Bouquets and Brickbats

As I mentioned, there weren't a whole lot of books, but still, I do love going.

We begin with Gotham City Sirens #16. I have to say that this particular issue fell a little flat for me, although there certainly were some nice moments. Poor Harley just doesn't get any respect. It seems a little on the convoluted side however, and I'm not sure that I really buy Zatanna's actions. It seemed...a little odd.

Still, not terrible, just not great. And frankly, I always find Talia to be a bit of a bore.

Green Arrow #4. This is still not too bad. Damning with faint praise, I know, but really, my expectations at the beginning of this series were VERY low. This basically covers some of the same ground with J'onn as did Brightest Day, but from, Ollie's point of view, which isn't a bad thing. I find that I'm interested in spite of myself. And sure enough, the lady that he saved way back when is popping up again.

Oh Ollie.

Justice Society of America #43

I really found this issue to be a bit...weird. Make that REALLY weird. Suddenly the Starheart has created a fairytale paradise on the dark side of the moon, and all the fairytale creatures are relocating there. It's like Shrek! Alan is getting something of a kick out of being a diplomat and running the whole show, while Obsidian is moping around because he can't hang out with Jenny. According to Alan, if the two of them get within a mere half-mile of each other, the world will literally come to an end. Todd expresses a certain amount of skepticism about this, and who can blame him? But Alan got together with various people and checked out alternate futures or something, and it all ends...badly. So Todd and Jade have to stay apart.

Does this mean that Alan won't be hanging out with the rest of the Justice Society? If so, then it is a real shame. Otherworldy paradise aside, I am quite fond of Alan, not to mention all the OTHER old Farts in the JSA...and it won't be the same without him.

I have some reservations about this particular storyline, but I guess I'll stick with it for now.

Time Masters: Vanishing Point #3. I actually LIKED this book! Supposedly they are all out looking for Batman, but that premise seems to be falling by the wayside, which is probably a good thing, since Batman is perfectly capable of returning all on his own. It IS fun seeing Superman be so imcompetent and Hal be so arrogant. Wait...Hal is ALWAYS arrogant! The way that the two of them always end up treating Booster sets my teeth on edge, but really, it's pretty realistic I suppose. And I simply love seeing more of Rip's childhood.



So I'm liking this. I'm liking it a lot.

And finally, we come to Wonder Woman #603. I'm...not really feeling this. She attacks and gets her soul sent to Hell, and then comes back, and fights and fights and fights, but it is all so...cold and clinical to me. I Miss Gail Simone! Straczynski's Wonder Woman seemed souless even BEFORE she got whammied.

So...meh.

Not a whole lot of bouquets this week apparently.

Getting Back to Business

Woohoo! It's Wednesday, and my computer is working again, and I'm full of piss and vinegar! Granted, it's the fifth week of the month, and therefore there isn't a whole heck of a lot out there, but still...It's Wednesday! The Bestest day of the Week!

Have you all seen the new Hostess snack offerings, featuring Superman, Batman, the Flash and of course, Green Lantern? Chris Sims has, over at the ComicsAlliance, and he's come up with THE best version of the Green Lantern Oath, that I've ever seen. It's Hal Jordan of course, and the treat that HE'S hawking are Green Lantern Glo Balls.

Here's what Chris has to say...

"In Brightest Day, these tasty sweeties
Will totally give you Diabetes,
Let those concerned for Teeth and Gums,
Beware Green Lantern's neon crumbs!"

So...so perfect.

I really MUST go out and find some of these.

What else is new? I've just noticed, that out of all four Earh-based Green Lanterns, that Hal is the ONLY one who isn't an Honor Guard. Heh.

I wonder how long it will be, before the artist for Green Lantern Corps gets tired of drawing the Alpha Lanterns like robots, and now that that they have their emotions and personalities back, could they possibly be returned to their original appearances? It would be nice to have Boodikka back, looking like she used to. I LIKE Boodikka. And Green Man.

We still don't know what it is that Ganthet and Guy have agreed to do with Atrocitus, but I'm beginning to think from the various clues that have been dropped, that whatEVER it is, the few remaining Guardians aren't going to be too happy. Which is good. They've been getting away with crap for eons, and it's about time that someone called them on it.

I am looking forward to the Larfleeze Christmas Special with utter anticipation.

Well, that's about all that I can think of for today, so it is off to the Comic Book Store!

