10/13/16 @ 12:21 pm EST

Source: Bleeding Cool | Categories: Dynamite

A Writer’s Commentary: Fabrice Sapolsky talks Intertwined #1, on sale now from Dynamite. Cover and interiors by series artist Fred Pham Chuong.

[WARNING: Spoilers ahead!]





Let me start by saying that Intertwined #1 was supposed to be very different originally. What is now issue #0 was supposed to be the beginning of the story, but after talking about it with my editor, we changed the way the story was told. Instead of making it a linear story in a Once Upon a Time in America manner, we started following the hero’s journey from Hong Kong to the U.S., from random student to hero. But the first 13 pages were already written, drawn and colored. So I decided to cut it from the rest of issue #1 and make it a #0. The good thing about this is now issue #0 can be read before or after reading issue #1 without spoiling anything.

Page 1

In the original version, we start with a cool noir action scene. But, since we changed the menu, we couldn’t serve the same dish twice in a row. I opted for a dream sequence, for readers to have a peek at the cool world of the Spirits of WuXing in the first pages. The series now follows Juan’s POV. Starting in his head became obvious because, as you’ll see later in the series, the “astral” plane plays a big role. See… That’s what I like about Intertwined: it has different influences and layers. We have Noir, we have Kung Fu, but we also have pulp, Chinese folklore, magic, social justice and spiritual vibes. For issue #0, my inspiration was the opening scene from the first episode of the Batman Beyond cartoon and The Big Boss, the first Bruce Lee movie. In issue #1, I had to find something else, hence the dream sequence. But I didn’t want it to be an action scene. I wanted something showing Juan Jin’s personality and how we’d be more than just and action/kung fu series. You’ll see here and there, in each episode, some social background. In Intertwined, a lot is happening behind the scenes.



There’s a panel I rewrote multiple times, to get the right tone. It’s the one where Juan compares himself to Peter Pan, or an Asian version of Peter Pan. I like that nod to the J.M. Barrie hero who inspired many comic book writers. And I always found the Disney version, by far the most popular, conveyed some… let’s say questionable designs for the main character: he has almond eyes and rabbit teeth. Which is typical of ethnic sterotypes in caricatures and some comics of the 20th century (Ming in Flash Gordon, Egg Fu, Fu Manchu,…). This is a very sensitive and important matter for both Fred, my co-creator, whose family comes from Vietnam, and myself. Juan Jin is a positive, powerful, Asian modern superhero. He’s not sorry for who he is. He wasn’t born in the United States so he has a lot of problems understanding how the American society puts the “race factor” front and center. He doesn’t see himself as Asian or Chinese first. He’s a human being before anything else. With great values. But representation, inclusion and diversity are major topics in Intertwined.

Page 2

We’re introduced to the Spirits of WuXing for the first time. At least three of them (out of five). They have a problem. One Spirit is dead (the Spirit of the Earth) and they have to find a solution. How the Spirit died is what triggers a chain of events that will involve Juan Jin. This is a game-changer in the History of Spirits. Usually, when a Spirit dies, he’s replaced by someone he or she chose. But here, the Spirit died with no replacement and the remaining Spirits are freaking out. They feel they need to find that person themselves. They’ll, sort of, play the sorcerer’s apprentice and there will be consequences for that. But for now, they set their sights on Juan.



Page 3

Juan wakes up to “I Got You” from Sonny and Cher. It’s just me loving that wake-up scene from Groundhog Day and paying homage to it (laughs). It’s not easy to present a character in very few panels. Fred and I discussed that page a lot. I came up with the idea that he was so obsessed with his martial arts tournament, that he was practicing all the time. So he’d even practice in the shower. Fred even put impacts on the walls in that panel. That’s how much of a fighter Juan Jin is! Last panel, there’s also a poster for The Big Boss. Fred added that. He’s the ultimate Bruce Lee fan. I am, for sure. But Fred is the biggest fan ever. One of the reasons that brought us together is Bruce Lee. And with Intertwined, we’re also paying homage to those movies we’d rent at the video club and see in VHS when we were kids. From that perspective, Intertwined is a labor of love. And believe me when I say that Bruce Lee’s words and philosophy helped me a great deal making this book happen and trying to find my way, as an “alien worker” in America. I can’t stress enough how Intertwined is important for me as a writer and as a human being. It’s fiction, but it’s the kind you can relate to. Because, and even if a lot of people in the United States have forgotten that, we all come from somewhere else. And we have to find keys to happiness in a society that works differently than the one we were raised into. It’s like living in a parallel universe! It looks familiar, but it’s not.

