You don't get it, son. This isn't a email service, it's a blog and we're the bloggers! We are the Caped Informers. Here to inform you on all current comic related news.
Deadline has reported that Ciara Renee (Law and Order: SVU) has been tapped to play Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl on the upcoming Flash/Arrow spinoff series that is set to debut in late 2015/early 2016. The site was also kind enough to release this short but sweet official description about the character: "Kendra Saunders is a young woman who is just beginning to learn that she has been repeatedly reincarnated over the centuries. When provoked, her ancient warrior persona manifests itself, along with wings that grow out of her back, earning her the moniker…Hawkgirl."
Ciara Renee joins a very strange array of characters from both Arrow + TheFlash. Which so far includes The ATOM, Hawkgirl, Captain Cold, Heatwave, One half of Firestorm, and Sara Lance's corpse. Plus three DC characters, who will be new to TV, are expected to be introduced as well. I sure as hell have no idea what's going on, but you know what, I dig. A whole crazy ass list of DC characters being produced by the people who make Arrow/Flash. Sign me up. Especially since many of these awesome characters will never get the silver screen treatment. It's gonna be cool to see a separate team of lesser known heroes assemble on TV. Now just cast a Booster Gold and let's get this train rolling.
P.S. Why hasn't Robbie Amell aka Ronnie Raymond joined this cast yet? The other half of Firestorm, Victor Garber aka Martin Stein, has. I can only jump to one logical conclusion, Ronnie has left Firestorm. First Zayn leaves 1D, now Ronnie leaves Firestorm. #WorstWeekEver, I can't take much more heartbreak. #ComeBackRonnie UPDATE: Arthur Darvill (Doctor Who) has also been added to the Flash/Arrow spinoff as time-traveler Rip Hunter. His character description is "a roguish time traveler who hides the strains of being responsible for history itself behind a facade of charm and wit." This addition makes sense because of the recent discovery of time-travel on The Flash. Also since Rip is Booster Gold's son, I think it should be about time we bring him into this little party as well. So what do you guys think of Hawkgirl and Rip Hunter? Sound off in the comments. Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Our favorite Emerald Archer returns from his midseason break next week (and hopefully from the dead too), so I thought there was no better time than now to go over the first half of Arrow's third season. Let's get to it.
High Points (Ep. 1-9):
Roy is now a full-fledged sidekick.
The theme of Identity: Can Ollie be both the Arrow and Oliver Queen.
The shocking death of Sara Lance at the end of Ep. 1.
Emotional fallout from Sara's death hit Team Arrow hard.
Komodo from Jeff Lemire's Green Arrow run gets introduced.
Motorcycle Jousting should be in the Olympics.
Brandon Routh has added heart + humor to the cast with his fun portrayal of Ray Palmer and his interactions with Felicity are always hilarious.
The angry hunt for Sara's Killer led to many different suspects.
Awesome DC easter eggs spread through all nine episodes.
Thea's transformation to a badass through her studies with Papa Merlyn.
Ollie and Roy's relationship has grown from "He's just my sister's BF" to "Bros".
Laurel has begun her path to become Black Canary.
The gorgeous Nyssa Al Ghul came back and she was pissed about Sara's death.
Ollie's inability to find Sara's killer puts him at odds with the League of Assassins.
Enter the Demon's Head, Ra's Al Ghul.
Felicity's Mom has got it going on (MILF TO THE MAX!).
Flashbacks to Felicity's hacker past at MIT filled in some blanks about her backstory.
Roy recalls that he killed a cop in last season's "Seeing Red".
It's Cupid, stupid! But seriously she was a sexy and unique villainess.
Ray Palmer has plans for his ATOM suit and now has dwarf star matter as well.
THE ENTIRETY OF THE FLASH/ARROW CROSSOVER!
Even though it's in The Flash's episode that incredible Flash vs. Arrow fight.
Captain Boomerang is another worthy addition to the Flarrow rogues gallery.
Ollie and Barry's seasoned vet to super-powered rookie relationship.
Merlyn sets up Ollie to clear his blood debt with the League of Assassins.
THEA KILLED SARA! (Under mind control, but still!)
Ollie vs. Ra's in a trial by combat.
