Review: Batman v. Superman

So… Batman v Superman… The best way I can describe this movie is that it is profoundly okay. Which is strange. This movie had several good ideas, a great cast, and great effects. But in the end, the movie is just okay. Let’s see if I can analyze the film a little more with this review.

A so-so smack down.

So the movie opens to a very artsy rendition of the murder of the Waynes. You know this set up by now, wealthy family walks down the obviously named Crime Alley without a security detail, gets held up, and Thomas and Martha Wayne are killed. So sad, but then again, I think we’ve all seen this story played out several times. We then move on to Metropolis, eighteen months prior to the film. This section shows what Bruce was up to while Superman and General Zod were smashing through skyscrapers. Thousands die, billions of dollars in property damage, and ol’ Batman holds Superman 100% responsible.

We then cut to Lois Lane doing what she does best, getting kidnapped. She and a buddy were arrested in Africa while doing a story about some local terrorist group. The group is incredibly well armed, and has some highly trained mercs too. Just as the Interview is getting started, it hits the fan, the mercs murder most of the locals in the fortress and then Superman flies in to save the day. We cut to the US Capital, where Senator June Finch and her committee are trying to force Superman to fall in line with Governmental procedure. Anyone else think it’s ironic that her actress, Holly Hunter, also provided the voice for Mrs. Incredible?

At the same time, Lex Luthor is doing his best to get his hands on Kryptonite. Apparently the stuff was a byproduct of Zod’s attempt to terraform…er Kryptoform Earth. There’s a huge chunk that was uncovered in the Indian Ocean and Lex is chomping at the bit to get his hands on it. Finch is less than thrilled, feeling that making a “silver bullet” for Superman is a little extreme. Another of the Senators is more willing, giving Lex access to Zod’s body and the crashed Kryptonian ship.

Bruce and Clark meet at a LuthorCorp fundraiser. Bruce is there to steal info from Lex’s database, and Clark is there to learn as much as he can about the Batman. Bruce is thwarted by another partygoer, Diana Prince, who stole his hacking device. He tracks her down and she returns the drive without much fuss. While decrypting the drive, Bruce has a bizarre vision of the future where it looks like the world is being ripped apart by Superman, his cult of followers, and the Parademons of Apokolips. A traveler from the future gives him a warning about protecting Lois Lane and gathering “the others.” Bruce as Batman tries to steal the chunk of Kryptonite that Lex illegally imported. He’s thwarted by Superman, who demands that Batman cease and desist his vigilante activities. The new guy is pretty big for his britches, isn’t he? Batman has been operating in Gotham going on 20 years, FYI.

Pretty solid team. Batman must be feeling a little overwhelmed.

Finch then summons Superman to Capital Hill for a hearing. Superman relents, just in time for Lex to begin his master plan. Phase One: bombing the Capital, which many blame Superman for. One lady makes the idiotic argument that if Superman wasn’t involved, why did he disappear right after? If I was the only survivor from a bombing, I’d need to take a couple of days off too. Batman steals the Kryptonite from Lex, and starts manufacturing Kryptonite weapons. Lex works on Phase Two: using the fingerprints he sliced off of Zod’s body, he gains access to a hidden chamber of the ship. Side note, you’re telling me that Kryptonians, the highly advanced, super scientific race, would protect the most precious secrets of their race with a FINGERPRINT SCANNER? Idiots! Anyhow, he dumps Zod’s body into the Genesis Chamber, and then mixes his blood with the liquid. Despite the ships AI’s protest, he demands that they continue with the experiment. Another side note: Said DNA experiment was banned by the Kryptonian High Council, and yet they still allow their machinery to be able to DO said experiments? So strange.

While that’s going on, Lex begins Phase Three: forcing the Superman/Batman smackdown. How? Well, this plan is so brilliant that it puts Gene Hackman’s plan to shame. When Superman comes to confront Lex, Lex reveals that he is well aware of Superman’s dual identity. And as such has targeted his biggest weakness. No, not Lois. “Every boy’s special Lady, his mother,” as Lex so condescendingly puts. He doesn’t know where Martha Kent is being kept, but if he dies, she dies, and the only way to save her is for Superman to bring back Batman’s head. So either Superman kills Batman, ruining his image in the public, or he lets his mother die and is broken psychologically. Superman is forced to comply, but still tries to reason with Batman at first but the Bat isn’t interested. Using some well-placed traps, he goes toe to toe with Superman. This sequence is amazingly well done, showing off Batman’s brilliance and planning skills. In the end, he has Superman on the ground with a Kryptonite Spear pressed against his chest, and is only stopped when Superman starts raving about saving Martha. Bruce is stunned to hear Superman using that name, not realizing that both off their mothers are named Martha. After getting the info from Superman and Lois, the two split up. Batman to save Martha Kent, and Superman to confront Lex. Imagine his horror when he sees Lex’s final contingency plan for Superman somehow not killing Batman and still saving Martha, the DNA experiment… Doomsday. It’s up to Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman to save the day.

One punch to the mouth, and this is over.

As always, the Good first. Everyone is well cast. Ben Affleck is great as the older and battle weary Dark Knight. Haunted by demons of his long history, his mother’s death and the implied death of at least one Robin. Jeremy Irons is great as Alfred, adding a fair amount of dry wit to this dark film. “I hope the next generation of Waynes don’t just inherit an empty wine cellar… not that there is going to be a next generation of Waynes…” and “Even you grew too old to die young, not for lack of trying.” Who says this movie is without humor? Henry Cavill is good as a Superman that’s still struggling with how to live in the world and protect it. Glad to see that killing Zod hasn’t driven him to full on psycho. Jessie Eisenberg is having a ball as Lex Luthor. He’s quirky and clearly insane, but loving every minute of it. It’s especially entertaining when he’s explaining his evil plans. Gal Gadot is a surprisingly awesome and mysterious Wonder Woman. She’s mostly there to set up the sequel to this film, help out in the finale, and just generally being a badass. The effects are great, and I love the design of Doomsday in this universe.

