Batman: The Top 15 Villains

March 15, 2016 The Overseer 4 Comments

Batman is no youngster. In fact, the guy’s now north of 75. How in the world does the guy maintain his youth and sexual appeal? I’m fairly convinced Bruce Wayne wouldn’t have half the women falling over him that he has now if he was balding, overweight and grumpy. But he’s none of those things, he’s a near-80 year old man that looks not one day over 30. Impressive, Bats – send some of your beauty tips my way – this Oil of Olay isn’t cutting it!

Even despite his status as a senior citizen, Batman has been battling some of the nastiest villains to ever land in a comic book. And somehow, he just about always emerges victorious. Impressive stuff, especially when you frequently tangle with the 15 terrors you’ll find listed below!

15 Victor Zsasz

No doubt the least appreciated villain on this entire list, Victor Zsasz could easily be called the closest thing to a “real life” villain. He doesn’t have any wild superpowers and he doesn’t have any fancy getup. What he’s got is a ton of scars, each representing a life he’s taken, and some mean martial arts skills. Someone needs to nurture this character, in a major way.

14 Joker’s Daughter

One of Batman’s newest foes, Joker’s Daughter may be every bit the loon that her father is. She’s a cold blooded killer, and it doesn’t matter who the victim is. She’s just a nutty, homicidal broad who can even be seen “wearing” her daddy’s face. Horrific. Creepy. Makes Harley Quinn look like a contestant on Cupcake Wars.

13 Solomon Grundy

Solomon Grundy is the one zombie you never, under any circumstances want to run into. He’s got vengeance on his mind, and that takes up most of it, as he isn’t much of a thinker. He is huge and powerful, though, and he’s well-suited to crush Batman if he can catch him off guard.

12 Hugo Strange

Huge Strange is a brilliant mind. So brilliant in fact, he’s capable of manipulating and modifying all those who would happily kill for a chance to destroy the Batman. Slightly underrated, Strange deserves a lot more page time than he gets.

11 Killer Croc

Let’s be real here, the chances of Batman toppling Killer Croc should be profoundly slim. The dude is a massive half-crocodile with razor sharp teeth and the ability to hurl humans around like empty beer bottles. He’s that strong, he’s that mean and he remains one of Batman’s baddest foes!

10 Catwoman

Seduction, stealth and manipulation. These are the things going for Catwoman, who, if she tried hard enough could probably get old Bruce to slide those duds off in a hurry. It’s just too bad she’s a theif… I hate thieves, probably as much as Batman does!

09 Poison Ivy

This botanical beauty has the ability to control all plant life, which means if she feels compelled to leave Bats entangled in some actual poison ivy, he’s not only going to itch like a madman, he’s going to be mighty angered by succumbing defeat to a leaf or so.

08 Ra’s al Ghul

This uber talented terrorist leads the League of Assassins, but he’s such a gnarly assassin himself it probably isn’t needed. He’s got what it takes to run a one man show, despite the fact that he desperately wants to see Batman serve as his successor. It’s time to… well, you know – clean up Gotham!

07 The Riddler

One of Batman’s oldest foes, Edward Nygma took his criminal desires to alarming heights over the years. He’s been aiming to stump Batman since 1948, and from time to time he comes awfully close. Although, when all is said and done, The Riddler is a bit of a pipsqueak, and he’s not much of a challenge for the Bat when toeing the line.

06 Mr. Freeze

A longtime fan of Freeze, I can’t just let one simple fact slip away without mention: Warm this guy up and he’s done, a melted puddle. But, the former scientist is tricky and he’s concocted some wicked weapons to help ensure Batman never has a chance to turn the temperature up.

05 The Penguin

Crime boss Oswald Cobblepot doesn’t have a lot of physical gifts with which to hone in order to track down and slay the bat, but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t have some insanely cool and very, very dangerous umbrellas on hand. I’d love to get a peek in his closet, just to see how many of those slick concoctions he’s got stored away.

04 Scarecrow

Jonathan Crane is yet another villain to work in the scientific field. Instead of making medical advancements, he’s opted to craft a fear toxin that terrifies his opponents, paralyzing them with the vilest hallucinations one could imagine. Once in that state of panic, Scarecrow is free to have his way.

