Tracking back on 2009 predictions

To kick off 2009, Doug asked us, "What Lies Ahead?". I responded with ten predictions, tongue firmly in cheek. Still, considering all sorts of odd things occurred this year, I wondered how did I do?

1. The Watchmen movie will open as scheduled after Fox and WB reach an agreement upon figuring out how to generate enough profit for both companies. An extreme amount of product placement is digitally inserted into the movie. In the new version of the movie, Jon Osterman has an accident while fixing a Rolex and Adrian Veidt sends a very large package UPS.
   
   Watchmen was released on schedule after WB and Fox settled. There was a fair bit of product placement, but I missed on the brands -- Jon Osterman worked with Timex.
   
   
2. Grant Morrison's next project is at Marvel, where he revives Team America and uses it as a canvas for exploring the collective unconscious. In their first story arc, the team find themselves racing against time in pursuit of a mysterious villain named Weltanschauung.
   
   Morrison went on to do a Seaguy sequel, as well as Batman & Robin.
   
   
3. Martian Manhunter is brought back as a Vertigo title written and drawn by Sam Kieth.
   
   J'onn was brought back as a Black Lantern and a star of a holiday special story.
   
   
4. Chaos erupts on the Marvel boards when new Amazing Spider-Man writer Alan Smithee reveals that Mary Jane has all this time just been a hooker that Norman Osborne hired to keep an eye on Peter Parker. Joe Quesada is quoted in the fan press stating, "Spidey has only been interesting when his love life has met tragedy." Ten thousand messages on the subject are posted within 72 hours. A quarter are pro-change, a quarter are anti-change, while half are insults on other posters.
   
   Didn't happen, but there's still hope for 2010.
   
   
5. With the new relationship with Milestone, Warner Bros. announces an Icon movie starring Will Smith, to be released summer 2010. Next will be a Zatanna movie with script by Paul Dini and David S. Goyer starring Megan Fox.
   
   Alas, no Icon movie even rumored, and Will Smith is attached to no less than two dozen movies "In Development" according to IMDB, so he'll be busy. Zatanna showed up in an episode of Smallville, played by Serinda Swan, who kind of looks like Megan Fox (no word on what she thinks of Michael Bay or Angelina Jolie).
   
   
6. Judd Winick takes over Fantastic Four and kicks off a story arc in which Johnny Storm is sued for paternity by five different women.
   
   Winick took on Dick Grayson as Batman for a brief run. Jonathan Hickman took over Fantastic Four and is pushing Franklin and Val toward the forefront.
   
   
7. Julius Schwartz, Black Lantern.
   
   No, but for all we know, that was part of the plot for Ambush Bug number 6.
   
   
8. A new game phenomenon emerges with the success of Spider-Man: Spinners, a Wii-only release with a controller attachment that shoots silly string.
   
   As it turns out, unbeknownst to me, there had already been a leak of Spider-Man video game concepts, including one for the Wii entitled Spider-Man: Webmaster.
   
   
9. During a raucous happy hour at the New York Comic Con, Joe Quesada accidentally signs an exclusive contract with DC.
   
   Not to my knowledge, but c'mon, wouldn't this be fun?
   
   
10. All-Star Batman and Robin No. 11 is released in August. Captain America: White No. 1 is released in December.
    
    If only. CA:W was canceled, with no solid information about it being re-solicited anytime in the near future. Dan Didio just announced on Newsarama that they're "rethinking" ASB&R due to the extreme delays. Sigh.
    
    

Posted by JL Franke at December 28, 2009 8:51 PM