Constantine Lead Actor Cast for NBC Show

The Dark Side Of the DC Universe Is One Step Closer to Being Exposed.

You heard me right.  John Constantine has been Cast for the NBC show Constantine.

Welsh Actor Matt Ryan will Play the title role.

The following things going for him.

•      Hails from the British Isles. 
•      Worked on at least one prime time show.
•      He has a body of work that includes movies.

The Two links below tell you more about him, and the announcement about the casting.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Ryan_(actor)#Filmography

http://www.ksitetv.com/news/matt-ryan-cast-as-john-constantine-in-the-dc-comics-tv-adaptation/28821

That is all I have for now on this item.

I am going to go to Netflix and watch one of the Torchwood  Episodes that he is on to see how good of  an Accent he has.

Until next time

Go Forth and Do Well


Shane

Jada Pinket Smith Joins Gotham Show

http://www.newsarama.com/20392-jada-pinkett-smith-cast-in-cw-s-gotham.html


Nice choice.  The show is getting to look very good.

Let's see who else is added.

Suicide Squad soon to be Canceled But gets new Mission

Suicide Squad to get its first TV Mission.

The CW Network announced that the Suicide Squad with get a Guest Shot on Arrow.

When Amanda Waller calls, you listen.

Such is the case in the March 9th Episode of Arrow.  Waller recruits Deadshot, Shrapnel, and The Bronze Tiger to join Diggle on a Suicide Mission.

Check this link for more info on the show.  http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=51024

That is all I have for now.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane

What my Freedom Fighters would look like, if I got to write the title

It is many a fan boy's dream to write a comic about their Favorite Hero.

Mine is to write The Freedom Fighters.

Since I first saw them in the pages of the Justice League, I have longed to write just even one story about that team.

First my team would look like the graph below:

Uncle Sam (The Original)

Black Condor (John Trujillo )

The Ray (Lucien Gates)

The Phantom Lady (Stormy Knight)

The Ray (Ray Terrill)

The Red Bee (Jenna Raleigh)

Doll Man (Lester Colt)

Miss America (Joan Dale)

Invisible Hood (a black female)*

Captain Triumph (the Female Version)

Plastic Man

Max Mercury

Magno (from Uncle Sam and FF)

Unlike Roy Thomas, I would only use the original Quality Comics heroes.

Just for your info, I am providing the list below of heroes and different eras that are eligible for the make up of the team.

I am listing all the time periods in which Quality Heroes have appeared.  Included the Justice League Lady Luck that Geoff Johns announced would be joining the Justice League.

Golden Age Appearances-non DC

711 (Quality Comics)

Black Condor

Blackhawk (DC Comics)

Blue Tracer

Bozo the Iron Man

Captain Triumph

Clock (comics)

Doll Girl

Doll Man

Firebrand (DC Comics)

Human Bomb

Invisible Hood

Jester (Quality Comics)

Kid Eternity

Lady Luck (comics)

Madame Fatal

Magno (Quality Comics)

Manhunter (comics)

Max Mercury

Merlin the Magician (comics)

Midnight (DC Comics)

Miss America (DC Comics)

Miss Fear (comics)

Mouthpiece (comics)

Neon the Unknown

Phantom Lady

Plastic Man

Ray (comics)

Red Bee (comics)

Red Torpedo (Jim Lockhart)

Spider (DC Comics)

Spider Widow

Uncle Sam (comics)

Stormy Foster, The Great Defender

Wildfire (Carol Vance Martin)

Wonder Boy (comics)

JLA 107 1973	All-Star Squadron
Black Condor Richard Grey, Jr. (alias Tom Wright)	Black Condor (Richard Grey, Jr./Thomas Wright)
Doll Man - Darrel Dane	Doll Man (Darrell Dane)
Human Bomb- Roy Lincoln	Firebrand (Rod Reilly)
Phantom Lady -Sandra Knight	Firebrand (Rod Reilly)
Ray -Langford "Happy" Terrill	Firebrand (Danette Reilly)
Uncle Sam	Human Bomb (Roy Lincoln)
	Invisible Hood (Kent Thurston)
	Jester (Chuck Lane)
	Magno (Tom Dalton)
	Manhunter (Dan Richards)
	Midnight (Dave Clark)
	Miss America (Joan Dale-Trevor)
	Neon the Unknown (Tom Corbet)
	Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight)
	Plastic Man (Patrick "Eel" O'Brian)
	Ray (Lanford "Happy" Terrill)
	Red Bee (Rick Raleigh)
	Red Torpedo (Jim Lockhart)
	Uncle Sam

