Title Undetermined

Thursday Night Thinking LXVII

2008-10-09T21:58:00.002-05:00

Thursday Night Thinking returns... And let me apologize for the poor quality scan. My normal scanner is currently impaired. But the thinking isn't:

Batman wrestles shark, thinks. Film at eleven.

An Open Letter

2008-10-08T23:28:00.004-05:00

To: Geoff Johns

Re: Action Comics #870

Dear Mr. Johns,

Was that really necessary? Did it serve any purpose other than to continue the obsession people at DC seem to have with the decidedly mediocre Richard Donner Superman: The Movie?

I question the decision as it doesn't really seem to bring anything but unneeded pathos to the character of Superman. I mean, that story has already been done. Probably a half dozen times, maybe more. The Braniac elements of this Action arc have been very inventive. Your little surprise was not.

And I use the term "surprise" loosely. Did you think anybody was going to be surprised or shocked? Everybody who looked at the last few Action covers knew this was coming. I hoped it was a fakeout, but no, it seems that it wasn't. Nor was it particularly clever or genuinely shocking. There was nothing there.

Basicially, I'm a little bit disappointed. Sure, you sometimes telegraph your moves, but never this blatantly. I usually find myself at least somewhat surprised by your patented twists. Maybe I still will be.

But I doubt it.

Sincerely,

Me

Vixen: Return of the Lion

2008-10-07T23:30:00.003-05:00

There was a bit of a surprise in my stack of comics last week. It wasn't something that I thought I would read. In fact, I'm still not sure why I read it. Maybe it's because the art was pretty. I don't know. But I did read Vixen: Return of the Lion. And I really liked it.

Let's forget that the comic totally ignored Vixen's "power problems" that have consumed a lot of Justice League of America over the past year. It's better that it did ignore them. Because instead we got a really interesting story about a character that I've never really known that much about.

Vixen has never been a character on my radar. I never read the Detroit League and only caught her briefly in Suicide Squad. She's always felt kind of tacked on in Justice League of America. But in Return of the Lion she felt like a real character. Like someone with a personality, a life, and character. For the first time the character of Vixen seems a bit more real to me.

I thought that Return of the Lion did a good job of showing that Vixen isn't really an African American character (as she often seems portrayed). She's really an African character. And the comic gives the continent that is all to shamefully ignored by people in the Western World a little bit of the attention that it so richly deserves.

I felt that Vixen's motivations were pretty real in this story. It's your typical comic hero struggle: find the villain responsible for the death of your parent/family member/significant other/best friend. But for some reason it felt a little less cliched to me here. Maybe it's because strongmen like Return of the Lion's villain are all too real in the world portrayed on the page.

In another common comic convention, the villain (formerly thought to be a normal mortal man) is revealed to have super-powers. Again, I should have expected that. But for some reason I didn't, and I was surprised to see it happen.

I was also pleasantly surprised by the artwork. I've never seen this artist's work before, but I sure hope I see more of his or her work (with a name like "Cafu" it's hard to tell). The characters looked good and the action was really stellar. I was impressed.

Over all, I'm pretty glad I took a chance on Vixen: Return of the Lion. I don't usually pick up mini-series based on characters I don't know well. Maybe you don't either. But you should give this one a chance. It feels like one of those solid comics that all too often slips through the cracks...

Getting It Right

2008-10-06T23:16:00.004-05:00

Well, my weekend sucked. But I'm not going to talk about that. Instead, I'm going to talk about Supergirl!

I've never liked this new/old Supergirl. I was a big fan of Linda Danvers, but I understood the desire to bring the Supergirl character back to her roots. But I never felt like they did that. Even with all the successive writers, constantly cycling in and out. They never seemed to hit the sweet spot for me with the book and the character.

I think that might be changing. For me, one of the important things about super-heroes are secret identities. Don't give me any of that Marvel claptrap about how secret identities are outdated. Heck, even Marvel finally figured out they'd screwed up and retconned Spider-Man's secret identity back (following on the heels of Geoff Johns brilliant retcon of Wally's secret identity).

But nobody seemed to think that Supergirl needed a secret identity. Why couldn't she just be Supergirl all the time? Well, I think Sterling Gates is finally pointing out why that just doesn't work. Either for Kara or for the readers. I think comic readers need to see super-heroes in down to earth civilian identities.

