Flash haikus
I have to showcase the talents of Multimedia Editor Mike Koehler here, with his Flash haikus. (We were discussing an easy way to teach kids superhero origins. Once I said “haiku,” he was off and running.) Want to share your own Flash haikus? Hit the comments section, I’d love to see ‘em.
Barry Allen runs
Upon the cosmic treadmill.
Can’t he just stay dead?
—
Chemicals hit you.
Then covered Wally West, too.
What are the chances?
–
Barry Allen thought
yellow was cool until he
met Professor Zoom.
Sooner novelty song to be sold as fundraiser
You’ve gotta admit, there’s not a huge repertoire of University of Oklahoma-focused music. Well, a novelty single from 1981 is getting a rerelease as a fundraiser for the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee. “OU — It’s Hard to Be Humble, Take No Prisoners” was originally released in 1981. Oklahoma country music artist Max Boydstun has recorded the single. Boydstun is a former member of Mountain Smoke, a bluegrass band that helped launch the career of Vince Gill.
Full release after the break.
Frank Miller may direct “Buck Rogers”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Frank Miller is in talks to write and direct an adaptation of “Buck Rogers.” Most people probably remember Buck Rogers from the 1980s TV series starring Gil Gerard. The character originated in the pages of the science-fiction magazine “Amazing Stories” and was the inspiration for a long-running comic strip and multiple film serials.
– Matt Price
The all-new, all-different Nerdage
Like the Uncanny X-Men in the 1970s, we’ve undergone a bit of a revamp here at Nerdage HQ. But rather than adding a boisterous, six-clawed Canadian to our ranks (though we are looking for one), we’ve redesigned the site to be more informative and easier to use. Feel free to share your comments on the new look!
– Matt Price
Comics should now be available
Most area comic shops should be getting their comics around now. You might want to call ahead to make sure your shop of choice has received their shipment.
– Matt Price
Retro Thursday: Christmas comics
With the DCU Holiday Special hitting stands this week (written by, among others, Sterling Gates), I thought I’d rerun this column from Dec. 2001 in which I talked about the Christmas comics available that year, and some classic Christmas comics from years past.
—-
For years, DC’s superheroes have celebrated the Christmas season with comics such as “Christmas with the Superheroes,” “Superstar Holiday Special,” and “DCU Holiday Bash.” And often, when superheroes meet Santa Claus, wackiness ensues.
This year, in issue No. 60 of the “JLA,” the Justice League of America teams with Santa Claus to stop a deadly menace.
And, in the “DC Universe Christmas” compilation, readers can relive Christmas memories from the Golden Age of comics to recent years with 17 classic holiday stories.
In “JLA” No. 60, Plastic Man tells his partner’s nephew about Santa Claus being elected to the Justice League.
“JLA” No. 60 is written by Mark Waid and is the final issue of his run on the best-selling title. Waid will begin writing “Fantastic Four” in February and continues to write the detective series “Ruse” for CrossGen Comics. Art is by Cliff Rathburn and Paul Neary.
“DC Universe Christmas” leads off with a story written by Denny O’Neil, the longtime editor of the Batman line of comics, and drawn by Frank Miller, the best-selling writer-artist of “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” and the recent “Dark Knight Strikes Again,” the first issue of which is on sale. In their contribution, “Wanted: Santa Claus – Dead or Alive!,” first presented in “Super-Star Holiday Special (DC Special Series)” No. 21 from the 1979 Christmas season, an ex-convict changes his stripes after playing Santa Claus in a department store and gets a new perspective on life.
Another well-remembered story in the volume is “Billy Batson’s X-Mas,” first presented in “Captain Marvel Adventures” No. 69, on sale during the 1946 holiday season.
In this six-pager drawn by Pete Costanza, Billy Batson must get a present for his alter-ego, Captain Marvel. This cute story recalls many of the things that were great about the 1940s’ Captain Marvel – a sense of fun was always predominant in the adventures of the “Big Red Cheese.”
Emmy-award winning producer Paul Dini gets into the act with “The Harley and the Ivy,” a Christmas tale featuring Batman, Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, from “The Batman Adventures Holiday Special” from 1994. Dini wrote many episodes of and produced the “Batman Adventures” cartoon series.
In this tale, the two femme fatales kidnap Bruce Wayne – to take him on a shopping spree. Can Batman rescue his alter ego from the pair before his credit cards go bust? It takes a little Christmas good fortune to get Batman out of this mess.
The volume closes with a story by the co-creator of Superman, Jerry Siegel, with art by Jack Burnley. In “Superman’s Christmas Adventure” in 1940, two grumpy old men – Mr. Meaney and Mr. Grouch – show the bad form of trying to stop Santa Claus and Superman from delivering Christmas presents. Superman and Santa put a stop to that, of course, and show the two men the error of their ways. At the same time, they show a spoiled boy named James that it’s not the cost of the present, it’s the joy of giving that makes Christmas special.
Comics shipping 12-17-08
Or, if you’re in the Oklahoma City area today, 12-18-08. Good Joss Whedon week, with both “Buffy” and “Angel.” There’s also two comics from Tulsa’s Sterling Gates, who writes “Supergirl” and contributed to the “DCU Holiday Special.” Meanwhile, Dynamite continues the “T2″ storyline with “Terminator: Revolution.” Full list and commentary after the break.
Comics delayed in Oklahoma City area
Inclement weather in Little Rock has delayed UPS delivery of comics intended for several metro-area comic book stores. Some stores may receive comics as soon as this afternoon; it may be tomorrow for others.
I’m also having a little trouble getting the shipping list together, but I plan to have that up for those who are interested sometime today.
– Matt Price
Nerdage has arrived; we’ve been mocked by The Lost Ogle
So, someone leaked the top blogs for 2008 at NewsOK to the Lost Ogle. Since Nerdage for the year ranked 4, we were singled out for some derision.
• The Nerdage Blog is about “Comic Books, Video Games, Action Figures, and Geek Culture.” Come on, was adding “Geek Culture” really necessary? This site even has something called the “Hobbit Blog” in its blogroll. This site makes Clark Matthews look as cool as the high school quarterback.
Well, let’s attack this point by point. 1. The Hobbit movie will make a gazillion dollars 2. Being a geek is now JUST AS COOL as being the high school quarterback (if not more so).
Anyway, thanks for stopping in, Lost Ogle! Keep checking back if you want to stay up on the latest on genre entertainment. Unless you’re too cool. (What high schools did you quarterback, again?)
– Matt Price
Favorite movie superhero?
Who’s your favorite motion-picture portrayal of a superhero? Christopher Reeve as Superman (shown)? Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man? Michael Keaton as Batman? Matt Salinger as Captain America? (OK, probably not that one.)
What are your thoughts?
– Matt Price
