Oh hey, it’s Wednesday, and it’s time to take a look at…
…Yeah, I kinda neglected to do this last week, and you’ll understand why when we get to it. Also, it ended up working out pretty well, since I bought something yesterday, and received a little something that I paid for a week ago and was expecting to receive at Harbour Con, but was ready for me a couple of days early. So, let’s start with what I bought last week, Talon #10.
The reason why I didn’t talk about this is because I wasn’t really all that inspired to talk about it. Maybe it was just kinda underwhelming, maybe it was because I had other stuff to talk about, or maybe I’m just used to doing bunches of comics all at once nowadays. Regardless, not much really happened. Calvin Rose got into a fight with one of Bane‘s goons, got cornered by a whole whack of them, but then was saved by Casey Washington’s buddies, which led into a much bigger fight on the horizon with Bane himself. The only thing of real relevance was that Casey managed to get herself free, and I was kinda expecting she would anyway. I will say that I DO feel delighted to know I correctly assumed the lead woman in this story, who is not a superhero, would be able to take care of herself just fine when kept in the Court of Owls‘ headquarters. 🙂
Adjectiveless X-Men #3 had a bit of a delightful mislead: Rather than the box with the ticking timer being a bomb, it instead is an override device that pretty much sets the X-Mansion against Kitty Pryde and the students, though they seem to be able to get out of danger just fine thanks to Bling (Hey, I’m finally learning people’s names! ^_^ ). Meanwhile, the rest of the team go with Sublime and track Arkea to a hospital. It seems she’s been busy with the patients, enslaving their minds, but Psylocke holds her at…erm, blade-point, while she’s in Karima’s body. She seems hesitant to go through with taking her down, though, but Karima manages to regain control just long enough to take Psylocke’s blade and damage herself enough to seemingly force Arkea out, though she leaves herself in critical condition. Overall, another great issue of a series that is definitely my favourite Marvel book thus far, with some awesome moments with Jubilee and her kid, and I honestly kinda hope Karima recovers well enough that she joins the team. Just seems like the logical step to make given how much time they used to establish just how much she means to the X-Men.
So when I learned that Batman Annual #2 was gonna be a tie-in to Zero Year, and then saw the preview pages showing him walking into Arkham Asylum in the costume to be locked away, I naturally was like “WTF?! They locked him up?!”. However, it seems Scott Snyder was kinda trolling us with those first few pages, as Batman’s actually there to test the new security systems. So how does this tie-in to Zero Year? Well apparently, while looking through files at the Asylum, he attracted some unwanted attention by a woman staying there who can walk through walls, referred to as the Anchoress. Essentially, she’s there because she actually WANTS treatment, but over the years, less attention was given to her as Batman started sending additional villains there. She breaks out when she finds out he’s present and nearly traps him in an inescapable prison of his own mind, but thanks to some help from a new guy working at the Asylum, he manages to stop her and return her to her cell, all the while the new guy arranges for the Anchoress’ treatment to be restored. Overall, a nice read, and much better than the last Batman Annual.
Y’know, there’s something to be said about a cover done like this for a book where major change happens. lol
Fearless Defenders #7 promised major change to the status quo, and it has. As you’ll recall, last time on Fearless Defenders, fan favourite Annabelle Riggs died to stop Valkyrie’s rampage as the Maiden of Rage. Well, good news to fans of the character, she’s alive again!…Sorta. I’ll admit, I’m a little confused, but long story short, Valkyrie goes to Valhalla where she finds Clea and asks her to resurrect Annabelle. Clea says it can only be done with a sacrifice of some sort, though it appears to work just fine, and they all return to Misty Knight‘s safe house, Valkyrie stating that Clea would be safer with the Defenders. However, upon arriving, only Clea and Annabelle are present, until Annabelle turns into Valkyrie, Clea stating that the two will need time to get used to some changes. I read that and was like “…Wait, WHA???” over and over for a good fifteen minutes. As near as I can tell, Annabelle’s spirit has been bonded to Valkyrie’s, and they essentially are now, as SongbirdDiamond on Twitter referred to them, the Superior Valkyrie…Except, y’know, not stupid. lol Either way, colour me intrigued.
The End Is Here…
And now, the big one: Batman Incorporated #13, the end of Grant Morrison‘s run on Batman, and……..I feel kinda underwhelmed. Now, before ANYONE calls me out on this, I am NOT saying this is a bad comic by ANY stretch of the imagination. However, I did see a couple of things coming from a mile away, namely that the mystery woman who kidnapped Jason Todd was Kathy Kane, the original Batwoman, and that Talia was going to die, killed by a bullet to the skull by Kathy. All of this is being shown to us as Bruce narrates the events to Commissioner Gordon at the GCPD, following his arrest that we saw in Batman Incorporated #1 of the New 52. He tries to be a bit vague, though, as to keep Jim from knowing that he and Batman are one and the same. However, some inner monologue boxes from Gordon suggests that he’s always had a hunch that they are but keeps it to himself, mainly because it doesn’t really matter to him who Batman really is. Then we learn that some woman (most likely Kathy) has bailed Bruce out and gotten the charges against him dropped. All the while Bruce was contemplating shutting Batman Inc. down, but a returning Alfred gives him reason to stick around: Damian and Talia’s graves, both dug up and their bodies missing. And as this goes on, Ra’s al Ghul has retaken control of the admittedly battered League of Assassins and is now breeding an army of Damian clones.
