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Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Having A Little Faith

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by Drew Kiess

Wind the clocks back with me to March of 2016. Batman v Superman was all the buzz and the buzz was mixed. There were people who were saying it was one of the most brilliant superhero movies of all time, others saying it was the dumbest, and others who simply were, to borrow a phrase from Young Justice, “whelmed”. Later that year, a longer edit of that film hit blu-ray, which smoothed over some criticisms. I continue to stand by my appreciation for Batman v Superman— it’s bold and has quite a bit to say about man’s relationship to God, philosophy, and mythology. It’s a multi-hundred million dollar thesis paper about how Batman and Superman reflect the human condition. It is not surprising that it would turn some people off, but it’s ambition and willingness to not pander to the masses.

And so, with Batman v Superman not meeting the lofty expectations the studio placed on it (perhaps unfairly–that’s for another day), director Zack Snyder was put on a short leash as he began production on Justice League. Studio watchdogs were sent to help him lighten the mood and Avengers director Joss Whedon was brought in to rewrite a few scenes. But the movie slipping away from him was not the worst tragedy facing the Snyder family. His daughter, Autumn, took her own life, and seeing that being with his family was a more valuable use of his energies than fighting the studio over Justice League, Zack Snyder, along with his wife, producer Deborah Snyder, departed production. Wheedon took over full control of the set and re-shot large amounts of the film, taking roughly 30 minutes of the 5 hours of shot footage from principal photography and tacking on an additional 90 minutes of re-shoots and calling it a movie. Adding insult to injury, Snyder’s name, due to being the director of record on all of principal photography, is also the director of record of the 2017 Justice League film, although as previously stated, there is only roughly 30 minutes of his footage surviving in that film.

Reacting to Justice League, on reflection, was really bizarre. I will not lie and pretend like I walked out of the theater grumpy in November of 2017. Seeing some of my favorite fictional characters kick ass on the big screen was pure fun. But it did not feel like Batman v Superman. I did not leave thinking about anything bigger than the surface level story points presented on screen. There was no mythicalness to it.

But something mythic did come.

For three years, the “Snyder Cut” was discussed in various corners of the internet and with varying levels of toxicity, as one would expect with modern fandom. It seemed like a pipe dream. I never believed it would see the light of day. The studio said it would never be released. Snyder gave hints but was never able to give anything concrete as he too was just as in the dark. But the faith was kept. And the faith was rewarded. Zack Snyder’s Justice League a finished, four hour cut, complete with additional photography and brand new special effects, as well as not a whiff of Wheedon footage, is now available to stream on HBO Max.

They kept the faith.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League, from a story perspective, is not entirely different from what we saw back in 2017. What becomes painfully obvious by even the most casual viewer is that what kind of story being told is not nearly as important as how it is told. In Snyder’s film, careful time and care is given to each member of the League to build their relationships and motivations, as well as their burgeoning connections to one another. And where Wheedon had a Batman whose hopefulness was displayed by telling more jokes and reluctantly works with the rest of the League, Batman here embraces the role of leader. Bruce calls out the good in his teammates, puts together plans, and when he needed him the most, had faith that Superman would arrive in time to save the day.

He kept the faith.

I will forever be baffled by the creative decisions made for the 2017 version of Justice League. While it may have put a smile on my faith at the time, it is dwarfed by the grandeur of what the full vision was meant to be. This is perfectly summed up by the inexplicably re-shot scenes in Smallville, where Clark and Lois talk outside of the Kent homestead. Wheedon re-shot this for his version, as evidenced by the ugly mustache-concealing CGI caking Henry Cavill’s face, and the dialogue did nothing to add any emotional mark to the return of Clark Kent from the dead. Another conversation, also outside of the Kent household in Smallville, and also between Clark and Lois, exists, and the scene takes it time in allowing the emotion of the moment to breath, without burying underneath an ill-placed joke.

They lost the faith.

