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‘Behind the Blue’: ‘Embattled Freedom’ and Confederate Memorials With Amy Murrell Taylor – UKNow

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 10, 2020) The discussions over removal of Confederate memorials in the United States have been some of the more prominent ones in our current cultural landscape. Gaining momentum from other recent social movements that are happening concurrently, from Black Lives Matter to #MeToo and beyond, the focus of these discussions now seems to have widened to include memorials and statues that go well further back than the American Civil War, and beyond the borders of this country.

Amy Murrell Taylor, the T. Marshall Hahn Jr. Professor of History at the University of Kentucky, last appeared on "Behind the Blue"in September of 2017. On this newest episode, Taylor returns to discuss how this movement has progressed over the past three years, and how the university and Lexington are approaching these conversations. I think Lexington has gotten past the most contentious part of the monument piece of all of this, says Taylor. But monuments are just one piece of a much bigger struggle for racial justice.

Taylor also talks about her recent book, Embattled Freedom: Journeys Through the Civil Wars Slave Refugee Camps,and its themes of freedom not just coming to people despite the war and its resolution, but that it had to be sought after in the midst of it.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of Behind the Blue each week. UKs latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue,"emailBehindTheBlue@uky.eduor tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue.

To discover whats wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, clickhere.

'Behind the Blue': 'Embattled Freedom' and Confederate Memorials With Amy Murrell Taylor - UKNow

Trump’s Threat to Press Freedom Is Global – Truthout

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Conservative filmmaker Michael Pack is a true believer in Trumps version of a global war of ideas, as was made evident by a recent editorial penned by the Trump loyalist. That is likely why the Senate confirmed his appointment in June as head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), one of the largest news networks in the world. USAGM runs a number of state media and technology organizations, including Voice of America (VOA), Middle East Broadcasting, Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Office of Cuba Broadcasting (which oversees Radio Televisin Mart) and the Open Technology Fund (OTF), which promotes internet access around the world.

Pack is the former president of the conservative Claremont Institute think tank, and has worked on projects with former Trump political strategist and former executive chairman of the Breitbart News Network, Stephen Bannon. The appointment of Pack to this vast international media agency has stoked fears in journalists and activists that the Trump administration might use this confirmation to recast the federal agency, and the media networks it operates, into a consolidated right-wing mouthpiece for the president, amplifying the hate and chaos Trumps presidency has bred domestically onto a global stage already ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic and rife with economic and political uncertainty.

The concerns seem well founded. First, Packs aides ordered the broadcasters supervised by his agency to freeze all staff promotions, new hires and other contractual obligations. All decisions were to go through him as CEO. Within one week of taking over the running of the USAGMs vast global network, Pack removed the top chiefs of five of its news organizations, as well as the head of the OTF. The chief editors of Voice of America resigned in protest.

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Pack then dissolved the bipartisan boards that governed and advised media services and replaced board members with political appointees of the Trump administration. Toward the end of the Obama administration, a provision was enacted that replaces the former bipartisan board structure with an advisory board elected by the president. While the Obama administration saw the move as a way to make the agency more efficient, critics of the Trump administration worry that the restructuring gives the new chief executive more unilateral power than previous leaders.

Pack also announced the agency would not renew visas for some foreign agency employees in order to improve management and protect national security, according to a statement from USAGM. Many of the journalists affected by this policy bring critical language skills, and some could actually be endangered if deported.

Trumps increasingly authoritarian regime is tightening its grip on the publicly funded media agency. This slash-and-burn technique has been a tried-and-true element of Trumps political arsenal. Attacks on the press and wholesale restructuring of regulatory and safety net agencies are part of a broader effort to isolate the United States on the international stage, and breed a level and type of confusion that forces a power vacuum which centralizes authority over U.S. institutions into the hands of the executive branch. These strategies mirror the vision of Packs ally and friend, Steve Bannon.

Craig Aaron, co-CEO at the national media rights organization Free Press, says that Packs appointment is a danger to U.S. democracy and democracy around the world. His short time as head of the agency has been even worse than advertised and he was advertised as a Steve Bannon crony unfit for the job, Aaron said in a statement. In a matter of weeks, he has abused the power of the position and is quickly undoing any reputation the agency had for independence and impartiality, seemingly pursuing political vendettas, knocking down firewalls, and sacking the experienced journalists and technologists doing important and independent work.

While the strategy may be domestic, the impact on digital rights and freedom will definitely be felt around the world. When Pack fired the entire OTF leadership, he froze more than $10 million already pledged to internet freedom projects this year. OTF has become integral infrastructure for politically repressed communities worldwide. More than 2 billion people in 60 countries rely on OTF-supported tools like Signal and Tor to connect securely with privacy to the internet. Two-thirds of mobile devices around the world use some piece of OTF-supported technology. By bringing the organization to a standstill, Pack has placed people living under authoritarian regimes who rely on the organization to evade surveillance, navigate censorship and protect their human rights at risk.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation and 17 leading U.S.-based internet freedom organizations filed an amicus brief which successfully urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to rule that Pack violated the First Amendment right of association and assembly in U.S. law when he replaced OTFs president and bipartisan board with political appointees. The U.S. appellate court in Washington temporarily blocked the new USAGM chief executive from installing his appointees.

Perhaps the biggest concern for activists is that the USAGM could become a megaphone for President Trumps authoritarian white supremacy and nationalism. If you are among those that fear these media outlets could be used to stoke the rise of anti-globalist white nationalism through deliberate propaganda at an international scale, youre not alone.

But, while the threat posed by Packs appointment is real and urgent, this isnt the first time the USAGM has been positioned to promote U.S. propaganda. Some critics, like Max Elbaum, a radical historian and author of Revolution in the Air: Sixties Radicals Turn to Lenin, Mao and Che, say the agency was founded with an empire-building agenda, and was never truly independent in the first place.

The purpose of VOA has always been to be propaganda for whatever Americas interests were at the time, oscillating between crude and more sophisticated propaganda, Elbaum told Truthout. This is simply another oscillation, a dangerous one, but one with real precedent.

This sentiment is borne out when you examine the agencys history. The USAGM, formerly the Broadcasting Board of Governors, describes itself as an independent agency of the United States government with a mission to inform, engage, and connect people around the world in support of freedom and democracy. But, the Broadcasting Board of Governors only became an independent agency in 1999. Prior to that, it was called the United States Information Agency (USIA), established by President Eisenhower in 1953 to understand, inform and influence foreign publics in promotion of the national interest. Influence has always been integral to the mission of the USAGM, which has its roots not in journalism but in public relations and propaganda.

VOAs pro-American radio broadcasts were launched as part of the World War II war effort in 1942, with a more official U.S. propaganda program launched in 1946. These forms of soft-power diplomacy grew to include multifaceted messaging campaigns using radio broadcasts, libraries sponsored by the United States Information Service (the overseas name of the USIA), and the publication and distribution of leaflets and other literature in reaction to the global spread of communism.

Then, in 1952, Eisenhower convened a Committee on International Information Activities, which focused on Cold War propaganda efforts that targeted foreign populations with psychological warfare to achieve strategic influence. Under Eisenhower, all information activities were transferred from the State Department to the independent USIA in 1953. As the agency gained some measure of independence from the U.S. government, it also gained a mix of state actors and staff journalists committed to freedom of the press.

Though the USIA was still a neoliberal and anti-communist agency, many staff journalists did attempt to provide unbiased and fair reporting. These attempts often met with pushback: In early 1953, Sen. Joseph McCarthy, the godfather of the investigations that hunted communists and other dissidents, joined the Senate Committee on Government Operations and its Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigation, and immediately turned the committees attention to the Voice of America broadcast network, claiming it was rife with communists, sexual deviants and hippies.

Today, USAGM outlets remain a mix of journalists and state actors. Indeed, in nations with broken or highly censored news media that have been undermined by authoritarian governments or political instability (at times caused by U.S. intervention), these outlets can be as close to a free press as many residents can get.

Meanwhile, right-wing elements, including the current president of the United States, continue to attack the USAGM.

Whether you believe these U.S.-backed media outlets are trusted and authoritative independent global news sources soft-pedaling democratic values for the good of all, or that they are part of our national security infrastructure delivering overt propaganda, the fact is the U.S. has been in the worldwide propaganda business for more than 80 years. It might be time to reassess that strategy.

The U.S. narrative has developed in a centuries-old dance between independence, isolationism and imperialism. Rather than simply choosing to remain a mythical media institution that promotes an imaginary democracy that never truly existed, this political moment of global uprising gives Congress, the courts and civil society activists the opportunity to reinvent the agency beyond the authoritarian imaginings of Trump, Bannon and Pack. While the USAGM cannot run from its history, it can run toward a future that acknowledges the past and fulfills its mandate as powers watchdog, not its lapdog.

As an agency with its roots in producing propaganda, its crucial that the U.S. Agency for Global Media demonstrates transparency and independence, Aaron said. Pack has trashed that and unless Congress or the courts step in it will only get worse.

Trump's Threat to Press Freedom Is Global - Truthout

OPINION: What freedom means to the United States – The Student Life

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

(Yasmin Elqutami The Student Life)

For a while, I was trying to figure out what exactly is giving Americans the impression that wearing a mask should be a choice, that banning assault weapons would be an egregious violation of the Constitution and that the police are keeping us safe even when Black, Indigenous and other people of color are subject to unimaginable violence. I was struggling to understand what was driving our nation to have such horrendously privileged and harmful mindsets.

I recently listened to Know Your Rights by The Clash. The song begins, epically, This is a public service announcement, with guitar, know your rights, all three of them, mocking the yet-delivered life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness our government has claimed to pledge to us since 1776.

The first verse begins, You have the right not to be killed, murder is a crime, unless it was done by a policeman or an aristocrat. That checks out. The third right is my favorite: You have the right to free speech, as long as youre not dumb enough to actually try it. The song ominously ends with Get off the streets, run, get off the streets.

Its clear that Americas Achilles heel is our false notion of freedom. Composed by wealthy, white, cis men, freedom has never really existed in America. In fact, the freedom that wealthy, white, cis men have so graciously promised us has completely prevented our country from having true rights, equality and safety.

In the 244 years of our countrys existence, the notion of freedom has become more warped and toxic with each new year. There is a complex duality between rights and freedom in our country that has created an absolute mess of things.

Im going to try to put this as clearly as The Clash you do not have the right to infect other people with a deadly virus. In addition, you do not have the right to accuse the government of trying to control your body, with a mask, while actively trying to control womxns and trans bodies, or remaining complacent in racist systems.

Your freedom only exists until it gets in the way of someone elses freedom. If your freedom is limiting someone elses ability to pursue life, liberty and happiness, you are not exercising freedom, you are exercising supremacy.

Our country is bleeding and crying from every sector and it is because we have somehow managed to rob the majority of our citizens of their basic human rights, while also giving a handful of malicious citizens the impression they can do whatever they want, no matter the impact on others.

Long standing social inequities and systemic racism within our nations health care system have put minorities at a severely greater risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19. Black, Latinx and Native American communities across the U.S. are now suffering in-part because of white Americans racist, supremacist attitude towards wearing masks.

