be returning to theaters nationwide with brand new Special
Editions. By this point I had just about worn out my THX digitally remastered
VHS box set, so I knew these movies forward and backward, line for line... but
experiencing them on the silver screen with 5.1 surround sound… that was
something I only ever dreamed of!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">What better way to combine our two passions
than by inviting some of our crushes to join us at the local cinema to
share in this experience? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">We got a group together and made arrangements
to meet the girls at the theater. This wasn’t an official “date” or anything.
Just a group of guys and a group of girls hanging out after school. But it was
my first time inviting cute girls to the movies so it felt like training
grounds of sorts. This had all the makings of a night to remember.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">We took our seats, eagerly anticipating the
John Williams score to erupt and the iconic crawl in massive yellow font to
begin scrolling. The girls sat a row behind us, further cementing that this
indeed not in any way a date nor could we even try to pretend that it was. Not
that it bothered me because STAR WARS! The movie began. I was transfixed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">About midway through being fully transported
to a galaxy far, far away, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was Erin. She was
bored and informed me she and her friends were going. I can’t recall if she
asked me to leave with them or not, but I do remember practically waving them
off so I could get back to the action on screen. Truthfully, I was a little
surprised and disappointed but no way was I going to let it spoil the movie for
me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">It was pretty clear there was no use trying
to convince the girls to stay anyway. They were not enjoying themselves and apparently
had wasted enough of their Friday evening on this silly space flick. Even if I
could talk them into staying, it would have detracted from my own enjoyment knowing
they’d rather be somewhere else. It was not at all how I envisioned the night
going, but it was an honest reaction so I couldn’t hold it against them. Their
inner critics had spoken and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>
was not winning them over, Special Edition or not. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Upon exiting the theater and still basking in
the afterglow of having witnessed the Death Star blow up bigger than ever
before, I was struck by a realization. We were split evenly down the middle.
Thumbs up from the guys, thumbs down from the girls. Was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> strictly for boys? It occurred to me that I had never
really met any female <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> fans.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Well, that wasn’t exactly true. There was
Julie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Julie was not friends with these other girls.
She was a little peculiar at times and had a very unique style. In other words,
she did not “fit in.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">We shared a few classes and she knew I liked <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> (the keychain was a dead
giveaway), an easy icebreaker. She once made me laugh in English reading off a
list of reasons why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> was cooler
than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> in every way. At the
time I foolishly believed that you had to choose one over the other and determined
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> was lame by
comparison. I’ve since abandoned that notion but by buying into the rivalry
between the two heavyweight sci-fi franchises, I was able to connect with
someone who spoke the same language.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Julie wasn’t exactly the most
popular girl in school, not that she seemed to care about that sort of thing. If
she did stick out, it was for letting her freak flag fly. For example, she
carried on her a Han Solo action figure, which would ride passenger in the
front pocket of her jeans for all to see as she wandered the halls. I was very
familiar with this toy as I had one of my own. She would pull the figure out
during lunch and prop him up on the cafeteria table, almost as if he were her
lunch date. This naturally led to teasing that Han was her imaginary boyfriend.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Despite her status as an
outcast, I found myself identifying more with Julie than our movie “dates” that
ditched us. Looking back, those girls more closely resembled the “plastics” of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mean Girls</i> while Julie was actually kind
of… cool? Cool for a geek anyway. Hey, wait a minute… did that make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me</i> a geek? Because as we all know, geeks
aren’t cool. At least they weren’t at that time in Ankeny Junior High where
geek was a dirty four-letter word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">The year prior, I attended an
all-boys school and I never thought twice about it. As far as I could tell, all
my peers enjoyed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>, whether
you were “cool” or not. But I was slowly beginning to understand that being a
fan of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> was like a blemish
on your reputation. It wasn't something you talked about if you wanted to
attract girls. Well, unless that girl was Julie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">She had invited me to her
Halloween party a few months prior when I was still “the new kid” and making
friends. Not wanting to go alone, I dragged Richard along. I dressed up as the
Phantom from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Phantom of the Opera</i>
(still one of my better costumes). Richard came as a Jedi Knight. As the night
wore on, we embraced our inner geeks and, knowing whose party it was, put them
fully on display, free from judgment. By removing my mask, my Phantom cloak
easily doubled as a Jedi robe. Richard had brought a spare lightsaber that he
leant me. We broke into a lightsaber duel right there in the middle of the
party. Richard was finally having fun. After all, this is what we did every
weekend. Only this time we had an audience to cheer us on. We were one
camcorder away from being internet famous. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Wars</i> kids before “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars </i>Kid.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;">Before this ventures much further into <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wonder Years</i> territory and I go off on a tangent about Julie
being my own personal </span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;">Margaret Farquhar</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;">
(I can practically hear the Daniel Stern voice over as I write this) it’s fair
to say this experience shaped my idea of what your average <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> fan could be. Julie showed me at this transitional time
in my life that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> doesn’t
discriminate. Regardless of your gender or who you hung out with, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> was for <u>everyone</u>. A lesson
that unfortunately a lot of cis dudes in my age group never learned based on
fan reaction over the past few years. <o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;">Now in my adult life, I’ve had the privilege of meeting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> fans from all walks of life.
This includes folks who write and illustrate stories set in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stars Wars</i> universe as well as career
journalists who write coverage about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Wars</i> for a living. Quite a few of them are women who embraced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> around the same time as I did
and are now starting to see the franchise embrace them back. <o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;">Consider how the only female speaking part other than Leia in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A New Hope</i> was Aunt Beru. Now highly
prominent roles in the form of Rey, Jyn, Rose, Phasma, and Vice Admiral Holdo have
emerged to even the playing field and inject the franchise with a healthy dose
of long overdue representation. The animated series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Forces of Destiny</i>, which spotlights the heroines of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> universe, is also an
encouraging step in the right direction, making this beloved saga more
accessible to young girls than ever before.<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
<div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;">So while it may have seemed for one brief moment in my life that I would
have to choose geeking out over a love life, I think it’s safe to put this fan
theory to rest. And if at any point you declare your love for another and they
reply with, “I know,” you’ll know you’ve landed a keeper. </span><span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></h3>
<!--EndFragment--><br />Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-6281453088542750812015-08-23T12:10:00.004-07:002018-03-25T21:36:59.878-07:00My next comic project<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Hey blog. It's been awhile.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Like almost a full year.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">A lot has happened since then. Most notably I moved from coast to coast with my family for a great work opportunity and experienced my first year of fatherhood. As if that wasn’t enough, I even made it out to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jurassic World</i> more than once. </span> <br />
<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I've kept a list going of blog post ideas, always with the intention of getting around to them, but other projects took priority. I may have let this piece of internet real estate take a back seat, but never stopped writing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">So if there's anything worth breaking my silent streak for, it's this -</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I'm writing a sci-fi comic being published by Heavy Metal.</span></span> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjai78z4bU1v_ugp62Vjc_ZfrzJBfroJPq3fYl7rwMoU4S4WUiRED7AmkuUTV9MmJ7zwFO5FM8N_T87GTAizt01yDUpvjYN4otmNa5yLaVBxeA-WJM-9qJTkS7y-1LvR2S1wwYfmWYr6bL1/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-08-16+at+10.12.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjai78z4bU1v_ugp62Vjc_ZfrzJBfroJPq3fYl7rwMoU4S4WUiRED7AmkuUTV9MmJ7zwFO5FM8N_T87GTAizt01yDUpvjYN4otmNa5yLaVBxeA-WJM-9qJTkS7y-1LvR2S1wwYfmWYr6bL1/s400/Screen+shot+2015-08-16+at+10.12.02+PM.png" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Singh, Chapuis, and Esposito</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;">I've waited a long time to say that. The journey leading up to this point began just over two years ago when I first was put in touch with the British writer/director of an indie sci-fi movie, which was in post production and titled </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 10pt;">Dreck</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;"> at the time. Justin Trefgarne and I spoke at length about his movie and his desire to expand the property into comics. He sent me the script and from there I began crafting an original story that would work alongside the movie as a companion piece. Playing in this world, of what would later become known as </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 10pt;">Narcopolis</i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;">, was exactly the kind of storytelling I wanted to be apart of, but there was still a long way to go to see it all come together. I needed an art team.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Enter Ralf Singh, who being based in Germany, I still to this day have yet to meet in person, but I instantly loved his art I saw him posting samples of on twitter and we connected soon after. The material immediately clicked with him the same way it had for me and he was soon cranking out character designs based on the cast. I can’t wait for you all to see more of it.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">To make a long story short, once we got the official greenlight from the film’s distributor, we assembled the rest of the team. Taylor Esposito of Ghost Glyph Studios is not only one of the best in the biz but one of the nicest too so I looked no further and he’s gone above and beyond really showing off his skills with this one. Ralf pointed me in the direction of colorist Nic Chapuis (a fellow German) and I’ve always felt strongly that colors can make or break the art and his colors combined with Ralf’s art is just… well see for yourself (not to mention Taylor’s expert graphic design to make it complete).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN37w9N2eHBzA0OQ5QewVyZgiqq8kaIsmbPezSD8C2zpcCh0M7dJ0a2FUsFZoWU5n2RIiINwPPWbqKuqBqOkAnGmMWfCIjwM7dHgFBicSihhuKX1KDRm4sESPetRvr5W3Wd16kj1tXPGr4/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-08-16+at+10.03.09+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="369" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN37w9N2eHBzA0OQ5QewVyZgiqq8kaIsmbPezSD8C2zpcCh0M7dJ0a2FUsFZoWU5n2RIiINwPPWbqKuqBqOkAnGmMWfCIjwM7dHgFBicSihhuKX1KDRm4sESPetRvr5W3Wd16kj1tXPGr4/s640/Screen+shot+2015-08-16+at+10.03.09+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">And to help keep the quality high and make sure the team gels together and hits our deadlines, I happily employed the talents of editor supreme Valerie D’Orazio who is the definition of professionalism and a fantastic sounding board throughout the process.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">“So what’s the name of this comic and when can I pick it up?” I imagine you asking, followed by, “Don’t put words in my mouth!” Great questions and concerns. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I’ve already gone on long enough so I’ll be brief. Or as brief as I can be (I’m clearly not into the whole brevity thing).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The comic is titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Narcopolis: Continuum</i>. It’s a 4-issue mini-series and you can pick up the digital copy as early as end of September (same as the movie)! But if you’re like me and you enjoy the incomparable experience of reading you comics in print, the print edition of issue one is hitting early November and you can pick it up from you local comic shop (don’t forget to order it).</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Still can’t wait until then to check it out? Well, you’re in luck because the first 10 pages (that’s half the issue!) are in the August edition of Heavy Metal Magazine along with an interview with some of the creative team. I highly suggest you pick it up anyway as there’s always a ton of great artwork in the magazine which Heavy Metal is known for.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Anyway, if you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You deserve something for sticking it out with me and reading all this when you clearly have other things you need to be doing so here’s another little teaser as a reward. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmjvEi-lLJkqpvb52wlS3SMe41VYmAxrEk0VVFJK40T1OEu0dlz3ZvEC2dbT5XO2beKgIemyLGNpkHYgYMd1SiSczrf2-EGJIoF98bwOeyEV8-7MH17_VITcwcUcv21Azge3jTGO-LniS/s1600/Screen+shot+2015-08-16+at+10.08.28+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmjvEi-lLJkqpvb52wlS3SMe41VYmAxrEk0VVFJK40T1OEu0dlz3ZvEC2dbT5XO2beKgIemyLGNpkHYgYMd1SiSczrf2-EGJIoF98bwOeyEV8-7MH17_VITcwcUcv21Azge3jTGO-LniS/s200/Screen+shot+2015-08-16+at+10.08.28+PM.png" width="186" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;">Thanks for reading and if you feel like reading a little more, here’s the official announcement over at </span><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/heavy-metal-bring-sci-fi-815782" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 10pt;" target="_blank">The Hollywood Reporter</a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;">where Justin and myself talk to kickass journalist Graeme MacMillan about the actual story itself. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10pt;">I'll be updating this blog a little more often as anything worth highlighting comes in, but if you'd like to follow updates in real time, you should maybe consider following me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreatScottComics" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Duvall" target="_blank">Twitter</a> as I'll be updating those with more info on the comic semi-regularly.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">I’m super excited to see this finally become a reality and hope you’ll come along for the ride. </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: white; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Happy reading! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">~Scott</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-58694540396787905692014-10-11T23:38:00.000-07:002014-10-11T23:38:24.255-07:00My Top 10 Albums of the 00s<div class="MsoNormal">
This past summer I was invited to contribute to the site
PopMatters in compiling a list of the <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186439-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-100-81/" target="_blank">Top 100 Albums of the 00s.</a> The idea being
that with time and distance to reflect on the past decade of music, this list
would represent the albums that have held up in the years since and isn’t
simply a quick reaction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was asked to submit my Top 10 albums of the decade to be
considered for the master list. Out of my selections, at least two of them were
selected for inclusion, which I then wrote a blurb for (#2 & #3 on my
list). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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When I first started this blog, I wanted to write about
music in addition to my other interests which I haven’t gotten around to but
this seemed like a good place to start.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here is my personal list of the Top 10 Albums of the 00s.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#1</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">From a Basement on
the Hill by Elliott Smith<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><i><o:p> </o:p></i></div>
<div style="display: inline !important; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Because your candle burns too bright</span></span></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Well, I almost forgot it was twilight </span></span></i></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Even if I think that you are right</span></span></i></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Well, I'm tired of being down, I got no fight</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdx6quX229y7uoCR3KziAvG8dO1g7jnQ-blsfotb599tzCa_FTTCTWmfiOBTpimpcJ_oQltQvkXIBfFUuqQXatTHrlQ51rmCFUvhqEtJEJz-zEWjGBxzCnu9rm7CNNh000pQ21FGdcxWA/s1600/Album_Basement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMdx6quX229y7uoCR3KziAvG8dO1g7jnQ-blsfotb599tzCa_FTTCTWmfiOBTpimpcJ_oQltQvkXIBfFUuqQXatTHrlQ51rmCFUvhqEtJEJz-zEWjGBxzCnu9rm7CNNh000pQ21FGdcxWA/s1600/Album_Basement.jpg" height="200" width="198" /></a></div>
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Figure 8 receives more attention, as it was Smith’s final
release before his untimely death and for many, the gateway album to the
artist’s back catalog. However, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From a
Basement on the Hill</i> is the punctuation mark on a career cut far too short
and left a haunting final impression of a misunderstood genius. Gone are the
sweeping orchestral instrumentation that his major label efforts afforded. This
is Smith back to basics and quite possibly his rawest. It may require a few
spins to take this one in but it is beyond worth it. Opening with the
polarizing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Coast to Coast</i> and
concluding with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Distorted Reality is
Now a Necessity to be Free</i> (which sounds like the best song The Beatles
never wrote), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Basement</i> is a
masterpiece from start to finish. Songs like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">King’s Crossing</i> hint at a bold new direction of experimentation
while <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twilight</i> is so real and honest
that it’s almost hard to listen to but too beautiful not to. Prolific to the
end, Smith originally intended <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Basement</i>
as a double album, and while the castoff tracks are worthy of being sought out,
the ones compiled here are amongst his greatest and cement his status as one of
the greatest songwriters of his, or any, generation.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
PopMatters Ranking: <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186450-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-80-61/P3/" target="_blank">#63</a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#2</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">Extraordinary
Machine by Fiona Apple</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">If there
was a better way to go then it would find me</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind
me</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Be kind to me, or treat me mean</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary
machine</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nUO1JLCtR3Tw8NJy_a96Cko-P_qOUZtLFhcC458FgDU-vet5P5ucLLTAqqZ3bchLNqXB3EwShFbfBSiaaZmmx345ynh9ZNguIGSErvVxtIZXyehtIZ8h-87xNHWOKek0BhhqDfQbrZDJ/s1600/AlbumExtraordinary_Machine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nUO1JLCtR3Tw8NJy_a96Cko-P_qOUZtLFhcC458FgDU-vet5P5ucLLTAqqZ3bchLNqXB3EwShFbfBSiaaZmmx345ynh9ZNguIGSErvVxtIZXyehtIZ8h-87xNHWOKek0BhhqDfQbrZDJ/s1600/AlbumExtraordinary_Machine.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
only album Fiona Apple would release during this decade, <i>Extraordinary
Machine</i> was received by a fervent fan base after having been long delayed.
What they got was essentially take two, after some unreleased tracks from
initial producer Jon Brion were leaked before being re-recorded. Either version
would have been fit for inclusion on this list and <i>Extraordinary Machine</i>
makes you wish Apple would cut a new album more often than once or twice a
decade (if we’re lucky). At least you can be assured that when she has amassed
enough songs that she deems worthy of releasing that they’re going to pack an
emotional punch. Everything about this album is completely methodical from the
confessional lyrics on <i>Not About Love</i> to the deliberate sour notes in <i>O’
Sailor</i>, and you can almost hear her heart breaking on <i>Oh Well</i>. It’s
obvious a lot of preparation and thought went into each track yet it still
managed to capture a spontaneous energy as if Apple only had enough studio time
to record each track in one take and whatever came out of those sessions is
what we got. Not only does it stand out for sounding like nothing else released
in the 2000’s, it’s also a welcome departure from Apple’s previous releases,
showcasing her ability to reinvent her sound and continue to evolve without
betraying who she is as a person and as one of the best singer/songwriters of
her generation.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">PopMatters Ranking: <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186499-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-20-1/P1/" target="_blank">#11</a></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#3</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">King
James Version by Harvey Danger</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Time passes,
events fall away</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">(I don't think they'll hurry)</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Hurry up, I'm blacking out, </span></span></i></div>
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">High on the vapor </span></span></i></div>
</span>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Cause I was the typo, </span></span></i></div>
</span>
</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">You were the liquid paper</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhAuzZyoaUUFQWYgWAG_CQyaC6dg9uivy_E7fZoWJFCX41aO8v4cqG1JuveOtFGTK6HI5pp5hbXKi60diIgjL2TpKIpMQtcJTvxPuZKTb5eICrkLnzqTtez_yjl5IO4uiPcrZS3o9KG6u/s1600/AlbumKing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhAuzZyoaUUFQWYgWAG_CQyaC6dg9uivy_E7fZoWJFCX41aO8v4cqG1JuveOtFGTK6HI5pp5hbXKi60diIgjL2TpKIpMQtcJTvxPuZKTb5eICrkLnzqTtez_yjl5IO4uiPcrZS3o9KG6u/s1600/AlbumKing.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">The
sophomore album is challenging for any band looking to exceed expectations and
that was no different for Harvey Danger. Riding high off the massive success of
<i>that song</i>, it was a question of whether or not they could maintain that
momentum while continuing to build upon a solid foundation. Despite a noble
effort, <i>King James Version</i> fell through the cracks, not only failing to
recapture their debut album’s mass audience, but essentially fading from
existence as quickly as it landed with the mainstream having decided that
Harvey Danger had worn out their welcome, thus sentencing them to “one-hit
wonder” status. In retrospect, they did exactly what a band is supposed to do
for its follow up. They one-upped their song writing with biting lyrics
offering thought-provoking entertainment value all their own (singer Sean
Nelson remains one of the most criminally underrated lyricists alive), not to
mention killer hooks courtesy of irreplaceable bassist Aaron Huffman, not
afraid to lead the melody. The so-called “alternative rock band” even managed
to sneak a piano ballad in there, highlighting guitarist Jeff Lin’s classical
training, while also serving as a good primer for their (as of now) final album
<i>Little By Little</i>, hinting at the direction their music would take. In
essence, Harvey Danger is everything you think they’re not and <i>King James
Version</i> is definitive proof of that.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
PopMatters Ranking: <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186450-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-80-61/P1/" target="_blank">#73</a><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#4</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Veckatimest by
Grizzly Bear<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">While
you wait for the others t</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">to make it all worthwhile</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">all your useless pretentions</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">are weighing on my time</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvxeFApNcmnQ0ttwzujJURBswF6KC1luzPiNxeAy7r6lqgQQBCv8x9rtLz4nIe2d3v_zqqMqcb_NieFPliTrm0lgR8kv_s-2gvxKVLwsXMylWPokkNcYcLlIi6Zh8wZ53odnrASQ3fTin/s1600/albumgrizzly-bear-veckatimest-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvxeFApNcmnQ0ttwzujJURBswF6KC1luzPiNxeAy7r6lqgQQBCv8x9rtLz4nIe2d3v_zqqMqcb_NieFPliTrm0lgR8kv_s-2gvxKVLwsXMylWPokkNcYcLlIi6Zh8wZ53odnrASQ3fTin/s1600/albumgrizzly-bear-veckatimest-cover.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>Released in the final months of the 00s, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Veckatimest</i> was my first introduction to
the Brooklyn based quartet known as Grizzly Bear. The group was quickly added
to my regular rotation as I absorbed the hauntingly beautiful melodies and
cryptic, yet minimalist, lyrics that encompassed their sound. From the up tempo
opener <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Southern Point </i>to the stripped
down and somber piano ballad <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Foreground</i>
which rounds out the album, the group takes us on a musical journey quite
unlike any other I experienced that decade. Every song has its own distinct
flavor; the bouncy piano of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Two Weeks</i>,
the soaring vocal harmonies of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">While You
Wait For The Others</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ready, Able</i>
is an acid trip for the ears (and eyes if you watch the stop motion music
video). A handful of these songs also appear in the film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blue Valentine,</i> which the group wrote the score for, and
considering the deterioration of the relationship onscreen, this album is perfect
breakup music. It’s not happy music, but it permeates the soul. In my humble
opinion, if Radiohead announced the shift in the decade’s musical landscape
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kid A</i>, then Grizzly Bear
finished that thought with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Veckatimest</i>.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#5</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Gimme Fiction by
Spoon<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">The
beast and dragon, adored</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">You been gone so long</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Where you been for so long</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">I went to places unknown</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld_CGM7kzm57HJ_SAe9ZgOGSI5y57-1gJYLIvjU3ru-3tFtzkiwK9E2HSzclKj7xQkx5Yk54hRGSFTTPTC0XfbBR3mDB0LfXarY_B8v1NKORrzxa8MkJIvuiAylnH4HHA5BscA8EqO2GA/s1600/album_gimmefiction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgld_CGM7kzm57HJ_SAe9ZgOGSI5y57-1gJYLIvjU3ru-3tFtzkiwK9E2HSzclKj7xQkx5Yk54hRGSFTTPTC0XfbBR3mDB0LfXarY_B8v1NKORrzxa8MkJIvuiAylnH4HHA5BscA8EqO2GA/s1600/album_gimmefiction.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Of all their albums, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gimme
Fiction</i> is quintessential Spoon. It does not get much better than this in
terms of what this band is capable of with their entire prowess on full
display. Whereas Spoon are masters at producing catchy hooks and bouncy
melodies, there’s some added weight to these songs that reveal a moodier side
that suits the band just as easily as the tambourine shaking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sister Jack</i>. No other group today
incorporates piano into the mix quite like this one, eliciting an ominous,
almost dangerous quality on such songs as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Two Sides of Monsieur Valentine</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Beast and Dragon, Adored</i> not to mention the pounding groove of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Mathematical Mind</i>. Never has bass
playing complimented the piano quite like this either, standing out as the MVP
instrument on multiple tracks. They’re clearly having fun here experimenting
with their sound while not overhauling it either and in doing so they crafted
some of the best tracks of their career. In nearly a decade since its release,
Spoon have come close to the artistic heights of Gimme Fiction but have yet to
top it. It’s a hard act to follow for them or any band who may attempt to
occupy the same space as Spoon so clearly dominate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
PopMatters Ranking: Spoon's <i>Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga</i> landed at <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186439-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-100-81/P1/" target="_blank">#95</a><br />
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#6</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Elephant by The White
Stripes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Don't
want to hear about it</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Every single one's got a story to tell</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Everyone knows about it</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUYJRopwTCRpnUYnsoypzfNbEU4N1G6LlP7eAbFJ70FXmkweBt8PGyj2Kf_HFTb5GccAWuVV5-fJ24wtsZR-cw_o_exIptKDjhXMsAlmd_uaiYUhV2iVRYzTSKJv21uPTEZHcsWdFabEj/s1600/albumElephant,_The_White_Stripes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpUYJRopwTCRpnUYnsoypzfNbEU4N1G6LlP7eAbFJ70FXmkweBt8PGyj2Kf_HFTb5GccAWuVV5-fJ24wtsZR-cw_o_exIptKDjhXMsAlmd_uaiYUhV2iVRYzTSKJv21uPTEZHcsWdFabEj/s1600/albumElephant,_The_White_Stripes.png" height="200" width="200" /></a>Jack and Meg White’s fourth album took both their fans and
the critics by storm delivering their most polished and ambitious album at that
point. While both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get Behind Me Satan</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Icky Thump</i>, which followed, are
worthy albums in their own right, they failed to top the duo’s masterpiece, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elephant</i>. The White Stripes remains my
favorite of the “The” bands that burst onto the scene during the first half of
the decade (The Strokes included) and rightly catapulted frontman Jack White to
rock star status. If there’s one song that defines the band, it is undoubtedly <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seven Nation Army</i>, which is so
deceptively simple in its catchy and instantly familiar melody, it’s
practically a contemporary blues standard by now. And that’s just track one.
The Stripes straddle the line between delivering straightforward garage rock
and slower ballads, such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In The Cold,
Cold Night</i>, where Meg steps out from behind the drums to take lead vocals.
