tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5680095402911319562024-03-13T08:34:02.387-07:00Comics Make Me Happy!LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.comBlogger223125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-33188097587878223582014-08-13T00:14:00.002-07:002014-08-13T00:14:27.187-07:00Strange ArtStrange art, literally:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN6y97uzNP0bsJOSwt7VlpEYIcMJtsU2uvP0sahp3Sr3uENFu-ZNlJf5f8jXzsq4-xCeEvZGROLh7iwlMyYb3eH24j-meAZTGj7uFc17qs8HrITNaV5rLKcwh21xOutCnx5XvS_XNHC0v/s1600/Adam+Strange,+Dr.+Strange,+Phantom+Stranger+by+Dave+Wachter+CAF+owned+by+Bill+Lait.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPN6y97uzNP0bsJOSwt7VlpEYIcMJtsU2uvP0sahp3Sr3uENFu-ZNlJf5f8jXzsq4-xCeEvZGROLh7iwlMyYb3eH24j-meAZTGj7uFc17qs8HrITNaV5rLKcwh21xOutCnx5XvS_XNHC0v/s1600/Adam+Strange,+Dr.+Strange,+Phantom+Stranger+by+Dave+Wachter+CAF+owned+by+Bill+Lait.JPG" height="400" width="303" /></a></div>
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Phantom Stranger, Dr. Strange, and Adam Strange by Dave Wachter.</div>
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Now all we need is a sketch of The Atom, Captain Atom, and Adam Strange, so there would be an "Adam" sketch in addition to this "Strange" sketch.</div>
<br />LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-19896645717378991032014-08-05T23:53:00.000-07:002014-08-05T23:53:11.537-07:0052 Good Things About The New 52: Number One<div class="p1">
I am no fan of the New 52.</div>
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I do not like retcons, I do not like grim n' gritty. I have no respect for heroes who engage in senseless violence in order to prove how "serious" they are. I read comics mainly for the purposes of escapism and entertainment, and from what I have read about the New 52, both are lacking. (Not to mention decades' worth of continuity having been erased.) I value a good story above all else, and I want those stories to be built on a foundation which remains true to the characters they represent.</div>
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However, after reading through some trades published within the last ten years or so, a notion hit me: the <i>pre-New 52</i> years hadn't been very kind to my favorite characters, <i>either</i>. Yes, the New 52 erased a lot of history, but that history contained a plethora of less-than-sterling moments. So, I am endeavoring upon a little quest: to force myself to find 52 good things about the New 52 and its subsequent retconning of so many events. I'm not sure I'll be able to do it, but here goes nothing.</div>
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[Note: Having made up my mind about not liking the New 52, I decided not to read any comics set in the New 52. Therefore, this information may be inaccurate. If it is, let me know.]</div>
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Here we go:</div>
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<b>Number 1: </b>Wonder Woman never had to kill Maxwell Lord in cold blood.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jF3y4sySzkZ1y-GgItb78xYHA7QHvDpwPt6yDtaT2I4415aLqAEwJ4sVPj9d_Jfq0EPS1oEwn-iLg7aAPu5P0w_7c-1j91erIZ3DEux_GGMpKHALgWdAaozdEZEc801aX6kjj-SkOEBU/s1600/New51_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jF3y4sySzkZ1y-GgItb78xYHA7QHvDpwPt6yDtaT2I4415aLqAEwJ4sVPj9d_Jfq0EPS1oEwn-iLg7aAPu5P0w_7c-1j91erIZ3DEux_GGMpKHALgWdAaozdEZEc801aX6kjj-SkOEBU/s1600/New51_1.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></div>
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This was cruel, cold-hearted, and absolutely unnecessary. Nothing but an empty, violent moment which equated shock value with storytelling.</div>
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I feel better already knowing that this never happened. </div>
LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-65376234480884443002014-07-16T21:31:00.003-07:002014-07-16T21:32:29.733-07:00Captain America Sketches by Mike ZeckI stumbled across this today on Pinterest, which is a great coincidence in light of today's <a href="http://marvelshp.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-marvel-super-heroes-podcast-episode.html" target="_blank">Episode #0</a> of The Marvel Superheroes Podcast, which put me in a Mike Zeck mood today. So here are some lovely Captain America sketches by <a href="http://www.mikezeck.com/" target="_blank">Mike Zeck</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiold6OdTpPNYC6SaPGiBlL2VvoHuI6QLWYnFbxZ8i7XNUQeVaRoxTIZrJLCpF9896uE_fKM0AVxFh0Zs2gWM3jUBXUhX8rm-g10USqHDKi9xS-pL1axiwsnWvS_X37roovVFKwQA8FD7/s1600/Cap+by+Mike+Zeck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimiold6OdTpPNYC6SaPGiBlL2VvoHuI6QLWYnFbxZ8i7XNUQeVaRoxTIZrJLCpF9896uE_fKM0AVxFh0Zs2gWM3jUBXUhX8rm-g10USqHDKi9xS-pL1axiwsnWvS_X37roovVFKwQA8FD7/s1600/Cap+by+Mike+Zeck.jpg" height="400" width="221" /></a></div>
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Talk about polished. Not only are the figural lines as smooth as silk, but I think Zeck practices some sort of secret artist's magic when it comes to expressions and facial features.</div>
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LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-90858129241222799922014-06-11T21:05:00.001-07:002014-06-11T21:05:35.930-07:00Iconic Panels: Martian ManhunterFollowing a query over at The Idol-Head of Diabolu prompting readers about iconic Martian Manhunter panels, I submit to you this:<br />
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A splash page from the second volume of <i><a href="http://www.comicvine.com/martian-manhunter-american-secrets/4050-4749/" target="_blank">Martian Manhunter: American Secrets</a> </i>(by Gerard Jones and Eduardo Barreto.) The tone of this book is one of its strongest points; in true noir form, its tension derives from the necessity that J'onn keep his true identity a secret. What results is a harried, tense, nail-biting plot line which is almost brutal in the severity of its relentless suspense.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqKl1AiMRjAZLm9z2ZOUUnxDjfGPkzRApKaLanEL01ykwU_nKhm7q9OshFrjJzyQXf37A2vFk5jpyKpnU6HsPoc78S-6WHm5AKIzPiSR8Nst0Vpf_LieAgdGr2SWtjieNe7euJ6RNqFfr/s1600/MM+American+Secrets+2+(30).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqKl1AiMRjAZLm9z2ZOUUnxDjfGPkzRApKaLanEL01ykwU_nKhm7q9OshFrjJzyQXf37A2vFk5jpyKpnU6HsPoc78S-6WHm5AKIzPiSR8Nst0Vpf_LieAgdGr2SWtjieNe7euJ6RNqFfr/s1600/MM+American+Secrets+2+(30).jpg" height="640" width="404" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular art by Eduardo Barreto</td></tr>
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This particular splash page bursts through all of that tension into one dizzying scene: his hand being forced by his pursuers, there is no other way out but <i>up</i>. The result is almost a palpable catharsis: the narrow claustrophobic tension of the preceding pages gives way to a dizzying, vertiginous freedom. The problem, however: J'onn's companions don't know his true identity, and now the cat's out of the bag: their savior is a <i>Martian</i>.<br />
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I won't say anything more about this spectacular book, lest I spoil any of its delightful surprises.<br />
