The Future is Bright Green?

GL is ready to join the big dogs of the DC universe and 2011 may be his year. Did I mention that the Green Lantern live action movie began filming this week? Not too much info has leaked yet, though there is a rumor that cameo was filmed with future Lantern John Stewart.

Previously, there had been some vague references to an in development CGI animated Green Lantern series. But just yesterday, rumors materialized regarding a Green Lantern animated movie. Here is the quote (from a website that hates being listed as a source):

A Green Lantern animated project is in the works at Warner Bros. Animation, The Continuum has learned. According to sources, it will be part of a direct-to-video project that will be timed for release of the live-action Green Lantern movie in the summer of 2011. A representative of Warner Home Video said the studio will not comment on any film that hasn't been announced as in production. According to sources, the new Green Lantern animated project takes a look at the origins of the Green Lantern Corps, including the first ring wielders. At Emerald City Comic-Con last weekend, DC Comics' Geoff Johns hinted at a Green Lantern animated series, which would appear to be a different project.

Others have speculated that this could be a Batmanime style anthology style film with shorts featuring various ring wielders. Pitched that way, it sounds pretty cool, but I have to remain cautiously optimistic considering that Batmanime, which also sounded great, was a bit of a mess. Hopefully there will be more news soon.

Megamind Teaser Fails to Please

Hopefully they are just holding back the "good parts" because there is nothing in this teaser that makes me want to see this movie. In fact, I am now less interested in it than I was yesterday. It just doesn't look funny in spite of what looks like a promising cast list. Its still early, but this teaser seems like a total waste.

Evolution of the Batman (and Robin) - Chase Me

Chase Me, released as a DVD extra with Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman, was a charming little dialogueless Batman vs Catwoman adventure set to a jazzy score. Sure its only 6 minutes long, but its pretty awesome, and its embedded below so just watch it:

Up Next: The Batman

Batman Serial * Batman and Robin Serial * Batman '66 TV * Batman '66 Movie * Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder * Batman on Scooby Doo * Batman the Super Friend * The New Adventures of Batman * Batman '89 * Batman Returns * Batman: The Animated Series * Batman: Mask of the Phantasm * Batman Forever * Batman and Robin * The New Batman Adventures * Boo Wonder * Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero * Batman Beyond * Gotham Girls * Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker * Batman on Justice League * DCAU Crossovers * Birds of Prey * Teen Titans * Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman * Chase Me *

* Special Musical Edition * Special Christmas Edition * Special OnStar Edition

Onscreen History of Black Widow

The Black Widow AKA Чёрная вдова the Russian secret agent is all set to make her live action film debut as a supporting character in the upcoming Iron Man 2. The character first appeared back in 1964 in Tales of Suspense #52. Since then she has had just a few on screen appearances, mostly in the last couple of years.

Natalia the Black Widow first appeared in the Marvel Super Heroes show during the Iron Man segments way back in 1966.

It would be 40 years before Natalia would get another moment on screen. She was a main cast member in The Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Avengers 2 movies.

The fledgling romance with Captain America hinted at in the Ultimate Avengers was consummated (though not on screen) in 2008's Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow in which the Cap and the Widow's kid James Rogers led a new team of Avengers. The lovebirds were shown in a flashback.

Later in the movie, a Black Widow themed robot had to be dealt with by the younglings.

In 2009, the Super Hero Squad featured Black Widow in the episode, "Deadly Is The Black Widow's Bite!"

But it will most likely be Iron Man 2 that brings Black Widow to the mainstream. She was featured prominently in the Iron Man trailers and appears to have a significant role most likely leading to her inclusion in the upcoming Avengers movie.

Update July 17, 2011

Black Widow has also become a mainstay of the animated series Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

And the Widow will return in 2012's live action Avengers. 

Green Lantern's Brightest Days #20

#20 Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths

Yes, Hal Jordan was in this movie (replacing John Stewart who was the GL representative on the tangentially related Justice League series), but truth be told, he had the least development and fewest lines of any of the core Leaguers. Still it was nice to see that his evil doppelganger on the Crime Syndicate was one of the baddest of the bad, arguably more menacing than Wonder Woman's true counterpart (if you assume it to be Olympia rather than Superwoman- a Mary Marvel analog). I may be mistaken, but other than Sinestro (or the Penguin in his 5 minutes of fame), Power Ring may be the first evil ring wielder to appear in any superhero show.

Link to Power Ring in action.

#25 - Justice League Unlimited: Initiation - John Stewart's new look
#24 - Batman: The Brave and the Bold: Death Race to Oblivion! - Guy Gardner's Lanternmobile
#23 - Justice League of America: Pilot - Doesn't air
#22 - Justice League Unlimited: The Once and Future Thing: Time Warped - Hal Jordan joins the league
#21 - Legends of the Superheroes - Lantern goes live-action
#20 - Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths - Darker shade of green