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Post by Jack Malone on Apr 9, 2015 15:31:37 GMT -6
I actually recently found and bought the "Hush" graphic novel, and it's kinda what lead me to ask the question All those different villains popping up through it, it's made me really look forward to seeing how you adapt it to fit in with your own universe. I don't want to introduce DC Comics characters just for the sake of introducing them. It's funny you say that, because I do more or less the opposite I think, because M:SCU is more procedural based, when I sat down and planned out the first season, I knew I wanted to have specific episodes to focus on specific characters I wanted to introduce in my own way, i.e. Mr. Terrific, Sonar, Dr. Cyber, etc. On that note of 'specific characters', while the Riddler is someone I am REALLY looking forward to seeing defined in the WTRverse, one character I HOPE you introduce at some point is "The Calculator" - I don't know if you know of him, but he is essentially the criminal underworld's version of "Oracle", who becomes hellbent on exposing who Oracle really is. Since Chloe fills that pseudo-Oracle role as "Watchtower", I would LOVE to see Chloe go up against her evil alternate! Battle of the Super-Hackers Begin! I've just started reading "Birds of Prey" from the beginning, and I know he surfaces somewhere in that so it's definitely a possibility for next season. I keep saying that and it's probably annoying but it would be a lie if I said there was room to bring in all these really awesome villains this season, HAHA. Part of the reason the Oracle storyline was going to be put off for a while was because I was afraid that in making Barbara "Oracle" and starting that journey for her, it would make Chloe's role as Watchtower redundant. Then, I was worried I would make one lesser than the other because of their similar roles. Instead, I've found a really cool way to have them both stand on their own (I feel) which you'll guys come to see in the back half of the season. So "The Calculator" could just as much be a threat towards Barbara -- like from the comics -- that he could be for Chloe. As for all the DC Comics characters, it's taken close to four seasons to bring Wonder Woman into the show and both Chris and I have been wanting to introduce her since our shows premiered. Finding the right time is key for Watchtower, especially when it comes to having all these super-powered heroes out there. I mean, we talked about Superman before and how I said in my own head I considered him to not be on this Earth anymore and you were like phew! Hahaha. Because it does pose a situation sometimes. I think it's been said that one of the earlier episodes of Season Four -- in fact it's probably going to be the second episode -- will feature the return of Superman, and a Superman vs Batman event that has been in the making since "Alien." It's kind of the conclusion of a trilogy with Alien being part one, and Hope being part two. So, that's fun for me. I like playing with the mythology, and setting things up for a big pay off later and I think that will be the same for Birds of Prey, and certain Batman villains. Season Four is going to be the biggest pay-off season, for sure
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Post by Jack Malone on Apr 9, 2015 14:45:30 GMT -6
Good . You know i love game changers. Any spoilers for condemned? And any chance you're gunma revamp the birds? This time with Babs? Because I'm ready for that trio to grace the screens. Cuz lezbehonest Helena isn't leavin . she's the last of the orignal team watchtower.lol I don't have spoilers for "Condemned" yet because I'm still yet to do an outline for the episode. A lot of things usually change from the notes I wrote down at the beginning of the season to what the episode eventually becomes with knowledge of the previous episode/s and fresh ideas that come from the process of breaking it down. But once it's all outlined, I should be able to release the official descriptions plus title cards for the next three episodes, as well as airdates, and things like that so yay! It's ridiculous how much has happened since the first season that "Birds of Prey" in their true form seems plausible right now. It's crazy to me. I had a plan to bring Barbara in eventually, but never to tackle the Oracle storyline as soon as I did (in fact it wasn't going to be a plot point up until the fifth season). It honestly kind of unfolded itself and presented a really nice arc to go alongside Chloe in the back half of the season. So now I'm very much of the mind-set that things should be fast paced, and all potential should be tapped into as quickly as possible as long as it allows for an organic progression. Dinah was another character who sort of created a life of her own this season during the writing process and so she's off being Black Canary in Star City *nerd gasm* HAHA. I think the final piece of puzzle is Helena in this situation. She hasn't really been a team player for a while now, and this is the darkest season for her character. I will say that there's a pretty huge nod towards "Birds of Prey" in episode thirteen ["DNA"] that will probably amp you up even more for these three to join forces, and it definitely is another "stay tuned" situation on my end. I'll also say that I've really gotten into doing more comic book research without nifty little summaries of storylines, and character plot points in the comics. I've just finished the Green Arrow and Black Canary series -- which was amazing -- and have now started Birds of Prey. So that's something. Maybe
