DOOM PATROL Casts Joivan Wade as Cyborg

Booyah!  We have a new Cyborg!

Deadline has word that the upcoming DC Universe series Doom Patrol has cast Joivan Wade as Victor Stone, better known to DC Comics fans as the superhero Cyborg.  

According to the article, Vic is described as "the charming and sarcastic half-human, half-machine superhero known as Cyborg.  Vic may be connected to every computer on the world, but he struggles to maintain the connections that make him human.  Desperate to gain acceptance from the outside world, Vic harnesses the curse of his cybernetic body and uses his powers as the ultimate hero for the digital age."

Doom Patrol is a spinoff from the DC Universe series Titans and is a reimagining of one of DC’s strangest group of outcasts: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Woman (April Bowlby) and Crazy Jane (Diane Guerrero).  Led by the mysterious Dr. Niles Caulder, they’re called into action by the ultimate hero for the digital age, Cyborg.  Banding together, these rejects find themselves on a mission that will take them to the weirdest and most unexpected corners of the DC universe.

Wade is an English actor best known as Rigsy in the Doctor Who episodes "Flatline" and "Face the Raven."  He's recently appeared in the films The First Purge and The Weekend, and has appeared in episodes of EastEnders, Youngers, and Casualty.

Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez in 1980's DC Comics Presents #26, Cyborg is Victor Stone, the son of Silas Stone and Elinore Stone, scientists who used him as a test subject for various intelligence enhancement projects.  While these treatments are ultimately successful and Victor's IQ subsequently grows to genius levels, he grew to resent his treatment.  He formed a friendship with Ron Evers, a young miscreant who led him into trouble with the law.  This was the beginning of a struggle in which Victor strove for independence, engaging in pursuits of which his parents disapproved, such as athletics and abandoning his studies.  

One day, Victor was gravely injured during an accident at S.T.A.R. Labs, where Silas worked, that also claimed the life of Elinore.  Silas did everything he could to save Victor's life by grafting robotic prosthetics to replace his missing body parts, turning him into a cybernetic organism.  He soon became as a member of the superhero group known as The New Teen Titans. 

In 2011, DC Comics rebooted its fictional universe with the relaunch known as "The New 52" and Justice League writer Geoff Johns gave Cyborg a new origin.  In this version, Victor Stone was a high school football star who was heavily sought after by a number of college scouts, but apparently had a distant relationship with his father, Silas.  After winning a big game, Victor was shown calling his father and angrily telling him that he broke his promise and missed yet another one of his son's games.  Later, Victor appeared at S.T.A.R. Labs where his father works.  The scientists appeared to be working on a Mother Box that Superman came in contact with from a Parademon.  

Victor engaged in another argument with his father and told him that the scouts were there to give him full scholarships to college.  The Mother Box suddenly exploded, killing the other scientists and destroying most of Victor's body while Victor's father looked on in horror.  Silas did everything he could for Victor's survival.  Along with Sarah Charles and T. O. Morrow, he went into "The Red Room" in S.T.A.R. Labs, which contains every piece of technology from around the world.  Silas attempted to treat Victor with something that had never been attempted before and was seen injecting Victor with some type of nanites.  Dr. Morrow placed the robotic pieces on Victor (including such devices as a Promethean skin graft, Doctor William Magnus' responsometer, Anthony Ivo's A-maze operating system, the classified and prototypical B-maze operating system, and Ryan Choi's White Dwarf Stabilizer).  Victor's life was saved and the energies from the Mother Box were incorporated into his new form as Cyborg.  This allowed Victor to access the vast New Gods data library and discover Darkseid's invasion plans.  Using this information, Cyborg soon became a member of the Justice League and assisted them with defeating Darkseid.

Wade will be the third actor to portray the character in live-action, after Ray Fisher in the movie Justice League and Lee Thompson Young appeared in several episodes of the CW television series Smallville.  Other actors, including Ernie Hudson, Khary Payton, Bumper Robinson, Michael B. Jordan and Shemar Moore, have voiced the character for various DC Universe animated projects.

Doom Patrol is expected to debut on DC Universe sometime in 2019.

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 115: "Robot" is Up!

"Doctor, you -- you're being childish!"
"Well, of course I am!  There's no point being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes."

