My post on Robot Chicken is up at The Best Show’s You’re Not Watching. Check it out…and check out the “finale” of Robot Chicken tonight on Adult Swim.
Batgirl #2. Brian Q. Miller. Comics/Graphic Novels.
So in all honesty I was feeling all “blah” about this before I even picked it up to read. And I previously said I was not going to read anymore once it was revealed that Stephanie Brown was the new Batgirl, but I picked it up anyway, I’m not sure why…half out of being bored…half out of curiosity I guess.
But here’s the problem, even if the issue was brilliant -which it isn’t – the issue itself is not particularly well written, it seems heavy handed, a bit whiny, and just incredibly dull. This is the story arc for issue number two of a major relaunch? YAWN.
However, the real problem is, I just don’t like Stephanie Brown.
I find her whiny and annoying, and really really blonde and really really white (which judging by this, DC has got WAY too much of going on right now). I also find her to be just totally unexceptional, which, when we come to The Bat Family, is something I expect…not only expect…but NEED in order to buy the suspension of disbelief that Bruce would sign off on letting teens and pre-teens suit up and fight crime beside him. You need to be exceptional in order to do that. The only thing exceptional about Stephanie to me is her unwillingness to go away, which unfortunately comes off to me as obnoxiousness rather than something endearing.
Also, the fact that Dick and Barbara are allowing this to go on (Barbara may be giving her a hard time, but that’s hardly stopping her) is disrespectful to Bruce. Bruce didn’t want her in that uniform. He shut it down. Have some respect for the man and Shut. It. Down.
Stephanie has no respect for the costume, for the symbol. Or for those who wore it before her (Cass possibly excepted since they were friends). Though she desperately wants to be part of the crowd, her wants are selfish and childish. She gets a high off of fighting crime and she does it almost casually. She’s not tormented by anything driving her to it, she’s just a really attractive blonde white girl going to college and putting on a costume at night for fun.
There is nothing interesting to me in this. That was my last issue.
I miss Cass 🙁
So thanks to Kate Harding and Jezebel, I have just yesterday, discovered Dooce. Where have I been since 2001 you ask? Honestly, I have no idea. I thought I was here, you know, hanging out, but it turns out I must have been in outer Mongolia, or the Congo, or maybe just living in my backyard with no internet connection, because this woman has been a major blog presence for EIGHT YEARS and has written TWO books* and was on the Forbes Most Influential Women In Media (#26 represent!) list and I’m just TODAY learning about this.
Frustrating. Regardless, I’m on board now and I’m SUPER on board. I’m going to have to slowly work my way through eight years of posts, but honestly…every single one I’ve read so far has made me laugh out loud. Ms. Armstrong has a fantastic, honest voice that has the huge benefit of being constantly hilarious. I think (so far) my favorite thing about her is how “normal” and like me she sounds even though she has kids. If gives me hope that if I ever have children that I’ll be better able to hold onto that “me” that I like (the parts I don’t like…happy to be rid of).
But I think the biggest lesson I can learn from Dooce, is that people hate people that I think are AMAZING AND TALENTED BEYOND BELIEF. And I don’t understand why they do that. But maybe it will make it easier to bear when they start hating me. I seriously doubt I’ll ever be as famous or prolific as Ms. Armstrong, but as my blog has become (slightly) more popular and I’ve had to seriously consider the idea of my book actually OMG getting published and bringing attention to myself…it’s been hard for me to imagine people actively hating me…even though they don’t know me. I don’t like how that feels (who does?) but it seems like I have have a little more trouble dealing with it than other people (case in point Adam – “who cares what other people think – they’re morons and they usually can’t spell”). Anyway, I’ve gotten a little tiny taste of the vitriol this summer when my blog got some serious page views and I really didn’t like it – but learning that people actively hate Ms. Armstrong somehow makes it easier to understand that some people are always just going to be crazy nutbags. And that I can ignore and laugh at those people…hopefully all the way to the bank like Ms. Armstrong.
I’ll also confess that we have the “Utah connection” and though it sounds like we had totally different experiences (in a nutshell she was raised Mormon and I was not) I totally feel like we would bond over that. Um, that sounds all stalker-y, but I mean it in the most normal non-stalker-y way possible (seriously though, CALL ME). Anyway, this was just a post to acknowledge how far behind the curve I am, and to formally rectify said situation.
Done and done.
*Okay, she only wrote one and edited one, but STILL.
From X-men Legacy Annual #1 – which promises a BOLD NEW DIRECTION!
Bold new direction my ass.
Looks like the same old misogynistic bullshit to me.
I mean, SERIOUSLY? I am so tired of this shit.
