Casting Breakdowns Revealed for DC's TITANS Series

Titans...almost together.

That Hashtag Show has managed to obtain the casting breakdowns for Titans, the upcoming live-action series for DC Comics' new digital service that was announced at the end of April.

Production on the series is expected to begin this September in Atlanta, and it appears as though casting for the series is already in process.  The four character names provided appear to be attempts to conceal the identities of the various Titans, but from the descriptions below, it appears they belong to Nightwing, Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy, respectively.

[John Crossland] (NIGHTWING/DICK GRAYSON) Male, late 20s-early 30s, Caucasian. Equal parts charm and impenetrability, John is a cop. He has a nice smile, tired eyes and a cool, distant manner. However, when provoked, his eyes are so lethal “they drain a man of every last bit of spleen.” John is haunted by the murder of his family. Unbeknownst to those around him, he is also a vigilante. In the shadows, he fights with the commitment and conviction of an artist, the brutal grace of a dancer. Mentally and physically, he is covered in a map of scars. And though he fights to escape his past, it is often a losing battle…SERIES LEAD

[SARAH] (RAVEN/RACHEL ROTH) Female, Mid teens, Open Ethnicity. Troubled, bullied, often scared but unwilling to show it, Sarah is a loner more comfortable hiding in her hoodie than making friends. Haunted by a dark force inside her, Sarah experiences violent episodes that she cannot understand or control. She is also plagued by recurring nightmares that lead her across the country in search of help…SERIES REGULAR

[Casey] (STARFIRE/KORIAND'R) Female, 20s, Open ethnicity. Casey is a tall, stunning woman, her beauty so magnificent it’s almost inhuman. Elegant, refined and mysterious, she is on the hunt to discover who is trying to kill her and why. And those after her are in for a surprise because she’s more deadly than anyone they’ve ever encountered…SERIES REGULAR

[JAX] (BEAST BOY/GARFIELD LOGAN) Male, Mid-late teens, Open Ethnicity, Asian preferred. Funny and charming, this amateur thief’s humor hides his insecurities and past pain. Not the toughest kid on the streets, he’s learned to survive in the world with his wit and quick-thinking…SERIES REGULAR

Titans is expected to premiere on DC's digital service sometime in early 2018.

THE FANDOM ZONE 107: "Heavydirtysoul" is Up!

"She's not my boss."

"Uh-huh.  I may have a virus making me freakishly strong and mildly insane, but even I know you were a sidekick to your brother and you're a sidekick to Barbara."

– Tabitha Galavan and Leslie "Lee" Thompkins, Gotham: "Heavydirtysoul"

You guessed it, Karen and I are back with a HUGE new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast! This week's reviews of comics on television include:

Fear the Walking Dead 3x01: "Eye of the Beholder"  (Season Premiere)

Fear the Walking Dead 3x02: "The New Frontier"

Gotham 3x21: "Destiny Calling"

Gotham 3x22: "Heavydirtysoul"  (Season Finale)

iZombie 3x10: "Return of the Dead Guy"

Iron Fist 1x11: "Lead Horse Back to Stable"

This week, Karen and I talk about things like Karen's new Felix from Orphan Black Funko figure, Travis using his Maori heritage to his advantage, Jake sticking up for his asshole brother Troy, why you should never look into a wall air vent during a zombie apocalypse, Darwyn Cooke's DC: The New Frontier, Travis finally taking himself off the board, connecting Jeremiah to the missing Ofelia, Strand getting a sweet new ride, Madison embracing her Ricktatorship, wondering if Madison is preggers, Ra's Al Ghul finally getting a decent live-action adaptation, The Fandom Zone's official pronunciation of Ra's Al Ghul, Twitter outrage over Bruce stabbing Alfred in the chest, Butch becoming Solomon Grundy, Stabby Babs being dead...for now, not wanting to see Harley Quinn on Gotham, Bruce's reset of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Executioner's Clobberin' Time, the Penguin planning the opening of the Iceberg Lounge, Ravi being a Millennial stereotype of not knowing phone numbers, Peyton being a dominatrix to Liv, the Smothers Brothers, Claire not being down with real-life dragons, Karen and I comparing staple scars, Davos not getting why Danny was chosen to be the Iron Fist, Claire not being down with Colleen even though she bought her delivered pizza, some Gotham feedback from Justina, remembering the late Adam West, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Google Play Music -- HERE 

iTunes -- HERE

Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn -- HERE

The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- HERE

The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Karen and I review the Season 2 premiere of Wynonna Earp, Episode 12 of Iron Fist, and new episodes of Fear the Walking Dead and iZombie, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 086: "Empress of Mars" is Up!

