SAM RAIMI’S FAVOURITE CATERER SPOTTED ON SET FOR SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME

Just who could it be and why does it matter?

Written by guest journalist Percy Barker

The Spider-Man fandom are losing their collective minds for what seems like the six millionth time; the presence of a certain individual on the set of the latest cinematic outing for the ol’ Web-Head has caused speculation to run wild like a pack of rabid beavers.

While hanging upside down from the gutter of a high-rise in Connecticut – the film site of the film’s filming – a particularly eager and unhinged Spidey fan snapped a blurry shot of a man in a grubby apron, shortly before the gutter gave way and the fan fell to their death.

The man in the photo has been barely identified as Crane Deucher, the renowned proprietor of Deuche Foods. Deucher has been in the film catering business since 1981, but one particular client of his has caused an absolute uproar among the world wide web of Spider-Fans. Deucher’s food truck is well known for having a constant presence on the film sets of none other than Sam Raimi, acclaimed director of Darkman and Oz The Great and Powerful. Oh, and the original Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire, too.

Deucher’s presence comes as no surprise, as it aligns with other contingents from previous Spider-Man films being spotted on the same set. So far, there have been reports of Emma Stone’s stunt double, Kirsten Dunst’s dogwalker and even Donnell Rawlings, famous for his line: “Egad! He has swiped that woman’s burrito!”

Every day, it appears more and more familiar faces are joining the production of Spider-Man No Way Home, resolutely confirming that it will finally unite all three live action Spider-Men on the big screen.

Or maybe it’s a symptom of a rabid fanbase using arbitrary connections to justify their obsessive desires into reality through nothing more than desperate willpower.

The film’s actual director, Jon Watts, has been notably silent about the appearance of more than one Spider-Man in his film. Conversely, Raimi has been quite vocal. His comments mainly consist of telling people to “Quit fucking asking me about Spider-Man”, “I’ve got my goddamn hands full with Doctor Strange 2” and “I’m begging you to watch literally any other movie.”

While Raimi’s statements do not confirm whether or not Maguire’s Spider-Man will be in Spider-Man No Way Home, he hasn’t said that Maguire won’t be in the film, which is all the fuel the fanatics need for their manic theorising.

Marc Webb, director of the Amazing Spider-Man duology starring Andrew Garfield, has also declined to comment, and was last seen boarding a plane to Guatemala.

Sony, the chief company that holds the movie rights to Spider-Man and all associated entities, have explicitly addressed and dismissed the rumours that either of the previous Spider-Men are slated to appear in the latest movie. However, this has provoked a collective delusion in fans who interpreted Sony’s statement as merely the dismissal of a rumour and the official confirmation being delayed by juuuuuust a few more months.

At this stage, nothing short of the second coming of Jesus Christ descending from the heavens and saying “Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield will not be in Spider-Man No Way Home” will convince these rabid Spidey Stans.

But that still probably wouldn’t convince them anyway.

More updates swinging your way.

This article was edited by the sensational Connor Schmidt.
Also, I know it’s kind of late, but April Fools everyone!

Batman’s Back… Again!

LOOK, I DON’T

quite know how to say this, guys, but…

Nah yeah, it was pretty good.

First issues are always hard to gauge because it’s merely an introductory snapshot to the series’ story, characters and general vibes. And I gotta say, I’m pickin’ up with what this new flavour of Batman is laying down. This Fresh Prince of Bat-air prowls a Gotham that has been taken over by the Magistrate, a heavily armed and licensed-to-kill police force that’s targeting anyone with a mask. That’s bad news for Gotham, which is literally full of masked bozos, well-intentioned or otherwise.

In this issue Batman saves the life of two young boys who are mixed up with a gang who wear Bane masks by ripping their masks off and beating up the rest of the gang all while dodging the police. It’s your standard Batman fare of appealing to the troubled youth, but with the added zinger of evading the thought police! The Po-Po often look the other way when it comes to Bat-antics, but its a compelling choice to have them serve as a looming antagonist in this new techno-dystopian Gotham.

