Lost our sense of fun?

Today was the day we celebrated Halloween at work, with everyone allowed to dress as whatever they want as long as it didn't involve a mask. (federal work site) I was really surprised at the lack of participatation though. Of the over 1000 people that work there, I only saw 20 people at most in costumes.

Have we lost our sense of fun? I know some folks can't afford to do much, but the general feeling of apathy or "how silly" attitude really surprised me. It seems like everything must be taken so seriously these days, and that people are afraid to have fun.

Comic related: Only superhero costume was someone wearing a Wonder Woman suit, not many superheroes who don't have a mask I guess. I colored my hair red, and found a long green shirt and brown pants. Which enabled me to go as Shaggy, outfit cost me about $12 total.

Hana-Kimi Vo. 1
Hisaya Nakajo
English Adaptation by Gerard Jones
Translation by David Ury
Viz, 184 pages $9.95 (February 4, 2004)

Mizuki Ashiya is a young Japanese-American girl who has engineered a transfer to a high school in Japan. She has a crush on Izumo Sanyo, a world class high jumper who goes there, and will do anything to meet him.

When I first heard of the concept my immediate thought was how similar that sounded to the television show Felicity. With the "stalkerish" obsession the two leads have with a boy they know little about. Yet this one has a strange twist in that it's an all boys school.

Ashiya gets around this by pretending to be a boy, and by coincidence winds up rooming with Sanyo. Things get complicated for her quickly though when she learns that Sanyo isn't quite what she expected him to be.

He's not only lost interest in the high jump, but his aloof manner toward everyone and his direct rebuff of her attempts at friendship shatters her preconceived notions of him.

Also complicated matters is the school doctor who learns her secret, and another boy who, despite himself, starts developing romantic feelings for Ashiya.

This is a comedic series at its heart, yet in its humor it does some wonderful exploration on gender expectations and roles. Such as when Ashiya must participate in the soccer game, despite not having any true interest. Because it is expected of her as a guy. Or how she must chide herself about not acting "girly" in how she shows her concern for those around her.

The most interesting aspect though, is her classmate Shoichi's growing feelings for her. He has some trepidation about those feelings at first, because he believes she's a guy and he never believed himself to be gay.

Yet his eventual acceptance of those feelings is really well done, and was the highlight of the book for me. Because its a mature take to have a character get over their own built in belief system, and be true to their own feelings.

The art is lovely detailed, with faces lavishly detailed and backgrounds full of realized. Sometimes it is a bit too much though. Some of the panels overabundance of details can make it hard to distinguish what exactly I am looking at.

The panel sizes and layouts are pretty varied as well. I couldn't tell in some instances what to read next and found myself reading things out of order.

Yet still it is a fun series, with likeable characters, in a story that makes me think and should remain fun for a while. There is an unconnected backup story, about a young girl being pulled in by a bad boy. The art was lovely, but I thought the characterizations lacked some of the heart that the series does. Or perhaps I just don't get the whole "bad boy" fixation one.

Quick Note

Just a quick note tonight, I've been a too sick with a stomach flu to do much. I hope to do some big writing tomorrow and over the weekend. Here is my amusing comic book related link:

I wonder if they don't sell the bible either? A comic book creators who does series based on stories in the bible has trouble selling his book in some Christian stores because:

some Christians object to the graphic images of their comics. Samson, for instance, has been criticized for being "too violent and racy," and some distributors refused to supply Christian bookstores with the graphic novel.

The Bible is one of the most violent and racy books that was ever produced. It strikes me as a a wee bit odd that readers would expect it to be sanitized in another form.

Target Marvel Age Line Expands

Holiday Special - I wonder how retailers feel about stories from a book that wasn't solicited until last month to them, are out now in this collection?

Contains:

"Have Yourself a Sandman Little Christmas" Marvel Team-Up #1 [1971] - Spidey and the Human Torch team-up against the Sandman on Christmas Eve. In this story by Roy Thomas and Ross Andru.

"Demon" Uncanny X-Men #143 [1980] - Kitty Pryde finds herself spending Christmas Eve along at the X-Mansion, until a deadly menace intrudes on her solitude. In a story by Chris Claremont and John Byrne.