And the rest of the league, especially Cyborg, has their chance to shine and their reason to be present understood. The same is true for the villains. Not just Steppenwolf, who has been returned to his design that was seen at the end of Batman v Superman, now directly under the rule of the evil lord of Apokolips, Darkseid, who was excised entirely from the 2017 film. With all of that drama, all of the grandeur and operatic spectacle, at it’s heart, it is the story of a group of people learning how to stand together. They don’t bicker and banter, but they pull and push, they compliment and encourage, they grieve and celebrate together, and they grow in their ability to trust one another as the film moves on.

They restored the faith.

“Men are still good.” –Bruce Wayne

If you are struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide and need someone to talk to, reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Remembering Denny O’Neil: 10 Accomplishments of the Legend

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by Drew Kiess

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In 1969, Dennis “Denny” O’Neil took over writing Detective Comics, who’s leading character was a fledgling relic from a comic book era that was on its last legs. That character, of course, was none other than Batman. Following the cancellation of the television series two years earlier, comics featuring Batman were not in high demand and the books were, as they were before the TV series, on the verge of going the way of the dodo. O’Neil, with artist Neal Adams, changed that. Detective Comics #395 was published in November of ’69 and the groundwork was laid for the birth of the Bronze Age of comics, an era in which O’Neil left a lasting mark on not just one, but both of the major publishing houses.

As both editor and writer, O’Neil has made an indelible mark on characters such as Professor Xavier, Daredevil, Green Arrow, and Superman, as well as the Caped Crusader. There would be no way to fully appreciate how O’Neil defined the Silver Age, but below you will find 10 highlights in no particular order that merely scratch the surface.

10. Hiring Frank Miller to write Daredevil

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O’Neil took over as editor for Marvel in 1980. One of the books he oversaw was another fledgling comic, Daredevil, which was being written by Roger McKenzie and drawn by Frank Miller. O’Neil fired McKenzie and made Miller the sole role of writer, after having worked with Miller during a brief stint on The Amazing Spider-Man. During Miller’s hiatus from Daredevil, where he wrote, among other projects, The Dark Knight Returns, O’Neil took over and created Lady Deathstrike.

9. Creation of the League of Assassins

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Wanting to add a more cerebral villain, perhaps in part to combat the colorfulness of the still fresh TV series, editor Julius Schwartz developed a concept for a villain and named him Ra’s al Ghul. From his rough concept, O’Neil expanded the world and created a DC Comics staple in The League of Assassins, which has played a multimedia role in the Batman legacy. From Grant Morrison to Christopher Nolan, this organization has become fodder from some of Batman’s greatest stories.

8. Snowbirds Don’t Fly

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With the neutering of the Comics Code Authority in 1971 following a Stan Lee story with a subtle anti-drug message, O’Neil and Adams decided to take it a step further. Snowbirds Don’t Fly featured Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy struggling with a heroin addiction, which as even displayed on the cover. It was a major step forward in ending the heavy censorship of comic books.

7. No Evil Shall Escape My Sight!

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One year earlier in the same book, O’Neil had the hard travelling heroes take a road trip in which Green Arrow taught Green Lantern about racial unrest and disparity in American culture. The themes discussed in this book in 1970 seem disappointingly familiar today.

6. Azrael

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Denny O’Neil created Azrael in 1992 as part of the lead-up to Knightfall. O’Neil oversaw the Knightfall event as editor, which saw Azrael take over as Batman for the broken Bruce Wayne.

5. John Stewart Green Lantern

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In 1972, O’Neil created John Stewart, who became the third Green Lantern of Earth and DC’s first black superhero. Stewart would later go on to become most well known as Green Lantern through the Justice League animated series, and is still widely considered the fan favorite Green Lantern. O’Neil also fought back against Schwartz’s attempts to give him a more “black sounding” name.

4. Transformers

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In the early 80’s, O’Neil was brought in by Hasbro as part of a team to create a new line of transforming toys. His most notable contribution to this venture was the naming of Optimus Prime.

3. Teaching

O’Neil taught in the late 90s at the School of Visuals Arts. Gerard Way (yes, that Gerard Way), who would later run Young Animal DC, was among the many alumni of that era. O’Neil however was an all-time great mentor, ushering in talents such as Frank Miller, Dan Jurgens, and Chuck Dixon.