…The Game Is Over…
So why do I feel underwhelmed by this issue? Well, because this is the LAST issue of Grant Morrison’s run, and despite it ending where it began, with Bruce and Talia and Damian, I’m left with so many frakking questions! How did Kathy Kane bail Bruce Wayne out of all his charges and lift the ban on the Bat Symbol? What’s Jason Todd’s plans now that it’s been revealed he was actually working for Talia but betrayed her? What happened to Talia and Damian’s bodies at the end? If the Fatherless was the actual individual to become Batman 666, why are we getting a ‘What If?’ mini-series about how Damian becomes Batman 666? With so many Damian clones being created, does that make it possible for the real one to come back someday? Is the British Government really going to resurrect Knight somehow? What’s the status of Batman Incorporated as a group now that the book is cancelled? Is there any chance they’ll let Chris Burnham do a Batman of Japan series? And most important of all, WHO’S GONNA FEED BATCOW?!?!
…No More Pretending…No More…! NO MORE!
Now, of course, I expect that all these things will be answered soon enough. However, if Grant Morrison was going to create so many major changes to the status quo, you’d think he’d wanna give the resolution himself, unless of course it turns out he wanted to but for whatever reason he couldn’t. Either way, it leaves a lot unresolved for his LONG run with Batman. Still, as I said before, it ended where it began, and that’s oftentimes the best place for a massive story-line to end.
This city’s afraid of me. I’ve seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood. And when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout “Save us!”… and I’ll look down and whisper “No.”
So, I finally rectified a mistake I’d made for quite some time and bought Watchmen on DVD. And if you’re wondering what took me so long, the answer is simple: I honestly thought I already had it on DVD somewhere. lol Yeah, not sure why I thought that, but whatevs. I have it now. Of course, I’ve already seen it at least a couple of times, and it still remains a great flick. And yeah, I know they made it without the slimey squid, but I don’t really think that’s anywhere near as low as the standards of the 90’s Kid. 😛
Six Winds Blow As One They Will Turn The Tide We Are Marching On Standing Side By Side And We’ll Carry On Until All The Fire Has Gone Blown Away, Away To Lands Beyond
And finally, my friend Nikki-Lee Dyckow drew this picture of The Hexagon, my superhero team (which, I promise, I will get back to eventually). I LOVE this so much, and she even made some improvements, like giving Strix boots that more resemble an owl’s talons, and The Bard a more medieval look…She also gave her slightly bigger boobs, which is a little odd, and was a little disturbing to N. Harmonik, but at least it provided a good laugh from me while explaining it to her. 😀
So that’s it for this week. Next week, we check in with The Movement and their attack on a police headquarters, and venture back to the world known as Earth 2. Ja né!
So, I noticed there was some buzzing about on Twitter today regarding the preview pages for Superman Annual #2. So I checked up on it, and I found that the opening page of a book that I believe is meant to spotlight Lois Lane‘s 75 years in comic book history was THIS.
…Nope, I’m not gonna say anything. I’m not gonna rant, scream, or tell anybody off, because having checked Twitter, I think it’s safe to say that anything worth saying has been said already…But I AM gonna show this one picture, just because it’s both hilarious and fits this situation SO much.
Wow, I’m glad I saved that. I’ve gotten so much mileage out of that one screenshot…Now, I obviously expect this to end with some kinda twist where she turns out to be alive and was either having an out-of-body experience, or this is taking place in an alternate Earth, or something along those lines. Regardless, I would just like to remind that THIS is how this book opens: With Lois Lane sprawled out dead on the pavement in what people are already referring to as a torture porn pose. I don’t know if I actually see the torture porn aspect of it, mind you. I think they actually nailed that worse when Black Mask was torturingStephanie Brown (seriously, you’d think they’d learn by now). It’s still horrible, though.
Superman + Lois Lane = The Original OTP
So, to every single Lois Lane fan in the world, I offer the following suggestion: Give yourself a HUGE hug, and DO NOT BUY Superman Annual #2. Ja né.
So, I heard SOMEBODY’S got a birthday today! Hit it, Kougami!
