Captain America The Winter Soldier Film Review

Captain America The Winter Soldier is the sequel to Captain America The First Avenger and The Avengers. Captain America The Winter Soldier is the final film before The Avengers Age Of Ultron and after Thor The Dark World and Iron Man 3, it has a lot to live up to. Especially since some fans felt Captain America The First Avenger was the weakest of the Avenger films.Not only that a percentage of fans felt he was one of the less interesting characters in The Avengers. Well I've seen it and I'm here to let you know how Captain America The Winter Soldier fares against all those other superhero movies out there. Read on Agents.

The Winter Soldier, terrifying. 

It's been an undisclosed amount of time since The Avengers and Steve is still learning to acclimate to his new surroundings. He's taken up residence in Washington DC(bit on the nose don't you think) and he's now working for S.H.I.E.L.D as a full time agent. As missions go down he begins to question Nick Fury and what he is doing for S.H.I.E.L.D, as he questions everything around him and lamenting for everything he has lost, his friends, his world, his innocence. Then Nick gets attacked and Steve is implemented in the conspiracy around that whole attack so from that point on he is on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D with Black Widow and Falcon in tow to help him sift through all the conspiracy crap and to find out who the mysterious Winter Soldier is and what his connection is to Captain America.

With Captain America The Winter Soldier a lot of promises were made. We were given a storyline which involved a character that is a fan favourite to every Marvel comic book reader, the Winter Soldier and he is fantastic. Every scene that he is in is just elevated from your run of the mill action sequence to something deep, dark and visceral. He is legitimately threatening, at times depressing and an all round fantastic live action interpretation of the Winter Soldier. What is unfortunate is that, in my opinion, he is not in it enough and is also not given nearly enough lines. The dynamic between Steve and new guy Sam Wilson aka Falcon is handled well, both are men who have come back from war and don't know how to adjust to the "softer" side of life and there is a real sense of brotherhood here as Sam looks to Steve as both a symbol that needs to be protected and as a friend who needs help. Unfortunately this cannot be said for the "relationship" between Steve and Natasha, shoehorned into this budding friendship is a kind of weird attraction that just does not work because Scarlett Johansson is not great in this film. She is without a doubt one of the weaker elements of an almost perfect movie and on that note I'll mention the other weak link, Robert Redford who plays Alexander Pierce a character who is pretty forgettable. He is just there to put a face to the enemy and what dignified face it is but that's really it if you're looking for more interesting villains look elsewhere.

The story is pretty deep and raises so many interesting questions, for example I honestly don't know how Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D will go on now and I really like that. The ramifications of this movie will be felt throughout the entire series of films dare I say even more so than any other Marvel movie. With Stephen Strange mentioned, the status quo of the Marvel Universe up in the air and an end credits scene that sets up The Avengers Age Of Ultron perfectly this is my favourite Marvel sequel and in my opinion the best Marvel sequel. With intense, focused action and depth that wasn't in the last movie Captain America The Winter Soldier is a fantastic movie for everyone.

Rating: 4/5

Breaking News from Marvel: Michael Douglas is Hank Pym

Michael Douglas has stepped is now a Superhero. Hell he is now an Avenger.
The two-time Academy Award-winning actor will join director Edgar Wright and Paul Rudd in Marvel's "Ant-Man," hitting theaters July 31, 2015.

"With Hank Pym's rich history in the Marvel Universe, we knew we needed an actor capable of bringing the weight and stature to the role that the character deserves," said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. "We felt incredibly relieved when Michael Douglas agreed to step into the part with the charm and fortitude he brings to every character he inhabits, and couldn't be more excited to see what he will do to bring Hank Pym to life."

This is Michael Douglas, I know I'm as surprised as you.

The legendary actor, who earned an Academy Award in the category of Best Actor in a Leading Role for his iconic portrayal of Gordon Gecko in "Wall Street," has also starred in numerous modern classics including "Basic Instinct," "Fatal Attraction," "The Game," "Wonder Boys," "Traffic" and many more. In addition to acting, Douglas has also served as Producer and Executive Producer on a number of films including "Romancing the Stone," John Carpenter's "Starman" and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," for which he also won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Most recently, Douglas earned a Golden Globe and his first Primetime Emmy Award for his role as legendary entertainer Liberace in the HBO original film "Behind the Candelabra."

