Catching Up!

It has been since Wednesday that I made a post here. It has been for no other reason then that I worked insane hours Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and was too tired to do much more then go see a movie last night. I was blessedly lucky to be able to sleep for about 14 hours in a row and wake up feeling human today.

There are a lot of changes going on in my life, with the majority being for the best. It has taken a great deal of determination and drive to keep things in perspective, and I can see that it has affected the regularity with which I have been able to blog. Doing the outside poll was fun, and it made things feel fresher and newer. Now if I can just get a handle on my life in general again, things will be beautiful.

Last night I went to see The House Bunny with a friend. We felt giggly and tired, so we wanted comedy. Boy did we get it! Anna Faris, who stars in the movie as Shelley, is brilliant. Her humor made a role that could have come off as contrived and unappealing into a enjoyable piece of movie going.

Shelley lives at the Playboy mansion, and after she turns 27 she is kicked out. She ends up as house mother of a sorority house, and the effect she has on the sister's lives is long lasting. What worked well here is that the message was not about dressing to please men so much as it was that there needs to be a balance in appearance and intelligence that one can remain true to that holds the key to happiness. I was amazed that it worked out so well.

While this was not the best movie I have ever seen, it certainly did not suck. I liked it enough I would go see it again. The film didn't drag, and Faris was compelling in her role.

On that note, I have to go shopping for new clothes. I have been up and down in size all year because of the stress eating and dieting I have done. I need to have new clothes for Tuesday so that is the first priority.

I hope you are all having a nice weekend. I am very happy to have tomorrow off to spend getting ready for the hectic week that is coming. Take care!

Virgin Comics New York Offices Shutdown. What?

When Virgin Comics first solicited their titles, which included Devi, Snakewoman, and Ramaydan 3392 AD, I was eager to try some new books. I picked up the first two and really enjoyed them, and I had continued to purchase those titles as long as they were solicited. Lately it had come to my attention that Devi and Snakewoman were nowhere to be found in Previews, and that the focus had changed to the "Director's Cut" line of titles.

While this disheartened me, I figured there must be some kind of rebooting or creative team juggling coming. Virgin Comics was funded by THAT Virgin owned by Sir Richard Branson, so there must be tons of money, right?

Nope.

Word came down that the New York offices were closed and that the staff there were laid off. There are plans for a Los Angeles office to open in the future. This appears to mean that there will be no new titles coming out in the United States. What this means longterm, with the announcement at San Diego that Stan Lee was jumping on board, it anyone's guess.

Part of me if relieved, because it is less money I will be spending on books. The other part of me is pissed, because I got emotionally invested in characters that won't be back. What do you think? Were you buying any Virgin titles?

Outside Poll: The Aftermath

It has now been a half week since I took my outside poll with non-comic book readers. I had a fascinating time talking shop with the people I polled. They simply had no idea that there was such a complicated world of fandom related to what they considered a child's hobby. In their minds, it was pretty cut and dried- geeks live in basement, are social outcasts, and need to grow up. To find out that such a diverse group of people collect and read comics was a revelation of sorts.

I would imagine most of it stems from pre-conceived notions. Much like one would think a football fan may resemble the fanatical Chicago Bears fans pictured in the famous Saturday Night Live skits, so is a fan of any other genre subject to being pigeon-holed.

It also boils down to a lack of interest. If a person is fascinated by baseball, bead work, or gardening, they certainly are going to focus on that topic. I know of a woman who always does so poorly in Trivial Pursuit that her friends quit playing the game with her. When asked about it, the lady in question said she didn't do well because she wasn't interested in many of the topics that the cards asked about. She simply didn't care to go out of her comfort zone. I think that for a certain segment of people, that is the case.

There is also the way that a person is raised that figures into interests later in life. Bless my parents, they never gave me any crap about my comic book hobby. They would shake their heads from time to time, but they were always supportive. I think that many other parents were not. It was something a person grew out of, and that was that. Passed from generation to generation that comics are for kids, how can one ever hope to make a change?

