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#jensen ackles as live action batman is not a want but a need!!
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Batman: Under The Red Hood
“Batman: Under The Red Hood” is one of the many Batman animated movies that solidified who Batman truly is to my young teen self.
Batman is haunted by his greatest failure, the death of Jason Todd. Batman failed to save Jason, his second Robin, from a brutal beating from the Joker and an explosion that killed him. Five years later, a new villain called the Red Hood is taking control of Gotham’s drug empire. This catches the attention of Batman, who notices something familiar about him.
Everyone knows that Batman has one rule: to never kill. I mean, it’s a heroic trait that separates him from the evil that he constantly fights. At least, that’s what it’s thought to be. “Batman: Under The Red Hood” is an exploration of the victims of his rule. This movie asks the question: “Who is Batman’s rule really helping?”. Also, I know this movie is an adaptation of the comics, but I’m reviewing the movie, so try to talk about both, depending on whichever one helps highlight my point better. It’s cool to see how a fan-voted decision to kill off Jason Todd in the comics evolved into a seriously complex exploration of Batman’s character. This movie is short, but in 75 minutes, “Batman: Under The Red Hood” managed to capture the love Bruce had for Jason, the weight put on Bruce after the tragedy, and the ideological clash between the two in such a convincing way. Bruce Greenwood is an amazing voice actor the caped crusader, and that’s saying something considering Batman already has an iconic voice actor in Kevin Conroy. Greenwood is still able to sound exactly like the Batman I have always envisioned in my head. Jensen Ackles blew me away during this rewatch. Now that I have a more critical eye for performances, I can see that Ackles brought his A-game to this movie. The emotional moments hit that much harder because you can truly feel the tormented soul of Jason Todd through his performance. John DiMaggio is always a win in my book and I loved his take on the Joker. Although the comics did most of the heavy lifting in terms of the story, there are still choices made in this movie that sets it apart. I don’t mind the small change made in the final confrontation between Batman and Red Hood because it still works for me. It just conveys a different, but equally plausible reaction from Batman that doesn’t detract from the impact the scene was going for. The cherry on top of this amazing movie is the action. I crave to see this in live action one day, but the way Batman moves in his animated movies is the truest form of Batman in my opinion. Ben Affleck’s warehouse scene comes close, but I just need more of that in my life. If you know nothing about Batman, but want to know what all the hype is about, then I highly recommend you start with this movie. I guarantee it will make a fan out of you.
★★★★★
Rewatched on August 28th, 2022
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justjensenanddean · 5 years
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Jensen Ackles as Red Hood [x]
The MakeWhile Red Hood in Mint Condition was designed as an Easter Egg — a nod to Jensen Ackles’ voice acting performance in Batman: Under The Red Hood — the continuing adventure with the costume was wonderfully unpredictable. The initial version had been a process mainly motivated by my own preexisting excitement, and then, on the first of two days shooting on the set of our fictional comic shop “Smash! Pow! Collectibles”, seeing the reaction from the boys (and director, additional cast and crew for that matter) when they entered the shop was incredibly inspiring. Jared helped position the costumed mannequin, wanting to ensure it was in the opening shot of the main characters entering the store, and Jensen looked at it and immediately expressed his desire for the whole costume for himself for Halloween, a genuinely enthusiastic compliment I graciously accepted.
My response to Jensen was instant: I can make that happen. It’s yours.Realistically, having the costume live in my closet for the rest of eternity seemed useless anyway, and what better use for a designated character outfit than to have the voice actor (and a truly excellent choice for a face-claim) wear it for Halloween. I immediately contacted Tanja from Tiger Stone FX about a new helmet because the one by Tiger Stone which played in the store was a piece belonging to someone to whom I had once given it. Tanja and her husband Nat are the wonderful people behind the brilliant work of Tiger Stone, and also happen to be fans of the show. What a lovely coincidence. They went to work right away making Jensen’s new helmet and mask. It is always a pleasure working with them, and their work is absolutely exceptional. I can’t recommend them enough. The helmet was and is certainly a highlight – as was watching Jensen run around the comic book store wearing it.
There were several other additions I needed to make for the costume, since while the outfit played as a nearly direct reflection of the animated movie design, I felt it needed updates to make it fit a realistic setting. Also, the mannequin is wearing my lace-up tactical boots. They were not going to fit Jensen. They barely fit the mannequin. In fact, let’s start with those.
Regardless of how difficult I thought it would be to have everything come together or get finished in time, nothing was more of a struggle than finding knee-high lace-up boots in Jensen’s size. It’s not even as though he’s an unrealistic size – in fact, that was the problem. Every pair of boots I was even remotely interested in for the costume was out of stock in his size. Call after call to manufacturers and stores across the United States and finally, finally I managed to find a woman willing to go to the warehouse of the factory to see if one of two designs happened to just be sitting on the shelf in the appropriate size. I bought the very last pair after a lot of silent cheering. But it was really down to the wire by the time I managed to get a hold of them.
In addition to the alterations required for the jacket and shirt I had previously made for the episode (luckily the pants were the perfect fit), I made extra accessories for the shoot – like Jensen’s requested hood, bloody ninja stars, belt accessories, new but distressed gloves, and Jason Todd’s pair of handguns. I had a lot more time to finish the extra odds and ends, and because they were part of the costume I had on my dream checklist, I had so much fun with them. I love weathering and painting, and don’t often need to do so on pieces I make. Having the opportunity to utilize some of my other interests for this project was really fantastic.
The Shoot
It was the day before Halloween by the time I had everything done. We were shooting at the Supernatural Stages, and so I had asked Jensen if he wanted to try everything on together to see how it fit. I arrived at studio in the morning to ask if lunchtime for the fitting was a good idea if he’d have time, and his suggestion instead was just to do the photoshoot then. Keep in mind, set-lunch is a half hour marked period of time from when the last crew member on the shooting crew goes through the line, which meant pressure was on. Limited time to dress and shoot…very limited. 
 Luckily, I live extremely close to studio, and went home, packed up absolutely everything costume and camera wise, and drove back as quickly as possible. 
 Having Jensen try on the suit for the first time was pretty unbelievable. I love making costumes for other people – in fact, it gives me far greater joy than any costumes I’ve made for myself ever have and most likely ever will. There is something about another person’s sheer joy and excitement that completely obliterates any negative thoughts I have about my creations. This time was of course no exception. I will never forget when he looked in the full length mirror, straightened his jacket, and said, “Man, I have never felt so cool. I feel like a real superhero.” The ‘me’ who put Red Hood on my dream-costume list years earlier never thought this would be how I would check it off.
Trisha, the Head of our Makeup Department, was a true sport, and helped us out by blackening up the space around Jensen’s eyes and putting on the mask. And with that last step, we jumped into Cliff’s car and were off for a photoshoot, a round-trip adventure of less than twenty minutes. 
Ironically, I never do much for Halloween, despite the vast amount of costume choices I have for the holiday, but I think this was definitely the ultimate way to celebrate for 2018. I have never had so much fun with a costume before.
