Comic Pull List Part 2: Wildstorm/Vertigo

Having covered DC Comics, it's time to move onto two of DC's imprints. This is going to be a fairly short post.

Wildstorm was founded by Jim Lee in 1992, and helped to form Image Comics. DC bought Wildstorm in 1999. Wildstorm mainly publishes superhero comics with different sort of vibe than mainstream superhero comics. They also publish titles not set in any continuity, stand-alone stories, or movie tie-ins like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street. They also published a Supernatural prequel miniseries.

But I only get one title from Wildstorm.

Ex Machina - This is a stand alone series written by Brian K. Vaughn. The premise is that the only superhero in the world, after successfully saving one of the towers of the World Trade Center on September 11th, runs for mayor of New York City. And wins.

The hero is called The Great Machine and he has an awesome superpower. He can talk to machines. He can tell a gun to misfire, he can tell a video camera to shut off, and he can tell a plane to land on a freeway. But as mayor of New York, he's not a superhero anymore.

The book takes place during his term as mayor, but we get glimpses of his past as a superhero which helps him to make his decisions as mayor in the present. So yes, this book is mainly about politics, less about superheroes, and I love it. It's also a mature title so it's got all the profanity and violence and nudity one desires but it doesn't go overboard with it.

This is a smart book by one of my favorite writers with great artwork, and one I could easily recommend to a non-comic book reader.


That's it for Wildstorm. Hey, I said this would be short. On to Vertigo!


Vertigo Comics is DC Comics' mature-title imprint. It's also the imprint that published both V for Vendetta and Watchmen. There used to be a couple of titles set in the main DC universe, like Animal Man and Swamp Thing, but that is not the case anymore.

Y: The Last Man - I get this series in trade paperback format, only because I jumped into this series late and it fits nicely on my bookshelf. This series is also written by Brian K. Vaughn (love that guy!) and is about a man and his monkey. Seriously. Okay there's a lot more to it than that. Basically, something caused the male gender of every mammal on Earth to die, except for a man named Yorick and his pet monkey, Ampersand. What's a guy to do? Not what you expect, to be sure, and that's why I love this book.

Yorick wants to find his fiancee. But the world is an unsafe place for the last man on Earth. So the government, in the shape it's in right now, assigns Agent 355 to protect him, as they search for a way to save the human race.

This is another smart book that poses a lot of questions and brings up a lot of issues, just like Ex Machina. I could give the first trade to just about anyone and they'll be intrigued. Actually, the last issue is due to come out soon, bringing an end to a magnificent story.

DMZ - This comic takes place in the near future, during a civil war between the United States and the Free States of America, with Manhattan Island as a DMZ. It follows a young photojournalist as he documents the story unfolding between the front lines. This is a book that comments on the current state of the union, and the world, and the press, and terrorism. It's pretty depressing, but a good read.

Army @ Love - This is a satire book. Like, extreme satire. In the near future, the US Military is having trouble recruiting troops for their various wars across the globe. So they turn to the cooperations, and they decide to rebrand the war as a thrilling, sexy, adrenaline-filled experience for young people. It works. Recruitment is at an all-time high, but discipline is at an all-time low.

I'm on the fence about this book. It's funny, but for all the wrong reasons. Sex during a firefight? The military holding orgies to boost morale? I'm all for war being satired, but I'm not too sure what to make of this. I'll stick with it, just to see how far they go.


That's it for now. Next time, Marvel Comics!

Comic Pull List Part 1: DC Comics

First off, I want to say thanks to all of my friends who helped me get through some tough times. You guys are the best.

But now I think it's time to get back on track. I was going to list the TV shows I've been watching this season, but I'll save that for later since Mike and Paul both did that not too long ago. (I was gonna do it first, but ah well.) Instead, I'm going to list the comics I currently buy and read, and my reasoning for buying each one. It will be split into several parts: DC Comics, Marvel Comics, then independent comics. This will be long (that's what he said...ZOW!) so bear with me.

First up, DC Comics. I find myself buying more DC books than Marvel. I'll explain why when I get to Marvel.

Booster Gold - I usually like to save the best for last, but I enjoy this title so much that I need to tell you about it NOW. Some background may be necessary.

