Return of the Rani

Matt Smith's new Doctor will apparently be facing an old frienemy in the form of Rani, which is to be played by none other than beloved sci-fi and British crossover sensation Gillian Anderson.


As much as I'm fond of Mr. Tennant, I can't wait for Smith's turn to begin, mostly because Russel T. Davies seems to have either stopped caring or lost his talent for writing as all his special extended Doctor Who episodes carry the stink of crappy children's television.

And the casting of Anderson makes more sense to the stature of the show than, say, the wooden and entirely forgettable Michelle Ryan or the gimmicky Christmas companion Kylie Minogue as an intergalactic waitress. Let's hope Steven Moffat helps write the last few Tennant scripts, so that his historical exit is less anticlimactic and disappointing than the massive Rose-Martha-Jack-DoctorDonna 4th season finale.

Take a page from Ronald Moore's book and ditch the densely elaborate plots. It's the character's stupid. That's why we watch. (To be clear, however, we have a little more hope for the characters' exit than a divine disappearance or a plan to go camping (separately) for the rest of their lives. )

Exclusive Interview with Paul Cornell!

Superpowers That Be has kindly been given an exclusive interview with the popular English writer Paul Cornell, whose comic Captain Britain and MI:13 is being hailed as one of the best ongoing titles out there right now. He's also written for Doctor Who, and has a new Young Avengers Dark Reign title coming out. For more Cornell check out his blog here.



Superpowers That Be: Will Pete Wisdom ever use his resources/team in a cosmic search for Kitty Pryde? (Does he even know what happened to her?)

Paul Cornell: He knows as much as the rest of the super hero community do, and I'm
sure if there was enough information to begin a search, he would.

STB: Seeing Dracula (and Merlin) in your world, I have to ask, is there any other chance for other classic works of fiction and/or history to jump time and join your book, such as Admirals Nelson, Aubrey or Hornblower? (Perhaps via Morgana Le Fey's time travel abilities?)

PC: Ha ha! What?! Why?!

STB: Continuing my nautical bias, does Brian have any accreditation as an actual Captain?

PC: I've given this some thought actually, and had members of the military call him 'captain'. I think it's an honorary rank that's been awarded him officially somewhere along the line.

STB: Is it possible that any other past members of Excalibur will make an appearance, other than Meggan? (Such as Nightcrawler, Colossus, Rachel---or perhaps a shout out to Moira's death or maybe a visit to Muir Isle?)

PC:No plans for any of those, but wouldn't mind seeing Muir Isle again.

STB: Do you see Captain Britain more fully realized as a movie or a TV serial (and who would play Lady Jac)?

PC: It'd be very hard to do, because of the British inclination to not take its own heroism seriously. Very hard to sell as anything other than a comedy. And I wouldn't want to do that.

STB: Would any of the team members ever consider running for office in England, possibly riding the wave of positive exposure?

PC: Only a few of them are entirely known to the public. I think, in public, Pete probably likes to be seen as some sort of bland liaison figure rather than the leader of the team. It's only Cap who could, really. And he wouldn't.

STB: Young Avengers vs. Runaways...who would win, and who would fall in love?

PC: I think Chase might have a thing for my new character Coat of Arms. She's a little similar to his old love, but kind of a twisted version. Nobody else is going to see that, probably! And I think they're pretty much even in terms of power.

STB: Are Billy and Tommy's maternity going to be addressed in your series, now that the Scarlet Witch is (apparently) back? (Also have they even realized they're Magneto's grandkids?)

PC: I'm not going there, that's something to be left in waiting.

STB: Is Stature a Young Avenger, a Mighty Avenger, or part of the Initiative, at least during your run?

PC: She's all three. They're not exclusive conditions.

STB: What other superhero title (any universe) would you love a chance to write?

PC: The Defenders. The Doom Patrol. Any sort of Avengers.

STB: Which Joss Whedon universe is your favorite?

PC: I remain a huge Buffy fan. The continuation in comics is awesome.

STB: Can you share a little bit about your actual writing process--such as do you follow a regular routine, suffer blocks, prefer writing in the morning or late night, pen&paper vs. computer, etc.

PC: I do a certain amount a day, no matter how long it takes (2000 words, five pages of comics or TV). These days I'm having to do double portions, but that's not a problem so far. I do daytime, often starting quite early, and never work weekends unless I really have to. And always on computer.

STB: Rose, Martha, or Donna?

PC: Who could choose between those three?

STB: What's your gut telling you about Matt Smith?

PC: Awesome Doctor. Nobody knows yet. They will.

STB: If the Doctor showed up and randomly saved your life, and offered you one trip in the TARDIS, where/when would you go?

PC: I think I'd like to visit the court of my favourite monarch, Edward the Confessor.



Thanks again to Paul Cornell! Be sure to check his blog, read his books, and bemoan the end of Captain Britain on Twitter. Good things are coming our way when a talented writer who is skillful and deliberate with his characters is given titles of increasing popularity. Can't wait for Young Avengers, and should Marvel editors happen upon this interview, I heartily suggest giving him one of the (many) main Avengers teams (particularly Mighty...imagine Bendis and Cornell deciding the fate of the Marvel U---would be fun.)

Best Variant Cover Ever

Thor #601.

Airport of the Dead

Returning from the shoot of his most recent movie, Zombieland, Woody Harrelson had an altercation with a TMZ cameraman. In defense of his actions, he said the following:


"With my daughter at the airport I was startled by a paparazzo, who I quite understandably mistook for a zombie."