"We are both surrounded by noisy males.  I would value your opinion."
-- Iraxxa to Bill Potts, Doctor Who: "Empress of Mars"

That's right, my partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  In this episode, Jesse and I review "Empress of Mars", the ninth episode from Series Ten, starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts, Matt Lucas as Nardole, and Michelle Gomez as Missy!

This time, Jesse and I discuss things like Jesse breaking his "Must watch new Doctor Who before bedtime" rule, Mark Gatiss being hit-or-miss, wondering why the Doctor and Bill went to NASA, the Doctor's diplomatic relationship with the Ice Warriors, the lack of political correctness in the 19th century, racial diversity in modern casting, the Wonder Woman movie, Missy and the TARDIS' mysterious dematerialization, Missy's sudden concern for the Doctor's health, the unexpected return of Alpha Centuari after 40 years, "Empress of Mars" as the prequel to the Jon Pertwee era Peladon stories, my Reverse the Polarity segment, two feedbacks from Holly from Wisconsin, tweets from Ken from Chicago, some audio feedback from Judi Dionne, wondering how the Thirteenth Doctor will be announced, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Google Play Music -- RIGHT HERE

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn --  RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Jesse and I review "The Eaters of Light", the tenth episode from Series Ten, starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts, and Matt Lucas as Nardole!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX in Talks with Jessica Chastain for Lilandra

Professor X is about to have a star-crossed romance.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that the upcoming Fox movie X-Men: Dark Phoenix is in talks with Jessica Chastain for the role of Lilandra, the film's villain.  Lilandra is described in the article as "the empress of an alien empire called the Shi’ar, who leads the quest to imprison and execute Dark Phoenix, leading her into conflict with the X-Men."  The film will be written and directed by Simon Kinberg, making his directorial debut.

Chastain, 40, is probably best known as Maya in Zero Dark Thirty and Melissa Lewis in The Martian, and has appeared in a number of films including Crimson Peak, The Huntsman: Winter's War, Interstellar, and Jolene.  Her TV appearances include episodes of Journeyman, Dark Shadows (2005), Veronica Mars, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury.

In addition, the article states that Fox has closed deals for the return of James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult to reprise their respective roles of Professor Charles Xavier, Magneto, Mystique and Beast.  

Sophie Turner will also reprise her role as Jean Grey, who becomes the cosmic force known as Dark Phoenix in the classic X-Men storyline "The Dark Phoenix Saga" by Chris Claremont and John Byrne.  The storyline was very loosely adapted for the Brett Ratner movie X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006.

Also returning from the movie X-Men: Apocalypse are Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler.  

Created in 1976 by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum, Lilandra Neramani first appeared in X-Men (vol.1) #97 as the sibling of D'Ken, Deathbird, and an unnamed older sister.  Lilandra was born on the Aerie (now known as Chandilar, native world of the Shi'ar).  Deathbird, the oldest of the surviving three, was denied the throne for "unspeakable" crimes involving the murder of her mother and older sister and was exiled.  The throne went to D'Ken, who turned out to be a power mad dictator.  Lilandra became a Grand Admiral of the Imperial Guard, part of the Shi'ar fleet, but turned against D'Ken, when she found out about his plans involving the M'Kraan Crystal. Branded a traitor, Lilandra fled to Earth, hoping to find allies among its large population of superheroes and found them in Charles Xavier and his X-Men.  She began sending visions of herself to Xavier as she traveled to Earth.

