On this exciting episode of Comic Movie-10, the Kane brothers discuss the recent news that this year’s CW cross over episode will include Batwoman. They start this week’s podcast by emphasizing that Batwoman should not be confused with the better-known Batgirl. Throughout history, Batgirl, a.k.a. Barbara Gordon, has been seen in various versions. However, Batwoman is a different character that originally appeared in 1956’s Detective Comics #233 as Kathy Kane, an heiress who is inspired by Batman, and uses her wealth to help his cause of saving Gotham City. Kane’s character continues on to become a love interest for Bruce Wayne.
This information might beg the reader to ask, why is Batwoman not a well known character? The answer is that in 1964, Julius Schwartz stepped in as the editor in regard to all things Batman related. Schwartz made the choice to completely erase who he believed were nonessential characters, including Batwoman, Batgirl (who later made a more definite return), and Bat-Mite. Although Batwoman made a slight return in 1985 in the comic Crisis on Infinite Earths, her part was actually intended to explain that she never existed in the first place. It was not until 2006 when Batwoman emerged again, this time by the name of Kate Kane. This version portrayed Batwoman as a Jewish Lesbian, which is apparently how the Arrowverse intends to show the character as well. In the Arrowverse, Kane’s part will be played by Orange is the New Black’s Ruby Rose.
While the Arrowverse has previously made reference to Gotham City, and Bruce Wayne, this will be the first time viewers truly see these worlds collide. This news begs the question of what will follow afterwards in the Arrowverse. The Kane brothers question the possibility of seeing Batman, Robin, and many other Gotham City characters in the Arrowverse in the months to come. In addition, could this mean the Arrowverse will now suddenly be plagued by the villains of Gotham as well, which might include the Joker, Freezeman, Catwoman, and countless others who could bring danger and excitement to the screen. Joe and Dan also make clear that this cross over is a completely separate entity from the currently airing show, Gotham.
What do you think of Marvel introducing an old DC character to its story line? Do you think other Gotham City residents will begin appearing in the Arrowverse? Leave your comments, questions, and opinions, and as always, tune in to the next episode of Comic Movie-10!
On this episode of Comic Movie-10, the Kane brothers discuss the season 4 finale of Gotham, as well as their expectations and predictions for season five. Unfortunately, Gotham has only been picked up for ten episodes for the upcoming season 5. However, the good news is that the ending of seasons four ensures what is to come will be exciting and interesting.
At the end of season four, viewers see Bruce Wayne take full ownership over the city of Gotham, as he shows he feels responsible to stay and help save the city that is engulfed in chaos. Alfred, a former MI-6, who has trained Bruce in many ways, plans to escape the city and bring Bruce with him. However, Bruce says he feels he must stay and help the citizens of Gotham. In addition, Captain Gordon sends a symbol and afterward meets with Bruce on a rooftop. This is not only a major instance of foreshadowing, but also exciting for those who are true Batman fans.
The completion of the fourth season causes viewers to wonder what will happen next. In almost every version of Batman’s story, Bruce Wayne goes away for years to train in order to become the Dark Knight. Joe and Dan point out that Bruce’s training from Alfred is likely not enough to prepare him to become Batman. Does this mean season five will depict the training he endures, or will they jump ahead in time in order to show Bruce after his full transformation to Batman? The brothers point out that they could jump ahead and use flashbacks to show important portions of his training. This might make sense considering Bruce is currently in his late teenage years, where Batman is typically in his mid-twenties. In addition, the brothers question if Ra’s al Ghul will have a part in Bruce’s learning experience. Although he is assumed dead, viewers cannot be totally sure, and his involvement would be fitting.
Another interesting point to mention is that Gotham is known to be loosely based off of the Batman Zero Years comics, so Bruce’s path in Gotham could be similar to his route in the original comic books.
Lastly, the Kane brothers explain their feelings about the conclusion of the series Smallville (with Clark Kent only showing his Superman shirt under his button down, but never actually acting as Superman), and how they hope Gotham does not end this way, although there is the possibility that it could. Both Joe and Dan agree that this type of ending would not give justice to the anticipation that has built over many seasons, just as the ending of Smallville was in many ways disappointing.
