Quick news roundup
I just realized I did pretty much nothing on this blog for Halloween! How could I be so remiss?
Today I’m just going to give a quick roundup of news:
According to Bleeding Cool, Marvel is releasing Civil War on the iPhone. I don’t know why I’m so excited for this – I hope the first issue is free. I can see myself reading superhero comics this way. I’m not spending the money in the store but if it’s good enough I could drop a dollar on the phone.
This article from Publisher’s Weekly about teen reading habits is interesting. What really jumped out at me was not that teens read graphic novels because duh but that, according to the survey, the most read graphic novel genre is romance. Now, I’m generalizing but I think it’s a fairly safe generalization that more girls read romance. If it’s the largest genre read then that leads me to believe that lots of girls read graphic novels which again duh. Why haven’t the publishers caught on?
And just preparing for Halloween next year, this cracked me up.
Disney Acquires Marvel
Doesn’t that sound official? It’s true. Disney has bought Marvel for $4 billion.
Johanna Draper at Comics Worth Reading notes that this means Disney might be able to add Marvel Characters to their theme parks. I have no speculations at this point. What do you think this means for both companies?
Bleeding Cool lists some reactions.
Wolverine = Awesome
X-Men is hands down my favorite comic. I love mutants doing mutant stuff. I could talk about the ethical issues or the love triangles or the science but really? Mutants.
*spoilers* – this post is filled with them so just be warned
Wolverine delivers big time on the mutants. If I had one giant gripe it’s that there’s too much time spent on Logan being “human” and not enough time on Gambit. Let’s get the whining out of the way. Yes, the plot is full of holes and contrivances. Like any moronic villian, Stryker can build a multi-million dollar experimentation lab but can’t get decent security. Yes, the dialogue is kind of cheesy but what do you expect someone to say when he’s got the spine of another charater in his hand? Are there really elequent words for that? And yes, it is bizarre that Logan chooses the name Logan over Howlett seeing as he clearly views Howlett as his real, if not biological, father but a Wolverine named Howlett is just silly. Hee, see it makes me giggle just thinking about it. Finally, the nudity (and please don’t get me wrong, I appreciate nudity) was the sort where the character runs likes he’s trying to hide his junk and not like he’s fleeing for his life. If you aren’t going to commit then just skip it all together. Get a rubber speedo or something.
Let’s move on to talking about the good stuff. Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, was a nice surprise. He was funny and seriously worked his blades. He’s got one of the best scenes in the whole movie. He also made a formidable opponant as Weapon XI.
Sabertooth a.k.a. Victor Creed was also pretty damn scary. A definite far cry from the overly hairy, somewhat wussy Sabertooth in the first film. Some have complained that in the first film Wolverine’s relationship with Sabertooth isn’t acknowledged; I think you can explain that by saying that Wolverine’s memory is gone and Sabertooth had bigger things to worry about.
Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine is always good to see, even in the awful X-Men: Last Stand. Whoever cast him deserves a medal. He reminds me of Michael Keaton’s Batman. Jackman manages to be both large and ferocious in one minute then small and hurting the next. It would have been easy to cast someone like the Rock but Jackman brings a humanity and stillness to the character. It serves him well here where Logan experiences his long and painful life prior to joing the X-Men.
Then there’s Gambit. When he finally shows up he puts on a great show. I was really curious to see how they would make throwing cards look badass and the answer is – by doing it. They needed about 2 more hours of him though.
The only female presence in the film, Silverfox, was nice and perky and good storyteller. Kinda weak though. Her power was persuasian which isn’t nearly as cool as being able to BAMPF! I normally appreciate the time spent on developing relationships, especially romantic ones. But, hello? MUTANTS!
There’s a lot of fun mutant cameos (watch for a young Xavier) and if nothing else you can walk out knowing that poor Cyclops had a strong but limiting power, even as a kid.
Why “Sex and the City” should never be a template
I don’t hate Sex and the City so much as squirm uncomfortably when it comes on. Although, I don’t exactly change the channel. Because some things are funny and because I feel the need to figure out just what the hell people mean when they declare themselves “a Carrie” – as if it’s a badge of honor. There’s no denying the show made some kind of cultural impact but my god, enough already!
Then you get this:
We fight crime and have bad taste in men - tee hee!
