Many men have played the Caped Crusader. How many can you name? We’ve got a list of those who donned the black mask and cape in the name of justice, check out the variety. Who was your favorite?
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The Many Faces of Batman Read More »
Sure you know the Joker, Catwoman, Penguin, and the Riddler. You probably know the Scarecrow and Two-Face, too. But how many of Batman’s other villains do you know? Today we ignore the top-tier, best-known, Bat-villains and give you the best of the rest. There’s a few you might expect (Mr. Freeze, Ra’s al Ghul), but I’ve thrown in a couple of surprises as well. Check out the full list inside.
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RF’s Top 10 Second-Tier Bat-Villains Read More »
2008 is half over; where did all that time go? So far it’s been a bit of letdown after the great releases of 2007 (more on that here), but there are a few movies worth talking about. There have been some good, and some downright tragic, films released so far this year. We’ve had robots, pandas, a man of iron, adaptations, Mixed Martial Arts, Indy’s pedestrian return, Speed’s car wreck, and (of course) some insipid romcoms. We’ll take a look at the first half of 2008, the good, the bad, the overrated, and a few surprises as well. Join us, won’t you…
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The Best and Worst of 2008 (so far) Read More »
Twenty-three years in the making, DC is gearing up for the seven-issue mini-series Final Crisis spearheaded by Grant Morrison and bringing the DC Universe back full-circle. Jack Kirby’s New Gods and the troublesome Anti-Life Equation will take center stage in the mini-series. Since its announcement the forthcoming mini-series has teased readers with promises of changes in several key DC characters including Batman, and, even more shocking, the possible return of the Silver Age’s first super-hero. Intrigued? Check out the Full Diagnosis for more!
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Ever since his death in issue #8 of Crisis on Infinite Earths DC has teased fans will the possible return of Barry Allen. Marv Wolfman, who authored the twelve-issue maxi-series helped this along by hinting he had left a loophole which will allow Barry to be brought back.
In Flash issues #74-79 “The Return of Barry Allen” promised to bring back the Scarlet Speedster only to quickly pull the rug out from happy fans and have the returned Barry Allen not be Barry at all (instead a confused Professor Zoom from the future, sigh!).
DC has occasionally dropped in a time travel story to use the character like the recent issue of Booster Gold or taking on his deranged twin brother who had become the super-villain Cobalt Blue during his short stay in the 30th Century before his death.
DC teased us again, marking the 20th anniversary of his death Barry would be given an appearance in issue #3 of Infinite Crisis momentarily reaching out of the Speed Force to help subdue Superboy Prime.
Where many fans, and comic writers themselves, weren’t happy with the death of Supergirl in Crisis, they saw the need in relaunching the character of Superman as the sole survivor of Krypton. The death of Barry Allen would be a much more divisive issue, still to this day.
DC has teased us for years about a possible return; so why should this time be different? In the recent marketing of the series DC announced issue #3 of Final Crisis will include the Flash trying to outrun Death himself (hint?). After announcing in February edition of DC Nation (#100) that the third issue of Final Crisis is “a comic so important it will be gone in a flash,” in the April edition of DC Nation (#108) Dan DiDio addressed many of the rumors about Final Crisis. Here’s what he wrote:
“Only problem, since I hate mentioning rumors, I will just give the answers to the top five…
Number 5. Yes, it’s true: he is returning and sooner than you think.
Number 4. Nope, didn’t do it then and have no plans to try to do it again.
Number 3. Don’t worry, he’ll be back in Final Crisis in all his glory.
Number 2. Wrong. This time final means final. Seriously.
Number 1. Last one is a tough one. The change is coming, it’s just not the way everyone thinks.”
Is Barry returning, and if so will it be a simple cameo like in Infinite Crisis, or is the Silver Age Flash coming back for good? And, the more important question, should he?
For the better part of two decades I wanted Barry to return and each time DC would tease me I became more and more disappointed. Finally I accepted Barry’s death, perhaps the most heroic death in the history of comic books (unlike Hal Jordan’s ill-conceived misadventures known as the Ron Marz years). I warmed up to Wally West due mainly to his constant mission to live-up to Barry’s example. DC never forgot the hero; they made him a legend. DC seems to have waited too long and missed the right moment to bring Barry back.
Where does Barry Allen fit in the current DC Universe? What does that mean for Wally? Is this simply a stunt to momentarily satisfy fans (like the brief glimpse of him in Infinite Crisis) or is he returning for good? If it’s the former I’m disappointed, and if it’s the later I’m confused. Don’t get me wrong, I’d be happy to get Barry back, but unless he’s going to become a vital part of the DCU once again I’d rather they leave well-enough alone.
For more tha 50 years Allen Fieldhouse, named after former Kansas head coach Dr. Forrest “Phog” Allen, has been the home court of the Jayhawks. There’s just something about old basketball arenas in general, and Allen Fieldhouse in particular. If you’ve never seen a game there you haven’t seen basketball as it was meant to be played. As part of our Basketball Week I thought I’d share this little poem, written by yours truly, about the the mystery, the wonder, and the Phog, of Allen Fieldhouse. Check it out in the Full Diagnosis. Oh, and Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk!
“Beware of the Phog”
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A warning to all, beware you who enter,
For this is no normal gym, nor expo-center.
Here in the heartland where this game was born,
And championship banners on rafters do adorn.
The ghosts are still strong, for here legends were made,
Here, the Dean bled, and here Wilt played,
Where Danny and the dreamers first emerged,
And all purple has long ago been purged,
Big Country was shut out, and Norm can only sigh.
Listen carefully and you might hear the cry,
From the rafters it comes, softly at first,
Then rising until the fieldhouse will burst,
Rock…Chalk…Jayhawk in deafening sound,
Here is where true champions are to be found,
Coaching legends these sidelines have seen,
Naismith, Brown, and Williams, just to name three.
This is Allen, a fieldhouse of universal renown,
For here the Jayhawks of Kansas are to be found.
A warning to every Tiger, Cowboy, Tarheel, or Hog,
Beware you who enter, Beware of the Phog.
Beware of the Phog Read More »
