30 Days of Buffy!! Days 28 and 29

Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
Angel.  spit spit bleurgh. Horrible self centred man.

Day 29: Episode You Hate That Everyone Else Loves
Innocence.


Last Day of Buffy coming up soon folks.  I'll have to think of actual blog topics. Eek!

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 26 and 27

Day 26: Favorite Scooby Moment

What does this even mean?  Favourite team work?   Favourite group scene?  The scoobies at their dore don't mean a lot to me.  Buffy/Willow/Xander are not the most interesting characters to me.  Giles is awesome, of course, Oz is great. Cordelia and Wes have their moments.  But when I look back over the show my favourite seasons and my favourite chars are those from later in the programme's life - Anya, Spike (reformed), Tara, the potentials, Dawn, Joyce, Faith.  All those on the peripheries who were really important to the show but weren't at the heart of the Scooby gang.

So, I have nothing for favourite Scooby moment, because the core group of 3 are not the most interesting.

Day 27: Cutest Moment
Preparing for Joyce's funeral.  I know that may seem odd, but take cute as to mean something that makes you feel warmth for the chars, and I reckon it would be Willow despairing of not having grown up clothes and Anya despairing of how humans cope with death.

I don't really like 'cute' things.

There's so much stuff I should be doing right now

Namely, job applications, but fuck it, I'm gonna talk about comics instead.  Y'see, I got a second hand copy of JLA Showcase volume 4 the other week.  I expected it to be rubbish but entertaining, but it's actually turned out to be good!

For example, (I was going to start the sentence with 'like', but then common sense got the better of me), there's characterisation!  And nearly poetry!

JLA #68: Neverwas - The Chaos Maker!  The narrative starts thusly:

Look through the eyes of Neverwas!  Look upon a bleak landscape through eyes which see no colour...perceive with a mind that does not think!


You are Neverwas!  You are not human...rather you are a freak of nature!  A one celled animal mutated, grown huge, possessed of a dim, formless intelligence...


In your world, there is peril, Neverwas!  For you life in an age undreamt of eons past..when the earth is young and cruel!


Flee, Neverwas!  Find that the material of your body can assume many shapes!  Fell it now becoming wings to lift you free of danger...


Fear, Neverwas!  Realize you have trapped yourself.  That death is only cold instants away...

Isn't that lush prose?  It's got a feeling of the early 20th century sci fi novel about it.  There's still dodgy science and some bad prose (dialogue) within the book, but there's far more awareness and effort put into the issues than I had anticipated.
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Batman: That reminds me.. I've been meaning to draw plans for a Batsubmarine!
Aquaman: Hey, Batman!  When you eat dinenr do you eat Batfood?  And at night do you Batdream?   And..
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Some of the art is just gorgeous, especially in black and white.  There are some wonderful depictions of Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Superman within the book.  Just beautiful portraits of each of them, with character and sternness, and strength in them.

In an earlier part of the book Wonder Woman got hacked off with the state of JLA HQ and promptly started taking charge of the cleaning - by ordering Superman to move the furniture and Green Lantern to paint the walls.   Again, the art is wonderful.

This a damn good buy and I can't wait to read the rest of it.

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 24 and 25

Day 24: Favorite Example of 90s Special Effects
The bloke dressed up as Buffy carrying dawn away from Glory in the finale of Season 5.  Hilarious.  They didn't even try there did they?

Day 25: Favorite Buffyverse Saying
Cup of tea? Cup of tea? Nearly got a shag, cup of tea?

Oh Spike, how I love you when you mock other people.  He's describing Giles.

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 22 and 23

Day 22: Best Xander-centric Episode
Xander - another character I have little love for. Let's be honest, he's a bit of a prick.  He treated Anya abominably, he mooned over Buffy for years and regularly put his feelings ahead of hers (when he told Buffy to kick Angel's ass for instance?).  He liked Riley for gods sake.


But, I enjoyed the split Xander episode, if only cos Anya suggested she have a threesome with the two of them.


