Hal Pictures Green Lantern Butt's FOREVER!: July 2011

Green Lantern Butt's FOREVER!

Now with Guy Gardner's Seal of Approval!

Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Interview

Wow, I'm posting on a Sunday! But I'm just bursting with pride and egomania. A while back, Stefan Mesch contacted me about doing an interview. He has a blog in Germany, and covers all kknds of fabulous things. He wanted me to give him some views about the Green Lantern Movie, which just came out in Germany, and we began exchanging e-mails, and had ourselves just a fine old time.

Anyway.

The article is up now, and you can read it at http://stefanmesch.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/interview-sally-pascale-comic-reader-feminist-blogger-and-the-internets-most-outspoken-green-lantern-fan/. Or you can go over to DC Women Kicking Ass, because she also had the incredible good taste to link it.

He really worked very long and hard and did an INSANE amount of research, and posted an unbelievable number of links and such. And I'm feeling terribly honored and a tiny bit smug.

Stefan has also requested that you comment if you are interested, because let's all be hones...who doesn't love comments?

And I swear, I will really get to my Green Lantern reviews. I swear.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Tea Parties are for Children

Normally, I would be gushing over the latest two Green Lantern books right about now, but I occasionally look up from my comic book obsession and actually notice what is going on with the world...and right now, things are looking...grim.

It is time...no it is PAST time, for the Tea Party to stop pouting, and for the Republican party to remember that they work for the whole Country...and not just for a vocal and obstreperous minority, and to stop the game of brinkmanship and just pass the damn debt ceiling! Why is this even a problem? It's been done hundreds of times in the past, and is just one of the means of doing business. Yes, I think that it is a good thing for the Country as a whole, to pull back a bit, and stop just pouring out money. Closing tax loopholes, and having the Bush givebacks ended is a good start. Reducing expenditures is another, we really can't afford $800 toilet seats for the military anymore. But bringing the country to its figurative knees is no way to do things.

Politics is not for the faint of heart. Nor for rank amateurs. There are a lot of people saying we should throw out the bums,and start with people who aren't politicians, or let businessmen run things. God, that's the LAST thing we should do! You can't run a country like a business, and whenever some hotshot CEO comes in and starts blustering that he or she would balance the budget and run it the way that they ran THEIR business, I get nervous. You can't fire congress, and you can't do all the things that moguls do...it just doesn't work that way. It is rough and tumble, and more than anything it is the art of compromise...an art that seems lost on the Tea Party crew and their partners in crime.

The Republicans, an old and formerly respected political party has apparently sold its soul to the Tea Party, and have not gotten a lot in return except a whole lot of headaches. This bunch of freshmen really don't have a clue...and seem to be priding themselves on that fact. A good political deal, is one that leaves both sides, slightly disappointed...and yet the work gets done, the bills are passed, and the whole thing lumbers along.

You cannot come in, and start stamping your little feet and threatening to hold your breath if you don't get your way. It is childish. It is puerile. It is close to insanity. And this whole situation has been self-inflicted, which makes it all the more galling. The Republican Party AND the Democratic Party are beholden to Big Business, to make the whole thing run smoothly...and I really can't imagine that Wall Street is particularly happy at the way that things are being run, what with the stock market going back into the toilet,and our AAA rating being reduced, and none of it needed to have happened, except that somebody had "principals". In the immortal words of Dorothy Sayers, the first thing that a principal does is kill someone. Standing up for what you believe in is a wonderful thing...but not when it has the impact that it is having on millions and millions of people.

I'm not holding the Democrats as being completely blameless...they are past masters of the art of screwing things up...but in this particular case, I think that they are actually being the more mature of the parties. At the best of times, Politics is a delicate dance...and we have a bunch of clodhoppers fouling things up. So grow up, wipe your runny noses, and knock it off...or you should be sent to your rooms without any dessert.

Sheesh!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Thursdays Reviews

Egad, but that was one lovely week. So...many...books! And much Green Lanterny goodness besides.

Fables #107 was actually a bit of a departure from the regular run of stories, concerning our heroes and heroines from Fable Town and the Farm. This issue concerns itself with several Would-Be Emperors trying to fill in the void left in the homelands, by the defeat of the Adversary. Key to all of this is none other than Sleeping Beauty, who is still snoozing away in the middle of the castle...along with all the bureaucrats and servants of the Adversary. The ruses, tricks and scheming is a lot of fun, and it turns out that there are actually TWO beautiful sleeping ladies!
I'm looking forward to seeing where this story is going, and that is always a good thing.

Flashpoint: Hal Jordan #2

Ok, I actually did enjoy this. Hal is talking to Abin Sur, and apparently thinks that the pink alien is something of a showboat, which made me grin from ear to ear. Meanwhile at Ferris Tom and Hector...as in Hector Hammond are working on a secret weapon. The Amazons show up in their invisible planes to attack, and naturally, Hal and Carol fight them off...they AND their dragon! Hal does manage to reap a bit of glory, and he's just SO happy.

This was fun in a weird sort of way.

Green Arrow #14.

Ollie continues to fight against the good Reverend Miggs...who is actually anything BUT good, teamed up with that cranky police Detective Donovan. Weird stuff continues to happen, and Batman just happens to show up with some really AWESOME arrows, that he made for Ollie, to that he can compete with the extremely high tech weaponry being used. It's a decent story, nothing too outrageous, and we all know that it will presumably end in a month or so...and then Ollie suddenly will look a whole lot like Conner Hawke for some reason.

Retroactive: Green Lantern

I have to admit it...I'm loving the Retroactive books. Maybe because it is a throwback to a more innocent time, when people didn't get dismembered every other issue, and characters that I loved were all STILL ALIVE AND KICKING! It's a story of Ollie AND Hal of course...Ollie is having problems dealing with the fact that he accidentally shot a guy,and now he's being stalked by someone who is shooting arrows into people that HE likes. Hal in the meantime has his own problems, including coming across another pink alien who looks JUST like Abin Sur, but is actually only a relative, who crash lands on earth, but can't quite remember why. The stories are earnest, in that Denny O'Neil sort of way, and the art by Mike Grell is awfully pretty, and what the heck...a trip down memory lane is always fun.