Sure, not many of us can understand what it's like to be a multimillionaire or a reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper or a test pilot or a police scientist. But But those people still have to deal with things in a very different way from super-heroes. And it provides perspective.

So let me again congratulate DC, Sterling Gates, Jamal Igle, and Keith Champagne. It took thirty-four issues, but you're finally starting to get Supergirl right. And you got me to start buying the book.

Thursday Night Thinking LXVI

2008-10-02T22:08:00.002-05:00

Thursday Night Thinking! Is this the final thought of Jimmy Olsen?

Probably not.

Parallels

2008-10-01T21:09:00.005-05:00

Hey, do you remember that billionaire industrialist? You know the one I mean. One of the world's richest men? A genius to boot. He built himself a super-suit. This guy was convinced that he knew best. He could run the world in a way that nobody else could. He got into a big fight with a guy in red and blue over it. Is this ringing any bells?

Am I talking about Lex Luthor?

Or am I talking about Tony Stark?

You've got to admit: there are some striking parallels between the Tony Stark of (and post) Civil War with our good friend Lex Luthor, the world's most dangerous man. Each is completely convinced that what he is doing is for the good of humanity. Even if that's not really his goal.

Still, one can't really compare the two side by side. By any measure, poor Tony Stark doesn't measure up. He may be a genius, but that doesn't make him smart. Not the way Lex Luthor is smart.

Tony Stark won his big fight. He became the big guy, and gained a chance to put his plans into action. But he only got there because his foe in the "Civil War" ended up folding.

Lex Luthor's opponent never gives up. He never gives in. And he's the most powerful man anywhere. And despite being beaten at every turn, Lex Luthor keeps going. He manages to compete. He's still Superman's greatest foe.

So what would happen if Tony Stark and Lex Luthor had lived side by side in the same universe? My guess: by the end of a work week Stark Enterprises is a wholly owned subsidiary of LexCorp. And Tony Stark ends up in a ditch somewhere. And not even drunk...

Future Comics

2008-09-30T21:13:00.003-05:00

Hey, did you hear? Denny O'Neil is coming back to write a few issues of You-Know-Who's comic. Know that Denny O'Neil created me, Azrael.

Did you also know that the last comic for DC Mr. O'Neil wrote was my solo series? One hundred issues. Every month you could follow my adventures as I grew progressively more unstable and changed my costume and hairstyle multiple times. But hey, it was the nineties! That's what superheroes did...

Anyway, what do you think are the chances that Mr. O'Neil will feature me in the story? Sure, he doesn't give any indication that I will be... But that doesn't necessarily rule it out, does it? I'd say that there's a very good chance that maybe I might show up.

At least that's what I'm hoping.

Happy Birthday to Me

2008-09-29T22:42:00.002-05:00

Thanks to all of you who participated in my little (very little) challenge yesterday. It was great fun to read all your ideas. I promise I won't forget them.

That said, today is my birthday. I am now twenty-six years old. I know that's not particularly old, but it certainly seems older than I feel. Four years from today I'll be thirty. I don't relish that.

Anyway, as it's my birthday I think I'll take the night off. Yeah, I know that sounds silly, considering I've done little but take time off these past few weeks. But I've been building up to it. Heh.

Anyway, I'll try to post something -- or get one of the other guys to post something -- tomorrow. See you all next time.

Creation is the Goal of All

2008-09-27T23:57:00.003-05:00

Those who know me know that more than anything I want to create. I want to make comics and stories and all sorts of things. I'm inspired by my favorite super-hero comics, but unlike a lot of people who like comics, I have no real aspiration to write/draw them. I've got my own projects.

And with the downtime I've got right now in my life, I'm trying to put together one of my comics. I'm working on my drawing, which is the main obstacle to actually doing it. The story is there... Mostly.

That said, I'm always looking for ideas for story-arcs. So, I'm going to throw a question out to you, the loyal readers. Let's see if you can come up with some things that'll get my creative juices flowing. So:

What would you like to see a hero fight that you've never seen a hero fight before?

No limits, my friends. Some would say that there's nothing new under the sun. I don't believe it. Prove me right.

Thursday Night Thinking LXV

2008-09-25T23:59:00.002-05:00

You know what day it is. You know what that means. It means... Thursday Night Thinking!

And who can you rely on to always supply a good thought? Why, Ambush Bug, of course!

Always such interesting thoughts...

