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When it comes to iconic franchises from the 1980s, few can rival Star Wars and Indiana Jones. While Star Wars technically began in the 1970s, its popularity surged during the ’80s alongside Indiana Jones, which debuted in 1981. Despite their seemingly different worlds, both franchises captivated global audiences and continue to thrive.

One obvious link between the two is Harrison Ford, who starred in both. But there’s another, deeper connection: the friendship between Star Wars creator George Lucas and Indiana Jones director Steven Spielberg. Lucas not only pitched the idea of Indiana Jones to Spielberg but collaborated closely on both projects, creating a shared creative vision between the franchises.

Now, a fascinating theory suggests an even closer relationship: that Star Wars and Indiana Jones might actually exist in the same universe.

According to this theory, Indiana Jones takes place in the present-day version of the Star Wars galaxy, hinting at...

In the list of open-world titles, the two series that have claimed some of the top spots are surely GTA and Mafia. The whole world is right now suffering from the GTA 6 fever. The announcement is done; all it needs is a proper release date. Amidst this excitement, comes Mafia.

After the huge success of Mafia 3 in 2016, it’s been eight years since fans were waiting for a worthy successor. But as per some recent leaks, the wait might come to an end. But will it be the right decision from 2K to clash against the most hyped title in the world right now, GTA 6?

Take-Two Is Preparing for an Announcement Regarding Mafia Amidst GTA 6 Hype GTA 6 has been confirmed to be released in 2025.

In a recent X post, credible leaker Kurakasis claimed that in a few days, there will be an announcement from Take-Two regarding the Mafia series.

Fyi:...

It's no secret that George Lucas took inspiration from a particular animal for the design of every "Star Wars" fans' favorite Wookiee, Chewbacca. No, it wasn't the Sasquatch. But that doesn't mean there isn't a missing link between the Millennium Falcon co-pilot and the ape-like creatures rumored to live in isolation throughout the forests of North America. Enter Haden Blackman, writer and "The Force Unleashed" project leader, who wrote a short comic in 2004 that cleverly intertwined the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" universes.

Titled "Into The Great Unknown," the comic sees the Millennium Falcon crashing down on Earth, stranding Chewbacca on our planet...

The post Why Chewbacca Actor Peter Mayhew Needed Protection While Filming Endor Scenes appeared first on /Film.

The cult classic Mafia series is getting a re-release this year called the Mafia Trilogy, which will feature remastered versions of Mafia 2 and Mafia 3 as well as a full remake of the original Mafia, which 2K is calling “the centerpiece of the collection.”

“The original Mafia made such a lasting impact on how video games can tell serious stories, and we know how much the series’ fans still revere it,” said Haden Blackman, president and Cco at Hangar 13, in a press release. Blackman, who previously served as director and writer of Mafia 3, is leading the development of Mafia: Definitive Edition. “Nearly 20 years after the Mafia series started, we now have an amazing opportunity to introduce this beloved game to a new generation of players and give longtime fans a chance to relive Tommy’s story with a stellar modern presentation, as well as new story elements and gameplay features.”

2K...

This review contains some minor spoilers.

DC’s Rebirth is proving to be a phenomenal success. Now, one year into the era, the company is preparing a second wave of comics – ranging from the new Justice League of America to Super Sons. Batwoman, too, is one of the second wave – but DC has been building up to this one for quite some time.

Kathy Kane’s Batwoman was originally created back in the 1950s as a love-interest for Batman, largely to deal with allegations that Batman was homosexual. There’s a real irony in the fact that, when the character was reintroduced into mainstream continuity in 2006, DC chose to make the character a lesbian. She’s been one of DC’s flagship lesbian characters for years, albeit with a troubling history – at one point, writers J. H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman quit the book because DC wouldn’t allow...

The Mafia series has returned with 2K Games and Hangar 13's Mafia III! Come inside to see the awesome new trailer and find out when the game is coming out!

Mafia III looks like it was ripped out of a Martin Scorcese film. This trailer shows Lincoln Clay's one-man mission to destroy the corruption in 1968 New Bordeaux (New Orleans) and man does it get destructive. 2K and Hangar 13 have outdone themselves with the graphics and facial movements. At times, it felt like watching a movie.

The next chapter in the Mafia saga looks to be an epic one! So when can you get your hands on it? This fall, when Mafia III hits shelves on October 7, 2016!

To see the full PR including a description of the game and pre-order offers, see below.

Let us know in the comment section if you're as pumped up for Mafia III as we are!