Michael Jon Carter was a failed football player-turned-museum janitor in the 25th century. Desperate to regain his fame and fortune, he stole some superhero gear from the museum and traveled back to the 20th century to become a superhero...for a profit. Taking the name Booster Gold, he would sign endorsement deals and advertise products while he was punching the bad guys or pulling cats out of trees. Eventually, he was invited to join the Justice League (not the one with Superman or Wonder Woman), but no one took him seriously. Except his best friend Ted Kord, the Blue Beetle. After Ted was killed by a former ally threatening all of the world's heroes in a huge conspiracy, Booster helped avenge his death and save the world. Then in 52, with the world believing Booster was an incompetent jerk, he saved the multiverse, but no one knew he did.

Which brings us to this new series. Basically, Booster Gold is recruited by Rip Hunter, whom he help in 52, to repair anomalies in the time stream. And since the world already believes Booster is an idiot, he's perfect for the job. No one can know he's doing this so his enemies won't go back in time (or forward in time) to kill him in his crib, undoing all the work he's done. He agrees to do this on one condition: Rip has to help Booster go back in time and save his best friend, the Blue Beetle.

This title works in so many ways. Booster shunning his greedy ways, being a real hero to save his best friend, and allowing no one to know about it, makes Booster a VERY likable character. The possibilities of storytelling are limitless, because he can go anywhere in the DC Comics timeline. Already he's encountered Sinestro when he was still a Green Lantern and Jonah Hex in the old west. And on top of that, it's action packed, dramatic, and funny! What more could you want in a comic book? Oh, and it's being penciled by Booster Gold's creator, Dan Jurgens. Solid work here, and my favorite title being published right now.

Superman titles (Action Comics, Superman, Superman/Batman, and Superman Confidential) - I really don't think I need to explain my reasoning for buying these. But I'll mention a few things. Action Comics is being co-written off and on by Richard Donner, the director of the first two Superman movies. Naturally, he brought General Zod with him. Superman is written by Kurt Busiek, and he's doing a fine job. Superman/Batman is a team-up book, but seems to be lacking direction so I may stop reading it. Same goes with Superman Confidential, a book about the "untold" stories of Superman's past. I don't read Supergirl because she gets on my nerves.

Batman/Detective Comics - Batman can get so monotonous. Villain escapes from jail, villain causes chaos throughout Gotham, Batman fights villain, Batman throws villain back in jail. Repeat. But Batman is currently being written by Grant Morrison, and I loved his work on X-Men, so I'm reading this because of the new spin he puts on things. Detective Comics is being written by Paul Dini, one of the guys responsible for Batman: The Animated Series, which is my favorite interpretation of Batman. Also, there's actually, you know, detective work involved! Go figure.

Nightwing - One could call this a Batman title but it's really not. I've always had a soft spot for Dick Grayson so it's great to see him as his own hero apart from Batman. This former Robin is one of the few old-school characters to have a significant change in his life. The title itself could use some work (an immortal bride and groom sucking the youth out of people? Please..) but I have faith.

Justice League of America - Naturally. Good, sometimes cheesecake art and written by Dwayne McDuffie, one of the architects of Justice League Unlimited. Fairly standard stuff but enjoyable nonetheless.

Justice Society of America - If the Justice League is a team, the Justice Society is a family. I'm actually liking this better than the Justice League right now. It's good to see heroes being so ...friendly. The older generation of heroes like the original Flash and Green Lantern teamed with new rookie heroes to set the example, it's heart-warming. Good stuff.

All-Star Superman - I didn't list this one with the other Superman titles for a reason. This book is really REALLY good. Written by Grant Morrison (see Batman above), each issue is a done in one story that blends the fun of the Silver Age with the sensibilities and drama of the Modern Age. This book is in it's own continuity so it can do whatever it wants. It's about what makes the character of Superman great. It's only published once every three months but it's okay with me because the art is gorgeous and each issue reminds me of why I love comics.

As a side note, the other All-Star title, All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, is the biggest piece of shit that's not actually real shit I have ever laid my eyes on. Frank Miller writes it, and so what if he's written some good Batman comics in the past, and has a few successful movies like Sin City and 300? This comic is freaking dreadful. While All-Star Superman exemplifies everything I like about Superman, All-Star Batman just gives me reasons to REALLY HATE Batman. Frank Miller can shit out a bunch of diarrhea, but it doesn't mean I have to eat it.


