January 2006

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Tuesday January 31, 2006 8:09:33 PM #

» Got My Apple Pie, Cracker Jacks and my State of the Union Bingo Cards (Randomized phrazes like: Iraq, Health Care, Terror, 911, etc. on a a Randomized 5x5 grid.) Are You Ready FOR SOME football State of the Union!

Sunday January 29, 2006 10:40:26 PM #

» We are creatures of pattern recognition. Creating, responding to, reinforcing the ones we believe in and ignoring those patterns that do not fit with the ones in which we already believe. Patterns, Processes, Rules and Laws, in groups we rush to construct as many as possible and as individuals we strive to displace ourselves from any that others would label us with or apply to us. Execept those previously mentioned ones that we have agreed on.

Stare at the clouds, there are patterns there. Surely when others also see them we can agree that they are real. That one's an elephant, do you see it too? Then it's settled it's an elephant flying through the sky. It's true because we say so, and they say so too. That one's an elephant, now on to the next cloud.

Let's Go Surfing

Nice article on process in large organizations. Interesting quote in the article: "process is an embedded reaction to prior stupidity." A qutoe that was itself borrowed from a Clay Shirky essay on process.

» I had been wondering why Commander In Chief has been taking the road to suck town lately after a promising start. Apparently there was a producer switch. Matt Roush TV Guide Column clip below:

Matt Roush: What we seem to have here is a case of a network fixing what wasn't broken, and creating a mess in the process. If the network truly felt Lurie wasn't able to produce the show on time or on budget or whatever, the solution this early on — especially considering that the show had the earmarks of an instant hit — shouldn't have been to remove the creator altogether and replace him with someone who had never taken over the reins of someone else's show, even if that someone is as experienced as Steven Bochco. The Bochco hire at first made sense, given his credentials, but these latest episodes make it look like this is an uneasy fit, to put it mildly. Commander in Chief's strength was that it wasn't trying to look like a West Wing clone, but these "crisis" episodes involving the sunken sub and the even worse one about Air Force One held hostage are unconvincing and clumsy rip-offs of West Wing-style action, and they move the show radically away from the domestic melodrama it promised to be. Even more worrying are the character shifts for the president's husband — now her de facto chief of staff, which diminishes Mac's authority and credibility — not to mention her chief nemesis, Nathan Templeton, who now almost seems like he's her acting vice president, the way she leans on him for help and treats him almost like a buddy (albeit a sly one). Worst of all is horndog politico Dickie (Mark-Paul Gosselaar), a flat-out ridiculous character, badly written and played (and I liked him on NYPD Blue). This may be worse than losing a voice: Commander seems to have lost its way. The show may still be salvageable, but first, those in charge need to realize that something is very, very wrong here.

Saturday January 28, 2006 11:54:47 PM #

Comments on Comics

Stuff out this past Wednesday:

Robin #146: Although Robin was the central character, this was very much a Teen Titan's issue. Like the bit with Batman and the Vetran too. Good Stuff.

Batman #649: I've really been enjoying this Red Hood/Jason Todd Storyline. nice art by Mahnmke and Nguyen too. They also manage to work in the Bludhaven disaster (which figured into the Robin issue above too)

Catwoman #51: Another title that has been really well done by DC lately. My only complaint is the costume. Too many seems and whatnot, but still great art and storytelling. Coming off of the Zatanna appearance last issue. Well this is good stuff.

Vigilante #5of6: This one ain't set in the whole current DC Crisis continuity, but it's been a good series so far. I'd reccomend the eventual trade as I think that would be the best way to read this one. Nice reveal on the last page, can't say I didn't see it coming from a mile away but still a very interesting series. Batman fans would probably enjoy this book.

Adventures of Superman #648: Story focusses on Superman's involvement in the Bludhaven disaster. Entire book is done with captions and no word balloons. Interesting approach.

Wonder Woman #225: I want to like the series but I've got to say I'm only getting it for the Crisis tie-in. It's well done, but for me the character is just to inaccessible. In anycase clears up somewhat the Paradise Island disapearance from Infinite Crisis.

Green Lantern Corps Recharge #4: So far this book is alot more interesting overall than the regular Green Lantern Title. The Corp book also seems to have become a better follow up to Green Lantern Rebirth as well. I do hope that as the title goes on that they focus on more solo members of the corp. Having 6 Green Lantern's in one fight, well it stretches the credibillity that any bad guy would stand a chance. Nice art by Gleason, Rollins, Alamy and Moose.

