Batman: The Killing Joke

Batman: The Killing Joke somehow does the source material justice and changes it in horrific ways to both please and anger any fans of Alan Moore's graphic novel.

Now before I begin, I have to say that this movie is based on a graphic novel that is almost 30 years old, so my review will have minor spoilers. Most of the spoilers are from the source material and a very few of them are scenes and plot points that were added specifically for the movie. That being said, everything I'll say in my review I had already heard before going into the movie myself and it did not decrease my overall enjoyment of the movie. So even though there will be minor spoilers, it does not ruin the movie at all.

The Good:

Honoring the source material. This is hands down the best part of The Killing Joke. The first half of the movie is basically a prequel of events that leads to The Killing Joke. Now while I enjoyed this added material, it is nothing compared to the storyline that is featured during the last half of the movie. Once Batman walks into Arkham Asylum to talk to the Joker, the movie kicks into another gear and really becomes what every fan wanted to see. So regardless of what anyone says about the first half, the second half is a perfect adaptation of Alan Moore's critically acclaimed work and does it complete justice.

The amazing voice acting. I feel this was already going to be obvious because any time Kevin Conroy plays Batman or Mark Hamill plays The Joker it is always going to be voice acting perfection. And this time is no different.

The action. This is one part where the animation really shines. Throughout The Killing Joke there are multiple moments where Batman and Batgirl beat the crap out of bad guys, and every fight scene is expertly choreographed and even better drawn. It captures perfectly how Batman and Batgirl would fight.

The Ehh:

The animation. When the trailer was first released, one of the biggest criticisms was the stiff, slow animation. Now, while it is better than the trailer lets on, there are definitely moments where the animation isn't the best.

The ending. I'm going to be honest and say that I first read Batman: The Killing Joke earlier this year. I have since read it a total of 3 times, but I definitely would not call myself an expert on the graphic novel, but each time I read the story I felt that the ending was weird, abrupt, and completely out of place. Now, I'm not saying it is bad, just that I feel it could have been different and closed the story out a little neater. If you are fan of the graphic novel's ending, there's no need to fear, it wasn't changed a bit. In the movie adaptation The Joker tells his joke, the music cuts out, and Batman reacts exactly like he does in the source material. During this moment all you hear is laughing and rain, the camera zooms out, fades to black, the laughing dims, the credits begin, and all you can hear is rain hitting the ground. There is no music, no flourish, simply the sound of rain. I was in a theater with almost every seat filled and there was barely a sound that could be heard. And while that could have been out of awe, I feel it was more because of confusion and awkwardness. It was kind of a little disappointing than the typical big Batman ending we have become accustomed to.

The Ugh-ly:

The Romance. When early reports were coming out regarding the relationship between Batman and Batgirl, many fans were angry and appalled. Now, while I personally don't mind the direction they took their story, I do feel that if something like that was going to be added that it should be for a good reason and carry weight for the characters. Unfortunately, the entire romance plotline maybe encompasses 5 minutes of the story and doesn't add to Batman's motivation. So even without the romance, Batman would have reacted exactly the same. So although I'm not personally offended by the additional relationship, it definitely didn't add anything to the story and should have been left out.

Recommendation:

Overall, Batman: The Killing Joke is a worthy adaptation of Alan Moore's acclaimed graphic novel that will please most fans. The few things that aren't great about the movie can easily be overlooked and eventually forgotten. Since Batman: The Killing Joke was only in theaters for a single day and is currently only available for streaming download or Blu-Ray purchase I feel this requires a more atypical grading system. So since Batman: The Killing Joke does enough to please hardcore fans while also angering them, I say it is solid...

B+

So that's what I thought of Batman: The Killing Joke, what did you think? And what other Batman story line would you love to see adapted by WB animation? Leave your comments below, check out my YouTube channel "Unpopped Review," and remember to always keep it unpopped!