Finally meeting Xavier in person, she was captured by Erik the Red and uncovered D'Ken's plot to gain ultimate power. She was saved by the space pirates known as the Starjammers and the X-Men, and reunited on Earth with Xavier.  She ultimately invited Xavier to accompany her to the Shi'ar throneworld.  The X-Men, in particular Phoenix, managed to stop D'Ken's plan, who ultimately was banished after being driven mad.  Lilandra took the throne as Majestrix-Shi'ar (empress of the Shi'ar Imperium) with Xavier as her official consort.  In "The Dark Phoenix Saga", she staged a trial by combat to determine the fate of Phoenix.  However, a short while later, her position was usurped by Deathbird, who had made a pact with the Brood and the Badoon.  She managed to escape along with the X-Men, and Lilandra became Majestrix-in-Exile on Earth.  She became a freedom fighter and allied herself with the Starjammers until she was able to take back her throne.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 2, 2018.

GHOSTWOOD 008: "The Return, Part 5" is Up!

"You're still with me.  That's good."

-- Doppelgänger Cooper to BOB, Twin Peaks: "The Return, Part 5"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back once again with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we review "The Return, Part 5", the fifth episode of the Showtime revival of Twin Peaks!

LET'S ROCK!

In our eighth episode, Xan and I discuss things like episode titles, getting spoiled with two episodes back to back, DVRing American Gods in favor of Twin Peaks, wondering if the hitmen trying to kill Dougie are connected to the long-lost Phillip Jeffries, wondering how Dougie got the Black Lodge ring, tracking Major Briggs' fingerprints, the creepy morph of Doppelgänger Cooper's face with BOBs, the return Gary Hershberger as Mike Nelson and Peggy Lipton as Norma Jennings, wondering if Becky Burnett is going down the Laura Palmer path, the Lucky 7 Insurance crew being used to Dougie acting weird and wearing ugly yellowish-green jackets, Cooper getting some case files, Mitchell from Mystery Science Theater 3000, Pit Boss Warrick getting a promotion, Dr. Amp's golden shit shovels, Dr. Jacoby going total Alex Jones conspiracy wacko, wanting to see Twin Peaks cosplay, Deputy Chad being all kinds of shady, David Lynch's son Riley and the band Trouble, Xan's love of peeling plastic film off new appliances, the introduction of total douche Richard Horne, Doppelgänger Cooper not going to call Mr. Strawberry, wanting Child Protective Services to rescue Crack Mom's kid, hoping that David Lynch has secret footage of David Bowie as Phillip Jeffries, making Dr. Jacoby's Cosmic Flashlight, the Wonder Woman movie, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn --  RIGHT HERE

YouTube -- RIGHT HERE

Ghostwood's Facebook page

Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back next week as Xan and I review "The Return, Part 6", the next episode of the Showtime revival of Twin Peaks!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

BLACK PANTHER Teaser Trailer Debuts During 2017 NBA Finals

What do you know about Wakanda?

Last night, Marvel Studios debuted the first teaser trailer to their upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film Black Panther during Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals, where the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Golden State Warriors 137-116.

The one-minute, fifty-second trailer opens in an interrogation room, where CIA Agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) is questioning arms dealer/smuggler Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) following the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Klaue, having lost his arm at the hands of Ultron, asks Ross, "Tell me something.  What do you know about Wakanda?

"It's a third world country," replies Ross.  "Textiles, shepherds, cool outfits."

"All a front," Klaue remarks.  "Explorers have searched for it, called it 'El Dorado'.  They've looked for it in South America, but it was in Africa the whole time."

We see T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) exiting his personal shuttle, the Royal Talon Fighter, and he's met by various tribal representatives and the elder statesman Zuri (Forest Whitaker) at at place called Warrior Falls.

"I'm the only one who's seen it," continues Klaue, "and made it out alive."  Klaue laughs at the room's one-way window, knowing he's being watched by T'Challa and Okoye (Danai Gurira), the leader of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda's all-female special forces.

The Royal Talon Fighter arrives in a technologically-advanced Wakandan city, as we hear the voice of T'Chaka (John Kani), T'Challa's dead father.  "The world is changing," T'Chaka says in a voiceover.  

We see fleeting images of the villainous Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) wearing a mask and T'Challa's love interest Nakia (Lupita N'yong'o) in a casino.

"Soon there will only be the conquered...and the conquerors," T'Chaka continues. "You...are a good man with a good heart, and it's hard for a good man to be a king."