Lets go back to a week ago:

All Star Superman #2: Nice Silverage style book. Probably will work even better in a trade format eventually. I like it.

Action Comics #835: Livewire issue. eh.

Legion of Superheroes #13: You get your money's worth with this book. Current storyline pretty much gets wrapped up. Next issue should be a good jumping on point I imagine.

Manhunter #18: Hmm... they've decided to make Manhunter the granddaughter of the JSA Atom. Eh... you get start to hear the deathbells of a serious when this type of stuff gets pulled. Beyond that little nugget it looks like they are moving the book away from it's legal undertones into more of an Alias spy thing. This will probably be a book I drop at One Year Forward.

Nightwing #116: The Bludhaven distruction hijacks the previous storyline, which is ok by me. This issue is the more groundlevel view of Adventures of Superman #648. Oddly the cover looks to have nothing to do with the issue inside at all.

Birds of Prey #90: Great art and Black Canary versus Deathstroke. If that doesn't pull you in then there was also some great stuff with Bats, Oracle and Commissioner Gordon.

JSA Classified #7: The Injustice Society storyline wraps up this issue. The arc very much had the same type of feel that the Rogues issues of Flash had. I think this type of story could be a great ongoing for DC. They should do a Villians: Classified title and bring in different creative teams to focus on the badguys thruoughout the DCU.

Green Lantern #7: This series seems to be getting off to a slow start. Seven issues in and not much of consequence has happened. One thought though, what are the odds that in the near future Bludhaven's residents get relocated to Coast City? That's my predict.

Firestorm #21: Wow, the worst kind of dense continuity exposition. They also add a weird Firestorm Matrix concept to the character. It's stupid. Like Manhunter you can hear the bells starting to ring for this book. It's only a mater of time before this title gets imploded once more.

Infinite Crisis #4: Umm... really cool.

The Flash #230: Wow, this last storyline with Vandal Savage and the whole church thing. Really bad. They should have ended this book after Johns run. It's been pretty awful since he left.

Let's Go Surfing

» New JLU Episode News from Comics Continuum:

Originally targeted for late spring/early summer, new episodes of Justice League Unlimited will now air beginning in February on Cartoon Network.

The first new episode will air Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 p.m. Nine new episodes, Nos. 31-39 of JLU, are expected.

» Direct to DVD Superman Video too:

According to the TV Guide report, the film will feature both Brainiac and Lex Luthor as villains, and will focus on the relationship between Superman and Lois.

» Bryan Hitch Rendition of what FARK has dubed: Metal Scorpion Penis Spider-man (Amazing Spider-man 529)

» View Source With Firefox Extension.
via Tinyapps.org

» Toothbrush tipped tounge piercing

» Toothpaste for Dinner: Secret Code

» Beer Pouring Robot R2D2ish... but will it pour Sprite?

» Hello I am Check, PLZ Cash Me LOL. Katamari do your best.

» Video of an MPAA Warning Parody Y'know that FBI warning before the DVD starts.... this is a Video Parody of that sort of thing.

» Neat series of mixed Fantastic Four figure pics

» Upcoming Marvel Legends Monsters Box Set Werewolf, Vampire, Zombie, and Frankenstein all done Marvel Style. Same site also has Marvel Legends Young Avengers Boxed Set pictures.

Sunday January 22, 2006 11:10:15 PM #

» Just saw online that the West Wing will be cancelled after this year. Kindof a bummer, but I can't say that I've been particularly looking forward to the concept of another season with a major cast shake up. Of course, there will still be a fictional President on TV with Comander in Chief, which although not in West Wings' league isn't horrible.

Same article mentions that the Office goes on hiatus early in March. That's a bummer.

"...And another thing Kent! What's this facination with Superman? Superman doesn't sell papers! Spider-man! Spider-man sells papers! I need you to get out there and get me a Menace of Spider-man story. Are you listening to me Kent?" "Um, Gee mister Jameson, I'd get right on that, but um, I don't work for your paper." "Don't work for the Bugle? Then what're you doing in here wasting my time Kent? I'm running a newspaper here, I don't have time for all this nonsense!"

» The new DC Direct Clark Kent action figure is pretty neat.