Either still in character, or socially observant, Harrelson is breaking ground in an area of law with little to no precedent. We've all seen zombie movies; we know how they swarm and infect, topple and rise, how where they once hobbled like old people they now leap and climb like rabid Spider-Men.

If you aim to survive you will inevitably have to re-kill at least a dozen of them by entirely destroying their headspace, and in doing so the motivation will be self-defense, not to mention it's the second murder sustained by the corpse-in-question. Woody is right to guide our law towards the inexplicable and unexpected emergency, and pointing out the gross oversight of our lawmakers and founders.

However this is not the 1970s, and the Obama America is a more tolerant place. Thus does Woody meet his downfall as we enter a new political age.

The era of Zombie's Rights.

Main Character Suicides: Plot Development Courtesy of Obama

*obligatory spoiler warning*

In this week's episode of House, Kutner, one of the five main doctors on the show, was found in his apartment after shooting himself in the head. Further reporting reveals that actor Kal Penn requested to leave the show for his new job as an associate director at the Office of Public Liaison in the Obama administration.

Kal Penn is best known for playing one of the two idols for stonerhood in Harold and Kumar go to White Castle, and its relevant sequel Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay. In his new career he will be contributing the same amount of value to society, and his selfless resignation from a massively successful TV serial also enabled the writers to satisfy their unquenchable hunger and respect for unexplained death as plot device.

The closest reason any of the team of super diagnostic geniuses came up with for his suicide? Naturally, the disrespect his white adopted parents had for the heritage of his murdered parents and their suppression of his true nature. On next week's episode a Muslim is admitted with shrapnel embedded in his whole body from a failed suicide bomb, and while they make him worse for 50 minutes, and then suddenly better, they learn the true nobility and purpose death can serve.

Disney's Lazy Streak

It's kind of like cannibalizing an old History paper for a Globalization course...and then again for a Social Studies course...and then using google translate to turn it into a French paper.

Watch Disney Templates on CollegeHumor

Donna Noble Returns!

Catherine Tate was spotted on the set of the Doctor Who season 5 finale (which won't air till 2010) confirming the rumors that Donna Noble (and Gramps) will in fact return to the Whoniverse.


Guess it's easy to write around the whole think-of-the-Doctor-and-her-head-will-explode thing, especially if you're Russel T. Davies and you unseal un-enterable universes on a regular basis.

But don't think I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Long live the DoctorDonna.

Planet of the Dead Trailer

New trailer for this Spring's Doctor Who special, airing Easter weekend (apparently.) Seems like an attempt at a Moffat/creepy episode, featuring Michelle Ryan of Bionic Woman infamy.

I Always Liked Angie Harmon

And not just because she's gorgeous. She gives me plenty of reason in her recent comments.

It's never too early in the week for Rule 5. And in open defiance of Stacy McCain/Smitty's addendum for gaybloggers, Jason Sehorn is going in there too.

R.I.P. Andy Hallett

Lorne, "The Host" from Angel, died at age 33 last night of heart failure.

An empathic demon from an alternate universe, Plrtz Grlb, in which music doesn't exist, he discovered the joy of disco and song and humanity, and settled in LA, bringing humor, compassion and some prophecy to Angel Investigations.

His work will be remembered, as will the tragedy of his short life.




Lorne: Here's the thing, Eve: You're going to sing for me, and I'm going to read you right now. And here's one more thing: Winifred Burkle once told me after a sinful amount of Chinese food, and in lieu of absolutely nothing, "I think a lot of people would choose to be green. Your shade, if they had the choice." If I hear one note —- one quarter-note —- that tells me you had any involvement, these two won't even have time to kill you.

Oh and anything by Diane Warren will also result in your death... Well, except "Rhythm of the Night".

For Sale: Dracula's Castle

For a cool 80 mil you can own Bran Castle in Romania, once home to Vlad the Impaler.

Another victim of the economic crisis, the price was downgraded from an even 100 million to attract more customers.

I can't pay the mortgage, but what does that matter these days?

Spider-Man Unmasked

Freelance photographer Peter Parker?

No. Thai Fireman Somchai Yoosabai.

"Efforts by the teachers to persuade the pupil to come back inside had failed.

But a remark by his mother about his passion for comic superheroes prompted fireman Somchai Yoosabai to rush back to the station, where he kept a Spider-Man costume in his locker.

The sight of Mr Somchai dressed as Spider-Man and holding a glass of juice for him, brought a big smile to the boy's face, and he promptly threw himself into the arms of his "superhero", police said."

hat tip: David Thompson, Friday ephemera

Greatest Dog in the World

Don't personally know Rusty, but he reminds me of several loved ones, dachshund and human alike.







Makes me think about poor Noodles, and how none of the news reports on George Weber mentioned his status. Also found Weber had a blog. He posted Friday. Last post of his life? 'NYC's Bed Bug Attack.'

And then I found this video of Bizket, the sleepwalking dog, in an older post.

Proof: Buffy Brings Love

Not a bad way to pop the question. I better start reading those comment pages...if only there was a picture to get my attention.

Batman R.I.P.

Obituaries
by Captain Elias

Batman, 1939-2009

GOTHAM CITY (LM) — Batman, the longtime protector of Gotham City and member of the Justice League of America, died last month from grievous wounds inflicted by the evil God Darkseid. His exploits have been documented since May 1939, but his true age was unknown.