Crime Bible: The Five Lessons of Blood - This is actually a spin-off miniseries of 52. It stars the new Question, detective Renee Montoya, who made her debut in Batman: The Animated Series. The original Question died, but before he did he took Renee in as a pupil, so she could fill his shoes. This is good noir stuff, like a good pulp comic of old. Also, she's a lesbian, but that has no bearing on why I read the comic. Just throwing that out there.

Countdown to Adventure - The title leads you to believe this book ties into DC's big crossover event, Countdown (more on that later) but it really doesn't. It's more like another spin-off miniseries of 52, starring the "space heroes" of the book, Animal Man, Starfire, and Adam Strange. It's good adventurous fun with nice art. (The book also has back-up strips that do tie into Countdown, but they suck, so I'm ignoring it)


Green Lantern - This title is the bomb. A solid superhero comic with plenty of action and a few character moments. There are a lot of Green Lanterns, but this title mainly follows Hal Jordan, the most well known of the GLs, and his partner, John Stewart, who was brought back in the spotlight after the Justice League cartoon. It's sister title, Green Lantern Corps, shows us how the Corps works and is also a solid title. Currently the two titles are in a storyline called The Sinestro Corps War and it's quite possibly my favorite crossover of the year.

Countdown to Final Crisis - And then there's this. This is the reason I had to tell you all about 52 in a previous post, because it's hard not to compare Countdown to 52. The first issue was even numbered #51! (Followed by #50, then #49, and so on...) After the success of 52, DC Comics wanted to follow up with another weekly series. But unlike 52, which had it's own playground in which it can do whatever it wants, Countdown ties into a bunch of other titles. And it stars characters I really don't care about. Jimmy Olsen? Pied Piper? Harley Quinn out of costume? The Monitors? Monarch? Ugh. Also, nothing much happens in each issue. At least, nothing much SEEMS to happen. The title does show promise once in a while, especially the story following Donna Troy, Kyle Rayner and the formally dead Robin, Jason Todd. But if there is a point to the storyline, it's taking forever to get there. If I don't like it, why am I getting it, you ask? Because I'm a sucker for big events. It' s counting down to SOMETHING big, and I don't want to be confused when it 's here. It could be a lot better, and I expected more out of head writer Paul Dini.


The following books I get in a collected trade paperback format, which are about 6 issues a book. Because I like the titles, but can wait to read it:

Blue Beetle - This follows the third Blue Beetle, Jaime Reyes (Ted Kord was the second). It reminds me of the fun of reading a young Spider-man, a hero learning to be a hero. And that costume rocks.

Teen Titans - Good superhero team book.


I think that's enough for now. Thanks for reading this far! Next time I'll go over Wildstorm and Vertigo titles, publishing imprints of DC. I don't think it would fit with the titles listed here. I wouldn't want to confuse you...

Mindy 1996-2007

This morning my dog, Mindy, passed away.



I wish I could say that she died naturally, but she didn't. I had to make the decision to put her to sleep after she was diagnosed with an irreversible condition. It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make.

Mindy became a part of our family shortly after a surgery on my arm was performed before high school. It's always been joked that I asked for her when I was high on pain killers. But ever since I first heard her little yip bark while bringing her home, I knew that I would love this dog.

She was the one constant in my life for years. Through the good and the bad, she was always there. She never judged me. She never offered harsh criticism like so many others around me. Okay, she was a dog so if she did judge me, I never heard it. But when no one would listen to me, she would. If I felt couldn't speak to anyone about something, I told her. There's something about the way she looked at me when I talked to her. Those beady eyes staring into my soul as I bared it to her. I've never had such a connection to any human being as I had with Mindy.

Which is why I'm having such a hard time writing this. I'm not used to expressing my feelings so...vividly so I'm not sure I know how. As I'm writing this it may all be unintelligible gobbily-gook. But I need to write about it. I need you to understand how much I love her, how much I miss her. There's an eerie silence in the house. Not that she was very loud, but I don't see her anymore when I look behind me or at my feet. She had a presence, and now it's gone. Just knowing that she's not there anymore makes me feel lost. I want to keep myself occupied, do something, but I get up and end up pacing around, then I sit back down where I was. Lost.

As she died in my arms a few things came to my mind. I hope I gave her a good life. I hope she doesn't think I gave up on her. I hope she knew she was loved every minute of every hour of every day. And I hope she knows I'll never forget her.

