Ryan Riley: January 2009 Archives

By Ryan Riley, Contributor

Earlier this week it was announced that Warner Bros. reached an undisclosed financial settlement with Fox Studios regarding their lingering film rights to the Watchmen comic. This means that the upcoming "Watchmen" movie directed by Zack Snyder will be released on March 6, 2009 as planned. I don't know about you, but I was really starting to have my doubts about whether we would ever get to see it. Assuming that the legal battle that kept the rights to a Spider-Man movie in limbo for almost a decade was a worst-case scenario, it could have been anywhere from a few months to a few years until we would get to see "Watchmen" had less-business-savvy heads prevailed.

So now that the matter has been resolved, what does that mean to you moviegoers that are curious about "Watchmen" but have never read the book? If you want to read the book beforehand, my advice to you would be to hit up your local comic book shop or bookstore and snag yourself a copy of the graphic novel. You can even get it at a 20% discount if you pick it up at Pulp Fiction in Long Beach. I'd suggest doing it quickly, as the book is a staggeringly long read by even non-graphic novel standards, and getting it now means you'll have a month and change to read it thoroughly.

The drawback to that is that the movie won't possibly be able to fit in every single detail of the rather formidably-sized comic book. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people grumble about how many details from the novels were changed or left out of movie adaptations of novels like Harry Potter or Twilight. And I'll confess that I get a little nitpicky when changes or omissions are made less-than-judiciously in comic-based films. Don't even get me started on "X3: The Last Stand" or "Spider-Man 3". So if you want to catch the movie before reading the book, I can totally respect that. This article will give you some background on the world of Watchmen at the start of the story.

The Setting

Watchmen is set in the year 1986, and takes place in a "real-world" where costumed heroes have been around since before World War II. Amazingly enough, Richard Nixon is still President of the United States. The Cold War with the Soviet Union is still chugging along, and the United States has enjoyed a lopsided advantage since the early 1960's in large part because the world's only super-powered hero, Dr. Manhattan, works for the U.S. government. Because of him, the U.S. actually came out the victors in the Vietnam War, and the Communist sphere of influence is a lot smaller that it would otherwise have been.

History of the heroes

In the beginning...

In the world of Watchmen, the era of the costumed hero began prior to World War II with the appearance of a vigilante named Hooded Justice. Other heroes, such as Nite Owl, Silk Spectre and Mothman, started their careers shortly thereafter. After a little time passed, they all came together to form a group called The Minutemen. Despite the best of intentions, there were too many disparate personalities in the group for them to work effectively together. Their youngest member, the Comedian, was removed from the group after attempting to sexually assault the Silk Spectre, and their only other female member, Silhouette, was thrown out of the group after it became public knowledge that she was a homosexual. After a few years, the Silk Spectre left the group to marry her agent and they quietly disbanded shortly after.

The next generation

Although the Minutemen were over and done with, some of their number continued to fight crime. The Comedian, in particular, went on to become a government-sponsored hero after his distinguished service as a special-ops soldier in World War II. And in the late 1950's/early 1960's a new generation of heroes began to pick up where the Minutemen were leaving off. The Silk Spectre encouraged her young daughter to take up her mantle, and a millionaire fanboy took on the identity of Nite Owl with the blessing of the original. They were joined by Rorschach, a street-level hero that wore a mask with flowing ink shapes not unlike a continuous ink-blot test, and Ozymandias, billed as the smartest being on the planet. But all of them paled in comparison to the newest player on the scene...

Dr. Manhattan

Dr. Jonathan Ostermann, a scientist working at the nuclear research facility in Gila Flats, New Mexico, was disintegrated in a lab experiment gone awry. Weeks later, he assembled himself a new body from scratch to become the superhero the U.S. government would come to call Dr. Manhattan. With superpowers like teleportation, telekinesis and the ability to alter objects at the molecular level, Dr. Manhattan would provide the leverage the U.S. would need to keep the expansion of Communist governments in check around the world. In addition to helping the U.S. win in Vietnam, his powers made technological advances like electric cars (which we're still trying to get right today) possible almost 50 years early.

The Keene Act

The problems that dogged the Minutemen were child's play compared to the ones that plagued their successors. Law enforcement officials and public opinion began to turn rather harshly against costumed vigilantes that operated outside of the law. This led some of the heroes to question their own motives, and prompted Ozymandias to retire and pursue a more philanthropic form of heroism through his multi-million dollar corporation. When it all came to a boiling point, a bill called the Keane Act was signed into law. The Keene Act made it illegal to be a costumed vigilante, making exceptions for government operatives Dr. Manhattan (who was largely responsible for the nation's defense) and the Comedian (who handily rescued the civilians in the Iran Hostage Crisis). The remaining heroes gladly retired for the most part, with the exception of Rorschach, who had become extremely violent and uncompromising in his crusade.