Douglas will star as Hank Pym, who first appeared in TALES TO ASTONISH #27 (Jan. 1962), with Rudd starring as Scott Lang in the film. Who saw this coming, not me, I am in absolute shock. Comment below and let us know what you think about this earth shattering news.

More on Marvel.com: http://marvel.com/news/movies/2014/1/13/21746/michael_douglas_to_star_as_hank_pym_in_marvels_ant-man#ixzz2qJN8g5Qu

AGENTS OF SHIELD: A Universe of possibilities

It has been three weeks now since AGENTS  OF SHIELD graced our screen and with it has comes a barrage of rumours and teases. First there was the huge news that Phil "Son of Coul" Coulson will be a main character and is some how resurrected after being skewered by Loki. The many different theories include a Life Model Decoy, which means Coulson in AGENTS OF SHIELD will be an android. Others include a clone, that he'll be the Vision, which would be fantastic but Clark Gregg has stated that he doesn't want that role. We've been continually bombarded with cast calls as well as various teased at arcs that they may implement into the live action Marvel Universe. What is great about the AGENTS OF SHIELD series is that they can introduce characters and see how the audience likes them, then import the best into the Marvel Movie Universe.

Now I think we can all agree that Avengers was fantastic but one of the unexpected treats was Cobie Smulders aka Maria Hill, in that catsuit. She was absolutely outstanding as the femme fatale we all love to hate. If anyone knows their Marvel Universe they know how much of a bitch Maria Hill is and how she instigates a war within the Marvel Universe which fucks the status quo of the costumed heroes for a long time. If they ever implement this into the Marvel Movie Universe then they could really be on to something. This brings me nicely to my point and the subject matter of this post, with all the cast calls and the fact that Nick Fury will probably have quite a minimal role in AGENTS OF SHIELD a lot of fans hoped Maria Hill would lead the series. What we got was a wonderful cameo from Cobie Smulders who was a treat to see with the rest of the AGENTS OF SHIELD cast. Hopefully she will show up again in increasing frequency, especially since How I Met Your Mother is ending soon.

On January 26th 2013 an article was released an article that just made my day. I'll give you a quick run down of the article then drop a link to the site.
When asked about AGENTS OF SHIELD and her future in the Marvel Universe Cobie explained that her dedication to How I met your Mother did not matter and that her schedules would not conflict with the scheduling of Agents of Shield.

Cobie Smulders Interview.

This was excellent news as Maria Hills inclusion in AGENTS OF SHIELD allows for a very interesting dynamic in the series. As we saw in the Avengers, Maria Hill does not mind letting her opinion be known and is often conflicted with the use of such eccentric characters, like Iron Man, Thor and the Hulk. She is a woman in a world infested with super heroes, who hates super heroes. It'll be a great kind of subplot to see her grow increasingly paranoid about the escapades of the super humans in both the AGENTS OF SHIELD series and Marvel Movie Universe.

With Maria Hill only going to be an infrequent recurring character I decided to look at the possibilities of other guest characters from the Marvel Universe. With AGENTS OF SHIELD based around the world as a globe trotting team the sky is the limit for guest characters to how up. I was under the impression when the series began that it would be based in and around New York so my idea of guest characters was limited but now knowing that the cast can go anywhere has opened my eyes to a world of heroes and villains. Already one major villain has been born, you might not even realise it but AGENTS OF SHIELD has already created a super villain in the shape of Dr. Franklin Hall or as he may come to be known as, Graviton. A villain who is powerful enough to take on all the Avengers and still keep on kicking even when they defeat him. Then there are the heroes, already AGENTS OF SHIELD has given us a wonderful cast of original characters but there is such opportunity for Marvel heroes to be injected into the mix. Here for your pleasure is some of the most organic and interesting characters that could be introduced into Agents of Shield.

