Feliz Navidad! Thanks to the good folks over at Robot 6, I now have a link to every single Venture Bros. X-Mas song, including the new one they just let out today! Why, it's a Christmas Miracle!
Wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying a lovely holiday. Now, I'm off to eat my traditional X-Mas Tamales & Turkey with the family and hope I get gifts relating to Batman.
Merry Whatever, everybody!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Venturing Towards Christmas
On this quiet Winter Solstice, I wish you joy. And nothing brings more joy to me than hearing the cast of the Venture Bros singly treacly faux-carols!
(They do a new one every year but I can't seem to find any newer ones, alas.)
Speaking of horrible new Christmas songs, comedian/actor Patton Oswalt discusses what all bored kids did at some point to Alvin & The Chipmunks Christmas Song here (a tad NSFW due to language):
(I kid. Mostly. I actually loved that song growing up but Demonic Dave is always funny.)
While neither of these videos have the slightest relation to comic books, I do hope they amuse all of you. Perhaps Santa will see fit to bring me some comics for X-Mas and I'll blog about them then.
More importantly, I sincerely hope you all are having a lovely holiday season. I suggest you go here for an appropriately geeky Holiday wish of joy.
So, in closing, Merry Whatever And A Happy New Year!
(They do a new one every year but I can't seem to find any newer ones, alas.)
Speaking of horrible new Christmas songs, comedian/actor Patton Oswalt discusses what all bored kids did at some point to Alvin & The Chipmunks Christmas Song here (a tad NSFW due to language):
(I kid. Mostly. I actually loved that song growing up but Demonic Dave is always funny.)
While neither of these videos have the slightest relation to comic books, I do hope they amuse all of you. Perhaps Santa will see fit to bring me some comics for X-Mas and I'll blog about them then.
More importantly, I sincerely hope you all are having a lovely holiday season. I suggest you go here for an appropriately geeky Holiday wish of joy.
So, in closing, Merry Whatever And A Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Comics Interweb - You Have The Ability To Inspire Great Joy
So, check these awesome images out! (both courtesy of Ragnell)
The above is from an upcoming Marvel Series called Girl Comics. This series will feature some of the best and brightest female talents in the biz jamming on whatever they think is awesome. Clearly, this is great news (just ignore the rabble-rousers in the comments section at the above link to stay in a good mood).
And also? We all know about the Disney/Marvel merger by now but this giant picture by T Campbell and John Waltrip is beyond stupendous. I especially like Emma Frost and the Disney Princesses expressions.
The above is from an upcoming Marvel Series called Girl Comics. This series will feature some of the best and brightest female talents in the biz jamming on whatever they think is awesome. Clearly, this is great news (just ignore the rabble-rousers in the comments section at the above link to stay in a good mood).
And also? We all know about the Disney/Marvel merger by now but this giant picture by T Campbell and John Waltrip is beyond stupendous. I especially like Emma Frost and the Disney Princesses expressions.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Quick links to amuse and possibly horrify
This excellent part of a series about characters nobody likes coincidentally numbers a goodly number of Chris Claremont's kinky fetishes. All of which are troubling, of course, but none as bad as a certain reoccurring theme of Mr. John Byrne (yes, he's done that more than once). It kinda blew my mind that Magma was your entry character in that first Ultimate Alliance-y X-Men video game instead of Jubilee or Kitty Pryde.
Also, they're making a documentary about Grant Morrison's life. Hell, I'd watch it.
And in the spirit of the Season, Chris Sims has collected his 12 favorite DC Comics' Christmas Stories. Man, that Impulse story was delightful. I miss wacky Impulse.
Also, they're making a documentary about Grant Morrison's life. Hell, I'd watch it.
And in the spirit of the Season, Chris Sims has collected his 12 favorite DC Comics' Christmas Stories. Man, that Impulse story was delightful. I miss wacky Impulse.
Monday, November 30, 2009
On Jen Van Meter's Power Girl
Read here, here and especially here to understand the following.
From the Uncanny X-Men 80-Page Giant:
Armor: I never pictured you doing laundry. Aren't you a British Aristocrat?
Psylocke: Nobody else knows how to get the zombie ninja bits out of my costume.
Armor: I guess it is hard to clean a purple uniform made of unstable molecules that somehow always gets at least three large holes in it. What do you do about the oddly strategically placed holes?
Psylocke: They're called large cuts, you don't have to wash them. Look, don't you start with that. I'm trying to be nice here.
Armor: Oh, crap. No- I meant, the cuts from ninja throwing stars, kitanas and whatever. I would never joke about your costume. I love your costume.
Psylocke: Most women don't react quite that way.
Armor: Really? Because from a fighting point of view, it's perfect for who you are and what you do. It's all about contradictions.
Psylocke: Why, thank you, Armor! I've always-
Armor: See, the thong draws the eye precisely where everyone knows they're not supposed to look - putting anyone you're dealing with off-balance.
Psylocke: Ah. Yes, well, I just spent days fighting undead ninjas, so the, er, 'thong' didn't- you know, it's more of a bikini bottom, really-
Armor: See, the name says 'Psylocke', but the purple thong says 'Ninja Stripper'.
Psylocke: . . . excuse me, you cheeky little-
Armor: And not just "Ninja Stripper"! I mean it says "I'm tough enough to handle everything I am . . . including being an exhibitionist who's likely to die of exposure. Or maybe just from getting stabbed in an exposed thigh artery. Are you?"
Psylocke: . . . right. Emma Frost put you up to this, didn't she?
Armor: She gave me twenty dollars.
Psylocke: That bloody hypocrite.
Armor: Heh. Yeah . . . but seriously, what is up with that thong?
NEXT WEEK!
An Excerpt from the Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose 80-Page Giant
Tarot: . . . what is "Laundry"?
Raven Hex: I don't know. I think it's something you do when you actually wear clothes.
From the Uncanny X-Men 80-Page Giant:
Armor: I never pictured you doing laundry. Aren't you a British Aristocrat?
Psylocke: Nobody else knows how to get the zombie ninja bits out of my costume.
Armor: I guess it is hard to clean a purple uniform made of unstable molecules that somehow always gets at least three large holes in it. What do you do about the oddly strategically placed holes?
Psylocke: They're called large cuts, you don't have to wash them. Look, don't you start with that. I'm trying to be nice here.
Armor: Oh, crap. No- I meant, the cuts from ninja throwing stars, kitanas and whatever. I would never joke about your costume. I love your costume.
Psylocke: Most women don't react quite that way.
Armor: Really? Because from a fighting point of view, it's perfect for who you are and what you do. It's all about contradictions.
Psylocke: Why, thank you, Armor! I've always-
Armor: See, the thong draws the eye precisely where everyone knows they're not supposed to look - putting anyone you're dealing with off-balance.
Psylocke: Ah. Yes, well, I just spent days fighting undead ninjas, so the, er, 'thong' didn't- you know, it's more of a bikini bottom, really-
Armor: See, the name says 'Psylocke', but the purple thong says 'Ninja Stripper'.
Psylocke: . . . excuse me, you cheeky little-
Armor: And not just "Ninja Stripper"! I mean it says "I'm tough enough to handle everything I am . . . including being an exhibitionist who's likely to die of exposure. Or maybe just from getting stabbed in an exposed thigh artery. Are you?"
Psylocke: . . . right. Emma Frost put you up to this, didn't she?
Armor: She gave me twenty dollars.
Psylocke: That bloody hypocrite.
Armor: Heh. Yeah . . . but seriously, what is up with that thong?
NEXT WEEK!
An Excerpt from the Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose 80-Page Giant
Tarot: . . . what is "Laundry"?
Raven Hex: I don't know. I think it's something you do when you actually wear clothes.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Happy Birthday To Me!
That's right, folks - yours truly is now a year older! Hooray! I know I haven't exactly been burning up the blogosphere with my posts but I hope y'all will be kind enough to wish me a happy birthday anyways, preferably in the form of amusing images and links. :)
Speaking of . . .
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Trick or Treat!
A Happy Halloween and a Blessed Samhain to you all!
If you're looking for a good Halloween read, hunt down Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson's Beasts of Burden. Helluva good series about neighborhood pets who fight the supernatural. Way less twee than you would ever suspect and damned creepy in parts. A damn fine read. Failing that, check out these pugs in superhero costumes! (I am easily amused)
If you want something to just give you the flat-out creepy-crawlies, I suggest hunting down the manga Uzumaki. It's the creepy tale of a town haunted by a spiral that makes people into freaks and lunatics via anything remotely "spiral" shaped. Some portions are just laughable (Deadly curly hair!) but the bit about the human snail . . . brrrr.
Lastly, enjoy this creepy Bonus Video Content! If you haven't played Batman: Arkham Asylum yet, btw, it's a terrific game . . . and the Scarecrow is one of the best parts. :D Enjoy these easter eggs - little taped interviews from the so-called Master of Fear in Arkham Asylum.
If you're looking for a good Halloween read, hunt down Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson's Beasts of Burden. Helluva good series about neighborhood pets who fight the supernatural. Way less twee than you would ever suspect and damned creepy in parts. A damn fine read. Failing that, check out these pugs in superhero costumes! (I am easily amused)
If you want something to just give you the flat-out creepy-crawlies, I suggest hunting down the manga Uzumaki. It's the creepy tale of a town haunted by a spiral that makes people into freaks and lunatics via anything remotely "spiral" shaped. Some portions are just laughable (Deadly curly hair!) but the bit about the human snail . . . brrrr.
Lastly, enjoy this creepy Bonus Video Content! If you haven't played Batman: Arkham Asylum yet, btw, it's a terrific game . . . and the Scarecrow is one of the best parts. :D Enjoy these easter eggs - little taped interviews from the so-called Master of Fear in Arkham Asylum.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Helping women with Wonder Woman
Some of you may not know this but October 25th is Wonder Woman Day. CBR has an impressive rundown of the event by one of the founders here. This is a day to celebrate Wonder Woman, duh, but it's also for a great cause. Even if you're not going to be anywhere near Portland or New Jersey to meet famous comic book writers & artists, you can bid on awesome pieces of art done for the day online. Every piece of art bought goes to a very important charity - helping Shelters for Victims of Domestic Violence. I'm not terribly rich but I'm happy to donate time and attention to this wonderful day and wonderful cause. If you want to just stop reading here and click on over to thumb through the amazing gallery of Wonder Woman sketches for sale, I completely understand. Please donate even a little something, if you can.
Still here? Okay, time to get personal.
I know some people don't really "get" Wonder Woman and that's fine. Some people like chocolate, some people like rum raisin. What this day is, however, is a pure celebration of the spirit of the character as she's come to be known - the premier superheroine of the modern age. The character who little girls pretend to be when they play superhero, embracing the idea of the strong woman for the first time. Paradise Island, the Invisible Jet and the Golden Lariat are as part of the cultural landscape as Kryptonite and Alfred the Butler.
