tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294125592024-03-06T21:16:04.281-08:00PAUL AND JOHN REVIEWWe tell you what's good.Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.comBlogger205125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-46823279358196957402009-03-31T13:19:00.000-07:002009-03-31T17:36:06.852-07:00Redirect Redirect Redirect!Whelp, that's kind of a wrap for Paul and John Review. Kind of. I've joined up with the rest of Halifax's cool comics bloggers at the new home of <a href="http://www.livingbetweenwednesdays.com">Living Between Wednesdays</a> to bring totally incredible fun and super good times into the world roughly seven times per week.<br /><br />It's likely that there will be new posts here from time to time, but nothing especially comicy. Also, it'll probably turn into "John and anybody who feels like it Review", so god knows what you'll see if you choose to hang around here.<br /><br />Thanks for the good times - see you around!<br /><br />Love,<br /><br />-johnathanSkeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-82566036697425835762009-03-27T02:42:00.000-07:002009-03-27T13:24:12.972-07:00Review of Medicine, by Johnathan<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-size:100%;" >Just this past Tuesday, I went to the hospital and had two wisdom teeth removed. Several aspects of this process seemed worth mentioning:<br /><br />Firstly, I was willfully paying several hundred dollars to a man so that he would <span style="font-style: italic;">remove some of my teeth</span>. This seems strange to me now that I look back on it. On a related note, I said "Thanks" to toe tiny radiologist once she <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">had</span> finished x-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">raying</span> my mouth. This translates to "Thanks for bathing my head with radiation.", which is honestly something I never thought I'd say outside of certain types of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">RPG</span>.<br /><br />Secondly, my doctor (who did a fine job) was named Dr <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Goodday</span>. Not strange in and of itself, but when I signed in I noticed that two of his colleagues were named Dr Precious and Dr Lovely. I have two main theories on this matter:<br /><br />a) When I used to work at a call centre we heard of another call centre where you were allowed to make up a name to use instead of having to tell random strangers who you were. We were not allowed to do this, which is why <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Zoltan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hammertooth</span> is not feared to this day among the wireless -clueless of the Deep South </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;">(this is a lie. A friend of mine and a man named <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Zoltan</span> are currently simulating sex using a series of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Facebook</span> applications and roundly disturbing me, and so the name is naturally enough on my mind. I would have been known as Aristotle Conundrum)</span></span></span> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span></span> </span></div> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;">b) The Oral/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Maxiofacial</span> surgery field has been infiltrated by the Fair Folk. Remember how I mentioned that the woman who blasted my skull with radiation was very small? It is just possible that she was a pixie. Also, Dr <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Goodday</span> was very tall, which is not in and of itself telling, but it is possible that he had the hooves of a goat instead of feet, and we all know what that means.</span></span></span></div> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span></span> </span></div> <div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><br />The third interesting aspect of the whole experience came after I woke up two teeth lighter. Here's the situation: my girlfriend is out of town and has left me her keys. She lives <em>directly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">across</span> the street</em> from the hospital. I have brought my friend <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Yeldarb</span> along as per hospital instructions. Our plan is for him to escort me across the street and into the apartment, where I will spend some time recovering from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Wowie</span> Gas that they gave me. The hospital folk will not hear of this and call me a cab. I feel compelled to apologise to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">cabbie</span> and tip him five dollars. He assures us that this is not the shortest distance he has ever been called upon to drive somebody.<br /><br />Still, I appear to have done pretty well: no bleeding from the mouth, no blinding pain, no (shudder) "dry socket". As far as getting parts of your body removed, the whole thing was JOHN APPROVED.<br /></span></span></span></div>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-28666275560243126172009-03-25T18:09:00.000-07:002009-03-25T20:05:04.080-07:00Part two of that last thing! A long time later! By Johnathan!I may seem to be in the grip of some sort of late-Winter/early-Spring frenzy of procrastination frenzy but I am totally working on really cool things! With <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Paul</span>! Also, I'm procrastinating a lot. But with a girl! Which isn't as bad, I think?<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Anyway:<br /><br />Mr Terrific </span>- Would there even be a Mr Terrific in the Thirtieth Century? Terry Sloane started crime-fighting because he was the very best at everything and was super-duper suicidally bored by it all. But was he smarter than <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Brainiac</span> 5? A better fighter than Karate Kid? More <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">rolly</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">polly</span> than Bouncing Boy? No, no and no. I figure that a Mr Terrific somehow thrust into a legion audition would find himself feeling suicidally <span style="font-style: italic;">in</span><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">ferior</span>. He'd probably end up living in the sewers underneath the Clubhouse, eating future-vermin (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">astro</span>-snakes! cosmic sand fleas! plasma eels!) and writing bad poetry about rejection. And everyone would forget about him until Five Years Later, when he shows up in two panels before getting shot by the Dominion. Poor guy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sandman</span> - In contrast, Golden Age Wesley <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Dodds</span> is just too damn hard to stop for him *not* to get into the Legion. Seriously, I don't know about his solo adventures but in the old <span style="font-style: italic;">All-Star Comics</span> days he was easily the most bad-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">assed</span> of the normal <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">JSAers</span>. As far as I can figure it, Lightning Lad or someone would have a scary dream about Sandman (and possibly also Sandy, the Golden Boy) punching him in the head and then he'd wake up and go to get a cup of coffee to steady his nerves <span style="font-style: italic;">and then Sandman would bust through the door and punch him in the head.</span> He wouldn't even have a vote - no one would. they'd all wake up one day and Sandman would be just finishing screwing his name-plate onto that big horseshoe-shaped mass podium they have and that would be that.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Spectre</span> - Well, he's got the power, but I don't know if his methods are in line with standard Legion non-homicidal practice. Also - and I know I made a very similar joke about Dr Fate - I think that "as old as time" is a bit too far past the age of eighteen to be ignored.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Starman</span> </span>- Let's ignore the fact that he wouldn't get in in a million years because he gains his power from a Cosmic Rod (and that thing really never did work too well, to tell the truth. It seemed like he lost it or found that it was completely useless about every other adventure) and think about how much more interestingly confusing the Legion would be if he got in. Star Boy! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Starman</span>! Together at last! Oh no, here comes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Starfinger</span> and Pulsar <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Stargrave</span>! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Aiee</span>!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wildcat</span> - If his "nine lives" power was in effect, Wildcat would totally get in, but even if it wasn't I think that he would be a valuable addition to the Legion lineup for one simple reason: costume diversity. Essentially, most of the Legion (and a decent percentage of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">JSA</span>, actually) are wearing spaceman clothes with some sort of fancy-pants logo on the front. Whither the themed costumes of yore, super-teens? Wildcat, with his right-down-to-the-jowls attention to detail (okay, I haven't actually seen a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">jowled</span> cat, but there must be some reason for those little flaps) could show those young punks a thing or two about looking good while cracking skulls. Picture <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">brainiac</span> 5 wearing a hat shaped like a brain. Are you delighted? The answer is yes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wonder Woman</span> - The Justice Society's secretary, which is kind of heinous, yes. It's not <span style="font-style: italic;">quite </span>as bad in the context of the stories ("We can only have eight members for some dumb reason, but we think that you're cool! Want to be our secretary?") but yeah: stupid. Despite (because of?) all of the bondage, Golden Age Wonder Woman actually kicked a fair amount of ass, and her own comic was delightfully weird. I can't really think of any powers that she has that aren't duplicated by half of the legion membership, though. Maybe having Etta Candy around could count (Etta Candy is the most delightful Golden Age sidekick since Slam Bradley's pal Shorty. So I have decreed). If not, I'm sure that she could get into the Wanderers, no problem.Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-51227925821190543312009-03-08T15:44:00.000-07:002009-03-08T18:04:42.113-07:00Thinking Hypothetically: The JSA, by Johnathan:I went to see <span style="font-style: italic;">The Watchmen</span> last night (for the nerd-record: I liked it and think it was a good adaptation but of course have a small voice inside of me crying about how my favourite scene was messed up. All in all, though: JOHN APPROVED) and it got me thinking: which members of the classic Justice Society of America would have gotten into the Legion of Superheroes?<br /><br />Uh, I said that it got me thinking, not that it got me thinking in a particularly linear fashion. Still, good idea for a not-really-a-review, hey?<br /><br />So, to set the stage, it's Legion Tryout day, some time after the "one boy and one girl per year" thing was phased out, and this motley crew shows up on the rocket doorstep:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfwZWirRLBShdKha7D2iNz4LFyjPNu5tjFaKp6TrGCFZ48CaT6WlCW3lySdp5uPWUQjIT_ghuQe5fFeJ-GqV8afxGDhaenYm5ifTrcwdMcnkoflnLDnlGrnMH-wvVs9EKWAC-/s1600-h/AllStar19-01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 293px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyfwZWirRLBShdKha7D2iNz4LFyjPNu5tjFaKp6TrGCFZ48CaT6WlCW3lySdp5uPWUQjIT_ghuQe5fFeJ-GqV8afxGDhaenYm5ifTrcwdMcnkoflnLDnlGrnMH-wvVs9EKWAC-/s400/AllStar19-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310953567821731522" border="0" /></a><br />For the purposes of this little thought-experiment we will be considering members of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">JSA</span> during their original run, but ignoring Batman and Superman because they were hardly ever in the comic and have had plenty of legion face-time anyway. Just for fun, if someone seems doomed for rejection of a shoo-in for acceptance we might try to think up a situation wherein the obvious might not occur. In roughly alphabetical order:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Atom</span>: Poor old Al Pratt got to be a super-hero by working out and practicing and never saying die. Despite his short stature he was one of the most effective members of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">JSA</span> in a fight. The Legion would've turfed him out on his ear in no time flat. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Case Scenario:</span> The Atom saves the world while the Legion is busy fighting Doctor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Mayavale</span> again and ends up palling around with Pete Ross in the Legion Reserve.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Canary</span>: I haven't actually read any of the Black Canary's Golden Age adventures but I'm pretty sure that she was another in the "regular person with a solid right hook" school of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">crimefighting</span> and that the Canary Cry came later. Still, let's say that she has it for the sake of this not turning into a series of identical paragraphs. Man, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">sh'd</span> be in there like no one's business. As risque as the bustier-and-fishnets look might have been at some point in the past, it's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">practically</span> a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">hoop skirt</span> and bustle by the standards of the 70s Legion. The unbridled lust of Sun Boy alone would propel a flight ring onto her finger.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr Fate</span>: Now, I've read maybe the first twenty issues of <span style="font-style: italic;">All-Star Comics</span>, where the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">JSA</span> made their home in the 40s and, as far as I can tell, the Dr Fate that appeared in those comics was less the magic-<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">wielding</span> champion of Order that we all know and love and more... something else? He seems to talk about being composed of "pure energy" a lot. He still uses magic, though, so whether he could get in is basically a matter of whether the White Witch is already a member, I suppose. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Worst Case Scenario:</span> the Legion find out that Kent Nelson is just a regular dude without the Helmet of Fate and have Triplicate Girl toss him out on his ear for gaining his powers from a device. Also, technically, Nelson and Dr Fate are two different guys, and isn't Fate thousands of years old? Not that most of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">JSA</span> aren't breaking the "nobody over the age of eighteen" rule, but still.