There’s a lively discussion going on over at Comic Book Resources about the new Marvel Divas that promises to be:
“Sex and the City” in the Marvel Universe, and there’s definitely that “naughty” element to it, but I also think the series is doing to a deeper place, asking question about what it means…truly means…to be a woman in an industry dominated by testosterone and guns. (And I mean both the super hero industry and the comic book industry.) But mostly it’s just a lot of hot fun.”
Wow. Really? A lot of hot fun? Cause last I checked working in a male dominated field wasn’t so much “hot fun” as “cold shoulder” but whatever. It may actually be an interesting endeavor with a terrible pitch. After all, one of the reason I really like X-Men is because the interpersonal relationships are more fleshed out than, say, Batman.
But here’s why they shouldn’t use “Sex and the City” as a template or model.
1. The endearing quality of Sex and the City was NEVER about the characters as they appeared on paper. If you were to describe each of these characters most women would cringe. An aging sex kitten who uses her sexuality to get ahead in her career to little or no success? But the actresses who played these characters gave them heart, a silliness or awareness that I think translated to the screen. It wasn’t the characters themselves women related to but the what the actresses made them.
2. Fashion is central and spandex is soooo not there. Spandex has never been there.
3. Sex and the City is inherently irritating to most people. The grating whininess of selfish women will get on even the most “a Charolette”’s nerves. So this series can’t last very long.
4. Sex and the City wasn’t hot fun. If they really want to use the Sex and the City model then the sex needs to be awkward, drunken and hidden by strategically placed bed posts. Lame.
So I’m not against giving the Marvel superheroines romantic lives or exploring the concept of “what being a woman means” (barf, ok I am against that because it’s somewhat insulting to suggest that being a woman means constantly surrounded by this weird mystique that separates you from the “norm” despite being half of all populations in the world) – sorry, ok back on track – I’m not against Marvel Divas (oh god the title is just terrible, worse than Minx) -
One more time here, I really and truly am not against this idea. But please please Marvel do NOT use the Sex and the City template. If you are going to go that route, take note that all of the City ladies were a B cup or smaller.
Though a really interesting side story might be the decision to get surgically altered to better fit into the superhero world…
Happy Valentine’s Day
Our week of love comes to an end. You still have today though – so grab a glass of champagne, hug your loved one and read these -
Top 5 Graphic Novels for Valentine’s Day (according to me)
1. Ouran High Host Club -having one boy fall all over himself to get to you is great. Having six (including some hot twins) is even better!!!
2. Fake – this yaoi features a touching relationship between two men who actually appear to like and respect each other. It’s also funny and smiles on Valentine’s are always good.
3. Sand Chronicles – sometimes being in love means breaking your heart and taking that chance is the bravest thing you do.
4. Empowered – ok, so suggesting a graphic novel where the main character sheds her clothes every time she uses her superpower might seem like a weird recommendation coming from me but I promise, you will melt at Empowered’s relationship with one of the villian’s henchman.
5. Canterella – I’m not exactly sure if this is romantic or not, on account of all the evil manipulation, but it is exciting! Anything with the Borgias in it is bound to be a good read.
Or if you hate this holiday, like I know many of you do here’s
The Top 5 Anti-Valentine’s Graphic Novels (once again, according to me)
1. Y the Last Man – you would think that a story about the last man on earth would include some romance or at least a date but nope.
2. Death Note – the only relationship in this manga is soooo cold! .
3. Watchmen – no love lost between these superheroes.
4. V for Vendetta – if Valentine’s Day makes you feel like getting revenge on the world, then this is your pick
5. Marvel Zombies – Spiderman ripping into Mary Jane, literally.
The Spidey/Obama backlash
For must of us, the Spidey/Obama cover is just neat. It’s a cute way to commemorate a historical event. Ok, yes, a few people probably think it’ll earn them some money someday.
In the comics world, you would think that Obama went out and eviscerated Luke Skywalker or something. For example, NPR’s Glen Weldon suggests an intervention.
Look, Mr. Weldon, who cares??? Who cares if people choose to spend their dollars on a comic that probably won’t make them any money? Why are we assuming that it’s all about trying to have a collector’s item anyway? My mom sent me some Obama paperdolls (I collect paper dolls – uh, that’s normal right?). I don’t care if they make me money some day. They’re fun. It’s a creative example of what this presidency means to people.
You suggest that people are being taken advantage of and frankly, that’s a bit insulting. This isn’t some stranger promising a group of dusty farmers that he can make it rain. It’s a company meeting demand. It’s a pop art celebration and I have yet to hear anyone who’s bought the comic claim any different.
