It's just Looney

DC Variant covers for November have been announced. It's Looney Tunes crossovers...

Aquaman #46 by Ivan Reis, Brad Anderson and Warner Bros. Animation

Justice League #46 by Scott Williams, Alex Sinclair and Warner Bros. Animation

Linkdump

I've only read 23 of Amazon.com's 100 Young Adult Books to Read in a Lifetime, although some of the others are on my endless "to-read" list. I also haven't read many of these Captivating Short Stories Everyone Should Read, although The Yellow Wallpaper haunts me to this day.

This cartoon isn't fair to comic book fans. Hey, I found a guy!

Read Tony Lee's Pitch for a Doctor Who/Deep Space 9 Crossover and dream about what might have been.

Cliff Mass has more on the strange weather we're having here in the Pacific Northwest.

Boing Boing has a great story on how to buy secret cookies from cloistered nuns.

The Eisner Awards were announced a month or so ago... I still haven't really gone through it, but glancing through I see a few I've read, including Astro City, Beasts of Burden, Shanower's Little Nemo, I Was The Cat, Tiny Titans and Meteor Men, all of which are definitely worth reading.

While it was announced some time ago, I'm still gleeing over the idea of a new Cordelia book.

I kind of want this car shade.

Linkages

Yesterday when I got home from work I immediately went to the bed to take a nap. I woke up six hours later, decided not to eat that late, and stayed up to read a book for a bit. Then I slept again for another five or so hours. Apparently I was tired from the recent stress. Anyway, that's my excuse for no post yesterday...

I want this LEGO set and all the other possibilities on this page, particularly the judge and the zookeeper.

A couple of kids use a webcam on a laptop to take a video of a swirling object in the sky. Lots of possible explanations for it, but it looked pretty cool.

Did men evolve to take punches? The jokes made possible by this study are pretty much endless.

I kind of would like a copy of this book: Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book. Looks interesting.

The original Scooby-Doo had some pretty cool background art.

I like the look of these reflective buttons but I can't really afford to support anything as we go into summer, which is a tight month for us.

I was unaware that Comics & Medicine had a conference, but I think it's pretty cool that it does.

I'm very amused that a commercial for xBox One is accidentally turning people's xBox's on. Ha.

World Cup... in space!

A test case for banning marijuana in Washington has been filed... Wenatchee is being sued, which is better than my town getting sued.

Wrap up on the Tony awards. I still don't understand the hopping thing, not really.

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Doctor Who: "The Rings of Akhaten" - Not a lot of plot, but a lot of very interesting moments and build up. This had some character building that may become vital in the future, and some sweet moments with a young guest. I've got mixed feelings about it. Not my favorite, but not bad.


• Young Justice: "Depths" - Oh wow. This makes up for that other episode. I seriously considered not finishing this episode after what I was seeing, but wow... I'm glad I finished. Wow. Now I just want to see how this season concludes.
• Young Justice: "Satisfaction" - That's not what I was expecting... I'm amazed at how good this series got even as it was racing toward the end of its run.
• Young Justice: "Darkest" - This one is a double-ouch episode. Kaldur is truly frightening in so many ways. The massive destruction was yet another moment of shock. I just didn't see that one coming. Lots of twists and turns in this series.

---

This week's movie was The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle. This movie falls into the "so bad it might be good" category, particularly in the beginning. It starts out so terribly cringe-worthy that I wanted to turn if off and never look again. But either I adjusted to it or it got better, probably a bit of both... because I managed to sit through until the end. This will never be on my list of favorite movies, and it's not something I would even recommend, but it's not too bad.

---

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• Feb 20th
• Justice League #17 - I want to hate Geoff Johns for this story. I want to say, "No way. Vulko would never do that!" I want to deny it completely. However, I can't. The motive is correct, even pure. The nature of the whole thing is awful, yes, but I could see Vulko scheming desperately. And I could see him doing this. Ouch.
• Justice League of America #1 - Ug. I don't suppose this is going to be much good. I'll get it for a bit anyway. Nu52 Waller is so wrong it's not even amusing.
• Green Lantern #17 - Eh, not horrible.
• Green Lantern Corps #17 - The torture of Guy Gardner. Ok. Not really my thing.
• Green Lantern: New Guardians #17 - And... the torture of Kyle. Lovely. Is this whole second crossover done yet?
• JSA Liberty Files: The Whistling Skill #3 - I was beginning to think I'd never understand this book at all, but as the flashbacks start to fill in, I think I'm beginning to understand the rest. Three more issues to try to figure it out.
• Batman Beyond Unlimited #13 - That first story was very nearly incomprehensible. The other two were ok.
• Young Justice #25 - And that's the end. Huh.
• Fables #126 - I'm not liking this Brandish guy at all. Don't think I'm supposed to.


• Feb 27th
• Aquaman #17 - Having Aquaman uneasy with his subjects definitely harkens back to the Silver Age books. I don't like Murk, or what he represents. This book just got very interesting. I hope others are finding it so, as well.
• Arrow #4 - Three different stories, three different levels of quality. None of them are bad, per se, but none of them really made me want to watch the show any more than I currently do.
• Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time #2 - Ooooh, I liked this one. I want more like this. Heck, more second Doctor adventures, period. Good stuff.
• Doctor Who V3 #6 - Um, I was good right up until the whole reignite the sun thing. I'm not really sure what the diamond or the Doctor had to do with that.
• MacGyver: Fugitive Gaunlet #5 - While the story isn't bad, the artwork could have used some work. Again, the bit in the back about the origin of the show is better than the comic itself.
• Peanuts V2 #6 - Peppermint Patty just doesn't look right in a dress.
• Steed and Mrs Peel #5 - Nice set up, with a decent bit of strange Avenger action.

---

Fortean Times #290 (August 2012). I suppose the cover would have more impact if I were a Londoner. Or even British. As is, I found it slightly dull. My husband is a big Olympics fan, however, so I was intrigued by the article. It turns out to be a fairly comprehensive overview of creatures found in the Thames River and nearby waterways. Not bad.

Another article is about the original Olympic games, focusing on the aspects of the games modern folks might find most surprising, including routine disfigurement in sports like boxing and fatalities.

A third article is about Lazarus Syndrome, people who are clinically dead for some amount of time and yet somehow revive and continue life. The article cites dozens of examples and is part one of a two-part look at people who come back from the dead.

Good stuff in Strangedays, as usual, although the bit about cannibals was a bit too much for me. Yikes. The 2012 Watch is an Olympic special focusing on conspiracy theories about the games, which did not come true. Since we're all still here. And so is London.

Science is about space exploration and how private enterprise has started to take over. It compares the future of space exploitation to the beginning of the internet and how those who jumped in early generally became very rich. Hmmmm. Ghostwatch seems to be about ghosts that range a bit further than a single building. Mythconceptions asks about the origin of superglue.

Alien Zoo is about Tasmanian wolves, winged cats and black tigers. I have to feel sorry for the winged cats. The wings are usually either clumps of matted fur or a rare feline skin condition. No idea if it hurts or not, but it doesn't look comfortable. Classical Corner is about soldiers and war, mostly soldiers and how they are discussed in ancient writings. Fortean Traveller visits the Czech Republic to retrace the steps of John Dee.

Archaeology's main piece this month is about acoustics and various studies done on them. It mentions the vaguely Stonehenge linked tests done in my corner of the world at the Maryhill Stongehenge replica (which is made of concrete, which has completely different acoustical properties and thus isn't a really good test) along with a few other studies that were poorly reported by the media and don't really prove much one way or another. A very short second piece talks about obsidian knives found in central American that suggest human sacrifice prior to the time of the Aztecs.

Konspiracy Korner is about cover-ups, sometimes lasting decades, of events that are well enough documented that anyone who looks can find the truth. Sounds like certain drone attacks that the US currently is denying. The UFO Files is all about the nature of memory, and something more people should read. Blasts from the Past is about fairies, airships and space travel. The Fortean Bureau of Investigation visits a conference on unknown animals held in Belgium.

