As you may know, Disney has a policy to release its favorite movies every 8 years or so in order to give every generation of kids a chance to enjoy their movies/ get indoctrinated into Disney entertainment and therefore become lifelong customers.
This used to mean theatrical releases, but these days it means release to DVD (and then the cynically produced straight-to-DVD sequels. Disney does not DO theatrical sequels. Or they didn't until Jungle Book II.)
One of my childhood favorites is being released again to DVD. And in order to market the movie, they're running a TV commercial, which is not a surprise.
What is a surprise is that Disney has chosen to put out a commercial where they've added a joke to the movie which doesn't actually occur in the movie. For some reason, they've added a fart.
Today's kids would be shocked to learn that in 1961, farts were not usually the central focus of childrens' entertainment. In fact, farts just really didn't find their way into movies until the notorious Bean Eating Incident of Blazing Saddles (1974). But I think it sort of speaks volumes that Disney felt that their classic, which has survived generation after generation over almost 50 years as a beloved classic, and which runs about 80 minutes, needs to now add a scene where a horse breaks wind in order to appeal to today's kids.
Not to mention... I think, but I am not sure, that they've added a bit of a digital visual trick to briefly expand the horse's hind quarters during said fart.
Look, I'm one for lowbrow humor as much as the next guy, but... does Disney really need to add farts, which won't occur in the movie, to their movies in order to move DVD's? Is the audience really that in demand of yet another animal breaking wind?
I mean, I know the answer is "yes". That was a rhetorical question.
But you'd kind of like to think that Disney's ability to amuse and delight people for generations was due to their ability to put together some quality entertainment, and not, you know, because they went for the gimme of a horse fart to get a laugh.
Moreover, I'd like to hope that the audience is kinda pre-sold on 101 Dalmatians, even without the promise of a good bit of gas. But, hey, I don't work in marketing.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
New Frontier DVD Contest Reminder
Hey, Leaguers!
I've received responses from a few folks (very few) on this whole New Frontier Give away deal.
If you'd like an opportunity to win, let me know via e-mail or comments section. If you want to double your chances, let me know the identity of your favorite Justice Leaguer, along with a sentence or two as to why.
Submit your request by March 7th, 2008.
The DVD is now on shelves! Go out and make the Ghost of Gardner Fox happy.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Happy Birthday, Superman!
February 29th is the date usually selected when Superman celebrates his birthday!
So, happy birthday, Man of Steel!
Read more here and here for celebrity well-wishers!
The League of Melbotis wishes Superman the happiest of birthdays, and wants to take a moment to commemorate Jery Siegel and Joe Shuster, who brought to our world a strange visitor with abilities far beyond those of mortal men.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
TTSNB: Playmobil at Orange Alert
Uhhhmmm
I used to like my Playmobil stuff when I was little. They had a great Old West sort of collection you could buy in smaller pieces. I had a Sheriff who came with a shotgun and rocking chair, which, at the time, made perfect sense.
This particular set-up... I just sort of think any parent who believes their child is going to really expand their imagination by make believing their one little figure is wanding the other... In a way, its kind of awesome. I don't know. Maybe this is what kids like to play with these days. I can see a five year old Ryan working this playset into some of his playtime. Maybe Batman and Princess Leia would have to swing through security before getting on the Fisher Price shark reef patrol boat and finding Godzilla. I dunno.
I used to like my Playmobil stuff when I was little. They had a great Old West sort of collection you could buy in smaller pieces. I had a Sheriff who came with a shotgun and rocking chair, which, at the time, made perfect sense.
This particular set-up... I just sort of think any parent who believes their child is going to really expand their imagination by make believing their one little figure is wanding the other... In a way, its kind of awesome. I don't know. Maybe this is what kids like to play with these days. I can see a five year old Ryan working this playset into some of his playtime. Maybe Batman and Princess Leia would have to swing through security before getting on the Fisher Price shark reef patrol boat and finding Godzilla. I dunno.
First Day
If you've ever followed the League, you know I don't talk a lot about work. That's partially out of professional courtesy, and also because I am pretty sure if I got into what I do for a living, I'd lose the last five readers I have.
I'm not going to do what I've done in the past, and I'm going to actually name my employer. Partially because they're a public institution, people might be interested in where I work, and I think they have bigger fish to fry than what I think. What I will not do is air grievances about my employer or use this is as some soap box about work-related matters. Unless I think they're amusing enough to share, and then, well...
Today I began my new position at the University of Texas. I'm working within the central Information Technology group. I met with my team today, and I'm really pleased. All of them seem like decent guys, and while I am anticipating a lot of work in the next 6 months for me to get up to speed and really do these guys any favors (yes, I am managing warm bodies again), I am pretty confident about the operation as a whole. So, yeah, got UT.
For Longhorns and Austinites past and present, my office is near the tower. Or, I should say, The Tower. Not a bad place to be after parking in a shut-down Arby's Parking lot and looking out at derelict building/ hobopalooza for the past several months.
And, while ASU (two employers back) was a fair and equitable employer... The campus was mostly unattractive and looked like the criteria for design was mostly "whomever bids the lowest". So being tucked in there by Garrison, the Tower, etc... if you just ignore Welch, it's a nice little pocket of campus.
By the way.. I don't know what happened to the UGL, but its not a library anymore. No idea where their collection went. It's all study desks now. And I think the computer lab is gone.
There's a Starbucks where the little shop was at the front of the Union (the ladies there were very nice). And the checkout desk of the UGL is now where you can have your staff photo taken by a nice guy with Starbucks/ McDonalds conspiracy theories. And, I believe, a Cesar Chavez statue in front of the Architecture building.
But, mostly, campus is the same. And that's kind of the point. Campuses are not there to be torn down and replaced. The buildings are made of stone for a reason. The structures, the places of learning and curiosity and research, they'll endure. Changes will be made internally, offices will move, air ducts, power, wiring, ethernet cables... all of that might change, but the Tower will be the Tower, and the stone faces of the six pack will forever face off across the South Mall, looking at one another with a bit of suspicion and hiding behind heroes of the South.
Oak trees will continue to live on, in absolutely ridiculous sizes beside the Hogg Auditorium, there's always someone with questionable political ideas trying to recruit you on the West Mall, right next to someone trying to recruit you for a worthwhile charity or blood bank. There's always a stream of students going from point a to b with too much going on between their ears. And there's still the sound of the bells. (One chime means quarter-til)
I'm going to be a part of that infrastructure for the foreseeable future, making sure the researchers, faculty, staff and students have the tools they need to function. It's an honor an a privilege to get the opportunity. Oddly enough, my office is within fifty feet of where I remember getting my first e-mail address and internet account set up in 1994. Thanks, Pat. And thanks to Robert, who was kicking a 5600 baud modem down the hall until I gave him $5 for it (or was it free? I don't recall. I know money was offered, but not much.).