DC Comics April 2006 Previews Solicitations
ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN, THE BOY WONDER #5 • MAN-BAT #1 - Not likely to get this but the concept is interesting • BATMAN #652 • ROBIN #149 • NIGHTWING #119 • CATWOMAN #54 • BATMAN AND THE MONSTER MEN #6 • SUPERMAN #651 - Green Lantern • ACTION COMICS #838 • SUPERMAN/BATMAN #26 - Superboy and Robin • SUPERGIRL #7 • INFINITE CRISIS #7 • VILLAINS UNITED: INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL • AQUAMAN: SWORD OF ATLANTIS #41 - Son of Aquaman, this sounds dumb. • BIRDS OF PREY #93 • BLUE BEETLE #2 • CRISIS ON MULTIPLE EARTHS VOL. 4 TP • CHECKMATE #1 - Greg Rucka • CRISIS AFTERMATH: THE BATTLE FOR BLUDHAVEN #1-2 • GREEN ARROW #61 - GA as Mayor? Also sounds dumb • GREEN LANTERN #11 • HAWKGIRL #51 - Simpson and Chaykin • ION #1 - incredibly dumb costume, but hey, basically 3 Green Lantern books a month? now that's cool, Byte it Batman :) • JUSTICE #5 • JLA CLASSIFIED #20 & 21 • JSA #84 - Levitz and Morales • JSA CLASSIFIED #11 - Vandal Savage • MANHUNTER #21 - JSA • OUTSIDERS #35 • SOLO #10 • SUPERGIRL AND THE LEGION OF THE SUPER-HEROES #17 • TEEN TITANS #35

DC Direct Previews Solicitations
Infinite Crisis Action Figures: Mongul (9"), OMAC (7.25"), Alexander Luthor (6.5"), Earth-Prime Superboy (6.125") and Power Girl (6.25") - Will probably get all 5 (Actually I'll probably get 3 of the OMACS), nice wave, although by the time these hit stores, IC is going to be a distant memory I think.

JUSTICE LEAGUE (ALEX ROSS) SERIES 4 ACTION FIGURES Shazam! (7.25"), Black Adam (7.25"), Hawkman (7.5"), Zatanna (6.75") and Solomon Grundy (8") - Might get Zatanna. Already have Shazam, Black Adam, Hawkman and Solomon Grundy in more comic-like styles. These Alex Ross figures are very nice, but I'm resting my wallet and passing on most most of them in favor of the more comic book styled figures.

Marvel Comics April 2006 Previews Solicitations
ULTIMATE EXTINCTION #4 (of 5) • ULTIMATES 2 #11 • MOON KNIGHT #1 • AVENGERS AND POWER PACK ASSEMBLE! #1 (of 4) • NEW AVENGERS #18 • NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 • MARVEL TEAM-UP #19 • RUNAWAYS #15 •

Image Comics April 2006 Previews Solicitations - INVINCIBLE #33 - Continues Marvel Team-up.

Let's Go Surfing

» Diamond Marvel Select Moon Knight

» Make your USB devices wireless (but not wi-fi) This looks like a neat product. $129.

» It's a blanket with sleves, the Slanket. Brilliant!

» Mike Wieringo has a fantastic blog, wherein he posts great sketches It's one of my favorite comic artist sites. Anyone who wants to reccomend other comic artists that do similiar online sketch postings, please post in the coments.

Thursday January 19, 2006 9:56:45 PM #

Serenity
Sci-Fi[PG13] 2hrs

I finally got around to seeing Serenity. I thought it was pretty good. I've seen all but a couple of the TV Episodes and while I'm by no means a "Browncoat", when the TV show was on I did enjoy it and if it was still on I would be watching it each week.

As far as the movie goes, it really felt like a good episode to me, nothing really more than that. That's not a bad thing, but there really wasn't much of a "movie-sized" plot, or I suppose there was one, but it seemed sort of incidental to the real purpose of the movie which I imagine to be an excuse for the writers to write really amazing dialoque. The dialogue on Firefly has always been the best part of the show, real poetry. They can turn a phrase and layer on subtext with an economy of syllables second to none. Great fun for the ear.

Like an episode, nothing really feels much wrapped up at the end of the movie, and it seems that part of the intention might have been to use the movie to jumpstart another television show or something. There seem to have been some rumblings on the net to that effect recently. Hopefully that comes to pass.

(Backing up to the nothing wrapped up part for a minute: I suppose that a couple characters have had their arcs wrapped. Not sure why they decided to wrap them up in the way they did. If anybody knows of a non-story driven, like say actor desire reason, reply in the comments. The Shepard and the Pilot, well I was left scratching my head on those developments.)

