Friday, December 29, 2006

Close, but no Cigar



(via Brandon)

Thursday, December 21, 2006

They Didn't Say WHAT Year.

(via Sleestak and Kevin)

Friday, December 15, 2006

52 Special Questions

Why is Adam Strange missing from this page? I know they did his origin...

And isn't this the cutest little Steve Wacker ever?

Kate Kane, Why Can't I Quit You?

The DC Comics Infinite Holiday Special is worth picking up, even if they did COMPLETELY blow the pun that made me want to buy it in the first place, for all the reasons Chris mentions, and for the first solo adventure of Kate Kane, the new Batwoman.

The plot is, unfortunately, not very good. Some obtuse silent panels near the end made me re-read the story three times to figure out what was going on, and once I did, I was kind of disappointed with the simple plot.

But as a character study, it's really good short story. We learn lot about Kate as a person, who celebrates holidays quietly with her father and would rather avoid confrontation with her step-mother entirely than make a scene at the big party, who visits an elderly friend with no family, who cares about tradition and family, while not particularly caring about "traditional families", and as Batwoman, has a Frank Miller-esque violence streak that I can't say I disapprove of. (oh, and yes, in fact, she IS Jewish).

Interestingly enough, as the character was first introduced to the general public as "a wealthy, buxom lipstick lesbian", none of those facts really come into play. Her money and her sexual orientation are only alluded to in passing, and her bust size barely affects the plot at all. Heck, even her own religion isn't as important as the religion of her friend, which is a nice way of adding a character wrinkle without making it the POINT of the story.

So, yeah, I'm happy with the results. While I'm not pushing for a Batwoman ongoing just yet, I'd buy a four issue Renee Montoya/Kate Kane miniseries (Rucka, Brubaker and Lark, in a dream world, but I'd accept Rucka and Bennett in the real one).

Here's the pitch: "She's an ex-cop from the barrios of Gotham. (and a lesbian). She's a Jewish socialite by day and high-healed vigilante by night. (and a lesbian). Together, they fight crime. (and beat the ever-loving shit out of James Dobson)".

I'd buy it.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

It's Always Someone's First Time

Incomprehensible. Exclusive. Written for a small, insular community that has a shared history with these characters, full of half-explained references and verbal and visual shorthand.

The latest issue of JSA?

Nope, this blog.

A friend recently told me that my blog is "insane". She couldn't follow a thing I wrote about and, considering that she doesn't read superhero comics, she's completely right.

I mean, look at my last few posts. Even besides the meme panels (new computer at work has PhotoShop, in case you were wondering, and TWO Thor clone jokes? I'm slipping), it's unexplained references to the most obscure characters, inside jokes about shared writing complaints, and a general assumption that my audience not only knows the stories I'm talking about, but has actually read every issue that I've read... which is, well, "insane."

So my New Years blogging resolution is to make my blog more New Reader friendly. More explaination, more annotation and explanatory links. Basically write it for an audience that knows who Superman and Batman are, but maybe not that J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter, has a fondness for Oreo cookies (or Chocos, as they are known in the DCU).

Erm... the DCU being shorthand for the DC Comics Universe, the shared setting for most of the superhero stories published by DC Comics.

Though some of the Vertigo books actually take place in the DCU as well. And occasionally Wildstorm books.

Vertigo being DC Comics mature line of books...

hm, this may be harder than I thought.

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

I Swear I'll Stop Meming Soon


(and this one's for Brandon)

Queer Eye Has Gone Too Far!


(For Ragnell)

Monday, December 11, 2006

Validus Reviews Civil War

(image courtesy of Kevin)

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Fashion Time Police

If you ain't reading Blockade Boy, you're missing out on the funniest blogger on the internet.

It's all gold, but, in case you missed it, his review of Power Man and Iron Fist #70, or rather, his reviews of the fashions of 1981, first ladies' gowns, then menswear, is fucking hilarious.

Go. Read. Now.