The death of Oliver Queen!
My sediments exactly
Low Points (Ep. 1-9):
New Vertigo was a Scarecrow ripoff.
All of the Hong Kong flashbacks have been weak. Katana and Maseo have been extremely underdeveloped which led to the latter's reveal of being in the modern day League of Assassins be very underwhelming. Tommy popping up was the lone bright spot.
Laurel in her anger over Sara's death makes several stupid decisions.
Nothing good ever happens for Det. Lance. He is this show's punching bag.
Being in Corto Maltese really detracted from attempting to find Sara's killer.
First half has been a real slow burn especially with the League of Assassins.
Felicity used to date a hacktivist pussy.
Certain episodes in particular Ep. 3-6 did very little to move any main stories along. Also besides Merlyn, these eps had terrible bad guys involved. Brother Eye, Shaw (The Manhunter), and that dumbass attempting to frame Ted Grant all sucked as antagonists.
Ollie was a huge hypocrite in regards to Ted Grant being dangerous because he was a former vigilante who killed people. Re-watch Season 1 Ollie. You filled a fucking graveyard.
No Suicide Squad or Deathstroke.
No one and I mean no one gives a shit about Thea's new DJ boyfriend. Unless the rumors about him working for Merlyn or Ra's are true, then I will give at least one shit.
Not enough emphasis on Roy.
Dinah Lance is the biggest shithead to ever walk the fake universe of Arrow.
What I do on Wed. nights without Arrow
Best Episodes So Far:
1. "The Brave and The Bold": The Flash/Arrow crossover was a massive successful. Everyone knew going in that pairing Barry and Ollie together was going to be awesome and that fight between them did not disappoint. So "Brave and the Bold" had the job of continuing that level of epicness. It did so by giving Arrow one of it's best baddies this season in Captain Boomerang. Boomer was no joke and was on a war path to take down A.R.G.U.S. This led Arrow and Flash into action thereby delivering some of the coolest action sequences of this season.
2. "The Climb": The trend of TV in 2014 was to have a "trial by combat". On Game Of Thrones, the Mountain and the Viper had an epic showdown to determine the fate of Tyrion Lannister. It was a fun fight with a crazy unexpected outcome. So how was Arrow going to top that trial by combat? By having their own fun fight that has an even more unexpected outcome. Ollie got killed. It was a moment that Arrow fans never expected to see. In the end it just goes to show that you don't fuck with the Demon's Head. Overall this episode just showcased how scary powerful Ra's Al Ghul really is and how Oliver pails in comparison to his might. Obviously Oliver will have to come back somehow (Lazurus Pit is everyone's guess), so it will be interesting to see if the League still has a problem with Starling City's vigilante when he returns.
Worst Episode So Far:
1. "Guilty":Oliver was acting like a major hypocrite. Wildcat's old partner was trying to frame him, yet we didn't care. The story felt like it could have been resolved in the first 10 minutes. Whatever negative tidbits you have to say about "Guilty" are probably 100% on the money. Just a filler hour of TV with a lameass bad guy. Only high point for it, was the boxing glove arrow.
Biggest Surprise:Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer has been an excellent addition to the Arrow roster. At first I thought he would be a throw away character that was trying to take over Oliver's company much like Summer Glau's Ravager was last year, but instead Ray added humor + heart + levity to a show that desperately needed some. His character has been coming along nicely and I for one am definitely looking forward to him suiting up as The Atom in the second half of season 3.
Biggest Disappointment: Until I watched "The Climb", Ra's Al Ghul, or his lack there of, was going to be the biggest disappointment of the first half of season 3. Now that honor instead goes to the Hong Kong flashbacks. Early on in the show, flashbacks were one of Arrow's greatest strengths. They helped inform the story at hand while simultaneously giving the audience an interesting backstory on what happened to Oliver in those 5 years that he was away. The revelation at the end of last season that Ollie was not on the island the entire time he was away made me excited for what the show would going to do with it's new Hong Kong setting. To be frank, they haven't really done shit with it. Tatsu/Katana and Maseo have very little development other than that they love their son. When flashbacks were with Slade, Shado, and Sara, the audience learned a lot about who thee characters were and bonded to them. That's what made Slade's transformation that much cooler, you cared about him. Nobody cares about Maseo or Tatsu yet. Maybe the second half of the season will showcase who these characters are a little bit more.
