Sunday, January 17, 2016

BAD BLOOD

My latest animation project, Batman: Bad Blood—the sequel to last year's Batman vs. Robin—will be available for digital download this week (the 19th to be precise). The DVD will follow on February 2nd.  Here's a new clip to whet your appetite. Enjoy!

 

The movie was directed by Jay Olivia and once again stars Jason O'Mara as Batman, Stuart Allan as Robin and Sean Maher as Nightwing.  So ends today's shameless plug!

88 comments:

  1. I like to think that the current Batwoman didn't actually want to be part of the batfamily. She just had to since she has a clear vitamin D deficiency. Now every night she looks up at the moons silvery glow and laments not being able to join one of the superhero groups that operate in the day.

    So pale. Its a good thing day only leasts about three hours in Gotham.


    Jack

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    1. Well, in late June/early July when the days are at their longest. I mean they still have the solstice.

      It's probably like 20 minutes this time of the year.


      Jack

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    2. And, even then, everyone in Gotham complains: "Too much damn sun!"

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    3. LOL! Last time Gotham got a lot of sun, Two-Face and Joker went on their first crime spree in over a decade.

      Looks like this is going to be another great film, JMD, can't wait to see it!

      --David

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  2. I also like to think the current Batwoman was inspired by Lesley Gore. keep that in mind if you ever write her again.


    Jack

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  3. Enjoyed it, had terrific lines and great writing. Is there any chance of spy Grayson and Tim in future movies?

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    1. You're the second person to ask that. I have no clue—but it's a terrific idea.

      Glad you enjoyed the movie. These things are group efforts, so I happily share the praise with James Tucker, Alan Burnett, and Mike Carlin, who contributed so much to the script's final shape.

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    2. I'd love to see your scripts and compare them to the final product, i think it's fascinating to see how much gets added or removed in the making of these movies.

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    3. It IS fascinating. Sometimes the final product is very close to the script, sometimes I'm amazed at how much is changed. And the changes often have nothing to do with the quality of the scripts; it's about production demands, new ideas that evolve after the script is turned in, actors interpretations, directors inspirations, network comments, etc. I remember writing a script for a live-action show back in the 90's and, by the time it aired, it bore almost no resemblance to what I'd written. But the producers hired me for more work, because a) they loved what I'd done and b) the changes they made had nothing to do with weaknesses in the script.

      In animation, a lot of the changes are often in the interpretation of the scene, as the director looks for ways to expand the visual impact.

      It's a strange world, writing for TV and film, but it's also deeply gratifying. It's a team effort and—especially on these Warner Bros animated projects—it's a fantastic team.

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  4. I liked the appearance by a certain someone (don't want to spoil it for others).

    If that thing is happening, can we ever get Dick Grayson as Spyral's Agent 37 in one of these movies? Dick was really fun here, so I'd like to see your take on (the amazing and incredibly fun comic) Grayson.

    Anyways, Bad Blood was good! I liked it a lot. Looking forward to JL vs. TT.

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    1. I don't know what Warner Bros plans are for future Batman family films are, Nightwingfan, but a Grayson movie sounds like a terrific idea.

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  5. Does Tim not exist in this universe?

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    1. If someone comes up with the right story, he'll exist!

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  6. I want a Batman/The Demon team up movie.

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    1. We came VERY close to doing a JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK movie last year, Douglas, and the Demon was going to be prominently featured. Maybe WB will revive the project and your wish will be fulfilled.

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  7. Was it going to be live action? I'm not sure how much I would like The Demon live action.

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    1. There has been talk of a JLD live-action movie, but the project I was involved in was for WB animation.

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  8. Yeah, I would watch that. Del Toro's never going to make that live action one. Plus, I'm not sure how much a magic based live action movie would work. Justice League Dark has a specific feel to it that I'm not sure would translate well on film. I also feel the same about the announcement of the new Dr. Strange film. I don't think it will look Ditko enough to make it work.

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    1. I'm very excited about the DOCTOR STRANGE movie, Douglas. Cumberbatch is perfect casting and the director seems really in tune with Doc and his universe. Time will tell!

