How to Make Arrow Great Again

     

     It's no secret that Arrow Season Three was a bit disappointing. It wasn't bad, it's just that compared to the season before it, and even Season One, Season Three had a lot to live up to. While it was entertaining, it played with a whole other side of this CW Universe, we saw some good character development, and we got to see one of the most infamous DC super-villains, it was seriously lacking in believable character interactions, stories, and plot points. So here is how Arrow Season Four can save the series.

Return to Crime Drama

     With the CW-verse playing with superpowers, time-travel, etc. with The Flash and soon, Legends of Tomorrow, it's clear that Arrow simply can't return to the gritty, all dark show it was in Season One. Needless to say, this doesn't mean that they can't go back to being a crime drama. Season Three obviously dealt with crime stories, but it was largely overshadowed by the inevitable battle with the League. Episodes 10, 11, and 12 were some of the best episodes of the season because it wasn't focusing on super-powers or an organization of assassins; it focused on Team Arrow without the Arrow, battling a guy who broke out a bunch of past villains and wanted to take over the Glades.

     Team Arrow solving crimes is so entertaining; between the interactions in the Arrow Cave, going on the streets to get the bad guys, and discover that is it all part of a larger plan was so much fun to watch. Let's return to the streets!

Don't Overuse Superpowers

     Arrow's crossover with The Flash was so amazing, that the creators decided to introduce us to a superpowered villain later in the season with Deathbolt. And it was terrible. I don't even know what he was doing in Starling City in the first place. 

     With The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow, there should be crossovers with these more fantastical characters, but don't throw them in just for the heck of it. Deathbolt seemed to be introduced just to slow down the League of Assassins story. So don't let the fact that there are superpowers get in the way of telling a good story, because at the heart, Arrow is still a show grounded in reality.

Learn From Other Shows

     Arrow is usually a dark, humorless show, and with Season Four promising big changes, a great way to change it up is to inject some humor in it. Not too much, because it is a dark show, and it needs to stay that way. But even on The Flash, where there were some very dark stories, there was still humor in it, and it worked. With Oliver actually being happy (for the time being) there is bound to be some more light-hearted moments, especially after this very dark and difficult season for the characters. And with Oliver retiring from being the Arrow...

Time to Bring on the Green Arrow

     Arrow is in a spot where they need to change things up, and what better way to do that than by introducing us to the man Oliver Queen is bound to become? Green Arrow actually has a sense of humor, yet also solves crimes, like Batman. The newspaper from the future that Gideon showed Barry mentioned the Green Arrow, so it's only a matter of time before Oliver takes up that mantle. Plus, he's happy now, and Stephen Amell recently revealed that "The Arrow is done. No more Arrow suit. I've worn it for the last time".

     This move will possible inject some more humor in the show, and we'll get a new, more colorful costume. That will likely attract more viewers to the show; the costume is everything right? We all want a greener costume, and now is the perfect time to introduce us to him with the show changing to suit this new, expanded universe on the CW.

Make H.I.V.E. a Truly Unique Threat

     It's no secret that H.I.V.E. will be the big bad in Season Four. It has been pretty much confirmed by actors, and the Damien Dahrk sup-plot wasn't put into the season finale for nothing. Ra's al Ghul told Oliver that he was once his friend who defected from the League, who took waters from the Lazarus Pits and commands "a Hive of followers". This organization is going to be closely tied to the League, and Dahrk will probably have lived a long time too, like Ra's, thanks to the Lazarus Pits. And he holds League secrets. 

     But he defected from the League of Assassins for a reason, so let's see why. Differentiate H.I.V.E from the League of Assassins, or it's just going to be a repeat of Season Three. There will be similarities between Ra's and Damien Dahrk, but make Dahrk different from Ra's. We still don't know a lot about H.I.V.E., so play up that mystery for the first part of the season.

First Look at Crossbones in Captain America: Civil War

     After Brock Rumlow was showed badly burned during the aftermath of the battle at the Triskelion in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we knew he was returning, and us comic fans knew that he would adopt the identity of famous Captain America villain Crossbones. And now his full super-villain outfit is revealed!

     I am a huge fan of the Brubaker run on Captain America, in which Steve Rogers was shot, the Winter Soldier was introduced, Bucky Barnes became Captain America and Crossbones played a major role. So I was going to be very picky of his look, and I am so stoked to see him done right.