Just because a girl got some control of her borderline deadly skin touch, does not mean she’s all, “OH, YOU KNOW WHAT? I WILL SERIOUSLY UNZIP MY NEW OUTFIT TO SOMEWHERE BELOW MY BOOBS…FOR THE ENTIRE ISSUE!”
C’mon people, it’s shit like this that makes me wonder why the hell I’m still bothering with superhero comics.
Also, as I’ve discussed before in my Catwoman post this outfit is like physically impossible. I know comics require a certain suspension of disbelief, but this is the kind of crap that just pushes me over the edge – that zipper would have to be governed by otherworldy forces or some kind of magic to stay in that position for one panel, let alone the whole issue. The pressure of those massive boobs on a zipper? Just going to unzip the whole damn thing. Which is maybe the point, which is even MORE annoying. Also, there’s a difference between an outfit designed a bit low cut or showing some cleav, and one that the character actively CHOOSES to wear ZIPPED DOWN TO THEIR STOMACH. C’MON!!!!
Hey comic book artists! These are the kind of things that make people think you’ve never touched (or even seen?) real boobs. Get a freaking clue.
This crap keeps setting us back. Marvel, please take a note, are you ready? UR DOING IT WRONG.
So I’ve been meaning to blog about this for a while, but I’ve been kind of swamped (you know, jobless, but somehow still full of commitments) and so I’m finally getting to it today – just in time to promote the premiere episode in New York this weekend during New York’s Craft Beer Week.
First things first, if you’re going to be in New York on Sunday, September 20th, you should come out and see the Beer Quest Premiere at the Studio Square Beer Garden in Queens (full details at the bottom of the post).
Beer Quest, is the brainchild of Kieran Valla and my good friend Jonathan LaPearl, both young independent filmmakers with east and west coast sensibilities, and an obvious mutual love for great beer.
Beer Quest is a show that features the people behind the micro brews. It’s part documentary, part comedy and part travel show and it strives to provide a rich cultural and geographical experience for viewers. The show travels to various regions, exploring the history and landmarks of each location they visit, along with sampling all the local beers. The premiere episode is a salute to NYC – featuring Brooklyn Brewery and Sixpoint Craft Ales among others. Beer Quest is currently being marketed as a TV series, and this is your opportunity to get on board before everyone finds out about it. Finally, this is your chance to be the guy that knows FIRST! 🙂
Along with the premiere of Beer Quest there will be over 40 beers on tap, live music, and a raffle – I’m not sure you can go wrong.
For more on Beer Quest, Mr. LaPearl, and Mr. Valla visit: thebeerquest.blogspot.com
You can also friend Beer Quest on Facebook so that you never miss an event.
BEER QUEST PREMIERE
STUDIO SQUARE BEER GARDEN
35-33 36TH STREET
ASTORIA QUEENS
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th, 2009,
TWO SHOW TIMES – 4:00pm and 8:00pm – BUT BEER ALL THE TIME.
For whatever reason this Fall, I have a disproportionately high number of shows I’m vaguely to seriously interested in. And as someone that has whittled her television watching down to 30 Rock, The Office, a handful of HBO shows (usually about two per “season”) and a handful of “good” reality programming (also strangely clocking in at about two per “season”) I’m not sure why I’m so interested in what’s going on via my window to the world this Fall – chock it up to unemployment, contributing to a new TV review blog, or perhaps avoidance of really hard projects that “technically” have no deadline. Whatever the reason I wanted to highlight what I’m planning to check out.
Modern Family (ABC). On paper this SO does not look like my show. But two different previews literally had me laughing out loud (even Adam laughed out loud – which is almost impossible for sitcom television unless your name is 30 Rock, maybe The Office). So two good previews is proof enough to me that it deserves a shot.
Bored To Death (HBO). I’m a big Jason Schwartzman fan, so already, before we even get started I’m in. I loved him in I Heart Huckabees and from the previews, while it is a totally different character, the show seems to have a similar off beat sensibility that I think I’ll enjoy. I like the idea of an amateur private investigator, and if feels like that concept could have ideas for years and years without getting stale. I also love the idea of someone that is struggling with writing a book for um…obvious reasons.
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO). I’ve always like Curb, despite my general dislike of uncomfortable television, but I’ve somehow fallen off the wagon with Curb. This year I fully intend to get back on.
The Good Wife (CBS). I have to admit to personal bias on this – my boyfriend works on this show and so I have a vested interest in it being good and doing well. That said, I think the show looks good. I’m a fan of Julianna Margulies and I have it on good authority that the scripts are really good. I also feel like CBS is doing a great job of promoting this show, and so I feel like they’re pretty committed to it, which makes me slightly less nervous about getting invested in it myself.