You ever heard of Tron Uprising? Because I am also I’m getting strong Tron Uprising vibes from this. And that’s the one of the highest compliments I can pay any form of fiction. Seriously, go watch Tron Uprising.

Oh yeah, and go read the first issue of the brand new Batman series under DC’s Future Slate event. It reminds me of Batman: Year One, but with a bluesy new twist.

Bigger, Bolder, Crazier!

A NEW FRONTIER FOR CRAZY DAVIS BEGINS TODAY.

Sort of.

I’ll be honest with you folks, it’s been a tumultuous time for your old pal CD. Both imagined plights and real. But I’m not here to tell you to give up hope. Quite the opposite. I’m telling you now is the time to seize the day, chase the dragon, get the cat hair out of the carpet, that kind of jazz.

Henceforth, I will be seizing said day and going forth to expand my media empire! What does this mean, exactly. I’ll tell you exactly what it means. It means I’m starting a podcast!

Now before you roll your eyes, hear me out. Practically all of my posts here have been delivered in my voice. But you can’t exactly hear it, can you? Unless you’re as crazy—erm—imaginative as I am.

So I’m trying at my hand and diving in to the realm of the interwebs to literally make my voice heard. This includes the podcast, a YouTube channel and even a Twitter account. The only next step is making content to fill it all up.

So that’s what I’ll be turning my attention towards. Making a bunch of fresh wacky new content for you all to enjoy or just turn on in the background when you’re jogging or in a University lecture or something. Not that I’m advocating listening to me instead of your educational institution…

Thanks to any and all of my fans out there. This is a whole new world for me and one that I feel slightly under equipped for. But I wouldn’t be writing this if I didn’t care about my adoring public or the stuff I write about, so here we are.

This isn’t a goodbye to this blog either. I will return here periodically to discuss things in writing-style rather than talking-style. Or to publish bits and pieces of my musings. But I think in order to spread my wings, I gotta dedicate my assets to other platforms, for the greater good (The Greater Good).

The future is bright for Crazy Davis, Hope you stick around to see it.

Heading Into The Unknown,
CD

PS How good does Tenet look? I’m seeing it tomorrow. I’m sure it’s peripherally related enough to comic books that I’ll have an excuse to talk about it. Anyhoo, Ciao!

The Motherfreakin’ Batman – Finally Revealed!

HOLY GUACAMOLE FOLKS!

Good grief folks, I haven’t been this excited about a Batman story since Dark Nights: Metal and lemme tell ya, that one was a doozy.

Look, maybe it’s just because this is pretty much the only information we’ve received since the damn film was announced, but I can say with confidence that it has been well worth the wait to actually see a snippet of what we’re gonna see. And at the risk of repeating myself, it’s one hell of a snippet.

I mean, the only possible thing that could make this better would be-OH MY GOD IT’S DRAWN BY JIM LEE THAT’S IT IT’S PERFECT, HANDS DOWN!

The energy of this piece emanates the pure essence of Batman, and it makes me feel like an edgy twelve year old again in all the best possible ways. Everything from the eyes, to the gargoyle to the cape is just an absolute chef’s kiss to a bowl of delectable Batman soup. And it’s a soup that I’d actually consider having for once (I’m a fussy eater).

The other good news is that we can reasonably expect a trailer to come out soon! That’s what the DC Fandome thing in the bottom left is for, it’s basically an online comic-con but for DC stuff. And you can bet your Batman-dollar I’ll be tuning in to see at 1 am on a Sunday. That’s the sort of dedication you can expect from me, Crazy Davis!

So yeah, I’m excited, you’re excited, the whole world should be excited! And while I’m well aware this is like the 7th or 8th Batman reboot we’ve seen, I think this one will be a cut above the rest. Here’s hoping!

I’ll see you soon to discuss my hopes and aspiration for The Batman.

Ugh, even the name is cool. The Batman. I could say that all day. You know what, I think I will.

The Batman,
CD

Under My Umbrella – Academy

IF YOU KNOW anything about Crazy Davis by know, it’s that he loves comics!

