It's the first trailer for Superman!

And, ummm... little on the fence about this.  I think David Corenswet is definitely tapping into the Superman mystique.  When I see him as Superman and then as Clark Kent it really is like looking at two different people, which is what Christopher Reeve - the gold standard for the character - pulled off magnificently.

I'm wondering if this trailer packs in too much for a teaser.  This is our first time looking at James Gunn's Superman, due out this coming July 11.  It doesn't give us as much sense of wonder about Superman himself as I was anticipating.  But, Krypto is awesome!  Who doesn't love dogs? :-)

Anyhoo, here is the teaser, which dropped a little while ago.  See for yourself and feel free to leave a comment.

Read More

MAN OF STEEL trailer, and the last one for STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

I've a theory: Benedict Cumberbatch is playing Khan Noonien Singh. In the post-Kelvin altered timeline the Botany Bay was found years earlier than it was in the original Star Trek series, and Khan wound up working for Starfleet's black ops. Then years later he comes back for revenge for something or 'nother and that's when he and Kirk will tangle for the "first" time.

But if he's an entirely new character, I'm down for that too. Either way from the looks of this final trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness, it's gonna be a toad-strangler of a movie!

Meanwhile the new trailer for Man of Steel swooped onto the Intertubes a short while ago...

I will believe this Superman can fly :-)

And this movie has had some of the most beautiful trailers that I have seen for a summer tentpole in a long, long time.

Read More

Dear News & Record: Opposition does NOT equal hate and fear of homosexuals

One of the front-page stories of today's edition of the (Greensboro, North Carolina) News & Record is about DC Comics delaying publication of science-fiction writer Orson Scott Card's story for the upcoming first issue of DC Comics' Adventures of Superman anthology.  Chris Sprouse, the artist assigned to illustrate the story, is refusing to work on grounds that the "controversy" about Card's publicly-stated beliefs that homosexuality is wrong.  Especially his opposition to "gay marriage" during the lead-up to last year's amendment to North Carolina's constitution affirming that legal marriage is between one man and one woman.

You won't find it in the story posted on the News & Record's website, but the article's synopsis in the print edition reads thusly: "An uproar over author Orson Scott Card's homophobic views leads illustrator to withdraw."

"Homophobic"  As in, literally, "Orson Scott Card is in fear of homosexuals".  The implication being that if he is in fear of homosexuals, Card also harbors hate of homosexuals.  That is certainly how such things are associated in the minds of too many journalists these days.

I don't know if Robert C. Lopez - the News & Record reporter who wrote the story - is responsible for his article's print synopsis.  Regardless, whoever wrote it is either terminologically ignorant or journalistically negligent.  Or, inexcusably driven by agenda.

But that's not the point of this post...

There is a difference between disapproving of a person's activity and disapproving of that person as a whole.  I know many homosexual individuals.  I sincerely believe that their behavior is wrong and even self-destructive.  But I have never hated them.  Some are even good friends who I have worked with and acted alongside on stage.  I like to think that they can disagree with me as well without harboring any animosity.

But through the prism most politicians and journalists and media "personalities" have demanded we see reality through, a failure to endorse the lifestyle of others is indicative of hatred toward others.

No wonder the political climate of this country is so polarized.  How can there possibly be earnest and sincere discussion about anything at all, when any side sees others as deserving scorn and ridicule, and lacking merit enough to be heard out?

Orson Scott Card is being charged - whether or not it will be admitted aloud - with inciting fear, hatred and intolerance toward homosexuals.  Curiously, the irony has gone woefully under-appreciated that those levelling such claims are inciting fear, hatred and intolerance toward Card and anyone else who believes homosexuality is wrong.  At the Mysticon science-fiction convention in Roanoke last weekend, my girlfriend overheard two people conversing with each other about how Card - the literary guest of honor - wasn't "very Christian" because of his statements against homosexuality.  I also heard one attendee claim that it was wrong for Card to have been invited because he was, quote, "hateful of people like me".

The only people I see demonstrating legitimate hatred of others are those who want there to be hatred of others.  When all else fails in an attempt at persuasion, hate is the time-tested tool of evoking deceit, distrust and division.  It is a coward's tool.  It is a tool of men of barbarity, not men of intellect.

The News & Record writers and editorial staff should bear that in mind, pertaining as much to their personal predilections as their professional ones.

Read More

First pic of Henry Cavill as Superman!

Now this is what the Man of Steel should look like!

Click the above image to embiggenize our first look at Henry Cavill as Superman in the Zack Snyder-directed Man of Steel (now due out for 2013). Check out Supes' getup! Now that is a Superman that I would believe can not only fly but also kick the tails of Darkseid and Brainiac.

