Comic Book and Superhero movie & TV discussion.

[Carbomb]

A bit behind, but I just got back from seeing Superman. Fuggin' loved it. Felt like the supporting characters, particularly the supers, got a fair shake (mostly), without detracting from Supes. Hoult was a decent Luthor - I'm always wary when they cast a boyish actor in that role, because I have him down as fairly patrician-looking and stern, but Hoult conveyed everything the role entailed well. Nathan Fillion was a ton of fun, even as the worst Green Lantern, but the standout was Edi Gathegi - I loved that they essentially gave Mr. Terrific the Iron Man treatment, i.e. gave a minor character enough of a good outing that he'll most likely become a major one.

Felt they could've given Hawkgirl more, but hopefully there's something in the pipeline for her, because what she did get to show was fun. 

Rachel Brosnahan is not only gorgeous, but one of the better Lois Lanes. And I love how they wrote Jimmy Olsen.

One of the villains I was a little surprised by:

Spoiler

The Engineer is a superhero from DC's Wild Storm imprint, from The Authority - seems odd they would pluck specifically her out of all their characters and universes and make her into a villain. That said, I haven't kept up with that title, so I don't know what developments have come of it recently.

 

Overall, it's the best Superman film since the second Christopher Reeve one. It still doesn't quite make me feel like I could fly like that one did, but it does everything else really well.

[Hannibal Scorch]

 

Saw Superman and FF this week.
 

I hate Superman the character so was very impressed that James Gunn managed to make him a character I found interesting and make an enjoyable movie. Probably the most I’ve enjoyed a DC film since Batman Begins, although I did also really enjoy The Batman. Either way good cast, Hoult’s Luther was excellent, Krypto was also fun. But it didn’t get me emotionally as it did for some. Still very enjoyable.

FF has never been something I’ve been a fan of. And maintain the best adaptation was the 1994 unreleased one. But I very much enjoyed it. For one it felt surprisingly fresh for an MCU film. It was aesthetically pleasing. The cast were very good (would have loved some more PWH Moleman, but it was fine). Joseph Quinn reminded me a lot of RDJ, anyone else or just me? A few wonky effects, especially in regards to Mr Fantastic, but I really like it. Like a live action Incredibles. 

14 hours ago, johnnyboy said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I didn't spot any of the alleged cameos from past Fantastic Foursters.

 

Spoiler

I saw one was a news reporter. May have been V/O only role. But definitely saw one name in the credits.

 

[Guest]

Spoiler

I know Franklin Richards is an all-powerful reality warper, but I thought constructing a baby with AI using sackcloth and string was too far.

 

Edited July 26, 2025 by Duke

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Watched Sandman S2. Enjoyed it, but I couldn't explain why.

[Jazzy G]

On 7/25/2025 at 1:04 AM, Carbomb said:

Spoiler

The Engineer is a superhero from DC's Wild Storm imprint, from The Authority - seems odd they would pluck specifically her out of all their characters and universes and make her into a villain. That said, I haven't kept up with that title, so I don't know what developments have come of it recently

 

 

Spoiler

I think one of the plans is to do an Authority movie or series. It'd make sense now with her maybe wanting to make amends for the stuff she did while in Luthor's employ. 

Went to see Fantastic Four this morning and thought it was fine. I enjoyed the retro-futuristic aesthetic,  H.E.R.B.I.E was fabulous, and Ralph Ineson as Galactus was brilliant. I did think I'd spoiled myself and they may have been doing the storyline where 

Spoiler

Galactus turns out to be Franklin from way off in the future

And I'm not ruling the possibility out, but I was so relieved when I turned out to be wrong. For now. 

Anyway, I feel like it did what it needed to do, but was very much "we need to introduce the Fantastic Four ahead of Doomsday and Secret Wars." the casting was good. Has Natasha Lyonne now played two characters in the MCU? She also voiced Byrdie in What If. I also felt like the shadow of RDJ was hanging over the movie given that we all know he's playing Doom soon, and people were hungry for an appearance. 

My friend probably described it best when he said it felt like the first series of a show where everybody is trying to figure out their characters properly. Hopefully they'll settle and gel more. Reed needs to have a shave as well. 

[Merzbow]

Quote

 

Calexit, the seemingly ripped-from-the-headlines comic from indie publisher Black Mask Studios, may be taking the idea of the California Resistance to the big screen.

Chad Stahelski, the filmmaker behind the John Wick movies, is attached to produce a feature adaptation of the comic.

Alex Young and Jason Spitz, Stahelski’s cohorts at 87Eleven Entertainment, will also produce as well of Matteo Pizzolo, Brett Gurewitz and Brian Giberson of Black Mask. The project is not yet set up at a studio or streamer.

 

Interesting, it's a VERY left leaning comic so I'll be expecting it to have it's balls chopped off but I'm still curious.

Edited July 27, 2025 by Merzbow

[air_raid]

19 hours ago, Jazzy G said:

  Reveal hidden contents

I think one of the plans is to do an Authority movie or series. It'd make sense now with her maybe wanting to make amends for the stuff she did while in Luthor's employ. 

Ralph Ineson as Galactus was brilliant.

Did he successfully keep the Yorkshire inside?

[Jazzy G]

Very much not. Apparently he was stomping around a little tiny cardboard city in a Galactus costume like a tokusatsu actor, then they used some special effects to make it look a little more impressive. Galactus has his face. 

[DavidB6937]

I thought he was excellent. My mum was very surprised when I showed her who he was. She's seen him in loads of things but didn't realise. I suppose you wouldn't expect Finchy from The Office to be eating worlds, although I'm sure he would've bragged that he could.

[air_raid]

2 hours ago, Jazzy G said:

Galactus has his face. 

 

Probably the face I’d pull eating planets too.

