I am officially done updating the Livejournal.

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http://thomwade.wordpress.com/

Let me tell you my video game history.

When I was a wee lad, my uncle gave my sister and I an Intellevision. let me tell you, we were masters at Burger Time. After awhile, we got more casual and comfortable around the game system. This resulted in a glass of milk spilling on the console. In case you did not know? This is not good and you shouldn't be pouring milk on your game system or computer.

This was the end of my career as a Video Game Master. After that, all I got to play was Tetris. Eventually the program became corrupted. I found out a couple years ago that when I was in high school, my mom bought a PS. And then she returned it before Christmas and bought me something else. What else, I do not remember, since I don't know the exact year she bought me the video game system.

On a whim, a couple years ago, I picked up a used X-Box system. I have, I think about 20 games. I have yet to beat one of them. See, in keeping me from having easy access to video games as a kid and teen, my abilities as an adult are nil. I needed help from a friend to get to the museum in the Fantastic Four game, and that's where I am still at. I am at a standstill in King Kong. Don't even get me started on Destroy All Humans! I do okay in Buffy:Chaos Bleeds...but beyond this...I suck.

So, it makes sense that with a portion of my tax refund I am buying an X-Box 360, right? I got a nice little deal, including a free 12 month subscription to X-Box live. I definitly find that I enjoy playing games more with other people than by myself. Maybe the X-Box Live setup will allow for that.

I got a letter from Maxim Magazine the other day. First, I noticed they wanted to entice me with Jessica Alba.



I won't lie. I think she's quite attractive (although she seems to be getting dangerously skinny and losing her appeal every year). But I am not yet convinced, just because they throw Jessica in my face (the mini pamphlet also features Angelina Jolie and Eva Longoria for those wondering).

They are offering me two years for the price of one! Why? Because Maxim is written especially for me. They say so, and addressed the letter to "Friend". Unlike Playboy, who just send little cards in the mail to try and get my money (it hasn't worked, but they are persistent!). How impersonal. See, according to the letter, Maxim speaks my language. Maxim is here to celebrate everything that makes my life outstanding! "Hot women, cool cars(i have a 1997 Saturn), cold beer, high tech toys, breath taking sports action, spectacular sex." Wow. They really, really got my number.

Maxim always delivers the goods! The letter says so! According to this letter I can learn secrets to dining with piranhas and how to hypnotize my penis!!!! (There's an image for everyone)

Yes, as I said, it's clear Maxim knows me all to well. They must have been spying on me. Clearly, Maxim is an avid reader of my blog. How did they know my weaknesses? How can I say no? Should I?!

But seriously...I've seen issues of Maxim. They hit the right buttons about...oh..never. Sure, they have had plenty of actresses/celebrities I thought were attractive normally. And yet, in Maxim's hands, they looked immensly unappealing and come off as vacant. Totally devoid of any personality. And Maxim's interview style is to try and make every woman they talk to sound like a sex kitten, totally devoid of any personalty and that vacant porn star look in their eyes. Blah. They remove any character and personality a particular woman has and reduce her to a sum of physical parts and *giggle* "erotic" talk.

I resent that Maxim thinks that what I want to see in a woman, whether it's a friend I am running to the movies with or Jessica Alba. I resent that Maxim thinks "my language" is hot cars, hot women, cold beer and dwarf tossing.

So, no I do not think I will be taking the special offer, boys.

But I am glad you are reading my blog.

So, I showed a friend, lets call him Frank, this rant from Ami's blog. After he finished reading it, he launched into a tirade about the lack of cool girls into gaming and comic books. I tried to explain that he missed the point...but after six attempts, I gave up. Which turned out to be almost as big a mistake as letting him see the number of hits my blog got over the weeked.

See, he got it in his head that I could help him find a girlfriend who would really appreciate his "Geekness". I really tried to avoid this, since that is hardly why I started blogging (Which was originally started years ago to meet Super Models. Who knew they don't read blogs?). But he pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And pushed. And pushed. So I relented. Yeah, I lack resolve, people. Please do not ask for money. So, he sent me an e-mail with what kind of woman he is looking for:

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Thanx for the help, Thom. First off, comic books. She has got to like them. No like love them. But certainly not so much that she can recite as much information about Superman's Kryptonian heritage. Granted, that might be hard, I mean, who hasn't heard of Erok El??? But if she at least knows who the new Batwoman is, I am happy. Manga don't count.

I also want to stress "gamer". I mean, she should be good enough that I don't have to explain how to use my PS3, X-Box 360 or Weii. I want a girl with some experience. Well, not too much, if you know what I mean. If she can beat me in Gears of War, that's one doomed relationship.

TV. She has got to love Buffy and Battle Star Galactica (not the old one, the new kewl one with sexy Cylons!). Same as comics and games. Knowledgeable enough that I do not have to explain everything, but not enough that she could correct me in the rare case I might be wrong.