Our Worlds at War	Brave New World
Damage	Doll Man (Lester Colt)
Iron Munro	The Human Bomb (Andy Franklin)
Black Condor (Ryan Kendall)	The Phantom Lady (Stormy Knight)
Phantom Lady (Dee Tyler)	The Ray (Stan Silver)
The Ray (Ray Terrill)	Black Condor (John Trujillo )
Uncle Sam	Uncle Sam
The Human Bomb (Roy Lincoln)	Invisible Hood (Ken Thurston)
	The Red Bee (Jenna Raleigh)
	Miss America (Joan Dale)
	The Ray (Ray Terrill)
	Father Time (Black man )
	The Jester (Charles Lane)
	Magno
	Captain Triumph
	Neon

New 52	New 52-Earth 2
Doll Man (Dane Maxwell)	Red Torpedo (Jim Lockhart)
The Human Bomb (Michael Taylor)	Stormy Foster, The Great Defender
Phantom Lady (Jennifer Knight)
The Ray (Lucien Gates)
Uncle Sam (a black man)

Forever Evil	Justice League-New 52
Plastic Man	Lady Luck

As you can see, DC has tried time and time again to put out a Freedom Fighters team that will have staying power.  I don't think changing the Secret Identity of the heroes is always the way to get new readers.

The exceptions to that rule are John Truillo (Black Condor) and Lucein Gates (The Ray) because they add the diversity that the team sorely needed.  Especially for a team that truly is an American Superhero team.

Well that is all I have to say about that.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane

Freedom Fighters Update

The Freedom Fighters are still not free.

The New 52 has given us just 3 Connected Mini-Series.

So far the membership (as shown in Issue 4 of The Human Bomb) is noted on the chart below:

New 52

Doll Man (Dane Maxwell)

The Human Bomb (Michael Taylor)

Phantom Lady (Jennifer Knight)

The Ray (Lucien Gates)

Uncle Sam (a black man)

As you may know, the secret identities have changed again from the original team that was introduced in 1973 In Justice League of America 107.  That membership is listed Below.

JLA 107 1973

Black Condor Richard Grey, Jr. (alias Tom Wright)

Doll Man - Darrel Dane

Human Bomb- Roy Lincoln

Phantom Lady -Sandra Knight

Ray -Langford "Happy" Terrill

Uncle Sam

I can understand changing The Ray to Lucien Gates because he is an Asian-American. That addition makes the team more diverse. More American than the original team in the 70s.

Plastic Man, who I believe should be in the Freedom Fighters, is the only other Quality hero to get new stories since the 1970s.

I will admit that the All-Star Squadron stories are the one notable exception. But even then, a quality Hero got a new Identity.  That one being Firebrand who was named after Writer Roy Thomas' wife Dananette.

So here is a list of the member in All Star Squadron.  I am not using Hourman in this list because He was and is a DC hero.

All-Star Squadron

Black Condor (Richard Grey, Jr./Thomas Wright)

Doll Man (Darrell Dane)

Firebrand (Rod Reilly)

Firebrand (Rod Reilly)

Firebrand (Danette Reilly)

Human Bomb (Roy Lincoln)

Invisible Hood (Kent Thurston)

Jester (Chuck Lane)

Magno (Tom Dalton)

Manhunter (Dan Richards)

Midnight (Dave Clark)

Miss America (Joan Dale-Trevor)

Neon the Unknown (Tom Corbet)

Phantom Lady (Sandra Knight)

Plastic Man (Patrick "Eel" O'Brian)

Ray (Lanford "Happy" Terrill)

Red Bee (Rick Raleigh)

Red Torpedo (Jim Lockhart)

Uncle Sam

Another opportunity to add diversity to the Team was in 1996 when DC put out a new Firebrand title with Alex Sanchez being the secret Identity.  But he was killed off in JSA Secret Files #2.

