Teams aren't easy, Clark.

Everyone should read Chris at 2 Guys Avengers vs. Quesada
and Guy at CB commentary Uncle Sam review:

"Uncle Sam, on the other hand, just might be the one your parents warned you about. All candy and roses and promises in the beginning, it's probably going to break your heart because, in the end, all superhero comics are alike. It's how they treat you before it's over that counts, though, and Uncle Sam is starting off with all the right moves. Maybe this time it'll be different?"

Nice work, boys.

After a run of comics I haven't liked- here's a few that floated my boat.

Girls 15
The Luna Brothers announced that the Ultra pilot was not ordered to series. I loved Ultra, but am glad they don't have to split their comic work with a TV series. I wonder too about Brian K. Vaughan, working on both a Y and Ex Machina movie-- once they have success with scripts, the money, fame and still being creative has to drawn them away from comics.

Merv, you snuck into the shed and had sex with one of those girls!
It was an experiment to see if she laid eggs!

12 eggs since she conceived yesterday

Tired after her husband Kenny ran off, men sleeping with these girls and creating more eggs that attack the women- loses it, takes Teds gun after he slaps his wife, and shoots him accidentally. Looks like he survived. She orders all the men in the shed after shooting the girls locked up there. Brutal, but a choice that probably needed to be made. A zombie, vampire, or other threat would have been killed straight off - but young girls that don't transform into something gross is a harder choice.

However, Kenny chases one of the naked girls- to the woods where there are 12 saying "hi". I suspect he'll give in to lust.

JLA 0
Brad Meltzer brings a poignant look back at the "big 3" of Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman. Through the use of different artists to recreate different JLA looks, the story jells with the nostalgic words and images. The timeline is a bit weird "yesterday" "today" to follow, but not having expectations, I enjoyed it. And the final panel of the 3 chest symbols with "time to move on" was quite good.

Teams aren't easy, Clark. The dynamics, all the personalities...

Martians and magic green aliens?
It's a new world, Bruce. It's not just ours anymore.

Friends you consider equals. Best friends ones you consider your better.

She Hulk 9
Slott, Paul Smith pencils
The cover art of She-Hulk sporting a huge diamond ring- very campy!
It's great to see the issues coming out from the insider info Dan Slott told me about at Wizard. The many panels of the characters spitting out their drink when the TV announces She-Hulk married John Jameson is 9 panels of fun. Andy with his board in bubbles with Mallory- how absurd is that!
J. Jonah has them to dinner, and they end up fighting
"Green haired hussy!" "Flat topped fink!". Can't do it justice, just read the issue!

There is drama that Starfox touched Jen and John, and then they were all lovey dovey. How will this storyline play out?

Missouri, Kirkman, Batgirl

Not sure where I got this, but a photo of Dan Slott as a kid! RingerT so retro trendy!

Joe from Sedalia, MO is being sent a Dan Slott signed She-Hulk and a Mike Oeming signed Powers for entering my "53" contest. His favorite redhead in comics is Matt Murdoch- Daredevil. Between Joe and Gordon, there are at least 2 people in Missouri reading my blog.

An odd Kirkman story here- from the audience, he called out Todd McFarlane during a Q and A to ask if he was ever doing another comic, and then when Todd said "thanks for making money for Image" shot back "someone has to". Has success spoiled Kirky? I think going incognito to someone's panel is sort of lame. Ass or loon- you decide. McFarlane is busy with Lost action figures.

The Comic Blog Legion now has 106 blogs from 22 states and 7 countries. Open your mind to new blogs-- there are some blogs rightfully getting 25 comments a post, but many more that have unique voices, humor and analysis that need you, dear readers, to blossom.

Comics Fairplay posted a photo of the the "perfect, unreal mini-bust" of Batgirl. Dreamy!

That's Batwoman. Hot Damn.

There's nothing better than a redhead in a red dress...



