Scout Attacks! week 13: The One Where I Have Memory Trouble

I read these comics on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, but couldn't write the reviews until now because I went away for the weekend. I'm not sure I remember them all that well. I had trouble finding the comics when I sat down to do this too, so I wasn't even sure I remembered what I was supposed to review. This is going to be tough, so don't expect too much from me. Good thing it was a light week.

Countdown #49: This was a make it or break it week for this book. I was set to stop buying it, but this issue guaranteed that I would be back next week at the very least. That's largely due to the last page cliffhanger with Mary Marvel and Black Adam. Also, while the resolution to the previous week's cliffhanger with Jimmy Olsen made as little sense as the cliffhanger itself, the fact that it looks like someone has been slipping him Ralph Dibny's Gingold Juice is pretty interesting. Considering how little I remember of everything else, I'm going to say that it was pretty meh, but I think the stuff with the Monitors and Flash's rogues have potential.

Birds of Prey #106: This issue was pretty much just one big brawl, and tons of fun. All the match ups are entertaining in and of themselves and provide a bunch of nice little character moments. Misfit versus Harley Quinn is just delightful and I am really enjoying the Huntress/Catman interaction. Finally, I know absolutely nothing about Ice, but if her power is to create and control a giant ice monster, that is so cool. So. So. Cool. Oh yeah, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Scandal isn't dead, since there's a coffin on next month's cover. That always means fake out.

Wonder Woman #9: I have to say that while the writing still isn't great, Jodi Picoult is improving with every issue. It's actually a shame that her run is almost over. I think if she had another arc on the title, it might have been really good. It would have been even better if she had worked on a less high profile character first before trying her hand at Wonder Woman. As usual, there's interesting stuff going on here, but the execution just feels a bit off in places. For example, the joke about aiming for a metaphor by toppling the Washington Monument was a good one, it just felt forced. Also, I kind of felt like Black Canary should have said it instead of Batman. And I just never know how I feel about Nemesis. He can be obnoxious, and he's clearly got a super heroine fetish, but sometimes his interaction Diana is cute. I still can't get my head around the idea of them together though. Then there's Diana's interaction with her mother. I love what Picoult is going for here. The blind faith that her mother would never do anything like this coupled with the desperate desire to have her mother back is so real and honest. Anyway, all the players seem to be putting the pieces of the conspiracy puzzle together. Everyman's involvement makes me wonder if perhaps Lex Luthor is involved somehow, since last time we saw him, at least that I know of, he was still working for Luthor back in 52. The book ends with Circe getting a spear to the chest and fading away Yoda-style. Somehow I don't think a goddess can be killed like that though. On a final note, Dodson's art is beautiful, as always, but looks a bit rushed in some places, particularly at the beginning (and I can't be the only person that hates the way he draws Superman's face). Everything at the end looks incredible though.

Captain America #26: I think I would love anything in this book just because of Epting's art. It's phenomenal. Fortunately, Brubaker is still doing great things with this story. This issue had a really good balance between the ongoing storyline with the Red Skull and having the supporting characters deal with Cap's death. It still amazes me how well bringing Bucky back has worked. I don't think it will ever stop amazing me, because it really, really should have sucked. He really shouldn't try and kill Tony Stark though. As much as that might make me laugh, Cap wouldn't have liked it and Bucky really needs to get out of the cycle of violence and death. Also, poor Sharon. Her head's been royally fucked with. that is so not cool. I didn't know that Cap and her aunt were once a thing though. That's kind of creepy. Falcon's the only one of them who's holding it together. One last thing. Does Arnim Zola remind anyone else of Krang? It's the whole exosuit thing.

So, I kind of fucked up Spider-Man month. I'm disappointed with myself about that, but in the past two months, I have been blogging a lot more than I ever had before. That counts for something, right? Anyway, I still plan on doing my post about Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1. That would have been done last week, but my scanner mysteriously stopped working, and the whole fun of that post was going to be the pictures. It seems to have mysteriously started working again, so I will get to that soon. The other posts I had planned I will just do when I had originally planned to do them before I decided to declare May Spider-Man month. And, of course, I'm still me, so there will be other Spidey related posts that pop up, I am sure.

Brotherly Love

So I wound up watching the season finale's of both Supernatural and Heroes on the same night, which made for an excellent two hours of television viewing, but was also a bit emotional for me. It struck me that both season finales were about familial bonds and specifically those between brothers. Nathan Petrelli and Dean Winchester both made huge sacrificed themselves for their brothers, and while that wasn't really an unexpected gesture from Dean, Nathan's loyalties had been in question. More than anything in the whole Heroes finale, and possibly more than anything I had seen on television all year, I rooted for Nathan to do the right thing, so while some people might have found the season ender a bit of a let down, I was thoroughly moved. There may have even been an audible cheer.

There was plenty of other stuff to cheer about on Heroes too. Claire continued to be awesome, standing up to everyone and just generally being...awesome. I probably cheered a bit when she jumped out that window to get away from Nathan and Mama Petrelli too. Niki was also amazing. All season long I had been a bit frustrated with where they were going with that character. Her arc had its ups and downs, but she came into her own in the finale. I loved seeing this woman who was so fractured become whole and own her powers was incredibly gratifying. I'm really excited to see what they do with her next season. I hope she gets to kick some ass. What I loved most though was that everyone became the hero they were meant to be in this episode. They all contributed and proved their mettle.

They also set up a villain for nest season, and Hiro traveled back in time. How cool is that? I just don't know how I feel about the potential of losing both Petrelli brothers next season. The cast will be significantly less pretty without them. I do feel fairly certain that Peter will be back. With his healing factor, he's hard to kill, but all Nathan can do is fly. How are they going to explain it if he doesn't die? But I really don't want him to be dead. Adrian Pasdar is the best. He doesn't deserve to be killed off now that he finally has a successful show. And did Sylar get away down the sewer, or did someone, or some thing, take his body? I was thinking that maybe it had something to do with the new villain. The thing is, Heroes has proved it has the balls to kill off characters, but it's also based on comic books, a medium in which death is only a temporary setback. Basically, they can do anything, which is what is so unbelievably cool. Also, did I mention Hiro going back in time?

Anyway, tons of love for the Heroes finale. Slightly less, but not by much, love for the Supernatural finale. The thing about that finale was that there was no way they could live up to last year's finale. Last year they rammed a truck into the Metallicar. That's hardcore. This season finale was obviously trying to simultaneously wrap things up in case the show wasn't renewed and set up next season in case it was. That lead to the ending being a bit anticlimactic, but the relationship between the Winchester brothers is even more powerful than the Petrellis'. Dean never fails to break my heart. Between his love for Sammy, his lack of self-worth, and the fact that he's been brought back from the dead at the cost of someone else twice now, what he did was no surprise. I just have no idea what they are going to do to get out of it. There is no way he's going to risk Sam possibly dying. Also, what's the deal with Sam? Did he come back a little bit wrong, because he seemed to take a lot more pleasure in shooting that guy than I would have expected? The one thing I did think was really strange was that didn't even have a line. That was weird, right? It was pretty clear how proud he was of his boys and how much he loved them though.

All and all, I liked how both shows focused on the familial bonds that have beeb so key to everything throughout the season, whether it was Nathan Petrelli protecting his brother and newly found daughter from having to do things that they would never be able to live with, Niki finally realizing that she was the one with the power to protect her family, or Dean refusing to let Sam go, they all touched on the emotional threads that had been building all season. It might have been nice if there was a bit more action in both finales. There was plenty of potential for that in both, but considering how much these shows actually made me feel something for the characters, which is more of a rarity than one would think, I can overlook that.

The Whole Mary Jane Mess

I don't really comment on this sort of thing, but I notice that the brouhaha over Showcase's recently released Mary Jane statue has even gotten a mention by Gary Susman over at EW.com's PopWatch earlier this week, and, from what I've read, Fox.com also. It got me thinking about a lot of things that I have had on my mind for a while. I honestly think this whole thing has gotten a bit out of hand. Yes, I do think it's sexist, but there are worse things out there. Maybe I'm just desensitized to these things from being a lifelong comics fan though. I don't know. It's not something I really feel the need to get into. Plenty of people already have, but I would like to point specifically to this post at The Beat. Of everything I've read, which is far less than is actually out there on the issue, Heidi MacDonald has detailed the issue, and the problem, the best. I just wanted to say that considering how much attention this has gotten in the non-comics community, it would be nice if Marvel and DC really put a bit more thought into how they present themselves.

Both companies claim that they want to appeal more to female readers, and to this end there has been at least some effort made by both companies. DC especially has made strides with the Minx line, appealing to female readers to start reading Supergirl and actually making changes to the title based on complaints by female readers (the costume could use some more work though, I'm just sayin'), and trying to put more female superheroes at the forefront in general. Marvel, not as adept at this apparently, publishes Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane (and that alone should have clued them in to the problem with the Mary Jane statue), is pushing Ms. Marvel, and had that Laurel K. Hamilton vampire series. Oh, and they did a tie-in with a soap opera. I'm not certain how effective any of this has been for them. I just think that they have to realize that as long as the image they present is one of nothing but cheesecake imagery for horny teenage boys, girls are going to look at the big two companies and assume that they don't produce anything that is for them. I'm not talking about girls being offended or thinking that the comics industry is sexist. I'm just saying that girls look at the image that is projected through the covers on the comics, the merchandise they produce, and the major magazines that promote the industry and assume that nothing either Marvel or DC produces is anything that they would be interested in.

