SS: Foreshadow

Green Lantern: The movie was released yesterday, and being the loyal fan, I picked it up.  This week, the film is the basis of my...

Star Sapphire Saturday!

Now, Blake Lively was not the best in the role of Carol Ferris, but with a little work, she might be better.  If ever they get a green light for a sequel, she needs a little more BAM to pull off Star Sapphire.  I hope she brings it, because not even Ryan Reynolds' fine ass was enough to carry this film.

But I love the hints that they placed in the movie to give those in the know the impression, the hope, that there would be a sequel and our favorite Ferris would be highlighted. In literature these hints are called foreshadowing.  And there were plenty of them I sought out like little gold coins.

Her flight call sign is Sapphire (Duh).  If you couldn't catch that hint, you should go home.

Her helmet has her call sign, but on the other side it also has the star symbol, very much like the one on the waist of the SS costume.

At one point, Hector Hammond is pining away for Carol and reading an article on her in the Business section of the Coast City rag. The headline reads, "Rising Star Carol Ferris positioned to take reins at Ferris."  That Star is rising alright.  Right on up to Zamaron.

And of course, she looks good in purple.  I can't imagine they would have gone through the whole movie without putting her in at least one purple outfit.  They did, and it looks great on her. Unfortunately the pic doesn't do her justice.  Just makes her look like she's got bad acne.

Sorry for the bad shots.  Had to snap em from my phone off the tv.  So lame, but the screenshots from my Mac were protected.  Next time I'll load the digital copy.

Love conquers all with violet light!

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All images copyright Warner Bros. media and used under guidelines of fair use

Review: GL#2

It has been a busy couple of weeks for me.  I've been overwhelmed with work and slacking on my minis and other posts. But despite all that, I've got to keep up, especially since there's such an important issue this week. I won't, however, be doing three like I had proposed.  Just the one this week.  I'll do the rest as minis.  Maybe extended minis if I have something really shocking to say.

It's New Comic Book Wednesday!

Green Lantern #2

Last we left our hero ringless and facing a Sinestro Green Lantern. You gotta admire the cojones on this guy.

SPOILER ALERT: Ringless, he attacks Sinestro, tells him he doesn't deserve the ring and threatens to rip it off his finger.  I guess that's fearless for you.  After a bit of cat and mouse, Sinestro offers Hal a ring he forges of his own, one that is powered by Sinestro's command.  It can be turned on and off at will if Hal does not obey every single command Sinestro gives.  You know this can only end badly, right?

To prove his point, Sinestro turns off Hal's ring mid-collapsing-bridge rescue.  He forces Hal to feel the helplessness of not being able to do what he wants.  And then he gives the ring back and enlists Hal to help him fight a War against the Sinestro Corps on Korugar.

I wonder what it would be like to have a ring fueled by the power of will and yet not be able to operate under your own.

Is it really that easy? Could you
possibly sustain that?

I have to admit, I am loving the story.  The ideas are pretty intense and the conflict is rich.  There's so much going on. Hal's internal struggle to this ring-based addiction, right vs. wrong, and the possibility of possibilities.  Despite all his "evil," Sinestro has some tremendous vision.  I love it when writers make you wonder whether you should be rooting agains the villain or on his side.  All he really wants is to fight for his own people.  He judges Earth because we are many different governments, speaking many different languages, fighting over many different issues, while his home is one of Unity. Now that it's filled with war, he wants to save it, but on a larger scale than Hal ever tried with Earth. He IS imagining a better world.

He even makes a literary reference to the ring as a "Monkey's Paw" that Sinestro is hanging in front of him. Any reference to quality literature can win me over.

Hey, little boy...

Mahnke's artwork still leaves me torn.  While the quality of work is still impressive, those close ups kill me.  Maybe it's faces in general that he hasn't quite gotten.  Most of the time, Sinestro looks like a pervy chester.  I mean, I've never liked his look before with the red skin and the John Waters-esque pencil stache, but when he propositions Hal in this issue, I can't help but feel that he's inviting me into the back of his windowless Ford Conversion van for some candy. But those muscles... mmm. Why can't he have a body more like Gorgor?

Is that Outlast Lip Shine?

