No More Updates

This blog will no longer be updated. All new posts will now be found at http://www.super-critique.com/.

Young Justice: Episode 4 (Drop-Zone)

Episode 1 and 2 Episode 3
As always, there will be spoilers behind the cut.

New Site

Just a reminder that my new and improved blog can be found at http://www.super-critique.com/.

Tomorrow: Young Justice, Episode 4 review. After that, all new posts will be at http://www.super-critique.com/.

Children of Supervillains

Something that always bugs me about comics is the way children of supervillains are treated. It seems to be an unwritten rule that having an evil parent means a character will be evil. Now, if you're the child of a superhero, you may end up good or evil, but it seems that children with supervillain parents are destined for villainy. Exceptions are rare, and even initially good characters will often become evil.

Brainwave, Jr. is one of my favorite characters specifically because he has a supervillain for a father but choose to become a superhero instead. He was often conflicted but unquestionably heroic during his time with Infinity, Inc. Then Infinity, Inc. was cancelled and future writers decided to make him go insane and evil. I mean he must be evil if his father was evil!

Thankfully, this was later retconned by Geoff Johns, who revealed that Brainwave, Jr. had been a victim of mind control. But it still bothers me that writers completely ignored everything except the fact his father was a villain.

This is has extremely disturbing implications. It implies that if your parents are evil, you will be too. That genetics dooms a person to be evil. That free will is irrelevant if you come from a bad family. Plenty of wonderful people come from awful backgrounds. Plenty of horrible people come from good backgrounds.

DNA =/= destiny. I only wish more writers realized that.

Bring Back Anthologies

American comics used to have many anthology series. Many of the most well known superheroes - including Superman and Batman - started off in anthology books. Today it's rare to find a book with two features, and even then it's usually a feature with a back-up.

The comics industry should bring back anthologies. Look at Shonen Jump: it is an anthology of popular manga and has a circulation of 215,000 monthly. The highest selling American comic for last February were estimated at less than 72,000.

Anthologies allow readers to get many stories at once. They make introducing new features easy and guarantee the features will have a audience.

Libraries, bookstores and magazine racks will often have a copy of a monthly anthology like Shonen Jump, but good like finding American comics on the rack.

Now, I'm not saying that sales will skyrocket if American comics bring back anthologies. But given the current market, it can't hurt.

Fantastic Four (1978 Series)

In a previous post, I mentioned that there are several Marvel Comics animated series that have been released in the UK but not in the US. One of these series was the 1978 Fantastic Four series, which is the second Fantastic Four that was created. (The first has not been released anywhere.)
The 1978 series is notable for replacing the Human Torch with a robot named H.E.R.B.I.E. There were rumors that the Human Torch was excluded because the writers were worried about children imitating him by setting themselves on fire. These rumors are false (his rights were tied up thanks to a movie that never actually got made).

The series is not available in the United States. However, the complete series (all 13 episodes) is available in Region 2. So, if you like in the UK or have a region-free DVD player, you can watch it. Otherwise you're out of luck.

Here's a courtesy link to the Amazon UK page.

Wonder Woman Pilot

A pilot for a live action Wonder Woman series is set to debut this fall on NBC. For the pilot, Wonder Woman has traded in her star-spangled swimsuit for pants and a top that looks about two seconds away from a wardrobe malfunction. (Pictures here and here.)

According to Wikipedia, the series will be "a reinvention of the iconic D.C. comic in which Wonder Woman -- aka Diana Prince -- is a vigilante crime fighter in L.A. but also a successful corporate executive and a modern woman trying to balance all of the elements of her extraordinary life."

I'm hoping this doesn't mean that they're getting rid of the mythological roots of the character. I have always loved the concept of Wonder Woman, even though I don't always like the execution. Like Marvel Comics' Hercules, she is a hero that connects the world of comics to the world of mythology. There have been many great stories the involve the Greek pantheon and their interaction with Wonder Woman. A couple of my favorites are Wonder Woman's modern origin story and Greg Rucka's run on Wonder Woman (particular the "Eyes of the Gorgon" storyline).

I am cautiously optimistic about the pilot. If we're lucky, we'll get a fun, action-packed romp with DC's most iconic heroine. If not . . . well, then we'll probably get a repeat of the disappointing animated movie.

New Site- No this isn't a joke

In about 2 weeks, I am going to quit posting on this site. I'm not going to quit blogging; I'll just be at a new site: http://www.super-critique.com/.

I won't be moving all my posts, but I will be moving my most recent ones (such as my Young Justice episode reviews). I'll continue posting on Blogger for at least 2 weeks while I set up the new site and finish importing posts.