It was a gamble as she is not the strongest singer but it shows that they were
not afraid to branch out and shake things up from song to song. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The White Stripes </i>are probably never
coming back, but with what they’ve given us here, it’s hard to complain that
they owe us anything more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
PopMatters Ranking: <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186491-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-40-21/P1/" target="_blank">#33</a><br />
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#7</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">I’m Wide Awake It’s
Morning by Bright Eyes<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">If you
walk away, I'll walk away</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">First tell me which road you will take</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">I don't want to risk our paths crossing some day</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">So you walk that way, I'll walk this way</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QUbDQ63qo0fogu0EZDYx1Y8ncdVxASwnWsn2_-I85kf6Sivyfq_nRkjL42tAb_IYIsanQmfPCD9Va_xzqOcsl6SvSYnyQbHpNTAPTODMAZEZJNSVDI96c0iHkT5M9suEPWQN9nHFm3bk/s1600/albumImwideawake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QUbDQ63qo0fogu0EZDYx1Y8ncdVxASwnWsn2_-I85kf6Sivyfq_nRkjL42tAb_IYIsanQmfPCD9Va_xzqOcsl6SvSYnyQbHpNTAPTODMAZEZJNSVDI96c0iHkT5M9suEPWQN9nHFm3bk/s1600/albumImwideawake.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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One of two albums released by Bright Eyes in 2005 (the other
being the electronic inflected <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Digital Ash
In A Digital Urn</i>), this album was the clear favorite among fans. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Digital Ash</i>… was practically an
experiment just to showcase how versatile the group’s members are but the music
on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning</i> is
clearly what kind of music they were born to make. The folk inspired sound
incorporated slide guitars, mandolin, and even guest vocals from country legend
Emmylou Harris. The result was a collection of timeless songs that sound like
they were written by a world-weary traveler as opposed to a guy from Omaha in
his mid-20s. Conor Oberst’s wears his influences on his sleeve from Townes Van
Zandt to Leonard Cohen and it’s fitting that one track is titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Old Soul Song</i> as I can’t think of a more
fitting description for someone that would create this music than an old soul. The
album’s songs range from the stripped down <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lua</i>
which is simply a man and his acoustic guitar singing confessional lyrics softly,
reminding us of Oberst’s humble beginnings making home recordings on a <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">four track cassette recorder in his parent’s
basement, but then ends triumphantly in a chaotic burst of horns blaring as he
screams the album title at the top of his lungs on <i>Road to Joy</i>. It feels like a celebration of life and that’s what
this album represents.</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
PopMatters Ranking: <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186491-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-40-21/" target="_blank">#40</a><br />
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#8</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hazards of Love by The
Decemberists<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">With this long last
rush of air</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">We'll speak our vows in starry whisper</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">And when the waves came crashing down</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">He closed his eyes and softly kissed her</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEldVBqDdQlCyoXgdVsDGsnMvdLHekT4c0LQ14mhLdu4b4oLg33JKxNgLWYgBgqxr9ooshvW_IyZKhPuU-vM1RpfyHPa3x_EpN28VyaR9Acj_uUWodAehGbUrRLcenymrG1-wZMiFmw8Ey/s1600/albumTheHazardsofLove1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEldVBqDdQlCyoXgdVsDGsnMvdLHekT4c0LQ14mhLdu4b4oLg33JKxNgLWYgBgqxr9ooshvW_IyZKhPuU-vM1RpfyHPa3x_EpN28VyaR9Acj_uUWodAehGbUrRLcenymrG1-wZMiFmw8Ey/s1600/albumTheHazardsofLove1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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Out of all the artists represented here, The Decemberists
were the ones I had the most difficult time selecting which album would best
represent them. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Her Majesty</i> was my gateway
with its instantly accessible melodies, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Crane Wife</i> is a perfect work of art but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hazards
of Love</i> still manages to one up it. Continuing on with the Portland based group’s
exploration into gapless concept albums, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hazards
of Love</i> is something special that can only be described as beautiful. As
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Crane Wife</i>, it paints a
picture, drawing in the listener in only the way a great storyteller can. As
with Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst, who sings “I could have been a famous singer if
I had someone else’s voice,” the group’s leader Colin Meloy does not have a
traditional polished voice but it suits the style of music to a T with his
distinctive singing. But Meloy is not the only one responsible for the group’s
unique sound as the group is the sum of its parts consisting of several
talented multi-instrumentalists. Put simply, this album deserves you full
attention and cannot be listened to in segments as it is one hour long song
that as soon as it ends you’ll want to hit repeat and experience again and
again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
PopMatters Ranking: The Decemberist's <i>The Crane Wife</i> was selected at <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186439-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-100-81/P2/" target="_blank">#86</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#9</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Our Love to Admire by
Interpol<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">Wait,
and you froze in the night</span></i><br />
<i><i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">You're late, there's a hole in the sky</span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">
</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">No haste, no lesson, no lie</span></span></i></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Got a taste that I can't deny</span></span></i></div>
</span></span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUgae_IFMh3E47lVaLNaxtH3Fm1ADi-1Vrdyc8Dmo_XQvlqEJupS9n1CHBswuza6TFtnbnXRLzGA7vce9lIrrh7H5ZEhBf3uM-wbiVxLF-N5j5BUrqYeeHTzSzzPtRJ9aDGXLctxpAyse/s1600/albuminterpol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJUgae_IFMh3E47lVaLNaxtH3Fm1ADi-1Vrdyc8Dmo_XQvlqEJupS9n1CHBswuza6TFtnbnXRLzGA7vce9lIrrh7H5ZEhBf3uM-wbiVxLF-N5j5BUrqYeeHTzSzzPtRJ9aDGXLctxpAyse/s1600/albuminterpol.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>It took me a few listens before I really GOT Interpol. I
first saw them 10 years ago as part of The Cure’s Curiosa Festival as they were
part of a lineup of hand picked bands to tour with The Cure which included such
acts as The Rapture, Mogwai and Muse. I had no idea what to expect and hearing
them for the first time in that environment didn’t inspire me to dig any deeper
as I was still deep into my punk/ska phase from my high school days and was
only just beginning to venture out in my tastes on the road to musical
discovery. Five years later I gave Interpol’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our Love to Admire</i> another spin and I haven’t looked back since. So
THIS is what I’d been missing out on. Paul Banks’ monotonous vocal range wasn’t
trying to impress you, but was teeming with emotion regardless. Like Television
before them, the band’s sound didn’t revolve around the vocals but the interplay
between the guitars and heavy hitting rhythm section. Is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Our Love To Admire</i> better than the group’s freshman and sophomore
albums that released earlier in the decade? It’s worthy of debate, but for me
this is the album that opened my eyes to what Interpol had to offer and for
that, it scores a place on the list.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
PopMatters Ranking: Interpol's Turn on the Bright Lights ranked <a href="http://www.popmatters.com/feature/186491-the-100-best-albums-of-the-00s-40-21/P2/" target="_blank">#27</a><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">#10</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Black Holes and
Revelations by Muse<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">No one’s gonna take me alive<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">The time has come to make things right<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">You and I must fight for out rights<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 10pt;">You and I must fight to survive</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYS_dYd47pPwzGZ79xI8aL3gkSEgzPaUaKAvjWh_WESuI5AnkxT_DorSltITBrXlBeCTuyN-xrBkpBzH04EJL5Z2L3fDHiH4CStLTmYwjJDJHoUrkhtcOkYyPDeot-7X6OAl6X2h_En-el/s1600/albumMUSE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYS_dYd47pPwzGZ79xI8aL3gkSEgzPaUaKAvjWh_WESuI5AnkxT_DorSltITBrXlBeCTuyN-xrBkpBzH04EJL5Z2L3fDHiH4CStLTmYwjJDJHoUrkhtcOkYyPDeot-7X6OAl6X2h_En-el/s1600/albumMUSE.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>When I lived in LA, Muse got a lot of radio play on KROQ. I
mean a LOT. To the point where I was sick of them. But then I noticed
something. I wasn’t switching the station. In fact I was starting to turn it
up. And then after awhile I was singing along at the top of my lungs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was THE anthem of 2006 and it’s just as relevant now as
it was then. Then I heard <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Starlight</i>
and it was all over. These guys were writing music that sounded like it was
recorded on Mars. I couldn’t believe that this much sound could come from just
three guys from England. Then I listened to the full album and was blown away.
It was so powerful that it demanded repeat listens as you couldn’t absorb it
all at once, there was too much going on at once. It bares mentioning that the
follow up album <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Resistance</i>
deserves to go in this slot just as much for its ambition and scope (not to
mention its 1984 references) but Black Holes and Revelations edges it out
simply because it was such a turning point for the band.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I put a lot of thought into this list and I started off with
a list of about 100 albums or so before trimming it down to the final 10.
Here’s a few other worthy albums that were considered and are still insanely
listenable:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Funeral by Arcade Fire<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Figure 8 by Elliott Smith<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Miike Snow (self titled)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reservoir by Fanfarlo<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Life Pursuit by Belle & Sebastian<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Armchair <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Apocrypha by Andrew Bird<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Farm by Dinosaur Jr.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">Microcastle by Deerhunter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Illinois by Sufjan Stevens</span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For Emma Forever Ago by Bon Iver<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Z by My Morning Jacket<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Bring Me Your Love by City and Colour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Rubber Factory by The Black Keys<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Untitled by Wintersleep<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Consolers of the Lonely by The
Ranconteurs<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Horehound by The Dead Weather<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Kid A by Radiohead</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">In Rainbows by Radiohead</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria;">Basically anything by Radiohead.</span>Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-4275391435742911882014-09-24T13:33:00.002-07:002014-09-24T13:49:40.630-07:00Gotham Recap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXlyI7nzW1BcxV4k2ME4c5s7rzZG98jYY8tNvYig4YKozQxiu5mBTvf2_kue8uStPYiWNyKsylFgmyVz9FbL1QLEJRlyfDuX9z2FJ9Urp8wkaEL9IWtImMIfjEDoOBZqpBkuxOEBqCaWB/s1600/Gotham.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXlyI7nzW1BcxV4k2ME4c5s7rzZG98jYY8tNvYig4YKozQxiu5mBTvf2_kue8uStPYiWNyKsylFgmyVz9FbL1QLEJRlyfDuX9z2FJ9Urp8wkaEL9IWtImMIfjEDoOBZqpBkuxOEBqCaWB/s1600/Gotham.jpg" height="164" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anyone who knows me knows I'm a Batman fan for life. So the premiere of <i>Gotham</i> topped my list of most anticipated TV events of the year. In preparation, I blew through the acclaimed comic series <i>Gotham Central</i> by two of my favorite comic scribes, Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka. Like most translations to screen of Batman's world, <i>Gotham</i> is not a direct adaptation of this work, but it should definitely provide inspiration for the series which focuses on Gotham's major crimes division.<br />
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I don't expect <i>Gotham</i> to fulfill all of my expectations, but I decided to put <a href="http://www.forcesofgeek.com/2014/09/5-things-i-want-to-see-from-gotham.html" target="_blank">a list together on Forces of Geek</a> that laid out what I'd like to see from the series.<br />
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I also collected my thoughts <a href="http://www.forcesofgeek.com/2014/09/gotham-s01e01-pilot-review.html" target="_blank">here</a> on the pilot episode and will begin reviewing each episode going forward.<br />
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What did you think of Gotham? Did the pilot impress you enough to stick around? Leave a comment and let me know!<br />
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Or not. It's a free internet.Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-57912969369884003852014-08-30T06:26:00.001-07:002014-08-30T06:56:20.378-07:00Community: How the Internet, Arrested Development Fans, & Geek Culture Saved Greendale<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white;">After NBC Britta’d on renewing <i>Community</i> for a sixth season, it’s safe to say the internet reacted something like…<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;">After season 5, everything seemed to be going so well… why the sudden Chang of heart, NBC?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-D9REgZyx8BaRaDICfWvtVz83K1qRCpLoSqpHFlfEtYBJdKRxwIY7euN_oiEVQctZ9MGqkYHFSMXWkVuskfDcseNUewvw8AXShsw-i1790cBMu_o27NjIyYR2JishyphenhyphenxRueojrLIV_WxzM/s1600/communitydeangif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-D9REgZyx8BaRaDICfWvtVz83K1qRCpLoSqpHFlfEtYBJdKRxwIY7euN_oiEVQctZ9MGqkYHFSMXWkVuskfDcseNUewvw8AXShsw-i1790cBMu_o27NjIyYR2JishyphenhyphenxRueojrLIV_WxzM/s1600/communitydeangif.gif" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">I know. What else could possibly be said about the close call cancellation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> that hasn't already been said? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Ok sure, it's not like it had gone off the air years ago and we’ll now see an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i> style revival. It will return just as it would have had NBC decided to pick it up for its fated sixth season. Fans of the show know what I'm talking about as the hashtag #sixseasonsandamovie has become something of a rallying cry since season 2. If <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>’s longevity doesn’t demonstrate the power of a hashtag, nothing else will. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY5ta1CCIL-zvoHzXioNKVYIOW84BicQ1UrnKcLsQEGNSCNDBcYMiBDM2eBFSgAzwOUEGWoYkjY9Q2w4SZS4chWod5BU6bhl8BdAsFQQzr9Jt5hihHocAxZmYJj8ET4VH5YGtSHl4cIVk/s1600/poppopgif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVY5ta1CCIL-zvoHzXioNKVYIOW84BicQ1UrnKcLsQEGNSCNDBcYMiBDM2eBFSgAzwOUEGWoYkjY9Q2w4SZS4chWod5BU6bhl8BdAsFQQzr9Jt5hihHocAxZmYJj8ET4VH5YGtSHl4cIVk/s1600/poppopgif.gif" height="180" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">It definitely made you feel like you were part of a more-or-less secret club, knowing there were others across the internet rooting for its return and making their voices heard. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIju5CohAd49EH8DLTSZfhYcK6cOpZxRUN2z4MnIuQfDvfdM35y7B4KqILjrtNnvNnewTYaEFC-OT1N8pcQWayRA6xJu621q0Qf_36TI1giONmggVUkbEbwCMazNk_WhWYOrzk73H-v76/s1600/Comm4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIju5CohAd49EH8DLTSZfhYcK6cOpZxRUN2z4MnIuQfDvfdM35y7B4KqILjrtNnvNnewTYaEFC-OT1N8pcQWayRA6xJu621q0Qf_36TI1giONmggVUkbEbwCMazNk_WhWYOrzk73H-v76/s1600/Comm4.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbTPo-VNoThS4GxYQQysKs2yW7vH76Dwgoz9Aozryvrh6FcFgcpw1KXP_HXVQiTt7JQ2hvoGOyRGmHdrPTlWsA1mNqzd27CAsVlPq7lIp1h0RLpH8GOKlwX8ifIVz5syx-hvS99cK26B8/s1600/goodideagif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbTPo-VNoThS4GxYQQysKs2yW7vH76Dwgoz9Aozryvrh6FcFgcpw1KXP_HXVQiTt7JQ2hvoGOyRGmHdrPTlWsA1mNqzd27CAsVlPq7lIp1h0RLpH8GOKlwX8ifIVz5syx-hvS99cK26B8/s1600/goodideagif.gif" height="151" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Talk about being safe. And that’s a key factor. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Bang</i> is a safe show with safe humor. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> didn’t always fit into people’s idea of what a network sitcom should be with the formulaic model of set up, punch line, laugh track, repeat. Sometimes there would even be jokes happening in the background as there were plot points happening in the foreground, and with no canned laughter, your casual viewer wasn’t sure what they should be laughing at. But that’s why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> succeeds with repeat viewings and those willing to pay closer attention than what is required of you from your average sitcom. Maybe that’s why comic book readers, a community who is obsessed with the details and pouring over minutiae, so readily accepted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> into their culture (we’ll get into that later as well).</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogvmgvjvZoH9hbELyvaOogg1sgh3cKuBYkqXzg1wCXOt7ktQw6ANuixXT2AE0FLPjRXl41vWM9rhNurrOnPjCLBTcRoaYCsLxjxoUdjpwxcaWiW7FeSbS3gxQYOMOsrbCUMeUsua0zmez/s1600/Greendale7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjogvmgvjvZoH9hbELyvaOogg1sgh3cKuBYkqXzg1wCXOt7ktQw6ANuixXT2AE0FLPjRXl41vWM9rhNurrOnPjCLBTcRoaYCsLxjxoUdjpwxcaWiW7FeSbS3gxQYOMOsrbCUMeUsua0zmez/s1600/Greendale7.jpg" height="320" width="218" /></span></span></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2enIzvwFRJuv90jo4nEg02mIS80HHbpWaamyvqgc_8gKmzL7oeV1u310CgZbWVBTYrIqBO1DfgW9EL2Jsm6n_CUS4iMdQBn3HDhm-Bi0_bm3SyQC7Hpg9zAp-QEV6dvemYEyppOwmnDkd/s1600/Comm11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2enIzvwFRJuv90jo4nEg02mIS80HHbpWaamyvqgc_8gKmzL7oeV1u310CgZbWVBTYrIqBO1DfgW9EL2Jsm6n_CUS4iMdQBn3HDhm-Bi0_bm3SyQC7Hpg9zAp-QEV6dvemYEyppOwmnDkd/s1600/Comm11.jpg" height="320" width="219" /></span></span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">When it was revealed that NBC wouldn’t be picking up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> for another go-round, Communies took to social media, tweeting at Netflix as a hail Mary to pull out another miracle and let the Greendale 7 (who’s keeping count anymore) live to see another season (and a movie), similar to how the online streaming service revived <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i>, but this seemed unlikely as the NBC series had an exclusive deal with Hulu. So perhaps Hulu could scoop up the show and add it to its slate of growing original content. But alas, that was not meant to be either. It looked like the Darkest Timeline was upon us, or at least that’s what everyone was tweeting in reaction to the news. And then, at the 11<sup>th</sup> hour, seemingly out of nowhere, a beacon of hope, as on the final day of the actor’s contracts with Sony were to end, Dan Harmon <a href="https://twitter.com/danharmon/status/483715883500457984">tweeted a cryptic update</a> with lyrics from a song featured in the finale of Breaking Bad and the hashtag that refuses to die, #sixseasonsandamovie. What could this mean?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmY7ANlzJpUtvsPeTMCTbLbiZtk56ImFv32UquRTioYuwEHAHPUr1-HUIeTw7gh56VoVgAzC7ZNGwrpdQPrAuNdFSZGUWdmMi3Oh2C9O6YdBhUm0EnOENQClglZJpBw1ZGHBPgYtQFozxh/s1600/Comm9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmY7ANlzJpUtvsPeTMCTbLbiZtk56ImFv32UquRTioYuwEHAHPUr1-HUIeTw7gh56VoVgAzC7ZNGwrpdQPrAuNdFSZGUWdmMi3Oh2C9O6YdBhUm0EnOENQClglZJpBw1ZGHBPgYtQFozxh/s1600/Comm9.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9NkZG94JuWsO9RGYLutklWODbHuU_GUreckyMm6Rz2o4NrViiMorjiD96lSw3P3v5-jjnDA6kqzfuy10X5kqzFk7a87l81LQZswRoplCvTP85bbJJ-THPhW6lmj4fDC2-wTRdDRy1TmL/s1600/Comm10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9NkZG94JuWsO9RGYLutklWODbHuU_GUreckyMm6Rz2o4NrViiMorjiD96lSw3P3v5-jjnDA6kqzfuy10X5kqzFk7a87l81LQZswRoplCvTP85bbJJ-THPhW6lmj4fDC2-wTRdDRy1TmL/s1600/Comm10.jpg" height="235" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">An hour or so later, the news traveled faster than one of Dean Pelton’s costume changes that Yahoo! Screen picked up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> for its sixth season. This announcement was unexpected as fans had all but given up hope but it made so much sense. I had quickly become a fan of Yahoo’s original content after they began streaming episodes of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burning Love</i> a couple summers ago, a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bachelor</i> spoof featuring the who’s who of comedy stars dropping by with credits ranging from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Party Down</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The League</i>,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The State</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i>. Despite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Burning Love</i> episodes getting aired by E! later on, the show was still under the radar so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>’s move to Yahoo was pretty perplexing to most fans. But I’m confident it’s in safe hands.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV36Uks_p1w4YL42DjhNsx_9a24VbUS76tx-CemqJRrjuZw11zz0dKyX_4bDwWK8mbKln7hjWQuPo33hRc5hirRxNcQZTWEb7AJwrwBZp4cuJdUwoEFFu7w16ginStRzUt6Wxb1o_3AGfe/s1600/secrethandshakegif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV36Uks_p1w4YL42DjhNsx_9a24VbUS76tx-CemqJRrjuZw11zz0dKyX_4bDwWK8mbKln7hjWQuPo33hRc5hirRxNcQZTWEb7AJwrwBZp4cuJdUwoEFFu7w16ginStRzUt6Wxb1o_3AGfe/s1600/secrethandshakegif.gif" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijv07QGknY36ZIMVvKOgndv2HQhjsSv8XUufmKAooO28EmOkJ7GHgsK0gt3NM_1FEctkve07XKaY0FWQ2re3D73hUlbDIKCwdCkW22l2CEqlsxbc8vTVFhYYTK9MmvW8uVCmRQQy7IDsPS/s1600/Comm12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijv07QGknY36ZIMVvKOgndv2HQhjsSv8XUufmKAooO28EmOkJ7GHgsK0gt3NM_1FEctkve07XKaY0FWQ2re3D73hUlbDIKCwdCkW22l2CEqlsxbc8vTVFhYYTK9MmvW8uVCmRQQy7IDsPS/s1600/Comm12.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The move to Yahoo may be seen as a risk but<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Community</i> was never a show afraid to take risks. Unlike other NBC comedies like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Office</i>, which had the security of knowing that it </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">was assured its timeslot, every season was a struggle for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> and the show and fans are both the better for it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Office</i> appeared to be willing to take risks in the beginning and at the time was very different from everything else on television, initially struggling in the ratings, but then steadily devolved into your average sitcom as it rose in popularity. As its audience grew, they improved the actor’s wardrobe and hair in a bid to pull in more viewers who were used to a more polished looking show (completely going against the intention of the original UK series). Signs that a show has jumped the shark are once you introduce marriage and babies and although the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Offic</i>e never made it that far, with a nine season run it was inevitable that the stateside<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Office</i> would introduce these ratings grabbing stunts. The “will-they-or-won’t-they” of Jim and Pam lasted a brief three seasons before they made it official and eventually tied the knot and had babies. Whereas what was initially set up as a similar relationship with Jeff and Britta was soon replaced by fuck buddies, further proof that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> was your non-typical network comedy that went against the grain. <br />
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<span style="color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdsZod6g5dprzj7NTxb0BeaSuJmlMmnN0AmSFvrSpiuXnPoJyXzb5epmZSL9veYMRK1WOPn9IY540yxWNRgF4SBW72J4itoSFGfolau-bmdZBCtE1F-5_mR7wW7OLl2mDcbxFlqkSpMU7/s1600/Comm1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVdsZod6g5dprzj7NTxb0BeaSuJmlMmnN0AmSFvrSpiuXnPoJyXzb5epmZSL9veYMRK1WOPn9IY540yxWNRgF4SBW72J4itoSFGfolau-bmdZBCtE1F-5_mR7wW7OLl2mDcbxFlqkSpMU7/s1600/Comm1.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Early on<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Community</i> proved to be a master of parody. Never has a weekly sitcom perfected the art of spoofs better than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Simpsons </i>before it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> however did not have the added benefit of Matt Groening’s brilliant idea to feature yellow skinned characters for newcomers to pause when channel surfing (do people even channel surf anymore?) and catch their attention although the cast of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> were no less colorful. That is unless you happen to catch an episode where the characters were animated in the style of an old Christmas themed TV special or literally animated into a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">G.I. Joe</i> cartoon. That’s just the tip of the iceberg as Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Logan’s Run</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hunger Games</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dungeons and Dragons</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zodiac</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Law & Order</i>, and even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dinner with Andre</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pulp Fiction</i> within a single episode, were all paid tribute to.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <!--[endif]--></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Community</span></i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> is always willing to experiment, a reason why it was sometimes a hard show to crack for newcomers. In recent years it’s become a growing trend to wait for a popular series to wrap up and then binge watch it over a short span, fulfilling one’s desire for instant gratification and not having to invest years into a show. But those who may discover <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> years from now will never know the emotional rollercoaster that it was to be a fan of the show as it was airing. Having <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> be a part of our lives during the time it was alive has been half the enjoyment. And keeping the passion burning among the fans was an integral part of keeping it around as long as it has. A show like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> wouldn’t have stood a chance pre-internet, which is why the #sixseasonsandamovie hashtag was so essential to the show’s longevity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPi-iK1dIYmDvoHv1CpgzIlH_CX0Y8ydUXJFpi_iC27NujD3SrgIqcHVMELwbJMZSTMbqaA_iGzS__DY8KH3sn0N-kN0JVttIivE2tb0LlHi8z0pAgegrDkKFNGeZpAcozc2oIavtCPYsf/s1600/Comm5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPi-iK1dIYmDvoHv1CpgzIlH_CX0Y8ydUXJFpi_iC27NujD3SrgIqcHVMELwbJMZSTMbqaA_iGzS__DY8KH3sn0N-kN0JVttIivE2tb0LlHi8z0pAgegrDkKFNGeZpAcozc2oIavtCPYsf/s1600/Comm5.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">And I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been championing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> as the spiritual successor to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested</i> since I discovered it. At first I was met with some resistance, as there were some who claimed that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Modern Family</i> took up that mantle (I guess because it centers around a dysfunctional family?), but the similarities between the two shows are both undeniable and also fun to explore!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Ensemble Cast – </span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Ok, this is a bit of a stretch, but while the run-of-the-mill sitcom features 5-6 main players, Arrested and Community often juggle 10+ with a few more side characters to boot. Need more evidence? How about…<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Callbacks</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> – Your average sitcom produces episodes that are self-contained where you can tune in on any given night, get a few chuckles, and then perhaps catch it again someday on a flight or in your hotel room and hopefully elicit a few more laughs. Like pop music, they’re designed to be generic and easy to digest. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> excel at the callback where viewers are rewarded for tuning in regularly and the re-watch value is high. There are so many running jokes in both series that there are even lists online created by eagle-eyed journalists for both </span><a href="http://splitsider.com/2012/08/53-arrested-development-jokes-you-probably-missed/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Arrested</span></i></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> and </span><a href="http://uproxx.com/tv/2013/02/20-neat-facts-inside-jokes-and-recurring-motifs-in-nbcs-community/"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Community</span></i></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVptNCfWMnpaAQ1JUTNzGZXg63kUN3P_rwk8TKk-suWAEExGDtI4uvDxH2nRs8pFX5hwEsH3lcwk5OGy_QmyhAJwVGnQNseHyOE-448WMPPMyEpxIU7jYiT5LeozTtIgQ-5fH_fqOKGBA9/s1600/Comm7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVptNCfWMnpaAQ1JUTNzGZXg63kUN3P_rwk8TKk-suWAEExGDtI4uvDxH2nRs8pFX5hwEsH3lcwk5OGy_QmyhAJwVGnQNseHyOE-448WMPPMyEpxIU7jYiT5LeozTtIgQ-5fH_fqOKGBA9/s1600/Comm7.