BRANIAC & DARKSEID: MY TAKE ON THE ICONIC DC VILLAINS

There have been some rumors floating around the web about the proposed villains of the two Justice League movies, Braniac and Darkseid. Whether or not these rumors are true or not I have no way of knowing but I am taking the opportunity to write about how I would depict each of these threats on screen.

First off is Braniac. Some time ago I wrote a treatment for a Superman origin movie that had Braniac as the main villain. While I took a few artistic liberties with the character I feel I stayed true to the essence of one of Superman's greatest foes.

In my treatment I depicted Braniac as the sole survivor of a race of a semi immortal beings who traveled the Universe collecting the remaining members of dying cultures and preserving them aboard their ships. Over time they themselves began to die out and left Braniac as the last of his people. Driven mad by millennia alone in the cosmos and dedicated to his peoples eternal cause, Braniac began to destroy civilizations he came into contact with. After decimating an entire planet he would collect the last remaining survivor and imprison them aboard his ship in his Menagerie. It was during this time that he came across the remains of Krypton and salvaged some relics but found no survivors.

The way I envisioned Braniac was as a sort of genuinely insane but committed galactic preservationist. He believed that life itself was inherently self destructive and would inevitably bring itself to extinction. This twisted logic rationalized his genocide of entire cultures as he felt they would destroy themselves regardless and so he would expedite the process and preserve what remained. My Braniac saw himself as benevolent and justified in his actions. When he comes to Earth and witnesses the violent nature of humanity he decides to destroy our world and it is here that he encounters Clark Kent, not yet Superman, who defends humanity as it's champion. He captures Clark and opts not to kill the only Kryptonian left in the Universe, instead he imprisons him aboard his ship. It is here that Clark discovers his Kryptonian heritage and finds his iconic Superman suit. I departed from the Superman lore and did not choose to include Superman's Father in the treatment, instead I had Braniac in the role of a sort of dark Jor El. The super intelligent Alien would inform Superman of his culture and and its eventual demise.

As for Braniac's character I depicted him as soft spoken, polite and world weary. Not a generic cackling villain but sort of pitiable, viewing his abducted specimens as family and professing his deep compassion for them, he wasn't so much evil as confused. Braniac truly believes that what he is doing is what's best for humanity as he views us as violent savages hellbent on our own extinction. This was to act as a counterpoint to Clark's optimism and faith in his adopted peoples potential for good.

For his physical depiction I departed greatly from previous renderings of the character. He wasn't human in appearance, boasting four arms and a more lupine face. His clothes were weathered and old adorned with souvenirs of long dead worlds. I wanted to give him the air of an ancient librarian.  The iconic green color scheme and the nodes on his brow remained but for the most part I played to the alien aspect of his character. 

Braniac's final confrontation with Clark high above Metropolis is what causes the last Kryptonian to finally accept his destiny and become Superman.

Now onto Darkseid.

Anyone familiar with my fake Dawn of Justice script will know that I hinted at the Lord of Apokolips as the villain of the future Justice League film, but I never showed him physically. While writing the screenplay I had a vague image of what I wanted Darkseid to be, his motivations and character, I never got around to writing the character. What follows is a description of how I would depict Uxas and like Braniac I will be taking artistic license.

First change I would make would be stature. This change is mainly to differentiate DC's villain from Marvel's Thanos. I don't feel we need another hulking Galactic power player on screen. While I and most comic book fans know that Thanos was a rip off of Darkseid, the majority of the movie going public would think the opposite if a faithful visual of Darkseid was shown in Justice League. Marvel got there first unfortunately and I think DC should adapt to counter this. My Darkseid would be tall, thin and lean a departure from the comic books broad shouldered behemoth. I'd have him almost gaunt but still strong. I would use Brad Pitt's Tyler Durden as a reference, wiry and quick. His appearance in the comics would be honored but his size decreased. I feel this would give him a more menacing look as it implies power but isn't obvious at first glance.

I believe his motivation should be the Anti-Life Equation and because of that he comes to Earth. The secret to his life's obsession lies in the minds of humanity which he plans to enslave so his can discover the truth of the Equation. Simple and effective in my opinion.

