Ramblings of a Geek

Comic Fans Want To Have Their Cake, Eat It Too and Maybe Get Some Ice Cream and Have a Parade

2011-08-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

So... You want to keep reading your favorite comic books, with your favorite creators and hopefully new fans will find it and the numbers will shoot up and the industry will be saved? Sure...

I guess I'm gonna have to defend the NEW 52 or DCnU or whatever you feel like calling it today. I have to 'cuz this sort of attitude that DC is making the biggest mistake ever and comics are going to suffer is stupid. Why? Because comic book fans HAVE NO OPTIMISIM. They want a magic answer to all that ails the industry without it fucking up their beloved Supergirl run well guess what? Not happening? That indy book you love is not gonna magically go from selling around 7K one month to 50K in a years time. That wonderful superhero comic thats selling 40K? Its gonna need a kick in the ass to double its figures.

Don't get me wrong-when DC announced this, like when they or Marvel announce events/reboots/relaunches, I roll my eyes. I know stuff is going down that I don't care about. I also know there are those IDIOT FANS who decide all hope is loss and decide to leave. You know the ones, so much faith in the big 2 they can't process sticking/trying to alternative comics or manga.(I try to match my superhero budget with non Big 2 books. BTW-check out Echo Complete Edition. Awesome stuff.)

Fans of comics are jaded. I know the message boards isn't usually a good barometer to measure an entire audience but the sales figures agree. Its been a bad year especially.

So DC has their plan. Could it have been a better plan? Of course but better a drastic plan that can be improved than sitting by and hoping that 4th Wonder Woman relaunch works(we're on four right?) or that people will wise up and realize that there is more to their superhero line up than Green Lantern or Batman.

So now the launch is underway, some people are completely avoiding it, that's their call. Those same people are already hoping it derails so they can pop out and say "I TOLD YOU SO."

"So... you're happy the industry is dying?"

"No."

"Than what would you have done?"

"Keep producing quality stories and showing your existing customer base that you care?"

"And do these quality stories exist without decades of continuity so that the proverbial 'new fan' can some how figure out why Dick Grayson is Batman in Detective Comics while Bruce is Batman in Batman Inc.? Or will you tell them to buy this trade or that trade to catch them up? How about what happened to Wonder Woman and why Supermans walking the Earth? Explain the last four years of Green Lantern to sum up how there are several different rings and we went through Sinestro Crops War to Blackest Night to War of the Green Lanterns?"

I know I want to have THAT conversation.

Continuity-important to comic geeks and a giant wall to non-comic reading audience. Its BS to think that all superhero comic writers can just create stories that will somehow allow them to pull some character that you haven't seen since the 80s and give it a new gloss for existing fans and new fans alike. Yeah, some writers can, most can't.

Create new villains? Yeah-that worked for Wonder Woman almost every time out right? Name a villain of hers that was created in the last 20 years that keeps being used in her book. Let me help you-NONE.

How about those fans who hated everything published between this year and that year?You know-those years that have influenced the work YOU LIKED. They probably are not checking out the same books.

Someone just watched Batman: TAS for the first time, wants a Batgirl book with Babs, gets Stephanie Brown. Really confused.

Continuity is why the argument falls flat. Perception form the mainstream of the industry also doesn't help.

So DC relaunches everything with a new #1. New continuity in their main line. Similar to the 80s(with the exception all new #1's). So while I totally understand the anger about the relaunch(Batman Inc on hiatus? The new Birds of Prey line up? No Stephanie Brown? The current Teen Titans team and creative team gone? NOOOOOOOOOO!!!) I just can't understand the desire/pessimism to see it fail because the point is to try and help the market-you comic fans want that right?

Justice League #1, the kick off book on the last day of August, is expected of over 200K orders. That's impressive. Even more so September's #1's looking to place 6 in the 100K area. How long has it been since more than 2 books broke 100K in the same month? One of those titles is Batman written by Scott Snyder. He wrote that Detective Comic run everyone likes(I haven't read it. Waiting for someone to describe it without the worlds psychological, grim n' gritty, or James Gordons son could be a killer"). Thats 100K vs. the current 40K. On Twitter writer Gail Simone said Batgirls numbers were looking really good. I mean, yeah, the figures will go down but can we hope for a moment that maybe the books will be good enough that they stabilize above the 25-35K mark. Because that would be progress. Can we hope that DC's digital comics plan somehow works well and those people who can't find their LCS or just prefer everything digital try out the new DC books?

Now-maybe this will fail because the stories are not good. However, maybe they are. Maybe they are real good and a whole slew of people are going to miss out because they are angry. I hated the fact tat after I looked up the new solicitations that I was buying slightly more DC. 12, up from 8. Yeah-not a significant up turn but still. I didn't like the solicitation for Green Arrow but I like the character and have been itching to read a book with him for a while. So I'm going to try it. I didn't put Superboy on my order form but I hear Rose Wilsons showing up so maybe I'll look into it. Plus I am excited for Batwoman, Wonder Woman, Action Comics and Justice League Dark. These stories have a sot at being good and judging them all as terrible just because of frustration at DC's notion to relaunch is stupid. This is not a couple new #1's this is a whole line with some the classic characters, b-listers, and strange choices.

Look-DC is trying something that will kick their sales in to gear. Are they out to save the market? More like making sure they make their new bottom line but that bottom line is a shot in the arm the industry needs because I'm really not interested in seeing this headline again: "Green Lantern now lowest selling #1 issue of all time."

Okay-thats it. Stop being so negative and hope that the stories are good and that this will help comics out a bit.

My September Order Form

2011-07-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Due to complications, can't risk doing videos on Youtube right now. So back to blogging. I'm going through my Mail Order Comic form and something I threw on Amazon pre-order to show you what I will be buying off the September Previews.

DC
Justice League #1 by Geoff Johns and Jim Lee-Truth be told I'm burnt out on Johns(and he has killed my interest in Green Lantern for the time being) and while I grew up on Lee's artwork and generally like him, I'm not a super fan. That said, I'm going to give this a chance. Why? Because fuck it-Johns and Lee can do huge things in the right environment. Johns' JSA work is my favorite team superhero run only second to the classic Claremont X-Men run. Jim Lee can draw big fights, big characters, and bring the dynamics. If this book fails I'll be surprised but at its worst it should still be popcorn comics.

Justice League International #1 by Dan Jurgans and Aaron Lopretsi-This I'm mixed on so I'm giving it a few issues. I like old school JLI but Jurgans, when taking over the book back in the day, lost the charm. But I like most this cast and Lopretsi is an underrated artist. If this sucks or is boring its gonna be because of Jurgans. So don't drop the damn ball.

Wonder Woman #1 by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang-No artist has ever drawn Diana better in a new costume than her classic costume. Chiang is very much the same but Chiang is gold and Azzarello killed on 100 Bullets though the little superhero work I've read from him was 'meh.' I know there have been raves on both these guys Dr. Thirteen book(just ordered) so I'm hoping they can bring the heat and kick ass on Wonder Woman. My girl Diana needs to start kicking some serious ass again.

Green Arrow #1 by JT Krul and Dan Jurgans-Dan is the artist on this book and thats fine because I like his art better than his bland writing(discounting original Booster Gold. That was the epicness). JT Krul is considered bad news but I was digging his Teen Titans and honest to whatever deity I need some GA action on paper. I know he's in Justice League but it's been a long while since I picked up a GA book. That said, the solicitation sucked: Green Arrow is on the hunt. Driven by inner demons, Ollie Queen travels the world and brings outlaws to justice…by breaking every law.
Now, armed with cutting-edge weaponry and illegally gained intel (courtesy of his team at QCore), Green Arrow is shooting first and asking questions later. Also, the cover sucks Brett Booth.

Mister Terrific #1 by Eric Wallace and Roger Robinson-Three black superheroes getting books but I'm only buying this one because Terrific is my favorite black hero. Been a long while and I'm happy to see this despite the fact the new outfit is bad. C'mon DC, what the fuck! The JG Jones cover is nice though. Don't know the creators so whatever. From the solicit it sounds like Terrific will be a player and beating up on mad scientists. The first part is a roll of the eyes but the last part is sweet.

Action Comics #1 by Grant Morrison and Rags Morales-It's Morrison so I'm buying it. The fact it's Superman is a bonus(All Star Superman for the win). The fact Rags Morales is on makes me wonder if the book will be on time. That said, Rags is cool.

Batwoman #1 by JH Williams III and W. Haden Blackman(also Amy Reeder)-Williams co-writes and alternates arc duties with the Amy Reeder on Batwoman, the only Batbook I care about. Funny how the relaunch killed my Batfamily books. No Batman Inc. until next year, they changed Batgirls, and I don't care about the four different Batman titles. Williams is a fucking awesome artist, best in the biz. He is slow so Amy Reeder, whose good herself, does the alternating arcs. I don't know about the Blackman or Williams himself as far as the writing goes. Fuck-where's Greg Rucka? Thats right, DC pissed him off and he up and left.

Catwoman #1 by Judd Winnick and Guillem March-So, okay, Batfamily book. My feelings on Catwomans always been mixed but I'm trying it just because. Winnick gets a forever free pass for that Superman/Shazam: First Thunder book. One of my all time faves and March is an alright cheesecake artist.

Justice League Dark #1 by Peter Milligen and Mikel Janin-Three Justice League books? And I'm buying them all? Yep and this is the one I'm most interested in. Despite the new look for Zatanna(which is just goth chick clubbing versus Magician outfit) I'm in. Despite his long history I have never read anything by Milligan and I just looked up Janin online and I dig what I see. Plus Ryan Sook on covers is always nice. This book was announced with all 'the Dark' titles for more supernatural and weirdness. The best books announced because I'm picking up three.

Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E by Jeff Lemire and Alberto Ponticelli-I like Franky from Seven Soldiers story by Grant Morrison. Don't know this team other than cover artist JG Jones but I'm hopeful that this book will be a big guns drawn monster killing super bash! Come on and impress me.

Voodoo #1 by Ron Marz and Sami Basri-I like Voodoo, she's my fave of all the WildCATs characters Jim Lee created. Dont know the creative team but I hear Marz was killing it over on Witchblade for years and looking at Deviant Art, Basri gots a neat style. I'm down.

Stormwatch #1 by Paul Cornell and Miguel Sepulveda-I didn't care for what I've read by Cornell despite everyone else being entranced. Don't know Sepulveda's art. My knowledge of Stormwatch and Authority is limited. So why buy it? I guess I'm just plan curious with all this integration of the Wildstorm superheroes. Plus I want to see Midnighter break in the face of a gay basher.

Gotham Central Book 3: On the Freak Beat by Greg Rucka, Ed Brubaker, and others-The new softcover collection collects Renee Montoya's excursion to Keystone City and the Dead Robin arc. Nice.

Tiny Titans #44 by Art Baltazara and Franco-Awww yeah!

Fables #109 by Bill Willingham and Mark Buckingham-Still one of the most dependable books on the market on top of being one of the best. I don't know what else to say as this continues plot points form two different stories. All I know is a definite buy!!!

Image
Lovestruck OGN by Dennis Hopeless and Kevin Mellon-Solict reads: It's a love story, but not like you think. There's no boy meets girl or star-crossed soul mates. Love is a billion-dollar industry. Cupid's the megalomaniac CEO. And Kali Monroe gets paid to break your heart. Love is all around us. These are the pricks who control it. Sound sintrguing enough to try it.

Hack Slash #8 by Tim Seeley and Daniel Leister-The twisted slasher/horror film inspired craziness continues. These being solicited months in advanced I have not read any of the first parts to FAME MONSTER arc but imagine I will soon. This is good times right here.

Morning Glories #13 by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma-The big alternative book right now is weird, mysterious and pretty dark. It's so good instead of a real solicit they just threw a short quote from a review on it to tell you its good. Normally I don't like that shit but since I'm already reading I don't care.