I know she's got her detractors but I love her. Yes, she's a deliriously complex character with so many facets that even great writers get a little lost getting a handle on her and too few even try. Still, that's part of why she's so fascinating. Batman, Superman, they can be summed up in a simple phrase or two. Wonder Woman - Diana of Themyscria - is a warrior and an ambassador of peace. Both an outsider and also the most trustworthy person in the DC Universe (even Superman doesn't have a rope brushing against his hip that renders him incapable of lying all the time). Complexity in comic book characters should always be celebrated and I love Wonder Woman as a character even when I don't care for her book.
To be honest, the last time I really enjoyed reading Wonder Woman was under Greg Rucka's pen (no slight to the fantastic Gail Simone but all the continual doses of tragedy and seriousness in her run leave me a bit cold). Greg Rucka wrote Wonder Woman as the one person in the DCU to have the strength to do what Batman and Superman could never, ever do (possibly should never, ever do, given their characters) and the heart to know what exactly what it would cost her. I know it put some people off but that? That's a hero I can both admire and understand. That's a soldier saving lives. That's a cop making a hard decision. That's a woman who makes hard choices. That's somebody I'd want a daughter to look up to as an example. Hell, I could make a long post about Rucka's Wonder Woman of it's very own but I won't, as it's already getting late.
In the end, I'm just thrilled Wonder Woman finally has a day to call her own. The fantastic cause it's supporting makes it even better.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Without Fear
I don't often mention it but Daredevil is one of those underrated titles I've enjoyed consistently for years, especially under Miller, Nocenti, Bendis & Brubaker's pens. As a lapsed Catholic who tends to fall into complicated relationships, I can relate (the constant ninja attacks, not so much).
While I'm not too fond of the current direction for the character, reading what being involved with Daredevil meant to a wide variety of comics professionals over the years made me smile. Definitely worth a read.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Confessions of a sick fan
Since I haven't really had the funds to hit my LCS as of late (and I'm up late/early with a cold), I thought I'd just put out a few confessions of mine about comics I already bought and read & those I plan to read.
CONFESSION 1: I have not enjoyed Kathy Immonen's run on Runaways
In the course of trashing a few new books, The Hurting mentions that they think Immonen had a lot to fix from Whedon's lateness-plagued run and Terry Moore's somewhat unfocused run on Runaways.
Now, let's be fair here. I thought Moore's run was lackluster at best but he left her with the kids in a safehouse in California, minus a few members of the previous cast. Even with a new addition who was a plant-controlling mutant time-traveler, it wasn't like they'd all been transformed into middle-aged Cyborg Zebras and stranded on Mars in the year 2525 or something. So, how did she then chose to start her run? Immonen starts out with the random killing of the iconic dinosaur portion of the team and blowing up their Malibu base. I mean, seriously? Why not just burn all of Molly Hayes' hats while you're at it? This is the team that non-comic readers recognize as the one with the Goth Chick, the little girl in the funny hat, the other ones and the dinosaur. Sheesh.
She then followed that up with a second issue that was comprised almost entirely of people yelling at one another while sitting in rubble. Fun! I have no idea why anybody wouldn't immediately fall in love with this wacky comic about teens with superpowers.
I have to admit that I didn't even follow my traditional "3 issues to be fair about it" rule because I'm damn poor and I don't like to waste money on things that don't make me happy. It hurt because this is an all-female team writing and drawing a book about a team lead by a teenage girl (with Molly "Always Awesome" Hayes). Also, I liked that Hellcat series a whole lot and they hinted Gert was coming back, so I definitely wanted to like this book. I wanted to like this book so bad that the cognitive dissonance from hating it kind of gave me an ice cream headache.
What I'm saying here is that, while I wasn't the biggest fan of their runs either, I don't think it's entirely fair to lay all the blame at Terry Moore and Joss Whedon's feet for Runaways not shining as brightly as it could.
Whew. Glad I got that out there.
CONFESSION 2: After nearly two decades reading comics, I still have very little idea who about 2/3'ds of the JSA are.
This doesn't stop me from loving the holy crap out of Eric Trautmann's tense, well-plotted JSA Vs. Kobra mini-series or Palmiotti and Conner's fun, excellent and ongoing Power Girl series. And yes, I know, Wikipedia is my friend. I'm just lazy and have enough vague knowledge about all their personalities and powers from various crossovers to be satisfied. For instance, Bell Girl and her husband Hoodie Man find a corpse! Freckles McWhirlwind is horrified! And so on and so forth.
In seriousness, the fact that they're spinning them off into two books now instead of one makes a lot of sense because as near as I can gather, there's 42 members on the team. If the JSA teamed up with the X-Men, I think they'd outnumber the population of Nebraska.
Also, if they really did kill off Mr. Terrific like I've been hearing from folks, this Checkmate fan's gonna be more than a little ticked off. I'm just sayin'.
CONFESSION 3: Planetary #27 finally coming out makes me happy.
No real addition to that one. I mean, I could be a whiny fanboy about it, but hell, I'm just happy it's finally here. I'm going to save up five bucks, track it down and buy the crap out of this one, just for completion's sake, if nothing else. I just hope that, after all these years, the art in it is rather astonishing.
*cough*
Sorry.
CONFESSION 1: I have not enjoyed Kathy Immonen's run on Runaways
In the course of trashing a few new books, The Hurting mentions that they think Immonen had a lot to fix from Whedon's lateness-plagued run and Terry Moore's somewhat unfocused run on Runaways.
Now, let's be fair here. I thought Moore's run was lackluster at best but he left her with the kids in a safehouse in California, minus a few members of the previous cast. Even with a new addition who was a plant-controlling mutant time-traveler, it wasn't like they'd all been transformed into middle-aged Cyborg Zebras and stranded on Mars in the year 2525 or something. So, how did she then chose to start her run? Immonen starts out with the random killing of the iconic dinosaur portion of the team and blowing up their Malibu base. I mean, seriously? Why not just burn all of Molly Hayes' hats while you're at it? This is the team that non-comic readers recognize as the one with the Goth Chick, the little girl in the funny hat, the other ones and the dinosaur. Sheesh.
She then followed that up with a second issue that was comprised almost entirely of people yelling at one another while sitting in rubble. Fun! I have no idea why anybody wouldn't immediately fall in love with this wacky comic about teens with superpowers.
I have to admit that I didn't even follow my traditional "3 issues to be fair about it" rule because I'm damn poor and I don't like to waste money on things that don't make me happy. It hurt because this is an all-female team writing and drawing a book about a team lead by a teenage girl (with Molly "Always Awesome" Hayes). Also, I liked that Hellcat series a whole lot and they hinted Gert was coming back, so I definitely wanted to like this book. I wanted to like this book so bad that the cognitive dissonance from hating it kind of gave me an ice cream headache.
What I'm saying here is that, while I wasn't the biggest fan of their runs either, I don't think it's entirely fair to lay all the blame at Terry Moore and Joss Whedon's feet for Runaways not shining as brightly as it could.
Whew. Glad I got that out there.
CONFESSION 2: After nearly two decades reading comics, I still have very little idea who about 2/3'ds of the JSA are.
This doesn't stop me from loving the holy crap out of Eric Trautmann's tense, well-plotted JSA Vs. Kobra mini-series or Palmiotti and Conner's fun, excellent and ongoing Power Girl series. And yes, I know, Wikipedia is my friend. I'm just lazy and have enough vague knowledge about all their personalities and powers from various crossovers to be satisfied. For instance, Bell Girl and her husband Hoodie Man find a corpse! Freckles McWhirlwind is horrified! And so on and so forth.
In seriousness, the fact that they're spinning them off into two books now instead of one makes a lot of sense because as near as I can gather, there's 42 members on the team. If the JSA teamed up with the X-Men, I think they'd outnumber the population of Nebraska.
Also, if they really did kill off Mr. Terrific like I've been hearing from folks, this Checkmate fan's gonna be more than a little ticked off. I'm just sayin'.
CONFESSION 3: Planetary #27 finally coming out makes me happy.
No real addition to that one. I mean, I could be a whiny fanboy about it, but hell, I'm just happy it's finally here. I'm going to save up five bucks, track it down and buy the crap out of this one, just for completion's sake, if nothing else. I just hope that, after all these years, the art in it is rather astonishing.
*cough*
Sorry.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Some fun to keep you occupied a.k.a. My Twitter Feed
MTV Splash Page hipped me to this entertaining series of YouTube Videos launching off of The Dark Knight. While I know some people might be nervous about desecrating Heath Ledger's memory, this series is both cleverly done and an interesting homage to the movie-verse.
Far less creepily, I present the funniest Facebook and comic book related thing ever made, courtesy of Chris "The ISB/ War Rocket Ajax / A.C.T.I.O.N. Ager*" Sims. If you use Facebook, this will kill you dead with laughter.
*Did I mention Chris printed another one of my cheeky "letters" in the last issue of his delightful Woman of A.C.T.I.O.N.? Because he did. It's nice when other people encourage me to pretend I am a moronic, entitled fanboy asshole.
Far less creepily, I present the funniest Facebook and comic book related thing ever made, courtesy of Chris "The ISB/ War Rocket Ajax / A.C.T.I.O.N. Ager*" Sims. If you use Facebook, this will kill you dead with laughter.
*Did I mention Chris printed another one of my cheeky "letters" in the last issue of his delightful Woman of A.C.T.I.O.N.? Because he did. It's nice when other people encourage me to pretend I am a moronic, entitled fanboy asshole.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Meme Answers Ahoy!
So, without further adieu, here are the answers to the recent meme I snagged from Kalinara. First off, here's the list of characters I chose:
1. Deadpool (Marvel's Merc With A Mouth who needs to lose the stupid second narration box pronto)
2. Donna Noble (My favorite companion of Doctor Who, a smart-mouthed temp from Chiswick, England)
3. Emma Frost (Marvel's most delightfully bitchy, haughty telepathic mutant)
4. Empowered (The most insecure yet still wonderfully heroic superheroine out there)
5. Harley Quinn (Ex-GF to the Joker and the most delightful character to spin out of Batman: The Animated Series)
6. Jaime Reyes (A.K.A. Blue Beetle II, Electric Boogaloo)
7. Jessica Jones (Badass, sassy and one of the few Moms in Marvel comics)
8. Peter Wisdom (Marvel's answer to James Bond with plasma at his fingertips)
9. Renee Montoya (The Question II and the second most delightful character to spin out of Batman: The Animated Series)
10. Spike (Former poet, current vampire smartass of Buffy & Angel fame)
Everybody good? Great. Let's get started!
Elly asks:
Okay, 6 and 4 are involved in a sordid romance. Who's jealous, and of whom (and why)?
Oh, dear me - Empowered and Jaime Reyes? Ew. Empowered and Jaime Reyes in a 'sordid romance' might mean Emp would be breaking the law in a few states, so it'd definitely be, uh, sordid. On the other hand, I think Jaime would be kinda of amazed that this attractive older woman is into him and Emp could do with someone who's newer to the hero game than she is and has tons of powers. Also, their costumes kind of match and they could practice blasting things from a distance together. Still, extremely icky due to Jaime being 17.