So we'll see how it goes. 'Til Gabriel blows his horn, I suppose.
I'm not going to do what I've done in the past, and I'm going to actually name my employer. Partially because they're a public institution, people might be interested in where I work, and I think they have bigger fish to fry than what I think. What I will not do is air grievances about my employer or use this is as some soap box about work-related matters. Unless I think they're amusing enough to share, and then, well...
Today I began my new position at the University of Texas. I'm working within the central Information Technology group. I met with my team today, and I'm really pleased. All of them seem like decent guys, and while I am anticipating a lot of work in the next 6 months for me to get up to speed and really do these guys any favors (yes, I am managing warm bodies again), I am pretty confident about the operation as a whole. So, yeah, got UT.
For Longhorns and Austinites past and present, my office is near the tower. Or, I should say, The Tower. Not a bad place to be after parking in a shut-down Arby's Parking lot and looking out at derelict building/ hobopalooza for the past several months.
And, while ASU (two employers back) was a fair and equitable employer... The campus was mostly unattractive and looked like the criteria for design was mostly "whomever bids the lowest". So being tucked in there by Garrison, the Tower, etc... if you just ignore Welch, it's a nice little pocket of campus.
By the way.. I don't know what happened to the UGL, but its not a library anymore. No idea where their collection went. It's all study desks now. And I think the computer lab is gone.
There's a Starbucks where the little shop was at the front of the Union (the ladies there were very nice). And the checkout desk of the UGL is now where you can have your staff photo taken by a nice guy with Starbucks/ McDonalds conspiracy theories. And, I believe, a Cesar Chavez statue in front of the Architecture building.
But, mostly, campus is the same. And that's kind of the point. Campuses are not there to be torn down and replaced. The buildings are made of stone for a reason. The structures, the places of learning and curiosity and research, they'll endure. Changes will be made internally, offices will move, air ducts, power, wiring, ethernet cables... all of that might change, but the Tower will be the Tower, and the stone faces of the six pack will forever face off across the South Mall, looking at one another with a bit of suspicion and hiding behind heroes of the South.
Oak trees will continue to live on, in absolutely ridiculous sizes beside the Hogg Auditorium, there's always someone with questionable political ideas trying to recruit you on the West Mall, right next to someone trying to recruit you for a worthwhile charity or blood bank. There's always a stream of students going from point a to b with too much going on between their ears. And there's still the sound of the bells. (One chime means quarter-til)
I'm going to be a part of that infrastructure for the foreseeable future, making sure the researchers, faculty, staff and students have the tools they need to function. It's an honor an a privilege to get the opportunity. Oddly enough, my office is within fifty feet of where I remember getting my first e-mail address and internet account set up in 1994. Thanks, Pat. And thanks to Robert, who was kicking a 5600 baud modem down the hall until I gave him $5 for it (or was it free? I don't recall. I know money was offered, but not much.).
So we'll see how it goes. 'Til Gabriel blows his horn, I suppose.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Sorry, Leaguers! Not much to report. I sort of had a day off before starting the new job tomorrow. But I was scheduled to come on down for a monthly potluck the folks at my new office were having, so I came by to say "howdy" and meet folks in a bit more of a social context.
I'm feeling pretty positive. These guys (I say guys because of the 30 people in my office, two of them are women. One is my boss, the other won't work with me directly) really know their stuff, and they have a good sense of humor.
I not only saw my new office, but with some help, I monkeyed around a bit and moved my furniture into position. Tomorrow is HR, etc... Must be at UT at 8:30. Which means I need to get up a bit earlier than I would at Enspire when accounting for parking and traffic.
In the afternoon I meet with my team, and I feel like I should have prepared something for them, but... oh, well. I don't think a Patton speech at this point would be a good idea, anyway. They know what they're doing, and its more my job to make sure they do it with the least amount of static possible.
Aside from that, grabbed dinner at a new place (to us), Zen. It was good, and not terribly expensive. I'm hoping it was fairly healthy, too. Read some comics. And filled out HR paperwork.
Oh, and I randomly ran into Lauren on the drag when I was going back to my car.
Jamie is maybe slightly better. Hopefully this will continue to improve.
I'm feeling pretty positive. These guys (I say guys because of the 30 people in my office, two of them are women. One is my boss, the other won't work with me directly) really know their stuff, and they have a good sense of humor.
I not only saw my new office, but with some help, I monkeyed around a bit and moved my furniture into position. Tomorrow is HR, etc... Must be at UT at 8:30. Which means I need to get up a bit earlier than I would at Enspire when accounting for parking and traffic.
In the afternoon I meet with my team, and I feel like I should have prepared something for them, but... oh, well. I don't think a Patton speech at this point would be a good idea, anyway. They know what they're doing, and its more my job to make sure they do it with the least amount of static possible.
Aside from that, grabbed dinner at a new place (to us), Zen. It was good, and not terribly expensive. I'm hoping it was fairly healthy, too. Read some comics. And filled out HR paperwork.
Oh, and I randomly ran into Lauren on the drag when I was going back to my car.
Jamie is maybe slightly better. Hopefully this will continue to improve.
TTSNB: Gene Simmons Plush Doll
Break out the disinfectant!
Indeed, a Toy That Should Not Be.
Now, the man that you would never want to be anywhere near your daughter comes in adorable plush doll form! KISS lead rocker, Gene Simmons, can still sell out a stadium in a heartbeat, but why not expand into an line of increasingly bewildering product?
Hopefully Carla will do the right thing and get one of these for young Xander.
Gene Simmons plush doll.
Indeed, a Toy That Should Not Be.
Now, the man that you would never want to be anywhere near your daughter comes in adorable plush doll form! KISS lead rocker, Gene Simmons, can still sell out a stadium in a heartbeat, but why not expand into an line of increasingly bewildering product?
Hopefully Carla will do the right thing and get one of these for young Xander.
Gene Simmons plush doll.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Jamie under the weather
Just an FYI: Poor Jamie has the creeping funk. There's stuff going around all over, it seems. Steven's been sick for, like, a month. CB has been sick since, like, the start of 2008. Jason had something a while back. Jamie has some not-fun symptoms. Fever. Little bit of acheyness. Sore throat. I feel bad for her. She doesn't look happy, and I'm honestly not sure if she's holding steady, getting better, or what...
