Power of the Tantu Totem

[Mari McCabe]

Written by Kal-El

So far as The House of El goes, we've always been carefull on who to do our origins stories, last night, myself and GL had agreed to go with a Superheroine from DC comics, a jewel from africa, abilities like cats and tigers, a lady that not many of us have ever heard or known of. Ladies and Gents, Be prepared to meet Mari McCabe.

Mari McCabe grew up in Africa, the daughter of the Reverend Richard Jiwe. Her father had inherited a magical totem that had supposedly been given to the ancient hero Tantu by the trickster Anansi the Spider of African folklore and myth. The reverend's envious and corrupt half-brother, General Maksai, killed Richard for the totem, and Mari fled to the U.S., where she found that her beauty gave her remarkable success as a fashion model.

Soon, Mari recovered the Tantu totem and under the codename Vixen, used its amazing animal power to become a member of Detroit-based Justice League of America. Sometime later, General Maksai tried to force her to turn the totem over to him, but received his comeuppance when he used the totem in selfishness, and was killed by Vixen after he was transformed into a gored Ox. After the League disbanded, Vixen joined the Suicide Squad, striking up a failed romance with teammate Bronze Tiger. For a short time she was a member of the International Ultramarines Corps until the group left to protect a poket universe. Vixen is now a active member of the reorganized Justice League of America.

Vixen possesses the Tantu Totem, which magically enhances or helps Vixen control her innate animal mimicking ability. In the past, Vixen has mimicked the telepathic and physical abilities of Gorilla Grodd, the flight of a hawk, the swimming ability of a dolphin, the speed of a cheetah, the echo-location of a bat, the wall-crawling of a spider, the jumps of a cricket, the constriction of an anaconda, the strength of a bull elephant (12 tons), the senses of a wolf, the agility of a monkey, the debilitating shock of an electric eel, the regenerative abilities of earthworms (Yeah..even earthworms..), and the ability to spit venom like a spitting cobra. She has even been shown to be able to channel the powers of extinct animals, such as the saber-toothed tiger, domestic animals like the Doberman pinscher and even human.

Recent adventures have caused a shift in Vixen’s animal mimicking abilities, to the point that she is no longer able to mimic the abilities of animal. She can now only temporarily endow herself with the powers or weapons of other superhuman beings within her immediate vicinity. Vixen has used her power to successfully mimic the null-gravity ability of Geo-Force, the superhuman speed of Jay Garrick, the electro-magnetic powers of Black Lightning, the alien powers of Superman and the energy of Green Lantern’s ring.

It is unknown if there is a time limit on how long Vixen can retain the abilities of other super humans or if there is a limit on how many abilities she can mimic. There does seems to be a limit on how far Vixen can reach for super human abilities, as she was unable to switch Black Lightning abilities for those of Superman. It should be noted, that without the totem, Vixen’s natural scanning range is about 150 feet. Exactly what part the Tantu Totem plays in Vixen’s mimicking abilities is now unknown.

For more media attention for the Vixen, all fans can get a view of her in the Justice League Unlimited Animation series, where she's stuck in a love triangle with The Green Lantern (John Stewart) and Hawkgirl.

Thanks For Reading Cool Cats, I'll catch you guys later.

Building The Batman Hype

Written by Kal-El

We all know the Batman Sequel Movie is coming up very soon in July itself, but before the big big BIG premiere, The creators of Batman Begins & Dark Knight is also launching / releasing a tie-in animation for the great detective. Batman: Gotham Knight is a 2008 animated direct-to-DVD anthology film of six animated short films set in-between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.

Each short, or segments, are written by Josh Olson, David Goyer, Brian Azzarello, Greg Rucka, Jordan Goldberg and Alan Burnett. (Woah What a whole load of big guns writting for this storyl, Cool!!) Each segment has its own writing and artistic style, just as the works from the DC Universe. The six films all star Kevin Conroy (Old School yet still the best voice over for Batman), reprising his role as Batman from the DC Animated Universe.

The film uses a Japanese anime style for the animation. It is similar to another tie-in, The Animatrix, (Cool huh?? Read On) as both are collections of short films of Japanese origin. It is the third in the line of DC Universe Original Animated Movies released by Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation; with the first two releases being Superman: Doomsday, Justice League: The New Frontier, and the next release following will be Wonder Woman. (The House of El are dedicated to update the fans on this, since we're all so pretty much dang excited, beacuse its summer time!! All the good stuffs comes when its Summer time!)