How did you feel about the finale of Smallville? What about Gotham’s season four finale? What are your predictions for season five? Let the brothers know by leaving your comments, questions, and opinions, and as always, tune in to the next episode of Comic Movie-10.
This episode of Comic Movie-10 focuses on Nora Allen’s appearance on the season four finale of The Flash, entitled “We are Flash”. Although viewers have seen her three earlier times on this season, it is not until this final episode that it is understood who this mystery girl is. Nora is in fact, Barry Allen, and Iris West Allen’s adult daughter who has traveled from the future. What is still unclear however, is how and why she has come back in time.
The three earlier times that Nora is seen are during the crossover event, when she spills coffee at the local coffee house, and when she brings baby gifts for Joe and Cecile’s baby. The director of The Flash has indicated that he intends to flesh out each of these instances during season five in order to explain why Nora was present for these moments. The Kane brothers make note of the fact that Nora looks very different in each moment she is present on the show. Her hair and overall style appear very differently, which might lend itself to the fact that she is traveling from different times. They question whether she does or does not have control of her time traveling and what could be so important that she feels she must go back in time to warn and help her family.
According to the original comics, Barry and Iris had twins, named Don and Dawn. This leaves viewers questioning if she is one of the twins, but with a different name, and if so, where is her twin brother? Or perhaps, they have made the characters have twin daughters instead, which begs the question, where is her twin sister? Have we already seen her, and not actually seen Nora all four times? Does that explain why she has a different style each time we see her? Of course the writers could have decided to break from tradition, doing away with the concept of twins, and having Barry and Iris have only one daughter, Nora. These are all questions that are begging to be answered, and will no doubt be addressed during season five. However, in the meantime, the Kane brothers want to hear your theories. Leave your comments, questions, and opinions in the comments section, and as always, tune in to the next episode of Comic Movie-10!
On this episode of Comic Movie-10, the Kane brothers discuss season five of Agents of Shield, specifically focusing on the shows ability to time travel, and whether or not it was handled correctly.
Joe and Dan question whether the time travel throughout the season was successful, or if it left viewers with holes in the story. To start, the brothers analyze the fact that time travel allowed Daisy Johnson the opportunity to fix the world, because she had previously been viewed as a destroyer. Time travel helped her to see her mistakes, and correct them. Similarly to Daisy’s character, General Talbot’s character flipped from being a good character to a villain.
In addition, time travel caused Coulson’s death, yet viewers see him make the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life in order to save society. This was possible due to the knowledge Coulson obtained as a result of time travel. The brothers also explain how time travel throughout the season saved the lives of both Robin’s mother and Mack, yet as a result, Fitz was killed, where he originally should have survived. Yet, the topic of Fitz brings up some interesting ideas, as Joe and Dan point out. In the very beginning of the season, Fitz freezes himself in order to jump into the future. It can be argued that he is actually still frozen rather than dead, and will reappear.
Overall, the Kane brothers explain that the season wrapped without a cliffhanger, as it typically does. This leads to the questioning of whether there will be a sixth season of the show. Let the Kane brothers know what you think of the time lapses in the show, and whether you agree or disagree with the strengths and weaknesses they have found. Leave your comments, questions, and opinions in the comments section after watching, and as always, be sure to tune in next time to the newest episode of Comic Movie-10!
On this episode of Comic Movie-10, the Kane brothers compare two different crossover events in the comic book world. They will be discussing Netflix’s take on Marvel with The Defenders, vs. The CW’s take on DC with The Arrowverse.
Although DC has typically had a reputation for being more dark and serious, while Marvel was always less so, Netflix and CW seem to have reversed this. It is easy to see that Netflix’s The Defenders is very dark and serious, while The CW’s Arrowverse is much more campy, and less serious. The brothers also explore how the different characters of each show come together to fight crime. They examine if the connections are realistic and if the relationships are complex enough to be believable. The Defenders centers around only four shows- Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist, while the Arrowverse incorporates many, many more shows and characters, including Arrow, Flash, Vixen, Constantine and Supergirl.