52

I was going to make a pretty significant post about the comics I read nowadays. But I realized I have to write something about a particular series before I can really get into that. So, without further ado, I'm going to talk about one of my favorite comic book series ever, 52.

A little backstory is needed. In 2005 to early 2006 DC Comics published a major line-wide event called Infinite Crisis. In January of '06, all of DC's titles jumped ahead One Year in continuity after Infinite Crisis, before we even knew the ending to it! Needless to say, there were a lot of changes to the status quo of these titles. When the ending to Infinite Crisis was published, Superman was left powerless (so he'd be Clark Kent exclusively for a year), Wonder Woman decided to reconnect with humanity (so she wouldn't be such a bitch), and Batman started to travel around the world re-learning how to be Batman (so he wouldn't be the gigantic prick he's been for years). But One Year Later, they all came back.

But what happened during that missing year? That's where 52 comes in. It was a comic series that was supposed to tell the story of the year without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. But here's the catch. It was a weekly comic.


Publishing a weekly comic has been attempted before, but not successfully. In the 80s, Action Comics Weekly made it to 11 issues before it caught up to itself. In 2001, Marvel Comics tried it with a mature War Machine comic, but that too faltered. So comic fans, doing what comic fans do best, expected the worst. They didn't think it would succeed. In an industry filled with delays, 52 was destined to have at least one. There's bound to be an artist that will fall past the deadline! But the editors thought this one through. The publishing plan was drafted, the writers were gathered. Those writers were Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid. Four top-notch writers. Four writers working together? There was bound to be some sort of conflict, right? They drew up a storyline, went over plot elements, and planned everything out. Several C-list heroes would basically serve as tour guides for the drastically changing DC Universe during this missing year.

Everything was set to go. They started writing it... Then they threw those plans out the window.
It was clear at around issue 3 that the story was becoming it's own beast. It was not going to be a "tour" of the DCU. It was going to be something much, much more.

The series follows the same planned C-list heroes, but each would have their own story, a lot of them intersecting with one another. Black Adam's efforts to police the world without mercy, but finds his life forever changed when he discovers love. Steel tries to connect with his rebellious niece, who is being drawn to Lex Luthor. The Question helps Detective Renee Montoya to find a purpose after being kicked out of the Gotham Police. Some of the world's smartest scientists, including the evil ones, start disappearing without a trace. Animal Man, Starfire, and Adam Strange needs to find a way home, being lost in space after Infinite Crisis. Elongated Man desperately seeks a way to resurrect his wife, who was murdered during Identity Crisis (I wrote about that here). Booster Gold, with his robotic buddy Skeets, seeks fame and fortune after his part in saving the world in Infinite Crisis, but finds that there's more to being a hero than a shiny costume and a cat in a tree.




Even though people expected it to fail, each issue came out on time. The artists chosen to illustrate the series were relative unknowns, with a few exceptions. They didn't use big name artists known for their delays too much. But I assume when they did, they were sure to have the pages ready to publish well enough in advance. Sure enough, every week a new issue came out. For a whole year. 52 weeks. It was like watching a new episode of your favorite TV series every week. There were issues where nothing much happened, especially in the middle issues, but they were by no means boring. As the weeks went by, each character became their own. These weren't big name heroes here. This wasn't Superman (though Clark Kent appeared a few times), Flash, or Green Lantern (he does make a couple appearances). But I still cared about them. I read about them every week. And by the end of the series, I thought these guys SHOULD be big name heroes.

52 was comics done right. It brought me into the story and didn't let go. When I get new comic books on Wednesday, I usually put the comic I'm most looking forward to on the bottom of the pile. Saving the best for last kinda stuff. As you can imagine, 52 was often at the bottom of the pile. The fact that it came out every week was even better. It also proved many comic readers wrong, coming out on time and being much more than just a gimmick. I also enjoy the fact that the original plan was scrapped so the writers could tell a great story.

The reason I made you read all this is because 52 spawned a few titles I read now, and I can't really talk about them without referencing the series. So hopefully I won't have to go into too much backstory. I really do miss this title, and I doubt there will be anything like it anytime soon.

It was also kinda funny. After the first week, I started noticing the number 52 in almost everything. I felt like Jim Carrey's character in that movie. Of course I'd shout "52!!!" every time, with odd glances in my direction immediately following. Hey I was excited. I still do it. Really.

"A year without Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. But not a year without heroes."

