Batman: Arkham City Review

Batman: Arkham Asylum is considered one of the best games in the video game medium. Not only did it feature total immersion into your character, but it gave you an open and detailed world filled with smart villains, helpful allies, and enough trivia and side content to keep you entertained long after the main story was finished. Now, combine that with the stigma of video games based on comic book properties, and Rocksteady performed a miracle. A sequel was inevitable, and the question becomes; can lightning strike twice? Find out after the break!

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Batman: Arkham City
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC
Single Player
Developer: Rocksteady Studios
Publisher: Square Enix and Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
ESRB Rating: T For Teen
Price: PS3,PC, 360: $59.99

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Pros
Story: Arkham City takes you into the game, fighting masterminds, minor villains, and even allies.. Each story, aside from some hiccups, dovetails into the main narrative with ease, and the player feels the urgency the rest of the NPC’s feel. The dialogue is mostly top-notch, almost everyone feels in characters, and the added story details you unlock, the side missions and the main missions all give you a complete experience very akin to a well written story arc in comics.


Gadgets and Combat: The gadgets you unlocked in the last game are mostly kept, and the new ones add many layers to the game. The wonderful part about Batman in the comics is not only his willpower, but that he can think himself out of most situations. The game fosters that feeling with gadgets that truly make you feel that if you sit down and plan out something, you can achieve it. The reversal system, and the system that allows you to use gadgets in your combat combine to make you feel like Batman at his most Morrisonian (Grant Morrison) “Bat-God”, and leaves a very satisfied player. Altogether, you feel like a world-class martial artist, and a brilliant gadgeteer that can solve or combat anything.


Middle Ground
Graphics: It seems unfair to judge the graphics of the game too harshly, after all most of the game is lovingly rendered. The backgrounds look fantastic, the characters represent themselves well, but once things are in motion, the game has serious issues. The greatest issues are clipping with the cape and other characters, and the camera during fights. The one time you do not want to be confused, is during a fight and the camera has a nasty habit of moving in a wrong direction during climatic exchanges, not to mention the clipping of the voluminous cape can distract during a mass fight, along with issues with stepping through people, being stuck in doors, etc.


Cons
Characterization: The characterizations of the criminals, specifically Two-Face and the thugs are one note, bordering on parody. I know most developers want to save the big moments for the bad guys, but I found the utter lack of differentiation of the thugs problematic. Not only that, but Two-Face was lacking a lot of the complexity that other villains in the game displayed. Two-Face fans may be extremely disappointed in his portrayal here.


Violence and Sex: The disturbing violence in the game should be a warning to all parents who buy this for their children. Batman repeatedly abuses criminals, even some who do not deserve such harsh treatment in the game. Only the lack of blood makes this game a teen rating. The utter brutality in the game (bones breaking, dropping off rooftops, unprovoked violence etc) is disturbing as Batman is deemed heroic or even funny with each crunch.


The other issue is an old enemy of video games; sexism. When Catwoman was announced for the game, a lot of people were excited. Excitement sort of faded when it was revealed that she was only in a few missions, and faded a bit more when it was revealed what she looked like. Media consumption is part of what the rating system is all about, and when you see the game and how it refers to Catwoman and other female characters as “bitch”, the talks about lewd things that the men would do to the women, the costume designs, the camera angles; many might think twice about buying the game. It’s a major issue for the medium, the overt sexualization and misogyny directed towards the characters, show an institutionalized sexism that is impossible to ignore. The characters can be sexual, and perhaps it is in character for criminals to be misogynistic, but the camera angles that act as a voyeur (like Catwomans introduction), the avalanche of derogatory words towards women, the costume designs, the objectivication, the list goes on. Be vigilant when buying or renting this game.


Overall/Verdict
Overall, Batman: Arkham City is a fine game. Lightning will strike twice, but the scorch marks remain. It puts the player into the shoes of the iconic DC hero, and creates a world that is brutal and exciting for the characters and player to explore. The worrisome aspects of the treatment of women and the excessive violence might put off some parents, but overall the game is a fantastic recreation of Batman, and I recommend it with the hope that Rocksteady and DC Comics take the time to improve aspects of the game in a, hopeful, sequel.

5 Comics That Should Be Diversified!

Diversification in comics is a huge topic right now. DC’s relaunches is claiming diversity while some vocal fans outright claim there is none. On the Marvel side the new Ultimate Spider-Man was announced to be a half-black/half-hispanic ethnically which brings up the question: what other comic characters should be diversified? Diversity for the sake of diversity isn’t the point of this article but more so what characters or concepts should be re-looked at and show a broader representation of people.
Over on our facebook I asked what characters should be changed ethnically, gender wise or in regards to their sexual orientation. As the focus of the changes in comics have been on ethnicity many of your responses were heavily influenced based on ethnic background! Here are 5 comic characters that you and I think should be diversified!
Hawkman - Longtime NK Community member TechieMike suggested that a character in much need of change is a character that has had a long standing bout with staying relevant. I 100% agree that Hawkman should be given a change up but diversification should have been part of this character from the get go. Reincarnated Egyptian Pharaoh eventually becomes a white Archaeologist? This barbaric warrior with alien technology should most definitely be Arabic, Egyptian or of Middle Eastern decent and the best part is it won’t change a damn thing about the character. He can still be a reincarnated Pharaoh that is a modern day Archaeologist.
Dr. Doom - Damon Scott of Nfamous Gamers suggested that Dr. Doom should become African American as there is little to no mainstream black supervillains. Ethnically I am torn on this because Dr. Doom is the ruler of a Slavic-based country and I would hope that he would look similar to other Slavic-people in the region but instead he is a character that looks white but since Ultimate Dr. Doom is dead there is more than enough room for a new non-white Dr. Doom to take up the mantle. Black, Hispanic, or European this bad ass definitely could use a make over.
Wonder Woman - NK Senior Editor Jeff Adams suggest that DC Comics’ high profile character Wonder Woman should be be given the diversification treatment as well. A woman on a secluded island made up of various women from different ethnic backgrounds? Wonder Woman should be ethnically ambiguous but just like the other members of the DC Trinity she is white and blue-eyed. Making her look Hispanic or African American skin tone wise would probably piss of a whole lot of people but also being that she is from a different make believe country all together and is a symbol of truth for all mankind her ethnic background should be a mix to represent that.
Robin - A character that has almost always been a young white male is Batman’s sidekick Robin. At times the character has been female but never for too long. This sidekick being different either by its gender or ethnicity will alone set the character to be worlds apart from their predecessors. Grant Morrison has proven in the pages of Batman Inc. that different Batmen can exist so why not a different Robin?
Ultimate Fantastic Four - There isn’t much that could be done about the 616 first family but with the Ultimate Fantastic Four no longer in existence it makes a whole lot of sense of a new first family to be diverse as they come. The F4 is the perfect stage for diversification to take flight. Powers, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation could all be elements that are played with as the team has always been focused on more than just superheroics.
What other characters do you think should be changed up? Do you love or hate the list above? Leave your comments below!

