Saturday, October 13, 2007
Remembering Superfriends
No one has ever come up with a better synopsis of the old cartoon Superfriends than Seanbaby .Most characters get a brief character history,a comic strip and some out-of-context clips from the show.Check out his main site too.He reprints a lot of those stupid(or great) Hostess ads which featured your favorite Superheroes beating some random supervillain or nameless gangster by throwing fruit pies or Twinkies at them.I don't think any of the ads are in continuity,but they should be.
Stupid Things I Did During College
Many people go to college.Some people use it to educate and train themselves to get better jobs.For some people it was nothing but a party.I'm one of the latter.I went to college on a full academic scholarship because of my excellent high school GPA and my SAT scores.
I entered in William Paterson College in September of 1991(seems so long ago) and proceeded to enter into one of the silliest phases of my life.My memory of that time is mostly hazy.I was always told that lots of alcohol and "perfectly legal" cigarettes can affect your memory.Damn if they weren't right.Anyhow,some of the things I DO remember involve crazy and/or stupid activities that only the young can get away with doing.(not that I'm old now)I'm going to share some of these with you and maybe some of you can de-lurk long enough to give out some of yours.
1)When I turned 18 I decided that I wanted to pierce my nose.I already had 7 earrings so it didn't seem like a big deal.I decided to do it myself.I had my roommate get a bag of ice from the cafeteria so I could numb my nose.Then I got a training stud,normally for use in your ear, and started corkscrewing it into my nose.Yes,it hurt.A lot.I got halfway through when I started to get faint.My roommate forced it the rest of the way through.I never had a proper piece of nose jewelry, so I just used an extra earring.I kept it in for about 2 months before I got sick of it because it kept falling out of my nose when I was sleeping.I still have a hole in my nose where it used to be.
2)One night at Penn State University some friends and I were party-hopping.We happened across one place that had a giant goldfish tank on the floor.People were reaching in,scooping out goldfish, and eating them.I don't mean goldfish like in goldfish crackers.I mean goldfish like you buy in a pet store.I ended up eating 12.The next morning I "set them free" at a rest area somewhere along Route 80.
3)One night,some friends of mine decided that they were going to have a small dorm party.I got one 375ml bottle of rum and one 375ml bottle of gin.I drank them both,by myself, straight from the bottle with no chasers.The next thing I remember was waking up in my bed the next afternoon dressed only in my underwear and a t-shirt.Only the T-shirt was pulled down with my waist through the T-shirt's NECK HOLE.I don't even want to know how that happened.
4)This isn't stupid,but just kinda odd.I was in a fraternity in college.(It was fun.I issue forth an emphatic fuck you to the naysayers.)We used to go camping twice a year.One of those times would be in the many woods that surrounded the campus.On one trek through the woods we found an abandoned car,up off the ground and supported by the trees' branches.we spent a lot of time in those woods.There was a cliff and a pretty large waterfall buried in there.Good places to party,even if you did have to stumble through the pitch black woods at 2AM with a dozen beers and 3 or 4 "perfectly legal" cigarettes in your system.
5)I participated regularly in campus talent shows and lipsync competitions.At my first,which I was a part of with my frat pledge class,I dressed up as a very convincing girl to play Veruca Salt as we sang the "Oompa Loompa Song" from the original Willy Wonka movie.During one talent show I played my bass guitar and read haiku poetry about beer farts.During another I stuffed a sock down the front of my pants and lipsnyced to the Mojo Nixon song "She's Vibrator Dependent."I was a little buzzed and all alone on stage.After doing something like that,I really couldn't claim to have stagefright anymore.
That's all for now.Honestly,I'm lucky to remember that much.So,what are all of yours?
I entered in William Paterson College in September of 1991(seems so long ago) and proceeded to enter into one of the silliest phases of my life.My memory of that time is mostly hazy.I was always told that lots of alcohol and "perfectly legal" cigarettes can affect your memory.Damn if they weren't right.Anyhow,some of the things I DO remember involve crazy and/or stupid activities that only the young can get away with doing.(not that I'm old now)I'm going to share some of these with you and maybe some of you can de-lurk long enough to give out some of yours.
1)When I turned 18 I decided that I wanted to pierce my nose.I already had 7 earrings so it didn't seem like a big deal.I decided to do it myself.I had my roommate get a bag of ice from the cafeteria so I could numb my nose.Then I got a training stud,normally for use in your ear, and started corkscrewing it into my nose.Yes,it hurt.A lot.I got halfway through when I started to get faint.My roommate forced it the rest of the way through.I never had a proper piece of nose jewelry, so I just used an extra earring.I kept it in for about 2 months before I got sick of it because it kept falling out of my nose when I was sleeping.I still have a hole in my nose where it used to be.
2)One night at Penn State University some friends and I were party-hopping.We happened across one place that had a giant goldfish tank on the floor.People were reaching in,scooping out goldfish, and eating them.I don't mean goldfish like in goldfish crackers.I mean goldfish like you buy in a pet store.I ended up eating 12.The next morning I "set them free" at a rest area somewhere along Route 80.
3)One night,some friends of mine decided that they were going to have a small dorm party.I got one 375ml bottle of rum and one 375ml bottle of gin.I drank them both,by myself, straight from the bottle with no chasers.The next thing I remember was waking up in my bed the next afternoon dressed only in my underwear and a t-shirt.Only the T-shirt was pulled down with my waist through the T-shirt's NECK HOLE.I don't even want to know how that happened.
4)This isn't stupid,but just kinda odd.I was in a fraternity in college.(It was fun.I issue forth an emphatic fuck you to the naysayers.)We used to go camping twice a year.One of those times would be in the many woods that surrounded the campus.On one trek through the woods we found an abandoned car,up off the ground and supported by the trees' branches.we spent a lot of time in those woods.There was a cliff and a pretty large waterfall buried in there.Good places to party,even if you did have to stumble through the pitch black woods at 2AM with a dozen beers and 3 or 4 "perfectly legal" cigarettes in your system.
5)I participated regularly in campus talent shows and lipsync competitions.At my first,which I was a part of with my frat pledge class,I dressed up as a very convincing girl to play Veruca Salt as we sang the "Oompa Loompa Song" from the original Willy Wonka movie.During one talent show I played my bass guitar and read haiku poetry about beer farts.During another I stuffed a sock down the front of my pants and lipsnyced to the Mojo Nixon song "She's Vibrator Dependent."I was a little buzzed and all alone on stage.After doing something like that,I really couldn't claim to have stagefright anymore.
That's all for now.Honestly,I'm lucky to remember that much.So,what are all of yours?
Friday, October 12, 2007
Anything For The Attention
Sigh. Apparently,the only way she can get in the news is by sticking her foot in her mouth.Anything to sell a book.One day she'll piss off the wrong people and will just disappear.