Unless she is wearing black spandex and red combat boots.
Even I'm a little turned on by Batwoman.
As Charlie says in 52 "Hubba hubba". So far, with the minimal character development of Batwoman, I like her. Renee's underlying feelings from their relationship and her determination to follow the warehouse story are a good base for an interesting character.


Other reads in my comic melting pot:
issues up to DMZ 9 (4 of 5)
Vertigo has been building an audience for new series like DMZ, The Exterminators, and American Virgin (soon in TP) by releasing the trades fast on the heels on the first issue arcs being released. A good strategy, because while it was hard to get a DMZ issue before, it's more popular now.

Matty, torn between the people like Zee he meets in the DMZ, the Free States, and the US Army, is the only person reporting in the DMZ with live video."I figure I'm doing good, getting my stories out there. Hopefully building a career. I'm the best shot to bring Vicktor home."

When Eve Lindon, the 'hottie from two towns over' appears to be his contact,
'somethings not right'.
"Why does everyone have to be such a goddamn disappointment?"

The army announces that Matt is dead, and is using him to further their agenda with full military action. His plan is to move and not give them his body as proof, and to broadcast alive.

Ex Machina Special 2
Mitchell Hundred faces Pherson, who replicated his voice to duplicate abilities, and has released all the animals at the zoo and a shelter. I think this was an interesting 2 shot on it's own, but wonder exactly why it was produced this way. To give Chris Sprouse on pencils a chance while Tony Harris is on other things? The art was good, including good detail and look of the Great Machine. This issue also dealt with Mitchell's anti-death penalty stance, and how difficult that can be to defend as mayor. [in a 'culture where the bad guy dies at the end'.]

"Evil is not an illness, Mitchell"
"You know the rules, killing makes us no better than our enemies"

Ex Machina- still one of the smartest comics available.

Superman 4 Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely
Estoreal posted that All Star Superman 4 is the best Superman in nearly 20 years
The Superman/Jimmy Olson war-
"The black Superman is everything you're not - a bully, coward and a liar"
and Jimmy Olson woos his girlfriend back with "I love Lucy" written on the moon.

Can I summarize in only 6 words?
Invincible 33 bloody fight with Invincible and Angstrom
Marvel Team Up 21 Freedom Ring nearly dies fighting Abomination
Grimm Fairy Tales Munchausen by proxy stepmom poisons cheerleader
Green Arrow 63 Ollie mayor surprised Deathstroke gave up
Moon Knight Spector reminded what he loves doing
OMAC #1 Drug addict Costnerlast OMAC unstoppable
The all-new Atom Choi shrunk to atom big mouse

Would you like revenge, young lady?

The latest Walking Dead has left me uncomfortable and disturbed. "raping the dog shit" out of Michonne is the governor-- and while the 2 excuses are 'that the governor will get his' and 'rape happens in real life': I'm not sure anything can be as degrading and awful as this. There have been moments in WD, and I like Kirkman, that it has a sexist slant (none of the women wanted to be on the in-charge committee; they tended to do cleaning and watching of children).

But Michonne was strong and could use a sword, and even attacked the sadist Governor. Rick lost a hand, but is not getting tortured; nor Glen, who just by overhearing Michonne's attack spilled his guts and ran. The strongest female character is put in that age old stereotype (ie Black Cat)- the rape will allow her to become stronger. But this isn't even the assault of a date rape-- it's him returning to rape her again and again "until she finds a way to kill herself".

Stirring emotions is important, and I am still thinking about the comic, but it's just too exploitative. I've considered stopping buying the title. At least the art is not showing graphic panels of the rape, but the words are worse with just her face or his fly. I want them to peel back the Governor's skullcap. The end of the world we know scenario in Y the Last Man, while no Pollyanna world, is just less depressing.


Onward, other females in comics-

Spider-man loves Mary Jane 7
As I've said, this teen book packs more of an emotional punch than a lot of the other titles. This last one, Peter is being picked on, then flees to be alone in a classroom mourning the death of Uncle Ben.
I hear what MJ's saying here-- she's depressed and some people just want her to be laughing and the same "popular happy party girl" -- she lashes back with a "somehow my feelings aren't real enough?".
MJ, heartbroken over her ex, thinks how trivial her problems are when "the man who raised him was dead". Liz advises her friend MJ to "Tell Peter how you feel. Before it's too late" --- when he comes in to their booth with Gwen.