The Forum starts with an article on ascribing motives to alien events and then goes on with an article about "dark" fairy tales, particularly Snow White and the evil queen. The Reviews section again has fantastic reviews of many books, movies and games, good and bad. A mystery is solved in the letters pages. And the It Happened To Me bit had one gloriously spooky story, probably terrifying more due to its lack of detail than anything else.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Torchwood: Miracle Day: "Escape to L.A." - Ah, it's painful to watch characters making really stupid mistakes. But then, that's how real life works some times, too. Really stupid mistakes followed by other people paying for those mistakes. I like how they are keeping Rhys and Anwen in the show, but at the same time I'm not liking it at all. It seems like there wasn't a lot of forward progress in this one, so we'll have to see what happens next, if it gets a bit better.
• Torchwood: Miracle Day: "The Categories of Life" - Ok, so they are categorizing people into different slots depending on how "alive" they are. And there is a deep and terrifying secret to the overflow centers they are sending "dead" people to. This was a painful and scary episode. Disturbing in almost every way.


• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Pawn of Shadows" - Best line of the series so far, Shaggy says, "Yeah, like, we've been teenagers forever" when giving advice to writer HP Hatecraft on current teens. That's just before the most scarring event of the series so far happens. Angel gets really involved in this one, and the end is a bit of a surprise. One more episode? I'm kind of excited to see it!
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "All Fear the Freak" - Final episode. The group investigates Fred's dad, as the friction of the group comes to a head. Secrets are revealed, stories are told, and the series ends with the possibility open for a second (or more) season. Wow. Best Scooby-Doo I've ever watched. I'd gladly watch a second season.

---

This week's comic book related review is Aquaman: Death of a Prince. This collection features some of the most classic of Aquaman's tales, including Aquaman being deposed from his throne, Aqualad learning about his parentage, and the death of Arthur Jr. This is a very nice complete package, and I can say that those stories have probably never looked better. It's one of the best collections I've seen in a long time, and well worth it for Aquaman fans and just general comic book fans as well.

---

Agatha Christie this week was Nemesis from 1971. Miss Marple is called upon by a dead man to solve a mystery without any clues whatever, and agrees. Of course, the clues start arriving once she's signed on, and eventually she figures it out. I didn't. Anyway, this isn't her best, but it's not a bad Marple story. I feel like her writing is in a bit of a downward slide, but I hope that's just my misperception. There's a scant handful of novels left for me to read, and a bunch of short stories. I'm sure I'll continue to enjoy them because even the worst Christie mystery tends to be a bit better than average.

---

Finding Bigfoot - I was a little doubtful about this show, having heard allegations that parts of the hunt were misrepresented by the production crew to increase drama. I don't "believe" in Bigfoot, but I do accept the possibility of it existing. There's not enough evidence to prove anything, though, which is the problem. And that's the conceit of the show. The group is trying to prove that bigfoot exists by finding real scientific evidence. The catch-22 is that if the group proves the existence of bigfoot, the show is over... and we'll hear about it on the regular news before the show can air. So the fun of this show is the stories that people tell, because the show itself can never prove anything. Anyway, on to the episodes:

• "Swamp Ape" - This episode starts with a family who is having night visitations and think they are being stalked by a bigfoot at their home in North Florida. The team spends the night, and has inconclusive experiences. The group then visits the Seminole nation and discuss the beast with some members. Then they follow-up on three witnesses in South Florida and do another search, this time with cool remote control drones.
• "Bigfoot Crossing in Georgia" - Neat story about a cop with a passenger who spot a bigfoot crossing a road and catch the thing on the cop car's dashcam. The video is, of course, too grainy to use as proof, but it's still cool. Of course, they make someone run across the road in the middle of the night to try to duplicate it. Not dangerous at all, ha. They talk to some more witnesses, including one that isn't credible because he's easily led, then wander around the forests in the middle of the night.
• "Caught on Tape" - A thermal video taken in North Carolina Uhwarrie National Forest seems convincing until the team duplicates the video almost perfectly... which they justify with a bunch of excuses. Then there's a chase up a hill that apparently was a human and the crew knew it, but they presented it as a mystery. At a townhall meeting they heard some good stories and follow-up on a few. I'm liking Ranae, as she's the only one properly skeptic.
• "Fishing for Bigfoot in Oregon" - Another video, this one in central Oregon, that isn't exactly convincing at all. But the team goes and risks their lives in the middle of winter to duplicate the video, then hunt the bigfoot in the middle of the night. Again, Ranae is cool... Cliff and Bobo are ok, but Matt is actively annoying. Anyway, another area, another meeting with the locals to hear stories. The best part of the show by far, even if some folks are clearly not credible.
• "Frozen Bigfoot" - Ah, my home state. The team goes to Southwest Washington, the Silver Star peak in the Cascades, in Gifford Pinchot National Forest. They go to investigate some interesting pictures taken by a hiker a few years ago, and are able to duplicate the images pretty well, although not perfectly. They go to Yacolt for another town meeting, get some more cool stories. I like them deploying the goosecam and the disguised canoe, hilarious. This is a funny show.
• "Alaska's Bigfoot Island" - This one is a little different, as a community calls the bigfoot hunters in because a town is feeling threatened by unknown animals. They start with a witness to footprints and running around in the forest at night. Then another town meeting! Lots of good stories, particularly with the natives whose families have been in the area for centuries.

Conclusion: Overall, not a bad show, but not one that I would be inclined to watch much, especially if that Matt guy stays on it. It has a good format, but I need more skeptics like Ranae before it's truly watchable. I'm interested in bigfoot, but watching a couple of guys screaming in a forest in the middle of the night just isn't that interesting.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

Linkdump

Ten Things You Should Know Before Moving to Seattle.

Have you seen The McBain Movie?

A typeface designed to help dyslexics read.

The Renton Police bring down the Streisand Effect upon themselves. I grew up in Renton. I wouldn't have known a thing about this... except the police decided to bring attention to it.

Ten Things Not to Say to a Depressed Person. And since that's a downer, read this next: Ten Supportive Things I'm Glad Somebody Said to Me, from the same author. Via.

The Oldest Unsolved Seattle Police Homicide.

I'm sure you can spot a Monty Python reference from a mile away.

Aim for the Stars.

It's not a Bloggity linkdump without a pug.

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Torchwood: Miracle Day: "Dead of Night" - With Rex and Esther now part of Torchwood, the crew really gets going. Vera the doctor is brought into the team, Jack has a night out, and Gwen goes undercover. Not as bad as I was expecting from the controversy, and the plot slowly moves forward with what might be the discovery of the big bad. Not too bad.


• Ghost Hunters: "Pearl Harbor Phantoms" - The crew gets a Hawaiian vacation with Josh Gates and his snark. It's a nice location to visit for them in the middle of winter. The two hangers at the Pacific Aviation Museum are good places to check out, and the crew is respectful of the location. I like the stories of the staff, they seem to clearly admire their ghosts rather than fear them, and love telling stories. It was nice to see the place, and fun to watch a bunch of people running around in hangers all night long. This episode may be unique in that there wasn't a reveal or summary at the end, that's for the next episode. Which hasn't aired yet, I think.


• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Dead Justice" - Of all the things I expect from Scooby-Doo, depth is not one of them. So seeing the strange antagonism between the mayor and the sheriff in this one, tied up with Fred's desperation to impress his father, was a little bit of a surprise. With only a couple of more episodes, will the big mystery be revealed?


• History Detectives: "Season 9, Episode 6 - Japanese Carved Cane; Kittery Telescope; Baker's Gold (repeat)" - The Japanese Internment Camps are a sick blot on our history, and learning more about them and keeping memory of them alive is good. The cane is beautiful. The telescope was a very exciting story, as the thing just seemed to get older and older, and the possible history in it was great. I have to wonder if the owner would consider donating it to a museum. NOTE: all of the next episode is repeats.

---

This week's movie was The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure (Princeton and Mexico, 1916). Still watching the borrowed DVD Set. We're into the "older Indy" stories, with a new actor playing Indy. In this one, Indy pairs up with Nancy Drew (sort of) to solve a mystery and get to the prom. Then he finishes an adventure he had in the first movie (which was originally the second part of the very first episode). It took awhile to get used to the older Indy, but he grows on you. Not bad, but I'm still wishing I could see the show as it originally aired.