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Dr Mid-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Nite</span></span>: Okay, I guess the fact that Mid-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Nite</span> really is a medical doctor is a cue-off to the fact that he's likely at least in his late twenties. Ignoring that, though, I think that he's got a pretty decent shot. A few judiciously-placed blackout bombs in the Legion tryout chamber, then a demonstration of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ol</span>' patented Charles <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">McNider</span> "seeing in the dark" trick and he would be on easy street. Imagine Dr Mid-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Nite</span>, Shadow Lass and Night Girl teaming up to form... the Legion Shadow Squad! Who would dare call that a bad idea?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Flash</span>: I can't see why the Flash wouldn't get in, given his super-cool super-speed. Time for a <span style="font-weight: bold;">Worst Case Scenario:</span> "We're sorry, Flash. While your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">amazing</span> speed powers might prove useful in a combat situation, we feel that there is a very real chance that if you stopped suddenly your hat might fly off like a discus and decapitate somebody, probably Bouncing Boy. REJECTED!"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Green Lantern:</span> On the face of it, this one's easy, since having to wear and recharge a ring to keep yourself all powered up kind of breaks that one rule about having to have your own powers. Golden Age Green Lantern wasn't so much about firing green boxing gloves or can-can dancers or whatever out of the ring, though, so he might have had a chance. He could fly and was immune to metal (but famously not to wood, which could trip him up if anyone was in a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">pissy</span> mood). I'd say he has a fifty-fifty chance based on how observant everyone was that day and whether he got to test-fight <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Ferro</span> Lad or Chlorophyll Kid as his initiation feat.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Hawkman</span>:</span> Not in a million years. <span style="font-style: italic;">Everyone</span> in the Legion can fly <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> their flying devices are a lot smaller than his <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> they already have <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Dawnstar</span>. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Best Case Scenario</span>: He manages to convince them that he's a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Thanagarian</span> ambassador and gets a tour of the building.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Hourman</span>:</span> One of my favourite super-heroes ever (seriously, I was so sad about him seemingly dying in <span style="font-style: italic;">New Frontier </span>that it took <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Darwyn</span> Cooke himself to console me and say it wasn't so), so it pains me to admit that he wouldn't have much of a chance of getting into the Legion. Popping a yellow-and-red-striped pill every hour is a bit of a giveaway that you weren't born with super-strength (though making your super-pill match your cape is a pretty classy move, by my estimation). Still, Rex Tyler would make a pretty snazzy addition to the Legion of Substitute Heroes, especially as he would automatically be its most competent (and stylish) member.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Johnny Thunder:</span> If anyone on this list would royally screw up the tryout process it would be Johnny. He'd say "Say, you fellows are tops in my book." and the Thunderbolt would misinterpret that as an order to make everyone spin around <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">until</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Brainiac</span> 5 vomits <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Coluan</span> nutrient paste and that would be the end of that. <span style="font-style: italic;">However</span>, Johnny Thunder would have made a fantastic supporting character in the Silver Age Legion adventures. Unlike the competent-but-not-confident Substitute legion, he could follow the Legionnaires around in various attempts to impress them and then fail <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">spectacularly</span>. Big <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">laffs</span>!<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Ag! </span>It's been a long day! I'm exercising my right to finish this tomorrow!Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-7286878076905802682009-02-22T11:17:00.000-08:002009-02-22T11:21:11.790-08:00Item!Sorry about the lack of posting, folks. It's not because I've lost interest - far from it. Big things are in the works, my friends, and the ground is starting to rumble.<br /><br />Hopefully this'll all be a lot less cryptic in a couple of weeks.<br /><br />-JOHNATHAN!Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-15054894971393894152009-02-08T10:58:00.000-08:002009-02-09T17:41:58.129-08:00Super-Human Detritus of the Thirtieth Century: Review of the Molecular Master, By JohnathanHa ha! I have returned, overcoming a month's worth of illness, romance and computer failure to bring you the tale of a plucky little guy by the name of Molecular Master! Here, look at him sitting around in <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Superboy</span> and the Legion of Super-Heroes </span>No. 201:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z3RXWgYufFsYxTJK6XMKwbsnNSJx5ikRU6IGuppZxOxe-JnxIROZ1M-k2a2iofs1y6OIdYYxhcpoJLN4sjdPwJFX8V8py3sTLmz3WKx37GoO0lOFSEcVQrLzyOs2xivrIWBF/s1600-h/Porcupine+Pete,+Infectious+Lass,+Molecular+master.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9z3RXWgYufFsYxTJK6XMKwbsnNSJx5ikRU6IGuppZxOxe-JnxIROZ1M-k2a2iofs1y6OIdYYxhcpoJLN4sjdPwJFX8V8py3sTLmz3WKx37GoO0lOFSEcVQrLzyOs2xivrIWBF/s400/Porcupine+Pete,+Infectious+Lass,+Molecular+master.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506425530528898" border="0" /></a><br />Such a good-looking era in Legion art - check out the lovely Infectious Lass and the homely-as-sin Porcupine Pete, as well as those way-cool chairs! I want those chairs, but maybe not in orange.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4i6HbFFb4DxYuyTdAo-ZEW4RPDBFnyI2T23w_Wg7hFE6842YWRYyZbhd0j-ss7PiQQZHoJUOiuuhV8BWq-OBuOb9aEImyrmVAKx1V5UHTHnU6dQVtBha2UDy1lqYS2NR_Vfg/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 202px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl4i6HbFFb4DxYuyTdAo-ZEW4RPDBFnyI2T23w_Wg7hFE6842YWRYyZbhd0j-ss7PiQQZHoJUOiuuhV8BWq-OBuOb9aEImyrmVAKx1V5UHTHnU6dQVtBha2UDy1lqYS2NR_Vfg/s400/Molecular+Master+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506418407688498" border="0" /></a><br />Molecular master <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">gets</span> to try out third, after Infectious Lass has made Star Boy barf and Porcupine Pete has studded the whole damn place with quills - note their abundant presence above. Which, actually, is kind of gross. I know a few people who would have to leave that room pretty quick-like after they realized that it would be like being in a big pile of toenail clippings or used hair or whatnot.<br /><br />I don't know how I feel about the Molecular master's power:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvHqNf2h7GVQVy8k2H0IGmi2TZjlfxq8YVF_bDJdKNxN2ei1gQT8vTGSd6ilv2R4yKMc3YSFcWeYkB0nvPMQy1mc4TVesTAWRymPKkJeqtkkY5VJjcrUtAQQtY8Cy5QxniNVH/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNvHqNf2h7GVQVy8k2H0IGmi2TZjlfxq8YVF_bDJdKNxN2ei1gQT8vTGSd6ilv2R4yKMc3YSFcWeYkB0nvPMQy1mc4TVesTAWRymPKkJeqtkkY5VJjcrUtAQQtY8Cy5QxniNVH/s400/Molecular+Master+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506416018905106" border="0" /></a><br />That's a pretty old conception of what an atom looks like, MM. I do like the Kirby dots, though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiiN9_lbJIOaArhZChhLNvS4hdTxyke8PQ3phcI8y-QIQRwsi2Z3oY1NwX_hXXsiJaEYbTKp9amraJD-bDY_7hRvqv5p64SluCNHAnWK_0o0ESWLGj3wu8HOQSRS4A_4rzCkR/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiiN9_lbJIOaArhZChhLNvS4hdTxyke8PQ3phcI8y-QIQRwsi2Z3oY1NwX_hXXsiJaEYbTKp9amraJD-bDY_7hRvqv5p64SluCNHAnWK_0o0ESWLGj3wu8HOQSRS4A_4rzCkR/s400/Molecular+Master+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506202419797058" border="0" /></a><br />Also, i think that that might be a carbon atom, which is kind of boring. I just don't know...why does making an atom really big make it all crackly and energy-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tastic</span>? are all of my atoms doing that right now? And what does he do with the really big atom, anyway? Split it?<br /><br />And just why the hell isn't he called the Atom Master, anyway? Gosh darn it, I want scientific accuracy fro my minor Seventies Legion characters! Isn't this the magazine that brought us the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Chlorophyll</span> Kid, causing literally dozens of youngsters to know that <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">chlorophyll</span> has something to do with plants? Oh, the shame.<br /><br />So anyway, Molecular Master makes it through the first portion of the Legion application without anyone bellowing "REJECTED!" at him. Meanwhile, ERG-1 (you know, Wildfire) is roaming the Legion clubhouse in my favourite form, that of a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">blobby</span> little pink cloud of antimatter. This is his second appearance after seemingly killing himself while saving Colossal Boy a year earlier and he's trying to get back to his uniform so that he can have some limbs again. Sadly, all of the Legion's technology seems designed to make life difficult for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">blobby</span> pink guys <span style="font-style: italic;">and so:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKS8-DAGVXvGsWjLGlq6z7wOrPI0ufKh0HtqywKaDIHyLqL1XoLQ0sDbjPckmDh09T7jQeBPYL327y3nj_BIsgCSi__2-ANDgpDVD2u-adIJeRgia7iiB1YeKIdlzNCkcPpjOn/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKS8-DAGVXvGsWjLGlq6z7wOrPI0ufKh0HtqywKaDIHyLqL1XoLQ0sDbjPckmDh09T7jQeBPYL327y3nj_BIsgCSi__2-ANDgpDVD2u-adIJeRgia7iiB1YeKIdlzNCkcPpjOn/s400/Molecular+Master+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506191808452066" border="0" /></a><br />He tries to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">possess</span> the one person on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">premises</span> who isn't covered in Legion tech. But what horrible secret does the Molecular Master conceal?<br /><br />By the way, I love the Molecular Master's costume. It's A-1.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DgOgRb9xg7dwVmMCkeyeM6WYoqTwzrZAvPyu7xXsr4rGtyw1RxEDhWpYsnFdRMvUGs7Ujah1JoAZ2foC0baI4gWrvshqkaM2EILPqBlZVn_nfiqMKUuLsZpCTyMumxc1-dDQ/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DgOgRb9xg7dwVmMCkeyeM6WYoqTwzrZAvPyu7xXsr4rGtyw1RxEDhWpYsnFdRMvUGs7Ujah1JoAZ2foC0baI4gWrvshqkaM2EILPqBlZVn_nfiqMKUuLsZpCTyMumxc1-dDQ/s400/Molecular+Master+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506186775956834" border="0" /></a><br />No mind! But <span style="font-style: italic;">why? </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmkOQO3zIbqPb3SeZQfEZa8JwmevDMJ2fDXbB3RIbNYEt3s4FV1fx837mJPp7iryDaeRanZsMmHF3hLF6IiaqZPc3KJ3V30e7mrfMcKZiYHH339d42vTHFBW0VFQyTs4nylDr/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 360px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmkOQO3zIbqPb3SeZQfEZa8JwmevDMJ2fDXbB3RIbNYEt3s4FV1fx837mJPp7iryDaeRanZsMmHF3hLF6IiaqZPc3KJ3V30e7mrfMcKZiYHH339d42vTHFBW0VFQyTs4nylDr/s400/Molecular+Master+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300506163575285906" border="0" /></a><br />Dang. That is one creepy android. I appreciate all the work that went into making all of those robotic facial features (check out the massive power supply going into that eyebrow! I'll bet he could make Mr. Spock run and cry with one hydraulically-augmented raising of that little number) but hawk-nosed tube-men with wildly staring eyes might just be a new phobia of mine.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm82qmRae9cJgdU7sYqmc7Lx3GtwfMqe-cE8z-Ls9ZS8U0z_DcGV1IYqW8z67DpH6gmlBWqJWRQiKrdY-4-QzlEjrEV3w2AyvTAnXpsCeULQ8N_k4-NjN3uhYAaCDiMqT-Qztu/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm82qmRae9cJgdU7sYqmc7Lx3GtwfMqe-cE8z-Ls9ZS8U0z_DcGV1IYqW8z67DpH6gmlBWqJWRQiKrdY-4-QzlEjrEV3w2AyvTAnXpsCeULQ8N_k4-NjN3uhYAaCDiMqT-Qztu/s400/Molecular+Master+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505796348069714" border="0" /></a><br />Robot nose! Robot cheeks! Robot Adam's apple! Oh my god, terrifying robot ears!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkBqcv7a5N_7AaLOc4ZOdlzJS5zEMtOCMb70qkbpWhkSj33xIE37oAzVVG5DAvtubTpKR9Y8wQw2D7X8I3aK8VpbLdm0wE9Fm7mLBguy5rnbHUnqGlQ2Oeyssdzy945Un6GNh/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+9.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkBqcv7a5N_7AaLOc4ZOdlzJS5zEMtOCMb70qkbpWhkSj33xIE37oAzVVG5DAvtubTpKR9Y8wQw2D7X8I3aK8VpbLdm0wE9Fm7mLBguy5rnbHUnqGlQ2Oeyssdzy945Un6GNh/s400/Molecular+Master+9.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505788432072722" border="0" /></a><br />ERG-1/Wildfire is upset about the other aspect of the Molecular Master's power: the highly poisonous breath. I like that at this point there no longer seems to be the need for someone to shout "There must be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">kryptonite</span> in the gas!", though I would think that any gas potent enough to have an effect on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Superboy</span> might not require such a roundabout method of delivery. Just heave it through the front door in grenade form and he'd kill himself by sucking it up for easy disposal. Super-villains, huh? Always over-thinking.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNw6I9NJJujw-2pEEtJz7ZJdTPIp-ao5Admi0TsmVhlt7BYbx-tOHFBxf_uWiKIxUwM4llvgF5NW7Pj8er5wIGgU8Oumlm9-3pePaKb0_HG_yUTW-NGweS87KnQb5kyvRCVV1j/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+10.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNw6I9NJJujw-2pEEtJz7ZJdTPIp-ao5Admi0TsmVhlt7BYbx-tOHFBxf_uWiKIxUwM4llvgF5NW7Pj8er5wIGgU8Oumlm9-3pePaKb0_HG_yUTW-NGweS87KnQb5kyvRCVV1j/s400/Molecular+Master+10.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505783649924754" border="0" /></a><br />So: evil android filled with poison gas and after the Legion's very own <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">deus</span> ex <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">machina</span></span>. Can he be stopped in time?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-cAqgelJgxFKPRWaFjnai2rNUQiUrUhHwFzIbmycTfkarD9tN0WCQJO-z1qlDULb8YcO5ndh0t6Mg2acTdZ1M3R7qK61B6iYp9Y5gtE2XXnFSpG5C_xlA7XHCWtF3oe-2HFS/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+11.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 378px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-cAqgelJgxFKPRWaFjnai2rNUQiUrUhHwFzIbmycTfkarD9tN0WCQJO-z1qlDULb8YcO5ndh0t6Mg2acTdZ1M3R7qK61B6iYp9Y5gtE2XXnFSpG5C_xlA7XHCWtF3oe-2HFS/s400/Molecular+Master+11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505777759634274" border="0" /></a><br />Oops - guess not.