 I edited the photos that afternoon, ready in time for a Halloween release. The response was overwhelming, and I wish to express my gratitude for the continued support and kind words in regard to my work. I would again like to thank Tanya and Nat at Tiger Stone who helped make this possible, and of course Jensen Ackles for being excited, willing, and one hell of a real life action figure. 
 Photos of Jensen Ackles shot and edited by Clockwork Shadow Creations Nikon D810 / Nikkor 1.4f/58mm / Nikkor 1.4f/10-24mm Behind the scenes photos by Cliff Kosterman Costume Credits: Fabric garments and accessories: Clockwork Shadow Creations (Belt canister print: Retronano) Helmet and mask: Tiger Stone FX Neck guard: Hernandez FX  
clockworkshadowblog.com/jensen-ackles-redhood/
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smokeybrandreviews · 3 years
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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Holiday Season
Had an opportunity to sit down and really take in this adaptions of one of my favorite stories in the batman lore, Batman: The Long Halloween part One. This story is one of the most influential in all of comics and, indeed, is constantly referenced by any modern live action Bat-flick. The Dark Knight, arguable the best of the many Batman films, is basically just this narrative. It’s literally just The Long Halloween so seeing the graphic novel properly adapted, with all of it’s twists and turns, is something I've always wanted. Now that’s it’s here, how does it hold up?
The Good
I love this art style. It smacks of Batman: The Animated Series but with a modern polish, while paying homage to the surreal pen of Art Sale. One of the reasons i fell in over with the graphic novel was Sale’s almost psychotic rendition of Gotham, it’s many characters, and his use of shadow. None of that unique flair is lost on this production, even if it’s kind of tightened up at points. Like, take Catwoman. I loved Tim Sale’s take, the purple suit is kind of the Selina i grew up with, but I'd be lying if i said i didn’t enjoyed the version of her in this film even more.
I just mentioned this but i need to emphasize how at home this feels in the BTAS universe. It’s a like a adult version of an episode from that show. That should lend a bit of credibility to the quality on hand. Part One is pg-13, and you really feel that, but Part Two is supposed to be R. I’m looking forward to seeing how hard they go because the back half of this narrative gets real bloody, real fast.
I have to admit, the animation is pretty okay. Most of the time. It can fall of the cliff occasionally but, for the most part, it’s some of the best in these Animated DC films. The use of CG is beautifully integrated into the hand drawn bits and it really puts Invincible to shame that way. People were praising that show for how awesome it looked but i was never impressed. I wasn’t that impressed with Halloween either but it was still better than Amazon’s production.
I have to say, this voice cast is legit. There are some real hitters in this and they really deliver.  Jensen Ackles is a surprisingly decent Batman, which is kind of hilarious to me, because he plays Jason Todd in my favorite of these animated flicks, Under the Red Hood. Naya Rivera is outstanding as Catwoman and Troy Baker is absolutely the next Joker, after Hamill decides to retire. Always a pleasure seeing Josh Duhamel and his Harvey Dent is a seething ball of rage, teetering on the edge of madness while Titus Welliver’s Carmine Falcone is just f*cking insidious. Billy Burke, Julie Nathanson, Jack Quaid, and Alastair Duncan, are all great in their respective roles but, holy sh*t, did David Dastmalchian’s Calendar Man give off Hannibal vibes! Great choice on that one, for sure!
I just have to emphasize just how much i enjoy this version of Catwoman. Naya breathes this character and her loss is a real tragedy.
I absolutely love this narrative so there wasn’t a question I'd gravitate toward a cinematic adaption but, i have to say, i was a little surprised by how tight this bad boy is. Like, the script, itself, is really good for something based on a comic book. I can see this thing being a proper live action adaption and being considered almost as great as the best of the Bat-flicks.
I’m just really glad this exists. The Long Halloween is one of the best, one of the quintessential, Batman narratives out there and it’s kind of a crime there has never been a proper adaption.
The Meh
Kind of wanted this thing to be a little more visceral. The Long Halloween is one of the darkest, most violent, Bat-stories ever. They kind of flirt with that carnage a little bit, but this part didn’t go full Holiday, if you know what i mean. The second one is supposed to get real gritty so i can give this one a pass but it sucks that we have to wait a month to get the real feel of this narrative.
The pacing is a bit wonky. I can see people complaining about how slow this thing is at times but i chock that up to the nature of this story. In a graphic novel or comic, you can tell a story in a certain manner but that doesn’t translate all that way to film. I’m fine with what we were given but i can totally see other people completely frustrated by the plotting, especially with Joker shows up. You just want SO much more of that guy.
The Bad
The way this story is told, hinges on the passage of time. This adaptation does a bad job of conveying that. The book is fine. You can consolidate a day or holiday, into one issue, This movie can’t do that and, at times, struggles with telling this particular aspect of the story, correctly.
I mentioned this before, but sometimes the animation can be really rough. Like, there’s a scene toward the end where that sh*t just falls of a cliff. These shots are few and far in between, but they are very noticeable and very jarring. If i didn’t love this story so much, i can see how this would take you out of the experience.
The Verdict
This sh*t is good. Real good! The Long Halloween is one of the best Batman stories ever told. It deserves to be treated with respect and reverence. Batman: The Long Halloween part One does just that. It has an incredible cast who all deliver wonderful performances, a familiar art style that feels both nostalgic and unique, a relatively tight narrative that pulls in the best bits of the source material while cleaving free some of the fat, and just an overall gorgeous production. This movie is easily one of the best in the animated DC vault, even if it is a little flawed. Warner did right by this iconic story and delivered something that puts The Killing Joke, another quintessential Bat-story, to shame. If you’re a fan of the Bat, you’ll love this movie. If you’re a fan of animation, you’ll love this movie. If you just want to see Batman done right, you’ll love this movie.
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adamwatchesmovies · 3 years
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Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
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If you need a Batman fix and you’ve begun to get a little tired of watching and re-watching the live-action films, give this animated movie a shot. Just because you’re not going to see actors on-screen doesn’t mean this movie is simple, or for kids.
Based on the Under the Hood storyline by Judd Winick (who wrote the screenplay) and Doug Mahnke, a new criminal has arrived in Gotham City. The Red Hood (voiced by Jensen Ackles) is brutally eliminating many of the criminals Batman (Bruce Greenwood) has struggled against for years. This pushes criminal boss Black Mask (Wade Williams) to desperate measures.
This film wastes no time. It assumes you know Batman, the Joker (John DiMaggio), Alfred (Jim Piddock), and the rest. It comes in guns blazing but doesn't neglect what is required to make the film good. The characters are plenty developed, and in ways that you don’t usually see in superhero stories. In this tale, Batman has been fighting crime for many years. The mistakes he's made in the past are weighing heavily on him. The way he and his former protege Nightwing (Neil Patrick Harris) interact, you can tell something about this case bothers him. The Red Hood is such a big threat nor only physically but psychologically that you're kept on edge. Even though I was familiar with the source material, I still felt uncertain about where things would go.
