Fantastic Universes

Article by Steve J. Ray Deathstroke Vs. Batman is officially arriving in April 2018. DC Comics officially announced this Blockbuster event this wek, and fans all over the world, including yours truly, are literally chomping at the bit. Slade Wilson – A.K.A. Deathstroke The Terminator – is one of the greatest anti-heroes in comics. He is the inspiration for Marvel’s  Deadpool (Wade Wilson), one of the greatest assassins in the DC Universe, and one of the few characters to have ever bested Batman (albeit temporarily) in hand-to-hand combat. Created by comics legends Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Deathstroke first appeared in  The New Teen Titans  (vol. 1) #2 (1980). He is notorious for having Terra infiltrate the team from within, almost destroying them in the process. He has tussled with Batman numerous times over the years, but there has never been a clear winner. If I need to tell you who the Batman is, then you’re probably on the wrong websi...

Article by Steve J. Ray What is Sanctuary ? Over the last couple of years Tom King has been dropping subtle hints, both in his comics and in social media, for a new comics concept. As current  Batman  writer, Tom King, has achieved many things in his comics over the last few years, not least of which is getting Bruce Wayne to finally propose to Selina Kyle. Anyone who’s been reading his work will also see that he uses quite deep psychology in all of his writing. King worked for the CIA in counterterrorism before becoming a comics writer, which is part of the reason his work has such a real-life feel, and resonates with his audience. His characterisations of the Joker and the Riddler in ‘The War Of Jokes And Riddles’, and the way he handled the Batman/Superman dynamic in his excellent ‘Super Friends’ arc are testament to this. Even before he took over Batman full-time, in previous books like  Grayson  (where former Robin/Nightwing became a counter terro...

With its spring release fast approaching DC Entertainment has released images and the full cast list for  Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay . News of this film first broke in July, during the San Diego Comic-Con. This all-new animated movie will be the first featuring Amanda Waller’s Task Force-X to be set in the shared continuity of the DC Universe Original Movies. We have had a standalone Suicide Squad animated feature in the past, but this new film will be set in the same reality as the  Batman  and  Justice League  releases of the last few years. The cast list boasts both DC stalwarts, such as Tara Strong, as well as Hollywood/TV luminaries, such as Christian Slater, C. Thomas Howell and Vanessa Williams. The cast are an All-Star Squadron in their own right! Suicide Squad: Hell To Pay  – The Cast Christian Slater (Deadshot) Billy Brown (Bronze Tiger) Liam McIntyre (Captain Boomerang) Kristin Bauer van Stra...

“Fall Of The Batmen” – Part Four Writer: James Tynion IV Artists: Miguel Mendonça & Diana Egea   Review by Steve J. Ray The world is crumbling apart for the Dark Knight. He’s under attack from both friends  and  foes, in the fourth chapter of “Fall Of the Batmen.” After having to fight a whole horde of heavies in the   last issue , we left the Dark Knight face to face with his team-mate turned adversary, Clayface. The muddy man-monster had been captured by the Victim Syndicate, and forced to revert to his old, psychotic self. It was almost inevitable that Basil Karlo would go back to his villainous ways at some point, even though we all probably hoped otherwise. James Tynion IV has done such an incredible job writing this character over the last couple of years, making him sympathetic, and even heroic. I’ve loved his version of Clayface, but I’ve always been a sucker for redemption stories. The way that Basil uses what he’s learned from wo...

Review by Fay Clark I'd call myself a book lover, other people might say I have a problem. I read over 150 books in 2017, still have 3 books currently on the go, and 55 still on my bookshelf to read, I can see where these opinions are coming from. (I also work in a book shop, which doesn't help when trying to cut down on buying books.) My family and friends frequently joke that I should open a library, and all I can say is that the best jokes are based on truth. With that being said. I want to share with all of you the best book I've read this year;  Illuminae  by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. This book is like nothing I've read before. The authors have set it out in the style of a dossier, like the kind you might find in a spy's briefcase. Unseen before, at least by this reader. I was drawn into the style of this book immediately. There are transcripts of audio files, emails between characters, diary entries, and summaries of surveillance footage....