I have enjoyed reading your responses to my poll and am gratified and humbled at how kind you have been. I know that Saranga did a poll of her own on her blog Pai, and I really enjoyed reading it. Make sure and head over there to check out her results.

Thanks to Lisa at Sequentially Speaking for the shout out as well. I think that as a retailer and overall great person, Lisa always has a unique and well-thought opinion on a wide range of topics. I miss her!

One of my goals is to try and take more polls ranging in subject. I had fun and it was something fresh and exciting. Hopefully I can create some more interest and learn from others. That is part of the journey.

New Comics for August 27

Fallen Angel #25 Retailer incentive cover
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley

After a lazy Sunday, I see the error of my ways! I came into work today and discovered that it is going to be a very busy week. It may require working Saturday and more, so that should make the week go fast. It is a good thing I have a three day weekend coming up with Labor Day.

Here is my list of new books for the week.

Catwoman #82
DC Universe Last Will and Testament #1
Final Crisis Rogues Revenge #2 (of 3)
Justice Society of America #18
Reign in Hell #2 (of 6)
Superman #679
Teen Titans #62
Trinity #13
Black Panther #40
Daredevil #110
Might Avengers #17
New Avengers #44
She-Hulk 2 #32
Skaar Son of Hulk #3
Ultimate Iron Man II #5 (of 5)- talk about late!
Ultimate Spider-Man #125
Ultimate X-Men #97
Wolverine #66
X-Force #6- planning on dropping this book
X-Men Legacy #215
Fallen Angel #25- retailer incentive cover pictured!

That is my list. From what I can see, my stuff from last week and this week will ship Wednesday, so I will receive it next Tuesday or Wednesday. That will work out just fine.

Sorry to be so crappy answering my comments. I had to go grocery shopping and pay bills tonight after working ten hours. Now I have to go workout so I don't gain anymore weight!

Thank you for the nice comments on my poll. I would really like to make a post about it, but I haven't gotten it straight in my head yet. I will say that it was an incredible experience to be able to talk to people who didn't have an awareness of the industry or any of the topics we discuss. Very refreshing in an odd way, but also a bit disheartening.

Have a wonderful evening! Talk at you soon!

Lazy Sunday

Ever have one of those days when you should be productive and it is an uphill battle? I am having one of those days. I am so tired from stress, a busy life, and fighting a losing battle to eat better.

That means that instead of doing a profound blog post about the meaning of the poll I did the last few days, I am sitting dicking around with my Facebook profile. Instead of answering my e-mails, I am scanning photos and reorganizing them. Instead of cleaning my house, I am checking expiration dates on all the food in my cupboards.

Obviously I am fighting doing what I really need to do and tomorrow I will be pissed at myself. This is a definite sign to go do a workout and wander aimlessly before coming back home and doing what needs to be done.

What are you doing today?

Outside Poll: Geeks Need to Get a Life

For the last week I have been ruminating on the general perception of comic book fans in society, and how that would relate to the sexual harassment incidents at San Diego Comicon. What feels like a prevalent issue to us and something that should concern society as a whole, since harassment is such a hot button topic, may be seen as something completely different to the "outsiders" who aren't aware of the feminists movements and many discussions happening around the comic book blogs.

With that in mind, I spent the last couple of days talking to non-comic book readers to get their opinions on a wide range of issues. The questions asked were as follows.

1. When you think of comic book fans, what is your first thought?
2. Why is it acceptable to go see comic book movies but not read the books which the material springs from?
3. Have you ever read comics? Which ones? For what period of time? Why did you quit reading comics?
4. Are you aware of the fact that many of the people reading comics are female?
5. Would you ever attend a comic book show?
6. Have you heard about the sexual harassment that has occurred at comic book shows?
7. Any last thoughts?