2. Superman vs Muhammed Ali

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Perhaps it’s simply a time capsule of a lost era, but this 1978 issue written by O’Neil is easily one of the most recognizable events in the Man of Steel’s history. For the record, Ali won, but threw Clark a bone anyways by telling him in the closing panel “WE are the greatest!”

1. Death in the Family

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As Batman editor, O’Neil came up for the concept behind Jim Starlin’s A Death in the Family. Inspired by an SNL segment featuring Eddie Murphy asking viewers to call in to determine the fate of a lobster, O’Neil allowed readers to call in to determine whether or not Jason Todd would survive an attack from the Joker. Todd was far from a fan favorite, but the vote came down to the wire. By a margin of only 72, it was determined that Todd would not survive, a decision which still has implications on Batman’s stories to this day.

Batman 66: Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack In the Middle

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by Drew Kiess

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“Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle” is the first two-parter of the Bill Dozier Batman series staring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. Frank Gorshin guest stars as Riddler. The episodes were directed by Robert Butler and written by Lorezon Semple, Jr., and premiered on January 12th and 13th, 1966.

 

When Gotham’s police force is intimidated by the return of the joyful devil Riddler, they realize they have only one choice: the Caped Crusader, deputy of the law, Batman and his faithful ward Robin must be called into action! Batman and Robin track down their arch enemy, and wrongfully accuse him of a crime. Riddler sues Batman, which threatens Batman’s secret identity- millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. 

 

Frank Gorshin steals this first double-header. We know that Adam West’s earnest performance as Batman is legendary, but Gorshin sets the tone for all the villains in this show with an over-the-top, manic performance. His movements are like a cartoon character and are surprisingly more controlled than Jim Carey’s turn as the Riddler in Batman Forever. Through all the mania, you can see the intelligence on Gorshin’s face. In this world, he is the smartest man in the room. This madness improves the comedy of West’s earnest performance. The whole thing is gloriously ridiculous. In one corner, a deadly serious, deputized crime fighter in a cape and cowl who labels his utility belt so he doesn’t have to memorize the contents, and in the other, the most intelligent, maniacal cartoon character to ever wear flesh. 

 

But Riddler has one weakness- he must prove that he’s the smartest man in the room, and that room must also include the Dynamic Duo. “Crime is no fun unless he’s outwitting us,” Robin observes. Batman and Robin fall into the Riddler’s trap at the “What a Way to Go-Go” discotheque (but not before giving the world the Bat-tutsi dance). Batman manages to escape, but Robin is not so lucky.

 

Here we have the staple trope of the Dozier Batman series- the dramatic cliff-hanger! Will Robin escape? Tune in tomorrow, same time same channel. Riddler enlists “Molly”, played by Bond-girl Jill St John to impersonate Robin using a rubber mold of his face. When Molly wears the mask, Burt Ward replaces her, meaning Ward is playing St John playing Molly. Ridiculous. Even more ridiculous is that a rubber mask can take someone shaped like Jill St John and turn them into someone shaped like Burt Ward. But the less said about that, the better.

 

Batman is never fooled, and when Molly realizes her plan was foiled, she attempts to escape by climbing on an atomic pile. Batman attempts to save her, but she falls to her death to the line, “What a terrible way to go-go.” Batman rescues Robin and puts an end to Riddler’s plot for good.

 

Bizarrely, Batman appears perfectly fine with the potential that Riddler was killed at the end of the episode, and perhaps even disappointed that he didn’t know for sure. That aside, what we see in this episode is an incredibly faithful representation of the Batman character from the 1950s. The 50s were a bad decade for comics, having been put under the Comics Code Authority after Seduction of the Innocent through mud on the industry. What resulted was a nerfed version of the medium that gained popularity during the second world war. That nerfing is what Bill Dozier’s series was satirizing. Understanding the show in that context and recognizing that, yes, it is supposed to be funny, can bring back the enjoyment of a series that many fans of the character’s more dark and brooding tone look sideways at. 