DCnU’s 5 Year Continuity Doesn’t Work!

The biggest thing to happen to comics in a very long time may be standing on some shaky ground. Many writers and fans find that DC Comic’s continuity is what prevents many of the characters from moving forward or their books harder to jump into. Writers on the other hand have proven otherwise that the rich history can be utilized to not hinder the characters but propel them forward or even reintroduce them to a new audience.
So why is DC Comics attempting to reboot their entire line? I believe it’s for the two following reasons: money and creativity. The money aspect does sound like they are being a greedy typical money grubbing corporation but the facts are facts. DC Comics is a business and in order to continue to operate they must worry about their bottom line. Being second to Marvel in overall sales since the late 60’s is something DC will probably want to turn around. Creating a new line that will cater to not only superhero genre fans but also fans of horror, westerns, and war comics seems like a smart way to go. The new line may work in terms of purpose and may very well work for their goal to create a stronger brand that flows across various media forms. So why am I saying DCnU’s reboot might not work?The reboot works from every other point except the one aspect they are trying to clean up: story continuity. Yes, they are removing decades worth of cluttering history that will piss off fanboys to no end but I’m not talking about that story continuity. I am referring to the new continuity that already has 5 years of pre-set stories told with various popular tales from the old continuity still being upheld. Blackest Night, Identity Crisis, and Brightest Day will all be considered canon. Not only that but Batman and Green Lantern’s sometimes convoluted continuity will remain untouched due to their high profile success.

Apparently in a five year span of operation Batman is on his fourth Robin, the Justice League got tired of villains targeting loved ones and lobotomized them, many of the dead friends that may not have died in the new continuity returned to kill them as ring bearing cosmic zombies, Hal Jordan died and came back to life with Earth earning 3 other Green Lanterns within the 5-year time span, the JSA never existed, while the Teen Titans never met until the books release, Superman has just appeared 5-years ago, is not married to Lois Lane, and possibly never was Superboy. That still does not address any of the Crisis events that may or may not have happened. At least the heroes aren’t wearing shorts on the outside right?
Understandably, DC Comics can do whatever the hell they want in order to drive sales and open their universe to new audiences but they need to make sure that their new initiative has a cohesive story continuity to stand on. In a 5-year time span, many of the fan favorite stories logically cannot take place as they are set up by various events or plots that are being wiped out of continuity. DCnU is both exciting and scary for fans and the comic industry as decades worth of art and writing are being re-interpreted to capture a new audience in an age where print is struggling.

Whatever Happened to Co-op Gameplay?

Remember when you were a kid and there was no online gaming?  A time when players could actually invest time with each other in a game? Just you and your brother or sister or best buddy sitting in the living room playing Contra or Double Dragon side by side and yelling at them, “Come help me!  Save the health for me, stupid!  I want the special weapon!”  You could reach over and hit them if they deserved it.  You could see the look on their face when you defeated the boss character together and advanced to the next level.  And it was glorious!  Oh, how we miss the inclusion of co-operative play in a wide range of our games!


What ever happened to those days?  The main focus of most modern day games is massive online multi-player, but some of us long for the good old days when it was just you and a friend next to each other on the couch, killing every Nazi or zombie or mutated soldier that you see.  Army of Two had the right idea a few years ago, but the execution was not quite up to snuff.  What the gaming world needs is a return of 2-4 person co-op gameplay with their own unique stories, not running around from one online match to another to see who can get the most points.


It seems like some developers have gotten a bit lazy with their writing.  Since the demand is so high for quality MP the single-player campaigns are getting shafted.   For example, Call of Duty: Black Ops and Medal of Honor were two of the most highly anticipated games of 2010, mostly for their MP.  Because of that the developers had only about six hours of campaign play for each and focused the rest of their attention on the MP.  People basically payed $60 for a MP experience.  Now it is true that MP has an almost infinite replay value, but where’s the challenge?  There is no change in difficulty level; no Easy, Medium, Hard, or Insane in the MP realm, only try to be the best person to point and shoot and not get shot in return.  Yes, there is some small amount of strategy involved, but MP situations rarely require much team thought and players can go rogue if they decide their team isn’t doing their job.  The cooperative style of gameplay seems to be dying off again.  When we first bought our next-generation systems companies were playing up the Co-op play style, but as the years have gone on there are far too few games in which players can proceed through the story with a friend.  MP combat is booming in a big way, but we miss the good ol’ days of Toejam and Earl where one of you gets chased by the boogie man, while the other is running from the creepy dentist; the thrill of yelling at your partner, face to face, for falling off the edge of the world and needlessly dying.

This is a feeling that pretty much made Arcades what they were back in the day.  I remember going to my local arcade and standing in front of the Turtles in Time machine where I’d choose whatever joystick was Leonardo (Of course) and sink my quarter into the machine with a satisfying “clink.”  It would take less than a minute before someone else walked up and do the same.  By the time two minutes had passed, four people were at the machine bantering like they were the best of friends.  All too often in video games nowadays these kind of social moments are being missed out on.  Sure, we have a fantastic time killing each other in Battlefield and Call of Duty, yet those games lack any sort of camaraderie unless you have a team.  Many of us who grew up with video games as kids have turned into adults with the want to sit down on the couch and play games together with our friends, even if it is on our own couches from  the other side of the world.


What we need in the gaming world is a shift back to the way things used to be.  There is nothing wrong with massive online MP games, but the demand for co-operative campaigns is coming back.  There have been several arcade titles recently that are realizing this and making the jump (Lara Croft: Guardian of Light, Castle Crashers, & The Dishwasher to name a few), but these are baby steps.  Baby steps in the right direction, but baby steps none the less.  Ever wonder why companies are re-releasing old arcade games like Turtles in Time or X-Men Arcade?  It’s not only because of the nostalgia of those games, but because we can play them with friends both online and at home.