---

While at the Oz convention, hubby-Eric picked up Dinosaurs Across California, a strange little comic LOADED with information about California tourist sites and famous people who have come from California. It has an Oz connection when the time traveling dinos stop in to meet L. Frank Baum at Ozcot in a single panel. I don't know that I would recommend this for casual reading, but it certainly was crammed of great images that are worth pouring over for details and information that is worth thinking about.

---

My Kindle book this week was The Flying Girl and Her Chum by L Frank Baum. I read the Flying Girl, and enjoyed it, and then decided to dress up as Orissa at the Winkie Convention this year. So I decided I ought to read the sequel before I tried to play her. So I loaded the Google books version onto my Kindle and finished this book two nights before the convention started. Probably good timing, for I had the character in my thoughts while headed to the convention. As it turned out, I wasn't the only Orissa in the masquerade, but that worked out ok. Anyway, the story is weaker than the first Flying Girl book, but it was clearly meant as the second book of a trilogy. I bet the final book would have been better. As it was, Orissa tries a new plane with a passenger on board, and something goes wrong. As Orissa and her chum struggle to stay alive, their friends on land start the hunt for them. This is a survival story, an adventure tale, and a classic friends story as well. I enjoyed it, and wish the last book had been written. Maybe I'll have to write it myself some day.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

A Sunday Review

I won't be doing a Sunday Review next week, as I'll be somewhere in California mostly on the road, pretty much all of next Sunday. Worrying if the Rotweiller-proofing we've done to the house will work. Ahem. We've got the instructions for the house-sitter nearly done, have talked with the neighbors and some friends to make sure they also keep an eye out, and everything is pretty much set for our trip to Oz. If I'm up for it, I may blog about the trip itself, but that depends on a lot of factors I won't learn about until we're at our destinations. So, without further ado, here's what I've watched on TV and read this week that I felt like writing about.

---

TV this week:

• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Time Out for Vengeance!" - Pre-credit sequence with the Creeper, lots of fun. The main story had Aquaman time traveling, although I was surprised when Rip Hunter pushed the Blue and Gold into the ocean and not Aquaman. Still, Romans!
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Sword of the Atom!" - The Currys of Atlantis was terribly... um... terrible. I enjoyed it, but recognize its innate silliness. Aquaman is almost as bad in the regular story. Tormenting poor Ryan into being a hero against his will. Lots of fun, and lots of excitement.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Triumvirate of Terror!" - The pre-credit sequence is hilarious, but don't think about it. The main story is two trios. I love seeing Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman sitting in a diner. But I'm not as excited with Luthor, Joker, and the Cheetah.


• History Detectives: "Season 9, Episode 2 - World War II Leaflets; Spanish Civil War Eulogy; Tiffany Window" - Five images on a leaflet share the theme of the Japanese military taking control in WWII, and I love the way they found the artist. The Eulogy was an incredible story that I really was amazed by. It seems like we should know more about that history. The last story seemed like a simple request, but led into a great story on the history of Tiffany.


• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "A Haunting in Crystal Cove" - And so Fred's father is more mysterious than we thought. No wonder he's continually trying to get Fred to stop investigating. The analysis of Fred's insecurity makes him a much more interesting character than the original guy I grew up watching. I'm really enjoying this series.


• Primeval: "Season 5 Episode 5" - The crew forms a plan to deal with Philip, while the team suddenly has to deal with a convergence of anomalies opening all around the world. This one is intense in parts, frustrating in parts, and crazy in parts. And I really wasn't expecting that result, but then... there's one more episode.
• Primeval: "Season 5 Episode 6" - With the end of the world here, can Connor return from the dead to save everything? I love the characters in this show. Philip gets the best line of the show, which he says to Matt at the last minute. Of course, there's plenty of action even when everything is settled. Lester and Jess make a surprisingly good team. And, even though this is the last episode so far, there was a nice hook for possible future series, while at the same time leaving everything in a stable state.

---

This week's movie was The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Travels with Father (Russia and Greece, 1909). Still watching the DVD set we borrowed. In the first half, Indy causes lots of problems (why haven't they figured out that he should never be left alone, ever?) and terrified of punishment runs away, meeting an old man named Tolstoy who is also running away from home. Michael Gough turns in a masterful performance as the cranky old writer, and his acting made this part of the episode. In the second half, they travel to Greece, but Ms Seymour is sick, so Indy is left with his father to go to an isolated monastery. The usual misadventures of Indy follow the pair. They both manage to be hilarious in this one, particularly when Indy's father starts quoting philosophy in the worst of situations.

---

Here are reviews of some comic books that I have read recently:

• Flashpoint - Soon after the series started, I figured out I should have ordered it from the beginning. When we headed out to civilization, I picked up the first two issues.
• Flashpoint #1 - Batman's really nasty, Cyborg seems to be the world's last real hope, and we get the first views of the war between Atlantis and the Amazons. Exciting.
• Flashpoint #2 - Deathstroke versus Emperor Aquaman and his sidekick Ocean Master! Wow. Also a nice image when Barry "remembers" the new reality. I think Barry is utterly nuts trying what he's about to try at the end of the issue, but I'm well-hooked into this story.
• Cinderella - Eric wanted this because of the Oz connection, so when we got the Flashpoint issues we also picked these up.
• Cinderella: Fables are Forever #1-5 - Told from the point of view of the Fable Cinderella, this story focuses on how she has had to deal with the hired assassin Dorothy Gale throughout her history in the mundane world. There is one more issue to go, and can I just say, EUUUWWWW! to that cliffhanger?
• Oz - Eric got this through the mail, it was a free preview from IDW given out at Wondercon.
• Dorothy of Oz - This is an introduction to a project based on a work by the great-grandson of the author of The Wizard of Oz. Roger Baum mostly ignores everything but the first book, and so I found this a bit... narrow in scope. I mean, there are 14 books by the original Baum, and another 26 "official" books in the Oz series. Ignoring all of that history in favor of your own sequels, well, just seems a little limited to me. So, although the art is nice and all, I just didn't find it really all that interesting.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

A Sunday Review

Two weeks in which I'm traveling more than staying at home, so two Sundays without a Sunday Review. How did you people survive without me? Very well, no doubt. Get ready for another break in reviewing while I go off to Oz in a couple of weekends. Ok, here's some of what I watched and read over the last three weeks.

TV this week:

• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Nightfright" - I love the Vincent Price tribute. Eric called the villain in this one as soon as the person showed up not in costume. This one felt like an old-fashioned episode from my childhood. It was goofy, pointless, and the villain had way too much power. Loved it.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "The Siren's Song" - A siren begs for Velma's help in solving a mystery, and the crew take up the challenge. I love the reference to Scrappy-Doo. The ongoing plot is nicely advanced by Velma in this one.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Menace of the Manticore" - More about Hot Dog Water, and lots of fun spooky stuff. I definitely get the feeling that Fred's dad is not only the Mayor, but something else as well.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Attack of the Headless Horror" - Early on in this one we both correctly guessed the villain of the piece, but it was still a great deal of fun. I really liked Charles.


• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Scorn of the Star Sapphire!" - Lots of women in this one. The pre-credit sequence with Wonder Woman made me giggle uncontrollably. The rest... well, good enough. I enjoyed it.


• Primeval: "Season 5 Episode 3" - Nice art gallery. Nice to see Emily being kick-butt in her own time, pity about what was going to happen to her. I'm worried about Abby and Connor's relationship, and also about what Connor has accomplished. Yikes.
• Primeval: "Season 5 Episode 4" - Connor's new invention endangers all the gang, and nobody is happy about it. Jess reveals that she's got a serious problem. This one is really really creepy. In lots of ways. Double Yikes.


• Young Justice: "Targets" - During tense negotiations between two warring countries, Red Arrow saves the mediator but gets into deeper water, and calls Aqualad for help. In the meantime, Miss Martian and Superboy start school and meet a bunch of people (Snapper Carr, Wendy and Marvin, Mal Duncan and Karen Beecher, lots of homages and/or potential teammates). I really like Aqualad. Yum.


