I forgot Constantine

I intended for my recent article about the state of the comic book movie to be comprehensive. I assembled the micro-reviews by memory, and last year's Constantine (a somewhat loose adaptation of DC's Hellblazer series) somehow slipped by. Though I guess that says a lot about the quality of the movie. I've added it to the article for completeness.

Hollywood and comics: a tenuous relationship

In getting that review of X-Men: The Last Stand off of my chest, I started thinking about the role comic books have played in Hollywood cinema over the past few years. While it isn't a new occurrence for Hollywood to borrow liberally from other forms of media as the basis for the latest screenplay (the lack of original screenplays lately being another topic entirely), it seems that after the box office and critical successes of Sam Raimi's Spider Man in 1999 and Bryan Singer's X-Men the following year, interest seems to be peaking. How could the American film industry continue to pass up this previously neglected well of unused properties? In conversations with fellow comic book fans at the time, I even went so far as to say that the comic book movie was experiencing a true renaissance - the producers and directors were finally realizing that they couldn't simply rely on the hardcore fanatics to fill theatre seats. This statement was egregiously misguided, however, as the comic movies to be released in the years that followed would show.

the last stand, indeed

If we can expect a sequel after the funeral pyre that was X-Men: The Last Stand, it can be considered a turning point for the series. Similar to what happened to Batman with Batman Forever, the previous two films by the same director had successfully established a universe (despite its liberties with the comic books), created characters out of familiar icons and weaved an adequate storyline that can be enjoyed by comic purists and casual moviegoers alike. With the third installment, we have a new director who clearly wanted to make his mark on the series and added his own "creative vision" to the franchise. The work had already been done for him up to this point, and yet coming on to a project of such popularity and magnitude would probably feel overwhelming for someone still trying to make a name for themselves. Joel Schumacher at least had a track record before picking up the Batman franchise with Batman Forever. He selected two popular actors at the time to play the villains (to this day I have no idea why each Batman film requires two villains - at least Batman Begins handled this tactfully) threw a few cans of neon paint at Tim Burton's world of perpetual darkness and called it a day. Three Batman actors and two directors later, the series seems to be back on track after the serious, grounded-in-reality Batman Begins.

Assuming the X-Men can continue their momentum after the latest installment, can we presume the same treatment of the series?

the art of spawn

When I was a serious collector of action figures, a trip to Silver Snail would always keep me abreast of what should be in stores if the stock room fanboys didn't always get their hands on them first. I was foremost a Star Wars collector, with Todd McFarlane's Spawn action figures as an occasional distraction.

While I was never much of a fan of his comic, I always respected McFarlane for approaching his property carefully. While Lucasfilm would stop at nothing to plaster Star Wars on any item under the sun (and essentially creating the action figure industry as we know it), McFarlane took complete creative control over his empire, making sure that branding of his hero was consistent across all media. The dark and often violent Spawn cartoon and the mediocre movie that essentially captured McFarlane's immature mentality was all under his direction and at least maintained his anti-hero's manufactured image.

However the action figures were where he really caught on to something amazing. Until McFarlane Toys, high quality action figures were almost unheard of; instead, you'd have to purchase a limited run 12" statuette for the same level of detail. McFarlane took this idea and mass produced figures that could easily be added to any kid's collection - as long as their parents didn't mind buying a toy drenched in blood or draped with human skulls - while still appealing to the serious collector, who wouldn't be ashamed of displaying them alongside conventional models or maquettes.

Maybe I'm giving the guy too much credit, but I see McFarlane's line of toys as a real watermark for quality and attention to detail, while still making them moderately posable. And he's since branched out into Sports action figures, movie-inspired figures and er..."original" concepts mostly following the same theme, but still of outstanding quality.

I've been out of the action figure game for some time now, and on a whim I decided to check out my local discount chain to see what was on the shelves for Christmas. I half expected to see empty racks in the action figures section, but when I came across some select members of Spawn Series 26: The Art of Spawn, I grabbed a couple that caught my eye knowing that I'd probably be paying twice the price at a hobby store or comic shop. The two figures up for discussion are Issue #7 and Issue #8.