"Down and Out in Forest Hills" Amazing Spider-Man #314 [1988] - Peter and MJ are evicted from their apartment on Christmas Eve. In this tale by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane.

"Rhino Plastered" Incredible Hulk #378 [1990] - The Incredible Hulk finds Rhino working as a mall Santa, in this comedic take on Christmas by Peter David and Bill Jaaska.

Also new to the line are:

Mary Jane - Collecting the first four issues of Mary Jane Watson's life as a high school teen, by Sean McKeever and Takeshi Miyazawa.

Hulk - Collecting Marvel Age Hulk #1-4, a series I didn't know even existed.

Spider-Man Team-Up - Collecting Marvel Age Spider-Man Team-Up #1-3 by Todd Dezago and illustrated by various. With stories of the wall-crawler meeting the Fantastic Four, Captain America, Kitty Pryde, and Thor.

New Comics Blog

Tom Spurgeon, former Managing Editor and then Executive Editor of The Comics Journal magazine. Has a new blog titled, The Comics Reporter. As an admirer of his work, I look forward to following the variety of content he'll have to offer there, so be sure to check it out.

The Wallflower 1: Yamatonadeshiko Shichihenge
by TOMOKO HAYAKAWA
$10.95, Del Rey, 224 pages (October 12, 2004)


This comedic series follows 4 teenage boys, who are the cutest, most popular guys in school. When they get a chance to live in an incredible mansion for free they are ecstatic. The only one condition being that they must turn the owner's niece into a proper lady.

How much of a problem could that be for the four coolest guys on the planet? Well they've never met a girl like Sunako Nakahara before. After an experience as a young girl, where a boy she liked called her ugly. She's given up on beauty, feminity and the outside world in general. She likes horror movies, has pimples, frizzy-hair, no fashion sense, and has huge nosebleeds whenever she gets excited.

As the boys try to bring her out of her shell, as a reader I found myself attracted to her stubborn independence. While the reasons she's withdrawn into herself are a bit tragic, I got a sense that she likes who she is and what she does.

So seeing the boys efforts to change who she is can be an interesting parallel to how people always try to get others to join in what they like. Not really taking into account the virtues of individuality and letting others like what they want.

This is a title fraught with inconsistency and repetition though. The jokes as the boys try and fail over and over to get Sunako to change aren't really different enough to not get old as you read more. There is also the feeling that what Sunako wants to do isn't right, even though she seems perfectly happy doing it.

Which sort of sends and odd message I thought. Yes she probably does need to get out a little more, but showing her interests and entire behavior as wrong seems to go across the line a bit. Though near the end that starts to perhaps change, when she kicks the ass of people who do one of her friends wrong.

This title could be interesting as it progresses and gets past the world building phase. Yet it needs to do so fast, or I can't see readers sticking around long for the same joke over and over. Unless they are going for the traditional superhero comic audience who does seem to want the same gross thing over and over again.

Odd Interview

Italian Comic Webstie Interviews Writer Ron Marz - Yet so far the interview is all about US politics rather than comics. Do Italian comic readers really care what a US comic writer thinks about US politics? Ron makes some great points I thought, but still it just seems odd.

The interview is split into two sections, the top half is in Italian, and then the bottom half is the same interview in English.

I'm a sick man!

I went browsing today, just wanting to get out and get some errands done and have a breath of fresh air before coming home to read and do some writing. I have a TON of unread books here, that I really want to sit down and read.

Yet while out I saw such GREAT looking stuff that I just couldn't pass up!!

At the Flea Market I get:


PERSONALITY COMICS: THE NEW CREW Marina Sertis

Along with a Jonathan Frakes bio comic from a company called Celebrity Comics, which I can't find a cover for. I have plenty to read, and only a marginal interest in these actors, but darn it at $1.50 it was too good a deal to pass up.

It deepens though, as I then go to the mall where the local Waldens Bookstore had these manga/mahnwa books that again I just couldn't pass up not buying:


Sensual Phrase #4


Hikaru no Go #2


Couple #2 CPM

The last one I know NOTHING about, except that the cover looked cute. The interior art doesn't have the angular and cold look, that most of the Korean books I'd seen before.

I have plenty to read, but there is just so much cool stuff out there. I guess I just have to face it, I'm a manga addict.

