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Ah, Sony and the Spider-Man franchise. With Marvel in charge of a successful Spider-Man reboot, Sony has been free to explore the other characters under the Spider-Man label, spinning them off into their own solo films. The first of which, Venom, makes sense because of the character’s popularity. And despite the quality of Venom (Venom is trash, and it’s okay to like trash, just admit it), the character’s solo films have been successful. Spider-Verse also snuck onto the scene with a great interpretation of Miles Morales, giving him the shine he deserves.
After the success of both films, you would be right to think that Sony would hit the ground running with other well-known Spider-Man characters or storylines. No, let’s just say their choices…have been less than ideal. The other films being greenlit by the studio are head-scratching, to say the least. Morbius is, well, a choice. Don’t even get me started on the Madame Webb, Kraven the Hunter, and JACKPOT??? What are we doing?
While Sony’s superhero endeavors are limited to characters associated with just Spider-Man, we can do better. Hell, I can do better. So let’s do their job for them and list five spinoff films better than the dumbass ideas Sony’s been wasting their money and our time on.
Spider-Man 2099
This one is a no-brainer. In fact, it should’ve been the first spin-off film right after Venom. Miguel O’Hara, aka the Spider-Man of 2099 made the superhero in a not-so-distant cyberpunk future popular way before Batman Beyond. Spider-Man 2099 sees Miguel take on the mantle of Spider-Man and gain powers after an attempt on his life by the evil megacorporation he used to work for. His powers are similar to Spider-Man with a few differences that make him very interesting. In fact, I’m crossing my fingers that Miguel’s first major on-screen appearance in the Into the Spider-Verse sequel gets more eyes on the character, though it shouldn’t have to.
Spider-Man 2099 basically sells itself. I’m mean, it’s Spider-Man…in the future. The concept alone would make for one of the more visually interesting superhero films out there. A cyberpunk world doused in bright neon lights, tall skyscrapers that reach the sky, and a fun futuristic twist on your favorite Spider-Man villains. C’mon son. Also, Spider-Man 2099 helps Sony gives Sony exactly what they want. A somewhat darker take on Spider-Man, that can be completely separate from the MCU and one they have absolute creative control over.
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man
Okay, so the Superior Foes of Spider-Man is a lesser-known comic book featuring even lesser-known Spider-Man villains. Villains like Boomerang, Shocker, Beetle, Overdrive, and Speed Demon. They aren’t exactly in the supervillain hall of fame. In fact, it’s basically the B team of the Sinister Six. However, the story itself was pretty much a big hit with fans and took on a cult following. There is certainly the potential for a great heist film.
There’s a colorful cast of characters, each with a specific set of skills. A big heist involved major gangs and ulterior motives. Most importantly, the story is rife with betrayal and the chance for something to go wrong. Think Ocean’s Eleven and Reservoir Dogs but with supervillains. The story has all the messy dynamics that come with putting together a team of bad guys who can’t trust one another. Many have done a lot with less, and Sony even has a chance to have Spider-Man lurking in the background as one of the antagonists.
Spider-Woman
Now, rumors suggest that Sony’s secret Marvel project with Olivia Wilde could very well be Spider-Woman, but this is a movie that should have been in development a long time ago. Jessica Drew has always been a curious case and even though she shares a superhero moniker with Spider-Man, the two couldn’t be any more unrelated. While Spider-Gwen has grabbed the spotlight in comics, cartoons, and movies recently, Jessica has always been the first and premiere Spider-Woman on the block with plenty of backstory to draw from.
Jessica’s story would make the perfect spy movie as the character has deep ties to organizations like Hydra and SHEILD. If they played their cards right, Sony could very well have their own version of a female James Bond or Jason Borne on their hands. Spider-Woman is the perfect chance to play with the spy genre and add a little superheroic flare. In fact, it’s because of those ties to established MCU big bad Hydra that Spider-Woman could very well be the next project Sony and Marvel team up for.