When there is a horribly painful and deadly virus sweeping the globe that disproportionately affects minorities, and you choose not to wear a mask because it feels like a violation of your freedom, your behaviors are racist.

If you dont wear a mask and thus infect others with COVID-19, their illness is a result of your moral failing. That is a direct violation of everyone elses life, liberty and happiness. Your sense of freedom has put on a hood and become supremacy.

If you dont want your body to be controlled, and yet insist that womxns and trans bodies be controlled, your freedom has put on a hood and become supremacy.

In direct contrast to this nightmarish, tarnished freedom being viciously upheld, none of the real rights we deserve as humans are being provided. This duality is what is making the U.S. an unbearable place to try to survive.

In the U.S. we have mostly negative rights. Negative rights do not require action by the government or private citizens to be upheld. We are supposedly allowed to say whatever we want, believe in whatever religion we want and organize when we want, without enlisting the work of others. The government is happy to champion negative rights because they dont cost that much.

Because negative rights require (in theory) less work and are (in theory) easier to maintain, they have become the backbone of our country. But what about positive rights?

Everyone supposedly has the right to a lawyer when they are arrested, and everyone should have food, shelter, security and health care provided to them based on their positive rights. But because positive rights demand more work, more empathy and support, theyve been completely abandoned.

Our country has weak, racist, homophobic and sexist social services. We have not found a way to defund the police because, for 244 years, we have focused solely on negative rights. If our nation demanded that positive rights be delivered upon as much as negative rights, defunding the police would have already happened. An emphasis on positive rights in our country, from the beginning, would have provided funding to social services and forced a proportionate distribution of funds between agencies like the police and mental health rehabilitation based on what the people of America need.

Lack of balance between positive and negative rights is a large contributor to the lack of equality in our country. The overwhelming presence of negative rights only help rich, white, cis men who rule the country. An increase in positive rights would help the people in our country being suppressed gain equality.

Emphasis on negative rights is a major reason why we are one of the only developed nations without a universal health care system. Without positive rights, it makes sense that police, the very people charged with protecting us, are killing Black people at up to six times the rate of white people.

There isnt equal representation in our voting process, and mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex have taken over the economy. Our education system has one of the lowest funding rates (6.2 percent), compared to overall GDP in the world.

The government is actively dismantling regulations that protect transgender people against health care discrimination, despite 44 percent of transgender people reporting that transgender-inclusive health care is their most significant need. We have the second highest CO2 emissions rate in the world. Clearly, in terms of basic human rights, which are frequently classified as positive rights, we are utterly failing.

We need to completely rethink freedom as a nation and how we can create a society where everyone can truly access life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Freedom will never exist until everyone is assured basic human rights, both negative and positive. Until our country understands more elementary concepts such as empathy, compassion and generosity, there is no freedom.

Georgia Scott PZ 23 is from San Anselmo, California. Her sister Isabella Scott just got a piece of work selected to be shown in the Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Learn more through her Instagram @isabellasartofficial.

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OPINION: What freedom means to the United States - The Student Life

UFC Sensation Sean O’Malley Just Made More Money Selling His Own Clothes Than He Did in 2 Years With Reebok – Sportscasting

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Sean O Malley is quickly becoming one of the most popular UFC fighters and he proved that this week without throwing a single punch. Following the paths of those such as Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey, OMalley is looking to make big bucks outside the octagon as his stock continues to rise. While he has numerous lucrative endorsement deals already, hes also branching out on his own after finding out the cut of his deal with Reebok, who is a major UFC sponsor, wasnt exactly what he thought it should be. OMalley is launching his own line of apparel and made more money in less than a minute than he did in two years with Reebok.

Sean OMalley made his MMA debut in March 2015 for Intense Championship Fighting and scored a first-round TKO over Josh Reyes. After going 5-0 in the promotion, four of those wins coming via knockout or submission, OMalley then moved on to Extreme Beatdown, where he had just one fight, resulting in a first-round knockout of Irvin Veloz. His next fight came in Legacy Fighting Alliance and OMalley scored yet another first-round knockout, taking out David Nuzzo with a spinning hook kick.

At 7-0, Sean OMalley earned a slot on Dana Whites Contender Series and wowed UFC fans with his performance, knocking out Alfred Khashakyan. He was quickly signed to a contract and made his official UFC debut in December 2017 and earned a unanimous decision win over Terrion Ware. Three months later, at UFC 222, he scored another win by decision, this time over Andre Soukhamthath.

It would be another two years before Sean OMalley stepped into the octagon.

RELATED: UFC: The Worst Injuries Ever That Will Disgust You

In his fight with Andre Soukhamthath, Sean OMalley badly injured his right foot, which made his win even more impressive as it was found out that he had actually fractured it, which obviously pushed back his next fight. He was set to face Jose Alberto Quinonez in October 2018 but pulled out of the fight as he was facing a possible Anti-Doping Policy violation. OMalley chose to have hip surgery while awaiting the outcome.

It was found that Sean OMalley had tested positive for ostarine, a common contaminant found in supplements. He was suspended for six months and was eligible to return in March 2019. However, before his next scheduled fight in July, he again tested positive for the substance, resulting in yet another six-month suspension. OMalley and his team were never able to identify which supplement was contaminated. Its very similar to what happened with Nate Diaz around the time of UFC 244.

OMalley finally made his long-awaited return in March of this year at UFC 248. He quickly disposed of Quinonez, knocking him in out in the first round, and earned Performance of the Night honors. At UFC 250, he scored a one-punch knockout against Eddie Wineland.

Now ranked No. 14 in the bantamweight division, Sean OMalley is scheduled to face Marlon Vera at UFC 252 in Las Vegas. But a few days before his big fight, August 11 to be exact, OMalley will be launching his own line of apparel, which hes been working on for quite some time, and will take in the majority of the profits.

Ahead of the launch, he decided to do a little test run and released 100 limited edition jerseys for $200 each. They sold out in 39 seconds. OMalley told MMAFighting.com that the $20,000 he made in less than a minute was more than hed made in two years with Reebok, who apparently has sold more than a million dollars worth of merchandise with his likeness in that time. Hes obviously more than thrilled with whats happening and knows he just needs to keep winning to keep things rolling.

We did our first little drop with the jerseys. We had a limited edition jersey, 100 of them for $200. They sold out in 39 seconds. So that was exciting, kind of seeing the numbers we could do. I think over 4,000 people on the website trying to get the jerseys.

Were dropping some more stuff fight week. Might be doing a collaboration with Cookies for some merch. Everythings going awesome.

The only thing I need to do is keep winning fights and everything around me goes up from there. Everythings going good and cant complain.

Its good to be Sean OMalley right now.

UFC Sensation Sean O'Malley Just Made More Money Selling His Own Clothes Than He Did in 2 Years With Reebok - Sportscasting

DCeased Ignites a New Justice League Romance Between Batman and Wonder Woman – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

In Tom Taylor and Trevor Hairsine's DCeased: Dead Planet #2, two young Justice League superheroes start a romance, forming a new DC power couple.

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for DCeased: Dead Planet #2 by Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Gigi Baldassini, Rain Beredo and Saida Temofonte, on sale now.

After the events of the original DCeased miniseries, the sequel DCeased: Dead Planet jumped ahead five years. The planet was overrun with the Blighted Ones -- people infected by the Anti-Life virus -- and the survivors left Earth behind to find a new home. While there were still many superheroes left among these survivors, they had still suffered catastrophic, unimaginable losses: Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman had all been taken by the virus, while other Justice League members died.

In Dead Planet, humanity's survivors have found a new planet to call home in a faraway solar system -- and better yet, they now have a new Justice League to defend them, a team of superheroes which is headlined by Jon Kent's Superman, Damian Wayne's Batman and Cassie Sandsmark's Wonder Woman.

While they were young before, the five-year time jump has agedall three superheroes up and seen them settle into themantles of their mentors. But what is perhaps even more surprising is that Cassie and Damian are now a romantic couple.

RELATED: DCeased Reveals How One Of DC's Most Powerful Beings Was Turned

In Dead Planet #1, the new Justice League received a distress signal from Cyborg and they decided to return to Earth to investigate it. When they got there, they found Victor Stone's head, who revealed there was actually a cure for the Anti-Life virus. However, tragedy once again struck the superheroes when the infected Wonder Woman arrived, killing Green Arrow and wounding Jon Kent. Now, in Dead Planet #2, the Justice League rushes to Poison Ivy's safe haven, a garden she built out of Gotham City.

Cassie flies Superman there to get some help, and the rest of the League is reunited with other survivors that were left behind on Earth. However, the reunion is cut short when the head of Cyborg reveals to everyone that there is indeed a cure for the virus inside of him. Suddenly, every superhero is faced with the realization that all the people they have lost, all the infected they killed to survive, could have been saved.

The news hits Cassie hard, seeing as how she had once dealt with the loss of Wonder Woman. After walking away from everyone, she finds a little corner in Poison Ivy's jungle to cry, and Damian Wayne follows her. Here, Damian shows that he is different from the young brat we were familiar with prior to the five-year jump. He's compassionate and emphatic, and he shows real support for Cassie. "I'm here for you," he says, removing his cowl. Then the two kiss.

RELATED: DCeased: Dead Planet #2 Features An Homage To A Tragic Superman Moment

While the moment comes as a shock, it's clear that this isn't new to them. By all accounts, it appears as if Damian and Cassie have been an item for a while. It's certainly a surprising turn for both characters, but it shows how much they have changed and grown in the last five years. The world of DCeased is filled with death and despair, so it's nice to know that some characters found some time to fall in love.

Plus, it's also interesting to note that Damian and Cassie seem to be carrying their predecessors' legacies in more ways than one. Yes, Damian and Cassie became Batman and Wonder Woman respectively after the death of Bruce and Diana. But there has also always been a bit of an attraction between Bruce Wayne and Diana Prince. While the two were never really an outright couple, the two of them shared a bond. For example, they grew close in the DC Animated Universe, and Bruce's engagement to Selina Kyle was nearly put in danger during a mission with Wonder Woman in the regular DC Universe's Batman #39 and 40.

Now, Damian Wayne is Batman, and he is officially in a relationship with Cassie Sandsmark's Wonder Woman. Therefore, in the DCeased universe, the Dark Knight and the Amazon Princess are essentially the biggest power couple. But, we have to wonder, how long will it last? There isn't a whole lot of room for love in the world ofDCeased, and danger lurks around every corner.

KEEP READING: DCeased: Tom Taylor Teases Sequel Showing A Post-Undead Heroes World

The Batman's Grave #9

Ian Cardona has written for CBR since 2017. He is a Feature, Comic Breakouts and News writer. He's been in love with comics for a very long time, and believes there is some good to be found even in the industry's more difficult times. His favorite Avenger is Captain America, and that was long before the character starred in a very successful film franchise. He is an avid statue and Funko Pop! figures collector, and he's rapidly running out of shelf space. With CBR, he has been able to write about his favorite subjects, from the MCU to Doctor Who. You can follow him on Twitter at @ian_c1701 (yes, that is a Star Trek reference) for discussions, debates or pictures of really cool collectibles he probably doesn't have room for.