Pages 4-5

On page 4, we see Juan going head to head with the Triads (the Chinese mob). There’s a little Triad emblem on the door of the mini-van one of them is driving (panel 3). This is real! The Chinese mafia has its own logo. It’s fascinating. These pages also have a Spider-Man feel to it. I guess I couldn’t help it. Can’t hide my Spider-Man Noir origins (laughs).

Pages 6-9

This is a classic! The scene between the master and the student. We’ve seen this one too many times in Kung Fu movies and even in Hollywood-made martial arts movies. The Master is important. But the student can also be as talented as he’s reckless, which is Juan’s case.



Page 10

In panel 1, Yuki is introduced. He’s one of the 6 real-life characters who are part of our series. Yuki is a Kickstarter backer of ours. Making him a character was part of his package. I decided to make him the hero’s best friend in Hong Kong. This is a challenge also for Fred as he wasn’t really used to draw likenesses. But I believe Yuki was pleased. This page also shows us the beginning of a funeral service in Hong Kong. When I was researching for the series, I came across all sorts of article which pointed out how difficult and expensive burials were in the little Chinese territory. At some points, you had to wait months until you could organize and decent funeral for your relatives. This is one of the many real life issues I like to talk about. I don’t read a lot of fiction, but I’m a huge news reader. Reality is, of course, an incredible source of inspiration for comic book writers.

Page 12

Lady Xia is in the house! It’s no mystery that I love writing strong female characters. And even more if they’re mysterious too. I have a female-centric comic book that I’ve been working on for years with Leila Leiz called Harem. Leila is now doing Alters at Aftershock and I’m doing Intertwined at Dynamite, but I’m confident that, at one point, we’ll be able to go back and finish Harem together.

For this one page, I simply said to Fred : “I want an Asian Audrey Hepburn”. And he designed the beautiful and deadly Lady Xia. In this issue, you don’t really understand who she is. You see her with mysterious men in the chapel. Then you see her with mobsters in the streets. She’s the unofficial leader of the Spirits. She’ll play a MAJOR role in the issues to come. Stay tuned!



Page 14-16

This scene has been very tough to write but I’m very pleased with the result. It seems very simple, but it’s not. It’s an ordinary scene. An interaction between Juan and his mother. There’s a lot there. I tried to capture the relationship between a mother and her son in 1970s Hong Kong society. She’s tough. She’s cold. She never makes physical contact with her son. But you can see how much she cares. Fred is more comfortable with action scenes than with emotional ones. But there, he completely knocked it in conveying the right level of emotion. Oh, and since we’re in the 1970s, the mom smokes. It has become rare in modern comics. Not that I’m promoting cigarettes, quite the contrary, but it’s what the character does. You know, just like Wolverine back in the day… Just sayin’.

Page 19-23

I wrote this big street fight scene while watching one of my favorite movies, IpMan, with Donnie Yen. For fight scenes, I loosely write and the heavy lifting is done by Fred. First, he LOVES drawing fight scenes, and he’s the Kung Fu expert! His father and grandfather were already practicing and teaching Kung Fu. And the Spirit of Fire character is based on his brother Alex who’s also invested in martial arts. Fred often told me he’d draw positions as accurately as possible, based on his own moves, mixed with the main Kung Fu stars styles (such as Bruce Lee, of course. But also Jet Li or Donnie Yen).

Pages 24-26

These pages are also very dear to me. It’s obvious, but Intertwined is deeply rooted in Asian culture. I got the idea while I was on a trip in Beijing in 2015. And I’ve been exposed to the Chinese world for a long time. My sister-in-law is Chinese and my brother, who’s a talented director, is fluent in Mandarin. He was even able to direct a movie, a web-series and many TV spots in that language with locals. That said, New York has always been a multi-cultural town. And the series was always going to reflect that. When page 24 opens, we’re on a boat. Juan has been dropped by sea pirates paid by Lady Xia on a boat that came from Haïti. Living in Brooklyn, I could realize how much the Haïtian community is generous, united and warm. I have Haïtian friends. We come from different countries, of course, but most of them speak French too, so we can easily communicate in a friendly way. And, just as there’s a lack of positive Asian heroes in comics, there’s a lack of Haïtian heroes too (because frankly, Marvel’s Brother Voodoo is so cliché). When I started talking about it with my friends, they were very happy and just said: “thank you”. They were honored. I intend to respect their culture and their personalities, just like all the characters in my books. I want to publicly thank my friend Roobens for helping me with Haïtian Creole too! There’s also a character named Antwan who’s based on Haïtian-Canadian stand-up comedian Anthony Kavanagh. Anthony is an old friend of my family. His career is in France now, but he always has been a comic book fan too. Antwan is set to become a new kind of hero. Hopefully, with success, I’ll be able to tell his story and show that Haïtian heroes are much more than voodoo-inspired characters!