03 Two-Face

Poor Harvey Dent. Once a thriving district attorney, a run in with Sal Maroni altered his life trajectory to a great degree. Dent’s no longer a good guy. Half of his visage has been melted away to horror status, while the other side looks just fine. The encounter with Maroni however, left his psyche, all 100-percent of it, twisted and contorted, and this once heroic character is now a man who decides his victim’s fate with a flip of a coin. I guess everyone’s got a 50/50 chance at walking away from this guy, right?

02 Bane

Bane is basically a walking poster boy for steroids. Once a respected luchador, Bane is now a chemically enhanced monster who happens to get a kick out of breaking people. Just ask Bruce Wayne, the poor fellow had his back broken by this hulking menace.

01 Joker

Ah, the Batman’s truest nemesis. The Joker was introduced in 1940 and he’s been giving Bruce Wayne hell from the start. He’s deceptively intelligent, very handy with his murderous gadgets, and he’s certifiably insane, to top it all off. The Joker has been a key element in some of Batman’s greatest showdowns, but one must wonder: how long before the Joker’s Daughter steals a bit of papi’s shine?

Did we miss one of your favorite Batman villains? Let us know in the comment section below!

Fantasy Matches

Marvel vs. DC: Incredible Hulk Battles Bane

March 15, 2016 The Overseer Leave a comment

The Incredible Hulk

Two mammoth beasts with little remorse for anyone or anything to cross their paths, that’s what the Incredible Hulk and Bane are. However, even in his gloriously green state of rage, there’s a hint of innocence, and the desire to do right by the world’s standards within the Hulk. Sure, he loses his cool on a regular basis, and sure, he might crush your new Chevy Malibu just to do so, but there’s heart in there.

Another interesting thing about the Hulk is, he knows he’s one of the good guys. Regardless of how brutal he can be, he isn’t out to wreak havoc on the world. He isn’t out to rip open commercial size vaults and flee with the contents. He generally has no interest in feuding with superheroes.

Deep down, the Incredible Hulk is one of the good guys, especially when he isn’t angry and he’s just the nerdy little scientific bookworm known as Bruce Banner.

Bane

Once a dominant luchador, Bane eventually became the subject of study. Could it be possible to produce a radically enhanced human being by utilizing a super serum known as Venom? And if so, what other side effects might that serum produce? The strength of 10 men? The kind of rage only a wronged husband could know (for the record, Bane wasn’t wronged by his wife, but he’s got the anger of a man in such a position)? An actual desire to end lives? A determination to crush every bone in Batman’s body?

Bane fits those bills.

His longtime desire to be the unquestioned alpha male already makes the man a threat. With that juice coursing through his veins, his intensity is only amplified. And unlike the Hulk, Bane knows damn well he’s a villain. Although the man is hyper-intelligent, you’d never guess it when staring at the destruction he leaves in his path.

Make no mistake, Bane is a villain to the core.

The Battle

This could actually prove to be one of the most intriguing collisions between a Marvel character and a DC character. The variables that must be factored into the equation are numerous.

On one hand the strength of each character must be quite close, with a slight edge going to the Incredible Hulk, who’s fully capable of hauling a full-size school bus above his head before chucking it 100 yards. We haven’t seen that kind of action from Bane, but when he’s on the juice, he could certainly hurl an economy car… that’s still impressive, right?

Strength – The Incredible Hulk

When evaluating speed, it must be noted that Hulk can be a bit on the lumbering side. He’s massive, and it isn’t easy to speed around when you’re tipping the scales at about a half-ton. That’s a problem in this particular match-up.

You can bet your undies that Bane is the faster of the two, which also enables him to move with a bit more agility. Speed is not on Hulk’s side, plain and simple.

Speed – Bane

Unfortunately for our lovable green giant, fighting smarts are a true issue. Banner becomes extremely animalistic when transformed into the giant monster. He’s basically game to follow simple instructions and obliterate whatever may impede in his path or interrupt his personal goal. He’s no Brainiac, so if he’s hoping to pick up a W over any rival of similar size, he’d better hope that meeting is nothing more intricate than a close-quarters slugfest.

