A hilarious banner currently adorning the top of the comicboards.com's Avengers Message Board can be found here.
It's the work of a poster named Hellion.
***
On a completely separate note, I've become addicted to scans_daily. This is really not good.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
Fandom Is Fandom Is Fandom
I mentioned some time back that I'm enrolled in a small two-unit class about the children's book series ANIMORPHS (and I have no idea how the facilitators managed to get such a course approved, but they are my new favorite people for it). Well, the class sort of reignited my passion for the series, a passion had settled into dormancy over the years, so I checked out the Animorphs Livejournal community. (Bear with me, this is tangentially related to superhero comics.)Why, oh why, did I do that? What do I find there but the exact sort of obsessed fan behavior as in comics fandom? Why am I even surprised? I've been around the Internet enough to know this sort of behavior makes its home wherever there are a large number of devoted fans. I should have known.
Who was it who first attached the phrase "inflated sense of self-entitlement" to fandoms. Whoever did was spot on. And I'm finding it among the crazier Fandalites* too, as I see comment after comment decrying ANIMORPHS author K.A. Applegate for *gasp* passing the series over to other writers.
Gah, obsessed crazies are all the same, no matter where you go.
*I invented this term for Animorphs fans just for this entry. Anyone who read the series will get the reference. I was proud of myself for all of five seconds before I realized it doesn't sound all that good. It just rings odd to my ears.
The Non-Fan's Perspective: WONDER WOMAN
I've decided that the term "non-fan" is clunky and I don't like it. But I can't think of any ready alternatives. I've heard "civilian" tossed about here and there, but that sounds vaguely creepy, like I'm part of some weird comic fan militia. And it doesn't help that it seems to be a pet word of John Byrne's. So "non-fan" it stays, I guess.Well, anyway, for the week under discussion in this installment of The Non-Fan's Perspective, the class read WONDER WOMAN: GODS AND MONSTERS.
Conversation that occurred in the minutes before class:
SOME GUY: Are there any Political Science majors in this class who are going to completely tear into this book?
SOME OTHER GUY: Actually, I'd think if anyone would have issues with this book, it would be Classics majors.
Ah, good times, good times.
Surprisingly, the overall reaction to this TPB was positive; the class liked it for the most part. I'd have thought Greg Potter and Len Wein's wordiness would be hard to get into for non-fans.
I was also surprised when a few people opined that the gorgeous George Perez art was only mediocre (as one person put it, "eh") but, as I quickly realized, I shouldn't have been. I remember that when I first encountered his style (in his run on Avengers with Kurt Busiek), it left me lukewarm, too. Yeah, it was detailed, but so what, I thought. That didn't automatically make it good.
These days, I see that the level of detail is only the tip of the iceberg as far as the merits of Perez art go, even if it's the trait the fans harp on the most.
These days, I love it. But for whatever reason, I didn't when I first saw it. I guess it's just one of those styles.
The first several students to criticize GODS AND MONSTERS (all men) all prefaced their comments with something along the lines of, "I like Wonder Woman, but..." This was odd, as similar disclaimers where nowhere to be seen when the class discussed other characters. One of the facilitators totally called it when he said to the class, "No one's going to think you're some horrible misogynist just because you don't preface your comment with that." After that, it stopped.
The facilitators asked the Classics majors in the room for their opinion of the portrayal of Greek myth in the book. But it turns out either there weren't any or, if there were, they chose to remain silent.
However, a bunch of students who were not Classics majors chose this point to object to the portrayal of Herakles. They didn't like how unheroic he was here, how he was a villain of the piece.
What the heck. Who would have thought Hercules had so many fans among American college students. Is this the work of Kevin Sorbo or something?
The facilitators said that they had originally wanted to include more trade paperbacks starring woman superheroes in the course (GODS AND MONSTERS was the only one), but they found that most of them starred reformed or borderline supervillains. They felt there was a disturbing message buried underneath that, an implication that a woman needs a man to "set her straight," so they didn't include add of those characters to the reading list.
Is this true? I was going to, at this point in the entry, pull up both DC and Marvel's shipping lists for this month (and make no mistake, the course basically did limit its purview to the Big Two) to look for this trend. But it's getting late, so I'll edit it into this entry tomorrow. Or go through it in a separate entry.
Anyway, the facilitators then brought up the Women in Refrigerators website, explaining the whole thing. None of the fans in the class tried to refute it, though one guy argued the portrayal of women in comics was getting much better, citing Wildstorm and Image as groups he felt were particular trailblazers in this area. His examples of specific titles? Fathom and Gen13. And possibly one other I'm forgetting. Anyhoo...
Oddly enough, the facilitators had no idea Gail Simone was a comicbook writer. ("I think she's a journalist," one of them said.) This is especially odd when you consider that they almost certainly found out about Women in Refrigerators from the Internet, and even the most cursory of web searches would turn up the fact that Simone writes comics. In fact, I just typed "gail simone" (*without* the quote marks) into Google. The first result is a Wikipedia entry, and right below it are the words, "Gail Simone is an American writer of comic books..."
Like I said, weird.
The discussion about the portrayal of women in comics drifted to one about racial minorities in comics. Again, nobody tried to refute.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Urban Dictionary: Do Not Want
So a while back, I found myself looking up superhero names on www.urbandictionary.com. All I have to say is, dear god, what is wrong with some people? Anyone who snickers at Wikipedia should go look there to see just how much of a mess an information source anyone can edit can be.
Take their definitions for "superman" for example. Here's the first listed:
The world's most recognizable superhero.
"It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's Superman!"
The stuff in italics is their example of usage in a sentence.
As you can see, things start out ordinary enough, but don't be fooled. What follows is only some of what we'll find if we make the unarguably foolish decision to read further. Be warned, those who don't find the language offensive will still assuredly find the content to be so.
When you fuckin' have a hard on after you wake up in the morning because you gotta pee and the only way you can relieve yourself without pissing all over the bathroom is to put both hands on the wall in front of you and then lift your right or left leg so that you penis can point straight down into the toilet bowl...and release
I accidentaly knocked your toothbrush over with my leg when I superman-ed this morning.
A major dick. That's really all there is to say about it.
If I was Superman I'd go to the scene of a major tragedy and just stand about not helping anyone for the fun of it.
a massively overpowered loser who is invincible and is able to easily escape the pull of a blackhole yet gets his ass handed to him by a person with no superpowers. wtf dc?
superman, right after stopping a giant meteor in midspace, just got knocked out by one punch from some random thug. goku would kick that thugs ass.