Music is not that important, as long as she likes Linkin Park and 50 Cent.

Then there is the looks thing. Totally not important, maybe something like Jessica Alba (circa Dark Angel) or maybe Scarlet Johannson. Or that girl from the OC...Rachel something or other. She looked hot dressed as Wonder Woman. I am totally open to all races, especially hot Asian girls. She should take care of herself some, you know, go to the gym and stuff, but not force me to tag along.

That's it. I am not too picky, afterall. Man, I wish it wasn't so tough to find a gamer/comic girl who digs geeks, y'know?

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So...um...there you all go. Any takers? No, you cannot have his address so you can kick him in the groin (I know someone was thinking that!). I know, I know, ladies. You are all thinking, "Why aren't there more guys like him?" But you are so in luck! Let me let you know where you can find your own Frank (just in case he gets swooped up soon after I post this!)...your local comic shop is chock full of guys just like Frank!

Again, any takers for Frank out there?

Tom Hanks is...

007...

I totally want to see that movie!

I recently mentioned Milestone Media. Well, Colleen Doran stumbled on some unpublished artwork she did for a series that never saw the light of day for them. To bad this is all that ever became of it, looks intriguing!

One of the common complaints against recent incarnations of Supergirl is her costume.



It's one of many, to be frank,very valid concerns. Bare in mind, she's sixteen. Is it kiddie porn? Not really. But it is absurd and I think part of what keeps a lot of female heroes from being taken seriously.



Now, I realize that the newer outfit of the past couple years is inspired by the animated version of Supergirl from the Animated Superman series.

In comparison, that is a modest outfit. Supergirl seems more Paris Hilton than Maid of Steel, and I realize that in the DC universe, most alien women, by default, are sexual exhibitionists. But I think this keeps people from taking Supergirl that seriously. She's the cheesecake version of Superman right now.

I've toyed around and tried to come up with an outfit that feels more right. She is Supergirl, Superman's cousin, so it felt wrong to lose the Superman theme. What I opted for was getting rid of the skirt. The main reason is, it seems silly for a girl who flies to have a skirt...especially a short one. I also tried to emphasize a look of youth and strength with this one. I hope people like it. It's simple, I know.

Time for another installment of my advice for my fellow aspiring female audience. Comics are not just read by geeky boys who can't get dates with girls anymore. Now those girls they can't get dates with are reading them as well.

This advice is based on my hard work and research over the past couple of years. You want to have a large female fan base? Read on!

1. Skirts and Stilleto Heels:This is important. Nothing is more believable than a female superhero in stilletos. And how about skirts? Nothing tells people a female hero means business than a mini skirt that might let you see her girl bits or underwear. And women appreciate this attention to their fashion sense. If you are drawing a book and these do not appear in the character design? Ignore it and add them!

2. Barely There Outfits: As we all know, women always try and dress to distract us men. Super heroes are no different. A female hero knows that her super powers alone are inadequate to defeat a villain. Get into her head when designing a costume...and if she has no powers? Expose more skin. Because when fighting crime in dark alleys, you want to have as little protection from the elements and weapons as possible. If the breasts are not at risk of falling out, you are drawing the costume wrong.

3. Enormous Breasts and Small Waists: This is a given. Women really appreciate when we artists show how breasts appear in clothing. Basically, draw large round circles, that consume large portions of the torso. The costume should also look painted onto the torso. Don't worry about observing real life, women hate if you actually understand how cothing looks on their bodies. Weird, I know. Keep the waists tiny. Remember, women like the idea that these heroines are the type of woman you would jump into bed with, not look up to. Don't draw them like a real woman, with room for minor things like...oh, internal organs.

4. Impractical Positions:Arched backs and twisted spines. Sure, a real woman could not turn so that you can get a good shot of her breasts AND her butt...but that's what is great. Women really appreciate fantasy.

5. Vacant Eyes: Women don't appreciate a female hero who has...you know, personality. Keep the expressions vague and lifeless, though a slight "f***k me" expression is desirable.

6. Trace Porn: If you do decide to go for more realism, trace porn! This way, you get those rare women who want a more plausible body type. And bonus: poses. By tracing porn you can get those realistic poses and facial expressions that occur when fighting villains. You can really capture the closed eyes and wide open mouth that scream "OH YESYESYESYES! I am kicking your assssssssssssssss!" Plus, the girl is already naked, so you can draw the costume as it should be...looking like body paint.

7. Keep Her In Her Place: Always make sure that your female hero, no matter HOW powerful, is never more powerful your male heroes-even if she is the title character! And if you forget this point and make her too powerful? Have her go crazy with power and then require her to die. If you don't want her to end too badly, instead of having other heroes kill her, have her sacrifice herself! Women appreciate when you can show both sides of womanhood. Both the crazy woman who can't handle her strength AND the noble hero.