Birds of Prey 95
"Well capelings?" taunts Prometheus to Huntress, Zinda, Gypsy. "Nine tenths of any super freak battle is just rank banter".
Shiva and Canary's arrangement is over- Shiva "Tell Canary I release her". But takes the young daughter of the Crime Doctor to continue the cycle "Would you like revenge young lady?"

Y the Last Man 47
God, this says Sept 06, and it's July. Anyway, Dr. Mann with blood red hands , a complication of her own attempt to create child a while ago, flashes back to her mother and father and her teen lesbian experiences. Her father-
"if you stay here with your...girl..you will always be alone".
Her mother teaches her about pheromones in a great scene that meshes with the current one man left in the world: "boy moths are fooled by a smell?"
"no, they get fooled by sex. All males do."
"once all males dies, mother natures takes care of the rest"

I'm a Comic Zombie- no, really-

These are the days I love being a fangirl.
I'm actually in comic! And, combining both my comic book love and my horror film love-- I'm a redhead zombie! Can you believe this? See me- 4th from left bottom?

Chuck Satterlee, the writer of Of Bitter Souls, Smoke and Mirror, and more-- and North American rep for Markosia Publishing-- told the artist on Of Bitter Souls, the underappreciated and amazing Norm Breyfogle-- to add me in a big, zombie-filled Bourbon Street scene in the latest OBS July 2006 issue.

The friends and family I showed the original sketch that Chuck forwarded me really love the likeness. To think that Norm Breyfogle was looking at my image, and then took pencil to paper to create me-- it's astonishing. The 2 page spread includes Chuck and his wife and son, Norm (right next to me- goosebumps), Harry Markos of Markosia, and asundry list of other family and fans.

So please- go out and buy a piece of the Redhead Fangirl in the July 2006 Of Bitter Souls.
The trade of the first series came out, but was UPS damaged so I couldn't get it! The art and cover art of the Markosia issue is very sleek and entrancing. Satterlee's dialogue and characterizations, along with the character of New Orleans itself, nails it.

Thanks C at Comic Lair- by letting me dig in your pile, I got turned on to the comic- then when I was at the NY con exclaiming "I love this book!" at the Markosia table--I got to meet Chuck and that's been a great thing.

face melting heat

It's too hot here. The library, as most public buildings, doesn't have state of the art AC, and when it's this hot-- it's lukecool. My skin is hot and head hurts from the oppressive heat and humidity. Maybe tonight I'll sit in front of the AC and read comics. My list this week is nuts- it will cost me $!
Did anyone catch the comics history show on the History Channel? I caught it from the Green Lantern-Green Arrow (Denny O'Neill) part through the Miller, Gaiman, Smith current times. Was very cool.

Superman Returns
Currently, the film is still in limited release world-wide, seeing a total, to date of $35.8 million in worldwide box office, bringing the film’s worldwide box office gross to $199.4 million.



Comics Shops Turn to Book Distributors for Graphic Novels
"the bottom line is: comics retailers have to be super-adaptoids. That's how we survive."
[Don't even get C at Comic Lair started about dealing with Diamond for distribution!]


San Diego: Exciting and Unavoidable
Some 100,000 attendees are expected to descend on the San Diego convention center

Marvel Zombies HC in August I've got the floppies so I won't buy this personally. Word from Wizard was that Kirkman would begin work on Marvel Zombies, season 2, at some point.

Fighting evil...so you don't have to

Today, tired after a week at the beach and going to my niece's wedding Sat, I went to the first South Jersey Comicon, with Phillygirl and BoldVenture R. They had a great turnout for a first show, about 20 tables of just long boxes and trades, from a lot of dealer friends who set up at our show. Got a Strangers in Paradise, 2 Birds of Prey trades for 1/2 off, YtLM 6, and lots of the 95 Millar run on Swamp Thing. So congrats to Richard for his new show- I know how much it takes to run a con-- lots of emails, calls, spreadsheets, flyers, press kits.
MidJersey Comicon 3, August 12. Luckily, we sold 41 tables already.


