Golden Age Friend Group

Today I installed a whimsical hanging shelf in my office crafted to represent a fire escape. Then I placed some action figures on it. These guys are members and friends of the Justice Society of America, the first super-hero team, its creation dating back to 1940. 
 

A Very Barry Halloween

Poor Barry Allen doesn't quite get the whole cosplay thing. 
 

Superflash! Ahhh-Ahhh!

Speedster of the universe! 

The Flasher

I visited Letterbox today to see if I'd added The Flash to my watchlist. I had, but for some reason the film's description caught my eye. I read it, and came as close to a literal double take as I ever have. Clearly someone is having a bit of fun at the expense of Warner Brothers and Ezra Miller, who plays The Flash in the film.  
 

Captain Oopserang

Here is Flash arch-enemy Captain Boomerang in 28mm scale. My results here are mixed. I like the base and his jacket, but his boots, gloves, scarf and shirt--all the white parts, essentially--look mottled and unnatural to me. I was painting with the lightest coats I possibly could, but the white paints I've found have a bad habit of clumping. Oh, I know what I should have done--thin the paint with water, maybe? 

 

Justice Reimagined

To my utter surprise - and maybe it's because my expectations were so low - I did not hate Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021). In fact, I can honestly say that I even enjoyed it, with reservations. This version of the film has more natural humour (though only in sparse doses), Cyborg and Flash are far better developed Batman gets a little more dignity, the action sequences are more effective overall, and the final battle in particular offers genuine jeopardy and suspense--it feels like there are real stakes. The plot actually makes sense now, for the most part. Even Steppenwolf's story is fleshed out, enough to make him an actual villain instead of just CG animation. And we get to see more of Jeremy Irons' Alfred and J.K. Simmons' Commissioner Gordon; both are treats. Amy Adams' Lois Lane doesn't fare quite as well, but she's still more important to the film than she was in the original theatrical release. 

On the downside, the score is terrible except when it includes snippets of Zimmer's themes from past movies. There are still moments that feel out of character for our heroes. There's way too much slow motion. The big new character cameo is welcome to fans, but still feels tacked on. Some sequences could be cut without hurting the film at all. Some of the humanizing moments from the theatrical cut are gone and I miss them, but on the other hand, those cuts make this version more tonally coherent - even if I'm not a fan of Snyder's portentous, somber take on the genre.

As a bonus, comparing this version of Justice League to the theatrical release is a great way to discover the importance of editing.

Jay on the Run

I'm the Flash

Jeff once said, "I'm the Flash! I can run to Calgary and back in an hour!" It seems to me the Flash is faster than that, but maybe Jeff is the Flash, because here he is generating one. 

DC Editor for a Day

Let's say, for some insane reason, DC Comics decided to give me editorial control over their line of comic book titles, but only to the extent that I could create a slate of comics based strictly on existing characters.  

Well, I'd create the line that I would want to read, without regard for sales viability. Here's what it would look like, imagining that each title has an incredible creative team: 

 

Superman Books

Action Comics (anthology led by Superman, just the way it started back in 1938)

DC Comics Presents (Superman team-up stories)

Lana Lang (Lana Lang, on-again off-again girlfriend of Clark Kent, goes on archeological adventures from Qurac to Skartaris to Atlantis) 

Lex Luthor (diabolical tales of Lex Luthor's infamies great and small) 

Lois Lane: Woman of Steel (Lois Lane's adventures as a brave, bold reporter) 

Man of Tomorrow (Superman's adventures with the adult Legion of Super-Heroes)

Man of Steel (Superman's adventures as a radical 

The Private Life of Clark Kent (Clark Kent's day-to-day adventures in journalism, dating, grocery shopping, etc.) 

Supergirl (stories of Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin) 

Superman (Superman's main title, with his biggest adventures)

Young Clark Kent (Clark Kent's life in Smallville, as his powers were developing; frequently crosses over with Legion of Super-Heroes, below)

Batman Books

Batgirl (the adventures of congresswoman Barbara Gordon, AKA Batgirl, in Washington, DC)

Batman (Batman's main title, two-fisted street crime adventures) 

The Brave and the Bold (Batman team-up stories) 

Legends of the Dark Knight (Batman stories told from the perspective of his villains) 

Detective Comics (anthology led by Batman, just the way it started; detective stories) 

Team Books

Birds of Prey (Batgirl, Black Canary, Huntress, and Hawk and Dove fight street-level crime) 

Blackhawks! (a squad of pilots from around the world fly into danger wherever they can find it!) 

Doom Patrol (DP members from all incarnations of the team gather to fight the weirdest threats ever) 

Freedom Fighters (the heroes of Earth X have freed their world from tyranny, only to be stranded in ours!) 

Gorilla Soldiers (Congorilla, Detective Chimp, Beppo the Super Monkey, Angel and the Ape, and xx versus their arch-rivals the Ultra-Humanite, Gorilla Grodd, Titano the Super-Ape, and Monsieur Mallah and the Brain.)  

