Category Archives: comics

Meeting Constantine through Hellblazer comics, NBC series

I’ve been reading a lot of comics lately. When I got home from New York Comic Con, I was in the mood to do more comic reading, so I signed up for Marvel Unlimited to read through much of their back catalog. I’m in the middle of Civil War and plan to tackle the “Infinity” story lines next. My plan is to work my way through the stories Marvel is planning on adapting to film first, then go back to as many other titles as I can.

I also took advantage of a sale DC Comics was recently having on their John Constantine titles and bought several collections of the early Hellblazer comics that established the Constantine character. Prior to watching the pilot of NBC’s Constantine, my knowledge of the character was limited to his appearances in Neil Gaiman‘s Sandman comics and the movie starring Keanu Reeves, which I’m sure many true Constantine fans would rather forget.

While I had never read any of the Hellblazer comics, I’ve always been intrigued by the character — especially once I started hearing about the new series. Before the Constantine screening at NYCC, one of the emcees asked the audience what they liked about Constantine. The girl who answered the question described him as being a “selfish coward,” which intrigued me even more, as that wasn’t an image I had associated with him up to this point. Clearly, there was a lot about Constantine I did not know.

When I found out about the DC sale on the comics, I couldn’t resist buying some to get an idea of what Constantine is really like. I was also curious to see how the show would compare to the comics — though I wouldn’t be nearly as critical as any of the fans who have been reading the comics for years. I have recently finished reading the first collection of Hellblazer, which includes Hellblazer #1-9 and Swamp Thing #76-77. So, here are some thoughts on Constantine and the Hellblazer comics coming from a first-time reader.

By the time the Hellblazer comics debuted in 1988, Constantine was already an established character, having made several appearances in the Swamp Thing, beginning with Swamp Thing #37 in 1983. I know even less about Swamp Thing than I do Constantine, so the overall arc of those two issues and how they fit in with Constantine’s arc at that point was a little lost on me — I didn’t put all the pieces together until I started the second volume of Constantine comics — but I learned a lot about Constantine just within the first issues of his series.

What I learned in reading the first nine issues of Hellblazer was that the girl at NYCC was right on target with her description of Constantine. He is a selfish coward — and a few other things I won’t put into print. Yet, oddly, I can’t help but like him. He has a certain “irresistible charm,” as Constantine himself puts it.

The first few issues of Hellblazer appear to be standalone stories. It isn’t until about halfway through the collection that the reader starts to notice the pattern and the thread that ties them all together. The last few issues are one continuous story, as Constantine tries to outmaneuver forces of heaven and hell in order to maintain balance on earth.

The nature of Constantine’s character becomes fairly apparent right from the first issue, as he willingly sacrifices the life of a man who has been his friend since childhood in order to stop a demon. It’s clear Constantine feels guilt over his choice, but he doesn’t hesitate in making the difficult decision. Constantine lives in a world where he is forced to frequently make choices between what’s best for one versus what’s good for everyone. This can make him seem callous and cold, but these are decisions that must be made, and he shows he is capable of making them.

However, not all Constantine’s decisions are for the good of the many. Constantine’s cowardice is more apparent in the fifth issue, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” which adds a supernatural twist to post-traumatic stress. Constantine hides and watches as a man caught up in a war flashback rapes and murders his own wife. Instead of stepping in to save the woman, Constantine maintains his cover.

“No way I can go charging into their movie,” Constantine said. “It’s too bloody dangerous.”

Later, he acknowledges his own weakness, as he watches the woman’s attempt to defend herself.

“I should help her do the bastard, but I still can’t move — at least that’s what I tell myself.”

These very different aspects to his personality help to make Constantine a fascinating character. I can’t wait to learn more as I continue through the comics.

The Hellblazer comics are pretty dark — lots of demonic activity and mutilation, murder, and more. According to series star Matt Ryan at NYCC, the series has not been cleansed for television — this is the Constantine fans have been reading about. It will be interesting to see how closely the show follows the comics, and what NBC will let them get away with. I’m even more excited about the show now that I’ve been reading the comics.

Ryan as Constantine was a terrific casting choice. He seems to understand the character and really embodies Constantine’s attitude well. Even the way he walked out on stage at NYCC reminded me of Constantine. The success of the series really hinges on whether fans can accept the actor as their beloved comic book character, and I think they found the right man with Ryan.

After reading the first issues of Hellblazer, I started to pick up on the elements of the comics that are making their way into the series. I was particularly amused to discover Constantine’s response to where he came from: “The sordid passions of my parents” was taken directly from the comic — though in the comic, the line belongs to Zed, one of Constantine’s associates and an occasional lover. We caught a glimpse of Zed and one of her talents at the very end of the pilot episode, then had more of an introduction last week.

Looking closely at the artwork scattered around Zed’s room, you’ll find multiple familiar images if you’re a fan of the comics. Even I was able to recognize several, and I’m only up to Hellblazer #12. But I saw the cover of Hellblazer volume 1, as well as the grotesque form of the four British Boys the demon Nergal molded together and sent after Constantine in one of the early issues. It’s these little Easter eggs and attention to detail that make the show fun to watch.

Constantine’s history with Newcastle and young Astra was a large plot point in the first episode of the series, but I’ve only just begun to learn more about what happened in Newcastle in the second volume of the comics. It appears NBC has tamed down Astra’s story a little — they seem to have left out the abuse and her involvement in creating the original demon — though more could be revealed as the series progresses.

Another great piece of casting was Jeremy Davies as Ritchie Simpson. I loved that I immediately recognized Ritchie when I was reading the comics. I couldn’t remember his name from the series (despite having watched the pilot three times), but Davies’ look was so much like Ritchie in the comics that I had no doubt this was the right character. I read all Ritchie’s lines in the comics in Davies’ voice, and really do think he was a great choice. This week we’ll see the introduction of another character from the comics; I’m looking forward to seeing what the show does with Papa Midnite.

It’s still early to say that NBC’s Constantine won’t disappoint fans — and I’m probably biased since I watched the pilot before reading the comics — but I believe the cast and creators are at least trying to create a faithful adaptation of comics, and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming, both on television and in the comics.

Fifth of November: Untangling truth from Vendetta

Remember, remember, the Fifth of November.

It is fitting that American elections are held during the first week of November — the one time a year when we hear the name Guy Fawkes as we chat briefly about overthrowing governments and installing anarchy. We salivate over how great V for Vendetta is, and how we’d like to head our own utopian government. But, ironically, very few people actually know what happened on the Fifth of November that we’ve come to commemorate.

Sure, some are aware that November 5, 1605, was the day Fawkes tried to bomb the English Parliament, but far fewer know why — or, really, anything else about the man whose face has become a symbol for activists and anarchists everywhere. So, who was Fawkes? What is it he fought for? What is it we are really celebrating? How did he become the symbol we know today? And what are the differences between Fawkes and the fictional character V?

