Starts with "Sin" and ends with "Estro".
My internet gave up on working in my room a couple of weeks ago so I've been forced to use it in the living room whenever I wanted to be on and. There's only so much time I can spend in the same room as my parents never ending drama. They're insane and test my last nerve. It didn't help that it's always hotter in the living room and my brother's dog is constantly underfoot and barking and making me feel murderous. I love you all and I tried to deal, but when I had the choice between going out gallivanting with my sister and reading comics at the park and forcing myself to suffer through the living room? Sorry but there wasn't really a choice.
Everything else loses to comics right now. I've become needy and desperate for them. It's a real sickness. Don't look at me like that.
This is where I would normally be tedious and boring and say that I was going to try harder because back and forth email is my favorite thing and I love reading everybody's posts and feel like a useless turd when I don't comment on things (I have been made fun of numerous times for how guilty I actually feel about it), but. I'm leaving to stay with crumbcake for a week in a few hours and it's only going to get worse for a while. Unless she decides to be boring (unlikely) or walk the street every day (something of a certainty. Ha! Oh burn, snap, I diss you, Specialness), it's likely I won't be around at all.
So.
Dear isilweth, hackthis, glitterandlube, icarusinwax, kaycricketed, wonderfish, mireamine, jude_judith82, bop_radar, and anyone else I might owe email to -
I'm not trying to be a rude cow and ignore you. I just suck at fandom. The usual. Carry on with being awesome. I will email-harass you soonish.
Love,
Me
Before I leave a few things worth mentioning:
1) There sure are some generous chicky mamas running around fandom.
Case in point - See the status of my lj account? YEAH. I still can't believe it. You're worth more than your weight in gold, mahaliem. I can't say enough nice things about you. I feel blessed to know you in any fashion. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH.
Also notice how much prettier my profile page looks? That's because 07six10 is a darling.
2) It's especially hard to keep up with commenting on everything awesome when there is SO much awesome.
- mskatej wrote this wonderful porny Lana story - Seule et Amoureuse. When I was finished with it, not only was my baby-new Lana love cemented, but I respected her. My mouth was dropped open too. Kate worked a miracle. Go read it.
- bop_radar's been making Why SV Lois is Rad picspam posts and I'm sorry but you people who don't love Smallville? YOU'RE LAME. You're even lamer if you don't love bop_radar. I will have her in comics fandom if it's the last thing I do.
- romanyg is writing lots of interesting sv/dcu fic. I'm behind on fbing it and reading it but don't you be lame like me! There is Clark/Bruce action involved! Head on over.
- And finally ethrosdemon wrote me Ollie and Hal making out. !!!!!!! In a convertible!! In SV verse! Everybody wants to read that. It's Green Arrow/Green Lantern! HELL YES.
3) Since I'm too exhausted to read but have to keep myself awake somehow in order to make my flight - how about some overlong crying, bitching, and fangirling of the past two weeks' comics.
Let's start with the dreaded Flash #13.
I don't have too much to say on this one because whenever I think about, it I'm overcome with sadness and anger. I read it first out of last week's comics and when I was through with it I was in the foulest of moods and couldn't even look at my other comics until two days later. I couldn't pick up The Brave and the Bold and I've been on the edge of my seat looking forward to it since the last issue. Scanning these pages made me cry so yeah this is gonna be brief.
Just. This hit me a lot harder than Kon's death. Kon's death sucked but I was ready for it. This. Bart on top of Kon. Knowing what Kon's death did to Tim and adding Bart to that. It is, it was - TOO MUCH.
Combine that with the way that Bart died in his own book with all the focus being entirely on him, whereas Kon died in the midst of chaos and a million things going on - it felt like ten times the punch in the gut.
As upset as I am, I will say that at least they sent Bart off in a better book than he started out in OYL. The art was nice, Bart was Bart - it came off heartfelt. I was terrified that it was going to be a piece of crap and Bart deserves to go better than that. He deserves better than to die this early at all, but if DC is going to be stupid enough to get rid of him (FUCK YOU FOR WASTING LIKE THIS DC), at least they gave him a good issue.
Like isn't the right word so - I appreciate that they gave him a nice moment with Barry right at the beginning.
Then later highlighting Bart following in Barry's footsteps and never giving up even when he had no legs to stand on and he already knew he was going to lose. Emphasizing Bart's heroism and pureness of heart.
I also appreciate that Daniel included the funky Impulse hair just drawn realistically.
Bart thinking of Tim almost killed me -
And then the 'I AM THE FLASH' moment did.
Bart wanted so badly to live up to the legacy, to not let Jay, Barry, or Wally down and yes Bart. The fanboys didn't want you, DC decided they didn't want you, but you were The Flash. You were what The Flash is all about before you ever put on the suit and I had better see lots more grief and anger coming from the Flash family than I've seen coming from Clark about Kon.
That page.
That page destroyed me even more than these two did.
Although it was close. God, Tim.
I can't say anything else or I will start bawling and I don't have crumbcake to cheer me up by filling my head with images of Tim adding a Bart homage to his uniform by wearing those silly lightning bolts on the Flash cowl as barrettes.
Oh and Didio? You know how in this week's DC Nation you talk about how 'there is a fourth, but it's so late in the year I figure you wouldn't mind waiting to find out who it is and what outrageous fortunes that death cause. Good things come to those who wait'? YOU CAN TAKE THAT DEATH AND SHOVE IT. We're all fucking sick of people dying.
TT #47-48
Oh Teen Titans how you've fallen in my eyes. You had Jason, Dick, and Tim in the same space and you still didn't make me all that happy.