Just recently Rocksteady announced to us all that Batman: Arkham City would be devoid of multiplayer.  This would be a perfect opportunity to use a great deal of Batman’s partners.  I don’t see how Nightwing, Batgirl, Catwoman, Huntress, Robin, and Red Robin  could sit back and watch such a disaster unfold in front of their eyes and then suddenly say “Meh, Batman can handle it!”.  It’s a wasted opportunity so extend the game to open the playing field to you and a friend.


This isn’t the only game where the opportunity is squandered.  Guerilla Games pretty much puts you in a heated war versus the Helghast in Killzone 3.  In design you’re pretty much matched up with a partner throughout the entire game so it confuses me how another player could not have been in control of one of the soldiers.  It could have lead up to some great fist pumping moments with friends as you both shot your way through a heart pounding struggle.


Now there are a good number of games that DO promote a cooperative style: Gears of War, Resistance, Halo, even Rock Band, while games like Uncharted 2 and Splinter Cell: Conviction include a separate form of co-operative modes.  Finally we have games that get the point but fall short of what to expect in the internet age.  Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is an amazing 4-player beat ‘em up, but unfortunately you can only play this game offline with your friends.  Which used to be great when we were all kids and didn’t have internet lines everywhere.  Nowadays we want the option to play on the couch AND online; either/or shouldn’t be the only option in any case as gamers have grown up and so has the world.  Technology has advanced so far in the past 20 years that there should be a solution to this.  Why pick one over the other when you can have the best of both?  The opportunity is there.  So many games and players are just begging to have a co-op option without making it an absolute necessity.  All we ask, as players, is that developers put a little more time and love into the idea and give us what we’ve been longing for for so many years: a return to the classic co-operative format so we can sit and enjoy a game the way we used to.  And maybe just punch the guy next to you when he snags your well earned weapon.


[Article co-written by Kevin “Games” Jones & Christina “RogueNurse” Weber]

The Level Cap: Batman Arkham Asylum Review

Batman, he doesn’t like chocolate ice cream. What he does enjoy is beating the living pulp out of the Arkham Asylum inhabitants, groovy huh? Batman Arkham Asylum takes us under the cowl as Batman to fight some of his most known enemies and stop them from taking over the island. Not to mention that the Joker is also in full force in this game and is to blame for Arkham going to hell in a hand basket. With Joker being the figurative thorn in Batman’s side, Arkham Asylum should make for one of the most interesting and intelligent games out on the market. But with many Batman games in the past falling flat on their faces, will Arkham Asylum prove to be one of the  hottest games this year or will it too suffer the same fate as other licensed games? Find out below!

Batman Arkham Asylum
PC, Playstation 3, Xbox 360
1 Player
Developer: Rocksteady
Publisher: Eidos
ESRB Rating: T for Teen
Price: $59.99, $49.99 (PC)

Pros:
Stealth Action To The Max: The first and foremost important thing about Arkham Asylum is its delivery of the stealth game play. When you are stalking through the shadows hunting your pray you FEEL like Batman not like Sam Fisher or Altaïr and thats what is important. Although it is easy to draw comparisons to Assassins Creed or Splinter Cell, Arkham Asylum in its own right is not like these games, although feels like it is. What is also interesting is the ability to be stealth or not to be stealth. You have a lot of freedom when it comes to this, as you can either go in batarangs blazing or sneak in for the silent take down. Although, some missions do require you to be super sneak. What also adds to the “Stealth Action To The Max,” as I call it, is the ability to duck in and out of vents, floor coverings and grapple on to stone gargoyles. Also sneaking up on a thug and choking them out never gets old.


Environments: This is another great feature that Rocksteady delivers on. They were able to capture the madness of the inmates and create and that showcased that this island is Arkham Island not Gilligans Island. Each area, from the outside to the twisted corridors of the buildings had a certain madness to them, almost capturing the atmosphere of the island perfectly. My personal favorite area was the Botanical Gardens with its rich colors and design.


Graphics: Like any great game on the next generation market, Batman Arkham Asylum has some damn good graphics. Utilizing the Unreal Engine 3, the game delivers not only a beautiful looking game but an interesting one. Along with the environments, the graphics help immerse the player into the game for a better experience. Having played the PS3 demo and the 360 version, the PS3 overpowers the 360 in terms of graphics. Not to fuel any fanboy wars but, the game does look much more streamlined on the PS3. However, with that said the game looks simply downright gorgeous. So if you are a graphics connoisseur Batman is the game for you.

Story: What good is a game without a good story? Not good at all. Not to worry though, Arkham Asylum does a great job story telling, ever-so-much that it feels like you are reading a comic book. What’s important, however, is that everything and everyone has its place in the story and it all pans out very well and nothing seems out of place. What is also important is that there are no plot holes in the story, at least that I can remember. The story also puts you into the mindset of the Joker and his planning, everything has a cause and effect with Jokers plans.


Riddles, Gadgets, and Detective Mode: Along with the stealth gameplay this is also what makes Batman what he is. In the game you have eight different gadgets that you collect and earn while progressing through the game. Each of the different gadgets has its use with the Batarang being the most notable. One of those gadgets, which you automatically have, is the “Detective Mode” which enables you to see things that you wouldn’t normally see. Some of those things being little riddles that a dear old friend has left around the Asylum for you to solve. When unlocking the gadgets as you progress you are able to find more clues and riddles and ultimately get that achievement or trophy.

Scarecrow Halluciantions: At first I was undecided if I wanted to put this in my review but then I realized that this was an important aspect to the game. Without spoiling anything the Scarecrow hallucinations were a nice break from the standard third-person over the should gameplay. When entering said hallucinations you go into a platform-side-scrolling type game. This may seem kind iffy but it really brings more to the game.

Cons:
Boss Fights Are A Cake Walk: This is where Arkham Asylum falls flat on its face. When going into the game you are faced with some mean villains that are holding a hell of a grudge on you. First thing I thought was “Boy they sure are going to kick my ass.” But I was severely wrong. Almost every boss fight had you facing off against a super villain while you chucked your Batarang at their face until their ultimate demise. Mind you I was playing on Normal on my first play through and I barely had any problems fighting the bosses. Needless to say this is something I wish Rocksteady would’ve addressed better.


Countering:This is another issue with the game. During a fight if you are approached by an enemy you have to counter their attack no matter what you are doing. You can be doing a take down and still have to counter said attackers lead pipe or knife. This is a small gripe that can hopefully be improved or fix, but for now it is a little frustrating.

