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Within the first ten minutes of the series premiere of Gotham Knights we see the death of Bruce Wayne and three teenagers mid heist realizing that they’ve been set up for the crime. While his superhero father is being tossed off of Wayne Tower his adopted son, Turner, and his bestie are throwing a rager back at the manor. On the heels of finding out about his father’s death he discovers his secret, that he had been taken in and raised by Batman, something he finds hard to believe and while venting to his friend he discovers the Batcave entrance behind a wall in his father’s office.
While the rest of the city mourns the loss of his father, the teens who broke into Wayne Tower , Duela (the Joker’s daughter), Cullen, and Harper Row, are ambushed and captured while planning to leave town with the $100,000 they were paid to rob Bruce Wayne. Later on in the episode the police find money transferred from Turner to the three teens and he is forced to break out of jail with them to find the real murderer and clear all their names.
A Familiar Face in the Crowd: Misha Collins, better known as the angel Castiel from another great CW show that you might have heard of, plays DA Harvey Dent. Considering how there’s a different police commissioner and there’s no sign of Jim Gordon, I wonder if Dent will become Two-Face before the season is over, if at all.
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While facial recognition is a good thing, the character name recognition game in Gotham Knights is hella strong. Turner’s BFF is Stephanie Brown, AKA Cluemaster’s daughter but, her not knowing Bruce Wayne’s secret identity means she’s not going in as Robin this time around or is she? There’s also the Row siblings were once saved by Batman in the new 52’s so their shock at discovering Batman dead would be genuine but, I’m not getting why they wouldn’t have shared their grief at his loss with the police because they had no reason to want him dead.
Where Have All the Robins Gone? : During Turner’s speech at Bruce Wayne’s funeral he talks about how his father, the recently unmasked Batman, still found time after saving so many in the city to save one more which posed the question where have all the Robin’s gone? In this multiverse does Bruce Wayne not always have a replacement orphan on deck? How could Turner not have begun his grooming to take on the Robin mantle and become his trusty side kick?
While watching the first half of this series premiere i couldn’t wrap my head around a multiverse where Batman found himself Robin-less and how none of his proteges managed to make it to the funeral or descend upon Gotham ready to take vengeance for their adoptive dad’s brutal murder. Since Turner Hayes is a new character created specifically for this show, and he was calling him dad instead of Bruce, and there was no sign of Alfred to console the young master of the house, I had given up hope of seeing another one of of Batman’s teenage vigilantes but, then Carrie Kelley appeared. I was impressed and shocked that they went with the Frank Miller superheroine but, considering how dark her story line and arc was , it gave me high hopes for this new series.
Carrie Kelley in the Clutch: I’m here for all the bad ass female representation in this show but, I think Carrie Kelley deserves a special award for showing up at the tail end of the escape and saving everyone’s tail from a group of corrupt cops and getting the “Knights” to safety IN HER MOM’S CAR! Her heart to heart with Harper explains why Bruce decided not to turn this orphan into his new Robin. I also loved looking back and realizing she was watching at the funeral , hiding in plain sight before making her official debut in the series.
Overall: The debut episode of Gotham Knights is a solid start to what could be a very good series. The character and world building is well done, the story is expertly crafted and I also appreciate them not only not dead naming Cullen but, also not using an LGBTQ+ character as a plot point was well done and should be applauded. The introduction to the Court of Owls slips effortlessly into the story and myth creation.
With all these moving pieces it could have been very easy to end up with a convoluted story line and this whole series could have been off to becoming a hot mess but, the writers took great care with the known and unknown characters in this new rebranding of the inhabitants of the city of Gotham. There are still some issues with verbal over explaining as opposed to showing but, I attribute that to trying to get things right and introduce this new world of Gotham to old fans and people who somehow managed to never here about it. I really loved the “bad” kids being behind the breakout to make sure they all stay alive long enough to clear their names, something that Harper never considered and, it sets up a good story and alliance that can last for many seasons after they solve this initial crime.
As a pilot Gotham Knights it did exactly what it was supposed to do, draw the viewer in and making us at least a little curious about what’s going to happen next. I still think that there’s room for improvement but, if you’re looking for a fun show with quick writing, realistic action sequences, solid directing and a story that keeps you curious, then this is the show for you.
Revealed in this week’s Venom #9, Bedlam, the bloodthirsty symbiote behind Eddie and Dylan Brock’s recent troubles, is none other than Eddie Brock at his worst. Prepare to learn more in Venom #10. Check out the unclassified variant cover by Paulo Siqueira and pick up Venom #10 on September 14. Venom is written by Al Ewing, with art by Bryan Hitch, and a main cover by Hitch.
