One of the more intriguing aspects of DC Comic’s “New 52” relaunch has been the relationship between Superman and Wonder Woman. One of the biggest “missed opportunities” of the DC Universe that started in the 80s was that these two icons never got together. Now we get to see it play out without the bond of “Lois and Clark” in the way. Throwing them together into a new series is an interesting way to explore the relationship, I just hope it is organic and that this title has an effect of the each of their other books. Throwing Doomsday into the mix as a big bad is a fun move. Did you check out Doomsday’s origin as part of “Villain’s Month”?

Superman/Wonder Woman #1
Official Description: Beginning a bold new series that details the relationship between The Man of Steel and the Warrior Princess as rising star writer Charles Soule is joined by fan favorite artist Tony S. Daniel to tell the tale of a romance that will shake the stars themselves. These two super-beings love each other, but not everyone shares their joy. Some fear it, some test it—and some will try to kill for it. Some say love is a battlefield, but where Superman and Wonder Woman are concerned it spells Doomsday!

This issue features an amazing wraparound gatefold cover that opens up to a triptych with Superman and Wonder Woman in the center!

Superman/Wonder Woman #2
Official Description: Whom the gods destroy, first they piss off! Seeking help against Doomsday, Diana turns to her brother Hephaestus for weapons—but a more immediate threat is Apollo and the other gods. They do not approve of Superman as a consort to Diana, and he will have to prove himself in combat!

Issue #1 comes out on October 9th with issue #2 out on November 13, 2013, from DC Comics.

In the last Pit column we talked about some movie news, including Ghostbusters 3, the next Muppets adventure, and FOX’s upcoming reboot of Marvel Comic’s Fantastic Four. Today lets look at some television news bits.

Lets start with a show that has been breaking Cable ratings records left and right, the AMC zombie horror series The Walking Dead. The show had it’s Mid-Season finale and left us with a reunion and a cliffhanger to keep us on our toes until it is back on the air come February 10th. The network will also be giving us something pretty cool to chew on starting on February 14th; an encore presentation of the first and second season of the show broadcast is beautiful black and white- just like the comic the show is based on. AMC previously did this with just the pilot, but it will be pretty awesome to see more episodes in a style that is close to the comic book. Speaking about the comic (spoilers), this past week issue #105 hit stands and sees Carl across enemy lines after confronting Neegan last issue. The official description for the issue is short and to the point, “Sing me a song.” Will Carl live through this?

Cult fan favorite Gillian Anderson will be returning to television after a ten year break. The X-Files star will be joining NBC’s upcoming prequel to the Hannibal series of books for an undetermined amount of episodes. She joins Mads Mikkelsen, who portrays the title character made famous by Anthony Hopkins, and Hugh Dancy who steps in as FBI agent Will Graham, who was expertly portrayed by William Petersen in  Michael Mann’s Manhunter and later by Edward Norton in Brett Ratner’s sub-par Red Dragon. Anderson’s character will get to look into just what makes Hannibal tick as she is described as “Dr. Lecter’s personal psychiatrist” by Bryan Fuller, the creator of the new series. Fuller is the man behind Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, and Pushing Daisies. Most recently he tried to revive/reboot the Munsters with Mockingbird Lane.

After failing hard last year with H8R and more recently having mediocre results with the musical chairs inspired game show Oh Sit! (which was renewed for a second season), The CW is getting back into the reality game with two new shows; The Hunt and Perfect Score. The Hunt is the CW’s attempt at building their own version of Survivor meets The Hunger Games. They describe the show as an “intense wilderness competition” that sees twelve teams of two players facing off in games to test their survival skills and endurance.  The second new show, Perfect Score,is a dating game show that gives players the chance to win cash prizes if they are able to identify their “perfect match”. Neither show has a premiere date. On the narrative side, The CW also has a young Wonder Woman series tentatively titled Amazon in the works as a complement to Arrow. In the very least you need to give props to the Network for keeping their slate fresh and with a lot of variety.