Be sure to enjoy your books!

I...Am...The...Man!

Well...metaphorically speaking. I haven't posted in a few days, because SOMEhow, one of my kids downloaded one of those vile little faux security scan thingies, and I couldn't even go online. I have Norton, but I ran a security scan, not thinking to run an anti-virus scan. I DID that today, and it...it fixed itself! I didn't have to take it in or lose all my stuff, or anything!

I can taste the victory, and it is sweet!

Oh...and comics are good.

While Reading the Newspaper

I am one of those dinosaurs that the newspaper publishers in this country simply love. I subscribe to my local paper and I read it cover to cover every morning. Including the comics. Especially the comics.

I also of course check out The Comics Curmudgeon's site every day, because it is hilarious. And I must admit to a bizarre fascination with Mary Worth. Not because it is particularly witty, well-drawn or even GOOD, but because it is so gawdawfully terrible that it is fun. The highlight of course, was the stalking of Mary by the Captain Kangaroo clone a few years back, and his death by plunging off of a cliff in his car. It's hard to top that moment, although I think that the most recent storyline with the young doctor who can't find love because his evil father walked out of him came pretty close. It turns out that he FINDS his deadbeat Dad, and takes him in...and THAT VERY NIGHT HE DIES!! Coincidence?

I think not.

It is also interesting that the Mary Worth character of Wilbur, the columnist seems to have turned up in Rex Morgan M.D. as a sleezy town councilman! Wilbur is obviously leading a double life, and it would be wonderful if Mary tries to catch him at it, and he murders her and buries her body under the dock at that crummy restaurant that she frequents so...frequently.

Man, newspaper comics are violent! I need to stick to the regular superheroes, where the plotlines are more believable.

Throwing My Hat into the Ring

I'm taking a brief break from posting pictures of Green Lanterns today, in order to offer my thoughts about the Friends of Lulu situation. The president, Valerie D'Orazio is stepping down and forming her own group, and it is my imperfect understanding that the office of president is therefore Up For Grabs.

I would like to offer my own nomination.

First off, I AM a woman, which is probably a point in my favor.

Secondly, I was once president of my local Historical Society, so I am familiar with the concept of having a large membership, but only about eight people doing all the work. We actually had one old guy who used to complain about the refreshements, which were all home-baked goodies provided by other members. I wanted to have him killed, but the other members of the board assured me, that that ability was not in the by-laws. I didn't run for re-election,I can tell you that!

Ummm...where was I?

I don't have a clue about how to make a Website function. I would leave that sort of thing up to minions. There WILL be minions...won't there? You people are damned lucky that I can manage to figure out how to log on and off every day. I have teenagers, which is a help, but what happens when the last one moves out?

I want minions. And lots of 'em.

I am also bone idle. Lazy doesn't even begin to describe it. Also, I refuse to be photographed. But if anyone wants to pay me to show up at Conventions, I'll consider it...so long as the airfare is First Class.

I also should probably mention that I DO have an agenda...something that is practically required as far as I understand it. I'm pretty sure that they aren't making Lulu comics anymore, so the name should be changed to "Friends of Green Lanterns". And their behinds. Their firm, rounded beautiful behinds. That's something that EVERY woman can get behind!

So please...vote for ME, and I promise to do a pretty half-assed job!

Thank you and God Bless.

Alan Scott

You just can't go wrong with Alan. First Green Lantern, even though he's not a member of the Corps, elder statesman of the Justice League, and one of the few people in the universe who can make both Batman AND Hal Jordan, sit up and pay respect.

'Cuz Alan's just that cool.



So here's a nice little scan also by Darryl Banks, with Alan and none other than Sinestro. Sinestro gets around! But even he can't trash-talk Alan Scott, who will merely raise an eyebrow before making mincemeat out of him.

John Stewart

Yesturday it was Kyle, and today I'm putting up a picture of John Stewart. There are a whole passel of Green Lanterns that I love, but I don't pay enough attention to, mainly because Hal and Guy have this habit of taking over.

So here's a nice one of John.



Oddly enough he's NOT in his Green Lantern suit, but rather this is when he was a Darkstar. I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of the Darkstars. They have always seemed like GL-wannabes. Are they even still around? I seem to remember that Larfleeze ate a crapload of Controllers.

Their outfits were a...bit more garish than a classic Green Lantern costume,but still...he looks nice.

