The new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer has arrived, with verbal jousting, punches and Doomsday

I’ve never quite understood all the hate for 2013’s Man of Steel, which I quite liked. The biggest of the problems people seem to have with it — the wide-spread destruction and Superman killing Zod — seem easily explainable with a simple second of thought: it was the big blue’s first day on the job, and he was going up against an unhinged maniac of equal/greater power. Our dear Kal-El didn’t have time to perform the (excessive) civilian-saving heroics of Age of Ultron, much less his usual kitten rescues, but instead had to stop this guy who, if he wasn’t put down, was going to kill, you know, everybody. (Would it have been better if when his enemy was at his mercy he simply crushed Zod’s hand and threw him into an icy chasm for laughs? Because that was in a movie that’s mostly beloved.) Plus, from what we’ve seen, these things make up the bone that Batman and Superman are scrapping over in their first cinematic meeting. Payoff!

But yeah, the Pa Kent stuff was dopey. And the lack of red in the middle of Superman’s costume makes the outfit look even more underwearish, completely undermining the whole point of the briefs’ removal. I’ll grant the naysayers that. (I’m not sure which absence I’m more offended by, the red undies or the alien squid in Watchmen. In both cases it seems that Zack Snyder hasn’t fully grasped the crux of the matter.)

So anyway, above is the new Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer. In spite of that title, which still rankles, I continue to have hope for this thing, which is long-awaited manna for a child weaned more on the DC stable than their Marvel brethren. The first teaser we got back earlier this year was a bit too underwhelmingly Grimdark, what with its “DO YOU BLEED?” tag and all. But the lengthy Comic-Con trailer that was released had much more promise — and Wonder Woman. And then there was the BDSM tease from a couple of days ago, which sent people into a tizzy. (It’s a dream/vision, relax.)

This one?

I kind of love it. Yes, Facebook-Lex is still off-key(it’s like he’s out of some cheap 1980’s comedy or something), but the extended Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne dialogue here has crackling energy. Despite early misgivings, Ben Affleck doesn’t look terrible. Hey, the cave troll from The Fellowship of the Ring as Doomsday! “If I wanted it, you’d be dead already.” “I thought she was with you.” And are those parademons in there? Is Big Barda just around the corner? (I’d be fine with that, by the way.)

Fingers still crossed.