Silent Bob

OHMSS as a movie was not one of the bad ones (I reserve that term for, say, Moonraker and Diamonds Are Forever) it's just known as the bad one because it had the least memorable Bond - George Lazenby - in his only appearance. Timothy Dalton was a harder-edged more realistic Bond and maybe audiences just weren't looking for that right after the silliness of most of the Roger Moore flicks. But The Living Daylights is one of my favorite Bond films. License to Kill wasn't bad either, but it strayed a little too far from the formula for my tastes. It kinda felt like they just bought a generic action script and stuck James Bond in the role of the main character. It had its moments, though. I think most of the people on that list are far too well-known to play Bond. The character of James Bond should always be much bigger than the actor he's being portrayed by. He shouldn't be played by a major star like Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Ewan McGregor etc. I've also never liked the idea of Bond being played by an Australian. He's a British icon, he should be played by a Brit. And it's not really that I don't think an Australian actor could do it, it just feels like an insult to my intelligence because I know that somewhere at MGM some studio exec is saying "oh we don't need someone from Britain, just put an Australian in there - American audiences can't tell the difference." Anyway, you're right Nick, Brosnan's been wasted a bit on the last few movies. He deserves a slightly harder-edged plot like GoldenEye, or the Dalton or Connery movies. So if they want to reinvent the franchise I hope they go in that direction, instead of leaning towards the glossier, dumbed down xXx option.

Well Nick, you'll be happy to hear that changing up the Bond formula is one of the bigger options they're considering for the next one. Martin Campbell (who directed GoldenEye) is going to direct the next one - most likely an adaption of Casino Royale - and promises a grittier, darker, more realistic Bond, similar to GoldenEye but further. Whether or not Brosnan comes back is still up in the air (admittedly, he is getting a little old for this shit), some sources say yes, some say no. If he doesn't come back Campbell is seriously considering going with a much younger Bond, reinventing the franchise from the beginning by showing Bond's first mission with MI6, something similar to what was done to the Jack Ryan series in The Sum of All Fears. The bad thing about that would be losing some great supporting characters, such a Judi Dench and John Cleese (it'd be a shame to lose such a perfect Q as John Cleese after only two appearances) but it could also open the series up to a great new Bond that could help reinvent the franchise. Christian Bale would be an awesome choice, Sig, but he hasn't really ever been mentioned. Now, I have been a Bond fan all my life. I've seen every movie, every Bond, and eagerly await each new movie (by the way, Nick, the "other Bond" you were thinking of was Timothy Dalton who, I think, is underrated...and George Lazenby was Bond in On Her Majesty's Secret Service). One of the things that I - and any other major Bond fan - like about the series is that it hasn't reinvented itself. Going into a Bond movie is just like seeing a brand new version of an old movie you love. I haven't always been a fan of attempts to revamp the series, like the jump cuts, slow-motion effects and CGI in Die Another Day, so I don't really care if they revamp the series or just keep going but I can understand why the bulk of movie audiences could be getting tired of it. Since Brosnan's rumored departure, there have been dozens of rumors about who would replace him, with such names as Ewan MacGregor, Colin Farrell, Hugh Jackman, Dougray Scott, Orlando Bloom, Russel Crowe, Jude Law, Ioan Gruffudd and Eric Bana. In recent news, the rumors have narrowed themselves down to two contenders - Clive Owen and Daniel Craig. The rumor list also usually includes Nip/Tuck star and Doc Doom Julian McMahon but only because he can't keep his mouth shut about wanting the part. Personally, I think all three are bad choices (even Owen, though I love him as an actor). I'd go for either Christian Bale or James Purefor - who may finally get recognition after he plays the title character in V for Vendetta.

Witchblade was...what was that one, guys? That was Image, right? I never saw that series, how was it?

It's not bad. I think he's better with the technical stuff than with the anatomy. Bats' face looks kinda weird in both the shots that they show (though admittedly, those could both have been the fault of the inker). But the close-ups, the Batmobile and the office interior are all really good. And you're right, the blocking and the poses is pretty classic and the colors are a little brighter than normal, so I get the Neal Adams feeling too. There's good stuff and bad stuff there, I'd hafta see more.

Firefly is a recently-cancelled tv show by Joss "Astonishing Buffy" Whedon, so that's probably what you're thinking, Sig. The movie version's called Serenity and looks set to come out September 30th. Or maybe you're thinking that godawful hot Costner movie that came out a few years ago - Dragonfly - because that's what the title keeps reminding me of. Unfortunately.

What's a mape?

Well I like it better than the new Batman costume.

JRJr's doing Black Panther now? Nice. Picked up a few comics recently. I don't go every month so I'm usually an issue or two behind, and only pick up my favs or the highly recommended stuff. But speaking of highly recommended, I grabbed the first two trades of Walking Dead about a week back. Nick, everything you said about this was right, it's great great stuff. I love the survival stories and just the depth that Kirkman is getting out of his characters and his story. I really miss Tony Moore's pencils (I absolutely loved that art in Volume 1), but Adlard's doing a decent job picking it up. A great new look at a tired old cliche of a story. Went to the shop today and picked up: Ultimates #4 & 5 = Goddamn can Hitch draw the hell out of those action scenes. I used to never give a damn about Thor (Norse god come to earth, how cheesy a backstory is that?) but Millar's made me a real fan of Ultimate Looney Thor, and this arc was just great. I only wish there had been a bit more of it, but I felt the same way about the Hulk plot before it. Do these things really have to be limited to three issues? Secret War #4 - Ok, I'll come out and say it, Bendis isn't impressing me much with this story. So, as far as I can tell so far, Nick Fury got a team together to go and try to overthrow the Latverian government a year ago, pissed someone off, and now they're getting revenge? Ok. But...am I the only one who thinks this mysterious superhero team going overseas to overthrow a government might be a more interesting story than just watching an entire book full of a big fight in New York City? I've seen fights in New York City. Granted I haven't seen a fight in New York City look like this! I buy the book just to see more of Dell'Otto's work, now. I don't really think Bendis is gonna be able to sell me on the story with just one issue left to go. Daredevil Redemption #3 - Anyone else following this one? It's shaping up to be a cool little mystery that has Matt Murdock defending a suspected child killer (and satanist) in a small rural fundamentalist town in Alabama. Hine's writing is good and he's got enough eerie foreshadowing and shocking moments to keep me wondering whether he'll be able to pay it all off at the end. But it's halfway in and it still has me guessing so that's something. Gaydos' art isn't bad either. He comes off pretty much as Maleev-lite, keeps it in the same vein as the main DD book. He's not as good as Maleev, but given a few more years for him to get better and I'm gonna have trouble telling their pencils apart.