Blue Beetle #31:

2008-09-24T22:56:00.001-05:00

Boo. Yah.

That is all.

Blarg

2008-09-22T23:05:00.002-05:00

Apologies, friends, for not posting much these past few days. I am getting to experience something I did not miss about the United States: getting sick.

You see, in Japan the doctors are plentiful and cheap. You never have to wait five days to see one. And when you do see one, they never charge you more than fifteen bucks. Never. And don't get me started on the costs of prescription medication.

So, though I could probably come up with something to post, my head hurts too damn much. I'm going to bed now.

Thursday Night Thinking LXIV

2008-09-18T23:59:00.004-05:00

Once again, the continuing saga of Thursday Night Thinking! Tonight: a terrifying foe stalks the 31st Century and beyond. He sparks a cataclysm that rocks the Legions of three worlds. What terrifying thoughts lurk with the mind of the Time Trapper?

Oh yeah. That sounds about right.

Just... Stop It

2008-09-17T23:37:00.003-05:00

Okay, people. This has to stop. It has to stop now and it has to stop completely. What am I talking about? I'm talking about this:

For those unclear of my meaning, I'm referring to a full page image of a bunch of super-heroes charging the reader (who is a stand in for the villain/s). It needs to stop.

Now, once upon a time it was fun. It was original. It was cool to turn the page and find a dozen super-heroes staring at you. But it got stale a long time ago.

Look, it's not that it's necessarily a bad way of doing things. But I'm sure there are better ways. Besides, it's not like "heroes charging" is one of Wally Wood's 22 Panels That Always Work. There has to be a better way.

And if there isn't, could we at least pretend there was?

December Solicits

2008-09-16T23:21:00.003-05:00

Well, I've escaped from Chicago with my skin intact. It rained for three days straight, but at least I wasn't in Texas...

So, I'm back until I find out where/when/if I'm off to fight for the future. Until then, let's talk about the DC December solicitations!

FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF THREE WORLDS #4
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by George Pérez & Scott Koblish
Covers by George Pérez
Don't miss this issue as lightning strikes again in the DC Universe! The Crisis of the 31st century continues as a great hero falls and another returns to help Superman and the Legion combat the murderous Superboy-Prime! Meanwhile, the Time Trapper makes his move against the three Legion founders, Polar Boy's bizarre mission comes to an end and Superman makes a shocking discovery that will redefine the terms of this war.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers by George Pérez that will ship in approximately 50/50 ratio. Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale December 24 • 4 of 5 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

I've said that just about everything about this series is perfect. I stand by that. I, for one, am especially looking forward to finding out who the heck they've got in that lightning rod of theirs. I'm guessing it's probably Bart Allen, as it looks like Barry has come back through other means. Plus, Bart's cousin is on one of those three Legions. So it just makes sense.

VIGILANTE #1
Written by Marv Wolfman
Art by Rick Leonardi
Cover by Walter Simonson
Variant cover by Andrew Robinson
In New York City, crime is on the rise, and terror fills the streets. Gang warfare is escalating, and metahumans are being drafted into battle. Through the corruption and lawlessness, one man emerges to right the wrongs as only he can. So when a Super Hero conspiracy plot is brought to light, the Vigilante returns to find the traitor and mete out his own brand of justice – with extreme prejudice! Join us as writer Marv Wolfman (NEW TEEN TITANS, CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS) continues the street-level adventures of the mysterious new crime fighter he introduced in the pages of NIGHTWING.
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 10 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Walter Simonson), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Andrew Robinson). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale December 24 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Hmm... A street level crime-fighter with is own brand of justice. It's been done. And it's not just been done better, it's been done best.

TITANS #8
Written by Judd Winick
Art and cover by Howard Porter
There's a traitor in the Titans' midst, and the entire Tower is under lockdown until the team can discover which member could betray them. The problem is, there's no real way to investigate, since the traitor is now a sleeper agent!
On sale December 10 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Ooh, there's a traitor in the Titans! I'm soooo shocked. I mean, it's not like that story hasn't been done a million times.

Seriously, the "Titan Traitor" story has been done. Repeatedly. I'm so glad I don't read this book. And I'm still not sure why Raven is hanging with them. They're all like ten years older than her (physically). It's just weird.