It's Been a While, Kyle

I haven't been paying much attention to Kyle lately, which is a shame. It's rather a shame that that he and Guy aren't together in the Green Lantern Corps anymore, since they work together as partners SO well. Still, I'm sure that it's not forever.

Anyway...



This is by Darryl Banks, and it is awfully nice. I really do like Kyle and Soranik together. And, while I'm letting my hair down, I'm getting a charge out of the fact that Jade is pissy about it. Gosh, I'm catty.

Going to the Fair

It's September, and in New England, that means it's Big E time! Woohoo! I'm off to the Fair today. Since I'm marching with the Corps, we get free parking and don't have to pay to get in! Double Woohoo!

Man, I'm cheap.

Not a lot to talk about today, so I'm falling back on an old chestnut.



Yeah, I've been drawing again.

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #2

Oh my. So...so much goodness lies within.

We begin with Guy taking a little trip to the Hall of Lanterns, and reminding himself that there are only four Earth-based Lanterns in the entire history of the Corps, and he's wondering about his legacy. All of which is a bit of a teaser for his little plot with Ganthet and Atrocitus. What IS it that they are up to I wonder? Whatever it is, Guy is worried about it.

Arisia is having bad dreams about Sodam, and apparently she's taken up sculpting, which is nice. She doesn't believe that Sodam is dead, which just so happens to be true, but none of THEM know that yet.

Kilowog is approached by an overzealous rookie, who just can't stop gushing over how FABulous it is to meet him. Kilowog isn't in the mood to put up with such fanboyishness, and puts the poor kid in his place. Kilowog is still feeling a bit tender from what went down during the whole Blackest Night mess, and really, who can blame him?

Meanwhile, we see a bit more of the Big Baddie from the end of the last issue. He's not who I thought he could be, but he's definitely not on the side of the angels. He's collecting telepaths, and in a rather nasty fashion. Once again, the Guardian's past actions will be having some violent repurcussions for them in the present and future. Stupid Guardians. You know, if Ganthet, Guy and Atrocitus are staging a coup d'etat, I say more power to them.

Guy is just about to take off for the wild black yonder, when Kilowog and Arisia show up and casually mention that they're along for the ride. I love how Guy just has his battery casually slung over his shoulder. The art, is amazingly expressive and quite well done. I still miss Pat Gleason of course, but Fernando Pasarin is obviously drawing his heart out, and seems to be enjoying himself into the bargain.

So...off they go, although Arisia asks if they can stop by Daxam, since she's pretty sure that Sodam is still alive. Guy isn't sure, but has to admit that it's not a bad idea to go with Arisia's gut feeling. But he has a stop planned first, he needs to swing by Odym. When Kilowog questions him about it, Guy blows up, which startles ALL of them...then admits that he's experiencing some residual effects from the Red Ring, and that he's spitting up blood...which tastes terrible. Mogo DID tell him that he needed a Blue Ring to get rid of all the contagion, so this is a smart move on his part.

So, the three of them make a little visit to beautiful Odym, and there's Warth, who seems happy to see them. Guy's explaining that he needs a little bit of help, and then who should show up but Bleez. You know...from the cover. And apparently she doesn't want Guy getting the cure. I have to admit that the final page just cracks me up. Kilowog and Arisia are ready with their rings, Bleez is wrapped around Guy, and Warth...is just standing there with this slightly irritated look on his face. Well...she WAS awfully rude.

If you like Guy, Kilowog and Arisia, then this is the book for you. If you like Green Lanterns, and the start of a new adventure, then this is the book for you. If you like Magog, then this is probably not the book for you.

Oh Boy, Reviews!

What a nice little week this was. Any week that has Green Lanterns in it, is automatically a good week.

Let us begin with Brightest Day #10. A lot of rather interesting things transpired. Aqualad is told of his powers and birthright by his adopted father, and, right on cue, Black Manta shows up, being rude and creepy. I will say that the kid's foster father is a wonderful man. Oh, and Aquaman shows up too in the very nick of time, which was nice.

There are also new developments with Firestorm, it turns out that Ronnie and Jason are a potential spark for a new Big Bang. So they can't get cranky, or else...it's the end and beginning of the Universe. Man. What a bummer. And it turns out that there IS somebody else stuffed inside there with them, and HE'S not a very nice person either. All good stuff.