There’s a long list of Star Wars videogames that never reached gamers, and today brings us more information on a proposed “sequel” to the Star Wars movies (at the time) which could have made many Expanded Universe fans happy. Come inside to learn more about Shadows of the Sith!

Over the last few months, I've had the good fortune to chat with former LucasArts developers about Star Wars games we all enjoyed. Even more exciting, however, has been the fact that they've revealed some never before heard details on Star Wars games that never saw the light of day. It's been a bittersweet process (as some of these would have been amazing to play), but very enlightening as to the goings on within LucasArts at the time.

Rogue Leaders: The Story of LucasArts released in 2008 and revealed some logos for various games that never developed beyond initial ideas/pitches...

Fans have long clamored for a sequel to Star Wars: Republic Commando, especially since the ending left on something of a cliffhanger and one character's fate unresolved.  I got the chance to speak with the game's lead programmer Brett Douville who revealed what Would have happened to the character if the sequel had happened.  Come inside to check it out!

LucasArts had a nasty habit of leaving their Star Wars gaming franchises behind without tying up loose ends, they are still something that keeps gamers talking all these years later.  Last year, I was happy to chat with Haden Blackman about The Force Unleashed and the ideas for what another sequel could have been...and that only made me eager to delve into more Star Wars games we needed answers from.  

Brett Douville, the lead dev on Republic Commando was kind enough to talk with me about his time at LucasArts,...

Star Wars Tales is a quarterly anthology series published by Dark Horse from 1999 to 2005. Each issue was 64 pages long and contained a variety of stories, in both number, length, content, and tone. Most stories were considered non-canonical “Infinities” stories unless canonized elsewhere (though of course, now all such stories are deemed non-canonical “legends”). In the course of its six year run, Star Wars Tales featured stories from dozens of different creators, covering numerous facets of the Star Wars universe, from serious, thoughtful tales to comedic ones to straight-up fan-demanded “what if?” type stories. Here are ten of the best, entertaining in their own right but also representative of the breadth of content available in this series (all of which are currently available to subscribers of Marvel Unlimited, and were earlier collected into six trade collections that can probably still be found on Amazon and the like).

Issue #4 – “A Death Star...

Across nearly four decades and two publishing companies, the Star Wars comic book universe has seen thousands of issues chronicling tales set in a galaxy, far, far away. Following Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm, fellow subsidiary company Marvel reclaimed the license to publish new Star Wars comics in 2015. Along with it, they received publishing rights to all prior Star Wars comics, including those released by Dark Horse when it held the license (from the early 90s up to 2015). Now, thanks to Marvel’s digital subscription service, Marvel Unlimited, the vast majority (though not yet all) of these comics are available for subscribers of the service to read in one convenient place.

But with all those comics to choose from, and all rendered equally non-canonical by Lucasfilm, where is a Star Wars comic book novice to start? Right here, with this list of ten single issues, storylines and series from across...

With Star Wars Battlefront releasing this month and ushering a new era in Star Wars gaming, I reached out to former LucasArts creative director Haden Blackman to discuss a pair of the biggest releases from before the Disney takeover: The Force Unleashed.

Last week, I gave up some juicy tidbits of information from Haden Blackman, that fans had been wanting to know for a while. He opened up about what The Force Unleashed 3 could have been, as well as his original ideas for the sequel (wherein Starkiller Wasn’T the main character). If you thought that’s all the interesting bits I got from our conversation, you’re mistaken.

Haden Blackman, who’s currently working on a ‘little’ title Mafia III was kind enough to take some time from his busy schedule to talk with me about two of my favorite things, Star Wars and video games. With a new...

This week on The Recap we've got even more posters for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Warcraft gets a full trailer today, someone spent 5.9 billion dollars on Candy Crush, and The Witcher is coming to the big screen.  All this plus some exclusive Star Wars gaming info. 

News happens every day. Some are massive, jaw dropping scoops, while others may fly under the radar. The Recap is here to highlight the best/most interesting news scoops from the week, that you may have missed or forgot about in the deluge of other news stories.

To read more about the stories covered in this week's Recap, you can check out the original articles:

New Star Wars: The Force Awakens Character Posters

The Witcher is Coming to the Big Screen

Haden Blackman Reveals What The Force Unleashed 3 Could Have Been

Activision Buys the Developers of Candy Crush

You can catch The Recap every Friday,...

When The Force Unleashed 2 brought back the character of Starkiller, some fans were confused (and still are), especially when the adventure turned out to be so short. That story wasn't always the plan, however, and the original ideas for Tfu 2 would have feature new characters and an entirely different story. Come inside to learn more of what could have been.

