SHIELD TV Show, Arrow TV Show, The Walking Dead: New York Comic Con 2012 Highlights

We began our New York Comic Con highlights recap began here. So let's dive back in and finish up the re-cap of highlights from the 2012 events. 

The Dark Knight Returns Part 2 —Frank Miller’s Vision Comes to Life Through Conan O’Brien

After being well received via its recent DVD release, The Dark Knight Returns will conclude in part two of Frank Miller’s saga, slated for release on DVD and Bluray next year. The second part of the video will have a greater focus on the Joker, although many fans are still disappointed that Mark Hamill is no longer at the helm of a character he really helped define. The trailer also shows off clips of Superman, some slick fight animations and a somewhat ridiculous scene of Batman riding in and convincing his fellow vigilantes that the city must be taken back his way.  

DC Comics New 52 —The Joker is Back

Of all the comics announced and teased at the New 52 panel by DC Comics, including a horrid reiteration of the obscure and insignificant Superman story lines expected to pollute the airwaves over the next few weeks, it came as a beautiful surprise that the Joker was returning to his former glory. In the ever-expanding quest of trying to explain the Joker’s relationship to the Dark Knight, writer Scott Snyder revealed that the Joker considers Batman his king and will do anything to restore the man to his former glory, lost by the presence of a family of sorts around him. The comic is legitimately bordering on horror, as can be expected by Snyder’s portfolio of work on Swamp Thing, and the Joker is as intelligently demented as he ever was. Be sure to keep an eye on Batman #13, because it is sure to be a scarefest.

Evil Dead Remake —Bruce Campbell Says It's Good; Enough Said

Seeing as how many people might not even remember Sam Raimi’s classic Evil Dead, it may be a bit of a trip down IMDB lane to actually try and find the last time Bruce Campbell did a role that was not a total jerk to Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. However, the iconic star took to the stage to address the concerns that the latest Evil Dead was not a cheap cash tie-in and would indeed be a complete movie. The movie stars relatively new actors, always a positive in horror films, and is legitimately playing up the horror factor and abandoning the cheese that was apparent in many modern sequels. Campbell was insistent on the movie being fantastic, even citing the fact that they have an Academy Award winner in writer Diablo Cody. Of course, fans were upset as to why he wasn’t in the film, to which he simply responded that they needed younger, fresher faces. Good on you, Bruce.

SHIELD Show To Be Headed By Phil Coulson: Didn’t He Die?

In short, no; no, he didn’t. According to the ever-present and incredibly lovable Joss Whedon, the wonderful Clark Gregg would be reprising his role as Agent Coulson in the upcoming SHIELD show. Somehow, for all of us that shed a tear at the fact that Loki actually stabbed the one man tying all the Marvel movies together, this feels like something of a betrayal. However, betrayal is what SHIELD is an expert in and fans have been speculating that the death was just a ruse to inspire all the Avengers into action. After all, Nick Fury is a spy. In fact, he is the spy; his secrets have secrets. Therefore, whatever the case may be, I am just glad that Phil Coulson is back; hopefully that cellist he planned on marrying will forgive him for the lie.

The Walking Dead —Still Walking and Shooting

The season 3 premiere of The Walking Dead was the most watched basic cable drama telecast ever, and the panel reflected the kind of love fans have for the increasingly iconic series. The first few minutes of the first season, as fans know by now, was little more than a dialogue-less sequence where the members attempted to survive. Also noteworthy were the remarkable changes some of the characters have faced, such as Carl’s transformation or Michonne’s immediate arrival and settling into the world so nicely. It was surprising that children were present at the event and, while fans love to argue that the “thematic depth” of the series is wasted on kids, there’s no denying that the little ones have a remarkable affinity for all things gore.

Da Vinci’s Demons —The Latest Series Being Kept Under Wraps

As an immediate indication of where Starz is going with its latest show, the clips shown for the series were incredibly graphic in content and will likely never see the face of primetime, even edited. The creator confirmed that the show would only be shown in the Comic Con room, meaning that those seeking the episode online need not apply. The Da Vinci in this version is quite young and somewhat brash, as can be seen by the actor describing him as a cross between Tony Stark, Sherlock Holmes, and Indiana Jones. Two of those characters have been done by Robert Downey Jr., whose swag meter is literally off the charts, so we have to see whether Tom Riley can live up to that claim. The series also does well to incorporate other historical figures, such as the Medicis, while also highlighting the inventor side to Da Vinci. Whether the series is a hit or not remains to be seen but, if the early confidence in the series is any indication, the creators certainly feel they have a hit on their hands.

Arrow —Expanding the Cast

As the highest rated debut for the CW in the last three years, Arrow is something to be noted. Debuting on the same channel as the prolonged and intolerably mediocre Smallville, the latest DC hero to get a shot at the small screen is quick in introducing fantastic characters. Of the several comic book references announced, the two most exciting to fans will likely by Michael Rowe’s Deadshot and Jeffrey Robinson’s Deathstroke. For those of you that don’t follow the comics too well, Deadshot is considered by many as the world’s best marksman and is always out to make a point of that, kind of like Marvel’s Bullseye. Deathstroke, on the other hand, is such a competent combatant that even Batman could only fight him to a stalemate. Of course, by taking characters from Batman’s rogues gallery, the series is automatically risking downplaying their importance because, let’s face it, Arrow is no Batman.

Remember Me —Capcom Details The Future of Mind Games

Remember Me is a new franchise in a time when the concept of “new IP” has become a bit of a curse. Games often get great scores and simply do not sell because fans seemingly don’t trust new games (I have been buying Mortal Kombat for the last two decades without fail). Therefore, Remember Me is a breath of fresh air by Capcom, a company that has recently earned a reputation for greedy business practices and shameless rehashes of previous works. The game takes place in Neo-Paris, France in the year 2084, and revolves around the concept of using memories to complete objectives, such as stealing someone else’s. That is the job of our protagonist, Nilin, who immediately furthers the comparison this game is rightfully earning to Mirror’s Edge in terms of design. Nilin’s memories have been stolen and she wishes to find out why, in a style very reminiscent of classic Philip K. Dick works. The game’s setting is modern but does not involve any of the traditional sci-fi elements such as aliens, although it does have a future where one mega-corporation runs everything and civilians are no longer free; that, my friends, is classic sci-fi to the core. One particular mission in the game highlights Nilin’s attempts to kill a target, doing so by remixing his memories to convince him that he needs to commit suicide. The actual method Nilin uses involves a machine that allows her to replay his memories and create the most damaging outcome, convincing him that he doesn’t deserve to live. Remember Me comes out in May for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. 

So, there you have it. The highlights of NYCC sadly just don't hold a candle to the San Diego version. If the New York iteration of the show wishes to compete with the San Diego version, it better get its act together before fans realize that it simply isn’t worth it. Oh, wait, they’ll never realize that so keep doing what you’re doing, Comic Con.