8. Whores!: Trying to think of a gritty and tough woman for your comic? Make her a prostitute. Women really appreciate it when you comics feature a cast of women composed primarily of strippers and prostitues. In fact, some writers fill their work with nothing BUT strippers and prostitutes. Women really appreciate this attention to their career options.

9. Screw the Real World: Seriously. When designing your female character, don't worry about things like body mass, height and weight. Just pick random numbers under 125 lbs and make sure she is shorter than her male counterpart. Women appreciate this attention to detail.

10. Traumatic Backstory: Every super-heroine needs one. Your women readers will not be able to accept the idea that your heroine just happened to use her super powers for good for...you know, the sake of doing the right thing. She needs a motivator. The best motivators are either child molestation or raped in college. At the very least, there should be a lousy boyfriend in her past. Maybe he broke up with her unexpectedly or cheated on her and shot her parents and puppy. And then raped her.

I need to give credit, where credit is due. I could never have compiled such a list without the kind folks at Girl Wonder as well as other female fans on the web. I know they will really appreciate me putting together this advice for artists and writers, so we can continue to get the fine portrayals of women in comic books that we have gotten for years.

I wanted to do a little experiment when I stopped drinking soda pop. I didn't exercise at all for the entire week. I ate okay generally, but had fast food no less than four times. I still dropped three pounds. Granted, this week, I go back to eating a bit more sensibly and my exercise routine. I would like to get my weight back under my control. My family has all sorts of fun health risks that are directly related to weight (among other things). So while I am happy as me, I definitely want to be healthy and not deal with things like aching knees and exhaustion as I walk a flight of stairs.

The other day, Doctor Who, season 2 disc 1 came from Netflix. I could not get it to play in my DVD Player. My computer could not recognize the file format. I took it over to my local Hollywood, and they ran it through the buffer. Now it played. Well, halfway through the second episode on the disc, the picture pixelates and reforms something else. Doctor Who is a BBC show, so maybe another BBC show? Nope. A Warner Brothers movie? No. Instead, the final 20 minutes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (A New Line Film) plays. So, I get mostly Doctor Who and then the end of a totally different product on the same disc. <blink>

Identity Crisis has come up again, and it's not hard to understand why. It's a controversial piece of work. Kalinara commented about her frustrations on her blog. Loren answered with a slightly different perspective (and being bold enough to share a tragedy from his own life). And I struggle.

See, on it's own, as a story, I liked it. In spite of the fact that I have always been fond of Ralph and Sue Dibney, and seeing her (and her husband's) life turned upside down was frustrating. I hated to see her taken out of the DC Universe. Yes, Brad Metzler crafted a mystery with more than a few shocks. And I thought that Rag's Morales did a beautiful job on the art. On the other hand, it was an opening salvo on a group of beloved characters...intiated, according to a former employee of DC, because DC decided they needed a rape to spice stuff up. Personally, that makes me want to puke.

Understand, I am not opposed to a story in which a rape occurs. I don't think it's appropriate for a kids comic. But I would definitely be able to appreciate a story in which the story followed the victim, not merely making the victim a catalyst for the story. Show what she (or he) is going through. If the character who was raped is a supporting member of the cast, it is certainly appropriate to also address how it affects the book's lead. But it should mostly be about what the victim is going through. And Identity Crisis did not do that. Sue Dibney was raped, and we never got a window into Sue's soul. What she endured emotionally afterwards (or was she mind wiped?). And of course, that was not the point. The reason she was raped was to elevate a villain to "Bad Ass". And then to provide an major ethical problem for the Justice League of America. And I am all for forcing Super Heroes to face grand moral and ethical dilemmas.

It is worth noting I am not alone in my ambivelance. Kalinara herself noted that she did enjoy the series. In some ways, this is the most frustrating part. The flaws are glaring ones in an otherwise well written story by a talented (well, in my opinion) writer. And frankly, right now I am at a loss to be able to reconcile the part of me that likes it with the stuff that bothers me.

No, not the current incarnation. Not even the "classic" incarnation. I miss these guys:



Sometime in the mid-80's, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Justice League of America closed up shop. It returned under the shortened moniker of "The Justice League". They were formed in the John Byrne penned Legends mini-series. It was written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis with art initially by Kevin Maguire.

The book was unique, as it was in the early days of the darker books. And yet, here was this super hero book that was light hearted and fun. We got to see the heroes hanging out and interacting while not fighting a grave danger. Not that they didn't save the world every other issue, they did. But instead of A-Listers, we were given second stringers (with the exception of Black Canary, Batman, Captain Marvel and Martian Manhunter). The team remained in flux for the first dozen or so issues, and while Blue Beetle, Bats, Guy Gardner, Canary, Martian Manhunter and Mister Miracle stayed, Dr. Fate, Dr. Light and Captain Marvel took off from active duty.