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzgtLeXlCqJKqycve1ifNhUgl4Bqe4j0cEbGGutR6GUmPVrdKcA9ye6medY5zqu_ubSSiquuEBr8fpVcLlAJanqOZUApCv6bey0LhVKIXFv4f1RHZdyxEE_am2Nlzuov5MriW/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+12.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgzgtLeXlCqJKqycve1ifNhUgl4Bqe4j0cEbGGutR6GUmPVrdKcA9ye6medY5zqu_ubSSiquuEBr8fpVcLlAJanqOZUApCv6bey0LhVKIXFv4f1RHZdyxEE_am2Nlzuov5MriW/s400/Molecular+Master+12.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505768285585874" border="0" /></a><br />Ah, the Miracle Machine, as recently featured in <span style="font-style: italic;">Final Crisis</span> (and eventually featured in Matter-Eater Lad's bowel). The Legion really shouldn't be surprised that folks try to kill them for this thing. Perhaps they should at least hide it behind something opaque - you know, give the homicidal maniacs a bit of a challenge.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXpn5GLzvac8NhaTGdpigZYSt6W8qf42TqONyCjMwC8A1S-LTM_WHGEfP6qOT3MMciwXTUgYYZOY8WX2yDzUVorsc_LjumC0dekyGxSBK5V7799SMnm7_Htutg1ZylTtUNVvL/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+13.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 122px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXpn5GLzvac8NhaTGdpigZYSt6W8qf42TqONyCjMwC8A1S-LTM_WHGEfP6qOT3MMciwXTUgYYZOY8WX2yDzUVorsc_LjumC0dekyGxSBK5V7799SMnm7_Htutg1ZylTtUNVvL/s400/Molecular+Master+13.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505366868459938" border="0" /></a><br />Don't worry, though. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">ERGfire</span> has used the Machine to restore himself to his suit (and certainly not to fashion himself as new human body, no sir), thus sparing the Molecular Master the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">embarrassment</span> of standing there dramatically while that big atom completely failed to do anything to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">inertron</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Psh</span>. Big atoms...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFZjRVFIPpKrGT0L-RN2gQaVzbCX_4GK63vDm6_qFzG_ARsCV880EHkED54_4D1VUrtBFHKCEuelGj4mjtNArPOkpcsZ6CNp9fffP5pm3iuEkDl6biY_mH9Z73AAReX3yQUsR/s1600-h/Molecular+Master+14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFZjRVFIPpKrGT0L-RN2gQaVzbCX_4GK63vDm6_qFzG_ARsCV880EHkED54_4D1VUrtBFHKCEuelGj4mjtNArPOkpcsZ6CNp9fffP5pm3iuEkDl6biY_mH9Z73AAReX3yQUsR/s400/Molecular+Master+14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505366547850514" border="0" /></a><br />Undaunted, the Molecular Master tries again! He makes the biggest damn atom ever!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-Vo0Qazavd3rXFcF0uq5nioIYA6p3-jELnBhT0oeMim2JqU4Oa6rXyzIfk65BNLicVpip2U_vdX8H4Kk0J2QmSwUXuS1EDCwuNHYKquRgITIs9ouNsxVkJIeEWSFG5cWYk8W/s1600-h/molecular+master+gets+owned+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-Vo0Qazavd3rXFcF0uq5nioIYA6p3-jELnBhT0oeMim2JqU4Oa6rXyzIfk65BNLicVpip2U_vdX8H4Kk0J2QmSwUXuS1EDCwuNHYKquRgITIs9ouNsxVkJIeEWSFG5cWYk8W/s400/molecular+master+gets+owned+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300939144012020754" border="0" /></a><br />ERG-1 eats the super-atom! The Molecular Master's super-power officially sucks. ERG, on the other hand...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IjPpuf0dHrSMlxYSha22371o1Y79xbluzIDL7RpikASZVPyBl8IZAjWlWbHHFXlzRLChoh3mwjSry2I3D9EudiUNK9uM-vZ2fLRw4eVZsW-g9QRjalK6eHYwxT-x4pn7K81f/s1600-h/molecular+master+gets+owned+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 354px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-IjPpuf0dHrSMlxYSha22371o1Y79xbluzIDL7RpikASZVPyBl8IZAjWlWbHHFXlzRLChoh3mwjSry2I3D9EudiUNK9uM-vZ2fLRw4eVZsW-g9QRjalK6eHYwxT-x4pn7K81f/s400/molecular+master+gets+owned+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300939139204284962" border="0" /></a><br />... has the Antimatter Kick! I don't even care that Wildfire never really did any kicking in later years - blasting this one android in the face with his foot makes him just incredibly great.<br /><br />That's not quite the end of the future's best-dressed android, though. A few years later, in <span style="font-style: italic;">Legion of Super-Heroes </span>No. 281, a bunch of Legionnaires are trapped in the past and run into the little scamp. It's a weird issue: Roy Thomas and Paul <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Levitz</span> team up to produce a weird script, while Steve <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Ditko</span> and Bruce Patterson compliment it with some weird art.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWvmTS8ZXepqtxdtOujtQQqmlQBbYzwlAdvJRafnOUB7dVPO5SZpdYTmuZ8Q40riNL1uLNRt5PMGCr_DARynojdcuIpLW0-5lIfu5o9dDEpBquGzQsB-ebIpiPqecn6yXqhVz/s1600-h/Molecule+Master+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 255px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWvmTS8ZXepqtxdtOujtQQqmlQBbYzwlAdvJRafnOUB7dVPO5SZpdYTmuZ8Q40riNL1uLNRt5PMGCr_DARynojdcuIpLW0-5lIfu5o9dDEpBquGzQsB-ebIpiPqecn6yXqhVz/s400/Molecule+Master+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505372391158962" border="0" /></a><br />That costume still looks good, though. Note that in this second appearance everyone thinks that his name is Molecule Master, which is lame. I won't be a party to such a renaming, damn it.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0l4fZpzo6DD6WZSxvnVHLdGYNXyHAtANsj9cA1zMCHjGQiJ1S60arBT-ZUsT60t4iwfBRjAPpPav-_gFfyoHVzDj_ja5VRNlT76j4EnT2SwNEeFLSEPxHjd7iX6hPlokisZy/s1600-h/Molecule+master+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB0l4fZpzo6DD6WZSxvnVHLdGYNXyHAtANsj9cA1zMCHjGQiJ1S60arBT-ZUsT60t4iwfBRjAPpPav-_gFfyoHVzDj_ja5VRNlT76j4EnT2SwNEeFLSEPxHjd7iX6hPlokisZy/s400/Molecule+master+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505370423217650" border="0" /></a><br />In this issue, the Molecular Master no longer has the awesome power of the Big Atom. Instead, he can sort of generically control molecules, causing things to fly around and warp out of shape and so forth. I think at one point that he turns some air into rocks. Surprisingly, this is not an improvement. The absence of the big atoms has made me miss them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6hcC0IGyMcjfh94eom6MgoWjQoSyn_khrP7nuQ_NuZwrNXYV7wG7OXwKM8Bvu8-4x4N9MRFLSaD8w_77Pr1zcSjGwR-th821mSTzFlDPnSZFgiHXjZKpHqzTyEu794EMw6K8/s1600-h/Molecule+master+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc6hcC0IGyMcjfh94eom6MgoWjQoSyn_khrP7nuQ_NuZwrNXYV7wG7OXwKM8Bvu8-4x4N9MRFLSaD8w_77Pr1zcSjGwR-th821mSTzFlDPnSZFgiHXjZKpHqzTyEu794EMw6K8/s400/Molecule+master+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300505377097237970" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Superboy</span>, by the way, thinks that he's Ultra Boy, who is at this point possibly dead.<br /><br />Molecular Master still has a robot nose but its not as terrifying. Thanks for showing me that, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Superboy</span>. I'll sleep easier tonight!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HusevZFYkcLBEsu6ZaXXxjHhWbxKeLxKRNTFHh4sVXSZ3tOhjb1KrmEgRycxbwMvoCLU1yzyz0L9ruUpcKA-Z_4YUervKai_80oxShJYT8vSbZmmf0ggKECqK6m3GP9BAgVC/s1600-h/Molecule+master+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5HusevZFYkcLBEsu6ZaXXxjHhWbxKeLxKRNTFHh4sVXSZ3tOhjb1KrmEgRycxbwMvoCLU1yzyz0L9ruUpcKA-Z_4YUervKai_80oxShJYT8vSbZmmf0ggKECqK6m3GP9BAgVC/s400/Molecule+master+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300504551725302594" border="0" /></a><br />So it turns out that MM was working for *yawn* the Time Trapper, who really wanted that Miracle Machine, darn it. I can't remember if the thing was still uneaten at this point - if it wasn't what the Time Trapper was after here then I don't have a sweet clue what's going on. Oh, the perils of writing that hooded buffoon into your stories: I will never remember what the hell is up.<br /><br />Hey, I just noticed - Saturn Girl is giving him the guns!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ARpNH1F5DoLpGeGAPJPTgKDVI9w387tYY0CCRsppyExHHb8ST5tnu2SNiwHysXxtIGkkGNFjXNy52d0ZQjTTAeGKhY7qe65Ju-a2KkCjaqgDlgN62g5fLLJsy2V10z0I5l4g/s1600-h/Molecule+master+6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ARpNH1F5DoLpGeGAPJPTgKDVI9w387tYY0CCRsppyExHHb8ST5tnu2SNiwHysXxtIGkkGNFjXNy52d0ZQjTTAeGKhY7qe65Ju-a2KkCjaqgDlgN62g5fLLJsy2V10z0I5l4g/s400/Molecule+master+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300504555190776978" border="0" /></a><br />See? Lousy power.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzkQnRGQ53ARRluTyHTJmqDnF26iuWLVThk89CbDidVYJ5J4d1dnVyuTALoOM7Q4-ygf3lXZ2aPUlf8l3t8doh6WePDTLMaEytvPEjaLUJPm9Gb7JMSP7dqjl0zVYRX4rCSO-/s1600-h/Molecule+master+7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzkQnRGQ53ARRluTyHTJmqDnF26iuWLVThk89CbDidVYJ5J4d1dnVyuTALoOM7Q4-ygf3lXZ2aPUlf8l3t8doh6WePDTLMaEytvPEjaLUJPm9Gb7JMSP7dqjl0zVYRX4rCSO-/s400/Molecule+master+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300504558198660754" border="0" /></a><br />Flying machine gun-attack is better than jeep-attack, but still.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjiMcw17cOeH3YZA6DT65XbldKEWNPbeWKBdD22vsAuvyAA6NtXved1eAunJD3xCoSdnr2EB4qJqS65_FORGhA7PBRsjxIY775vnpnv5qpOKx3ksHXnxMRufIAhYuCvbub4JH/s1600-h/Molecule+master+8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 201px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSjiMcw17cOeH3YZA6DT65XbldKEWNPbeWKBdD22vsAuvyAA6NtXved1eAunJD3xCoSdnr2EB4qJqS65_FORGhA7PBRsjxIY775vnpnv5qpOKx3ksHXnxMRufIAhYuCvbub4JH/s400/Molecule+master+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300504560990613410" border="0" /></a><br />Eventually, Molecular Master resorts to throwing rocks at the Legionnaires. Snazzy costume or not, that's pretty lame. Also, this version of the Master exploded when too many people attacked him at once. Were I more fond of the original version of the character, I might have concealed the existence of this one but the big atoms and the horrible robot nose and the Time Trapper connection all come together to spell NOT APPROVED.<br /><br />There we go. Two hundredth post.Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-11559335526741492502009-01-20T17:11:00.000-08:002009-01-29T14:17:44.114-08:00Review Review Review, A passel of excuses, by JohnathanActually, no excuses here. I just got really lazy after doing all of those holiday-style posts. The next post, though, is my Two Hundredth! Rest assured that I will either do something special or nothing special. We shall see. In the meantime, check out Superboy's giant head!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1D_G5anUdAJSxNGyPkOv4Nqv7dXTR_dw7me-W4bvwMpJyhPZdwSZNyivWNCfveCT3xiqa42XbjR1-IW9BoN3eR5pluaEXdKqKG-Yt-8IxgFyWgh-j6ePBHvgeddipSgZG1TW5/s1600-h/Super-forehead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 374px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1D_G5anUdAJSxNGyPkOv4Nqv7dXTR_dw7me-W4bvwMpJyhPZdwSZNyivWNCfveCT3xiqa42XbjR1-IW9BoN3eR5pluaEXdKqKG-Yt-8IxgFyWgh-j6ePBHvgeddipSgZG1TW5/s400/Super-forehead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293549039203883266" border="0" /></a><br />That is one enormous cranium, SB.<br /><br />NOT APPROVED<br /><br />Uptade: was going to write a super-cool review tonight but fell deleriously sick. Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. You people are too good to e.Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-67119865767215631482009-01-05T10:54:00.000-08:002009-01-05T12:35:11.684-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Twelve, By JohnathanHoly Hannah. I did it!<br /><br />I mean *ahem* of course I did. And look: I planned things out ahead of time. After starting on the Legion Christmas tale in <span style="font-style: italic;">Adventure</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Comics </span>No. 289 we wrap up with the Legion yarn from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Super-Star<span style="font-style: italic;"> Holiday Special</span></span>, which is very likely to make an appearance here next year as well.<br /><br />The setup: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Superboy</span> is visiting the future yet again and it's Christmastime. He's oddly upset that the world of the one thousand years in the future is not full of familiar 1950s (or 1940s, or 60s or whenever <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Superboy</span> was from at that point) holiday traditions. Saturn Girl tries to cheer him up with some old-fashioned invasion of privacy:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2h3bZ45wgqrSFBmSoCn4dNFQ2sAL-7Hj-MZQJ8YzdlJAvNFwMsQfsJtGc7uHhxIQYKDqUKlQe1psQEteQzyktHCGzXZtipPlQ080gfSSyvousxfrjaZqWqAXzrmY6ZyWip1KZ/s1600-h/12+legion+xmas+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 259px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2h3bZ45wgqrSFBmSoCn4dNFQ2sAL-7Hj-MZQJ8YzdlJAvNFwMsQfsJtGc7uHhxIQYKDqUKlQe1psQEteQzyktHCGzXZtipPlQ080gfSSyvousxfrjaZqWqAXzrmY6ZyWip1KZ/s400/12+legion+xmas+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287885885511094850" border="0" /></a><br />"To be shared only by close friends and whoever happens to be spying on them from the Clubhouse."<br /><br />Karate Kid's tree isn't as nice as that one from the <span style="font-style: italic;">Adventure </span>story. It's still cool and all, but there's just something about concentric rings...<br /><br />Also, who here thinks that Sun Boy invited himself along to this thing? I for one would not take my main squeeze home for a "private tea ceremony" and also bring along my womanizing pal. Unless there's more to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">KK</span>/PP relationship than we were told... or less, I suppose.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxs8V9vuosBHfI2truDFpBa-DBhdh0H0IJg-Uay1juMgik7feaKyc4RKGYgYIDAlka0vPLPLc56mE1-_qJtnxSe4Lj-1b_cioLz1baZMGE7VHXmQgMNyjAMyZshMTSQZXl84z/s1600-h/12+legion+xmas+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 205px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAxs8V9vuosBHfI2truDFpBa-DBhdh0H0IJg-Uay1juMgik7feaKyc4RKGYgYIDAlka0vPLPLc56mE1-_qJtnxSe4Lj-1b_cioLz1baZMGE7VHXmQgMNyjAMyZshMTSQZXl84z/s400/12+legion+xmas+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287885878480470402" border="0" /></a><br />Fireworks trees! Terrific, improbable, hazardous!<br /><br />Forcing your friend to work because he doesn't celebrate the holiday that you're all <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">taking</span> off? Not cool.<br /><br />I think that this might be the first time that we learn that Colossal Boy is Jewish, which was always a nice touch, especially as all of the black characters kept getting shuffled off to other dimensions or <a href="http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2005/12/22/comic-book-urban-legends-revealed-30/">weren't black at all</a> and then were killed. Colossal Boy is the face of Legion diversity, folks!<br /><br />Not sure if it's necessary for him to be so big, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">though</span>, even if the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Allons</span> do have a gigantic dining room. My brother is in the army, and we discourage him from showing up at dinnertime in full <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">camouflage</span> and armed. This seems similar to me - "Look everyone! I'm a super-hero!