Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Review

"Someone once asked if I wanted to save the world or to rule it. Today... it's going to be hard to tell the difference."

Those words should already tell you what kind of characters you're going to be dealing with.

The Plot

In an alternate universe created by DC Animation's Mastermind, Bruce Timm, comes a gripping story focused on an entirely new Justice League. In this grounded world, there is no Kal El/Clark Kent, Diana Prince, or Bruce Wayne. But there is still Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. But they are completely different. Superman (Benjamin Bratt) is the son of General Zod raised by Mexican immigrants. Wonder Woman (Tamara Taylor) is the New God, Bekka, who chose Earth to be the home of her self imposed exile from Apokalips. And Batman (Michael C. Hall) is Kirk Langstrom, a scientist who accidentally turned himself into a vampire trying to cure his lymphoma. These incarnations of the Justice League are not like their original counterparts, and are willing to cross the line when the situation calls for it. So much so that when several scientists are brutally murdered, leaving evidence that points to the Justice League as the culprits, the world does not believe they are innocent. As the body count continues to rise, the brutal superheroes must find a way to clear their names before the world finally decides that it doesn't need them anymore.

Review

For a detailed backstory of the creation of this film, check out my review of the prequel web series right here: Justice League: Gods and Monsters - Season 1

This film is pretty much a return to form of the beloved 90s and early 2000s DC animation created by Bruce Timm. The film brings back a huge level of complexity that not many people would be expecting from a film like this. Especially when the selling point of the film is that this is a darker and grittier take on the DC Universe. And given the state of DC Fans hating the constant need of having their beloved properties injected with dark and gritty, it is no surprise that their initial reaction will be negative without even seeing the final product. Well I'm glad to report that this film is not dark and gritty. It is actually a mature take on the DC Universe with a slight edge. Yes there are dark themes in the film, and yes the violence is not toned down, but it is no different than the beloved animated series Timm has created in the past. If there is a difference, it is in the characters themselves.

Benjamin Bratt plays this incarnation of Superman named Hernan Guerra. This Superman is more akin to a soldier and has a rougher upbringing given that he was raised by Mexican immigrants. This adds a completely different layer to him as a Superman who grew up poor and in the lower class who literally rises up to become the success story of the American Dream. This upbringing makes his sense of justice far more complicated as he knows that justice sometimes needs a heavy hand but also must have limits. Bratt does an excellent job of balancing a man who clearly has a lot of anger, but tries to manage it in more positive ways. If there is one negative that I have to give about this movie involving his character, it is the outright acknowledgement that he is the son of General Zod. It is not a spoiler, as it is used in the promotions and first 5 minutes of the film, but this Superman had no idea General Zod was his father and when he learns this information for the first time it would've been a more powerful moment if the audience didn't know already.

Tamara Taylor plays this incarnation of Wonder Woman named Bekka. Her Wonder Woman is clearly a lot more aggressive and sexually active. The best way to describe it is think of her as a less overly flirty version of Catwoman but with multiple super powers. However the reason for her aggressive and overt sexual nature stems mainly from her origin, which is pretty much a Disney Princess story that horrifically turns into a Game of Thrones wedding. This automatically makes you understand why she's the way she is, and why she still wants to be a good person. Her backstory doesn't add much to the overall plot of the film as say Superman's or Batman's, but it is arguably the most hard hitting of the three. Tamara had a fine line to walk of having this cocky and sexually active Wonder Woman who hides her vulnerable side, and luckily she does an excellent job showing the complexity of Bekka.

Michael C. Hall plays this incarnation of Batman named Kirk Langstrom. It should come no surprise why the actor who played Dexter was hired to play this incarnation, primarily because he's a vampire who feeds off of criminals. Parallels aside, strangely enough, despite the very un-original take on the caped crusader, this iteration of Batman is probably the most relatable of the new heroes. Granted, Batman has always been touted as the most relatable of the DC heroes, but here we actually feel that he is someone we can be. Given that he is now Kirk Langstrom and not billionaire Bruce Wayne, we actually see him more as a normal person who is gifted that winds up gaining a horrible vocation. Hall's portrayal of Batman is mostly monotone, but when he does show emotion, the tone of his voice changes just enough for it to register that he does still have feelings despite being a monster.

But at the core of the movie is the murder mystery that is the central plot of the film. It is a highly commendable achievement for Bruce Timm and his writing partner Alan Burnett (also a DC animation alumni) to weave these entirely new backstories seamlessly into the central plot. However, that means that there wasn't enough room to truly delve deep into the mystery of who is killing the world's greatest scientists and are the Justice League innocent? I blame the 75 minute runtime for this problem, as the film only need 15 more extra minutes to develop the mystery further as well as the antagonist driving the mystery. It is still a compelling story, despite being a plot that has been used in Superhero stories over and over again. This is again thanks to Timm and Burnett's great execution with the writing, but hardcore DC fans will be able to solve the mystery in an instant. That still doesn't take away from this dark, edgy and FUN alternate universe.

If there is one thing that I have to really complain about, it is the fact that the animation is not really up to par for movie standards. As much as I love that they returned to Timm's classic animation style, I find it hard to believe that they didn't have enough time to make the animation smoother. It is a nice callback to the old 90s and early 2000s, but it is hard to deny that the animation could use a few more extra frames to really sell the action or even dramatic moments.

Final Thoughts

While it may not be the best thing Bruce Timm has ever done, it is definitely the best animated film Warner Bros. animation has produced in almost a decade. The animation and voice acting is a loving call back to a time when DC animation was considered king, and also shows that it is okay to think outside of the box when it comes to the DC Trinity. Small problems and pretty predictable story aside, this is probably the most relatable and fascinating iteration of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman in a long time. If you have a love for alternate stories or have an open mind for change, this movie will definitely entertain and enlighten you. If you are incapable of accepting other interpretations of the characters you hold so close to your fanboy/girl heart...then don't bother because you are absolutely going to hate this no matter how good it is. I have an open mind, and this is the Justice League I want in my life. I now have Season 2 and hopefully a sequel to this film to look forward to in the future.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - Despite being predictable, it is a great and welcoming return for Bruce Timm

Justice League: Gods And Monsters Chronicles - Season 1 Review

A New World Order in an Alternate DC Universe

This year (2015) marks the return of an animation titan, Bruce Timm. A man responsible for creating the best animated DC Superhero Cartoons as well as being one of the creators behind the now iconic supervillainess, Harley Quinn. He has stepped away from DC animation for a while as a creative force, instead opting to be just a producer. But now, the time has come for his return. And it is a a return not many people were excepting.

Timm has decided to create an entirely original Justice League universe that is more edgy and gritty. Which translates to most people as, "Dark and Gritty." This bemoans DC fans as they are apparently tired of this trend, especially with how much the internet fan community already hates the darker DC Cinematic films, when as of right now there is only one to really complain about.

