Wonder Woman Wednesday

I migth have shared this before.  It's by Andy Kappelusch again.  What a joyful, happy, confident Wonder Woman.

London Super Comic Con 2013

"In fearful day, in raging night,
With strong hearts full, our souls ignite.
When all seems lost in the War of Light,
Look to the stars, for hope burns bright!"

LSCC prep continues..

So, I have ironed my patch onto my dress.. I am also taking safety pins in case the glue fails...
I tried makeup again today and came up with another style...
I have nearly everything in envelopes and bags.... I just need to buy my train ticket and snacks and sort out lunch on Friday evening..

In terms of getting stuff signed I am bringing -
New 52 Supergirl issue 1 - For Mahmud Asrar
Pre New-52 Supergirl 10 - for Ian Churchill
5 Thundercats issues (from the original 80s run) - for Simon Furman
Daredevil Parts of a Hole and Vision Quest - for David Mack

And I've just realised that Gary Frank who drew part of the first trade of Peter David's Supergirl run will be there, so I'm bringing that book too.  This will be a fabulous Supergirl filled day!

There's tons of people there who I like but I am not going to chase, because I cannot carry everything down that I want.  And I don't want to spend the entire day in queues.  So I'm going for the most important ones.  Although I am still tempted to bring a Bill Sienkiewicz comic down.  Perhaps that Mad Hatter one he did with Landry Walker.  Who did Supergirl Cosmic Adventures. And then there's the Fallen Angel artist, J K Woodward.  And Fallen Angel is a kind of Supergirl.  Also Nick Spencer will be there, and he did one issue of Supergirl.  Perhaps I shall bring that one down too.  Although I expect he won't be best pleased to see it.

I should be going as Kara shouldn't I.

Wonder Woman Wednesday

I found this on Phil Jiminez's twitter feed.  I ahve no idea what issue it's from.  However, they wre wise words to live by!

Reading Civil War

So I'm currently reading Marvel Civil War.  I'm quite enjoying it, and I am very interested in the premise.  But what is striking me most about it is the difference between the A listers here and the A listers in DC.

These Marvel guys just seem to be at a lower level.  They aren't examples or inspirations like DC's guys are.  They seem more ordinary.  I think that's why I'm a DC girl.

Captain America is so tied up with America I don't relate to him.
Iron Man is a rich, egotistical pillock.
Spider-Man is interesting.  He always has been.  He's the ordinary guy done good through his powers - he's got a lot in common with Superman, with his efforts to always do the right thing.
Thor is epic enough all right.
She-Hulk is a lawyer by day and has no secret ID.  She's dead cool and all, but she doesn't seem A list.
T'Challa - now he's A list.  I recently read some Black Panther trades and I adore Wakanda.
The X-Men are all angst and misery and oppression.
Dardevil, although famous and powerful and all, is a street crime fighter.  Batman is a street crime fighter but Batman also works in the big leagues and has a wonderful extended family.
The young avengers - Wiccan and Hulkling and that, seem so D list.
Cloak and Dagger I do adore, but let's be honest, they will never be icons.
Captain Marvel I just don't like as a character.
Black Cat I love, but again she's not A-list, although from what I've read of her she is a great character and someone to aspire to be.  I just like her.
Hawkeye is a less fun version of Oliver Queen.  Younger and without the extended family.

I don't think there is a master detective in Marvel.  Who would be the Wonder Woman analogue?

I like the Marvel books I'm getting, but DC is still the best for me.

Gym success

Today at the gym I did CX Worx - it's a half hour abdominal strength class.  If you do it properly it's quite hard.

Anyway, success!!  For the first time I felt like I was doing stomach crunches properly - my lower back stayed on the floor.  In the past it's been quite difficult to keep my lower back against the floor, which is a problem, because if your back rises it's your spine that's doing the lifting, not your stomach muscles, and that leads to back problems.  But today felt like I'd made progress.