Christians,she's one of yours.Glad I'm an athiest.
Christians,she's one of yours.Glad I'm an athiest.
Reviews/The Experiment Is Over
Recently,I've been giving my impressions on some of the DC comics I've been picking up.I know my personality type.I should've known that the second I told myself it would be OK to pick up non-Marvel books that I would keep doing so.So why make a big production out of the whole thing now?I'm going to continue doing what I do now:buying 95% Marvel and picking and choosing DC books and the odd indy book.
I don't want to do typical reviews of comics.That can be found anywhere and much better written.I plan on focusing more on why I buy what I buy and what is making me keep or drop the books.I will make shameless use of spoilers if I see the need to.
This week I came home with 15 comics.I'm not going to go over them all.I didn't pick up Wonder Woman like I thought I would because it was not Gail Simone's first issue like I somehow thought it was.
1)Captain Carrot and the Final Ark #1:When I heard of this book I thought"There's no way in hell I'm wasting money on something called Captain Carrot."But,after reading a preview on Newsarama where the posters actually seemed to like this book I decided to give it a shot.I read this during my lunch break yesterday so I was being distracted every 2 minutes and didn't really get the story.The sense of humor the book had was fine.There were a lot of dopey little jokes scattered around the panels that I found amusing,especially at the comic-con.(best part of the book,hands down)I just didn't really like the characters.Twenty years ago I would have LOVED this.Now,it's worth a few chuckles and not much else really.I don't think I'll be picking up #2.Give me Franklin Richrds:Son Of A Genius anyday for my goofy,fun comic fix.
2)Booster Gold #3:This is another one I tried to read at lunch with all the distactions.My first read left me feeling very underwhelmed,but I decided to read it one more time when I got home so I wouldn't have all the chaos around me.That second time went much better.Booster was golden when drunk.As for Jonah Hex...he was there too.I have no opinion on him after reading just this little bit.It didn't make me want to go pick up his comic,but I think I'll keep buying Booster Gold.
3)Green Arrow And Black Canary #1:With this I figured that since I liked Black Canary in Birds Of Prey I probably would like her here as well.In other words,it was a total impulse buy.My first reaction was "Oh crap.I just bought something written by that guy from The Real World."I sooo don't want to take that guy seriously.Putting my prejudice against MTV reality stars aside,I actually liked this.They did a good job on getting me up to speed on what happened to lead into this.Black Canary beat a guy half to death and then kind of moped around for the rest of the issue,but I didn't mind that.The ending made me want to come back next month to find out what happens.
On a side note,I really thought I'd be goofing on Black Canary.A martial artist wearing what looks like a leather bathing suit and fishnet stockings?It's silly.But damnit if she doesn't just have crazy skills.She doesn't seem to be afraid of much of anything and pretty much kicks all sorts of serious ass.As it stands right now,she's my favorite DC character.
4)World War Hulk:Frontline #5:This series has actually gotten better as it has gone on.Sally Floyd is back on the wagon hard and it is causing her to make some really poor choices and Danny Granville solved his case and Korg had a beer and a stereotypical alien moment where he reflected on his impressions of humanity,which weren't completely positive.The comic at the end was written specifically for the internet crowd and gave me my quote of the week as Sally Floyd hits on Reed Richards:"It all stretches,right?"The expression on Reed's face was priceless.
5)New Avengers #35:This issue focused almost entirely on the villains,most specifically The Hood.The thing with villains in comics is that you know with near certainty that they will be defeated.They're threatening for a few panels,but then everything falls apart.The Hood has actually come out on top so far.He's calculating,smart, and organized.If he can get his motley crew of ne'er-do-wells in line then we can look forward to some very cool hero/villain fights in the upcoming months where the end result might not be a foregone conclusion.
6)Runaways #28:Three things went through my mind reading this.First,I can't wait for them to get back to the present.Second,it was touching to see that the Yorkes love Gert over everything else.Third,Nico actually looked Asian!It must be realy hard to draw asian eyes without making the character look like a gross stereotype.
7)Punisher War Journal #12:Coming into this,I really didn't know why the Punisher was getting involved in WWH.Let's face it, The Punisher isn't even a small challenge for Hulk.It's a very lopsided mismatch to say the least.Fraction had it make sense though as Frank Castle basically saved some innocent stragglers and helped them out of the city.The venomech suit was unexpected and a nice visual.I'm left wondering if Hulk will go after Frank since he killed one of his Warbound.I have loved the last two issues of this book.They have showed a more human,heroic side of The Punisher that usually gets pushed aside in favor of big guns and big explosions.It makes him a bit more three-dimensional and easy to relate to.
8)New Avengers/Transformers #4:I'm a sucker for crossover titles,especially when I'm familiar with both sides of the crossover.This book had some ridiculous moments(Spider-Man's webbing is strong enough to contain Megatron?),but I think they were done more to give our heroes a bit more of a definitive win and also for effect so I didn't worry to much about that.It ended in what may have been a slight nod to the Transformers movie's theory that all of our technology came from studying Cybertonian tech.At least that's what I got out of it.I'll have to re-read this whole series in one sitting now that it's over to get my full impression of the story.
Overall,it was a good week.The Fantastic Four are back together.The Sinestro Corp War continues to be totally awesome.The New Warriors are having some problems.It was all good.I liked all of my books this week.Usually,I get one or two that I'm lukewarm on and just getting to have an uninterrupted run(and I'm not afraid to admit it and I don't hold it against the title or its creative team that I don't fully love it.)Next week I'll get vol 7 of The Walking Dead and I'll be all caught up with that in TPBs.I'm looking forward to that.
I don't want to do typical reviews of comics.That can be found anywhere and much better written.I plan on focusing more on why I buy what I buy and what is making me keep or drop the books.I will make shameless use of spoilers if I see the need to.
This week I came home with 15 comics.I'm not going to go over them all.I didn't pick up Wonder Woman like I thought I would because it was not Gail Simone's first issue like I somehow thought it was.
1)Captain Carrot and the Final Ark #1:When I heard of this book I thought"There's no way in hell I'm wasting money on something called Captain Carrot."But,after reading a preview on Newsarama where the posters actually seemed to like this book I decided to give it a shot.I read this during my lunch break yesterday so I was being distracted every 2 minutes and didn't really get the story.The sense of humor the book had was fine.There were a lot of dopey little jokes scattered around the panels that I found amusing,especially at the comic-con.(best part of the book,hands down)I just didn't really like the characters.Twenty years ago I would have LOVED this.Now,it's worth a few chuckles and not much else really.I don't think I'll be picking up #2.Give me Franklin Richrds:Son Of A Genius anyday for my goofy,fun comic fix.