Green Lantern Corps #62.

Oh Kyle, Kyle, Kyle.

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #12

Guy gets the job done, but at a cost.

Gotham City Sirens #25.

You know, Selina, perhaps you shouldn't have sold out your gal pals quite so quickly. Ivy isn't in the mood to be forgiving, and Harley...well Harley is a little cuckoo at the moment. This wasn't bad...it's all coming to an end soon too, when the three of them will go their separate ways...Catwoman will go off and be dirty and sexy sexy and sexy...Ivy apparently joins the Birds of Prey, which has my mind completely boggled...and Harly takes her clothes off and joins the Suicide Squad for some reason.

*sigh*

Retroactive: Justice League of America

Ok, this was a hoot from the start to the end, with a bit of the forth wall, and using alternate earths, and Julius Schwartz, amnesia, Adam Strange AND Kanjar Ro. Hawkman! Barry as the Flash, Hal as the Green Lantern, Ollie, Wonder Woman, Red Tornado and Zatanna minus her top hat. It is ridiculous...and oh, so much fun.

Justice Society of America #53

This is considerably less fun. There is a hidden civilization hidden beneath Monument City, or whatever it's called, and the JSA is poking around with the help of the Challengers of the Unknown, except naturally they end up unleashing whatever it was that was...well...leashed. It's actually a bit better than it has been, and I'm STILL going to miss these characters terribly, when they get put on the shelf in a month or so.

Retroactive: Superman

Another one that is a lot of fun. We have Lois, Lana, a LOT of villains, Mxyzptlk, MORE vilains, and Superman having a hissy fit. Oh, and the Bottle City of Kandor, and Supergirl thrown in for good measure. And although Lois isn't married to Clark, and doesn't know that he is Superman, they are still OBVIOUSLY together! Superman is also not brooding. Although he IS awfully cranky for Superman. Again...a lot of fun.

Wonder Woman #613

Good grief, this is starting to drag. At least we now know how Diana ended up where she did, because Nemesis split her REAL self and absorbed her, except for her innocence or...or something. It's a bit...convolute. Which is like saying that water is wet. They fight a lot, and STILL haven't come to a conclusion, which presumably will be next month. Nice to see the old duds however.

More...naturally, on the Green Lanterns.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Ouch!

Stupid slightly less hot weather! Last evening, I decided that after a week of eating salad and tuna fish, perhaps with the rather less revolting heat, I would actually COOK for dinner. So, while sauteeing some fresh summer squash and zucchini out of the garden, in butter, it got too hot, and there was water on the squash, and it spattered, and I ended up with a rather nasty burn on my hand. My RIGHT hand. All blistered and icky, and now I can't draw, till it heals.

Rats!

This is why I shouldn't cook, apparently. Nevertheless, it WAS delicious. So anyway, here is a picture I did before I was stupid.

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I don't THINK I've put this one up before, but sometimes it gets hard to remember. Ah, the halcyon days before Hal went nuts.

Friday, July 22, 2011

War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath #1

After the slightly mind-boggling ending to Green Lantern, I have to admit that I was looking forward to the epilogue with great anticipation. And, with a few caveats, I must say that I was NOT disappointed.

We begin with a repeat of Hal's abrupt arrival back on earth, right in front of a nice State Trooper. At least Hal will be able to get a ride home! I worry about these sorts of things. When the Trooper asks him who he is, Hal just mumbles "...nobody. I'm nobody now." At least he has a job at Ferris Air, and a family who loves him, so I'm not crying TOO much for Hal.

Then there is a rather nice shot of Oa...with the bits and pieces of Mogo orbiting it. Poor Mogo...I really don't understand why you can't have a couple of Blue Lanterns just put him back together again.

But the REAL fun, is on Oa, where the Guardians are having a hissy fit over the fact that Hal managed to kill Krona. Not a word of pity or gratitude to the Lanterns who risked their lives, or died for them. This bunch of Guardians are the meanest, most selfish douchebags in the Universe. There. I've said it. And what is REALLY interesting, is that a whole lot of Green Lanterns are saying the exact same thing! Unprecedented really.

Kilowog is absolutely furious, not only that they canned Hal, but that they brought Sinestro in! You remember Sinestro...he destroyed Kilowog's ENTIRE PLANET! The Guardians response to Kilowog? Basically..."man up, you big baby!"
That's when the REST of the Lanterns start pointing out a few home truths to their Masters Vath points out that Krona was one of them...so why couldn't they protect their Lanterns from him? And Hannu also points out that it ALWAYS takes a Human Lantern to save the Guardians from their own stupidity. The Guardians are being even MORE snarky...so Lanterns start resigning en masse...lead by Kilowog.

Good job Guardians! You've managed to piss off your entire corps! Who is going to save you from the Bad Guys NOW? Even Soranik steps in and says that Sinestro is a monster. Kyle tries to intervene and she tells him to bug off, which rather startles him. Heck, even Sinestro is bemused by all of this, and doesn't necessarily WANT to have a Green ring. Salaak steps in before things get TOO out of hand, and notices that ALL of the Lanterns are suffering from a certain amount of Post Distress Syndrome...probably not unnusual considering what they have been put through, and wisely cautions everyone to calm down a little bit before they all start walking out. The Guardians thank him...and then thank him some more by going into the citadel and slamming the door in his face.

Wankers.

Meanwhile Ganthet is suffering on his own. He wants to go and try and comfort the Lanterns, but he's worried that they'll just see him as a Guardian. Then St. Walker shows up, which surprises Ganthet a bit, since the Guardians had unceremoniously sent all the various Emotional entities on their way. But heck, Ganthet IS the founder of the Blue Lanterns, so St. Walker manages to heal his missing right hand, with the help of a vision of Sayd. It was rather nice actually to SEE Sayd, she's been missing in action for quite some time. Ganthet is happy to have his hand back, but realizes that he REALLY misses Sayd. See? If a Blue Lantern can grow a Guardians hand back, putting Mogo back together should be child's play.