Next?

You probably ask yourself this question: the creators said Intertwined was “Kung Fu Noir”, but it’s more Kung Fu than Noir. Yes and no. As I said, this is a journey. If you look closely at the Intertwined logo, you’ll see New York on the left and Hong Kong on the right. Juan Jin goes from “Happy HK” to “Dark Chinatown”. This doesn’t happen in an episode. Issue #2 is definitely more Noir-infused, with half the issue taking place in a rude prison facility. And it’s getting darker as we delve into the series. Be prepared. This is just the beginning!

03/28/26 @ 1:40 pm EST

Source: IGN.com | Categories: Dynamite

Games Workshop has officially unveiled Warhammer 40,000: 11th Edition, confirming that the next evolution of its flagship tabletop wargame will launch in June 2026. The announcement was made during the AdeptiCon 2026 preview event, where a cinematic trailer, a new starter box, and early details about rules changes were revealed. The narrative focus of 11th Edition returns players to Armageddon, one of the most iconic war zones in Warhammer 40K lore. The new storyline centers on a massive conflict between the Imperium of Man and invading Ork forces, with the Blood Angels Space Marines positioned as the headline Imperial faction opposing an Ork Waaagh!. A major lore highlight is the confirmed return of Commissar Sebastian Yarrick, a long‑standing fan‑favorite character closely associated with Armageddon’s wars. His reappearance anchors the edition firmly in classic Warhammer history while advancing the ongoing narrative following recent campaign books. The launch of 11th Edition will be accompanied by a new boxed starter set titled Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon. The set includes newly revealed Space Marine and Ork miniatures, with early previews showing updated Intercessors that blend modern Primaris design with visual callbacks to older armor marks. While the full contents of the box have not yet been detailed, Games Workshop confirmed that additional starter products at different price points will follow, continuing the company’s recent approach to onboarding new players. Unlike the dramatic overhaul that accompanied 10th Edition, early information indicates that 11th Edition is designed as an iterative update rather than a full system reset. Existing 10th Edition Codex and Supplement books will remain valid at launch, meaning players will not need to immediately replace their current army rules. Confirmed design goals include streamlined core mechanics, reduced rules stacking, and a closer alignment between narrative and matched play. Games Workshop has emphasized faster gameplay, clearer interactions, and improved balance without discarding the foundations introduced in the previous edition. Although the June 2026 release window has been confirmed, many specifics—such as the full ruleset, complete model lineup, and codex roadmap—remain under wraps. Games Workshop has stated that deeper rules previews and additional reveals will be shared in the months leading up to launch.  ...

03/28/26 @ 1:16 pm EST

Source: comicbookmovie.com | Categories: Dynamite

While attending a comics convention this weekend, Tom King offered fans a substantive update on the long‑anticipated Mister Miracle animated series, confirming that the project has moved into a significant new phase of development. King, who serves as both lead writer and showrunner on the series, revealed that the pilot episode has now been completed. According to his comments at the event, the show is no longer in early conceptual stages but is actively progressing, with King currently involved in editing the series and writing later episodes. One of the biggest takeaways from the panel was confirmation that a voice cast has already been hired. While no names were announced, King teased that fans would be extremely excited once the cast is officially revealed, suggesting that announcements are likely forthcoming. The Mister Miracle animated series is based on the acclaimed 12‑issue comic run written by King and illustrated by Mitch Gerads. During the panel, King reiterated that the show is aiming to closely reflect Gerads’ distinctive visual style, an approach that has been a priority throughout development. This commitment aligns with previous statements that the production is pushing the boundaries of animation to faithfully translate the look and tone of the original comics. King also confirmed that the series is set within the DC Universe and that he is writing all eight episodes himself. His dual role as writer and showrunner positions the project as a deeply personal adaptation of his Eisner Award–winning work, rather than a loose reinterpretation. Although no release date was announced during the convention, King’s update makes it clear that Mister Miracle is firmly in active development rather than stalled or uncertain. The completed pilot and hired voice cast mark major milestones, signaling that the project is steadily moving forward.  ...