Not a popcorn blockbuster, but a real fun flick none the less. Good Stuff.

Overall[good] Story [good] Special Effects [ok]
key: [awful] [poor] [ok] [good] [great]

Monday January 16, 2006 10:26:07 PM #

» Need 2¢ stamps! Now! Arggghhh!

» Just got around to reading the Mike Allred SOLO issue. good stuff, they could have squarely shoved that entire book into a Bizzaro Hardcover, and noone would have noticed the difference. Absolutely fantastic art. Great retro coloring style throughout but especially on the titans story where they simulated the halftone dots and newsprint paper.

Y'know what makes the panel at right even more disturbing? Aqualad is eating uncooked fishsticks.

Sunday January 15, 2006 9:57:33 PM #

» There was a line in Star Wars III that's had resonance for me this week: "Only a Sith deals in absolutes."

Technically when you think agout it, that statement is itself an absolute. Probably it should have more properly been: "Generally only a Sith deals in absolutes" but I suppose that wouldn't have been as dramatic. Absolutes do tend to resonate better, don't they?

» Watched the opening 2 episodes of the new Battlestar Galactica season last week and this week. Continues to be very well done.

» Interesting Bruce Sterling discussion on the Well.

» iPod belt buckle holster.

» Spice up your Monopoly games with these alternate house rules

» Katamari remote control stuffed animals If you've seen the game you've got to see this. It has video.

Thursday January 12, 2006 8:18:23 PM #

» Why do birds suddenly appear? Especially since teleportaion is proven not possible on a macro level. Just like me they wish to transverse space instantly without crossing an intervening area.

Tuesday January 10, 2006 7:47:33 PM #

» Support the positive and desired illusions. Help hide and suppress unwanted truths. hmmm.

Monday January 9, 2006 11:19:37 PM #

Um... Yeah.

Sunday January 8, 2006 10:44:04 PM #

» Just read a 1995 One Shot Titled Amazing Fantasy #16 Starring: Spider-man. It's a painted book that fills in the story between Amazing Fantasy #15 and Spider-man #1. Good story, very akin in concept to Alex Ross' Marvels or It's a bird (the author of which escapes me at the moment). Although it doesn't explicitly say it is set in the 60s, every illustration in the book seems lifted from that era. It really felt right reading the character set in that time period, even though the overall sensibility of the storytelling was more modern. Good stuff if you can come across it in a back issue bin.

Sunday January 8, 2006 4:46:27 PM #

» I just listed a Human Torch Variant Super Skrull for a friend of mine on eBay. The lucky toy hunter actually picked up a regular Super Skrull, an invisible Super Skrull and the above mentioned Torch Skrull which he offered to me. I'm still holding out on finding my own regular version but I offered to put the torch version he didn't want up on eBay for him, and I did. If that's your sort of thing: Go bid.

Saturday January 7, 2006 9:01:17 PM #

Cable News as Liftetime Television Drama.
12 lost miners is a bad thing. But according to the news, 22 or so people in that field are killed every year. That total is down from 44 people a year 10 years ago. 3 people on average are dying over in Iraq every day, plus many more injuries (and that's just "our" side), and there is nowhere near the "personal coverage" on the news that these 12 miners get.

Cable News as Liftetime Television Drama.

Tuesday January 3, 2006 9:33:40 PM #

» Someday I really want to learn how to sculpt. There are suprisingly little on the topic on sculpting anything in book stores. Anyway... at right is a 'Mazing Man I played around with in supersculpty tonight, it's nothing I'm going to finish or keep, but it's fun to squish around the clay while watching tv. Here's some background on the character.

Sunday January 1, 2006 10:22:04 PM #

» Happy New Year.

Clicking around the web this weekend I've noticed the typical new years' year in review type articles. It got me thinking about my own year, so I read through my blog and flipped through my Outlook calendar and took some time to think over the year.

The only conclusion after the excercise I have is that it is interesting how elastic time can be. Some things that seem like a long time ago, really weren't and some things that seem very recent were abit back afterall.

Let's Go Surfing

» Dave Barry's 2005 Year in Review

» University of Michigan Bans Coke, the cola.

I don't spell check and my grammar, sentence and paragraph structure on this site leave alot to be desired. Most times I forget to go back and reread a post to see if it makes sense. Sometimes I type the word "Fnck". Flip the "n" over... I don't have a problem with the word myself, I just type it that way to slip it past overzealous work censorship programs and for the benefit of those that are sensitive to that sort of thing.