In Part 1 of my Justice League Movie Suggestions we talked about Story, Villains, Creative, and Personnel. Now lets talk about Casting the Big Three! A film of this magnitude requires a cast that will be able to carry the film, much like Marvel’s The Avengers. This no time to start messing around with the characters and just throwing in people for the hell of it and the star power. I remember years ago when George Miller came to close to making what was being called Justice League: Mortal. He had apparently cast a bunch of, at that time, unknowns in every role. Now with some of the roles I could agree an unknown would be a good way to go, but asking a cast of complete unknowns to carry a film like this would be unfair. Casting one or two and then surround them with better known people has been a formula that has proven to work in the past. Below are a few suggestions for  the big guns of the Justice League.

Superman/Clark Kent
Most Likely Choice: Hell to me this is no contest, it has to be Henry Cavill from next years Man Of Steel. Warner Brothers would be foolish not to use that film to launch their new DC universe, but with it being produced by Chris Nolan there is a chance that they may keep the whole one hero, one universe. I think that this would be a bad move. While it worked on Nolan’s Batman trilogy because Batman has no super powers and it felt like a real world that they created. This is Superman, the story is so more universal. I think Cavill will be there come the start of production.

The only other person I could see them turning to would be Joe Manganiello from True Blood. He has tested for the role before and apparently came very close to winning the role. It seems likely that if Warner Brothers were to replace Cavill for Justice League then they would turn to him. He has the size and actin chops to excel in the role. But I really do think Cavill is the safe bet here.

Batman/Bruce Wayne
The “Robert Downey Jr” Choice: By this I mean an actor who’s been in the spotlight at the top and has suffered a steep decline attributed to either poor film choices or some sort of scandal. This wasn’t actually my personal choice, but I could see it if it happened and that person is Colin Farrell. I think he has the look of Bruce Wayne and could pull of the suave playboy image. I’ve never seen much of his work in darker roles as he always seems to play the hero roles and that could work to his advantage. I actually do like Farrell as an actor. The 2008 film Pride And Glory where he played a corrupt NYPD officer in a family of cops really showcased his talent. He was almost cast as Batman in Wolfgang Petersen’s aborted Batman Vs Superman, so again Warner Brothers must like something about him. That script made it online and I did get to read it and I could really see where they were coming fro. I could really see Farrell in the role at the time.

Another actor I could see in the role who would rock it would be Mad Men star Jon Hamm. His career doesn’t need much of a boost, but his only main exposure is television right now. He has had very few movie roles and Justice League could be the one that makes him the next George Clooney. No, not in the sense of being a bad Batman, but in the sense of being the next television star to make the transition to Hollywood A-List movie star with ease.

Wonder Woman/Diana Prince
The Popular Choices: MMA star Gina Carano just burst onto the film scene in the action flick Haywire, which has led to a lot of fans calling for the WB to sign her to don the bullet proof bracelets. Personally I love the choice, Haywire was a fun action flick and she did a lot of her own stunts and fight scenes. I think she would fit well in an ensemble and possibly lead to her being one of the breakout stars of the film.

Another choice I could get behind would be Castle star Stana Katic. I don’t know what it is about her, but I just could totally see her as Wonder Woman. She has the look and the skills to portray an Amazon princess. I would love to see Wonder Woman have a bit more of a feisty side to her like in the new Justice League comics, but she still needs to have that authority of a warrior about her. That’s why I think Carano would probably be the better choice.

In Part 3 of our Justice League Movie Suggestions I’d take a look at casting Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman!

Finally Warner Brothers and DC Comics are getting their act together! The behemoth that was The Avengers this summer seems to have lit a fire underneath the suits in Burbank. First Gangster Squad writer Will Beall was given the task of scripting the film that will finally (hopefully) bring all of the big DC comics Titans together on the big screen for the first time. Last week the studio was reportedly eying Ben Affleck to direct with Harry Potter alum David Yates next on their list. Could we be finally seeing this happen? If it does here are some suggestions that I think WB/DC should take into consideration.