Silver and Black
Once upon a time when Sony announced that they would draw from the wide list of characters associated with Spider-Man, it seemed like they were off to a good start. While introducing Venom without Spider-Man was questionable, it made sense that they jumped the gun on the character in their own solo film. Another early project that made a whole lot of sense was Silver and Black, a movie starring popular Spidey characters Silver Sable and Black Cat. Once production stalled on the film, the project canceled, dreamt up as two separate solo films, and then reshuffled into a limited series.
Silver and Black is a project that should honestly be looked at again as a film. With two strong characters in the lead, there is a lot that could go right with this one. Black Cat alone is one of the most recognizable and popular Spidey characters around, and there are a lot of possibilities for a really fun film by pairing her together with Silver Sable. Just imagine a fun game of cat and mouse with Black Cat stealing something she shouldn’t, and Sable and her crew of mercenaries being hired to hunt her down. Or the two begrudgingly working together in a buddy action comedy in the vein of something like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy or 48 hours.
Araña
Anya Corazon aka Araña isn’t as well known as the rest of the Spider-related heroes but, in my opinion, she is definitely one of the more interesting members of the Spider-Man family. She’s better known these days as Spider-Girl and you may have even seen her pop up in the latest Spider-Man cartoon. Her debut and original solo series were short-lived but feature such a rich story that Sony could pull from for a new film. There is a good amount of world-building that involves magic, mysticism, and two ancient and warring factions. There is a lot to work with from the original comic book and much of it can be fine-tuned and expanded to work in a movie.
Anya’s world is filled with conspiracies and mystery. A movie where she travels the world, uncovering the secrets of the Spider Society and the Sisterhood of the Wasp while learning how to use her new powers would make for a fun adventure film. As Araña, she’s also a very cool character with an interesting power set. She’s comparable to your average spider-person that can stick to walls, has enhanced strength, speed, and reflexes. However, being a hunter for the Spider Society also gives her a kick-ass exoskeleton, making her bulletproof. If Sony wants to explore other Spider characters without most of them feeling like a copycat of Peter Parker’s journey, Araña is the way to go.
There you have it. Those are my picks for five Spider-Man spinoffs better than whatever the hell Sony is doing. What are your picks? What Spider-Man character do you think would make for a great film?
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The post 5 Spider-Verse Properties that Make More Sense than Whatever the Hell Sony is Doing appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Ah, Sony and the Spider-Man franchise. With Marvel in charge of a successful Spider-Man reboot, Sony has been free to explore the other characters under the Spider-Man label, spinning them off into their own solo films. The first of which, Venom, makes sense because of the character’s popularity. And despite the quality of Venom (Venom is trash, and it’s okay to like trash, just admit it), the character’s solo films have been successful. Spider-Verse also snuck onto the scene with a great interpretation of Miles Morales, giving him the shine he deserves.
After the success of both films, you would be right to think that Sony would hit the ground running with other well-known Spider-Man characters or storylines. No, let’s just say their choices…have been less than ideal. The other films being greenlit by the studio are head-scratching, to say the least. Morbius is, well, a choice. Don’t even get me started on the Madame Webb, Kraven the Hunter, and JACKPOT??? What are we doing?
While Sony’s superhero endeavors are limited to characters associated with just Spider-Man, we can do better. Hell, I can do better. So let’s do their job for them and list five spinoff films better than the dumbass ideas Sony’s been wasting their money and our time on.
Spider-Man 2099
This one is a no-brainer. In fact, it should’ve been the first spin-off film right after Venom. Miguel O’Hara, aka the Spider-Man of 2099 made the superhero in a not-so-distant cyberpunk future popular way before Batman Beyond. Spider-Man 2099 sees Miguel take on the mantle of Spider-Man and gain powers after an attempt on his life by the evil megacorporation he used to work for. His powers are similar to Spider-Man with a few differences that make him very interesting. In fact, I’m crossing my fingers that Miguel’s first major on-screen appearance in the Into the Spider-Verse sequel gets more eyes on the character, though it shouldn’t have to.
