tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77645901184011966852024-03-06T18:14:06.098+13:00MC Owesome and the Wheels of FortuneComics, music, and movie opinions. May swerve into New Zealand politics at any time. Sorry about that.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-21896982178455462432011-12-04T00:04:00.001+13:002011-12-04T00:06:05.101+13:00Just a quick explanatory note......the content on this blog dates from a time when I briefly got back into comics after long abscence. While I'm proud of what's on here, a lot of it will be full of either dead links, talks about issues in the fandom long since blown over, or otherwise out of date.<br /><br />Most of my blogging energies are on <a href="http://memespreenz.blogspot.com/">MemeSpree NZ</a> right now; feel free to take a look around, but that's where the new hotness is.<br /><br />Thanks for checking it out tho!<br /><br />Cheers,<br />
Athur.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-4459708976801101872008-04-16T17:10:00.006+12:002008-04-17T17:15:21.975+12:00Morrison Writes my Fanon!I really need to make that into a T-Shirt.<br /><br /><br />Comic Book Resources has an <a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16005">interview with Grant Morrison,</a> where he discusses some (spoilery) details of what the upcoming Final Crisis series will cover.<br /><br /><br /><br />One thing that stood out to me was this bit, tucked away in the second-to-last paragraph. Avert your eyes, spoiler-phobes!<br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Supergirl and Mary Marvel are in it. They have a big climatic battle to decide how femininity should be portrayed in superhero comics!</em><br /><br /><em></em><br /><br />Now, how much the results of a story beat can influence the editorial/creative direction of a company like DC- with its focus groups and market research and whatnot- is up for debate. I know Grant has claimed that his writing has influenced the real world before, but he's never had to write against Time Warner/AOL before. ^_^<br /><br />A few scattershot thoughts on this for now, because I want to wait until it plays out in the text before trying to get at the delicious subtext:<br /><br />-What, exactly, do Supergirl and Mary Marvel represent at this point? In her own title, Supergirl seems to be in a transition from Loeb/Churchill's elongated-torso, no-ankle-having, tantrum-throwing cipher of a character into a more realistically proportioned growing teen girl struggling with an unfamiliar culture. In the pages of Countdown Mary has been presented as an innocent girl seduced by evil into wearing a short skirt and posing for panty shots.<br /><br />-There is still time for the larger DCU to re-shape Kara and Mary as signifiers, too: there's still a Supergirl arc to clear up, and Countdown #1 and DCU #0 to go. So, we'll see what happens there, and if it even matters...<br /><br />-What does Grant mean by femininity, here? Is this a fight between "good girl" pin-up art vs "bad-girl" art? Or a battle between what the ideal for a female character should be like in the DCU? Or am I over/under -thinking this?<br /><br />-Its things like this that make me look forward to Final Crisis more than Secret Invasion- and by extension, Morrison's writing more than Bendis'. With Final Crisis I can expect some juicy subtext to look forward to, which is great- I like my metaphor dressed in bright colours and punching each other. With Secret Invasion, all I can reasonably expect is people talking out of character. For pages on end. But it won't *really* be out of character, 'cos its a plot point!<br /><br />-Morrison also wrote <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulleteer">Bulleteer</a>, my favourite of the Seven Soldiers mini-series, as problematic as it is. It'll be interesting to see if any of the themes in that get played into this particular bit in FC.<br /><br />And really, I'm just gonna wait for the text to come out on this one before discussing it further. It'll be the fight... of the CONTEXTUARY!<br /><br />(sorry)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-32640587614621109662008-01-24T16:46:00.000+13:002008-01-24T16:58:34.718+13:00I have seen the future, and it is Wii-ly Sweet<a href="http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/">http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Writing home-brew apps that use the Wiimote as a motion sensor input device for your PC.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><em>Awesome.</em><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Also: Non-gratuitous heroine-in-distress cover:<br /><br /><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b294/anticrastinator/BOPCv117_solicit.jpg?t=1201027491" border="0" />Birds of Prey, #117. Cover by Stephane Roux</p><p>That wasn't so hard now, was it, DC?<br /></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-22764742769925132632008-01-24T14:24:00.000+13:002008-01-24T15:04:58.948+13:00Countdown 14: Who Booked This?Scans Daily has a selection of <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/4849445.html">scans </a>from Countdown 14, and while the whole freaking thing is hilarious, there's three bits I want to comment on:<br /><br />1) You know your characters have no substance when even the colourist can't tell the difference between EXTREEEME~! Jason Todd and EXTREEEME~! Batman.<br /><br />2) To continue the meta-commentary on the relationship between the readers and the publisher, pay attention to the conversation between Evil!Superman (henceforth called Fanboy Prime) and the Evil Monitor (hereafter reffered to as DC Comics Editorial.)<br /><br />DC: We gave you a perfect, happyhappy earth. And then we invaded it.<br /><br />FP: WHY?!?!<br /><br />DC: Because you will buy anything we'll print.<br /><br />FP: YOU'RE RUINING IT!<br /><br />DC: Well, yes, but, we're still selling 70~80k books a week to you. Haw haw!<br /><br />2b) I love that Fanboy Prime goes all Liefeld on the third page. Complete with flipper-feet. Oh, symbolism, how I love thee.<br /><br />3) More a general comment- notice how Countdown is a lot better when they focus mostly on one storyline and don't do one-page callouts to other crossovers? Huh? Huh, DC? You paying attention here?<br /><br />In other news: THRILL to my first ever poll! Who is... the FUTURE BEETLE! Also, I'm taking questions for the 10 Characters of Doom meme, after being tagged by Ami yonks ago. I've got a list of 10 characters written down, and if you post questions in the comments section of this post, like "1 breaks 5's ant farm, how does 8 help them fix it before they notice?" and I'll answer them all when I get enough questions. So gets askin'!