Phillygirl and I also traded lots of comics.
One comic that I haven't heard any buzz on is The Middle Man- written by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, a writer and producer on the show Lost that she met. Art by Les McClane , black and white interiors but very effective panels of the blonde and scruffy middleman and the sassy redhead Wendy. I have read issues 1 and 2, and now have 6 more to read. If you like smart female heroines, gunplay, and the strong and shadowy male lead-- give this comic a try Wendy has witty comebacks and dialogue, but she's also the strong side-kick to the alien hunting Middleman (who is very cute with his square masculine face!)

Let's just take their plot summary--

Wendy Watson thought she knew her own life - an endless streams of meaningless temp jobs and artist's block - until a freak accident brought her into contact with The Middleman: a covert operative in the world's most absurdly secretive organization. Drafted into the ranks of The Middleman's highly enigmatic operation, Wendy now works with her new mentor as the planet's first line of defense against threats extra-, infra- and juxta terrestrial and is bound by a solemn oath to the Middleman creed...

...fighting evil, so you don't have to!

Having almost caught up, I now have tons more to read!

skeeball and pop-a-shot

Forgot to mention I am currently on vacation at the beach. Windy but sunny days at the beach, and icy cold water. But a bad day at the beach beats a good day at work anytime! Hit the arcades - favorites are skeeball, pop-a-shot bball, and Police Trainer. Took a nature hike today, then a long beach walk.

Comics are part of the vacation too-- got the Moon Knight 19 at a nostalgia shop on the boardwalk. There are bikini army fights within. I thought it would be an interesting comparison to Finch's current run.

Some other things...
Phillygirl current favorite comic authors here.

Comic Shop News 933
RF, Phillygirl and Shoreturtle are all enjoying DMZ. DMZ artist Ricardo Burchelli has been forced to take a break from the series due to an eye condition; Brian Wood, creator will draw one issue, then his Supermarket collaborator Christian Donaldson will do a whole arc.
At the Wizard Vertigo panel, editor and redhead Will Dennis talked about how Brian takes photos all over NYC, because Ricardo is in Italy-- the streets of NY are summoned from some far off Italian place..

Dead@17 Josh Howard will continue this series in August- go axe-weiling heroines!

All Star Superman 6- Morrison Supes mourns the loss of his adoptive father

BOP98 A familiar Caped Crusader-- Oracle most affected?

Catwoman 59 The father of Selina's baby revealed!

Looking forward to..
Brian K. Vaughan Dr. Strange
Ed Brubaker Criminal
Robert Kirkman Marvel Zombies 2

Snakes on a Plane - Chuck Dixon and Gordon Purcell 2 issue story of the motherf**in snakes on a plane

Big rocks that do magic

Oooh, C got me a scanner. Is it weird that a girl doesn't want jewelry or shoes, but a scanner? I did get bubble bath. And a pool. And R gave me the Mary Jane figure- the "Face it Tiger, you hit the jackpot one".

Batman in Detective Comics 1990
Story: A batmaniac is chopping people apart claiming he's Batman. Copies of Batman Comics are found at the murder scene.
"It's just a comic book Alfred. It has nothing to do with me."

