Tag Archives: civil war

Nerds United Episode 70 – Playing Catch Up

I put my son to bed and knocked out a home show before calling it a night. In Episode 70, I start off talking highly about Ghostbusters: Answer the Call.

In fact, I have a lot of positives about many movies that are otherwise crapped upon.

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The unfinished product and the comparison everyone drew rather quickly. Admit it…you did it too.

And I bring back the debate of Batman v Superman and Captain America Civil War. Not saying one is better than the other, but rather how there is an overlooked similarity and how one gets a pass. (Hint: “He killed my mom.”)

It’s a good time to be a nerd with some great movies coming out and plenty to watch on TV (I didn’t even address The Walking Dead…dammit). My question to you is this: Are you currently reading any comics? If so, sound off in the comments here or on Facebook. I’d love to know what you’re reading and what you think about it. I’ll even read the comments on the next episode (if I remember).

Thanks for checking out the show and I’d really appreciate if you told your nerdy friends about it. Let’s get this thing growing again!

Facebook.com/NerdsUnitedShow
Twitter.com/nerdsunitedshow

Now enjoy the show.

Look Out – Here Comes the Spider-Man

For years we heard “give Spider-Man back to Marvel.” Let’s face the facts...we hear the same for Fantastic Four, especially after last summer’s gamble that did not pay out. But as respected as comics’ first family is, Spidey is the most recognizable (or at least profitable) superhero in the world.Captain America: Civil War is where Spider-Man will make his Marvel movie debut after five Sony pictures that have been met with mixed reactions.

And we all know you can’t have Civil War without Peter Parker.

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See? I told you. (A pivotal scene from Civil War #2)

Here’s the thing – there’s no way they’ll be telling this portion of the story in Captain America III. It has nothing to do with Spider-Man being an established in the Marvel Universe. It revolves primarily around the story Marvel wants to tell in Civil War.

The trailer (shown below) opens with Steve Rogers speaking over some images of the Winter Soldier. Cap is talking about the hazards of the job. Then you see news footage or damage assessment from the events of The Avengers, Captain America: Winter Soldier, and Avengers 2. The events lead the bureaucrat to exclaim that “People are afraid.”

Enter Tony Stark, who as he does in the comic book, is a champion for regulation and oversight. “We need to be put in check.”

So there you have it…#TeamCap vs #TeamIronMan.

Now we don’t know how Spider-Man enters into the movie, exactly. We know how he enters this scene:

But is there a scene before this where Tony Stark goes and recruits Peter Parker to the cause? I imagine there would have to be. Or as Ricky Ricardo would say “Lucy, you got some ‘splaining to do.”  They’d be retconning the crap out of that. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m certain the characters in the MCU are aware of Spider-Man. They might wonder where he was during “the event” in New York City a few years prior. But you catch my drift.

I get the feeling based on what little we’ve seen that perhaps Spider-Man is a “diamond in the rough” type of discovery by Tony Stark. That’s a stark (pun intended) contrast to the comic, where of course Spider-Man was a long-time character whom everyone knew. In the events leading up to Civil War, and in the story itself, Peter Parker/Spider-Man works for Tony Stark/Iron Man. Stark rewards Peter with the Iron Spider suit.

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Not even close.

 

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(Artist: Guile Michael Turner)

I always perceived that Peter Parker as sort of a pawn in Stark’s agenda. Cooperate and you get to keep the shiny toy.

Something always struck me odd about that pairing. I always felt that Peter was no longer an autonomous hero who does things his way, but someone who had to answer to a higher authority. In short, a microcosm for the entire Civil War story-line. The role of the government and the registration act is played by Tony Stark. The hero community is being portrayed by our favorite wall crawler. When they out themselves, adhere to the law, bad things happen.

In other words, Captain America was right.

Okay, back to Spidey, because I’ve been working on this post off and on since about 11am, and I really just need to wrap it up.

We were told Spider-Man would have a “classic look.” This Spidey suit has Steve Ditko written all over it.

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Re-watch the trailer and you’ll see Spidey can be expressive with his eyes again. It’s not just head and neck movements and hand gestures. The eye black gets thicker and thinner as necessary. It’s the same technology that they used with Deadpool’s mask. Totally not worried. Also, that’s a small black spider on the front and a large red spider on the back, much like the one drawn above.

So yes, Spider-Man has arrived in the MCU. But that’s not all we got in the new trailer. We also saw a bulletproof Black Panther, Winter Soldier appear to be locked away deep in the heart of a frozen bunker (which is odd, since the last time we saw him he was pinned to a table with Cap and Falcon), and we saw this this, which I’m officially labeling the Marvel Azkaban.

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I know what it is. It’s a prison for super beings. But what I don’t know is a) who funded it and 2) when it was built. Seems like a pretty massive undertaking since the end of Age of Ultron…a year ago.

But I digress.

