DOCTOR WHO Debuts New Series 11 Trailer at SDCC 2018

If the Thirteenth Doctor asks really, really nicely, would you be her new best friend?

During the Doctor Who panel inside Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con 2018, incoming Thirteenth Doctor Jodie Whittaker was joined by Tosin Cole (Ryan Sinclair), Mandip Gill (Yasmin Khan), incoming showrunner Chris Chibnall, and executive producer Matt Strevens to engage Whovians and debut a new trailer for Doctor Who Series Eleven.

The 50-second trailer opens with the Thirteenth Doctor abruptly waking up with heavy breathing as her voiceover says "All of this is new to me...new faces...new worlds...new times..."

We see fleeting images of new companions Ryan, Yaz and Graham (Bradley Walsh), followed by what appears to be wreckage of a spacecraft on an alien world.  The Doctor and her companions are shown climbing a sand-covered hill and running through a set of empty army barracks in the 1950s.

"...so if I asked really, really nicely," continues the Doctor, "would you be my new best friends?"  We see the Doctor clutching her head in agony, followed by the four time-travelers standing in what appears to be a 1950s motel parking lot.

We then glimpse the Doctor, shortly after her regeneration, wearing goggles and using some form of two-pronged blowtorch.  This is followed by Ryan and another person using flashlights/torches, the Doctor looking through a mail slot, people riding on horseback, the Doctor and her companions admiring a seascape on a world with three suns, Ryan being blinded by car headlights, the Doctor using her new Sonic Screwdriver, the Doctor running from some sparking hatch doors, and the Doctor with some other people looking shocked at something they saw at night.

Lastly, we get a brief scene of the Doctor, shortly after her regeneration, wearing some form of industrial apron and drawing some plastic sheeting closed.  "Right?" she says with a grin.  "This is gonna be fun!"

If you'd like to view the new trailer, you can check it out below thanks to the official Doctor Who account on YouTube...




Doctor Who is expected to return to BBC America for Series 11 sometime this fall.

TITANTALK 006: "Adventures in the DC Universe" is Up!

Is everyone ready for DC Universe?

That's right, my fellow TitanTalker Jesse Jackson and I are back with another new episode of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast!  

TITANS TOGETHER!

In this sixth episode, Jesse and I discuss the major DC Universe digital service announcement, waiting for Titans being similar to waiting for Krypton, signing up for beta testing, Jesse not using DC Universe to get back into comics, Jesse needing to catch up on his DVR, why paying for DC Universe is more likely than paying for CBS All Access, what new series we would like to see on DC Universe, the Doom Patrol spinoff series, Cyborg being the Claire Temple of the DC Universe shows, Kelsey Grammer being considered for The Chief, the first online review of the Titans pilot, Dick Grayson being too young to be a police detective, hints of seeing Trigon, Starfire going to a disco party, rumors that the Connor Kent Superboy might appear on Titans, some email from old-school TitanTalk APA member Duane Stephenson, former old-school TitanTalker and young adult novelist Barry Lyga, Jesse guest-hosting the Rockin' the Suburbs podcast, and more!

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Be sure to come back next month for Episode 007 as Jesse and I discuss the first Titans trailer and more news from the upcoming DC Universe series!  Look for more of TitanTalk: The Titans Podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

First TITANS Trailer Features Raven's Inner Darkness & Robin's F-Bomb

Titans together!

Just before the start of San Diego Comic-Con 2018, DC Entertainment has released the first official trailer for the first DC Universe streaming series, Titans, based on the DC Comics superteam.

The one-minute, 45-second trailer gives us our best look yet at the upcoming series, and opens with a TV-MA warning of explicit language, adult themes, and violence that may not be suitable for viewers under 18.

We first see Raven/Rachel Roth (Teagan Croft), possibly in some form of dream or mindscape, walking into the big tent at the Haly Circus.  After she calls out to anyone that might be there, we hear a scream and the lights snap on, revealing a big electronic sign that says "THE FLYING GRAYSONS", referring to the aerialist parents of Robin/Dick Grayson (Brenton Thwaites).  An ominous voice asks Raven, "Who are you?"

Cutting to a police station, we see that Raven is talking with Grayson, who is a police detective.  "Everything led me here...to you," she says, comforting his hand with her own.  "You're the boy from the circus."