Day 23: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
I did rather enjoy Joyce and Giles.

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 20 and 21

Day 20: Best Spike-centric Episode
The one in Season 7 where they work out what his trigger song is and then Robin takes him into a warehouse and attempts to kill him.  Spike then beats the crap outta him.

Don't mess with Spike guys.  He may be good, but he's still vicious.

Day 21: Best Willow-centric Episode
Erm, I'm not really keen on Willow.  Doppelgangland for evil vampire Willow was good.  The finale of season 7 where she turned into a goddess was satisfying.  The one at the start of season 7 where she's in England and you see Giles riding on a horse is hilarious.  The start of season 6 where they resurrect Buffy is important for Willow, but not really Willow centric.  Same for Once More With Feeling.  The one where Oz comes back and she tells him about Tara was good. Gut wrenching, but good.


I can't decide which one I prefer.  You all pick one and we'll pretend I agree.

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 18 and 19

Day 18: Character Who Didn’t Get Enough Screen Time
Spikes skin condition demon friend.  Or evil vampire Willow.  However I suspect vampire Willow's potential extra screen time may have been relegated to showing how hot she was, whereas Spike's scabby demon friend was actually interesting.

Day 19: Character You Like That Everyone Else Hates
Dawn.  I used to hate her, now I have a lot of time for her.

And Kennedy of course.

News from SDCC

Which I am obviously not at, being British and skint.  I am however following DCwomenkicknass on twitter and getting lots of info from her.  So, the news..

• New Flash ongoing for next year, including BART and Wally and Jesse and Iris!  Woot woot! So even if Krul's Teen Titans turns out terrible I'll get my Bart fix somewhere else. Hurrah

• News about Wonder Woman's new direction (I don't know how to do screen shots I just copied and pasted the text, I don't know where the numbers have come from :/) :

1. dcwomenkicknass
     
   Schrödinger's cat. is key to Wonder Woman according to JMS. Oh boy.
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3. WonderWomanV2
     
   What the actual fuck? RT @dcwomenkicknass Schrödinger's cat. is key to Wonder Woman according to JMS. Oh boy  
4. WonderWomanV2
     
   @dcwomenkicknass Because fans can't know if you killed her so long as they just keep the book shut?  

I enjoyed that exchange.  I think this backs up my theory of this new directions lasting 12 issues then the timeline is pinged back to normal.

• The Green Lantern movie will apparently take us to Oa and we will see all 3600 Lanterns - They'd better not fuck up the CGI on that.  Or go 3D.  3D doesn't work very well when you already wear glasses.

•  Gail Simone is thinking really really hard about whether to have Babs walk again.  I say no.

• And here is a report on the Writing Queer: Creating and Writing LGBT Characters” panel moderated by Justin Hall and including Gilbert Hernandez, Greg Rucka, Gail Simone, Judd Winick, Paige Braddock and Howard Cruse.

• Batman is gonna be turned into a franchise - Batman Inc.  What a terrible, terrible idea.

Well that's all the stuff I was interested in.  I say again, hurrah for a Bart book!
Gods I wish I was at the comi-con.

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 16 and 17

Day 16: Episode You Like That Everyone Else Hates
I have no idea what episode everyone else hates.  Unless you count Season 7.

Day 17: Character You Relate To The Most
The most huh?  I can relate to Buffy's misery, Anya's awkwardness and straightforwardness, Dawn's cutting, Giles love of jaffa cakes, the potentials who realise their influx of power and think it's awesome, Tara's shyness, Faith's flirting and desire to get loaded and have a good time and Spike's couldn't give a fuck attitude.

I don't see myself in any one character.

Wonder Woman #600, or, the goddess within us all

I finally got my hands on Wondy #600, and the first printing no less!

There's a whole lot to talk about in here.