This movie is officially rated PG-13 for stylized violence, including some bloody images. This film is notable for being the first DC Original Animated movie to have a connection with another Batman media. Unlike the last two DVDs, in which they were the first to be rated PG-13, this movie is not the first animated Batman film to be rated PG-13. While Superman Doomsday and Justice League: New Frontier have been released in the United Knigdom with a 12 rating, Batman: Gotham Knight is being accompanied with a 15 certificate.

Be ready on the ball and be quick to search for this cool and awesome DVD of Batman : The Gotham Knight, release soon next month on 8th July 2008. This ones for you Ethan.

Also to conclude this post, Batman The Dark Knight has already launch and go live with their website, to visit the site click on below....and say

I'M BATMAN!!

Superman The Animated Series

[ Cool Superman Intro ]

Written by Kal-El

Superman: The Animated Series is the name of a Warner Bros.' The animated series that ran from 1996 to 2000. Airing ten years after the 1986 reboot of the Superman comic book character, the animated series paid tribute to both the classic Superman of old and the newer "modern" Superman.

Perhaps most significantly, Clark Kent displays the more aggressive personality used by John Byrne in his reboot of the comic book continuity. Elements of Superman from all eras of his history were included in the series, especially in a portrayal of the planet Krypton.

Notably, the evil computer Brainiac was not only now from Krypton, but was portrayed as responsible for preventing the knowledge of Krypton's imminent destruction from reaching its people. In a lesser innovation, the ship that carried the infant Kal-El to Earth was designed to land smoothly upon reaching its destination, rendering it in perfect working condition during Superman's adulthood and is used as his mode of long range transportation in space. The "new" Lex Luthor featured prominently in the series as well, menacingly voiced by actor Clancy Brown. Superman was voiced by Tim Daly.

Midway through the series' run, it was combined with episodes of The New Batman Adventures to become The New Batman/Superman Adventures. The characters of Superman and Batman were then spun off into a new animated series, Justice League, which also featured other popular DC characters, such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Green Lantern , Martian Man Hunter and the Flash.

We've all been there to watch one of the greatest stories told from time to time, why not just watch it again. Thanks Ethan for the great downloads, Your really Super Dude!!

This is Sinestro

[I will kill you Hal Jordan, even on the shelves]

Posted by Kal-El

"A face of metal and flesh shall speak of the secrets of the 52. Fear will rise. Willpower will gather. And a war of light will unlesash the truth behind the power of the ring."– Book of Oa, Green Lantern (vol. 4) #20

Here's what we gotta say....AWeSomE!!!

After the much untold millennia, the Weaponers of Qward, Ranx the Sentient City, the Children of the White Lobe, and the Empire of Tears will rise united against the Green Lantern Corps. This is Sinestro's hope. This is the Sinestro Corps. This is Sinestro..

This 1:6 scale deluxe collector figure of Green Lantern's number one enemy is dressed in his new, intricately designed and authentically detailed fabric costume and also carries a yellow lantern power battery to charge his fear-fueled yellow power ring!Packaged in a deluxe 4-color window box with a fifth panel, this 14" tall figure also comes with extra sets of hands and a display stand.

Now you can match this up with your Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) 13 Inch Deluxe scale, you could have your own Sinestro vs Hal Jordan Battle at your own shelves.

Sinestro will also blow a whole in your wallet but only for a fair amount of $ 89.99 US / $ 124 BND On Sale January 28, 2009.

Justice League Series 3

[A Preview of what's next to come]

Written by Kal-El

Ladies n Gentlements, JLA is here now back with it's the third series based on the popular DC Comics series, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, written by New York Times best-selling author Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Ed Benes! Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash and Geo-Force are the latest JLA heroes to be made into action figures!

They all stand tall at 6.75" high and features multiple points of articulation and a base. 4-color blister card packaging On Sale January 7, 2009 available now for Pre-order only at U$47.99 - EST BND$67.00 (without Shipping to Brunei)

Punisher : Warzone

[ Dont mind the UGO brand, but this poster looks awesome! ]

Posted by Kal-El

Here's another movie we haven't heard much about lately, Punisher : War Zone, UGO has debuted the new teaser poster for director Lexi Alexander's Punisher: War Zone, hitting theaters on December 5 2008. The action-thriller stars Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchinson, Colin Salmon, Wayne Knight, Dash Mihok and Julie Benz.