We see a brief scene of T'Challa's mother Ramonda (Angela Bassett) and sister Shuri (Letitia Wright) with Ross, possibly surrounded.  This is followed by a battle between T'Challa and Killmonger at Warrior Falls.  The final shot shows T'Challa as Black Panther, reeling backwards from an upended car as it crashes.

If you'd like to check out the teaser trailer, you can view it below thanks to the official Marvel Entertainment account on YouTube...



Black Panther is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on February 16, 2018.

THE FANDOM ZONE 106: "Twenty-Sided, Die" is Up!

"Booyah!  How do you like ol' Earl now, you damn, dirty lich?!"

– Clive Babineaux, iZombie: "Twenty-Side, Die"

That's right, Karen and I are back with a new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  This week's reviews of comics on television include:

Gotham 3x20: "Pretty Hate Machine"

Lucifer 2x18: "The Good, The Bad, and The Crispy"  (Season Finale)

iZombie 3x09: "Twenty-Sided, Die"

Iron Fist 1x10: "Black Tiger Steals Heart"

This week, Karen and I talk about things like me being proud of my unprofessionalism, Nine Inch Nails, Bruce being brainwashed by the Court of Owls, fan speculation about Bruce becoming Owlman instead of Batman, Hugo Strange always finding a way out, Lee going to Hot Topic, Jim Gordon in the Kill Bill coffin, the return of Fish Mooney, wondering why Chloe still doesn't get that Lucifer is actually the devil, Trixie playing doctor and telling Lucifer that lollipops aren't for wusses, Rachel Harris as Dr. Linda, Lucifer's unexplained angel wings, Peyton being a snob about playing Dungeons & Dragons, the return of Sketch Bitch and Vampire Steve, great D&D character names, Clive admitting he's a fan of The Flash, the harsh reality of D&D dorks all fixating on the one girl in their group, Karen's husband Sean painting pewter miniatures, Don-E overdosing on World War II brain, Karen's issues with her husband's role-playing dice collection, Joy working the Rand Enterprises board to being reinstated, Colleen's awkward moment finding out her sensei is evil, Davos the Steel Serpent, Orson Randall the Golden Age Iron Fist, some Gotham feedback from Justina, and more!

You can now check out episodes of The Fandom Zone using...

Google Play Music -- HERE 

iTunes -- HERE

Direct Download MP3s/Libsyn -- HERE

The Fandom Zone on Facebook -- HERE

The Fandom Zone on Twitter -- @FandomZoneCast

And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Karen and I review the two-part season premiere of Fear the Walking Dead, the two-part season finale of Gotham, Episode 11 of Iron Fist, and a new episode of iZombie, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 085: "The Lie of the Land" is Up!

"Why do you put up with us, then?"
"Because, in amongst seven billion, there's someone like you.  That’s why I put up with the rest of them."
-- Bill Potts and the Twelfth Doctor, Doctor Who: "The Lie of the Land"

That's right, my partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  In this episode, Jesse and I review "The Lie of the Land", the eighth episode from Series Ten, starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts, Matt Lucas as Nardole, and Michelle Gomez as Missy!

This time, Jesse and I discuss things like the Monks Trilogy working better as a two-parter, the Doctor psyching everyone out with a faked regeneration, George Orwell's 1984, Bill's out-of-nowhere decision to shoot the Doctor, the Doctor using regeneration energy for something else besides a regeneration, the Doctor punishing Bill for making a deal with the Monks, whether Missy is honestly trying to reform for her past deeds, Superman's arch-enemy Lex Luthor, the best Doctor and Master pairings, Jesse being criticized for not making the bed properly, Bill finding redemption for her deal with the Monks, me being totally screwed if the Monks find out I have comic books, my Reverse the Polarity segment, a recorded conversation between Jesse and Ken Schaefer at Steak & Shake, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Google Play Music -- RIGHT HERE

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn --  RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Jesse and I review "Empress of Mars", the ninth episode from Series Ten, starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts, and Matt Lucas as Nardole!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

GHOSTWOOD 007: "The Return, Parts 3 & 4" is Up!

"Albert, I hate to admit this, but I don't understand this situation at all."

-- Gordon Cole to Albert Rosenfield, Twin Peaks: "The Return, Part 4"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back once again with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we review "The Return, Parts 3 & 4", the first two episodes of the Showtime revival of Twin Peaks!