When a female is on top of a male during sex, and the male thrusts up and down at an extreme speed. During a Superman the female usually does not move whatsoever.
That Superman I gave you really tired me out Sally.
If urbandictionary.com is to be believed, there are half a dozen different sex moves all called "superman." To get an idea of just how awful it all is, this is the *least* disturbing one.
The worlds greatest Superhero. No as relevant nowadays as he used to be, but will be forever remembered and will probably be to future generations what Greek gods are to us today. His S symbol is more known than the peace symbol worldwide. Embodies the concept of the Superhero, and apart from Batman and Spiderman has no competition in terms of public admiration. Has much in common with Jesus Christ, i.e- sent from a far away heavenly place by his father to aid and save humanity. Died and was resurrected. Sells millions in merchandise a year and hundreds of thousands of comic books. Outdated somewhat today, but forever will be remembered and esteemed as the first god of the comic medium.
"Superman is the first true superhero..."
Just a little overboard, y'know?
greatest hero ever, and can kick thors ass
superman is cool
superman is a game that kewl people play in high school in which you are not allowed to say anything that begins with an S. if you do, you are allowed to get hit as many times as possible until you say "superman". then the hitting stops.
"Superman" Is Actually A Pretty Fun Game To Play!
The worlds cheapest superhero, Anyone could make him up.
Superman never gets his ass kicked, o i crave a kryptonite bullet!
a character in DC comics who people think is cool, but in all reality it a total fag.
superman is the gayest thing since gay came to Gay Town
So. Yeah. Here's "batman":
1. Normal ordinary man, originally the best super hero with no super powers, but can still fight crime and beat supervillians with just his fist and gadgets (i.e. shark repellant, suction boots etc.)
If a normal guy joined the justice league, Batman says, "He can't join, he doesn't have any super powers!!" Then superman would say to him, "Doesn't he Batman? Doesn't He? No Super Powers??"
Batman is quite possibly the greatest superhero ever created.
Batman is a great superhero because he has no lame superpowers like Superman or Spider-Man. Instead Batman is just a rich guy in a cool costume.
When somebody enters or exits near you without you knowing they were their like how batman exits in the comic
-Holy sh*t, you just pulled a batman.-Where did he go? he always does a batman
Hardass comic book character created by Bob Kane.... Who is unfortunatley riddiculed on www.urbandictionary.com with moronic definitions.
Your innuendo isn't even funny.
batman : verb = to get someone in a first person shooter, like halo or counterstrike, by quickly yet carefully landing on top or next to them FROM UP ABOVE (like batman would) and killing them in one shot/kill , or a maximum of two seconds. It has to be done quickly, becuase batman gets kids like that.
"I just batmaned the $*#! out of that guy with my energy sword, AND HE DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING!!!!"
The ultimate superhero, one that manipulates his enemies' fear and uses stealth and intimidation and intellect to succeed, and does not need butthole Superman powers to survive.
A few reasons why Batman is better than Superman:- Does not need dorky glasses to conceal his identity- Does not need to struggle with women (i.e. Lois Lane) to gain their affections- Heir to a powerful conglomerate- Raised in a mediocre city called Gotham and not by corny farm folk in Smallville
In contrast to Superman, there are only two sex moves named after him.
"wonder woman":
verb transitive, to dress up like Linda Carter in the famed wonder woman television series sporting a golden lariat and tie ones partner up forcing him to tell the truth and having sex with him.noun, the act of dressing up like Linda Carter in teh famed wonder woman televisino series sporting a golden lariat and tieing ones partner up forcing him to tell the truth and having sex with him.
Hey Gladice, I wonder womaned jimmy last night.
No way Sylvia, why? I thought you didn't like jimmy.
Some lady paid me 500 bucks.
Is that the going rate for the wonder woman these days.
I'd go on, but at this point I find I've reached my fill of idiocy. I can't take anymore.
urban dictionary:
Purportedly an online dictionary of slang, in actuality a pig pen for thoroughly unpleasant children in adult bodies where these jackasses can give play to their misogyny and homophobia.
Take their definitions for "superman" for example. Here's the first listed:
The world's most recognizable superhero.
"It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's Superman!"
The stuff in italics is their example of usage in a sentence.
As you can see, things start out ordinary enough, but don't be fooled. What follows is only some of what we'll find if we make the unarguably foolish decision to read further. Be warned, those who don't find the language offensive will still assuredly find the content to be so.
When you fuckin' have a hard on after you wake up in the morning because you gotta pee and the only way you can relieve yourself without pissing all over the bathroom is to put both hands on the wall in front of you and then lift your right or left leg so that you penis can point straight down into the toilet bowl...and release
I accidentaly knocked your toothbrush over with my leg when I superman-ed this morning.
A major dick. That's really all there is to say about it.
If I was Superman I'd go to the scene of a major tragedy and just stand about not helping anyone for the fun of it.
a massively overpowered loser who is invincible and is able to easily escape the pull of a blackhole yet gets his ass handed to him by a person with no superpowers. wtf dc?
superman, right after stopping a giant meteor in midspace, just got knocked out by one punch from some random thug. goku would kick that thugs ass.
When a female is on top of a male during sex, and the male thrusts up and down at an extreme speed. During a Superman the female usually does not move whatsoever.
That Superman I gave you really tired me out Sally.
If urbandictionary.com is to be believed, there are half a dozen different sex moves all called "superman." To get an idea of just how awful it all is, this is the *least* disturbing one.
The worlds greatest Superhero. No as relevant nowadays as he used to be, but will be forever remembered and will probably be to future generations what Greek gods are to us today. His S symbol is more known than the peace symbol worldwide. Embodies the concept of the Superhero, and apart from Batman and Spiderman has no competition in terms of public admiration. Has much in common with Jesus Christ, i.e- sent from a far away heavenly place by his father to aid and save humanity. Died and was resurrected. Sells millions in merchandise a year and hundreds of thousands of comic books. Outdated somewhat today, but forever will be remembered and esteemed as the first god of the comic medium.
"Superman is the first true superhero..."