Birds of Prey #5. I find myself a little underwhelmed with this particular issue. There were parts that I enjoyed, such as Babs getting poor Savant's head straightened out, and the whole idea of a Kord Tower fills me with delight. I'm glad that Zinda is going to be ok, and I can understand Huntress's frustration. But the whole bit with Black Canary and the White Canary just didn't do it for me, and the art change halfway through the book was...jarring. Ok, but not spectacular.

And speaking of spectacular! Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #2. Yahooo!

Justice Society of America Special. I love the JSA, I really do, but this had Magog in it, and I really HATE Magog. I'm breathlessly awaiting his prospective demise at the hands of either Captain Atom or Max Lord. And I'll CHEER about it!

I seem to be straying from the point here. There's a whole lot of stuff with Gog and Magog, and...and stuff. Meh.

DC Legacies #5. Well, you knew that the original Crisis was going to show up sooner or later, and here it is. It's a nice little refresher course, and the Adam Strange story at the back is ok.

So...an ok week. Nothing too fabulous except for the Green Lantern book which WAS fabulous.

Wednesday!

Once again, it is my favorite day of the week, and a number of good books are beckonning. Mainly, Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors. It's also a simply gorgeous day here in the New England, with a hint of Fall in the air already. It certainly beats 90 degrees and 200 percent humidity! And my Sweet Baboo is coming home from a business trip in Virginia.

Which naturally, puts me into a frivolous mood.



Darkseid as a Lounge Lizard. So...so perfect.

Absorb This!

In the middle of my angsting over the possible Mary Marvelization of Tora, I completely forgot to mention something. Something IMPORTANT!

Scipio is back! So go and visit the Absorbascon, and bask in the wittiness.

Cracked Ice

So I think that we can all agree that over in JLI: Generation Lost, sweet little Tora Olafsdottir has not been exactly been behaving herself. If you read this blog with any sort of regularity, you are probably getting sick of me whining about it. Still, I do have a theory. It's not just Winick messing with our minds.

It's Max Lord.

Oh that rascal! He's been messing with EVERYONE'S minds all throughout the world, and apparently able to reach people out in space as well. Or something. He's blown hot and cold with Booster Gold, one minute trying to bash his brains in, and the next telling him that he's sorry about Ted and that he misses him. Talked about mixed signals! He's turned the remnants of the old JLI into apparent criminals, and yet he's made it so that the other heroes aren't really that interested in bringing them to justice. He's pulling strings all over the place, and I'm sure that somehow, there is a kind of master plan.

On the other hand, it is also possible that Max himself is being manipulated. The White Entity certainly seems interested in him, and has given him a quest, that of murdering Magog. Quite frankly, this seems a little peculiar for an Entity of Life, but on the other hand, it IS Magog, and no doubt he's just as irritating to supernatural immortals as to the rest of us.

I'm also wondering if in fact, Max is in complete control of himself, since he seems to be pulled in several different directions. I can't forget that he was a cyborg, and possessed by that Kilg%ore thingie at one point. Is he STILL being possessed? Is this Max a clone or something? I guess we'll find out...eventually.

However, getting back to Ice. Unlike the rest of the bunch, Max seems to have been fairly hands-off when it comes to Tora. With the exception of making it seem as though she was trying to kill Guy of course, but that was actually him messing with GUY's mind, not Tora's.

Except that she's just NOT acting like herself. Tora had to be one of the sweetest, nicest most innocent people out there. She was ALWAYS portrayed that way,and even when she came back from the dead, except when she was being controlled by the crazy Russian who resurrected her, she has been the epitome of all that is good. Here however, she's crying, and whining, and swearing, and stomping her dainty little feet and having tantrums and swearing. Did I mention the swearing? Ordinarily I would say that Tora wouldn't even KNOW those words, but she did spend an awful lot of time with Guy, so of course she would be reluctantly familiar with the more popular forms of profanity. But using those words herself? Never. And, as nice as she is, Tora is certainly not a coward, nor does she ever shirk her duty.

So what is going on here? I think that she's being subtly influenced by Max. Max was pulling the strings with Fire in the latest issue, making her attack her comrades, but at least she was aware that she was being manipulated. Part of Max's agenda seems to be to make poor Tora the very polar opposite of her normal personality. What really confuses me, is not that Max is messing with her, but that the REST of them haven't caught on. There has been a bit of kvetching between her and Captain Shinypants, but really, you'd expect Bea to be a little less clueless, not to mention Booster. I can't really blame Jaime, since he's only met her a couple of times prior to all this mess, but still...it's pretty obvious that she's just not acting as she should be.