Listen in to hear which crossover was more successful in Joe and Dan’s opinions. See if the brothers agree or disagree with each other, and weigh in on where you stand! After watching, let Joe and Dan know what you think. Leave your comments, questions, and opinions, and as always tune in to the next episode of Comic Movie-10.
On this episode of Comic Movie-10, the Kane brothers delve into the world of Black Lightning with the intension of understanding how this phenomenal show may tie into the Arrowverse. Black Lightning and his alter ego Jefferson Pierce is played by actor Cress Williams.
Although Pierce gave up being the superhero, when the drug Green Light began destroying his neighborhood, Black Lightning decided to return to his job of protecting the community. Similarly to his night job, Pierce attempts to save the neighborhood during the day as the principal of the local high school. The show is very compelling and shows the constant fight between Black Lightning and the antagonist, Tobias Whale. Whale uses the people of the community for experimentation without regard to the side affects. In this sense, Tobias Whale serves as a foil for Black Lightning’s character.
The Kane brothers dive deep into theories surrounding how this show, which is rougher around the edges than the Arrowverse shows, might fit into the same world. The most basic connection revolves around the fact that similarly to other shows, Black Lightning has metahumans. This might imply that some of the Arrowverse shows could possibly be set in the same universe as Black Lightning. There is also the fact that Pierce’s youngest daughter made comments to her mother after learning of her own super powers. These comments alluded to the fact that people in Black Lightning’s life are aware of both Vixen and Supergirl’s existence.
On this episode of Comic Movie-10, the Kane brothers will discuss the season three finale of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, titled “The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly”. The boys explain how the beginning of the finale was extremely emotional as Rip Hunter’s character sacrifices himself for the others, so they would be able to escape to salvation. Upon doing this however, they run into many of the villains they have fought throughout the season, which obviously causes conflicts for them. It is not until Sara’s character cracks a joke that the tone of the finale causes viewers to feel the more comical mood expected from Legends of Tomorrow.
The topic of Damien Darhk is also discussed. Joe and Dan explain how his path over the last few episodes has allowed viewers to see Darhk in a different light, and many of the people watching from home actually feel empathy toward his character. They discuss how his character’s choices in the finale will potentially impact the series moving forward into the fourth season.
Another character that is a major focal point of the finale is Beebo, and the brothers tackle their emotions regarding the choice to bring this character into the show, especially considering Beebois not an original character from the comics. Lastly, Joe and Dan share their opinions on Constantineofficially joining the cast as a regular character and how he has been able to stay true to himself, even in the silly world of Legends.
Let the brothers know your own thoughts on the season finale. After watching, decide if you agree or disagree with the information they have shared. Leave your comments, questions, and opinions below, and be sure to tune in next time to see the latest episode of Comic Movie-10!
This episode of Comic Movie-10 is all about the hit show, Gotham. More specifically however, the Kane brothers will be exploring the differences and similarities between the characters in the show, and their characters’ origins in the comics.
The brothers discuss how both Ben McKenzie as Commissioner Gordon and Sean Pertwee as Alfred, take on an entirely new role when compared to their comic book counterparts. Both characters have been traditionally thought of as goody two shoes, however their characters in Gotham are much more dark and mysterious. Joe and Dan discuss their opinions on this and whether this change works or not.
Additionally, they explore the character Bruce Wayne, and how his attitude as a “billionaire brat” is unlike any version of Bruce Wayne the world has ever known. In fact, much of Bruce Wayne’s early life is a mystery to Batman fans, other than the comics showing that he watched his parents being murdered. Gotham explores what happened to Bruce during his years of adolescence and how he was not necessarily always calm, cool, and collected. David Mazouz plays Bruce Wayne in the series and is doing an extraordinary job, but managing to portray an irritating version of the beloved Bruce Wayne at the same time.
Finally, the Kane brothers examine the villains on the show, with the three most prominent being, Edward Nygma, or Riddler, played by Cory Michael Smith, The Penguin, played by Robin Lord Taylor, and Selina Kyle, or Catwoman, played by Camren Bicondova. This episode explains how the villains of the show are much more similar to their comic book counterparts than the good guys, and whether this is a good or bad factor.