And there you have it

Now you have enough background information to know what is going on once the "Watchmen" movie hits theaters without giving out spoilers. As for what type of movie you're in for, it is a "superhero" movie that has a little bit of everything for everyone. It's a murder mystery, a popcorn-action flick, emotional rollercoaster and a conspiracy movie all rolled into a visually stunning package. I'll see you guys at the theater this March.

By Ryan Riley, Contributor

In my last article I expressed some pessimism at the prospect of ABC handling the adaptation of the Fables comic book series to TV. I'm going to forego all of that negativity this time around and just enjoy the possibility that they could actually do a good job with the series. I'll even give them a little help by engaging in an artform that I enjoy participating in: fanboy movie/TV casting. It is a time-honored fanboy tradition that has been especially prevalent since the movie studios discovered that making movies based on comic books is profitable.

Now I love engaging in discussions at Pulp Fiction with other customers about which actors would be right for a particular character, but what I really enjoyed was a feature that Wizard Magazine used to have called the "Wizard Casting Call". It was a segment where the writing staff would put their heads together and place actors & actresses in comic book roles that would suit them based on their physical appearance and/or facets of their body of work. I enjoyed it so much that when I worked at SquareSoft and worked on the company newsletter, I did a couple of similar articles that were based on the "Final Fantasy" games. So when I saw that Robert Meeks was writing similar articles (with the help of his cohorts at Geoffrey's Comics), I thought to myself "Why should he have all the fun?"

It would take an inordinate amount of time to cast every single character from the extraordinary ensemble that make up the cast Fables, so I went with the most prominent characters in the series. If you fine people think that I left anyone important out or if you feel that your choice of actors is more on the money, I want to hear about it. Leave some feedback below and drop some science on me!

Without any further ado, here are my casting choices for the "Fables" TV series:

Bradley Cooper as Bigby Wolf

Bigby Wolf is the shorthand name for the Big Bad Wolf, best known for menacing the Three Little Pigs and Red Riding Hood. These days he spends most of his time in human form as the sheriff of Fabletown, but is able to revert back to his original form when the need arises. Bradley Cooper ("Yes Man") has played a variety of roles, but his demeanor and penetrating gaze (not to mention his shaving habits) give him the right look for the part of Bigby. Just give him some cigarettes and let him chew up the scenery and the bad guys.

Emily Deschanel as Snow White

Snow White serves officially as Fabletown's deputy mayor under mayor Old King Cole. But since she handles all of the real work of running the New York community of disenfranchised Fables, she pretty much runs the joint. Emily Deschanel definitely resembles the raven-haired princess, and has a similar demeanor in her role as Dr. Temperance Brennan on the show "Bones". She would be the perfect person to throw her weight around in Fabletown.

Josh Holloway as Jack of the Tales

They call this guy "Jack of the Tales" because there have been so many different stories he's been a part of (Jack & The Beanstalk, Jack Frost, etc.). This handsome rogue has gotten himself into (and out of) many a jam in those tales and in the mundane world. As Sawyer on the show "Lost", Josh Holloway has mastered both the cocky attitude and the propensity for getting into trouble needed to properly bring Jack to life. He can also pull double-duty as Wicked John, Jack's doppelganger introduced in the spinoff series Jack of Fables should the network play their cards right.

Zooey Deschanel as Rose Red

Rose Red is the hard-partying, free-spirited twin sister of Snow White. After years of estrangement, she mends fences with Snow and takes over as director of the Farm, the sanctuary for non-human Fables. Zooey Deschanel ("Yes Man") has a knack for playing this type of character, and she's related to my Snow White actress to boot. Just cut her hair, dye it red and let her work.

Eric Szmanda as Boy Blue

Boy Blue is the perpetually optimistic office manager of Fabletown. He is perfectly content to be an office drone, but has reservoirs of courage and anger to draw on when his friends are threatened. Let's just say it's lucky for Andrew Dice Clay that Blue didn't take his "Little Boy Blue" joke personally, because his having the Witching Cloak and Vorpal Sword in his possession could have meant his ass. Eric Szmanda's portrayal of Greg Sanders on "CSI" jibes pretty well with this character, and it doesn't hurt his case that he is still very young-looking. Szmanda is one actor that won't have us playing the blues as Boy Blue.

