For many hardcore fans, the big ticket item for the first day of WonderCon 2014 was the world premiere of Son of Batman, a film adaptation of Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert’s 2006 comic book that gives us Damien Wayne’s origin story.

Son of Batman is stunningly DCU’s 20th original film, and the second featuring new Batman voice Jason O’Mara (Life on Mars, Terra Nova).

As the lights dim, and the movie begins, one devout DC fan shouts “Marvel sucks,” which is just silly. But, it is clear that the animation realm is where DC excels, and Son of Batman is no exception, as we get some stunning, Japanese inspired animation to tell the story of one of the more divisive heroes in the DC universe.

We open on the League of Shadows fortress, with Ra’s Al Ghul (Breaking Bad and Revolution‘s Giancarlo Esposito) promising the League to his grandson Damien. That would be Damien Wayne, a love child between Talia Al Ghul (Firefly and Homeland‘s Morena Baccarin) and Bruce Wayne (the aforementioned Jason O’Mara), one that Talia has until now, kept secret from the Bat. Within moments, the League is attacked, as a ton of agents and helicopters rain down on the stronghold, showering the League assassins in bullets. Since no other League member is worth their salt, its up to Talia and Ra’s to fight back against hundreds of faceless villains. Sheer numbers and firepower win out, and it doesn’t hurt that the enemy is led by one Slade Wilson (Thomas Gibson) AKA Deathstroke AKA DC’s new favorite antihero. In Son of Batman, he’s all evil. We’re blessed with a brief fight between Ra’s and Deathstroke, that’s interrupted by a massive rocket taking down the building, incinerating Ra’s al Ghul in the process.

That’s when Damien springs to action, and it’s clear that having the DNA of Ra’s Al Ghul, Talia and Bruce Wayne is nice to have, as he cuts through Deathstroke’s army like butter, and even goes toe to toe with Slade himself, taking out his eye in one of the first moments that elicited unbridled cheers from the audience. Deathstroke flees, but the damage is done: Ra’s al Ghul is unable to make it to the Lazarus Pits before finally succumbing to death (though I still doubt it). This leaves a power vacuum at the top of the League of Shadows, one that Deathstroke intends to fill.

After the tragedy, Black WidowTalia decides it’s time to tell Bruce that he has an annoying, hyper-violent, maybe psychotic, defiant tween. Talia comes to Bruce, reveals the truth, and literally sails away on a boat seconds later, leaving Batman to take care of his seed. It plays out like a sitcom, which is hilarious. Damien sets the tone of their early relationship when he comments: “I thought you’d be taller.” He also thought the Bat Cave would be bigger, and calls the Robin outfit insipid and never wastes a second in ridiculing the garish outfit. Of course, fans will know that he’ll soon wear it himself, because he’s a young kid in Batman’s care. That’s just what happens.

Meanwhile, Dr. Kirk Langstrom (Being Human‘s Xander Berkeley) is hard at work on a breakthrough, clearly under conscription by Ra’s al Ghul. Now his deal shifts to Deathstroke…who’s not as forgiving, and kidnaps his family as leverage, because that always brings out the best work in scientists. Comic book or cartoon fans will know that Kirk Langstrom comes to be known as Man-Bat. In this film, he makes a slew of them, and a Bat-Gorilla, which is as ridiculous as it sounds.

Damien’s arrival obviously puts a crimp in Batman’s style, but luckily Alfred (David McCallum) is there to make wry, sarcastic and dry remarks. He’s none too pleased by Damien’s demeanor and trying attitude either. Every quip Alfred makes is pure comedic genius. It’s a shame that he doesn’t deliver every line. Damien’s intent on getting revenge on Deathstroke, to avenge his grandfather’s death, but Batman, of course, preaches the whole “no death” thang, putting the pair at odds, as they try to take on Deathstroke and Dr. Langstrom’s horde of medical monstrosities.

The movie is filled with appearances by other significant Bat-characters, including fan-favorite Nightwing (Firefly‘s Sean Maher), who’s used as a get out of jail free card throughout, along with a few brief glimpses at the villains you’d expect to fill up Arkham, and several others I don’t want to spoil.

There are some awesome sequences, a few missed opportunities (they skip over a Nightwing/Damien fight), but thanks to beautiful artwork, way too many gratuitous shots of Talia’s cleavage, great voice acting and a solid story, Son of Batman doesn’t disappoint in bringing Damien Wayne to celluloid for the first time. While Damien’s abilities made him seem more like the son of Superman, I suppose that’s par for the course for a cartoon hero.

Son of Batman arrives on HD stream April 22nd. Order it here. The DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack arrives May 6th, and can be pre-ordered from Amazon.