I polled people at my work, at the athletic club, at a local Red Robin restaurant, and at the grocery store. I wanted to try and get a range of ages, creeds, and attitudes. I talked to 23 people from the age of 21 to 61. Some had tattoos and piercings while others embodied the white bread concept of white collar workers. I talked to waitresses, bankers, nurses, construction workers, full-time moms, a lawyer, a doctor, a tattoo artist, and the list goes on.

The biggest response I got when asking question one about first thoughts was the rampant belief that comic book readers DO NOT have sex. There is a sexless, mouth-breather perception that folks cling to. One of my co-workers still couldn't believe that I read comics since she knew I had been married for over 8 years and seemed quite "normal". She said that upon meeting "geeks" most of them stumbled and stammered and generally made fools of themselves in her presence.

Three of the guys I spoke with pointed to the William Shatner "Get A Life" skit from Saturday Night Live. That was the first thing they thought of when asked the question. There was a great deal of general confusion between gaming fans, sci-fi fans, and comic book fans. Evidently, general "geekery" is all lumped together. It is like them and us, you know?

To be fair, I also got responses that were "I don't think about comic book fans. I am too busy with my hobbies" or "I don't care about comic books". Two people said that they thought that nerds ruled the earth and pointed to Bill Gates as the king of our ilk.

The reaction about female fans is that they must be really unattractive or must be gay. One person told me that when I wear my comic book shirts, I look a bit "dykey". (Nice- strike that person off my Christmas card list.)

The bottom line of perception is that comic fans are sexless losers who still live at home. The people I talked to were not being mean spirited- they were simply perpetuating the stereotype by buying into it.

Most of the people I talked to that watched comic book movies said that they loved to watch films but were not big into reading. I also was told that comic books are perceived as fantasy novels and that most people would rather read action, horror, or mystery books. Other people said that they only read for work. I had three people in the group who actively read comic books. None were collectors, but they would pick up stuff from time to time or order graphic novels from Amazon.

The general consensus is that it is easier to view a movie and turn it into a family event then it is to read the source material. These people want to spend their money on big ticket items like vacations, boats, motorcycles, 4-wheelers, guns for hunting, fishing equipment, scrap booking stuff, or just simply have a different hobby.

It was remarked by a young woman that she did not like to go to comic book movies on the opening weekend because she hated dealing with the hardcore fans that spent the entire film bitching or talking about the plot. She always waited until the third weekend so that she would hopefully not have to hear all the subtext.

15 of the people I spoke to had read comics while growing up. One man wistfully recounted exchanging Fantasic Four and X-Men comics with his buddy all through school. He said that when he went to college, his mom tossed his collection and his buddy's mom tossed his. He is still sad that his Frank Miller Daredevils are lost to the ages.

Other people had read Archie comics and enjoyed those. Two women said they have recently purchased Archie digests at the checkout stand for their children. The majority that had read comics had a favorite character growing up. Other then the three that still read, none of the others read comics past college.

The people I polled were shocked that so many women read comics, and especially that grown women did. One lady said that women readers must not have kids, because comics are a frivolous expense. Another said that she had never met a female reader until she met me. She was shocked that I did so, as she also thought I looked "normal" and seemed "pretty cool".

Part of the men I spoke to thought it was great, and wished me well. The other part thought it was, well, gay or odd. They couldn't imagine a pretty girl reading books especially. One younger guy thought that girls in Maxim that said they read comics only said so to promote a movie so geeks would go to it.

The majority of people did not think that women read comic books. They also didn't realize that women were involved in the production of comic books. This was the most surprising fact to them.

Only six people said they would attend a comic book show. Those that said no had a variety of reasons. Two guys said that they attend sporting shows and to them that is the equivalent of a comic book show. Three other guys said they would rather save their money to go watch sporting events. Only two women said that they would attend, and one said she would take her kids so they could meet Darth Vader. The other woman said she wanted to soak up the atmosphere.

When I asked about sexual harassment at conventions, I was mostly met with shocked expressions or laughter. People didn't believe me. The biggest segment that gave me creedence were a couple of the guys who thought that the booth babes would "get it" more then anyone else. The women did not think it was possible. They felt that comic reading males, while creepy, were basically harmless.