The Haunted Tank (ghostly adventures in World War II) 

Justice League of America (DC's greatest heroes team up to face the biggest threats) 

Justice Society of America (the greatest heroes of the 1930s and 40s fight the Nazis and other fascists and mad scientists) 

Legion of Substitute Heroes (good-hearted Legion rejects try to do the right thing despite their shortcomings) 

Legion of Super-Heroes (dozens of super-powered teenagers of the 31st century explore the galaxy and combat interstellar evil)

Secret Society of Super-Villains (super-villains work in secret, hatching sinister conspiracies to rule the world--but can they avoid killing each other?) 

Suicide Squad (super-villains and anti-heroes reluctantly work together under threat of government sanction, performing secret missions so dangerous that not everyone comes back alive)

Suicide Squad Secret Missions (Suicide Squad anthology)  

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps (anthology series about the non-Terran Green Lanterns) 

Titans (generations of sidekicks work together to prove themselves) 

The Other Heroes

Animal Man

Aquaman

The Atoms (scientists Ray Palmer and Ryan Choi explore the microverse) 

Black Canary

Black Lightning

Blue Beetle

Captain Atom

Elongated Man (back to the original concept, the Nick and Nora Charles of the superhero world; lighthearted mysteries of the jet set) 

Fury of Firestorm (Ron Raymond and Martin Stein take back the Firestorm matrix - but they're not happy about it!) 

Flash Legacy (anthology of stories of the fastest men and women alive, from World War II to the far future) 

Green Arrow

Green Lantern

Hawks (the adventures of Katar and Shayera Hol, police officers of Thanagar) 

Hellblazer

Red Tornado

Shazam! and the Marvel Family

Swamp Thing
Vixen and Bronze Tiger (solo adventures of the Suicide Squad team-mates) 

Wonder Woman

Zatanna

A pretty solid selection of titles--at least from my selfish perspective. 

Flash Fact

There was a really nice moment in the latest episode of The Flash. Cisco Ramon is speaking to H.R. Wells while they prepare to face the crisis of the week. Things are looking grim (as is usual in the world of television drama), and H.R. wonders why Cisco is prepared to possibly sacrifice his life on H.R.'s behalf, considering they've had a somewhat adversarial relationship.

"You know what I love about working on this team?" Cisco asks. "We invest in each other."

The conversation continues in that vein, with the two men exchanging some pithy dialogue about friendship and family. It's not Shakespeare - far from it - but it was genuine and uplifting, and the kind of teachable moment that I think is popular culture's saving grace and most essential public service.

In the wider world, the reality outside television's box, we invest in each other. Not as much or as consistently as we should, but we invest in each other, and any progress we make is a result of those investments.

In the end, Cisco saves H.R. and the team even makes a friend out of an enemy along the way. I think that's a pretty positive message. It gives me hope that even in these dark times, there are still so many people out there, at all levels of society, who think it's still worthwhile to send out those good vibrations. 

It's Not a Bird...

The reaction to the first look at CBS' upcoming Supergirl series has been pretty mixed; even folks whose opinions I trust have expressed their disdain, writing off the show as too "Devil Meets Prada"-esque; my brother cleverly remarked "Super New Girl in the City." Perhaps that's fair based on this trailer, but frankly I think it looks pretty charming - and what's wrong with a genre show targeted at women and girls? Lead Melissa Benoit is adorable, and it looks like the show's creators are staying true to the mythology, even though it will complicate their storytelling. I respect that, and I have faith in the producers, who are already responsible for Arrow and The Flash, two very different but very entertaining shows.

I think Supergirl has the potential to be another The Bionic Woman for young women, and I hope she soars. 

Funky Flash, Man

Flash Fact: The Flash is fast-paced fun! With charismatic feature players, respect for the comics legacy and continuity without being slavish to it, a solid pilot episode with clearly ambitious plans for the future, the Arrow spin-off should become a fast favourite for fans of superhero hijinks with a much-needed dose of hope and optimism. Barry Allen is a perfect foil for the brooding Oliver Queen, as demonstrated in a fun little five-minute crossover that goes by in a...well, you know.

If the pilot has one weakness it's the lead villain, a warmed-over version of the Weather Wizard who doesn't get much character development - he's just an obstacle for the Flash to overcome. But a blink-and-you'll-miss-it nod to Gorilla Grodd promises there's much more fun to come.

All right, I don't think I can write in the Entertainment Weekly style for too much longer without my fingers rebelling, but one last thing: I quite enjoyed this latest effort from the creators of Arrow, and I hope it's no flash in the pan. 

A Quick Peek at The Flash

This is a great time to be a comic book fan. The Marvel movies have been ranging from good to excellent to truly great, Arrow is great television and now it's joined by The Flash, which looks like it could be just as well-produced as Arrow but with a lighter touch, as befits the Scarlet Speedster. It looks like good, infectious fun, and I love the logo! 