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DCeased Ignites a New Justice League Romance Between Batman and Wonder Woman - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Teen Titans Go!: 10 Hilariously Raunchy Jokes That Flew Over Our Heads – Screen Rant

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Teen Titans Go! served as a fresh take on the classic teenage superhero team, and focused more on comedy and slapstick than action and melodrama. The series was aimed at a younger audience than the beloved series that preceded it, but that doesn't mean that the show was free of adult jokes and references.

RELATED: Teen Titans Go! 5 Ways It's Actually A Good Reboot (& 5 Ways It's Just Bad)

Although the innuendo, provocative imagery, and not so subtle adult referencewill be missed by kids, adults will be surprised with what the superhero series was able to get away with. With this in mind here are 10 hilariously raunchy jokes that flew over our heads.

In Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, the team goes further than ever to poke fun at themselves and superheroes in general, resulting in the same wacky brand of humor fans have come to expect from the series.

However, just before the film ends Robin manages to sneak one more inappropriate joke in. He asks the audience to ask their parents where babies come from, although undoubtedly funny this joke must have led to many awkward conversations on the journey home from the cinema.

Raven has a difficult relationship with her demonic father Trigon and in the episode "Caramel Apples" he came to visit his estranged daughter much to her displeasure. This leads to Starfire and Trigon bonding, which only irritates Raven further.

In one scene Raven is playing with her toy horses, which uncannily resemble her and Starfire when one calls the other a dumb horse. While this may seem innocent enough, Raven's emphasis on the beginning of the word makes it sound like a different word altogether.

It's not only superheroes that Teen Titans Go! makes fun of and in the episode "Burger vs. Burrito", the show set its sights on mocking cooking shows. Beast Boy and Cyborg compete against one another to determine whose food is best, in a silly and over the top competition.

RELATED: Teen Titans Go! 10 Powerful Character Cosplays

While preparing his burger Cyborg can be briefly seen pounding his burger meat, while this may elicit a laugh from children there's no doubt that adults will be laughing for an entirely different reason as there's no doubt what this is referencing.

Aqualad appeared in the episode "Pirates" and became infatuated with Raven upon first sight. This then led the unlikely pair to begin dating much to the surprise of the rest of the Titans.

Their relationship is innocent enough but Cyborg continues to not trust Aqualad and firmly believes that he is a pirate. This then leads to him asking Raven if she has seen his pirate booty yet, Raven then blushes and smiles as she thinks about his treasure.

Raven is known for her negative attitude and makes no apologies for not enjoy things others do. In "Real Magic" a montage of things Raven hates is shown, it features Kitten, riding in limos, and the most inappropriate of all, Beast Boy lying on her bed in his pants surrounded by lit candles.

Raven is unimpressed and swiftly leaves the room before things go any further. The scene proved to be so inappropriate that it would be censored and edited out of the UK and Australian broadcasts of the episode.

Robin was tasked with looking after the Batcave, and of course, he brought all his friends along to keep him company. This leads to the gang exploring the secret hideout and going through Batman's personal belonging.

RELATED: 10 Teen Titans Plotlines We Want To See In Titans

Starfire dons Batgirl's costume, a tight-fitting black spandex outfit that leaves little to the imagination. Upon seeing her, Robin begins to drool like an animal and cannot speak. The scene is comically over the top and although children may just think Robin's being silly, adults will have an entirely different interpretation of the scene.

Raven's newfound appreciation of her legs led her to take on the new persona of Lady Legasus, this new member ofThe TeenTitans made her debut int he aptly titled episode "Legs".

In the episode, Raven swaps her cloak for a skimpy yellow leotard complete with matching bracelets. Beast Boy is a fan of her new look and upon revealing her legs to him Beast Boy transforms into a dog and howls with excitement.

Beast Boy was left without any clothes in "Laundry Day", this led to him lounging around the tower completely naked. He spends his time on the couch watching television, playing video games, and eating tofu.

The episode goes out of its way to obscure his body with objects and all in all its harmless and appropriate for all ages. That is until Beast Boy falls asleep after reading a magazine, which he then uses to cover himself. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the magazine is resting a little too high up, suggest that something is holding it up.

The Teen Titans feature some of the best teenage superheroes the DC universe has to offer and they always try to do the right thing and make the world a better place. However, Robin's morals were compromised in the episode "Hey Pizza!", when his big plans to build a senior center changed after Starfire wishes they had a pool. The prospect of seeing Starfire in a bikini is enough for Robin to begin the construction of a pool.

RELATED: 10 Things We Want To See In Teen Titans Go vs Teen Titans

With the construction of the pool underway, Starfire visits the site and is excited, asking if Robin will apply suntan lotion to her when the pool is completed. Her request is innocent enough but causes Robin's hair to stand on end, knocking his hard hat off his head. For adults watching there's no doubt what his hair was referring to.

Beast Boy suffered injuries and began to replace his body parts with cybernetic ones in "Man Person". This led to him becoming more machine than man and adopting the new persona of Scar-Man. With his new form came a new attitude, he was tougher and more bad-ass than ever before, this proved to be a big hit with Raven, who liked his new form.

In one scene Cyborg and Robin argue over what Beast Boy's real identity is, which leads Raven to enter with a smile and love hearts floating around her head, telling her teammates that he is no boy. Her expression, hearts, and Beast Boy's manliness imply something that may not be apparent to younger viewers.

NEXT: 10 Cartoons Anime Fans Should Watch

Next Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Main Characters & Their Harry Potter Counterpart

Daniel is a writer based in the UK. He studied at the University of Sunderland and is a big fan of movies and tv.

Teen Titans Go!: 10 Hilariously Raunchy Jokes That Flew Over Our Heads - Screen Rant

Stargirl: How the DC TV Star Joined the New 52 Justice League – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Stargirl, normally a member of the Justice Society of America, was placed on the premier Justice League of America team when she joined the new 52.

In both comics and her live action CW show, Stargirl, a.k.a. Courtney Whitmore, is usually associated with the Justice Society of America. However, during the New 52 reboot, Stargirl was introduced with ties to the Justice League instead, as well as a slightly different originstory.

Courtney's New 52 origin mostly resembled her previous one, with her finding a strange staff and costume in the possession of her mom's boyfriend, Pat Dugan. Pat warns her against using them, stating that their former owner had died doing so. Courtney refuses to listen and becomes Stargirl, with Pat training her in the New 52 version. She becomes a local hero in California, but the attention leads to her mother being gravely injured and her brother's death. Using this tragedy to shape her, Courtney becomes more determined than ever to be a hero.

RELATED: Stargirl: DC Comics' Seven Soldiers of Victory, Explained

Stargirl went on to join the Justice League of America, a government-funded version of the Justice League organized by Amanda Waller. She was chosen by Waller because of her popularity and also as a foil to Justice League member Cyborg in the event that he went rogue. This became a reality during Trinity War, in which the members of three different Justice League teams clashed with one another. Stargirl teamed up with Wonder Woman and to face off against Cyborg for Pandora's Box, which ends up being used by The Outsider to bring the other-dimensional Crime Syndicate to their Earth.

After she and several other heroes were imprisoned, Courtney escaped and teamed up with fellow JLA member Martian Manhunter. After facing the Injustice League together, Martian Manhunter took on a mentor role with Courtney, replacing the heroes from the JSA that she had learned from in the previous continuity.

RELATED: Injustice: The Heroic Past of Year Zero's Mystery Villain, Explained

After Waller's Justice League of America disbanded,Courtney joined a Canada-based Justice League after working with Adam Strange to find an artifact that reacted with her cosmic powered staff.Taking on a more galactic scope, this new team featured several alien members such as Supergirl and Hawkman, and would eventually be joined by her JLA mentor, the Martian Manhunter. After the team returned to Earth after a galaxy-spanning mission, Courtney dubbed the new team Justice League United and appeared regularly in the team's self-titled book.

Once Justice League Unitedwas cancelled Courtney made an appearance in Geoff Johns and Gary Frank'sDoomsday Clock, wherein Dr. Manhattan undid the changes made to the DC Universe. This included a restoration of the Justice Society of America into continuity,likely restoring Stargirl's history with the team and possibly altering her official history with the two Justice League teams as well.

KEEP READING: Justice League: Is Another Hero Strange Adventures' REAL Murderer?

Daredevil: Who REALLY Brought Frank Miller Back for 'Born Again'?

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DCeased Is Calling the Justice League’s Biggest Bluff | CBR – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

If a hero wants to survive DCeased, they're going to need to have superpowers.

In 2019, DC Comics releasedDCeasedfromTom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, and James Harren. In thissix-issue mini-series, Darkseid creates a technological version of the Anti-Life Equation and infects all of humanity. No corner of the DCU isspared as both human beings and superheroes alike are infected. What is most notable, however, is how the superhero community is affected. There's a striking contrast as to how writer Taylor showshuman heroes like Batman and Green Arrow succumbing to the infection a lot faster than the superhumans like Superman and Wonder Woman.

Since the Justice League was first formed in the 1960s, there has alwaysbeen a mixed roster of superhumans and human heroes working side by side. Heroes like Batman, Green Arrow, and Arsenal fightalongsidepowerful heroes like Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern. Regardless ofthe enemy beingthe earth-based Lex Luthor or the god-like Darkseid, the Justice League presentsall the heroes as having equal status despite their level of power. There are even story arcs when the human heroes best the superpowered ones. In the 2000 JLA story "Tower of Babel," from Mark Waid and Howard Porter, Batman made contingency plans to neutralize members of the Justice League, especiallythe superpowered ones. Batman's motive was to ensure that if any of the superhumans were to go rogue, that he had the means to take them down.

Related: DCeased: Hope At World's End Recruits A Fan-Favorite Batman Villain

During the events of DCeased, Darkseid uses Cyborg to release a techno-organic virus. Anyone on adevice linkedto the internet was immediately infected, and the virus doesnot discriminate. Readers enjoyed seeing their favorite characters turned into mindless zombie-like creatures intent on infecting others. One of the more dramatic elements of the story is the division Taylor makes (consciously?) between the superpowered and human heroes. After the virus is released on earth, Superman deals with the infection by using his heat vision to destroy all the screens in his home, thereby saving Jonathan, Lois, and Damian Wayne, who is visiting at the time. Over in the Batcave, things don't go as well for Batman. The firewall on the Batcomputer initially prevents Batman from the virus, but Nightwing and Red Robin becomeinfected. The issue ends with Batman fighting off his former protegesand the powerful image of Batman being bitten by Nightwing in the finalpanel.

Taylor makes it clear that there is a division between the human heroes and superhumans. There are indeed manysuperhuman heroes who are infected by the virus, but the rate of infection is notably skewed towards the human heroes with no superpowers. In DCeased #2, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern Jordan are camping in the woods. Jordan glances at his phone and is immediately infected. Green Arrow is caught offguard and if it wasn't for Black Canary's sonic scream, he would have been killed by Jordan. Instead, Canary kills Jordan and becomes the next Green Lantern in sector 2814. She grabs Green Arrow and flies off when Superman arrives to take them to safety. Again, the reader sees how vulnerable, the human heroes are compared to the superpowered ones.