But Timm is no fool. He refuses to use the term Dark for this new universe he's creating. But he definitely wants it to be edgy, yet still exciting to watch. The result is JUSTICE LEAGUE: Gods and Monsters which debuts direct to DVD later in the year. But luckily he has partnered with Machinima to showcase three short 5-6 minute episodes that give audiences a taste of how different this world will be. And thus JUSTICE LEAGUE: Gods and Monsters CHRONICLES was born. You can watch these three short episodes for free on youtube through Machinima's channel. And these three episodes are meant to introduce us to the Trinity of this Universe: Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman.

Episode 1 - Twisted

The first episode of this web series introduces this universe's Batman. Here he is Kirk Langstrom, a character that most DC Comics fans know as Man-Bat in the main universe. This version of him is a Vampire, which automatically gives you an idea of how different he is from Bruce Wayne's Batman. But he is not the only one who shows up in this episode. Fan favorite villainess, Harley Quinn, is the primary antagonist of this short. But given that this episode's mission is to let you know that this is a much edgier world, Harley's actions definitely conveys it the most. Because here she is amplified to pure psychopathic serial killer. As the episode demonstrates, the gloves are off and this is definitely not a children's show. The tone is definitely fit for a Batman episode, but it is the horrific things that Harley does that truly gives new meaning to the term, gritty. It does however come off as a little bit trying too hard to outdo the notion of "dark and gritty" by going to the extreme. But that is only a minor problem, as the episode is a nice exercise of how effective short narrative is, as well as having little dialogue. The actions and atmosphere tell the story in a hugely effective way, and lets people know this is going to be their violent new Batman.

 SCORE: 8/10 - A great introduction to the new Batman, that does go overboard a bit

Episode 2 - Bomb

The second episode of this web series introduces this universe's Superman. This one is the son of General Zod, whom DC Comics fans will know as one of the archenemies of Superman in the main universe. Unlike his main universe counterpart, this Superman is raised by Mexican Immigrants and had a rougher upbringing. But none of that is explored here, as the episode deals with a city being completely torn apart by Brainiac. This isn't the alien computer from the main universe, but rather an entity created by the government to keep Superman in check. Unfortunately this entity has lost control of his powers and incapable of stopping the destruction he causes. And the confrontation between this world's Superman and Brainiac is what makes it the best episode of three. Here, in this not so subtle reference to Akira, we see how much this Superman is similar to the primary one. He definitely believes in doing the morally right thing first, as it is Superman's nature to always find another way. But then that's where the similarities end due to him being far more pragmatic with his actions. It is definitely a commentary about the controversial ending in Man of Steel, but this takes it to a whole lot darker territory. Tone wise it isn't as dark as the Batman episode, but the situation that it builds up to is both dark and truly... heart wrenching. This is a Superman who feels like a soldier who has to live with the decisions he makes while at the same time continue to perform what he believes is right. This adds a complexity to the Superman character that hasn't really been explored in the main universe, and it probably never will.

SCORE: 9.5/10 - A perfect introduction to the new Superman that is both dark and poignant

Episode 3 - Big

The third episode of this web series introduces this universe's Wonder Woman. Here, she is Bekka, who some DC comics fans will know as the wife of Orion and a New God. Unlike this universe's Batman and Superman who have direct ties to villains of their main universe counterparts, Bekka is not connected to the main universe's Wonder Woman in any shape or form. This makes her completely special and unique among the trinity, as she feels like a completely new character rather than a twist on an existing one. Granted her character in the main universe is pretty obscure, but here is her chance to shine as the most powerful woman in this universe. And she is powerful. However, as the two previous episodes demonstrate how dark this world can be, this episode was actually... fun. It is a complete homage to classic James Bond films, with this world's Steve Trevor as Bond but with a twist. It is a complete gender reversal by having the Bond Girl of this scenario, Wonder Woman, outclassing the James Bond of this scenario, Steve Trevor. It was completely meant to showcase that this Wonder Woman is boisterously cocky as well as sexually aggressive. She says what she wants and gets what she wants, whether you like it or not. And has the power to back it up. This comes off as a little jarring seeing as the previous two episodes dealt with dark themes, whereas this one really deals with sexuality. She is definitely proud of her barely covered assets and is hungry to have sex surrounded by a sea of corpses she was responsible for. That's pretty much where we really see what Timm meant by wanting to be edgy and not dark. Because this is edgy, having a cocky and extremely horny Wonder Woman, which may rub some fans the wrong way, but it does make her a hell of a lot more interesting. But in the end, the episode feels like a letdown because of how the previous two were handled.

SCORE: 7.5/10 - An entertaining introduction to a sexually charged Wonder Woman

Overall Impressions

This has been a great introduction to Bruce Timm's new edgy and gritty DC Universe. It offers us glimpses into not only the powers of the new characters but also their personalities. There really isn't much to nitpick about theses shorts as they are timed perfectly to deliver the goods. Although I would like to argue that the Wonder Woman episode probably should've been the second episode as chronologically her story takes place before Superman's. I am very much looking forward to the feature length film, as well as Season 2 next year. I'm loving these characters so far, and I can only hope that they mesh well together as the Justice League.

The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened? - Review

My Personal Road to "Superman Lives"

I remember sitting in the University Library, looking up any details I can about the then yet to be filmed Man of Steel. That is when I stumbled upon a small blip in my nerdy research that led me to the infamous Kevin Smith video detailing his experience on a film called Superman Lives. And soon after, my obsession with this mythic project that never was grew exponentially. I scoured the internet looking for anything I possibly could relating to this film. From the Kevin Smith Draft, to the Wesley Strick draft,  to the concept art, and that now infamous unflattering photo of Nic Cage with a mullet rocking a very shiny rubber Superman suit. But at some point I realized I should be focusing on my studies and not on a motion picture that was never made. However, luckily for me, and thousands of others, one of us was willing to delve much deeper. Enter Jon Schnepp, famed animation director of Metalocalypse and The Venture Bros. as well as famed internet personality, who took to Kick Starter with the proposal of discovering what truly happened to this now infamous film in the form of a Documentary. And after many years since that announcement, Schnepp and producer Holly Payne have crafted a highly informative film that gives eager "sweaty nerds" and general audiences a glimpse into what could've been.

The Truth Behind the Legend

I was lucky to attend the Houston/Cypress screening of the film which had Schnepp and Payne present to let everyone know up front, this is their first time making a documentary. While it definitely shows, that does not hinder the experience they created.

After a very simple intro made by Schnepp, we then enter the world of Hollywood politics and water cooler talks that go way too far. For those who have seen the Kevin Smith video about the genesis of Superman Lives and how he became a part of it, the first 20 minutes after the intro may be a bit boring, with a few interjected interviews here and there to add a little bit more flavor. But to someone who has never seen that video, then the WHOLE package from beginning to end will be one hell of a revelation!