What makes matters worse, is that I then come home but instead of reading I have an allergy attack. So I've been too busy sneezing to do any reading. Maybe tomorrow!

Quick Bits & Pieces

The Target Exclusive Marvel Age line of magazine collections has expanded once again. Today I saw new volumes for "Emma Frost" and "Spider-Girl" containing the same material as in the digests.

Apparently the TPBs at Target didn't work out though. Since I saw both the "Avengers" and "X-Men: Evolution" TPBs on the clearance racks. Marked down to $6.98, from the original $14.99 price.

I was also amazed at how Manga has now been extended to 4 full shelves at my local Waldens Bookstore. It is a fairly small store, so seeing such an expansion was a pleasant surprise.

I visited my sister today, and my nephew was playing the X-Men: Legends game for the Playstation 2. I watched for a bit, and was pretty amazed at how the graphics made it almost a comic book come to life.

I then found myself greatly amused while trying to figure out who the "blue naked guy" was. While wondering how it got past the ratings people, since you could see his butt. (It turned out to be Iceman!)

(Edit: The material in Emma Frost at least, is not the same as in the digest. It has been edited for space and content to fit the 96 pages format. Thanks to Dave for the correction!)

Quick Thoughts on Recent Marvels

She-Hulk #8 - I've only been reading the series for the past month and a half, but the writing on the book is so incredibly strong that I'm hooked already.

I never knew much about She-Hulk before, but the humor Slott instills is actually funny, which is hard to do in comics. His ability to introduce the characters and storyline in such a way that it doesn't seem forced is great. I read too many comics, and so I needed this quick recap of how She-Hulk is under obligation to challenge the Champion in order to free a world.

The approach she takes to win, and just the fresh, positive feel of the series has me so invested.

The art is serviceable, but lacks a certain energy and the lack of diversity in facial expressions hurt some of the jokes. I'd started with the Pelltier drawn issues which had that energy, so this issue with a different artist was a slight let down. Yet still a fun read over all.


Warlock #2 - I know zip about Adam Warlock, and so I don't know how "wrong" this take could be to fans of the character.

I just know I'm really enjoying this very cerebral look at the super/science fiction hero myth. The exploration of what one should do with the power to do anything, and questioning what is right and wrong thing to do has been great. The Janie character offer the counterpoint option of compassion, to the cold intellect of the scientists. She is a great character, and is as key to the series as Adam.

I can't wait to see where this series is going, as I really have no inkling of its ultimate destination.


Madrox #2 - I missed #1, it was sold out by the time I got to the shop, but remember reading most of it online somewhere anyway. I was still able to follow it though,a s the script brought me up to speed very quickly.

Once again I know nothing about the character, hmm a weird trend that the 3 Marvel comics I get are ones on characters I don't know, but what I've seen has me intrigued. Jamie is such a fun character, and his power is quite imaginative and one that would seem to lean towards some terrific stories.

The mystery of what has happened to his duplicate has me curious to see its conclusion, and the characters are just so darn likeable that I want to see more of them.

I especially like the lush atmosphere the artist brings to the book, the world is fully realized and seems real as I read it. I like the attention to detail as well. Even though he's drawing the same character over and over again, each has a unique personality that comes through even if the character doesn't speak.

Wow three Marvel titles in one week that I really like. Maybe there is hope for the big two after all.

Quick Tuesday Link Blog

Ron Marz's first Creative Process Column at Pulse has a lot of gorgeous preview art to his Samurai: Heaven & Hell series from Dark Horse Comics. As well as some great insight into comics like this:

Comics, like every other form of entertainment, are cyclical. You get your time occupying a prime spot on the merry-go-round, of being hot, and after a while, somebody takes your place.

Newsarama on Identity Crisis #5The heroes take a proactive stance against the villains of the DCU...at the cost of lives on both sides of the crisis! Unfortunately, nothing can prevent another loss in a hero's private life. With the stakes raised for everyone involved, things are going to get a lot worse before they get better!

Yeah who doesn't want more comics where despite the heroes best efforts, they fail to save lives? Who doesn't like for things to get a lot worse before they get better?

DC's hit on a "killer" idea to help sell books. Kill a supporting character a month, as you can always make more, especially if they are women. As only through tragedy and misery can good stories be told.