2)Booster Gold #3:This is another one I tried to read at lunch with all the distactions.My first read left me feeling very underwhelmed,but I decided to read it one more time when I got home so I wouldn't have all the chaos around me.That second time went much better.Booster was golden when drunk.As for Jonah Hex...he was there too.I have no opinion on him after reading just this little bit.It didn't make me want to go pick up his comic,but I think I'll keep buying Booster Gold.
3)Green Arrow And Black Canary #1:With this I figured that since I liked Black Canary in Birds Of Prey I probably would like her here as well.In other words,it was a total impulse buy.My first reaction was "Oh crap.I just bought something written by that guy from The Real World."I sooo don't want to take that guy seriously.Putting my prejudice against MTV reality stars aside,I actually liked this.They did a good job on getting me up to speed on what happened to lead into this.Black Canary beat a guy half to death and then kind of moped around for the rest of the issue,but I didn't mind that.The ending made me want to come back next month to find out what happens.
On a side note,I really thought I'd be goofing on Black Canary.A martial artist wearing what looks like a leather bathing suit and fishnet stockings?It's silly.But damnit if she doesn't just have crazy skills.She doesn't seem to be afraid of much of anything and pretty much kicks all sorts of serious ass.As it stands right now,she's my favorite DC character.
4)World War Hulk:Frontline #5:This series has actually gotten better as it has gone on.Sally Floyd is back on the wagon hard and it is causing her to make some really poor choices and Danny Granville solved his case and Korg had a beer and a stereotypical alien moment where he reflected on his impressions of humanity,which weren't completely positive.The comic at the end was written specifically for the internet crowd and gave me my quote of the week as Sally Floyd hits on Reed Richards:"It all stretches,right?"The expression on Reed's face was priceless.
5)New Avengers #35:This issue focused almost entirely on the villains,most specifically The Hood.The thing with villains in comics is that you know with near certainty that they will be defeated.They're threatening for a few panels,but then everything falls apart.The Hood has actually come out on top so far.He's calculating,smart, and organized.If he can get his motley crew of ne'er-do-wells in line then we can look forward to some very cool hero/villain fights in the upcoming months where the end result might not be a foregone conclusion.
6)Runaways #28:Three things went through my mind reading this.First,I can't wait for them to get back to the present.Second,it was touching to see that the Yorkes love Gert over everything else.Third,Nico actually looked Asian!It must be realy hard to draw asian eyes without making the character look like a gross stereotype.
7)Punisher War Journal #12:Coming into this,I really didn't know why the Punisher was getting involved in WWH.Let's face it, The Punisher isn't even a small challenge for Hulk.It's a very lopsided mismatch to say the least.Fraction had it make sense though as Frank Castle basically saved some innocent stragglers and helped them out of the city.The venomech suit was unexpected and a nice visual.I'm left wondering if Hulk will go after Frank since he killed one of his Warbound.I have loved the last two issues of this book.They have showed a more human,heroic side of The Punisher that usually gets pushed aside in favor of big guns and big explosions.It makes him a bit more three-dimensional and easy to relate to.
8)New Avengers/Transformers #4:I'm a sucker for crossover titles,especially when I'm familiar with both sides of the crossover.This book had some ridiculous moments(Spider-Man's webbing is strong enough to contain Megatron?),but I think they were done more to give our heroes a bit more of a definitive win and also for effect so I didn't worry to much about that.It ended in what may have been a slight nod to the Transformers movie's theory that all of our technology came from studying Cybertonian tech.At least that's what I got out of it.I'll have to re-read this whole series in one sitting now that it's over to get my full impression of the story.
Overall,it was a good week.The Fantastic Four are back together.The Sinestro Corp War continues to be totally awesome.The New Warriors are having some problems.It was all good.I liked all of my books this week.Usually,I get one or two that I'm lukewarm on and just getting to have an uninterrupted run(and I'm not afraid to admit it and I don't hold it against the title or its creative team that I don't fully love it.)Next week I'll get vol 7 of The Walking Dead and I'll be all caught up with that in TPBs.I'm looking forward to that.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
The New Captain America
The link is here. I'm not providing any breaking news here.I just wanted to chime in.
1)I highly doubt this is Steve Rogers.Rogers wouldn't carry a gun.
2)The star on the shoulder says Winter Soldier to me.WS isn't above using guns either.I think if ANYBODY in the MU can get away with being the new Captain America and not cause a fan revolt,it's Bucky.
3)That costume is really shiny.Other than that(and even that doesn't bother me)I like it.Redesigned costumes don't bother me.Fuck the status quo.It's in the spirit of the original and if it's going to be a different guy it should be a different costume.
1)I highly doubt this is Steve Rogers.Rogers wouldn't carry a gun.
2)The star on the shoulder says Winter Soldier to me.WS isn't above using guns either.I think if ANYBODY in the MU can get away with being the new Captain America and not cause a fan revolt,it's Bucky.
3)That costume is really shiny.Other than that(and even that doesn't bother me)I like it.Redesigned costumes don't bother me.Fuck the status quo.It's in the spirit of the original and if it's going to be a different guy it should be a different costume.
Dirty Little Trade Secrets
Until I fell into my current cushy desk job,I was a cable technician for six years.I have no ideas for topics today so I'm going to let you in on some things you need to know when dealing with cable technicians.
1)Jokes about the movie "The Cable Guy" aren't funny.If you think you're the first person to greet us at the door with "CABLE GUY!!!", you're not.It's not funny the first time and it's definetely not funny the 1765th time.
2)Learn to distinguish between phone,cable,and electrical outlets.I'd be retired if I had $10 for every time I asked someone where the cable jack was and they pointed to an electrical outlet.
3) A lot of people apologize for their houses/apartments because they feel that they are too dirty.If you are moving you don't need to apologize.We understand.But if you let your pets defecate all over the house or are a pack rat and have kept every single box and scrap of paper that has passed through your hands in the last 20 years then that is a different story.And yes,we will make fun of your house when we leave.Same thing if your house smells.If you're willing to acknowledge that your house is dirty,you should be just as willing to admit that it smells.(see *)
4)Tips.They're not just for waiters.If your cable guy does a great job or goes above and beyond his responsibilities or has to go on his belly through your dirty ass crawl space,throw him $5 or so.If you were a total asshole to the technician and they want to lynch you a couple of dollars can turn things around in a hurry.
5)If you're building a house have the wiring done when the walls are down.You can thank me later.
6)Contractors who work for bigger companies are not the "rip-off" contractors.They have guidelines and pricing guides they have to follow.The "rip-off" contractors are the ones who work for themselves.They can and will do whatever the fuck they want and take as long as they want.
