HNY to all

Happy New Year blogosphere!

From my new comic friend B in Melbourne, where it's already '06, or G in St. Louis, C and S in NY, D in Ann Arbor, you've made my comic blog year in '05.

I am not making any resolutions for '06. In '05, it was a wild year of getting my masters, a promotion, running my first comicon, getting Lasix surgery, learning guitar, starting this blog. I think that should carry me for another year.

Well, I'm off to drink for NYE with M, K, and C! Fireworks at midnight in Philly too. I'll have the wacky December referrals up next.
See ya next year, same bat blog, same bat girl!

Phantom pains

I know it's blasphemy to some, but I don't follow the XMen too often. Plus, there with New, Uncanny, Amazing, there are so many bleepin' xmen my head hurts. But the cover art on X-Men unlimited made be buy it: Wolverine on his knees in front of Jean Grey in a pleated skirt and knee high yello boots. Jean is yet another awesome redhead in comic world. There were only 11 pages of this story, as much as I liked it, it was just a short morsel.

Wolverine bleeds and heals in the snow, thinking of Jean and waiting for his healing to kick in. We see that he does indeed feel pain and pain lingers.

"There's the liver..which mostly soaks up beer"

"Pains nearly unbearable- a normal person'd be in eight kinds of shock right now. But I've been through this before.

"conjure up a caregiver.. a sort of guardian angel that protects you from the pain. Jean Grey. The woman I loved more than anything..who never loved me back. "

Marvel X-Men titles

I (heart) Marvel

This week Spider-man loves Mary Jane is finally out! Saw a preview copy at the store- it looks really cute. The Mary Jane and Mary Jane Homecoming series were very successful. I like the artwork and McKeever's writing. There's an opening scene where Peter Parker is tutoring MJ.

In Feb, more lovey-dovey stuff from Marvel. The I (heart) Marvel series includes:
But he said he loved me- irreverent rewriting of classic Marvel romance tales
Web of Romance- staring Spidey
Outlaw Love- Bullseye and Ruby Thursday
Marvel AI- shojo tales
My mutant heart- mutant love tales

Kickboxing not the sport of the future

Kickboxing never did become the sport of the future as Lloyd promised. But I'll bet Joe still lies, when he cries.

Luna-cy

2 times the Luna Brothers this week!

Spiderwoman Origin (Bendis, Reed, Luna Bros)
The Doctors Drew, funded by a military slush fund, have created a whammy DNA compiler. It can access subjects exact DNA and work on it in real time. As scientific experiments always go in comics, a freak accident lasers Miriam, pregnant with Jessica.
The years go by, the lab shuts down, the father is brooding over his life's work failure-- but wait! Jessica has abnormal DNA! It matches that poisonous spider! The parents struggle over her, dad gets zapped, and Jessica wakes up as a naked adult with the General who paid for the project there.
The Luna Bros have such a distinct style, and being a fan of Girls, when Jess emerges as yet another naked girl (blonde this time), it felt too similar. But stick with what works best, right?

Girls 8

What’s the worst thing you could ever tell a woman? Ethan learns another hard lesson.
...I think its telling his ex, who he still loves, that he slept with a random naked girl that created eggs of other psychopathic girls, a monster sperm, and an invisible wall around the town..

This comic continues to have great cliffhangers each issue, and the character development and humor hooks me. Ethan is just about to talk to his ex after she says "Well, if you want to talk, you know I'm a good listener" "Why, because of the bartending?" "No, because I lived with your whiny butt" Ethan has a great meltdown on why he slept with her-- "because I was horny! and she was so gorgeous..and soft.."

another nutjob in a costume

You never know what will happen in Michigan.
Unmasked, hero is human

And..
Comic bloggers vote now

Classic mini-busts (not those, perv!)

Xmas is ov-ah, hope Santa was good to all of you in the blogosphere. I did get a few comic related presents from C, a Batgirl T and this classic mini-bust of The Silver Age Batgirl. She is one of only 3000 pieces, and part of a series that already has sold out Batman, Superman, The Joker and Lex Luthor. The text on the box:

"Librarian Barbara Gordon- daughter of Gotham City's Police Commissioner- was on her way to a costume party in the guise of a masked Batgirl when she chanced upon a crime in progress! Without a thought for her own safety, Barbara leapt into the fray and saved the day. Convinced she could do good for the people of Gotham, and fighting at Batman's side, Barbara grew into a heor worthy of the name Batgirl!"