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Post by Jack Malone on Apr 9, 2015 14:34:00 GMT -6
I have a question: Have you eve given any thought to the idea of introducing the VPN version of 'the Penguin'? I know that both "Gotham" the show, and the character of Oswald Cobblepot have been very popular - has that made you think about doing your own version, or has it put you off it instead? It's all about finding the right time to do these things. I don't want to introduce DC Comics characters just for the sake of introducing them. I have a story in mind for The Penguin when it comes to the fifth and final season of Watchtower, and unless there's an opportunity that arises beforehand to bring him in -- which there very much could be -- it's a very "stay tuned for the long haul" type answer. Gotham is a show that I haven't even tried to watch yet. I'm not too interested in it. I'm sticking to the Greg Berlanti side of the DCU with Arrow, The Flash, the new Arrow/Flash spin-off featuring The Atom, and Supergirl, haha. But as for Penguin, and a lot of the other villains from Batman's rogue gallery, I'm planning to do as much as I can. It's just that I have a five-year plan, and it's hard to answer things that I've got set for probably a year / two years from now. The fun thing about this season is that it's very much inspired by the graphic novel, "Hush." As you know, there's a lot of Batman's enemies that surface in it and I think I've tackled most of them before the season is done. I mean, Poison Ivy will be back in the latter half, and I've introduced The Riddler in "Thief" with Clayface having a really cool arc in place for the back half of this season. There's a few more announcements to be made in regards to some of the other characters that have yet to appear from the "Hush" comics which might surprise a few of you so I'm looking forward to announcing those later in the year! Unfortunately, The Penguin isn't one of them. But he is definitely going to be on Watchtower.
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Post by Jack Malone on Apr 8, 2015 21:56:05 GMT -6
Jack, how goes the writing on S3?! It's going really good. I just finished "DNA" about two days ago. I've started work on "Condemned" -- the final Selina Kyle episode of the season -- and now I'm focusing on one big assignment for my course work in these next two days before I start the script for 314, and work on editing 313 over the weekend. I'm really excited about these next three episodes. They're definitely game changers
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 18, 2015 15:47:32 GMT -6
I MUST KNOW! Dammit, I want to get them ALL RIGHT!! So, here's attempt No. 2 for the ones I didn't get. 3. "Who knew that when Kyle healed you he actually reverted you back to your teenage years." - Vicki 4. "Whoever it is, they're calling themselves The Oracle." - Chloe 8. "There is no happily ever after for our story." - Selina 12. "Are you ready to come back from the dead?" - Bruce 13. "Guess cats really do have nine lives." - Chloe As for my prize, hmm... I'm torn between Kahn, Nightwing and Barbara, so you choose, Mr. Malone from those three BTW, I'm going to PM you with a question or 2 I have soon, so keep your eyes peeled on your inbox. Every one is right except for the last one. Usually, that line is a bit snarky and comes off as a great Chloe line but in the situation it's being said in, it'll definitely belong to Perry. So good guesses! I definitely want to do this for future episodes because its such a fun way to get spoilers out I'll have a look at some of their scenes and which one out of their scenes I can release as a preview clip. Thanks for playing!
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 17, 2015 20:44:51 GMT -6
Hmm, lets take a stab at this, then... 1. "This city has seen stranger things and it's not like you haven't risen from the dead before." - Kyle2. "Apologies will not keep us alive, or make us rich, my friend." - The Riddler3. "Who knew that when Kyle healed you he actually reverted you back to your teenage years." - Chloe 4. "Whoever it is, they're calling themselves The Oracle." - Vicki 5. "If only this was something they taught at self defence classes." - Barbara6. "Don't look so surprised. I said I'd be back." - Selina7. "Great Caesar's ghost!" - Perry, naturally.8. "There is no happily ever after for our story." - Bruce 9. "You're the only one close enough to Vicki who would be able to exploit her connection to The Watchtower." - Perry10. "Next thing I cut is your face." - Helena11. "It is a disgrace to see you outlive those more worthy of your title." - LoS Member12. "Are you ready to come back from the dead?" - Chloe 13. "Guess cats really do have nine lives." - Helena 8 out of 13! I'd call that a win. Let me know what character you'd like to see a preview clip for and I'll get one released for you as soon as possible.
