Batwoman is about to up her game in a big way by becoming the newest hero to join The CW’s Arrowverse. And while the name Batwoman dates back to 1956 when Kathy Kane was introduced as a one-note love interest for Batman in a rather transparent attempt to put to rest the idea that Batman and Robin’s relationship was homosexual in nature, that character is a far cry from what will be appearing on your television screens this fall. Renamed Kate Kane, and now a lesbian herself, this version of Batwoman was introduced in 2006, making her practically brand new…
Category: The Franchise
The Franchise: Game of Thrones
With the final season of Game of Thrones set to premiere next year and HBO committing to launching a new prequel series about the conquering of Westeros, I thought it would be a good time to dissect just what it is that makes this franchise work so well. Heck, maybe it’ll even inspire George R. R. Martin to finish Winds of Winter. Core Concept: Dragons and Tits? No, despite what the venerable Ian McShane might say, this franchise is about more than just gratuitous sex and violence. I won’t dispute the deeper you venture into the series the more you begin…
The Franchise- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
With the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald today I thought now would be a good time to break down the magical wizarding world created by J. K. Rowling. So let’s delve in to one of the most successful fictional franchises of all time. Core Concept: “The Importance of Tolerance and Friendship” In both the Harry Potter story and now the Fantastic Beasts movies the villains are those who advocate for racial purity and wish to amass a large amount of personal power. They are defeated by a band of heroes who are considered outcasts. People who are willing…
The Franchise-Green Arrow
Core Concept: Green Arrow is not an overly original character. Created all the way back in 1941, this hero is essentially an amalgamation of Batman and Robin Hood. It took a long time for his writers to come up with an idea that moved beyond those two core influences. It took until the 70’s in his joint adventures with Green Lantern for the hero to develop an identity all his own. Oliver Queen is at his best when he is seeking out social justice in addition to that of the vigilante kind. His political life, his commitment to the little guy,…
The Franchise-Doctor Who
If you’re not excited for Jodi Whittaker’s debut as the Doctor this Saturday you’re either not familiar with her work or a terrible person. As a devout Whovian I can guarantee you I’ll be glued to my seat the second that distinctive music begins to play. But for those of you a bit less fanatic about a sci-fi show that’s been on the air for over fifty years I thought I’d use this edition of The Franchise to give you a bit of a primer. Core Concept: “A Mad(wo)man with a Box” The Doctor may be a Time Lord with…
The Franchise-Predator
Today marks the release of The Predator, yet another attempt at rebooting the Predator film franchise. After the critical and commercial failures that were AVP: Requiem and Predators this is a franchise that is in desperate need of a win. And while I have found the trailers for this reboot rather unimpressive am still holding out hope since it features Olivia Munn who I’ve had a crush on since her Sloan Sabbath days and Friend of the Blog Keegan Michael Key (by Friend of the Blog I mean that after a long night of drinking and telling me President Obama…
The Franchise: Mission Impossible
Tomorrow the sixth entry into the Mission Impossible film franchise: Mission Impossible: Fallout hits theaters. Given that I thought it would be a good time to take a look back at what makes these movies tick. You notice I say film and movies. I know that M:I was also a TV series that ran for seven seasons plus a reboot but honestly those shows have so little in common with the movie series I decided that they really qualify as their own entity. The TV show was an ensemble piece that has more in common with the Ocean’s 11 franchise…
The Franchise- The Avengers
It’s finally here. After ten years, eighteen movies, hundreds upon hundreds of hours of television; on Thursday we will finally get to witness the culmination of the first three phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And in honor of the release of Avengers: Infinity War, I thought I would take a look at the titular team in this edition of The Franchise. Core Concept: “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” Its a bit cliche, but nothing sums up the Avengers better than this tag-line. And it may not seem like that separates them from other superhero teams, but this is when the genius…
The Franchise- The Tick
Spooooon!!!!!!!! Destiny is whispering your name chum and she’s saying “Thank You” for stopping in and checking out this edition of The Franchise. With Amazon’s The Tick returning for the second half of its freshman season today I thought it was the perfect opportunity to break down what makes this big, blue lug and his misfit band so darn lovable. So in the indelible words of Arthur “Not in the face! Not in the face” Core Concept: First and foremost The Tick is a spoof. A well thought out, rich send-up of everything that the superhero genre has to offer.…
The Franchise- The Fantastic Four
It is not in my nature to pile on. When something or someone has failed so cataclysmically that people start breaking out puns I try to stay above the fray and let the pour souls involved limp off with whatever is left of their dignity. So I will just say this about the new Fantastic Four movie: it was not good, not good at all. But it did inspire me to write this guide for all future handlers of the Fantastic Four legacy so hopefully one good thing can emerge from the ruined husk of Josh Trank’s career. So this…