You Tube Theater: Final Crisis Edition

DC's "Final Crisis" hits stores this week. It's expected to be the "Secret Invasion" killer for DC. This week we wanted to do a special You Tube Theater to get you pumped for "Final Crisis"

Our first two videos are a mini documentary about the King of Comics, Jack Kirby. How does this tie-in to "Final Crisis"? Jack Kirby created the New Gods and the Fourth World. "Final Crisis" will see the rise of the Fifth World and finally see Darkseid win.



Finally we have a short interview with Grant Morrison from this year's New York Comic Con. Grant talk about his many different projects including "Final Crisis"

Crisis Counseling

DC's "Final Crisis" is finally coming in August. This week DC started releasing books with the tag line of "Sightings". Basically any book with that tag line are suppose to be some sort of tie-in to "Final Crisis". Just like we continue to cover Marvel's "Secret Invasion", we will also be giving you up to the minute coverage with "Crisis Counseling".

This week we got a taste of Libra in the pages of "Justice League of America" #21. I hate to make the comparison but the whole scene with Libra and the villains of DC was very reminiscent to that of the Hood from the pages of New Avengers last year. Basically Libra saves the hide of Z-list villain, the Human Flame, and offers him his heart's desire. All the Human Flame has to do is join up with Libra and become a follower of Darkseid. The cool part about this scene is that we get to see that not only is Libra trying to recruit some lower level bad guys, he's going for the heavy hitters too. Lex Luthor, Gorilla Grood, and Dr. Polaris are just a few we see. The scene ends with a tease that Martian Manhunter is running on borrowed time. The Human Flame wants revenge on Martian Manhunter and Libra wants to prove that he's not just blowing smoke up the ass of these villains. This equation can only end up equalling the death of a certain underutilized green martian.

News You Already Know

* A month ago we got a cool pic of Snake Eyes from the upcoming G.I. Joe movie. Next we were treated to a very peek of Scarlet. Now we have a ton of shitty pics of various different Joes and Cobras. Characters include Duke, Heavy Duty, Ripcord, Destro, Storm Shadow, General Hawk, and Baroness. You can get links to all the pics from Aint It Cool News. I don't want to give any spoilers but Destro doesn't have a metal head.

* Check out the teaser trailer for Heroes season 3. It doesn't tell us much, but it's badass.



* A few weeks back Micheal Rosenbaum announced that he would be growing back his hair and leaving Smallville. Wednesday's season finale is billed as the Clark/Lex confrontation that we've been waiting to see for seven years. It's now being reported that Alison Mack is playing hardball for more cash, hoping the producers don't want to lose another regular cast member. Expect her to be killed off Wednesday.

* Dc announced this week that Brad Meltzer (Indentity Crisis, JLA) is returning to write "Last Will and Testament". The 38 page one-shot will take place between issues 3-4 of "Final Crisis". The story itself takes place the night before a giant battle that happens in issue four of "Final Crisis".

* Beginning in November J. Micheal Straczynski (Amazing Spider-Man, The Twelve) and Jesus Siaz (The OMAC Project, Checkmate) will be the new creative team on "Brave and the Bold".

Analyzing the DC Teaser

Different websites have posted DC's new teaser image and I've decided to give my insight and analyze as many of the clues as possible. Feel free to add to this post and as Final Crisis goes on we will see how many things we got right. First let's take a look at the picture.

• "The Dead Shall Rise" - Reference to the Black Lanterns that arrive during "Blackest Night"
• "I am Batman?" - Reference to "Batman R.I.P." I really think that "Batman R.I.P." is going to focus on Bruce Wayne being revealed as Batman.
• "100% Alien" - Possible a reference to Martian Manhunter. Unlike Superman, Manhunter never felt accepted on Earth. He can't really walk among us as a human. He will always be 100% alien.
• "Who is Wonderdog?" - During the NY Comic Con it was stated that Wonderdog would be returning to the pages of Teen Titans.
• "You can go Home Again" - Reference to the JSA Annual where Powergirl heads to Earth-2.
• "Rockin Robins" - I"m pretty sure this is a reference to an Elseworlds story that featured Dick Grayson and Barbra Gordon as a crime fighting team. Not sure how it will play in to the current DC.
• "52 - 1 = 0" - Right now we have 52 Worlds in the DC Universe. The equation seems that if we lose one earth we lose them all in a chain reaction.
• "First Boy Last Boy" - Reference to Kamandi
• "He Wakes the World Ends" - The return of Darkseid brings the end of the World.
• "1 /JSA = 2" - The JSA is getting huge. It would only makes sense to break it in to two teams.

There's a lot of other clues on there but that's all I've got so far. Please add your thoughts and ideas to this post.

DC Universe 0

*SPOILERS AHOY*

DC Universe 0 is many things. It's an introduction to the current state of the DC Universe. It's a preview of all the major story arcs that DC has planned for the next couple months. It's a collaboration between writers Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns. It's only 50 cents. Not to mention it's also the rumored return of Barry Allen.

In DC Universe 0 we get a small preview of "Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds", "Batman R.I.P.", upcoming Wonder Woman arc, "Green Lantern: Blackest Night Prelude", "Final Crisis: Revelations" and "Final Crisis"

For the cheap bastards that can't pay 50 cents for the book, here's what you're missing...

