DC Universe’s newest animated adventure ‘Superman vs. the Elite’ hit shelves on DVD Tuesday, June 12, 2012. It is the 14^th film in the DC Universe animated original movies and brings the same familiar storytelling of the Man of Tomorrow as some of the other films.

Spoiler alert!

‘Elite’ is based on the storyline written by Joe Kelly called ‘What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?’ that appeared in 2001 in Action Comics #775. The film tells the tale of Superman struggling to maintain his image in the rather cynical, and often violent, modern world. With a war escalating in the fictional country of Bialya, political leaders are criticizing the Man of Steel for not using lethal force on criminals. They argue that it would be better to sentence them to death in order to prevent further destruction if and when certain criminals escape. In particular, the Atomic Skull (Dee Bradley Baker) had been on a murderous rampage and killed innocent people just to get Superman’s attention. Superman maintains that he is not above the law and does not have the right to kill criminals, which frustrates many people as well as world leaders.

The civil war in Bialya takes a turn for the worse but as Superman (George Newbern) intervenes, he runs into a group of young superheroes who call themselves the Elite. It is composed of Manchester Black (Robin Atkin Downes), a powerful telepath, Coldcast (Catero Colbert), a fighter who can absorb and project energy, Menagerie (Melissa Disney), a metahuman with snake-like creatures at her command, and The Hat (Andrew Kishino), a mysterious sorcerer. They stop the conflict and Superman is pleased with their help, but cautious about their origins and intentions. Manchester, the group’s leader, assures him that they are not associated with any particular government and simply travel around stopping crime as freelance heroes. However, Superman still works with his girlfriend, Lois Lane (Pauley Perrette), to begin researching where they came from.

Another incident arises when people are trapped in a train station by Bialyan terrorists, and Superman and the Elite intervene. However, when they do not get the answers they want from the terrorists, Manchester starts to torture them, which angers Superman. Thus, a feud slowly arises between them. He later learns that their origin story has been fabricated to cover up their many crimes. However, the Elite wins favor with the mass media as well as the average people who support the death penalty. This escalates when the Elite decides to kill all the leaders of Bialya to prevent the war. Superman confronts them and a vicious brawl ensues, ending only when Superman shows the Elite how truly terrible it would be if he ever decided to use his powers to kill his enemies rather than subduing them.

The voice acting is relatively solid, with George Newbern reprising his role as Superman, whom he previously played in ‘Justice League’ (2001) and ‘Justice League Unlimited’ (2004). Newbern is reminiscent of Tim Daly, who voiced the character in ‘Superman: The Animated Series’ (1996) and in two other original animated films, but he also brings a wonderful sense of calm to the character. Superman struggles with his own ideals versus the ones he sees in the world around him, and Newbern’s charismatic voice sells the drama from beginning to end.

The voice cast for the Elite is also well done, particularly Robin Atkin Downes as Manchester Black. Manchester gives off the impression of being a snob and an irresponsible jerk, but he starts out as an intriguing character before his bloodthirsty nature turns him into an outright anarchist. His teammates have unique personalities brought to life by their talented voice actors; the combination is deadly on screen.

However, the voice actress chosen for Lois Lane, Pauley Perrette, who some recognize from ‘NCIS’, is very hit-or-miss. Her voice cracks at several points in the film and it can be rather distracting at times.

While ‘Elite’ is certainly a good film, it does have some problems. First, the characterization of Menagerie can be seen as somewhat sexist. Her most outstanding characteristic is that she has a crush on Superman and constantly hits on him or objectifies him to his face. This reflects negatively on the writing, as she is the only other female main character aside from Lois Lane, and she comes across as, for lack of a better word, slutty. It would be more understandable for her to have this trait if it were plot relevant or if she had some sort of backstory that explains why she slings her sexuality around so much, but nothing is given to justify her actions. It is rather uncomfortable to watch and serves no real purpose for her character or for the story in general.

Second, the story is relatively predictable, and not just to those who have read the comic that it is based on. The end sequence when Superman supposedly goes off the deep end and starts killing the Elite members one by one does not come off too well. Superman never bends to the opposing argument that capital punishment may have some benefits. Therefore, when he snaps, it is not completely believable. If they had shown Superman being tempted to kill earlier in the film, it may have worked better.

Still, ‘Elite’ is a great movie with plenty of action and ideological issues that any DC fan, or fan of comic books in general, can enjoy. Check it out.

Grade: 4/5

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The DC Animated Universe has found its 14th original film in ‘Superman vs. the Elite’, which was released this past Tuesday, June 12, 2012. As reviews for the movie begin pouring in from excited fans and critics alike, it would be a good idea to take the time to look back at the films before it. Of the fourteen DC Universe Animated Originals, Toonari Post submits the Top 5 Favorites to honor the stories of heroes who have continued to surpass our expectations as they fight to keep the world safe.