Just a recap and to add additional info regarding New 52 appearances of Quality / Freedom Fighters heroes:

New 52	New 52-Earth 2
Doll Man (Dane Maxwell)	Red Torpedo (Jim Lockhart)
The Human Bomb (Michael Taylor)	Stormy Foster, The Great Defender
Phantom Lady (Jennifer Knight)
The Ray (Lucien Gates)
Uncle Sam (a black man)

Forever Evil	Justice League
Plastic Man	Lady Luck

It is nice to see DC putting the heroes out there.  I just wish that more well know bad guys like The Calculator were going up against them.

That is all for this update.

My Next post will be regarding who I think should be on the New 52 Freedom Fighters.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane

DC's Asian Superheroes before and after New 52

The following lists DC Comics Asian Superheroes

Hero Name	Ethnic	Country	New 52
Atom	Chinese	USA	Yes
Grace	Chinese	USA
Claw	Chinese	USA
DragonMage	Chinese	China
Gloss	Chinese	China
Grung	Chinese	USA
Green Lantern -Batman Beyond	Chinese	USA
Lady Shiva	Chinese	Moblie	Yes
Striker Z	Hong Kong	Moblie
Stuff the Chinatown Kid	Chinese	Moblie
Wing	Chinese	USA
Bushido	Japan	Japan
Fuji	Japan	USA	Yes
Doctor Light	Japan	Japan
Katana	Japan	USA	Yes
Mr. Unknown	Japan	Japan
Naid	japan	japan
Rising Sun	Japan	Japan
Samuria	Japan	Japan
Toyman III	Japan	Japan
Ballistic	Korean
Element Woman	Korean	USA	Yes
The Ray (Lucien Gates)	Korean	USA
Third Rail	Korean
Thunderlord	Taiwan	Taiwan
OMAC (Kevin Kho)	Cambodia	USA	Yes
Captain Steel	Filipino	USA Earth 2
Aruna	India	India
Maya	India	India
Rama	India	India
Solstice	India	USA	Yes

Asian Superhero Teams

The Great Ten - China  http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Great_Ten  As far as it seems this Team in the New 52

The Super Young Team- Japan  http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Super_Young_Team  This team hasn't Shown up so far.

That is all I have for now.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane.

DC Super Teams and shy so many of the New 52 Teams have failed

I am writing this not just a blogger reporting a trend at DC in regards to teams.


Note the list below.  These are the Team titles canceled so far.  The ones in black are the ones I had in buy list at my comic shop.

New 52 Teams Canceled

THE MOVEMENT #12

SUICIDE SQUAD #30

STORMWATCH #30

TEEN TITANS #30

Team 7 #8

Justice League International 12

Green Team #8

Legion Lost #8

Legion of Super-Heroes #23

Blackhawks #7

Here are my reasons for not buy the 3 titles in white on this list

1.  The Movement was a cool concept, but I need more than a new concept to drag me to a tile.  Too many new Heroes to learn about. There didn't seem to be a connection to the rest of the DC Universe either.

2.  The New 52 Blackhawks looked more like DC's version of Shield, and less like the Blackhawks of old.

3. The Green Team was a lame title when it appeared in 1st Issue Special in the 1970s.  So wasn't going to buy the title based on my past experience with the original title.

Here are the reasons that readers lost interest in the rest

1. Justice League International.  

   a. The bad guys looked like Marvel Villains.  

   b. No familiar bad guys from the DC Universe

  c. The writer made Omac seem more like Hulk than Kirby's original version of OMAC.  

2. Team 7

 Dito on the A, and B above

I knew too little about these guys and the writers didn't really give me convincing villains.

3. Suicide Squad.

 a.  Just didn't seem to have the same kind of magic it did when Ostrander wrote the book.

 b. Again lots of bad guys I didn't really know.

c. Changing Deadshot's look was a bad idea.

4. Teen Titans and Legion Lost.

N.O.W.H.E.R.E. did noting for the series.  H.I.V.E from the old 52 revamped would have been better.  Again there were lots of bad guys we didn't know and were not convincing enough to want to read them.  Had they not been canceled, I would eventually stop buying the titles.

    

5. Stormwatch.  

They did too many course corrections for me to catch up to the title.  Adding new mainstream DC heroes such as Lobo and The Wierd too late to save the title.

The list below lists the Teams still around as of May 2014 Solicitations.  