Right?

Comics of Interest

From Charles LePage's ComicList, these are the comics that I find interesting. All of which will hit comic shops this week.

AFTERBURN COMICS
Little White Mouse Vol 1 Perfect Collection TPB (resolicited), $12.95

Good to see this book about a young woman stranded alone on a space station finally arrive in the new manga sized digest format. The artist's style has a heavy manga influence, so should make the shift to smaller size incredibly well.

DEL REY
Othello Vol 1 GN, $10.95
Wallflower Vol 1 GN, $10.95

I picked up these two volumes at a book store chain nearly two weeks ago and they look promising.

Othello is about a girl with a split personality, one a nice innocent girl who lets others run over, the other a hard nosed "take no crap" force. Seeing how the different sides of herself relate to the people in her life should be interesting.

Wallflower is about a young girl who three young teenage boys try to teach to be a proper woman. The art looks quite impressive, and I'm looking forward to covering it and Othello when time permits.

RENAISSANCE PRESS
Amelia Rules Superheroes #3 (Of 6), $2.95

I really love Amelia Rules! , a PEANUTS like series about a young girl as she makes friends and has adventures in a new town. I'd like to try this miniseries, but wasn't preordering at the time, so will have to wait on the hopefully eventual trade.


VIZ

Video Girl Ai Vol 4 TPB 2nd Ed, $9.99

I really dig this Xanadu like series, about a young angel like figure whose purpose is to help young people win their true loves. Yet when she and her charge find themselves falling for each other, they find trouble from those up above who think they know better.

Ultimates, Rebirths, Reboots and Rehashes

Anyone looking at the superhero genre today, will notice a lot of familiar stories being told, or should I say retold over and over again.

Superheroes have always been a formulaic genre, but never quite to the extent as they are today. Be it Spider-Man taking on Electro for the 100th time in Amazing Spider-Man #400, or taking him on for the "first time" in Ultimate Spider-Man. They are still the same basic story.

Which means a lot of talent is required to make the story seem fresh and exciting to the audience. It still happens from time to time, Ellis and Immonen on Ultimate Fantastic Four for one, but as time goes on it seems fewer and farther between.

Be it Hal Jordan's return in Green Lantern, Marvel's Ultimate line, or the Legion of Super-Heroes reboot. All have become attempts at appealing the audiences, by revisiting characters and stories of times long gone.

This can work in the short term with some fans who just want to reread newer versions of the stories they read back then. Yet in the long run I think it will end in a zero sum game.

You can't really recapture past glory by copying stories of the past. By attempting to do so the people involved miss out on what made those stories great in their time.

Be it the Great Darkness Saga in Legion of Super-Heroes, Batman versus the Joker in The Killing Joke or other classic confrontations. What made those stories great wasn't writers attempting to recapture the feel of some older story, there weren't any to do so. It was creators who had a fresh idea or challenge for the book to follow, marking their own path.

Yet you rarely see that in many of todays superhero comics. Whether it is lack of interest and/or talent by todays creators, there seems to be nothing truly new happening in todays stories. When was the last time a truly new menace battled Batman? Or a new awkward situation challenged the future status of the Legion of Super-Heroes? I can't recall any, because the books today too often rely on the familiar paths.

Perhaps that why I find myself so drawn to the new or at least lesser used characters that the big two have to offer. They haven't had their classic run yet or set boundaries, and thus more can happen in them, then can ever really happen in most of the long-standing DC and Marvel series.

Comparing High School Football & LSH Comics

I went to my first high school football game in 16 years last night. If you've never been to one in the state of Texas, you are missing out on one of the oddest events you'll ever see.

The cities and towns take their games so seriously, and the traditions and such are so weird. That it left me thinking how close it was to the Legion of Super-Heroes traditions:

Football Game

Program required to know the players.

Before game players touch ceramic tiger for luck.

Fans both young and old dress up as football players and in strange outfits wishing they were playing.

Boys wear loose fitting, covering everything bland uniforms/outfits. Girls wear tiny sparkled and very revealing outfits.

Good sportmanship, challenging yourself while interacting with others is voiced. But basically comes down to beating the crap out of the other team, until you win.