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Directors</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> - </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Another key ingredient to the success of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> are the Emmy winning Russo brothers. Joe and Anthony Russo refined their comedic directing style on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i> beginning with the pilot and then were brought on to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> to not only direct its pilot but to act as exec producers as well, having proven themselves as integral to the success of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i>. It was during their stay on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> that they got a chance to experiment with multiple genres as the series often spoofed various types of movies. This was their proving grounds which then led to them graduating to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Winter Soldier</i> (featuring a cameo from Abed!). Even with their enormous success they’re still not too big to drop by their old stomping grounds and <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/08/27/community-captain-america-the-winter-soldier-duo-the-russo-brothers-directing-the-season-6-premiere">direct the premiere of season 6</a>. Throw in Jay Chandrasekhar of Broken Lizard fame as a bonus director that carried over and you've got a solid stable of comedic directors with ties to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Shared cast members</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> - </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Having enlisted veteran <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i> directors, it was only a matter of time before some of the Bluth clan found their way to Greendale. Tony Hale, David Cross, Jerry Minor, John Michael Higgins, Rob Corddry, Jeff Garlin, Matt Walsh, Andy Dick, Ian Roberts, and Iqbal Theba all mixed it up with the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> ensemble in memorable supporting roles and it's a safe bet we haven't seen the last case of this. Most notably, Jay Johnston portrays a cop in both series. Either this guy is simply typecast or… could he be the one character that ties both universes together? BRAIN WRINKLED. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq5L6tyDVK1cGAT-cp5uJO81ImzRCKPwnKhaOfPgmrjbRdkVBvg4_X50OIU4H-n5f9YIZOnZPdAsBiJutDgt6t1L5MzgJvSwX-xgJXWeGbo3sBEfd8XBPk_Hw6EPvv7ZipEdtD12ktaxj/s1600/braintroygif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoq5L6tyDVK1cGAT-cp5uJO81ImzRCKPwnKhaOfPgmrjbRdkVBvg4_X50OIU4H-n5f9YIZOnZPdAsBiJutDgt6t1L5MzgJvSwX-xgJXWeGbo3sBEfd8XBPk_Hw6EPvv7ZipEdtD12ktaxj/s1600/braintroygif.gif" height="179" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">That, or it could just be a playful nod. I wouldn't put it past them either way.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Meta-ness</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> - <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> would often get meta using the school getting shut down as a metaphor to draw attention to the fact that they may end up getting cancelled. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested</i> did the same thing, with narrator Ron Howard literally begging viewers to tell their friends to watch the show. I can’t recall any other shows that put out a not-so-subtle call to action within the show to fans to help save it whereupon the Save Our Bluths and Save Greendale campaigns were formed. Annie even suggests to her fellow study group members that they could all tweet the hashtag #SaveGreendale to help spread the word. Perhaps if twitter was more prevalent at the time, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested</i> would have employed these tactics as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJzzSUlJ81AYc1fPfdOXst39RgI-zLE9h-UcuYw8tRccl32jq9w7tZXcoNJa3vH2l8tWRrBqjxvEFB7z31JRnkJOSq4vwc10VcKFZGvotvJdTpm28SelFZ2Jpaj97Sz7DnPRk9z86HYAG/s1600/savegreendalecommitte.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJzzSUlJ81AYc1fPfdOXst39RgI-zLE9h-UcuYw8tRccl32jq9w7tZXcoNJa3vH2l8tWRrBqjxvEFB7z31JRnkJOSq4vwc10VcKFZGvotvJdTpm28SelFZ2Jpaj97Sz7DnPRk9z86HYAG/s1600/savegreendalecommitte.gif" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Burn Episodes</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> - Both series experienced a disconcerting tactic where their respective networks “burned off” episodes at the end of a season, to clear the schedule for more American Idol or what have you. In the case of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i>, this was its swan song, after FOX cut its third season short and burned off the final four episodes. One final marathon before we bid adieu to the Bluths. How fitting that fans would go on to marathon the show on Netflix years later. The same thing happened at the end of the third season of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>, and this, coupled with the fact that Harmon had been fired as showrunner from his own show, did not bode well. I was just as surprised as anyone when the show returned minus Harmon (as he IS <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>) in a season best left forgotten.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsHzqcLyQBfoHSmTOsP-Y7nUYrCV3yVSCiopuFVKAL15dGysZFpXvep3ILf_EBNnEFUx2hSKOu4_0AmpYKJJRkChxugolvctMGiWdbt40Bs8ItCDmKS3wWyVsc4ok-uyqRU6P5m4c7oH4/s1600/annie_gif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsHzqcLyQBfoHSmTOsP-Y7nUYrCV3yVSCiopuFVKAL15dGysZFpXvep3ILf_EBNnEFUx2hSKOu4_0AmpYKJJRkChxugolvctMGiWdbt40Bs8ItCDmKS3wWyVsc4ok-uyqRU6P5m4c7oH4/s1600/annie_gif.gif" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">The Showrunners</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> Speaking of showrunners, the brains behind both respective shows obviously share a mutual respect. Both have taken turns guesting on each other’s shows, with Harmon popping up in a small cameo in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested</i>’s 4<sup>th</sup> season and Mitch Hurwitz more notably as party animal Koogler in Community’s 5<sup>th</sup>. This pretty much sealed the deal for me as the passing of the torch. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=f1zlvuo5rwygsxgas_vywa" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="512"></iframe><br />
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">However, maybe no torch has to pass…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Cancelled? </span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">– Cancellation has increasingly become a minor speed bump along the road for a TV series with cult status (<a href="http://comicbook.com/blog/2014/08/30/the-tick-to-return-on-amazon/" target="_blank">Even The Tick is getting a second shot at life</a>). The show must go on and like its spiritual successor <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> also refuses to die. Not only did Netflix come to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i>’s rescue and deliver to us the highly publicized 4<sup>th</sup> season of the beloved series, but recently the Chief Content Officer of Netflix said that a 5<sup>th</sup> season was imminent which </span><a href="http://uproxx.com/tv/2014/08/will-arnett-confirms-arrested-development-season-5/"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Gob Bluth himself confirmed</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">So while some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i> fans may have adopted other shows to fill that void, for me it was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82eDv6H_xeOn16Hk35i_ggVNs8SP5ZswqcCKVqBH7g2zeZt7GynZt8ayd4dmGLuZ_0cJCOGXyL8uzwzH40mALoiP0XpcSa1bn5jIfEmo82lXo4EZZ8E7L8KbGBbbzAhYI1PNAEbQrUkhn/s1600/coolcoolcool.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi82eDv6H_xeOn16Hk35i_ggVNs8SP5ZswqcCKVqBH7g2zeZt7GynZt8ayd4dmGLuZ_0cJCOGXyL8uzwzH40mALoiP0XpcSa1bn5jIfEmo82lXo4EZZ8E7L8KbGBbbzAhYI1PNAEbQrUkhn/s1600/coolcoolcool.gif" height="149" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Also, a little off topic, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Breaking Bad connection</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> – Not only was the subtle way in which Harmon </span><a href="https://twitter.com/danharmon/status/483715883500457984"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">hinted at the return of the show</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"> a sly reference to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking Bad</i>, but popular cast members popped up throughout including Giancarlo Esposito (Gus), Matt Jones (Badger), and most notably Jonathan Banks (Mike) who joined the cast last season as the resident curmudgeon to take the place of Chevy Chase’s departed Pierce. Breaking Bad’s creator, Vince Gilligan, even got in on the action with a western themed, video game inspired, guest spot that rivals Mitch Hurwitz for best showrunner-turned-comedic-actor on TV. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Mrx_GCR-RlbwrlrxRthbYZkvd52FaUJFaPf4mkAQso-ytfCAgdZxUtgwXTKz0U5-FGJNvSJfpvaU_ipPVHhc9Opk2nNYwNS8Gi1lj0SxbsmthTbUlIVKIVWxZBnkIrGWefRtVqbb87qf/s1600/highfivegif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Mrx_GCR-RlbwrlrxRthbYZkvd52FaUJFaPf4mkAQso-ytfCAgdZxUtgwXTKz0U5-FGJNvSJfpvaU_ipPVHhc9Opk2nNYwNS8Gi1lj0SxbsmthTbUlIVKIVWxZBnkIrGWefRtVqbb87qf/s1600/highfivegif.gif" height="145" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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</span></span> <span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;">If it weren’t for the internet, </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;">Community</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;"> would have lucky to have survived past 3 seasons, so in a way it only makes sense for it to resume on the platform that kept it alive. In a way it’s like its coming home.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2Kvcu6_pFc6XyOnIhHRCVLr0sseJNCiJxCk3XG6sjcEixkFlZHM4a-lbTJW2TFpbcZ98Hflq2VQZeM3alhvW_3-BCW8Fva12H8T0Jk1Du4ZsAUyNf3RGrnlUtSxe9Z2rS0VQ89l-or4i/s1600/Community_GL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2Kvcu6_pFc6XyOnIhHRCVLr0sseJNCiJxCk3XG6sjcEixkFlZHM4a-lbTJW2TFpbcZ98Hflq2VQZeM3alhvW_3-BCW8Fva12H8T0Jk1Du4ZsAUyNf3RGrnlUtSxe9Z2rS0VQ89l-or4i/s1600/Community_GL.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></span></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">As Entertainment Weekly stated in a recent piece on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>, this year marks the end of the television age of television. EW makes the case that the 4<sup>th</sup> season of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arrested Development</i> on Netflix was in essence the television equivalent of a concept album, like getting the band back together. While that’s a pretty good correlation to make, I also think comparing TV series to comics isn’t too hard of a stretch to make. Comics have a history of routinely being cancelled when sales are down only to be revived a few years later. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjvBOvfTmSrCj6Wc28Pg38CsdH2kX7Gv9GuW_ip_XhmAB541RXeS7d-BwMneTqVVl5ZqiX9uhb70nqU20lsyuxErGMEQr1BgsVKVeE_4LPGtL5Lgo-ekHhu_xqayvJF35plQcO0t69KGG/s1600/Community_Comic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjvBOvfTmSrCj6Wc28Pg38CsdH2kX7Gv9GuW_ip_XhmAB541RXeS7d-BwMneTqVVl5ZqiX9uhb70nqU20lsyuxErGMEQr1BgsVKVeE_4LPGtL5Lgo-ekHhu_xqayvJF35plQcO0t69KGG/s1600/Community_Comic.jpg" height="320" width="223" /></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">I have a theory that a lot of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> fans, like myself, are comic geeks helping to keep the show alive. I’m partly basing this on the ridiculous amount of fan art that’s out there which drops the cast into the roles of popular superheroes, plus it doesn’t hurt that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> shares a lot in common with comics in that they rely heavily on continuity and explore similar tropes like multi-verses and good vs. evil, etc. Geek culture in general seems to seep into the halls of Greendale on a regular basis with homages to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i>. Sure, the cast of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Big Bang Theory</i> may sport their Flash and Green Lantern t-shirts and visit a comic shop but if you compare the amount of comic book inspired fan art of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> with that of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BBT</i> using a quick Google search, it’s not even comparable. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Big Bang</i> may be the quintessential “geek” show of today as far as mainstream media is concerned, but it’s clear the fans have spoken. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKgQ7rUuRgBNT4nM8D-8xy03ws1zC976OkesFL_8fdxdcqy11SF_zL8d1kS8Ch2vYAx6T37DlEJsELXrRoR6n-rmffK9eNrEkUQtWr0czMyBKbpJcQ7GkC8V_S-f_Wabf8pWOO4KxJXKK/s1600/Comm3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKgQ7rUuRgBNT4nM8D-8xy03ws1zC976OkesFL_8fdxdcqy11SF_zL8d1kS8Ch2vYAx6T37DlEJsELXrRoR6n-rmffK9eNrEkUQtWr0czMyBKbpJcQ7GkC8V_S-f_Wabf8pWOO4KxJXKK/s1600/Comm3.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Just like cancellation, death is a ubiquitous part of comics, and just as a series can reemerge within a year or two, so too can the fallen hero. Here we have a show where one of the core players, Chevy Chase’s Pierce, can be killed off, but if he were to somehow show up in the study room one day with an explanation about how his brain was transferred to a clone of himself he kept on standby, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> fans would not blink at this development. We’ve already seen evil doppelgangers from another dimension invade the school once, and so the idea of a Pierce from an alternate reality filling in for his deceased counterpart isn’t so far fetched. Perhaps a cameo in the movie is in order?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEQ5-_D0BjGe4wtil_sPwxHu9kv-6a9GQYEBViTxF9-PaobS2DVHKV1xe_sRWGC8kEASe5VeCv2uwOqv2QUb_ZYbLQldD5VDV2KjSy0PAYVcO3rq5IPKE-_GJOczofOR4PedoESsC_kiM/s1600/Comm2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEQ5-_D0BjGe4wtil_sPwxHu9kv-6a9GQYEBViTxF9-PaobS2DVHKV1xe_sRWGC8kEASe5VeCv2uwOqv2QUb_ZYbLQldD5VDV2KjSy0PAYVcO3rq5IPKE-_GJOczofOR4PedoESsC_kiM/s1600/Comm2.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Sure, TV shows may not have the shelf life that long running comics do featuring characters with the uncanny ability to never age, but that’s probably for the best going by my <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2013/09/pop-culture-10-year-rule.html">10 year rule</a> for pop culture (don’t worry, that blog is much shorter). With that in mind, the question is, should it run past six seasons? As much as I didn’t want to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> go and it’s a good feeling knowing it’s still out there, I also don’t want another Season 4 or worse, ending things on a sour note. It’s a fine line between a celebrated return and wearing out your welcome. While superhero comics go on and on and on, some of the best series, comic or TV, end on their own terms when the creators are ready to move on to a new project. Let’s hope that will be the case here.</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: black; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">After it was announced that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i> had not been picked up by NBC for another season, I tweeted half-jokingly that the show could live on as a comic with art by Chip Zdarsky, of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Criminals-Volume-1-TP/dp/1607069466">Sex Criminals</a></i> and <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/a-man-has-been-having-a-hilariously-close-friendship-with-ap">Applebee’s</a> fame (who then favorited my tweet!). And if you haven’t picked up <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sex Criminals</i>, do yourself a favor. I can’t think of anything that has blended comedy and sci-fi this perfectly since, well, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Community</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypcX7-jo1a7MCoKuvYYIpE5wk_IcMoV3-2HjBiCJ3bp_F_D6jhuxN5wHvUQOE8_eI9mDZW9FDDXMySxG2jT1-FxgnAyNBVCddSwCBvVs3UIu1ZfpgkBjuyoLq-BrBAA1W9G35eUJephKc/s1600/CommZdarsky.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypcX7-jo1a7MCoKuvYYIpE5wk_IcMoV3-2HjBiCJ3bp_F_D6jhuxN5wHvUQOE8_eI9mDZW9FDDXMySxG2jT1-FxgnAyNBVCddSwCBvVs3UIu1ZfpgkBjuyoLq-BrBAA1W9G35eUJephKc/s1600/CommZdarsky.jpeg" height="640" width="456" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Art by Chip Zdarsky</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;">While that would be fun and I would absolutely pick up a </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;">Community</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;"> comic, I couldn’t be more pleased that the next stage of evolution for the show is to go where it truly belongs – on the internet. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt;">Production is set to start again on Nov. 17, and Harmon says the show will make its online debut sometime in the new year.</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Mrx_GCR-RlbwrlrxRthbYZkvd52FaUJFaPf4mkAQso-ytfCAgdZxUtgwXTKz0U5-FGJNvSJfpvaU_ipPVHhc9Opk2nNYwNS8Gi1lj0SxbsmthTbUlIVKIVWxZBnkIrGWefRtVqbb87qf/s1600/highfivegif.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Mrx_GCR-RlbwrlrxRthbYZkvd52FaUJFaPf4mkAQso-ytfCAgdZxUtgwXTKz0U5-FGJNvSJfpvaU_ipPVHhc9Opk2nNYwNS8Gi1lj0SxbsmthTbUlIVKIVWxZBnkIrGWefRtVqbb87qf/s1600/highfivegif.gif" height="145" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <!--[endif]--></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 10pt;">Yahoo released a trailer which is part tribute, part patting themselves on the back for saving the show but they can pat as hard as they want. Six seasons a movie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-14759160935957828382014-08-01T02:39:00.004-07:002014-08-01T07:02:09.071-07:00Batman - Top 10 Artists<style>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Continuing on from my round up of the </span><a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/07/batman-top-10-writers.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Top 10 Best BatmanWriters</span></a><span style="color: white;">, I pulled together my personal favorite Bat artists and did my best to
rank them based on skill, influence, with my own personal taste mixed in. Some
of them had long extended stays in Gotham while others dropped by a handful of
times but managed to leave a lasting impression. Having very limited drawing
skills myself, I am in awe of these masters at their craft and would gladly
pick up any book with their credit attached, no matter how poor the writing.
Anyway, enough with this intro, on to the list:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;">10) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Marshall Rogers</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvt0v0VRKVXkZZVSZft8eYdsHIUDbYvuzfufkn61yCduY-5awbHxETEsBntQF34UyMKLC6jRTvVUALqco2RyxpWqKY7ML9S-xP85GCnkg7iUCDDupFikKGsdJWs8tjqSlB90GsqYDvo3d/s1600/Marshall_Rogers_Batman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfvt0v0VRKVXkZZVSZft8eYdsHIUDbYvuzfufkn61yCduY-5awbHxETEsBntQF34UyMKLC6jRTvVUALqco2RyxpWqKY7ML9S-xP85GCnkg7iUCDDupFikKGsdJWs8tjqSlB90GsqYDvo3d/s1600/Marshall_Rogers_Batman.jpg" height="168" width="320" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Together with frequent collaborator Steve Englehart, Rogers contributed
to one of the best Joker stories of all time, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Laughing Fish</i>. Under his pencil, the Joker never seemed more
menacing. Rogers hits the perfect balance of scary and humorous. This story has
stood the test of time and it’s in part due to the captivating imagery. One
thing that sticks out to me is when Rogers drew Batman, his cape seemingly had
a life of its own, very much emphasizing his bigger-than-life persona and
adding a sense of movement that you rarely see in comics. In addition, Rogers
teamed with comics legend Len Wein to reinterpret Batman’s foe Clayface.
Rogers’ run on Detective Comics is still looked back on as one of the all time
best and it’s easy to see why.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Strange Apparitions</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Detective</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">9) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dustin Nguyen</b></span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCRcXw7u-P1kgaqbs-3KjSDRHFWEcOUI7CTs_M1bynrX0okMDLZgUoDpAilnYtD8dhXwKl10vvQ4R4V0R_f_buWVXoIFNZzmXW91nDCrfFhhHx_ZCFi4VLJYTL9nDrmRVFynGfLkTK4fC/s1600/nguyen_dustin_detective.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCRcXw7u-P1kgaqbs-3KjSDRHFWEcOUI7CTs_M1bynrX0okMDLZgUoDpAilnYtD8dhXwKl10vvQ4R4V0R_f_buWVXoIFNZzmXW91nDCrfFhhHx_ZCFi4VLJYTL9nDrmRVFynGfLkTK4fC/s1600/nguyen_dustin_detective.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">I initially discovered Dustin
Nguyen (like I discovered most artists on this list) through his Batman work
when he first collaborated with Paul Dini on their acclaimed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Detective</i> run. Nguyen's take on the
character was unlike any art I've ever seen in connection with Batman. The
closest comparison I could make is that of Mike Magnolia, but Dustin has a
style all his own. I especially loved Nguyen’s version of Hush, even better
than his character designer, Jim Lee’s take which is saying something. Nguyen
currently still resides in Gotham working on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Li’l Gotham</i> series, and while those are fun, I like to think of chibi
versions of superheroes as being Scottie Young's area and I'd love to see
Dustin back on a regular Batman book soon. Bonus points for his awesome <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Beyond</i> covers.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heart of Hush</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hush Money</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lil’ Gotham</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;">8) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tim Sale</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_P_45ycie23LVRNiyIUNx9m19OzZNHxs77J1qwgci49jgfBTEi5tRFt9GO8nuIsWagmD0bEwacbUviXeDoY82xhWsy_oIId4Bzp-6rfj-To9pAW1bi6zCZj6TTDV7kFYnVdBrFMUOLBJ/s1600/Tim+sale-Bat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_P_45ycie23LVRNiyIUNx9m19OzZNHxs77J1qwgci49jgfBTEi5tRFt9GO8nuIsWagmD0bEwacbUviXeDoY82xhWsy_oIId4Bzp-6rfj-To9pAW1bi6zCZj6TTDV7kFYnVdBrFMUOLBJ/s1600/Tim+sale-Bat.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Sale’s Batman truly embodies ‘creature of the night’ in
every way, as his version thrives on shadows and mood. You know how with iconic
movie characters it’s hard to imagine any other actor filling that role?
Similarly, it’s impossible to imagine any other artist working on such
masterpieces as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Long Halloween</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Victory</i>. Certainly, Sale’s
partner in crime, Jeph Loeb, deserves some of the credit, but it’s Sale’s
contributions that elevate these essential Bat stories to the top of the pack.
Not only do they showcase many of Batman’s colorful rogues gallery in
unforgettable renderings, but they also add great depth and humanity to the
characters of Bruce Wayne, Jim Gordon, Harvey Dent and Dick Grayson. By
illustrating their pain and suffering with subtlety and grace, oftentimes in
just a single image, Sale proves to be a master at his craft. He is the artist
Batman deserves. Let’s hope they reunite soon. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Long Halloween</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Victory</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Haunted Knight</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">7) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Norm Breyfogle</b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYl67NFZJIs2mGRzEjSJGQngrO3KSuSb4qLIMaFDGH0ePoh7pkO1rZDTkGH5w-MMLIgN8jbYCT7IVXLu0p-34KNOub3jvd-xD8kPyRHOwkMExYrFEexNkyfK-pKcOK77pRm-nPg9QjcHIc/s1600/BreyfogleBatman.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYl67NFZJIs2mGRzEjSJGQngrO3KSuSb4qLIMaFDGH0ePoh7pkO1rZDTkGH5w-MMLIgN8jbYCT7IVXLu0p-34KNOub3jvd-xD8kPyRHOwkMExYrFEexNkyfK-pKcOK77pRm-nPg9QjcHIc/s1600/BreyfogleBatman.JPG" height="200" width="131" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Breyfogle’s take on Batman manages to stradle the line of
being both classic yet also his own style all at once. His run with Alan Grant
is a classic one that holds a special place for me since it introduced us to
the underrated Scarface and the Ventriloquist (I know I’m in the minority here).
Breyfogle also got in on the Knightfall saga, ensuring that the quality would
be up to snuff for such an earthshattering event. More recently, Breyfogle has returned
to Batman’s world in the Batman Beyond series, bringing his unique talents to
the Gotham of the future.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Detective
Comics</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> #583-594 , <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall, Batman Beyond Unlimited</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">6) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jim Aparo</b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Following the lead of Neal Adams, Aparo’s style strived for
realistic interpretations of the Dark </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MPMpOJOIJfEbA8Ul7M6VE-pFtUx0UyG5eiNowlwS6gWAn1v4KfKod4c4krd8k7HfIFRNXqb8kHaplmNStXyKXQHl-vefMFiuELrbGg5CrVzepDcOTMoYAQCUmhB_NHxFGQYIJgMqR2Ok/s1600/JimAparo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6MPMpOJOIJfEbA8Ul7M6VE-pFtUx0UyG5eiNowlwS6gWAn1v4KfKod4c4krd8k7HfIFRNXqb8kHaplmNStXyKXQHl-vefMFiuELrbGg5CrVzepDcOTMoYAQCUmhB_NHxFGQYIJgMqR2Ok/s1600/JimAparo.jpg" height="320" width="214" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Knight with a great attention to detail.
Although drawing inspiration from Adams, Aparo’s Batman was not a carbon copy and
soon branched out with a style all his own, often inking and even lettering his
own work. Aparo got his start on Batman with the classic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brave and the Bold</i> series which he worked on for over a decade.
Once that series ended, it was replaced with another landmark series in
Batman’s history, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman and the
Outsiders</i> which he co-created. Aparo’s most notable contributions to Batman
would come later though as he contributed to some of the most impactful stories
in Batman’s history including <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death in
the Family</i> as well as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall</i>
creating such iconic imagery as Batman cradling Jason Todd’s limp body and Bane
breaking Batman’s back, respectively. Aparo certainly made his mark in Gotham
and Batman rarely looked better under anyone else’s pencil.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Brave and the Bold</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death in the Family</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">5) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">David Mazzuchelli</b></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUklPpf9Ewfh5Hochjwd43CULUPaTJs9hw3GZd69nn5MucExwKYFhgm3mCF-f5zT27GOMo7c6y68dmSS2eCHzoAJisog03wWvgCeHl8s4IT9fDLFPE7fEHHOs1mBUYyR5gv5XvskmuwBo/s1600/batman_year_one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUklPpf9Ewfh5Hochjwd43CULUPaTJs9hw3GZd69nn5MucExwKYFhgm3mCF-f5zT27GOMo7c6y68dmSS2eCHzoAJisog03wWvgCeHl8s4IT9fDLFPE7fEHHOs1mBUYyR5gv5XvskmuwBo/s1600/batman_year_one.jpg" height="188" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Mazzuchelli doesn’t have a ton of Bat credits to his name,
but the one he does is enough to rank him on this list. His clean, crisp style
was a perfect fit for the retelling of Batman’s origin, spotlighting the Caped
Crusader’s shadowy persona while balancing emotional beats with cinematic
flair. Mazzuchelli reteams with his Daredevil collaborator, Frank Miller, who
sticks to writing duties on this one, giving his collaborator a chance to
shine. I can’t imagine if Miller had taken this one on as an artist. I think it
would have been good, but the art here is what elevates it to the status it has
attained in the years since. This story is worth picking up for the art alone
and there’s not much more praise you can lavish on an artist than that. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Year One</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">4) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Greg Capullo</b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Prior to Capullo’s pairing with Snyder, I had yet to read a
comic featuring his art so my only </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-urYTIpb88C90e0AIxA8e7J1FFllAWN0CQjOAMLbb4CYvMmz72Ik428eO8VuyI0BUiGgy-OmJ5Q2fnJokuBoiQEB_PhfU-0bhejAethLl37npig42w3hMXrlyr98q5repQ7mN4eHx_jvG/s1600/Bat_GC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-urYTIpb88C90e0AIxA8e7J1FFllAWN0CQjOAMLbb4CYvMmz72Ik428eO8VuyI0BUiGgy-OmJ5Q2fnJokuBoiQEB_PhfU-0bhejAethLl37npig42w3hMXrlyr98q5repQ7mN4eHx_jvG/s1600/Bat_GC.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></span></a></div>
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">awareness of his style was his album cover
art. As good as that was, I could never have anticipated that he would rise so
quickly in the ranks to become one of my all time favorite Batman artists. Under
his skilled pencil, Batman looks as badass as, well, Capullo! Seriously, the
guy is a beast. What these guys have created together is an all-star run that
makes up some of the best comics on the shelves today and will no doubt be
pointed to for years to come as essential reading for any Bat fan. Snyder loves
to beat up Batman throughout and Capullo makes us feel his pain, reminding us
again and again there’s a human being under the cape and cowl. Batman is a stand
out series since the dawn of the New 52 and it’s in part thanks to the stellar
artwork from this guy. I’m now a fan for life and will happily seek out his
next project after Batman but hopefully that won’t be for a good, long while.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Court of Owls</i>,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Death in the Family</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zero
Year</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"> 3) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jim Lee</b></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHz_grJHvX-xjHC_9Kh9nW1XskIg3cl3wfTPz5UyIHTwThxcb9YLqQ3r9AAJvc2yKBUhOokvGX43X26TpOl7Zh6XNbQ26rMFWvMvKbunSn3Hs8WvtQBqGpziQfUjODWfZ0CR83rbr4TOA4/s1600/jim-lee_batman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHz_grJHvX-xjHC_9Kh9nW1XskIg3cl3wfTPz5UyIHTwThxcb9YLqQ3r9AAJvc2yKBUhOokvGX43X26TpOl7Zh6XNbQ26rMFWvMvKbunSn3Hs8WvtQBqGpziQfUjODWfZ0CR83rbr4TOA4/s1600/jim-lee_batman.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position: 0% 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto auto;">If this were a list of the top 10 X-Men artists, Lee would probably be
number one. He redefined the X-Men in the ’90s and then when he got his shot to
interpret Batman and his foes, it was like he'd been waiting to draw them his
whole life with so many iconic images coming out of his yearlong stint on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hush</i> arc. Writer Jeph Loeb, known for
writing epic ensemble pieces, managed to work numerous villains into the plot,
unleashing Lee's pencils on all the major villains. Lee would later team with
Frank Miller on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All-Star Batman and Robin</i>.
Miller at his most unfiltered combined with Lee’s mainstream style makes for
such a bizzare dichotomy that I’m still kind of amazed that this even happened.
This one has to be read to be believed is all I can say. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">2) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Frank Miller</b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Didn't we just cover this guy in
the writer's section? Well, in addition to altering Batman’s </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">personality,
Miller also slapped a new coat of paint on the look of DC's most popular superhero.
Miller's take on the suit has been so popular it's appeared in animation, video
games and even serves as the inspiration for Ben Affleck's version of that
character in the latest cinematic iteration. I mean this iteration has even
been spoofed on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tiny Toons</i>, which
obviously is the measure for when you know you’ve made it. I’d go as far as to
say that Miller’s Batman is just as widely recognized today as the Adam West
version. Various panels and splash pages from his Dark Knight series have
become so iconic and widely circulated that they are now seared into my brain.