Eternals 1
Neil Gaiman, John Romita, Jr.
Ike Harris has dreams of adventures, love affairs and betrayals, but no one involved remembers or believes him. And who is trying to kill him to keep him from talking about it?
Mark Curry, medical resident, is told he is an "indestructible being, put here by aliens"
He believes he's being harassed by a crackpot, but is slowly making connections to the fantastic story he is being told. The Celestials seed the planet with life- humans, eternals, deviants included. "Big rocks that do magic"
I was a little disappointed in this issue- are summer comics like summer TV, just filler and not the meaty stuff? Eternals seems ambitious.... Drawn to the cover art, and having no experience with the original Eternals, I didn't know what it would be...but just wasn't taken by the story yet. Sirsi, a party girl, is commissioned to do get guests to a shady group representing the country Vorozheika -- not revealed what these guests will be lured for.
I will probably get issue 2. Eternals #1-6 (limited series; Jun. 2006 - Nov. 2006)

The Flash 1 [DiMeo, Bilson]
The Fastest Man Alive
Usually I gush about comics, but I just am hard to please recently! I couldn't make sense of who was the current Flash, who used to be the Flash. Jay Garrick is on his own as the only Flash at the start.
The speed force can not be tapped? Jay, Wally, Bart? I think DiMeo and Bilson assumed a broader knowledge of the Flash than certainly I have. And Bart Allen just seems moody to take the lead as The Flash.
Bart Allen has lost everything- his powers and his best friend Wally West.
Former heroes are difficult subjects.
Lashley's cover art is great- splinters of red and gold light. The interior art is good, but left me a little cold compared to the cover.

Bite Club: Vampire Crimes Unit 3[Chayken, Tischman]
Naked prison vampire shank fight!
All I'm saying is that the vampire ward of the women's prison is a baaaad place to be. When you are naked and jumped in the showers. The final panels have our detective Macavoy uncovering vampire detective Yama's 'master'; Fontina meets with Risa's lover Carrie to blackmail her for info. And advice is doled out about Risa:
"Crazy bitch is a fuckin' animal. Treat her any different, she'll fucking kill you"

The bookworm turns

Publishers Weekly article- includes Bob Wayne who I spoke with 2x at Wizard!
A new era in comics publishing: a roundtable

The participants: Bob Wayne, v-p, sales for DC Comics; Chris Oarr, sales account manager of ADV, one of the top distributor/producers of anime and manga; Gerry Donaghy, graphic novels buyer at Powell's Books in Portland, Ore.; Chris Butcher, manager, The Beguiling, a respected comics shop in Toronto, Ont.; Mark Siegel, editorial director, First Second, Henry Holt/Roaring Brook's graphic novel imprint; and Eric Reynolds, director of publicity, Fantagraphics Books.


And of course the librarian loves...A flashback to Batman and villian "the bookworm"-

15 A “The Bookworm turns”
Roddy McDowell (the bookworm)
April 20, 1966
A new, well-read criminal called “The Bookworm” menaces Gotham City, basing a crime spree on a series of literary plot classics. Threatening Comissioner Gordon and a city bridge, the Bookworm turns his scholarly eye to Batman and Robin, and plans to ‘ring’ Robin’s bell permananently.

15B “While Gotham City Burns”
April 21, 1966Batman saves the Boy Wonder from the Bookworm’s trap: a fatal bell-ringing. Now Batman and Robin must use the Bookworm’s own modus operandi (a love of books) against the master criminal before it’s too late to stop his next crime.


Encyclopedia of Superheroes on film and on television

Season 3: Batgirl
Enter Batgirl, Exit the Penguin Sept 14, 1967
Penguin abducts Barbara Gordon, and plans to make her his wife. But what he doesn’t know is that Barbara has a secret identity: she is the motorcycle-riding, newest addition to the bat family- Batgirl!

Press her buttons

I wish I could do this 'right' like other blogs- reviewing what was new that week. But I tend to get my books every 2-3 weeks, so this is what you get--

Superman Returns- saw it yesterday and loved the homage to the comic, movies, TV (like Noel Neill, the original Lois, as the dying Gertrude); the flying and smoking lines; the tension between Lois and Superman over his leaving without a word; Jimmy Olson and Perry White as supporting characters. It's so nice to see Lois not all cheesecaked up-- she's smart, beautiful, not as feisty as Kidder but so great to see a female lead not in a tank top! Just a woman torn between her decent and dependable husband, and Superman and what they had.


