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.