I’ve lost count of how many times Miller’s covers for the series have been paid
homage to year after year. Not only is Miller now a filmmaker and practically a
household name in his own right (thanks to his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sin City</i> fame) he’s also got the ear and respect of one of the most
influential directors working today in Zach Snyder, who has ripped several
pages right out of Miller’s book for Batman’s upcoming trip to the big screen. How
much more influential can you get than that?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Returns</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Strikes Again</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">1) <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Neal Adams</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Often times when I picture Batman in my head, it’s the Neal
Adams version that comes to mind. It is so classic and timeless that another 75
years from now, I still think it will feel fresh and exciting. Adams’
contributions to the look of Batman are an important landmark in that his
unique take ushered in a new house style for Batman at that time, not only
revitalizing the character but also creating a new blueprint for the uniform
look of an iconic superhero. His Batman leapt from the page, crackling with
life and creating a new, dynamic energy rarely seen in comics at that time. In
addition, Adams was responsible for giving readers their first look at Ra’s Al
Ghul and Man-Bat, two very distinct and innovative character designs which were
conceived during the artist’s prime. Between his pencils and O’Neil’s writing,
they formed a dream team rarely seen in comics and set a high standard for
those following in their footsteps. His most recent stint on the character, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Odyssey</i>, proves that Adams has not lost
his touch and is still one of the best living artists today.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daughter of the Demon</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Joker’s Five-Way Revenge</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Odyssey</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Honorable mentions - <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bruce Timm</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alex Ross</b>. While Timm defined the look of Batman for my
generation, simplifying his look for animation while still remaining iconic and
recognizable. Countless fans were introduced to the Dark Knight with this
iteration and the design has aged well over two decades later (has it been that
long?) Whereas Timm simplified Batman’s look, Ross took it in the complete
opposite direction, depicting Batman and his world as being photo-realistic on
countless covers and most notably in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">War
on Crime</i>, his oversized comic one-shot with Paul Dini. His depiction of
Bruce Wayne in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kingdom Come</i>
undoubtedly had an impact on both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman
Beyond</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Rises</i>.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Special shout out to cartoonists <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Matt Wagner</b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Darwyn Cooke</b> who prove that Frank Miller isn’t the only one capable
of writing and drawing captivating Batman stories. Wagner helped redefine
Batman’s early days of crime fighting with the one two punch of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Monster Men</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mad Monk</i> plus his Two-Face story, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Faces</i>, shows early signs of brilliance. Cooke not only captured the
spirit of Batman in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ego</i>, he left his
mark on Catwoman as well, flashing out one of Bats’ most notorious supporting
characters. Your Batman collection will not be complete without their
contributions lining your shelf.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">That wraps it up. Did I miss your favorite Batman artist? Are
my rankings way off? Leave a comment and let me know!</span></div>
Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-30299754711043052542014-07-31T04:36:00.001-07:002014-08-01T06:50:43.011-07:00Batman - Top 10 Writers<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Yeah I know, you've probably read 75 other lists by now of the best Batman writers, artists, stories, heroes, villains, gadgets (Bat Shark Repellant Spray better be #1), etc. by now. Well then here's list number 76. In recognition of Batman's 75th, I got inspired to rank my own personal favorite Bat writers. I've read a lot of Batman over the years so I like to think of myself as qualified to compile such a list. Need credentials? </span></div>
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Behold my Bat-Shelf:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Now that we've got that out of the way, on to the list!</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">10) <b>Marv Wolfman</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh627-hvXwGYLU19s3Yk9WfqpL6ektzbSAlnKpzz-L9PJV2_6AwWaHHMQAoEOeAXajnQ1rQhQsz07RS11FJFiqml1r4JTbv6IgTYHlF3PTYihkVeUJDNxVSOkFqemgnJ-Z_18vz4U0psGZX/s1600/Batman_Year_Three.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh627-hvXwGYLU19s3Yk9WfqpL6ektzbSAlnKpzz-L9PJV2_6AwWaHHMQAoEOeAXajnQ1rQhQsz07RS11FJFiqml1r4JTbv6IgTYHlF3PTYihkVeUJDNxVSOkFqemgnJ-Z_18vz4U0psGZX/s1600/Batman_Year_Three.jpg" height="200" width="129" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 11pt;">Wolfman's greatest contributions to the Batman mythos revolve around the most famous sidekick in comic book history; Robin. After the shocking death of Jason Todd, it was decided that Batman needed a Robin to bring out his lighter side. Enter Tim Drake, the third Robin, who was introduced in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Lonely Place of Dying</i>. Dick Grayson had long since graduated to the roll of Nightwing and in welcoming Tim to the family, DC comics had its most popular Robin in decades. As impactful as this storyline was, I think Wolfman's greatest achievement in the world of Batman is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Year 3</i>. The story splits time between the present day, featuring a grown Nightwing, and flashbacks which fill in some gaps concerning Sal Maroni, the murderer of Dick’s parents. These stories pack an emotional punch and prove why Wolfman was the man for the job when it came to creating a new super team around Dick in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Teen Titans</i>. Not to mention, he’s a real nice guy!</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: </span><i style="font-size: 11pt;">Year 3</i><span style="font-size: 11pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 11pt;">A Lonely Place of Dying</i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">9) <b>Doug Moench</b></span> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5jRJpTIoD-3d16vtseuh_4nZu4RaikuA2iG3pFCDsg9Nl2RCZftwgMmbQpG0719ErRiZB7rbYcdldi1f1ba7JxdDUM-mTv3gAe3HBKe9xYheQvZV8MOBm2pRRrYHZQ_GIYayUsIsrD-T/s1600/Batman_Prey_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5jRJpTIoD-3d16vtseuh_4nZu4RaikuA2iG3pFCDsg9Nl2RCZftwgMmbQpG0719ErRiZB7rbYcdldi1f1ba7JxdDUM-mTv3gAe3HBKe9xYheQvZV8MOBm2pRRrYHZQ_GIYayUsIsrD-T/s1600/Batman_Prey_cover.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Moench's Terror and Prey may be one of the best one two punches in Batman's 75 years, zeroing in on one of his earliest villains, Professor Hugo Strange. In addition, Moench successfully took Batman to a place he'd never been before in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Red Rain</i>, turning the Dark Knight into a creature of the night in this vampire saga, one of the more memorable Elseworlds tales. Moench is beginning to receive his due with the recent collection of his, and frequent collaborator, Kelly Jones' classic run. Like fellow lister, Alan Grant, Moench also lent his talents to the Knightfall saga, which, let’s face it, is a classic Batman series.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Red Rain</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Terror, Prey</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">8) <b>Jeph Loeb</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpogum14DB2GQbcvNRYP7LZX2lidXxuqjDODhIjDS4X3HjSnnfeQ26lrICFEsYzupmwCZFR_Ko8kYFpSWbLoBOOPyA5wJWuaTNl4cR8SKzrjH_cTdf0fQ9maY3cMR2f6MHYkAPJ8qDtcqE/s1600/Batman_thelonghalloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpogum14DB2GQbcvNRYP7LZX2lidXxuqjDODhIjDS4X3HjSnnfeQ26lrICFEsYzupmwCZFR_Ko8kYFpSWbLoBOOPyA5wJWuaTNl4cR8SKzrjH_cTdf0fQ9maY3cMR2f6MHYkAPJ8qDtcqE/s1600/Batman_thelonghalloween.jpg" height="200" width="130" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">The Long Halloween</span></i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Victory.</i> Two of the greatest Batman stories ever told. These alone would earn any writer a place on this list. Just when you thought that Loeb was finished making his mark on Gotham, he delivers an all-star collaboration with Jim Lee on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hush, </i>the icing on the cake. He even collaborated with Darwyn Cooke on a delightful Batman/The Spirit crossover, which, as with the previously mentioned story arcs, made great use of Loeb’s penchant for working in so many Bat villains for his artist to draw. Of everything Loeb has ever written, he has yet to top his work on Batman, so it’s a shame that as an exec at Marvel we won’t be seeing any more Bat stories from him anytime soon. Even if he never drops by Gotham again, his contributions will continue to pave the way for future generations of Bat writers to come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Long Halloween</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Victory</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hush</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">7) <b>Alan Grant</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2NY3Qy8U5EbWxAlRGXO8kcR-rnNeWCmho1EavEwVdbwfuyRn4SnUIAZmnQyXy9GZS31XZ9pteFl9ke0Gl-5CC4xo71sEsa_Egnt1lTQdcPBqwKzCc3ox82w6A_KZtswsdtzbluHYlfWM/s1600/grantanarky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2NY3Qy8U5EbWxAlRGXO8kcR-rnNeWCmho1EavEwVdbwfuyRn4SnUIAZmnQyXy9GZS31XZ9pteFl9ke0Gl-5CC4xo71sEsa_Egnt1lTQdcPBqwKzCc3ox82w6A_KZtswsdtzbluHYlfWM/s1600/grantanarky.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Batman’s stories in the ‘90s would not be the same if it weren’t for Alan Grant. Along with artist Norm Breyfogle, Grant delivered a solid run during this decade and contributed to many essential crossovers as well as co-creating a handful of standout characters along the way including Anarky, Jeremiah Arkham, Mr. Zsasz, and most notably Scarface and the Ventriloquist, one of the most undervalued villains in Batman’s rogues gallery. Under Dennis O’Neil’s guiding hand, Grant helped make the Knightfall saga one of the most memorable events in Batman’s history. Chuck Dixon was also part of that writing team, and while his contributions are worth noting, I have to give Grant the edge for the criminal mastermind dummy wielding a tommy gun. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Detective Comics</i> #583-594 , <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No Man’s Land</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">6) <b>Grant Morrison</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6H17_6C4pCulvS4qaBynbnGBptY0e7lJY-SbpE0Z-DZ8fHddEpjOq8CyWX6CNItW0Hx9hXANH66x4ZDubeYHgty0l4ng8z1_14DfKdadW1J3nCESciJudQOQkc8mnWcq6cp4Xvzagtn1B/s1600/batman-inc-grant-morrison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6H17_6C4pCulvS4qaBynbnGBptY0e7lJY-SbpE0Z-DZ8fHddEpjOq8CyWX6CNItW0Hx9hXANH66x4ZDubeYHgty0l4ng8z1_14DfKdadW1J3nCESciJudQOQkc8mnWcq6cp4Xvzagtn1B/s1600/batman-inc-grant-morrison.jpg" height="185" width="200" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Morrison’s epic run on Batman was highly anticipated and threw readers many curveballs from the very start with the introduction of Damian, Bruce Wayne’s lovechild with Talia Al Ghul. Things only got weirder from here. Batman died (sorta), traveled through time, and formed the international Batman Inc. upon his return. The story that Morrison was weaving was grandiose in scope and had a mission statement to make every Batman story that ever was be officially apart of his continuity. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Crisis on Infinite Earths</i> that had previously wiped decades of Batman’s history from existence was now reverse retconed. That is, until the New 52 wiped it from existence again. But many of Morrison’s ingredients made the cut and have crossed over into this all new DC universe. In effect, Morrison redefined Batman for the 21<sup>st</sup> century and his contributions will no doubt be felt another 75 years from now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman and Son</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Glove</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Inc.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">5) <b>Paul Dini</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1sUSUjADx0pcR4idfBe1C9De70rv0Ahw8b_HnVZOC94N7sBN7CcQgikEmFuKAeaGadZ4fgWb0KFNwb1OTjnUqxCSLxhihDBfvzqiHMX8BlvAFePWORwri2Url7MOjXBYBH-1vz9oF5h5/s1600/HeartHush.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1sUSUjADx0pcR4idfBe1C9De70rv0Ahw8b_HnVZOC94N7sBN7CcQgikEmFuKAeaGadZ4fgWb0KFNwb1OTjnUqxCSLxhihDBfvzqiHMX8BlvAFePWORwri2Url7MOjXBYBH-1vz9oF5h5/s1600/HeartHush.jpeg" height="200" width="137" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Even if Dini had just stuck to animation he would still be worthy of consideration for his contribution of Harley Quinn to Batman's world. But that's not all folks, as his run on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Detective Comics</i> was one of the best in recent years. Not only did he offer us fresh takes on such characters as The Riddler and Scarface and the Ventriloquist, he also put a new face on Hush (literally) and made him infinitely more interesting and dangerous than he had been previously. Unfortunately Dini worked in Morrison's shadow for his entire run but while Morrison’s take was grander in scope, Dini delivered solid Bat stories nonetheless. What’s so great about his run is there is a through line to it where seeds are planted and then pay off later and in doing so he’s crafted a tightly knit serialized superhero drama complete with his signature sense of humor. No writer balances light and dark moments quite as fluidly as Dini, which makes his Joker both a force to be reckoned with yet somehow still lovable (see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mad Love</i>). Between Harley currently starring in her own series and Batman Beyond being integrated into current continuity, Dini’s influence is alive and well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mad Love</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Detective</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heart of Hush</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">4) <b>Scott Snyder</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzLmdTvnL2Fb4CduCDNJYZKu9yjMlSRd8EDWGqv6tlv78-f5EDQfWPEkyjMOGQKi2wDUDL_JQOBBv0mxNzQ8kQqRerdyAt5ZR0bpWa-TYjm8n87KZU7U7tH7-28p6jD-iAqMJERSujy8u/s1600/SS_DOTF.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzLmdTvnL2Fb4CduCDNJYZKu9yjMlSRd8EDWGqv6tlv78-f5EDQfWPEkyjMOGQKi2wDUDL_JQOBBv0mxNzQ8kQqRerdyAt5ZR0bpWa-TYjm8n87KZU7U7tH7-28p6jD-iAqMJERSujy8u/s1600/SS_DOTF.JPG" height="200" width="131" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">The current heir to the Batman throne, Snyder has been helping shape the direction of the Bat family titles since pre-New 52 and managed to rise to the top of the class even while Grant Morrison was dragging Batman through time and back. Between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Mirror</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Court of Owls</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death in the Family</i>, it seems everything this guy touches turns into an instant classic. Few writers get the Joker the way he does and we’re reminded again why he’s the best (and scariest) villain in comic book history under Snyder’s sick mind (in the best way!). He is currently spearheading the weekly Batman: Eternal series which sees a team of writers utilizing as many extended supporting characters that they can throw in there. It’s safe to say that Snyder’s run will stand the test of time as one of the all-time greatest and it’ll be a sad day when it inevitably comes to a close but for now, we can enjoy it while it lasts. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Mirror</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Court of Owls</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death in the Family</i></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">3) <b>Frank Miller</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qpvp77Y0b5p1uVVTQGoR_QdE9jmNyXvjjvo_RY5MqUfSwtVPBbCFyyz9mCXaZeOeGMSzxEgkO03IRKMH0fOZWu8-4jF56AlLjs2V83XBobcj58en-WIoD6VFtBEWlOMRqMwPcxoOckbg/s1600/Dark_knight_returns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qpvp77Y0b5p1uVVTQGoR_QdE9jmNyXvjjvo_RY5MqUfSwtVPBbCFyyz9mCXaZeOeGMSzxEgkO03IRKMH0fOZWu8-4jF56AlLjs2V83XBobcj58en-WIoD6VFtBEWlOMRqMwPcxoOckbg/s1600/Dark_knight_returns.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Miller left an undeniable stamp on Batman that, to this day, provides inspiration and continues to endure. During the comic book renaissance of the ‘80s, for which his work is partly responsible, his Batman stories bookended the beginning and near end of Batman's career in just two years. Just how influential is Miller’s Batman? Well, if you consider that the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman v Superman</i> movie was announced with a line reading from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Returns</i>, that should give you a pretty good idea. The minute long preview clip from the movie has Miller’s fingerprints all over it. Not to mention the fact that he penned <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman: Year One</i>, the primary inspiration behind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Begins</i> and what was, pre-New 52, considered the starting point for Batman’s canonical tales post-Crisis (yes I realize how esoteric that last sentence was). Batman has never been the same after Miller got his hands on him and I think for that we can all be grateful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Returns</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Year One</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Strikes Again</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: large;">2) <b>Dennis O'Neil</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW0XybFoWSIV0FVCLFK3_IWLvkSn7f66qwtpO7U18ZN8m1ryPBlTaCKReh-sPzAhid4uD_B4x_06Wa9JN5ZdxVPI1soJjIQch47shgs5gGEFFKVOKeVtLhjjIja5TWOwDDyKHX6cbHQ4N/s1600/Batman_Venom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXW0XybFoWSIV0FVCLFK3_IWLvkSn7f66qwtpO7U18ZN8m1ryPBlTaCKReh-sPzAhid4uD_B4x_06Wa9JN5ZdxVPI1soJjIQch47shgs5gGEFFKVOKeVtLhjjIja5TWOwDDyKHX6cbHQ4N/s1600/Batman_Venom.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Not only was O’Neil a powerhouse writer in the ‘70s, changing the landscape of Batman as we know it, he continued to be a guiding force throughout the ‘90s with his editorial supervision. His partnership with Neal Adams redefined Batman for a new generation and despite all the credit that Frank Miller gets, they single-handedly brought Batman back to his darker roots. The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Venom</i> story line is one of the best Batman stories of all time depicting Batman at his most desperate hour with his extended family powerless to help him. O'Neil also oversaw the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall</i> trilogy which, despite the flack that ‘90s comics often receive, remains an essential storyline in the Bat mythos. A living legend amongst Batman scribes, he may not have created the character, but without him I shudder to think how Batman would have turned out. Bonus points for co-creating Ra’s and Talia Al Ghul who have opened up Batman’s world to endless story possibilities as recently as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Rises</i> and Baman’s son Damian.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Venom</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Birth of the Demon</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;">1) <b>Bill Finger</b></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWk3ZJvyEEgI9fE8cKcE2kwVYhxyR__fFFRQTXVFQdLV_tSluyomnp2ZsiCnUQ3iQEwwjIu_qHRKJJ__OU9mKH5tYWBasmO4kkuqLNmPuXvfu83CmhL18li5uaZAREgwB4XV_oE118w0H/s1600/Batman1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJWk3ZJvyEEgI9fE8cKcE2kwVYhxyR__fFFRQTXVFQdLV_tSluyomnp2ZsiCnUQ3iQEwwjIu_qHRKJJ__OU9mKH5tYWBasmO4kkuqLNmPuXvfu83CmhL18li5uaZAREgwB4XV_oE118w0H/s1600/Batman1.jpg" height="200" width="143" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">“Bill who?” you might be asking yourself. Without the contributions of Bill Finger, Batman would be unrecognizable today, or worse, have faded away long ago. In addition to the co-creation of Robin, The Joker, Catwoman, the Batmobile, the name of the city Gotham, plus countless other contributions, (not to mention Batman’s origin story), Finger remains the unsung hero of Batman to this day with Bob Kane being credited as Batman’s sole creator. They even named an award after him to help recognize writers whose contributions to the medium should not go unnoticed. Simply put, Finger may not have written the greatest Batman story ever written, but without his creations, the greatest Batman stories written wouldn’t be possible. Bill has been #2 for so long, I thought I’d give him the #1 slot. He’s earned it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Notable Works: The Joker, Catwoman, Alfred Pennyworth, Commissioner Gordon, Robin… BATMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><u>Honorable Mentions:</u> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">Steve Englehart</span></b><span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alan Moore</b> – If I were making a list of the best Joker writers of all time, Englehart and Moore would be at the top of that list. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Laughing Fish</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Killing Joke</i> are two of the greatest Joker stories ever told and deserve every shred of praise they’ve ever received. Everyone who writes Batman wants a crack at the clown prince of crime, and these two did not disappoint.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-size: 11pt;">So that's my Top 10 Batman Writers as of this posting. Who knows what it will look like in another 75 years from now (yeah, I plan to live that long). Did I miss your favorite writer? Let me know in the comments.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Stay tuned for my Top 10 Batman Artists!</span></span></div>
Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-7597305435669834892014-07-01T02:51:00.003-07:002014-07-02T16:22:27.476-07:00Marvel's Ant-Man marches on Wright-less<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">It’s been a month and I’m still getting used to the idea of an <i>Ant-Man</i> movie not directed by Edgar Wright.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scott Pilgrim vs. the World</i> is one of my favorite comic book movies of all time. I remember liking it after having seen it in theaters, but it wasn’t until my second viewing that I really loved it. It was funny. Scratch that – it was HILARIOUS. And mixed in with the comedy and fantastic characters was eye popping visuals and solid action. It inspired me to seek out the source material and devour the comics, which were awesome in their own right. I owe this to Edgar Wright. I was already a fan of the man’s work from his take on zombies in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shaun of the Dead</i> to his spoof on action movies with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hot Fuzz</i>. Scott Pilgrim was the movie that took it up a notch and converted me to a super fan. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeboWEfQpGPDT9d7ad4XErik8xgozC3FtMj1k19DygLJzqf3ns35bSsxqhTR5U-20SjlL3xQA2fNjxFJ2IAmWsRdxjTOnfelq0ttHETeQcsn39GkVcyrOeSwGx4PljsxniGI8OH4JiIUa/s1600/AntMan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSeboWEfQpGPDT9d7ad4XErik8xgozC3FtMj1k19DygLJzqf3ns35bSsxqhTR5U-20SjlL3xQA2fNjxFJ2IAmWsRdxjTOnfelq0ttHETeQcsn39GkVcyrOeSwGx4PljsxniGI8OH4JiIUa/s1600/AntMan.jpg" height="186" width="320"></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">But back to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i>. I was mildly interested in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> prior to that when I knew he was developing it. It seemed to be on Wright and Marvel’s slate for a very long time but it had quickly become my most anticipated Marvel movie in the pipeline from that point on. I couldn’t wait to see what Wright would do with another comic book property and I know I wasn’t alone. The man clearly has an understanding of the genre and would make his fellow geeks proud. Sure, it was a long gestating project but it would be worth the wait! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">After years of radio silence we finally get some </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us39Vu84rWk" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">test footage</span></a><span style="color: white;"> towards the end of 2013 to keep the fanboys at bay and ensure us that the project was moving forward, which was met with plenty of enthusiasm. Wright indicated that the test footage was a pretty good indicator of what he would bring to </span><i style="color: white;">Ant-Man</i><span style="color: white;">, which would feel like a Marvel comic but with his distinct stamp on it. 2015 couldn’t get here soon enough. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NW1tj1rgteQLWXYKp-3LTtVAV7e85JwXvLvUtmXZm1z2DuR9g22LICoD08UnoYI2dHu-Ihlc0cGdqvCnXRSKSuQNRrYnz3Yd8uH6g0HxkL0ir-tLMMppjBmpZPX-nz_g_FxeLWRRUtRs/s1600/cv6CGMB.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3NW1tj1rgteQLWXYKp-3LTtVAV7e85JwXvLvUtmXZm1z2DuR9g22LICoD08UnoYI2dHu-Ihlc0cGdqvCnXRSKSuQNRrYnz3Yd8uH6g0HxkL0ir-tLMMppjBmpZPX-nz_g_FxeLWRRUtRs/s1600/cv6CGMB.gif" height="134" width="320"></span></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">After the camera test sequence whet our appetites, then we FINALLY we get our first casting rumors. It was between Paul Rudd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, either one of which I would have been ok with as they are great at what they do and are both deserving of headlining their own superhero franchise. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">So then it was made official that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> has a star in Paul Rudd, which amazingly was also met with a fickle fan community’s approval. Everything seemed to be moving along at a good pace now and Ant Man would finally make the leap from print to celluloid!<br><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"></div><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">And then this happened…<o:p></o:p></span><br>
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><a href="http://variety.com/2014/film/news/edgar-wright-exits-marvels-ant-man-as-director-1201190458/"><span style="color: blue;">Edgar Wright Exits Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’ as Director</span></a><span style="color: white;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Did Wright take too long? Was he too distracted working on other projects and let <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> slip through his fingers? What the hell happened??<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">This is nothing new in Hollywood. Deals fall through every day. This isn’t even new to Marvel Studios as previously, the original director of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thor 2</i>, Patty Jenkins (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Monster</i>), dropped out over, you guessed it, “creative differences.” I think the person most upset by this shift was star </span><a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/thor-2-natalie-portman-marvel-patty-jenkins-272978"><span style="color: blue;">Natalie Portman</span></a><span style="color: white;">. But Wright was a much more high profile and unexpected director shuffle as he had been attached to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> since <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>2006</u></b>!<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Marvel has had some inspired choices for each project. For every safe bet (Joe Johnston for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America</i>) there was an out of left field pick (Joe and Anthony Russo for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Captain America: The Winter Soldier</i>). James Gunn, director of this summer's <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> (another gamble) was one of the latest oddball choices as he’s never taken on a project of such magnitude but everyone has to graduate to the big leagues eventually. At the very least his previous movies make sense for him to be tapped by Marvel (not to mention his association with Joss Whedon couldn’t hurt). Speaking of, the one hiring that was met with a resounding YES from fanboys heard round the internet was Joss Whedon spearheading <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers (</i>sorry, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Marvel’s The Avengers</i>). I was totally on board with this development 1) because although I already knew he was a skilled writer, I very much enjoyed his previous directorial effort, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Serenity</i>, the feature film that spun out of the short-lived <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Firefly</i> series, and 2) Whedon clearly knows the Marvel universe. After reading his comics run on X-Men, it was obvious that this wasn’t just some filmmaker who had a passing interest in comics and wanted to take a stab at fulfilling a childhood dream. This guy, who just happened to be one of the biggest names in television, could write comics just as good as the pros. And then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Avengers</i> goes on to make over $1.5 billion worldwide. Of course it didn’t hurt that he had the benefit of a handful of mega hits as lead-ins to his ultimate crossover movie. You have to wonder if Warner Bros is still kicking themselves for passing on Whedon’s Wonder Woman pitch, the man who not only redefined the contemporary kickass heroine in Buffy, but now major superhero franchises as we know them. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Whedon even paid tribute to his fallen filmmaker with this photo</span><b style="background-color: black; color: white;"> </b><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">in reference to </span><span style="background-color: black; color: blue;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Flavours_Cornetto_trilogy">Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy</a> </span><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">of films: <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhY2Qt3ObmQYdcIos4fDtyYXNWxCT1TUqvr4J5RIWh0uYAujgJ654xaPUba0qi9Y0Mc8ZWd1lr7HajOGLlM8FKy-xUIxZsiANc3CmRL3QQLp3BtXeDoHbTvm9cYeAQUpmiUK34QjOuDYO/s1600/whedon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhY2Qt3ObmQYdcIos4fDtyYXNWxCT1TUqvr4J5RIWh0uYAujgJ654xaPUba0qi9Y0Mc8ZWd1lr7HajOGLlM8FKy-xUIxZsiANc3CmRL3QQLp3BtXeDoHbTvm9cYeAQUpmiUK34QjOuDYO/s1600/whedon.jpg" height="320" width="180"></span></a></div><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p><br>
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">A somewhat bold public show of solidarity in that you’d think Whedon would show allegiance with the home team over Wright, but I suppose that goes to show how secure he is in his standing with Marvel Studios. Your movie raking in over $1 billion will do that. Whedon has quite a bit of clout over Wright because he has the dollar signs to back him up. Had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scott Pilgrim</i> performed, perhaps Wright would have been given equal creative license and Marvel would have left him to his offbeat devices.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Whedon’s pic was in response to this, the only public explanation Wright offered after the news came out. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKE5ETF2icidBL97NZOlJrTyppnTwZXR7A6yzqg8cDOXZ0ECOq1HqWsbvFjyzzhqnBdFpvT3WfKhrzK5liAluLfQAWmBfPAOllIWOIR7HMoaY6pDU0GgXi7MuprIuj_KSehay2r40lu7c/s1600/busterkeatoncornetto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRKE5ETF2icidBL97NZOlJrTyppnTwZXR7A6yzqg8cDOXZ0ECOq1HqWsbvFjyzzhqnBdFpvT3WfKhrzK5liAluLfQAWmBfPAOllIWOIR7HMoaY6pDU0GgXi7MuprIuj_KSehay2r40lu7c/s1600/busterkeatoncornetto.jpg" height="320" width="250"></span></a></b></div><b style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br>