Related: DCeased Reveals How One Of DC's Most Powerful Beings Was Turned

In the DCeased spinoffDCeased: Dead Planet,fromby Tom Taylor and Trevor Hairsine, five years have passedsince the initial infection. In the first issue,readers see the familiar theme of the disadvantages of not being superhuman. A few of thesurviving heroes return to earth and are besieged by an infected Wonder Woman. The only hero that dies is Green Arrow. The otherheroes survive the attack due to their superpowers. In the second issue,Arsenal (Roy Harper) is attacked and burned to death bythe infected ex-Justice League International member Fire. If notfor the magical-powered Zatanna, Fire would have killed many of the other survivors.

DCeased has thrilled readers with how unpredictable the story is and how no hero is safe, but Tom Taylorsets the tone that it is better to have superpowers if you want to make it out alive.

Keep Reading: DCeased: Dead Planet Reveals The Green Lanterns' Newest Duty

Iron Man Just Got HUMILIATED by an Untrained Pilot in MUCH Weaker Armor

Scott Shoyer is an avid comic book collector & reader, a writer, and a podcaster in the Austin, TX area. A former chef in high-end restaurants and food salesperson, Scott is now doing what he truly loves: writing. He has four novels published and is excited to start as a features writer on CBR. When not writing, you can hear Scott on the Kirby's Kids podcast.

DCeased Is Calling the Justice League's Biggest Bluff | CBR - CBR - Comic Book Resources

#ZackSnydersJL Is Trending on Twitter, and Ray Fisher Approves – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

#ZackSnydersJL is trending on Twitter ahead of DC FanDome, as fans push for Zack Snyder's Justice League to be the Snyder Cut's true title.

Ahead of DC FanDome, social media is once again buzzing aboutZack Snyder's Justice League.

#ZackSnydersJL is currently trending on Twitter as fans campaign for HBO Max to make that the official title of Synder's long-awaited director's cut of the 2017 film. Even Cyborg actor Ray Fisher has joined the movement.

RELATED:Snyder Considered Sneaking His Justice League Cut Trailer Into 2019'S SDCC

During the May 20 Man of Steel watch party, Snyder seemingly confirmed the version of Justice League that will debut on HBO Max in 2021 would be called Zack Snyder's Justice League. However, during the Justice Con panel in July, Snyder cast doubt on this when he said, "You know it's really --the name of the movie as 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' is...it's the name that we all want. It's the name we are working on. It's legal reasons that restrict it um but we're trying to work that out."

Snyderfirst coined the termZack Snyder's Justice League on Dec. 12, 2019, when he posted a picture of Henry Cavill's Superman wearing a black suit on Vero. "My Superman," he wrote in the caption. Then, later in the comments, he wrote, "let's put it this way, in Zack Snyder's Justice League, he will have a black suit."

While this was the first time Snyder used the term, the first official branding of Zack Snyder's Justice League came shortly after, on Dec. 23, when Snyder debuted official Zack Snyder's Justice League merchandise bearing the very same logo that was seen during the May 20 announcement. Proceeds from those sales went on to aid the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a cause very dear to Snyder after his own daughter's suicide ultimately led to him stepping down from the helm of Justice League in the first place.

RELATED:Justice League: Ray Fisher 'Will Not Relent' Against Joss Whedon, Geoff Johns And Jon Berg

The timing of this latest fan campaign is no coincidence, asZack Snyder'sJustice League -- regardless of what the actual title is -- will be a major presence at DC FanDome, which launches Aug. 22 at 10 a.m PT.

Justice League stars Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg, Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Ciarn Hinds as Steppenwolf, Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon. Zack Snyder's Justice League will premiere exclusively on HBO Max in 2021.

Fox's X-Men Franchise Was at Its Best When It Was for Adults

Jon Arvedon is an editor and writer for CBR and he has been contributing to the site since 2017. Hes been an avid superhero fan since he was a young child, though it wasnt until much later in life that he finally began venturing into the actual comic books that made those characters so popular in the first place. Nevertheless, he immediately developed a strong passion for the medium and began aggressively expanding his knowledge, using any and all downtime at his old office job to scour the depths of Marvel Unlimited, ComiXology, and the occasional wiki page to help fill in the gaps. His love of comics is rivaled only by that of his love for Star Wars. If you're so inclined, you can follow Jon on Twitter at @JonArvedon.

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Teen Titans Go!: 10 Jokes That Only DC Comics Fans Will Understand – Screen Rant

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Between the classic dark takes on the mythos of Teen Titans in both the animated (Teen Titans) and live-action (Titans) realms, Cartoon Network's Teen Titans Go! revolves around the team of young superheroes in a more tongue-in-cheek, over-the-top fashion. All through the show, viewers are bound to find hilarious gags and meta-references or Easter Eggs to characters from DC comics.

RELATED: Teen Titans Go!: 5 Ways It's Actually A Good Reboot (& 5 Ways It's Just Bad)

While the show's first cinematic journey,Teen Titans Go To The Movies, has its own share of hundreds of references for avid DC comic-book aficionados, the original seriesalso doesn't shy away from cracking a meta-joke every once in a while.

Although Batman's operations are mostly in the dark, one of the episodes shows viewers a toy shop in broad daylight. The shop is called Lil Alfred's Toy Cave andthe banner features a cheery Alfred fixing a miniature Batmobile. Considering that Alfred Pennyworth is way more than just Batman's butler, it wouldn't be surprising that this toy shop is one of his ventures.

Although he had his own share of gimmicky appliances, the Joker often wondered where Batman got his hi-tech 'toys.' The answer might lie in this so-called toy cave.

In the episode Yearbook Madness, Cyborg and Beast Boy decide to get yearbooks made for each of the Titans. They approach several heroes and villains from the DC pantheon to obtain their signatures and funny remarks. The egoistic and narcissistic Robin is determined to get the most signatures to show off that he's the most popular Titan.

But he drowns in jealousy when he sees Starfire's yearbook that's signed by classic characters like Flash, Green Arrow, and the many Green Lanterns. There are other pages that show even foes like Mr. Freeze and Harley Quinn write heartfelt messages.

Talking about Mr. Freeze, the classic Batman villain also seems to have started a capitalistic venture of his own like Alfred's toy-shop. When Robin goes through a sad phase, he resorts to eating Mr. Freeze's ice-cream.

However, it can be debated whether the ice-cream company is of Freeze's or if the brooding ice-man is just the company's brand ambassador. Anyway, it goes on to show some great attention to detail that Teen Titans Go! adds to even the background.

Even though the Teen Titans Go! film parodied specific scenes from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, a particular film poster shows an alternate version of the film titled 'The Dawn of Just-Us."

RELATED: Every Batman Movie Ever, Ranked

According to Dan Hipp, the art director of the show, this movie is possibly a rom-com or bromance between Batman and Superman, unlike Zack Snyder's ambitious cinematic face-off.

Another cheeky call-back to the Snyder DC films is whenfans get a glimpse of the Bat Cave. Like all its incarnations, the cave features diverse gadgets and memorabilia. But in a particular scene where Commissioner Gordon and Batman have a 'sleepover,'you can see an Oscar statuette and a large coin of sorts that cheekily plays on the phrase 'In God We Trust."

RELATED: Every Zack Snyder Movie Ranked Worst To Best

Instead of an American President's side profile, it features a similar image of General Zod, one of Superman's earliest nemeses. The Zod in this souvenir is modeled after Michael Shannon's portrayal in Snyder's Man of Steel. Also, the Oscar might probably be the one awarded Heath Ledger's posthumous turn as Joker.

Even though most superheroes cover themselves from head to toe, Robin, in his yesteryear glory, used to show off his legs mostly wearing really short shorts. This legacy was carried on by Burt Ward's performance as the character in the classic Batman TV show from the 1960s.

In the episode "Sidekick," Robin gives his gang a trip to the Bat Cave where Starfire finds a picture of the Dark Knight posing with a much younger Robin. To Robin's embarrassment, Starfire asks 'What's with the short shorts?'

Be it Marvel's Daredevil or DC's Batman or even a character like Spawn, vigilantes and superhumans love standing atop a high building and give a brooding glance at the city below. Robin teaches this to the Spanish-speaking twins Ms y Menos as he explains how to pose like a superhero.

Apart from posing like Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman, he stands on a city prop heroically and even places a fan near him so that his cape would dramatically flutter with the wind. "Knee up at a 90-degree angle. Shoulders back. Fist on the hip if you're feeling sassy," Robin says asMs y Menos judge the superficiality of such heroic poses.

With hardly any speaking parts, Batman makes his way in Teen Titans Go! in some way or the other. In this scene, Cyborg is conflicted between watching Plastic Man 3 and The Dark Knight Snoozes.

Maybe in this reality, the Dark Knight trilogy by Christopher Nolan is less dark and instead merrier. There's another spoof on The Dark Knight Rises as Starfire gets obsessed with burritos in one episode, covering her room with several burrito posters one of which reads 'The Burrito Rises.'

Christopher Reeves might forever be remembered as Superman but his last film as the character Superman IV: The Quest For Peace turned out to be quite tacky and is often remembered as a 'so bad it's good' movie. A major cause behind this was the villain Nuclear Man.

A wild blonde man mutated from Superman's DNA, Nuclear Man and the Man of Steel engage in hilariously bad fights which involve Nuclear literally scratching Superman at times! In a blink-and-miss moment, Nuclear Man can be seen as a disgruntled contestant at Justice League's Next Top Talent Idol Star (a parody of various talent and reality shows).

After the original Teen Titans animated series, a show with a similar setting and tone was the critically-acclaimed Young Justice that revolved around heroes like Robin and Miss Martian trying to find footing in the shadow of a seasoned Justice League. After two seasons, the show was canceled, sparking outrage among many DC fans.

Finally, the show was renewed for a third season last year, with a fourth season in development. The buzz on its cancellation was referenced in a subtle online status by Blue Beetle (who himself plays a major role in Young Justice) on DCUbook, the equivalent of Facebook in the world of Teen Titans Go!.

NEXT: Teen Titans Go! 10 Powerful Character Cosplays

Next South Park: 10 Classic Moments In 'Casa Bonita'

Based in Delhi, India, Shaurya Thapa is a Third World boy writing on First World pop culture. He's into freelance journalism, hip-hop, and engaging in critical analyses over films and TV of varied genres.

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This is how WWII, G.I. Joe and a decorated U.S. Marine shaped Transformers – We Are The Mighty

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Today, the Transformers IP has a world-wide presence in toys, comic books, video games, TV shows, movies and even amusement park rides. Just hearing the name cues the iconic jingle or robotic transforming noise in the heads of even the most casual fans. It's incredible to think that this franchise that dominates the globe owes its existence to the Second World War, G.I. Joe action figures and one very special Marine.

Transformers is still going strong with a new Netflix original series (Netflix)

Following the end of WWII, American troops occupied the Japanese islands as the nation entered into the process of reconstruction. A key element in reviving the Japanese economy was its once prominent toy industry. However, with few raw materials available after the war, toy makers were forced to resort to unconventional sources.

American GIs occupying Japan were fed heavily with canned rations. It was the metal from these cans that was recycled and used to craft Japanese robot toys. To highlight Japanese craftsmanship, these toys were often motorized with clock mechanisms that allowed them to walk and roll.

