GoT Mondays! Season 7 Rumors with emphasis on Gendry

Vacation ends way too fast, am i right? Although, even when I try to "unplug" for awhile, I can't help but look out for comic book news and GoT stuff.  Since, GoT is as big as it is and everyone is still reeling from the end of season 6, there's plenty to talk about!

So, by now, any GoT fans probably have heard of the casting news of our favorite HBO show. The biggest name out of the casting news is Angela Lansbury, star of Murder She Wrote. There's been no official announcement on what part she is playing, so we can only speculate. I think her character might be of someone from the past, that we only see via flashbacks. Going off of other casting rumors that I've read, it looks like Rhaegar Targaryan will have a role in next season! Can't wait to meet him! Maybe it's possible that Angela Lansbury will play a Targaryan as well. Maybe Rhaegar's mother, Rhayella Targaryan, sister-wife of the Mad King. There's also been rumors the the Dragonpit will be seen in season 7! This is exciting for me, especially after reading about the Dance of Dragons and the events around the Dragonpit. If Ms. Lansbury is a character from the past, we might even get a flashback to the storming of the Dragonpit from the Dance of Dragons. Where Lansbury, playing Princess Rhaenyra, is spurned by the Iron Throne after usurping her half-brother's thrown and watches her newly won kingdom fall apart in front of her. Season 7 is probably going to have a lot of dragons, and so this is strong possibility. However, not all of this season will be told in flashbacks, thankfully. So, really, it's completely up in the air what part Lansbury will actually play. I do love to speculate though.

The most interesting casting rumors that I've heard recently is that the actor Joe Dempsie, who plays Gendry, was spotted in Belfast where they are filming season 7! IF Gendry is coming back to show, then what is the purpose of this reappearance? Back in season 5 there was a scene with Lady Olenna Tyrell from Highgarden and Petyr Baelish aka Littlefinger in King's Landing, before Littlefinger went North to Winterfell. In this scene Baelish says to Olenna that he "has a gift for here", now this scene was before Cersei's trial by the Faith when she did the shame walk. I originally thought that Gendry was the gift that Littlefinger spoke about, and that Gendry would be used as a chief witness to Cersei's incest relationship with her brother. Now, thinking about it, that would have been a waste of the character, and George R.R. Martin is a much better writer than that. SO...how does Gendry fit into the future of Westeros?

Well, let's see, seeing as he's on the run and (probably) still believes that the Lannisters and Melisandre is chasing him, it's possible that Gendry shows up in Essos rather than Westeros. HOWEVER, after seeing Dany on the ships, I think all focus will be on Westeros in season 7, so placing a character in Essos without any other supporting characters on that continent any more seems unlikely. So what else do we know? We know Gendry is a talented blacksmith, and before he was taken by Melisandre he was going to stay with the Brotherhood Without Banners to smith for them. So it's most likely that Gendry came to shore far enough away from King's Landing and Storm's End, but quiet enough so that he build a life for himself. What if his plan was to go North, like his friend Arya was trying to do? What if Gendry thought that going North to find Arya or get to Winterfell was the only way he would be safe, but couldn't make it at sea in a rowboat for more than a day or so. So on his trek North, he probably realized that he's have to pass by King's Landing, and so would force himself to row beyond Blackwater Bay. It's possible that he made it just past King's Landing, and made it to an island just off of the Crownlands. The island that Daenarys is also heading for. Dragonstone.

I think Gendry is the key to forging Valaryian steel weapons. Dragonstone is home to the largest cache of dragonglass in Westeros, so maybe Gendry came ashore there, finds work as a blacksmith and later meets Tyrion or Dany who recognize his talents and hire him to work for them. This would get Gendry back into the main plot and set him up as a major asset in season 8 when the war against the White Walkers will happen. Take a look at this map of Westeros below, it is TOTALLY POSSIBLE, and quite probable, that Gendry heads North from Storm's End, recognizes Blackwater Bay and continues North, then arrives at Dragonstone (which is at the far north side of Blackwater Bay) exhausted. Once there, he might even be planning on continuing North when an opportunity presents itself.