Vescell #2 by Enrique Carrion and John Upchurch-Don't know squat about this, just trying it out. It won't be till August that I see this title.

IDW
Suicide Girls Vol. 1 by a number of people-I hear this book is CA-RAZAY!!! Okay, moving on...

Broadsword Comics
Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose #70 by Jim Balent and Holly Golightly-The THIRD LONGEST RUNNING UNINTERRUPTED FEMALE HEADLINED TITLE ON THE MARKET continues. Solict reds: Two warriors clash. One from a world of deep blue waters and one from a world of magick. An assault takes place in a sacred temple.
Treasures are stolen and a mermaid is left to die. Not all Witches seek harmony in the world and not all mermaids sing under the sea. By the way, the first is Femforce(I think its on #163) and the second is Witchblade(#150). Take that DC comics and the constant relaunches!

Marvel
Avengers Academy #19 by Christos Gage and Tom Raney-Fear Itself tie-in! Fuck that, all I care about is Avengers Academy because this is my favorite comic book right now. Its fun, its action packed, it moves quick, its what superhero comics is all about.

Punisher #3 by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto-Buying it for the Rucka

X-Men #17-18 by Victor Gischler and Jorge Molina-Gischler is back, don't know Molina, all I know is X-Men is on a roll. Even if the Fantastic Four are involved I'm down. Because this book is X-Men at their most action packed and fun. I wonder whats gonna happen to this book with the team split after Schism. Hmmm....

Deadpool MAX #12 by David Lapham and Kyle Baker-The last issue of the book? Nope, it's coming back which is cool. This craziness is proof that Deadpool 'can't stop, won't stop.' Seriously ow many comic book characters become so popular without their own cartoon or movie these days? At AX people were taking pix of a cosplayer dressed as him like crazy.

Avengers West Coast: Sins of the Past by Various-I got the last West Coast Avengers trade, I think I'm missing one before that but I don't care. The last one collected the start of the series and I was having a ball with it so I'm picking this bad boy up. $35? Not after my MOC discount. Under $22? Sounds better.

Manga

Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys Vol. 16-If you don't know 20th Century biys you are just missing out. The book is awesome, epic, and everythign else you can say. Urasawa kills just about all the comics out there right now with this book.

Skip Beat vol. 25 by Yoshiki Nakamura-Shojo goodness.

Bamboo Blade vol. 10 by Masahiro Tosuka and Aguri Igarshi-The continuing adventures of the kendo club. Like the anime, love the manga. This and Skip I put on Amazon so I can purchase later. Trying to keep my order form under a certain budget.

Thats it. Holla at yo' boy!

Westside Goth Show #60: Alternative Comic Choices

2011-06-09T10:35:00.001-07:00

Kim Possible with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-06-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

DC Updates

2011-06-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

Westside Goth Show #58-59

2011-06-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #57: Jukebox Vol. 3

2011-06-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Westside Goth Show #56: Video Game Edition

2011-05-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

Westside Goth Show #55 + Teaser for #56

2011-05-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

Westside Goth Show #53-54

2011-05-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

Hellbound Edition-Danzig's Music/Preacher Comic

Fuck DC Comics

Westside Goth Show #52: King of Trios + Larry Sweeny

2011-05-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

Westside Goth Show #51: Season 2 Premeire

2011-05-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

Season 2. Reintroduction, quick thoughts on some entertainment, music video based on a Jackie Chan film, and a spotlight on a favorite comic book series.

Westside Goth Show Season 2-Teasers & Trailer

2011-05-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

NSFW for dialogue

Novel Formatting in Open Office

2011-04-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

When writing a novel there are specifics to proper formatting. Font size, style, spacing, etc. Now, of course there is also the Cover Page and the specific Headers. If you have Open Office(like I now sadly do, stupid Windows Live updates making me annoyed). So heres how to make do that without pulling out your hair.

Step 1: New Text Document-You might want to mark it COVER PAGE.

Step 2: Go to Insert->choose Manual Break-This will bring up a box with three options.

Step 3: Pick Page Break option than choose Index for your Style->Check the box for Change page number and leave it at 1.

Step 4: Now you have two pages. Go to Insert->Header->All-This will put a header on both pages.

Step 5: Go to the header on the first page, click it. Than go to Format->Choose Styles and Formatting

Step 6: A box will appear with various style and formatting options. Find Page Styles->Double click First Page-Now your Cover Page doesn't have a header.

Step 7: Go to the header on the second page. Pick Insert->choose Fields->and click Page Number

Step 8: Now page 2 is numbered at 1 and every page after that will have a number in the header with no repeating. Now, on the first header do the proper novel header format (last name, novel title, page number or some combination of that). Example HERE

Here's a badly made video I did on youtube with the same advice.

MV Tributes to Drakken and SheGo from Kim Possible

2011-04-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #50: The Milestone Moment

2011-04-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

Mad Scientist Mix

2011-04-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

1. My Freeze Ray from Dr. Horrible
2. The Sci-Fi Kid-Blitzen Trapper
3. The Future Soon-???
4. The Evil Genius Love Song-???
5. Marionette-Dr. Steel
6. The Singularity-Dr. Steel
7. Ode to Revenge-Dr. Steel
8. Mansion World-Deadsy
9. Everything You Ever from Dr. Horrible
10. Scientistick(remix)-Sinister Six
11. Snake Mountain-Benjamin Bear
12. Earth People-Dr. Octagon
13. Super-Villain-Schaffer the Darklord
14. Yes We Shall-Cobra Commander w/AOTS
15. When You're Evil-Voltaire
16. Tin Can Hitman-Robotronica
17. Valley Girl Ventriloquist-Dog Fashion Disco
18. Evil-.45 Grave
19. Commencment-Deadsy

The Westside Goth Show #49: Empowered Edition

2011-04-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #46-48

2011-03-31T14:40:00.000-07:00

Indy Wrestling DVDs

The Cure

Sucker Punch + Movies

The Westside Goth Show #45: Sounds of Mass Production

2011-03-26T14:17:00.000-07:00

SMP + X-Men comics.

The Westside Goth Show #44: Jukebox Vol. 2

2011-03-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #43 + Extra

2011-03-22T19:04:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #42: Movie Reviews + Darkwing Duck Music Video

2011-03-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #41: Jukebox Vol. 1

2011-03-17T11:09:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #40: Kabuto the Python Edition

2011-03-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Warp City-Black Lagoon MV

2011-03-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

The Westside Goth Show #37-39: Skinny Puppy, Indy Wrestling and Wonder Woman

2011-03-12T10:41:00.000-08:00

Three Wrestling MV's I Made

2011-03-06T09:49:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #36: Kicking It 80's Style

2011-03-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #35: La Parka Special

2011-03-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #34: Monster Magnet

2011-03-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #33 + Teaser: Oscar Special

2011-02-28T18:57:00.000-08:00

I Made These-Wrestling Music Videos

2011-02-27T10:13:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #32

2011-02-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

Westside Goth Show #31: Comic Adaptations

2011-02-25T23:31:00.000-08:00

Westside Goth Show #29-30: Bands

2011-02-24T14:45:00.000-08:00

Westside Goth Show #26-28: Bands

2011-02-22T10:39:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #25: Fall 2011 TV

2011-02-21T16:34:00.001-08:00

The Westside Goth Show 24: Valentines Special

2011-02-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #22-23

2011-02-13T21:37:00.000-08:00

Warning Dialogue

Comic Books

Nine Inch Nails + Comic Book Pick

NuDiana? JMS'(And Phil Hester) Wonder Womans Progress Part: 8

2011-02-13T10:06:00.000-08:00

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

#606-33,601 units moved. Down 1894 from #605. #601 sold 39,672.

Gail started with Vol. 3 #14 at 53,090. #19 39,498.

Not exactly a good comparison perhaps as comic sales were slightly better a few years back and the third volume of WW opened at over 100K as well. Still... It just screams WW sales numbers are never really that good and when they are something happens to make them slide back down.

Few 606 reviews
Too Dangerous...:As last issue improved on those before it, this month's story is another cracker.
Bleeding Cool: with And Wonder Woman continues her transformation into the Wolverine of DC Comics.
The Buy Pile: The "Meh" Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, not important enough to say much more than the title
Best Shots: Perhaps it foreshadows a move back to classic Wonder Woman town soon than later, but not before a battle with some undead Amazons. Fantasy and fisticuffs are in store, and I’m okay with that ... for now.
CBR Reviews: ** out of 5 Stars
IGN: 7.0
Major Spoilers: **1/2 out of 5

Meter: C+

The Westside Goth Show #21: Anime

2011-02-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #20: Marilyn Manson Edition

2011-02-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show # 19: More Wrestling 1-4

2011-02-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

NSFW for language.

The Westside Goth Show #16-17: Music Spotlights

2011-02-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #14-15

2011-01-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

#14-Comics Code and Bankable Actors

#15-Me and Gray Man talk about DC. Lots of cussing.

The Westside Goth Show #13: Wonder Woman Edition

2011-01-28T20:28:00.000-08:00

Westside Goth Show #12

2011-01-23T18:18:00.000-08:00

Westside Goth Show #11: Movie Edition

2011-01-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #10: New & Improved?

2011-01-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

From yesterday...

The Westside Goth Show #9: The Hornets Box Office & Mail Order Comix

2011-01-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

From yesterday...

Nightmare on Elm Street

2011-01-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

The Westside Goth Show #7

2011-01-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

I put this up the day after they're recorded. This one was a bit about movies and the upcoming DC and Marvel events.

Quick Green Hornet review

2011-01-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

Wrestling Talk

2011-01-14T13:42:00.000-08:00

Westside Goth Show #5

2011-01-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

Video

2011-01-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

2010 Comic Sales Figures

2011-01-11T12:04:00.000-08:00

2011 Ramble Awards

2011-01-09T23:39:00.000-08:00

2010
2009
2008

Favorites in Movies

Favorite Film: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Why?: A great comic book movie that made me interested in the books and the best video game movie ever made without being based on a video game.

Favorite Performance by an Actor: Christian Bale for the Fighter
Why?: Bale plays former boxer and crack addict Dickie Ward and is funny, twisted, and just so damn scene stealing. Well, Melissa Leo also was a scene stealer too. But Bale was damn fine in this movie, wiping away his less than stellar 2009.

Favorite Performance by an Actress: Noomi Rapace for the Millennium Trilogy
Why?: Noomi Rapace was amazing in the Millennium Trilogy films. The Swedish movies based on the series of books. Right when she first appears you know they got it right. Roony Mara better bring her A+ game but even than I'm still 'meh' about that casting(Nightmare sucked and I cared little for award darling Social Network).

Favorite Director: Edgar Wright for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Why?: Edgar gets it. turned in a movie that felt like a video game. Subspace highways, enemies turning into coins, 1-ups, and boss battles.

Favorite Movie Fight or Action Scene: Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Gravity Defying Hallway Fight in Inception
Why?: It was damn cool. Visually stunning and slick. Plus Joesph threw a cobra clutch sleeper on a guy. Wrestling points added. Above's a clip from some lat night show.

Favorites in TV

Favorite TV Series: South Park
Why?: From the first episode of the season, Sexual healing, about Sex Rehab to the Jersey episode and more, South Park season 14 was on fire. Plus the three part Coon & Friends arc was an epic comic book crossover more so than actual superhero crossovers. MINT-BERRY CRRRRRRUNCH!!!

Favorite Performance by an Actor: Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory
Why?: Actually had a tough choice but I have loads of fun with the Big Bang Theory.

Favorite Performance by an Actress: Katey Sagal for Sons of Anarchy
Why?: Two years running.

Favorite Episode of the Year: Hell for the Holidays from Ugly Americans
Why?: The second half of Ugly Americans made the show a must watch and this episode was maybe the highlight. Mark goes to hell to stay with his demon girlfriends family and deals with clones and a fight to the death. Some cool twists and turns plus everything was just on point for this hilarious piece.