The cover - I must be the only person in the world who doesn't like George Perez.  He's given her a rictus grin for gods' sake:

Lynda Carter provides the introduction, which is where the goddess part of the title is taken from.  Carter clearly has a lot of love the character.  Or, she's good at acting like she's got a lot of love for the character.  I'm such a cynic.

There are so many great full pages of art within this book.  All are pretty incredible.  Like this one.  And this one.  These special pieces and all the differing stories really make this issue feel like a true celebration of the character, in a way that Superman 700 didn't.

First story is a team up between Wonder Woman and every other important woman in the DCU.  She called them, they came.  Supergirl and misfit come out with some great dialogue.

Next up is an Amanda Connor written and drawn piece, with Peej and Cass Cain.  And cats!  My favourite thing for Amanda Connor to draw.  This story has a similar cat centric ending as the Wednesday Comics Supergirl strip had.

Louise Simonson's story - a WW/Supes team up - is oh so playful.

And then we have the final story.  Cause of many an outraged squeal.  OK, here's my viewpoint.

This Diana isn't in the same position as she was a few pages before.  She's no longer an experienced fighter, no longer in the trinity and no longer has thousands of years of Greek heritage behind her to support her sense of self.

But.
She is still a warrior.
She is still confident.
She is stills elf sufficient.
She is proud, she is haughty.
She knows her own mind.
She is still regal (even if the outfit isn't).
She is not ordinary.

She is not fragile, incompetent or completely without experience.  She is not soft or trembling, or nervous (which from the Internet outrage I feared she may have been).  She has a change of costume because there if no longer a Themscyria on which she can battle to win the armour.

She doesn't hold all the titles and status she once had, but I have a feeling this Diana will earn them all back, and maybe some more on top of them.

The oracle said '...to see what you are fighting to restore...to save...to avenge..".  The story ends with the oracle showing Di what has become of Paradise Island.  This has all happened due to a fuckup in time.

Now, here's what I think will happen.

Over the next 12 issues Di will investigate what has happened to her history and her people.  Heads will be cracked.  At the end of the arc the timeline will be restored (hopefully without the Amazons being victims of a mass rape), Diana will have memories of this past year, as will the other DCU heroes (if they interact) and it will weave into part of her backstory, easy as pie.
The costume will at some point revert back to the old familiar one.

I am happy with this option.  I think there is room in the mythos for this story and I think I will enjoy it.  I cannot see this Diana deferring to anyone, so i think it won't be long before she retakes her place in the trinity.

The afterword helps in making things a little clearer.  I wasn't of the opinion that Diana needed a new direction, but then again I didn't buy Simone's run.  Strazynski seems to want to address the tendency among writers to leave WW to stagnate or note use her, because they don't really understand her.  Now, every WW fan will have their own interpretation of the character.  Personally I love Rucka's and Jiminez's run.  Other think Simone's is the best.

Stracynski tackles (albeit obliquely) the sexism surrounding WW, but at the same time displays similar feelings to those he is criticising.  This is unfortunate but sadly not uncommon.

As much as I would never have suggested that Wonder Woman needs a new direction, if they are going to proceed with one, this will hopefully be alright.

I've even forgiven them the jacket.

I shall leave you with this sketch of Wonder Woman, by Nicola Scott (not included in issue 600, but found on the wonderful DCwomenkickingass tumblr.  Her current background art is from WW600).

Batgirl 12 and Superman 701

Spoilers ahead....
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Batgirl 12
I'd picked up issues 4 to 7 before, but not been hooked in enough to add it to my regular pull list.  I kept thinking I should buy it (because that's what feminist comics fans like me like, right?) but I resisted until issue 12.  Chiefly because while I enjoyed the other issues I jsut didn't feel they were special enough.  So what prompted me to buy #12?
1 - The cover.

Bee-yoo-tiful!  There's so much character in this portrait.
2 - issue # 14 is gonna have Supergirl as a guest star (and vampires!) and I wanted to be set up for that.