The popularity of Japanese robot toys increased through the 1960s and 1970s. With the expansion of television, the robot toys were paired with manga comics and anime cartoons that engaged children and promoted toy sales. Japanese robot-based entertainment like Astroboy, Ultraman, Shogun Warriors and Gigantor became increasingly popular in America.

Robot shows like Gigantor were also successful in Australia (Eiken/TCJ)

However, even the robots from the east couldn't compete with "A Real American Hero" like G.I. Joe. High sales of the action figure in the states were enough to convince Japanese toy maker Takara to license G.I. Joe for the Japanese market.

Having gained respect in the Japanese toy world for their toy dolls, Takara wanted to branch out and make a toy line for boys. However, G.I. Joe's iconic scar and grimacing expression were a bit too harsh and aggressive for post-war Japan. To market the toy to Japanese boys, Takara decided to make G.I. Joe into a superhero with superpowers. When the designers realized that G.I. Joe's body wasn't conducive to a superhero build, they resorted to type and made him into a robot. With a clear plastic body displaying his metal computer-like internals, G.I. Joe became Henshin Cyborg. Henshin meaning "transformation", this was the first step towards what we know today as Transformers.

Following the 1973 oil crisis, the 11.5" tall toy and all of its accessories became prohibitively expensive to produce. Like G.I. Joe in the states, Takara introduced the 3.75" tall Microman. A mini version of Henshin Cyborg, the Microman toy line focused even more on transforming toys with robots that could change into sci-fi spaceships. Microman was so popular that it was marketed in the US under the name Micronauts.

By the 1980s, robot toys that transformed into exotic spaceships were losing popularity. To rejuvenate the robot toy concept, Takara introduced the Diaclone Car Robo and Microman Micro Change lines. Diaclone toys transformed from robots into 1:60 scale vehicles like cars and trucks while Microman toys transformed into 1:1 replicas of household items like cameras, cassette players and toy guns.

At the Tokyo Toy Show, Hasbro executives took notice of Diaclone, Microman Micro Change and the plethora of other Japanese transforming robot toys and wanted to develop their own toy line. A deal was struck with Takara and Hasbro lifted almost every one of their toy lines for the US market, including Diaclone and Microman Micro Change.

Diaclone transforming robot truck Battle Convoy (Takara)

To review, Hasbro licensed G.I. Joe to Takara in the 1970s. Takara turned G.I. Joe into Henshin Cyborg. Henshin Cyborg was shrunk down to Microman. Microman evolved into Diaclone and Microman Micro Change, both of which were licensed back to Hasbro. Things had really come full circle.

With all of these transforming robot toys, Hasbro turned to Marvel Comics to develop a backstory for the new toy line. Over a weekend, Marvel writers came up with the names and backstories for the first 26 Transformers as well as the plot for the first comic book issue.

Diaclone and Microman Micro Change robots were renamed and became Transformers as we know them today. Micro Car became Bumblebee, Cassette Man became Shockwave, Gun Robo became Megatron, Battle Convoy became Optimus Prime and the War for Cybertron between the just Autobots and the oppressive Decepticons was born. The first commercial for the Transformers toys introduced the now iconic jingle and the phrases, "Robots in disguise" and, "More than meets the eye."

The 1984 release of Transformers was a huge success netting Hasbro $115 million in sales. The popularity of the franchise was due in large part to the Transformers cartoon, the star of which was the venerable Optimus Prime.

Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus Prime, became so iconic that he was brought back to reprise the role of the Autobot leader in the 2007 Transformers film and its many sequels. Cullen, also known for voicing Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh franchise, crafted the voice of Optimus Prime with inspiration from his older brother.

Marine Captain Henry Laurence Cullen, Jr., known as Larry, was a decorated veteran of the war in Vietnam. While serving with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Capt. Cullen was awarded a Bronze Star with a V device as well as two Purple Hearts for his actions during Operation Hastings in June 1966.

Capt. Cullen was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery (Cullen family)

When his younger brother told him he was going to audition for the role of a hero in a cartoon series, Capt. Cullen said, "Peter, if you're gonna be a hero, be a real hero. Don't be one of those Hollywood heroes pretending they're tough guys when they're not. Just be strong and real. Tell the truth. Be strong enough to be gentle."

With his older brother's words echoing in his mind, Peter Cullen delivered the strong yet gentle voice performance that Transformers fans today will always hail as the one, true Optimus.

"He had a lot of influence on me, you know, and especially coming back from Vietnam. I noticed somebody different," Cullen remembered of his older brother. "Going into that audition, Larry was with me. I mean, he was right there beside me. When I read the script, Larry's voice just came out. He was my hero."

From recycled ration cans, to a classic American action figure and an inspirational leader of Marines, the Transformers franchise has had a lot of American military influence to get to where it is today.

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The Reverse-Flash WON Flashpoint in DC’s Dark Multiverse – Screen Rant

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

What if Barry Allen never fixed the Flashpoint universe? What if he died trying? What would the Reverse-Flash do in this new permanent timeline?

This November, one the most iconic and game changing stories is getting an all-new alternate ending.Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1 will explore an alternate version of theFlashpointevent, where Barry Allen, The Flash, will fail to reset reality after he changed it all for the worse. What happens to the alternate Flashpoint reality once it becomes permanent? What will Eobard Thawne do after finally getting rid of the Flash? Read on to learn more.

Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1will be written and drawn by Bryan Hitch, featuring his twisted new take onFlashpoint's ending and what would happen afterward. In the originalFlashpoint storyline, Barry Allen wakes to discover that his mother is alive as well as his father, whose not in prison. However, he no longer has his speed, and his entire reality has changed. Some of the more notable changes happen with his fellow members of the Justice League. Bruce Wayne died in Crime Alley, while his parents lived. Thomas Wayne became a lethal Batman, while Martha became the Joker. Kal-El is nowhere to be found, having been captured by Project: Superman immediately after hid pod landed on Earth. Hal Jordan never became the Green Lantern, and Cyborg is the biggest superhero in America. Additionally, Aquaman and the Atlanteans are at war with Wonder Woman and her Amazons, threatening to plunge the world into WWIII.

Related:Even Reverse-Flash Doesn't Want To Mess With Green Lanterns

After regaining his speed with help from Thomas Wayne's Batman, Barry concludes that this must be the work of Reverse-Flash, having gone back in time to make sure the League is never formed. However, once Barry comes to blows with Thawne, he reveals that it was Barry himself that caused this new Flashpoint universe, a result of him trying to stop Thawne from killing Barry's mother in the past. Once realizing his error, Barry enters the time stream, stopping himself and allowing events to follow their natural course. While this makes things right, it's not completely the same, kicking off DC Comics' New 52 reboot. But what if The Flash failed?

As the preview and cover image show,Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1will show what happens if Barry is unable to reset reality and dies trying, leaving the Flashpoint universe to continue on in a Dark Multiverse reality. The preview reveals that Thomas Wayne will still be operating in Gotham as Batman, while Aquaman and Wonder Woman will still be readying themselves for all-out war. The preview also mentions Reverse-Flash, and what he's going to do now that his greatest rival is no more, indicating that he may "eclipse Barry Allen's legacy" as he embraces the dark new world that the Flash created.

Will Eobard Thawne become the hero he's always wanted to be, but "couldn't" because of Barry Allen? Doubtful. While he might think he could step into Barry shoes, it's more likely that Thawne will still be a villain in actuality, becoming a dark new Flash. Fans will have to wait and see whenTales From the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1releases November 17th

More:How Fast is Marvel's Quicksilver Compared To The Flash?

The Ranger Slayer Returns in Power Rangers: Drakkon New Dawn

Kevin Erdmann is one of Screen Rant's staff writers. With a major in Cinema Studies and a minor in Comics and Cartoon Studies from the UofO, Kevin is pretty sure he's writing for the right site. While Kevin is a huge Marvel fan, he also loves Batman because he's Batman and is a firm believer that Han shot first. Disney also shares a big part of his fan patronage. Previously, Kevin was a writer for ComicsVerse.com. Kevin lives in Oregon with his wonderful wife and sinister cat who is no doubt currently plotting his demise.

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Opinion: The Most Biased Commentary in UFC History – Sherdog.com

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Sherdog.com photo

Editors note: The views and opinions expressed below are thoseof the author and do not necessarily reflect the views ofSherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company,Evolve Media.

Both are really bad. In the first, Rogan was constantly grousingabout Nurmagomedov's lack of stand-up while he was not onlydisplaying the best striking of his career, but soundly beatingIaquintaa top-10 fighter largely thanks to his kickboxingon thefeet. Was Nurmagomedov's striking world-class, on par with the bestof the UFC? No. Did his stand-up success against Iaquinta owe adebt to Ragin Al's fear of the takedown? Certainly. ButNurmagomedov showed good, technical striking that was far betterthan what most other UFC fighters display. Considering howfantastic his wrestling is, that's an achievement deserving ofrespect, not derision. Not only did Rogan's commentary take awayfrom Nurmagomedov's historic victory, but it was downrightignorant.

Spencer-Cyborg was a fight that saw the Canadian bravely fight tothe bitter end and even open up a cut on her legendary opponentearly in the fight, but it was still dominated by the Brazilian,who repeatedly battered Spencer with strikes and had referee YvesLavigne leaning in, ready to stop the fight at least half a dozentimes.

You would never have guess that by the commentary. Rogan and Anikconstantly praised and complimented Spencer, the fighter beingbadly beaten, while criticizing and downgrading anything Cyborgdid. At some point, the bias approached parody, with Rogan and Anikgushing over how awesome Spencer was for being hurt with a barrageof clean strikes from Justino. While heart and toughness deserve tobe pointed out, it's not as important as the fighter beating thestuffing out of their opponent. Yet, Spencer's grit was the mainfocus of the two commentators, when they weren't pretending thefight was much closer than it really was or that Cyborg wassecretly in trouble. It reminds me of the old joke about how afighter ruthlessly beat up his opponent's hands with his face.

In a wild coincidence that I'm sure has nothing to do with Roganand Anik's embarrassing commentary, Cyborg was on the last fightof her contract and in the midst of a very public, acrimonioussplit with UFC head honcho Dana White, who had no intention ofre-signing her and wanted to reduce her market value. Meanwhile,Spencer was a young, photogenic fighter the UFC was looking topromote. Again, totally unrelated.

However, neither Spencer-Cyborg nor Nurmagomedov-Iaquintafeatures the most biased commentary in UFC history. One would haveto go back many years to the main event of UFC 37.5, which was called by ayoung color guy named... Joe Rogan.

For those who haven't seen it, ChuckLiddell vs. VitorBelfort was a genuinely great battle that I encourage everyoneto watch. It was a tremendous contest between two of the beststrikers in the world at the time, yet wasn't merely a fantasticstand-up duel, but also features some fine grappling exchanges,pitting Belfort's Brazilian jiu-jitsu against Liddell's wrestlingand excellent use of wall-walking, a technique he pioneered.

Round 1 was clearly won by Belfort. Round 2 was close, with Liddelllanding more strikes but Belfort having the hardest connect of thestanza, and Round 3 was also close right up until Liddell landed agorgeous right hook counter that knocked Belfort down on his butt,an iconic highlight which is most people's dominant memory of theencounter.