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwWS1sZT18QpPifCJuJL_DJawLw3wF3HgNdVFooeeOcXKcAEeHR9XPXlu8XSh1Q3ISPRDLP6iXvJ0DTqvrrCkobmlpMwwpwzukuVkckAQNmPPImGrjTD1Uk2_Xpt89-Ntg7si/s1600-h/12+legion+xmas+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDwWS1sZT18QpPifCJuJL_DJawLw3wF3HgNdVFooeeOcXKcAEeHR9XPXlu8XSh1Q3ISPRDLP6iXvJ0DTqvrrCkobmlpMwwpwzukuVkckAQNmPPImGrjTD1Uk2_Xpt89-Ntg7si/s400/12+legion+xmas+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287885879074616850" border="0" /></a><br />Here's something for you to think about, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Superboy</span>: you <span style="font-style: italic;">flew</span> to the future <span style="font-style: italic;">under your own power</span>. You could very easily jaunt off to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Smallville</span> for Christmas, or go back to watch the invention of the first piece of tinsel (and then take the inventor Hans Tinsel to the moon to fight 17<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">th</span> Century <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Dominators</span> or something). The future is, after all, another country - you're acting like someone who goes to France and complains about the lack of English and Coors.<br /><br />Now just calm down and...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipk9SUfMvCINyujvxltQigBKQrYbvMwNfVnPXIZ5D6dAh3MhaLBDHocriKlTLp-uencSMPQ02bI8a5Il8_A0mx0yYvdZWURKFZJx5Qt-EMU8_sQ8CeDOkrgHieIBTOweS-sSjP/s1600-h/12+legion+xmas+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 118px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipk9SUfMvCINyujvxltQigBKQrYbvMwNfVnPXIZ5D6dAh3MhaLBDHocriKlTLp-uencSMPQ02bI8a5Il8_A0mx0yYvdZWURKFZJx5Qt-EMU8_sQ8CeDOkrgHieIBTOweS-sSjP/s400/12+legion+xmas+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287885873624000306" border="0" /></a><br />... go completely over the top. Say one thing about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Superboy</span>, folks: he doesn't mess around. No candlelight service for him, no sir. No going to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Bethlehem</span> to check out possible manger sites or trying to summon the ghosts of the Wise Men or feeding <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Tenzil</span> gold, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">frankincense</span> and myrrh until he pukes Christmas spirit. No, it's time to fly to the Christmas star. Basically the only way to top that would be to travel back to watch <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Mary</span> giving birth, but that's too obvious.<br /><br />The rest of the story is concerned with the legion haring off on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Superboy's</span> mad quest and helping a planet full of fairly dumb aliens ("The ocean's freezing, huh? Well, I guess I'll just sit here and die.") It's okay, but the real attraction is the sheer scale that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Superboy</span> thinks on. And his super-demented facial expression.<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br />All together now!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:<br /><br />Twelve beasts of lightning,<br />Eleven <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Tyrocs</span> shouting,<br />Ten Stone Boys standing,<br />Nine Police <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">sciencing</span>,<br />Eight Trappers timing,<br />Seven boys a-bouncing,<br />Six <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Tenzils</span> snacking,<br /><br />FIVE LEGION RINGS!<br /><br />Four head-shaped worlds,<br />Three <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Luornus</span>,<br />Two Turtle Boys,<br />And a Brainy, out of his tree.<br /><br /></span>A retroactive happy whatever if you choose to celebrate something at this time of year, a good time anyway if you don't and may your smugness be extra satisfying if you're one of those types.<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-5983259495903302422009-01-05T10:40:00.001-08:002009-01-05T10:53:33.160-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Eleven, By JohnathanTwo of the many things that I'm a sucker for: a well-executed wordless comic story and Christmas sentiment.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gVViU2Moq5yDLMeSbyae1oB-CKwu4PLqqdgvL7-uYLeSe1YEIWF3wMBNapOGJCGzA-b5jtslcKL48LDhC_U_W1EDIsu38Jiz-HScLYYh3xo32WTYEpOp6WpsRBE02jUYxaUn/s1600-h/11+merry+xmas+alfred+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gVViU2Moq5yDLMeSbyae1oB-CKwu4PLqqdgvL7-uYLeSe1YEIWF3wMBNapOGJCGzA-b5jtslcKL48LDhC_U_W1EDIsu38Jiz-HScLYYh3xo32WTYEpOp6WpsRBE02jUYxaUn/s400/11+merry+xmas+alfred+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287881638553209474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOkM1j-qnqFBwiu4UVC6_YT17GtR42uhuE2IZAa9awHumMk_0S9H4gz9rw0c-WgptdMdTM51iIyGAVCb5W41XA1gm8R1eVUbT8BytxPUrPvKHiLyECZOZ8cPJIMeqHozPLvT4/s1600-h/11+merry+xmas+alfred+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOkM1j-qnqFBwiu4UVC6_YT17GtR42uhuE2IZAa9awHumMk_0S9H4gz9rw0c-WgptdMdTM51iIyGAVCb5W41XA1gm8R1eVUbT8BytxPUrPvKHiLyECZOZ8cPJIMeqHozPLvT4/s400/11+merry+xmas+alfred+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287881630876450594" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QDmZGqQVUd3yR71WRSL5xbd1TXssL3s-7CODtou-26BBk78dHHumlfMi1SvV0XwWR6vUBLQ7bxyCdCk50wpl2QjSIuupvVJcoe3-1EKBhobOzBoz5SWt3Xrfn-jOEgBgvfCs/s1600-h/11+merry+xmas+alfred+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3QDmZGqQVUd3yR71WRSL5xbd1TXssL3s-7CODtou-26BBk78dHHumlfMi1SvV0XwWR6vUBLQ7bxyCdCk50wpl2QjSIuupvVJcoe3-1EKBhobOzBoz5SWt3Xrfn-jOEgBgvfCs/s400/11+merry+xmas+alfred+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287881620758586626" border="0" /></a><br />This series of posts is basically turning into a guidebook on how to tug at my heartstrings, isn't it? Look at that! Bruce cares but he's too much of a (Bat)manly (Bat)man to tell Alfred to his face! Alfred is surprised and touched! I might have to go hug a puppy here!<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED, Batman!<br /><br />This is from the <span style="font-style: italic;">DC Universe Holiday Bash. </span>It and the <span style="font-style: italic;">Infinite Holiday Special </span>are heartily recommended Christmas reading - the latter contains possibly the greatest Elseworlds yarn ever. I haven't gotten a chance to pick up this years holiday special yet (there was one, right?) but given DC's prior track record with anthology comics it should be great (tangent: and how great was it that there was a <span style="font-style: italic;">Tales From the Beanworld </span>comic on the shelf this year? I've had Volume 1 sitting on my shelf for about a decade. Hearing that they're going t be reprinting these things was one of my many Christmas miracles this year).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"two Turtle Boys,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-27978941748844261642009-01-05T09:50:00.000-08:002009-01-05T10:36:36.377-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Ten, By Johnathan<span style="font-style: italic;">DC Comics Presents</span> No. 67! Superman and Santa Claus vs. the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Toyman</span>!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspBHGsoSr0wkSbYNUaVN0iluSg6NnXvuR0LSqucJyj_vCw2lvFjIXR3CjxojyQgym8K8XAy5bYOoFTN29W-3iSOi0gQrpu6XScpKVkI1e14bdPZExxSTdTB0c19CiPAx1Lpko/s1600-h/DCComicsPresents67-00fc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 259px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspBHGsoSr0wkSbYNUaVN0iluSg6NnXvuR0LSqucJyj_vCw2lvFjIXR3CjxojyQgym8K8XAy5bYOoFTN29W-3iSOi0gQrpu6XScpKVkI1e14bdPZExxSTdTB0c19CiPAx1Lpko/s400/DCComicsPresents67-00fc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287869544031298706" border="0" /></a><br />The story is nothing extraordinary (read: I couldn't find anything especially worth making fun of) - basically, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Toyman</span> starts hypnotizing children to steal from street corner <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Santas</span> and the like and the real Santa Claus ends up getting in on the act. The part that got me (because I'm a sentimental fool, see?) is when Superman gets home, thinking that it was all just a dream or possibly an imaginary story, and ends up finding his beloved childhood toy in his cape pocket. <br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMq-w0YmwalG-SXSGtbXsR7SGHwowvn3yD569BHtxl98A9AiWscG-k8bIQ4hoFRbGvc5JupQBSbkT5m0H6RR77OIPLfzzknsKV_sRiXgUPFRCSGfv-D9VPo6Y2kXqNNCMIB9k/s1600-h/10+Santa%21.psd.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMq-w0YmwalG-SXSGtbXsR7SGHwowvn3yD569BHtxl98A9AiWscG-k8bIQ4hoFRbGvc5JupQBSbkT5m0H6RR77OIPLfzzknsKV_sRiXgUPFRCSGfv-D9VPo6Y2kXqNNCMIB9k/s400/10+Santa%21.psd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287868814870508658" border="0" /></a><br />I'm tearing up!<br /><br />I do like that it wasn't a toy wooden thought-beast or anything. No, <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Kryptonian</span></span> children wouldn't play with anything so primitive. They get thought-powered illusion machines which sounds fun until you remember some of the things that you imagined as a child. man, I was fairly convinced that there were horrible creatures (wizened, <span style="font-style: italic;">gnomish</span> creatures) literally around every corner for a while. I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">probably</span> would have had a tiny heart attack if I'd have been able to see them.<br /><br />Still, JOHN APPROVED. Nice one, Santa.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"three Luornus,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-43319045537031140882009-01-05T09:26:00.000-08:002009-01-05T09:39:47.542-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Nine, By JohnathanOne last panel from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Batman Adventures Holiday Special</span>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWQvEqUp-fCwKQ2YCSoTNEXX91YJcCznIDl3jOWMJju7U1PtH3tl_8FTErid8bZtui0lhSuDzFS-_GPuRQhOqPe8ALtVRhPUm_n-iTrrtvjad266Kyz1UcRjpnGM3tcUhWyYP/s1600-h/9+oh,+he%27s+handing+her+the+gift.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWQvEqUp-fCwKQ2YCSoTNEXX91YJcCznIDl3jOWMJju7U1PtH3tl_8FTErid8bZtui0lhSuDzFS-_GPuRQhOqPe8ALtVRhPUm_n-iTrrtvjad266Kyz1UcRjpnGM3tcUhWyYP/s400/9+oh,+he%27s+handing+her+the+gift.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287863598017070146" border="0" /></a><br />Included here because I read it two or three times before I realized that Batman was handing the present to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">that</span> little girl. I kind of thought that he was just standing there glaring at her for calling him an angel. After all, six year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">olds</span> are a cowardly, superstitious lot. And Batman is real grumpy.<br /><br />NOT APPROVED, Bats.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Four head-shaped planets,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-46059736917938146912009-01-05T08:59:00.000-08:002009-01-05T09:26:07.015-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Eight, By JohnathanThis one's from 1997's <span style="font-style: italic;">DC Universe Holiday Bash,</span> back when there were still New Gods:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlFFCfVg2x5sw4YwoQjGQk9ARvPIXjfxAmiD5KkBXNjAXDfdqWSSwfuOb1A9GKohE6dZ_qTU_yv8mmtZIJeih5TmNCHx9qkOEAP1UPAj0BhpO7i_PDUoyvZWA58wnnSV9MniE/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmlFFCfVg2x5sw4YwoQjGQk9ARvPIXjfxAmiD5KkBXNjAXDfdqWSSwfuOb1A9GKohE6dZ_qTU_yv8mmtZIJeih5TmNCHx9qkOEAP1UPAj0BhpO7i_PDUoyvZWA58wnnSV9MniE/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856390974598386" border="0" /></a><br />Now I know that I've already declared the title of <a href="http://nofurtherexplaination.blogspot.com/2008/12/twelve-days-of-christmas-special-review_1450.html">Best Santa Ever</a>, but I think that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Highfather</span> definitely comes in at a strong number two. Also, "moth-eaten hippie Abe Lincoln."<br /><br />The story: a mall manager or owner or something sees <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Highfather</span> and Orion wandering around and thinks that they're his Santa crew, based on ambient beard-magnificence, I guess. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Highfather</span> being, like, eight feet tall doesn't seem to be a problem for the guy until the costume doesn't fit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKWfmVDzxHu3TOiENfuns30Noe2tveN44M6bKKsKvGZVHB-vLUMJ5nlHvuOKQEkY-50xB6swFpV09I92LGtJALgD9SbrNk0ZohrYQZVAzbfOiHTJgvRq2gFv-nIctoVp9u_qy/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKWfmVDzxHu3TOiENfuns30Noe2tveN44M6bKKsKvGZVHB-vLUMJ5nlHvuOKQEkY-50xB6swFpV09I92LGtJALgD9SbrNk0ZohrYQZVAzbfOiHTJgvRq2gFv-nIctoVp9u_qy/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856371920436450" border="0" /></a><br />Don't worry, though - Christmas isn't ruined. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Tallpop</span> uses his amazing power to make everything <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">portentous</span> and:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_itXIdstc8ayUnolQrWJWCCVssqsP33AB34qH8kk76lrGmAmew4EINjIqfGYyCVdpPfLbh-iDtZPwNo-ZqHtqUaKT-48TzknEgRWE0khEckkALb_C2byjO2audee1ja7amgP2/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 311px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_itXIdstc8ayUnolQrWJWCCVssqsP33AB34qH8kk76lrGmAmew4EINjIqfGYyCVdpPfLbh-iDtZPwNo-ZqHtqUaKT-48TzknEgRWE0khEckkALb_C2byjO2audee1ja7amgP2/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856371356079730" border="0" /></a><br />... ends up looking pretty cool! Not to be outdone, Orion puts his mind/Mother Box to things and becomes...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC5jMGOjbaaDifHd6gAFdHu4vMGgb9TmUcAcZlwvZkwF1ZkSy_RBMuBNGFTnnKt7sXLRljVmt81Ve54ogy2yUeW27dBI5IYTiSHKZ1_g0vWSN-lqXTpavx6TaNGZcYbcZ0iVj/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC5jMGOjbaaDifHd6gAFdHu4vMGgb9TmUcAcZlwvZkwF1ZkSy_RBMuBNGFTnnKt7sXLRljVmt81Ve54ogy2yUeW27dBI5IYTiSHKZ1_g0vWSN-lqXTpavx6TaNGZcYbcZ0iVj/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856368766752834" border="0" /></a><br />Actually, he becomes a pretty terrifying elf.<br /><br />The rest of the story plays out kind of like that scene in <span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hogfather</span></span> (by Terry Pratchett, natch) where Death is doing the mall Santa thing, though just the heartwarming stuff - no pig urine jokes. Check this out:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9D-LL_Mlpvhlcm5ZUHvFQPLnGpD7o_Gn9A-ijmYoAtCJKAxBURS6WfLJdVbB3r0t0TAVlrtST3ItkLAQDtvoNYrg8uCbE5WgMJa1viZeyzZhrcgrZZUIipW3LFfES_S1eCfY/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 184px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP9D-LL_Mlpvhlcm5ZUHvFQPLnGpD7o_Gn9A-ijmYoAtCJKAxBURS6WfLJdVbB3r0t0TAVlrtST3ItkLAQDtvoNYrg8uCbE5WgMJa1viZeyzZhrcgrZZUIipW3LFfES_S1eCfY/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856120402118866" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFyvVsgAWD3uD6L0ibc1-GwqGVEhiI_DfUhB3SqZS-l6cohPD0pqH9ofTRpNulW7UuIF_RouwfUs04TdeSS25N53Cr3o-tBBoyDHUBo1U7QnuKNjOrhjhNVunq2tmDsgi14Gv/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 102px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVFyvVsgAWD3uD6L0ibc1-GwqGVEhiI_DfUhB3SqZS-l6cohPD0pqH9ofTRpNulW7UuIF_RouwfUs04TdeSS25N53Cr3o-tBBoyDHUBo1U7QnuKNjOrhjhNVunq2tmDsgi14Gv/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856119304537426" border="0" /></a><br />Adorable!