I’m the first one to look at the down side of things, it’s something I’m working on trust me. Not only do I see the glass half empty but also my glass tends to be shattered at the top so when I try to drink out of it I slice my lips up. With that mind I think you can all understand how I first joined the chorus of folks claiming that 2009 was going to be a boring year as far as Dork Culture goes (remember, I am trying to end the use of the term Geek).

In 2008 we had Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Dark Knight, and Hellboy 2 light up the big screen (I refuse to count Punisher and The Spirit). Video games got a kick in the ass from things like Rock Band 2 and a new Grand Theft Auto plus Marvel Comics looked promising as we all waited to see the fate of a world without Captain America, what would happen with the Skrulls and how would Spider-Man save both his Aunt May and Mary Jane?

On the DC side we waited to see if Darkseid would win in Final Crisis and what was this whole “Batman RIP” thing. Granted DC has pretty much blown it due to editor Dan Didio deciding to steer the DC ship into a wall but we didn’t know that at the time. 2008 really was a banner year for all of us who live and breathe the world of fantasy and science fiction.

In the aftermath of 2008 we all stared at 2009 ready to hibernate until it was over. We kept hearing about Iron Man 2 and Captain America movies for 2010, Thor and Avengers for 2011 as well as a possible Green Lantern film and Superman reboot. Even those of us optimistic that Chris Nolan would return for a new Batman film understood that would probably be late 2011 or summer 2012 if at all. I was depressed over 2009 that was until I really started investigating it. After spending a few days check out all that’s happening I must tell you, 2009 is so bright I gotta wear shades.

Don’t get me wrong, the movie side of things is a little light this year but not completely barren. If greed and frivolous lawsuits don’t fuck it up we have the Watchmen coming in March and even though I have been largely skeptical on it, the film is starting to look really good. I know in my heart it won’t be the comic series but it does look exciting and who knows, it might kick a lot of ass.

2009 is also offering up a Wolverine and GI Joe movie later in the year, which have both garnered split reactions. For me Wolverine looks like a really fun popcorn movie. Sure the film has too many hero cameos and Gambit looks stupid but the trailer still makes it look like fun. I wasn’t a huge fan of any of the X-Men films so I’m guessing maybe I’m expecting less. Same with the GI Joe movie, which I think, will fall someplace between Hellboy 2 and The Punisher on the goodness scale. Even if it’s not great it’ll be fun seeing those characters come to life.

There’s also Terminator Salvation, Star Trek, Where The Wild Things Are, Friday The 13^th, My Bloody Valentine 3-D, Kick Ass, 2012, Ice Age 3 and then those movies we don’t even know are coming out that surprise us. While you may not be amped on all of these at least they are coming out and will give you ample choices at the multiplex.

Comic Books will be really fascinating in 2009 as well. Who isn’t excited to see how DC puts itself back together in later 2009 after Didio’s early 2009 plans fail miserably. Batman RIP was an absolute mess, just a poor excuse to “shake up” the DC Universe. The same can be said for Superman leaving earth and Action Comics being turned over to Nightwing and Flamebird (think I’m kidding, read this month’s interview with Didio in Wizard).

DC is going to see a massive drop in sales I guarantee it, in fact my sources claim most people at DC are not happy with the direction the brand is going. So how cool will it be to watch DC try and dig themselves out of this hole. Even with DC in this mess I’m excited for the Green Lantern “Blackest Night” story arc, an arc that’s been building for many years.

How will DC bring Bruce Wayne and Superman back? Will the failure of Adventure Comics mean that the Legion Of Superheroes will get their own title again? Is the rebirth of Flash into a Barry Allen book going to work and where the hell is Wonder Woman in all of this? These questions and more are all set to be answered this year, which alone should keep us heading out each Wednesday.

If DC isn’t your thing then Marvel Comics has more than enough to keep you busy. To be honest Marvel has really stepped up their game in the last six months, which has excited me for 2009 in a big way. So much is happening in every title that even though their big story event for the first half of 2009, “Dark Reign”, looks kind of silly the rest of the Marvel U looks great.