So this issue is all about Duela Dent's death which took place over in Countdown when a Monitor showed up and plugged her ass for messing up the Multiverse by existing. Said Monitor is also looking to do the same thing to Jason, Donna, Kyle, and maybe someone else. I don't pay that much attention because Countdown is boring and the Multiverse gives me a headache.
The Titans go to her funeral and after, they start working on finding out who killed her. A familiar name comes up during an interrogation.
I'm bitching but okay, I do like how Jason called them idiots and the way he looks so gleeful about kneeing Dick in the balls and hitting Tim.
But. Dick called him Todd. That hurts me! It's understandable for him to call him that. I mean Jay was running around in his Nightwing outfit fucking things up for him only months ago, but it still hurts. One of my very favorite things about Dick is the way he called Jason 'Little Wing' even when Jason was his replacement, the embodiment of everything going wrong in his life, and a snotty, smartass, annoying kid.
You know what else is adorable on this page? The way Dick is walking so casually on that beam and the way you can tell that Jason is struggling to keep his balance.
Also the way Jason says 'Goons're coming' and hangs off of Dick.
I'm getting off topic but three billion ♥'s for every page and panel of Nightwing Year One.
Anyways. LITTLE. WING.
He's giving the kid a nickname - an endearment! - despite all of Jason's punk attitude and the huge fucking tear and gaping hole known as Bruce Firing Him. THAT'S HOW BEAUTIFUL A PERSON DICK IS. He couldn't hate Jason if he tried.
So to see him revert - no it's not even reverting because he was never that cold and formal with him - to calling him Todd. Well. It's like I said - understandable - but god how I wish things had been different when Jason first came back. Sure Jason was killing fools right and left but you really think Dick wasn't happy to see him? Happy that Jason was alive? Where is that scene? I WANT IT.
Rose's obvious thrill at having so many hot batboys all at one time amused me.
Rose really is a smart girl and I like Donna defending Jason. Her and Jason's budding partnership in Countdown is one of the few things I'm sort of enjoying about it. I'm guiltily hoping that they'll kiss at some point even though it'd be really lame. Jason needs love from somebody. HOT DOOMED ANGRY LOVABLE ZOMBIE ROBIN THAT HE IS.
Now the kick. Theoretically this is a good moment.
And I did laugh. Except. It feels too much like a fanboy 'Yaye let's have the Robin we like kick the Robin we hate and voted to have beaten to death in the balls! Ha ha!'. It doesn't feel brotherly to me. It feels malicious.
I guess what it comes down to - I'm a pathetic sucker for Jason and he owns me. That would be a weak reason to dislike the issue if that were the only reason I disliked it but there were other things. The art ranges from eh to bad. I completely fail to understand the whole stupid Match is obsessed with Cassie thing. Wtf. WHY? He doesn't have Kon's memories.
However. None of that compares to how this week's TT is. Now that is a crappy issue. I wanted to strangle both Cassie and Kara about 20 times and I usually love both of them.
I suppose it's not the issues fault since it has to tie in to Amazons Attack and that whole mess. Turns out the government has set up a temporary internment camp to hold any women who have had or are supposed to have had any contact with the Amazons. If you're reading this storyline you know it's even dumber than it sounds.
Cassie's mom is one of the women inside. One of Kara's friends is also being held. This pisses them off. They storm in looking to kick some ass and bust their loved ones out. Things are getting ugly with guns being aimed and Cassie's powers going in and out.
Tim drops in to tell them to simmer down.
Ugh. What does that even mean 'When you've let Match stick around when you know what that does to me'? Tim didn't let anything and he hates Match being around as much as she does! What the hell ever, Cassie. Way to be selfish and teenage in the worst way. Oh and great choice not listening to the brains of the outfit.
There's a lot of yada yada and fighting, bullets bouncing off Kara and Cassie, Ares pops in to have a talk with Cassie, Miss Martian and Kara fight, and again Tim tries to get them to SIMMER ALREADY.
Ohhh shit. HOW DARE YOU KICK TIM LIKE THAT.
Naturally, it backfires.
BWAHAHAHA! She kicked him through the fence and right on top of her mom. Good work.
Tim tries one last time to help her and get her to listen.
Wow. Yeah, Tim's the jerk here. It's not like his father and girlfriend had just been murdered, or there'd been a horrific gang war in Gotham and another girl that he knew and liked was killed in front of him, or say his last remaining family member - his stepmother - wasn't blown up in Bludhaven, or his team mate and pseudo sister hadn't just defected and started acting crazy on top of Kon dying and the world going ultra crisis. How could he be so selfish and take off to spend time with Bruce and Dick and try to pull together what was left of his sanity! What an asshole leaving Cassie in her time of need because you know OMG HER BOYFRIEND DIED!
Not that Kon dying doesn't blow for Cassie too. It blows for everybody but man. She needs to pull her head out of her ass far enough to figure out what's going on with her team mate and friend before she goes laying more guilt on Tim.
All of that would have been something like tolerable if the art had been more dynamic and Cassie and Kara had looked like the badass warriors they are. Instead Cassie has a weird mullet thing happening and she only comes off as whiny and self-absorbed. A big NO all around.
It ends with Kara and Cassie flying off to kidnap the President.
SIGH. I still love them both. I'll just love them a whole lot more as soon as someone else is writing them.
Countdown up to 44
Countdown's major accomplishment as far as I'm concerned, is the way it makes me miss and value 52. There were boring and bad patches in 52 but there was great stuff too - Montoya and Vic, some of the Booster stuff, the Black Adam arc, some of the mad scientist island stuff, Clark and Tim appearances, the fabulous covers. With Countdown is any of it great?