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-72332233004164968172008-01-23T13:04:00.000+13:002008-01-23T13:16:03.024+13:00Heath Ledger, RIP.From IGN:<br /><br /><a href="http://stars.ign.com/articles/846/846901p1.html">January 22, 2008 - Heath Ledger, the actor best known for his turns in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain and the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight, was found dead this afternoon according to NYTimes.com.</a><br /><br />Which sucks, 'cause every man's death diminishes me, etc.<br /><br />But it was really incredibly weird to see this next to IGN's "Babe of the Week" feature.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-9796997364551768172008-01-22T23:00:00.000+13:002008-01-24T13:54:06.635+13:00Blog for Choice Day 2008<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bushvchoice.com/bfc.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="http://www.bushvchoice.com/bfc.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I used to walk past the Lyndhurst Memorial Hospital to get to work, and every day, there were between five and fifteen pro-life people protesting there.<br /><br />They weren't loud, or waving placards, but they were bowing their heads in prayer over a large portrait of the Blessed Virgin, right by the driveway. I can only assume that they had to tone their act down a bit since one of them got arrested for tunneling his way into the hospital.<br /><br />They're still intimidating. That is the whole point of the pro-life movement: You think you can kill this baby? Then God is going to <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">do a number</span> on you.<br /><br />Women who choose to have abortions are not baby killers. They are not monsters, nor sinners. They are people who have made a difficult and traumatic decision that is not the business of a cowardly busy-body who is going to tell his daddy on you.<br /><br />My step-mother Mk1 has met the local leader of this protest movement. She describes him as a beast of a man, whose own family cowers before his rage, who tread fearfully lest they provoke him into violence. He has no other occupation except to direct them into preparing his propaganda literature, stand outside of clinics and hurl abuse at traumatized women and girls, and watch television, occasionally yelling at its representations of a godless world.<br /><br />Why am I pro-choice? Because raising a child is a huge responsibility, and if you feel that the time is not yet right, if you feel that this child was unfairly thrust upon you, then you should have options. Because it is a matter for a woman to decide, along with the father (if he is sticking around- aparantly a penis comes with a 'run away from responsibility free' card-) and in consultation with whoever they confide in.<br /><br />Ultimately, its <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">none of your business</span>. If you make it your business, you are an asshole. And if there is a God who would punish someone for refusing to raise a life in poverty, or hatred, or despair, then he is an asshole too.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-88390983608534263882008-01-22T22:29:00.000+13:002008-01-24T13:58:05.047+13:00The Sword #4 & Booster Gold #6<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.lunabrothers.com/comic_images/thesword/TheSword-04-0large.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="Mack Daddy will make you..." src="http://www.lunabrothers.com/comic_images/thesword/TheSword-04-0large.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />If one was to be really, really, grossly unfair to The Sword (Image Comics, by Jonathan and Joshua Luna), one could describe it like this:<br /><span style="FONT-STYLE: italic"><br />A poor crippled girl is healed by her father's secret, magic phallus</span> (read: Magic Sword) <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">just as mysterious strangers slaughter her whole family; now, using the power of the phallus, she determines to avenge her family's death, by stabbing them (with a phallus).</span><br /><br />And you can't tell me that, on some level, the Luna Brothers aren't somewhat aware of the Freudian undertones:<br /><br /><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDjNFIMAjuIl3339g3-bEWZSvLK1CQZUxCLhoG05pVUjVrJUaVBnRAHYkaV80gQtYeNUb9CSYMQ_ADiwtiVAoRxLBlvtAphEIbMkoENoHRnhvN_UhUSOOukBPvBXlQMxvjqgjR7NDGQw5/s1600-h/sword04fig01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158231857046010242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="The next panel has a sound effect: SHNK. No, I couldn't make this up." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVDjNFIMAjuIl3339g3-bEWZSvLK1CQZUxCLhoG05pVUjVrJUaVBnRAHYkaV80gQtYeNUb9CSYMQ_ADiwtiVAoRxLBlvtAphEIbMkoENoHRnhvN_UhUSOOukBPvBXlQMxvjqgjR7NDGQw5/s400/sword04fig01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />But really, sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar, and what The Sword <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">actually</span> is, is another fine character study wrapped in a fantasy/sci-fi setting- the Lunas do a good job of drawing characters whose motivations and voices you can buy into in just a few panels.<br /><br />They're hardly paragons of Feminist Comics Virtue, by no means, but they do write female characters who have their own agency and aren't just eye candy for hormonal fanboys.<br /><br />Why, yes, I <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">have</span> seen the covers for their previous series, <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Girls.</span> If those turned you away from this book, give it a chance.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dccomics.com/media/covers/8733_400x600.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="Daddy Mack'll make you.." src="http://www.dccomics.com/media/covers/8733_400x600.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p><br />Oh, and in other news, <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Booster Gold</span> (DC, words by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz, art by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund) brings its first story arc to an end. How do we feel about that, fellas?