Spider-Man 2099 basically sells itself. I’m mean, it’s Spider-Man…in the future. The concept alone would make for one of the more visually interesting superhero films out there. A cyberpunk world doused in bright neon lights, tall skyscrapers that reach the sky, and a fun futuristic twist on your favorite Spider-Man villains. C’mon son. Also, Spider-Man 2099 helps Sony gives Sony exactly what they want. A somewhat darker take on Spider-Man, that can be completely separate from the MCU and one they have absolute creative control over.
The Superior Foes of Spider-Man
Okay, so the Superior Foes of Spider-Man is a lesser-known comic book featuring even lesser-known Spider-Man villains. Villains like Boomerang, Shocker, Beetle, Overdrive, and Speed Demon. They aren’t exactly in the supervillain hall of fame. In fact, it’s basically the B team of the Sinister Six. However, the story itself was pretty much a big hit with fans and took on a cult following. There is certainly the potential for a great heist film.
There’s a colorful cast of characters, each with a specific set of skills. A big heist involved major gangs and ulterior motives. Most importantly, the story is rife with betrayal and the chance for something to go wrong. Think Ocean’s Eleven and Reservoir Dogs but with supervillains. The story has all the messy dynamics that come with putting together a team of bad guys who can’t trust one another. Many have done a lot with less, and Sony even has a chance to have Spider-Man lurking in the background as one of the antagonists.
Spider-Woman
Now, rumors suggest that Sony’s secret Marvel project with Olivia Wilde could very well be Spider-Woman, but this is a movie that should have been in development a long time ago. Jessica Drew has always been a curious case and even though she shares a superhero moniker with Spider-Man, the two couldn’t be any more unrelated. While Spider-Gwen has grabbed the spotlight in comics, cartoons, and movies recently, Jessica has always been the first and premiere Spider-Woman on the block with plenty of backstory to draw from.
Jessica’s story would make the perfect spy movie as the character has deep ties to organizations like Hydra and SHEILD. If they played their cards right, Sony could very well have their own version of a female James Bond or Jason Borne on their hands. Spider-Woman is the perfect chance to play with the spy genre and add a little superheroic flare. In fact, it’s because of those ties to established MCU big bad Hydra that Spider-Woman could very well be the next project Sony and Marvel team up for.
Silver and Black
Once upon a time when Sony announced that they would draw from the wide list of characters associated with Spider-Man, it seemed like they were off to a good start. While introducing Venom without Spider-Man was questionable, it made sense that they jumped the gun on the character in their own solo film. Another early project that made a whole lot of sense was Silver and Black, a movie starring popular Spidey characters Silver Sable and Black Cat. Once production stalled on the film, the project canceled, dreamt up as two separate solo films, and then reshuffled into a limited series.
Silver and Black is a project that should honestly be looked at again as a film. With two strong characters in the lead, there is a lot that could go right with this one. Black Cat alone is one of the most recognizable and popular Spidey characters around, and there are a lot of possibilities for a really fun film by pairing her together with Silver Sable. Just imagine a fun game of cat and mouse with Black Cat stealing something she shouldn’t, and Sable and her crew of mercenaries being hired to hunt her down. Or the two begrudgingly working together in a buddy action comedy in the vein of something like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy or 48 hours.
Araña
Anya Corazon aka Araña isn’t as well known as the rest of the Spider-related heroes but, in my opinion, she is definitely one of the more interesting members of the Spider-Man family. She’s better known these days as Spider-Girl and you may have even seen her pop up in the latest Spider-Man cartoon. Her debut and original solo series were short-lived but feature such a rich story that Sony could pull from for a new film. There is a good amount of world-building that involves magic, mysticism, and two ancient and warring factions. There is a lot to work with from the original comic book and much of it can be fine-tuned and expanded to work in a movie.
Anya’s world is filled with conspiracies and mystery. A movie where she travels the world, uncovering the secrets of the Spider Society and the Sisterhood of the Wasp while learning how to use her new powers would make for a fun adventure film. As Araña, she’s also a very cool character with an interesting power set. She’s comparable to your average spider-person that can stick to walls, has enhanced strength, speed, and reflexes. However, being a hunter for the Spider Society also gives her a kick-ass exoskeleton, making her bulletproof. If Sony wants to explore other Spider characters without most of them feeling like a copycat of Peter Parker’s journey, Araña is the way to go.