At the turn of the 17th century, Europe was tearing itself apart. Increased literacy and education led to the questioning of traditional religion and its role in state politics. Protestantism was on the rise, and the rift in Christianity left many countries with factions feuding over religious dominance. Henry VIII of England wanted to marry his love, Anne Boleyn, but the Pope refused to annul the king’s wedding to Catherine of Aragon. To get around that complication, the king split from the Pope, who had once called Henry the “defender of the faith,” and the Roman Catholic Church entirely, declaring himself the head of an independent English (or Anglican) Church.

In the coming decades, each subsequent English monarch changed the official religion in some way, including reestablishing the supremacy of Rome for a time. In this environment of constantly shifting religious alliances, it was inevitable that many would take sides and fight for their version of the Christian faith. Under James I, Catholics had hoped to see a move toward greater Catholic religious tolerance. They were disappointed. Anglicanism continued to reign, and the Bible was translated into an authorized English version that bears the king’s name. But some English Catholics were no longer content to wait for the afterlife to see the Protestant leaders judged. And in 1605, one group of conspirators planned to retake the throne for Rome.

The Gunpowder Plot was the attempt by English Catholic subversives to bomb the House of Lords, theoretically leading to the death of King James and the installation of his young daughter, Elizabeth, as a Catholic queen. Fawkes, who many imagine as an anarchist, was in fact among the conspirators hoping to establish a Catholic theocracy. Fawkes was put in charge of guarding the explosives, but he was captured, causing the coup to fizzle out before getting anywhere.

Fawkes was tortured, under the king’s orders, to compel the man to give up the names of his co-conspirators. While his resolve remained strong at first, the increasing brutality of the torture eventually broke Fawkes. To understand the full scale of the beating Fawkes received, one must only look at his signature before and after his torture. Fawkes and his cohorts were tried and sentenced to death, with the added humiliation of being hanged, drawn, and quartered. Fawkes, defiant to the end, evaded part of the punishment when he jumped and broke his neck, avoiding having his guts and testicles cut apart while still conscious.

Not long after the failure of the Gunpowder Plot, November 5 was declared a day of thanksgiving to celebrate the king’s survival. The holiday acquired the name of Bonfire Day because crowds would burn effigies of Fawkes and the Pope. Unsurprisingly, this worsened the bad blood between the Christian sects.

Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Day has evolved over the centuries and taken on new meaning as public opinions and sympathies have changed. For the first several centuries, the holiday was very obviously a celebration of the plot’s failure. When the monarchy did temporarily fall midcentury, the focus ceased to be on the survival of the king, but on the supremacy of Protestantism and parliamentary rule. Today, it is harder to pin down whether folks are celebrating the survival of English government or the idea of destroying it.

Either way, Fawkes became a symbol, with his name and likeness surviving long after his execution. In fact, the word “guy” is derived from the effigies of Guy Fawkes. The effigies were often made by children out of old clothing and called “guys.” The term became a pejorative for poorly dressed men, though it evolved in time to mean any male, losing its negative connotation.

Over two centuries after the failed plot, in 1841, William Harrison Ainsworth’s historical romance Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason was released, portraying Fawkes as a more sympathetic character. Fawkes continued to appear in new works over the next century, but none would do as much for the man’s image as Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s graphic novel of the 1980s, V for Vendetta.

V for Vendetta was Moore’s first attempt at writing a continuing, serialized story. The story, as written in the comic, is set in the dystopian future of 1997. English fascists have overtaken the country following a devastating nuclear war. The state suppresses dissent, eliminates the ethnically diverse, and broadcasts the government’s message everyday. Essentially, the government is a cross between that portrayed in George Orwell’s 1984 and Adolf Hitler’s Germany.

The party in power, Norsefire, meets its match in the anarchist vigilante, V, who dons a cloak and Fawkes mask as he takes to the streets, killing men and women who performed great evil on him or mankind. Unlike traditional heroes, V is not squeamish about killing; rather, death is all he seeks for his adversaries.

V is an ambiguous character with a shrouded backstory and even more mysterious morality. The vigilante is a victim of fascist concentration camps and experimentation. The experiments appear to have had an effect on his mind, possibly driving him mad, though he sees his mission with absolute clarity of purpose. V seems content with becoming a monster himself in order to combat the monsters of Norsefire. V strikes terror into the hearts of the fascists in order to inspire the masses and find vengeance.

While the true story of the Fifth of November can be seen as a dispute between Protestants and Catholics, or between conventional authority and subversive terrorism, V for Vendetta is about a battle between fascism and anarchy — two words with less than favorable reputations. Moore, an anarchist himself, crafts his hero around these principles and even takes time to dispel certain ideas of anarchism. In the novel, V explains that chaos is not the anarchist system; rather, a functional anarchist system would grant great freedom, not the looting and destruction that follows the immediate fall of government.

Moore also does much to make the reader question V’s methods. Moore and Lloyd raise some of the same difficult questions through V as the actions of the Gunpowder Plot raise, such as: When is violence — even murder — acceptable?

In the 2006 film adaptation of the graphic novel, the Wachowskis clung to the principle that killing in the name of freedom is acceptable — and, according to Moore, kept little else from the source material.

In an interview with MTV, Moore explained his problems with the film adaptation.

“It’s been turned into a Bush-era parable by people too timid to set a political satire in their own country,” Moore said. “In the film, you’ve got a sinister group of right-wing figures — not fascists, but you know that they’re bad guys — and what they have done is manufactured a bio-terror weapon in secret, so that they can fake a massive terrorist incident to get everybody on their side, so that they can pursue their right-wing agenda. It’s a thwarted and frustrated and perhaps largely impotent American liberal fantasy of someone with American liberal values [standing up] against a state run by neo-conservatives — which is not what V for Vendetta was about. It was about fascism, it was about anarchy, it was about [England].”

Moore’s criticism of the movie is accurate, but a bit close-minded. While the graphic novel was about 80s-era Thatcherism, the film was intentionally made to evoke images of the modern world. And, in fact, the film’s message had a greater impact than the original creators could have ever hoped. It made their hero and his signature mask into an icon of defiance. The visage of Fawkes, long burned in effigy with feelings of malice, has been adopted by groups such as Anonymous and the Occupy Movement as a symbol of their fight against oppression.

As Moore explained in an interview with The Guardian, “Suppose when I was writing V for Vendetta, I would in my secret heart of hearts, have thought: wouldn’t it be great if these ideas actually made an impact? So when you start to see that idle fantasy intrude on the regular world … It’s peculiar. It feels like a character I created 30 years ago has somehow escaped the realm of fiction.”

But if you are going to don a Guy Fawkes mask to make your political point, it is important to remember the differences between Fawkes and V.

Fawkes was fighting for Catholicism, not anarchy. It could be argued that the Gunpowder Plot was about religious liberty, but it could just as easily be said that Fawkes and the conspirators were looking to establish a different — but still oppressive — theocracy. Still, Fawkes works well as a symbol in opposition to the status quo.

Fawkes was not a sole man on a mission, but rather part of a team — and not even its leader. V, on the other hand, is as alone as a crusader can be. V actively tries to become the symbol that Fawkes became and chooses to use his legacy to change the minds of the world.