We flash back to images of the Flying Graysons falling to their deaths after their trapeze snaps, which is followed by an angry Grayson hurling a R-shaped shuriken into a wall.

"Please," continues Raven, "can you help me?"

Next, we see Robin landing on a car from above and confronting a gang of criminals in an alleyway.  "Where's Batman?" asks one of the criminals, just before Robin takes a gun from one of the criminals and shoots three of them.  Stepping hard on the neck of another, presumably killing him, Robin replies, "Fuck Batman."  Batman probably isn't going to approve when he finds out.

We cut to Raven, whose eyes goes dark as she uses her powers and is shown attacking someone.  "There is something evil inside of me," she says.

"You're scared, I get it," replies Grayson reassuringly, "but you can control it."

We then see Beast Boy/Garfield Logan (Ryan Potter) and Starfire/Koriand'r (Anna Diop) using their powers.

"You don't know what I've become," Grayson tells someone in a different scene as we see Robin, Hawk/Hank Hall (Alan Ritchson) and Dove/Dawn Granger (Minka Kelly) brutally fighting criminals.  A young man and woman appear to knock Hank unconscious, and a mysterious man with blood all over his mouth gazes upward.

"Sometimes, when I feel the darkness," remarks Raven, "it feels...good."

Next, we see Dove using sharp talons on some bad guy's face and another bad guy being yanked up by a rope.

In another scene, Raven and Grayson are in a car with Grayson driving.  "My mom says there's no such things as monsters," remarks Raven.

"I used to think that," replies Grayson as we see dark smoke enveloping Raven in a separate scene.  "I was wrong."  Raven screams and the picture shatters into the new series logo, based on the design of the 1980s New Teen Titans logo.

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




Titans is expected to premiere on DC Universe sometime this fall.

JOKER Origin Movie Gets Title and Release Date

The Joker is returning to movie theaters sooner than you think.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that the Joker origin movie starring Joaquin Phoenix will simply be titled Joker and is slated to arrive in theaters on October 4, 2019.  Filming is expected to start in September in New York.

Joker will be directed by Todd Phillips and received the greenlight from Warner Bros. earlier this month.  The film was loosely described by the studio as an "exploration of a man disregarded by society [that] is not only a gritty character study, but also a broader cautionary tale."  The project's budget is reportedly in the $55 million range, significantly lower than the average Batman movie, and is meant to be darker and more experimental in tone and content.

Phoenix, 43, has received Oscar nominations for his roles as Commodus in the 2000 film Gladiator, Johnny Cash in 2005's Walk the Line, and Freddie Quill in 2012's The Master.  In addition, Phoenix has appeared in the films Mary Magdalene, Her, Hotel Rwanda, The Village, Ladder 49 and Signs.  Previously, he was sought for the role of Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before the role ultimately went to Jesse Eisenberg, and the role of Doctor Strange in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before the role went to Benedict Cumberbatch.

Created in 1940 by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, The Joker first appeared in Batman (vol.1) #1 as Batman's first villain, shortly after his debut in 1939's Detective Comics (vol.1) #27.  In the story, The Joker announced that he intended to kill three of Gotham's prominent citizens (including Mayor Henry Claridge).  Although the police protected Claridge, the Joker had poisoned him before making his announcement and Claridge died with a ghastly grin on his face.  Batman eventually defeated him, sending him to prison.

In 1951, the Joker was given an origin story by Bill Finger in Detective Comics (vol.1) #168, which introduced the concept of him formerly being the criminal Red Hood, who, during his final heist, vanished after leaping into a vat of chemicals to escape Batman.  His resulting disfigurement led him to adopt the name "Joker", from the playing card figure he came to resemble.

In the 1988 one-shot Batman: The Killing Joke, writer Alan Moore expanded the 1951 origin story, portraying the Joker as a failed comedian pressured into committing crime as the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife.  Batman's interference caused him to leap into a chemical vat, which disfigured him.  This, combined with the trauma of his wife's earlier accidental death, caused him to go insane and become the Joker.  However, the Joker said that this story may not be true, as he prefers his past to be "multiple choice".  Also in the story, the Joker shot and paralyzed Barbara Gordon and tortured her father, Commissioner James Gordon, to prove that it only takes one bad day to drive a normal man insane.

