What I'm Up To

I reread Final Crisis #7 a second time and... still didn't get the whole thing. Still, the artwork was nice, I suppose. Saw Tropic Thunder again the other day, and it was just as funny the second time.

Got an x ray on my back today. I'm not 100%, but I doubt a healthy spine should look like a Jenga tower about to tip over.

And on that note, here's a fun video including one of my favorite things -- spontaneous and random dancing:

Thoughts at the Moment

Well, I pre-ordered a copy of the third printing of the Spider-Man comic book with US President Obama on the cover. I already have a copy of the 2nd printing, so I'm not sure if springing for another version (even if the cover is slightly different) is okay or just kind of dumb. Still, in the event I win the contest I've entered for a copy of the first printing, I suppose it'll be good to have all three. I'm just hoping there isn't a fourth, since I'd probably wind up buying that too, because, as we've well established here, I'm a dope when it comes to these things.

On a semi-related topic, how neat was it for Obama to tell the Citibank folks to cram it with walnuts when they wanted to buy a 50 million dollar private jet. Good show. It hasn't completely sunk in that Bush is no longer the President of the United States, but it's starting to. And now that the US is finally in good hands I can start worrying/caring about my own domestic politics, something I've neglected while the global superpower forty minutes from where I live was going all bowling ball-ish.

On another semi-related topic, I read the seventh and final issue of DC Comics big crossover series Final Crisis last night. And I'll probably be reading it again soon since I have no idea what actually happened there.

This issue I understood better, and while it's contents are slighter and less all-encompassing than Final Crisis, I still enjoyed it a great deal since I quite like the featured villain, the Parasite. He's one of those B-level villains, that's too important to kill off for good, but not important enough to, you know, take over the world or cause any serious trouble. I have an affinity for those middle-of-the-road folks, and in this case it's coupled with a great visual. Nice that they did some work with his characterization as well, since he's often neglected in that area.

Thoughts on "Flash: Rebirth" (warning: nerd alert)

You'd almost think DC Comics had totally given up on the idea of moving their stories and characters forward with the announcement that they're giving recently resurrected Flash, Barry Allen, his own "Rebirth" title by the same creative team that relaunched similarly deceased and boring silver age character Hal Jordan as "the greatest Green Lantern of them all" (notwithstanding the fact that the other four major Green Lanterns have more character in their worst stories that Hal Jordan's had in any of his his, excluding the time he went nuts and destroyed the Green Lantern Corps, a wealth of material for character development of stories down the line that got wiped away because DC decided they didn't like it).

I didn't have a problem with DC bringing Barry Allen back in their Final Crisis series (and preferably only for the duration of the Final Crisis series, I add), but I take issue with making him their star of the Flash comic. 'Current' Flash, Wally West, is a great character and very undeserving of the expected shuffle aside that then-current GL Kyle Rayner got when Jordan returned, and even if the book with Allen is great and exceeds all expectations, it all begs the question that if DC was capable of doing this great relaunch, why didn't they do it in the first place with Wally West?

Despite what DC might say, this is likely the end of the line for Wally West as the main Flash, and as someone who grew up with the character and has really come to like him over the years, it's a real kick in the head. And I assure you, I'm not adverse to change -- I followed the Flash title when it looked like Wally was out of the picture and replaced by his former sidekick, Kid Flash. But this isn't change, not really. It's turning the clock back twenty-three years to bring back a character aging writers and editors liked way back when instead of actually moving the stories and characters forward along with the audiences. You think a new reader knows who Hal Jordan is? Not when they've been exposed to Green Lantern John Stewart in the Justice League tv show and video games (not to mention his inclusion in the on-again, off-again Justice League movie). Similarly, Wally West is the Flash of this generation and my generation before it. That's two generations going on three who know this character as THE Flash, and as recognition for our love of the character we're seeing him shunted aside so a character who's been better handled after he died nearly a quarter of a century ago can appear in some books for reasons I can only think of as being short-sighted.

Again, don't have a problem with DC doing something with Barry Allen. I liked him in JLA: Year One (coincidentally the only place I've ever liked Hal Jordan), I like the stuff they did with him in the Flash title from a few years ago. But I think it's an awful idea to have him come back as DC's main Flash.

I think Graeme Burke commented on this very nicely, over at the Comics Should Be Good blog:

"I loved the Barry Allen Flash. One of my favourite superheroes. And I am against this series for every reason you just said and more. I’m tired of comics being written to an agenda of bringing things back they loved when they were kids. It’s not 1971 anymore. Stop it."

Well said.

File This Under "Who Didn't See That One Coming"

After months of hearing that Final Crisis artist JG Jones was seemingly behind schedule, it's revealed that Carlos Pacheco will be joining him on the series from issue 4 on. Not that it's a bad thing since I like both artists equally -- and Pacheco drew the issue of Justice League of America that led into the series -- but didn't Jones start work on the series sometime last year? Not that I'm suggesting they delay each issue by months à la Marvel's Civil War so he can catch up and handle each issue himself, but considering how predictably inevitable this outcome was they should have planned for this outcome from the get-go.

Hi there.

Sorry for the lack of posts but I've been busy. A got a bookcase; I saw one at Staples a little while back and finally got up there to get it. It's pretty sharp, and was on sale too. Not big news, but it's a great looking shelf all the same.

Haven't seen Indiana Jones yet. Might go to see it sometime, but I think I'd have to go with someone else. I've got to be honest, I'm just not feeling the hype about the Indiana Jones movie. Sure I liked Raider of the Lost Ark, I mean, who didn't? And I have fond memories of watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with my Mom as a child. I don't know though... It just doesn't feel like the must-see movie pheomenon that people seem to think it is. But like I said, I'll probably wind up seeing it in theaters, but only if someone else is going to see it.

Former Minnesota governor was on the Colbert Report about a month ago, promoting his new book adorned with the familiar image of him, you know, that whole neatly bald, mustached, pro-wrestler thing.

That was an older picture since he currently has scraggly hair, no mustache, and is looking pretty paunchy and old. The interview wasn't that great either, since he doesn't seem to have a sense of humor, although Colbert was able to get a rise out of him partway through the interview. But anyway, point is, he seemed a little out of touch and nutty. Then I read this quote from him from Thursday night's "Verdict":

"Well, first of all, I made a statement when I was governor and stand by it today. Love is bigger than government. Who the hell are we as a government to tell people who you can fall in love with? I think it‘s absurd that fact it‘s even being debated."

The man might be a little out there, but damned if he isn't right on the mark there. I'd written him off after the Colbert Interview, but I'm rethinking that.

Final Crisis #1 is out tomorrow and I've got to be honest -- not too excited about this storyline, at least not the same kind of excitement I felt for Marvel's summer crossover, Secret Invasion. Probably has more to do with the whole Countdown debacle that dragged on and on and didn't really go anywhere, the deaths of all the New God characters (all of whom, apparently, are returning in Final Crisis), and the fact that there's characters resembling the New God versions from Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers thing running around the DC universe which I find totally confusing. I'm hoping the first issue gets me really jazzed on this series, since I'm not feeling it right now. I still plan on checking it out and getting every issue for the Grant Morrison writing and the J.G Jones artwork (even if rumor has it there'll be fill-ins down the line).

That's about everything on my mind at the moment. I'll probably check in someone soon and ramble a bit