Just a little overboard, y'know?
greatest hero ever, and can kick thors ass
superman is cool
superman is a game that kewl people play in high school in which you are not allowed to say anything that begins with an S. if you do, you are allowed to get hit as many times as possible until you say "superman". then the hitting stops.
"Superman" Is Actually A Pretty Fun Game To Play!
The worlds cheapest superhero, Anyone could make him up.
Superman never gets his ass kicked, o i crave a kryptonite bullet!
a character in DC comics who people think is cool, but in all reality it a total fag.
superman is the gayest thing since gay came to Gay Town
So. Yeah. Here's "batman":
1. Normal ordinary man, originally the best super hero with no super powers, but can still fight crime and beat supervillians with just his fist and gadgets (i.e. shark repellant, suction boots etc.)
If a normal guy joined the justice league, Batman says, "He can't join, he doesn't have any super powers!!" Then superman would say to him, "Doesn't he Batman? Doesn't He? No Super Powers??"
Batman is quite possibly the greatest superhero ever created.
Batman is a great superhero because he has no lame superpowers like Superman or Spider-Man. Instead Batman is just a rich guy in a cool costume.
When somebody enters or exits near you without you knowing they were their like how batman exits in the comic
-Holy sh*t, you just pulled a batman.-Where did he go? he always does a batman
Hardass comic book character created by Bob Kane.... Who is unfortunatley riddiculed on www.urbandictionary.com with moronic definitions.
Your innuendo isn't even funny.
batman : verb = to get someone in a first person shooter, like halo or counterstrike, by quickly yet carefully landing on top or next to them FROM UP ABOVE (like batman would) and killing them in one shot/kill , or a maximum of two seconds. It has to be done quickly, becuase batman gets kids like that.
"I just batmaned the $*#! out of that guy with my energy sword, AND HE DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING!!!!"
The ultimate superhero, one that manipulates his enemies' fear and uses stealth and intimidation and intellect to succeed, and does not need butthole Superman powers to survive.
A few reasons why Batman is better than Superman:- Does not need dorky glasses to conceal his identity- Does not need to struggle with women (i.e. Lois Lane) to gain their affections- Heir to a powerful conglomerate- Raised in a mediocre city called Gotham and not by corny farm folk in Smallville
In contrast to Superman, there are only two sex moves named after him.
"wonder woman":
verb transitive, to dress up like Linda Carter in the famed wonder woman television series sporting a golden lariat and tie ones partner up forcing him to tell the truth and having sex with him.noun, the act of dressing up like Linda Carter in teh famed wonder woman televisino series sporting a golden lariat and tieing ones partner up forcing him to tell the truth and having sex with him.
Hey Gladice, I wonder womaned jimmy last night.
No way Sylvia, why? I thought you didn't like jimmy.
Some lady paid me 500 bucks.
Is that the going rate for the wonder woman these days.
I'd go on, but at this point I find I've reached my fill of idiocy. I can't take anymore.
urban dictionary:
Purportedly an online dictionary of slang, in actuality a pig pen for thoroughly unpleasant children in adult bodies where these jackasses can give play to their misogyny and homophobia.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Farr-Sized Pull List, 2-14
One of these days, I'll actually update this blog in the *middle* of a week again.
Only one comicbook purchase this week.
***
Batman 663
The Clown at Midnight
Well, you have to give Morrison points for effort, at least.
Unfortunately, this attempt at a story off the beaten track completely fizzles out towards the end when the new Joker is unveiled. Meet the new Joker... same as the old Joker? The story builds and builds to this point, only for it to turn out to be much ado about nothing. If Morrison does have ideas about how the new version of the Joker differs from the old, they're not made evident in this issue. And they really need to be for it to be effective. As things are, it's rather anticlimactic, really. What, he's *more* psychotic now? That's like making water more wet.
I see that some folks online are wondering whether this new version of the Joker will stick around or be reverted to the status quo. Well, how will they be able to tell the difference? Outside of his relationship to Harley Quinn, that is.
That said, there's plenty to recommend here if you get past the anti-climax. Morrison's prose is quite evocative, and he turns many a pretty phrase. His use of simile and metaphor is... well, it's utterly bizarre, really. But whether intentional or not, it fits the world it's describing. It lends Gotham a touch of the outlandish and surreal that feels right at home in a world where a man dressed in a bat costume engages in life-and-death struggles with costumed, larger-than-life criminals.
In general, I found the writing much better when it was setting mood or describing setting than when it was actually moving forward plot.
The Van Fleet art is, unfortunately, not my cup of tea at all. People and objects have the same overly smooth, stiff quality that I can't stand in online Poser fanart. The art on the first few pages was quite good, though.
Also, at some points the pictures don't seem to match the text. For instance, the Joker is described as removing the gauze surrounding his head with a scissor, but the art depicts him using a scalpel. And later, where Batman dives at him, we see glass trailing the Dark Knight, as if he leapt through a window. But the text indicates they were standing the same room. So where did the glass come from? Admittedly, these are minor points, though.
Only one comicbook purchase this week.
***
Batman 663
The Clown at Midnight
Well, you have to give Morrison points for effort, at least.
Unfortunately, this attempt at a story off the beaten track completely fizzles out towards the end when the new Joker is unveiled. Meet the new Joker... same as the old Joker? The story builds and builds to this point, only for it to turn out to be much ado about nothing. If Morrison does have ideas about how the new version of the Joker differs from the old, they're not made evident in this issue. And they really need to be for it to be effective. As things are, it's rather anticlimactic, really. What, he's *more* psychotic now? That's like making water more wet.
I see that some folks online are wondering whether this new version of the Joker will stick around or be reverted to the status quo. Well, how will they be able to tell the difference? Outside of his relationship to Harley Quinn, that is.
That said, there's plenty to recommend here if you get past the anti-climax. Morrison's prose is quite evocative, and he turns many a pretty phrase. His use of simile and metaphor is... well, it's utterly bizarre, really. But whether intentional or not, it fits the world it's describing. It lends Gotham a touch of the outlandish and surreal that feels right at home in a world where a man dressed in a bat costume engages in life-and-death struggles with costumed, larger-than-life criminals.
In general, I found the writing much better when it was setting mood or describing setting than when it was actually moving forward plot.
The Van Fleet art is, unfortunately, not my cup of tea at all. People and objects have the same overly smooth, stiff quality that I can't stand in online Poser fanart. The art on the first few pages was quite good, though.
