Random Monday Notes

Happy Monday, everyone! Thanks for the kind thoughts about my kid last week --- happy to report that all is back to normal(ish). Oh, and there's a "spoiler" in here, but A) it's worthless and B) you've probably already seen it anyway.

A few quick notes I got after trolling Newsarama for today, then tomorrow you get 8 facts because no meme goes unpunished around here.

1) My goodness, but Bill Rosemann's edition of "New Joe Fridays" last week at the 'Rama was entertaining. Maybe it's just the fact that I know it's not Quesada talking, but Rosemann seemed engaged, funny, goofy, and informational all at once... you know, pretty much the opposite of what Quesada's been like. Of course, he's fresh at this, and Joey Q's been doing it for a year and a half, so I suppose it was bound to feel different. And it certainly doesn't hurt that Rosemann's editing some of the Marvel titles I look forward to most, so there's that.

2) Yeah, so the big spoiler for Fallen Son: Iron Man this week? There's ... DUN -DUN -DUNNNN! A funeral! For Captain America! You know, the dead guy! I cannot for the life of me figure out why the AP/Marvel are making a big deal out of this, because as far as I know dead people get funerals pretty regularly around here (except in Georgia).

3) Giant-Size Marvel Adventures: Avengers, by Jeff Parker, featuring the Avengers teaming up with the Agents of Atlas. This completely slipped under my radar somehow. I cannot recommend this enough, and Newsarama's got the preview.

4) No, I didn't read Sinestro Corps #1. Can I be honest with y'all? I'm getting... how do you say... a little burned out on all things Oan. Look, I love the concept of the Space Cops With Alien Jewelry, but they're goddamn everywhere these days in DC, and I just... I need a break, okay? A small one. (And yes, I'll still keep buying Green Lantern Corps, because that's a good comic.)

Tomorrow: 8 facts you would have been just fine not knowing about me.

Two Thoughts

Friday fun! And sorry, no reviews, check back Monday.

Meantime, two things:

1) Actual Depressing Conversation:

ME: Man, I'm starting to think someone could make a really good movie out of this new run of X-Factor.

KILLJOY: Yeah, but you just know they'd cast Dane Cook as Madrox.

ME: ...

ME: ...

ME: Let's not speak of this again.

2) Check the following upcoming Marvel cover image:


My three immediate reactions:

A) Oh please oh please oh please oh please let the Hulk turn the Sentry into a human exclamation point.

B) Is that sad drunk lady intended to represent a comics fan or a Marvel editor?

C) Oh, so that's how the Superhero Registration Act makes the world safer.

On Origins

Sorry, folks, was at work a ridiculously long time last night, so you'll have to wait another week for Better Know A Hero.

However, something occurred to me on the way home that is sticking in my brainpan. One of the old "How Marvel And DC Differ" thoughts.

And suddenly I find myself thinking about character origins.

And then I realize that for me one of the attractions to Marvel comics is that they tend to not fetishize and dwell and obsess over their character origins the way DC does (or, at least, their current crop of writers do).

It just seems like I can't read a Batman story without there being a reference at some point about Bruce's parents, as an example. We just went over Hal Jordan's origin again in the most recent GL arc. Superman, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman are all in various states of "re-origin-ing" their origins, and I suspect you know what I mean by that. Supergirl's spent the better part of, what, 17 issues trying to sort out her origin? Even Jonah Hex makes reference every other issue about his disfigurement at the hands of the Native Americans.

(Side Note: I really loves me some Jonah Hex. Buy it. That is all.)

Conversely, I see (or at least I think I see) a lot less of that stuff in my Marvel reads. Maybe it's just me.

Anyway, I'm not slamming DC for this or anything, just an interesting difference that I thought about on the way home last night.

What are your thoughts?

More tomorrow.

6 Random Thoughts

Howdy all, some random-ish thoughts on a Friday.

1) Didn't do the June solicitations revues this week as planned because... well, quite frankly because as I looked through them there was hardly anything that caught my eye, for good or for bad. That's not a good sign.

2) Is anyone else experiencing this weird coloring problem in their Marvel comics now and again? Seems like every other comic I get on at least one page there's a weird pink sheen covering the page that gives everything a distinct pinkish tint. It's been happening (that I've noticed) for at least the last year or so. Because I'm a ghetto blogger, I don't have a scanner to display an example, just wondering if anyone else sees this.

3) As I mentioned the other day, just Godland for me this week, and I must say I thought it was a nice return to form after a couple of so-so months. Says a lot though, that even a so-so Godland is typically better than half the big properties from either Marvel or DC in any given month.

4) So, I gave 52 four issues to hook me, it didn't, and I ignored it the rest of the way through. I'm considering doing the same thing with Countdown, but A) I'm in the minority (I guess) in that I don't really want a weekly comic, and B) I'm afraid I might be lost not having read 52. What say you, readers?

5) Also, if you're wondering how to comment on New Joe Mondays over at Atomic, you have to be logged in to the Atomic site to comment. It's a monstrous-looking registration form, but 90% of it isn't required anyway.

6) Finally, here's a fanTAStic way to kill a couple hours at work today: the Euphemism Generator. You're welcome and I'm sorry.

Happy Weekend!