Favorites in Comics

Favorite Continuing Series: Empowered
Why?: Volume 6 had Death Monger!!! The origin of the suit!!! And so much more. A lot of aftermath from the explosive volume 5 but kept me happy through and through like no other comic.

Favorite New Series: Zatanna
Why?: Because fun is fun and this darling book kicks ass. In fact, a recent Adam Beechen and Chad Hardin fill-in issue was good!

Favorite Writer & Favorite Artist: Naoki Urasawa for 20th century Boys
Why?: After checking back and seeing my love of Batman and Fables as far as writing goes and than to the various artists who had work out that I loved I decided to go this route because these have been some damn fine books. So I'm giving him both categories. While Empowered was the best book, this came very close and each volume is a piece of work. A sci-fi thriller that is unlike anything I've ever seen. This is nothing like your "typical manga."

Favorite Collected Edition: Absolute All Star Superman
Why?: The books already awesome. Plus with production artwork, script excerpt with a detailed description of Kandor, Morrison talking about the characters and his thoughts on them and their development it makes the big ass book worth owning.

Books

Favorite Novel: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest
Why?: Because it was killer. Not my fav book in the series but I devoured it and felt happy afterward.

Anime

Favorite Anime: Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Why?: Truth is, haven't seen much this year or not enough of certain things. That said, had I watched more of Shinryaku! Ika Musume I'd probably go with that. Still, Haruhi was good for the most part though the Endless 8 arc got annoying after a while.

Favorites in Music

Favorite Album: The World is Too Big for One Lifetime by Die So Fluid
Why?: Considered the soundtrack to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and even the newest Tokyo Jihen album but decided on this after re-listening to the album. A good, hard rock album.

Favorite Song: Tie: Reggeaton Song by Kabuto the Python and Nōdōteki Sanpunkan by Tokyo Jihen
Why?: It's tie because I decided it to be. The illest of raps dropped a good EP but the standout was the above track. The Tokyo Jihen song came out in December 2009 but since the album the songs from dropped in 2010, plus I'm not Japanese and didn't know about the album until a couple months ago, I'm including it.

Favorites in Wrestling

Favorite Wrestler: Bryan Danielson aka Daniel Bryan
Why?: Because he's brought some actual submission wrestling to the WWE as well as the stiffest kicks in the company. Saying a lot since a fourth of the roster does kicks now. Plus back on the indy scene he put on a fun match with Eddie Kingston in Chikara and a knock out drag out fight with Bobby Fish over in Evolve.

Favorite Female Wrestler: Ayako Hamada
Why?: Some pretty fun matches in TNA and three damn fine matches in SHIMMER. In fact, her joining the company is what got me to buy those DVDs. Now I actually want more... Oh, and FUCK TNA WRESTLING FOR RELEASING HAMADA!

Favorite Tag Team: The Osirian Portal
Why?: Ophidian brings the hiss and Amasis brings the funk. Good times. The Osirian Portal are just too cool.

Favorite Company: CHIKARA
Why?: Because it brings fun and over-the-top action to pro-wrestling.

Favorite Match: Daniel Bryan vs. Miz vs. John Morrison-Triple Threat Submissions Count Anywhere US Title Match
Why?: Lots of words to describe Daniel Bryan's first PPV defense of the US title. Really my pick just for cementing Daniel as a WWE star and since I've followed this guy since 2001, I can say I was very happy. It asn't the best match but it meant much to me. Surprisingly I found a 'meh' MV for the match. Posted above the listing.

Natalie Portman Award

Natalie Portman
For being Natalie Portman. Black Swan was dope and I hope the black hole that is Ashton Kutcher doesn't kill her Oscar chances.

NuDiana? JMS' Wonder Womans Progress Part: 7-With Phil Hester

2011-01-09T10:04:00.000-08:00

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

#38 Wonder Woman #605
Sales Figures: 35,495(down 1,910 units)

Proving that a higher ranking doesn't mean more sales. Now, Hesters first issue which was solicited before he was on board so, might need a couple issues before we see a difference.

CBR Revieww: 3 Stars
Bright Hub: B
Too Dangerous...: All in all, this is a huge improvement on the last few issues. Diana feels like the star of her own book, and it seems that the book is going somewhere. Phil Hester, I give you the Amazon Salute.
Weekly Comic Review: B-
Best Shots@Rama:[Artist Don Kramer]does trip up a little with the facial expressions, however -- for some reason, Wondy has this weird half-smile that causes a nostril to flare up, and it looks just a little goofy to me. The overall direction of Wonder Woman might still be up in the air, but with Hester on board, everything at least is getting stable.

Geek-O-Meter: B

Found this interesting.

This new abandoned TV show made me think just how many times have DC/Warner let the Wonder Woman fans down.
Here's the list and please add if I have missed something:

1. Cancelled cartoon in the 90's (Wonder Woman and the Star Riders)
2. Cancelled Tv show in the 90's
3. Cancelled movie with Sandra Bullock attached (though that was a blessing)
4. All Star Wonder Woman
5. Wonder Woman 10 cent adventure
6. Joss Whedon's firing from the scripting/directing duties
7. Half assed comic relaunch with Allan Heinberg
8. Amazons Attack
9. Again an half assed relaunch with JMS
10. TV show shelved again

Posted by Shaks at DCMB

Someone added...

I'd add passing on Ben Caldwell's manga pitch and Darwynn Cooke's Wonder Woman pitch.

-Jaysinleigh

Next Part

Talking Comic Book News

2011-01-07T21:44:00.000-08:00

What I Got from Mail Order Comics

2011-01-05T17:50:00.000-08:00

Testing!

2011-01-04T20:18:00.000-08:00

Review: Bret Hart "Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling"

2011-01-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

(resolution: more reviews)

Bret Hart is one of the legends of pro-wrestling. A second generation wrestler from a wrestling family who started in the territory days(when small promotions ran particular cities/areas without competition) and became a star for the WWF(now WWE) which changed the face of pro-wrestling worldwide.

The book is huge and starts by documenting his life as the 8th of 12 siblings of pro-wrestler/promoter Stu Hart, a one time amateur and real life shooter, and Helen Hart. He tells stories about sibling rivalries, especially the girls against the boys with their dad usually siding his his daughters. Bret also talks about how all the boys were in some way invovled with Stu's Stampede wrestling early on by handing out programs and other small jobs.

Bret talks a bit about school, defending the family name, girls, amateur wrestling and eventually becoming a wrestler. Despite being the son of Stu Hart, and haven been stretched by his dad in the infamous Hart Family Dungeon, Bret contributes a lot of his training to two Stampede wrestlers Kazuo Sakurada and Katsuji Adachi.

From here we read as Hart develops as a wrestler in his earliest days as well as stories about what went on backstage, the camaraderie of the wrestlers and more. One particular story includes his trip to Puerto Rico with Smith(oldest of the siblings) and the dangers wrestling in front of their crowd. Relating a story about how one wrestler they faced in a tag match died only moments afterwards.

Bret discuss' his time working with Dynamite Kid, one of the legendary junior-heavyweights(Dynamite would eventually marry Brets wife's sister). Also talks of future brother-in-laws Davey Boy Smith and Jim Neidhart. Bret documents time in Europe and Japan and even working a little in the states.

The book moves into Vince McMahon Jr., son of another wrestling promoter, deciding to use video and cable to create a wrestling empire and how it started killing the wrestling territories. Stu Hart got Bret signed with the company. Eventually Neidhart, Smith and Dynamite all started working there. They engaged in a number of matches as the Hart Foundation vs. the British Bulldogs. This is the real start of his WWE career and he went on to be one of the biggest wrestling stars worldwide.

Leading up to the Montreal Screwjob, where he lost the WWF World Heavyweight title in spite being promised he could drop it in New York the following day. This was because Vince decided he couldn't afford him anymore and Bret was about to leave to WCW. Originally Bret was promised control over his character in his last 30 days of employment. The whole thing was documented in Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows, a documentary that was to follow Hitman for a year.

Of course theres stuff about WCW but the book gets very tragic with the death of his youngest brother Owen in a accident at a wrestling show and how it further split his family apart. Than of course the serious concussion and eventually stroke.

The book tells stories of death, drug use, infidelity, steroids, back stabbing, big egos, and sibling rivalry. It also does tell the stories of genuine tough guys and friends. Roddy Piper is a good example of someone who is shown to be a man of true character having helped Bret in is career with both guidance, kind words, and even visiting Bret in the hospital after his stroke.

It's really hard for me to put into words this book. It is what you think it is and so much more. As a long time Bret Hart fan(my second favorite wrestler behind his brother Owen) I knew I had to read this book but for the longest stayed away because I know he became bitter towards what has happened to him and his family. Now that I've read it, I wish I'd have picked it up earlier.

I don't know how much of what he said is the 100% truth(a lot of this based on a audio journal he kept for decades) but it feels like this is how it went. A book that speaks about a one-time fraternity of a niche sport that evolved into a larger than life spectacle.

A great book.

Ramble 2010 Noms

2011-01-01T23:26:00.000-08:00

Favorites In Motion Picture
Favorite Action Sequence in a Motion Picture
Hit Girl vs. Gangsters at Crime Bosses HQ in Kick-Ass
Hallway Fight in Inception
Luc Deveraux vs. NGU in Universal Soldier: Regeneration

Favorite Actor in a Motion Picture
Nicholas Cage for Kick-Ass
Christian Bale for The Fighter
Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Inception

Favorite Actress in a Motion Picture
Chloe Moretz for Kick-Ass
Natalie Portman for Black Swan
Noomi Rapace for the Millennium Trilogy

Favorite Director of a Motion Picture
Matthew Vaughn for Kick-Ass
Christopher Nolan for Inception
Edgar Wright for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Favorite Motion Picture
Kick-Ass
Inception
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
The Fighter
Black Swan

Favorites in TV
Favorite Actor on TV
Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory
Jon Hamm for Mad Men
Charlie Hunnam for Sons of Anarchy

Favorite Actress on TV
Elizabeth Moss for Mad Men
Katey Sagal for Sons of Anarchy
Cote de Pablo for NCIS

Favorite Episode
Hell for the Holidays from Ugly Americans
NS from Sons of Anarchy
It’s A Jersey Thing from South Park

Favorite TV Series
South Park
The Big Bang Theory
Mad Men
Sons of Anarchy

Favorites in Comic Books
Favorite Writer
Adam Warren for Empowered
Naoki Urasawa for 20th Century Boys
Grant Morrison for Batman books

Favorite Artist
Adam Warren for Empowered
Naoki Urasawa for 20th Century Boys
JH Williams III for Batwoman Favorite

Archival Edition
Absolute All Star Superman
Seven Soldiers of Victory HC Volume 1
Hack/Slash Omnibus Volume 1-3

Favorite New Series
Zatanna by Paul Dini & Various
Shadoweyes by Ross Campbell
X-Men by Victor Gischler & Paco Medina

Favorite Continuing Series
Empowered by Adam Warren
20th Century Boys by Naoki Urasawa
Batman Books by Grant Morrison & Various
Fables by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham & Various

Favorite Book
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest by Stieg Larsson
Tracking the Tempest by Nicole Peeler
The Last Run: A Queen & country Novel by Greg Rucka

Favorite Anime
Dirty Pair Original TV Series Part 1
Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2
Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne
Shinryaku! Ika Musume

Favorites in Music
Favorite Song
Reggaton Song by Kabuto the Python
Nōdōteki Sanpunkan by Tokyo Jihen
Hammer of the Gods by Danzig

Favorite Album
The World is Too Big For One Lifetime by Die So Fluid
Deth Red Sabaoth by Danzig
Il Ron Hubbard by Kabuto the Python
Mastermind by Monster Magnet

Favorites in Wrestling
Favorite Match
Daniel Bryan vs. John Morrison vs. the Miz in Submissions Count Anywhere Match
Mike Quackenbush & Manami Toyota vs. Claudio Castignoli & Sara Del Rey
Cibernetico Match: Team Chikara vs. the BDK

Favorite Promotion
WWE
Chikara

Favorite Tag Team
The Osirian Portal
Quackenbush & Jigsaw
Santino & Kozlov

Favorite Female Wrestler
Ayako Hamada
Sara Del Rey
Natalya Neidhart
Daffney

Favorite Wrestler
Daniel Bryan aka Bryan Danielson
John Morrison
Eddie Kingston
Ultramantis Black

Facebook Stuff

2010-12-31T20:22:00.001-08:00

Carl Towns
Chikaras least favorite son Vin Gerard just said "Fuck Carl Towns, too." This ranks up there with non-future superstar Matt Jackson suplexing me in his backyard.

