Cartoons

Want more (better) Suicide Squad?

Mei-Mei5 Comments

So I finally went to see Suicide Squad on Monday, and while I liked the characters a lot, the movie had some problems (as you may have heard haha).  Though I haven’t read a lot of their comics, I’ve been a fan of DC since I started watching the DC Animated Universe (DCAU) cartoons like The New Batman/Superman Adventures back in the 90s.

So whether you loved the movie and want more, or just want something to wash the taste out of your mouth, here are some recommendations for further viewing of the Suicide Squad and its members.

Harley Quinn

You may have heard that Harley was originally created for Batman: The Animated Series by Dini and Timm; I’ve been a fan ever since.  Margot Robbie absolutely nailed the role in the current movie!  However, the relationship between Harley and the Joker was not portrayed as well.  If you want to see how it should be done, check out my all-time favorite episode of The New Batman Adventures, based on the award-winning comic of the same name.

Watch: “Mad Love”

Batman: The Animated Series, season 4, episode 21

Available on Amazon Prime

Killer Croc

Croc was rather wasted in this film (plus he looked like he had smallpox ewww), but he also gets time to shine in Batman: The Animated Series.  He’s got several good episodes including one explaining his origins, but my favorite is where a group of villains tell tales of how they almost defeated Batman.  “I threw a rock at ‘im!”  But maybe that’s not a fair representation…stick around for the twist at the end.

Watch: “Almost Got ‘Im”

Batman: The Animated Series, season 2, episode 18

Available on Amazon Prime

Captain Boomerang

Another wasted character in the film–I didn’t find him particularly funny, endearing, useful, or really anything except meh.  But this Flash villain can be so much more entertaining when teamed up with others from that Rogues Gallery, as in this fun episode.  Plus, who doesn’t enjoy Mark Hamill as the Trickster?

Watch: “Flash and Substance”

Justice League Unlimited, season 2, episode 5

Available on Netflix

Katana

I was probably most disappointed with Katana’s character development in Suicide Squad, because there really wasn’t any.  I loved the inclusion of her character on Arrow, and they had to ditch her character on that show for this??  She’s introduced early in the 3rd season as Tatsu Yamashiro, but because I didn’t know the character’s “real” name, I didn’t realize it was her until she dons her trademark attire at the end of the season.

Watch: “This Is Your Sword”

Arrow, season 3, episode 22

Available on Netflix

Amanda Waller

The Wall, as she’s known, was another highlight of the movie; I hope to see more of her in the future DC movies.  I really enjoyed the mid-credits scene, because I loved seeing her face off with Batman, just like in Justice League Unlimited.  In that show, the first time she meets Batman, she snidely refers to him only as “rich boy.”  He retaliates by breaking into her house to hand her a towel as she’s getting out of the shower.  Viola Davis did a wonderful job in the movie, but to me Waller will always be C.C.H. Pounder.

Watch: “The Doomsday Sanction”

Justice League Unlimited, season 1, episode 16

Available on Netflix

El Diablo

Honestly, this character was new to me, but he completely stole the show.  After the movie I said to my husband, “Well, that was a great El Diablo movie, but it was about 80 min too long and for some reason called Suicide Squad.”  He even got some great lines, like “Ya te chingaste, güey” haha.

Anyone have any recommendations for more of him?

Belle Reve prison

We meet our convicts of the squad at the New Orleans prison called Belle Reve (“sweet dreams” in French) under pretty crappy conditions.  No wonder our team wants out.  Belle Reve is typically shown as a prison for metahuman criminals.  It features in a great episode of Young Justice, where Miss Martian and Superboy go undercover to help stop a prison break–Amanda Waller shows up as the warden with Hugo Strange as the prison psychologist.

Watch: “Terrors”

Young Justice, season 1, episode 11

Available on Netflix

The Suicide Squad, aka Task Force X

Nearly every DC franchise gets around to doing a Suicide Squad at one point or another.  Arrow did it in season 2.  Justice League Unlimited did a particularly good version in the first season episode “Task Force X.”

But if you want to see another possibility of what the Suicide Squad movie could have been, try Batman: Assault on Arkham.  It takes place in the same world as the recent video games, and is done in the currently popular Korean animation style (that I personally like).  It has a killer cast of voice actors, develops the characters pretty well, and has some good twists.

Watch: Batman: Assault on Arkham

Available for rent/purchase on Amazon Video (I borrowed it from the library)

Fall Geek TV 2014

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FallTV2014x

Here’s what I’m watching this fall:

  • Once Upon a Time (ABC): Honestly, I was planning on dropping this show at the end of last season.  But then they teased Frozen and it sucked me right back in.  Darn you, Disney!  I really do like the show’s characters, but the writing and plots just seem to have no focus.  Hopefully the addition of Elsa (Fringe‘s Georgina Haig) and OUAT in Wonderland‘s Will Scarlet/Knave of Hearts will breathe some life back into this series.
  • Agents of SHIELD (ABC): Have the first 2 episodes of this season on my DVR unwatched, but I am very eager to see where this show goes after last season got so good following the SHIELD/HYDRA reveal from Winter Soldier.  Even Skye got tolerable!  Also, I might be the only person on the planet that thinks Ward is redeemable.
  • Arrow (CW): One of the best live-action superhero TV shows ever made.  Oliver continues to build Team Arrow; I can’t wait to see Roy in his official Red Arrow/Arsenal get-up!  I am not really an Olicity shipper, because I think Felicity is too good for Oliver, but I am interested to see where their relationship is going.  I also have high hopes for Ra’s al Ghul, a favorite of mine, as the season’s antagonist.
  • The Flash (CW): Spinning off of Arrow, this show could be as great if they can manage a lighter tone and keep the special effects decent.  I loved Barry Allen in his guest appearance last season on Arrow, so I’m hoping the show will be a good addition to the DC TV-verse.
  • Gotham (FOX):  If you want a Batman show, watch Arrow.  If you want a gritty drama about corrupt cops with slightly cheesy dialogue and heavy-handed Batman references, Gotham is your show.  Ok, that’s a little snarky.  I liked the pilot enough to give it a couple more episodes.  But this is one of the shows I’m most concerned about quality-wise.
  • Constantine (NBC):  Another comic book property comes to TV.  I’ve never read it, but John Constantine gives me kind of a Harry Dresden vibe: smartass “grey” magician mixed up with the darker side of the supernatural.  So that’s got me interested enough to give this show a try. It doesn’t premiere until Oct 24, so I’ll let you know how it is.
  • Star Wars Rebels (Disney XD): Watched the pilot over the weekend and I’m feeling hopeful.  After we got through the terrible “Aladdin” opening scene, things got much better.  I LOVE Hera, and Sabine is pretty cool so far, too.  I think some of the voice acting and animation could be better, and I’m still not sold on Ezra.  My favorite part of the episode was Agent Kallus kicking the stormtrooper in the head to knock him off the support beam.
  • Legend of Korra (Nick.com): Season 4 is now online-only, which I hate.  Season 3 ended on a really strong note, so I hope they keep the momentum going.  The first episode jumped us a couple of years into the future, and Korra’s no longer the fiery, brash teenager she started as.  In fact, she seems pretty lost.  With trouble brewing in the rubble of the Earth kingdom, will Korra find her way back to spiritual balance?  Or does this new world even need an Avatar?
  • Sailor Moon Crystal (Hulu): A reboot of the Sailor Moon anime, hewing closer to the manga (which I’ve read).  Episodes are coming out twice a month.  I’ve only watched the first episode, but I really liked the look and feel of it so I’m excited to continue.  I’ve only seen bits and pieces of the original anime (and the English dub was heavily edited anyway), so I really feel like this could be “my” Sailor Moon.

What are you guys watching?

Who’s that Pokémon…girl?

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pokemon
You know you just started singing “Gotta catch ’em all!”

So as I was watching The Clone Wars on Netflix, I discovered that the original Pokémon anime is now also available.

Pokémon was probably the first anime I ever watched, so of course I had to watch a few episodes.  My husband has apparently never seen it, so I had to watch a few more.

This is an anime that only a 12-year-old could love, but the nostalgia makes up for it.  I totally used to have the Poké rap memorized…it’s definitely starting to come back to me now…

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Anyways, I re-discovered a mystery relating to the opening: who the heck is this chick??

She only appears for a split second.
I had to watch this repeatedly to get the screencap.

You can see her towards the end of the opening, wearing a classic school girl outfit, in a kind of montage involving Ash, Pikachu, and the evolved forms of the 3 starter Pokémon.  She is literally the only character in the entire opening that is never, ever introduced in the anime.

I kept waiting for her to appear, episode after episode; maybe she’s a gym leader, or the Indigo League champion, or Ash’s girlfriend?? But alas: she is not an actual character.

Spr_RG_Lass
Lass sprite

Google says that she simply based on the generic Lass trainer class from the Pokémon game.  And the Japanese lyrics to the opening may or may not say something about being able to find Pokémon in her skirt…

Let the Clone Wars begin!

Mei-Mei1 Comment

So, Star Wars: The Clone Wars went up on Netflix on Friday, and over the weekend I watched the movie and the first 5 or so episodes.

I will definitely keep watching.

This guy's name is General Loathsom. Really.
This guy’s name is General Loathsom. Really.

The movie, as I had been warned, is truly awful.  No exaggeration: it has an 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  The dialogue was clearly written by a 5-year-old, and the plot advances only through incompetence (mostly the droids’) and convenient communications breakdowns.

Wouldn’t Dooku have sensed that the Huttling was not in the backpack?  Why would you send troops into hand-to-hand combat with blasters and NO MELEE WEAPONS?  Why isn’t Ahsoka dead at least five times? So many questions!!!

The two scenes I enjoyed: Obi-Wan’s stalling tactic and the Padmé-Anakin look at the end.

I don’t know if my preconceived ideas played a role, but the TV series was palpably better as soon as it started.  The very first episode really nailed Yoda’s character, improved the dialogue, and had an intelligent story to go with the action.

I still find Ahsoka annoying a few episodes in (she’s kinda like Skye in Agents of SHIELD), but I assume that will change because everyone else seems to love her.

My favorite part of the show so far is all the cool planets and characters that I love from the EU coming to life.  The character design and voice acting are pretty good, too.  I even got my husband watching a little bit 🙂

Happy Halloween!

Mei-Mei6 Comments

My co-worker and I dressed as lab superheroes today.

WP_000647

Here we are as Sailor Eppendorf and Falcon Tube.

She added Eppendorf tubes to her utility belt and earrings.  I made my wings with a biohazard bag (unused!!) and used a surgical mask for my Falcon mask.

Now I’m headed back downstairs to eat leftover candy and watch Corpse Bride while I plot my novel for NaNoWriMo.  I will probably not be posting as much in November!