So yeah, it’s Gail Simone‘s birthday, and in spite of my headache and overall lack of sleep making me feel like hell today, I thought I’d come online to talk a little bit about some of the things I’m thankful to her for…
Lemme put this in perspective. When Gail Simone was given Wonder Woman, Amazons Attack had just happened a few months ago. Y’know, that book that pretty much tore down Wonder Woman’s mythos and shat all over it? Well, DC kinda realized they royally frakked up there and decided to let Gail Simone fix Wonder Woman. Turns out, that actually was a REALLY good decision. I’ve read The Circle, it is AMAZING, and anyone who loves Wonder Woman should go read it…Although I wish DC would give her Wonder Woman again to try to fix the mess they’ve made of her in the New 52.
Okay, here’s a book I have yet to read, and I REALLY need to rectify this someday. I only ever hear great things about her initial run on Birds of Prey, and if gave SO MUCH by just being there. There was supposed to be an episode of JLU that would feature Barbara bringing Huntress and Black Canary together for a mission, which Gail Simone wrote, but sadly, it couldn’t happen due to copyright issues involving Batgirl. Still, we got an episode to feature them together, which led to more down the road. Again, rumours have been circulating that the DCAU is making a comeback in the near future, and I would LOVE to see Gail get another crack at writing a Birds episode.
Making Wonder Woman AWESOME Again…In A Movie! XD
This might just be one of the best DC animated movies ever. It’s gotta be at least in the top 5. While the violence of the 2009 Wonder Woman movie could get a bit excessive, it is still the closest portrayal to the character and the best revamping of her origins I’ve ever seen. Don’t get me wrong, I love the JLU version of Wonder Woman too, but as far as a stand-alone movie that’s just about her, this was amazing. It kinda makes me wonder why live action attempts at portraying the character in the past few years have failed so miserably.
Writing Batgirl in the New 52
Okay, let me make one thing abundantly clear for anybody who doubts this: Making Barbara Gordon Batgirl again, taking her out of the wheelchair, and retconning the existence of her replacements and her time as Oracle was fucking STUPID. PERIOD. If there is anybody that still debates that, it is only for a single reason: Gail Simone is the writer for Batgirl in the New 52. That does not make the concept behind this book any less stupid, people. However, it does speak volumes of Gail Simone’s writing talent. She took this ludicrous concept that went back on DC’s word for YEARS, and she made it WORK. To this day, I still don’t know how she did it. Now, there have been recent issues that had moments that annoyed me, I’ve mentioned them before, and I MIGHT be skipping the next couple of issues as a result. But, overall, Gail’s run on Batgirl has been a HUGE success.
So, there’s the four biggest things I’m thankful to Gail Simone for. I’d add Red Sonja, but her run has only just gotten started, so I gotta wait it out a bit to see if it continues to be so awesome. Also, while The Movement has been an enjoyable read, I wouldn’t put it up there with the rest of these, though I do hope it sticks around. Anyway, be sure to send your own birthday wishes to her on Twitter, and I will see y’all later, ‘cuz I gotta rest my head for a bit. Ja né!
So, I took a look back at my favourite DC and Marvel superheroes from my birthday last month. While I still agree with those lists, I do feel as though there were a number of characters that deserved to be honourable mentions for DC. So, that’s what I’m gonna do now. Here are 10 heroes I think deserve to be mentioned with honours. lol
I believe I already covered what it is I like most about this character (no not THOSE…though they ARE nice, lol). For those who didn’t see, I particularly like how Power Girl not only has the abilities of Superman, she also is the head of her own business. Combine that with a never-say-die attitude and…well, THOSE, and you’ve got yourself a winning formula in Power Girl, who I DEFINITELY wouldn’t mind seeing in the Man of Steel movies someday. Kara’s also one-half of the Worlds’ Finest with Huntress, though sadly that book doesn’t present the best depiction of the character. Still, we do occasionally see them as a powerful duo.
I mentioned these two before as being tied as the unofficial #11 in my 10 Favourite DC Superheroes, and I still stand behind that. Though personalities and the manner in which they gained their powers couldn’t be more different, both bring honour to the name Green Lantern, and they are my personal favourites to hold that title. Also, VERY glad to see that John Stewart is now a DLC skin/voice swap for Hal Jordan, though I’d kind of like an Alan Scott one too.
The original Robin all grown up. Be he in blue or red, be he in Blüdhaven or Chicago, Dick Grayson will always be a special kind of hero to people. He’s been through having his parents killed before his eyes, leaving his mentor to become leader of his own team, having his wedding broken up, having the love of his life leave him (and the planet for that matter), having to become Batman after Bruce was thought dead for a time, having his old circus troop destroyed, and now having helplessly watched his partner murdered. And yet, in all of this and more, he continues to try to have a positive attitude on the job…Still though, he REALLY needs to go back to blue. lol
Mera
Okay, while I don’t read a lot of the books she appears in, Mera gets on this list for a few reasons. First off, that she neither has nor requires an alias. Second, she’s Queen of Atlantis, which takes up most of the known ocean. Third, much like her husband Aquaman, she has the same natural advantages that he does having operated out of the bottom of the ocean (advanced strength, speed, durability, and sight). Fourth, as I’ve mentioned before, while the power to control water might not seem threatening at first, considering how much water makes up the average human body, that actually conjures up some rather frightening visuals of what she could do if she lost her cool. Speaking of which, while she’s usually a kind-hearted woman, the kind that you could easily get along with, she DOES have an on-again off-again struggle with her sanity. In other words, be as nice as humanly possible to Mera when you see her.