7)Don't make appointments you can't keep.If having TV is that important to you,make arrangements.
8)Yelling and having a temper tantrum does not make the technician want to help you more.It makes the technician want to do just enough to shut you up.A nice customer has a much better chance of getting good service than the lunatic customers.
9)And for God's sake,if you don't know how to run wires,please,please,please...don't do it.The conversation usually goes:(customer) "Hey.I wired this place myself."(technician)"Show me where.I'm going to have to redo all of it."And that goes double for the fittings on the end.You do not crimp fittings with pliers.Ever.
*-One time I went to a house where the customer had a bird that they didn't cage.The bird went wherever it wanted to and shit wherever it wanted.So the whole house was decorated with round,white bird shit spots.And I mean the WHOLE HOUSE was covered.It was probably the most foul house I had ever been in.We rescheduled the job as a rewire and got the fuck out of there.The moral:Not everyone adapts so easily to the presence of animal feces.
1)Jokes about the movie "The Cable Guy" aren't funny.If you think you're the first person to greet us at the door with "CABLE GUY!!!", you're not.It's not funny the first time and it's definetely not funny the 1765th time.
2)Learn to distinguish between phone,cable,and electrical outlets.I'd be retired if I had $10 for every time I asked someone where the cable jack was and they pointed to an electrical outlet.
3) A lot of people apologize for their houses/apartments because they feel that they are too dirty.If you are moving you don't need to apologize.We understand.But if you let your pets defecate all over the house or are a pack rat and have kept every single box and scrap of paper that has passed through your hands in the last 20 years then that is a different story.And yes,we will make fun of your house when we leave.Same thing if your house smells.If you're willing to acknowledge that your house is dirty,you should be just as willing to admit that it smells.(see *)
4)Tips.They're not just for waiters.If your cable guy does a great job or goes above and beyond his responsibilities or has to go on his belly through your dirty ass crawl space,throw him $5 or so.If you were a total asshole to the technician and they want to lynch you a couple of dollars can turn things around in a hurry.
5)If you're building a house have the wiring done when the walls are down.You can thank me later.
6)Contractors who work for bigger companies are not the "rip-off" contractors.They have guidelines and pricing guides they have to follow.The "rip-off" contractors are the ones who work for themselves.They can and will do whatever the fuck they want and take as long as they want.
7)Don't make appointments you can't keep.If having TV is that important to you,make arrangements.
8)Yelling and having a temper tantrum does not make the technician want to help you more.It makes the technician want to do just enough to shut you up.A nice customer has a much better chance of getting good service than the lunatic customers.
9)And for God's sake,if you don't know how to run wires,please,please,please...don't do it.The conversation usually goes:(customer) "Hey.I wired this place myself."(technician)"Show me where.I'm going to have to redo all of it."And that goes double for the fittings on the end.You do not crimp fittings with pliers.Ever.
*-One time I went to a house where the customer had a bird that they didn't cage.The bird went wherever it wanted to and shit wherever it wanted.So the whole house was decorated with round,white bird shit spots.And I mean the WHOLE HOUSE was covered.It was probably the most foul house I had ever been in.We rescheduled the job as a rewire and got the fuck out of there.The moral:Not everyone adapts so easily to the presence of animal feces.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Maxim Magazine Talks Comics
A number of years ago I had a subscription to Maxim Magazine.I got it in part for the cheescake(Just being honest) and also because they seemed to have a sense of humor.After about 6 months I was sick of it.I was tired of reading the monthly articles telling me that I needed a pair of $100 dress shoes to even get a woman to talk to me and just tired in general of the condescending tone the magazine took to anyone who wasn't a soulless yuppie.I cancelled my subscription as soon as it ran out and it hasn't spent more than one second on my mind since.
When wasting time at the IGN comic message boards the other day, I came across this link which takes you to their list of the 15 lamest superheroes.The list was put together with all the care of someone whose entire exposure to comics has been seeing the first Spider-Man movie once a few years ago.That seems to be the same effort they put into everything they write.#15 and #14 by themselves should be enough for any self-respecting fan to be disgusted.
I'm currently trying to encourage more visitors for my entertainment(It's much more fun to look at a lot of people on my stat page instead of 6 or 7.Still being honest.) and I'd like to see what other people think of this.I hate to use them for the link again,but since I don't know any other way to get this out there(still a blogging newbie)here's my gratuitous link to WFA.(I don't know if the moderators actually read what they link,but if they're reading this I wouldn't be linking to you again if you weren't damn effective in getting me hits here.My compliments...)I know at least one of the characters on this list has a pretty sizeable following over there.
When wasting time at the IGN comic message boards the other day, I came across this link which takes you to their list of the 15 lamest superheroes.The list was put together with all the care of someone whose entire exposure to comics has been seeing the first Spider-Man movie once a few years ago.That seems to be the same effort they put into everything they write.#15 and #14 by themselves should be enough for any self-respecting fan to be disgusted.
I'm currently trying to encourage more visitors for my entertainment(It's much more fun to look at a lot of people on my stat page instead of 6 or 7.Still being honest.) and I'd like to see what other people think of this.I hate to use them for the link again,but since I don't know any other way to get this out there(still a blogging newbie)here's my gratuitous link to WFA.(I don't know if the moderators actually read what they link,but if they're reading this I wouldn't be linking to you again if you weren't damn effective in getting me hits here.My compliments...)I know at least one of the characters on this list has a pretty sizeable following over there.
What I'll be Buying
It's Wednesday and that means new comic day.I get my stuff tommorrow morning because my work schedule won't get me to the store until either before the shipment comes or after the store closes.Either way, here's some of the stuff I'll be getting:
1)Booster Gold #3:This is the do or die issue for me.I liked #1,but didn't really know what was going on.It was a typical first issue though and I didn't expect to be floored.#2 had that Sinestro mustache-twirling moment which really made me mark out hard.In #3 he's meeting Jonah Hex,who I've heard of,but know nothing about.If this issue leaves me feeling meh,I just won't pick it up anymore.If it's as entertaining as the last one though,I'll keep buying it.I'll wait through 5 issues before I add it to my pull list though.
2)Wonder Woman #13:I've become a big Gail Simone fan in the past month or two.It's her sense of humor really that I love.That's why I'm getting this.I'm not sure how Wonder Woman can be funny, but then again, I'm not too familiar with the character outside of the TV show and Superfriends. I did buy the annual a few weeks ago,which was a good primer.I come into this one totally optimistic.