     The seemingly spray-painted face mask looks like the skull mask of the comic books without looking cheesy, and he even has the white crossbones across his chest. I'm not sure what the contraptions on his wrists are, but they sure look like they could deliver a serious beat-down. He looks very intimidating, as I was hoping he would. In addition to Crossbones, we also got to see Falcon's new costume.

     I loved his suit in The Winter Soldier, but this costume is even better, and I'm really glad they added some red to the suit. Anthony Mackie, who plays Sam Wilson/Falcon, has already expressed his desire to see some red on his costume, and it looks like Marvel delivered. Stay tuned for more Captain America: Civil War news!

The Joker Spotted on the Set of Suicide Squad

     After the internet pretty much became a warzone after the first picture of Jared Leto as the Joker was released, set photos have surfaced of the Joker and Harley Quinn (in pre-supervillain form). And I think there are going to be some more complaints.

     Here are some of the better ones I chose, but you can see them here, courtesy of JustJared. The Joker seems to have turned into a hipster, completely abandoning the purple suit in favor of a grey blazer, and buttoned down maroon shirt, (because displaying your white chest is really attractive), and some bling. I personally think his face looks good; it's scary and intimidating. But his wardrobe is completely stupid. He already had white skin, green hair, and bright red lips; it's not like trying to look like a normal, well-dressed guy is going to make people see past that.

     The scene also seems to include Margot Robbie as Dr. Harleen Quinzel, pointing a gun at the Joker and reportedly shooting a driver. Perhaps this is a flashback? Tell me your thoughts below!

First Full Look at the Suicide Squad

  

     Unlike Zach Snyder, Suicide Squad director David Ayer has been giving fans plenty of teases for the super-villain team-up. After giving us our first look at Jared Leto's Joker, he has unveiled the first picture of pretty much the whole Squad.

     Starting to the left is Adam Beach as Slipknot, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevingne as the Enchantress, Karen Fukuhara kneeling as Katana, Joel Kinnaman as Squad leader Rick Flagg, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Will Smith as Deadshot, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Killer Croc, and Jay Hernandez as El Diablo.

     I'm not familiar with Slipknot, but just by doing a quick Goggle search I was able to see that he looks super cheesy in the comics, so I don't really know what to say. Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang looks very cool, and the hip and kinda rebellious look fits the character quite nicely. He's wearing blue like he does in the comics, has a trench coat like in the comics, and has his classic beanie. No sign of his boomerangs yet. I like how they embraced the silliness of a guy who throws boomerangs by making him look like a weirdo and hipster.

     The Enchantress looks pretty scary, and I like this adaptation of the character. It looks like she was dragged out of a swamp; if they did her classic look, she would have looked a little out of place. Here she is in the comics.

       Katana resembles her comic look, complete with her signature sword and mask. Rick Flagg has a broad look, and they did him right by making him look very tactical and, frankly, just by making him look like a badass, they delivered. 

     Next up is Harley Quinn, the girlfriend of the Joker, and she will surely spark some debate. She is probably the most well-known of the bunch in the photo, and as this is the first live-action adaptation for her, there is a lot of pressure to make her look right. Harley looks like her portrayal in the Batman games and the New 52, as expected.

     The blond hair with blue and presumably red on the other side looks like the games, though I was expecting more red and black on her. I'm a little disappointed. But at least she has white skin! Deadshot looks the best out of the bunch; he retains enough of his comic-book look yet they also make him look realistic. He has the classic red and black armor as well as the surplus of weapons and ammunition. Ayer tweeted a better look at him, with his signature mask.

     The most important part of his costume, the mask, is included in the image, looking like it did in the comics. I'm surprised Ayer decided to go white, but it looks amazing, complete with the eye piece. Killer Croc looks great too, and most importantly, he looks scary, as he should. This is his first live-action appearance as well. I've been looking forward to seeing him on the big screen for a long time, and I am extremely pleased. Killer Croc looks ugly and disgusting and menacing and reptilian and it is awesome.

