I had to double check to be sure...

So I woke up this morning and saw some casting news...

...and I thought to myself: "WTF?"...

...so I went to Marvel.com for confirmation...

...and I'm still shaking my head.

In Marvel Studios I Trust

And the role of Ultron goes to...

...this guy:

No, it's not Tim Gunn, it's James Spader...from (among other things) Mannequin.

Now, I've seen maybe one episode of Boston Legal, which I admit is a shame because I heard he and Shatner were fantastic.

There's just speculation at this point whether he'll be voicing a CGI character or in full costume, but I don't care.

I'm just happy Marvel's continuing to bring actors from my youth into the fold.

Any chance we'll see Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, or Emilio Estevez soon?

I can totally see Demi Moore as Viper Madame Masque, or maybe Ally Sheedy as Sin?

They can't have Rob Lowe though - he's over at DC being the Ted Kord Blue Beetle.

School is back in session...

It's Adorkette's first day of Eighth Grade!!!

 ...and I'm so, SO happy!

Robin III Part 52: Detective Comics #646 (July, 1992)

Tim gets a post-graduate course on crime in Gotham City.

I have this issue.

Tim tries to get Driscoll back inside the building but doesn’t make it in time – Galvan electrocutes him on the spot.

Bruce goes after Galvan and gets temporarily blinded. Tim follows the criminal, but can’t reach Galvan before he starts a fire in the middle of the street. When Gotham Fire and Police arrive, Tim goes with Bruce to the Batmobile and head to Police Headquarters to save Galvan’s next target …Gordon.  They arrive to see Gotham’s finest surrounding the darkened building, and head inside.

Tim waits in the wings before taking a shot at Galvan and gets thrown against a firehose. He grabs the hose and goes after Galvan when Electrocutioner grabs him. Tim knocks the villain out, and prepares to shoot water at Galvan when he discovers that the water pressure’s been shut down. After taking a jolt from Galvan, Bruce arrives and removes the device regulating the killer’s electricity.

Bruce turns his attention on Tim, and reprimands the boy for his somewhat jovial attitude towards Galvan…then quickly apologizes for overreacting.

The violence over, Tim (along with Bruce) swings away into the night.

Notes of Interest:

1) This issue takes place immediately after Detective Comics #645.

2) We do see a bit more humor from Tim, which could be considered a defense mechanism – especially since…

WTF? Moment: …Tim was holding what remained of Driscoll’s arm after Galvan killed him. That’s just gross. Good thing Tim was wearing his insulated suit.

WTF? Moment #2: Bruce reprimanding Tim for his behavior is bulls#!t enough. But doing it in front of Gordon? No way. Bruce should have held it together until they were alone. And even then, he would have been wrong…which I’m glad writer Chuck Dixon made him realize so quickly. Honestly, I think Tim did the best he could. Remember – this is the first time Tim’s been up close and personal with a murder victim. Driscoll didn’t just die in front of Tim. He was killed while Tim was holding onto his arm.

Robin III Part 51: Detective Comics #645 (June, 1992)

Tim saves Bruce’s life. No…really!

I have this issue.

Tim finds Bruce’s dead body in a sewer tunnel and a costumed man with glowing hands walking away from it. Infuriated, Tim confronts the killer, and forces him to jump-start Bruce’s heart. After three tries, Tim finds a pulse and lets the villain go to get Bruce back to the cave.

Once there, Tim tries to convince Bruce to take a few days off to recuperate. After learning a bit about the man who killed/resurrected him (and promising to search Gotham P.D.’s records for anything they’ve got on the man they’re after) he succeeds.

The next night, Tim goes with Bruce to Gordon’s office with the information he found. The suspect’s name is Elmo ‘Buzz’ Galvan, a convicted felon who went to the chair years ago - witnessed by all three victims, a judge, a reporter…and Gordon.

Tim goes with Bruce to keep an eye on the reporter - Guy Driscoll, of the Gotham Gazette.

While they wait, Tim picks up some news on his police scanner: Galvan’s giving them a hard time at Judge Hargreave’s location. Bruce tells him that the cops have it wrong, and Galvan’s arrival at the Gazette proves it.

Tim grabs Driscoll and pulls him out onto the ledge, but Batman’s fight with Galvan leads outside the building…where Galvan juices up for the killing strike.

Notes of Interest:

1) This is the first time Tim meets the Electrocutioner.

2) We learn that his battle staff is made of wood.

WTF? Moment: Why would Tim pull the target of an assassination onto a ledge? Granted, there was a lot happening rather quickly, but couldn’t he have taken Driscoll someplace safer? Like a stairwell? Or the ground?

Monday Movie Roundup...8/26/2013

The top film this past weekend worth mentioning is Kick-Ass 2...