In the end Batman Arkham Asylum is an amazing game that was undeniably underwhelmed for me when released. I did not expect it to be such a smart, fun and immersive game. If you are looking for something that is different than many of the other games on the market than this is the game for you. So Batman Arkham Asylum gets a BUY or for you savvy star people it gets a 5 out of 5 stars.


Side note: One thing I would love to see Rocksteady do is make an open world game like Arkham Asylum but focused in Gotham City. You know, being able to run across rooftops and run around in the sewers while fighting super villians. Yeah thats a dream, Rocksteady take note. :)

Should There Be Another Batman?

Lately, articles have been popping up regarding the possibility of a Dark Knight sequel not happening. Rumors such as Warner Brothers having a short-list of replacement directors to close sources saying that Nolan won’t return to the film due to Heath Ledgers’ death. As much as many want a sequel to The Dark Knight, should there really be one?

The Dark Knight was a box office juggernaut grossing a little over 1 billion dollars world wide. It is a no brainer that Warner Bros. is pushing Nolan to bring in a sequel regardless of the quality. The hype surrounding Dark Knight, which was also helped by the untimely and unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, propelled this movie into being a must see not just for comic book and pop culture fans alike, but also for all movie goers. My own opinion on the movie, it is the epitome of what Super Hero movies can be when given care and development.

Regardless of the fanboy trolling or praise, or movie studios thirst for money, should there really be a sequel to The Dark Knight? I’m on the side of the fence that is saying to not even go there. Personally, TDK is one of the greatest translations of a comic book character to another medium. As much as I and others would like to see a continuation of the world that Nolan created for the new Batman, the ability to be consistent with the quality of story always comes into question.

Heath Ledgers death unfortunately help propel the movie to a much higher success. Whether the success of the movie would have matched it based on hype alone and not his death will be something we will never know, but Ledger’s brilliant performance as The Joker outshone and made The Dark Knight. Any actor taking up a villain role either as The Joker or someone else in the rogues gallery has to live up to the standard set forth by Ledger and under Nolan’s guidance to fit into the universe. It wasn’t like the Tim Burton interpretation where Jack Nicholson played as The Joker. Ledger became The Joker. Transforming into a character and becoming something unrecognizable to yourself is difficult and almost unmatched by Ledger’s performance.

Christopher Nolan has a clear vision and story he intends to tell with Batman and the characters surrounding his interpretation. Reports stated but never confirmed by Nolan that his latest film was to feature The Joker as the prominent villain in the sequel. While Ledger’s Joker would have been great to see in a sequel to TDK, it seems more of a retread as many will say that The Joker was the star and villain of TDK. As much as mainstream pop culture and the nerd fanbase love the Clown Prince of Crime, in Nolan’s Batman introducing or reintroducing one of Batman’s many villains would allow the world to grow and tell other stories surrounding Gotham City, Batman, and the people.

As any movie studio that hits a cash flow boom with a successful franchise, they want to continue that cash flow. The one name that keeps popping up as a replacement director in case if Nolan decides not to return to his Batman world is Zack Snyder. The problem with changing directors with different styles is the shift in tone and execution. Nolan’s Batman films are very story driven filled with more drama then a high school prom. Zack Snyder visual style is very slick and sexy but has been shown that he is very dependent on the source material using it as a literal translation from page to movie screens. If Snyder or any other director were to take the reigns of Nolan’s Batman they would be put under pressure by the public and the studio to make another Dark Knight.

History tends to repeat itself but with the Batman franchise the 90’s is plagued with bat-nipples along with the rest of the camp and crap of the first franchise. Movie studios should not mess up a good thing and ruin this franchise the George Lucas way by shoveling half-assed stories just because “that’s what fans want.” If Christopher Nolan walks away from this series then the franchise should take a rest and wait 5 to 10 years before relaunching with a new director with a new vision.

More importantly what do you guys think of a sequel to The Dark Knight?

Batman Begins/ The Dark Knight: The Mantle

Last week, I talked about the fact that the Batman movies have roots in deeper levels of human understanding and this week I continue on that path with the idea of ‘The Mantle’. The Mantle is referenced both covertly and overtly within both movies and bears discussing because there is a heroic mantle of the man who will bring Gotham peace and justice, and a more sinister mantle that will devolve Gotham into Chaos.

The mantle of Batman starts not with Bruce, but his father. Thomas Wayne and his wife strived to use their riches to make Gotham a better place. It is rare that we see what exactly Martha did, but Thomas was a doctor and left WayneCorp (the company that helped Gotham) to “better men”, a fact that young Bruce has a problem believing, as he looks up to his father.

Tracing the roots back further, we later find out that Bruce’s family was involved in the underground railroad. The first movie makes lot of reference to the Wayne name and how much it means when in fact, it’s never been about the name.  As both Bruce and Alfred later realize, it’s about the meaning OF that name.

Interesting enough, Wayne is the prominent force in Batman Begins and Batman the name is the force in The Dark Knight. In this film, we realize that it’s not Batman’s name that means something.  It’s what he is accomplishing. But why does Bruce do these things?

Thomas Wayne was a doctor and a healer and wished to help people.  That lesson seems to resonate in Bruce, as shown in the flashback to Thomas letting Bruce listen to his heart. The death of Thomas rattled him so much he wanted nothing but vengeance and to cleanse the world of Joe Chill, but Rachel snaps Bruce out of that mindset when she reminds him, “your father would be ashamed of you.” Bruce already knew he wasn’t living to his fathers ideal, but he thought still he was doing the right thing. Now knowing that he was wrong, he journeys to find his path, but becomes lost.

It is with Ducard that Bruce finds his way, but he hasn’t forgotten the lesson of his father. He will not kill, he will not violate the one rule that most doctors, Thomas Wayne included, find sacred. He is seen as foolish for being compassionate, but that was what Bruce’s father was. Later, Ra’s al Ghul belittles Thomas’ compassion as idealism, but it in fact strengthens Bruce’s resolve to know that he WILL defend Gotham. His father stood between a gunman and him and Bruce stands between the scum of Gotham and Gotham itself.

Bruce chooses the symbol of the bat to do his nightly masquerade of taking it to the criminal empire, but it’s the mission that makes him really take up the mantle of the Wayne legacy. He will not kill, he will help those that cannot help themselves. It’s told by Alfred that the death of the Wayne’s shocked the powerful into action and Bruce decides to use the bat personna to shock the people into action. It works, as we see in The Dark Knight.

The Dark Knight shows two versions of the bat mantle being lifted. We have the Sons of Batmen, who take the more vigilante aspect of the mission, and Harvey Dent, who goes after criminals using the law. It should be noted that Bruce respects the law more than vigilance. In fact, he actively seeks to end his own vigilance because he sees it as a temporary thing.