Not really. I have no idea what's going on with the Mary Marvel and Jimmy Olsen storylines and I don't care. I'm worried something stupid is going to happen with Holly. Mary Sue looking Elf chick is awful and maybe the lamest thing I've come across since I started reading comics. The Multiverse is insane and confusing beyond belief and unless there is an earth where all of the hot male heroes are slashy and boning each other, I see no reason for them to have brought it back.
I'm kind of liking the Jason stuff but that's because it's Jason. He's the reason I'm buying it and will continue to buy it even if it gets really bad. Damn Jason.
The Flash rogues appearances are the only moments I truly get a kick out of. I knew the bare minimum about them before I started reading Countdown and they've wet my appetite. After I finish the giant stack of trades I already have to read, I'll have to hunt down some good Flash stuff. They're goofy and crack me up.
They're fast getting less goofy. This week Trickster and Piper are on the run because of Bart's death.
They only amount to two or three pages in each issue and sometimes they don't show up at all, but I'm excited to see where it's going with them. Is it the beginning of a beautiful friendship? Will the JLA rip them a new one? Tim hunt them down and serve up some scary Bat type whoop ass of his own?
There's a sort of noirish feeling to Trickster and Piper there - the panic of being caught up in a terible situation - of one moment, one mistake dragging you farther and farther down the 'we are fucked!' path.
As for Piper going on about 'But we didn't kill him' - are they delusional and denying their own guilt? I hope it's not a mistake by the editors because it sure looks like they were there beating on Bart in his last moment to me.
*SOBS*
Amazons Attack #3
Boy is this thing flat and not working. I'm not even sure what specifically is making it suck. Maybe everything.
The art is fairly rad and this panel made me smile because look who is peeking over there!
JAIME!! And Starman is there! Give us a conversation between the two of them and you have instant improvement and excitement.
At one point Babs and Bruce were talking.
As far as I know, this is the first time we've seen them talk since OYL began. Right? Surely they're going to make up soon. Bruce is nicer now! Forgive him, Babs.
Oh and this page cracked me up -
That's right! That's a dumpster! And who threw this dumpster you ask? CLARK. Bitches need to think twice before they try and touch Clark's man! Or else be prepared to suffer the consequences. You never know when you might get dumpster bitchslapped! HA.
Wonder Woman #10
This is mediocre same as it's been. I'm praying that the first thing Gail does is get rid of this Nemesis turd.
I refuse to believe that Bruce found that amusing. This is the man they expect me to believe freaking WONDER WOMAN would go for? Suuuuuuuure. Pull the other leg it's got bells on it. I wish Dinah would have clocked him.
The Spirit #7
Wait. I lied. I have nothing to say besides I missed Cooke and J. Bone on this issue. I just wanted an excuse to look at this cover again.
BECAUSE IT IS RAD WRITTEN OUT IN TEN FOOT NEON SHINY LETTERS. If you aren't reading this book, you SHOULD BE.
Brave and the Bold #4
IT ROCKED. What'd you think I was going to say? Kara, Jaime, Bruce, the art, EVERYTHING.
Jaime and Bruce continue to be the best possible team up ever. I'm thinking that once this storyline wraps up, Jaime will come to stay with Bruce for a few weeks and train with him and Tim. They'll help him figure out his armor and teach him to fight enough to take care of himself in case something goes wrong with the armor and he's in a spot. On the weekends, Jaime's family will come up (courtesy of one of Bruce's jets) and bring some life into the Manor. Jaime's mother will give Tim lots of hugs and cook huge amounts of food. Milagro will be very inquisitive with Alfred and follow him around. Brenda and Paco will come a couple of times too and the moment Brenda meets Dick that's it - she'd just stare with her mouth open. Paco will get jealous and sulk. Jaime will be amused.
Eventually, Tim and Jaime will tentatively start making out and everything will be coming up roses. crumbcake and I have it all worked out. Why DC isn't beating down our doors, I'll never know.
But back to the actual book - Bruce shot himself with a mysterious weapon without knowing the consequences to save Jaime!!!!
Again - BEST. MATCH. UP. EVER.
This panel had me freaking out -
Hurry and tell Jaime that Bruce is okay! I can not wait months while Jaime is panicking.
And this scene between Kara and Lobo gave me massive warm fuzzies - Kara is asking about looking into the book of destiny -
Lobo giving warm fuzzies. Who'da thunk. I wish I had next months issue in my hands right now.
JLA #10
This issue was pretty awesome but it would have been even awesomer if not for two things.
1) This cover.
I don't get all that riled up about how women are drawn in comics. Maybe I should. I don't know. But that is just an eyesore. A nightmare even. All three of them need to climb of the page, find Turner, and make him their new punching bag. These are the leaders of the two major teams in the DCU! Show Power Girl and Black Canary a little respect.
And 2) Wally came back.
I'm happy he's back. Honestly. He's Dick and Roy's friend and I get to see sweet scenes like this and know that somewhere I'll get to see Dick welcoming him back as well -
How huge is Hal? Ahahahahaha.
So yeah I'm happy. There's just a bitter sour taste underneath it. I don't want to dislike Wally because of it. It's not his fault that DC felt Bart had to die in order for him to come back. But. There it is. Wally's back. And Bart's dead.
Bruce and I match faces.
For different reasons but awwww. I don't know jack about Barry. Were he and Bruce close?
Starman keeps on being priceless and he's staying!! HIP HIP HURRAH AND TOSS CONFETTI!!
All of the different narration boxes got me all mixed up but this one is great -
Daaaaamn but how many different types of visions does Clark have?
Oh DC. You hurt Bart but as Cyclone says -
You're so winsomely kooky. I wish I could stay mad.