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76Xr3mROPDpIzwV11i7TmGKCe38zlJASDHzI0u2ibALCqQeQZHX7PBZhhbFp3XFprOkxBOVdabX6oHQb7mZjYz8ZkGIwi84F-995E2Iu1WDTHzC7Qjf9crJ-01u4LJGK_mxo7ORwFz1K0/s1600-h/BoosterBeetle2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158234017414560146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="Why yes. Yes, it is." src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi76Xr3mROPDpIzwV11i7TmGKCe38zlJASDHzI0u2ibALCqQeQZHX7PBZhhbFp3XFprOkxBOVdabX6oHQb7mZjYz8ZkGIwi84F-995E2Iu1WDTHzC7Qjf9crJ-01u4LJGK_mxo7ORwFz1K0/s400/BoosterBeetle2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Booster Gold is what happens when you put out a book that is fun, funny, and yet still full of action and doesn't shy away from the drama; it is what happens when you get a creative team who so obviously love what they're doing, and let them stay the hell away from your company-wide crossover cluster-<br /><br />Oh, what was that? #7 is a freaking <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">Zero Hour</span> tie-in?<br /><br />I can't believe I'm looking <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">forward</span> to that. Damn you, Johns and co! Damn you to hell!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1R7nnLxLptqA6QE2CC7VknMz7xLFewEnvXfMfbDNRe0mIGTFFP4p87Yx28Bpq2xpMkHTNX4PQ_rOyZH9YLXhUbqpNsTrCBSoxrtIwYQb6VNL1RTm6-1dzMNHuVoRv6fiWrKBeGlyhlip/s1600-h/boosterbeetle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5158235151285926306" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="If you look at Skeet's number plate, it has the actual date of Paul's death on it. Freaky!" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg1R7nnLxLptqA6QE2CC7VknMz7xLFewEnvXfMfbDNRe0mIGTFFP4p87Yx28Bpq2xpMkHTNX4PQ_rOyZH9YLXhUbqpNsTrCBSoxrtIwYQb6VNL1RTm6-1dzMNHuVoRv6fiWrKBeGlyhlip/s400/boosterbeetle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Aw, Booster. I can never stay mad at you.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-61849734225553443142008-01-17T11:15:00.000+13:002008-01-17T11:23:39.351+13:00I'll have what he's having.<a href="http://townhall.com/columnists/KevinMcCullough/2008/01/13/the_sex-box_race_for_president?page=full&comments=true">"I know that they all probably assume they have better, much more important, urgent, timely, things to campaign on, but I sure would like to get their individual takes on the new video game that one company is marketing to fifteen year old boys. <br /><br />It's called "Mass Effect" and it allows its players - universally male no doubt - to engage in the most realistic sex acts ever conceived. One can custom design the shape, form, bodies, race, hair style, breast size of the images they wish to "engage" and then watch in crystal clear, LCD, 54 inch screen, HD clarity as the video game "persons" hump in every form, format, multiple, gender-oriented possibility they can think of. "</a><br /><br />Man, I want to play Mass Effect more than <strong>ever.</strong><br /><br />(PS: Don't encourage him. They feed on your scorn.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-68948862985693180322008-01-09T22:37:00.000+13:002008-01-09T22:56:00.067+13:00Being Slightly Unfair 2I love this phrase so much I'm making it a regular thing. ^_^<br /><br />I know that, at this point, picking on Greg "Pornface Lightbox" Land and One More/Brand New Day is as done do death as All Your Base jokes, but, come on:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-OoqeAT-A-KKSwozvmZUgh_S1fxos71rqPtkTiNiWX5nbEamEa5DN797m-ny8j3kEarIH-Jq00a0tzP5zFMIkgM5Vi-CqCtfHjlcpzWO5wp8Zm3Lfpz8Dhg1WID4kgVnofTrf28IYT_m/s1600-h/kindofbad.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-OoqeAT-A-KKSwozvmZUgh_S1fxos71rqPtkTiNiWX5nbEamEa5DN797m-ny8j3kEarIH-Jq00a0tzP5zFMIkgM5Vi-CqCtfHjlcpzWO5wp8Zm3Lfpz8Dhg1WID4kgVnofTrf28IYT_m/s400/kindofbad.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5153412603092187506" /></a><br /><br />Don't you just hate it when the comic does all your work for you?<br /><br />(Image courtesy of <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/4754614.html">this thread</a> on Scans_Daily)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-50113897385918709572008-01-05T09:54:00.000+13:002008-01-05T10:08:17.113+13:00Green Lantern's Light!<div style="width:405; background-color:rgb(216,233,237); text-align:center;"><br /> <div style="background:rgb(129,172,201); height:4px;"><br /> <img src="http://www.quizilla.com/images/blue_drk_corner1.gif" style="float: left" height="4" hspace="0" /><br /> <img src="http://www.quizilla.com/images/blue_drk_corner2.gif" style="float: right" height="4" hspace="0" /><br /> </div><br /> <div style="background:rgb(129,172,201); padding: 0pt 0pt 5px;"><br /> <span style="font-size:12px; color:rgb(255,255,255); padding:3px; font-family:Arial;"><strong>Which Power Ring would come to you?</strong></span><br /> </div><br /> <div style="padding:5px; text-align:left; font-size:12px; font-family:Arial; background-color:rgb(216,233,237);"><br /><br /><center><img src="http://images.quizilla.com/S/SE/SEV/sevedris/1198265085_eenlantern.JPG" /><br/>You have the ability to overcome great fear. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps. Your ring will guide you to Oa where you will be instructed in the proper use of your newfound powers as Green Lantern of sector 2814.<br/>Take this <a target="quizilla" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)" href="http://quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=17&url=http://www.quizilla.com/users/sevedris/quizzes/Which+Power+Ring+would+come+to+you%3F">quiz</a>!<br/><br /><br /><br/><a href="http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=18&url=http://www.quizilla.com/" target="quizilla"><br /><img border="0" src="http://www.quizilla.com/images/codepastes/30qzlogo.gif" style="padding:2px;" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12;"><br /><br /><a style="color:rgb(0,0,0);" target="quizilla" href="http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=18&url=http://www.quizilla.com">Quizilla</a> |<br /><a style="color:rgb(0,0,0);" target="quizilla" href="http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=21&url=http://www.quizilla.com/register">Join</a><br /><br />| <a style="color:rgb(0,0,0);" target="quizilla" href="http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=20&url=http://www.quizilla.com/makeaquiz.php">Make A Quiz</a> | <a target="quizilla" href="http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=42&url=http://www.quizilla.com/users/sevedris/quizzes/">More Quizzes</a> | <a style="color:rgb(0,0,0);" target="quizilla" href="http://www.quizilla.com/redirect.php?statsid=19&url=http://www.quizilla.com/codepastes/?quizid=4813230">Grab Code</a></span><br /></center></div></div><br /><br />It probably helped that I can remember the oath pretty much verbatim.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-91731593270982714272008-01-04T19:25:00.000+13:002008-01-04T21:41:19.634+13:00OMFG Blue Beetle #22 is so great.Seriously. I'm squeeing every two pages or so. Its so freaking good, I got a warm feeling right in my crotch, and now I have to tell you all about it.