It is unlikely that Fawkes ever saw himself as any type of progressive, such as V. Rather, he was a reactionary, fighting for things to return to the way they were a century prior. Still, his act of defiance, which had been derided for centuries, has become an inspiration to all of those looking to fight against the machine. His spirit lives on in the progressive aspirations of the antihero of V for Vendetta, as the film advocates for racial equity, gender equality, religious tolerance, and even sexual orientation and transgender rights.

History of The Flash, Part II: The Silver Age and Beyond

This is part 2 of a two-part exploration of the history of The Flash, a comic book character brought to life on television screens this season on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on The CW. Read part 1 here.

Perhaps it’s his ability to travel through time, or maybe it’s because he’s so fast, but The Flash always manages to be miles ahead of superhero trends. During the Golden Age of Comic Books, the first man to bear the title of The Flash, Jay Garrick, set the standard for specialized superheroes, helped build the first superhero crossover team, and raced to astounding heights of popularity. But as the business faded, so did The Flash.

The end of World War II precipitated a decline in the popularity of superhero comic books. The medium switched its focus from superheroes and profited off of romance, horror, and other genres. Unfortunately for the industry, the increased popularity of horror comics gave ammunition to Fredric Wertham, who began a crusade against the industry. His book The Seduction of the Innocent accused the comic books of creating juvenile delinquents.

To combat the charges, the comic book industry needed heroes. But with superheroes fading into oblivion, the genre needed a bolt of lightning to revive it. Luckily for superhero fans, that bolt of lighting struck, hitting Barry Allen, and creating the second Flash.

It was 1956 and editor extraordinaire Julius Schwartz set out to revitalize the dying superhero genre. He tasked writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino with recreating The Flash as a more contemporary hero. The team, along with writer John Broome, created a much sleeker hero, sporting a bright red spandex suit accented with lightning bolts.

Introduced in Showcase #4, the new Flash was Barry Allen, a reputedly slow and deliberate police scientist. In his origin story, Allen is struck by a bolt of lightning and doused with chemicals, with the combination somehow giving him super speed. Allen dons a red costume and takes to the streets of Central City to fight crime. Interestingly, Allen chooses his name by taking it from his favorite comic book superhero, Jay Garrick. In establishing Garrick’s run as the Fastest Man Alive as fictional within the fictional world, DC marked a new beginning for comic books. In time, the introduction of Barry Allen came to be seen as the beginning of the Silver Age of Comics.

The origin story for the new Flash changed the formula of superhero stories. A stronger emphasis was placed on scientific explanations for superpowers and supernatural events, though very few of these explanations could survive professional scientific scrutiny. The pseudoscientific stories led to the creation of items such as a ring containing The Flash’s costume and a cosmic treadmill that allows Allen to travel through time.

Real science, however, is never far from a Flash comic. Allen is a scientist after all, and he often uses his scientific mind to defeat his opponents. Soon, a laundry list of superheroes, mainly created during the Silver Age, would be able to list their profession as “scientist.”

The popularity of The Flash and the increased attention being paid to superheroes led to Schwartz’s edict to revive the Justice Society of America. Since the original JSA included Garrick’s Flash, it was inevitable that Allen would be a member of the new team. Gardner Fox, the creator of the Garrick incarnation of The Flash, was assigned the task of reviving the team, and he renamed it the Justice League of America. Flash joined the A-list team of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter, debuting in Brave and the Bold #28 in 1960.

The Justice League team proved a hit, quickly gaining their own title that sold incredibly well. DC publisher Jack Liebowitz bragged to Marvel owner Martin Goodman about the JLA’s success, leading to Goodman assigning his editor, Stan Lee, to create his own team of superheroes. Marvel’s subsequent creation, the Fantastic Four, introduced in 1961, followed the examples of the Justice League in its team format and The Flash in its emphasis on pseudoscience. With the Fantastic Four, The Flash, and the Justice League, superhero comics were on the rise again.

Also in 1961, Allen took part in an historic story, meeting up with Garrick, the Flash of the Golden Age, who, it was explained, existed on Earth 2, a parallel world to that which was home to Allen. The comic introduced to audiences the now-popular idea of a multiverse.

The following years in the comic book industry saw a lot of changes, including a shift to darker, more realistic comics. For Allen, the shift was evident in the apparent death of his wife, Iris West, at the hands of the Reverse-Flash. When Reverse-Flash attempted to duplicate his actions with Allen’s new girlfriend, The Flash appeared to kill his rival, crossing the line that superheroes were supposed to respect.

DC’s continued attempt at fostering realism raised questions about complicated continuity issues. The company decided to make a bold move by rebooting the combined universe. The idea was to streamline the characters’ histories and form a more coherent world that would compete with Marvel. Part of that new world would be a sense of history, legacy, and real stakes. To reach all of these goals, the company needed to make a bold move. It needed to kill Barry Allen.

Crisis on Infinite Earths is perhaps the biggest event in comic book history. The Crisis is brought about as the Anti-Monitor sets out to destroy alternate world after world. The Anti-Monitor specifically targets The Flash, believing him to be the greatest threat to his plans due to his ability to travel between dimensions at will. Anti-Monitor’s fears prove valid, and Allen is able to stop the monster’s antimatter cannon, but the hero seemingly dies in the process.

The end result of the Crisis is a singular world and continuity, changing Garrick from an alternate world Flash to the original Flash from the 1940s, whose heroic actions inspired a young Allen to adopt his name. Now, with Allen gone, his heroism would inspire a new generation’s hero to adopt the moniker of The Flash.

Wally West, Allen’s nephew, was introduced as The Flash’s sidekick in 1961. Dubbed the Kid Flash, West gained his powers in the same convoluted process as his uncle. West was a founding member of the Teen Titans at a time when teen superheroes were growing in popularity. In the wake of his mentor’s death, West took up the mantel of the Scarlet Speedster, becoming the new Flash.

West’s ascension to a top spot on DC’s roster of heroes set a new precedent for comic books. Due to the incredible popularity of the men behind the masks, the big two of superhero publishing made a point to never allow their protagonists to age. By establishing “The Flash” as a legacy name, and Garrick and Allen as history, DC Comics made a major shift in superhero storytelling. In the coming years, other heroes would be replaced as well. Kyle Rayner would become the new Green Lantern, Dick Grayson would become Batman, and even Marvel would replace Steve Rogers with Bucky Barnes and, more recently, Sam Wilson as Captain America.

West’s two-decade run as the Fastest Man Alive also introduced a new concept to the DC Universe: the Speed Force. The Speed Force is an extradimensional power that is used as a shorthand answer to explain away the physics-defying powers of DC’s speedsters. West’s connection with the Speed Force gives the hero new powers, including the ability to take away and share speed itself with others, and it led to West finally being able to achieve the high speeds of his predecessor.

For a brief period following DC’s Infinite Crisis, a fourth man took up the mantle of The Flash. Bart Allen is a hero from the 30th century with an incredibly confusing back story that exemplifies the worst of comic book writing. His time as the Scarlet Speedster was short, as the character was killed off after 13 issues and replaced by the returning West. But West’s new run would be short as well.