LET'S ROCK!

In our seventh HUGE episode, Xan and I discuss things like Cooper in space, the attempt on Jason David Frank's life, the nightmare fuel of the woman with no eyes, the return of Phoebe Augustine, Gillian Anderson as David Bowie, Cooper and Doppelganger Cooper's garmonbozia, Dougie wearing the Black Lodge ring, thanking Mr. Jackpots, the cameo from Eugene from The Walking Dead, Cooper fumbling around like the Old Waiter, South Park garmonbozia, Dougie the Golden Snitch, the interrogation of Doppelganger Cooper, yrev vs. very, Tammy being frustrated by Gordon and Albert, wondering what the hell is up with Albert, every office having a Chad, Lucy being freaked out by cell phones, Lucy's chocolate bunny confession, Mr. Anti-Establishment Bobby Briggs joining the establishment, Doppelganger Cooper murdering Major Briggs, the terrible scene with Michael Cera as Wally Brando, Crack Mom yelling "1-1-9!", Stephen King's novel Doctor Sleep, the Roadhouse Band of the Week, the official Ferris Bueller's Day Off soundtrack, the Black Lodge fragmenting your soul, some feedback from listener Hunx Lam, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn --  RIGHT HERE

YouTube -- RIGHT HERE

Ghostwood's Facebook page

Ghostwood's Twitter account

Be sure to come back next week as Xan and I review "The Return, Part 5", the next episode of the Showtime revival of Twin Peaks!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

DAMN Good Movies -- WONDER WOMAN

That's right, it's time once again for another of my movie takes, this time on the film Wonder Woman, the fourth film in the DC Extended Universe.  As always, if you haven't seen the movie yet and you don't want it spoiled for you, then please step back from your computer or whatever electronic device you're reading this on and stop reading now.  If, however, you're wise enough to know that movie reviews with spoilers are always more interesting than the ones without them...well...To the war!

It's only taken 76 years since her creation, but Wonder Woman has finally made it to the big screen. Okay, okay, more like 21 years, ever since development began in 1996 with Ghostbusters' Ivan Reitman attached as producer and hopes that Sandra Bullock would star.  In 2005, Joss Whedon was announced as the new writer and director, but after two years, Whedon never managed to write a finished draft and left the project to direct a little movie you may have heard of called The Avengers.  After a couple of script revisions that moved the setting of the project from World War II to modern times, the project officially kicked off in 2015 when Patty Jenkins signed on as director, with a screenplay from Allan Heinberg.

The pressure to get Wonder Woman right was considerable, especially after less-than-super movies such as Supergirl, Elektra, and the unholy abomination of Halle Berry's Catwoman. And while the new DC Extended Universe has never had a box office bomb (quite the opposite in fact), DC's shared film universe was in desperate need of something resembling critical acclaim.  Comics fans and film critics derided Man of Steel for director Zack Snyder's disturbing fetish for destruction porn and for having Superman snap General Zod's neck, then turned the internet hate machine up to eleven with Suicide Squad and Snyder's follow-up, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. That film was a bleak and depressing nightmare for DC Comics fans, darkened with drab, grey and brown filters, and riddled with unnecessary angst simply to make Batman and Superman fight.  The single bright ray of hope in the darkness?  You guessed it, the introduction of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, which leads us to her solo movie.

We open in modern-day Paris, with Diana still working in the Louvre's antiquities department as we saw in Batman v Superman.  She receives the familiar photographic plate from her time in World War I from Bruce Wayne, which triggers a long origin flashback.  Diehard Wonder Woman fans are immediately rewarded with the breathtaking sight of Themyscira, the island of paradise that's home to the Amazons and was created by the Greek gods to protect humanity against Ares, the god of war.  (Two guesses who the film's Big Bad is and the first one doesn't count.)

We're introduced to young Diana, all of eight years old and played as all kinds of precocious by Lilly Aspel.  Diana, it seems, wants to train as an Amazon, but her helicopter parent mom, Queen Hippolyta, forbids it.  Fortunately for Diana (and us), her aunt Antiope helps her disobey and train in secret.  Of course, the two are soon found out, but Hippolyta shrugs and finally gives in, because there's just no way against a kid fixated on a sword called The Godkiller.  As Diana reaches the age where Gal Gadot can finally step back into the role, she discovers that crossing her gauntlets in battle creates a finishing-move shockwave, hinting that there's more to her genesis than simply being formed from clay by her mom.