Also, at some points the pictures don't seem to match the text. For instance, the Joker is described as removing the gauze surrounding his head with a scissor, but the art depicts him using a scalpel. And later, where Batman dives at him, we see glass trailing the Dark Knight, as if he leapt through a window. But the text indicates they were standing the same room. So where did the glass come from? Admittedly, these are minor points, though.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
The Non-Fan's Perspective: THE HULK
This time, it's all about Week I've-lost-count of the Superheroes in Comics course, for which we read THE INCREDIBLE HULK: RETURN OF THE MONSTER.
When the facilitators gave a brief, streamlined run-through of the Hulk's publishing history, they understandably tried to keep things simple by entirely avoiding the topic of his multiple incarnations. Then, they raised the floor for questions, at which point the following scene occured:
Man raises hand
FACILITATOR: "This better not be a question about the other Hulks."
RAISED HAND: "It's not."
FACILITATOR: "Okay."
RAISED HAND: "What's the story behind the grey Hulk?"
FACILITATOR: "I just told you not to ask that!!"
And in case any of you are the type who can't stand a story incomplete, the questioner, if I recall correctly, responded with, "I didn't know he was one of the other Hulks!" Interpret that as you will.
Opinions about this trade were amibivalent and mild, decidedly an overall "Eh."
There was some discussion about whether Bruce Banner's efforts to escape capture by the military are heroic or moral, given that there's the danger of a Hulk rampage as long as he's free. All of the arguments in the character's defense were offered somewhat uncomfortably, and there was significant support behind the idea that no, he in fact is not acting morally.
I couldn't find much in the way to justify his behavior myself, which surprised me because I've never considered Banner's behavior to be unethical before. This led me to wondering why that was, why I've been rooting for the poor, pressed-on guy all this time... and it came to me: In the past, the Hulk never killed any innocent people. Well, he never did that in this one TPB either, but the facilitators had mentioned how later trades firmly painted the red on his hands.
And that changes everything.
Which lights the way to my opinion that the Hulk as a character simply doesn't work if he's killed anyone of the non-villain variety. Once he's done that, the reader can't root for Bruce Banner anymore, not if he stays on the run, consequently knowlingly putting lives at risk. When the tanks edge in and surround the Hulk, something's wrong if it's the tanks the reader is championing. But enough; I don't want to side-track. The title of this entry's The Non-Fan's Perspective, not APLOMB's Perspective.
There were a lot of laughs when the facilitators mentioned that the Doc Samson character, like his Biblical namesake, wields strength dependant on his hair length. This reaction, too, surprised me. Is it really much sillier than the rest of the wacky science found in superhero comics? Apparently... yes?
Oh, and it'll come as a surprise to no one, I'm sure, that most of the students did not know of the existence of any version of the Hulk beyond the simple-minded, green one. This even went for, surprisingly enough, one young man who could recite chapter and verse for all the Marvel books that contain X somewhere in their title. I mentioned him far back in my first entry of this series. This guy knew in his heart the *Summers* *family* *tree*. One time, someone asked him whether the character Havok ever had his own series, and I heard firsthand as he went into a thorough answer involving the words "leader of X-Factor" and "Mutant X" and god knows what else. I don't keep track too much of Marvel's mutant fiefdom, but he sounded like he knew the stuff but good. Hunh.
And... fin. The next entry will be up sooner or later, and I proclaim its topic WONDER WOMAN: GODS AND MORTALS.
When the facilitators gave a brief, streamlined run-through of the Hulk's publishing history, they understandably tried to keep things simple by entirely avoiding the topic of his multiple incarnations. Then, they raised the floor for questions, at which point the following scene occured:
Man raises hand
FACILITATOR: "This better not be a question about the other Hulks."
RAISED HAND: "It's not."
FACILITATOR: "Okay."
RAISED HAND: "What's the story behind the grey Hulk?"
FACILITATOR: "I just told you not to ask that!!"
And in case any of you are the type who can't stand a story incomplete, the questioner, if I recall correctly, responded with, "I didn't know he was one of the other Hulks!" Interpret that as you will.
Opinions about this trade were amibivalent and mild, decidedly an overall "Eh."
There was some discussion about whether Bruce Banner's efforts to escape capture by the military are heroic or moral, given that there's the danger of a Hulk rampage as long as he's free. All of the arguments in the character's defense were offered somewhat uncomfortably, and there was significant support behind the idea that no, he in fact is not acting morally.
I couldn't find much in the way to justify his behavior myself, which surprised me because I've never considered Banner's behavior to be unethical before. This led me to wondering why that was, why I've been rooting for the poor, pressed-on guy all this time... and it came to me: In the past, the Hulk never killed any innocent people. Well, he never did that in this one TPB either, but the facilitators had mentioned how later trades firmly painted the red on his hands.
And that changes everything.
Which lights the way to my opinion that the Hulk as a character simply doesn't work if he's killed anyone of the non-villain variety. Once he's done that, the reader can't root for Bruce Banner anymore, not if he stays on the run, consequently knowlingly putting lives at risk. When the tanks edge in and surround the Hulk, something's wrong if it's the tanks the reader is championing. But enough; I don't want to side-track. The title of this entry's The Non-Fan's Perspective, not APLOMB's Perspective.
There were a lot of laughs when the facilitators mentioned that the Doc Samson character, like his Biblical namesake, wields strength dependant on his hair length. This reaction, too, surprised me. Is it really much sillier than the rest of the wacky science found in superhero comics? Apparently... yes?
Oh, and it'll come as a surprise to no one, I'm sure, that most of the students did not know of the existence of any version of the Hulk beyond the simple-minded, green one. This even went for, surprisingly enough, one young man who could recite chapter and verse for all the Marvel books that contain X somewhere in their title. I mentioned him far back in my first entry of this series. This guy knew in his heart the *Summers* *family* *tree*. One time, someone asked him whether the character Havok ever had his own series, and I heard firsthand as he went into a thorough answer involving the words "leader of X-Factor" and "Mutant X" and god knows what else. I don't keep track too much of Marvel's mutant fiefdom, but he sounded like he knew the stuff but good. Hunh.