Bane is a different story. His intelligence takes a hit when his brain is swimming with Venom, but we cannot forget that he is a genius. So, even with dulled senses, he’s likely to see far more viable options in a showdown with the Incredible Hulk. Brute force versus brute force only goes so far – smarts could change the dynamics of the fight dramatically.

Intangibles

We never know when the unthinkable might happen, and the Hulk shrinks down to the puny frame of Bruce Banner.

But something very similar could be said for Bane. If the Hulk can get a hold on those tubes that keep the juice flowing into Bane’s system, he’ll see Bane deflate into a scared, slim fellow with virtually no courage and no ability to overcome the odds and take the Hulk out.

The Victor

A meeting here all comes down to one thing: Bane’s intelligence. If Bane can get his massive paws on the Hulk and pummel him into a different area code. But in order to do that he’s going to have to be smart enough to be wary of the Hulk and keep the Jolly Green Giant from getting his hands on those Venom tubes.

We know that both of these characters have unbelievable resolve. Neither man will quit, but I’m inclined to believe that as the war grows in violence and devastation, the Hulk will find a way to get to those tubes, and if that is indeed the case, it’s all over.

The Incredible Hulk defeats Bane via – ironically – smarts. Bane may be the genius here, but the Hulk is known to adapt, and getting his hands on Bane’s drug supply seems all but inevitable!

Comics, IDW Publishing, Reviews

‘Ghostbusters International #1’ Review

March 14, 2016 The Overseer Leave a comment

Ghostbusters International starts on a slow note, as they make the typical entity wrangling before being approached by the absurdly wealthy Erland Vinter, who has some plans for the gang. While we don’t receive too much in the way of details (that’s to come in issue number two, no doubt), we do get the very obvious idea that our loveable paranormal squashers won’t be hanging around New York for this specific assignment.

This is a fine opener, and writer Erik Burnham keeps the feel and continuity of recent stories intact. Picking this book up it feels as though we haven’t missed a beat, which is good news for hardcore Ghostbusters fans. Burnham also garners praise for keeping each of the Ghostbusters’ personalities very true to Ivan Reitman’s original source feature. You’ve got to love that.

As for the artwork, fear not – Dan Schoening brings his trademark style to the book, keeping the look of our protagonists clean yet simple. No pencil stroke is wasted by Schoening. All in all, the book looks great, and what we see in regards to villains is standout stuff.

Ghostbusters always have and always will entertain me. There are only so many paths these gentlemen can travel, but there’s clearly still room for expansions, as the numerous GB titles out there haven’t grown stale yet. With a brand new Ghostbusters reboot headed to the big screen soon, it doesn’t look as though this paranormal balloon will be deflating any time soon.

This is solid work that comes recommended. Order it here.

Rating: 4/5

Features, Marvel Comics

Deadpool Has Already Made More Money than These 16 Marvel Blockbusters

March 13, 2016 The Overseer Leave a comment

Deadpool is… well, he’s killin’ it!

Marvel’s R-rated action comedy featuring everyone’s favorite mouthy merc, Wade Wilson has now surpassed the $328 million mark on the domestic market, and it’s been slaying internationally, as well. Believe it or not, it’s still got steam at the box office; it’s been available to the public for about five weeks, and it’s still drawing north of the $10 million weekly mark. That’s absurdly impressive.

But just how impressive is it? Over the last decade or so we’ve seen Marvel roll out huge blockbuster after huge blockbuster. And the vast majority of them really do win crowds over, toppling the $100 million mark almost without fail.

Marvel owns cinematic comic adaptations, plain and simple. DC looks to be playing catch-up, but with pictures like Deadpool being produced it’s going to take a lot of work to catch up to Marvel, or even rival the quality of their films.

Let’s get back to business, which is this very real question: Just how is Deadpool comparing to fellow successful Marvel releases?

The answer: Wonderfully! The pic has already hit $708 million worldwide with a current domestic mark of $328 million.

Here are 16 Marvel movies that had the momentum to comfortably trek past the $100 million mark, and did enjoy success on the international market, but didn’t quite have the steam to draw more than Deadpool has managed.