I was indeed one of those people who wished I could skip Smith's launch of the project and get to the parts that I don't know. And it is GLOURIOUS!

From the number of concept and visual effects artists, to the beautiful concept art, to the tidbits of how Smith's story would morph into Wesley Strick's story then eventually to its possible final form with Dan Gilory. The insight, the splendor of Krypton, the painful bad memories that director Tim Burton had to release as he talked to Schnepp. Every single aspect of this film was meant to inform the viewer with one thing: THIS WAS A WORK IN PROGRESS!

The reason for such an angle, and I'm glad Schnepp took it by that angle, is that many people were quick to judge that everything that has been leaked on the internet was the final product. VFX Artist Steve Johnson's light up neon crystal rainbow Superman suit was blasted for being terrible, when people didn't even know the context of why Superman was wearing that suit. The really horrible Nic Cage picture of him wearing the Superman outfit? That wasn't even the final outfit! It was just a costume test to see how he feels about the costume and what they can change. I heavily commend this film, and other documentaries about movies that never were, always address that filmmaking is a process of controlled evolution. And we see that evolution from the story, to the costumes, to the design of the film.

But I honestly have to say. While it is nice to have Tim Burton, Kevin Smith, Wesley Strick, Steve Johnson, Colleen Atwood, and Dan Gilroy talk about the film; there was one voice who I was pleasantly surprised to see pop in this movie. The infamous producer that Kevin Smith has turned into a legend, Jon Peters! The man himself brings his extreme charisma, as well as his wild out of the box ideas that shaped this movie into what it could've been. It is highly commendable for talents such as Burton, Smith, Strick and Gilory to find a way through the madness of Peters to create something that may have possibly worked. But is is clear that this is a movie that Peters was definitely passionate about, even though he is not a hardcore Superman fan and wanted to change everything. But someone who was a hardcore fan and was sorely lacking from this film was an interview from the What If Superman himself, Nicolas Cage.

Schnepp was unfortunately unable to secure an interview with the former Oscar winner, who has now become a meme and long running joke in Hollywood. But Schnepp makes up for this loss with some behind the scenes home video footage provided by the production's costume designer, Colleen Atwood. In there we see the origin of that unflattering picture, but it is a completely different story when seeing Cage in motion in the suit. But what is more impressive about the footage, is hearing Nic Cage dissect and analyze the character of Superman with director Tim Burton observing him. He has a clear grasp on who the character is, as well as how to treat his alter ego Clark Kent. It was a fascinating and intimate video about one man's willingness to put his own spin on the character, but acknowledge everything he loves about him.

Final Thoughts

I've held back on a lot more details such as the plot of Superman Lives and how the documentary explores its evolution. But I feel that those moments and that information should be experienced by watching this documentary when it becomes available on Blu Ray. There is so much more than what I pointed out here, and I leave all that for the viewer to enjoy. By all means though, if you do find yourself curious by this, please go out and buy the film. I wasn't able to pledge money to Schnepp and Payne when they were Kick Starting the project, but I'll gladly pay to own the Blu Ray. This truly is an incredible film that feels bittersweet by the end. It will leave you wondering with one simple question: What if? And that's okay.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - If you didn't see the Kevin Smith video, then this is a 9/10!

Superman Unchained - Comic Review

The Superman Story of the 2010s Decade

In June 2013, a comic book premiered around the same time as Man of Steel. That comic was called Superman Unchained. Written by Scott Snyder, a man who is considered one of the best new writers of this decade, with art by Jim Lee, considered one of the greatest artists from the 90s generation, this comic has hype written all over it. Though it is no surprise that Jim Lee would tackle Superman once again, especially since this is the New 52 incarnation, what was surprising to most comic fans is Scott Snyder. The guy is most notoriously known for his successful horror comic, American Vampire, and for writing the New 52 incarnation of Batman. In other words, this guy is dark. Very dark. What does a guy who is usually associated with darkness have to do with a character that is suppose to symbolize hope? He does the unexpected by not telling a story about hope but rather the idea of Inspiration.

As a fun note: I find it funny that both of the people working on a Superman property have the last name, Snyder. Zack for film and Scott for comics. Funny coincidence. No family relation.

The Basics

The Premise of the story is about a young Superman, but a lot more experienced. There are currently three New 52 Superman titles going on with Action Comics dealing with his younger years while Superman and Justice League deal with his older years. And somewhere in-between or around those continuities is this story and Superman/Wonder Woman, the comic dealing with his relationship with Wonder Woman. So in this story, he has grown to be more closer to the Superman people know, but he still has a lot to learn. And that big lesson comes in the form of a shocking secret: THERE WAS ANOTHER SUPERMAN ON EARTH SINCE 1938!

Who is he?

This new (but really old) Superman is called Wraith which is actually an acronym for, "William Randolph's Ace In The Hole." His origin bears many parallels with Superman but in a more deeper sense. Wraith arrived on Earth during WWII after a message was sent into space saying "Help us become better." And so, under the orders of his people, Wraith gets sent to Earth to make the world better. More specifically, he's there to make America better.

It is no coincidence that Snyder would have him land on Earth in 1938. The first issue of Action Comics was published in 1938, and that issue featured the very first appearance of Superman. Snyder also knows that around WWII, Superman was used as a propaganda tool in order to help inspire the youth as well as soldiers overseas. So in reality, the basis of Wraith is what if Superman was still an American Propaganda Tool? After all, we live in a time where Superman is concerned about the entire planet and not just one country. Wraith on the other hand is different.

To him and his people, since America was the country that sent out the message, that means it is the country worthy of being saved. Wraith is pretty much the ultimate super soldier, as he demonstrates his loyalty by pretending to be the second bomb that decimates Japan during WWII. His code is to remain hidden as the phantom that writes history. He could care less if he killed millions of people or if other countries are suffering. All that he cares about is helping America. And that is mainly attributed to General William Randolph, the officer responsible for making him an American asset.

Although that description makes him sound like a cold hearted and ruthless killing machine, his personality doesn't line up with that. In fact, he's polite, courteous, and thoughtful. Exactly the same as what people would expect from Superman. This is obviously another parallel that Snyder wanted to have between Wraith and Supes. He doesn't want to fight Superman, in fact he wants to teach him how to use his powers. Since they have the same method of creating powers, and being on the planet for 75 years, Wraith has developed his powers to a level that Superman could never dream of. He tries to make himself a father figure to Superman, as they are both aliens from different worlds with the powers of gods. But in the end, the extreme almost fascist pro-American belief that Wraith possesses is enough to separate these two from one another. Which is where most of the conflict centers on.

A God or an Inspiration?