Damian Wayne, AKA Robin
The latest Robin to appear, Damian brought something new to the role. Having the genetics of Bruce Wayne, the skills passed down through the League of Assassins, and many skills and personality traits seen in Dick, Jason, Tim, and Stephanie, Damian could be considered the perfect Robin in a lot of respects…except that he kept killing people. I mean, he meant well, you could tell he cared, but he kept killing bad guys. That just bothered me to no end, though it almost became a running gag wherein if he said “I will kill no more”, he was usually five minutes away from killing someone. Alternately, if he said he WAS going to kill someone, they usually had a good chance of escaping with their lives for some reason. Apparently, he’ll be returning soon for a mini-series that looks at the alternate future where he becomes Batman, and it’ll be awesome to see him again…but dammit Damian, stop killing people. lol
Victor Stone, AKA Cyborg
BOOYAH!…Yeah, I know. lol Anyway, as of the New 52, Cyborg is now a founding member of the Justice League. While this robs him of his history with the Titans, it IS nice to see Vic standing among the big seven that make up Earth’s greatest heroes. Cyborg’s only real flaw is his personal issues, trying to find the balancing point between the machine and the man. Otherwise, you better be packing some serious power when going up against him, or he will flatten you.
This one’s mostly based on his DCAU appearances, though I have checked him out elsewhere and been left confused by something: Martian Manhunter has heat vision in the comics, they’re missing from the cartoon. I’m not really sure why, other than so that two members of the Justice League didn’t have heat vision. However, this brings up something even more confusing: J’onn is vulnerable to fire. Shouldn’t using heat vision hurt him? Well, whatever, he’s still an awesome hero, though he REALLY needs to chill out in the New 52.
Okay, other than a couple of cool moments in Justice League Unlimited, I wasn’t really all that sold on Doctor Fate. Then Earth 2 happened. Now I know better. lol The second most badass individual to have the word “Doctor” in their name, Doctor Fate has a mastery over magic beyond that of any of the other magic-based heroes of the DC Universe. In other words, if he really wanted to, he could kill Superman just by wiggling his toes. His only real weakness, at least for Khalid in Earth 2, is that wearing the Helmet of Nabu can have some negative psychological effects. Otherwise, he might just be the greatest of Earth 2’s heroes, and is all too deserving to be a founding member of the JSA when it eventually forms.
Helena Wayne, AKA Huntress
There have actually been two women to predominantly go by the name Huntress. Prior to the reboot, Huntress was a woman named Helena Bertinelli, the daughter of a mafia boss who became Huntress to fight the very same kind of crime her family once created, eventually becoming a member of the Birds of Prey and getting this weird belly window for her costume that carried over into Justice League Unlimited. In the New 52, much like the original pre-Crisis interpretation of the character, Huntress is one half of the Worlds’ Finest with Power Girl, and is Batman’s daughter from Earth 2, though thus far, he has yet to show that he has any knowledge of this. Personally, I think she should just talk to him, especially given recent events. It might get him to cool down a little to know he still has family. Both are hardcore asskickers armed with crossbows, and both are deserving to be on this list.
So there ya go, 10 (sort of 11) honourable mentions. Along with Batman, Superman, Stephanie Brown, Wonder Woman, Wally West, Raven, Red Robin, Supergirl, Barbara Gordon, and Hawkgirl, they are my favourite DC Superheroes. Who do YOU think should’ve made it to this list? Lemme know in the comments, and I will see y’all next time. Ja né!
Well, better get your headache meds out now, because it is time to delve into…
Y’know, we live in a world where there’s a pretty lengthy screening process for couples to adopt children. Sadly, this means that a lot of would-be parents, who for whatever reason are unable to have children of their own, cannot adopt due to being outside of whatever standards the parent of the child has set up…And yet, apparently, over in Pakistan, they are literally give-aways…
“Pakistani TV show hands out babies in Ramadan ratings battle”
“A Pakistani TV show is handing out abandoned babies to stunned couples in an attempt to bring back dwindling viewership during Islam’s month-long Ramadan celebration. Amaan Ramazan host Aamir Liaquat Hussain gave the live freebies out during two separate broadcasts in a show that has been dubbed by some as Pakistan’s version of The Price is Right“. Of course, then there’s my favourite comment below, which is the title I’ve given this little tale, written by Carley Smith on Twitter, “And YOU get a baby, & YOU get a baby & YOU get a baby!” *claps*
Y’know, I’m torn between being horrified by this and being kinda jealous that they can apparently get away with doing this. Because, as I said before, we have issues getting people to allow couples to adopt children over here, and Pakistan is just giving them away! How on Earth is this legal?! I know it’s Pakistan, but my God! Also, while I feel screening processes over here can be kinda absurd at times, I hope that the people on these shows have their backgrounds checked.