There's also the possibility that Gendry is reunited with Arya before she makes it to Winterfell. I've always believed there was something unfinished between them. We know that Arya has changed a lot since she last saw Gendry, and I think Gendry would be a lot more willing to listen to an Arya that has survived all that she has.

For us, Summer is over and Winter is coming. Once we get a scent of spring, the countdown to season 7 officially begins. Unfortunately, even once Spring arrives, we still have to wait until June for the show to come back. Until then, stick to this blog for your weekly dose of Game of Thrones talk. #GoTMondays!

Is Social Media Killing the Art of Storytelling in Comics?

I'm going to sound like a grumpy old man here, but so be it. I miss the good old days when you could buy comics or go to the movies without worry of having the ending or major plot points spoiled.

That's that social media has given us. If these so called "news" websites don't spoil character reveals or major plot twists in their headlines or on their web pages, then "fans" are doing it in the comments. Publishers are even listening to these people!

Let's take the recent Captain America debacle. A year back, or so, the Captain America that we're all used to, Steve Rogers, was written out of the character. He lost his abilities and started to age dramatically. Sam Wilson, aka Falcon, took over as the new Captain America. I was not a fan of this, but...you know....whatever, I didn't have to read it, so I didn't. Now, just last year, the original Cap came back after Marvel's Comic Universe reboot. In the second issue of Captain America: Steve Rogers it was revealed that Cap was actually an agent of Hydra, and had been the WHOLE TIME.

So right off the bat hearing this I was like, "bullshit. It's a trick." And I'm talking about the character arch. I, because of reading comics for so long, knew that this wasn't going to last. For some reason, a large part of the population had an enormous problem with this! Veterans, survivors of World War 2, and people claiming to have read Cap stories since the 1940's wrote to Marvel and took to the facebooks to voice their concern.

Seriously? Concern? There was so much backlash, that the story arch was edited to reveal the real twist much earlier than intended! Second issue established Cap's betrayal, then the third issue brought him back. WHAT. THE. HELL?  This isn't storytelling! This is pandering to an audience.  But I don't blame Marvel, and I don't blame the movie studios when they take over the production of a movie because of internet oversensitivity. Warner Brothers ordered reshoots for Suicide Squad because of the negative backlash from Batman v. Superman. No, I don't blame them. I blame the people and their stupid opinions.

Don't get me wrong. This sensitivity from publishers and movie studios does serve a purpose. It says that they can hear us. BUT, they're still NOT LISTENING! If a studio feels the need to get involved in a project after production has wrapped because of fan reaction from a different movie, that tells me the studio never had real faith in the project to begin with. Marvel Studios is just as much to blame as Warner Brothers. Joss Whedon wouldn't have had so much to cover in Avengers: Age of Ultron if they studio hadn't insisted that he tease Infinity War, Thor 3, Cap 3, and introduce the Infinity Stones! (there were other issues with Ultron, but that's not what I'm talking about today).

Listen, I'm just getting really sick and tired of reading about how people are crying over every little tidbit of information they get. The latest being Zendaya cast as Mary Jane Watson in the new Spider-Man: Homecoming movie. Race is also a major contentious argument. Zendaya being the latest name in the discussion.

Here's the one that really kills me though. So, Marvel has been making a lot of changes these days. Killing off some of their classic iconic characters, and changing some others (like Captain America). The biggest example is Iron Man. Lately in the comics, Tony Stark has been dealing with some...er...issues we'll say, and is side-stepping the spotlight for awhile. This is not a new concept. A lot of times, publishers will take an established character, like Iron Man, and put someone else behind the mask for a time. This has happened to Batman on numerous occasions, in fact, Batman's whole plan revolves around the SYMBOL that he has created. So, now Tony Stark is stepping aside and a 15 year old black girl (being called the smartest person in the Marvel Comics Universe) is taking over the armor.

