END OF AN ERA

(Image Courtesy of Google Images and DC Comics)

On August 31st, DC Comics will relaunch its comic book line with "The new 52" but before that happens I wanted to write about how I got into comics.

It was the fall of 2004. I had graduated from college that Summer and like most graduates I didn't know what my next step was. I had my degree in TV production but I no idea how to break into the business.

My mom who knew I had an interest in writing my own scripts, decided to buy some comics one day, hoping that would spark my creativity. The comics she brought home were Superman/Batman 4, 5, and 6.


(Image Courtesy of Google Images and DC Comics)

I couldn't believe what I saw. Batman and Superman were muscular and ripped and could chew through you in a minute. The art by Ed McGuiness was pretty incredible. All the characters popped off the page as you read through the story.

The story itself was excellent as well. Jeph Loeb(writer of the movies "Teen Wolf" and "Commando") was culminating a story that was started in the "Superman" comic where Lex Luthor had become president of the U.S. during the 2000 Presidential election.

There was a big meteor of Kryptonite heading for earth and Luthor blamed Superman as the cause. Batman joined with Superman to find out how to stop the meteor and they are both considered Public Enemies of the U.S.

Luthor placed a one million dollar bounty on Superman's head for anyone who could bring him in. Subsequently, every supervillain comes out to collect the reward on Superman.

If you ever want to read the whole story, there is a trade paperback and hardcover book entitled, "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies."

With this story I became an avid comic book reader and I have stayed one for close to a decade. Now with this new initiative, I feel that maybe I should stop for a while and concentrate on creating my own characters.

I'll still pick up a comic or two along the way. I'm really excited to read "The Bionic Man" by Kevin Smith.

So for now I say thanks to DC and Marvel for giving me many years of inspiration and happiness. I hope one day a character that I've created can do the same for someone.

Class Dismissed.
The Professor

UFC MOVES TO FOX, FX

(Image of Jon "Bones" Jones-UFC Light Heavyweight Champion courtesy of Google Images)

According to an article in USA Today which you can read here, UFC is moving its programming from Spike TV to FOX, FX, and FUEL in 2012.

UFC will air programs like "The Ultimate Fighter" on FX and FUEL and have four specials during the year broadcast on FOX.

This is a big deal for UFC which will be able to expand its audience through the use of both FX and FOX.

Now Dana White and the UFC will truly be a competitor to Vince McMahon and the WWE.

Class Dismissed,
The Professor

THE BEST PART OF MONDAY NIGHT RAW

                                            

The Confrontation between Kevin Nash and CM PUNK.

View it: Kevin Nash and CM Punk

 

SUPERMAN NEEDS FIGHTING SKILLS

(Image courtesy of Google Images)

BATMAN, WOLVERINE, THOR, WONDER WOMAN all have one thing in common: They're trained fighters and they can beat people up.

Superman doesn't have any special training. All he has is his powers. The general feeling is that once his powers are taken away then Superman is ineffective. This is shown to be true in Superman 2 when Superman gives up his powers to be with Lois. Lois and Clark drive to a diner from the fortress of Solitude and while Clark is using the bathroom a truck driver hits on Lois. When Clark goes to defend her, he is beaten up you can see the scene here: Supeman 2: Clark is not the man Lois fell in love with.

While the scene in the movie demonstrates to Clark what it's like to be human, comic book fans realized that Superman was nothing with out his superpowers.

Over the years heroes like Batman, Wolverine, and now Thor are seen as cooler because with or without powers they can do something to protect the innocent. Now even Spider-Man due to the loss of his spider sense has learned Kung-Fu.

The whole "Thor" movie was marketed as an action flick where Thor even without his powers was kicking @$$.


(Image courtesy of capedwonder.com and Google Images)

Even in the early days of the 1950's show, "The Adventures of Superman" George Reeves beat up the bad guys. It gave Superman credibility and now he can't hit anybody because logically if he hit someone they would die.

The new Superman movie will have more action and will be grittier but I think that if DC really wanted to get Superman to reach the level of Batman then they would give him some fighting skills so that it shows fans that Superman is more than just the powers.

Class Dismissed,
The Professor

ALERTO DEL RIO IS WWE CHAMPION

(Image courtesy of WWE.COM)

Alberto Del Rio is the new WWE Champion. According to SLAM WRESTLING after CM PUNK beat John Cena and became the undisputed WWE Champion, Kevin Nash came down and Jack Knife Powerbombed CM PUNK. Del Rio came in and cashed in his Money In The Bank briefcase.

(Image courtesy of WWE.COM)

Now the question is: Why is Kevin Nash back? and why did he do this to CM PUNK?

I guess we'll find out on WWE RAW tonight.

Class Dismissed,
The Professor

"MAN OF STEEL" MOVIE NEWS

(Photo Courtesy of EW.COM)

So we finally have the first image of Henry Cavill as Superman. The "S" on the suit seems to be similar to the Jim Lee Superman design in the comics as seen in the image below. It makes me wonder if the new look for Superman in September was inspired by the upcoming movie.

(Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

In other Superman news, Laurence Fishburne has been cast as Perry White, the editor of the Daily Planet.

Traditionally this role has been played by caucasian actors in the past such as Frank Langella ("Superman Returns") the late, great Jackie Cooper (in the Christopher Reeve "Superman" movies) and the late, great Lane Smith (in the "Lois and Clark" TV show). Despite the change of racial background, I have no problem with Fishburne as Perry and I wonder how he'll interpret the role.
  
Class Dismissed,
The Professor

SUMMERSLAM: THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!

 

(Photo Courtesy of WWE.COM)

Last Night it was announced that the main event for SUMMERSLAM will be CM PUNK VS. JOHN CENA: CHAMPION VS. CHAMPION.

This is the hottest storyline WWE has had in a while and it looks to be getting hotter.

Class Dismissed,
The Professor

THE BIONIC MAN

(Photo Courtesy of IGN.com)

On August 31, 2011 The Bionic Man returns. Not to TV but in Dynamite Comics. Kevin Smith, the director behind such hits like CLERKS, CLERKS 2, MALLRATS, and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK wrote a movie script adaptation of the "Six Million Dollar Man" TV show in 1998.

The executives at the time dismissed the script because it was too much like a comic book. Now Kevin Smith and Dynamite are adapting that script into a comic book. See the press release on Newsarama at this link: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/kevin-smith-bionic-man-110512.html

I was born in 1982, so I missed "The Bionic Man" when it first debuted. However, I did see Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner ("The Bionic Woman") in many of their subsequent TV movies.

As a fan of comic books and Kevin Smith, I can't wait to see what he does with this concept. And who knows, this may lead to the "Six Million Dollar Man" coming back to TV. If it does let's hope that it's better than "The Bionic Woman" remake they did in 2007.

Class Dismissed,
The Professor