Topics

Many people have compared Heath Ledger's Joker to Alex from A Clockwork Orange. The comparisons seem to stem from Ledger citing this character as an influence during his early preparation for the role. His Joker Diary was also filled with images from Kubrick's 1971 film adaptation. However, Ledger subsequently said he moved away from the Clockwork Orange approach:

Yeah. "A Clockwork Orange" was a very early starting point for Christian and I. But we kind of flew far away from that pretty quickly and into another world altogether.

http://www.mtv.com/news/1574035/heath-ledger-discusses-delving-into-dylan-for-im-not-there-channeling-sid-vicious-for-dark-knight/

He also said he would never attempt to play the Joker similar to Nicholson's interpretation as he knew he couldn't possibly match his performance. Hence why he went in such a different direction:

You know, I was a big fan of Jack Nicholson – still am – his portrayal of the Joker was perfect for Tim Burton's world and if Tim Burton had come to me and he was doing the sequel and he asked me to play the Joker in his movie, I wouldn't do it. I couldn't. Because you couldn't touch what Jack Nicholson did. It would be a crime.

http://www.themovieblog.com/2007/heath-ledger-talks-about-playing-the-joker/

Now I'm wondering if there's a possible connection between these two factors. Did Ledger move away from the Clockwork Orange approach because it was too similar to the 1989 film? Because I've always felt Nicholson's Joker has a lot more in common with Alex than Ledger's. Some might argue it was the common influence Kubrick had on both McDowell and Nicholson's over-the-top performances, but I think it goes beyond that. There are similarities not only in the acting, but in the characterisation too.

The Kubrick stare.

For example, which character am I describing?

Cane-twirling, narcissistic sociopath with a flamboyant dress sense and a warped appreciation of art. A violent sadist, he gets off on hurting other people – particularly women he's sexually attracted to – and mentally correlates these acts of violence with the art he loves so much. There's a particular musician he's fond of (Beethoven/Prince) and he has a habit of dancing over his victims to this composer's music. Maintains an innocent facade for the public in order to manipulate their sympathies, while inwardly fantasising about hurting them. Lashes out against his own gang members in spontaneous acts of violence, and is betrayed by a fellow criminal at a pivotal point in his character arc. Sports a bright costume that includes facial makeup, a hat and cane. Destroys other people's creative works (tearing up the writer's manuscript/defacing the paintings in the gallery), while at the same time seeing artistry in his own crimes.

Now obviously Napier is a good deal more homicidal than Alex. Though it's worth remembering that in Anthony Burgess' novel (which in my opinion is vastly, vastly superior to the film) Alex does actually kill a second victim in addition to the cat lady: be beats to death his prison cellmate after the latter tries to sexually assault him. Alex also outgrows his violent ways in the final chapter of the novel, though Kubrick didn't adapt this chapter because it was excised from the original US edition of the book. But what if Alex didn't reform? What if he developed a blasé attitude towards killing and grew more ambitious? Might a middle-aged Alex have resembled Jack Napier?

I thought this might be an interesting thread to discuss Burgess' novel or Kubrick's film as possible literary/cinematic influences on the characterisation of Nicholson's Joker. If we could keep it from degenerating into another Nicholson vs. Ledger thread, or worse yet another Nolan/Ledger bashing thread, then that'd be swell. Though if anyone would like to discuss the similarities between Alex and Ledger's Joker here too, then that's fine.

Interesting read from The Economist about the changing expectations towards Batman's physique over the years.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2016/03/shape-shifter?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/ed/shapeshifter50yearsofbatmanonfilmhowhashisphysiquechanged

One quote from Affleck seems to have rubbed Adam West the wrong way:

"This isn't the Adam West days. You can't just roll out of bed and put the suit on. Audiences expect you to look like a superhero."

West responded on Twitter by posting several shirtless pics of his younger self, accompanied by captions like: "Suns out guns out #Batbod #BatmanvSuperman @usatodaylife."
https://twitter.com/therealadamwest/status/715378601743372288?lang=en-gb

So take that, bat-body shamers!