...A man dressed up as a bat, the legend's early career was marked by a substantial drop in gun-related crimes, tentative team-ups with other heroes (most notably Superman, with whom he developed a strong bond of trust and respect) and a rise in the ranks of costumed villains whose consistent defeats were inversely proportional to their repeated attempts and the advent of new, increasingly bizarre outfitted reprobates.

...Marked by his uncanny ability to "pull victory out of the jaws of defeat", Batman never accepted failure. A true symbol of America, Batman represented the limitless nature of self-determination, man's ingenious capacity for invention, the clear values of a traditional morality, and the unparalleled defense of innocence. With his own two hands and little regard for his own health, he saved thousands of lives and took dozens of bullets, knives, contusions and poisons. Without him this world is a substantially grimmer place, and the disbelieving citizens of Gotham look to a newly matured Robin to fill his shoes, or else succumb to the natural entropy that defines their city."

Read my whole piece at Lost Magazine.

Bailoutman

Mark Steyn's newest:

"The superheroes I always found hard to keep track of were the ones who kept relaunching themselves. I mean, Batman’s been Batman for 70 years and Spider-Man’s been Spider-Man for the best part of 50. But I’m thinking of chaps like Ant-Man. Very small, as one might expect. Then he became Giant-Man. Then he became Yellowjacket (his girlfriend was the Wasp). Then he became Goliath. I’ve lost track of him since then. But, thanks to my usual 20-second exhaustive research, I see he was relaunched only a month ago, this time as the Wasp. Hang on, I thought the Wasp was his chick? Has he had a sex-change? Hey, why not? For a while he was both Giant-Man and Yellowjacket, playing a kind of schizoid double-hero with each superpower emphasizing a different side of his identity."

He continues the comic theme throughout, further proving himself as one of my all time favorites.

But just for his edification, the original Wasp, Ant-Man's off-again on-again love interest, was killed in the recent climactic battle with the invading Skrull armies. Thus Ant-Man's new codename is a tribute of sorts to her. Also there's some guilt involved, because once, years ago, he flipped out and beat her up a little...not in a superhero battle way, but a domestic abuse Buffalo beheading kind of way. Then later he made a female cyborg (comes with boobs, don't know about south of the border) based on her, with her personality, named Jocasta, with whom he's currently engaged in some kind of master/slave, robot/human relationship. It's a bit weird.

Still, it's a good lead-in for some solid Rule 5 blogging, Superhero edition, starting with the Wasp and then getting better. Not too orthodox, but I'll try and get to Christina Hendricks and nonfictional hotties later.



You're reloading Robert Stacy McCain every few hours, aren't you? Conservatives Assemble!

ComicCon for Conservatives

CPAC is nearing its grand finale---Rush at 5---and videos of speeches have been posted here at townhall.com. (I'm watching Mitt now with some coffee.)

For live-blogging and unique insights/schmoozefests check out Robert Stacy McCain, as usual. That was a weak rule 2 but get ready for rule 5 sunday, cause i'm gonna come up with something good (unless you do first, in which case...email me your idea.)

Ready for Battle

It's nearly March, which means it's nearly time for the new epic Batman storyline to begin. Battle for the Cowl number one comes out on the 11th I believe, and I for one have my oversized Robin foam finger all prepared.

Even if it turns out to be lame (though it's undoubtedly better than R.I.P and Final Crisis) it just brings us that much closer to Bruce's return. Now to see if his boys make him proud, or he has to do some Azrael-like punishment upon his resurrection.

Latest little taste from Tony Daniel:

Let Bibi be Bibi

Caroline Glick's newest article addresses the opposition Netanyahu faces in forming his government.

In it, she quotes former UN ambassador to Saudi Arabi, and Obama's likely appointee to the directorship of the National Intelligence Council, Chas Freeman who believes Arab and Islamic hostility to America is based on US support for Israel:

"Those in the region and beyond it who detest Israeli behavior, which is to say almost everyone, now naturally extend their loathing to Americans. This has had the effect of universalizing anti-Americanism, legitimizing radical Islamism, and gaining Iran a foothold among Sunni as well as Shiite Arabs."


Obama continues to illustrate his foreign policy beliefs by the appointments he makes. If Netanyahu does not manage to build public support for his government, Obama will have little opposition in systematically giving Israel to the Arab world to destroy as they see fit.

Mugabe Holds Doctor Who Hostage

As the newest installment of Doctor Who is filming in Dubai (no Jews allowed), BBC sources have revealed they believe Robert Mugabe to be in possession of some the oldest and most valuable episodes, which have been missing for decades.

Apparently the episodes were purchased when Zimbabwe was Rhodesia, and have yet to be seen since the 70s (much like white farmers). Fears of red tape and British hatred leave fans and experts pessimistic about recovering the seminal episodes, which could include the first regeneration ever (from William Hartnell to Patrick Troughton, 1966).


Were one to use Mugabe's argument banning homosexuality against him, one would say that dogs and pigs do not watch science fiction, so why must Zimbabweans?


The alternative is to hop in the TARDIS and travel back to BBC headquarters in the late '60s when some complete and utter tosser destroyed the episodes to make room in their film library for new programmes[sic], and give him a good backhander upside the head.


Or else the UK could wage a (Time)War, drop a few bombs on Bobby-Gabe, and hope for the best. I think I could get behind that, and now that bleeding-heart British liberals have been hit so close to home (they all love the Doctor), I'm probably not the only one.