To the surprise of no one, paradise is quickly ruined by the arrival of man, or specifically, a pilot named Steve Trevor.  Steve's plane crashes just off the coast, which forces Diana to execute a perfect cliff dive so she can rescue him.  After Steve is brought ashore, Themyscira is soon invaded by German soldiers (Not Nazis, this is just World War I, remember) who were chasing Steve.  Attacking an island filled with warriors...Great plan, Germans.  So yes, we get a solid action sequence where the better-armed Germans start fighting the better-at-everything-else Amazons and quickly get their Deutschland asses handed to them. Unfortunately though, Antiope becomes the film's Uncle Ben and is killed off while protecting Diana.  

With great magic lassos come great responsibility, so Steve is interrogated using the Lasso of Truth.  It turns out Steve is a spy for the Allies, and he gives Diana and the Amazons the 411 that outside their perfect paradise, "The War to End All Wars" is going on and innocent people are dying.  A notebook stolen from German scientist Doctor Poison reveals the Doc has been researching a deadlier form of mustard gas for an ambitious general named Ludendorff.  Having been brought up hearing that Ares is the worst thing ever all her life, Diana naturally assumes it's all his fault and she leaves Themyscira with Steve to take Ares out, ending the war. 

Off to London we go, where Gadot and Chris Pine show some terrific on-screen chemistry together.  Diana is introduced to Steve's comic-relief secretary Etta Candy, constrictive frilly dresses, and the joy of vanilla ice cream, giving the movie some welcome humor.  One particular highlight is a great homage to Richard Donner's Superman, where the gender roles are reversed as Diana protects Steve from an assassin's bullet in an alleyway.  We're also introduced to a character named Sir Patrick Morgan, a bushy-mustached bureaucrat who serves as one of Steve's superiors and helps Diana and Steve infiltrate the Western Front in Belgium. Once there, Steve recruits some help from local mercenaries Sameer, Charlie and Chief, and Diana ends up witnessing the horrific toll on war refugees.

War, and its tragic price, becomes the film's central theme in a way that Marvel's Captain America: The First Avenger never captured.  Raised in a peaceful society, Diana is outraged by the Allied bureaucrats' inability to end the war, and she hits her breaking point upon finding a "No Man's Land" battlefield stalemate where neither side has been able to gain any ground for months.  A powerful sequence follows, where Diana, garbed in her battle gear of primary colors, plows her way across the battlefield toward enemy lines and ends this particular conflict once and for all.  

The film heads into the Third Act with the "What a twist!" revelation that Ares wasn't posing as General Ludendorff, he was posing as the benign Sir Patrick all along.  Ares pins the blame for the carnage squarely on human nature, saying that humanity is corrupt and all he did was point them in the right direction.  Steve proves him wrong, though, by hijacking the bomber carrying Doctor Poison's deadly gas and taking himself off the board to save others. Inspired by the selfless act, Diana recreates the shockwave from early in the movie and toasts Ares, which ends World War I as promised.  We then jump back to the present, where Diana thanks Bruce for the photographic plate and sets up her return in Justice League.

A solid film, with most of the cast being given at least one good moment to shine. Here are some of the things that stood out:

WONDER WOMAN/DIANA PRINCE -- Gal Gadot was pretty much the best thing in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and it's no surprise she's the best thing in her own movie. Her Diana is everything a Wonder Woman fan could want -- formidable, charming, adventurous, and loving.  She also has a bit of a humorous streak at times, which makes her far more relatable than in her Batman v Superman debut.  I'm guessing a lot of people are suddenly calling themselves Wonder Woman fans who weren't before, and most of the credit rightfully goes to Gadot.

STEVE TREVOR -- As Diana's love interest, Chris Pine brings some of his time as James T. Kirk into the role of Steve.  He's cocky and a little headstrong, but never arrogant or chauvinistic and complements Gadot's Wonder Woman perfectly.  Instead of Steve being the dude in distress for Diana to constantly rescue, he and Diana are a partnership, with each watching out for the other.  I was surprised to see him killed off, but it needed done to move Diana along to a contemporary setting, just like Steve Rogers being separated from Peggy Carter in Captain America: The First Avenger.