Teams left Standing in May 2014

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED #1

JUSTICE LEAGUE #31

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #31

JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 #6

EARTH 2 #23

GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #31

RED LANTERNS #31

AQUAMAN AND THE OTHERS #2

BIRDS OF PREY #31

RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #31

As you can see there is a pattern to what is left.  

Each title has a connection to other titles listed here or in the DC Universe. 

Ponder what I have said.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane.

More on DC May Solicits

May looks very interesting in many ways.

1. For the first time that I can recall, DC has two weekly books.  The last time they had that was Wednesday Funnies, before that was 52.  I think they have got the hang of it now, but we will see.

2. The Movement goes the way of the Green Team, and all of the other books that didn't have much of a past in the DC Universe.  Team books at DC do not do well.  The only two that have had issues over 100 are Justice League of America and The Legion of Super-Heroes.  All other teams have failed to do as well.  The only possible exceptions was New Teen Titans.

3.Aquaman and The Others will be in their second month.  I hope the fan interest will keep this title alive.   I am a fan of the team and the concept.

4. Futures End looks like is a title I want to check out because it is a way for DC to give the fans a more coherent Futurescape.  But time will tell.

The links below are what other people have to say.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane




http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/02/18/so-here-comes-that-dc-earth-vs-earth-war-we-were-talking-about/


http://www.newsarama.com/20355-what-we-learned-from-dc-comics-may-2014-solicitations.html

May DC comics May solicits

Wow it isn't even March yet and DC is putting up the May Solicits

Check out the link below

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=50957

I could have predicted that the Movement wouldn't last long.

Lots of news on the two weeklies.

EARTH 2 SCORE CARD.

Earth 2, the title, keeps adding references.  Some subtle such as Tyler Chemicals in the Background.

Others direct..either by seeing them in person or having another hero mention the person.

As such is the case with Rex Mason..http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Rex_Mason_(New_Earth) Metamorpho being mentioned in the Earth 2 Annual.

Still think it should have been Rex Tyler http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Rex_Tyler_(New_Earth the original Hourman.  Especially since he created the Miracilo pill that the new Batman uses.

Here is the DC Wiki that give you an update as to who has appeared so far.  http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Earth_2


That is all for now

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane

Earth Annual oooops

Why is Rex Mason of Earth 2 (metamorpho of earth 1) giving the new Batman of earth 2 Miraclo ?

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Rex_Mason_(New_Earth)

When it is Rex Tyler who created the pill and becomes Hourman?

http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Rex_Tyler_(New_Earth)

Just a thought.

Native American Heroes at DC

One bone that I have to pick with DC is that have very few Native American heroes on their pages.

The one who comes to a lot of readers minds and featured in the maxi-series 52 is Super-Chief.  The hero wasn't a chief at all.  So in that particular case.. the name was racist.  That is sad because the hero was not presented in a racist light.

Here is wikepida's list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Native_American_superheroes#DC_Comics

Here is my list of favorites:

1. Black Condor
2. Dawnstar
3. Super-Chief (in the 52 maxi.. DC is you bring him back give him a better name)
4. Arak
5. Flying Fox
6. Mirage
7. Owlwoman
8. Manitou Dawn
9. Aztek

Both my list and the one in wikepedia are small compared to the ones for African American ones.

DC, if it wants to be more diverse, has to put more quality native American heroes.

If I am not mistaken one of  The Others, of Aquaman and the Others, is a Native American Girl.

And if DC brings back the Freedom Fighers, I would hope that they keep Black Condor as a Native American.

That is all I have on this subject for now.

Go Forth and Do Well

Shane.

Black Superheroes at DC-Illustrated list

This is a revised re-post with artwork and additional info on each black hero.

Wikepdia's list http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_superheroes#DC_Comics  lists every black hero that has ever appeared in DC comics.

It also lists separately the Milestone imprint which was primarily black superheroes  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_superheroes#Milestone_Media


The following is a list of Black superheroes at DC/Milestone who had or has their own titles Current title holders are in bold type.

I think that would not only keep Icon as a DC name, but to honor the Dwayne McDuffie who created Icon.

Well as you can see from the links listed above, DC and the Milestone imprint have tried to put a lot of new black heroes out there

Here is my list, after looking  at Wikipedia's list I want to present a revised list of favorite black heroes.



