Nerd Culture Podcast

Episode #54 features:

Popcorn Junkie: Man of Steel

Round Table: Superman

And an awesome Giveaway! You can win a Superman trade paperback pack containing both All Star Superman & Red Son. All you need to do to be in the draw to win is tell us your favourite Superman story so get your entries in now!

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Superman Blu-ray box set

Man of Steel Soundtrack

Episode #45 features:

Round Table:  The 85th Academy Awards

Round Table:  Our favourite Soundtracks / Themes

And an awesome Competition thanks to our friends at All Star Comics!

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The official Man of Steel trailer is out and the interwebs are abuzz with what seems like equal part joy & outrage.

Despite my reservations towards Zack Snyder as director, I am growing more and more excited for this film as we get closer to its June 14 2013 release date, and this trailer is definitely helping fan the flames.

I’ve watched this quite a few times now and I have a few thoughts, the most important being that I now think I know what the storyline is.

This is only a guess so I’m not calling spoiler alert 🙂 but I think the basic plot is this:

Jonathan teaching Clark that the world will fear him, and the emotional damage caused when that actually happens after the rescue of the school bus, leads Clark to a life of solitude and loneliness. Until Zod arrives.

That’s right, I think Zod will arrive on Earth, along with a couple of Kryptonians (well at least Faora), and attempt to take control, much like the New Krypton/War of the Supermen storyline.

It is Zod who will finally reveal the truth to Clark about his true heritage and then use that to try and recruit him to his side. After being initially tempted, Clark will then become Superman in order to combat Zod and his evil plans, but because of Zod’s misdeeds the world will initially fear Clark and arrest him, only for him to either convince them of his goodness and release him, or call on him to help (like Hancock), or both.

In defeating Zod Clark will lose all connections to his birth planet, but will be happy that he defended his adopted one.

They’ll also have a scene with Clark inside the Fortress of Solitude with his eyes closed smiling, as he finally finds the place he can relax from all the sensory input.

There you have it. I may change it slightly as more tidbits are revealed, but I can’t wait to see how accurate, if at all, I was, and especially can’t wait to see this film.

Likes/Dislikes about the trailer:

Likes – Every action scene looked cool / Martha calming Clark down when his super hearing kicks in / Clark and Lois holding hands
Dislikes – The promo version of the S shield looks weird, a little over done (although the suit version looks fine / Cavill still doesn’t look convincing as Supes / and of course the ‘Maybe’ uttered by Jonathan

This simple piece of dialogue is what has caused the outrage I mentioned at the start of this post, and to be honest I really don’t see what all the fuss is about. There are 2 reasons why I’m not launching into a total Nerdrage over this scene.

1. The detractors are right, the Jonathan we all know and love would never say this. It just wouldn’t happen. But this isn’t the Jonathan we all know. This isn’t the comic or Donner version. It is a brand new take and to be honest, I think he’s a bit of a dick. And although part of me wants to scream at this portrayal, the other part is interested in seeing how this goes.

2. We don’t know what he says after this bit. It could be something like “Maybe. But that’s not who you are Clark and that’s why you’re going to become the great man I know you will.” Hopefully not something as clunky as that but you get my drift.

Anyway, that’s my opinion on the new Man of Steel trailer. I’m excited! What’s yours? Let me know with a comment!

There’s been quite a bit of hoopla over the kiss between DC’s icons, Superman and Wonder Woman in Justice League #12. In fact, it even made page 2 of my local newspaper. That’s right, 2 fictional characters getting it on trumped homicide, civil unrest and war.

What the f#@k?!

Needless to say I just don’t get it. Don’t get me wrong, I get just as excited as the next nerd when something exciting happens in any of my hobbies. But worldwide interest in something that happened in a comic? We’re not talking the Death of Superman here. And besides, it’s not even the first time they’ve kissed!

It happened twice in Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane issues #93 (1969) & #136 (1974), again in DC Comics Presents #32 (1981), and Wonder Woman #300 (1983).  In 1985, Alan Moore included a playful kiss between the two in Superman Annual #11 and 2 years later John Byrne added his take in Action Comics #600.

In Kingdom Come (1996) it even goes further than that. By the end of this story Superman & Wonder Woman are a couple and expecting a child (with Batman asked to be the godfather!).

As great as Kingdom Come is (I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t already) my favourite Superman/Wonder Woman moment is actually from Action Comics #761 (1999). Like the kiss in Superman Annual #11, it is hardly more than a peck, but it is the culmination of a great storyline that involved the heroes being trapped for hundreds of years in an alternate universe battling crazy Norse gods. Nothing more happens, but it comes very close and is very emotional.

Nowhere near as good are Miller’s Dark Knight Strikes Again (2002) & All Star Batman and Robin (2005). Avoid both.

So as you can see, Justice League #12 is nothing special. It’s not even that poignant a moment. Perhaps the special excitement is due to the fact that this is in current continuity? Who knows.

Either way, there are far more exciting things happening in the world of comics. Mark Waid continues his amazing run on Daredevil, Sean Murphy’s Punk Rock Jesus is making huge waves & Rob Leifield continues to have brain meltdowns.

And these are a fraction of what’s going on out there.

So let’s put this apparently world shattering moment in its place. There is so much more interesting things to talk about.

Of course this is all just my opinion. I would love to know yours! So leave a comment!

Our 1 year anniversary episode!

Episode #25 features:

Popcorn Junkie: Men in Black 3

Round Table: Creator Rights – Siegel and Shuster, Kirby & Moore

OzComicCon

Competition

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