In another 1988 story, "A Death in the Family", the Joker beat Jason Todd, the second Robin, with a crowbar and left him to die in an explosion.  Todd's death haunted Batman, and for the first time he considered killing the Joker.  The Joker temporarily escaped justice when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini appointed him the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, giving him diplomatic immunity.  However, while trying to poison the UN membership, he was defeated by Batman and Superman.

In the "No Man's Land" storyline from 1999, the Joker murdered Commissioner Gordon's second wife, Sarah, as she shielded a group of infants.  The Joker taunted Gordon, who shot him in the kneecap.  The Joker, lamenting that he might never walk again, collapsed with laughter when he realized that the commissioner avenged his daughter's paralysis.  This story also introduced the Joker's girlfriend and former psychiatrist, Harley Quinn.

In DC's current continuity known as The New 52, the Joker cut his own face off and disappeared for a year, returning to launch an attack on Batman's extended family in the storyline "Death of the Family", so that he and Batman could be the best hero and villain they could be.  The Joker returned in the 2014 storyline "Endgame", in which he brainwashed the Justice League into attacking Batman, believing that he betrayed their relationship.  The story implied that the Joker is immortal, having existed for centuries in Gotham as a cause of tragedy after exposure to a substance the Joker terms "dionesium", and is able to regenerate from mortal injuries.  "Endgame" also restored the Joker's face, and revealed that he knows Batman's secret identity.  He later used this information in the story "The Best Man", confronting Batman and Catwoman shortly before their attempted wedding, and placing doubts in Catwoman's mind that marrying Batman would make him truly happy and therefore unable to continue being a driven crimefighter.

Phoenix will be the fifth actor to portray the Joker in film, after Cesar Romero in Batman (1966), Jack Nicholson in Batman (1989), Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and Jared Leto in Suicide Squad.

SUPERGIRL Casts Sam Witwer as Agent Liberty

Supergirl keeps making casting decisions by watching old episodes of Smallville.

Entertainment Weekly revealed that the CW series Supergirl has cast Sam Witwer as Benjamin Lockwood, better known to DC Comics fans as the superhero Agent Liberty, for the show's upcoming fourth season.

According to the article, Agent Liberty is described as "the ruthless and terrifying founder and figurehead of Children of Liberty, a hate group that supports a human-first world order."

Witwer, 40, is best known as Davis Bloome, the human form of Superman villain Doomsday, on Smallville, and as the vampire Aidan Waite on the U.S. version of Being Human.  His other roles include the voice of Maul in Solo: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the voice of Ocean Master in Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, and episodes of Once Upon a Time, Battlestar Galactica (2004), The Walking Dead, Star Trek: Enterprise, Angel, Grimm, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dexter, Bones, Dark Angel, She Spies, JAG, and ER.

Created in 1991 by Dan Jurgens, Agent Liberty first appeared in Superman (vol.2) #60 as Benjamin Lockwood, who once worked for the CIA but ultimately left in disgust with their methods and the types of missions he was being asked to undertake.  He later became so disenchanted with the Federal Government as a whole that he joined the paramilitary group called the Sons Of Liberty, who outfitted him with the costume and weaponry he uses as Agent Liberty.  This equipment could generate a force-shield of energy capable of deflecting bullets, weapons such as retracting blades, and a jetpack that allowed him to fly for short distances.  Agent Liberty was also a skilled hand-to-hand combatant.

In the beginning, Lockwood used his Agent Liberty alias to help the Sons' stated cause of overturning the current governmental regime, which brought him into conflict with Superman.  However, when the Sons' leadership asked him to perform an assassination of politician Pete Ross, Lockwood refused, and left the Sons to go solo.  During his time working with the Sons, Agent Liberty also briefly assisted the Justice League against the villain Brainiac in the crossover event "Panic in the Sky".

After briefly serving as a member of Justice League America following Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday, Agent Liberty was apparently killed when Superwoman used her heat vision on him after she caught him spying on Sam Lane and Lex Luthor.  His body was dumped in Metropolis Harbor, where it was discovered and brought ashore by a group of boaters.  During an autopsy, it was discovered that Agent Liberty's suit had sent out a distress signal at the moment of his death, leaving clues to who killed him.  Metropolis' Metacrimes Inspector headed the investigation into Agent Liberty's murder, but before he could remove Liberty's armor, Lucy Lane had Agent Liberty's body removed from Metropolis City Hospital.