JLA Classified 21 [Gail Simone, writer]
JLA Classified 22 [Steve Englehart, Derenick, Farmer pencils]

Just as the JSA classified, I think I will stop buying this title {now that Simone is off it}.
JLA Classified 22 involves the Detroit League, a new JLA without Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern. Steel ponders "I get secong stringers, third stringers and rookies" as he and 4 others work with J'onn to team build, and fend off almost all of the Royal Flush Gang. "The JLA has gone to hell" Part 1 of 4. The theme of the 2nd stringers yet again banding together to form a team as strong as the big guns...sigh...too tired to invest.

JLA Classified 21 was the end of the 6 story arc for Simone, where the JLA fought a ruthless dictator General Tuzik and the large scale release of a virus- and huge fight with the "Hypotheticals" engineered just to counter each league member. Marieke could cause ocean storms, Velocista speed force, Ghost lion-spectral summon, etc.

WW "switch opponents- we even have a name for it. We call it the fox defense."
"It's war. Do something when politics have kept us out of so many tragedies in the past."

My favorite was the reference to the song "Kryptonite" -- "if I go crazy will you still call me.."

This series was a solid effort with a Bosnia type dictator, themes of war crimes and how superheroes fit into a UN world.

Shrugged [Michael Turner, Maestromaro]
I don't like titles from Aspen as a whole. Scantily clad fairies and fantasy, like Soulfire, just aren't my cup. The art is well done for what it is, and I like Turner covers on superhero titles, but Aspen. I know the long lines for the Aspen booth form every year; but is that just for the Turner variant covers? Are there Soulfire or Fathom fanatics out there?

I got a preview of Shrugged, and sort-of liked the hormone driven Theo torn between the voices in his head, literally- the What If? mafia of Dev(beastly underbite monster) and the fairy type blonde. Turner draws hot women, and Ember, the devil's mistress is very provocative for the next issue.

Overall, while it says the title will be about big choices, love or hate, and the fate of the universe, it didn't grab me. Not as much as the Top Cow booth, but something makes me feel these titles are too juvenile or male for me. Sometimes it just comes down to personal preference, and the fantasy art, while well done, just doesn't please me. Shrug this one off.

Ion 2 [Ron Marz, Tocchini]
Wow, another title that I think I'll drop. Kyle Rayner is likely connected to the destruction of worldships, roughed up some Green Lanterns. He lost his dad, became Ion, and wants to just work on his art. Wrong! Tarra Khan comes to claim the most wanted man in the galaxy. There are headaches, and lost time. This description makes the title sound more interesting than I found it. The starry art and green lanterns were nice, but "eh".

Guardians proclaim: "Kyle Rayner is not to be sought out or aided in any way" "greater purpose served".

KR: "Care to try again? Because I can keep this up all night!"
Tarra: "Bet you've used that line before..."

Kyle: "Can't remember anything...fingers in my brain..."

52 6 and 7
52 Week 7 is remarkable for the appearance of a blue eyed redhead knockout in a red dress- Kate Kane, Renee's Montoya's old lover and soon to be revealed Batwoman. So far, I love this redhead!

Kate has they kind of beauty that leaves your breathless- and the kind of temper that leaves you bruised.

I could always press her buttons, and she could always press mine. Once we thought we were in love with each other, and maybe we even were.

The Booster Gold "time is broken?" "It's all my fault?" storyline is getting more interesting with Ralph Dibny's call out; the pacing on this series has been very good. Pacing is important- well written characters can wither with bad pacing. A weekly series, juggling all the characters, has to balance the reveals carefully.

All come to look for America (and cosplay)

There's not enough time to read all the great and humorous blogwork out there on comics- but here are two you might want to try: (Comic Blog Legion members, course)

Last Comic in the Pile
Vincent at Spandex Justice arranges comics based on first impression,
then reads and reranks them.

