GAMERS DECIDE - aquaman

Top 10 Best DC Comics For Beginners

Jason.T.Frey — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:14:28 +0000

Nearly everyone could recognize Superman or Batman on sight, but that doesn’t mean they would be comfortable jumping right into the comics for those heroes. Despite popular opinion, comic books are often more than overly simple kid’s stories. Many comic books will have plot lines that have built up for years and can bring up villains that have been created and changed over the decades.

This is especially true for DC, who has been in the superhero comic book game since the 1930s. There’s a lot of deep and complex history there, with grand events that can baffle even a long-time reader.

That shouldn’t deter anyone from reading DC comics, though! While jumping in on a random story might be ill-advised, and the original comics from the 1930s are mostly uninteresting by today’s standards, there are plenty of great places for beginners to start their DC comic book journey.

Which stories are those? Well, I’m glad you asked.

10. Secret Origins

Sorry, spoilers, Batman's parents get murdered

Released near the beginning of The New 52 relaunch, this graphic novel collects the origin stories of several characters in DC Comics together, making it a great entry point for new readers. There may not be as much story here, as it’s basically like five unconnected comic book issues thrown together, but it’s both engaging and informative.

So, if you want to see the origins of Batman, Batwoman, Superman, Harley Quinn, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, and several others, this book will be right up your alley. It’s a great way to get a lot of different information in a single sitting and really get comfortable with the basics of modern DC.

You should pick this up if you:

Want to quickly build a wide range of knowledge
Are looking for something that you can read for a few minutes at a time
Would like to see which DC hero may best resonate with you
Are indecisive

9. Justice League: Origin

It's like DC knew people would want to know about these characters specifically

After discovering a threat that’s too much to handle alone, Batman decides to unite the most powerful heroes in the DC universe to form the Justice League!

However, working together may not be easy. Egos clash as heroes fight one another (including a great moment where Green Lantern attacks Superman under the assumption that he’ll be a pushover). But, if they’re to have any hope of overcoming the shadowy, alien threat, they’ll need to overcome their egos and differences.

Despite so many heroes being together, this comic is fantastic for new readers, as short descriptions and explanations are provided for each character in conversation. With this being a Justice League comic, the story is going to have a pretty grand enemy as well, but this comic excels at guiding the reader through the more complex parts.

You should pick up this comic if you:

Like team-ups
Would like a story that features all of DC’s biggest heroes
Want to see Green Lantern get perpetually shown up

8. Suicide Squad: Kicked in the Teeth

This is much more entertaining than the movie, trust me

Sure, DC has some great, iconic heroes, but have you seen their villains? The roster of antagonists in this universe is insane! When the higher-ups of the world aren’t sure about what to do with some of them, they’re forced to join a government-run super-team: The Suicide Squad.

This iteration of the squad features some rotating members, but the core group includes Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, El Diablo, and King Shark. With DC government powerhouse Amanda Waller at the helm and commander of nepotism Rick Flag leading in a more hands-on kind of way, there’s a hint of authority and order. However, keeping order in this group is temporary at best.

The members of the squad are sent out to complete assignments that are basically, well, suicide. Each member of the team has a bomb in their neck that can be detonated remotely, ensuring their cooperation throughout the various missions. But, being pro criminals, they push how much they can get away with before Waller decides that they’re no longer worth the trouble.

This series is particularly great for new readers because of how much the characters’ stories are laid out for the audience. New readers can be fully introduced to a variety of DC villains in this series, with only brief flashbacks to their origin stories.

You should pick up this comic if you:

Enjoy stories that focus on villains
Like team-ups
Want a graphic novel with a fair amount of humor included.
Want to see Amanda Waller be the absolute worst

7. Aquaman: The Drowning

Before you ask, no, Aquaman isn't going to be drowning a bunch of people in this comic

Aquaman is a hero with a great weight on his shoulders. Not only does he rule the seven seas as the King of Atlantis and protect the land as a member of the Justice League, he often has to protect them from each other. This leaves Aquaman with few friends on either side of the shore, yet he continues to push forward as a vigilant protector.

Despite the tensions and difficulties, Aquaman dreams of a day where Atlantis and the surface world no longer fear each other. It’s not something that can happen overnight, especially when villains like Black Manta are trying so desperately to undermine Aquaman’s work.

This story may sound intricate and political, but it’s a far cry from being too much for a new DC reader. Backgrounds are explained, motivations are laid out, and the plot is broken up into easily digestible chunks. There’s a fair amount of humor, some great action, and a whole lot of fish.

You should pick this comic up if you:

Want to see a powerful hero show an insane amount of self-control
Enjoy stories that involve secret organizations
Would like to see Aquaman in a better light than normal

6. DC: The New Frontier

Yeah, it's all smiles now, but just wait until dinosaur island shows up.

This comic takes place in the mid-20th century and tells the story of a DC universe where most of the heroes of the universe started popping up around the 1950s. It’s a world where being a vigilante superhero is illegal, so the heroes are either de-masked, became government agents, or have to work even harder to stay in the shadows.

However, with the world striving forward in the space race and with nations using nuclear devices, the Earth itself decides to strike back against its inhabitants. This strike comes in the form of a gigantic floating monster island that’s covered in dinosaurs (rad, I know). Now cooperation between those who wear masks and those who don’t is more necessary than ever.

This is a very well-written story that has a mostly accurate animated film adaptation as well. It’s perfect for new DC readers, as it introduces each character enough to give an idea of who they are and even shows some of their origins.