The outcry over this has become ridiculous. The first argument is people claiming "they're not racist" but then accuse the writers of changing a favorite character's race and gender purely for "diversity". Then there's the complaints that comic companies can't come up with new and original characters, and the people cry about them "ruining their childhood heroes" by changing them. Well, I don't know about you, but I think a 15 year old black girl who creates her own Iron Man-like armor and calling herself Ironheart sounds like a new and original character. I think killing off the Ultimate Universe's version of Peter Parker and handing the mantle of Spider-Man to Miles Morales was a new and original idea for that character years ago. I thought Bruce Wayne asking Jean Paul Valley (aka Azrael) to take over as Batman while he healed from Bane's attack was a fresh idea, as was Dick Grayson taking over as Batman after Bruce Wayne "died" from Darkseid's Omega Beams in the Final Crisis crossover event.

My point is, this happens all of the time. But because people can take to facebook or twitter and immediately voice their opinion, the story suffers. If you're a consistent reader of this blog, then you know how important story is to me, as it should be for everyone.

It's ok to be outraged over a decision made by a company that has created your favorite character, but we should have faith in the story. I can honestly say that I have not read a major comic book title (written by the top writers of both Marvel and DC) and threw it away in disgust. Yes, a lot of sub par story lines have been released in recent years, but the writers and publishers learned their lesson through sale numbers, not internet meme's and facebook arguments.

Bottom line is, everyone needs to just chill the F out and let the creative people do their thing. They got that job for a reason, so let's just see what they can do. If the finished product is something you don't enjoy, that's fine, but it doesn't call for an attempt at public shaming. What happened to Leslie Jones and the cast of the new Ghostbusters is just disgusting. I was against the making of that movie, but Leslie Jones did not deserve the terrible treatment she got.

So what's my point? Well, honestly I severely dislike social media, but it's a necessary evil. It's almost impossible to avoid these days, and people very quickly forget how they make themselves appear to others. Words just can't be read the same way they're meant to be spoken. So go forth and be social. Just try and "be excellent to each other". Have a great day!

Mid Year Comic Book Movie Review

So I'm in between vacations at the moment, and in between recording podcast episodes, so I thought I would do a different kind of post today.

The comic book movies (CBM) of 2016 were highly anticipated, and rightfully so! 2015 ended on a high note, with the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. I saw that movie 3 times in the theater, pre-ordered the blu-ray, watch it at least once a month, and now will watch it even more now that it's about to premiere on Starz.

2016 started with a bang too, and surprise bang. DEADPOOL was the highest grossing R Rated movie of all time when it opened in February. For long time fans like myself and my friends, we knew the potential the character had to utterly destroy at the box office. And the movie did not disappoint. Currently, DEADPOOL is ranked #1 best CBM of 2016. Disagree? I would love to hear why!

Then came, what was probably, THE MOST ANTICIPATED CBM of all time! Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, may have gotten comic fans very excited, but it was also the most disappointing movie of the year as well. I remember almost falling asleep in the theater while watching this! I couldn't believe it! I've talked about this movie and it's disappointing points enough, so I'll leave it there. I'm just still in awe about how a movie featuring a fight between Batman and Superman could be as boring and disappointing as it was.

So BvS:DoJ came out in March of 2016, but it was originally slated to premiere in 2015. WB Studios purposefully delayed the release so their movie wouldn't have to directly compete with AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON. However, the delay not only started the rumors of how bad BvS:DoJ was going to be, but also made the film compete with CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR. Civil War opened in April, and may not have been in direct competition with BvS:DoJ, but was (of course) immediately compared. I would say about 87% of fans had more positive things to say about Civil War. It was a much better movie and introduced some Marvel characters that we couldn't wait to see, like Black Panther, and Spider-Man! My pre-ordered blu-ray arrives next week! I really enjoyed Civil War and can't wait to watch it again, but it only ranks as #3 on my "Best of 2016, So Far" list.

Quick recap: #1 - Deadpool, #3 - Captain America: Civil War, #5 - Batman v. Superman.

The next release was the biggest and most pleasant surprise of the summer for me. X-MEN: APOCALYPSE renewed my faith in the X-Franchise. I haven't liked an X-Men movie since X2, and was really starting to hope for a franchise reboot. However, this latest X-Flick, was just great! I enjoyed every minute of it and really look forward to watching it again and again. Once I do, I'll be sure to post a full review. For now, I'm ranking X-MEN: APOCALYPSE at #2!