They were replaced by Booster Gold, the Rocket Red, Captain Atom and Fire & Ice (of the Global Guardians). Booster and Beetle quickly became favorites of mine, as super hero best buddies seemed uncommon. This was not America's Finest. This was two pals who liked hanging out together and had a blast poking fun at each other.

Batman and Guy Gardner were having spats, and while Guy Gardner (of the Green Lantern Corp) continually claimed he should be running the show and threatened Bats (as well as other team members)...Batman took him down with one punch. Best comic book fight ever.

We were also introduced to the wonderfully smarmy Maxwell Lord, who manipulated multiple events (including getting Booster Gold into the League) before finally being allowed to be a representative (against the better judgement of some of the team members) for the League. He ultimately needed the leagues help, as he had gotten himself into trouble years before when he stumbled on a sentient computer. Lord was a sleaze, but still likeable.

This lead to numerous spin-offs, as the League went international. This allowed for even more additions to the teams (Such as Power Girl and Ralph "the Elongated Man" and Sue Dibny) and more than one crossover. We were also introduced to the Martian Manhunter's love of Oreos. These books gave us incite into the characters, focusing as much on the supporting cast (such as Sue Dibny, Oberon and Max Lord) as the main heroes. They were fun adventures. We even saw them deal with mundane things. Like Blue Beetle trying to get back in shape after putting on weight. Finally, both Giffen and DeMatteis decided it was time to move on after nearly a hundred issues between them (this was over the course of numberous spin-offs and both Justic League America and Justice League Europe). They had the climactic Breakdowns crossover. Then the books suffered. Without the watchful eyes of it's creators, the writers who followed could not capture the same spirit. An the book floundered before being cancelled.



A couple years back, DC got the original creative team back together for "Formerly Known As the Justice League" and then "I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League". The old spirit was back, and was loving it. So, why do I miss them?

Well, systematically, DC has been destroying the Justice League I love. Sue Dibney was murdered. Soon after, Maxwell Lord went totally evil and murdered the Blue Beetle (his friend). Max Lord in turn was killed by WonderWoman. Booster Gold was killed in 52. So was Animal Man (a member of Justice League Europe). It's like DC wanted to make sure that the League could never rear it's fun and crazy head again.



Thanks DC.

One punch. Bats took out Guy Gardner with ONE punch!

(Not so) Recently, over at Brian K. Vaughn's message board, BKV pointed his readers to an interview with Chuck Dixon. I actually provided a link to the article a couple days ago. I have sat on this article for a few days. But I have been giving though to why I have an aversion to the idea of race/gender/sexual orientation as a hype tool.

What I am referring to is the fact that over the years, comics have been touted to the public based on their "groundbreaking-ness" in less than noble ways. And no doubt, in many cases, they were a needed challenge to the status quo. And yet, it seems to fall back on old fashioned forms of audience exploitation to sell a new back or a change in direction. In the 70's, this was definitely done as simply as possible. Include "Black" in the name of an African American super hero's name. Kind of makes you wonder what code names Marvel and DC would have come up with if they were pushing gay Super Heroes in the 70's.

It's different now. The exploitation is both an aim at the curiousity factor of those "not in the group" (and potential controversy) and the people looking for a hero or character that reflects them and their lives. Of course, I understand the excitement that some derive when they find out that a new hero (or an established one) is going to possibly reflect the reader's own life experience. And yet, all to often, the attempts by publishers such as DC and Marvel (but certainly not limited to) smack of being more exploitive than genuine. When the new Batwoman was announced, the articles and promotion even made a point of noting she was not merely a lesbian...but a LIPSTICK Lesbian. See, they wanted to make sure we understood that she would still be hot. Just in case guys wouldn't be interested in reading about lesbian Batwoman.

I remember when the Milestone first opened it's doors. I was curious to read the books, but the hype always felt a little like, "Yes white guy, you can buy our comics, but remember, these are black super heroes". The writing, thankfully did not, and I have fond memories of several of the Milestone books (such as Icon, Hardware and Static). Their actual execution was "These are Super Heroes" not "These are BLACK Super Heroes!" I ultimitely want to read a book based on the intriguing premise (And I know I am not alone in that, it's probably a given). And the Milestone books had those. Along with talented creators, it was unfortunate to see the company have to shut down. Although, Static has been resurrected as Static Shock, for the most part, the heroes of Milestone seem to be unfairly relegated as "past".

Maybe my aversion to to this version of marketing comes from my history within Christianity, and specifically my experiences with Christian "entertainment". Christian entertainment has a long history of promoting the "faith" aspect of itself. See, you can't think a band is really talented and has interesting lyrics. It needs a deliberate "Christian" hook. Of course, the reult of this was that while Public Enemy was challenging their audience with politically charged and explosive rap, P.I.D. was telling their audience "get you a Bible" and singing safe lyrics that were youth group friendly. And you were expected to buy this, because it was your "righteous" alternative to what "The World" was offering.