[Carbomb]

2 hours ago, DavidB6937 said:

I thought he was excellent. My mum was very surprised when I showed her who he was. She's seen him in loads of things but didn't realise. I suppose you wouldn't expect Finchy from The Office to be eating worlds, although I'm sure he would've bragged that he could.

"He's eaten a planet - what've you done?!"

[Chris B]

3 hours ago, Jazzy G said:

Very much not. Apparently he was stomping around a little tiny cardboard city in a Galactus costume like a tokusatsu actor, then they used some special effects to make it look a little more impressive. Galactus has his face. 

Throwing a kettle over a pub has never sounded less impressive.

[Chris B]

Double-post wanker, but been stewing on this one a little.

I didn't have the reaction to Fantastic Four that I expected. I wanted to like it. And, to be fair, there's not much to dislike - a likeable cast in a solid comic book movie. It's by far and away the best Fantastic Four film so far.

But it never actually felt like a film. It felt like something AI generated from a piece of concept art, playing it incredibly safe by just being a new instalment in a franchise.

I compare that to the new Superman film and, despite that literally being the first instalment in a new franchise, it still felt like choices were being made. It still felt like some risks were being taken and this was an interpretation of a character and icon. And it was trying to say something about family, which it did pretty well. All of that was just wrapped in a comic book movie.

The Fantastic Four... doesn't have that. If it hits any buttons, the buttons are 'ah, yes, this feels like the comics, and what the Fantastic Four should be'. It doesn't feel like a single choice was made at any point during the making of it that wasn't fitting into a pre-determined space.

I feel weird saying all this, because I'm a fan at heart. But this never felt like it was trying to do anything other than getting to the next part. And playing it safe and close to the comics so it doesn't make any decisions that will make anyone angry.

I seem to be a lone voice in this one, as it's clearly popular. And it is likeable, it does have charm, and who isn't going to like that retro-future style? But it feels like a movie based on prompts, not storytelling or caring about what is happening.

I came out of this one feeling kind of empty. Like it was a good corporate experience.

[HarmonicGenerator]

On 7/28/2025 at 2:36 PM, Chris B said:

Double-post wanker, but been stewing on this one a little.

I didn't have the reaction to Fantastic Four that I expected. I wanted to like it. And, to be fair, there's not much to dislike - a likeable cast in a solid comic book movie. It's by far and away the best Fantastic Four film so far.

But it never actually felt like a film. It felt like something AI generated from a piece of concept art, playing it incredibly safe by just being a new instalment in a franchise.

I compare that to the new Superman film and, despite that literally being the first instalment in a new franchise, it still felt like choices were being made. It still felt like some risks were being taken and this was an interpretation of a character and icon. And it was trying to say something about family, which it did pretty well. All of that was just wrapped in a comic book movie.

The Fantastic Four... doesn't have that. If it hits any buttons, the buttons are 'ah, yes, this feels like the comics, and what the Fantastic Four should be'. It doesn't feel like a single choice was made at any point during the making of it that wasn't fitting into a pre-determined space.

I feel weird saying all this, because I'm a fan at heart. But this never felt like it was trying to do anything other than getting to the next part. And playing it safe and close to the comics so it doesn't make any decisions that will make anyone angry.

I seem to be a lone voice in this one, as it's clearly popular. And it is likeable, it does have charm, and who isn't going to like that retro-future style? But it feels like a movie based on prompts, not storytelling or caring about what is happening.

I came out of this one feeling kind of empty. Like it was a good corporate experience.

Thank goodness - I thought I was the only one who felt like this! I know very much what you mean. I wanted to like it, I was predisposed to like it, but it just didn't do anything for me. It all felt like a bit of uninteresting - even, at times, boring - mush. My wife wants to see it so I will be going again, and maybe I'll be more on the same wavelength as everybody else I know by then, but on a first viewing it just didn't click for me.

EDIT: Just back from seeing it again - happily it did all hang together a lot better for me this time. Liked it a lot more on a second go round.

Edited July 29, 2025 by HarmonicGenerator

[DavidB6937]

I was the opposite really re: F4. Having already had the question about the ship at the end of Thunderbolts, and how the F4 were going to fit into the wider MCU narrative going forward, I felt like the stakes were high right from the get go. Plus knowing all the different ways they could go based on the comics etc, it was all wide open.

I actually felt far more of an overwhelming sense of threat through the entire thing than most of the Marvel movies because of that, and I thought they did a great job of building Galactus with a sense of doom and a foreboding menace that was inevitable.

There's probably a discussion to be had about announcing cast for a future film, but that was probably a bigger issue for Thunderbolts than it was for F4 for me anyway.

I'm not really sure where anyone could look at it and think there was no storytelling or caring or emotion etc, because it was quite clear to me. They established the family quickly, gave them all their own unique roles and identities, as well as showing their playfulness and care for each other, as well as their willingness to protect their Earth as much as possible while dealing with their own personal stuff too. And I loved Superman but I feel both movies dealt well enough with the family message as well as balancing the comedy/drama aspects.

I don't think either side will be swayed. I think it either worked for you or it didn't, and expectations can help or hinder in these scenarios - especially a lot of Marvel or comic book stuff in general. I remember a ton of people hating on Strange: MOM because it didn't deliver xyz for example. Whether it was a good movie or not is another thing, but fans who hate on things because they don't deliver exactly on their fanfiction ideas they have in their heads really frustrate me. Sidebar I know but still.

Plus comic book fans are a difficult one. Too different? Some don't like it. Too samey? Others don't like it. Basically you'll never please anyone and it's absolutely impossible, so people should just enjoy what they enjoy really. I wouldn't worry too much about getting on someone's wavelength. Doesn't mean you're wrong. It just wasn't for you, and thankfully you can express that in a far saner way than the rest of the internet.