You should pick this comic up if you:

Enjoy the Golden Age of comics
Don’t feel like you’ve seen enough of Martian Manhunter
Enjoy stories that play off of people’s fear of the unknown
Think dinosaurs are really cool

5. Mister Miracle

The real miracle is how any of them get into those costumes so easily.

One of the most complicated subjects in the DC universe to take on is the topic of the gods. There’s the Old Gods, the New Gods, and Darkseid all involved, and it’s a story that spans millions, if not billions, of years. Fortunately, this comic takes a difficult subject and makes it a bit easier to digest, all through a unique and remarkable style of storytelling.

Mister Miracle is a New God named Scott Free, and he can escape from anything. After leaving the hellish planet Apokolips, Scott settles down on Earth and enjoys fame as both a world-renowned escape artist as well as a superhero. However, Scott is brought on board with the New Gods when a war breaks out between New Genesis and Apokolips, and Scott must escape the most chellenging trap of all: death itself.

New readers may feel a little overwhelmed by this story, but it isn’t as inaccessible as it may seem at first. It’s a great comic with outstanding art and character development, as well as some genuinely funny moments, and it should be on every comic book fan’s list to read.

You should pick this up if you:

Enjoy darker stories that include some humor as well
Like stories that make it hard to tell what’s real
Want a comic with a loving relationship at its core
Want to know the face of God

4.Green Lantern: Earth One

It would actually be pretty cool looking if, despite having the ring, he still had to wear that space suit all the time.

The Earth One series of comics takes place in an alternate universe where things are a bit different than the mainline universe. In this universe, the Green Lantern Corps died a long time ago and is considered a legend more than anything. There are still rings out in the universe, but they’re severely depowered.

None of that would have mattered to Hal Jordan of Earth, since Earth has no connection to any other planets. However, after finding a Green Lantern ring on a destroyed ship and defeating a machine called a manhunter, the human is quickly introduced to a whole universe.

While there are a lot of callbacks and references to the main Green Lantern stories, everything is explained to Hal and, therefore, the reader. New readers may need to pick up some context clues, but it’s a pretty well-explained story overall. Plus, it’s a great new way of telling the origin of a classic DC hero.

You should pick this comic up if you:

Like cosmic stories
Enjoy underdog tales
Like fish out of water stories
Want a comic with a ton of near-death experiences

3.The Flash: Move Forward

He always moves forward because running backwards at the speed of light would be ridiculous

The Flash is the fastest man alive, and in this comic, he’s speeding up even more, though in a slightly different way. In order to protect the city and those he cares about, The Flash is working on using his incredible powers of speed to increase how quickly he thinks, which allows him to essentially predict the immediate future. What could go wrong there, right?

Well, for good or ill, the Flash will need all the edge he can get. With his Rogue’s Gallery running amok along with a legion of evil clones of one of his oldest friends, the Flash has his plate full in this book.

This story is a great place to start for anyone looking to get into the world of the Flash. The comic doesn't go too much into The Flash's origin, but it does give a brief synopsis that allows even new readers to enjoy this story. He's a speedster, his powers come from something called the Speed Force, and that's all you really need to know to dive right into this one.

You should pick up this comic if you:

Are new to the Flash
Enjoy action/drama stories
Gotta go fast

2. Teen Titans: A Kid’s Game

I know there's an argument about the potential of a regular human, but honestly, Robin is really outclassed here.

The Teen Titans are an exciting team of heroes, and they often have some of the best comics on the market. One of the best written and most accessible runs was penned by Geoff Johns, and it starts here with A Kid’s Game.

After the disbanding of the Young Justice team, a few remaining members of the original Teen Titans decide to start a new group. Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven take the role of mentors to the new heroes, Superboy, Wonder Girl, Impulse, and Robin (Tim Drake). It’s not long before they face their first real threat, and it’s none other than the world’s greatest assassin himself, Deathstroke!

Okay, to be fair, I’m sure that sounds like too much to take on if you’re unfamiliar with DC comics. However, this comic does an admirable job of breaking down the story and characters to the point where even new readers can effortlessly get an idea of what’s happening. I wouldn’t say it’s the easiest on the list, but it’s not too difficult either.

You should pick up this comic if you:

Are looking for a story with younger protagonists
Enjoy team-up stories
Want a book that may require a bit more attention to get the context clues
Love teen angst

1. Batman: Year One

Yeah, Batman, it's a really nice cape. You don't have to keep showing it off.

While this comic book run is from the late 1980s, it remains the quintessential origin story for Batman. Written by comic book legend Frank Miller, this story follows Bruce Wayne and James Gordon in Bruce’s first year back in Gotham. The cops and elected officials of the city hate him, and he’s inexperienced enough to need to survive off of luck alone.

It’s a dark comic with complex and emotional themes, but it’s also a great introduction to the character and setting. Many of the ideas about Batman’s origin and personality that people hold today have their roots in this graphic novel.

You should pick this comic up if you:

Want to read a great Batman story
Enjoy stories that heavily feature corrupt officials
Are okay with some more adult content
Want to see Batman get shot way more times than usual

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The worst possible jumping-on point for DC, right here.