Next, a trio of disgruntled Green Lanterns show up as John Stewart is talking about getting Oa put back together again. They aren't particularly HAPPY with John... and really who can blame them. They're getting all up in John's face, when Kyle shows up and gets everyone to take a step back a bit. Naturally John gets tempers flaring again, when he insists that killing Mogo was the right thing to do, and to just piss off. Kyle says that he was possessed by the indigo ring, and that it was actually a Black Lantern John that killed Mogo. This gives the others pause, but John isn't the least bit grateful to Kyle and that he doesn't need any help, and Kyle is a pussy, and not his friend...or words to that effect. So...Kyle flies off. Man, John is being almost as big an idiot as the Guardians. Granted, maybe he didn't have any other choice than to kill Mogo, but he could at least show a little bit of regret about it, instead of insisting that the rest of them are weaklings, and that he was totally totally justified, and that he'd do it again in a minute.

Sheesh!

Finally, Soranik is in the infirmary, trying to help some of the wounded, and comforting one of the new Lanterns...the ones that were recruited by Mogo. Most of them have realized that this is NOT the sort of thing that they really want to do, and they just want to go home, and try to get on with their lives...and who can blame them? Then Hannu and some of the others show up and want Soranik to help them. She thinks that they want her to help look for Hal, and tells them that she's busy and has aleady turned down Guy, who already asked. But they are more worried about the Guardians, and have Lantern Meadlux along. He's an empath, and he can read the emotions of the Guardians.

They're afraid. They're DEEPLY afraid. In fact they're terrified...of Hal, and of the rest of the corps. Big babies. The Lanterns are worried that the Corps is on the brink of destruction because of the Guardians fear...so they want to break into the Citadel and execute Sinestro. Because that's always gone SO well in the past.

Well! Food for thought indeed. I loved the story by Tony Bedard. Iwas a little less enamored of the artwork by Miguel Sepulveda and Tyler Kirkham. I'm not sure who was responsible for the first half of the book and who did the second half, but their styles were quite different. Some of it was rather nice, but man, they sure can't do women. Soranik and Arisia were about ready to bust out of their costumes, and it was a bit freaky. I' so used to fabulous art in the Green Lantern books, that I was taken aback a bit.

Still...I am waiting with bated breath for the second half of this...because I finally want to see the Guardians get their MUCH deserved comeuppance. It's going to be hard to run the Green Lantern Corps...with just Sinestro...and I don't think that even Sinestro wants to hang around this sorry bunch of immortal losers.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Thursday's Reviews

Now, this wasn't a bad week...not a bad week at all.

Firstly, we have Cinderella: Fables are Forever #6. And so we come to the final, and most satisfying conclusion of the story of Cinderella, Spy Extraordinare, vs. Dorothy Gale, Assassin-For-Hire. It's as fun as can be, Cinderella uses her brain, Dorothy gets her just desserts and Cindy walks off with a little extra goodie as well. Good good stuff.

Retroactive: The Flash.

Ok, I wasn't too sure about all the Retroactive books coming out at first, but this is just plain goofy fun. Written by Cary Bates, and drawn by Benito Gallego and Sal Buscema of all people. We have Gorilla Grodd coming up with a particularly bizarre form of revenge against the Flash that involves gorilla/human cross-breeding, infertility, motherly love, and accelerated aging. It's all good! Plus there's a nice little real story from the 70's involving Barry and Superman that is fun too.

War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath. Well!

Justice League of America #59

Eclipso is just so happy, he could plotz, because he's killed EVERYBODY, and the entire Universe has come to an end. Oh, but Bruce Gordon is still around, at least psychically so that Eclipso has someone to gloat to. But it's all a ruse, they MADE Eclipso THINK that he'd killed everybody, while Mikaal and the Atom went into the Shade's brain and burned out the mind-whammy-jammy that Eclipso had put on him. And just in time for this new mini-series that will be coming out in October! The day is saved, and everybody is back to normal, more or less, and Jade and Obsidian can now be in the same room without destroying the Universe...a plot device for which I am extremely grateful. It would have made Christmas just...so awkward. Oh, and they even put the moon back together, which is a good thing. It would have been so cool if Alan wrote C H A I R on it however.

So...not bad, not bad at all.

Power Girl #26.

I dropped this like a rock, when Winick took over, but this particular issue is by Matthew Sturges, and it is actually rather charming. Peej shows up at a comic convention, mainly so that the money raised can go to charity, and ends up facing a phalanx of women and girls ALL dressed up like her. One fan in particular is quite...pushy, and ends up trying to steal Kara's powers ostensibly so that she can save her planet, but really, just because she's selfish and wants the powers for herself. They ALL end up getting blasted into space, and stuff happens, and naturally the other cosplayers band together and use their powers for good, and all of that.

The art is cute, the story is cute, the cover is so cute that I just may explode.

Tiny Titans #42.

It took a while, but I've finally started picking this up because it is the only form of the Titans that I can actually stand. And gosh, they're just too adorable for words.

Retroactive: Wonder Woman

Written by Denny O'Neil and drawn by J. Bone. This is a lot of fun as well. Diana jumps out of a plane, expecting to land on Paradise Island, which is rapidly sinking into the ocean. She's not very happy, and goes down to see what the heck is going on, and ends up talking to an alien cube that says she's gravely sinned, and has to perform three feats of atonement...or something. Diana is less than enthusiastic about this, but since the consequences of her failing is the destruction of her home and friends, she goes along with it. And she doesn't have her Amazon strength, just the snazzy Kung Fu skills she had when she was running around in that white outfit. It's all pretty absurd, but what the heck it was fun.