My conversation with Haden Blackman, the former LucasArts creative director, has been incredibly enlightening. From finding out what The Force Unleashed 3 could have been to even more insight into LucasArts and the franchise in general. While the full interview will drop early next week, Blackman provided me with some More intriguing information that I couldn't wait to share.

The canonical ending to the first Force Unleashed saw Starkiller/Galen Marek sacrifice himself on the Death Star in battle against Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. His death gave his friends the chance to escape,...

Ever wondered what The Force Unleashed 3 would have been about, had the developers gotten the chance to make it? While talking with former LucastArts Creative Director Haden Blackman about the games, he revealed what could have been in store for the franchise. Come inside to see his remarks.

LucasArts was an early casualty of the Disney/Lucasfilm merger, leaving many planned games cancelled, and fans left wondering about what could have been. I got the chance to speak with writer/producer Haden Blackman about his time at LucasArts (though he left long before the acquisition), specifically regarding The Force Unleashed and it's sequels. I'll post the full interview later on, but I thought fans would be interested in this tidbit regarding what the future of The Force Unleashed franchise would have entailed.

The Force Unleashed games were a big deal, and became multi-media endeavors for Lucasfilm, serving as a "canonical...

Summer proved to be a busy month at the head offices at 2K, what with the reputable publisher unveiling both Xcom 2 and the latest installment in its crime noir series, Mafia III. Adopting a new approach over the pulp, New York-based action of its immediate predecessor, Hanger 13 surprised many a fan when it confirmed the threequel’s 1960s setting, opening up a fertile ground to tackle themes of racism and police harassment.

Occupying this month’s cover of Game Informer, Creative Director Haden Blackman dove into the story and plot details for Mafia III, underlining the thought-provoking themes lurking beneath its retro aesthetic. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the follow-up is attempting to distance itself from the franchise with its decidedly different direction, as Blackman noted that the sequel holds ties to Mafia II.

“At the end of the day, you’re going to feel like this...

Can one man stand against the might of an entire empire? Find out this May, as Shang-Chi is unleashed in Master of Kung-Fu #1, a new 4-issue Secret Wars limited series from creators Haden Blackman (Elektra) and Dalibor Talajic (Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe) who are all set to take you on a wild martial arts thrill ride through the mystical land of K’un Lun.

Once the most prized student in all of K’un Lun, Shang-Chi now wanders the streets as a derelict. Cast out and forsaken, Shang-Chi and others shunned like him will rise up to dethrone the evil Emperor Zu. One problem – Zu is Shang-Chi’s father! Things are going to get messy. Can one beaten-down man become a Master? As the Secret Wars begin, step into the arena and find out who will be… Master Of Kung-fu! The story begins this May!

Master Of Kung-fu #1 (MAR...

Batwoman #40

Written by Marc Andreyko

Pencils by George Jeanty; Inks by Karl Story & Dexter Vines

Colors by Guy Major

Published by DC Comics

After over three years in publication, Batwoman’s ongoing series comes to an end. There is to be an annual set to release at the start of April, but #40 marks the end of Batwoman’s monthly instalments. To tell the truth, it’s quite miraculous that a title coming from the big two headlining a gay female lead has lasted this long. Then again chances are association to a certain more famous superhero helped keep this book stay afloat, sorry but it tends to be true. One of the greatest problems Batwoman has faced is the numerous controversies surrounding her book. There was the infamous marriage cancellation which caused the creative team of J. H. Williams III and Haden Blackman to walk out, prompting the series to...

So here we are at the end of 2014, which is the time for media folk to opine about the best and the worst of the year in all the different areas of our overcrowded, put-upon lives. So though I rarely think of myself as part of the media folk crowd, I’ll include me in that description for this column, since all of you have so kindly considered my words, thoughts, judgments, attitudes, and so forth important enough to peruse over the last twelve months.

So here we go, in no particular order, and not divided into “best” and “worst”…

I applaud Marvel Comics’ writer G. Willow Wilson (great name, by the way, so alliterative!) and artist Adrian Alphona for introducing the comics world to Kamala Khan, an American Muslim teenager from Jersey City, New Jersey. Kamala’s parents and family are traditional, observant Muslims (for the most part), but...

Batwoman #36

Written by Marc Andreyko

Pencils by George Jeanty Inks by Karl Story

Last month, Batwoman saw Kate Kane working alongside the likes of Red Alice, Clayface, Ragman, and Etrigan the Demon in space while fighting the forces of Hell and Morgan le Fey. It served as a proper introduction to Batwoman’s new occult themed team: the Unknowns. Now the series jumps back to explain the hows and whys of last issue. This month manages to perfectly balance both the oncoming mystical madness and the fallout from the last year or so of story lines.