<br /><br />Why is it so good? Is it because of the warm characterization, snappy dialog, the <span style="font-style: italic;">perfect</span> recap page, two subplots that advance measurably and contain small emotional payoffs in <span style="font-style: italic;">only two pages apiece</span>, the main plot getting into gear with exposition that doesn't really feel <span style="font-style: italic;">too</span> forced, a nice little super-hero smackdown and setting the stage and raising the stakes?<br /><br />And moments like this:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifa3DVwVwsenmIDUS1K82XY3B9i09OpJP9OnCe9URfpdispkXKnviECSwyb8Pc6urEIXLlko1whjiKgE6Ehk20I3VLkQLAv0lSQbVaFck_vA6HFo6Ful1p0ciHxnr5Pgrzy8G7AiKxOEVs/s1600-h/sinestrokitten.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifa3DVwVwsenmIDUS1K82XY3B9i09OpJP9OnCe9URfpdispkXKnviECSwyb8Pc6urEIXLlko1whjiKgE6Ehk20I3VLkQLAv0lSQbVaFck_vA6HFo6Ful1p0ciHxnr5Pgrzy8G7AiKxOEVs/s400/sinestrokitten.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151538043141011810" border="0" /></a>For every issue of Blue Beetle you don't buy, God kills a Sinestro-Kitten.<br /><br />Holy shit, and I haven't even mentioned my two new favourite characters yet.<br /><br />Danni Garrett: Granddaughter of the first Blue Beetle, heir of Ted Kord's gizmos and scientific smarts, and made of win.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rY30jmdq1v9QgIWtVR88xyZKXd_yKpdcN3wEQNpqwWQ4DB5Rr9CWx-JeBJtRe08VneWJpQfajgfjprfKvv7qBrTuDcY39QKTdD4VGazlTSggdGCk198sI_nDIupX2ZOcp9R2hyphenhyphen2ymIMf/s1600-h/beetle22.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8rY30jmdq1v9QgIWtVR88xyZKXd_yKpdcN3wEQNpqwWQ4DB5Rr9CWx-JeBJtRe08VneWJpQfajgfjprfKvv7qBrTuDcY39QKTdD4VGazlTSggdGCk198sI_nDIupX2ZOcp9R2hyphenhyphen2ymIMf/s400/beetle22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151523719425079538" border="0" /></a><br />And, of course, Tovar.<br /><br />(Whose visual resemblance to Kid Devil is <span style="font-style: italic;">entirely co-incidental</span>.)<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n8lTxm4uIqLHUg7DXj2le1YVtEyws7T2Om0NJr5cAMkCbg_mrb4oT-8JrurN_WF8_fuZvh68F_kUrzBrj53aDO3CCT-C0iOeujvn4bVdMIvCPHoakVq3fn6gaZyvDNOvQcWvsHLSblA9/s1600-h/tovarr1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2n8lTxm4uIqLHUg7DXj2le1YVtEyws7T2Om0NJr5cAMkCbg_mrb4oT-8JrurN_WF8_fuZvh68F_kUrzBrj53aDO3CCT-C0iOeujvn4bVdMIvCPHoakVq3fn6gaZyvDNOvQcWvsHLSblA9/s400/tovarr1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151525244138469634" border="0" /></a><br />I demand a Tovar mini-series! Now!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbTPvjZBp-8qJekCabYQQxwomkgHip_DWNMpLZQh9Us0WFmDTMdKRi4zLNArrx85f478x5YPcHSMDa8By1tpFrHjxpaMDRMxvcTJV3yIsJUYBzp0QqykJP3XKOKX_3KBH2C_luTiuHCWK/s1600-h/tovar2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbTPvjZBp-8qJekCabYQQxwomkgHip_DWNMpLZQh9Us0WFmDTMdKRi4zLNArrx85f478x5YPcHSMDa8By1tpFrHjxpaMDRMxvcTJV3yIsJUYBzp0QqykJP3XKOKX_3KBH2C_luTiuHCWK/s400/tovar2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151527224118393106" border="0" /></a><br />All I'm really saying is, if you don't purchase Blue Beetle, and it gets canceled, then you have helped to murder something unique and precious.<br /><br />In other news, Crime Bible is still good. But you knew that. Batwoman (Kate) and the Question's (Renee's) relationship is written well, believably, touchingly, and without exploitation. (Seriously: It feels wrong to call them Batwoman and the Question. They're Kate and Renee. <span style="font-style: italic;">That</span> is the mark of characters you buy into and believe in- that they gain real names.) But you knew that too. Mathew Clark's art is expressive and moody and great except for a couple of panels where Renee's eyes go all manky, but you didn't need me to tell you this.<br /><br />What you need me to tell you is:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JZAKf9Bo6qLw-6kXZ8T8LekWmy34aaGGoa7RiS4ofdkgCpY0FNPy0XavDuvos5wEw-ZqS5FCqoyglPg5FiVYRD4JctTo7S0-xmrRHjZSJPhvZ5EsuwvQ5mYNoeWhwxaUO1_T7id-mTuX/s1600-h/crimebiblestacy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JZAKf9Bo6qLw-6kXZ8T8LekWmy34aaGGoa7RiS4ofdkgCpY0FNPy0XavDuvos5wEw-ZqS5FCqoyglPg5FiVYRD4JctTo7S0-xmrRHjZSJPhvZ5EsuwvQ5mYNoeWhwxaUO1_T7id-mTuX/s400/crimebiblestacy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151529594940340514" border="0" /></a><br />Stacy is the glue that holds the GCPD together.<br /><br />No, wait, thats not it.<br /><br />Oh yeah. Here it is.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdcH8X6-nvHU-em63r52LRVUAMzu4Rdif7t3bLtUe9VsPp2u78dpYHuNkbvFDU1v6OvRmO0feYw2VrjK_SI-JK5oz6T9F4Dniu_pstvUskl963NRsSpzLH0O_Es1QMatogfcqDb_osaS6/s1600-h/crimebibleflay1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOdcH8X6-nvHU-em63r52LRVUAMzu4Rdif7t3bLtUe9VsPp2u78dpYHuNkbvFDU1v6OvRmO0feYw2VrjK_SI-JK5oz6T9F4Dniu_pstvUskl963NRsSpzLH0O_Es1QMatogfcqDb_osaS6/s320/crimebibleflay1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151533533425350962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMuKBpEauqSxCQRMCJvYQmiO4N1yzt-QWlAg3tWOUi9C-duBsAo8js96dhorIFHQBrCYNODh8zC_k1ouX9rHCS5cKdxeMmg8WQhSqxrFi-A_U8sDSVk_HcrsZ0u9bR7JwT8bER6KBTn_d/s1600-h/crimebibleflay2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMuKBpEauqSxCQRMCJvYQmiO4N1yzt-QWlAg3tWOUi9C-duBsAo8js96dhorIFHQBrCYNODh8zC_k1ouX9rHCS5cKdxeMmg8WQhSqxrFi-A_U8sDSVk_HcrsZ0u9bR7JwT8bER6KBTn_d/s320/crimebibleflay2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151534083181164866" border="0" /></a><br />That dude Flay is <span style="font-style: italic;">stone cold.</span><br /><br />...<br />...<br />...sorry.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-50091292694682087402008-01-04T10:51:00.000+13:002008-01-04T19:25:45.264+13:00The Streets Just Ain't Safe No More<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/4340824a10.html">It's crazy on Christchurch streets, says Mayor</a></span><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><i>Christchurch mayor Bob Parker says he cannot recommend walking on Christchurch streets after midnight as new figures show the city is the most violent in the country.</i></span></div><i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><div><br />He is suggesting a "draconian" crackdown on alcohol sales as a way to combat the problem.<br />"Walking around our streets after midnight is not something I'd recommend to people," Parker said yesterday. "It's crazy out there."</div><br /><br /></span></i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div>Of course, there is another, personally reasonable solution.