Tries to live in past, with halftime music numbers being from the Westside Story play.

"Yay maroon, yay white, yay tigers fight fight fight!" is team slogan.

Older fans moan about kids constantly acting up and going their own path, and how great going to the game was when they were kids.

Legion of Super-Heroes

Whos Who required to know members.

Legionnaires "touched" on head to choose leader.

Fans of the Legion both young and old show dressed as members or in their own unique outfits, wishing they were members.

Boys wear loose fitting, covering everything bland uniforms/outfits. Girls wear tiny, sparkled, very revealing outfits.

Good citizenship, challenging yourself while interacting with others is voiced. But basically comes down to beating the crap out of the other team, until you win.

Tries to live in past by retelling old stories, and having events go in familiar directions.

"Long live the Legion!" is team slogan.

Older fans moan about kids constantly acting up and going their own path, and how great reading the comics was when they were kids.



It was an interesting evening to behold, that anyone writing about kids and hasn't been one in a while should definitely go to one for research if nothing else.

Sitting in the General admission section right next to the student section, I was able to view the different "caste" stations and age groupings. From young pre-teen on their own for the first time, to high school senior who this was their last year. It reminded me of some things I missed from when I was a kid, and others that I'm glad I've thankfully left behind.

Comic fans are "charming"

I knew I would find it as soon as I read this report at Newsarama about Mia, the teen girl who has been staying with Green Arrow, learning she was HIV positive in the newest issue.

The DC Message board hasn't let me down:

Aahh the Pedro Homage. We all knew it was coming

Darkcrisis77 says:I was wondering when the Pedro homage would be stuck in!

Atleast Winnick never disappoints there!

I was SURE it would ANOTHER gay character but we got a twist this time around!

Yippee! I SSSUUURREEE miss Pedro.


lukesdad : Im surprised it took him this long.

Im surprised that Winnick married that girl from the Real World. I figured he would dig up Pedro's bones and have a commitment ceremony with the skeleton.


The HIV issue

theniceman says :
Posted: 2004-10-13 21:34:03.0 I think it is very very dangerous and mean to give a message to children that someone with AIDS is "ok."
Especially with a non-super powered hero to suggest that they are not weakened and hurt, diminished physically is to suggest that the necessary precaustions that they must take against catching not only AIDS but MANY infectious diseases is misleading.

Should those with the disease be lauded for their struggle and sometimes bravery? Of course. Should we glamorize the disease and even suggest it is no big deal? Hell no!!!

theniceman : Take a look at her in her costume. A perfect sexy britney/christina blonde with a perfect body in skin tight uniform fighting evil along with the alien princess, and the rest. Super-heroes are glamorous, or didn't you know that?

Let her teeth fall out like what happened to the friend of MINE that got AIDS and then put her on the cover of the next Teen Titans annual! He was also of the opinion that getting AIDS was no big deal and so he dated a man with AIDS and that was how he got sick. At the time I tried to explain that there was no such thing as safe sex with someone with AIDS....but now he has no teeth.

For the record, I don't talk to him anymore. He continued after getting sick to have sex with people that he barely knew and not telling them. He believed that as long as he was "careful" they didn't have a right to know.


I personally don't know what to think about the story. I think in some regards it is good for comics to tackle social issues, but on the other hand this being a female character who has this negative thing happen is yet another in a long line of bad things happening to female characters there lately.

I thinkit is far too soon to label it as glamorizing before we see the story, and the attacks about Pedro are petty and should have them banned. Yet it shoould be interesting to see further reaction as the story actually progresses.

I want this!

Found this on ebay where the artist behind this bbook is selling a reproduction of the cover. The book is an "Adventures with the DCU" style book created by DC for ConEdison. Featuring the JLA, JSA, Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes and others, with a cover story titled "Learn why electricity and water don't mix." Which is fun I bet.

I wonder how many of these type of books that DC does a year? I remember as a kid reading the Radio Shack Superman ones, as well as a Supergirl seatbelt safety book.

Funny Iron Fist Related Story

Ron Marz was asked on his board about an old Iron Fist story in Marvel Comics Namor Anuual #3. He had a lot of interesting insights, but the best was about the cover:


One more nuggest: for the cover, Brian Stelfreeze did a painting of a woman in a kimono. The kanji on her sash says, "I am wearing no underwear." We didn't tell that one to the editor.