After a fairly crowded arena at WonderCon witnessed the world premiere of DCU’s newest animation confection, Son of Batman, we were also treated to a Q&A with some of the brilliant talent involved in the production. That means James Tucker, the DCU “super” producer, director Ethan Spaulding, heralded animator Phil Bourassa, casting director and voice actor guru Andrea Romano, actor Xander Berkeley (who plays Kirk Langstrom in the film), Firefly star Sean Maher (Nightwing), Stuart Allen (Damien) and Jason O’Mara (Batman).

Let’s dive in.

The film is rated PG-13, and it’s filled with blood, cleavage, and a sperm donor line. Tucker “can’t find the line,” he’s unable to cross with the ratings system, and wants to give the audience bang for their buck, upping the stakes for the film. Blood, cleavage and sperm are what every fan wants. Proof:

Son of Batman is based on a comic book of the same name by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, and Tucker was asked what the difficulties were in adaptation, and the choices they made. They clearly made changes, and took liberties with the story, as they “had room to adapt,” though it was difficult, because it couldn’t be 20 hours long.

It was Jason O’Mara’s second time as the new voice actor for Batman, after Justice League: War. When asked what it’s like, he couldn’t stop talking about Talia al Ghul’s cleavage (“that made this a great Friday night”) and the “silicone” pits, which became a running topic of discussion during the panel. In all seriousness, it was hard for him to find the elusive Bat-voice the first go round, but thanks to Andrea, they found it, and brought that experience onto SOB, which is an ill-advised abbreviation that I’m going to continue using.

Stuart Allen is asked what it was like to play Damien. When he first read the script, and was introduced to the character, he thought Damien was a brat. Then he went to Gamestop for the down low and insight into his character, and really got it. I still think Damien’s a brat myself. Stuart is as excitable and neurotic a kid as I’ve ever seen. He’s like a 9 year old on coke.

Berkeley, an in-demand voice and live action actor (he’s on Salem, premiering on Sunday), was asked what drew him to Kirk Langstrom. For him, it’s Batman, “of course you wanna do it. Who wouldn’t?” Good point. Especially when Andrea is involved, he’ll do it.

Sean Maher’s role as Nightwing is his first role in an animated film in his career. During the film and the oft-viewed Talia cleavage, Sean was constantly reminded of Morena Baccarin’s cleavage on Firefly, which consistently got sunburnt on set, and became a butt of jokes. This makes sense because Baccarin voices Talia.

Phil Bourassa is a God in the DC animation world, but this was his first solely Batman movie, and he’d been wanting to do one forever. Every artist has their own take on Batman. Any day drawing Batman is a good day. Amen.

With no disrespect to Sean Maher, it’s asked why Nightwing is the only one who can take down Damien in the film. Their fight is skimmed over in the film, but stay tuned for the credits to get a taste of their battle royale. They apparently couldn’t fit in the movie/couldn’t figure out how to make it cool enough (pretty much what they said). They could’ve cut out the Gorilla-Bat scene and replaced it with the Nightwing/Damien fight.

When asked by an audience member who they’d dress up as on the exhibit floor, Jason O’Mara responded with Boba Fett to many cheers. Stuart Allen offered Green Lantern and Iron Man.

Andrea Romano is thanked at least three times for an amazing childhood by fans, which is one of the better compliments I can dream up.

Then came a parade of crappy questions that you know the panel can’t answer, like will there be more Damien/Son of Batman movies, or if they have plans for Character A and Character B, yadda yadda yadda. One guy, effusive in his praise for the DC animated films, then insults them by arguing that he’s fatigued with Batman and that they are relying too heavily on Batman (fair), and pointing out that Marvel respects and utilizes all their characters (true, but unfair and beside the point). This “question” isn’t met positively.

When asked what characters they’d like to see explored in a future film, James Tucker mentions Spectre, and Bourassa talks up Kirby’s Fourth World characters.

Apparently Dick Grayson/Nightwing is the only Robin in the new DCU animated continuity (until Damien comes along), which means that there is no Tim Drake. They aren’t hating on Tim, but “normal people need to understand this too.” It didn’t come out as insulting as that sounded. Tim Drake is asked about another time, because nobody listens TO OTHER QUESTIONS.

Jason O’Mara is impressing fans. One questioner even says “Kevin who?”, a reference to the god of Bat-voices, Kevin Conroy. Hold your horses, kid. There was a lot of pressure on O’Mara to do the voice, but he tried to tune it all out, and didn’t refer to any of the other performances, hoping to create a unique and authentic voice of his own. I think he’s succeeded. Andrea points out that the voice has grown and evolved since JL: WAR, for the better.

