Batman #612 | Creators: Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, Alex Sinclair | 2003
DC Comics has treated fans to many fights between Batman and Superman over the years. Some have been great while others left a lot to be desired. Of course such an endeavor is easier said than done because there are so many creative masters to satisfy when having the two most iconic superheroes lock horns with one another.
During the critically acclaimed story arc Hush, where a villainous foe was sabotaging Batman from afar, Superman, under the control of Poison Ivy, was ordered to kill Batman. Superman’s tactics are predictable, which Batman uses to his advantage while respecting the fact that Clark could kill him with the flick of his finger.
Superman finds a way to pull his punches, which is a key component here, but they still pack quite the super-powered wallop. In the end, Batman realizes that even with all his know-how and Kryptonite, he is not going to win a fist fight. He pulls out some devious tactics that appeal to the one thing about Superman that will always reign true: His love for Lois Lane.
In the second BVS trailer, an angry Superman yells to Batman “Stay down. If I wanted it, you’d already be dead.” This implies that he is trying to prevent another Zod neck snapping scenario. Perhaps Superman’s unwillingness to kill is the opening Batman needs in order to win the fight? We will all find out the answer on March 25.
When people talk about their favorite television shows, for example The Walking Dead, they’re discussed with a favorable disposition that all culminates with one question. What is going to happen next? Conversation regarding WWE, however, consists of “Who booked this crap?” or “Why is that guy getting a push?”
Lucha Underground is changing the way people talk about wrestling due its fresh presentation highlighted by engaging storylines, unique matches, interesting characters, and great wrestlers. Last week’s season 2 premiere stirred up quite the conversation. Some feel that it’s a joke, while others believe it’s the best thing going today. Continue reading “Lucha Underground: Don’t Call it a Wrestling Promotion”→
My wife and I recently saw the Oscar-nominated film, The Big Short. It’s the true story of some financial analysts who discovered and capitalized on the housing market’s eventual collapse. It was interesting to watch a movie about a subject that affected my family, just like it did millions of families across the country. Continue reading “Thoughts on Film: The Big Short”→
Frank Dee and I discuss Shinsuke Nakamura, his scheduled NXT debut, and the one mistake WWE can’t afford to make with the former New Japan Pro Wrestling superstar.
If you like this clip, check out the entire episode ofThe Raw Dealat Gerweck.net: Pro Wrestling Since 1997
The 29th annual WWE Royal Rumble emanated from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL, with a jam-packed card full of great matches, good storytelling, and some major surprises. Traditionally, the 30 man over the top rope Royal Rumble match grants the winner a world title main event at WrestleMania. This year, however, things were quite different.
Roman Reigns spent the majority of 2015 being screwed out of becoming WWE World Heavyweight champion in front of the camera while behind the scenes, WWE has been working tirelessly to have him supplant John Cena as the face of the company.
On December 14th, due to a plethora of injuries that has plagued the roster, the decision was made to expedite Roman Reigns’ coronation as the top guy, and booking him to win the championship.
In front of the camera, The Authority comprised of Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon made the unprecedented move to force Roman Reigns to defend his title in the Royal Rumble match against 29 other wrestlers, while making Reigns the first entrant into the contest, essentially making it a one vs. all affair.
Royal Rumble Rules: The match starts with entrants one and two, and every two minutes after, another wrestler enters the Rumble, according to the number they drew.
Roman Reigns made short work of Bulgarian brute, Rusev, who drew #2. The next entrant was the surprise of the night as AJ MOTHER&^%$#@ STYLES made his way to the ring.
If you’re a wrestling fan whose only experience with the genre is what occurs on WWE television, the name AJ Styles might be foreign to you. The Gainesville, Georgia native, at 38 years old, is arguably the best wrestler on the planet today. He is an 18-year veteran who has been tearing it up in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling for the past two years.
Much to WWE’s credit, they didn’t change a thing about his character. They went out of their way to promote him as a big deal based on his illustrious past, and even made reference to the Internet rumors of his pending arrival. This is something WWE rarely does today.
Styles made a great showing for himself, lasting 28 minutes until he was thrown out by French Canadian braggart Kevin Owens, which was booed more than any other elimination.
Roman Reigns looked to have things well in hand until he was blindsided by the League of Nations with Vince McMahon watching on in approval. Reigns was escorted by medical personnel to the locker room, and it appeared that his night was over.
The Wyatt Family made their backwoods cult like presence felt as stable monster Braun Strowman eliminated wrestler after wrestler, making him the Rumble’s biggest obstacle.
Then Brock Lesnar arrived, and dished out his violence fused onslaught christened Suplex City. Lesnar eliminated Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, and Brawn Storwman, thus ruining plans to ensure victory for their leader, Bray Wyatt, who hadn’t entered the match until after the fact.
Later on, the eliminated Wyatt Family members interfered and threw out Lesnar, which appears to set the stage for a Brock Lesnar vs. Bray Wyatt showdown at WrestleMania.