And... fin. The next entry will be up sooner or later, and I proclaim its topic WONDER WOMAN: GODS AND MORTALS.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
He Used to Only Leap
Out from the depthless mists of time -- part of an old message by Peter David on the Newsarama boards:
"And if Spider-Man had had a stinger come out of his wrist back in the 1960s but no spider-sense, and "The Other" introduced an uncanny ESP ability warning him of danger, you would be leading the howl of protests as to how stupid that was while no one would be saying boo these days about the stinger. And you know it, so don't waste anyone's time saying otherwise."
That last line is so true. I swear, if everyone in online superhero comics fandom had to read this message before posting, half of its activity would dry up. And good riddance.
"And if Spider-Man had had a stinger come out of his wrist back in the 1960s but no spider-sense, and "The Other" introduced an uncanny ESP ability warning him of danger, you would be leading the howl of protests as to how stupid that was while no one would be saying boo these days about the stinger. And you know it, so don't waste anyone's time saying otherwise."
That last line is so true. I swear, if everyone in online superhero comics fandom had to read this message before posting, half of its activity would dry up. And good riddance.
Lang-Sized Pull List, 2-7
Anyone reading this entry should keep in mind that I was studying for an exam very late into the night the day before I read this week's purchases. As a result, I read the following comics when I was in a state of severe drowsiness. Why did I do that?
The following pseudo-reviews come with the disclaimer that, the state I was in, a comic could have contained the secret to world peace and everlasting happiness and I would have still thought, "Meh." These pseudo-reviews are probably overly critical.
***
Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil 1
Chapter 1: Yroob Szh Z Hvxivg!
-- The art... the art in this is just great. Even with eyelids half-closed, I was cognizant of that. It's charming, pretty, expressive. It's great. That goes for Jeff Smith's linework and Steve Hamaker's colors both.
Unfortunately, the plot isn't the artwork's equal. It's not awful or anything. In fact, it's pretty good. But only *pretty* good. There's just something lacking; I can't really explain.
I mean... the story's called "The Monster Society of Evil," so I guess I expected to see monsters. Instead, this issue is dominated by a re-telling of Captain Marvel's origin. That isn't necessarily bad, but I just feel there's something... perfunctory about the execution. It covered the bases but not with enough flair to make me go, "Wow." There's a lot of charm in this book, but it radiates from the art much more than the plot.
Astro City: The Dark Age, Book Two 2
The Out-of-Towners
-- Wow, this was a meaty read. A lot happens in this issue, a lot gets thrown into the mix. By the last page, there's quite the number of threads being juggled. Good stuff.
While the reveal about the Pyramid (P.Y.R.A.M.I.D.?) rep is on the predictable side, I can't really mind because it adds an interesting complication to the Williams's lives, one I'm eager to see play out in whichever manner it will. How will they choose to respond?
And the two-page spread of dossiers: just plain cool. Twins somehow born to separate mothers... I just love bizarre stuff like that. The attention to detail is part of what makes this series so enjoyable (and, I suppose, part of how Busiek makes even the most outlandish of events feel genuine). It's also one of the most infuriating (in a good way) things about ASTRO CITY, because the nature of the series makes it so that such information gets doled out very slowly. We know all this backstory and history is out there somewhere, but we can't get at it; we can only get snatches here and there. Not that I'm complaining; I'd rather get stories than info for the sake of info. But this is why I'm crossing my fingers that the remaining character specials will focus on super-people we already know about rather than new folks.
The Apollo Eleven are a great visual. Not only is this Ross cover something I can't take my eyes off, Brent Anderson does a great job with them inside as well. They're so... otherworldly.
Fantastic Four: The End 5
-- This limited series could have used more issues, in my opinion. It's starting to feel rushed. Threats get established, but are than hastily resolved in a rather perfunctory (there's that word again) manner.
The series overall is a fun, engaging romp, but this issue felt lacking.
Still, there were some nice character moments , and it's Alan Davis on pencils, so it looks gorgeous.
Detective Comics 828
Sharkbite
-- For a moment there, I was seriously wondering if Dini was going to have Batman pull out the bat-shark-repellant (guaranteed to be the most effective at repelling bat-sharks, you betcha) as an in-joke.
Yet another solid issue by Dini and Kramer that keeps the pages turning. I'm really liking the Riddler as a law-abiding detective. His interactions with Batman have a lot of snap to them.
The following pseudo-reviews come with the disclaimer that, the state I was in, a comic could have contained the secret to world peace and everlasting happiness and I would have still thought, "Meh." These pseudo-reviews are probably overly critical.
***
Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil 1
Chapter 1: Yroob Szh Z Hvxivg!
-- The art... the art in this is just great. Even with eyelids half-closed, I was cognizant of that. It's charming, pretty, expressive. It's great. That goes for Jeff Smith's linework and Steve Hamaker's colors both.
Unfortunately, the plot isn't the artwork's equal. It's not awful or anything. In fact, it's pretty good. But only *pretty* good. There's just something lacking; I can't really explain.
I mean... the story's called "The Monster Society of Evil," so I guess I expected to see monsters. Instead, this issue is dominated by a re-telling of Captain Marvel's origin. That isn't necessarily bad, but I just feel there's something... perfunctory about the execution. It covered the bases but not with enough flair to make me go, "Wow." There's a lot of charm in this book, but it radiates from the art much more than the plot.
Astro City: The Dark Age, Book Two 2
The Out-of-Towners
-- Wow, this was a meaty read. A lot happens in this issue, a lot gets thrown into the mix. By the last page, there's quite the number of threads being juggled. Good stuff.
While the reveal about the Pyramid (P.Y.R.A.M.I.D.?) rep is on the predictable side, I can't really mind because it adds an interesting complication to the Williams's lives, one I'm eager to see play out in whichever manner it will. How will they choose to respond?
And the two-page spread of dossiers: just plain cool. Twins somehow born to separate mothers... I just love bizarre stuff like that. The attention to detail is part of what makes this series so enjoyable (and, I suppose, part of how Busiek makes even the most outlandish of events feel genuine). It's also one of the most infuriating (in a good way) things about ASTRO CITY, because the nature of the series makes it so that such information gets doled out very slowly. We know all this backstory and history is out there somewhere, but we can't get at it; we can only get snatches here and there. Not that I'm complaining; I'd rather get stories than info for the sake of info. But this is why I'm crossing my fingers that the remaining character specials will focus on super-people we already know about rather than new folks.
The Apollo Eleven are a great visual. Not only is this Ross cover something I can't take my eyes off, Brent Anderson does a great job with them inside as well. They're so... otherworldly.