Story and Villains
Give the Justice League a full on challenge, not just something like the Injustice Gang plotting to take over the world. Put the whole world in danger and have this be the reason for why they have to team up. Don’t team them up simply because Joker, Luthor, Trickster, and Star Sapphire have joined forces so that means Batman, Superman, Flash and Green Lantern should team up. Throw the team together because Earth is being invaded by Darkseid and his forces from Apokolips. The story from the recent reboot, DC’s “New 52” is perfect for that. Have the Earth be in serious trouble from a real threat. Give us the full fight of the league vs Darkseid. That was my biggest complaint about The Avengers. When you took away all the geek factors and other story parts you essentially had an Alien Invasion movie with no real pay-off at the end. Instead it was a mid credits teaser where the big villain was revealed and now you have to wait presumably until The Avengers 2 to see it. Don’t do that here! Make the league face Darkseid individually and fail then lead up to them fighting together to stop him.

Creative and Personnel
Get the right people involved on the production, Hire Paul Dini and Bruce Timm from every recent memory DC Comics animated series and features to look over scripting and story details. Get Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, and Dan Jurgens to make sure DC’s interests are kept true to the comic universe. These are key to the process. Warner Brothers need to do what they been doing wrong all these years. Make this a collaborative film, pick the right storylines from the comics to help inspire the story. Now we’ve seen Ben Afflec’sk name come up already in line for the gig though his rep’s reportedly say he has passed (which I don’t believe). My gut tells me he is probably still talking to them. Yes he turned down the Man Of Steel allegedly, but he is obviously impressing people at Warner Brothers with his work. I’m a fan of his directorial work, Gone Baby, Gone and The Town were two of the best crime films I’ve seen in a long time. The guy knows his stuff, but the question remains can he do a big action film. My answer to that would be yes he probably can. He’s worked on those type films as an actor, so he would have had to picked up something along the way (good or bad). He is also a comic book geek so he will know what kind of audience he has to aim the film for as well. I think Affleck’s previous work has earned him a shot. I would also be happy with Warner’s rumored second choice, David Yates. He can make a solid film and has huge spectacle film experience. Some of the action sequences from the Harry Potter films he has directed have been nothing short of excellent. I would hope Warners interviews or talks to a few more directors before anything is made official and I hope we get to hear who they are.

Check out Part 2 of my Justice League Movie Suggestions: Casting the Big Three.

Oscar nominee James Franco is making a grand return to General Hospital at the end of September. Unlike most actors that get their start in soaps, Franco decided to go for a run on the long running daytime drama in 2009, well after he found success in both television and film. I love Franco and his Hospital serial killer character of the same name and I can’t wait to see what they do with him on this go around. It is said to be a “long-term” arc. With One Life to Live and All My Children canceled off of ABC, General Hospital is going to have to pull out all of the stops to prove that the show still belongs in the lineup and this is a good step towards that.

More goodies from the Wonder Woman pilot that will never see the light of day have surfaced, includes two clips from the proposed series and a bunch of pretty cool storyboards. The storyboards are by concept artist Cesar Lemus and show shots from the released clips (like the above one) along with glimpses of WW’s origin on Paradise Island. Was her origin originally going to be in the pilot but got cut out or were they saving it for later? After watching the footage, this series seems like less of a fit for NBC and more of a fit for the CW. It could have been a good guilty pleasure superhero series to replace Smallville… oh well.

This post was written by Jamie Jones who also writes about online accounting classes for http://www.onlinecollegedegrees.net

Superman, Batman, Wolverine…bla bla bla. It’s about time that we heard it for the girls who keep the Earth spinning properly on its axis, in the face of campy-cruel villains and their danger. Television has provided a bountiful array of badass lady leaders and heroes. But where’s the restrospective on their heroic and female-positive ways that they deserve? We’ve noticed this dearth and seek to amend it with this article, chronicling our ten superheroines who make a rescue feel like a rock concert. Maybe they’re born with it, maybe it’s mayday-mania. But something about these power women makes us swoon.