I don't know what's going on this year, but, man... I'm going to try not to get the big that's going around.
I don't know what's going on this year, but, man... I'm going to try not to get the big that's going around.
Superman Slamdunk
In case you missed it, Dwight Howard pulled off a crazy dunk during the All-Star Game festivities, employing a Superman theme.
Look at where his feet leave the ground, and where he is in the air when he releases the ball. Holy smokes.
Look at where his feet leave the ground, and where he is in the air when he releases the ball. Holy smokes.
New Frontier
Today is my final day at my current job. Tomorrow I sort of have the day off. I have to go fill out criminal background check paperwork, and, I believe, enjoy part of a potluck. (I think I am going to Central Market and grabbing some cupcakes as I don't know how to cook for that many, and I don't know where I'd park with a crockpot.)
I'm going to miss the folks at Enspire. They're really creative and fun, down to the last employee. I'll also miss the clients, which sounds weird, maybe, but I will. I know I was very lucky with my clients, as they were pretty much, across the board, very easy to talk to and work with. I know this is not the usual case in a professional environment when you're working with contracts, etc...
That said, I am thrilled to be starting my new position, full of new challenges and new faces. Wish me luck!
I'm going to miss the folks at Enspire. They're really creative and fun, down to the last employee. I'll also miss the clients, which sounds weird, maybe, but I will. I know I was very lucky with my clients, as they were pretty much, across the board, very easy to talk to and work with. I know this is not the usual case in a professional environment when you're working with contracts, etc...
That said, I am thrilled to be starting my new position, full of new challenges and new faces. Wish me luck!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Science Fair
I hated Science Fair. It was time consuming, expensive, and if I hadn't known exactly what was going to happen, I wouldn't have performed the experiment at all.
The first time I ever had to do Science Fair was 1990ish, in 9th grade. Somehow my middle school allowed us to dodge that particular bullet. High School was not so kind.
A few years before me, Jason had been asked to do a science fair experiment, and, being Jason, had gone to the World Book Encyclopedia and looked up "Science Fair". Or "Biology". I can't remember which. Anyhoo... detailed in the Encyclopedia was a complete description of a science fair experiment, right down to results.
So that's what Jason did.
So, knowing most science teachers see, literally, hundreds of science fair projects, when I was in 9th grade and had to do science fair, I figured... why reinvent the wheel?
I bought, I think, eight mason jars, a handful of water snails, a handful of plants and proceeded to slowly kill off a whole lot of plants and snails. PETA would not be pleased. I was pretty diligent about the snails for the first part of the experiment, but, honestly, forgot to look at them at all for the last week or two. By the time I returned to the snails, there was at least one jar that was nothing but browninsh, brackish water with snail parts and shells sloshing around.
Panicked, I realized I better fake some results. So between some coaching from Jason, some intuition and basic accounting for randomness in my results, I faked the slow trudge toward death of a few jars of snails deprived of plants, and therefore, 02 in their water. Essentially, all of my data was fiction. Or, dare I say? Science-Fair-Fiction?
What I did not take into account was how heavy it was going to be bringing in eight mason jars filled with water and snail carcases, plus the huge wooden board thing I'd spent a Saturday afternoon crafting in the garage. Do they even let kids get spray paint anymore?
I was, honestly, completely disinterested in my own project, and I resented how heavy it wound up being. This was nowhere near as fun as the time I had built a scale model of Stone Henge in 5th grade, or the castle with the working drawbridge in 6th grade (thanks, Dad!). When they asked us to take home our projects, I remember pondering the weight of the jars and the backing board and my ability to transport them all on the bus ride, plus the uphill two block walk from the bus stop. Also, the smell that would come from the bottles if a single bottle broke. By now all of the snails had passed the pearly gates for gastropods.
"What if we don't want our project back?"
"You have to take them home."
"You don't want it? Some kid next year might want it."
"No. Take it home."
"What am I going to do with a science fair board and eight jars of dead snails?"
"Ryan, take it home."
"What if I don't?"
"Then someone will probably throw it away."
It is safe to say that the lesson I learned from Science Fair was not the lesson I was supposed to learn.
In 10th grade, I moved to a new school and wound up having to take biology with freshmen, and I was really, just... not... very... involved. Mr. Bryant was awesome as a teacher, but I was far more interested in Swamp Thing, X-Men and whatever monologue Jeff Wilser and I moght cook up for the worms we were dissecting. Plus, I just didn't get out in front of the project in time.
I wound up doing some half-baked project on how and why people lie, and got back about 100 surveys. Not much of a sample, but apparently my report was good enough for at least a B+, because I don't remember being dissatisfied with my mark, and it most certainly would have affected my 6-week grade as well.
I do recall Lee in my 9th grade class had simply forgotten to do a science fair project, which led to, possibly, the greatest science fair project of all time. A 1/2 page, hand-written report called "Black Holes: Who cares? I don't."
It had to do with things really, really sucking. Like his grade.
I did not ever get my snails into a science fair contest, so I was spared that humiliation. I barely ever understood what I was doing from ages 8-19, anyway, so I can only imagine what that experience would have been like, being quizzed on my wholesale starvation and asphyxiation of snails.
Why this trip down memory lane?
This is why.
The first time I ever had to do Science Fair was 1990ish, in 9th grade. Somehow my middle school allowed us to dodge that particular bullet. High School was not so kind.
A few years before me, Jason had been asked to do a science fair experiment, and, being Jason, had gone to the World Book Encyclopedia and looked up "Science Fair". Or "Biology". I can't remember which. Anyhoo... detailed in the Encyclopedia was a complete description of a science fair experiment, right down to results.
So that's what Jason did.
So, knowing most science teachers see, literally, hundreds of science fair projects, when I was in 9th grade and had to do science fair, I figured... why reinvent the wheel?
I bought, I think, eight mason jars, a handful of water snails, a handful of plants and proceeded to slowly kill off a whole lot of plants and snails. PETA would not be pleased. I was pretty diligent about the snails for the first part of the experiment, but, honestly, forgot to look at them at all for the last week or two. By the time I returned to the snails, there was at least one jar that was nothing but browninsh, brackish water with snail parts and shells sloshing around.
Panicked, I realized I better fake some results. So between some coaching from Jason, some intuition and basic accounting for randomness in my results, I faked the slow trudge toward death of a few jars of snails deprived of plants, and therefore, 02 in their water. Essentially, all of my data was fiction. Or, dare I say? Science-Fair-Fiction?