Hope this movie isnt gonna be another dud..

Feel My Spirit

Written by Kal-El

Hi Guys, Ok i've seen this trailer come out, and frankly speaking, I havent got much of a clue what or who The Spirit is or about. But all i know is that he did appear in a Batman comic..Once..


And of Course, DC Comics had recently released it DC Direct DC Unlimited Deluxe Edition of The Spirit himself, It looks totally Awesome, Think of it as a mix between Dick Tracy mixed up with Sin City, soo...There became the Spirit, of course without Dick's Yellow Trench Coat.. This Movie is based on the story written by non other than Frank The Man Miller himself. Check out the trailer below.

Coming to you in 2009!

OUR HOT PICK!!: Light Up the Room w Iron Man

[Cool & Awesome Detail]

Posted by Kal-El

The inaugural release in Kotobukiya’s line of Marvel Comics merchandise spotlights the smash-hit feature film IRON MAN. Robert Downey Jr brings Tony Stark to life in the film adaptation of the fan favorite comic, while the artisans at Kotobukiya have brought the armored hero to life as this collectible statue.

Inspired by the original promotional one-sheet for the film, the armored avenger stands tall as this 1/6th scale Fine Art Statue (approximately 13 inches tall). Stan Winston Studios fabricated the suit for the film based on designs by comic artist extraordinaire Adi Granov, and every detail of Iron Man’s Mark III armor has been faithfully replicated by the craftsmen at Kotobukiya. Working from reference provided by Marvel Studios, the level of mechanical detail is matched only by the personality conveyed by Iron Man’s heroic stance.

[ Cool Pose ]

Manufactured in cold cast porcelain and coated with metallic paint, the Iron Man Fine Art Statue even features multiple LED lights: eyes, Repulsor Ray palms, and the Unibeam on his chest. The base is ornamented with a sculpted Iron Man film logo on a three-dimensional realization of his chest symbol, and painted in the Mark I color scheme. Each statue is individually numbered on the bottom of the base as part of a Limited Edition.

[He lights up at night!]

Sculpted by Kouei Matsumoto, this museum ready statue is the debut of the first SEASON of goods, which will incorporate collectibles from all films Marvel Studios will release in the calendar year, such as THE INCREDIBLE HULK and PUNISHER: WAR ZONE.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR? U$ 152.99 - EST BND$211.12

A Heart Made of Solid Rock

[It's Clobberin' Time Folks!]

Written by Kal-El

Ben Grimm was born in New York City to Daniel and Elsie Grimm. They were a Jewish family living in poverty. Ben’s older brother Daniel Jr. was killed in a gang fight when Ben was 8 years old. Eventually his parents would die and Ben would be raised by his Uncle Jake. In high school Ben was an excellent football player and earned himself a full scholarship to Empire State University. Ben would meet Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic) who he would become his best friend. When Richards shared his dreams of building a space rocket, Ben jokingly said he would fly it.

After college, Ben joined the United States Air Force and trained as a test pilot. Years later Reed finally contacted Ben again, he tells Ben that he built a space ship and reminded Ben that he promised to fly it. The American Government denied Ben’s request to fly into outer space, and Reed would decide to just do it without telling the government. Along with Sue Storm (Invisible Woman) and Johnny Storm (Human Torch), the four of them blasted off into outer space. Upon entering the upper atmosphere they were hit by a cosmic ray storm and were exposed to the radiation. After they crash landed on Earth, they began to transform. Ben’s skin grew thicker and orange. Reed proposed that they use their powers for good and Ben adopts the code name The Thing.

[Batter up!!]

The Thing has immense superhuman strength. In his first appearance, he could only lift 5 tons. Over the years, he was steady at 85 tons but now can lift at least 100 tons. He has enhanced stamina and his body can withstand extreme environments and abuse. His skin can withstand 15 pounds of explosives. Despite his size, he still has a decent amount of agility and movement. He is trained to operate a number of aircrafts, including the many inventions created by Richards. He has some training in hand-to-hand combat and is a very skilled wrestler.