03/21/26 @ 1:51 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Dynamite

With HBO and DC Studios’ upcoming series Lanterns positioning itself as a grounded, detective‑style drama, fans are paying close attention to how the show will deploy one of the Green Lantern mythos’ most iconic figures: Sinestro. Officially confirmed to appear in the series and portrayed by Ulrich Thomsen, Sinestro’s inclusion signals that Lanterns is not just telling a crime story—it is laying the foundation for the moral and ideological conflicts at the heart of the Green Lantern universe. According to DC Studios’ official character description, Sinestro is a former Green Lantern who turned rogue after abusing his power. He is described as “ruthless yet undeniably charming,” with a manipulative obsession centered on his former mentee, Hal Jordan. Jordan is being played by Kyle Chandler. This immediately suggests that Sinestro’s role in Lanterns will be personal rather than purely antagonistic. Rather than functioning as a straightforward villain to be defeated, Sinestro is more likely to appear as a philosophical counterpoint to Hal Jordan. In the comics, Sinestro believes order must be enforced through fear, not willpower or trust. Translating that worldview into a grounded HBO drama fits perfectly with the show’s True Detective-inspired tone, where moral certainty is often elusive. Lanterns centers on Hal Jordan and John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) as intergalactic law officers investigating a murder in the American heartland. While the crime is Earth‑based, the implications are cosmic, and Sinestro’s presence may loom over the investigation rather than dominate it outright. Given Sinestro’s history as Hal Jordan’s mentor, one plausible role is that of a symbolic embodiment of Hal’s past failures. Sinestro may serve as a reminder of what happens when a Green Lantern decides the rules no longer work—or that he alone should decide how justice is delivered. This framing would reinforce Hal’s status as a seasoned Lantern nearing the end of his career, forced to confront the ideological consequences of the Corps’ authority. Production reports confirm that Sinestro is a recurring character, not necessarily the central antagonist of every episode. That opens the door for a more subtle narrative function: Sinestro as a background manipulator. Rather than openly opposing the Lanterns, Sinestro could be: Feeding Hal Jordan information to test his judgment, quietly steering events tied to the murder investigation or Serving as a warning figure for John Stewart, illustrating what a Lantern can become when certainty replaces empathy. This approach aligns with comments from Ulrich Thomsen, who hinted on social media that his time as Sinestro may not be finished, suggesting long‑term narrative relevance beyond a single season. While Lanterns is firmly Earth‑based, it exists within DC Studios’ broader DC Universe (DCU). Sinestro’s introduction here may function less as a payoff and more as setup. In DC canon, Sinestro is to the Green Lanterns what Lex Luthor is to Superman—a recurring ideological nemesis rather than a one‑time foe. By grounding Sinestro early as a calculating, persuasive presence rather than a spectacle‑driven villain, Lanterns could be positioning him as: A future architect of larger DCU conflicts, a connective figure between cosmic and Earth‑level stories or as a moral antagonist whose philosophy spreads rather than attacks. Nothing beyond Lanterns has been officially confirmed, but Sinestro’s stature in DC lore makes his appearance here feel intentional rather than incidental. Based on what is known, Sinestro’s role in Lanterns is unlikely to hinge on spectacle. Instead, he appears poised to challenge the core identity of the Green Lantern Corps—and of Hal Jordan himself. Whether he appears as a mentor‑turned‑enemy, a manipulative observer, or a philosophical provocateur, Sinestro represents the question at the heart of the series: Is justice about enforcing order—or believing people can choose to do better? In a show built around investigation, doubt, and moral consequence, Sinestro may not be the loudest presence—but he could be the most dangerous one.  ...