Wonder Woman Comics From Perez's Run

2010-12-31T16:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years to me.

New Laptop

2010-12-29T11:34:00.000-08:00

Oh yeah...

Old Backyard Wrestling Vid I Made

2010-12-19T00:01:00.000-08:00

November Favorites 2010

2010-12-18T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here it is...

6. X-Men #5-Vampires vs. Mutants! Epicness! Plus Cyclops once again proves why he runs the whole mutant business by making Wolverine bait! And Wolverine didn't see it coming!

5. Deadpool: Wade Wilsons War HC-A twisted Deadpool story about the notorious Wade Wilson on trial and makes you question is Deadpool who he says he is or is he just a crazy guy who thinks his a super mercenary. Plus Jason Pearson's art is awesome.

4. Batman & Robin #16-Batman shows up in time to help out Batman and Robin. yeah, that's what went down.

3. Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne #6-Another of 4 Grant Morrison Batman books that happened last month. This one is the conclusion of Bruce Wayne s return to the present time. I really like how Morrison writes Wonder Woman in this. Yeah, I'm bias...

2. Teen Titans #89-Damian Wayne is officially the second best Robin behind the original Dick Grayson(formerly Nightwing and currently Batman. There's two!). Here Robin teams with the Teen Titans and things get a little screwed up in the end because of him. Nicola Scott's art is damn good.

1. Batman Incorporated #1-Grant Morrison presents the batman initiative, aka Batman Inc. Batmen for every nation. Dick Graysons got Gotham locked down so Bruce and Catwoman go to japan to recruit Mr. unknown and give him backing only to show up and find out he's dead at the hands of Lord Death Man. A character created for the Japanese Batman manga based on a little known Batman villain(The Japanese added the Lord to his name). Hentai tentacle jokes included!

Other Morrison books were the good Batman: The Return where Batman explains his plans. The final volume of his JLA collection, and the Absolute All Star Superman book which is mammoth. Oh yeah...

Next Week(end)...

2010-12-12T17:51:00.001-08:00

I'll finally put up a Favorites for November. Still reading one book(though it's not looking to make my list) and have been busy.

Until than, here's a picture.

December Comic Order 2010

2010-12-05T17:41:00.000-08:00

ADV OF DR MCNINJA TP VOL 01 NIGHT POWERS-technically volume 4 of Dr. McNinja but the first volume released by a real comic company. The first in color definitely.

ASTONISHING X-MEN #36-Jason Pearson's drawing. Only seen a little of his stuff but I am interested to see what he does.

AVENGERS WEST COAST PREM HC FAMILY TIES-I chose this one over Justice League: Generation Lost(amazon pre order) because Steve Englehart is writing and it looks like old school super-hero art.

BATGIRL #18-Klarion action.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #20-Sadly Morrisons gone and I didn't get a copy of Batman & Robin #17. Though that's the fill-in team.

BATMAN INCORPORATED #4-First issue was awesome.

BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #3-Still waiting on issue 1.

BATWOMAN #1-YES!

BIRDS OF PREY #9-Series is a little hit and miss. Well, the art needs to get back on track.

DC COMICS PRESENTS WONDER WOMAN #1-I need a WW fix with the Odyssey keeping me at bay.

DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #884-Watcher team up!

DEADPOOLMAX #5 (MR)-Still not sure about this but it is purty!

FABLES #102 (MR)-Sounds nice but I'm more interested in the upcoming issue 100.

GREEN LANTERN #63-War of the Green Lanterns? Pff. And I say that about the upcoming Flashpoint and DC's push for me to like the current version of Wonder Woman. Still... I'll buy this until i finally get bored with the book.

HACK SLASH ONGOING #1 SEELEY CVR (MR)-Yeah! Next month i get the third omnibus and at the end of the month the current mini-series trade. All in time for this beauty. hack/Slash-I should have jumped on earlier!

IZOMBIE TP VOL 01 DEAD TO THE WORLD (MR)-Finally.

MORNING GLORIES #7-Almost cut this but I'll give it an issue or two more.

PREVIEWS #269 FEBRUARY 2011-Of course.

RED ROBIN #20-Only for a stupid two-part crossover.

STUMPTOWN HC VOL 01-Looking forward to some Greg Rucka work.

TEEN TITANS #92-Digging the first couple issues of this run.

TINY TITANS #37-Aw yeah..

VAMPIRELLA #4-Where is that first issue already?

X-FACTOR HAPPENINGS IN VEGAS PREM HC-My favorite Marvel book currently.

X-MEN #8-So far I'm liking what the writers doing.

ZATANNA #10-Cliff Chiang on art this issue? YES!

Film Report Card 2010-Updated

2010-11-27T15:29:00.000-08:00

A-Team-B
Silly fun.

Alice in Wonderland-C+
Looks good, but story wise-meh...

Black Swan-A-
Good times.

Cop Out-C+
Fun but disposable.

Date Night-C+
My dislike of mistaken identity stories hampers this down. Second viewing on airplane, I raise the grade a little.

Despicable Me-C+
Meh. Some good stuff but didn't really catch on with me.

Easy A-B-
Amusing high school comedy/romance that's well casted.

Expendables-B-
Fun but cheesy.

The Fighter-A-
Of the "Oscar" films, this one's my pick to win. Unless it's Inception.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-B
Good adaptation of a great book.

The Girl Who Played With Fire-C+
Bad adaptation of the book with some good performances.

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest-B+
Best of the trilogy even if its my least favorite of the books.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1-B-
Good adaptation.

Hot Tub Time Machine-B-
Funny, 80's stuff.

Inception A-
Awesomeness.

Iron Man 2-C
Good but nowhere near the awesome of the first one.

Jonah Hex-D
Lame...

Kick Ass-A-
One of the best so far.

Knight & Day-B-
Okay with some fun stuff.

The Losers-B-
I had fun but would still have preferred something closer to the comics in tone.

Machete-C
Cute women and violence. Thats it.

Megamind-C+
Watch a bad bootleg, maybe a clear copy will get the review up. Still, it was fun.

Nightmare on Elm Street(Remake/reboot)-D
Lame.

The Other Guys-B-
Fun. Michael Keaton was my fav actor in this.

Predators-B
Not a real reboot but more a sequel. I liked it. Needed more blood though.

RED-B
Good times abound.

Salt-B-
Good solid action film.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World-A
Awesome.

She's Out of My League-B-
Funny.

The Social Network-B-
I see the big deal, and I still don't really care.

The Sorcerers Apprentice-B-
Fun.

The Tourist-C+
Okay, spy caper. Silly, fun.

Tron Legacy-B-
Script was the weakest thing.

Universal Soldier: Regeneration(Straight to DVD/Theatrical release in some foreign markets)-B
Fun action film.

Marvel Solicits for February 2011 & Beyond

2010-11-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

1-Ozma of Oz is half way done on the same month that Fables introduces the character into their universe. Thank you public domain!

2-Iron Man 2.0? Invincible Iron Man 500.1? Amazing Spider-Man #654.1? Wolverine #5.1? Wha-? Well, I'm not reading the books so whatever.

3-Oh no! Being Spider-Man is really hard! Yeah... I don't read Spider-Man comics but don't they do that big serious type story once every four years since Clone Saga? This is why I don't read Spidey.

4-DAREDEVIL: REBORN!!! Funny, I barely noticed he was gone. I mean, what? Its been like three months?

5-Unless Luke Cage is Power Man I couldn't give a damn.

6-I'm confused... A good Greg Land image? Maybe its just the background or the lack of similar looking females but this is pretty nice.

7-Now that's the Greg Land I know and detest! You had me worried for a minute.

8-New X-Factor trade! Might get that Avengers: West Coast. Maybe X-Men First Class. Between the 40 dollar Justice League: Generation Lost and the Stumptown collection as well as a new Dr. McNinja and at least one manga I might need to drop something.

9-Cover Time!

DC Solicits for February 2011 & Beyond

2010-11-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

1-A new bi-weekly series DC UNIVERSE ONLINE LEGENDS based on the upcoming video game. My first intincts are to skip it. But I might just check it out for Superman and Wonder Woman since I ain't buying any of those comics. None of the creators on board I really care about.

2-War of the Green Lanterns? Can we pause the GL events for a while, please?

3-YES!!!!!!!!!!!

3.5-More proof that Wonder Woman will never be the best written, best drawn, or best selling female centric comic book on the market.

4-From the pages of the best-selling BRIGHTEST DAY and GREEN LANTERN CORPS comes the new regular creative team of writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Patrick Gleason!

What? Didn't they take over a few issues-oh, that's right. DC had to use a fill in in the middle because scheduling is one of their week points.

5-Crossover between Teen Titans and Red Robin? To buy or not to buy?

6-Looking through this, nothing sounds interesting to me. At all.

7-DC COMICS PRESENTS: WONDER WOMAN #1
Written by ERIK LUKE
Art by YANICK PAQUETTE, BOB MCLEOD and DOUG HAZLEWOOD
Cover by ADAM HUGHES

Sounds good to me.

8-DC has pushed trades back to allow more time to sale through their issues print runs(though they are throwing the Zatanna trade out fairly quickly). I have not responded and will now be ordering Justice League: Generation Lost trade.

9-Jack of Fables ending? New Cinderella mini? Superheroes in Fables? Busy month in the Fables universe. Though I buy Jack in trades and will probably do the same for Cindy.

9.5-Can we declare Fables Universe the only good shared comic universe?

10-iZOMBIE VOL. 1: DEAD TO THE WORLD TP
Written by CHRIS ROBERSON
Art and cover by MICHAEL ALLRED

YAY!!!!!!!

11-Cover time!!!

Post #500!!!

2010-11-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

November Comic Order 2010

2010-11-14T12:54:00.000-08:00

PREVIEWS #268-Keeping me informed.

JOHN CARTER OF MARS WARLOARD OF MARS TP-Big time collection of comics based on a popular sci-fi series I never read that's being made into a movie.

BATMAN INCORPORATED #3-Waiting impatiently...

BATMAN AND ROBIN #19-Soon the new creative team starts...

KNIGHT & SQUIRE #4 (OF 6)-Issue 31 was a big shrug from me. Looked nice though.

BIRDS OF PREY #8-Yeah.

BATGIRL #17-Just added, will be picking up a few on midtown until it lines up.

GREEN LANTERN #62 (BRIGHTEST DAY)-Yeah.

TEEN TITANS #91-Yeah.

ZATANNA #9-Oh hell yeah, baby!

SHOWCASE PRESENTS JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA TP VOL 05-Finally, a Showcase volume I can get behind.

TINY TITANS #36-Awww yeah!

FABLES #101 (MR)-Anxious for #100.

HACK SLASH ME WITHOUT YOU (ONE-SHOT) LEISTER CVR (MR)-Liking Hack/Slash.

MORNING GLORIES #6-3 issues in and I'm still not sure.

AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #4 (OF 9)-Yep, 8 months, 4 issues. But at least its on schedule.

X-MEN #7-New arc?