The Bad next. In a word, the script. This movie was stuffed to capacity with exposition, set up, and more exposition. But this was kind of inevitable, since they were forced to not only set up the conflict of the movie, set up Batman and his backstory, and setting up the sequels and other heroes. There were large segments of Batman’s story that could have been cut. Like Batman searching for “The White Portuguese,” or showing him doing his ninja thing in Gotham. Which now includes branding thugs. We didn’t really need to see either to know Bruce is kind of messed up in the head. There’s a decent length sequence of Diana looking through Lex’s data on Metahumans and their powers that did nothing but set up the Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman movies. Side note, I find it hilarious that there’s only one Metahuman in the Metahuman data bases. Amazon Princess, Human/Atlantian hybrid, machine infused human, and Metahuman speedster, weird right? Moving on, Lois had no reason to be in this film other than to cause conflict. Her kidnapping is what sets Lex’s plan into motion. Her advice seems to make Clark only make bad decisions. And she throws away the Kryptonite Spear, about ten minutes before everyone realizes they need it. Pointless. Sure, she learned Lex was behind the whole thing. Knew who else knew that? Me, ten minutes into the film. And Superman should have figured it out early on too. Just wasting time. Especially when her initial kidnapping was kind of pointless. I think the mess Superman left in Metropolis is more than enough to keep law makes busy for decades. Also, it's pretty clear that this conflict could have been solved with a Cell phone. Sups: Lex kidnapped my mom, set you up. Team up? Bats: Tots, I'll bring my gear and WW. Let's kick some ass. Simple right?

Final thought before my conclusion. I'm not SUPER well versed in DC Lore, at least not compared to my Marvel knowledge. So, I just feel like I need to ask any and all DC nuts that may be reading this. Is Gotham really just across the bay from Metropolis? I was always under the impression that there was some distance between DC's most iconic cities. 

Hm… This movie had a lot of things working for and against it. Overall, I’ve got to give it a C. A good cast, effects, and dry wit couldn’t save this film. The script was subpar, with many pointless moments. And, as my brother put it while we were discussing the movie after seeing it, we didn’t really learn anything about these characters. Two and a half hours of buildup and only a so so payoff. Do I recommend this movie? If after reading this review you’re still interested, then yes. Do I think you’ll love it? No. What should have been DC’s Avengers instead turned out to be it’s Thor: Dark World. How disappointing, but hopefully this will be the low point of the DC Cinematic Universe. We can always hope. Next time, back to One-Punch Man. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batman_v_Superman:_Dawn_of_Justice#/media/File:Batman_v_Superman_poster.jpg

https://themoviecafe.wordpress.com/2016/03/28/where-does-the-dceu-go-from-here/
http://www.ew.com/gallery/batman-v-superman-dawn-justice-exclusives/2507913_all-crops-gallery-batman-v-superman-dawn-justice2016-ben-affleck-l-and-henry-cavill

Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 7

This episode opens with a bang. Or more accurately, a promise of a bang. A colossal asteroid is headed straight for City Z. The S-Class heroes are called to City Z’s branch of the Hero Association, but when Genos arrives, he is only met by Bang, aka Silver Fang. Bang explains that City Z falls pretty low on other heroes’ priority list, so they’ll be the only ones to attempt to help. Genos, instead of being deterred, grabs his latest batch of upgrades and heads out. He’s temporarily distracted by Bofoi aka Metal Knight, another S-Class hero. He’s like Iron-Man in his Hulkbuster armor, big, bulky and bombastic. Bofoi, after demanding that he only be called Metal Knight, admits he doesn’t give a rat’s tookus about the populace and was only there to test out his newest weapon. Said weapon is flashy, but doesn’t seem to effect the asteroid.

Bang arrives and gives Genos a pep talk. After being motivated by Bang, Genos decides to go full force. He pulls up his primary power core and jams it into his cannon. He releases a super-powered blast, but much like Metal Knight’s barrage, it wasn’t enough. Saitama then arrives, super-leaps into the air, and One Punched the meteor. He flies through it, shattering it into a million pieces. The pieces rain down, destroying parts of City Z, but overall the destruction is less than it would have been if the asteroid had hit them directly.

This guy's muscles must be dense as a neutron star.

Three days later, and the populace is cleaning up. Genos is pretty depressed by the events of the day, believing that if Metal Knight and Saitama had teamed up, the destruction would have been lessened. Saitama takes a more Zen approach, believing it was and “okay day.” After saving the day, Genos is moved up from 17 to 16 in the S-Class, Metal Knight moves up from 7 to 6, and Saitama skyrocket from 342 to 5 in the C-Class. They also take a minute to explain the “Threat Levels” that often are mentioned before/during a major crisis. A Tiger Level Crisis is a threat that could lead to a massive loss of life, an Oni/Demon Level Crisis threatens to halt the functioning of an entire city or destroy it entirely, a Dragon Level Crisis threatens the destruction of multiple cities, and a Kami/God Level Crisis threatens humanity with Extinction.

Saitama gives an impressive little quote, “If heroes run and hide, who’s left to help?” Then Baka (Stupid) Top, excuse me, Tank Top Tiger and his brother, the even more idiotically named Tank Top Black Hole, arrive and are looking for payback for Tiger’s earlier humiliation. Black Hole comes up with a relatively brilliant plan, they loudly blame Saitama for destroying the town and try to incite a mob. The “ungrateful gits,” to quote various Harry Potter characters, are easily swayed and start demanding answers for why Saitama didn’t do a better job at saving the day. After thinking they’d broken Saitama’s will, Black Hole moves in for the final punch. Saitama easily overpowers the idiot and knocks him out. He then calls the crowd out on the BS, and points out that had he not shattered the asteroid, they’d all be killed insisted of just their stuff. Genos arrives and calls Saitama, and the two depart.

This was a good episode for two reasons. One, it shows us how Saitama handles ridicule. Like Spider-Man, while he might be heckled by those he protects, he won’t stop being a hero just because he’s not well liked. But, unlike Spider-Man, he’ll call out anyone that dares suggest he’s not a good guy. And, it does answer the important question of how they classify the crises that come up. They’d mentioned Dragon, Oni and Tiger Crises during several events before, but I’d no idea what that meant until this point. So the breakdown is Tiger=Bad, Oni = Very Bad, Dragon = Incredibly Awful, and Kami = Humanity is Hosed. Why Saitama didn’t realize this, despite being a professional hero and having lived in this world his entire life, I’ll never know. Next time, Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice review. These titles just keep getting longer and longer. Jeeze. 

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Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 6

The life of a hero can be rather… dull. Or at least that’s what Saitama experienced. Five days after officially joining the Hero Association in the last episode, and he’s done nothing. There’ve been no giant monsters or crazy mutant creatures attacking. Genos, who’d moved in Saitama earlier to do some intensive study of his master, informs Saitama of a small rule that he’s overlooked. As a C-Class hero, he’s got a quota that he has to meet. C-Class heroes need to do at least one heroic thing in a seven-day period, or they’ll be removed from the registry. And Saitama has spent the last five days laying around reading manga. Idiot. That’s a little harsh, since Saitama typically handles huge catastrophes and such, he’s not used to paying attention to the little things like muggers and “spur of the moment” crimes. But seriously, pay attention in meetings.

I don't care if he's "in  the Top Ten" of the C-Class.
No one would take this idiot seriously.

After giving Genos a BS speech about him “changing his mindset” in order to improve himself, really just didn’t want Genos following him and potentially inadvertently taking the credit, he runs off. Trouble is, there is no crime to stop. City Z is quite, when not being attacked by super-sized titans. Take the good with the bad. The following day, Saitama is starting to have a serious freak out. The face he ends up making makes me uncomfortable. He runs into Speed-of-Sound Sonic, who’s looking for a rematch. Saitama does his best to ignore Sonic, still looking for crime to stop, but Sonic is rather persistent. A local “hero” with the dumbest theme ever, Tank Top Tiger, arrives to handle the suspicious situation. Not Sonic, but Saitama. Apparently his mini-freak outs were making more than just me uncomfortable. Sonic, who’s tired of being ignored, knocks out Dumb Guy in Tiger-Print Tank Top and starts flinging kunai everywhere. Saitama, finally realizing that the solution to his problem is LITERALLY staring him in the face, knocks Sonic out, and meets his quota for the week.

Some officials from the Hero Association close the Sonic Case, but still have a more interesting Case open, the Ghost Town. This Case is so big, even an S Class hero named Tornado is interested in it. We learn that there is a district in City Z that is completely uninhabited. This District is hit hardest by the various monsters that attack City Z, so nearly everyone has moved out. Only the basic essentials of electricity and water still run there. Rather than “waste” Tornado’s time with the case, I get the implication the execs are worried she’d be overkill, two A-Class heroes are sent in to handle it. Golden Ball and Spring Mustachio travel through the Ghost Town, and meet a giant Seaweed Monster. Said Monster wipes the floor with them, all the while delivering some exposition. Apparently the Ghost Town is known amongst the monster community, and the toughest of the tough go there to try and defeat the unstoppable denizen of the Ghost Town. Then Saitama walks by. Hm… an invincible superbeing that thrashes the worst monsters, I wonder who it can be? He mentions forgetting to buy soup stock, before the Seaweed monster attacks. We don’t see the monster, but in a pretty dark twist, Saitama apparently killed it and was using it in his soup. Messed up.

The man can bite through a sword. Who can stand a chance?

I feel it’s important to mention that One-Punch Man started out as a manga. Actually, it started out as a web comic that was then redrawn as a manga, and then turned into an anime. I suggest looking into the original Web Comic, not because it’s good but because it’s ugly as sin. I’m really shocked anyone was interested enough in it to make the manga version. My point? Just like most other series, there are occasionally standalone stories in between longer story arcs. Sometimes it’s just one story, sometimes it’s a few, but either way it breaks things up a little. I bring this up because I know that the reason this feels like two stories is because it is. Part one, fighting Sonic, would have been one to three-chapter story, and the Ghost Town investigation would be another. Both segments, while largely unrelated, do help to shape the world they live in. We learn a bit about the hierarchy, C-Class heroes are the Spider-man/Daredevil/Batman sort that handle street crime and the “spur of the moment” crime. Life is always the hardest for rookies. We also learn that the Hero Registry is run by a bunch of idiots. Seriously, if they’d just run through their own Registry, they’d have seen a C and S-Class hero LIVE IN THE GHOST TOWN. Can you think of anyone better to get info about an area then from the guys that live there? But it is also interesting to learn that Saitama is a legend, even if people still don’t take him seriously. So yeah, while the stories don't connect very well, it's a fun episode to just see how more of this world works. Next time, either One-Punch Man episode 6, or my review of Batman V. Superman, depends on when my next day off is. Until then, have a great night.

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Daredevil: Season Two So Far

At the time of writing this little post, I’m five episodes into the new season of Daredevil. I thought about doing a write up similar to the Flash and Gotham seasons openers that I’ve done, but since getting into the Viewer Log thing, I’d be doing Daredevil a major disservice if I didn’t give his show the same treatment. But, given that I’ve got two series going already, and I haven’t done write ups for the first season, that also feels like a disservice. So, I hope you folks can take broad strokes summary at first, followed by a Viewer Logs of the series sometime soon.

Overall, this is an amazing follow up to an already damn good series. Daredevil is now a major force in the New York area of Hell’s Kitchen. If he hoped bringing Fisk down would make the Kitchen a safer place, he was sadly mistaken. New players have risen up to fill the power vacuum that was created when the Kingpin was brought down. And, worst of all, his tactics seems to have helped inspire a new vigilante in the Kitchen. He’s a one-man army, blowing through various gangs in the Kitchen. Frank Castle, the Punisher. Things quickly get more complicated when the District Attorney and her aspirations for power get involved. And Matt Murdock’s old flame Electra comes into town.

The Devil in Chains.

Charlie Cox is still amazing as the damaged but dangerous Matthew Murdock, aka Daredevil. He’s in full DD gear this time around, and he looks great. His costume gets an upgrade or two after his first run in with Punisher, and it still looks good. We get to see a little more insight into his past, especially after Electra gets involved around the halfway point. They had a “passionate” relationship during his law school days, which quickly fizzled after an unfortunate incident. Most of his interactions with the Punisher are your typical “how far is too far,” or “what separates you from me,” arguments that heroes always get into with villains and anti-heroes. And, while I get a little bored with that story, they find a way to keep things fresh. Particularly when Punisher pulls the old “Kill me or I’ll kill x,” ploy with Daredevil.

Speaking of Punisher, Jon Bernthal is wonderful as the also broken but in different ways character that he is. I’d say that before this point, Punisher in live action has only been partially adapted. Thomas Jane’s version of the character in the 2004 film, focused on “Punisher the Sniper.” His character was tactically brilliant, showing off how smart the character is. Ray Stevenson’s version in 2008, focused on “Punisher the Assault Rifle.” Sooo many people died in that movie, in a ton of imaginative ways. Bernthal’s character was the total package, showing off his tactical brilliance in a number of situations, and how crack of a shot he is when he blows away metric tons of gangsters. They cover all the important points, dead family, personal vendetta against gangsters, lethal but with an unusual code of honor. I rather liked his habit of referring to Daredevil as “Red” during their conversations. Fun little quirk.

Frank, you gotta a little... a little something on your face...

Elden Hanson and Deborah Ann Woll do great as Franklin “Foggy” Nelson and Karen Page respectively. Foggy, having learned Murdock’s secret the previous season, does his best to both keep their legal firm afloat, and keeping his partner/best friend Matt Murdock alive. Really feel the stress he’s under with Matt’s more… insane choices. Karen, seems to still be reeling from some of her choices the previous season. She gets really into the Frank Castle case, particularly when some facts about his past start cropping up.

Haven’t seen much of Élodie Yung’s Electra just yet, but she’s an interesting character. From the flashbacks, she and Matt had an intense relationship, but things fell apart when he saw some of the darker aspects of her character. She’s back in New York trying to get access to her family fortune again, which was largely tied into the Roxxon corporation due to her deceased father’s dealings. She’s a mysterious character, and she seems to want to get her hooks back into Matt. Interesting.

Overall, if you enjoyed Daredevil season one, you’ll enjoy season two. The good stuff got better, and I’d say the biggest downside is that Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin isn’t a part of this one. Action is still intense, the cinematography and effects are still wonderful, and I love the clash of titans that was Daredevil vs. Punisher. Netflix has done it again, hooray. Back to One-Punch Man next time. 

http://marvel.com/news/tv/25744/daredevil_stands_in_chains_in_new_season_2_poster

http://www.engadget.com/2016/02/15/daredevil-season-two-trailer-is-all-about-the-punisher/

Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 5

This episode opens to a board of directors discussing the prospective heroes for their test. They seem particularly interested in Genos, for…reasons. At the actual test, Saitama breaks all of the records, by a huge margin. For a jumping test, he hits the ceiling, for the punch-strength test, he smashes the machine, they making him play a game of whack-a-mole for some reason and he destroys all the cute little moles. To test his dexterity, maybe? He and Genos discuss the test itself, which apparently is split between the physical exams that Saitama just went through, and a written exam. Genos is confident that they’d both pass with flying colors. He’s…sort of right. After all the points were tabulated, Genos received a perfect 100 points, earning him an S rank, and Saitama apparently bombed the written portion, but blew away the physical so he was given a C rank. To clarify, the system goes C, B, A, and then S. They don’t really go over how difficult the test was, so I can’t tell if this means Saitama is stupid or not. Well, I know he’s kind of stupid, but…yeah.

Genos plays to win.

In the end, they’re the only two that pass the test, and are given a brief lecture from an A Rank Hero, Snek. He’s apparently some kind of karate/judo/marital arts expert, but considering he’s lecturing an android and someone with superstrength, it’s not that impressive. The feeling is apparently mutual, as after our heroes leave, Snek talks to his superiors about the so-called recruits and his dislike of a certain bald guy in bright yellow. His superiors counter by pointing out that Genos already outranks Snek, and that Saitama’s physical abilities suggest he’ll be an S Class pretty quickly. Snek decides to test Saitama himself, and gets plowed into the ground for his trouble. Don’t mess with Saitama.

The next day, Saitama and Genos discuss some of finer points of the Hero Registry. They’ll get “superhero names” as they move up the ranks and show off their skills. As a means of celebrating their victory, Saitama and Genos have a friendly sparring competition. And by sparring, I mean that Genos shows off all of his super cool weaponry, and Saitama shrugs it off like the fireblasts are just gusts of hot air. The fight ends when the gust of wind that Saitama’s punch creates nearly knocks Genos on his butt. But then it’s onto round 2, udon eating contest. It’s like a kind of noodle soup. Saitama’s invulnerability doesn’t seem to stretch to his digestive tract, as Genos clinches victory. After dinner, they’re approached by the top A Rank hero, Amai Mask, who gets a private word with Genos. The episode ends with some folks trying to get Genos autograph, because he knows Mask.

While a little slower than previous episodes, this was a good world building episode. We got to see a bit about how folks get into the Hero business, and the rigorousness of the selection process. While super-duper beings like Saitama and Genos are a rarity, there are a number of folks with aspirations to superhero-dom. With aspirations of being Batmen, Hawkeyes, Green Arrows, and even Black Panthers. Most of them decide to go home after Saitama jumps higher than the stadium. Can’t say I’m all that surprised. Personally, I’d have also liked to be given an example of the written test, just to know if Saitama failed that portion through being profoundly stupid, or because that portion is ridiculously hard. But that’s just me. The fight was also really well done. Sure, by now we all know that the difference in ability between Saitama and Genos is pretty immense, but I won’t complain to see Genos throwing fireballs at Saitama and seeing him shrug them off. What? Explosions are cool. And people who can shrug off explosions are cooler. We’ll be taking a short break from One-Punch Man, and focus on Daredevil, Season 2. Hope it’s worth the hype. 

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Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 4

This episode opens to a bald man spouting Communist rhetoric. No, Saitama hasn’t fallen under the sway of Marx. This is a new villain, Hammerhead, and his legion of followers The Paradisers. Worst. Team Name. EVER. Basically, they’re a group of 20-30 somethings that can’t find jobs, and now want everyone to give them junk for free. Not nearly as “enlightened” a thought process when put that way, now is it? Despite his shiny head and oddly advanced looking battle armor, Hammerhead is ignored so hard it hurts. Not to be deterred, Hammerhead leads his legion to the penthouse of Zeniru, the wealthiest man in their generic city of City F. They start knocking down skyscrapers using their battlesuits, mostly because the keep mistaking other buildings for Zeniru’s. Did nobody bring a smartphone with GPS?

We get a quick shot of a bicyclist getting a kid’s balloon out of a tree. Remember him, He’ll be important later. We then return to our hero, lurching up from sleep, shouting about a nightmare involving a game of Rock Paper Scissors with a guy who had boogers on his hand. What a strange dream to have. Saitama learns about the Paradiser rampage on the news, and is pretty uninterested at first. But then, he learns that the Paradiser’s all have shaved heads. Infuriated that they’d dare try to steal HIS look, Saitama rushes to beat the snot out of them. He’s starting to act like Darkwing Duck. A Disney cartoon from the 90s? Is that too obscure a reference now? Whatever, back on task.

Once again, barely any effort put into the punch.
Do I still love it? You bet I do.

We quick cut back to the Paradisers, whom are challenged by local hero Mumen Rider, that bicyclist from a few minutes ago. Just going to say it, no superhero should ride into battle on a ten-speed. Least of all one that has a little basket on the front. It’s like the least heroic method of transportation ever. The Paradisers seem to agree with me, and knock him out pretty easily. We then jump to Zeniru, who sends his best body guard to handle the situation. Speed of Sound, Sonic, a superfast ninja with a rather redundant nickname. He meets the Paradisers, and decapitates everyone but Hammerhead in about fifteen seconds. He's efficient, I'll give him that. Meanwhile, Saitama is accused of being a Paradiser by the local populace. Is that racial profiling? Er…appearance profiling? Literally the only thing he had in common was the bald head, so…yeah, appearance profiling.

Hammerhead and Sonic face off, Sonic winning easily despite Hammerhead’s battlesuit. He throws a kunai (ninja throwing knife) at the base of Hammerhead’s head, supposedly killing him. Hammerhead is actually okay, though, because he has a really thick skull. He runs off while Sonic is distracted, but runs into Saitama. Saitama states his intentions in the most deadpan of manners “For personal reasons, I’m here to smash your head in.” Hammerhead gets two shots, a normal punch, and then a supercharged spinning punch, both do nothing, before Saitama retaliates. He shatters Hammerhead’s suit, and then lets him get away. It took four episodes, but we finally have a villain that doesn’t die from one punch. Hooray for hollow victories.

Sonic catches up to Saitama, and also believes our bald hero is a Paradiser. Really stupid, just saying. They have an all-out brawl, that ends decisively. Sonic runs off but declares Saitama to be his rival first. Later that day, Saitama and Genos have tea and discuss a weird thing they’ve been noticing. Namely, no one knows who the heck they are. Saitama is particularly annoyed by this given his laundry list of monsters and baddies he’s defeated since starting his hero training. He’s really starting to remind me of Darkwing Duck, just saying. They then learn that there is a “Hero Association,” that pretty much monopolizes superheroing. Basically, if you’re not a member, any and all heroic deeds you do either don’t get reported or are passed off to someone else. Mumen Rider got credit for the Paradiser thing. How the Hero Associated silenced the hundred witnesses that saw him get knocked out, I’ll never know Saitama and Genos decide to register together. Meanwhile, Hammerhead, still naked, is attacked by a couple of scary looking monsters. They try to kill him for stealing the battlesuits he and the Paradisers used from the Villain Association. Once again, Hammerhead is saved by his unusually thick skull, and swears to find a real job.

This was an interesting episode. Hammerhead and his group are a stupid but entertaining group of villains. It’s like if any generic lazy prick got a battlesuit and started making half-baked evil plans. They even make a joke out of them constantly flattening the wrong buildings, which is fine because it’s a learning experience. I don’t get it either. And, while the idea that he literally has a thick skull and that saves his life twice is stupid, it's also pretty darn funny to see it work twice. An expert assassin, and two really evil looking bad guys, tricked by an idiot playing possum. How silly. Saitama is still hilarious in this one, especially in his “fights” with Hammerhead and Sonic. I use quotations because a Fight implies both sides have an equal chance of winning. Which, by now, we know is not the case when Saitama is involved. And, the realization that there is an organization of Super People does help with world building. And explain why someone like Saitama can be so unknown, despite regularly killing giant monsters. Because a powerful group is deliberately ignoring him. Saitama just can’t catch a break, now can he? Next time, episode 5.

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Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 3

Episode 3 picks up immediately after episode 2. Armored Gorilla explains his creator’s, Dr. Genus, background in some detail. Saitama is rather bored by this, and Genos gives the “20 words or less” advice. Short version, Genus is a mad scientist obsessed with artificial evolution. He figured out how to make himself young again after 70 odd years of research, made a bunch of clones of himself, and created horrible abominations. He’s “interested” in Saitama’s body. Not like that, but that’s where Saitama’s mind goes. He and Genos decide to attack Genus’ “House of Evolution” right away. Their reasoning? Genos, because it makes sense to strike before the enemy has a chance to prep. Saitama, because there’s a sale on Saturday at the local market. The man has his priorities in order.

Genus is warned by Armored Gorilla what is coming his way and preps. He actives booby-traps and internal defenses on the six upper floors of the House of Evolution, and orders his clones to prep their ultimate weapon, Carnage Kabuto. Saitama and Genos arrive shortly, and Genos obliterates the upper part of the House. Bet Genus was real annoyed with that one. Saitama discovers the secret underground levels, and they proceed downwards. Genus, after losing several clones to his oversized super monster, is able to convince Kabuto to fight Saitama, to prove that he is in fact the strongest.

Ugh, it's like if the Tick and Clayface had a baby.
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

After smacking around Genos a little, and then having Genos rain fire down on Kabuto, who isn’t really affected by it, it’s Saitama’s turn. Kabuto rushes in, but backs off at the last possible second, because he sensed Saitama’s “killer intent.” This also happens a lot in anime, various skilled warriors or mystically attuned characters can “sense” the destructive capability that another character possesses. In the oversized Hercules Beetle’s own words, it was like every nerve of his body was screaming at him to run away. Which was particularly disconcerting for Kabuto when he realized that Saitama’s stance left him completely open to attack. Standing, with his arms at his sides, and yet he strikes fear into the heart of a supposedly fearless monster. Kabuto, Genus and Genos all demand to know how Saitama gained such incredible power. After some prodding, Saitama reveals his super-secret training method… One hundred pushups, sit-ups, squats, and a 10k run, every day. Oh, and eat three meals a day, and don’t use the AC in the summer to help build mental strength. Doing this for a year and a half caused him to 1. Lose his hair, and 2. Be super strong. Who’d a thunk it?

No one is happy with his answer, Genos thinking Saitama was making a bad joke, and Kabuto believing that what he sensed was wrong. Kabuto goes Super Saiyan…er into Carnage Mode, and claims that in his ultimate form he can rampage for a whole week. The fight is on. Once again, the ending is too funny to give away, just know that Genus, whom survives the brawl, ultimately decides he’s done with evolution.

Another very solid episode. I really loved finding out Saitama’s “Super-secret training method,” and seeing everyone’s reaction to the revelation that it was really pretty light training. It was a great character moment for Genos, as he actually yells at Saitama when he thinks his bald mentor is telling an awful joke during a crisis. I also enjoyed Saitama’s motivation, needs to get this done today because of the sale tomorrow. The man is frugal if nothing else. Like last time, the design for the monster is really well done, if incredibly… I really don’t know the best word to describe it. Off putting, maybe? All I know is, when I saw Carnage Kabuto, he made me shift uncomfortably in my chair. Which, I think more monsters should strive for. Genus is a pretty generic mad scientist, but they have some fun with him too, like when Kabuto uses him as a projectile, and his decision to give up his life’s work after seeing Saitama in action. So yeah, another good one. Next time, episode 3.

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Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 2

When we last left Saitama, he was lamenting the fact that his immense strength has made crime fighting rather boring. Can’t say I blame him, if my punches turned anything into goo, fighting giant monsters and what not would probably lose its allure for me too. But, in episode 2, Saitama comes across his greatest foe, one that can take an unheard of amount of punishment from him. A Mosquito! Seriously, he’s annoyed by one while watering plants, and, for whatever reason, he’s unable to kill it. No matter how many times he swats it. If that wasn’t bad enough, Mosquitos are raining down on the citizens of Generic Japanese Town, aka City Z, like locusts from the bible days. They’re sucking people and animals completely dry. Why? Well, a mysterious Cyborg attempts to find out.

Such a shiny head.

The Cyborg, later revealed to be named Genos, starts using his fireball shooting palms to reduce the Mosquito population. He discovers that the Mosquitos are all being controlled by Mosquito Girl, a horrid abomination of woman and insect. She’s somehow controlling the lesser bugs, whom deliver the blood they drain to her, for some nefarious purpose. Genos tries to stop her. In the quick confrontation, he loses an arm, but he takes both of her legs before Mosquito Girl flies off to recuperate. Meanwhile, Saitama has taken to the streets, still trying to kill that #@!ing mosquito. He meets up with Genos, right when the cyborg is about to napalm the surrounding area to kill as many mosquitos as possible. Genos is unable to stop the explosion, but all it does to Saitama is incinerate his clothes. Probably would have taken his hair too, you know, if he still had any.

Unfortunately, Genos’ fire-blast wasn’t able to stop Mosquito Girl from sucking up all the blood, which makes her go Super Saiyan. For those that don’t recognize the phrase, it’s from Dragonball Z. The character visibly transforms, increasing their strength, speed, and hair length. Again, this happens a lot in Anime. Mosquito Girl quickly wipes the floor with Genos, ripping him into pieces. He attempts to self-destruct, in the hopes of taking Mosquito Girl with him, but is saved by Saitama. He smacks Mosquito Girl, turning her into a giant blood stain on the side of the building. Hi fives all around.

The next day, Genos arrives at Saitama’s apartment and asks to be named his apprentice. When Saitama asks how the heck Genos fixed himself when, twenty-four hours before, he’d been reduced to a head, torso and one arm, he just vaguely explains he can make quick repairs. Got to love vagueness, don’t you? Despite Saitama’s protests, Genos explains his background. Basically, he was attacked by an evil cyborg as a child, a good doctor rebuilt him, and now he seeks vengeance. I tried to follow Saitama’s advice and “keep it to 20 words or less.” Genos does not do this, which greatly irritates Saitama.

If I had to guess her power level, I'd probably say it was
right about 9000.

We quickly cut to some evil corporate type, watching the analysis of Mosquito Girl’s demise, and making vague comments about the evil group “House of Evolution,” and how he wants to study our follically challenged hero. Back at Saitama’s house, he and Genos are attacked by a group of animal/human hybrids. Saitama knocks the first monster’s head off, a giant Mantas, before it could even say its name. He’s also very upset about them wrecking his house. Outside, the heroes divide and conquer. Genos fights the “Armored Gorilla,” while Saitama fights Beast King, a giant Lion/Man, and Ground Dragon, a mole person. Not like the mole people from last time, meaning a group of humanoids that live under ground, a literal mole that is also kind of human. I won’t ruin the ending for this one, just know that it’s as messy as the last episode. I will point out that Saitama’s name for his signature move is perhaps my favorite name for an attack ever.

We get a bit more development for both Saitama and the world that he inhabits in this one. Monster and supervillain attacks are common enough that there are evacuation and shelter protocols for the particularly nasty ones, and people with strange powers are rather common. That being said, Saitama is definitely the impatient sort that can’t seem to stand the long winded speeches, aka monologuing, that others in his profession seem to love so much. There’s a pretty great visual gag where his entire body starts twitching while he listens to Genos’ over complicated telling of his origins. Speaking of, he seems like he’ll be an interesting character. He’s designed really well, the metal of his body pretty much dominates his appearance. They also do a fairly common joke, him referring to Saitama by various titles, which change whenever he protests. The “Master,” “Don’t call me Master,” “Alright Sensei,” sort of thing. The monster designs are pretty cool, Mosquito Girl, Beast King, and Armored Gorilla are some of the most visually striking bad guys I’ve seen in a while. Shame that Saitama doesn’t usually leave anyone alive long enough for them to be a “recurring villain.” The humor is still top notch, as it the general grossness of Saitama’s “victories.” All of the baddies in today’s episode get turned from solids into liquids, it’s as awesome and disgusting as it sounds. So, in summation, a solid episode, I’m excited to see more. Next time…One-Punch Man ep 3. See you soon, folks.

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Viewer Log: One-Punch Man ep 1

This may come as no surprise to anyone, but I love anime. Been a fan since Dragonball and Pokémon first came over from Japan. I’ve seen a wide assortment: Dragonball Z, Pokémon, Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Yu Yu Hakusho, Rave Master, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Digimon seasons 1-5, Clannad, Mobile Fighter G Gundam, Princess Mononoke, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Itazura na Kiss, to name a few. I think only the folks who are well versed in their Japanese animation will realize which two of these titles are not like the others. To those that do, did I list off a bunch of action oriented anime to make me feel more secure in my masculinity? Oh you bet I did. Heck, I’ve seen enough Anime that I could probably do a blog about those, too. But, given my limited amount of free time, I’m going to keep focus on the superhero stuff. But, what is this? An anime that is also about superheroes? Surely you jest. Just kidding, there’s at least a half dozen series that focus on the X-Men alone. But I’m not here to talk about those, I’m here to talk about a newer addition to the Superhero Genre, One-Punch Man.

Doesn't look like the most powerful being on the planet,
does he? He's the Cue Ball in the middle, FYI

The series opens to an oversized purple monster, that looks suspiciously like Piccolo from Dragonball Z, destroying a generic Japanese town. What? The place is called City B for goodness sake, they couldn’t get more generic if they tried. There’s lots of death and destruction, people screaming, children crying and so on. New reports talk about a pair of heroes that were taken down by the monster, and that a Hero Association is planning a counter attack. We then see a mysterious bald man stand up, saying that he’ll handle this. Cut to a little girl that is nearly crushed by purple monster, only to be saved at the last minute by our bald headed friend. The monster, calling itself Vaccine Man, asks who he’s dealing with. Our hero, we learn later on his name is Saitama but I’m going to use it now, is just a guy that’s a superhero for ‘fun.’ Vaccine Man is rather upset at this comment, and goes on monologuing like Syndrome from The Incredibles. He’s made from pollution, going to kill all humans, blah blah blah. Saitama, unimpressed by Vaccine Man, punches him in the face. Liquefying him. Saitama is most distraught that, once again, a fight ended with a single punch.

We flashback three years, Saitama is just your run of the mill twenty something, staring down a giant crab man in tightie-whities. This is less insane then it sounds, trust me. Crab Monster is on a killing spree, looking for a big chinned kid that pulled a prank on him. He threatens Saitama, but leaves him alone, saying the young man has “Dead eyes” like him. Saitama quickly meets the big chinned kid, which is an understatement, the kid has a jaw that would put Dolph Lundgren to shame. His prank? He drew nipples on the Crab Man while he was sleeping in the park. Kid gets a 10 for being gutsy. Crab Man appears, threatens kid, and slaps Saitama away when he tries to interfere. Saitama refuses to give up, claiming he’ll defeat Crab Man in one punch. He gets slapped around some more, but finally defeats crappy…by tying his tie around the monster’s eye stalk, and pulling him inside out. Did I mention this show is gory?

Flash forward to the present, and Saitama is lamenting the fact that he’s attained his goal of being the strongest, but that it’s made life incredibly boring. And the fact that the training he underwent to become superstrong somehow led to him losing all of his hair. Feel your pain, bro. In the next ten minutes, he defeats a giant monster, the bizarre offspring of a monster truck and its mechanic, and a race of invading mole people. All with one punch each. Saitama is particularly bummed after that last one, because the mole people looked much tougher than they were, and he’d had a rousing dream about having a pitched battled with them.

So, first impressions? This show is really, really funny. Saitama is basically Superman, super strong and nigh invulnerable, but unlike Superman, he doesn’t run into villains that can at least take one of his punches. It also pokes fun at the usual superhero clichés, the monologuing heroes and villains, the overly complicated backstories, and just how much destruction that a town would undergo during an actual superhero smack down. Heck, Saitama causes as much damage to the town while killing some of the monsters he’s run into. Saitama is particularly funny, with his bald head, bright yellow costume, and borderline depression about his extreme strength. While other characters are drawn with a lot of detailed, heavy lines, he’s left pretty simple. Just a round head, two beady eyes, and a scowling mouth, most of the time. When things get intense, he gets drawn more intense, too. We don’t get much about him in terms of character development in this first episode, other than he’s incredibly strong and really bored because of it. Which is one of the saddest fates for a character to suffer through. Reminds me of Atticus Finch, from To Kill a Mockingbird. So good at shooting that he had to stop, simply because it wasn’t fun anymore… or fair to the animals. And, given the fates of Vaccine Man, Giant Monster dude and his brother, the King of the Mole People, and the Car-Man, I would definitely say that, yes, fighting Saitama isn't fair to them. Would I suggest this show? Yes. Should you show it to little kids? Oh hell no. One Punch Man is Deadpool territory. Gore factor is high, as is some of the costume designs. Like Crab man in his tightie whities. Shudder. But, for the older superhero fan that needs to see something that beautifully satires something you love, then give it a watch. Next time, One-Punch Man Episode Two, it hits the fan. 

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Villain Profile: Annihilus

Insects are really messed up looking. Compound eyes, too many legs, their exoskeletons, the fact that they don’t breathe. Okay, that last one has nothing to do with their appearance, but I’m 100% serious. They don’t have lungs, and instead absorb oxygen through tiny tubes along their bodies called tracheae. That’s messed up, right? It’s really not surprising that so many alien species in fiction are bugs, since Earth bugs don’t look like they belong here anyway. From the Bugs of Starship Troopers to the Zerg of Starcraft alien bugs are aplenty. Though, none of these creatures has the same flair as Annihilus, lord of the Negative Zone.

He's hungry for Hulk flesh.

Like many villains, Annihilus’ origins can be traced back to an idea that seemed good at the time. Eons ago, there was an alien race called the Tyannans. They decided that it was their mission to seed worlds with life, by covering barren and/or lifeless worlds with genetically engineered spores. Said spores would kick evolution into overdrive, allowing complex, multi-cellular life to be created in a fraction of the usual time. After doing this in the main universe for a bit, the Tyannans turned their sights to the seemingly lifeless alternate universe, the Negative Zone. While seeding planets, a freak collision with a meteor caused a Tyannas ship to crash land on a world called Arthoros. The plant was a volcanic wasteland, you know, the sort of place that I for one wouldn’t call “conducive towards life.” The Tyannas’ disagreed, however, and released their payload of spores as their dying act.

The spores quickly germinated, and covered Arthoros in new fauna, that somehow survived the burning landscape. Of the many beasts that now called Arthoros home, the most notable was Annihilus. The creature was smaller and weaker than most of its kin, and despite this (or perhaps due to this), was incredibly hostile towards other lifeforms. Annihilus happened upon the downed Tyannas’ ship, and began exploring. An unforeseen side effect of the Tyannas’ spore experiments, it seems, was that the resulting creatures were rather unstable. The mutation that allowed them to grow and develop as quickly as they do, gave Annihilus the intellectual boost necessary for him to learn and master the Tyannas technology. From the wreckage of the vessel, Annihilus fashioned himself a staff, dubbed the Cosmic Control Rod (CCR), which further mutated him, and gave him command of his insectoid brethren. Being a paranoid, xenophobic, and aggressive sod (sounds like a certain Presidential Candidate, now doesn’t he?), Annihilus set out on a centuries long crusade across the Negative Zone, conquering or destroying any lifeforms he encountered. One of the CCR’s many abilities was making Annihilus immortal, FYI.

Annihilus had basically conquered all of known Negative Zone space when he encountered the Fantastic Four. Well, the Terrific Trio. Reed, Ben, and Johnny had traveled to the alternate dimension looking for anti-particles, a rare subatomic McGuffin that Sue needed. Apparently being irradiate by Cosmic Rays, and then being impregnated by another Cosmic Ray exposed individual leads to pregnancy complications. Who knew? Unfortunately for our heroes, the only source of anti-particles they could find was in Annihilus’s CCR. Annihilus’ forces were able to overpower the three, capturing them…temporarily. They’re able to escape, steal the rod, and make it back to Earth. They siphoned off some anti-particles, and…then…gave it back? Why would you give a weapon of such cosmic power back to an obvious despot? It’s like stealing the nuclear launch codes from North Korea, just to give it back after tearing off a corner because you needed scratch paper. I know it’s a weird scenario, but it’s the best I could come up with. I deal with weird subject matter.

He doesn't take kindly to folks coming into his backyard.

After facing off against the Four, Annihilus developed an intense obsession with getting to Earth. See? Giving his best weapon back seems pretty stupid now, doesn’t it? He nearly made it to Earth the first time because an arrogant scientist named Janus the Nega-Man came to the Negative Zone to try and harness the Zone’s anti-matter for a power source. Annihilus easily overpowered the Nega-Man, and tried to force Nega-Man to take him to Earth. He was foiled, however, when a tear in Nega-Man’s suit caused him to explode into space dust. For those who don’t remember their theoretical physics, Matter + Anti-Matter = Annihilation. His other attempts to dimension hop were thwarted by Earth’s various heroes, the Fantastic Four, Avengers, Spider-Man to name a few. His first successful trip to Earth led to him kidnapping Reed and Sue Richards’ son, Franklin. The kid has a LOT of cosmic power locked in his young brain, Annihilus sensed this and tried to get his hands on said power. He built a machine to force Franklin’s powers to emerge prematurely, steal them, and transfer them to Annihilus. He’s thwarted by the Four, and left stranded in the Negative Zone again.

Annihilus’ eventually created a massive fleet of ships he dubbed the Annihilation Wave. His plan? Take over the Universe. The bug man dreams big. He invades the main Marvel Universe, destroying an intergalactic prison called the Kyln, and the planet Xandar, homeworld of the Nova Corps. He forms an alliance with the mad Titan, Thanos, and two former Kyln prisoners Tenebrous and Aegis. The four are able to overpower two of the most powerful beings in creation, Galactus and the Silver Surfer. The two are then strapped into a weapon in Annihilus’ flagship. He then reveals his real goal, to use Galactus and Silver Surfer to power a Power Cosmic bomb and destroy creation. Leaving Annihilus the sole survivor. There’s wanting to be alone, and then there is Annihilus. The plan is foiled by Nova and Drax the Destroyer. They’re able to free the Surfer and Galactus. This may come as a shock to ya’ll, but Galactus doesn’t like being used. He obliterates the Annihilation Wave, and Nova gets payback for Xandar’s destruction, killing the alien bug. Unfortunately, a new Annihilus was born in the Negative Zone after his death, with all the memories of the previous one. Can’t keep a good bad bug down.

Less alien bug, and more alien Iron Man. Just saying.

Annihilus is able to fly, is super strong, and highly resistant to injury. He can also survive the vacuum of space…for reasons. Using Tyannan technology, he fashioned the Cosmic Control Rod. This weapon could manipulate cosmic energy on a massive scale. He can rearrange matter on the molecular level. He’s able to release immense destructive and concussive force. Exposure to the Rod’s energies has greatly reduced the aging process of Annihilus, effectively making him immortal. If he’s ever actually killed, he’ll be reincarnated back on his homeworld.

He’s appeared in a few series outside the comics. Like Deathstroke and Deadshot, he’s actually rarely up against the hero that he started up against. Weird how that happens, isn’t it?

He appeared in Fantastic Four: World’s Greatest Heroes. In the episode “Annihilation,” he teleports the FF to the Negative Zone and tries to kill them. Why? Dr. Doom convinced him that the Fantastic Four were planning to steal the Cosmic Control Rod. This would usually be pretty difficult, but as I’ve mentioned before, Annihilus is a paranoid SOB. Doom then double crosses Annihilus, and steals the Rod. The FF and Annihilus fight back against Doom, getting the Rod back and sending Annihilus home.

Annihilus is basically a horror movie monster in “Assault on 42,” in The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The various prisoners of Prison 42 in the Negative Zone complain about hearing “something” outside the prison. Their complaints are sluffed off as “Bad guys being liars.” It’s eventually revealed that this is Annihilus and his army attacking the “affront” to Negative Zone purity. The Heroes need to team up with the Villains, and are able to force Annihilus back. He doesn’t really speak in this version, his motivations and thoughts are interpreted by an incredibly terrified Leader.

A much more talkative version of Annihilus appears in Hulk and the Agents of SMASH. He leads his army on an attack on Vista Verde, the “home town” of the Incredible Hulk. Hulk, Red Hulk, She-Hulk, and the newly irradiated hero A-Bomb join forces to stop him. He uses another hulk like being named Skaar as his attack dog. They team is able to free Skaar of the mind control tech that Annihilus was using, and force the bug man back. It’s later revealed that he was in an alliance with the Hulk Villain, The Leader, who supplied him with the mind control tech. Villains, always finding ways to take away freewill.

Annihilus is a villain that changes a lot from one series to the next. Some times he’s a snarling savage with a colossal army of evil bugs, other times he’s your standard monologing villain…with a colossal army of evil bugs. Okay, so somethings are the same regardless of the version. He’s an entertaining villain, regardless, and I enjoy watching him waving his Cosmic Control Rod around. It’s part of the reason why he’s the main villain of my Possible Plot for a new Fantastic Four movie. He’s the insidious, insectoid, interdimensional invader, Annihilus. Next time…I’m not sure. We’ll see what comes to me.

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