1. Wonder Woman
Originally based on the prowess and indomitability of the Amazons, Wonder Woman has gone on to take up a position in our society as the emblem of feminism that kicks chauvinistic butt, and takes names. She’s been around since the 1940s, but vaulted to fame through the 1970s series starring Lynda Carter. Warner Bros. has announced plans to revamp the series for a modern audience.

2. Batgirl
Batman and Robin met their girlpower match with this battily beautiful figure. She first appeared in the comics in the mid-1960s, and Barbara Gordon charmingly embodied her character on the kistchy television series just a year after Batgirl’s comic debut. What’s the secret to her popularity? Perhaps its that combination of a not-a-girl-not-yet-a-woman vibe with some slick wings that bat away evildoers with ease.

3. The Bionic Woman
The Six Million Dollar Man, a hit superhero fantasy series of the ’60s, found its match in Lindsay Wagner, who brought a feel of “anything you can do, I can do better.” That affirmation held true, as Wagner eventually earned her own series as the beautiful Bionic woman. The show ran for only two seasons, but Wagner’s mechanical wrangling sensibilities successfully infiltrated the zeitgeist.

4. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
The nineties were all about two things. One was marveling at a certain president who could — gasp! — jam on the saxophone. The other was ogling over the brand of voluptuous grit harnessed by Sarah Michelle Gellar as she vanquished Dracula’s descendants on this hit cult fantasy series.

5. Claire the Cheerleader
Hayden Panettiere made a quantum lead into the higher echelons of celebrity with her invigorating performance as a rah-rah-sis-boom-bah girl who can conjure a new foot, nose, or hairdo as it’s needed. Her bravery was such a hit in our culture that “save the cheerleader” became the hottest catchphrase of the mid-2000s.

6. Kara Zor-El
Kara, aka Supergirl, is not Superman’s daughter, but rather his cousin. And what a crimefighting duo they have occasionally come together to make. The very fact that Supergirl exists is testament to the truth that all ladies know — there’s no way that near-omipotence should ever be restricted to the boys.

7. Stargirl
Currently portrayed by Courtney Whitmore on Smallville, Stargirl comes off like a melange of Supergirl and Sailor Moon. There’s nothing silly about her compunction against evil though — a great message for young girls, in that being pretty doesn’t mean being a pushover.

8. Electra Woman and Dynagirl
So… this wasn’t exactly the most successful superheroine series to ever air on television. In the shadow of Bionic Woman, this female duo couldn’t capitalize on the extra power-woman love and lasted only one mere season. Still, the pairing is remembered for being the sweet yet sock-it-to-em antidote to Batman and Robin.

9. Powerpuff Girls
There’s no way any superheroine listing of any real import could ignore the uber-cute sensation of this animated trio. Arguably more than any other figure on our list (besides Buffy and Bionic), these little girls showed how feminism and ferocity were ultimately irresistible.

10. Birds of Prey
Only a baker’s dozen’s worth of episodes resulted from television’s attempt to chronicle the prowess of these eagle-elegant ladies. Still, the Birds of Prey linger in memory ten years later, because their steely commitment to virtue consistently took flight.

Thankfully Fox’s Lone Star was canceled in the blink of an eye, otherwise the lovely Adrianne Palicki would have not been available to be the new Wonder Woman for David E. Kelly and NBC.  You might remember Palicki from the first couple seasons of one of the best shows to grace the small screen, Friday Night Lights. There is played a bit of a selfish bitch, but a little bit of that spice might be good for the amazon princess turned superhero.

The new series is said to be a serious take on the character where Wonder Woman is a billionaire CEO who moonlights as a vigilante in Los Angeles. Very Batman-ish if you ask me.  I just hope they keep her amazon backstory in place and maybe include some other DC Comics heroes into the mix down the line, as Smallville has very successfully done. It would be really cool if they connected the show somehow to Smallville or the new DC film universe with Ryan Reynold’s Green Lantern and Henry Cavill’s Superman.

Casting sheets have revealed that the only other familiar character in the series at this point is long time WW love interest Steve Trevor. He is described as an Army vet who now works with the Justice department. We’ll have to wait and see if anyone else (villains perhaps?) from WW’s history makes it into the mix.