I did get the Nightwing trade, with the excellent Nightwing and Batgirl cover. And the Sleepaway Camp DVD, with acting and production about 10 levels below Friday the 13th slasher level.

Got an awesome turntable to play records on. I got out my 45's from middle school. Until I grew into my British boys with keyboards or classic rock cooler stuff, here's what a 10-13 year old RFangirl owned...

• Total Eclipse of the Heart
• Smugglers Blues
• Mr. Roboto
• Never Surrender- Corey Hart- with fold out poster!
• All I need- Jack Wagner from General Hospital!
• Boy from New York City
  

To redeem myself, there is Purple Rain (on purple vinyl), Beatles, Howard Jones.

Took a trip to Comic Lair today, so I have a huge new stack of comics and graphic novels to read.

He's Mr. Heatmiser

Merry Christmas from Redhead Fangirl, and Mr. Heatmiser, another redhead from my childhood.

"He's mister heatmiser, he's mr. sun,
he's mister heatmiser, he's mister one hundred and one"

the Chronicles

I think of Barbara...and snapping the Joker's neck becomes that much easier..

What a striking panel of Batgirl, with flame red hair and such soulful intelligent eyes. I'm not sure if this panel was originally in The Killing Joke; need to look that up.

Today I had my work holiday party/lunch. We had a gift exchange, and I was the sole person at the table without a gift. The guy who got my name didn't come. The children's librarian said, if you were a kid you would be crying. So I made some pouty faces. But I did get a bottle of Jamison's Irish whiskey from another coworker to make it all OK.

I went to see the Chronicles of Narnia today. The kids are pale and freckly, which I can relate to, but have the groovy English accents I don't. Tilda Swinton was a great White Witch. It didn't hit me in the gut as much as I expected.

A redhead would be my holy grail

One of the funniest redhead stories ever written. See for yourself. The last sentence really puts it over the top.

I think rereading it will become a holiday tradition. Along with hearing the sappy Dan Folgelberg Same Old Lang Syne (met my old lover in the grocery store..), the Waitresses (Merry Christmas, but I think I'll skip this one this year), catching some part of A Christmas Story, and watching my cat Fredo eye up the Italian glass ornaments on the tree...

On my Earth, it's different.

It seems mandatory to write about Infinite Crisis. As someone who never read the Crisis on Infinite Earths, I'm trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.

I did get a little choked up when Superman 2 tries to convince Batman that Earth 2 was a wonderful place- "it was full of hope and light". And that Aquaman and Mera open this issue with a fight to hold back the seas. And yea, yea, Power Girl is a major player again. Superboy tries to rope her into saving Lois by bringing back Earth 2.

My favorite page is a page of 5 horizontal panels of Wonder Woman watching the island disappear. Jimenez has great perspective angles there.

Heroes unknown to us

Father Christmas, give us some money!

I have whittled down my comic pile to 1/2 a She-Hulk I haven't finished. Of course it's Wed so I have many more waiting.

Marvel Team-Up 15
League of Losers

Kirkman has a funny premise here, in that 90% of all the known superheroes have been targeted and killed- the fantastic 4, x-men, daredevil. The opener is an establishing shot of the Avengers tower, then a 2 page spread where it is blown up with only the word KABOOM!

"They all have people they love" Mary Jane is being hunted, and Spidey tries to rescue her. The art work of both Spidey and MJ has more of anime big eye, rounded edge style.

The only heroes left are "they weren't important enough or powerful enough to be recorded into history--then how much trouble could they be?"

TBA with Darkhawk trying to get to New York (hopefully not taking the subway when he's there!)

Superyum

Top 10 villianous moments

I met the coolest couple in Nashville Brent and Rae. He is a great photographer and she is a kick ass redhead! Anyway, B suggested this link to the most villianous moments in comics history. #8 Joker cripples Barbara Gordon!