The biggest recurring theme in this story is a question that many people have wondered: Is Superman a God who lives off of admiration or is he simply a person who wishes to inspire? The former is the theme that is put front and center for most of this story. And while Wraith is the obvious preacher of this belief, the one who crafted the sermon is Lois Lane's father, General Sam Lane. He's pretty much the General "Thunderbolt" Ross of the DC Universe, but instead of trying to bring down a Hulk he's trying to bring down a more unstoppable being. He is raised on a pretty straight forward belief about Superman that is best described through this excerpt from the story:

To many DC Comics fans, this is the most hated approach of telling a Superman story. I find it interesting that most fans of DC Comics hate seeing writers look at Superman in a different light. Especially when it deals with whether or not him being a hero is really to the benefit of mankind or to himself. Because for DC Comics fans, Superman is suppose to be the epitome of what a superhero should be. He's good because he's good, no flaws, and no need to question whether his actions have any weight to them. Which, as a DC Comics fan, I think is complete bull shit. It is a wonder why DC Comics is afraid of doing anything innovative with their characters because the fan base is so old school that it makes me want to snap some necks (haha get it? Bad joke.)

Yet while I stated that the theme is mostly about the former, Superman's actions and his true ideals are more about the latter of what people have wondered: He's an inspiration. This is how he sees himself and that's how he holds himself. He keeps doing what he's doing not because he wants the public to adore him, but he because he believes he can inspire people to do better. Which is the complete opposite of Wraith's ideology. In a way, Wraith is manipulating the world to make America better, which can be viewed as how people would expect Superman to act. Luckily for us, he's not like that. And Snyder excels at illustrating these contrasting points in a very interesting story.

Everything is connected

While the premise of the story is Superman meeting a more powerful and patriotic version of himself, the main thrust is actually the threat of a terrorist group called Ascension. And while that is going on, Lois Lane is brought back into stubborn, yet caring, reporter prominence as she goes after a lead from a mysterious man claiming ties with Ascension. And while ALL OF THAT is going on, Lex Luthor is taking advantage of the situation and hatching his own elaborate plan that involves Superman's pal, Jimmy Olsen. Snyder has managed to keep all these parts moving in a very fluid way with each separate component locking into place to tell a pretty grand story.

On the surface, Ascension appears to be Superman's equivalent to The Court of Owls who reside in Gotham. Both villainous organizations were created by Snyder and both deal with the an unknown part of history that is tied directly to the hero. Ascension for Superman and The Court of Owls for Batman. But because The Court of Owls had a longer story arc in the Batman main series, in this mini-series, Ascension was not given that much room to develop and ultimately become a cliche from a Michael Bay Transformers conspiracy plot. Except... you know... Better. But it still doesn't hide the fact they weren't that interesting. Which is fine because the obvious primary opponent of the story is suppose to be Wraith, so they mainly serve as something to allow Superman and Wraith to display their ideologies. But where Snyder may have not much success in creating new characters, despite Wraith being fairly fresh, he does excel even more with the establish characters. Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Lex Luthor are just exactly how casual fans know them to be, and that is a good thing.

A criticism of the New 52 Superman line is the change of Lois Lane and Superman not being romantically linked at all. Everyone knows that the two of them are in love, but in the New 52 they're not remotely interested in each other. But in this story, we see something that has not really been explored that much in the New 52: The moment they realize they might feel something for each other. Not love, but feel. After all, if one is keeping track of the timeline in continuity, Superman is currently in a relationship with Wonder Woman, who does show up in the story. But Snyder makes a smart decision in not showing Superman and Wonder Woman together or acknowledging they're suppose to be a couple at this time. This helps new readers who are expecting a Superman story that has Lois potentially discovering that she feels something for Superman. It is a nice way of having these two being there for each other, but also for New 52 readers to feel some relief that finally the core relationship between the two characters is definitely going to happen soon.

Lex Luthor is also what people would expect from a casual fan of Superman. In this one he dresses like the business man mainstream Superman fans know, but his execution is definitely more in line with his classical mad scientist personality from the old comics. Snyder obviously loves the classics because this story is filled with them, so it really should be no surprise that his Luthor is a classic take on the character. He talks in long speeches, the way a classic comic book villain would, except when he does give his speech it is after he has done something or when he is in prison. But because we are dealing with the modern age, Snyder does let Luthor keep the business suit. However there is no denying that this Lex Luthor is a throwback to the original mad scientist. Yet Snyder refines him with a very philosophical edge. One can almost say that he is the exact same Lex Luthor from the legendary All-Star Superman storyline, which is by no means a bad thing. At first he may seem out of place, especially since his sub plot mainly involves Jimmy Olsen, but when it does come together at the end, he fits in quite nicely.

Overall Impressions

If you didn't read all that and just wanted to know what I thought about this 9 issue series, then the answer is simple: It's good. This is a good comic for the average comic book reader and casual Superman fan. Old school Superman fans who have been angry with the New 52 should give this book a chance as it is a standalone story that offers nice throwbacks to the old school Superman comics with a very modern story. Wraith is a great new anti-villain who I can picture coming back as an anti-hero character, and a welcoming addition into Superman's rogues gallery. It isn't the greatest Superman story of all time, but compared to everything the New 52 has been doing with Superman, it is the best Superman story of the New 52 era. I highly recommend this book. Even though the ending is the only predictable part of the story, it is a throwback to classic comics with a modern twist. And in those classics, you know the hero is going to win. Which is fine for a story involving Superman.

Superman Unchained is now available in DELUXE HARDCOVER EDITION, which is the only way this comic should be read. Check out the cover down here.

Flash - 1x02 Fastest Man Alive - Review

Positive Energy is the best fuel

Shortly after embracing himself as "The Flash," Barry soon discovers that his powers may come with a setback. While this is going on, Detective Joe West questions whether or not having Barry act as a vigilante is a good thing for the city. That thought couldn't have been settled sooner as a new metahuman makes his presence known to Central City.

The main thrust of this episode focuses on the relationship between Barry and Joe, his surrogate father. While I'm not surprised that the "you're not my father," story was going to happen, I did not expect it to be this soon. But given the situation, it makes sense. Joe has continually tried to influence Barry to be a positive role model, while at the same time keeping his actions within the restraints of the law. The thing is, since Barry has gained his powers he feels he can help people. And since he knows how the law works, he doesn't feel he is breaking the law. It really does boil down to an interesting dynamic of who is right and who is wrong. Both of them give good arguments, with Joe's being the strongest in that just because Barry is fast doesn't mean he can stay fast. 

As this episode was so generous to point out, Barry's powers are not infinite. Caitlin and Dr. Wells make it clear to Barry that all of his energy to run fast has to come from somewhere. Which is where science comes in. Now it should be no surprise that he requires a ridiculous amount of food in order to keep running, which is why he has the tendency of crashing in this episode. It was good that the showrunners and writers point out immediately that he is not invincible, because it would pretty much take the drama out of him being in tight situations. This allows for some extra character interactions with the S.T.A.R. labs team, particularly Caitlin and Dr. Wells. Caitlin is extremely against Barry doing extracurricular activities out of fear that something can go wrong, whereas Dr. Wells seems to be more about allowing him to do what he does as long as he knows his limits. Cisco on the other hand just loves the idea of Barry being a Superhero. And the city definitely needs one.