The biggest departure is his character. I would have him act more dynamic and younger than his comic book counterpart. As a New God, emphasis on the 'New', I see him as relatively young in his manner. While being millions of years old I would have him possessed of a more youthful exuberance, the kind of energy that would propel a being such as him to obsessively search for something as elusive as the Anti-Life Equation. He would be confident, self assured and dismissive of any and all challenges to his philosophy. And my Darkseid would be savage and have no regard of the consequences of his actions. He will do anything to achieve his goals no matter who stands in his way.

I feel this would be more than enough to differentiate Darkseid from his Marvel Comics counterpart. Familiar yet new, true to the essence of the character yet different enough to be a fresh.

This is just what I would do had I input into the DC cinematic Universe.

SoA.

The Flash 'City of Heroes' review.

                                                       MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD

I don't like voice overs, and the narration that begins the Pilot episode of the Flash is no exception. From the onset Grant Gustin's eager voice reminded me of Toby McGuire’s famous Spider-Man intro which I also disliked. So that was the first problem I had with the live action adaptation of the famous DC Comics speedster. Luckily, it was the first and only problem that I had with the Flash Pilot. I loved the Flash and I'll tell you why.

When I first heard that they were doing a spin off of the Arrowverse I wasn't entirely sold. Although I really enjoy Arrow I couldn't quite get behind the idea that the Flash could exist within its more grounded universe. The casting of Barry Allen didn't fill me with much confidence either. I was unaware of Grant Gustin prior and when I found out he was cast in the role I did some research and found he had a past role on Glee and honestly I'm not a fan of that show. I thought he looked a little too young and clean cut to play Barry how I envisioned him on screen but his appearance on Arrow changed my mind a little. He was likable and goofy but in a Peter Parker-esque way. He was fun in the context of Arrow but not exactly the Flash I had hoped for, even after the legendary lighting bolt origin I was still on the fence.

But after watching the Flash Pilot I am now completely sold. Gustin has all the warmth and charisma needed to keep the audience invested in his character. He's quirky, awkward and charming and inhabits the role with more confidence that he perhaps showed in the Arrow introduction. His journey into super heroics is fun to watch and it's all because Gustin is so endearing.

The rest of the cast play well in their roles. The beautiful Candice Patton as Iris West has an easy chemistry with Gustin and you can believe them, as friends, surrogate family and future couple. I genuinely felt for Barry as he watched her from afar and their unrequited romance works because both of the characters are so likable and played so well. Jesse L. Martin is great as Joe West, Iris' Father. He's a solid supporting character and his scenes with Barry do convey a father/son dynamic. Danielle Panabaker and Carlos Valdes are both on top form as Caitlin Snow and Cisco Ramon respectively. The names will be familiar to fans of the comics and I am looking forward to see where the show takes them and if they ultimately share the destinies of their comic book counterparts. Harrison Wells, the man behind the accident that gave Barry his powers, is played with dignity by Tom Cavanagh who along with Snow and Ramon make up the Flash's allies and confidant. The villain of the piece is Weather Wizard played by Chad Rook. In this interpretation his origins are tied to the same event that gave the Flash his abilities. He's a serviceable antagonist if not given too much screen time.

As for the story itself it is a basic superhero origin story and hits all the beats well. There is nothing really that interesting about it as it's nothing we haven't seen before. It's hero gets powers, hero learns powers, hero discovers villain, hero defeats villain and so on and so forth. It's generic but the performances and the production transcend the story lines limitations.

The production values are very and high and it feels like a superhero movie rather than Superhero TV show. The Flash costume looks great onscreen and the speedster effects are up to scratch. The Pilot is very polished and whether or not this carries over into the rest of the series remains to be seen but as far as the current superhero shows I'd place it at the very top as far as production.

For diehard comic book fans there are many Easter eggs and cameos littered throughout the episode, hinting at villains and story lines to come.

The episode's ending packs a surprising amount of emotional weight and you really do feel for Barry and his trails and tragedies. The Flash is off to an amazing start and I am incredibly impressed with the Pilot. The final scene by itself has me guaranteed to keep watching.

IMO Opinion it is the best Superhero Show on TV.

9.5/10

 SoA.

MARTIAN MANHUNTER: How I would approach the character in film.

