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Will: And Welcome to the 2004 Battle for Halloween Supremacy! Here we are at the half, and this yr’s top contenders are Spider-Man and the Power Rangers.
Liam: That’s right, Will. It’s been a banner yr for the wall-crawler. He’s had a blockbuster sequel, along with the introduction of organic web-shooters in the comics. There doesn’t seem to be any stopping Spidey this yr, and the kids are showing their support through their costumes!
Will: So true, so true, Liam…But there are rumors of cheating going on in the Spider-Man camp. One must remember that a red ski mask does not a Spider-Man costume make! Also, the Power Rangers are entering their 11th yr as the #1 selling toy franchise amongst American boys, and they don’t show any signs of losing steam! We’ve seen representation from several recent incarnations of the Rangers, from Wild Force, Ninja Storm, and Dino Thunder. When it comes to a packed roster, the Rangers definitely have the advantage!
Liam: With that in mind, there’s also a third contender that’s been gaining a lot of attention recently. That’s right, Batman’s making a strong showing this yr, moreso than in the past five Halloween’s.
Will: That’s a great point, Liam. The Caped Crusader has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity due to the debut of “The Batman”, a new cartoon on Kids WB. It’s a hit amongst the kids, and it shows by the amount of Bat ears in the crowd. While Bats didn’t make the finals this yr, 2005 is shaping up to be the Year of the Bat. With a new movie on the horizon, there are strong predictions that Batman will be a top contender in this match-up next Halloween!
Liam: There are also a couple of notes from this yr’s match-up that were surprising. First up, contrary to predictions, there was a lack of Superman representation. It was believed that the passing of Christopher Reeve would inspire a tribute amongst the youngsters, but I guess it just goes to show that he was their Daddy’s Superman. If something had happened to Tom Welling, it would have been an entirely different ballgame. It just goes to show the generation gap at play.
Will: Speaking of generation gaps, we’ve gotta give honorable mention to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While believed to have been part of the 80’s nostalgia hype, the Turtles have done a great job this season introducing their brand of pizza-eating, ninja justice to a new generation. While their post-season showing was nothing compared to Spidey or the Rangers, we’ve gotta give ’em credit for trying. As you can see by the crowd, there are a lot of folks out there who haven’t forgotten the meaning of “Turtle Power!”
Liam: (laughing) “Turtle Power”, indeed! Well, it’s anybody’s game at this point. Spidey’s played a fierce game, and there’s been no escaping him this night. But there seems to be a Ranger lurking aroun every corner. This brings up the difference in playing styles. While Spidey’s a wise-cracker, the Rangers tend to take the silent approach, except when Zords are in play. Since this one’s for the title, there are no Zords allowed, causing the Rangers to rethink their gaming strategy.
Will: It’s too close to call right now, but it’s definitely gonna be a long night. The judges are gonna have to work long into the night to come up with a ruling. It’s just too close, but it’s certainly one for the record books. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a call for a recount when all is said & done. In my 18 months of web journalism, I’ve never seen a match-up with such intensity.
Liam: I concur, Will…I concur.
Will: Well, that’s all we have for now. Join us for the wrap-up after the game!
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