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    2. I think the planning for the JLD movie started way back in the Milligan run (which shows how greedy the movie biz is for a comic movie) in which case, a movie wouldn't be that hard of a translation. I think Hellboy was a tougher adaption and those movies turned out fine.

      However,Del Toro's creatures always look sort of similar and not always like in universe stuff. who knows how the Demon would even look.

      As for Doc Strange, I read recently that while Avengers 2 and Ant-Man did very well, it was no where near what was expected (especially the previous) and the same was true for the second Thor movie. As such, a lot is riding on Doc.

      If the movie really under performs then the plug may be pulled on quite a few Marvel cinematic movies in the work. Namely anything that isn't a sequel could be at risk.

      Personally, between my aversion to seeing big movies the year they came out, my theory that they are making the character British, things I've read about the character where everyone gets Doc wrong (he isn't arrogant anymore just stuffy, the rough treatment he got over the past decade, the current title making him a womanizer who hangs out at the bar while talking in hip lingo as he wields an axe, and sour grapes over the fact I had a much much better idea for a Dr. Strange movie, I have very little interest in the film.


      Jack

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    3. AGE OF ULTRON made a billion and a half. We should all underperform like that! ANT MAN did half a billion worldwide, which isn't bad for an obscure character. I can't imagine Marvel is disappointed. (But what do I know?)

      I know you're not fond of these adaptations, Jack, so I'm not surprised that you have little interest in the DOC film. Me? I'm incredibly excited about it. Time will tell if my enthusiasm is misplaced!

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    4. I know, I know, but Hollywood is weird. It is all about expectation from the industry and what they put into advertising vs. the returns.

      The whole movie industry makes no sense to me. There are plenty of examples of films that did well and caused problems for film makers or tanked the idea of sequels simply because good wasn't good enough.

      It is somewhat comforting to know that for all the odd things that go on in the world of comic creating there is another industry way, way, Way more messed up.


      Jack

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    5. The comics biz can sometimes be just as weird in its own way, but the difference is that in Hollywood they're playing with millions and millions of dollars. We're small potatoes next to that, so our level of weirdness is adjusted accordingly.

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    6. Oh, I'm aware of the oddities in comics. I think DC announcing that they were hemorrhaging red ink last August proved that. That along with readership dropping so much

      Jack

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  9. I do like that they have kept the costume intact. Not fond of the concept that The Eye of Agamotto is an Infinity Gem, but I will wait for a trailer to see how excited I am.

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    1. Yeah, it's always tough (and wrong, I think) to pre-judge these things either way. Sometimes you think there's a great movie coming and it's awful, sometimes you see a terrible trailer and it's a wonderful film.

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    2. I was actually just thinking about the problem with trailers today. I can't count how many times a trailer made a movie look awful to me, but then when I saw it I really enjoyed the film. Tropic Thunder was the one that got me thinking about it.

      Jack

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    3. I understand that great trailer that leads you to a bad movie—it's a sales tool, after all—but the rotten trailer for a good movie? That I don't get.

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    4. I'm not fond of multiple trailers for a film where they end up showing quite a bit of the film. I have watched zero trailer for the new Captain America movie and am going in cold. I think I'll enjoy it more that way.

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    5. I think it is them underestimating people. The fact is that most trailers seem very similar to others in their genre. So, instead of highlighting the best of the movie they make it to draw in everyone who saw the other ones in the genre.

      I still think that after almost giving the first best actor nomination to a dog (its true look it up)the movie industry is so high on itself.

      In 1957 Gary Cooper won best actor for High Noon, and he deserved it because that movie is great. It also would not have been nominated these days. Too pulpish.

      Jack

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    6. I think it was Robert Zemeckis with his film Castaway where the trailer showed Tom Hanks getting off the island. He explained that the average audience wouldn't go see it if they didn't know he got off the island. I miss old Grindhouse that had footage that wasn't even in the final film. Those were great trailers.