Other Quick Comic Takes

Sabrina #61 - It's Halloween in Sabrina's world, and the cool rich girl who hates her is throwing a party and invites everyone but her. Harvey foils the snob's plan by inviting Sabrina to be his guest though.

Which is good because there is a new girl in school, who claims to be a witch and so Sabrina wants to investigate given the magical world's rules against letting the "muggles" know about them.

This was the first issue of the Tania Del Rio run that didn't quite work for me. While the new friend Sabrina makes has promise and Salem the cat's new friend is cute. The book seemed very disjointed, with not enough time given to any one point to make me care. It is great to be ambitious, but too much at once seemed to happen here.

Adam Strange #1 - I don't know a heck of a lot about Adam Strange, and what little I do know has always struck me as very silly. Yet Diggle and Ferry make me care and like the character in one action packed, but still dramatically powerful issue.

It doesn't happen very often from DC and Marvel, but I can hardly wait for issue #2. As I'm involved right along with Adam, in wanting to know the mystery behind Adam's adopted home of RANN's disappearance.

Ambush Bug #1 (1985) - Almost twenty years later and this story is just as funny today as it must have been then. As the quirky green detective/super-hero takes on Republican terrorists who want congress to support new nerve gas production.

He is joined on this adventure by his trustee sidekick Cheeks the Toy Wonder. A lifeless stuffed toy doll, who so cutely gets batted, tossed and knocked around. Yet eventually winds up helping to save the day.

It feature hilarious political commentary, with hyper antics that are as relevant today as they were way back then.

Teen Titans/Legion of Super-Heroes Special #1

I used to be a HUGE LSH fan, but in recent years the concept went on a downward spiral that made me drop the series. With news of Mark Waid and Barry Kitson coming on board, to restart the series. I decided to get this book which promised to send off the current version, in order to make way for the new take.

On first read, the sendoff is one last whimper for a take on the concept that left me disappointed in recent years. Then when I read it again, I was fascinated by what seems to be a great commentary on why a new reboot is needed.

Recent stories especially have left the team's world a mass of rubble, as epitomized by the team's HQ being the mess they find it in. When disaster after disaster happens, the world the characters live in becomes such a mess that rebuilding in it can be more trouble than its worth.

The influx of SO many characters over such a short span of time, has left the team's members as individuals fairly undefined. When reading this issue I was struck by how, other than Brainiac 5, most of the dialogue was interchangeable and not distinctive of any one character.

Add in confusing subplots that even the character's can't explain, Live Wire's attempt at doing so about being in Element Lad's body was hilarious, and that most of the readers probably don't care about. Which in the end meant that the cutting of ties to what this version of the concept became, couldn't have come fast enough.

On the reverse side the little preview we get of the new take, is very promising. Teen rebellion has always been a classic theme to explore, and this one looks like it will take that theme to places it hasn't been in a while.

Instead of a military group as some previous versions had been, this looks to have the Legion be a movement for change. Which should make for a challenging read, as such stories rarely rely on "who is the toughest" to solve the problems at their heart.

Monday Links and Bits

I used the Columbus Day Holiday, it pays to be a government employee sometimes, to do some comic shopping today.

I picked up:

Teen Titans/Legion of Super-Heroes Special - Which looks to put the wraps on the current version of the LSH team, while setting up the new version to come.

Legionnaires 3 - A four issue miniseries featuring the 3 Legion founders (Saturn Girl, Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad) against the Time Trapper.

Adam Strange #1 - Andy Diggle and Pascal Ferry version of the character, looked far too interesting to pass up.

Ambush Bug - For years I've heard great things about this character who Keith Giffen created. When I saw one of the shops had 5 issues featuring the character in a pack for $6 I decided to give it a look.

TV Shows on DVD site has the news that DVDs of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" will start being released in 2005. I loved this show when it was on, as I thought it showed a true human side to the characters and was just a really fun show.

Too bad this news comes on the day after Superman movie actor Christopher Reeves passed away. His movies were what introduced me to the character, and made me want to read the comics as a kid. He always seemed to handle himself with true class both on and off screen, and was someone I really looked up to. He will be missed.