Welcome to Comic Book Guy! This season was a swirl of genres, heroes, and mayhem. We got a Watchmen reboot from someone who apparently doesn't like superheroes. Meanwhile, Lucifer belted out bangers from Bowie to Phil Collins, The Hammer of Thor 2 went full mythic elegy, Supergirl: Power gave us the ultimate Kryptonian catfight, and Bashenga took us back to Wakanda’s roots in a tale that felt more historical epic than superhero adventure. Buckle up, true believers. Let’s dive in.
WATCHMEN
Welcome to the alternate universe where Watchmen is adapted by a guy who apparently skimmed the Wikipedia page. Aaron Eckhart and Matthew Fox are the only compelling casting choices in the film, but those are the only clear casting wins in an ensemble featuring Justin Timberlake - yes, Justin Timberlake - as Ozymandias, the smartest man on the planet. The script also inexplicably deletes nearly every major supporting character from the comic, and replaces them with Nathaniel Parker - a bland waste of space. The film leans hard on philosophical mumbling, pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete on anything from the comic that has any kind of tension, excitement, action, intrigue, or relevance. Sure, the squid’s back—but when it lands in a story this inert, it’s more soggy calamari than shocking climax. A slow, self-important mess that fundamentally misunderstands what made Watchmen matter.
LUCIFER
Finally, a comic book musical where the Prince of Hell gets drunk, books Billy Idol, and does karaoke with the heir to Heaven. Lucifer is the gloriously unholy mashup of The Sandman’s mythology, Moulin Rouge’s musical madness, and the kind of dark humor that makes you feel guilty for laughing—then laugh harder. Jonny Lee Miller is perfectly cast, channeling suave sleaze, cosmic exhaustion, and just enough Bowie glam to make you believe the Devil really does know every verse to “Golden Years.” The deep-cut DC roster is blessedly intact (Mazikeen! Elaine Belloc! Duma!) and even Sting and Billy freaking Idol show up for divine (and profane) musical chaos. R-rated, blood-soaked, and Bible-thumpingly brilliant, this is Lucifer as if Garth Ennis rewrote The Book of Revelation during a hangover in South Beach. And honestly? I’d go to church if this guy ran the choir.
THE HAMMER OF THOR: THE FROST WAR
With a title that rhymes like a heavy metal concept album, this chilly follow-up ditches comic book flair for mythic gravitas - and honestly, it's kinda refreshing. Channing Tatum still plays Thor like he's reading stone tablets off a teleprompter, but the brooding tone almost makes his stiffness feel intentional. Director Roar Uthaug leans hard into icy apocalypse vibes, with giant frost beasts, winged Valkyries, and a third-act glacier-top smackdown that feels like The Northman by way of Final Fantasy. It's all very serious, very snowy, and kind of awesome. No capes, no quips, just doom, gloom, and boom.
SUPERGIRL: POWER
Supergirl: Power turns continental destruction into couture carnage, delivering explosive action across Europe with a heel to the throat and a glittering Eiffel Tower backdrop. Chloe Grace Moretz gives Kara the pathos she deserves, but Amanda Seyfried’s Power Girl brings the chaos, sass, and cleavage-powered menace of a superhero without a planet. Ted Danson's Vincent Edge also manages to explain the Infinite Earths theory in a way even your grandma would understand.
BASHENGA: THE BLACK PANTHER
Who knew the origin of Wakanda’s first king would feel more like Lawrence of Arabia than a Marvel comic? Steve McQueen brings out the heavy artillery of prestige cinema here - sweeping landscapes, spiritual gravitas, and the kind of slow-motion war charge that makes you want to stand and salute your screen. Sure, it's a little less “superhero blockbuster” and a little more “National Geographic meets Shakespeare,” but when the final battle hits, it’s like Wakanda discovered IMAX. And hey, bonus points for giving us a Black Panther movie where not a single alien invasion or sky beam shows up.
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