Chris Sims
The Marvel Comics Connection To Super Sentai And Power Rangers [Video]
You may have already noticed that I'm a pretty big fan of going really deep into the origins and minutiae of my favorite characters. That's one of the reasons that I really appreciate what ToyBountyHunters has been doing with their in-depth series on the origins of the massive, long-running Super Sentai series, the franchise that gave us the source material for our American Power Rangers. They spend a lot of time discussing the origins and development of the series, an as someone who really likes that stuff, it's fascinating.
The same goes for their latest video, the third part of their retrospective, where they turn their attention to the connection between Marvel Comics and the development of Super Sentai -- and while I already knew all about the tokusatsu series about Spider-Man -- known colloquially as Japanese Spider-Man -- there's a lot in there that I wasn't familiar with, like how Battle Fever J started out as a Captain America show.
The Top Ten Worst Haircuts In Superhero Comics
If there's one thing we've learned from our years on the Internet, it's that there's no aspect of comics that can't be broken down and quantified in a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of ten. And since there's no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we're taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Ten Lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics.
This week, we're taking a look back on the many mullets bowl-cuts and other assorted disasters with the ten worst haircuts in superhero comic history!
Fox News Said Some Incredibly Stupid Bullsh*t About Comics Again [Video]
The great thing about Fox News is that it's only Tuesday and you're already about to see the dumbest thing you'll see all week.
In this case, it's a clip from Fox's weekend morning show, where three people with the collective brains of a sack of doorknobs turn their reasoned and well-thought out opinions to the world of comic books. Specifically taking on Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman's upcoming run on Thor, where the iconic Marvel hero will get a new identity as a woman, and complaining about Wonder Woman's costume in the upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice film by comparing it to Jim Lee's redesign from four years ago that, according to them, appears to be a product of what they characterize as fundamentalist Sharia Law.
No, really, this dope on the left actually says that.
Top Ten Underrated Batman Villains
If there's one thing we've learned from our years on the Internet, it's that there's no aspect of comics that can't be broken down an quantified into a single definitive list, preferably in amounts of ten. And since there's no more definitive authority than ComicsAlliance, we're taking it upon ourselves to compile Top Ten Lists of everything you could ever want to know about comics.
This week, we're kicking it off with The Top Ten Underrated Batman Villains! The Dark Knight has an awful lot of notable foes, but there are plenty of also-rans, C-listers and one-shot villains who deserve better than being punched out and thrown into Blackgate, never to be seen again. So from the obscure to the unappreciated, here they are!
Weekend Reading: IDW’s ‘Judge Dredd’ And Image’s ‘Fatale’ Are On Sale
I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you, the discerning ComicsAlliance reader, like to get good comics without paying a lot of money for them. That's a pretty safe bet, right? I mean, who doesn't like getting comics on the cheap, especially when they're critically acclaimed titles -- specifically, titles that have been critically acclaimed by us, America's Most Beloved Comics Reviewers?
That's why we're keeping an eye on the sales over at Comixology to help you find the best comics that you can grab on the cheap, and spend your weekend with some great stories. This week: Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips' Fatale and IDW's line of Judge Dredd titles!
Here’s The Thing Episode 19: The Green Lantern Legacy [Video]
If our weekly Ask Chris column isn't enough of definitive comic book (and pro wrestling) opinions for you, good news: ComicsAlliance is proud to present Here's The Thing, a series of videos where you can join our own extremely opinionated senior writer, Chris Sims, as he dives into comics history to explain why you're wrong and he's right.
This week, Chris follows up on a comment from a previous episode by taking a look at the idea of legacy in Green Lantern, and how it compares to how "legacy" was used as the driving force in The Flash -- and how it completely failed to work.
Joe Quinones’ Robin ’66 Challenges Cameron Stewart’s Batgirl For Selfie Supremacy
If you follow the ComicsAlliance Instagram account, then you already know that we are pretty passionate about selfies. It's one of the reasons that we're actually so excited about seeing all the covers for DC's upcoming Selfie Month, in which the heroes of the DC Universe snap pictures of themselves while they're going about their heroic duty. It's a fun way to inject some much needed levity back into these most colorful characters, and one that fans respond to in enormously positive ways if the reaction to Cameron Stewart's Batgirl is any indication -- and that wasn't even part of the Selfie Month promotion.
This week, one such cover was unveiled that has risen above all the others as possibly the single greatest superhero selfie of all time: Joe Quinones' cover to Batman '66 #14, where Robin the Boy Wonder can be seen snapping a photo of himself with the rotary Bat-Phone.
Just Say The Word: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson All But Confirms ‘Shazam’ Movie Role [Video]
Dwayne Johnson, better known to wrestling fans from his time in WWE as The Rock, has long been rumored to be up for a starring role in a DC Comics superhero movie, and now it looks like it's actually going to happen. In an interview with Total Film, Johnson confirmed that he has been in talks with DC Entertainment for years and that an agreement is in place and an announcement is coming soon.
As for just what that announcement will be, well, based on what Johnson says in the interview, there's a pretty good chance he might be playing Shazam in an upcoming film.
Cliff Chiang’s Wonder Woman, Bruce Timm’s Harley Quinn, And Shirtless Arrow Highlight DC Collectibles’ Comic-Con Presentation
For many collectors, Comic-Con International means an opportunity to get stuff, and DC Collectibles seems more than happy to oblige. This week the company revealed a truly massive amount of toys and other products that will be available later this month in San Diego, including a super-posable Harley Quinn action figure in Bruce Timm's Batman: The Animated Series style and a new Wonder Woman statue designed by current series artist Cliff Chiang.
Other offerings include a series of Batman figures designed by Greg Capullo that include Zero Year's purple-gloved Batman, a line of Arkham Knight action figures in which Harley Quinn is rocking a truly hilarious tutu, a line of action figures for the CW's Arrow that will feature both a shirtless and hoodie-wearing version of the vigilante archer, and a piece we're nicknaming "The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Superman."
Here’s The Thing, Episode 15: Why’s Mark Waid’s ‘Flash’ Run So Great
If our weekly Ask Chris column isn't enough of definitive comic book (and pro wrestling) opinions for you, good news: ComicsAlliance is proud to present Here's The Thing, a series of videos where you can join our own extremely opinionated senior writer, Chris Sims, as he dives into comics history to explain why you're wrong and he's right.
This week, a reader wants to know just what the big deal is about Mark Waid's run on Flash in the '90s, and, as tends to happen with this sort of things, that simple question sends Chris into a lecture about the history of the DC Universe and the underlying themes, with an argument that Flash is the third most important character in DC History.