When asked for any last words, 18 of the people said "that was interesting" or something like that and moved along. The five people that had more of a response were pretty universal in their wish that stereotypes could be broken and appreciated my explanations. Much to my dismay but also to stroke my ego, the response that meeting me gave them hope was pretty standard. One guy wanted to know if he could come by my house sometime and check out my husband and my comic collections.

That was all she wrote, gang.

The biggest misperception is that comics fans do not procreate. The second is that there is a fear and a feeling of creepiness ingrained in folks in relation to the accepted stereotype. I don't want to diss the people I talked to, because I was happy for their frankness. I want to take their responses and try and change those perceptions. The question is how to go about that.

Any thoughts?

For the Love of Geekdom....

A week ago, Bully's partner-in-crime John wrote a serious piece on sexual harassment at comic conventions that ended with a call to action of sorts. It is a very well done piece, and I encourage you to check it out if you haven't had an opportunity.

As a response to this, the Con Anti-Harassment Project has been established. It appears to be an excellent place to start. The CAHP encourages a letter writing campaign and gives policy tips for conventions to help establish a policy. It also has a safehouse forum of sorts for folks to share their experiences and a link to the "Back Up" Project that resulted from the boob touching that occurred awhile back at a few of the gaming shows..

I want to encourage everyone to take this seriously, as it has obviously become the white elephant in the room that we can no longer ignore. No one should fear attending a show because they are frightened or intimidated. The convention is a public atmosphere and it should breed fellowship, not alienation.

It really makes me sad that it has come to this. I am glad that John stepped up and made the issue be noticed. The only part that really bothers me is that there have been women up in arms about treatment for quite some time, and it took this post to capture the attention of everyone. I don't know if it is because John is male or because he just made so much damn sense that people cared, but either way I am glad it is in the forefront.

The fact that we have to get sexual harassment policies installed at shows makes me feel sick. It should never have come to this. It is a sad commentary on how poorly folks have behaved at these shows. If I was a single female, I don't know if I would brave the shows.

It is surreal to me that a show like Emerald City Comicon may institute policies. It has been a show that I have enjoyed so much since it's inception. Never once have I heard a peep of any problems there, but maybe it is because it is a smaller show and because I have always attended with my husband. I can't lie- I am furious that the behavior of a bunch of dickheads is inflicting itself on the conventions I so look forward to.

Please do what you can to make others aware of the letter writing campaign and the CAHP site. If we do something now, maybe we can prevent something from happening in the future.

100 Bullets #94- A Reason to Keep Reading Comics

I just got home and my DCBS order was waiting for me. Jim had pulled out the pile of books, and I immediately ran to my stack and pulled out 100 Bullets. I sank down on the couch and read issue #94.

All I can say is "wow".

The series is set to end with issue 100, so the writer Brian Azzarello and artist Eduardo Risso have started to reveal bits and pieces. There is a meet up with three old dogs and Lono finally meets Dizzy. The pacing and dialogue work well here, as old scores are settled and the readers learn why an unpredictable force of nature can wreak so much havoc.

My only hope at the end of the series is that Dizzy walks away alive. I know there have been whispers that pretty much the entire cast of characters bite it, but I really want her to live. She has become very real to me, and I have a great respect for her. It is a bit of a stretch to hope she walks away from things in one piece, but I am crossing my fingers anyway.

100 Bullets has it all. There is a great story being told very well. Azzarello and Risso have created a masterpiece of art and fiction that will last well past the series' end. In my eyes, it is a series that will be held up next to Preacher, the Invisibles, and Sandman. Every page amazes me.

Tonight I am a happy girl. 100 Bullets came in my DCBS order and it rocked my world.

New Comics for August 20

Dark Ivory 3 of 4
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley

Happy Monday to all! I am very happy tonight as it is raining and cooling things down here. It only got up to 91 today and it is only supposed to be 81 tomorrow. Thank God! I have been so warm in our house, which does fine keeping cool until the temperatures pass 90. Hopefully your weather isn't too sweltering!