Last, but not least, was SUICIDE SQUAD, which it was released most recently in August. Ranked at #4, but if X-Men wasn't as surprising as it was, and Civil War wasn't as much fun as it was, Suicide Squad could have easily placed higher on this list. I enjoyed this movie. I am a big fan of escaping when I go to see a movie, and so unless a movie takes me completely out of the viewing experience (like Batman v. Superman did), I'm going to give it a positive review. Yes, there were a lot of problems with this movie, and at one point did feel like I was watching 2 different movies. BUT, I really did enjoy it. It was a fun summer movie, just not as good as most of the others.

So, the tally is
1. DEADPOOL
2. X-MEN: APOCALYPSE
3. CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
4. SUICIDE SQUAD
5. BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE

How would you rate the CBM of 2016 so far?Let me know in the comments or tweet me @SuperNerdyNews

We've got 2 more CBMs this year. DOCTOR STRANGE is next, releasing in November. Doc Strange could easily be the best CBM of the year, it looks incredible and unlike anything else Marvel has done yet. I'm very excited for this and to see what kind of promotional stuff they'll have at NY Comic Con this year!

Last to release this year is ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY. I don't know about you, but I LOVE STAR WARS! I don't claim to be an expert in Star Wars knowledge though, because I haven't read or have watched even half of the stuff that's available. When Disney announced that they had purchased the rights and were releasing the next 3 episodes in the overall saga PLUS spin-off movies, I nearly shit my pants. I love the idea of expanding the Star Wars Universe, and Rogue One is Disney's first venture into that extended universe. So, once again thanks to Star Wars, 2016 should end on quite the high note.

Real quick, here's a glimpse of the movie releases for 2017:
March 3 - WOLVERINE 3
May 5 - GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
June 2 - WONDER WOMAN
June 16 - KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
June 23 - TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT
July 7 - SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
November 3 - THOR: RAGNORAK
November 17 - JUSTICE LEAGUE
December 15 - STAR WARS: EPISODE VIII

I think 2017 looks even better than 2016! See ya next time!

BATMAN V. SUPERMAN The Ultimate Cut extended Fight Analysis - FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS

I've been meaning to do a post like this for some time, and since this is a holiday weekend, this seemed like a good time for it.

So despite how bad I felt the theatrical version of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was, I still went home from the advanced screening and pre-ordered the Ultimate Cut. I'd be lying if I said the Ultimate Cut was just as bad as the theatrical version, because it's not. It's better, but not much. There are some additional scenes that help make more sense of Lex Luthor's evil scheme and what Lois is up to, but it doesn't save the film.

Let's face it, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was an incredible disappointment. There are still a lot of people out there that will fight me even over those words. And my words are the most delicate way of putting things. Anyway, I'm not posting today to rip on this movie or on Zack Snyder, nor should I. I believe the man can make a good movie (loved 300 and Watchmen!), but BvS:DoJ was just bad.

HOWEVER, it did give me something that I have wanted to see since I was a little kid and for that I will always be grateful. I got to see Batman fight Superman on the big screen! And that's what today's post is about.

I'm pretty sure anyone that has even the slightest idea of who Batman and Superman are, have given their opinion on who would win this fight. The landslide victory in the logical opinion war goes to Superman. Obviously. My Dad, the man who introduced me to Superman, gave the most reasonable explanation for this. "Without kryptonite, Batman doesn't stand a chance." And he is absolutely right.

The entire battle in BvS hinged on Batman's use of kryptonite, which was alright. I mean, think of the position Snyder and writers Chris Terrio and David Goyer were in. They were putting the 2 most well known superheroes on the screen together and attempting to introduce THEIR version of these characters plus create an expanded universe around them. They didn't have the time to come up with a more creative way for Batman to fight Superman.

With kryptonite, Batman can take the fight to Superman. He can "even the playing field" so to speak. And we see that, when the first kryptonite gas grenade goes off in Supe's face. Superman throws a punch and he's shocked that Batman blocks it. This is where the fight gets cool. Batman is the better fight, as Superman relies completely on his super strength and speed while in battle. Superman is all offense with very little defense. In all honesty, he doesn't need much defense, because of his invulnerability. This, however, is an example of how writers (especially non-comic book writers) do not know how to write for such a powerful character. The ultimate problem with Superman is that he is TOO powerful. How do you fight something like that? That's why we got that terrible Martha scene.