 

Yes, this Gotham looks more like the kind of big city Sheriff Andy Taylor would visit rather than the hell breaking through concrete vision of Tim Burton or the dirty Chicago vibe of the Nolan series. But for viewers of Batman in 1966 who were familiar with the book, this was Batman. Serious enough for kids to be enthralled by, and funny enough for adults to be entertained by. Campiness as serious art.

 

“Hi Diddle Riddle/Smack in the Middle” is a strong start. It introduces a classic, core villain, and sets the tone for all the major characters in the series. The pieces are in place for Batmania to begin.

 

Final Grade: A

Joker Review: A Medley Of Madness

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By Drew Kiess

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Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix and is directed by Todd Phillips. Based on the villain we all know and love to hate from DC Comics, Joker is a one-and-done psychological thriller that has no franchise ambition, which is something that the comic book movie sub-genre is sadly lacking. Sequels and franchise-starters are the name of the game, and if nothing else, maybe that trend will finally be bucked. One can dream.

Once upon a time, I wrote about how dumb of an idea I thought a Joker movie was. I am happy to report that in the case of this film, I was dead wrong. Joker is a freight train and it hits hard. Like its subject, the film slithers and contorts as it weaves an uncomfortable story about the relationship of mental illness and violence, as well as explore, more superficially, how a character like the Joker could possibly come to exist.

This film is not unique in its depiction of madness. As has been pointed out by many before me, Taxi Driver, King of Comedy, and American Psycho all have shown a main character fall into murderousness. But when you take the most high profile villain in the most high profile subgenre of film and entertainment and give him a similar treatment, people are going to react. It’s not part of the plan. And that reaction has been harsh. Some are simply trying to score woke points in a world where clicks equal dollars (I don’t get paid to write these reviews, by the way). Others are striking against a preconceived idea of what a film like this ought to be. But Joker has opened up conversations like no other movie in recent memory, regardless of its quality.

Luckily, it is quite good. I will even dare to say that Joker is great. It is repetitive at this point to praise Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as Arthur Fleck and Joker, but I will do it anyways because it is deserving of the praise. What Phoenix manages to pull off is incredible. He is physically unlikable at all points in this movie, yet somehow manages to maintain a certain quality of helplessness that it is reasonable to feel some empathy towards him early in his downward spiral. However, that quality of helplessness vanishes as we reach the final stage of development in this two hour thriller. Fears that Joker would somehow make the Joker’s violence attractive are, in my opinion, unmerited. In any other story, a likeable character would choose option “A” at critical moments in his narrative. Arthur, every time, chooses option “B”, moving him further away from the character we as an audience empathized with at the beginning. The film, instead of glorifying the violence, makes us mourn for the fall of the offender. We wanted better for him and he fell short of that hope. It is a tragedy, which is nothing new to the arts. Just ask Bill Shakespeare.

It is a shame that we will never see this Joker get punched in the face by a man dressed like a bat, but for once, the Joker will get all the press in this film. But if you are a Batman fan, fear not: there are so many nods to other iterations of the character, and his eighty year legacy is honored well by the Phillip’s script. From references to Cesar Romero and Heath Ledger, to plot points ripped from the pages of Alan Moore’s The Killing Joke and Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, this elseworld’s tale does not shy away from its comic book lineage. There is a wonderful blend of source material and creative license that keeps us on our toes while never straying away from the black heart of the clown prince.

Joker is one of those movies that it is hard to fully commit to an opinion on. It is deserving of long conversations and quiet reflection. While the internet is buzzing about whether or not it will lead to gun violence, it bluntly asks whether our monsters are born in a vacuum, or are they born out of a society going to hell? Perhaps in a climate of over-sensitivity and stark black and white morality, this question lands with a dud, but, it might just be the kind of important questions we need to be asking as our handbasket closes in on its final destination.

The film is not for everyone. It is audacious, violent, uncomfortable, and beautifully gross. It is also fascinating, thought provoking, and provocative. It is tempting for me to believe that those who do not see the message in the film are those who want to avoid it, but I also think that there are many who are simply not ready to have that conversation just yet. How are we responsible for our monsters? What have we done to create the awful world our villains live in? These are the questions that we are left with, and I hope that we begin to ask them.