Catwoman #68
yazzle already put up a wonderful review of this issue. Mine will only pale in comparison. Since I adored this issue though, I'm going to yammer on it anyways.
Now scroll up for a second and take a look at that hideous JLA cover again. I know it burns your eyes but sneak a peek.
Now take a look at this cover.
That's how you make an enticing chick cover. You're a hack, Turner. Your covers look nothing like sexy. Give it up and go home already.
I started reading Catwoman on a whim. glossing mentioned on her journal that she liked it and I thought huh and picked up a few issues. Then I kept on reading it. It was pleasant and diverting and I enjoyed it even if it never went far enough to make me sit up and take notice.
Until this issue. This issue was FUN. Loads of action and suspense! Death defying car explosions!
UH HUH! THAT'S AS EXCITING AS ANY ACTION MOVIE EVER IS.
Don't think so? Well let me break it down for you, you overstimulated bafoon. See these two deranged Russian metas with a grudge against Selina are trying to kill her. Rip her limb from limb etc. For revenge! She managed to beat and evade them a couple of times and finally they've had enough. This time they head straight for where it'd really hurt her and kidnap her baby. Then to get her super pissed they put wee little Helena right in the middle of the road! Very Villainous.
Selina found out they stole her baby so she kicked a cop in the head and 'borrowed' his car. She's racing and racing when OH NO. There is Helena in the road.
Things go BOOM but Selina ends up making off with Helena. How? She's just that BADASS.
She makes it back to her apartment and decides that maybe she should call in the big guns to help her out.
Since I started reading it at OYL and I haven't read any of the trades, Bruce has only shown up once for me. Right after Helena was born.
I won't get into what Bruce with a teddy bear does to me. Suffice to say, if I'd been Selina? Just had a baby nothing. Bruce would have been on the floor and ravished.
I've been hoping for Bruce to make an appearance ever since but in the end it made me even happier that he wasn't around to help out.
Because oh Selina. You feisty wonderful thing.
Bad dudes follow her to her apartment, blow up the door, snatch the baby again and deliver a truly painful looking kick to Selina's face.
She comes to unmasked and listening to death threats.
Told you that kick was painful looking. It left a mark on her face!
Put Selina in a corner and she's going to go buck wild with a taser and a whip.
For some reason I didn't scan the panels with most of the taser and whip action. See yazzle's post. They are Baaaaad Asss.
In the ensuing scuffle baby falls out the window!
!!! 'Mommy's got you'. I've been trying to rationalize in my head why Bruce would go for Selina when she's a criminal. I need look nor dwell no further. That sequence says it all. Who wouldn't want her.
Super mean Russian lady is still in her apartment and tries to push Selina to her death but look who comes to her rescue -
Sweeeeeet. They don't need no Batman.
Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps #1
This was so AFLJDALKFJALFDKAJLDAKFDLADJAJFLDKAFJAKFDSALDKFJASKD I can barely deal.
After watching Superman Returns, my comic shop guy and I were having the typical 'that moment was cool!' conversation. I was going on about this throw away scene where Superman flies across the sky at dusk and how struck by that I was - how real it looked and how incredible it'd be to be one of those people and look up and there's Superman flying above you. He laughed and said something about 'I'd want to be Superman.'
That seems common among fanboys. They want to be these people, have their powers. Maybe a lot of the fangirls want that too. Ya'll should tell me. But I've never wanted to be Superman or Batman or Wonder Woman or whoever. No thanks.
Things have changed since I started reading the Green Lantern books and now I see what I was missing out on. I WANT TO BE A GREEN LANTERN. I want a power ring and a snazzy uniform. (My sister says she is going to stop me but I'm now on a quest for a snazzy ring with a green stone to amuse myself with all day, every day) I want to fly across space and fight monsters with whatever I pull out of my mind. I want to stay on Oa. I want the oath. Hell, I even want to be the Guardians bitch.
When you want that and you read a comic? It's like you're 8 years old again and playing pretend. Remember how that used to be? FUCKING AWESOME IS HOW IT USED TO BE.
Aside from that - Why does this book rule so hard? Let me count the ways.
1) The art is gorgeous. It's full of vivid pages like this -
The color! The detail!
2) Oa has a cafeteria!
Alright so that's not limited to this book but it's new to me. I WANT TO BE A GREEN LANTERN.
3) Guy is hilarious, Kyle is broody and hot, Hal is also HOT, and John is badass. There are noogies and they all sit together.
I want more interaction between the four of them. More, more, more, MORE.
4) There were multiple scenes that had me giddy and loudly declaring 'OHHH SHIT!'
Kyle disintegrating and being sucked off by a yellow ring was the first of those moments.
5) The double page view of the brand spanking new Sinestro Corps was the second.
HOLY SHIIIT! Bad Ass!! How cool is the guy made out of green liquid and floating skulls and bones?
6) Ring snipers! Violence and spraying blood! Lanterns together!
7) The way Kyle's ring creations are the best kind of little boy wish fulfillment.
Viking warriors and huge robots. BEST.
8) John is cool headed and bad to the bone in times of danger.
Seeing the parts come together like that is so nifty.
9) Little chipmunk looking Lantern creates an acorn to throw.
See it?! Fabulous, fabulous art.
10) The way this page gave me chills, made me grip the arms of my chair, and make trilly noises.
11) KYLE IS NOW PARALLAX.
None of my reactions were as loud. Not only is he Parallax but they took the Ion out of him and Superboy Prime and the Anti-Monitor are part of the Sinestro corps.
HOLY SHIIIT!!
13) The back up story has Lyssa Drak talking to the reader.