5. Justice League: Doom (2012). As mentioned in our full review, ‘Justice League: Doom’ tells the tale of power hungry immortal Vandal Savage (Phil Morris) stealing encrypted files from the supercomputer of Batman that contain contingency plans for neutralizing each member of the Justice League if they ever went rogue. It is also noteworthy for being the unofficial Justice League reunion, as most of the voice actors from ‘Justice League’ (2001), including Kevin Conroy, Tim Daly, Susan Eisenberg, Michael Rosenbaum, and Carl Lumbly are in the film. It also included the voice talents of geek god Nathan Fillion and newcomer Bumper Robinson.

‘Doom’ is one of the most action packed films in the franchise, but it is also one of the most emotional because the heroes deal with their anger at Batman for betraying them. Over the years, the League members have become good friends and thus cannot believe that Batman would even consider having a plan to neutralize them. The voice work is simply stunning, combining all of the familiarity from ‘Justice League’ with a new, brutal storyline. ‘Doom’ proved that heroes can indeed be broken, but what does not kill them only makes them stronger.

4. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009). ‘Public Enemies’ is based on the comic book of the same name and once again employs the voice talents of Kevin Conroy as Batman and Tim Daly as Superman. The story centers around a giant meteor hurtling towards the Earth, threatening to destroy a large portion of the world’s population. Lex Luthor, currently President of the United States, finds out that the meteor is largely composed of Kryptonite and claims it is causing Superman to act irrationally. Therefore, he places a huge bounty on Superman’s head, which means all kinds of villains come out of the woodwork to claim it. Batman partners up with Superman to find a way to stop the meteor after Luthor’s attempts to stop it fail, all while fighting off both of their Rogues Gallery.

‘Public Enemies’ shows off the best of the dynamic between Batman and Superman. Both men are smart, dedicated, and heroic, but the differences in their personalities are delightful to watch. It is a heartwarming, amusing friendship that has evolved over the years to be one fans love.

3. Batman: Gotham Knight (2008). ‘Gotham Knight’ is a tie in with Christopher Nolan’s masterful ‘Batman Begins’ that includes six short vignette-style films put together by different writers and animators. However, instead of Christian Bale, Kevin Conroy reprises his role as the Dark Knight as he continues learning how to deal with the violent criminals plaguing Gotham City. The stories vary from humorous to spiritual to emotional and all of them show Bruce Wayne coming into his own as a new hero. They also include familiar faces from Batman’s Rogues’ Gallery like Killer Croc, the Scarecrow, and Deadshot, to name a few.

The unique animation styles and fast-paced plotlines tie in well with Conroy’s solid voice acting. The end result is an exhilarating experience that does justice to both the animated myths of Batman as well as the Batman that Nolan envisioned.

2. Wonder Woman (2009). ‘Wonder Woman’ is one of the most unique films in the original movie lineup because of its mythological setting as well as its perfect infusion of humor and action. It tells the story of Diana of Themyscira (Keri Russell) from birth to adulthood in the midst of a war between the gods and mankind. A handsome, lecherous pilot named Steve Trevor (Nathan Fillion) accidentally stumbles onto Themyscira, Diana’s home island where no men are allowed, and she decides to escort him back to America and research how to stop Ares (Alfred Molina), the God of War, from getting his powers back and conquering the world.

The selling point of this film is the dynamic between Diana and Steve. Steve is smitten with Diana on sight, but she refuses his advances because she has been taught that men cannot be trusted. However, as they fight together, she learns that her perceptions of men are inaccurate because he is kind, brave, and determined to help her on her quest. Furthermore, the fight sequences are breathtaking and should not be missed.

1. Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010). ‘Red Hood’ is a fantastic film based on the comic book written by Judd Winick. It recounts the story of a new criminal named the Red Hood (Jensen Ackles) taking over the criminal underbelly of Gotham. However, he is unlike any other villain Batman (Bruce Greenwood) has faced because he seems to have a disturbing knowledge of Batman’s fighting styles and methods of operation. Furthermore, Red Hood’s presence in Gotham has stirred up trouble with crime boss Black Mask (Wade Williams) and the Joker (John DiMaggio).

‘Red Hood’ can be considered the best of the DC Universe’s original animated films because of the exceptional voice work, the gorgeous animation, the compelling storyline, and the brutal emotional implications between the characters. Once the face behind the Red Hood is revealed, the stakes become so much more important than simply stopping a new threat in Gotham. It affects Batman on a level he has never encountered before and makes him question whether his actions have done more good or harm for the city and its people.

Each of these films does something stunning and worthwhile within the original animated franchise. Be sure to check them out.