After watching, leave your comments, opinions, and questions. Do you think Gotham has done a good job portraying these famous characters? What changes do you notice? Do you like the differences, or do you believe the writers should have stayed true to the way the comics portrayed them? Let Joe and Dan know what you think, and make sure to tune in to the next episode of Comic Movie-10.
Check out our interview with actor Christian Frazier who appeared in the TV show Gotham
Tom Jennings is an award winning documentary filmmaker and journalist. Tom has written, directed and produced more than 400 hours of programming on a variety of topics including politics, religion, history, crime and sports to name a few. His documentaries have been seen on channels like National Geographic and The History Channel.
The best way to sum up our interview with Tom was that it was like taking a masterclass in documentary film making. We reached out Tom’s production company 1895 Films to talk about his latest release on Netflix, Diana: In Her Own Words that was produced for the 20th anniversary of Princess Diana’s passing. The journey of producing a documentary of this magnitude is a true test in problem solving and ingenuity that every filmmaker should take notes on.
Tom stresses you need to love what you do to be a documentary filmmaker. There are growing numbers of documentary television programming but Tom think it’s probably easier to sell a reality show. Don’t ever give up. If one network doesn’t want your story, maybe you can tailor for someone else. Sometimes you just have to step up and figure out how to make things work the best you can.
Before becoming a filmmaker, Tom Jennings was a journalist in Washington D.C.
Having moved to Los Angeles, Tom ended up covering the O.J. Simpson criminal trial and got burned out
Cable television networks were taking off and needed writers to write non-fiction television with Discovery and History
Writing led into producing which led to directing
Tom sold his first project in 2004 to the Discovery Channel and had his own company since then
Learning to Make Documentaries On His Own
Tom didn’t go to film school and had no film background
His education came from being in the field and learning from the crew
“People like to talk about what they do if you show a genuine interest in what they do.”
This is how he learned how to put non-fiction documentary television together
Tom admits he would have failed film theory classes but he knows how to get the right material in the can to make for a good documentary
Selling His First Documentary About Roanoke Island
Tom’s first project was for the History Channel about the lost colony of Roanoke Island
This was at the time when networks like History were interested in cool stories
Today, having a cool story doesn’t cut it. There has to be something new, information that was never known before
By complete luck, every year in the town of Roanoke Island actors recreate the story in a play
Tom was able to get the actors to participate in the documentary and the rest is history…pun intended
Tom also notes, recreations can be poorly done if you’re not careful
For his first film, Tom had interviews, a great mystery and on top of it these great images to go with it
Diana: In Her Own Words
This film commissioned by National Graphic is now available on Netflix
It’s a difficult type of programming to do in film making because there are no interviews or narrator
Archival footage and audio was the only content used to make Diana: In Her Own Words
The archive they got for the Diana story was from author Andrew Morton who wrote Diana: Her True Story
It consisted of private interviews of Princess Diana through tapes that were made for Andrew Morton through a mutual friend
When they approached Andrew Morton about the tapes Andrew’s response was get in line
Tom explained this would be a film about Diana, narrated by Diana which was something that had never been done before
There were many rules put in place by Tom and his team to in regards to the use of imagery when talking about particular time periods
Watch Diana: In Her Words
Telling A Story With Archival Footage
Depending on the source material available, every production is different
For Diana: In Her Own Words, there were 7 hours of audio that they mapped out as storyboards
They listed all of the story beats she talked about at length or momentary asides
There were 140 story cards stuck on a board at that time
Tom and his team knew they had to tell the broad strokes of the story people knew about Princess Di
Then they found the stories they knew people had not heard before
The story works so well because Tom purposely chose story beats where they could find footage of the event
Winning an Emmy for Best Documentary Research
Whether its a feature film or a documentary, filmmakers always need to think outside the box
The Challenger story had been told many times before but not in this way
Tom received 30 beta tapes from the NASA archive and having gone through 28 of them they found gold of Christa McAuliffe rehearsing her lesson plans aboard The Challenger
When they called NASA to tell them what they had found, NASA had no idea that footage existed because nobody else had gone through the tapes before
Remembering Christa McAuliffe was from New Hampshire, Tom called a local radio station who had kept all the footage of her training and their news director was actually on the launch pad broadcasting live
All of this added to the most unique coverage of the events of the Challenger disaster in decades which ended up winning an Emmy for Best Documentary Research
Robert Craighead has been a notable character actor in Hollywood for over 30 years, with roles in over 40 feature films, hundreds of television appearances, performed in over 100 stage productions across the U.S. and recently seen success as a country music singer.