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    7. I hear you, Douglas. My son always wants to know as little as possible about a movie—especially one he's excited about—before going in. In the internet age, everyone wants to know everything and in movie pr, as in life and art, less is often more.

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    8. I love old trailers from the 40s and 50s. Totally different approach and they really don't give much of anything away. I think the first "tell everything" trailer I remember was for a Harrison Ford film called REGARDING HENRY. I saw that, turned to my wife and said, "Well, we've just seen the movie. Why pay to see it again?"

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    9. Yeah. Rin Tin Tin. Look it up. They thought giving it to him would keep people from taking awards for movies seriously.

      Another interesting thing about the Oscars, everyone thinks that Saving Private Ryan won best picture, but it didn't. It lost to Shakespeare in Love, a movie no where near as many people remember as Saving Private Ryan.

      I am baffled why anyone at all cares about these things.

      Once again though, High Noon is great.


      Jack

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    10. Yes, HIGH NOON is a classic.

      All awards are, essentially, bullshit; but they're often fun bullshit and, when you win one, it's a wonderful feeling being appreciated. But in terms of accurately predicting what's best—if there IS such a thing... Well, just ask Orson Welles!

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    11. The trailers from the era I have seen the most of are film Noir. Since they build on suspense, they had to suck you in and not give it away. The same is true with Hitchock and other thrillers.

      Maybe it is fortunate that they stopped making thrillers... how could you market them?

      Jack

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    12. It's the not giving it away that's the key. There's an art to it.

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    13. Or Hitchcock, arguably the most well known director in Hollywood's history, and he never won anything. Al he had was a long list of classic movies to his name and the money he earned off of them that led to a fairly comfortable life. Poor, poor pitiful Alfred. If feel sorry for him really.

      I've always felt that what your fans thing, the ones that really dig your work or even the casual ones, than a bunch of people who hand out awards. But what do I know.

      That is one of the nice things about being a comic fan over giant movie buff. I actually have told creators face to face how much I enjoyed their work


      Jack

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    14. And that's the beauty of being a comic book CREATOR: We get to interact with the people who read, and appreciate, our work and it's a truly wonderful aspect of what we do.

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    15. Oh please Dematteis, when do YOU ever interact with anyone?


      Jack

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    16. I refuse to answer that question.

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    17. First, I think my view of adaptions may me... misunderstood. I still enjoy the 78 Superman, Batman Begins, Spider-man, and several other films. As for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I really enjoyed both Captain America films, with my only complaint being what could have happened which is not a fair reason to hate something. Though I wasn't as nuts about it as everyone else, I did enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy, and the First Iron Man film? Well, the performance still holds up. I just like the comics more, and feel they are too often forgotten in modern times. There are a few other gripes, but that is the major one.

      As for the trailers, here are three classic trailers, that make me want to watch the movie without giving things away:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkNu4-sSglY

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saurMhQHblc

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzbGtjtfZwA

      Maybe the reason why they show so much is because they spend so much money on movies now that they want to show it off.


      Jack

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    18. The DIALBOLIQUE trailer is perfect: all mood and mystery, totally intriguing, and yet you really don't know what the movie is about, just that you want to see it.

      HIGH NOON actually gave away quite a bit.

      OUT OF THE PAST looked like a trailer done by a modern hand, not the original. The onscreen font gives it away.

      I didn't realize you enjoyed all those comic book movies, I thought you were pretty much against them all. (Well, I think I knew you liked the first SUPERMAN.)

      Some of my favorites appear to be yours, too: the original Chris Reeves SUPERMAN (still my #1 choice), the first CAP movie, the second Raimi SPIDER-MAN and the first IRON MAN, which was the first, perhaps only, time I liked a movie more than the comics. Not a popular opinion these days, but my favorite Batman movie (warts and all) is the second Burton film.

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    19. M<y favorite Batman film is and probably always will be Mask of the Phantasm.

      While I do really like the 78 Superman, the 50s show is closer to my heart. However, while we are sharing unpopular opinions, the parts of Superman III with Lana Lang are pretty enjoyable to me.

