Tag Archives: Superman

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.