I am beginning to have a positive vibe about this film. Yesterday it was announced that Laurence Fishburne would be playing Perry White, and then there's Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Michael Shannon as General Zod (among others who have been cast for the film). And Zack Snyder had already pulled off the impossible when he adapted Watchmen (the Ultimate Cut, incorporating the animated pirate story into the main film, is by far the best of the three versions). Not to mention that overseeing this new Superman movie effort will be Christopher Nolan. Now all that's gotta be a recipe for pure awesome!

Read More

Christopher Nolan to guide rebooting of Superman and is already working on the third Batman movie!

The cinematic future of DC Comics' two most classic heroes is in good hands.

Christopher Nolan is set to "godfather" the relaunch of the Superman film franchise. This will not be a sequel to Superman Returns, but will begin its own new continuity. Nolan won't be directing or writing, just kinda shepherding and mentoring the process along into the kind of movie series that Superman needs to become.

(I'm probably one of the few who'll admit to honestly liking Superman Returns a whole lot. It wasn't perfect, but I thought it hit on some of the right tones for a Superman flick. But hey, I also liked Ang Lee's Hulk and still loved 2008's non-sequel The Incredible Hulk :-)

But that's not all folks! According to the same report at GeekTyrant, David Goyer and Jonah Nolan are already at work on the third installment of their Batman series.

Gotta wonder how that'll turn out. The Dark Knight was darn nearly the most perfect comic book movie in the history of anything. But I've faith in the Nolans and Goyer. I'm thinking that where Batman Begins ended with "escalation" and The Dark Knight built on that, the next logical step would be how Gotham City goes from being run by organized crime, to now a place where the mob has been toppled and the time of the "freaks" like Joker, Scarecrow etc. will finally be at hand. At which point the people will have no choice but to turn to Batman and embrace his role as protector of Gotham.

The best thing about that scenario is that it opens up Nolan's Batman continuity indefinitely! We could see a movie or two for everyone in the Batman rogue's gallery. And regardless of what Chris Nolan has said, I'm confident that the Penguin could be set loose in his Batman 'verse and still be convincing. That's what I most wanna see anyway :-P

Read More

Is this Nicolas Cage as Superman?!?

That's what GeekTyrant is wondering (and has Twitter-ed that sources are confirming). This does indeed appear to be Nicolas Cage in a costume test for the Superman movie that Tim Burton almost began production of in early 1998. That would make this photo around twelve years old... which jibes with Cage's current age.

And then there's this tidbit that also adds credence to it being real, from a very long article posted in 2005 about the INSANELY bizarre story of the Superman film franchise between Superman IV: The Quest for Peace in 1987 and 2006's Superman Returns...

"Nicolas Cage, having been fighting tooth and nail against Burton and [Jon] Peters' vision of Superman (even though he'd been putting on a happy public face about working with them), angrily demanded that he be allowed to wear the classic Superman costume and fly. So WB relented much to Burton's dismay, ordering up a rubber Superman suit and flying FX tests. (A chintzy, Sam Jones-as-Flash Gordon-type Superman suit was dished up, but it went over like a lead balloon.) However, when Cage tried on the rubber suit, it looked stupid. And when they stuck a long-haired wig on him, it looked even worse."

Some are saying this might be a Photoshop job. Personally, I think it fits well with the evidence.

So lemme ask you, Dear Reader, after you have finally stopped hysterically laughing: what do you think? :-)

Read More

All kinds of DC Comics video goodness hits iTunes!

In the words of Geoff Gentry who first passed along word of this: "Get your debit card ready."

iTunes has just added the DC Comics Collection to its vast video library. You can now purchase and download the first several episodes of Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Beyond and Superman: The Animated Series. It's also got Max Fleischer's animated Superman shorts from the 1940s, the first season of The Adventures of Superman starring George Reeve, the first season of Super Friends and the complete 2008 Aquaman series. Geoff adds that hopefully iTunes will soon add Justice League and I heartily concur.

But in the meantime, if you've never watched "Heart of Ice", the episode that first hurtled Batman: The Animated Series to critical acclaim, you can now enjoy it for two bucks via iTunes. And as soon as they make "Apokolips... Now!" Parts 1 and 2 from Superman: The Animated Series available, I'm gonna be acquiring those, too!

Read More

Astronomers discover the planet Krypton!

The first extra-solar Earth-like planet - complete with warm temperatures and liquid water on the surface - has been discovered by astronomers.

It orbits a red star and is 12,000 miles in diameter as opposed to Earth's 8,000 miles... meaning that it has heavier gravity than Earth.

Just like the planet Krypton!

In other news, scientists have discovered kryptonite deep inside a Serbian mine.

This has all put me in the mood to watch Superman Returns later tonight.

Seriously though, the planet is about 20 light years away... which is just around the corner so far as cosmic distances go (though getting there is a little problematic). Maybe Project Daedalus can be brought out of mothballs and sent off to investigate.

Read More