Zeitgeist vs. Nuance

The Islamic world's malevolent zeitgeist by George Jonas


"There has never been a referendum, so no one knows numbers, but zeitgeist trumps numbers anyway. It isn't silent majorities that drive things, but vocal minorities. Don't count heads; count decibels."

I Have No Opinion On That

Gordon Duguid, the acting Deputy spokesperson of the State Department, fielded some questions this past week about Hugo Chavez's new president-for-life status. He sounds like a retard and embodies the pushover, enabling foreign policies that Obama and Hillary Clinton have adopted (no sanctions for Syria, Durban II, human rights in China, etc. etc.).


QUESTION: Do you have reaction to the result of the referendum, the fact that Chavez has won and now he can stay in power almost indefinitely?

MR. DUGUID: Well, it’s my understanding that the referendum took place in a fully democratic process, that there were – although there were some troubling reports of intimidation of opponents, for the most part, this was a process that was fully consistent with democratic practice. However, democratic practice also requires that the government govern well and govern in the interest of all of the people of the diverse interests that are present in Venezuela.

QUESTION: But what about the result of the --

MR. DUGUID: It was a matter for the Venezuelan people. And as I said, the process was held consistent with democratic principles. Therefore, we have always sought to have a positive relationship with Venezuela. We will continue to seek to maintain a positive relationship with Venezuela. But their democratic processes need to be taken into account on our part. But also on our part, we look for governments who have achieved a positive democratic result to use that in a positive manner.

QUESTION: Do you think it’s healthy to be able to be reelected indefinitely?

MR. DUGUID: I don’t have an opinion on the democratic practices of Venezuela. In the United States, we have term limits, but that’s our practice.



No opinion at all Mr. Duguid? Perhaps you should swap jobs with a journalist and reverse the unnatural order of things. By the way, democracy is not inherently foolproof (as proven by many fools past and present) and even Hitler was elected democratically...or at least obtained the Chancellorship constitutionally.

The benign language of his responses implies yet another attempt by the Obama administration to "reach out" to regimes that Big Bad Bush previously condemned. Or maybe they are just laying the groundwork for Obama's own planned attempts at exceeding the term limits, a la FDR.



I'm gonna go ahead and compare Mr. Duguid to Druig of Marvel's The Eternals, not only because they have similar names but because of a shared belief in superiority, mind-control and mostly the profound lack of any moral fiber. Also it's fun.

Fame and Fortune

Fortune as in luck, not the green stuff.

Welcome Robert Stacy McCain Readers!

The great McCain (not the one who produced that annoying blogette who won't go away) has generously and wisely added Superpowers That Be to his Sunday list of bloggers that adhere to his 5 simple rules of the blogosphere. We're also Facebook friends. Shazam!


And bless RSM himself, the flaming sword of the conservative movement.

He ain't no socialist.


1,000,000 here I come!

Andy Roddick Is Related To Me

Well, not really, but there's a DirecTv customer service representative out there who thinks so. (I was calling to try and finagle some free tennis channels.)

Even better than watching live tennis is hearing that at least one famous player stood up on behalf of his Jewish colleagues. Andy Roddick has pulled out of the Dubai Tennis Championships, a title he won last year, after officials denied Israeli Shahar Pe'er entry into the women's tournament by the United Arab Emirates.

The practice is common when it comes to Israeli players, a truth that they attempt to obfuscate by granting a visa to Andy Ram, an Israeli men's doubles player and this year's token Jew.

I used to think Roddick was kind of a douche, but it turns out he's one of the decent ones. And whad'ya know, he's from America. (Omaha to be precise.)


For more on the anti-semitism in tennis, read Debbie Schlussel tear pretty much everyone a new one. She's as cathartic as ever.



The first pic's for being honorable. The second's for my site hits. (Kind of a Christina- Hendricks-alternate, for those of us immune to the hourglass.)

Six Degrees of Reparation

1. Iraqi Parliamentarians, led by Mohammed Naji Mohammed, plan to sue Israel for billions of dollars in reparations over an Israeli air strike on a Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981. Their basis for the case is a League of Nations--er, United Nations Security Council Resolution condemning the Israeli attacks, which indisputably delayed Saddam Hussein's production of nuclear weapons.

While Mr. Mohammed Mohammed continues the legislative process to get billions from Israelis, France has decided that holocaust survivors and descendants have been compensated plenty for the French government's deportation of Jews during the Second World War.


2. The Council of State in France recently acknowledged responsibility in the arrest and deportation of 75,000 Jews by French police, who were then sent to Nazi death camps. Few survived. In the same ruling that confessed the guilt of the collaborationist Vichy regime, the court said “The different measures taken since the end of the Second World War have made reparation as much as possible." So take it somewhere else, Jew.

The ruling reflects a rise in anti-semitic behavior in Europe following the recent Israel-Gaza ass kicking.


3. In London, Justin Butcher and a group of likeminded artists are putting on a play in the Theatro Technis called "Go to Gaza, Drink the Sea." The 80 minute piece is a series of vignettes illustrating the horror done to innocents by the Israeli army, including the listing of 49 Gazans who died after they were supposedly moved to a safe house by the duplicitous invaders. In a sign of their bipartisan support for the play, one of Butcher's donors was the group Jews for Justice in Palestine.

The term "go to Gaza" is an Arabic slang phrase meaning "go to Hell", which reflects the violence done by Israel and the current conditions in Gaza.