I am very excited because my DCBS order will be here tomorrow. I am dying to read Wonder Woman and 100 Bullets, not to mention all the other fantastic stuff contained in the hefty package. I love having something to look forward to in the mail! How about you?

Here is the list of this week's stuff:

Rex Mundi #13
Batgirl #2 (of 6)
Birds of Prey #121
Brave and the Bold #16
Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1 (of 5)
Justice League of America #24
Stormwatch PHD Worlds End #13 - my one Wildstorm book!
Trinity #12
Dark Ivory #3 (of 4)- cover pictured
Captain America #41
Incredible Hercules #120
Punisher #61- first one without Ennis
True Believers #2 (of 5)
Uncanny X-Men #501
X-Factor #34
X-Factor Special: Layla Miller

That is it for this week. Anything fun you are picking up?

Random Thoughts and Musings

After really poor internet service yesterday, which I blame on the 100 plus degrees outside, today isn't much better. I will endeavor to keep this quick, and pray I don't end up swearing at the computer again. Our internet was so slow that it reminded me of the good old days on dial up, when I would be stupid enough to try and download pictures!

I have been thinking a great deal about the upcoming Superman books story arc "New Krypton". I am extremely torn. Writers Geoff Johns and James Robinson make reading the two core titles, Action and Superman, really great reads. Then I get upset when I think about having to add several specials as well as the Supergirl title to my monthl pull. I don't want to and can't afford to. Is it worth it to add several books when the main titles are excellent? Help me out here.

I am similarly torn with all the JSA/Kingdom Come tie-ins. It is already very expensive to follow the Final Crisis and Secret Invasion books now, with DC and Marvel both having events in full swing. How can I possibly add more? This freaking sucks, for lack of a better phrasing.

It appears many fans are upset about the sixth Harry Potter movie being moved back to summer 2009. While that is bummer news, it will probably be best to have the movie open when all the factors concerned are as best as they can be. If the writer's strike and the timing are the reasons, so be it. As long as the darn movie hits the screens eventually! At least I have Twilight to pine for now. LOL.

My DCBS order should be here Tuesday, so I am very excited. Also, I am thrilled that the heat wave is supposed to break tomorrow, even though there may be thunder and lightning. This hot weather is killing me!

I hope you all have a wonderful Sunday! I will see you here tomorrow with the upcoming week's pull list.

Blog Video Break: Van Halen- Hot For Teacher

I heard "Hot For Teacher" by Van Halen on the radio today and it instantly transported me to 1984. Back in the day I thought that this was a fun, innovative video, and indeed it does hold up for me today.

Highlights are the mini-Halens, Eddie's lack of dancing ability, and poor Waldo. This video doesn't take itself too seriously, and it makes me long for the days when Dave was King and Van Halen was incredible chops, an insane live show, and most of all FUN.

Enjoy!

My Heart Dropped and I Felt Betrayed. The Cold Hard Truth!

Greg Land is tracing photographs and taking old art and reusing it. I am offended and hurt, and I am glad that the truth is out there now. Harsh statement but true. When I think of a person tracing, I think of myself as a child, or my nephews now as they find a coloring book and trace a picture. I don't think of that as a creative outlet, or as artistic. I think it is a fun hobby that can build a steady line in the future.

Tracing a photo or recycling old work isn't art. It means something is very wrong. I don't know if it means someone couldn't hit their deadlines and panicked, or what.

Part of me feels bad that said person resorted to this. The other part of me is angry. I know one thing for sure: I am going to not buy any books by Greg Land if humanly possible. A man who was one of my favorite artists when he worked on Nightwing, Birds of Prey, and Sojourn is now an penciller I can't respect. I hate to say it, because I don't like to say mean things about people, but it is true.

I have known this about Land for awhile, but the extent of it was pointed out to me in the following link. To see the cold, hard truth, click here. Thanks to JimSmash!!! for the insight.