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Top 10 Aquaman Superpowers Explained in Detail

AshRoze — Mon, 07 May 2018 23:20:28 +0000

Poor Aquaman has been universally laughed at in the comic-book community. We can credit this to a horrible portrayal of him in the 1970s Superfriends cartoon. However, he is really one of the coolest and strongest heroes out there. Here’s why:

10. Portals and Flight

From Aquaman, Volume 1 Issue #46 (2015)

As King of the Sea, the ability to flymight not be the first superpower you might think Aquaman wields. However, he is clearly shown flying, or at least hovering above the water, in the 2011 Aquaman timeline. It isn’t fully known where he got this power in the most recent comic storyline (called new-52). However, the best guess is that his trident is the culprit. Given to him by Poseidon, God of the Sea, it isn’t unthinkable that the trident is capable of such things.

Of the Justice League characters, Aquaman’s ability to fly leaves only Batman and the Flash without the inborn ability. They make up for it with cool gadgets though. In the movie, it would be nice to know Aquaman can keep up with the others on his own if they need to travel a great distance over land (or into the sky).

Another way he could foreseeably keep up with the others is through a cool ability given to him in a different storyline. After losing a hand to a school of piranhas, he was endowed with the Waterbearer Hand. This hand was literally made of water and gave him some really cool gifts. One of those gifts was the ability to create inter-dimensional portals. Very convenient indeed, since he often has to travel around the world under the sea. Even more convenient if he can help his Justice League friends to instantly appear wherever they need to be.

9. Impenetrable Skin

Aquaman looks human, and in most of the storylines he is half-human. The other half of him, however, is Atlantean, or people of the sea. Humans aren’t supposed to dive more than 130 feet below the ocean’s surface without tons of equipment. This is because they will literally be crushed under the intense pressure of the water.

Aquaman, Volume 7 Issue #1

Aquaman, on the other hand, is built for deep sea diving. In the new-52 comics, he is even shown to be bulletproof and otherwise really hard to penetrate. It’s doubtful he’s quite as hard to hurt as Superman is, but he’s not far behind.

8. Super Strength and Speed

This makes sense scientifically as well. Just like his extra strong skin is necessary to survive the depths of the ocean, so are extra strong muscles. The further down someone goes, the more water is pressing on top of you. Aquaman’s strong skin helps him go down deeper than any human can, but it can’t help him get back up to the surface.

In order to walk along the Mariana Trench, for instance, which is the deepest part of Earth’s ocean at 200km (Somewhere east of the Philippines) Aquaman would need to be able to lift a minimum of roughly 80 tons to just move his legs. To carry anything, he’d have to be exponentially stronger.

Superfriends, 1973

His swimming speed isn’t fully known, but in the new-52 comics, he is at least able to swim faster than a hypersonic jet. This gives him a minimum swimming speed of roughly Mach 5.

7. Leg day

From Aquaman, Volume 7 Issue #1

Even in storylines in which Aquaman is unable to fly (which, I’ll admit, is most of them), he is still incredibly strong as recently discussed. In all of the stories, he is at least strong enough to leap over buildings, and even “surf” across things in the sky.

6. Sonar and Night Vision

Leaked still from the upcoming Aquaman movie

This is another one of those scientifically obvious powers. Well, as scientific as comic books can get, anyway. In order to see at great depths, where the sunlight can’t even begin to touch, he has to be able to see in the dark, and through the murk. In the DCEU movies, Jason Momoa’s take on the character even has clouded-looking eyes to signify how amazing they are.

This in-the-dark vision translates to night vision on land, which is something not even Batman, the dark knight, can boast without gadgets. He also has the uncanny ability to use sound to see. This echolocation or sonar is also something batlike that Batman just can’t handle. In fact, James Wan – director of Aquaman – has some words about how this might work in the movie, explaining how the sound will be human-speech, but with an underlying “ping” or whale-like sound.

5. Fish Talk

Arguably, Aquaman’s most well-known power is his ability to converse with and control fish. Okay, it’s not even an argument, it *is* the most well-known power in his arsenal.

What most people don’t realize is that they imagine the power wrong. He doesn’t exactly “talk” to them in the traditional sense, nor does he really communicate with them telepathically. It’s more that he can persuade them to do the things he needs them to do. And as their King, they obey.

In fact, when asked in the Justice League movie by Bruce Wayne if he talks to fish, he responds “the water does the talking.” Though confusing to non-Aquamen, this gives it a slightly more mystical and instinctual feel than just speaking their language.

In Aquaman, Volume 7 Issue #23, Aquaman uses his motivational powers to convince a giant octopus to help him defeat Scavenger and defend Atlantis.

4. Human Persuasion

From JLA, Volume 1 issue #4

In an extension of the marine-telepathy he uses to bid sea creatures to do what he asks, he is also able to tap into the base nature of land creatures. Because we evolved from creatures of the sea, we have remnants of whatever it is in our brains, and he can use that to persuade.

Called “Access to the Clear,” which basically translates to animal empathy, he has used this ability to cause ZüM to have a seizure. It is not known how strong his domination of human brains can reach, and it is likely that even Aquaman himself isn’t sure how strong this power really is.

3. Healing

The Lady of the Lake gave the Waterbearer Hand to Aquaman after his hand was eaten by piranhas (Charybdis used a machine to make Aquaman unable to “speak” to marine life for a short while). This gave him tons of cool powers, such as the portals I talked about in earlier. It also allows him to change what his hand looks like, turning it into a sword, or back into a liquid at will. He can even use it to scry or look at things far away.

From Aquaman, Volume 6 Issue #14

The coolest power it gives him, though, is the power of healing. He uses this power to cure Black Manta of his mental illness, which allows them to team up to defeat the Thirst. The Thirst, coincidentally, is also a part of the Waterbearer Hand but comes from evil or angry use.