Being called an overnight success is not something Robert buys into. He’s currently a series regular as Sheriff Mobley on Tyler Perry’s new hit drama for TLC, “TOO CLOSE TO HOME” and has been a recurring Guest Star for the last two seasons as Sergeant Clarke on the Fox Comedy sensation, “NEW GIRL”.
This year will also see the release of a couple of new feature films he will be starring in, including the western “THE MUSTANGER AND THE LADY”, where he will play one of the most despicable characters he’s ever portrayed, and “THE TIGER HUNTER” a new comedy co-starring with starring Danny Pudi, Jon Heder and Kevin Pollack.
Watch the entire Robert Craighead Interview
Read the Robert Craighead Interview Highlights
What brought you from Texas to Los Angeles?
I turned 18 and graduated from high school and went to college briefly. I spoke to a counselor and they were telling me about all these classes I had to take and mostly I wanted to do theater classes. They said I had to do math and science and I was like why?! I said want to be an actor so they recommended I go to a professional acting school.
I auditioned for Juilliard and American Academy of National Arts and was accepted to both but I didn’t want to move to New York. Being a Texas boy I need a little bit more open space around me. Plus I’m a big fan of the movie industry and I just wanted to get out to Los Angeles and start working as an actor.
I came out in 1980 but left for a while. After being gone for 11 years raising my daughter I came back 5 or 6 years ago. I was on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful for 3 years. When that gig ran out I lost my manager and agent because they retired. I thought I had to start all over so I decided to take a break and spend some time with my daughter.
What was your relationship like with your agents?
Actually I’m on my 4th agent since I came back into the business 5 years ago. The one that I’m with right now is one that I courted for 2 years. Her and I were together 20 years ago, Gloria Hinojosa. She represents Danny Trejo and helped mold his career as well as a lot of other wonderful actors. Gloria talked me through how to build my career and eventually the agency signed me on.
How do you view the differences between acting in theater & film?
My background is theater and I still do theater whenever I can. Unfortunately the problem is that theater does not pay very well in Los Angeles. As you know the cost of living here is quite high just like in New York. Theater for me is more about the love of performing in front of a live audience and getting that immediate reaction. Being able to experiment and expand myself as an actor in roles that I wouldn’t be given the opportunity to portray in TV & film.
Do you prefer acting in comedy or drama?
I really don’t but I guess if I was put on the spot I’d prefer a dramatic role because in either drama or comedy you bring elements from the other. Some of my favorite characters in film, like Jack Nicholson in The Departed, was the biggest asshole you’d ever seen in your life. Yet there are times you’re laughing about what he’s saying or doing. He’s the guy you love to hate. I try to find those comedic elements in all of my characters. Also in my comedic roles, like in New Girl a lot of the comedy comes from the drama you bring to it. It’s like the Naked Gun where they are being really serious and saying the most absurd thing imaginable.
Is Jack Nicholson a big influence on you?
I know you’re going to say I look like him and sound like him. I love Jack Nicholson he’s one of my idols. I don’t even realize how people compare my vocal qualities or demeanor because I grew up in Texas and Jack grew up in New York. I guess it’s just my demeanor that makes people compare and think that way. I never think of Jack Nicholson that way when I’m playing a role though.
Do you consider yourself an overnight success?
I’ve achieved more success in the last few years definitely. Early on in my career, because I had this deep voice whenever I was a young man it didn’t really match. People always told me, “When you’re older, you’re going to work, a lot.” I worked as a young man just not as much as I am now. When I came back to the business I was older, wiser, more secure financially so I think I’m having more fun with what I’m doing and that shows in my work. Everything is not do or die like some of the younger actors. If there’s any advice I would give to a young actor its have more fun with what you’re doing. Be in it for the long run. It’s a marathon. That’s what the business is. It’s about the longevity, it’s not about a flash in the pan.
