DC Gets Dark

Andy Khouri reported on Comic Book Resources yesterday that Warner Brothers’ president, Jeff Robinov, intends to explore the darker side of superheroes in films based on DC comics. This is in response to the recent success of the company’s record setting film, The Dark Knight, and the fact that Superman Returns wasn’t such a hot movie. This course of action has thus put a damper on the Superman/Batman movie, the Justice League movie, and a Superman sequel. Instead, the company intends on releasing about two films based on DC characters per year, portraying them as darkly as the character will allow, and using Marvel’s strategy of introducing each character individually with plans of making an eventual team movie. This means reintroducing Superman and retooling some of the other projects they had planned. Currently, they have Green Lantern, Flash, Green Arrow, and Wonder Woman movies in development, as well as a third Batman film.

However, I don’t think this is the solution for them. Honestly, Batman is their darkest character (aside from their Vertigo titles) and he’s still not as dark as he could be. Adopting Marvel’s strategy is a good idea… as long as they stick with keeping the same actors in the roles of the characters they are playing. Rather than making all the characters dark though, they should portray the character as they were meant to be portrayed. For Superman, I would introduce him much like they introduced Batman in Batman Begins with flashbacks shown between an present storyline. Instead of making him dark though, I would show him as someone who has grown to love humanity with an overwhelming desire to protect it. Superman Returns really just portrayed him as a two dimensional character who could do neat stuff. Oh, and could we get someone for him to pound on? And, while I like Jonathan and Ryan Nolan’s scripts for the Batman films, I would make them darker still and invite either Frank Miller or Allen Moore to write the third one. What about this title: “The Goddamn Batman?”

Afterthought Review: The Victorian Horrors of Old Mauch Chunk #1

I have long been a fan of Victorian era horror. Everything from Edgar Allen Poe to Bram Stoker and Mary Shelly. It is for this reason that I picked up ASGMC’s The Victorian Horrors of Old Mauch Chunk, a miniseries set in the town of Mauch Chunk, PA (now Jim Thorpe, PA). As a team of coal miners discover a cave that seems to have dug out of the ground rather than formed naturally. The Gerard Company, who owns the mine, convinces James Ashton, a scientist from Villanova University, to investigate the cave and strange happenings in the town. Upon his arrival, he is approached by a local crazy who implores Mr. Ashton to leave and take him as well. Before he can show the scientist documents that would reveal the mystery, the “addict” is killed and devoured by a dark winged creature. We are left with James wondering down the alley where the vagrant has just been slain.

The book was created by Michael Bann and the story was created by Robert Canton and Michael Bann. Robert Canton wrote the script and does an excellent job of introducing the various aspects of the plot to us and smoothly introducing the characters. Allan Gallo provids highly detailed artwork with authentic architecture and clothing from the era and a growing sense of doom at the end. Michal Bann contributed what little color there is in the book. You see, the whole thing is done in black and white except for three panels splattered with blood. I get the feeling though that, as the story progresses, we will see a lot more of that deep crimson sprayed across that pages. Almost as an added bonus, many of the ads in the issue are Victorian in style, adding to the atmosphere of the story and making it feel like you are holding an authentic Penny Dreadful. I therefore offer this first issue of The Victorian Horrors of Old Mauch Chunk 4 out of 5 stars.