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 16, 2015 19:42:33 GMT -6
Here are some dialogue extracts from the first episode back, titled "Thief." Below are the ten characters these quotes come from (so yes, one or two characters have more than one line). If you want to try and guess who said what line, I'll be releasing a scene from the episode featuring whatever character you want to see a preview clip of and no character is off limits. Whoever is closest to getting them all right, or whoever gets them all right first, is the winner. If not, these give some pretty big spoilers for what you can expect for the first episode back of 3B. CHARACTER BANKChloe Sullivan, Bruce Wayne, Helena Bertinelli, Vicki Vale, Kyle Williams, Perry White, Selina Kyle, Barbara Gordon, The Riddler, and LoS Member.
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 14, 2015 22:42:47 GMT -6
REVIEW: 3.11 "Sacrifice" So, I was finally able to get a chance to read "Sacrifice". What a jam-packed episode! Watchtower season 3 has definitely had some fast paced and eventful episodes, but this one definitely has set a bar for the rest of the season, which I'm almost positive will be exceeded very shortly. I was really shocked at how soon Doomsday, the form, was actually stopped; however, it obviously made sense and didn't disrupt the flow of the episode at all, so I have to commend you on making the back half of the episode just as interesting as the first half despite there being a lack of bone-protruding beasts, most notably Talia's involvement in the final act. This was a very nice surprise. Thank you so much for reviewing, man. I just got back from a weekend away and it was nice to come home and find this. I definitely hope you enjoy the back half just as much as this first one When it came to the introduction of Nyssa, it was so much more about Ra's Al Ghul and this building Talia/Ra's storyline that I never really saw it as "sister" moments or rushing things too much because of the fact that there was going to be a reveal that Ra's had escaped death once more and now inhabited his own daughter's body. It's kind of the main reason why I scrapped the plan to have her play a bigger role in the previous episode -- "Toxic" -- because it wasn't her. I mean, hopefully there's an organic way to explore Nyssa/Talia in the future, but at the moment there aren't any plans. It was nice to bring her in though because as much as I'm fleshing out Kyle and integrating him into the story and the cast of characters, the same is being done to Talia and her world and now we have a complete image of the extremely dysfunctional family. This next arc for Talia is all about the consequences to her actions and going back to that main theme of identity. She's killed her father, she's lost faith in the prophecy, she's chosen a mortal over an immortal, and she's being targeted by an army she would have lead had she not made such a foolish decision. In these next few episodes, we're going to see her on the run from the League, and being this target and maybe a restoration of the faith she's lost. Along with that there's a big moment coming in her story where we'll be able to explore her decision to choose Bruce over her own blood, and tap into any feelings that might be there but it's definitely important to note that Hush would rather keep Talia alive than to see her die. Sitting on this twist since the beginning of the season has been so difficult to keep in. I was so relieved when it came to writing this episode because I could finally answer some of the bigger questions surrounding Kyle. I think the mystery surrounding him is over now and there's nothing left to really answer which is nice. I feel like -- and hopefully you all feel the same -- Kyle has really been integrated into the cast of characters and is one of them now. The addition of a codename just felt like putting the stamp on it and in the first episode back after hiatus he'll even have his own costume which is nice. In regards to the actual twist, I wanted the healing-powers of Smallville S7 to actually have some level of importance that was lacking on the show. I felt like Chloe and her powers were sort of palmed off and while I never liked the idea of her having powers in the first place, it was so weird to see how important they were in one season and how quickly they just dissolved them with no further explanation as to why they brought them on for her in the first place and why they got rid of them so quickly after one and a half seasons. With this it's kind of tying the missing pieces together. Without Chloe having those powers, Perry White would be dead and he would not have been able to go on to become the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet. All subsequent people that Kyle save and sacrifice himself for are also enhancing the importance of these powers and the significance of them being introduced in the first place. So it's two birds, one stone. Just like you, I love continuity and I like taking advantage of the fact that this is a spin-off of a ten-season television series. So I'm happy that the call-back and the joining of these two shows worked and you liked it The fun part about this episode in regards to Chloe was that she had a child of her own to think about and we got to see how it changes her perspective. She really is all over the place because everything was new to her. Prior to Hope, she would have probably ran off from the team without letting them know what she was going to do, lure Doomsday into the Geothermal Facility, and sacrifice herself to bury him below the