TrailerClub: Sin City

Sin City (2005) [Original Post]

Songbook Xtended: Avalon

Juliet - Avalon (2005) [Original Post]

Songbook Xtended: Destroy Everything You Touch

Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch (2005) [Original Post]

I find it hard to believe anyone will hold the mid-2000s with the same nostalgic regard we currently seem to view the eighties and nineties with. Yet, here I am. Reminded of one of the noteworthy contributors to mid-2000s music. There's always a slightly unpleasant metallic aftertaste to Ladytron, but I was thrilled to stumble back upon Destroy Everything You Touch while researching the Second World War, and Irish mythology. It provided a welcome soundtrack. A song to excise building dissatisfaction with, and imagine barbaric adventures. Nice video. Not sure why I find a sunken, expressionless face miming the title quite so hilarious, but here we are. There's stronger audio on a version posted to the LadyTron YouTube, but this one has the better video. Make your choice accordingly.

Songbook Xtended: To The Hills (Variation 1)

Alexander Bălănescu - To The Hills (Variation 1) (2005) [Original Post]

Songbook Xtended: Robot Rock

Daft Punk - Robot Rock (2005) [Original Post]

Infinite Wars: Cheetah vs Wonder Woman

CHEETAH versus WONDER WOMAN

Blood Debt (DC)
Where: Wonder Woman #222 When: December 2005
Why: Greg Rucka How: Cliff Richards

The Story So Far...
Responsible for fatally snapping Maxwell Lord's neck before the eyes of the world: Wonder Woman must answer to international outcry in response to film of the humanitarian and philanthropist's apparent murder.

Submitting herself to the International Court of Justice; the superhero and Amazon ambassador willingly agrees to residence  in an adjacent detention facility while the terms of her trial are arranged. Alas, death has followed Diana to The Hague.

Watching her plea of "Not Guilty" was the merciless Cheetah, who leaves a pile of court guards' corpses in her wake as she stalks her ultimate prey. Emergency lockdown merely serves to cage the beast as she lies in wait!

Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2020/08/cheetah-versus-wonder-woman.html

Songbook Xtended: Dare

Gorillaz - DARE (2005) [Original Post]

Trailer365: Batman Begins

Day 108: Batman Begins (2005) [Original Post]

Songbook: Noah's Ark

CocoRosie - Noah's Ark (2005) [Original Post (Day 269)]

Songbook: Evil

Interpol - Evil (2005) [Original Post (Day 258)]

Songbook: The Giraffe

Vulgargrad - The Giraffe (2005) [Original Post (Day 35)]

Infinite Wars: Superman vs Preus

SUPERMAN versus PREUS
Old Man, New World (DC comics)
Where: Action Comics #824 When: April 2005
Why: JD Finn How: Ivan Reis

The story so far...
Suffering the stress of a clash with Gog and a synthetic yellow form of Kryptonite, and the lurking threat of Doomsday; an aged Superman struggles against the xenophobic charge of Kandor's General Preus.

Having captured both the inquisitive Jimmy Olsen and the Justice League's Martian Manhunter, Preus uses Olsen's signal watch to lure Superman to his desert base where he commands an army of zealous white-supremicists.

Facing overwhelming physical odds, Superman will courageously do combat with his disillusioned Kandorian counterpart, but at the end of the battle, Preus' greatest weapon may prove to be humanity's own capacity for self-destruction.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/09/superman-versus-preus-old-man-new-world.html

Infinite Wars: Batman Double Feature

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Under the Influence/Ones We Love
ROBIN versus BATMAN
As the Crow Flies Part Four: Shotgun (DC)
Where: Batman #629 When: August 2004
Why: Judd Winick How: Dustin Nguyen

Quick Fix...
So, Galactus and I might not have a lot in common, but there is one indisputable commonality: We're both sticklers for rules, especially our own.