Is this a valid plot point? Or is Winick really that clueless himself, and it's just bad writing? Winick infuriates me at times, because he CAN write quite well, when he feels like it. I'm hoping therefore that it is a part of the plot. Which might explain this.



I've read the blurb about how Tora is supposed to go up against Fire, which is pretty ridiculous on the face of it...unless she's being manipulated. Or they BOTH are. Whatever is going on, I'm finding myself being pulled into the storyline, almost against my will. I miss my Tora, but it IS all quite interesting, and frankly, I love these particular characters so MUCH, that I'm just happy to be reading about them at all. But I certainly don't want them to all disappear at the conclusion of this series.

But I'd sure like Guy to show up and bring her to her senses. As well as coming to his own.

Bringing Beefcake Week to a Close

Well, it's been fun, and I must say that you all upheld your ends VERY well. There were some lovely examples of Beekcake plastered all over the place. And here I am posting on a Sunday, which doesn't happen all that often, but hey, I'm doing it for YOU! Because yes, I AM that altruistic.

And, to finish things off on a high note...!



Woohoo! Black Canary and Joe Gardner! Guy Gardner's evil clone. Absolutely stark nekkid. No wonder Dinah looks so happy.

It's been a lovely week.

Green Lantern #57

Oh yes, it's this cover.



Heh.

Not to fear however, it all unfolds MUCH less...expoitively...(is that a word?) in the actual pages of the book. And what a book it is! I enjoyed just the hell out of this issue.

We begin, with Hal and Larfleeze confronting a newly Hammondized Ophidian...and boy howdy is HE pissed! Apparently Larfleeze has kept him imprisoned in the lantern all this time, because he couldn't be tempted...he wants EVERYthing. Ophidian/Hammond is not happy about this and he plans to make Larfleeze suffer.



The flying pink flamingo just cracks me up. I'm glad that they didn't forget that minor but amusing plot point from the previous issue. But seriously, Hal and Larfleeze loose in Las Vegas? Only mayhem, and large amounts of it...can ensue.

And ensue it does.

Meanwhile, Carol Ferris is also in Las Vegas, on a quest for the Predator. The Star Sapphires are having trouble with their power battery. Queen Aga'po has sacrificed her beauty and life essence supposedly, in order to help things along, but the Zamarons are convinced that they need the crystal-encased corpses of Khufu and Chay-Ara in order to get the battery working again. Aga'po (and Carol) aren't so sure.

So there is Carol, out strolling the strip looking for the Predator. She runs into plenty of human jackasses, but not the particular one that she is searching for. And may I just take a moment here, to applaud Doug Mahnkeon his depiction of Carol. She's wearing pants, a simple long-sleeved shirt and sensible shoes. She's not tarted up in some mini-skirt with slits or a low-cut bodice. It...it's so REFRESHING! She does eventually change into Star Sapphire of course, but it makes sense when she does.

The Predator has taken over the body of a young man who has been mooning over a pretty waitress in a casino for quite some time. He's demonstraing borderline stalkerish tendancies, since he has a lot of pictures of her up on his wall. The Predator, looking for love, decides to move in.

And...so does Larfleeze.



Poor Carol. Having to deal with Hal, Larfleeze AND the Predator in Vegas must be like trying to control a herd of toddlers hyped up on sugar. The Predator seems glad to see Carol, but he's not particularly interested in coming quietly, and indeed seems to feel that she should be supporting him...not trying to stop him. Hal jumps in, ready to save the day, but Carol doesn't really need his help, she's doing pretty damned good on her own. Hal seems sure that the entity is evil, like Parallax or Ophidian, but she's not so sure.

The Predator does chain them up in crystal, so there is that much justification for the cover, but Carol starts to reason with it, and kisses him...much to Hal's dismay. And that's enough to break the "spell" as it where, so they all go traipsing off to Zamaron, where the other Sapphires are all set to imprison Predator in the Battery. Carol however stops them and starts to explain that it would be wrong, HE didn't corrupt the host...the host corruped HIM! Hal and the Sapphires don't understand, but Queen Aga'po does, and with her final breath, she gives the rest of her essence to the Lantern, along with the realization that the Guardians were right...they just need faith to power the battery. She also declares Carol to be the new Queen of Zamaron.