Supergirl will return to The CW for Season 4 on October 14, 2018.

THE FANDOM ZONE 146: "Gonna Hurt" is Up!

"I’m a bloody vampire in Voodoo Disneyland.  I should be their main attraction." 

-- Proinsias Cassidy, Preacher: "Gonna Hurt" 

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

Preacher 3x03: "Gonna Hurt"

Cloak & Dagger 1x07: "Lotus Eaters"

Luke Cage 2x04: "I Get Physical"

In this episode, Karen and I talk about things like my copy of Black Lightning (vol.1) #1, Karen missing the Atlanta Comic Con, God riding on a Harley in a Dalmatian costume with a biker chick, Tulip being willing to go toe-to-toe with the Almighty, Tulip trying to get Madame Boyd to help her break Gran'ma's voodoo spell over Jesse, Cassidy wanting use a Voodoo Rufie on Tulip, Cassidy's awkward vampire healing, Disney's Hercules, my hindsight being nearsighted, Jesse as ringmaster of The Tombs, why Groundhog Day stories are lazy, Tandy talking to her dead father on the phone, Tyrone's recording of his dead brother rapping, Olivia Holt being a good actress, D.W. selling videos of Luke getting sucker-punched by Bushmaster, Mariah spiraling into a really hard fall, Luke and Nightshade flirting with one another, Misty getting an invite for a bionic arm, Bobby Fish bailing on Luke to give his daughter a kidney, some new feedback from Justina, the Reddit thread about Thanos being right, my upcoming sinus surgery, 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 3 premiere of Syfy's Wynonna Earp, along with new episodes of AMC's Preacher, Netflix's Luke Cage and Freeform's Cloak & Dagger, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!

GHOSTWOOD 037: "Rest in Pain" is Up!

"This must be where pies go when they die."
-- Special Agent Dale Cooper, Twin Peaks: "Rest in Pain"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we continue our commentary tracks as we watch "Rest in Pain", the fourth episode from Twin Peaks Season One, featuring Laura Palmer's funeral and the first appearance of Sheryl Lee as Maddy Ferguson!

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan's metal album, Strong Mad, Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee and Grace Zabriskie being snubbed by the Emmys, what Twin Peaks was actually nominated for, the Pandora's Box that is The Big Bang Theory, Rashida Jones being the daughter of Peggy Lipton, Maddy Ferguson being a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, Audrey Horne stalking Agent Cooper, Cooper filling us in what happened in the European version of his dream sequence, Cooper outranking Albert, why Leo probably would've been Laura's killer if this was any other show, Major Briggs attempting human emotion, Albert revealing the details of Laura's autopsy, Cooper not dignifying Albert's complaint form against Harry, Ed feeling responsible for Nadine as well as guilty, Audrey stealing Cooper's hair gel, Bobby calling out all the hypocrites in town, Leland's epic faceplant on Laura's coffin, Shelly Johnson being a funeral troll, wondering if Chad's father was border patrol that looked the other way, Catherine's Ferris Bueller intercom system, Dr. Jacoby's bad outfit, Cooper lurking in a graveyard, wondering why Josie didn't end up in the Black Lodge, Twin Peaks' country club golf course, some Facebook feedback from Rachel O'Rourke Williams, Henry Thomas in Cloak & Dagger, and more!

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

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Be sure to come back in two weeks as Xan and I continue our commentary tracks as we watch "The One-Armed Man", the fifth episode from Twin Peaks Season One, featuring the mysterious Philip Gerard, and introducing David Lynch as Gordon Cole and Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

BATWOMAN TV Series in Development at The CW

Hey, the whole "introduce on Arrow before spinning off into a TV series" thing worked out pretty well for The Flash. 

Deadline has revealed that The CW has put in development a series based on DC Comics' Batwoman for 2019 consideration. Back in May, it was announced that the character would debut as part of this fall's Arrowverse crossover event, and now it looks likely that Batwoman will replace one of the existing Arrowverse shows next season. 

According to the article, the proposed series is described as "Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence.  But don’t call her a hero yet.  In a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope."

Batwoman is being developed by former The Vampire Diaries executive producer Caroline Dries and Greg Berlanti, creator of the CW Arrowverse.  Dries, who is lesbian, will serve as executive producer alongside Berlanti Productions’ Berlanti and Sarah Schechter as well as DC’s Geoff Johns (The Flash).  Dries isn't currently working on Arrowverse series, but is expected to be involved in some consulting capacity when the character of Batwoman is created for the crossover.