First off I'm not here to bash David S. Goyer. I am a fan of his written work, Dark City is one of my favorite films, I love the first two Blade movies and I have often championed Man of Steel online . This isn't an attack on him as a person but I do have issues with his comments on Martian Manhunter, a hallowed character among comic book fans. Goyer's opinion on J'onn J'onzz's potential movie incarnation is completely off the mark and I offer this counter argument as to how we could see the famous character on screen. So here goes.

The first point I'll raise here is that outside of DC comics fandom J'onzz isn't well known so introducing him onscreen in his own film could seem problematic to Warner Bros. I'm sure people would put forth the Guardians of the Galaxy argument for introducing lesser know characters to the silver screen to successful results but let us put that argument in perspective. Marvel Studios is an already established brand with several high grossing, critically acclaimed and interconnected films in their output including two billion dollar earners. Marvel's risk was based on a steady foundation of previous success, DC/WB has at this time only MoS and the upcoming BvS in their cinematic Universe so I don't feel WB has the confidence to introduce Martian Manhunter as a standalone. For me the best way to introduce J'onzz in the Justice League movie. And here is how I would do it.

I will straightaway say that I would be taking some artistic licence with the origin of our beloved Martian hero, but not to the extent that Goyer proposed. I'm assuming that the main threat of the JL movie will be cosmic in origin, be it Darkseid or some other galactic menace and in that context I feel introducing J'onzz as a herald of the villain's impending attack. Goyer didn't think the Martian element of the character would translate to the screen and I have to disagree. The very nature of Mars, it's mystery, it's proximity to Earth, the theory that it was once a world like ours  lends very well to film. So taking that all in I would tie directly the destruction of Mars ancient civilization into the plot of  the JL movie and the villain that the team faces. Be it Darkseid, I would alter the history of J'onzz so as to give him a genuine hatred of the villain and want revenge for the destruction of his species by said galactic warlord. I would have J'onzz be the only survivor of the extinction  and have him flee to Earth and in the centuries in between have him utilizing his shape shifting abilities and hide among humanity up until his capture by a shadowy government organization where he will stay until the events of the Justice League movie play out. Upon being freed by the other members of the League he would become central in their struggle against Darkseid and cement his place within the DCCU, gain greater audience recognition and go on to star in his own solo movies to much financial success.

Now that is just one way to incorporate the character into the Cinematic Universe without completely disregarding his comic book history. While I concede some changed would have to be made, it is a necessary evil of most adaptations, the character himself can translate to the screen and still keep much of the elements that made the source material such a favorite in the first place. Martian Manhunter may seem hokey to the uninitiated, but if approached properly he can be as much a movie icon as the Trinity.

To me J'onzz is central to the mythology of the Justice League and if I were in charge of bringing him to the screen I would do me best to respect the source material despite Goyer's differing views.

SoA.

LOBO: DC's Cinematic Universe's first R-Rated Comic Book Movie?

R-Rated seems to be a dirty word in the world of comic book movies and as far as the studios are concerned a complete no no as regards their shared Universes. The reasoning seems purely financial related and I am not about to argue the fact, it is true that R-Rated movies tend not to generate the revenue of their PG-13 counterparts. But that said R-Rated doesn't mean unsuccessful. Let me give a rundown of three R-Rated successes and their grosses.

The Matrix Releoaded = 742,128,461 million worldwide.

The Hangover = 467,483,912 million worldwide.

300 = 456,068,181 million worldwide.

Now I know that the Matrix sequel benefited from being a follow up to a hugely successful first film, but it still stands that it took in huge revenue (the less said about the threequel the better) but the Hangover and 300 were successes based on both quality and word of mouth. The latter itself being a comic book adaption.

These are 3 examples of genre films that benefited from the rating as far as creativity and didn't suffer from it financially. Which brings me to Lobo. Lobo is a popular character among comic book fans for his ultra violence and humor and because of this I ask one question, does anybody really want to see a PG-13 Lobo movie? There is no doubt and audience that would like to see the character on screen but I doubt that they would like to see a neutered version lacking the characters trademark exaggerated bloodshed and adult themed content. I'm sure Warner Brothers is looking to exploit the character's popularity but I fear that in trying to reach a larger audience with a PG-13 rating they will completely miss the point of the character. I think the studio should go all out and make the movie that Lobo deserves. Any other way would result in failure.