Worst Superhero/Comic Movies (According to the Razzies)

There are a lot of lists of worst movies based on comics and superheroes. Here is a list I put together based on superhero and comic movies based on Razzie Award Nominations and Wins. I've included Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2, even though it is debatable whether it qualifies as a superhero movie.

Entries with astericks indicate that the awards were for actors who appeared in more than one movie (for example, Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Actor for appearing in Fantastic Four and Into the Blue.)

8 Nominations
Son of the Mask (1 Win)

7 Nominations
Catwoman (4 wins)
Batman and Robin

6 Nominations
Barb Wire (1 Win)

5 Nominations
Howard the Duck (2 Wins)

4 Nominations
Sheena: Queen of the Jungle
Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2

3 Nominations
Red Sonja (1 Win)

2 Nominations
Jonah Hex
Supergirl
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer *

1 Nomination
The Return of Swamp Thing (1 Win)
Batman Returns
Fantastic Four **
Batman Forever
Steel
Batman Begins
Superman Returns
Superman III
Masters of the Universe
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace
The Mask ***

* Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Actress for her roles in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Awake, and Good Luck Chuck. Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Screen Couple with Ioan Grufudd in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, with Hayden Christensen in Awake, and with Dane Cook in Good Luck Chuck.

** Jessica Alba was nominated for Worst Actress for her roles in Fantastic Four and Into the Blue.

*** Jim Carrey was nominated for Worst New Star for his roles in The Mask, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and Dumb and Dumber.

Young Justice: Episode 3 (Welcome to Happy Harbor)

Episodes 1 & 2 Review here.
Massive spoilers behind the cut.

Young Justice: Episode 1 & 2 (Independence Day & Fireworks)

I've been watching Young Justice. I'm really enjoying myself, so I decided to start reviewing the episodes.  (I'll be reviewing episodes as I watch them, and avoiding spoilers as much as I can.) I'm going to review the first 2 episodes in this review, since it's a two-parter. Warning: this will be long.

Ten word summary: Great episodes, fun characters and excellent animation. A solid beginning.

Massive spoilers behind the cut.

Marvel + UK = OTP?

In my last post, I mentioned that The Marvel Super Heroes is available on DVD only in the UK (Region 2). Well, it turns out that's true of a lot of Marvel Comics cartoons. Don't believe me? Here's a list.

1) The Marvel Super Heroes
2) Fantastic Four (1978 series)
3) Spider-Woman
4) Spider-Man (1981 series)
5) Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
6) The Incredible Hulk (1982 series)
7) The Incredible Hulk (1996 series)
8) Silver Surfer
9) Spider-Man Unlimited
10) The Avengers: United They Stand

Honorable mention goes to the 90s Spider-Man cartoon, which has been had all 4 seasons released in the UK but only a few DVDs with 4-5 episodes each released in Region 1.

Now I'm all for releasing these series in the UK but would it kill them to release them in the United States too?

The Marvel Super Heroes- You Don’t Get Much More Old School Than This

I really have no taste when it comes to superhero TV shows. I've enjoyed Super Friends episodes for their endless cheesiness, and I actually own Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation on DVD. Mind you, I don't think Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation was good, but I enjoy making fun of how laughably bad it is. The same is true of many other older shows.

While looking into older cartoons in my endless search for cheesy superhero cartoons, I came across the first ever animated series by Marvel Comics: The Marvel Super Heroes. The Marvel Super Heroes aired in 1966, and the style of animation makes them pretty much the first motion comics. And yes, motion comics were just as pathetic looking back then as they are now.

The show had 5 different features: Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, The Invincible Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, and Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner. 13 episodes of each of the features were produced, making a total of 65 episodes.

Amusingly, these shows were allowed to have content that was often not allowed in future cartoon series. About a dozen titles included "die" or "death", and the very first episode involves realistic looking fire arms.

If you're like me and enjoy older cartoons, it is available on DVD . . . but only for Region 2 (Europe). If you live anywhere outside of Region 2, this means that you'll need a region-free DVD player if you want to actually watch the DVDs. (Otherwise, you'll just be buying some expensive Frisbees.)

Be warned that this show is incredibly corny and its age really shows. If you can, watch some episodes before buying it, so you know what you’re getting into.

Here are links to the DVDs on Amazon UK, if you're interested in buying them.

1) Marvel Superhero Classics Collection [DVD]
Contains 52 episodes (all but the Incredible Hulk episodes).

2) The Incredible Hulk 1966 Complete Season
All 13 Incredible Hulk episodes.

Creeper as a Demon

There was a six-issue Creeper miniseries that came out in 2006. It firmly established his origin as purely scientific. Or at least as scientific as "multiple personalities brought on by smart skin that gives you a healing factor, a laugh that makes people's ears bleed and a green speedo that materialized out of nowhere" can be.