Black Manta, who is a villain at heart, ends up doing what he normally does, and turns on Aquaman in the end. Now, however, Black Manta’s mind has a little bit more sanity than he started with.

2. Weather

From Justice League #17 (2017)

While the Waterbearer hand gives Aquaman quite a few awesome powers, nothing is quite the same as his trident. With it, Aquaman can control water itself, create storms, and unleash lightning bolts. Though not quite the same as Thor’s Hammer Mjolnir, the Trident’s storm powers are nothing to scoff at. He uses the wrath of the sea this way to help the Justice League battle the Thule before the evil mystics overturned his throne in Atlantis.

1. Godly empowerment

At least once in the DC comics, Aquaman was imbued with the power of the gods. He was given access to huge amounts of magic through a bargain with Gods of the Sea, which changed him into something else. It changed him into a “Dweller of the Deep.”

Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis, Volume 1 #41

San Diego sinks into the ocean, and due to an experiment gone wrong, it’s inhabitants are transformed into water-breathers, complete with gills. This makes them unable to breathe regular air, and they are forced to live underwater. Along the way, Aquaman is shown his true nature, which is a near godlike entity called Orin. Orin then finds out it was his DNA that allowed the people of San Diego (now called Sub Diego, since it was submerged in the ocean). This causes great sorrow in his heart, and so he becomes the Dweller in the Depths.

As the Dweller, a creature that resembled an old hermit in the sea, with none of the vibrant personality that shines out of Aquaman like the gold in his hair, he can save the lives of an entire city that is unable to breathe by using necromancy on his own long-dead-and-gone. Eventually, alone in the depths, he waits to train the next King of the Sea.

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Roar at me <3

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New Aquaman Movie Will Be Jason Momoa's Career Breakthrough

AshRoze — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 19:05:16 +0000

The comic version of Aquaman has gotten a bad rap compared to the other superheroes. Which is unfortunate and doesn’t make too much sense, as the character is one of the most powerful superheroes Earth has ever seen, across all comic franchises, not just DC.

What a bimbo, eh?

Most people think of Arthur Curry, otherwise known as Aquaman, as a token blonde bimbo as he was mistakenly portrayed in the 1970s era Superfriends cartoon. Sheldon Cooper’s badmouthing the character on the popular sitcom The Big Bang Theory definitely hasn’t helped his image. He is super strong, even on land, has nearly impenetrable skin and enhanced senses. If he is near water those powers grow exponentially. He can command all sea life and more than just talking their language, he is their crown prince, and later king. He was chosen to rule the sea by Poseidon himself, seen by the god as a better ruler than even himself. His trident controls the weather, and is sharp enough to puncture even the Man of Steel’s skin!

Well, Jason Momoa will be on the big screen on December 21, 2018, in his own movie to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Aquaman is worthy of our love, respect, and maybe even worship (he has taken the place of a god, after all.)

His real eyes stole my soul years ago. Jason Momoa as Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones

According to Jason himself, he started out being rejected for role after role, due to people thinking he couldn’t play anything other than the stern, gruff Khal Drogo. In Game of Thrones he plays a strong king, who grows to love and respect the beautiful Daenerys Targaryen in a way most women of his people aren’t revered. (Spoilers ahead!) Drogo ’s death broke many fans hearts, not only for the death of the character but because they were going to miss out on seeing Jason’s face for the seasons to come.

Jason even states there were some people who thought the Dothraki language he solely spoke in the HBO masterpiece was his real language. He spoke the made-up language so well people thought he couldn’t speak English.

Other than Game of Thrones, Jason has played roles in quite a few other movies or shows. He started Baywatch back at the turn of the century, where he played eye candy to the world. He moved on to a major character, Ronon Dex, in Stargate: Atlantis, a warrior-class alien that served with the main stargate crew of the era. His first “big screen” role was as the titular character Conan the Barbarian, where he got to play a warrior with a little more humor, letting his natural comedic timing showcase his equally natural beauty. Even more recently, he was cast as a fur trader from early American history in the Netflix original, Frontier. It was Jason’s role as Khal Drogo, however, that allegedly made director Zack Snyder decide he wanted the Hawaiian born hunk as his oceanic demigod.

Keep your shirt on!! ... wait…

We first got a good look at Jason’s breakthrough portrayal of Aquaman in 2017’s Justice League. According to Jason, “Justice League was only a weekend in Arthur Curry’s life.” Arthur Curry (the alter ego of Aquaman) starts out having no clue he is the prince of the seven seas. The movie will go on to show him gaining and learning about his newfound powers, fighting his way through being generally not accepted by his “peers” and coming into his own.

Worldwide, being cast as a superhero in any film is a big deal. Even the already-popular actors that now get to fly, or smash, or whatever power they happen to have are known synonymously with their superhero name. Robert Downey Junior is Iron Man. Henry Cavill is Superman. And now Jason Momoa is Aquaman. And he will remain so for boys and girls (of all ages) around the world for a long time to come.

This upgrade in the eyes of public opinion comes with some perks too, of course. The lead role for most superhero movies usually earns between $300,000 and $500,000 upfront per movie, with back-end compensation if the movie does well. Additionally, he is signed up for at least four Aquaman movies, so the Hawaiian will definitely not have any trouble putting food on the plate in the foreseeable future. This is a huge DCEU contract for any comic book hero, especially one that no one really thought they wanted to see in the first place. Boy, has Jason changed our minds? I, for one, can’t wait to see more of the beautiful Jason Momoa, even when he keeps his shirt on!