I am not saying that all cheesecake has to be done away with. I am also not saying that I want all comics to have unattractive women in them. Believe me, I don't want to see that any more than any man does. I'm just saying to be a little more careful where the cheesecake is used and on what characters. By all means, keep the naked Shanna the She Devil, but maybe keep the overt sexualization out of the mainstream comics. Does Justice League #10 really need that horrible Michael Turner cover to sell? Is it really appropriate to release that statue of Mary Jane when she is a character that not only does Marvel use to target young female readers, but is also the leading lady of such a hugely successful summer blockbuster as Spider-Man III thereby guaranteeing that it is going to get a lot of attention. (And how did it not occur to them that a significant amount of that attention was going to be negative?)

If DC and Marvel really want to widen their readership, I think that part of that has to be changing their public image. It's like the cigarette industry. Back in the days before filters were on all cigarettes, Marlboros were considered a milder cigarette and marketed towards women. Once the industry changed, Marlboro wasn't the milder option anymore. They had to change their image in order to appeal to a new demographic. That's when they came up with the Marlboro Man. Well, the comic book industry is changing. Girls are reading comic books. They're just not reading Marvel and DC. I know that there are comics out there that a lot of women might like. These companies produce Manhunter, Birds of Prey, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane and Alias. Marvel and DC are capable of producing the product when they actually try. They just really need to work on their image if they want to actually get the girls to buy the product. As long as Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Ms. Marvel, etc. are nestled on the racks between a bunch of images that are obviously going to turn girls away, there's no reason that any girl should venture over from the Manga section to check it out with any reasonable expectation that the content is going to be any different than everything else they see over there. I'm not even talking about anything nearly as drastic as what Marlboro did, because it's not about trying to change your entire demographic. It's simply about nt conciously alienating an entire group of potnetial readers. And wouldn't everyone benefit from that kind of image change? Marvel and DC might sell more comics, and male comics fans might not be so stereotyped.

Also, I would be lying if I didn't admit that, as a personal favorite of mine, I'd prefer not to see Mary Jane Watson treated like that. She may be a supermodel (and that's a rant for a different post), but that doesn't mean she shouldn't be treated like a person. And if you keep looking at her like that, Spidey's totally going to kick your ass, and you really do not want that. He's Back in Black now and he's throwing people out windows. ETA: What am I thinking? Screw Spidey. Mary Jane'll kick your ass. You ever see what she did to the Chameleon?

Anyway, everyone knows that Mary Jane doesn't hand wash Spider-Man's laundry. If anyone's doing Spidey's laundry for him, it would be Aunt May. Now do you really want little old Aunt May to hurt her back by bending over that much? I didn't think so, so let's get a higher table for that bucket. OK?

[Edited because a very good point was made that I didn't even think about. I apologize for that.]

Scout Attacks! week 12: Hookers, Gorillas, Ducklings and the Goddamn Batman

Before I begin, I would just like to ask why the hell didn't I buy Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder #5? Look at it. It is awesome. I'm thinking of changing my Cyclops quote to either "Out of my way, sperm bank" or "I love being the goddamn Batman!" What is Frank Miller smoking and can I have some?

Action Comics #849: I like what Nicieza was trying to do with this storyline, or at least what I think he was trying to do, but I don't think it really worked. Religion and faith are always a tough subjects to tackle, especially in a mainstream superhero comic where it can't really be tackled head on. I did like the way he wrote Clark/Superman and the fact that Nicieza had Clark ask himself these questions though. When a character professes to believe in something, stand for something, as Superman does, it is important for it what those beliefs actually mean to be addressed periodically. I just think it falls flat here. It's not as compelling as it should be. Still, I think this issue may have been a bit better than the last. The art burns my eyes less, at the very least. I'm not sure though if that's because it's actually better or because I was prepared for it this month.

Batman #665: First of all, I want to say that this issue has a pretty creepy and cool cover. The thing that strikes me most about what Morrison is doing with Batman is not all the craziness, which I do appreciate, but how much humanity he brings to the character. It's always been interesting to me that this character whose main selling point is that he has no super powers is always written as almost completely inhuman in his abilities. Morrison's Batman may be able to do some incredible things, but it's a struggle for him. He has fears. He has pain. He has limitations. He also writes Bruce Wayne as an actual part of who he is rather than just a facade. Maybe this isn't all that new for some people, but from my limited experience with Batman comics, it's fairly rare. I much prefer it this way though. Anyway, alot of stuff happens in this issue. Batman gets his ass saved by a hooker, has a dream that references the three ghosts in Dickens' A Christmas Carol, and reminds us that his back was once broken. (Hey, why was he able to heel his broken back enough to get back to being Batman but Barbara is still in a wheel chair? What gives?) Tim sets off to prove that he's a way better and more worthy son than that crazy Damien kid and almost gets killed. Batman literally rubs himself down in testosterone in order to get enough mojo going to defeat the huge, hooker killing, fake Batman, then chats with Gordon about the big ass conspiracy against him. Meanwhile, Talia is all jealous because Bruce is making out with that supermodel he went out with last issue and Damien needs a full organ harvest and replacement, but his mama's proud of him. (Again, full organ harvest and replacement, and I am sure he will get back to be the bestest little assassin ever, but Barbara is still in a wheel chair. It's like they never even tried to get her better.) It's good stuff. I am really enjoying Morrison's run here.

Countdown #50: I still don't know what I think about this series. A lot of this stuff doesn't make much sense, and I don't mean that in a good way, or even in a I-have-limited-knowledge-of the DC Universe-so-I-don't-get-it way. It's just off. The cliffhanger with Jimmy Olsen is the perfect example of this. Also, how does Jimmy know everyone in the Bat-family's secret identities? Has Supes been a little too loose lipped with his pal? What I do like about this is the Law & Order-like tone to the scene where Jimmy is interviewing Red Hood for information, and the Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling vibe I get from Jimmy interviewing the Joker. I find that to be especially promising. The Mary Marvel plot is intriguing, but it would clearly help to be more invested in the character going into it. The scenes with flash's Rogues gallery are entertaining, but feel pointless. There's a lot of harping on trust issues and harping on the Trickster and Pied Piper being turncoats. I'm already getting impatient with that. Finally, this issus also includes the missing Batman/Karate Kid fight from Justice League of America. I'm happy to see that Batman didn't win - he needed help from Black Lightning - just because he got all jealous about Superman ranking Karate Kid as a higher level fighter. Don't worry Batman. Karate Kid may be a better fighter, but Superman still loves you best.

Fables #61: I'm going to get right to it. I am psyched about the reveal of who the Forsworn Knight is (or was, since he's dead) and I hope it leads to us getting to see more of the characters from those particular stories. I also really want to know how he got to be the Forsworn Knight. I'm really worried about Fly Catcher though. I already kind of miss the lovable character he used to be. If anything bad happens to him, I swear....I don't know. I guess I'll be really sad but I will keep reading. Everything else is more talk of intrigue and war plans. Things are obviously building to something big and despite the fact that it is just a lot of talk at this point, the building tension is making for a really good read.

Justice League of America #9: This issue is a little weird because it's still just a lot of talking, but there's also a lot of stuff going on. And we are heavily into a lot of DC continuity and character stuff that I don't understand at all. Frankly, I'm a bit lost on everything. Brad Meltzer just seems to be having so much fun writing this though, and I find it somewhat infectious. Also, I'm really enjoying some of these characters. (Unfortunately, I think I am going to have to start reading JSA, because Power Girl is awesome.) Oddly enough, the thing I didn't get that bothered me most of all was when the group that went to Thanagar to find the Legionnaire Dawnstar, and she wasn't there but someone with her Legionnaire ring is, Roy just randomly monologues about how Hawkman will never get that just because you truly loved one person, it doesn't mean you can't truly love another. What does that mean? Is Hawkman going to fall in love with Dawnstar, or this woman that they thought was Dawnstar but wasn't? Really weird. Anyway, the thing I loved about this issue was the trip to Gorilla City. That two page spread with the Gorillas racing on the dinosaurs was freaking awesome. However, there is no way that Vixen, channeling a cheetah, could keep pace with a Flash, even an old one.

