Gal Gadot stole the show as Princess Diana in Batman v Superman and returns in “Wonder Woman” (2017). Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures Inc. ©2016 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch). Conceptual art. ©2016 Marvel.
Wally West (Keiynan Lonsdale) will become Kid Flash on Flash, which returns for Season 3 on Oct. 4. © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
By Andrew A. Smith
Tribune Content Agency
Comic-Con International: San Diego, which ran July 21-24, dropped its usual barrage of pop culture awesomebombs across a wide variety of media. Here are just a few of the revelations, along with why they make fans go “Squee!” with delight:
Bomb: DC unveils Wonder Woman and Justice League trailers … and they’re good.
Squee Factor: After the joyless incoherence of Batman v Superman, fans were beginning to wonder if Warner Bros. even understood the A-list characters it publishes through its DC Comics subsidiary. Meanwhile, Marvel Comics kept stealing one march after another, often with characters once thought to be C-list, like Ant-Man and Guardians of the Galaxy.
But lo, here comes the Justice League trailer, where Ben Affleck (Batman) and Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) actually exhibit warmth and humor. The cinematic Flash (Ezra Miller) is even geekier than his TV and comics counterpart, in an amusing way. And, while Bruce Wayne may joke about this huge, brooding Aquaman (Jason Momoa) talking to fish, it’s unlike anyone else is going to. We don’t see much of Cyborg (Ray Fisher), but the movie doesn’t arrive until November 2017, so there’s time.
Then there’s Wonder Woman, also arriving in 2017. The movie appears to be set in World War I – odd, as Wonder Woman has debuted in the Second World War in her every incarnation (and there have been many). But who cares? Gadot hits all the right notes, especially when she gracefully, but firmly, informs Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) that she doesn’t need his permission to do anything.
Also, her battle scenes are jaw-dropping, as she bats away mortars with her shield and manhandles (womanhandles?) German soldiers like they were rag dolls. Plus, the Golden Lasso of Truth makes its debut. Squee!
Bomb: Marvel announced more cast members for the 2018 Black Panther film, including Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Andy Serkis and Michael B. Jordan.
Squee Factor: This cast reads like a who’s who of up-and-coming black stars in Hollywood. Chadwick Boseman (42) already demonstrated his chops as the dignified but dangerous T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War, and now he’s joined by the Academy-Award winning Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Gurira (Michonne on The Walking Dead) and Jordan (Creed). Serkis is white, but is a long-time veteran of genre films, including Lord of the Rings (Gollum) and Planet of the Apes (Caesar).
Not that Marvel’s other film trailers and announcements were chopped liver:
* The second Doctor Strange trailer was appropriately bizarre, with star Benedict Cumberbatch funnier than you’d expect. (Coming Nov. 4)
* The Guardians of the Galaxy 2 trailer was a reminder of why the first movie is so beloved, and Star-Lord’s father has been revealed as Ego, the Living Planet. Yes, a planet. Because of course. (2017)
* Marvel showed us Hulk gladiator armor for Thor: Ragnarok (it looks like what he wore in “Planet Hulk” in the comics) and played a video telling us what the Thunder God was doing during Civil War (he was taking a break, rooming with a guy named Darryl in Australia). (2017)
* Spider-Man: Homecoming looks to be a John Hughes-style high school movie, complete with early Spider-Man comics characters like Midtown High bully Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori) and early Peter Parker crush Liz Allan (Laura Harrier). This movie’s villain? The Vulture, played by former Batman Michael Keaton! (2017)
* Oscar-winner Brie Larson (Room) was announced as the star of Captain Marvel. (2019)
All are squee-worthy. But Black Panther has the added benefit of clawing through a glass ceiling for black superheroes – just like the character did in comics in 1966.
Bomb: U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the legendary Civil Rights activist, won an Eisner (“the Oscars of comic books”) for the second installment of March, his trilogy about the movement. He is the first sitting politician to win an Eisner.
Squee Factor: It’s cool to see it demonstrated in such a high-profile way that comics can tackle serious issues. But it’s even cooler that Lewis was so pleased with the award.
According to bleedingcool.com, the 76-year-old congressman “bounded” up to the stage to receive it. “I am delighted and overjoyed that the story of ‘March’ is so pleasing to so many people all over America,” Lewis told The Washington Post. “This is a great honor to receive an Eisner with (co-creators) Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell.”
Bomb: Coming up on the small screen: Ghost Rider, Luke Cage, a non-traditional Archie, a four-hero crossover, a supervillain team-up and the a revival of the first superhero team.
Squee Factor: Lord, where to begin? Comics fans may have to quit their jobs to see all the great TV coming up. Here’s a taste:
* After the last “Ghost Rider” movie tanked, Marvel Films re-acquired the rights to the character. Instead of another Nicolas Cage film, though, they’re adding the Demon Biker to Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Only G.R. won’t be Cage, and he’ll be driving a flaming muscle car instead of a motorcycle. (Season 4 begins Sept. 20.)
* Marvel debuted a trailer for Luke Cage, dropping on Netflix Sept. 30, and it has the same jazzy, dangerous, street-level vibe as Daredevil and Jessica Jones. It will be followed by Iron Fist, and then all four characters will join up as The Defenders and start a law firm. No, wait, that’s a different “Defenders.” But they have Matt Murdock, so they could.
* Arrow, Flash, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl will all cross over in the winter – and it’s probably the “Flashpoint” event in Flash – lifted from the comics of the same name – that will make it possible. But what’s even more eye-popping is the Legends is going to introduce the legendary Justice Society, which in comics was the very first super-team back in the 1940s.
The “Berlantiverse” – so called because all four shows are produced by Greg Berlanti – has dropped hints about the JSA before, but the second season of Legends goes the whole nine yards of Spandex with Commander Steel, Dr. Mid-Nite, Hourman, Obsidian and Stargirl.
And since you can’t have a superhero team without a super-villain team, watch baddies Damian Darhk and Malcolm Merlyn (from Arrow) and Captain Cold and Reverse Flash (from Flash) join up as -- what else could call them? – the Legion of Doom. (All four shows return in October.)
* A trailer for Riverdale – arriving in 2017 – shows us Archie’s hometown through a Twin Peaks lens, full of gothic mysteries, sexual liasons and secrets galore. Who knew Miss Grundy could be so hot?
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Replies
I just watched the Wonder Woman, Justice League and Dr Strange Comic-con trailers on Youtube. They look good, especially the Wonder Woman one. Disappointed that the clips from Spider-Man Homecoming and Guardians 2 weren't available, though the panels with the actors were fun.
Spider-Man: Homecoming looks to be a John Hughes-style high school movie, complete with early Spider-Man comics characters like Midtown High bully Flash Thompson (Tony Revolori) and early Peter Parker crush Liz Allan (Laura Harrier). This movie’s villain? The Vulture, played by former Batman Michael Keaton! (2017)
Did they actually confirm that Keaton will be the Vulture?