4. The Irish Times bravely reports on the horrors endured by the Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli Army, including this message left on the wall of a countryside house by an Israeli soldier: "Have you ever wondered what Hell looked like? Well...look around you bitch. Ha Ha Ha. " After complimenting the soldier's penmanship, the intrepid reporter goes on to relay Palestinian confusion as to why Europe does not demand reparations from Israel for the destruction of EU-funded buildings (that their 'so-called-terrorists' were hiding in.)

The anti-Israel sentiment continues across the pond in Hollywood, whose biggest night of the year tepidly approaches.


5. "As an Israeli, I don't know what Hamas really wants. I can't believe most people in Gaza really want Israel to be destroyed. I like to think they just want to live a normal life with human rights and social security." So says Ari Folman, the writer and director of the Oscar nominated anti-war anti-Israeli film Waltz with Bashir. He will be in illustrious company tomorrow, as The Reader, which portrays a sympathetic ex-Nazi and the vindictive Jews who testify against her, is also up for an award.

Among the conservative movies nominated is....well, there's none. Other than Taken the only other conservative film to be released this last year was An American Carol, which starred Geoffrey Arrend in the role of Mohammed.



6. Geoffrey Arrend is also known as the lucky bastard engaged to one Christina Hendricks.


And who can mention Christina Hendricks these days without mentioning Robert Stacy McCain, who's also kinda hot, and rather brilliant.

Too Good Not To Link

Mark Steyn's latest on National Review.


"Bradford, Yorkshire. There are four flights a week from Islamabad to Bradford, a town where 75 percent of Pakistani Britons are married to their first cousins. But don’t worry, in the country as a whole, only 57 percent of Pakistani Britons are married to first cousins."

Rick Santelli on Hardball

At the risk of sullying my blog with the image and audio of Chris Matthews, here is the fantastic Rick Santelli responding to Robert Gibbs' and Matthews. (The latter of which of course manages to get a dig in on Rush Limbaugh, but he's not wrong about the Obama administration's attempts to delegitimize comments of private citizens, and consequently elevating them.)





I just realized one reason to watch Matthews or Olbermann...if the Earth is threatened by an alien menace and you're having a little trouble turning into the Hulk. Helps get your rage up.

Dennis Miller Crushes It

Political humor has returned to late night TV, and it only took a guest to do it. Dennis Miller on Jay Leno:

Miller time
Uploaded by luvnews

Friday Night Fights

Tonight's Sci/Fi lineup pits the second episode of Joss Whedon's new show Dollhouse against the 6th-to-last-ever hour of Battlestar Galactica.

Whedon is at a disadvantage with his Friday night slot, as his early attempts at seducing us with a brand new 'verse must contend with the density, poetry, and kickass action of a show we already have so much invested in. The average viewer doesn't even receive a palate cleanse, as hour follows hour, and "Previously on..." jumps all over "Next week on..."


Still, don't imagine I am counting Mr. Whedon out. (Mr. Midshipman Elias would consider even the possibility sacrilege, but I've matured.) He is a TV writer, in blood as well as style, and has some serious hang-ups about his pilots. Buffy took two hours to say hello (she had me at "ugh"), and the first Firefly we saw was actually episode three, bumped by the studio execs in place of another two-hour pilot. (And that first glimpse had me as similarly unsold as Dollhouse.) Look how those worked out.


Not to mention it easily overshadows Terminator: The Sarah Connor Book Club, if only by having something happen during its allotted 42minutes.


For those of you who go to sleep at 9pm on Fridays and download it the next day, have pleasant commercial-free dreams.


And let the best gorram frakker win.

Rise of the Machines

Autonomous military robots might rebel against their human masters. Here.

Robin #183, The Final Issue

"Robin Dies at Dawn"


Well he doesn't actually die, of course. He simply has a dawn meeting with the unbeatable Lady Shiva, who is irritated by his presumption at assuming the role of Gotham City's protector in Batman's absence. (Being one of his earliest mentors, and one of Bruce's as well, it seems she has that right.)

Before their Wild West showdown Robin takes care of business around the city and in the Cave, tying up loose ends and doing what he does. ("Stop eleven muggings. Six bodega hits. Three bank robberies.") He finally ends his ill-fated romance with school mate Zoanne Wilkins. He relays Bruce's final message to Jason Todd, flexing his muscles but giving him another chance. He chats on the phone with his "as-close-as-it-gets-to-being-a-best-friend" Ives. He calls Spoiler but hangs up before leaving a message. He spies on his GCPD contact and her date with his PI, in a very Batman-esque moment. He strategerizes for his future battles with Anarky.

And then he waits for Lady Shiva. Boldly, standing tall like a man, fearless. They fly at each other, and separate, and in the best sequence of the book Robin lands, half-collapses and thinks "Three ribs broken. Channel the pain. Easier said than done. Don't let the pain spoil the moment." We see Lady Shiva fully collapse in the background. "Hmm. Doesn't spoil it. At. All."

In a classic Tim Drake move, Robin takes down Lady Shiva the only way he knows how. By matching overwhelming skill and experience and brawn with detection, foresight and intelligence. He tracked her movements well before she contacted him, and dosed her hotel chocolates with heart-rate activated paralytic poison. (His only gamble was that her heart rate would go up four beats while fighting him, which explains the out-of-character pre-fight threat of "before I kick your ass..." as an attempt to rile her up.)

He proves her wrong, saying "It's only presumptuous if I can't protect Gotham."