Under the direction of Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison, DC decided to revive the Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen. Barry returned during DC’s third Crisis event, Final Crisis, and played a major role in the company’s biggest subsequent events, Blackest Night, and Flashpoint. These three enormous event stories shook the foundations of DC Comics, with Flashpoint effectively rebooting the entire DC canon.

The reboot, though unpopular with purists, has proven to be a big success for DC, with the “New 52” brand outselling its predecessors in many cases. The decision to reboot DC’s entire lineup came as a result of the enormous success of superhero movies around the world — though, ironically, that success is primarily thanks to Marvel Studios.

But with The Flash joining Arrow on The CW, in addition to Fox’s Gotham and NBC’s debuting Constantine, it is clear that DC is beating Marvel on the small screen. The new small-screen Flash follows Allen as he learns to become a hero in a world of super-powered criminals. The series promises to be the first true superhero show in the era of good visual effects, and it will change the perception of heroes on television.

In addition to his new show, The Flash will finally make the jump to the big screen, with a solo movie starring Ezra Miller coming in 2018. The Flash’s first movie represents a rare time when the hero has been behind the curve of the superhero industry. However, The Flash’s new TV series is likely to prove that the Fastest Man Alive is still the trendsetter of the superhero genre.

Watching Walking Dead while hating blood, guts, gore

I am not a fan of entertainment that is excessively gory, bloody, or anything along those lines. I’ve never seen any of the Saw movies, and I have absolutely no desire to watch them. I like scary movies in general, but I draw the line when people start getting hacked to pieces. I’m too squeamish for all that gore.

But I love The Walking Dead.

A couple years ago, I was watching an episode — I can’t remember which one, but it wasn’t long after they reached the prison — and my mom and my brother were just watching me watch it. I had to keep hiding my eyes and turning away from all the nasty, gory stuff. Eventually, this conversation took place:

My mom and brother, in unison: “Why do you even watch this show?”
Me: “Because it’s awesome, and I love it! I just don’t like the blood and gore.”
Mom: “But that’s all this show is about!”
Me: “No it’s not! It’s about the people and their relationships with each other and surviving!”

That’s the short answer to their question, but it touches on the heart of why this show is so good, and why it’s become so popular with such a wide audience. It isn’t a show about zombies. (In fact, if you pay attention, they never even refer to the undead as “zombies” at any time in the series.) The Walking Dead has some of the most compelling story lines and characters on television, and if it were just about the zombies, 17 million people wouldn’t have watched the fifth season premiere, where the main threat was another group of humans.

One of the taglines for The Walking Dead is, “Fight the dead, fear the living.” If you’re a fan of the series or the graphic novels it is based on, you know this statement is absolutely true. The “walkers” (as the don’t-call-them-zombies are termed) are just background for the story of the people who are surviving — or, in some unfortunate cases, aren’t. In the last couple of seasons, especially with the introduction of the Governor, we’ve really started to see just how much more dangerous other humans can be.

The walkers just want to eat you, but humans can plan and strategize and manipulate. Humans can move faster, drive vehicles (and tanks), and use weapons. They can deceive and lay traps. Compared to the human threats on this series, the walkers are easy to take care of — a headshot is all it takes.

The other day, a friend was telling me that some of her friends were getting frustrated with the show because they have deviated from the zombie part of the story. In my opinion, those viewers are missing the entire point of the series. Even in the comics, the greatest threat the survivors face is not the undead but the other human survivors. I don’t think this show would be nearly as compelling if the primary threat was always the walkers. Sure, I get worried when there’s a chance someone’s going to be killed or bitten, but it’s so much more interesting when they’re facing an enemy that can think and plan — someone who is also fighting for a cause and has more motivation to win.

This is what I love most about The Walking Dead: the fact that it is about the humans — the survivors. Despite my love for genre television, I wasn’t a big fan of zombies before the series began — mostly because of my issues with blood and gore — but the previews made the show look intriguing, so I thought I’d check it out. I was hooked almost immediately — despite the scene where the walkers tear into that poor horse.

The characters on The Walking Dead are probably some of the most well-written on television. Some series can go an entire run without their characters showing any evidence of change or growth. However, not one of the characters in The Walking Dead is the same person he or she was prior to the zombie apocalypse — and, more importantly, who they were when the series began. One of the best examples would be Carol. When we first met her, she was a mother married to an abusive husband, and now she’s the bad-ass who single-handedly engineered the escape from Terminus.

At New York Comic Con earlier this month, the cast was asked to talk about the journeys their characters have taken to this point. Melissa McBride, the actress who portrays Carol, teared up describing Carol’s path “because I love her so much.” Of all the characters in the series, Carol has come the farthest — and is one of the best, in my opinion.

Another one of the reasons I love The Walking Dead is because I can never predict where the story is going or what is going to happen next. I’m the kind of person who is always trying to solve the mystery first, or guess what’s going to happen next, but I just can’t do that with this series. I haven’t read all the comics — I’m slowly working my way through them — but even if I had, I still wouldn’t be able to predict everything, because the show doesn’t always follow the comics. This is one of those times when I am completely OK with that. I love that I can enjoy the comics and series separately, and one isn’t necessarily going to spoil the other.

For those who wish they would follow the comics more closely, this is your season. According to the Walking Dead panel I attended at NYCC, this season will follow the comics more closely than they have in the past.

Lastly, I love that this show is so real. I don’t mean real as in “I expect the dead to rise up any day now,” but the tone of the show and the way the characters behave and react to situations (even the “villains” of the show) are all extremely realistic. This is exactly how you would expect human beings to act when faced with a world where the living are quickly becoming outnumbered by the dead, and you have to fight to survive. People will go to any length they see necessary to survive. Some of those methods may seem horrifying to outsiders — and the audience — but to them, their actions are imperative to their own survival.

Even the horrors committed by the people in Terminus, which makes me shudder just to think about, are justified to them. These people didn’t start out that way; they were once kind and welcoming — until they were treated as prey and forced to become hunters. Every character on the show, good or evil, is a product of his or her environment. Even Rick Grimes, our good-hearted protagonist, has made questionable decisions that he felt were key to the group’s survival or to protect his family. This struggle is what makes this show so raw and so real.

I recently read an article from Entertainment Weekly that posed the question, “Are we all numb to the atrocities of The Walking Dead?” The article was referring particularly to the final moments of Sunday’s episode, which was pretty horrifying — and we’re only two episodes into the season. But it also called to mind the scene from last season, when Rick ripped out a guy’s throat — with his teeth! — after the guy and his gang of humans threatened to violate Rick’s son, Carl.

I’m not entirely sure I would even agree that Sunday’s episode was more shocking than seeing Rick tear a guy’s throat out; both scenes were stunning and horrifying, and both demonstrated how far the survivors have come from civilized society. They are horrifying because they break our expectations of how people should behave, but one isn’t necessarily worse or more shocking than the other; they simply portray different aspects of the depravity that comes with the world they are now living in.

It is true that the series does feel the need to up its game and be more shocking with each new twist. Every series has to fight inertia and tries to build on the drama, or the action, or whatever it is that people like about that series. However, I don’t feel like I’ve become numb to the horrors The Walking Dead is portraying on screen. I still flinch and close my eyes when we see a particularly disgusting walker death, just as I would have in season 1. The Well Walker would probably shock and gross me out just as much now as it did back in season 2; in fact, I was having traumatic flashbacks to that episode during the food bank scenes this past week.