Has any film inspired more Change.org petitions than Batman v Superman? First there was the petition against Affleck playing Batman:
https://www.change.org/p/warner-brothers-remove-ben-affleck-as-batman-bruce-wayne-in-the-superman-batman-movie

Then DC fans petitioned against Screen Junkies because they made fun of Man of Steel. No, really. They actually petitioned against a YouTube comedy channel for its alleged anti-DC bias:
https://www.change.org/p/youtube-viewers-you-tube-channel-screen-junkies-needs-to-shut-down

Then they petitioned to get Snyder booted off the DCEU (I sympathise with the sentiment behind this one, but I'm still not signing it):
https://www.change.org/p/warner-bros-boot-zack-snyder-off-of-justice-league

And now, for the latest campaign, they're petitioning to stop Disney from paying critics to give non-MCU films bad reviews. Seriously, you can't make this stuff up:
https://www.change.org/p/rotten-tomatoes-stop-disney-from-paying-critics

As representatives of the DC fan base, I think we owe it to humanity to start a petition protesting the more delusional DC fans from creating further petitions. It's hypocritical, I know. But since those other petitions have clearly proven so effective, I think it's the only logical way to proceed.

I stopped watching the Nostalgia Critic a while back, but for anyone who's interested, here's his BvS review with Angry Joe.

And here's another recent one he did for Blade (1998) which includes some jokes about the current state of Marvel and DC productions.

I think this and The Force Awakens HISHE are the best they've done for a while.

I always get the impression the HISHE team actually quite like the films they spoof. And this one's no exception.

I realise it's a bit late to start a thread like this, what with us already being a quarter of the way through the year. But I believe most of 2016's best films lie ahead of us and I'm interested to know which ones people are most looking forward to. In particular, which non-comic book based films are you most excited about?

My most anticipated drama this year has to be Martin Scorsese's Silence. It's based on a brilliant novel by Japanese author Shūsaku Endō (one of my favourite writers), and Scorsese's been building up to it since the early nineties. Take a great director, give him a powerful and harrowing novel to adapt, and throw in an excellent cast that includes Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson, Adam Driver and Tadanobu Asano, and the end result has all the makings of a masterpiece. I loved the novel and I'm predicting this movie will be my 'film of the year'.

Another Andrew Garfield film I'm interested in seeing is Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge. This one's a WW2 drama based on the true story of a conscientious objector who saved the lives of 75 soldiers and earned the Medal of Honour. It's Gibson's first directorial work since the absurdly underrated Apocalypto and it sounds like yet another great role for Garfield. His post-Spider-Man career is looking pretty sweet right about now.

Then there's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. There's already a thread on this film, so there's no need to talk about it too much here. Suffice it to say it's shaping up nicely and I think it'll be my blockbuster movie of the year. It's certainly going to be 2016's biggest Christmas movie.

One final movie I'd like to mention is The Founder starring Michael Keaton. This is the first film Keaton shot after his Academy Award nomination last year. It's directed by John Lee Hancock, who also directed Sandra Bullock's Oscar-winning turn in The Blind Side, and is based on the shady true story behind the McDonald's franchise. I confess, my own views on the Academy Awards generally concur with those of actor George C Scott. But at the same time, I think it'd be nice if Keaton could cap off his career by bagging an Oscar. Especially after he came so close to doing so in 2015.

So those are the films I'm most looking forward to in 2016. But what about everyone else? We've got a diverse range of appetites represented here and I'm interested to know which films people think will stand out. I know quite a few of you are looking forward to The Jungle Book (currently sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes with 30 reviews!) and that certainly looks promising. I haven't seen Zootopia yet, but I've heard that's very good too. Are there any other films you guys think will deliver the goods?