Which brings us to now. Up against the wire, I feel an obligation to turn in a Street Fighter post for Sunday, a Marvel Ultimate Alliance post for Monday, and, well, okay, that's really about all... But still, here we are, as the clock ticks over to Sunday (here in the future), and I'm starting a post for Saturday! Egads, what sinister plot could provoke such madness?!

A couple of days ago The Fortress Keeper had some interesting things to say about the state of Batman, with a particular slant towards an evolution away from the grim and gritty mania that has gripped the character for the best part of three decades. I, of course, subscribe to that classic take within reason, actually fairly disinterested in progress being made by Grant Morrison to return the hairy chested love-god to his globe trotting throne; but I digress...

Inevitably one travels from Batman's world and state of mind, to the relationships important to his life.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/09/quick-fix-double-feature-under.html

Infinite Wars: Despero vs Justice League

DESPERO versus MARTIAN MANHUNTER/AQUAMAN
Crisis of Conscience: Part Four (DC comics)
Where: JLA #118 When: Early November 2005
Why: Geoff Johns & Allan Heinberg How: Chris Batista

The story so far...
With their dirty little secrets exposed, the Justice League is imploding into itself in a maelstrom of disapproval and mistrust. The revelations over Zatanna's mind-wiping practises regain their relevance when members of the Secret Society of Super-villains discover the true identities of the heroes.

Unknown to the league, the foe responsible for awakening the minds of the Society, Despero, is hurtling toward Earth in pursuit of a helpless Martian Manhunter. Unable to locate the league, the Manhunter plummets Earthbound with one member in mind -- Aquaman!

Will J'onn J'onnz find the assistance he needs, or has the inner turmoil of their actions exposed a weakness in the League, and allowed Despero the opportunity to finally seek a final revenge on those he has called enemy?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/09/despero-versus-martian-manhunteraquaman.html

Infinite Wars: Wonder Woman Double

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Wander Woman
MONGUL versus JUSTICE LEAGUE
Infinite Crisis (DC)
Where: Infinite Crisis #1 When: December 2005
Why: Geoff Johns How: Phil Jiminez

Quick Fix...
Okay, so the lazy schedule has helped me quickly correct, but if I'm to impress the various important establishments like the BBC, and various other publishers of print and media hitting up this humble blog, I've got to hit the hard issues before they go stale.

If the feminist blogging community has been anything to go by lately, I actually probably have until about 2025 to catch this one, so maybe I'm getting in early. Alas; I'll endeavour to kill the joke no more, and get straight to the topic at hand -- Amazons Attack!

Haven't they just?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/09/quick-fix-double-feature-wander-woman.html

Infinite Wars: Vega/Dhalsim Double

QUICK FIX DOUBLE FEATURE: Go For Broke!
VEGA versus DAN HIBIKI
The Tournament Begins (Group TAC/Capcom/Manga Entertainment)
Where: Street Fighter Alpha When: 1999
Why: Shigeyasu Yamauchi, Joe Romersa, Reiko Yoshida, & Kirk Thornton How: Kazuyuki Ishikawa

Quick Fix...
With the various goings on around the place, we've had an influx of new readers. Some of them have actually arrived here because of previous Street Fighter entries, but for those who haven't, let it ring out through the village: I'm as keen on superheroes as I am on beat 'em ups!

Okay, so maybe not all beat 'em ups, but I think I've got the basics covered. SF, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Dead or Alive. Sure, I can stretch to some of the others, but this would undoubtedly be my core, with DOA bridging the familiarity gap between those I'm less aware of, like the SNK series, and those I love, like Street Fighter!

Some fans might ask, why Street Fighter?

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/09/quick-fix-double-feature-go-for-broke.html

Infinite Wars: Batman vs Ra's al Ghul

BATMAN versus RA'S AL GHUL
(DC comics)
Where: Batman Begins When: June 2005
Why: Christopher Nolan & David Goyer How: Christian Bale & Liam Neeson

The story so far...
Having witnessed the murder of his parents by a desperate armed robber in a theatre back alley, Bruce Wayne grows into a man of great guilt and anger.