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His eyes have stolen your soul! Justice League character Poster of Aquaman.

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The 5 Superheroes In "Justice League" And Their Superpowers

johndamico1243 — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 18:51:27 +0000

The new Justice League film coming out this December is likely to be a huge financial success. But which superheroes are going to appear in the film? And what are their powers? Well, let’s take a look.

First, there’s Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman. He’s appeared so far in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which got a mixed reception from critics and audiences. He’s yet to have his own movie. So what are his superpowers? Well, he says it himself in one of the Justice League trailers. He’s rich. He's also a strong guy with a lot of cool gadgets. He’s also great at martial arts and has brilliant detective skills, according to DC Entertainment.

Then there’s Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. She had a beloved movie back in June. It just won a few Teen Choice Awards. But anyway, she’s a bit like a female Superman. She can fly. She’s fast. And she has super strength. She has her own magic weapons like the Lasso of Truth, indestructible magical bracelets, boomerang tiara, sword, and shield and has superhuman agility. She even has healing powers, according to DC Entertainment.

Then there are a few lesser-known superheroes. First, there’s Arthur Curry/Aquaman who’ll be portrayed by Jason Momoa. He’s been a bit of joke over the past few years, mocked on comedy shows like Family Guy and Saturday Night Live. This portrayal seems to be taking him more seriously, though. He’ll even be getting his own movie next December directed by horror director James Wan.

Aquaman is the king of the undersea city of Atlantis. His powers include super strength, great swimming abilities, the ability to communicate with sea creatures and the ability to breathe underwater.

We’ll also be getting Ezra Miller playing Barry Allen/The Flash. He’s already appeared as this role in both Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad. Flash is pretty simple. He has super speed and superhuman agility. He’s also intangible which means he can’t be touched, according to DC Entertainment.

And finally, we have Cyborg, who is the least well-known of the bunch. He’s half human and half robot. In the comics, he has super strength, super intelligence, advanced technology, computer hacking abilities and the ability to teleport.

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Aquaman: 10 Most Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Him

Libby28791 — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 03:18:04 +0000

What's so great about Aquaman?

I don’t know about you, but when I think of superheroes, Aquaman doesn’t even cross my mind, thanks to his reputation as a wussy ‘hero’ that isn’t very useful out of the water. However, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman looks set to change how we all view the aquatic hero; it turns out Aquaman is a lot more impressive than we all thought. In honour of the upcoming movie, due to be released next year, here are 10 of the most interesting facts you need to know about Aquaman:

10. The film is based on Geoff Johns’s 2011 Aquaman comic

Aquaman getting ready to poke someone.

In the comic, Aquaman’s father was a lighthouse keeper named Tom Curry, and his mother, called Atlanna, was Atlantean royalty. This is one of the most popular origin stories for Aquaman.

9. Aquaman’s real name is Arthur Curry

Aquaman battling some seriously creepy creatures.

Yeah, that really tough looking guy’s name is Arthur. I love it.

8. Aquaman needs to be in contact with water at least once an hour

Aquaman making sure he doesn’t die, at least for the next hour.

If he doesn’t touch water, he’ll die. Not very practical, but luckily there’s always water nearby.

7. Contrary to popular belief, Aquaman doesn’t actually talk to fish

Aquaman NOT talking to fish.

He controls them with telepathy. Apparently, fish can’t have very interesting conversations. I’ll take his word for it.

6. Aquaman has some pretty sweet powers

Aquaman being bulletproof, with his love Mera.

He can withstand bullets (not that evil henchmen ever seem to have good aim), and has impressive tactical abilities and fighting skills. This means he’s considered one of the greatest fighters and tacticians in the DC Universe. He also has super strength, super speed and enhanced reflexes. And obviously, he can breathe underwater. He’d be pretty useless otherwise.

5. Unlike some other superheroes (looking at you, Batman and Spider-Man) Aquaman is not opposed to killing

The lesson here? Don’t piss off Aquaman.

He once commanded sharks to tear a villain apart. So brutal.

10 Biggest Deaths in DC Comics History

4. He is one of the seven original founding members of the Justice League

Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Superman, Green Lantern, Batman and The Flash, the original 7 members of the Justice League.

The new Justice League movie will show Batman recruiting the members of the league, including Aquaman.

Top 10 Justice League Members And Their Powers

3. Aquaman will be using the Trident of Neptune in the movie

Aquaman harnessing the power of Neptune’s trident to dampen the city.

The trident, given to him by Neptune himself, lets him control the weather, and gives him the ability to command the sea, change living things into other things, and make things disappear.

2. Jason Momoa, AKA Aquaman, played Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones

Jason as Drogo in Game of Thrones.

He was also set to play the role of Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy, but he turned it down because he didn’t want to be typecast; only playing ‘giant warrior men’. So what does he play in Aquaman? A giant warrior man.

1. Aquaman once punched Death, right in the jaw

Loving his cool one-liner too.

This last fact is possibly my favourite one, because of the sheer bad-assery. Has your favourite super hero ever done anything like this?

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I’m so excited to see how Jason Momoa brings Aquaman to life, now that I know how interesting and awesome Aquaman really is. The little snippet of him we saw in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice was definitely encouraging, and it will be cool to see how director James Wan approaches the character.

Aquaman is set for a December 21st 2018 release in the US. Before that, though, the Justice League movie comes out in November of this year. View the trailer below to see Aquaman and the rest of the gang in action.

The official first trailer for the Justice League movie.