As the status quo stands, Kate Kane has been unwittingly made a vampiress by her current girlfriend Natalia Knight. She’s been experiencing blackouts when her newfound blood lust flares up, and in this issue, nearly has her chow down on a pair of graffiti artists. A mystery begins when a shady cult performs...

Batwoman #35

Written by Marc Andreyko

Art by Georges Jeanty

Published by DC Comics

Since its first issue back at the start of the New 52, Batwoman has been a problematic series. What has served as a fatal flaw of the book is how it tries to be a follow up to Greg Rucka’s excellent pre-New 52 Batwoman “Elegy” story arc on Detective Comics, and it sadly falls short of its own ambition. The book’s initial run suffered from the inexperienced writing of J. H. Williams III and H. Haden Blackman, but often the failings were made up in its art (whenever Williams and Blackman were on duty) When the two stormed out because DC Comics cancelled their long planned Batwoman marriage, writing duties were quickly shifted to Marc Andreyko. Andreyko has tried his best. However, much of his run has served as damage control to end Batwoman’s engagement while...

Marvel has announced that they will be reprinting some of Dark Horse’s Star Wars comics which will arrive in stores before the company begins churning out their own all-new Star Wars titles beginning in early 2015.

Revealed via StarWars.com yesterday, the first collection to be released will be titled Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Vol. 1 and will include material written by John Ostrander, Randy Stradley, Haden Blackman, and Alexander Freed and artwork by Luke Ross, Douglas Wheatley, Jim Hall, Chris Scalf, Marco Castiello, Andrea Chella and Rick Leonardi.

The complete list of titles in the first volume, all of which take place after the events of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, include “Star Wars: Republic” #78-#80, “Star Wars: Purge” #1, “Star Wars: Purge – Seconds to Die” #1, “Star Wars: Purge – The Hidden Blade” #1, “Star Wars: Purge – The Tyrant’s Fist...

Marvel Comics has announced further Star Wars reprints with its Epic Collection.

The publisher will release Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Empire Vol 1 next year, featuring material original published by Dark Horse Comics.

Set between Episodes III and IV, the comics focus on the rise of the Empire and Darth Vader.

The collection will include Star Wars: Republic #78-#80, Star Wars: Purge #1, Star Wars: Purge - Seconds to Die #1, Star Wars: Purge - The Hidden Blade #1, Star Wars: Purge - The Tyrant's Fist #1-#2, Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command #1-#5, and Star Wars: Dark Times #1-#5.

These feature work by writers John Ostrander, Randy Stradley, Haden Blackman and Alexander Freed, and artists Luke Ross, Douglas Wheatley, Jim Hall, Chris Scalf, Marco Castiello, Andrea Chella and Rick Leonardi.

The Star Wars licence passed from Dark Horse to Marvel following the...

flickr

DC has become the punching bag of the comic book world as of late, and not without good reason. The company has a long history – whether in pursuit of publicity or from complete stupidity – of making incredibly controversial decisions. There have been storylines that got fanboys’ chins wagging in all the wrong ways, editorial decisions that live on in infamy, and more character deaths, reboots and refigurings than you can shake a Bucky at.

Not more than you can rank and order into an entertaining list, however. Delving into the company’s murky history, both on and off the page, has brought up ten of the most controversial decisions that Detective Comics Comics (that is their actual name) have made during their over eighty years in the business. It so easily could have been 20. Or 30. Or 40…

10. Batwoman Can’t Get Married

DC Comics

One of the most boneheaded editorial...

This May, the Marvel Universe’s deadliest assassin braves new dangers in Elektra #2 – from critically acclaimed creators Haden Blackman and Mike Del Mundo.

After the shocking events of the first jaw-dropping issue of Elektra, the psychotic killer Bloody Lips is closing in on Marvel’s deadliest femme fatale. If she’s going to survive, she’ll first have to fight her way through the dangerous Monster Island in search of the elusive assassin known only as Cape Crow! What untold terrors lie on Monster Island – and is Elektra’s first mission back set to be her last? Blackman and Del Mundo weave another gorgeous issue about honor and redemption that has to be seen to be believed! Don’t miss the hauntingly beautiful Elektra #2 when it hits comic shops this May!

Elektra #2 (MAR140658)

Written by Haden Blackman

Art & Cover by Mike Del Mundo

Variant Cover by Chris Samnee (MAR140659)

Foc...