Sci-Fi, Superhero, even Tintin comics! Big or small, I’ve read ’em all.

Well, almost all of them. Until last week or so, the Umbrella Academy series was one of them.

But I’m very glad to say that now I have indeed read every issue available of the Umbrella Academy comic book series and it was a blast from start to finish. So now, and only now, do I feel like it’s only right to give that new Netflix series a try. How bad could it be?

…

Yeah it’s fine, I suppose.

I’d like to clarify first and foremost that I haven’t finished the series yet. Hell, I’m not even up to Season 2. So no spoilers, y’hear? Otherwise I’ll bar you for life from me carpet shop. And trust me when I say you don’t wanna miss the deals I’ve got coming up this summer!

Where was I? Ah yes, the Umbrella Academy. The series. The TV series! Always a pleasure to see a comic get the television adaptation over a movie, for reasons I have made abundantly clear beforehand. But if I’m being honest with myself, I think I went into the show with measured expectations and as such, I haven’t strictly been blown away thus far.

Now before you raise your pitchforks, let me make my stance clear: I don’t hate this show. I’m enjoying it quite a bit and I’m interested to see how it’s gonna progress. I think I’m about seven or so episodes into Season One and it’s very intriguing.

However, when it comes to being a comic book adaptation and bringing to life the aspects of the comic book I so readily enjoyed, it skips a few beats that make me a teensy bit irritated. Not enough to write off the show, but enough to compel to make a stand and say some things from the comic I really wish the show decided to include.

I gotta say it, but the Academy’s costumes in this show are pretty lackluster. It’s barely a step up from the whole X-Men bundled up in black leather phase from the early 2000’s. The Academy’s costumes in the comic are iconic silhouettes that make distinct visual statements about their characters. Spaceboy AKA Luther AKA Number ONE is basically Soldier: 76 with Winston’s body, The Kraken, or ‘Diego’, as the show hasn’t used his badass codename from the comics yet, has a striped shirt with a skull and crossbones, long blond hair and a fierce set of stubble. Furthermore, Diego’s power in the comics is that he can hold his breath indefinitely, making him a gritty, knife-throwing Aquaman, to quote Gerad Way (the original writer of the series, who also co-created Peni Parker & SP//dr!). I much prefer the comic incarnation of the character. The show’s portrayal of him is good, but I feel there’s more that could be done with him.

I certainly feel that way about Allison AKA Rumour AKA Number Three. So far I’ve only seen her use her power once in the bank robbery scene, whereas she uses it frequently and bodaciously in the comics when she uses it to defeat the Lincoln Memorial, which sprung to life and began attacking Washington:

Funnily enough, this was only the second monument the Umbrella Academy kids destroyed. But it wouldn’t be the last president that Rumour would assassinate…

A choice that the show made in establishing her as the celebrity and most glamourous of the Academy is something I’m warming up to, but again, I think her depiction in the comics is a more realistic trajectory for her character. She also is divorced from her husband and has lost custody of her daughter, but she’s more downtrodden and listless in the comic, which I think is more on par with her actions of manipulating her husband with her power.

I could go on about the things neglected from the comics but I’ll change my tune for your sake and talk about the stuff from the show I really like.

I believe Klaus is a better character in the show than he is in the comics. I also just realised that this is the second show Robert Sheehan has been in where he can talk with dead people. Does anyone remember Misfits. Now that was a ‘superhero’ show with a different tune. Anyhoo, Klaus is great in this show. He’s vibrant, complicated and very sympathetic. It was a neat choice to have him be the only one to travel back to Vietnam, as in the comics he, Diego and Spaceboy are stranded with him. Five is basically the same but a tad older, which is an understandable choice and Vanya seems to be getting a lot more attention than she’s given in the comics. She’s pretty much just the villain of the comic book’s first arc and judging by the title of the Season One finale, I look forward to seeing how the show portrays the “White Violin” herself.