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The American gay community and its supporters have had a lot of political and social spotlight in the last two weeks. First, President Obama publicly supported gay marriage. That was followed a week later with an official endorsement and support from the NAACP for gay marriage. Then a day after this, DC Comics jumped into the fray with the announcement that one of their core characters would be outed. That’s right, one of the company’s iconic characters; Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, Robin, Green Lantern, or Green Arrow, will come out of the closet and reveal to be gay.

President Obama’s approval of gay marriage is no surprise as he was for it back in 1996 and is the most liberal person to be President in decades. As an organization, the NAACP has been moving steadily down the liberal path for some time and will do a lot to support President Obama. DC’s decision, however, is more puzzling. It is one thing to add a gay super hero to their character roster. However, to decide to out one of the iconic characters in American pop culture is a more bold move, and will in my opinion backfire.

Which ever character DC has chosen to out, they will not be the first gay comic book character. Marvel comic books character, Northstar, was the first gay superhero in comicdom but Northstar never became a well-known character, nor prominent outside the Marvel comics sphere. By comparison, everyone knows Wolverine, even if you do not read comic books. In the ensuing years after Northstar, other gay characters have been introduced. Colossus of the Ultimate X-men line from Marvel, Batwoman in DC, as well as two lesbian characters in the DC title “Outsiders.”

Fanboys and girls took these changes in stride. After all, in a world where people can fly, shoot lasers out of their eyes and hands, and a regular man can beat out Superman, writers try to make it as close as possible to reality. Yes, in a world where all this is possible, there would be gay super heroes and villains. Besides, as one Orlando, Florida area comic bookstore manager said, “they are just following the current social trends.” And he is right, comics left the space of silly kid fun a long time ago. Social realism has been injected in the story lines and characters for years. Characters have been made drug addicted, alcoholics, wife beaters, in the 1970′s black characters where introduced, as were stories about racism. So what is so different now, and what is the big deal?

I have a few answers. The first, I believe it is a cardinal sin in writing to change anything about a well-known character for any reason other than storyline. If you violate that rule, you typically lose the audience. An example of this is the change in powers for Superman, following the “Death of Superman” storyline. After the mega sales caused by the death of Superman, it was revealed that he was in fact not really dead, just in a super coma. Once he returned, his powers were energy based, and his hair was long. Calling the fan reaction lukewarm would be charitable as best. Sales for the comic dropped way below expectations, given he was back from the dead. Over the years various characters have been tweaked and changed in effort to stay fresh, or increase sales. Origin stories can change a little, sometimes costumes can alter, and you can change their powers a bit, but you cannot change say, Batman into a black man. If you make too drastic a change, you will lose readers.

Can there be anything more of a blatant pander, than changing Superman into a gay alien? Will we be faced with seeing Wonder Woman, not in love with Steve Trevor, or secretly Superman, but with Supergirl? There is no original storyline which will makes sense, other than “Oh, well they were secretly gay all these decades.” And that is a problem. Millions of people have grown up with these characters, millions more still enjoy them and now they will watch as decades of story, of character meaning, go out the window just to make a point. Here is why this matters.

Wonder Woman is from an island of amazons; no men. So it is really easy to make her a lesbian. If they ever make a movie for Wonder Woman, will the movie version incorporate a possible impending revelation? What do you do with integral characters like Steve Trevor who was the main reason she wanted to leave her cozy little island in the first place. What if it is Batman? What are the implications, justified or not, of a gay Bruce Wayne, living with young boys dressed in tights? Will this affect the millions of kids who would be future audiences — which super heroes are they going to be cheering on?

To me, the issue is not about having a gay super hero. If super heroes existed, there would naturally be a few. Rather, the issue is changing an iconic character for a political or social statement. The racial unrest of the 60′s and 70′s prompted the creation of characters like the Black Panther, Falcon, and Black Lighting. They did not; however, turn Captain America into a black man from the Bronx.

What DC is doing is wrong and stupid. I love comics, but I will not be buying a comic with one of the major heroes turned into a gay character. Neither will many others. I predict many parents will stop buying those comics for their children. If a movie comes out, if they do not hold true to the original characters, I will not see that either. This will be because DC destroyed an iconic character and all its rich history. The hero, whomever it turns out to be, will not be that character of old, any longer. There is no Superman without Lois Lane. There is no Batman without the tension of Catwoman. There is no Wonder Woman without Steve Trevor. There is no Green Arrow without his doggish ways, and love of the Black Canary. I could go on and on. These are icons. You do not change them.

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Almost one year after the live-action series ‘Smallville’ wrapped its ten-season run on television, the story of Clark Kent’s journey to becoming Superman gets to live on, as DC Comics launches ‘Smallville: Season 11′, a new series written by former ‘Smallville’ writer Bryan Q. Miller, which follows the characters and stories from the television series into their new lives in print.

Issue #1 of ‘Smallville: Season 11′ begins six months after the events of the final episode and gives updates on the lives of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Oliver Queen/Green Arrow, and Chloe Sullivan-Queen. It is written by Miller, who also wrote nine episodes of ‘Smallville’, and will be released in print form next month. However, eager fans can purchase a digital copy of the issue right now through the DC Comics App, which itself is free to install on any tablet.