The action scenes are particularly well done. When I see a fight brought to life through animation, I want to see stunts and moves that would require stuntmen hours of rehearsal and buckets of special effects to make it look genuine. These combat scenes are spectacular. Batman, his allies, and his opponents feel like they're bringing their A-game because the animators pulled all the stops to give us impactful hits, daring leaps, and well-coordinated moves.
Obviously, Batman's the star of the show but director Brandon Vietti doesn’t shortchange everyone who surrounds him. A personal favorite is Black Mask, whose absurdly short temper makes him memorable and still feels threatening even when he makes you laugh. Plus, it's cool to see a character who doesn't usually get time in the spotlight. It would've been obvious to make someone like Two-Face or the Penguin be the victim of Red Hood's attacks but by having a lesser-known villain, you can reinvent or do something new with them. He’s no holy grail. Could this mean he'll end up on the Red Hood’s trophy wall?
On an emotional level, the story has an impact, particularly as we dig deeper into what makes Red Hood tick. Under the Red Hood is intelligently written with an understanding of how humans work, particularly ones as complex as Batman and his supporting characters. In several ways, it even improves the material at points by streamlining the story.
I only have a few minor criticisms, such as a gang of assassins that could've been swapped for much cooler, lesser-known characters and certain scenes taken out of the well-known Death in the Family story arc who are tweaked for no significant reason. As a whole, these are nitpicks. Batman: Under the Red Hood is a superior direct-to-video film that will impress those who pick it up. (On Blu-ray, April 7, 2015)
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huntertales · 5 years
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I Don’t Need Saving | Chapter One.
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Pairing: Superhero!Dean Winchester x Journalist!Reader 
Word Count: 6,295.
Warning: Slight mention of violence, minor character death.
Summary: To friends and family he’s known as Dean Winchester, at night he transforms into the Red Hood. The vigilante of the city beating up criminals and saving damsels from danger. Nobody has seen his face, nobody knows his true identity. Except for a few helpful allies. The reader is best friends with Dean for long as she can remember, and head over heels in love with the man. But she doesn’t have mutual feelings for the Red Hood. 
However an encounter with the vigilante starts to change her opinion on the hero, and soon, she grows a fascination with him. Somehow she finds herself growing a strange friendship with the vigilante she once was supposed to hate, not realizing it’s someone she knew. Dean, hiding behind the mask of the Red Hood, shows his true feelings for the reader in disguise. Little do they realize both of them are holding a secret from each other that will put them in danger. 
*Based upon Jensen Ackles as The Red Hood.
Mary Winchester hated the city. It was no place to raise a child.
It was too loud. People were mean and rude. The streets were filthy and littered with trash. Not to mention, the noise pollution. Drunks singing loud as they could at three in the morning and drivers honking their horns any chance they could get, as if that was going to make traffic run smoother. Her upstairs neighbors when she first move in was a young couple that fought when people should have been sleeping. While all of these factors drove Mary insane for the first handful of months, her boys didn't seem bothered by their surroundings. Dean was born shortly after they moved, and Sammy had turned the city sounds into his own personal lullaby. She’d lived here for four years, and she still wondered why John wanted to move here.
Well...it was the job offer that brought the newly weds here. Both of them were dirt poor with almost no money to their name. Back at home they were living in an apartment that was half the size of their current place when Bobby gave them a call. John had been out of the Marines for over a year and a half, but he hadn't found a steady job. Mary was determined to make all of this work without asking her parents for a single dime.
They made it quite clear they didn't like John. He wasn't "suitable material" for their little girl, her father said when she first started going steady with the man Her mother ushered her to think about other men she would be happy with when she became engaged. There was so many other boys Mary could have fell in love with, why the Winchester boy?
Because Mary loved him. And John loved her. Why couldn't that be enough for her parents to understand? Sure, John was from the lower side of town. He grew up with a single mother after his father left the family without a trace when he was young. John was rough around the edges, but he cared for Mary. He treated her like a queen. What they had together was enough to make them happy for the rest of their lives. But it wasn't enough to pay the bills and keep food stocked up in the fridge. Mary was slowly losing her hope that she could make it through their first year without asking her parents for help, but, like a gift from God, the couple got a break.
Bobby Singer called one afternoon to see how John was doing. Bobby was a family friend that John met in the Marines. Both of them trained and fought together in the war, developing a bond that would last for years to come. Bobby made contact with the young couple to see how they were doing, and to see if John was interested in a job with the police force. Hundreds of miles away from their small little town in Lawrence, Kansas...away from everyone they loved. And far away from Mary’s parents.
The coupled jumped on the opportunity to start their life over again. Everything seemed to have worked out like it was meant to be. Her parents gifted them with a three bedroom apartment in the better part of the city when they broke the news about moving, and how Mary was expecting her first child in late January. Dean came along a few months after they settled into the apartment and got everything exactly how they liked it. John's new career at the police force was going well and Mary was enjoying her new life as a homemaker. Everything seemed perfect...and it was. Except for the city. Mary tried and tried to fall in love with it like John had. But she couldn't stand it. She missed home. She missed having a yard and trees.
Dean was the opposite of his mother, he loved the city. He was only four and yet to see the flaws in the concrete jungle, but from what he could understand, the place was filled with wonders, and he took in every little thing the city had to offer. The sights of buildings that were monstrous compared to his small view on the world. The smells of all sorts of different cuisines from food carts on the corner and family owned restaurants from people wanting to spread their native foods to the city folks. Not to mention the sight of millions of different people that looked different than him. That was something a small town Kansas couldn't offer. Dean couldn't wait for when his little brother would be old enough to see of this for himself, and to be old enough to play in the vast and spacious park that was only a fifteen minute walk from their apartment.
Mary was a bit afraid of how Dean was going to handle the news of becoming a big brother after she found out she was carrying her second child a little after Dean turned three. Mary and John were both only children. They dreaded the thought of Dean becoming angry and upset at the thought of having the attention not be on him as it had been for the first three years of his life. But to their surprise, the little boy seemed overjoyed. Dean loved his new little brother with every fiber of his being. Mary had never knew the bond of sibling love. She only hoped her children could have what she never did. A strong family bond that lasted forever.
"Mommy?" It was a little late into the evening when Mary was disturbed from the evening news she was watching in the living room. She looked away from the news reporter to see her oldest son standing in the hallway, his glasses crooked slightly on his face and eyes squinted from the florescent lights he was still getting used to. "I heard a noise."
"What kind of noise, honey?" Mary asked in a soft voice. She shut off the TV and sat straight up in her seat on the couch. Dean began to make slow footsteps towards. Her son shrugged his shoulders. "Did it sound like people talking? Maybe a car horn?"
Dean shook his head, “It’s in the walls. I hear scratching.”
