Everything Ends

So recently, I have come to a conclusion: I really dislike DC Comics New 52.

I don't care for the changes in the costumes.  The lines and such that have been added to most of the heroes are reminiscent of the plethora of belts that were given to heroes and villains in the 80s and 90s.

I don't like the stories.  They aren't grabbing me like they used to.

And it really bothers me that DC got rid of so much of their history.  I know that some of these complaints may echo the feelings of others after the Crisis in 1985.  Then, they rebooted most of the heroes, got rid of a few, and moved on.  But I had been reading the old comics of and on before that, and I enjoyed the new stuff which eventually shifted back tot he old stuff again.  Kind of.

So, I've stopped collecting.

If there is another big change, I may look into it, but I'll read the reviews before I decide.

I am continuing with some of the hardback stuff.  I just got Batman: Earth One, and really enjoyed it, and I've preordered the second volume of Superman: Earth One.  Some might say that I'm contradicting myself because of the added lines in the costumes in these books, but the lines are seams and such that show up with the higher detail of the art.

Jennifer is curious to see what I'll do with the extra time now that I used to put into reading comics.  It's a good question.  Maybe, I'll get back into painting miniatures; I haven't really done much of that since the move.

Comics are Still Gay

So at the beginning of the month, I posted this article on the hype of homosexuals in comics all because of making Alan Scott the new version of the original Green Lantern gay.

Today, I read this article from Comics Alliance.  I'm proud of myself for naming as many as I did in the DC Universe, but I totally flaked on DC's peripheral titles.

Midnighter and Apollo?  Totally blanked on.  But they were originally created as a homosexual spoof on Batman and Superman.

And I didn't even think of the gay characters in Sandman or The Invisibles.

Still, it just goes to show that making Alan Scott gay was simply pandering.

Hey Kids, Comics!

Neatorama recently linked to the webcomic Mal and Chad.

I started reading it, and quickly added it to my rotation.

Today's is right there for us PB&J fans (click it to see the whole strip):

J. Michael Straczynski

I first encountered J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) like most people did, from watching "Babylon 5". I am not ashamed to say that there were episodes that made me cry.

When Ivanova's father dies and she is talking to him over video-phone.

When Kosh dies and at the same time is speaking to Captain Sheridan in his dreams.

When Marcus dies transferring his life to Ivanova.

Recently, JMS has moved into writing comics. He wrote independent for a while, then he worked at Marvel for a while. And now he has moved to DC Comics. I was a bit nervous about what he might do to my favorite heroes.

Then this morning, I read The Brave and The Bold #33. It almost sounds like a joke (which is what JMS does sometimes) "Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Zatanna go out clubbing..." It's hard to describe what specific time period it takes place in without giving away the whole story. I was enjoying a light reading until about halfway through. Then with one word from Wonder Woman, tears are streaming down my face.

An incredible book that anyone who was reading DC in the mid- to early-90s will enjoy.

The Healing Continues

Thursday was another day for photography. I put on my Goorin Brothers hat, and Jennifer and I went wandering for pictures. We did some at the loft, and then moved on to a couple parks. It was another wonderful experience between the two of us. We really had fun.

Afterwards we drove to Livermore for three weeks' worth of comics. Bob is so great to me. DC Comics is having their big crossover with Blackest Night, and they're giving out replica rings for all of the various Corps. For the Black Lanterns that should probably be Corpses. But Bob had all of them ready for me. All of the ones that are out at least (Violet, Indigo, Blue, Yellow, and Orange). I asked him when the Black ring was coming out, and he said they already had. then he pulled out the bag, and handed me one. Next week Red and Green come out.

Of course I already have to of the Green replicas from the 90s. they're a little higher quality plastic and have a glow in the dark center.

After comics, Jennifer and I went to On the Border in Dublin for margaritas and spicy tacos.

Friday I did nothing.

I read my comics, and Jennifer read the new Audrey Niffenegger. She finished that this morning when she got up, so now I can read it.

Then for fun and dinner, we went to Wendy's. And we took Pom with us. We did the drive-thru, and Pom was funny the whole way. she stayed close to Jennifer trembling a little unless Jennifer was holding her close. Then as we were in the line she prairie-dogged to look out the windows. Finally when we got home, she recognized everything, and felt safer wandering around the car.

We'll have to do that more often.

What was I saying?

Okay, so things are sliding back to normality. I'll be in the field off and on this next week. Which days will be dependent on the work itself. No matter what we'll be back the following Monday to finish the last well.

I got to pick up my comics on the way back from Santa Clara on Friday, and I've been kind of off an on reading them. As well as updating characters for the next Psionics game and the game I'm running on Saturday.

And then there's writing fun letters to people. That's turning out to be more fun than I ever could have expected.

Finally, I'd just like to say that I want a light saber. there are times that the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series (which I can';t even link to over at LucasArts because they're so old) comes to mind, and I have this urge to drag a light saber across the walls at work. Then there's just the usefulness of a universal cutting tool.

I'm just saying.

2,000 + 16 Words

So, at the top, a happy Pom; at the bottom about one year's worth of comics.

Sorting and Bagging

I didn't realize how long it had been since I had organized my comic books until today.

When the storage area on top of the boxes in the closet gets full, I pull all the comics out, and sort them. First by group (Batman Family, Superman Family, Teams...). Then I divvy those out by title, and put those titles in order. Finally, I bag the books with two books per bag.

Right now, I have the dining room table covered in stacks of books while I sort and bag.

Pom is very happy because the closet is open and the boxes are multilevel, so she's climbed up to the top box, and is taking a nap.

Random and Assorted Thoughts

I just got off the phone with Phil from EVT. He'd had a cancellation by his artist (he was going to get work done), and has an opening for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I'll go in and get the black done for the burning "S", and then we'll have time set aside for planning the future of the back piece. I'll bring artwork printouts, and talk about what I'd like in the future as far as ideas and such.

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Saturday night Jennifer and I watched "Equilibrium" on DVD. That is an intense movie. It's fun and exciting. And it has the occasional levity as well. Very good

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Got my comics on Saturday too. And some cool lead minis as well. I think the next time I'm unoccupied, I think I'll take some close-ups, and post them here.