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGab8ZjJJF-mNpwszhkXitB6UtBe_sC8-Aq_XTmj7_AcZbRw6ivAXqKTwRVyDYrCbVOjN439mfmNgk_JNBt_OUS1ppSGVMNW6bQUUEwitjvkpb8vageuvfZPkfIGwMhbQ-wWh6/s1600-h/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 375px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGab8ZjJJF-mNpwszhkXitB6UtBe_sC8-Aq_XTmj7_AcZbRw6ivAXqKTwRVyDYrCbVOjN439mfmNgk_JNBt_OUS1ppSGVMNW6bQUUEwitjvkpb8vageuvfZPkfIGwMhbQ-wWh6/s400/8+Second+best+santa,+best+elf+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287856105098811218" border="0" /></a>Dude, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Highsanta</span> is <span style="font-style: italic;">huge</span>.<br /><br />Such a great Christmas story. Right up there with the <span style="font-style: italic;">Justice League</span> where Plastic Man claims that Santa has heat vision (that one's for next year, I'm afraid).<br /><br />JOHN <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">APPROVED</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"FIVE LEGION RINGS!"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-60035561151790465902009-01-05T08:17:00.001-08:002009-01-05T08:41:32.710-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Seven, By JohnathanAg! It's the Twelfth Day of Christmas, kids! And the last day of my vacation! Do I have the discipline and mental fortitude necessary to finish these posts within my own Very Important Time Limit, or will you be reading this stuff until Groundhog Day? Stay tuned!<br /><br />Today's lesson, from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Batman Adventures Holiday Special:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w_2DtjlUeFVVBRgruTIdIMPFh4QjfivnAJAlKmB8Kaq0fLa9Pb8tzhLHDb3yOiB1f7F7i2qObIPjXZQG6qyUcY-FoZ-tku9_xhHF4WA8X3ZQatuzLx04KBsgxQfOJkQcna19/s1600-h/7+eligible+bachelors+should+always+look+up.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6w_2DtjlUeFVVBRgruTIdIMPFh4QjfivnAJAlKmB8Kaq0fLa9Pb8tzhLHDb3yOiB1f7F7i2qObIPjXZQG6qyUcY-FoZ-tku9_xhHF4WA8X3ZQatuzLx04KBsgxQfOJkQcna19/s400/7+eligible+bachelors+should+always+look+up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287844932327456066" border="0" /></a><br />If ever you find yourself a grim avenger of the night with a semi-pathological fear of women and also a billionaire playboy with "eligible bachelor" status, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Christmastime is a time for looking up.</span><br /><br />Also, that lady with the blue hair is doing a great job of foiling two of her rivals.<br /><br />Also also, the rest of this story features Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy on a shopping spree on Bruce's dime. It's well worth a read. In fact, it's JOHN APPROVED.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"six <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Tenzils</span> snacking,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-53581662838082774542009-01-04T16:36:00.000-08:002009-01-05T08:15:22.585-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Six, By JohnathanI don't touch on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Hellboy</span> a lot on this blog, because I mostly like writing about things that I like but that are also demonstrably flawed in some way (not a bad thing, I swear) and to me at least Mike <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Mignola's</span> extended <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Hellboy</span> family of books is just pure fun. But it's the Twelve Days of Christmas Special, for heaven's sake! So here's something from "A Christmas Underground", collected in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Chained Coffin and Others</span>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWKgDyB8oU7aPmObX5uLFZUZ4xv2X_OkyB9AIyNO4jAvKgy-G4S19vavdrThw85C2ywCYDjPvw1XNAvLHjv2nab8QCeZctV8ognlX4zZimsFR6K9fLqunX7jnQB0dJCUmfFNS/s1600-h/6+hellboy+xmas+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 336px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWKgDyB8oU7aPmObX5uLFZUZ4xv2X_OkyB9AIyNO4jAvKgy-G4S19vavdrThw85C2ywCYDjPvw1XNAvLHjv2nab8QCeZctV8ognlX4zZimsFR6K9fLqunX7jnQB0dJCUmfFNS/s400/6+hellboy+xmas+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287602553051428098" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Hellboy's</span> on a case to help an old lady - No more details for you! Buy the book! - at Christmastime. But who does she think he is, other than a giant red detective?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-X4Gi7Ao0GPGNmaHgUd2xqku-MMhNp-y9l2iT_dS4H6cAzxBqV1CbuopK4IhVbfbuQ5XJh3dJ0q7mKGvipuZjxSRf0P5eH3Wz2ZZNJehF42YMefySfFuvwS2R6V28jQal1oD/s1600-h/6+hellboy+xmas+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 254px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-X4Gi7Ao0GPGNmaHgUd2xqku-MMhNp-y9l2iT_dS4H6cAzxBqV1CbuopK4IhVbfbuQ5XJh3dJ0q7mKGvipuZjxSRf0P5eH3Wz2ZZNJehF42YMefySfFuvwS2R6V28jQal1oD/s400/6+hellboy+xmas+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287602560902430962" border="0" /></a><br />That's a super panel-to-panel change. I really should have left them side by side but it would have spoiled the suspense (the <span style="font-style: italic;">incredible </span>suspense!).<br /><br />There's some stuff in the middle (still not going to tell you, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">nyah</span>) and then <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Hellboy</span> offers up some Christmas sentiment:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-65DQAUzwwCCX3r5sLXczsHNcbJYZAZujcMt8bkizQ2QjfrSHUSMjJ19ELlEdD2PsqaC3IZbgYJd0R3eNrwLDf5TktieM8KMmeX6DHS79rjNYJso6xRIcY8DrM3gGqBIm4EK/s1600-h/6+hellboy+xmas+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-65DQAUzwwCCX3r5sLXczsHNcbJYZAZujcMt8bkizQ2QjfrSHUSMjJ19ELlEdD2PsqaC3IZbgYJd0R3eNrwLDf5TktieM8KMmeX6DHS79rjNYJso6xRIcY8DrM3gGqBIm4EK/s400/6+hellboy+xmas+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287602566283018562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z_Sg4HL1vS7jWd7f413JTGWb4dWhqcR0WlZNdQtAXX-PzfFLz6wJoBpzk5gc1t4W7bzD5QZL_toe-eEd4FnRJHTSvxXbpCv4cMAtM2UMDKtFg7DW1J_iguZlzWng0FilTvN9/s1600-h/6+hellboy+xmas+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 371px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Z_Sg4HL1vS7jWd7f413JTGWb4dWhqcR0WlZNdQtAXX-PzfFLz6wJoBpzk5gc1t4W7bzD5QZL_toe-eEd4FnRJHTSvxXbpCv4cMAtM2UMDKtFg7DW1J_iguZlzWng0FilTvN9/s400/6+hellboy+xmas+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287602572089663058" border="0" /></a>Man, I love that - the guy has great dialogue out the wazoo. This is one of my favourite short <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Hellboy</span> yarns, not the least because of that little postscript. In a very weird way, this is one of the more heartwarming Christmas comics I know.<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"seven boys a-bouncing,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-43341434256607218522009-01-02T13:25:00.001-08:002009-01-05T08:13:38.414-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Five, By JohnathanFrom the <span style="font-style: italic;">DCU Infinite Holiday Special</span>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYnmgz07RM7jLfQldhDl262rqJSGwSrEFIzF0Xe_QH1enA9VQwfjE9XOcwmg7EbmdeE5ATHPH4igZKQnex4VH3fwV4L3KXu1EMMOu4PKF7E2tl22_RxYC6EJTpm2kpXDyGf63/s1600-h/5+Santom+Stranger.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYnmgz07RM7jLfQldhDl262rqJSGwSrEFIzF0Xe_QH1enA9VQwfjE9XOcwmg7EbmdeE5ATHPH4igZKQnex4VH3fwV4L3KXu1EMMOu4PKF7E2tl22_RxYC6EJTpm2kpXDyGf63/s400/5+Santom+Stranger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286811154445041314" border="0" /></a><br />It's always a hoot to see the ol' Phantom Stranger step out of character for a bit, possibly because it's easy to believe that he has a sense of humour and the absurd in him somewhere. Unlike, say, the Batman of the last 10-15 years. This ranks up there with him showing up with groceries in <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Soldiers</span> for my favourite Stranger moments.<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br />Happy New Year, folks! So far, 2009 is highly JOHN APPROVED!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"eight Trappers timing,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-6166421906341234132008-12-31T06:49:00.000-08:002009-01-05T08:14:20.784-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Four, By JohnathanOnly three days behind! I was going to write this last night, but I was distracted by enchiladas and wine. Who could resist that, I ask you?<br /><br />Back to that super-hero party from <span style="font-style: italic;">Adventure Comics</span> No. 289 (I can't stop plugging <a href="http://superfuturefriends.blogspot.com/">Super Future Friends!</a> Go there!) - remember, the whole reason that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Supergirl</span> hauled her cousin 1010 years into the future was to get him some future <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">bootie</span> (booty?), and where better to look for a quick hook-up than the super equivalent of a drunken office Christmas party. Hell, there are probably four or five different sets of super-butt prints on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">hyperspatial</span> image duplication assembly already. All <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Supergirl</span> really has to do is point <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Clarkie</span> in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">someone's</span> direction and let fly.<br /><br />So who does she choose?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ceMekHSUP9Uggn40CwBlXNgGjdZ9AlH7G5-H7KubKIwy3gKlCaosTJhU8ShMWa6u9LGDvCnYKvRIuFYq-_TheoYBQgQmpGC2e2T9iLvSKCmxvgzgrP9kzwWCGvKWAoX-F5oL/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 344px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ceMekHSUP9Uggn40CwBlXNgGjdZ9AlH7G5-H7KubKIwy3gKlCaosTJhU8ShMWa6u9LGDvCnYKvRIuFYq-_TheoYBQgQmpGC2e2T9iLvSKCmxvgzgrP9kzwWCGvKWAoX-F5oL/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285973994915189426" border="0" /></a><br />Saturn Girl! Saturn Woman! Whoever!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7VteH6Kr4COq0wrOgBJGKW-NEqmBK0kxR1cSeeYVBP2g8zt-LR1gPodFw_z-XtGPQt4zaYdwUAlhbNhLNICqID87ez9lWoPSBrHkago8zMFKFdBqrLjWUjEmTAs5nVkh3tNU/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7VteH6Kr4COq0wrOgBJGKW-NEqmBK0kxR1cSeeYVBP2g8zt-LR1gPodFw_z-XtGPQt4zaYdwUAlhbNhLNICqID87ez9lWoPSBrHkago8zMFKFdBqrLjWUjEmTAs5nVkh3tNU/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285973996872082178" border="0" /></a><br />Superman has been holding out for a woman with a lot of plaques! Turns out that he only values qualities that have been commemorated by brass plate screwed to wood, which is why to this day he's convinced that Green Arrow is indeed the World's Greatest Sex Machine.<br /><br />The most important question raised by this panel, though, is just who the hell gave her that plaque? Her mom? Her stalker? Is there a shadowy group of future trophy-makers dedicated to making the folks of the 30<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span> Century feel okay about themselves? Should I expect a tasteful brass-and-mahogany number commemorating my exceptional capacity for beer and nachos?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BIJzaTkW-eSQTwMh_1DRJ8RLZOU9l2vk_x9CQ_2-Z_ZBxgN3R-gmS4EXMQCiiaqLBJ9oGquaKyLmeJyJaZJ7X1ij6PMX7WQdsTz6cZMQNxvt1MMBCWZ7RC07-5dT3fZ7zY5q/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1BIJzaTkW-eSQTwMh_1DRJ8RLZOU9l2vk_x9CQ_2-Z_ZBxgN3R-gmS4EXMQCiiaqLBJ9oGquaKyLmeJyJaZJ7X1ij6PMX7WQdsTz6cZMQNxvt1MMBCWZ7RC07-5dT3fZ7zY5q/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285973998518328946" border="0" /></a><br />"Holy poo! You look basically the same as you used to, only somewhat taller! I honestly figured that ten years would have rendered you into a total pooch! Look, I made you a joke dog-collar flight belt and everything!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ip3q2lyLVcwSbI36Gob8kjVgRUj73ygYD22aEOyEDjCSim-j8Ir3NQ4IWQqEWK2BGe-l8btqJotw_9mjzez6dajRexqA6uMrq1-tykOjfbId_jyPrrbabn0Hq6RNkXfz4o4m/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Ip3q2lyLVcwSbI36Gob8kjVgRUj73ygYD22aEOyEDjCSim-j8Ir3NQ4IWQqEWK2BGe-l8btqJotw_9mjzez6dajRexqA6uMrq1-tykOjfbId_jyPrrbabn0Hq6RNkXfz4o4m/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285974001065878706" border="0" /></a><br />I'm pretty glad that 'darts + mistletoe' isn't a cliched holiday recipe for making people kiss. I can basically guarantee that I'd have had a few accidental <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">trepannations</span> by now, knowing my friends. Also, I don't trust their judgement on who I should kiss.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfouvYNRWDLGBJLEn2RLqRg3YjaYzitrSdv924BVKpL1AgqUs2sn4YG5pTHSU5H1t2YQ_Cb13xf5rrGs1CkyobOIAoON0zpF0oDSiSUyctI1EErQhn29XzD9kB02Wz-afdbF5/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 182px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfouvYNRWDLGBJLEn2RLqRg3YjaYzitrSdv924BVKpL1AgqUs2sn4YG5pTHSU5H1t2YQ_Cb13xf5rrGs1CkyobOIAoON0zpF0oDSiSUyctI1EErQhn29XzD9kB02Wz-afdbF5/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285974010007346882" border="0" /></a><br />What is the etiquette on this kind of thing? Can you keep kissing someone as long as there's mistletoe around? Do they have any say in the matter or do they have to run and/or start spritzing some Agent Orange <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ceilingward</span>? I haven't ever actually seen the stuff - anyone from a mistletoe-using part of the world care to weigh in?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrO-QaGnztkLhdPksLlDU8cmv_n03qNUhKhyphenhyphenhadLRYgo3RzySteyLI70vNM9CA2Jptly79eQjb05rVGxPNY-gQa2huIvUaJ5XkUe7mFswkxNKQhe8StZqZF8tPItN2QOvclBX/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrO-QaGnztkLhdPksLlDU8cmv_n03qNUhKhyphenhyphenhadLRYgo3RzySteyLI70vNM9CA2Jptly79eQjb05rVGxPNY-gQa2huIvUaJ5XkUe7mFswkxNKQhe8StZqZF8tPItN2QOvclBX/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285974152587297634" border="0" /></a><br />It's been said before (though I seem not to be able to find an example): <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Supergirl</span> watching Superman kiss people is creepy. And happens a lot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3u0XOwxwGaNx8VBm6dWg7s67HM2mMIW2l00RPjQcDOuMtm_gny003DPci5SZHvh8XMdVnyDvYDl1PFxr7_CybPrsi3hk-gCamYsXEF4pKz32qd3Zy13xdZ_uJ634VBJV7nbe-/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 113px; height: 287px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3u0XOwxwGaNx8VBm6dWg7s67HM2mMIW2l00RPjQcDOuMtm_gny003DPci5SZHvh8XMdVnyDvYDl1PFxr7_CybPrsi3hk-gCamYsXEF4pKz32qd3Zy13xdZ_uJ634VBJV7nbe-/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285974156622967762" border="0" /></a><br />"Holiday Spirit", eh? That smacks of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">euphemism</span>. Is Superman drunk, do you reckon? Is there a reason that he hasn't seen these people in ten years?