If we were all truly becoming numb to the atrocities in The Walking Dead, I think the smaller, more human moments that are still prevalent within the series would have less of an effect on us. However, the reaction to the reunions at the end of the fifth season premiere proves we still feel. Sophia walking out of that barn will break my heart each time I see it, and I will always cry every time Daryl cries. As long as we’re still affected by these small human moments — and as long as they still exist within the series to remind us the survivors are still human — I don’t think we’ve become numb to anything.

At the NYCC panel, season 5 was described as “kickass” and “relentless” but also “heartbreaking” and “devastating.” The fact that this show can bring out those more tragic emotions in its fans proves they are anything but numb to what goes on in this show.

And honestly, if we were become numb to the horrors we’re seeing in The Walking Dead, then we’re missing the lesson of the series. In the season premiere, Rick didn’t want to worry about freeing any other prisoners in Terminus, but Glenn insisted, saying, “That’s still who we are, it’s got to be.”

Despite all the horrors they’ve faced — and Glenn had just come within seconds of having his head bashed in and throat slit by the Terminus people — Glenn understands that the survivors can’t let their enemies change them. They can’t become numb. They still have to hold on to some of their morals. And if we’re becoming too numb to the atrocities on The Walking Dead, aren’t we taking Rick’s path more than Glenn’s?

The mere fact that we can have long, deep discussions about topics such as this in relation to a television series like The Walking Dead proves that there is so much more to this show than zombies, blood, and gore. And that is why I watch The Walking Dead.

Marvel, DC showcase divergent strategies, old habits

New York Comic Con is an annual festival for fans of nerd and geek media. At its epicenter are the two giants of the comic book world: DC and Marvel. This year, both companies showed up to promote their brands, but one came prepared for the future while the other simply talked about the past.

Marvel has undertaken numerous changes in the past year. As CEO Axel Alonso said several times this weekend, Thor is a woman, Captain America is black, and a nonhuman, Rocket Raccoon, is arguably the most popular superhero in the world. Things are changing at Marvel.

But at DC, the company seems content to stay on its current track.

To be fair, DC is on the rise. Having fallen years behind Marvel in movie production, DC can now look to a long list of release dates dedicated exclusively to its superhero properties. Superman and Batman will return to the big screen and will be joined by Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Cyborg, Shazam, Aquaman, and the Suicide Squad. DC’s heroes also have live-action television series on three broadcast networks with all of them drawing strong ratings and showing infinite potential.

It’s a bit understandable that DC would use this convention to take a bit of a victory lap. After all, the company seems to be taking over broadcast television. The Constantine premiere was well-received, and simply acknowledging Arrow, The Flash, or Gotham caused rapturous applause. But the company’s focus on Gotham specifically seemed to represent a microcosm of the company’s overall philosophy: focus on Batman.

The complete reliance on the Dark Knight may actually be the company’s biggest problem. As an avid, noted fan of the Caped Crusader, I was certainly happy to enjoy the Batman 75th Anniversary panel — a long look back at the hero’s storied career with a star-studded guest list. But when attending the DC Essentials Panel, I at least expected to hear more about the company’s other plans — whether they be about the Justice League, Teen Titans, or anyone else — and less about my favorite hero.

In Marvel’s equivalent panels, Alonso and chief creative officer Joe Quesada announced several new comic titles, including Gamora, centered on the Guardians of the Galaxy character; a new Ant-Man, featuring Scott Lang; and Star Wars titles, such as Kanan, following the early adventures of the new Star Wars Rebels character. Marvel also announced a new creative team for Hawkeye, Jeff Lemire and Ramon Perez, and a new version of the classic comic book crossover Secret Wars. In addition, Marvel screened an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., announced a new Guardians of the Galaxy cartoon, introduced the cast of Daredevil, and hosted a panel on the future of Marvel Comics following the death of Wolverine.

When asked why the company would kill off such a popular character, the answer, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, was, “So you would stop complaining that he’s overexposed.”

Perhaps DC should learn that lesson — though killing off either Batman or Wolverine is a ridiculous idea. The Dark Knight is an incredible character; the star power of his panel and the sheer number of people in the conference room proved that. But the emphasis on the Bat is hurting DC’s other franchises. During the DC Essentials panel, the company discussed Gotham, Batman issue #35, Batgirl, Batman Earth One, and its new comics, including Gotham Academy and Arkham Manor. No other franchise was given any time during a panel that promised to discuss the essential news about DC’s future.

On the flip side, Marvel’s entire panel focused on change. The biggest change? The Marvel women’s movement. Last year, a new Ms. Marvel was introduced, and she quickly became a sensation. The new hero, Kamala Khan, is a Pakistani Muslim girl from New Jersey who gains super powers. According to Alonso, she is the spiritual heir to Peter Parker as the most relatable superhero in their lineup. Gamora will be getting her own series, as will Angela, an Asgardian spy. They will be joining the new female Thor. In addition, Marvel will introduce its first young adult novel, starring Black Widow, soon.

An entire panel was dedicated to the women working at Marvel, who inspired a great deal of the young ladies in the room to fight for their dreams of working in the comic book industry. The room was enamored by the strong, intelligent women on stage and even managed to start a worldwide Twitter trend: #WomenofMarvel.

That’s not to say that Marvel is perfect, however. Though they were more accessible and progressive, the company has also proven to be set in its ways. Earth-shattering events and the death and inevitable rebirth of major characters have become regular occurrences in the Marvel world. Wolverine’s demise will lead to a spike in comic book sales, but as soon as they dip again, Logan will inevitably be revived. Fantastic Four’s comics will cease production, but only until they can feel “new” again. Cataclysmic events like Secret Wars are being pushed as the biggest in the company’s history, but it takes its name from a comic book event written in the 1980s. The Marvel world has seen so many resurrections, alien invasions, and time-altering battles that there is no longer any sense of scale to the company’s story lines.

But despite the criticism, the future of both companies looks bright. DC’s animated movies have hit an incredible stride, and their next release, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, promises to be another strong work. Arrow has proven to be a remarkably strong show, and its good will has been passed on to The Flash, which saw impressive numbers in its debut. Critics are also excited for both Gotham and Constantine. In the comics world, Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s run with Batman has consistently spawned the highest-selling comic book in the country, and its stories going forward offer intriguing potential.

Marvel is on top of the world and can afford to take some bigger risks. The stage has been set for a major shakeup in the Marvel comic book continuity with Secret Wars and the recently announced relaunch of the Civil War. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is doing well, but Netflix’s Daredevil promises to be a game changer. In the comics, Hawkeye is an award-winning piece of work, Ms. Marvel has showcased the company as a beacon of progressive characters, and the new Star Wars line is a guaranteed hit under Marvel creative, especially with Lucasfilm’s promise of a larger canon moving forward.

It has been said for some time now that nerd culture has taken over popular culture, but it was never more evident than at this weekend’s NYCC, which was even larger than this year’s San Diego International Comic Con. It’s an exciting time to be a fan of superheroes, comic books, and action-adventure, even if the Big Two’s quirks may sometimes be frustrating.