Nightwing is in the shadows, which Robin also knows, his constant ally and brother. As he swings off into the early sunlight of Gotham City he acknowledges that Gotham needs a Batman. "The obvious candidate will step up soon enough" he says, humbly voicing the nearly unanimous fan opinion that Dick is the only one who truly deserves the mantle of the Bat. Until then, Gotham has Robin, a stronger, more mature, more Batman-like Robin.

Fabien Nicieza wrote a fantastic final issue. (100 times better than the penultimate one, and far superior to the majority of issues in Robin's surprisingly long run.) He gives Tim's solo title a send-off it deserves, with a clearly defined individual who does not exist in the shadow of his mentors, but under the weight of his own expectations and ambition. Even Freddie Williams manages to draw Tim as more of a grown-up, rather than the mini-Robin so often seen in the animated series or the main Batman titles. In his final pages Tim has poise and presence, and judging from the art leaked by Tony Daniel this will continue in Battle for the Cowl.

The extra unexpected pleasure was the Origins & Omens backstory, which dealt with Obeah Man, the Haitian terrorist who killed his mother years ago (with poison) within the reach of a fighting Batman, before he was officially even Robin. I have often wondered about this villain, about his whereabouts and if he would resurface. The story of Tim's mother's death was a strong and haunting one, and hugely defined his early progress. (He was busy tracking down the original Anarky while Batman went to Haiti to save his parents. Talk about full-circle, villain wise.) To see Tim confront him, to infiltrate Obeah Man's base with ease, to shake off his cheap (and often overused) attempt to bring Tim down with dark memories of his tragic past and knock him out in one strike, was truly cathartic and symbolic of his maturation.

Robin has reached a new level. He is a man now, a capable leader, a detective. He is also the only one who believes Batman will return (partly out of denial, but partly because he sees things realistically without logic being tainted by overwhelming emotion, as happens with Dick and Alfred.) While I am more excited than ever for Battle for the Cowl, for the conflicts and differences in morality and technique while fighting for Gotham, this final issue leaves me with great contentment.

Tim Drake is the best Robin there has ever been, and has the potential to be the most interesting hero in the DCU. Thank you for proving it, Mr. Nicieza. You didn't disappoint. At. All.

Comic Previews: BFTC and Dark Reign Young Avengers

Starting to get very excited for Tony Daniel's Battle For The Cowl. First three pages of pencils are here at Newsarama, and here's a juicy Robin shot released on Daniel's blog.


Newsarama also has an interview with Mark Brooks, the artist on Paul Cornell's upcoming Dark Reign: Young Avengers. (Can't think of a better writer to bring to YA.)




Too bad Melter's with the Asgardian-tramp, he could have injected some dark sexual tension with Billy and Teddy (though I guess they're just too damn wholesome to have a love triangle.)

The Razr of Machine Guns

Found this on Paul Ibrahim. Makes me want a gun license (even more, that is.)

My President Is Black

Call the Oxford English Dictionary, the N-word is so over.

This Shit Is Bananas

HuffPo blatantly doctors video/audio to make FoxNews into racists.

It's interesting that the only people connecting monkeys and black people are liberal media and Al Sharpton.

He actually got the New York Post to apologize after his protest, though they deftly excluded him from their regrets by correctly referring to him as an opportunist.

Stinks of Danish Muhammed political cartoon fiasco.

With every passing day, a little more Europe creeps into America.

I hope there's some free valium in the "Stimulus".




More on the monitoring of free speech: Rush's op/ed in the WSJ.



UPDATE: HuffPo retracts. "Correction: John Gibson Did Not Compare Eric Holder To Monkey With Blue Scrotum."

UPDATE 2: Breitbart.tv tracks down the guy who made the fake-cut video, John Sanders of Baltimore.

They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

Audrey Hepburn accepting her Academy Award for Roman Holiday.









from The Daily Beast

'Verse Watch: Serenity in Space

NASA has open voting to decide the name of the International Space Station node 3.

Serenity is one of the options (after the firefly-class ship from Joss Whedon's Firefly and Serenity.)

Vote here.

Flashback: This isn't Serenity's first trip to the ISS; Breaking Atmo.

Splinter's Evil Twin

Byron York Smells a RAT.



from hotair

Turns Out I DO Love Chicago

Or at least this Chicagoan in particular.


I can feel the pulse, Rush.

Milky White Lies

As the Oscars draw near, with a buzz that continues to lessen annually, Hollywood and the media elite struggle to legitimize the nominations. Harvey Weinstein feels vindicated, Clint Eastwood isn't invited, and Sean Penn canonizes Harvey Milk.


According to the Telegraph Gus Van Sant simplified Milk's story for us ignorant masses (if James Franco never heard of Harvey Milk before, that must mean the rest of us are equally uninformed?) by portraying the motivation behind Dan White's murder of Milk and Moscone as the natural homophobia of a repressed homosexual.

As opposed to the frustration of losing his job and enduring the rise of radical left San Fransisco politicians, as was accepted by the court during his trial.

Nonetheless he was a murderer, and he killed a gay guy, which is a crime, and crimes against minorities are always fueled by hate. If only he had seen a movie positively portraying a homosexual while he was growing up, none of this would have happened.

I don't particularly care how the murderer is portrayed however. What I think is interesting are the other omissions, not only in the film but in all teachings of Harvey Milk that I have seen (yes Mr. Franco, he was certainly mentioned in MY high school.)