Mary thought to herself for a moment what could have possibly made scratching sounds inside the wall. But then it hit her. The reason why she hated this place. Rats. Those disgusting, fat creatures with their long claws and thick pink tails. She let out a quiet sigh and got up to her feet, tempting the idea of calling up John at the station to see if he would buy mouse traps on his way home from work for precaution until tomorrow morning. She'd sit down with Mrs. Wilson, the sweet landlord, to see if any other tenants had the same problem and if she might know of a good exterminator to take a look at the possible infestation while Dean was at preschool.
"Well, I can say for sure that it's not a monsters. Monsters don't like the city. There's not enough darkness to snatch kids up." Mary said, walking over to her son and grabbed him by the hand to lead him back his bedroom. "I'll have Daddy call someone to take a look at it tomorrow. Okay?"
“Okay.” Dean mumbled, agreeing with the plan. He slipped back into bed without much trouble, Mary tucked him back in like he had done two hours ago before he slipped out in a half-asleep state. She kneeled down so she was at level with the bed and fell silent for a moment to listen for the sound that had rose her son from his sleep. But nothing. All she heard was the muffled sound of a police siren passing by. “Mommy, what if it’s a person living in the walls?”
Mary felt her lips stretch into smile at her son's wild imagination. She refrained from laughing as she gave him a slightly confused expression. "It's not, honey. Where did that idea come from?"
"Uncle Bobby said he caught someone living in between a person's walls. He said that he was looking for bad kids to grab and eat them." Dean explained, giving his true reason why he had gotten up from bed to bug her. Mary let out a frustrated sigh from what the old kook had told her very impressionable child. "I don't want to get eaten."
“You won’t. I promise. Uncle Bobby was just...telling you a story. There’s nobody living in your walls. They’re just rats.” Mary reassured her son. Dean seemed to have somewhat believed her, but she could still see the apprehension on her son’s face. She wondered what she could do in order to get him to feel better. Looking around, she spotted the new action figures her parents had bought Dean when they visited last month. She grabbed them and placed each one on the nightstand—Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and the Incredible Hulk. The few that she could find. “See these guys? Long as they’re are around, nothing bad is going to happen to you.”
“What about Sammy?” Dean asked. Mary smiled at how he thought of his baby brother sleeping peacefully in the next room. “Who’s gonna protect him?” “Well…” Mary looked around the room and found Captain America peeking out from underneath the bed. She pulled out the figure and showed it to her son. “He’ll keep an extra eye on Sammy.” Mary could see the relief cross her son's face when she brought out his favorite toys that he played with every second that he possibly could. Him and John would play for hours with these hunks of plastic. Dean would play the hero as John pretended to be the villain who was trying to take over the world. She had a feeling her son was going to follow in her husband's footsteps in the career department. Dean had a knack for helping people and making sure people were safe. Like father, like son. The child stared at the Captain America action figure for a moment.
“Can I put it in Sammy’s room?” Dean's request was asked in a small and timid voice. He knew his mother was strict when it came to his bedtime and scooted him off to bed whenever he tried to get out. But Mary seemed okay with the idea of letting her son stay up for another few minutes. She had checked on the sixth month old to see that he was peacefully sleeping.
Mary allowed her son to get out of bed one more time tonight to deliver Captain America to the room next door to his to put the four year old's mind at ease. Both of them traveled only a few feet to enter ever so quietly into baby Sam’s room, the only light source besides the hallway light came from the baby giraffe nightlight to help guide their way into the room.
Mary pressed her index finger against her lips when she heard the baby let out a deep breath to follow the rhythmic pattern. Dean quietly made his way into the nursery and to the shelf that Bobby had built himself one afternoon, it was a present after he found out Mary was pregnant with her second child. It was filled with different stuffed animals and baby books Mary remembered reading to Dean when he was small as Sam.
The thought of her son being a baby, small as the one sleeping in the crib felt like it happened a lifetime ago. Children grow up quick, but time felt like it moved so slow at the same time when she thought about it. Soon the boys were going to be going to school before she even realized, and all of this was going to be a distant memory.
She grabbed the action figure from her son's hand and placed it on the very top shelf, making sure it was watching over baby Sammy. When she looked over at Dean to make sure she did a good job, her son broke out into a smile, suddenly seeming to have been filled with relief and happiness that his brother was safe from the fictional monster he thought was crawling inside the walls. Little did she realize there was a monster pacing around the halls outside of her apartment.
+ + +
Mary found herself back in the same spot on the couch she left twenty minutes ago after tucking in her son back into bed and reassuring him that there was no monster hiding in the walls and waiting to eat him. She swore she was going to give that Bobby Singer an earful the next time she saw him about how he spoke to her children. She had a feeling Karen, Bobby's wife, would feel the same way. Hell, she'd probably beat that man with a wooden spoon. But she saved the day from disaster. Mary smiled in the small victory and continued to watch the news, eagerly waiting for the news segment John told to keep an eye out for. Her husband was famous.
A few days ago the police and FBI took down one of the biggest underground crime rings the city had ever seen. Infamous crime boss, Nick something, Mary didn't remember his name, was arrested for a long list of charges that weren't ever going to let him see the day of light again. Drug charges, illegal possession of firearm, prostitution, rape, murder...the list went on for this one man. But Mary forced her husband to stop talking when he admitted that this Nick guy murdered his baby son and wife, but blamed it on a "robber." It didn't matter. Karma got the son of a bitch. Bobby and John were the ones who made the very public arrest.
Mary half-listened to the report about some robbery that happened upstate just this morning. She found her attention drifting away from the TV when she heard the phone start to ring, which was rather odd for this late at night. Mary could think of only one person that was calling at this time of night, her mother. She only called every few week to see how things were doing and the boys were. Her parents were already in bed at this time of night. She’d be only calling at this time of night if something happened to her father. Mary's mind wandered to the worst case scenario as she got up from the couch to answer the phone.
"Hello?" Mary answered the phone on its second ring. Her voice was dull as she was momentarily distracted by her panic of her father's imaginable illness. She looked over her at to the TV, her lips stretching into a small smile at the sight of her husband on the small screen. She thought to herself about how handsome he looked in his uniform as he escorted out the criminal that was going to be locked away for years to come. “Winchester residence.”
“Mary? Is that you?” The voice on the other end was instantly recognizable as her husband. She answered John’s question in a chipper tone, but he didn’t greet her with a hello like always. “Are you and the boys okay?”
"We're fine." Mary reassured her husband. A slightly confused expression crossed her face from the question he asked her. "Honey, is everything alright with you?"
"Mary, I need you to listen to me very carefully. You and the boys need to find somewhere safe to hide." John explained to the woman the true reason why he was calling. Mary felt a shiver run up her spine from the way her husband was speaking. She warned him to stop joking around. "I wish I was joking, sweetheart. But I'm not. Grab the gun I have in the nightstand and take Dean to Sammy's room. Lock the door and don't let anyone in."
“W-What?” Mary suddenly found it hard to form words. “John, what’s going on?”
