Stan Lee created an empire unseen in memory altogether. The Marvel universe has gone beyond comics, and sure DC Comics can also claim fame in this aspect as well, but not in the way that Marvel has.
The Avengers are not just a popular comic series, or nowadays a popular movie franchise, but it has become a way of life. Picking a favorite avenger, or opinion on the film’s franchise defines relationships and friendships, and could possibly break them. That is the level of popularity this company has established.
In terms of gaming this hasn’t been the case. As the Marvel franchise has stuffed it’s pockets in recent years, the gaming industry has felt a heavier effect from DC with the Arkham Batman video game series. That was until Marvel’s Spider-Man debuted on the Sony PS4in 2018.
The game was an incredible example of how Marvel could easily slide into the role of being a game changer within the gaming industry. A lot of the crowd that are fans of theMarvel movie franchise are also huge gamer’s, so it was very surprising it took this long for Marvel to capitalize on this. There have been Marvel games in the past, but usually they are cash grab movie tie-ins that can easily be beat in four to six hours with little enjoyment.
So that leaves the question we all want answered, how great of a game can the new Marvel Avengers be? I have tried the beta for the game, honestly I did not come away completely impressed. Although, it did have some inspiring moments. But after all, it is just a beta, so I wont judge based off of this information. With that being said this game really does make one wonder what are we in for? Is this truly the ride we have all been waiting for as long time fans?
We can not truly know until we have our physical copy on hand (digital as well if that’s your gig) but the excitement seems to be rather reserved. This could be more or less because of how COVID-19 has sucked the life out of human society as we know it, or it could just be that we are not expecting much from Marvel.
With Spider-Man, we had gotten so many trailers and game images and hype that it was almost expected it was going to be a triple AAA hit. This can not be said for the Avengers game. Trailers and game play footage has been minimal. Square Enix who is publishing the game is a big-time player in the gaming industry, even much larger than Insomniac who published Spider-Man. So why is this? The virus can not be the reason, if anything being forced to be at home should be ever more the reason for this hype train to take off.
We are all wondering if this is a cash grab or a truly great game, and to be honest we have no idea what we are getting, but like many around the world who are so starved to play a Marvel game or get back into the Marvel universe, we can not wait to go on this adventure, hopefully the price of admission is worth the ride.
If you are a fan of time travel, crime, and mind-bending suspense then Netflix’s Bodies is perfect to binge-watch this weekend. Directed by Haolu Wang and Marco Kreuzpaintner, Bodies is based on DC’s graphic novel by Si Spencer – who has been tributed in the first episode. The story follows four detectives in four different timelines and they discover a naked man’s body with one eye gouged out, surprisingly it’s the body of the same person in different timelines!
Shira Haas and Stephen Graham in Netflix’s ‘Bodies’
The 8-episode series parallelly shows four detectives – DS Hasan (Amaka Okafor) in 2023, DS Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) in 1941, DI Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) in 1890, and DC Maplewood (Shira Haas) in 2053 twisted in the same case discovering facts that are beyond their understanding. DS Hasan from the year 2023 discovers that the case she has been working on has happened before, not once but twice decades ago. Much to her suspicion, the evidence aligns with her own case which leads her confused more than ever.
Stephen Graham is not limited to one timeline, his intense performance deepens the storyline, leaving viewers jumpy. Amaka Okafor, Shira Haas, Kyle Soller, and Jacob Fortune-Lloyd’s distinctive acting and effective dialogue delivery are appreciated but Fortune-Lloyd deserves a standing ovation for his shining performance. Graham and Soller’s costumes and makeup are on point in the show.
Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as DS Whiteman in Bodies
With each episode comes mind-blowing twists that keep you on edge all the time. Each detective’s personal story and connection to people close to them adds more depth to their character and the choices they make. Even till the end of the last episode, the series holds your attention profoundly. Different timelines connected to one another may cause confusion at first but it only adds more fun to the story that leaves us in shock.
Now, if it reminds you of Netflix’s other popular German series Dark, directed by Baran bo Odar, then we can’t blame you. Bodies and Dark are not related to each other but they draw strong parallels to one another and it’s mainly due to different timelines, time travel, and hard-to-understand relations between the two characters. Although characters in Bodies are not connected to each other deep and twisted like in Dark but you need to keep a close eye to understand their connection. Dark, starring German actors Louis Hofmann and Lisa Vicari, is Netflix’s one of the most popular supernatural twists series and it is safe to assume that Bodies is no less than the 3-season German series.
Time Portal in ‘Dark’ vs ‘Bodies’
Stephen Graham’s Bodies is a mind-bending, thriller series full of brilliant performances. Its captivating narrative and depth keep the viewers engaged and entertained.
Arthur must enlist the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his obsessive quest to avenge his father’s death.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom [credit: Warner Bros. / DC]
Genre:
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Release Date:
December 20, 2023
Director:
James Wan
Cast:
Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Plot Summary:
Arthur must enlist the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his obsessive quest to avenge his father’s death.
I know that it’s been a little while since “The Flash” came out in theaters, but I got to say that after seeing the movie again on Max, I think that it’s clear to say that Michael Keatonis the best actor that has played the Caped Crusader.
Keaton played the hero in the Tim Burton-directed superhero flick way back in 1989. Many fans were skeptical of the controversial casting but were happy to have him in the film after it was released and welcomed him back for the sequel in 1992.
Here is why Keaton reigns supreme as the comic-book hero.
HE LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR “DARK” BATMAN
Batman 1989 [credit: Warner Bros.]
Before Michael Keaton, the only thing that fans had for Batman was Adam West on the 1960s tv series and while the series had its moments, they seemed more campy than actually dark. West had a more comical take on the character which might have been fine for the 1960s but it doesn’t really honor the source material.
Keaton brought the character into darker territory and allowed Batmen after him to run, but only after he had to walk in the batsuit and it was a breath of fresh air to see it.
HIS ORIGIN STORY IS MORE TRAGIC
Batman 1989 [credit: Warner Bros.]
In the original comics, Bruce Wayne’s parents are killed by the criminal Joe Chill. And the tragic event is what made him the caped crusader. That is a great origin story, however, the 1989 film changes a few things.
In the Tim Burton movie, Jack Napier a.k.a., the Joker kills Wayne’s parents. Albeit, this is before Napier becomes the Joker but it makes for a great connection as to why Batman has such a true and deep disdain for the Joker, thus making their hero-villain dynamic more palpable to watch.
HE TOOK ON A KRYPTONIAN WITHOUT KRYPTONITE
The Flash 2023 [credit: Warner Bros.]
If you haven’t seen The Flash, spoiler alert because Keaton’s Batman takes down the kryptonian Nam-ek in the coolest and briefest showdown in the DCEU, where Batman grapples the Kryptonian by the neck attaching bombs to him and finally knocking the alien to the ground with a final explosion.
Keaton can rest easy knowing that he was the only Batman to knock down a Kryptonian without Kryptonite. Not even Affleck could attest to that.