</div></span><i><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><div></div><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151371849381492962" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjzMmrTfJzGkDqJdhppce0cjNFhNDJI-LhGjXc-G57Mu9pmDgsqnycfOKG94tHDT4Ur7mSgan0Svjin6xw8nDiE4wElmZeKjZu9-3n2T6Ta4dkAgt4qtSPsKihFVsXDfYrrjL_r2Zw4-9_/s400/kickass.jpg" border="0" /></div></span></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-29355469330478162672008-01-04T09:14:00.000+13:002008-01-04T10:23:22.095+13:00This Makes Owesome a Happy Panda<div><div>Context: DC's western title <em>Jonah Hex</em> had been <a href="http://www.the-isb.com/?p=229">criticized </a>for utilizing rape as a plot point like every other issue. So, when the first issue of the relaunched <em>Bat Lash </em>(ostensibly a lighter-toned book) ended with a female character being threatened with sexual assault, many people- myself included- just kind of held their heads in their hand and groaned.</div><br /><div>Which is why the Newsarama <a href="http://http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/Jan08/previews/1_02.html">preview</a> for issue two makes me very happy indeed.</div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5151360931574626514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjGbEvk9LHKeAh4bQHseGK9ARPiVNJ00B9qWOMc3NAFAiLrNFuozqSFCwmDddDAtoPKYFePcLOZMgwCypqrumpD8fU4uWJLr-8M8VHVy1uokDv_nWQgZi8tkWACLTg5OC0NOTypB4zV5p/s400/01_02previews_2.jpg" border="0" />I know its just co-incidence that this comes a couple of days after the Something Positive <a href="http://http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp12272007.shtml">cartoon </a>but I'd really, really like to see this be a trend.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-8292504279656014342007-12-21T13:03:00.000+13:002007-12-21T14:53:55.503+13:00Fancy that.<div>The folk at Dynamite Entertainment and Top Cow (Famous for such fine all-ages reading fare as <a href="http://wizarduniverse.com/_images_/000063/COVER-170-WITCHBLADE.jpg">Witchblade </a>and <a href="http://http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/bestselling-comics-2007/3342-1.jpg">Magdalena</a>) are doing one of those inter-company <a href="http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=140336">crossover thingies</a> designed to boost the profile of their properties to each other's respective audience: This time, its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Darkness_%28comics%29">The Darkness</a> and <a href="http://http://www.dynamiteentertainment.com/htmlfiles/c-EVA.html">Eva: Daughter of Dracula</a>: in this case, the Darkness is a long-running independant horror comic and Eva is a newer character who seems to be an attractive girl with a sword.</div><br /><div></div><div>The astute comic book reader will recognise this ploy from 62.35% of the comics published between 1992-1998. The covers would feature <a href="http://http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/24/Purgatori_Sitting.jpg">buxom lasses </a>wearing clothing in inverse proportion to the size of their busts, and <a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Spawn_Classic.jpg">muscular dudes standing in the shadows </a>with, like, tentacles or shadows or shadowy tentacles coming out of their backs. Like all the great ideas in comics publishing, this idea got real old real fast, and I see nothing in what has been released so far about this project to indicate otherw-</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.newsarama.com/dynamitenew/Eva/Darkness-Eva01_Renaud_Cov-FINAL.jpg" border="0" /></div><br /><p>Well, wouldja look at that. Female character whose breasts aren't the focus of the picture, wearing clothing exposing only a socially acceptable level of flesh holding a sword in a determined pose with a facial expression that doesn't indicate submission or undue sexual excitement.</p><p>Aw, Top Cow comics covers. You're all growing up. ^_^</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-25358446640181523402007-12-20T22:12:00.000+13:002007-12-20T22:29:55.726+13:00Being Slightly UnfairI was re-reading the <a href="http://www.vicsage.com/wp/">vicsage.com</a> interview series with Greg Rucka tonight, and <a href="http://www.vicsage.com/wp/interviews/conversation-with-greg-rucka-part-3-of-5/">this bit</a> made me immediately think of Judd Winick, Green Arrow/Black Canary, et al:<br /><br /><i><span style="font-weight: bold;">EN:</span> Maybe that’s the proper question to ask, not why, or when, or who, but what did the Question’s death bring to the story…. </i><p><span style="font-weight: bold;"><i>GR:</i></span><i> There are multiple answers to that, I think. First and foremost, it was a good story, that did what a good story should do — it left an impact, it made the reader feel something, and it had worth. It wasn’t, shall we say, just killing a character for the sake of seeing their blood spill.</i></p>I think that that is what really ticks me off about the way GA/BC has been going: <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/4075125.html?page=2">Ollie's "death,"</a> <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/4597145.html">Connor's "death"</a>... they're so... emotionally hollow and cynical. They're cheating: getting a cheap rise from the reader with a cheap shock. Its about as sophisticated as scaring a horror movie audience with a character turning the corner to be confronted with a major chord, and combined with all the other arbitary character deaths over the DCU lately, about as meaningful.<br /><br />Hopefully, now that Greg Rucka's going back to freelancing, he'll have time to give writing workshops to Winnick and DC's other hatchet men. Lord knows they need it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-59294397874936838112007-12-14T19:51:00.000+13:002007-12-14T19:56:29.114+13:00John Rambo: For Good or for Awesome?<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8M1KiXWWTxg&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8M1KiXWWTxg&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />From watching this trailer, its hard to tell if this is an argument for or against American isolationism. In the same way that <i>Black Hawk Down</i> was an hour-and-a-half commercial for how if you join the army, you can kill all the black people you want.<br /><br />Me, I'm waiting for Master Chief to jump in the seat of that Warthog Stallone's manning the turret of. ^_^Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-22562672004967172932007-12-11T21:59:00.000+13:002007-12-11T22:12:42.898+13:00I have no idea how I lived without this webcomic.<a href="http://catandgirl.com/view.php?loc=91">Cat and Girl.</a><br /><br />Honestly. This thing just <a href="http://catandgirl.com/view.php?loc=87">cracks me up.</a> I mean, <a href="http://catandgirl.com/view.php?loc=104">seriously</a>.