OhMyGodIt'saQuickPost!

I was drifting off to sleep at work today probably because I've been so busy I sometimes forget to sleep so I had to insist on a quick run to Starbucks to get my Cafe Latte $4.00 coffee and I was slowly sipping it but then when one of my customers came in I couldn't stop talking!!!

::deep breath::

MAN that's annoying to read back I'll try not to do it again I... ::pause:: I'll be posting a proper update soon. I have drill this weekend so it'll be before then so I have some presence with you guys while I'm off the radar.

Talk About Easy Targeting!

Over a decade ago a game was released for the computer that changed my life. No, not Doom. Not Duke Nukem 3D. Not Wolfenstein 3D. ...I guess there were a lot of games that changed my life.

The game I'm referring to is called Strike Commander and it's one of the greatest games I have ever played. Just check out this intro!



It's a flight simulator developed by the same guy who made the Wing Commander games. You're an F-16 pilot and a member of a mercenary squadron established in Turkey called the Wildcats. In the near future the world has changed dramatically. After a war in the middle east, oil resources are scarce and the world is fighting over what's left. Despite protests, the U.S. begins heavy drilling of Alaska. Then the stock market crashes and the Big One hits California. Interstate politics eventually leads to the succession of several states, including Alaska, which shut down the oil pipeline and declared its oil a natural resource. This provoked a war with Canada, who recognized Alaska's independence, which resulted in the destruction of most of the state's wilderness and oil fields. Bankruptcy leads to the loss of the status of superpower to both the U.S. and the Allied European nations, who are also reeling from terrorist attacks from rebellious citizens. South America erupts in civil war all across the continent. With Japan the only remaining superpower, mercenary squadrons begin forming in Turkey, accepting missions from any corporation or government willing to pay the fee. And that's the set up for Strike Commander. Phew!

The graphics were ahead of it's time, and was one of the first computer games to require a 486 processor. The music was top notch MIDI, and the game even had voice-work. Cutscenes move the story along between missions and there was even cockpit chatter to set the mood. Missions range from base attacks, to dogfights, to escorts, even an air show. Oh, and you don't just fly planes. You'll also have to manage your budget! It would behoove you to use the cheap weapons and your gun whenever possible. After all, money doesn't grow on trees, as your accountant Virgil would say.

The characters of the game all have personalities of their own, which adds to the character of the game itself. You get to choose your wingman, or wing-woman, for each mission. And the story is awesome. This is also the game which got me interested in fighter jets in the first place. I used to doodle them all the time in my school notes.

You may be wondering what got me all nostalgic about this game. I just so happened to find my copy of the game while cleaning the house today. I had to download DOSBox to install and run it because it's so old, but I want to play it a little...bring back the memories. But my joystick won't plug into this computer. That's old too.

Anyway, a great game. If you see it available for a free download somewhere give it a shot. It's totally worth it.

I Found a Stormtrooper

...too bad I didn't get a picture of it.

Yes, I saw one, at Baltimore Comic-Con. I didn't get to go last year so I was ecstatic to go this year. Sure, it wasn't where I was SUPPOSED to be (sorry!) and when my boss found out why I requested off of work that day, she wasn't too happy (sorry! again!), but it was worth it.

A stormtrooper wasn't the only thing I saw. Darth Vader was with him. I saw an Obi-wan, an Anakin, Captain America, Wolverine, a Skrull (although it was just a chick with a sign around her neck that said "skrull"), some pirates, a Blob (I'm not sure, he may have just been a fat guy) and yes, a Cyclops. But it was a shoddy Cyclops. My grandma could do better. C'mon, construction paper visor??

I don't go for the costumes, of course. I go for the ambiance. A bunch of people who love the same craft gathered together. Looking at and promoting new product. Looking for that one issue you could never get your hands on. Waiting in anticipation for meeting your favorite writer or artist. Trying to get noticed in an industry filled with talent. I wouldn't call it heaven, because things cost money, but it's up there.


The Baltimore Comic-con isn't really a big one. Not nearly as formidable as the San Diego Comic-con, or WizardWorld Chicago, or the one in New York. Not a lot of big names come out to Baltimore. I'm still waiting for Jeff Parker, my favorite of them all, to show. It's small by comparison, but still enjoyable. Manageable too. You won't be overwhelmed or find yourself pushing through crowds or anything. You'll still have to wait in a long line to see Jim Lee though. And it's cool that DC Comics' top editorial staff was there. DC is always good at bringing the big guns to the smaller conventions. Even got myself a Green Lantern ring. Damn thing doesn't work...but it looks positively geeky.