Ultimates #13: It would be so much better if this issue wasn't so late that I can't remember what actually happened in the previous issues. I believe there was more awesomeness before though. I'm glad that Thor didn't turn out to be crazy. That huge spread is just ridiculous. Incredible stuff there. It was, however, really hard to look at on the train, which is where I read this issue. I really wish Millar would stop doing that thing where the hero, or whoever is down, then says something inappropriately smug considering he's down for the count, and then BAM! There's a reversal, whether it be an Asgardian army or Vision showing up to disable Iron Man's army. That's gotten really old, and has been really old since well before Millar even had a career. It's a tired cliche in any medium. Also, it's amazing how much I like drunken, womanizing douchebag Ultimate Tony Stark. Maybe it's because he's an acknowledged as an asshole by himself and others. Also, the drunken Howard Hughes charm goes a long way. Finally, just to show how Millar's Ultimates takes things too the most disturbing extreme of the regular Marvel Universe, we have the continued relationship between Janet and Hank Pym and the Scarlet Witch flirts with an Ultron robot. The thing that really won me over about this issue though was the Captain America flashback at the end. It was a nice book end to Millar and Hitch's story, which started with Captain America way back in Ultimates 1 #1.

X-Men: First Class Special: I love this issue just as much as all the other ones. I don;'t think you are ever going to get a complaint from me about this series. It is pure love. Anyway, this Special is made up of three rather sweet and funny short stories, and three mini comics, all written by Jeff Parker but with different artists. I believe my favorite of the stories is "A Girl and Her Dragon" with art by Paul Smith. Maybe it's just my love for Jean Grey, but this one was especially sweet, and the art was fantastic. The mini comics, all with art by Colleen Coover, were just adorable. I don't think anyone has ever seen a story about Magneto and public restrooms or the X-Men and little ducklings before, but I think the world is a little better now that we have. However, much like Parker's Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four series, I am baffled by the rating. It's obvious that this series is geered towards younger readers, yet the rating is "A" instead of "AA." I am correct in my belief that "A" stands for "Adult" and "AA" stands for "All Ages." Aren't I?

Nobody's Dead. None of This Means Anything. I Wasted an Hour When All the Interesting Stuff Was in the Last 3 Minutes.

OK, I am so not in the mood to watch Smallville right now. I would much rather be watching The Office, but I said I would do this. I am nothing if not a woman of my word. There better be a kick ass fight scene and a shirtless Tom Welling. Rosenbaum should show some skin too. This would probably be better if I had been prepared with some alcohol. Let's just get this show on the road. Shall we?

There's a previously on Smallville. It illustrates just how much cooler the first half of the season was to the second.

Ooooo...Quebec. I bet even this is Vancouver. I liked the way you saw the red glow of Martian Manhunter's eyes before you saw him. It's an exorcism. Cool! Martian Guts! I see why this isn't working. You need a young priest and an old priest. It's Lex! He's got people with guns. And fwooosh! There goes the phantom!

I so love that the Clark/Zod mid-air cuddle from the season premier is in the credits.

I registered to play that Justice and Doom game, but I never even read any of the emails they sent me.

What is this Hidden Palms? Will it be very trashy? I could get on board a trashy summer soap, but it's gotta be very trashy. And campy.

Oh, Supernatural! There's the show I'm really looking forward to. Jensen Ackles is so pretty!

Lex is giving orders over the phone. Lionel tells him he looks worried. I miss Lionel's hair. If I were Lex, I would be worried too. His minions suck ass. Woah! Lex has security footage? I know they established that at the beginning of the season, but I figured they just forgot about it. Now Lana seems especially dumb. Dumber than usual even, because she knew about the security cameras too. Poor, poor deluded Lex. I know Lex is all evil, but he's just too pathetic.

Hey look! Someone remembers Jonathan. Have I ever mentioned how awful this Martha Kent, Senator thing is? She's never been elected to anything! The people of Kansas are being disenfranchised. Yes! Clark, move out of Smallville. Why are any of these people still in smallville. Grow the fuck up! Get a job! Go to school! Do something with your life! Wait. Who is going to take care of the farm if Clark doesn't? Y'know, they really should have given Martha Kent a better send off. Or something to do this year.

It's Lois, Lois Lane, general Sam Lane's daughter, the reporter, and that blond chick. OK, I admit to not paying that much attention to the last episode, but I do not remember Wes repeating a sequence of numbers. Do you? So Lois knows what happened to Chloe's mom? Does she know that Chloe's a meteor freak? Or that Lex abducted Chloe? This is lame. Also, when did Chloe start advocating backing down? And when did Lois get so smart? And if Lois knew about Chloe's mom, what was the point of the bullshit contrivance of having her know Wess Keenan? Shouldn't everything with Chloe and her mom have been enough for her to want to bring Lex down? This show fucking sucks!

A dam. No Beavers though. I like this scientist guy's voice. Y'know, if Lex and Clark had never broken up, Lex would have plenty of alien DNA. He'd just have to remember not to swallow. There's Lex's army of silver hot pants wearing super soldiers. Only Smallville could make that concept quite this gay, which is why I still kind of love this show sometimes.

What are the odds that FF2 will suck as bad as the first one? Seeing as Jessica Alba is still in it, I'm guess pretty good.

Oh, no. A Clana barn scene. Somebody save me from this crap. Well, at least they're not in the loft. Also, no crappy alt rock music. Superman loves destroying marriages. Yes, the most important thing for you to do is spend all your time protecting Lana, Clark. As much as I hate this, it's about fucking time Clark told Lana the truth. This blows. After all the fucking things they have done on this show, I have serious trouble believing Kryptonite could give Clark more than severe cramps. I get those once a month. He'll take some Midol, and everything will be fine. I don't see what the big deal is.

Good job, Clark. Beat up an old man. Hey, Martian Manhunter and Clark actually talked. Sort of.

Lexana confrontation. This fake baby plot makes no fucking sense. What kind of a monster is he? A really pathetic one. He wasn't even getting laid. It would have been much better if he was like, messing with the fetus, or impregnated her with a clone or something. See, I should be upset that Lex slapped her, but I'm not. He should have followed it up with beating her with a stick.

Martian Manhunter worked for Jor El? That's lame. And where the hell has MM been all these years if he's supposed to have been watching Clark? I bet he could have used his help fighting Zod?

Clark is using a computer! He can do that? Crazy! Right! Lana leaving Lex is completely on par with the super powerful phantom being on the loose. Oh, and Chloe gets to make that hurt face again. Just what I wanted to see.

Lois gets stabbed in the gut yet is still able to knock out the security guard. Of course. Good to know she hasn't actually become intelligent though. Everyone knows you don't pull the knife out. Dumbass. And why call Chloe, instead of say, I don't know 911? She did that in an "Arrow" also and I didn't get it then either.

Why did Lionel look upset that Lex hit Lana? Why does he care? I don't think I like good guy Lionel. Obviously he needs to grow his hair out again in order to get his mojo back. Maybe when his stint on Broadway is done.

Lana's car exploded! Notice how we didn't actually see her get in it. Damn it! I really wanted to enjoy that. I've enjoyed all her other deaths. The spoilers said we were supposed to see and arm. Where was the arm? Where was the ARM?! Did I mention that this show sucks?

My pretend husband is on the MLB O7 commercial. I can't fast forward through David Wright. Seeing him actually made me feel a little better. I think I'm ready to get back to the show now.

Lionel tells Clark about Lana's death because that's totally what he should be dealing with now. That phantom is completely unimportant. Tom Welling tries to cry. It's not of the good.

Lois is dead. It won't last. The good deaths never do. OH my GOD! I knew about the freaking healing tears and it actually managed to be even cheesier looking than I imagined. At least it wasn't green. It was supposed to be green originally. I'm not sure whether Chloe is near death or just catatonic there, but I can't even begin to tell you how pissed off I am that her freaking power is, on top of being a lame, passive one, something that almost freaking kills her. I've ranted about this a lot on line since I originally heard the spoiler, but it sucks. It sucks so much. I hate the fact that she gets victimized be her own freaking power.

Justice and Doom. Stuff happens. I can't read what's going on because I'm not wearing my glasses. I bet it would have been a lot more fun to see a show about that stuff though. Looks like it has superheroes. I wish this show had superheroes.

There's only 9 minutes left and there has been absolutely no action.

Now Lex is strapping little boys to tables. He went from Aquaman, to Cyborg, to Chloe, to this French Canadian kid. Is there no bottom to the depth of his depravity? What a perve. Oh, but the kid killed a guy! Too bad it was Lex's only competent and loyal minion. Still, I love seeing little kids kill people. That was awesome.

I would say it's nice that they named the dam after Christopher Reeve, but I'm not sure how much of an honor being associated with this show is anymore.

Clark goes to beat up another powerless mortal because of Lana. It's a good thing the phantom showed up. Otherwise Clark would probably be a murderer right now. Also, the world would be doomed, what with the phantom leaping from body to body every 24 hours. It'd take a long time, but I'm sure he would have gotten to everyone eventually, not to mention killed a lot of people along the way.

It's too bad the phantom couldn't stay in the little kid. I would have liked to see the Clark vs. little boy battle. Why did a big, silver Superman shield show when the phantom entered Clark?

Hey, it's a Clark double! The fun part of that is Tom Welling playing evil. He does it well. Of course we cut away from the fight to see Lex getting arrested for Lana's murder. I don't buy it. Lex is supposed to be really powerful. If they take forever to arrest actors, they are not going to arrest Lex this quickly. Also, she's not dead.