By the way, if I find out any other artists are doing the same thing to that extent, I will probably boycott them as well. It may mean I never buy another comic again, but oh well. Maybe I am naive and all the greats have done this, but my little brain likes to tell me otherwise. Any other guilty parties? Any objections?

In Denial: Ennis Leaving Punisher Max Title

I have known for quite awhile that this is writer Garth Ennis' last story arc on Punisher Max. Because I so desperately don't want Ennis to leave the title, I have been in complete denial about it.

Then I saw the pull list for this week and I couldn't deny it anymore. Issue 60 is Ennis' swan song on a book he rejuvenated. From the first maxi-series "Welcome Back Frank" to the last story arc about mobster wives seeking vengeance, the work being done in the Marvel Max Punisher book has been top notch.

I know there are Ennis detractors out there. God knows I have seen the rants. I can see the Ennis burnout factor even. I just can't agree. I shy away from Ennis' war stories because that is not my cup of tea, but I loved his work on Hellblazer, Preacher, Hitman, Boys, and here in Punisher. I just flat enjoy it. Ennis is irreverent and we all know it, but we still take the ten cent ride.

At any rate, I am sitting here knowing that his run is coming to an end. I have enjoyed his work with incredible artists on the book, and I just don't want to turn the last page.

That is why I choose to be in denial.

Comics for August 13

Punisher 60
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley

It is already the start of another week and we are still scrambling to catch up. I really want to get my house cleaned and try and put together another garage sale, so that is hopefully what will happen this weekend.

Here is my list of this week's stuff!

100 Bullets #94
Action Comics #868
Batman #679
Booster Gold #11
Final Crisis Revelations #1 (of 5)
Green Arrow Black Canary #11
Green Lantern Corps #27
Trinity #11
Wonder Woman #23
Broken Trinity: Darkness
Astonishing X-Men #26
Genext #4 (of 5)
Punisher #60- pictured
Secret Invasion #5 (of 8)
Secret Invasion Inhumans #1 (of 4)
Secret Invasion X-Men #1 (of 4)
Lone Ranger #12- man that one is late!

I got notification from DCBS that my order for the last two weeks is shipping Wednesday. This is fantastic news as I am dying to read the new 100 Bullets and Wonder Woman, as well as Secret Invasion and Final Crisis. I love getting my books this way, but miss the Wednesday anticipation. I sure don't miss the hassle, but I do miss the fun.

I am off to try and exercise a bit. I have been eating too much and it shows. Hopefully I can work it back off!

Have a wonderful week!

Losing The Laughter: RIP Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac

What a sad last couple of days it has been for the entertainment community. Entertainer Bernie Mac passed away from complications from pneumonia and Isaac Hayes was found dead in his home in Memphis, apparently from natural causes. Mac was just 50 and Hayes was 65. What a loss!

Mac was a great comic and a good actor. I especially enjoyed him in Bad Santa, Friday, and House Party 3, as well as his own television series. To lose an actor who had so many great roles left to play is just horrible.

Hayes was most memorable to me as Chef on South Park and as the bad ass who sang the Shaft theme song. I loved the fact that Hayes seemed to be able to laugh at himself and was really sad when he left South Park over differences of opinion with creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. In my mind, Hayes was one of the best reasons to watch the show.

On that sad note, I am praying that the families of both these men are okay. What a sad day.

Saturday Afternoon Blues

For the second day in a row we have had severe rain and thundershowers. Just this afternoon, the sun is peeking out and threatening to overtake the clouds. The good news about the rain is that it really cooled things down. The bad news is that now Jim can't mow the lawn because the grass it so wet. I'll take it though, as I hate it when it is too warm.

We just went and recycled so now we have a couple of hours to relax. I am pondering working tonight at a limited second job. I can't decide, but I know the extra money would be helpful. I really need to read my comics more thoroughly so I can get some reviews posted.