Every comic-com I go to I look for books I wouldn't normally find in a store. Independent books by people I've never heard of. Books not published by a major company. If something strikes my interest like, say, a character drama about a rock band with magical powers, I'd take the risk and shell out the money to buy the book. It's usually hit or miss, but I like to support the independents. It makes their day, and I realize I could find myself doing the same thing in the future.

I also look for cool original artwork. I asked one guy to draw me a Cyclops and it turned out great! I also found a cool drawing of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, I want to hang it on my wall or something. I did buy one back issue: X-Factor #10 from 1986. Google it and you may find out why.

All in all, a good day. No problems getting there or coming back, got some cool product, saw some girls OH YEAH I forgot to mention the girls! Two young nubile chicks were handing out...I dunno coupons or something...and they were wearing...NOT MUCH! Like, two little triangles in the appropriate areas...I thought it was painted on at first. Nearly had a nerdgasm. I hope they were legal...Jesus...

Anyway, out.

I Need My Prosticle Checked

Woooooaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!

Hold on a sec....

::crack...snap...rippp::

OKAY! Hi! Umm...sorry?

The thing about blogs is, there's no one you really have to please. Except maybe yourself. So if you don't post an update one month...big deal right? Just wait until next month. Don't post the next month? No biggie. One will come soon enough. No new post the following month? Ehh, I'll get around to it. After several more months, you could pretty much consider the blog dead. If the creator can't be bothered to update his own blog, what's the point?

But this blog is not dead. Sure, no one reads it. No one comments on it. No one acknowledges it. But I'm still here. If a tree falls in a forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it still make a sound? Of course it FRAKKIN' DOES!!! And this Stump is about to fall BIG TIME!!! (That last sentence was nominated for worst metaphor EVER)

What got me back in the saddle was the instance of two of my friends talking about starting a joint blog. To which I added, "Hey and I can post something too," to which they replied, "You already HAVE a blog!"

Yep, someone noticed I had a blog. "Damn," I thought. "I should get on the ball!"

So here I am. Not really talking about anything but the neglected weblog you're reading now. It wouldn't have been so neglected if something awesome happened in my life. New girlfriend, new job, new outlook on life. Instead I have new comics (every Wednesday), new game consoles, and new...nope, that's it.

That's not to say I haven't been thinking about this blasted thing. I have ideas. Concepts that are only in the drawing stage at this point. Things I want to do but lack the components or resources to complete. I do, however, have an idea that I CAN do, which only I would care about. I've only told about two people about it and they were unsupportive as expected. The bastards...

I also want to redesign the site. But...uhh...how? This site uses a template I have no idea how to edit. I was lucky enough to make the links and stuff on the right side over there -------->

Which seriously need an updating, I know. I plan to do it, thanks to the renewed interest in this blog.

I have several ideas for upcoming posts. I'd post them now if I could. But I don't want to overload on posts in one day. Then no one will even read this well-thought-out....no.......this spur-of-the-moment-taking-every-word-as-it-appears-in-my-head-and-corrected-for-spelling post. I'm going to warn you, they involve comics, TV, video games, girls, nudity, and Cyclops. Basically stuff you can read about better in just about any other blog or website.

But there's one thing those other sites don't have: MY OPINION.

Now I know that doesn't count for anything but I'm going to give it anyway. Hey, at least I'm not talking about politics....yet.

Well that was kinda long. Anyway, it's good to be back on the web again. Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for more. Like, tomorrow!

The Death of a Dream

Unless you were living under a boulder these past couple of days, no doubt you have heard:

Captain America is dead.

It took me completly by surprise. It was just a regular Wednesday morning. I arrived at the store after picking up the week's comics. After I lugged in the 50 pounds of funny books, I opened the boxes and started to sort them by title. I came across Captain America #25, noticing it came with two different covers. One was an iconic image drawn by Ed McGuinness, known more for his Superman work. The other, an image of Cap's hand in handcuffs, with blood splattered around the newspaper-background. I thought nothing of it, and continued sorting, moving on to Detective Comics and Fantastic Four. As I was sorting my boss comes out of the back room and says, "So they killed Captain America?" I'm like, ".....what?" He then goes on to say that he read it on Yahoo. My curiosity piqued, I pick up a copy of Captain America and glance through it.

