This is a cheating way to win a water gun fight.
Star Power #9
(March, 2015)
“The Search For Black Hole Bill” part 4
WRITER: Michael Terracciano
ARTIST: Garth Graham
It’s always helpful when someone on YouTube or an article drops something just when I’m looking for an article subject. So, full disclosure (again this week): I have not seen the Chibnall run of Doctor Who when the first few episodes failed to impress. Now that all of New Who is tied to Disney+ (not sure about Classic Who, which Britbox does run on a few ad-sponsored streaming sites) and taken from BBC America so I won’t be able to watch anything new from Doctor Who possibly ever again, I probably won’t be able to get caught up. I’m okay with this as I’m more into the original because I like the charm of the original more and the new show is often hit or miss for me, especially nowadays. I know of the Timeless Child and reject the concept since it feels like the same “we need to keep the Doctor mysterious” nonsense we got with the Cartmel Master Plan and The Question That Can’t Be Answered. The Doctor’s from Gallifrey, left to explore the universe, apparently had a granddaughter which means he was a husband and father at some point, slowly evolved to saving the universe and running with gods like the White and Black Guardians…and nothing else. There’s plenty of mystery left to the character.
I’ve also heard of the Flux, which from what I can tell is basically the non-Covenant threat from the Halo game franchise. I know enough to follow Harbo Wholmes‘ video which just dropped today. In the below video he discusses the idea of the scientist who found the Timeless Child (I don’t know her name and don’t care enough to do so as she’s basically a plot point) trying to talk the Doctor into joining her in an alternate universe and letting the regular Whoniverse die. Not a parallel universe like we’ve seen in the past, but a full on alternate reality with new creatures, new races, new forms of life, and where the Timeless Doctor may come from. In the video, Harbo goes over how not going there missed an opportunity to reboot the franchise and give the audience something completely new yet familiar without the baggage of a show that’s been on the air on and off since 1963. Why isn’t this a Versus post? Because he also goes over why this might not be the best thing for the show…and that part I agree with him on.
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It could be worse. It could be Marlon Brando’s version.
The Army Of Dr. Moreau #1
Monkeybrain Comics (2013)
WRITER: David F. Walker
ARTIST: Carl Sciacchitano
COLORIST: Sara Machajewski
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Catch more from Casually Comics on YouTube
Every time one of these modern writers use the word “relatable” I already get worried. “Relatable to whom”, because I usually find it hard to relate to these new takes on characters, even when I could in the past. Also, DC heroes are supposed to be, at least to me, aspirational, something we strive to be. They represent the best of humanity to the point that their civilian identities are also about helping others, even the rich dudes like Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen. I don’t want to relate to DC heroes, I want to be like them despite not being a crimefighter, having superpowers, or wearing a colorful outfit. They aren’t supposed to be like us; that’s Marvel’s deal. We are supposed to be more like them.
There’s a great series of articles by bluefall called When Wondy Was Awesome. While the pictures are sadly down this is the only host I could find for those articles. Read them and you’ll see that Wonder Woman isn’t so hard to write for. You just have to find a writer who gets it and doesn’t want to write the traditional Greek Amazons. DC even made them separate from the Paradise Island/Themyscira Amazons, so stop writing Diana as Lady Kratos!
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Too bad we don’t follow that lesson anymore, but that’s a whole other topic.
Full disclosure: I am not a Tim Burton fan. I have nothing against his work…in general, anyway. It’s just the types of stories he tells tend to not interest me or follow my tastes. There are three exceptions I can think of off-hand. Beetlejuice and Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure are both fun rides and I can’t help but get into them. Beetlejuice later got an animated spin-off while Big Adventure had a few influences on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, despite most of it being based on his stage show that became famous after airing on HBO. Oddly neither of these started out as kids properties per say. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and the stage show were mostly family friendly with a few…interesting bits the parents had to explain later. (The stage show has Pee-Wee using hypnosis to get a girl to take her dress off, and the closing credits show her walking out of the theater in nothing but her slip.) As for Beetlejuice…
You kind of see why there were concerns when Burton used him as Batman. Surprising every detractor, the first Batman movie was quite good and Keaton was good as Bruce and Batman, even with a suit that didn’t allow the head to turn because padded leather was not a good replacement for spandex in the long run. It’s the third movie I mentioned liking, though I do have my nitpicks. One of them is the idea that it was Burton who undid the 60s show’s view of Batman. First off…no he didn’t. I still hear reporters and anchors break out the BIFF! POW! BLAM! stuff when discussing superhero stories. Also, it was the Bronze Age of comics and the writers and editor Dennis O’Neil that brought Batman back to his roots and took on a darker tone, even when Batman fought a guy who could teach a normal ape to be a surgeon and flew on a charter flight in full Batgear. That’s why I love the Bronze Age or whatever this new Copper Age division is: knowing not to take itself too seriously without the goofier nature of the Silver Age. Must as the 60s Batman was a product of its time (while also acting as a parody), the 80s Batman movie and the Animated Series that came out shortly after Batman Returns were products of their time and reflected the comics they were based on…for the most part.
Sorry, but Batman Returns is not on that list. I really don’t like that movie and despite what Joel Schumacher did to Batman and Robin I’m actually happy Burton’s third movie didn’t happen, even if it cost us Michael Keaton. Personally, I think Val Kilmer is underrated and George Clooney was a terrible replacement, but there are reasons Burton didn’t return. Burton, however, doesn’t seem to believe that’s a good thing. I have two interviews, one a preview to a full interview from 2022 and the other a full review from September of this year and while my title for this commentary may be viewed as a bit harsh, it does make me think that Burton believes only his take on Batman was good. I disagree, and I’ll tell you why. Because that’s what a commentary is.
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Gray streak…speeeeds by…
Sonic The Hedgehog #52
Archie Comics (November, 1997)
INKER: Jim Amash
COLORIST: Karl Bollers
LETTERER: Jeff Powell
EDITOR: J. Freddie Gabrie
“The Discovery”
WRITER: Tom Rolston
PENCILER: Manny Galan
Princess Sally: “First Contact”
WRITER: Karl Bollers
PENCILER: Art Mawhinney
BW Media Spotlight 