‘Smallville: Season 11′ opens in early-morning Metropolis with a voiceover proclaiming that, “Earth is a much safer place now than it’s ever been,” as Oliver and Chloe are shown sharing a moment atop their Watchtower base, and Lois, clad in a Superman T-shirt, sleeps alone in her and Clark’s apartment. The action then cuts to Lexcorp, where the silhouette of Lex Luthor ominously announces that, “Like much of the city, I’m waiting for him.”

Lex’s role in this story is somewhat of a mystery, given the events which transpired in the ‘Smallville’ finale. During a confrontation with his half-sister Tess Mercer, all of Lex’s knowledge-based memories were erased, while the final scene, set in 2018, revealed that that Lex will become President of the United States. Therefore, Lex’s journey in the Season 11 comic is expected to detail his efforts to regain all of his memories, and what sets him on the path towards a political office.

The remainder of the first issue of Season 11 is spent showing Clark, now fully dressed in his Superman attire, rescuing members of a Russian space shuttle, and then flying off with the closing declaration, “I’m just doing my job.”

All in all, issue #1 is a fairly low-key affair. It is spent re-establishing familiar characters who will be a part of the new storylines, and setting up where they are six months after their television journeys came to a close. The next chapter will have its digital release on Friday April 20, with part three to follow on Friday April 27, before all three parts are released in one print issue on May 2.

As for Miller, fans can stay up-to-date with him by following him on Twitter at @bryanQmiller. It is also worth checking out the always-reliable KSiteTV website for news regarding upcoming issues and any other ‘Smallville’-related news.

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The DC Universe’s animated titan ‘Justice League: Doom’, based on the comic book ‘Justice League of America: Tower of Babel’, was released today, February 28^th, 2012 to a smashing success.

‘Doom’ is the 13^th film in the DC Animated Original films by the creative team behind the magnificent shows ‘Batman: The Animated Series’, ‘Superman: The Animated Series’, ‘Batman Beyond’, ‘Justice League’, and ‘Justice League Unlimited.’ The movie also reunites nearly all of the original cast from the Justice League cartoon series, making it both an exciting new adventure and a nostalgic trip into the past.

The film tells the tale of power-hungry immortal Vandal Savage (Phil Morris) stealing encrypted files from the supercomputer of Batman, that contain contingency plans for neutralizing each member of the Justice League, if they ever go rogue. Savage employs each of the team member’s arch nemeses: Cheetah for Wonder Woman, Star Sapphire for Green Lantern, Metallo for Superman, Bane for Batman, Mirror Master for The Flash, and Ma’alefa’ak for the Martian Manhunter.

The villains execute these plans in order to eliminate the Justice League, so that Savage can put a larger plan in the works, allowing him total world domination. As expected, the voice acting is simply off the charts. Kevin Conroy, the original voice of Batman in the 1992 animated series, holds the record for most performances of the Dark Knight, as he has played Bruce Wayne at least eighteen times in his career.

He brings the perfect amount of darkness, depth, pain, and drive to the Caped Crusader, which is especially important because this movie thrives on Batman’s decision to make a plan to stop his most trusted friends. He is by far the most talented voice actor of the bunch, and shows every bit of suffering that Batman goes through, as he fights to stop villains from killing his friends and taking over the world.

Superman is played by another veteran, Tim Daly, who has voiced the Kryptonian for many years as well, starting with ‘Superman: The Animated Series’ and continuing  in several other animated films. His compassionate voice solidifies the friendship he shares with Batman and the other members of the League, and adds a layer of emotion over the film that is hard to resist.

Michael Rosenbaum, who most know as Lex Luthor from ‘Smallville’, reprises the role of The Flash, although this time he is playing Barry Allen rather than Wally West. Rosenbaum’s lighthearted voice is a welcome addition to the cast, and he slips easily back into the heartwarming role of the Scarlet Speedster.

Susan Eisenberg returns as Diana of Themyscira, aka Wonder Woman, and assumes the same strength and poise as expected of the warrior princess. She works especially well against Claudia Black, who voices Cheetah, because of the contrast between Wonder Woman’s noble tone of voice versus Cheetah’s cold accent.

Carl Lumbly also returns as J’onn J’onnz, the Martian Manhunter, and fills the role with a compelling sense of mystery. J’onn often struggles with the normalcy of pretending to be human when he is out of costume, and Lumbly emanates the feeling so completely, that it is easy to sympathize with the Martian’s struggles to overcome his archenemy, Ma’alefa’ak, whom he also voices.

