While this might seem like an odd direction given that Batman v Superman seems to have suffered from reviews that called it too dark and joyless, it really doesn't surprise me for a number of reasons.
1) This movie was well into production prior to the bleak reviews BvS received.
2) The movie is set during World War I, and it's probably next to impossible to have a FUN movie in which trench warfare has any part.
3) I suspect that reversing gears from their Green Lantern inspired No Jokes edict isn't going to be as simple as flipping a switch.
Honestly, if it were me, I think I would have found some way to put the movie in World War II and add some Justice Society characters. Yeah, I know this would cost a lot of money in reshoots (I guess) but with the rumors that Time Warner is already getting reshoots for the Suicide Squad to put in more joviality, I don't know if rejiggering the Wonder Woman movie that would be a real show stopper at this point. It definitely sounds like a better strategy than doubling down on Grim and Dark.
On the flipside, one bit of DC Rebirth news I've seen that has me interested is the story that DC is going to have a 12 issue Kamandi series written by different teams to present a story that is interconnected.
Check out these teams:
Dan Abnett & Dale Eaglesham,
Peter J. Tomasi & Neal Adams,
Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti,
James Tynion IV & Carlos D'Anda,
Bill Willingham & Ivan Reis,
Steve Orlando & Philip Tan,
Marguerite Bennett & Dan Jurgens,
Keith Giffen & Steve Rude,
Tom King & Kevin Eastman,
Greg Pak & Joe Prado,
Rob Williams & Walter Simonson,
Gail Simone & Ryan Sook
Len Wein & José Luis García-López.
This sounds exactly like the type of challenge that might inspire writers to create some pretty entertaining comics. And those creative teams are top notch. I hope this project works well and spawns similar projects using other DC characters!
Finally, DC also announced that Gerard Way, whose Umbrella Academy has been quite the success for Dark Horse, will be working on a new Doom Patrol series.
This series will actually be part of a larger initiative by DC wherein Way guides a new DC imprint called Young Animal which will also use some other long forgotten DC characters like Cave Carson and Shade the Changing Man.
At first I was a bit dubious about this news, simply because I'm not a fan of celebrities turned writers in ANY media, but after some discussion and reflection, I realized, this is probably exactly what DC needs to reignite it's lackluster Vertigo demographic.
Thinking about Vertigo in the past, maybe someone like Way is exactly what they need? A well known personality with a defined aesthetic to help give the brand a new identity for new writers to converge around. I mean, I don't know, but you have to sort of think that having Gaiman work there was one of the things that provided a smooth entry for Ellis, Ennis and Vaughn (though he may have come after Gaiman had left.) Since then, Vertigo has sort of been this empty shell without a real figurehead to speak for it.
With that said, of the three projects, I'm probably the most interested in the Kamandi Challenge.
- Jim
9 comments:
I hadn't heard about the Kamandi challenge. While I'm sure it will be a mixed bag, I bet there will be some cool stuff in there, too.
I wouldn't mind if the Wonder Woman movie was dark, just as long as it's a good movie. My complaint with BvS is not that it's grim and dark, but it just wasn't a good movie, with gaping plot holes and illogical things happening almost right from the get-go. Zack Snyder is the embodiment of style over substance.
That Kamandi news is top-notch. I'm excited about it.
I think the Gerard Way decision is a good one, from a marketing standpoint. Vertigo's market is different from the mainstream comic fans (at least it used to be), and Way leading the... way (haha) might be the shot in the arm Vertigo needs. I remember one time at my LCS when some teens were looking for the Gerard Way comic book (although they didn't know what the title was). It might help bring non-comic book fans into comic shops.
I think it depends so much on what lesson is learned and how that lesson is processed. Basically what is DC's take away from the criticism going to be? Will they really take an honest look at the problems of tone, storytelling and characterization? Will they actually take the moment to consider even for a brief blessed moment that maybe dark and cynical isn't the answer to everything (and stop drinking the Kool Aid that it's the ticket to making the genre respectable)? or will it just be "add x amount of jokes".
Well I finally managed to get to see BvS last week, and personnally, I thought it was a great movie. I still love Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Laine, and i really enjoyed Ben Affleck as Batman, although to be honest, I was watching it dubbed in French, so I have yet to hear Afflecks voice.
I loved the way they brought Diana Prince/Wonder Woman into the story, and personally I thought the character looked great, she was strong and already seems to have more interest in that she's tech-savvy, and already had dealings with mankind.
As a film, I thought BvS worked well, although it was a bit slow to get moving. And you do have to connect a few dots yourself (or create the links more like), but I went with my wife and kids and we all had a great time. Perhaps we're not demanding enough?
All said, I'm looking forward to a Wonder Woman movie, and I'm hoping that the big comic/movie companies don't feel the need to make all super-hero movies either grim and dark/funny and jovial/violent and full of lanugage. There's plenty of space for variety in the story telling.
@Reno and Trey - yeah, the Kamandi news is refreshing. Now the question is: Do you buy the single issues or wait until it's all collected?
@MattComix - I'm thinking you unfortunately nailed it when you said it will be the same old same old but now with X amount of jokes added.
@Crize2foi - yeah, I'm thinking more like you in that I also sort of wish there were more than just two options for Superhero movies.
@Jim - I've shifted to trades these past few years, so I've learned to be patient. Hopefully it does get collected!
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