What I did not take into account was how heavy it was going to be bringing in eight mason jars filled with water and snail carcases, plus the huge wooden board thing I'd spent a Saturday afternoon crafting in the garage. Do they even let kids get spray paint anymore?
I was, honestly, completely disinterested in my own project, and I resented how heavy it wound up being. This was nowhere near as fun as the time I had built a scale model of Stone Henge in 5th grade, or the castle with the working drawbridge in 6th grade (thanks, Dad!). When they asked us to take home our projects, I remember pondering the weight of the jars and the backing board and my ability to transport them all on the bus ride, plus the uphill two block walk from the bus stop. Also, the smell that would come from the bottles if a single bottle broke. By now all of the snails had passed the pearly gates for gastropods.
"What if we don't want our project back?"
"You have to take them home."
"You don't want it? Some kid next year might want it."
"No. Take it home."
"What am I going to do with a science fair board and eight jars of dead snails?"
"Ryan, take it home."
"What if I don't?"
"Then someone will probably throw it away."
It is safe to say that the lesson I learned from Science Fair was not the lesson I was supposed to learn.
In 10th grade, I moved to a new school and wound up having to take biology with freshmen, and I was really, just... not... very... involved. Mr. Bryant was awesome as a teacher, but I was far more interested in Swamp Thing, X-Men and whatever monologue Jeff Wilser and I moght cook up for the worms we were dissecting. Plus, I just didn't get out in front of the project in time.
I wound up doing some half-baked project on how and why people lie, and got back about 100 surveys. Not much of a sample, but apparently my report was good enough for at least a B+, because I don't remember being dissatisfied with my mark, and it most certainly would have affected my 6-week grade as well.
I do recall Lee in my 9th grade class had simply forgotten to do a science fair project, which led to, possibly, the greatest science fair project of all time. A 1/2 page, hand-written report called "Black Holes: Who cares? I don't."
It had to do with things really, really sucking. Like his grade.
I did not ever get my snails into a science fair contest, so I was spared that humiliation. I barely ever understood what I was doing from ages 8-19, anyway, so I can only imagine what that experience would have been like, being quizzed on my wholesale starvation and asphyxiation of snails.
Why this trip down memory lane?
This is why.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Hey, Kids! Want to Win a Copy of New Frontier?
Hey, Leaguers!
Jorge the Marketing Guy sent me a copy of Justice League: New Frontier for my review. I'd already pre-ordered the movie on DVD, so I want to share the wealth. So who wants to get a free copy?
I'm not just going to wrap this up and send it. Instead, I invite you to sign up for a giveaway contest.
If you're interested in getting a copy (the very copy which I reviewed!), shoot me an e-mail with your name and address. I'll pull names out of a hat.
In order to get your name put into the hat twice, write me a few sentences about who is your favorite Justice Leaguer and why. I'll post the responses here.
Submit your request by March 7th, 2008.
REVIEW: Justice League: New Frontier
Well, Anonymous, I watched the movie, so here we go.
New Frontier
I liked it.
Like any movie from a book, JL: New Frontier does not completely manage to capture what made the book great, but it does a pretty darn good job of translating the comic to animated format. Rather than beat around the bush, I will say that the single biggest problem with the movie is that at 75ish minutes, the movie feels about 20-30 minutes too short.
I'm not sure if viewers of the movie are going to necessarily miss the bits about Dinosaur Island (from Weird War Tales), the greater development of a few plotlines, or more about the Challengers. But they may want to see more of the Superman/ Lois relationship, get a better feel for the existing relationships among the characters, and maybe get a bit more background on The Flash.
I don't envy director Dave Bullock, or writer Stan Berkowitz. New Frontier as a comic was a sprawling epic, taking place over an extended period of time and containing both explicit and implicit inclusion of historical events and a truckload of DC publishing history. Whomever the powers that be at TimeWarner might be, they've been kind enough to greenlight this sort of project and short-sighted enough to dictate the same running time for children's movies.
New Frontier is PG-13, suggesting that DC Animated expected the movie to reach an older audience than, say, the latest installment of the Air Bud puppies series. One of the oddities of comics and their translation to television (especially to animation) is that what happens in comics is often PG to PG-13 rated. And with the opening sequences taking place in a warfield in Korea in the final days of the Korean War, they don't pull too many punches.
Whether the voice talent took part as a lark or because the pay was right, this movie has a great voice cast. Kyle MacLachlan as Superman, Jeremy Sisto's Batman is a worthy heir to Kevin Conroy. Lucy Lawless is a good Wonder Woman, and I was a fan of Vicki Lewis as Iris, and Brooke Shields as Carol Ferris. David Boreanaz of Angel fame plays Hal Jordan, and Miguel Ferrer is a great Martian Manhunter.
The art-style approximates artist Darwyn Cooke's original conception, under the steady guidance of director Dave Bullock. Coincidentally, I used to really like Bullock's cover work on Superman comics about three or four years ago, as he shared a bit of a retro-style with Cooke. Some will make the mistake of believing the late-50's style of cartoon art is imitating The Incredibles, but that's an unfortunate coincidence. New Frontier pre-dates the release of the Incredibles. I did miss some of the characterization, especially of Wonder Woman, that Cooke brought to the page, but budgetary concerns and a slightly more modern style was probably required for a general audience.
The plot holds up well, and in place of the sprawling story of the original mini-series/ graphic novel, the story is tightened up nicely in the film, with most of the major beats getting attention. From The Flash is Vegas, to the origin of Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, it's pretty well covered. The overarching storyline of The Center, that holds the film together, was surprisingly well-paced and handled with an appreciable amount of narrative economy, all while building tension.
The action scenes are very well choreographed and maturely handled. There's a great big-screen feel to the whole movie with well-staged scenes, from art direction to "blocking".
There are some scenes where they've taken some liberties, and where they've integrated sequences, etc... but as far as a film goes, I don't have any complaints.
Folks not particularly familiar with the Justice League or superheroes beyond Batman and Superman will find something to like.
Folks who are DC geeks will find a bag of things to enjoy, from the Challengers of the Unknown just sort of being there, to Madamoiselle Marie as a Fed. It's just a lot of fun.
Extras:
The preview copy I received was not the two-disc set, but did contain the film and a short documentary on the history of the Justice League.
Superman/ Doomsday contained a similar documentary, produced as a companion piece to the movie you may have just finished watching.
In this case, the documentary covered the publishing history of the Justice League, and contains some great interviews from folks who were there, or who worked with the original creators (many of whom, like Gardner Fox, have passed). Comic geeks will be excited to see the faces and hear the comments from well-known creators, but may have known some or much of the history of the Justice League of America. Non-comic geeks may be surprised at the grown men talking so lovingly about the Super Friends, but will still enjoy.