WOLVERINE & JUBILEE #1 (OF 4)-Vampire Jubilee?

DEADPOOLMAX #4 (MR)-When did this become a 6 issue mini?

AVENGERS ACADEMY PREM HC PERMANENT RECORD-I head Mike McKone only drew the first few issues. Lame...

CAPTAIN AMERICA OPERATION REBIRTH PREM HC-Old school 90's Cap stories.

TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #66 (MR)-Sexy fun?

VAMPIRELLA #3-Waiting on issue 1 to arirve still.

NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 13-Definitely a good series here.

HIGH SCHOOL OF DEAD GN VOL 01 (MR)-Screw the zombies, I'm looking forward to the cheesy fan service.

DC WONDER WOMAN BISHOUJO STATUE-Petite manga-esque WW statue. What I've been waiting for... in May...

October Favorites 2010

2010-11-13T17:06:00.000-08:00

X-Men #4-X-Men vs. vampires. Kinda works.

Teen Titans #88-My on again/off again relationship with Teen titans is currently on again. Lets see how long it'll last.

Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne #5-Another good entry in the mini series.

Zatanna #6-Currently my new favorite ongoing series.

Naoki Uraswa's 20th Century Boys Vol. 11-Yes, of course.

Not too much to say, because I don't feel like it. Expect a couple mroe posts coming up but nothing too important.

NuDiana? JMS' Wonder Womans Progress Part: 6

2010-11-13T14:14:00.001-08:00

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

43 DC Wonder Woman 604 37,405 -1,447 -3.72%

JMS leaves as the monthly writer with Phil Hester stepping in to continue the arc based on JMS' notes.

"I actually am down with what JMS was trying to do... trying to give a definitive once and for all Wonder Woman origin."

Not picking it up personally. But I wonder if the small sales drop continues now that JMS is gone. Will Phil Hester get the sales up? Will Wonder Woman fans further become splintered?

Part 7

NuDiana? JMS' Wonder Womans Progress Part: 5

2010-10-31T12:12:00.000-07:00

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

brettc1: This is perfectly true - Gail's book did not sell as well as the current figures.

Third JMS Issue-Issue #603 Rank: 41 Units: 38,852

Third Simone Issue-Issue (Vol .3) #16 Rank: 48 Units 42,863

Seven spots lower, 4K more units ordered.

Here

It's impressive that WW went up 800 issues, especially when you keep in mind comics sales in total were down for the second month in a role. That, and this was the first issued ordered after retailers found out about the new costume and origin. So that has to say something.

Also, no reorders on 600-602.

Issue #606-607 will be the big test. That's when comic shops start to really adjust their orders based on demand of previous issues. I know I removed it from my subscription service after issue #604.

604 reviews
Comic Vine: The Verdict 2.5/5 So-So
IGN: 8.0
Weekly Comic Review: B+
Too Dangerous For a Girl Blog: I've given it four months. Please may I have the real Wonder Woman back now?
The Buy Pile: [Issue 604 lands in...] The "Meh" Pile Not good enough to praise, not bad enough to insult, not important enough to say much more than the title
Multiversity Comics: Final Verdict: 6.2 - Browse
iFanboy: Story: 5 - Excellent Art: 4 - Very Good
cxPulp: Overall 3/5
Newsarama: Best Shots: Wonder Woman #604 is resoundingly OK.

Average Rating=C

Part 6

Edit: I'm thinking of pulling this experiment(or personal project should be better to say) with another title. Maybe a Marvel book. I'll think about it...

Marvel Solicits for January 2011 & Beyond

2010-10-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

Check it.

1-Comic adaptation of Orson Scott Cards Speaker of the Dead which is the sequel to one of my favorite novels, Enders Game. Speaker of the Dead, however, bored me nearly to death. Maybe I should give it another chance? Naaaaah. Of course there are other adaptation or new material based on novels in the list and as always I ain't buying any of them.

2-Why did they change Ultimate titles from Ultimate such and such to Ultimate Comics such and such? Just to renumber it? Well, Spider-Man just got renumbered to what it was before the idiotic change. BTW I like the artist on the book but I am not going to buy it. I'm gonna cry that she's not drawing Runaways... WHICH HASN'T BEEN AROUND FOR A YEAR!!! WHAT THE FUCK MARVEL COMICS!?!

3-So many Avengers books and Capt. America books and Thor Books and Iron Man books and X-Men books and etc. that makes a potential customer like me just feel confused and overwhelmed. So ultimately I decide not to try too much of anything. Well, the newer X-Men title I'm reading and Avengers Academy I'm gonna try. Plus I love those Mike McKone covers.

4-A whole lot of mini series. A whole lot of I don't give a damn.

5-Jubilee is 17? When I was 13 she was 13. Now I'm 28. So in 15 of our years 4 years pass in the Marvel universe? Interesting or a sign that that I'm getting old and soon will die and by that time Jubilee will be legal age to drink?

6-Greg Land needs to stop drawing Emma Frost like a pornstar. Or at least with the stupid smile like he always does. Its like when Land draws Emma Frost it looks like a cosplayer and not the real thing.

"Wrong facial expression. Gives her a warm, inviting feeling."

"Right facial expression. Gives her the uninterested bitch quality that is true."

7-I hear great things about Casanova and was about to write it on my list but damned if Marvel isn't putting out a lot of trades find a bit more interesting right now. Including that Avengers Academy volume 1. Speaking of which...

8-I was happy DC was putting out a little more older material but this Marvel trade list is bigger. Omnibus', Masterworks, and so much more collections of older material. Damn. Thanks Marvel. I'm continuing my Deadpool Classics with volume 4 and than there are a pair of Captain America trades that sound fun including Operation Rebirth which are stories from the 90s and Man & Wolf that has Capt fighting werewolves!

9-BTW, I bought Essential Iron Man volume 3 the other day from an Amazon Merchant cause it was out of print and look! New printing listed. Oh well...

Now some nice covers. One has Emma Frost with that indifferent expression I love.

2010 New Music

2010-10-24T14:08:00.001-07:00

CDs I got this year thus far.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Soundtrack
Kabuto the Python-Ill Ron Hubbard EP
Mindless Self Indulgence-<3
Die So Fluid-The World Is Too Big For One Life Time
Anna Tsuchiya-Rule
Danzig-Red Deth Sabaoth
How to Destroy Angels-Self Titled EP

Not much new music this year for me...

Updated: Monster Magnet-Mastermind
Tokyo Jihen-Sports

Empowered Volume 6 Did...

2010-10-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

7 EMPOWERED TP VOL 06 (MR) 4,276 in the TOP 100 GRAPHIC NOVELS.

Those of course are comic retailer numbers. Here's Amazon's ranking.

# Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #10,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

* #25 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Publishers > Dark Horse
* #33 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Superheroes
* #99 in Books > Entertainment > Humor > Satire, General

I wonder what the Bookstore numbers will be. But either way, Dark Horse placed 4 GN's in the top 10. More than Marvel or DC. Empowered being one of the only two of those four to be original material versus licensed properties.

Image actually placed 3 GN's which is good too.

Thoughts on Empowered

NuDiana? JMS' Wonder Womans Progress Part 4

2010-10-19T14:23:00.002-07:00

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Over at the CBR column She Has No Head! is an interesting series of articles called Ladies Comic Project which is about:

[The premise was simple] Pull together some great ladies from as many age groups and walks of life as I could manage, women both familiar and not with comics, and let them pick a comic to read from the month of September and then make them tell me what they think.

Here's a little of what Jennifer G., who only has a little familiarity with comics had to say about our favorite Amazing Amazon with issue #602.

I sat down to read this issue of Wonder Woman with what I thought was open-minded curiosity. I didn’t know all that much about the character—other than she is a sometimes-Sapphic Amazon with super-human powers—and I wanted to learn about her world and her place within it. What kinds of villains does she face? What kind of hero is she? With no real preconceptions of Wonder Woman, my only expectation was that I’d develop a crush on yet another badass female character.

Sadly, no such crush developed. After a first reading, I didn’t find myself invested at all in the character. For one, Wonder Woman is annoyingly angst-ridden. Sure she trades her safety for that of a caravan of women, but her heroic reasons are muddled: she stays behind to uncover information about her personal history [ed. note: agree!]. And then there’s the fact that Wonder Woman constantly has to be bailed out of trouble. In one instance she is rescued; another obstacle simply vanishes; and a third is vanquished by pure luck.

The tortured hero certainly has its place in literature: look at the popularity of characters like Spider-Man and Xena. So why do Wonder Woman’s imperfections bother me so much? After reading the comic book a second time, I have come to the conclusion that I was not as open-minded as I’d thought. You can’t be disappointed in something you have no expectations about. If something about Wonder Woman feels lacking to me, it must be because I had been anticipating something else.

And about the costume...

In any case, really only one important question remains: what did I think of the costume? I suppose the black spandex pants and the poofy shrug are intended to make Wonder Woman look butch and edgy, but really, they just look ridiculous with her manicured red fingernails. I don’t see how her outfit is at all more practical than the old swimsuit look.

From the third part.

Now, the all the articles are good but of course I pointed out Wonder Woman because it was interesting to get an opinion from a woman on Wonder Woman's comic because ideally women should be into the character and her book. Plus this being a new reboot that DC has said on the solicit for issue #605: J. Michael Straczynski's blockbuster re-imagining of the Amazon Princess continues with a vengeance! Of course it would have been more interesting for several opinions but the article was not about that.

Now, there's been a few responses and I wanted to quote one that bothered me.

Lynda_Carter: Someone needs to send Jennifer a copy of the trade "The Circle" and THEN tell us what she thinks!

No she doesn't. She was part of a project and did her part. What is with fans thinking that people need to read this or read that or go back and check this out? Its bullshit. You read a single issue of a comic, and you don't like it, tell people why it turned you off.

Alright, next up, WW sales for issue #603 and reviews for #604.

Part 5

DC Solicits for January 2011

2010-10-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Lets look into the future shall we? Right here. Than my thoughts.

1-Most the covers have a similar design. Hero(es) on a white background with insignia or symbol. Its nice until you realize there's 7 bat books, 4 of which uses the layout(one focus' on Joker) and than there's all those other Bat-related books.

2-Speaking of Batman, BATMAN: EUROPA finally comes out after being advertised... like five or six years ago? Oh, and it looks like issue 3 of the new Batman: The Dark Knight is already late with issue 3.

3-Shazam?

SHAZAM! #1 
Script by ERIC WALLACE
Art by CLIFF RICHARDS
Cover by CLIFF CHIANG
Blaze, the current ruler of Hell, has an offer for Mary and Billy Batson that may be too good to pass up! Left powerless, will the two former heroes have the strength to deny the devil? Can Freddy Freeman save them? And how does the Titan Osiris fit into it all? Find out here, in this one-shot special written by Eric Wallace (TITANS) with art by Cliff Richards (THE ROAD HOME: BATMAN & ROBIN #1)!

I'm sorry but I think what could make Shazam! work would be to do a lighthearted, more PG superhero comic. I don't think the devil offering them a deal really works with this type of character. And I don't like the cover. the hair, the lack of smile. Unless that's someone else in the outfit...

4-Wonder Woman's boobs didn't get bigger, they just made her top have a lower cut. Oh, and while the covers one of the better takes on the outfit it still does not work for me.

Looking at it more and more, I usually like Don Kramer, but there is something about how he draws Diana's face that bugs me. Maybe its the jawline, I don't know.

5-Batgirl #17 looks like a jumping on point. So I'll add that to my order plus pick up the one trade when I have a chance.

6-I was going to go off on how DC never seems to have enough archival/older material books coming out. At least in recent memory but they did well this time on two fronts. Finally volume 5 of Showcase Justice League and doing a Suicide Squad collection after they've been advertising and canceling it in various trade incarnations. Of course, they can cancel it again... Oh and another volume of one of their Archive series.