The line went silent for a moment, as if he was debating with himself if he wanted to tell her the truth. He did. "It's probably nothing. Some kid dropped a note off at the the front desk a half an hour ago. It said that the families of the cops involved with the big bust a few days ago were..." John didn't need to say the words for Mary to understand. It was a threat against her life. And her two precious boys she had sleeping just down the hall. "I'm heading out now. Bobby left five minutes ago to check on Karen and Y/N."
Mary understood that when her husband became a cop his life would be put in danger every single time he put on the uniform. But never did she think her own would be. Her last thought before she heard the door handle start to slightly rattle was about the safety of the Singer family and their new adopted daughter, Y/N. The infant who had been brought into this world in a painful and miserable way that made Mary feel nauseous when Bobby told her the story. She was such a beautiful baby girl. Mary wondered if her and the boys would be good friends. But she would never know the future, as hers only lasted for a few more minutes before it was cut.
+ + +
Dean felt himself inhale a deep breath as his mind tore itself away from the familiar hellish nightmare that could always make him break out into a cold sweat and confuse him for a second of where he was,. In the brief few seconds of his sleepy haze he thought he was four years old again, clutching his action figure he grabbed from his room for comfort and hid underneath his baby brother's crib like his mother instructed him to do. And he did. His four year old self focused on keeping silent as possible, he was a pro at it from the hundreds of times he used to play hide and seek with his father after he came home from work. But trying to block out his mother’s screams for mercy were harder. The seven minutes that it took his father to get home felt like it took a lifetime and a half.
His father prayed to the Virgin Mary, God and their son Jesus that his wife was safe during the entire way back home from the station. John found her dead body lying on the living room floor, bleeding out from the six stab wounds the killer managed to inflict before sneaking out the fire escape. The last thing Dean remembered about that night was seeing all those cops in the living room and the flashing of lights. Bobby was there, too. He took Dean out to the police car and showed him all the buttons that an officer had to use to chase down bad guys. Dean thought that was the night he wanted to help people. And the last time he ever saw his mother.
Three days after his mother's murder, his father quit the force. He decided that his time would be suited better to helping people as a private investigator, attempting to solve crimes and mysteries the police didn't have time for. Dean knew it was an excuse to obsess over the murder that took his mother's life when his father got a little too drunk. He lost count how many times he came home to boxes and boxes of evidence lying around the apartment. Dean was surprised the old man survived until a few years ago from the heart attack that took his life. His mother’s murder drove his father insane. But now the both of them were at rest.
Dean rubbed his face with his hands, forcing his aching body to get up when he heard the sounds  of rustling coming from outside his bedroom and into his apartment. For a split second in his post nightmare haze, Dean reached for the gun that he always kept hidden underneath his pillow, thinking someone had followed him home last night. But then he realized a few moments later that it was Friday morning, your weekly visit to his apartment to make sure that he was still alive and to drop off the food you picked up after each time you stole his credit card. You thought you were being sneaky, but he caught you every time, yet he never said anything.
Dean was thankful for the helpfulness on such a simple task, and you wanted to make sure the man didn’t eat himself into an early grave from all the takeout he had. Dean didn’t remember the last time he cooked a meal for himself, either. You were here almost every chance you could when you and Dean weren’t too busy with work. From an early age you were in the kitchen with your mother, Karen, learning all the tips and tricks to make a delicious meal. You loved loved to cook, and he loved you...r food. Obviously.
"I don't understand why you don't just ask Dean if you can move in. You're practically here every chance you can get." Charlie Bradbury, best friend to you and Dean, was currently occupying one of the chairs at the small dining area and enjoying the fresh pot of coffee you had put on before she arrived. She was drinking out of the cup that was in the shape of Iron Man's head. It was part of a gift you had gotten Dean few Christmas' ago that were a set of Marvel superhero coffee cups. "You cook for him, you buy his groceries."
"Hey, I'm not paying for this out of my own pocket. He pays for his own stuff. I just happen to live a few blocks away from the store. And I know how to cook better than he can. It's the only way I can get him to eat something that isn't a pizza or deep fried." You defend yourself against your best friend as you put away a few cans of vegetables into a cabinet. "Besides, Dean does this stuff for me when I get busy with the paper.”
"You never do it for me." Charlie said.
“That’s because you’re annoying.” You sarcastically shot back at her. You knew what you said would only add more fuel for her to use against her. So you added, “And that's a lie. I was over at your place every single day cooking for you when you broke your leg last year after you and Dorothy went up the Adirondacks to go skiing. It’s what friends do.”
“Yeah. True. But you’re also obsessed with him and his well-being.” Charlie slyly remarked. She hid her growing smirk behind the coffee cup as she took another sip of her drink. She saw your body stiffen in discomfort at how the conversation shifte. She would take any chance she could get to remind you of the dirty secret you confessed to her at a New Years party a few years back while you were too drunk for your own good. “Why don’t you just ask him out already?”
“Because!” You quickly shushed the redhead when you realized that Dean was still sleeping in the room just across the way. Unless Charlie’s big mouth woke him up. “It’s weird. He’s my best friend. I’ve known him since I was born.”
Charlie's brow raised slightly in curiosity, "So you're finally admitting that you like him?"
You opened your mouth to defend yourself against your best friend's assumption, however you slowly shut it as you felt your cheeks burn in embarrassment when Charlie's smirk grew into a toothy smile. You would admit in a heartbeat that Dean was your best friend for long as you could remember, along with his little brother Sam, who was almost six months older than you. Your father said all you were like the three musketeers growing up, you were always at each other's side at every chance you could get. And the dynamics stayed the same when the three of you were adults with careers and lives of your own. You and Sam had your own dynamics you formed after going to school from pre-k all the way to your senior year of high school. But your friendship with Dean was...different.
There was something about him, from his nerdish love for everything comics and horror related, to old Westerns he used to make you and Sam watch all the time as teens, to his taste in music. The both of you liked a lot of the same things, sharing a special bond to the old cartoon of Scooby Do when you used to watch it together, and his secret guilt pleasure of Disney movies you would drag him every so often if there was a cute one playing in theatres. He was adamant on not wanting to see "Finding Dory" when it came out a few years ago, but he fell in love with the forgetful fish. Much as the both of you acted like best friends, at some point in your life you grew the tiniest crush on him that never stopped growing.
Luckily before you could try and deflect the conversation from spilling your guts, a familiar face greeted you when you turned around to finish putting away the rest of the groceries. A smile crept at the ends of your lips when you saw Dean standing in the doorway of the kitchen with a slightly groggy expression, his green eyes that you could stare into all day were covered behind this black rimmed glasses he wore since he was a little kid. You realized that you must have accidentally woken up from how loud you and Charlie were talking.
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." You greeted the man in a playful tone as you shut the fridge door after putting away a quart of milk. Dean scratched the back of his head, subtly making sure his short hair wasn't sticking out in any odd ends. He adjusted his glasses and mumbled a good morning to follow yours. You took a moment to examine the man when he went on the search for finding himself a clean mug to pour himself a cup of coffee. "No offense, but you like you were dragged through a hedge backwards. Rough night?"