Many comic fans have a problem with the idea that Batman doesn’t want to be Batman forever, but in the realistic world, it makes a lot of sense. A man who respects the law and the idea of compassion as much as Bruce Wayne would not want to be a vigilante forever, which is why the arrival of Harvey Dent is such a relief to Bruce Wayne. Much like the tale that Harvey says about a man’s duty to stand up and defend the city and then relinquish it, Batman sees himself doing just that.

No one is worthy of that; Harvey, due to his own want for vigilante justice, and the Sons of Batman for much the same reason.  Batman wishes to inspire others, but not to be like him. I will cover vigilance in a later article, but what other mantle is in the two Batman movies? The mantle of injustice.

When the movies begin, Falcone and his crime family are firmly in control. It takes a more serious twist when Batman captures him.  Inside the asylum, he makes a remark that no one can get him, not in his town. Probably the first shiver a comic fan gets in regards to that thought is in the comics. The gangsters believe the town is theirs and that it is being taken over by the freaks, which is why the next line in the film is so chilling, when Jonathan Crane simply asks, “do you want to see my mask?”

Next, in The Dark Knight, the gangsters realize that, with the presence of the Batman, they no longer have as much power as before. The gangster bank manager realizes that the criminals don’t believe in honor or respect anymore, a very true statement in regards to The Joker. The mantle of of this super villain is firmly held in place due to how he commands a room, how he is a man of his word and how he pretty much decimates the criminal empire. The final nail in the coffin is when the Russian seeks to try and understand him. The Joker says that the city deserves a better class of criminal. Much like Batman might be considered a better class of citizen, a man who stands up to corruption, the Joker is a better class of criminal and stands up to the Batman.

I will be covering the relationship and parallels between Joker and Batman another time, but it’s a fact that they both represent the truist ideas of the superhero genre. The hero who wants to inspire and the villain who wants to destroy. They are the yin and yang, the ones who bear the mantle of hero and villain. Is it any wonder that The Joker believes they will in fact, “do this forever”?

The mantle of a hero is hard to assume, as evidenced by Harvey Dent cracking under the pressure. Likewise, a villain only has a tenuous hold on a mantle, but The Joker is unique in that he represents a clear opposition to the idea of a hero. Next time, we will analyze this relationship and how The Batman, in some ways, is like the Joker.

-DarkSpirit-

Batman Begins/The Dark Knight: What Does it All Mean?

When we look at the Batman movies, we all feel there is something more to them. This isn’t your standard movie about a man in a cape busting super villains to a pulp. This isn’t about the cool gadgets, the spiffy costume or how chicks dig the car. These films awaken in us the deepest yearnings of philosophical meaning, psychological impact, and sociological study.

Or its just a cool way to spend a few hours? The above sounds pretentious I know, but these series of articles are about Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I want to show and of course discuss how the movies enlighten us, and why we are so attracted to them. Also I want to show a friend that Batman Begins is just as deep as The Dark Knight, and in many ways is essential to viewing.

This week I want to study the idea of Hell and the Devil in the Batman universe. In the movies, it’s the first scene that really delves into the idea of Hell. The man who attacks Bruce says that he (Bruce) is in hell and that the man is also the Devil. Bruce replies that he isn’t the Devil, he is practice. An interesting thought:  Is Bruce actually in Hell?

Yes, if you believe Hell is where you deserve to be. There is an idea in our society that Hell is where people who do bad things go. What bad thing did Bruce do to deserve to be sent to Hell? He feels responsible for the death of his parents. Though Bruce says that his anger outweighs his guilt, he in fact cannot escape the fact that he is responsible for his parents’ death.

In the comics, Bruce routinely evokes God, at one point saying, “God hates a coward” during the Knights End storyline. Bruce was afraid during the play and therefore wants to retreat. The retreat takes him to the alley, and that is where his parents are shot. He never stops feeling guilty for that moment of fear.

But that’s not the only thing Bruce feels guilty about. It’s the guilt of wanting Chill dead, vengeance, and the anger that Bruce has for Joe Chill. Many fans were exasperated by the fact Bruce carried a gun, but I persist in thinking it was a way to show why he would never use a gun again. Bruce, up until Rachel says so, never connected the gun to his parent’s death. He connected his fear to their death. It’s only when Chill is shot dead, Rachel slaps him and tells him that his father would be ashamed, that Bruce realizes that the gun is a coward’s weapon.

It is only when he purges not just his fear, but his wrath, that Bruce finally wants to go back to Gotham. His choice not to kill the murderer is his real test, his choice to face fear is only secondary to that. Only then does Bruce fight back and escape Hell and return to Gotham. But Gotham too, is a hell.

If we view Hell as a place devoid of hope, Gotham is that place. Bruce represents hope, but that is for another article. Gotham soon will no longer be the Hell it once was. But what of the other line near the beginning of the film: “You’re not the devil, you’re practice.”

Obviously Bruce makes short work of this man who thinks of himself as the devil, but he is right. The man was only practice as he faced the true Devil in the Dark Knight: The Joker. What makes the Joker so easy to identify as the Devil? What is the Devil?

The Devil has gone through more character changes than comic iterations of either the Joker or Batman. The easiest way to sum him up is the tempter, the one who tests humanity in some ways for worthiness. The Joker of The Dark Knight takes it up a notch; he is testing them to see if they are as human as they wish they are.

The various tests the Joker arranges in the film are there to test how far our own rules and morality go. What are the extents of society’s rules, their understandings, and their own base needs? With the Joker, he revels in making you break your own rules because he believes the world has none.

The Joker is devoid of origin,  which many say is the influence of Alan Moore, but really you can trace it back to the Prince of Lies. The Joker’s stories reach the point of making one sick over the sadness of each, where he is scarred or causes his own scars. Is there a point to these stories besides frightening you? The stories show the moral decay that each person being TOLD the story might one day endure. The mob boss is seen as a father type by his men. What happens when the father turns against you? Rachel wants to be a bride, but what happens if that bride becomes disfigured?

Finally, imagery plays a key role. Fire is the Joker’s calling card. Destruction, mayhem and the loss of hope are what he seeks. He is creating a new Hell for Gotham to descend into. Even when Batman confronts him at the Prewitt building, three dogs guard him much like Cerberus, the three headed dog that guards Hell.