In fact, Creeper has always had a (pseudo) scientific origin. Originally, he was was given a device that switch back and forth between his Creeper wardrobe and whatever he was wearing. He was completely sane, but he acted insane in order to scare criminals. Later writers had him begin to show signs of genuine insanity, and eventually his origin was retold by Keith Giffen so that he actually was insane . . . at least when he was the Creeper.

In the 1990's, Creeper got a solo series which made both Jack Ryder and the Creeper genuinely insane. Jack Ryder suffered from bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and a host of other psychological issues, which resulted in the creation of the Creeper persona. It was an excellent, if short-lived, series which had as much psychological drama as action.

The 2006 retelling of Creeper's origin doesn't really clearly fit anywhere within previous storylines, but it still maintained the split personality and insanity that the character had developed.

Then Keith Giffen turned the Creeper into a demon that possesses Jack Ryder in the poorly written Reign of Hell series. This destroyed the psychological drama that had made the character so interesting and intriguing, and essentially made him the poor man's Etrigan. Not only that, but it retconned the new origin that had been established two years earlier. And Keith Giffen should have known better, since he wrote the retold origin which made Creeper insane in the first place!

Sadly, rather than ignore Reign in Hell, Creeper is being even more poorly written in the current run of Outsiders . . . by Dan Didio. (I'll save my rant about editors not being writers for another time.) Creeper is now a dime-a-dozen demon with no signs of insanity and no signs of the character who I had grown to love. In fact, he was better written in Countdown . . .

I know DC Comics and Dan Didio don't give a damn about my opinion, but I'm going to ask this anyway: Please, please, please drop the "Creeper as demon" plot point. It was poorly written, poorly executed and poorly conceived. I miss the lovable maniac I grew to love . . . and I'm sure I'm not the only fan of the Creeper who feels that way.

Wonder Woman Movie

Just watched the Wonder Woman animated movie. I'm . . . underwhelmed. Although the plot had some problems, my main problem was with Wonder Woman and how her character was handled.

I'll admit that I don't read Wonder Woman regularly, but what I have read about her tells me this:

Wonder Woman is kind. She doesn't shove her views and morals in others' faces. Instead she leads by example, showing compassion, mercy and kindness. She shows women are men's equals by example. She doesn't treat men as inferiors, but rather as friends and equals.

Wonder Woman can be brutal in a fight, but she is just as willing to help redeem an enemy as she is to administer a beatdown. In fact, she would much rather help an enemy become a friend than fight them. She favors diplomacy over violence, but understands that violence is sometimes necessary in order to protect the lives of others.


The Wonder Woman in this movie is not that Wonder Woman. The Wonder Woman of this movie reminds me of a caricature of a man-hating feminist: one that believes that women are the epitome of virtue and that the world would be perfect if only those evil men weren't involved. (Admittedly, there are some crazies in the feminist movement, but most aren't like that. And Diana certainly never was like that.) She's arrogant, cocky and she isn't in the least bit regal. To be fair, she still is shown to want to do the right thing, help others and make the world a better place . . . but her claims about wanting to bridge the gap between "man's world" and the Amazons seem hollow given her actions.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of Wonder Woman, it still bugs me to see a portrayal this far removed from her comic book counterpart. I think I'm gonna go read the "Gods and Mortals" TPB, and wonder why they didn't just adapt that instead. Because it would have rocked.

The X-Men and Teenage Pregnancy

I'm admittedly quite a bit behind when it comes to Marvel Comics, so this may seem like old news . . .

Angel Salvadore was introduced in New X-Men #118. In issue #141, she ends up having six kids. I have one huge problem with this. Angel was fourteen when she was introduced. And unless I missed something, she didn't have a birthday in that time (even if she did, she'd still only be fifteen).

I have yet to meet a fourteen year old who is emotionally mature enough to have sex, let alone raise a child. Raising a child is a full-time job. It requires maturity, patience and a willingness to put the baby's needs over your own. Teenagers - especially young teenagers - tend to be immature, have little to no patience, and tend to believe that their own needs and desires are the only things that matter. (Lord knows I was like that when I was 14.)

And yet none of the X-Men seemed to give a care that a fourteen year old girl had just had a bunch of babies. Excuse me? Is no one concerned about the fact that she has no way of supporting these babies? Or that there's no way in hell that she's emotionally mature enough to handle this? Or the fact that these newborns are already not only crawling but flying meaning they'll be exponentially more difficult to contain and care for than ordinary newborns? Not to mention there's six of them.

Someone should have cared that a fourteen year old child got pregnant while under the X-Men's care. But no one did. The issue never really even seemed to get addressed. (Also, if Beak was any older than she was, it was statutory rape.)