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Top 10 Justice League Members and Their Powers

Abushaar — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 07:12:37 +0000

Get To Know The Top 10 Justice League Members

The Justice League movie is finally here.

In celebration of the new upcoming Justice League movie, I’ll be introducing the top 10 Justice League members in the movie and the ones who should have been included.

If you haven’t already watched it, start by watching the Trailer:

Now that you've finished watching the trailer, it's time to get started.

10. Green Arrow

Green Arrow, real name Oliver Queen, doesn’t have any superpowers but his vast skills will be considered as such. He’s a rich playboy who was left stranded on an island after an accident on a cruise ship. Doing anything to survive, he taught himself the art of archery and became knowledgeable with martial arts. When he returned to his home, Star City, he became the known vigilante hero, Green Arrow. He will not be in the movie, but in the cartoon he joined the Justice League as their moral compass.

His skill sets are but not limited to:

Archery
Martial artist
Unlimited wealth

9. Hawkgirl

Hawkgirl, real name Shiera Hall, is from the planet Thanagar. She came to Earth in search of a wanted criminal, after finishing her duty she wished to stay and make Earth her new home. She joined the Justice League soon after. She will not be in the movie even though she was a pivotal character in the popular cartoon.

Her powers include but are not limited to:

Flight
Superior strength
Healing factor
Weapons and combat expert

8. Cyborg

Cyborg is half human, half machine. During a freak accident, Victor Stone, a very smart star athlete was left mortally wounded. His father desperate to save his life, replaced many of his organs and body parts with machine parts, creating Cyborg.

His powers are but not limited to:

Super strength
Advanced technology; instant weaponry
High intellect
Teleportation

7. Aquaman

Aquaman, real name Orin, is from the underwater city of Atlantis. At a young age he discovered his amazing powers and began to hone them, swearing to become the protector of Earth’s oceans. Although he is the butt of many running jokes such as being the most useless hero, he is very powerful and his powers include but are not limited to:

Super strength
Control of sea life
Ability to breathe underwater
Exceptional swimming ability

6. Martian Manhunter

Martian Manhunter or J’onn J’onzz is an alien from Mars. His home was destroyed along with his people, making him a sole survivor. He later found refuge on Earth. He is an original Justice League member who will not be appearing in the movie, being replaced by Cyborg.

He’s considered of the most powerful members of the Justice League. His powers are but not limited to:

Flight
Super Strength
Invulnerability
Shapeshifting
Invisibility
Telepathy/Telekinesis

5. Green Lantern

Hal Jordan is one of many Green Lanterns, but he is the first human brought into the Green Lantern Corps. One faithful day a dying Green Lantern crashed on planet Earth in his starship in the desert. The power ring around the alien Abin Sur, chose Hal as a replacement due to his courage. Hal inherited the power and with it all the secrets, becoming the Green Lantern.

He will not be in the movie, which is odd considering he is one of the original founding members of the Justice League.

Green light constructs consisting of force fields and instants weaponry
Flight
Durability
Alien technology

4. Wonder woman

Princess Diana or Wonder woman is from the island Themyscria on the planet Earth. The island is inhabited by a race of women free of mankind. She was created with clay by her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and brought to life by the gods who also gifted her with superhuman powers.

Her powers are but not limited to:

Super Strength
Invulnerability
Flight
Healing factor
Super agility

3. Flash

The Flash or just Flash for short is a scientist who goes by the name Barry Allen. Possibly the fastest man alive, although he and Superman constantly fight for that title, so far Flash is in the lead. One night a freak accident occurs and chemicals spill all over Allen, after that night he discovered is new found powers. His witty and comedic natures go hand and hand with his speed, which make him a fun and exciting character.

His powers are:

Super speed
Super agility

2. Batman

It was a hard tie between Batman and Superman for first, although in second place he’s just as good.

Bruce Wayne’s tragic story begins when he was a child. After his parents took him to the theater, a thief shot and killed them both in cold blood. He vowed to avenge his parents by stopping crime in the city of Gotham and that day Batman was born. Batman doesn’t have any superpowers, but for the sake of the article we’ll consider his attributes as powers.

His skill sets are but not limited to:

Martial arts
Unlimited wealth
Advanced technology
Incredible intelligence

1. Superman

Without a doubt, Superman is the most important member of the Justice League. His unfathomable power and speed, along with his intellect make for a great leader and hero. Time and time again when the Justice League came into trouble, Superman was their gold ticket to save the world.

Superman, human name Clark Kent, was sent to earth in an escape pod by his parents during the destruction of his home planet Krypton. He was raised by his adoptive parents Jonathan and Martha Kent in Smallville. He wasn’t aware he wasn’t human until his powers started to emerge. With great power came great responsibility and Superman used his for good.

His superpowers are but not limited to:

Super Strength
Speed
X-ray vision
Healing factor
Flight
Super hearing
Heat vision
Freeze breath

Now that you know more about the Justice League heroes, I recommended watching the upcoming film, even though great characters will be missing, they could be making appearances in future sequels. For now Batman, Superman, Wonder woman, Cyborg, and Aquaman will still be a destructive and entertaining team to watch.

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10 Superhero Movies You Must Watch!

Blackgate — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 02:20:08 +0000

10 Superhero Movies You Must Watch

Remember when ‘superhero’ wasn’t an entire genre?

I’m struggling to.

Superheroes have been on-screen since the early days of cinema. Batman, Superman, Captain America and Captain Marvel (the Shazam version, not Marvel’s female one) all featured in serials in the 40s.