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*All the more reason that I believe secret identities yield a level of tension and nuance to superhero comics--and writers seem to have forgotten this. But that's a discussion for another day.LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-61674057502296625872014-05-25T01:00:00.001-07:002014-05-25T01:07:23.959-07:00Thoughts on Captain America: The Winter Soldier<div class="p1">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaQXPu3mJmhOIzCsQmCrwIna2egcdhsyFR8PyTLWJfi1QSTo8uNyUk8FUsxmXc7PfBluZLYqKsmCuJtu-9TRdK_TupArgmFeBW1ENPP2GaIUFXE1IsRDpJQeN6s_Syh3Nj3UeL9KWd6Ph/s1600/Chris-Evans-in-Captain-America-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaQXPu3mJmhOIzCsQmCrwIna2egcdhsyFR8PyTLWJfi1QSTo8uNyUk8FUsxmXc7PfBluZLYqKsmCuJtu-9TRdK_TupArgmFeBW1ENPP2GaIUFXE1IsRDpJQeN6s_Syh3Nj3UeL9KWd6Ph/s1600/Chris-Evans-in-Captain-America-2.jpg" height="165" width="320" /></a></div>
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I <i>finally </i>got around to see <i>The Winter Soldier.</i> I'm about six weeks late to the game, but better late than never!</div>
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Walking into the theater I had to marvel* at the fact that there were three comic book movies playing simultaneously. And all based on the Marvel Universe. (*Pun not intended.)</div>
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<b>Going in:</b></div>
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I had to marvel at the fact that there were three comic book movies playing simultaneously. And all based on the Marvel Universe. (Pun not intended.)</div>
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<b>Previews:</b></div>
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<i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i>. Oh my sweet goodness, but not only can't I get over this raccoon* with a gun, but I had a Walkman just like that. Does this movie take place in the 80's? Could that make it even more awesome? This movie looks like what I imagine R.E.B.E.L.S. or <i>Adam Strange: Planet Heist</i> could be. And the-motley-crew-saves-the-world really speaks to the Star Wars fan in me. *I'm completely fixated on Rocket Raccoon. I don't know what it is: because it's so different? So comic bookish? So adorable-yet-deadly?</div>
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<b>Marvel Logo:</b> always my favorite part of any Marvel movie. Really, it is. Every time I see one of these movies, I have to say, "This is my favorite part!" No one's as entertained by it as I am, though.</div>
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<b>The theater:</b></div>
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I couldn't believe how crowded it was: the theater was full, except for a few open seats in the front row. I was stunned. And I went in thinking, "Oh, I'll be able to sit anywhere." Nope. We got separated. I've never been to a movie by myself, and that's kind of what this was like, and it was odd. Not only am I one of those obnoxious people who makes comments during movies, but I am also that person who needs to have the plot explained to them, just like that Jerry Seinfeld bit.</div>
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I'm surprised this theater was so packed six weeks after the movie opened. I think that's kind of a beautiful thing; I think people came to see it more than once, and people came <i>dressed up</i>. People really need superheroes now, I guess.</div>
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<b>I'm happy I noticed:</b> (Keep in mind, I'm very new to the Marvel universe)</div>
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Sam Wilson! I know who that is! I'm glad Falcon and Cap teamed up here. Just like in the Stan Lee run. I'm not too crazy about the Falcon wings...they were a bit "meh." Now, if only Redwing can show up in the next movie...</div>
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And...Batroc! Hey, I know who he is, too!</div>
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<b>Surprised by:</b><br />
Whoa! Peggy's alive?! I honestly wasn't expecting that. And I thought it was a very touching scene.</div>
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And wow, Nick Fury, holy cow....well, you had me convinced up until the end. Really. (See, this is why I don't want to read any recent Marvel comics before seeing the movies. I love being surprised.)</div>
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Agent 13! I didn't see that coming, either. I hope she gets a bigger role in the next movie. The bit about the laundry was nice.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHcHE9scnny2hS7jxXbRIeU6wvqr3IUHepxv6OPAr1XSr-4VbC0YM-hFgDgZDcKjPp7m-vpXY3dghk8RZxQI23M1ON7ZPBlrbpyeaoZG7dKQYyutqYEkhqD_osvwZxC-0zSMN7D8YGJV6/s1600/TWS+uniform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHcHE9scnny2hS7jxXbRIeU6wvqr3IUHepxv6OPAr1XSr-4VbC0YM-hFgDgZDcKjPp7m-vpXY3dghk8RZxQI23M1ON7ZPBlrbpyeaoZG7dKQYyutqYEkhqD_osvwZxC-0zSMN7D8YGJV6/s1600/TWS+uniform.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter Soldier version of uniform.</td></tr>
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<b>What wasn't as good as the first film:</b> There was a lot of surprises here. Nice big, comic-book proportioned surprises. And lots of great action and fight choreography. But I didn't feel any true depth of character. The sweetness of the first film was missing, as was the connection to the characters. Black Widow, to me, is always a riddle wrapped in a mystery, like her native country. There was also no Coulson, and that's just hurtful.</div>
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The real problem was that no "regular folks" were featured in this movie. The result was that all of these things seemed to happen in a vacuum. There was no one to care about other than the heroes, there was no regular person I could relate to. <i>The Avengers</i> managed this superbly: from the woman Cap saves to the older gentleman who refuses to kneel to Loki. The only analogue here was that guy in the missile command center who refused to put in the launch codes. On the whole, this movie was missing the charm and soul that I loved so dearly about the first movie; luckily there are still echoes of this in Chris Evans's performance. I was expecting a little more in the way of Cap adjusting to life in the 21st century; sort of what was done in Mark Waid's excellent <i>Man Out of Time</i>. But I think there was just too much plot for this. Even the bit with The Winter Soldier (a concept I'm not too happy about) was lacking a certain emotional pull. (Also could be related to the fact that I mixed up two actors...) I was also expecting Cap to be a bit more sullen, or at least have a little more trouble adjusting to modern life than he did; in the Stan Lee run, I'm pretty sure his day job is "moping," and he spends a lot of time thinking about his place in the world, the ghosts of the past, and his love life. The movie Cap is a little more resilient, or at least more reserved about whatever's on his mind. I rather like the drama of the comics.</div>