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">He tweeted a forlorn image of Buster Keaton holding a Cornetto cone dubbing it “selfie”. Keaton famously regretted giving up his own studio to make movies with MGM, claiming it was the “worst mistake of my career.” He was never again given the freedom to make movies the way he wanted to. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The message Wright was sending was clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Here’s what it comes down to: creative freedom. Marvel hires creative people to do just that. Create! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">So does that mean with less success comes less creative license? Was Marvel worried that Wright’s quirky charm wouldn’t connect with the masses and figured they’d better rein him in? </span><span style="color: white;">When Wright was asked if Ant-Man would be a test of how far the Marvel brand could be stretched he replied that </span><a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/11/22/edgar-wright-comic-con-test-footage-is-a-good-indication-of-ant-mans-look"><span style="color: blue;">Marvel has had his treatment for years so the idea has never really wavered</span></a><span style="color: blue;">.</span><span style="color: white;"> But a lot can change in a year or eight.</span><span style="color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The World’s End</i> made $26 million domestically on a $20 million budget. A dismal failure by Marvel standards. Was this poor performance a factor in giving Marvel cold feet? Even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scott Pilgim</i>, which was received warmly at Comic Con, bombed at the box office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps in Marvel’s eyes, two duds in a row didn’t instill very much confidence in them that Wright’s fan base would come through for a lesser-known superhero, even with the added boost of it being under the Marvel banner. And that’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">really</b> what it comes down to, the return on investment. It didn’t matter that Scott Pilgrim has since developed a cult following. Marvel couldn’t risk their untested property to a guy with two strikes but they couldn’t outright drop him from a project that he’d been developing for the better part of a decade, so what do they do? Force his vision to match theirs and possibly tie it in to the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe that has flourished since Wright signed on to the project. A lot has changed since 2006 with eight Marvel features being released so far to mega bucks in that time so perhaps Wright with his obscure superhero (by mainstream standards) seemed like a bigger gamble than it had originally. Ant-Man was after all a founding member of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Avengers</i> (now the 3rd highest grossing movie of all time). Perhaps what was missing from Ant-Man was more references to the movie everyone saw, or perhaps a cameo from Sam Jackson, or maybe even Captain America to tie in with his third entry or a female companion like Wasp since the Cap and Black Widow pairing tested so well in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Winter Soldier</i>. It could have been any number of studio notes since now Marvel had a recipe for success and they knew what needed to happen with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> to eclipse the previous hits they had achieved, because if Ant-Man turned out to be another <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Scott Pilgrim</i>… it could spell the beginning of the end for the Age of Super Hero movies as we know it. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Jon Favreau had similar difficulties with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iron Man 2</i>. The original set the tone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward and with the sequel, he was pushed into shoehorning in Fury and Widow until it just felt like a precursor for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Avengers </i>more than a follow up to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iron Man</i>. Perhaps this is why we didn’t get a Favreau directed Iron Man 3 and he pulled a Sam Raimi after only two go-rounds. Thankfully <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Iron Man 3</i> didn’t sink to the depths of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Spider-Man 3</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men 3</i> for that matter and helped redeem the franchise (although some fans were just as split on this one as they were the second). Recently, </span><a href="http://www.hitfix.com/news/jon-favreau-gives-his-opinion-on-edgar-wright-leaving-marvels-ant-man"><span style="color: blue;">Favreau offered his two cents</span></a><span style="color: white;"> on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> situation, claiming that Wright had “</span><span style="color: white;">been used to a situation where he can have tremendous creative say around his story and casting, and Marvel has built an entire franchise around their style of telling stories. I know both parties well, and I respect his decision to see that he wasn’t going to be fulfilled in the process.” Recently Favreau returned to his roots directing a smaller pet project. Was he also burned by the studio system and needed a breather? Time will tell if Favreau will return to direct another Marvel movie.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Is this just the beginning of a creative rift forming between visionary directors and Marvel Studios? DC Comics faced a similar issue with its creators a couple years back when writers and artists were dropping off one after another because of what was seen as too much editorial input and not letting creators follow through on plots they had arced out months in advance. Now it seems as if this mentally is spilling over into the movie machine as a LOT more money is on the line than the nickel and dime business of comics.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Oddly enough, both Wright and his co-writer Joe Cornish are still, as of this post, listed as writers on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i>, with Wright still credited as co-producer according to IMDB. Not that IMDB is the most reliable source of up-to-date info but that would suggest at this point that their contributions haven’t been entirely scrapped and we’ll still see their fingerprints on the final product. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The scenario brings to mind another case of swapping out directors last minute on a superhero property when Bryan Singer jumped ship from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men 3</i> to helm <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Superman Returns</i> and Brett Ratner was the hired gun brought in to keep the production on schedule. Well, we all know how well that turned out. I’m afraid <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> may suffer the same fate seeing as Marvel Studios is too headstrong to admit that on an Edgar Wright film, Wright is irreplaceable and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> will happen with or without him. Notice how I called it an Edgar Wright film and not a Marvel movie? Make no mistake, whatever Wright had cooking, was going to be his movie that just so happened to take place in the MCU. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">And that brings us to the replacement. Who would be ballsy enough to step into Wright’s shoes and attempt to finish what he started? Several names were thrown around as being potential candidates to pick up the pieces from the departed Wright, and a few even passed on the chance to bring <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> to life. Rawson Marshall Thurber (of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Millers</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dodgeball</i>) reportedly turned it down followed by Adam McKay (of every other Will Ferrell movie). I’m not a big fan of McKay’s but with at least one action/comedy to his name with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Other Guys</i>, I will say he made much more sense than who ended up with the gig.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Admittedly, when Peyton Reed was announced as Wright’s fill-in, I had to look him up. I saw a few tweets refer to him as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Break-Up</i> director and that didn’t exactly fill me with enthusiasm. Reed’s credits also include <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes Man</i> (which wanted so badly to be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Liar, Liar</i>), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Down with Love</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bring It On</i> (well at least it’s the original). There’s nothing here to hate, but for me, there’s nothing to love either. They are perfectly safe, albeit generic, romantic comedies with at least two big name stars attached to each. Far more interesting are his television credits which include <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Upright Citizens Brigade</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mr. Show</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Weird Al Show</i>. Clearly the guy has some offbeat, sketch comedy roots which will serve him with the comedic aspects of the movie, but what about his resume says he’s got a good superhero movie in him (although it could be argued the same could be said for Favreau at the time)? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Based on the guys that Marvel hit up, it seems to me that the essential pre-requisite to directing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ant-Man</i> was having previously directed Vince Vaughn with Jennifer Aniston as a bonus. I guess Favreau set the precedent with that formula so Wright truly never had a chance. As it turns out, McKay will have a hand in re-writing the script for what that's worth.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Prior to this announcement, I was debating with an old friend over who would be the logical choice to step in and save this movie from Marvel. I mentioned the Russo brothers would be a good pick if they weren’t already signed on for Cap 3. He said the logical choice was clearly to bring back Edgar Wright (wishful thinking Sean!). It hit me later that night another directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">21 Jump St.</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lego Movie </i>would be a great fit. We both agreed they’d be perfect. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">And then two days later this hit… </span><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/1839961/phil-lord-and-chris-miller-wont-direct-marvel-ant-man/"><span style="color: blue;">Phil Lord and Chris Miller Won’t Direct Marvel’s Ant-Man</span></a><span style="color: white;">. Not only did they say they wouldn’t do it (Wright is a pal of theirs) but they agreed that the logical choice would be for Wright to direct an Edgar Wright movie (well yeah, Sean could have told you that). They even went as far as to say that Marvel should scrap the movie altogether. Whether or not you agree with them, it’s clear whose side they’re on and that they won’t let a paycheck sway their creative integrity or come between friendships. And these guys call themselves Hollywood directors? My respect for them just went way up. It was the day after this when Reed was announced and the guessing game was put to rest. It was fun while it lasted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7QBjIIgecZgDyOCSl0ukiJ3NW8Wcvl3S5lmpJMojztzkxfDo0zVl6J1coVhnnTo8RkGit5HOqFfDpivkPnYg969IXRl5NdjMKW3rpYR180rM4Y6aTIzyMRec4W4R8OGGOKOXTQap29xL/s1600/Ant_Man_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7QBjIIgecZgDyOCSl0ukiJ3NW8Wcvl3S5lmpJMojztzkxfDo0zVl6J1coVhnnTo8RkGit5HOqFfDpivkPnYg969IXRl5NdjMKW3rpYR180rM4Y6aTIzyMRec4W4R8OGGOKOXTQap29xL/s1600/Ant_Man_logo.jpg" height="320" width="216"></span></span></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The saddest thing about the situation is that going back and watching interviews with Wright, you could tell he truly has a love for the character, referencing John Byrne’s run as an influence. Wright also mentions in one interview that he had to put Ant-Man on the backburner in order to make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The World’s End</i>, and that Marvel was cool with that, telling Wright they’d see him in a couple years. He had a completed script and was meant to begin shooting it at the end of May, (around the time it was announced that he had left the project) so it remains to be seen if the release date will be pushed back from July 17, 2015 to accommodate Reed, or if he’s able to crank it out per Marvel’s guidelines. It’s Disney, so most likely the latter. They’re not exactly delaying <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">VII</i> over Harrison Ford’s broken foot. It seemed as if the egos involved were more interested in getting someone in the director’s chair pronto who had a comedy background and was available to start yesterday. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-clip: initial; background-origin: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">Here’s some more food for thought – Marvel likes their leading mean cheap. Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans weren’t exactly household names pre-Avengers and they got locked into multiple picture deals early on, to get the most out of them before the movies even began to rake in the dough. At the time of Rudd’s casting, it was reported that the actor took on the role at less than his usual asking price for the opportunity to work with Wright (understandable). A lot of actors will choose roles based on the director and this was no different, meaning Wright’s involvement attracted talent which is all it amounted to. I’m wondering how Rudd must be feeling about his missed opportunity. If it weren’t for Wright, who would be starring in this thing anyway?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;"><br>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">We shouldn’t have to worry too much about Wright. There are plenty of other projects in his future and Marvel Studios isn’t the only game in town. He’ll get work again. And I’ll be there to check out what he’s got in store. Perhaps WB will scoop him up to take on <i>Shazam</i>, in an attempt to make up for losing Whedon all those years ago. Crazier things have happened. As far as his version of <i>Ant-Man</i>, as Simon Pegg put it, “it’s our loss.” </span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><br>
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</span></div>Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-55418428211118117862014-05-21T10:22:00.000-07:002014-05-22T09:41:19.430-07:00X-Men - How time travel can save the franchise
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsohHVurws44o_pCPJcumQIz_K2KzWTFTcnI56poaHyB6_-wprJq08iSg7Zu3SFhO6QcvAdwYIYuksmCL0AkIlwjMeEEfcUed4dKUOFZ5ctCwYYWhGFiG5CqMP1jhPE5QZaS6CuA-zXvG0/s1600/X-MenDOFP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsohHVurws44o_pCPJcumQIz_K2KzWTFTcnI56poaHyB6_-wprJq08iSg7Zu3SFhO6QcvAdwYIYuksmCL0AkIlwjMeEEfcUed4dKUOFZ5ctCwYYWhGFiG5CqMP1jhPE5QZaS6CuA-zXvG0/s1600/X-MenDOFP.jpg" height="197" width="320"></a></div>
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I’m super excited about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men:
Days of Future Past</i>. But I’m also a little nervous. Don’t worry, I’m not
THAT fanboy. I’m not so naïve as to go in with the expectation that it will be
a faithful adaptation of the classic storyline it’s named after. I’ve seen
enough superhero movies by now to know that the filmmakers borrow elements from
the comic and then run with their own ideas. But I’ve also gone into an X-Men
movie with high hopes and been burned by the scorching flames of the Phoenix
(more on that later).</div>
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<br></div>
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After the disasters that were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men 3: The Last Stand</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men
Origins: Wolverine</i> (the less said about the latter the better, so I won’t),
FOX kinda sorta wiped the slate clean with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X-Men:
First Class</i>, a major step in the right direction. While it wasn’t the X-Men
movie of my dreams, it came the closest since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X2</i>. Now the original X-Men director Bryan Singer has returned to
helm <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Days of Future Past</i>, which is
the biggest X-Men movie to date, and has a lot riding on it. Singer, whose
potential hasn’t always lived up to my expectations after giving us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Usual Suspects</i>, has directed one
mediocre X-Men movie (the original) and one good one (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">X2</i>). Early word is this one is living up to the hype, so hopefully
he’s learned some new tricks during his absence from the franchise and this
will mark his triumphant return. </div>
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<br></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now with a time travel element added to the mix, Singer
expressed the desire to “fix a few things,” specifically in regards to X3,
where he bowed out to direct the ill-fated <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Superman
Returns</i>. This is something that gives me a lot of hope that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Days of Future Past</i> could achieve “X-Men
movie of my dreams” status. After I saw X3, I was pretty frustrated. The most
aggravating thing is that it started off on a high note. The beginning of the
movie dropped us right into the action with the X-Men in a Danger Room training
sequence ripped straight out of the pages of the Days of Future Past timeline.
They even had Colossus chuck Wolverine in a “fastball special” towards an
unseen robot assailant and afterwards a giant sentinel head came crashing down.
At this point in the movie I could not have been more pumped. This had to be
foreshadowing for more sentinels to come, right? It turns out all we got was a
head. </div>
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<br></div>
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At least <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Days of
Future Past</i> will deliver on the sentinels. Cyclops’ death marked the
downward plummet which the movie never recovers from. So many missed
opportunities and so many confusing and misguided decisions that I don’t know
where to begin (such as, how you can have Juggernaut and Colossus in a movie together and not have them fight?). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that if the X-Men
franchise would live on, that something had to change to justify what I had
just watched. But then it hit me. I knew how to fix X-Men; time travel!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtsMwUofqccFNAQYFeW_zgXVEHNX7gagSw2QAJY90eQKrzPfQk3cH2NJiyNlgwDXVxgBrednwrV42pFBtC2xb9MLJykF6o0yNAFR-rupL_PebuvRbJTN6kWYiXcuJTqivIfxyGUcjfLFg/s1600/X-Men-Bishop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtsMwUofqccFNAQYFeW_zgXVEHNX7gagSw2QAJY90eQKrzPfQk3cH2NJiyNlgwDXVxgBrednwrV42pFBtC2xb9MLJykF6o0yNAFR-rupL_PebuvRbJTN6kWYiXcuJTqivIfxyGUcjfLFg/s1600/X-Men-Bishop.jpg" height="315" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The good news is we're getting Bishop minus the mullet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was too late to save X3, but it wasn’t too late for the
future of the X-Men movie franchise. I went as far as to outline my own spec
script for X-Men 4, which would involve the time traveling mutant, Bishop,
traveling back in time from a post-apocalyptic future, into the events of X3
(think <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Back to the Future Part II</i>) to
correct all the mistakes. The fact that DoFP combines the new and old cast,
meant that we could create a new path for these characters and their fates. For
example, Professor Xavier dies in X3, one of the most pointless deaths scenes
in an X-Men movie to date. We fans know that Xavier’s death in the comics has
some major ramifications on the future, kicking off the Age of Apocalypse
storyline. So obviously killing off Xavier was a bad idea in the movie. But
what if we could take it back? Enter Bishop, who goes back to stop this from
occurring to try and prevent the post-apocalyptic future from ever existing.
Done. Next thing that needs fixing? The Phoenix Saga.</div>
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Fox really mangled this storyline. Honestly if you can’t do
something right, don’t do it at all, but they went for it and the result was
pretty pathetic. Worst of all, they tried to cram The Cure storyline into the
same movie with it. I think Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool said it best – It’s
like if MGM decided the James Bond franchise would conclude with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goldfinger</i> but then wedged in a little <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thunderball</i> and a dash of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Moonraker</i> then called it a day. That’s
basically what X3 amounted to, just throwing everything at the wall with little
regard to what stuck. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTW9oOsyFI0ulUjpwiiDJoo55qryu_ooqtbJc3HpO0OxnKB8eh-3luN0Ay3m8rEYlwiZTzoSz8bwU6Z6SqhzMa3QxXIMnFowh7-4DzatAnj9TUyHLkYgBzbqDD-PHx_2Q-YRPRw98wUrPQ/s1600/X-Men-rogue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTW9oOsyFI0ulUjpwiiDJoo55qryu_ooqtbJc3HpO0OxnKB8eh-3luN0Ay3m8rEYlwiZTzoSz8bwU6Z6SqhzMa3QxXIMnFowh7-4DzatAnj9TUyHLkYgBzbqDD-PHx_2Q-YRPRw98wUrPQ/s1600/X-Men-rogue.jpg" height="320" width="237"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS is the Rogue fans want to see on screen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So Jean, as Phoenix, dies in the end by Wolverine’s hands
and that’s that. Jean dies in the comics so I won’t hold that against the
writers, but here’s an alternative solution – Rogue, up until this point, has
been one of the most boring characters in the movies, a complete contrast to
her spunky persona we comic fans had become accustomed to. They introduce her
with her original mutant power, the ability to absorb other mutants’ abilities,
which factors into the plot of the first movie. In X2, it’s obvious they didn’t
really know what to do with her, and they couldn’t take the time to introduce
Ms. Marvel and give Rogue her flying and super strength abilities - that would
have bogged the movie down. So let’s say, because this is a movie and not the
comics, as an alternative solution, we go back into X3 and she were to absorb
the Phoenix’s powers, in affect, saving Jean’s life and giving Rogue all her
powers, so she can finally become the kickass X-woman we know and love. How
cool would that have been to see an army of sentinels land on Alcatraz in the
final battle and Rogue flipping them over her shoulder? So, no, not exactly
like in the comics, but a way more satisfying outcome for Rogue’s development
as a mutant as opposed to getting cured and that’s it. Supposedly, Rogue was
cut out of DoFP and then added back in for a “pivotal scene,” so hopefully they
finally figured out what to do with her.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBj9tP6wJi9ni7LsetgrasxgPx-9Pv1rXHTgQvOG8OOGWEYans3ZykmTz-OB4RTStv01RbO-X7YoVVlUpHQBCeJhSSCjwBELte1p71De6qGTKkWyonzg_jiMK3tj1SiURjre5ghAJ0LnO/s1600/x-men_cable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEBj9tP6wJi9ni7LsetgrasxgPx-9Pv1rXHTgQvOG8OOGWEYans3ZykmTz-OB4RTStv01RbO-X7YoVVlUpHQBCeJhSSCjwBELte1p71De6qGTKkWyonzg_jiMK3tj1SiURjre5ghAJ0LnO/s1600/x-men_cable.jpg" height="238" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable and Wolverine share a moment in time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As for Cyclops… he got the shaft in these movies, no more so
than in X3. He was barely there in X2 and then he’s unceremoniously killed off
in the first act of X3. The third movie pretty much became the Wolverine and
Storm show so I guess there was just not enough screen time to accommodate poor
Cyke. I attended a Comic Con panel where Zak Penn spoke about this and the way
he explained it was that they wanted a major character to die early on so right
off the bat, fans were given the heads up and that anything can and will happen
in this movie. More accurately, it was a scheduling conflict as when Singer
left to shoot Superman at the same time, he took James Marsden with him. This
is another major event that could have catastrophic repercussions on the
future. With no Scott Summers and no Jean Grey, that means no Cable, the future
leader of X-Force who is our best hope against a world ruled by Apocalypse.
Again, enter Bishop to save Cable’s parents from perishing and preventing the
world from going to hell. I understand that James Marsden won’t be in DoFP, so
that won’t be happening, but how cool would that be? Cable would be an awesome addition to the cast and would really help bridge the gap between the present day and the future.</div>
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So the good news is that Bishop is in this movie, and we
will have time traveling mutants, in this case Wolverine (who else?). I’m very
curious to see how this will tie in to Singer’s original cast and even though I
know it’s not necessarily the X-Men movie I would have written, I hope it
delivers. My expectations haven’t been this high since X3 so it’s got a lot to
live up to.</div>
<br>
<br>
Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-58121425818132077482014-05-16T01:32:00.000-07:002014-05-16T01:40:47.433-07:00Animated Batman Movie Rankings, Part 2: #5 - #1<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Continuing
on from <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/05/animated-batman-movie-rankings-part-one.html" target="_blank">Part 1</a>, here we count down the Top 5 animated Batman movies of all
time. Will my picks match up with yours? Read on an find out!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5) Batman and Mr. Freeze: Subzero<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Come
on people! A guy in a weird suit with two polar bears can’t be too hard to spot!" - </span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Commissioner Gordon</span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrS_5gg6fjBGuzbMxYnXJGdI5XH_Ftf9Nt4F35PjX0HsrRVtQO_QPeiVw4s-xY9VmggV8FIDkve3eZInyQFrCnv16vjnMWhQ9e3KIOtkD7sBH8ghGjAlysUrcZD6983SxsHxFCEYPmpt5r/s1600/SubzeroMrFreeze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_O4n88yFCWRJxjiKKMsVZdQTvCQCwl-iPPouEHOfF09d34LePYqqEVmqWhcN3mA9NlrP3xaS1EKiPyrgf-ELAvKxMT_zu8cIa0zkU5LoG48dq0Dg7XkYGZWY0eHg1LKt7UWkZ4lfj6Ij/s1600/batman-and-mr-freeze-sub-zero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_O4n88yFCWRJxjiKKMsVZdQTvCQCwl-iPPouEHOfF09d34LePYqqEVmqWhcN3mA9NlrP3xaS1EKiPyrgf-ELAvKxMT_zu8cIa0zkU5LoG48dq0Dg7XkYGZWY0eHg1LKt7UWkZ4lfj6Ij/s1600/batman-and-mr-freeze-sub-zero.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My favorite trivia
about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Subzero</i> is that Warner pushed
back the release date to distance it from the disaster that was the campy
live-action <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman & Robin</i>, a
movie so bad, it put the Batman movie franchise in hibernation for nearly a
decade. It was intended as a home video tie-in, but to avoid further
embarrassment that the cartoon Batman took itself more seriously than the big
budget bomb, it got delayed. Although the second animated Batman movie didn’t
surpass its predecessor (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mask of the
Phantasm</i>), it’s still a worthy addition to the animated Bat library and
lives up to the standard set by the series it’s based on. Batman: The Animated
Series redefined Mr. Freeze with a sympathetic backstory, painting him as a
tragic villain, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Subzero</i> advances
his story about a scientist determined to save his ailing wife by any means
necessary, even if it means taking an innocent life. Freeze’s co-headlining is
well earned, as this is primarily his story. Batman’s partners, Robin and Batgirl,
have their share of screen time as well, with a budding romance sparking out of
costume (Dick and Barbara are unaware of each other’s secret identities at this
point). Having a bigger budget to work with, many of the vehicles are computer
generated, but the CGI here doesn’t always blend seamlessly with the 2D
animation. It doesn’t distract from the story but it does date it a bit.
However, the runtime is a bit on the short side compared to other home video
releases, and would have benefited from more breathing room to incorporate more
character development for Freeze. Anyone who’s seen the classic episode “Heart
of Ice” already knows about his wife Nora and Freeze’s mission to save her, but
the movie could have used some flashbacks to fill in more backstory about their
relationship prior to that. Freeze’s crooked colleague, Dr. Belson, could have
used a little backstory to tie him into Freeze’s past as well. As it stands, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Subzero</i> is worth adding to your Batman
collection, but I would have traded the CGI for more story, which would have
added depth and making it feel more like a movie than a two-part episode.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman:
Kevin Conroy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes:
Robin (Dick Grayson), Batgirl, Commissioner Jim Gordon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains:
Mr. Freeze<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4) Batman: Under the Red Hood<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I’m cleaning up Gotham. More than you ever did.”</span></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> – Red Hood<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMUJlHLZypCl_7EwgrkKki7_VCXM7eBHPZTrbkCZOyeWH0gcjlDU4Wce3o42MbXaQNo-dl7oAW5Ktd6qcZ62Xv5kCYY-6cdQ1XGwfijulEDuzhKuG96UGiuNKaNUCxcEtsjvMcObK2FxU/s1600/batmanundertheredhood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMUJlHLZypCl_7EwgrkKki7_VCXM7eBHPZTrbkCZOyeWH0gcjlDU4Wce3o42MbXaQNo-dl7oAW5Ktd6qcZ62Xv5kCYY-6cdQ1XGwfijulEDuzhKuG96UGiuNKaNUCxcEtsjvMcObK2FxU/s1600/batmanundertheredhood.jpg" height="202" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: black; color: white;">The comic
arc, <i>Under the Red Hood</i>, was
perfectly suited to be turned into a movie. What I love best about it is it's a
Batman movie made for Bat fans. Too often, superhero movies feel the need to
start at the beginning, rehashing the origin in order not to alienate casual
fans who have a basic understanding of the characters but aren't caught up to
speed with how they've developed over the years. <i>Red Hood</i> keeps Batman’s continuity intact, managing to tell its
story while also weaving in elements from classic stories like <i>Death in the Family</i> and <i>The Killing Joke</i>. Writer Judd Winick
does an excellent job of adapting his own work onto the screen, and knows what
needs to be cut in order to keep the story moving along at a good pace. This is
a prime example of how a comic story should be adapted where making those cuts
actually makes the end result stronger. Just like all the best Batman stories,
this one involves a mystery at its core – who is the Red Hood? The story
doesn’t leave a lot of room for speculation as to who the Red Hood is but while
the revelation rubs a lot of fans the wrong way, it does pack an emotional
punch. Bruce Greenwood brings a seasoned maturity to Batman and almost makes me
forget about Conroy, as he’s one of the best actors to portray the dark knight
in animation. The Joker factors in to
the plot, bringing the events that catapulted this storyline full circle.
Voiced by John DiMaggio (aka <i>Futurama</i>’s
Bender), this is one of my favorite interpretations of Joker yet. It’s a bit of
an amalgam of Mark Hamill’s iconic take with a dash of Heath Ledger mixed in.
Now that Hamill has supposedly retired from the role, I wouldn’t mind DiMaggio
voicing Joker on a more regular basis with future projects. He brings a dark
humorous edge to the role that Hamill perfected. The other major villain
featured is Black Mask. The way he’s been portrayed here is one of the movie’s
drawbacks as he just comes off as a raging hothead when the way he’s portrayed
in the comics is cold and calculating. In the comics I always imagined his
voice sounding similar to the way Jeffrey Combs portrayed The Scarecrow in the <i>New Adventures of Batman</i> series, which
was menacing because it was devoid of emotion. When I first heard Black Mask’s
voice in <i>The Batman</i> series, I was
pretty disappointed with the way he was depicted and hoped future versions
would tone him down a bit but if anything, they’ve taken it up a notch with his
outbursts. It doesn’t ruin the movie, but if the movie has a weak link, this is
it. Overall, the direction is top notch, with thrilling action scenes balanced
with great character moments. It is a solid entry into the animated Batman
library and set a new bar for all future releases.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman: Bruce Greenwood<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes: Nightwing, Robin (Jason Todd)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains: Red Hood, Joker, Black Mask, Ra’s Al Ghul,
Riddler, Amazo<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3) Batman: The Dark Knight Returns<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“In all the years to come, in your most private moments, I
want you to remember the one man who beat you!”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">- Batman</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOSSTO5WmiWJtkjdeIzk_uT8BsOShuvpHVsbCcsEFSQ0xukPBYSK7qRofjpukxQ5hUwl3UC8jXynfWY312RzUlfByBY_oPhntotCR5Bu5GkKZ5N1d8O1LPkukVXXWm4pmfet3pDolCQN9/s1600/tdkr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOSSTO5WmiWJtkjdeIzk_uT8BsOShuvpHVsbCcsEFSQ0xukPBYSK7qRofjpukxQ5hUwl3UC8jXynfWY312RzUlfByBY_oPhntotCR5Bu5GkKZ5N1d8O1LPkukVXXWm4pmfet3pDolCQN9/s1600/tdkr.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While I said before
that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Year One</i>, while essential to the
Batman mythos, was a tad overrated, to me Miller’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark Knight Returns</i> is one of the greatest Batman stories ever
told. It does receive more credit than it deserves in regards to bringing Batman
back to his dark roots, but it has had an undeniable lasting impact on future
Batman scribes who have cited DKR as their one of their biggest inspirations
and will serve as a major influence on the upcoming Zach Snyder movie featuring
<a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2013/08/batfleck-or-how-i-learned-to-stop.html">Batfleck</a>.