And there is also another real tale from the 70's, involving I Ching. Egad.

Sergio Aragones Funnies

I was in the mood for some lighthearted fare this week, and I certainly got it. This is, quite naturally, hilarious.

It's actually rather a fun week! Enjoy it before all the doom and gloom of September, when Clark gets broody and loses Lois, and Hawkman is savage, and Batman yells at Damian, and Tim Drake wears the World's Worst Costume.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Too...Hot.

Bleh. The nasty little heat wave that has been sweltering in the rest of the country has caught up with us. And people are responding in the most peculiar ways. Mainly by shedding extra clothing.

This is fine, as far as it goes. Nothing wrong with wearing shorts and a t-shirt when it is in the 90's. But please people...a certain level of decorum is really required in some situations.

A gentleman came into my store to buy some tires. He was wearing shorts and flip flops. At first I thought he had a sweater on, which seemed rather odd, but then I realized that he HAD NO SHIRT, and that IT WAS HIS CHEST AND SHOULDER AND BACK HAIR!

Gahhhhh!!!

My eyes! It BURNS!

I'm going to go and read comic books and try to get that image out of my brain.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Great Guardians!

Well...actually let me amend that phrase. Because as of late...the Guardians of the Universe are actually NOT...that great. In fact, they are pretty piss poor examples of omnipotence, to put it bluntly. I used to actually...sort've...LIKE the Guardians. Yes, they were short and blue, and had no fashion sense, but gosh darn it, they were just a little bit adorable. And they had been around for umpteen billions of years, and had, after a few false starts, apparently...created the Green Lantern Corps, and by Cracky, I just LOVE me some Green Lanterns. They also seemed to actually be looking out for the best interests of the Universe, enforcing Law and Order throughout the cosmos, and all that jazz.

Lately however...well...they've been falling down on the job something fierce. After Rebirth, after Recharge, after the Sinestro Corps War, after the idiocy of the Alpha Lanterns, after Blackest Night, after the most recent kerfuffle, the War of the Green Lanterns...their numbers keep dwindling, and they keep GETTING STUPIDER! They get their tiny blue asses saved over and over and over again. Do they express gratitude? No...they do not. Their attitude is..."What have you done for me lately?" And Lately, was two minutes ago, when Hal killed Krona, their oldest and most feared foe. But instead of being happy, that Krona was (probably) out of their hair, they immediately went into the hissiest of hissy fits.

Why you may ask? They had programmed the rings so that they (the Guardians) could never be killed by their own creation...the Green Lantern Corps. When Hal managed to accomplish this particular feat, they were NOT amused. In fact, they were quaking in their tiny blue shoes.

The requirement for being a Green Lantern (besides having a fabulous ass) is that the wearer of the Ring, is able to overcome Great Fear. Countless species throughout the cosmos have been able to accomplish this feat, and to wield their willpower in the name of the Corps. But the Guardians themselves, have been riddled with fear...ever since Hal came back, and the Corps was re-established. They keep making the same stupid mistakes, and they keep failing to trust in their own people. The Guardians obviously are NOT able to overcome Great Fear. Therefore, in my humble opinion, they are NOT worthy of being Green Lanterns...and they CERTAINLY are not worthy of running the whole show! The only thing they seem cabable of caring about is their own miserable azure hides.

I hope...I REALLY hope, that sooner or later (preferably sooner) these adorable little moppets will get what's coming to them. Hard.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Back in One Piece

Well, that was quite the weekend! We marched in the Deep River Muster, in Deep River, Ct., which is only one of the BIGGEST if not THE biggest fife & drum corp muster in the country. It was hot, but not not nearly as muggy as last year, and this time, I put those cool gel inserts in my dainty shoes, so that my feet weren't ready to give out after two miles. We also introduced...the Drumerater. We've always had beer on tap...because that's just how our corps rolls...but THIS year, they created what looked like a large bass drum, complete with wood trim, ropes, and our logo...oh, and a tap for Sam Adams Summer Wheat ale. Needless to say, we were the hit of the muster.

I'm tired, slightly hung over, and have a bit of a sunburn, but it's nice to be back blogging. Except for the fact that I don't have a single idea in my silly head. And you know what THAT means of course.

Pictures!

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Oh you two! We may not be seeing this sort of thing for a while, unless Hal decides to go all Parallaxy again. Of course Sinestro is a Green Lantern now. Still...they just can't seem to help themselves.

Oh, and Hal's torn costume doesn't hurt either.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Green Lantern #67

And here we...finally...had the conclusion to the War of the Green Lanterns. I had high expectations going into this, and a LOT of pent up desire, since it was a month late. So...were my expectations realized? Yes indeedy...and THEN some!

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As usual, the artwork by Doug Mahnke was sublime. They were even smart enough not to clutter up that pretty pretty splash page with any dialogue or captions, with the exception of one little "Oa" at the very top.

So, we have the newly freed Green Lantern Corps, not to mention all of our favorite Earth Lanterns, squaring up against Krona and his possessed Guardians. The various Emotional Entities that have possessed the Guardians aren't giving up without a fight, and Krona still can't quite understand why everyone is mad at him. Isn't he providing the Guardians with their much-needed comeuppance? Isn't he trying to right any number of ancient wrongs? He...he actually has a POINT!

Hal, for a change actually uses his brains, and realizes that for the Entities to give up their hosts, they need to GO somewhere so he hauls Kyle over to the Book of the Black, and has him "draw" Sinestro, Carol and the rest...out of the Book. It is a rather elegant solution really, and Kyle comes through, as you knew that he would. Once Sinestro, Carol, Larfleeze and the rest are freed, off go the rings, to rejoin their erstwhile hosts. The rings are just about to fly onto some waiting fingers, when suddenly, they are all overridden.