There you have it. Those are my picks for five Spider-Man spinoffs better than whatever the hell Sony is doing. What are your picks? What Spider-Man character do you think would make for a great film?
Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram!
The post 5 Spider-Verse Properties that Make More Sense than Whatever the Hell Sony is Doing appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
Writer: tom Taylor / Artist: Robbi Rodriguez and Adraino Lucas / DC Comics
Nightwing’s time in Gotham and the Fear State story is over, but it honestly was a fun little break that ultimately built the anticipation for his return to Blüdhaven.
Nightwing #86 is the final issue of this tie-in, Nightwing, both Batgirls, Spoiler, and Robin go up against the all-seeing Seer for the final time in her floating villainous sky base.
The goal was clear, but how were they gonna get up there without the Magistrate stopping them the second they stepped into the light? Well, they had to become the Magistrate.
They kicked, punched, embarrassed, and scarred the Magistrate the only way sidekicks of Batman know how to do, and stole their uniforms so they could sneak onto the base. Robin has a funny line about how they basically had to become what the Magistrate thinks they are in order to save the day. Life is messed up like that sometimes.
The action in Nightwing #86 was what really sold it for me. That and the very on-brand banter between the Batfam. Taylor really understands these characters and how they navigate as bitter yet loving siblings who are always poking fun at one another. It makes for a very fun and lighthearted read.
And like I said, the action was great. Dropkicks and uppercuts galore fed my soul in these 25 pages. Thank you, Rodriguez.
Ultimately, the events of this story are going to lead into the new Batgirls book coming out in a few months. Never has a tie-in been more effective in getting me interested in an upcoming book, but shoutout to everyone involved because they understood the assignment and they did their job.
As surprisingly entertaining as this tie-in was for me personally, I’m so excited to get back on track with the main Nightwing story next month. I need more Heartless now! And I need those wholesome moments that Taylor so effortlessly weaves into Nightwing and his surrounding cast. See y’all in Blüdhaven in about a month!
9 Floating Villain Hideouts out of 10
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This week, Keith and Victoria come back with the latest nerd news for you as they recap Disney Plus Day’s announcements, talk about the latest crop of live-action anime adaptations in the works, and plenty more!
Hear about that and more on This Week in Nerd News.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher.
Check out other episodes of TWINN here.
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The post TWINN: Will We Ever Get a Good Anime Adaptation? appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.
There are neither beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But this is a beginning.
Excuse me while I do my dance, I’ve been waiting for this day since the first time I picked up Eye of the World, back in the early 90’s. I’ve been patiently re-reading the books, writing about my love of WOT in past articles, and we are finally here. Today is WOT-day, the day Prime Video unleashes what I think will be the best rendering of a high fantasy series ever. Not the best small screen rendering, the best PERIOD.
I think Wheel of Time will supplant Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones and make you forget about anything else on the horizon. There are scenes in the Wheel of Time that make Helms Deep look like a day trip to a spa (looking at you Dumai’s Wells) But I get it, you’re skeptical. LOTR was a franchise and Game of Thrones broke your heart, but fear not beloved. I will tell you henceforth 3 reasons why the Wheel of Time series will go down as the GOAT.
1. The Books are Already Finished
Let’s be honest, the biggest problems with Game of Thrones really didn’t pop up until we got to the end of the series. Some of the best parts in the book translated perfectly into the television series. The (yet again) death of Sean Bean, The Red Wedding, Joeffry’s Murder, the Trial by Combat between Floyd Mayweather and Shaquille O’Neil, all great moments. They were great moments because they were lifted, in some cases, word by word from the books.
But it’s not exactly a moment in courage to take the stance that the last few seasons was a bit of a letdown. I’ve seen a lot of online speculation as to why that was, but I think the biggest reason was that the books weren’t done. For season after season the producers of Game of Thrones had a detailed road map to work from. Then all of the sudden in the last few season the wi-fi went out, the signal got lost, there was no books and they found themselves on the part of the map that says, ”HERE BE MONSTERS.” They had no more road map and thus had to rely upon themselves and from all accounts they had an unearned confidence in their own ability to wrap this story up.
