see the thorn twist in your side
Slammed at work again - probably will be until Friday (I swear, comments will be answered eventually!), but I'm on lunch now so let's chat.
The Flash: Legends of Today
This is part 1 of a Flash/Arrow crossover (that concludes tonight on Arrow), and I can only hope part 2 lives up to part 1, because this was fantastic, like, straight-up JL/JLU type fantastic. (except for what they're doing with Jay, but I'm just going to leave that alone.) I still don't give a rat's ass about Hawkman/Carter Hall, but at least this version doesn't seem like too much of a dickbag (though snatching Kendra up like she's a tiny prey animal is kind of rude. Hilarious, but rude.) and they worked Shayera in and also the Thanagarian nth metal mace.
I love it when Barry and Felicity interact (I still ship it a little), and I love it when Barry and Ollie interact. Oh boys. Such dorks. And I loved all of Barry's various zingers (complaining about Merlin's dramatic entrances, and then later complaining about having to walk into a room like a normal person. ILU BARRY) and Thea's little "We know the Flash? We know the Flash!" freakout, and her back and forth with Cisco ("My conditioner is on point." Hee!) and Darhk's amusement when Barry snatches Ollie right out of his grip. THIS SHOW YOU GUYS.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch STAR Labs, I felt like a porno was going to break out while Caitlin and Harry worked together. I never felt that kind of a vibe between them when it was Wells!Thawne but I definitely thought they were heading towards some angry scientist sexy times there. and then poor clueless Patty came in and ruined everything. SOMEONE JUST TELL HER THE DAMN TRUTH. SHOW WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS AGAIN?
ANYWAY. I enjoyed this episode tremendously! and I don't know how good Legends of Tomorrow will actually be, but I can't believe we are getting a live-action tv show starring RIP HUNTER as he chases VANDAL SAVAGE through TIME. Truly, we live in an age of wonders.
iZombie: The Hurt Stalker
Another excellent episode for this show. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't already. It's much better than its advertising suggests. CLIVE! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT CLIVE, INCLUDING RAVI NEEDLING HIM.
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT RAVI. "...I have a badge." Oh honey, you don't need a badge.
They're just ratcheting everything terrible up for Liv and Major, and I liked how they used the stalker brain to highlight the issues in that relationship, and how even though Major is keeping terrible secrets, he's still not wrong (in a general relationship sense) to call Liv out on not trusting him (though really he should know better at this point, given everything that's happened!).
I guess my one question is why Liv didn't immediately call Peyton when she was arrested? I mean, what good is having a BFF in the DA's office if they can't get you out of the slammer? Regardless, I thought it was a fantastic episode. Even the Max Rager stuff pushed the seasonal arc along.
And reading Wednesday:
What I've just finished
I didn't update last week, so I didn't get a chance to talk about My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, which I thought was really well done but can't say I enjoyed all that much except in terms of how much I liked the way language was used.
I also read Seraphina and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman, which I enjoyed a lot but about which I don't have too much to say. I did like that the main couple put duty over romance a couple of times, and certain twists which I'd hoped for but didn't expect turned out to be true, so that was nice.
Star Wars: Vader Down - this is a crossover event thingy and really the most important bit is the last page, where Leia confronts Vader, and he's all, "Well this is unexpected." An unexpected delight for him, I'm sure! It's especially happy/frustrating for me because just last night I was pondering yet again the AU where he figures out she's his kid and keeps it a deep dark secret just in case, because the Emperor wants Luke but Vader's never going to let him get his hands on Leia. (...I think about writing it a lot, but writing SW fic is terrifying to me. So much to get wrong! Even though I'm pretty sure this'd be the kind of thing to have an audience of me.) ANYWAY. I really need this to pay off somehow!