      It is mostly the politics around it all that bugs me, though yes being a fan does effect it though.

      I did forget to mention American Splendor, Hellboy, and Hellboy II.

      Maybe Out of the Past was modern, I don't know Dematteis. High Noon is hard though. it may just seem to give things away because I have seen it. Otherwise, aside from setting up the plot and a plot point or two, it seems to keep things pretty quite.

      The scene with the deputy actually would make you think the opposite of the scene. It is hard to remove that prejudice. I saw the film before the trailer, so I am in a spot.


      Jack

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    20. You may be right about HIGH NOON, Jack: it's been many years since I've seen it.

      The 50's SUPERMAN TV show is near and dear to my heart and always will be, since it's the original live action Superman for me. And George Reeves, like Christopher Reeve after him, understood that Superman's greatest powers are his basic decency and his authentic, heartfelt charm.

      And, yes, MASK OF THE PHANTASM was pretty darn good.

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    21. What I liked about the 50s Superman compared to any other media other than comics, is that Clark Kent still saved the day. He was a competent reporter who came through with the story every time.

      I also really like the B-movie feel at times and the fact that he was close to the golden age Superman. I disagree about the decency, sure its there but is more about morality. Like (if I may draw a line backwards) a flying Will Kane.

      However, the real reason I liked it is actually pretty lame. When I was a kid they showed reruns on TV here in Detroit, and it was just before I would go to bed. Since my mother watched them when she was a kid,one of the two TV shows she watched as a kid after school every day (the other was Howdy Doody), she figured that she might as well watch it like me. It is actually what had her reading almost every Superman, Superboy, Lois Lane, Action Comics, Adventure Comics, and even the occasional Justice League published between 1957 and 1963-or-4. Like I said, kind of a lame reason to like it.

      Also, there was a typo higher up. Gary Cooper won his Oscar for portraying Will Kane in 1952, not 57. Sorry.

      Finally, in these rough ties (o say the least) for comics, the answer in how best to preserve them is a simple two prong approach... which gets tough yet doable when put into practice.

      Do us all a favor and shout it from the roof tops Dematteis. Tell everyone. It may be the only hope for the industry. Tell. Everyone. You. Can. Dematteis. Not for the industry you work in, but for the one you love as a fan.


      Jack

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    22. That's not a lame reason for loving that show, that's a WONDERFUL reason. (And, for the record, my favorite Reeves SUPERMAN episode is the one where he gets amnesia while trying to save the world from a comet. That one thrilled me when I was a kid.)

      And what exactly am I shouting from the rooftops?

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    23. We'll have to agree to disagree about the lameness factor,but it certainly isn't an objective look at the show.

      And you should be shouting how to save comics. Weren't you paying attention?

      It is actually three pronged, but two are so obvious I will save them for last and separate them.

      First off drop the price all along the board. That is part of why readers are reading. They are twice what they should be one you account for in flation. I heard recently at the shop that the are rivaling cell phone bills for a month AFTER major drops. I don't own a cell phone so I can't say. It also turns new readers off when two comics rival a chicken dinner.

      One way to do this (though certainly not the only way to that needs to be done) is using cheaper paper. This is important because heavier paper stock costs more to ship, so suppliers buy fewer... especially since specialty shops can't return them.

      Second, get them back in 7-11s and drug stores. That is why comics didn't get a giant boost from the films. People still have to go looking for them, an impulse buy is much better for sales.

      That is the fundamental problem with praying digital save comics, they still have to go looking. They can't just stumble on and decide to give it a chance, the internet is huge.

      For God's sake Star Wars stuff has been and still is being grabbed up buy people. Yet where are the comic sales? Nowhere. Disney should be ashamed of themselves. Many of the long term readers who started young in the late 70s and 80s started because of licensed properties.

      Will it be easy to get comics back there? Hell, no. You have to figure out what books will best sell, and set up a strong editorial staff to make sure they can draw in non-true-believers. Some will pick up a comic and never read another, most will completely ignore it, but some will pick it up. It is a numbers game.