On the Whole:
I think this came out extremely well. It's tough to separate out my love of the original book from the movie, and that works in two ways. I am somewhat bothered by what was excised for time, but I'm also finding it hard to pick at the movie too much as it animates and brings to life a comic I think is top notch.
If there's one thing I think was missed, its at the very end when Lois sees Superman again. I recall seeing that page the first time I read the comic and felt it was just a perfect Superman moment. If comics can slow when you read and really impress a feeling upon you, Cooke had pulled it off. Here, I kind of felt it was rushed. But, you know, 75 minutes.
I still recommend. I will mention that I wouldn't show this to, say, very, very young kids. But if they can handle Star Wars, they can handle this.
New Frontier
I liked it.
Like any movie from a book, JL: New Frontier does not completely manage to capture what made the book great, but it does a pretty darn good job of translating the comic to animated format. Rather than beat around the bush, I will say that the single biggest problem with the movie is that at 75ish minutes, the movie feels about 20-30 minutes too short.
I'm not sure if viewers of the movie are going to necessarily miss the bits about Dinosaur Island (from Weird War Tales), the greater development of a few plotlines, or more about the Challengers. But they may want to see more of the Superman/ Lois relationship, get a better feel for the existing relationships among the characters, and maybe get a bit more background on The Flash.
I don't envy director Dave Bullock, or writer Stan Berkowitz. New Frontier as a comic was a sprawling epic, taking place over an extended period of time and containing both explicit and implicit inclusion of historical events and a truckload of DC publishing history. Whomever the powers that be at TimeWarner might be, they've been kind enough to greenlight this sort of project and short-sighted enough to dictate the same running time for children's movies.
New Frontier is PG-13, suggesting that DC Animated expected the movie to reach an older audience than, say, the latest installment of the Air Bud puppies series. One of the oddities of comics and their translation to television (especially to animation) is that what happens in comics is often PG to PG-13 rated. And with the opening sequences taking place in a warfield in Korea in the final days of the Korean War, they don't pull too many punches.
Whether the voice talent took part as a lark or because the pay was right, this movie has a great voice cast. Kyle MacLachlan as Superman, Jeremy Sisto's Batman is a worthy heir to Kevin Conroy. Lucy Lawless is a good Wonder Woman, and I was a fan of Vicki Lewis as Iris, and Brooke Shields as Carol Ferris. David Boreanaz of Angel fame plays Hal Jordan, and Miguel Ferrer is a great Martian Manhunter.
The art-style approximates artist Darwyn Cooke's original conception, under the steady guidance of director Dave Bullock. Coincidentally, I used to really like Bullock's cover work on Superman comics about three or four years ago, as he shared a bit of a retro-style with Cooke. Some will make the mistake of believing the late-50's style of cartoon art is imitating The Incredibles, but that's an unfortunate coincidence. New Frontier pre-dates the release of the Incredibles. I did miss some of the characterization, especially of Wonder Woman, that Cooke brought to the page, but budgetary concerns and a slightly more modern style was probably required for a general audience.
The plot holds up well, and in place of the sprawling story of the original mini-series/ graphic novel, the story is tightened up nicely in the film, with most of the major beats getting attention. From The Flash is Vegas, to the origin of Hal Jordan as Green Lantern, it's pretty well covered. The overarching storyline of The Center, that holds the film together, was surprisingly well-paced and handled with an appreciable amount of narrative economy, all while building tension.
The action scenes are very well choreographed and maturely handled. There's a great big-screen feel to the whole movie with well-staged scenes, from art direction to "blocking".
There are some scenes where they've taken some liberties, and where they've integrated sequences, etc... but as far as a film goes, I don't have any complaints.
Folks not particularly familiar with the Justice League or superheroes beyond Batman and Superman will find something to like.
Folks who are DC geeks will find a bag of things to enjoy, from the Challengers of the Unknown just sort of being there, to Madamoiselle Marie as a Fed. It's just a lot of fun.
Extras:
The preview copy I received was not the two-disc set, but did contain the film and a short documentary on the history of the Justice League.
Superman/ Doomsday contained a similar documentary, produced as a companion piece to the movie you may have just finished watching.
In this case, the documentary covered the publishing history of the Justice League, and contains some great interviews from folks who were there, or who worked with the original creators (many of whom, like Gardner Fox, have passed). Comic geeks will be excited to see the faces and hear the comments from well-known creators, but may have known some or much of the history of the Justice League of America. Non-comic geeks may be surprised at the grown men talking so lovingly about the Super Friends, but will still enjoy.
On the Whole:
I think this came out extremely well. It's tough to separate out my love of the original book from the movie, and that works in two ways. I am somewhat bothered by what was excised for time, but I'm also finding it hard to pick at the movie too much as it animates and brings to life a comic I think is top notch.
If there's one thing I think was missed, its at the very end when Lois sees Superman again. I recall seeing that page the first time I read the comic and felt it was just a perfect Superman moment. If comics can slow when you read and really impress a feeling upon you, Cooke had pulled it off. Here, I kind of felt it was rushed. But, you know, 75 minutes.
I still recommend. I will mention that I wouldn't show this to, say, very, very young kids. But if they can handle Star Wars, they can handle this.
Friday, February 22, 2008
CB & Flyin' A's team for mellow video of Flyin' A's living room
Clinton/ Obama debate
I watched my first debate of the political season this year, tuning in to the Clinton/ Obama debate.
The debate was in Austin, about a mile from my office, and Jason and Jamie made me watch it instead of watching basketball or something involving Superman.
I haven't read any post-game analysis yet, but a few things are pretty obvious to me. Both front-runners for the Democrats hold very similar viewpoints, and its going to come down to how you think they should go about approaching their goals rather than what goals they're considering in order to make a selection. This means that you're talking a few degrees of separation in policy the two are advocating. Which means a lot is going to come down to a gut or emotional reaction to the two.
Congrats to both candidates for, at no time, attempting an awkward "howdy, ya'll!"
Both agreed on the basics of getting the uninsured insured, border fences (and I wasn't particularly blown away by either candidates' approach on that one), major points on Iraq and that George Bush has dug a hole they believe they're going to have to climb out of.
So, once again, you're left with a gut reaction. While Obama lacks national-stage political experience, its tough to point to Clinton's national-stage political experience without noting on whose coattails she rode to get there. Both have worked on legislation which is appealing to a lefty like myself. Both have voted for some things that leave me unimpressed.
