5 things that’ll make 2012 great

We’re on the threshold of a new year.

There’s plenty of reason for excitement, but if you watch stuff like this or this, you might be thinking our civilization and way of life are doomed.

I say nuts to that.  Personally, 2011 was an awful year.  I’m glad to stick a fork in this one come Sunday, and I think you should too, especially knowing what good stuff is on the horizon.

To pick you up before 2011 go-goes, here are five reasons 2012 is going to be a great year:

5) Grand Theft Auto V – Expected in the summer or autumn of 2012, this latest entry of the popular franchise by Rockstar Games allows you to be a reprobate jerk in the fictional city of Los Santos, San Andreas.

Just like the many other GTA games before it, you’ll get to steal cars, assault innocents and blow up buildings, all in an effort to get away from “the life.”

Until you can get in touch with your inner criminal, the game trailer below will have to keep you entertained.

4) A new Black Sabbath album with Ozzy – Back on November 11th at 11:11 AM at the historic Whiskey A Go-Go in Los Angeles, Black Sabbath announced that they’d be hitting the road for a world tour in 2012 with Ozzy Osbourne, their first tour since 2000.  That’s pretty good on its own, right?

Topping it off, the hard rockin’  icons also said they’d be releasing a new album, produced by Rick Rubin – and they were already halfway done with the writing.  Can the ultimate riff master work again with the Blizzard of Ozz to craft heavy metal genius?  We’ll have to wait until the summer or fall of 2012 to see and hear the results.

The last time Black Sabbath with Ozzy had new music to offer us?  That was back in 1998, and this was the result:

3) The Wind Through the Keyhole: A Dark Tower Novel by Stephen King – Set between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla, this new story adds another layer to the Gunslinger saga while not interfering with King’s completed epic.

Conceived the master of modern horror while completing 11/22/63, King admitted in a letter on his official website that he just wanted to go back and explore that world again.

“It’s not going to change anybody’s life, but God, I had fun.”

Look for it in bookstores on April 12th, 2012.

2) The Avengers – Thor (Chris Hemsworth).  Captain America (Chris Evans).  Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).  Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner).  Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson).  Sgt. Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Samuel L. Jackson).

In one movie.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon.

In theatres on May 4th, 2012

‘Nuff said, true believer.

1) The Dark Knight Rises – Before director Christopher Nolan released Batman Begins in 2005, many bat-fans were skeptical of a reboot of a franchise that had seen better days.

After it came out?  Fans wanted more.

Then came 2008’s The Dark Knight, blowing minds and box office records ($1 billion worldwide) thanks to the incredible work of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, in his final role.

With The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan completes his trilogy with Christian Bale starring as Bruce Wayne/Batman for the final time.  Set eight years after The Dark Knight, the Batman must contend with a new villain out to destroy Gotham City named Bane (Tom Hardy) while also solving the mystery of the Catwoman (Anne Hathaway).

In Nolan we trust.   Here’s to seeing the fruits of his labours set a new, higher bar for the superhero movie come July 20th, 2012.

What are you looking forward to most come 2012?