Carol is just flabberghasted, Hal is confused, the Predator seems ready to be her pet, and Larfleeze of course wants to be Queen too.

This was fabulous! It raises all kinds of new ideas and justifications, and...and things!

Great stuff.

Oh, and lest I forget.



Here is a simply spectacular shot of Hal's behind. He isn't shirtless or anything, but still...the sheer magnificence of his buttocks is mesmerizing. No wonder Carol keeps coming back!

Reviews...and a little Beefcake on the Side

Great Googally Moogally, this was a fabulous week! Not a whole lot, but still...very very nice.

We begin of course with Batman & Robin #14, and I am simply enthralled. Poor poor Damian. He may be one tough kid, but he still IS only a kid, and he's going up against the Joker. The Joker and his motives are amazing, and quite believable, all things considered. Oh, and Professor Pyg makes his triumphant return, and all sorts of nasty things are going on.

This is fabulous.

Batman: Odyssey #3. This is of course, quite ridiculous. The narration is completely over the top, and most of it doesn't make a whole lot of sense really, but the art is sensational, and oh, what the heck, I'm enjoying it thoroughly is a campy sort of way. This is what I rather expected Robinson's Justice League to be. It wasn't but I'm still having fun. Mostly I suppose, because I enjoy Batman looking like a jackass once in a while. Or more than once in a while. Ok, all of the time.

Booster Gold #36. Oh, the merry mayhem continues. They do manage to stop the planet pounder thingie, but that's because the Dark Stars had a remote with an off button. Ted lets his hormones get the best of him, with rather drastic results. He and Booster get thrown into a weird space prison with none other than Vril Dox, just before The Invasion. Just more silly fun, but I really like silly sometimes.

Green Lantern #57. This Is Great.

GREAT!

Justice League: Generation Lost #9. Oh Max, you scoundrel you. Hiding in plain sight, Max and Bea have a little discussion. Bea is not happy about it. The rest of the team is still bickering, much to Blue Beetle's dismay. I still wish that Guy would show up so that he could hang out with someone who ISN'T so cranky. Gavril is trying to get back on his feet, and Skeets is eavesdropping on Max's computer stuff, which proves unfortunate. Max gets pissed and forces Fire to flame all over the rest of them, which is certainly an unpleasant thing to do. Fortunately Capt. Atom is able to get her to cool down, while Max seems to be losing some of his powers while fighting Booster. Oh, and Max decides to recruit none other than Magog, to go after Capt. Atom.

Oh THAT's going to turn out well!

I enjoy Brightest Day, and with all of my reservations about Winick, I still find that I'm enjoying JLI:GL, mainly I suppose, because I love all of the characters so much. Well, not Captain Shinypants so much, but heck, even Atom has been tolerable in this. I also have a theory about why Tora is acting the way that she is.

Thor The Mighty Avenger #4. This book gets more adorable with every issue. Samnee's art is bright, vivid, clear and just goshdarnded CUTE!
Thor still has memory problems about exactly WHY he's on Midgard, but he's very glad to see the Warriors Three, who unfortunately for him, can't tell him why he's exiled. But they do decide to go out for a nice drink at a nice tavern in Trondheim, that they visited about 1000 years ago, and are hoping is still there. They take a wrong turn at Albuquerque and end up in England, and have a slight run-in with Captain Britain, but it all works out well.

I LOVE this!

And I haven't forgotten about Beefcake Week. There have been some simply lovely examples on various other blogs, such as Liss's "Comics Make Me Happy", Fish-Flavored Baseball and Boosterific!

This next offering is QUITE impressive!



Hoohboy! I do believe that's Spartan from WILDcats, in that crossover they did with the X-Men, way back when. Back when Greg Land could still draw. All I can say,is that's one impressive looking Android!

And the Beefcake just keeps Coming

So...so much male pulchritude. As much fun as it was to ogle Batman yesturday, today I bring you the opposite end of the spectrum.



Oh, Shirtless Booster Gold, what would be do without you. All bright and shiny and adorable.

Still More Beefcake

Arrgghh! No comics till tomorrow!

However, in order to fill in the time until then, here is yet another delicious scan. And although it hurts me to say this...Bruce is not too bad. Granted, he's no Green Lantern, but heck.