I have been reading the Sandman series as my bedside book. I just finished the first trade paperback "Preludes and Nocturnes". Though author Neil Gaiman has said in his afterword that it isn't his best work, I still found myself immersed in the broody, captivating Morpheus. This first arc, where he goes through humiliation and rediscovery, is thrilling to behold. The final issue of the trade is "The Sound of her Wings", in which readers are introduced to Death. It is absolutely one of my favorite issues of the series.

What are some great comics you are reading? One thing I miss about going to a bonafide shop is the opportunity to discover something new!

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Quick Take: Justice Society of America Annual #1

As you may know, I am a long time uber-fan of the Earth Two characters in the DC Universe. I collected the run of All Star Comics that was published around 1976 and I followed All Star Squadron and Infinity Inc. as well as reading every issue of Justice League of America. I loved the Earth One/Two crossovers, and fell in love with the old guard. I have a special fondness for Power Girl and Huntress especially, and have continued to miss their relationship to this day.

That is why I knew before reading Justice Society of America Annual #1 that I was sure to experience disappointment. I had set the bar too high. The Alex Ross cover filled my heart with such joy that I knew there was heartache to follow.

I was right.

WARNING: POTENTIAL SPOILERS!!

It took me three reads to get past the gorgeous Jerry Ordway art and really feel the story. What it came down to was that this was NOT the Earth Two Kara left behind. This earth has an uneasy feel to it, as I am sure writer Geoff Johns wanted to convey. The characters that Kara interacts with just don't feel right. Helena is jumpy and Dick is awkward. The rest of the Justice Society Infinity feels wooden, like statues that have been animated. It is painfully obvious that there is something terribly wrong. Gog has given Kara something he thought she needed when all that will happen is that her heart will be shattered once again. If you think Power Girl was a bit cynical and edgy before, wait until this whole thing goes to hell in a handbasket!

Reading this book almost hurt. I have such an affection for these characters that the sense of foreboding I felt made me ache. The multiverses are back with a vengeance, and this current story arc is sure to lead to emotional and physical devastation for the JSA.

Johns and Ordway did their work well. They made me react to the story and care about what happens. I will be reading the ongoing saga here with my hands in front of my eyes, peaking at the pages when I can stand to. God help me.

What did you think?

Bad Blog!

Tonight my blog is being bad. Somehow four comments I answered on the Marvel fashion show got deleted, and I can't get a picture to load.

I am taking this as a sign to not try anything clever.

See you tomorrow!

Random Thoughts and Musings

Things are exciting here at Comics Fairplay. We got our big DCBS shipment, and also got this week's copy of Entertainment Weekly. The only thing more exciting would be if we were Brad and Angelina and just got 14 million for the cover of People Magazine. I still live in the blind hope that Brangelina will adopt me. I am 1/4 Swedish, 1/8 Russian, and the rest is German, so I can be their child from three nationalities. LOL.

I love the new Wonder Woman animated movie trailer. I don't know if I can wait until February 2009 for this to come out! I may buy a second copy for my niece. She is still pretty young, but I think she would love it.

In bummer news for Playgirl subscribers, the magazine is ceasing it's printed publication and going strictly to online content. The Jan/Feb 2009 issue will be the last. When the issue hits print on November 18, I may snap one up for sentimental reasons. Hmmm.... I do wonder how similar in content the Playgirl site will be to the Playboy one. This is most certainly a sign of the times.

Thank you to those of you who commented on the previous post about the Marvel fashion show. I appreciated the honesty and well-thought out sentiments.

That is it for tonight. Short and sweet so I can go read comics. Yippee!

Marvel Fashion Show at SDCC Stuns

I was innocently checking the internet today when I stumbled upon io9.com's report on the Marvel fashion show that took place at the San Diego Comicon.

My first reaction was this:

Why are there only clothes for women being shown?

My second reaction was:

Damn, I will never have that body or those abs.

My third reaction was:

I felt very snarky about the whole thing in general, which is unusual for me.

I don't know how much of it was the fact that I would never wear an outfit like this. I am too modest, and would be horrified that my boobs would be falling out or that my stomach was hanging out.