ARES/SIR PATRICK MORGAN -- If there's one misfire in this movie, I think it had to be David Thewlis as Ares.  Ares, at least the way I see him, needs to be intimidating and Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter films is a long way away from that.  In an attempt to address this, Thewlis is covered up in CGI-enhanced armor for the climactic showdown sequence, but the decision to leave his bushy Sir Patrick mustache during close-ups is a head shaker.  

DOCTOR POISON/DR. ISABEL MARU -- One character I wanted to see more of was Elena Anaya as Doctor Poison.  With her face covering giving off a serious Phantom of the Opera vibe, Doctor Poison was enigmatic and surprisingly vulnerable when Steve attempted to work some information out of her.  Hopefully, Doctor Poison invents a formula that preserves her for a rematch with Wonder Woman in the 21st century.

QUEEN HIPPOLYTA -- Connie Nielsen was an interesting choice for Hippolyta, especially after Nicole Kidman dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.  Hippolyta was understandably frustrating early on to give Young Diana an obstacle to overcome, but I couldn't help feeling disappointed when her cynical parting words to Diana were "They don't deserve you."  Kevin Costner's Jonathan Kent, anyone?

GENERAL ANTIOPE -- Continuing a strange career path, Robin Wright has gone from Princess Buttercup to Claire Underwood to general of the Amazon army.  She really seems to relish the chance to have a heavy physical role, and you can pretty much feel her smiling to herself as she does so.  Ultimately though, as a mentor to a superhero, Antiope has to give her life to provide motivation, but it was fun watching her while it lasted.

ETTA CANDY -- Another character that would've benefited from more screen time, Lucy Davis' Etta Candy is a great foil for Diana as she adjusts to life outside Themyscira.  Davis first hit my radar when she played Dianne in Shaun of the Dead, so I knew she had the comedic skills to pull off Etta.  Part of me though, would've liked at least one use of Etta's Golden Age catchphrase "Woo-Woo!" to come out at a really inappropriate moment.

GENERAL ERICH LUDENDORFF -- As fans of American Horror Story know, Danny Huston was a great pick to throw everyone off about who Ares was disguising himself.  Huston can turn on a very sinister vibe when he wants to, and the scenes of Ludendorff juicing up with roid rage played into the deception well.  Given the choice though, Huston would've been a much more effective Ares than Thewlis, IMHO.

SAMEER -- Saïd Taghmaoui deserves a shoutout as the lead mercenary that helps Steve and Diana in Belgium.  His Sameer is an admitted showman, turning on the charm as needed, and brings much-needed life to the dark war-torn surroundings.  He's also the only one of the mercenaries that actually feels like more than just a one-note character.

All in all, Wonder Woman is the Wonder Woman movie we've wanted for far too long.  What makes this film special isn't that it features a female superhero, because we've had those, it's that it's a good movie featuring a female superhero that's about something.  And yes, it's worth noting that this is the first DC Extended Universe film that manages to stick the Third Act landing, so I guess fourth time's the charm.  I'm not yet convinced that Justice League will do the same, but if nothing else, at least I'm looking forward to seeing Wonder Woman in action again.

And for those who may be wondering, here's the updated list of my Top 20 Comic Book Films:

1. Superman (1978)
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
3. The Avengers (2012)

4. Batman Begins (2005)

5. Logan (2017)

6. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

7. Man of Steel (2013)

8. Doctor Strange (2016)

9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

10. Wonder Woman (2017)

11. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

12. Spider-Man (2002)

13. Iron Man (2008)

14. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
15. Watchmen (2009)
16. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

17. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

18. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

19. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

20. X-Men: First Class (2011)

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 084: "The Pyramid at the End of the World" is Up!

"We know you."
"Then you’ll know there is a line in the sand, and I’m the man on the other side of it.  You wanna keep me that way."
-- A Monk and the Twelfth Doctor, Doctor Who: "The Pyramid at the End of the World"

That's right, my partner in time Jesse Jackson and I are back with a new episode of Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  In this episode, Jesse and I review "The Pyramid at the End of the World", the seventh episode from Series Ten, starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts, and Matt Lucas as Nardole!