• The entire issue is presumably narrated by Barry Allen. Let me just make one thing clear before I go on. Barry Allen does NOT appear in this book at all. Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns have NOT been quoted saying that Barry Allen is in this book. Barry Allen in this book should be filed under "Crazy Ass Rumor, until Final Crisis".
• We get a summary of what happened in the previous two Crisis books. When describing the first Crisis we see the Anti Monitor displayed as the main protaginist. During the review of the second Crisis we see Superboy Prime. With the mention of Final Crisis we get a tease of Darkseid.
• In the preview for "Legion of Three Worlds" we get a cool shot of Brainiac and couple other Legioneers sitting around a crystal ball trying to locate help on another Earth. Very cool reference to the first meeting of the Justice Society of America and Justice League of America.
• When countdown started we were all under the impression that Joker was going to play the part of Hannibal Lecter. In the preview of "Batman R.I.P." we get an amazing scene between the Dark Knight and the Clown Price of Crime that perfectly puts Joker in the Hannibal role. Someone or some people are targeting Batman and possibly even Bruce Wayne. Batman has a hell of a fight coming.
• Wonder Woman: Meet the Spartans.
• In "Green Lantern: Blackest Night Prelude" I think we're seeing the rise of the first Black Lantern. Originally it was speculated that it would be a guy named Dorian from NY, it now seems to be someone else. Speculate away about who it might be, Conner Kent, Bart Allen, Dorian, or some other dead dude.
• There's a preview of the "Final Crisis: Revelations" that features the Spectre. The real interesting part is the one page ad for the book that features Dr.Light.
• The final preview is fittingly for "Final Crisis". This is the first appearance of Libra as he meets with the Rogues to make them an offer. Libra seems to be recruiting villains to join the side of a God. It's speculated that his God is Darkseid. Libra offers all that decide to follow his God will be granted their hearts desire.
• On the last page see lightening strike. We don't see Barry Allen, but we think he's narrating. READ THE BOOK YOU CHEAP BASTARD!!!

Crazy Ass Speculation

Usually we like to offer "Crazy Ass Rumors" but after the NY Comic Con we have a lot to speculate about.

Batman R.I.P.

There was a lot of talk about "Batman R.I.P." in New York. Here's what know for sure:

• DC Comics is NOT killing Bruce Wayne! Dan Didio has stated this along with Grant Morrison and Bob Wayne. When it comes down to it, DC and Warner Bros. can't kill off Bruce Wayne when there's a summer blockbuster coming out.
• The entire Bat-Family will be taking part in this story, including Jason Todd, Hush, & Bat-Mite.
• Alex Ross has designed a new costume for Batman.

Okay those are the only things that we know for sure. There's plenty to speculate about though:

• Grant Morrison has stated that he would rather give a character problems to deal with instead of just killing them off. What would be a giant problem to give Batman? Why not out him as Bruce Wayne to the public? Worked out good in Daredevil. Speculation is running high that Morrison's upcoming story arc will have Bruce Wayne not only being outted as Batman, but also have the title character fake his own death to eliminate Bruce Wayne altogether. This would mean no more Bruce Wayne, and Batman would be Batman full-time.
• When you look back at all the work Morrison has done on Batman this makes a lot of sense. Even going back to Morrison's JLA run, Morrison has always beleived that Batman was the real person and that Bruce Wayne is his true mask.

When it happens next month let it be known that CeeDiddyHolla is calling it first. Bruce Wayne gets outted as Batman, which will lead to the "death" of Bruce Wayne so that Batman can be Batman full-time.

FINAL CRISIS

Another DC event that everyone is speculating about is Final Crisis. Let's start with what we know:

• Final Crisis is being written by Grant Morrison and drawn by J.G. Jones.
• This is the story of what happens when evil wins.
• A major character dies in the first issue of Final Crisis.

DC was very tight lipped about details about Final Crisis but gave us lots to speculate about:

• Martian Manhunter will be killed off in the first issue of Final Crisis.
• The New Gods return in their Fifth World form.
• Darkseid's fifth world form will be so powerful that when he comes to take over the world, he will succeed.
• The DC universe is heading in to dark times. Darkseid takes over and gives everyone a choice, submit or resist.
• Heroes will become villains and vice-verse

Crazy Ass Rumors

Welcome back to Crazy Ass Rumors. The title pretty much sums it up so let's get started.

* Silver Age Flash, Barry Allen has been dead for a long time. He died during a little crossover called "Crisis on Infinite Earths". Every time DC has a Crisis, the fanboys demand the return of Barry Allen. With Grant Morrison's "Final Crisis" approaching, fans of the original scarlet speedster are speculating that this could be the event that would return Barry Allen to the realm of the living. The rumor I've come across is that Barry Allen is returning but in the form of a Black Lantern. After a small stint as a Black Lantern he will be restored to his good old living self. Does this mean Wally is going to die during "Final Crisis"?

* The secret invasion going on in the Marvel universe has everyone curious as to who is or isn't a Skrull. Before the invasion started we were promised by Marvel that Tony Stark was NOT a Skrull. Many fans wanted to believe that Mr.Stark would be revealed as a Skrull and not just the dick that started Civil War. Now there's a strong rumor going around that Tony Stark is a Skrull but has only been one since the end of Civil War.

* Speaking of Skrulls. Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four once married a Skrull. Look for her to return in the "Fantastic Four: Secret Invasion" special. There's now a rumor going around that Johnny wasn't the only hero to marry someone with green skin. The Black Panther has a secret invasion tie-in coming up from writer Jason Aaron. Some are speculating that this tie-in will reveal that Black Panther's wife, Storm is actually a Skrull. This might also explain as to why Storm will be back with the X-Men in Warren Ellis' "Astonishing X-Men" run.

* DC Comics has been giving Batman rouge, The Penguin a pretty good run lately. Rumor has it they're killing him off in the last issue of "Gotham Underground".