Them's the brakes.
So left to gut feelings about twenty years of Bush/ Clinton rule of the White House, its appealing to want to go to the unknown factor. But I'm not sure Obama has the political experience or clout to move things through, just as I'm not sure that a Clinton in the White House wouldn't re-mobilize the GOP and make sure Clinton was unable to pass a single initiative in four years. No one is sure what would happen with Obama in the White House. He could start dressing as a crazed Admiral and firing cannons from the roof of the White House for all I know.
I'll tell you one thing that drives me berserk about Clinton: The smirk
I'm not sure why nobody has not spoken to Clinton about this, but sitting next to your opponent and smirking while he answers is really... unbecoming. It's kind of like the "heh, heh, heh!" that Bush has become famous for. Or Gore's wandering around the stage during the debates.
Anyhow, I can't tell if she's thinking "I've got this sucker on the ropes", if that's some nervous tick, or if she's remembering last night's episode of Venture Bros. But, seriously... Senator Clinton. I implore you. Stop it.
Now, while waiting for Clinton to finish her thoughts, Obama does this weird "I'm a Vulcan" bit, where he presses his fingers together and tries to look serene. Not annoying, but... I guess it's inappropriate to be texting friends or playing with the cover-flow feature on your iPod when your opponent is speaking. I'm fairly ADD, so I know in either of their places, I'd be making faces or, when the moderator wanted me to respond, I'd say "Wha-...? Can you repeat that whole last thing you just said?" and then go off on a tangent about a jet-pack in every household.
Otherwise, I thought both did a great job, even when I didn't necessarily agree with them.
I didn't hear much on education aside from some perfunctory opening statements.
I guess I'd now be willing to watch McCain and Huckabee debate, but I'm not sure there's a point until McCain is up against his Democratic opponent later this year.
I'd also like to salute them for their basic collegiality. There weren't any low-blows. The one moment where Hilary took a dig at Obama, I sort of felt fell back into karmic balance when she alluded to Bill's indiscretions. I grew to really, really dislike the political process during the past few years, and last night's debate made me feel a wee bit better about the whole thing.
We'll see what happens when it gets down to the GOP/ Dem debates, but I believe McCain is basically sane and decent, even when I disagree with the guy. So I'm not foreseeing anything too ugly. And, hey... I could be convinced. Let's see what McCain's got.
The debate was in Austin, about a mile from my office, and Jason and Jamie made me watch it instead of watching basketball or something involving Superman.
I haven't read any post-game analysis yet, but a few things are pretty obvious to me. Both front-runners for the Democrats hold very similar viewpoints, and its going to come down to how you think they should go about approaching their goals rather than what goals they're considering in order to make a selection. This means that you're talking a few degrees of separation in policy the two are advocating. Which means a lot is going to come down to a gut or emotional reaction to the two.
Congrats to both candidates for, at no time, attempting an awkward "howdy, ya'll!"
Both agreed on the basics of getting the uninsured insured, border fences (and I wasn't particularly blown away by either candidates' approach on that one), major points on Iraq and that George Bush has dug a hole they believe they're going to have to climb out of.
So, once again, you're left with a gut reaction. While Obama lacks national-stage political experience, its tough to point to Clinton's national-stage political experience without noting on whose coattails she rode to get there. Both have worked on legislation which is appealing to a lefty like myself. Both have voted for some things that leave me unimpressed.
Them's the brakes.
So left to gut feelings about twenty years of Bush/ Clinton rule of the White House, its appealing to want to go to the unknown factor. But I'm not sure Obama has the political experience or clout to move things through, just as I'm not sure that a Clinton in the White House wouldn't re-mobilize the GOP and make sure Clinton was unable to pass a single initiative in four years. No one is sure what would happen with Obama in the White House. He could start dressing as a crazed Admiral and firing cannons from the roof of the White House for all I know.
I'll tell you one thing that drives me berserk about Clinton: The smirk
I'm not sure why nobody has not spoken to Clinton about this, but sitting next to your opponent and smirking while he answers is really... unbecoming. It's kind of like the "heh, heh, heh!" that Bush has become famous for. Or Gore's wandering around the stage during the debates.
Anyhow, I can't tell if she's thinking "I've got this sucker on the ropes", if that's some nervous tick, or if she's remembering last night's episode of Venture Bros. But, seriously... Senator Clinton. I implore you. Stop it.
Now, while waiting for Clinton to finish her thoughts, Obama does this weird "I'm a Vulcan" bit, where he presses his fingers together and tries to look serene. Not annoying, but... I guess it's inappropriate to be texting friends or playing with the cover-flow feature on your iPod when your opponent is speaking. I'm fairly ADD, so I know in either of their places, I'd be making faces or, when the moderator wanted me to respond, I'd say "Wha-...? Can you repeat that whole last thing you just said?" and then go off on a tangent about a jet-pack in every household.
Otherwise, I thought both did a great job, even when I didn't necessarily agree with them.
I didn't hear much on education aside from some perfunctory opening statements.
I guess I'd now be willing to watch McCain and Huckabee debate, but I'm not sure there's a point until McCain is up against his Democratic opponent later this year.
I'd also like to salute them for their basic collegiality. There weren't any low-blows. The one moment where Hilary took a dig at Obama, I sort of felt fell back into karmic balance when she alluded to Bill's indiscretions. I grew to really, really dislike the political process during the past few years, and last night's debate made me feel a wee bit better about the whole thing.
We'll see what happens when it gets down to the GOP/ Dem debates, but I believe McCain is basically sane and decent, even when I disagree with the guy. So I'm not foreseeing anything too ugly. And, hey... I could be convinced. Let's see what McCain's got.
More New Frontier
Here's some information on bonus features on the "New Frontier" DVD. If its anything like the features on the "Superman: Doomsday" DVD, these will be fairly high end productions. Of course, its all very pro-DC propaganda, but the bonus videos were actually informative and fun.
For more information, go here.
“Super Heroes United!: The Complete Justice League History”- The documentary is a comprehensive forty seven year Justice League chronology from the inception in the comics to vivid animated renditions. The story is told with a myriad of interviews tracing back the early days of DC Super Hero team ups during the Golden Age, to the Silver Age rendition where the established heroes emerged and beyond. Interviews include Paul Levitz (President of DC Comics), Dan Didio (SVP Executive Editor at DC Comics), Michael Uslan (Historian), Gregory Noveck (SVP Creative Affairs DC Comics), Mark Waid (DC Comics Historian and Writer), Mike Friedrich (Writer JLU), Denny O'Neil (Writer and Editor at DC Comics), Mike Carlin (DC Comics Executive Editor), Stan Lee (Marvel Comics Co-Creator) and Marv Wolfman (Writer of Fantastic Four).