So, was this issue any good?
#12 wraps up Steph's first year under the cowl.  I got the distinct impression that up until now she has been finding her feet - learning the ropes if you will.  Now she knows who she is, what she can do and she has nothing to prove anymore.

This issue is also the final installment of a 4 part arc - Calculator has turned Gothamites into drones and captured Oracle.  Steph is out to save her.  Jumping into this arc at the end worked well for me.  I dislike the Calculator, immensely, and I believe he has been overused these past few years.  At the end of this book he is deafeated, and with any luck we won't see him again for a good long while.

In the book, Calculator  has mindlinked himself to Oracle.  In her mind, Babs can walk.  So much for disability pride.  (Not that Babs has disabality pride, so that's probably a stupid thing of me to say.  Acceptance of your situation does not equal pride).

But then, by the end of the book, Wendy has taken a role as Oracle's backup and is calling herself Proxy.  That makes 2 wheelchair using superheros in the DCU now.  Two!

I particularly enjoyed Wendy crashing her plane into the robot that was attacking Steph.  A very over the top and stupid thing to do, but that's the sorta thing I like.

I am glad this book is now on my pull list.

Superman 701
And so begins his long walk across America.

The thing about Superman is that he means a lot of different things to different people.  Sure, wecan agree on the basics - goodness, truthfullness etc, but after that, we get a little muddled.

This issue we see anew type of Clark - short tempered, testy, but also caring and helpful.  I don't quite understand how he's left Lois so soon, but this is a version of Superman that I can get behind and appreciate.

Prism Comics Seeking Submissions for 2010 Queer Press Grant!

In case any of you reading this are aspiring comic creators.... see here.  From the article:

Prism Comics is accepting submissions for the 2010 Queer Press Grant, with a deadline of September 15, 2010. The annual grant was established by Prism Comics to assist in the publication and promotion of LGBT comics.

Prism will be offering portfolio review at the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con International for those interested in applying to the grant. Howard Cruse (Stuck Rubber Baby), Eric Shanower (Age of Bronze), Paige Braddock (Jane’s World), Bob Schreck (IDW), and Brian Andersen (So Super Duper) are among the reviewers scheduled to evaluate and to dispense advice this year at the Prism Booth. (#2049, 2146, & 2148). Check the Prism website or stop by the Prism booth for the latest schedule.
“The Queer Press Grant is the only American grant besides the Xeric Award dedicated to independent comic books,” says Justin Hall, Prism Comics Talent Relations Chair. “Since 2005 it has provided a significant annual sum of money, which varies according to Prism’s fund raising but generally comes in at around $2,000, to an LGBT cartoonist who is self-publishing a comic book with queer characters and/or themes.”
Entries are judged first and foremost by artistic merit, followed by concerns such as financial need, proposal presentation, and contribution to the LGBT community. They are reviewed by the Prism Comics Board and past recipients of the grant, with the larger advisory board brought in when a tiebreaker is needed.
For a full breakdown of the Grant’s guidelines, as well as for the application itself, please go to http://prismcomics.org/grant.php. Questions about the grant can be directed to Justin Hall at justin@prismcomics.org.

The Grant is entirely funded by donors, both comics professionals and fans who want to see more LGBT comics creators get published in a market in which it is still difficult for queer stories to be heard. If you would like to support the cause of queer, independent cartooning and donate to the Grant, please go to our: Facebook Cause page.

The previous Queer Press Grant recipients are:

Eric Orner (2009: Storybox) Ed Luce (2009: Wuvable Oaf) Pam Harrison (2008: House of the Muses) Justin Hall (2007: Glamazonia) Tommy Roddy (2007: Pride High) Megan Gedris (2006: YU+ME) Steve MacIsaac (2005: Shiftlifter)

Venus Envy

So, I started reading Venus Envy a few days ago, a webcomic about a transgendered teen, her high school life, home life, and friends.  It's pretty good and funny.  And not at all about superheroes.  I mean, Zoe (the protagonist) wears a Batman vest once but that's it.  And then I came across this awesome strip.

