Fanboys Anonymous

Want to know what happened the past few days in nerd culture? WEEK IN GEEK is your quick fix to catch up with the rest of the Fanboys out there.


MOVIES

Michael Douglas Cast as Hank Pym in Ant-Man.

My take: I was as excited as a little boy could ever hope to be when Paul Rudd was cast as Ant-Man. I'm not a huge fan of the Scott Lang character, or any other upstart versions of popular heroes, but Rudd can do no wrong. I anticipate this film to be very unique from other Marvel offerings, and that is awesome. It sounds as though Douglas will be the old pro and Rudd will basically fumble through a learning curve using Pym Particles, an adventure film in the vein of Greatest American Hero. Can't wait for this..

Wonder Woman is Not Kryptonian

My take: This was just on the cusp of news from the previous week but I wanted to comment, so…what the hell, Internet?? This is a fine example of how we Fanboys and Fangirls should stay just that—"fans." Let the creative teams involved with the projects do what they're going to do in the way their creativity inspires. That's why they were given the job in the first place. The more we sway them with our whining, the more stunted projects will become and this particular project is already in trouble as it is.

Batman / Superman Rumors Abound.

My take: CONT'D! This movie sounds more like a cluster%#$@ with each rumor that pops up (I know I complain about this film a lot, so please, post your counter-arguments below! Prove me wrong, people, prove...me...wrong). Even the facts seem unbelievable. The movie will be a springboard for a "Justice League" movie, but does it need to LAUNCH into one DURING the movie itself? If we have Batman and Superman together, that's great, let's do a good film. Now there's Wonder Woman? Green Lantern? Flash? Even Aquaman now? All content and no quality. DC/WB are going to completely shoot themselves in the foot. Marvel took their movie franchise calmly and planned meticulously following the confirmed success of Iron Man. DC is scrambling to capitalize on nothing more than buzz, and it shows.

TELEVISION

Bill Paxton Joins Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

My take: Details on the role can be found here. I'm happy to see more and more "big name" actors taking to television. It gives credibility to the projects and offers the viewing audience more confidence with expectation. We know what Pullman can do (yes, you see what I did there, did it drive you insane?), and it gets us excited to watch. I haven't been interested in this series since episode 2 but might go back and check it out as they expand their character base. The main characters they introduced in the series were the opposite of what I had wanted. (She's a conspiracy theorist who lives in a van, is young and hot, and gets offered a government job?)

COMIC BOOKS

Superior Spider-Man Ends, Amazing Begins Anew (Again)

My take: Personally, I have really enjoyed Doc Ock running around in Peter's body. It has been a unique an extended take on the old "body swap" plot. Anyone who thought "Superior" was a permanent change should get their head examined and should have just enjoyed the ride from issue #1. I hope Peter's return will bring with it at least a few years of fun, zany stories without going dark and broody anytime soon.

Aquaman Gets a Second Ongoing Series

"Written by Dan Jurgens" is a phrase that tells me just how progressive DC isn't. Although I'm a big supporter of the underdog (Aquaman, Robin, etc,), I wonder about DC's long-term plans on this one. It's great they're loading the book with The Others, brand new characters (which debunks my earlier comment about being progressive) introduced in the original Aquaman series. They are also giving Aquaman a push with a potential video game and a role in the pending Justice League movie (aka "Batman vs Superman" LOL).

CELEBRITIES

Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) Rleased a Stream of Old Star Wars Images From Filming A New Hope.

My take: This was awesome, especially the playful shot of Harrison Ford with a gun to his head. Fans will never get enough of the original trilogy and horrible disasters like the prequels only serve to make them that much more special. Right now, on the cusp of new films coming out, I feel like I'm in a calm before the storm and there is no better time to appreciate the originals than right now..