What’s left to say? Umm… I like Pogo, the chimpanzee butler. He’s also got an expanded role from his comic book counterpart it would seem. And the circumstances of Ben’s death and his powers very much intrigue me. Looking forward to more of Ben AKA Number Six AKA The Horror. I just love his power. Being able to release an eldritch abomination or two would really drive up sales down here.

So with all hat said and done, I think I’m done wagging my chin about the Umbrella Academy. It’s time to jump back in and binge it! I hope you enjoyed what I had to say about the series and I reckon if you like it too, why not give the comic book a try?

Stay out of the Rain,
CD

 

PS: Recommended Reading

The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite
The Umbrella Academy: Dallas
The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion

Origins are Overrated: Part 2

THE MANY YEARS I have spent reading comic books have taught me one thing: Superman’s costume looks way better without the red underpants.

It’s also taught me that some supervillains are just as compelling as their superhero counterparts, and in some cases, even more so.

I’m not gonna tell you that old cliche about “every villain being the hero of their own story” because it’s redundant and very obvious. But I would like to talk about why we find it so compelling.

In fact, I would go as far to say that some supervillian origins are actually pretty damn good, if not better, than superhero ones. They kind of have to be in order to convey a somewhat decent motivation for going crazy, slipping on an animal themed costume and attempting to kill a brightly coloured wise cracking crime-fighter for decades. And that’s kind of unsettling.

It really makes you stop to think about certain supervillain origins and reflect on how tragically intricate and heartbreaking they can be. Or even just beautifully simplistic to the point where it seems like a genuine thing that an average person would decide to do one day. We all have a breaking point, after all.

The chief example of a practically perfect supervillian origin is of course, Mister Freeze. I’m sure some of you more savvy readers of this blog thought of him first too. Depending on the incarnation, the tragic tale of Victor Fries (Yes, it’s pronounced “Freeze”) is one of heartbreak, desperation and woeful denial of reality. All Mister Freeze wanted to do was save the life of his cryogenically frozen wife, but a system of abuse, neglect and a freak accident thrown in for that comic book flavour turned him into a relentless killer, determined to achieve his goal by any means necessary, losing his very humanity over the course of his futile quest. I’m not crying, you are.

On the completely different end of the spectrum is the origin of Spider-Man villain, the Shocker. While probably not as renowned as one Mister Freeze, Shocker remains to this day as one of my absolute favourite Spider-Man villains due to the fact he’s just so utterly… basic.

Let me finish: The Shocker’s simple nature is so appealing to me because he really is just the every-man of supervillains. Think Ant-Man from the MCU but without the heroic motivation of providing for his daughter, instead being motivated by pure lust for the almighty dollar.

Shocker is the antithesis of your grandiose and tragic villain like Doctor Doom or Thanos. He doesn’t want to take over the world or balance the universe’s population, nothing like that. He just wants to rob banks with tech that he built himself and that’s it. He’s a clean template for any writer willing to use him in their stories and he’s ripe for a plethora of different interpretations. It’s a shame about the name though, but he was called the Shocker before the internet. 

So, taking all this into account, I believe the perfect supervillain origin should lean towards either the Mr Freeze or Shocker territory. Tragic or simple. If you want to get it any more complicated than that, then any villain you make has to stand in direct contrast to their hero in order to portray a captivating dynamic. This is where we get into Joker territory.

Hoo boy.

Now, I haven’t seen his latest movie and I really don’t want to. Not because I’m squeamish or I think it’s ‘problematic’, but purely because I don’t think it pays any heed to its source material and completely misinterprets the character or at least uses him as a stand in for other social issues that he’s only peripherally related to. 

The Joker is a definitive example of why a supervillain doesn’t need a good origin to be an amazing character. The only thing they do need is a nemesis that is the complete opposite of them. Think about how many times you’ve seen a Batman origin on the screen. The list goes on. Now think about how many times we’ve seen the Joker’s origin on screen, and if it’s even comparable to the depths that Batman’s origins have been explored. It’s not even close, and that’s the way I believe it should be.