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Maybe I missed something, but there also wasn't any real strong character growth here, and no one seemed to make any decisions based on the story's events. It was kind of like <i>Thor</i> in that respect: Captain America's moral decisions regarding the nature of modern politics are jettisoned by this being a fight for a survival and mystery. No one ever stops to ponder what's the right course of action; it's just assumed that such-and-such needs to be done to get from Point A to Point B without any moment to reflect and weigh the available options. Even the redemption of the Winter Soldier felt a bit shoe-horned into the plot: the reveal was too late, and the moral choice far too easy: had Cap been actually forced to choose between saving a friend and saving millions of people, that would've been a tough choice. This decision was teased by the Falcon, but the story never plunged that deep. You know, now that I think about it, maybe I wouldn't want to see that, because then we're getting into Batman One Rule Territory and <i>Man of Steel</i>-style endings, so I take back what I just said. However, I do wish The Winter Soldier's redemption was paced differently—it needed to be much earlier in the movie, and it needed to be better tied in with the climax, rather than being a sidetone that operated independently of the main storyline. Also, I'm just not particularly happy about the whole Winter Soldier thing in general, but having just read the first two-and-a-half volumes of Cap's <i>Essentials</i>, I can point to several storylines that it echoes.</div>
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There was also emotional climax, no rallying point (like Coulson in <i>The Avengers</i>, no point of decision, no turning point whatsoever; I was expecting a scene of Cap taking charge and giving a speech about what was the right thing to do. It seemed like something he should be doing. Maybe. Instead, he simply decided this was the right course of action and he'd just go ahead and do it. I'm still deciding if this is what I wanted to see or not. This film was all about subtlety, and maybe I'm more used to overt displays of storytelling.</div>
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I liked the commentary on contemporary politics, but I think the Comics Alliance review put it better than I ever could: this movie used politics to comment on its characters, rather than the other way around. The politics and the intrigue seemed to take a backseat to the running away from the bad guys. I wanted more of the former.</div>
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<b>What was better than the first film:</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-Zqv6iBGbvILkAf6_iPVvUMV311O3j-EukAKslklo7PL06wftPiaIdnVauouWlenZOb5zafSvOciPfVzGe-l_dTSqc6r8t14BrJyxViJ6A3JoPlkBaQHY0Hev0duS4zTvEoGBvl553Mt/s1600/shield_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-Zqv6iBGbvILkAf6_iPVvUMV311O3j-EukAKslklo7PL06wftPiaIdnVauouWlenZOb5zafSvOciPfVzGe-l_dTSqc6r8t14BrJyxViJ6A3JoPlkBaQHY0Hev0duS4zTvEoGBvl553Mt/s1600/shield_small.jpg" height="200" width="320" /></a>The use of Cap's shield! Wow! The use of the shield was excellent. I just love it in the comics when Cap throws his shield; there's just something so gleefully delightful about it. I know that in origin films, heroes are still getting their bearings, but even in <i>The Avengers</i> I don't think Cap used his shield to its full advantage. This movie remedies that. Also, the fighting style was better: more acrobatic, full of leaps and tucks and rolls and flying kicks. The editing was maybe a little too frenetic for my taste, but on the whole it was great.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcebt2sw3iYgciY_0cJCWp8hmc1VndXRLsGKvmN5CVPTBX-8-V6b_rzdslE126Qlf6N0fYwNGBBaN855Iqn1-QW5NmxPsDhjtIynZsypCEMfwN4h_vmRU9tDu_NrFzUkMi3fu9TnJLW0XS/s1600/Avengers_uniform.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcebt2sw3iYgciY_0cJCWp8hmc1VndXRLsGKvmN5CVPTBX-8-V6b_rzdslE126Qlf6N0fYwNGBBaN855Iqn1-QW5NmxPsDhjtIynZsypCEMfwN4h_vmRU9tDu_NrFzUkMi3fu9TnJLW0XS/s1600/Avengers_uniform.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avengers version of uniform.</td></tr>
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<b>What was better in <i>The Avengers</i>:</b></div>
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The version of Cap's suit in <i>The Avengers</i> is, I think the best of all three films: sleek and bright. That chin strap annoys me to no end. The version in <i>The Avengers</i> looks the closest to the Silver Age comics than any of the costumes used in the solo movies because of the "turtleneck." (But I like the gloves better from the first movie. I'm just hard to please, I guess.)</div>
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<b>Awww:</b></div>
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The kid who notices Steve at the Smithsonian. I wanted more scenes like this: heroes interacting with regular people. You know, more superhero-ey and less Bourne Identity.</div>
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<b>Not quite sure about:</b></div>
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Cap had a bit of a temper here in a few scenes with Black Widow. I'm not sure I liked that; it felt a bit off, too "modern." He also had to lie, but I think it was excusable, and Black Widow called him out on it pretty quick.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhglaCSeZ2jUuzq-AVP_wCybhkooWdeM5W8tCQdc9fu1B4Mrrra5O7qRzyoF9FzMN40cmccd8GnaGqQ6pbbm-L1WU6RFxqfjb7e-jKATe6yaM6HUnlKE9v-9nm2q9ik0Oajhds2a579Qp_/s1600/20130912021524!9349744826_0b0508ef7f_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhglaCSeZ2jUuzq-AVP_wCybhkooWdeM5W8tCQdc9fu1B4Mrrra5O7qRzyoF9FzMN40cmccd8GnaGqQ6pbbm-L1WU6RFxqfjb7e-jKATe6yaM6HUnlKE9v-9nm2q9ik0Oajhds2a579Qp_/s1600/20130912021524!9349744826_0b0508ef7f_o.jpg" height="280" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>I'm confused by:</b></div>
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Why is the shield darker in the beginning? Is it like camo-paint or something that he uses for covert night ops? Can anyone explain that? (Mother: "It's because he forgot to polish it." Okay?)</div>
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<br />
Also, does everyone know that Steve Rogers is Captain America? I think I missed something. (Maybe in that Smithsonian Exhibit....? I zoned out during that scene because I was so excited by the fact that I had actually <i>been</i> to the Air & Space Museum and seen some of those aircraft; it is awesome.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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What does the ending mean for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? I need to find a way to catch up on that show...<br />
<br />
The plot lost me a bit in the middle (the explanation of the hijacking, specifically.) And then again towards the end: I've always had trouble mixing actors up in movies, so I'll spend twenty minutes thinking this guy was the guy who did that really important thing from before, when really it was a completely different guy the whole time. My problem this time around? I thought Sebastian Stan was Frank Grillo. Obviously that made the big reveal kind of confusing. (Eventually I figured it out.) I just have a terrible memory for faces, what can I say? People kind of look the same to me.</div>
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<b>Refreshing:</b></div>
