Comics!
Today is my day off, so I went down to the comic shop for the first time in a month or two to pick up our collected issues. And, since Jess has been telling me all about Blackest Night, I went and splurged all over their Blackest Night selection and got the owner to try to re-order the main-storyline issues I'm missing.
Writing goals for today are SO out the window.
ps238 #42: Remains awesome, needs to come out more often.
Last Stand of the Wreckers #1: I have no idea who half these people are, but that's often my problem with IDW comics. The last scene with Overlord made me wonder if he and that Autobot are about to have sex. The last scene with the Wreckers was frigging awesome, and I hope to find out more of what's going on there.
Bumblebee #1-#2: The situation: Optimus Prime has retired for some damn fool reason I don't feel like looking up to find out, Hot Rod has pulled off of Earth, so the Earth Autobots elect Bumblebee as leader. Now he does what he can to do right by the humans and the Autobots who believed in him. FUCK YEAH.
Of course, allying with humans naturally proves itself to be a bad idea. What the hell, IDW. I miss the days when we had Hunter, Jimmy, and Verity being awesome. Still, it allows for some interesting plot-stuff and Bumblebee to be awesome and grow in his abilities. So I am pleased with that.
The Decepticons on Earth being kind of half-crazy is very strange. Especially Skywarp. /random
That little bit with Scavenger at the end was very interesting. He sounded very much like Scavenger... right up until the bit where he started calling humans 'meatbags'. Of course, that might be my own biases but sometimes I think the writers go with "generic Decepticon" rather than "specific Decepticon". You can find a way to say "I think humans suck and don't want to be their equals, kthxdie" for any specific Decepticon without making them sound all alike.
X-Men Noir: Mark of Cain #1-#2: I liked the first one, so this new one is quite cool. I still think it's suffering from way too much of a black palette. On the other hand, the whole concept of doing X-characters as Noir-era criminals is very awesome. Especially with Cyke and Wolvy. Professor Xavier is creepy, though.
Wolverine: First Class #21: Mweeheehee! This series is still so very fun. Nice bit of non-linear storytelling in this particular issue, too.
Uncanny X-Men: First Class #5-#7: Oooh. Oooooooooh. I don't think I've ever seen a story where Scott had a hard time accepting Jean as the Phoenix. And this definitely happened in these three issues. In fact, the overall climax of the story involved him screaming and beating the crap out of the guys who caused the solar flare that got Jean with the Phoenix Force for "killing" the woman he loved.
This went over like a barrel of lead with Jean, as you can imagine.
The Knights of Hykon are an interesting set of baddies. Interesting history, but I definitely agree with Lilandra that history will not miss the Hykon Empire. THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR SLAUGHTERING WORLDS, YOU GUYS.
Booster Gold #26-#28: #26 and #27 are Booster and Blue Beetle III's part in the Blackest Night mega-crossover event of amazing that DC is doing. (You can't tell me it's not amazing when it has SEVEN Lantern Corps plus the Black Lantern ZOMBIE/EMOTION VAMPIRE Corps.) Naturally, it deals with, oh, BLUE BEETLE II rising from the grave to kick the shit out of Booster, BBIII, and assorted people they know.
It's actually a touching set of issues, since Blue Beetle II/Ted Kord was Booster Gold's best friend. So we open with time-traveling Booster Gold gone off to rewatch his part in Ted's funeral. Very, very touching. The way he can't seem to eulogize his friend, then him just kneeling down by the coffin and pressing his head against it- He hurts.
It is also good to see Jaime getting encouragement as far as being a hero goes. Other interesting tidbits: we finally find out who Rip Hunter is, though the heroes don't. Also, the bit in #27 where Booster notes that the entrance logs on Ted's Beetlecave show someone else has been through there in the last few months. Which, he says, is impossible since only he and Ted can open the door, and Ted has been dead for longer than a few months.
Very good SCIENCE for dealing with the Black Lantern Ring and keeping it from getting Ted again.
#28 gets back to Booster's main storyline with him as a time-cop. We're also tracking down his sister, who has found herself in Coast City a day or two after Superman's death. Yeah, this is shortly before Hank Henshaw decides to destroy it as Cyborg Superman. Looking good, wish I had the rest of this particular arc.