Nathan Fillion, the geek god known mostly for his roles as Malcolm Reynolds in Joss Whedon’s ‘Firefly’ and Richard Castle in ABC’s Castle, steps into the tights a third time to play Hal Jordan. Fillion has had experience with the DC Animated Universe multiple times: first, as Greg Saunders, aka Vigilante, in ‘Justice League Unlimited’ and later as Hal Jordan in the animated film ‘Green Lantern: Emerald Knights.’

Hal Jordan’s scenario of defeat is perhaps the most crushing aside from Bruce Wayne’s, as he is tricked into believing he is responsible for the deaths of two people: one of which remind him of his doomed romance with Star Sapphire that led to her becoming a villain. Fillion brings a powerful performance of sorrow and guilt that is liable to make one shed a tear.

Finally, Phil Morris returns as Vandal Savage, whom he played in ‘Justice League’, and does a remarkable job of being smug, while still being an intelligent warlord orchestrating the end of the world. He holds up well against the incredibly skilled voice actors playing the Justice League, due to his long career of voice work.

Bumper Robinson plays Cyborg, who was brought into the team to help stop Savage, and is a welcome new addition to the cast, as he has a wealth of experience in acting and voice work throughout his career. Cyborg fits in well with the members and proves his valor, while still maintaining a fun, upbeat role within the team.

As always in the DC movies, the film is beautifully animated and action packed. The fight choreography is brutal and the script is tight, precise, and gut-wrenching, as the League tries to deal with their anger at Batman’s betrayal, while also trying to stop Savage from destroying the world.

The emotional damage is just as serious as the physical damage by the end of the movie. However, it manages to end on a hopeful note that reflects the years of friendship shared by the characters and by their voice actors. It is no surprise that the writing is sublime, as it was the last work of the late great Dwayne McDuffie, who passed away February 21st of 2011. It is also directed by DC animated veteran Lauren Montgomery, who has done five DC animated films prior to this one.

‘Justice League: Doom’ is definitely not a movie you want to miss. It holds up well to the other animated films before it, and will beckon fans of the cartoon series as well as those who enjoy the original animated movies. Don’t sit this one out.

Image Courtesy of    https://www.facebook.com/justiceleaguedoom

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DC Entertainment, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company and home to iconic brands DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD, revealed a new brand identity. The new identity is reflective of the company’s mission to fully realize the value of a rich portfolio of brands, stories and characters, distinguished by incredible breadth and depth across publishing, media and merchandise. A new logo for DC Comics was also introduced, closely aligning with DC Entertainment’s new mark.

“It’s a new era at DC Entertainment and the new look reflects a dynamic, bold approach while at the same time celebrates the company’s rich heritage and robust portfolio of characters,” stated John Rood, EVP of Sales, Marketing and Business Development for DC Entertainment.

“It was just a few months ago that Superman, Batman and many of our other Super Heroes were updated when we launched DC Comics – The New 52 and now it’s time to do the same for the company’s identity while remaining true to the power of storytelling which is still at the heart of DC Entertainment.”

DC Entertainment worked with Landor Associates, one of the world’s leading brand consulting and design firms, to develop an identity that creates a visual connection among the company, its three brands DC Comics, Vertigo and MAD and its vast array of properties as well as celebrates the power of the company’s stories and characters.

The design of the new DC Entertainment identity uses a “peel” effect – the D is strategically placed over the C with the upper right-hand portion of the D peeling back to unveil the hidden C – symbolizing the duality of the iconic characters that are present within DC Entertainment’s portfolio.

“It was our goal to capture DC Entertainment in a dynamic and provocative identity. Our solution is a living expression which changes and adapts to the characters, story lines and the ways fans are consuming content,” explains Nicolas Aparicio, Executive Creative Director at Landor’s San Francisco office. ”The new identity is built for the digital age, and can easily be animated and customized to take full advantage of the interactivity offered across all media platforms.”

The new brand identity will come to life across all consumer touch points in order to create a clear and consistent message in support of DC Entertainment. The new identity will begin to appear on comic books and graphic novels as well as new websites in March. Consumers will also see the new identity rolled out over time on other DC Entertainment products from Warner Bros. including film, television, interactive games and merchandise.

“We believe our new brand identity will strongly resonate with our loyal fans who will want to proudly express their affinity for DC Entertainment and their passion for their favorite stories and characters, this new look allows them to easily do this.

In addition we were excited to update our identity, it’s not often a company gets to revisit something as important as its brand and we took the opportunity to make sure it represented the multi-media business we set out to build with the formation of DC Entertainment,” said Amit Desai, SVP of Franchise Management for DC Entertainment.

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Marvel has brought their comic book characters to the big screen for a long time. Marvel has brought out one film every year since 2002, starting with “Spider-man.” Since then, we have seen many Marvel character adaptations, including Daredevil, the Punisher, the Hulk, Elektra, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America.