And I was roaring with laughter because it's just so damn unexpected.  And funny.

That's not the usual style  of the comic btw, that particular strip is a fill in one, but the humour is spot on and matches the rest of the series well.  Anyway, I highly recommend reading Venus Envy.

30 Days of Buffy!! (Days 14 and 15)

Day 14: Favorite Female Villain
Drusilla.  Or evil vampire Willow.

Who to choose who to choose?  Drusilla, we see more of her.

What's not to love? Her choice of clothes, her utter utter bonkersness, her awful English accent, the way she speaks and explains herself, the very physical way of acting that Juliet Landau has, her specific set of morals.

What's not to love?  Drusilla is an absolute delight.

Day 15: Favorite Male Villain
Spike.

He's tough, he's hot, once the chip is in his brain he gets to get really interesting, and he's hot.

Oh wait, this is for a villain right?  Well, for me, Spike only got interesting when the chip got in his brain and he became less villianous and more friendly.

So, this will either be the Mayor or Caleb.  Caleb is a religious fool who hates women.  The Mayor is a very well to do fool who on the surface is nice if a slight bit creepy, and he cares about things like doilys.  Below the surface he's a megalomaniac who's willing to be turned into a demon in order to rule the world.

The Mayor it is.  Doilys are evil.

30 Days of Buffy!! (Days 12 and 13)

Day 12: Least Favorite Episode
Innocence.  I hate the whole bullshit morality about how sex is bad that went along with that storyline.  I've written about this before, here.  Even if I wasn't bothered about the bloody sermon that was not a great depiction of a woman's first time of having sex, even if it's with someone you love.

Plus, I hate Angel.  Have I mentioned that already?


Day 13: Favorite Potential Slayer
I've been thinking and thinking about this, and I just can't decide.  It doesn't help that I can't remember their names, but I do remember watching season 7 and loving all of them.  Even the ones with terrible English accents.  All the slayerettes are special and they are all amazing and deserve to be honoured.

30 Days of Buffy!! Days 10 and 11

Day 10: Least Favorite Season
Season 5.  Ok, so we got Dawn, and she is a great addition, and we got Buffy's death, but I really really dislike Glory.  She is the most irritating character ever.  She's got no depth, no redeemable qualities and to be frank, she's a pretty shit god.

This meant I spent a lot of season 5 getting very annoyed.  There are good bits in there, Amber Benson did great with Tara getting her brainmind eaten, and Joyce dying was unbelievably sad.  But, when I think of season 5 I think of Glory and a I cringe.

Day 11: Least Favorite Romance
Buffy and Angel.  I hate Angel.  Their relationship didn't make sense.  I don't hold with this pre-destined made for each other nonsense, so their falling in love felt like a plot device and not something natural.  I never believed in them together.

New toys!

See them here:

Oooh a hooded GA!  and check out Mera!

What with these and the Steph!Batgirl figure due out, this year will be a good year for toys :)

This Green Lantern move costume...

You can see it here.  Well, ribbed?  I don't think so.  Not for Hal.  Crude jokes about Hal Jordan's condom use aside, I just don;t think he'd got for a ribbed costume.  Kyle would, but not Hal.

On the other hand, I also found this image on google.  So who knows what is correct.

What do you all think about the costume?

Nicola Scott to take over art duties on Teen Titans

From the DC Source blog:

Not long ago, we announced that GREEN ARROW writer J.T. Krul would be adding DC’s top teen team to his resume and taking over as the ongoing writer of TEEN TITANS, starting with October’s #88. But who’s handling the art side?
None other than Nicola Scott, who’s built up a long list of credits at DC, including SECRET SIX, BLACKEST NIGHT: WONDER WOMAN and the main WONDER WOMAN title. Scott and Krul will join forces to usher in a new era for the teen series, featuring some familiar faces and a few surprises.