SECRET SIX #4
Written by Gail Simone
Art by Nicola Scott & Doug Hazlewood
Cover by Nicola Scott
It's Viva Las Vegas for DC's most dangerous and demented team as the mysterious Junior tightens the noose around all their necks! That squeeze pushes one Secret Six member towards a life-threatening hazard that proves once and for all that rest-stop bathrooms really should be avoided at all costs!
Plus, the new sixth member has joined the team, but is she really willing to stick with the Six all the way to Gotham with half the villains in the DC universe chasing them?
On sale December 10 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

My only complaint here is that I have to wait until issue four to find out who the sixth member is. I love you, Gail!

(And I love you, Nicola, for putting Bane behind the wheel of an ice cream truck).

BLUE BEETLE #34
Written by Matthew Sturges
Art and cover by Rafael Albuquerque
“Boundaries” comes to its explosive conclusion as Doctor Polaris and Blue Beetle face off! Beetle’s life is at stake and so are the futures of two communities already fractured by in-fighting!
On sale December 31 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

MWAHAHA! Look out, Blue Beetle. I have it on the authority of a doctor that when Polaris shows you can run but not hide. And please note that there's no mention of him being the "new" Doctor Polaris. Maybe Doc really is still in the game...

No, I'm Not Going Away

2008-09-12T10:42:00.003-05:00

Well, since I returned from Japan I've been basically doing nothing with myself. No jobs, no friends, nobody really to hang out with.

I realize that sounds self-pitying, but it's really not. I've enjoyed having some downtime to myself -- I needed the recharge after three years in Japan. But I've reached the point where I need to really do something with myself. And so I am.

One thing I try to avoid talking about here on the blog is politics. It's one of the things that I'm very passionate about, but I've never felt that this is the place for it. I still don't. But that said, it's an election year (an important one, I'm sure everyone can agree) and I've gotten some work with a campaign.

Now I won't go into who I'm going to be working for, but I'll just say that I'm heading up to Chicago for a training session this weekend. So you don't have to be the Dark Knight Detective to put two and two together. I hope none of you will hold my political beliefs against me. Heh.

Anyway, I won't be posting this weekend. And depending on my duties, I may not be posting much until November. But I'll try to keep posting as much as I can. I hope you all keep checking back here even as I try do do something constructive with my life. I know that's not conducive to blogging, but hey... That's life.

Thursday Night Thinking LXIII

2008-09-11T23:27:00.002-05:00

I'm running out of time! Quick: Thursday Night Thinking!

That's the ticket, Adam Strange. Now I fly awaaaaaaaay!

Where We Stand

2008-09-09T22:22:00.003-05:00

A friend of mine recently mentioned that DC has been -- loosely paraphrased -- "in a slump." Basically he told me that DC has been pretty awful these past few years.

As the DC fan I am, I took some exception to that. Sure, I know as well as the next guy that DC continually trails in sales behind Marvel. But I just don't think that that means it's not putting out good stuff. Yes, the past few years have supplied us with some very poor DC comics/events. But consider some of the brilliant things that have come out of the past few years:

The new Blue Beetle

The new Booster Gold

The Sinestro Corps War

Jonah Hex

Secret Six

Now it's true that most of these books haven't sold that well. But since when are sales an indicator of quality? The six books/stories I mentioned above are just a few of the amazing stuff that DC has put out in the last few years. If people aren't buying them that's their (and our) loss.

Friends: can you name any other brilliantly amazing things that DC has put out in the past five years or so? I could probably name another dozen brilliant projects -- stories or series that are the equal of anything DC's distinguished rival produces.

Comment away.

Curious Correspondence

2008-09-08T22:33:00.002-05:00

As a popular and successful super-villain, I often receive correspondence from friends, adversaries, and kooks seeking my aid. I find that such emails are usually good for a hearty laugh.

But I must say that I was more than a little surprised to receive the following email from a mysterious man who identified himself only as "RICHARD BROMLEY:"

DEAR FRIEND

My name is RICHARD BROMLEY, a merchant in England, but taking treatment
in the U.A.E now. I have been diagnosed with prostate and esophageal
cancer that was discovered very late due to lack of care for my
health. I want you to assist me in disbursing £43,000,000 of my
hidden wealth, please reply me immediately so i can explain further.
Please reply to my private email address below.

##############@yahoo.ie

Be blessed my beloved,
RICHARD BROMLEY

I knew immediately that I had stumbled upon something tremendous. This Mr. RICHARD BROMLEY had come to me for aid... In dispensing with the vast fortune acquired through his work as an undisclosed type of merchant!