Batman and Robin Eternal - Oh my god, now Dick is praising Harper and everything he says about her applies to Steph (except the tech stuff, which is just gilding the fucking lily I swear) and I just... I'm enjoying the book, but please fucking stop making it out like Harper Row is the best and most special girl ever! No other girl could possibly be as shiny! I wouldn't mind if DC didn't do what it did to Steph, but it did, so I do. Arrgh. And on top of that, fucking AZRAEL. Ugh. I mean, I'm overall enjoying the book mostly, but it's like they know exactly how to annoy me..
I have been thinking a lot about my sudden return to DC recently, mostly because they brought back Steph and Cass, even if they're not exactly as I know and love them, and while I kind of cringe about giving them money, there was just no way I wasn't going to buy a book featuring almost all the Batkids (Barbara hasn't been in it much but she's also kind of ancillary since she's not actually focused on validation from Bruce since she has a dad etc. and Damian is still off atoning but I guess he'll be back for Robin War). Meanwhile, the Star Wars books are currently the only Marvel things I'm getting (no, seriously, read Kieron Gillen's Darth Vader. It's totally worth it.) even though I will probably end up picking Ms. Marvel back up and checking out Devil Dinosaur eventually (I do want to support these books!).
I guess the thing for me is that fannishly, I'm more engaged with Marvel's movies - the comics are very clearly not the same! At least the movies are going to give me Steve and Bucky working together for more than two panels! Whereas for DC, I'm much more attached to the comics qua comics (well, and the animated and TV universes), so the comics are really the only place I get what I want re: the characters I'm interested in (I still have not watched the BvS trailer, but the stills I've seen look hilaribad). So that's kind of where my head is at right now re: comics.
What I'm reading now
Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson, which is a YA, or possibly even middle-grade biography of composer Dmitri Shostakovich, which I guess is going to focus on the siege of Leningrad but is currently still in the pre-WWII years (which are, lbr, pretty horrific). It's by the author of Octavian Nothing (which, full disclosure, I was not able to get through). It's stark and informational and interesting so far, but definitely written for younger readers.
What I'm reading next
Well, the NYPL keeps dictating, so next is Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen, which will be a nice palate-cleanser after the above.
I also have to do some yuletide reading/research. *meep*
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/797711.html.
people have commented there.
The Flash: Legends of Today
This is part 1 of a Flash/Arrow crossover (that concludes tonight on Arrow), and I can only hope part 2 lives up to part 1, because this was fantastic, like, straight-up JL/JLU type fantastic. (except for what they're doing with Jay, but I'm just going to leave that alone.) I still don't give a rat's ass about Hawkman/Carter Hall, but at least this version doesn't seem like too much of a dickbag (though snatching Kendra up like she's a tiny prey animal is kind of rude. Hilarious, but rude.) and they worked Shayera in and also the Thanagarian nth metal mace.
I love it when Barry and Felicity interact (I still ship it a little), and I love it when Barry and Ollie interact. Oh boys. Such dorks. And I loved all of Barry's various zingers (complaining about Merlin's dramatic entrances, and then later complaining about having to walk into a room like a normal person. ILU BARRY) and Thea's little "We know the Flash? We know the Flash!" freakout, and her back and forth with Cisco ("My conditioner is on point." Hee!) and Darhk's amusement when Barry snatches Ollie right out of his grip. THIS SHOW YOU GUYS.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch STAR Labs, I felt like a porno was going to break out while Caitlin and Harry worked together. I never felt that kind of a vibe between them when it was Wells!Thawne but I definitely thought they were heading towards some angry scientist sexy times there. and then poor clueless Patty came in and ruined everything. SOMEONE JUST TELL HER THE DAMN TRUTH. SHOW WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS AGAIN?
ANYWAY. I enjoyed this episode tremendously! and I don't know how good Legends of Tomorrow will actually be, but I can't believe we are getting a live-action tv show starring RIP HUNTER as he chases VANDAL SAVAGE through TIME. Truly, we live in an age of wonders.
iZombie: The Hurt Stalker
Another excellent episode for this show. I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't already. It's much better than its advertising suggests. CLIVE! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT CLIVE, INCLUDING RAVI NEEDLING HIM.