-- Sarah Jane Smith and The Fourth Doctor, Doctor Who: "Robot"

Celebrating the 4th Anniversary of the award-winning Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast, my partner in time Jesse Jackson and I have returned with a new episode! This time, we review "Robot", the first serial of Doctor Who Season 12 in 1974, featuring Tom Baker's first episode as the Fourth Doctor, Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, Nicholas Courtney as The Brigadier, and the debut of Ian Marter as new companion Harry Sullivan!

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like my recovering from nasal surgery, Jesse seeing Queen cover band Killer Queen, Tom Baker being completely different from Jon Pertwee, the two Osgoods, Tom Baker being the original Madman in a Box, typical English weather, my watching the Tom Baker run after Peter Davison's run, loving post-regeneration episodes, David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" video, the Brigadier finally seeing the Doctor regenerate with his own eyes, more love for Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, Sarah Jane being called out for having a chauvinist attitude, the introduction of Harry Sullivan, Sarah Jane being the Lois Lane of the Doctor Who universe, the Brigadier always being fun to watch, Think Tank's attitude that humanity should follow scientists because they're smarter, Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics, the K1 Robot being a King Kong metaphor, Professor Kettlewell as a surprise bad guy, my recommendation for the new Doctor Who Season 12 Blu-Ray set, the Fourth Doctor using jelly babies to distract people, my Reverse the Reverse the Polarity segment, new listener feedback from Paul from Australia and Holly from Wisconsin, thoughts on the new Series Eleven trailer, why there's nothing wrong with feeling hopeful about the Jodie Whittaker era, teasing our upcoming show plans, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

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And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back in two weeks as Jesse and I go back into the TARDIS and review "The Twin Dilemma", the seventh serial of Doctor Who Season 21 in 1984, featuring Colin Baker's first episode as the Sixth Doctor and Nicola Bryant as Peri Brown!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

The CW Arrowverse Casts Ruby Rose as Batwoman

Gotham City has a new dark knight.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that The CW's Arrowverse has cast Ruby Rose as Kate Kane, better known to DC Comics fans as the superhero Batwoman.  The character will make her debut as part of the annual DC Arrowverse crossover.

According to the article, Kate is described as "armed with a passion for social justice and flair for speaking her mind, soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city's criminal resurgence.  But don't call her a hero yet — in a city desperate for a savior, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham's symbol of hope."

The proposed Batwoman series is in development, with Caroline Dries of The Vampire Diaires writing the script.  Should Batwoman be picked up as a series, it will likely debut at midseason.  Reportedly, the CW isn't planning to use the Arrowverse crossover as a backdoor pilot for Batwoman, but instead film a full-length pilot as it did with The Flash.

Rose, 32, is an Australian model, DJ, recording artist, actress, television presenter, and former MTV VJ.  She came out as a lesbian at age 12, and has identified herself as genderfluid.  In 2015, she wrote, produced, and starred in the short film Break Free, a tribute to gender fluidity, which became a viral hit, garnering more than 25 million views on YouTube.  In addition, she's appeared in the films John Wick: Chapter 2 and John Wick 3: Parabellum as the assassin Ares, xXx: The Return of Xander Cage as Adele Wolff, The Meg, Pitch Perfect 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.  Also, she has appeared on episodes of Orange is the New Black as Stella Carlin, Dark Matter, and Mr & Mrs Murder.

Created in 1956 by Edmond Hamilton and Sheldon Moldoff, Batwoman first appeared in Detective Comics (vol.1) #233 as Kathy Kane, a wealthy heiress who gained great acrobatic skills during her career as a circus trapeze artist and stunt cyclist.  Becoming infatuated with the Batman, she fashioned herself a costume and secret hideout and started operating as Batwoman.  She upstaged Batman and his sidekick Robin in capturing crooks, but Batman eventually learned her true identity and tracked her to her secret cave hideout.  Showing her how easily it was for him to learn her identity, Batman pointed out that criminals could probably do it just as easily and tried to convince her to drop out of crime fighting.  Disobeying Batman's advice, she tried to capture mobster Curt Briggs.  During this caper, Batman went missing and Briggs, struck with amnesia, left thinking he was Batman. Ultimately the real Batman reappeared, and Biggs was turned over to the police.