     Finally, there is El Diablo. He has the tattoos he is known for, so no complaints. What i love about the picture is that there is nothing photo-shopped in it, just the cast in costume. It looks like some cosplayers got together for this. There are some people notably absent from the picture; Viola Davis' Amanda Waller is absent, as is the Joker, Hugo Strange (rumored to be played by Ike Barinholtz), Deathstroke (rumored to be played by Jim Parrack) and King Shark (rumored to be played by Ray Olubowale). So far, so good! This is already looking epic.

Daredevil Review

                                          

     SPOILERS FOR MARVEL'S DAREDEVIL!!!!!!

     I've finally watched Daredevil on Netflix, and it defied expectations. This show is going to forever change how TV shows in general are watched, and will open up a new realm for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Daredevil already renewed for a second season due in 2016 as well as A.K.A. Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders, not to mention all the other characters they can bring to Netflix. Now let's begin the review.

     First off, the cast was amazing. Charlie Cox did an amazing job as Matt Murdock. It's hard to act like a blind lawyer during the day, only to turn into a brutal vigilante at night. There are so many layers to this character that Cox brought to life, and he succeeded. Elden Henson's Foggy Nelson was perfect. They didn't present Foggy as just Matt's friend or a character just there to provide comedic relief, he played an important part in the story with his investigation into Fisk and his loyalty to Matt. Deborah Ann Woll's Karen Page was a very interesting character to follow, as she went from a damsel in distress to actually killing a man. They never talked about her past, only provided hints, and hopefully they touch on it in later seasons. Vincent D'Onofrio probably had the best performance on the show. His portrayal of Wilson Fisk was probably the best villain I've seen in the MCU because of all the different sides of the character. One minute, he is just an awkward guy trying to impress a woman, then he is bashing someone's head in. You never know where he's at, and that makes him both intimidating and interesting. So there's the main cast, and I'll sprinkle in some of the other members. 

                           

     The storyline was very enjoyable and kept me intrigued the whole way through. I was never bored during the main Fisk/Russian/Japanese/Chinese plot. The story just kept on moving forward, with many deaths, something that Marvel hardly does. Ben Urich, a big name in the comics died, Leland Owlsley died (another name from the comics, though he wasn't like he was in the comics at all) and many other minor characters. Part of the fun was trying to guess the real goal of each party involved with Fisk. Madam Gao probably had some connection to Iron Fist, as the drug she was distributing had the emblem of Iron Fist villain Steel Serpent and might well be a character from the Iron Fist lore herself (how did this little old lady punch Daredevil so hard?). The Russians were very intimidating, but were simple pawns overshadowed by a grander plot. The whole Karen/Page subplot was pretty boring though, as it was largely overshadowed by the action and main plot.

                        

     Most fans of the comics can guess what organization Nobu was apart of. Though the show never said their name, he was clearly part of The Hand, a mystical ninja clan who wear, you guessed it, red costumes. Stick, played by Scott Glenn (who needs to come back for Season 2) came back just for Nobu and the item that was arriving in Hell's Kitchen, Black Sky. We never learn what the deal with this kid is and why he killed him, but I think we'll get more answers in future seasons, as there is obviously larger forces at play here that were only touched upon.

     This seemingly never-ending battle with Fisk is what should happen in a Daredevil series, and it was smart how they only gave Daredevil and Fisk a few confrontations. I would've loved to see more scenes with Fisk and Murdock, as we only got one, but hopefully, they will have more meetings with Fisk eventually finding out who he really is. 

     Claire Temple, played by Rosario Dawson, was a fun character to have on the show, providing someone that Matt can confide with. I wish we could have seen more of her, but oh well. 

                         

     Ayelet Zurer did an spectacular job as Vanessa, bringing out another side of Wilson Fisk and actually causing some problems for Fisk's committee, as they think that Fisk is off his game because of her. I wished they would have told us why she was fine with being the girlfriend of a mob boss in the first place, telling Fisk to make those who hurt her suffer. How did she go from being an owner of an art gallery to being okay with all this violence done in her name? It was a fast transition for sure.

     The flashbacks to Matt's childhood were also fun to watch. Jack Murdock was a cool character to watch, as he went from being a guy who threw punches in the ring to a loving father who set Matt on his path to becoming a lawyer. His sacrifice to make Matt proud, which had him killed, shows us how selfless of a character he is and how much he cares about Matt.