Marvel expands universe with more Agents, Daredevil

Marvel brought a lot of surprises to New York Comic Con, and I’m not just talking about announcing the return of Secret Wars. Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe received a few treats as well.

The Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. panel took place Friday afternoon in a packed Main Hall. Marvel’s director of television, Jeph Loeb, greeted the audience and, after a few minutes of small talk, he reminded the crowd of one lesson we learned last season: trust no one. At that point, he revealed the Hydra T-shirt he was wearing under a fleece jacket.

A shocked and offended Clark Gregg appeared on stage, greeted by a standing ovation. Gregg told Loeb that the only way to make it up to him would be to show us all something we had never seen before — an all new episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And so, this week’s episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was screened in its entirety four days ahead of time for the fans at NYCC.

The fourth episode of season 2 features a return to more of the lighthearted, witty banter we grew accustomed to last year while not letting us forget things are much darker than they had appeared then. There are some great moments between Gregg’s Director Phil Coulson and team member Melinda May, played by Ming-Na Wen, as well as a really touching scene with Fitz, who is struggling to overcome head trauma. The episode features a neat tie-in to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, though I doubt viewers see it coming. There are lots of twists and turns in this episode, and it’s probably the best of season 2 so far.

Following the screening of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Gregg begged Loeb, on behalf of the audience, to show us something from Marvel’s new series, Agent Carter, set to premiere in January. The series had begun filming the week before, but Loeb had a cut of one scene that had been shot just four days earlier. The clip featured Hayley Atwell as Carter, Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark, and James D’Arcy as Stark’s butler, Edwin Jarvis. Stark is in embarking on an important mission and leaves Jarvis to help look after Carter. The clip wasn’t long enough to really judge what the series will be like, but it piqued my curiosity.

Saturday at NYCC, Marvel unveiled the first footage from its upcoming Netflix original series Daredevil. The series, which will debut next year, stars Charlie Cox as the blind-lawyer-by-day/hero-by-night Matt Murdock, also known as Daredevil. Vincent D’Onofrio plays Daredevil’s adversary, Wilson Fisk, aka “The Kingpin.” The series also stars Rosario Dawson, Elden Henson, Bob Gunton, Toby Moore, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ayelet Zurer, and Deborah Ann Woll.

Loeb introduced Cox by telling a story of how Marvel Comics writer Joe Quesada, a big Daredevil fan, called him two years ago — before there was even a possibility of producing a Daredevil series — and told him he had found his Murdock. Quesada was confident the Daredevil rights would eventually return to Marvel, and he wanted Cox in that role. Even Loeb admitted to having a bit of a man-crush on the actor who was indeed hired to play Daredevil.

Executive producer Steven DeKnight, also a Daredevil fan, talked of his love for the character; while working on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he and Loeb would discuss how “we’re gonna do that show one day.”

DeKnight cited both the Frank Miller and Brian Bendis runs of the comics as the main inspirations for the series. In fact, Daredevil’s costume in the clips shown at NYCC bring to mind the outfit drawn by John Romita Jr. in The Man Without Fear. Fans will see these influences reflected in the darker, grittier tone of the show as compared to other Marvel properties.

Cox later confirmed the influence of The Man Without Fear: “Tonally, it suits our show really well.”

“What I love about this show is the moral gray area inherent within,” DeKnight said. “There will be times when you’re not quite sure who to root for.”

As DeKnight phrased it, Murdock is “one bad day away from becoming Frank Castle,” the vigilante antihero also known as the Punisher. Sometimes, the audience will be rooting for Murdock; other times, they may sympathize with the Kingpin.

D’Onofrio seems to enjoy delving into the character of the Kingpin and Fisk, describing him as “a child and … a monster.”

He went on to say that everything Fisk does comes from his own foundation of morality within, and we’ll get to see what aspects of that morality Fisk’s relationship with his wife, Vanessa (played by Zurer), brings out. NYCC attendees got to see the scene of Fisk and Vanessa’s first meeting. It takes place in an art gallery and gives a truly revealing look into Fisk’s personality.

Cox contrasted the creative process of a streaming show like Daredevil to more traditional series, like his work on Boardwalk Empire. Cox identified one of the biggest benefits of being on Netflix to be that there won’t be a week between each episode, so the narrative doesn’t need to remind viewers of everything that has happened — they probably just saw it. Cliffhangers become pointless because viewers can just skip to the next episode. Directors and writers can spend more time on developing a real story without having to worry about recapping anything.

“It’s going to feel like a 13-hour movie,” Cox said of Daredevil.

Three more clips from Daredevil were shown during Saturday’s panel. We saw Karen Page (Woll), known as Dardevil’s long-running love interest in the comics, attacked in her darkened apartment and Daredevil, in a black suit, coming to her aid. The hero’s fight against the assailant escalates, and Daredevil ends up on the street in the rain. There, Murdock flashes back to a conversation with his father, who he tells his son to “get to work.” Daredevil rejoins the fight and takes down the attacker.

Another clip introduced Dawson as Claire Temple, whom Loeb described as a “nurse, who works at night,” strongly hinting at the character of Night Nurse. Temple has discovered a bruised and battered Murdock on the street and brings him to her apartment to help him. Murdock is concerned that she has removed his mask and has now seen his face.

In the third clip, Page thanks Murdock and his best friend and law partner, Foggy Nelson (Harden), for winning her case by supplying them with dinner. She then volunteers to help them around the office and clean for free — which prompts a moment of levity when Murdock asks if their office is messy.

Just from these clips, it is clear that Daredevil has a darker and more serious tone than Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, that doesn’t mean it’s taking place separate from the rest of the MCU. When asked at NYCC about its relationship to the other Marvel properties, Loeb stoked the fires of fans everywhere with a smile and Marvel’s latest catchphrase:

“It’s all connected.”

Exclusive photos: New York Comic Con — Day 3

Scenes from Saturday, October 11, at New York Comic Con 2014

The Walking Dead Panel

Classic comic books on display

“DC Entertainment — Batman 75th Anniversary” Panel with Earth One, Volume 2 preview

The League: Screening and Q&A

“Marvel Cup o’ Joe” Panel unveiling plans for several new comic books

CollegeHumor & Dorkly Present “How to Get Paid for Being a Nerd”

Sean Maguire poses with Curiata.com’s Kaia Schroding, and Kevin Hillman snaps a photo of WWE veteran John Layfield, also known as JBL.

“Doctor Who — The Legend Continues” Panel

Photographs by Kevin Hillman, Charissa Jelliff, and Kaia Schroding. Not for republication without credit.

Superman Lives, abandoned in 90s, might have been great

Imagine Superman. Now imagine Superman portrayed by a long-haired Nicolas Cage in a role written by Kevin Smith and directed by Tim Burton. With Chris Rock co-starring as Jimmy Olsen.

What if I told you this movie was almost made? Now, to make things even crazier, what if I said it probably would have been good?