Latino Review is claiming the MCU's TV equivalent of The Avengers will commence filming in late summer of this year:

Well, we've known for a while that it would be at the tail end of this year, but thanks to one of our sources, we now know that Marvel is looking at this fall -- more specifically a late August-October window -- to bring together all four street-level superheroes. Of course, while Marvel is looking at THE DEFENDERS as a culmination, that by no means means the stories will stop there. Following that series, they're looking to produce a second season of JESSICA JONES, and a third season of DAREDEVIL.

http://www.latino-review.com/news/rumor-when-marvels-the-defenders-will-be-shooting

This gels with something Charlie Cox said at a French press event a few days ago:

"What we do know is at the end of this year we're going to be making The Defenders and, of course, Daredevil is very much a part of that foursome."

http://comicbook.com/marvel/2016/04/11/daredevils-charlie-cox-announces-the-defenders-filming-date/

Filming is well underway on Luke Cage, but they've yet to roll cameras on the first season of Iron Fist. It takes approximately 5½ months to shoot one of these 13 episode Netflix shows. They'll have to start work on Iron Fist very soon if Finn Jones is to be available in time for August.

So the good news is we should definitely be getting The Defenders in early-mid 2017.

The bad news is we probably won't be getting Daredevil season 3 until 2018.

The confirmed line-up for The Defenders includes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. It's possible Hellcat, the Punisher and Misty Knight will show up too. Based on the ending of Daredevil season 2, I'm guessing SPOILERS the Hand will resurrect Elektra in such a way that fulfils her evil potential as a 'Black Sky', and together they'll be the main villains END SPOILERS. It's looking more and more likely the plot will be based on Shadowland.

I always consider it a special time when a new Superman or Batman film is released. I was too young to see any of the Reeve Superman movies or Burton Batman flicks in theatres, but I've seen every Batman and Superman movie since 1995 on the big screen. Some of them I went to see multiple times. So all together, I've seen 8 Superman/Batman films in cinemas.

1.   Batman Forever
2.   Batman & Robin
3.   Batman Begins
4.   Superman Returns
5.   The Dark Knight
6.   The Dark Knight Rises
7.   Man of Steel
8.   Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice

What about everyone else? I know there are others on the site who've seen more than this. Is there anyone here who's seen every Superman and Batman film in theatres (we'll exclude Superman and the Mole Men since I don't think it's been rereleased theatrically since the fifties)? And what about other DC films? Will anyone own up to seeing Catwoman (2004) on the big screen?

Which film did you enjoy seeing in theatres the most? Which cinema-going experience was the most special? And which was the least special? Which film, if any, did you least enjoy seeing on the big screen?

[You landed the lead in Batman, only to break your arm during rehearsals. You were quickly replaced by Kim Basinger. Seems unfair from today's perspective]

Would casting Sean Young as an older Catwoman in the DCEU secure the franchise's future box office success? Young seems to think so.

You landed the lead in Batman, only to break your arm during rehearsals. You were quickly replaced by Kim Basinger. Seems unfair from today's perspective?
If [producer] Jon Peters had wanted me I think they could have shot around it. I think he just had a hard-on for Kim Basinger. He had a good excuse to let me go and hire her. It hurt me, but that's show business.

When you dressed up as Catwoman and approached Tim Burton on the WB lot, what was his reaction?
He wasn't there. I guess he was hiding in the bathroom. Who knows? If these Warner Bros. executives now were really good businessmen, they'd let me play Catwoman today, and I'd make a smash amount of money. But they're too stupid. You can lead people to water, but you can't make them great artists. Nobody wants to take that risk, it's too scary. If they're wrong, it can cost them their job. If there were really good businessmen over there, it'd be an obvious no-brainer, but I'm not running the studio.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sean-young-catwoman-a-role-880058

Elsewhere in the interview she claims she saw John Candy snorting coke during the making of Once Upon a Crime (1992), which I find rather difficult to believe. In fact she alleges almost everyone she ever worked with used coke, but that she herself – Sean 'Celebrity Rehab' Young – never did.

I wish this woman well, but I think it's obvious she has a few screws loose.

Courtesy of IGN:

During the DC Rebirth event at WonderCon, the creative team for Justice League, writer Geoff Johns and artist Jason Fabok, announced that they will be revealing the identity of the Joker in Justice League #50.

In Justice League #42, Batman sat on the Mobius Chair, which granted him access to all knowledge. He tested it out first by asking who killed his parents and, yup, it said Joe Chill. He used it again, this time asking "What's the Joker's true name?" and while the chair did respond, only Batman heard the answer, leaving us to just see his shocked reaction. Come Justice League #50, on sale May 25, Johns and Fabok will finally tell us what Batman heard.