• History Detectives: "Yakima Canutt's Saddle; The Ni'ihau Incident; Civil War Cannon" - Ooh, a good one. The cannon was something I think I heard of once, it was nice to get a little more detail on it. The Zero crashing during Pearl Harbor wasn't something I knew about. It's a sad story, but fascinating. The saddle, on the other hand, wow. The name caught my attention immediately, and the story behind Yakima Canutt was a nice relaxing one after the previous two. Another great episode.

---

This week's movie was Green Lantern in 3D. Some caveats: I watched the trailers and clips, and virtually every time I saw one my expectations for the movie got lower. The lead, Ryan Reynolds, just completely turns me off. The more I saw of him in the role, the less I wanted to see the movie. And so I went into the theater expecting something that would not impress me. And I got what I expected. Oh, it wasn't bad for a superhero movie. It just never pulled together and made me interested. Heck, the most alive character out of all of them was Amanda Waller, and she was both in a minor role and not trying to outshine the rest. The special effects were great, but we expect that now. The story tried, but it never really pulled together well enough. It needed a few more drafts by an expert hand to line it all up. So I wasn't really disappointed, as I wasn't expecting much, but I am sad that DC can't seem to make a blockbuster movie that isn't Superman or Batman.

---

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• May 18th
• Justice League of America #57 - Er, nice cliffhanger? But we like the moon!
• Power Girl #24 - Wow. That's one way to get you into the story and really supporting the guy. I think I like Rayhan. I hope they don't kill him.
• Zatanna #13 - That's one annoying cat. And Spectre is a twit. Not sure what to make of Detective Colton and his little revelation.
• Tiny Titans #40 - This issue was a load of Kroc! *giggle*
• Young Justice #4 - A pretty sobering reminder that this is still a new team and they make mistakes. Aqualad gets to show off his powers a bit.
• Fables #105 - Not sure the cover has much to do with anything else there. As for Ozma... ouch. That had to sting a little.
• DMZ #65 - Wow. We're coming up on a bit of a bleak ending. How is Matty going to be able to pull anything out of this mess?
• Doctor Who: Fairytale Life #2 - That's kind of a severe sort of quarantine, isn't it? Getting into this one.
• Stan Lee Soldier Zero #8 - Not really sure exactly what's happening with this book, nor I'm am sure why we're still buying it.
• May 25th
• Action Comics #901 - My interest in Doomsday is just about zero, as is my interest in this book.
• Justice Society of America #51 - The main story, showing how Fate and the rest are fighting for Lightning, is very good. The ongoing plot with the city and Flash is surprisingly well done for just a few pages. And have I mentioned that I really really hate those Super 8 inserts?
• Green Lantern #66 - I'm really beginning to think the Indigo rings are more about redemption than compassion. Otherwise, pretty standard stuff.
• Green Lantern Corps #60 - Speaking of redemption, John's going to need a lot of it now, isn't he? As for Mogo, he's already been dead once, right? Right?
• Green Lantern Emerald Warriors #10 - And finally we get down to the final battle. About time.
• Doctor Who Ongoing V2 #5 - Neat little bit of history, well two bits of history. Fun standalone story.
• June 1st
• Flashpoint: Abin Sur the Green Lantern #1 - Well, this certainly suggests fairly different histories in the Flashpoint universe than in the regular DCU. Wonder how this will work out. Lots of good hints, at least.
• Flashpoint: The World of Flashpoint #1 - Another look at the Flashpoint Universe, more clues as to what is happening, and a pretty decent story besides. Glad I got this one, even if Aquaman isn't on the cover like the preview showed.
• Batman Beyond #6 - Terry really needs to pay attention when Bruce tells him to go invisible. And Max... whew. Getting exciting. I hope this book isn't gone for long during the relaunch.
• Doctor Who Classics #5 - I'd read the first story once, long ago, but not the second. Both of them are pretty good.
• Ozma of Oz #7 - Ah, Billina really gets to show off in this one. Love it!

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

Time for a Start of Summer Linkdump!

The kids are alright. It's the adults who need some work.

A tornado path can be clearly seen on this satellite image of Massachusetts.

Lifeboat at World's End.

You think your parents are embarrassing? How about dad waving at the bus each morning in a different costume? First Day. Last Day.

WANT.

Want.

WANT. Seriously. These would be really useful around here.

A DC Cyclist has a run-in with an idiot and lives to write about the whole thing in detail.

The Springfield Shopper (click the top link to go to the image, then check out the comments).

PugsM&M's for the in-laws.

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Dragon's Secret" - An exchange student, a bunch of rings, and some spooky ghosts. Another fun one, particularly to see Velma getting jealous while trying to not be. And Fred's continued development with Daphne was good.


• Primeval: "Season 5 Episode 2" - Oh, THIS episode deserved to be in high definition if any episode ever did. The team goes on a submarine to close an anomaly in dangerous waters. And there are some really good scary underwater monsters in it. And the cramped and terrifying confines of a submarine with a horror onboard stalking the crew. Overall, lots of fun.


• Doctor Who: "A Good Man Goes to War" - Ah, the secret behind River Song is revealed. And, thanks to my extreme efforts to avoid spoilers, I was completely surprised by a lot of things in this episode, much to my delight. This is not nearly as much of a cliff-hanger as some episodes have ended on, but it's still going to be a long wait until the second half of the season airs.

---

This week's movie was Young Indiana Jones: The Perils of Cupid (Vienna and Florence, 1908). Still from the DVD set we borrowed from a friend (thanks Ian!). In the first half, Indy falls head over heels in love with Princess Sophie, and goes to great lengths to say goodbye to her. A side visit with Freud, Jung, and Adler don't help him deal with his lovesickness, but do add to his determination. Another jump in age for Indy sends him to Italy, as usual the timeline is messed up. The second half is much more intense, as Indy's mother has love trouble.

---

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• May 7th - FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
• Green Lantern/Flashpoint Special Edition - Changing GL's origin yet again? Or something else? I'm getting tired of all the variations, and wish they'd just stick to new stories. Flashpoint, now... definitely involves lots of Aquaman, so I'm really curious about it.
• Young Justice/Batman BB Super Sampler - Two fun stories in one little book. With Aqualad front and center, this is the best FCBD book for me this year. And it helps that it's just a pretty good couple of stories, too.
• Mouse Guard/Dark Crystal Flip Book - The title lies, there are actually four pieces in this book. Well, three and a promo for a big project of great interest to Jim Hensen fans. The Mouse Guard side was excellent, a done-in-one bedtime story. The Dark Crystal side was dark and disturbing. There was also a four page Dapper Men prelude. One of the best this year, I think.
• Baltimore/Criminal Macabre Flip Book - I read the Criminal Macabre part first and wasn't impressed. Oh, it was ok, but not my cuppa. Baltimore was freaky and atmospheric and a little tiny bit predictable.
• The Intrepid Escapegoat and The Stuff of Legend - The Stuff of Legend was an intriguing concept with no actual comic to back it up. The Intrepid Escapegoat was funny, goofy, and even a bit clever.
• The Tick: Free Comic Book Day 2011 - Eh, it's the Tick. I'm not a big fan, but I'm sure people who like The Tick will enjoy this.
• Bongo Comics Free-For-All 2011 - Amusing first story, mildly amusing Krusty single page gags, funny second story (I understand the frustration of trying to open some DVD cases), and a disturbingly Sergio final tale.
• Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse - A nice completely story featuring Mickey and Pluto. I really liked this a lot, and suddenly wish I had money to buy all these older strips.
• Top Shelf Kids Club 2011 - A fun little sampler with some fun, if very strange, stories. I like how the back cover lists all the collections so people know what to look for if they liked a story.
• May 11th
• Birds of Prey #12 - Yikes. New mission, new villain, and the Question shows up. This could be a good storyline.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold #7 - The first three pages nearly made my year. That first page, with baby Aquaman, is an all-time classic. Nice to see Aqualad, too. Oh, and the main story, a flashback to Batman's early years, was also good.
• Northlanders #40 - A very good little done-in-one that says a lot about this book. Worth picking up and reading if you are curious (although it's a bit less gory than usual).
• Doctor Who Classics Series 4 #4 - Two solid little stories, one with a scavenger helping the Doctor despite himself, and one with the seventh Doctor meeting old dead companions and previous incarnations of himself. Slightly spooky, but not hard to figure out.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "The Wild Brood" - A gang of orcs comes to Crystal Cove and is promptly accused of a crime. I love Fred's cluelessness and Velma's genius. I also enjoyed the nonchalance that most people greeted the orcs with. Fun episode.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Where Walks Aphrodite" - The entire town is suddenly lovestruck, and only Scooby seems to be immune. The fact that they remember everything might be important later. Seeing the girls show interest in the guys' interests was actually somewhat thrilling. Maybe there is hope after all.