And this drove me me nuts. Christians were producing art that regularly pandered and never asked their audience to think. This led to lots of crappy music that sold well, because it was sold on the basis of being "Christian", not being good. And sometimes I fear that's what's going to happen in comic books with the attempts to look diverse. They will be "safe" alternatives to the less diverse worlds of Superman and Spider-Man.
The problem is, the diversity needs to happen. I want to see this wide spectrum of characters. I would hate for these changes to not occur. I guess I would just prefer to see the marketing feel more genuine and less like an exploitation. I would like it to be a natural flow for the character...not something shoe-horned in to make a company's "Universe" look properly diverse. I hope to see more of this, and maybe the "sensational" and "tabloid" approach will die down.

Oh, who am I kidding??? In a world of Infinite Crisis's and Civil Wars, tabloid is going to remain king for awhile.

Okay. Welcome to another addition of advice for the aspiring creator.

Practice. You hear about it a lot. Artists recommend it. So do writers. It's mentioned in How To Books. And here is what I say...

Don't do it. Practicing is way over-rated. If you have artistic talent, you have it. No need to nurture it. And when one says they practice, all they are admitting to you is that they aren't good enough. Why would you take advice from a person with no confidence in their art?!

Besides, there are so many better things to do with your time. Like playing video games. And let me tell you, unlike drawing or writing? That takes practice to get good at. Or watching DVDs (or just TV). For you writers, that is a great source of ideas. I mean, no comic geek will be able to tell if you ripped off the plot of Legally Blonde 2. Be careful though, as comic geeks will shell out $15 to see Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner in crap-tacular "comic book films".

Writers also want to avoid "diversifying". Pick one voice and beat it to death. Don't try and be one of those "I can write a political thriller, a teen superhero book, a vertigo book and a talking animal book!" Seriously, just look at Brian K. Vaughan's career, and you will see what a dead end that kind of scattershot writing is.

For artists, realize that "practice" threatens to ruin your distinctive creative voice. For instance, if you were a Jim Lee clone, you might evolve into a Frank Quitely clone. One sure fire way to avoid an "evolving" style is to simply trace everything. Pick an artist you like and trace their work. Or photos. Whatever.

Just remember, while some people will lie and tell you that practice will help your art improve, the truth is, practice just speeds up the inevitible trip to the decline in your work and popularity. Afterall, I've heard Stuart Immonen practices...and look where his career is at.

So, I’ve gone practically a full week without pop. I can’t say I really miss it either. Although, one setback I have noticed? The caffeine headaches do push one towards a homicidal rage much quicker.

Speaking of homicidal rages…

As a fan of the original Halloween, this bit of info regarding the script for the new Rob Zombie film is…disturbing. There are lots of potential spoilers if you follow the link. Although, I do like the idea of Malcolm McDowell portraying Dr. Loomis, the role original performed by Donald Pleasance.

Joss Whedon (creator of Buffy, Angel and Firefly/Serenity for those going “Who?!”) has agreed to direct an episode of the Office! He’s the third “big name/feature director to jump on the Office wagon. That’s fine by me, as I still love the show.

Both the Beat and Newsarama are noting that Fangoria claims to have bought the rights to the character Vampirella.

Newsarama also has a fresh interview with talented artist Michael Golden about his upcoming work.

The Beat also has an interesting link to Steven Grant’s thoughts on the Platinum Entertainment situation.

The Pulse notes that Civil War # 7 will be, and you better sit down here…late! Don’t faint folks.

The Pulse had this announcement: Entertainment group Charlie Foxtrot (comprised of several Military Veterans) has announced a comic book called City of Fire. It will deal frankly with the events of June 24^th, 2004. On that day insurgents set off several car bombs, killing and injuring hundreds, assassinated two key police officials and then overran a police station and mosque in the heart of Mosul, Iraq, in an attempt to cripple a city and bring down a country, and how the men of the 1/23rd Blackhawk company, exhausted already from three straight days of combat, went back into the city to take it back. (From the Press release)

In the last few months, I've read more blogs regarding diversity and the presentations of women (and other minority groups) in comics. I've definitely found my attitudes changing over the years. A couple of years ago, i just did not care. Women in comics are drawn unrealistically? So? So are the men.

I doubt I am going to say anything new. But it's become a bit embarrassing to read comics. Now, don't get me wrong, it's always been a little embarrassing, I mean, the Bad Girl craze of the 90's was horrid.

I don't have a problem with heroes of either gender not being overweight. As a fat guy, I do not believe that it is realistic that a super hero who is active and fighting crime and super villains would really be overweight. Granted, I found it somewhat heartwarming when Blue Beetle struggled with his weight. But if your super power doesn't require you to be large, you will likely be at least toned if not outright muscular.