I assume you're asking about which of the other characters would be jealous, not their respective sweeties (although a broken-hearted Thugboy and Traci 13 would be nothing to sneeze at, poor things). Of the men, I think Deadpool and Spike would be the most jealous of Jaime, what with Spike's fondness for blondes and Deadpool's slightly letch-like nature. Both would make snide cracks about his age and how they could totally kick his ass until he armored up. Peter Wisdom likes his women more aggressive, I'd say, so he really wouldn't care one way or the other, save to add a few of his own snide remarks because that's just what he does.
As for the ladies, I don't any of them would be jealous of Emp's jailbait romance, save maybe Harley Quinn. Harley's always struck me as the sort who's envious of any happy couple and Jaime might strike her as kind of cute, given she seems to like skinny, funny guys. Of course, Jessica Jones and Renee Montoya might want to put Emp in prison depending on how much they know about Jaime.
Maddy asks:
"5 and 1 are robbing a bank. In the middle of it, 5 has to go to the bathroom. Meanwhile, 1 runs into his/her love interest, 7. What kind of hijinks ensue?"
Harley Quinn and Deadpool robbing a bank? I love this already. I could totally see Harley forgetting to use the bathroom prior to a heist, so that part's eerily accurate. Deadpool running into his 'love interest', Jessica Jones? Oh, dear. If those two ever had a relationship, I think it'd be nothing but loud, nonstop swearing and insults in both good times and bad. I think Jessica would start yelling at Deadpool for breaking the law, they'd get into such an argument that Deadpool would forget why he was there in the first place until the police showed up. Deadpool is a romantic at heart so I don't think he'd ever start a fight with Jessica but I'm sure she would eventually deck him through a window/wall. Aaaand they'd definitely keep yelling at each other the whole time.
Seeing all of this upon exiting the bathroom, I think Harley Quinn would make an "Aw, how romantic!" sigh, realizing things had gone south fast and try to sneak out the back while Jessica and Deadpool's shouting match/beatdown was drawing everyone else's attention.
8 and 4 must Cross-dress for Justice. Describe their outfits and why they were chosen.
Peter Wisdom and Empowered Cross-Dressing For Justice? Ha! Well, it wouldn't be the first time poor Emp had to wear a strange outfit in the course of fighting crime.
Presumably, they're going undercover together in a very bizarre team-up of MI-13 and the Superhomeys. My head just exploded trying to picture the weirdness of that.
Hmmm. I think Empowered would have been chosen because Emp's low on her team's totem pole and has had an unfortunate history of cosplaying to stop evil for the team. Also, the jerks on her team would want Emp partnered with the smartest and/or strongest guy on MI-13 and Pete qualifies for that. Once she got over a brief self-image crisis wondering why she was singled out to dress as a man among all the superheroines, I think Emp'd be grateful to wear more clothes fighting crime instead of less. Also, she's got her BFF Ninjette on speed dial, a gal who's capable of teaching her incredibly complex Cross-Dressing Ninja Magic Skills (I swear to God, all of this is canon). For some reason, I keep coming back to the idea of Emp as a cleverly disguised lumberjack type, complete with red flannel, dirty blue jeans, heavy workboots and a thick fake beard to hide her general poutiness. Ninjette's tricks could add tons of muscle and height to her disguise, so I see her carrying it off, even if she'd have to learn a cocky man walk pretty quickly.
Peter Wisdom, on the other hand, is harder to explain. I mean, he's on a team with a shapeshifter for God's sake. It probably falls to the mission being so dangerous that his martyr complex would only allow him to go on it. At least he's skinny and got good bone structure, so I can see him making a great woman, provided he remembered to shave and had a good team of women helping him get in the spirit of things. Also, he is a spy, after all. I love the idea of him being forced into a trashy denim miniskirt, heels and a Def Leppard t-shirt tied up in the front to show off his navel with a bleached blonde wig and a padded bra, naturally. That's the usual outfit that most of the cross-dressing waitresses wear at a fun local brunch place I frequent occasionally, which is why I so immediately picture skinny, pale Peter in 80's vixen gear (alas, they're closing up shop soon).
Anyways, Peter Wisdom and Empowered would be pretending to be a couple infiltrating an evil Monster Truck rally run by an extremely dangerous supervillain. Naturally! The crossdressing would be key for the element of surprise and I'm sure they'd pull it off gloriously, albeit reluctantly. Mind you, God only knows how drunk they'd both get afterward and how much teasing they'd get from their respective teams. The idea of a drunk Peter Wisdom laying into the Superhomeys for trashing Emp after she gains his respect on said mission does put a smile on my face.
7 and 3 are throwing a surprise birthday party for 10, when they are suddenly attacked by a crazy-fighting-mind-controlled 9. How do 7 and 3 handle it, and does 10 still manage to have fun?
Emma Frost and Jessica Jones are planning a surprise birthday party for Spike when a mind-controlled Renee Montoya attacks them? Hoo boy. Where to begin?
Well, I presume whomever's mind-controlling Renee has no idea who they're messing with when they send her to attack Emma and Jess. Unless Renee somehow got the drop on Emma (the faceless thing might shock her), I imagine Emma'd manage to free her from mind control quickly while Jessica kept her busy in a physical fight. Admittedly, while Jessica's shown as being kind of crap at hand to hand, she does have superpowers and Renee doesn't. It'd be awkward but I'm sure they'd get it all sorted out before the party got ruined.
I think Spike would actually have more fun at his surprise party because of the fight, cheeky troublemaker that he is. In the end, he'd call dibs on finding kicking the ass of the mind controller who tried to ruin his party himself, thus annoying the piss out of Renee (not that he'd give a damn). Since mind-control doesn't work on him, he'd get to feel all superior when he finally played hero, until Emma, Jessica or Renee deflated his ego with killer sarcasm, a solid punch to the jaw (or lower areas) or stealing his thunder some other way.
Still, if Jessica and Emma put the party together, I'm sure there'd be oodles of his favorite booze for him to drink and lavish gifts for him to enjoy. I imagine Emma doesn't do soirees lightly and, new Mom or no, Jessica wouldn't want to attend any party sans alcohol.
Poor Renee. At least she'd probably make good friends with Jessica Jones afterward, if nothing else.
The Red Monk asks:
"Let's say 2 and 9 have a eating contest - who would win and who would have the worst gas?"
Ooookay. Hmmmm. Donna Noble versus Renee Montoya in an eating contest. If this were a drinking contest, I could give it to Renee, no question about it. An eating contest is trickier.
Donna's English so she's not averse to eating things like Blood Pudding and such while Renee was raised in a Mexican household with menudo and the like. While I don't doubt that both have healthy appetites, Renee has to keep herself in better shape than Donna and Donna strikes me as the sort to never turn down free food. Plus, Donna has a big mouth. :D
Since you didn't say what they would be eating, I'll just use the traditional eating contest staple of hot dogs. I can see Donna winning by a very healthy margin and then being too stuffed to move. Renee, who's taken to healthier living since becoming The Question, would not only lose but also get the worst gas from all those hot dogs. When you get on a healthier diet, slip up and starting eating crap fast food again, you definitely suffer for it.
. . . man, I would not have expected to get a question where Donna would beat Renee in a physical contest. This meme has been most unkind to Miss Montoya.
So, it looks that's all, folks! Thanks for helping out with questions. I had a lot of fun writing this. :D
1. Deadpool (Marvel's Merc With A Mouth who needs to lose the stupid second narration box pronto)
2. Donna Noble (My favorite companion of Doctor Who, a smart-mouthed temp from Chiswick, England)
3. Emma Frost (Marvel's most delightfully bitchy, haughty telepathic mutant)
4. Empowered (The most insecure yet still wonderfully heroic superheroine out there)
5. Harley Quinn (Ex-GF to the Joker and the most delightful character to spin out of Batman: The Animated Series)
6. Jaime Reyes (A.K.A. Blue Beetle II, Electric Boogaloo)
7. Jessica Jones (Badass, sassy and one of the few Moms in Marvel comics)
8. Peter Wisdom (Marvel's answer to James Bond with plasma at his fingertips)
9. Renee Montoya (The Question II and the second most delightful character to spin out of Batman: The Animated Series)
10. Spike (Former poet, current vampire smartass of Buffy & Angel fame)
Everybody good? Great. Let's get started!
Elly asks:
Okay, 6 and 4 are involved in a sordid romance. Who's jealous, and of whom (and why)?
Oh, dear me - Empowered and Jaime Reyes? Ew. Empowered and Jaime Reyes in a 'sordid romance' might mean Emp would be breaking the law in a few states, so it'd definitely be, uh, sordid. On the other hand, I think Jaime would be kinda of amazed that this attractive older woman is into him and Emp could do with someone who's newer to the hero game than she is and has tons of powers. Also, their costumes kind of match and they could practice blasting things from a distance together. Still, extremely icky due to Jaime being 17.
I assume you're asking about which of the other characters would be jealous, not their respective sweeties (although a broken-hearted Thugboy and Traci 13 would be nothing to sneeze at, poor things). Of the men, I think Deadpool and Spike would be the most jealous of Jaime, what with Spike's fondness for blondes and Deadpool's slightly letch-like nature. Both would make snide cracks about his age and how they could totally kick his ass until he armored up. Peter Wisdom likes his women more aggressive, I'd say, so he really wouldn't care one way or the other, save to add a few of his own snide remarks because that's just what he does.
As for the ladies, I don't any of them would be jealous of Emp's jailbait romance, save maybe Harley Quinn. Harley's always struck me as the sort who's envious of any happy couple and Jaime might strike her as kind of cute, given she seems to like skinny, funny guys. Of course, Jessica Jones and Renee Montoya might want to put Emp in prison depending on how much they know about Jaime.
Maddy asks:
"5 and 1 are robbing a bank. In the middle of it, 5 has to go to the bathroom. Meanwhile, 1 runs into his/her love interest, 7. What kind of hijinks ensue?"
Harley Quinn and Deadpool robbing a bank? I love this already. I could totally see Harley forgetting to use the bathroom prior to a heist, so that part's eerily accurate. Deadpool running into his 'love interest', Jessica Jones? Oh, dear. If those two ever had a relationship, I think it'd be nothing but loud, nonstop swearing and insults in both good times and bad. I think Jessica would start yelling at Deadpool for breaking the law, they'd get into such an argument that Deadpool would forget why he was there in the first place until the police showed up. Deadpool is a romantic at heart so I don't think he'd ever start a fight with Jessica but I'm sure she would eventually deck him through a window/wall. Aaaand they'd definitely keep yelling at each other the whole time.
Seeing all of this upon exiting the bathroom, I think Harley Quinn would make an "Aw, how romantic!" sigh, realizing things had gone south fast and try to sneak out the back while Jessica and Deadpool's shouting match/beatdown was drawing everyone else's attention.