Captain Marvel


Carol Danvers is one of the most prolific super heroines of our time. She has gone from strength to strength in recent history. Since House of M she has had a massive surge in popularity. She is one of the most powerful individuals in the Marvel Universe and she has come from humble beginnings. She was once an AGENTS OF SHIELD, that's right there's your connection, until one day she is caught in an explosion, of alien origin,and then she is imbued with incredible superhuman abilities.

Likelihood Rating: 4/5

The reason this isn't 5/5 is because of a simple one, budget. With Captain Marvels wide range of superhuman abilities there may not be room in the budget for her, but that can easily be remedied with a bigger budget, which the series will probably receive down the line.


Luke Cage & Danny Rand aka Iron Fist


These two come as a package deal since they are a great team. Also they are based in New York which I imagine is going to be the casts home base. Just imagine it, Luke would bump into a bunch of the AGENTS OF SHIELD through a mix up and get into a massive fight over the little guy who Luke feels the AGENTS OF SHIELD are trampling over. Danny would be there as back up for Luke if he got in trouble. They would relate to Skye as fellow assets brought in by Coulson.

Likelihood Rating: 5/5

Luke and Danny are so fun, accessible and the budget can easily accommodate their abilities. Luke needs no visuals, except for the odd bullets bouncing off his indestructible skin. Danny is a little more difficult because his powers are more visual but not to an extreme level. Also since they are based in New York they would be great as recurring characters whenever the team need that a little bit extra muscle.



Daredevil


I know, I know. He's a big fish. He was almost an Avenger and Marvel just got the rights back . some would say he needs more time to rest, relax and recoup from his last outing. I don't believe that, I think it's time for Matt Murdock to come out of the shadows and reign supreme in New Yorks most disturbing neighbourhood, Hells Kitchen. He would be a great addition to the landscape of the series, as a kind of special guest who pops up every now and then. Kind of like Faith out of Buffy The Vampire Slayer series.

Likelihood Rating: 3/5

Just because he is a great candidate doesn't mean he will be in AGENTS OF SHIELD. Whedon and his crew may believe that the series needs to stand on its own two feet without the need of big characters, for now. I do think that AGENTS OF SHIELD would be a great spring board for Daredevil and other characters who need a little help to get into the bigger game.



Ghost Rider


Can you imagine what it would be like to see this dude tearing up the streets of New York. With the right treatment and writers behind him Ghost Rider could be a force to be reckoned with. His origin is steeped in the supernatural elements of the Marvel Universe and would allow for the AGENTS OF SHIELD series to bridge the gap between the supernatural and the scientific in the Marvel series.

Likelihood Rating: 4/5

Ghost Rider could be one of the best assets to the team and to the series and the reason I bring him up is because he is being reborn in a new series in the Marvel Universe which would be a great way to cross the comics with AGENTS OF SHIELD.

This is all just my opinion, my hopes and dreams but with Joss Whedon once again behind a team based series, and a super hero team based series like AGENTS OF SHIELD to boot, we could see a lot of the Marvel Universe spill over onto our screens. My final words are this, You won't take the Shield from me!

D.I.C.E International Expo with all star interviews. Part 1

Dublin.International.Comic.Expo or D.I.C.E came to Ireland on September 28th and 29th last weekend and it was a sight to behold. This was a stripped down old school comic con with an emphasis on two things, comics and Irish talent. This being my first D.I.C.E I didn't know what kind of convention I was going to,so I asked the owners of Big Bang Comics in Dundrum town centre. They explained to me that it was a no frills comic convention, no television promotions, no film trailers, just creative teams from MARVEL, DC and various indie publishers, signing autographs and doing panels on their projects, past, present and most interestingly future. The talent on hand was top notch, from DC's Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo of Batman fame to MARVEL's Kieron Gillen and C.B Cebulski of numerous titles that I won't even try to name here. The line up was spectacular. The quality of talent was not just limited to the international names however, as a ton of Irish talent littered the event. From Stephen Mooney to Declan Shalvey, the talent that the Irish brought was fantastic, but more of that in the second part.