Well, according to Jon Schnepp, it probably would have been. And in his documentary The Death of ‘Superman Lives’: What Happened?, the director seeks the answer to his film’s title. Schnepp and producer Holly Payne discussed the documentary and the Superman movie that never was Thursday at New York Comic Con.

The unproduced film Superman Lives was an attempt in the late 1990s to revitalize the Man of Steel’s movie franchise that had been stuck in developmental hell. Superman was doing well on the small screen with the successful television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. And comic book sales had soared that decade due to the success of the “Death of Superman” story arc.

The media, unfamiliar with the classic comic-book trope of temporarily killing off popular characters — only to bring them back later — was shocked that DC would kill off its biggest franchise, and made the story into a bigger one than anyone could have expected. “The Death of Superman” comics sold incredibly well, largely due to the belief that Superman’s last story would one day be worth millions of dollars, just like Superman’s first story was. Warner Bros. saw dollar signs and hoped to adapt the story for the big screen.

The Superman movie franchise had been dormant since 1987’s awful Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. A new spin on the classic superhero was needed to rejuvenate the franchise. Producer Jon Peters looked to Kevin Smith, director of Clerks and noted comic book fan, to write the script. As Smith has explained in depth, the concept for the movie was already in Peters’ mind, and he was simply hired to flesh it out. Peters wanted Superman in an all-black suit, never taking flight, and fighting a giant spider in the film’s climax.

Despite the absurdity, Smith agreed to work within those terms, but he was handcuffed with more and more demands throughout the process. Peters wanted the supervillain Brainiac to have a marketable “space dog,” like Chewbacca, and demanded more action scenes, which would have led to a fight scene with polar bears.

Smith’s script, which has been posted online, is seen as the version that has the strongest basis in the source material despite Peters’ involvement. But the movie changed a bit with the addition of Burton as director. Burton wanted the film to contain his version of Superman. Smith left the project, but the new writers maintained much of what he wrote. Financial issues in the new drafts, however, prevented Warner Bros. from completing the film, and Burton left the project in 1998.

Since that time, the legend of Superman Lives has grown, especially after Smith’s hilarious comedy routines explaining the creative process behind the film. Most believe the film would have been an absolute disaster, but as Schnepp and Payne stated Thursday, that would not have necessarily been the case.

The movie would have offered a different take on the Man of Steel, emphasizing his alien nature and following Clark Kent in an existential journey. New villains would have been emphasized, including the perennial favorite, Brainiac, and the relative newcomer, Doomsday. The fight between the Kryptonian and his would-be killer would have been of an epic scale unseen in movies at the time. Cage was at the top of his game in the mid-90s and would give the character a different spin — unlike the line of pretty boys who continue to try and fill Christopher Reeve’s capable (and, admittedly, also pretty) shoes. A funeral scene would have brought into focus the importance of Superman to the world and would have included an inspiring cameo from Batman.

As can be seen in Schnepp’s documentary, the production design for the film was also impressive. Alien technology and a superhuman suit needed to be created from scratch. The results included a “resurrection suit,” utilizing LED lights, lasers, and fiber optics to create a multicolored outfit that could change its look depending on the situation. The iconic “S” shield would be usable as a weapon as well, which would come in handy when Supes had to take on the giant spider.

Speaking of that giant spider: Smith had written it as a “Thanagarian Snare Beast,” and it was Peters’ belief that it should be done as an homage to King Kong. The spider would have been an incredible challenge to the newly revitalized Superman, who was still struggling to regain his powers. The movie may not have been the conventional Superman film, but it would have been unique, philosophical, laced with strong science fiction, and with Smith’s script, likely pretty funny.

Schnepp’s new documentary seeks to further explore what the movie would have been and why it never came to be. The film includes interviews with those closest to the process, including Smith and Burton. Schnepp shared an extended 20-minute clip at NYCC, that will only be five minutes in the completed movie, about the creation of Superman’s suit, complete with concept art and video of the prototype in action.

See exclusive photos from the New York Comic Con panel, including concept art from Superman Lives.

Schnepp, who also directs Cartoon Network’s Metalocalypse, is crowdfunding the project and is still looking for some help finishing the film, which he hopes to release next year. Those who would like to contribute to the project can check out this site and add their name to the list of supporters who want to know, “What happened?”

View a trailer for the documentary here:

Recapping day 1 of New York Comic Con 2014

Day 1 of New York Comic Con has been just about everything any nerd could dream it would be. From the moment I stepped off the train at Penn Station, I could tell who was in the city for NYCC. I walked from my hotel to the Javits Convention Center, essentially following the large crowd of people heading in the direction I was. We all had the same look about us, apparently — that, and most were wearing nerdy t-shirts or, in many cases, full-on cosplay costumes.

The line for NYCC stretched down an entire block and around the side of the building. I met the end of the line about 10 minutes before I found the press entrance to the building. And this was just Thursday, the first day of a four-day event. I can only imagine what Saturday is going to look like.

The creativity of the cosplayers astounds me. There are so many costumes that I wouldn’t have even thought of. Of course, there are the expected characters, but a lot of people have put a lot of effort into their dress. One family was costumed as a group of vikings from How to Train Your Dragon, with the child’s stroller decorated as Toothless. I also passed a woman who was dressed as Barbara Maitland from Beetlejuice — the monster-face version. The person dressed in Sheldon Cooper’s Doppler Effect costume made me laugh. There was also a rather authentic-looking knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, sans left arm.

First up for me Thursday morning was the joint panel for Walt Disney’s studios’ upcoming releases Big Hero 6 and Tomorrowland

It’s not going to be easy for Disney to follow up the success of last year’s Frozen, but if the clips they showed Thursday afternoon are any indication, they are certainly making a good effort. Big Hero 6 will definitely attract more of a young male audience than Frozen did, but there’s a lot for girls to love as well. I’ve already fallen in love with Baymax, the personal health robot. He is sweet, adorable, and very eager to help. From what I’ve seen so far, it looks like the story will have a lot of charm and a lot of heart.

I knew little about about Tomorrowland before going into this panel, but then, the rest of the world could say the same thing. Hugh Laurie, best known for his role as the cantankerous Dr. Gregory House, told of receiving a script on black paper to make it more difficult to read. The cast was very guarded and revealed little about the film or its plot.

A brief teaser debuted at NYCC in which we see Britt Robertson’s initial discovery of an alternate world that she is tasked with saving. Following vague descriptions of everyone’s characters, the audience was treated to an extra surprise: George Clooney walked onstage in his first-ever comic-con appearance. Clooney joked that he had been permanently disinvited to these gatherings after his turn as Batman.

Following Clooney’s arrival and a few more teases about the film, an entire scene from the movie was unveiled in which Robertson’s character seeks out Clooney’s character to answer some questions. The clip didn’t give too much away, other than that they are being hunted by some form of robotic creatures — and Clooney’s Frank Walker was really prepared for them.

Much of the middle part of my day was spent wandering the show floor, checking out some of the booths and vendors. Marvel announced its new Marvel Experience, which will tour the country, debuting in Phoenix in December, and allow guests to become a part of the Marvel Universe. The show will also be affordable to everyone, as the highest priced ticket will only be $35.