Created in 1956 by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff, Batwoman first appeared in Detective Comics (vol.1) #233 as Kathy Kane, a wealthy heiress who gained great acrobatic skills during her career as a circus trapeze artist and stunt cyclist.  Becoming infatuated with the Batman, she fashioned herself a costume and secret hideout and started operating as Batwoman.  She upstaged Batman and his sidekick Robin in capturing crooks, but Batman eventually learned her true identity and tracked her to her secret cave hideout.  Showing her how easily it was for him to learn her identity, Batman pointed out that criminals could probably do it just as easily and tried to convince her to drop out of crime fighting.  Disobeying Batman's advice, she tried to capture mobster Curt Briggs.  During this caper, Batman went missing and Briggs, struck with amnesia, left thinking he was Batman. Ultimately the real Batman reappeared, and Biggs was turned over to the police.

Batwoman came out of retirement to aid Batgirl against Killer Moth and the Cavalier, but her return was never intended to be permanent.  Kathy Kane was then present at a surprise party for Bruce Wayne at Wayne Manor.  When Batwoman was later disintegrated into nothingness on Barbara Gordon's doorstep, Batgirl and Robin teamed-up to find the cure and restore Batwoman to her normal form.  Shortly after this, Batwoman met the Huntress from Earth-Two and aided her and Batwoman in capturing Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Madame Zodiac.  When the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X searched for a group of criminals known as the Warmakers, their search led them to the carnival owned by Kathy Kane. Kathy, as Batwoman, aided the Freedom Fighters and Batgirl in defeating the Warmakers.  In her last recorded adventure, Kathy Kane was murdered by the League of Assassins, who were being manipulated by Ra's al Ghul.  Her death was eventually avenged by Batman.

In 2006, the character was reinvented by Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and Keith Giffen, making her debut in 52 #7 as Kate Kane.  In their early childhood, Katherine Rebecca "Kate" Kane and her sister Elizabeth "Beth" Kane were identical twins and were very close to each other.  On their twelfth birthday their military father couldn't come home so Kate and Beth were taken by their mother, Gabrielle "Gabi" Kane, to an expensive restaurant for chocolate and waffles, their favorite dish.  On the way to the restaurant, a group of gunmen attacked the family and took them hostage, killing their bodyguard in the process.  After learning of her family's kidnapping, Kate's father, Colonel Jacob "Jake" Kane, led a rescue mission to save his captured family, which ended with Kate's mother executed and Beth apparently killed after being caught in the crossfire between the kidnappers and soldiers.

Years later, Kate attended the United States Military Academy, West Point, where she received excellent grades and ranked at the top of her class.  However, when it was alleged that she was in a lesbian relationship with another student, Kate's commanding officer asked her to disavow the allegation.  Telling the officer that she refused to lie and violate the code of the Academy, Kate admitted to being lesbian and was forced to leave the school.  When she confronted her father with the news, he supported her and affirmed that she upheld her honor and integrity.  She then moved back to Gotham City, where she attended college and pursued a wild social lifestyle, consisting of parties and tattoos.  Kate was eventually pulled over for speeding by a young Renee Montoya, who was just a traffic cop at this point.  The two dated for several months but broke up following a fight where Kate berated Renee for keeping her sexuality hidden from her colleagues and family.  While attempting to call Renee and apologize for her behavior, Kate was attacked by a mugger who wanted her wallet and cell phone.  Using her military training, Kate easily defeated the criminal just as Batman arrived and helped her off the ground.  She was fixated by the Bat Signal as Batman departed the scene.

Inspired by her encounter with Batman, Kate began fighting crime using military body armor and weaponry stolen from her father's military base.  After being confronted by Jake, Kate accepted his offer for assistance and began an intense two years of training across the globe with her father's military friends.  Upon returning to Gotham, Kate discovered that her father has created a Batsuit for her, along with an arsenal of experimental weaponry based on Batman's known gadgetry and a bunker hidden in the Kane home.  She soon adopted the identity of Batwoman and was soon accepted as a member of the Batman family.