Witness the beautifully violent return of the world’s deadliest assassin. A life spent in silent pain has led Elektra to the precipice of despair. As she prepares to shed her past and take her next step, everything you know about her will change! Death is no escape, but she will find her way as a new option opens up that will take Elektra to places no other Marvel character can go. Elektra #1 Written by Haden Blackman Pencils & Cover by Mike Del Mundo...

This April, witness the beautifully violent return of one of the Marvel Universe’s deadliest assassins in Elektra #1, from critically acclaimed creators Haden Blackman and Mike Del Mundo.

A life spent in silent pain has led Elektra Natchios to the brink of despair. But as the crimson-clad assassin prepares to shed her blood-soaked past and take the next step, everything you know about her will change in an instant! Death is no escape, but she will find her way as a new option opens up that will take Elektra to places no other hero will go.

Deadly threats and lethal foes await around every turn. But they will discover that none are quite as dangerous as Elektra herself. The next stage in the life of the most dangerous assassin in the Marvel Universe begins this April in Elektra #1!

Elektra #1 (FEB140678)

Written by Haden Blackman

Art & Cover by Mike Del Mundo

Variant Covers by Paolo Rivera,...

"Witness the beautifully violent return of the world’s deadliest assassin. A life spent in silent pain has led Elektra to the precipice of despair. As she prepares to shed her past and take her next step, everything you know about her will change! Death is no escape, but she will find her way as a new option opens up that will take Elektra to places no other Marvel character can go". Haden Blackman (W) Michael Del Mundo (A/C) variant cover by Milo Manara variant cover by Paolo Rivera variant cover by Bill Sienkiewicz variant cover by Skottie Young Blank Cover variant Also Available Elektra #1 is due on shelves April 23, 2014.

In comics news this week, Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin & Hobbes, won the prestigious Angoulême Grand Prix (a kind of lifetime achievement award) at the biggest comic convention in the world, the Angoulême International Comics Festival. The famously reclusive comics creator was not in attendance but the award is the second time an American has won, the last being Art Spiegelman, the creator of Maus, who won 2 years ago. Calvin & Hobbes ended in 1996 but Watterson’s anti-commercial artistic integrity and the quality of his work has won him many admirers and the strip continues to be popular to this day.

There’s a rumour going around that Geoff Johns’ new ongoing project will be Superman. Johns has been dropping titles left and right, handing off Aquaman to Jeff Parker and finishing his acclaimed Green Lantern run last year, and with Forever Evil coming to an end shortly, his only...

With two big ceremonies coming up (April 12th in Los Angeles and May 3rd in New York City), the 2014 GLAAD Media Awards has a ton of great nominees all vying for a trophy.

On the film end of things, “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Blue is the Warmest Color” both received nods, and “Orange is the New Black” and “Pretty Little Liars” lead the way for television.

The GLAAD Media Awards honors the biggest and brightest stars in entertainment, journalism and real-life Lgbt movements.

The nominees for the 2014 GLAAD Media Awards are:

Outstanding Film – Wide Release

Blue Is the Warmest Color (Sundance Selects)

Dallas Buyers Club (Focus Features)

Kill Your Darlings (Sony Pictures Classics)

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (Sony Pictures Releasing)

Philomena (The Weinstein Company)

Outstanding Film – Limited Release

Concussion (RADiUS-The Weinstein Company)

Geography Club (Breaking Glass Pictures)

Out in the Dark (Breaking Glass Pictures)

Reaching for the Moon...

This morning the national Lgbt media advocacy organization GLAAD announced nominees for the 25th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. According to GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis, the year “has brought momentous progress for Lgbt people and families – and our nominees have created images and stories that continue to challenge misconceptions, shatter stereotypes, and change hearts and minds of millions all across the globe.”

There are 130 nominees in 29 categories but a few notable honorees include wide release films Dallas Buyers Club, Philomena and Kill Your Darlings, all of which were previously reviewed here on TheBacklot.

In the limited release category, Geography Club scored a nod. (The film is based on the classic Ya novel by AfterElton alum Brent Hartinger.)

In the outstanding TV drama category, ABC Family scored 2 nominees: The Fosters and Pretty Little Liars.

In the TV comedy category, perennial nominees Modern Family and Glee were joined by Brooklyn Nine-Nine and...