Let's talk about this straight up. So Batman, lures Superman into a sonic sound wave attack. Judging on the fact that Batman just stands there watching, I assume that he didn't expect these initial attacks to do anything but to test Superman. The sonic sound waves was creative, and probably could have been even more effective after the kryptonite grenade detonated, but whatever. Anyway. Superman gets out of this much like the Hulk does in the Edward Norton Hulk movie. Then he's immediately attacked by high caliber machine guns, again this is nothing more than a test from Batman. For me, as the fan that I am, I didn't get it for a couple of reasons. 1. If Batman really did intend to test Superman this way...why? He saw Superman fight Zod in midair, did he really expect to see some kind of positive result from attacking Superman with machine guns? I don't think so. I think Batman knew this wouldn't work. But that leads to my second point. 2. Why waste the time to set this up if you knew Superman would just blow up everything? It's not like these initial attacks positioned Superman in a way that Batman could ready his prime attack. No, instead he pissed off Superman, who shoved Batman about 50 yards and then threw him through a building. Only then did Batman attack Superman in the most creative and effective way, by detonating a lead based smoke grenade to mask his movement and then shooting Superman with a kryptonite gas grenade.

The rest of the fight is fun to watch, but it's nothing special. What it comes down to is that the real world logic got too mixed up with the comic book lore all fans are used to. And that's ok, if that's the kind of story you're going for, but that's also why the movie didn't work.

So, what would I have done differently? Well...ahem...not to take away from the creative professionals that made this movie, but I would have gone in a different direction for Batman and Lex Luthor. I would have Lex in pursuit of the kryptonite, and Batman actually figuring out a much more effective way to fight a Kryptonian. What was kind of glossed over in the movie was just how smart and calculating Batman is. Instead of fixating on the kryptonite, I would have had Batman study Superman's kryptonian physiology somehow and then create some kind of device that gave Batman similar abilities or took Superman's away. Like a Red Sun radiation emitter or something like that. Just like Spider-Man used to fight Superman in their first ever crossover encounter in 1976 (yes, I own that issue)! This would have allowed Batman and Superman to fight things out on completely even ground. I don't know about anyone else, but I would have puked my pants if I saw Batman gain the same powers as Superman and then saw them go punch for punch!

So for the sake of discussion. Who wins in a fight between Batman and Superman? Well, Superman. Clearly. But that's with using logic and reason. My favorite point to argue in these situation is comic book mythos and comic book logic. Real world laws of physics, logic and reason go right out the window in comic books, which is one of the many reasons I love them so much. Only in the comic universe can Batman stand a chance against Superman!

There are many questions I have in regards to the making of this movie, and I will, most likely, never get them answered. Again, I didn't hate this movie, not at all. But I didn't really like it either. And that's fine. We don't have to like every comic book movie that comes out, and if there's enough noise made about it, then hopefully the studios will make better decisions in the future. I doubt it though. Look at what happened with Suicide Squad. Warner Brothers got freaked out after the negative backlash from BvS that they went in and hacked up David Ayers' movie. I actually enjoyed Suicide Squad and thought it was better than BvS, but there were clearly 2 different movies being made there. The studio's version of what they thought the audience wanted, and Ayer's version. Also, if the studio felt that BvS was truly successful than Geoff Johns would never have been hired to oversee the future of the DCEU, most specifically the Justice League movie.

What did you think of BvS:DoJ? More specifically, what did you think of the fight between Batman and Superman? What would you have done differently if anything at all? Thanks for reading, enjoy the long weekend. Since Monday is Labor Day here in the States, I will be taking the day off. See you all next week!

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK - Team Tournament Breakdown

The Justice League Dark is a variation of the Justice League of America, but with all magical, supernatural, or paranormal DC characters. I was first introduced to them during the Final Crisis crossover event some years ago, since then, they have become very popular characters. Originally, some of these characters were published in Vertigo Comics, DC's sister company that publishes more adult-themed stories. However, when these characters started hit the mainstream and gained popularity, DC quickly snatched them up and made them their own.