However, that classic was partly spoiled by the painfully biasedjudging and commentary that was even worse. Two of the judgesscored the fight 30-27 Liddell, and only one of them was CecilPeoples. There is literally no way that Liddell won the openingstanza by any criteria. To use a recent example, RobertWhittaker has as good a claim to winning Round 1 againstDarrenTill as Liddell had to winning that round.

If such judging happened in a UFC main event now, there would bemassive controversy and possibly even an investigation. Luckily forthe UFC, 37.5 occurred in 2002, long before social media, in frontof a relatively small live crowd of 3,700 and with a pay-per-viewbuy rate of less than 30,000.

Yet Rogan had the 30-27 scorecards beat when it came to comicallevels of bias. He consistently cheered and overhyped everythingthat Liddell did while dismissing anything by Belfort. He claimedthat Belfort was hopelessly outmatched and Liddell had himcompletely beaten in every area. Here are a few highlights, withthe action contrasted with Rogan's presentation:

1. Early in round 3, Liddell scores a solid right cross toBelfort's face that causes Belfort to back up slightly.

Rogan: "Oh, nice right hand! Vitor is ROCKED!"

2. A few seconds later, Belfort lands a left cross that snapsChuck's head back and is significantly harder than what Chuck justhit him with.

Rogan: But you know what? That didn't hurt Chuck.Chuck's right hand hurt Vitor!

3. Belfort lands a nice leg kick.

Rogan: That leg kick was very defensive! Hekicked and then he moved away.

4. Belfort lands a head kick at the end of Round 2.

Rogan: That to me tells me that Vitor is TIRED!He's not in the best shape he can be in and is conserving hisenergy.

Rogan also gushed incessantly over a spinning back-kick Liddellthrew in Round 2 that looked pretty but landed on the side ofBelfort's chest, causing minimal damage. This occurs at 2:17 of theround, and Rogan yells "VERY NICE! VERY NICE!" like a manpossessed, then mentions it again and again throughout the round,including at its conclusion. Just seven seconds later, Belfortlanded the best strike of the round, a gorgeous straight left at2:10 that had Liddell momentarily stunned and backing up. Rogan'sonly response? "Liddell has a HELL of a chin!" Beyond that, hecompletely ignored the punch, never mentioning it again.

The most ridiculous commentary moment of the fight came in Round 1,though. After Belfort had taken Liddell down multiple timesdespitesome blatant fence-grabbing by Liddell that referee Big JohnMcCarthy slapped awayand landed some ground-and-pound, Liddelleventually got up thanks to the aforementioned wall-walking.

As soon as Liddell got up, before landing any strikes, with Belfortway ahead in the round, Joe exclaimed, "Liddell is taking over thisfight!"

My guess for this shameless cheerleading? Liddell-Belfort wasbilled as a No. 1 contender's match to set up the next challengerto TitoOrtiz's light heavyweight championship. It's surreal to seeOrtiz passionately cheering for Liddell in the stands, and thenhear Liddell refer to his future nemesis as a close friend in thepost-fight interview. Dana White at the time was not only thepresident of the UFC, but Liddell's manager and close personalfriend, a comically corrupt conflict of interest. White clearlywanted Liddell to win to set up the title fight with Ortiz, withwhom White had had a recent falling out, and apparently told Roganto massively hype up Liddell and oversell everything he did.

I guess one shouldn't be surprised Rogan was responsible for thisthough, as Liddell-Belfort was a combination of the horribleelements of the two more modern fights, all magnified to theextreme.

See the article here:

Opinion: The Most Biased Commentary in UFC History - Sherdog.com

All the premieres of the week on HBO: Robot Chicken and A Perfect Plan | Entertainment – Explica

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

A new week begins in the month of August. HBO has several premieres planned for these days, especially comedies to have a good time avoiding the worries of day to day, lets see them.

Although HBO is losing some steam after having presented a lot of news last week, it still has premieres for the rest of the month. This week comedies stand out. between their incorporations.

If youve already seen everything that HBO premiered at the beginning of August, the next 7 days you will have new series and humorous movies to have a good time. Romantic comedies like Proposition or scathing satires like Robot Chicken that returns with more seasons.

For those who are not so keen on comedy, you can also get distracted by other titles such as Alien convergence released in 2017 or Chase to the limit with well-known actors such as Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins and Felicity Jones.

HBO Spain is giving away 14 days of free subscription with no commitment of permanence to all its new users. You can cancel whenever you want or keep the subscription for only 8.99 per month.

Robot Chicken is one of those series that when you discover it you are captivated. HBO premieres this week a new season of this slow motion animation show for adults. It is a parody of the general culture, television series, cinema, actors and best known video games, no one is saved from falling into his scathing criticism.

The plot, for those of you who dont know her yet, begins with the run-over of the protagonist, a somewhat clueless chicken. A scientist picks it up and brings it back to life as a cyborg: half chicken, half robot. The screenwriters have dared to sagas as mythical as Star Wars or the DC and Marvel comics.

As for the films that reach the HBO catalog, we find several comedies such as A Perfect Plan, full of great stars of British and American cinema. With Colin Firth, Alan Rickman and Cameron Diaz At the helm, this movie is perfect for having a good time among not very professional art con artists.

Another comedy to occupy a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon is The Proposition, a romantic comedy by Sandra Bullock. Simple but with touches of humor that give the film rhythm.

A perfect plan: August 14Proposition: August 14Alien convergence: August 15thChase to the limit: August 15th

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All the premieres of the week on HBO: Robot Chicken and A Perfect Plan | Entertainment - Explica

Star Trek: Lower Decks Defies Current Trek with Laughs and Fun – 25YearsLaterSite.com

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

For many fans, there are two types of Star Trek: Trek Prime, which consists of everything from The Original Series to Enterprise, and Nu-Trek, which consists of the Kelvin timeline (or the J.J. Abrams JJ-verse movies) and any new series thats come out since Trek Primes demise (mainly Star Trek Discovery and Star Trek: Picard). I dont know all the ins-and-outs on a personal level of how the fandom treats each other but I can confirm there is a division.

And I find myself aligning with the Trek Prime universe when I am forced to choose sides. I generally despise the JJ-verse Trek films as they are the anti-thesis of what Trek is all about, promoting action and violence over science, discovery, and ethics. I admit to not having watched Discovery but part of my aversion to watching it is how everything looks gritty and real. Plus numerous clips of gigantic space battles from that show have cropped up, which has turned me off to the idea of the show, especially since it is associating itself with the name Star Trek. I gave up on Picard as it felt like Patrick Stewart and the showrunners were creating a different universe altogether, one in which Picard himself is an imposter and, once again, everything is gritty, realistic, and dark. Nu-Trek just isnt for me, but I dont begrudge those who want to embrace it or, better yet, become fans of Trek overall as a result of being exposed to it.

So it comes as a confusing surprise during this Nu-Trek era, that Star Trek, the brand, is releasing a nostalgia-heavy comedy seriesan animated one to bootthat plays with the conventions of Trek Prime by replicating its look and feel, right down to the font of the credits, and bundling it in promos with the new season of Discovery. This might not be your dads Star Trek but it certainly isnt anyone elses at the moment either: this is a new animal. It is Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Set in 2380, one year after Star Trek: Nemesis, Lower Decks is purposefully using vibes that represent The Next Generation, focusing on an Enterprise-like ship, similar yet different Starfleet uniforms, and comparable set design. Everything from the credits on the screen to the sound effects used is maximized to appeal to that fanbases nostalgia need. And the fact that it is animated only amplifies the nostalgia factor, as going back to recreate this atmosphere in a live-action environment would seem impossible at worst and pandering at best. Animation gives it the license to pay homage to what came before all while irreverently sending it up.

The focus is not on the perfect bridge crew as TOS or TNGwould be, but instead on a group of lowly ensigns who, fittingly, live and work on the lower decks of the Starship Cerritos. The ersatz leader of this show is Ensign Boimler (Jack Quaid), a by-the-book command officer who wants to be just like the Captain of his ship and every other legendary Captain in Starfleets history. His best friend is the opposite of that. Ensign Mariner (Tawny Newsome) is a rule-breaking partier who thinks the legends of Starfleet are full of themselves and one big joke. She is constantly a thorn in Boimlers side though the two are, of course, the best of friends in typical opposites-attract fashion.

One of their lower deck compatriots is the dorky, and recently-turned-Cyborg, Ensign Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) who, in the first episode, scores a date with someone way outside of his league. Luckily, his new cyborg implants can take away (or heighten) his fears or, when logic demands it, institute Vulcan subroutines. The three become, for better or worse, mentors for new assignee Ensign Tendi (Noel Wells), a green-skinned (Orion?) medical rookie who is so excited to join the Starfleet tradition that she is in wonder of everything to the annoyance of most.

Lower Decks packs a lot of episode into its series premiere, introducing us to our four main characters, showing off the periphery characters who in other series would be the leads, and managing roughly four plots at once.

The first plot involves the ships Captain asking Boimler to spy on Mariner and report any breakage of rules, no matter how severe or minor. The second involves Boimler and Mariner, now at odds with each other, battling a wicked spider on a planets surface. The third involves one of the senior officers receiving a bug bite during a second contact mission and spreading a rage disease all over the ship in the midst of the fourth plot, Ensign Rutherfords date. All in 26 minutes!

Created by Mike McMahan, the executive producer and co-writer on Rick and Morty, one can tell this is a love note to Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation specifically. There are an endless amount of in-jokes and easter eggs packed in the opening episode and the humor is more nerd-centric and witty than outlandish or scatological. The pacing is well done and while not every joke in the premiere lands as smoothly as others, this is a funny show and one I was wishing had released all the episodes at once so I could devour the entire season.

Is there any other way to recommend a comedy show? It was funny and I wanted more. That is a sign of success to me. So while I may still have Discovery on the backburner and I might never finish Picard, Lower Decks at least has the decency to make me smile at Star Trek again. Who would have thought in this era of Trek we live in, we could do that?

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Star Trek: Lower Decks Defies Current Trek with Laughs and Fun - 25YearsLaterSite.com

The Top 10 Superman Suits In Film & TV – Heroic Hollywood

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Superman is probably the most famous superhero in history thanks to his iconic costume and instantly recognizable symbol on his chest. But its fair to say that hes jumped in and out of a treasure trove of costumes. From practical costumes, gritty reimaginings and comic-accurate designs, fans have been truly spoiled over the years. Since its not completely clear when well next see Kal-El on the big screen in the DC Extended Universe, our latest video takes a look at the best Superman suits in film and television.

Dean Cains suit in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman proved the Kryptonian could work on television as well as theatrically. The bold blue suit with the equally bright symbol stood out excellently on-screen and captured the essence of the hero pretty well. While it wasnt a radical redesign or reshaped the Superman mythos, the show was a great way of modernising the character at the time.

And now for something completely different! The recent animated movie, Superman: Red Son, explored the consequences of what would happen if Kal-El landed in the USSR, instead of Kansas. So instead of the iconic S design, were given a very militaristic costume with a high collar with the sickle and hammer emblem on his chest. The film was adapted from the Mark Millar Elseworlds story of the same name, and is definitely worth a watch. Its interesting how a slight change to Supermans costume gives off a completely different atmosphere. Hes intimidating and commanding in Red Son, although he still strives for justice.