Earth. I'm glad that the difference was noticed Aw, thanks man. I have to be honest -- I think I've said this many times before -- whenever it comes to having all the leather-clad costumed superheroes in one scene together, it's hard to make them all feel important and present. I think it's because there's so many characters and if they're not all doing something or don't all have a line to contribute, then I'm in constant fear that someone is going to come out of the scene thinking: "well, Zatanna didn't really need to be there" or "Why the hell was Speedy in this episode?" So that's a huge compliment. The thing that stopped me from cutting some characters out was that I knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to have some sort of solidification of a team and have a group of people that Chloe could call on for the rest of the season. If everyone is busy, she can call on Mia, or call on Dinah, or Dick, or anyone else in this episode. I also wanted to bring Zatanna back to tie up her storyline and almost redeem her in an unspoken way. When Chloe needed her, she was there. So the big team up in this episode had a multitude of reasons and I'm happy that it didn't feel like a crowded house of unnecessary baloney. *cries* I'm loving the Perry mentions in these reviews. In being quite retrospective of the season, I think going into this season with the idea to write it as Perry's last kind of allowed me to focus on an actual storyline for him and it's made him leave more of a mark. In the past two seasons, Perry's storylines had been more about testing his relationships and he was almost the Alfred of Batman to Chloe for a while there. Now, he's had this ongoing storyline and it was nice to sort of wrap it up here. The next arc for him will really be about exploring two different paths: being the successful Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet in Metropolis, or staying in Gotham to help fight the good fight until his dying breath. I've said since the start of the season that it's been about identity and so that's the big question plaguing him and motivating his actions. I mean, there has to be a choice made. He can't have his cake and eat it too and so there's going to be quite the heartbreaking conclusion to his arc coming up in I-will-keep-the-episode-number-a-surprise. Barbara has been refreshing this season. I've adapted pretty quickly to her arc and integrating it into the season, and it definitely wasn't planned out to be this present and be happening this early until we done episode ten. She's breathed new life into Chloe's arc, and the theme of "identity" for her and I like that everyone else seems to be keen for Barbara to step into the role of Oracle and embrace that sooner rather than later. The "Eyes Only" moment was a favourite to write in this episode. Thanks, man! Your reviews are incredibly inspiring man. It makes me want to buckle down and get the rest of the season written in a day if that was possible. I'm glad you're looking forward to more Talia, and more Hush, and I promise to deliver in the back eleven episodes of the season. Thanks for a good first half of reviews!
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 11, 2015 18:14:19 GMT -6
You're welcome my dude. You've inspired me to get back into writing so you'll always have my support. Now enough with the sentimental stuff and lets get down to the dirt here. You've obviously have something up your sleeve with Perry. Considering you killed him and then revived him. I am not even going to get onto that little bout of trickery. So what have you got set for Perry in these next runs? And also, will the gang actually get to be around Hope? Because I'm seeing just all the cute moments come from that!! There's a lot planned for Perry. I'm still not going to reveal when his last episode of the season is because it's a bit of a surprise, but the next run is a lot lighter than the previous eleven episodes for him. For example, in the first episode back we get to see Perry on a date with a very special someone, and he brings a bit of much needed humour for our first episode back. So, you're going to see some romance in his life, and it's a nice change for him. With that said, there's an emotional aspect to it. Introducing Alice Spencer was sort of an introduction of this next storyline for him as I'm going to explore the reasons why he came to Gotham in the first place, what he set out to achieve, why his past relationships never worked out after the downfall of his marriage, and little things here and there that are slowly, but surely, wrapping this character up. Along with that, we're going to learn straight off the bat that he's putting a portfolio together to make an interview for the Daily Planet as their new Editor-in-Chief, and so we're heading towards that's endpoint there and the decisions he makes, and the actions he makes are a lot more permanent than before because his storyline is coming to a close. As for baby Hope, it's going to sound really strange but I've never really thought about the gang interacting with her. It's definitely something that if I find the right motivation for and it's organic and will work into the story well then I'll do it. Just off the top of my head now, I can see a strong purpose to have one with Hope and Helena, but we'll just have to see. At the moment, I've not given it much thought. I think that Hope is so pivotal to Chloe, and such a huge part of her world exclusively that I didn't really pay much attention to Hope outside of that especially because of how little she is. But yeah, we'll see!