Great job there Lionel. You made him stronger. "I'm you, only a little more bizarre." Who writes these fucking crappy ass lines? Also, maybe it's just me, but I want my Bizarro to be more than just Clark with a better outfit. Woah! Woah! Did they just run at eachother at superspeed and bounce off one another? That's hilarious. Oh, and now Bizarro's flying away, and has somehow developed Bizarro face. That transition actually kind of looked like crap.

Is it wrong that I don't care how Lois, Chloe and Lionel get out of the dam that's about to collapse. I know they will, and I suspect that, much like in the season premier, they'll have to deal with it themselves since Clark will be off fighting another bad guy who can fly while he still can't. Stupid show. I just hope that in the season premier, Welling is actually wearing Bizarro makeup, instead of that crap CGI.

Well, that was more boring than anything else. There should have been more punching. I'm sure it would have been better had I not been completely spoiled, but it's really not my fault their writers throw there scripts out in public airports where anyone can find them. Stupid writers.

Why Is Everyone So Nice?

Has anybody else noticed anything a bit off about Veronica Mars since it returned a few weeks ago? First we had that episode that so resembled a PSA, or at least an after school special on tolerance, that I don't even think it's worth acknowledging as an actual episode of Veronica Mars. Then last week's episode, while completely awesome by virtue of Paul Rudd's performance alone, also had an episode where everything turned out happy in the end. Last night was the third ultra happy ending for the mystery of the week in a row.

What the hell is going on here? Where's the cynicism? Isn't this show supposed to be noir? Things are looking pretty bright for Veronica right now too. She's got a really sweet and decent boyfriend. She got her FBI internship. She's golden. As for Keith, if he can expose Vinny Van Lowe's connection to the Fitzpatricks, he's golden on the sheriff front. Sure Logan's still miserable, but a happy Logan is like an impossible state of being. Even Dick showed some humanity last night, though I had been expecting that for a while. I just wanted to know what happened to this show. Is the sunnier disposition an attempt to keep it on the air? Was it a network mandate?

I also have some questions about what's going on:

Did we ever find out why Dick was crying at the end of the season premier? He told Logan that he did something really bad?

How did Veronica get an internship with the FBI after being investigated for kidnapping last season? People who once tried pot can't even get into the FBI. I'm guessing this will never be addressed.

Can we have more Deputy Leo please? I was so happy to see him back in the Paul Rudd episode. He better be in the two hour finale next week.

I guess a lot of this stuff doesn't matter all that much, since it looks like the show has been canceled. The official announcement of the CW's fall line up is tomorrow, but considering that Kristen Bell signed up to do the voice overs for the new series Gossip Girl, I'm pretty certain that Veronica Mars won't be on it. I don't know how I feel about that. Considering the change in tone of the last few episodes, and the fact that each season has diminished in quality from the last, maybe it's best that it bows out now before it becomes an embarrassing shell of its former self. On the other hand, while it hasn't been able to reach the heights of the first season since then, it's still better than most things on television. It's certainly better than anything on the CW. Is it better to have no Veronica than a less than great Veronica? I'm not sure.

All that said, the previews for next week look awesome, and back to form for Veronica Mars. I cannot wait.

Scout Attacks! week 11: Playing Heroclix With Darkseid

Countdown #51: I have no idea why I allowed myself to get sucked into another weekly comic, but I'm fairly certain it had something to do with the name Paul Dini, Darkseid, DC's clever ad campaign, and instant gratification. Anyway, I was completely confused during this issue. Isn't Red Hood a bad guy? Where did all these Monitor guys come from? Didn't there used to just be the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor? And didn't they both die or something during Crisis on Infinite Earths? I'm guessing the whole bit about the monitors will be explained. I'm not so sure about Red Hood. I did like that the book opened up with Darkseid and his minion playing with DC Heroclix though (not really, but that's what it looked like). I'm going to give this book a couple more weeks before I make my final decision.

Green Arrow #74: I bought this book because of Black Canary and the lead up to next issue's proposal. I picked up the last issue as well, because it was part one of the storyline. I liked it. I can't attest to characterization or anything like that, because I know nothing about these characters besides liking Green Arrow a hell of a lot on JLU, but there was good humor and action and character stuff that I thought was interesting and came together nicely. I didn't feel completely lost as a new reader, which is something I have grown to really appreciate. I didn't like this issue as much. Ollie and Dinah apparently spend 40 hours having sex, which is fine, if a little weird considering how much is going on, but then they get all conversational. That's when it gets not so good, specifically when Dinah starts gushing about how much Ollie has changed. I can see her appreciating the changes he's made, especially when it comes to Roy, but it gets way too sappy. This whole thing just reads like the editorial mandate, and far too rushed. I kind of hope that when he proposes, she says no, just stretch it out a bit and make it seem more natural.

Amazing Spider-Man #540: I'm having trouble buying this story. Spider-Man is throwing people out windows and talking about how he's going to kill the person responsible, but it's pretty obvious that's not going to happen. He's going to come to the realization that he's not a murderer and Aunt May wouldn't want him to be come one, etc., etc. Haven't we been there before, maybe not with Aunt May specifically, but just in general? It certainly feels like we have. It shouldn't take Peter this long to think of that. MJ being all, "You go bash in some heads, honey. I'm totally supportive of that" seems way off too. The story seems rather contrived and cliche as well. On a more nit picky note, no one in Manhattan just says "the train station." It's Penn Station or Grand Central. How did Spider-Man know which one to go to? He figured it out though, since he went to Grand Central and managed to track down the sniper there. Then there's the fact that Spidey is just standing around in Grand Central, letting his spider-sense seek the sniper out, or whatever. That seriously bugged me. Spider-Man is supposed to be a wanted criminal. New York City's train stations are crawling with cops and National Guard and nobody notices the guy in the black costume with the big white spider on his chest and calls in Shield's cape killers? I call bullshit. It wouldn't have bothered me a year ago, but if Marvel Comics insists on taking a "realistic" approach to superheroes, then they have to actually deal with the realities of the world we live in.

The New Avengers #30: Never being an Avengers reader, I have no real prior exposure to Clint Barton, but now having met him, I think I love him. He's almost as awesome as that lawyer that was in the last issue. (It still would have been cooler if Ronin was Zombie Cap though.) The most interesting thing about this issue though is Luke Cage bringing up the idea of some sort of conspiracy going on, which was one of the interesting concepts that Bendis was playing with when the series started, but then got ignored. There's also a crazy purity spell that made no sense and Doctor Strange getting killed by some ninjas. I'm betting it won't take.

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #2: I love this book. It's so much fun. Sure it's completely superficial and the alien threat is barely worth caring about, but the characterization is great. Also, I love how polite the aliens are, and how they retain a certain amount of personality. When the people are assimilated, they don't just become Borg wannabes. I thought that was a pretty clever take on a fairly average alien assimilation story, and it fits much better with the light hearted tone of the series. Anyway, with Reed going off on a fact finding mission in space, Spidey's the team's science guy for the time being. It should be fun to see the remaining members of the Fantastic Four completely flout his authority. One thing I don't understand is why this book has an "Adult" rating. I think it could easily be an "All Ages" or at least "Teen" title, as could X-Men: First Class, which also carries and "Adult" rating. I just don't see what grounds there is for this story to carry the same rating as one where Spider-Man threatens to kill people and Doctor Strange gets gutted by a ninja.

OK, that's the end of that. I know it's already halfway through the month and I haven't done any of the Spider-Man Month things I said I was going to do, but I promise I will get to it, and hey, there were two Spidey books in this week's reviews, so that counts for something. Doesn't it? Oh, and I decided that for the season finale of Smallville, I am going to blog my reactions as I watch it. Based on spoilers, I thought it would be fun. We'll see.

Third Time, Not So Much the Charm

Huh...so, Spider-Man III. What to say? What to say? Honestly, I'm not sure what I thought about it, and that's what has taken so long with me getting this post up. Also, every time a comic book movie comes out, I swear that I am going to do an objective review of it, and then find myself unable to do so. Anyway, I guess the bottom line was that I was disappointed. I still really enjoyed it, but the first two films set a really high standard. They are two of the best, if not the best comic book adaptations ever made. This was more on par with Superman II. It was entertaining, but not really good. Spoilers follow, so beware if you haven't seen the movie yet.

I think my biggest problem with the movie was that it lacked the heart of the first two films. I think it was interesting that they put Peter in a situation I don't think I have ever seen him in in any comic book, that of be well liked and accepted by the public at large. He's always been a kind of hero to the common city dweller, but opinion on him is generally fairly divided and he's never been accepted by establishment. Here he is getting the key to the city, and seems almost universally beloved (except for by J. Jonah Jameson, of course). However, I ultimately didn't really find the effect it had on him to be very entertaining to watch. I think the closest to this I have seen in a comic book was House of M: Spider-Man, and it's worth noting that I didn't find Peter especially likable there either. Exploring Spider-Man's dark side through the effects that the symbiote (black ooze) had on his psyche, is one thing. Watching Peter Parker act like a self-absorbed jerk and treat his friends and loved ones like a dick is something else entirely. Kissing another girl while he knew Mary Jane was watching, was bad, accidentally hitting MJ (which pissed me off when it happened during the "Clone Saga," but hey, at least she wasn't pregnant here), and blowing off the side of Harry's face was a little too much for me to watch.