I also managed to plank for a short while - admittedly I kept switching between a knee plank and full plank, but in the past I haven't managed a full plank for more than about 3 seconds, and that was 3 seconds of arms shaking and imminent collapse.  Part of the class includes saluting while you plank, then extending your arm out tot he side, and I managed this too, althought not properly as my hips were swivelling as I moved my arm out, to keep my balance.  But, I have never been able to even attempt this before. So, success!

Last success, I managed full side planks, a bit.  In the class, you side plank then twist to face the floor while bringing your forearm paralell to your stomach.  I managed this too, a  bit.  Although I lept losing my footing.  But still, as I have never been able to do these before, success!!  I am obviously getting stronger.

Go me.

Con prep

This Saturday I am going to London Super Comic Con.  I'm rather excited as David Mack and Mahmud Asrar will be there.  Well, there's lots of other people too but I am most excited about those two.

Last year I went as Jay Garrick, this year I am going as a Blue Lantern.  Here is my costume, although I seem to have forgotten to include the ring in this arrangement, oops:

The belt may change, and I may wear a black top under the dress but that is basically it.  Later this week I will attach the patch to the dress.  I think I have worked out my makeup and hair.

I do of course have the Blue Lantern ring I got from the giveaway with Blackest Night a year or so ago.  But, sacre bleu!  There is a problem!  Can you spot it?

The problem is that the design on the blue ring is not the Hope symbol.  It's the Fear symbol.  Pox pox pox pox a thousand poxes.  And of course I just noticed this today.  Le sigh.

Does anyone else have the same problem?

I have worked out how to get round it - I am going to wear a bit of yellow in my costume.  Let's face it, hope is sometimes scary.  Oh but how I wish the ring was the correct one. DAMMIT!

If you're at LSCC please do come and say hello.  At last year's con I met Jennie who runs Fancy Dresscapades, and is going as Star Sapphire this year.  We have agreed that we should get a joint photo.  And if there are any other Lantern corps members there I am going to harass them for a photo.

I am going with a couple of friends and their daughter.  They will be dressed as Clark Kent, Echo and possibly Catwoman or Batgirl - the daughter hasn't decided yet.  I am really looking forward to next weekend. :)

Super Sexy Saturday

From Teen Titans V3 issue 92.

Batman Friday - Batman Van Gogh tattoo

How cool is this???

I found it here: https://twitter.com/WantedPowers/status/290203604395118592/photo/1

I have no credits for it though. :(

Reeva Steenkamp

Oh fuck, I've just seen the news about Oscar Pistorius murdering his girlfriend.

She was shot in the head and the hand four times.

Oh my gods. :(

This is why I attended the Norwich Rising part of One Billion Rising this afternoon.

Fuck.  Somehow it seems worse when celebrities do this shit, but it's not worse, because every act of violence against a woman is horrific and must stop.  One act is not more important, or less deserved, than another.  They are all disgusting and nightmarish and the only way they will stop is to teach people that women deserve respect.

Wonder Woman Wednesday

By twitter friend Andy Kapellusch.  Lovely!   It's a really unusual pose for Diana to be drawn in.  I like it a lot.

Supergirl wonderfullness

OK so this is a little late as we are well past the Christmas season now, but I still wanted to share this picture of Kara:

It's by Andy Kappelusch.  Lovely lovely portrayal of Kara :)

A brilliant, articulate, moving, well said open letter to Andrew Turner MP

Obviously I am not referring to anything I wrote.

Last week the House of Commons voted on whether or not to legalise same sex marriage.  They said yes.  About bloody time.  I felt very mixed during the whole run up to this.  On the one hand I wasn't too worried about the Commons voting against it because I was thinking it's 2013, who on earth can possibly still be against gay people getting married?  After all I thought, there's some opposition but that's from old stuck in their ways dinosaurs with no relevance and no real influence.  And anyway, there's only a few of them.

Then I was reading the live tweets about the Parliamentary debate and my blood was boiling.  Turns out there are a lot of ignorant, bigoted, hateful fucks in the Commons who were spewing some right awful bile.  The result was 400 for same sex marriage and 175 against.