• Doctor Who: "The Rebel Flesh" - Standard siege episode in many ways, although the Doctor almost manages to defuse the problem before it starts. I think I'll have to wait on the next episode to make a real judgment, but I'm liking it so far.

---

This week's movie was Young Indiana Jones: My First Adventure (Egypt + Tangiers 1908). This is the mangled re-edit of the original TV series. This takes the pilot episode, minus the second half, and marries it to an unaired episode from the third season. It's a serious pity, as apparently the original first two episodes worked together really well. The new second half was filmed years later than the first part, so Corey Carrier, who plays Indiana, has grown up considerably and looks completely different even though the second adventure supposedly takes place immediately after the first. The edit between the two episodes was badly done, and it was quite a jolt to suddenly see an older Indiana. In addition, the framing sequences with Very Old Indy are gone.

Ok, so now that I've gone over all the negatives, let's get to the positives. The stories were good, well-written and mostly well-acted. The characters were great, and the filming was incredible. The locations were amazing. I can see why this show got critical acclaim. I'm looking forward to watching the rest of it with hubby-Eric, even in mangled form.

---

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic books that I've gotten around to reading and reviewing, sorted by the original shipping date:

• April 6th
• Brightest Day #23 - Aquaman comes back again, and Mera, Jackson, and Lorena even make cameos. Not too bad for a penultimate issue.
• JLA 80-Page Giant 2011 - Everyone goes to Dante's Hell, with nice commentary on their personalities. Nifty.
• JSA All-Stars #17 - A superpowered man pleads with the JSA to believe that they've just lost their memories of him. I'm not sure what to think about this... I suspect a lot depends on the payoff.
• Batman Beyond #4 - A issue that sort of focuses on Terry's computer expert friend. New bits and pieces, and what I found to be an impressive piece of continuity with the current DCU. Nice.
• Doctor Who Classics Series 4 #3 - A solid little done-in-one story that I hadn't read before. Very fun.
• Royal Historian of Oz #4 - Scraps is a lot of things, but terrifyingly creepy ought not to be one of them. I have to wonder who is delivering the letters, though. I'm starting to really get into this book.
• Ozma of Oz #5 - Ooooh, I'd forgotten all about the hammering man! Great fun, as the procession goes to meet with the Nome King. I like the design of the Nomes, and the cover makes them seem like minions from that recent movie.
• Usagi Yojimbo #136 - Man, almost as soon as the problem was stated I knew who the guilty parties were. I was thrown off a little for a time, but the cliffhanger was not unexpected. Only question now is what Usagi will do.
• April 13th
• Birds of Prey #11 - A twisted love story as Huntress is on the job. I was a little startled by the whole set up in this one, and by the conclusion. Wow. That's heavy stuff for a comic.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold #6 - J'onn asks Batman to help him perfect his deduction skills. All very cute and clever, even if the cover gives away what's going to happen.
• Northlanders #39 - I'm not really sure how I feel about this one, just a little confused perhaps. I suppose I ought to reread the first parts to understand this issue.
• Oz/Wonderland Chronicles #4 - Ah. So, is it over then, or will there be more of these books coming out? And, if so, perhaps I should wait until we have all of them before reading so I can keep track of what's happening, maybe?
• Spongebob Comics #2 - Huh. No Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy. Bleah. Maybe next issue.
• April 20th
• Green Lantern #65 - Well, I wouldn't have been expecting that, except for the cover of Green Lantern Corps. Still, the bit with Hal and Guy was sort of fun.
• Green Lantern Corps #59 - This cover gave away too much. I like John's uniform. It's going to be an interesting ride with them in this situation. I wonder if it'll have a good ending, or go out with a pop instead of a bang?
• Justice League of America #56 - More Eclipso, more Doomsday, more yawns.
• Power Girl #23 - A cute little story with lots of little cute bits. Did I mention it was cute?
• Zatanna #12 - A villain who can make time go backwards attacks a bunch of merpeople? Hmmm, almost Aquaman-y, but it's Zatanna that saves the day. Interesting stuff those merfolk were saying, though. Bluff, or something else?
• Young Justice #3 - I like that Aqualad is the voice of reason, I don't like that he went along anyway and I really don't like what happened then.
• Tiny Titans #39 - It was very... pink.
• Fables #104 - Great way to start the issue, and totally fell for it. The rest wasn't bad, either.
• DMZ #64 - Things are definitely winding up, but I'm not sure how exactly this can end up good. And what has Roth got up his sleeve?
• Doctor Who: Fairytale Life #1 - A significant part of me doesn't buy that the Doctor would be that careless. He acts careless, true, but it seems unlike him to be that bad. Then again, this incarnation isn't exactly the most stable.
• Soldier Zero #7 - I felt like this book was about five pages too short. Definitely ended too quickly, and I don't know whether that's good or bad.

---

My Kindle book this week was Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know by Hamilton Wright Mabie, a Kindle freebie. I actually got this before I got my Kindle, when I first tried out Kindle for PC. I finally finished reading it this week. It's a fairly standard collection of fairy tales, most of them were familiar to me. There were a handful I hadn't read before. There are no illustrations in this version, just the text, but I enjoyed reading more than a few stories I knew only from other adaptations in a different style. It could have been better, just adding a more useful table of contents and some images would have improved it dramatically, but for the price it really is a bargain.

---

Fortean Times #275 (June 2011). This issue arrived on Monday, meaning I'm completely caught up with FT for now. The back cover was showing this time, with a not-too-bad ad. Kind of a spooky cover, featuring a jeweled skeleton. The cover article is all about the tradition of taking the bones of purported saints and posing and decorating them. It's a rather disturbing tradition that thankfully died out over 100 years ago. I admit that the whole thing gave me ideas for stories, which is one good reason to read this magazine. This article has the best final quote of any article I've read in ages.

Strangedays covers a lot of topics, ranging from tsunami survivors in Japan to dead folks being ticketed in their cars. The Cornish apparition may have been more convincing with a second picture taken from the same spot that shows nothing there. There's also a report of a woman who literally has no fear because she lacks an amygdala. A fascinating article proposes that Christopher Columbus was actually a Polish prince (!) and makes a fairly good case for it.

The Science article looks at how newspapers tend to misreport science stories, focusing on a tick-borne disease that was "invading" Britain. Ghostwatch is about celebrity ghost hunts and how pointless they are as serious research. Mythconceptions debunks drunk elephants while Strangedays has a report of drunk elephants... in different circumstances, though. Archaeology has some nice 2400 year old soup for us, while Classical Corner talks about the lives of ancient writers. Police News tells us about the Jumping Ghost of Peckham, which is one of those totally awesome just plain bizarre stories from the 1870s.

Another article is about Andy Kaufman, and the more I read and learn about him, the more interested I am in him. I remember him on Taxi well, because I watched that a lot as a kid for some reason. Latka was one of my favorite characters, and I think that would really annoy Kaufman. The article discusses Kaufman as the traditional Trickster, a role he fits almost too well. Two more articles round out this issue with information on Holy Wells and Water and a more thorough explanation of the Trunko debunking, including all three newly rediscovered photos.

The forum is up for more debunking, with a discussion of whether or not Constantine the Great ever really saw a vision from God that inspired him. The second forum article points out that crop circles existed before the pranksters who admitted to making them. And a third article rips apart the author of the precognitive dreams article from issue #273, accusing him of cherry-picking his data (oooh, writer-fight!). The reviews are pretty good, although one rating is missing sending my OCD side into tizzy fits. Letters are good, and the simulacra is the dirtiest one I've see in many ways (oh, your minds are in the gutter!). Another great issue, and now that I'm completely caught up, it'll be another four weeks before the next one. WAH!