Fantastic Four: The End 5
-- This limited series could have used more issues, in my opinion. It's starting to feel rushed. Threats get established, but are than hastily resolved in a rather perfunctory (there's that word again) manner.
The series overall is a fun, engaging romp, but this issue felt lacking.
Still, there were some nice character moments , and it's Alan Davis on pencils, so it looks gorgeous.
Detective Comics 828
Sharkbite
-- For a moment there, I was seriously wondering if Dini was going to have Batman pull out the bat-shark-repellant (guaranteed to be the most effective at repelling bat-sharks, you betcha) as an in-joke.
Yet another solid issue by Dini and Kramer that keeps the pages turning. I'm really liking the Riddler as a law-abiding detective. His interactions with Batman have a lot of snap to them.
Curiosity's Colors
Here's something weird.
IGN.com's put up an interview with Mark Waid. Go there and ye shall find six never-before-seen pages from the upcoming premiere ish of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. Now read them. Within their panels, the fact that Green Lantern's no longer vulnerable to yellow is mentioned not once but twice. Heck, it seems to be a marginally important plot point.
So why does he keep attacking the yellow monster by using his ring to hurl bat-memorabilia at it, by attacking it indirectly, like he'd do if the vulnerability was still extant?
Were there some last minute changes to the script?
An even better question, why am I writing about something so trivial? Mmm.
That said, those pages are looking like good stuff. I know I'll be making the purchase.
Also, I provide the following note in a sad bid to increade my fan-cred: I was originally going to name this entry "I Am Curious (about Yellow)." But I realized the famed Lois Lane story was actually called "I Am Curious (Black)." I was confusing it with "I Am Curious (Yellow)," the film its title was a riff on.
IGN.com's put up an interview with Mark Waid. Go there and ye shall find six never-before-seen pages from the upcoming premiere ish of THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD. Now read them. Within their panels, the fact that Green Lantern's no longer vulnerable to yellow is mentioned not once but twice. Heck, it seems to be a marginally important plot point.
So why does he keep attacking the yellow monster by using his ring to hurl bat-memorabilia at it, by attacking it indirectly, like he'd do if the vulnerability was still extant?
Were there some last minute changes to the script?
An even better question, why am I writing about something so trivial? Mmm.
That said, those pages are looking like good stuff. I know I'll be making the purchase.
Also, I provide the following note in a sad bid to increade my fan-cred: I was originally going to name this entry "I Am Curious (about Yellow)." But I realized the famed Lois Lane story was actually called "I Am Curious (Black)." I was confusing it with "I Am Curious (Yellow)," the film its title was a riff on.
Sunday, February 4, 2007
Choi-Sized Pull List; 1-17, 1-24, & 1-31
Well, it's been a while since the last run-through, so there's some catching up to do.
***
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 48
Gate of Shadow, Part One
Here Be Monsters
-- I know next to nothing about the Fisherman, but the revamped version looks to be entertaining. I can't say I'm a fan of the character yet -- we haven't actually seen him do much yet -- but I'm intrigued and want to find out more.
The flashback scenes, which take place on land, were my favorite parts. Unfortunately, that this would be so serves to remind me of the fact that most high fantasy simply isn't my speed. Which is why, no matter what the Busiek mystery-project turns out be, I'm nearly certain I'll enjoy it more than his AQUAMAN. Unless it's, I-don't-know, Warlord or something. Oh, please no.
Still, this might have been my favorite issue yet. Now that the "Arthur accepting his role as Aquaman" stage is past, I'm finding the next one, "Arthur learning how to be Aquaman," more enjoyable. I'd be excited at the possibilities if I didn't know there's only more issue before Williams takes over the book, bringing with him a (possible) drastic sea change.
Fables 57
A Man's Home Is his Castle, Part One of Father and Son
-- Six monsters. Versus six cubs who we find out in this issue can change *into* monsters... Oh my, is... is this heading where it looks to be?
While the art here is stiff in places, Allred delivers what is still possibly the best fill-in art this series has had. Which makes the fact that I missed Buckingham's art more than usual odd. I think it's because this issue is particularly suited for his talents, what with the wolves loping about doing wolfish things and the emotionally-charged character interaction. Both of which Buckingham depicts especially well.
One of FABLES's greatest strengths is the way plots flow seamlessly one into the next. I don't feel the presence of the author's hand moving the pieces into position for the next arc. Obviously, it's there -- just as it is in pretty much all fiction -- but Willingham is good at obscuring it. One event leads to the next in a way that comes off as inevitable and natural. The new arrangement between Fabletown and Mr. North is a good example of that. *Of course* Fabletown'd want zephyrs to spy on Hansel and company, the reader finds himself/herself saying.
Jack of Fables 7
Jack of Hearts, Part One
Viva Las Vegas
-- It's the the little that make this for me: the background scenes containing the Pathetic Fallacy's mannequin girlfriend and her everchanging wardrobe, the napkin dispenser sticking up its hands, the roulette ball's expressive expressions, stuff like that. Hunh, come to think of it, all those bits involve the Pathetic Fallacy. Weird, as I don't like the character himself that much. He's actually *too*... er, pathetic. It's a little overdone, for me at least.
A problem with this series for me is that I can't stop comparing it to its parent title. And it suffers for it. If I could treat it as its own entity, I might be able to enjoy it more.
Ex Machina 26
Power Down, Chapter One
-- I've reached a conviction that this series reads better in trade paperbacks. I haven't quite put my finger on why yet, though.
It's nice to see what looks to be significant progress regarding the mystery of the object that gave Mitchell his powers. It's been quite a long time since we've had serious movement on that front, or at least it feels like it.
***
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis 48
Gate of Shadow, Part One
Here Be Monsters
-- I know next to nothing about the Fisherman, but the revamped version looks to be entertaining. I can't say I'm a fan of the character yet -- we haven't actually seen him do much yet -- but I'm intrigued and want to find out more.
The flashback scenes, which take place on land, were my favorite parts. Unfortunately, that this would be so serves to remind me of the fact that most high fantasy simply isn't my speed. Which is why, no matter what the Busiek mystery-project turns out be, I'm nearly certain I'll enjoy it more than his AQUAMAN. Unless it's, I-don't-know, Warlord or something. Oh, please no.