<br /><br />"Hey, where's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Superboy</span>? We could really use his help with these <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Rigellian</span> Spore-Monkeys."<br /><br />"Uh, we had to leave him back at the Clubhouse. He's a bit too full of the old 'holiday spirit'. I think that we might need to have an intervention."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7ic10lAIZ3Xtu_w1hkt4W1aIFXWU_8HDrxUOwgo-3OSlPan2efiuNUdIQ_aCUb2KZWNRNizEJZpy2PIVcuXpw7sFfR_8SE1SSUublv3nwj08zbAvJNFhUf6oIBV9xGaU6pfW/s1600-h/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 288px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7ic10lAIZ3Xtu_w1hkt4W1aIFXWU_8HDrxUOwgo-3OSlPan2efiuNUdIQ_aCUb2KZWNRNizEJZpy2PIVcuXpw7sFfR_8SE1SSUublv3nwj08zbAvJNFhUf6oIBV9xGaU6pfW/s400/3+Adult+Legion+xmas+macking+8.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285974161267267554" border="0" /></a><br />See? He's fleeing the party rather than admit his problem. <span style="font-style: italic;">Adventure Comics</span> No. 290 is entirely concerned with his subsequent shame-based bender. Actually, much of Superman's Silver-Age behavior makes a lot of sense if you assume that he's smashed out of his gourd half the time ("Whee! Time to dig another tunnel! And then maybe get Batman to help me prank Lois!").<br /><br />Finally: harsh, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Supergirl</span>. What did Phantom Woman ever do to you?<br /><br />I have a new theory about how being shot through space at a young age promotes social awkwardness.<br /><br />NOT APPROVED!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"nine Police sciencing,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-56623290319179230682008-12-29T12:18:00.001-08:002009-01-05T08:11:07.536-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Three, By JohnathanHarvey Bullock, are you the best Santa ever?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-GhUi3zII-xbiP_42oEjmTIcnOTpevrbTLmMD3IoTCWNh-bRy1O0XvQpndSsd2QYN4Fy7OC_Pz59kiBNW3jePeBE91lbrFXOvw-3zTJVf0kJDnQHQoL0FhvgNWCc1Ea8xBWJ/s1600-h/4+best+santa+ever.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 338px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD-GhUi3zII-xbiP_42oEjmTIcnOTpevrbTLmMD3IoTCWNh-bRy1O0XvQpndSsd2QYN4Fy7OC_Pz59kiBNW3jePeBE91lbrFXOvw-3zTJVf0kJDnQHQoL0FhvgNWCc1Ea8xBWJ/s400/4+best+santa+ever.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285309248108279330" border="0" /></a>Yes you are!<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"ten Stone Boys standing,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-24157784972007752482008-12-29T12:13:00.001-08:002009-01-05T08:10:20.816-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part Two, By JohnathanDammit, I’m writing this on Calling Birds but I’m only up to Turtledoves (Augh! I was away from the internet again! It's Golden Rings!). Have to pick up the pace, Johnathan, or those Lords’ll be a-leaping sometime in February.<br /><br />Continuing with Adventure Comics No. 289, today we answer the pressing question: what do super-heroes get each other for Christmas? (tangential observation: Red Tornado giving Batman a “World’s Greatest Detective” mug in the latest episode of The Brave and the Bold? Utterly adorable. That series is nothing but JOHN APPROVED)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8LvuLt4r90cmS01_-uVo6mksdpc7OJ74CGKEZs3RCueHPv42yJOcFTx90sUG82V6V3FBdiQ7CdhbHN76u6ZnIXNx5U9qJX08v8ZpnqbOuaAnHSmUkRjHTaEtB8WkrMx9AlpD/s1600-h/2+Adult+Legion+xmas+gifts+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8LvuLt4r90cmS01_-uVo6mksdpc7OJ74CGKEZs3RCueHPv42yJOcFTx90sUG82V6V3FBdiQ7CdhbHN76u6ZnIXNx5U9qJX08v8ZpnqbOuaAnHSmUkRjHTaEtB8WkrMx9AlpD/s400/2+Adult+Legion+xmas+gifts+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285307853724746498" border="0" /></a><br />Man, I don’t know how I feel about those pictures. I have some experience with that type of gift, and it is a super thoughtful/heart-warming thing to receive, but… there is absolutely no doubt that the implications of that time scope are profoundly creepy. I mean, think about what you did this morning. Now, think about a good friend of yours watching you do what you did this morning, with you all unaware. Gives me the shivers.<br /><br />NOT APPROVED<br /><br />So what do the Super-Cousins come up with to top that eerily thoughtful gift? Time-scope images of each Legionnaire’s death, maybe? Drawings of what they think everyone looks like in the shower, perhaps?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcRC4xDMicIgEz1e132hQjysL7l6HXZPsCzK6q0u6Gl9LTMshLDb43XNhA1cS-MQwfPqM-aZYEP2SUXt6puHE6NR-wQpkVuXdqpuZUeaorAiIWijG6YNe-gPa3fTRbO3-sOt6/s1600-h/2+Adult+Legion+xmas+gifts+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcRC4xDMicIgEz1e132hQjysL7l6HXZPsCzK6q0u6Gl9LTMshLDb43XNhA1cS-MQwfPqM-aZYEP2SUXt6puHE6NR-wQpkVuXdqpuZUeaorAiIWijG6YNe-gPa3fTRbO3-sOt6/s400/2+Adult+Legion+xmas+gifts+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285307861660911442" border="0" /></a><br />Flight belts! This is a good gift! So good, in fact, that it travels back in time - the teen Legion are using them in their next appearance and the poor Substitute Heroes have to make do with them for about twenty years after everyone else gets fancy-pants flight rings.<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br />Still, I wish that the “glowing crotch” aspect of the flight belt had remained a part of Legion canon. It’s just so… festive.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"eleven Tyrocs shouting,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-61163205050728477302008-12-27T05:52:00.000-08:002009-01-05T08:09:20.813-08:00Twelve Days of Christmas Special Review Series, Part One, By JohnathanHallo hallo! It's me, Johnathan, back from the far-away land of Offline and fat with turkey and buttered vegetables. As promised, I'm going to rock the twelve days of Christmas with twelve reviews highlighting various modes of holiday celebration in the comical booklets that I so love. And since we're already on Day 3 (French hens!) I'm going to be playing catchup.<br /><br />What are we going to look at for Partridge/Pear Tree Day? Who else but the Legion! From Adventure Comics No. 289, as recently looked at over at <a href="http://superfuturefriends.blogspot.com/">Super Future Friends</a>, we have this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXLdg1sJJEW18-IK6Yk7Q-VqgqVJKHasgxyo5mK-60cCxcxNzF_RRMPxBO45ST3k2rnKsEP5zP9L_zCvU9lForXFy-otBAnr4pjuw5Mmcm7PWzeGZ5WiYHzEj7T0DjWlPHd7s/s1600-h/1+Adult+Legion+xmas+decorations.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 308px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXLdg1sJJEW18-IK6Yk7Q-VqgqVJKHasgxyo5mK-60cCxcxNzF_RRMPxBO45ST3k2rnKsEP5zP9L_zCvU9lForXFy-otBAnr4pjuw5Mmcm7PWzeGZ5WiYHzEj7T0DjWlPHd7s/s400/1+Adult+Legion+xmas+decorations.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284470819234991330" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Supergirl</span> has a plot to get a little action for her cousin, so she hauls him into the 30<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">th</span> Century to hang with the adult Legion for Christmas. More on the action-getting plot later - today we're looking at the Legion's decorations.<br /><br />Not too sure why there isn't ever any snow around the Legion Clubhouse, as it's located just outside of either <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Smallville</span> or Metropolis and I'm pretty sure that at this point those <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">estimable</span> towns are both located in Kansas. Isn't Kansas snowy? Maybe the poles flipped in 2567 or something like that. No matter. I'm sure it's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Brainiac</span> 5's doing.<br /><br />I sure do like the Santa dummy in the space ship. Some of my favourite things about the Legion's future are its <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">intersections</span> with our past - rather than playing some crazy game where you simulate nuclear fusion with electronic beans they play holographic Dungeons and Dragons or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Spaceopoly</span> (which I hope is all about capturing the Boardwalk Nebula early in the game). Likewise, rather than having a robot out front with a special time portal that loops images of history's greatest Nativity scenes, including the original, they have a crappy Santa dummy that someone thought would look cute in their rocket car. My Dad's neighbours would do that!<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wndflD76OtzZlTH7bwgrjJOaBZ8F7MUbyR2xqgTJBYTtdBScnCKuFu1exraZ0czsvpueYV-6wsmjOztRkWIrpNws6uGxuE_3k8qKEAYd_zwIBn0SrYJEKCporW0Qj1hUm-5n/s1600-h/1+Adult+Legion+xmas+decorations+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6wndflD76OtzZlTH7bwgrjJOaBZ8F7MUbyR2xqgTJBYTtdBScnCKuFu1exraZ0czsvpueYV-6wsmjOztRkWIrpNws6uGxuE_3k8qKEAYd_zwIBn0SrYJEKCporW0Qj1hUm-5n/s400/1+Adult+Legion+xmas+decorations+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284470826226684498" border="0" /></a><br />As for their tree: fantastic! <span style="font-style: italic;">This</span> is the solution for my irrational aversion to even the most convincing fake Christmas tree - make 'em weird abstract <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">treeoid</span> forms. I haven't had a tree in my own place for upwards of ten years but I sure would set up that cone-stack. <span style="font-style: italic;">Especially </span>if I could arrange to have planets revolving around it. Or possibly something else, I don't know. Towns I've lived in? Snack foods I have known and loved (oh, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Punkys</span>. I miss ye). The important thing is the revolution.<br /><br />JOHN APPROVED<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">"Twelve beasts of lightning,"</span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-87952725934742375442008-12-23T12:12:00.000-08:002008-12-24T08:23:46.268-08:00Okay, By JohnathanI've gotten all of the presents and now I just have to wrap them. There may in fact be enough time to do some holiday reviewing before I head into the Internet-free wilderness from whence I was spawned. If I don't, I'll have a Twelve Days of Christmas Special, just for you guys. <div><br /></div><div>The compliments of the season to all y'all!</div><div><br /></div><div>- johnathan</div><div><br /></div><div>December 24 edit: I totally squandered the evening and spent the morning recycling some Free Comic Book Day comics as wrapping paper. Twelve Days of Christmas Special it is!</div>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-56219301392402381322008-12-19T19:45:00.000-08:002008-12-19T19:49:20.254-08:00Review of Phraseology, by JohnathanA quick'un. The best Christmastime-specific bit 'o wordplay? <div><br /></div><div>"The compliments of the season."</div><div><br /></div><div>What those particular compliments are, I have no idea. Possibly something about how nice the fur trim on one's jacket looks? Regardless, it's a nice, semi-archaic-sounding bit of wordage.</div><div><br /></div><div>JOHN APPROVED</div>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-80900544067259275762008-12-15T15:55:00.000-08:002008-12-15T16:06:16.600-08:00New Christmas Tradition!No reviewing today (or for like, three weeks - what the hell?) 'm just going to formally state my official Comic Nerd Christmas Wish so that whatever holiday spirit looks after my people will know what to get me.<br /><br />All <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> want for Christmas is a 6-12 issue miniseries about the Frankenstein featured in <span style="font-style: italic;">Seven Soldiers</span> and written by Grant Morrison. Just that, Grampy Tanglebeard.Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-79610012239011910312008-11-23T14:24:00.000-08:002008-12-13T16:03:56.223-08:00Super-Human Detritus of the Twentieth Century: Review of the Super-Companions, By Johnathan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKXn49QTsMm8BA1dGvurUXL6R5Ms_OFZhuLNe_1nItdAzG6JrjN9N7ydQSC-m-Gkcol6-gxDL-y1kum7UUhh-W8oK3hRHYJV978Zw6GzinSaVPe0V9Jk-q8JWhPdd50roAh6D/s1600-h/tree-man+telepathy+man+feats.jpg"></a>From <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Adventure Comics</span> No. 371 comes the most <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tangential</span> Legion story ever! Well, maybe. It definitely shouldn't be billed as a Tale of the Legion of Super-Heroes, that's for sure. Maybe a Tale Where the Legion Shows Up for a Couple of Panels and Also Gets Mentioned Two or Three Times.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Enough picking of nits: time for the Super-Companions!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEul6FYaGBxvbCiUUHd8KPb1D-gNkXtbJoEutkH3J8QLMC_RaJokjX-TsXjiHtT7h9U8FBJs_1_ozrztvUT2yI3xOeBcMXpsOzdfgwO7aYlcVaIfNCwCokC3ZbvWu-nFJXBW38/s400/Group+shot1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988437198257122" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Yay</span>, Super-Companions! So happy, so poorly-dressed. I was originally going to do up a separate review of each member of the group, but it was too hard to extract them from the story in order to do so. So what we're going to do here is sketch out the plot of "When <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Superboy</span> Walked Out on the Legion", pausing frequently to cast a critical eye over those most super of companions, the Super-Companions.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfVxxSo67vx2xuW28cTMq-tMq9D9bF7Nrc_6YDde3z4K3aL6M3VBKkDl9hS7WsW8LXnvj_HiukNSNg5HYjyJ8t6i9bTMHaNihm49n3XbqlZaYAfzi100516UfXl3Nq5MlP97HM/s400/preamble+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988177731224114" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 185px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>So: our story opens in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Smallville</span>, as Clark (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Superboy</span>) Kent engages in his customary Bird Wakefulness Check (every day at 11:45, between the Manatee Continence Scan and the Deep Elephant Sniff. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Superboy</span> is nothing if not thorough). I must say, those sleeping students are fantastic. That one guy by the chalk board, for example, fell asleep so hard that he didn't have time to fall over. I just hope that if I'm ever caught up in a mysterious wave of sleepiness I have the presence of mind to at least slump forward, or even go jelly-legged and hit the deck. If this classroom represents the general state of things in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Smallville</span> then there are going to be a lot of very stiff necks once this episode is over. Gonna be a cranky, cranky tiny town.