Amanda Waller- Suicide Squad

Amazing Man I 

 (Will Everett- ALL STAR SQUADRON)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing-Man_(DC_Comics)

AMAZING MAN 2 

(Will Everett III-JUSTICE LEAGUE and EXTREME JUSTICE 

http://worldofblackheroes.com/2010/08/27/amazing-man-ii-will-everett-iii/

AMAZING MAN 3

Markus Clay-Justice Society of America

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Markus_Clay_(New_Earth)

AQUALAD II (Also AQUAMAN II)

Kaldur'ahm (Jackson Hyde)- Teen Titians / Young Justice

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Jackson_Hyde_(Prime_Earth)

Batwing I

David Zavimbe- Batman Family / Justice League International

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/David_Zavimbe_(Prime_Earth)#Justice_League_International

Batwing II

Lucas Fox-Batman Family

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Lucas_Fox_(Prime_Earth)

Black Lightning 

Jefferson Pierce- Justice League /Outsiders

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Lightning#:~:text=Black%20Lightning%20(Jefferson%20Pierce)%20is,Bronze%20Age%20of%20Comic%20Books.

Black Spider (as a hero)

Eric Needham

https://batman.fandom.com/wiki/Black_Spider_(Eric_Needham)

Bronze Tiger 

Benjamin Turner-Suicide Squad

https://www.writeups.org/bronze-tiger-turner-suicide-squad-dc-comics/

Bumble Bee

Karen Beecher-Teen Titans / Titans / Doom Patrol

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Bumblebee?so=search

Crimson Avenger 

Jill Carlyle-Justice Society / Seven Soldiers of Victory

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Jill_Carlyle_(New_Earth)

Cyborg

Vic Stone- Justice League / Titans

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Victor_Stone_(Prime_Earth)

Dr. Mist

Nommo Balewa

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Doctor_Mist

Firestorm

Jason Rusch

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Jason_Rusch_(New_Earth)

Lighting 

Jennifer Pierce- Justice Society of America

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_(DC_Comics)

Machiste (from  Warlord)

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Machiste_(New_Earth)

Mal Duncan 

AKA The Guardian, Hornblower, The Hearald, VOX

Teen Titans / Titans West / Titans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Duncan

THE GUARDIAN

HORNBLOWER

THE HEARLD

VOX

Manhattan Guardian

Jake Jordan-Seven Soldiers of Victory

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Duncan

Mister Bones  A.K.A: Director Bones

Robert Todd-Infinity Inc. / DEO / Checkmate / Global Peace Agency /Helix.

Mister Terrific ll

Michael Holt-Justice League / Justice Society / The Terrifics / Checkmate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mister_Terrific_(Michael_Holt)

Northwind

Norda Cantrell-Infinity Inc.

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Norda_Cantrell_(New_Earth)

Nubia*

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nubia_(character)

The Spectre 

Crispus Allen

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Crispus_Allen_(New_Earth)

Steel

John Henry Irons-Justice League of America

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/John_Henry_Irons_(New_Earth)

Strix 

Mary Turner-Birds of Prey

https://batman.fandom.com/wiki/Strix

Superman 

Val Zod*

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Val-Zod_(Earth_2)

Tattooed Man

Mark Richards

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Tattooed_Man

Thunder

Anissa Pierce- Outsiders

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Anissa_Pierce_(New_Earth)

Tyroc

Troy Stewart of Marzal-Legoin of Super-Heroes

https://www.cosmicteams.com/legion/profiles/tyroc.html

Vixen

Mari McCabe-Justice League of America

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Mari_McCabe_(Prime_Earth)

XS

Jenni Ognats-Legion of Super Heroes

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XS_(character)

ALMOST FORGOT

Green Lantern

John Stewart-Justice League of America, Green Lantern Corps

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stewart_(character)

Invisible Kid

Jacques Foccart-Legion of Super-Heroes

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/jacques-foccart/4005-26646/

Lightning Lad

Garth Ranzz-Legion of Super-Heroes

https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Lightning_Lad

There you have it.  A revised list of Black Super Heroes at DC.  There may be more, but I added the ones I knew should have been added before.

Continued...

Go Forth do well.

Shane.