Flash Forward (ABC). This show wins the advertising war for me hands down this year. I am tuning in for that hook alone. The cast looks good,the production values look good, the writing seems good, but it’s the hook my friends, the hook had me at hello. Just that shot of everyone falling down in the bank all at the same time insured that I would at least tune in for one episode. We’ll see how it goes from there. But the concept, while dangerous in terms of running out of steam, is original and fascinating.
Community (NBC). I’m really on the fence with this one. I’ll probably give it a chance, if only because of where it falls in the line up, but I haven’t been that wowed by any of the previews. I really like Joel McHale from E!’s The Soup, but the last time I saw Chevy Chase it was in that terrible Law & Order episode that was loosely (or you know, exactly) based on the “Mel Gibson situation” and I was really unimpressed. Then again, The Three Amigos was on cable the other day and he was hilarious. I’ll give it a shot, but call me cruel, with this much already on my tentative viewing schedule I’m not setting my Tivo until I laugh out loud half a dozen times. I’d love for it to be another must see like The Office, but I’m suspicious it’s going to be a little more must miss like My Name Is Earl.
New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS). I know this isn’t new. But I’ve decided this year I’m going to try to watch it. Every single time I’ve caught an episode in the past, or even just part of one, it’s been funny. Like, laugh out loud funny. And I love Julia Louis-Dreyfus, so why aren’t I watching it? I think mostly cause it’s in a crappy time slot for me, I never remember it’s on, but this is what Tivo is for. It’s going on the Tivo, I’ll report back if it stays on.
I’m considering trying out Dollhouse (FOX) again since they’ve added Alexis Denisof to the cast, but we’ll see. I watched about half a dozen episodes last season and just couldn’t get on board, despite my usual love of all things Joss Whedon and the great concept.
I’ve also been kind of vaguely interested in Fringe, but with all this other TV it’s unlikely its got a chance to be added to the schedule.
It would be great if all these shows were awesome, but honestly, it’s a good thing if they don’t all deliver. I’m already watching or planning to watch Project Runway, Top Chef, The Office, 30 Rock, The Venture Brothers, Big Love, and Flight of the Conchords – and if I’m honest I’m also watching Flipping Out and Rachel Zoe and every episode of HGTV’s House Hunters (long story) that I can get my hands on – so that is A LOT of television for me. Not to mention I’ve started Netflixing Mad Men so I can catch up with the rest of the world on that one.
Somehow it seems wrong to root for some of these fail though…so I guess instead I’ll try to prepare myself for a lot of couch time. Quite frankly, not a problem. 🙂
Last week’s DC Nation page featured a Wonder Woman renumbering controversy that fans of Wonder Woman hold dear to their heart – the issue is this – Why the hell is the preeminent female superhero of the DC Universe currently on issue #45 while Superman and Batman are edging towards #700?
Wonder Woman, like her Justice League teammates has actually had just short of 600 issues, however her title has been relaunched so many times that she’s now “technically” only on issue #45 of her latest relaunch. And there’s been a campaign going on to get her the recognition she’s earned. Well the fan cries have been heard because last week Editor-In-Chief Dan Didio addressed the issue in DC Nation and gave fans an opportunity to actually make a difference: send in a postcard in favor of Wonder Woman getting renumbered to #600 and if they receive 600 postcards, it will be done.
Now, I hate blogging about Wonder Woman because I always feel a bit like a wolf in sheep’s clothing as I’m really not a true fan. I keep trying…I WANT to love her so badly. But no writer has been able to make it happen for me yet. So why should I bother blogging about this issue? Three reasons.
1. I think it’s great when DC (or any corporation) actively wants to listen to their fans – and truly gives them an opportunity to voice opposition or approval and affect change, as Dan Didio is doing with this postcard pledge.
2. I’m not a big fan of revamping and “relaunching” books in general, so I see this as a way to right those wrongs. Not that books don’t sometimes need an update, or when they’ve gone horribly wrong, don’t deserve (or yearn for) a fresh start, but I’m pretty against starting off with an “ALL NEW FIRST ISSUE!” every time things get tough. I understand that it gets people excited and likely sales briefly spike, I get it, but as a long time reader I’m not a fan. It makes being a reader (and a collector) a huge pain.
“You’re talking about issue #3 right? Oh, wait, which issue #3…would that be volume 1, volume 2, the super secret alternative arc volume 8? ARGH!”
And I do believe it’s some of that madness that freaks other “normal” people (i.e. non comics fans) out and away from comics. Comics are DAMN complicated. And they don’t have to be. Sure, relaunch a title with a new creative team…but you don’t have to call it “ALL NEW WONDER WOMAN ISSUE #1” and undo the last 200 or however many issues.