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 10, 2015 23:53:21 GMT -6
On the subject of her raising her family, I LOVE that you incorporated Mama and Daddy Sullivan into the equation when it comes to Hope. And Im loving that Chloe decided she wasn't going to leave her family. Now I really hope you have Moira meet WW when she eventually shows up!!! And honestly I knew you were gunna go the Oracle route the second she showed up in Episode One. Her appearances reminded me of S1 Chloe from smallville. And I enjoyed every step of the way. And I can't wait till she works alongside the Team I'm glad you're loving the Sullivan family dynamic. There's definitely more to come. Originally, there was going to be a terrible outcome for the family in the mid-season finale but I decided to scrap that idea. There's been a lot of that happening this season where a storyline I had planned going into an episode is taken out because I've found another and much better route to go in and that's been a really new experience for me writing this season. The storyline has opened itself up to more possibilities and exploring those keeps things fresh for me. I think it was about time Chloe had something in her life that made her realise she doesn't have to jump in front of someone to save them from an incoming bullet, but rather find another way to get the job done. So we can officially say goodbye to "Chloe is a martyr" from here on out which I know is something a lot of readers in the past have picked up on as being a repetitive theme in Chloe's life. I would love to have Moira and Wonder Woman meet. That's definitely something I should look into for next season Yeah, I think I was quite transparent in my introduction of Barbara. Like you said, I wanted her to be this mini-version of Chloe, and I think because Chloe is the main protagonist of the show -- and not Bruce / Batman -- I needed Barbara to revolve around her character more, and give more to her than any other main character. Oracle was always going to be the endpoint, but deciding to skip on the Batgirl route made it that much easier to just delve straight into this other story for her. The first two episodes back from break are very Oracle-heavy, and will lay the groundwork for her role as that persona. "Toxic" and "Sacrifice" were very much teasing the idea of this role, and "Thief" and "DNA" will actually give it to you. Thanks for all the support, man. It's always appreciated!
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 10, 2015 2:28:57 GMT -6
-ORACLE IS ON THE RISE -Dick getting kidnapped? Let the jokes commence!!! -Does this also mean Dick is apart of Team Watchtower after the events of "Sacrifice"? -will Dick and Babs meet in this episode? -Kyle's new costume? I can't wait to see that!! -I'm curious as to when someone will question Chloe as to why she doesn't at least have a street costume to use when she is running around with the heroes of Gotham -And as for this new episode....i can't wait to see who the spy has been. I call Lisa!!! And Selina returns . I honestly can't wait. I've been sitting on the decision to make Barbara Gordon "Oracle" since bringing her on board in the premiere, and originally wanted it to be a slow-burn of a journey. Instead, I decided that things should be as fast paced yet as organic as possible and after the most recent two episodes of this season it just made sense to head in that direction as early as this first episode back. So expect to see a lot of Barbara in the back half of the season, and a lot of big steps towards her future as Oracle! It's funny because when I think of "Team Watchtower" I kind of include everyone that has worked alongside Chloe, while maintaining the idea that they're really not a team. But I guess we can consider him part of the team -- at least an extension of it through Helena and his ties to her. The costume for Kyle is kind of cool. I had a pretty distinct image when picturing what it would look like and what colours it would be, and how functional it would be. So hopefully you'll get the same image -- if not a cooler one than the one in my head / on page. As for Chloe getting a costume, I don't think she's ever going to really need one. I liked the leather look she was rocking in S10 of Smallville but I doubt she'll ever have a mask or a specific set of clothes. We'll see. I've always wanted to find a catalyst of doing something like that and potentially getting her in some gear, and it'd definitely be a lot of fun and so we'll see. She does have a family to protect now Lisa is definitely on the list of possibilities. Whether that is the twist or not, there will be a twist involving Lisa in the first episode back!
