May 2012

News and Notes

news-iron-patriot-armorThe Superficial has leaked pics from the set of Iron Man 3 showing us that, yes indeed, the Iron Patriot armor will be making an appearance in the next film. No word on yet on what character will be wearing the suit in the film (as Sony still owns the movie rights to Norman Osborn)

Screenrant is reporting that a theatrical version of Fraggle Rock has new life now that Rango co-writer James Ward Bykrit and Alex Manugian have signed on to write a new script

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Batman: The Dark Knight #9

batman-the-dark-knight-new-52-9-coverI wasn’t a fan of this Bat-tile before the New 52 reboot and I’ve given the new volume a pretty wide berth. However, the latest issue had three points of interest to make me pick it up.

First, Judd Winick was guest-writing and although his his latest work hasn’t been his best, he’s produced good stories in the past. Two, the cover showcased Red Robin on the cover (who only appears in one panel, isn’t connected to the story at all, and doesn’t utter a word). Three, it was a Night of the Owls crossover.

The problem with this issue, as has been the trouble with almost all of the Night of the Owls crossovers, is that once again the focus here is on a villain, another Talon, instead of the comic’s main character. This issue is all about Alton Carver, the Talon sent to kill Lincoln March, and his history with the Court of Owls and Batman.

The focus is all wrong, the character teased on the cover isn’t here (I was looking forward to a Bruce/Tim team-up), and there’s just not enough here to justify picking up unless you simply want to grab all of the Night of the Owls issues. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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Interviews with Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron

To help promote their upcoming movie Snow White and the Huntsman, based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron each sat down for an interview with Elvis Mitchell as well as pose for a photoshoot (which you’ll find pics of inside). In the interview Stewart discusses working with female directors, her first role in The Safety of Objects, how Twilight helped her understand the character of Snow White, and her roles in On the Road, The Runaways, and Welcome to the Rileys. Theron talks about her fear of live performance, her love of playing characters who are hard to love, working with Tom Hanks on That Thing You Do!, and her roles in Monster and Young Adult.

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The Flash #9

the-flash-new-52-9-coverWriter and artist Francis Manapul (along with co-writer Brian Buccellato) gives us the Flash vs. Gorilla Grodd, Round One. Honestly, given the early teases we’d seen of the New 52 versions of Grodd and Gorilla City this was better than I expected. I’m not sure I like the change from Gorilla City from an advanced scientific race of apes into a more magical religious group but this certainly wasn’t the total disaster which I feared.

The Flash shows up in Gorilla City at a loss as to how he arrived there and who he is and learns from a group of elder Gorillas that the secret tribe worship the Lightning (the Speed Force) and the prophesied appearance of the Runner (the Flash). Although awkward in places, the comic picks up after the Flash regains his memory and puts down Grodd’s rule and plans of world conquest.

The issue has several important small plotlines including Iris still stuck in limbo, the Pied Piper deciding to come out of retirement when Central City is left without a hero, Dr. Elias mounting a protest against the scarlet speedster, and a teaser for the introduction of another of the Flash’s Rogues next month – the Weather Wizard.

[DC, $2.99]

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Rampart

  • Title: Rampart
  • IMDB: link

RampartWoody Harrelson stars as David Douglas Brown, a crooked cop forced to face up to his choices in the midst of the 1999 Rampart Scandal in which more than 70 Los Angeles police officers were implicated in the most widespread case of police misconduct in history.

The story is presented in the form of a character study of “Date Rape” Dave, a womanizing, bigoted bully who has daughters (Brie LarsonSammy Boyarsky) from a pair of sisters (Cynthia NixonAnne Heche) and is facing charges of police brutality and viciously beating a man who crashed into his police car on camera.

In need of help Dave recruits a retired cop (Ned Beatty) and old friend of his father’s who puts him onto a heist that only gets him in further trouble with the LAPD. His involvement also puts an investigator (Ice Cube) from the District Attorney’s office on his case.

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