[Despite his looks, Ben still plays a major role in the Fantastic Four lineup]

Ben was trapped in that hideous form and was very unhappy because of it. However, Ben was always reliable when his team needed him. Reed promised Ben that he would find a cure for his condition. Ben eventually meets Alicia Masters and quickly fell in love with her. This would cause a problem because now Ben subconsciously believes that Alicia would only love him in his rock form and it prevented all attempts of Reed to change him back to human futile. Later Ben would decide to stay on an alien planet where he could control his powers by being able to transform into human or rock form. When Ben finally returns to Earth, he discovers that Johnny and Alicia had started dating. However due to the disapproval of many fans they retconned this and the Alicia that Johnny dated was actually Lyja, a shape-shifting Skrull. The real Alicia was kept in suspended animation until the Fantastic Four rescued her.

Reed would take a leave in the Fantastic Four and Ben becomes the new leader. Later Ben discovers that he is entitled to a large sum of money from the Fantastic Four fortune. He used his new money to build a community center in his old neighborhood. The gang that his brother was the leader of thought it was named after Ben and decided to go vandalize it. They discover that it was actually named after Daniel Grimm Jr. and they would reconcile with Ben.

During Civil War, Ben was on Iron Man’s pro-registration side. When Captain America tries to rescue a captured ally the battle took place at Yancy Street, Ben’s home street. One of the civilians die there and Ben yells at both sides for not caring about the casualties. Ben leaves America and moves to France for awhile. Ben would return right before the end of the Civil War.

After the Civil War Stories, Ben is now back in full force with The Fantastic Four, being the backbone for the team, backup and support at all cost, we can sure bet our lives on him as he sure does have a big heart made of solid Rock.

Thanks for reading!

Two Halves

[Click on Image to Download Wallpaper]

Wallpaper created by Kal-El

Black Canary Joins DC Direct Deluxe Figures

[ Ooo Aint she pretty]

Written by Kal-El

This rendering of the beautiful Dinah Lance includes a special interchangeable head that captures her in the midst of her sonic scream. Dressed in her intricate and authentically detailed trademark outfit of fishnet stockings, faux-leather jacket, removable mask, choker, and boots, this figure also includes a display stand. Black Canary joins the popular line of 1:6 Scale Deluxe Collector figures!

[ Dinah with her mask on...Classic!]

Hot off the Shelves only in december, She goes for US$76.99 EST- BND$106.47 - Not too bad eh.

Thoughts on Being The Man of Steel

Written By Kal-El

Based on an interview earlier, i found an article on Entertainment Weekly, Brandon Routh was talking exclusively about being The Man of Steel, Superman Returns sequel, Here what he has to say.

Well, I think that something that audiences are looking for – and I certainly am, too – is for Superman to actually be able to lay a punch on someone or something. I was filming and I thought, "I haven't really hit anything. I feel like I'm going to need to let some of this anger out." So I'm happy that I think that's going to be a central part of the sequel, getting a good villain that we can actually have physical altercations with. Certainly also, I'd like more humor from Clark or just more of Clark and Jimmy. A little bit more of Lois and Clark, how we used to see them, a bit more of buddies. Perhaps things will be smoothed over with Superman and Lois and she can afford to be a little bit nicer to Clark. I think that's something that people want to see and those are some of the great moments from previous "Superman" films. Also, Superman and Lois getting together, that's always my end goal. I want that to happen. The romantic in me wants that to happen eventually whether they're finally together in this movie or in whatever future films there might be. I kind of want to see that happen.

I'm Batman

[Click on image to download]

Written by Kal-El

With now the hype of Iron Man is filling up cinemas near you, And you should go whether your a fan of the man in Iron Suit, Coz reviews has it that It Will Blow your Mind Away!! , But also starting to make more appearances is the other billionaire, namely Bruce Wayne.

Check out 1 of many posters of the new Batman Movie The Dark Knight, it is a new released that ive managed to digg up. Looks totally amazing. Below is also the new release vinyl statue by Kotobukiya made especially based on the upcoming movie. Under special arrangement with Kotobukiya & DC Direct brings the exquisite craftsmanship and high level quality of Kotobukiya to the fans!

THE DARK KNIGHT Batman Vinyl Statue stands approximately 12" tall, and sports The Dark Knight movie version of Batman's suit. It is packaged in a 4-color window box. Beware super Batman Fans, that this sweet-looking-full-of-fear-piece is strictly limited to only 1000 pieces for this edition. He is going for US$ 106.25 - EST BND$145.56. Ooowee!!

[Wait till you see my....Bat-a-Rang]