Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Superman Bio and Interview on NPR's "Fresh Air"
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| The word you're searching for when pondering this image is "awesome". |
I spent the evening listening to Terry Gross's excellent interview of Larry Tye, who has written a sort of biography of Superman and the character's history across multiple mediums. Thanks to Nathan and others for the link (Nathan alerted me to the interview bright and early).
It may be some time before I read the book.
Not to sound super-snooty, but I spend a lot of time reading about Superman, and have done so for quite a while. All this fandom means that on top of the hundreds and thousands of Superman comics I've enjoyed, I've also read multiple histories of Superman - the media property, and check in daily with The Superman Homepage (an amazingly thorough web resource). I've also read more than one comics history that used Superman as its fulcrum*. I have seen all the Superman movies multiple times, watched every episode of the the 1950's TV series, watched the Ben Affleck movie about George Reeves, watched the Superboy TV series in small bits, have watched Lois and Clark, watched most of Smallville, listened to episodes of the radio show, watched the original movie serials, the 40's cartoon, the 60's cartoon, the 80's cartoon and the 90's cartoon. Am hoping for a new cartoon in 2013.
In short, there's very little in the way of new information for me in the way of Superman. Which is why I may actually read the thing. It's always great to find out something new and interesting. I confess to being a little concerned with the usual trotting out of Superman as stand-in religious figure. It seems like a post-facto reading of the actual Superman comics until maybe the late 60's or early 70's, so you're talking 30 years of initial stories that I don't think really suggest any conscious parallels, but, whatever. It doesn't mean the character isn't heavy with cultural fingerprints.
I still have a few Superman novels to read (both by Elliot S! Maggin), and there's plenty to know and learn about the upcoming Superman movie. But I'm also not averse to checking out Tye's book at some point. I still genuinely enjoy Superman fandom, and I'm not letting a little New 52 reboot get in my way on that front. After 75 years, its just a small patch in the middle of everything else.
Yes, I wrestle with what's happened with the Siegel estate, but I have hope that both the law and justice will prevail, and we'll see a sound resolution to the ownership of the character, publishing rights, copyright and trademark, and everything else that's not in the comics, but which has driven the comics for the past year, all shake out and disappear into the background.
We can hope.
Give the interview a listen. It's a nice, brief overview of some of the highlights of Superman's history and the folks who've been involved with the character.
* check out Men of Tomorrow. It's an amazing book, and sometimes I think I'm the only one who has read it.
Signal Watch Watches: Mothra (1961)
Well, of COURSE I watched Mothra (1961). It came on right after Rodan, so I recorded it to my DVR and watched it later.
Uh...
So, I don't know how many Toho Studios Kaiju movies you've watched. I've seen about 10-15% of their output, and I've always liked "the twins", the two mysterious faeries that popped up and sang and seemed to be friends with all the giant monsters on Monster Island. I had never seen the original Mothra movie, but had seen the giant flying bug in other Godzilla films, and not found her without her charms. But after the super rampage that was Rodan, something about this film seemed a bit too tame, and sort of pre-sages the era of movies wherein we'll lose focus from steely-jawed scientists, wise-cracking journalists and other adults in the lead and devolve into an endless sea of kids in bad shorts named "Kenny" as the protagonist of the film.
Uh...
So, I don't know how many Toho Studios Kaiju movies you've watched. I've seen about 10-15% of their output, and I've always liked "the twins", the two mysterious faeries that popped up and sang and seemed to be friends with all the giant monsters on Monster Island. I had never seen the original Mothra movie, but had seen the giant flying bug in other Godzilla films, and not found her without her charms. But after the super rampage that was Rodan, something about this film seemed a bit too tame, and sort of pre-sages the era of movies wherein we'll lose focus from steely-jawed scientists, wise-cracking journalists and other adults in the lead and devolve into an endless sea of kids in bad shorts named "Kenny" as the protagonist of the film.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
A Chronologically Amiss Discussion of Mark Waid's "Irredeemable" and "Incorruptible"
Hey, have I mentioned my enthusiasm for Mark Waid's Irredeemable and Incorruptible? I have? Ad nauseum?
Oh, well.
Both series have drawn to a close in the monthly installment format, but that's not how I've read either comic. Sure, I started with monthlies on Irredeemable, but Boom! met me where I lived and began releasing trades immediately after the conclusion of arcs, something DC and Marvel grew keen to about the same time, but it seemed part of the Boom! DNA from the start of the series.
However, as the series have each drawn to a close, I am still behind. I finally was able to catch up on the narratively driven Irredeemable/ Incorruptible cross-over I saw appearing on the stands for a couple of months, and which I've finally been able to enjoy for myself.
And I do mean "enjoy". The series manage to do something which seems to obvious from even a quick glance, and that's allow Waid's voice to be the only voice guiding the single world shared by both books, and plot out the two books as counter-measures to one another, with one book following a Superman-like hero gone not so much comic book evil as omnicidal, and a stone cold, amoral villain gone so straight he's now the alien walking the earth.
It says much that the world seems more confused by the transformation of villain Max Damage to hero than the impotent inevitability of humanity's destruction at the hands of a hero who turned.