Final score: Full House

Batman Ninja: A Beautiful Frustration

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By Drew Kiess

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Oh, boy… where to start with this one?

I suppose I will start by admitting that this is a review of the dubbed version of Batman Ninja. I am not an anime fan, so watching the movie with subtitles would have been a chore for me. For some, that may disqualify me altogether from reviewing this. That would be fair. I can only approach this from the standpoint of being a Batman fan, so that is the angle from which this review is written.

There. The qualifier is done.

Batman Ninja is the newest addition in the long line of DC Animated movies, this time from Warner Bros. proper and not from any of its subdivisions, such as Warner Premier. This movie will see a theatrical release in Japan, and I sincerely wish it all the success in the world there. The film was directed by Junpei Mizusaki, with Roger Craig Smith providing the dubbing for Batman, Tara Strong for Harley Quinn, Grey Griffin for Selina Kyle, and Tony Hale for the Joker.

When Gorilla Grodd’s time travelling experiment sends Batman, his allies—Nightwing, Red Robin, Robin, Alfred, Red Hood, and Catwoman—and his greatest foes—Joker, Harley Quinn, Two-Face, Penguin, and Deathstroke—back in time to feudal Japan, Batman must learn the ways of the ninja in order to return everyone back to Gotham. As the movie opens, the CG animation is striking. The movements look fluid and the action is more captivating than anything DC animation has put out in some time.

This quality in the visuals is almost constant throughout and the eyes never get bored watching the movie. The one strike against this is a baffling change in style about midway through the film that seemingly serves no storytelling purpose, but this alone does not sink this movie.

What keeps this movie from being great in my eyes is its over reliance on its own medium. The film sets itself up in ”our Gotham”, and then transports the familiar back in time to feudal Japan, but the rules of feudal Japan are not the rules of “our Gotham”—it exists very much by the rules of anime.

And this would be fine, if the movie set itself up as an anime first, set in an anime world. By trying to its cake and eat it, too, the film loses its punch. If fighting mechanical castles were necessary to the overall arc of the film, perhaps it would have been better to simply establish that the world that this Batman lives in is that kind of world, and not bother with the whole time travel ruse (It’s hard not to feel like Randall from Clerks, here. “I don’t appreciate your ruse, ma’am. Your cunning attempt to trick me).

What saves this movie for me is the characterization of Batman, which never feels false to the character, and the aesthetic. It is also incredibly refreshing to see a DC animated movie that doesn’t feel reliant on sophomoric sexual overtones that have become tiresome in recent entries. The characterization of the other characters, however—save, perhaps, Selina Kyle—is all over the map and not really as true as I would prefer.

Overall, I am lukewarm on Batman Ninja. This very well may be a great movie that simply wasn’t made for me. What I can say is that the film is absolutely gorgeous, and the marketing on just how good this film looks was not overstated. If you are a Batman fan or an anime fan, I would say that Batman Ninja is worth checking out. But if you are not as into anime as you are into Batman, then this may not be for you, either.

 

Final Grade: B-

 

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OP ED: Why Matt Reeves Deserves Creative Control over ‘The Batman’

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John McKee

For a while, it looked like Matt Reeves just might not direct our next Batman film. News spread like wildfire that he had backed down and wouldn’t take the project, despite reaching “final talks” just weeks before. Per Birth. Movies. Death. Matt Reeves had “finally seen Batman v Superman and run away while he still could.”

Interestingly enough, Reeves signed on about a week and a half later to direct The Batman. Perhaps he had seen Batman v Superman and decided to add his name to the incredibly talented DC Universe. But what kept him from signing on in the first place? Money is an unlikely answer; Warner Bothers knows how much they have to shovel out for Batman films. The most obvious issue was creative control.

Seth Graham-Smith, Michele MacLauren, Rick Famuyiwa, David Ayer. All names of directors in the DC Universe who either left due to “creative differences” or in the case of Ayer, stayed on only to witness his film carved up and rehashed by test audiences and studio interference. Zack Snyder was demoted a tad on Justice League and Ben Affleck promoted as a way to respond to Batman v Superman’s reviews (ironically brought about mostly by the studio’s interference—we got the 2.5 hour slap job instead of the masterpiece Snyder originally had in mind now called the Ultimate Edition). So Warner Bros., the studio with a history of letting directors do their thing, has been unafraid of late to say “no” to a director.