      It certainly assured, but it is probably the last best hope for comics. And while it will certainly be a hard sell, comics will NEVER have a better time to alleviate that giant mistake than right now.

      The obvious ones are, for starters, more dynamic covers. They need to be doing something. A cover about what happens inside the book is better advertising than spider-man web-swinging in no real direction for the 8 millionth time.

      That is not a critique on any ones skill mind you. Alex Ross is someone everyone agrees is very talented, but increasingly his style doesn't draw you into the book. Compare 1938 Action Comics to the 2011 one, or 1961 Fantastic Four #1 to any of the re-launches. Which onn make you want to read them. Not which is artistically is better, but objectively which one makes you want to read it.

      as for the 4th and most obvious one...


      Jack

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    24. One more thought about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Having only recently watched Avengers 2, while I do very much enjoy the Tony Stark performance, I don't like the fact hat both Avengers movies seemed to be iron Movies with bonus characters.

      Also, not fan of Whedon's interpretation of Bruce Banner.

      No fact, just opinion.


      jack

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    25. Good points, Jack, and all worth considering. One thing: I was under the impression that Marvel's current STAR WARS comics are among the top sellers in the industry right now. Better than most of the super hero titles. So there is definitely some energy there.

      And the 4th most obvious...?

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    26. Iron Man/Robert Downey is definitely a defining force in these films. And a hugely charismatic one, too.

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    27. Star Wars is doing well, but most of the people buying it are people who read comics anyway. There is a huge number of people who that could be brought into the medium through them.

      A guy at my local comic shop, who is a long time with an aclectic reading list, especially since he likes Captain America a lot an , well, lets just say that despite me not remembering him ever saying her name is probably Karen Berger's biggest fan. What first got him interested though were G.I. Joe comics.

      RDJ is great, but I don't think those movies should be built around him just because of that. when I saw Avengers in theaters, I remember thinking there, "why are they not building Cap and Thor up more since they only have one film each?"

      And Banner, well, trying to make him Stark's best buddy as off character enough, but I'd be okay with that (at least more so) if the character still felt like Bruce Banner.

      Bruce and Tony are more otr less complete opposites.

      Jack

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    28. Given the STAR WARS sales vs. the average comic, I suspect that the books are drawing in folks who aren't part of the established fan set.
      That said, I'm sure there's lots more that can be done to get these books out to the general public. Selling them in the Disney parks springs immediately to mind...

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    29. I'm sure a few are being bought by non readers, but keep in mind the dwindling sales in long term readers over the past few years. A lot just didn't give those up, plus it is one of the most popular franchises of all time. A guy who likes X-Men but hates Batman, and vise versa can come together on that book. Not to mention people who were reading Dark Horse's Star Wars stuff, and maybe just that for years.

      The parks are good, but also:

      -Spinner racks at Toys 'r us near the action figure
      -Drug stores
      -The Disney Store (do those still exist?)
      -Grocery stores.
      -Meijer
      -Target
      -Where ever you can talk people into taking them

      Jim Shooter worked well because, for all the issues he may have caused, he understood the business, creative, and editorial parts of comics. It seems a dwindling ability to have good knowledge of all three these days.

      Some people think he is a saint, so they should follow his lead. Some think he was the devil, those people need to realize that sometimes you have to shake hands with the devil to come out a live.

      I mean, would anyone else have lent out Marvel's creative team to a Toy company to create G.I. Joe and Transformers, essentially?

      I understand not wanting to give upp creativity, but there is a middle ground. Like I said, just pick out the ones you what to he out front, then keep the rest to do whatever you want. A good story should be able to be appreciated by many people regardless of age, and it isn't like Hellblazer was sold at the corner drug store.

      Like I said, tell every pal you have. This is the last best hope for comics.

      For putting up with this nonsense enjoy some folk music:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Y9RvDyNt4

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VeLb9M38IQ

      Hope you dig the tunes.


      Now as for that last one...


      Jack

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    30. By The way question:


      SPOILERS AHEAD for Justice League 3001. SPOILERS AHEAD
      .