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Black Widow wasn't a love interest. You cannot understand how happy this makes me, because although it goes against all action movie tropes, it speaks to the nature of both characters. More importantly, Black Widow's role isn't reduced to that of romantic subplot; she is on equal footing with Cap and is a character in her own right. For a minute there, I thought this was the direction they were going in, but it was just a red herring. Marvel movies are making leaps and bounds for strong female characters (all of whom are very unique,) and that makes me so happy.</div>
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<b>What was missing:</b></div>
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Humor! This was a pretty somber film. And yes, I know, that's in keeping with the subject matter, but I was just expecting a little more wit. Or a few physical puns. Something. Or maybe a few one-liners during some of the battle scenes.</div>
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<b>Best scenes: </b>The elevator fight sequence, by far. I loved it because it showed how Steve Rogers really is a one-man army. Also, it was one of the few times the movie allowed Cap a witty one liner.</div>
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I also really liked the scene with the vending machine. I don't really know why. Also, it made me really want Starbursts for subliminal reasons.</div>
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The "catch-up list" was a nice touch, and there was this guy behind me who laughed SO hard at this scene. (He was laughing at pretty much everything, though.) Did Steve like <i>Star Wars</i>? We'll never know. But it was a clever nod on Marvel's part now that they are both under the Disney banner.</div>
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<b>Excelsior!</b></div>
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Stan Lee is a security guard!</div>
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<b>What I still wish they would let Cap do more of:</b></div>
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Silver Age Cap does a lot of talking while fighting. I know, I know, this is a serious movie. But I wish he could have a little more fun at his enemies' expense. I guess that's just Spider Man's thing.</div>
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</div>
<b><br /></b>
<b>Score and Main Titles:</b></div>
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The score was one of the weaker points of <i>The Winter Soldier</i>, I have to admit.</div>
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It was, on the whole, pretty pedestrian, with no clear theme or emotional pull. Perhaps this is why I thought the movie lacked some emotional resonance. Movie soundtracks are a hobby of mine, so it's something I tend to place a lot of importance on.</div>
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The main titles, however, were <i>excellent</i>. I wish they made wallpaper out of those!</div>
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<b>Best Line:</b></div>
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I can't really remember any lines! Which says something. I liked the bit in the Apple Store about New Jersey. Oh, and the line Cap says before the elevator fight; I can't remember it exactly, but it was something to the effect of, "Anyone want to leave now?" It spoke to his confidence in his fighting ability.</div>
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<b>Nitpicks:</b></div>
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I tend to fixate on very small details, I know. It's just the way my mind works. Besides costumes, the other thing I fixate on too much is characters' hair. (I once got in a heated debate with a coworker about how it was really Ryan Reynolds's hair that ruined the <i>Green Lantern</i> movie. It was a while ago, but the response was something like, "You're nuts." Guilty as charged. Also why I'd rather read less of Marvel before seeing the movies: less to be disappointed by.)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Anyway—I didn't like Black Widow's hair straight instead of wavy. At all. I just didn't think it suited Scarlett Johansson, who sported those short, luxurious waves while knocking out bad guys in <i>The Avengers</i>. (Superhero-strength hairspray, I guess.) The color was also too orange; maybe it was just how it photographed here. Also, while we're at it: Chris Evans's hair was too short and too dark—I'm guessing they wanted him to look a bit more "modern," but hair color shouldn't be changing. I still wanted him to look (and act) a bit more vintage. I'm very, very picky, I know.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>The non-sequitur of the evening:</b><br />
My mother asking me if Chris Evans's build was computer-generated. <a href="http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/chris-evans-captain-america-training-plan.html" target="_blank">I'm going to guess, "No, it had something to do with eating a lot of protein?"</a> (Response: "No one can get that big just by eating a lot of protein!") She also thought this film was better than the first one. And she liked the Falcon and though the actor who played him was a real "natural." I liked him, too.<br />
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<b>The end:</b><br />
Clapping at the end. I LOVE it when people clap at the end of a movie. I don't know why, but I just absolutely love it. People clapped. I clapped, too. I couldn't believe it. The last time I remember people clapping at the end of a movie? <i>Toy Story 3</i>. And the theater was full, so it wasn't like a handful of over-enthusiastic people were clapping; everyone was. I teared up a little. (Movies like this always take me on an emotional roller coaster ride to begin with.)</div>
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<b>Outside the movie:</b></div>
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There was a group of guys there in costume—I couldn't get a good look at everyone, but there was a Superman and a Captain America (complete with shield!) Somehow, Cap and Superman have a certain sort of resonance. After the movie, I tried to give them a look that said, "I think it's really cool when people dress up to see superhero movies" but I think my look may have come off more like, "Hey, I think this girl is going to report us to mall security." Unfortunately they were heckled quite vociferously on their way out of the theater—I turned around and wanted to say something to the bullies, but, well, they looked like they could snap me in half. Thankfully, they ignored the taunters. Good for them. I was almost going to wear a comic book t-shirt there, but I only own DC ones, and I thought that would be too snarky. So I opted for a retro 40's kind of look instead. It's time for me to get some Marvel merchandise, for sure.</div>
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So glad I finally got to go see it. I was so exciting towards the end, I was shaking, which hasn't happened since <i>The Avengers</i>. It's not going to replace the first Captain America movie as that movie holds a very special place in my heart (it was my very first Marvel Studios movie.) I'll take the charm and nostalgia of the first movie over this one; but <i>The Winter Soldier </i>is a close second. <i>The Avengers</i> is still, I think, the pinnacle of all Marvel superhero movies.</div>
LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-49625994729711190142014-05-17T01:33:00.002-07:002014-05-17T01:33:34.249-07:00I've missed you, comics.Up until a month ago, it's been years since I've read a comic which I found enjoyable, let alone happiness-inducing. What a long time to wait. DC, you've just broken my little comics-loving heart too many times.LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-7827013786907194422012-07-16T23:32:00.001-07:002012-07-16T23:32:14.641-07:00Why, DC, why?Is DC Comics on a vendetta to ruin every one of my personal favorite characters?<div>
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I suppose the old adage "be careful what you wish for" really is true, because I'd rather have The Question be dead than be Alexander the Great [or Ceasar, or Caligua, depending on whose rumor mill you follow.]</div>
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<br /></div>
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And The Phantom Stranger? One of the most important points about the Phantom Stranger is that we never know his origins. Hence, he remains a stranger. We have a multiple-choice origin story for him in Secret Origins #10--you pick which one you think best fits him. (Or supply your own origin.) So DC now sees fit to say that the Phantom Stranger is Judas Iscariot.</div>
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<div>
<a href="http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/GraphicCity/news/?a=59497">http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/GraphicCity/news/?a=59497</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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I sure hope that site is wrong, or it's part of some elaborate late April Fool's prank. I never got around to getting a FCBD issue this year, so I don't know for sure.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
But this trend of shoehorning characters into roles which they were not created for does no justice to these characters. The Question was a detective on the lunatic fringe, not an immortal first user of magic. The Phantom Stranger was mysterious force of indefinable origins who had a penchant for showing up in random moments and helping out various protaganists. Why twist them into roles which they were not meant to play?</div>
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Please, DC, I am begging you: go back to the drawing board. Simplify. Tell good stories. Let characters be who they were created to be. Be true to their origins. Stop it already with this nonsense.</div>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-53271191494144656932012-01-26T23:02:00.000-08:002012-01-26T23:04:27.816-08:00Two Face by JegangI love the graphic design elements in this work of art:<br />
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<object height="520" width="450"><param name="movie" value="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf?1">
<param name="flashvars" value="id=199993776&width=1337">
<param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always">
<embed src="http://backend.deviantart.com/embed/view.swf?1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="520" flashvars="id=199993776&width=1337" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br />
<a href="http://Jegang.deviantart.com/art/Two-Face-199993776">Two Face</a> by ~<a class="u" href="http://jegang.deviantart.com/">Jegang</a> on <a href="http://www.deviantart.com/">deviantART</a>
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Make sure to check out the <a href="http://jegang.deviantart.com/gallery/28474480">rest of Jegang's "Arkham" gallery</a>, too.LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-30531674175104914842011-11-19T22:32:00.001-08:002011-11-19T22:57:10.635-08:00Just a random list of things I miss...<ul>
<li>Adam Strange in his classic costume.</li>
<li>Booster Gold in a solo title, in his classic costume.</li>
<li>J'onn J'onzz eating Oreos.</li>
<li>Gotham Central and Detective Renee Montoya.</li>
<li>Stephanie Brown</li>
<li>Vic Sage</li>
<li>Ted Kord</li>
<li>Two-Face and/or Harvey Dent</li>
<li>Single issue stories</li>
<li>A story arc that doesn't hinge on the world ending</li>
<li>Small, thoughtful stories where characters use their wits to beat a foe</li>
<li>Characters I can feel invested in</li>
<li>Harley Quinn</li>
<li>Actual detective comics</li>
<li>Denny Colt</li>
<li>Comics drawn by Darwyn Cooke or Bruce Timm</li>
<li>Secret identities</li>
</ul>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-22622008898601552002011-11-02T00:01:00.000-07:002011-11-02T00:01:19.681-07:00Adam Strange by Ardian Syaf<a href="http://ardian-syaf.deviantart.com/art/Adam-Strange-200791326">Here is Adam Strange by Ardian Syaf</a>, thankfully rendered in his classic uniform:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fWNB9dTmGpDcNABKEq5AfOwrcxwDsoVOj4V9rXLsMM5u-qsBBcNN8DR1kBCxADRUbrm7Rgkn6qhrgNhCfZx_1tbfCNVNiMnRTB7G7z13u6QxAD-qGsArAvTMGRvriSwYT3VVxWctE38M/s1600/tumblr_ls45xbG3h41qcqriwo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fWNB9dTmGpDcNABKEq5AfOwrcxwDsoVOj4V9rXLsMM5u-qsBBcNN8DR1kBCxADRUbrm7Rgkn6qhrgNhCfZx_1tbfCNVNiMnRTB7G7z13u6QxAD-qGsArAvTMGRvriSwYT3VVxWctE38M/s400/tumblr_ls45xbG3h41qcqriwo1_500.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
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He's maybe just a little scowly for my taste (Adam was always a light-hearted guy in my mind), but seeing that classic uniform is enough to give me hope.</div>
<br />LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-80543777034902311552011-10-12T21:24:00.000-07:002011-11-02T00:01:06.811-07:00Martian Manhunter by Dave PerilloWhy can't comics be like this now? I miss that retro Silver Age style.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENmKd8O18xmSiuEj58BE3e8VsaQl6gWPbJBurXNRn7fqKgTTtALnVDA07RM9quScJI2sv82QDscqMyfhalm0Z3yrksmjX4WrWiDKIVrLtbOVNmyv1ceNBtcnCRbntDuB6p1qBIMg7rcOM/s1600/tumblr_lse3ad9pRz1qdep0so1_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjENmKd8O18xmSiuEj58BE3e8VsaQl6gWPbJBurXNRn7fqKgTTtALnVDA07RM9quScJI2sv82QDscqMyfhalm0Z3yrksmjX4WrWiDKIVrLtbOVNmyv1ceNBtcnCRbntDuB6p1qBIMg7rcOM/s640/tumblr_lse3ad9pRz1qdep0so1_400.jpg" width="408" /></a></div>
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Martian Manhunter by <a href="http://montygog.deviantart.com/">Dave Perillo on DeviantArt.</a></div>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-51171002327563258952011-10-12T21:11:00.000-07:002011-10-12T21:11:32.811-07:00For those of you who just can't understand Adam Strange, this won't helpI give you Adam Strange in Greek:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbeann-TW-qmQiMbGSMqgvailfD_l1r8LEAORSPZQaY0VrD6z24gyiwyhRKLBFlpSU6etMZ_Yvd16p0p66KIH8GxNGNfGiyJB9UZGyc8cyLgvoBPPUs3O5fd8EVkvgmWkzogHatttu88F/s1600/tumblr_lrkg07TsCO1qzfmh5o1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbeann-TW-qmQiMbGSMqgvailfD_l1r8LEAORSPZQaY0VrD6z24gyiwyhRKLBFlpSU6etMZ_Yvd16p0p66KIH8GxNGNfGiyJB9UZGyc8cyLgvoBPPUs3O5fd8EVkvgmWkzogHatttu88F/s400/tumblr_lrkg07TsCO1qzfmh5o1_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Unfortunately the site I found this one doesn't provide any more info. (What I'm wondering is if it's a new translation and they've reissued Showcase Presents in Greece, or if a fan made this.)</div>