NXT standout Sami Zayn was another surprise entrant in the Rumble. He made a b-line for Kevin Owens and eliminated him, hopefully rekindling their feud from last year.
Roman Reigns returned to the match, delivering Superman punches to everyone in sight. Triple H was the 30th entrant into the Rumble, which many predicted, and fell in line with Vince McMahon’s promise that Reigns will never see Triple H coming.
Triple H eliminated Roman Reigns, leaving him and Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose as the final two wrestlers. The Amway Center was electric as the prospect of Ambrose becoming champion excited the sold out crowd. In the end, Triple H eliminated the Lunatic Fringe, winning his second Royal Rumble while capturing his 14th WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Earlier action saw Dean Ambrose beat Kevin Owens in a Last Man Standing match to retain the IC belt. The comedic trio of The New Day bested the Usos to retain the tag team titles. Kalisto beat Alberto Del Rio to earn a second, and hopefully more fruitful run as United States champion.
Charlotte defeated Becky Lynch in a great match to hold on to the Divas title. Post-match activity saw the return of Sasha Banks, the most popular female wrestler on the roster. She applied her Bank Statement submission hold onto Charlotte, sending a message to the champ that she is next in line.
This was one of the best booked Royal Rumble events in quite some time. Even though Triple H’s involvement and his title win could be seen coming from a mile away, it made sense with the plight of Roman Reigns story that WWE is telling.
man Reigns vs. Triple H appears to be the featured attraction for WrestleMania on April 3. Some question whether this match will draw a record crowd to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
With John Cena, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, and Cesaro being legitimately injured and missing the big event, Reigns/Hunter is probably the safest option since the hero’s chase of the title is always more compelling story.
Professional wrestling maybe the strangest business in existence. That doesn’t mean the word “respect” is lost on the genre. In fact, it’s one of the first things listed on the syllabus of Wrestling 101. Whether you are humble or arrogant, no one is immune to taking part in this lesson.
Those who learn to appreciate the privilege of being in the business will, in time, start to earn respect from those who’ve come before you. The ones who are stubborn and hard headed will either learn the hard way or be shown the exit.
Tough Enough winner, Josh Bredl, made headlines this week for a disparaging remark he made on Twitter about the Social Outcasts being “Social Jobbers.” This reportedly drew the ire of several WWE superstars, with Stardust and Kevin Owens publicly firing shots at the Division I athlete.
Click here to check out the column in its entirety at Gerweck.net: Pro Wrestling Since 1997
Welcome to my belated review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. As much as I wanted to write up a review as soon as the end credits rolled, I decided to wait. I wanted to avoid being “Phantom Menaced” and watch the film a few more times while the nostalgia subsided. Six trips to the theater, and a much lighter wallet, gave me some clarity on the matter.
While this is not a perfect movie, the pros heavily outweigh the cons and its execution in giving audiences that Star Wars magic is flawless. Perhaps the film’s biggest accomplishment is the introduction of the new characters Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, and Kylo Ren.
Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker are names that transcend pop culture and therefore need no introduction. Casting and character development was the key ingredient in making this a reality for the newcomers and they were delightful in every sense of the word. Continue reading “Star Wars: The Force Awakens In-Depth Review”→
As I head out to the theater to wait in line to see the new Star Wars movie, I kind of feel like Kylo Ren pictured above. It’s dark, there’s a chill in the air, and I’m optimistically on guard with no idea of what awaits me on the silver screen.
Few films in history have had greater anticipation than The Force Awakens. It’s the sequel that fans have been waiting for despite coming to terms with the idea that Revenge of the Sith would be the saga’s final movie. That all changed when Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, and now we’re less than 24 hours away from moving forward in a galaxy far, far, away. Continue reading “The Awakening Begins”→
Something interesting occurred at the end of last night’s WWE TLC pay-per-view. It wasn’t just that Roman Reigns lost another bid for the WWE title or that he snapped afterwards, beating up the League of Nations and absolutely destroying Triple H. It’s that the usual course of boos from the audience turned into a resounding chant of “Thank you, Roman.” Continue reading “Thank you, Roman: The Dawn of an Empire”→
Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon | Author: Delilah S. Dawson | Publisher: Del Rey | Price: $1.99 | The Road to Episode VII @ Forces of Geek.com
If you’ve been keeping up with all of The Force Awakens coverage, you might have noticed a picture of a woman amongst what appears to be a bunch of pirates. She is wearing a black skull cap, black lipstick and leaning comfortably against a rather large alien.
Her name is Bazine Netal, and she just might be the most deadly mercenary in the galaxy. The Perfect Weapon is an exclusive eBook and short story set shortly before the upcoming film’s events. Bazine is hired by an anonymous client to locate an ex-Stormtrooper and recover a mysterious package he’s safeguarding. Continue reading “Star Wars: The Perfect Weapon Review”→
RingsideLogic.com 