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 9, 2015 20:56:13 GMT -6
"Thief" Spoilers
- The episode opens at the morgue. - DC Comics' The Riddler appears in this episode, and features in the opening minutes of the episode. His appearance is said to be a nod towards his introduction in the "Hush" comic books storyline. - Allison Mack told VSGuide that there will be a lot of conflict introduced between Chloe and Kyle in this episode revolving around the cure that was revealed in the mid-season finale. "Chloe knows deep down that Kyle is the only chance they have at stopping Hush and she's reluctant to let him on the cure knowing full-well that he would take it in a heartbeat." - There's a new threat in the city being referred to as "The Identity Thief." All their victims have been left in the streets for the police to find with their faces removed and their identities robbed: John Does. - A woman appears at every scene of the crime which catches Gordon's eyes. He turns to The Batman for help in solving the case. - Dick has been kidnapped and suspected to be one of the next John Does to turn up. - Barbara is running an online blog called "The Oracle" where she has been following this case. She is the first to run into this mysterious woman appearing in every photograph. - Michael McKean told VSGuide that this episode will involve a love interest for Perry, and it will be the first time we'll see him in a romantic setting since the series' inception. "I don't think there's ever been a strong enough purpose to see this side of Perry's life until now," McKean said of the upcoming storyline, "Since the introduction of his ex-wife, Alice Spencer, it's pivotal that we explore the scars left on him and the guilt he has about the entire situation and this date is the catalyst that allows us to see just that." This episode will also mention the real reason why Martha and Perry couldn't work out and why things between he and this new love interest could share the same fate. - Someone close to a member of Team Watchtower has been secretly working for Hush and they're revealed in this episode. - Emma Stone told VSGuide that she got to shoot her first scene with the illusive Hush. "I finally got to come face to face [with Hush]," Stone said of the upcoming encounter, "It's a lot more intimidating than I thought. That costume is scary." - Kyle will be a well-known hero in the city of Gotham, sporting a new codename and costume. - Talia has been on the run from The League of Shadows since the mid-season finale. Stana Katic revealed that she will resurface in Gotham in a state of defeat, and something or someone gives her hope that the prophecy isn't as dead as she thought it was. - This episode marks the return of Eliza Dushku as Selina Kyle.
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 9, 2015 19:49:02 GMT -6
So I finally got around to reading "Sacrifice".......my feels are all over the place An in depth review for this and the other episodes will be coming soon!! Thanks, man! I'm glad you enjoyed the episode. I hope the big mystery behind Kyle, and Kyle/Chloe paid off
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 8, 2015 7:57:13 GMT -6
Whenever Michael gets the spotlight, it's always refreshing and I've appreciated the times when this series has focused on him a little more, or had him in the middle of the drama so I'm excited to see the "Michael Duology"
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Arrow
Mar 2, 2015 9:58:57 GMT -6
Post by Jack Malone on Mar 2, 2015 9:58:57 GMT -6
^Yes! Sara was sort of the Dinah Drake / Black Canary beginnings of the story, but on "Arrow", it's obviously Laurel's sister, and she's "Canary" where Laurel becomes "Black Canary."
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Arrow
Mar 2, 2015 9:26:07 GMT -6
Post by Jack Malone on Mar 2, 2015 9:26:07 GMT -6
^That's cool. I really don't see Oliver becoming the next Ra's Al Ghul, or proving himself in the sense that he could fulfil that role because he hasn't really proven himself enough yet in my eyes to be this sort of... all powerful leader. But, it's obvious the Christopher Nolan films have sort of re-energised and breathed new life into DC Comics based shows/films and "Arrow" embodies it's effects tenfold. I have hope that, out of all of this, Oliver slowly develops into a more close-to-comic-book version of "Oliver Queen" as opposed to the Bruce Wayne from TDK Trilogy but understand it is an origins show and there's probably at least another three seasons left in the series.
And maaaan, I love the name Laurel. I read the producers' reasoning on it -- because a lot of people weren't familiar with that being Dinah's middle name so always discredited her as not becoming Black Canary because she isn't "Dinah", and he said that the network wanted a fresher, younger name. The reason I love it so much is because when her full name is mentioned, and when she says her own name, it's just as epic as her being referred to as Canary or Black Canary. I just love it, haha!