"Yeah. If you want to call it that. I was out until three for a client. He wanted me to follow his wife around to see if she was cheating on him. You know, the stuff that pays the bills. Hey, do you know where the..." Dean tried to remember the word for the bottle of painkillers he was searching for. He rattled an invisible bottle in his hand, you grabbed him a new box of ibuprofen and threw it at him.
"Saw you were running low nd got some more. Stocked your bathroom with a new one, too. I swear, you gotta be careful with that stuff." You warned the man. But you knew you were contradicting yourself when you grabbed an open can of an energy drink you picked up from the store. "Too much of that is gonna give you kidney failure in the future."
"Uh-huh. And that stuff isn't a heart attack in a can." Dean said. You rolled your eyes as you took another sip of the drink that was the only thing keeping you from falling asleep. He ripped open the paper packaging to dig inside the bottle and take out a few pills, trying his hardest to keep the muffled sounds of his pain to a bare minimum so you wouldn't notice. But you always did.
"So," You leaned yourself against the countertop and looked over at the man who downed the few pills with a sip of coffee Charlie poured for him. You pointed to Dean's stomach area that you were guessing was making him walk around like an eighty year old man in pain. "What's the latest injury? The cheating wife kick your ass after she found out you were following her?"
Dean worked as a private investigator after taking over his father's business when John died a few years ago from a heart attack. Winchester Investigations was started before Dean's firth birthday and attracted all sorts of people for John to help them. Mostly on missing people and unsolved mysteries that families wanted closure for. But that didn’t always walk through the door asking for Dean’s investigative skills. Lately it was a disgruntled spouses wanting to see if their partner was cheating on them with someone younger than them. They wanted photographic proof to file for divorce, Dean agreed, and he'd do all sorts of weird things to get his proof.
“I...might have fell out of a fire escape trying to get her picture.” Dean admitted to you. His words became muffled slightly as he brought the cup back to his lips to take another sip. But he knew you heard him as your eyes grew slightly wide in concern as you spoke his name in a serious tone of voice. “Relax, Y/N. I’m fine. Nothing’s broken. Just a little bruised up.”
You let out a sigh and shook your head from how accident prone he could be. You rubbed your face with your hand as you let out a yawn. The few hours of sleep you managed to get last night were demanding more. “You look like crap yourself.” Charlie said. You gave her a small smile as you sarcastically thanked her for the compliment. “Did you get any sleep last night?”
“About two hours. Cas and I were down at the docks since four this morning. His ‘friend’ Meg tipped him off about these four girls who said they were kidnapped and kept in these horrendous conditions in one of those storage units. You know, the ones that get shipped off into boats and stuff? Well, we got there first and took a look around. And...trust me, it was messed up." You explained the situation to your friends about the news story you were investigating for your job. These poor girls were kept in complete darkness for days. They barely were given any food. There was no place to go to the bathroom or bathe. God knows what would have happened."
"That's terrible." Charlie mumbled. You could see a slightly disturbed expression cross her face when she imagined what kind of things you had seen. She knew by tomorrow morning you would have written all about it with Cas' pictures on the front page. "How did they get away?"
"This is where things got...ridiculous. These girls claimed a guy dressed in all leather and a red mask saved them. Never saw his face. The guy never said a word to them. He somehow managed to take on four men all by himself." You said, your lips stretching into a small smirk as you retold the statement one of the women had given to Meg Masters. "When the cops got there all of the men were tied up and locked in the unit."
Charlie's brow raised itself slightly in curiosity from the description she heard a dozen times before, "You mean this could be the work of the Red Hood?"
"Red Hood. Who the hell came up with that stupid name?" You mumbled to yourself. You couldn't help yourself when you rolled your eyes as you scoffed from the name you had grown to hate. "No. These girls were severely dehydrated and scared out of their minds. They probably wanted to think it was that psycho."
"If they were in such bad shape, how did they manage to escape?" Charlie asked. You tilted your head to the side and gave her an annoyed look from how she was getting on your nerves today. She grew a smile from how easy the mention of the masked vigilante could make you so angry. "Why do you hate the Red Hood so much?"
"Because there's some stranger out there taking the law into his own hands. Putting the lives of people in danger so they can play hero.” You said, crossing your arms over your chest. "Last time I check it only takes three buttons to call 911 and report a crime. It's gonna be a matter of time until they kill someone."
"But they haven't yet." Charlie subtly argued with you. You gave her a look of disbelief from her support to this masked mad man running around the city that seemed to have popped out of nowhere a few years ago. "You've got a point, Y/N/N. And I'm not dissing your dad or the cops. They do a good job. But it doesn't hurt to have some peace of mind knowing there's someone out there looking out for us folks. And he probably saved those girls from being trafficked.”
You let out a sigh as you looked around the kitchen, waiting a second before giving your best friend the satisfaction that she had won this argument. "You’re right. But I still don't like him. And I’m not mentioning him in the article.”
You finished the last of your drink and disposed of it in the recycling. You wanted to stay for a little longer but you needed a nap and write the first draft of the article for your editor, Gabriel, to read over to see what revisions you might need to make before the printing of tomorrow's paper. You said your goodbyes to your best friends and made your way out. A moment of silence fell between Dean and Charlie after the door slammed shut. Dean sipped the rest of his coffee as he started to open up the cabinets, wondering what he might want for breakfast. He ignored the shift in Charlie's expression as she narrowed your eyes slightly on the man.
“You fell out of a fire escape, huh?”
“Yup.”
Charlie tapped her fingers against the ceramic mug, allowing the man a chance to come clean with the truth of his injuries. But Dean remained silent as he settled on a bowl of cereal, ever so slightly wincing at the movements he made. Charlie couldn’t take it anymore. “I thought we were gonna be smart about this, Dean. You could have gotten yourself killed. We should have went to the cops—”
“Charlie, I've went up against worse. I'm just a little sore. I'll be fine in a couple of days. Nothing a little rest and painkillers can’t fix. And besides, I don't think Bobby would like how we found those girls.” Dean cut off of the redhead from expressing her concerns. Charlie let out a faint sigh as she sank down into her seat, knowing that he was right. "But you did a good job. You should be proud of yourself.”
Charlie grew the faintest smile as her face lit up at the compliment. She took another sip of her drink and looked over at the front door. "I think Y/N is starting not to had the Red Hood so much. I'd call that progress." Dean turned his head slightly and looked at the woman from the corner of his eye. "You know, I think she would change her mind for good if she were to meet him."
Dean gave his best friend a disapproving expression from her idea. He didn’t want anyone to know the truth, not even Charlie. But things happened that caused her to know his secret. And he wanted to keep it between the both of them. "Right. Tell the daughter of the city's police captain that I'm really the Red Hood. 'Cause that doesn't end up with me getting hauled off to jail. Or Y/N laughing in my face.”