“Some people seemed thrilled with what they saw as a huge act of generosity from the show. Others were not pleased with what they deemed a publicity stunt geared at bringing in ratings during the holy month of Ramadan, when many Muslims try to limit their TV viewing”. Maybe it’s a publicity stunt, I don’t really know, but personally, I’m more bothered by the fact that one of the children given away was apparently found IN THE TRASH!And this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of this happening, either! It’s actually becoming a VERY disturbing trend!
So, what do I think about this? Like I said, I’m torn on this. On the one hand, these kids CLEARLY need a home, and they’re being provided to couples who want them, one of which apparently were unable to conceive. On the other hand, though, I have no idea how this is legal, it’s highly likely this is a publicity stunt, and unless they’re being insanely careful here, it’s only a matter of time before this backfires somehow. So do I agree or disagree with this? Do I find it ethically sound? Honestly, I wish there was a better way for these kids to find good homes than a frigging game show, but if no one’s gonna do it…I don’t know.
What’s everybody else’s thoughts on this? Looking at comments on the news report, some agree, some disagree, and some are just having fun making the obvious and admittedly funny jokes about this scenario. So what do YOU think of this? Well, because I know some people might not want to voice their opinions for everyone to see, I’m gonna post a poll that you can use instead if you so choose. Either way, lemme know what you think. Ja né!
So, I’m kinda late at doing this, but I thought I’d give my thoughts on the first episode of RWBY. If you’ve followed along with my recaps on the trailers, you’d know that RWBY is all about a team of four young women who fight monsters, gangsters, and other such scum of the world. The first episode is a bit different from what I expected, depicting the first of the characters to be revealed, Ruby Rose, as a tiny bit of a stereotypical anime teenager who’s still in combat training when she gets caught up in a situation involving criminals and Huntresses, women who protect the world from monsters. I won’t give too much away, since I want people to go check it out themselves, but I will say that I like what I’ve seen thus far. You can find it at RoosterTeeth‘s website, or, if you’re still curious, check out the links below for info.
You’re a Huntress…Can I have your autograph??? 😀
Overall, seeing the trailers and this first episode makes me wonder how these four young women, all with varying fighting styles and weaponry, will fare as a team. And that got me thinking: What would it be like to take four women, all superheroes in their own ways, with different personalities, utilizing different combat styles, possibly even completely different universes, and put them on the same team? Heck, who would I even pick?
So, that’s what I have here: A list of four women from different tv series, comics, etc, but all considered superheroes, and all having various powers, abilities, skills, and personalities. This is my all-women superhero team!
So naturally, I’d start with a DC Superheroine, and of them all, Power Girl seemed the most logical choice. She has all the strength and powers of Superman, and is smart enough to run a multi-million dollar business. She’s not invincible, mind you, as she has the same vulnerabilities as Superman too (red sunlight, magic, and Kryptonite), but on a team with three other badass superheroines, she should have more than enough back-up to get her out of trouble should any of those weaknesses come up.
Another comic book superheroine, and like Power Girl, She-Hulk has powers and abilities comparable to one of her universe’s mightiest heroes: The Incredible Hulk. Her strength is just slightly below that of Thor, making her easily the strongest woman in the Marvel Universe. However, unlike her cousin the Hulk, her transformation has little effect on her mental state, meaning she keeps her intelligence, and she’s also worked to make her human form of Jennifer Walters in shape as well, which makes She-Hulk all the more potent a combatant. She possesses a vulnerability to radiation that can mess with her ability to transform, but since she would have three team-mates to back her up, I don’t think that would be a problem. Heck, beyond that, the only way to put a dent in her is to have that kind of power yourself. I’d be surprised if even Power Girl could beat her in a fight……………Note to self: Suggest Power Girl vs She-Hulk in a DEATH BATTLE…Possibly a Bra and Panties Match. XD
Lauren, AKA the true Red Samurai Ranger
You can make the argument that there are plenty of women who have served as Power Rangers that are better characters than Lauren, and I’d tend to agree. However, I don’t really fault her for that, since she came in near the end of Power Rangers Super Samurai and wasn’t given much time to develop a character. What we DO know, however, is that she’s the true Red Samurai Ranger, and is a samurai at least on par with Jayden, the leader of the team while she was in hiding. Not only is she fast, strong, possesses near-limitless fire Symbol Power, and pilots the mighty Lion Folding Zord, her greatest feat is her taste buds, so mighty that even Mia’s cooking tastes good to her…which, I will admit, actually managed to make that terrible running gag funny again after not being funny for at least a year…so I guess I’ll add THAT to her feats, too. In fact, in those few episodes she was in, I found the team dynamic worked a lot better with her as leader. Why the hell did they switch back to Jayden? Oh yeah, ‘cuz that’s what happened in Shinkenger…Note to self, do a rant on Power Rangers Samurai. SOON.