The movie's other problem was the cluttered storyline and the glut of characters. However, that wasn't nearly as big a problem as I feared it would be though. The brothers Raimi and Alvin Sargent managed to intertwine all the plots really well. Schumacker's Batman movies, and even maybe Batman Returns, could have learned a thing or two from Spider-Man III. Still, the Harry and Sandman plots paralleled each other so nicely, that I really think they could have done away with Venom altogether and had a better, less complicated movie. As for the new characters and cast members, I think they all did a good job. I had noted in previous posts that I was upset about changing the story to make Flint Marko Uncle Ben's killer. I felt it was a needless change to the origin, and a betrayal of the character. I couldn't be happier at how wrong I was on that count. While changes were made to Marko, the film kept him true to form and Thomas Hayden Church was perfectly cast. The scene between Sandman and Peter at the end was one of my favorites of the whole film. Topher Grace, an unconventional choice for Eddie Brock, also did a good job. He's a talented and charismatic actor, so I wasn't really surprised by that. I felt that Venom's potential was wasted though. I've always thought he was the most overrated member of Spidey's rogues gallery, but the end just seemed like a waste.

Gwen Stacy, while not really any less bland than Mary Jane, was refreshing simply for not being nearly as mopey and being played by a much more charming actress. Kirsten Dunst continues to drag the cast down. While never an appropriate choice for the role of Mary Jane Watson, if she would at least bring some of the spark she brought to her performances in The Cat's Meow, The Virgin Suicides, and Elizabethtown, she might at least have succeeded at being less annoying. I continue to see the major failure of these adaptations to be the portrayal of the female characters, who, despite what Kirsten Dunst might think, are far more interesting and positive in the comic books. However, I do really hope that Gwen and MJ become close friends in the fourth installment. Part of that is because of my affection for the Peter, Gwen, MJ and Harry group dynamic of the comic books, and part of it is just because it would serve Peter right.

I think the best part of the movie was the Harry Osborne plot. The filmmakers managed to compress at least a decade, if not two, of the character's history from the comic book into this one movie. James Franco has done a wonderful job in the role since the first movie and he really shines here. Going into watching the film, I remarked that if the resolution of Harry's storyline didn't make me cry, the movie would have been a complete failure. Suffice it to say, it was not. I cheered when Harry showed up during the final battle and my heart broke during his final scene.

Also, the entire ending was incredible. I think the big finale battle may have been one of the best I have ever seen in a superhero movie, but it was the emotional punch of the follow up scenes that would make this movie a success. After all, it was the drama and character development that set the first two Spider-Man movies apart from the superhero pack. Another thing worth noting were the returning cameos. This may have been Bruce Campbell's most enjoyable appearance yet, and hearing Stan Lee say "'Nuff said" filled me with geek joy.

Looking back over these comments, they are far more negative than I actually felt while watching the movie itself. I suppose it was just enjoyable to watch, but doesn't hold up as well to scrutiny when all is said and done. In the end, I think I need to see it again in order to really form a final opinion on it. I do think that I might like it more the second time around since I will know what to expect. I'm dying to see some of those fight scenes, all of which rocked, by the way, in IMAX.

Scout Attacks! week 10: More Than the Usual Amount of Ninjas

This week we have Whedon, Whedon, and more Whedon, plus some other stuff...

52 Week 52: So it's finally over, and this issue had little to nothing to do with the rest of the series. Well, that's not true. The end has multiple codas with the various characters from the series, so that obviously relates. My favorite bits are the panel of the man in Kahndaq, clearly Black Adam, walking with a close up on his alligator boots ("Oh, Sobek!"), and Ralph and Sue Dibney as ghostly detectives. I think that is adorable, and I am so happy for them that they are together. What comic book universe couldn't use a ghostly detective couple anyway? The main plot of the issue though is Rip Hunter, Booster Gold and Supernova (but not the one that's actually Booster) trying to stop Mr. Mind from destroying the Multiverse. There are apparently 52 earths now, and it's very convoluted, but fairly enjoyable. I just don't understand why the earths are exact duplicates of New Earth, but then when Mr. Mind does his thing, they become different. It's confusing. The issue ends on the least interesting relationship that this series has presented - Rene Montoya and Batwoman. I'm bitter because when this series started, we had two really cool characters working together - Rene Montoya and Charlie (Vic Sage/The Question). They were awesome together. Now we have Rene Montoya as the new Question being dragged down by an underdeveloped romance with the the bland Batwoman. It sucks. Total downgrade. On the other hand, we have a cute ghostly detective couple. Overall, this series was kind of hit or miss. I'm not sure it was ultimately worth the investment, but there were some really stellar moments. Also, the J.G. Jones covers could not be beat. This last wrap around one wasn't the best of them, but it was still beautiful.

Detective Comics #832: Another fill in writer, which kind of sucks, but it's not a bad little mystery. It's not that great either, though. Had I known it was a fill in writer, I wouldn't have bought it, and I don't think I would have missed out on anything. Also, there were sharks. I hate sharks.

Superman #662: We're back to the storyline that about the apocalyptic future, and Busiek does a great job of getting into Supes' head and showing his thought process about the various mysteries he's dealing with. It's nice to see him investigating. Sometimes it seems like writers forget he's supposed to be smart too. I just really think Busiek is doing a great job with this character, and while some of the stand alone issues weren't the best, this is an interesting story that I'm genuinely interested in seeing how it turns out. Pacheco is also back with this issue and that's a welcome return, except for the fact that Lois still has that unfortunate haircut and Zatanna's outfit is...well...does she really entertain company in that? I realize that her normal costume isn't the most modest garment, but that's underwear. Put on a robe, lady. He's a married man. Oh, and Chris is there, which I'm guessing means he will be sticking around after the Donner/Johns Action Comics storyline ends. I figured that would happen. The issue ends with the New Gods showing up. I have no idea who they are.

Supernatural Origins #1: I'll be honest. This wasn't great. I'm not really sure what it was, but it just fell flat. I'm invested enough in the show (it's one of my favorites) to want to keep reading though. It's a story I really want to find out more about, and I think there's a good chance that when things actually start happening it will get good.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Long Way Home, Part III: There are so many good individual moments in this issue, and I know the threesome dream moment is the thing everyone is talking about, but I find the presence of the viking/cupid things more noteworthy. They're just weird. There's also a pretty cool witches' battle between Willow and Amy, which concludes with Giant Dawn going all stompy. The Scooby Gang reunion is very sweet, and probably my favorite part of the issue. My one real gripe is that there was this whole big zombie attack happening and we didn't get to see any of it. Also, and this isn't an issue for me, but presumable is for someone out there, this issue would be completely inaccessible to anyone who didn't watch the show. That said, it's another great issue, with a very surprising, and very cool, reveal at the end. And it's still only the second best Whedon comic and surprise ending of the week.

Astonishing X-Men #21: I hate Emma Frost. She just pisses me off, and the more Whedon tries to make me like her by trying to make her understandable, the more I hate her. It's really starting to interfere with my enjoyment of this series. It's also kind of making me dislike Cyclops, which saddens me most of all. What pisses me off is that, a while back, Whedon gave an interview about all the characters and he said that Scott's story has always been dominated by Jean Grey, and that that relationship wasn't really beneficial for the character, but Whedon is essentially doing the same thing with Scott and Emma, and frankly, Emma just is not a good person and it's hard to have the respect for Scott in his relationship with Emma that one had for him in his relationship with Jean. Jean was worthy of that level of forgiveness and devotion. Emma isn't even repentant, whatever her guilt level might be. Also, Jean had earned her place on the X-Men. She was one of the original members of the team, and had always been the most powerful, even before the Phoenix Force. Emma got her position as leader and headmistress why? Because she's sleeping with Scott? Scott just seems pussy whipped. Also, Scott is continuing to act like Mal, who I like, but who is nothing like Scott should be. At least there's still Kitty and Colossus, though not much actual development happens this issue. Ultimately, the most significant thing in this issue is naked Kitty. Kudos to Cassaday, who is always wonderful, for not making it seem exploitative at all. Still, I don't know that I really needed to see that. Also, Kitty is acting kind of erratically with regard to Peter, so I would really like those two to have a conversation soon.

Loners #2: This issue focuses mostly on Ricochet, and it's another good read. This series isn't going to be for everyone, but I'm enjoying it. I like the focus on lesser known characters. I like the teen angst qualities, and that everyone is dealing with issues of identity. I like the art. I like that Penance shows up at the end of this issue. Oh, and I like that Chris and Mickey got together, because that was set up back in the Runaways arc, so it's nice to see that it actually went somewhere.