Damn.

Sure, I may be a comic book guy, but this took me COMPLETELY by surprise. They certainly did a good job of keeping it a secret. So naturally I didn't order nearly enough issues of Captain America #25. I checked Yahoo News to confirm it for myself, it was their top story. I check CNN.com, front page. I'm like, "Okay, this is getting national attention." I call Diamond Comic Distributors to order more copies, and sure enough, they were sold out. Soon after that, people stopped by looking for the issue. I quickly sold all our issues, and had to explain to young kids and old ladies that we were sold out. People started calling the store looking for it.

I even had one lady call me and ask, "Do you have the latest issue of Captain Marvel?"
I'm like, "Captain Marvel?"
She says, "The one that came out today where he dies."
I blew a gasket in my mind. The nerdy comic book guy inside me wanted to blurt out in my snarkiest voice, "ACTUALLY, Captain Marvel died in the early 80's of cancer. And that's Marvel's original Captain Marvel, not his son who later called himself Captain Marvel. Then there's DC Comic's Captain Marvel, who is still alive, but his book goes by the name of 'Shazam' to avoid legal problems. So I assume you mean Captain America."
But I just said, "No. We sold out."

Later in the day I checked eBay and found the issue going for anywhere from $9.99 to $99.99. And I sold it for $3.99. Bummer.

Not ordering enough copies of Captain America #25 is probably my biggest failure as a comic book guy so far. But really, it took us all by surprise, how was I to know Marvel had the guts to kill Cap? He makes guest appearances in just about every book, whether it's punching Wolverine in the jaw or helping Ghost Rider fight...whoever Ghost Rider fights. He's a Marvel staple.

Anyway, that's the story of the work day. But what does it mean? Specifically, what does it mean to me?

Killing off Captain America is huge. Most people will compare it to the death of Superman in 1993. But it's not like that at all. Sure, Superman is an icon, but he's not America personified. He has morals and was raised with American ideals, but he doesn't necessarily represent America. Cap did. He wore the red white and blue. He wore the stars and stripes. He had an "A" on his head and saluted the American flag every chance he got. His surname is "America!" To kill off the living embodiment of America is a BIG deal. It's like killing Uncle Sam.

Marvel just finished off a big event called "Civil War" about 3 weeks ago. In the mini-series, when a Superhuman Registration Act is passed into federal law after a 9-11 like disaster, requiring all superhumans to register their identities to the government, the heroes of the Marvel Universe take sides, supporting or opposing the law. Cap disagrees with it, Iron Man enforces it. Various heroes support either Cap or Iron Man, and they end up fighting each other. It was an allegory to Personal Freedoms vs. National Security, right to privacy, the Patriot Act, and other such hot button political issues. Throughout the series, Spider-Man publicly unmasked himself, a clone Thor killed a superhero in cold blood and the Punisher...uh...kills bad guys. But it ultimately ended up with Captain America giving himself up after he sees the destruction that the fight between the heroes causes. I thought that if Cap was going to die, it would be in the big event that has been getting all the mainstream attention anyway. So when he didn't die, and was arrested instead, I thought, "okay."

Who would've thought he'd die 3 weeks AFTER the big event? I guess it makes sense for him to die in his own book, but still. I didn't think they would do it. That's why I was so surprised. I mean, he's not Marvel's most popular hero, but he's Captain America!! He doesn't have a movie franchise, or a TV show. But he's still a household name, usually used to describe someone uptight and patriotic.

It's also interesting how he died. He didn't die in a massive brawl with a supervillian, like Superman did. He didn't die in his lover's arms, like Superman did. He got shot by a sniper. He died off panel, bleeding out. We see his dead body under a white sheet, with the blank stare of an exposed eye staring back at us. Steve Rogers, Captain America, was assassinated in front of the courthouse, being put on trial for his crimes.



What does that say about America? The current state of America? Do the morals of the greatest generation no longer apply in the modern world? Has the United States lost it's way? There are many questions as to what this may imply. Looking at the current state of the country, it's hard not to ask these questions. Whether we want to admit it or not, America is in a state of disarray. The country has its problems, and we are coming dangerously close to losing that which makes us Americans.