Nice to know that not only are the X-Men into child endangerment, but they don't give a damn about teenage pregnancy either.

Random Thoughts About DC's Speedsters

Has anyone else noticed that pretty much all of DC speedsters have evil counterparts? Jay had Rival, Barry had Professor Zoom, Wally had Zoom, Bart had Inertia. Even Max Mercury had Savitar. I don't think Johnny or Jesse Quick did though . . . but their connection to the Flashes is the most tenuous of the speedsters.

They also have one of the best track records when it comes to happy marriages. Jay and Joan have been together for decades. Barry is happily married to Iris, and Wally is happily married to Linda. I hope the pattern holds, once Bart and Wally's kids become adults. It's refreshing to see superheroes who manage to end up in happy, stable relationships instead of being in "will they or won't they" or "on again off again" romances that plague comic books. It would also be nice to see characters who were allowed to mature and age.

I'm still unsure about Barry's return, mainly because I'm not familiar with him. I don't have a problem with resurrection in comics, but I did have a problem with Wally losing his book to a character I barely know. And unless the Flash title gains the reputation of being one of the best comics coming out, it's probably going to be awhile before I bother trying to get to know him.

I'm also not much for Iris becoming the new Impulse. Bart lost a lot of his individuality and fun character traits when he became Kid Flash, and I would have liked to see him going back to being Impulse. I would have been all for Iris becoming the new Kid Flash, though.

Steered Towards "Girl" Comics

I had an interesting experience at my local comic book store a while back.  I asked for recommendations, and was recommended several books.  Only one really interested me (Y: The Last Man).  After I left, I realized something: most of the comics that I was recommended were comics starring women or written specifically for women.

I assume this was done since I'm a woman.  I suppose it's nice that the shop carries those comics . . . but it makes me wonder if a male customer would have been recommended something different.  Did I miss out on some good comics because it was assumed I wouldn't like "guy" comics?

Most of my interests fall within the stereotypical "guy" interests: comic books, sci-fi, computers, etc.  Most of the comics I see aimed at women don't appeal to me.  In fact, when a comic is specifically marketed at women, I'm more hesitant to pick it up.  (The second I heard Marvel Divas was essentially Sex & the City with superheroes, it made me vow to avoid the thing like the plague.  If I wanted Sex & the City, I'd watch Sex & the City.)

I want well written stories with interesting characters, interesting character interactions, some fun fight scenes and some spandex-wearing superhero goodness.  I don't care if the main character is a woman or a man.  I just want a good story.

Is It Possible to Feel Nostalgic for Someone Else's Childhood?

I have a curse. I never discover a good comics series until it's already over. (Or, shortly after I pick up a series, it will be cancelled.) Part of this is because I begin reading comics until the 2000's, and it wasn't until the past three or four that I started actively collecting them. Even today, a good chunk of what I'm reading is back issues and TPBs.

This leaves me in an unusual situation. Most of my favorite comics came out before I started reading comics. The comics that came out when I was a little kid don't have any nostalgic value for me . . . because I wasn't reading them. I don't consider Wally "my Flash." I don't have a Green Lantern that is my Green Lantern.

Some of my favorite comics are recent ones. Others are Golden Age. Some are Bronze Age. Some I'm not even sure what era they are.  (I'm a little fuzzy on the dividing lines between the eras.)

But most of my comics are ones that are no longer being published. Or they've changed so much they have little in common with the old comics except for the title.

I'm nostalgic for comics I didn't grow up on.  Weird.

The Art of Batwoman

Although I don't normally read Detective Comics, I have flipped through some issues since Batwoman became the main feature.  For the most part, I love the art.  The panel arrangement is takes risk and for the most part, really works well.  It's also some of the most creative and beautiful art I've seen recently in a comic book.

I love that Kate has a unique fashion sense.  It reminds me of why I like some of the more elegant gothic fashion.  (I'm also not sure if "elegant goth" was the look they intended with Kate's civilian outfits, but that's what I'm reminded of.)  To me it's much more interesting than her stereotypical debutante look that she first sported.  I'm actually really glad they changed the look of her character.  (And glad that they commented on the horribly impractical heels of her Batwoman costume.)

But I do have one request for the artist and/or colorist.  Please, please, please: quit having Kate be chalk white.

No human being is that pale.  It's unnatural.  And the color can't be make-up, because she always looks like that.  She reminds me of a porcelain doll, which is not a look that goes well with a strong character that's capable of kicking major butt.

(It also reminds me of the corpse-esque make-up they gave Edward in the Twilight movies.  Not attractive and extremely creepy and jarring.)

Aside from that, the art is gorgeous.  But I'm a blogger and a comics fan: I'm required by law to nitpick. ;)