Future releases include “The Amazing Spiderman” and its sequel. Both “Thor” and “Iron Man” will also have sequels. The Avengers is the latest Marvel comic book to see the big screen. It is part of the Marvel cinematic universe that crosses over several Marvel superhero films including “Iron Man” (2008), “The Incredible Hulk” (2008), “Iron Man 2″ (2010), “Thor” (2011), and “Captain America: The First Avenger” ( 2011).

The movie is directed by Josh Whedon, and stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson. The Avengers comic book made its debut in September 1963. The original lineup consisted of Iron Man, the Hulk, and Thor.

Captain America did not appear alongside until the fourth issue when the original team found him. The other two characters, Ant-Man and Wasp, are not featured in the film. Even though many Marvel characters have been in the Avengers lineup, one thing has always remained consistent: they fight.

As with most Marvel films, the movie version of the Avengers does not exactly remain totally faithful to the comic book. Now this may not upset many moviegoers who seem to love these comic book action heroes. Diehard Marvel fans do not like these stories being tampered with.

On a Marvel fan site, I found that a majority of Marvel fans do not like many of the films that have been produced, except the first two Spider-man and X-men movies. Being a Marvel fan myself, I can remember the days when there were no Marvel movies whatsoever. Waiting for a Marvel movie looked like something that was never going to happen.

Spider-man was something that was rumored to happen since 1992, with many people promising a Spidey film, including James Cameron, which never saw light of day. Finally, when these films did come out, fans expecting something great only felt disappointed time and again.

All Marvel fans agree the action in the movies has been great, but the stories is where they feel let down. They don’t understand why Marvel cannot make the same quality movies as D.C. Comics, which D.C. Comics has done with Superman and Batman, movies that have brilliant stories.

One of the great examples of a Marvel picture that had a storyline that was tampered with was “The Hulk”starring Eric Bana. They came up with a side story about Bruce Banner’s father, which was the reason why he was affected by gamma rays. This totally diverts from the original vision and should have been left out of the picture.

It should have just stuck to the facts. Although the recent Iron Man films have been viewed by the fans as brilliant, ” The Avengers” also looks to be another film fans are eagerly awaiting for.

Image Courtesy of  http://marvel.com/ 

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Recently, the Superman reboot, Man of Steel, has been building its cast for some time now.  However, Warner Brother Studios put the brakes on the release date and extended it to June 14, 2013.

There is some speculation on why this delay was put into place but nothing official has been given out by either the producers or the studio.  The copyright issue on Man of Steel is pushing the date a little too close as production is being delayed along side its release.

The Man of Steel cast has had its fill of rumors, and big names.  Now, the cast is pretty much set with Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Michael Shannon, Christopher Meloni, Russell Crowe, Julia Ormond, Harry Lennix and Antje Traue.  But, with the release date pushed it’s unclear if the cast will stay the same.

No word has come out from the producer, Christopher Nolan, about any cast changes.  When asked about the Man of Steel delay, Henry Cavill, who will play Superman said, “they broke it to me gently…it’s okay, it’s nothing to do with me…I just focus on the character and do my job.”

Cavill also showed his excitement for the movie to start filming.  “I’m really raring to go.  It’s exciting, humbling, and about time to get started,” Cavill said.

The reason why the movie has been delayed about six months is, at this moment, unclear.  Some believe that there are problems with the script that Kurt Jonstad needs to finish.  This accusation could be true.  The script has gone through many changes, and writers since David Goyo penned it.

The more popular belief for the delayed release is that Warner Brothers does not want to go into competition with other big name releases coming out in 2012, such as Quentin Tarantino’s Django: Unchained, Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, or Disney’s Lone Ranger.  Alongside this competition, 2012 is already a big comic-book movie year with The Avengers, and The Amazing Spider- Man.

The copyright issue is said to be pushing it close but not necessarily a problem for the film.  The contract dictates that the movie must go into production before the end of 2012.  With everyone in the cast and crew in place they can easily make that deadline.

Man of Steel is scheduled to come out a little less than two years from now.  With many (including Cavill) antsy for the project to start this delay comes as a disappointment to some but many look at it in a positive light.

The newfound time will allow the writers to fix bugs in the script, and the production team can take its time to make sure everything falls into place.  Nevertheless, it still is a long time till its release in 2013 but having patience always pays off.

cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com

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As the new Superman movie’s release date was announced for December 2012, the pre-production began. Man of Steel, the movie has its fair share of rumors spreading around about who shall be cast.  Rumors have been floating around that Christopher Meloni is in talks with Warner Brothers and Zack Sydner, the director.

There are no details about whom he will play if he accepts the offer except that he will play a general. I know what you’re thinking.  But no, Michael Shannon will play Zod. The real wildcard was who will play Superman’s mother, Lara Lor-Van?

At first, there were rumors of Connie Nielson taking the part, but it was confirmed to be false, as Synder chose Julia Ormond as his first pick.  The offer was officially given out June 22, 2011 and accepted some time later.