7-The bleed of dead imprints has a bunch of video game adaptations now being published by DC as well as an Authority trade. Plus the sequel to a OGN that originally came out through Minx.

8-Yay for FABLES #101.

9-DC pushing their trade releases farther into the future does not help because I order my books online. Due to problems with the comic shop closing and than reopening later which was inconvenient to me. Blah blah blah. I mention this because I do want to read I, Zombie. So DC/Vertigo guess what? I'm still not buying single issues and I'll wait for trade.

10-Some covers that popped for me. Mostly covers for books I don't buy and not really interested in.

Next up, Marvel Comics.

Why Empowered is the Best Super-Hero Comic Around

2010-10-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

When I first saw preview pages for Empowered, almost a whole year before its release, I made the mental note to pick up the OGN when it dropped. I had seen some of Adam Warren's comics before and being both a manga fan and a fan of superheroes, I was interested in the premise of the book: a self-conscious heroine with an unreliable super suit who ends up being tied and bound and generally not taken seriously. Sounded like a winner to me.

Volume 1 was a funny, sexy, enjoyable romp that I read several times through and through. Which was great because FUN is not exactly the biggest concern for a number of the top titles, suspense is. Building the suspense of the characters world and the struggle between good and evil. So Empowered struck like a breath of fresh air.

Now one of the tricks to a good superhero series is a supporting cast which sadly seems to get put on the back burner more and more. The supporting characters that joining Emp kept the good times rolling. Her boyfriend Thug Boy, best friend Ninjette, and the caged alien overlord that live on her coffee table and than there were those Super Homies. Those damned Super-Homies.

The first set of stories were mostly short but a few pieces of future plot-lines were laid. From the origin of Sistah Spooky, a glimpse of the villainous Willy Pete, and the minion background of Thug Boy. The second volume kept things going this time putting some more emphasis on Ninjette's history as well as her attraction to Thug Boy but it was the ending to that particular volume that stands out the most, which involved Empowered trying to help a criminal who aneurysm. All while providing stories of Empowered tied up in embarrassing ways, questioning why she does what she does, and having her support group tell her everything's fine and she's cool and those Super-Homies suck.

It was 2008 where things really started to explode. Of course volume 3 was a bit of the same with a little more background on Thug Boy, learning a little more about Empowered's suit and a big Ninja attack at the end. Volume 4 however takes so much of what had been laid out as foundation and started to expand. The superhuman hospital: the Purple Paladin, alien drugs, superhuman awards ceremony, and the introduction of Maid Man and Mindfuck. As well as big twist at the ending involving one of the capes. With one of the big plot strains through out being Ninjette post ninja attack.

What volume 4 does it moves Empowered from just being a fun and sometimes dramatic take on superhero comics which at times resembled a sitcom, and elevated it to something a cut above the rest. Taking elements and ideas that have been used before and creating something wholly unique. The idea of Mayfly, an alien drug, that will kill you fast but perhaps give you super genius skills is a crazy notion. Just as is the notion that Empowered, despite her affiliation with the Super-Homies is only starting to learn about certain secrets in the superhuman community. Secrets they keep away from the public. Plus the twist regarding Mindfuck is genius and I never saw it coming.

Sadly, Warren slowed down production to a volume a year so the wait was painful for volume 5. Volume 5 was the sort of punch to the gut of current crop superhero comics. It gets it all right. Holding onto the fun escapism but further developing what makes it stand apart. I think that there is a notion that escapism can not turn out truly dramatic material but its escapism and fun that allows us to see characters in their best light. to see them succeed and try so that way when the bad happens we feel more emotionally connected. Versus all bad all the time with very little give.

The fifth volume picks up after the events in volume 4 which further distances Empowered from certain members of the Super-Homies, learn much more about Mindfuck who becomes a good friend of Emp's, and we get ready to truly meet a figure from Thug Boys past: Willy Pete. A character whose popped up a little here and there but never as an enemy of the Super-Homies.

The last chapter, Say That I Deserve This, is for me personally the kind of comics that is being attempted but not quite achieved in superhero comics. A story that's tragic and sad without feeling like a failed effort at being tragic and sad. It hits all the right notes because for a period now I've watched Empowered grow as a character. Seen how she deals with people. See the world that is around her. So the first confrontation with Willy Pete and how it plays out gave me goosebumps and choked me up. The way it effected not just Empowered herself but Sistah Spooky, a character you hate first but slowly start to tolerate. I really want to spoil it but I want you to read it. Its a fucking masterpiece. That two page spread and the pages both before and after it... I'm sorry, call me when a mainstream superhero comic and pull of a death scene so perfectly(and no, Spooky does not die).

So, last month volume 6 came out. Damn... Warren puts much of the funny aside to get tot he aftermath and also talking about something so boring as superhero deaths. In this case, superhero deaths-not boring. The way he creates consequences about a heroes gifts is something that MIGHT have been done before but not in any sort of elaborate way. At least not in any of the Marvel or DC books I've seen. It also gave us a real role for a villain referenced only once before in Volume 1: Deathmonger. Damn, what an incredible visual. Not just him but... Yeah... buy the book.

One of the things that I am more interested in as a reader of comics is if I can reread the book. There are a number of "great" and "award winning" stories I don't believe I'd ever read twice. You see all the great characterizations, complex plotting, and use of metaphors, symbolism and motiffs don't necessarily mean you'll make something beyond a one time read. For me, Empowered is one of those books I can reread almost anytime. or in the very least skim through and pick through my favorite bits and lines and scenes.

Empowered is also a book that I like to push on people. My brother rarely reads American comic books but the other day when he found out volume 6 came out he was mad I didn't let him know. My friend Lauren emailed me after I sent her the first two volumes for Christmas raving about it. I push the book on people because its fun and looks gorgeous.

That's it. I say check it out. It's my favorite book right now and it saddens me that it'll be a whole year before the next volume. Unless Warren puts out another one shot in between like he did last year.

(PS-Page 4 of Google image search for Empowered Comic leads you to this blog. Sweet.)

October Comic Order

2010-10-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

PREVIEWS #267 DECEMBER 2010 (Net)-Sweet previews. To help me find indy titles and merch to spend money on.

BATMAN INC #2-Its Grant Morrison and Batman so I'm expecting to like it. plus, i dig this cover.

BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #2-Hmmm... is all I got until I read an issue.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #18-Hmmm... is all I got about the creative team until I check an issue out.

KNIGHT & SQUIRE #3 (OF 6)-Hmmmm... is all I got on this mini series but it starts(or started) this month so I'll know in a few weeks.

BIRDS OF PREY #7-Death of Oracle? Batmans on the cover? I don't know... plus the last issues artwork was a down point. Still, a little slack for now.

GREEN LANTERN #61-57 just came out and they are soliciting 61 so the book is being a tad bit late. Oh well. I'm still reading it.

TEEN TITANS #90-Hmmm.... a lot of that going around on this list.

ZATANNA #8-I approve of Cliif Chiant doing fill-in artwork. Because he does good work.

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL TP VOL 05-Why this is not in hardcover baffles me. Oh well... I'll finally get to read some Justice League Europe stories.

SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY HC VOL 02-Collects the last half of the Seven Soldiers opus. Hopefully they will wait a decade before the inevitable Absolute edition.

TINY TITANS #35-A multiple earths story? Awww yeah...

JACK OF FABLES TP VOL 08 THE FULMINATE BLADE TP (MR)-This series got good. But not good enough for single issue purchases.

MORNING GLORIES #5-Still unsure about this one.

X-MEN #6-Its been odd but rather amusing.

DEADPOOLMAX #3 (MR)-A little more Hmmm.

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TP VOL 01-Yay?

GENERATION X CLASSIC TP VOL 01-Definitely yay. in fact, about fucking time.

VAMPIRELLA #2-her costume is too important not to have. I give it six issues before its back. Meanwhile... Here and Here for a great write up on Jose Gonzalez and his work on Vampirella.

NYCC News Sucked

2010-10-10T15:31:00.001-07:00

So, all I hear that sounds good is the 100 Bullets team reuniting for a new project. Anything else? No? Nothing. Oh wait...

1-No All Star Wonder Woman

2-Wonder Woman to be reintegrated into the DCU proper. Huh?

3-Creative team changes on books I don't read.

That's about it. Guess Im sticking to what I'm buying and keeping an eye on independent books and trade collections of older material.

September Comic Book Favorites 2010

2010-10-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I did this.

6. Zatanna #5-Zatanna is my second favorite female superhero title and number one favorite superhero ongoing book. Even despite the fact that Stephane Roux isn't doing the interiors it still looks and is fun. (Just ntoice Roux doesn't seem to be coming back, sticking to covers but Jesus Saiz and Cliff Chang doing upcoming issues is fine by me).

5. Tarot Witch of the Black Rose-Guilty pleasure? Nah. I admit I like it because its bad and cheescakey. In this one Licorice Dust confronts Tarot about her relationship with Boo Cat who Dust is dating. All kinds of sexy. Interestingly this book has a devoted cult female audience. I also approve of the picture of the creators hanging with rock legend Danzig.

4. Green Lantern #57-Once again I ask; wheres Cowgirl? But seriously good times. Ending was interesting seeing as Gail initially had something similar planned with Wonder Woman. You know, before they turned it down and screwed up the character.

3. Batman & Robin #14-Thomas Wayne, aka the Black Glove is a punk bitch. Frazer Irving's art is bizarre and awesome. That's all I have to say on this.

2. Hack/Slash Omnibus Volume 2-I ordered up to volume 3 without reading an issue but I always found the idea fascinating. Volume 1 was rather hit and miss with a few more misses. Volume 2 which collects the first 17 issues of the ongoing series(before the creator split with Devil Due Publishing) is mostly hit. Cassie Hack and Vlad tear through the US killing "slashers"(think movie slasher villains). Good times galore. I really like the Hack character.

1. Empowered Volume 6-My favorite female superhero title being published puts the usual tomfoolery aside to continue with the drama and heartache of the last volumes shocking finale. Empowered continues to be the most developed female hero in the business and she does that with occasionally more cheesecake than your usual bread and butter heroines. This volume also makes Blackest Night look dull with their take on dead superheroes.

Buy all Empowered volumes.

Couple of questions.
1-Why can't DC just get Gail Simone an artist to stay on Birds of Prey? Even in her first run between the good artist would be crappy fill-in artists and now we're only 5 issues in and its happening again.

2-Can Allen Heinberg not write the Avengers to come off as mostly assholes? I understand Ms. Marvel is a bitch but everyone else too?

Later.

NuDiana? JMS' Wonder Womans Progress Part 3

2010-10-01T22:36:00.000-07:00

Part 1
Part 2

'Sfar as the outfit goes, to me it just looks like they stuck pants on Wonder Woman, then threw on a bunch of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN costume-jewelry (and that silly jacket) to make it look like they did more than just stick pants on her.

My main annoyance is that if the point of the new costume was to draw in readers put off by her skimpy old outfit, they immediately sabotaged it by tossing in a bevy of T&A. Great job, people.-Forum poster Flying Saucers Over Oz

Ranking for #602: 41
Issues Order: Approx. 38,012
No Reorders for issues #600-601

Whether I was snarky or not, it wasn't my intention, the facts don't change that JMS has energized WW and made her significant again. He stirred things up and that is what is important. I do hope DC keeps this version of Diana so they can make a movie.-Forum poster Themysciranprince

603 reviews
Comic Book revolution: Overall: Wonder Woman #603 was another great read. Even though there is the problem with some inconsistent art, JMS story is able to make up for that. I have never been a Wonder Woman fan and JMS is easily changing winning.