Batman Begins and The Dark Knight show that the filmmakers are mining various mythologies when creating the ideas of Hell, both personal and literal. Their creation of The Joker is filled with the malice and the characterization of Lucifer. Next time I am going to show how they delved deep into the heart of legacies, something every comic geek knows about, and why “the mantle” makes both films truly connected.

Dark Spirit

Between The Panels: Final Crisis Counseling Pt. 2

Thank you everyone for the comments!  With part one I was only able to get the history of what the Crisis Trilogy is, yet I did not get to one of the important questions that is asked after every status quo changing comic event: What happens now?  With questions from some readers and those commonly found on the Internet, I hope to explain what did just happen in Final Crisis along with what happens next.  This is a very spoiler happy Final Crisis Counseling!

WTF Darkseid just goes away why not a all out battle?

An all out slug fest?  Remember, throughout this whole series, Darkseid was dying and pulling Earth with him into a black hole at the center of the universe.  He was shot point-blank by Batman with a Radion Bullet.  Radion is a poison chemical that can kill New Gods.  Even after the radion poisoning, Darkseid fired off an Omega Sanction at Batman (more on that in a bit) and later at Superman.  During the confrontation with Superman, The Flashes intervened by redirecting the Omega Sanction at Darkseid with the Black Racer following them.  The Black Racer then collected Darkseid’s physical body, but Darkseid returns in his pure energy form only for Superman to explain that everything is made up of vibrations and then creates a counter vibration to finally end Darkseid.

Who brought back Barry Allen?

As stated by Barry Allen in Final Crisis #4 page 19, “An unknown force reversed-engineered me to life out of a blizzard of faster-than-light particles.  I’m sorry I seem a little abstract.”  I am going to assume this will be followed up by Flash: Rebirth series so keep an eye out for that!

What was the important of Nix Uotan, The Monitor, throughout this whole series?

Nix Uotan was the Monitor who was banished from the Monitor world for failing to protect Earth-51.  After being sent to New Earth (Earth-0)  to live the rest of his life as a human, he is later reawakened and re-powered into the Multiversal Monitor of the Fifth World.  In the simplest sense, he is the bringer of change.

Who is Mandrakk and why is he important?

Mandrakk is the ultimate evil.  Originally Dax Novu the greatest Monitor, he became the embodiment of the contamination of the Multiverse.  He is in fact the father of Nix Uotan.  To read more about Mandrank click here.

Who is this Obamaman?

At the beginning of issue 7 it shows an African American Clark Kent as President of the United States.  An obvious tip of the hat to our 44th President, Barack Obama.  Also this is a tip of the hat to an older Superman story where it asked “What would happen if Superman was president?”  This African American Superman is from an Earth where ethnicities are altered.  This Superman is shown to be recruited into a Superman Army of the Multiverse.

What is the tower we see through the beginning of FC #7 and what’s happening inside them?  Why are those kids turned into capsules and being frozen into icetrays?

The watchtower being used is one of the few watchtowers used as a defensive safe haven for the survivors of Earth.  Following the freeing of those under the influence of the Anti-Life Equation after the defeat of Darkseid, with The Atom’s shrinking technology and employment of a super cryogenics technology, the heroes shrink and freeze the survivors of Earth-0 in hopes to unfreeze and unshrink the survivors on their new home within the Multiverse.

How did Wonder Woman break free?

Highly unclear, but assuming that contact with Frankenstein allowed her to break free.  Frankenstein was immune to the Morticus God-Bacteria, which infected Wonder Woman, because he was a living dead man.  Following that, she used her lasso of truth in order to free the minds of all those enslaved under the Anti-Life equation.

What happened to Black Canary and Green Arrow in the JLA Watchtower?

Died but not dead anymore.  The only confirmed deaths coming out of Final Crisis are Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, and Batman.  Green Arrow and Black Canary returned after Superman made his wish into the Miracle Machine.

What happened to Batman and why is he hanging out with a caveman?

That caveman is in fact Anthro The First Boy as an old man.  He was given fire by Metron at the beginning of the series.  Batman was hit by Darkseid’s Omega Sanction, which has the ability to send someone back in time or make them live a series of lives that are worse than the ones before.  Hopefully when Grant Morrison returns to Batman after Battle for the Cowl, we will see what happens to Bruce Wayne.

So is everyone on Earth-51 now?

No, After Superman made his wish into the Miracle machine, Earth-0 (where the heroes originally were from) was rebuilt, still with some of the damage created through Darkseid’s takeover.  Earth-51 though took majority of the mayhem of Darkseid’s takeover of Earth-0 and became home to Kamandi the Last Boy, The New Gods, and any other of Jack Kirby’s creations.  In a sense, Earth-51 is now known as the Kirbyverse.

What happens now?  What does it all mean?

No more Monitors.  The multiverse is intact but will no longer play into the DC Universe as a whole for awhile, unless Grant Morrison decides to write a Multiverse book for DC Comics.  The Fifth World is the Age of Gods as Men.  The New Gods are now reincarnated on Earth as men.  Also the Fifth World of Gods as Men can be interpreted as The Monitors, watchful Angel/Vampire Gods living amongst Earth as humans now.

Would like to thank Lt. Dan and UzamakiJ for sending in their questions to help out with the article!  You can read Part 1 in the link below!
Between The Panels: Final Crisis Counseling Pt.1

Josh “Buddhapunch” Pacheco
Co-Founder & Staff Writer

Between The Panels: Final Crisis Counseling Pt. 1

Heroes die.  Legends live forever.  The day evil won.  This is what Final Crisis was described to be.  DC Comics has finally wrapped up their mega multiverse-spanning event, which also brings to a close the Crisis Trilogy.  Not only does Final Crisis end the plot points presented way back in Crisis on Infinite Earths, but also closes the gap on fan favorite and industry legend Jack Kirby’s creations during his time at DC Comics.  In typical Grant Morrison fashion, he has split the internet in half.  Fanboys on each side of the fence, one side scratching their heads and saying “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?” and the others understanding and completely adoring Final Crisis.  Many new fans argue Final Crisis is hard to comprehend and has incredible amounts of references, which makes it difficult to just jump into the story, which to high degree is true.  Being as Final Crisis is the last in the Crisis Trilogy, it is only fair to give a nod to long time fans of the DC Universe and also pay tribute to the stories, artists, and writers that came before.  Before we delve into Final Crisis we must go back to the beginning.  This is your Final Crisis counseling.