Batwoman came out of retirement to aid Batgirl against Killer Moth and the Cavalier, but her return was never intended to be permanent.  Kathy Kane was then present at a surprise party for Bruce Wayne at Wayne Manor.  When Batwoman was later disintegrated into nothingness on Barbara Gordon's doorstep, Batgirl and Robin teamed-up to find the cure and restore Batwoman to her normal form.  Shortly after this, Batwoman met the Huntress from Earth-Two and aided her and Batwoman in capturing Catwoman, Poison Ivy and Madame Zodiac.  When the Freedom Fighters of Earth-X searched for a group of criminals known as the Warmakers, their search led them to the carnival owned by Kathy Kane. Kathy, as Batwoman, aided the Freedom Fighters and Batgirl in defeating the Warmakers.  In her last recorded adventure, Kathy Kane was murdered by the League of Assassins, who were being manipulated by Ra's al Ghul.  Her death was eventually avenged by Batman.

In 2006, the character was reinvented by Greg Rucka, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and Keith Giffen, making her debut in 52 #7 as Kate Kane.  In their early childhood, Katherine Rebecca "Kate" Kane and her sister Elizabeth "Beth" Kane were identical twins and were very close to each other.  On their twelfth birthday their military father couldn't come home so Kate and Beth were taken by their mother, Gabrielle "Gabi" Kane, to an expensive restaurant for chocolate and waffles, their favorite dish.  On the way to the restaurant, a group of gunmen attacked the family and took them hostage, killing their bodyguard in the process.  After learning of her family's kidnapping, Kate's father, Colonel Jacob "Jake" Kane, led a rescue mission to save his captured family, which ended with Kate's mother executed and Beth apparently killed after being caught in the crossfire between the kidnappers and soldiers.

Years later, Kate attended the United States Military Academy, West Point, where she received excellent grades and ranked at the top of her class.  However, when it was alleged that she was in a lesbian relationship with another student, Kate's commanding officer asked her to disavow the allegation.  Telling the officer that she refused to lie and violate the code of the Academy, Kate admitted to being lesbian and was forced to leave the school.  When she confronted her father with the news, he supported her and affirmed that she upheld her honor and integrity.  She then moved back to Gotham City, where she attended college and pursued a wild social lifestyle, consisting of parties and tattoos.  Kate was eventually pulled over for speeding by a young Renee Montoya, who was just a traffic cop at this point.  The two dated for several months but broke up following a fight where Kate berated Renee for keeping her sexuality hidden from her colleagues and family.  While attempting to call Renee and apologize for her behavior, Kate was attacked by a mugger who wanted her wallet and cell phone.  Using her military training, Kate easily defeated the criminal just as Batman arrived and helped her off the ground.  She was fixated by the Bat Signal as Batman departed the scene.

Inspired by her encounter with Batman, Kate began fighting crime using military body armor and weaponry stolen from her father's military base.  After being confronted by Jake, Kate accepted his offer for assistance and began an intense two years of training across the globe with her father's military friends.  Upon returning to Gotham, Kate discovered that her father has created a Batsuit for her, along with an arsenal of experimental weaponry based on Batman's known gadgetry and a bunker hidden in the Kane home.  She soon adopted the identity of Batwoman and was soon accepted as a member of the Batman family.

This will be the first time Batwoman will appear in live action, although the character has appeared in various animated projects including Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (voiced by Kyra Sedgwick), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (voiced by Vanessa Marshall), and Batman: Bad Blood (voiced by Yvonne Strahovski).

Warner Bros. Developing SUPERGIRL Feature Film

If The Flash can be on TV and in movies, why can't the Girl of Steel?

Deadline has revealed that Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are developing a feature film based on DC Comics character Supergirl.  This news follows on recent rumors that Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment are looking to create a new template for future Superman movies.

Little is known about the project, apart from that Oren Uziel is reportedly working on the script.  Uziel is a writer and producer, known for The Cloverfield Paradox, 22 Jump Street, Freaks of Nature, Shimmer Lake, and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog.

This will be the second attempt to adapt Supergirl for the big screen, after the 1984 film Supergirl, starring Helen Slater as Supergirl/Kara Zor-El/Linda Lee, Faye Dunaway as Selena, Peter O'Toole as Zaltar, and Marc McClure as Jimmy Olsen, reprising his character from the Superman films starring Christopher Reeve.  The film was widely considered to be a box office bomb, after making only $14.3 million in North America.

Currently, the Supergirl television series starring Melissa Benoist is about to begin its fourth season on The CW.  The character was also played by Laura Vandervoort on the WB/CW series Smallville, and has also appeared a number of times in animation, including Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited (voiced by Nicholle Tom), and the Super Best Friends Forever DC Nation animated shorts (voiced by Nicole Sullivan).