"I didn't say you had to reveal your secret. Just find a way to talk to her as the Red Hood." She suggested. Dean stopped for a moment as he stared at her with a look of disbelief from how she wasn’t letting this go. He asked her in a sarcastic tone of voice if he wanted her to show up at their best friend’s front door dressed up as the persona he adapted into. “No. But I know Y/N. And she loves a man in uniform. Besides, you can’t tell me you’ve never followed her around.”
“What? No. That’s weird.” Dean quickly defended himself against such an absurd accusation his friend thought of. Charlie tilted her head to the side, he quickly moved his gaze back to the bowl of cereal me made for himself. “I did get those pictures of Mrs. Taylor last night. They're still on the computer. Send them to the client and get the hell out of my apartment. I’m going back to bed.”
Charlie watched as Dean grabbed his bowl of cereal and began to slowly make his journey back to his bedroom, the painkillers he took were starting to kick in. The redhead snickered to herself and got to work on her day job, delivering bad news to their clients about their suspicions on how faithful their partner was being. As Charlie uploaded the pictures to the computer, she found herself growing the smallest smile. Sure, this kind of work helped keep her and Dean in a job, but it was what the both of them accomplished last night that made her stick around and help the Red Hood. And she had to repay him back after Dean saved her life that night.
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smokeybrand · 3 years
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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Holiday Season
Had an opportunity to sit down and really take in this adaptions of one of my favorite stories in the batman lore, Batman: The Long Halloween part One. This story is one of the most influential in all of comics and, indeed, is constantly referenced by any modern live action Bat-flick. The Dark Knight, arguable the best of the many Batman films, is basically just this narrative. It’s literally just The Long Halloween so seeing the graphic novel properly adapted, with all of it’s twists and turns, is something I've always wanted. Now that’s it’s here, how does it hold up?
The Good
I love this art style. It smacks of Batman: The Animated Series but with a modern polish, while paying homage to the surreal pen of Art Sale. One of the reasons i fell in over with the graphic novel was Sale’s almost psychotic rendition of Gotham, it’s many characters, and his use of shadow. None of that unique flair is lost on this production, even if it’s kind of tightened up at points. Like, take Catwoman. I loved Tim Sale’s take, the purple suit is kind of the Selina i grew up with, but I'd be lying if i said i didn’t enjoyed the version of her in this film even more.
I just mentioned this but i need to emphasize how at home this feels in the BTAS universe. It’s a like a adult version of an episode from that show. That should lend a bit of credibility to the quality on hand. Part One is pg-13, and you really feel that, but Part Two is supposed to be R. I’m looking forward to seeing how hard they go because the back half of this narrative gets real bloody, real fast.
I have to admit, the animation is pretty okay. Most of the time. It can fall of the cliff occasionally but, for the most part, it’s some of the best in these Animated DC films. The use of CG is beautifully integrated into the hand drawn bits and it really puts Invincible to shame that way. People were praising that show for how awesome it looked but i was never impressed. I wasn’t that impressed with Halloween either but it was still better than Amazon’s production.
I have to say, this voice cast is legit. There are some real hitters in this and they really deliver. Jensen Ackles is a surprisingly decent Batman, which is kind of hilarious to me, because he plays Jason Todd in my favorite of these animated flicks, Under the Red Hood. Naya Rivera is outstanding as Catwoman and Troy Baker is absolutely the next Joker, after Hamill decides to retire. Always a pleasure seeing Josh Duhamel and his Harvey Dent is a seething ball of rage, teetering on the edge of madness while Titus Welliver’s Carmine Falcone is just f*cking insidious. Billy Burke, Julie Nathanson, Jack Quaid, and Alastair Duncan, are all great in their respective roles but, holy sh*t, did David Dastmalchian’s Calendar Man give off Hannibal vibes! Great choice on that one, for sure!
I just have to emphasize just how much i enjoy this version of Catwoman. Naya breathes this character and her loss is a real tragedy.
I absolutely love this narrative so there wasn’t a question I'd gravitate toward a cinematic adaption but, i have to say, i was a little surprised by how tight this bad boy is. Like, the script, itself, is really good for something based on a comic book. I can see this thing being a proper live action adaption and being considered almost as great as the best of the Bat-flicks.
I’m just really glad this exists. The Long Halloween is one of the best, one of the quintessential, Batman narratives out there and it’s kind of a crime there has never been a proper adaption.
The Meh
Kind of wanted this thing to be a little more visceral. The Long Halloween is one of the darkest, most violent, Bat-stories ever. They kind of flirt with that carnage a little bit, but this part didn’t go full Holiday, if you know what i mean. The second one is supposed to get real gritty so i can give this one a pass but it sucks that we have to wait a month to get the real feel of this narrative.
The pacing is a bit wonky. I can see people complaining about how slow this thing is at times but i chock that up to the nature of this story. In a graphic novel or comic, you can tell a story in a certain manner but that doesn’t translate all that way to film. I’m fine with what we were given but i can totally see other people completely frustrated by the plotting, especially with Joker shows up. You just want SO much more of that guy.
The Bad
The way this story is told, hinges on the passage of time. This adaptation does a bad job of conveying that. The book is fine. You can consolidate a day or holiday, into one issue, This movie can’t do that and, at times, struggles with telling this particular aspect of the story, correctly.
I mentioned this before, but sometimes the animation can be really rough. Like, there’s a scene toward the end where that sh*t just falls of a cliff. These shots are few and far in between, but they are very noticeable and very jarring. If i didn’t love this story so much, i can see how this would take you out of the experience.
The Verdict
This sh*t is good. Real good! The Long Halloween is one of the best Batman stories ever told. It deserves to be treated with respect and reverence. Batman: The Long Halloween part One does just that. It has an incredible cast who all deliver wonderful performances, a familiar art style that feels both nostalgic and unique, a relatively tight narrative that pulls in the best bits of the source material while cleaving free some of the fat, and just an overall gorgeous production. This movie is easily one of the best in the animated DC vault, even if it is a little flawed. Warner did right by this iconic story and delivered something that puts The Killing Joke, another quintessential Bat-story, to shame. If you’re a fan of the Bat, you’ll love this movie. If you’re a fan of animation, you’ll love this movie. If you just want to see Batman done right, you’ll love this movie.
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erza155 · 6 years
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DC Primer By Erza155 (for the absolute n00b
ok, before you even look at all of this, just know that this is all my personal opinion. just so you know
Movies
               Live Action
Justice League- Awesome. Awesome. You’ve probably already seen it.
Wonder Woman- See above.
Man of Steel- The first time I actually found myself actually being interested in Superman. This movie pushed me to actually research into Superman and see something beyond the corn-fed all-American boy narrative idiotic fanboys have shoved down our gullets for the last few decades.
Suicide Squad- Bomb soundtrack. It’s weird but it’s worth a try. A few members of the Justice League make 3 second cameos.
Batman vs Superman- The movie that launched a thousand superbat shippers. I personally like the cinammonmatography, but a lot of people disagree but that’s them.