The heroes of comics get most of the glory. Who can forget Barry Allen's sacrificial run to spare DC from Crisis 20 years ago or Jean Grey choosing death over a life as Dark Phoenix? But comics' greatest villains have had their own fine moments. To celebrate the finals days of IGN Comics' Villain Month, we pondered on the ten most memorable moments in villainy.

Top 10 villanous moments

My little Runaways

At some point in their lives, all young people believe their parents are evil..but what if they really were?

I just read the trade for Runaways: Pride and Joy by Brian K. Vaughan. I enjoyed the single comics of the Runaways, but read them out of order, so I was always "huh?". Summary: teens find out their parents are actually a group of Super villians called The Pride. The teens band together, run away from home, and try to correct the evil legacy.

BKV's writing as always is witty and current, some examples-
"don't go all orange alert on me!"

"go all Mendendez brothers on 'em?"

"How is it possible that our parents lied to us?""Let's see: Santa, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, um, God, you're the prettiest kid in school.."

Adrian Alphona's illustrations bring out each teen personality and the clothing is dead on.

current Runaways

chairy

The new chocolate leather chair for comic reading enjoyment!

Santron has come to town

I liked all 3 stories in the Marvel Holiday Special.

Yes, Virginia there is a Santron! (Story, Jeff Parker)

A gifted young girl creates her own Santa that wants to wreak havoc on the Avengers Xmas party.."Merry Christmas to all...Except the Avengers, the Avengers must die!"

Spidey is late with his lovely redhead wife MJ waiting "Boy, is she going to read me the riot act!" But finds her surrounded by Capt. America, Iron Man, and Wolverine who offers "So when do you want me to kill Parker?"

There is also a remote controlled mistletoe, and a rousing Capt America speech about ideals, heroes, and life.

Moleman's Christmas (Story Shaenon Garrity)
Moleoids kidnap Santa's because the Moleman has disappeared, and they think Santa will lure him back. The Thing tries to find a way to stop the Moleoids without violence, and there are some funny exchanges..
Hulk "Hulk fight so many shrimpy weirdoes. They all blend together."
She-Hulk "That creep keeps abducting women and trying to force them to be his bride. 8 women ready to slap a class-action suit on his pimply rear end."

Christmas Day in Manhattan (Mike Carey)
This story has interesting pencils to give the feel of a victorian era Dickensesque story. Adding to this element is the prose style of Carey's writing.

"Didn't expect much from Santa Claus, but just this once, he'd granted every wish they'd ever wanted. And we hope- in the very best sense- you get yours."

You two nutty broads deserve each other

Y the Last Man 40.
Wow, I guess we're 2/3rds through the Y series. There is still much to resolve-- where is Yorick's monkey ampersand? Beth is in Paris? What will happen with Dr. Mann's lesbian spy lover?
Issue 40 adds another twist to the tale when Yoricks sends his ex-Amazon sis Hero out to Beth #2-- the one woman Yorick succumbed to along the way.
I don't want to be a big spoiler on any more of the plot, but for those of you who read it-- "ooooh".

Chicks, blood, werewolves, Texas

I was drawn to the cover art on Black Harvest. So I stole it from C's pile at Comic Lair. Don't get uppity, he let me take it! The story is Girls-ish in the barely clothed girl found on lonely road. No good deed goes unpunished though, when the local yocal police say 'you ain't got no rights boy, not after you took that poor girl'. I know you boys get hard up sometimes, but the moral of these stories are half-naked girls lead to big trouble. Don't take the chance, unless she's a redhead, then by all means.

Which leads me to the comic version of the gory Bloodrayne game I play on my Xbox. The artwork of B shifts within the story, so sometimes she seems animelike and sometimes hardedged; I don't know, I got hung up on the consistency. But there is a vampire vs. werewolf plot, always interesting. The establishing shot of the castle about to be invaded by hundreds of lycans, that was cool.

That's all I have energy for. There's an ice storm and I'm ill.

american virgin

It's time in fandomland to start pre-judging - see the DC March solicits -- There are 12 Batman family comics, 5 Superman; and how about the new Busiak Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis?

One that caught my eye:
VERTIGO AMERICAN VIRGIN #1 Written by Steven T. SeagleArt by Becky CloonanCover by Frank Quitely

YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER YOUR FIRST TIME…Adam Chamberlain is a 20-year-old youth minister, a best-selling author, and most important, the head of a rabid national virginity movement. But practicing virgin or not...Adam is about to lose it.Just a few weeks shy of marrying the girl of his dreams — the only woman God has said he can ever know sexually — Adam's fate, future and sex life are cast in direct opposition with God's Word.Like Y: THE LAST MAN, the series follows one man’s dark quest into unknown territories — geographically and emotionally.

A shocking terrorist act casts Adam adrift in exotic locales not so easily managed by a slick image, a clever comeback or the Good Book. Adam is forced to confront head-on the very rifts we all feel between our carnal desires and whatever higher power we answer to. Will Adam’s first time be his last?

Featuring the deft, cutting edge writing skills of seven-time Eisner Award nominee Steven T. Seagle (the nationally acclaimed IT'S A BIRD...) and the frenetic, high-contrast art of two-time Eisner Award-nominated artist Becky Cloonan (Demo, Wizard’s “Best Indie Book” for 2004),

AMERICAN VIRGIN will be previewed in Y: THE LAST MAN #41 and includes a bonus interview with the creators. Erotically charged covers for the series will be created by the inimitable Eisner Award-winning artist Frank Quitely (WE3, ALL STAR SUPERMAN).On sale March 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • MATURE READERS Edited by Shelly Bond

The Internet feeds cowards

Powers 14
Art by Michael Avon Oeming
Written by Brian Michael Bendis

Powers has been gaining steam recently, for a comic that has been out for five years. I think people are reading the trades and getting turned on to this series. I have only read about 3 issues, but since Michael Oeming will be at the MidJersey Comicon, I want to be more aware of his work. He is very hip about getting a great comicon going in Bordentown (where he was born), and has even approached other comic artist friends to do the show.

The art is powers is well, 'powerful', because of the great shading and expressions of the characters, especially Homicide Detectives Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim. Bendis writes the classic crime stories, with the superhero murder twist. The interrogation scenes of Deena have the tense dialogue with lots of panels for Oeming to display emotion. And great green washed color to add to the drama.

I also liked the juxtaposition of Adrienne's on-stage rant:
"human beings-how horribly dispointing that we can be"

"The fucking Internet feeds cowards. People going online every night and just bashing the shit out of whatever they can get their hands on...I don't hear anyone say anything even close to the shit I read online. All I see are people cowering in the corner with their fucking I-pods...You're too much of a coward to make your dreams come true, so you go online and bash??"

Hulk is hungriest!

Thanks to B at Comic Relief for suggesting Kirkman's new Marvel Zombies. B got me going originally on The Walking Dead. We were discussing the Spidey/Invincible team up, and he mentioned that a zombified Spidey says, "I ate my wife-- my aunt! Why?! Why did I do that?"

I try to stay comic focused here, but I'll slip in a few other things that are currently on my radar:

New microsoft service launches on Thursday- Windows local live. Very clean maps, with zooming features, and no software like Google Earth. If you like maps and technology, try
http://local.live.com/

For a fast thrilling read, try Creepers by David Morrell I was attracted to the Jersey shore element- urban explorers or "creepers" going into a long abandoned hotel in Asbury Park.

This week, the Amazing Race limps to its finale. The family season was not as interesting or dramatic as I expected. In other reality tv news, all it took was 5 mins of watching a new Project Runway, now it has a Tivo season pass. I like this show for what I like Project Greenlight for- how difficult the creation of something worthwhile can be under time and money and ego constraints. I read the bios of some of the designers, and it seems that designers with their own stores and lines aren't exactly the newbies I thought.

She was an American Girl

Hatter M
Ben Templesmith's art on the new series, Hatter M, is has the modern graphic feel, of scratched artwork and blended colors. This comic is a spinoff from a book called the Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor, which I am unfamiliar with, probably because it won't be released in the states until next year.

Hatter Madigan is the protector of Princess Alyss. When his magical hat goes missing, he chases it - and takes out anyone in his way. The writing and art mesh together, and the reviews seem to be very positive on this book, published through Image by Desparado.
"Men who deal in headwear are men to be trusted indeed."

HS Reunion CD
I just received my HS reunion CD. Great covers of songs from Say Anything, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science...all the 80s teen angst movies we love! I found myself driving and singing to Matthew Sweet's American Girl, the Dipsomaniacs A Million Miles, Lori McKenna's In Your Eyes. There are more tracks I didn't even get to, but this will be on high rotation in my car. Great mix of known indie artists and local musicians.

Comic Blog Legion

My 2006 goal to add to the blogosphere is to create a COMIC BLOG FAMILY site. There is a Running Blog Family that now has over 500 sites.

Being a librarian, I have to consider how I will annotate each entry. I would include geography-- for the, ooh look, there's someone else in Jersey factor. Also, some profile information-- look, Gordon has mysteries and film criticism on his profile.

And my current blog links will become the 'founding members', with Redhead Fangirl being the goddess of all...

RF is sooo global

So it's been almost 6 months that I started this blog, right after my first comicon. It's been fun to be namechecked on other blogs, post to friends in the blogosphere, and get comments for my posts. And, not only do down home Americans visit, every day it seems a new city in a different country comes to RF. Here's some charts that show the countries, and continents that visited my blog one day in December.

Thing 1 not Thing 2

The Thing 1: Money changes everything

Great Ben Grimm dialogue by Dan Slott. "the pug-ugliest member of the Fantastic Four" "this yahoo busts into his lab and makes off with his latest whoseyshatsit"

Ben Grimm has recently become one of the worlds wealthiest men, dating actress and going to posh parties. Spidey comments that "he's a regular guy..not to cavort with actresses and supermodels?" Mary Jane quickly replies "What's wrong with actresses and supermodels?"

My favorite panel shows The Thing wearing Incredible Hulk slippers!
http://www.cnv.co.il/pics/previews/marvel/sep/large/thing1.jpg

Batgirl was a librarian

My friend M is a monster fan of Lost, and spends a lot of her time in "The Fuselage", the message boards for Lost. She has so many posts she is in "business class" of the Lost plane. One of the icons someone uses is this...Batgirl was a librarian. Skippy!

She-Hulk and Hulk's McGee

Jack Colvin, Hulk's McGee dead
My friend R said "another one of my childhood heroes is gone."

On the good Hulk news front, itturns out Entertainment Weekly caught on to Dan Slott and She-Hulk:
"Yeah, we know her moniker's pretty darn ridiculous. But this book's delightfully zany setup...allows writer Dan Slott to explore outrageous scenarios, like when the deceased Hawkeye is plucked from the past to serve on a time-travel jury. Fanboy in-jokes and satire abound, but the stories and characterization are near-faultless. Other creators ought to be green with envy." A Rock on, Slott! And I drove him to the train station once.

King delayed and Manhunter trouble

Stephen King's Dark Tower comics are now delayed until February 2007. Fandom has a lot of opinions about Marvel, big name authors, and announcing dates for a series that is now set back a whole year.

Manhunter, written by Marc Andreyko, is in danger of being cancelled because of the DC 20,000 copy limit cutoff. He is scrambling to get comic stores and fans to buy the comic. I have a few issues, and have enjoyed Manhunter. If I read a trade and understood the whole plot, I'd like it more. Some says its "the most underrated title" from DC.

That's Entertainment

People assume I read Wizard magazine, but I don't. But the year end issue has been quite interesting. Here are are more 2005/2006 juicy bits I liked:

DC comics getting the axe in 2006: Aquaman, Batgirl, Gotham Central, Gotham Knights, Legends of the Dark Knight, JLA, Superman, The Flash and Wonder Women. Some will be relaunched or renumbered.

Costumes we love, #3
Batgirl original costume
''We wanna see the femme Batman with a winning smile and some curves (and hey, a redhead would be nice1)

Stephen Kings "Dark Tower" series.
April brings a prequel to the Dark Tower books with a 6 issue mini series. This series is one of the few King things I haven't read, but I have patrons who are rabid for it.
Hawkgirl's own series
Coming in March, written by Walt Simonson and art by Howard Chaykin. Big guns!

Loved the article where Infinite Crisis artist Phil Jimenez goes to NY comic stores and even takes fans out to hear their opinions. "I work at home alone, so I have no sense anyone reads comics. To be here and have people excited about it is great." And Johns said, "Will people be mad? We kill people in some pretty horrible ways."

damn Prison Break

So Prison Break was supposed to wait until May to come back on, but now the premier is March 20, following 24. So in 3 months I may remember more about Michael, T Bag. There are 9 more episodes-- they better get around that damn pipe. The potential second season would be 'escapees on the lam, and resemble The Great Escape'. I love that film- McQueen in the cooler!

It's the only new show I watch regularly. Alias is off in May, no more Buffy, Amazing Race not so great this season.

Securitas. Salus. Sanctuarium.

Friday the 13th Bloodbath
Mike Wolfer pencils

Camp Tomorrow and the horny young clean up crew lures Jason. Even within the group, they find it odd that they are all orphens or foster kids (no meddling parents asking questions!) and are all so perfectly paired up (you're a miltary kid too? you like Neil Gaiman?). But 'the board' is aware of the 'operation', as Jason goes after the camp staff with a machete.

Brian Pulido gets it with the witty lines "Wasn't hockey cancelled this year? This freak is pissed!"and "Why do I always wind up with the morally conflicted hotties?"


Living in Infamy 1 0f 4
Cover #1 from John Cassaday, 2 from Howard Chaiken, and my fav, 4 from Tim Sale.

"Not so average people choose life outside the law. Which usually leads to friction with the powers-that-be".
Infamy is a town, in the southwest, a witness protection town for 'super villains' that have turned states evidence, and some other people who don't know.
I like the characters, covers like 'the ice cream man' and 'the mechanic'
This story mostly focuses on Shana, Tom, and their son Tyler, with normal marriage problems within this abnormal world. For something new, give it a try.

Red is the new blonde

My mom sent me an article on the redheads in Hollywood. "Red is the new blonde. She is the head turning hybrid between the moody brunette and the bubbly blonde." says a stylist for the Charles Worthington salons.
"Redheaded women are portrayed as very strong, independent women. Or the clown, like Lucy or Pippi Longstocking, the weird redhead." me, yes on all 3.

Next, comments on a great new comic, stolen from Chad's pile at Comic Lair...Living in Infamy. Super villians in witness protection community. First I've seen from Ludovico Technique "comics by the geeks, of the geeks, and for the geeks." Friday the 13th bloodbath, Dan Slott's Thing, Marvel's Holiday special.

Line drive in 05

Well, its December, so all that 'best of' stuff starts...
Wizard Man of the Year-- Geoff Johns
He certainly is an overachiever, writing or cowriting 5 major titles-- but none of them are among my personal favorites. I like Infinite Crisis, besides his Power Girl fixation. "His enthusiasm and dedication to execute Crisis..gave not only DC but comics in general a jumpstart that has fans more excited to hit stores each Wed than they have been in years" And everyone always says he's a damn nice guy.

Artist of the Year-- Ethan Van Sciver
See right panel for the pic of me and the Artist of the Year! Wizard has some funny stuff about EVS airbrushing in the Cherry Hill, Jersey mall. He owns a silver PT cruiser with a Green Lantern sticker! His very intricate artwork is the reason every 10th fanboy was wearing a Green Lantern T at the cons. He's sly, and wit with a sharp but dry delivery.

more 2005 opinions soon! How about Fangirl of the Year as a new category? Or redhead librarian fangirl, so I can be sure of a prize?

Babysitting Kirkman

In the latest Walking Dead 24, Robert Kirkman answers a letter and says that yes, Brian Michael Bendis did grow up nearby, and did babysit him and his brother.

I did feel a little squirmy in this WD, because just like many horror, war scenarios all female equality is thrown out and women end up hiding behind some guy and washing clothes. Kirkman had a female reader write that she loves the WD, and even Invincible..he questioned if she was a girl. I may have to write him and tell him I love both too!
"Your not our leader anymore. Four guys with equal votes." "No women?" "No. That's how they wanted it...I think they just want to be protected."
But this dialogue was tight--
"Things have changed. The world has changed- and we're going to have to change with it. This is our life. We're not biding our time- or waiting to be rescued.
We are the walking dead."

K and I spent an hour and half at Comic Lair, harassing the owner and causing a general ruckus. It was fun, after a day of a leaking ceiling at the library and a crazy patron complaining about me. She is called the Dragon Lady and well known to our staff.

I bought Wizard Best of 2005-- lots to comment on--