      Why did you kill off everyone with a Y chromosome? Except for Booster and Ted(it doesn't say they live but I know you could never be the one to kill them)

      Jack

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    31. also, just saw this.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7n3-Ea3BW8

      just saw it.

      Jack

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    32. Not nonsense, Jack: very insightful comments.

      I'll listen to those links when I have a chance. Thanks!

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    33. The idea was Keith's, a way to shake up the book, and I agreed. I've been having fun with the new group, especially Supergirl.

      As for Beetle and Booster: Not. Dead. (I'd write an ongoing Beetle and Booster book in a heartbeat.)

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    34. That Superman short was pretty good.

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    35. And if I remember correctly, all those images were hand drawn. Even more impressive I would say.

      I knew Ted and Boost weren't dead, even if the last issue didn't have the out in it, I knew they would still be around. And while I am enjoying the current book, if I had to choose I would opt for the duo of World's Bwaha-iest.

      It is a shame though, what happened last issue. I was really starting to like Supes and Bats in this book. Honestly, Wonder Woman is the one I like least in the book.

      as for Supergirl, I always think it is weird how they do her powers. Her physical powers are always like superman's, whose power is based off a man.

      She can't be as strong as Clark, men and women are built different. She would be more agile though. They always struggle to differentiate her from Kent, but they never just look at basic physiological differences. Interesting fact, women hear better than men. Always seems weird to me.

      Hope you enjoy the links when you get a chance.


      JAck

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    36. The truth is that the book takes place in the future where we have a (kinda/sorta) cloning process to resurrect the dead. Yes, Cadmus was destroyed, but who know who else has that technology? I'm not saying we're bringing Superman and Batman back any time soon, just that the possibility is always out there.

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    37. That last thing that needs to happen, really id obvious...the big two need to put out comics people want to read.

      It really does seem obvious, but if it were then DC would not have drowning in red ink these days. People wouldn't be walking away from comics in droves. Fans wouldn't be saying they are buying fewerr now than ever.

      What's more, If had been doing okay, you probably wouldn't be writing JLK31, Wein wouldn't be on a new Swamp Thing comics, Jurgens wouldn't be writing Superman from the past, and my guess is that Gerry Conway would not be writing Carnage, and Starlin probably would not have been the canary in a coal mine for whether or not a classic writer can save a book spiraling in flames.

      There is something to be said for experimenting and letting a book have a fair shake. Those are all good things. Something not working out right is part of the creative process, but only if you know what to do afterwards.

      No one wanted the New 52, no one really liked it. Book after book falls as more people leave books. The fact is that at best it was an attempt to solidify a cinematic universe type thing at worst it was telling you r audience what it wants... a basic no-no in marketing.

      The New 52 should have been undone, however instead they doubled, tripled, and quadrupled down until it was too late and chased readers away.


      Marvel's fall has been slower, but is still visible. There problem is that they listen to the internet. The most recent X-Factor Peter David series was cancel;led because the numbers were not what they wanted. Fine, its a drag, but it happens. Unfortunately, the then Series Captain Marvel series was allowed to continue despite having numbers even lower than that.

      This was most likely because there is support for the character on the internet (well more the then writer) but that support never translated to sales. That has only gotten worse, with more and more Marvel comics taking on a too-cool-for-school vibe. The style that is highly praised on the internet, but the books usually don't translate to more than a small cult following.

      There is a reason why there are starting to be sort-of almost characters popping up more and more. People are not okay with what the big two are doing by in large, so they find facsimiles for them.

      Comics are dependent on the big two, and even beyond that I don't want the companies to fail. However, if they do, which increasingly looks like not only a possibility, but a probability, they will deserve it.

      Not long after DC announced its financial troubles were announced, Dan Didio gave an interview were he basically said that he knew they were ignoring there fan base. Which would be fine in the grand scheme if it delivered new readers. It did not, but he kept doing it.