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist -- My Kindle Wishlist

Linkdump

Super Hero Fight in Seattle.

A voice teacher judges heavy metal singers without knowing who they are.

What Disney Cartoons tell kids.

"Wanted: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 322, Oakview, CA 93022. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before."

This XKCD makes me really really happy (be sure to check the mouseover text!).

Business Cards for Fictional Companies.

The Bad Astronomer gives us Penn and Teller on vaccines.

I'm just glad the actions in this memo were never used.

TSA Porn Scanners deliver "20 times the average dose that is typically quoted by TSA". In addition, that dosage is concentrated on a smaller area of your body than the radiation they keep comparing it to. Do your body a favor, don't go through the TSA's scanners.

I support this bill.

I like James Hance's work, particularly the Doctor Who stuff. But there's plenty there for anyone who likes mash-ups. Be sure to check out the cartoons.

Pug for the in-laws.

MemeCat Attack.

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "The Mask of Matches Malone!" - We managed to land a copy of the unedited (uncensored?) version of this episode. Fun stuff, with a great premise and one of the best team-ups in cartoon history. Loved it.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "The Reign of Emperor Joker!" - Great teaser with the rainbow Batman. The appearance of Bat-Mite wasn't the first sign that this was going to be an incredibly silly episode, but it was also deeper and more poignant than I expected. Eh, it was ok.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "The Criss Cross Conspiracy" - Aquaman is a total goof in the teaser. Batman's disapproval of Batwoman was based on her reckless endangerment of bystanders... but the Riddler unmasking her was a low point. Faust's last line was a spit-take moment.


• Sarah Jane Adventures: "The Vault of Secrets" - I'm not fond of Androvax, but he definitely allows the cast to really ham it up when they play themselves possessed by him. B.U.R.P.S.S. is insane, I love it. And the reference to Pyramids of Mars was great, as well. A fun little story.
• Sarah Jane Adventures: "Death of the Doctor" - JO!!!! I never realized just how much fun she is as a character. I loved all the references, and man, the whole thing was just a romp into the Doctor's past. Clyde got to shine in this one, and I think it's safe to say he's become the main character to a large degree.
• Sarah Jane Adventures: "The Empty Planet" - What Clyde and Rani find a nightmare is one of my sweetest dreams. So, we're reminded that Clyde and Rani were grounded by the Judoon, but Clyde went to another planet thanks to the Doctor in the previous story. Whoops. I hope the Judoon don't find out.


• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "The Shrieking Madness" - Cthulu on campus! The break up of the gang in the previous episode led to a powerful little moment at the beginning of this one, but they just can't stay apart forever. I did like seeing what they all would do at a college campus.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "When the Cicada Calls" - *shudder* Bug attack. Wild little story, but not a lot of movement in the overall plot, unless you count Daphne's acceptance of Freddy's quirks.


• Battlestar Galactica: "The Oath" - Finally back to watching this, and we've come back on a wild note with a big old mutiny taking place. Wow. This series never fails to surprise me.

---

This week's movie was Home on the Range from 2004. One of those rare Disney movie that I didn't want to watch at all. And my opinion was fairly justified. The one voice actress that I can't stand was just as bad as I expected. Everyone else was fine, but my least favorite actress in the world annoyed me every time she spoke (*snark* though her role seemed unnaturally fitting */snark*). This is a mess of a movie with a handful of good jokes. Barely worthy of being called a Disney movie.

---

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic book shipment that arrived this week, of books originally released October 20th and 27th:

• Brightest Day #12 - Needs more Aquaman. And not zombie Aquaman or memory Aquaman.
• Green Lantern Corps #53 - Trying to be interested, not really finding myself that thrilled. Art is good, but the story... just not into cosmic stuff.
• Justice League of America #53 - When will we get the real Justice League back?
• Power Girl #17 - Not very fun anymore. I'm struggling to like this book.
• Batman Beyond #5 - Oh, I get it now. Makes a lot more sense now that the whole thing has been revealed in detail.
• DCU Halloween Special 2010 - Best story by far was the Teen Titans/Klarion one, and the best line was "uttered" by Teekl.
• DC Universe Legacies #6 - Poor Detroit League. I personally think the current league is much less impressive than them, but no, it's the Detroit League everyone makes fun of. The back-up story made me giggle.
• Tiny Titans #33 - Needs more Aqualad and Aqua-Ohs.
• DMZ #58 - Wow. I just realized this was part of an arc, and I finally figured out what that arc is about. I suppose that makes me slow.
• Doctor Who Ongoing #16 - It's over, which means we can get something else in there that makes more sense maybe.
• Stan Lee's Soldier Zero - Hm. Not a bad start, but it's just a start. I've seen tons of stories that start out much like this, and you never know if they will be good or not.


• Action Comics #894 - Luthor and Death have a little chat. Heh. I like Death, and I loved trying to read the undercurrents in this conversation. It feels like there was more there than it's possible to pick up on a single read.
• Justice Society of America #44 - I have no idea whatsoever what is happening in this issue. I'm not sure I care enough to find out.
• Zatanna #6 - I like Zach. I didn't at first, but he's growing on me.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold #22 - Oh yeah, Aquaman! Ok, I don't really like buffoon Aquaman, but everyone else does so I'll just go with the flow. Still, it's fun to see him in action.
• Incredibles #15 - Now I feel like I have to go back and read that earlier discussion about Everseer.
• Torchwood #4 - Two stories end, and one continues. It's ok. Nothing special. I'm enjoying the Sarah Jane Adventures tv series more than this.
• Beasts of Burden/Hellboy - Love this. I mean, I just love it. I want more Beasts of Burden. Lots more. I want a monthly, even though I'm well aware it's not possible (as mentioned in the letter column). I will buy any Beasts of Burden book I can afford. And next time I see Jill I'm going to see if she'll sketch me a pug.
• Animal Control Special Creatures Unit Preview - This new book is set in a world in which "breakthroughs in transgenetic science have made patchwork, designer animals commonplace." It's Animal Cops on the designer creature beat. I liked it a LOT and would like to see much more of it. Check out Panda Dog Press for information on how to get this for yourself.
• Usagi Yojimbo #132 - Awesome set up for another story. I generally save this book for my reading dessert, because I know I'll love it every time. And this time was no exception. Looking forward to the rest of the tale.

Of note: our next comic book order won't arrive for a full month, as we've had to go to monthly shipping to save dinero. I don't yet know if I'll dole out the reviews or just pop them all into one entry. Time will tell.

---

My book this week was Invictus by John Carlin. Nelson Mandela uses the game of rugby in a bid to unite South Africa. My sister loved this book, and the movie based on it, and wanted me to read it. So she loaned it to me when I visited, and I started on it immediately. And wow. It's not the best written book, as the author sometimes goes on annoying tangents right about the time you really want to know what happens next, but the story is compelling enough to overcome any flaws. I love how the entire situation is set up for anyone not familiar with the story of apartheid, rugby, or Mandela's life tale. The result is a book that my sister was reading on the bus, and trying very very hard not to cry. I was at home and allowed myself the tears. Now we've got to see the movie.

---

Fortean Times #266 (October 2010). Unimpressive cover for once, nice and calm. The cover story is about the strange death of Gary Devore. The circumstances certainly seem eerie by the facts presented in the article, but I've learned never to make any assumptions about a case based on the facts presented by a single article. And, while it is interesting, I'm afraid I'm not intrigued enough to go digging myself. But this sure looks like a story someone could run with if they wanted to.

Other fun stuff: the Strangedays picture page has the Utah TARDIS image. I will note that the series is going to Utah to film. Coincidence? Other news: Chaplin cult in India. Paul the Octopus (pre-deceased). Musical ghosts. Lights that bite people. Mass hysteria. The orag-pendek. All good, and not even half of what's in the magazine.