Supermans early years were explored in Smallville and gave us a few variations of his costume. Although we did briefly see Tom Welling with the classic design under his shirt in the final episode, hed been wearing the S for quite some time. From his early days of a blue shirt and red coat, to the leather jacket designed with the symbol on the front. The show managed to find inventive ways of getting around the traditional cape and tights. Our personal favorite is the trenchcoat and black shirt ensemble striking, but different. Its a shame we didnt get to see Tom Welling in the full outfit, but that final rooftop scene was still satisfying.

DC managed to catch fans off guard this year with Justice League Dark: Apokolips War. It was gritty, violent and a perfect way of ending this chapter of their animated universe. But it also had some excellent new designs for Superman. Theres the classic design he wears to begin with which feels slightly inspired by the New 52 and later Rebirth eras of comics, especially with his red belt. But its after Darkseid wins that his looks become really impressive. The first completely depowers him after the Lord of Apokolips tattoos a Kryptonite S into the heros chest. Its a genuinely inspired way of taking Supermans powers from him. But its his second design that impressed us. In order to get the strength back to fight Darkseid, Superman gets possessed by the demon lord, Trigon. It gives the hero a dark redesign, with a fiery cape and flaming chest symbol, mixed with the villains horns and demonic face. Its an excellent way of levelling the playing field against Darkseid.

The third TV Superman to make our list is Tyler Hoechlin. First seen on The CWs Supergirl, the latest version of the hero donned a modern take on the classic costume. The practical look straps the cape firmly to his shoulders with a chunky red and gold belt complimenting the suit. His S symbol is a little darker than usual but it pairs nicely against Supergirls costume. While many fans were skeptical about Superman in the Arrowverse, Tyler Hoechlins hero sits neatly next to all the other caped crusaders. Hopefully his solo series, Superman and Lois, will explore the character a bit more in-depth.

Okay, we might be cheating with this one a little. When DC decided to adapt the Death of Superman into two films, they gave us a number of iconic Superman designs. After his fateful battle with Doomsday, a number of other Supermen take up Kal-Els mantle. Cyborg Superman offers a monstrous version of the hero whos being controlled by Darkseid himself. Henry Steel dons a Superman-inspired exo-skeleton while Lex Luthor reveals his Superman clone, Superboy. Superboys design harks back to his classic 90s design with a leather jacket over his slick black and blue costume. Finally, theres Eradicator whos actually a hologram designed by a computer at the Fortress of Solitude. His cool visor and his streamlined costume definitely looked cool. Ultimately hes only around to protect the real Superman while he secretly rejuvenates. And once he does Oh boy. Fans got to see him in the stunning black suit, complete with that iconic mullet. DC really gave Superman fans a treat with these two movies.

Of course, we cant have a Superman list without including Henry Cavill himself. When the star first debuted as the hero in Man of Steel back in 2013, fans were given a truly modern redesign to suit this darker take on the character. So long, red trunks! Hello, metallic blue costume and bright red cape. The suit has incredible detailing in it, which matches the regal nature of the Kryptonian culture that Zack Snyder briefly explored. The red boots had a similar design, and they look perfect. Itll be great to finally see the Black Suit in action during the directors Justice League cut when it finally arrives on HBO Max next year. Who else is excited?

When it comes to comic accuracy theres another suit that made everyones jaw drop. Brandon Rouths Kingdom Come outfit that we saw during Crisis On Infinite Earths. Aside from the incredible fact that we got to see Routh return to the role, they perfectly adapted the costume from the Mark Waid and Alex Ross series. Its a darker Superman whos lost hope, but is no less heroic. The black and red symbol is genuinely stunning, theres no wonder many fans want to see the star get his own limited series as that version of the hero! If you havent watched the Arrowverse crossover, trust us, its absolutely worth it for golden moments like the Kingdom Come suit.

Sure, the Kingdom Come suit was incredible, but its Brandon Rouths cinematic appearance as Superman that truly earns his costume the penultimate spot on the list. It feels like its been taken straight out of the comics. The dark red cape, trunks and boots look incredible against the light blue suit. Then theres the symbol, it feels like a great modern follow up to Christopher Reeves suit. Its a shame Routh never got to continue the role in a sequel, but as early 2000s superhero movies go, its genuinely one of the better ones. Or at least, we think so anyway.

Come on, did you really expect anyone else to grab the top spot here? It was always going to be Christopher Reeves costume. It set the bar for what a superhero costume could look like on the big screen. Sure, it looks a little silly now, but its one we all fondly remember. Superman was already iconic. But as Reeve soars through the air in the truly classic design its easy to forget that hes an actor and hasnt just stepped out of the page. Dated effects aside, Christopher Reeve is Superman.

But while we wait for the Kryptonians cinematic return, tell us in the comments which of his costumes is your favorite! Make sure you keep an eye on Heroic Hollywood for all the latest entertainment news and be sure tosubscribe to our YouTube channelfor more content in the future!

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The Top 10 Superman Suits In Film & TV - Heroic Hollywood

Ryan Reynolds eviscerates ‘Green Lantern’ and teases the Snyder Cut in the viral Reynolds Cut of his superhero bomb – Yahoo Sports

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Green Lantern may have been treated like a joke by critics and audiences when it hit theaters in 2011, but Ryan Reynolds has made it a point to have the last laugh. Rather than hide from the movies failure, the star has cheekily embraced its status as a superhero also-ran, regularly poking fun at DCs Emerald Knight on social media and in his hit Marvel franchise, Deadpool. With Zack Snyder currently hard at work on the #SnyderCut version of Justice League for HBO Max, Reynolds took to Twitter to premiere the Reynolds Cut of Green Lantern.

Where the Snyder Cut will expand the two-hour theatrical version of Justice League which was taken over by Joss Whedon after Snyder left the film into a three-and-a-half-hour behemoth, the Reynolds Cut reduces Green Lanterns 123-minute runtime to a mere 27 seconds. Opening with a post-credits gag from Deadpool 2, where the time-traveling Merc with a Mouth shoots Reynolds before he can even suit up as Green Lantern, Reynoldss preferred version of the film speeds through his alter egos tragic origin story and his initiation into the galactic Green Lantern Corps. In a major plot twist, the Reynolds Cuts big climax reveals that Tom Cruise has been playing GL all along. That may prove prescient: its been a longtime rumor that Warner Bros. would like to enlist the Mission: Impossible star to headline a Green Lantern reboot.

Speaking of Snyder, the Reynolds Cut ties Green Lantern into Justice League continuity. The film ends with a tableau shot of the core JL team Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, The Flash and Cyborg regarding their newest applicant. Its worth noting that the Green Lantern Corps did play a role in the theatrical version of Justice League, and Snyder supposedly had additional plans for the character... plans that may or may not involve Reynolds.

If the Reynolds Cut really is a stealth preview for the Snyder Cut as well as being a funny gag Twitter is on board.

In brightest day, in blackest night, no chance to make fun of Green Lantern shall escape Ryan Reynoldss sight.

Related: Ryan Reynolds' new initiative for minorities in Hollywood

Green Lantern is currently streaming on HBO Max.

You’ve beaten Half-Life: Alyx, now what? More great VR games to try – GameCrate

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

If youre one of the million or so people that bought a VR headset to experience Valves long-awaited return to the Half-Life franchise then youre probably wondering, what do I play next?

Good question. Theres a good mix of high profile and indie games worth your time if you enjoyed Alyx and Ill be making some recommendations on where to go next once youre ready to venture beyond City-17.

For more VR content,check out Newegg's VR Central.

This is closer to the Portal side of the Valve spectrum with its sharp humor, exploration, and puzzle-solving sprinkled with a dash of combat. You find yourself sucked into a parallel universe and a sprawling underground research lab. You find the corridors and offices of the Planck Interdimensional Quantum Reactor are overrun with homicidal security robots and all manner of hostile aliens.

Youll have to make your way through the facility ala Half-Life and reach the surface if you ever want to get back home. Everything from the UI to the gameplay is tight and youll want to scour over every level so you dont miss a gag or hidden bit of quantum juice (used for upgrades).

Zach Tsiakalis-Brown, a Valve alum and just 20-years-old, is the head of Zulubo Studios and shows incredible promise already in his body of work. He even produced the very excellent soundtrack for the game. Brown announced last summer that Vertigo 2 is in the works and slated for 2020. You can play a demo of the sequel here.

This needs almost no introduction as youve likely heard of the highly acclaimed sci-fi action shooter. If not, heres the run-down. You step into the shoes of a security administrator for the shadowy Monogon corporation. Youll dive into their virtual operating system to uncover a dark secret hidden within. There are also lots of guns in there, for some reason.

While its a bit light on story the gunplay is bar-none one of the most impressive demonstrations of how far VR has come. Once the muscle memory kicks in youll be dual-wielding Glocks and blasting through enemies like a virtual John Wick. References to Half-Life are made throughout, complete with crowbars and robotic headcrabs.

Be sure to check out the studios other very impressive offerings like the nostalgic and surreal Duck Season and the flat out fun of Hover Junkers.

While not a sci-fi game this is one of the current must-have titles if youre a headset owner. There are plenty of zombie games in VR but no other manages to blend survival, crafting, fighting, and exploration as well as Saints and Sinners.

You play as the tourist in a flooded, zombie-infested New Orleans. Two factions are locked in a bloody conflict over the reserve, a hidden cache of weapons and supplies. You start with next to nothing and as you complete quests and explore the city, youll gradually work your way up the food chain to become the ultimate survivor.

No other game quite nails the feeling of jamming a kitchen knife through a walkers rotting face. With a decent length campaign and a fantastic arcade mode, you owe it to yourself to have this in your library.

Red Matter follows the tried-and-true explore the abandoned lab trope of gaming to the hilt. While feeling familiar it does an amazing job of guiding players through exploration and puzzles. As you dive into the top-secret research facility you descend deeper and deeper into a reality-bending conspiracy.

The dystopian retro-futuristic cold war setting will delight any fans of Papers, Please, or Metro: 2033. The mosaics and propaganda posters celebrating the fictional Volgravia feel authentic and dont approach parody. The developers clearly took the time to do their homework and make their world feel real.

While the controls feel a bit tanky its well worth your time and money.

Similar to Red Matter, Into the Radius plays into the dystopian themes of post-Soviet Europe. Directly inspired by the legendary sci-fi movie Stalker, as well as the games spun off from the film, Into the Radius takes players to a familiar world but one still full of surprises.

You wake up with no memory and a disembodied voice guiding you deeper into the mysterious Pechorsk radius. An asteroid strike has warped the fabric of reality around the zone, leaving behind strange anomalies and other-worldly creatures.

Youll scavenge for supplies and artifacts to upgrade your equipment as you explore fascinating and unnerving landscapes. While the core gameplay loop is relatively simple there are hours of exploration and combat to be had. Youll also have to contend with hardcore survival elements like using maps to navigate and keeping yourself fed and rested. A great game for any survival sim fans.

A masterpiece of minimal storytelling, Downward Spiral could have been released today yet came out nearly two years ago. It hardly shows its age as visuals are crisp, controls are intuitive, and combat and exploration are engaging.