So cheesy! So great!
14) Hal is HOTASS and finds creative ways to ask Carol out.
15) IT'S A SATISFYING READ IN EVERY WAY.
Blue Beetle was also AWESOME beyond belief but that's a whole post unto itself. Time to get my ass to the airport.
Everything else loses to comics right now. I've become needy and desperate for them. It's a real sickness. Don't look at me like that.
This is where I would normally be tedious and boring and say that I was going to try harder because back and forth email is my favorite thing and I love reading everybody's posts and feel like a useless turd when I don't comment on things (I have been made fun of numerous times for how guilty I actually feel about it), but. I'm leaving to stay with crumbcake for a week in a few hours and it's only going to get worse for a while. Unless she decides to be boring (unlikely) or walk the street every day (something of a certainty. Ha! Oh burn, snap, I diss you, Specialness), it's likely I won't be around at all.
So.
Dear isilweth, hackthis, glitterandlube, icarusinwax, kaycricketed, wonderfish, mireamine, jude_judith82, bop_radar, and anyone else I might owe email to -
I'm not trying to be a rude cow and ignore you. I just suck at fandom. The usual. Carry on with being awesome. I will email-harass you soonish.
Love,
Me
Before I leave a few things worth mentioning:
1) There sure are some generous chicky mamas running around fandom.
Case in point - See the status of my lj account? YEAH. I still can't believe it. You're worth more than your weight in gold, mahaliem. I can't say enough nice things about you. I feel blessed to know you in any fashion. THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH.
Also notice how much prettier my profile page looks? That's because 07six10 is a darling.
2) It's especially hard to keep up with commenting on everything awesome when there is SO much awesome.
- mskatej wrote this wonderful porny Lana story - Seule et Amoureuse. When I was finished with it, not only was my baby-new Lana love cemented, but I respected her. My mouth was dropped open too. Kate worked a miracle. Go read it.
- bop_radar's been making Why SV Lois is Rad picspam posts and I'm sorry but you people who don't love Smallville? YOU'RE LAME. You're even lamer if you don't love bop_radar. I will have her in comics fandom if it's the last thing I do.
- romanyg is writing lots of interesting sv/dcu fic. I'm behind on fbing it and reading it but don't you be lame like me! There is Clark/Bruce action involved! Head on over.
- And finally ethrosdemon wrote me Ollie and Hal making out. !!!!!!! In a convertible!! In SV verse! Everybody wants to read that. It's Green Arrow/Green Lantern! HELL YES.
3) Since I'm too exhausted to read but have to keep myself awake somehow in order to make my flight - how about some overlong crying, bitching, and fangirling of the past two weeks' comics.
Let's start with the dreaded Flash #13.
I don't have too much to say on this one because whenever I think about, it I'm overcome with sadness and anger. I read it first out of last week's comics and when I was through with it I was in the foulest of moods and couldn't even look at my other comics until two days later. I couldn't pick up The Brave and the Bold and I've been on the edge of my seat looking forward to it since the last issue. Scanning these pages made me cry so yeah this is gonna be brief.
Just. This hit me a lot harder than Kon's death. Kon's death sucked but I was ready for it. This. Bart on top of Kon. Knowing what Kon's death did to Tim and adding Bart to that. It is, it was - TOO MUCH.
Combine that with the way that Bart died in his own book with all the focus being entirely on him, whereas Kon died in the midst of chaos and a million things going on - it felt like ten times the punch in the gut.
As upset as I am, I will say that at least they sent Bart off in a better book than he started out in OYL. The art was nice, Bart was Bart - it came off heartfelt. I was terrified that it was going to be a piece of crap and Bart deserves to go better than that. He deserves better than to die this early at all, but if DC is going to be stupid enough to get rid of him (FUCK YOU FOR WASTING LIKE THIS DC), at least they gave him a good issue.
Like isn't the right word so - I appreciate that they gave him a nice moment with Barry right at the beginning.
Then later highlighting Bart following in Barry's footsteps and never giving up even when he had no legs to stand on and he already knew he was going to lose. Emphasizing Bart's heroism and pureness of heart.
I also appreciate that Daniel included the funky Impulse hair just drawn realistically.
Bart thinking of Tim almost killed me -
And then the 'I AM THE FLASH' moment did.
Bart wanted so badly to live up to the legacy, to not let Jay, Barry, or Wally down and yes Bart. The fanboys didn't want you, DC decided they didn't want you, but you were The Flash. You were what The Flash is all about before you ever put on the suit and I had better see lots more grief and anger coming from the Flash family than I've seen coming from Clark about Kon.
That page.
That page destroyed me even more than these two did.
Although it was close. God, Tim.
I can't say anything else or I will start bawling and I don't have crumbcake to cheer me up by filling my head with images of Tim adding a Bart homage to his uniform by wearing those silly lightning bolts on the Flash cowl as barrettes.
Oh and Didio? You know how in this week's DC Nation you talk about how 'there is a fourth, but it's so late in the year I figure you wouldn't mind waiting to find out who it is and what outrageous fortunes that death cause. Good things come to those who wait'? YOU CAN TAKE THAT DEATH AND SHOVE IT. We're all fucking sick of people dying.
TT #47-48
Oh Teen Titans how you've fallen in my eyes. You had Jason, Dick, and Tim in the same space and you still didn't make me all that happy.
So this issue is all about Duela Dent's death which took place over in Countdown when a Monitor showed up and plugged her ass for messing up the Multiverse by existing. Said Monitor is also looking to do the same thing to Jason, Donna, Kyle, and maybe someone else. I don't pay that much attention because Countdown is boring and the Multiverse gives me a headache.