Enter Multiplex, a metahuman who has the ability to make exact copies of himself. This way he is able to rob people in an extremely efficient manner. He proves to be a formidable opponent, especially one who is capable of taking on The Flash. While his backstory is definitely a sympathetic one, he really serves as the first test to Barry's limits, as well as the limits of the police force. Because only with him are Barry and Detective Joe able to come to terms with needing each other, not just as family but as protectors of the law. If anything it helps point out the weakness of both these characters. Barry may possess a lot of optimism, but if people begin to doubt him, that doubt may cause him to lose grasp of that optimism. Joe on the other hand is over protective of Barry and is afraid of letting him get hurt, especially now that he has these powers that could bring Barry into more danger. In the end, it is the mutual trust that they have with each other that keeps Barry going. And that is really the only power source he needs. Well, that and the modified protein bars that Cisco made for Barry.

Despite all these trappings of the usual testing the limits and questioning of family, it is still a solid episode that continues to be a blast of fun. It really is akin to the feeling of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films. And that is not a bad thing. Though it would be nice if we get a little bit more of the mystery surrounding Dr. Wells. That is, if he is really Dr. Wells. Hopefully more answers will come soon. But till then, at least we'll be entertained along the way.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - An entertaining romp that takes care of establishing Barry's weakness

STATUS: Continue to Watch - Probably the most entertaining superhero show ever

Review of Previous Episode - CLICK HERE

Gotham - 1x04 Arkham - Review

And the war continues to escalate

As members of Falcone's and Maroni's political branches are being taken down by an assassin, Cobblepot makes his return known to Jim Gordon. Elsewhere, Fish Mooney has a talent search for a new, "weapon."

This episode once again revolves around another staple of Gotham City: the Arkham District. There is a political struggle over what to do about the district and the asylum that will one day become an important part to the myth that is Gotham. And that struggle is between reigning kingpin Carmine Falcone and his rival to the throne, Salvatore Maroni. I'm not quite sure about the details for The Arkham Plan or the major politics behind it. Probably because I didn't really care. Which is really starting to become a major recurring theme coming with the case of the week stories. But there is someone who does care about what is happening to Arkham and how it effects the oncoming war between the two bosses: Oswald Cobblepot.

Robin Lord Taylor is definitely the standout of this series. As much as I enjoy watching Ben McKenzie and Donal Logue as Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock, I can't help but feel a lot more excited when Taylor's Oswald Cobblepot is onscreen. It speaks volumes if the most interesting character in the series and probably the most interesting overarching plot of the series revolves around a minor character and a minor sub plot. That is how good this guy is and I can only hope that this series goes to continue to show off his talents and grow his character. It is strange that out of all the Batman villains this show has hinted or shown, he is the one who is the most fascinating. It is probably because we are intrigued by how this character eventually becomes The Penguin. In here we see his character grow in ways that we know will lead him to become the notorious Batman villain he will be. At the beginning of the episode he is just a lowly worker at Maroni's restaurant, but by the end of the episode he becomes the restaurant's manager through a brilliant display of manipulation he planned. If anything, he is the primary reason to keep watching the series. Which is saying something considering I'm talking about him first rather than the main plot of the episode.

And that main plot involves the two people who are suppose to be our heroes: Gordon and Bullock. I keep wondering why is it that as of lately I'm not really that invested in what's going on with them? I remember in the Pilot they were these two extremely fascinating characters who are forced to work together. That was great television! But then for some reason it just seem a little bit repetitive with them fighting over the same thing. And while it seems unfair to complain about repetitiveness in a procedural show when Sleepy Hollow has an almost repetitive nature between their two leads, at least Sleepy Hollow benefits by having a really off the wall character like Ichabod against a really sassy yet grounded character like Abbie. In here you have the makings of a great relationship between good cop and crooked cop. THERE IS A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THAT! Yet for some reason they both seem to be stuck in this repetitive nature that really started to show itself in the previous episode. At least in episode 2 there was some sign of character development, and it was very little. Yet that very little shows that having a some type of character development can hide the repetitive nature that is all the episodes.

That doesn't mean there is no character development in the show. It just comes off as almost annoying or not needed right now. And that character development for Jim falls into the hands of his soon to be wife, Barbara. In this episode she starts questioning Jim about Oswald, to which Jim quickly puts the pieces together that Montoya has been planting seeds of doubt into Barbara. At that moment, Barbara lets it out of the bag that the was a lesbian before she met Jim and that Montoya was her girlfriend. This was a revelation that the audience knew could not stay hidden for long, but at the same time it felt like something that should've been addressed in the last episode. It really is about the question of trust in their relationship. The fact that it is falling apart so soon when the audience have yet to see any good from it, really makes this fallout to be as powerful as it should be. You will feel sorry for both of them, but it is the way that friends would feel sorry for one another when something bad happens just because friendship obligates them to feel sorry. It could've made for a great development moment for these two, especially for Erin Richards' Barbara. But in the end it really seems to not matter in the grand scheme of things.

There is a minor subplot that has been speckled throughout the episode involving Fish Mooney. She's been having girls audition to be singers for her night club, but she seems to be looking for someone who can be more than just a singer. Mooney asks both singers to try and seduce her if they want the job. One who is obviously the more talented singer does not seem to possess the powers of seduction, while the other is not a fairly talented singer yet has the right stuff. While the answer as to who Mooney should hire is pretty obvious, she does the most Gotham thing to do when it comes to making big decisions. Have the two girls fight each other until one is left standing. And in the end the one that is left standing, is the one the audience knew was going to be her pick no matter what. Was this just a ploy to see if Mooney's pick is really willing to go the distance? Or is it because this is Gotham City, every decision made has to be done in the most cruel way possible. The subplot doesn't really reveal why is it so important for Mooney to have this girl in the war between Falcone and Maroni, but I can only assume it has something to do with her using the girl as a honey trap. If you don't know what that means, it involves sex and murder. 

This is another by the numbers episode with a fantastic story in the form of the Cobblepot plot. I really hope that this show regains the awesomeness of its two leads that was shown in the first episode, because if the writers can accomplish that, then this show will be incredible. But for now it seems to be Cobblepot is running Gotham, the show, while trying to run Gotham, the city.

SCORE: 7/10 - That 7 belongs to the Cobblepot plot and the brutal American Idol bit

STATUS: May continue to watch - I went over my 3 episode hump, but it seems this show may lose me eventually

Review of Previous Episode - Click here

The Flash - 1x01 Pilot - Review

"Run, Barry, RUN!"