And, I'm sorry, but Hal still looks like a drag queen*.  In almost every panel he has these unusually long, easy, breezy, beautiful lashes that make me react the same way ipecac does.  Now, I guess I should blame the inker too since artwork is a collaboration because Hal has both ridiculously dark circles under his eyes and a beautifully shimmering gloss to his lips.  And I've never seen facial shadows with such sharp, straight lines before.

Finally, I'm a little miffed over the cover art.  Seriously.  How hard is it to convey something on the cover that actually happens in the book, or at least SOMEWHAT happens in the book.  Did you have a leftover alternate from last issue? Shame on you, DC.

Yes.  I realize I can't even draw myself a good pint of beer, but that's why I'm not paid for it.  Especially when you're so invested in a hero you've has since you were five, you want it to be perfect.  Maybe it never will be, but I'm always willing to dream.  If only Jim Lee or Ivan Reis.

*The author of this post in no way means to offend drag queens. Hey, many of his friends are drag queens.

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Watch out for this week's mini-digis: Superboy #2, Batgirl #2 and all of last week's.

Next week:  Wow.  So many #2s. Birds of Prey, Green Lantern Corps, Justice League, Legion of SuperHeroes, Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, and WonderWoman. I'll decide later what to write my main on.

All images copyright DC Comics and used under guidelines of Fair Use

Star Sapphire Anime? Shame, Shame

No SS in the pages this week, so I'll talk about other aspects of SS because it's ...

Star Sapphire Saturday!

So I'm a collectible fan, and I'll buy almost any collectible related to my favorite characters.  But then I came across this.

Ame-comi puts together a line of statues of comic book women.  Most of them are ok.  They have that Sailor Moon look and that slightly demure quality about them which I dislike about anime.  Not to mention the huge eyes.

But this one? C'mon!  The outfit is SMOKIN', but the personality, the puppy dog look, the submission?  That's not the SS I know.  If she was a fierce bitch, I'd buy it, but I'm definitely gonna pass.

I want to see some hot chick wearing this version this Halloween, though.  HOTT!

Love conquers all with violet light!

Reviews: Red Lantern #2, Stormwatch #2

Now that all the #1s are issued, the frenzy at Mile High Comics in Glendale has died down.  They're still busy, but they aren't selling out before noon anymore. Now that I've made it through, it's time to decide what to keep and what to let go.

It's New Comic Book Wednesday!

Red Lantern #2

From the cover of this issue, you know you are reading a book highly charged with political commentary.  When I saw it, I immediately thought "propaganda poster."  It has that artistic style, political feel and the simple message. Rage. And in this case, with the arm held high, rage clearly equals power.

SPOILER ALERT:  Attrocitus is still feeling the emptiness of his unrealized vengeance and is in pursuit of enacting retribution for those feeling unbridled rage.  His memories take him back to Ghan IX where Yeuver militants who came to help the citizens of the homeworld are now fighting against them.  In a move to exert their power they gun down some "armed hosiltes"  their sensors detected out in the open.  Too bad their sensors couldn't tell them the hostiles were children with sticks.  The Yeuvers slaughter two of the three children leaving the youngest, a girl, witness to the act and filled with an immense rage of her own.  It is this rage that fuels Attrocitus' vengeance, and the memory of his own family's slaughter that is it's origin.

Yup. Killing those kids. You should be really proud.

While the political commentary is blatantly obvious to me, I wonder how many readers just don't get the Middle-east parallel.  The images, the excuses, the behaviors are all called out in this series. Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking sides here.  I understand the complexities of war and the challenges that come along with fighting on a front, but I think all to often we don't see the selfishness, the removal from emotion, and the inappropriate actions that come with killing in the name of oil, or freedom, or peace.

Attrocitus asks many pointed, rhetorical questions as he narrates.  "How is one rage be more worthy of another?",  "How can one pain be worthy of more retribution?", and "Does rage simply beget more rage?" In the end, because of his nature and his red ring, he decides rage, vengeance and retribution must be enacted for the defenseless, those who cannot act for themselves.