Then I got kind of pissed because there weren't sexy outfits for guys to wear. I think it would have been a lot more fun if there were options for couples. How about a Cyclops outfit to go with the White Queen? Or what about a Bucky outfit to match the female Captain America? I'm just saying.

I know that I am not the target audience for this kind of thing. It doesn't take a board to hit me over the head. If I was going to the Halloween party at the Playboy mansion and was playmate ready, it would be awesome. Obviously, I am not going to a party in an outfit like that. My friends would be horrified to say the least and my husband would think I had lost my mind.

I am curious about one thing, and I promise not to be snarky if you answer honestly. Would any of you wear these outfits for Halloween? What do the guys out there think? Would you want your significant other to wear an outfit like this?

Checking pulses... now!

(Big shout out to io9.com for the picture!)

Marvel Video Link

New Comics for August 6

August really snuck up on me. What about you? I know it is like beating a dead horse to bring this up again, but time goes way too fast. This year is over half done, and I still feel like it is May. I guess that it is a good thing that my life is so busy- I never sit around and wonder what to do next. The bad side is that I have a crapload of DVD's and books that don't get read. How to find the balance, right?

This week's comic book list is pretty short. I didn't have much Marvel, and some of my other cutbacks are helping us financially.

Here is the list:

Army@ Love: The Art of War #1 (of 6) - pictured

Detective Comics #847
Final Crisis #3 (of 7)
Manhunter #33
Nightwing #147
Trinity #10
Sword #10
Hulk #5
Ultimate Origins #3 (of 5)
Boys #21
Terry Moore's Echo #5

My next DCBS order should be here tomorrow, so I am pretty excited about that. Otherwise, I am ready for a nice, normal work week, and a return to more regular blogging.

Have a great night!

Breaking Dawn and the New Mummy Movie!

In trying to possibly never catch up with house cleaning, reading my friend's blogs, or in general doing something worthwhile to society, I spent yesterday afternoon and part of today doing two things.

I read most of "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer. I have 150 pages left to read, so I will endeavor to finish that tonight. I have really enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns so far. I had no idea how Meyer was going to satisfy both the Team Edward and Team Jacob factions, but it appears she is going to pull it off. Incredible. Anyone else reading this?

Last night Jim, Kerry, and I went and saw The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. While it isn't my favorite installment of the "Mummy" films, it was a fun ride. I missed Rachel Weisz as Evie, but it that was probably my biggest complaint. Maria Bello did an admirable job, but I couldn't sense any of the old Rick/Evie chemistry of the two first installments. It was an okay film for a Saturday night.

I spent all afternoon helping my friend Kerry get his second bedroom back together after he installed wooden floors. It was quite the job! He has company coming this weekend and his house it torn apart. He has been trying to clean it up and make it livable, and Jim and I have been helping.

On that anti-social note, I am off to finish my book and get everything ready for tomorrow. I plan to get caught up on my comments and get back on a regular blogging schedule this week.

Have a wonderful evening!

Quick One...

The last few days have been extremely hectic, but very gratifying. When I went to bed last night, I fell asleep instantly and slept like a rock. Today I have been in a bit of a fog, trying to truly wake up. Hopefully, I will be fully coherent soon!

Jim and I are going to run to Borders so I can pick up the newest installment of the Stephenie Meyer book "Breaking Dawn". Last night there was a midnight release party, but since it was past my bedtime, we thought we would wait until today. Any fans of the Twilight saga out there?

I re-read the last 20 issues of 100 Bullets this past week. What a ride! I am eagerly anticipating the end of the series, while hoping it will never end. Much like Y The Last Man, this is a book I will continue to read over and over. The book has so many layers of mystery, that each time I pick up something new.

Have a great afternoon! I will be back later to try and play catch up. Thank you for bearing with me and my weird schedule lately. Life has been extremely hectic, and there are a great deal of wonderful and terrible things happening. It is too much to try and explain, so just know I appreciate all the comments and support.