03/21/26 @ 1:35 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Dynamite

The entertainment world is mourning the loss of Nicholas Brendon, the actor best known for his role as Xander Harris on the beloved television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Brendon passed away at the age of 54, his family confirmed, stating that he died in his sleep of natural causes. News of his passing has prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues, friends, and fans who grew up with his work and were touched by his honesty and humanity. Born in Los Angeles in 1971, Brendon rose to international fame in 1997 when he was cast as Xander Harris, the witty, loyal, and often self‑deprecating heart of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Appearing in all seven seasons of the series from 1997 to 2003, Brendon helped shape one of television’s most enduring ensemble casts. Xander, the lone member of the group without supernatural powers, became a relatable stand‑in for audiences—grounded, flawed, brave, and deeply human. Following Buffy, Brendon continued to work steadily in television and film. His credits included recurring roles on Criminal Minds and Private Practice, as well as appearances in Kitchen Confidential, Faking It, and cult films such as Psycho Beach Party and Coherence. While none matched the cultural impact of Buffy, his performances were often praised for their sincerity and emotional openness. In later years, Brendon spoke candidly about his personal struggles. He was open about living with addiction, mental health challenges, and serious medical conditions, including a congenital heart defect and complications from spinal injuries that required multiple surgeries. His willingness to discuss these issues publicly resonated with many fans, who saw in him not just a television star, but a person navigating real and painful challenges while continuing to create. Despite these difficulties, Brendon remained creatively driven. According to his family, he found renewed passion in painting and visual art in recent years, sharing his work with friends and supporters. In their statement announcing his death, they remembered him as “passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create,” and asked for privacy as they grieve and celebrate his life.  ...

03/14/26 @ 2:53 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Dynamite

Multiple sites, including Deadline and Variety, are reporting that one of the stars of the upcoming HBO series Lanterns will be making taking his character to the big screen. Aaron Pierre, who plays new Green Lantern John Stewart, is now set to appear in the upcoming James Gunn film Man of Tomorrow. Though not officially a Superman sequel, MoT stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprising their roles as Superman and Lex Luthor along with other returning cast members Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo and Sara Sampaio. This film will also introduce another popular DC Comic’s villain, Brainiac, played by German actor Lars Eidinger. Pierre joins DC’s cosmic police force along with Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan as they team up to investigate a murder in Nebraska. The tone of the Lanterns series is much darker and grounded, in the style of a True Detective season, but this move drives home that the series is connected to Gunn’s growing DC Universe that also includes Peacemaker and the animated Creature Commandos. The interesting thing to note is that while Pierre’s Stewart will appear, there is no word on whether Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, the Green Lantern introduced in Superman, will return. Fillion is also set to appear in Lanterns, having told reporters he has sworn more in his appearance in the upcoming series than in all of his previous roles combined. This may not bode well for the ring-wielding hero or his bowl cut. Lanterns is set to debut in August on HBO Max and Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for July 2027. 

03/14/26 @ 2:34 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Dynamite

The anticipated reboot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will not be moving forward at Hulu. The news was broken to disappointed fans by producer and returning star Sarah Michelle Gellar on her Instagram this morning. The streamer had originally ordered a pilot to be directed by Eternals director Chloé Zhao from a script written Poker Face writers by Nora and Lilla Zuckerman. Gellar wrote in her post, “I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots. And thanks to Chloé, I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means, not only to me, but to all of you. This doesn’t change any of that, and I promise if the apocalypse actually comes… you can still beep me.” Sources say that the initial reaction to the pilot were not good and while discussions were had about reworking the pilot, Hulu has decided not to proceed but remains excited about the Buffy IP and will likely regroup and find a new approach to move the franchise forward. 

02/21/26 @ 2:38 pm EST

Source: Threads | Categories: Dynamite

You may have noticed that I’m not the biggest fan of ‘Industry Insiders’ who have paywalls set up to dole out rumors like… well, I couldn’t find a metaphor that wasn’t extremely insulting so we’ll just move on. Those ‘insiders’ need to have a ready supply of rumors to keep their subscribers coming back and since there is no accountability for erroneous rumors, one has to wonder if some of them are just made up out of thin air. James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, has a times come out and addressed a batch of rumors that fans ask him about on social media. He did this again recently and here are some of the rumors he addressed along with his response. A report that the upcoming Man of Tomorrow has changed its title to Superman: Man of Tomorrow. Gunn has said before that this was more than a Superman movie and confirms the title has NOT changed by simply saying, “Nope.” Another report says that the film with begin filming in a few weeks, and while it will begin shortly, he says “by strict definition of Few, nope.” Reports say that he’s trying to rush through Matt Reeves’ The Batman Epic Crime Saga so he can then get to Brave and the Bold. That’s another ‘Nope’. Scoopers claim that Paradise Lost, the Wonder Woman prequel series was now dead or shelved. I know this will surprise you, but he said, “Nope”. And he did confirm one thing, that Superman does not believe in Santa Claus because, “He’s an adult.” Rumors can be fun to talk about and debate, but if they set unrealistic expectations that ruin the film for someone, then that’s a problem. And paying for rumors… that seems a bit crazy to me.  ...