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Arrow
Mar 2, 2015 7:49:50 GMT -6
Post by Jack Malone on Mar 2, 2015 7:49:50 GMT -6
In regards to "Arrow" taking a lot from the Batman comics, I say: if no one else is going to use the material, then why not use it? I think for me, it's a personal feeling that the character deserves to be done right - if you're calling a show "Arrow" and basing it on the character of "Oliver Queen", then use the ACTUAL plethora of material that exists for that character. Don't create a show just to use the source material of ANOTHER character you can't use because other people have the rights and shoehorn that material into the life of a different character. I get 'artistic licence' and all that, I mean, incorporating Deadshot, Huntress, Felicity Smoak, etc, they are decisions that worked well for the show, and using the League as part of the origins of both the Dark Archer and the Black Canary, both the Sara and Laurel versions, was a nice way to steer those characters onto their inevitable paths. I just think that Ollie has a rich enough history that deserves mining properly - they already used China White, Cupid, Count Vertigo and so forth, which shows they've looked into Ollie's history. Using Batman mythos to me feels like a disservice to the character and fans like me who appreciate the comic book origins of the show. Saying that, I was VERY disappointed when they 'whitewashed' the character of Brick, turning him from an African-American into a cockney White Englishman. SIDE NOTE: One of the main nitpicks I had with Arrow at the start was it's habit of paying 'homage' with throwaway characters that have developed history - Constantine Drakon for one, killed quickly in the pilot. Another is the abrupt disappearance/possible death of Ted Grant - while I hope they didn't kill him off, I could understand it as part of Laurel's development, but we never really got a clear answer. It sounds very nit-picky, though. I mean, this is a television show. It's not and never should be an exact replication of the comic books, and I think if you're wanting to see a character play the same role, or a story play out the same way rather than do something new and different and be it's own thing then just stick to the comics. The thing is: Ra's Al Ghul and The League of Assassins are relevant and important to the show because of Malcolm Merlyn. They later made it a step above that with the introduction of Sara Lance, and now they have to find a way to make them relevant to Oliver Queen so that he can stop them. I like when comic book shows have nods towards something you might catch as a reference, or allude to something in a similar light, such as Ra's Al Ghul saying he hasn't been challenged for sixty something years which kind of gives me the impression that is when Batman / Bruce Wayne might have existed in this continuity, but I in no way expect that from the show, or expect to be given stuff straight from the comic books. I like the creative choices they've made. I like, for example, that Roy was never Speedy and didn't have to go through three different name-changes for him to become "Arsenal" because of the "Speedy" nickname being given to Thea. I like that Laurel has a law degree, and is a badass lawyer and worked at CNRI (Canary) and "hates fishnets." I think the show established pretty early on that they were going to be a hell of a lot different than the comic books, but would maintain the integrity of those comics and seeing everyone react after this past episode by saying: "And that's how I became Batman" has just bugged me. We're never going to see Batman take on Ra's Al Ghul on Television. We're never going to see this storyline of Bruce being the next Ra's Al Ghul. It's just not going to happen. So while the show has written Ra's and The League of Assassins into their show since its inception, I have no problem with it going there and I think we all know that Oliver doesn't actually end up being the next Ra's Al Ghul, and that it is impossible. So, I don't get the big blow-up over it but I respect where you're coming from and I think your extensive comic book knowledge is impressive and epic and I love that but I think there comes a point with television shows, and movies, and new mediums that adapt another medium's story and world, that we just have to leave that at the table, and view it as it's own thing. I certainly don't want to see something happen on the show where I can just turn to a comic book and figure out everything that is going to happen from this point onwards, you know? I think it has to be different, it has to be the epitome of "based on" rather than an exact replication of the comics and that's where I stand on the whole Arrow/Batman situation. As for Ted Grant; the actor was signed to another show as a series regular. Originally, he was going to be Laurel's trainer throughout the majority of the season, and even serve as a love interest for her (which would probably infuriate you considering they have a father/daughter dynamic in the comics and he's much older). Unfortunately, they had to sort of severely injure him so that they could sort of imply that he was unfit to keep training Laurel now that he had suffered such a fate. He HAS been confirmed by the writers that he's still alive. As for Brick, I wasn't aware of a "white!wash" but personally, I love Vinnie Jones and he was phenomenal in that role and I much prefer him to the main threat of the season which is Ra's Al Ghul.
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Post by Jack Malone on Mar 2, 2015 4:07:24 GMT -6
Yeah, she's going to be a main, reoccurring character for the fourth season. I think the core of the Justice League is definitely Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and all three will be playing a huge role in the back half of this series and I'm really excited about it. Really? Because I always thought for smallville at least the core three pr the "trinity" was Chloe, Oliver and Clark. Considering those three have been in the thick of like all drama since the beginning!!! I'm talking about the actual "Justice League". Smallville and Watchtower have set-up, hinted at, and built towards the formation of the Justice League, and with the introduction of Wonder Woman (and the subsequent return of Superman), we'll be able to tackle it
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