Really, who better to be a member of a team of superheroines than the leader of the Sailor Scouts and Princess of the Moon Kingdom, Sailor Moon. While occasionally (okay, a bit more than occasionally), Sailor Moon can succumb to clumsiness and air-headedness, Serena (Usagi in the original Japanese version) possesses incredible powers. She can purify people of evil, she can create perfect disguises for herself with a magic pen, even her tiara can become a miniature Destructo Disk (Man, EVERYBODY’S ripping off poor Krillin these days). Again, she’s not without her faults, but with her friends backing her up, there is nothing she can’t do.
Anyway, that’s it for tonight. Comment below, and tomorrow I will be sure to talk about…
So it’s been a while since I talked about what I’d do with the New 52 given certain situations, but this one just kinda hit me now. As most of us know, following Trinity War, there’ll be a massive event called Forever Evil. According to solicits for DC Comics in September and October, the Trinity War will end with the “deaths” of the Justice League, Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark, along with nearly all of their members, with the Secret Society of Evil going on a rampage and taking over the world in the absence of the world’s greatest heroes. Now of course, we can kinda gather that this’ll likely turn out to be a ruse of some sort by the Justice Leagues to take down the villains all at once, or that they’re simply put out of commission temporarily and find a way to return to action. Still, it makes one wonder what exactly will be the shape of these three teams following the event.
My personal vote, if it had any meaning whatsoever? I’d say have the Leagues come together to be three distinct teams of a single Justice League. They would continue working as they have been, with the Justice League operating as the #1 response team to the biggest threats to the world, the JLA as the government controlled team, and the JLD as the response team to supernatural threats, but they would also be actively assisting each other wherever possible. Heck, they could even change-up certain members, even add a couple to their ranks, then form a sort of counsel of one or two members from each team to form a leadership role for the group on a whole.
So who would I move where? Well, for starters, I think I’d move Zatanna back to the JLD for the purpose of being its team leader (because I can’t frakking stand Constantine), possibly bring Element Woman with her, bring Amethyst back to the team, and if it turns out that Doctor Light is still alive, I’d move him there too. Also, if he isn’t already, I’d make Swamp Thing a full member. I’d probably swap Cyborg and Martian Manhunter between the teams, as well as Firestorm and The Atom (remember, The Atom is a spy from the JLA right now). Finally, provided she can get away from the DOA, I’d put Batwoman on the JLA, maybe bringing along Goldrush, and I’d finally bring back Hal Jordan to the Justice League, have Shazam stay on the team, and possibly bring Vixen to the team.
I swear to God, DC, if you kill Dick Grayson…
So, with all that said, the teams would look like this…
Justice League
Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Hal Jordan, The Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, The Atom, Shazam, and Vixen
Justice League of America
Steve Trevor, Green Arrow, Katana, Hawkman, Catwoman, Vibe, Simon Baz, Cyborg, Stargirl, Firestorm, and Goldrush
Justice League Dark
Zatanna, Constantine, Frankenstein, Deadman, Madame Xanadu, Swamp Thing, Doctor Light, Element Woman, and Amethyst
…Anyway, that’s just my thoughts. Lemme know what you think below, and I will see y’all next time. Ja né!
Hey guys! Well, I thought I’d talk a little about IT’S MY 300th BLOG ENTRY!!!
Ahh, 300 entries in a little over 2 years on a blog that has brought new meaning to my life…
…Yeah, apparently that new meaning is to torture myself. But today, I feel like being a bit more positive minded, taking a far more optimistic stance on something I’ve ragged on a lot these days: The New 52. A lot of DC fans are STILL pissed off about the reboot that happened two years ago, myself included a lot of times. Decades of continuity gone in a flash(point), characters shoved aside, stories becoming unnecessarily darker in some cases, and almost everything to do with Wonder Woman. And with all of that going on, it’s hard to remember that a lot of good has come out of the New 52 as well, something that occurred to me on Twitter last night while talking to Spoony. So today, I’d like to talk about some of the finer points of the New 52, in no particular order or planned number.
#1 – The Reintroduction of Vibe
Let’s face it, sometimes a character gets introduced who kinda bombs with the audience. However, the New 52 has presented a unique situation where these characters get another shot with a whole new audience and have their personas freshened up a bit to work better, and in no other case is this truer than with Vibe. Let’s be honest, when we all found out that Vibe was on the JLA, we were in horror of what was to come. When we found out Vibe was getting his own series, we wanted to call Arkham Asylum and have Geoff Johns committed. But, looking at how Vibe has turned out, he’s actually one of the better characters in JLA, and while his solo series isn’t my particular cup of tea, I will say that the quality of the stories is still good. So yeah, I’m considering Vibe’s reintroduction a successful one.