There is another question that arises from the possibility of a R-Rated Lobo movie, can the character exist in the more family friendly DC Cinematic Universe. A lot of fans would love to see Lobo and Superman throw down on screen. Common logic would say an R-Rated film wouldn't allow for that, but that's not entirely true in my opinion. I ask instead, why not?

Lobo can be part of the DC Universe and still be R-Rated in his own films. The reason I say this is context. While MoS and the other DC Universe films will not show gratuitous bloodshed, nudity, strong language and sex that doesn't mean the concepts don't exist in that world those films just don't need to show it while Lobo can. His own solo films excessive content shouldn't negate his appearance in a JL movie in the future or exclude him from the expanded Universe. When he shows up in the more family friendly films he'll act in the context of those films. I actually believe this is a nice idea as a younger audience will be introduced to Lobo and then as they get older they will discover the real uninhibited Lobo in his solo films.

In short I believe I believe an R-Rated Lobo movie could be a success for Warner Bros as it could help further diversify their CBM output and set them apart yet again from their rivals, Marvel Studios.

SoA.

THE DC CINEMATIC UNIVERSE: How I would handle it.

What follows is a hypothetical plan for the DC Comics Cinematic Universe and how I would handle it. I'll be basing my opinions off the already established DC movie cannon I.E Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and jumping into Justice League and beyond.

First off let me comment on Man of Steel. I for one believe that the character of Superman is a perfect choice to begin the journey into the broader DC movie Universe. Not only is it symbolic considering his status in the comics but the very nature of the character allows for all the weird and wonderful characters that follow. When we open up the window to the fictional world using such a spectacular character, he's a godlike alien, when we follow up with the rest of the roster it's quite easy to accept masked vigilantes, Amazonian Warriors and Atlantean Princes are a part of this world. If you can accept a man can fly and shoot fire from his eyes the rest, in my opinion, is easy pretty to swallow.

And then of course there is the tone. For me the film is grounded in a world familiar to ours yet fantastic enough for us to accept the otherworldly. Many fans have decried the somewhat sombre tone of MoS but for this comic fan and moviegoer I feel it is what will ultimately set it apart from it's nearest rival. I believe that this tone should be maintained throughout the connected movies. Whereas Marvel Studios is popcorn entertainment, that is not a slant as it's the formula that makes them billions, DC should be a more darker alternative. I'm not saying that it should be pitch black and super serious to the point of depression but its over all tone should be a counterpoint to Marvel or else they would be just trying to copy their formula and be derivative.

Contrary to many vocal opponents of the decision I think DC's choice of a Batman/Superman team up movie prior to JL and/or other solo outings is a astute move. Batman and Superman are DC's most iconic and well recognized characters and the absolute best way to open up the audience to the Cinematic Universe. Everybody and their grandparents know who Batman and Superman are even if they have never picked up a comic. Both characters are multimedia icons and therefore can be the audiences gateway into their world. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice can work two fold, bring in satisfy the fans and be a guide into the world established by MoS. In my opinion it is a perfect way to establish the Cinematic Universe prior to the Justice League film without several solo movies. We come to see these Iconic Heroes duke it out but along the way we learn about their world, I.E Wonder Woman, Aquaman etc etc.

But how to follow up?

Well the obvious answer is Justice League. Many people, including myself in my own fake script, believe the best way to get the League together is to face off against the most powerful of DC bad guys, DARKSEID. He's the obvious choice after all, a malevolent galactic conqueror with myriad powers and a vast army at his disposal and while I at first was all for seeing him onscreen battling the League I've had a change of opinion. I think the most suitable villain to get the League together would in fact be the villain that brought them together in the comics, STARRO. Not exactly everybody's first choice but let me explain.

Imagine this: We open above the Atlantic Ocean and from the Heavens we see a ball off flame descend crashing into the sea. We follow it down into the depths until we see the lights of a under sea city in the darkness, then we cut to black. Later we see Aquaman, beaten and bloody, emerge from the Ocean and call on his friends, Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. His Kingdom has been taken over by a parasite alien which has multiplied and taken control of the minds of all his subjects. Soon we learn that cities all over the world are under attack by Atlantean forces who have grotesque starfish like creatures attached to their faces. One by one entire cities, Metropolis, Gotham, Central City, fall to the Atlanteans and the populations taken over by the parasites. Green Lantern comes to Earth to find the creature but realizes he may be too late. The Justice League comes together to battle the Alien Parasite who's followers include the very people the League has sworn to protect., the fate of whole world hanging in the balance.

