No Mans Land - Comedy moments

So, yesterday's post was all serious and deep.  Today's will be amusing (and short).

First, a peek into Batfamily life:

I love getting glimpses into Batfamily life.  It seems as if the relationship between Dick and Alfred hasn't really changed much over the years.

And now, I finally got to read about something I've been hearing about for years.  Big Barda wears Plastic Man.

It's probably a good thing he's plastic and unkilleable, or he'da been in real trouble.

Comics Reviews!

Featuring spoilers for the Batman 80 page giant, Blackest Night Wonder Woman #2, Superman: WONK #11, Suicide Squad: Blackest Night # 67 (resurrected title), Weird Western Tales: Blackest Night # 71 (resurrected title), Red Robin #8.
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Batman 80 page giant
This wasn't quite what I expected.  It's a collection of rather unusual stories.

• The Dick/Damian one was a bit heavy handed and obvious for my tastes.
• Alfred acts like an absolute dick - he must know full well the position he was putting the young woman in, taking her to a fancy do like that, with her prostitute clothes on.  He doesn't come across like a good person, he comes across as a controlling, greedy man who likes to believe he is good. I do not want to read about this Alfred.
• The Saint story was good and took a couple of surprising turns.
• Veil in reveiled shows a lot of promise.  Although this story was a bit weak - too much of the damsel being saved by the man for me - I'd love to read more about Milicent Mayne.
• The Catwoman story, written by ivory Madison, is why I bought this issue.  The art is all photo realistic, which I found unusual, but is good nonetheless, and the story was completely unexpected.  An old couple had been hiding underground for the last 40 years, and just come up so the wife could be admitted to hospital.  This was touching and well executed.
• Poison Ivy's tale takes it's inspiration from the concept of mother nature and the maiden/mother/crone triumverate.  Intriguing.
• Mr Freeze and the Commisioner did nothing for me.
• The final one page story was a nice ending to the collection.
  

Blackest Night Wonder Woman #2
The idea and layout of the cover is fantastic:

Unfortunately Mera's face ruins it for me.  In my head that's not what Mera looks like.

This book filled in thsoe moments between Mera taking on Diana, and Diana getting the Star Sapphire ring (in Blackest Night #6).  It worked for me.  As for the Bruce/Diana smooch - I reckon she's just pleased to see him, and a kiss is far more expressive than a hug.  And she's a wee bit stressed anyway.

Superman: WONK #11
Very suggestive cover:

Good issue.  Enjoyable and bringing this particular part of the story to an end.  I look forward to Krypton: The Last Stand and War of the Supermen.


Suicide Squad: Blackest Night # 67 (resurrected title)
OK, I really don't like reading Simone's individual issues.  I'll get Secret Six next month and I'll probably enjoy both together, but individually?  I can't be doing with them.

Weird Western Tales: Blackest Night # 71 (resurrected title)
Waste of time.  I don't like the Western genre and I care nothing for the characters.  Not even the Ray.

Red Robin #8
Ahh, to end on a high note!  Loved it :)
We get to see Tim's battle strategy and pretty much just how awesome he is, in everything.  Great end to the arc, neatly executed and very smooth.  You shoudl all be reading this.

I also bought the Kingdom Come Aquaman figure.  A review will be going up shortly.  In summary, it's nice looking but has a lot of faults.

Bad eyes, December shopping and plans for new posts

Over at Supergirl Comic Box Commentary the following picture was posted:

I was convinced that Babs was giving Matrix Alfred...Then I read the text to go with it and saw that it's actually Luthor. Which, while making far more sense isn't half as much fun as Matrix wanting Alfred for Christmas.

In what I bought in December news, I suspect that it being Christmas helped me not buy crap for myself. Or that it'd true that I mostly just buy comics. Anyway, here goes:

• Presents for family and friends - mostly new stuff but also containing edibles. Mostly bought form small independent local shops.

• Wrapping paper - I've always thought this was a total waste but people get the hump if you present them gifts wrapped in newspaper or plastic bags. So I bought yellow wrapping paper with dinosaurs on, from a local independent department store. :D

• 2 birthday cards for the same person as I lost (and then found) the first one. Doh.