John Constantine - formally known as Hellblazer, Constantine is one of the most well known members of the team, mostly because of the movie starring Keanu Reeves and the short lived TV show starring Matt Ryan as the titular character. Constantine is a powerful magician, but only uses those abilities when he absolutely has too. Instead, he relies more on his cunning, and quick wit during fights. He's known more as a con man then as a magic user, and has manipulated the likes of Batman and Superman if that says anything about his influence.

Zatanna - Zatanna is the most powerful magic user in the DC universe! By speaking backwards, Zatanna casts her spells, but can also cast them speaking normally or for easier spells, she doesn't speak at all. She is immensely powerful, but not without limits. Too much use of her abilities causes her physical strain, just like other magic users. The only way to regain her strength is through rest.

Shade the Changing Man - Shade has the power to warp reality. He also wears a vest that creates a magic force field that can repel weaponry, and allows Shade to levitate. It can also distort Shade's appearance to others.

Frankenstein - the second incarnation of this character in this tournament. This version is not dependant on a "master" to power him up, but rather is a super strong warrior monster. Frankenstein is undead and is made up of assorted body parts taken from many different sources. He has superhuman strength, does not need to eat or sleep, and is also immortal. Because he is undead, Frankenstein cannot feel pain, and also can replace missing limbs with grafts taken from individuals of a similar build and then adapt it to his unique physiology. Frank also carries a sword and what looks like an old musket, but has been "modernized".

Black Orchid - is a human/plant hybrid with superhuman strength, speed, agility, and durability. She can fly including in space, and is capable of reincarnation by transferring her mind to a host of bodies growing in stasis. She is a master of disguise and can alter her voice and appearance.

Deadman - was an acrobat before he was assassinated. Now, as a ghost, aside from maintaining his peak human physical condition, Deadman can also become invisible and intangible. He can also fly and instantly and completely possess any sentient being. This could prove to be an extremely valuable ability in this tournament.

Swamp Thing - My favorite character on this team and the strong guy. Swamp Thing has super human strength and durability; holds telepathic dominion over plant life; his vegetation body allows him shape shifting abilities and hyper elasticity; AND can create new bodies out of plant life!

The Odds:
This could be one of those dark horse teams that sneaks up and surprises everybody. As I've stated several times already in this tournament, magic is a game changer and there several very strong magic users on this team, plus Deadman's ability to possess people, Frankenstein's physical attacks, and Swamp Thing's help this team should yield a really great discussion!

THE DEFENDERS - Team Tournament Breakdown

The Defenders started out as an unofficial team of Doctor Strange, Silver Surfer, and the Incredible Hulk. Later incarnations would actually call them a team. As with most of the teams in this tournament, there have been a variety of members at different times. Also, the Defenders is the name of the first original Netflix series that features the Marvel heroes that have had their own solo shows so far. So, DareDevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist will be featured and from what I've read lately, they are rewriting the series to include the Punisher as well. I can't wait for this show!

DareDevil - Matt Murdock was blinded by toxic waste as a child, but even though he couldn't see, Murdock developed a new sense. Echolocation, like how a bat sees in the dark or a sonar device works, Matt can "see" everything. His other senses are heightened as well, so he can hear your heartbeat, or smell your fear. DareDevil was also trained by Stick, a founding member of the Cadre. Under Stick's teaching, DareDevil mastered all of his senses and became a master of martial arts. DareDevil has often been referred to as the "Batman" of Marvel Comics, and while there are definite similarities between the characters, they are still very different.