1966 gave us the campy Batman: The Movie, and Superman and its sequels dominated the 80s. It wasn’t until X-Men in 2000 and Spider-Man in 2002 that comic book adaptations really started gathering pace though. Since then, we’ve seen Marvel Comics open their own film studios, purely to produce their own comic conversions. DC of course, are hot on their tail, launching the DC movie universe, beginning with Man of Steel (2013).

An enormous amount of heroes and villains, down to the relatively obscure, have been covered in an extremely short amount of time, and we’ve still only scratched the surface. Out of all these adventures I’ve narrowed down the 10 that are an absolute must-see.

10) Spider-Man (2002)

Wolverine was scripted to make a cameo but the Spider-Man crew couldn’t get hold of his outfit from X-Men (2000).

A modern classic, and arguably the best live-action representation of Spider-Man ever.

Depicting the origin of Spider-Man and his nemesis the Green Goblin, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man was a box office smash. The concept sat in development hell for decades, but when eventually released, it was the first film to land $100m in its opening weekend.

Spawning sequels that featured villains Dr. Octopus, Venom, the Sandman, and the second Green Goblin, Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of Peter Parker remains the definitive on-screen Spider-Man. Andrew Garfield took over the role for The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), but both were poorly received. Tom Holland has since been re-introduced as a young Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, but much is left to prove.

Spider-man (2002) - Trailer

9) Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

The words “I am Groot” were recorded over a thousand times by voice actor Vin Diesel.

Its funny, quirky, and it came out of nowhere - Guardians was an unexpected instant classic.

I’ll happily admit to knowing next-to-nothing about the comic version of the Guardians before the film came out. I don’t think many who saw it did. However, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy was an underdog hit, with a witty cast and an awesome soundtrack. Properties like Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and The Incredible Hulk bring a whole load of baggage with them. Certain accepted canon is expected to be retained, and you’re likely to be criticized for going too dark with the tone, or conversely, too family-friendly.

For Guardians, relative obscurity was an advantage. The grand majority of viewers entered the cinema with no idea what to expect. What they received, was a superhero movie deeply entangled with Marvel lore, yet with no requirement to take itself as seriously as The Avengers. This movie doesn’t need to justify why aliens, or magic, or super-powered humans, are roaming the streets of real cities. It simply focuses on being amusing, touching and relatable. The colourful and extra-terrestrial subject matter is all window dressing, for a great story about a team of misfits.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy - Trailer 1 (OFFICIAL)

8) Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

The Red Hood is a disguise utilized several times throughout Gotham City’s history by various criminals. Most famously it was used by The Joker, which is why the murdered and reborn Robin decides to adopt it.

Our only animated entrant, Under the Red Hood managed to knock the long-acclaimed Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub-Zero off the Rotten Tomatoes top-spot.

Sub-Zero had been the most beloved and respected Batman animated feature since it was released in 1998. That may sound like quite a niche accolade, but Mystery of the Batwoman, Return of the Joker, The Dark Knight Returns, Gotham Knight, Batman vs. Robin and Year One (all animated) beat out every single live-action adaptation of Batman on Rotten Tomatoes. The exception being The Dark Knight, but several even beat that.

The grand prize goes to Under the Red Hood with one-hundred-freakin’-percent though. That beats every Star Wars too.

The plot is centred on the resurrection of Jason Todd, the second Robin who was murdered by The Joker. Returning to Gotham as the ‘Red Hood’ he slaughters criminals before Batman can arrest them, and takes the fight to his former mentor. A heart-breaking tale of a father figure, the proxy son he failed, and a complete madman, that pushes Batman to the absolute limits of his moral code.

7) The Avengers (2012)

Mark Ruffalo was considered for Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk (2008) before Edward Norton took the role, only to pull out of a follow-up. Ruffalo would eventually become the jolly green giant after all in The Avengers (2012).

The long-awaited alliance of Marvel’s finest was a box office juggernaut.

You can’t fault Marvel for playing the long game with Avengers. It was way back in 2008’s Iron Man that Samuel L. Jackson first appeared in the end-credits and spoke of the ‘Avengers initiative’.

Back in the days of Blade, X-Men and Hulk, a project like The Avengers seemed a distant dream, and, I suppose, it did take another decade. This film was the pay-off from four years of end-credit vignettes featuring Sam Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury, gathering the best and brightest in Marvel-land for the defence of the planet. Avengers marked a new dawn for superheroes on screen. Credit for the modern surge in comic-converted movies also lies in the lap of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, and Sony and FOX’s Marvel-based efforts. The Avengers, though, was built for Marvel, by Marvel, and truly made “superhero” a genre in and of itself.

Marvel's The Avengers- Trailer

6) Justice League (2017)

The elephant in the room continues to be “who – and where – is the Green Lantern?”

I know it’s not out yet, but I’m convinced it’s gonna be great.

So, the DCEU has been a bit of a slow-starter. Man of Steel was okay, Dawn of Justice was good but probably didn’t meet the hype, and Suicide Squad was a lot of fun, but struggled in it’s organisation. My glass, however, remains very much half-full. Despite not being out-of-the-park home runs, everything DC has presented so far has been at least good. Faith in Batfleck is growing, the Wonder Woman trailers look great, GOT’s Jason Momoa is hauling Aquaman out of Family Guy cut-scene hell, and on-set insiders suggest The Flash and Cyborg have a good chemistry.

The DCEU takes a lot of flak from critics, but count the Marvel mediocrities when they were at this stage of the game. We still don’t know who the Green Lantern is, or even what version of Lantern it will be, but if he isn’t at least hinted at in Justice League, I’ll be shocked.