3)Heroes For Hire #14:This for me has been one of those "not really loving it but collecting it anyway" kind of books for me.This WWH arc has been pretty fun though.Somewhere in the back of my head I remember reading somewhere that this book was getting cancelled,but I might be wrong.My memory is occasionally quite hazy.If that is indeed the case though,I'd like to see Shang Chi pop up in another book,maybe as another instructor in Avengers:The Initiative. Misty and Colleen will be around somewhere I am positive.
4)New Avengers #35:The Hood scored points with me last issue by shooting Wolverine in the crotch(Leading to the best line of the book:"Maybe it'll grow back bigger.")so I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do this time.I also want to see what happens with the symbiotes.I'm not really interested in "poor,poor Tigra."She's a B- level character who doesn't really add anything except some T&A.I'm not sure why she seems to popping up in so many books recently.The skrull stuff?It's too early to say.I think Marvel and Bendis are still setting the table for this one.
5)New Warriors #5:This book has been slowly picking up momentum and the last issue ended with a really good cliffhanger.I'm still thinking that Night Thrasher is a Black Panther trained and funded Tom Foster,but some things I've read in forums online has made me question that a bit.
6)Runaways #28:This one took a while,eh?That's OK.Delays don't bother me too much because I buy enough comics to keep me plenty occupied.Not sure what's going to happen but I guess there's going to be some line-up changes.As long as they don't touch Karolina Dean I'm cool.Of course I'm wondering what's going to happen with the Yorkes and how this time traveling isn't going to totally fuck up the timeline.They(The Runaways,not the Yorkes) aren't exactly being careful about not interfering with the past.
7)Wolverine #58:This is funny.I had to look back at #57 to see what happenned.Between the one-shots and the annual I totally forgot what storyline was going on.I loved the Civil War arc.The Jeph Loeb arc not so much,but to be fair,I haven't had the chance to sit down and read the whole thing in one sitting.I usually do that when I collect a whole story or miniseries.I always pick up a ton of stuff I missed due to my aforementioned sketchy memory.
8)World War Hulk:Frontline #5:The main story, "Embedded",has been OK.It picked up a bit the last issue.I'm more interested in "Costume Division", which has played out like a warped buddy-cop story.The cartoony stuff in the back is always fun too.I love the goofy,comic-strip style stuff that Marvel throws into their books.If they collected a whole bunch of them and released them,I'd buy it.
I'll probably walk away with 13 books or so.I'll read some during my lunch break tommorrow and the rest when I get home.I do spend a lot of money on them,but that's really my only luxury.I need to have some fun.I'm not a "pinch every penny" type of guy.
On a side note,two days ago I linked to WFA again.The first time I linked them I didn't know they would link me in return and was terrified of the trolls coming to invade my blog,but I only got about 12 hits from being linked there.It was really quite inconsequential.This time I did it knowing I would be linked because I wanted to just add to the volume of blogs about this Robinov douchebag from Warner Brothers in case someone was collecting them.I went to bed at 1AM last night and had 0 hits for the day.I wake up and check in at 9AM to find that about 80 people had visited here over the night.And WFA linked TWO of my posts!Damn.Well, I said I was going to start courting readers more.80 people is about 1/4 the total number of people who have stumbled over here since I started.And in one day too,8 hours even.Some people even stayed to read things,though no one left any comments.It still amazes me that ANYONE would find this,never mind read it.I don't really see myself as having much worthwhile to say.Whatever...(In the hour it took me to write this post,86 more people came here.Either WFA is really hopping today or my statcounter is broken.)
1)Booster Gold #3:This is the do or die issue for me.I liked #1,but didn't really know what was going on.It was a typical first issue though and I didn't expect to be floored.#2 had that Sinestro mustache-twirling moment which really made me mark out hard.In #3 he's meeting Jonah Hex,who I've heard of,but know nothing about.If this issue leaves me feeling meh,I just won't pick it up anymore.If it's as entertaining as the last one though,I'll keep buying it.I'll wait through 5 issues before I add it to my pull list though.
2)Wonder Woman #13:I've become a big Gail Simone fan in the past month or two.It's her sense of humor really that I love.That's why I'm getting this.I'm not sure how Wonder Woman can be funny, but then again, I'm not too familiar with the character outside of the TV show and Superfriends. I did buy the annual a few weeks ago,which was a good primer.I come into this one totally optimistic.
3)Heroes For Hire #14:This for me has been one of those "not really loving it but collecting it anyway" kind of books for me.This WWH arc has been pretty fun though.Somewhere in the back of my head I remember reading somewhere that this book was getting cancelled,but I might be wrong.My memory is occasionally quite hazy.If that is indeed the case though,I'd like to see Shang Chi pop up in another book,maybe as another instructor in Avengers:The Initiative. Misty and Colleen will be around somewhere I am positive.
4)New Avengers #35:The Hood scored points with me last issue by shooting Wolverine in the crotch(Leading to the best line of the book:"Maybe it'll grow back bigger.")so I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do this time.I also want to see what happens with the symbiotes.I'm not really interested in "poor,poor Tigra."She's a B- level character who doesn't really add anything except some T&A.I'm not sure why she seems to popping up in so many books recently.The skrull stuff?It's too early to say.I think Marvel and Bendis are still setting the table for this one.
5)New Warriors #5:This book has been slowly picking up momentum and the last issue ended with a really good cliffhanger.I'm still thinking that Night Thrasher is a Black Panther trained and funded Tom Foster,but some things I've read in forums online has made me question that a bit.
6)Runaways #28:This one took a while,eh?That's OK.Delays don't bother me too much because I buy enough comics to keep me plenty occupied.Not sure what's going to happen but I guess there's going to be some line-up changes.As long as they don't touch Karolina Dean I'm cool.Of course I'm wondering what's going to happen with the Yorkes and how this time traveling isn't going to totally fuck up the timeline.They(The Runaways,not the Yorkes) aren't exactly being careful about not interfering with the past.
7)Wolverine #58:This is funny.I had to look back at #57 to see what happenned.Between the one-shots and the annual I totally forgot what storyline was going on.I loved the Civil War arc.The Jeph Loeb arc not so much,but to be fair,I haven't had the chance to sit down and read the whole thing in one sitting.I usually do that when I collect a whole story or miniseries.I always pick up a ton of stuff I missed due to my aforementioned sketchy memory.
8)World War Hulk:Frontline #5:The main story, "Embedded",has been OK.It picked up a bit the last issue.I'm more interested in "Costume Division", which has played out like a warped buddy-cop story.The cartoony stuff in the back is always fun too.I love the goofy,comic-strip style stuff that Marvel throws into their books.If they collected a whole bunch of them and released them,I'd buy it.
I'll probably walk away with 13 books or so.I'll read some during my lunch break tommorrow and the rest when I get home.I do spend a lot of money on them,but that's really my only luxury.I need to have some fun.I'm not a "pinch every penny" type of guy.