Iron Fist - Danny Rand was the son of Wendall Rand, a billionaire entrepreneur who discovered the lost city of K''un L'un. On a return expedition to re-find the lost city with his wife Heather, son Danny, and business partner Harold Meachum, Wendall fell to his death. Meachum, convinced Wendall to sacrifice himself and offered Heather his help. She refused and later her and Danny were attacked by wolves. She threw herself in front of the wolves to protect her son and died before they were rescued by archers from K'un L'un. Now in the lost city, Danny expressed his desire for vengeance and was taken in as a student. Danny would harden his fist by plunging them into sand, gravel, and rock; and would prove to be the most gifted of all of the students. At 19, Danny was given the chance to attain the power of the Iron Fist by fighting and defeating the dragon Shou-Lao the Undying.  During the battle, Danny throws himself against the dragon's scar, which burns a dragon tattoo to his chest. Having killed the dragon, Danny enters the dragon's lair and finds a brazier that holds the dragon's molten heart. He plunges his fists into the brazier and emerges with the power of Iron Fist! So, not only is he a master of martial arts (arguably the best martial artist in the Marvel Universe), but he also has the mystical abilities of the Iron Fist and Shou-Lao the Undying!

Luke Cage - one of my personal favorite characters. Luke Cage has a long history in comic books, but we're not talking about that today. He was the leader of the New Avengers and has a rich history of teaming up with Iron Fist and DareDevil as well as being married to Jessica Jones. Cage is a big man with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin. Yes, completely unbreakable, so he's invulnerable. He can be hurt, but it's gotta be something big that hurts him and even that most likely won't stop him.

Ghost Rider - there have been several people that have been cursed as Ghost Rider, for me the most notable aliases are Johnny Blaze, Danny Ketch, and Robbie Reyes. For this tournament though, it doesn't matter who Ghost Rider really is, only what he can do. Ghost Rider has IMMENSE super human strength (often underestimated), stamina, agility, reflexes, and durability. He carries an enchanted chain that's laced with hellfire. He has an invulnerability to fire, heat, lave and flames. He is nearly invulnerable and cannot be harmed by modern weapons. He also carries a shotgun that can fire hellfire, which burns the soul rather than physical burns. Most of all, Ghost Rider has what's called the "Penance Stare". When Ghost Rider locks eyes with a target and focuses, that person will experience any and all pain they have ever inflicted on someone. It has been said, "God created the Ghost Riders, and only God can kill them." GR also rides a motorcycle made out of hellfire that can ride at super speeds and do things not believed to be physically possible; like riding vertically up walls. Ghost Rider's abilities are supernatural, and therefore considered mystical.

Namor the Sub-Mariner - Namor is Marvel's Aquaman, with a couple of differences. Namor is the King of Atlantis and actually despises us "land lovers", but will fight alongside Earth's heroes in order to protect the planet. This has not stopped Namor from teaming with villains though. Anyway, Namor (under water) can swim at incredible speeds, and has super human strength. On land, he's not as strong as when in the water, but is still possesses super human strength, speed, agility, and durability AND can fly! I have always considered Namor an interesting character and now that Marvel owns the movie rights to the character again, I hope we see him soon.

Captain Marvel - Carol Danvers is another one of my favorite Marvel characters. Formally known as Ms. Marvel, Danvers is now the leader of the Ultimates. A cool new team with power levels equal to the Avengers. Captain Marvel first popped up on my radar back in the early 90's when I started getting into the X-Men and specifically Rogue. Danvers is who Rogue touches and takes away her powers and personality for awhile. Captain Marvel got her powers from a fusion of alien Kree and human genes, very much like the Inhumans, but never having to encounter the Terrigen Mists like the Inhumans do. Her powers include super human strength and speed, and near invulnerability plus flight! This lady packs a hell of a punch!

Red She-Hulk - Betty Ross was resurrected by Hulk villains, the Leader and M.O.D.O.K., and put through the same process that turned her father into Red Hulk. As Red She-Hulk, Betty has incredible super human strength and speed and is nearly invulnerable. Not as strong as the original Hulk or her father, Red Hulk, but her power is comparable to Jessica Walters' She-Hulk, which is nothing to sneeze at. Red She-Hulk adds even more power to this already incredibly strong team.

The Odds:
Teams like this are easily overlooked because of the huge shadow cast by teams like the Avengers or the Justice League, but they should definitely NOT be underestimated. I originally had the Silver Surfer on this team instead of DareDevil, but I felt the power cosmic gave this team TOO MUCH power.