Open Your Mind: Preparing for Doctor Strange

There are still a few months till Doctor Strange in November. With that comes time to prepare for its release by learning more about the deep history of the character.

My Comic History:

I'm going to be completely honest; I am relatively new when it comes to comics. I was prompted to finally pick up a comic in 2015 in preparation for Captain America: Civil War. I devoured the entire Civil War story line from 2006 (about 100 individual comics). Although Captain America: Civil War was completely different from the comic it was based on, I can honestly say that my enjoyment was greatly enhanced after reading the comic.

After reading Civil War I began to dive even deeper into Marvel. Next on my list was to prepare for Ant-Man since I knew nothing about the character. I figured there was no better place to start than the beginning, so I read Hank Pym's story Tales to Astonish #27 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, then jumped to #35 where Ant-Man makes his official debut and read all the way to #49 when he becomes Giant-Man. Then when Ant-Man came out I couldn't have been happier with how the character turned out.

So although I've only been reading comics for a short time, the ones that I have read allow me to learn more about the characters and have a greater appreciation for how they are portrayed on screen.

How to Read These Comics:

Marvel Unlimited

One tool that helped me dive into the extensive Marvel library--while still saving money--was subscribing to Marvel Unlimited. Marvel Unlimited has an extensive catalog going all the way back to Marvel's creation. There are holes in many of the old stories, but overall it has any and all essential readings. Marvel Unlimited usually offers a month trial and then subscriptions can be paid monthly or yearly. The biggest downside is that new comics don't come onto Marvel Unlimited until 6 months after its print debut, but if you don't mind waiting 6 months for a comic, this is a perfect choice.

Comixology

Comixology is my other go-to app that offers digital comic books. You have to pay per issue, but depending on how much issue is, and how much you want to read, this could be an easy choice. Additionally, if the comic is newer (within past 6 months) this is the only digital way to get it.

What I'd Recommend:

Now although my comic knowledge is limited, I have read a good amount of Doctor Strange and I think that I can offer a quick glimpse into some of the best reading in order to understand the character.

Strange Tales #110-115 

Credits: Stan Lee (W), Steve Ditko (A)

Year: 1963 

Best Source: Marvel Unlimited

Note: #110-114 is covered as a Human Torch story, but the last 5-ish pages of each issue are Doctor Strange with #115 being a fully dedicated Doctor Strange comic.

As I said before, what better place is there to start than at the beginning? These issues are great because it allows you to meet a few of Doctor Strange's top villains and also #115 goes into his origin story as explained by Stan Lee.

One thing to remember is that the '60s were a very different time in comics. The pages tended to be VERY dense with material. It can get wordy at times, but since many of these stories are only 5 pages, it isn't too overwhelming.

Doctor Strange: The Oath #1-5

Credits: Brian K. Vaughn (W), Marcos Martin (A)

Year: 2006

Best Source: Marvel Unlimited or Comixology

Note: This is considered by many to be the best Doctor Strange story.

In The Oath Doctor Strange is wounded and has to work to save himself, his servant Wong, and figure out who would have him killed all before his time runs out.

There is a lot to like about The Oath. We meet the night nurse, we feel that overwhelming care that Doctor Strange has for Wong, and we also learn about many of Doctor Strange's powers.

Strange #1-6

Credits: Straczynski & Barnes (W), Brandon Peterson (A)

Year: 2004

Best Source: Marvel Unlimited or Comixology

Note: One of many retellings of Doctor Strange's origin.

This is an origin story of Doctor Strange, but puts him in the modern day. The story is pretty similar to Strange Tales #115 but does allow a more expansive arc.

What I personally like most about these issues is the art. Many Doctor Strange comics utilize art that is a little difficult to follow to show the bizarre magic side of the Marvel Universe. However, in Strange Peterson uses very crisp and clean art. And while I can see it as a turn off to some people, it was a huge selling point for me.