Who would have the power needed to accomplish that? Why none other than Krona, who takes ALL of the rings for himself, so that he can beat the crap out of Ganthet. Then he goes after Hal, and continues to argue his case against the Guardians. Hal however, doesn't go along with him however, he's not fighting FOR the Guardians, he's fighting for the Ideals of the Corps...and the potential that the Corps has. Somehow, what Hal is saying strikes a chord in Sinestro, who has had a lot of time to think while trapped in the Book.

Krona is closing in for the kill with Hal, when he's jumped from behind by a ringless Sinestro, who declares that Hal would die for the Corps...and so would he. And then a very astonishing thing happens. Krona has Sinestro chained up next to Hal, when a little green voice proclaims that "Thaal Sinestro of Korugar has the ability to overcome great fear."

And suddenly, Sinestro is welcomed back into the Green Lantern Corps!

He looks quite surprised by it all, and actually stands there stammering for a minute, while Hal tells him to just fight, and they do. Krona is gloating of course, and does the usual villain monologuing, he's immortal and all-powerful and blah blah blah...but Hal has finally had enough and summons up ALL of his Willpower...and Krona is blown into itty bitty Krona pieces, which also releases all the Emotional Entities, and they fly back towards their chosen masters.

Atrocitus is particularly pissed, since HE wanted to be the one to kill Krona. I have a feeling that the little bargain he and Guy made with Atrocitus is going to come back and bite at least Ganthet in his tiny blue behind. Indigo, whose name turns out to actually be Iroque, is demanding to know where Abin Sur is, until the ring flies onto her finger, and it's Nok-time. Unbelievably, Larfleeze doesn't WANT the Orange ring, but he doesn't have much choice, and then it's "Mine!" St. Walker is Blue again, and Carol is back to being a Star Sapphire, oh, and the Guardians are free, and eveyone is standing around looking at each other sideways, and wondering what to do.

And then there's Sinestro. This is...a little awkward to say the least. And then, the Guardians, those happy little blue munchkins, their asses saved ONCE AGAIN by the Earth Lanterns, bustle forward, and immediately send all of the various Emotional Entities on their way, without a word of thanks. Guardians are real dicks.

Then...they turn their attention to Hal. Are they grateful that he helped to save them? To save the entire Corps? To defeat their greatest enemy, Krona? They Are Not. They are pissed beyond belief that he actually had the balls to summon up enough Willpower to kill a Guardian. Seriously, that's their first thought. So all the good that he has done over and over, means nothing, because he somehow managed to off one of them...in order to SAVE them, and they immediately strip him of his ring, and boot him out.

And poor Hal is left alone and ringless and powerless in the middle of a desert in the middle of the night, with a stunned look of complete disbelief on his face, and saying that "...this isn't how it's supposed to end".

Well!!!

I'll be damned! I pretty much figured out that Sinestro might make it back to the Corps, there has been a fair amount of sympathetic treatment going on, and let's be frank here, Sinestro is a pretty fabulous character. Whether or not, he has exorcised his personal demons enough to become a Green Lantern again...whether he'll be accepted by the REST of the Corps remains to be seen. I would imagine that he's not going to be sitting down in the Oa cafeteria and having lunch with Soranik or Kyle any time soon. And it opens up a huge can of worms concerning his little OTHER club...aka the Sinestro Corps. Somehow I don't think that they'll all go quietly into that Good Night. It should be interesting to say the least.

But I honestly didn't see Hal's little predicament happening. I don't for a moment consider that it is going to be particularly permanent...not with his movie out, and with him showing up in all of the Justice League covers...but still! Hal himself seems awfully perplexed, not to mention shocked.

And why wouldn't he be shocked? Everything has always come pretty damned easily for Hal Jordan. He's quit the Corps and rejoined the Corps any number of times. Opportunities are handed to him on a silver platter. He has the esteem of his peers, and literally gets away with just about anything. Kill his friends and try to restart the Universe? It wasn't his fault, a Fear Bug made him do it, and all of his old buddies turned out to be alive afterall. Take back Guy's ring, and the guardianship of Earth, and kick poor Guy out of the Corps for no other reason than he felt entitled? Well, now the boots on the other foot, isn't it, Hal? At least you still have your eye, and no broken bones, it's not like you're in a coma for heaven's sake.

Guy picked himself up, went out by himself, and managed to get new powers...twice. How are YOU going to handle being ringless and powerless, Hal? You've got a lot of friends to help you, which Guy certainly didn't. I'm sure that Barry and Ollie and the rest will be falling over themselves to give you a hand. And sooner or later...probably by next Tuesday, something will happen to threaten the Guardians, and the big cry-babies, will be calling you name all over again.

Seriously, something has to be done about the Guardians. They aren't fit to be in charge of ANYthing at this point. All they do is cry and be afraid and screw up the Universe...over and over and over. They never learn from their mistakes, they have NO capacity for forgiveness or gratitude and the sooner we get rid of them the better, the little jerks.

But for Hal...I love Hal, but I have to admit that I'm a tiny bit happy to see him have a little bit of adversity to overcome for a change. It will be fun to see how he does.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Thursday's Reviews

Well! This was a very very interesting week. A fairly good week to boot.

Let us begin with Birds of Prey #14.

I wanted to like this, I really did. The story has Zinda, aka Lady Blackhawk teaming up with the original Phantom Lady, aka Sandra Knight. Black Canary is there as well, more or less filling in for her mother, and the rest of the birds are in mufti. They visit a Gotham City Veteran's Hospital Charity Auction, and give some comfort to some old soldiers. Kate Spencer shows up, as well she should. There is a flashback to a time post World War II, where Zinda isn't time-lost, and Phantom Lady is hawt, and the original Black Canary are flying into Argentina, to find some old Nazi Doctor, and wind up being attacked by some incredibly blond Hitler youth.