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But there's always something fascinating to me about comics in foreign languages.</div>
<br />LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-24854407403577629212011-09-27T20:58:00.000-07:002011-09-27T20:58:31.665-07:00Laura Hudson says it better than I canI haven't felt much like reading comics lately. Part of the reason is my confusion over the DC reboot. The other reason is expressed so well by <a href="http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/09/22/starfire-catwoman-sex-superheroine/">Laura Hudson over at Comics Alliance.</a><br />
<br />
*sigh*<br />
<br />
And what about some <a href="http://io9.com/5844355/a-7+year+old-girl-responds-to-dc-comics-sexed+up-reboot-of-starfire">wisdom from the mouth of babes</a>? There's a reason cartoons based on comics are so popular, and part of that reason is because TV producers have to appeal to a wider audience than comics.<br />
<br />
Honestly, DC, I don't know what's going on over there. You're making reading comics a chore, and I don't want to work to be entertained. Escapism is why I read comics in the first place. I've dropped all my books except Stormwatch, which I am hanging onto out of sheer loyalty to my favorite hero, Martian Manhunter.<br />
<br />
Give me some good stories, some heroes to look up to, a couple of cool fight scenes, a little bit of humor, and that's all I want out of my comics.<br />
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Come here, old JLI trades...I need you...LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-44928282739726882002011-08-06T18:41:00.001-07:002011-08-06T18:41:53.948-07:00Superheroes art print by Danny HaasSuperheroes and their secret identities:<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHj98pgLin2w_yy7J77Helsu-E3pd4AKjjN_qCBpTkXEL5IivqoIk8Q9sxkjnANQ3TBUOfX2dhYL_ft4DOAGi9rz9qRKpkR7g1d-jMCPXgWpZkWh7c7hox5_g41HwWrX3BQrEuirF43kU/s1600/tumblr_loqtpqVOsm1qd9jlto1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHj98pgLin2w_yy7J77Helsu-E3pd4AKjjN_qCBpTkXEL5IivqoIk8Q9sxkjnANQ3TBUOfX2dhYL_ft4DOAGi9rz9qRKpkR7g1d-jMCPXgWpZkWh7c7hox5_g41HwWrX3BQrEuirF43kU/s320/tumblr_loqtpqVOsm1qd9jlto1_1280.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-76702762169191404182011-07-18T20:42:00.000-07:002011-07-18T20:42:41.224-07:00Man Up by Liam BrazierWhy does all the awesome art involve Superman?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXYFN1b1o6g0xZ713rdBJorQa4xMw7m5cCcLIEx9T5Qeg1Yxv6sdk0neCfqKQNet7ZyGJZ-Ai7ZxJmmm2gBnL6YHR351xjWrrs13IpMAa9PMsSwMa8mL1U_QtiFMfUA2pA4Y6FvT6sjCc/s1600/tumblr_lo2x2uwuds1qznhsso1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXYFN1b1o6g0xZ713rdBJorQa4xMw7m5cCcLIEx9T5Qeg1Yxv6sdk0neCfqKQNet7ZyGJZ-Ai7ZxJmmm2gBnL6YHR351xjWrrs13IpMAa9PMsSwMa8mL1U_QtiFMfUA2pA4Y6FvT6sjCc/s1600/tumblr_lo2x2uwuds1qznhsso1_500.jpg" /></a></div>
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"Man Up" by Liam Brazier</div>
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There's a real trend towards abstraction in pop art, it would seem.</div>
LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-17147031852328423192011-07-13T23:44:00.000-07:002011-07-13T23:44:04.172-07:00J'onn J'onzz is wearing purple now...When Frank, alias "FLD," ("Fun-Loving Doofus," "Furiously Livid Dog," or "Frank Lee Delano," he's left the door open and there's no turning back now) over at the Idol-Head of Diabolu, <a href="http://idol-head.blogspot.com/2011/06/martian-sightings-for-september-2011.html">mentioned in a post</a> that J'onn was wearing purple, I kind of thought it was just a lighting issue. Turns out I was wrong.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruzUcJ07bi6ksYGYEITgSU3kL3WugVe6vy_zWfCplp7ZubAfFHo3HysOgmtRk_XJld8hVquYqwjZ8bV5OPAkSyQZxbbiqGMy4ODQo4F2XZkEgKBk-hPX8QjD7rl62iceJOLZ6O3VpxaLr/s1600/jonnpurple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiruzUcJ07bi6ksYGYEITgSU3kL3WugVe6vy_zWfCplp7ZubAfFHo3HysOgmtRk_XJld8hVquYqwjZ8bV5OPAkSyQZxbbiqGMy4ODQo4F2XZkEgKBk-hPX8QjD7rl62iceJOLZ6O3VpxaLr/s400/jonnpurple.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
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He IS wearing purple. As both a purple lover and a comics purist, my emotions are torn. Do I go with the color I love so dearly, my favorite color, the color that comprises 80% of my wardrobe?! Or do I go with a pulishing history that reaches back from sixty years, and a costume that, even though it's seen its share of re-designs, still comes back to its basic form published fify-five, nay, fifty-<i>six</i> years ago?</div>
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Oh the drama!</div>
LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-10642728147700204452011-07-09T22:01:00.001-07:002011-07-09T22:01:57.760-07:00You got Adam West in my Dark Knight/You got Dark Knight in my Adam West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFCE1bxfQvmS2K6g6AeYHQqb8K5_fFroZ5aP6IBw0fhk_xHVF_g4p-tdJeZFHYcDytTOFuAd4Ox5sdOL64hFTtWnjPQs7Nx6Sypw2NJC5k3hvzwXfwu-R32xHjpnjKpZa8LU4Lg0LkUAq/s1600/Batman+crossover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHFCE1bxfQvmS2K6g6AeYHQqb8K5_fFroZ5aP6IBw0fhk_xHVF_g4p-tdJeZFHYcDytTOFuAd4Ox5sdOL64hFTtWnjPQs7Nx6Sypw2NJC5k3hvzwXfwu-R32xHjpnjKpZa8LU4Lg0LkUAq/s400/Batman+crossover.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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In other news, I still haven't figured out the new Blogger. Apparently some people still have the old Blogger? Maybe this is because I have a Gmail account?</div>
<br />LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-12471574806830223482011-07-09T01:48:00.000-07:002011-07-09T01:48:58.581-07:00Harley Quinn and Poison IvyWHOA. When did Blogger change their whole posting format? And now I have to click a button to attach tags. ARGH.<br />
<br />
Now that I got that out of my system...<br />
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Here's some classic Bruce Timm art of good old screwball villain Harley and sarcastic villain Poison Ivy. This is an attempt to purge that redesigned Suicide Squad!Harley Quinn and Birds of Prey!Poison Ivy out of your systems.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHz-UQ0TiRVEaotHZzS0sWzac7dCcW6th33tjEpa4DCjRti8pZ6D8I-4OSetewAgHios3RyGs4bVhW6kJJ7UG05U8L3KzzSqcCTka6cAKpwlXqd-GHo8MC5iKaJpPA2w6rvPOFDSLXfXT/s1600/475737-harley_and_poison_super.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXHz-UQ0TiRVEaotHZzS0sWzac7dCcW6th33tjEpa4DCjRti8pZ6D8I-4OSetewAgHios3RyGs4bVhW6kJJ7UG05U8L3KzzSqcCTka6cAKpwlXqd-GHo8MC5iKaJpPA2w6rvPOFDSLXfXT/s320/475737-harley_and_poison_super.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Take two of these and call me in the morning. If you're old enough to remember that joke, bonus points for you.</span></i></div>
LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-83105991482004103732011-07-06T01:10:00.000-07:002011-07-06T01:10:53.466-07:00Think Batman will ever be like this again?<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/85LUuF6ZXaU" width="480"></iframe></div><br />
I gotta say, "HOLY STRETCH MARKS!" has now entered my vocabularly.<br />