This will be the first time Batwoman will appear in live action, although the character has appeared in various animated projects including Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (voiced by Kyra Sedgwick), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (voiced by Vanessa Marshall), and Batman: Bad Blood (voiced by Yvonne Strahovski).

The next Arrowverse crossover should air on The CW sometime in November 2018.

DOCTOR WHO Series 11 Teaser Introduces the 13th Doctor's New Companions

The universe is calling.

During the 2018 FIFA World Cup final earlier today, where France defeated Croatia 4-2, the BBC debuted the first teaser trailer for Doctor Who's upcoming Series 11, the first season featuring Jodie Whittaker as the Thirteenth Doctor.  The teaser introduces Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, and Mandip Gill as new companions Graham, Ryan Sinclair, and Yasmin Khan.

The 40-second teaser opens in an ordinary British cafe, where Ryan is watching the World Cup final on his phone while having a meal.  Suddenly, he notices a nearby table starting to shake for no apparent reason and time appears to slow down and crackle with energy.  The Thirteenth Doctor hand dips a fish finger into some custard on his plate and quickly vanishes, leaving Ryan confused.

We cut to Yasmin, who is watching the World Cup final with some friends in an apartment while sharing pizza.  As the box is shown to be empty, a nearby set of shelves starts shaking as well and time slows once again around Yasmin.  The Thirteenth Doctor's coat and legs whisk by as she leaves, and when time resumes, Yasmin discovers that the empty pizza box is suddenly full with a new pizza.

Cutting to Graham, we see him at a restaurant ordering some takeaway and reading a newspaper.  Time slows around him as well, and after we glimpse the Thirteenth Doctor's legs quickly shuffling out the door, time resumes once again.  Graham finds that his newspaper has been replaced with a copy of the comic book The Beano Summer Special 1981, the very same comic Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor was reading in the episode "The Rings of Akhaten."

Lastly, we see the Thirteenth Doctor materializing into view and smiling.

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




Doctor Who returns to BBC America for Series 11 sometime in Fall 2018.

Cate Shortland to Direct BLACK WIDOW Solo Movie

At long last, the Black Widow solo movie is actually happening.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed yesterday that Marvel Studios has selected Cate Shortland to direct the upcoming Black Widow solo movie.  Scarlett Johansson will reprise the role once again, and the action-adventure film is reportedly set before the events of the first Avengers movie.

According to the article, the search for Black Widow's director lasted over half a year, with the studio meeting over 70 directors to find its ideal candidate.  Bringing in a female filmmaker was a priority, even though the search stalled at one point and the studio considered male directors.  Finalists were narrowed down in June, which included Amma Asante (Belle, A United Kingdom) and Maggie Betts (Novitiate) along with Shortland. Melanie Laurent (Galveston) and Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry) were reportedly semi-finalists.

Shortland was championed by Johansson, who admired Shortland’s handling of the female lead in Lore, a critically acclaimed 2012 drama that tells of a young woman who leads her siblings through Germany as the Allied forces roll in.  Her other films include The Berlin Syndrome, The Silence, and Somersault.

The article also states that Jac Schaeffer wrote the most recent draft for Black Widow. She also wrote the upcoming female-centric remake of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels starring Anne Hathaway, which was formerly titled Nasty Women and is now called The Hustle.

Created in 1964 by Stan Lee, Don Rico and Don Heck, the Black Widow first appeared in Tales of Suspense #52 as Natasha Romanova, who was raised from very early childhood by the U.S.S.R.'s "Black Widow Ops" program.  A man named Ivan Petrovitch took her to Department X, with other young female orphans, where she was brainwashed, and trained in combat and espionage at the covert "Red Room" facility.  There, she was biotechnologically and psycho-technologically enhanced—an accounting that provides a rationale for her unusually long and youthful lifespan.  During that time she had some training under the Winter Soldier, and the pair even had a short romance.  Each Black Widow was deployed with false memories to help ensure her loyalty.

As a recurring, non-costumed, Russian-spy antagonist of Iron Man, she recruited the archer and later superhero Hawkeye to her cause.  Her government later supplied her with her first Black Widow costume and high-tech weaponry, but she eventually defected to the United States.  The Black Widow later became an recurring ally of the Avengers, before officially becoming its sixteenth member years later.