• 3 second hand comic trades for me

- JSA Presents Stars and Stripes, which I haven't actually finished yet.
- 52 the Companion, Great. The Black Adam, Steel, Renee, Animal Man and Booster stories are all worth reading.
- JSA Ghost Stories. Also very good. Lots of Power Girl, alternate universe Superman and Lois, an unenlightened Ma Hunkel, lots of Jay Garrick and some beautiful art showing the highwayman when he was young.

• Underwear for me - definitely allowed as I can't buy that second hand.

• Train tickets.

• Many comics, both new ones and also old stuff bought from a friend.

• Food and drink. So much spent on food and drink.

• 2 new books bought for myself when I was getting my Dad's Christmas present. Books are a weakness of mine, and I didn't want to wait to get them out the library. Not really any excuses there. Especially when I finished them and saw how little space I have my book shelves. when did that happen? I haven't bought books regularly for months.

Anyway, the first book was the Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar, which was rubbish and will be heading to the charity shop very shortly. The second one was The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyenenko which was very very good. I saw the film a year or so ago, but didn't follow it very well, and I have been put off reading the book because my past experience with Russian novels is they are very difficult to read because of the style of writing and the translation. Not so with this one. The translation is excellent and I couldn't put it down. Highly highly recommended.

• A comic book box. I have run out of space on my shelves. That box filled up very quickly with my oversized UK comics (original 1980s Thundercats run and some 1990s Superman titles). I need to get a second one now and all my minis and one shots will be put into that one, leaving shelf space free for the ongoing series. So I'm trying to convince myself that as these boxes will help with freeing up space and are practical they don't count as useless junk and so are allowed. And they are better than using any old box as they are the perfect size.

I think that's everything I bought. I think I didn't do too badly.

Plan for new posts include one but more likely two on Spoiler, also reviews of the last batch of new comics I bought plus the second hand ones bought off friends. It will be a long review list.

Robin is mean and shock horror, letter writers are wrong

Currently listening to: Tori Amos - Under the Pink.

Batman has sure taught him how to fight dirty. The scene takes place in a park, a production of Macbeth has been put on and Tim and his school mates are attending to gain extra credits, (does that really happen? You get points just for attending a show?), and Tim spots a crime in progress. So he changes to his Robin getup and starts giving the criminals a beat down. One gets away.

That’s a portaloo, the grossest things ever. Ever been to a music festival? I’m not entirely sure the criminal deserved that.

On another note, the first letter from a Nicole resulted in a facepalm for me (click on the picture and it should enlarge):

Can you guess what part I’m talking about?

The subplot Nicole is referring to is Ariana bleaching her hair and changing her clothes to look hotter, (presumably because she thinks Tim will like her more this way). Anyway, she gets in a car with Jake the jerkwad who then attempts to assault her – apparently he can read the signals(!). She clocks him with 4 cans of beer (or possibly lager as this is America and I don’t think you have real ale there ;) ) and legs it.

Nicole thinks Ariana’a reaction was over the top and thinks that this incident gave Ari the opportunity to think long and hard about what she wanted to do with her life.

*headdesk*
At least the editor of the letter column has got a clue.

In other Robin thoughts, the poor kid really carries a massive guilt complex over his ability doesn't he? Poor sod. Bruce is a crap surrogate father.

I am enjoying Alfred, a very likeable sardonic (?) chap. I haven't seen much of him before, he didn't feature heavily in Nightwing or Batgirl and I've only read very odd (as in not read very often, not as in weird) issues of Batman. On a gender related front, I'm choosing to believe that this panel shows that Alfred thinks Batgirl is an unfair and inappropriate name for a woman, especially when the male sidekicks don't get called Batboy:

Go Alfred! Can anyone tell me the difference between a valet and a butler? Alfred has recently stated (around about issue 60 or thereabouts) that he is most definitely a valet, not a butler.

Oh mygod, I so want this little toy:

TURBO POWERED SKATEBOARD! That Tim made from scratch. It is official, everyone needs a Tim. or failing that, lots of money, time brains, resources and equipment with which to build similar things.

Last image, thrown in for fun:

It made me laugh.

And lastly, Stephanie Brown AKA the Spoiler is wonderful! She rocks! So extra double sized yay for her being brought back earlier this year.

Due to an imminent possibly traumatic Dr's appt to be attended this afternoon, I bought Shadowpact trade and two JSA ones. The Shadowpact one - Cursed, is very very good.