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Look out, world. I just hope I don't run into any pregnant women between now and the time I'll forget about that phrase.<br />
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Come on, admit it. Some small part of you wants Dick back as Robin and randomly shouting things like, "HOLY HIGHER RENT DISTRICT!"LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-22470045712880434962011-06-30T18:26:00.000-07:002011-06-30T18:26:31.466-07:00And how fares J'onn J'onzz?When I heard they were first revising the JLA to include basically the "Magnificent Seven" I thought, "Ahhh. Finally. Some JLA stories that involve my favorite Martian."<br />
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Wait, what? He's not on the team? They put all Silver Age heroes on the team, but decided that the seventh slot should go to....Cyborg? He wasn't even around in the Silver Age. He has no history whatsoever with this team. He's a Titan.<br />
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Ahhh, okay. I guess they're saving J'onn for the new Justice League International title.<br />
<br />
What? He's not on that, either?!<br />
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Then where is he?<br />
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He's on some Wildstorm title, with characters I never knew existed. My only (heavily-biased, bitter) guess is that the conversation went something like this:<br />
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Comic Editor #1: Okay, so we've got to integrate Wildstorm into the DCU somehow. We need some C-list DC hero to bridge the gap. Hey, Dan? Who's a pathetic, loser character that no one cares about with copius amounts of untapped story potential that we keep throwing under the bus?<br />
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Dan: Martian Manhunter.<br />
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Comic Editor #1: Thanks, buddy! You're the greatest!<br />
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Then they all go out for coffee and burn down an orphanage on Christmas Eve.LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-42398420292437496912011-06-29T17:02:00.000-07:002011-06-29T17:03:49.327-07:00And now let's talk about Barbara GordonWell, I didn't see this one coming.<br />
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I remember a few years ago when Gail Simone mentioned in passing on her Twitter account about how she was fighting to keep Barbara Gordon as Oracle. I had assumed it was that whole "Death of Oracle" event that was in question, but maybe it was this.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMo_R1oqe93T4H2px3hUiwXf5vXMdYZpQAyovLRKvuwapmECt9knNDVmFah3hZYJa94tzc39sxmZ6giHGJLSe3IJSEFvGGJYfWwqi82B_apw1L-jz4knfidjNfDQtKm0LbCXfE0etD6ek/s1600/bg_cv1_solicitation_only_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMo_R1oqe93T4H2px3hUiwXf5vXMdYZpQAyovLRKvuwapmECt9knNDVmFah3hZYJa94tzc39sxmZ6giHGJLSe3IJSEFvGGJYfWwqi82B_apw1L-jz4knfidjNfDQtKm0LbCXfE0etD6ek/s320/bg_cv1_solicitation_only_02.jpg" width="245" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Letting Barbara Gordon go back to being Batgirl opens up a huge, gigantic can of worms, the least of which is getting rid of Stephanie Brown, the current Batgirl. Stephanie's book was kind of a sleeper that wasn't ultra-popular, perhaps becuase it was in the shadow of all the other Bat-books. (In fact, I don't think Batman ever showed up in her book.) I came to like Stephanie Brown. I really hate replacement characters, so coming from me this means a LOT. Like Miss Martian, she grew on me very slowly, and I came to really enjoy her ditzy antics, sarcastic commentary, and enthusiasm for crime-fighting. She almost reminds me of Miss Martian in a way, perhaps because they are both naive, un-ironic female characters. Her book was light-hearted, easy-to-follow, and most importantly, fun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Barbara Gordon, as Oracle, played a supporting role in Stephanie's book, until she stopped showing up and was replaced by Firewall, whose real name I forget. Babs had to be there to pass the torch to Stephanie and give her her blessing, which is what the first arc was basically about.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now I guess time is going to be rewound or erased or whatever, and Babs is going to be able to walk again. Sigh. It was nice seeing a character deal with a major, life-altering disability as gracefully and honestly as Babs did. It was nice seeing a disabled character be a superhero. I agree with pretty much everything <a href="http://www.newsarama.com/comics/oracle-is-stronger-than-batgirl-110606.html">Jill Pantozzi said on the subject</a>, much more eloquently than I ever could.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While it was fun to read <i>Batgirl: Year One</i> (which is pretty awesome by the way) and see a Batgirl who was the daughter of the police commissioner fighting crime alongside Batman, I can't help but wonder if the trade-off is worth it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And while we're at it, how exactly is this reboot going to work? I mean, if we're going to erase time and have the JLA only have been around for five years, then Damian-Robin wouldn't even be born. Jaime Reyes would probably be like thirteen, so how can he have his own book while Barbara Gordon is back being Batgirl? I'm confused, and DC is supposed to be using this non-reboot to make things less-confusing. And shouldn't Ted Kord not be dead, but back to being alive?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yeah, I'm never letting that one go, DC. Ever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can't pick and choose your time-rewinding without it seeming obvious that you're just picking the books that sell well as opposed to the ones that don't. That's just marketing driving story, and I don't like that kind of "story-telling."</div>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-1148247257018397482011-06-26T23:28:00.000-07:002011-06-26T23:29:23.370-07:00Wither HarleyOh, Harley!<br />
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What have they done to you?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrs-YOCzjWX2sWnQ6NzoalfPERsc5OMbwJaMIy5vnzm88tWUf-jV6CSax4N7agUAwxbU7grGnjm78SBVsm1IHrMED2S16pdiRId4uBsmFIfDQ2Prbd5JMAGBhJkgSX9U-ooTecZbuz0U0/s1600/SuicideSquad_cover_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxrs-YOCzjWX2sWnQ6NzoalfPERsc5OMbwJaMIy5vnzm88tWUf-jV6CSax4N7agUAwxbU7grGnjm78SBVsm1IHrMED2S16pdiRId4uBsmFIfDQ2Prbd5JMAGBhJkgSX9U-ooTecZbuz0U0/s400/SuicideSquad_cover_02.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Besides the fact that this outfit is ridiculous just from the sake of physics. (I mean, we're talking about a character who does a lot of cartwheels as part of her schtick. Flipping upside-down + half a bustier held together with dental floss = well, you might as well just get it overwith and run around topless, why don't you?