Superman (2006)- I’m not sure how I feel about this movie. But Brandon Routh is pretty. And Routh!Superman/Bale!Batman was pretty big for a while. But it’s rare to see that around anymore.
               Cartoons
Superman vs the elite- Superman fights British dudes and goes crazy because of red kryptonite. People actually die because of Superman’s direct actions.
Justice League Animated Movies (2012-2017) Chronological Order
Justice League: Doom- Vandal Savage uses stolen information from Batman's secret files to mastermind a plan to exterminate the Justice League. That’s the plot. I actually don’t remember if I actually watched this movie? Make of that what you will.
Justice League: War- New 52 cartoon of the Justice League. This is how they come together in the new DC Universe. Has some casual Overlaps with the live action Justice League (2017) movie. Fun watch. Also, great banter between Green Lantern and Batman.
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox- Sadness. There’s a few moments of happiness, but this movie is fucking sad. It deals with what happens when you fuck with the timeline and it’s mcfucking weird. Now that the plebian opinion is out of the way, I personally loved this movie. It was so twisted and it made my tiny heart flutter.
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis- Atlanteans are coming for you bitches and Batman is not happy. ™  
Justice League: Gods and Monsters- AU version of justice league. It’s bomb. It’s like Injustice and Justice Lords but with Vampires!
Justice League vs Teen Titans- Exactly what it says on the cereal box with additional prizes on the inside. But, this is the new teen titans led by my favorite brat, Damian Wayne.
Justice League: Dark- Magic! Adventure! Gambling with demons! Sassy Batman. This movie is coming for your wig. Be prepared. It’s awesome and I love it. But then again, I’m a slut for DC.
               Batman Movies
Batman: The Killing Joke- This one is weird. Read the original comic book instead.
Batman: Assault on Arkham- Suicide Squad, The Cartoon!
Batman: Gotham Knight- Apparently if you liked the Dark Knight Trilogy, this is the movie for you. It fills in the blanks for certain spots that the movies don’t touch and it has an interesting animation style.
(There’s a bunch more but I don’t exactly have high opinions of those, so yeah…)
               Batman Has Problems with his Children/ Batman’s Problematic Children
Batman: Under the Red Hood- Jason Todd (Robin #2) comes back from the dead and kicks ass. Additional awesomeness in that Jason Todd is voiced by Jensen Ackles.
Son of Batman (2014)/ Batman vs Robin (2015)/ Batman: Bad Blood (2016)- Damian Wayne trilogy. If you like hyperviolent, bratty children who learn to come to terms with themselves, this is the movie for you. If not, oh well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
               Batman and Superman Are Totally Super Manly Men Who Work Well Together
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies- Batman and Superman work together to stop Lex Luthor and a meteorite. I don’t remember watching this.
Superman/Batman: Apocalypse- Direct sequel to the above but can function as a stand-alone. Batman and Superman go to another planet. Wonder Woman and the Amazons are awesome. Big Barda reminds me once again that I am Gay™ for strong women. Supergirl is introduced.
 TV Shows
               Live Action
Smallville- The original. This baby ran for an actual fucking decade. And every live action superhero show that is currently airing in the U.S. needs to thank this show because it’s what started the whole phase.
Arrow- This show is about Green Arrow and a lot of people like it. I think I gave up somewhere between seasons 2 and 3. It wasn’t my cup of tea. The reason I’m mentioning it is because, it actually started an entire spinoff universe known as the arrow verse and every year there’s a really big crossover that gives lots of nerds boners. (me included)
The Flash- Spinoff of the Arrow? But it’s about the Flash. It’s #2 in the arrow verse. It’s interesting and I love it. They made Iris West black and I was here for it. Candice Patton is amazing, and each season only gets better. The more characters they add, the happier I am. Although, I do bitch sometimes. (I have never been satisfied- Hamilton)
Legends of Tomorrow- Spinoff of The Arrow and The Flash. Secondary characters from both shows come together in this show and travel through time. It’s beautiful. Like it’s actually really great. Please watch it. Also #3 of the Arrow Verse.
Supergirl- 1st season was by CBS and is currently the only season I’ve watched. It was pretty decent but it took a lot of Superman’s villains and transplanted them to Supergirl’s story. Also, Tyler Hoechlin played Superman in this show for a hot minute. People liked it. I try not to think about it too much. #4 in the arrow verse.
Arrow Verse Wiki for more info
Additionally, the DCEU has a bunch of extensive shows that do not relate to superheroes like Lucifer, Izombie, and Preacher. ← All of which are awesome shows with supernatural aspects by the way.
               Cartoons (In no Particular Order)
Young Justice-  Babies. Beautiful Babies. Season 3 is supposed to come out this year and I would sell my grandmother to salt mines just for an early peek.
Static Shock- Cartoon with a young black protagonist? Sign the fuck up! This show was my shit! It’s honestly really awesome and positive.
Teen Titans- You already know.
Batman the Brave and the Bold- Classic. Timeless. There’s not enough space or time. This show introduced me to Plastic Man and I would die for this show. And this version of Batman is honestly just amazing and everyone in this show is amazing. I love it.
Justice League- Ok so the original show is awesome but I don’t care if you watch it or not. The only thing I care about is that you watch the specific episodes I am going to list.
Episode #37- Season 2 Episode 11 “A Better World Part 1”
Episode #38- Season 2 Episode 12 “A Better World Part 2”
These two episodes are my shit. Please watch it. I’ve watched these specific episodes so many times. Just please.
Batman Beyond- Bruce Wayne is old and there is a new young Batman. This show is weird, but the interesting kind of weird. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but I didn’t hate it. Some of the episodes were actually gold though. Harley Quinn has twin Granddaughters.
Video Games
You’re asking the wrong person sorry. The only video game I care about is Injustice and I only watch the playthroughs for the Lore (animated version).
 Comics
               Personal Faves:
·         DC Bombshells
·         Gotham City Sirens
·         Injustice
·         Red Hood and the Outlaws
·         Earth One series
New 52 vs Golden Age vs silver Age
Ok, so unfortunately, comics are weird. Like really fucking weird.
This is the Timeline you need to remember in regards to DC specifically
Golden Age- 1930s to 1950s. Comic books were first being published. Batman was a caricature, and used guns. Superman fought the KKK.
Silver Age- mid 1950s to 1970s. Post World War 2. Introduced new heroes like the Flash. Parallel Universes introduced.
Bronze Age- 1970 to 1985. Teen superheroes are now an established thing. Also, DC fucked up a lot but these times are past
Modern Age- Hi! It’s your buddies dark and gritty storylines. Anything from 1985 until now falls into this era/age.
New 52- 2011 relaunch by DC. Introduced new canon and fucked all of us up.
Rebirth- 2016 relaunch. Once again, fucked all of us up.
Pick and choose what you want. It’s what we’re all doing.
If you want an additional document for shipping, please inform me.
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