8 and 4 must Cross-dress for Justice. Describe their outfits and why they were chosen.
Peter Wisdom and Empowered Cross-Dressing For Justice? Ha! Well, it wouldn't be the first time poor Emp had to wear a strange outfit in the course of fighting crime.
Presumably, they're going undercover together in a very bizarre team-up of MI-13 and the Superhomeys. My head just exploded trying to picture the weirdness of that.
Hmmm. I think Empowered would have been chosen because Emp's low on her team's totem pole and has had an unfortunate history of cosplaying to stop evil for the team. Also, the jerks on her team would want Emp partnered with the smartest and/or strongest guy on MI-13 and Pete qualifies for that. Once she got over a brief self-image crisis wondering why she was singled out to dress as a man among all the superheroines, I think Emp'd be grateful to wear more clothes fighting crime instead of less. Also, she's got her BFF Ninjette on speed dial, a gal who's capable of teaching her incredibly complex Cross-Dressing Ninja Magic Skills (I swear to God, all of this is canon). For some reason, I keep coming back to the idea of Emp as a cleverly disguised lumberjack type, complete with red flannel, dirty blue jeans, heavy workboots and a thick fake beard to hide her general poutiness. Ninjette's tricks could add tons of muscle and height to her disguise, so I see her carrying it off, even if she'd have to learn a cocky man walk pretty quickly.
Peter Wisdom, on the other hand, is harder to explain. I mean, he's on a team with a shapeshifter for God's sake. It probably falls to the mission being so dangerous that his martyr complex would only allow him to go on it. At least he's skinny and got good bone structure, so I can see him making a great woman, provided he remembered to shave and had a good team of women helping him get in the spirit of things. Also, he is a spy, after all. I love the idea of him being forced into a trashy denim miniskirt, heels and a Def Leppard t-shirt tied up in the front to show off his navel with a bleached blonde wig and a padded bra, naturally. That's the usual outfit that most of the cross-dressing waitresses wear at a fun local brunch place I frequent occasionally, which is why I so immediately picture skinny, pale Peter in 80's vixen gear (alas, they're closing up shop soon).
Anyways, Peter Wisdom and Empowered would be pretending to be a couple infiltrating an evil Monster Truck rally run by an extremely dangerous supervillain. Naturally! The crossdressing would be key for the element of surprise and I'm sure they'd pull it off gloriously, albeit reluctantly. Mind you, God only knows how drunk they'd both get afterward and how much teasing they'd get from their respective teams. The idea of a drunk Peter Wisdom laying into the Superhomeys for trashing Emp after she gains his respect on said mission does put a smile on my face.
7 and 3 are throwing a surprise birthday party for 10, when they are suddenly attacked by a crazy-fighting-mind-controlled 9. How do 7 and 3 handle it, and does 10 still manage to have fun?
Emma Frost and Jessica Jones are planning a surprise birthday party for Spike when a mind-controlled Renee Montoya attacks them? Hoo boy. Where to begin?
Well, I presume whomever's mind-controlling Renee has no idea who they're messing with when they send her to attack Emma and Jess. Unless Renee somehow got the drop on Emma (the faceless thing might shock her), I imagine Emma'd manage to free her from mind control quickly while Jessica kept her busy in a physical fight. Admittedly, while Jessica's shown as being kind of crap at hand to hand, she does have superpowers and Renee doesn't. It'd be awkward but I'm sure they'd get it all sorted out before the party got ruined.
I think Spike would actually have more fun at his surprise party because of the fight, cheeky troublemaker that he is. In the end, he'd call dibs on finding kicking the ass of the mind controller who tried to ruin his party himself, thus annoying the piss out of Renee (not that he'd give a damn). Since mind-control doesn't work on him, he'd get to feel all superior when he finally played hero, until Emma, Jessica or Renee deflated his ego with killer sarcasm, a solid punch to the jaw (or lower areas) or stealing his thunder some other way.
Still, if Jessica and Emma put the party together, I'm sure there'd be oodles of his favorite booze for him to drink and lavish gifts for him to enjoy. I imagine Emma doesn't do soirees lightly and, new Mom or no, Jessica wouldn't want to attend any party sans alcohol.
Poor Renee. At least she'd probably make good friends with Jessica Jones afterward, if nothing else.
The Red Monk asks:
"Let's say 2 and 9 have a eating contest - who would win and who would have the worst gas?"
Ooookay. Hmmmm. Donna Noble versus Renee Montoya in an eating contest. If this were a drinking contest, I could give it to Renee, no question about it. An eating contest is trickier.
Donna's English so she's not averse to eating things like Blood Pudding and such while Renee was raised in a Mexican household with menudo and the like. While I don't doubt that both have healthy appetites, Renee has to keep herself in better shape than Donna and Donna strikes me as the sort to never turn down free food. Plus, Donna has a big mouth. :D
Since you didn't say what they would be eating, I'll just use the traditional eating contest staple of hot dogs. I can see Donna winning by a very healthy margin and then being too stuffed to move. Renee, who's taken to healthier living since becoming The Question, would not only lose but also get the worst gas from all those hot dogs. When you get on a healthier diet, slip up and starting eating crap fast food again, you definitely suffer for it.
. . . man, I would not have expected to get a question where Donna would beat Renee in a physical contest. This meme has been most unkind to Miss Montoya.
So, it looks that's all, folks! Thanks for helping out with questions. I had a lot of fun writing this. :D
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Meme Answers will be forthcoming!
Thanks for the participation, gang. I'm extending the wait another day or two to add to the merriment. Your questions thus far have been awesome. :D
Keep 'em coming, folks!
Keep 'em coming, folks!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Stealing a meme
Hey, folks, I just got back from Boston and am stuck with nasty writer's block. To smash said writer's block to bits, I'm stealing a page out of the always amusing Kalinara's book and asking you to participate in this delightful little Q&A meme.
I'm gonna make a list of 10 characters, it is a secret list. If you want, comment to this post with a question like, "2 and 8 have a dance off, who wins?" and then I answer them in a separate post and it is the most fun meme ever. And you can ask as many questions as you like.
Ask away! I look forward to smashing this writer's block to bits.
I'm gonna make a list of 10 characters, it is a secret list. If you want, comment to this post with a question like, "2 and 8 have a dance off, who wins?" and then I answer them in a separate post and it is the most fun meme ever. And you can ask as many questions as you like.
Ask away! I look forward to smashing this writer's block to bits.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Vacation, all I ever wanted
Hey, faithful readers, just thought I'd update to say I'm still alive (as those of you following me on Twitter know all too well) and that, er, I'm not going to be updating again for at least a week. Why, you may ask?
I'mma going on vacation! Sadly, it's not going to be as wacky as the above but I can at least look forward to not being yelled at by Batman.
I do promise that once I get back, I'll blog a bit more regularly. Also, fingers crossed that my finances will also start allowing me to start picking up these "comic books" I hear so much about once again (I swear, I'm jonesing for Secret Six, Detective Comics and that last issue of Incognito so bad, you guys).
If you'd all like a writing assignment while I'm gone, feel free to answer the following in the comments section: where would your favorite comic book character go on vacation and why?
In any case, have a great week and I'll see you all in a few!
I'mma going on vacation! Sadly, it's not going to be as wacky as the above but I can at least look forward to not being yelled at by Batman.
I do promise that once I get back, I'll blog a bit more regularly. Also, fingers crossed that my finances will also start allowing me to start picking up these "comic books" I hear so much about once again (I swear, I'm jonesing for Secret Six, Detective Comics and that last issue of Incognito so bad, you guys).
If you'd all like a writing assignment while I'm gone, feel free to answer the following in the comments section: where would your favorite comic book character go on vacation and why?
In any case, have a great week and I'll see you all in a few!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Beyond The Capes: DMZ
I thought I'd take a minute and recommend a comic book you might not read but really should. Brian Wood and Riccardo Burchielli's DMZ is a a clever, dark and thought-provoking read from DC's Vertigo line of comics. I've only had the pleasure of reading up to volume six (following it solely in trades) but what I've read has blown me away. I'm not the first person to recommend it and I hope I won't be the last.
DMZ is both a social commentary, an heart-in-your-throat action book and the best comic book discussion about what the press should do (and what it actually does) since Transmetropolitan. This is not an easy, light-hearted read and nor should it be. In a country where people have started wearing guns to public meetings about health care, a story about a Second American Civil War tearing us apart should strike any American as maybe a little too close to home. In DMZ, the island of Manhattan has turned into a Demilitarized Zone, a place where the line in the sand between The Free States and The United States is held but continually shifts. What makes this book shine is that this isn't yet another story of soldiers at war - it's about the people trapped between the soldiers. The stories are of the ones just barely getting by in a warzone, the stories the news almost always avoids. DMZ is fearless enough to focus on people living their lives in a country torn apart, great and small, happy and miserable. All of this is documented through the P.O.V. of a young, inexperienced reporter named Matty Smith, who is unexpectedly and unwillingly stranded in the heart of New York City. His stories soon become fought over and occasionally edited without his control or consent by the powerful news corporations. He doesn't stay inexperienced or naive for long, instead becoming angry, frustrated and sad as he damn well should. Riccardo Burchielli's art is grungy and expressionistic but detailed enough that everything and everyone you read about feels painfully real, complimented perfectly by Jeremy Cox's muted but varied and expressive coloring.
A lot of people have held up mirrors to our society since the beginning of the so-called "War On Terror", notably Brian K. Vaughan with his heartbreaking GN Pride of Baghdad (and, one could argue, Y: The Last Man). DMZ doesn't just hold up a mirror to war, it is demanding enough to hold up a mirror to our mirrors. DMZ assaults the Fox News agendas and top-down policy dictations from the Government that shape the public perceptions of any war. Matty Roth, the protagonist, is occasionally powerless for all his access and insights. It's a hellish, frustrating read but all the same more noble for how occasional quixotic Matty's quest seems. Much like the character Zee - a med student who deliberately stayed behind when Manhattan got evacuated to tend to those who couldn't get out in time and Matty's initial guide to the DMZ - half the nobility of the character's quests are how futile they seem in the face of overwhelming destruction, hatred, blood and greed. At it's heart, then, DMZ isn't necessarily as story about how divisive, messed-up and painful America can be - it's about how people are strong enough to find hope in even the most horrifying of places. There is a one-shot story in DMZ about a graffiti artist called 'Decade Later' who risks his life for years to do just one thing in a warzone - make art. If you read that story and don't feel something, then I feel sorry for you.
In short, DMZ is an amazing, insightful read that I think people will look back on and read long after the history books close on us. Like the best fiction, DMZ will give future generations insight into our current troubled society to understand just who we are and exactly what the hell we were thinking. Also, well, it's just plain awesome. Hell, I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Wood at a recent con, got a signed copy of the first trade and have actually loaned it out to a friend the first chance I got.
Do your brain and heart a favor and give it a read sometime.