Julia Ormond’s most recent and well-known movies include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Che. She won an Emmy for her supporting role in Temple Grandin, in 2010. She also appeared on many other television shows such as Law and Order and Nurse Jackie. Right now she is finishing up her most recent movie My Week with Marilyn, starring Emma Watson, and Michelle Williams.

She will be playing opposite of Russell Crowe as Jor-El. The rest of the cast, that is certain to appear consists of Henry Cavill playing Superman, Amy Adams playing Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent.

The plot of the movie is kept under lock and key. Diane Lane said this on Jay Leno Show, “Of course, there is a lot of secrecy these days, with the Internet and everything and rumors get started, so I had to read the script under lock and key in a room. You go to the offices, and it is a locked door and the curtains are drawn, and, so that was the time I had.” The only leaked details about the plot was that Synder wanted to make the movie as if the other Superman movies do not exist. In other terms, he wants to start at square one.

He said to contactmusic.com, “[l]iterally, the one thing that everyone can start to think about is that we’re making a movie that finally goes with the approach that there have been no other Superman movies. If you look at ‘Batman Begins’ there’s that structure: there’s the canon that we know about and respect, but, on the other hand, there’s this approach that pre-supposes that there have not been any other movies. That is what we’re going with.”

Many fans of the movies are bitter about Synder’s idea because they feel the story should be pushed along and not rebooted.

With many spots on the cast still not filled, there is still a lot of work for the filmmakers to do. With extremely little information about the plot and many offers given out, rumors have spread like wildfire. Julia Ormond has been officially named the mother of Superman but her shooting dates are unclear as of yet.

DFree / Shutterstock.com

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Music is a stimulus that acts on the physical and corporal equilibrium. Is it possible to use certain music to decrease stress in order to favor concentration, imagination and also play as a stimulant role in the right hemisphere? Music takes you to another mind state, it could also remind you of your childhood, feelings or things that you have sometimes lived.

That is why it is completely unavoidable not to remember music themes of your favorites TV shows.

Here at Toonari Post we want to introduce you the 10 songs that became famous from being featuring in TV.

Stick around and share your thoughts!

Who wouldn’t remember Ross, Chandler, Phoebe, Monica, Rachel and Joey? And who wouldn’t remember the main music theme of “Friends”?
That’s why The Rembrandts with their song are the one on the top 10 list.
[Youtube link: Friends music theme http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9Nc0FAk74c]

This guitar sound takes us to Sacred Heart Hospital, with Dr. Jonathan Michael “J.D.” Dorian, Dr. Chris Turk and Elliot Reid in “Scrubs”.
Lazlo Bane is responsible for this beautiful theme, “Superman”. Don’t miss it.
[Youtube link: Superman - Lazlo Bane http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMV8L8Jl-cw]

Vampire geeks would definitely recognize this Jace Everett theme: Bad Things. This is the main theme of “True Blood”, one incredible and successful HBO series that takes place in one little Luisiana town.
[Youtube link: Jace Everett - Bad Things http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxINMuOgAu8&feature=related]

HBO and “How To Make It in America” is the next one. Aloe Blacc composed “I Need A Dollar” for the opening sequence. This rapper, singer and producer created a track that fits perfectly with the show.
[Youtube link: I need a dollar - Aloe Blacc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_9aaotk3PU ]

Going back to the 90′s, what do you think when you imagine a “typical” Texan family? Would Hank, Peggy and Bobby came to your mind? If it does, you would be familiarized with “Yahoos and Triangles” of The Refreshments.
[Youtube link: Yahoo and triangles - The Refreshments http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbnzBO6odgw]

In 2009, NCB started broadcasting “Community”, a series of college students in Denver, Colorado. The 88 made several songs that have appeared in numerous TV shows. In this case, “At least it was here” is one of theme.
[Youtube link: At least it was here - the 88 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEGbjR1Y9Qo]

Tom Waits. That’s the name of this songwriter who created “Way Down in the Hole” for The Wire, another HBO’s success. Drug dealing is the main topic in it, giving a realistic point of view of Baltimore’s lifestyle. A fact made clear once you remember the opening sequence of the piece.
[Youtube link: Way down in the hole - Tom Waits http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1ABR4UpDSU]

“Superhero”, is a good theme name for Entourage. This series tells of young Vince’s life as an actor in Hollywood and his friends in the city. ”Jane’s Addiction” features their third album “Strays” which includes this theme that is well recognized in the opening sequence.
[Youtube link: Superhero - Jane's Addiction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ0sV4s-jzA]

Let’s take a look to 1966.