Particularly how he was such buddies with Jim Jones. Harvey Milk attended the Peoples Temple regularly, used their resources in his political campaigns, advocated on his behalf to President Jimmy Carter, and wrote the following notes to Jones following a Temple visit:

"Rev Jim, It may take me many a day to come back down from the high that I reach today. I found something dear today. I found a sense of being that makes up for all the hours and energy placed in a fight. I found what you wanted me to find. I shall be back. For I can never leave."

As well as "my name is cut into stone in support of you - and your people."

Moscone, too, was a staunch ally of Jones, appointing him the head of the Housing Authority as well as nominating him for the Human Rights Commission. (That's not a joke.)

Ignorance of Jones' true nature is not a sufficient argument to exonerate Milk's connections to the mass-murderer and manipulator, as he also said of the Temple that "there was something creepy about it." However Jones' ability to mobilize a massive army of volunteers and support on a moment's notice was a major asset, and one neither he nor Moscone dared endanger, even after Jones' move to Guyana.

The tendency of progressives and minorities to be drawn in and allied with the socialistic brainwashing Jones (the majority of his Temple was poor Blacks), whether through emotion or ambition or both, is emblematic of the political ideologies of Hollywood and the Left in general. By all accounts Jones had the best of intentions, and won followers through hope for change. Even after Jonestown had been set up, members sent their condolences to Milk upon the death of his lover and invited him to visit. "I hope you will be able to visit us here sometime in Jonestown. Believe it or not, it is a tremendously sophisticated community, though it is in a jungle."

Gus Van Sant portrays the apotheosis of Harvey Milk, a whitewashed history where being gay and murdered is enough to overlook his true character in favor of an Icon that the American public apparently desperately needs. Were true political dissent actually welcomed by Hollywood, perhaps a biopic of Jim Jones would be made, cataloguing the manipulative ease inherent in socialism and savior-based societies, the extremism hidden by grand promises and wishes for equality, and the tragic end that comes part and parcel with a charismatic, powerful leader.

Sound familiar?

Be wary. They put Flavor-Aid in the Milk.

Wayne Enterprises, Minus the Wayne

In this (temporary) world without a Batman, the various corresponding titles are busy explaining the way the heroes fill in the rather large hole left by Bruce's absence. Robin's stepping up as a solo hero, Nightwing is back in Gotham and networking with Batgirl, and Alfred has taken command of the Outsiders with a mysterious guerrilla agenda.

But they have yet to explain, unless I missed it, how the world is dealing with yet another extended absence from billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. Now I image they're used to him 'taking off for the Caribbean' and being out of touch and flaky, but if he's been gone long enough to activate that weird bullet shaped message system for Alfred and the boys, hasn't he been MIA long enough to pique Lucius Fox's interest?

Whether or not Lucius needs him to sign anything, once Bruce doesn't materialize, what is the future of Wayne Industries, and thus the entire Wayne fortune that Dick, Tim and Alfred rely upon?


What is Wayne Enterprises doing in this time of crisis? I'd like to think Lucius Fox has stood his ground and refused to take any government bailout money, but how long till the board forces him too? How long till Lex Luthor tries to take over and get revenge for their No Man's Land trickery?

Does Alfred or Tim take care of the financial/legal matters now? I'm pretty sure they haven't officially announced Bruce's death, and certainly not Batman's, so how long will they pull the ol' Buffy-Bot scenario before the Barney Franks and Rutger Hauers start moving in on the Wayne wealth?

Awaiting fiscal enlightenment. And wondering if Bruce ever invested in gold bullion.

(The New New) X-Factor

I will respect Peter David's expressly stated wishes and avoid blogging about the latest X-Factor issue for another week or two...but he can't stop me from blogging about what I would have blogged about.

Which is to say, these title has been getting much better. The dialogue is natural, the team makes sense, and the cliffhangers are completely original. This entire book is very unique in the X-world, and is certainly more thought provoking and worth the money than, say, X-Force or Young X-Men.

I'm not sure about its' future, but seeing as there aren't any humongous X-crossovers in the coming weeks, I assume it will continue to roll along and paint a clearer picture of post-M-day mutant life, without having to go to San Fransisco.

Also I'd like to see more of both Monet and Longshot, individually and as whatever couple they're becoming, particularly what with Dazzler's lame return to the main X-team. (Dazzler's back, Longshot's back, Rogue is hangin' out in their old Australian home...I'm just waiting for an English Betsy Braddock and Jubilee to return in time for a throw-down with the Reavers.)

New Layout

Trying to kick it up a notch with a new column, and adsense. Thanks to Robert Stacy McCain for the inspiration (and the massively enjoyable blog) and to Three Column Blogger for, well, telling me exactly how to do it.

SPLINTER!!!

Giant Rat Caught in China.

Harvey?

The Department of Agriculture in Spain is funding the Valencia regional government to develop a breeding program for the rare Valenciago rabbit, which can grow as large as a lamb, produce 16 young in a litter, and procreate like, well, you know. It is hoped to be an alternative to red meat, what with global warming and economic crises laying waste to the meat biz.

It's definitely not a palooka. And apparently Germany has a similar breed, but theirs comes in grey.

This Week's Man: Ivri Lider

Crush of the week (perhaps month) is Ivri Lider, the megasuperrockstar of Israel, out and proud, dating (or dated, hopefully) an American speechwriter from Tennessee.

Here's hoping he makes his way back to America some day soon. I'd be happy to relocate.


Here's him doing some English songs: The Man I Love and Jesse.