And in the backup story, the scarab finally goes Reach Infiltrator and takes over Jaime's brain. ARGH, CLIFFHANGER!
Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1: Saint Walker. Omg. Saint Walker. Ilu. (Screw the other two short stories, I want more Saint Walker. Though, whoa, what is up with the Indigo Tribe?)
Blackest Night #3, #5-#6: It would be really cool if I had the complete run of this. Or at least the three issues I'm missing. However, this has apparently been doing really well at the comic shop. But my comic guy says he'll try to reorder the issues I'm missing for me. So yay!
Otherwise: OMG, OMG, OMG, I am in love. OMG. EEEEEEEEeeeeeeee!
Blackest Night: The Flash #1-#2: Wheeeeere's #3? Dangit, I want to see more of Flash's Rogues Gallery being awesome. And, okay, Flash doing his "I have a blue ring 'cause I have some serious hope, and I will be laying about with the resurrections" thing. Though, seriously, seeing as he's the source/thingy/kumquat of the Speed Force, why did they give him a power ring too? This is up there with Hal's rings of many colors.
Blackest Night: Superman #1-#3: This is super-adorable. Well, as super-adorable as it gets when you have a zombie projective empath mucking with people's heads so he can feast on their hearts and a zombie Superman fighting a live Superman and Connor. But there is also Ma Kent and Krypto being awesome. And it all takes place in Smallville, which sometimes makes me wonder if there's something in the water from how happy and wonderful everyone is.
Blackest Night: The Atom and Hawkman: Very cool. Very nice Atom story, and thankfully, it finally gave us a run-down of what the Indigo Tribe's abilities are. Also, some good closure on Atom's love life with what's-her-bitch. Also, also, I enjoyed watching him go Orange-crazy for a moment there.
Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1: Oh wow. Nice to see Maxwell Lord again, even nicer to see a really good Diana story. She really is just plain amazing.
Blackest Night: JSA #1-#2: The Black Lanterns in these issues are mean.
Unfortunately, explaining that would be massive spoilers, and Jess hasn't gotten the second issue of this one yet.
And I think I'll leave reading my Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps issues until tomorrow.
Writing goals for today are SO out the window.
ps238 #42: Remains awesome, needs to come out more often.
Last Stand of the Wreckers #1: I have no idea who half these people are, but that's often my problem with IDW comics. The last scene with Overlord made me wonder if he and that Autobot are about to have sex. The last scene with the Wreckers was frigging awesome, and I hope to find out more of what's going on there.
Bumblebee #1-#2: The situation: Optimus Prime has retired for some damn fool reason I don't feel like looking up to find out, Hot Rod has pulled off of Earth, so the Earth Autobots elect Bumblebee as leader. Now he does what he can to do right by the humans and the Autobots who believed in him. FUCK YEAH.
Of course, allying with humans naturally proves itself to be a bad idea. What the hell, IDW. I miss the days when we had Hunter, Jimmy, and Verity being awesome. Still, it allows for some interesting plot-stuff and Bumblebee to be awesome and grow in his abilities. So I am pleased with that.
The Decepticons on Earth being kind of half-crazy is very strange. Especially Skywarp. /random
That little bit with Scavenger at the end was very interesting. He sounded very much like Scavenger... right up until the bit where he started calling humans 'meatbags'. Of course, that might be my own biases but sometimes I think the writers go with "generic Decepticon" rather than "specific Decepticon". You can find a way to say "I think humans suck and don't want to be their equals, kthxdie" for any specific Decepticon without making them sound all alike.
X-Men Noir: Mark of Cain #1-#2: I liked the first one, so this new one is quite cool. I still think it's suffering from way too much of a black palette. On the other hand, the whole concept of doing X-characters as Noir-era criminals is very awesome. Especially with Cyke and Wolvy. Professor Xavier is creepy, though.
Wolverine: First Class #21: Mweeheehee! This series is still so very fun. Nice bit of non-linear storytelling in this particular issue, too.
