Wonder Dog Wednesday

In the high Himalayas, Rex found himself battling the Red Chinese as well as the machinations of the High Priest Not To Be Described for control of a copy of the Chuzzlewait Accords, the only remaining record of an alternate Earth existing only within the zombified corpse of Charles Dickens. But the ghost of best-sellers past was no match for the...WONDER-DOG!

Villains With Potential-Quasimodo

Quasi-Motivational-Destruct-Organism. That's the Mad Thinker's fault, by the by. The Thinker doesn't strike me as a guy to draw a lot of personal inspiration from Victor Hugo's masterpiece of futility, so I'm guessing it was a coincidence.

Built by the Thinker, given 'life' (re: mobility) by the Silver Surfer, kicked around by the Vision. That's Quasimodo's career in a nutshell. Oh, and he fought Rom the Spaceknight that one time.

Basically, he's a big, hunch-backed blank slate. A slightly sympathetic, second-rate Ultron with an inferiority complex and a petty streak.

But he doesn't have to be. See, Quasimodo provides an interesting opportunity for antagonism. Unlike many villains, Quasimodo's motivations are-to say the least-ill-defined. He wants a human body (or he did), he wants to kill everything, he wants to control over the flow of information on Earth, but why? Why any of it?

My theory is that Quasimodo is simply acting out his original programming-he is, after all, a living computer. An organic artificial intelligence which is self-evolving, jump-starting its own development, and, as a consequence, changing the parameters of its mission as it develops. But changing into what? What seed is germinating in that Power-Cosmic infused husk? What sort of entity is this ugly caterpillar changing into?

No one knows, least of all Quasimodo himself. Maybe he doesn't even realize that he's the ambulatory version of one of Adam Warlock's crazy space-cocoons. But what if he did? What if he's realized that he is only the second stage in the evolution of a new form of life? Would he try and stop it, to remain Quasimodo, or would he encourage it, wanting to be anything other than Quasimodo?

Either way, it would invariably lead to conflict...

Grooving to the Freakshow

Diversions of the Groovy Kind has once again made my Monday, with another O'Neil/Kaluta team-up, showcasing the sinister savagery of the Shadow. Thrill to the funky frenzy known as "The Freakshow Murders!"

Batman...

Can breathe...In SPACE.

Artist Looking For Work, Food

Blog-buddy CW Russette, in his own words:

"My drawing schedule has cleared some and I am able to offer my services to anyone wishing to purchase them.

Need a head shot for a fan fic site? Be it a new shot of an old character or a pic of your own original character? Maybe a pin up of the hero or villain of your choice? Not limited to the supers either. I have a strong fondness for horror, sci fi and fantasy. I can work up a pencil sketch or ink it if you like. Maybe your original site needs some banner art or something for an ad to promote said site.


Check out a variety of different things drawn and inked by me here: http://cwilliamrussette.deviantart.com/gallery/

I can provide references should you so desire.

Thanks for your time.

C. William Russette"

So, consider this a reference and go check that out. Dude draws good.

Reasons I Love Comics # 3,678

Say what you will about the merits of using bullets on a rapidly healing, nigh invulnerable psychopath...sometimes it's effective. Also, funny.

...

It's funny because I dislike the character of Wolverine.

Spontaneous Independent Conspiratorial Idiocy

Nice satirical little post (I hope it's satirical--I'm not good with subtle) here on the Beat. Which, basically, I agree with. Because, shocker, while I think that many professionals in the comics industry (as well as the recording/publishing/film industries) believe that 'any attention is good attention', including DiDio and Quesda, I DO NOT think that that means they are in any way organized enough as to pull off a massive Anti-publicity-Publicity campaign. Which is why I found this tongue in cheek little essay funny.

One of the problems (oh, and I have several) I have with comics 'fandom' (or 'fandom' of any type) is the insistence on the presence of organized conspiracy when a decision, or decisions, outrage the group. That there are conspiracies is a given-the Bavarian Illuminati, for instance, once stole my cat and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand. But those occurrences are few and far between. Unless of course, you buy into the theory of Spontaneous Independent Conspiratorial Idiocy.

Which I do, because I invented it. Possibly. Regardless, patent pending.

SICI is, essentially, a confluence of independent idiotic decisions which result in a broad negative trend. Or, more colloquially, 'shit happens'. Similar lines of thought lead to similar decisions which leads to an ongoing trend which incurs unpopular results. There's no intent to disenfranchise any one group, so much as there's no recognition that such disenfranchisement could very easily occur. Ignorance, as opposed to organized malign intent.

Which, to my way of thinking, is worse. A conspiracy can be fought. Ignorance can only be pointed out, which may, or may not, lead to positive results.