But enough about its reputation, how does the movie stack up to the rest? As
far as adapting classic DC properties, this one nails it. This is the best
comic-to-screen DCU offering since <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice
League: The New Frontier</i> in that it feels like a complete story and not
just focusing on the major beats. They were able to accomplish this by
splitting it up over two releases and leaving very little on the cutting room
floor. If they had treated it the way they did the Death of Superman story in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Superman: Doomsday</i>, they most likely
would have condensed all of the Two-Face and mutant gang stuff and just focused
solely on the showdowns with Joker and Superman, but by allowing the time and
care to do it right, it feels more lived in, taking the viewer on a journey. I
still remember the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcvN4pu6O2k">classic
animated episode, “Legends of the Dark Knight,”</a> where they portray different
variations of Batman and one of them was a snippet of DKR and at the time I
thought, “how cool would it be if they made that into a movie?” It took a few
years, but it was worth the wait. Peter Weller (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Robocop</i>) is perfectly cast as the grizzled caped crusader coming
out of retirement. It was a smart choice because as much as Kevin Conroy’s
older interpretation of Bruce works for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman
Beyond</i>, Weller captures Miller’s Batman spot on. I enjoyed Michael Emerson
as a villain on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost</i>, and the guy can
play creepy, but he’s far from my favorite Joker. He’s not bad, he just doesn’t
steal scenes the way Joker should. While I think the DCU movies need to ease up
on adaptations and focus more on original content, if all future adaptations
are treated with this kind of respect, that’ll be a major step in the right
direction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman: Peter Weller<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes: Robin (Carrie Kelley), Catwoman, Commissioner
Gordon, Superman<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains: Joker, Mutant Leader, Two-Face, Superman</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2) Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“If you don’t like the movie, I’ve got slides”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
– <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Joker</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EbjqtofYauATsAiDM6idb8FYtJalT5vrnw1azWbrvcrvngUmHpny4Jm3mWIDBGoEk89l78zv8VoDVkNpd0Ck794J_2Vd_fe4m-kdFRV2A_XMm-JqEJ85CBV5uNBTBTvFHSZa4v0O8mnB/s1600/Batman_Beyond_Return_of_the_Joker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EbjqtofYauATsAiDM6idb8FYtJalT5vrnw1azWbrvcrvngUmHpny4Jm3mWIDBGoEk89l78zv8VoDVkNpd0Ck794J_2Vd_fe4m-kdFRV2A_XMm-JqEJ85CBV5uNBTBTvFHSZa4v0O8mnB/s1600/Batman_Beyond_Return_of_the_Joker.jpg" height="184" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While it may not be
Bruce Wayne under the cowl, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman
Beyond: Return of the Joker</i> is a Batman movie through and through. Many,
like myself, scoffed at the idea of a teenage Batman, but who knew it would turn
out this good. Or dark. This is by far the bleakest Batman movie on the list, with
the flashback sequence alone earning it that label. If <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Beyond</i> was a completely separate entity from the original
animated series, it wouldn’t resonate with me as much, but this is a direct
continuation of the series, giving fans a look at what becomes of Bruce after
retiring from his vigilante days, and that’s what really drives it. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Return of the Joker</i> fills in more gaps,
especially in regards to Batman’s archenemy. One of the biggest questions
jumping forward in time was, “what happened to The Joker?” and this movie sets
out to answer that. The answer is both shocking and satisfactory. Mark Hamill
is back in the role he was born to play and although this version of Joker is a
little more toned down than usual, he’s still just as menacing as ever. The
Batman of this series, Terry McGinnis, at this point had carved out his own
path as Batman, but it’s with this movie that he takes the next step of not
simply filling Bruce’s shoes, but really honoring the legacy of the Batman. It’s
not really fair to compare Will Friedle’s Batman to Kevin Conroy as he’s not
voicing the same character, and because Conroy reprises his role as Bruce
Wayne, we don’t have to. Bruce’s former partners, Barbara Gordon and Tim Drake,
factor into the plot, keeping the supporting cast in the Bat family. In
addition to building a new mythology, the series had always touched on elements
from Bruce’s past before, but when it came to crafting a movie, the creative
team knew they would have to dig deeper to make it feel worthy of a movie, and
the scope of this does feel big. It’s a shame that we have yet to receive
another <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Beyond</i> movie as this
proved to be a major achievement and there are clearly many more stories to be
told. I’ve still got my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Beyond</i>
spec script on file, so what are you waiting for WB, let’s fast track it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman: Will Friedle<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes: Bruce Wayne, Commissioner Barbara Gordon, Batgirl,
Robin<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains: The Joker, Harley Quinn, The Jokerz gang<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1) Batman: Mask of the Phantasm<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Your
angel of death awaits.”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The
Phantasm</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXPijY4GItdjdjSWsqOovSUQfUGPWe6Btpm49HHfIRiYkgDB42BG5e8gi4ZvJwroXmkosmOg0GQMr8yzK0gIfP_YPvlSvCrZl1cg6rfSyj6bUtGGOQTvRAykwI0Lm58KIwZW1bQry93xn/s1600/MOTP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXPijY4GItdjdjSWsqOovSUQfUGPWe6Btpm49HHfIRiYkgDB42BG5e8gi4ZvJwroXmkosmOg0GQMr8yzK0gIfP_YPvlSvCrZl1cg6rfSyj6bUtGGOQTvRAykwI0Lm58KIwZW1bQry93xn/s1600/MOTP.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The benchmark. The first full length
animated Batman movie and so far only one that’s ever been released
theatrically. Therefore the one every subsequent movie is compared to. Not only
is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mask of the Phantasm</i> the best
animated Batman movie ever made, it’s arguably the best Batman movie of all
time. It’s got all the elements that make for a good Batman story - mysterious
plot, intriguing villains, tragic love, and if that’s not enough, it’s got The
Joker piloting a jet pack. Spinning out of the best animated superhero show
ever (no debate), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Phantasm </i>benefited
from a dream creative team at the top of their game. The episodes of the show
have been described as “mini-movies,” bringing a size and scope to the small
screen unrivaled in animated programming at that time, and Phantasm builds on
that model, allowing for a little more breathing room to include some fantastic
flashbacks that not only provides additional insight into Bruce’s decision to
don the cape and cowl, but also ties in directly to the main plot in a
completely satisfying way. Others have come close, but no Batman movie since
has matched the pathos on display here. And did I mention The Joker was in this?
Yeah, he appears in half these movies, but I don’t think he’s utilized better
than he is here (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Return of the Joker</i>
being a very close second). The way he ties into the plot is one of the movie’s
major highlights and Mark Hamill is at his manic best, the perfect balancing
act between scary and funny. The story’s primary antagonist, the Phantasm
(loosely based on The Reaper from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Year
Two</i>), fits perfectly into Batman’s world and the mystery surrounding the
foe’s motivation makes for a cool twist. It really doesn’t get much better than
this, and in my eyes, it has yet to. If you’re a Batman fan and haven’t seen
this, stop reading, do yourself a favor and go watch this now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman:
Kevin Conroy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains:
The Phantasm, Joker<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There you have it. I
don’t claim this to be the definitive list, but that’s how I rank them. It’s
worth noting that the Joker appears prominently in 5 of the 10 movies and that
out of those, 4 ended up in my Top 5. Does Joker instantly increase the quality
of any Batman story, or is it just a coincidence? Either way, it doesn’t seem
to hurt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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As much as I enjoyed
comic-to-screen adaptations of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark
Knight Returns</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under the Red Hood</i>,
it would be nice if the direct to video line of DC Universe Animated Original
Movies would live up to their name and actually be fully <b>original</b> content as
opposed to just adapting the most popular DC comic stories. I’m sure it’s only
just a matter of time before they adapt such classics as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Long Halloween</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knightfall</i>,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hush</i> and the more recent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Court of Owl</i>s story lines, and while
those are all fantastic tales of the dark knight, I really don’t want to
experience the abridged versions. The first release under this banner was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Superman: Doomsday</i>, a truncated reworking
of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Death of Superman</i> arc. The
execution was pretty sloppy and what could have been Part 1 of an animated
trilogy, instead resulted in a stripped down version that didn’t do the story
justice and left fans wanting. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What I’m getting at
is if a comic storyline can’t be adapted into the strict 75 minute limit that
is imposed on these movies without making major sacrifices, come up with
something new that does work within that timeframe. How about it WB?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Having said that, I’m
looking forward to the upcoming release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman:
Assault on Arkham</i> this summer, which tells an original tale set in the world of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arkham</i> video games and I will revisit this
list at that time to see where it slots in. Until then…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How do my rankings
compare to yours? Am I totally off base and you would have liked to see
something ranked higher on the list? Let me know!</span></div>
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<br />
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<br />
<o:p></o:p>Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-32414510278642556052014-05-14T10:16:00.000-07:002014-05-14T10:16:39.990-07:00Animated Batman Movie Rankings, Part One: #10 - #6<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman and animation have a long
history. I’m always psyched for the latest animated adventures of the Bat, and
the DC Universe line of movie has been cranking them out regularly in recent
years, so with last week’s release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Son
of Batman</i>, I was inspired to revisit every animated Bat movie and rank
them. I decided I’d just include straight Batman animated movies on this list,
so I’m omitting the Superman/Batman movies as well as the Justice League ones
that feature him. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There’s 10 in all so let’s get started!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">10) Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Remember,
there are many species in which the female is deadlier than the male.”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
– <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Alfred Pennyworth</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQ9B5w-RQEBQeqF5tZ5wViZgKn8DoHlk3rPyfpZIkgJHB7ifnZ-pkKaYb-t7-V6WGzUmX0XdSN90fDIXG2gIAQHQ03EEjtABk0u7gAsj6OMSkzAxdX8G6BWbYI3ZVdd1oag02kTc3-I-a/s1600/batman-mystery-of-batwoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQ9B5w-RQEBQeqF5tZ5wViZgKn8DoHlk3rPyfpZIkgJHB7ifnZ-pkKaYb-t7-V6WGzUmX0XdSN90fDIXG2gIAQHQ03EEjtABk0u7gAsj6OMSkzAxdX8G6BWbYI3ZVdd1oag02kTc3-I-a/s1600/batman-mystery-of-batwoman.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don’t hate Mystery of the Batwoman.
Yes, it’s my least favorite of all the animated Bat flicks, but hate is too
strong a word for what adds up to a disappointing effort. There are actually
some elements I appreciate about it, but the execution is sloppy and the
mystery unravels in a totally unsatisfactory way. This is the only movie to be
based on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Batman Adventures</i>
animation style and while I don’t mind the look of that series, the movie
appears to have been produced on a TV show budget. It’s too bright and the
direction doesn’t give any sense that this is more than a glorified extended
episode of the show. Worst of all, the one area they apparently did spring
extra on was an original song used prominently for a musical number which I
guess was supposed to raise the production value, but instead it just only
served to take me out of the movie with how jarring it is. They even play it again
over the end credits to get their money’s worth. The “mystery” is revealed to
the audience before Batman figures it out which lessens the impact, but it’s
not like the reveal was a major shocker. If you haven’t seen it, let’s just say
there’s one too many red herrings. Kevin Conroy leads the voice cast, reprising
his role from the series, and for the most part the actors suit their parts but
Kelly Ripa is totally miscast in her role as a computer geek and while I don’t
mind David Ogden Stiers as Penguin, he doesn’t compare to Paul Williams from
the series. The climactic showdown between Bane and Batman on an ocean
freighter engulfed in flames is a high point and there are a few good lines and
some humor to be found, but as much as they try to give the new characters
motivation, the backstories are one-note and end up feeling tacked on. Bruce’s
love interest, who is mostly forgettable, comes across as forced with zero
chemistry to speak of. It’s a shame because the creative team behind this did
great work on the show but it appears without Bruce Timm and Paul Dini to help
guide the ship, this is what we end up with. Batwoman deserves a better movie
than this. We all do. Let’s hope next time they get it right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman:
Kevin Conroy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes:
Robin, Batwoman, Commissioner Gordon<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains:
Penguin, Bane, Rupert Thorne, Carlton Duquesne</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">9)
</span><b><span style="font-size: large;">Batman: Gotham Knight</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i>"I'm willing to put my life on the line to do what I have to. But it has to be mine, no one else's"</i> -<b> Bruce Wayne</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC_car3nsjXp4dFjpLnTslbxDkaHqjg8aZCTQ4gkV18BRGhLGcSnFTevh_RDzC0T6-TJK8hsUuJqCB531f20uJK0Ktg_qvNgHyxehDlQxEb8v7a4hqrIzyzzVJctx9Ono9UNsttBUHnw8/s1600/batman_gotham_knight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXC_car3nsjXp4dFjpLnTslbxDkaHqjg8aZCTQ4gkV18BRGhLGcSnFTevh_RDzC0T6-TJK8hsUuJqCB531f20uJK0Ktg_qvNgHyxehDlQxEb8v7a4hqrIzyzzVJctx9Ono9UNsttBUHnw8/s1600/batman_gotham_knight.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gotham Knight</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> is unlike any other
title on this list. Instead of being one cohesive movie, it’s split up into six
shorts, each scripted by a different writer (including Greg Rucka, David S.
Goyer, Alan Burnett to name a few) and animated in six distinct styles by
various anime studios. The stories loosely fit together with minor elements
carrying over from one story to another but for the most part are
self-contained. Here’s where it gets a little shaky – these stories take place
in the Nolan-verse, falling in between the live action <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Begins</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dark
Knight </i>movies, so there are some subtle references that elude to events in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Begins</i>, but ultimately it doesn’t add much
to the experience. I originally went in with the mindset of, “OK, so this is
how Killer Croc would fit into Nolan’s films, got it.” But the more I thought
about it, I didn’t really see the point. Unlike say, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Animatrix</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chronicles of
Riddick</i> animated tie-ins, which are voiced by the actors from the movies, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gotham Knight</i> doesn’t feature any cast
members from Nolan’s Bat films, weakening the supposed link to the movies. In a
weird way, having Kevin Conroy voice Batman in this doesn’t quite work for me.
Conroy, to me, is the definitive voice of Batman and I’m always up for him
playing the role but when you’re so used to hearing that version in relation to
a particular animation style, it threw me off a bit with the various anime interpretations.
And that’s not to say that I’m not a fan of anime or that Conroy’s voice can’t
work outside of the Bruce Timm model (it works great in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arkham</i> games), but I think I would have
preferred different voice actors for the alternate takes on Batman. Voice
acting aside issues, the animation is pretty spectacular throughout and is some
of the best I’ve ever seen in an animated Bat movie. No surprise there, as the
studios involved previously brought us such anime classics as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ninja Scroll</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ghost in the Shell</i>. I would love to see a full-length movie animated
in one of these styles down the road. Story-wise, the segments vary in quality
and I think they would have worked better if they weren’t restricted by the
requirement of fitting into the same universe and could operate completely independently
of each other, similar to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman:
Black & White</i> anthology. So while I liked the idea behind this release,
the execution wasn’t flawless.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman: Kevin Conroy<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes: Commissioner Gordon, Crispus Allen, Anna Ramirez<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains: The Scarecrow, Killer Croc, Deadshot, Sal Maroni<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">8) Son of Batman</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My way is easier”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> – Damian Wayne<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1n-U9WBApH57WriujaynMVFcErBzut1gheWeGgGyW-sWX81jJ20DTcVSOwbPwT1xE-S0bdRvPzCicoG_ctvie4oRXJxwXkm160Wh2mCFxFidDBeTWUmP7jF5GSh_zqMirS_Uf3hXi8t5/s1600/Son-of-Batman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL1n-U9WBApH57WriujaynMVFcErBzut1gheWeGgGyW-sWX81jJ20DTcVSOwbPwT1xE-S0bdRvPzCicoG_ctvie4oRXJxwXkm160Wh2mCFxFidDBeTWUmP7jF5GSh_zqMirS_Uf3hXi8t5/s1600/Son-of-Batman.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was only a matter
of time before Damian Wayne got his own movie. Based (very loosely) on the
comic book story arc <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman and Son</i>
by writer Grant Morrison, this movie tackles the introduction of Batman and
Talia Al Ghul’s son, Damian, the future Robin. Obviously being a DC animated
movie and only having so much time to work with, this necessitates that events
move at a much quicker pace here than they do in the comic. The rushed pace
means the movie packs a lot of story in, but at the sacrifice of any character
development. While there are plenty of action beats, there is little to no
character moments to point to. Batman and Damian’s relationship barely has a
chance to grow before he suits up as Robin and takes on Deathstroke. The lack
of development makes it impossible to like Damian that by the final fight, it’s
hard to say if anyone would care whether he lived or died. I certainly didn’t
get a sense that Batman did, he’s far more concerned with Talia’s well being.
The army of manbat ninjas make their way into the story straight out of the
comic, but just as it was in the comic, it comes off more like a “wouldn’t this
be cool” idea than something necessary to telling a good story. Having skipped <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Justice League: War</i>, this was my first
time hearing Jason O’Mara as Batman and my initial reaction was less than
impressed. He’s not terrible, but he’s too one note. Every actor that voices
Batman are put in the unenviable position of being instantly compared to Kevin
Conroy, and some have pulled it off better than others, but I’m glad that
Conroy is back for the next installment, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Assault
on Arkham</i>. I’m beginning to tire of the DCU Animated “Original” Movies
adapting stories from the comics. While <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Son
of Batman</i> isn’t a note-for-note recreation of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman and Son</i> story, it was designed to be told in comic book
format with as many issues as it took to tell the story. Because these movies
are limited by their runtimes, I’d love to see a future installment that is
completely original and is catered to the direct-to-disc format as opposed to
trying to cram several years worth of story and character development into a
tiny package. Fans crave something with more time and care invested into it,
and if that means we have to wait longer, I’m willing to be patient.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman: Jason O’Mara<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes: Damian Wayne (Robin), Nightwing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains: Deathstroke, Killer Croc, Ra’s Al Ghul<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">7) The Batman vs. Dracula</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“So
the folk tales are true. There is another bat in Gotham.”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dracula</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsgHXT10I6Wbp-V-0YjFRzF6SLJJBjx23HYCynMUa45cPpN0P3UavK_ceAogW9f_zfqRa15Z3bJOs8HwblQitE3qR3OCP6G7Dxr_BeluTrnK_Izqnp9eCJxpLJaiVOVRfhOiqC2RUsLdC/s1600/joker_vampire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcsgHXT10I6Wbp-V-0YjFRzF6SLJJBjx23HYCynMUa45cPpN0P3UavK_ceAogW9f_zfqRa15Z3bJOs8HwblQitE3qR3OCP6G7Dxr_BeluTrnK_Izqnp9eCJxpLJaiVOVRfhOiqC2RUsLdC/s1600/joker_vampire.jpg" height="256" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I originally wrote off <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Batman</i> series altogether. I couldn’t
get past the goofy character designs and I suppose I thought of myself as a
purist that if it wasn’t B:TAS that it wasn’t worth watching. I eventually gave
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Batman</i> a shot, and once I was
able to separate it from its predecessor and judge it on its own merits, I
actually came to appreciate it for what it was. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Batman vs. Dracula</i> is the sole movie to come out of the show
and it, like the series, exceeded my expectations. No, it’s not perfect (Tom
Kenny’s Penguin is too silly for words) but what does work really works. Peter
Stormare (everyone’s favorite nihilist) captures the essence of Dracula, taking
the role as seriously as he would a live-action one. The producers wanted to
simply drop Bram Stoker’s version of Dracula into their story with his
personality intact and they achieved just that. Dracula is a worthy foe and
really presents a formidable threat to Batman. If the show treated every
villain with the gravitas they did Dracula, the show would have majorly
benefited from it. Having said that, one of my favorite aspects of the movie is
Dracula Joker. Joker goes from being a laughable foe to one of his creepiest
portrayals yet. I couldn’t have predicted how much fun a blood-sucking Joker
could be. As much as I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome, I couldn’t
help but wonder while watching how much more I would enjoy an adaptation of
Doug Moench and Kelley Jones’ <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Red Rain</i>.
But this is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Batman</i> and so I can’t
really criticize it too harshly for being what it is which is a perfectly
serviceable Batman movie. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Rino Romano<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Villains: Dracula, Joker, Penguin<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">6) Batman: Year One</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“From this moment on, none of you is safe.”</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
- <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Batman</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ98lMnIIqD8FqVBoIi_biNXNVSbTHxnb4_2z0d2W2QuI4FyxTxKGX3E4XWGicYi08G0jqI6FEfVSVaDL1nfiJFnMc8Azzf1Oh4_xXXQwAjRh41BC-4j7BcSOw20mINiNPINwkrxkjo6uk/s1600/YearOneGordon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ98lMnIIqD8FqVBoIi_biNXNVSbTHxnb4_2z0d2W2QuI4FyxTxKGX3E4XWGicYi08G0jqI6FEfVSVaDL1nfiJFnMc8Azzf1Oh4_xXXQwAjRh41BC-4j7BcSOw20mINiNPINwkrxkjo6uk/s1600/YearOneGordon.jpg" height="174" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Adapted from the Frank
Miller scripted classic of the same name, it was only a matter of time before
this got the animated treatment. Before we get into this, I’m going to get this
out of the way – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman: Year One</i> is
a bit overrated. I know, blasphemy, right? Look, it’s a decent Batman story.
It’s an even better Gordon story (a more appropriate title would’ve been, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jim Gordon: Year One</i>), but it’s nowhere
near my Top 5 or even Top 10 Batman stories of all time. It’s clear to see how
heavily <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Batman Begins</i> was influenced
by it, and I can appreciate the blueprints it laid out for future Batman
stories to follow its lead, but was it so good that it needed to be animated?
Other than some fine voice acting from Bryan Cranston as Gordon, the movie
doesn’t offer a whole lot more than you can get from reading the book it’s
based on. It’s a spot on, nearly panel-for-panel, recreation of the book, an
almost glorified motion comic in its faithfulness to the source material. The
dialogue remains pretty much intact as well, meaning you can read the book and
put the movie on in the background to serve as a read-along soundtrack if you
choose. Although I prefer to hear Kevin Conroy’s voice in my head when I read
Batman’s lines over Ben McKenzie, who isn’t bad, he’s just dry. It seems Christian
Bale’s performance serves as inspiration here except McKenzie underacts,
maintaining an emotionless monotone as opposed to Bale’s over-the-top shouting.