1 Ghost Rider – Domestic = $115 million – Worldwide = $228 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-WTmTOi0zU

2 The Incredible Hulk (2008) – Domestic = $134 million – Worldwide = $263 million

3 Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer – Domestic = $131 million – Worldwide = $289 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHA-5BnlNs8

4 X-Men – Domestic = $157 million – Worldwide = $296 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbNcULQFojc

5 Fantastic 4 (2005) – Domestic = $153 million – Worldwide = $330 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27dZ5mJBnBY

6 X-Men: First Class – Domestic = $146 million – Worldwide = $353 million

7 Captain America: The First Avenger – Domestic = $176 million – Worldwide = $370 million

8 X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Domestic = $179 million – Worldwide = $373 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVF83CPRzPU

9 X2: X-Men United – Domestic = $214 Million – Worldwide = $407 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voxI4h7Jzmo

10 The Wolverine – Domestic = $132 million – Worldwide = $414 million

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh1LdTFkm7I

11 Thor – Domestic = $181 million – Worldwide = $449 million

12 X-Men: The Last Stand – Domestic = $234 million – Worldwide = $459 million

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_EZZrIErDI

13 Ant-Man – Domestic = $180 million – Worldwide = $519 million

14 Iron Man – Domestic = $318 million – Worldwide = $585 million

15 Iron Man 2 – Domestic = $312 million –Worldwide = $623 million

16 Thor: The Dark World – Domestic = $206 million – Worldwide = $644 million

Comics, Image Comics, Reviews

‘Pencil Head #1’ Review

March 13, 2016 The Overseer Leave a comment

Ted McKeever’s got an interesting style. He’s also got a book on his hands that has the potential to go down in history as one of the finer creations of the comic world. Pencil Head is dark and satirical, jaded to the core but lively on all fronts. It’s interesting to say the least, and any living soul on Mother Earth who is beyond fed up with their boss, their working conditions or the mundane manner so many lives take on, Pencil Head is most certainly for you.

The story focuses on Poodwaddle, a frustrated creator of comics. He lives something of a lonely life, he’s sick and tired of his publisher attempting to take creative control over his work, often pushing it in a direction he can’t begin to agree with. But Poodwaddle meets with an old friend, Luthais, in the biz, and that friend offers him a chance to write something that leaves him feeling fulfilled.

Between his professional problems and the sudden appearance of one of his very own creations, now come to life to haunt the man, he definitely needs the change. He needs some normalcy in his life, and he may just be on the cusp of obtaining it, if he can pull himself together and move forward.

McKeever’s harsh outlook on life is genius and sadly, somewhat realistic. He’s created a couple of characters that are going to resonate in the mind of readers. These players are crude yet hilarious and this book stands to head in the direction of cult status. Pencil Head won’t work for everyone, but those who do find pleasure in reading this are likely to remain onboard as long as McKeever’s willing to extend us more greatness.

I simply cannot begin to recommend this book enough. It’s amazing!

Rating: 5/5

Comics, DC Comics, Reviews

New 52 ‘Batman – The Dark Knight #1’ Review

March 13, 2016 The Overseer 1 Comment

The official inaugural issue of Batman – The Dark Knight sees Bruce being hounded by internal affairs, who aim to find out precisely why he’d co-sign a vigilante like Batman. Bruce is busy smooth talking his way out of the mess when we meet Jai Hudson, a lovely looker who manages to separate Bruce from his unwanted guest. Jai, for the record is a suave speaker who may just have something to hide.

Cut away to Arkham Asylum and we learn that hundreds of inmates have overthrown the facility and are breaking free. Then Batman shows up and things get very interesting. Batman theorizes that the violent outburst may be cover for the escape of Harvey Dent, better known as Two-Face.

When Batman does finally locate Two-Face he gets the surprise of a lifetime. This isn’t the Two-Face readers are accustomed to seeing. This Two-Face looks as though he’s been tapping into Bane’s Venom, and he looks furious. He also calls for a new moniker as he stares Batman down and declares, “You can call me One-Face now!”

Here’s a book that makes for a stellar read. Writer Paul Jenkins works up an edgy and dark tale with very little downtime and a grand finale. Meanwhile David Finch gives us supremely crisp illustrations with beautiful shading and diverse character looks. Alex Sinclair also warrants major praise for his often contrasting colors and stunning looks at the artificial police lighting as Batman descends on Arkham Asylum.