Runaways #26: This was by far the comic of the week, and it had the line of the century with "Punisher' war journal: Hhhhhhh...." The absence of Vaughn and Alphona isn't as sorely felt this month, and it makes it so much easier to just sit back and enjoy this story and these characters. Whedon's voice may not be exactly like Vaughn's, but he does write the Runaways so well. I am still amazed by how much I am loving Xavin. The turnaround on that character in the last three of four issues is just so great to see, because it's not that Xavin's different, it's just that it's finally clicked for me what he's all about. Molly is still the best thing ever though, with Chase coming in a close second. I'm really intrigued by the old lady and her guardian angel guy. What's his deal? And if she's the Kingpin's client, why do they seem to be working at cross purposes? At least now we know Kingpin doesn't have glands, he just really likes chocolate. Also, there are ninjas. What's up with all the ninjas and zombies lately? Clearly those two concepts need to meet. Ninja zombies would own. The issue ends with time travel, and I am psyched. The cover for the next issue is gorgeous. And that my friends, is Whedon's best last page reveal of the week.

I got Hellboy: Destiny Calls also, but I generally buy those series up and read all the issues at once, so I probably won't be doing a review on it, at least not for a while. Also, seeing as how it's Spider-Man Month and that one was absolutely amazing and one had a huge WTF?! moment and both left me feeling just a hint of dread, I'm going to be doing separate posts on Sensational Spider-Man Annual #1 and the FCBD Amazing Spider-Man. My thoughts on Spider-Man III should be up tomorrow night, and I've got stuff to say about TV also, so hopefully I will get those all done soon.

Random Other Comics Stuff

IGN had this Spidey related article up, which I thought was interesting and decided to share: IGN: Spider-Man Editor Roundtable. Often, when I read statements from Marvel or interviews about Spider-Man, I am left feeling angry and very much like I want to punch someone in the throat. This didn't make me feel that way (and yes, I am working on my fan entitlement related rage issues). Maybe I'm just so excited about all things Spidey right now that nothing can bother me. I do think it's a bit pointless for all the editors to be so coy about whether or not Spider-Man is going to be driven to kill someone. The whole point of "Back in Black" is Spidey going off to seek revenge on the person ultimately responsible for May getting shot. We know that that person is Kingpin and we know from stories that take place later in continuity that Kingpin is not dead. I suppose Spidey could kill the actual gunman, in which case, expect my rage issues to come into play.

And since I'm just linking to stuff, here's some Spidey related sites I've been feeding my Spidey related high with lately: SpiderFan.org and Spidey Kicks Butt.

In non-Spidey stuff, Newsarama has previews of some of DC's July comics. I was already planning on picking up the Black Canary mini series, but with Killer Elvises in the first issue, it's pretty much a must have. I mean, Killer Elvises. What's not to like? It's just too bad the villains for the whole series won't be Killer Elvises. As for Green Arrow: Year One, I'm not too sure about it. I thought Ollie got stranded on a deserted island. What's with the arctic setting? And it looks like he and that guy he's with are making snow angels in the last panel on the third page.

Finally, I think I have decided that "Scout Attacks!" is going to be the name of my weekly comic reviews post. It's lame, but I kind of like it. And finally, just because it is cool, I give you the Ramones performing the theme song from the 60's Spider-Man cartoon.

Scout Attacks! week 9: The One Where It Got Its Name

X-Men First Class #8: I recently mentioned that Marvel editorial still had not done anything recently to win back any points with me. Obviously, I erred in that statement, because I forgot about the fact that they decided to make this comic and ongoing series. Thanks, Joe Quesada. I'd say I owe you one, but I bought Civil War and Civil War: Frontline, so I still think you're in the whole there, but maybe a little less than before. Anyway, this is the final issue of the mini series and it may be the best of them. For starters, it has a talking Gorilla. (Note too self: get Agents of Atlas trade.) I love how Parker has captured all of their personalities so well in this series. Scott, though rigid, is not a dick and does have a sense of humor (and no Joss Whedon, he is not Mal). Jean does indeed have a personality. Bobby is funny and sweet (and a complete scene stealer in this series). Warren is completely content with who he is and does not angst about it. Hank is a complete nerd. These are things that so many writers have completely forgotten over the years. Well, nobody has forgotten that Hank is a nerd. He just looks like a freaking cat now. (I will never stop hating that.) Another thing I have really loved about this series is the yearbook pages at the front of each issue with notes on all the characters from the perspective of one of the other characters. They are so insightful, this month's especially because it is from Professor Xavier's perspective, and there is a bonus one at the end from Ken Hale, the aforementioned talking gorilla, who has an outsider's take on the young team. Anyway, this issue is a fun jungle adventure. It gets bonus points for having a hippo attack and hinting at Jean's developing psychic abilities.

52 Week 51: This penultimate issue starts out with our space travelers arriving home. First is animal man, who, as it turns out, really had nothing to worry about as far as his wife hooking up with some other guy. He does however, have to worry about more of Lady Styxx's bounty hunters, who arrive at his front door right in the middle of his welcome home party. Fortunately, a very fatigued Kory, who is returning his jacket to his wife because she thinks he's dead, falls on them. Adam Strange gets new eyes, which is nice for him, but I thought it was pretty cool that he could do all that stuff, like fix his ship and pilot, blind. Lobo is obviously off the pacifist kick now too. We also find out why Skeets went all evil, and it is really unattractive looking. This series has pretty much just petered out. It's a shame, because it has been really strong at points. A really amazing final issue could save it, but since we all know about the return of the Multiverse, it's unlikely that will happen.

Action Comics #848: I really like this issue in concept. I think having Superman deal with a metahuman that is using his powers to enforce a specific set of beliefs, and being forced to confront his own beliefs, could be very powerful. I loved when Lois asked Clark "Whose truth? Whose justice? And what the heck does "the American way" mean exactly?" because if Superman is going to fight for those things, he should understand them. The story just seems to completely lose its way, and its ambiguity, when it becomes clear, through heavily shadowing his face and an overall ominous tone, that the minister is going to be the big bad guy of the piece. There's also the art, which I kind of hate. It is so very stiff and lifeless. And Clark is a little too muscle bound for my tastes. Either that, or he needs to buy sweaters that fit.

Justice Society of America #5: I have never read this comic before, but it is amazing how different in tone this series has to Justice League of America. For one thing, stuff actually happens. It's also all moody and atmospheric, while JLA is very bright. It's almost hard to believe this is a continuation of the same story. Still, there are fun and interesting character interactions and some cool action. I loved when they were fighting all those Batmen. Was it just me, or was one of them fat? Everything in the Fortress of Solitude was great too, though I could not believe it took them so long to realize that there was an extra Legionnaire in that display though. I noticed right a way. He was the only guy without a name underneath him.

Wonder Woman #8/Amazons Attack #1: This all just felt very rushed to me. The Amazons are awfully quick to buy into everything that Circe is feeding them, which seems odd to me because I thought she was their enemy as well as Wonder Woman's. I'm not too sure I liked Diana and Nemesis' interaction in this issue either. It's kind of up and down, which is a shame, because despite some of my gripes, I do like Tom as a character. The inconsistencies in how Diana is being written continue in this issue, as she understands a reference Tom makes to the Washington Capitals. So that's a "yes" on the NHL, but a "no" on pumping gas? Right. I completely buy that. Still, I remain ever hopeful, because there is interesting stuff going on. It's just not being executed all that well. I'm looking forward to seeing what transpires between Diana and her mother. Also, as much as I think it is dumb to change artists mid-story, it is good to have the Dodsons back, if only because Nemesis no longer has a soul patch. Meanwhile, in Amazons Attack, the Amazons attack. It's kind of cool. Men and boys get slaughtered. Good times. I enjoy Pete Woods' art. The jury's still out on Will Pfeifer's story though. I'm mostly interested in seeing what the effect of all this will have on Wonder Woman's standing in society when it is all over. The way I see it, it can go one of two ways. Either public opinion of Wonder Woman will drop even further and her status as enemy of the state will be reaffirmed, or she will be redeemed in the eyes of the government and the public when they see her go up against her own people in order to stop the war. While I could see them going the first route as a way to reaffirm her decision to take on a secret identity, I would prefer option number two. I think it would be a lot more interesting to see Diana carry on as Diana Prince because she wants to instead of because she thinks she needs to.

I haven't really checked out any comic book news in the past few days, so I don't really have and happy news this week, but Spider-Man 3 comes out on Friday. I am so excited. I am going to see it on Saturday, which is also Free Comic Book Day. Could things get any better than that? Actually, yes they could. It's Spider-Man Week in NYC and on Wednesday night I am going to see the Spider-Man comic collection that's on display at the New York Public Library. And here on These Things Matter, I've decided that May is Spidey Month. I've got a few Spidey related posts planned for throughout the month, including a review of the movie, a commemoration of Peter and MJ's 20th wedding anniversary, and a look at my favorite issue of JMS's run on Amazing Spider-Man (hint: it relates to the Spider-marriage, guest stars a recently deceased hero, and features DOOM!). Let's just hope I don't get too lazy to dig out the back issues I need.