Created in 1959 by Otto Binder, Al Plastino and Curt Swan, Supergirl first appeared in Action Comics (vol.1) #252 as Kara Zor-El, the daughter of Jor-El's brother Zor-El and cousin to Superman. She was the last survivor of Argo City, which had survived the destruction of the planet Krypton until meteorites of Green Kryptonite penetrated Argo City's protective barrier. Sent to Earth by Zor-El to be raised by her cousin, Kara acquired powers similar to Superman and adopted the secret identity of Linda Lee, a young girl at Midvale Orphanage. 

In the current New 52 continuity, Kara's ship lands as part of a meteor shower in Smallville, Kansas, but burrows through the Earth and emerges in Siberia. Kara has no memory of the destruction of Krypton and believes herself to be dreaming. The military tracks her arrival, and a group of American soldiers in mechanized suits immediately attack her. Her powers start emerging as the fight goes on and terrify the surprised Kara. Superman arrives after she defeats the soldiers and tries to convince Kara that he is her cousin, but Kara, still believing that only three days have passed since she last saw baby Kal, accuses him of being an imposter and attacks him. Eventually, after several battles with supervillains, including the Worldkillers, superweapons of Kryptonian design, Kara accepts that Krypton has been destroyed and that Superman is indeed her grown-up cousin.

Patrick Stewart to Return as Jean-Luc Picard in New CBS All Access STAR TREK Series

Obviously, they made it so.

Deadline and Variety are reporting that Sir Patrick Stewart will reprise his Star Trek: The Next Generation character Captain Jean-Luc Picard in a new Star Trek series for the CBS All Access streaming service.  The project has been rumored since June, but was confirmed by Stewart himself in a surprise appearance at the Las Vegas Star Trek Convention.

The new series, which will not be a reboot of Star Trek: Next Generation, will reportedly tell the story of the next chapter of Picard’s life.  This will be the third Star Trek series to be officially announced for CBS All Access, joining Star Trek: Discovery, which is heading into its second season, and the upcoming Star Trek: Short Treks four-part limited series.

It will be overseen by Star Trek: Discovery co-creator/executive producer Alex Kurtzman, who was tasked with overseeing development of new Star Trek content under an overall deal with CBS TV Studios.  Kurtzman will be joined by James Duff, who recently joined Star Trek: Discovery as executive producer and signed a CBS Studios overall deal, former Discovery executive  producer Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, and Discovery writer Kirsten Beyer.  Kurtzman, Duff, Goldsman, and Chabon will also serve as executive producers on the series along with Stewart, Trevor Roth, Heather Kadin, and Rod Roddenberry.

"I will always be very proud to have been a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course," said Stewart.  "It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him.  Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over."

"During these past years," continued Stewart, "it has been humbling to hear many stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives, or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership.  I feel I’m ready to return to him for the same reason – to research and experience what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times.  I look forward to working with our brilliant creative team as we endeavor to bring a fresh, unexpected and pertinent story to life once more."

"With overwhelming joy," said Kurtzman, "it’s a privilege to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back to the Star Trek fold.  For over twenty years, fans have hoped for the return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and that day is finally here.  We can’t wait to forge new ground, surprise people, and honor generations both new and old."

As Captain of the USS Enterprise-D and Enterprise-E, Jean-Luc Picard first appeared in the 1987 Star Trek: Next Generation pilot episode "Encounter at Farpoint" and remained with the series for its entire seven-season run.  Stewart also portrayed Picard in the movies Star Trek Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), along with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s 1993 pilot episode, "Emissary."

GHOSTWOOD 038: "The One-Armed Man" is Up!

"One woman can make you fly like an eagle, another can give you the strength of a lion, but only one in the cycle of life can fill your heart with wonder and the wisdom that you have known a singular joy.  I wrote that for my girlfriend."
-- Deputy Tommy "Hawk" Hill, Twin Peaks: "The One-Armed Man"

It is happening again...My co-host with the most Xan Sprouse and I are back with a new episode of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast!  This time, we continue our commentary tracks as we watch "The One-Armed Man", the fifth episode from Twin Peaks Season One, featuring the mysterious Philip Gerard, and introducing David Lynch as Gordon Cole and Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings! 

LET'S ROCK!