JUSTICE LEAGUE - Official Heroes Trailer

5) X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Evan Peters (American Horror Story) played Magneto’s son Quicksilver in Days of Future Past, but the character would be used again, with a different actor, and alongside his sister Scarlet Witch, in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Magneto’s children are within a small handful of characters that both 20th Century FOX, and Marvel Studios, have the right to use.

The best of a good bunch.

The most lucrative X-Men movie until Deadpool swaggered onto the scene, Days of Future Past was far superior to the more recent X-Men: Apocalypse. Hopping through time, DOFP brought together the original Xavier and Magneto (Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen) and the newer, younger (yet chronologically older) versions (James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender). X-Men and X2 were great for their time, but dated quickly, and Last Stand threw in too many new characters at the last minute.

Of all 9 X-attached movies (Logan will make 10), the only real competitors for Days of Future Past’s claim of ‘best’ are First Class and Deadpool, and DOFP encompasses a huge mutant cast. If you’re new to X-Men, think of Days of Future Past as the mutant Empire Strikes Back.

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST trailer

4) Suicide Squad (2016)

Tom Hardy (Bane in The Dark Knight Rises), was originally set to play Rick Flagg, but opted to act opposite Leo DiCaprio in The Revenant instead.

Suicide Squad transcends anti-heroism. It addresses the fact that many of us unashamedly support the villains.

Task Force X is one of the most original and enduring concepts in DC history. Supervillain lifers, most of which are awaiting death row, are let loose to complete government black ops missions, on the sole basis that they are expendable. The reward? Time off their sentences. However, if they veer even slightly from the plan, the explosives implanted in their necks are detonated. The great thing about Suicide Squad comics, is that the line-up is ever rotating, and mostly C-List at best. You truly don’t know who will be killed off. Even to the real-life DC executives, these guys are cannon fodder.

The movie had a lot of great scenes, and brought limelight upon long over-looked characters. Plot, and corporate editing, were clearly an issue though. A few characters seemed under-explored and fleeting, in favour of a nameless CGI baddy. A sequel looks likely, however, and if nothing else, upcoming Batman and Harley Quinn-centric features are confirmed. There’s still plenty of time to improve upon the mistakes of Suicide Squad’s first installation.

3) Watchmen (2009)

Watchmen is the crown jewel of Alan Moore’s unprecedented graphic novel work. Moore is the man behind V for Vendetta, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Batman: The Killing Joke, John Constantine, and From Hell.

Watchmen is less a superhero movie, and more a critical commentary on vigilantism, geo-politics, and the world’s perception of justice.

Watchmen is a superhero tale for people sceptical of superheroes. It’s over-arching narrative explores the negatives of street justice from all perspectives. It shows the flaws in those who look messianic on the surface, and casts light upon their mundane lives behind the scenes.

Adapted from a 1985 graphic novel that is widely considered the best in its genre, Zack Snyder’s (Man of Steel, BvS: Dawn of Justice) Ultimate Cut of Watchmen even includes the Black Freighter side-story - A sub-plot of loss and vengeance in the time of piracy, that reflects and highlights the main story.

Watchmen - Trailer

2) Deadpool 2

Marvel’s Wade ‘Deadpool’ Wilson is a brazen and direct parody of DC’s Slade ‘Deathstroke’ Wilson.

He’s not the hero we deserve, or the one we need right now. In fact, he’s barely a hero.

Deadpool was a roll of the dice that came up double-sixes. Not only is the property lacking the name-value of most super-flicks, but Deadpool’s entire existence is a sly nod to the competition.

Sometimes the direction, casting, script and soundtrack of a movie create an inexplicable smoothie of epic-ness though. Deadpool was one of those smoothies. After failed efforts in Blade: Trinity, Green Lantern and, in fact, as Deadpool, in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds defied all odds and made Deadpool the comic-conversion of the day.

Funny enough to hold its own in the comedy genre beyond the world of super-humans, Deadpool is a triumph in the same vein as Guardians of the Galaxy, but with more blood and sex toys.

Deadpool 2 Trailer

1) The Dark Knight (2008)

The scene where Joker must repeatedly hit the faulty detonator button to blow up the hospital, was all ad-libbed. They only had one shot at the scene, and it didn’t go to plan. Luckily Heath Ledger’s improvisation made it a cinematic stand-out.

“When the chips are down, these civilized people…they’ll eat each other.”

Call it a far-cry from the comics if you’d like, but Heath Ledger’s Joker is a cultural icon. Like Malcolm McDowell’s Alex DeLarge in A Clockwork Orange, Ledger’s portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime was unique, and aggressively of its time.

Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises deserve to make this list as well, but I thought dedicating nearly a third of the list to them would be somewhat redundant. The Joker’s schemes in Dark Knight are inspired and sadistic social experiments, putting everything concocted in the Saw films to shame. You don’t need to care about Batman, or the wider metahuman-populated world to enjoy Dark Knight. If there was ever an entry point for casual fans who just don’t get what all this Joker hype is about, Christopher Nolan’s second Bat-flick is it.

The Dark Knight - Official Trailer

There are many other strong contenders for the list, but I tried to bring together 10 films that bring something of their own to the table. Disagree with my picks, or want to add your own? Head over to the comments section and have your say!

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10 Best Batman Games For PC

Main Image caption:

The popularity of superheroes in modern cinema has expanded exponentially since 2000’s X-Men.

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