I can't believe that was an actual line in this show.

After a freak accident in Central City's S.T.A.R. Labs causes unknown elements to explode onto the Earth, Barry Allen gets struck by lightning generated by these mysterious elements. And in the process, discovers that he has been changed in ways that he could never possibly imagine. But he is not the only one. In fact, someone from his past may also have been created by this power. But this is just the first step in his journey in becoming The Scarlet Speedster: THE FLASH!

Having been a huge fan of Arrow, I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of this new show. When Grant Gustin makes his first appearance in Arrow, for some reason I had a really huge smile on my face. He's an honest guy, and has a lot of trouble getting to places on time. While that does seem like hitting the point that he's too slow a little bit too much, there is something charming about how Gustin plays it. He probably knows it is cliche, but he sells it with this lovable charm. Which is exactly what The Flash needs.

The episode starts off by showing us a little about Barry's past with the murder of his mother and his father being accused of her murder. As comic book fans know, this is a defining moment in Barry's life as it is what made him want to join the police force. But unlike Batman who becomes a menacing and disturbed person, Barry grows up to be the complete opposite. Which is what makes him a fascinating character as he pretty much had a really traumatic moment in his life that indirectly leads him to become a superhero, but it didn't turn him to the dark side like Bruce Wayne. In fact, he can almost be viewed as a more optimistic Batman, but with superpowers. The comparison really comes from the fact that he's actually a pretty good detective stuck as a Forensics Scientist. His way of deducing things is akin to the way Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes does in the show, Sherlock. While it is an obvious rip off from that show, it is used well here in order to sell the point that he is really smart, if only he was a little more focused.

What is also established at the beginning is his relationship with the West family. Detective Joe West played by Jesse L. Martin acts as Barry's surrogate father as well as his boss at the prescient. Their relationship is pretty much one you would expect. He's the caring father figure who can be stern at times, especially since he is doubling as Barry's boss. It is a nice cliche relationship that will hopefully develop more in the future. But then of course there is Joe's daughter, Iris West played by Candice Patton. So far all that is known about her character is that she's been best friends with Barry since they were children, with their relationship being almost brother and sister like after Barry moved in with them. But as comic fans all know, Barry wants to be more than just a friend with Iris. It is made painfully obvious here, and as always in these shows and comic based properties,  she just wants to stay friends.

Now that all of that backstory is established in the first few minutes, we get the big moment when a freak accident at S.T.A.R. labs goes horribly wrong, resulting into Barry getting struck by lightning. Luckily for us, when Barry wakes up, he's already out of his coma. And from here we are properly introduced to characters that fans of Arrow have seen before and a character who was briefly introduced at the start of the show. They are Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh), Caitlin Snow (Danielle Panabaker) and Cisco Roman (Carlos Valdes). The trio of scientists are pretty much all that remains of the Central City S.T.A.R. Labs research team.  Dr. Wells is now confined to wheelchair after surviving the accident. As far we know, he has no powers...yet. Comic book fans will recognize the names Snow and Cisco as character who will get superpowers eventually. When that will happen, I hope not in this season. Given how the writers of Arrow have been good about making characters their comic book counterparts at the right moment, I have faith that we will see some good development for these characters before they get any powers. But till then, they have to help Barry learn the limits of his powers, as well as provide him with a really cool suit that won't burn off when he runs.

But given that this is the first episode of a superhero show, there has to be a villain. And the one that this show gets to show off is the Weather Wizard. Having this character as your big opener and a character like the Flash as your star, this Pilot was designed for the sole purpose of showing off what can be done on TV. And it is amazing. While it is obviously not as refined as the effects you'd see in feature length films, this is some incredible work. When Weather Wizard unleashes his tornado and thunder powers against The Flash, it really is an amazing feat on TV. It is amazing that we are now living in an age that TV can compete with movies, especially in the effects department. This really was a great way of showing off, despite the fact that Weather Wizard was just the villain of the week without any character development at all. He is just an excuse to see The Flash in action very early on, and it is perfectly acceptable for The Pilot.

Speaking of villains, there is one character introduced in the show who may or may not be one of the legendary villains from The Flash lore. That character is Detective Eddie Thawne played by Rick Cosnett. So far in the show he is referred to as "Detective Pretty Boy" and became Iris's boyfriend while Barry was in a coma. As of right now there seems to be hints of slight antagonism between him and Barry, but it really isn't flushed out a lot here. What is interesting to Flash comic book fans is that the name Eddie Thawne is obviously a reference to Eobard Thawne who is better known as Professor Zoom, the Flash's archnemesis. However, Zoom, or otherwise referred to as Reverse Flash, is a being from the future while the show's Eddie Thawne is definitely a man of the present.... or is he? Given the nature of how the producers made a few twists to the lore in Arrow, I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of twists are in store for comic fans expectations of Thawne. It is always good to keep the fans guessing and not make them think they have the answer to everything.

To wrap up my thoughts on all of this craziness and constant grinning I had while watching, I'll have to say it is a good yet cliche start. This pilot is filled with not just the standard CW drama or superhero cliches, but also with cliches that are always found in pilots. Everything is set up, and with no character development, but rather introduction. There is some character development, but that is usually just for the main character and not everyone else. And while I did enjoy all of these cliches as they are handled really well, the one thing that really sold me is the moment I have pictured here. It is a conversation between Barry and his father Henry Allen played by none other than the original Flash himself, John Wesley Shipp. It was a nice moment and great way to have an emotional close for Barry's arc. It is moments like these that will keep people coming back for more and hopefully not just for the rad effects.

There's a lot of promise here, but unlike Gotham (which is pretty entertaining) I have full faith that this show will fully deliver sooner than later.

SCORE: 8.7/10 - A highly entertaining positive superhero show, despite the cliches
STATUS: Continue to Watch - Yup, I'm already hoping for a good first season!

Review of Next Episode - Click Here

Gotham - 1x03 The Balloonman - Review

The vigilante rises

Or rather the vigilante's victims rise. When the corrupt of Gotham City are tied to weather balloons and doomed to float in the air till they eventually fall back to Earth, Gordon and Bullock are put on the case. And while the city continues to change in the coming war, Oswald Cobblepot continues to work his way up the food chain.

Already? This series is going to be dealing with vigilante justice already? Um. Okay. It is a strange form of vigilante justice. The villain of this week is a vigilante dubbed, The Balloonman. From the synopsis, it should be pretty easy why he's given that name. What is interesting is how he's pretty much the big reference of this episode. By reference I mean he dresses up like two characters from superhero lore. One of them being the most obvious for Batman fans, a Prof. Pyg reference. The Balloonman's first appearance was as the insane pig masked villain, which was meant to throw fans off as to who he is. His second appearance however was a direct reference to The Shadow, aka one of the inspirations for Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the creators of Batman. This one signals that he is definitely a vigilante and may actually be fighting on the right side. This visual character development was both simple and was used to put references in a show that seems to be full of references from the first two episodes. It was definitely a more subtle reference rather than the in your face ones for the casual Batman fans.