Then we are back in the present, and first old Phantom Lady and then Zinda end up being captured, then Dinah goes looking for them, and guess what? All those blond young boys are now crabby old men...but still Nazis. It's not a bad story, per se...but god the art is just dreadful, which rather surprised me. It's by Billy Tucci and Adriana Melo, and I remember Adriana Melo's artwork from the exquisitly beautiful work she did with Kyle Rayner, back during the Sinestro Corps War...so I'm blaming all of this mess on Billy Tucci. The art just took me right out of the story, with the sway backs, thrusting bosoms, giant lips and so on and so forth. And would it be too much to ask, to have Sandra Knight drawn as an OLD LADY??? She looks like she's twenty, except with gray hair. Please. I don't care how fabulous your underwear is, you're not going to look like this when you're seventy or so.

I really really hope this improves.

Booster Gold #46.

Booster is having one helluva day. He's still fighting Doomsday, who is not under the alternate universe's Captain Shinypant's control anymore, and naturally, Booster is getting his ass kicked. Fortunately for him, Alexandria shows up, the girl that he met last issue, and she has this Rogue-like ability to touch someone and absorb their powers. I'm not quite sure why touching Booster would allow her to use HIS powers, since they are actually mechanical in origin, but what the hey. Booster does his best to fight, Doomsday isn't quite up to his usual standards of mayhem, and even puts the control helmet back onto the slightly befuddled villain, thus giving the evil Captain Shinypants control again. Too bad for Booster that Captain Shinypants is a real douche.

This was modestly fun, I always enjoy Booster, and he's just having one heck of a time here.

Green Lantern #67

Wow! I did not see that coming. Well, I saw some of it coming, but more on that anon.

Green Lantern Corps #61

This is during the aftermath of Green Lantern, but it is ok to read it, it doesn't give anything away other than the fact that John survives. Practically all of the Lanterns who were chosen during Mogo's last little hissy fit, are giving up their tings, realizing that they aren't really worthy of them. I find this a little hard to believe, but let's go with it. One young woman however, who was a cop on her planet feels that she actually deserves a shot. She goes and asks some advice from John, which is apparently a brave move on her part, since everyone else is giving him the coldest of cold shoulders. Really, John this habit you have of blowing up perfectly nice planets has Got To Stop!

The go off to her new sector, and have to contront a problem between two completely different cultures, who have been forced to live together, and naturally the brash rookie uses violence right off the bat, which leads to an escalation of the carnage, and John has to step in, and resolve things diplomatically. It ends with the Rookie in awe of his John Stewartliness.

I'm glad that John is back to being a Green Lantern again, and still even has his Honor Guard status, since Compassion certainly wasn't doing much for him. This is basically as much of a filler as the Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors book was...perfectly adequate, and a nice enough story, but not quite up to the "Omigosh" ness of Green Lantern.

Journey Into Mystery #625.

I haven't been reading the whole "Fear Itself" storyline over at Marvel. I keep getting confused, and thinking that it sounds like it should be about Sinestro or something. However, I HAVE been picking up JIM, because it features the adventures of Baby Loki, and man oh MAN, I just love me some Baby Loki. He's up to some of his old tricks of course, but there is a youthful...nay even innocent...zest to all of his shenanigans. He's also lacking the malice that used to be behind his dealings, so it is a lot of fun to watch him deal with Hela, Mephisto AND the tongue of the Serpent, not to mention the Helwolf, and manage to stay one step ahead of all of them. This is really really a good book.

Have fun with YOUR books!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Oh, Sweet Sweet Wednesday

It's slightly cooler, and an altogether completely lovely day, to take a ride to my beloved local Comic Book Store. There was a fair amount of talk about the upcoming books in September, and the feeling seems to be cautious optimism...with a fair amount of healthy skepticism. We also discussed DC's braindead attitude towards attracting new customers, but only gearing the books to the same OLD fan base. When I pointed out that I was neither 18 years old, nor male, but still loved comics, there was a lot of laughter, and several of the other guys pointed out that they might be male, but they sure as heck weren't 18 either. The cameraderie was lovely.

But there is ONE thing that has caught my eye, and made me lust for October.

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Ohhhhhh...I will be in Heaven. That cover is lovely, and the list of artists is even more lovely. And James Robinson of course, will be writing, and however much I may think that he's slipped a bit as of late, if there is one character that Mr. Robinson was born to write, it is the Shade.

Oh Joy!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Hot

Man it's hot. Really hot. At least for us pampered New Englanders. I understand that in the south and west it's super MEGA hot. Bleh.

In fact it is much too hot to think. So enjoy this instead.

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It's just Booster looking adorable. As if he could look any other way!

Saturday, July 09, 2011

So, What Else is New?

I have not been reading the new Marvel cross-over, Fear Itself, or whatever the heck it is called. I have been picking up Journey into Mystery, because it has baby Loki in it, and really, who can resist that? Also Volstagg shows up a lot, which is also nice.

But other than that...no. Besides, it seems to just be more of the same old stuff. They killed off Bucky again. That seems pointless. They went to all the trouble of bringing him back, and turning him into the Winter Soldier, and frankly, he was actually...cool. Then they "killed" Steve Rogers, and turned Bucky into the new Captain America, but now they apparently want Steve back as Cap, which is fine, but then they probably shouldn't have killed him in the FIRST place, and we'd still have Cap AND Bucky.

Pant, pant.

But hey, gotta sell those comics. So...apparently the point of all this is that something...SOMETHING is causing the populace of the Marvel universe to Fear and Hate their Heroes! Oh My God! How very unprecedented!

Excuse me for asking, but how in the world is this any different from any average Tuesday in the Marvel Universe? With a few exceptions EVERYONE in the Marvel Universe hates and fears their heroes! That's their Schtick as it were. In the Marvel Universe, pretty much everyone hates and fears them. In the DC Universe, they build museums and put up statues to honor their heroes. Heck, they even have a Remembrance Day of some kind, with parades and stuff. DC people are much more sensible and grateful than Marvel people. Which is one of the main reasons that I like the DC Universe so much more now than I originally did.