How did you get the role of Sheriff Mobley in Too Close to Home?
It all happened quickly. I live in Los Angeles and they were auditioning people in New York and Atlanta. I was one of the last roles cast. My agent called me up on a Friday evening and I know this is unusual but can you go in Saturday morning and read for this role. I went in and the role felt very comfortable to me coming from a small town in Texas and I was playing a sheriff in a small town in Alabama. I kind of had a kindred spirit with the character. They said they wanted me to come back on Monday to meet with Tyler Perry.
On Monday we met at a hotel on Sunset Blvd along with a lot of other actors there to do a reading. I was one of the last actors to read and he had me do one little scene as opposed to the long scenes I had prepared. He was looking at resume and pointed out I sing country music and asked me to sing. So I start singing him a country song. Fortunately I had been doing a play about a country western singer. He said thank you and I was in my car on my way home and I got a call from my agent saying, “They want to hire you for Too Close to Home.” That was on a Monday and by Thursday I was in Atlanta.
What’s working with Tyler Perry like?
Tyler Perry is probably one of the most talented, brilliant, generous men I’ve ever met in my life. He treats his people like first class in every aspect. He does however expect you to give 150% all the time. That goes for every crew member to the biggest star on the show because he’s giving his 150%. I remember when I first got to the studio I noticed that everyone smiled all the time and I thought this isn’t normal. I began to realize everyone was generally happy. If you’re being treated well, having fun with what you’re doing and you’re doing what you do well, why not be happy. Everyone smiles constantly on the set. We work really hard, really fast and I have so much admiration for the man.
What other projects do you have coming up?
I’ve written a screenplay that I’ve got some people interested in producing. It’s about a country western singer and it’s a cross between Crazy Heart and The Crossing Guard. It’s a weird combination but unique. I have Paul Overstreet who’s a multiple CMA & Grammy award winning singer and songwriter. He’s agreed to write the music for the film and I’ve already been to Nashville to record some songs together. Brad Benedict who plays JB on Too Close to Home is in love with the script and going to be playing my son. I’m hoping we get it into production by the end of the year.
How long have you been a country music singer?
I always joked around singing country music but people always said you should do country music comparing me to Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings. I wound up getting involved in this world premiere country musical and this movie I had in my mind for 15 years so I sat down and wrote it. The musical I did was based on 17 of Paul Overstreet’s hit songs like Forever and Ever Amen, Seeing My Father and Me. He and I became really close.
I had actually recorded two songs and put them out on iTunes before I met Paul. It’s a new experience for me and I’m having a lot of fun. A show is coming up in a few weeks in Santa Monica with Brad Benedict and a live country band. I’m trying to get the experience for my upcoming role, singing in bars and singing country music in front of live audiences. I’ve performed in front of audiences and done live shows thousands of times. Last Saturday night my guitar teacher was doing a show and asked me to come sing. I was never more nervous. When you’re singing in a bar, people aren’t necessarily paying attention to you. You don’t know if they are yelling at you or people are laughing trying to struggle and get through the songs.
What advice do you have for young actors?
I would say one of the most important things is to get a solid foundation for your work. In today’s day and age there’s a lot of social media stars and that’s great but I strongly encourage everyone to get training whether you want to be an actor or singer. Get a solid background because the opportunities when they present themselves to you, you have to be able to get the job done and make sure people want to keep hiring you.
That’s what I did when I came out here to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. You weren’t allowed to work professionally while you were going to school there. For 3 years that’s all I did. Do you remember the show Fame? I was doing vocal lessons, acting lessons, dancing lessons from the classics to productions of plays. It’s all you do 8 hours a day is classes like that. I continue to train.
I’m invited to speak to young actors and the one thing I tell them is acting is like a baseball player. You can’t hit homeruns during the game if you don’t go to batting practice. You’ve got to continue to sharpen your tools. Stay on top of your craft is probably the soundest I could give.