Waid could have told the story of just the Plutonian and that would have been more than enough, but the addition of the story of Max Damage, unbending hero from just a god-awful, horrendous villain (a guy bad enough that his sidekick was an underage girl he flaunted by naming her "Jailbait". I mean, yikes), gives both stories resonance, not just about the lead characters - which it does - but about how we really feel about someone trying to do good, and our expectations of those people. And, frankly, how alien a concept it is to see someone perform acts of selflessness.
Even the power set granted Max Damage (super strength and invulnerability that becomes stronger the longer he stays awake) has a heroic bent to it that just seemed like a minor liability as a criminal. Max has to intentionally remain sleep-deprived for days to operate on a serious scale, staggering around with the power of a god at his fingertips, but almost out of his mind, just looking for a place to lay down, and all the craziness any of us get when we haven't gotten our forty winks. Brilliant stuff.
There's one more collection left for each series. I'll miss it, but I'm glad Waid has had an opportunity to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end that commented and meta-commented, and in the tradition of novelistic storytelling, it's fine if we don't get a second installment or more of the same. I wouldn't say no to more (from Waid), but if we don't return to these characters... thanks for the series.
Oh, well.
Both series have drawn to a close in the monthly installment format, but that's not how I've read either comic. Sure, I started with monthlies on Irredeemable, but Boom! met me where I lived and began releasing trades immediately after the conclusion of arcs, something DC and Marvel grew keen to about the same time, but it seemed part of the Boom! DNA from the start of the series.
However, as the series have each drawn to a close, I am still behind. I finally was able to catch up on the narratively driven Irredeemable/ Incorruptible cross-over I saw appearing on the stands for a couple of months, and which I've finally been able to enjoy for myself.
And I do mean "enjoy". The series manage to do something which seems to obvious from even a quick glance, and that's allow Waid's voice to be the only voice guiding the single world shared by both books, and plot out the two books as counter-measures to one another, with one book following a Superman-like hero gone not so much comic book evil as omnicidal, and a stone cold, amoral villain gone so straight he's now the alien walking the earth.
It says much that the world seems more confused by the transformation of villain Max Damage to hero than the impotent inevitability of humanity's destruction at the hands of a hero who turned.
Waid could have told the story of just the Plutonian and that would have been more than enough, but the addition of the story of Max Damage, unbending hero from just a god-awful, horrendous villain (a guy bad enough that his sidekick was an underage girl he flaunted by naming her "Jailbait". I mean, yikes), gives both stories resonance, not just about the lead characters - which it does - but about how we really feel about someone trying to do good, and our expectations of those people. And, frankly, how alien a concept it is to see someone perform acts of selflessness.
Even the power set granted Max Damage (super strength and invulnerability that becomes stronger the longer he stays awake) has a heroic bent to it that just seemed like a minor liability as a criminal. Max has to intentionally remain sleep-deprived for days to operate on a serious scale, staggering around with the power of a god at his fingertips, but almost out of his mind, just looking for a place to lay down, and all the craziness any of us get when we haven't gotten our forty winks. Brilliant stuff.
There's one more collection left for each series. I'll miss it, but I'm glad Waid has had an opportunity to tell a story with a beginning, middle and end that commented and meta-commented, and in the tradition of novelistic storytelling, it's fine if we don't get a second installment or more of the same. I wouldn't say no to more (from Waid), but if we don't return to these characters... thanks for the series.
Happy Father's Day, Dad!
Happy Father's Day to The Admiral, The Old Man, Pop, Paterfamilias, Lord of the Manor, Founder of the Feast, the Progenitor, Dad.
I shall cut to a scene from a recent dinner party at which a friend was experiencing trouble, and I related an anecdote about my dad and his outlook upon life.
Happy Father's Day, Dad!
I shall cut to a scene from a recent dinner party at which a friend was experiencing trouble, and I related an anecdote about my dad and his outlook upon life.
Happy Father's Day, Dad!
Saturday, June 16, 2012
DC Comics Father's Day Ad (from Comixology)
Ha.
Well, I can't blame Comixology for trying, but...
This was the ad I received in my email today from Comixology.
1. I find the idea that the target market for Comixology is really buying their dad $0.99 digital comics to be a bit disingenuous at best. I mean, The Admiral owns an iPad and I do not (and he's doing very little to remedy my situation, because I think he likes to lord his superior technology over me), but he would probably just be confused with my generosity. So, really, you're talking about DC hoping the guys who have kids old enough to buy things online will jump on Comixology and buy them comics. But DC went way out of their way to alienate all those guys this year (the non 18-25 year old white males), so...
2. Oh, right. Remember when the Flash was Wally West and he had kids and was a father and existed? Buy those, because that storyline really went somewhere.
3. Batman. Father... why daddy? WHY? I WILL AVENGE YOUUUUUU???? (also, Happy Father's Day!)
4. Wonder Woman, made of clay because no men to be daddy's on Paradise Island. Oh, right. The Azzarello stuff? Well, sure. Happy Deity Daddy Day!