Issue #8, which remains imprisoned in plastic, appears to have no points of articulation and resembles an immovable hunk of plastic. Which is fine, I suppose, considering the pose. However Issue #7, whom I removed, is most disappointing in its inarticulateness. I have a fascination with Spawn wielding really large weapons, and the Issue #7 figure only has rotatable forearms, which are basically useless. His posture is cast in stone, eliminating any ability to reposition his aim. His left hand is closed in a grip, making it impossible to fit the handle of the second weapon in without wrestling with the thankfully flexible plastic. And even the cape, which was molded to wrap around the lower half of his body, doesn't sit right on the ground, exposing his feet. It just looks weird. For a successful integrateion of posability and a completely over-the-top arsenal, see Spawn IV.

Not that I ever played with Spawn toys (cough), but the fact that I could re-pose them when the mood suited me was reassuring. And because no action figure is perfectly balanced - especially ones with this many attachments - the ability to adjust limb joints to get them to just stand was essential. Maybe the Art of Spawn series is meant to approach model quality, but for a mass market toy it's serverely limiting.

If you just look at them though, they truly are a sight to behold. Issue #7 perfectly captures the version of Spawn displayed on the cover. You really have to respect a toy manufacturer who is meticulous enough to recreate veins, musculature and real chains. I wouldn't call this my return to collecting Spawn action figures, but it seems that in the last few years McFarlane's ambitions for the series have changed in favour of the premium action figure collector.

half imagined

hollywood storms the comic store

By now I think it's pretty obvious that Hollywood isn't satisified to settle for boring adaptations of hack novelists and instead are raiding the material that geeks have held dear for many years. I made the mistake of visiting Apple's Quicktime Movie Trailer Emporium on the weekend, and so I present my findings in full.

• Spider Man 2: What more can I say? I was more than happy with Raimi's directing on the original, creating a believable yet fantastic story about a young man learning to live with his new found superpowers. Seeing Doctor Octopus realized in live action gave me goosebumps; my cynical side expected to see half-assed attempts at CG. This is one I don't want to miss.

• Van Helsing: I know this isn't based on a comic, but I believe that it possesses a bit of "geek cred" based on the main actor and the subject matter. I watched it intently, awaiting the shining moment that would make me want to run out into the streets to see this movie. But alas, it never came. Big budget summer blockbuster? You bet. Captivating story? Hardly. With all the cameos in this film, I'd sooner compare it to The Monster Squad than a suspenseful action movie. Luckily Mr. Jackman has no reason to worry about being typecast, as he's had an extremely diverse career. Which is probably why we'll see a Wolverine solo picture before we see X3.

• Hellboy: Ron Perlman is one of those actors that always tends to do a fine job in a supporting role. This time he's been cast as the lead in this oddball sci-fi/fantasy comic book adaptation. Since no one outside the sphere of comic book fans will be familiar with the material, this film will more than likely surprise the typical audience. For this reason I think it will do well. The trailer is intriguing without resorting to the characteristic choppy editing of most big budget action movies.

• The Punisher: Someone please tell Marvel to settle down. With three new properties hitting the screen in as many years, it will be easy for things to get out of control. And in the case of The Punisher, I believe they have. I found it disturbing that I was able to predict that the ominous voice in the background would utter the phrase: "They thought they had murdered him. But they were wrong - dead wrong" before its end. How John Travolta made it into this one I'll never know, and I think that Dolph Lundgren's original will be better almost by default.
  

By some masochistic principle I viewed the trailer for Kevin Smith's latest, Jersey Girl. Please, if seeing Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez in the same frame causes you to lapse into a Gigli-like coma, avoid this one. I'm extremely disappointed at Smith's obvious choice to go the safe, sentimental route. What, doing the ultimate fan service wasn't good enough for you?

I heard Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was a very tasteful and reverent addition to the Terminator saga. The previous two films that gave us a very jarring look at a possible future ruled by machines many years before The Matrix was an accomplishment indeed. However while watching it this weekend I couldn't help but ask about the necessity of a third installment. Judgement Day was prevented in T2, so why not leave it at that? The T-X had some suprising tricks up her sleeve, but even the chase scenes were rehashed. Claire Danes did not belong in this film, and it is clear that something was missing from the beginning. The ending is wide open for a sequel, so if you don't mind seeing Arnold go through the motions one more time, the multiplex is waiting for you.

I make a list to throw it away