And while that is applied to men in comics, it is most definitely not applied to women. Women are rarely shown as having any muscle tone. They usually have tone tummies, but nothing else seems to be effected by the workout crimefighting might give them.

Is it really asking that much of artist to maybe draw the women in costumes that don't threaten to flash us? That their breasts not appear to be in danger of knocking over buildings? That they have muscles?

This doesn't mean artists need to design their characters as body builders, with muscles buldging to ridiculous sizes. And frankly, I think this could be applied to the men as well...the guys do not need to look like monster steroid addicts to seem powerful.

I am not complaining about merely having an idealized form. I am talking about not just making them mere object of lust. I mean, recently (or maybe not so recently), Bendis described Spider-Woman as the super heroine you have a shot at sleeping with (As opposed to Wonder Woman, who we mere mortal geeks have no chance at bedding). And I like a lot of Bendis' work. I really do...but does he realize how creepy that sounds? She's a frickin' fictional character rendered in pencil and ink! Besides, you should admire heroes, not merely want to sleep with them. Heroes represent, ideally, what we aspire to. And I like a flawed hero, but treat your female leads with at least as much dignity as you treat you male leads. Has anyone ever referred to Captain America as the kind of guy a woman could get to sleep with, as opposed to Superman?

The women heroes should be characters we admire. They should be what we men hope for our wives and daughters, sisters, mothers friends, girlfriends...strong, powerful, worthy of respect. Again, this doesn't mean flawless and without fault. We have allowed our male heroes foibles, the women of comics deserve the same. To be as "real" and "human" as the boys get to be.

Am I asking to much?

I did this rough Powergirl sketch over the course of a few minutes...I don't know if this is actually any improvement or no change whatsoever...but can't we at least try?



Oh, in the interest of full disclosure, I am a big Adam Hughes fan...I don't know if that makes my post totally invalid or not.

Newsflash! Fox & Friends Host Declares Ted Kennedy a hostile enemy combatant! Way to be “fair and balanced”, Gretchen Carlson! Making Minnesota proud.

I don’t consider it a good sign when I sleep through more than half a movie and at no time do I feel the need to jump back and watch what I missed so as to “understand” what’s going on when I actually wake up. Consider that the closest thing to a review from me of You, Me & Dupree.

Continuing my favorite stuff from Bond, I go to the other regular part of a Bond film. The Bond girl. Bond girls serve multiple purposes, the most obvious being eye candy. They also exist as a simple plot device to move the story forward, to provide info that would have been much harder to get otherwise and to give Bond a chance to be smooth.

My criteria is that they be more than pretty, have a reason for being in the story other than as Bond’s love interest. That can certainly play a role, but I am thinking that their motives need to be personal beyond wanting to sleep with James. Whether they are in the story out of vengeance, devotion to homeland or something along those lines, that’s what I want to see. And finally, my criterion requires a skill beyond looking pretty in slinky dresses.

Beware of spoilers for films that are over 20 years old (some are passed 30 years). Proceed at your own peril!

1.Domino


For some reason, Domino has always been one of my favorite Bond girls. Yes, Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) walking from the ocean is iconic. But for my money, Claudine Auger’s Domino swimming in the ocean, ever so gracefully, is far cooler. That one piece with the mesh strip isn’t to bad either. But part of what I like about Domino is she is not the traditional Bond “bad girl gone good”. She is apparently pretty decent, and notquick to throw herself as Bond’s feet, rejecting him and skeptical of him in their first meeting. While she has ties to the villain, she is not the villain’s girlfriend or henchwoman. He is her guardian. And when she discovers that her brother is dead because of her guardian, she is willing to turn her back and join Bond, and she isn’t a weakling.

2. Tatiana Romanova


Tanya is interesting as a character, because she is working for the bad guys-but is under the belief she is working for the good of her government (The Soviet Union). Played by the lovely Daniela Bianchi (Miss Rome and Miss World 1960 runner up), she seems taken with Bond and him with her, and while she is being duped by Spectre, she is charming enough that you kind of forget that little fact. Yeah, if you analyze it too much it’ll make you annoyed. She’s a top agent, but is unaware that her Superior is no longer working for Mother Russia? I also note that Daniela’s casting goes against a Bond choice of later years with most Russian lead women being raven haired.

3. Vesper Lynd


Vesper was an interesting character to me. I don’t dare share to much, as this one is from the newest film, still in theaters. I will say that Eva Green plays Vesper as complex, intriguing, smart and tough to read.

4. Dr. Holly Goodhead


Lois Chiles plays one of those typical “hot scientists/astronaugh/CIA Agents” that inhabit the world of James Bond. But unlike the World Is not Enough’s Denise Richards, you can believe Holly is a competent agent. She has really cool gadgets as well, like a perfume bottle flame thrower! What woman wouldn’t want that?!