DMZ is both a social commentary, an heart-in-your-throat action book and the best comic book discussion about what the press should do (and what it actually does) since Transmetropolitan. This is not an easy, light-hearted read and nor should it be. In a country where people have started wearing guns to public meetings about health care, a story about a Second American Civil War tearing us apart should strike any American as maybe a little too close to home. In DMZ, the island of Manhattan has turned into a Demilitarized Zone, a place where the line in the sand between The Free States and The United States is held but continually shifts. What makes this book shine is that this isn't yet another story of soldiers at war - it's about the people trapped between the soldiers. The stories are of the ones just barely getting by in a warzone, the stories the news almost always avoids. DMZ is fearless enough to focus on people living their lives in a country torn apart, great and small, happy and miserable. All of this is documented through the P.O.V. of a young, inexperienced reporter named Matty Smith, who is unexpectedly and unwillingly stranded in the heart of New York City. His stories soon become fought over and occasionally edited without his control or consent by the powerful news corporations. He doesn't stay inexperienced or naive for long, instead becoming angry, frustrated and sad as he damn well should. Riccardo Burchielli's art is grungy and expressionistic but detailed enough that everything and everyone you read about feels painfully real, complimented perfectly by Jeremy Cox's muted but varied and expressive coloring.
A lot of people have held up mirrors to our society since the beginning of the so-called "War On Terror", notably Brian K. Vaughan with his heartbreaking GN Pride of Baghdad (and, one could argue, Y: The Last Man). DMZ doesn't just hold up a mirror to war, it is demanding enough to hold up a mirror to our mirrors. DMZ assaults the Fox News agendas and top-down policy dictations from the Government that shape the public perceptions of any war. Matty Roth, the protagonist, is occasionally powerless for all his access and insights. It's a hellish, frustrating read but all the same more noble for how occasional quixotic Matty's quest seems. Much like the character Zee - a med student who deliberately stayed behind when Manhattan got evacuated to tend to those who couldn't get out in time and Matty's initial guide to the DMZ - half the nobility of the character's quests are how futile they seem in the face of overwhelming destruction, hatred, blood and greed. At it's heart, then, DMZ isn't necessarily as story about how divisive, messed-up and painful America can be - it's about how people are strong enough to find hope in even the most horrifying of places. There is a one-shot story in DMZ about a graffiti artist called 'Decade Later' who risks his life for years to do just one thing in a warzone - make art. If you read that story and don't feel something, then I feel sorry for you.
In short, DMZ is an amazing, insightful read that I think people will look back on and read long after the history books close on us. Like the best fiction, DMZ will give future generations insight into our current troubled society to understand just who we are and exactly what the hell we were thinking. Also, well, it's just plain awesome. Hell, I had the pleasure of meeting Brian Wood at a recent con, got a signed copy of the first trade and have actually loaned it out to a friend the first chance I got.
Do your brain and heart a favor and give it a read sometime.
Friday, August 21, 2009
This just made my day
Courtesy the good folks over at Robot 6, I present Deadpool and Hal Jordan discussing being played by Ryan Reynolds:
Friday, August 14, 2009
EXCITING NEWS!
Today is an exciting day, folks!
First off, we have The Siegels getting the rights back to Superman! I'm very much for the old school creators of icons getting their due. Additionally, this will force Warner Brothers to fast track any possible Justice League notions and Superman/Batman thoughts, which may or may not be a bad thing.* In any case, I'm really interested to see what the Siegel estate will do with the character in 2013.
Secondly, AMC, the home of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, have picked up Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead to make into a TV series!** While it's not a series I follow in regular issues, I've been a fan of the series in trade format. This is not your typical zombie story. It's not one of those "hack by numbers" movies where everyone dies in two hours, amusingly or not. The Walking Dead tells a much more interesting story - how people survive day to day in a hopeless, horrible world. It's a lot smarter, moodier and character driven than just about any zombie story I've ever read. You can read the first issue of The Walking Dead for free at Image Comics, along with the first issues of a lot of their other titles, because they are clearly a very smart company***. And speaking of smart, any story where zombies are around less in the winter because they freeze up and then appear in more numbers in spring when they thaw out = CLEVER. Mind you, it's still not the cleverest zombie story I've ever seen but it's still an impressive, bleak ride. I'm very curious to see how dark they'll go with this series and how casting will shape up.
And lastly, Dark Horse Comics MyspacePresents website is, uh, presenting new comics again! Huzzah! Any site that brings us Sugarshock, Empowered in glorious color and other delightful fare is worthy of celebration.****
Again, I say huzzah!
*Since I really didn't like Superman Returns (outside of Kevin Spacey and that guy who played Jimmy Olsen), I wasn't really too psyched for a Batman/Superman movie anyways.
**I shamefully admit that I haven't watched more than a few episodes of Mad Men Season One. It's a great show and all but I just don't want to fall down a rabbit hole and get obsessed. I'm sure I'll watch it all eventually, if just because I adore Christina Hendricks (who was great in Firefly and Life, too, but I'm sure most of you haven't seen her in those regrettably canceled shows). I liked the one episode of Breaking Bad I saw, too, but the cognitive dissonance from seeing Hal from Malcolm in the Middle fingering a woman under the table during a PTA meeting kinda broke my brain a little. Anyways, hooray for AMC!
***You can also hunt around and read the first issue of The Sword for free on said site, which is another series I'm sure some of you remember me being pretty enthused about.
****I still need to get the Dark Horse TP that collects both Sugarshock and the Empowered one-shot. Any collection that has both Adam Warren art and a panel that declares "Squirrels have no souls!" clearly deserves my hard-earned cash.
First off, we have The Siegels getting the rights back to Superman! I'm very much for the old school creators of icons getting their due. Additionally, this will force Warner Brothers to fast track any possible Justice League notions and Superman/Batman thoughts, which may or may not be a bad thing.* In any case, I'm really interested to see what the Siegel estate will do with the character in 2013.
Secondly, AMC, the home of Mad Men and Breaking Bad, have picked up Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead to make into a TV series!** While it's not a series I follow in regular issues, I've been a fan of the series in trade format. This is not your typical zombie story. It's not one of those "hack by numbers" movies where everyone dies in two hours, amusingly or not. The Walking Dead tells a much more interesting story - how people survive day to day in a hopeless, horrible world. It's a lot smarter, moodier and character driven than just about any zombie story I've ever read. You can read the first issue of The Walking Dead for free at Image Comics, along with the first issues of a lot of their other titles, because they are clearly a very smart company***. And speaking of smart, any story where zombies are around less in the winter because they freeze up and then appear in more numbers in spring when they thaw out = CLEVER. Mind you, it's still not the cleverest zombie story I've ever seen but it's still an impressive, bleak ride. I'm very curious to see how dark they'll go with this series and how casting will shape up.
And lastly, Dark Horse Comics MyspacePresents website is, uh, presenting new comics again! Huzzah! Any site that brings us Sugarshock, Empowered in glorious color and other delightful fare is worthy of celebration.****
Again, I say huzzah!
*Since I really didn't like Superman Returns (outside of Kevin Spacey and that guy who played Jimmy Olsen), I wasn't really too psyched for a Batman/Superman movie anyways.
**I shamefully admit that I haven't watched more than a few episodes of Mad Men Season One. It's a great show and all but I just don't want to fall down a rabbit hole and get obsessed. I'm sure I'll watch it all eventually, if just because I adore Christina Hendricks (who was great in Firefly and Life, too, but I'm sure most of you haven't seen her in those regrettably canceled shows). I liked the one episode of Breaking Bad I saw, too, but the cognitive dissonance from seeing Hal from Malcolm in the Middle fingering a woman under the table during a PTA meeting kinda broke my brain a little. Anyways, hooray for AMC!
***You can also hunt around and read the first issue of The Sword for free on said site, which is another series I'm sure some of you remember me being pretty enthused about.
****I still need to get the Dark Horse TP that collects both Sugarshock and the Empowered one-shot. Any collection that has both Adam Warren art and a panel that declares "Squirrels have no souls!" clearly deserves my hard-earned cash.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Free Comic of the Day
4thLetter! hipped me to this wonderful little 22-page post-apocalypse story from Top Shelf Comics. Go read and enjoy.
Your Non-Comics Post of the Month
While I still haven't seen the G.I. Joe film, this "Ballad of G.I. Joe" with a star-studded cast is made of pure joy:
Vinnie Jones as Destro and Henry Rollins as Duke = WIN. For many reasons, this now becomes the best G.I. Joe related thing on the Internet (with this now becoming the silver medal winner and this and this tying for the bronze).
And if that didn't blow your mind enough, here are the adventures of Mister President Doctor Steve Elvis America, Man of Action:
You're Welcome!
Vinnie Jones as Destro and Henry Rollins as Duke = WIN. For many reasons, this now becomes the best G.I. Joe related thing on the Internet (with this now becoming the silver medal winner and this and this tying for the bronze).
And if that didn't blow your mind enough, here are the adventures of Mister President Doctor Steve Elvis America, Man of Action:
You're Welcome!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
For Crying Out Loud
Maybe some of you already know that comic book writer Gail Simone has a forum where she and her fans chat about things. She's a very funny, forthright author who loves to interact with her fans online. So, when somebody posted this page from the new, poorly-received Cry For Justice mini-series from James Robinson, she naturally had something to say about it.
"I could see Lady Blackhawk, actually. Two pilots having some sexy fun, okay, I get that.
But I hate to see Huntress get branded as a slut again. The whole point of the Josh story was for her to realize she deserved better.
And I can't see them doing a threesome, that affects their friendship, and the Birds were ALREADY one of the very few books about female friendship which is so fucking rare in comics it might as well be moonbeans captured in mason jars. Not that friends can't have sex, but once again, this is all about the man, and "Well played, sir" is just, ugh.
I love James Robinson. But I really feel like most writers of mainstream comics get the sex thing all wrong over and over. It's all wink wink nudge nudge and women as trophies and thumbs up and it seems so weird and off-character to me.
But I haven't read it in context and I'm just the dumb girl anyway.
But James Robinson is a great writer, he's never written anything I didn't enjoy in comics and I still think Silver Age is an underrated classic. Maybe I'm reading it wrong. But it does feel weird that people can read bop and still come away with the impression that THAT Huntress and THAT Lady Blackhawk would get drunk and be someone's sad Penthouse fantasy.
It just shows again that Bop was an important book for a lot of reasons and its absence is keenly felt in the portrayal of female characters in the DCU. Not my bop specifically, just the book overall."
She comments further on why this page is more than a little sexist and disappointing in the link, if you dig through the comments. I could say a few choice things myself but I'm trying to keep my blood pressure down lately.
. . . oh, what the hell. I'll say them anyways.
First off, I decided against collecting this series since I read the agonizingly boring and annoyingly self-righteous 5-page preview shoehorned into the back of my fun, entertaining issue of Power Girl. Yes, Hal, let's do lecture Wonder Woman about justice. You know, the woman who unflinchingly killed Max Lord and got whined at for two years about it? And hey, while, we're on the subject of smacking down villains, remember Parallax? I sure wish somebody had taken that power-hungry murdering maniac down permanently right about now.