Heidi at Comics Fairplay has had a great run of posts- read them all!
The Creator Creep Squad (Liefeld, John Byrne, Erik Larsen)
Creators I'd like to take to dinner (Beau Smith, Morrison)
and Hot Comic Book Dates (Bruce Wayne, Kyle Rayner)
and Bad Comic Book Dates (Booster Gold, Iron Man)

Now, the June referral fun--
batgirl lesbian
futurama fan art
nightwing and batgirl
redhead characters literature evil
nightwing was supposed to die
mystique, slave name
Jade redhead banana
birds of prey larry hagman
"care about red tornado"
myths of dating redheads
she hulk cosplay
spiderwoman cosplay
aquaman's girlfriend
redheaded colleen
what men think of redheads
mutancy
green hornet superpowers
new jersey redheads
why are redheads crazy?
batwoman redhead
mystery in space jim stalin
peter parker tracker
good comebacks for redheads to blondes
mr. heatmiser
zombie preparedness
women who love redheaded men

Need to read the Birds of Prey, All Star Supes, 52 8, Justice, JLA Class, and Invincible (if you read this series, check out the RF mention in the letters column *blush). Happy 4th, America!

People live on

Spent the day on Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, yesterday went to the Broadway show Mamma Mia with the Michiganders.

If you like police procedurals, with the added twist of a Icelandic forensic scientist as the protagonist, try Umbra- written by Murphy, with Mike Hawthorne, art. It's 5.99- issue 1 of 3 is out from Image now. Hawthorne was at my last MidJersey Comicon, and he is funny and should get more widespread attention for his art.

Brave New World: $1 for 80 pages of previews-- it's like giving me fentanyl laced-heroin because I'm hooked on 4 of the 6 series and intend to buy them--

Omac, for the 'everyman' on the run angle, and the boy-girl interplay in the preview
The Creeper, for the Fox News type blowhard in Jack Ryder, selfish button pusher now formed into the vigilante Creeper. Justiniano's art is very vivid.

Martian Manhunter- in the DC panel, there was talk of MM trying to blend in always, and now becoming more "Martian-American". Barrioneuvo's art is a good match for Lieberman's interior dialogue of MM.

The All-New Atom- Just for Simone's writing. John Byrne's art, well, B at the comic store always complains about everyone they match Simone with (except on BOP)

I'm torn on Uncle Sam. It's a little too "yippee kay ya, motherfucker" for me, and I hate that the only female is breastfest Stormy. Daniel Acuna's art though-- each panel is very powerful, like cover art.

A few other tidbits to catch up on:

Marvel Romance redux: I should have been a blonde
I was howling on just about every page of the main story "Patsy loves Satan". Not only are snarky lines inserted on the original art, but asides on the art inself and perspective really hit the mark. Scissor like hands, huge plumes of car exhaust called to the carpet. I love the juxtaposition of the swooning, crying and fashion slave women to the smart-ass and driven characters in these stories. Whether it's Satan, Scientology, Comic Books- the women in the Marvel Romance Reduxes get what they want, even if it's criminal or black magic to do so!

Superman and Batman 26
Sam Loeb (Jeph Loeb's son who died) and too many big names to list

Robin (Tim Drake) remembers typical teenage fun with Superboy (Connor Kent).
Partying in the Fortress of Solitude-
>>>>"Batgirl was such a lightweight" <<<<>"way too much time on the internet looking for pictures of Raven. and Starfire."
young Toyman missed a Batmobile delivery, they get sucked into a series of events (the different artists add to the dramatic change between robots, toy rooms).

Toyman
"you were lonely, so you tried to kill us? Learn 3 chords on the guitar and write bad love songs "
In the end, the motto holds true for Sam Loeb as it does for the characters contained:
People live on. Tell stories about them.


Thing 7 [Dan Slott, Kieron Dwyer]
"Benjamin J. Grimm, what have you done!"
Fights with Hercules, trying to win back Alicia, who feels perhaps too much has happened with them, and is dating a great guy.
Rocky troll, thou has much to answer for!
Hey, put me down, ya big Greek goofball!

The world stopped mocking Peter Parker

The redhead is back!

Since I have been on blog-break, I haven't put in my two cents on he topic of Spider-man unveiling his mask to reveal Peter Parker. How does this fangirl feel about it? My gut instinct was "No, no!", and with time, wisdom, and reading other blogs, I still don't like it.