This time, Jesse and I discuss things like more fun with Skype (shakes fist), the graphic novels Justice League: The Nail and Watchmen, the latest almost-companion Erica, the Doctor's arrogance and/or denial over being blind, Bill's thoughts about Donald Trump, the return to the fictional country Turmezistan, the Monks wanting Earth to surrender itself willingly, keeping Jesse entertained with musical discussion topic titles, Bill and Penny's date interruptions, Bill's really bad deal with the Monks, enjoying the Doctor when his back is against the wall, my Reverse the Polarity segment, why the TARDIS didn't translate Italian in "Extremis", some feedback from Holly from Wisconsin, and more!

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Be sure to come back next week as Jesse and I review "The Lie of the Land", the eighth episode from Series Ten, starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts, and Matt Lucas as Nardole!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Sticher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

THE FANDOM ZONE 105: "Finish Line" is Up!

"When I think of H.R., I'm reminded of a story that John Lennon once told.  When Lennon was five years old, his teacher asked him to write down what he wanted to be when he grew up.  Lennon wrote 'Happy'.  His teacher said that he didn't understand the assignment, and Lennon said that they didn't understand life.  H.R. understood life.  He wasn't a genius, and he didn't have super speed, but when we needed him most, he was our hero.  He was my hero."

– Iris West, The Flash: "Finish Line"

You guessed it, Karen and I are back with another HUGE new episode of The Fandom Zone Podcast!  So huge, in fact, we're splitting it up into two parts!

This week's reviews of comics on television include:

Supergirl 2x22: "Nevertheless, She Persisted"  (Season Finale)

Gotham 3x19: "All Will Be Judged"

Lucifer 2x17: "Sympathy for the Goddess"

The Flash 3x23: "Finish Line"  (Season Finale)

iZombie 3x08: "Eat a Knievel"

Arrow 5x23: "Lian Yu"   (Season Finale)

Iron Fist 1x09: "The Mistress of All Agonies"

This week, Karen and I talk about things like my new John Constantine action figure, Cat Grant finally admitting she knows Kara is Supergirl, the big Superman vs. Supergirl fight, wondering if Mongul will appear, teasing Reign, Mon-El's cliffhanger wormhole, Cat Grant never seeing Star Wars, the Penguin and the Riddler making a good buddy comedy, more of the pronunciation of shaman, the importance of Martha Wayne's pearls, Lee Thompkins' horrible plan to inject herself with the Tetch Virus, the big Mazikeen vs. Lucifer fight, Dr. Linda finally telling Lucifer want she really thinks about him, Barry volunteering to enter the Speed Force, wondering if Wally will become The Flash, H.R. impersonating Iris, wondering if Tracy and Harrison will hook up, Savitar's big timeline fail, Emo Barry's plan to splinter himself across time, the current Wonder Woman comic series by Greg Rucka, '70s daredevil stuntman Evel Knievel, Liv and Justin's fun with lawn darts, Blaine getting his groove back, Liv posing as a living human and Ravi posing as an American, hoping we've seen the last of the Arrow flashbacks, retconning Oliver's Season 1 trauma after being marooned on Lian Yu, the return of Manu Bennett as Deathstroke, nobody caring about Artemis, Bane vs. Thea, the awkwardness of Thea stepping on a landmine, the last of John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn, Prometheus planning for every contingency, the cliffhanger island explosion, more Bane vs. Thea, Harold Meachum returning from the dead as Frankenstein, the joy of hot dogs, death by ice cream scooper, Harold manipulating Ward by threatening Joy, Ward's no-win scenario in the psychiatric hospital, Bakuto teaching Iron Fist to be Iron Fist, Davos' tin foil throwing stars, the elegance of vanilla, new feedback from Justina, Wally West Flash comics, and more!

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And if that isn't enough for you, you can also check us out on YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!  Oh, and if you're interested in an officially official Fandom Zone Podcast t-shirt that all the cool kids are wearing, you can get those on TeePublic HERE as well!  Feel free to post a picture on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back next week as Karen and I review the season finale of Lucifer, Episode 10 of Iron Fist, and new episodes of Gotham and iZombie, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!