Given that the Joker's origin has generally always been a mystery, with the Joker himself famously saying in The Killing Joke, "If I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!", some fans might not even want to know the answer because it would ruin the character's mystique.

"The answer probably won't be an answer people predict," Johns told us in an interview after the DC Rebirth event.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/03/27/wondercon-dc-comics-will-reveal-the-jokers-identity

For those who haven't seen it yet, here's the teaser included after the final episode of Daredevil season 2. The series debuts on September 30th this year.

Mike Colter returns as Cage after making his debut in season 1 of Marvel's Jessica Jones last December. Misty Knight is also scheduled to appear, played by Simone Missick. While Mahershala Ali is playing the villainous Cornell 'Cottonmouth' Stokes. Rosario Dawson will reprise her roles as Claire Temple from the other MCU Netflix shows. But best of all, Rob Morgan's scheduled to appear as Turk. The showrunner is Cheo Hodari Coker, best known for his work on Southland.

This is great fun for puzzle enthusiasts.

http://www.lex-os.io/

Any interest in this? It's got a stellar cast that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Mads Mikkelsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Tilda Swinton and Scott Adkins.

Cumberbatch has appeared on fan casting lists for pretty much every comic book property imaginable. I'm sure this isn't the first time he's been offered a superhero role, but it is the first time he's accepted one. He must've seen something worthwhile in the material.

I'm not all that familiar with the Doctor Strange comics myself. The only one I've read is The Oath, which I thought was pretty good. But beyond that, I'm a Doctor Strange noob. Still, the film looks sufficiently different from previous MCU productions to entice my interest. They've certainly assembled a talented cast and crew.

Besides his remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (which was admittedly awful), all of director Scott Derrickson's previous work has been in the horror genre. And early reports indicate Doctor Strange might have a trippy semi-horror tone to it. The fact it's being released just in time for Halloween in the UK is also quite telling. It would be very interesting to see Marvel dip their feet into the supernatural horror genre. I personally think Derrickson's a much underrated talent in that field. The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Sinister were two of the more ambitious and effective American horror films of recent years. I wonder if Marvel would have the nerve to let him make a really scary superhero film.

Opening up that area of the Marvel universe would also pave the way for possible Netflix shows based on supernatural horror titles like Blade/Nightstalkers, Ghost Rider, Man-Thing and Werewolf by Night. In the same way as Guardians of the Galaxy opened up the cosmic side of the Marvel universe, Doctor Strange could open up an altogether darker area.

Is anyone else looking forward to it?

I like that they're returning to the original numbering system for Action Comics and Detective Comics, but this still has the faint whiff of post-New 52 damage control about it. Would they be better off simply reverting to the pre-Flashpoint universe or doing a proper hard reboot? Will renumbering their titles to #1 make this any less alienating for casual readers? Didn't we have a discussion very similar to this just a few years ago regarding the DC 'band aid' project?

It looks like they've finally cast the fourth member of the Defenders. According to Entertainment Weekly, Games of Thrones actor Finn Jones is playing Danny Rand in the upcoming Netflix show: http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/25/finn-jones-iron-fist?xid=entertainment-weekly_socialflow_twitter

The Defenders miniseries should now be a lock for 2017.

[INTRODUCTION]

INTRODUCTION

As someone who has read almost every Daredevil comic ever printed, I have to say the Netflix TV show is about as faithful as live-action comic adaptations come. Season 1 showrunner Steve DeKnight has highlighted several creative talents whose work on the comics proved especially influential:

"Loeb wanted to make a gritty, grounded and realistic series, hearkening back to those Daredevil comics we read as kids — the Frank Miller, Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev runs."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/daredevil-boss-netflixs-pg-15-787322

Frank Miller and John Romita Jr's Daredevil: The Man Without Fear (1993-1994) has been cited by numerous members of the cast and production team as a particularly significant influence. Daredevil: Yellow (2001-2002) by Jeph Loeb (who also served as executive producer on the TV show) and Tim Sale was also a big influence, as was the Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev run.