While I was at D.I.C.E, I got the opportunity to interview many of the creative teams at both MARVEL and DC. In each interview I asked how they were getting on, how were their Irish fans treating them and in the case of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo, how much longer their run together would last. It was a weekend to remember and all of the guys and girls, Becky Cloonan was there and she was an absolute laugh, were on top form. Following are my interviews with some of the international talent which decided to come to Ireland and have the craic(don't worry it's a general Irish term for good times).

I started the con off with Paul Cornell, a man of many talents, he has worked on Doctor Who, DC's Demon Knights title and is currently working on Wolverine in which he is penning the Killable arc where Wolverines whole perspective on life is changed when events lead to him losing his healing factor forever. When I caught up with him he was gracious and willing with his time and told me all kinds of things that will be coming up in the future regarding our favourite Canadian. I congratulated him on the birth of his son and asked how it went with deciding on his name, there had been a lively debate on what he should call his son on twitter, every name under the sun was suggested from all the various comics Paul has worked on over the years, in the end he went with Tom, which I think is lovely. When asked whether he'd be watching the 50th anniversary Doctor Who episode he said definitely and the explained how he was there at the 20th and it was wonderful to be around for the 50th anniversary.

Becky Cloonan was an absolute treat, she gave me such wonderful and interesting stories about how she came to be the first woman to ever work on the main Batman series. She explained how she didn't know at the time that she was the first woman and how it probably helped since she already felt the pressure going into the Batman series after Greg Capullo was taking a break for an issue. She went on about how she has a soft spot for Harper Row and how she came up with some of the characters quirks, there was even a moment at the end where Becky and I mused about the possibility that Jokers "Daughter" could be Harper as we haven't seen her face and she has a similar look. We quickly laughed off the idea but I think both of us were still worried at the end. Becky did a panel with Scott and Greg all about their work on the Batman series and because there was such a demand they even did a second one directly afterwards, which in my eyes is pure class.

There was then Kieron Gillen who gave an incredibly in-depth interview about what he and his creative team are doing with the Secret Origin of Tony Stark, an unusual take on an event in a characters life which we all take for granted at this stage in our reading of comics. He then discussed with me on his run with the Young Avengers and finally we both talked at length on how he was part of the team which turned Scott Summers aka Cyclops into the most hated yet most interesting character in the Marvel universe right now. Kieron was a true force unto himself, explaining in such great detail how he dealt with all these various characters over the years, he went on to compare Scott's journey into madness as an almost Walter White excursion, with him going through such layers of chaos and destruction.

When I went over to Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo I'm not going to lie, I was intimidated. These two men made Batman interesting for me again. These two had created a narrative that was both beautifully written and visually stunning, I was in awe. Lucky for me Scott and Greg are two of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Between wonderful anecdotes of how Greg had been finding Ireland to Scott and Greg's adorable bromance, I was having so much fun. Scott and Greg went into how they feel the Zero Year arc is going and how they appreciate the fandom. When I asked Greg about the visual side of Zero Year in regard to that fantastic Riddler game splash page, he explained how Scott had wanted a crossword puzzle but Greg thought it wasn't enough so Scott found an ancient Egyptian board-game which actually fitted the mood they were going for. Scott divulged that during the next part of Zero Year we would be seeing the origin of many of Batman's rogue's, the next one being Poison Ivy. I then asked Scott a little on his run on Superman: Unchained, particularly on the identity of the uber powerful being running around, he said that all would be revealed in issue five because issue four is going to be all about the fighting.



Well that concludes the first part of my journey into D.I.C.E, head over to the second part linked below to see how I got on with the Irish talent, who are it's safe to say, a great bunch of lads. As always comment below and let me know your experience at various comic conventions around the world. Here's a link to the article at Agent of Geek, which includes the audio for the interviews as well. Enjoy.

For more info on D.I.C.E. visit the official Facebook page.

Agents of Geek Interviews with audio.