Too Dangerous For a Girl: As it is, I'm almost hoping this comic succumbs to the curse of lateness that somehow or other always seems to afflict Straczynski-scripted books (see Superman, The Brave and the Bold, The Twelve ...). Even if we don't get a cheery fill-in, I could go a month without despairing over Diana. Yes, of course I should just pack the book in for awhile, but I'm a cockeyed optimist. I can't believe that a confident, good-humoured Wonder Woman isn't going to pop up soon.

read/RANT: The final page sets up a show-down I can’t wait to see play out. I don’t know how long this storyline can hold my interest before I will tire of the mystery, but for now I am hooked.

IGN: 6.5

Examiner. com(Chicago): The odyssey of J. Michael Straczynski's all new Wonder Woman continues with a lackluster installment.

True Believer Reviewers: 9.5/10

Lost Man Comic Review: C

Weekly Comic Book Review: B

iFanboy: Story: 3 - Good Art: 2 - Average

Best Shots@Newsarama: Wonder Woman #603 is a decent enough issue with art that ranges from mediocre to seriously pretty — but is this all there is? I hope this drastic renovation eventually results in something extraordinary and worthy of its title character.

Girls Gone Geek: Where the hell is the Amazon Princess? The real one, I mean. Because this chick ain’t it.

CBR: 1 Star

Average Rating=C

Part 4

Shipping List

2010-10-01T14:43:00.000-07:00

AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #2 (OF 9)
BATMAN AND ROBIN #14
BIRDS OF PREY #5
DC 75TH SENSATION COMICS #1 BY HUGHES T/S LG-Wonder Woman Shirt
EMPOWERED TP VOL 06 (MR) FABLES #98 (MR)
GREEN LANTERN #57 (BRIGHTEST DAY)
HACK SLASH OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 (IMAGE ED) (MR)
JOE THE BARBARIAN #7 (OF 8) (MR)
MORNING GLORIES #2
MR MIRACLE BY KIRBY T/S LG (C: 1-1-3)
MURDERLAND #2 (MR)
NANCY IN HELL #2 (OF 4) (MR)
TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE TP VOL 06 (MR) (C: 0-1-2)
TINY TITANS #32
X-MEN #3
ZATANNA #5
PREVIEWS
FIRST WAVE #4 (OF 6) (RES)
MANHUNTER TP VOL 05 FORGOTTEN (JAN090234)
TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #64 (MR)
WONDER WOMAN #603

A number of cheesecake with tarot. Yay!

NuDiana? JMS' Wonder Womans Progress Part 2

2010-09-29T12:44:00.000-07:00

Part 1

I showed reviews for issue 602 but not 601, the first full issue of the new run. Lets go back a couple months.

IGN: 7.5

CBR: 2 ½ Stars

Weekly Comic Book Review: B

Too Dangerous For a Girl: After this issue, I'm pretty sure I will. Having accepted that we'll be getting a different Diana for at least a year, it's apparent to me that she's not so different. This Diana is smart, brave, curious and compassionate. I can't see it being long before she steps forth as Wonder Woman.

Blog@Rama: Despite a mostly lifelong indifference to the character Wonder Woman and the writing of J. Michael Straczynski, I find Wonder Woman #601 a pleasant and intriguing reading experience.

Its just Some...: B+

Crave Online: There are pros and cons here to be sure, but unfortunately, Wonder Woman #601 brings us no closer to being convinced that revamping Wonder Woman was in any way necessary. JMS is a respected and talented writer, but his direction on Wonder Woman suggests that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. Could it be that the uber-scribe stumbled upon one character that he couldn’t write well, and so changed her to fit more firmly in his mold? Time will tell, but if issue #601 is any indication, signs point to yes.

Average Rating=B

Part 3

Facebook Commentary: The People Under the Stairs

2010-09-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

Yeah... the People Under the Stairs. Check it out.

Carl Towns Fuck this. Facebook commentary. The People Under the Stairs!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Universal logo shows up. Always good title logos for them.

Carl Towns For those who don't know, this movie reinvented the crazy white people thriller.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns The film stars Brandon Adams whose been in Mighty Ducks, Sandlot, and Moesha. What does he do now? Apparently a rapper. Yeah... time to quit dat shit and get back to acting.
-Pedro Sambrano Who was he in Moesha?
-Carl Towns Aaron
-Pedro Sambrano Aaron, I'm trying to remember who that was. Was that her
-Carl Towns Moesha's boyfriend (Season 4)-Thank you wikipedia.

Carl Towns Aaaah shit! Ving Rhames! Looking thugged out like always.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns This film was done by Wes Craven who of course created Nightmare on Elm Street. it also has Kelly Jo Minter who actually survived through Nightmare on Elm Street 5.

Carl Towns In the credits the two crazy white people are usually credited first as man/dad and woman/mom. Only the "dad" has an actual name.

Carl Towns Ving Rhames about to smack a hoe. And maybe a punk kid.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Treasure map found at a liquor store? Really Wes? realism has completely been thrown out the window.

Carl Towns A little child abuse about to happen here on A. J. Langer's character Alice. Who was also on My So-Called life filmed at my Alma Mater, San Pedro High School!

Carl Towns Bad girls burn in hell-Dad/Man

Carl Towns Wes Craven was inspired to write this film after seeing a real-life news
story about parents who locked their children up inside their house,
never allowing them outside.

Carl Towns Wes Craven chose Wendy Robie and Everett McGill to play the parts of Mommy and Daddy after seeing them play husband and wife on the TV series, "Twin Peaks" (1990).

Carl Towns Sorry boy, I don't little n*****s into my house-Mom/Womans thoughts

Carl Towns The main characters name, Fool. He's a fool for getting into this mess of trouble.

Carl Towns Time for some breaking and entering!

Carl Towns That dogs trying to tear up Ving!

Carl Towns No doubt that dog is a racist.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Maybe you're too stupid for this kind of work. or maybe your too chickenshit-Ving Rhames on the art of breaking in and stealing from white folks.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.
-Pedro Sambrano This sounds like one of the greatest movies ever made.
-Carl Towns it is. pure entertainment
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Never, ever, enter the basement of a crazy white family. Never.

Carl Towns Told you not to go into the basement.

Carl Towns Back on topic: Follow that white girl!

Carl Towns Turkey Brain? Come on Wes, that some bad jive talk.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Electrified front door + black teen = good times. I love this movie.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Okay, the dogs not racist. He just doesn't like Ving Rhames.

Carl Towns Ving and Fool play hide and go seek with a crazy white man brandishing a high caliber gun in a house thats built like a fortress. This is what life would have been like if the south had won
the Civil War.

Carl Towns Crazy looking person in the walls. Strange white girl in a dress who ain't seen a brotha before. Fool is in some serious shit.

Carl Towns Universal Studios Florida incorporated some of the film's plot as well as the house into a haunted house several times for their annual Halloween Horror Nights
event.-wiki

Carl Towns White man in S&M gear shooting holes in the wall with a shotgun trying to get that "Roach"

Carl Towns If you really want me to do a commentary on a film with evil white folks, I could do Rosewood. but I might not talk to my mom for the rest of the day after watching that.

Carl Towns okay, the dog is racist. last time he just went for Rhames because he was the biggest of the two.
Poor Rhames, you died a punk.

Carl Towns Roach just sent that dog a slide. Damn, I'd like to go down a slide. It looks fun. Damn this getting older BS.

Carl Towns Speak no evil, see no evil, hear no evil!

Carl Towns These white people are crazy. Making the black kid clean the body. Giving the Alice girl a boiling hot bath after washing the blood stains.

Carl Towns what a nice guy. feeding all those creepy people under the stairs some fresh n***o.

Carl Towns poor Roach, died. but at least he helped out Fool and showed him those valuable coins he was breaking in to find.

Carl Towns The black kid taking it to the white man. Making his escape with the white girl. Wow. Some sort of metaphor.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns The racist dog is finally dead.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns the black kid got out with some valuable coins. white girl didn't leave with him. the end of the film?
-Pedro Sambrano I hope so, run dude, run!!!

Carl Towns I really think people who describe this as a comedy or even a horror comedy are missing the point - it's a classic fairy/folk tale, right down to the theme of the kid having to earn manhood and a "real name" by doing a heroic deed.

Carl Towns Wicked step-parents, hidden treasure (gold coins, even!), creepy house with secret passages and monsters in the basement, captive maiden to be rescued, innocent villagers held in slavery by evil (land)lords - it's all there! I know this could be said of a lot of fantasy/horror films, but this one seems to be more clearly ...derived than most. Loved it-review i read on imdb

Carl Towns Your sister is speaking smarts. Don't go back. DON"T GO BACK N***A! ITS A TRAP! LEAVE THE WHITE GIRLS ALONE!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.
-Pedro Sambrano If only OJ and Tiger Woods would have learned this lesson.

Carl Towns I told you not to go back Fool. Now you're fighting S&M Man and his partner Crazy White Woman.
-Pedro Sambrano Damn

Carl Towns Damn. Man bobby trapped their escape route.

Carl Towns Either this is role playing, or they are smacking and choking each other.

Carl Towns while i was gone, we had some action. now fool is staring down the barrel of a shotgun. wait-knock at the door might save him... its his sister! here to save the day!

Carl Towns coming up on the end of the flick.
"where'd that crazy heffer go?"
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Woman was trying to kill Alice but the people popped out and saved her. those guys really don't like these people. makes you wonder why they didn't just band together and break out earlier. PLOT HOLES....

Carl Towns Alice with the knife to the gut. The people with the frenzy. Game over for you bitch.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Now the final battle. Man vs. Black teenager. Who is going to win?
-Pedro Sambrano I know who I'm rootin' for.

Carl Towns Shotgun vs. Dynamite. The scene, the Treasury.
"I don't want to kill you but I will. I don't like you much anyway."
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Alice and Fool, winners. The people under the stairs are now free to wander the streets, looking like mutant bastards and scaring your kids. Truly, a happy ending.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Plus free money for the po' folks. Yay!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Thats it. Later.

What I'm Expecting Next Week

2010-09-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

This is the last comic week of the month which means my order will be shipping in the second half of the week. here is what i expect and hope is coming plus comments.

AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #2 (OF 9)-Young Avengers sounded dumb but I actually liked the series. Haven't read anything in between with the various fluff mini-series but this one restore the original creative team with a plan. First issue was okay, I expect it to get better. It has to with a bi-monthly shipping for 9 issues. That's 18 months.

BATMAN AND ROBIN #14-God I hope so.

BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #5 (OF 6)-See above.

BIRDS OF PREY #5-So far so good. Gail and company making this book fun.

DC 75TH SENSATION COMICS #1 BY HUGHES T/S LG-Wonder Woman shirt with a homage to the original Sensation Comics cover.

EMPOWERED TP VOL 06-My bro thought I was holding out on him with this.

HACK SLASH OMNIBUS TP VOL 02-First volume was hit and miss.

FABLES #98-Good.

GREEN LANTERN #57-Good.

HELLCYON #4 (OF 4)-Boring.

JOE THE BARBARIAN #7 (OF 8)-Haven't read this in a while. The first couple issues did nothing for me but I figured a full read through of all the issues will be better.

MORNING GLORIES #2-First issue was good. And is now running for like 10 bucks or so.

MR MIRACLE BY KIRBY T/S LG-My favorite Jack Kirby character? Or maybe that's Cyclops even though I don't like the original X-Men stories.

MURDERLAND #2-Proof that advance pre-order can leave you with comics you have no interest in.

NANCY IN HELL #2 (OF 4)-This was interesting, campy fun.

NAOKI URASAWA 20TH CENTURY BOYS GN VOL 11-Probably.

PREVIEWS #265 OCTOBER 2010-Yay! A book of comic books and merch I can browse through.

TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #64-Please! I need some cheesecake.

TINY TITANS #32-Aw yeah!

WONDER WOMAN #603-Don't care.

X-MEN #3-Oddly, it feels like its getting better. Mutants vs. Vampires!

ZATANNA #6-My new fav series?

Random Picture Post

2010-09-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

From The Girl Who Played with Fire film adaptation.