However, I think it is the Yeuvar soldier, facing his own death at the hands of vengeance, who asks the most though-provoking question of all.  Here is a man who killed children in the name of war, who recognizes his mistake and understands what Attrocitus is there to do.  In one of his final breaths, he asks, "I have a wife and a small daughter.  Kill me and you'll be destroying their lives too.  Who will be an instrument of justice for them?"

Not to be repetitive, but the art continues to be spectacular, not only for its skill in representing form and shape, but also in the emotion that these images can bring out in the reader.  The slaughter of the children is graphic, but the moment where Rixx realizes her rage at the death of her brothers, that rage is clear in every line of the panel.  It's truly incredible.

I mostly try to read comics to escape the harsh reality of the world I live in, but it's nice to have examples of comics that challenge the political mainstream, that make the reader think, and that help to show nay-sayers that comics aren't just "kids' stuff."  And because we can all identify with rage in one form or another, I'll keep on readin' on.

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Stormwatch #2

I will continue to follow this storyline, but I'll have to admit, from the get-go of this issue, I felt a little lack-luster.  First, I fault myself for not re-reading issue #1 to get me back in line with the story. Second, I fault the story for being a little chaotic to begin with.

SPOILER ALERT:  The story starts in chaos as the moon is coming alive and threatening the planet in an effort to "toughen up" the human race.  The entity there is invading Harry's mind, unaware Harry is actually invading his.  How else could he become more powerful and unseat Adam as the leader of Stormwatch. Meanwhile, back in Moscow, Martian Manhunter and his unconscious cohorts are now trying to recruit BOTH Apollo and Midnighter.  I'm not sure how they were so selective with Apollo and then, hey, "Why not join us, Midnighter?"

Stormwatch operates in such secrecy that they frame villains to protect the world from finding out they even exist. No one knows.  Even superheroes aren't in on the secret.  This intrigues me.  They cover up that an alien is targeting Stormwatch and Earth, by alerting the Justice League that some two-bit Fox-faced villain was causing some lunar disturbance.  In some instances, they border on the gray zone of villain or hero.  How is it OK to frame someone for your own protection.

Do you know how I know 

you're gay, Midnighter?
Maybe it's the carbon-
armored sheath for your VanDyk.

The sexual tension between Midnighter and Apollo is a little, well, gay.  Come on, Midnighter?  Stalker much?  You've been trailing Apollo for a year?  you know why he doesn't want to "come out" as a superhero?  Please.  Enlighten us.  It's understandable you want him all to yourself.  Who wouldn't?  But do you have to be such a creeper about it?  Do you know how I know you're gay, Midnighter? Maybe it's the carbon armored sheath for your VanDyk.

The artwork in this series remains on par.  It's not the most impressive I've ever seen, but it is FAR from the worst.  I'm glad they didn't go with some more graphic style (i.e. I, Vampire).  Anything that gets the more mainstream audience on board with the story helps.  Maybe by the time they "reveal" they gayness of not one, but two characters, the audience will already be hooked.

I support superheroes, I support teams, and I support the gays.  I'll keep supporting this because the story and intrigue keep me wondering.  And I'm still hoping to see some hot man-on-man action.

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Watch out for this week's mini-digis: Action Comics #2, Green Arrow #2; Huntress #1 and The Last of the Greats #1.

Next week:  Batgirl #2, Green Lantern #2, and Superboy #2

All images copyright DC Comics and used under guidelines of Fair Use

Panel of the week

Wow!

I downloaded Red Hood on a whim (had seen an animated flick and already liked Starfire a bit), and i was DEFINITELY IMPRESSED.

But after being stopped dead in my tracks by some pages, I decided I would start doing a "Panel of the Week" segment.  So here's my pick this week.

Princess Kori of Tamaran from Red Hood and the Outlaws #1

That's enough to make a gay guy go straight.  How about a Star Sapphire/Starfire sandwich?

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All images copyright DC Comics and used under guidelines of Fair Use

Mini-Digis 9/28 with Aquaman!

I didn't buy much this week, so I'm including a mini from last week's releases.

So here are my mini-digi-reviews this week. This week is full of titles I'm a relative newbie to.  Completely quick thoughts. Warning: Most likely contains spoilers.

