I’m going to do something a bit silly tonight.
When I was a kid my Cliffjumper figure didn’t come from the regular toy release but was packaged with an audio cassette called Listen ‘N Fun. The cassette featured an audio drama called Sun Raid, and seems writer Merrill Farnsworth knew nothing about Transformers beyond some names. For example, Cliff Jumper (how his name is said) transforms into a red truck, despite coming with a toy that turned into a red compact car. (Although the image used for the video shows that some came with a yellow compact car. Mine was the usual Cliffjumper red.) Ravage has a robot mode and this isn’t even Beast Wars. Megatron has a laugh that reminds me of Dishonest John from the Beanie And Cecil show. (They remade the cartoon in 1988, which was my introduction.) It’s good only if you want something to laugh at as a Transformers fan. None of the famous songs or cast appears but for some reason they do have the transformation noise.
In this story Optimus Prime leaks that the Autobots have found a new energy source when really they haven’t. I’m guessing the plan was to keep the Decepticons away but instead Megatron is sending Starscream to attack. (Cliff and Optimus think it’s to get Starscream destroyed, which is odd on so many levels.) Luckily Dr. Heath Blazedale (I didn’t know Heath could be a woman’s name) has perfected solar energy, which means that solar battery calculator may actually be useful from now on. Cliff’s is sent to recruit her which he does…through kidnapping. He’s the hero, right? Also, a cameo from a mediocre Ronald Reagan impersonation. It’s a race to raid the sun, and I haven’t listed all the errors. See if you can find the others. And if that wasn’t enough for you we have a different audio drama called Sun Raid that had nothing to do with this story, and even though I didn’t grow up with this one it’s a two for one sale here at Saturday Night Showcase.
The Internet Versus Robert Bat-tison
CANNES, FRANCE – MAY 19: Actor Robert Pattison is photographed for Paris Match on May 19, 2019 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Gilles Bensimon/Paris Match/Contour by Getty Images)
I’m hearing it’s official now and Robert Pattison will be playing Bruce “Batman” Wayne in the next Bat-film. Matt Reeves is going somewhere between first day on the bat-job and seasoned bat-veteran, something closer to The Batman cartoon in terms of what stage in his career he’s in. This could be interesting, as Reeves is also reported to be focusing on something the live-action Bat-Films have failed to even acknowledge, his detective skills. Outside of discovering the Joker’s formula in Tim Burton’s Batman and one scene in the serials only the DCAU animated series and the aforementioned The Batman really used these talents as part of the solution. Maybe some of the games as well. I’m still trying to find a controller that will allow me to play Arkham Asylum properly and I haven’t finished Batman: Vengeance either.
However, the internet is in rage mode, which seems to be the norm as of late, because of Pattison’s most well-known and well despised role, as the moody perma-teen vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga. The fact that the vampire who couldn’t turn into a bat is now playing the crimefighter who dresses as one has them livid because anything even remotely connected to that series is immediately looked down upon as a curse against humanity or something. The thing is we’ve been here so many times and I feel the need to be a voice of reason. I come not to praise Edward nor to bury him. I just want to bring some perspective to this debate.
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Posted by ShadowWing Tronix on June 6, 2019 in DC Spotlight, Movie Spotlight and tagged actor choice, Batman, Batman movies, commentary, Robert Pattison.
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