The reviews are great, as usual, with a couple of books I may put on my list to try to find and read. There are also the wonderful slapdowns of shoddy works, again, as usual. The letter column had a bit of a morbid note to is, as one of the letters had an editorial comment immediately after it mentioning that the writer of the letter had died and an obituary would appear in a future issue of the magazine. Still, a good issue of a great magazine.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist

A Sunday Review

This week's movie was Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. After we got the trade, I remembered that I'd never actually seen the original. I somehow missed it when it was online free. So I finally attempted to use Netflix streaming on my computer, and finally got it to work (possibly due to all the junk I've removed since my last try). And wow, that was intense. I was not expecting to have such an emotional reaction at the end. Definitely worth a watch, and my opinion of Neil Patrick Harris goes up another notch.

---

This week's comic book related review is Dr Horrible TP, a complement to the Sing-Along Blog. I made sure to watch the original before reading this, but it wasn't really necessary. Everything in this took place before the events in the Sing-Along, and were mostly background and support, including a series of linking stories. I enjoyed this, but not nearly as much as the original material it was based on.

---

TV this week:

• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "The Secret Serum" - Hell hath no fury! The team starts to fall apart as the relationships are strained to the limit. And Daphne finds a clue after practically being walloped over the head with it. The mystery wasn't as fun or interesting as some of the others on this show, but this was definitely a character episode anyway.
• Sarah Jane Adventures: "The Nightmare Man" - Luke is moving on, but not before one last intense case. The episodes moved a little slow for my tastes, trying to build up tension that may work for the younger crowd but didn't work for me. I like how Mr Smith and K9 actually work together for once instead of constantly sniping at each other.
• Destination Truth: "Ghosts of Menengai Crater/Kalanoro" - Yay, running around a volcanic crater in the middle of the night looking for ghosts! Wee! I admit my favorite part of the entire show was when Josh's pants were repaired by a street vendor in Nairobi. I liked his visit to Madagascar, particularly his visit with lemurs in the zoo. Pity they couldn't find the Kalanoro with the backwards feet. That would have been an interesting find.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Menace of the Madniks!" - Blue Beetle! I liked this one for a lot of reasons, although at the end of the story I almost expected Beetle to have survived due to the clues he got. I do love this show. Goofy and fun.
• Battlestar Galactica: "A Disquiet Follows My Soul" - I'm beginning to not like Zarek. And learning the truth about Tyrol's kid was a powerful little moment. Unfortunately, we have to wait for the next disc from Netflix to get more of the show... so we'll wait. But we're getting close to the end now.

---

My library book this week was Masked edited by Lou Anders. This one started off with a powerful story that left me a bit stunned, and ended with a traditional superhero story that created an entire universe in just a few pages. I kept expecting a "bad" story, like you always get in an anthology, one that just doesn't work for you as a reader. I didn't run into any. There were stronger stories and weaker stories, but every single one was what I would call "good" at its worse. The mix is good, although they are all about super things, some are science fiction and others horror, and each one unique with a distinct voice. Anyway, I'll just get to the stories themselves.

• Cleansed and Set in Gold by Matthew Sturges - A superhero must deal with his variable powers and their source. Wow. This one was just a punch in the gut. From the moment you figure out what is happening until the end, it's a gripping story with real teeth. Again, wow.
• Where Their Worm Dieth Not by James Maxey - A detective hero discovers more than he wanted to know. Another punch in the gut. I was pretty impressed by the twist, but it made a lot of sense when you put everything else together. Another wow.
• Secret Identity by Paul Cornell - What happens when your alter ego has significant differences from you? This was a thoughtful little story, with plenty of goofiness to make it work.
• The Non-Event by Mike Carey - A heist goes horribly wrong. This one fit together like a puzzle, each piece adding to the whole. I like the way it is narrated and wasn't annoyed by the mildly clumsy info-dumps that filled out the world.
• Avatar by Mike Baron - A young man decides to go vigilante. While this one was predictable in a lot of ways, the comparison of the protagonist to a character in a video game worked well to bring home just how innocent he really was.
• Message from the Bubblegum Factory by Daryl Gregory - A former sidekick figures out when everything went wrong. Amazing little tale that makes entirely too much sense for a superhero world.
• Thug by Gail Simone - A henchman learns why his life has become so miserable. Great story, if difficult to read because of the narrator choice. Still, the horror gets to you.
• Vacuum Lad by Stephen Baxter - A man discovers he can survive hard vacuum, and decides to help people and earn a little money. Thanks to the flashback format, it wasn't hard to get a little idea of what was going to happen. But the entirety of the situation is still powerful.
• A Knight of Ghosts and Shadows by Chris Roberson - A pulp fiction writer's works are based in his own adventures. I kept thinking of Zorro, only supernatural. Very nicely pulpy and fun, and I love the dig at comic books.
• Head Cases by Peter and Kathleen David - A group of super-powers meet and talk about life in a bar. This is Friends on superpowers. Good, and amusing, but the story isn't one with an end.
• Downfall by Joseph Mallozzi - A former villain is dragged back into his old neighborhood. Wow, another powerful tale. This one is all about family, in a lovely roundabout way. And ... well, anything else would spoil it. I just love the layers in this one.
• By My Works You Shall Know Me by Mark Chadbourn - After being saved from death, a rich man turns to superheroing. Another punch in the gut one, especially as you get close to the end and realize what is happening.
• Call her Savage by Marjorie M Liu - An old retired hero must face down her past to save the world. A stylistic story, a little hard to get a grasp on, but somewhat chilling once you do. It's also an alternate history story, so fun in that way as well.
• Tonight We Fly by Ian McDonald - An old retired hero deals with neighborhood kids and the return of an old nemesis. A good little story that might be the most likely to put off readers in its sheer banality, but I loved it.
• A to Z in the Ultimate Big Company Superhero Universe (Villains Too) by Bill Willingham - The story of an epic battle is told through an A-B-C. I was particularly amused when the underwater character appeared. Overall, pretty good.

A note here, I claim friendship with two of the authors and the editor of this collection. I didn't know exactly what to expect from the book, but I was very pleased by the result. This is one that ought to be in every superhero fan's collection, and if you like comics you kind of owe it to yourself to check this out.

---

Agatha Christie this week was the Rule of Three, a set of plays from 1962. The library was unable to find any collected edition of this work, but I managed to get all three plays through inter-library loan. I'm going to review each separately, but first, an historical note about one of the plays.

When I started reading Agatha Christie, I thought I had never read any of her works before. However, I learned when I received these play scripts that not only had I read Christie before, I'd actually been IN an Agatha Christie play. It convinced me that I just wasn't cut out for the job of acting. I do not remember how many performances there were, but on the first there was a technical problem. In the tale, a technician assures the doctor that the machine is working. I was playing the technician. But it wasn't. The light on the machine didn't come on. It turned out that a master switch controlling the outlets on the stage was turned off, but the crew didn't figure that out before my role in the play was rendered ridiculous. The lead went on beautifully and rescued the performance, but I didn't get over it and never tried out for a play again. And I nearly killed the crew member in charge of the lights, who apologized to me repeatedly for several weeks afterwards. Until I read the first few lines of "The Patient", I had successfully deleted that memory from my mind. What's amazing to me is that I didn't remember anything at all about the play beyond my part in it and how the fellow playing the doctor managed to salvage the performance when the light didn't work. Anyway, here's my thoughts on the plays that make up Rule of Three.

• The Patient - This one act play concerns a paralyzed woman who was pushed off a balcony. Because she has movement in one hand and can see and hear everything, a technician rigs up a machine that can convert those slight movements into a light that everyone can see. This is a solid little play with a nice twist ending.
• Afternoon at the Seaside - This one act play is about a group of people on the seashore the morning after a daring robbery of an emerald necklace. The ending of this one is a bit unusual for an Agatha Christie work, but the deviousness of the whole thing is usual for her. An excellent little tale.
• The Rats - This one act play is about a woman invited to a party by people who aren't in town. Pretty interesting psychological study of people who have a lot to hide. None of the characters are in the least bit likable, and the whole thing is a little off for Christie. Not her best.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist

A Sunday Review

Missed posting last week because I was busy at BrickCon, but hey, here's some reviews for you now!