On a side note,two days ago I linked to WFA again.The first time I linked them I didn't know they would link me in return and was terrified of the trolls coming to invade my blog,but I only got about 12 hits from being linked there.It was really quite inconsequential.This time I did it knowing I would be linked because I wanted to just add to the volume of blogs about this Robinov douchebag from Warner Brothers in case someone was collecting them.I went to bed at 1AM last night and had 0 hits for the day.I wake up and check in at 9AM to find that about 80 people had visited here over the night.And WFA linked TWO of my posts!Damn.Well, I said I was going to start courting readers more.80 people is about 1/4 the total number of people who have stumbled over here since I started.And in one day too,8 hours even.Some people even stayed to read things,though no one left any comments.It still amazes me that ANYONE would find this,never mind read it.I don't really see myself as having much worthwhile to say.Whatever...(In the hour it took me to write this post,86 more people came here.Either WFA is really hopping today or my statcounter is broken.)
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Change In Purpose
It's just one of those days.You know the ones...where you find yourself questioning everything you do.I find myself today questioning my blogging experience.I still haven't told anyone I know that I do this,not even my girlfriend.If I tell them they might feel some urge to "support" me and read it.I don't write anything controversial,so that's not a worry.I swear a lot,which can be jarring if you're not expecting it,but I do that in my normal life anyway.Most of my posts are purposely bland to discourage comments by the few people who do pass through here.I'm making every effort to keep this as low profile as possible.It's MY thing.
But yet I added a visitor counter about a month ago.And just earlier today I found myself playing with this Technorati widget which is cluttering up the bottom of the page .All I wanted was the "linked to" listing,but it keeps adding this other shit too...So fuck it.I'll put the whole mess on the bottom of the page where it's not as much of an eyesore.I have also found myself leaving comments on other blogs more frequently.I'm slowly getting over my fear of linking to other blogs.(With one or two exceptions, I usually only link to myself or bigger sites that won't notice that I linked them.)
I have to admit it.The thought that anyone at all reads this is fascinating to me.I love looking at my stats page.Most people seem to just stumble upon this site and don't stay too long.A few people do linger,which means that they're reading things.A handful of people have even come back.It's kinda cool.And with all of this I find that for someone who claims to want to be left alone,I really am interested in who visits me.
I am very insulated in my personal life too.I spend time with my girlfriend...and that's it really.Some of my isolation is voluntary.I do have friends,but I don't spend much time with them.And I'm surprisingly OK with that.Call me detached,but I don't really miss them.They can count on me if they need me, but I don't feel the need to talk on the phone or hang out as often,if at all.My phone isn't exactly ringing off the hook with people wondering where I am, so I guess they're OK with this arrangement too.
But with this blog, I'm not sure where I want to go.It's primary purpose is as a pressure release valve for my brain.It's more therapy than entertaining.But I often find myself writing like I'm addressing an audience.And I usually add my URL when leaving a comment somewhere.It gets me thinking that maybe I do want people to read this.Maybe I even want to see some comments.I need to get over my fear of people on the internet though.I'm pretty good when dealing with physical pain.I enjoy it in a way.I have very thin skin though.Mental pain,like personal attacks and other such garbage, will stop me cold.I just want to crawl in a hole when the mudslinging starts.And if there's one thing people on the internet are good at dishing out,it's mental pain.That's my hang up right now and holy shit I can't believe I'm actually going to post this kind of personal information.Wow.Anyways...
So here's where I'm at:I think I might start trying to drum up some traffic.I'd kind of like to know where some people's heads are at.This blog will continue to be about whatever I feel like,but comic books will be my default topic if I can't come up with anything else.I'm even going to start linking to people who might actually realize that I'm doing it.I'm going to try to leave more comments.I need to toughen myself up against the harsh,harsh internet world.This whole "thin skin" thing sucks.It holds you back.I've been feeling quite confident recently, so now is as good a time as any to push myself forward.I have always liked to write.I like writing for an audience.Here's my chance.It's time to go for it. So it's time to take a deep breath and dive in...
But yet I added a visitor counter about a month ago.And just earlier today I found myself playing with this Technorati widget which is cluttering up the bottom of the page .All I wanted was the "linked to" listing,but it keeps adding this other shit too...So fuck it.I'll put the whole mess on the bottom of the page where it's not as much of an eyesore.I have also found myself leaving comments on other blogs more frequently.I'm slowly getting over my fear of linking to other blogs.(With one or two exceptions, I usually only link to myself or bigger sites that won't notice that I linked them.)
I have to admit it.The thought that anyone at all reads this is fascinating to me.I love looking at my stats page.Most people seem to just stumble upon this site and don't stay too long.A few people do linger,which means that they're reading things.A handful of people have even come back.It's kinda cool.And with all of this I find that for someone who claims to want to be left alone,I really am interested in who visits me.
I am very insulated in my personal life too.I spend time with my girlfriend...and that's it really.Some of my isolation is voluntary.I do have friends,but I don't spend much time with them.And I'm surprisingly OK with that.Call me detached,but I don't really miss them.They can count on me if they need me, but I don't feel the need to talk on the phone or hang out as often,if at all.My phone isn't exactly ringing off the hook with people wondering where I am, so I guess they're OK with this arrangement too.
But with this blog, I'm not sure where I want to go.It's primary purpose is as a pressure release valve for my brain.It's more therapy than entertaining.But I often find myself writing like I'm addressing an audience.And I usually add my URL when leaving a comment somewhere.It gets me thinking that maybe I do want people to read this.Maybe I even want to see some comments.I need to get over my fear of people on the internet though.I'm pretty good when dealing with physical pain.I enjoy it in a way.I have very thin skin though.Mental pain,like personal attacks and other such garbage, will stop me cold.I just want to crawl in a hole when the mudslinging starts.And if there's one thing people on the internet are good at dishing out,it's mental pain.That's my hang up right now and holy shit I can't believe I'm actually going to post this kind of personal information.Wow.Anyways...
So here's where I'm at:I think I might start trying to drum up some traffic.I'd kind of like to know where some people's heads are at.This blog will continue to be about whatever I feel like,but comic books will be my default topic if I can't come up with anything else.I'm even going to start linking to people who might actually realize that I'm doing it.I'm going to try to leave more comments.I need to toughen myself up against the harsh,harsh internet world.This whole "thin skin" thing sucks.It holds you back.I've been feeling quite confident recently, so now is as good a time as any to push myself forward.I have always liked to write.I like writing for an audience.Here's my chance.It's time to go for it. So it's time to take a deep breath and dive in...