Bye Bye to Wildstorm and Zuda Comics

2010-09-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Wildstorm and Zuda, two imprints of DC Comics, are closing down. My thougths? Damn DC, your organization is wack.

How long ago was it that you killed Minx? An interesting imprint to be aimed at teenage girls. I understand you didn't get the results you wanted but maybe if you had a little patience. I mean, most girl readers of manga and novel prefer long form stories and you were not presenting that. You also had a limited number of females actually WRITE stories too. One reason shojo manga sales so well is that its written by women for girls. Not that men can't write for women but I think a few extra female writers, or even artists, could have helped. Plus premiering a few ongoing graphic novel series'. Oh, of course, if the actual distributor got the books shelved in Young Adults, maybe that would have helped too.

Than there was CMX manga. First off, you don't launch with an edited version of a cult hit. Manga fans don't want censorship in their books, especially when they could read it free online. A lot of your books were very minor compared to the big licenses over at Viz, Tokyopop and others. Hell, some were not even available on scanalation sites. So of course you should have licensed less books and set the standard lower. you didn't have a Fruits Basket or Naruto in your pocket. Whats really sad is there were people following titles that will now probably never finish. Actually, scratch that. Whats really sad is a lot of manga fans didn't know DC comics put out manga.

Now to Zuda and the 'Storm. Zuda? I saw that coming. I don't know if you just going to be absorbed into DC or what by DC doing web comics? Please... DC is working hard to make reading their books on computer of devices like iPhones as hard as possible. DC is dragging their feet with the future of the industry.

Now Wildstorms kind of sad deal. It has history. Originally one of the studios that made up Image comics and represented artistic freedom. Of course most the comics during the early Image period showcased bad writing but its the symbolism that matters. DC buys the company for the artists(who have mostly left), the colorists(who prove computers make everything easier) and Jim Lee of course(whose now co-president/publisher/whatever). They also wanted to work with Alan Moore again(who they pissed off again and hates DC with more bile than anyone can hate anything).

Wildstorm of course is the home of the Authority. Which I never read, and neither did DC when they bought the company. They especially hated the second run by Wanted/Kick Ass co-creator Mark Millar who now works mostly for Marvel. (Not that this bothers me because how many comics with "practical" superheroes doing "realistic" things and excessive violence does one man need to put put? Though Ultimates and Ultimate X-Men were good.) I wonder what this means for Wildstorm superheroes like WildCATS or Gen 13. oh, wait... Dc officially made them part of their multiverse. Ha! Now they'll be like every other DC franchise. Part of a company who could care less about them.

So, how long until they pull the plug on Vertigo? It would seem unlikely but at this point I wouldn't be surprised.

Pornstar Tweets #2

2010-09-18T12:46:00.000-07:00

Pornstars are people too. That's what I've learned from twitter.

Probably shouldn't start touching myself at the gym.-Lisa Ann

My son is being so adorable and good this morning. I love moments like this.-Raylene

I'm Hearing A Lot of Good Things...

2010-09-18T10:23:00.001-07:00

About the Facebook movie, better known as the Social Network(or is that vice versa). Yet i can not muster the interest for it whatsoever. The previews juts bug me for some reason. The buzz slides off my shoulders. Why is that? I guess its just one of those things where I don't think it looks like my kind of film. Of course, I tend to prefer all my drama's in the form of television. TV has made me realzie tat I can get into mob stories(Sopranos), serious fair set decades pass(Mad Men) or even a procedural(does NCIS count?)

Sorry Facebook movie, maybe when you show up on cable.

Facebook Commentary: They Live

2010-09-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

John Carpenter never gets his due. Sad because he has done some awesome flicks. Here's one.

Carl Towns Eight O’Clock in the Morning so that must mean THEY LIVE! Commentary time.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns The single best movie to ever star a pro-wrestler. Second would be the Rundown. These are facts. Check 'em on the wiki
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns The movies based on two stories. One, Eight O’Clock in the Morning by Ray Nelson. And a story called Nada from a comic book called Alien Encounters.

Carl Towns Here's Roddy Piper walking the train tracks. Gotta love that score by director John carpenter and Alan Howarth.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns This is actually a good flick for todays society. Deals with the jobless and a state of depression. Plus how aliens keep taking our jobs. Damn intergalactic monsters are taking our jobs.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Street Preacher: Outside the limit of our sight, feeding off us, perched on top of us, from birth to death, are our owners! Our owners! They have us. They control us! They are our masters! Wake up! They're all about you! All around you!

Carl Towns Like Masters of the Universe, this film has meg Foster. Whose eyes are so unreal she has to be some sort of succubus. Peering into your soul.

Carl Towns Enter Frank, played by Keith David. Who I always mistake for David Keith. Even though ones black and awesome and the other is some white actor.
-Pedro Sambrano lol

Carl Towns Its the scene with all the dirty poor people being fed. Go and get jobs-Oh, wait... some of them have jobs. Talk about some pay cuts.

Carl Towns

Carl Towns Bearded Man: They are dismantling the sleeping middle class. More and more people are becoming poor. We are their cattle. We are being bred for slavery.

Carl Towns How the fuck are the poor people watching TV in the middle of their slum field. Do they have a generator. Or do they have extension cords running all the way to the local church. Damn plot holes.
-Pedro Sambrano lmao

Carl Towns Okay, a wrestler enters a church. No, thats not a joke. Thats what just happened. Though I wonder if the enter with their arms raised and doing the ramp way entrance they do at a show. That would be so cool.
-Pedro Sambrano In Piper's day they didn't have a ramp way entrance. They just walked to the ring, and Roddy always did that.
-Carl Towns thankfully they have ramps now. it makes walking feel more epic.

Carl Towns The people in the church are conspiring. But for what? Whats going on?

Carl Towns Piper got the job after a wrestlemania 3. he won the match, got a gig in one of the great sci-fi films. truly, a great time for Piper.
-Pedro Sambrano That was when he officially retired. After that he only came back for short runs.
-Carl Towns In a hair versus hair match. i checked it out. i can't seem to remember any 'manias before wrestlemania 5. blue blazer vs. mr. perfect!
-Pedro Sambrano Yep, against Adorable Adrian Adonis.
-Carl Towns That is a pimp name.
-Pedro Sambrano He was pimpin' until they made him wear a dress.

Carl Towns Pipers character, Nada, is watching the church. he's suspicious. as am i every time i pass a church. damn catholic guilt.
-Pedro Sambrano lol

Carl Towns SHIT! It's the police. RUN! 5-oh! 5-oh! Run n***a run! I mean-run po' people run!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.
-Pedro Sambrano lmfao!!!

Carl Towns They just fuckin' up your house. ... Slum. ... Poor people village?

Carl Towns The cops gonna beat down some church folk. Including a black man. A blind black preacher. Even I think thats going a little too far.

Carl Towns The day after, Piper decides to go to church a second time. Maybe he'll find God. But I kinda doubt it. he never seems to be there.

Carl Towns I stole from a church and all I got were these slick ass as black sunglasses. worth it.

Carl Towns BTW, the movies about a secret alien infiltration. and the sunglasses make it so you can see the truth. like the billboards that actually read OBEY. ahhh... subliminal messaging.

Carl Towns Dear magazine shack owner, all your magazines suck and are telling em to become braindead. and not to question authority.

Carl Towns Continuity Goof: The alien at the magazine stand gets his change twice.

Carl Towns Piper sees the alien chick get her hair did. in the salon. she is one ugly hoe.

Carl Towns This movie proves that black and white makes things creepier.

Carl Towns ‎"You, you're okay. This one, real fucking ugly."-Nada/Piper

Carl Towns formaldehyde-face! thats just classic.

Carl Towns

Carl Towns Thats like pouring perfume on a pig-Piper/Nada
Damn, classic line after classic line.

Carl Towns I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum.-As Piper comes int he bank armed and ready to destroy.
-Pedro Sambrano The shotgun to the banker is one of my favorite scenes.
-Carl Towns I'd argue ever scene in this film is one of my favorite scenes.

Carl Towns ‎"Momma don't like tattletales."

Carl Towns The line "I have come here to chew bubble gum and kick ass, and I'm all out of bubble gum" was ad-libbed by Roddy Piper. According to director John Carpenter, Piper had taken the line from a list of ideas he had for his pro wrestling interviews.

Carl Towns
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns

Carl Towns Meg Foster is on the scene now. providing transportation for our hero.

Carl Towns Apparently the glasses are like some sort of super-drug. Looking good always gets one high.

Carl Towns Damn Piper, she just clocked you one good. Through a window no less.

Carl Towns Nada need his sunglasses. can't look fly without them.

Carl Towns Oh shit! Here it comes! The best movie street fight of all time!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.
-Pedro Sambrano 6 minutes of pure action!!!

Carl Towns God damn... Never trust a black man when he's trying to help you up.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.
-Pedro Sambrano Words to live by.

Carl Towns The Cripple fight in episode 67 of South Park that aired on June 27, 2001. was taken blow by blow from the fight between Frank and Nada in the alley. If you watch it its a match scene for scene of the alley fight
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Belly to back suplex by Piper! No! Keith David holds in with the headlock!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Damn! The black mans fighting real dirty!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.
-Pedro Sambrano Gotta learn the lessons from all of those fights with the Indians.

Carl Towns The sudden burst of laughter by Piper when David doesn't break the bottle appropriately for a weapon makes the fight even sweeter.

Carl Towns Continuity: At the beginning of the alley fight, Nada sets down a cardboard box; Frank sets down a backpack. Towards the middle of the fight, as Frank tries to walk away, both items disappear.

Carl Towns The use of real wrestling moves is fucking awesome. the fights just now ending.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Brother, life's a bitch. ... And shes back in heat.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns ‎"You had said that 'The Live' was written in response to your horror at the Reagan years. With the (George W.) Bush administration currently wreaking havoc around the globe, don't you think that this would be the perfect time for a sequel?"

This got a huge laugh out of the audience, and understandably so. John answered the question very simply, "The 80s never left us.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Switching from glasses to contacts. less stylish but more practical in a fight i guess.

Carl Towns We could be pets, we could be food, but all we really are is livestock.

Carl Towns The resistance is gathering together, arming themselves, ready to fight.

Carl Towns Meg fosters character Holly is back, with those weird blue eyes that makes me think she isn't human.

Carl Towns BAM! Its on!
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Nada and Frank are on the inside. learning about multidimensional expansion.

Carl Towns Time for some ass kicking.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Apparently a number of the homeless sued in the film were really homeless. paid and fed extras for the flick. Neat.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns The black sunglasses are called Hoffman Glasses.

Carl Towns Frank and Nada are blasting through the news building. Firing on fools like some sort of FPS video game. except this was way before those type of games.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Lots of killing but that bitch Holly took out Frank. Now shes got her gun on our boy. It looks to be over. What you going to do Piper?
-Pedro Sambrano Of course, the black man never makes it to the end of a film, unless its Will Smith, which leads me to believe that his blackness disappeared with his rap career.
-Carl Towns Actually, Keith David made it to the end of the Thing. whether or not him and Kurt Russell got picked up or died in the Antarctic is left to your imagination.

Carl Towns Piper kills Holly. Fires on the broadcast signal disguising the aliens and their subliminal message. Than dies in a hail of gunfire. than gives them a middle finger as he lays dying.
-Pedro Sambrano likes this.

Carl Towns Now the people see them. See that... THEY LIVE!
The end. Of a classic fucking film. Check it out.
-Pedro Sambrano BEST SCI FI FILM EVER!!!

Carl Towns

Pornstar Tweets #1

2010-09-15T17:03:00.000-07:00

I like my women like I like my chairs: Curvaceous, Brown, & Task-oriented.-Pornstar Mika Tan

omg im back from my driving lesson, lol its so scary driving! the guy said he only need to use his break once-Sophie Dee