     The action scenes were stunning, and what made them even better was the brutal nature of the fights in general. There was blood, broken bones, and concussions. Matt did not hold back. The fights were not usually between two highly skilled fighters, as they are in the movies, just street fights where the opponents did anything to win. The hallway fight was the best fight in the show; I felt like I was there watching it unfold before me. And Matt didn't always win the fights; he got his ass handed to him a few times where he really got hurt.

     This universe's Hell's Kitchen was portrayed beautifully; it was dirty, and old, and rotting, yet at the same time, it was pretty. This love for the city propelled the characters, and because of the way it was portrayed, let us understand why Fisk and Murdock were trying so hard to make it a better place. This isn't the city of skyscrapers and bright lights, it is a city full of rotting buildings, dark alleys, and abandoned warehouses.

                          

     I'm a costume guy, so I have to talk about it. When I first saw the picture of the black costume, I was disappointed, as I expected red and horns and a "DD" on his chest. But as I saw it in motion and saw what it was inspired by, I really grew to like it. The black ninja costume was made of things that can easily be found in a sporting goods store, which will no doubt bring a lot of black Daredevil costumes to Comic-Con this year. The unveiling of the final suit was really cool, courtesy of Melvin Potter. In the comics, he is the villain known as the Gladiator who has his own shop as well, and you can see plenty of easter eggs in that shop of his alter-ego. I wasn't expecting an all-red suit, and some black was bound to be there. His mask looks really cool, complete with the horns. An armored suit only makes sense for a guy who gets shot at and stabbed every night who doesn't have powers. He has the billy clubs and the pouch for it on his leg too. 

     But the thing is, aside from the horns, red, and billy clubs, this doesn't look a whole lot like the classic suit from the comics. The "DD" isn't even on the chest, which is a major disappointment. That's the one thing that has remained consistent with his costume over the years and it's his most iconic feature. If they can put a giant bat emblem on Batman's costume, and "S" plastered on the chest of someone from another planet, or a star on the chest of a soldier and wings on his helmet, then I don't see how a simple "DD" can't be added to this costume. It's already got horns. And there's a little too much black on it, and I know it represents the most "armored" parts of the suit, but the black seems to just be thrown on there in random places, and it is too much. On some parts of the suit, like on the abs, the black looks out of place.

                              

     However, the costume doesn't dictate the series. Daredevil does a great job of focusing on the crime drama to begin the series before moving into the superhero/supervillain territory. I look at this show and it makes me realize that this is what Arrow wants to be, but can't because it's on the CW. If Marvel keeps with the gritty, street-level shows, then they have a bright future with Netflix. By keeping true to the crime drama and not moving too fast into the more comic booky territory that will undoubtedly follow, Daredevil was a total success. There are also some very intriguing threads left hanging, and the season closes with a wrap to the story and questions lingering, surely being saved for another season. Fingers crossed that they make the transition from a crime drama to a show that will definitely have supernatural ninjas and crazy assassins successfully, because I'm thinking of one show that hasn't made that transition with a lot of success.

     There's so much to cover in essentially a 13-hour movie, and I definitely missed some stuff, but there are my main thought on this. I've rambled on long enough. Leave your thoughts in the comments!

     

Jared Leto's Joker Revealed!

  

     In celebration of 75 years of the Joker, Suicide Squad director David Ayer revealed the first look at Jared Leto's Joker! And boy does this guy look insane...

     There has been mixed reactions online, but I am actually really digging the look. Bright green hair? Check. Bleached, white skin? Check. A big, maniacal smile? Check. Just look at his right arm. This definitely isn't Jack Nicholson's cheesier take on the Joker, or Heath Ledger's greasy, mangy Joker. No, this is a Joker who has tattoos and silver teeth. Oh, and a purple glove. Why not?

     Some noticeable tattoos include "damaged" across his forehead, because having green hair and white skin isn't enough indication that you're damaged enough. His trademark cards are tattooed on his shoulder with the words "All in" below them. On one arm there is a big grin that looks as if a comic book artist drew it himself. "Hahahahahahaha" is plastered across part of his chest and left arm in a chilling font reminiscent of the comics, especially the cover of The Killing Joke, with his pose a nod to that comic cover.