There are an insane number of comic references littered throughout the first season, so I think the best way to highlight them all is to go through each episode individually. Fair warning though, this is a long analysis. And obviously it contains spoilers. So if you haven't watched Daredevil season 1 yet, stop reading now and go watch it. But for everyone else, let's begin.

SEASON 1, EPISODE 1: 'INTO THE RING'

The first thing to comment on with this episode is the title. Obviously it's taken from boxing terminology, but it also evokes the title of the third chapter of Daredevil: Yellow: 'Stepping into the Ring.'

The episode begins with a flashback depicting the pivotal moment where Matt Murdock is blinded as a child. We don't see the accident itself, but we are told that Matt pushed an old man out of the way of an oncoming vehicle, only to have a radioactive substance splashed in his face in the ensuing crash. This is consistent with his origins in the comics, as portrayed in the very first Daredevil comic ever published: 'The Origin of Daredevil' (Daredevil Vol 1 #1, April 1964). In both the comic and the TV show, we are spared the moment where Matt's eyes are struck by the radioactive substance; instead the incident is verbally relayed to us by awestruck bystanders.

In Stan Lee's original version of the story Matt was 15 years old at the time he lost his sight. In the TV show he is 9. This reflects Frank Miller's revised take on Daredevil's origins in Daredevil: The Man Without Fear, where Matt was portrayed as being slightly younger at the time of the accident.

The opening scene introduces us to Matt himself, played in the flashbacks by Skylar Gaertner, and his father, 'Battling' Jack Murdock, played by John Patrick Hayden. Like Matt, Jack first appeared in Daredevil Vol 1 #1.

One last thing to say about this scene is that location photos reveal one of the vehicles involved in the crash has 'Rand Industries' written on its side. Obviously this is a reference to Danny Rand, aka Iron Fist.

We then transition to the present day where we see the adult Matt Murdock for the first time, played by Charlie Cox. In the comics Matt is 6'0 and has red hair. Cox is 5'10 and has naturally brown hair, but dyed it a dark shade of red/auburn for the role.

Despite being marginally shorter than the comic book Daredevil, Cox is overall a very good physical match for the part. He has a strong jaw line and sports a coating of stubble similar to the David Mazzucchelli Matt in the 'Born Again' arc (Daredevil Vol 1 #227-233, February-August 1986).

Several other artists have portrayed Daredevil with a stubble-coated jaw over the years. The following comparison is with John Romita Jr's cover art for the trade paperback edition of Ann Nocenti's Daredevil: Lone Stranger (1989).

Some fans have observed that Cox bears a striking resemblance to artist Tomm Coker's depiction of Matt in Daredevil: Noir (2009). Joe Quesada had wanted Cox to play Matt for some years prior to the series, which has led to speculation that Coker may have intentionally modelled Matt on Cox in the first place (Quesada was editor-in-chief on Daredevil: Noir). Alternatively, it may simply be a coincidence.

Cox gained 20lbs of muscle in preparation for the role. In addition to working out with weights, he also underwent training in boxing, Wing Chun and Kali. His physique mirrors that of his comic book counterpart.

The first time we see the adult Matt he is in a confessional booth in church. Matt's Catholicism is an important part of his characterisation in the comics and informs his moral and philosophical outlook. It was hinted at as early as Tony Isabella's 'They're Tearing Down Fogwell's Gym' (Daredevil Vol 1 #119, March 1975), but was more explicitly incorporated into the canon by Frank Miller during his run in the late seventies/early eighties.

The first time Matt was shown attending confession in the comics was in Ann Nocenti's 'Cremains' (Daredevil #267, June 1989), part of the 'Lone Stranger' arc. He has subsequently been shown to go to confession in several other stories, including Frank Miller's Elektra Lives Again (1990), Kevin Smith's Guardian Devil (1999) and Andy Diggle's Shadowland (2010).

It is during the confessional scene that we are introduced to Father Lantom, played by Peter McRobbie. Lantom first appeared in the comics in 'East Coast/West Coast', Part 1' (Runaways Vol 2 #9, December 2005).

