San Diego 2013

Well having my work on sale there is the closest I've come so far to getting my geek on at San Diego Comi-Con. If you weren't able to make it along then my 'Shadow Of the Hunter' picture is now available on Acme Archives website so if you're a fan of Fett, swap the family photos for this. They'll probably thank you.

Bayou 2112

OK, enough ranting about the fate of comic book movies...

I wanted to produce a hot, lazy, hazy evening on a calm bayou, but a futuristic image of somewhere that is almost unchanged despite huge advances in technology.

I think I was inspired when watching a documentary about cultures who are so far removed from the modern world and live in the same way they have been doing for hundreds if not thousands of years and I wondered if there were modern lifestyles that would exist for as long.

Either that or from a recent re-watching of Disney's Princess and the Frog.

An open Letter to Warner Bros

I needed to air my desires for the continuation of the DC universe on screen following recent statements suggesting that the Dark knight trilogy won't be part of the cinematic canon.

This seemed like the best place.

 

As with the recent Dark Knight Trilogy the following ideas take plots form key DC comics weaving them into a new pattern to fit alongside the recent cinematic outings showing that just because Bale has stepped away from the role, there's still room for the DC franchise to embrace the recent films rather than starting over.

I can't imagine why anyone would want to wipe the slate clean after such a critical and financial success of the Dark Knight trilogy, and recent franchise entries of both Trek and to a lesser degree 'Bourne' have displayed its possible to re-invigorate a franchise without resorting to a total 'reboot'.

The Dark knight trilogy has also shown that with a deft hand, film makers can stray from the source material on some key aspects of a franchise and still retain the loyalty of the original fan base.

So with that in mind, here are a few ideas.

Man of Steel 2

I imagine that well underway already, but Lex. All Lex.

Batman 4
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robin begins his role as Gotham city's new crime fighter Nightwing. Younger and quicker, he makes light work of smaller crooks, but realises it was the cowl of Batman that delivered the fear required to tackle the ever increasing trend for supervillains.

Batman: A hero can be anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy's shoulders to let him know that the world hadn't ended.

The films should introduce a new Batman, a new origin story for a new character taking on the mantle of the bat, being guided by JGL's Nightwing who, we begin to understand, has a creeping doubt as to weather the new batman is fit for purpose after a few over enthusiastic skirmishes. However, the new batman completes a heroic act and takes his place as the Guardian of Gotham.

Wonder Woman
Deep in the jungle a young Wonder Woman meets a young Bruce Wayne as he travels the globe learning ass kicking off different peoples. the first man she has ever seen, she is curious and enquires as to his nature. She learns that her tribe of female only Amazons were 'grown' by a technology long past their understanding.

A few years later and with curiosity burning away inside her, she sets off on her own journey of discovery, all the while looking for Bruce Wayne, finally arriving in Gotham to find him gone. Out of place and confused by the modern world she spars with Batman/Nightwing and ends up escaping in the batwing, now improved with a cloaking mechanism in place. She meets superman who helps her learn of her heritage, that she is a descendant of an ancient Kryptonian outpost. Finally understanding her place in the world she joins the good fight using her abilities in the fight against evil.

Man of Steel 3
Doomsday. We all wanna see it, though I don't know how you'll top the Zod fight for sheer destructive chaos, but it would be fun to see you try.

Batman 5
In the next film Batman begins to lose sight of his goal, Night wing will try to stop the new Batman as his methods become much more akin to the foe he's previously try defend the city from. He fails.

Enter Kal-El, last son of Krypton, the man of steel, the Superman. The only person with the strength for the Smack-down that the world has wanted to see on screen since their inception. Batman Vs Superman.

The darkest of knights resorts to dirty, underhand, and downright ungentlemanly tactics, that put him on an even keel with Superman. The most prevalent being the rare 'Kriptonite' that sits in the labs of Wayne Enterprises.

Unable to defeat each other the two characters, exhausted, part ways, warning each other that they should never cross paths again. Superman unwillingly leaves Gotham under the control of a borderline psychopathic Batman.

Batman 6
The battle between Superman and Batman would leave Gotham in ruins. Batman is forced to begin saving the population from the cataclysmic event, leaving room for the more nefarious types to rise up, taking over territories and gaining control of what's left of the city.

Torn between saving the city and stopping the corruption he resorts to murder and violence, finally crossing the line and becoming what he always fought against.

Then the missing presumed dead Nightwing returns with an old acquaintance. Bruce Wayne, (just imagine the hype when they convince Bale to return to the role in 10 years time) back in his batsuit after 10 years away, brings his decades of training and expertise back to Gotham City. Here we get to see two batmen, one suped up 'bad' batman, and one 'classic' meditative warrior go at each other through the crumbling ruins of Gotham.

Justice League

With Batman holding contempt for superman over the destruction of Gotham, wonder woman holding a flame for batman, and superman unable to trust batman, we have the beginning of some dynamics on which to base a Justice league film around.

The gritty real world feel of the DC titles would allow a fan base to flourish along side the already established Marvel franchise, allowing the uninitiated audience to tell them apart and prevent the two juggernauts from stepping on one another's toes and allow them to co-exist without direct competition.

Regardless, if you like the direction, there's a decade of films to be had here.

You're welcome.