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT RAVI. "...I have a badge." Oh honey, you don't need a badge.
They're just ratcheting everything terrible up for Liv and Major, and I liked how they used the stalker brain to highlight the issues in that relationship, and how even though Major is keeping terrible secrets, he's still not wrong (in a general relationship sense) to call Liv out on not trusting him (though really he should know better at this point, given everything that's happened!).
I guess my one question is why Liv didn't immediately call Peyton when she was arrested? I mean, what good is having a BFF in the DA's office if they can't get you out of the slammer? Regardless, I thought it was a fantastic episode. Even the Max Rager stuff pushed the seasonal arc along.
And reading Wednesday:
What I've just finished
I didn't update last week, so I didn't get a chance to talk about My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante, which I thought was really well done but can't say I enjoyed all that much except in terms of how much I liked the way language was used.
I also read Seraphina and Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman, which I enjoyed a lot but about which I don't have too much to say. I did like that the main couple put duty over romance a couple of times, and certain twists which I'd hoped for but didn't expect turned out to be true, so that was nice.
Star Wars: Vader Down - this is a crossover event thingy and really the most important bit is the last page, where Leia confronts Vader, and he's all, "Well this is unexpected." An unexpected delight for him, I'm sure! It's especially happy/frustrating for me because just last night I was pondering yet again the AU where he figures out she's his kid and keeps it a deep dark secret just in case, because the Emperor wants Luke but Vader's never going to let him get his hands on Leia. (...I think about writing it a lot, but writing SW fic is terrifying to me. So much to get wrong! Even though I'm pretty sure this'd be the kind of thing to have an audience of me.) ANYWAY. I really need this to pay off somehow!
Batman and Robin Eternal - Oh my god, now Dick is praising Harper and everything he says about her applies to Steph (except the tech stuff, which is just gilding the fucking lily I swear) and I just... I'm enjoying the book, but please fucking stop making it out like Harper Row is the best and most special girl ever! No other girl could possibly be as shiny! I wouldn't mind if DC didn't do what it did to Steph, but it did, so I do. Arrgh. And on top of that, fucking AZRAEL. Ugh. I mean, I'm overall enjoying the book mostly, but it's like they know exactly how to annoy me..
I have been thinking a lot about my sudden return to DC recently, mostly because they brought back Steph and Cass, even if they're not exactly as I know and love them, and while I kind of cringe about giving them money, there was just no way I wasn't going to buy a book featuring almost all the Batkids (Barbara hasn't been in it much but she's also kind of ancillary since she's not actually focused on validation from Bruce since she has a dad etc. and Damian is still off atoning but I guess he'll be back for Robin War). Meanwhile, the Star Wars books are currently the only Marvel things I'm getting (no, seriously, read Kieron Gillen's Darth Vader. It's totally worth it.) even though I will probably end up picking Ms. Marvel back up and checking out Devil Dinosaur eventually (I do want to support these books!).
I guess the thing for me is that fannishly, I'm more engaged with Marvel's movies - the comics are very clearly not the same! At least the movies are going to give me Steve and Bucky working together for more than two panels! Whereas for DC, I'm much more attached to the comics qua comics (well, and the animated and TV universes), so the comics are really the only place I get what I want re: the characters I'm interested in (I still have not watched the BvS trailer, but the stills I've seen look hilaribad). So that's kind of where my head is at right now re: comics.
What I'm reading now
Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson, which is a YA, or possibly even middle-grade biography of composer Dmitri Shostakovich, which I guess is going to focus on the siege of Leningrad but is currently still in the pre-WWII years (which are, lbr, pretty horrific). It's by the author of Octavian Nothing (which, full disclosure, I was not able to get through). It's stark and informational and interesting so far, but definitely written for younger readers.
What I'm reading next
Well, the NYPL keeps dictating, so next is Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen, which will be a nice palate-cleanser after the above.
I also have to do some yuletide reading/research. *meep*
***
This entry at DW: http://musesfool.dreamwidth.org/797711.html.
people have commented there.