175 of our elected officials view people wanting to commit to a same sex marriage (I won't say gay couple because that excludes same sex bisexual couples) as somehow second class.  As worth less.  As not allowed the same dignity, rights and privileges as opposite sex couples.

I am privileged to live in Norwich.  It is an open minded progressive city and I see very little homophobia.   What biphobia I see is unintentional from people who think they are paying you a compliment.  Maybe there are problems with homophobia here, but I don't see it as I am privileged to have a male partner.  Although I would argue that being bisexual and having a long term partner of the opposite sex isn't all glory and kittens, at least not when you are attempting to assert your bisexual identity.

I was genuinely shocked at the shit being spilled from our MPs mouths.  Then I got angry.  The news that the vote came in for same sex marriage made my night and made the day after much better.

Which is where this open letter comes in.  It's written by Howard Hardiman, creator of The Lengths and The Peckham House for Invalids.  I think Howard is about my age and everything he writes (apart from experiencing homophobic violence) applies to me.  Swap the bits about male gay role models for female gay role models and that was my life too.  I will re-blog it in it's entirety because it's important.

The Dangermouse art that goes with this post is also by Howard, and you can contact him if you would like something similar.

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Dear Andrew Turner,

In light of the vote yesterday to afford equal marriage rights to all, I thought it might be a good moment to reflect on the social changes that have happened during my lifetime.

When I was growing up, the only representations of gay men I’d encountered were on Are You Being Served (I was a little too late to catch Round the Horne). Gay men were seen as either weakly inoffensive or paedophiles. Growing up as a young man aware that I wasn’t heterosexual, this was quite confusing as I knew I was neither. I came out the same year as the Don’t Die of Ignorance campaign and immediately was confronted by prejudice that said people like me deserved to die of a horrific wasting disease. 

Moreover, many of the partners of those dying from AIDS were not allowed to visit them at the bedside because they “weren’t family”. It was a cruel, frightening and depressing time. Surrounded by a hostile rhetoric that said I was pathetic, immoral or deserved to die, I became depressed to the point of being suicidal. That’s the lesson that young people were being taught at the time. If you’re not heterosexual you deserve to suffer and have so little place in society that many would be happier rid of you.

I was not taught about relationships in school in a way that was at all meaningful to me, even though some teachers were kind enough to try to talk to me about being gay, even if it could have cost them their jobs. It built a conspiracy of fear and danger around something as simple and normal as love.
You’ve consistently supported Section 28.

The age of consent was lowered, first from 21 to 18, then eventually down to 16. I became eighteen shortly before the law was changed. Where other boys my age were able to have relationships, if I slept with someone around my own age, I was a paedophile in the eyes of the law, and if I slept with someone over the age of consent, then I was a de facto victim of child abuse, even though I was old enough to vote. It’s not a situation that exactly encouraged the formation of healthy relationships. This was the age where I should have been able to learn about relationships and to be able to talk about my experiences with other people to be able to understand them. Instead, if I dated a young woman (which I’ve done on and off), it was socially acceptable and seen as normal, if I dated a young man, I was a criminal. Equalising the age of consent was a powerful message to people my age that perhaps I deserved the same chance at a decent life as others.

You voted against this.

Still frightened by early relationships, and caught up in the need to stamp one’s identity on the world, I took all of the hatred and turned it into a game. I was a little rebel, a young man who’d defend himself by provoking people who were scared of my sexuality. I got called names on the street, I was spat at, a few times I was physically threatened by strangers. I felt the gulf between me and the rest of society at a time when other men my age are learning their places within it. I was reaching an age where my school-friends were starting families, but I was not allowed to even consider being a father because of the enduring stigma that gay men are paedophiles. Were I in a relationship with a woman, suddenly I’d be allowed to adopt. In 2002, Parliament finally voted to allow people like me to adopt. Once I was able to adopt, I still could not formalise a relationship with someone. The Civil Partnership Act changed that and meant that should I die, a male partner would not lose the home we lived in and should I be ill, he would be able to make decisions about my care.

You voted against all of this.