As a teen, the Marvel books were rebellious and cool, and stuff...and then I grew up. I mean, just HOW Many Times can you keep saving these ungrateful bastards? Next time, just let New York get blown up. And instead of webbing crooks to lamp posts, how about hanging around and giving a statement so that the police can actually book him or her? And stop beating each other up every time you chance upon another hero on a rooftop? No wonder nobody likes you.

Of course, on the down side in the DC Universe, it IS a little hard to have to be bright and sunny and cheerful ALL of the time. I know that Superman can be a dick sometimes, but really, he has a LOT to put up with.

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On the other hand, this sort of thing IS inspiring!

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Friday, July 08, 2011

Arrrggghh!

Stupid Photobucket. I have actually rather been enjoying the Flashpoint main issues, with Barry getting electrocuted in order to become the Flash again, and old Batman more than happy to accomodate him, even though to do so, is actually pretty insane. But I did not pick up the Traci Thirteen book, and now I'm sorry, because apparently, Guy Gardner shows up in it. He's opened his bar, called Warriors of course, but he's become a Buddhist.

I...I...oh bwhahahahahahahahahaha!

Frankly, I find this to be hilarious. And I'd be more than delighted to show it to you, except that for some reason, when I found a scan of it, it only ended up in my documents folder, and NOT in my photobucket, even though that was where I was trying to send it, and all the teenagers are gone, and I'm tearing my hair out, and DAMMIT! Computers are Hard!

But take my word for it, it is quite amusing. Don't know about the rest of the book though.

Thursday, July 07, 2011

Thursday's Reviews

I'm still so tickled that the books came in on their usual day, that I'm feeling unusually mellow.

Flashpoint: Abin Sur #2

I'm actually rather liking this. The writing is decent and the art is rather pretty in a painterly fashion. And although I can hardly believe this of myself...Sinestro is actually rather...hot. There. I've said it. In fact there is a butt shot on page two that is to die for...if you are of that inclination, anyway.

Abin is on earth, and he's hurt, and Hal shows up but DOESN'T get the ring! *snicker* Cyborg also shows up and snatches Abin Sur away, where he is nursed back to health at some nebulous government facility. Abin is actually only there to retrieve the Life Entity from earth, but ends up getting involved in the conflict between Atlantis and Themyscira, and the Guardians are getting pissed. So, Abin isn't too surprised when Sinestro shows up. Abin expects Sinestro is there to yell at him, on the behalf of the Guardians, but actually, he has another agenda.

It turns out that Atrocitus gave him a prophecy...that there was another earth besides this one, where Abin was dead, and this was called "flashpoint". But at least Ungara was still around, and some other stuff. Oh, and Sinestro still has or had the hots for Arin Sur, Abin's sister. So Atrocitus told Sinestro that as long as Abin was alive, Sinestro would fail...and so on and so forth. Oh, that Atrocitus is SUCH a scamp.

This is actually a lot of fun, if you like alternative Green Lantern stuff.

Batman & Robin #25

I keep thinking that Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason are going to be doing this, but it's still Winick and Greg Tochini. Tochini isn't bad and Winick isn't TOO horrible. Scarlet is apparently that girl that was tortured by Professor Pyg, which I had completely forgotten all about, and she's hanging with the Red Hood now, who has been rescued by Batman(Dick) and Robin(Damian). Jason is running off at the mouth as usual, and Damian isn't too impressed. Jason does manage to make fools out of the two of them, which I found to be a little ridiculous, and after a lot of hoohah, she's rescued, and things explode, and Jason realizes that he really really doesn't like Dick much. That's ok, Jason, I don't think that either Dick or Damian can stand to breathe the same air as you either.

Ok. Not great, but not terrible.

Flashpoint #3

Can I admit that I am actually enjoying this? After getting burns over most of his body after the last failed attempt to recreate the accident that created his powers, Barry convinces a highly skeptical Thomas Wayne to try try again. I assume that there isn't much on television that night, because Bats does as he says, and somehow they manage to get the formula right this time! Woohoo! Barry is Flash again! They end up joining up with Cyborg, who is trying to get allies, and Flash is trying to form the Justice League, because he can still remember, but he's afraid that he's going to forget the world before. The do bust into a secret government facility and bust out the poor alien that has been kept there for umpteen years. It appears to be Kal, but he's all thin and pale and frail, because they've been smart enough to keep him out of the sunlight. The failed specimen looks like a dog's skeleton, which I found creepy and sad all at the same time.

So, they all bust Kal out, and he's so excited that he flies off into the sun, and Batman basically says "I told you so". To his credit, Barry doesn't slug him.

The art is decent, and damn it, I'm interested! So pretty darned good actually.

Jonah Hex #69.

Man, I loved this. Loved it. Some old geezer has been coming into town for years, he's been looking for gold for age, and somehow, the baddies at the saloon figure out that he's finally actually FOUND some gold. So naturally, they all decide to ride out and bushwhack him and steal his gold. Jonah, who has been quietly sitting in the back, realizes what they are up to, and follows them. The assumption is that he's going to rescue the old prospector and shoot the bad guys.

Well...that turns out to be half true. He does manage to kill all the bushwhackers, but the old prospector has been shot in the stomache and is sinking fast. And who does this leathery old fart turn out to be? Why he's none other than Jonah's long lost pappy! And what a piece of work HE is! He first needles Jonah, taunts him, and then tries telling him that he was just toughening him up, and finally, he apologizes...not because he actually means it, but because he wants the whiskey that Jonah is slugging down, but won't share.

Through it all, Jonah just sits there and calmly tells his father, that he's just there to watch him die. Old Hex keeps trying to get his goat, but Jonah is actually pretty cool throughout the whole thing. Finally the old bastard does finally die, and instead of leaving him for the buzzards as he had threatened, Jonah does finally bury him...and covers the grave with gold nuggets.

Fabulous.

Secret Six #35

Well! This was interesting. Bane is feeling a little...restless after getting back from Hell. He just can't understand why a fine upstanding gentleman like himself is getting the short end of the stick. He and Catman have an interesting talk outin the woods. Bane is afraid that he's going soft, and feels the need to go out and kill Batman again. Thomas isn't quite sure why he wants to do this, but figures, he'll go along for the ride.