Joker’s nothing more than an agent of chaos with a sick sense of humour. At times, he represents the peak of crime in Gotham, just as Batman represents the peak of justice. And while there have been stories about Joker’s solo adventures, barely any of them  have been about his origin, because that is not why we like the Joker. His origin is not what makes him interesting. Any origin stories he has had have always featured Batman or the Wayne family in some capacity. The latest Joker movie is perhaps the most conceited and tacked on way its been done yet, with Thomas & Martha Wayne being murdered in what, the last five minutes of the film?

It doesn’t take a genius to tell you that supervillains only exist because the superheroes need someone to beat up. But it takes a maniac like me to tell you that some supervillains out there have redefined what it means to be an antagonist to the point where they are just as compelling and artfully constructed as any protagonist. Black Manta. Doctor Octopus. Even Bizarro. I could go on all day, but I feel like I’ve rambled for long enough. 

Basically, you don’t need to try too hard when thinking of a supervillain origin. But if you happen to latch on to a good idea, it’s a win-win situation for both reader and writer.

Manically Laughing,
CD

Moon Knight’s TV Debut: What Will Disney Do?

MOON KNIGHT ROCKS! 

The fearsome lunulated lunatic has been kickin’ ass and taking names in the pages of Marvel comics since the ’70s. He’s enjoyed a reputation as being one of the most flexible and experimental heroes out there.

 For the most part, his characterisation remains consistent as a mercenary named Marc Spector who was left for dead in an Egyptian temple and resurrected by the god of the moon, Khonshu. Returning to the Big Apple, Spector adopts the mantle of Moon Knight to honour his god and fight crime. Where it gets interesting is the inclusion of the characters Steven Grant, a wealthy entrepreneur and Jake Lockley, as humble taxi driver.

In a unique take on the concept of a superhero’s secret identity, Both Steven and Jake are in fact separate personalities within Marc’s mind in a form of dissociative identity disorder. His mental state also raises the question of whether or not he’s speaking to the actual Khonshu or another persona his mind has created, a question that has been explored over the character’s fascinating and mind-boggling history.

Personally, it boggles my mind that we’ve gone for this long without a live action adaptation for this fantastic character. Until now.

That’s right, Moon Knight is officially getting his very own Disney+ original show. my salvation has at last been delivered in my time of need. At last, an entire TV show dedicated to the Fist of Khonshu himself.

But is this a blessing a disguise? This is a Disney+ show we’re talking about, and I’m telling you now, the stories of Moon Knight haven’t made an effort to be particularly family friendly, to say the least.

While I am eternally grateful he’s been granted an adaptation by our overlords at Disney, I am also slightly apprehensive. Can Disney deliver a satisfying portrayal of my boy in white while also keeping things PG?

For starters, I don’t think it’s impossible to have the best of both worlds. The Mandalorian is a great example of having a no-holds-barred and gritty take on an established universe without relying on too heavily on extreme gore to convey its mature tone. I’m hoping they lean towards shows like The Mandalorian in terms of its tone.

However, I have prepared a short list of things that I hope the creative ‘wizards’ at the House of Mouse do not decide to do:

1. Simplify it to the point where it’s nothing more than a watered down version of Netflix’s Daredevil. That show works as its own entity, and trying to replicate its tone but without its mature themes and violence would be a misstep as it would undermine Moon Knight’s own violent history as well by being a censored copy of a standard supershow show, like Arrow. 
2. Improperly balance the supernatural and the realistic elements of the character. Moon Knight has been known to fluctuate from religious fanatic to hyperviolent vigilante, so I’m hoping the show can strike a balance between the two worlds that define Moon Knight. I am hoping for a ton of Egyptian iconography and the logo seems to hint at that, so I think we should be right for that. But I’m also hoping Marc’s mercenary past, his relationships with others and his arch nemesis aren’t forgotten. Marc’s best friend Jean-Paul AKA Frenchie and lover Marlene are integral to his origin and even more so is Raul Bushman, who is responsible for killing Marc and inadvertently letting Khonshu revive him. You just gotta leave that in.
3. I am tired of these adaptions that are supposedly within the same universe as the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) but never go any further in establishing this than the occasional reference to ‘the ‘magic guy with the hammer’. Just call him Thor! Now that rights are no longer an issue, I want a definitive entry into the MCU that feels like its a part of the same universe and not an appendage hanging limply off the side. That being said, I’m willing to make a concession if the show choses to make it ambiguous as a stylistic choice, given the flexible nature of Moon Knight’s character. Not really holding my breath on that one, though.
4. Finally, I don’t want this show to ignore the fact that Marc has a mental illness. Mental health is a pressing and relevant issue in this day and age and having a protagonist that suffers from a distinct mental illness could be a great way to address it. This hearkens back to my first point about how I don’t want this show to be another standard superhero affair, Moon Knight is not a normal superhero, he has a serious mental condition that is a foundation of his character and ignoring that would be downright disrespectful.