Monday, October 8, 2007
Even I'm Mad At This One
In coming up with something to write about today I figured I could either continue to pull topics from off the top of my head,which hasn't been going too well recently, or I could go for a current "hot" topic.I guess today the hot topic wins. Normally I avoid them,but when it is something this assinine I think every dissenting voice helps.
So it seems the WB doesn't want to do movies with female leads.There is so much wrong with this it is hard to know where to begin.It's a slap in the face to every actress currently working today.Hollywood has shit roles for women to begin with.Few and far between are the movies where the female lead can't just be renamed a generic"Love Interest"(which includes "Masturbation Fantasy") or "Cold Bitch".Now the WB,a major player in the movie industry, is taking those few solid roles away.I'm sure that will greatly add to our cinematic experience when the most any actress can hope for is to play the woman who fawns over Shia LaBeouf.
Of course,this calls into question the fate of the Wonder Woman movie.But I'm not so sure this is a bad thing.It's not because I don't think WW deserves a movie.WW is arguably the only female comic book hero who is a household name on her own, without being part of a team or being directly associated with a male comic counterpart(Catwoman has Batman.Elektra has Daredevil.Sue Storm has the FF,etc.)She's an icon.She has a built-in following.That says movie material in my book.I just think the movie is doomed to fail because a)Hollywood would not know how to make it without turning it into a T&A fest that most fans would be embarrassed to watch and b)the TV show left way to strong of an impression.(Tangent time!)I'm normally the first one to want to give a new person in a role a chance.But even I'm trying to figure out a way to get Linda Carter in the title role.Anyone else just seems...meh.I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.I mean Jessica Biel is insanely gorgeous, but she's not Wonder Woman.She's not even Donna Troy.I think it's to the point where they could get the real Wonder Woman(if one existed) and people would still want Linda Carter.
To get back on topic,their reasoning that female-led flicks bomb is bullshit.First of all,no Hollywood star is immune to failure.The Last Action Hero showed that the almighty Arnold could make a turkey.Ditto Bruce Willis in Hudson Hawk.Brad Pitt has Seven Years In Tibet shaming his resume.Tom Cruise has The Last Samurai. Tom Hanks has The Man With One Red Shoe( Or,if you want something more recent:The Ladykillers). Why not blackball these guys too?I couldn't give two shits if I never see Tom Cruise in a movie again and I usually like his movies.No star is a sure bet for silver screen success.It's all in the scripts.The best movies become sensations on their own,regardless of the lead's gender.
I've really only read about this in the comic "blogosphere" via When Fangirls Attackbut this is the kind of story I hope gets some attention,if not for the brazen and appalling disregard for half of the population then just to make some noise and get some movie execs to realize that the reason these movies bomb isn't because of the lead is a woman but because they just reek of slapped-together crap.
I'm no activist.I'm more the aiding and abetting type.But this is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard and,like I said in the beginning of this post,every voice shouting this down helps.This irritates me so much I'm even willing to step out of my protective bubble and link to WFA again to add my voice to the growing angry chorus,knowing full well they might link me again.(I fear everyone on the internet but I'm getting better.) My rant might just reiterate what everyone else is saying,but I'm thinking volume is the key here.If enough people talk they'll have to say something.At the very least,it will be fun to watch them backpeddle.
So it seems the WB doesn't want to do movies with female leads.There is so much wrong with this it is hard to know where to begin.It's a slap in the face to every actress currently working today.Hollywood has shit roles for women to begin with.Few and far between are the movies where the female lead can't just be renamed a generic"Love Interest"(which includes "Masturbation Fantasy") or "Cold Bitch".Now the WB,a major player in the movie industry, is taking those few solid roles away.I'm sure that will greatly add to our cinematic experience when the most any actress can hope for is to play the woman who fawns over Shia LaBeouf.
Of course,this calls into question the fate of the Wonder Woman movie.But I'm not so sure this is a bad thing.It's not because I don't think WW deserves a movie.WW is arguably the only female comic book hero who is a household name on her own, without being part of a team or being directly associated with a male comic counterpart(Catwoman has Batman.Elektra has Daredevil.Sue Storm has the FF,etc.)She's an icon.She has a built-in following.That says movie material in my book.I just think the movie is doomed to fail because a)Hollywood would not know how to make it without turning it into a T&A fest that most fans would be embarrassed to watch and b)the TV show left way to strong of an impression.(Tangent time!)I'm normally the first one to want to give a new person in a role a chance.But even I'm trying to figure out a way to get Linda Carter in the title role.Anyone else just seems...meh.I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.I mean Jessica Biel is insanely gorgeous, but she's not Wonder Woman.She's not even Donna Troy.I think it's to the point where they could get the real Wonder Woman(if one existed) and people would still want Linda Carter.
To get back on topic,their reasoning that female-led flicks bomb is bullshit.First of all,no Hollywood star is immune to failure.The Last Action Hero showed that the almighty Arnold could make a turkey.Ditto Bruce Willis in Hudson Hawk.Brad Pitt has Seven Years In Tibet shaming his resume.Tom Cruise has The Last Samurai. Tom Hanks has The Man With One Red Shoe( Or,if you want something more recent:The Ladykillers). Why not blackball these guys too?I couldn't give two shits if I never see Tom Cruise in a movie again and I usually like his movies.No star is a sure bet for silver screen success.It's all in the scripts.The best movies become sensations on their own,regardless of the lead's gender.
I've really only read about this in the comic "blogosphere" via When Fangirls Attackbut this is the kind of story I hope gets some attention,if not for the brazen and appalling disregard for half of the population then just to make some noise and get some movie execs to realize that the reason these movies bomb isn't because of the lead is a woman but because they just reek of slapped-together crap.
I'm no activist.I'm more the aiding and abetting type.But this is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard and,like I said in the beginning of this post,every voice shouting this down helps.This irritates me so much I'm even willing to step out of my protective bubble and link to WFA again to add my voice to the growing angry chorus,knowing full well they might link me again.(I fear everyone on the internet but I'm getting better.) My rant might just reiterate what everyone else is saying,but I'm thinking volume is the key here.If enough people talk they'll have to say something.At the very least,it will be fun to watch them backpeddle.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Birds Of Prey,Opeth,And Other Things
Here's where my brain is at today.I'm kinda bored and more than a little restless right now.So of course I want to pollute more of the internet with more of my painfully awful brain farts.
1)For the past few months I've been trying to see if I could get into DC comics and I've been thinking that it has been a bit uneventful.I haven't flat-out hated anything,but nothing has really blown me away.Today I found myself reading the Birds Of Prey trade "The Battle Within" and realized that I had bought three Birds Of Prey TPB's in the past week.I guess I know what my favorite DC book is now, and by a comfortable margin too.Like I've said about it before, I was just able to sink right into this title like I've been reading it all my life.It has likeable characters,great action,and a sense of humor that should not have surprised as much as it did considering the whole reason I picked it up in the first place was because I like Gail Simone's take on Deadpool.