That's my opinion, any way. Take it as you will. Or not.

Seriously, You Guys...

...Have you been keeping up with World of Hurt? You really should, you know. He totally just took out a yacht full of bad guys while wearing a skin-diving outfit. I'd post the image, but, y'know, go look at it for yourself. Great art, great story, dude getting a knee to the schnozz, boats getting all blowed up.

Great Thing, Or Greatest Thing Ever?

Mingling mankind's two greatest fears-the sea, and two-ton omnivores. Or, conversely-the forest and two-ton fish. Dear God, has there ever been a more perfect thing than this? The sublime beauty, the perfection of angles, merging into a diadem of incalculable wonder...truly, Man has ascended now unto Godhood.

Fin Fang Foom Friday!

Shiny, right?

Reed, Sue...That Other Guy

From the first issue of New Avengers, written by that guy. You know the one. Anyway, I actually quite like this scene...it reminds me a bit of those issues of Avengers West Coast back in the day, when Hawkeye kept trying to get the Thing to join the Whackos. I'm not entirely sold on this, but it's tempting.

Back in the Gutters Again

New webcomic from the creative team behind Least I Could Do and Looking For Group, called Gutters. Essentially, a satirical look at the comics industry, but funny despite that. Click to embiggen, or, y'know, head over to the site and see it for yourself. They're only two strips in, but considering the regular updating schedule of the other two comics, I expect this one to click along like clockwork every MWF.

Sharp Work on Sloppy Angles

Interesting post here, by David Brothers. It's a follow-up to a previous post, but don't hold that against it. I have zero input to add to it (or, y'know, zero of worth), but it's worth a link-look if the whole racial politics deal interests you, as it does me.

Like I said, I don't have anything to add to it, other than that I agree with Brothers' assessment of a good story being good, regardless of the factors involved. Arbitrary changes to serve either nostalgia or political correctness do not for a happy, healthy environment make, I think, and change for the sake of change is like a castle built on a bog. Eventually, it's like the castle was never even there.

Villains With Potential-The Owl

Oh man, nothing I love more than a crime-boss with a gimmick. Remember how the Kingpin used to shoot people with a laser-cane? Good times.

Anyway, Leland Owlsley, better known as the Owl. Also known as 'that guy who gets crippled every time he shows up'. Which, unfortunately is a familiar pattern when dealing with a tertiary tosspot like our buddy Leland here. One of the main problems, I think, with the character as he stands now, is that writers can't decide whether or not he's a crime-boss in the style of the Kingpin, or a 'bad-thinker' in the fashion of Dr. Octopus...essentially, is he a criminal, or a super-criminal? Two very different things in comic-book land.

Personally, I'd prefer a nice middle-ground, especially given the Owl's quirky appearance and nature. With the Hood out of the picture finally, the Owl would be a natural fit as the uber-boss of a super-villain 'sinister syndicate'. The Owl might not be a genius, but he is quite smart, being both a skilled organizer (he keeps putting his organization back together after all, and how many times has it been dismantled?) and a money launderer of no small ability. Both of which are handy qualities. Too, there's the excessive amounts of crazy (eating live mice, trying to eat Spider-Man), which, while disturbing, don't seem to negatively effect his ability to run a criminal quorum, and would serve to keep the more rambunctious street-level super-villains in check.

Now, granted, he's been crippled recently by Daredevil (again), but that's small potatoes to fix. Pop him back in an exoskeleton, or let a rogue faction of the Hand/Hydra/AIM/PETA figure out a way to fix him up, and get him mobile again. Maybe he starts selling super-drugs (Mutant Growth Hormone, chemicals synthesized from the glands of baddies like the Corrupter or the Purple Man, bits of Sandman's leftover silicate matter mixed with cocaine, Gamma-Juice, etc. and sundry) to fund the formation of a criminal guild built on the ashes of the Hood's unwieldy organization.

A guild composed of thinkers and stinkers. Mr. Hyde to craft the drugs that fund their activities. Hideouts and hole-in-the-wall bases built by the Trapster. The Scorpion to bust banks, heads and heroes. And behind the Owl, waiting and watching...the Answer. Because someone had to get the Owl on his feet again and get him moving in the right direction.

The question is, why?

Saturdays With the Serpent Society

Friday is For Fightin'!

Frenzy in a Frozen Hell!

Courtesy of the Groovy Agent's archives, which I was digging through for-unh-research purposes. Yes. Yes, I think that'll stick. Anyway, a full issue of Doc Savage, containing rocket skis, and best of all, a robot bear. Also, a sensitive rumination on the nature of love, followed by an explosion. what more could you ask for on a Thursday?