Joel David Moore as Flycatcher

Flycatcher is the former Frog Prince of legend, and now serves as the janitor of Fabletown. This character is both the most endearing and most tragic of all the Fables in exile, so an extremely versatile actor is needed. Joel David Moore ("Dodgeball") has both the comedic and dramatic chops to play this innocent-yet-tortured soul, and the resemblance is uncanny.

Jamie Bamber as Prince Charming

Prince Charming is the handsome hero responsible for saving Snow White, Briar Rose (a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty) and Cinderella from peril and/or drudgery long ago. Unfortunately, all three ladies found out that he was a bit of a cad when it came to being monogamous, and divorced him shortly thereafter. Nevertheless, he is a superb warrior and able leader in battle. As Apollo on "Battlestar Galactica", Jamie Bamber is cut from a similar mold. While not nearly as much of a womanizer as Charming, Apollo definitely puts his combat boots on over feet of clay. Just let Bamber amplify those traits as Charming and he'll work out nicely.

Malin Ackerman as Cinderella

The third and last of Prince Charming's ex-wives, Cinderella escaped from her homeland and currently owns and operates a shoe store called "The Glass Slipper". But this former princess leads a double life moonlighting as one of the Tourists, a formidable group of spies answerable only to the sheriff of Fabletown. Imagine a female version of James Bond that has had centuries to perfect the spy game and you've got an idea what Cindy is capable of. Malin Ackerman ("Watchmen") has the ass-kicking chops and acting skill to properly portray the ultimate fairy-tale superspy.

Brian Cox as Old King Cole

When Fabletown was founded, there was only one Fable well-respected enough to assume leadership as mayor, and that was King Cole. Cole is mostly a hands-off leader who assumes the more ceremonial responsibilities of leadership while leaving Snow White to handle the administrative work. He has become a bit too complacent in his leadership role as the years have progressed, but no one could deny that his heart is in the right place. Brian Cox ("X2 - X-Men United") looks a lot like the beloved Fabletown leader and is an experienced actor, so he'll do just fine.

Cloris Leachman as Frau Totenkinder

The enigmatic Frau Totenkinder was the Black Forest witch that lured Hansel & Gretel into her gingerbread house in order to kill them. Unlike the other Fables in exile, this powerful witch revels in the fact that she is largely unknown among the inhabitants of the mundane world. Despite her villainous past, she protects her fellow Fabletown residents from the machinations of the Adversary. Cloris Leachman plays a similar character as Malcolm's grandmother in "Malcolm In The Middle", so this role would just let her play a similar character with magical powers.

Ryan Reynolds as Lord Beast

Beast was the prince that was cursed with the appearance of an animal until someone loved him for his inner beauty. He is a laid back soul that keeps his cool even though he suffers the re-emergence of his curse whenever his wife Beauty gets ticked at him. Ryan Reynolds ("Van Wilder") exudes a sense of calm even as he is thrust into ludicrous situations in many of his films, so the only difference in this role is his ability to transform into the Beast.

Amanda Righetti as Lady Beauty

Beauty is the woman whose love initially broke the hold of her husband Beast's curse. Unfortunately, due to the constant fights with him about finances her mood toward him brings back the curse to a certain extent. Amanda Righetti ("The Mentalist") definitely has the look and the mercurial attitude to pull off this role.

That's all for now

Like I said before, this article could go on for ages before all the characters get cast. And casting some characters would spoil some major secrets, like the identity of the Adversary. I'd rather save those little plot twists for the folks that haven't read the book yet, although I'd like to hear from you readers about any casting choices you might have. Just leave your comments in the feedback box below.

By Ryan Riley, Contributor

Happy New Year, everyone. I took a couple of weeks off from writing the column to recharge my batteries and deal with the chaos of the holidays, and now I'm good to go for another year of ranting & raving. And after hearing the news that this new column is based on, I have no choice but to kick this new year off with a rant.

A couple of weeks ago, my esteemed colleague Robert Meeks broke the news that DC's Vertigo title Fables had been optioned as a TV series. Fables is my all-time favorite comic book, so I was naturally overjoyed at the prospect of an adaptation to another medium. Then I saw that ABC is the network that has optioned it, and my joy transformed into trepidation.

What's so bad about ABC, you ask? Well, based on their track record and some of their current programming, there are three distinct possibilities as to what could happen with the Fables TV series, and here they are:

The "Lost/Pushing Daisies" scenario

This is the most positive of the three possible outcomes of ABC's involvement with the Fables adaptation. The show's producers could give the viewers a relatively intact adaptation of the comic book. For viewers, that would mean an hour-long, fantasy-based TV drama that could potentially give the first season of "Lost" a run for its money with its sheer creativity and ingenuity.