Rest assured the comics world will once again sink into obscurity. Your debates about whether the new Batman should be Nightwing or some other fool will rage online, unnoticed by the Spidey/Obama buying public. But for now, let them have their nostalgia. Let them buy up a cover that is, in it’s way, so uniquely American.
No one says you have to buy it Mr. Weldon. Though, I kind of wonder…did you?
Last Minute Gifts
“Not just for nerds!”, proclaims a Publisher’s Weekly article on giving graphic novels to the readers on your Christmas list. They have a pretty good list and here’s (in my opinion) the highlights.
Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka – have I talked about this mange enough yet? No? Ok, let me reiterate. This story about a talented yet mad doctor is both heartwarming AND gory. A perfect gift!
Ghost World, Special Edition by Daniel Clowes - ok, I admit I saw the movie before reading the book. I liked the movie, loved the book. I don’t usually compare the two but this deluxe edition includes the movie screenplay so obsessives can sit and pick apart the differences. It also includes a “where are they now” comic! Awesome!
Hellboy 2: The Chained Coffin, the Right Hand of Doom, and Others by Mike Mignola - they claim this list isn’t just for nerds but include a “velvet-bound, over-sized book that showcases [Mignola's] his stunning art to it’s fullest”. I don’t know about you but the only person who gets excited over my absolute or deluxe editions is a total (cute) nerd. So if you know one, trust me, big giant comics that feel really heavy are the perfect gift!
Local by Brian Wood and Ryan Kelly – I became a fan of Brian Wood after his collection of short stories, Demo. Local is just as good, if not better. Plus, it includes a chapter set in Norman! Nothing like seeing your local haunts depicted in a story about loss and depression is there?
Kramer’s Ergot #7 edited by Sammy Harkham – I haven’t read it but I can’t go a single day without hearing about it.
Gifts they recommend that I would pass on:
DC Vault and Marvel Chronicles – two histories of the giants, complete with memorabilia and an insane price tag.
Will Eisner’s The Spirit: A Pop-Up Graphic Novel by Will Eisner – yay! Sexism! Racism! In 3D! Include a pair of tickets to the awful looking movie to really make someone uncomfortable this Christmas. *Disclaimer* I know Eisner is a genius but really, the Spirit needs some updating and Darwyn Cook’s version doesn’t really manage it.
Veterans’ Day
Happy (?) Veterans’ Day! I hope all our veterans are finding the peace and care and love they need today.
So as you remember your loved ones or hug your kids, try picking up some of these great war graphic novels:
Deogratias, A Tale of Rwanda written and illustrated by J.P. Stassen. Deogratias is a teenage boy living in Rwanda. Though he’s a Hutu, he loves two Tutsi sisters for their different charms. The people around him begin to raise their voices and arms in violence, Deogratias too begins to believe their chants, seeing himself as a dog laying in the street. He becomes drunk on rhetoric and influence eventually destroying himself and the things he loves.
Fallen Son: The Death Of Captain America Premiere HC by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by various artists. Sure Batman has neat gadgets and Superman can fly but Captain America was a soldier. In Fallen Son, those who were close to him mourn his death, moving through the stages of grief while trying to continue his mission to make all of America a safer place.
Light Brigade by Peter Tomasi and illustrated by Peter Snejbjerg uses World War II as a background of an even bigger fight, that between Heaven and Hell. A group of weary American soldiers encounter a group of Germans who are more than human. The brigade must race these fallen angels to a powerful sword, battling indestructible zombies and, at times, their own faith.
Maus I: A Survivor’s Tale: My Father Bleeds History written and illustrated by Art Spiegleman is a reminder that not all veteran’s of war choose to be there. It is often the innocent, the people who are being fought for or against that suffer the most. In his memoir recounting his Jewish father’s days in Nazi Germany, Spiegelman created a classic.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood written and illustrated by Marjane Satrapi. During the war between Iran and Iraq, Satrapi was a child. This is her memories and her coming of age, her liberation. She watches as her parents protest an oppressive regime. It highlights the importance of every day citizens to stand up for themselves and their government, if it is needed.
Shooting War by Anthony Lappe and illustrated by Dan Goldman. In the year 2011, a little known video blogger Jimmy Burns captures a terrorist bombing on tape. He quickly rises to fame when his video goes viral. He’s tapped by the Global News Network for the ongoing war in Iraq, covering the war for President McCain and the folks back home. Once there he discovers that his fame is worth a lot less than his skin and sanity.