In our latest episode, Xan and I discuss things like Xan being adopted by a stray cat, Xan attending the 28th Pezamania Pez convention, the deleted scene of Linda Carlson as James' mysterious mom Colleen Hurley, Andy sketching Sarah Palmer's description of BOB, Lucy recapping Invitation to Love, Cooper being unimpressed with Dr. Jacoby's golf ball magic, Gordon calling in to Cooper and Harry, Twin Peaks' finest one-star motel Timber Falls, Andy dropping his gun right outside Philip Gerard's motel room, Ben leaving $1,000 poker chips lying around, Andy needing to stop touching things, Philip Gerard breaking down over his Mom tattoo, Twin Peaks High School being decorated like a heart monitor, wondering where Hank's domino came from, Cooper vs. the Interrupting Llama, Shelly seducing Bobby with her handgun, Cooper being an excellent marksman and a bit of a psychopath, the only time we ever learn anything about Hawk's love life, Maddy being surprised that people think she looks like Laura, remembering the days of cordless phones, wondering who's playing tennis in a ski mask, Pete being the only person Josie is really nice to, Josie getting art mail from Hank, BOB looking like Jared Leto, me actually talking about comics during San Diego Comic-Con, the upcoming DC Universe digital service, wanting to meet the Invitation to Love actors, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn -- RIGHT HERE

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Ghostwood's Facebook page

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Be sure to come back in two weeks as Xan and I continue our commentary tracks as we watch "Cooper's Dreams," the sixth episode from Twin Peaks Season One, featuring Jacques Renault's cabin in the woods, Julee Cruise, and introducing Don Amendolia as Emory Battis!  Look for more of Ghostwood: The Twin Peaks Podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Libsyn, and the official Southgate Media Group website!

NEXT STOP EVERYWHERE 114: "Exit Wounds" is Up!

"Shhh, come on, Tosh.  There’s no way you could’ve anticipated that power spike.  Come on.  Besides, you’ve saved my back so many times in the past.  Right from the moment I joined."
"Your second week.  I had to cover for you—pretend I was a medic—because you were hungover and unreachable."
"What was it?  Space Pig?"
"Space Pig."

-- Owen Harper and Toshiko Sato, Torchwood: "Exit Wounds"

Back in the TARDIS once again, my partner in time Jesse Jackson and I have returned with a new episode of the award-winning Next Stop Everywhere: The Doctor Who Podcast!  This time, we wrap up our Chris Chibnall Torchwood retrospective and review "Exit Wounds", the Torchwood Series Two finale, written by incoming Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall, and featuring the deaths of Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper.

In this episode, Jesse and I discuss things like my going to a small Columbus convention, running down the new teaser for Doctor Who Series 11 at the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, Jodie Whittaker's Thirteenth Doctor making the cover of Entertainment Weekly, wanting a couple more TV seasons of the original Torchwood team, Paul Marc Davis being one of the few actors who has appeared on Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures & Class, the return of James Marsters as Captain John Hart, that awkward moment when you get a bomb molecularly-bonded to your wrist, why it would've been interesting to see Captain John Hart as an official Torchwood member, the awkward moment when Captain Jack gets buried in 27 A.D. Cardiff by his crazy brother Gray, Captain Jack being haunted by losing Gray when they were young, the legendary Irish band U2, that awkward moment when Owen gets stuck having to prevent a nuclear meltdown, that other awkward moment when Gray mortally injuries Toshiko alone in Torchwood headquarters, the return of Grumpy Old Jesse, Toshiko's regret over never telling Owen how she felt about him, my Reverse the Polarity segment, new listener feedback from Paul from Australia and Holly from Wisconsin, and more!

If you'd like to check out our latest episode, you can find us on...

Google Play Music -- RIGHT HERE

iTunes -- RIGHT HERE

Stitcher -- RIGHT HERE

Direct MP3 downloads/Libsyn --  RIGHT HERE

Next Stop Everywhere's Facebook page

Next Stop Everywhere's Twitter account

And hey, if you'd like to pick up the officially official Next Stop Everywhere t-shirt, you can find it on TeePublic right HERE!  Help support the show and feel free to post pictures on our Facebook page of you or some other cool person you know wearing the shirt!

Be sure to come back in two weeks as Jesse and I go back into the TARDIS and review "Robot", the first serial of Doctor Who Season 12 in 1974, featuring Tom Baker's first episode as the Fourth Doctor, Elisabeth Sladen as Sarah Jane Smith, Nicholas Courtney as The Brigadier, and the debut of Ian Marter as new companion Harry Sullivan!  Look for more of Next Stop Everywhere on iTunes, Google Play Music, YouTube, Libsyn, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and the official Southgate Media Group website!