I faced discrimination at work and continued abuse in public should I dare to hold hands with a partner or to not be ashamed of what I am. The introduction of the Human Rights Act offered a ray of hope to many people that we would secure further civil liberties and be safe from discrimination.

You voted against this.

I had to be selective about where I chose to work, knowing I had no protection against discrimination. I eventually became a freelancer in part because I could not feel secure in a workplace where I could lose my job with no protection on the grounds of whether my partner was male or female at the time. Were I to be in a Civil Partnership, I was required to out myself on every encounter with a form which asked marital status. There was no protection against someone refusing me employment when they saw that. I did not enter a civil partnership because it felt like capitulating with a system that enforced the idea that some relationships were worth less than others. In 2007, finally, this was no longer the case, as the Sexual Orientation Regulations came into force.

You voted against this.

People could still legally slander gay people with impunity until the following year, when the government introduced laws to protect me from incitement to hatred.

You voted against this.

Still, I was separate but equal, as David Lammy described it yesterday and you repeated today. I was not normal in the eyes of the law, I would still remain short-changed in the social contract that exists between an individual and the state. Yesterday, an overwhelming majority of MPs moved to end that distinction and ensure that young men growing up and realising now that they are not heterosexual should not feel in any way lesser to their peers. It calls for an end to mandatory disclosure of sexual orientation in official paperwork. It calls for all loving, committed relationships to be treated as not just equitable or equivalent but equal in the eyes of the law. It marks a point where it’s closing the last few wounds inflicted on a group who in the last century have faced genocide at the hands of Nazis, would be hounded to death or prison should they not hide their romances, who were denied access to healthcare during a plague, who were subject to ridicule and, as Mr Lammy inferred yesterday, apartheid when it came to basic rights like family or privacy.

You voted against this.

I’m absolutely delighted that you have been consistently overturned on this. No thanks to you, young men, women and transgendered people will no longer grow up being denied education, healthcare, employment rights, freedom from discrimination or the right to family. No thanks to you, that inflicted shame will slowly fade away to the point where differentiation on the grounds of sexuality seems as irrational as denying women the right to vote does now. No thanks to you, LGBT people’s lives have been saved by this sequence of advances towards a fairer society.

Britain should be very proud of what happened in parliament yesterday. I’m just deeply saddened that no islander can say that they had a hand in it.

I will not vote for you, because you think I am worth less as a person than you. No-one who believes I am as entitled to civil rights as anyone else will vote for you. Yesterday was not an attack on religious freedom, but a doorway to it for so many people who’ve been denied a full spiritual and civil engagement in society. If your vote yesterday were a matter of conscience, I suggest you consider the lives you have wished on young LGBT people under your care, because they are so much better off today than when I was growing up and you’ve done everything in your power, which is the power entrusted to you by the people of the island, to oppose that.

I’m proud to be British, but your words have made many ashamed of being Islanders.

Yours sincerely,
Howard Hardiman


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I know it's wrong but when I hear speech and viewpoints like those spoken by Andrew Turner I just wish the person concerned would fuck off and die.  I am not proud of myself for saying or feeling this.  Viewpoints like his, actions like his, made it very difficult for me growing up, as a young bisexual woman trying to work out what she was.  Laws that he voted for, or against, contributed to an atmosphere where I was fucking terrified to tell any of my friends I liked women.  Where I internalised a fear and a worry that I could never truly be truthful to those closest to me.  Hopefully in 15 years time bisexual and gay teenagers will have the confidence, self assurance and pride in themselves to be able to come out to their families, friends and workplaces without fear of reprisal.

I have never formally come out to work colleagues, present or past (of course some may be reading this...) and I have always hated that continual checking of myself, making sure I don't let anything slip.  I am slightly more talkative now about mental health issues, but even then I do not talk freely.  I think it is fair to say that my mental health issues and my sexuality are linked.  Not because being bisexual makes me crazy, or is a symptom or cause of being crazy, but because it's really fucking difficult to live in the closet, whether it's by choice or by being put in there.  We wouldn't need a fucking closet if our leaders and politicians and fellow citizens weren't such huge bastards and didn't treat us so badly.

