9 - JLA: Tower Of Babel

Just finished the JLA: Tower Of Babel arc, issues 43 to 46, and I thought it was alright. I picked this up on a recommendation from CGS, they have mentioned this story a few time in the show. I say this arc is only 'alright' because the idea was very cool, but the execution could have been better. The editing took me out of the story a few time, but these might just be nit picks, when they say Ras is an Asian and when wally freaks on GL about mentioning Hal. I thought Ras was middle eastern and I would think Wally wouldn't care so much cause Hal was Barry's friend not his so much. But any who, over all I thought the idea behind the story was cool and it was a fun old read. I never really read JLA when it was coming out, and I will always pick up a story with Batman predominant in it.

8 - More "Black" Superheroes Movie in Next Decade?

First let me explain my title. I ask the question because in the last 10 years there have been more live action superhero movies in America than in the previous 50 years (not sure on accuracy got it from wiki wiki). With only a hand full of them staring a black or a non-white main character. (one of them was catwoman *yikes*) I quote "black" because I am talking about non-white characters in leading roles, not just black characters in leading roles.

Let me start by saying that there is no magic number or ratio that I need to see in order for me to be happy with the representation of minority characters in comic book movies, I would just like to see more than I have seen. The decade started with X-Men and ended with Jonah Hex (*yeah I know great book ends*), and of the 30 or so comic based movies that were released 3 of these movies stared a legitimate minority (not counting Hellboy), and two of those were Blade (granted, they were pretty kick ass). The only other examples of minorities being portrayed were in the X-Men movies co-staring storm (who didn't get her due till 3) and then Nemo in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (lets face it, no one got there due in that one).



It just makes me sad to not be able to see some superhero characters that look like me and I can relate to up on the big screen. I am hoping that in the future we can get maybe some John Stewart Green Lantern, T'Challa Black Panther, or Luke Cage Powerman on the big screen. With all the sequels comin out I really don't want to see continuations of Blank-Man or Meteorman in the next decade(lol).

7.2 Loot from Buckeye comic con

I'm just gonna give the highlights of the cool stuff I got. My best find was an issue two of TMNT first print of the Mirage run. A book like this is selling for well over 50 on ebay and I got it for 15 smackers, talked down from 20. Woot. I also got some earlier issues of Invincible, 14 17 and 18 for five bucks each. They are in great condition and just what I have been looking to add to my collection. All I need now are issues 1-13, and that will probably cost me. I also finally got issue 33 of Brave and the Bold featuring Zatanna, Wonder Woman, and Batgirl (Barb) which is pretty hard to find and also hard hitting with the twist on the end. Thank to the CGS guys for recommending it. I also got a we bit of Ultimate Spider-man, Ultimate Fantastic Four, and Ultimate Avengers 3, with a lil chunk of Green Lantern to fill in some holes. Great show and looking forward to the next one.

Post 7.1 - Graphic Biography on Malcolm X and I Missed Another Post

I missed another post, but I'll do two again today, the second of which will be a rundown of my loot from the buckeye comic con.

Right now, I'll be talking about a graphic novel of Malcolm X's biography. Too me Malcolm X is just the other side of the same coin Martin Luther King Jr is on, and they both are some historical figures that I look up to. I had read this graphic novel, by Andrew Helfer art by Randy Duburke, a few years ago and found it very enlightening. Up until that point I had only had the Spike Lee movie 'X' to influence me. This book had some details in it about Malcolm's life that I did not know about, along with corrections the movie had changed. I was finally able to buy the book when I was in New York and I stopped in to an activist book store and coffee shop.

If your into American history, civil right leaders, or just true stories about tragic lives you should check this out.

Post 5 - My Favorite Comic Strip

I have never been much of a comic strip guy, excepted for Garfield in the 5th grade and now with the Boondocks. This post is about the latter.

I was and am a big fan of the show, and this inspired me to check out the source material. This stuff is pretty funny. It is very sharp witty humor about politics, society, and culture. I got a couple of the books; hilarious all the way through.

Post 4.2 - Why I am a DC guy

You may or may not be able to tell that I am a DC comic guy. In the past I have not put much thought into why, I just read a lot of Batman, Green Lantern, and Lobo (it was the 90s.) Now that I have put some thought into it, I still don't think I really know why, but I will do my best to explain.

I guess, the first reason to come to mind is because they have my favorite characters, but that's a pretty cheap reason. To me their characters were more believable in their world. I know that sounds odd because its a world with supermen and living gods, but hear me out. Marvel stories took place in New York City or at least visited regularly, and this was cool, but it took me out of it because I never saw spider-man swing through, the FF fight a Moleman, or the Avengers beat Loki in time square. See, Marvel took our world and built on top of it, where DC built their world, seemingly, from the ground up. Gotham was maybe a city I could visit and see some strung up bad guys hanging from a lamp post, or travel to Metropolis and see Superman fly by. The whole world was believable to the child me for this reason. It was a completely different world from the ground up, so everything meshed to me; real New York and Marvel New York did not.

Second, to me they had more action, and that was what I was looking for as a kid. Marvel was fine and all but all there characters were out of their costume almost as much as they were in them; this did not appeal to me. I remember reading some current random issues of Spider-man and X-men in the 90s, then I remember reading Green Lantern and Superboy around the same time and the DC stories grabbed me more because of the action.

Last, I have stuck with DC pretty well this long because it has grown with me. They have come out with those more mature stories that hook me now as opposed to the straight action that had me before. It seems the more I learn the more there is to learn, and I love that about the DCU.

Now, While I have digressed in the past by picking up some normal Marvel U books, this has pretty much been eliminated because of the Marvel price point. I'm not saying they are not good stories, I just cannot afford them.

post 4.1- leaked Batman Rising set video (spoiler footage?)

Well, I missed my first post of my 30 day challenge. I thought I would at least make it through the first week, but whatever (2 posts today). Moving on, a buddy of mine (who actually was supposed to make posts on this blog along with me) sent me a link to a Superherohype.com article that featured leaked footage that looked to be from a handheld camera on the set of Batman Rising. They say that the footage is spoiler footage, but I don't get how it could be spoilery seeing that all you get is a out of context fight seen shot from a long way off. No dialog. I mean we know he fights Bane eventually in the move, right? Though, the images are pretty cool to see, they make me ask more questions then they answer. I don't condone this type of leak usually because I like to be as surprised as possible at a movie, especially a Batman movie. I cannot not post though, you know.