02/21/26 @ 2:21 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Dynamite

Many MCU fans wonder why the events of Daredevil: Born Again won’t be even referenced in upcoming films like Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In Born Again, Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio) is the new Mayor of New York and has declared martial law along with creating a taskforce to hunt down vigilantes and you would think someone like Spider-Man (Tom Holland) would be on his radar. But that’s not going to happen on the big screen, no Fisk in BND and SFX Magazine thought that would be a good thing to ask Born Again showrunner Dario Scardapane about. “I’d be into it, because I dig the comics! But no, that’s been kind of a fun and challenging thing. We know there’s a huge world out there of the MCU. This corner of it has crossovers. We’ve seen Daredevil in other shows, there are other characters that are going to be popping up in movies and stuff, and that all goes into the larger MCU of it all. The joke we make is, ‘Oh, those guys are uptown – we’re downtown!’ We kind of have a pocket that’s in this world of Hell’s Kitchen, in this world of New York. I always think that maybe these characters take a little vacation into the larger world but the story that we’re focusing on is really granular.” Let me translate that, “They can borrow our toys, but we can’t touch there’s.” A shame as we all want a real Daredevil/Spider-Man crossover.   

02/14/26 @ 2:33 pm EST

Source: Deadline | Categories: Dynamite

“You have failed this beach!” Okay, there is probably no way Stephen Amell will say that line in the new Baywatch reboot, but I can’t be the only one who thought about it. Fox announced yesterday that the former Arrow, Heels and Suits LA star would be the lead in the networks bid to recapture the popularity of their lifeguard themed drama from the 90s. Amell will be playing the role of Hobie Buchannon, a role first introduced in the OG series. Hobie’s world turns upside down when Charlie, the daughter he didn’t know he had, shows up ready to put on the red bathing suit and follow in the family business. The show got a straight-to-series 12-episode order back in September, so the network is moving quickly. An interesting note is that Amell is the right age if the network wanted to bring back David Hasselhoff to reprise the role of Hobie’s father Mitch for an episode or two. 

02/14/26 @ 2:12 pm EST

Source: Happy Sad Confused Podcast | Categories: Dynamite

You may not have known this, but in 2021 a Zatanna movie was in the works. J.J. Abrams had given the project to Emerald Fennell to script as she was coming off 2020 directorial debut, A Promising Young Woman. So, what happened? According to Fennell, who recently joined the Happy Sad Confused podcast, what she had written was “probably too far away from the genre.” She was very honest about the work, saying: “I think it was demented because I was probably going through it at the time. And the thing is, I think what I can’t help but—and then, I’d just finished A Promising Young Woman, and there was this huge thing in this world I’d never operated in. And again, it was a kind of superhero movie, and I was like, ‘How do I make the version of a superhero movie that I would connect to emotionally?’ Which is sort of the woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown, so it’s a script reflective of a woman in the middle of a nervous breakdown. And in terms of what that means, I suppose it just meant that it was probably too far away from the genre.” For those of you who are not familiar with Zatanna, she was created by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson in the pages of November 1964’s Hawkman and has been a consistent magical character in the DC Universe ever since, regularly teaming up with Batman, John Constantine and was a member of the Justice League. Fennell went on to describe the script, “It was really dark. I haven’t read it for a really long time, because I found it really difficult. Because, also the thing is, I love JJ [Abrams] so much, and he took a chance offering me to do it, and I really wanted to deliver something amazing for them. And I always felt like I hadn’t quite maybe delivered the thing that they wanted. So, I haven’t read it since, and I wonder if I read it now, I’d be more generous toward myself. But I felt like, I wished I’d been able to deliver the thing they wanted. They were really lovely about it, it’s even just remembering. You’re making me remember scenes, I’m like, ‘Nobody would have made that.'” I have to admit I totally want to read that script now.  ...