The Titans go to her funeral and after, they start working on finding out who killed her. A familiar name comes up during an interrogation.
I'm bitching but okay, I do like how Jason called them idiots and the way he looks so gleeful about kneeing Dick in the balls and hitting Tim.
But. Dick called him Todd. That hurts me! It's understandable for him to call him that. I mean Jay was running around in his Nightwing outfit fucking things up for him only months ago, but it still hurts. One of my very favorite things about Dick is the way he called Jason 'Little Wing' even when Jason was his replacement, the embodiment of everything going wrong in his life, and a snotty, smartass, annoying kid.
You know what else is adorable on this page? The way Dick is walking so casually on that beam and the way you can tell that Jason is struggling to keep his balance.
Also the way Jason says 'Goons're coming' and hangs off of Dick.
I'm getting off topic but three billion ♥'s for every page and panel of Nightwing Year One.
Anyways. LITTLE. WING.
He's giving the kid a nickname - an endearment! - despite all of Jason's punk attitude and the huge fucking tear and gaping hole known as Bruce Firing Him. THAT'S HOW BEAUTIFUL A PERSON DICK IS. He couldn't hate Jason if he tried.
So to see him revert - no it's not even reverting because he was never that cold and formal with him - to calling him Todd. Well. It's like I said - understandable - but god how I wish things had been different when Jason first came back. Sure Jason was killing fools right and left but you really think Dick wasn't happy to see him? Happy that Jason was alive? Where is that scene? I WANT IT.
Rose's obvious thrill at having so many hot batboys all at one time amused me.
Rose really is a smart girl and I like Donna defending Jason. Her and Jason's budding partnership in Countdown is one of the few things I'm sort of enjoying about it. I'm guiltily hoping that they'll kiss at some point even though it'd be really lame. Jason needs love from somebody. HOT DOOMED ANGRY LOVABLE ZOMBIE ROBIN THAT HE IS.
Now the kick. Theoretically this is a good moment.
And I did laugh. Except. It feels too much like a fanboy 'Yaye let's have the Robin we like kick the Robin we hate and voted to have beaten to death in the balls! Ha ha!'. It doesn't feel brotherly to me. It feels malicious.
I guess what it comes down to - I'm a pathetic sucker for Jason and he owns me. That would be a weak reason to dislike the issue if that were the only reason I disliked it but there were other things. The art ranges from eh to bad. I completely fail to understand the whole stupid Match is obsessed with Cassie thing. Wtf. WHY? He doesn't have Kon's memories.
However. None of that compares to how this week's TT is. Now that is a crappy issue. I wanted to strangle both Cassie and Kara about 20 times and I usually love both of them.
I suppose it's not the issues fault since it has to tie in to Amazons Attack and that whole mess. Turns out the government has set up a temporary internment camp to hold any women who have had or are supposed to have had any contact with the Amazons. If you're reading this storyline you know it's even dumber than it sounds.
Cassie's mom is one of the women inside. One of Kara's friends is also being held. This pisses them off. They storm in looking to kick some ass and bust their loved ones out. Things are getting ugly with guns being aimed and Cassie's powers going in and out.
Tim drops in to tell them to simmer down.
Ugh. What does that even mean 'When you've let Match stick around when you know what that does to me'? Tim didn't let anything and he hates Match being around as much as she does! What the hell ever, Cassie. Way to be selfish and teenage in the worst way. Oh and great choice not listening to the brains of the outfit.
There's a lot of yada yada and fighting, bullets bouncing off Kara and Cassie, Ares pops in to have a talk with Cassie, Miss Martian and Kara fight, and again Tim tries to get them to SIMMER ALREADY.
Ohhh shit. HOW DARE YOU KICK TIM LIKE THAT.
Naturally, it backfires.
BWAHAHAHA! She kicked him through the fence and right on top of her mom. Good work.
Tim tries one last time to help her and get her to listen.
Wow. Yeah, Tim's the jerk here. It's not like his father and girlfriend had just been murdered, or there'd been a horrific gang war in Gotham and another girl that he knew and liked was killed in front of him, or say his last remaining family member - his stepmother - wasn't blown up in Bludhaven, or his team mate and pseudo sister hadn't just defected and started acting crazy on top of Kon dying and the world going ultra crisis. How could he be so selfish and take off to spend time with Bruce and Dick and try to pull together what was left of his sanity! What an asshole leaving Cassie in her time of need because you know OMG HER BOYFRIEND DIED!
Not that Kon dying doesn't blow for Cassie too. It blows for everybody but man. She needs to pull her head out of her ass far enough to figure out what's going on with her team mate and friend before she goes laying more guilt on Tim.
All of that would have been something like tolerable if the art had been more dynamic and Cassie and Kara had looked like the badass warriors they are. Instead Cassie has a weird mullet thing happening and she only comes off as whiny and self-absorbed. A big NO all around.
It ends with Kara and Cassie flying off to kidnap the President.
SIGH. I still love them both. I'll just love them a whole lot more as soon as someone else is writing them.
Countdown up to 44
Countdown's major accomplishment as far as I'm concerned, is the way it makes me miss and value 52. There were boring and bad patches in 52 but there was great stuff too - Montoya and Vic, some of the Booster stuff, the Black Adam arc, some of the mad scientist island stuff, Clark and Tim appearances, the fabulous covers. With Countdown is any of it great?
Not really. I have no idea what's going on with the Mary Marvel and Jimmy Olsen storylines and I don't care. I'm worried something stupid is going to happen with Holly. Mary Sue looking Elf chick is awful and maybe the lamest thing I've come across since I started reading comics. The Multiverse is insane and confusing beyond belief and unless there is an earth where all of the hot male heroes are slashy and boning each other, I see no reason for them to have brought it back.