You know, I really wish I could like Green Arrow and Hal Jordan. I like Black Canary, I like Guy Gardner, I like Kyle Rayner, hell, I like Arsenal and Kilowog. I know a lot of great fans that I respect who love Hal Jordan to death, so I keep trying to see what's so awesome about him and, to a lesser degree, Green Arrow. Still, I just can't get into these two characters because half the time I read about them, they're being portrayed as, well . . . how to put this politely? Asshats.
When Hal Jordan's quoting John McCain about bravery and Green Arrow's electrocuting his wife to end an argument, I just can't find much to like about either one of them. And "hey, ain't we studly manly men?" banter like this isn't helping my general disdain for their characters much.
Anyways, I know I'm probably being unfair to both characters by judging them only by the recent stuff I've read but, hey, you know what? Fuck it. If the Powers That Be at DC want to portray two of their most iconic heroes as self-righteous frat boys, then that's clearly how I'm supposed to approach the characters. And I really, really don't like frat boys.
Ahem. Anyways, since I try to be more of a "light a candle" than "curse the darkness" kind of guy, let me recommend some good comics with female protagonists in lieu of Snivel For Peace, Whine for Justice.*
Echo is about a woman on the run with powers given to her by accident via the death of another woman, a fighter pilot in an experimental flight bodysuit. Julie, the protagonist, is being tracked by another woman who is more than just a femme fatale. Julie has to try and reconcile the memories of the fighter pilot whose dangerous experimental flight suit has now become partially bonded to her, all the while avoiding the government, a deadly lunatic and more. Echo is one helluva read, a complex, interesting and smart sci-fi thriller.
The Sword is, to quote the creators website, "a modern-day fantasy series that follows Dara Brighton, a young woman whose life is destroyed by three powerful strangers. Her journey begins when she discovers a unique sword." I've been tradewaiting on this one due to poor finances and haven't yet gotten the new trade but this series has been consistently interesting, suspenseful and surprising. If you don't mind gore (the titular sword sure ain't used for slicing yams), it's a really great read.
And speaking of female sexuality in comics, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the smart, funny and frankly adult Empowered. While James Robinson turns two established heroines into a tasteless threesome punchline, Adam Warren writes about mature, adult superheroines whose sex lives are yes, funny, but also hot, heartfelt and occasionally awkward - i.e., "real". Hell, there's more honest, heartbreaking interaction between lesbian superheroes in volume five of Empowered than in all of Greg Rucka's Detective Comics thus far - and that's saying something, given how much I'm loving Rucka's run on Detective Comics**. It's both funny and kind of sad that Empowered, the series that is supposedly "exploitative" enough to get slapped in shrink wrap and labeled with a "Mature Readers" sticker, treats it's female characters with more respect than a book that says "Justice League" on the cover.
Anyways, feel free to share your thoughts on the above page and Simone's response, 'natch but . . . you know what? I'd like this to be a positive post. Feel free to kvetch with me but I'd rather you go ahead and tell me what comic books you're really enjoying lately in the comments. I'm always looking for comic books that make me happy rather than make that tiny vein in my neck twitch.
*Bonus Points to all of you who know what I'm referencing with that joke.
**Oh, and Detective Comics is kicking all sorts of ass and looking amazing, but I'm sure you knew that already.
"I could see Lady Blackhawk, actually. Two pilots having some sexy fun, okay, I get that.
But I hate to see Huntress get branded as a slut again. The whole point of the Josh story was for her to realize she deserved better.
And I can't see them doing a threesome, that affects their friendship, and the Birds were ALREADY one of the very few books about female friendship which is so fucking rare in comics it might as well be moonbeans captured in mason jars. Not that friends can't have sex, but once again, this is all about the man, and "Well played, sir" is just, ugh.
I love James Robinson. But I really feel like most writers of mainstream comics get the sex thing all wrong over and over. It's all wink wink nudge nudge and women as trophies and thumbs up and it seems so weird and off-character to me.
But I haven't read it in context and I'm just the dumb girl anyway.
But James Robinson is a great writer, he's never written anything I didn't enjoy in comics and I still think Silver Age is an underrated classic. Maybe I'm reading it wrong. But it does feel weird that people can read bop and still come away with the impression that THAT Huntress and THAT Lady Blackhawk would get drunk and be someone's sad Penthouse fantasy.
It just shows again that Bop was an important book for a lot of reasons and its absence is keenly felt in the portrayal of female characters in the DCU. Not my bop specifically, just the book overall."
She comments further on why this page is more than a little sexist and disappointing in the link, if you dig through the comments. I could say a few choice things myself but I'm trying to keep my blood pressure down lately.
. . . oh, what the hell. I'll say them anyways.
First off, I decided against collecting this series since I read the agonizingly boring and annoyingly self-righteous 5-page preview shoehorned into the back of my fun, entertaining issue of Power Girl. Yes, Hal, let's do lecture Wonder Woman about justice. You know, the woman who unflinchingly killed Max Lord and got whined at for two years about it? And hey, while, we're on the subject of smacking down villains, remember Parallax? I sure wish somebody had taken that power-hungry murdering maniac down permanently right about now.
You know, I really wish I could like Green Arrow and Hal Jordan. I like Black Canary, I like Guy Gardner, I like Kyle Rayner, hell, I like Arsenal and Kilowog. I know a lot of great fans that I respect who love Hal Jordan to death, so I keep trying to see what's so awesome about him and, to a lesser degree, Green Arrow. Still, I just can't get into these two characters because half the time I read about them, they're being portrayed as, well . . . how to put this politely? Asshats.
When Hal Jordan's quoting John McCain about bravery and Green Arrow's electrocuting his wife to end an argument, I just can't find much to like about either one of them. And "hey, ain't we studly manly men?" banter like this isn't helping my general disdain for their characters much.
Anyways, I know I'm probably being unfair to both characters by judging them only by the recent stuff I've read but, hey, you know what? Fuck it. If the Powers That Be at DC want to portray two of their most iconic heroes as self-righteous frat boys, then that's clearly how I'm supposed to approach the characters. And I really, really don't like frat boys.
Ahem. Anyways, since I try to be more of a "light a candle" than "curse the darkness" kind of guy, let me recommend some good comics with female protagonists in lieu of Snivel For Peace, Whine for Justice.*
Echo is about a woman on the run with powers given to her by accident via the death of another woman, a fighter pilot in an experimental flight bodysuit. Julie, the protagonist, is being tracked by another woman who is more than just a femme fatale. Julie has to try and reconcile the memories of the fighter pilot whose dangerous experimental flight suit has now become partially bonded to her, all the while avoiding the government, a deadly lunatic and more. Echo is one helluva read, a complex, interesting and smart sci-fi thriller.
The Sword is, to quote the creators website, "a modern-day fantasy series that follows Dara Brighton, a young woman whose life is destroyed by three powerful strangers. Her journey begins when she discovers a unique sword." I've been tradewaiting on this one due to poor finances and haven't yet gotten the new trade but this series has been consistently interesting, suspenseful and surprising. If you don't mind gore (the titular sword sure ain't used for slicing yams), it's a really great read.
And speaking of female sexuality in comics, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the smart, funny and frankly adult Empowered. While James Robinson turns two established heroines into a tasteless threesome punchline, Adam Warren writes about mature, adult superheroines whose sex lives are yes, funny, but also hot, heartfelt and occasionally awkward - i.e., "real". Hell, there's more honest, heartbreaking interaction between lesbian superheroes in volume five of Empowered than in all of Greg Rucka's Detective Comics thus far - and that's saying something, given how much I'm loving Rucka's run on Detective Comics**. It's both funny and kind of sad that Empowered, the series that is supposedly "exploitative" enough to get slapped in shrink wrap and labeled with a "Mature Readers" sticker, treats it's female characters with more respect than a book that says "Justice League" on the cover.
Anyways, feel free to share your thoughts on the above page and Simone's response, 'natch but . . . you know what? I'd like this to be a positive post. Feel free to kvetch with me but I'd rather you go ahead and tell me what comic books you're really enjoying lately in the comments. I'm always looking for comic books that make me happy rather than make that tiny vein in my neck twitch.
*Bonus Points to all of you who know what I'm referencing with that joke.
**Oh, and Detective Comics is kicking all sorts of ass and looking amazing, but I'm sure you knew that already.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
A list of comic books I have recently enjoyed.
I feel like I've already documented my love of anything written by Warren Ellis, Adam Warren or Gail Simone. So, to shake it up a bit, I'd like to mention a few other comics I've been really digging as of late.
1. Agents of ATLAS.
Finally started reading it thanks to everyone's recommendations and man, is it ever crazy comic book fun. I haven't seen a team this gleefully eclectic, original and well-written since Runaways first came out.
2. Incognito
Noir meets supervillainy with a well-written back-up feature about a pulp icon in each action-packed book. Woof. I feel like I need a cigarette after every issue.
3. Captain Britain and MI-13
Paul Cornell made me like Meggan, for crissakes. MEGGAN. Or as I should now call her, Gloriana. I haven't been this surprised since Warren Ellis made me enjoy reading about Kitty Pryde. Damn shame this book's getting the axe, even if some folks weren't entirely surprised by the news. Find the trades if you can, you won't be disappointed.
4. Incredible Hercules
The Marvel superhero afterlife as a casino. A diner where the gods meet to have discussions. Really, it's the little touches like this and consistent humor that make this book a must-read month after month. As soon as I have the cash, I am so picking up the trades.
5. Thor
Pretty much what I said for Incredible Hercules, only more low-key. A solid read. I'm gonna be a bit bummed to see JMS' run end.
5. JSA Vs. Kobra: Engines of Faith
I don't usually read the JSA (I'm not enough of a DCU fanatic to even know who half of this superpowered Brady Bunch are) but I'm reading this with glee. On the face of it, a story about an atheist versus a group of religious fanatics might sound a little too on-the-nose. It's not. This well-plotted, interesting and suspenseful mini-series is yet another reason why Eric Trautmann deserves his own ongoing series (and why they should never have kicked him and Greg Rucka off of Checkmate). Plus, it finally gives us an update on the fate of Sasha Boudreaux after Final Crisis: Resist. *sniff*
6. Power Girl
Amanda Conner's art, you guys. She could illustrate the phone book and I'd buy it and be amused. The story's okay so far, I suppose. There's a money/ape villain, which always charms me. Needs more of Karen's Cat hurting people, tho'. I've loved that filthy, angry cat since the Giffen era of the JLA/JLE - which is another great series coincidentally out in trade. Severely worth your time, folks. Take Greg Rucka's word for it if you don't believe me.
1. Agents of ATLAS.
Finally started reading it thanks to everyone's recommendations and man, is it ever crazy comic book fun. I haven't seen a team this gleefully eclectic, original and well-written since Runaways first came out.