Truly a triple threat (credit to u/snotso_goodmans on Reddit).

Look, when it’s all said and done, I am immensely happy Moon Knight is getting something at all. And a TV show too, thank Khonshu! Infinitely more preferable than a movie. If the series is good, I’ll chalk it up to another successful win in the history of the Lunar Legionnaire. If it isn’t, I’ll shrug it off and just go read literally any one of his comics.

I’m glad this show is being made and I’m gonna watch the hell out of it. It’s a win-win situation for me. I’m either gonna be satisfied that he’s finally got a worthy adaptation, or I’ll be satisfied that in the realm of comic books, someone else out there knows how to make a good Moon Knight story.

Except for you, Bendis. Stick to Spider-Man.

Go Howl at the Moon, 
CD.

Crazy Davis Case Files – Episode IV

ANOTHER CASE FILE!

This one looks kind of like a script. Interesting. 

It was also vacuumed sealed in a bag that said “NAA” but I think a letter got scratched out. How curious.

I’m just kidding, who cares where it came from? Let’s get to reading it! I dubbed this little ditty “Roket Syence”.

A couple of scientists are tinkering away in a lab with a few benches and a whiteboard. Another scientist, Fred, walks on with a clipboard which he is studying.
FRED: Heya fellas, just been going over the monthly review and there are a few gaps…
One of the scientists, Dave, looks up.
DAVE: Such as?
FRED: We’ve completed all projects on schedule and the lab itself is running smoothly… but we may have left a project on the way side. Accidentally.
DAVE: Oh. Well that’s not a problem. We’ll just work on it now.
FRED: Yeah, that’s the thing…
DAVE: What?
FRED: I’ll let it speak for itself.Barry, load Project Gemini onto the whiteboard.
BARRY: Okay.
Barry, the other scientist, is handed the clipboard. He looks it over, nods and turns to the whiteboard, copying what’s on the clipboard onto it. As he finishes, he steps back to look at it in full.
DAVE: Well? What is it?
Fred breaks out in a sweat and breathes rapidly. He composes himself and looks at Dave.
FRED: Look closer .
Dave and Barry strain their eyes. Suddenly it hits them. Barry drops his pen and starts screaming as Dave’s eyes bulge. He scrambles behind Fred. Barry faints.
DAVE: (Terrified.) But-But-That’s—
FRED: (Very grave.) I know.
DAVE/FRED: It’s Rocket Science!
Cut to the ‘diagram’. It is a somewhat crude drawing of a rocket ship with various formulas on it, looking only vaguely scientific. Perhaps a dramatic flash of lightning and a crack of thunder too. Barry regains consciousness, looks at the whiteboard and starts screaming again.
BARRY: Oh god. Oh god! Help! Heeeeelp!
Dave goes over to him and slaps him.
DAVE: Make like a curtain and pull yourself together, man!
BARRY: But it’s Rocket Science, Dave! Rocket Science!
DAVE: I know, damn it, I know! But no matter how the saying goes, we’re gonna do this. We’re gonna pull through!
BARRY: How do you know? How could you know?!
DAVE: Because we’re scientists, Barry! This is what we do. And when it’s all said and done, Rrr… Rrrr… Rr—This thing is still a science! No matter how complex it’s supposed to be! So let’s tackle this sunnuva bitch head on, huh?
BARRY: Okay… Okay!
DAVE: Attaboy! (Slaps Barry again.) Fred! Get the boys in the ‘shop to whip up a car, a pair of wings and some sort of nose cone.
FRED: You got it!
Fred dahses off. Dave goes to follow.
DAVE: C’mon Barry!
BARRY: I’m scared.
DAVE: I know, but don’t be! It’s just… (Gulps.)... Rocket Science! Yeah, Rocket Science. Nothing to it. So come on.
He drags Barry off towards the workshop.
BARRY: I sure hope we can pull this off.
DAVE: Of course we can! I’m gonna get this project done even it kills me.
The lab is left unoccupied. Moments later, there are sounds of metal whirring and welding and general mechanical noise.
DAVE (V/O.): Okay! Start her up!
A massive explosion sounds which shakes the laboratory as it is engulfed in flame.