In 1985, a 12 part crossover event titled Crisis On Infinite Earths was conceived in order to clear up continuity issues and ideas, such as there being two Flashes, two Green Lanterns, and Superman being a member of both Justice Society of America and Justice League of America but occurring on separate Earths.  Fans alike had trouble differentiating which stories occurred on alternate Earths.  DC Comics at the time had instilled a multiverse where there was an infinite number of possibilities and infinite versions of many of their beloved characters, but unfortunately this brought great confusion for new fans who attempted to jump on board but did not understand some of the concepts.  Crisis On Infinite Earths streamlined the DC Multiverse into one coherent universe.

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I am pretty sure you are asking yourself “what the hell does this have to do with Final Crisis?”  Well, simply put, Crisis on Infinite Earths introduced the concept of there being two supreme God like beings - The Monitor and The Anti-Monitor - where one, The Monitor, would watch and preserve the life of the multiverse , and the other, The Anti-Monitor, would be a complete engine of death.  The concept of a godlike entity that watches and attempts to preserve all life is something found in all myth and even after the subsequent death of The Monitor in Crisis on Infinite Earths, it was not until after Infinite Crisis that the Monitors were reintroduced in DC Universe: Brave New World, but more on that later.  The next thread to be picked up in Final Crisis from Crisis on Infinite Earths was the death of Barry Allen.  Barry Allen was the Silver Age Flash.  His death in the series is what sparked Wally West, his sidekick Kid Flash, to step up and take on the Flash mantle.

Barry Allen’s sacrifice to save the multiverse landed him as an all time badass.  Since his death was so iconic, it was believed and wildly accepted that Barry Allen could not return from the dead.  His name joined the ranks of Uncle Ben (still dead), Jason Todd (Oopsie), Gwen Stacy (2 for 3 ain’t bad!), and Bucky Barnes (Returned alive and well).  What Crisis on Infinite Earths accomplished was a New Earth with a streamlined continuity for new stories of everyones favorite heroes to be told, but survivors of the Multiverse, Superman of Earth-2, Alexander Luthor of Earth-3, Lois Lane of Earth-2, and Superboy Prime, left into a pocket dimension which where they lived peacefully until…

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Infinite Crisis was a direct sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Throughout mid 2005 and early 2006, Infinite Crisis was to reestablish a new status quo and, like its predecessor, clean up many of the continuity problems that occurred after the fallout of Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Returning into the spotlight, Alexander Luthor, Superman of Earth-2, his wife Lois Lane, and Superboy Prime had become disappointed and saddened by the turn of events as they on looked to what this New Earth had turned into.  At this time, DC Comics had become very gritty and dark.  Many of these themes were fallout from the 90’s comics.  The survivors of the multiverse echoed many of the fans reactions to these dark and gritty stories and wished that DC would return to the “good ol’ days.”  Alexander Luthor used Superman of Earth-2 and Superboy Prime for his own scheme of attempting to create a better world, a perfect world.

The repercussions from Infinite Crisis changed radically for the survivors of the multiverse.  Superman of Earth-2 and his wife both dead.  Alexander Luthor viciously murdered by New Earth’s Joker.  Power Girl, finally with a clear and present origin, is established as a survivor of the original crisis and is in fact Superman of Earth-2’s cousin.   Superboy Prime becomes the ultimate villain.  Hailing from a world much like our own.  If given the chance, he would have became the greatest hero of them all, but this was not the case.  Instead, he has become one of the DC Universe’s biggest threats.  Last but not least, Infinite Crisis established the Earth the heroes and villains inhabit as New Earth and the return of the Multiverse.

Again, you are probably saying, “thanks for the DCU history lesson a$$hole, but what does this have to do with Final Crisis?”  The return of the multiverse also brought the return The Monitor (Monitors even).  52 Earths with their own Monitor to watch and protect their respective Universes, each Monitor with characteristics similar to the universe they observe.

Thus brings us to Countdown to Final Crisis, which loosely sets up Final Crisis.  In a nutshell, the New Gods are dying, the city of Bludhaven is an atomic wasteland thanks to the supervillain Chemo, there is a bunker under Bludhaven called Command D, which is the name of the Last Boy, and Kamandi, one of Jack Kirby’s unfinished stories, is a house to genetic tampering technology under the US government control and protected by the Atomic Knights, another of Jack Kirby’s concepts.  Also, the fall of Mary Marvel into Darkseid’s control, the Bleed established as the “in between space” between different universes, and the complete destruction and annihilation of Earth-51 due to a corrupt Monitor’s involvement.

Final Crisis is in fact just that… FINAL!  This is the final crisis of superheroes, the final crisis of the New Gods, and importantly, the final crisis of The Monitors.  Grant Morrison weaves in all of Jack Kirby’s unfinished stories and concepts into a cohesive (some will say arguable) story.

The series starts off with Metron, a New God, visiting prehistory to a prehistoric man named Anthro and gives him the gift of fire.  Next, we turn to Dan Turpin, a private detective, as he comes to discover the body of the dying New God Orion, son of Darkseid.  John Stewart and Hal Jordan of the Green Lantern Corps are summoned to investigate the death of Orion.  Turpin then is given a tip by The Question, a private detective that specializes in strange and obscure theories, to investigate the Dark Side Club where a trail leads to missing children.  Libra has assumed control over the Secret Society of Super Villains at this point and with proof to show he can give the villains what they wish, kills a drugged Martian Manhunter, the Justice League’s valued member, which would enable them to have instant mind-to-mind communication.  Dan Turpin appears at the Dark Side club only to be greeted by Boss Dark Side, who is now being inhabited by the New God Darkseid and has abducted children and exposed them to the Anti-Life equation, a mathematical proof that proves life and hope are pointless.  The Monitors gather around Nix Uotan, the Monitor for Earth-51, and judge him for the failed protection and total annihilation of that Earth under his watch.  He is sent to New Earth to live out the rest of his life as a human.

Sonny Sumo, another Kirby creation and friend of the New Gods known as the Forever People, is recruited by Shilo Norman,  the current Mister Miracle master escape artist, to help defeat the threat that Darkseid is bringing to Earth.  Granny Goodness, a New God and follower of Darkseid, is in the body of the super space cop Alpha Lantern Kraken and attempts to murder John Stewart, frame Hal Jordan for the murder of Orion and the attack on John Stewart, and manages to kidnap Batman.  Dan Turpin shows up to Bludhaven and is given a tour of  the now taken-over Command D.  Evil New Gods Mokkari, Mr Simyan, and Glorious Godfrey are gene altering men and animals into beastmen hybrids, recruiting and spreading anti-life among man, and enslaving those still left in Bludhaven to serve Darkseid.  Batman, imprisoned by Darkseid’s henchmen, warns Turpin to resist the Anti-Life Equation, but is too late.  Dan Turpin has been corrupted and his body now is inhabited by Darkseid.