This is how I like my Batman books. Brutal and unforgiving, dark and aimed at a slightly older audience. Books like this refuse to pull punches, and Batman deserves that. The edge is reminiscent of the stellar Nightfall storyline. If you’ve been avoiding a lot of DC’s New 52 books, make sure this isn’t one of them.

Rating: 5/5

Comics, DC Comics, Review

New 52 ‘Batman – The Dark Knight #0’ Review

March 13, 2016 The Overseer 1 Comment

The zero issue of the New 52’s Batman The Dark Knight doesn’t really give us anything refreshing to contemplate, as it serves as the foundation for the origin of Batman. We travel back in time to Bruce Wayne’s younger days, picking up immediately after Bruce’s parents were robbed and killed. We see Bruce grow to be a young man, constantly tracking the murderer until finally, very near adulthood, Bruce learns that it was Joe Chill who killed his folks. And he didn’t do it as a hired hand, he did it as a broke transient in need of fiscal stability. It’s not quite the revelation that Bruce had hoped for, although it does prime him to become a crime fighter.

The book reads well, thanks to writer Gregg Hurwitz, who has more than adequate skills to let the narrative pull readers from reality. And Hurwitz gets solid assistance from Mico Suayan and Juan Jose Ryp who do amazing work with the illustrations. Together the three deliver a book that should have Batman fans eager to leap into new territory for the Bat.

The book gives us some great insight into the poverty that’s beginning to swallow Gotham whole, which should line us up for some very compelling tales in future books.

There really isn’t much more to speak on. This one is as straight forward as can be, but the talent behind the book certainly instills some hope for future issues. We’ll see where this group leans us.

Rating: 3/5

Dark Horse Comics, News

Get Ready for an All-New Halo Anthology!

March 12, 2016 The Overseer Leave a comment

Dark Horse knows how to keep Halo fanatics satisfied! Check out the latest Halo graphic novel, which heads your way later this year!

343 Industries and Dark Horse Comics are set to release a brand-new Halo® graphic novel anthology based on the massive video game franchise later this year.

Halo: Tales from Slipspace will feature all-new stories from some of the comic industry’s best—including Jonathan Wayshak, Eric Nguyen, Alex Irvine, Kody Chamberlain, Dave Crosland, John Jackson Miller, Jonathan Goff, Simon Roy, and Halo: Escalation writer Duffy Boudreau—as well as 343 Industries’ own Franchise Creative Director Frank O’Connor and Franchise Producer Tyler Jeffers. This action-packed anthology is essential reading for all Halo fans!

343 Industries and Dark Horse have also produced two blockbuster comics series with canonical story lines written by writers from the video game franchise (Halo: Initiation and Halo: Escalation) and will rerelease the graphic novel Halo: Fall of Reach in March.

Halo: Tales from Slipspace is in stores October 12, 2016. Preorder your copy today at your local comic shop or through these fine retailers:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
IndieBound

Comics, Max Comics, Reviews

‘Dead of Night: Featuring Man-Thing #4’ Review

March 12, 2016 The Overseer Leave a comment

And finally we reach the conclusion to this captivating, half-horror, half-science-fiction piece. Thoroughly engaging from page one of issue one, I’m a bit bummed to see the mini-series come to a close. It’s been nothing short of magnetic and it’s successfully turned me into a certified Man-Thing fan.

In the final chapter of this tale a group of operatives head for the swamp. They work for AIM, the terrorist organization responsible for the disaster that inevitably led to the creation of Man-Thing, and they’re objective is to kill all remnants of the experiment. And Ellen Brandt still has her personal score to settle.

In the end, with the help of Jennifer the mercenaries have been disposed of, quite violently. And, as would be expected the final showdown sees Man-Thing and Ellen face off to bring their feud to a bloody end. Or, perhaps a closer conclusion? A morbid sense of intimacy as things are all… wrapped up and the swamp is back to being the swamp.

An amazing read from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa that grips the attention and never lets go, and the attractive diversity of the artwork – wrapped by Nic Klein – make Man-Thing something of a special find. It offers no downtime, generates unlikely but loveable relationships and even reminds us that Mother Nature is to be cherished. Few books resonate as this one, which is why it earns high marks and endless recommendations!

Rating: 5/5