“Sneak Peak: Batman: Gotham Knight ” - One part anime, one part Caped Crusader , the result is a glimpse at the world of Eastern anime sensibilities combined with a Western tradition of Batman . A detailed look at the world of Warner Bros Animation, and how they joined forces with the renowned Japanese animators to create the highly anticipated anime film of 2008.
The 2 disc Special Edition DVD will feature even more incredible extras including:
“The Legion of Doom : The Pathology of the Super Villain”- This documentary will examine the early mythological archetypes of nemesis characters from a historical perspective, and see how the tenants of this rich history were adapted and woven into the Justice League stories. The bonus feature includes many of the talent included in Super Heroes United! As well as Jim Kreuger (Writer of “Justice”).
“ Comic Book Commentary: Homage to the New Frontier” - This documentary is a nod to the fans of the New Frontier comic book. This featurette further expands the themes contained in the source material, and how these elements were truncated or evolved for the inclusion in the film. Featuring vivid imagery culled from the pages of the New Frontier comic, mixed with the commentary of Writer and Artist Darwyn Cooke, this featurette is a treat for both fans and scholars of the medium.
For more information, go here.
“Super Heroes United!: The Complete Justice League History”- The documentary is a comprehensive forty seven year Justice League chronology from the inception in the comics to vivid animated renditions. The story is told with a myriad of interviews tracing back the early days of DC Super Hero team ups during the Golden Age, to the Silver Age rendition where the established heroes emerged and beyond. Interviews include Paul Levitz (President of DC Comics), Dan Didio (SVP Executive Editor at DC Comics), Michael Uslan (Historian), Gregory Noveck (SVP Creative Affairs DC Comics), Mark Waid (DC Comics Historian and Writer), Mike Friedrich (Writer JLU), Denny O'Neil (Writer and Editor at DC Comics), Mike Carlin (DC Comics Executive Editor), Stan Lee (Marvel Comics Co-Creator) and Marv Wolfman (Writer of Fantastic Four).
“Sneak Peak: Batman: Gotham Knight ” - One part anime, one part Caped Crusader , the result is a glimpse at the world of Eastern anime sensibilities combined with a Western tradition of Batman . A detailed look at the world of Warner Bros Animation, and how they joined forces with the renowned Japanese animators to create the highly anticipated anime film of 2008.
The 2 disc Special Edition DVD will feature even more incredible extras including:
“The Legion of Doom : The Pathology of the Super Villain”- This documentary will examine the early mythological archetypes of nemesis characters from a historical perspective, and see how the tenants of this rich history were adapted and woven into the Justice League stories. The bonus feature includes many of the talent included in Super Heroes United! As well as Jim Kreuger (Writer of “Justice”).
“ Comic Book Commentary: Homage to the New Frontier” - This documentary is a nod to the fans of the New Frontier comic book. This featurette further expands the themes contained in the source material, and how these elements were truncated or evolved for the inclusion in the film. Featuring vivid imagery culled from the pages of the New Frontier comic, mixed with the commentary of Writer and Artist Darwyn Cooke, this featurette is a treat for both fans and scholars of the medium.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Now you're just messing with me...
$120 bucks plus S&H for film music that's 20-30 years old?
The new Superman film score archive.
I have been known to drop some serious coin on Superman related items. Hell, I once flew all the way to Beaumont to watch the first third of Superman: The Movie with Randy, who fell asleep.
But even I draw the line somewhere. I suppose.
I'd love to have it, sure. But at, maybe, 1/3rd that cost.
The new Superman film score archive.
I have been known to drop some serious coin on Superman related items. Hell, I once flew all the way to Beaumont to watch the first third of Superman: The Movie with Randy, who fell asleep.
But even I draw the line somewhere. I suppose.
I'd love to have it, sure. But at, maybe, 1/3rd that cost.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Your daily reminder, Justice League: New Frontier
The Flash is going to have to fight Captain Cold (and his ladyfriends)
Two Comic Writers I find Annoying
The League is not a very discerning comic book reader. We pick up lots and lots of stuff, and often it takes quite a bit before we admit something is not to our taste.
Sometimes its because the core concept just isn't our thing. Sometimes its because the writing is off, or the art is just so wearisome that we just don't want to look at it anymore.
However, most often, its that something about the writing throws me off. Its tough to nail down what bothers me about some writers. For example, I am very hit-or-miss with Bill Willingham. I feel Jim Starlin, of late, has long periods of being dull interspersed with "oh, wow. That was great."
But two writers who just bother me are: Brian Wood and Warren Ellis.
Brian Wood:
I read Channel Zero a few years ago, and I've tried, in earnest, to read DMZ, and I can't do it.
More recently, I decided to give his new Northlanders series a try, figuring that he'd drop some of that in order to tell the stories of vikings. Instead, he brought his modern, post-post-punk sensibilities straight into the Viking world. Rather than giving us a protagonist (and Wood seems intent on protagonist rather than "hero", which is fine in my book) who comes off as just not very clever. Instead, he seems to be going for a level of "bad-ass" that ensures the reader their protagonist will prevail, no matter how thoughtless his protagonists behave. It's an odd pact to make with the audience.
In short, a character who doesn't come off as very bright runs a risk of becoming irritating reading. At least with Miller's Marv in Sin City, you were curious to see how Marv would make things shake out. Here, we get a fairly standard tale of usurpation of the throne by a mean-spirited uncle. Sound familiar? I can't believe Wood ripped off The Lion King, either.
The vikings drop the f-bomb some, and say "shit", which is totally awesome, I guess. It's all just not very convincing, and after two issues I didn't see why I should care.
Warren Ellis:
Ellis's level of annoying traits extend well beyond the page. He spills a lot of ink complaining about superhero comics even as he continues to line his wallet by writing tales of folks in spandex. He maintains an amazingly self-congratulatory web-presence in which he pats himself on the back for drinking and buying gadgets, and cultivates a following via chat group interaction with fanboys hoping to sponge up a little of the coolness Ellis tells them he brings to the table.
Ellis's 90's era book, Authority, was groundbreaking, big-screen superhero madness. The characters were a new breed of no-holds-barred, let's-kill-the-villians superhero, or, rather, enforcer of the status quo. It made for exhilarating reading for the breed of comic reader who always wondered why Batman didn't just kill the Joker, or Superman didn't just fry Lex up like a sausage with his heat vision. Cities were leveled, body counts of civilian collateral damage were enormous, and the world was just a playground for the Authority.
