These days, there are a few obvious upcoming DC films that are inspiring much chatter, such as The Batman and Wonder Woman 2, but there's also one that we shouldn't forget about that's been merely a dream to comic book fans for the longest time. We are, of course, talking about Nightwing, a motion picture that'll tell the story of the Dark Knight's first apprentice as he breaks out on his own.
Despite Marvel's domination at the box office, a complaint that we've often heard is that they've slipped a bit when it comes to the animation side of things. Sure, there have been several series to be viewed over on Disney XD, but those have proven to be divisive at best. Really, ever since Disney acquired Marvel nearly a decade ago, we haven't seen much in the way of animated films - aside from a few produced by Japanese anime studios - thanks to the Mouse House putting the kibosh on Lionsgate's direct-to-video offerings.
To say that Gotham had a lot of threads to wrap up in last night's fall finale was an understatement. In short, it had to deal with the escalating Jim Gordon-Penguin-Sofia Falcon situation, Bruce Wayne continuing going off the rails, Tabby trying to make Solomon Grundy recall his life as Butch Gilzean, and the imminent return of Jerome. But, somehow, the producers managed to pull it off in a coherent manner.
As much as the past fifteen years or so have proven to be an embarrassment of riches for geeks and casual moviegoers the world over, the fact remains that several dream meetings between superheroes have yet to occur on the big screen. And what’s doubly maddening is that many of those on fans’ wishlists involve Marvel characters.
Although pretty much everybody and their mother is frothing at the mouth waiting to see Avengers: Infinity War – and rightfully so – it’s important we not forget that Marvel Studios have one more stop on the road before arriving at the next big team-up flick. We are, of course, talking about Black Panther.
The thing about new comic books starring the Caped Crusader is that you never really know when the next Dark Knight Returns or Long Halloween will come around. And while Batman: White Knight certainly did impress us out of the gate, one can never be too sure if that level of quality will continue. Fortunately, not only have the first three issues been solid gold, but it looks like writer/artist Sean Gordon Murphy is most assuredly in the process of crafting the next timeless classic.
Those of you who enjoyed the first animated web series to be set within the Arrowverse, Vixen, were probably ecstatic to learn that Greg Berlanti and company had a similar project lined up, that being Freedom Fighters: The Ray. Having been originally announced around the time of San Diego Comic-Con this past summer, we expected to see the Ray lead other heroes into battle against Nazi doppelgangers of DC TV's heaviest hitters before long. But, as the Crisis on Earth-X crossover concluded, we were left wondering just what was going on with the animated tie-in.
Regardless of whether you loved or hated Justice League, we're all aware of how a fair amount of footage was left on the cutting room floor. Perhaps it was either stuff that was shot by Zack Snyder that Warner Bros. didn't want to use or, maybe, it just didn't gel with the final cut; the latter happens all the time in the film industry. Still, there was one omission that remains a hot topic for discussion, that being Superman's black costume.
As much as the past fifteen years or so have proven to be an embarrassment of riches for geeks and casual moviegoers the world over, the fact remains that several dream meetings between superheroes have yet to occur on the big screen. And what's doubly maddening is that many of those on fans' wishlists are those involving Marvel characters.
Although I'm sure we all have our varying opinions when it comes to Justice League (though not perfect, I personally found it to be an enjoyable moviegoing experience), it's probably safe to say that many of us who enjoy superhero flicks want to see the genre as a whole to flourish. And for that to happen, it's key that the big team-up flicks enjoy as much success as possible.