 ...which brought in another estimated $4.2 million, placing it just inside the weekend Top 10 at #10.
Worldwide, the film has made $38.5 million, which more than pays back the $28 million production costs.
The film at eleventh place, however, is more interesting...

2 Guns has made over $65 million after four weeks - with only $2.2 million of that from Foreign markets - and a $61 million production budget.
In other words, a movie based on a lesser known and independent (meaning non-Marvel or DC) comic property proved profitable in less than 5 weeks...despite the outrageous price tag.
That's amazing, and (along with the Kick-Ass franchise) proves that comics can make great films.

Also making news:
* The Wolverine is still in the Top 20 (at #15), and
* the Ben Affleck Batman/Superman film has a release date of July 17, 2015...eleven weeks after Avengers 2 The Age of Ultron.

That's going to be an interesting summer...

Okay Adorkette...WTF?

So I tell my daughter that Batman (her 'favorite superhero') is going to be in the next Man of Steel movie...

"Oh yeah? Cool!", she says.

Then I tell her Ben Affleck's been cast...

"Who's Ben Afflck?", she replies.

So I Google his picture...

"Oh YEAH!", she screams.

"No, wait..." I tell her. "...you don't understand. He can't act!"

"Well...what's he been in?"

And my mind races to think of anything she's seen that I know he's been in:

Shakespeare in Love...hasn't seen it.

Jersey Girl...nope.

Good Will Hunting...uh-uh.

I was about to say "Well, we could watch Daredevil. I've got it on DVD..." when Mrs. Adorkification cuts me off - 

"He can't act."

Then I actually felt bad.

"Well to be fair, I haven't seen Argo yet..."

"He can't act", she repeated.

"Now that other guy, that's been Batman..."

"Christian Bale..."

"Yeah. HE can act!"

"Well, that's true..."

"Although...he could make a descent alter-ego."

"You mean Bruce Wayne?"

"Yeah. I can see Ben in that role, but not jumping around rooftops in the suit."

Then Adorkette takes another look at the pic...

"Well...I'd see it..."

...*sigh*...

WOW are people pissed...

I can't believe how big this thing has become.

I mean, I can understand some people getting upset...

...and others calling Ben out...

...but let's put things in perspective here.

1) Superman came first. 

In the world of comics, Batman was created after Superman was a proven success and yes, it's possible that we'll see a young Bruce witness his parents' murders (yes...again...) and watch him become Batman (for hopefully the last time) as he is integrated into the growing DCMU. But in this upcoming film...

2) Batman is a supporting character.

Remember when this issue came out? When John Byrne was given the daunting task of not only revamping Superman...but the entire DC Universe? The first appearance of Post-Crisis Batman wasn't Frank Miller's legendary Batman #404 (Feb. 1987), it was here in The Man of Steel #3 (Nov. 1986).

A Superman comic.

So it's possible that in Superman/Batman, Superman (or Clark) has to go to Gotham City to investigate these "Bat-sightings" and winds up helping Batman with a case.

Unlike Marvel Studios, which gave each major character their own film and then teamed them up, DC/WB is understandably taking a different route: Building their movie universe through incorporating new characters in each film. A challenge for sure, but I'd like to see them continue this trend. Especially with the whole "Can Wonder Woman be a successful female lead?" thing. Because you know she'll be in #3.

3) Ben Affleck isn't the first comic film casting surprise.

Hard to believe now, but remember a little film that came out in 2001 where a 6'2" Australian actor with a background in musical theater was cast as a 5'3" Canadian brawler with a background shrouded in mystery?

Yeah...he did alright...

So we'll see...

WTF? Fridays...8/23/2013

Ah...DC/WB...

...in their desperate attempt to cast their next great hero...

...they've gone off the deep end.

...

W...T...F...?

Now, we know that this Batman will be different from Nolan's Batman series.

I'm okay with that...

...but shouldn't we learn from history?

I've never seen Argo, and I don't have any issue with Affleck as a director.

And the more I think about it, Affleck could make a very good Bruce Wayne...

...but this?

If Ben ends up cheating on his wife with Amy Adams, I'm gonna be SO pissed...

Nathan Fillion...and Batman?

 There's been talk of Fillion joining Henry Cavill in the next DCMU film...

...and that's just wrong.

Because it's obvious who Fillion should be:

Now - if we eliminate the remote possibility that Whedon connects the MMU to Fillion's current project...

...as well as the chance we'll ever see The Greatest Super Hero Team Ever on the silver screen...

...you can not...

...CAN NOT mind you...

...dismiss the probability that Whedon will get Fillion to cameo on his show...

...because both shows are on...

...which is owned by...

...and who doesn't love it when things come full circle?

Silver Spoon...the anime...