If anything good comes out of the death of Captain America, it's that it will make people step back and think about the implications of his death, and making people aware of the way things are right now, instead of who Anna Nicole Smith's baby's daddy is or why Britney Spears is doing her best Captain Picard impression.

Will Captain America come back? I have no doubt. But it won't be the same Captain America. It won't be Steve Rogers. Someone else will wear the costume and take up the mantle. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

When reading an article about Cap on Yahoo News, I found a quote from Captain America's co-creator Joe Simon. He said, "We really need him now."

I couldn't agree more. Steve Rogers, you'll be missed.

A Comic...Trailer?

I found this online and thought it'd be nice to post it here. As part of my...errr...apology to Joss Whedon.




Marvel has been doing this thing lately, and I must say, it's very cool. And of course, if any of you are curious about it, you can ask me. Since I'm a comic book guy.

The Quest Shall Go On!

Some of you probably think I don't have anything to write about anymore. That is NOT the case. This blog will not end. The Quest shall continue until I deem it unneccesary. Or until I greatly offend someone with my not-so-quick-witted remarks and horrendous grammar. In that case I shall create a new blog under a new pseudonym such as "Chappy McStik" with a title like "Stik It to Ya, Chaps!" But until then....ON WITH THE QUEST!

This particuular entry is a long overdue and probably drawn out rambling. A rambling of whatever's on my mind. Bear with me, like a grizzly.

The Nintendo Wii. What can I say about it that most of you haven't already heard? Innovative motion-sensing control? Easy to play? Fun as a night out with a panty-less Britney Spears...pre-K-Fed? You've heard it all. You can hardly find one in the stores, almost a month after the holidays, and they're still going on E-Bay for about $100 over retail. But disregarding all of that, just take my word for it: It's just damn fun. You owe it to yourself to at least give it a try.

The Playstation 3 however... Right now, it hardly seems worth the money. I bought one when it came out, intending to sell it before the holidays. Yeah, I was one of those people. Long story short it didn't happen. So I returned it to the store I bought it from...and it was the tenth one they had in stock. Maybe when more games come out for the PS3 it will gain some value with gamers but when you have a Wii for less than half the price and an XBox 360 for a more reasonable price, and you could get BOTH of these systems for around the same amount of money as one PS3, why bother? Not to mention the state of denial Sony seems to be in, with bogus press releases and taking credit for "innovative" control. It's only my opinion but, Damn Sony, you dropped the ball.

The Ravens are out of the playoffs. I don't really care but I was thinking, what is everybody going to do with all that paraphenalea they bought? Do they keep it up regardless to show their team spirit? Or do they take it down with a hung head so they don't look like losers when they drive down the highway with two or more Ravens flags, a Ravens bumper sticker, one of those window clings that have a too-small-to-look-real football protruding through "shattered" glass, and a Ravens antenna topper?

Oh, and several months ago I went on a tirade about Joss Whedon. I even went so far as to name the title of that entry "Joss Whedon Sucks" or something like that, for his treatment of my favorite comic book character, Cyclops. (Hey, you think you could get away without at least ONE Cyclops reference?) Well, allow me to stick my foot firmly in MY mouth, because he fooled me. I fell into his trap, bringing Cyclops down only to bring him back up again, and stronger than ever. Ironically, I now think Joss Whedon is one of the few writers who actually "gets" Cyclops. Who would've thought, that by taking away his powers, that he'd become a stronger, more focused character? So, I'm sorry Mr. Whedon. I judged you prematurely.

That reminds me, in an upcoming post I have another action figure to show off.

I'm getting tired of Doritos. Ever since they got rid of Salsa flavor and changed the flavor of the Nacho Cheese, I'm finding it harder and harder to eat them. And they're so freaking messy. Not to mention the aftertaste. I've got a chip on my shoulder. OMFG a pun! In a blog!

I realize I gotta stop making so many stupid puns. They're not funny. I don't know why people laugh at my puns. I think they're just humoring me. "Oh look at the silly nerd who thinks he's funny ha ha what a joke." It's beginning to define my personality, and I don't want that.

Sending more troops to Iraq? Will that really help solve the problem?

Am I the only one who thinks X-Men: The Last Stand sucked?

And airline food...what's up with that?

OOOOkay that's enough ranting for now. Welcome back.

P.S. Spell Check isn't working right and I don't have the initiative to check it myself. Bollocks.