The Daily Planet is attacked in a terrorist-style attack ,which leaves Lois Lane in the hospital and Superman MIA.  Jay Garrick, the first Flash, and Wally West, successor to The Flash mantle, arrive at a strip club that is used as a secret villain hideout to find the Mobius Chair, a New God artifact that is used by the New God Metron to travel time.  Sprawling out of the Mobius Chair and running at full speed, running from death, and running to catch the God killing bullet which killed Orion, is Wally West’s mentor and uncle, the returned-from-the-dead speedster Barry Allen.

Superman still remains bedside by his wife, who he is keeping alive with his heat vision, when he is recruited by a female Monitor that ties into the events that lead into Superman Beyond (recommended reading which ties into Final Crisis).  Alan Scott, the first Green Lantern, issues Article X and drafts any and all Superheroes to form an army, exactly how Roosevelt recruited and formed the All Star Squadron during World War 2.  Wonder Woman travels to Bludhaven to come into contact with Mary Marvel.  Mary Marvel, possed by the New God Desaad, infects Wonder Woman with an Anti-Life disease which puts her under the will of Darkseid.  Mokkari spreads the Anti-Life equation through every form of digital communication possible: radio, tv, internet, etc.

Checkmate, the US spy organization to protect the world against Metahuman threats, sets up watch tower safe way points to recruit, to keep those uninfected by the Anti-Life equation, and to fight the armies of Darkseid.  Alan Scott delivers a message using the former villain-used Unternet, a black market like Internet, to deliver a final speech giving orders that the final battle for Earth and mankind will be at Bludhaven.  On the planet Oa, Alpha Lantern Kraken, possessed by Granny Goodness, puts Hal Jordan on trial until the other Green Lanterns of Earth barge in on the trial and exploit her plot.  Granny Goodness attempts to steal the power battery which powers all Green Lantern rings, but the Guardians use their failsafe plan if at any time the power battery would become endangered.  The Guardians give the Green Lanterns 24 hours to save Earth.

The Battle of Bludhaven begins while Nix Uotan, in his human shell, is thrown into a prison cell in Command D for being able to resist the Anti-Life equation.  With him in the cell, holding a rubix cube, is Metron.  He reveals to him that the Fifth World arrives, The Age of Gods as Men.  Metron awakens Nix Uotan and is fully powered and remembers who he is.  He is the Judge of All Evil.  Darkseid attempts to claim Earth and victory as he himself is dying and pulling Earth into a black hole with him, which is causing time and reality fluctuations.

Superman, after returning from his adventures in Superman Beyond, is taken to the 31st Century and is shown by Brainiac 5, the Miracle Machine and God-Weapon that turns “thought into things.”  Superman memorizes the machine before being sent back to the crisis.  As the Battle of Bludhaven rages on, it is becoming more clear that Earth and mankind may not have a chance.  Checkmate then issues the Black Gambit, a protocol that would be the removal of all mankind on the present Earth to be placed and restart civilization on another Earth within the multiverse.  Lex Luthor and Dr. Sivana impliment their plan to overthrow Libra and preserve life.  Dr. Sivana sets off a jammer that would allow Luthor to control the Justifiers to combat Darkseid.  Luthor then attacks Libra, only for Libra to have magically disappeared.

Batman escapes from his torture device and confronts Darkseid.  Darkseid, still claiming victory and pulling the Earth with him to his death, is shot by Batman with the same bullet that Darkseid used to kill Orion.  As the shot fires, Darkseid uses the Omega Sanction, two streams of unavoidable energy which transports the victim through time or transports the target through a series of worsening lives.  Superman returns to his time period, only to find his friend’s corpse in the rubble.

The Question is traveling worlds with Captain Marvel of Earth-5 due to the Black Gambit and recruiting Superman of many Earths to combat the great evil.  The remaining survivors are in one of the many watchtowers set up by Checkmate, drifting along the Bleed as the multiverse begins to rip.   Superman comes face to face with Darkseid, attempting to stop him, only to have the Flashes outrun death himself, The Black Racer, and have the Black Racer instead take Darkseid to his final resting place.

The Earth and Multiverse are still in shambles while Superman, with the help of Heroes and Villains alike, attempts to recreate the God-Weapon, The Miracle Machine.  The super computer Lord Eye, who is in charge of the Black Gambit, is assuming failure and closing the portals and taking the lives of Hawkman and Hawkgirl.  The tide of battle turns, but the conditions are still dire.  Frankenstien enters battle with the Female Furies, led by a corrupted Wonder Woman.  Finally breaking free of Darkseid’s control, Wonder Woman uses her Lasso of Truth to break the grasp on the others still under the influence of the Anti-Life Equation.

As the battle ends, the survivors are shrunken down and put into ice trays in order to be reawakened on a new Earth to live again(yes, it’s not just you, it does sound stupid).  Superman finally constructs the Miracle Machine, but it is missing one last part.  Darkseid attempts to make one final attack in his vibrational energy form but Superman uses a counter vibration, which defeats Darkseid.  Superman comes upon Mobius Chair which stores the last component to the Miracle Machine, Element X (Fire of the Gods that can take any shape).  Unfortunately, Superman is then confronted by the ultimate evil, the dark monitor Mandrakk.  Mandrakk appears to eliminate and feed on the “stories” and eliminate the “corrupted stories.”  Superman, representing the ultimate form of hero, readies himself for a rematch against Mandrakk, only to be joined by the army of Supermen, Nix Uotan, The Forever People, Angels, and The Green Lantern Corps.  The GL Corps pull all their willpower together and put a steak into the Mandrakk, being the vampire God he is.

Superman then makes one wish to the Miracle Machine, “the best for all of us.”  As Nix Uotan gives his testimony to the remaining Monitors, they watch their world disappear around them.  The Monitors “story” ends as they are transferred into human shells in the same way Nix was at the beginning of the series.  Back in time, Anthro, the first boy, now an old man, passes in a cave as Bruce Wayne sits in the cave and begins to paint a story.

Aftermaths and Status Quo shifts to come in part 2!  If there are questions regarding this series, please leave a comment!  I will be sure to answer them in the follow up article!

Between The Panels: Final Crisis Counseling Pt.2

-Josh “Buddhapunch” Pacheco-