2. Incognito
Noir meets supervillainy with a well-written back-up feature about a pulp icon in each action-packed book. Woof. I feel like I need a cigarette after every issue.
3. Captain Britain and MI-13
Paul Cornell made me like Meggan, for crissakes. MEGGAN. Or as I should now call her, Gloriana. I haven't been this surprised since Warren Ellis made me enjoy reading about Kitty Pryde. Damn shame this book's getting the axe, even if some folks weren't entirely surprised by the news. Find the trades if you can, you won't be disappointed.
4. Incredible Hercules
The Marvel superhero afterlife as a casino. A diner where the gods meet to have discussions. Really, it's the little touches like this and consistent humor that make this book a must-read month after month. As soon as I have the cash, I am so picking up the trades.
5. Thor
Pretty much what I said for Incredible Hercules, only more low-key. A solid read. I'm gonna be a bit bummed to see JMS' run end.
5. JSA Vs. Kobra: Engines of Faith
I don't usually read the JSA (I'm not enough of a DCU fanatic to even know who half of this superpowered Brady Bunch are) but I'm reading this with glee. On the face of it, a story about an atheist versus a group of religious fanatics might sound a little too on-the-nose. It's not. This well-plotted, interesting and suspenseful mini-series is yet another reason why Eric Trautmann deserves his own ongoing series (and why they should never have kicked him and Greg Rucka off of Checkmate). Plus, it finally gives us an update on the fate of Sasha Boudreaux after Final Crisis: Resist. *sniff*
6. Power Girl
Amanda Conner's art, you guys. She could illustrate the phone book and I'd buy it and be amused. The story's okay so far, I suppose. There's a money/ape villain, which always charms me. Needs more of Karen's Cat hurting people, tho'. I've loved that filthy, angry cat since the Giffen era of the JLA/JLE - which is another great series coincidentally out in trade. Severely worth your time, folks. Take Greg Rucka's word for it if you don't believe me.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Giving back to the man who gave us an Oracle
I'm not sure how many of you know the name John Ostrander. He, along with his wife, are responsible for - among many other things - Barbara Gordon being Oracle.
To quote Wikipedia and Gail Simone . . .
"Following the release of the graphic novel, comic book editor and writer Kim Yale discussed how distasteful she found the treatment of Barbara Gordon with her husband, fellow comic writer John Ostrander. Rather than allow the character to fall into obscurity, the two decided to revive her as a character living with a disability." - Wikipedia's entry on Barbara Gordon
"Kim Yale and John Ostrander picked up the character and made her into a brilliant master computer operator and one of the most fascinating characters in comics." - Gail Simone
And coming from Gail Simone, well, 'nuff said.
Also, he's the mind behind the classic comic book known as Suicide Squad. Deadshot and Amanda Waller wouldn't be running around the DCU being awesome (or at least awesomely morally ambiguous). Essentially? Without John Ostrander, we'd have had no Birds of Prey. No Checkmate. No Secret Six.
Hell, innumerable other additions to the DCU would be non-existent without his influence.
Tragically, the man who helped create and champion the world's first superheroine living proudly with a disability now needs your help. Thanks to Kevin Church, I've learned that Mr. Ostrander is currently losing his sight to glaucoma. One can only imagine how crippling this is for someone who works in the field of graphic novels. Luckily, you can help him keep his sight.
Look, guys, I know times are tough right now but it's the man who helped create Oracle and Amanda Waller. Hell, I'm having Ramen for dinner most of this week. That said, I still managed to at least throw a measly dollar his way today. Please, help out Mr. Ostrander with a donation, however small. Sorry to preach at you but it's just the right thing to do.
One last quote, this time from John Ostrander himself on Oracle:
". . . we knew that others with disabilities might look at her [Oracle] and feel good reading about her . . . These shouldn't be stories about a disabled person; they are stories about a compelling fascinating character who HAPPENS to be in a wheelchair and I think that's correct. Barbara isn't her handicap; there's more to her than that."
To quote Wikipedia and Gail Simone . . .
"Following the release of the graphic novel, comic book editor and writer Kim Yale discussed how distasteful she found the treatment of Barbara Gordon with her husband, fellow comic writer John Ostrander. Rather than allow the character to fall into obscurity, the two decided to revive her as a character living with a disability." - Wikipedia's entry on Barbara Gordon
"Kim Yale and John Ostrander picked up the character and made her into a brilliant master computer operator and one of the most fascinating characters in comics." - Gail Simone
And coming from Gail Simone, well, 'nuff said.
Also, he's the mind behind the classic comic book known as Suicide Squad. Deadshot and Amanda Waller wouldn't be running around the DCU being awesome (or at least awesomely morally ambiguous). Essentially? Without John Ostrander, we'd have had no Birds of Prey. No Checkmate. No Secret Six.
Hell, innumerable other additions to the DCU would be non-existent without his influence.
Tragically, the man who helped create and champion the world's first superheroine living proudly with a disability now needs your help. Thanks to Kevin Church, I've learned that Mr. Ostrander is currently losing his sight to glaucoma. One can only imagine how crippling this is for someone who works in the field of graphic novels. Luckily, you can help him keep his sight.
Look, guys, I know times are tough right now but it's the man who helped create Oracle and Amanda Waller. Hell, I'm having Ramen for dinner most of this week. That said, I still managed to at least throw a measly dollar his way today. Please, help out Mr. Ostrander with a donation, however small. Sorry to preach at you but it's just the right thing to do.
One last quote, this time from John Ostrander himself on Oracle:
". . . we knew that others with disabilities might look at her [Oracle] and feel good reading about her . . . These shouldn't be stories about a disabled person; they are stories about a compelling fascinating character who HAPPENS to be in a wheelchair and I think that's correct. Barbara isn't her handicap; there's more to her than that."
Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Formal Apology.and The Plugging of Geeky Greatness
It has belatedly occurred to me that a guy who just put up a post about how much he loved Spider-Man 2099 really doesn't get to rip on X-Force.
I'm sorry for being "that guy".
As way of apology, here's a free comic book to read. It's the interesting first issue of a sci-fi meets noir headbender series called Existence 2.0, courtesy of the good folks over at Comic Book Resources. Maybe not your cup of tea if you don't like unsympathetic protagonists, noir-ish plots and a liberal amount of killing but hey, I enjoyed it. Of course, I am a terrible person, so your mileage may vary. Now, if only the folks behind the intriguing Chew series would be kind enough to put the sold out issue of #1 online for similar perusal, I'd be doubleplus happy. Ah, well. That's just what I get for not hitting my comic shop every Wednesday like a proper geek. I even slept through my alarm today and missed getting my copy of Wednesday Comics (along with Booster Gold and Superman: World of New Krypton). Even if the Superman part of it is up for free at USA Today, the lack of this oversized pamphlet o' fun in my hands makes me a Sad Panda.
Ah, but there is one thing on the horizon that makes me happy. Let's talk about The Middleman, shall we?
This fantastic show, based on the immensely terrific comic book series of the same name created by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, was a witty, light-hearted and impressively clever show about two people who "fought evil so you don't have to." Alas, this always enjoyable romp was canceled because . . . well, I don't know exactly. Life must be tempered with sadness?
*sigh*
Since I can't attend the upcoming Comic Con Panel where the last episode will be read aloud, I must harbor hope for a different dream. While it's true that Javier Grillo-Marxuach has moved on to a new, intriguing show, I still hold a slim, geeky hope in my heart for it's resurrection. True, the chances of it being brought back on the air are nearly a million-to-one but in a world where Futurama returned due to strong DVD sales, I don't see the harm in begging all of you to purchase the box set of Season 1. My plan is sheer elegance in its simplicity.
Who knows? Stranger things have happened. At the very least, you'll be up one box set of an extremely great TV show. I know that, despite my dire finances, I'll be picking it up and placing it proudly between my Series Collections of Wonderfalls and Firefly (of course, if you're an alphabetizing TV fanatic freak, I suppose you'd have to put it between MI:5 and MST3K or something).
And that's just TWO minutes from ONE episode!
So, to sum up - mea culpa, happy reading and happy watching!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Two characters you've probably never heard of are kissing
I don't know how many of you know or care about two B/C-List superheroes from the 1990's but Peter David's most recent issue of X-Factor had Shatterstar coming out of the closet. He and his fellow X-Force teammate Richter share a passionate kiss after he breaks free of mind control (and long after they've both apparently broken free of their horrible 90's hair and outfits - see above).
The reaction from the comic blogging nerd community has unsurprisingly been very positive or very indifferent thus far. The reaction from Shatterstar's original creator, on the other hand, has been snippy at best and homophobic at worst (and has resulted in a "so bad you have to watch with popcorn" train wreck/flamewar between himself and Peter David in the comments section). Other people have been, shall we say, on the opposite end of the spectrum than Mr. Liefeld (A mention on Queer As Folk even? Wow, I salute their obscure nerdiness).
Personally, I was unsurprised. It's a canny move to increase sales on a book that's under a lot of people's radars. Also, Peter David kind of has a history of doing this sort of thing before. Mind you, if people really want to go on and on about how much a gay hero coming out pleases them, maybe they should take a few seconds and stick up for a real one. Just a suggestion. Don't mind me. Let's move on to talking about the important things in life, like comic book continuity from the 1990's.
As for this being a natural extension of the previous canon or not, I'd had suspicions even in my naive teen years that writers were trying to hint at this. I vaguely (mis?)remember that they had the two guys being "Roommates" in a mansion that could house dozens of people. Mind you, it's never been a topic that weighed heavily on my mind. They're remnants from X-Force, for crissakes. X-FORCE. Yeah, so what if I totally collected in the 90's, I was young and foolish then. Shut up. I'm just mildly amused and hesitantly pleased by this. I mean, this is Peter David, so he could just be setting up this couple to only have one or both of them die in a tragic/ironic way (possibly in a way that also involves a terrible pun)*.
Still, it's a nice change to see Richter out as a bisexual. Yes, I said bisexual. He's slept with women, such as Rahne Sinclair, prior to this little revelation. Clearly, he is both bisexual and has kind of a definite fondness for redheads & strawberry blonds**. In popular fiction of any stripe, but especially sci-fi, fantasy and the like, bisexuals are often rarer than rubies (English fiction not withstanding). My favorite thing about this revelation thus far is that nobody's screaming bloody murder about his bisexuality in all this fervor about Shatterstar coming out of the closet. Mystique is the only other bisexual character I can think of in Marvel Comics and she's either crazy, evil or evil and crazy***. For every touching moment Claremont wrote between her and Destiny, some other writers have her using Sabretooth to get knocked up or hitting on her daughter's boyfriend or something equally squicky. And now she's dead or something. I think. Lord knows, I can't keep track of the X-Titles without a scorecard anymore.****
Anyways, I think people are making more of this than it actually is. Despite Peter David's claims, this is still a mild revelation about two characters only a handful of people remember (nerds of all sexualities on the Interweb aside). Plus, I haven't seen a word of this on the national news, so I really don't think that anyone should cross their fingers that Richter and Shatterstar are going to be the next Midnighter and Apollo. If I'm proved wrong, well, hooray for tolerance and Shatterstar roaring back in popularity, even without his terrible 90's hair and amusingly over the top double swords (Man, I shoulda tossed him in that Sulu and Spiral thing. Too late now, I guess.)