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And, Damian will be in it :o

I have mixed feelings about JT Krul but I am positive that even if his writing is a bit low in quality, Scott can save it all with her art.  I have got the entire run of the current Teen Titans, in trade or floppy, with the exception of a few written by Felicia Henderson.  I always thought TT would be one I'd stick with through thick or thin, but sadly not.
However, with Krul and Scott on creative duties I again have high hopes for this book.  It may not be as good as Geoff Johns run but it will definitely be a lot better than the current sack of shit being produced.

30 Days of Buffy!!! Day 9

Day 9: Favorite Romance
Buffy and Satsu?
Straight girls can fuck women too you know!  And I'm all up for giving Buffy some meaningless fun sex.

Howabout Xander and any women he desired? (Not including Anya).

But honestly, It's probably Dawn and Xander in season 8, or Kennedy and Willow in season 7.  Kennedy made Willow more interesting, more capable and less bloody woolly.  She made her a better person.

30 days of Buffy! Days 7 and 8

Day 7: Least Favorite Male Character
Angel.  What a fucking waste of space

Or Riley.  But I think I despise Angel more.  Riley didn't get a spin off show and he's not such a posing emo prick.  Angel is stalker like, but Riley went out of his way to hurt Buffy because she's stronger than him.  Old fashioned sexist chauvinism there.

However, I get the feeling Riley might have changed his point of view, given training. Angel was never gonna change and Buffy would never try to change him.  Ergo, Angel wins this round.

Day 8: Favorite Friendship
Spike and Dawn.  It's lovely how he looked out for her but never patronised or condescended to her.  No one else treated her that well at the time, and so she responded by trusting him and talking frankly to him.  So he was doing it out of respect for Buffy, not Dawn.  That's not important.  He became fond of Dawn and treated her like an equal.

30 Days of Buffy!!! Days 5 and 6

Day 5: Least Favorite Female Character
Oh, um, it used to be Buffy, but today I think it's Willow

EDIT: at least when I wrote this, 4 days ago, I thought it was Willow.  Today I feel that Harmony has less going for her.  But on the other hand, I have never felt anything for Jenny.  I feel for Giles, having lost jenny, but not for Jenny herself.  She made so little impact on me.  So, Jenny it is.

Day 6: Favorite Male Character
Spike. Hottest thing on screen.  Until Justin Hartley as Green Arrow came along.

I also did enjoy Caleb, as a villain.  He was a good villain.  The mayor was pretty good too.  A very intriguing character.  He had morals, but not about the right things.  He always wanted Faith to be polite and a proper young lady, but to him, proper young ladies were also allowed to kill things.  A twisted morality and a fun character.

But still,  Spike wins out.  There's the shallow reasoning, and then there's also his journey of redemption.

30 days of Buffy! (Day 3 and 4)

Day 3: Favorite Song Used In An Episode
The montage song in Once More With feeling where Giles and Tara are singing about leaving Buffy and Willow.  Or, Walk Through The Fire.  Because it's a team up, and team ups get me in the centre of my being, every time.

I've never really registered the bakcground music that is played.

Day 4: Favorite Female Character
Hem. Illyria always seemed to have a lot of potential, her and Spike were the only good things about Angel.  I empathise with Tara a lot, but when it comes down to it, I think evil vampire Willow is my favourite (that leather corset? Hot as).  Or Drusilla.  Or actually, Anya.

Most of the regular 'good' Buffyverse characters have too much of the negative in them for me to really adore them.  At their worst, Buffy is an isolated wreck, and I empathise too much with the loneliness and abandonment she feels to love her too much.  Plus when she's peppy she's irritating.  But I admire her strength, determination and straightforwardness.  And she's a great leader and warrior.
Regular Willow I have always found annoying and not assertive enough, cutesy doesn't do it for me.  Dawn is a brat most of the time - not through any fault of her own, the others treat her abominably, especially after her mother's death.
Cordelia suffered from having to star in the godawful Angel seasons.