Over the last few months, a surprising saga has played out in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. Hit creators including Zeb Wells, Saladin Ahmed, Cody Ziglar, Kelly Thompson, and Patrick Gleason have brought readers the Beyond Era which saw Peter Parker out of commission after a disastrous battle and his clone, the fan-favorite Ben Reilly, taking over as Spider-Man under the control of the mysterious Beyond Corporation. The Beyond Era reached its climactic ending in yesterday’s Amazing Spider-Man #93 which saw Ben Reilly perish after a devastating battle with Peter Parker. But all is not as it seems… Enter CHASM, Ben Reilly’s new identity and Peter Parker’s latest archenemy.
After 19 issues of hard truths and soul searching, Ben is more aware than ever that something within is missing. Consumed with the idea that Peter is the source for all that’s gone wrong in his life, Ben will now swing through the Marvel Universe as CHASM–a fierce and deeply personal new Spidey foe just in time for Spider-Man’s new era, kicking off next month in Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr.’s Amazing Spider-Man #1!
Check out artwork from the issue now as well as a design sheet by Patrick Gleason and pick up this must-have issue today!
Marvel‘s one-shot Timeless wrapped up 2021 with a tease of what’s to come in 2022. The comic teased the return of Marvelman/Miracleman to comics and it looks like the proper Marvel Universe. 2022 kicks off with another return in the pages of Darkhold: Omega.
Darkhold: Omega wraps up the miniseries that had heroes corrupted, led by Scarlet Witch, to take on Chthon. The event has been an interesting one, feeling slightly off due to its delays.
Spoilers Ahead
With the heroes facing Chthon, an energy ball forms with a character inside. The heroes attack the individual not knowing who he is and thinking they’re competition in defeating Chthon (they’re corrupted, roll with it). The mysterious character stops their attack by finds his energy spent and facing Chthon himself who attempts to cross over to Earth when he’s stopped by Scarlet Witch and Doctor Doom.
One of the comic’s endings features Janet Van Dyne confronting the mystery character in Pennsylvania who has crossed over to Earth from Other-Realm.
Who’s the mysterious character?
Omega the Unknown!
Yes, over a decade on the sidelines the classic character is back and what that means is unknown (no pun intended).
Omega the Unknown debuted in March 1976 inOmega the Unknown #1. The character was created by Steve Gerber, Mary Skrenes, and Jim Mooney.
Omega is the last remaining member of an alien race and escapes to Earth. The comic also features James-Michael who has dreams and visions he shares with Omega. We find out James-Michael’s parents are robots after an accident where he wakes up later in a private hospital exhibiting a lack of emotion to those events. After being attacked Omega shows up to protect James-Michael and James-Michael eventually shoots bursts from his hands, something Omega has done as well. The series followed the mystery of James-Michael who is fostered by two young women in Hell’s Kitchen and Omega being a hero. What’s the connection between the two?
The series wrapped up after 10 issues leaving a lot of questions unanswered. They were sort of answered in two issues of The Defenders in 1979 written by Steven Grant.
In The Defenders, we learn that Omega and James-Michael are bio-engineered beings engineered by a mechanoid race called the Protars. The Protars decide to create an ideal race of humanoids when they foresee their extinction. At the end of The Defenders, James-Michael destroys himself and Omega is dead after being shot by police in his own series. Basically, the characters were written out of existence by a lot of death.
Last we saw the use of the character was a 2007 10-issue limited series by Jonathan Lethem and Farel Dalrymple that delivered a new take on the character.
In Darkhold: Omega, Omega is referred to as model X3Z, a reference to the previous run which teases what readers should be checking out, his 10-issue series and then the two issues of The Defenders. All of them are available on Marvel Unlimited.
It’s unknown exactly what happened to Omega that he wound up in Other-Realm and it’ll be interesting to see where Marvel takes this one. But, with the return and Miracleman and now this? 2022 is sure looking to be an intriguing year that celebrates and brings back some classics.
Archie Comics and writer/artist Rob Liefeld had been teaming up to update Archie’s classic superhero The Mighty Crusaders characters. Kicking off in June The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield would reimagine Archie’s iconic library of superheroes reintroducing the properties to modern readers.
Over the weekend, Liefeld took to social media to voice his displeasure over a cover that he felt revealed a “key plot point/element”. The retail variant cover was by Tone Rodriguez.