But this episode also solidifies to Gordon that the police know what their priorities are: if bad things happen to scum, don't act; if bad things happen to police officers, unleash hell. That was a mentality that has been hinted at in the previous two episodes, but in here it is shown in full force. Gordon is starting to realize that if anything is going to get done at the speed it is suppose to, it means that a cop has to die. That is the sad truth. And while it may be the truth, we do get some more of that awesome Gordon and Bullock buddy scenes. We get some insight on how exactly Bullock goes about getting his information. Which mainly involves beating the crap out of guys and hitting on hookers. Which in Gotham, it does seem like the only effective way of doing things. However, it is starting to seem a little bit formulaic. Don't get me wrong, procedural cop dramas are always formulaic yet still compelling. But given that this show is trying to be an overarching narrative while being a procedural at the same time, it has to find a way to hide its procedural nature. Arrow, Sleepy Hollow, and Hannibal have mastered this, but this episode seems to be the first crack of that illusion of not being procedural. And it is a shame that it has to be when Gordon and Bullock are doing their thing. They really are great to watch, but looking back it almost seems predictable. They'll fight about philosophy, they'll do things one way, they'll get attacked, they'll find the one clue that matters. I hope that's not what happens.

But what seems to be hiding the cracks of being the procedural is the subplot that actually seems to have a continuous narrative in each episode. And that is the evolution of Robin Lord Taylor's Oswald Cobblepot. He is fast becoming the star of the show. I can almost imagine the only reason why some casual fans are still watching the show are because they're actually fascinated to see how this young man will become the Penguin. Taylor is definitely going to go down as the standout actor of this series once the season finale comes. Mostly because he is the only one who seems to be forwarding his own plot. The show is obviously trying to make the murder of the Waynes the overarching story arc of season one, but given how the only mention of the murder was a small bit involving Gordon and Selina Kyle, it seems the writers haven't quite mastered making it really matter. But that is mainly because Gordon and Bullock are locked into going through the procedural plot, while Cobblepot is free to do his plot without the restraint of the procedural. His actions in this episode actually puts him closer to power because he's working at the favored restaurant of Salvatore Maroni. Batman fans will know that Maroni is Gotham Kingpin Carmine Falcone's nemesis and only rival. Cobblepot makes it clear to Maroni that he is smart enough to know what is going on, and Maroni admires that. It'll be interesting how this all plays out.

And then of course we got two more subplots that are kind of interesting but seem out of place. The first one involving Renee Montoya and Cripus Allen of Major Crimes Unit. What makes their subplot interesting is that like Cobblepot, they are not restrained to the procedural nature of the show. But what they are restrained to is the disappearance of Cobblepot. And unfortunately, that is becoming predictable as well. Allen and Montoya will find clues that connects Gordon to Cobblepot disappearance which will then lead to Montoya trying to have a lesbian moment with Barbara Keane, Gordon's fiancé. While it is predictable, it can't be denied that the interaction between Montoya and Barbara is definitely interesting and well done. I just hope there is more to it than them being former lesbian lovers. 

The final subplot of this episode is probably one that is not really needed. The Bruce and Alfred subplot. Unlike the other subplots, they don't seem to be involved with the main plot or the main narrative of the show. The story in Wayne Manor appears to be existing in this realm of. "he's going to be Batman." Which was not obvious in the pilot, and was more forward in the second. But this one seems to be really pushing it by showing Bruce's fascination with the Balloonman and pictures of his parents' murder. It suffers from a different kind of restraint. We've seen Bruce Wayne become Batman. So really, the plot of young boy Bruce Wayne does not seem to be compelling. But what I do commend is that Gordon does not give Bruce a pep talk in this episode. Smart move.

All in all, this is still an interesting and entertaining episode. But at the same time it seems to be very procedural. However it is definitely a lot better than what is going on in The Strain but seems to fail doing what Sleepy Hollow excels at. Embracing the craziness. And while this show seems to walk a thine line between gritty and comic booky, they have to decide which one should it fully embrace.

SCORE: 7.9/10 - Cobblepot's story is the reason to keep watching

STATUS: Continue to Watch - It has me hooked enough to see the next one

Review of Previous Episode - Click Here 
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Gotham - 1x02 Selina Kyle - Review

Her name is "Cat"

When homeless children are being abducted by a pair of eccentric kidnappers, Gordon and Bullock are put on the case.

That is pretty much the basis of this episode. Then what does this have to do with Selina Kyle aka the girl who will become Catwoman? Well, she is one of those homeless children who is being abducted. But unlike the other homeless street kids, she's smart enough to know that when two really cartoonish eccentric people walk up to you and offer you food, they're not to be trusted. Also given her cat like reflexes and extremely efficient parkour skills, she's able to get away. Other than being considered a witness to these crimes, she's not really as important as the story makes it out to be.

This is mainly because of the efficiency of Gordon and Bullock as detectives. The chemistry between Ben MacKenzie and Donal Logue is definitely the anchor of this show. It continues to show their growing partnership as well as their clash of ideologies. This is evident when Gordon is against Bullock beating up a child to get information, but would later allow Bullock to beat up a suspect (with a phone book) repeatedly after discovering the horrifying truth about what happens to the kids. It is really obvious that while they won't get one to fully "see the light" to their point of view, they can't work well without each other. Which again, shows how efficient they are by solving where the two eccentric cartoon villains were getting their drugs from.

But let's talk about those two eccentric cartoon villains for a moment. Doug and Patti played by guest stars Frank Whaley and Lili Taylor are the really cartoonish cohorts of the mysterious Dollmaker. Yup, another Batman reference. At least in this one he's only mentioned in name only and we never see him. But again, back to these two cartoon characters. The reason why I say cartoon is because for some reason they were directed to really ham it up. Their performances were definitely eccentric and delightful... the kind of performance you'd see in a Joel Schumacher Batman movie. Which is strange, because the pilot establishes the show's tone and look as a strange hybrid between the Tim Burton films and the Chris Nolan films. Now, a Schumacher reference is fine as after all it was the Burton films that led to the Schumacher ones, but for some reason their cartoonish villainy seemed a little too far. To give a comparison level of what seems fine about being a cartoon villain in this show is looking at two of the main players.

Fish Mooney played by Jada Pinkett Smith is both a very serious threat while at the same time an obvious cartoon villain. Yet there is something slightly more subdued about her that makes it slightly tolerable while at the same time still reminding you this is a comic book villain. Then of course there is Robin Lord Taylor as Oswald Cobblepot aka the man who will be Penguin. He is definitely a cartoon villain, but again it is subdued. This is a testament to what a scene stealer Robin Lord Taylor is as he is slowly going crazy while at the same time growing more calculating as a criminal mastermind. A glimpse of his mother in this episode also kind of explains where the crazy comes from, which is also a little cartoony, but again not played as cartoony as our guest star villains. When a level of how far cartoon villainy should be taken is already established, all guest villains should adhere to that feeling. We'll see how this goes with other villains that are sure to be on the show, right now it doesn't seem good.