One thing I admire about anime in general is that they do a fantastic job introducing a wide range of characters with different and unique characteristics in essentially 30-seconds or less.

I think they go overboard with the color-coding of their characters, but after growing up on the color schemes of Shipwreck, Snake-Eyes, Shadow Storm, Bumblebee and Optimus Prime I shouldn't complain.

Anyway - another thing Anime does very well is continually develop their characters over time, so it's not like we get one episode of Iron Man where we learn everything there is to know about Tony and every episode thereafter has him either in the background or part of a larger story.

Silver Spoon is about a guy from a city who chooses to attend an agricultural high-school, where he learns all about farming from teachers as well as fellow students...all of whom grew up on farms and have plans to use their education to help their families.

Sounds kind of dull/boring right? That's what I thought, until I watched it.

First - I have a new-found respect for farmers. I had no idea what went into their day-to-day lives or how many different aspects of farming existed. That alone in interesting.

Then there are the supporting characters - the student who plans to take over her family's assembly-line style McFarm, the boy who's considering becoming a vet, the guy who's family is barely scraping by and plans on becoming a baseball player to earn money so he can improve his farm, the kid who loves farm equipment and machinery, and the "love-interest" character who raises race and work horses.

Then there's the main character. The 'newbie' to farm life who everyone else thinks is strange because he's from a city. Only six episodes have aired so far, and we still don't know why this smart young man (who despite making mistakes in the barn gets A's in the classroom) wanted to get as far away from his family as possible...leading him to the agricultural academy in the middle of nowhere.

My biggest problem with this show? The title.

I get why it's called Silver Spoon, but all I think of is the show I watched growing up...

...starring Ricky Schroder, Erin Gray (of Buck Rogers fame), featured Jason Bateman (...yes, that Jason Bateman), and had an episode starring Whitney Houston. I'm not making this up.

Anyway, if you're looking for an anime to try or a new anime to watch, check this out over at Crunchyroll.

Just give it until Episode 4...when the school makes pizza...that was when I was hooked.

Two great tastes that taste great together...

...Steampunk...and Ghostbusters...

See, I'm on the fence with the whole Steampunk movement. I understand the appeal, and the desire to create a Steampunk 'thing', but it's just not my thing.

THIS...however...this is awesome. 

Not just because they steamed-up their positron gliders and proton packs...Nu-uh...

To quote Ray..."It's the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man."

Monday Movie Roundup...8/19/2013

Kick-Ass 2 was the top money-maker this weekend, making almost $20 million worldwide. That puts it at only about $8 million shy of breaking even, which it should meet by next Monday.

The Wolverine stayed in the top 10, bringing in another $4.4 million in the States...which means that domestically the film has met its $120 million production costs. Adding in the Foreign totals, The Wolverine broke $335 million. Not too shabby...

As for The Lone Ranger, its Domestic total is only $87.7 million to date. Fortunately, when you add in the Foreign market the film (finally) made more than it cost, with $217 million in the bank.

R.I.P.D., on the other hand, has yet to meet its $130 million budget, with only $59.1 million worldwide to date.

2 Guns has been out for three weeks now, and without any Foreign releases has made over $59 million, respectably closing in on its $61 million price tag.

Pacific Rim's Foreign totals far outperform its Domestic numbers roughly 3 to 1, with $384 million all told.

and finally, Red 2 made back its money with $102.4 million worldwide after five weeks.

Not a bad month so far for comic films...

...now I'm gonna try to get back to sleep.

Post-poned - It's a beautiful Sunday...

...so I'm heading outside. Yeah, there's yard work and stuff to do, but it's a nice day weather-wise to do it in.

Have a good day everybody!

Random Thoughts on Captain America 2...

It seems that along with Falcon, Black Widow and Agent Hill will appear...which I guess is old news.

But what I found interesting in the official synopsis is that they've got Steve living in Washington D.C.

I would think that after spending so long in suspended animation he'd prefer to acclimate in his hometown of Brooklyn, but D.C. is a good second choice.

We also know that he's got the motorcycle Banner was given in The Avengers, which kinda makes sense...

...but I wanna see the van circa 1987...

...'cause that would be cool.

WTF? Fridays...Who's your Doctor?...8/16/2013

I guess it's official...

Peter Capaldi is the New Doctor...

W...T...F...?

I don't have a problem Capaldi, my problem is with the casting direction they took. 

I always saw The Doctor aging backwards, either just a Doctor thing or something all Gallifreyans did.

Guess that's not how Moffat wants to play it.

But - given that Moffat wasn't concerned about it, I still would have chosen someone else:

James Nesbitt of Jekyll fame.

Just look at those eyes. Tell me there's nothing fantastic or clever going on there.