But back to my possible favourites.  Evil vampire Willow is hot as anything.  Drusilla is wonderfully bonkers, and I love her accent.  Anya, although meant to be annoying, I have never found her so.  I sympathise with her difficulties understanding cultural references and she's just damn funny.

I can't choose between the 3 of them.

30 days of Buffy! (Day 1 and 2)

Day 1: Favorite Season
Season 7.  I know it has it's weak points, but the bringing together of all the slayerettes, and the epic fight scene, and Willow's a goddess, and it links so much stuff from earlier episodes.  And it's got Kennedy in it, and Andrew.  And Dawn finally grows up and gets mature.  It's full of hope.  It ends on a really positive note.  I know I like tragedy, but you gotta have a little hope at the end (or all the wway through) to counteract all the misery.


Day 2: Favorite Episode
Oh lordy, Hush maybe,  Or the Prom episode, for Buffy's umbrella.  But I think I'll be going for the musical episode, Once More With Feeling.  So much important stuff was revealed in that episode, and it's got the mustard song in it, and I just love musicals and choreography.  Tara singing to Willow just breaks my heart, as does Buffy singing about her death.

Of course, that episode where Warren, Andrew and Jonathan are testing Buffy and she gets stuck in that loop in the shop, love that one too.  Or the double Xander episode, where Anya suggests a threesome because it wouldn't really be cheating.

OK, Buffy has too many good episodes.  I'm gonna go back to Once More With Feeling.

Review backlog - the 3 sentence version

Possibly cryptic spoilers ahead for Superman #700, Jokers Asylum: Harley Quinn, Superman/Batman #73, Gotham City Sirens #13, Teen Titans #84, Brightest Day #5, Red Robin #14
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Superman #700
The reunion of Lois and Clark was worth waiting a year to see.  Seeing Bruce trying to be an effective father is highly amusing.  Clark's walkabout makes no sense given his reunion his Lois.

Jokers Asylum: Harley Quinn
A Valentine's day edition!  Harley is a loon, but an adorable loon.  Lemon ganache, indeed.


Superman/Batman #73
For some unknown reason they haven't fixed Lois's gaping shirt (did they not get my memo?).  However, strides are taken towards redeeming this as she makes like Buffy and uses the tree trunk as a weapon.  Supes, Bats and Lois then try to apprehend the criminals in their own indomitable ways.


Gotham City Sirens #13
Selina's sister Maggie gets a whole lot more interesting, partly because her guardian angel looks like He-Man.  Maggie as avenging nun also reminds me of Lee the Fallen Angel who used to be Linda Danvers Supergirl.  I think the artists has been studying up.

Teen Titans #84
This could be a really interesting, fascinating, mythological and fantastical story.  Instead it's inept and grating.  As for the backup, I can take it or leave it - it adds nothing to the value of the comic.

Brightest Day #5
Aquaman gets topical!  Arthur and Mera try to stop the oil leak, Deadman tries to resurrect Don Hall and the Hawks continue their foray into floating lumps of earth world.  Hawkworld (aka floating lumps of earthworld) is a fantastical dimension and it's story is told well (unlike the Teen Titans story).


Red Robin #14
Tim is following in Batman's footsteps a little too closely.  Damian shows some vulnerability and humanity.  Tim and Dick prove they are inept at creating passwords.

The ever lovely Renee

Spotted at the DC Women Kicking Ass tumblr:

Originally from here.

The artist claims it's a modern Artemis.  I shall ignore the desription of pimp and hoes cos in my mind that's Renee Montoya and a group of fans.  I particularly like how most of them are besotted with Renee except one of the left who is very impressed with her breasts.  Love this artwork.

30 Days of Buffy!!

I found this meme on Let's Fold Scarves.  I shall commence with it as a) I am at a loss for other blog topics and b)work has gone a bit iffy - I really shouldn't be working in the third sector in a recession..either that or I'm cursed..but enough about me, here's the meme below, once you've read it go look at this great Scans Daily video.   