Wheel of Time, on the other hand, is done, finished, THE END. There will be no speculation as to how things are supposed to be. The road map is crystal clear. The wi-fi is strong. We aren’t going to have a situation where the author of the books says “yeahhhh their ending was different than mine“. But I know what your asking, what happens is the show runners decide to call an audible and change stuff up at the line of scrimmage. Well, that leads me to point number 2.
2. HARRIET AIN’T HAVING IT
Harriet Popham McDougal Rigney, 1st of her name, Protector of the Realm, Warden of the Wheel, Keeper of the Flame is not here to play games with y’all. And if you don’t know who that is, let me educate you. Harriet Rigney is a Gawd tier editor in the genre. She’s worked on Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, Sanderson’s Way of Kings and the legendary Black Company series by the godfather of grimdark himself Glen Cook. She was the editor for the Wheel of Time series and by the way she’s also Robert Jordan’s widow.
For those new to the series, Robert Jordan is the author/Gawd of the Wheel of Time, who passed away right before the series ended. Harriet, has been rightfully protective of his legacy, and I think she will be protective of Robert Jordan in the same way that George R.R. Martin wasn’t protective of himself. Harriet owns the rights of the Wheel of Time, and this was Jordan’s magnum opus. This was his gift to the world. All of the evidence we have tells us she is meticulous with WOT.
After Jordan’s death, she carefully picked Brandon Sanderson who immediately showed why he was a great pick by re-reading the entire series and giving us updates on his thoughts as he went along. Sanderson ended up writing the last 3 books in the series, (using Jordan’s notes), and he did a phenomenal job. So, we don’t have to guess at what Harriet will do. We’ve seen what she’s done, and we already know how much she cares for and values the Wheel of Time. She will not allow cowboys disguised as producers run ragged all over Jordan’s legacy. In the words of Suge Knight, there won’t be any producers, singing, rapping all over the record, and they won’t be quoted in embarrassing tweets saying things like, “I don’t know why George R.R. Martin trusted us with his life’s work.”
3. Diversity
Not the, “Let’s build up a Black character to murder them ruthlessly,” diversity. Not the “You got locked in a vault or thrown off the palace walls,” diversity. Not the scene where 1000 enslaved brown folks, raise you up to the heavens and call you mommy…diversity. This is main character diversity. This is Sal finally got some brothers on the wall diversity. The kind of diversity that pisses off CPAC and makes Tucker Carlson twitch in his sleep.
Mat has always been my favorite, but I’ve always thought Perrin had the better story, was more fleshed out, had to make harder decisions. Tuon is/should/shall be a blockbuster sleeper character that steals every scene she’s in. Lan makes Aragon look like a boy scout, and I’m pretty sure Siuan Sanche is Machiavelli. Then, if you look at the rest of the main casting, people of color everywhere.
We aren’t hastily tucked into a scene, we aren’t background noise, walk-ons and extras. We are: Lan Mandragoran, the last king of Malkier, Nynaeve al’Meara, power ranger and healer extraordinaire, not to mention Loial, Padan Fain, Min, and Egwene. I can’t think of the last fantasy series that had so many high-profile people of color in MAIN roles. These aren’t tokens. They are fully fleshed out characters that have compelling arcs and great stories, and we don’t often get that in high fantasy.
So, in conclusion…there are no endings,
but come on over and give Wheel of Time a chance. I know you’ve been burned before, but this time it’s different. It’s: books finished, brown folks all over the place, you are NOT going to mess with my late husband’s legacy…different. It’s Dumai’s Wells, Bao the Wyld, Stone Dog, Maidens of the Spear…different. It’s Hunters of the Horn, Blood and Bloody ashes, Band of the Red Hand…different. And you are going to love every minute of it. Welcome to the fandom, we got plenty of room, have a seat, grab a snack and tune in to your newest obsession. “Dovie’andi se tovya sagain, time to roll the dice.
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The post 3 Reasons Why ‘Wheel of Time’ Will be Better than ‘Game of Thrones’ appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.