Eventually, she began freelancing as an agent of the international espionage group S.H.I.E.L.D.  On one particular S.H.I.E.L.D. mission, she was sent to China by Nick Fury and there, with the Avengers, she battled Colonel Ling, General Brushov, and her ex-husband the Red Guardian.  She later became romantically involved with Matt Murdock in San Francisco, where she operated as an independent superhero alongside Murdock's alter ego, Daredevil.  There, she tried unsuccessfully to find a new career for herself as a fashion designer.  Eventually, her relationship with Murdock ended, with Natasha believing that playing "sidekick" was sublimating her identity.  After their breakup, the Widow moved to Los Angeles and became the leader of the newly created and short-lived super team known as The Champions.  She eventually returned to the Avengers, becoming a member of various incarnations of the team.

GAME OF THRONES Leads 2018 Emmy Nominations with 22

When you play against Game of Thrones, you win or you die.

After sitting out last year, HBO's Game of Thrones returned as strong as ever, leading with a total of 22 nominations for the 2018 Emmy Awards, including acting nominations for Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, and Dame Diana Rigg.

HBO's science fiction western thriller Westworld followed right behind with 21, including acting nominations for Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, Thandie Newton, and Jimmi Simpson.

Netflix's fan-favorite series Stranger Things was down from last year, with 12 for its second season and more acting nominations for David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown.

Showtime's revival of Twin Peaks was shut out of the major categories for some inexplicable reason, but earned 9 nominations, including co-creators Mark Frost and David Lynch.  Netflix's sci-fi anthology Black Mirror earned 8 nominations, while FX's American Horror Story: Cult earned 7 nominations.

Other recognized geek-favorite shows include USA Network's Mr. Robot, Disney XD's Star Wars Rebels, Netflix's Altered Carbon, Cartoon Network's Rick and Morty, Fox's The Simpsons, and CBS All Access' Star Trek: Discovery.

In addition to Kyle MacLachlan being snubbed for Twin Peaks, some notable oversights included FX's Legion and Netflix's Lost in Space, both of which only earned a single nomination.

You can read the full list of nominations HERE, but this is the breakdown for the shows listed above...

GAME OF THRONES (22 Nominations)

Outstanding Drama Series

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series -- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jamie Lannister

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series -- Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series -- Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series -- Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series -- Alan Taylor -- "Beyond the Wall"

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series -- Jeremy Podeswa -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series -- David Benioff & D.B. Weiss -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) -- Ramin Djawadi -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "The Spoils of War"

Outstanding Special Visual Effects -- "Beyond the Wall"

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) -- "Dragonstone"

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or a Special -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series -- "The Dragon and the Wolf"

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series -- "The Spoils of War"

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series -- "Beyond the Wall"

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "Beyond the Wall"

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie

Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes -- "Beyond the Wall"

WESTWORLD (21 Nominations)

Outstanding Drama Series

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series -- Ed Harris as The Man in Black

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series -- Jeffrey Wright as Bernard Lowe

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series -- Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series -- Thandie Newton as Maeve

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series -- Jimmi Simpson as William

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) -- Ramin Djawadi -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Main Title Design
Outstanding Special Visual Effects -- "The Passenger"

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) -- "The Riddle of the Sphinx"

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic) -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or a Special -- "The Riddle of the Sphinx"

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program -- "Chaos Takes Control Interactive Experience"

Outstanding Music Supervision -- "Akane No Mai"

Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes -- "Akane No Mai"

STRANGER THINGS (12 Nominations)

Outstanding Drama Series

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series -- David Harbour as Jim Hopper

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series -- Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series -- The Duffer Brothers -- "Chapter Nine: The Gate"

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series -- The Duffer Brothers -- "Chapter Nine: The Gate"

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer"

Outstanding Special Visual Effects -- "Chapter Nine: The Gate"

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) -- "Chapter One: MADMAX"

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series -- "Chapter Nine: The Gate"

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer"

Outstanding Music Supervision -- "Chapter Two: Trick or Treat, Freak"

TWIN PEAKS (9 Nominations)

Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special -- David Lynch

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special -- David Lynch & Mark Frost

Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie -- "Part 8"

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special -- "Part 8"

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie -- "Part 8"

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie -- "Part 8"

Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic)

BLACK MIRROR (8 Nominations)

Outstanding Television Movie -- "USS Callister"

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie - Jesse Plemons as Robert Daly -- "USS Callister"

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie -- Letitia Wright as Nish -- "Black Museum"

Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special -- William Bridges & Charlie Brooker

Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie -- "USS Callister"

Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score) -- Daniel Pemberton -- "USS Callister"

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special -- "USS Callister"

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie -- "USS Callister"

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT (7 Nominations)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie - Sarah Paulson as Ally Mayfair-Richards

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie -- Adina Porter as Beverly HopeOutstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special -- "Great Again"

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)

Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (Non-Prosthetic)

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special

MR. ROBOT (3 Nominations)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "eps3.4_runtime-error.r00"

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role -- "eps3.4_runtime-error.r00"

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program -- "Ecoin"

STAR WARS REBELS (3 Nominations)

Outstanding Children's Program

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) -- Kevin Kiner -- "Family Reunion -- And Farewell"

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation -- "A World Between Worlds"

ALTERED CARBON (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Main Title Design

Outstanding Special Visual Effects -- "Out of the Past"

RICK AND MORTY (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Animated Program -- "Pickle Rick"

Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media within a Scripted Program -- "Virtual Rick-ality"

THE SIMPSONS (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Animated Program -- "Gone Boy"

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance -- Dan Castellanetta as Homer Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Groundskeeper Willie, and Sideshow Mel --

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY (2 Nominations)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) -- "What's Past is Prologue

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or a Special -- "Will You Take My Hand?"

COUNTERPART (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Main Title Design

THE DEFENDERS (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music -- John Paesano

GOTHAM (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role -- "That's Entertainment"

JESSICA JONES (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) -- Sean Callery -- "AKA Playland"

LEGION (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) -- "Chapter 9"

LOST IN SPACE (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Special Visual Effects -- "Danger, Will Robinson"

ONCE UPON A TIME (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) -- Mark Isham, Cindy O'Connor & Michael Simon -- "Leaving Storybrooke"

ORPHAN BLACK (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series -- Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning, Helena, Alison Hendrix, Cosima Neihaus, and Rachel

THE PUNISHER (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie

SOUTH PARK (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Animated Program -- "Put It Down"

THE TICK (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music -- Chris Bacon

THE WALKING DEAD (1 Nomination)

Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series -- Red Machete

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards is scheduled to air Sunday, September 17th on NBC.

THE FANDOM ZONE 145: "Funhouse Mirrors" is Up!

"You’re gonna do your hope thing on her?"
"Use what you got, right?  You can too."
"I can what?"
"Use people’s nightmares against them.  Maybe you can get some leverage on this kid with the gun?  Steal his job."
"I guess we’re both out for different lives."
"The further adventures of the scientist and the criminal."

-- Tyrone Johnson and Tandy Bowen, Cloak & Dagger: "Funhouse Mirrors" 

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

Preacher 3x02: "Sonsabitches"

Cloak & Dagger 1x06: "Funhouse Mirrors"

Luke Cage 2x03: "Wig Out"

In this episode, Karen and I talk about things like my favorite podcast partners, Batman and Catwoman's wedding in Batman (vol.3) #50, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner and the origin of the term "fridging", Misty Knight and Colleen Wing in a bar fight, Karen identifying with Misty Knight, teasing Misty's bionic arm, that awkward moment after you've punched several fist-sized holes in the wall being angry with your girlfriend, Luke and Claire trying to one-up one another about who's more racially oppressed, Luke getting no respect from old Jamaican guys in Brooklyn, Cassidy thinking melatonin is a form of skin cancer, why you're an idiot if you're skipping payments on a voodoo practicioner, why you shouldn't come between Tulip and her beer can targets, Cassidy being an expert at misdirection, that awkward moment when you screw up Jesse getting the rest of his soul back from Herr Starr, Herr Starr in India, more of Karen confusing Evita with Elvira, Tyrone and Tandy going against their standard personality types, wondering why eco-warrior Mina is working for Roxxon Oil, Tyrone going on a ridealong with drug dealers, that awkward moment when Detective O'Reilly kills the guy who was a witness to the murder of Tyrone's brother, Aunt Chantelle being played by a horrible actress, Tyrone and Tandy being the Divine Pairing, some new feedback from Justina, our new Fandom Zone Instagram account, and more!

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

Google Play Music -- HERE 

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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 new episodes of AMC's Preacher, Netflix's Luke Cage and Freeform's Cloak & Dagger, right here on The Fandom Zone Podcast!