The next scene gives us our first look at Daredevil's all-black vigilante suit. The show's makers have confirmed this costume was inspired by the similar suit Matt wore in Miller's Daredevil: The Man Without Fear. Both costumes feature black gloves, matching top and trousers and a black bandana that covers the upper half of Matt's head and face.

The Man Without Fear prototype costume was in turn based on the one Matt wore during his college years, as seen in 'Elektra' (Daredevil Vol 1 #168, January 1981).

Matt has improvised similar outfits in later comics, such as this example from Daredevil Vol 2 #84 (June 2006).

The black outfit has proven popular with fans and was featured in Tim Sale's alternate cover art for Daredevil Vol 5 #1 (December 2015). Joe Quesada's original concept art for the black suit was also used as an alternate cover for the same issue.

Also present in this scene is Turk Barrett, played by Rob Morgan. In the comics Turk is an opportunistic small-time crook and occasional informant for Daredevil. He's shown up frequently over the years, often accompanied by his equally inept pal Grotto, and usually serves the role of comic relief or lackey for a more important villain. He first appeared in the comics in 'A Life on the Line' (Daredevil Vol 1 #69, October 1970).

The fight scene at the docks bears similarities with a scene from 'Marked for Murder!' (Daredevil Vol 1 #159, July 1979), one of the earliest Daredevil stories to be drawn by Frank Miller. In the comic Daredevil tackles a group of criminals on the waterfront, leaping up onto the crates and disappearing into the shadows while his enemies search for him in a state of panic. Also note how he hurls his billy club at a crate so it ricochets and hits an enemy, just like he does with the stun baton in the TV show. Turk is present in both versions of the scene.

Daredevil's fighting style in the comics is a mixture of Ninjutsu, Aiki Jujutsu, Jujitsu, Kung Fu, Capoeira, Judo, Aikido, wrestling, Filipino stick fighting and American-style boxing. According to the TV show's official Facebook page, the MCU Daredevil's fighting style is a mixture of Muay Thai, grounding-and-pounding, Kung Fu, Judo, Aikido, Capoeira, Taekwondo, Escrima, tricking, and pro-wrestling. The end result is a gymnastic fighting style that accurately captures the agility, speed and technique of the comic book Daredevil.

Daredevil is often depicted using his gymnastic skills to dodge gunfire in the TV series. It may appear he's randomly somersaulting through the air, but the Daredevil in the comics uses a similarly acrobatic technique to avoid being shot. Daredevil doesn't possess superhuman speed and therefore cannot dodge bullets in the traditional sense. He can however sense the direction in which the guns are pointing via his radar, and can intuitively position himself out of harm's way before the bullets are actually fired.

At one point during the fight, Daredevil throws Turk's taser baton so that it bounces off a crate and hits another bad guy in the face. Daredevil's ability to throw his billy club with expert precision, making it ricochet in such a manner that it hits all his enemies and returns to his hand, is one of his signature moves in the comics. We see him do this numerous times throughout the show. Here's an example of him doing it from Daredevil: Yellow.

Matt lowers his voice when in costume for the dual purpose of intimidation and disguise. He's described as doing this in Daredevil: Yellow.

Following the scene at the docks we get the title intro sequence. This includes a red devil-horned figure resembling Matt's classic costume from the comics. The onscreen title logo is also taken straight from the comics.

Matt has occupied several different accommodations over the years, the most memorable being his brownstone in Hell's Kitchen. But when he first appeared in 1964 he lived in an apartment on the top floor of a building in an unidentified part of New York. He occupies a similar apartment in the TV show. Matt's living quarters in the comics have always featured secret exits on the roof that allow him to sneak out at night in his Daredevil costume. In the TV show we see him walking up a staircase in his apartment whenever he sets out to fight crime, suggesting a similar roof exit to that in the comics.

The next character we meet is Foggy Nelson, played by Elden Henson. Foggy is yet another character who made his debut in Daredevil Vol 1 #1. In both the comics and the TV show, he's Matt's best friend, former college roommate and legal partner at Nelson & Murdock: Attorneys at Law.