Marvel has announced that Haden Blackman will be taking up the writing duties on Elektra, the new ongoing series that will be part of the All New Marvel Now initiative, replacing Zeb Wells who was originally announced as the writer for the title. Haden Blackman, who received a lot of attention after abruptly walking off Batwoman following a disagreement with DC’s editorial department, will be joined by artist Mike Del Mundo as they continue to tell the stories of Frank Miller‘s iconic character.

Wells told Cbr earlier today that his recent commitments to TV projects would not allow him the time he would like to properly write for the upcoming title. He stated that, “Anyone who knows me knows this book has been a dream of mine since I started writing comics ten years ago. Unfortunately, after Steve moved heaven and earth to make the book happen, commitments...

Marvel Entertainment is excited to announce the addition of Haden Blackman as series writer for Elektra beginning with an All-New Marvel Now! #1. On shelves this April, the perilous and dangerous adventures of Elektra Natchios – simply known by her enigmatic moniker of Elektra – will be orchestrated by critically acclaimed writer Haden Blackman (Batwoman). Previously announced with Zeb Wells writing the series, Haden is prepared to take Elektra down the dangerous paths of the Marvel Universe. “I’m extremely excited about this series,” says Blackman. “Elektra is a complex character who is still searching for her identity and purpose. My goal is to put Elektra into new situations facing terrifying enemies and hard moral choices she hasn’t encountered before. All the while exploring her evolving motives and personality.” Series Editor Sana Amanat teases, “Elektra sets off on a treacherous trek through the far corners of the Marvel Universe on a mission...

Batwoman #24

Writers: J.H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman

Artists: Trevor McCarthy, Sandu Florea, and Derek Fridolfs

Colorists: Guy Major

Publisher: DC Comics

J.H. Williams has been writing and/or drawing Batwoman’s (Kate Kane) adventures in some capacity since 2009′s Batwoman: Elegy storyline in Detective Comics. With Greg Rucka, he created a compelling origin story for DC Comics’ first lesbian superheroine and set her apart from Batman in her crime fighting methods and attitude. Her rogues gallery was mostly creatures from urban legends, folklore, or mythology (even though she does fight some of Batman’s villains like in this issue), and her relationships with her family and friends was a big focus of the series. Batwoman #24 is the last issue that co-writers J.H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman will ever do, and even though its art is a bit rough, Williams and Blackman provide an exciting plot...

Batwoman Volume 3: World's Finest continues the supernatural storyline of the past two collections. It includes issues 0 and 12 through 17 of the monthly series. I love supernatural yarns, and a blending of all the urban legends and myths is a dream come true.

A new element is added to the tale in the form of Wonder Woman. Who better to bring into the mix than the Amazonian Princess born of Greek Gods and Goddesses? Her help comes in especially when the villains you're going up against form a powerful army led by the deadly and infamous Medusa. Batwoman and Wonder Woman must join forces to keep the forces of evil from destroying Gotham. Can they keep Medusa from sacrificing the city's children in an attempt to raise Ceto, the mother of all monsters?

Writers J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman continue to successfully spin a complex story bringing urban...

There was some discussion when the creative team on DC’s Batwoman, J.H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman, resigned after editorial decided that the title character, Kate Kane, would not be allowed to marry her fiancée, Maggie Sawyer. DC has tried to clarify that they are not anti-gay marriage but anti any marriage. Dan Didio, DC co-publisher, stated at the Baltimore Con that heroes (at least in the Batman family) shouldn’t have happy personal lives, no marriages. They sacrifice personal happiness for the greater good. That’s what makes them heroes. Or so we’re told. Didio said, “That is our mandate, that is our edict and that is our stand.”

That’s one viewpoint.

I can argue it both ways. Comics are fantasies and fairy tales tend to end with “And they lived happily ever after.” It is assumed that, after that point, the story gets mundane.

Batwoman – Vol 3 – World’s Finest By J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman To me, Batwoman is an interesting case. I was never interested in her because I never thought she was an interesting character. Mainly because I never actually read comics featuring her, so when Batwoman Volume 3 dropped in my lap, I shunned it for a little bit. Eventually, I picked it up and skimmed a couple pages from the first chapter and was absolutely hooked and started reading it from the start. I’d thought that starting with Volume 3 would make me lost, but the fact that this book contains issue #0 really helped. Regardless, Batwoman is one of the most fleshed out characters in DC comics right now with an interesting range of supporting characters. Her adventures are superb which are sprung to life by the beautiful artwork by J.H. Williams III, who manages to capture...

In the last week, DC Comics has made me exhausted. I can’t keep up with my own outrage.

At first report, DC reportedly drove off J. H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman from the pages of Batwoman by decreeing that Kate Kane could not marry Maggie Sawyer, a storyline that they had been developing for more than a year.