2)I also have been catching up on The Walking Dead and have currently finished up to vol.6 of the TPB's.Wow, volume six was a little...um...dark.I really did not think Michonne would take things to the point where she did.Kudos to Charlie Adlard as I felt every single thing being done to the Governor.The spoon put a lump in my throat.And that motherless fuck of a human being deserved every last bit of it.It does kind of make me wonder if the feminist comic reading community would consider what happened to Michonne a case of sexism or even of WiR?It was a rape and was probably the most graphic and disturbing thing I've ever read or seen on a printed page.But she also stood defiant and strong through the whole thing and,when rescued, remained so and left on her own power.I've just never seen anything written about it.
3) I am now all caught up on watching Heroes.I did not watch the show when it was on and caught up through the DVD set.What are my impressions so far?On the positive side,it's nice to see a show about superhumans not being treated as a joke.I loved the slow build as the characters came together.I wondered how Nathan was alive but I figure Peter just flew off on his own after Nathan carried him away.On the negative side, and I'm not sure if this is even the show's fault,but I've seen this same concept done better in Supreme Power and even in the latest New Universal,which is probably closer to Heroes content-wise than Supreme Power is.I see season one though as just an introduction.Now that the major players are revealed and we know what they can do the writers can cut loose now.I'm not expecting some massive, Secret Wars-sized battles but I am hoping for some longer superpowered fight scenes than have been shown so far.
4)The new Ministry album,The Last Sucker,has some fantastic CD packaging.It has a transforming picture on the cover and the whole thing is a pop-up digipak.The album itself...is awesome of course.This is Ministry and they're firing off on someone named George Bush.That's when they've always been at their best.I'd put the album on par with Rio Grande Blood,but it is not as much of a throwback as that album was.4 out of 5 stars(Wow.How did I ever come up with a ratings system based on a five stars?I'm patenting this one.)
5)Currently listening to the Opeth DVD,Lamentations.It's a live concert from 2003 around the time of the Damnation album.The sound quality is impeccable.This is Opeth,after all.The track list covers most of their catalogue but favors Damnation, which I'm cool with as I liked that album.They left out songs from Still Life though,which is as puzzling as it is unfortunate.Let the snooty metal elitists whine about how they don't sound exactly like they did on Orchid.They're missing out.I'm more than happy to absorb all of the grade AAA music that these guys can pump out.If you don't know who Opeth is, I'd describe them as a progressive death metal band(I guess?).The songs are usually about 9 to 10 minutes long and change tempo and tone quite freqently.Anyone hoping for pop hooks might as well just keep looking elsewhere,as they are not here.The albums are a challenge to listen to,much the same way classical music is.They challenge not because they seek to brutalize you, as much real metal does(Although I like this approach too),but because it will take many listens to dissect all of the musical beauty that is coming out of your speakers.I can put on one their albums that I've heard 1000 times and still find something I hadn't noticed on a previous listen.I also recommend listening to their albums in one sitting rather than a song here and a song there.
6)That's all there is today.
1)For the past few months I've been trying to see if I could get into DC comics and I've been thinking that it has been a bit uneventful.I haven't flat-out hated anything,but nothing has really blown me away.Today I found myself reading the Birds Of Prey trade "The Battle Within" and realized that I had bought three Birds Of Prey TPB's in the past week.I guess I know what my favorite DC book is now, and by a comfortable margin too.Like I've said about it before, I was just able to sink right into this title like I've been reading it all my life.It has likeable characters,great action,and a sense of humor that should not have surprised as much as it did considering the whole reason I picked it up in the first place was because I like Gail Simone's take on Deadpool.
2)I also have been catching up on The Walking Dead and have currently finished up to vol.6 of the TPB's.Wow, volume six was a little...um...dark.I really did not think Michonne would take things to the point where she did.Kudos to Charlie Adlard as I felt every single thing being done to the Governor.The spoon put a lump in my throat.And that motherless fuck of a human being deserved every last bit of it.It does kind of make me wonder if the feminist comic reading community would consider what happened to Michonne a case of sexism or even of WiR?It was a rape and was probably the most graphic and disturbing thing I've ever read or seen on a printed page.But she also stood defiant and strong through the whole thing and,when rescued, remained so and left on her own power.I've just never seen anything written about it.
3) I am now all caught up on watching Heroes.I did not watch the show when it was on and caught up through the DVD set.What are my impressions so far?On the positive side,it's nice to see a show about superhumans not being treated as a joke.I loved the slow build as the characters came together.I wondered how Nathan was alive but I figure Peter just flew off on his own after Nathan carried him away.On the negative side, and I'm not sure if this is even the show's fault,but I've seen this same concept done better in Supreme Power and even in the latest New Universal,which is probably closer to Heroes content-wise than Supreme Power is.I see season one though as just an introduction.Now that the major players are revealed and we know what they can do the writers can cut loose now.I'm not expecting some massive, Secret Wars-sized battles but I am hoping for some longer superpowered fight scenes than have been shown so far.
4)The new Ministry album,The Last Sucker,has some fantastic CD packaging.It has a transforming picture on the cover and the whole thing is a pop-up digipak.The album itself...is awesome of course.This is Ministry and they're firing off on someone named George Bush.That's when they've always been at their best.I'd put the album on par with Rio Grande Blood,but it is not as much of a throwback as that album was.4 out of 5 stars(Wow.How did I ever come up with a ratings system based on a five stars?I'm patenting this one.)
5)Currently listening to the Opeth DVD,Lamentations.It's a live concert from 2003 around the time of the Damnation album.The sound quality is impeccable.This is Opeth,after all.The track list covers most of their catalogue but favors Damnation, which I'm cool with as I liked that album.They left out songs from Still Life though,which is as puzzling as it is unfortunate.Let the snooty metal elitists whine about how they don't sound exactly like they did on Orchid.They're missing out.I'm more than happy to absorb all of the grade AAA music that these guys can pump out.If you don't know who Opeth is, I'd describe them as a progressive death metal band(I guess?).The songs are usually about 9 to 10 minutes long and change tempo and tone quite freqently.Anyone hoping for pop hooks might as well just keep looking elsewhere,as they are not here.The albums are a challenge to listen to,much the same way classical music is.They challenge not because they seek to brutalize you, as much real metal does(Although I like this approach too),but because it will take many listens to dissect all of the musical beauty that is coming out of your speakers.I can put on one their albums that I've heard 1000 times and still find something I hadn't noticed on a previous listen.I also recommend listening to their albums in one sitting rather than a song here and a song there.
6)That's all there is today.
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