Ed Brubaker continues to write amazing stuff with Daredevil and Captain America. Now that the dust has settled what will be next for Bucky during his tenure as the red, white and blue hero? Daredevil heads into 2009 facing Lady Bullseye along with his alter-ego Matt Murdock’s life coming apart at the seams and Hydra waiting in the wings to destroy him. Uncanny X-Men is getting rich with plot as Cyclops stresses over the first new birth of a mutant baby and what’s going on with that child who Cable has taken into the future.

Meanwhile Emma Frost is secretly meeting with Norman Osbourne and his lackeys, which leaves me wondering how that will affect her relationship with Cyclops? In X-Men Legacy a newly arrived Professor X is searching for the keys to his past and in Wolverine the Old Man Logan run will end this year and then we get to see what’s next for old snikt snikt.

Thor #600 arrives in 2009 featuring a story written by Stan Lee as well as the end of J. Michael Straczynsky’s run leaving me to wonder what’s next for the thunder god. Jonathon Hickman will unleash his new Nick Fury book “Secret Warriors” featuring the heroes Fury appeared with in Secret Invasion.

Over at Image Comics Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead will focus on the long trip the survivors have to Washington to discover why the undead are rising up. Another Kirkman book Invincible is also setting up for big things as the main character will face off against Wolfman, his own father and a planet of beings with powers just like his due to attack Earth. Image will also be putting Savage Dragon back on the police force as well as doing their best to salvage Spawn by trying to streamline the out of control comic property into what it once was.

Dynamite Comics’ Zorro, The Man With No Name and Lone Ranger continue their awesome runs and Darwyn Cooke returns with a series of crime comics based on Richard Stark’s character Parker. For those unfamiliar with Parker Lee Marvin played the character in Point Blank and Mel Gibson played him in Payback. Both of those films were from Stark’s book “The Hunter” which is the basis of the first book in Cooke’s series as well.

Television is even looking better for 2009 with the return of Smallville for what may be its last season. Look for Clark to accept his fate as a hero, battle Doomsday, receives a visit from the Legion Of Superheroes and a lot more. Another tremendous Fox TV show Supernatural comes roaring back as main characters/brothers Sam and Dean attempt to stop a Demon Child from opening all 66 Seals and unleashing Satan on earth. For those who haven’t watched the show rent the old seasons, trust me you’ll become an addict.

Lost is coming back for what I understand will be a very exciting season as well as the triumphant return of 24.  In the new 24 season Jack Bauer must face off against an old friend and colleague who is out to bring down the Government. It’s been two years since we had any fresh 24 episodes so I’m amped for January. The much-maligned Heroes may be able to dig itself out of a hole as writer Jeph Loeb leaves the series and first season scribe Bryan Fuller returns.

Moving on to video games I must admit this is the one nerd ship that sailed without me. I’m not a gamer, I never have been. I don’t knock gamers and I love watching people play video games but they don’t hold my interest long enough to warrant me purchasing a console or the exhorbanently high priced games. That being said 2009 does look like a cool year for gamers as well.

DC Universe Online has decided to try and take on World Of Warcraft by creating a fully realized world for DC Characters that you can immerse yourself in for long game play. This isn’t a typical video game but more of a long-standing adventure series that you design characters for and actually exist in this world.

For the more straight video game lovers there’s Batman Arkham Asylum which looks fucking kick ass and features the voices of Mark Hamil as The Joker and Kevin Conroy as Batman. Both men are reprising their roles from Batman The Animated Series. I’ve also heard there will be a new Silent Hill, Resident Evil 5 and a Watchmen game this year. Granted I’m not fully up on all of game stuff so please if you know more add it in the comments to readers can have all the information they need.

So there you have it, just some of what to look forward to in 2009. I’m sure I missed things or overlooked items other people felt were important but at the very least I hope I got you as amped for 2009 as I am. What is really going to be fun is looking back over this at this time next year to see if I was right and where all of these items we love are at that point. I’m guessing by December of 2009 we’ll be discussing the merits of the trailers for Iron Man 2 and Captain America. I will see all of you there as well as every week along the way.