You Got Your Watchmen In My Heroes

I realize that the new episode of Heroes was on Monday, so this is kind of late, but I figure that it's still relevant since the next episode hasn't aired yet (unlike that post I was going to do about last week's Supernatural). Anyway, this past Monday was the first new episode of Heroes after far too long a break. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. I have to say though that I've been hearing people talk about the story resembling Watchmen for a long while now, but I didn't really get it until last night.

I try to remain in as much of a cone of silence as possible when it comes to this show, because I love it and I don't want to ruin anything for myself. Last night though, I was all, "Oh, that's what everyone has been talking about." The similarities between Linderman and Ozymandias are pretty blatant, and considering how many of the writers on this show are bona fide comic book geeks, no one can claim that they didn't realize the similarities. I have to assume that it is not going to go down the same though, since next week's episode seems to be all about how bad everything is going to be if Linderman's plan goes through.

As for the episode itself, I loved it. I thought Isaac's death was a bit anti-climactic, but the implications of it are pretty interesting. Sylar doing the painting the future thing at the end was just creepy. Either Sylar didn't get any of Isaac's artistic talent, or the future has changed and, instead of Nathan Petrelli, Frankenstein is going to become president. I would be totally cool with that.

I guess that if someone had to die, I'm OK with it being Isaac. I honestly like all the characters now that Simone is dead. I know a lot of people don't like Mohinder, but I think he's pretty invaluable to the story. They need at least one person without super powers. Also, Sendhil Ramamurthy may not be the best actor, but he's awfully pretty to look at. Honestly, I was really afraid that Peter might get killed. I know there are all these visions of stuff that he's supposed to do in the future, and he certainly seems integral to the plot, but he's also unbelievably powerful. Not only does he gain the powers of anyone he is around, he is able to retain them. Pretty soon he will be able to do anything and they won't need any of the other characters. Presumably, the writers are aware of this potential dilemma and will do something about it. Anyway, the whole time he was dead but not really dead, I kept yelling at the television to take the big piece of glass out of his head. Thankfully Claire listened to me. Poor Claire though. It must suck to find out your big hero/crush is your uncle.

I'm actually pretty surprised that Nathan is going to go along with Linderman's plan, since I really thought his love for Peter would trump his desire for power. I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out. Also, what power do you think Mama Petrelli has? Considering Peter's powers, one would think they would have been exposed by now. Then there's Matt, Ted Sprague, and my favorite, Mr. Bennett and their big prison break. Things are going to be tough for them. Eric Roberts is just plain creepy. He's not even acting. It's an inherent trait.

YAY! Heroes is back! I cannot wait until next week.

But He's Bill Pardy! You Can't Cancel Him!

Apparently Drive has been canceled, which is kind of a bummer. I was enjoying it. The thing I don't get though is why Nathan Fillion and Tim Minear can't catch a break. This is at least the fourth show that Minear has executive produced to get the axe by FOX, and the second for Fillion. By all rights, both of them should still be hard at work on Firefly's fifth season, but barring that, they just deserve better. I especially don't get the lack of success for Nathan Fillion. I would have thought that, despite the relative box office disappointment of Serenity, he would have at least gotten noticed by studio executives and gotten some decent sized roles in some mainstream movies. Honestly, I expected to see him pop up in a romantic comedy or two, or maybe in some small but stand out roles in some big budget action movies, inevitably becoming the next generation's answer to Harrison Ford. Instead, it seems like he's becoming the next generation's answer to Bruce Campbell, which is fine. You know I love Bruce Campbell. I love him way more than I love Harrison Ford. I just thought that Nathan Fillion had a lot more mainstream appeal than that.

Is the problem that Nathan Fillion has actually worked on quality projects, because I am seeing that pattern? I was pretty shocked by the lack of success for Slither as well, which I considered to be one of the best horror movies that I have seen in a long time, in light of how well horror movies have been doing in the past several years. I enjoy movies like Hostel and its like well enough, but I would much rather sit through movies like Slither, Grindhouse, and even, to a lesser extent, Snakes on a Plane, all of which were disappointments at the box office, and all of which were a hell of a lot more fun to watch than the horror movies that make huge amounts of money. At least the Dawn of the Dead remake, which had an over all grimness but still with a sense of whimsy, did well.

Don't even get me started on what passes for science fiction these days. There is little substance to any of it. Some people like to applaud geek subculture moving into the mainstream, but with few exceptions, the stuff that has any mainstream success lacks the originality and intelligence that we geeks have been enjoying for years. I think the fact that X-Men 3 was lauded by critics as a comic book movie that's actually about something for touching on, however ineptly, various social issues, says it all. X-Men comic books have been dealing with social issues since Stan Lee first came up with the idea of mutants. All X-Men 3 did was make weak analogies that ultimately never went anywhere.

The geek subculture hasn't been legitimized. It's been homogenized.

Wow! I have no idea how this turned into a rant. I started out this post simply wanting to say that I was going to miss seeing Nathan Fillion, an actor I can't get enough of, on my television every week. I suppose it's the Firefly/Serenity connection. Anytime I start thinking about Nathan Fillion, it naturally leads in that direction, and then it turns into a rant. Oh well. At least we have Heroes now. At least that show respects its roots and hasn't tried glam up for the masses. It is a show about a bunch of superheroes who do not wear costumes though, which I do think is a concession to mainstream audiences, but that's of far less concern than the fact that there's real substance there. Compare that to Smallville, which simultaneously capitalizes on it's comic book roots and is completely embarrassed by them at the same time, ultimately creating something with no more substance than your sub par teen drama with a bunch of names that will keep fanboys happy.

Anyway, here's hoping that Nathan Fillion catches on soon, so that, while I may not get the quality science fiction, horror and superhero genre adaptations that I hope for, I'll at least a funny, charismatic, talented and really attractive actor to watch in all the crappy movies and television shows I end up watching because no one cares enough to watch anything better.

Scout Attacks! week 8: Unterrifying Batman Is Weird

This week, it's straight to the reviews...

52 Week 50: First of all, let me engage in a bit of self-congratulation. I managed to have enough willpower to not buy the World War III tie-ins. Go me! Even after reading some positive reviews for those tie-ins, I'm not sorry. This issue was pretty self-explanatory, and it dealt with what happened to Black Adam, which is all I really cared about. I'm sure the tie-ins explained a whole lot of stuff about the DCU One Year Later, but I don't read any of that stuff. There's some great art in this issue. The splash page where everyone is charging at Adam and he's just standing there, waiting for them, defiant, is awesome. I still feel really sorry for Adam, despite everything he's done. When he's wandering the streets of what I assume is Khandaq, powerless, muttering magic words hoping to stumble across the right one, finally reaching "Osiris. Isis. Batson. Eternity." it seems so tragic. Captain Marvel swears he will never think of the new magic word. I'm sure he will eventually, but I am really curious as to what it is. There's only two issues left. It was really nice of the characters to just wait their turn to do anything so that everyone could have a week to themselves to resolve their plots. Animal Man was so desperate to get home, but he's kindly stood aside so that Renee Montoya and Black Adam could do their thing first. He's a class act.

All Star Superman #7: Another comic that I forgot to buy the week it came out. Thankfully my comic shop didn't sell out. It occurs to me that this comic book could not have a more inappropriate acronym. I really don't like Quitely's art, but Morrison writes Silver Age crack so well, that it's easy enough to over look. And Lois didn't look disturbingly similar to Kristin Kreuk in this issue, so bonus points for that. This issue focuses on Bizarro World, and features all that crazy stuff one would expect. I don't really know what to say excpet that it's a really good, fun story and I can't wait to see what happens next. The Zibarro reveal at the end was awesome. Also, I had pretty much forgotten the plot point set up way back in issue #1 that Superman is dying. I think it's a nice touch to see him preparing for this by doing things like writing the formula for Bizarro repelant in Lois' Christmas card. I wonder if he included helpful little notes like that for everyone.

Birds of Prey #105: This issue starts off with a little lesson in Russian history, which I totally dug. That's probably just me though, because i don't know how many comic book readers are Russian history buffs, specifically into that whole period right before the Revolution. Surely I'm not the only one though. Anyway, everything seems to get out of control this issue, and it's fun to see all the reveals and reversals. Gail Simone does a great job of building up the tension and there's a pretty cool fight between Hawkgirl and Scandal. Also, Harley Quinn makes an appearance as the newest member of the Secret Six, and you know how I love her (though I am not sure this doesn't undermine her recent, and superior, appearance in Detective Comics a bit). Anyway, all this is just set up for the big Birds of Prey versus Secret Six showdown in the next issue. I predict that it will be crazy good.

The Brave and the Bold #3: This issue is about Batman and Blue Beetle. I absolutely loved their interaction. I could stand to read a whole series where Blue Beetle just goes fanboy on different superheroes, but something tells me that it could never be as amusing as the following exchange:

Batman: For future reference, if you know the answers, it's not really detective work.
Blue Beetle: I didn't mean to take the fun out of it. Sir.