Oh...My!

More Beefcake!

Well, Beefcake is off to a roaring start. Let us continue the mayhem, with this little number.



Oh John! Shirtless and an ass shot as well!

They really should do more beefcake shots of John. He's the tallest of the four Musketeers, and has the broadest chest and shoulders, and let's just face it. John is HOT!

Beefcake Week!

You know something? It's been a long time since we've had a Beefcake/Cheescake week. In honor of the end of summer, I therefore have decided to run an entire week of male pulchritude. I may even throw in a bit of female pulchritude...although let's face it, you guys are hit in the face with that every week! Sheesh!

Please feel free to participate with scans on YOUR blogs! The more the merrier, says I.

And to start things on a high note...!



Good God, those are hideous shorts. On the other hand it IS Kyle, and he's just so goshdarned adorable, that I forgive him his lack of fashion sense.

Still Just Rambling

Yesturday was National Welsh Rarebit Day apparently. And I didn't do a thing to celebrate it, which is distressing. Seriously, how can you NOT like bread and cheese?

I'm just sitting here and listening to Arrogant Worms songs. I love the Arrogant Worms. Their music makes me just want to go to Canada. I think my favorite song may just be the Pirates of the Saskatchewan. Cracks me up.

It's also Kyle's favorite song apparently.

A Hodgepodge

I really don't have a particular theme or subject today,so basically, I'm just going to ramble.

We are getting the remnants of Hurricane Earl, here in lovely Connecticut. At least it isn't quite as hot as it was. We're inland, practically on the Massachusetts border, so all I imagine we'll see is some much-needed rain. Too bad for the poor people in the Carolinas and Virginia however.

And speaking of bad weather...every news show seems to pick some poor person to have to go and stand outside whilst the hurricane rages, battered by wind and rain and seaspray, so that we can ALL SEE HOW BAD IT IS! How do they pick the man or woman who gets THAT job? Draw straws? Musical chairs? Whomever misbehaved at the last Christmas party? I've always wondered.

I see that Burger King has been sold. There was an interesting little tidbit in the Hartford Courant this morning, and I quote:

"The proposed sale caps a tumultuous four-year stint for Burger King a a public company. The No.2 chain has characterized itself in recent years with edgy marketing that sought young, male 'superfans', who may patronize the category several times a week. While the efforts bult buzz for the brand, it ultimatly alienated just about everyone else, particularly women, minorities and senior citizens."

Heh. Oh THAT doesn't sound like the comic-book market AT ALL now does it. The geniuses in Marketing always seem to forget that old people and women LIKE TO SHOP! They either have disposable income, or in the case of a lot of women, they're the ones who pay the bills.

Harrumph.

I guess that Labor Day does signify the end of summer. Quite frankly, I'm delighted. I simply adore Fall. I can start cooking again, since it won't be too hot to eat anything but salads, and wear sweaters, and have a fire in the fireplace, and they'll start making apple cider. Summer is nice, but I hate heat and humidity, and I actually enjoy sleeping under a blanket and not having mosquitoes.

Boy, I am one heck of a kill-joy today! So here's something to cheer you all up.



Shirtless Kyle always makes ME happy.

Reviews!

Well, that was an interesting week. A small week to be sure, but what the heck.

We begin with Brightest Day #9, and boy howdy, all KINDS of interesting things are going on. In the last issue, Deadman and Dove had been whisked away by the Entity, in response to his request to be taken to Green Lantern. The Entity instead, dumped the two of them into the ocean. It WAS nice enough to plop them right in front of Aquaman and Mera. I suspect that the Entity has a slightly warped sense of humor. The four of them compare notes, and it appears that Mera may know who the kid is that they are looking for.

That kid, back in the middle of helluva rain storm in New Mexico is having himself a fine old time playing with the water...to the consternation of his father,who is afraid that someone might notice. The father also notes that perhaps it is time for...A Talk.

Cue the ominous music.

Meanwhile, poor J'onn is having a heckuva time, as he flies over the new forest in Star City and loses his powers, not to mention having his body start morphing all over the pace and settng fire to stuff. Ollie is NOT amused. The evil Martian is going shopping in the meantime, and is somehow affected as well. After a certain amount of collateral damage,Ollie does manage to haul J'onn out of there, and he decides that he'd better hightail it back to Mars

Oh, and some people decide to attack Black Manta, who probably deserves to be attacked. And Mera's sister shows up and mentions his son. And who do you suppose THAT could be?