Channelling his rage, he uses his inherited fortune to traverse the globe, escaping his celebrity status as a Wayne to face the criminal element on it's own terms, and take it on one man at a time.

During his time abroad Bruce Wayne is confronted by a man named Henri Ducard, who promises to foster his power and hone his efficiency to become a true force of justice. Representing Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Shadows, Ducard eventually reveals a plot to use Wayne as a pawn in the destruction of Gotham; something Bruce Wayne, now Batman, will do anything to stop.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/08/batman-versus-ras-al-ghul-dc-comics.html

Infinite Wars: Mr. Majestic vs Captain Atom

MR MAJESTIC versus CAPTAIN ATOM
A Scream Across the Sky (Wildstorm comics)
Where: Captain Atom: Armageddon #1 When: December 2005
Why: Will Pfeifer How: Giuseppe Camuncoli

The story so far...
Nathaniel Adam, a former soldier, was subjected to an experiment that left him encased in an indestructable alien alloy that was the material for the ship in which he was to have travelled. From that day forward he became the explosive superpowered agent: Captain Atom!

After years with the Justice League, Captain Atom eventually returns to the military under the Luthor administration, and when a Kryptonite meteor is heading straight for the Earth, is commissioned to pilot a ship to preemptively destroy the threat.

Captain Atom is successfully, but the explosive destruction of his ship throws him hurtling forward through time until, with his skin suffering damage, he finally comes to a stop in a strange and unfamiliar world, with an equally unfamiliar appearance: and in this new world, he's far from welcomed.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/07/mr-majestic-versus-captain-atom-scream.html

Infinite Wars: Superman & Batman vs Green Arrow

SUPERMAN/BATMAN versus GREEN ARROW
Absolute Power Chapter One: "I Pledge Allegiance..." (DC comics)
Where: Superman/Batman #14 When: January 2005
Why: Jeph Loeb How: Carlos Pacheco

The story so far...
In a world where the fates of the world's greatest superheroes have been manipulated, Superman and Batman serve as dictators to the world's greatest super power.

Though the Lightning Lord, Saturn Queen and Cosmic King preemptively extinguished most of the rebellious powers that may rise, some inevitably emerge as though time and space was fighting their will. One such resistant is Oliver Queen, known to the world as the bow carrying vigilante -- Green Arrow!

Though he was killed once before, the Green Arrow seems unwilling to perish. His return from the dead remains a thorn in the sides of the world's finest, but even as a resurrected symbol of hope, Green Arrow is just a man. A man fighting would-be gods...

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/06/supermanbatman-versus-green-arrow.html

Infinite Wars: The Society vs Freedom Fighters

THE SOCIETY versus FREEDOM FIGHTERS
Infinite Crisis (DC comics)
Where: Infinite Crisis #1 When: December 2005
Why: Geoff Johns How: Phil Jiminez

The story so far...
The world is in crisis, and the heroes are divided to fall, while the villains are united in a way never before seen.
The Justice League is falling apart at the seams, struggling to recover from events such as Wonder Woman's brutal execution of the traitorous Maxwell Lord, where she very publicly snapped his neck; and the death of Firestorm.

Heroes such as the members of Uncle Sam's Freedom Fighters do their best to pick-up the slack, but with a united front of evil willing to cross any lines, it becomes more difficult than ever.

Having received information regarding a transmission between Silver Ghost and Mirror Master; Uncle Sam leads his Freedom Fighters to a seemingly abandoned refinery where they believe the super-villains are organizing weapons for terrorist activity. Unfortunately for them, Uncle Sam's suspicions prove valid. Now the team need not only put a stop to evil, but also fight to survive.

Full Article: http://secretearths.blogspot.com/2007/06/society-versus-freedom-fighters.html