What else is there to talk about? Oh yeah, Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Sean Pertwee portrays an Alfred who seems to have not broken out of his military roots and into the more loving father figure we all know and love. This is shown from how incapable he is at handling Bruce's tendencies to self inflict pain. Alfred seems to be at a lost of how to deal with his new position as a father figure, which means once again Gordon has to step in to be the surrogate father until Alfred can grow to become the surrogate. This might get annoying as the show is better focused on Gordon, Bullock and Cobblepot rather than Bruce and Alfred. But still, as this show is still young there is room to grow.

But what about the title character? Selina Kyle? I did state that she's not that important. Well, she's not important to the plot of this episode, but she does make herself important to the overarching plot of this season which is the murder of the Waynes. Camren Bicondova shows herself as a competent actress as she excels with playing someone who will definitely turn into the seductive cat burglar fans love. Particularly a key scene in which she deals with one of the kidnappers that shows just how vicious she really is. It is a shame that she doesn't really become important till the end of the episode, but with what she has shown, she is definitely worthy of being called Selina Kyle. It's just unfortunate that for an episode bearing the character's name, didn't seem to serve her to her full potential. We shall see how this all plays out.

SCORE: 7.5/10 - It is not a bad episode, still entertaining, just poorly constructed
STATUS: Continue to Watch - There is still a lot of potential

Review of Previous Episode - CLICK HERE
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Gotham - 1x01 Pilot - Review

Everyone Begins

That can pretty much sum up this first episode of FOX's new series, GOTHAM. After Thomas and Martha Wayne are murdered in front of their son Bruce (David Mazouz), Detective Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) and his new partner Jim Gordon (Ben MacKenzie) go on the hunt for the killer.

The average fan of Batman knows where this event will lead. The death of Bruce Wayne's parents is the pivotal moment that will change the course of Gotham's destiny. It is kind of fitting that we begin this series with that murder. Yet at the same time... I could've done without it. The murder of Bruce's parents has been filmed in far more effective ways in Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher's Batman movies as these strange vivid memories while Christopher Nolan showed us the real hard hitting drama in Batman Begins. However this show failed to do what the others did: make us care about their deaths. Thought arguably it is a more realistic approach of how a murder would go down, because of what has come before, it comes off as an unfitting intro into this world. Sure we've seen it lots of times, but each time has been different. This one didn't.

But then again, Bruce is not the main character of this story. New Detective Jim Gordon is. And he is not exactly a well liked new arrival in Gotham PD. Ben MacKenzie has huge shoes to fill taking on the iconic role, but this is a world he's familiar with. First of all, he was a police officer in the gritty and fantastic show Southland. So he knows how to be a police officer, especially one who has just been promoted to detective. And he was also the voice of Batman in the animated movie, Batman: Year One. So he knows Gotham and he knows that he's now entered the world a second time. And as of right now, he delivers on convincing us this is the man who will become the future Commissioner of Gotham. His performance was strong and it shows from the internal conflict boiling inside him. But he is nothing compared to his partner.

Donal Logue takes on the role of Harvey Bullock, a fan favorite from the comics and animated shows who has never been brought to the live action medium. Expectations for him were not as high as Ben's performance as Gordon, but that doesn't mean he won't deliver. There is a pressure of playing someone who has never been portrayed in a live action format before, and Logue has even stated how honored it is to be the first. And he made sure that if anyone was to follow him in the future, he's going to give them a hard time doing so. Logue is the standout of this show. The scenes with Bullock are intense and blurs the lines between right and wrong. He's the perfect foil for Gordon, as he is not afraid of doing what has to be done. He even berates Gordon for not killing a prisoner who threatened a cop. This man is dirty, but that doesn't mean he's completely corrupt. There is still a good man there, it's just hard to find.

These two are tasked with finding out who killed the Waynes, a case that Bullock did not want to take. Unfortunately for him, Gordon drags him into accepting the case. The fact that Bullock is afraid of dealing with the death of the Waynes shows that he knows things. Like what to avoid and who to talk to. Like Fish Mooney, a new character played by Jada Pinkett Smith. When we first meet her, she comes off as a cliched comic book villain, but as the show progresses that comic book nature begins to subdue for something more subtle and cunning. She apparently had information involving the murder of the Waynes, which helps Bullock and Gordon find the killer. But as this is Gotham, nothing can be solved that easily.

One of the main concerns that people had about this show was the cramming of so many Batman villains into one episode. I should say this right now that the only one who really gets the spotlight in this episode is Oswald Cobblepot, The Penguin, played brilliantly by Robin Lord Taylor. If it wasn't for Logue's performance as Bullock, Taylor would be the standout as Cobblepot. That shouldn't diminish the fact that he does an excellent job as the small fry who dreams of big things. Then of course there is a non speaking appearance of Selina Kyle played Carmen Bicondova. She's only in the intro and the end of the episode as she serves as an unknown witness to the murder of the Waynes. That's all she does, but Bicondova has the cat qualities down to a tee. There is also a small appearance by the girl who would become Poison Ivy, but it was a small one. But probably the smallest cameo of a comic book character, yet the most memorable, was of Edward Nigma played by Cory Michael Smith. If he can make an impression with just one scene, how much more if we get a lot more of him? Time will tell.

Other players are introduced in this episode, such as Barbara Keane played by Erin Richards and Renee Montoya played by Victoria Cartagena. If there is something I have to say about Barbara, aka future Mrs. Gordon, is that she momentarily took me out of the show. Her actress, Richards, is extremely stunningly beautiful. Almost too beautiful and looks almost too young for MacKenzie's Gordon. I know this is suppose to be the younger years of these comic book icons, but something about Barbara being way too beautiful and sexy irked me. Its weird that I'm complaining about someone being too sexy, but that's a compliment to Erin Richards who does great with her role. I just never imagined the role to belong to someone as beautiful as her. 

All in all, this was an introductory episode for not only the character but the way the city operates. All comic book characters were handled nicely and given the amount of time that is needed for them in this episode. So no it wasn't cramped, and its a good thing it can juggle so many to feel like a true ensemble. But this is the story of Gordon and Bullock. Gordon sees now that nothing is easy and that everything in the city is filled with lies. While we see he is a man who genuinely wants to change the city, we also know that he won't be able to do so. But his mission to change it will definitely influence one person: Bruce Wayne.

SCORE: 8.5/10 - A weak start with a masterful finish that makes the whole episode great

STATUS: Two Episode Countdown - If I can like the first three episodes, then this show is in good hands