Best Fight So Far:
1. Ra's vs. Oliver:The Demon's head easily destroys Ollie in perhaps the coolest way possible.
Honorable Mention:This fight happened on The Flash, but it was so badass that it should still count here. #Flarrow
Verdict:Arrow's first half gets a 7.0 out of 10. Now some people may feel that score is a little low, so let me explain. Arrow reached awesome heights last year and I'm going to hold them to that standard. Off that bar that they set, this season has been good, not great. Of course there were plenty of highlights, but I expect the second half of the season to be on par with Season 2. Oliver's death sets up a ton of possibilities for the season's second half so there is no reason not to expect greatness from this next set of episodes.
Most Excited For (Ep. 10-23):
Mob boss Brick is coming to Starling! Played by Vinnie Jones who famously said "I'm the Juggernaut, BITCH!"
Roy and Diggle stepping up in Oliver's absence.
Appearances by Suicide Squad and Deathstroke.
More League of Assassins.
Another Flash appearance?
Okay, that's all I for ya. Stay tuned for Arrow return on Jan. 21st and make sure to follow us on @Caped_Informers or follow me @cstrand73 for all your comic book related news. Thanks for reading!
If you want individual reviews for each of the first nine Arrow episodes click the links below:
Raylicity gets hot and heavy as Ollie gets himself a new "girlfriend" in an all new Arrow. (SPOILERS!)
Synopsis:Oliver must stop an Arrow-obsessed serial killer, Carrie Cutter, who is convinced that The Arrow is her one true love and will stop at nothing to get his attention. Unfortunately, her way of getting his attention is to kill people. Meanwhile, Ray asks Felicity to be his date for a work dinner with important clients. Thea auditions new DJs for Verdant and meets Chase, a brash DJ with whom she immediately clashes. High Points
Flashback to Slade's Invasion (Hello Cupid!)
Brandon Routh is a beefcake (Maybe he should suit down rather than suit up)
Palmer Technologies is now in business
Sherwood Florist!! Outsiders!! (Comic references)
Roy is really affected by his recent revelation
Papa Diggle is the best friend a man could ask for
Amy Gumenick (Supernatural) is scary yet sexy as Cupid (Hello Lover!)
Cupid motivations and delusions are explained
Felicity is the prettiest girl at the prom and the boardroom
Cupid is heading for the Suicide Squad (Her and Harley would be a fun combo)
#Raylicity
4 Love stories in one episode (That is high even for CW standards)
ATOM EXO-SUIT!!!
Enter Captain Boomerang
I thought Yellow Eyes killed you?
Low Points
Sorry, but no one gives a shit about Thea's DJ auditions (Expect when "Turn Down For What" was playing)
Ray has been good to Felicity, but her sudden all in attraction towards him felt forced (Could it be because he was shirtless or that 10 million dollar necklace around her neck?)
Besides Katana's, the action was kinda weak
Verdict:Usually the romantic elements of Arrow are the weakest part of the show, but bringing in a villain like Cupid added a fun spark to that dull mix. Cupid (co-created by Arrow/Flash show runner Andrew Kreisberg) pursued the Arrow by murdering people as Ray Palmer pursued Felicity by throwing bling her way. It led to an interesting parallel and to us seeing an Ollie that we have never seen before, a jealous one. (Now you know how Slade felt, pal). Everyone's emotional story lines paid off in this one which led to "Draw Back Your Bow" not being too action heavy. Although what this episode was heavy in was setting up future heroes and baddies. Cupid is sure to make another appearance (perhaps with the Suicide Squad) and Captain Boomerang showed his ugly mug at the end. But the moments that were by far the most exciting were with Katana and Ray Palmer. In a flashback, Katana got to show off some of her badassery. Surely her role is to expand as well as her relationship with Ollie (it is definitely evolving past not doing his laundry). Now with Ray Palmer we had yet to find out if he would ever suit up as his superhero alter-ego The Atom, but this week we finally got our first big tease of his exo-suit. Maybe now we will see The Atom, Arrow, Flash, and Firestorm all suit up alongside each other by season's end. Overall "Draw Back Your Bow" gets an 8.5 out of 10. Fun episode. Cupid was a sexy and fleshed out baddie, not just some villain of the week.