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">OTHAR</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgB3pLFa7Xqn9Hy01Z8cN_x_6ho7LUBdmvxT6ZJAl2XOnN6cVdEIyXwsTdloCFWqIUv7uni7ffGHCWYn3IjNqeYgYT_2aLSAom_atImDM6qf8_DnkAIn_ePKAb42Mt2oLkPRb/s400/othar+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988443273679330" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 237px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Othar</span> isn't really a Super-Companion, but I'm including him in the review process because he's in that splash page up there. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Othar</span> is really hard to categorize, on a couple of levels. I can't decide if he's a Benevolent Highly-Evolved Being who just happens to threaten broad swathes of a planet's population with eternal sleep in the event that he doesn't get his way or a Diabolical Alien Mastermind who doesn't have any real villainous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">followthrough</span>. Either way, the guy is pretty inept.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBeFD5nf9txhy1arhXnZfBstzZnLzm9ukSJdtwCNqnmtnx9oNOvjviKjiO8A-GtVxuSnReP1Xg-G5zH_lpI3O3mTqi-hespQntJh5fddJ9Bu08HJ2lZWtPnWaZkwUPG56swBt/s1600-h/othar+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUBeFD5nf9txhy1arhXnZfBstzZnLzm9ukSJdtwCNqnmtnx9oNOvjviKjiO8A-GtVxuSnReP1Xg-G5zH_lpI3O3mTqi-hespQntJh5fddJ9Bu08HJ2lZWtPnWaZkwUPG56swBt/s400/othar+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988453228023426" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgB3pLFa7Xqn9Hy01Z8cN_x_6ho7LUBdmvxT6ZJAl2XOnN6cVdEIyXwsTdloCFWqIUv7uni7ffGHCWYn3IjNqeYgYT_2aLSAom_atImDM6qf8_DnkAIn_ePKAb42Mt2oLkPRb/s1600-h/othar+1.jpg"></a>Possibly my favourite thing about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Othar</span> is how over the top he is. All stops were pulled out on this guy to make him the very picture of impressive <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">alienhood</span>. Look how tall he is! check out the cape, the collar, the bulging cranium! Dig that crazy monocle, man! The Spock-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">esque</span> ear/eyebrow combo is just icing on this particular cake.<br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWGQUfte4Z7jMj3LnZ75Zi6SZw_eyz8yPw1D-pzYLFqsNZxe4dH2auseM4xAwpixS8VazV35v-kk6G7HodMIv7t7yQAQadH8tvJqwGLQV-zFsO_BgFTUwDXHdYNCBQ6zy-ReAL/s400/Othar+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988162956441026" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 385px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />Also, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Othar</span> seems to be in charge of this guy, who is among the better nameless underlings ever. About the only thing that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Othar</span> was missing was some sort of impressive facial hair, and his little buddy was all over that action, upper lip-first. Also, he seems to be filled with unearned bravado - if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Superboy</span> were to take one menacing step in his direction then I bet that he'd run and hide behind <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Othar</span>.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I have no idea why the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Thrannans</span> seem to have two distinct head sizes. It's not that some of them have bigger brains, I can tell you that. The big-headed one seem to be in charge, but if they're the ones who thought up this super-hero-importation plan then perhaps it's time to give the small-heads a turn. More superheroes mean more trouble, guys.<br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzev1cmVPLQ3LSIKVTD9BiAjp72Am-JQeHHhyphenhyphenBn443fqUMtFLr59l8PbGfdJAgRWFrZmiWwiNdnJ3B-PAaTjtoGJRebdNFJEUiUnnvfaDCAdZqJuB4MUmk9zmpyRUrKpZouV-/s1600-h/post+othar+preamble.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqzev1cmVPLQ3LSIKVTD9BiAjp72Am-JQeHHhyphenhyphenBn443fqUMtFLr59l8PbGfdJAgRWFrZmiWwiNdnJ3B-PAaTjtoGJRebdNFJEUiUnnvfaDCAdZqJuB4MUmk9zmpyRUrKpZouV-/s400/post+othar+preamble.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988182163828994" border="0" /></a><br />And there you have it, folks: the only appearance of the Legion in this Tale of the Legion of Super-Heroes, outside of the cover. Not particularly worthy of note, though I do like "space-happy". I like to think that maybe it's the Thirtieth Century equivalent of "road rage", and that at some point between now and then people suffered from "undersea pneumatic people transporter giddiness".<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0L4EiUPd7oMUON2G8g0bcgTKhfPwdnZGNVpN7OWE06NJilgoY7VdVVHkYzH_KVuBs-9uST1_NA9DE4cMAygS6uZF5srHtxATxMtqkz9CX7dek40MlCVRiVXOdEtji8_WUvGXh/s400/liquidman1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987453493135250" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 371px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Othar</span> and his guys head for the horribly yellow Planet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Cruxl</span>, there to kidnap:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">LIQUIDMAN</span></span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkucCzguCh3KSCaqA3nBY_PBb5R1Ag3tUuAom9t_2vkDuaIZDQr2YDRrMtAc4m1yBE5GTmBtNR-L6taIdLndKZRhB0FxxhR9mXacr8SIM1OA_RDGx3LAinkVRnpXIx4AIlWlZ/s1600-h/liquidman2.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrkucCzguCh3KSCaqA3nBY_PBb5R1Ag3tUuAom9t_2vkDuaIZDQr2YDRrMtAc4m1yBE5GTmBtNR-L6taIdLndKZRhB0FxxhR9mXacr8SIM1OA_RDGx3LAinkVRnpXIx4AIlWlZ/s400/liquidman2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987459967559138" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Liquidman</span> is an interesting cat. There's no denying that he undergoes quite a dramatic transformation thanks to that purplish potion, and if I read his hair colour right then he's a respected elder super-hero on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Cruxl</span>... but there's no question that as far as superpowers go the anthropomorphic puddle isn't going to hold much of a candle to, say, the super-speedster. Unless of course it becomes vital to the fate of the universe that a small napkin become damp as quickly as possible.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFbBO8O7fZxlaU_HxWT5U93kwSacx-_BwwitPl6RR2LSzDc7qpmB4lPMpvFz6pPnUit-ZP6tTEwm8mfYv6R3f7_fkp4t_uJHJXBRHkqQa6yytv6mlvVx8S9T5BcfRVyHDoDTP5/s400/liquidman3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987467421876754" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 378px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />More evidence: if you have to change back to your secret identity to deal with aliens then perhaps you should be reconsidering your career path. What was the plan once you found those crooks anyway, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Liquidman</span>? Were you going to run off and tell on them? Wait until they went to bed and then subdue them from within their lungs?<br /><br />And how the hell does a puddle take a potion anyway?<br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyWMKbYQc-7WxaKxy2O3vu2ZOUV86y1fTrLUNvdiYDc4Dc5YOfDuv_aFKOf-euP7NF5GXY0DwF4cbsD4jtTctbgDKEBm7Y9vOmf6W6c8PmwCATepp1G7nOJbWtt1BSKYToTv5/s400/liquidman4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987482232253682" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 350px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />Planet <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Cruxl</span> is in the running for DC planet with the best buildings - check out that crazy curvy brown apartment building in the last couple of panels. Who wouldn't enjoy living in a place like that?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3S4r91-PnT70oWMlzF9wJeuKLXQRcrGkYrpxDwbatX3uEjlEv4Cd31RUPW7BXbPUKDa8bft8LghIr97gP2ogLyO-zxpCPsVkYtMcF0bkXpctg_Hy7xakDnlp1sF_lfrtKOFA/s1600-h/liquidman5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 330px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT3S4r91-PnT70oWMlzF9wJeuKLXQRcrGkYrpxDwbatX3uEjlEv4Cd31RUPW7BXbPUKDa8bft8LghIr97gP2ogLyO-zxpCPsVkYtMcF0bkXpctg_Hy7xakDnlp1sF_lfrtKOFA/s400/liquidman5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987489550409682" border="0" /></a><br />So: the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Thrannans</span> have kidnapped <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Superboy</span>, the strongest, fastest, most invulnerable hero in creation, and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Liquidman</span>, who can become a puddle. Who's next, eh? Will there be some sort of balance of power on this team or will we be seeing a guy who can shrink his head to the size of a doorknob?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">STORMBOY</span></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyWMKbYQc-7WxaKxy2O3vu2ZOUV86y1fTrLUNvdiYDc4Dc5YOfDuv_aFKOf-euP7NF5GXY0DwF4cbsD4jtTctbgDKEBm7Y9vOmf6W6c8PmwCATepp1G7nOJbWtt1BSKYToTv5/s1600-h/liquidman4.jpg"></a><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDo-3qbwLjXvW5IMkWzrIU2i0waBWnYLYzZsSbLphcmjVCn03j8o45lrUjjk9APKr-qRuRO9-Wr-oWwo4S7iWq7SOCHmp4UnFfPRtSpYm83YBYDES-bxn7kD9JyZlmXxTu_rym/s400/stormboy1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987191240886018" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 355px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span><br />Oh, wow! It is someone with an in-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">betweeny</span> power level! And a really bad costume! Really, really bad, in fact.<br /><br />Note that while kidnapping <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">Liquidman</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">Superboy</span> will likely just lead to a few more jewel thieves and monsters roaming their respective countrysides, stealing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">Stormboy</span> is actually going to cause droughts and famines and the like, unless <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">Stormboy</span> is some sort of unnecessary roaming nuisance. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">Othar</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">does not</span> like to share his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">metahumans</span>, plainly.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPp6bRnA3KdG3SQAh738oYGf4njjZRms1eR9MTNPaPqWKTi-0k3o7sUI6x_NZhhYBlstd7kXYp_ISfEJStkLXBl8quh70qSCWb86hmcdVzM73aMc0HkWup31NaUMUyXuvi1tg/s400/stormboy2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987194818941986" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 394px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />I wonder: do <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">Stormboy's</span> storms keep on going until he shuts them off? He's clearly not concentrating on the one in the above panel but it's still going like gangbusters. I like to imagine that he left the planet without turning it off and that all of the sleeping people had a big surprise waiting for them when they woke up.<br /><br />Wait, how does making it rain on a city help to fix a drought?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TREE-MAN</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ByGnUwaSW-1R3i0iwnzOn3q4VDZ1moCluA61XZuHP0lQLkxp7zUKGfCvvtZ8Z8Kkz5i87K29NWxBf-KnhL2hizmX43FY08h7szoFQCqNoyV7FZYS8B7jdFRMV_gQnYUFGCzg/s1600-h/tree-man+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 339px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ByGnUwaSW-1R3i0iwnzOn3q4VDZ1moCluA61XZuHP0lQLkxp7zUKGfCvvtZ8Z8Kkz5i87K29NWxBf-KnhL2hizmX43FY08h7szoFQCqNoyV7FZYS8B7jdFRMV_gQnYUFGCzg/s400/tree-man+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987205422855554" border="0" /></a><br />Tree-Man, as you might have guessed from his one-panel kidnapping scene, isn't given quite as much character development as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">Liquidman</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">Stormboy</span>. Still, he's pretty great and comes from a planet of people who wear neither shirts nor shoes (and consequently have no restaurants). Plus, he's got an interesting twist on the stretchy-style superhero going on - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">when's</span> the last time that you saw Ralph <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">Dibney</span> grow a couple of arms out of his chest?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">TELEPATHY MAN</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf0mu0IAJEsMCIo4wLsK8RWZpK4M8U9lydVMxBN5Bv9_FUXonjg_WhIVtrnOFOnqB7YE3Iu7WRCeePeezhYDk4xipoLWyvKNbKTQ7HKUvlhJakEIjPnuwJEm9nwAhv31Tzuk3/s1600-h/telepathy+man+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 343px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghf0mu0IAJEsMCIo4wLsK8RWZpK4M8U9lydVMxBN5Bv9_FUXonjg_WhIVtrnOFOnqB7YE3Iu7WRCeePeezhYDk4xipoLWyvKNbKTQ7HKUvlhJakEIjPnuwJEm9nwAhv31Tzuk3/s400/telepathy+man+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987200262959650" border="0" /></a><br />Telepathy Man is a really terrible name. Also, his forehead looks like a bosom.<br /><br />Like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Stormboy</span>, Telepathy Man seems to be less of a super-hero than a public service. He builds with his brain while wearing a poorly-tailored outfit. While useful, I don't know if it warrants the "hero" portion of the name. Super-service-provider, perhaps, or super-alternative-to-going-to-the-hardware-store.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">SHADOWMAN</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwrTXhcAD1fxc1PgmURLMoLHg8pdjZqNM5kM-rf0hx09QqfvWLn_pE8GXZi-qnOlr3jdiKfvtiMoD2xM4DBnS60BNT6LZg8g_Q7CkyfFvX_MYZvjEiNP3fB5MHfgM27fE8eKF/s1600-h/shadowman+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 374px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJwrTXhcAD1fxc1PgmURLMoLHg8pdjZqNM5kM-rf0hx09QqfvWLn_pE8GXZi-qnOlr3jdiKfvtiMoD2xM4DBnS60BNT6LZg8g_Q7CkyfFvX_MYZvjEiNP3fB5MHfgM27fE8eKF/s400/shadowman+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271987190156406226" border="0" /></a><br />Poor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Shadowman</span> gets perhaps the least impressive first appearance in this story. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">Othar</span> tells us about his powers and there are no criminals or weather conditions for him to defeat or even adoring citizens to tell us how great he is... heck, I don't even think that they bothered to turn on the sleep ray in order to capture him. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">Othar</span> probably just sent his mustachioed comrade out to give the universal signal to get one's ass on in the spaceship (thumb over the shoulder, impatient glare) and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">Shadowman</span> marched glumly inside.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtIXdxCduVRI85nrcuCzUaLN9U8jmvPRruNWtAeThcMzZmiVK41t-KQ8-QEpIojWZ7xA7ebdJ898_29iCnaehkG1k0IEijzyPT6_3nbfOLZHh3fstZvhIlBGVM5NRSLuusSAA/s400/preamble+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271988180467089762" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />Arrival on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">Thrann</span>! Seems to me that this would be a great time for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">Superboy</span> and Co. to wreck all of the sleep rays and space ships and then go home, right? because they're all there under duress, and therefore not obligated to honour any agreements that they might have made, right? Evidently not.