NBC broadcasted The Monkees, an American sitcom that follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock ‘n roll singers. Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Heart, this song takes the TV show’s name and becomes the main theme of it. Take a look if you don’t already know it.
[Youtube link: The Monkees - The Monkees http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWea5rB7XlY ]

If we came back to our decade, we cannot leave behind this American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan: Weeds. ”Little boxes” is the theme that deserves a special recognition in our list. This theme, written by Malvina Reynolds was used in season one. In season two and three, several artists such as Elvis Costello, Linkin Park among others made covers for each episode of the show. We show you the original theme.
[Youtube link: Little boxes - Malvina Reynolds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Ys9RkvxgI ]

This is just a sample of how music can impact an audience and even pass into television history pages.

Do you agree with this top 10 list? We are pleased to know of what other theme you would add to the list.

Don’t be shy!

The article A Theme Tune State of Mind: Top 10 TV Music appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Man of Steel, the newest Superman movie is reaching the final stages of casting.  With each day passing more and more actors fill the parts, as the movie edges closer to the shooting date.  Recently, Empire announced that, Russell Crowe would play Superman’s Krytonian father Jor-El and Superman’s Kryptonian mother, Lara Lor-Van, would be played by Julia Ormond.  Now, the new rumor that has spread is that Christopher Meloni will join the cast in Man of Steel.

Christopher Meloni is best known as Detective Stabler in the crime series Law and Order: SVU.  After being on the cast for 12 seasons he decided to drop out of the show after he could not make a deal with NBC.  Christopher Meloni has been nominated for three Prism Awards in the last decade but alongside those three nominations comes one nomination for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Law and Order.

Meloni has been rumored for some time now as being cast in Man of Steel.  At first, rumors speculated that Meloni would play Lex Luthor (his bald head would be perfect) but instead he will be playing a general in the United States Army.  When asked about his part in the movie by Vulture.com, the only thing Meloni said was, “I can’t tell you, or I’d have to kill you.”  With details under raps there has not been any specific details on who Meloni will really be playing.

Most of Meloni’s shoot will take place in Vancouver, Chicago and in Edwards Air Force Base.  With his shoot last about five months there is no telling how much screen time Meloni will receive.  Filming is scheduled to start around August or September so the pre-production process should be just about in its final stretch.  With the movie coming out in December of 2012 there should be ample time for us to get the details on the script and the cast before it releases.

Christopher Noland (The Dark Knight, Inception) will produce Man of Steel and Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) will be the director.  With this duo the movie looks very promising.  Keeping Noland’s previous works in mind, one could assume the movie will be very over the top but well done.  After coming off Sucker Punch, which did poorly at the box office, Snyder will be given a shot behind the camera.  Dawn of the Dead, and 300 were visionary movies, and Zack Snyder will definitely bring his unique and flashy direction to the movie.

With the Man of Steel cast being filling up one after the other and pre-production rapping up, it is occupying the minds of many, as its secrets and its script is held under lock and key.  With Noland and Snyder behind the project, it will it be an exciting movie to see in the cold winter (depends where you live) next year.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kazzcreation/4980761024/

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Hugo Chavez is back to Caracas after his cancer operation in Cuba one day before Venezuela´s Independent´s Day. This surprising recovery is “a miracle”, according to some of his ministers.

After one month and two operations in Cuba… Hugo Chávez is back to Venezuela! The commandant- President has suffered an emergency operation in La Havana, Cuba, due to a pelvic abscess but he is just in time for the 200 anniversary of his country.

The Venezuelan President,  found out that he had to be intervened immediately and to have the operation due to a brain tumor, when he was visiting   Brazil. On June 10, the commandant has been hospitalized in La Havana to recover himself of both operations. Since then, there have been many rumors about the health of Hugo Chávez and therefore the stability of his Government.

Hugo Chavez is running for reelection as a president next year , and according to Luis Vicente León, a political analyst “ this was a completely predictable event”,  “he needed to immediately eliminate pessimism among his followers and avoid internal power struggles.” It has been twelve years since he won the power in the Bolivarian Revolution.

Superman or showman?

On Monday early morning, Hugo Chavez appeared on the state television VTV in one of his tracksuit arriving at the airport of Maiquetia, near Caracas. There the vice-president Elías Jaua and his Elder brother, Adán Chávez, were waiting for him.
Video: President Chavez Returns to Venezuela

Then, it was Twitter´s turn: “Good morning, my dear Venezuela!”-  Mr. Chávez wrote on Monday 4th on his account @chavezcandanga to almost 1.7 million followers – “Thank you, my God! It is the start of the Return!”.

This return, described by some of his ministers as “a miracle”, has an important and symbolic meaning because just one day after, on Tuesday 5^th, it´s Venezuelan Independence Day, and it will be the second century anniversary of the country.

This 56 year-old-Superman reappearance seems to be a part of the publicity campaign of the “comandante”. Mr. Chávez is well known by his commanding- nationalism and socialist-inspired welfare projects and  most of all  by his showman style. Show must go on? What do you think about HugoChavez? And about his government?

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