#2 – The Court of Owls Storyarc
I kinda wanna put an asterisk over this one since I’m not sure that stuff like Court of Owls required the relaunch, or if Snyder had planned it all along regardless. Either way, though, this was easily the best frigging story of the early days of the New 52, and I still recommend it and Scott Snyder‘s Batman to anyone who wants a great story within the New 52. Likewise, all the really cool stuff that’s come as a result of this story, like James Tynion IV’s Talon, can be added to this list as well.
#3 – The Revamped Alan Scott and Jay Garrick
I know old school fans are gonna wanna kill me for saying this, but I gotta throw this out: I really like the revamped origins for Alan Scott and Jay Garrick, to the point where I actually prefer them to their Golden Age counterparts. Jay Garrick is FAR less selfish than he was originally, and I really like the method by which he becomes The Flash. Alan Scott can at times be kind of a jerk, but it’s usually done in ways that kinda make sense, and frankly, having him actually be on the train when it explodes and losing someone he loves in the process makes the situation far more personal for him, and you feel sadder for him too. James Robinson has been doing an excellent job writing these Golden Age heroes in a present day world, and while I won’t say it’s perfect (there have been small hiccups along the way), it’s still about as good as you can expect, and really, that’s all I can realistically ask for here.
Now, the last three on this list are kind of a trilogy, so I apologize if this gets repetitive really quickly. Basically, it’s three event comics that occurred that are no longer in canon with DC’s universe, and frankly, I’m kinda happy about that. If you need further examples of why, I have four words for you: Atop The Fourth Wall. They were all covered on that show, and better than I possibly could, and pretty much spell out every single reason why these event comics were TERRIBLE. With that said, let’s move on…
#4 – Countdown to Final Crisis NEVER HAPPENED
Yeah, sorry to disappoint, but no matter how bad the New 52 gets, at least we can say this with absolute certainty: COUNTDOWN NEVER HAPPENED. Y’know, that year-long event comic that only continuously sucked more and more the further it went along? Yeah, never happened. Seriously, you know an event comic is bad when the creators of it basically try to pretend that it never happened, and that was BEFORE they hit the universal reset button. And while we’re on the subject…
#5 – Identity Crisis NEVER HAPPENED
Yeah, I know, a lot of people really liked Identity Crisis, and admittedly there IS a good story in there…if you can dig past all the bullshit. I’m sorry, but frankly, I’m happy that in this new universe, Tim Drake‘s parents are alive, the Justice League never wiped Batman’s mind, and Doctor Light is NOT a psycho rapist! Although while we’re on the subject, I WILL say that this is a bizarre fucking universe in that Doctor Light is a good guy and a family man, and Superman is the man who apparently murdered him? By the way, I say apparently since it’s clear it wasn’t his fault, and I’m not 100% sold that Light’s really dead. But anyway, last on the list of event comics I’m glad never happened…
#6 – Cry For Justice NEVER HAPPENED
Okay, while I’m not exactly thrilled that Lian Harper doesn’t exist in this universe, I take comfort in knowing she can eventually be reborn within it and then NOT be horrifically murdered like she was in Cry For Justice! Also, to be perfectly fair, this book sucked plenty bad before and after the death scene, although it WAS the cherry on top. I would love to one day have a sit-down talk with James Robinson and just ask him what the thought process was with this book, especially since I feel like a lot of fans would just yell and scream at him for what happened. I mean, Robinson is NOT a bad writer, but this book was wretched, and I would just like to know what went wrong.
Anyway, that’s all from me. Leave your comments below, and hey, if there’s anything you really like about the reboot, lemme know. Ja né!
Well, get that bottle of booze ready to kill off those suffering brain cells, because it’s time to open up…
No, y’know what? Screw that noise, this is Florida, and I know damned well that Nash and Tara will be talking about it on Monday (or at least I hope they will), so I’m just gonna drop all pretenses for this article. Hit it!
Earlier today, DorkynProudOfIt went out on the World Wide Interwebs, found a horrible story, and brought it all back here for a little segment that Nash likes to call…
So let’s just get to the meat of the matter, and I quote (ran out of good photos of Michael Cole), “Being poor could soon be a crime in the city of Miami. As though life weren’t already difficult enough for people who can’t afford regular housing, they could soon find themselves thrown in jail and their possessions confiscated if they’re caught engaging in certain everyday activities in public.” Oh, where do I fucking start, Florida?!
Well, I should probably note that this is actually not the first time Miami would’ve done this, as they did so for a while in the late 1990’s. They stopped in 1998 when a program was instituted where police would instead offer food and shelter. And before you even mention it, there IS a difference between that and prison, as in prison, you find yourself in close quarters with CRIMINALS! However, as this article goes on, “Despite the program’s success, one Miami City Commissioner wants to back out of the deal and resume arresting homeless people for living on the streets. Marc Sarnoff wants the city to renege on its 1998 agreement and resume arresting homeless people. Specifically, Sarnoff and his allies on the City Commission have hired a law firm to try to modify the agreement so police can arrest anyone who blocks a sidewalk, cooks a meal in a public area using a fire, litters, urinates or defecates in public, or engages in lewd conduct, rather than offering those folks a bed to sleep.”