Comic reviews for week commencing 6/2/2013

Today's comics are these beauties:

That's Fearless Defenders 1, Ultimate Spider-Man 20 and Animal Man 17.  I also got a Marvel Now sampler but I only had one reaction to that which is this.  Honestly Marvel, not good.

I couldn't pick up Supergirl 16 as they'd ran out, so I'll get that next week.  My pull list is all sorted out now so that's good.

As for the comics.... well...spoilers ahead!!
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Animal Man 17.
It's the Rotworld finale part 1.  I'm really glad this is coming to a close.  It's been so long winded and slow I have lost all interest in it.  It just doesn't have the hook that the previous issues had.  The horror is gone.  It's all guest stars and Armageddon, again.  Since DC rebooted their universe and introduced these new versions of the characters to us, it would make sense for us to get know them before they start saving the world, otherwise we just don't care about them.
I did like the Plant Green Lantern, so it's a shame he died.  It's Interesting that Frankenstein got the ring.  I'm mildly intrigued to see the 'batgirl' that was with Swamp Thing.  I'm guessing she's the daughter of Manbat.
When this arc has finished I reckon I'll sell the run on ebay.

Ultimate Spider-Man 20
Oh this was good!  Venom is huge!  A real honest-to-gods monster!  And now Miles' Dad is critically ill. :(  I felt for sure that Jefferson would recognise Miles under the mask and that was why he went back into the fight, but I guess we won't discover if I'm correct for a while yet.  Oh boy this is good.  I hope the sales figures for this series are good, because it's one of the better ones on sale at the moment.

Fearless Defenders 1
The comic shop suggested I get this as I asked for the first X-lady title to be put aside for me.  It has lesbians in it.  I will add it to my pull list and see how I get on with it,

ASN February bulletin

• ASN will hold our second AGM on Thursday 7 March, followed by a party for all!

• ASN seeks two new Trustees for our Board
• ASN in the media
• ASN hears from a record 40 women in January
• Your very own word cloud, for just £10
• An overabundance of Pro Choice events to choose from
• Have a spare room in Liverpool?

ASN AGM AND PARTY
ASN will hold our second Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 7 March. The AGM, which is open to any ASN volunteer, will be followed by a party open to all. Come along, raise a glass, pick up a copy of our 2012 annual report, and help us celebrate another great year of helping women together. An official invite will follow, but for now please mark Thursday 7 March from 7-10 pm in your diaries. Party will be held at The Retro Bar, 2 George Court, London, WC2N 6HH. Hope to see you there!

Are you a leader?
ASN seeks two new trustees for our Board. Trustees work with ASN’s director and have two main roles: providing strategic oversight and direction for ASN and helping us fundraise. Interested? Email us to request a role description and application. Applications are due Thursday 28 February.

ASN in the news
“These Women”, MamanPoulet’s blog written upon receiving the January ASN eBulletin whilst watching the Oireachtas Joint Committee hearings on the X Case.

“First Irish Abortion clinic opens amid controversy, threats and confusion,” On the Issues Magazine article quotes ASN.

Women we’ve helped
In January, ASN heard from 40 women, including:
Several women seeking information on obtaining an early medical abortion. ASN was able to provide them with information about www.womenonweb.org. This included women unable to raise the funds to travel, women who couldn't find the childcare they needed while they were travelling to England for an abortion and a pregnant teen supported by her mother who preferred the option of early medical abortion at home to travelling abroad.

A mother with several children whose partner had just left her, leaving her struggling to survive on child benefit. She spent so long raising £800 towards the cost of her abortion and travel that she was 20 weeks pregnant – and £700 short of the total cost of £1500. Due to the incredible generosity of ASN’s supporters, we were able to provide her with the help she needed as well as with a host while she was in England.

A woman with an unplanned pregnancy who was unsure of her options. ASN provided her with contact information for a local family planning agency with counselling facilities and told her to get back in touch if she decided to travel for an abortion and was in need of financial assistance.