Hoo boy, I sure hope these aren’t the scientists aren’t in charge of making the latest Tesla. They probably just work for Mister Musk’s private labs.

Another episode of the Case Files of Crazy Davis done and dusted! Who knows what story will I find next?

We’re Blasting Off Again,
CD.

Megatron is a Hero!

ALRIGHT I’LL ADMIT that I’m verging on clickbait here. But I gotta say my piece somewhere, and this blog might as well be my soapbox.

So. Megatron. What is there to say? The name is synonymous with villainy. Among other names such as Darth Vader and the Joker, he’s the robotic king of the bad guys.

But ol’ Megs has been around for quite some time and with time comes new ideas and radical reinventions of a core character. Thanks to comics, there’s a whole new side of Megatron that’s been explored, one that dares to explore the possibility of Megatron becoming a good guy.

For a point of reference, let’s look at Prince Zuko from Avatar The Last Airbender. We all love him, right? His tale of redemption is airtight, he took the imperceptibly long road to reclaiming his honour. It’s crazy to think that the main antagonist from the first season of the show becomes one of the protagonist’s closest friends.

If you believe that Zuko can do it, why not Megatron? Well, it’s not an exact parallel. Megatron is closer to Fire Lord Ozai than he’ll ever be to Zuko. I mean, just look at him in the original Transformers cartoon.

This is where the glory of comic books come in, my friends. It accepted the challenge of making the world’s foremost robotic asshole a sympathetic figure, and you know what? I think they damn well pulled it off.

Picture this: A downtrodden miner who toils for an obscene amount of hours in a dingy pit is summoned by his bosses and assembled with his co workers in the confines of the facility. A figurehead appears flanked by riot troopers addresses the crowd and tells them they are promptly being moved from the mine effective immediately.

Another miner calls out that they’re being replaced by automated machines, but is swiftly and violently silenced by a riot trooper, wearing a badge that to the miner, is synonymous with oppression. The badge of the Autobot. Yeah, the one that the ‘good guys’ wear. Crazy, right?

The miner’s rage boils over. For years, he has been writing and publishing various manifestos decrying the oppressive regime that forces bigger citizens like him to be confined to a single role  for their entire lifespan. For years, he has been passed over and shunned as a non-intellectual purely because of his appearance. For years, he has endured prejudice.

But no longer.

The miner rushes the riot trooper, tackling him to the ground. Pandemonium ensues in the crowd, but the miner is oblivious. He is blind with rage, unleashing in a furious eruption upon the manifestation of the regime that has spurned him for so long. Before he even realises it, the miner has reduced the trooper’s head to an oily mess of spare parts.

“Woah. That was intense,” you may find yourself saying. To which I would agree wholeheartedly. And tell you that it is indeed the origin of Megatron.

From there, it goes to hell pretty fast. He joins a Cybertronian Fight Club, becomes a lot more complacent with violence, and starts the Decepticon movement and loses himself to the merry madness of murder, becoming the villain we all know and love today.

