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Film

‘Man of Steel’ Is the Superman of This Moment — Unfortunately

By Jason Bailey on

Every generation gets the Superman it deserves. In the 1950s, it was the square-jawed George Reeves, maneuvering slipshod sets to save a Metropolis as black-and-white as the TVs it was broadcast on. When Superman: The Movie was released in 1978, it followed, and played as an antidote to, a troublesome period in which people no longer trusted or even felt they could rely on their government; Superman was a clear-cut force for good in an era where those seemed in short supply. His subsequent television incarnations were less about the character than the entertainment of the era, be it the faux-screwball romantic comedy (Lois & Clark) or the soapy, coming-of-age melodrama (Smallville). Bryan Singer’s 2006 Superman Returns clung to nostalgia, while the character’s new reboot, Man of Steel, finds him the denizen of a cheerless world defined by its own fear. … Read More

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Pop Culture

The Most Hilarious Bootleg Superhero Toys Ever

By Jason Bailey on

Come midnight, moviegoers across the country will hit theaters to take in Man of Steel, Zack Snyder’s new reboot of the Superman franchise. But this isn’t just a mega-budgeted summer superhero movie; it’s also a marketing opportunity, with everyone from the National Guard to Gillette razors (launching a ridiculous campaign that assumes anyone’s ever wondered how Superman shaves) clamoring to attach themselves to his big red S. The toy stores, meanwhile, are flooded with new Superman/Man of Steel toys, which is (don’t forget) a big chunk of how these movies make money. But what of those toy makers and dealers of slightly lesser repute who’d like to hitch their wagon to the Superman train without shelling out the cash for those lucrative merchandising rights? Well, if history has shown us anything, it’s that the inventive entrepreneur will find a way. … Read More

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Comics

‘Mad Men’ Characters and Their Comic Book Counterparts

By Alison Nastasi on

Today is Free Comic Book Day, which promises exactly what it advertises: you get a free comic book just for showing up at your local shop. The offerings have been specially selected, but nothing is preventing you from browsing while you’re there and spending a few dollars to support an oft-overlooked art form that has brought joy to many. To celebrate the occasion, and with a new Mad Men episode approaching, we wanted to combine two of our favorite things: 1960′s ad execs crippled by existential angst, and awesome comic book heroes and villains. The resemblance is greater than you think. See our pairings, and leave your own suggestions, below. … Read More

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Pop Culture

Awesome Maps of Iconic Pop Culture Locations

By Tom Hawking on

If you hadn’t noticed, we’re pop culture geeks here at Flavorwire, and we’re also really rather partial to cartography. As such, we emitted collective “OMG” when we saw these awesome prints of maps from prominent locations in films, video games, TV shows, and comic books. They’re available as prints from a company called City Prints, which we spotted via Laughing Squid. It’s amazing how iconic and easily recognizable some of these maps are — go on, see how many you recognize without having to refer to the captions! … Read More

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Film

10 Notorious Leaked Screenplay Scandals

By Jason Bailey on

Earlier this week, we told you about Xavier Macafee, the New Mexico man who was arrested on suspicion of burglary after allegedly breaking into Bryan Cranston’s car and stealing, among other things, the script to one of Breaking Bad’s final episodes. While we still don’t know if it was a coincidental act or the work of a brilliant BB superfan, this isn’t the first time a swiped script has created havoc in Hollywood. Here are ten tales of leaked screenplays, and what happened to the films… Read More

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Comics

Eye-Catching Portraits of Superheroes and Their Alter Egos

By Alison Herman on

Designer and animator Coran “Kizer” Stone is clearly a superhero fan, but he’s also interested in what everyone’s favorite costumed crime fighters look like on their days off. With his Alter Egos illustration series, Stone juxtaposes straightforward renditions of favorites from Batman to the Flash with plainclothes portraits of billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne, forensic scientist Barry Allen, and other everyday identities of characters from both the DC and Marvel universes. Stone doesn’t limit his subjects to the heroes, either; both expert thief Catwoman and alien life form Venom make appearances in the series. Click through for the full Alter Egos series, and check out Stone’s DeviantArt and Blogspot sites for more comic-inspired illustrations.  … Read More

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Pop Culture

Geeky Ways to Propose: 15 Creative Pop Culture-Themed Rings and Boxes

By Julia Pugachevsky on

By now, photos of a Dungeons and Dragons-themed engagement ring (as well as a video of the actual proposal) have gone viral and drawn many admirers of the 20-sided die reference (the woman behind the magic says she “[feels] like [she] rolled a natural 20 when [she] started dating her.”) In fact, there are plenty of pop culture-themed wedding rings and boxes out there, with many betrothed couples sealing their betrothal with keepsakes of the fandom that brought them together in the first place. Whether bonding over a shared love of Ocarina of Time or finishing each other’s Star Wars-quoting sentences, there is something below for everyone (or, at least, every nerd). … Read More

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Comics

Bin Laden, Zuckerberg, and Other Villains Mashed Up With Comic-Book Bad Guys

By Alison Herman on

Brazilian designer and illustrator Butcher Billy (also known as Bily Mariano da Luz) is over the “pure escapism” of comic-book art. To fix that, he’s created an awesome/creepy series of mashups between classic comic villains and real-life shady figures. Some are more villainous than others — Hitler vs. Mark Zuckerberg, anyone? — but whatever your opinion of his subjects, it’s hard not to find Luz’s handiwork impressive. Each mashup is set against a description of the real-life figure and even comes with an accompanying GIF, available at Luz’s Behance site. They’re certainly effective: if you thought Bin Laden was scary before, take a look at him with green scales and goblin eyes. … Read More

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Comics

Classic Comic-Book Superheroes Reimagined as Pixar Characters

By Alison Herman on

Marvel, DC, and Pixar are three of the most titanic forces in entertainment, each with its own set of iconic characters and distinct aesthetic — that is, until now. Phil Postma, who runs the geek blog Minion Factory, has transposed Marvel and DC’s cast of superheroes and supervillains into Pixar’s instantly recognizable animation style. The result is a bizarro world where Peter Parker looks like the guy from Ratatouille and Magneto could have come straight out of The Incredibles. Postma has done similar work with the casts of Star Wars and Star Trek, but the comic-Pixar mashup is his most seamless yet. Take a look at the makeovers, which we discovered via io9, below.

… Read More

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