Still, this might have been my favorite issue yet. Now that the "Arthur accepting his role as Aquaman" stage is past, I'm finding the next one, "Arthur learning how to be Aquaman," more enjoyable. I'd be excited at the possibilities if I didn't know there's only more issue before Williams takes over the book, bringing with him a (possible) drastic sea change.
Fables 57
A Man's Home Is his Castle, Part One of Father and Son
-- Six monsters. Versus six cubs who we find out in this issue can change *into* monsters... Oh my, is... is this heading where it looks to be?
While the art here is stiff in places, Allred delivers what is still possibly the best fill-in art this series has had. Which makes the fact that I missed Buckingham's art more than usual odd. I think it's because this issue is particularly suited for his talents, what with the wolves loping about doing wolfish things and the emotionally-charged character interaction. Both of which Buckingham depicts especially well.
One of FABLES's greatest strengths is the way plots flow seamlessly one into the next. I don't feel the presence of the author's hand moving the pieces into position for the next arc. Obviously, it's there -- just as it is in pretty much all fiction -- but Willingham is good at obscuring it. One event leads to the next in a way that comes off as inevitable and natural. The new arrangement between Fabletown and Mr. North is a good example of that. *Of course* Fabletown'd want zephyrs to spy on Hansel and company, the reader finds himself/herself saying.
Jack of Fables 7
Jack of Hearts, Part One
Viva Las Vegas
-- It's the the little that make this for me: the background scenes containing the Pathetic Fallacy's mannequin girlfriend and her everchanging wardrobe, the napkin dispenser sticking up its hands, the roulette ball's expressive expressions, stuff like that. Hunh, come to think of it, all those bits involve the Pathetic Fallacy. Weird, as I don't like the character himself that much. He's actually *too*... er, pathetic. It's a little overdone, for me at least.
A problem with this series for me is that I can't stop comparing it to its parent title. And it suffers for it. If I could treat it as its own entity, I might be able to enjoy it more.
Ex Machina 26
Power Down, Chapter One
-- I've reached a conviction that this series reads better in trade paperbacks. I haven't quite put my finger on why yet, though.
It's nice to see what looks to be significant progress regarding the mystery of the object that gave Mitchell his powers. It's been quite a long time since we've had serious movement on that front, or at least it feels like it.
The Sorcerer and the Invincible
Before venturing onward, you should all be warned that this entry is particularly pointless. But in my defense, that's nothing new in my acre of the woods.
***
Wow, I had no idea Sargon the Sorcerer
Image of Sargon pulled (out from its rather bizarre context) from Who's Whose in the DC Universe, image of Ibis from Wikipedia.
***
Wow, I had no idea Sargon the Sorcerer
and Ibis the Invincible
are two different people.
In all seriousness, all this time I've been thinking they're the same character.
Image of Sargon pulled (out from its rather bizarre context) from Who's Whose in the DC Universe, image of Ibis from Wikipedia.
Friday, February 2, 2007
The Non-Fan's Perspective: Miscellaneous
I'm titling this entry of The Non-Fan's Perspective "Miscellaneous" because it covers Spider-Man, the (Ultimate) Fantastic Four, and the JLA, but none of them to the extent that referencing them in the title wouldn't be misleading.
As I explained in the previous entry in this awkward excuse for a series, this installment covers not one but two classes of the course. For the first, we read SPIDER-MAN: THE DEATH OF GWEN STACY. For the second, each student had his/her choice between ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR: THE FANTASTIC (say that three times fast) and JLA: TOWER OF BABEL. I'm covering both classes in this one entry because, from my subjective point of view, the Spider-Man trade didn't generate enough interesting comments from the other students to warrant its own chapter.
The student response to that one can be boiled down to "I didn't like it, but I respect it," whatever that's supposed to mean. I also learned that lots of casual fans don't read the credits, as there was some confusion over whether Stan Lee or Gerry Conway wrote the issues collected within. ("Both," that is the answer.) Darn it all, am I the only person who has a borderline OCD need to read the credits box whenever it shows up? Seriously, even when I *know* a trade paperback has the same writer and artist throughout, I still can't help but skim through those cursed rectangles *every* *time* they shows up. And it's as annoying as it sounds! Aaah...
There were a couple of people who made remarks along the lines that, by all rights, they *should* have found Peter Parker whiny and "emo," but they didn't, for reasons they couldn't pinpoint.
Also, there was some back-and-forth over whether or not Spider-Man should be held responsible for Gwen Stacy's death after one of the facilitators brought up the neck-snap theory/fact. Interesting that even the non-fans were making statements about how he couldn't just let her fall because "that's not what a superhero does."
According to the facilitators, a bunch of the students who picked the FANTASTIC FOUR trade wrote in their reading responses that they were confused by the discrepancies between it and the Fantastic Four movie -- namely the differences in the origins. I, however, am personally convinced most of them were feigning said confusion just to give themselves something to fill up their mandatory reading responses with.
I find it hard to swallow that *any* American could be so unfamiliar with the concept of adaptations taking liberties with the source material. Heck, even when I was in grade school, I remember discussing with a friend the differences between, of all things, "cartoon Swamp Thing" and "live action Swamp Thing." (At the time I didn't have the slightest inkling he was a comic book character. Heh.)
I didn't read the FANTASTIC FOUR trade, so if there was any further discussion of its contents, I don't recall it.
As for the JLA book... After reading it, a number of the students were left with the impression that Batman was some sort of League leader or something, with the others as his underlings. Hee. I can see how reading TOWER OF BABEL in a vacuum could lead to that line of thought.
Honestly, there really wasn't much discussion of either trade because a goodly portion of the class that week was spent on an activity where we made up superhero teams out of pre-existing characters. "Democratic education," good people: the education that is anything but.
We were divided into groups for the activity, each one concocting its own super-team. I don't remember most of the results, but one particularly amusing creation was the team formed to bake a giant pie to sate Galactus's hunger and consequently spare the Earth. The members were the Human Torch (to bake), the Flash (to gather ingredients), Aunt May (for her culinary talent), and one or two other individuals I'm no doubt forgetting.
Aah, I suppose you had to be there.
As I explained in the previous entry in this awkward excuse for a series, this installment covers not one but two classes of the course. For the first, we read SPIDER-MAN: THE DEATH OF GWEN STACY. For the second, each student had his/her choice between ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR: THE FANTASTIC (say that three times fast) and JLA: TOWER OF BABEL. I'm covering both classes in this one entry because, from my subjective point of view, the Spider-Man trade didn't generate enough interesting comments from the other students to warrant its own chapter.