Did Stuart feel pressure in bringing Damien to life? It is, after all, the first time he’s on the big screen (or Blu-Ray). He felt a little pressure, sure, but he’s a laid back guy. You “gotta go with the flow.” If anyone over 10 had said that, there probably would’ve been boos.

Several people harp on Tucker and company to adapt classic DC books into films, like The Killing Joke. Tucker responds that the company makes 3 movies every year, with 2 in continuity, and the third a one-off, so there’s always that possibility. TBA. If you’re playing a comic con drinking game at home, that’s a big-time drink. I think some version of the “we can’t tell you $#*!” line was used 13 times in this panel. There are some awful questions, but some worse answers. Andrea even commented on their glib responses, and apologized for them, because they can’t announce anything…until they’re announced.

Tucker apparently didn’t know that Deathstroke was being used on Arrow when they were making Son of Batman, because the myriad branches of WB work separately. Seems silly, because as the fan mentions, Slade is “everywhere right now.” Of course, since he’s a badass, that’s probably not a bad thing, and there are several different takes on the character.

After another stupid question, I stalked off, ready for dinner, my first day of WonderCon over. Tomorrow is a latter day, one with innumerable goodies in store.

Son of Batman comes out on HD stream tomorrow, April 22nd, and can be ordered here. If you want to wait for the DVD/Blu-Ray combo pack (which arrives May 6th), buy it here.

Convention season is upon us (does it ever end?), and my first panel for the WonderCon extravaganza is for WGN’s Salem. I have no idea if people even get WGN, since as far as I know it is a Chicago-based network that airs Cubs games, but you’re not a television network if you’re not producing original content. My Grandmother produces original content.

You likely know as much about Salem as I do going into this. It’s a witch show with Shane West (Nikita, A Walk to Remember) set in 17th century Salem, MA. It’s already better than Secret Circle and whatever that recent Lifetime show was, because I said so. And because it has Fringe and Arrow star Seth Gabel in it.

The panel promises a sneak peek at the premiere of the new series, followed by a Q&A with star Shane West and executive producer Brannon Braga (known for Star Trek, Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey). As far as I know, the awesome Seth Gabel will not be present, though surprise guests aren’t foreign to conventions. I wouldn’t be against seeing Xander Berkeley, who was so good as a villainous werewolf on Being Human, either. Or Roxy Rebel, who plays a “pretty prostitute” in the show, according to IMDb.

ALSO, apparently a random audience member will win a background role in the show, and an all expenses paid trip to the set. Sweet.

We’re warned that the show is “mature,” and that we should leave if we can’t handle that. Psh. Apparently there’s even a section of the 25 MINUTE sneak peek that will just be a black screen, because it’s too disturbing. Titillating. There’s a baby in the row in front of me. Awesome.

And so it begins…

THE PILOT RECAP (spoilers abound, naturally):

In a decrepit town square (read: any town square in the 17th century), are a young man and woman, who committed the “sin of self-pollution” because they kissed and…other naughty things. So they get “ten hard ones” (ie. lashes from a whip), are being sent to the stocks, and before that… get branded with a big fat “F” on their forehead, all ordered by the villainous George Sibley (Michael Mulheren). F is for fornicator.

A man calls out: “Do not judge unless ye be judged.” George demands to know who said that. “Jesus, you may have heard of him,” Shane West exclaims wryly, announcing his presence on the show. He’s John Alden, the hero of our tale. He also makes eyes at Mary (Janet Montgomery), and later, under the moonlight, are kissing and making vows to one another, right before he goes off to war. He claims it’ll only last a year, but we know better.

As John goes off to war, we learn that Mary is preggers, and in a town like this, that doesn’t bode well. So she goes off into the woods with a friend and have some occult-y ritual filled with visions of John, bloody/sappy trees, bugs and Sleepy Hollow-like horned demons. It’s trippy, and when it’s over, so is her pregnancy. She’s cured!

We pick up the narrative 7 years later, John Alden (above) returning to town, grizzled like crazy and possessing a lot more hair. As he saunters into Salem, he sees 3 hanged women. The witch hunt has begun.

He returns home to find his head at the end of the barrel of a gun. His father thought he was dead, and is clearly an old kooky man, because he has bags filled with wild not-quite-dead animals. He’s also played by John Locke’s evil Dad from LOST, so I can’t trust him with my kidneys ever.

A lot has changed in 7 years, as one would expect in a time when 7 years is like a third of your life expectancy. Mary, John’s no longer pregnant love, is now the richest woman in Salem, because she married John’s arch-nemesis, George Sibley.

Sibley is now an invalid, so good for Mary, though John doesn’t quite see it that way.