It was during these wanderings that I happened to run into none other than Chris Hardwick, the man who has become synonymous with nerdom. He was extremely friendly and charming to all the fans requesting photos, and I couldn’t resist asking for a selfie with him. This was definitely a highlight of my day.

Arthur Darvill’s Q&A at the “Doctor Who Comics Panel” was exactly what I would have expected. The man seems so sweet and friendly. Most people asked Doctor Who questions, but there were a few Broadchurch ones sprinkled in there as well. Darvill revealed that he just finished filming season 2 of Broadchurch, which I cannot wait to see.

The last part of my day was at the Warner Bros. Television screening event. It was advertised as a showing of the pilot of Constantine and the second season premiere of The 100, but just before the screenings began, they revealed that, due to the enthusiastic response to The Flash pilot that aired earlier this week on The CW, WB would also be screening episode 2 of that series.

If you enjoyed the pilot of The Flash, you won’t be disappointed with episode 2. It has the same tone and mix of humor and action. I’m really enjoying this show already, which makes me happy since it was the new series I was most excited to see. The second episode also lets you see more of the history and the relationship between Barry Allen and Detective Joe West, which was really well done. Aside from one super-cheesy line that should have been thrown out in the writers’ room (I’ll let you guess which one), it was another great episode.

I had never seen The 100 before, so I’m hesitant to comment too much about a screening of a second series episode.

I was satisfied with the Constantine pilot. Though I know the character, I’ve never read any of the comics, so I had very little in the way of expectations. The tone was dark and creepy, and I literally jumped more than once. It felt like I was watching a horror movie instead of a TV show. The series may have some kinks to work through — the effects during one scene in the psychiatric hospital were a little underwhelming — but, overall, I think they did a good job with it … but again, I have nothing to compare it to.

I would say my first day at my first-ever comic-con went pretty well. I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the weekend has in store for us!

History of The Flash, Part I: Garrick and the Golden Age

This is part 1 of a two-part exploration of the history of The Flash, a comic book character returning to television screens tonight at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on The CW.

With 74 years of history behind him, The Flash is racing onto television for a new show on The CW. The new series has piqued the interest of many and is sure to score high numbers for the network. The Flash has captured so much attention because it promises to be something unique to television, even though The Flash has already had his own series on the air. While Arrow and Gotham are built around gritty, realistic characters, and Constantine promises to focus on demons and the often-explored supernatural, The Flash will be the first series in the modern era of strong visual effects to focus on a true superhero in the starring role.

Superheroes are already dominant on the big screen, but if The Flash proves to be a success, we will likely see an influx of super-powered heroes on the small screen as well. This would be very much in line with the hero’s legacy: the Fastest Man Alive has always led the way for comic book protagonists, his story often paralleling that of the comic book industry at large, from the escapist days of Jay Garrick, to the high energy days of Barry Allen, to the all-too-real days of Wally West, and beyond.

The Flash was not the first superhero, but he was the first with a specialized power, even if his original design would be unrecognizable to many fans today. In 1938, Superman was introduced to the world by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the pages of Action Comics #1. The issue, demonstrating the Man of Steel hoisting a car over his head, sold immensely well, and a new genre was born. What followed was a boom in superhero titles, with every publisher trying to get in on the lucrative action.

Most companies simply tried to copy the Superman formula, with Wonder Man, Flash Lightning, Dynamic Man, and Fawcett Comics’ incredibly popular Captain Marvel all gracing the pages of comic books. Each hero operated in the same way as the Man of Tomorrow, possessing a laundry list of superpowers that made it impossible for any villain to stand up against them. It was All-American Comics, with the writer/artist team of Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert, that eventually bucked the trend by creating a superhero, The Flash, with only one power — and a power that every kid running around a playground could understand. The Flash was the first specialized hero, starting a new trend that persists to this day.

Fox and Lampert likely never believed they would go down in history for creating a beloved superhero. The Great Depression had left many looking for ways to supplement their income. The low-cost medium of the comic book was one of the few business that thrived during the economic downturn. Fox, a lawyer whose business was struggling, saw an opportunity in the new market and began selling scripts for extra money. Fox did work on early Batman stories, even introducing many of the vigilante’s greatest weapons, including the utility belt.

The lack of history and prestige associated with the comic book industry in its infancy meant that no one went into the business thinking they’d attained a dream job. And not everyone’s background was as far removed from entertainment media as Fox’s. The comic book artists of the day had more related professional backgrounds, including Lampert, who worked as a cartoonist and comic book strip artist. He had worked with Max Fleischer on some of Fleischer’s studio’s famous works, including Betty Boop and Popeye. Lampert began working on comics in 1938, including doing touch-up work on the aforementioned Action Comics #1 to get it ready for print.

Lampert enjoyed writing comedic material for the strips and considered himself to be miscast as an artist for superheroes, but his work in the field ultimately made him famous. In 1940, All-American Comics introduced Lampert and Fox’s creation, The Flash, to the world. Inspired by the Roman god Mercury, Jay Garrick, the original Flash, debuted in Flash Comics #1, which despite its name, was not a solo title. The issue told The Flash’s origin story in a tale that would make any modern critic scratch his or her head.

That first issue explained that Garrick gained his powers from inhaling “hard water” in a laboratory, which is as impossible to explain as you would guess. Garrick immediately used his lighting-fast skills as many young men would: by trying to impress a girl on the football field.

Garrick’s Flash was a huge success and would not be limited to his role in Flash Comics. Like Superman and Batman before him, The Flash gained his own solo title, All-Flash, in 1941. The Flash’s success throughout the 1940s was linked directly to World War II, with soldiers loving the books for their escapism and children loving the simple stories of good triumphing over evil in a world where evil seemed to be winning. The Flash’s popularity was also used to help other heroes with notably less prestige.

Today, superhero team-ups are so common that you can pick up any Marvel title and expect to see any other Marvel character in it. But in 1940, such an idea was unheard of — until All-Star Comics #3, with the first appearance of the Justice Society of America.

The JSA included many Golden Age heroes from both DC and All-American Comics, such as The Spectre, Hawkman, The Atom, the original Green Lantern, and, of course, The Flash. The team-up concept was very popular, and the group kept its adventures going throughout the decade, though the roster changed many times. The Flash himself left the book after issue #6, due to his new role as star of All-Flash.

Like Superman before him, The Flash, as the first specialized superhero, saw many imitators. Quality Comics had Quicksilver, who is today known as Max Mercury; DC introduced Johnny Quick, in 1941; and Marvel got in the game as well, creating the Whizzer. While these characters still exist in one form or another, none was able to match the success of The Flash.

As the popularity of comics grew, The Flash was one of its strongest victors, but when the medium’s popularity faded as the ’40s drew to a close, so did the marketability of The Fastest Man Alive. All-Flash was cancelled in 1948 after 32 issues, Flash Comics ended in 1949, and All-Star Comics ceased production in 1951, ending the Flash’s Golden-Age run. The character would not appear again for 10 years, but the name “The Flash” would be recognized again soon enough, in the beginning of a new era in the comic books.

The Flash will return next week in “Nerd/Wise: History of The Flash, Part II: The Silver Age and Beyond”!

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