Jeanette and Deadshot in the meantime are humping like bunnies on top of the kitchen island, much to the consternation of King Shark who wanders in and just wants some blubber that he has in the fridge. Jeanette is feeling restless because she can smell death, Deadshot is restless because he wants to shoot something. Meanwhile Scandal is trying to reconnect with Knockout, who doesn't seem to remember very much, and is acting cold and distant.

So Bane gets them all together, and lays out his plans, take out the Batman by going after his loved ones. Makes sense I suppose, although Catman does say that Huntress is Not On The List. Then they all go off and invade a rather plush lakeside home, killing off the guards and all, only to find...the Penquin? Knockout rediscovers the joy and laughter of mayhem and combat and seems to be getting back to her old self. The Penguin, to his credit doesn't run or hide, he is mad as hell and he's not going to take this sort of treatment, even though they all slap him around for a while. Finally however, at the threat of King Shark eating some of his pet penguins, he does agree to cooperate. It turns out that what Bane REALLY wants is for him to join their group!

Oh...this probably isn't going to turn out well...but it will be so much fun along the way.

So...not a bad week at all.

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Color Me Surprised

The books actually came in on Wednesday, even though we had Monday off for the Glorious Forth! I am rather stunned by this. Stunned...and pleased. You all know how cranky I get when I have to wait a whole extra day.

Great Googally Moogally, but it is hot! After a surprisingly mellow June, we have finally been hit with some REAL summer weather. Fortunately, it is supposed to cool off a bit by the weekend, which is good, because we have Two parades to march in and let me tell you, you haven't lived until you've marched two miles, when it is 90 degrees out and humid as all get out, wearing four layers of clothes, including petticoats, and a corset and long sleeves. My Sweet Baboo gets do do it wearing a wool waiscoat. No WONDER we drink so much beer afterwards!

I'm in the mood for silly pictures. No reason really, other than I simply have them, and always like to share them. And then I have to go and get my books.

So...

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At least Etrigan seems to be enjoying himself.

Monday, July 04, 2011

Have A Glorious Fourth of July

And in honor of our Independance Day, I would like to stray from tradition just a little bit. Instead of Green Lanterns, I offer you...

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Martians! Well...at least they're green. And since America is a country created for and by immigrants, who else would be the ultimate immigrant to our fair land, than an alien. And oh yes, that includes Superman too.

As usual, Black Cat exerts her particular brand of magic. The mountain of Chocos is what really makes it for me. Go forth and consume vast amounts of hot dogs, hamburgers, watermelon, beer and apple pie! And small round chocolate cookies with a creamy creamy filling.

Yummm!

Saturday, July 02, 2011

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors #11

I'm posting this a little late...just never had the time yesturday, for which I apologize. Real life can be SO inconvenient sometimes! Or too much fun depending upon your point of view.

Ahem.

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Well, they didn't give anything away for the ending of the War of the Green Lanterns, except that things seem to be more or less restored to the status quo, which I think we ALL pretty much expected. Guy is on his way to Earth for a little bit of well-deserved R&R, when Salaak tells him that he has to stop on the way and rescue some Arcadian Dignitary, who is in the process of being attacked by some low-life Kreuvians.

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Heh. He says Sally!

With slightly more effort than he was planning to expend, Guy naturally mops the floor with the Kreuvians and naturally is being hailed as a hero and thanked by the grateful Arcadians. Guy is still impatient to get on with his vacation, but does take a minute to be thanked by Lady Yul, the Dignitary whom he saved, and boy howdy, is SHE a sight! Guy, being stupid, is immediately smitten, and she fawns all over him, serves him up dinner, and even consents to be being smooched. I did think that it was nice of Guy to ask first. I'm sure that he thinks he's about to hit second base, when all of a sudden he's not feeling too well, and then...ZZZZRAAAKAKK!

Well! That's certainly not lady-like! It turns out her whole plan was to kill Guy and steal his ring. There are certain flaws to this plan of course. The thermo-electric pulse doesn't kill him immediately, and they have to zap him again. This time it does the trick, and with Guy dead, his ring is ready to fly off and find a new replacement. They manage to capture the ring in some sort of containment unit, and evil Lady Yul is all happy now. Her minion however has other ideas.

Yup, Guy's dead. You would think that I would be having a heart attack right about now. But he's only MOSTLY dead, and the minion manages to reverse the pulse thingie, and next thing you know, Guy is back amongst the living, to my eternal gratitude. Naturally...he is pissed beyond belief. The minion has to do quite a bit of fast talking, and Guy goes after his ring.

He is kicking butt in a very satisfactory manner, more or less mowing down the less than efficient guards with relative ease, considering he's ringless. Evil Lady Yul is NOT happy to see him up and about and manages to reward the poor hapless minion suitably. Poor fellow. Also, Guy discovers that evil Lady Yul isn't even Lady Yul at all, the REAL Lady Yul is dead, and was about to be tossed overboard.

With a couple of blasters, Guy manages to fight his way to the control room or whatever it is where our shape-shifting villainess is hiding out. In the containment unit, his ring is fighting to get out, which I think is rather cool. Guy is wondering if this was all a plot to take over Arcadia, or start a war with the Kreuvians or whatever, but no, she's just wants the ring, and the ability to masquerade as Lady Yul and take whatever she wants. But she's not going to get it, because Guy hauls off and punches her right in the chops.

Huzzah! Comic book violence!

Peter Tomasi writes it of course, and it is drawn by Bernard Chang instead of Fernando Pasarin, which rather leads me to think that this was a reserve issue, that they had all ready and waiting. It's one and done, which is always something of a relief once in a while from all of the huge event stuff. So...it's fun and loud and has Guy being obnoxious and surprisingly efficient even without his ring, which is always a plus. And ass shots are plentiful which is also a bonus.

A winner!