The quest for sense.

[Hairzilla]

 Y'know, I've found one, distinct drawback to being a comic book fan....and no, it's not that. Get your minds outta the gutter. 8) The downside of my serious comic book fandom is that I'll usually end up watching every crappy super-hero movie that comes on t.v. Take, for instance, SUPERMAN 4: THE QUEST FOR PEACE.  This well thought out film was on just this past saturday and, despite the distinct feeling of having a glowing rock that could kill me sitting in the same room, I watched the whole thing. Not the best way to spend part of a Saturday afternoon I assure you.

This movie has SO much wrong with it that it surely would've been better if it had followed Krypton's example and self destructed before ever being released! Rather than go into detail about any one thing, lemme just hit you all with a few observations and see what you think....If any of you actually think anything about this film....

When we first see our hero as Clark Kent he's down on the 'ol homestead removing a glowing green shard from it's hiding place in the barn. As he does so, a voiceover tells him that it contains all that is left of the power of Krypton or something, and that he can only use the power once. A choice, the voiceover notes, that must be made wisely. Uh....seeing as though the ONLY green shard that ever seemed to be there was the one Clark used to create the Fortress of Solitude....wouldn't he have already used it TWICE???
And, if this is supposed to be a different, glowing green shard altogether, [The GIGANTIS syndrome strikes again!] then WHY the heck is it still in the barn at this point instead of in the Fortress???

Wouldn't Superman's imposing his will on the world and removing all nuclear missles, even in the name of planetary preservation, qualify him as a dictator? And what would've been the result if even one nation had disagreed with him? [This angle in itself would've made for a far better film!]

If that one strand of Superman's hair could hold up, like, 500 pounds or something, how is it that Luthor was able to so easily snip it with WIRE CUTTERS???

If Superman is forbidden to interfere in human history [a vague rule that could, conceivably, cover any number of possibilities], wouldn't this apply to interfering with the workings of an individual, human mind as well? The mind in question being that of Lois Lane, whom Clark brings in and out of remembering who he really is whenever he needs a shoulder to cry on.

During the segment where both Clark AND Superman are supposed to meet up with Lois and Mariel Hemmingway [I don't remember the name of her character...like it matters.], Superman ends up having to leave to deal with Luthor and Clark simply never comes back. End of scene. No questions asked.....WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA??? Uh, script guys....there's a BIG problem here....Hello?

Let's see.... Mariel develops an affection for Clark for being just a normal, nice guy, and Lois loves only Superman. [As evidenced by the fact that, upon Clark getting his butt handed to him after giving up his powers FOR HER in movie 2, she oh so caringly says "I want the man I fell in love with".] I couldn't even screw this choice up brothers!

Was it me, or did Nuclear Man clearly fly INTO OUTER SPACE with the captured Mariel, in his efforts to escape Superman...and she remained ALIVE and BREATHING the entire time???  

Ah, Nuclear Man - as played by Mark PILLOW! [No joke! I read the credits!]
I found this fact alone to be strangely appropriate, and it kept me snickering for several minutes!

"Love interest" subplots in super-hero movies ALWAYS suck! Well, x-cept for in X-men, where Logan hitting on Jean was as entertaining as the books.


Well, that's it for now from Hairzilla's secret Kingdom of Rock! [Hey, Batman has the Batcave...] With at least three new super-hero movies in the talking stages, I wonder which one'll be screwed up next.

[Flangepart]

Oh, please, not Astro city! Don't let the scum touch Astro City!  I can't tell you how much i agree with you about Hwood screwing with comic stories. It SEEMS a natural for movies...but...maby not? They take a simlistic attitude to the material, and by Not RESPECTING the source, they leave it lame. Argggggg!