The student response to that one can be boiled down to "I didn't like it, but I respect it," whatever that's supposed to mean. I also learned that lots of casual fans don't read the credits, as there was some confusion over whether Stan Lee or Gerry Conway wrote the issues collected within. ("Both," that is the answer.) Darn it all, am I the only person who has a borderline OCD need to read the credits box whenever it shows up? Seriously, even when I *know* a trade paperback has the same writer and artist throughout, I still can't help but skim through those cursed rectangles *every* *time* they shows up. And it's as annoying as it sounds! Aaah...
There were a couple of people who made remarks along the lines that, by all rights, they *should* have found Peter Parker whiny and "emo," but they didn't, for reasons they couldn't pinpoint.
Also, there was some back-and-forth over whether or not Spider-Man should be held responsible for Gwen Stacy's death after one of the facilitators brought up the neck-snap theory/fact. Interesting that even the non-fans were making statements about how he couldn't just let her fall because "that's not what a superhero does."
According to the facilitators, a bunch of the students who picked the FANTASTIC FOUR trade wrote in their reading responses that they were confused by the discrepancies between it and the Fantastic Four movie -- namely the differences in the origins. I, however, am personally convinced most of them were feigning said confusion just to give themselves something to fill up their mandatory reading responses with.
I find it hard to swallow that *any* American could be so unfamiliar with the concept of adaptations taking liberties with the source material. Heck, even when I was in grade school, I remember discussing with a friend the differences between, of all things, "cartoon Swamp Thing" and "live action Swamp Thing." (At the time I didn't have the slightest inkling he was a comic book character. Heh.)
I didn't read the FANTASTIC FOUR trade, so if there was any further discussion of its contents, I don't recall it.
As for the JLA book... After reading it, a number of the students were left with the impression that Batman was some sort of League leader or something, with the others as his underlings. Hee. I can see how reading TOWER OF BABEL in a vacuum could lead to that line of thought.
Honestly, there really wasn't much discussion of either trade because a goodly portion of the class that week was spent on an activity where we made up superhero teams out of pre-existing characters. "Democratic education," good people: the education that is anything but.
We were divided into groups for the activity, each one concocting its own super-team. I don't remember most of the results, but one particularly amusing creation was the team formed to bake a giant pie to sate Galactus's hunger and consequently spare the Earth. The members were the Human Torch (to bake), the Flash (to gather ingredients), Aunt May (for her culinary talent), and one or two other individuals I'm no doubt forgetting.
Aah, I suppose you had to be there.
A Knife into the Heart of the Comics Blogosphere
Well, I came upon an... interesting new blog today. If you input http://dickhatesyourblog.blogspot.com to your address bar, you'll arrive at a comics weblog with -- unsurprisingly -- the delightful title Dick Hates Your Blog.
Blogger Dick describes his e-journal thusly:
"If 95% of all comics suck, the same is true of blogs about comics. Or traditional websites or message boards or podcasts or what have you. It's shocking how bad they are, really. On one extreme, you have smug middlebrow hipsters whose idea of criticism is to berate the reader for buying Civil War instead of Mouse Guard (or Scott Pilgrim, or Street Angel, or whatever happens to be this year's darling). On the other are the myopic slaves to continuity, who judge the quality of a book solely by how closely it adheres to the characterizations, styles, and tropes of their youth. And then there are the humor blogs, their lifeblood scanned images of poorly-drawn comics with hints of homoeroticism. Batman is totally gay! Vince Coletta sucked!
...
"I will document and ridicule this cacophany of the grotesque, fighting the blogosphere with its own weapon. I have no dog in this fight--I read the most ludicrous of superhero comics, the most portentous of art comix, the most disposable of manga, the most arcane of comic strips, and everything else I can get my hands on. I love it and hate it all equally. And, like comics blogs, I think 95% of it is crap."
I'm kind of torn about how I feel about his intended theme. On the one hand, it seems mean to rip into people for what they're doing for fun. Who cares if Blog X is badly written or if its jokes are weak; it's not like blogging's a job for us, you know? On the other hand, I do often find myself fed up with online fandom, its narrowmindedness, its irrationality. An undeniable part of me is rubbing its hands in anticipation of seeing this guy savagely rip into all o' that.
It's a shame APLOMB isn't more widely-read because that reduces its chances of coming into guy's crosshairs to pretty much nil. I'd seriously get a thrill if this site were to become one of his victims.
He lists so many different species of terrible comics blog in his zero entry! I must know which one APLOMB would fall under!
Blogger Dick describes his e-journal thusly:
"If 95% of all comics suck, the same is true of blogs about comics. Or traditional websites or message boards or podcasts or what have you. It's shocking how bad they are, really. On one extreme, you have smug middlebrow hipsters whose idea of criticism is to berate the reader for buying Civil War instead of Mouse Guard (or Scott Pilgrim, or Street Angel, or whatever happens to be this year's darling). On the other are the myopic slaves to continuity, who judge the quality of a book solely by how closely it adheres to the characterizations, styles, and tropes of their youth. And then there are the humor blogs, their lifeblood scanned images of poorly-drawn comics with hints of homoeroticism. Batman is totally gay! Vince Coletta sucked!
...
"I will document and ridicule this cacophany of the grotesque, fighting the blogosphere with its own weapon. I have no dog in this fight--I read the most ludicrous of superhero comics, the most portentous of art comix, the most disposable of manga, the most arcane of comic strips, and everything else I can get my hands on. I love it and hate it all equally. And, like comics blogs, I think 95% of it is crap."
I'm kind of torn about how I feel about his intended theme. On the one hand, it seems mean to rip into people for what they're doing for fun. Who cares if Blog X is badly written or if its jokes are weak; it's not like blogging's a job for us, you know? On the other hand, I do often find myself fed up with online fandom, its narrowmindedness, its irrationality. An undeniable part of me is rubbing its hands in anticipation of seeing this guy savagely rip into all o' that.
It's a shame APLOMB isn't more widely-read because that reduces its chances of coming into guy's crosshairs to pretty much nil. I'd seriously get a thrill if this site were to become one of his victims.
He lists so many different species of terrible comics blog in his zero entry! I must know which one APLOMB would fall under!
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