Liefeld said in his post:
When the key plot point/element is revealed on a retail variant cover – it’s probably time to exit the stage on this one…. like seriously?
Archie followed up saying they didn’t “grant permission for this (the cover) to be posted and shared”.
Liefeld followed up with:
Really dumb. It was fun while it lasted… on to the next!
When someone asked if the project was still going ahead, Liefeld responded “died right here”.
Those statements makes it seems like Liefeld is done on the project which hasn’t even debuted yet.
But, the character revealed on the cover and hints as to what it all means were already spoiled. Liefeld hinted to the story in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Archie had already released an image of the character in its initial teasers here and here drawn by Liefeld.
Check out the cover below along with the original teaser image.
Black Widow is still a few months away with details limited. There’s a lot of speculation including who will be under Taskmaster’s mask. But, actor David Harbour who plays Red Guardian has let slip we may be seeing the Winter Guard in the film.
The Winter Guard in the comics is Russia’s superhero group and on Instagram, Harbour named a few members of the group in his post. Is it just a tease? Will they make an appearance? Or is it just a mention? We’ll find out on July 9th.
What other surprises are you expecting from the film?
It’s a new month of offerings from Diamond Select Toys and Gentle Giant Ltd., and there’s plenty to see! Shipping this winter, we’ll get new DC Gallery dioramas, new DC and Star Wars Legends in 3D busts, a new Marvel statues, new Star Wars busts and statues, and returning Marvel Select action figures! It’s the best of all worlds!
DC Comic Gallery Deluxe Lobo PVC Diorama
A Diamond Select Toys Release! Feetal’s Gizz! This Deluxe Gallery Diorama of Lobo on his Spacehog cycle is one of the most deluxe dioramas ever made! Measuring approximately 10 inches tall and 12 inches long, Lobo’s SpazFrag666 is the first vehicle in the Gallery Diorama line, and features the same detailed sculpting and paint applications you’ve come to expect. Cast in high-quality PVC, it comes packaged in a full-color window box. Designed by Caesar, sculpted by Alterton. (Item # JUL201911, SRP: $99.99)
DC Comic Gallery Superman Ascendant PVC Diorama
A Diamond Select Toys Release! Look, up in the sky! Superman rises above the clouds in this all-new installment in the DC Gallery line of dioramas! Measuring approximately 10” high, this PVC sculpture features detailed sculpting and paint applications, and comes packaged in a full-color window box. Designed and sculpted by Alterton. (Item # JUL201912, SRP: $49.99)
Legends in 3D Animation Batman TAS Harley Quinn 1/2 Scale Bust
A Diamond Select Toys Release! It’s time to rev up your Harley! The Legends in 3D line of half-scale busts continues with the next in a sequence based on Batman: The Animated Series – Harley Quinn! The Maiden of Mirth measures approximately 10 inches tall atop her circus pedestal, is limited to only 1,000 pieces and comes packaged in a full-color box with a hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Designed by Joe Allard, sculpted by Varner Studios. (Item # JUL201913, SRP: $175.00)
Marvel Animated-Style Doctor Doom Statue
A Gentle Giant Ltd. Release! Doctor Doom returns! Based on the variant cover artwork of Marvel Comics, this statue of the Latverian monarch depicts him in a pensive pose, perhaps debating which of his adorable attacks to unleash on an unsuspecting foe. Measuring approximately 5” tall, this statue features detailed sculpting and paint applications and comes packaged in a full-color box with a certificate of authenticity. Sculpted by Paul Harding. (Item: # JUL201915, SRP: $49.99)
Marvel Comic Premier Collection Old Man Logan Statue
A Diamond Select Toys Release! Wolverine gets older and better in this new Premier Collection statue of the Canadian X-Man! With one set of claws popped, Logan sizes up his opponent as an approximately 9” tall statue, featuring detailed sculpting and paint applications. Limited to only 3,000 pieces, it comes packaged in a full-color box with a numbered certificate of authenticity. Designed by Shawn Knapp, sculpted by Mat Brouillard. (Item # JUL201914, SRP: $175.00)
Marvel Select Thanos Infinity Action Figure
A Diamond Select Toys Release! Let the galaxy celebrate the return of the mad Titan Thanos, seeker of the Infinity Gems and wielder of the Infinity Gauntlet! Inspired by his modern comic book appearance, as seen in 2013’s Infinity limited series, this figure measures approximately 7.75 inches tall with 16 points of articulation and includes an interchangeable unhelmeted head. Designed by Yuri Tming, sculpted by Gentle Giant Studios. Formerly a Disney Store exclusive. (Item # JUL201916, SRP: $29.99)