<br /><br />Let's read about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">everyone's</span> weaknesses! The weird-looking pictures are vestiges of the post I did not write but since I spent so many seconds slaving over a hot Polygonal Lasso to make them I thought I should use them.<br /><br /></div><div><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">Superboy</span> is safe on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">Thrann</span> because there is no <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">kryptonite</span> there, says <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">Othar</span>, and then lays out why everyone else is safe:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EMBP3vdWHWdQLnfbyuZw85lP9kS_zY8X04rydcfOEdvpJa0aq2Bpz6PU6wRuNbtZ8c4j1f3OUfgTsLqwAC1ir12EgnP_5sV0mGPHZCkrAcMvYvKoJwSMjoKpBxXKSjUbe6cl/s1600-h/stormboy+weakness.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7EMBP3vdWHWdQLnfbyuZw85lP9kS_zY8X04rydcfOEdvpJa0aq2Bpz6PU6wRuNbtZ8c4j1f3OUfgTsLqwAC1ir12EgnP_5sV0mGPHZCkrAcMvYvKoJwSMjoKpBxXKSjUbe6cl/s400/stormboy+weakness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986750030529954" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" /></a><br />Man. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">Stormboy</span> is weak against the visible light spectrum. Not only that but he creates the thing that he is weak against the majority of the times that he uses his powers. It's like the if Martian <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">Manhunter</span> burst into flame every time he turned invisible.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCrmDoI21d8YUaMG9wDOZF5PMZ2eHLnX7doDSW0LlBGv59ydLaIZUuAWnc5a2Kl8Y7l5qFHuJ1iPjk2XH6NPfiBqU7DMxXpPTYn8nrBfoRelZTQY3HR5FbvHLfpsEByVSgbF0/s1600-h/liquidman+weakness.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCrmDoI21d8YUaMG9wDOZF5PMZ2eHLnX7doDSW0LlBGv59ydLaIZUuAWnc5a2Kl8Y7l5qFHuJ1iPjk2XH6NPfiBqU7DMxXpPTYn8nrBfoRelZTQY3HR5FbvHLfpsEByVSgbF0/s400/liquidman+weakness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986752940766818" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" border="0" /></a><br />Eh. Fire isn't a very good weakness, especially against a guy made out of water. Because fire is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">everyone's</span> weakness. Not having a weakness to fire is, in fact, a really good power. In any case, it looks like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Othar</span> interpreted that picture wrong. I'm not seeing "This fire is weakening me!" but rather "Oh no! My lab assistant threw his cigarette in the trash can again!".<br /><br />No rainbows? No fireplaces? <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Thrann</span> is the least romantic planet ever, it's official.<br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoT89XiDi8gKu__kfh8RfB4hUfA61OBRLhWmaCjcLbP6ldOrTHgFS9vv07IPUzfVdHgfyYkjRv6-EtuvX6U1faLV034gtLomCEZspesZPY4ZAHoyeZPp-ChNA8mOaTscNFAEYQ/s400/Tree-man+weakness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986760785000962" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 174px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />Tree-disease <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">isn't a</span> bad weakness for a tree-guy.<br /><br />That's all I got.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTK6aKfLouDKrseG9zl-FofcbsKtoGiIiN7j-dYg5ATzd1FI9Lb1CEfrvPEhdrUgIGvl69FJyqX8pDEXnfdyCykCAl__lvEemwAEAxfNaq0Qv5rCTgxa1QRd4VE7MpG3Pg7vw/s1600-h/shadowman+weakness.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTK6aKfLouDKrseG9zl-FofcbsKtoGiIiN7j-dYg5ATzd1FI9Lb1CEfrvPEhdrUgIGvl69FJyqX8pDEXnfdyCykCAl__lvEemwAEAxfNaq0Qv5rCTgxa1QRd4VE7MpG3Pg7vw/s400/shadowman+weakness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986757219255346" border="0" /></a><br />Again, not a bad weakness. The best part of this panel, though, is the beret-clad bad guys. It's like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">Shadowman's</span> world is bereft of funding for the arts, so troupes of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">avant</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">garde</span> artists loot the countryside to finance their massive absinthe and burnt umber habits. Also, that long radium-wrangling pole shows some amazing foresight and patience.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglCrmDoI21d8YUaMG9wDOZF5PMZ2eHLnX7doDSW0LlBGv59ydLaIZUuAWnc5a2Kl8Y7l5qFHuJ1iPjk2XH6NPfiBqU7DMxXpPTYn8nrBfoRelZTQY3HR5FbvHLfpsEByVSgbF0/s1600-h/liquidman+weakness.jpg"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMSMw6leJbmY1AvSEPIIpVjDzyBF5lx3bbfCIK5zZTh09XuAM5QgxLKvINQ8R2mcxWQAiv0VZTCnQjuNbUriQYwjpxrY9I1YxoP6r1OPC9Mqkuo2hW25_6uvcc5EdCU8LtzBy/s1600-h/telepathy+Man+Weakness.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 353px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhMSMw6leJbmY1AvSEPIIpVjDzyBF5lx3bbfCIK5zZTh09XuAM5QgxLKvINQ8R2mcxWQAiv0VZTCnQjuNbUriQYwjpxrY9I1YxoP6r1OPC9Mqkuo2hW25_6uvcc5EdCU8LtzBy/s400/telepathy+Man+Weakness.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986741452770162" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">Stormboy</span> is spared! <span style="font-style: italic;">This</span> is the worst possible weakness that a superhero could have!<br /><br />"I will defeat you, Evil Boy, with my mind! Just as soon as you stop being evil! Until then I shall retire to my secret lair next to the prison, where I will try for the third week in a row to make a signal booster for my wi fi!"<br /><br />And, uh, Othar? Technically, kidnapping six super-heroes just for the hell of it counts as an evil act. Not Darkseid evil, but still.<br /><br />So Othar manages to convince the Super-Companions not to steal a spaceship and run for it and instead has them compete to see who will be the leader of their merry band of abductees. Let's watch:<br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpKXn49QTsMm8BA1dGvurUXL6R5Ms_OFZhuLNe_1nItdAzG6JrjN9N7ydQSC-m-Gkcol6-gxDL-y1kum7UUhh-W8oK3hRHYJV978Zw6GzinSaVPe0V9Jk-q8JWhPdd50roAh6D/s400/tree-man+telepathy+man+feats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272046558979506114" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 294px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span><br />I'm most impressed by Tree-Man's extendible pants. Pretty pedestrian feats, guy. Let's see what the others are up to:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXLmikMcmL05ieR-By0edjapBODpTciXkNZeTVjr4NzqmARAU2bZp-rLjxdv0bGNxX7knBcJH-OBgZMM60-x-06n8NMvP3QahTJuL5naP5kdbxOT5JCQLwZnSwWakckZ5CZUF/s400/stormboy+and+shadowman+feats.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986054268352290" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 400px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />Man, I know that this stuff is very impressive on one level but I just can't care that much about prospecting and power-generation. No wonder Superboy won by building an iron castle and putting it in a low orbit.<br /><br />Liquidman, by the way, didn't do anything to make the lives of his kidnappers better. Where's your Stockholm syndrome-fueled loyalty, pal?<br /><br />In any case, the rest of the story was all about how the Super-Companions were ostensibly very content on Thrann but really very homesick and kind of painted them as being basically identical to one another. For example:<br /><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIYMzlFGVt9wcuaIykyWJuwRfYJ4hci6hyphenhyphenA7ucFZGUZij6eYxHvQXekVRQQO7GKTUXxHCcuwh1HscNZyo2SGZwXUMUO58wef7HBlo5FammPhR2soTE332rA7ZkcxkApcpnIIB/s400/Stormboy+secrets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986069383892914" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 316px;" border="0" /></span><br />He had to protect his secret identity in case a disgruntled unseasonal dry spell came after his loved ones.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkIiv9NlPdTThFP__EOt3R_ZlGoQlSals0cXEZNqVkr_kRYTB1UGNLFLXZyffwYtO03ZdLPPZxUOG9SLldUbjrc4_i_Z4LxXvkApJ44vtG5MsSHN8iCXUy1Vfhobq0V5mgyPN/s400/liquidman+secrets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986078507479122" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 393px;" border="0" /></span></div><div><br />"It was funny how they never really used it, those law officers..."<br /><br />The remainder of the issue is concerned with the Super-Companions staging a big fight in order to convince the Thrannans that they were more trouble than they were worth. Superboy wears that crown the whole time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiZE1wMEOGBB-eS_8sPX-M32s9GHxgTGp-6gDhcxL2-tNHJYYVfLAYv-t7TAziaK9sjOCScRd_y6A-_09Ih4lqCxr0Tx8b48OAPwOGqt5TNhbyEMMmBmCJiDjQlv6p4rOvCvW/s1600-h/conclusion.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGiZE1wMEOGBB-eS_8sPX-M32s9GHxgTGp-6gDhcxL2-tNHJYYVfLAYv-t7TAziaK9sjOCScRd_y6A-_09Ih4lqCxr0Tx8b48OAPwOGqt5TNhbyEMMmBmCJiDjQlv6p4rOvCvW/s400/conclusion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5271986079834014338" border="0" /></a></div><div>Everyone has a big laugh and goes home, the end. On to the ratings!<br /><br />Othar - a Class A tool. Only gets points for having that little sidekick guy. NOT APPROVED.<br /><br />Liquidman - I like his hair but deride his power. Still, his refusal to do tricks for the Thrannans makes him JOHN APPROVED.<br /><br />Stormboy - The worst dresser of them all. Not a bad power but should be hiring himself out rather than freelancing for free. Lack of common sense equals NOT APPROVED<br /><br />Tree-man - He's definitely my favourite. Purple pants are always a good thing, and erupting extra limbs from your chest to foil crooks is even better. JOHN APPROVED<br /><br />Telepathy Man - Not a good super-hero. Not a good dresser. NOT APPROVED<br /><br />Shadowman - Didn't do much to impress me but the really important thing for me is the quality of his enemies and they are top notch impressionist painters and the like, so JOHN APPROVED<br /><br />Good night!<br /></div>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-62720767374781796472008-11-20T18:22:00.000-08:002008-11-20T18:25:45.409-08:00Super-Human Detritus of the Twentieth Century: Review of the Super-Companions Preamble, By Johnathan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIESjLA2Fwyoekta5NiJMnQA_Q0GY6_dB2KZpTwDAmLLFJMcGZ7sxElvaiWuw600qUX5GrDExZHP0q4nhkjHwwc99kAKE7P5mgMmURc-8uuLhTzoTVkB3ywXcPE23jbbjdG32/s1600-h/Adventure371-00.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWIESjLA2Fwyoekta5NiJMnQA_Q0GY6_dB2KZpTwDAmLLFJMcGZ7sxElvaiWuw600qUX5GrDExZHP0q4nhkjHwwc99kAKE7P5mgMmURc-8uuLhTzoTVkB3ywXcPE23jbbjdG32/s400/Adventure371-00.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270930902510312850" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Adventure Comics</span> No. 371! Super Companions! Coming soon!<br /><br />I'm not going to post the whole damn comic, so it won't take three months!<br /><br />Whee!Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29412559.post-41857944117264099742008-11-17T17:57:00.000-08:002008-11-17T18:06:25.252-08:00I may be cursed, a review by Johnathan<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So this week when I went to the local </span><a href="http://www.strangeadventures.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">comic shoppe</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> to fritter away my salary (ah, for the halcyon days when Canadian and US currency were at par) I learned that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Blue Beetle</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> was scheduled to get the axe. This was the last scrap of evidence that I needed to verify the fact that I am labouring under a curse at least as hideous as that of the average werewolf.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Here's the pattern: 1) I will find some neato series, or some kind soul like </span><a href="http://livingbetweenwednesdays.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Rachelle</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> or </span><a href="http://allthisearth2.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Dave</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> will clue me in to one. 2) I'll read the trades and the back issues to get things in the proper context. 3) I'll put the book on my pull list and enjoy a couple of months of good reading. 4) The book will be cancelled.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Seriously, check out this list of books that I have had on my list over the last year or so:</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Shadowpact</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">: DOA</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The All-New Atom</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">: died a lingering death.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Legion of Super-Heroes</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> (or whatever): on borrowed time.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Birds of Prey</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">: I spend six months catching up and then it dies. Added to my list one month before it was cancelled.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> <br /></span><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Blue Beetle</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">: on the chopping block. Added to my list two months ago.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">You want to know why </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Manhunter</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> didn't get cancelled? Sure, the fan support helped, but the real reason is that I hadn't gotten around to reading the back issues yet. If I ever do, Gord help you all.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">If this were a comic book world then I'd theorize the existence of a Bizarro Johnathan - or possibly an overly-mischevious John-Mite - working at DC Comics and cancelling things based upon my approval. I'd have to hope that they didn't have enough pull to take down </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Action Comics</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Green Lantern</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Dammit, I may have to stop reading </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Booster Gold</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">NOT APPROVED</span></span></p></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGun_hXDvGtivVVq3nCZSaHe77uUg7DIGt7bb6TTXHEobqs3JyV9PWpu9jWP6wezksl6zMCbSJYGTFrXGVZgLcepqF5XrxAelU_8O_qH99pVTY0MHy2LrUhP669DXKuMw_Xaw/s1600-h/biz-mite0001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 244px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGun_hXDvGtivVVq3nCZSaHe77uUg7DIGt7bb6TTXHEobqs3JyV9PWpu9jWP6wezksl6zMCbSJYGTFrXGVZgLcepqF5XrxAelU_8O_qH99pVTY0MHy2LrUhP669DXKuMw_Xaw/s400/biz-mite0001.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269811079323909762" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Note: Bizarro-face is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">hard. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I need more practice at it.</span></p></span>Skeleton Munroehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13562262356934465597noreply@blogger.com7