      The medium has gotten tangled up in hollywood, internet buzz, self-interest, and short blurbs. Writers and artists increasingly seeing it as a way to get into TV or film, delaying projects for there own creator-owned works, or refusing to acknowledge a difference in writing those and characters created by someone else.

      Even when MArvel announced its new Summer wvent, they didn't say that it would be a great story that would lead to others. They said it would be a springboard for there movies for the next 20 years.

      That is ridiculous because the fad will not last that long. The average person is already starting to show fatigue.

      More importantly, whether it is true or not, it gave a view to every comic reader were they stood.

      IN the end it is all thinking too big and hoping for short term solutions that yield big time results. All while overlooking the very basic thing that made these empires in the first place, good stories with rich characters, made by people who loved them.

      Comics will never be a dominant medium in the world, but if action isn't taken soon they will be only a memory.

      continued... (by Jack)

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    38. I really do hope you go run and tell everyone these ideas. I love comics, and in some ways that has been a drag. If you claim to be a movie buff or music aficionado no one cares and will even view you as a good source or more discerning. Despite everything, comics are still considered a junk medium that people assume hollywood writers have made good. It becomes a thing you don't share with everyone, when people do find out and you have to explain why, it becomes tiresome. The investment becomes big and you live on emotional highs and lows. I would not have stuck with it if I didn't feel it was worth it. I want comics to live as long as possible.

      I don't know if these will work, but they are the best ideas I can come up with, and they address many of the problems. All I know i that the current course is towards the mediums self-destruction.

      These suggestions are not meant to be mean-spirited, but rather a hopeful
      statement.

      Hope you got a chance to o enjoy those links,
      Jack

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    39. I have to say that Superman's head blowing up was one of the best, did not see that coming, moments in comic books. Those are too far and few for my tastes and it made the book for me.

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    40. Almost forgot; two of my favorite super hero movies. Darkman and Unbreakable. Solid origin stories for pretty original characters.

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    41. Thanks, Douglas. We suspected it would be a Huge Moment. Glad we were right!

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    42. I enjoyed UNBREAKABLE...athough it felt to me that the story just got going when it ended. I wanted more and, sadly, we didn't get any. DARKMAN was totally over the top, in the best way: as I recall, it captured the feeling of a comic book in an era when you really didn't see that anywhere.

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    43. Totally get the spirit of your comments, Jack. And they are received the same way. And, as always, you make excellent points.

      I think it's too easy to say the Big Two should "put out comics that people will read." No one really knows what people we read, or watch, or listen to. All we, as creators, can do is write stories of quality, stories that matter to us. What happens after that is a crapshoot. As you know, books/movies/music sometimes fail and then, years later, are appreciated for being great work. (Just ask Orson Welles.) Today's popular titles may be forgotten tomorrow. I have yet to figure it all out. And I can guarantee that the publishers and editors at DC and Marvel love comics and are doing their best, in a shifting and difficult media environment, to put out good comics.

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    44. If you told people ten years ago that Weirdworld and Squirrel Girl would be big comics now they would have had you committed. I think what makes a comic good is when you read it you realize that the creators are having a great time doing it. That seems to seep off the page when it happens. Kind of like everything by a certain Mr. DeMatteis and Mr. Giffen.

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    45. The key to my collaboration with key has always been the fun we have, Douglas. Glad it translates to the reading experience!

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    46. I agree with Jack that stores need spinner racks of comics. That's how I used to buy mine. I also just read that DC is rebooting again in June??? Yeah, they need to quit doing that.

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    47. I don't know what DC is planning, but I don't think it's a reboot as much as a consolidation of the line. But this is just guesswork on my part, based on the little I've read. I'm not privy to any inside information!

      Yes, spinner racks are great!

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    48. Unbreakable is great.

      You're right, it is hard to know what people like or will like. It is much easier to gauge what they don't.

      Like I said, there is something to be said for giving a book time and even for a book that doesn't perform as well as expected to still be allowed to live.

      The beauty of Vertigo was that it put out books that were not necessarily profitable. It was a truly brave and brilliant system.

      However, you can't run a whole company that way. Having a few books set aside that get that special treatment is a fantastic idea, but keeping massive series that are disliked is far, far less so.