The man leading the witch hunt is Seth Gabel, a puritanical Reverend named Cotton Mather, with a famous father. John used to be friends with the man when he was a child, before he read every book on witchcraft (in 8 languages…oooh) and now has a sweet beard and crazy eyes. Mather enlists John and a couple other bar patrons to help him “subdue a girl.” That girl is Mercy, a crazed woman, seemingly possessed or haunted by a witch (she claims an old hag hangs over her, and is feeding on her, causing the innumerable wounds all over her body). Mather claims this is the work of a powerful witch, and John has the best line of the pilot (thus far): “I call bull$@&!.” Like us, he’s the skeptic, because he hasn’t been around to see the descent of Salem.

Of course, he doesn’t have the benefit of seeing the old hag attack Mercy, which is the first time the screen goes black. I almost like the idea of shows going dark right before evil things happen. Leaves it up to the imagination. Make believe plot points!

The next day, Mather presents a rousing sermon on the dangers of witches, that they can be any one of the townsfolk. Silver-haired Magistrate Hale (the aforementioned Xander Berkeley) is also wary of Mather, and stands up to him in church, advising against a witch hunt.

After the kerfuffle, Mary and John meet for the first time since he’s returned, and she invites him to a small dinner she’s arranging.

John goes for a drink, because what else is there to do in the 17th century? There, he calls out a creeper for watching him…and it’s Isaac the Fornicator from earlier. It’s clear that Iddo Goldberg is going to be a fan-favorite, after his introductory rant in which he essentially states that the town believes he’ll fornicate with everything, even a sheep.

Mather’s back with Mercy, the troubled woman. Her father can’t even watch, so she leaves the two alone, and then Mather begins to snake his hands up her dress…and we go to black again. Ew. It’s a long break this time around. Mather is up to no good.

As Mather exits, he meets up with John again, who repeats his “c’mon man, witches?!” speech.

Meanwhile, back at the Sibley residence, Mary is up to no good. It’s “feeding” time for her husband…which actually means getting naked, and removing a frog from his mouth, and using the frog to feed off some of her boils on her skin. It’s clear that she has George under a spell, and that the frog prevents him from speaking, and Mary’s a bit nutty, ecstatic that she’s stealing everything from his life, and even devouring his soul. In a mirror, we see her reflection: the gnarly old hag from before, who wouldn’t look out of place in Evil Dead.

And there you have it.

BACK TO THE PANEL!

Creator and executive producer Adam Simon, Brannon Braga and Shane West trot up to the podium. They’re asked what inspired the series, and they consider it an untapped area. This seems ludicrous, because witches are ALL OVER the pop culture map, but in terms of the 17th century, and what happens after The Crucible is what Simon and Braga are drawn to.

Shane West’s character has the audience POV, for at least the first episode. The pilot is a lot of reacting, and in the second episode, he has a more aggressive reaction to the events, and that’s when the show really begins, he says.

John Alden (West’s character) is apparently a real person, a war hero (which seems antithetical since he was fighting Native Americans). But “this isn’t the History Channel,” it’s “an alternate reality.” Took real events and then added the supernatural twist as an explanation for why everyone believed witches were real. Though Simon rightly remarks that Alden is not as young and good looking as Shane West. That’s some of the fiction.

As I alluded to, Salem is WGN’s big inaugural scripted series. What are there reactions to the content, which is pretty grisly? “The network has been really supportive of the process, and unflinching when it comes to the material.” Apparently they haven’t found the limits of basic cable yet.

First question from a fan: does the baby come into play in upcoming episodes? Close-lipped, but clearly the baby will be discussed in the future. After they obviously poo poo teasing future events, another guy comes up asking another spoilerific question.

Since John Alden was accused of witchcraft in real life, will they broach that subject on the show? Answer: “Good question.” Real answer: OBVIOUSLY. Then they drop the obligatory line: “Keep watching.”

They revealed the identity of the first big witch… but more are coming. The “witches among us” is kind of the tagline for the show, as they are like Cylons, Skrulls or Hydra agents. No one can be trusted. David Simon mentions that there will be many different types of witches: Essex witches, German witches, French witches, a lot of immigrant witches.

There’s an Isaac the Fornicator question! “Is he like a Renfield for Mary?” “He’s a wonderful character…he represents all the pain and suffering” the people in the town have endured.  I think they know he’s the breakout character of the lot.

And we’re out of time. One lucky person is getting a trip to Shreveport on set, “staying at Shane’s place.” The audience goes wild (“it’s just a studio apartment”). The winner must be “18 years or older,” more laughter. ANDDDDD… I didn’t win. Darn. Good for that dude.

Salem premieres on WGN on Sunday, April 20th.