The only problem with this approach is that the general TV audience can be pretty fickle when it comes to sci-fi/fantasy based shows. Under ideal circumstances, the show could find a large following in a short amount of time, as was the case with "Lost" and with "Heroes" on NBC. I'm confident that if the show hits the ground running (and if the show is relatively unchanged from the comic) it could happen. As with any new show, if the first few episodes aren't up to snuff it's likely that it won't pick up the ratings it would need to continue for a full first season.

Even if it does gain a solid viewer base, fantasy-based shows aren't guaranteed a free pass. "Pushing Daisies", an innovative show about a homicide detective that can resurrect murder victims to ask them how they died, did well its first season, but didn't grow its fanbase enough to make it through their second season without getting cancelled. Even "Lost" & "Heroes" have encountered unhappiness with the direction of the story. ABC stuck with "Lost" and it appears that the majority of its viewers are once again happy with the show's direction, and it looks as if NBC is allowing the producers of "Heroes" to work through similar issues.

If the Fables TV show doesn't pick up an audience, it will at least have been an honest attempt at a faithful translation, which is infinitely more preferable than the other two possibilities.

The "Desperate Housewives/Grey's Anatomy" scenario

ABC is a television network, and that means they are going to choose the path that makes them the most money. That being said, it seems that ABC is giving its strongest push to shows like "Desperate Housewives", "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice". I am not a big fan of these "chick shows", but I have nothing against them. I know that a large number of people enjoy them, and I recognize that they are well-executed for what they are. What I will take issue with is if they attempt to take the premise of Fables and re-work it into a formulaic romance/drama in the veins of the aforementioned shows. In its comic book incarnation, Fables has something for everyone (including the "chick show" crowd), and the show's producers would be doing fans of the series (and I'd like to think millions of TV viewers) a serious disservice by making it into something it's not in order to pander to a certain demographic. Look at what happened with that show "Valentine" on the CW. Its premise had the Greek goddess Aphrodite working with a romance novelist in order to help people fall in love. They took a great sci-fi/fantasy staple like the Greek Gods and shoehorned them into a "chick show", and it only lasted four episodes. This was on the CW, mind you, a network that is already filled to the brim with teen-centered "chick shows".

The "Clerks: The Animated Series" scenario

This is by far the most depressing of the three scenarios. The network might initially give support to the show in the conceptual phase even though they're not entirely sold on it. Once the show has got a few episodes in the can, the network executives will balk at the prospect of giving it even the tiniest bit of support.

This has happened many times before with other shows, I'm certain, but there is one particularly ugly example that comes to mind for me. I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with movie writer/director Kevin Smith. Back in the early part of the decade he was approached by ABC to have his very first film, "Clerks", translated into an animated series. Even though Kevin's involvement with the project was minimal compared to that of his films the project looked good on paper. It had Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson & Jason Mewes reprising their roles as Dante, Randal & Jay, so what could go wrong? Everything!

First of all, the often vulgar "Clerks" was a concept that was not at all compatible with ABC, which is owned by Disney. If it had been optioned by a cable network like Comedy Central or Cartoon Network there was a chance it would have translated quite well to the small screen. Even the Fox network could have made it work, given their success with shows like "The Simpsons" & "Family Guy". But because ABC took it on the show's producers attempted to transform "Clerks" into something it definitely wasn't: a normal animated sitcom. It ended up being such a watered-down version of the source material that it turned off a lot of Kevin Smith's normally loyal and forgiving fanbase (myself included) and viewers unfamiliar with Smith's other work just didn't connect with it.

It doesn't help that ABC seemed to revel in making a bad situation worse. It delayed the premiere of the series from early Spring to Summer, then it made the decision to air the fourth episode of the series as the pilot episode. The network then aired the second episode, which was a "flashback" episode with the flashback sequences referring almost solely to what was intended to be the first episode. With seemingly the entire deck stacked against it, "Clerks: The Animated Series" was cancelled after merely two out of the six completed episodes having aired.

The Bottom Line

While it seems doubtful that such a perfect storm of ineptitude could befall the Fables adaptation, a precedent does exist. The watchwords I would tell fellow fans of the book to live by would be "cautious optimism". Oh, and it doesn't hurt to give regular feedback to the producers of the show during the planning phases of the show. They might not heed your advice, but at least you'll know that you tried your best to let them know what the fans expect.