Which is why Matt Reeves must be given full creative control over The Batman (and probably has) in order to make the film as great as possible. Ben Affleck wanted less to shoulder when he stepped down from The Batman. If WB/DC wants Affleck to make a Batman trilogy then it all rests on The Batman’s success. There is no indication (as Affleck said) that he will leave the role prematurely—there are huge loose ends to tie up, such as the Knightmare sequences in Batman v Superman. There is so much to explore with this character. So in order to keep Reeves on and make the film great, the studio needs to do what they did before—hand it over and TRUST the director. Tim Burton in 1980s. Christopher Nolan in early 2000s. Matt Reeves 2010s.

Great Batman films come from a healthy director-actor relationship. Affleck has gone on to say the director is the “artist” who makes Batman look right on set and in post: Affleck and Terrio write the comics and the director draws them to life. Matt Reeves has a history with the Apes franchise of not only rescuing it last minute, but intuitively realizing which character to focus the films on. With that kind of eye for filmmaking and characterization, Reeves can easily get The Batman off the ground and possibly help top The Dark Knight as the most widely acclaimed Batman film of all time. All that needs to happen is Warner Bros. taking a step back. They have done their job to this point by signing Affleck, Reeves, Terrio, and the rest. They need to trust Matt Reeves to handle the film and give him carte blanche to do what he needs to do to make the very best Batman film that he can.

Shanlian On Batman Episode 48 wsg Greg Rucka

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This week’s SoB features comic book writer Greg Rucka! He has written many novels and comic books including the series Gotham Central, Batman: No Man’s Land and the ongoing Lazarus. Sit back and enjoy listening to what the man has to say about all sorts of different topics ranging from his early career, the TV show Gotham, and much more!

Shanlian on Batman Episode 46 wsg Athena Finger

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This week the guys talk some Batman and DC news that has been going on in the past few weeks. Jared Leto talking about the joker, Batman V Superman trailers during Super Girl, and Batman Beyond news. Then SoB gets an interview with the Granddaughter of Bill Finger, the co-creator of Batman. Athena’s story of what she did for the credibility of her grandfather’s name is quite an amazing one.

Shanlian On Batman Episode 43 wsg Paul Dini pt. 1

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This week on Shanlian on Batman we talk to the legendary writer Paul Dini. Paul answers all of our questions about his career and what it was like to be such a huge part of writing so many of our favorite shows. You are in for a real treat with this SoB podcast, so get ready to enjoy another great episode of Shanlian on Batman with our special guest Paul Dini!

In memory of Lenny Robinson

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There are notbat_story_ne3 too many people this day in age that stand for pure good and kindness, We at Shanlian on Batman feel that Lenny Robinson was an exception to this rule. For those of you that do not know of Lenny’s work long story short Robinson had put together an amazing Batman costume, drove a blacked out Ferrari (before purchasing an actual 66 Batmobile), and used his own personal funds to drive from city to city to Children’s Hospitals around the country to give gifts and a spark of hope to sick children. Lenny fist appeared on the internet and gained popularity with the police dash-cam recording of him being pulled over by a Montgomery County police officer while in full Batman attire. Lenny was most unfortunately fatally stuck by a vehicle on I-70 near Hagerstown MD after his Batmobile had reportedly broken down on his way home from a car show in West Virginia on Sunday, August 16, 2015. The fact that this man took the time out of his busy life, funds out of his wallet, combined that with hard work and dedication, all to bring a smile to the faces of unfortunate kids tells us exactly what kind of man Lenny Robinson really was. Reading through comments and message boards full of condolences many people throw out words to describe Kenny, words like Hero, Kind, Loving, Gracious, Generous, Honorable, etc, but the only word that sticks out to me while scrolling through, the only word that makes sense and sums up the impression that Lenny made on this earth is “Batman”. We here at Shanlian on Batman would like to send our condolences to the family and friends of Lenny B. Robinson in these hard times.triblive1