A young student. Both she and her boyfriend live at home and were only able to raise £175 between them. ASN was able to provide the rest of the required funds.

A mother of three abandoned by her husband and scraping by on child benefits. The man involved with the pregnancy first promised to help with money towards the cost of the procedure but then let her down, causing her to miss her appointment.

A young teen with medical complications that could have been compromised by continuing her pregnancy. She and her boyfriend both sold their electronics in order to raise £100.

The mother of a young teen who was so afraid to tell her mum about the pregnancy that she hid it until she was over 20 weeks pregnant, hoping “it would all go away”. By confiding in a family friend they were able to raise £850 and ASN was able to donate the remaining £500.

A single mother whose partner was sent to prison for abuse. She was able to raise £100 and between ASN and the clinic waiving their consultation fee, she was able to access an abortion.

Email from a client:
“I'm writing to you as I am pregnant I’m just a few weeks maybe I cannot stop crying as it was a shock I've recently had a stillbirth and I cud not face having another baby I’m only 21 and I can't face this but I’m not financially stable enough to pay for an abortion. If I have this baby I would die literally! I have to have a abortion it’s my only option! Please help I have no idea how to go about getting it done or booking options I really need help thanks for taking time to read my email and I hope you can help me thanks.”

We thank these women and men for allowing us to share their stories.

Your very own word cloud
Do you follow ASN on Twitter? Check yourself out! The fabulous Geoff’s Shorts has made a word cloud using the biographies of ASN’s twitter followers. You can view it here. Pretty cool, right? And Geoff has offered to make word clouds for the first 10 people who make a minimum £10 donation to Abortion Support Network. Let us know if you’re interested!

An overabundance of Pro Choice events to choose from
In addition to the upcoming ASN AGM and party, in February and March there are several pro-choice events to choose from! Including:

SKIRT. A Disco
Friday 8 February, 9 pm – 2 am London
Join your fellow pro-choice friends at this fab disco in Bethnal Green. £3 at the door with all proceeds going to Education for Choice.

More info here

Girl Germs ASN benefit
Saturday 9 Feb from 8 pm London
Listen large and boogie down with others in Hackney – live bands plus Girl Germs DJs playing punk, post-punk, 60s girl groups, grunge, britpop, hip-hop and pop –all with grrl singers. £4 entry with all proceeds going to Abortion Support Network.
More info here

Pro Choice Art exhibit
Launch Wednesday 13 Feb, 6-8 pm Belfast
“When they put their hands out like scales” - a photographic exhibition by Emma Campbell which features ASN volunteers. Author and campaigner Ann Rossiter will open the exhibition.
More info here

Have a spare room in Liverpool?
ASN is seeking one or two additional hosts near the bpas Liverpool clinic. Do you have a spare room, pull-out sofa, or air mattress and the desire to have a direct impact on a woman in need? Please get in touch, and feel free to pass the word along to any pro-choice friends who live within a 30 minute commute of this clinic.

Thank you again for all your support. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to provide financial assistance, accommodation and confidential, non-judgemental information to many women who have contacted us for support.

http://www.abortionsupport.org.uk/

+44 (0) 7897 611 593
info@abortionsupport.org.uk
Abortion Support Network

London, Greater London W4
United Kingdom

Abortion Support Network (ASN) is an all-volunteer charity that provides accommodation, financial assistance and confidential, non-judgemental information to women forced to travel from Ireland and pay privately for abortions in England. The cost ranges between £400 and £2000 depending on circumstance and stage of pregnancy. While other organisations campaign for law reform, ASN is the only group on record providing women travelling for abortions with the thing they need most immediately: money.

Registered Charity Number 1142120

Copyright © 2013 Abortion Support Network, All rights reserved.

Wonder Woman Wednesday

Michelle Obama as Wonder Woman, by J. Bone.

DC's April comics

DC's April releases are WTF certified.

This is a fucking awful idea.  If they want more readers they should concentrate on creating better stories.

Truly, truly stupid.