I'm kind of liking the Jason stuff but that's because it's Jason. He's the reason I'm buying it and will continue to buy it even if it gets really bad. Damn Jason.
The Flash rogues appearances are the only moments I truly get a kick out of. I knew the bare minimum about them before I started reading Countdown and they've wet my appetite. After I finish the giant stack of trades I already have to read, I'll have to hunt down some good Flash stuff. They're goofy and crack me up.
They're fast getting less goofy. This week Trickster and Piper are on the run because of Bart's death.
They only amount to two or three pages in each issue and sometimes they don't show up at all, but I'm excited to see where it's going with them. Is it the beginning of a beautiful friendship? Will the JLA rip them a new one? Tim hunt them down and serve up some scary Bat type whoop ass of his own?
There's a sort of noirish feeling to Trickster and Piper there - the panic of being caught up in a terible situation - of one moment, one mistake dragging you farther and farther down the 'we are fucked!' path.
As for Piper going on about 'But we didn't kill him' - are they delusional and denying their own guilt? I hope it's not a mistake by the editors because it sure looks like they were there beating on Bart in his last moment to me.
*SOBS*
Amazons Attack #3
Boy is this thing flat and not working. I'm not even sure what specifically is making it suck. Maybe everything.
The art is fairly rad and this panel made me smile because look who is peeking over there!
JAIME!! And Starman is there! Give us a conversation between the two of them and you have instant improvement and excitement.
At one point Babs and Bruce were talking.
As far as I know, this is the first time we've seen them talk since OYL began. Right? Surely they're going to make up soon. Bruce is nicer now! Forgive him, Babs.
Oh and this page cracked me up -
That's right! That's a dumpster! And who threw this dumpster you ask? CLARK. Bitches need to think twice before they try and touch Clark's man! Or else be prepared to suffer the consequences. You never know when you might get dumpster bitchslapped! HA.
Wonder Woman #10
This is mediocre same as it's been. I'm praying that the first thing Gail does is get rid of this Nemesis turd.
I refuse to believe that Bruce found that amusing. This is the man they expect me to believe freaking WONDER WOMAN would go for? Suuuuuuuure. Pull the other leg it's got bells on it. I wish Dinah would have clocked him.
The Spirit #7
Wait. I lied. I have nothing to say besides I missed Cooke and J. Bone on this issue. I just wanted an excuse to look at this cover again.
BECAUSE IT IS RAD WRITTEN OUT IN TEN FOOT NEON SHINY LETTERS. If you aren't reading this book, you SHOULD BE.
Brave and the Bold #4
IT ROCKED. What'd you think I was going to say? Kara, Jaime, Bruce, the art, EVERYTHING.
Jaime and Bruce continue to be the best possible team up ever. I'm thinking that once this storyline wraps up, Jaime will come to stay with Bruce for a few weeks and train with him and Tim. They'll help him figure out his armor and teach him to fight enough to take care of himself in case something goes wrong with the armor and he's in a spot. On the weekends, Jaime's family will come up (courtesy of one of Bruce's jets) and bring some life into the Manor. Jaime's mother will give Tim lots of hugs and cook huge amounts of food. Milagro will be very inquisitive with Alfred and follow him around. Brenda and Paco will come a couple of times too and the moment Brenda meets Dick that's it - she'd just stare with her mouth open. Paco will get jealous and sulk. Jaime will be amused.
Eventually, Tim and Jaime will tentatively start making out and everything will be coming up roses. crumbcake and I have it all worked out. Why DC isn't beating down our doors, I'll never know.
But back to the actual book - Bruce shot himself with a mysterious weapon without knowing the consequences to save Jaime!!!!
Again - BEST. MATCH. UP. EVER.
This panel had me freaking out -
Hurry and tell Jaime that Bruce is okay! I can not wait months while Jaime is panicking.
And this scene between Kara and Lobo gave me massive warm fuzzies - Kara is asking about looking into the book of destiny -
Lobo giving warm fuzzies. Who'da thunk. I wish I had next months issue in my hands right now.
JLA #10
This issue was pretty awesome but it would have been even awesomer if not for two things.
1) This cover.
I don't get all that riled up about how women are drawn in comics. Maybe I should. I don't know. But that is just an eyesore. A nightmare even. All three of them need to climb of the page, find Turner, and make him their new punching bag. These are the leaders of the two major teams in the DCU! Show Power Girl and Black Canary a little respect.
And 2) Wally came back.
I'm happy he's back. Honestly. He's Dick and Roy's friend and I get to see sweet scenes like this and know that somewhere I'll get to see Dick welcoming him back as well -
How huge is Hal? Ahahahahaha.
So yeah I'm happy. There's just a bitter sour taste underneath it. I don't want to dislike Wally because of it. It's not his fault that DC felt Bart had to die in order for him to come back. But. There it is. Wally's back. And Bart's dead.
Bruce and I match faces.
For different reasons but awwww. I don't know jack about Barry. Were he and Bruce close?
Starman keeps on being priceless and he's staying!! HIP HIP HURRAH AND TOSS CONFETTI!!
All of the different narration boxes got me all mixed up but this one is great -
Daaaaamn but how many different types of visions does Clark have?
Oh DC. You hurt Bart but as Cyclone says -
You're so winsomely kooky. I wish I could stay mad.
Catwoman #68
yazzle already put up a wonderful review of this issue. Mine will only pale in comparison. Since I adored this issue though, I'm going to yammer on it anyways.
Now scroll up for a second and take a look at that hideous JLA cover again. I know it burns your eyes but sneak a peek.