Still, Jaimie is adorable and I am seriously thinking of picking up the Blue Beetle series. I am loving the storytelling device of getting in the head of one of the characters to get a look at his reactions to the other character, the added bonus of which is that it comes with thought bubbles, continuing their triumphant comeback tour. It's good to know I'm not the only one who's a little freaked out by Batman acting so nice. Also, I have to thank Mark Waid for the usage of the Lord of Time. His sense of theatricality lead to him feeling the need to give big introductions to each member of the Fatal Five, whom I would have not known otherwise. You have gotta respect a pompous and overly dramatic villain. This issue also sets up the next team up of Supergirl and Lobo, which I expect to be hilarious and provide a lot of inappropriate humor. Still, I don't know which I am looking forward to more, that or the following issue, which will undoubtedly deal with the last page's reveal. That was just badass.

Justice League #8: I'm sure a lot of people are going to complain about this issue. Their going to complain that nothing happens. They're going to complain that the fight between Batman and Karate Kid (not being familiar with the Legion of Superheroes, I know that name will be making me giggle throughout this storyline) happened almost entirely off panel. And I am sure that people will complain that the chit chatting between the heroes on the final splash page completely throws off any sense of urgency that the problem they are facing is supposed to have. I've decided just to ignore all that. It's clear to me that Melter's run isn't going to be about stuff happening. It's about superheroes being chummy and having a good time and throwing out a lot of references to Justice League of America history. I think I'm OK with that. It's kind of fun. I don't know who most of these characters are anyway, so nothing they say or do can really bother me one way or the other. I'm just annoyed that I am going to have to be buying issues of JSA too.

Finally, I have happy news. Behold the wonder of Phil Jimenez's Spider-Man. Marvel at seeing Peter Parker drawn on model. No photo-referencing here kids. I can't be the only one who finds looking at those pages refreshing. It's not that Garney isn't good (and yes, I know he doesn't use photo-referencing), it's just that this looks more like Peter Parker to me. I'm pretty sure it's the hair. Peter's just got to have those two curls in the front. Also, I think that's the most attractive Betty Brant I have ever seen. There's also this, but I don't know if it's happy or just disturbing. Frankly, I think I'm a little bit scared.

All the World Is Waiting for Her

So for all the problems the Wonder Woman title - Heinberg and his many delays, the fill-in story for issue #5, the dubious talents of Jodi Picoult - all is not lost. There is good news too. Wonder Woman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told came out today, finally righting that long injustice, and it's been confirmed that Gail Simone is going to be taking over the title with issue #13. Apparently, the fans have spoken and DC has finally listened. It's almost enough to make me stop bitching about how much editors suck, at least at DC. (Marvel editors haven't done anything to redeem themselves yet.)

Newsarama posted this interview with Simone on Friday, and she just put things in perspective. This, particularly, gets me excited about the character:

The book is about the best goddamned warrior planet Earth has ever known, and she happens to carry a mystical arsenal around just for the hell of it.

If a writer can’t make that interesting and fun, they really shouldn’t be writing superheroes.

There are layers upon layers of the character, and we’ll get to them all. But let’s just make it very clear that Diana is the premiere asskicker in the DCU, period. Batman and Superman have other things that make them special. Diana is the one who occasionally carries an axe if someone gives her lip.

This is actually in my first issue, but the quote is, “When a giant robot attacks Metropolis, send Superman. An alien attack? Get Green Lantern. When a car is hijacked by an escaped loony, turn on the bat signal, by all means. But if an ARMY shows up on your doorstep, that’s when you call in Wonder Woman.

Simple.

This part isn't bad either:

This is a great question. First, I hate the supposed ‘dichotomy,’ that she preaches peace while fighting. This is not contradictory at all. It’s not ‘a’ or ‘b,’ it’s ‘a’ AND ‘b.’ It’s like saying a cop is a hypocrite when they say they want to keep the peace, just because they might have to wrestle a perp to the ground on occasion. Diana’s both. She loves the light, but she’s right at home in the dark, too. She can do dark.

Actually, I have to say that this was the thing about Wonder Woman that got me a while back, the fact that, as Simone says, "She loves the light, but she's right at home in the dark, too." I think it's that ability to be both that sets her apart from Batman and Superman as more than just the girl. When I realized that, and I can't even say how and why I realized it (but I'm sure it was probably while I was watching the Justice League cartoon, since the work of Bruce Timm is pretty much the source of all my DCU love), it's when I started to really get the character, and love her. Sure, I still think it makes absolutely no sense that an Amazon is a great symbol of peace, since the Amazons raped, plundered and pillaged with the best of them (which is why they were cool), or that the Greek gods would care about sending an ambassador of peace to humanity, since they were all about messing with and screwing over the humans, but once you let go of all that, there isn't any reason why a person can't preach peace and be a warrior. It's not like she's out there committing random acts of violence.

Anyway, all that character stuff is great, but this is what really made me think Gail Simone was writing specifically for me: "Of course, since she’s punching a monkey off a waterfall on page three, maybe that’s not the best example." Let's just take a closer look at those words: "punching a monkey off a waterfall." MONKEY!

So, in honor of that bit of awesomeness, and, of course, in honor of Gail, I give you:

And if that fills you with joy, like it does for me, you are going to want to watch Smallville this Thursday (4/19). I know that watching that show isn't normally conducive to the bringing of joy, but this week it has Lynda Carter! For her, I would watch even if I wasn't a complete masochist who watches the show every week even without something as awesome as Wonder Woman herself to look forward to. She's still gorgeous too. It looks like it might be a halfway decent episode too.

Supernatural is going to be new as well, so that you definitely don't want to miss.

Who's Gonna Drive You Home Toniiiight?

Who's gonna pick you up when you faaalll?

Ah, the Cars. Weren't they a great band? Now there's the New Cars. It's not the same.

This post isn't about them though.

It's about the new Fox series Drive, whose premiere completely blindsided me on Sunday night because I had no idea it was going to be on. Thankfully, I turned on Fox to watch The Simpsons at 8 o'clock or I would have completely missed it. Then there was another episode on Monday night, which is when I was expecting to watch the premiere. I don't know it it was lack of promotion or just me. I record almost everything on DVR now specifically so that I can fast forward through commercials, so I won't complain about Fox's lack of promotion, since I have no evidence to support it. I will say that I didn't see any ads for it on the internet, which seems odd considering one of the show's stars has an immense internet following. It didn't do too well in the ratings on Sunday night though. I have no idea about what Monday's numbers were.

I liked the show. It didn't wow me like the premiere of Prison Break did last year, but then, I quickly lost interest in that show, whereas by the end of the third hour on Monday night, my interest in Drive was still steadily building. I think that it has the potential to have the same problem that Prison Break has though, in that it's a very high concept that can't possibly be sustained for too long. However, it seems far more plausible to me that the creators of this show will be able to find reasons to keep the characters on the road for multiple seasons than it does for the creators of Prison Break to be able to keep up the jail break theme without it making the characters seem like they are in a Wile E. Coyote like cycle. Also, Drive has car chases, ad can have them all the time. That's cool and exciting. There's also a lot more opportunity for product placement, which I am certain makes the network very happy. (That might even be something that could keep this show on the air if ratings don't improve. Profitable shows always last longer than successful shows.)

I was primarily interested in this show because it stars Nathan Fillion, aka Captain Malcolm Reynolds, and executive producer Tim Minear, who previously worked on shows I loved, like Angel, Firefly, and Wonderfalls. And if you watched and loved any of those shows, there's a lot of reason to tune in to Drive. In addition to Fillion and Minear, a few other actors from those shows pop up, including Amy Acker, previously of Angel and most recently Alias, where she played a complete badass. There's also the serialized nature of it and the fact that mst of the characters are more than they seem. Those are things that have proven pretty popular on television of late, and Minear has proven himself to be incredibly adept at those types of stories.

Nathan Fillion is still my primary point of interest for the show, though, and it struck me at first that his character is a lot like Mal, but after getting a bit of background revelation on Alex Tully, I know think he's Mal in reverse. Mal was a good guy who became a bad guy and is always fighting his heroic nature. Tully is a bad guy who became a good guy and is strggling to maintain is heroism. It's too bad he's saddled with the show's blandest actress as his partner. As for the other characters, oddly enough, I think the father daugter team might be my favorite. There's a lot of pathos to be wrug from that situation and there's a lot of warmth and humor in their scenes. The soldier and his wife have the potential to get really annoying very soon, and the long lost brothers team is interesting, but hasn't really caught me on an emotional level. I think that the character that intrigues me most is the moter who is trying to protect her baby. She's a little bit crazy, but she's sweet, and I think there's huge potential for that character. It will be interesting to see what this race drives her to do (no pun intended) and what lines she will cross. Plus, I think Melanie Lynskey is fantastic.

Anyway, I think this show has a lot of potential, and I hope that Fox doesn't pull a Fox and prematurely cancel it. It's deffinitely worth a shot, and if you, like me, missed all the advertising because you hate commercials, but unlike me didn't have the happy accident of fiding it when you were looking for The Simpsons, the episodes are on MySpace. At the very least, watch it for Nathan Fillion, who is awesome and deserves to be a huge star (though it would have been better if he was a huge star because of Firefly, Serenity and Slither, but it has been log established that people do't have nearly as good taste as the should - more on that later.)