Thanks for reading! What did you think of this week's episode? What did you think of Cupid? Sound off in the comments section or on our twitter @Caped_Informers. Check back regularly for weekly updates on your favorite comic book shows. In two weeks Arrow returns with the second part of it's crossover with The Flash titled "Brave and the Bold". See ya then!
Let them fight!
Felicity Smoak's Dating Record:Felicity Smoak sure has come far from dating a MIT hacktivist pussy.I think it's safe to say at this point that she is a superhero fucker. She can have any hero she wants. First Ollie, then Barry, and now Ray. Jesus, if Dick Grayson ever shows his face in Starling, there is no doubt in my mind that Felicity would get him to show her his Boy Wonder in about five minutes after he got off the train from Gotham. She is the most wanted woman in the DC universe. Props to the Bitch with Wi-Fi!
Oliver, Roy, and Diggle go on "vacation" in this week's Arrow. (MILD SPOILERS!)
Synopsis:Oliver decides it's time for Thea to come back to Starling City, so he packs for Corto Maltese, where Felicity has traced Thea's whereabouts. Lyla asks Diggle to go with Oliver because one of her field operatives, Mark Shaw, has gone dark in Corto Maltese and she'd like him to look into it. Feeling responsible for Thea's departure, Roy joins Oliver and Diggle on their journey.
High Points
DC references galore! - Ted Grant (Wildcat), Corto Maltese, Mark Shaw (Manhunter), Thea using Mia as an alias, and even a Lazarus pit reference
Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional (Wise words of Papa Merlyn)
Brandon Routh's charm lightens up the show
Everybody Loves Felicity (or rather needs her help)
Thea Training flashbacks
Black Canary Begins! (Wildcat trains the Canary)
Emotional scene between Ollie and Thea
Hotel-made arrows
Thea beats Papa and heads home
Ollie and Roy broin' out
Nyssa!
Just look at the flowers, Roy
Low Points
Double cross was a bit obvious
The Shaw storyline in general was predictable
The hunt for Sara's killer takes a backseat
Verdict:Arrow took a break from hunting for Sara's killer so that Ollie and the gang could take a trip to Corto Maltese in an attempt to convince his adrift sister to come home. It sure was amazing to see how much Thea has transformed since last season's finale when she left with Papa Merlyn. She is officially a badass and now with her returning to Starling her story is the most interesting it has ever been. Elsewhere there was an ARGUS mission assigned to Diggle while in Corto. And while I love Diggle, this Manhunter storyline was predictable part. Although I do love when Roy, Ollie, and Diggle all team up together. Meanwhile back in Starling, Laurel had one of her best character arcs. Katie Cassidy and Laurel have received the bulk of criticism aimed at the show over the first two seasons, but her arc is finally in the place where fans want it to be. She has the fire for crime fighting now and with the addition of Ted Grant, I suspect the Black Canary will be stalking the streets again soon. Go Laurel! Lastly Brandon Routh continues to bring charm and lightness to every episode he is in. Felicity and his Ray Palmer have great interplay. Overall I give this episode a 8.0 out of 10. May have not been a very Ollie focused episode, but former underachieving supporting characters like Thea and Laurel are starting to shine. Also how could I forget to mention that Ra's Al Ghul is coming to Starling next week. Caption Cold on The Flash on Tuesday. The Demon's Head on Arrow on Wednesday. #DCHeaven.
Thanks for reading. What did you think of Thea's transformation? What did you think of Arrow's third episode? Sound off in the comments. Make sure to check out our reviews every week and follow our live action tweeting of every episode @Caped_Informers and @cstrand73.
Who's the Best Daddy?:Tyrese has become a surrogate dad to Judith on The Walking Dead, while Daddy Diggle has recently been blessed with a little bundle of joy of his own named Sara. Even Flash has two father figures in Henry Allen (though he is in prison) and Joe West. My question to you is "Who is the best Daddy on comics TV?" Personally I'm not sure who the best daddy is except that it ain't Rick Grimes. Tell us what you think in the comments.