The reason I would choose Starro is that a villain that could potentially take control of the most powerful beings on Earth and use them to do its bidding is very compelling. What would the League have to do should Superman come under its thrall? How would Batman deal with a possessed Alfred who is trying to kill him? What would Wonder Woman and Aquaman do in a scenario when they are faced with going to war with their own peoples? It's the Justice League vs The World.

Later on we can get to other Justice League villains and Darkseid. I imagine there will be a series of Justice League films there is no real need to jump straight into the New Gods.

I'm assuming that Warner Bros/DC are planning on spinning the solo movies off the JL film and I think that this is a great way to handle it. We've seen the League in action and now we will get to learn more about the individual members in their own solo adventures. Unlike their counterparts at Marvel I'd like to see each solo movie as a separate story. Know forcing of interconnecting plot lines or character cameos. Set them in the same Universe but not have them be burdened with establishing the next big story or continuity or character introduction. BvS and JL can do that job perfectly. The world has been established now focus on the characters.

The first solo movie I would like to see is Wonder Woman. The idea of Diana facing off against powerful Gods and Demi-Gods is exciting. I think they should use Azzarello's New 52 run as an inspiration for both tone and aesthetic but take ample amounts of material from her past incarnations. I would focus a lot on the magical elements and the world behind the world, I.E have the Mythological Greek Gods as actual Gods, not aliens or any inter dimensional life form BS. The reason I say this is that Wonder Woman can help set up the occult aspect and allow for the inclusion of characters like Constantine, Swamp Thing and Zatanna etc etc in future films. And of course Shazam.

Now there has been a lot of talk as to how exactly a character like Shazam can exist in the Universe established by MoS. Many people believe that the nature of the character doesn't allow for coexistence with Superman or Batman? To this I say... Why not? The idea of little Billy Batson becoming the worlds mightiest mortal by saying the word 'Shazam' may seem at first to be a little too out there for some but I think it can work. If you can accept Wonder Woman and her Amazons then Shazam fits too. I think what colors peoples opinion is the perceived lack of humor in MoS means that there can be none in Shazam should it be set in the same world. MoS and it's story didn't allow for lots of humor, dying planets, genocidal Kryptonians and cities being demolished aren't exactly a recipe for comedy but Shazam, being about a boy who becomes a super powered man, does. Billy Batson/Shazam could be used in the DC Cinematic Universe just like he was in Young Justice, endearing and funny but doesn't take away from the over all seriousness of the story.

For the next solo film I think the most intriguing prospect is the proposed Green Lantern/ The Flash team up movie. To some this idea seems absurd and unworkable but not to me. Its the buddy movie premise brought into the superhero genre. For example imagine the personality clashes of a smart ass Wally West and a more serious John Stewart. Just think of the potential of those two opposite personalities working together to bring down the Flash's Rogues who have been imbued with some sort of cosmic power/weaponry that is Green Lantern's reason for being part of the tale. Regardless of what story they use to bring the two together it's still an exciting premise.

Aquaman needs his own movie too and having him battle for the Throne of Atlantis seems to be the most obvious way to go. It would be amazing if instead of bringing him to the surface the story could keep him in Atlantis. I say set the whole movie entirely in Atlantis, that way the audience could be immersed in Arthur Curry's world and culture. Just think of how beautiful the Under Sea realm would look on screen in IMAX for example. It could be to the levels of Avatar in it's world building. Giant battles, bizarre creatures, epic struggles for power, and Aquaman solo movie could have it all.

And that's why doing the JL movie first is so smart. In that we can get to see the heroes in a relatable setting before delving deep into their own worlds and mythologies in their solo movies.

Running parallel with these big budget blockbusters I think WB/DC should produce a series of smaller movies like Suicide Squad and Justice League Dark. Quality mid budget films that while fleshing out the greater DC Universe tell unique stories not burdened by being connected to the stories JL and the solo films are telling. Set them in the world but let them be their own thing.

That's just how I would do it.

SoA.

                                                                                                                                                         

Just Getting Started.

So I'm starting a blog... I'll have more later.