TV this week:

• Destination Truth: "Ghost Fleet/Japanese River Monster" - I think Josh is insane. Underwater ghosthunting, at night? Those wrecks are dangerous without the added uncertainty of total darkness on the surface. I really am curious what the engine sound in that wreck was. I really enjoyed the intro to the Kappa, and the travelogue featuring a capsule hotel and the theme from the Brady Bunch. Their trip up the river looked tough. Running around in hip-waders on a slippery riverbed in the middle of a freezing night isn't my idea of a good time. And... no, they didn't find anything, as usual.
• Destination Truth: "Siberian Snowman" - Quite a trip for them. Still one of the best ever travel shows, and this time wandering around Siberia in ancient vehicles. Oh, and they were hunting for a giant snowman, too. They found some interesting things, including a pack of wolves that apparently surrounded them, but nothing that could be considered proof. Great episode.


• Ghost Hunters: "Signals From the Past" - First the crew goes to the Rose Island lighthouse in Newport, RI, a local visit for them. They got a very interesting thermal hit near the barracks of an old fort, and a fun bit of research makes another person's experience seem more valid. I was impressed with what they came up with, but I was far more excited about their second investigation: The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. Just the tour was what I was looking forward to the most. Imagine getting to run around in there all night long! Never mind the ghost hunting, just getting to run around there... Grant acknowledges the fun, saying the TAPS team was going to have to stay focused. Not much evidence, but they clearly enjoyed themselves.
• Ghost Hunters: "Lemp Mansion" - The Ghost Hunters visit the Lemp Mansion in St Louis, MO. A big building with a plethora of stories, and a pretty intense history. This one has a ghost smell, and Grant got to experience enough of the smell that he almost lost his dinner. The "Atlantis" and "Comet" thing was hilarious. I liked the lightning storm as they were cleaning up. Nice backdrop for a haunted house, but it makes any sound evidence suspect. Not a bad case, for all the lack of solid evidence.


• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "Howl of the Fright Hound" - I love it... "We'll be safer around all the dangerous machinery!" This is a show that knows it is being silly, and doesn't care at all. Scooby is framed and ends up in an animal asylum. Lots more of Velma and Shaggy figuring out their relationship. And the overall plot arc moves forward.


• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "Requiem for a Scarlet Speedster!" - A story of three Flashes and a Batman. Good story, with lots of fun continuity. A good tale.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold: "The Last Patrol!" - Wow. I had known about this story, but seeing it animated with all the Silver Age charm left intact was great. I loved it. And the Batgirl bits at the beginning were quite fun.


• Battlestar Galactica: "Sine Qua Non" - A touching and frustrating episode. You can see Admiral Adama spiraling into his own world and putting others in danger because of it. Zarek's situation is positively nasty, if understandable. And Lee couldn't see what was right in front of his face. And hey, ghost cat! I want more!
• Battlestar Galactica: "The Hub" - This one takes place at the same time as the previous episode, and features Laura Roslin seeing a dead person. Well, it's a lot more than that, but that in some ways seems to be the focus of the episode. Laura getting back to being human again. Very strange, very cool, and incredibly touching. Especially the bits with Admiral Adama and Roslin together. And frankly, the more I see of Helo the cuter he gets. I just wanna hug him!
• Battlestar Galactica: "Revelations" - AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH! They find it, and wow. That was a stunning ending. Thank goodness we don't have to wait for the next episode... well, not too long. We just have to wait for Netflix to send the next disc.
• Battlestar Galactica: "Sometimes a Great Notion" - As if that cliffhanger ending wasn't enough. A dead world with a crashed ship and the lost tribe. Lots and lots of shockers in this one. Amazing what you can do with a universe once you've set it up so well.
• Battlestar Galactica: "Webisodes: The Face of the Enemy" - If Gaeta hadn't been totally driven nuts by his previous experiences, this certainly must have put him over the edge. Wow.

---

This week's movie was Orlando from 1992 starring Tilda Swinton. Ok. That was... unusual. I didn't for a minute buy that Swinton was a guy, even in that era. There were moments where it almost worked for me, but it never got over that critical edge. And the time jumps were disorienting and frankly the reaction of society to him/her didn't make any sense until the final monologue. I don't know if I liked it. I didn't hate it, but it's difficult for me to decide if it was good or not.

---

Here are reviews of the DCBS comic book shipment that arrived this week, of books originally released September 22nd and 29th:

• Green Lantern Corps #52 - Still not interested in space stuff in the DCU. Not a bad story, but just not my cuppa.
• Justice League of America #49 - Creepy. Nice to see Garth in there.
• Power Girl #16 - Hrm, I don't like flashbacks that aren't resolved by the end of the issue. Sorry. Just a poor storytelling decision in my eyes.
• Royal Historian of Oz #2 - This gets goofier and goofier. I think I want one of those t-shirt advertised on the back cover, even though I don't have a dog named Toto (or fit the other criteria).
• Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror #16 - The usual mix, lots of good stuff in this one. I was amused by the pull-out Marge Attacks cards. A bit heavy on the gore, but they can get away with it in the comic.


• Action Comics #893 - Not enough Death and too much Lex in the main story. The introduction of Chloe into the DCU proper was dramatic enough for me. Nice cliffhanger.
• Justice Society of America #43 - Why do I think a city controlled by the Starheart sounds like a massively bad idea?
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold #21 - Nice and goofy.
• Powers #6 - Man I wish this book came out more often. That was a heckuva cliffhanger page. Great stuff.
• Incredibles #14 - Ah, the storyline begins to finally clear up. I wonder if I should be reading this in collections, since it doesn't hold together well as a monthly comic.
• Torchwood #3 - A good start on that first story. The second one, the continuing one, is still very odd. Text story was ok, but again just a start. No complete stories in this one at all.

---

My library book this week was American on Purpose by Craig Ferguson. I got turned on to watching the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson fairly recently, after I was told he was doing Aquaman sketches on the show. Sadly, I missed most of those sketches, but quickly became addicted to the quirky Scottish dude adlibbing his way through a comedy show night after night. I heard about a show where he talked about his father, and heard he'd had problems with alcoholism. Then I figured out he'd been a character in an episode of Red Dwarf, so I'd seen him years ago. I was intrigued enough by all that to go ahead and get his book. And it was worth reading. The guy made a ton of mistakes, screwed up over and over, and eventually pulled himself back from the brink with the help of friends. The story of his life is funny and touching, and sometimes makes you wonder how he managed to survive. It's a sad but ultimately uplifting story, and you can't help but grow to like the guy while you read it. It's definitely worth checking out if you have the chance.

---

Agatha Christie this week was Double Sin and other Short Stories a collection of stories published in the US in 1961. I'd already read three of the stories, but only commented on two of them. So here's the lot of them:

• Double Sin - Hastings and Poirot help a stranger in distress after a bus trip turns into a robbery. This one had some nice misdirection, the usual commentary from Hastings, and an almost twist ending. Pretty solid.
• Wasp's Nest - Poirot goes to prevent a murder after running across some evidence of the impending action. I found this one to be great, if only because of the way it was so nicely set up. Poirot is, as usual, ahead of everyone else in the story and out of it. I didn't catch on, that's for sure.
• The Theft of the Royal Ruby - This is a retitle of The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding which I commented on here.
• The Dressmaker's Doll - In a dressmaker's shop, a ragdoll slowly starts to take over. I realized that this collection might have some supernatural stories in it, so I wasn't entirely surprised to find this little gem. Shades of the Mennyms in it, as the doll moves around but only when it's out of sight. A spooky little tale.
• Greenshaw's Folly - I've commented on this Miss Marple story here.
• The Double Clue - Poirot is called upon to solve a jewel theft with too many clues. I liked this one a lot even though I had a very good idea of who the thief was due to the name and having read a lot of Poirot so far. A fun and very short little story.
• The Last Seance - A medium agrees to give one last seance for a mourning mother despite grave misgivings. I read this one some time ago, before I was reviewing individual short stories. It was creepy then, and it's creepy now. This is pure horror, nothing to solve. Not my favorite Christie by a long shot.
• Sanctuary - A dying man takes sanctuary in a church and Miss Marple must help his final wish come to pass. This was a straightforward mystery story with a satisfying ending. It also had some familiar characters from A Murder is Announced. A good way to polish off this collection.

---

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist