Episode 1402 Talkback: Comic Talk

Pants

After we welcome Adam back to the studio with a 'Muddle the Murd' segment, we jump into discussions on 'Beware the Batman', the Eisner Award winners, and 'The Wolverine' movie. (1:13:25)

Listen here.

alienal

A Tilted Kilt Calendar?!? Awesome!
Lance Nix ....Simian...uh-oh....Murd, Murd, Murd....
Awww, poor Murd: Muddled. Oh, well....
Batman TV Show: Hm...I'd like to get that also..
Batman cartoon: Haven't seen it...
Eisner's: Don't have any of that stuff! Except David Aja for Hawkeye...
Okay, I haven't seen The Wolverine yet since strangely enough, it doesn't come to Japan until September (even though it was mostly filmed here). I'll comment on that much later. :-/

fredzilla

So where do we post this "phrase?" 'Cause I can't seem to post it to MHC's wall.

Edit: for some reason I couldn't see it in the mobile app. Hopefully I got it in before everyone they hit 25

Also, I'm proud to say that I have many of the Eisner winners and nominees! Such good comics!

JDick

It's all about the Pittsburgh Pirates this year!
Beware the Batman is pretty good I think.
Does anyone else get like a retro channel that runs old Star Trek and Batman 66 episodes? We get a channel like that...Dr. Sonambulus episode was on over the weekend.

Chuck_Melville

JDick said:

Does anyone else get like a retro channel that runs old Star Trek and Batman 66 episodes?

We get METV in this area, which runs both programs on Saturday nights. I don't watch either as I have Trek on DVD and I don't care for the Batman show... which is up against classic Doctor Who here anyway, making it no contest.

nweathington

@Murd, I'm right there with you on Wrinkle in Time. I really enjoyed the book in 5th grade, but when I went back to it a few years ago, I could barely make it through to the end. Very stilted writing style.

fredzilla

nweathington said:

@Murd, I'm right there with you on Wrinkle in Time. I really enjoyed the book in 5th grade, but when I went back to it a few years ago, I could barely make it through to the end. Very stilted writing style.

Yeah, but the adaptation was marvelous and worth a look.

rebis

I was at the In-laws and fired up On-Demand to watch Beware the Batman.

I fell asleep half way through.
I did see the new take on the Alfred/Bruce relationship. Reminded me of the Inspector Clouseau & Cato bits from the old Pink Panther movies. Not sure how I feel about that.

Anyway, when I woke up I decided to watch season 4 Dr. Who instead. I watched the 2 part "River Song in the Library with a hopped up sonic screwdriver" episodes.

Alex Kingston is hellahot.

abuddah

I just watched the first three eps of Beware the Batman and I'm leaning more towards the mediocre side.

People might be burned out with the classic Batman villains, but they're a key component in the identity of the series. All the great Batman villains reflect a fractured part of Bruce's psyche. I'm sure most remember the classic BTAS episode, Heart of Ice. That episode is average until you hit the mid point where Batman watches Fries' tragic origin. He identifies with the pain and anger in losing a loved one unjustly and mouths "my god". You immediately understand both of the characters and it shows that there's a human with compassion under the cape and cowl.

Beware the Batman might as well be called Beware the Butler. They've spent more time establishing Alfred's backstory and motivations than Bruce's. Where is this Bruce in his career? Why is everyone so interested in him having backup? Was there a injury before? Or a Robin? I understand trying to do something different and out of the box, but if you remove too much of the DNA of a character (see Man of Steel), the final product feel's alien. I'll give it a season, but it's missing the humanity of the Dini/Timm era

AlexanderBenjamin

abuddah said:

I just watched the first three eps of Beware the Batman and I'm leaning more towards the mediocre side.

People might be burned out with the classic Batman villains, but they're a key component in the identity of the series. All the great Batman villains reflect a fractured part of Bruce's psyche. I'm sure most remember the classic BTAS episode, Heart of Ice. That episode is average until you hit the mid point where Batman watches Fries' tragic origin. He identifies with the pain and anger in losing a loved one unjustly and mouths "my god". You immediately understand both of the characters and it shows that there's a human with compassion under the cape and cowl.

Beware the Batman might as well be called Beware the Butler. They've spent more time establishing Alfred's backstory and motivations than Bruce's. Where is this Bruce in his career? Why is everyone so interested in him having backup? Was there a injury before? Or a Robin? I understand trying to do something different and out of the box, but if you remove too much of the DNA of a character (see Man of Steel), the final product feel's alien. I'll give it a season, but it's missing the humanity of the Dini/Timm era

I understand some of you might have reservations on Beware The Batman, However I enjoy the show for what is so far. It skirts the tone of being between the Nolan movies and Brave and The Bold quite well. I am not yet another Batman cartoon would have worked any other way. The focus on the obscure villains is also a stroke of genius on the part of the creators.

shroud68

I heartily endorse using lesser known villains. BTAS relied heavily on the obvious choices and I for one could use one less Joker interpretation. Some of my favorite Bronze age stuff is Batman against the Gentlemen Ghost and Dr Phosphorus.

AlexanderBenjamin

shroud68 said:

I heartily endorse using lesser known villains. BTAS relied heavily on the obvious choices and I for one could use one less Joker interpretation. Some of my favorite Bronze age stuff is Batman against the Gentlemen Ghost and Dr Phosphorus.

I endorse people that agree with me :)

Chuck_Melville

I haven't yet seen the new Batman show -- I don't get Cartoon Network -- but thus far most of the fan reaction I've been seeing has been ranging from strong dislike to horror. I know that some of the descriptions of characters and art design make it sound pretty unappealing to me.

spid

I like the new Batman show. I think Batman should be a better fighter. I know this is supposed to be a young Batman, but he seems to loose every fight.

I agree with the guys I enjoyed The Wolverine. I would have been interested in seeing a more R-Rated version of the film with a bit harder edge. I know they can't, but the story beats were there. I would have liked to a see a scene like the end of Kill Bill Vol. 01, but without the over the top blood spurting of Kill Bill.

wuchmee

Saw "The Wolverine" last night. Very, very good - smart writing decisions throughout, the last half of the third act notwithstanding. With this, the producers have really begun to right the ship; if DoFP does what I'm hoping (story- and acting-wise), then the X franchise will be in great shape. Hugh Jackman brings it, as always. Biggest surprise: Logan and Yukio's chemistry.

There are reports that James Mangold (the director) intends to push for a further-to-R-rating version for the DVD and BD release. Seems there's about 12 minutes of shot footage he wants to insert.

AlexanderBenjamin

wuchmee said:

Saw "The Wolverine" last night. Very, very good - smart writing decisions throughout, the last half of the third act notwithstanding. With this, the producers have really begun to right the ship; if DoFP does what I'm hoping (story- and acting-wise), then the X franchise will be in great shape. Hugh Jackman brings it, as always. Biggest surprise: Logan and Yukio's chemistry.

There are reports that James Mangold (the director) intends to push for a further-to-R-rating version for the DVD and BD release. Seems there's about 12 minutes of shot footage he wants to insert.

Agreed Wolverine did not indeed suck, Better than I would have thought.