Which reminds me, hey, Jenny Sparks was bisexual as well and she was the team leader of The Authority. Except for the being dead part, she's probably the most heroic, exemplary example of a bisexual comic book character I can think of.***** Man, Ellis' Authority was awesome. But I digress, to steal a phrase.
X-Factor, on the whole, is one of those books I want to like more than I actually end up liking it (unlike Madrox and David's original X-Factor run, which I adored). Mostly, it just rubs me the wrong way for a wide variety of reasons******. Even so, I applaud Peter David for taking this step and hope it works out well for everyone. Mind you, I do find it a trifle amusing that a creator recently lambasted for taking fans on the internet to task for posting his work without permission is now the same person responsible for making the furious assertions of slash fic writers into canon.
Heh.
*I mentioned my annoyance at Peter David's "writing tics" in an earlier post and that's definitely the topmost one. Mind you, this is differentiated from the Joss Whedon Method, which involves people dying in a somewhat ironic/shocking, sudden way WITHOUT a pun. Usually as punishment for having a healthy, enjoyable sexual relationship - gay or straight. The man is all about people of all genders and sexualities getting punished for having sex or being happy, which is why I suppose he gets all those nice GLAAD awards. Hey, I kid because I love, you rabid Joss Whedon fans, you.
**Since I'm sure a few of you are wondering by now, this is probably the only quality I both identified with and shared with Richter the angry Hispanic superhero cliche growing up. Yes, that's right - I love redheads. There. I said it. God, that feels good to finally get out there.
***Oh, and Shinobi Shaw, I think but who even remembers- *looks up* Oh, hey, wouldja look at that?
****Re: the X-Men titles - while I loved them growing up, I now only enjoy the blessedly continuity-free Astonishing X-Men and have a love/hate relationship with Fraction's Uncanny X-Men (i.e., the "art" of Greg Land and the too-cutesy captions). Otherwise, I'm in the dark. The art on the new X-Force book is amazing, tho', gotta give 'em props for that. Just a damn shame it's, well, X-Force. Team Stabby McBlood Stabby Bub Snickt Stabby Blood does little for me.
*****And before you complain about fridging, Jenny Sparks died saving the Earth by killing GOD. And lived being the badass spirit of the 20th Century, which hey, nice work Ellis. And even though we're discussing Wildstorm, let's just put a pin in talking about Sarah Rainmaker for now. These footnotes are long and obnoxious enough.
******See footnote one. See also, things like the dupe baby and titles like "Dirty, Sexy Monet". Groan.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
It's a dream that we all share, it's the hope for tomorrow
Happy 4th of July, everybody!
I know that at this juncture, I could speak about why America is a country I'm actually proud to live in, despite our flaws. I could discuss how we were founded on beautiful ideals and how we still manage to provide a sense of hope and justice to many, even when we occasionally fall far, far short of those ideals. I could announce my appreciation and support of our troops overseas, for even if I do not agree with the reasons some of them are out there, I admire their fortitude, honor and dedication in being there (while we all sit around blowing things up and eating grilled meat). How it is our inclusiveness, not our divisiveness that defines us, despite how often the opposite seems to be true. And most importantly to me, I could say how the American Dream has changed in many ways but still survives based on life, liberty and a pursuit of happiness for everyone under Lady Liberty's shadow.
But really, who wants to hear some comics blogger go on and on and on about how the USA is a fundamentally decent place to live, and in a totally non-ironic manner no less?
So in lieu of all that schmaltzy crap, please enjoy this patriotic video:
In short: America. Fuck Yeah.
Additional Links By People More Patriotic Than I Am!
Chris Sims Reminds Us Of Who The Real Heroes Are And Also Hurts Our Souls!
Sally P. Goes Green For The Fourth of July! (Lousy Hippie)
BeaucoupKevin Salutes Old Glory! Kind of. And reminds us that even Batman and Robin are Patriotic!
Polite Dissent celebrates with cartoon characters and music!
And lastly, the folks at 4thLetter! remind us that TODAY . . . IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!
And now I'm off to throw on my Superman t-shirt and go eat some hot dogs!
Have a Happy Fourth of July!
I know that at this juncture, I could speak about why America is a country I'm actually proud to live in, despite our flaws. I could discuss how we were founded on beautiful ideals and how we still manage to provide a sense of hope and justice to many, even when we occasionally fall far, far short of those ideals. I could announce my appreciation and support of our troops overseas, for even if I do not agree with the reasons some of them are out there, I admire their fortitude, honor and dedication in being there (while we all sit around blowing things up and eating grilled meat). How it is our inclusiveness, not our divisiveness that defines us, despite how often the opposite seems to be true. And most importantly to me, I could say how the American Dream has changed in many ways but still survives based on life, liberty and a pursuit of happiness for everyone under Lady Liberty's shadow.
But really, who wants to hear some comics blogger go on and on and on about how the USA is a fundamentally decent place to live, and in a totally non-ironic manner no less?
So in lieu of all that schmaltzy crap, please enjoy this patriotic video:
In short: America. Fuck Yeah.
Additional Links By People More Patriotic Than I Am!
Chris Sims Reminds Us Of Who The Real Heroes Are And Also Hurts Our Souls!
Sally P. Goes Green For The Fourth of July! (Lousy Hippie)
BeaucoupKevin Salutes Old Glory! Kind of. And reminds us that even Batman and Robin are Patriotic!
Polite Dissent celebrates with cartoon characters and music!
And lastly, the folks at 4thLetter! remind us that TODAY . . . IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!
And now I'm off to throw on my Superman t-shirt and go eat some hot dogs!
Have a Happy Fourth of July!
Friday, July 3, 2009
A Splendid Surprise
So, the talented artist known as Neil Cameron is doing an gloriously geeky A-Z of Awesomeness over at his blog. The main idea is that you go and suggest the most "awesome" geeky combination you can think of and bam! He draws it! I really should have mentioned it earlier to you all, considering how hilarious they've all been, but I didn't want any of your suggestions as to what he should draw to beat out one of mine. Mwoo-a-ha-ha-ha! Mine is an evil laugh.
Ah, but now that my Machiavellian scheming has worked, I suggest you get over there toot suite to give him your suggestions. And oh, yes - I am also proud to present the talented Mr. Cameron's use of my suggestion for the letter "S" . . .
Suck it, Second-place Sims! *ahem*
And many thanks again to Neil for drawing a guaranteed smile a day. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for U-Z.
Ah, but now that my Machiavellian scheming has worked, I suggest you get over there toot suite to give him your suggestions. And oh, yes - I am also proud to present the talented Mr. Cameron's use of my suggestion for the letter "S" . . .
Suck it, Second-place Sims! *ahem*
And many thanks again to Neil for drawing a guaranteed smile a day. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he comes up with for U-Z.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Few even think to ask The Question
So, if you purchased the amazingly drawn and sharply written Detective Comics #854 - a.k.a. my second favorite book to come out last week* - you may have been too stunned by J. H. Williams III's stellar art and Greg Rucka's crisp storytelling to notice the equally engaging back-up feature, in which Renee Montoya returns as The Question. About a billion people have already talked about how great the first feature focusing on Batwoman is, so I'll try to focus on The Question instead. The two tales stand out in contrast to each other in several ways but neither seems greater than the other, in my opinion. It's a testament to Greg Rucka's talent that reading both tales by him is like getting an apple with your orange and making delicious fruit salad.**
Drawn in a hard-edged, realistic style by the deeply talented Cully Hamner, Rucka's second story is a very Equalizer-esque street-level tale of The Question trying to find a young man's missing sister whose current status is implied to be deeply, deeply vile. The more "real-world", noir tale of Montoya hunting down human traffickers stands out in contrast to the highly stylized, extremely "Gotham City"-esque story of Batwoman versus Alice, the colorful new Lewis Carroll-loving head of the Church of Crime.*** This isn't to say The Question back-up lacks fun or whimsy. There's still humor there, just more subdued (a Monty Python joke, no less, for us nerds in the audience - which is all of us because, c'mon, you're reading a blog about comic books).
Oh, and The Question totally teaches a vicious guard dog about personal boundaries with her knuckles, so there's that - assuming you like things that are totally bad-ass, that is.
And before I forget, let's talk about two people who deserve massive props but may get lost in the shuffle of everyone discussing Rucka and Williams III - Dave Stewart and Laura Martin, the colorists for the Batwoman and Question portions respectively. I have to take a moment to lavish obscene amounts of praise on both of these talented colorists for making their stories shine like diamonds. Dave Stewart, whom I first noticed on Joss Whedon's Fray series, is nothing short of a revelation on Batwoman. Let's face it, without the blood-red hair, chalk-white skin and every other stand-out color rendered in loving detail, I don't think the entire book would work nearly as well as it does. As for Laura Martin, well, I've been a fan of Laura Martin's brilliant shading and subdued work since reading Warren Ellis' "occasionally so gorgeous it makes your jaw drop" series Planetary. As a result, it comes as no shock that she makes Rucka's Question series a perfectly lit somber noir piece with primary shades of blue, brown and orange. I love being able to look at one panel and know exactly what time of day or night it is. She's just that good.
One last thing - a very clever hook of The Question back-up series is that, rather than patrol rooftops, she's put up a website all over cities as graffiti and responds in person to the most vital questions she receives from random, desperate people. Her website is cleverly called Ask The Question - and as if you couldn't tell from the html formatting color, it is now a "real" site.
Go ahead and ask The Question a question - I know I did.****
*The award for "My Favorite Book From Last Week" has to go to Adam Warren's brilliant, heartbreaking and tender Empowered, Vol. 5. Yes, the GN that comes in shrinkwrap with the "Mature Readers" label. FYI, doubters, there's just as many lesbians in the book as Detective Comics #854 but roughly ten times more heartbreak, comedy and pathos. Believe me, I've got a loooooooooong blogpost brewing about Empowered Vol, 5 coming up.
**Please understand that I am not making some lame reference to both of them being lesbians with the "fruit salad" line. I think we've all had more than enough terrible, cheesy and generally shoehorned comic book references/"jokes" about their sexuality. I just like fruit salad. And metaphors.
**And also, props must be given to Rucka for having the huevos to create another Lewis Carroll-themed villain in a town that has The Mad Hatter in it. I'm interested in finding out what makes Alice stand out in contrast to the mind-controlling doctor, other than only speaking in lines from Through The Looking Glass and not being a creepy pedophile (presumably).
***No, I won't tell you my question. Much like letters to Santa, I do not reveal my conversations with fictional people for fear they won't come true. :P And gracias to The Nerdy Bird for hipping me to the site's existence.
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