BROMLEY you fool! I am no kind-hearted good samaritan... I am Doctor Polaris! Your "hidden wealth" cannot possibly remain hidden for long. I will scour the Earth for its location and take it for myself!

Furthermore, I will cure you through magnetism so that you may live the rest of your life destitute and full of regret. You will regret that you ever came to Polaris for help! I will take your hidden riches, convert them into 75,461,690 dollars and thirty-six cents of real money, and then waste it all on some sort of Doomsday Device that probably won't work.

Let this be a lesson to you: Doctor Polaris does not take charity! I earned all my money the easy way: through magnetism.

Secret Six #1

2008-09-05T23:23:00.003-05:00

Oh, how I love Gail Simone. Let me count the ways. Let me count six of them:

1. Ice cream as a weapon. A delicious, delicious weapon.

2. The sweetest, stupidest gift ever.

3. Cat-Man and Deadshot: BFF.

4. The comedy stylings of Bane!

5. "The bat knows, Blake."

6. I AM READING A SECRET SIX ONGOING COMIC RIGHT NOW!!!!

Some weeks in comics are happier than others. This is one of the happiest. Now I'm going to go read it again.

Thursday Night Thinking LXII

2008-09-04T23:43:00.002-05:00

Ooh... I'm really tired tonight. So tired that I can barely... Think!

Well, I'm glad that's out of the way. G'night everybody.

I Don't Feel So Well

2008-09-03T20:51:00.004-05:00

I've been trying to figure out why all these characters from the nineties are coming back. I'm not really sure what the point of it all is. I'm not complaining, of course. There's a chance that I might be showing up again.

Hey, did you know that my old enemy Bane is going to be showing up in Secret Six sometime soon? I beat him, you know. Nobody else could do it but I did. Nobody remembers that, though. You-Know-Who gets the credit... But it was me in that costume! I broke Bane, not Batman!

...

There, I said it. I mentioned him. And know that I did it by name. I'm not sure if that's progress or a dangerous backslide into insanity. I'd... I'd better go ask the wrathful spirit of the Venerable Saint Dumas. I'll... I'll let you know what he says.

Some Advice For My Nephew

2008-09-02T23:15:00.003-05:00

Oh, my poor pathetic nephew. Grant, Grant, Grant. It pains me to see that you have grown up to be such a misfit. Perhaps I should have visited more when you were a child. Perhaps you would have turned out better with a little magnetism in your life.

It is clear to me that you know nothing about women. Now pull up a chair and allow your dear Uncle Polaris to smack some sense into you with a steel girder. Your attempts to impress women are appalling and juvenile. It is not one's handsome face that impresses women... It is the content of your character and the way you treat them.

Behold: Doctor Polaris, Master of Magnetism. Do I woo lovely ladies with my handsome face revealed? I do not. That is a Jordan tactic. Rather, I wear a villainous helm to hide my face, thus preserving an air of mystery while I employ my magnetic charm. It has proven most effective.

I thought you got it, Grant. After my colleague Zoom brutally disfigured your face you took to hiding your appearance. You were projecting an air of intrigue. But did you take advantage of it? No, you moped about like the pathetic nephew that you are.

I predict that you will have no more success now than you did before an ancient space god restored your face. It is far more likely that you will fail. Just like you fail in all your childish pursuits.

You really need to grow up, Grant.

Holiday

2008-09-01T22:49:00.002-05:00

As you can probably tell, I ended up taking the Labor Day weekend off. My family and I took a short trip on the train up to Chicago. It was good being back in a big city again... Since returning from Japan I've been stuck in my small hometown. And it's admittedly been driving me a little crazy.

We went out to Wrigley Field to see a Cubs game. They lost, but that's something a hundred years of losing inures you to (even if this year's been a little different). I had a Chicago hot dog (the best hot dogs in the world) and some Chicago style pizza (the best pizza in the world).

Over all, it was a good weekend. Comics come back tomorrow!

Thursday Night Thinking LXI

2008-08-28T20:45:00.004-05:00

As always, we find ourselves in the midst of Thursday Night Thinking! Tonight, we have one of our most consistent thinkers: Superman!

Super-thinking means quality thinking. But what happens when Superman loses his powers? Can his thinking possibly compare?

Man, you do not disappoint. Thank you, Superman. Thank you.