Oh, but wait dear friends, it gets better. “Sarnoff argues that homeless people in the downtown business district are a ‘chronic problem.’ Indeed, as the Miami Herald points out, ‘Most local shelters are at capacity, meaning police can do little to punish the homeless who urinate in the street or light cooking fires in public parks.’ Instead of vying for more funding to support the hundreds of homeless people who reside in Miami, Sarnoff’s solution is to jail them for living on the streets.” So in other words, he COULD try to get additional funding, but pfft, fuck that, he’s just gonna lock ’em up with Stabby Joe and Rapist Ralph. Thanks, Mister Sarnoff!
…Y’know, when stories like this pop up, people in Florida are quick to suggest we think everybody in that state is a freak of some sort. No, I don’t think that. I think there are plenty of nice, wonderful people living in Florida. I just wonder WHY. Why do sane people continue to live there or go there for vacations when this crap goes on down there? Why can’t we just have all the sane members of society that live there move away and do THIS?
Seriously, you know we as a race have gone completely mad when Bugs fucking Bunny has the sane plan. Anyway, leave your comments below, and I shall see you the next time something insane like this happens. Ja né!
Well, I’ve chilled out a bit. Think I’m hitting burn-out with my stories. Plus, bothered by their lack of success, trying too hard to make them be successful instead of having fun with them, and I’m just baffled by my posters doing better when I put less effort into them…Also, kinda confused as to why I seem to get the most responses from people when I’m having my freak-out moments. lol But regardless, I calmed a bit, hung out with N. Harmonik, and went to the nearby comic book store, which I’m guessing is why you’re REALLY reading, to find out all about…
…That was a really shitty segway. lol Anyway, let’s start with Batman and Robin #22, AKA Batman and Catwoman.
Okay, I know this is going to shock people to their cores, but believe it or not, Catwoman is actually accurately presented here, this book references JLA, AND it makes up for a really dumb moment that occurred recently in Catwoman. But best of all, Bruce isn’t a COMPLETE asshole in this book. Now, he’s kind of a dick to Carrie Kelley, but you can kinda understand it a bit, and he at least is willing to deal with her. Hell, him and Catwoman save a little girl from some baddies and Batman comes off as kinda nice to both of them. If I had to pick on anything, it’s that the teaser to the upcoming Two Face arc seems EXTREMELY tacked on, and…well, you know how this arc in Batman and Robin is supposed to reference the five stages of grief? This one is supposed to be depression, and…honestly, while I get a little bit of depression from Bruce, he already feels like he’s closing in on the acceptance stage. It’s like we skipped some stuff or something. Otherwise, though, WAY better than the past couple of issues, and if you wanna see Catwoman done right in the New 52, this is one comic to look to, so kudos to Peter Tomasi for bringing back the one true Catwoman in this book, and without pulling her zipper down too.
So I may have been making a mistake the past few issues of Supergirl, as Mike Johnson actually tagged out for Michael Alan Nelson. My bad, though I will admit to being amazed at how I didn’t notice AT ALL. Clearly Mike #3 was watching what Mikes 1 & 2 were doing with Supergirl prior…Yes, every person to write Supergirl in the reboot was named Mike or Michael. I’m not kidding. But anyway, Supergirl #22 was good, but I have two sort-of complaints about it. The first is that Cyborg Superman‘s actual plans for Supergirl are revealed pretty quick, but considering we already knew he was evil and he only lets it slip because someone’s threatening to mess with said plans (spoilers, it’s Brainiac), it’s not too big a deal. The other complaint is that…well, Supergirl pwns Cyborg Superman pretty easily here. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see Supergirl kick serious ass, but I was under the impression that Cyborg Superman was kinda supposed to be a big deal in the Superman books, and he gets pretty convincingly beaten by Supergirl, who I must remind is currently dying from Kryptonite poisoning. Unless he gets some kind of upgrade in the near future, his threat level is pretty low after this. But otherwise, still a good comic.
Red Sonja #1 was definitely a different experience. It was fun, no doubt, but I was lost at times concerning the cast of characters. Still, enough back-story is given that you have at least a general idea of who these people are, specifically that Red Sonja is the female barbarian badass to end all female barbarian badasses. ^_^ Also, clearly Dynamite is letting Gail Simone do whatever she wants, which actually works REALLY well here. Best line in the book, one of the two women sent to summon her to a castle refers to her as “She of the Excellent Cleavage”. XD Great read. Also, love the various covers for the book. I personally got the Stephanie Buscema cover, although I’m not sure how that happened since the back page suggests it was supposed to be a subscription exclusive cover.
Just in case anybody thought I was kidding. XD
Anyway, that’s all for this week. Next week, we see if Talon can possibly succeed in his mission to assassinate Bane and Sebastian Clark. Ja né!
Jyger's Rant 