30 DAYS OF BUFFY!
Day 1: Favorite Season
Day 2: Favorite Episode
Day 3: Favorite Song Used In An Episode
Day 4: Favorite Female Character
Day 5: Least Favorite Female Character
Day 6: Favorite Male Character
Day 7: Least Favorite Male Character
Day 8: Favorite Friendship
Day 9: Favorite Romance
Day 10: Least Favorite Season
Day 11: Least Favorite Romance
Day 12: Least Favorite Episode
Day 13: Favorite Potential Slayer
Day 14: Favorite Female Villain
Day 15: Favorite Male Villain
Day 16: Episode You Like That Everyone Else Hates
Day 17: Character You Relate To The Most
Day 18: Character Who Didn’t Get Enough Screen Time
Day 19: Character You Like That Everyone Else Hates
Day 20: Best Spike-centric Episode
Day 21: Best Willow-centric Episode
Day 22: Best Xander-centric Episode
Day 23: Two Characters You Wanted To Get Together That Never Did
Day 24: Favorite Example of 90s Special Effects
Day 25: Favorite Buffyverse Saying
Day 26: Favorite Scooby Moment
Day 27: Cutest Moment
Day 28: Character You Love To Hate
Day 29: Episode You Hate That Everyone Else Loves
Day 30: What You Think Made Buffy So Great

I'll probably miss some days, or post more than one answer on the same day.  Cos, why not?

Boom de yada boom de yada boom de yada boom...

*Snarls*

Crossposted from The F Word:

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Women will bear the brunt of three-quarters of extra taxes and benefit cuts, according to a gender audit of the Budget carried out by the House of Commons library.
And that does not even include the impact of the astounding 40% cuts in public departments expected across many government departments, reports the Guardian. (Although also take note of one story in the Independent, suggesting the 40% figure is being raised to soften the ground and make stringent cuts more digestible).
Labour’s Shadow Welfare Secretary Yvette Cooper, who requested the audit, said:

“David Cameron promised the most family-friendly government ever. Yet they have just launched the fiercest attack on family support in the history of the welfare state,” she said. “This budget seems to be reaching back to a prewar approach to families. They’ve cut support for children more savagely than anything else so far, with billions of pounds being cut from child benefit, child tax credits, maternity support and child trust funds.” She said her research showed that women would suffer disproportionately, even beyond the cuts to family benefits.
“Even if you put aside cuts in support for children, women are still more heavily hit,” she said. “Women are more affected by the cuts in things like housing benefit, cuts in upratings to the additional pension, public sector pensions or attendance allowances, and they benefit less than men from the increases in the income tax allowances. Even putting children aside, they are hitting women hardest.”
After looking at other budgets, she believes last month’s must be the hardest on women with Nigel Lawson’s 1988 budget - which abolished top rates of tax and froze child benefit and pensions - coming close.

The Guardian reports the audit found that of an additional £8 billion net revenue to be raised by the financial year 2014-15, almost £6 billion will be from women, while men will pay for £2 billion. This will be raised through direct taxation and changes to benefits.
This comes on top of warnings by Fawcett, that women make up 65% of the public sector workforce and stand to be hit hardest by the LibCon coalition’s ‘austerity’ Budget.
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Let me point you back towards this video released before the election.  Quite prescient huh?

What the effin hell?

Go here to view a video of the G20 protests, where the folk protesting are doign so peacefully and then the police rushed them.  It's frightening, and so far as I can see it's not being picked up by anyone outisde of the blogosphere.

(I have no idea how to embed videos, sorry.)

Scarecrow year one

Has anyone read it?  Is it any good?

Bart, Kon and Ray get narked at Tim

I've founf so much fun stuff recently I am gonna share it.  This is swiped from Speedforce and the scans are from Young Justice.  It occured just after the Impulse comic was cancelled.

Oh Young Justice, how I miss you.  Hopefully Teen Titans will recapture some of the fun when Bart rejoins.  Now, if they could only get Kara on there too I'd be really happy.