                           

     On the other side of his chest is a skull with a jester's hat on, and I can't help but think of Harley Quinn's classic jester hat. And on his right bicep looks to be the tail of a Robin, but I'm not positive. It would certainly make sense, as it is rumored that the Joker and Batman have had a long, violent history, and the Joker has supposedly killed Robin in this universe. So that could be a trophy of some sort.

     There's also a small "J" on the right side of his face, and I think there's some scars on his face. He's noticeably got some silver teeth, and I think I can guess just why he needed them in the first place... because Batman knocked them out. This is definitely a modernized version of the Joker, and I like it. Ayer decided to keep enough of the iconic Joker look yet differentiate it from previous incarnations at the same time. I do wish that his lips were a brighter shade of red though. But I gotta ask, what's the deal with DC designing so many of their big screen characters with tattoos? First Aquaman, and now the Joker? They both look cool, but I don't want this to be a common thing in this dark, gritty universe.

     

Analyzing the First Trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

     For months, actually, years, we've been desperate for any information regarding one of the biggest superhero films of all time, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The trailer has been rumored to be attached to multiple films, yet they all passed without one glimpse of the film. Now, we finally have our first look at the movie, and I'm here to analyze the most important frames in the trailer!

     One of the first frames show a rebuilt Metropolis, with the silhouette of that Superman statue we saw in set photos awhile back. So nothing major here.

     As you'll see as we dive deeper into the trailer, it seems as if Superman is being almost worshiped, and appears to the humans as being almost God-like. It looks here as though Supes has decided to attend the Day of the Dead, and everyone is happy to see him. And it's impossible to not note the fact that these guys are in white face paint and have black around their eyes, like the Joker. The Joker is rumored to be referenced in this movie, and with Jared Leto bringing him to life in Suicide Squad just a few months later, why not throw in a few easter eggs?

     Superman is clearly busy in this movie, as we just saw him possibly in Mexico and now... Russia? It's a Russian missile, so of course he's not for sure in Russia. Could this Russian missile be an indication that the Russian villain the KGBeast, (who was an important character on Arrow, but he was a good guy) plays a role? Someone on the set from a few months back reported seeing a trailer labeled "Knyazev", the last name of Anatoli Knyazev, the KGBeast. Just a thought, though it seems far-fetched.

     Black-suited soldiers kneeling in front of Superman with his logo on their shoulders? Weird. Obviously, there is some controversy about the Man of Steel, but it seems like he's got some followers as well.

     One of the coolest shots in the trailer. I have no idea who the woman is, but it appears as if she is wearing robes of some sort. Again, it looks like Kal-el is being worshipped.

     Or not. Obviously he's got his haters.

     Our first look at Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne! Personally, I think he looks the most like the Bruce Wayne in the comics than any other actor portraying him. This will be a more depressed, beaten, and gloomy Batman, and this moment captures his sorrow perfectly.

     The Bat-suit has definitely seen better days, as indicated by the scratches in it. But boy does it look awesome! We'll get a better look at it later on, but here it looks like it is on display.

     Something looks to be in Batman's hands here, but I have no idea what it is. What is this place? My guess would be Wayne Manor. Remember, Bruce is rumored to be living in a cottage on the property of his mansion, so maybe he lives in a cottage because, I don't know, Wayne Manor is not suitable to live in? Oh, and on the front left pillar, there is a question mark. An obvious reference to the Riddler.

     This seems to confirm that the Bat-wing will be in the film...

     ...attacking some goons!

     Here's the Bat-mobile, and it seems like these two vehicles are at the same place. Why Batman would bring the Bat-mobile and the Bat-wing to the same place at the same time is beyond me.

     Bats looks pretty intimidating here. Look at those muscles!

     This is an amazing shot of the Caped Crusader. You can make out what looks to be a rifle in his hands, a nod to The Dark Knight Returns, in which he used a rifle to fire a grappling hook.

     Talk about a nod to The Dark Knight Returns! This is the exact suit he wore to fight Superman in the graphic novel. There are some scratches on his cowl, so it has probably been in a fight before. Or he and Superman have already fought. And the glowing eyes! Beautiful!

     Are you guys just going to have a staring contest or throw down?

     I didn't mean literally throw yourself on the ground Clark... never mind. I'm glad we at least got a tease of the epic showdown between the two.
     Well, there you go! Enjoy this trailer, because this is probably going to be the only thing we get until Comic-Con in July...