Hopefully McKenzie will step it up when he fill’s a young Gordon’s shoes in the
upcoming <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gotham</i> TV series. As noted
earlier, Batman is not the star and has far less lines than Gordon. It’s not a
bad attempt to introduce <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Year One</i> to
a new audience and I love seeing David Mazzucchelli’s art brought to life, but
I’d prefer to see more fully original stories inspired by the comics worked
into the animation schedule as opposed to operating as book-on-video
recreations of Batman, Superman and the Justice League’s greatest hits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Batman: Ben McKenzie<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Heroes: Lieutenant Jim Gordon, Catwoman</span></b><br />
<b>Villains: Carmine Falcone</b></div>
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Which animated Batman movies will round out the rest of the list? I'll be posting my Top 5 in order tomorrow so check back to see if you agree with my rankings!</div>
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Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-80654921134692939452014-05-04T08:00:00.000-07:002014-05-04T12:41:36.126-07:00Colorist Appreciation Week RoundupAs much as I love comics and always will, there's still some kinks to work out in how creator royalties are handled as well as credits in regards to colorists. This past week my response was to shine the spotlight on some of the industry's top colorists and what makes their contributions such an essential ingredient to the overall package.<br />
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I learned a lot from researching each colorists' body of work and I hope you'll learn something too and come to appreciate them and their peers even more next time you read a comic (unless it's <i>The Walking Dead</i>, in which case, never mind).<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-1-dave.html" target="_blank">DAVE STEWART</a></b> (<i>DC: The New Frontier</i>, <i>Hellboy</i>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHAJ1EIl3GCTSKNsudI2s3h61Nw95sf14f8bAh3M8-HMyWV7N0ShUB2K_8zh88T6d7odaSMZkPEntFv7ejhd_iLFhHixXzSlek08jHdiJWxURzjLxr9iErHvoGV0f7uxf1sDJaA8c9Htl/s1600/DaveS_NF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZHAJ1EIl3GCTSKNsudI2s3h61Nw95sf14f8bAh3M8-HMyWV7N0ShUB2K_8zh88T6d7odaSMZkPEntFv7ejhd_iLFhHixXzSlek08jHdiJWxURzjLxr9iErHvoGV0f7uxf1sDJaA8c9Htl/s1600/DaveS_NF.jpg" height="200" width="156" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-2-jordie.html" target="_blank">JORDIE BELLAIRE</a></b> (<i>Deadpool</i>, <i>The Rocketeer</i>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DPMmBTaAW7boNnvF-wrpjphuyFEUL_tNrQAL8dKZ715MJU0dwES1slxV4pwP4l8hQtsjHECXJuoYjqBS5k2ZnAIbRPChTuWybGrv6CT9VJJZQJS77H7682ikR_miVt7gDRg7SC0VSGmo/s1600/JB_Rocket.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DPMmBTaAW7boNnvF-wrpjphuyFEUL_tNrQAL8dKZ715MJU0dwES1slxV4pwP4l8hQtsjHECXJuoYjqBS5k2ZnAIbRPChTuWybGrv6CT9VJJZQJS77H7682ikR_miVt7gDRg7SC0VSGmo/s1600/JB_Rocket.png" height="320" width="219" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-3-dean.html" target="_blank">DEAN WHITE</a></b> (<i>The Avengers</i>, <i>Uncanny X-Force</i>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99NeJMX_T3MTTOW4SrMBjBM9NhVhCkbSDRqBgYP5RFZTbXRgK7M7KaDgo4X75ZlyMGllYiDH-rgOIrBJrlOM9dWbPixw5W2mQyJi4I0Qw7lktAd4sVTwP_uB7jHN5UYKcs3QhZRjTRR8X/s1600/DWUForce1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh99NeJMX_T3MTTOW4SrMBjBM9NhVhCkbSDRqBgYP5RFZTbXRgK7M7KaDgo4X75ZlyMGllYiDH-rgOIrBJrlOM9dWbPixw5W2mQyJi4I0Qw7lktAd4sVTwP_uB7jHN5UYKcs3QhZRjTRR8X/s1600/DWUForce1.jpg" height="237" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/05/colorist-appreciation-week-day-4.html" target="_blank">CHANDRAN PONNUSAMY</a></b> (<i>Cryozone</i>, <i>Steam Engines of Oz</i>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGseVqEE0aEK5M-jyhieE6NpV8XkXUx4wzElja1ZMTavVTV5lZAMg7K4QvYWhmduPm2lw2oXDmOvM_VluAjZfOvzCIKQs2XH0Y7bm1fLNLjhyphenhyphendB2cUhxo2ZGQVzd3s2vMMYrYJ1dZaf4si/s1600/cryocvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGseVqEE0aEK5M-jyhieE6NpV8XkXUx4wzElja1ZMTavVTV5lZAMg7K4QvYWhmduPm2lw2oXDmOvM_VluAjZfOvzCIKQs2XH0Y7bm1fLNLjhyphenhyphendB2cUhxo2ZGQVzd3s2vMMYrYJ1dZaf4si/s1600/cryocvr.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/05/colorist-appreciation-week-day-5-alex.html" target="_blank">ALEX SINCLAIR</a></b> (<i>Batman</i>, <i>Astro City</i>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GbIN-b_UIaXEg4qAomTfIjBw4dvycOGtx-tsrOjXrKlzSeuE-RPXag9ZpqaxzbgWhpVSw0GLRsSyrS88iz4wHAkOO8hdxnIGrgvICohr9X2NZXBdsJsSSO3qSidbXHapyZ0zV6HyU2Zs/s1600/AS_Astro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4GbIN-b_UIaXEg4qAomTfIjBw4dvycOGtx-tsrOjXrKlzSeuE-RPXag9ZpqaxzbgWhpVSw0GLRsSyrS88iz4wHAkOO8hdxnIGrgvICohr9X2NZXBdsJsSSO3qSidbXHapyZ0zV6HyU2Zs/s1600/AS_Astro.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a><br />
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Let me know what you think of my choices and leave a comment or tweet at me <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Duvall" target="_blank">@scott_duvall</a>Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-31413672588212634912014-05-03T21:00:00.000-07:002014-05-04T00:58:43.051-07:00Colorist Appreciation Week Day 5 - Alex SinclairOne of my all time favorite comic book artists is Jim Lee. Growing up on Marvel Comics in the 90's, I was introduced to his work through his groundbreaking run on X-Men. So it comes as no surprise that frequent collaborator Alex Sinclair has turned out to be one of my favorite colorists.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtEw9LulCTMX2iB-0Lloe_0eaG-GBSNvg3Ss3yuy9f9iUo5SkJfE6e3XVNkpanIGXJ3ABcDeifttln1b2ZCDuD9-GCXFuRuujwi6RcnXIRcWBaS1iSic8b0jPZQOwLSPzMxRyL4B09x_b/s1600/AS_BatHush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMtEw9LulCTMX2iB-0Lloe_0eaG-GBSNvg3Ss3yuy9f9iUo5SkJfE6e3XVNkpanIGXJ3ABcDeifttln1b2ZCDuD9-GCXFuRuujwi6RcnXIRcWBaS1iSic8b0jPZQOwLSPzMxRyL4B09x_b/s1600/AS_BatHush.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Jim Lee</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
His stellar work on Batman: Hush alone is enough to earn my respect, as he was given the opportunity to color a good chunk of Batman's most notable rouges which, for me, have turned out to be some of the most iconic Batman imagery of the modern era. Simply put, this guy knows how to color Gotham City and its inhabitants just right.<br />
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Whereas some artists have a stylistically minimalist style that relies on moody shadows to fill in the backgrounds of their panels, Lee has also always been very detailed, which means he sometimes gets delayed, but in my opinion, always worth the wait. But it would all be wasted effort if Sinclair didn't know how to color it to emphasize every last pencil line (special shout out to Scott Williams for the inks!) and it really enhances the art in a way that I can only describe as awesome. To get even less technical, I love that glow effect he whips out every time Batman is at his computer in the cave. Like I said, if Lee's attention to detail didn't have a colorist that could match him panel for panel, it just wouldn't work. Sinclair would probably make a good DP as he has an amazing eye for lighting. Check out the above panel with Killer Croc to see what I mean.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGMKTpbhNKDJ7-vd6usp-3hO7uxvZUnnRszI4knNtM6gTvVEJpEI0CDc4M8aB27OJrkeivpD-u6tYnS-sxZ6ybWx0UMW-AJWFy3GMqL6J-xvqo634l7ZKppQZBC0zex9JWHps84375E-Z/s1600/AS_Bat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGMKTpbhNKDJ7-vd6usp-3hO7uxvZUnnRszI4knNtM6gTvVEJpEI0CDc4M8aB27OJrkeivpD-u6tYnS-sxZ6ybWx0UMW-AJWFy3GMqL6J-xvqo634l7ZKppQZBC0zex9JWHps84375E-Z/s1600/AS_Bat.jpg" height="422" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Jim Lee, pencils to final colors</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACtOdf_d2wcTBy7ze5hyOeCIUm1k60CbWAEDQbW1ap3S7I-IgGgeQfruYOxiSB4wpJi8BDku8NjapAMz2jd8MnWqWe97QhIaPnvA362FlfDUxW2TOTZYGkz0W2Q2lQVtWiHJvQb2T37-D/s1600/AS_Supes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACtOdf_d2wcTBy7ze5hyOeCIUm1k60CbWAEDQbW1ap3S7I-IgGgeQfruYOxiSB4wpJi8BDku8NjapAMz2jd8MnWqWe97QhIaPnvA362FlfDUxW2TOTZYGkz0W2Q2lQVtWiHJvQb2T37-D/s1600/AS_Supes.jpg" height="400" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Jim Lee</td></tr>
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His take on Superman is equally impressive in that it captures the Man of Steel's iconic colors the way they should look. I said in my <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-1-dave.html" target="_blank">original post</a> that you can't picture Superman without his red cape and yellow chest emblem (although he's ditched the red shorts), and similar to how I suggested that <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-3-dean.html" target="_blank">Dean White</a> colors the Marvel characters the way they were meant to be colored and should be referenced by all future colorists, the same can be said about Sinclair and the way he depicts the DC superheroes. See his work on the New 52 iteration of the Justice League if you don't believe me.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0QBi534PVheyC6AaWnXX9TNv7qcf6G6_z7MS-3yFkNuioFcp-Ce2NPsz4__krcfDwgKISE6xdZus901u1n3r0Jl0IK_QTCmNmW_DVVqLOPCihprVcJuxbBEIlxAZJPegGBPxQ90W5KrB/s1600/AS_Astro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG0QBi534PVheyC6AaWnXX9TNv7qcf6G6_z7MS-3yFkNuioFcp-Ce2NPsz4__krcfDwgKISE6xdZus901u1n3r0Jl0IK_QTCmNmW_DVVqLOPCihprVcJuxbBEIlxAZJPegGBPxQ90W5KrB/s1600/AS_Astro.jpg" height="640" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Brent Anderson</td></tr>
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One of the series where I've been most taken with Sinclair's work is on the underrated <i>Astro City</i>. The reason I say underrated is, unfortunately, I don't hear this series come up on conversation enough as a must-read, but I think it's one of the best takes on superheroes that I've ever witnessed. But before this turns into a "Why Astro City Deserves More Recognition" rant, the coloring on this book is so consistently good! Furthermore, these are not heroes whose look had been defined for decades prior to Sinclair trying his hand at them so he's really able to make their look his own. I'm thrilled that when Vertigo revived the series, they they brought back the key creative players, including artist Brent Anderson, whose work I don't see nearly often enough, and if for whatever reason, Sinclair wasn't available to join the party, Astro City would have lost one of its key architects. The coloring on this series is some of the best I've ever seen and every color pops right off the page. In some ways it reminds me of Lynn Varley's work on <i>The Dark Knight Strikes Again</i>, another of the most colorful superhero books that I've ever laid eyes on.<br />
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If you've never read <i>Astro City</i>, do yourself a favor and pick it up. Come for the unique perspective on superheroes in a universe that's all its own, stay for the killer artwork and some of the most brilliant use of colors that you'll ever seen in a comic.<br />
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You can find more of Alex Sinclair's work <a href="http://sinccolor.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">here.</a> <br />
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That's going to wrap it up for #ColoristAppreciationWeek. I enjoyed feasting my eyes on some incredible art and figuring out what I liked about each colorist best. Who are some of your favorite colorists? I'd love to know who else deserves a look so feel free to leave me a comment!<br />
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Until then, I leave you with this...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi74beLfgsEqnIpYBJ1Kgs1T0xzkSeh_aVY1_z6TZL6b0rg-XL_UF6gXY0FR6q0LdcSsp8X4TJyXrGNwiYkd7tdom72UvXMbUPxiyaoOjVGcJXDAdEyYxsAyxcHB3VfpXaa_1MSj3nOduz/s1600/batman-catwoman-kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi74beLfgsEqnIpYBJ1Kgs1T0xzkSeh_aVY1_z6TZL6b0rg-XL_UF6gXY0FR6q0LdcSsp8X4TJyXrGNwiYkd7tdom72UvXMbUPxiyaoOjVGcJXDAdEyYxsAyxcHB3VfpXaa_1MSj3nOduz/s1600/batman-catwoman-kiss.jpg" height="640" width="466" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Once again, art by Jim Lee. This one hangs on my wall printed on canvas. Beautiful!</td></tr>
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<br />Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-50793274931184853732014-05-01T23:37:00.001-07:002014-05-01T23:37:29.994-07:00Colorist Appreciation Week Day 4 - Chandran PonnusamyAs my tribute to highly talented colorists continues, I want to focus on an artist I've had the pleasure of working with. Chandran Ponnusamy, or simply Chandran, as he's often credited, is in my opinion one of the most underrated colorists in comics. His work can often be seen in various titles for <a href="http://www.arcana.com/" target="_blank">Arcana Studios</a>, but I'm surprised he hasn't been snatched up by any other publishers because his flair for coloring and collaborative nature make him a great asset to any art team.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0IERAZKoo822cNmhT3XLEHYP5qeJo3j262lqi8UbWlWhrX4xHa6XkmUzoo1qtHQTuXsQCIyg1Jkd2832wZYW6TwcYCTav3Cw56NI_x8uJDxKMeLGWdQx2miv9eMTdv5wgGsKGlewoOKt/s1600/cryo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw0IERAZKoo822cNmhT3XLEHYP5qeJo3j262lqi8UbWlWhrX4xHa6XkmUzoo1qtHQTuXsQCIyg1Jkd2832wZYW6TwcYCTav3Cw56NI_x8uJDxKMeLGWdQx2miv9eMTdv5wgGsKGlewoOKt/s1600/cryo1.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Clint Hilinski</td></tr>
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My experience working with Chandran was on a sci-fi comic Cryozone, where I had a very distinct vision in my head for how the coloring should look. I was very impressed with this stage of development as he made the art by Clint Hilinski crackle with energy. If I wanted a soft green glow to illuminate a room, that's exactly what I got. If I needed slightly out-of-focus panels to emphasize a flashback, he made it happen. If I needed a motion blur to emphasize the rapid growth of a tree, Chandran delivered. The coloring exceeded my expectations on every level.<br />
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Each and every challenge I threw at him was met with professionalism, giving me exactly what I wanted and going the extra mile to make sure the comic looked the best it could. As I've stated previously, coloring choices can make or break an otherwise good comic, and Chandran's instincts were right on the money.<br />
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Although I'm not as familiar with his other work, having viewed covers and some interiors online, it's clear that he brings the same skills and passion to each project, supplying his unique stamp.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jn0yaEenOqIBXStoDwSxw8OagbFjeDRzyH-g1A4tCCIOE2krSuUZyB8ILuaeeBrPNCeeQjlWCPHARwazfAlWgSmNZDInIC7ulc_LI77e3FTParDZ_5BerDFiutlKiJSLgIIn6Ncbfur9/s1600/Chandran1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jn0yaEenOqIBXStoDwSxw8OagbFjeDRzyH-g1A4tCCIOE2krSuUZyB8ILuaeeBrPNCeeQjlWCPHARwazfAlWgSmNZDInIC7ulc_LI77e3FTParDZ_5BerDFiutlKiJSLgIIn6Ncbfur9/s1600/Chandran1.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Allan Otero</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4ww50ZZG1qfKrhGga7fwNrN3boFUBwa4Eq6Jlk2SQpsGSt6BZWPTirtDrD_7pQOIeq1GZsinCy8hJhoxYS_7V4veX7Pt_smchZDdiKizInip6sP6Jv4Zt-kL1Av-W6VYEGQpWeVykcH1/s1600/ChandranTheSteamEnginesOfOz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4ww50ZZG1qfKrhGga7fwNrN3boFUBwa4Eq6Jlk2SQpsGSt6BZWPTirtDrD_7pQOIeq1GZsinCy8hJhoxYS_7V4veX7Pt_smchZDdiKizInip6sP6Jv4Zt-kL1Av-W6VYEGQpWeVykcH1/s1600/ChandranTheSteamEnginesOfOz.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Yannis Roumboulias</td></tr>
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Below is one of my favorite pieces from Cryozone. I wanted a futuristic cityscape that was immediatly eyecatching and drew the reader in. The inked version was good and I was pleased with the outcome, but it was really when I saw this version that my jaw dropped. It went from being a drawing, to magically transporting me to this world I'd created in my mind. For the first time I could actually gaze upon a vision that was previously unseen by anyone else's eyes. In short, the coloring MADE it.<br />
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You can check out Cryozone on <a href="https://www.comixology.com/Cryozone-1/digital-comic/46340" target="_blank">Comixology</a> for just 99c or get the print version from <a href="http://www.midtowncomics.com/store/dp.asp?PRID=Cryozone+%231_1261955" target="_blank">Midtown Comics</a>.<br />
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Check back tomorrow afternoon for the final colorist spotlight for #ColoristAppreciationWeek!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrRIaCR43jIYeZmWP6LRRvUcRKsAwow2DhoJMB0U4J5JFpeb4ynmeJn13mWxOSOQRK6uVEs28swa8xMF7HjEe-GuYOuZrrY7dNb4BedUmicpKe82wjxUtezsXxAVl3gt2Wjo2SuTz3xxI/s1600/cryocvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQrRIaCR43jIYeZmWP6LRRvUcRKsAwow2DhoJMB0U4J5JFpeb4ynmeJn13mWxOSOQRK6uVEs28swa8xMF7HjEe-GuYOuZrrY7dNb4BedUmicpKe82wjxUtezsXxAVl3gt2Wjo2SuTz3xxI/s1600/cryocvr.jpg" height="640" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Clint Hilinski</td></tr>
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<br />Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-1083010841282791992014-04-30T14:46:00.002-07:002014-05-01T22:30:21.049-07:00Colorist Appreciation Week Day 3 - Dean WhiteThis week I've decided to call attention to some of my favorite colorists in comics, the unsung heroes of the industry. If you missed the <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-1-dave.html" target="_blank">previous</a> <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-2-jordie.html" target="_blank">posts</a> this week, the reason I decided to highlight colorists is they deserve more recognition, so without further ado, today's spotlight is <a href="https://twitter.com/DeanWhiteColor" target="_blank">Dean White</a>.<br />
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When I really threw myself back into comics in 2010, two new series from Marvel were launching that I immediately picked up; Uncanny X-Force and The Avengers.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkJ4xFNaRxhqlo2p6WUqkVu4PXePJt4ufd5I8nJIVTcgxFKuLSjvofb9WQKjJHTaWyBCIMlATDeC0NSN_vTfRmCnTOSCVZhkWV9W3ZhpYIa_6Jorm0e5iMhclEO8D4Rtx4BEKpW5PBR-0/s1600/DWUForce1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkJ4xFNaRxhqlo2p6WUqkVu4PXePJt4ufd5I8nJIVTcgxFKuLSjvofb9WQKjJHTaWyBCIMlATDeC0NSN_vTfRmCnTOSCVZhkWV9W3ZhpYIa_6Jorm0e5iMhclEO8D4Rtx4BEKpW5PBR-0/s1600/DWUForce1.jpg" height="296" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="st">Art by Jerome Ope<em>ña</em></span></td></tr>
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X-Force was my first introduction to artist Jerome Opena, and his art blew me away. I had never seen illustrating quite as dynamic before, but what really made those drawings soar was the stellar coloring. The greens and pinks just leapt out at me, transporting my senses to a new dimension. There was nothing else on the stand that looked like this and to this day, that remains true. I loved the boldness White's colors brought to the overall package and although I was totally invested in the story, it was a title worth picking up for the art alone.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkAD9L7kBJHr6fNHuPMQCJOFZ9_S2hQZpHqlzUyoNSphXQDhaTb5t7Xe0UABejdFBYL8NohXe0OuA-urGWXKGr5W3IYnNmcxVF8vXKnw9m4TbD6PoO_1UixRIk3fbwen0o0bmGJ_bSnj0/s1600/DWavengers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkAD9L7kBJHr6fNHuPMQCJOFZ9_S2hQZpHqlzUyoNSphXQDhaTb5t7Xe0UABejdFBYL8NohXe0OuA-urGWXKGr5W3IYnNmcxVF8vXKnw9m4TbD6PoO_1UixRIk3fbwen0o0bmGJ_bSnj0/s1600/DWavengers.jpg" height="291" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by John Romita Jr.</td></tr>
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On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you had told me that The Avengers was colored by the same person, I would have double checked the credits to confirm this for myself. Although not as immediately eye-catching at first glance, John Romita Jr.'s art also benefited from White's partnership. It's no wonder that they collaborate so often, if I was Romita, I wouldn't want to let White go either.<br />
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Looking at this piece of art with the Avengers' major players, the way they are appear is, for me, the definitive colors for each character. In my opinion, these renditions should set the standard for future colorists to use as a guide when coloring these heroes going forward. And check out that Infinite Gauntlet! It's never looked more powerful than under White's masterful eye.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ekKhZPfumYR0raVAX0cqRWHAq6ESGQpeWt8x_tBYIl9h353Jdhyphenhyphen8QTOnaeTPTojC9s7YjLaMJjFVmeWbwhhQBLU3KA7WeZJXxyFkM1WHHSXHMunb-xlWl-D12qjWyv7TtLzVs0aLPyZR/s1600/DWKickass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ekKhZPfumYR0raVAX0cqRWHAq6ESGQpeWt8x_tBYIl9h353Jdhyphenhyphen8QTOnaeTPTojC9s7YjLaMJjFVmeWbwhhQBLU3KA7WeZJXxyFkM1WHHSXHMunb-xlWl-D12qjWyv7TtLzVs0aLPyZR/s1600/DWKickass.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by John Romita Jr.</td></tr>
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It's also clear from looking at the art in the Kickass comics, that White's keen sense for how to color the costumed vigilantes was majorly taken into account when designing the real-life costumes of the film adaptation. Although still Romita's art, White gives it a more gritty, lived-in appearance, as opposed to the shiny perfection of The Avengers. The difference in his approach to Kickass over the iconic Marvel heroes is an important one, as it has an almost DIY feel to it, which suits Kickass to a T. If the coloring in Kickass looked anything like The Avengers, it would betray the spirit of what it's trying to achieve. White knows this, and the series is that much better for it. <br />
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So what do you think? Can coloring make a break a comic? What other colorists would you like to see spotlighted? Let me know @greatscottcomic and tag it #ColoristAppreciationWeek.<br />
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<br />Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-17688853811585746102014-04-29T15:06:00.001-07:002014-04-29T15:06:13.249-07:00Colorist Appreciation Week Day 2 - Jordie Bellaire<!--StartFragment-->
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">I’ve been highlighting some standout colorists this
week in a bid to give them the credit they deserve. See my <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2014/04/colorist-appreciation-week-day-1-dave.html">original post</a> where
I explain why I chose to do this as well as spotlight one of the best colorists
ever, <a href="https://twitter.com/Dragonmnky">Dave Stewart</a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oaAEyYpcZdmys3W_1pF-iV7uOyBc4ZSZq-ZYD2IUyPH-QM0LIjcxaiYXEsuBxR2eHxPTg0yj2QwbLePlgRIZAOjpFX9cYL9A4ylVNrk4JvVB4L0c9uieJLRaQSU0PK7ESzWl4eWBmZnz/s1600/JB_Rocket2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1oaAEyYpcZdmys3W_1pF-iV7uOyBc4ZSZq-ZYD2IUyPH-QM0LIjcxaiYXEsuBxR2eHxPTg0yj2QwbLePlgRIZAOjpFX9cYL9A4ylVNrk4JvVB4L0c9uieJLRaQSU0PK7ESzWl4eWBmZnz/s1600/JB_Rocket2.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by J Bone</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Today I focus on <a href="https://twitter.com/whoajordie">Jordie Bellaire</a>, a more recent
discovery of mine after I realized she was working on two books I regularly
pick up; Deadpool and IDW’s Rocketeer minis. Bellaire’s work on both series are
very unique and really caters to the art style and tone of each artist she works with. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The colors on The Rocketeer bring a sense of
adventure and match the time period perfectly, giving it a silver age feel.
The way she colors J Bone’s art on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hollywood
Horror</i> mini is very cartoonish in style where every color is defined and
stands apart from each other, which compliments Bone’s style nicely as it looks
like an animated series come to life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">But when she colors Chris Samnee on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cargo of Doom</i> arc, WOW. This very much
evoked Dave Stewart’s coloring on DC: The New Frontier for me, as the colors
blend so smoothly to create perfectly balanced panels. After seeing this, I’d
love to see her colors on Darwyn Cooke’s art. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELTaQgg2VRJbvz1u3gQiBXvXDFP5KbnwNhD-A5DUJev1D3bPsAuoWXIW2ukIx-oCl1tPwfmc4s8Lorr7mEbS0gicr1nQcmbg8EycygK_qpeGyWt_FB55cZiB6zLOXwB-keD9dVCsfIPLT/s1600/JB_Rocket.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELTaQgg2VRJbvz1u3gQiBXvXDFP5KbnwNhD-A5DUJev1D3bPsAuoWXIW2ukIx-oCl1tPwfmc4s8Lorr7mEbS0gicr1nQcmbg8EycygK_qpeGyWt_FB55cZiB6zLOXwB-keD9dVCsfIPLT/s1600/JB_Rocket.png" height="400" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Chris Samnee</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Bellaire’s colors on Paul Smith’s
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pulp Friction</i> 4-parter was a little
more subdued, again complimenting his style, and also showcasing further
versatility.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Her color pallet on Deadpool also demonstrates great
flexibility as it matches the frenetic energy of the series spot-on, but
from one scene to the next can go from eye-popping to subtle, really setting
the tone. I was impressed with how even in a bright red room splattered with
blood, your eye still goes to Deadpool, whose red suit pops in every panel. You
can tell how much fun she’s having on this book as her work here is
just plain eye-candy, in the best possible way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjChbGsOgDCctiAOKgvIjaS5AVBPhjDZ5ikeB1M-q-GRrte9-KDht4gqgMcqFXXPU9zP2oepRgkRgJHnAkNw08DT5L-hjlLoIg7ToNBAtZe_BtSzgD0C4Mq477jWiNRLp9ilonKHcOYHse/s1600/JB_DP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjChbGsOgDCctiAOKgvIjaS5AVBPhjDZ5ikeB1M-q-GRrte9-KDht4gqgMcqFXXPU9zP2oepRgkRgJHnAkNw08DT5L-hjlLoIg7ToNBAtZe_BtSzgD0C4Mq477jWiNRLp9ilonKHcOYHse/s1600/JB_DP.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art by Declan Shalvey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Justly, Bellaire’s name is featured on the covers
of her work on Deadpool, something creators like Yanick Paquette and Scott
Snyder are championing for colorists and which is definitely a step in the
right direction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Hopefully I’ll come across more of Bellaire’s work
in the future as it elevates the art on each title she’s credited on. Until
then, tell me who your favorite colorists are as #ColoristAppreciationWeek
rolls on! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-26564012826499467252014-04-28T18:41:00.002-07:002014-04-28T18:41:51.184-07:00Colorist Appreciation Week Day 1 - Dave Stewart<!--StartFragment-->
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">It seems colorists are the unsung heroes of comics.
But why is that? I mean can you picture Superman and not imagine him in a red
cape with a big yellow "S"? I know I can’t. I have even known people who won’t
touch the value size Essential volumes for the very fact that they seem to be
allergic to black & white.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">There’s been rumblings as of late amongst comic
creators concerning colorists and what they’re worth. A-list creators such as
Yanick Paquette and Scott Snyder have recently spoken up in support of
colorists, urging the big two publishers to pay them royalties like their peers,
as well as list their credit on the cover alongside the other talent. It’s a
valid point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I wanted to pay tribute and highlight some of my
favorite colorists this week. When I asked myself, what book did the colors
really pop and elevate the art to another level, for me it was DC: The New
Frontier. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">If you've ever been impressed with the coloring in a DC or Dark Horse comic, chances are, Dave Stewart was responsible. Today’s spotlight is on Stewart, one of the
all-time great colorists who frequently works with the best artists in comics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">Stewart’s work on DC: The New Frontier hit the
perfect balance of silver age pop art while still appearing contemporary. How he
manages to achieve both all rolled into one is what sets him apart from his
peers. Art by Darwyn Cooke.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">The art on Batwoman, already in a class of its own, was still elevated by the ethereal quality Stewart’s coloring brought to it. A true master of his craft, the art by J.H. Williams seemingly brings out the best in him.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9xSI1AnQnk_XpBKErEoQevAEnuHxXNTIEyw1qIGu6R52osR9fsUs-FvKsCDIbHgaNtMn1MvSKMblEGrOwBa-hcIQpBPFBGwkgvoSw39Zc4JB-wYiDjgV4YtkaRuCI_9b7y7xDxp2tjvd/s1600/DaveS_Hellboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9xSI1AnQnk_XpBKErEoQevAEnuHxXNTIEyw1qIGu6R52osR9fsUs-FvKsCDIbHgaNtMn1MvSKMblEGrOwBa-hcIQpBPFBGwkgvoSw39Zc4JB-wYiDjgV4YtkaRuCI_9b7y7xDxp2tjvd/s1600/DaveS_Hellboy.jpg" height="640" width="420" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">It’s difficult to pin Stewart down as his style is
distinct, yet versatile. When it comes to his work on the Hellboy line of
titles, his choice of muted color pallets evoking a moody atmosphere that
defines Hellboy’s world. Art by Mike Mignola.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Gotham never looked better. In masterworks such as
The Long Halloween and Dark Victory, Tim Sale’s art was drenched in shadows,
underscoring the mysterious narration, but in the short “Date Knight,” Sale’s
work pops under Stewart’s colors.<br />
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Check back tomorrow to see who the next spotlighted colorist is!</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-29721930015441377682014-04-28T11:36:00.001-07:002014-04-28T11:40:37.746-07:00Hello Star Wars Episode 7, Goodbye Expanded Universe<!--StartFragment-->
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I was just as excited as the next Star Wars fan when a new
trilogy was announced and when JJ Abrams signed on, that was just icing on the
cake. His take on the Star Trek franchise was essentially Star Wars in
disguise and if he could do for the next era of Star Wars what he did for
Trek, I was on board.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNM3QhGjXr1KSXYQRV4R9Bw8O6ld6PHAQKaRScV-qd0yBMb0bFt6lpBWFpYbDSGLDDEDAFRJZy2Jz_NbIW0TOwYFNZZMr67-TrYCwaoiZ5dEO088qKBUiqsAtwrbvQCACTgu29FouvhTw/s1600/SWcollage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNM3QhGjXr1KSXYQRV4R9Bw8O6ld6PHAQKaRScV-qd0yBMb0bFt6lpBWFpYbDSGLDDEDAFRJZy2Jz_NbIW0TOwYFNZZMr67-TrYCwaoiZ5dEO088qKBUiqsAtwrbvQCACTgu29FouvhTw/s1600/SWcollage.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a>With the announcement, we learned the long awaited Episodes 7-9 would finally see the light of
day, but the question remained; how would this effect the Expanded Universe
that fans had come to accept as the canonized events following the conclusion
of Return of the Jedi? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Well, it came as little surprise with the <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/25/lucasfilm-clarifies-star-wars-expanded-universe">recent news</a></span> that the upcoming movies will be taking a different direction,
thus negating the Expanded Universe (EU) as we know it for the past three decades
plus. After all, I can’t blame Abrams for wanting to carve his own path and not
be tied down to multiple authors’ interpretation of “what happened next.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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At the same time, I grew up reading the books, playing the
video games (not to mention the Star Wars Collectible Card Game!), and
obsessing over the minutiae of every ancillary characters’ backstories in my
Star Wars encyclopedia (it was all for nothing!). I’ve relished exploring new
corners of that galaxy far, far away and it’s very bitter sweet to know that the EU has more-or-less been relegated to fan-fiction status. Although that doesn’t
mean they’re going to stop publishing them by any means, apparently under the
banner <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://io9.com/first-look-at-the-star-wars-books-of-the-post-expanded-1567755354">Star
Wars Legends</a></i>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, as I eagerly await new details from Episode 7 to surface,
I thought I’d count down the 5 things I’ll miss most from the Expanded Universe:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5) “Tales” Anthologies</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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This “Tales” anthology series of short stories
focused on minor characters that populated some of the most notorious Star
Wars locations such as the Mos Eisley Cantina and Jabba’s Palace. Many of the
SW novels published by Bantam in the 90’s focused primarily on post “Jedi”
chronology, with a timeline in the back placing each novel “X years after the
Battle of Endor.” These books, however, took a slightly different approach,
showing readers a different angle to events during the movies themselves. The
behind-the-scenes look at what other stories were taking place during some of
the most iconic scenes gave characters with as little as three seconds of
screen time their own backstory, which really helped enhance the movies, giving them a more lived-in feel. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Focusing on a variety of characters from fan favorites (Boba
Fett) to the obscure (the Rancor keeper), these stories were thrilling, sometimes
heartbreaking, and occasionally hilarious. The tales were written by a variety
of authors, many of whom have contributed notable entries to the EU, including Timothy Zahn, Barbara Hambly and Kevin J. Anderson (who
also edited the series). As mentioned, because these stories took place during
the original trilogy, I’m not sure how much affect they would have on future events of the series, but despite that, nothing can retcon the
laugh-out-loud “Gamorrean Guard’s Tale” from my history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghh7tmPc0b6CFvT11WmeBsMoIY3N8wLirea1ACLC73iQESd1sgctcLPkg7rkWITY5FFo7opVOeq6ems-6ZR9hTfy8iqXJpGgHYyJzJn2TkniOmu0LKHoyKBjfoQKy8-G9tvu0UB4-da5DN/s1600/SW_the_force_unleashed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghh7tmPc0b6CFvT11WmeBsMoIY3N8wLirea1ACLC73iQESd1sgctcLPkg7rkWITY5FFo7opVOeq6ems-6ZR9hTfy8iqXJpGgHYyJzJn2TkniOmu0LKHoyKBjfoQKy8-G9tvu0UB4-da5DN/s1600/SW_the_force_unleashed1.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4) The Force Unleashed</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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In the same way that the “Arkham” games
allowed me to immerse myself in Batman’s world and experience what it was like
to be the Dark Knight, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Force Unleashed</i>
was the first Star Wars game to truly produce the sensation of having the Force under my command
(sorry <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Knights of the Old Republic</i>). Timeline-wise, <i>Force Unleashed</i> falls between the prequel trilogy and <i>A New Hope, </i>introducing fans to Starkiller, Vader’s secret apprentice. The engaging story paired with
dynamic gameplay made for a worthy addition to the SW mythos and added new
depth to Vader’s relationship with the Emperor. Plus you get to bring down a frickin' Star Destroyer!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3) Splinter of the Mind’s Eye</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPuyQ-S2Nm79Ir3otyuBoHy0nS7qN4EMlMi84AKFYmm4XDg24acMCbNJADVpjuABagU-5JRedlKeVU3KzNv_H5fGhH8srk-kCGc_dAp_HpofQu6cG46kAS9qnVPZDKQcXDrrrXGJUCBr9/s1600/SWSplinteroftheMindsEye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPuyQ-S2Nm79Ir3otyuBoHy0nS7qN4EMlMi84AKFYmm4XDg24acMCbNJADVpjuABagU-5JRedlKeVU3KzNv_H5fGhH8srk-kCGc_dAp_HpofQu6cG46kAS9qnVPZDKQcXDrrrXGJUCBr9/s1600/SWSplinteroftheMindsEye.jpg" height="200" width="128" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
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Another “fill-in-the-gap” story, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Splinter</i> slots in between Episodes 4 and
5. Originally a story written by Alan Dean Foster that was intended to be shot
as a mini-movie if Star Wars wasn’t a success, it ended up as a novel and eventually
adapted into a comic. This was the first Star Wars comic I ever read and
between the spot-on likenesses of the actors and the flawless renderings of the
starships and props, it wasn’t hard to visualize this as an official entry into
Lucas’ universe. The story starred Luke and Leia and it was cool to see the
siblings on an adventure of their own, with subtle foreshadowing about their
yet-to-be-revealed relationship. They cross paths (and lightsabers) with Vader,
at his most menacing, and share a hilarious moment which may be my favorite
Luke/Leia scene in all of Star Wars history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8HWMY51oLIti6VWNjVcg2TeW7mKIqqSa-Z63gsU2OGWGkpxBFQCadvU8Ew9GqFsyJOAFCL81Pm13Xrql0egMxd0b4U9eO2_4nWUpo0G3hzgm_T1kOGD-vYkl1ZjhXX7SnmWG9mC3nFa7/s1600/StarWarsShadowsOfTheEmpire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8HWMY51oLIti6VWNjVcg2TeW7mKIqqSa-Z63gsU2OGWGkpxBFQCadvU8Ew9GqFsyJOAFCL81Pm13Xrql0egMxd0b4U9eO2_4nWUpo0G3hzgm_T1kOGD-vYkl1ZjhXX7SnmWG9mC3nFa7/s1600/StarWarsShadowsOfTheEmpire.jpg" height="320" width="271" /></a><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2) Shadows of the Empire</span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Bridging the gap between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Empire</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jedi</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadows of the Empire</i>
felt very epic in scope, a major Star Wars event of its time. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadows</i> was treated with the gravitas of
a new entry to the cinematic saga. A novel, a video game, comics, even a new
line of toys. The works. And I ate it all up. The novel was so cinematic that
all that was required was John William’s score in the background and it felt
like the official Episode 5 ½. Han was frozen in carbonite during the events of
this story (spoiler alert!) so the rogue mercenary, Dash Rendar, was the fill-in Han. You play as
Dash in the game, and although the N64 graphics haven’t held up, the game
itself was another solid effort from LucasArts. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadows</i> was the perfect entry point for fans of the movies into the
Expanded Universe and helped fill the void until the prequels arrived.