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Skimpy outfit aside (I'm starting to get numb to them by now...or at least not so surprised anymore) this outfit throws away one major part of the character: her association with the Joker. Harley Quinn was a character who was indirectly created by the mind of the Joker. She dressed as, well, a harlequin to go along with the clown theme. Added to the mix was that she had a background in gymnastics, and basically her suit was a unitard. Makes sense, right? I've always been a stickler for a character's outfit being a representation of his or her motive or identity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now what does the above costume represent? I really have no idea. It just looks like a cosplay outfit to me, reminiscent of the Arkham Asylum video game. So what kind of statement does that make?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got nothing. <a href="http://www.toplessrobot.com/2011/06/harley_quinn_joins_the_suicide_sluts_--_er_squad.php">A lot of fans complained about the skimpy outfit</a>, but no one has really said anything about her lack of association with the Joker. (I'm basing this on pure assumption, taking the next logical step from <i>Gotham City Sirens</i>.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Somewhere along the line, it was decided that Harley Quinn should break free of the Joker, and I never quite understood why. Do fans want to see her on her own instead of playing second giant mallet to the Joker? (If that is the case, then <i>Gotham City Sirens</i> shouldn't be ending.) Do fans want to see her as an anti-hero? (Having Poison Ivy in the <i>Birds of Prey</i> aligns with this.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Her relationship to the Joker was such a complex and deliciously twisted one that I was sad to see it go. The Joker was her main source of motivation: she did anything to please him, much to hilarious or tragic results. Cutting her off from the Joker completely leaves her drifting in thin air as a nothing but an motive-less psycho in a skimpy outfit. Though she had broken ties from the Joker in <i>Gotham City Sirens</i>, he was still a looming shadow of her past that still held some sway over her psychologically. She was still motivated in some way by him, however tenuous.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So what is it you're trying to say now, DC?</div>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-20904682731916093292011-06-17T23:37:00.000-07:002011-06-17T23:37:39.647-07:00Young Justice to continueI'm way behind on my cartoon-watching, and I take my cartoon seriously. I finally caught up with the last episode of Young Justice which aired in March.<div><br />
</div><div>Though Cartoon Network has a screwy kind of schedule (shows just seem to come and go at random times of the year), it looks like Young Justice has been picked up for a second season. Who-hoo! It took me a little while to warm up to the show, but I've since started to enjoy it.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The last installment didn't feel like an end to the series, and a check on Wikipedia shows that one episode still has yet to air. (Though when, it does not say.) Which is unfortunate.</div><div><br />
</div><div>But the latest episode, "Bereft," was cute and fun like most of the other episodes this season. Due to the magical plot wonders of amnesia, we finally got to hear Artemis make fun of her own outfit. (Which I personally find rather ugly.) All of the action took place in Bialya, and I love it when obscure fictional places are used. On top of all that there was a "Seinfeld" reference. (Which is really all I need to make me happy.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Also refreshing (and maybe becuase it's for the younger set,) the show does a good job of explaining potential plotholes by having the characters ask questions of each other or narrate explanations. (Though they did not explain why they would take Aqualad, a character dependent on water, into the middle of the desert, where of course he got dehydrated.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>Each of these characters has come into their own quite well. Artemis is the cool, sarcastic foil to M'gann's bubbly air-headed cuteness. Robin is the waifish, precocious imp. Wally the hormonal, wise-cracking wannabe-lady's man, Aqualad the distant and noble leader, and Superboy is the angst-ridden awkward outsider. It's not an easy job to create that many personalities in a group and have them work together and off of each other and still leave the audience with the ability to get to know each one. So I applaud the writers for that. (Plus the voice acting is pretty darn good.) A lot of the dynamics come from who has a crush on each other and who can't stand so-and-so, but with a show aimed at tweens and teens, it's to be expected.</div><div><br />
</div><div>All in all, I like the show, which is saying a lot, because I really don't like sidekicks.</div><div><br />
</div><div>(Which of course means it's going to get cancelled sometime soon.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>But they are running re-runs every Friday night at 6 p.m., so if you haven't had a chance to watch the show or need some catching up, summer is a great time for it!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Oh, and this episode's best line:</div><div><br />
</div><div>"Artemis, to Wally: Stop touching yourself!"</div>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-14529405163984544932011-06-14T19:17:00.000-07:002011-06-14T19:17:28.483-07:00Happy Flag Day!Flag Day is one of those holidays you just kinda don't think about. Well, I like me some obscure holidays.<div><br />
</div><div>Plus I wanted an excuse to post this Adam Hughes cover from Krypton to Earth. Becuase I like Adam Hughes.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zdN1vNpEu2pR7iV1pPkXZ0pN5ZtTqGmt7eQCt2OjQtptKL0cnpvVLDztboBcXyqEAjFXMdxlXDmJSLx_81sdjG7WbTqN-R9qM5rvsi8UnrfH1Uf2t4LeC1hyVIfhu2n7e9dDJ2rTX_qD/s1600/Adam+Hughes+Krypton+To+Earth+superman-returns-20060315055226497-000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zdN1vNpEu2pR7iV1pPkXZ0pN5ZtTqGmt7eQCt2OjQtptKL0cnpvVLDztboBcXyqEAjFXMdxlXDmJSLx_81sdjG7WbTqN-R9qM5rvsi8UnrfH1Uf2t4LeC1hyVIfhu2n7e9dDJ2rTX_qD/s400/Adam+Hughes+Krypton+To+Earth+superman-returns-20060315055226497-000.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><div><br />
</div>LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-568009540291131956.post-2351476556358951292011-06-12T22:15:00.000-07:002011-06-12T22:15:30.708-07:00Green Lantern by "lerms"<a href="http://lerms.deviantart.com/art/Brightest-Day-Blackest-Night-120354691">From lerms, on DeviantArt</a>:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zosNTAVP_8uLKVHVDxa6gCkBjAGg8KQOjSm3NEG5o9CLkrgcoYEmdKt_Qap_0ZfAGzyCwn_g3N_OWU1pyDRdYkxXVJp1k4rCxVUt4jOW5nR_zE0ieTN-3J6Xe7wXQT4SLMoJviaPMW1j/s1600/Brightest_Day_Blackest_Night_by_lerms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0zosNTAVP_8uLKVHVDxa6gCkBjAGg8KQOjSm3NEG5o9CLkrgcoYEmdKt_Qap_0ZfAGzyCwn_g3N_OWU1pyDRdYkxXVJp1k4rCxVUt4jOW5nR_zE0ieTN-3J6Xe7wXQT4SLMoJviaPMW1j/s400/Brightest_Day_Blackest_Night_by_lerms.jpg" width="306" /></a></div><br />
An entry in the SD CCI Souvenir Book. It's unknown whether or not it made it into the book.<br />
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But I think it's pretty cool! I love how easily Hal Jordan lends himself to cartoonification.LissBirdshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17059648604602469375noreply@blogger.com1