Doctor Strange #1-5

Credits: Jason Aaron (W), Chris Bachalo (A)

Year: 2015

Best Source: Comixology

Note: This is Doctor Strange's current comic run. (Be careful, there is a 2009 run with the same name)

What can I say about this most current run of Doctor Strange besides the fact that I absolutely love it? Because of my access to Marvel Unlimited, there are very few comics from Marvel that I actively buy, however this is one that I rush to read every month. 

The story is great and the art is fantastic, but one thing that I love about it is that Jason Aaron has introduced a new concept into Doctor Strange that I don't think has ever been done before--every time Doctor Strange uses a spell it comes with a price. That price usually manifests itself as a sickness. So he spends many of the issues battling an inter-dimensional being while trying to hold back fainting and vomit. While it may sound disgusting, it adds another level to Doctor Strange that hasn't been tackled in the past.

Conclusion:

Although each and every one of these runs are fantastic and there are many more out there that are definitely worth your time, if I were to pick only two for you to read, it would be Strange #1-6 from 2004 and Doctor Strange #1-5 from 2015. These two will give you a perfect understanding of who Doctor Strange is and what we can expect to see from the movie coming out in November.

So those are some of my favorite Doctor Strange comics, do you have any favorites? And what other comic characters would you like some recommendations for? Leave your comments below and remember to always keep it unpopped.

Civil War Aftermath (Video)

With Captain America: Civil War leaving the Avengers in their current state, what can we expect to see from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in phase 3?

To Fix DC Universe, Comic Book Expert, Geoff Johns, Named to Co-Lead DC Films

For a number of years, Kevin Feige has been the executive producer for Marvel Studios and has carefully guided that Marvel Cinematic Universe to what it has become today. Fans have clamored for Warner Bros. to do the same. Fans want someone who understands and loves the characters that can weave an overarching story for the purpose of creating a DC film universe as extensive as Marvel's. Well, Warner Bros. has finally listened as, Geoff Johns, Chief Content Officer of DC, and Jon Berg, a Warner Bros. Vice President, have both been named co-leads of the newly formed DC Films.

What Lead to the Change:

Although Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice made $868.2 Million in theaters, many believed that the tone was completely wrong for the characters and have clamored that Zack Snyder, the director, is wrong for the project.

Zack Snyder

Good news began to come in last week when Ben Affleck was named a producer on Justice League Part 1. It was believed that Warner Bros. have become worried about Zack Snyder's vision for the films and the hope was that Ben Affleck could help guide Zack Snyder into creating a film that pleases both fans and critics.

Ben Affleck as Batman

Who is Geoff Johns:

Geoff Johns is currently the Chief Content Officer of DC Comics. Most of his time currently is overseeing the overall direction of the comics. Although he has done this for a time, he is much more known as being a comic book writer. His most recent works include the 50 issue run on Justice League. In addition to this, he also has written years of experience writing stories on other iconic DC characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, and Superman. Almost every character he touches becomes an instant hit.

Geoff Johns

The only sad news to him becoming a lead on DC Films is that he will have less time to devote to writing comic books.

Why You Should Care:

Everyone has different opinions on Batman v Superman, but one semi-consistent criticism is that Zack Snyder doesn't understand the characters and should not be leading the charge in creating the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Zack Snyder as I've state before (here), is a very visual director, but he lacks the ability to create realistic stories and compelling characters. Geoff Johns, on the other hand, has written these characters for years. He understands how they tick, what people like about them and how to incorporate them into a story. Geoff Johns also has experience in creating small stories that complement a larger overarching story line.

Conclusion:

Although I have always been excited for where the DCEU was going, Zack Snyder's direction was making me increasingly more worried. However, now with Ben Affleck as a producer and Geoff Johns overseeing the entire project, I am not only excited, I'm ecstatic to see what great movies will come out of the DCEU.

How Superhero Movies Can Go On Forever (Video)

Superhero Movies are only beginning to ramp up. What can studios do to keep them relevant in our ever changing society?