Love and War, 1992, Paul Cornell
And so, good-bye to Ace. But as compensation, we get Professor Bernice “Surprise” Summerfield, one of the best and most brilliantly conceived Who-companions. It’s a shame she’s relegated to the questionable continuity fields of books and audios, as with the right actress in the role she could easily rival Sarah Jane for popularity. Still, in a “squint and you can see it” way you can sort of spot her legacy in characters like Donna and River Song.

Oh, man, it’s a good thing writing fan-fiction doesn’t tempt me, as I’m now picturing “Benny meets Captain Jack” scenarios…

Read the rest of this entry »

Gratuitous gay-baiting in Watchmen?

Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That
A pivotal moment in the “Watchmen” plot has Nite Owl and Rorschach hacking into Ozymandias’ computer. Keep a close eye on his desktop, and you’ll see an ominously titled file folder. “Adrian’s sorta like very asexual, but he’s possibly a homosexual,” grinned Matthew Goode, referring to a long-held suspicion among “Watchmen” fans. “There’s a very small thing in his file window, and it just says, ‘Boys.’ Which is very funny, and that’s the kind of detail that Zack works with.”

Added by Zack Snyder? The devil you say!

This movie is going to suck on a scale heretofore never imagined, isn’t it?

Comics!

“Something’s wrong with tomorrow” is an absolutely brilliant, pure Superman sentence.

Cartoons!

Did they make Evil Wildcat pink?

Carol Channing!

I can still never decide if this song is misogynistic or misandristic.

You all have no idea how profoundly disappointed I am that these Heroes of the DC Universe busts aren’t done in a beefcake style to compliment the Women of the DC Universe line.
There are far too many of these generic super-hero statues already. Superman and Batman in posing straps would be a welcome change.

Marvel Crossover Count
Dark Reign: 23
Planet Skaar: 2
War of Kings:4
Messiah War: 3

This sounds an awful lot like an admission that the company’s continuity has gotten too screwy for most readers to keep track of it all:

Seventy years of Marvel history has led to countless thousands of stories, many of which have been reprinted in various collected editions through the years. Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Wolverine, Daredevil, the X-Men and more have had dozens of volumes see print. You’ve probably got some on your shelf right now! But if you want more, or you’re just starting to build your library, all the choices at hand may be a little overwhelming — the timelines of your favorite characters a bit confusing. The MARVEL READING CHRONOLOGY will arm you with the information you need to maximize your reading experience! These easy-to-follow chronologies will guide you through your reading list and make you the merriest Marvelite on your block!

At least it’s free…

What I imagine the figurine is thinking:

You…you mean they’re gonna let Millar write me when I grow up? Nooooo!

This is the kind of careful attention to detail I’ve come to expect from modern comics publishers:

The image Wizard has chosen to accompany their ad for their “100 Greatest Graphic Novels of the Last 20 Years” article is Spider-Man.
Really? Really?

I shouldn’t be amused by the fact that Boom Studios is now publishing Unknown, Unthinkable and Irredeemable, but I am.

Read the rest of this entry »