5. And Black Lightning. Who somehow hid two teenage daughters from us until they suddenly existed. So, Black Lightning is the late 40's superhero! Man, he keeps in shape.
I kind of think Comixology just wants to move some $0.99 digital comics, but I also think just grabbing some images and overlaying them in Photoshop may not have been the way to go.
Well, I can't blame Comixology for trying, but...
This was the ad I received in my email today from Comixology.
1. I find the idea that the target market for Comixology is really buying their dad $0.99 digital comics to be a bit disingenuous at best. I mean, The Admiral owns an iPad and I do not (and he's doing very little to remedy my situation, because I think he likes to lord his superior technology over me), but he would probably just be confused with my generosity. So, really, you're talking about DC hoping the guys who have kids old enough to buy things online will jump on Comixology and buy them comics. But DC went way out of their way to alienate all those guys this year (the non 18-25 year old white males), so...
2. Oh, right. Remember when the Flash was Wally West and he had kids and was a father and existed? Buy those, because that storyline really went somewhere.
3. Batman. Father... why daddy? WHY? I WILL AVENGE YOUUUUUU???? (also, Happy Father's Day!)
4. Wonder Woman, made of clay because no men to be daddy's on Paradise Island. Oh, right. The Azzarello stuff? Well, sure. Happy Deity Daddy Day!
5. And Black Lightning. Who somehow hid two teenage daughters from us until they suddenly existed. So, Black Lightning is the late 40's superhero! Man, he keeps in shape.
I kind of think Comixology just wants to move some $0.99 digital comics, but I also think just grabbing some images and overlaying them in Photoshop may not have been the way to go.
Movie Watch 2012 - Rodan (1956)
I have no idea why, but when I got home tonight from Boston, I watched almost all of kaiju super fest Rodan from 1956.
The movie attempts to find the same mournful tone as Gojira, but misses by a bit while still sticking a bummer of an ending onto an otherwise pretty spunky movie. Jamie was not a fan of Rodan, either as a movie or a muppet. I thought it had its charms, but Rodan's lack of atomic-fire-breathw as apparently a big red "x" against our flying petaranodon (or however the movie spelled pteranodon).
Rodan!
I also liked their models in this movie. They actually moved WHILE shooting.
The movie attempts to find the same mournful tone as Gojira, but misses by a bit while still sticking a bummer of an ending onto an otherwise pretty spunky movie. Jamie was not a fan of Rodan, either as a movie or a muppet. I thought it had its charms, but Rodan's lack of atomic-fire-breathw as apparently a big red "x" against our flying petaranodon (or however the movie spelled pteranodon).
Rodan!
I also liked their models in this movie. They actually moved WHILE shooting.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
I will not buy Superman products featuring a Superman with a Preposterously Large Head
If you ask Jamie, she'll tell you that I will buy just any old thing with an "S" Shield on it. Cups. Underwear. Towels. Dog bowls. And there's some truth to that. But something I've always steered away from are Superman items that depict Superman, but with a weird-shaped head or a disproportionate head.
Take the upcoming Superman USB drive from Mimobot for example.
NOPE. Not gonna do it.
I suppose that part of it is that Superman really is just a guy with blue eyes and dark hair. Any time you mess with that look, now you're just distending some dude's head, and not in a particularly funny or fun way.
Take the upcoming Superman USB drive from Mimobot for example.
NOPE. Not gonna do it.
I suppose that part of it is that Superman really is just a guy with blue eyes and dark hair. Any time you mess with that look, now you're just distending some dude's head, and not in a particularly funny or fun way.
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| if I have to explain why this is right and the USB drive Superman is wrong, we may need to start over from scratch with this whole blogging enterprise |
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Signal Watch Reads: The Jugger by Richard Stark
I've never been a book series guy before, but I guess between the John Carter books and now finishing my sixth Parker novel, I'm a book series guy.
I'm totally in the bag for the Parker books by Richard Stark (aka: Donald Westlake).
The Jugger (1965) picks up finding Parker in small town Nebraska to check on his contact and the closest thing to a friend he's got (not that he's sentimental about it), Joe Sheer. Only to to find that the panicky letters he'd been getting from Sherer were on the money, and by the time he's arrived, Sheer has died rather suddenly.
But since his arrival, local law has been keeping an eye on Parker, and now a twerp from the criminal underground has shown up insisting Parker must be there for some reason other than to say adios to Joe Sheer. And he's just smalltime and dumb enough to think he can play ball with Parker.
I'm totally in the bag for the Parker books by Richard Stark (aka: Donald Westlake).
The Jugger (1965) picks up finding Parker in small town Nebraska to check on his contact and the closest thing to a friend he's got (not that he's sentimental about it), Joe Sheer. Only to to find that the panicky letters he'd been getting from Sherer were on the money, and by the time he's arrived, Sheer has died rather suddenly.
But since his arrival, local law has been keeping an eye on Parker, and now a twerp from the criminal underground has shown up insisting Parker must be there for some reason other than to say adios to Joe Sheer. And he's just smalltime and dumb enough to think he can play ball with Parker.
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