How could this happen? DC had always been a leader in creating a diverse universe, or at least it did during my tenure there. We were so Lgbt-friendly that I was able to work with GLAAD to get an awards category established for comics and graphic novels when they gave out their yearly prizes. And now they’re going all reactionary? That made no sense. The Internet rumor that they were doing this to suck up to Orson Scott Card made even less sense, and, happily, turned out to be complete paranoid speculation.

Last week, DC Comics' Batwoman title lost its writers when J.H. Williams III and Haden Blackman quit the book, publicly citing editorial indecision as the reason why and specifically mentioning that they were forbidden from showing the lead character getting married to her girlfriend in the series. Amid cries of homophobia, it was quickly clarified by Williams and, later, DC itself, that the problem wasn't the idea of gay marriage but marriage as a whole. At this weekend's Baltimore Comic-Con, DC co-publisher Dan Didio explained why. Didio told the audience of a DC Comics panel at the

read more...

DC’s Batwoman is a standout series in the company’s lineup, the rare mainstream comic with a lesbian lead character. In fact, Batwoman got engaged a few months ago to longtime girlfriend/fellow badass Maggie Sawyer. Unfortunately, plans for a historic marriage have been discarded — and, as a result, the book’s main architects have now departed the series.

In a blog post, co-writers J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman explain that they will leave Batwoman after issue #26. “In recent months, DC has asked us to alter or completely discard many long-standing storylines in ways that we...

DC Comics' Batwoman is losing its two co-authors. In a blog post late Wednesday, co-authors J.H. Williams and W. Haden Blackman wrote that they'd be exiting the comic after Issue 26 is released in December, citing creative difficulties with DC. Batwoman was relaunched in 2010 as a stand-alone series that told a new origin story about female Caped Crusader Kate Kane (aka Batwoman), this time a member of the U.S. Military Academy who was forced to leave after allegations arose that she was gay. Rather than hide her sexual orientation, she opted to leave the academy.

read more...

With the Star Wars movie machine set to rumble on for another generation now that the third trilogy, not to mention an undisclosed number of standalone films, have become a reality we’re about to have a plethora of new characters introduced into the stupendously massive mythology.

For an original generation Star Wars kid like myself though, who saw the first (or classic as it’s now known) trilogy as they were released, and who despite really wanting to love the prequel films found them difficult to warm to, there’s a very specific and relatively limited period of time that I’m interested in. Essentially, anything written within the lifetimes of the characters that I fell in love with in the original movies is what floats my boat.

Luckily for me Dark Horse Comics have been busy in this era of late (see my review of Blood Ties:...

Could this be a response to the backlash DC faced after appointing anti-gay marriage crusader Orson Scott Card to their Adventures Of Superman anthology? In Batwoman #17, by J.H. Williams III, W. Haden Blackman and Dave Stewart, the Medusa storyline concludes with Batwoman, Wonder Woman and Hawkfire (Bette Kane) victorious, and Kate Kane revealing her identity to Maggie Sawyer. We don't get to see the Gotham City police captain's reaction though, as Batwoman says, "Marry me, Mags," and kisses her. This wouldn't be the first same-sex marriage (provided the nuptials even occur of course) in comics, and Marvel have DC beat by quite a margin with their X-men/Northstar wedding. However, the timing is certainly coincidental. Williams doesn't address the proposal directly, but he does hit that something big was on the cards for the character in a post from his blog, via Cbr. "...After weeks of planning and plotting,...

Marvel made many headlines when it announced that they would be launching an all-female X-Men comic in April, simply titled “X-Men”. Written by Brian Wood and drawn by Olivier Coipel, the roster will feature Storm, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Psylocke, Rachel Grey and Jubilee. The comic, which will be the most major female-centric monthly series that Marvel ever published, will accompany many more women-led comics that have been sprouting up a lot more recently. Fortunately, the insulting misconception of comics being a male-only medium is now starting to pass, and comic publishes are releasing not only more comics that prominently feature women, but great comics with excellently written female characters. The following female centric comics have only started up in the last two years or earlier, and all come highly recommended.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 9 (2011, Dark Horse)

Since Buffy’s canonical return in 2007, in comic form, the series has...