Marvel Select Planet Hulk Action Figure
A Diamond Select Toys Release! Let the games begin! This action figure of the Hulk depicts him in his gladiator armor from the character-redefining “Planet Hulk” storyline in The Incredible Hulk comics. The figure stands approximately 10 inches tall (11.5 inches with his feather crest) and features 16 points of articulation, allowing him to strike a wide variety of combat-ready poses. Accessories include an 8-inch-long battle axe and a 5-inch tall spiked shield. Sculpted by Jean St. Jean. Formerly a Disney Store exclusive. (Item # JUL201917, SRP: $29.99)
Star Wars Rebels Sabine Wren 1/6 Scale Bust
A Gentle Giant Ltd. Release! The Ghost’s resident Mandalorian and the inspirational tagger of Star Wars: Rebels, Sabine Wren is the next animated character to join Gentle Giant Ltd.’s 1/6 scale bust line! Sculpted in a realistic style, with detailed sculpting and paint applications, it includes helmeted and unhelmeted heads, as well as four interchangeable arms. Limited to only 1,500 pieces, it comes packaged with a certificate of authenticity in a full-color box. Designed and sculpted by Gentle Giant Ltd. Premier Guild orders open 6/19, general 6/20. (Item # JUL201908, SRP: $120.00)
Star Wars Premier Collection The Mandalorian MK3 1/7 Scale Statue
A Gentle Giant Ltd. Release! Everyone’s crazy for a sharp-dressed Mandalorian, so the Disney+ star has donned his MK 3 Beskar armor in this 1/7 scale statue. Wielding a blaster and drawing down on his enemy, the Mandalorian measures approximately 10 inches tall, features detailed sculpting and paint applications, and is limited to only 3,000 pieces. It comes packaged in a full-color box with a certificate of authenticity. Designed and sculpted by Gentle Giant Ltd. Premier Guild orders open 6/19, general 6/20. (Item # JUL201909, SRP: $175.00)
Legends in 3D Movie Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Darth Maul 1/2 Scale Bust
A Gentle Giant Ltd. Release! The Star Wars icon gets the Legends in 3D treatment with this legendary half-scale bust! Measuring approximately 10” tall atop its lightsaber-hilt pedestal, and limited to only 1,000 pieces, it comes packaged in a full-color box with a certificate of authenticity. Designed by Joe Allard and sculpted by Rocco Tartamella. Premier Guild orders open 6/19, general 6/20. (Item # FEB209258, SRP: $175.00)
For months, Marvel has been teasing a project known only as “X-Classified.” The cover has been blacked out and creative team involved not listed. While there’s been some speculation that the series revolved around the upcoming Extermination storyline/event, we now know it’s something different.
WARNING SPOILERS BELOW
Today’s X-Men: Gold #30 features the wedding of Colossus and Kitty Pryde but, as spoiled by Marvel itself, we know that wedding doesn’t happen. Instead, Rogue and Gambit tie the knot and get married. This is what this ongoing series is about.
Mr. & Mrs. X is written by Kelly Thompson with pencils by Oscar Bazaldua. The main cover is by Terry Dodson with variants for the first three issues by J. Scott Campbell, Humberto Ramos, Skottie Young, Jen Bartel, and Phil Noto.
In January, Rogue and Gambit starred in a mini-series also written by Thompson.
To the surprise of everyone, the Marvel Universe’s hottest couple has tied the knot!
But there’s no time to enjoy wedded bliss when Rogue and Gambit find themselves tasked with protecting a mysterious package that just about everyone in the galaxy is trying to steal. What secrets does this package hold that everyone from the Imperial Guard and the Starjammers to Technet and Deathbirth (with an entire Shi’ar rebellion in tow!) will risk everything for?! Perhaps more importantly, is there anything worse than Deadpool crashing your honeymoon?
But several of my friends asked me the same question. . . “What the heck? Darth Maul?”
His inclusion is brilliant. A theme of Solo is that everyone has a boss, everyone answers to someone. And so Han’s motivation almost the entire film is just to get a ship and fly away from it all — to be free. It’s a very interesting parallel to Maul, who continually flees from his would-be Sith masters/oppressors and trying to be his own man. However, Han Solo truly just wants freedom. Maul wants revenge.
It’s a masterful inclusion that not only works as perfect nerd candy, but also goes directly to the heart of the theme of the film.