Great art, and an interesting story, what's not to like?

Jack of Fables #47. It seems as though it has been a long time since I last read this, but it's always nice to see. I hope I didn't miss an issue inadvertently, since the little wooden owl now has a gold body, and he and Jack are on an asteroid, and Jack has an eye-patch and a sombrero for some reason. Supposedly the two of them are going to retire, but Jack wants to fight a dragon first. Uh oh.

Meanwhile the fair librarians are chasing down a bookseller in that pocket universe, where the transplanted fables aren't necessarily completely satisfied with their lot in life. Oh, and Gary and Dragon Jack are still hanging out, not to mention Babe the little blue ox.

Weird but fun.

Jonah Hex #59 is fabulous as usual. The Grey Ghost shows up, there is a standoff between renegade brothers, Hex is aiming for a bounty and a LOT of people get shot. So, a typical Hex tale. But still...and enjoyable Hex tale.

JSA-All Stars #10. This is ok, I guess. Reanimated gods show up in Parador, and there's a lot of mayhem. I'm REALLY reading it for the wonderful second story with Liberty Belle, Hour Man, Tigress and Icicle, because that's a great story, and lots and lots of fun. Heck, they should give the four of them their own book, because I would buy it and I would read it.

Prince of Power, #4 of 4, is a part of the Heroic Age from Marvel, and continues the quest of Amadeus Cho, and Thor as they search for Hercules. I think that this actually came out last week, but I missed it, and I'm glad that I was able to find it, because it has Delphyne getting back together with Cho, and quite frankly, I find the two of them to be a delightful couple. And Loki Jr. gets his...and oh what the heck, just get it, because it is lots of fun.

Secret Six #25. Well! Bane and Jeanette's team is out hunting down one half of a divorcing couple, and do their best to...persuade him to hand over the kids and money. Heh. Meanwhile, Deadshot has a heart-to-heart talk with the oncologist who is treating Black Alice's father and persuades him to tell her that she had nothing to do with Daddy's cancer. This is actually a nice thing for Deadshot to do, but he does it in the usual Deadshot sort of way, which involves a lot of threats.

Spysmasher shows up to recruit Bane and Jeanette's team but is disappointed not to see Deadshot and company. And the same thing happens to Scandal's team. Oh, and Catman is a bit wonky and needs some SERIOUS therapy.

They all end up on a mysterious island, being attacked by giant bird/dinosaur/things, and it is going to be simply wonderful. And poor Giganta mentions that she's dating the Atom, at which point Dwarfstar starts giggling hysterically. I can't hardly WAIT until she finds out what he had done to poor Ryan...and what she's going to do about it. I'm rather fond of Giganta for some reason.

Wonderful...as usual.

I also picked up Thor: For Asgard, #l of six, because I simply could not resist the flagrant phallic look of the cover, by Simon Bianchi. I will say that the art is gorgeous...but still, it's a rather confusing book. Odin is off somewhere, Thor is running things, they are killing hostages, and Fimbulwinter is in its second year, and there aren't any golden apples, and things appear to be going to Ragnarok in a handbasket. It all just jumps into the middle of things, so if you haven't picked up a Thor book, or aren't in the least bit familiar with Norse Mythology, you aren't going to have a CLUE as to what is happening.

Pretty art though.

Well I'll Be!

I went to post yesturday, and noticed that there was a "Stats" tab, which I hadn't noticed before. Since I am NOT the most observant of people, I am wondering if this is new or if I have just been oblivious for a while. Probably the latter.

So...I bravely clicked onto the "Stats" thingie, and lo and behold...it had all kinds of interesting information! I just discovered that I have some readers in Sweden, Nigeria and Australia! I had no idea! What nice people!

Most of you are either here through Firefox, or Internet Explorer, which made perfect sense, but there were some other search thingies that I had never even heard of.

There were some pretty reasonable search phrases, such as "Green Lantern" and "butts" for some reason. And typing in "Batman punches Guy Gardner" will CERTAINLY bring you to my little corner of the blogoverse. But "Green Lantern Hentai"? I don't read Manga, but I'm pretty sure that I'm NOT into tentacles...or...or whatever.

Still. It's nice to know that so many nice people share my Emerald Fanny Fetish. So...as a reward...



...heh.