The characters were tougher than normal superheroes, seemingly laughing in the face of death and mayhem and taking civilian casualties in stride. Everyone had ice in their veins, a quick quip for their victims, and was always harder than whomever they were up against.
And then Ellis did it again. And again. In Planetary, and other Ellis comics, the problems would be of epic scale, all the heroes always cool beyond words in the face of interplanetary disaster, and the dames would be tougher than the dudes. And they'd often tell people exactly how bad-ass they were, and how they were going to kill them, and then they'd do it. Which is cool, like, the first fifteen times, but then... well.
Ellis reads the modern equivalents of Omni, so he was throwing around words like Nanotechnology before they'd made it into most comics, but after anyone who watched Nova already knew exactly what Nanotechnology was.
After a while, you sort of got the feeling, well... Ellis began to feel kind of like the guy you met when you start at college who is the third year, still living in the dorms who seems really cool, who knows where to buy beer, etc... But then, sometime after Christmas, he's still telling you how it is, and how to be cool and... hey, is he really planning on staying in the dorms again next year?
I try to pick up Ellis's stuff, because, like Wood, the concepts always sound fairly interesting. But you sort of get the feeling that all of his protagonists are really just 1-degree of separation from Ellis, as they all sort of speak and act the same way. Actually, let me clarify... I suspect they're all sort of 1-degree away from how Warren Ellis believes himself to be when he's alone at night, looking in the mirror and wondering what tough guys say before they beat the tar out of someone.
I dunno. Sometimes I just don't get writers. Or I do and I don't care.
Ellis certainly turns out a lot of work. I wish he's do a bit more to put his money where his mouth is and quit writing superhero comics or superhero comics lightly disguised as dystopian futures, lifted sci-fi premises, etc... The man is probably immensely talented, so I'm kind of lest wondering what sort of story he'd be able to tell if he weren't leaning on existing tropes of genre fiction.
Anyway, that's just my opinion.
Sometimes its because the core concept just isn't our thing. Sometimes its because the writing is off, or the art is just so wearisome that we just don't want to look at it anymore.
However, most often, its that something about the writing throws me off. Its tough to nail down what bothers me about some writers. For example, I am very hit-or-miss with Bill Willingham. I feel Jim Starlin, of late, has long periods of being dull interspersed with "oh, wow. That was great."
But two writers who just bother me are: Brian Wood and Warren Ellis.
Brian Wood:
I read Channel Zero a few years ago, and I've tried, in earnest, to read DMZ, and I can't do it.
More recently, I decided to give his new Northlanders series a try, figuring that he'd drop some of that in order to tell the stories of vikings. Instead, he brought his modern, post-post-punk sensibilities straight into the Viking world. Rather than giving us a protagonist (and Wood seems intent on protagonist rather than "hero", which is fine in my book) who comes off as just not very clever. Instead, he seems to be going for a level of "bad-ass" that ensures the reader their protagonist will prevail, no matter how thoughtless his protagonists behave. It's an odd pact to make with the audience.
In short, a character who doesn't come off as very bright runs a risk of becoming irritating reading. At least with Miller's Marv in Sin City, you were curious to see how Marv would make things shake out. Here, we get a fairly standard tale of usurpation of the throne by a mean-spirited uncle. Sound familiar? I can't believe Wood ripped off The Lion King, either.
The vikings drop the f-bomb some, and say "shit", which is totally awesome, I guess. It's all just not very convincing, and after two issues I didn't see why I should care.
Warren Ellis:
Ellis's level of annoying traits extend well beyond the page. He spills a lot of ink complaining about superhero comics even as he continues to line his wallet by writing tales of folks in spandex. He maintains an amazingly self-congratulatory web-presence in which he pats himself on the back for drinking and buying gadgets, and cultivates a following via chat group interaction with fanboys hoping to sponge up a little of the coolness Ellis tells them he brings to the table.
Ellis's 90's era book, Authority, was groundbreaking, big-screen superhero madness. The characters were a new breed of no-holds-barred, let's-kill-the-villians superhero, or, rather, enforcer of the status quo. It made for exhilarating reading for the breed of comic reader who always wondered why Batman didn't just kill the Joker, or Superman didn't just fry Lex up like a sausage with his heat vision. Cities were leveled, body counts of civilian collateral damage were enormous, and the world was just a playground for the Authority.
The characters were tougher than normal superheroes, seemingly laughing in the face of death and mayhem and taking civilian casualties in stride. Everyone had ice in their veins, a quick quip for their victims, and was always harder than whomever they were up against.
And then Ellis did it again. And again. In Planetary, and other Ellis comics, the problems would be of epic scale, all the heroes always cool beyond words in the face of interplanetary disaster, and the dames would be tougher than the dudes. And they'd often tell people exactly how bad-ass they were, and how they were going to kill them, and then they'd do it. Which is cool, like, the first fifteen times, but then... well.
Ellis reads the modern equivalents of Omni, so he was throwing around words like Nanotechnology before they'd made it into most comics, but after anyone who watched Nova already knew exactly what Nanotechnology was.
After a while, you sort of got the feeling, well... Ellis began to feel kind of like the guy you met when you start at college who is the third year, still living in the dorms who seems really cool, who knows where to buy beer, etc... But then, sometime after Christmas, he's still telling you how it is, and how to be cool and... hey, is he really planning on staying in the dorms again next year?
I try to pick up Ellis's stuff, because, like Wood, the concepts always sound fairly interesting. But you sort of get the feeling that all of his protagonists are really just 1-degree of separation from Ellis, as they all sort of speak and act the same way. Actually, let me clarify... I suspect they're all sort of 1-degree away from how Warren Ellis believes himself to be when he's alone at night, looking in the mirror and wondering what tough guys say before they beat the tar out of someone.
I dunno. Sometimes I just don't get writers. Or I do and I don't care.
Ellis certainly turns out a lot of work. I wish he's do a bit more to put his money where his mouth is and quit writing superhero comics or superhero comics lightly disguised as dystopian futures, lifted sci-fi premises, etc... The man is probably immensely talented, so I'm kind of lest wondering what sort of story he'd be able to tell if he weren't leaning on existing tropes of genre fiction.
Anyway, that's just my opinion.
shooting down the satellite
Am I the only one totally wanting to read more about the military shooting down their broken satellite?
It's like a giant episode of Mythbusters.
KABLAMMO!
It's like a giant episode of Mythbusters.
KABLAMMO!
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