Peter Parker, Jewperhero

The Israeli Spiderman.

Not From Concentrate?

Maybe Mavis Beacon was too jewy.

The Unreported

Muslim beheading in New York State. Broken down by Mark Steyn.


An American kidnapped in Pakistan. As un-mentioned as the Pole they beheaded last week. Once again Senator Feinstein shoots the innocent in the foot. (Think Night Stalker.)

Bill Ayers, The Graphic Novel

Bill Ayers' memoir is coming to a comic store near you. Pre-order your barf bags now.

Teachers College Press, a scholarly, professional and trade publisher focused on the theory and practice of teacher education, has reached agreement on a two-book deal with William Ayers, the University of Illinois at Chicago professor, lauded educational theorist and former leader of the radical 1960s Weather Underground. And, yes, Ayers is indeed the same figure dragooned into the 2008 presidential race in a controversial attempt to use his background in radical politics and a minor acquaintance with Barack Obama to undermine Obama’s presidential run.

In spring 2010, TCP will publish a graphic novel adaptation of To Teach: The Journey of a Teacher, a much-praised memoir of Ayers’s life as a teacher, tentatively to be called To Teach: The Graphic Memoir with art by Xeric Award-winner Ryan Alexander-Tanner. More than a simple memoir, To Teach is also a peer-reviewed work of scholarship on Ayers’s teaching precepts as well as a vivid recollection of his adventures in the classroom. At the same time, TCP will publish a new and revised third edition of the original prose To Teach: The Journey of a Teache. One of TCP’s all-time bestselling titles, To Teach was originally published in 1993 and has sold more than 75,000 copies over three printings, the last one released in 2001.

“For an academic/scholarly press, that’s a major bestseller,” noted TCP acquisitions editor Meg Lemke, who “co-acquired” the book with TCP director Carol Saltz, who will edit the new prose edition. Lemke will oversee the production of the graphic edition. Despite the media hoopla over his radical past, Ayers is a serious and much respected Chicago-based educational activist and theorist who has been with TCP for years and published at least five books at the house.

Thanks for all the info Ms. Malkin.

Guess he skipped over the whole gang-rape scenario when penning his autobiography.

Also good to know: the Ayers School scam that took 2billion bucks from Bill Gates, which Obama was a part of. Link.

Best Comic of 2009...so far

X-Men Worlds Apart #4, written by Christopher Yost and penciled by Diogenes Neves, is the reason I go to the comic store.


Not only does it feature perhaps my favorite X-Man Storm in her own 4-issue miniseries, each installment of which was stellar, but it does her justice. Ororo Munroe is one of the most dynamic of X-Men; an orphan, a thief, a Goddess, an X-leader, and now a wife and Queen of Wakanda. Yost not only acknowledges all of these facets, but reveals a natural inherent self-doubt, specifically when the Shadow King turns all the other X-Men against her and releases their darkest criticisms, all of which she feels herself.

Yost plays out the grand battle and Storm's inevitable triumph ingeniously. He merges the old, deep, classic history of the X-Men (with Cyclops venting his past wound over losing a one-on-one battle for leadership with Storm when she was powerless in Uncanny X-Men #201) with the new modern story lines (having the Panther God hide in her mind and devour the Shadow King when he takes the bait).


The premise of the series was to explore Storm's role in this new post M-day, post-marriage age of the X-Men. Is she a Queen before a mutant? A leader or a reservist? A wife or a teacher? How essential is she to the multiple worlds she now inhabits? The answer, though perhaps predictable, is reassuring and in character. She can do it all. Ororo Munroe has no limits. She feels the responsibility of the mutant race, of her Wakandan people, and regular innocent lives with equal depth. And she, like Batman, rises to the challenge of that responsibility, and does not accept failure.

In her showdown with Cyclops Yost and Neves give us some chillingly awesome action panels. In one Cyclops opens at Storm with a full optic blast, and standing stock still she calls down a bolt of lighting that crashes directly in front of her, scattering his energy and protecting her. Immediately after she lunges toward Cyclops to confront him hand-to-hand, whipping up winds so powerful that they actually blow his optic beam off their path. (A la Vulcan in Deadly Genesis, only much more raw and visceral.) These are the kind of comic battles that satisfy the most avid fan, while providing us with never-considered possibilities.

Another minor element that I thoroughly appreciated was the limited exploration of Ororo and Emma Frost's relationship. Often strained, and at times in the past completely opposed, Yost begins to bridge the gap between the two in a natural way. When Storm confronts the amassed X-Men who have been possessed by the Shadow King, she thinks to herself how there is only "one hope" she has to win the battle without hurting her teammate. Unfortunately Emma is knocked unconscious at that point, but Storm's acknowledgment of her considerable power and skill, as well as the humble friendly willingness to ask her for help, proves her confidence in Emma's new leadership. In the end, when all is resolved, Emma quietly thanks her for saving Cyclops, and Storm in return thanks her for making him happy. Perhaps an obvious truth, but one never voiced before.

Storm comes across as the hero she is, an equal if not superior to her husband the King of Wakanda and Cyclops the First X-Man. But her humanity comes through too, her life as a woman finally starting to fall in place in a way she never managed in all her years prior. The final page of Storm flying beside the Blackbird and declaring her lack of limits, much like the final page of Pixie's earlier X-issue, makes me grin like a goofy 12 year old.

So Cheers, Mr. Yost. And thanks. I hope Storm remains in your able hands for at least a few more stories.