The Brave and the Whu-Hunh?

The Brave and the Bold: The Lost Issues. Seriously. I'd read most of these. Heck, I'd write 'em! If you've got some spare surfing time, peruse the archives for the neat (and just plain odd) match-ups. No Rex the Wonder-Dog team-up, though. Which makes me sad.

The Greatest Thing Stories ever Told!

As one could guess, I'm a pretty big fan of the ever-lovin' blue-eyed Thing. So, this list of the Greatest Thing Stories Ever Told over on CBR pretty much hit all the right buttons for me. They went for a couple of what I would consider easy-gimme stories which are no-brainers, but I am surprised that at least one of John Byrne's first few issues of the character's own eponymous series didn't make it higher on the list.

Though, I have to say, I'm glad that Marvel Two-in-One issue 86 made the cut. I love that issue. I also love the inimitable Rusty Shackles' take on that cover. Look at that:

Awesome, right? You should check out his other stuff. It's impressive.

Mondays, Right? You Know What I'm Still Saying...

I once got a rude shock from a transformer. True story.

...

His name was Soundwave and I have never looked at boomboxes in the same way again.

Saturdays With the Serpent Society

Friday Station Identification

Oh God It's Like Christmas!

Seriously? Seriously. Seriously? Really? Honestly? This is a problem, why exactly? Dude hasn't even auditioned yet, and the comments section in that article is rife with doomsaying. I could read those comments for hours. But I won't, because Nick Kaufmann did it for me. Poor sap. Whooo. Seriously?

Look, in my opinion, there are certain characters for whom race/ethnicity/culture is an important facet of their concept. Thor, for instance, probably needs to be a Germanic looking dude. It's part of his deal as Norse god of thunder. Now, you could make a case for 'alien being-worshipped-as-deity' in order to explain a non-Caucasian casting choice and I'd happily buy it ('cause, y'know, hell, most cultures have a thunder god of some type, and if the movie-Asgardians are aliens then conceivably they could be responsible for more than one set of myths...Shango, anyone?).

Black Panther? King of an African country. Not much leeway there. Same for Doctor Doom. Eastern European monarch. Bit wider range there (as Eastern Europe has been a bit of a melting pot for a good long while), but not much. Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch...Eastern Europe again, provided you're going with the funny book origin. If not, whatever floats your boat. Magneto? Same deal. Captain America? Could go either way, but if we're being realistic in regards to American history and sticking with the former poster boy and 'man-out-of-time' origin, probably a white dude. Nick Fury on the other hand, well, as long as he's got an eye-patch, I'm cool.

Spider-Man? Peter Parker can be whatever, as long as he's funny and looks the part build-wise. Guy wants to audition? Race isn't foremost in my mind here, concerning the character. He's a nerdy guy from Queens, that's his scthick. A science-geek who can bench-press a car thanks to a bite from a magical spider. Black, white, brown, red, yellow, who cares? Long as they bring back Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus, I'm sold.

America is a melting pot, folks. Whole bunch of colours available for the palate and what not. American heroes should represent that, don't you think?

Wonder Dog Wednesday

While ordinarily the kidnapping of the children of the goddess Bast would have evoked little more than amusement in Rex, that said kidnapping had been done on the orders of his one-time ally, Sekhmet, spurred Rex to action. Determined to embarrass his former consort in retaliation for her betrayal at the Flames of Kor, Rex undertook the rescue of the demi-godlings, WONDER-DOG STYLE!

What If The Kirbys Won, And Nothing Changed?

This article is quite interesting, not for the content of said article itself, but rather the comments section which is pure comedy gold, if you're into that kind of thing. I try so hard not to read the comments sections on things like this because it's invariably a boom tube stuffed chock full of ignorance, entitlement and political non-sequiturs, but hot damn sometimes they just beg to be read. This one is no exception.

My opinions, such as they are, are as follows-I could give a happy crap. If Kirby signed a work-for-hire agreement, then his heirs are perfectly within their right to renegotiate his contract given recent copyright law reform. If he didn't sign a work-for-hire agreement, then they've got even more right to do so, because, hey, they're probably owed some scratch. At worst, the case will hold up production on a few movies, at best, everyone settles.

There's a nice comment about-I believe-sixty one down that pretty much outlines how this is legal, ethical and, for the most part, a non-issue in regards to the continued persistence of yr favourite comics. Now, whether that guy knows what he's talking about or not is open for debate, but he sounds more reasonable than, oh, say, the guy that equates another commenter with the tea-baggers. Or, the one who says the Kirby heirs are going to put thousands out of work in a failing economy.

Gold I tells ya, gold!