I didn't really consider Burton's Batman costume impressive...it was a Batsuit made out of used tires. As far as impressive superhero costumes go, I really liked the design of Daredevil's movie costume. But I think this one looks fine. I mean, he's Superman, he doesn't need armor or anything so this simple costume is kinda nice.

Also: Johnny Blaze!

I've had the cover of Under Pressure by My Chemical Romance and The Used stuck in my head for days now. Mm ba ba de Um bum ba de Um bu bu bum da de Pressure pushing down on me Pressing down on you no man ask for Under pressure - that burns a building down Splits a family in two Puts people on streets Um ba ba be Um ba ba be De day da Ee day da - that's o.k. It's the terror of knowing What the world is about Watching some good friends Screaming 'Let me out' Pray tomorrow - gets me higher Pressure on people - people on streets Day day de mm hm Da da da ba ba O.k. Chippin' around - kick my brains around the floor These are the days it never rains but it pours Ee do ba be Ee da ba ba ba Um bo bo Be lap People on streets - ee da de da de People on streets - ee da de da de da de da It's the terror of knowing What this world is about Watching some good friends Screaming 'Let me out' Pray tomorrow - gets me higher high high Pressure on people - people on streets Turned away from it all like a blind man Sat on a fence but it don't work Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn Why - why - why ? Love love love love love Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking Can't we give ourselves one more chance Why can't we give love that one more chance Why can't we give love give love give love give love give love give love give love give love give love 'Cause love's such an old fashioned word And love dares you to care for The people on the edge of the night And loves dares you to change our way of Caring about ourselves This is our last dance This is our last dance This is ourselves Under pressure Under pressure Pressure

Superman I'm not sure when exactly Superman's colors changed to blue and maroon, but eh.

Gotta agree with that. Cameron was incredible when she had a little more meat on her. But movin' on... Fergie, from the Black Eyed Peas.

Yeah, the only thing I don't like about Routh is that he looks younger - wait, no, in fact he is younger - than Tom Welling, who plays Clark in Smallville. I almost wish they coulda waited another decade, then he'd be perfect. But I'm gonna hold off my final judgement until I see a pic of him in the cape.

Ditto. Call me blasphemous but I like her face better than her boobs, natural or not. And I'm not even a boobaphobe. SE had a nice pick, there. I just wish I could see that girl from the front. Y'know, just once. To shake things up a bit...

I'm sure Ross is happy. I don't think I ever saw him draw Kyle... Hey remember that time when Gardner became DC's weird version of Wolverine, with huge claws that ripped out of his forearms? What was it he called himself then? That's one of those things I remember from when I was a kid that's so freakin' weird I need someone else to remember it too just to make sure I didn't imagine it.

I'm sold. Troy wasn't that great of a movie, but this is also the guy who wrote both the book and the screenplay of 25th Hour. I just wanna see a scene with Wolvy talking into a mirror, starting a long monologue with "fuck the sentinels..."

And...why is Krypto representing Guy Gardner?

I always liked Kyle too. For me, Hal Jordan has only ever been interesting 1) a very long time ago or 2) when he's tortured, over the edge and destroying things on a massive scale. I just thought Kyle was more interesting in general. Plus, the guy was an illustrator in his normal life, and as a kid I kinda dug that. I liked his costume better too. (shrug)

Yeah she was a hottie. And I remember thinking at the end of that movie that damn that girl could kiss. Esmerelda was a hottie too. And that dance she did? You just know she's got a much better version for more intimate occasions.

I got this one for my birthday back in January, played it for a few days and quickly got my ass kicked! School started up after that and I haven't had the chance to pick it up again, but even from the little bit I played I can vouch for the fact that it's an awesome game. Truly, I'm already ready to declare it the best Resident Evil game yet. And yeah, no zombies, but that isn't a loss because the humans are even scarier.

If you gotta die in some horrible, poisonous, itchy way, this girl will make it worth it.

Agreed, I'd go with Black Cat too, but I'd come home to MJ Particularly the comic book "face it tiger, you've just hit the jackpot" version, not the Ultimate or Kirsten Dunst version. And like MLB, I have to admit that Elastigirl's superpowers could really come in handy. A girl who can stretch and bend into any position? Dear god... Hey does Dr. Aki Ross count as a cartoon character? Mmm

Scott's been doing the Traffic cinematography for a while now. Unfortunately, he's also started cutting his frames every half second and spinning the camera constantly in ways that must give Michael Bay a hardon. Did anyone see his remake of Man on Fire? My god. It was a good movie (up 'til the ending) but watching it on my bigscreen can literally make me nauseated sometimes.

Weeell, I guess you can't blame Kyle. I mean, Hal went nuts and tried to destroy the entire universe but people still like him better. That's bound to give anybody insecurity issues.