<br /><br />I don't even care that it <a href="http://catandgirl.com/view.php?loc=113">invalidates my life.</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-77433197043747137532007-12-11T20:31:00.000+13:002007-12-11T20:51:44.995+13:00Why I Read Them Wimmins BlogsAlmost all of my comics blogosphere reading is comprised of blogs by female comics fans who tend to comment on issues of gender in comics: <a href="http://girl-wonder.org/girlsreadcomics/">Karen Healey</a>, <a href="http://ami-rants.blogspot.com/">Ami Angelwings</a>, WFA, <a href="http://leftarrow.livejournal.com/">Leftarrow</a>, <a href="http://ragnell.blogspot.com/">Ragnell</a>, <a href="http://tammy212.livejournal.com/">Tamora Pierce</a>, <a href="http://occasionalsuperheroine.blogspot.com/">Occasional Superheroine</a>. I agree with many of their points and hopes for mainstream comics, but thats not all of it. I identify with the feminist comics movement for purely selfish reasons.<br /><br />I want comics to be better. I want better stories.<br /><br />A story is comprised of many different bits. There's the plot. There is text and subtext. There are themes, intended and unintentional. There are characters, and their characterization.<br /><br />There is no feminist comics agenda, or hive-vagina mind. But the common thread I've noticed in all the feminist comics blogs I've followed is:<br /><br />They want female characters to be fully fleshed out, to be allowed to achieve their full potential. They want the stories to be better.<br /><br />I can get behind that, and can't understand anyone who can't.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-50161444724897653202007-12-02T21:29:00.001+13:002007-12-02T23:26:15.307+13:00Countdown to Mystery is Actually Neato<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpbCqtWFBrVrDTjsF-p6-ILP4uMKJnnlbe9BB0TzdaowWkJUtVOgM5ODF1ZNakoiYh6JYfPnr8gH3zILaX_EGMswlFPmM-xsSK5NQ-4MeeeFFW6Kl2vjb2ltKCuKpCrLjwgroHA456qLf/s1600-r/Mystery3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDFheXAKZn28zEjjBXtajPnP66RVVnjINjFDEv5l-spzgfCGmvJovGJHlqVEuP8vHSRfUdbYyHGHKXZ8FLhYVRnyJo7H2iV-r9ngt4DIIbNpzD3cOurfTw669IHEwxchvjgp8QDqQ1hO0/s400/Mystery3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139290070110401218" border="0" /></a><br />I've been following this book because of a <a href="http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=129681">really neat interview</a> with writer Steve Gerber, and it has yet to disapoint.<br /><br />That is to say: The Dr. Fate part of the book hasn't disappointed- the back-up feature with JeanClipso corrupting Plastic Man is... um...<br /><br />How can I say this nicely?<br /><br />Rubbish.<br /><br />At least the art's pretty though:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ut2cvdaY4mq70WW03J6gpF5L3txnuJSoAQ-jJ-xYide1JNZ7saoxJg2G9yWNOv0PO-9dQY8jcLN9WDyldwlxPgAQNuV_UDRJ5xtuEFw5tjs1C7H97ycqzgPwFDZk20rCR8x3FQ9L8a0U/s1600-r/Mystery3Bats.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinOqne3cZmxUyUTanUkKDRT5n3rGmiMQbhcPkfTjIIzUIoDVZk0b9tFcj_cAlx2oQ_85gzS_hL4YisNODGuJikcTqMTIfy_SdB6eOjqGSyUJ57w3rC8gdmKE3ZwCQgXxLorOKPxmAij95O/s400/Mystery3Bats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139302044479222482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Dr Fate's story, however, is an account of one man dragging himself up from the pits of despair (Las Vegas); a man wrestling with his doubts and depression and the train wreck he's made of his own life, yet still finding worth in this torrid existence.<br /><br />Plus, a spiffy hat.<br /><br />I guess that the story resonates with me because I'm also prone to depression? And also wear spiffy hats?<br /><br />I'm just worried, though, that this story won't find its audience- it reads more like an early Vertigo tale (circa Animal Man, perhaps?) rather than something that should have the Countdown brand slapped across it.<br /><br />Although:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCMzUt6jyetodZl-xsDlC5i2PezqyD-LMjPefIRHLcyVy5SlYluZIAX5H3X9XJGwnx3CJQaqlmPy2JsOuby5B8DOKBxaz0XrURnfLVGDuJWCX6lyTczNTeH0Vvu_hT_Xyj6OYDcYGFbUQ/s1600-r/Mystery3boot1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeHBXQG-Wyv1NL0KFBvbrL43zSgpGUg_t0-9ClRjz_nKZTVnqk7mqvn-7xt5ooRjJknGWWcty-oaHyyIOt6taW-AZum8sJaanBPcgmT1pb5HqhhgmGmRn1odged879liMHTODpUFPK655/s400/Mystery3boot1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139305416028549858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqd-LT6Ta79bqLrPPM0-CvYMZ2sekoKssRtrg1RjWcN6uE3WvOR9tIKly8pmIKPeJhn9RM3rzc214SaRh58h1Q5LiIa6y7JNNY9ZI-QQRFPB-TubisP317wmQWa_N3DQs7cOlkRqRTKaHS/s1600-r/Mystery3boot2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtAMf9qa0fJqmON8Thz5dJhb3Lc83EEqHHIXkDnw5MIMJU-0-X7mftVHMqzVtSzXdyV1yj1yTk-gvSp0ErTH67BLtSp_igW_D7cDTiAu44bm2XJyH0weJbym0mc23Whl2-BLKtStRQh5H/s400/Mystery3boot2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139319074024551154" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Two</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span> panels of foot-to-face action! Not quite up to the heady boots-to-face ratio of, say, Iron Fist, but its good to know the <a href="http://www.the-isb.com/">meme </a>is spreading.<br /></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-68217790408797784712007-12-02T21:04:00.001+13:002007-12-20T18:56:11.732+13:00And Now, In Bizarre Censorship News...I present to you, the censored and uncensored covers for Atlantis Rising: Number One.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikqxvoz592qQxb-g-u7LuOk61a9aS72gam1q-13sEPOjmCOphfurHc2bp6V-bBV3QA-qYJY3KZDeskq977I27Vvwzkg_BkdKLuUj_CBrqK0D21q88rbDaVE0_fRCihE81qV6cPBrpeEU7m/s1600-r/AtlantisRisingCvr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4bCtKLH-by8etx3W15Isy4KY2UXlc0pHJytdeODFGS6MILkKcH5uvsCh1Ix83AiTF4Wp6o7WDGLpyWC4Jxs42YCksN-GNDZiYuXd3S3rnEk2bzNs4zU23KtMfQbtutDzHjZgdvEU_Dyd/s320/AtlantisRisingCvr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139283752213508738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRvgdJ262NL0txejdjM0LpneZJZg7yRikyMZDrY3XtLdFvSlgV7SNoKeQHEahAWH241dz7f7wafHdHHQcmIDRcHiu3pPBYypU7VsEwvocWgwgzVdWpwrE0JFtasbGbsthynbL6Vs4WQh0/s1600-r/AtlantisUncensored.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwGiO3ZrjIVVkuq49HhqUf4g4qIDLGadaCG0niSm1Kwb_g4nnnRIxLjnfQJekQ48n1slA29izfVkeECBu8ss7g0c0vOs5AG0omqohHmBFjmTlcaf2UmZuUvizp5Uk0R_2zgFOEIDZlDgI2/s320/AtlantisUncensored.