In the TV show Matt and Foggy are friends with a New York cop named Brett Mahoney. Mahoney first appeared in the comics in 'Vanguard: Chapter One' (Marvel Comics Presents Vol 2 #1, November 2007).

Matt and Foggy inspect a potential property in which to set up their law firm. On the door opposite theirs is a logo for Atlas Investments. Marvel Comics was originally known as Timeley Comics, before changing its name to Atlas Comics in 1951. The Atlas logo on the door is based on the Atlas Comics logo.

Also during this scene is the first of several references to the Chitauri invasion that occurred at the end of The Avengers (2012).

We are then introduced to Karen Page, played by Deborah Ann Woll. Karen also made her debut in Daredevil Vol 1 #1. In the comics she met Matt and Foggy after applying for the position of secretary at their offices. But in the TV show, they first meet her after she's been arrested on a charge of murder.

During their initial meeting, Matt is able to listen to Karen's heartbeat to tell if she is lying. He possesses the same lie detector skill in the comics.

It's about time Eckhardt got his own thread. Hootkins is one of those unsung character actors who showed up in lots of classic movies and TV shows but never really achieved stardom. Looking over his filmography, I was especially surprised to see just how many comic book adaptations he appeared in. Here are a few of his notable appearances in cult movies and TV shows.

As Porkins (aka 'Red Six') in Star Wars (1977). His first appearance in a George Lucas production.

As Beef in Hanover Street (1979).

As Munson, Professor Zarkov's cowardly assistant, in Flash Gordon (1980). The first of several comic book adaptations he acted in.

As Major Eaton in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The second George Lucas production he worked on.

As Harry Chester in the classic Tales of the Unexpected episode 'The Boy Who Talked with Animals' (1981).

As Lou Delmart in the Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense episode 'Black Carrion' (1984).

As Freddie Frobisher, the Flatulent Hermit of Lindisfarne, in the Blackadder II episode 'Beer' (1986).

As Chuck in Biggles (1986).

As a reporter in Gene Wilder's Haunted Honeymoon (1986).

As Harry Howler in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). His second comic book adaptation, and his first based on a DC Comics property.

As Lt. Eckhardt in Batman (1989). His third comic book movie and his second adapted from a DC Comics title.

As the perverted Lincoln Wineberg Jr. in Hardware (1990), by far his sleaziest and most loathsome role. Also his fourth movie to be adapted from a comic book; in this case a short story that appeared in 2000 AD.

As Murphy in Robert Redford's Oscar-winning film A River Runs Through It (1992).

His final appearance in a George Lucas production, as Diaghilev in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992).

A recurring role as Colonel Cobb in The Tomorrow People (1994).

As John Carpenter in Death Machine (1994).

As the voice of Falkor, the Luck Dragon, in The Neverending Story Part III: Return to Fantasia (1994).

As the voice of Crimson Dynamo in the Iron Man episode 'Not Far From the Tree' (1995).

As Kiril in The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996).

And as Maximillian Roivas in the GameCube survival horror classic Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem (2002).

Sadly Hootkins passed away in 2005 at just 57 years of age. But he left behind an impressively diverse body of work that any actor could be proud of. The three roles I best remember him for are Porkins in Star Wars, Eckhardt in Batman and Max Roivas in Eternal Darkness. What about everyone else? Are there any other memorable roles I forgot to mention? Which are your favourites?

There will be a panel for this at NYCC this weekend.

Looks awesome! Still, I wish they could get an interview with Cage.

Nicholas D'Agosto ("Masters of Sex") is joining the cast as Harvey Dent — a character who, during his good days, is known for being an idealistic assistant district attorney who vows to eradicate the crime and corruption that has poisoned Gotham. Although he will one day serve as the white knight Gotham desperately needs, Dent also gives the audience a fleeting glimpse of the villain he will become: Two-Face.

D'Agosto will only serve as a guest star on the series for now, as "Gotham" is currently spending the first season's villain storyline on an origin tale surrounding Oswald Cobblepot/Penguin (actor Robin Lord Taylor). But there is a series regular option in the event that the show is renewed for a second season.

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/gotham-harvey-dent-nicholas-dagosto-1201319918/