[Hairzilla]

 Well, Flange', according to a script review that I read just yesterday it looks like the next super-hero to suffer the disrespect of Hollywood will be none other than WONDER WOMAN! If what was reviewed does, indeed, turn out to be the final script treatment for this film, than we can expect it to be about as good as BATMAN and Nightwi....er, I mean ROBIN.  If you're interested in reading how the Hollywood mentality has twisted this character, you can find the review at:

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/305522p1.html

They want Sandra Bullock in the lead role??? That, to me, is an even stranger [not to mention worse] choice than Michael Keaton was for BATMAN! However, since I actually liked Keaton's portrayal, if not his build, I'll reserve judgement....

And speaking of Keaton's BATMAN, and since this post began with SUPERMAN, here's my worthless trivia moment...I was one of the many Bat-fans who were irate over the fact that Keaton didn't even get top billing in the first Bat-film, but the last time SUPERMAN THE MOVIE was on cable I noticed that Christopher Reeve didn't get top billing either, I believe that it was either Marlon Brando or Gene Hackman!  AARRGG!

The criminals aren't the super-hero's true enemy, Hollywood is!

[Flangepart]

Oh, please...Sandra bullshi...ock? No,oh no. Lucy Lawless, sure. She is one of the few women i can believe as a fighter. Sword, staff, round sharp thingy, i can buy her as WW...But Bullock? I done gots me problims wit dat! Who would you chose as WW? Have you ever read Astro City? Its the only Super Hero comic i like. Realy Eisneresq! The Steeljack saga has been my favorite. I can see why some people don't have good memories of comics.Most people grow above the level of writeing they grew up on. Hey, i remember when comics were 10 cents! Yes, i am anchient. But, i have seen it done, so i know the medium can be profound. It is a blending of word and image, unique to this century. As i tole ya in another post...its all in the writeing! The exicution just flows from it.

[Chadzilla]

Chyna the professional wrestler.  There's your wonder woman.

Based solely on the fact that I LOVED Darkman I am looking forward to the Spiderman movie directed by Sam Raimi.  I actually thought that 'updated' manner in which Pete Parker gets his spidey powers was interesting.  He gets bitten my a genetically engineered spider that causes his DNA to alter and, in a neatish twist, his body manufactures his web spray (Raimi felt that an 18ish year old whipping the stuff together with a home chemlab was okay in 60's and 70's comics, but in today's world it would not seem credible).

In Super-dooperMan 4 I love how Pillow (hehehehe) and Reeve duke it out on the moon and start panting on a rock with no air!

Scuttlebutt does have it that the movie was heavily trimmed to squeeze in more showings for a bigger opening weekend (hit and run, the Cannon philosophy - yup Golan-Globus produced Quest for the Bros Warner - they did the same trim job on with their Stallone vehicle Cobra).  But, as Gene Siskel once said about an entirely different movie, "This movie could contain the lost ten minutes of The Magnificent Ambersons and it would still SUCK!"  or words to that effect.

[Hairzilla]

To answer some stuff from both Flange' and Chad':

Chyna would also, without question, be my top choice to play Wonder Woman, Chad'! She has the height, build, and look to fit the role flawlessly! [And even for the muscle mass that she's allowed herself to lose, she's still pretty buff.] But, on the realistic side, she'd have to take some hardcore acting lessons first. [Remember that made for tv sci-fi movie that she was in about a year or two ago? Man, they hyped that thing like she WAS the movie - which suckered me into watching it - when, in reality, she was only in, what? Maybe three small scenes, tops! And she had what amounted to one full sentence of dialoge! Wotta joke!]

I agree with you as well, Flange', that Lucy Lawless would also make an excellent choice! She's got all the same attributes as Chyna, plus she can act! Having  watched Xena only on rare occasion, I'm aware that Lucy has portrayed a number of different types of characters throughout the series, but that's about as far as my knowledge goes. The one concern I'd have with her being cast in the role of Wonder Woman would be that, since she's already established as having played a similiar type of character for years, would she be able to bring a different feel to the role? Or would it be just like watching Xena run around in a different costume?