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Aquaman #1

Aquaman has always been the "odd man out" to me when it comes to superheroes.  I've never liked fish and sea creatures that much, and he never seemed to do anything too important on the Superfriends.  But I'm one of the few who actually liked the Aquaman pilot with Justin Hartley and since this is a Johns/Rice collab, it's a no brainer.  And oddly, it has the highest rating on Comixology this week, even higher than Batman Dark Night.

Re-cap:  While monstrous Atlanteans creep toward the surface, Aquaman stops an armored car heist and then stops in for a quick bite at a seafood restaurant. After an awkward and embarrassing interaction with a blogger, he returns to his lighthouse in Amnesty Bay, determined to surrender his throne and live a life on the surface with Mera. 

What Soars: Johns faces the Aquaman stigma head on.  They blatantly address the issue that he is a mocked and less impressive superhero with the dialogue AND the bizarrely mundane storyline. What book follows a hero stopping in for a meal in a diner? Maybe now, people can get over it.  Another great element is that John and Reis let the pictures tell the story for many pages.  Reis' talent allows that to happen. 

What Crashes:  I'm not sure I understand Aquaman's powers.  Is he bulletproof?  He manages to get only a scratch from an onslaught of bullets.  Is he a super jumper, able to leap tall buildings in two bounds??  At least he explains how he talks to marine life, and he helps out a financially strapped single mom.

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I, Vampire #1

OK. Comics and Vampires.  Do I need any other reason to pick up a book?

Re-cap:  Flashing back and forth between present day and the Revolutionary War, Andrew and Mary discuss the inner struggle of being who they are.  Mary means to amass an army of Vampires to take over the world that should be run by them, not super-humans.

What Soars: While I'm not a tremendous fan of the artwork, it has that monochromatic, Walking Dead quality that seems to be pretty popular right now.

What Crashes:  Meh...  The alternating storyline is confusing and I'm not sure if these creatures are vampire AND wolf? While some stories have too much blatant explanation in them, this one doesn't have enough.  I may just need to let this one go.

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 (from 9/21)

I was totally NOT going to pick this one up, but yesterday I watched Under the Red Hood on Netflix so I had to see what this was like in book form.  Before yesterday, I knew NOTHING about this branch of the BatWorld. Another lure was Starfire. I'm not particularly into redheads, but Princess Kori seems to captivate me for some reason.

Re-cap:  Roy Harper is Broken out of a middle-eastern war camp by Red Hood in efforts to reunite his team.  While Harper was incarcerated, Red Hood met Starfire, who joins them and aids their escape.  Later, relaxing on St Martinique, Harper learns the joy of sex with a Tamaranean while Jason Todd gets some alarming news from Essence.

What Soars: WOW!  This story does.  Great art, Packed with action and good story, a nice mix of violence, action, sex and mystery and I really like the characters so far.  Major Hit!  It was PACKED.  Felt like way more than 18 pages.

What Crashes:  I have to say nothing.  This truly was a great read.  I'll definitely pick this one up again.

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All images copyright DC Comics and used under the guidelines of Fair Use.

Star Sapphire Fatality

While there is one SS who holds my heart, it's important to understand I can't always talk about my beloved Carol, so today, I'll begin to expand my topics for...

Star Sapphire Saturday!

Damn, girl!  Is that a vinyl Beyoncé
catsuit with cargo pockets?

Did you catch Green Lantern: New Guardians #1 this week?  If not, you missed out on some strange SS action.

A Star Sapphire in the middle of a space rescue was "decommissioned" in mid-save, leaving her floating helpless in space.  Luckily her sister was there to help, but having a ring stolen and a sister hurt ENRAGED the savior!  My favorite line, "They're about to find out why I'm called Fatality!"

Before the issue, I got a Facebook comment from my fierce e-friend RaRa.  "Is that SS with the cargo pants?  I hope it's not.  The cargo pants have GOT TO GO! Even I don't wear cargo pants."

While it's not cargo pants, the vinyl body suit has a certain utilitarian quality.  I love how the neckline looks like it's zippered.  And that belt! Admit it, she is no Carol, but she is DAMN HOT!

And funny, she DOES look an awful lot like my ink.

Love conquers all with violet light!