      I think that idea that it will be appreciated later is really dangerous. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. As I said, I think the biggest problem with the big two now is that they are thinking way too big. The details are falling through.

      When you are drowning, it is insane to wait around for a yacht.

      And I would like to say that I agree about the tone of writers and artists as to what they want being important. Unfortunately, what I pickup most is that many of them now just want to use the big two work as a stepping stone. Either for movies and tv (which looks like it is far far from an option now) or indie books.

      I would also say I have grown wary of the term "fun" applied to comics in recent years.

      I always thought of the JLI as a fun, a comic that just happened to be on the lighter side. It was still a good read though.

      Now it seems when people say that to me it is just fluff that with no meat to the story.

      I will say all of this, remember, I did have other points made. Price could help lift some of those issues though. Books can have that time to breathe, or you can wait for an audience if it is cheaper. $2.00 is much easier for someone to wait on than $4.00, or the ever creeping specter of $5.00.

      I as not suggesting a one or the other solution. My suggestions are to be used in concert with each other.

      Finally, for all the accusations against him, Shooter understood the creative and business side of comics. That is what helped turn marvel from a big company in an industry that looked like it may be facing the end in the 70s, to a company that almost took over writing the completion's most well known characters which were icons to almost everyone.

      It's about balance. We saw in the 90s what happened when business had too much say. But the creative side having too much say is bad too.

      While I certainly may be wrong, I do think it is the companies that own marvel and DC which cause many issues.


      JAck

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    49. One more thought. A business you like working in is still a business. A job you like is still a job.

      I think if you got into the industry after a certain point people have forgotten that.



      Anyone else been watching the X-Files return? I'm digging it so far.


      JAck

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    50. I thought the first episode was a little wobbly (albeit enjoyable), but last night's episode was a strong one. I hear that next week's is been better. Great to see them back.

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    51. Next week's is EVEN better. Don't know if I mistyped that or if I was auto-corrected into inanity.

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    52. I cut the first one some slack since it had to try and make older fans like me happy, and hopefully draw in new viewers.

      The idea that everything the first series did was sort of pulled apart was odd, but still enjoyable. It was done in a way that made me interested and not angered.

      I also really liked Mulder's response to what a guy who was even further down the rabbit hole was like.

      Though yes,the second one was a more solid episode.

      Chris Carter actually created and I believed laregly plotted an X-Files season 10 and 11 comic. each season had the same number of issues as TV season. It was pretty well done (as were the Topps ones of the 90s which acted as companion pieces). So, I was already going into a bitter sweet scenario where those weren't cannon.

      I'm glad they are getting this chance, which includes possible more mini seasons, since the only thing I remember about thee last few seasons were underwhelming.

      Sort of like the Seinfeld reunion it can fix a lingering issue.

      It seems that best case scenario it is a new beginning that should be great, and worst case it will be a well-deserved triumphant end.

      Jack

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    53. Agreed. And, really, it's just nice to see them back.

      I didn't know Carter worked on an X-FILES comic book. That's very cool.

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    54. This may explain better than I:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_X-Files_Season_10

      Jack

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  10. Hi. Promotional images and clips seem to heavily show Batwoman as a gun user despite her minimal, or possibly no usage in the comics. Just wondering, what led to that decision?

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    1. Her use of a gun is actually a plot point in the movie and used as part of her character arc, as you'll see.

      The basic beats of the story are created by a group of us (me, Alan Burnett, James Tucker and Mike Carlin) and, so much material flies back and forth, I can't recall where that particular idea originated.

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  11. I thought I would post this here since I tend to show up here on a regular basis. For the entire month of February I will be disconnected from the Internet. I don't own a smart phone so this will be easier than it sounds. My job has zero Internet requirements. I am keeping a running journal of my month off and then writing it up as a book tentatively entitled, InterWHAT?. I will see you all in a month.

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    1. In many ways, Douglas, I envy you. I suspect you will return smarter and healthier. Enjoy your internet vacation!

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