Now take a look at this cover.
That's how you make an enticing chick cover. You're a hack, Turner. Your covers look nothing like sexy. Give it up and go home already.
I started reading Catwoman on a whim. glossing mentioned on her journal that she liked it and I thought huh and picked up a few issues. Then I kept on reading it. It was pleasant and diverting and I enjoyed it even if it never went far enough to make me sit up and take notice.
Until this issue. This issue was FUN. Loads of action and suspense! Death defying car explosions!
UH HUH! THAT'S AS EXCITING AS ANY ACTION MOVIE EVER IS.
Don't think so? Well let me break it down for you, you overstimulated bafoon. See these two deranged Russian metas with a grudge against Selina are trying to kill her. Rip her limb from limb etc. For revenge! She managed to beat and evade them a couple of times and finally they've had enough. This time they head straight for where it'd really hurt her and kidnap her baby. Then to get her super pissed they put wee little Helena right in the middle of the road! Very Villainous.
Selina found out they stole her baby so she kicked a cop in the head and 'borrowed' his car. She's racing and racing when OH NO. There is Helena in the road.
Things go BOOM but Selina ends up making off with Helena. How? She's just that BADASS.
She makes it back to her apartment and decides that maybe she should call in the big guns to help her out.
Since I started reading it at OYL and I haven't read any of the trades, Bruce has only shown up once for me. Right after Helena was born.
I won't get into what Bruce with a teddy bear does to me. Suffice to say, if I'd been Selina? Just had a baby nothing. Bruce would have been on the floor and ravished.
I've been hoping for Bruce to make an appearance ever since but in the end it made me even happier that he wasn't around to help out.
Because oh Selina. You feisty wonderful thing.
Bad dudes follow her to her apartment, blow up the door, snatch the baby again and deliver a truly painful looking kick to Selina's face.
She comes to unmasked and listening to death threats.
Told you that kick was painful looking. It left a mark on her face!
Put Selina in a corner and she's going to go buck wild with a taser and a whip.
For some reason I didn't scan the panels with most of the taser and whip action. See yazzle's post. They are Baaaaad Asss.
In the ensuing scuffle baby falls out the window!
!!! 'Mommy's got you'. I've been trying to rationalize in my head why Bruce would go for Selina when she's a criminal. I need look nor dwell no further. That sequence says it all. Who wouldn't want her.
Super mean Russian lady is still in her apartment and tries to push Selina to her death but look who comes to her rescue -
Sweeeeeet. They don't need no Batman.
Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps #1
This was so AFLJDALKFJALFDKAJLDAKFDLADJAJFLDKAFJAKFDSALDKFJASKD I can barely deal.
After watching Superman Returns, my comic shop guy and I were having the typical 'that moment was cool!' conversation. I was going on about this throw away scene where Superman flies across the sky at dusk and how struck by that I was - how real it looked and how incredible it'd be to be one of those people and look up and there's Superman flying above you. He laughed and said something about 'I'd want to be Superman.'
That seems common among fanboys. They want to be these people, have their powers. Maybe a lot of the fangirls want that too. Ya'll should tell me. But I've never wanted to be Superman or Batman or Wonder Woman or whoever. No thanks.
Things have changed since I started reading the Green Lantern books and now I see what I was missing out on. I WANT TO BE A GREEN LANTERN. I want a power ring and a snazzy uniform. (My sister says she is going to stop me but I'm now on a quest for a snazzy ring with a green stone to amuse myself with all day, every day) I want to fly across space and fight monsters with whatever I pull out of my mind. I want to stay on Oa. I want the oath. Hell, I even want to be the Guardians bitch.
When you want that and you read a comic? It's like you're 8 years old again and playing pretend. Remember how that used to be? FUCKING AWESOME IS HOW IT USED TO BE.
Aside from that - Why does this book rule so hard? Let me count the ways.
1) The art is gorgeous. It's full of vivid pages like this -
The color! The detail!
2) Oa has a cafeteria!
Alright so that's not limited to this book but it's new to me. I WANT TO BE A GREEN LANTERN.
3) Guy is hilarious, Kyle is broody and hot, Hal is also HOT, and John is badass. There are noogies and they all sit together.
I want more interaction between the four of them. More, more, more, MORE.
4) There were multiple scenes that had me giddy and loudly declaring 'OHHH SHIT!'
Kyle disintegrating and being sucked off by a yellow ring was the first of those moments.
5) The double page view of the brand spanking new Sinestro Corps was the second.
HOLY SHIIIT! Bad Ass!! How cool is the guy made out of green liquid and floating skulls and bones?
6) Ring snipers! Violence and spraying blood! Lanterns together!
7) The way Kyle's ring creations are the best kind of little boy wish fulfillment.
Viking warriors and huge robots. BEST.
8) John is cool headed and bad to the bone in times of danger.
Seeing the parts come together like that is so nifty.
9) Little chipmunk looking Lantern creates an acorn to throw.
See it?! Fabulous, fabulous art.
10) The way this page gave me chills, made me grip the arms of my chair, and make trilly noises.
11) KYLE IS NOW PARALLAX.
None of my reactions were as loud. Not only is he Parallax but they took the Ion out of him and Superboy Prime and the Anti-Monitor are part of the Sinestro corps.
HOLY SHIIIT!!
13) The back up story has Lyssa Drak talking to the reader.
So cheesy! So great!
14) Hal is HOTASS and finds creative ways to ask Carol out.
15) IT'S A SATISFYING READ IN EVERY WAY.
Blue Beetle was also AWESOME beyond belief but that's a whole post unto itself. Time to get my ass to the airport.