Yesterday at SDCC, CW's Arrow released the first look of it's third season. First looks at Roy as Arsenal, Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer, and scariest off all a pissed off John Diggle.
Identity seems to be the main theme this of this clip. Can Ollie be both the Arrow and lead a normal life? October cannot come soon enough.
In other Arrow news, Batgirl may be coming to Starling. Well maybe just Barbara Gordon, but a guy can dream can't he? This rumor comes in hot by way of a DC tweet claiming that some episodes this year will have flashbacks specifically focused on Felicity's origin story. Most Arrow viewers should know that Ollie's right hand woman is a graduate of MIT and that is where these flashbacks are to take place. Barbara Gordon also went to MIT. Coincidence? I think not. Because this rumor got really interesting when DC added that one of the episodes will be titled Oracle, Barbara Gordon's codename after she was confined to a wheelchair. So will we see Babs? Maybe its no guarantee. The guys who write Arrow are huge comic fans and love references. The episode title Oracle could just be a nod to how Felicity plays a similar role to Ollie like Babs did to Bats.
CW has released a brief synopsis for the early episodes of Arrow'sSeason 3. "In the aftermath of this victory, Season Three opens with Arrow now a hero to the citizens of Starling. Crime is down, people feel safer, and Captain Lance even calls off the Anti-Vigilante Task Force. Basking in his success, Oliver believes he can finally have a private life and asks Felicity out on a date. But the second Oliver takes his eye off the ball, a deadly villain reappears in Starling, forcing Oliver to realize that he can never be Oliver Queen – not as long as the city needs The Arrow." Source: ComicBookMovie
I'm guessing Peter Stromae's newer version of Count Vertigo will be the early season villain who reappears. All that before my main man the Dark Archer brings his new sidekick out to play later on. Also looks like Detective Lance survives whatever the hell happened to him in the final moments of the finale and now is the Police Captain. Can't keep fucking the guy over forever, it's about time something positive happened for Quentin. And finally Olicity is happening! But don't get your hopes up. Once Brandon Routh swoops in as Ray Palmer, Ollie will be shit out of luck. Felcity has a thing for them DC scientists. Who cares anyway? We all know who Starling City's real power couple is.
No wonder Roy got so mad in Season 2. He got got cuckholded by the master. Arrow begins shooting now and will return in October.
TV Line is reporting that Superman Returns actor, Brandon Routh will be joining the ever growing cast of Arrow for the new and upcoming season. According to the article, Routh will be playing Ray Palmer or better known by his superhero identity, The Atom. Not exactly the Man of Steel but still a pretty awesome character. For those who may not know, The Atom's abilities include enlarging and shrinking objects that surround him (including himself). Also, he can manipulate his weight to his advantage. Pretty badass stuff. Anyways, the article also says that Routh's character will be the new CEO of Queen Consolidated, and has complete control of the Applied Sciences division. Click the link to find out more!
First I would like to say I approve the choice of Brandon Routh. Although Superman Returns wasn't the greatest of films, I enjoyed his portrayal of the Man of Steel. I think having a guy who has played one of the biggest super hero's of all time on the big screen is really a positive add on for this new season. Second, it will be interesting to see how Ray's storyline will come intertwined with Oliver's. With Ray taking over the company, and keeping the Applied Sciences division "a mystery" to quote the article, it raises the question will these two get along? Also, when you factor in the fact that it is a possible love interest for Felicity, we could see some tempers flair based off of how Ollie treated Barry. Lastly lets touch on The Atom as a hero. We have all seen him in other DC shows and stories such as Justice League and Teen Titans, but I'm very interested to see Atom join the Arrowverse. It will be fun to see how the special effects team on Arrow can bring his powers to this show, and I'm am very much looking forward to it. One last question, by adding another vigilante into the mix, does this mean both Arrow and Atom will be seen in Flash's universe as well? I guess we will keep an eye out for that too. What do you guys think? Are you a fan of Routh's new role as The Atom, or is this just a pointless addition to season 3? Stay tuned for more Arrow announcements as the we approach season 3!
P.S-With all these new characters being added to season 3, is it still a long shot to ask for some Dick in Starling City?