Uncanny X-Men: First Class #5-#7: Oooh. Oooooooooh. I don't think I've ever seen a story where Scott had a hard time accepting Jean as the Phoenix. And this definitely happened in these three issues. In fact, the overall climax of the story involved him screaming and beating the crap out of the guys who caused the solar flare that got Jean with the Phoenix Force for "killing" the woman he loved.
This went over like a barrel of lead with Jean, as you can imagine.
The Knights of Hykon are an interesting set of baddies. Interesting history, but I definitely agree with Lilandra that history will not miss the Hykon Empire. THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR SLAUGHTERING WORLDS, YOU GUYS.
Booster Gold #26-#28: #26 and #27 are Booster and Blue Beetle III's part in the Blackest Night mega-crossover event of amazing that DC is doing. (You can't tell me it's not amazing when it has SEVEN Lantern Corps plus the Black Lantern ZOMBIE/EMOTION VAMPIRE Corps.) Naturally, it deals with, oh, BLUE BEETLE II rising from the grave to kick the shit out of Booster, BBIII, and assorted people they know.
It's actually a touching set of issues, since Blue Beetle II/Ted Kord was Booster Gold's best friend. So we open with time-traveling Booster Gold gone off to rewatch his part in Ted's funeral. Very, very touching. The way he can't seem to eulogize his friend, then him just kneeling down by the coffin and pressing his head against it- He hurts.
It is also good to see Jaime getting encouragement as far as being a hero goes. Other interesting tidbits: we finally find out who Rip Hunter is, though the heroes don't. Also, the bit in #27 where Booster notes that the entrance logs on Ted's Beetlecave show someone else has been through there in the last few months. Which, he says, is impossible since only he and Ted can open the door, and Ted has been dead for longer than a few months.
Very good SCIENCE for dealing with the Black Lantern Ring and keeping it from getting Ted again.
#28 gets back to Booster's main storyline with him as a time-cop. We're also tracking down his sister, who has found herself in Coast City a day or two after Superman's death. Yeah, this is shortly before Hank Henshaw decides to destroy it as Cyborg Superman. Looking good, wish I had the rest of this particular arc.
And in the backup story, the scarab finally goes Reach Infiltrator and takes over Jaime's brain. ARGH, CLIFFHANGER!
Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #1: Saint Walker. Omg. Saint Walker. Ilu. (Screw the other two short stories, I want more Saint Walker. Though, whoa, what is up with the Indigo Tribe?)
Blackest Night #3, #5-#6: It would be really cool if I had the complete run of this. Or at least the three issues I'm missing. However, this has apparently been doing really well at the comic shop. But my comic guy says he'll try to reorder the issues I'm missing for me. So yay!
Otherwise: OMG, OMG, OMG, I am in love. OMG. EEEEEEEEeeeeeeee!
Blackest Night: The Flash #1-#2: Wheeeeere's #3? Dangit, I want to see more of Flash's Rogues Gallery being awesome. And, okay, Flash doing his "I have a blue ring 'cause I have some serious hope, and I will be laying about with the resurrections" thing. Though, seriously, seeing as he's the source/thingy/kumquat of the Speed Force, why did they give him a power ring too? This is up there with Hal's rings of many colors.
Blackest Night: Superman #1-#3: This is super-adorable. Well, as super-adorable as it gets when you have a zombie projective empath mucking with people's heads so he can feast on their hearts and a zombie Superman fighting a live Superman and Connor. But there is also Ma Kent and Krypto being awesome. And it all takes place in Smallville, which sometimes makes me wonder if there's something in the water from how happy and wonderful everyone is.
Blackest Night: The Atom and Hawkman: Very cool. Very nice Atom story, and thankfully, it finally gave us a run-down of what the Indigo Tribe's abilities are. Also, some good closure on Atom's love life with what's-her-bitch. Also, also, I enjoyed watching him go Orange-crazy for a moment there.
Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #1: Oh wow. Nice to see Maxwell Lord again, even nicer to see a really good Diana story. She really is just plain amazing.
Blackest Night: JSA #1-#2: The Black Lanterns in these issues are mean.
Unfortunately, explaining that would be massive spoilers, and Jess hasn't gotten the second issue of this one yet.
And I think I'll leave reading my Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps issues until tomorrow.