The 24th annual GLAAD Media Award nominees have been revealed. Here are the nominations in the "Outstanding Comic Book" category.. Astonishing X-Men by Marjorie Liu Marvel Batwoman by W. Haden Blackman, J.H. Williams III DC Comics Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Andrew Chambliss, Scott Allie, Jane Espenson, Drew Z. Greenberg Dark Horse Earth 2 by James Robinson DC Comics Kevin Keller by Dan Parent Archie Comics So we have the same-sex marriage from Astonishing X-Men, a lesbian main character in Batwoman (which won last year), the gay slayer from Buffy, a gay Green Lantern in Earth 2 and I have no idea who Kevin Keller is but I'm gonna assume he's a gay Archie character? Anyway, who do you think should win? There are lots of other categories, with movies such as Cloud Atlas and Paranorman picking up noms so be sure to click the link below to check them out.

GLAAD revealed the list of nominees for the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Wednesday morning.

The awards, held annually in three ceremonies in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, recognize a variety of media including film, reality television, one-off television episodes, journalists, and print and digital pieces that represent “fair, accurate and inclusive” depictions of the Lgbt community. Last year’s honorees included the documentary Bully, Dancing with the Stars, Beginners, and Modern Family.

Click past the jump for nomination highlights.

“Images and stories from the Lgbt community continue to push support for equality to historic levels,” said GLAAD...

Locke & Key has been named 'Best Comic/Graphic Novel' in the 2012 British Fantasy Awards. Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez's Idw Publishing series was honoured at the British Fantasy Society's annual prize-giving event. The series was up against Jeff Lemire's Animal Man, Jh Williams III and W Haden Blackman's Batwoman, Mike Carey and Peter Gross's The Unwritten and Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead. The Eisner Award-winning title previously took the British Fantasy (more)...

DC have announced that both characters will crossover in September with the writing team of Jh Williams III and Haden Blackman on board, beginning in Batwoman #13.. Says co-writer Williams III.. "We’re super excited to be tackling Wonder Woman for a bit in the upcoming arc of Batwoman. But also feel a sense of trepidation and responsibility, with her probably being the most iconic female hero of all time in comics. We needed to approach her with reverence and respect. And also wanted to give her a sense of purity in how she is drawn, something clear in her appearance, overt and forward. Now doing this, and then setting her next to Batwoman produces fascinating juxtapositions of their styles and nature of their characters. Batwoman being shadowy and a bit withdrawn, Wonder Woman being bold and vibrant. They do have things in common with their sense of purpose, but yet...

Dave Gibbons has launched his Madefire app. The free iPad app from the Watchmen co-creator features motion comics from talents including Mike Carey, Robbie Morrison and Liam Sharp. It debuts with the first episodes of 'motion books' Treatment: Tokyo and Treatment: Mexico City from Gibbons, Morrison and Kinman Chan, and Ben Wolstenholme and Sharp's Mono. Madefire also features previews of forthcoming offerings from the pairings of Carey and David Kendall on Houses of the Holy and Haden Blackman and Gary Erskine on The Irons, among others. "Madefire is igniting a new era by creating a modern, dynamic reading experience and bringing that to the millions (more)...

It’s that time again… okay, it’s a little past that normal time, thanks to the Mix March Madness wrapup, but here are the preview materials for DC Comics releases for July 2012.

What’s on tap this month? More of the Before Watchmen books, with the debut of Ozymandias from Len Wein and Jae Lee, the conclusion of the Court of Owls storyline and crossover in all the Bat-books, and the debut of the done-in-one book, National Comics, featuring the New 52 Debut (coming right at you) of Eternity.

And in the white elephant of desire category, there’s the $300 statue showing the climactic scene from The Dark Knight Returns.

Once more, into the breach? Banzai!

As always, spoilers may lurk beyond this point.

Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #1

Written by Len Wein

Art and cover by Jae Lee

Backup story art by John Higgins

1:25 Variant cover by Phil Jimenez...

'Dancing with the Stars' also wins big at 23rd annual show celebrating the Lgbt community.

By Gil Kaufman

Lady Gaga

Photo: Leon Neal/Afp

Lady Gaga was one of the big winners on Saturday night at the 23rd annual GLAAD Media Awards, taking home the prize for Outstanding Music Artist for her Born This Way album. The show honors various branches of the media that represent the Lgbt community.

The show was hosted by "Glee" stars Cory Monteith and Naya Rivera and included guest spots from Dakota Fanning, "Jersey Shore" nice guy Vinny Guadagnino, talk show host Wendy Williams, "Top Chef" star Padma Lakshmi and Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir.

Broadway veteran Bernadette Peters and TV star John Stamos presented the Vito Russo Award to Craig Zadan and Neil Meron for their work on the NBC musical series "Smash." The Russo award is presented annually to openly Lgbt...