Here’s the trailer. This movie looks great, and it will have the longest run time of any Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. So maybe people will stop complaining that Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice will be too long at 2.5 hours.

What are your thoughts? Share them in the comments section here or on Facebook. Also Twitter, email, smoke signals, or text messages (if you have the Nerds United hotline number).

#Underoos

My 1-2-3 Cents/Nerds United Episode 55 – Jittery Monkey Crossover Episode

The moment finally happened when Kevin Hunsperger’s My 1-2-3 Cents the Podcast met the same episode number as network founder Greg Mehochko’s Nerds United.

So the lads had themselves a crossover episode, discussing everything from wrestling to Star Wars to rassle-roos and under roos.

More importantly, it is a celebration of sorts. Nerds United  has long been the banner carrier for the network, and while it remains the oldest show still in production (give or take), I think it’s safe to say that we have a new flagship podcast.

A tip of the cap to Kevin for his year of success and best of luck to him and Greg as they continue to bring you fresh, relevant content.

Yes – that means Greg will have to step up his game.

#ToughCallTuesday 13 – [Spoilers]

I won’t lie – #TCT13 is less about the normal Tough Call Tuesday where a present A vs B and make a selection.

This Tough Call Tuesday is essentially a rant.

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“Only look if you want to know.” “…surfaces.”

Look, I get it. We’re on the cusp of 2016. We all carry the internet with us in our pockets.

But enough is enough.

There was a time when I would try to find out early what I was getting for Christmas. Yes, as a child, I searched closets and looked under beds for any idea of what I would receive. I learned two things from those experiences.

  1. My mom was a lot better at hiding these items from us than I could ever know (I secretly think she just stashed them at my grandparents’ house until just before Christmas).
  2. IF I was lucky enough to find something early, faking surprise and excitement was always more difficult than genuine surprise.

We are nine days away from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. we are two months away from Deadpool. We are about three and a half months away from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And we are roughly five months away from Captain America: Civil War.

Look, I get it. In an effort to further interest in these films, as well as X-Men: Apocalypse (late May, 2016), studios or actors release certain information. Typically it’s intentional by the studios and accidental when done by an actor. Or an actor gives a response without thinking, and may give away too much, aka a [Spoiler].

Look, Hollywood, you’re going to get my money. We all know you’re going to get the money of millions, if not billions, of others globally.

What I would like seen changed is less information. One of the biggest critiques to the Suicide Squad movie is that there seemed to be new “leaked footage” or footage from on the set every other day. If you want to stand on the set and watch a movie be filmed, great. But there should be some decorum about how to act when given that privilege. And one way to show your gratitude for the opportunity to watch a movie be made is to help keep what is being done in front of you a secret.

Now these examples listed about do give people a choice on if they want to participate in having details of an upcoming movie spoiled for them. “Only click if you want to know.” I choose to not know. And I hid many of these posts. Some titles do not give newsfeed scrollers that option, or a “vague” title gets paired with a picture that gives you the answer.

I will be in the theater Thursday, December 17 at 7pm to watch The Force Awakens. The speed with which I watch the 2016 movies will very likely change after my child is born. I may not make it to an opening night showing of Batman v Superman or Captain America: Civil War. Things happen, and I will have to work extra hard to not have movies spoiled for me.

But those movies will have been released, so I expect a friend or someone to say “OMG I can’t believe _______.” And I will try to cut them off and say “whoa, I haven’t had a chance to see that yet.”

That’s something that happens after a movie comes out.

It’s not something we should have to combat before a movie is in theaters.

Join the #NoSpoilers team, and be surprised for a change when you head to the theaters.

Or just jump on the comments and call me a crotchety old man. Either way.

Have a suggestion for a future #ToughCallTuesday? Drop it in the comments here on on Facebook.

And don’t forget that the Comics For Beginners vol. 2 is set for January. Ask a question, receive a prize. Leave that in the comments or email (I never get any email) nerdsunitedpodcast@gmail.com.

Nerds United Episode 37

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Jay Peteranetz (right)

Meet Jay Peteranetz, a lifelong comic book reader (mostly Marvel) and artist who has helped take comics to an unprecedented medium – playing cards.

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Welcome to Magicians Must Die:

Jay grew up reading a ton of Marvel, including X-Men and the Cosmic Marvel books, including Guardians of the Galaxy. So naturally we talk about the marvel Cinematic Universe and OMG DID YOU SEE ADAM WARLOCK?

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There is a lot covered in this episode, and I’m pumped for future conversations with Jay, who will be appearing at the Denver Comic Con in May. So go check him out there.

ALSO – if we get Jay to 250 Twitter followers in the next two weeks, he’ll hook me up with all four issues (sets) of MMD, autographed, and ready to giveaway on the show. He wins, we win. GET IT?!?

Follow him at @jpeteranetz.
Go ahead and follow me as well: @nerdsunitedshow.
And while you’re at it, @jitterymunkey