A word on spoilers (looking sideways at you, Variety, and other mainstream outlets whose headlines scream DARTH MAUL!!!! without a thought of spoiling the movie. Of course, none of my friends are terrible enough to spoil the movie in the open– we’re asking in private messages, spoiler-devoted Facebook groups, and so on. Please be like them. Let people enjoy this, because, for me, it was one of the most beautiful reveals in the film. (The others were cameos by both Warwick Davis and Clint Howard and a mention of Teräs Käsi, a reference to the second worst Star Wars video game of all time.)
But back to Darth Maul. Most fans — even big fans — will go into this and say, “Wait. . . isn’t he dead?”
I will admit, this was my first thought as well, since Maul met his final end on Tatooine in a beautiful duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi in Season 3 of Star Wars Rebels.
But then you remember, Rebels is taking place only a few years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope (or, in uber-nerdy in-canon parlance, Before the Battle of Yavin [BBY] or After the Battle of Yavin [ABY]). Maul died approximately 2-3 years BBY, and the events of Solo take place anywhere from 10-13 years BBY.
But, wait, how is Maul still alive after getting chopped in half by Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of The Phantom Menace?
To that, we need to go to to theStar Wars comics andThe Clone Warscartoon, which have a bunch of great Maul-centric episodes and arcs. Let me lay some of them out, and then you can use these handy links to watch them on Netflix. (Really, you should just watch all of Clone Wars. The first season is a bit uneven, but it gets REALLY good.)
Backstory:
Season 3, Episodes 12-14: Count Dooku has a secret apprentice, Asaaj Ventress (again, you should really watch the whole show!), and he is ordered to eliminate her and goes to replace her. His replacement is Savage Oppress, who bears a striking resemblance to Darth Maul (except he’s yellow instead of red).
Darth Maul Returns:
Season 4, Episodes 21-22: Brothers / Revenge: Savage Oppress goes on a quest to find his long-lost brother, who he feels is alive. He finds him — insane — on the junk planet of Lotho Minor, where he has built himself crazy spider legs out of junk and has somehow managed to stay alive. The one thing Maul clings to is revenge against Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he and Oppress leave on a mission to take it. They end up fighting Kenobi and Ventress, who only barely escape. This leads to. . .
Season 5, Episode 1: Revival: Maul and Oppress rampage across the Outer Rim, beginning to put together an underworld gang of pirates. This is the first time Maul refers to himself as a “Crime Lord.” When the face off against notorious pirate Hondo Onaka teamed up with Obi-Wan, they escape again, only barely alive.
Season 5, Episodes 14-16: Maul and Oppress put together a crime syndicate backed by Black Sun, the Hutts, the Pykes (who are also namechecked in Solo as a rival gang to Crimson Dawn), and rogue Mandalore clan Death Watch. (Of note: Pre Vizsla, the leader of Death Watch, is voiced by none other than Jon Favreau, who also voices Rio Durant in Solo)
Together, under the name of The Shadow Collective, they take over Mandalore, drawing in the Jedi and exacting a personal price on Kenobi. I maintain that the episode “The Lawless” is better than a lot of the prequel trilogy in its stakes, emotions, and cinematic achievement. Worth a watch, for this scene only:
At the end of “The Lawless,” we see Maul and Oppress defeated and in retreat and then facing off against a very angry Darth Sidious / Emperor Palpatine. At the end, he says, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to kill you. I have other uses for you.”
And then The Clone Wars was cancelled.
Luckily, some of the unproduced scripts outlined what Palpatine’s plans were for Maul, which were then published in the comic series Son of Dathomir. During this, we see Maul go to war against General Grevious and Dooku, and his Shadow Collective in ruins.
Apparently, from this, Maul has been working in the intervening years to form Crimson Dawn, the criminal group that Qi’ra and Dryden Vos work for.
Wait, but is all this canon, you might ask?
Yes. 100% it is.
Back when Lucasfilm hit the reset button on their Extended Universe and turned all of that content into “Legends,” they kept all six of the produced films as canon, along with The Clone Wars, and then all comics and books from thereafter would be officially canonized.
So, that’s how Darth Maul makes sense being included in Solo. One of the best things I can say about Solo is it makes me want a sequel. I’d love to see what happens next as the stories of Han Solo, the Hutts, Lando, Qi’ra, and Darth Maul all are destined to intertwine some more.
For more of my thoughts on Solo in podcast form, check out the Bored as Hell Podcast.