The Scariest Justice League Cover Ever

When I first saw this comic book cover, it gave me nightmares. Super-heroes reduced to red dust by a bug-eyed, pink-skinned monster! Those empty costumes, stark reminders of heroes blasted to atoms! Eeeeee! I had the heebie-jeebies over this for years.

Fortunately, the heroes were fine by the next issue.

JLExicon

Click to embiggen...

From Justice League of America #69, cover-dated February, 1969 (my birth month, oddly enough). How sad that these super-heroes feel the need to belittle the vocabulary of their foes. You'd think pounding them to a pulp would be punishment enough.

Geek Dojo Master Supreme Excellence of Happy Pop Culture Time Celebrates 40 Years Pineapple Show

Earlier this month, we celebrated Stephen Fitzpatrick’s 40th birthday. Since I’ve known Stephen for over 20 years now, this seems an opportune time to offer tribute.

I’ve known Steve since high school. We met, to the best of my recollection, while serving on Student Council; I was the Grade 10 Representative, and I believe he was the Vice-President…I’m sure Steve will step in to correct me. I liked Stephen right from the start, even though we weren’t much alike on the surface; he was outgoing where I was introspective, he was tall and I was short, he seemed like the least neurotic person I’d ever met, while I felt like I was drowning in teenage angst every moment. Steve was a breath of fresh air.

Stephen Fitzpatrick and Earl J. Woods, back row, right.

Stephen is a very gregarious guy, one of the most fun and fun-loving people I’ve ever met. When Stephen discovers something he loves, he shares it with his friends. And I’ve benefited from that generosity from the beginning. Steve’s impulse to share introduced me to a wide variety of important pop culture touchstones. Steve has long been on the cutting edge of this stuff; without his guidance, I might not have become the geek I am today. Stephen introduced me to...

Moonlighting. It was quite possibly the best television drama/comedy of the 1980s, with terrific writing, inventive direction, and the most engaging leads ever to grace the screen. This was smart TV, and helped me fall in love with the medium.

Crisis on Infinite Earths. I was at that age when I thought that I’d grown too old for comics, but Steve told me that I had to check this out – they’d killed the Flash! And Supergirl! I thought he was nuts – superheroes didn’t die. At the very least, they didn’t stay dead. But Steve drove me up to a comic shop in Edmonton – I don’t recall the name, only that it belonged to a guy named Jim – and I caught up on the Crisis, got hooked on the reimagining of Superman, and collected comics for the next twenty years or so, before I finally realized I was spending more on the hobby than I was paying in rent. My pocketbook may not be too happy with Stephen, but I’m grateful for the endless hours of entertainment.

Science fiction conventions. I knew they existed, but I’d never been to one until Steve drove a group of us down to Con-Version II in Calgary. There’s something very liberating about dressing up like a fool and trading obscure inside jokes while racing from panel discussions to the dealers’ tables to the movie room, all while enduring the befuddled stares of less addled folk. Steve and I even shared a costuming prize one year – he was a Klingon accountant, I was the Starfleet officer tasked to deal with him.

Stephen Fitzpatrick in cosume as...I'm not sure what.

Stephen as a dog soldier, I think, second from left

New tabletop roleplaying games. To wit, the Star Trek RPG (naturally) and Villains & Vigilantes. Villains and Vigilantes was a great game, with a novel conceit: you played yourself, but with super-powers. We had a blast uprooting telephone poles to use as clubs, foiling bank robbers, and surviving nuclear catastrophe.

John Carpenter Movies. Stephen introduced me to John Carpenter’s remake of The Thing and Big Trouble in Little China – two very different, but equally awesome films. The first is one of the most bleak and chilling SF/horror pictures ever made, while the second is one of my favourite comedies. John Carpenter’s filmography is pretty uneven, but these are masterpieces of the genre, and I’m grateful Steve brought the director to my attention.

So with all that preamble out of the way, let’s enjoy a few pictures of the party. Here’s to your first 40 years, Stephen!

Stephen is sure to enjoy this fine bottle of...cat's piss?

The "Hawaii Four-Oh" theme encouraged loud partying and loud shirts.

Even though fire, alcohol, tools and skipping ropes were all present at the party, Jeff managed not to hurt himself.

Colin, Audrey and Scott look on as Stephen delivers a rousing speech (edited for content and length)

I liked the indoor palm tree, so Stephen was kind enough to take this photo of Sylvia and me.

Pete hammers a coconut, presumably so he can put a lime in it.

Mike sculpts. From the expression on his face, I'm not sure I want to know what horrors he hopes to coax from the clay.

Heather and Jeff, just because it's a nice picture. Except for the branch sticking out of Jeff's head...I'd like to pretend that Jeff merely had another accident, but in this case it's just my bad composition.