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139283932602135186" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Worked it out? No, its not my weird gamma settings on my scanner which make the underater people look like they've been sunbathing in Chernobyl. Here's a hint:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MoXubyM-dLkt9vI9BVZtt3u7KEGco5CJTIeL_AzU_JS9-bjOzeMM2aoQAN79t1sn6kW5n3INzmClc_a8-PZxmAZ667Gj6vHKrArUZmqbSse4W1w-kt4a98gARHW2RMrApsSi9tz-JxKs/s1600-r/AtlCenDetl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPFmHuDRwlRO1598HCQ0GcP66XQ_jLqoyxt8pZvsznNkRMsmNQHczIuAennyGxoiLfeQrGGY1d6wMm7H1QIgBrXQ6W8rQXV_pvUmPMnj38S_xbtDe22Jj4keCZt2vmo3LW5VyqNFeuQul/s400/AtlCenDetl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139284357803897506" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQw9B8G74273vitGhlM5Ne0cL5_zyc5Rxnp_3CdRiq_X7RVNRAw0veFCFTlqVS0r8Eu6AZAtruJtZeOnr_QtJqwPOlUa5s-y74GiFr0CuXcrAEcI3Tv2RzYTwiAmPg-oPt7efc30RRefm/s1600-r/AtlUncDetail.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5W_xLYNU_E7LxHOPFpotQgSrHP2CihyXQJbg750YCvFD1DwnHXslhPRJyBpzn3E6TQDuwBeadPpmT2NgtGz9VAUDR8SM6CC8PJlo9bL_kpgjPoUZPE0PZ9qMlClB04f3X_jQxnZqUv7iQ/s400/AtlUncDetail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5139284357803897522" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />An accident with a photoshop filter, or yet more evidence that society is intolerant of Fish-People and their perfectly natural, if not beautiful, foot claws? YOU decide!<br /><br />EDIT: To clarify: The "Toes are Icky" version can be found on the publisher's website; the uncensored version is the cover to the printed book.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-63290570796955386312007-11-27T21:12:00.000+13:002007-11-27T21:30:26.843+13:00Diana and Clark: Just FriendsGail Simone's new run on Wonder Woman commenced with the recently published <span style="font-style: italic;">Wonder Woman #14,</span> and she continues to use Nemesis as a romantic foil. Which I don't mind one bit- he's handsome enough, I suppose, and not a complete douche. I don't really buy the hasty retcon that he no longer remember's Diana's superheroic identity, but hey, you can't win them all.<br /><br />Partly its because romantic foils for Wonder Woman are so darn scarce: Steve Trevor, back before the Crisis, was a bit of a wet blanket. Post crisis, Etta Candy bet Diana to tapping that ass. In yo' <span style="font-style: italic;">face</span> chosen of the Amazons!<br /><br />So that really leaves Batman and Superman. Of the two, Bats has probably got the most going for him: he's suave, he's a hairy-chested globe-trotting badass, and he's the Goddamn Batman:<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/vickihotdamn.jpg" alt="I'll get new material when Goddamn Frank Miller does." border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the other hand, he <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> the <a href="http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/tag/the+goddamn+batman">Goddamn </a><a href="http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/1933115.html">Batman</a>.<br /><br />Superman, though, is waaaay out of the picture. For one, he's married. And Diana don't play that. Two, they did try dating... Once. Way back in... the PEREZ ERA!<br /><br />George Perez' reboot of Wonder Woman has a lot going for it. He got rid of the silly "has no strength when bound by... a MAN!" weakness, it has some gorgeous art, and is generally a lot less offensive all around. By and large. Etta Candy doesn't have an obsessive compulsive desire to gorge herself, for example.<br /><br />(Incidentally, I plan on making another post about how glad I am Etta made an appearance in <span style="font-style: italic;">WW#14. </span>Stay tuned, but here's a hint: I think Etta is awesome.)<br /><br /><br />And then we get moments... like this.<br /><br />Diana has been in Patriarch's World a while now, and is chillaxing in her friend Julia Kapatelis' house. Coming from a society of women, she's still not used to this whole "man" thing yet. They smell funny. Never pick up after themselves. And yet...<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/diannasupes1.jpg" alt="That red dot symbolizes the naughty things." border="0" /></a><br /><br />...Superman makes her face explode.<br /><br />Understandably confused by these recurring dreams, which might be explained by the <i>epic</i> amounts of Superman Fan Club magazines strewn about her bed-<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/diannasupes2.jpg" alt="Its research material." border="0" /></a><br /><br />She does what anyone would do.<br /><br />She gets nekkid and prays to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eros_%28god%29">Eros</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/dianasupes3.jpg" alt="I presume that getting nekkid is the standard practice when praying to the gods on Paradise Island." border="0" /></a><br /><br />She gets no answer, because Eros was way too busy reading Frank Miller's <span style="font-style: italic;">300.</span><br /><br />Also: She's trying to figure out if her feelings towards Superman are the same that her mother harbours towards a thug that seduced her, robbed her, and let the men under his command rape her people? Diana needs to get some... healthier relationship role models, is all I'm saying.<br /><br />Seeing as her gods have abandoned her, she turns to the next most logical source of guidance on all matters of the heart.<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/dianasupes4.jpg" alt="You should totally pass him a note in Math!" border="0" /></a><br /><br />This is Vanessa Kapatelis, the daughter of Diana's best friend and mentor Julia Kapatelis. She's like thirteen years old. So she sets Diana straight- you've got to approach him, talk to him a bit, tell him how you feel, go on a series of dates to determine if you both feel the same wa-<br /><br />Oh, no she doesn't. She calls Diana's <strike>pimp</strike>PR person and gets her to set them up.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />They meet up in a field somewhere; presumably to get away from the inevitable media junket that would surround the Date of the Titans, but as it turns out, the setting simply reminds Clark of the football field on Prom night back at Smallville High:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/dianasupessmooch.jpg" border="0" alt="SuperCooties!" /></a><br /><br />After this tumultuous start, their date only gets progressively worse- they travel to scenic Olympus, only to find that Darkseid and his crew have crashed the joint and wrecked the furniture. So they spend their entire romantic first date doing the classic "lets fight a little bit 'cos Darkseid tricks us into fighting each other, then team up to defeat the enemy" bit, though if you ask me Diana looks like she's enjoying the first part a little <i>too</i> much-<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/dianasupes6.jpg" border="0" alt="Darkseid statuette proudly supplied by DC Direct." /></a><br /><br />-and eventually they whoop enough ass to make everything right again. Hooray.