Propellor's The Taming of the Shrew

I wrote a review of this play and submitted it to The F Word and it got published.  If you'd like to read it please do so :)

I sort of wish I'd had something to say about Propellor being an all male company, and what implications that has on the play and the performance, if any at all, and what the political ramifications are.  But I don't know enough about the theatre to write anything meaningful.  Ah well.

Comic reviews for w/c 30th Jan 2013

Reviews coming up for:

Superboy Annual, Superboy 16, Captain Marvel 9, FF 3, Fantastic Four 2, Hawkeye 7 and Wonder Woman 16.  These didn't all come out in the same week but I only got them yesterday.  I also bought some trades - Captain Marvel, Black Panther, pre new-52 Supergirl, Judd Winick Green Arrow and Judd Winick Outsiders.  As much as I enjoyed all of these I won't review them here.  If they need reviewing I'll do so on New readers.
Spoilers ahead.
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Superboy 16
This is awful.  The art is nice and it's a treat to see a muscular Diana and Batman in a fur lined cape, but the comic is terrible.  Sample dialogue:
Superboy: No-- No!  That thing is pulling him apart-- Superman is DEAD!
Cyborg - No, Superboy --There's still a chance!  He told me it was a teleporter -- thought where it would have sent him, it's impossible to even guess.

Unneccesary exposition and a terrible, predictable plot.  This comic is rubbish.

Superboy Annual
Also pretty terrible, in part because Superman is gruff and unlikeable.  That's Bruce's job dammit.  I thought I'd dropped Superboy, but I know the comic shop orders 2 months in advance so I'll have to chekc if future issues are cancelled because this is utter rot.

Captain Marvel 9
OK read but I am not interested enough to put it on my pull list.

FF 3
I did put this one on my pull list.  It's fun and lighthearted and the art makes it feel innovative.  However I think I may get bored in about 4 months time.

Fantastic Four 2
I think the comic shop got mixed up and put this in my order instead of FF2.   But it's by Matt Fraction, it runs alongside FF, and it's got Franklin Richards in it who I remember fondly from the 1980s Power Pack series.  So I didn't mind too much.

Hawkeye 7
Also by Fraction.  You'd think I'm obsessed with him.  Brilliant cover, good story, engaging art and it sort of fulfils the Green Arrow shaped hole in my heart.  I'm not sure how long I'll stay interested in this for, but for now It's OK.

Wonder Woman 16 
I really enjoyed this.  Since carrying out a major cull of my DC books I am feeling happier with what is left.  This is good shizzle.  I want to create a picture montage of all the Gods seen so far in this series.

I just realised I'm missing Supergirl  16.  I think the comic shop got rather confused this week.

Now I'm going to go read the Outsiders - Pay as you go.  Here is why I adore this series.

Happy Imbolc!

Today marks the return of Spring and the end of Winter.  This is my absolute favourite festival as it marks the end of the really dark days and miserableness of Winter.  Today, it was getting light at 7am ish (it was certainly light at 7.30) and it should still be light at 5.

Today is the day of the Goddess Brigid, an Irish deity associated with wells and water.  Her animals are the swan and the snake.  The snake symbolises rebirth as it sheds it skin. The swan perhaps symbolises purity.  The period between now and Ostara (the Spring equinox) is a time to clean and refresh your house and your life.  Imbolc is a time of purification.  Brigid is a goddess of the hearth and is often depicted with 3 firey arrows - one for health, one for healing and one for inspiration.  She works at the forge and is a warrior.

I am celebrating by going out to dinner with my boyfriend tonight.  I shall (or he shall) try and make celeriac and celery soup tomorrow.  I shall buy some sheep's milk cheese and have it with biscuits.  I am going to the theatre tomorrow evening to see Twelfth Night and we are having friends over for lunch on Sunday.  I think Sunday will be the best time to light the candles.  I may try and make a Brigid's Cross this weekend.  I will definitely make some honey and lemon bicsuits.

Whether you are celebrating Imbolc or Grounghog Day, or just like the lengthening days, or are not bothered at all, I wish you all a good day and a great weekend. :)