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/printer-friendly.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53650

In a private session videotaped yesterday on Capitol Hill, Rep. Barney Frank, D, Mass., accused the Bush administration of "ethnic cleansing by inaction" against poor blacks in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Oh dear. Seriously, Rep. Frank…did you really need to make that analogy? Now while ethnic cleansing is not as extreme a phrase as, say genocide, (after all, technically genocide is one way to perform an ethnic cleansing) it is still a bullet of a word.

I know it was extremely popular to claim that Bush hates, or at the very best plain doesn’t care about black people. Which makes a far more spectacular headline than the more obvious fact that the government pretty much just screwed up on every level…right on down to Ray Nagin, right? Of course, I don’t base my opinions on the ranting of rap star Kanye West.

Of course, Ethnic cleansing still conjures up the image of genocide, and hey, why not tell people George Bush is attempting to perform genocide against the African American community in New Orleans?

Let me explain why this is bad, Rep. Frank. It lowers the level of discourse, yet again. Republicans and Democrats are out to one up each other on stupid statements as of late, and it’s getting more than a little tiring. I expect absurd rhetoric from Cindy Sheehan and Kanye West. I expect it from Bill O’Reilly and all of Fox News. But you guys need to stop stopping to it. You need to show the courage to not keep hitting below the belt. People didn’t vote for Democrats so we could hear more name calling. They voted to get some sorely lacking oversight. Nothing is going to get done as long as you Democrats play off against Bush like you guys are Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump.

Speaking of Rosie and the Donald…I am fascinated by the attempts of the cable news networks to make a huge story out of this, and then pretend like they are not making a big story out of it. A caller named Sunny chastised Fox for this today on Fox and Friends. Bravo to him. All the major news outlets are treating this like it matters. And then complaining about it being news.

I had to laugh yesterday as Fox made a big to do about the Democrats taking yesterday off. The avoided mentioning to often that it was a Republican who requested yesterday off. In fact, I am not sure they mentioned it at all. I think the most appropriate spin for yesterday’s “Congressional/Senatorial Day Off” is “LOOK! ALREADY THE DEMS ARE SHOWING A SPIRIT OF BI-PARTISANSHIP!”

I am referring to either main villains or henchman in this short list.

1. Mr. Kid and Mr. Wint


I really liked these two. Most of the henchmen up to this point were deadly, but quiet. But these two exchanged dark witticism between them as they did their killing, obviously taking delight in their work. The added element of them being a gay couple added a weird, creepy element. It’s just the idea of lovers relishing in killing as much as each other (so, it would have been equally creepy if it was a heterosexual couple). Trivia fact, Bruce Glover (Mr. Wint) is the father of Crispin Glover while Putter Smith (Mr. Kidd) is a Jazz bassist.

2. Francisco Scaramanga


I like the character because he is so prideful, but he is basically an agent (although a free agent, an assassin). He has the cool island lair and nifty funhouse maze which he uses to outwit opponents. And he has the odd side kick Nick Nack (Hervé Villechaize) to boot. Christopher Lee brought a nice elegance to the character, who saw himself as the “dark side” of Bond.

3. Auric Goldfinger


Finally, there is Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) who uttered the immortal reply “No Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!” Goldfinger is a guy who gets his way at all costs, mainly by cheating. He seems to avoid losing his cool much, even when backed into a corner, which makes him (and his henchman Oddjob) seem far more threatening. He can meat out his vengeance later.

Over at the Beat, Heidi and company are doling out the (very good) advice on signing publishing deals for both up and coming artists and established creators as well. Buyer beware, so to speak. Creators chime in. It's an important read. Colleen Doran adds some thoughts of her own to provide more helpful advice on the topic.

Chuck Dixon discusses his upcoming Grifter/Midnighter mini series with Newsarama. I am not sure I fully buy his argument against gay characters in mainstream comics, but it's a rather interesting interview and he seems to have a great grasp on the Midnighter character.

Newsarama also "teases" us with a hint that someone close to Spider-Man may die. Quesada (the top guy at Marvel) and others at Marvel have made clear that they think Peter Parker being married to Mary Jane is a bad thing. Joe Quesada has also claimed there will be no Spidey Divorce. So, that kind of leaves two options. Massive reboot or "The Death of Mary Jane". I've said it before. I will say it again. If you can't write fun and interesting stories with a married Spider-Man, you are being lazy.

Joe also defends the changes to Speedball in this week's Civil War tie in. Beware of spoilers!

Erik Larsen contemplates why the Marvel Universe is not more futuristic.

Over at Comic Book Movie, they provide links to the recent Fantastic Four:Rise of the Silver Surfer trailer as well as a guided tour of the set from Jessica Alba.