Besides my base reaction, let's remember what Jor-El advised Superman (in Superman the Movie) -- there were two reasons to keep his 'secret identity' [if a dorky plaid suit, thick glasses, and some clumsiness are really a secret identity].

Jor-El's second reason has been oftened cited: You put the people you love in harm's way from your foes if they know who you are 'off the job.'. I understand, but haven't read, that in the recent Spidey's both Mary Jane and Aunt May have encouraged Peter to reveal himself. That takes away some of the thunder of keeping his Parker ID secret-- if the people he loves most feel he should be open, why not?

Plus, much has been made of the Avengers tower/butler service/Iron Spidey, who is a far cry from the dorky teen. Spidey seems to be in some Tony Stark trance "yes'm master, I'll wear the new suit, live in your tower, mmm more please". The Avengers Tower has been used as strong reason to unveil - Sp and his family would be even safer in the revelation because of the assumed security of the Avengers tower.

Personally, I wouldn't let my hot redhead wife live with Luke Cage, Captain America, Tony Stark, and with known redophile Wolverine stopping by. With all that can happen in superhero world (just as in soap operas), partners get swapped around. One storyline did have Logan hitting on MJ when she thought Spidey was dead, and she resisted and thanked him for the distraction, because 'he knew she would never go for him'. Nice try there Logan.

The first reason Jor-El tells Superman is the one I want to focus on:
If you reveal your true identity, you will never have a moments peace. You will be called on for things humans could handle themselves, 24 hours a day. It is their nature to abuse their resources.

If everyone knows who Spider-man really is, Peter Parker could never walk down the street, get a coffee, take MJ to the art gallery or Aunt May to the store. It would be like celebrity multiplied by 1000; every car crash, dispute or crime would be his burden. Anyone who has been robbed, or abused, or wants to find who killed the neighborhood dog would call on him. The drain of the constant requests from legit requests and bonkers people-- it's like the paparazzi following Brangelina for a photo, and yelling out questions-- with a 24 hour a day criminal dispatch responsibilities. As a librarian, I experience a thumbnails worth of this - you want to be of service, and helpful, but sometimes you end up following someone down the rabbit hole.

What do other (that I read) bloggers think?
Gordon What do you think of Marvel's Civil War? Don't know - I'm swearing off massive crossovers, and if I want to peruse them, will read them at the comics shop.

Chris You know what? I kind of like it...For those of us like myself who have never been that invested in Spider-Man as a character, it's the first time in a LONG time that Marvel's given us a reason to care about him.. I understand why fans are crying foul at the move, though. Many see Peter's anonymity as central to the character.

Jake I'll second the rest of the residents of comicblogavenue who have said it really doesn't matter what's done with Spidey since A) we know this will all be reversed by this time next year and B) this isn't even really Spidey any more. This penthouse-livin', supermodel-lovin', armor-wearin', butler-havin' idol of millions no longer resembles the character I enjoyed reading about ten to fifteen years ago.

The Comic Treadmill asked if it's readers were following Marvel's Civil War event series?
52 of 139 votes, was: I'm ignoring it. The DCU is the only place for me!

Comic Book Commentary
(Civil War #2's big reveal had slightly more fanboy impact than Earth 2's Superman bursting off the last page of Infinite Crisis #1 -- which isn't saying much, of course -- but without seeing the thought that presumably went into the admittedly big decision over in his primary series, it lost some of its intended oomph.)

Tom at the Fortress of Solioquy declares it 'more dumbassery'
I anxiously await the inevitable mindwipe/restoration of the Spider-Man status quo that will accompany this storyline, as well as your much-vaunted undoing of the Peter/Mary Jane marriage, since that's the natural progression as far as your comments are concerned.

Since the 1990s clone saga; the Spidey: Chap 1 where Sp and Doc Oc came from the same accident; MJ's plane crash; JMS tolemic spider spirit-- and we still care about Spidey! Amazing Fantasy, indeed.