But his foundations of believing in a fundamentally better society motivate him when the Autobots win the war. Basically, he adopts the “if you can”t beat ’em, join ’em” stratagem and joins those so called good guys and renounces violence in an attempt to return to his peaceful philosophical days. (Long story short, it doesn’t last.)

The continuity in which this fascinating reiteration of Megatron debuted wrapped up pretty recently, so if I were you I’d go seek out any stories that feature him in prominent detail. I’ve include the most prominent ones below that really illustrate this nuanced take on the big silver meanie.

In conclusion, Megatron probably isn’t a hero. He shouldn’t be, because he works a lot better as a villian, obviously. But I know you don’t want to hear the expression about “every villian is the hero of their own story” because let’s face it, that’s been done to death. I suppose what I’m trying to say is through the medium of comic books, Megatron has become such a fascinating character to me, and I’m grateful some awesome writers took the time to flesh him out.

Rise Up Deceptigamers,
CD

The three flavours of Megatron (courtesy of u/SkwarpCracker on r/transformemes).

PS: Recommended Reading

The Transformers: Megatron Origin
The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #34 – Births, Deaths and Interventions
The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #50 to #56 – The Dying of the Light
The Transformers Lost Light #22 – Crucible (Part 4): The Return of the King
The Transformers Lost Light #25 – How To Say Goodbye And Mean It: Part 2

What’s the Deal with Movies?

THIS WHOLE PANDEMIC thing has given me plenty to think about over the past few months.

Why is no one buying my custom made Ribena stained Persian rugs? Why is no one talking about Ahmed Best’s new role in that new Star Wars Scorpion Island-esque game show that’s on YouTube? But most importantly, why is everyone obsessed with movies?

Look, I may not be one to talk. I’m obsessed with a whole ‘nother kettle of fish, just take a look at literally any other post on this cesspool of a blog.

But seriously, 9 times out of 10, I’ll take the book or tv show over the medium of film. I’m just saying, from my position as aficionado of the comic book arts, movies are the be all and the end all for some fans. It’s as if they’re some all access pass to the big leagues and that’s a shame, cuz a character shouldn’t have to have a movie in order to validate their existence.

Yeah yeah, I know it’s great publicity. You wouldn’t have even heard of the Guardians of the Galaxy or the Avengers or frickin’ Iron Man if it wasn’t for their movies. But because of their big screen success, their movie counterparts come to define their characters as a whole, leaving behind their inspirations and source material to be cast aside and forgotten, which is something that I cannot abide.

I think movies should stick to their lanes, by which I mean I am so fed up with syndicated and condensed comic book adaptations of superheroes which are a digestible simplified summary of the character that can be consumed by the masses. Movies work best when they are contained and have a single point of reference for inspiration, something like The Thing. Otherwise you have a film which draws from too many separate influences which clash with a director’s unique take, leaving you with a bizarre hodgepodge of character that’s barely connected to their core tenets. See Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice to see what I’m getting at.

I don’t subscribe to the belief that I have to enjoy films above all else when there are a plethora of other mediums in which I can enjoy longer, fundamentally profound and exceptionally crafted stories. I think patience and investment in a story is something that’s undervalued in a film. Granted, that depends on the film’s length, but generally, you can expect a relatively swift resolution to the film’s plot in a couple of hours.

There’s something about that which irks, the condensed nature of a film. I like things to be drawn out, I want to see how the passage of time affects a character, how their struggles are portrayed almost in real time. The trade off is sometimes television and comics can get sidetracked with filler and expansive back story, but more times than not it is the context and how the character’s react to situations detached from the main arc of the their story that enhances the potency of the show or series at large.

Despite all this, I still really wanna see Tenet. I’m interested in Christopher’s Nolan’s work and his latest venture looks to be even more of a mind bender than the legendary and confusing masterpiece that is Inception. But in the meantime, I am more than happy sifting through my comic book and novel collection and vast repertoire of tv shows to satiate my imagination. Anything’s better than vacuuming the carpet shop.

That’s a wrap,
CD