You wake up on a space station with no memories except strange visions of alien ruins on a strange planet. You seem to be the only one alive as a mysterious accident has wiped out the crew. The stations security system is malfunctioning and will shoot on sight so it isnt a matter of floating from room to room to try and figure out what happened.

The zero-gravity locomotion feels great and you wont experience motion sickness even if youre a VR newbie.

If you ever dreamt of being a badass cyborg ninja in a cyberpunk Tokyo then Sairento is a must-have. Boasting some of the best VR combat available, youll dual wield and slow-mo dodge through beautiful levels and face off against a variety of enemies.

No other game quite feels this good. As you sail through the air in slow motion, bullets flying past you, you cant help but break out into a big, stupid grin as you come down on an enemy, katana in hand, and say open wide! as you slice their head off. Absolute action bliss.

This somehow manages to be more Doom than the actual Doom VR game. Combining the deadpan humor of Rick and Morty with the action chops of some of the best shooters out there, Gunheart serves up a metric ton of fun.

Your brain has been implanted into the body of a robotic bounty hunter and youll do the dirty work of yet another shadowy corporation. In this case, its taking care of a pest problem at the edge of the galaxy. Tons of weapons, environments, and verticality, Gunheart is a fantastic sci-fi shooter. The game even has co-op so bring a couple of friends on the hunt.

While not an official VR game, the mod for the very excellent Alien: Isolation is well worth your time. Thanks to the amazing job by Creative Assembly in rendering the world of Alien, Isolation feels like a completely new game in virtual reality. And with a lengthy campaign, DLC, and challenge modes, this is the perfect use for your headset.

You play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of the film series protagonist, as she searches for her missing mother. This brings her to Sevastopol station where the flight recorder of her mothers lost ship, the Nostromo, has been recovered. Seeking answers, Amanda instead finds the deadly xenomorph stalking the halls and airshafts of the space station.

If your spine tingled at any of Alyxs creepy set pieces, then youre going to love this. Get the mod here.

Raw Data is more of an arcade-focused experience but with some of the best combat in VR. It ticks all the boxes: cyberpunk dystopia, robots, evil corporations, etc. and manages to still be engaging. Sharp writing and voiceovers make this one worth your time. Choose from a few different characters, all with different weapons and perks, and dismantle some robots and drones in style.

This is an Oculus exclusive so unless youve got a Rift or Rift-S then youre out of luck. In Lone Echo youll step into the circuits of Jack, an AI with a synthetic body, to help Captain Olivia Rhodes solve a mystery set in a mining operation above the rings of Saturn. Youll float through zero-g, use a suite of futuristic tools, and drink in the AAA visuals this game has to offer.

Its worth mentioning their spin-off of the game, Echo Arena, is free to play and its addictive VR PvP fun.

That should tide you over until even more great games make their way into your headset. For more VR content,check out Newegg's VR Central.

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You've beaten Half-Life: Alyx, now what? More great VR games to try - GameCrate

Star Wars: A Tech Version of the Force Exists – But It Sucks – CBR – Comic Book Resources

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

In Star Wars, there's just no substitute for a connection with an omnipresent power that's infused throughout all life in the universe.

WhileStar Wars may be one of the quintessential science-fiction worlds across the landscape of popular culture, one element to its universe is pure fantasy. The Force is a magical power that exists within all living things throughout the Galaxy, and the Jedi and Sith, who learned to harness it are counted among the deadliest combatants in the universe.

But that doesn't mean the science fiction ofStar Wars doesn't try to catch up to the fantasy. There have been numerous attempts in the franchise's lore where someone or something tried to technologically reproduce the Force. The problem is, they all just sucked.

RELATED:Star Wars: Marvel Confirmed [SPOILER] Told Darth Vader That Luke Was His Son

The goal of tech-based enhancements inStar Wars combatants is to imitate or counteract what the Force allows.It proved to be the specialty of a scientist named Cylo during the early days of the Empire, as the expert used cloning and cybernetic achievements not only to grant himself a semblance of immortality but to also produce attempts at creating the finest non-Force sensitive warriors in the Galaxy. The best examples of his work were the Astarte twins from Marvel's Darth Vader.

Born during the waning days of the Clone Wars, the Astarte twins were raised and trained to replace the Jedi and Sith. The male twin Morit saw himself as an evolution past relics of the past, while his sister Aoilin held more reverence toward them, seeking to learn from Darth Vader personally. Neither sibling held any special affinity with the Force, but both were enhanced cybernetically with abilities that tried to make up for their absence.

RELATED:Star Wars: Who Actually Funded The Clone Army's Creation?

The twins could command the objects around them subtly such as by commanding doors to slide shut, but neither ever demonstrated raw power anywhere near Vader's. Jet boosters in their feet allowed them to amplify their jumps and movement much as the Force would, but they also held a variety of weapons to aid them. In addition to their lightsabers, the twins had built-in flamethrowers, missiles and 360-degree rotating joints to aid them in battle.

What proves most interesting is the similarity such enhancements bear to other attempts at compensating for a lack of attunement to the Force. Mandalorian warriors and their weaponry employed by bounty hunters like Jango and Boba Fett are the oldest and perhaps best-known examples, also employing wrist-mounted flamethrowers and rocket launchers in order to contest Jedi and Sith at range.

RELATED:Star Wars Fan Makes A Compelling Case For Retitling The Saga Films

Their rotating joints are also eerily similar to a certain character from the Clone Wars era. General Grievous was one of the earlier and more dramatic examples of employing cybernetic enhancements to great effect, and Cylo improved on those same designs with Commander Karbin. Multiple rapidly spinning limbs prove a surprisingly effective method of overwhelming Force-sensitives with speed and power in order to devastate their precognitive abilities.

And yet none of these enhancements ever adequately recreated the deadliness of the Force. Time and time again, Jedi and Sith alike proved themselves superior to such technological tactics. The main reason is that the Force is just so versatile in its application in addition to offering raw power tech can't compete with. Whereas cyborgs or weapons-users are forced to specialize, typically in either close quarters or long-range combat, Jedi and Sith prove effective at any range. There's just no competing with precognition, an attunement to the universe and an arsenal of powers that only grows as the franchise continues.

KEEP READING:The Movie Theater Of The Future Looks A LOT Like Star Wars' Galactic Senate

X-Men: Marvel Just Gave a MAJOR X-Man Their TV Look

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Star Wars: A Tech Version of the Force Exists - But It Sucks - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies (That Aren’t About Aliens), According To IMDb – Screen Rant

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Danzig

Science fiction is a genre that was once out of the cinematic reach but now is everywhere, with computer-generated images flooding through it, incredible amounts of money pumped into it, and, despite a whole load of bad, has produced some of the greatest films ever, as well as massively influential and beloved.

RELATED: The Best Sci-Fi Movies Every Year Of The Decade, According To IMDb

Despite their prominence in the genre, some of the greatest sci-fi films of all time tell stories that do not revolve around aliensor have them as a main component to the movie. According to IMDb, the very best sci-fi movie fits into that category.

Other films likeMetropolisalso sit at 8.3 on IMDb, but due to the site ranking this movie higher in their top 250, it makes the cut and is truly one of the best of the 21st century.

Definitely not a typical sci-fi movie,Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mindis both a beautiful and brilliant film, following two people who were in a relationship and had memories of it clinically removed.

Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece2001: A Space Odysseyis one of the most influential films of all time, and often heralded as one of the best movies ever made, both in and out of the sci-fi genre.

Once again, due to IMDb ranking, this higher on their top 250,this filmgets the spot oversome other 8.3s. It is one of the most thought-provoking, visually engrossing, and cinematically important sci-fi films ever, and will be as such for generations to come.

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse came at fans like a freight train, and as soon as it hit, it became one of the greatest superhero movies of all time.

RELATED: The 10 Best Animated Coming Of Age Movies, Ranked (According To IMDb)

With gorgeous psychedelic animation, a great soundtrack, hilarious and well-done writing, and a fantastic story, the movie sees whole other dimensions come together, and incredible technology in what is perhaps the most excellentSpider-Manmovie of all time.

Sticking with animation,Wall-E is the only Pixar entry here, and while the main protagonist is a robot, and all humans now live in a spaceship, no aliens are found, it is a human story.

The film is as visually beautiful as any other Pixar movie, following the story of Wall-E, a robot left behind on Earth to clean, meets E.V.E., falls in love, and sets on a journey which alters his life, and that ofhumanity which is far different, and far lazier, than the one that left Earth.

The debate between which of the first twoTerminatormovies has raged on for years, but it seems as though the slight majority preferJudgement Day, an excellent sequel.

Not aliens, but rather autonomous, humanoid cyborgs, the Terminator is at times a terrifying, at times badass, and all-time iconic character who plays the good guy in this film alongside Sarah Conor.

Speaking of iconic and beloved, there are a handful of movies out there that, despite whatever continuity flaws they may have, are considered to be perfect movies by many.Back To The Futureis one of those movies.

It may well be the greatest time travel story ever told, with Marty McFly sent back in time in the Delorean, forced to make his parents fall in love to get back to his present. It is wildly entertaining, infinitely rewatchable, and its popularity will remain for years to come.

Coming from Christopher Nolan, not his last appearance here,The Prestigeis a mind-bending thriller/mystery, but becomes a sci-fi movie when David Bowie's Nikola Tesla steps on the scene.

RELATED: 10 Movies To Watch If You Like The Prestige

With amachinethat can clone whatever steps into it, the science fiction aspects of the movie become crucial to the pledge, the turn, and the prestige of the film that is almost an underrated Nolan flick.

Sticking with the master time manipulator and king of the blockbuster, eight years afterThe Prestigecame, what is perhaps Nolan's most divisive film,Interstellar.

It is another human story that explores the reaches of space and time without revolving around aliens, as a team of researchers set out to find a new planet for humans to inhabit.

What a strange phenomenonThe Matrixis, on its own, it isone of the greatest movies ever made, but then the two sequels got made, ruining so much of the lore and worldbuilding of the first entry.

Nevertheless, by itself, the film has remained well-beloved, with Keanu Reeves playing a computer programmer pulled into the reality of his reality, and a war with the controllers of it.

Not only isInception the highest-rated sci-fi movie without aliens, but the highest rated sci-fi movie ever on IMDb, currently sitting at number thirteen of the top 250, and is the third film for Nolan on this list.

Following a team hired to plant an idea in aC.E.O.'smind - a process called inception -,Inceptionis one of the most popular sci-fi films ever and is brilliantly crafted. It has a great cast, an excellent score, twists and turns, and makes you think, as well as being filled with tension, and an ending that leaves the audience deciding for themselves what Cobb's fate was.

NEXT: Tenet: 5 Perfect Fan Theories About Christopher Nolan's New Movie (& 5 Hilarious Ones)

Next Harry Potter: Every Movie, Ranked Smallest To Biggest Budget

Rhys McGinley is a simple man just trying to make his way in the universe as a cinephile, and all-round nerd from Glasgow, Scotland, who has been writing his whole life. Now writing for Screen Rant, CBR, and TheGamer, Rhys has a deep passion for all things Star Wars and various comic-based properties, sitcoms, as well as an affection for all genres of film.

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Top 10 Sci-Fi Movies (That Aren't About Aliens), According To IMDb - Screen Rant

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