And in total non-comic book news...the Ain't It Cool News guys bring us info from Rob Zombie regarding the next Halloween film.

I’ve been working my way through the four James Bond Box sets ever so slowly so as to review them. I have a rather conflicted attitude towards the Bond films, to say the least. But I will get more into that when I do the set reviews.

In anticipation, I am going to do some Bond related “favorite” lists.

First up is:

My Favorite Bonds

This one is a cheat, as I am addressing all the actors to play Bond within the official Franchise.

1.Roger Moore



Yeah, I know. Heresy. It’s supposed to be Connery at the top. But Moore wins out for me because the first Bond film I ever saw was 1981’s For Your Eyes Only. I especially loved the underwater sequences (Bond and Melina dragged behind the boat, the fight in the sunken sub). Previously I thought Star Wars was the coolest thing ever. I didn’t realize you could make an exciting movie that took place on earth. I always liked Moore’s take on Bond, playing him with a smirk. His Bond was tough, but could be a softie when called for.

2. Sean Connery



While he certainly played up a sense of humor, Connery’s Bond was a bit rougher and more callous than Moore’s Bond. Connery played Bond as a hardass. He was more than willing to use a woman as a human shield, which is one of the more troubling aspects of early Bond, and that’s why I am less inclined to call him number one. It isn’t that I feel women are some sort of fragile creatures that can’t be part of a fight, but often it seemed Bond’s sacrificial women, or women he hit were not as tough as the main Bond girls.

3.Daniel Craig



An edgier Bond, more in the Connery vein, what stood out to me in his first outing is that he wasn’t the super agent yet. He was good, but he could stumble. I really liked that. Really, I felt like he encapsulated the best things each previous actor brought to Bond. Connery’s roughness, Moore’s soul, Lazenby’s gritty action, Dalton’s darker and haunted edge and Brosnan’s cockiness.

4.Pierce Brosnan


I remember Brosnan on Remington Steele, and I recall thinking, “He should be James Bond! And I thought he was great, really. He was adventurous, self assured (a bit cocky) and saved the day at the last minute. I find it interesting that Christopher Lee has said he probably embodied most what Fleming intended Bond to be. I think the main problem of his run was the scripts. Especially the world Is Not Enough.

5.Timothy Dalton


I think he gets unfairly shafted in talks about Bond. Dalton brought a slightly darker edge to Bond, a bit meaner when dealing with his advesaries. If it wasn’t for Brosnan taking over, I think I would have liked to see him get another shot.

6.George Lazenby


I avoided this one for years. And I think it was unfair. Lazenby did a pretty good job as Connery’s replacement. And he played it with a wink. He knew he had big shoes to follow. Sure, his delivery was slightly wooden at times, but it was his first film role, so I can overlook that. I would have liked to seen him get a second shot, to see if he could sustain. I totally understand why the studio took Connery back when he said he would do Diamonds are Forever, but I still think it was a bit unfair to fire Lazenby after only one outing.

What’s the deal, Chris Matthews?! I have been watching you for last few week on Hardball…what happened to the softball peddling to the Democrats? Suddenly you are on their case about everything. Especially your favorite topic- “Are you going to end the war like you promised?!” You ask the question, people answer, and if you don’t like the answer, you claim they “artfully dodged the question.”

Here is a little help for you, Chris. Few Democrats ran on a platform that they would successfully end the war once in office. No, they promised to investigate the war and how the Administration flubbed it so badly. They promised to try and get a systematic withdrawal. But even that will take awhile. No Democrat promised that we would be out of Iraq in the first 100 hours.

And yet, you persist in badgering Democrats the same way you used to reserve for Republicans. If they start to answer and the answer is not “Yes, we are bringing the troops home this month” you interrupt the guest and restate the question as if they didn’t understand the first time. Newsflash, Mr. Matthews… It isn’t going to happen. The Democrats have limited options, as many of your guests tried to tell you on the Thursday January 4th edition of Hardball. You have it in your head that this war is easy to get out of. We just pack our bags, and now that the Democrats are official, it should happen right now.

Now do not get me wrong, I wish you had brow beaten the Democrats like this during the campaign. I mean, your show is called Hardball, after all. But if you, or any voters expected that the Democratic win meant the War is over this year… you were all delusional. It was never going to happen, and most likely, what we will see is a plan that slowly starts moving troops out of Iraq. A measured withdrawal, if you will. But your constant badgering about “getting out” is ineffective and shows you have a limited understanding of war. Now, understand, I opposed the war from the start. I thought it was a bad idea. Alas, the President didn’t hire me for his administration. Apparently my credentials were not good enough. Maybe he resented my write in campaign for Leatherface for President in 2000. Who knows. But please, start asking a new question. One that is useful and valid. It would make watching Hardball feel more productive, because currently, if I flip between you and John Gibson over at Fox, I can barely see a difference.