Justice Society: World War II

 Hey all and welcome back to the blog. Today is Memorial Day and we are staying away from the typical Indie films and gore fest horror flicks. I thought we'd make our way back to Warner Brothers and enjoy an animated film. With the fate of the world in the balance, a traveler will be witness to these events and help where he can. This is Justice Society World War II. 

 

The pilot and the princess.

 

 

 

 

 

With something as simple as a picnic out of town, Barry Allen a.k.a.the scarlet speedster, The Flash (Matt Bomer of Tru Calling, Traveler, Chuck, Superman: Unbound, White Collar, Will & Grace and Doom Patrol) is on a date with his long-time girlfriend Iris West (Ashleigh LaThrop of Sirens, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed, The 100, The Kominsky Method and Utopia). Barry is nervous and still not exactly how to balance being a hero, a forensic officer and boyfriend.

Granted I could slap Barry for choosing Metropolis for a picnic in the park. METROPOLIS?!!! What's a matter, Barry? Gotham at midnight was already taken? Iris makes her point, stresses her love and want of growth with Barry but isn't certain if he wants the same thing. An explosion occurs and Barry runs into action, teaming up with Superman (Darren Criss of Glee, American Horror Story, Supergirl, The Flash, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, American Crime Story, Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Midway and Superman: Man of Tomorrow)against the cybernetic organism known as Brainiac.

With a series of McGuffin events tied together, Barry gets chucked into the speed force, transporting him into another place and time. Clad in his suit and getting bounced about, Flash lands in front of all people during civilians being shot at by Nazis..? Confused but being the good man he is, Flash proceeds to take the soldiers down, leaving them unconscious when he is violently grabbed and slammed against the wall by the Amazon princess herself, Wonder Woman (Stana Katic of ER, 24, Quantum of Solace, The Spirit, Castle, Batman: Arkham City and Absentia). A military outfit of special forces and metahumans code-named Justice Society with archelogist/reincarnated warrior prince, Hawkman (Omid Abtahi of My Own Worst Enemy, Brothers, Last Resort, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, DuckTales, World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, The Mandalorian and American Gods), the martial artist with a sonic cry, Black Canary (Elysia Rotaru of iZombie, Supernatural, Countdown, Arrow, Reapers, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Residue, Lone Echo, Dead Again in Tombstone and The Age of Adulting) 

Flying the not so friendly skies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chemist/physicist and speedster Jay Garrick/Flash (Armen Taylor of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Rage 2, One Punch Man, Crystar, Call of Duty: Mobile, Wicked Woods: A Descendants Halloween Story, Kingdom Under Fire II, Asgard's Wrath, Super Wings!, Darksiders Genesis, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and The Seven Deadly Sins), chemist/physicist and strong man Hourman (Matthew Mercer of Resident Evil: Damnation, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Fallout 4, Overwatch, Attack on Titan, Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045, The Last of Us: Part II and Blood of Zeus) and USAF Colonel and liason for the team, Steven Trevor (Chris Diamantopoulos of Family Guy, Skylanders Academy, Voltron: Legendary Defender, Go Away, Unicorn!, Disney Mickey Mouse, Silicon Valley, Harley Quinn, Dirty Diana and American Dad!).

 

TOO MUCH COFFEE!! Gotta pee, gotta pee, gotta pee!

 

 

 

 

 

The overseas combat stretches around the world (as the name World War would indicate) and our service men are hard at work. Their war correspondent dubbed Shakespeare tabulates their stories but has to keep the team out of the headlines as they're a secret weapon against the Axis powers. With Hitler's forces encroaching throughout the world, trying to claim religious artifacts for further the Reich, our heroes must work together, putting aside their differences and join in this struggle as one.

With Trevor being smitten by the Amazon princess, there is also a bit of sexual tension between the Canary and the Egyptian war prince. Hourman and Jay have common ground as scientists. Barry also connects to both scientist heroes. With all that is going on, the Alantians are also throwing in their weight to the surface world. With a few examples similar to Barry's time, he notices this isn't simply the past but a different world. An Earth-2 if you will.

 

AMAZON FURY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can the heroes stop the awaiting onslaught? Can good triumph over evil?

This story gives credit to DC comics writing as far back as the early 60s when the JSA (Justice Society of America) and the JLA (Justice League of America) were establishing timelines and continuity. These stories are older than I am and this film tips its hat to, really projecting the Golden and Silver Age of DC Comics. Did I enjoy it? Yes, very much. Was there anything to complain about? A few things but not enough to give credence too. I know, me not complaining about a flick is almost unheard of. Young and old will enjoy the action-packed film and have a good time with it as well.

 

Another budget meeting.

 

The Flash Season 1

Yup back again. It's okay I know you missed me. So four seasons have passed and I haven't even done the first season of the Scarlet Speedster?? If I am not careful I may lose more geek credits (Still getting crap for never following anything of Harry Potter) and frankly I cannot afford to lose any more. So today we talk about the metahuman (super powered being in DC universe classification) super hero that watches over Central City. This is The Flash.

Matrix bullet time...cool.

Forensics scientist, Barry Allen (Grant Gustin of 90210, Glee, Arrow, Vixen, Supergirl and The Flash) first appeared on-screen in Season 2, episode 8 dealing with the first of the Mirakuru (Miracle) super-soldiers. Boy that sounds silly when you write that up. Barry shows a very human side of himself revealing his mother was killed by a metahuman and his father framed for the murder. After aiding in the case, saving Ollie's life and finding out his secret identity, Barry went back in time to witness the birth of an exotic matter particle accelerator that will bring about change in the world as we know it.

With the use of S.T.A.R. Labs (Scientific and Technological Advanced Research Laboratories) and their golden boy, published theorist/scientist Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavanagh of Scrubs, Ed, Yogi Bear, Arrow, Supergirl and The Flash) at the helm, many are worried while others are excited. The experiment puts out a strange pulse wave of almost lightning and Barry is struck in his lab around an assortment of chemicals, putting him into a coma for nine months.

Hehe snuck whiskey in my mug.

Awakening after so long asleep to Lady Gaga's Poker Face, Barry sees Dr. Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker of Sky High, Empire Falls, Friday the 13^th, Bones, Justified, Arrow, Supergirl and the Flash) biochemist, M.D.and electrical engineer and manufactorist, Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes of Arrow, Vixen, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash) as they explain to Barry how the coma occurred and that he has changed.

Barry thanks them profusely and DOES NOT sue them or CCPD for the lack of safety margins for a lightning strike as he heads out to see his favorite person, Iris West (Candice Patton of Commander and Chief, The Guest, The Game, Con Man, Supergirl, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash) childhood friend and long time crush...has moved on to seriously dating a cop crushing Barry's puppy love. He takes off and lands about 700 feet in the opposite direction as suddenly he is propelling at great speeds.

Heading back to S.T.A.R. Labs to find out what is wrong with him they see he what he can do. Other than travel at ridiculous speeds and damn near set his clothes on fire. Little writing gag is as a speedster's power grows, he or she can emit an aura around them and those traveling with them so they don't melt or freeze depending on the travel and environment.

Jason Vorhees, is that you?

But Barry isn't the only one effected by the dark matter particles that was released in the blast, as he decides to do something about these villainous metahumans, suits up and proceeds to kick some ass.

Trying to keep his activities quiet, Cisco makes Barry a suit that withstand his high speed travels and makes him a mask to conceal his face. Reluctantly Dr. Wells and S.T.A.R. Labs team join Barry as he creates his alternative identity, The Flash. The man in a yellow costume that killed his mother years ago is back. To torment the Flash?

Reminiscent of the 1990 The Flash, several of the actors come to this series playing different or familiar roles to the previous series. John Wesley Shipps who was Barry in the 1990 The Flash is now Barry's father, Dr. Henry Allen.

A side note, Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell of Prison Break are teamed up as Flash Rogues, Captain Cold and Heatwave.

DCU TV seems to be on a booming track as these shows are risk takers deeming the DC characters of the three best known characters, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are not in their own series...yet.

Rocket Maaaaaaaan...

Random Goofy: Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox

Welcome back to Random Goofy. Man I so needed a better title for the week. Oh well. Today we explore an animated film. One that brings it all. Paradox, alternative timelines, a world where heroes have gone as bad as the villains they fight. Two metahuman armies poised at destroying one another and damn all of humanity in the way. One man must rally support to stop this madness before it's too late. This is Justice League: Flashpoint Paradox.

Aunt May will be pissed if I miss breakfast...wait...what?

Based on the five part mini-series written by Geoff Johns (Blade: The Series, Justice League Unlimited, Green Lantern: Emerald Knights, Justice League: War, Superman: Unbound, Arrow and The Flash) and drawn by Adam Kubert (Action Comics, Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine, X-Men, The Incredible Hulk, Wolverine and Ultimate Fantastic Four) we see Barry Allen a.k.a. The Flash dealing with the loss of his mother on her birthday when a JLA alert tells him of a hit on his own museum by a slathering of his rogues. Top, Mirror Master, Captain Cold and Captain Boomerang trashing the place. Apparently that is their gig and a slice of revenge on the guy that sent them up river. The fiendish foursome (Lord I have got to cut down on the comics) attack Flash with next to no success when Thawne a.k.a. Reverse Flash or Professor Zoom announces bombs planted to take out 10 square blocks and all the lives along with it. Flash however is nowhere near the idiot Zoom thinks him to be and he already dialed in his own team of the leaguers.

Battle ready amazons??

Bombs defused and Thawne thwarted, Zoom gets in a little snotty remark of Barry not being fast enough to save all those that matter to him. Barry goes for a run to clear his head only to wake up in his office of criminology and discovers things are different. For example, no superhuman speed and his mother is alive, The Amazons of Themyscira are at war with the Atlantians. Yeah Aquaman, Wonder Woman and their collective armies have destroyed chunks of Europe warring against each other. With no speed, no Superman, JLA communications or contact with any of the other metas or heroes is out, he knows that Batman is in Gotham so a logical conclusion to stop by there and sort this madness out. Only to find a completely different Batman in the cave who deals out a much more stern form of justice. Between the two of them they attempt to figure what happened and it all comes up Zoom. Zoom, notorious for time travel has to have altered the timeline creating this twisted and bizarre deviation of the world.

Gotta love the build and red lenses.

With a handful of metas, Flash and Batman have to stop this crazy train before there is no more world to speak of, stop Zoom and get things back to normal. Will the insanity be stopped? How come the Green Lantern Corps isn't looking at Sector 2814? Do I know way too much about DC Comics?

Let's talk voice cast for a minute. Kevin Conroy back for Bruce Wayne/Batman, Nathan Fillion for Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, Vanessa Marshall reprising her role as Diana/Wonder Woman, Dana Delany for Lois Lane, Ron Perlman for Deathstroke, Kevin McKidd as Flashpoint Batman but the most important roles of the two gents right at the center of it all. Justin Chambers as the Flash and a pleasant surprise as C. Thomas Howell as Zoom.

A view of your childhood heroes behaving in a fashion you never thought possible, a world turn upside down and Armageddon at their doorstep, this is intense, good writing and a wonderful voice cast. Hell, I was blown away to here Michael B. Jordan as Cyborg. The kid's got chops, baby. So Flash fans, JLA fans, Super-Fans, Wonder-Fans and Bat-Fans (See that? I did a thing there.) this is an impressive flick at a hour and fifteen minutes that is true to its source material in the likes I haven't seen in a while.

Oh hey, Aquaman.  Um..love the orange shirt?

The Flash Season 1

Hey there folks! Welcome back to my rambling...oh wait that is the podcast. Be that as it may, are you superhero fans? Do you like the idea for live action incorporation of the characters on film and TV? Let's face it, since Blade and X-Men we have been living the superhero craziness and overall they have been enjoyable. Yes there is more than a handful we could all grump, bitch and complain about but the general vibe is superheroes are still cool. That being said, you have to give the love to DC comics bringing Green Arrow from Arrow, Supergirl from Supergirl and even Gotham some props that they deserve. The biggest draw thus far has been the Scarlet Speedster himself the Flash. This is The Flash Season 1.

Yes my outfit looks a little silly.

We catch back with Barry Allen (Grant Gustin of CSI: Miami, 90210, Glee, Vixen and Arrow) almost a year after STAR labs particle accelerator accident caused a massive surge of engeries across Central City and rendered Barry unconscious from it. Nine months after the accident, Barry wakes up to find the city is pretty much the same, his job still being there and his adopted family has been concerned for him. His impromptu dad, Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin of Ally McBeal, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Joyful Noise, Puncture and Smash) has a new partner Eddie (Rick Cosnett of The Trojan Horse, The Vampire Diaries, Quantico and Skybound) who happens to be dating Barry's best friend, surrogate sister and love of his life Iris (Candice Patton of The Young and the Restless, Sorority Forever, Entourage, The Game and The Flash).

So why can't I be hot and nerdy like you, Bethany?

Barry starts seeing things happen quicker, moving faster than he ever has and in general is disturbed by it. Going back to STAR labs he meets the team of scientists that have been watching over him since the accident. Biochemist Dr. Bethany Snow (Danielle Panabaker of Sky High, Home of the Giants, Shark, The Crazies, The Ward, Friday the 13^th, Bones and Necessary Roughness), electronics engineer Cisco Ramone (Carlos Valdes of Arrow, Vixen and The Flash) and founder of STAR Labs Dr. Harrison Wells (Tom Cavangh of Bang Bang You're Dead, Ed, Love Monkey, Two Weeks, Eli Stone and Scrubs). With a bit of testing and work up they find out that Barry has developed superhuman speed and accelerated healing from such.

After having a heart to heart with the Arrow, Barry decides to become a hero to thwart crime in a way that being a CSI never allowed him to. Take care of fires, bank heists and overall bad men and women in a flash. But with every hero must be a cadre of villains. A rogues' gallery if you will and boy I never thought you could make Captain Cold cool. Wentworth Miller of Prison Break manages this well as well as his co-star Dominic Purcell of Blade Trinity and Prison Break as the pyromaniac Heatwave.

Can the Flash speed through whatever is thrown at him or will be come in dead last?

Okay fan boys and girls, yes a few things have been altered to fit a soap opera format... get over it. You nitpick about all the show isn't and you will not enjoy a thing of it. Gustin delivers with a warm, trusting heart and still bops the baddies. Hell Ollie is darker than the comic character is and this is also an fun show. We even have some reprises from the original 1990 series as John Wesley Shipp plays Barry's dad wrongfully accused of being his wife's murderer. He played Barry/Flash in the day. We get a visit of The Trickster via Mark Hamil who looks bonkers and even Amanda Pays who played Dr. Tina McGee in the 1990 series so there is fun to be had and a new generation of heroes to be seen and heard.

Those aren't Betty Davis eyes!