There are of course cases where relaunching a book with an all new #1 has worked and been a huge benefit, not just in sales but in content and direction, but in general I’m not a fan, especially when the character isn’t changing. For example, though I’m personally not a fan of the ALL NEW Batgirl #1 relaunch, it makes sense for that to be a new series in a way, because it’s a new character. Sure it’s still Batgirl, but it’s no longer Cass Cain (much to my chagrin) so I find that more palatable. But Wonder Woman, in all her incantations over the years, is still Diana. And she earned the hell out of that #600.
3. I’m a feminist. Whether Wondy and I have come to love each other or not, she still deserves the same recognition as her teammates. And I think it’s only fair to acknowledge that as a female superhero, she’s actually had a much harder time becoming a success than Superman and Batman, and yet she has prevailed and stood the test of time. She deserves the recognition of each one of those issues she struggled for.
Didio made a decent point in his argument that he thinks the #45 is less off putting to possible new fans than the #600, but I just don’t think it’s really that much less off putting. 45 issues is still nearly four years of issues – so it’s not like it’s issue #3 or something and you can just jump on board with zero drama.
Anyway, if you agree with me, or if you have your own reasons. Send a postcard in to Dan Didio at DC proclaiming that you want Wonder Woman to start renumbering at #600. My postcard is in the mail. See?
Hello fans of 1979 Semi-Finalist!
I wanted to give all of you heads up that I’m a contributor to the new The Best Show’s You’re Not Watching blog, and this week my first post – a review of the HBO series Hung went up.
Please head on over and check it out. Leave comments about the post there – so that I become their most valued contributor 😉 and don’t forget to sign up to follow the site on twitter if you like what you see.
Thanks for the support everyone.
I’m not generally a big fan of musicals – which is good as a lot of them – especially the older ones of course – tend to be pretty anti-feminist and anti-progressive in general. However, a few musicals from my childhood have slipped through the cracks and remained good memories for me – Grease 2, A Chorus Line, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers, West Side Story – I know it’s an unusual group – but gimme a break. Anyway, The Sound of Music has always been one of those fairly pristine happy musical memories.
No longer.
And man do I wish I could go back in time and NOT catch it again on television this past weekend. Ignorance is bliss and all that.
I mean, we all know those ‘I Am Sixteen Going On Seventeen‘ lyrics are a feminist nightmare, but the choreography in that scene has always belied the true nature of Liesel and Rolfe’s relationship – a far more interesting and intelligent girl hoping to seduce a rather dense and shy boy. And so I was always able to pretty well rationalize away the ramifications of that song – in my own mind at least.
However, I had completely forgotten (or deliberately blocked out?) the fact that ‘How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria‘ – a somewhat lighthearted and silly song sung by the nuns early on, is also played while Maria walks down the aisle dressed in shockingly virginal white.
Really movie people? REALLY?!
So I mean, I’m not exactly making a big leap here when I say you’re suggesting that you solve a problem like Maria by marrying her off? Considering this movie was made in 1965…ugh. The insult is then further exasperated by including a shot of the nuns looking on almost hungrily from behind the gates (bars?) of the abbey as Maria gets married. SO, not ONLY do you solve a problem like Maria by marrying her off – but we want to make sure to further reinforce that women are nothing if not married – either to a man or to God (and by the wistful looks on the nuns faces – preferably a man) by showing seemingly desperate nuns looking longingly into the ceremony?
As if that was not enough, one of the only scenes with Maria (that isn’t singing) post wedding, is when she tentatively tries to advocate for the children singing in the Salzburg Music Festival – at which time she is immediately shut down by her husband. And unlike the brash outspoken ‘fight the good fight’ woman she was as a single governess – a woman who would never step down from what she believes in – as a “happily” married wife she literally steps back, puts her hands behind her back, and lightly bows her head in acquiescence to Captain VonTrapp’s orders. Shortly thereafter she sings a bit of ‘Sixteen Going On Seventeen‘ with Liesel in which they both longingly sing about ‘belonging to a man’ – good role modeling Maria, good role modeling.
All this to say DAMN YOU FEMINISM FOR RUINING THE SOUND OF MUSIC FOR ME! Damnit! I’m never going to be able to watch this shit with a clear conscience again.
And here’s the real question – if I have kids someday – do I put them in front of it? I mean, certainly once they’re old enough they can choose what they want to watch – but when they’re young enough that I’m choosing for them – do I want to corrupt their little minds with these antiquated ideas – that they may not even realize are ridiculous and antiquated until far too late? Damnit I say again.
Completely Unrelated Sidenote: I cannot believe how gorgeous Austria is and it has now shot up to the top of my travel wish list.
Well, they revealed Batgirl’s identity in the first issue, which is good. And I have to take back my bitching and moaning about the idea of trying to drag it out. Officially, thank you DC for not dragging it out. Unfortunately…
SPOILER
BUY THE BOOK!
BUY THE BOOK!
