Blasts from the Past: Movies

[Y]

When beaten, cry troll.

It's perfectly fine for you to only appreciate dark, brooding, emo Batman stories (it isn't, but you having dumb opinions is a guarantee on any subject). It's just hilarious when you try to pretend like there's some kind of consensus agreeing with you in the industry. When you call fun, lighthearted stories "pedestrian and forgotten", it makes it obvious you're just willing to lie about subjects you know nothing about to win an internet discussion. The state of Batman comics (which you don't read) is important enough for you to bullshit and lie about. God damn.

[Animeniax]

It's perfectly fine for you to only appreciate dark, brooding, emo Batman stories (it isn't, but you having dumb opinions is a guarantee on any subject). It's just hilarious when you try to pretend like there's some kind of consensus agreeing with you in the industry. When you call fun, lighthearted stories "pedestrian and forgotten", it makes it obvious you're just willing to lie about subjects you know nothing about to win an internet discussion. The state of Batman comics (which you don't read) is important enough for you to bullshit and lie about. God damn.

Not sure about "the industry," but meaningful fan reaction has always been geared towards the darker and more adult storylines for a character like Batman, which was my point from the beginning. The kid-friendly goofy storylines are forgettable for pretty much any superhero character, even fluffy ones like Superman and Spider-man. The more meaningful, often more mature and dark storylines are the ones that people remember (this seems like an obvious fact, yet somehow you dispute it).

The easy-going stories may be fine for an occasional light-heartedness, but they are forgettable. The storylines I listed were from off the top of my head, and from comics I haven't read in 20+ years but still come to mind when thinking of Batman. Honestly can you name some arcs with funny or light-hearted stories from the many years of Batman comics? Be honest, don't google that shit.

[Kagemane_no_Jutsu]

Yeah don't use google like he did Y. Those were off the top of his head.... from 20 yrs ago....

especially batman year one (2011).


Well not to disrupt your little back and forth but what I remember from 15 yrs ago is the batman animated series. And the one episode that I can still see clear in my minds eye or whatever is when the Joker was in like a toy factory? Or was it just his hideout?? Anyway he was riding around on giant oversized toys and they end up going on a runaway train ride. Probably one of the more light hearted episodes.

[Animeniax]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_year_one:
"Year One", later referred to as "Batman: Year One", is an American comic book story arc written by Frank Miller, illustrated by David Mazzucchelli, colored by Richmond Lewis, and lettered by Todd Klein. It originally appeared in issues #404 to #407 of DC Comics' Batman comic title in (1987).

Like I said, those were off the top of my head even after 20 years because they were some of the most memorable and amazing comic stories I can remember, and they've stayed with me this long because they are so memorable. Even my favorite comics like Archer (Valiant) and X-men didn't have stories that I remember so well.

[Y]

Yeah don't use google like he did Y. Those were off the top of his head.... from 20 yrs ago....

especially batman year one (2011).

Year One is a Frank Miller book from the 80s.

[Kagemane_no_Jutsu]

ahhh I was thinking of batman earth one which recently came out. a thousand apologies.


but the ones 'meniax listed are definitely the ones i remember seeing when I too googled top batman stories a while back. whether thats coincidence or not, you be the judge.

[Animeniax]

Weird, I just googled top Batman stories and was surprised only Year One and Dark Knight Returns are near the top of the lists I saw.

[Y]

As an avid Batman reader, I'd read the usual suspects, but I actually never read "The Cult". It's absolutely dreadful. Batman is wildly out of character and the script as presented rarely strikes the right tone, not to mention a bunch of ridiculousness in the plot like the goes-nowhere thread about Deacon Blackfire's longevity to the fact that Batman uses guns and drives a monster-truck Batmobile at one point.

I know Jim Starlin, the author of this run, mainly from his Marvel work and his stuff after Infinity Gauntlet drops off markedly, and he really didn't know what he was doing here. I mean Deacon Blackfire's army kills the Mayor, the entire city council, some national guard troops who show up, kills a shitload of cops, some reporters both on the street and in one case on live television... at one point the script is so desperate to sell them as a threat that the TV pundits are discussing treating Blackfire's Gotham as a rogue state or bringing in nuclear weapons, not to mention the whole thing began when he totally shitted on Batman. The fact that multiple people are ludicrously killed by a homeless guy pointing a sniper rifle out of a sewer grate is hilarious. This is a crazy quasi-immortal preacher with an army of homeless drug addicts he trained in the sewer, mind you. It's the worst kind of schlock honestly.'

EDIT:

Despite this conversation this should probably have gone in the Dark Knight Rises thread as at least it's vaguely applicable.

[Kagemane_no_Jutsu]

Yeah that sounds just about awful.

I was never the biggest comic reader but last few years I been checking out a few more popular ones. Marvel civil war was alright. Reading Scott Snyder's works on Batman right now and been loving it.

Got anything you could recommend there Ser Y??

[Animeniax]

As an avid Batman reader, I'd read the usual suspects, but I actually never read "The Cult". It's absolutely dreadful. Batman is wildly out of character and the script as presented rarely strikes the right tone, not to mention a bunch of ridiculousness in the plot like the goes-nowhere thread about Deacon Blackfire's longevity to the fact that Batman uses guns and drives a monster-truck Batmobile at one point.

So you've never actually read the comics, just a synopsis from a google search, but you're condemning the story? Gotcha. How much of the angst and disapproval is genuine Y, and how much is bleed-through from the author of the snippet you read?

[Y]

Yeah that sounds just about awful.

I was never the biggest comic reader but last few years I been checking out a few more popular ones. Marvel civil war was alright. Reading Scott Snyder's works on Batman right now and been loving it.

Got anything you could recommend there Ser Y??

Certainly. If you want to read the great modern Batman story, get Grant Morrison's Batman R.I.P., which leads into Final Crisis and the first 16 issues of Batman and Robin, all of which have been collected in trade I think. You should probably read the classics (Year One, DKR, Morrison's "Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth", and maybe Loeb's pre-Hush stuff like Long Halloween and Dark Victory). As for non-Batman stuff the list would just go on and on. Just start by reading everything Grant Morrison ever wrote, literally.

So you've never actually read the comics, just a synopsis from a google search, but you're condemning the story? Gotcha. How much of the angst and disapproval is genuine Y, and how much is bleed-through from the author of the snippet you read?

You are literally just throwing my accusation of having Googled a list of titles back in my face again. You're kind of stupid as shit to expect anyone to buy into it.

EDIT:

Honestly, do you really not understand I'm the kind of person to download a Batman trade at 2AM and read it just to give it an ugly review? Bitches be trippin'.

[Animeniax]

I'll second the Grant Morrison recommendation, plus most everything by Frank Miller.

Also, the Arkham Asylum: ASHoSE is definitely worth a read. It's pretty dark subject matter, and the art style really makes you feel like you're reading the comic while on acid.

Weird Y, that you're recommending some of the darker material (author and story) from Batman after spending the last page or so giving me shit.

Honestly, do you really not understand I'm the kind of person to download a Batman trade at 2AM and read it just to give it an ugly review? Bitches be trippin'.

You literally just typed, "I actually never read 'The Cult'" before stating, "it's absolutely dreadful."

[Y]

You literally just typed, "I actually never read 'The Cult'" before stating, "it's absolutely dreadful."

You cannot be this fucking stupid. I never read it before now, obviously.

[Animeniax]

You cannot be this fucking stupid. I never read it before now, obviously.

It sounds like you read it with the mindset of giving me shit, which is unfortunate. It means you didn't give it a chance from the beginning, and you probably tore through it hoping to post a scathing review to prove your point. That's too bad, since you missed out. Worse, you've now convinced KnJ it's not worth a read, if for no other reason than to spite me. Bravo.

And me claiming you google shit is no more or less valid than your claim I do the same, so suck it.

[Y]

Blanked this. Terrible sequence of posts.

[Abdula]

Wow. Ani you're really getting the rust off huh, this is like Animeniax circa 2007 and Y is Y as usual. Now I have some reading to do, thanks guys.

[Animeniax]

Saw Punisher War Zone, gotta say, the Punisher just doesn't work as a live action character. He's basically just a guy shooting people... lots and lots of people, but there is little pizzazz or uniqueness to his killing. No special weapons or tactics, no appearance of his supervan with all its gadgets and weaponry (would have made for a great chase scene), and pretty straight-forward storylines in both movies so far. He's a poor man's Batman, which takes a lot of the fun out of vigilantism.

[Kagemane_no_Jutsu]

I liked the first one where he's more sad than angry. Not really like comic book Punisher but was a good film. Thomas Jane is aight.


and I haven't seen that one but heard a really interesting "How did this get made?" podcast where they have the director on. She was this really hip indy director who had done Green Street Hooligans and couldnt get the movies she wanted so she took this. Really interesting listen bout a director's expectations compared to the end product. She actually takes you step by step thru getting interviewed and a lot of the process. Also, patton oswalt is there to say awesome things.

[Animeniax]

Wow, kind of surprised that was directed by a woman. It's very graphic and casual in its violence. I have Green Street Hooligans in my to-watch queue, and I've read it's also very violent. I liked the characterizations and story in the 2nd movie better, it was more like the comics.

[Ryllharu]

Wow, kind of surprised that was directed by a woman. It's very graphic and casual in its violence. I have Green Street Hooligans in my to-watch queue, and I've read it's also very violent.

Wow, another hilariously ignorant comment from Ani. Color me shocked.

American Psycho? Female director.
Pet Sematary? Female director.
The Hurt Locker (not a very accurate movie, but point stands). Female director.
Boys Don't Cry (and its violent gang-rape scene)? Female director.
We Need to Talk About Kevin (quite violent and rather psychotic)? Female director.

By the way, a lot of the drama films directed by women have much more brutal representations of rape.

But don't let facts get in the way of your beliefs.