But <i>Shadows</i> wasn't mere filler, it felt like it was always part of the plan and now I can’t imagine the original
trilogy without it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RLeNINdy824aRvBryyA1x0OafmOPkwFcSrXFrTzLpjZyUYpqAA49a3D3TlRqlNYnLiwn33o5pqtGVjAIC1tdMVpk7JlF_ifNu4fyiu1X_IWQKAUV3UiDAG_-colHc7C-RzK7Twb9T73m/s1600/YoungJediKnights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RLeNINdy824aRvBryyA1x0OafmOPkwFcSrXFrTzLpjZyUYpqAA49a3D3TlRqlNYnLiwn33o5pqtGVjAIC1tdMVpk7JlF_ifNu4fyiu1X_IWQKAUV3UiDAG_-colHc7C-RzK7Twb9T73m/s1600/YoungJediKnights.jpg" height="320" width="193" /></a><o:p></o:p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1)</span></b><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Young Jedi Knights” series</span></b></div>
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Years after the events of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><i>Jedi</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;">, it was time for the new class to take center stage. With the Emperor ensuring the Jedi were all but extinct, it was now up to Luke to train new recruits at his academy. No surprise that Leia’s kids with Han turned out to be force sensitive and quickly rose to the top of the class. Jacen and Jaina’s adventures were just beginning and being the same age as them at that time, it was easy for me to relate to them and imagine myself training alongside the young padawans. Admittedly, Chewbacca’s nephew being one of their classmates felt a little too convenient to tie it in to the family but the series did manage to introduce some captivating new characters and tell some fresh stories with real stakes as written by the previously mentioned Kevin J. Anderson and his wife Rebecca Moesta. It’s a little to sad to think that their existence has now been blinked out of continuity for the foreseeable future, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that some elements of the EU will carry over into future movies. Time will tell!</span></div>
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<b>Honorable Mention:</b> The Ewok Adventure. Just kidding, the
less said about this, the better. If killing off the EU takes this down with
it, we’re all better off.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So that’s my list! The fact is, the Expanded Universe isn’t
going anywhere. To me and millions of other fans, it all still happened and
will never be separated from our own personal SW canon. I eagerly await future
movie installments of one of my favorite sci-fi franchises and am curious to
see what will become of a brand new incarnation of the SW EU. Did I forget to
mention your favorite SW novel, comic, or game? Let me know!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p>You can follow my random string of consciousness here - <a href="https://twitter.com/Scott_Duvall">@Scott_Duvall</a></div>
<!--EndFragment-->
Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-23552448146248108152014-04-24T14:11:00.002-07:002014-04-28T09:01:55.233-07:00The Showrunner<!--StartFragment-->
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">Who doesn't love TV?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">TV is a fantastic medium for telling a story. It's
also a huge time/creativity killer where hours of one's life disappear faster
than you can say "Netflix binge weekend" but that's a topic for another
blog. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mj0yi58-uYQqBOlDDf2CoigpUoqLvrZDXc3rxOiMzkO38RL5w_c_QkgKLpuN60mReXw_mfroBnFyKA2rY6yLvYyWQjd6-MXHOXzL00va-3uKuiYftVYDUSEa9t7aEAg9gXXwmoSGRpak/s1600/Netflix_meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mj0yi58-uYQqBOlDDf2CoigpUoqLvrZDXc3rxOiMzkO38RL5w_c_QkgKLpuN60mReXw_mfroBnFyKA2rY6yLvYyWQjd6-MXHOXzL00va-3uKuiYftVYDUSEa9t7aEAg9gXXwmoSGRpak/s1600/Netflix_meme.jpg" height="200" width="195" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">I think TV is a perfect avenue for filmmakers looking
to flex their long-form storytelling abilities and that in many ways, scripted
TV keeps getting better (if you know where to find it). But who is responsible
for making those hours spent staring at a screen worth it? The showrunner. Here's some recent examples of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">why their guiding hand is the key to a show's success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">One of the best comedies on the air is NBC’s
Community, which just wrapped its 5<sup>th</sup> season last Thursday. The show
is frequently on the cancellation bubble, never quite sure from year to year if
it will be returning, but has nonetheless maintained a fervent fan base which
is what keeps it alive. The show’s creator, Dan Harmon, was sent packing after
the show’s 3<sup>rd</sup> season, leaving the future and quality of the series
in jeopardy. Once it was official that it would return for a 4<sup>th</sup>
season, hardcore fans swore off the Harmon-less season, claiming that Community
minus Harmon isn’t Community and as far as they’re concerned, the show ended
with season 3. After a lackluster 4<sup>th</sup> season, the unimaginable
happened. It was announced that the show would return for a 5<sup>th</sup>
season and Harmon would be back at the helm!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">Community would be restored to its former glory
because of one man’s involvement! And that leads me to my point: where movies
are a director’s medium, TV is where the showrunner is the visionary. So once
he/she leaves, is it really the same show?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Take Breaking Bad vs. Dexter. Breaking Bad
(arguably the best show of the 21<sup>st</sup> century) was Vince Gilligan’s
story to tell from start to finish. By the end, you could be satisfied with the
knowledge that no matter how you may have liked to witness the saga of Walter
White unfurl, at least this was the definitive ending by the creator who
brought him into this world. A successful show can’t be an easy thing to walk
away from but Gilligan knew when to call it quits and for that I commend him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Dexter didn’t have the luxury of a dedicated
showrunner to see it through from start to finish and in its 8 seasons changed
hands three times. The original showrunner, Clyde Phillips, exited the show
after season 4 (where many, including myself, like to pretend it ended) and
went out on a high note. Once it did reach its conclusion, he chimed in with <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/09/23/former-dexter-showrunner-on-how-he-would-have-ended-the-series">how
he would have ended the show</a> just in case fans weren’t on board with the
ending they did receive (they weren’t). The series eventually went past its
expiration date because it was mishandled, something I explored further in a <a href="http://greatscottcomics.blogspot.com/2013/09/pop-culture-10-year-rule.html">previous
blog</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">This is the cinematic equivalent of Wes Anderson
dropping out of his own movie mid-production, and the studio not wanting to eat
the cost so they bring in hired gun Brett Ratner to finish the job. An extreme
example, but it gets the point across. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">You find this in music occasionally when band
members come and go but still record under the same name because it has brand
recognition. The packaging may fool some, but its contents are not the genuine
article. Like when Velvet Underground put out its final album minus all the
founding members. Who wants to listen to a VU record without Lou Reed? The
answer was nobody. At this rate, Guns n’ Roses might as well quit pretending
and just be billed as “Axl Relives His Glory Days, a GnR Tribute”. C’mon, you
think Jack White would ever tour as The White Stripes without Meg?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">The Wire had David Simon. The Sopranos had David
Chase. The Walking Dead has…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">And that leads me to this week’s news, in which
current Walking Dead showrunner (third and counting) Scott M. Gimple stated
that he envisions <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1726558/walking-dead-ten-years.jhtml">The
Walking Dead could last 10 years or longer</a>. Either this guy is hoping for a
self-fulfilling prophecy so he can have more job security than the previous men
who filled his role, or he’s deluded himself into thinking he’ll be around for
the show’s final act (more on that later). 4 seasons in and already this show
is past its prime, but ok, let’s entertain this idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">In Gimple’s words, “</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">it's possible that the
cast — considering the amount of deaths on this cast and everything else —
after 10, 12 years, it could shift into a whole new cast.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN0FPdju3Ve_VSzEcSrSNk678dNZo6CxKsZupF_pGn5Hq4-1OyNyVNm3mvsBLGt1AkVehrndp3-zSJTbKkb7S-9t1dptw7lzMLcFFpEl9Kg94w0VqXZz2xjjwEI8LekiNHFtZ4uOlS5gB/s1600/zombieland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN0FPdju3Ve_VSzEcSrSNk678dNZo6CxKsZupF_pGn5Hq4-1OyNyVNm3mvsBLGt1AkVehrndp3-zSJTbKkb7S-9t1dptw7lzMLcFFpEl9Kg94w0VqXZz2xjjwEI8LekiNHFtZ4uOlS5gB/s1600/zombieland.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">#WalkingDeadSeason10 cast?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">Well if that’s the case, why not just produce a
Walking Dead spinoff with a fresh set of characters. Oh yeah, that’s <a href="http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/03/28/walking-dead-spin-off-dave-erickson-showrunner-companion-series/">exactly
what they’re doing</a>. With Breaking Bad done and Mad Men on its way out, AMC
is scrambling for another Walking Dead size hit. So what’s the answer? Clearly
two Walking Dead shows are better than one, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I know I’m coming off as a bit of a hater right
now, but that’s not my intention. I truly want the show to succeed! Who would
have thought we’d have a zombie series on TV, let alone two a few years ago? That
in itself is progress. But what I don’t want to see happen is the flagship
series suffer when the focus becomes split. Wouldn’t fans prefer one kickass
zombie show as opposed to two mediocre ones? But Walking Dead is now AMC’s
sacred cash cow, bigger than any one showrunner, and they will drag it on for
as long as viewers are tuning in. After all, Walking Dead mastermind Robert
Kirkman is still involved, so that’s something, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">His concept for the comic book series was to offer
what zombie movies could not deliver. To follow a group of survivors throughout
the zombie apocalypse and to never have to wonder what happens to them after
the credits roll, but for the story to continue as long as need be. Comics are
the perfect medium to achieve that goal. There’s no major studio notes, budget
constraints, or scheduling conflicts with actors to worry about. It’s just
Kirkman and the artist. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">But comics play by a different set of rules.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Creators come and go on longstanding titles. It’s
become standard industry practice to bring in a new creative team to shake
things up, hopefully bringing in new readers to kick off a fresh arc. But it
wouldn’t be The Walking Dead without Kirkman, would it? If he ever decides to move
on, will the comic continue on without him penning it? I mean what zombie
loving comic scribe wouldn’t want to play in Kirkman’s sandbox? “Before The
Walking Dead,” anyone? Nah…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Yes, the comic series that inspired the hit show has
run far longer than your average creator owned series (over 100 issues and
going strong), so there’s plenty of source material to pull from, but all good
things must come to an end. Vince Gilligan knew this and that’s why Breaking
Bad wasn’t handed off to a new showrunner to finish his story for him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I’ll probably still tune in to The Walking Dead
when it returns, if for no other reason than to stay apart of the conversation,
but at this point, I don’t know if I’ll be celebrating 10 years on the air once
it reaches that point. Now that AMC is in the driver’s seat, and not the
interchangeable showrunner, it appears that the Dexter curse has taken hold. Perhaps in a decade or so from now when Walking Dead ends its run, original showrunner Frank Darabont will give us his version of "how it should have ended."</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IrSb_mx6KkG6eNObZV-AIzJ-mF50LeoBEqFJQlyiihVVpW9mv3hlhGLwRcbAt6499teLgpuIN-6Y7l7m25ltPyyAy_3f1VVSr38fvraouko5AYdRcgbD2j9K4tACMGOfVeVOJcUJS7T7/s1600/walkingdeadzombie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IrSb_mx6KkG6eNObZV-AIzJ-mF50LeoBEqFJQlyiihVVpW9mv3hlhGLwRcbAt6499teLgpuIN-6Y7l7m25ltPyyAy_3f1VVSr38fvraouko5AYdRcgbD2j9K4tACMGOfVeVOJcUJS7T7/s1600/walkingdeadzombie.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I refuse to die... as long as I stay lucrative!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">So that’s my rant for this week. Sorry Walking
Dead, I don’t mean to pick on you. I’m just a firm believer that in order for a
show to be a creative success, a solid showrunner is crucial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">I turn it over to you, dear reader: who are some of your
favorite showrunners and are there any exceptions where a show went on to
higher heights due to a new showrunner taking over? Let me know in the
comments!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<br />Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-17942796252915512632013-09-12T22:37:00.001-07:002014-04-22T12:08:31.101-07:00Pop Culture: The 10 Year Rule<!--StartFragment-->
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I have a theory. There is no science to back it
up; it’s only my observations from studying trends in pop culture and
trying to figure out what it takes to maintain popularity for more than a
decade. From what I’ve gathered, the ten year hurdle is a difficult mark to hit
before either the quality begins to wane or it’s replaced by the next exciting trend. Is it better to quit while you’re ahead? Do good things only come in short
spurts or is it possible to be eternally relevant? Let’s examine.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Generally speaking, the best TV series typically
last anywhere from 5-6 seasons or less. (Case in point: Breaking Bad, The Wire,
The Wonder Years). And that’s just the ones that ended on their own terms. The
scripted shows that go beyond 10 seasons simply can't sustain the same spark that originally
made us want to tune in week after week. I think we can all agree that The
Simpsons’ best years are behind it. Waaaay behind it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">When it comes to TV, Jerry Seinfeld was the
smart one, calling it quits before the show hit double digits while he was
still on top. His must-see TV counterparts, Friends and Frasier should have
taken note. Ricky Gervais also seems to have the right idea. He's been series
hopping since creating and starring in The Office and hasn't looked back. During
The US Office's run, Gervais starred in and concluded two more series and has
another one that just started streaming on Netflix. Clearly a man who doesn't
intend to wear out his welcome, unlike NBC’s Office. At least Steve Carrell
knew when to jump ship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJzZIGCCepI2Sej0JP4SffEqUpFqFfTLgfYJRiWbTwqJ_qW3-eRnzWLgZRwy8DQh5iSAC4AceTZ52Ph4t51P_DSwUyt7_iLgtR3Jynfl5O1OOlPw7LxQqZ9dRh7syUhUyCRlYkWmhH6Bz/s1600/capms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJzZIGCCepI2Sej0JP4SffEqUpFqFfTLgfYJRiWbTwqJ_qW3-eRnzWLgZRwy8DQh5iSAC4AceTZ52Ph4t51P_DSwUyt7_iLgtR3Jynfl5O1OOlPw7LxQqZ9dRh7syUhUyCRlYkWmhH6Bz/s200/capms.jpg" height="200" title="" width="155" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Time to sink or swim without your captain, kids!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Gervais' music equivalent may be Jack White, a
musician who manages to juggle multiple projects with apparent ease and demands
that his audience keep up with his every move as opposed to becoming
predictable and boring. It's a very safe bet that if there is a 10 year curse,
that White isn't going to succumb to it anytime soon.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Internal band strife aside, The Beatles knew
when to hang it up too and became the ultimate "leave them wanting
more" act as a result. They were active from 1960 to 1970, but the
majority of their music was written and recorded during a 7 year period which
cemented their legacy and ensured that they would never become a nostalgia act.
Talk about prolific geniuses!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Since then, countless bands have come and gone
having rode a wave of popularity only to wipe out once the talent can no longer
support the hype. Many bands rule a decade. Zeppelin in the 70s, Duran Duran in
the 80's, Green Day in the 90's. As a result, the band becomes so associated
with that period where they broke out and were at the peak of their success,
they are then labeled as such. Sure, the Stones just celebrated their 50</span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">th</span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">
anniversary, but they’re still a 60’s band.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">However, trends do tend to resurface when studios have run out of ideas and are banking on nostalgia to turn a quick profit, hence why we're in the midst of an 80's revival that seems never ending but will eventually lead to a full blown 90's resurgence. Definitely looking forward to some revamped Disney Adventures toons and Furbies the Movie.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Artists understandably want to keep working and
don't want to let a good thing die, especially not on their terms. But as the
saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and from what the evidence is
telling me, the sooner that end comes, the better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Nobody wants to watch a good show suffer until
a network has to pull the plug just to put it, and the audience, out of their
misery. We want tight, driven story lines with a satisfying conclusion that
made the time we invested into it worth it. Too many shows get off to a strong
start only to drag on to the point of self-parody, Dexter being a recent
example. Just end already!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eCSw3UV-5fagTgA0njKE2GtnL8JMD3fL6muKfw0Q5MVnYIQWkoTEs6VbflvROK2mEkaa2x0dsf3w-9PmZHLAqjB-68RtV1oiNLLXlTmw9GWroEkjDnCoeRSJrGtY5izi6vw32WztEj1O/s1600/rsz_dexter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eCSw3UV-5fagTgA0njKE2GtnL8JMD3fL6muKfw0Q5MVnYIQWkoTEs6VbflvROK2mEkaa2x0dsf3w-9PmZHLAqjB-68RtV1oiNLLXlTmw9GWroEkjDnCoeRSJrGtY5izi6vw32WztEj1O/s320/rsz_dexter.jpg" height="320" width="252" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Way past due for a curtain call Dex</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">On the movie front, Pixar had a good run even
despite the Cars misstep, but once they caught sequel-itis, I broke my Pixar
streak of seeing every movie in theaters (thanks Cars 2) and have yet to see
one since Toy Story 3. But just when it looked like they were going the route
of Dreamworks, they now have more original content on the way so hopefully they’re
on the path for a welcome comeback.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Tastes change from decade to decade, there’s no
stopping that. But is it really that hard to stay relevant or is it best to
move on to the next phase before your audience does? Because pop culture is
constantly shifting it necessitates that creative people should be one step
ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Going back to Seinfeld, it seems the majority
of artists are afraid to go out on a high note. But in show business,
showmanship is crucial if you want to stay in the game. Now let’s end this blog
right from someone who said it best.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">“Playing it safe is the most popular way to
fail.” – Elliott Smith</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yi_xg_oG7OCuH3ir0KVvyOKDGRaDMx32H158WkszPLz83DwN5OQplYwgcQWtngYZyB6jEKGXLtPzoZZX-0iG0Fat7Puqn249iGXoapS-rcACbelr3g5svLovd6Ic9V6oxTGiiEIyMfdL/s1600/GeorgeCostanza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7yi_xg_oG7OCuH3ir0KVvyOKDGRaDMx32H158WkszPLz83DwN5OQplYwgcQWtngYZyB6jEKGXLtPzoZZX-0iG0Fat7Puqn249iGXoapS-rcACbelr3g5svLovd6Ic9V6oxTGiiEIyMfdL/s200/GeorgeCostanza.jpg" height="200" width="147" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Alright, that's it for me, goodnight!</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<!--EndFragment-->
Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8076796326824239839.post-47209873142980250322013-08-31T15:31:00.001-07:002013-08-31T15:31:58.814-07:00Batfleck or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Accept a New Batman<!--StartFragment-->
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This is my first step into the blogging world and so to kick things off I decided to write about something that I'm truly passionate about. There aren't too many things I'm more passionate about than Batman, so let's get started!<br />
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Anyone who knows me knows I’m a die-hard Batman fan. I’ve
been a fan since I discovered the Adam West show as a kid (and even met
him when I was 5) and I’ve remained a fan through each new incarnation of the character
through the good and bad times.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwldE6fFQ6kQitoJBlDiAx3DbCxYZaAuyjnjf_6_xQPseGKdmu8eQTl-Fj1dwlkLPT0hUiTfHQ3oaeUygyijj7hnhgqas2RS4rLNb3U8VBCPsDVPO1J2ealjoXySi5IfwcVimOG1Wa9xBN/s1600/rsz_adamwest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwldE6fFQ6kQitoJBlDiAx3DbCxYZaAuyjnjf_6_xQPseGKdmu8eQTl-Fj1dwlkLPT0hUiTfHQ3oaeUygyijj7hnhgqas2RS4rLNb3U8VBCPsDVPO1J2ealjoXySi5IfwcVimOG1Wa9xBN/s320/rsz_adamwest.jpg" width="304" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wore my Roger Rabbit shirt for this special occasion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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So when news of Ben Affleck’s casting as the new Batman in
the upcoming Man of Steel sequel hit, I was flooded with texts from friends
reacting to the news and wanting to know what I thought. Pretty much the knee jerk
reaction was this was the worst choice they could have possibly made and that
WB is killing their chances of competing with Marvel’s movie domination by betraying us loyal fans.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Despite Affleck having made strides behind the camera in
recent years, the stigma of such failings as Daredevil and for me personally,
Pearl Harbor, (I knew better than to waste time on Gigli), are still fresh in
memory. That’s not to say that I despise Affleck as an actor entirely. The Town was
a step in the right direction and he was good in State of Play. I’ll even go as
far to say that his scenes in Boiler Room was the best part of that movie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With this unexpected announcement, Affleck joins the club of
actors who have portrayed more than one super hero onscreen. Some have had
great success at pulling double superhero duty (see Chris Evans who made the
smooth transition from Human Torch to another Marvel hero, Captain America) and
then there’s Ryan Reynolds who went from bad (Deadpool) to worse (Green
Lantern) when he should have been playing The Flash all along and now will never get the chance (probably). The less said about Halle Berry's superhero turns the better. Now it’s Affleck’s turn to leap from a Marvel to a
DC vigilante. The only question is, will round two be the charm when it comes
to portraying another superhero (I’m not counting Hollywoodland for the
record)?<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve had a week to process the news. In that time the
backlash took Twitter by storm and many journalists who write about this stuff
for a living have denounced the decision while a fair amount have come to his
defense. Even former Batmen, Adam West, Val Kilmer and Michael Keaton have
given Affleck their blessing. So far Clooney has yet to break his silence on
the matter, which I don’t blame him as I’m sure he doesn’t want to remind
everybody about his ill-fated turn as the Caped Crusader, although having picked up an Oscar for producing Argo, I’d be shocked if he’s anything but pro-Affleck. Hopefully he can pass on some lessons on how NOT to do it. I know I'd sure like to erase that movie from my memory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSXmO6KhUHx1XJVRwighE2XULsQNuM6k3bFSQZyyK9C55sZP9vtROkob4NGhmv_QR2O7yDE5kumIuA5vpCxrYCc2rS6ycIkCnZCP4SUDTApgCXJA7t8Jh7qx3pQHXEMiOxtUkjKedWime/s1600/tommymemory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSXmO6KhUHx1XJVRwighE2XULsQNuM6k3bFSQZyyK9C55sZP9vtROkob4NGhmv_QR2O7yDE5kumIuA5vpCxrYCc2rS6ycIkCnZCP4SUDTApgCXJA7t8Jh7qx3pQHXEMiOxtUkjKedWime/s320/tommymemory.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Batman & Robin never happened. And I was never Two-Face!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I'm slowly becoming convinced that Kevin Smith is moonlighting as Affleck’s agent as he’s
probably been the most vocal about the whole thing. Or maybe he just wants to
remind everyone that he and Affleck are BFFs. Smith has said in the past that he thinks Affleck could play anything, but he has yet to convince the rest of us. Either way, as much as there was
a lot of negative reaction, I’ve been seeing just as much from the pro-Batfleck
camp as well. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId69BzKOywQSz0wHlfNXSSpKWVzCIYg7q7MdMNFcWJ748exEtiPh2HQGYdW9JXlgB9Jv4EGMeZFo_HRPMKfSCR2U3uxkXijjVYdG5T_L0qr24PsygV4sYRyL92vKyIm8gBasYLiRiz2Gc/s1600/AffleckKiss.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId69BzKOywQSz0wHlfNXSSpKWVzCIYg7q7MdMNFcWJ748exEtiPh2HQGYdW9JXlgB9Jv4EGMeZFo_HRPMKfSCR2U3uxkXijjVYdG5T_L0qr24PsygV4sYRyL92vKyIm8gBasYLiRiz2Gc/s400/AffleckKiss.png" width="276" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We get it Silent Bob. You and Affleck are buddies.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As for me, I’m still on the fence. While there are so many
other fine actors that I would have chosen in his place, I think Affleck has
come a long way since he wore out his welcome as a blockbuster draw and he
seems like he’s at the top of his game currently. I’m not rooting against him
because I genuinely want it to work and for him to succeed in this role because it’s
my favorite superhero, but I also can’t conceive of him disappearing into the
role where Bruce Wayne is concerned. That’s the risk you run when you cast a
big name, something they avoided with Henry Cavill’s casting as Superman, but
whether that will work for or against Affleck remains to be seen. </div>
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So far now,
I’ll get on with life knowing it could have been better, but it could have
been a LOT worse and will save my final judgment for when I see it in theaters
because there’s no way I would miss it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Until then, I leave you with the <i>exclusive</i> first promo poster for the upcoming Superman/Batman movie. Enjoy!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt49PX9sMAY3q0L7-H-jiq6Hg4WEYM7hNmrxFsUbeI-cjCRiIsPXNoJVPm-xAaUXdC0F0feqKw2LR-_OXZyAwU2Xz5H62GtnL5OWx-D462VaTYmgUZBg0tJZMElNJVrzY5vFZaVnGENak2/s1600/SvB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt49PX9sMAY3q0L7-H-jiq6Hg4WEYM7hNmrxFsUbeI-cjCRiIsPXNoJVPm-xAaUXdC0F0feqKw2LR-_OXZyAwU2Xz5H62GtnL5OWx-D462VaTYmgUZBg0tJZMElNJVrzY5vFZaVnGENak2/s640/SvB.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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Steven Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12989398970865722931noreply@blogger.com0