<br /><br />Hermes whisks them back to the deserted field where they started, and then Supes reveals that he's learned a little something from this experience:<br /><br /><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/dianasupes7.jpg" border="0" alt="~o/...why can't we be friends, why can't we be friends.../o~" /></a><br /><br />Namely, that Wonder Woman is gonna <i>kick his ass</i> but <span style="font-style: italic;">proper</span> if he tries to get fresh again.<br /><br />For reals.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-23608054216204442982007-11-16T20:31:00.000+13:002007-11-16T21:28:36.720+13:00Occasionally Owesome Reviews: Atlantis Rising #1, Groo: Hell on Earth #1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJonIIcHutgCCDP6nR75K3F2VTxBFcn65IFERyBqLpa_XUiNE3eLz8Toffz00qYBPH4_ySedAKMjY5tOOhR5b4-vZDkvhOUF3DsthrsygYyBfnQKKUyyFZzEOJLUJC-QCwpzSwXsZnv2f/s1600-h/AtlantisRisingCvr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJonIIcHutgCCDP6nR75K3F2VTxBFcn65IFERyBqLpa_XUiNE3eLz8Toffz00qYBPH4_ySedAKMjY5tOOhR5b4-vZDkvhOUF3DsthrsygYyBfnQKKUyyFZzEOJLUJC-QCwpzSwXsZnv2f/s320/AtlantisRisingCvr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133349877949467970" border="0" /></a><br />Somehow, I only ended up buying two comics this week, and they both ended up with an environmental message: Atlantis Rising, from Platinum Studios (Words: Scott O. Brown, pretty pictures things by Tim Irwin and colours by Andrew Elder) tells us that we shouldn't be dumping crap on the peaceful aquatic life; and Groo: Hell on Earth from Dark Horse (Words: Mark Evanier, adorable picture bits, Sergio Aragones) reminds us that Al Gore would've been a lot funnier if only he hired Evanier to write all his speeches in rhyming couplets.<br /><br />Attention, small publishers: Making your first issue of a new series .25 American cents will get me to pick up your book. Making it <span style="font-style: italic;">make sense</span> may convince me to buy the next.<br /><br />The premise of the series seems to be that diplomatic relations between the United States and the secretive, isolationist nation of Atlantis have broken down- the filthy "land motes" keep on dumping waste into the waters, establishing offshore drilling platforms, and denying <a href="http://girl-wonder.org/girlsreadcomics/?p=115">Fish-Men</a> basic constitutional rights. Guerrilla war ensues.<br /><br />I'm kind of ambivalent about this issue: I kind of want to like it, just because books about Atlantis appeal to me on principle, but the dialog is choppy and uneven (sample: "We had no idea when we found it how much we would suffer. And now I want to return the favour... <span style="font-weight: bold;">FOR ATLANTIS!</span>") and the art employs a shading technique that makes everyone look like they have massive facial blemishes.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCB2tLhhDgn9B5A5fPju9FyLqOuvcJET_pf7ohBqoo6kkn3z7tz5K7KcDgAPX_sTyf735YbcXjv8kSxddC17IC0nmn3of4tUkKLeBBe0vBRaLMyGHNSIMk9KKrcmV2jiBE6mqIosxuuCnE/s1600-h/AtlantisRising1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCB2tLhhDgn9B5A5fPju9FyLqOuvcJET_pf7ohBqoo6kkn3z7tz5K7KcDgAPX_sTyf735YbcXjv8kSxddC17IC0nmn3of4tUkKLeBBe0vBRaLMyGHNSIMk9KKrcmV2jiBE6mqIosxuuCnE/s320/AtlantisRising1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133343938009697586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbxcuJT9EwyciEPaf31SVcquDYWYWFCSBoWqTZKmDEw8wH3ViNVZQKc_p2XflUecdfCNpYBKZG0-wGAo-DgNCYhr5Y_nVe3CW8JIJB8y3xPwxBXngw2LGRqhYrINIkxlB2QQRwcrH2WDS/s1600-h/GrooOnEarth.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAbxcuJT9EwyciEPaf31SVcquDYWYWFCSBoWqTZKmDEw8wH3ViNVZQKc_p2XflUecdfCNpYBKZG0-wGAo-DgNCYhr5Y_nVe3CW8JIJB8y3xPwxBXngw2LGRqhYrINIkxlB2QQRwcrH2WDS/s320/GrooOnEarth.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133350208661949778" border="0" /></a>...I'm fairly certain the Plucky Girl Reporter character isn't meant to have Downs Syndrome.<br /><br />Oh, and if you want to make your antagonists seem threatening: you shouldn't let a pasty, paunchy, elderly dude evade their guards for two and a half pages. I'm just, y'know, saying.<br /><br />Result: Fail.<br /><br />Groo: Hell on Earth, on the other hand, is a delight. Yes, Evanier and Aragones have been telling the same joke for <i>twenty-six years</i> now, but the fact that they can still find ways of making it work is a testimony to the skill of all involved.<br /><br />The gag this time around goes something like this: Groo wanders into a country, kickstarts the Industrial Revolution, social commentary happens. This book is at once rewarding to long-time readers, and very very accessible to a new audience.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BuLFcfe2BY77U84vUtyIlxRqsZwYGCirTs9bG-qVXG0LaNkX5fDF5nbcLMFkd2J3MaQXzVjs-rmpUg83EQBKFI2nah1CNSD8HLXTrObEmyt8Mktm44Nv7vXd0EaQAaXeTRz5u8uArAGK/s1600-h/groojob.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2BuLFcfe2BY77U84vUtyIlxRqsZwYGCirTs9bG-qVXG0LaNkX5fDF5nbcLMFkd2J3MaQXzVjs-rmpUg83EQBKFI2nah1CNSD8HLXTrObEmyt8Mktm44Nv7vXd0EaQAaXeTRz5u8uArAGK/s320/groojob.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133351488562204002" border="0" /></a>I swear, 90% of <i>my</i> job interviews go like that too. Truly, Groo is a comic everyone can relate to.<br /><br />Result: Success!<br /><br />I'll be doing these reviews about once a week/when the mood takes me, by the by. Please don't hesitate to let your own thoughts be known!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-12924797363663386872007-11-08T12:18:00.000+13:002007-11-08T12:31:46.038+13:00Crime Bible: Five Lessons in Blood #1 is rather good.But you don't need me to tell you that. Oh, no. Greg Rucka + crime fiction + character that he really, truly loves = Great Comics. Its almost like the Sixth Law of Awesomdynamics.<br /><br />I'm digging this Tom Mandrake fellow on art as well. He's good value.<br /><br />What you need <i>me</i> for is to remind you that:<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/reneeserious.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket" /></a></span><br /><br />Renee Montoya is Damn Serious.<br /><br />For <i>real.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7764590118401196685.post-45462246862787796242007-11-02T18:37:00.000+13:002007-11-02T18:41:49.387+13:00Green Arrow/Black Canary first arc ending shock!<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/MC_Owesome/grannypimpmax.jpg" border="0" alt="I just hope this doesn't lead to another illegitimate child for Ollie..." /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16786612774046724453noreply@blogger.com0