 [Remember the ep where Xena had to take on the leader of that rock band, and ended up jamming onstage and winning the music contest? I have to admit that that was a cool segment....until Gabriel came jittering out in that fringy costume and ruined the whole thing! WHOA! THIS could be as interesting as the "cartoon sidekicks" thread....Tv and movie sidekicks that should be destroyed! MY number one choice would be GABRIEL!]

As for whether I've read any of Astro City, I honestly can't say that I have, but it does sound interesting. When I was still collecting I was mostly into the classic characters. Batman, Hulk, the JLA, and Spider-Man [And, lest I leave it out, Spider-Man 2099, which ROCKED!]....which brings me to my next thing....

While I wholeheartedly disagree with Sam Raimi's decision to change certain aspects of Spider-Man, my fellow 'zillian, I can understand why he chose to do so. In an interview with him that I read not too long ago, he commented that the reason he changed Spidey's webbing from something Peter manufactures to a further mutation caused by the spider's bite, is because he didn't think that it was realistic to have a teenager [no matter how brilliant] creating a substance that modern science hasn't even been able to come up with yet. [But he has no problem with the concept of a crazy millionaire dressing up like a GOBLIN and spending his time fashioning explosives that look like little pumpkins??? Ooookay....And, before you mention the similarities, everything that Bruce Wayne does as Batman has a solid purpose and reason behind it, right down to the costume, whereas Norman Osborne is just a nut.]

And, to his credit, Raimi had enough respect for the character and his history to actually compromise with the fans. [Which is more than can be said of Tim Burton when Batman was announced!] Peter's brilliance will be showcased in the fact that it will still be necessary for him to create the web SHOOTERS with which to control and direct his organic webbing. I only wish that Bryon Singer would have just a bit more of that attitude and, at the very LEAST, have a realistic version of Wolverine's mask [which is as distinctive as Batman's] created for the next movie.

And lastly...for now...hahaha!...Flange', you made some excellent points on what makes comic books such a unique and artistic genre. [But, I have to admit that I've seen more than one great story brought down by lousy art, and vice versa.]
An example that immediately comes to mind is a graphic novel called KINGDOM COME, which was an excellently written tale complemented by nothing short of incredible painted artwork!

The story, in essence, deals with what the repercussions would be, for other super powered beings, as well as the world in general, if Superman gave up on humanity and retired. The opening sequence in itself is classic as the main character, an elderly minister seeking answers for the chaos erupting all around him, is shown what became of most of the "big guns" after Superman left....all but one....When he's shown Gotham City, and a crime in progress, he sees the perps surrounded and subdued by a number of massive "Robats" and the comment made was simply "Batman....has his city under control". Gotta love it!

[Flangepart]

Kingdom come. Yes! That was a story! Art and word to prove the ability of the comic to be profound. Lucy Lawless is such a good actress, i don't realy watch the show, and i'm impressed! Though the similarites twixt Xena and WW could be a problim. Spiderman: Will they use the theme song from the old cartoon? ( spiderman, spiderman, does what ever a spider can....) At least in the closeing credits! Sheese! Hummmm....who would make a good live action Iron Man? Pierce Brosnan? maby...oh, man...i just remembered...the early Tony Stark looked like Alex Trebeck! (Your catagory is, supervillans!). anyway!....Oh, maby ..oh, alzhimers!...the post Rog. Moore Bond...that guy! You know who. I've lost intrest in Marvel comics...thought the Marvels one shot by the Kingdom Come guys was great. Guess i'm still a DC man at heart.

[Chadzilla]

I think you mean Timothy Dalton.  Could also be Pierce Brosnan.

I'm a fair weather comic reader (when I have extra cash I pick some up), not a hardcore buff but I wouldn't mind seeing movie versions of either Razor or Widow.  Especially Widow, which I would do as a hardcore gore animatronic effects neo-gothic horror movie reinvented as tragedy.

I'm also partial to Mike Wolfer's Ragdoll, but, well...you know.

And ZOMBIE WORLD.  Love those.

Jonah Hex (but it has to be written by Joe R. Lansdale).

And the Aliens comics were a hell of a lot better than anything the Fox studios came up with.