Justice Done to Dr. Fate!

Okay, so it's a little bit of old news, but as far as news blogging/reporting goes, I'm a little behind.

One of my favorite obscure characters is Dr. Fate. In terms of mystical characters, he is one of the few I really enjoy reading and seeing in action. I also really like the current Gerber-inspired version that is seen in the pages of Justice Society. Fate just has a very cool look to him and has some great powers to boot. While I do believe he is one of those characters always on the verge of mega-popularity, but he's never had that one writer that has really put him over. (Of course, I've got a couple of ideas). But regardless, Fate is very cool.

So amongst the pop culture and comics crowd there is quite a bit of excitement over the coming Smallville 2 hour movie featuring the JSA. We've seen Hawkman, the trailer has revealed that Green Lantern Alan Scott and Sandman will show up, but more than that, we saw the first glimpse of Fate. Then TV Guide's Ausiello got the first promo shots... one had Hawkman and Green Arrow hating each other as they should, the other...



I do and don't like Stargirl's outfit, as has been the case amongst many fans online, but it's mostly just that mask.

But Dr. Fate... YES! He looks bad-ass. This may be Fate's big moment.

Long Weekend...

Happy belated Thanksgiving and Happy Holiday season! I spent the weekend in Central New York, about 20 degrees colder there than back here in the greater NYC/CT metro area. Went to Ithaca for the first time in 3 years and to my alma mater Ithaca College for the first time in about 3 and a half. I'll be honest it was a little overwhelming only because so much happened at that place - so much growing up. I don't get that way about my old middle/high school (I also go up there a couple times a year now, and see those friends a bit more often). Lot of stupidity, fun times, good people, heartbreak, great education... all took place at IC. Not to mention meeting my wife-to-be. And the school has changed a great deal, adding two new buildings and construction of the new long-awaited athletic facility underway.

It's a gorgeous area. I lived in Ithaca for a year after graduating and it certainly has a special place in my life. (My fiancee and I will also be getting married in Ithaca). But the city itself has had some vast improvements, I'm sure in an effort to attract more businesses and expand what is already one of the nation's quintessential college towns. New franchise chains like the phenomenal "Five Guys Burgers and Fries," the Pyramid company no longer owns the Mall and that alone is probably the best thing that has happened to the mall there. (I used to work in that mall).

But above all else is the single greatest grocery store known to man... WEGMAN'S.

Ithaca is a beautiful area, it's too bad it is almost in the middle of nowhere and there's not a whole lot of opportunity outside of being a college professor. A summer home one day perhaps.

Aside from the visit of great personal value, I hit up Pulp Nouveau Comix in Canandaigua, NY. (another GREAT summer home town). I've been by this store at least 5 or 6 times since regularly visiting the area since my fiancee and I have been together, but I've never stopped in. Looking for something to do, I popped in and found some treasures. Aside from a few new comics that wouldn't make the shelves in my store, I dug into a very large and fruitfull back issue stash. My mission? To A) find Moon Knight back issues that I don't have and B) Find original Rocketeer issues to compliment the forthcoming "The Rocketeer: Complete Collection." And what did I find? Pure gold. I found the "Rocketeer Adventure Magazine #1" AND issues #2 and #3 of Mike Grell's Starslayer, which featured the first two Rocketeer stories as back-up features. Man, I was happier than a pig in shit. It's really a nice store, check it out if you are in the Finger Lakes region of NY state.

Other than that... the drive on Route 17 is still the most horrible drive I could ever fathom.

MACK TURNER ON SALE NOW!

My first comic, one of two launch titles under my new publishing imprint, "Mack Turner: Slayer of the Dead" is now available for sale! Just click on the link below and head over to IndyPlanet and support the cause! There is ACTION! HUMOR! GIRLS! ZOMBIES!

http://www.indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2923



BUY IT NOW!!!

Smallville: Absolute Justice Trailer!!!

You know, I haven't consistently watched Smallville in years. But this Geoff Johns penned 2 hour episode "Absolute Justice" has me really excited. Finally, the Justice Society is getting some love and will be appearing in this episode.

Confirmed so far have been Hawkman, Dr. Fate (!!!) and Stargirl. However, this trailer teases ALAN SCOTT!!! Also revealed is Sandman! Something tells me we might have a full-on JSA. How cool is that. There's a short reveal of Fate and he looks spectacular! This episode is going to be phenomenal! I can't wait!

My only comment on the healthcare bill for now...

Finally, the House and then the Senate gets their act together. I don't care if they are Democrat or Republican, as least we are getting somewhere. Now, I promised myself not to go crazy over the conservative jackasses hollering at Obama bowing to the Emperor of Japan. I see nothing wrong with that, he was just trying to show cultural respect. I also like how Obama doesn't make it look like America is above anyone else, THAT is what truly sets him apart.

But the hottest issue of this latest healthcare bill is not the public option, it is not "who will pay?", it is simply, abortion. Abortion is not illegal in the United States. Abortion should never be illegal. That is a decision made by a woman and or others involved and that is their decision to live with, no one else's. I fully support a woman's right to choose, because it is her right. Whatever moral consequences exist, that is for that woman to come to peace with. I personally see nothing wrong with it.

With that in mind I call this article: White House at odds with bishops over abortion.

Apparently, and not surprisingly the Catholics are pissed.

Now let's get down to the most basic and fundamental problem with the world today, religion.

I was born Catholic. I was baptisted, confirmed, the whole nine yards. I no longer consider myself Catholic, nor do I consider myself falling under any religious umbrella. Why? Well, that's a discussion for another time. I'm not saying I don't believe in God or a god, in fact sometimes I really believe that there is and has to be more than one, and I'm cool with that, but there's a fundamental problem with this healthcare madness and the abortion issue.

And I quote Article Six of the Constitution of the United States"

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Oh, then there is the Bill of Rights:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

And then of course Thomas Jefferson, who actually is believed to have coined the term "separation of church and state" referred to the First Amendment as a barrier between the two.

You see, some historians believe the founding fathers despised religion, and it is certainly clear that they did not want it playing a role in government.

So to all those out there who bring religion into these arguments and claim to be patriotic, take a look at your Constitution and remember, church is separate from state.

Thursday Already...

Wow, it's Thursday. I did not forget about the third part of "Assembling the Avengers" that will be posted here in the next couple of days. I've just been busy. You know, between the day job, building websites, being a comic book publisher and writer, playing Modern Warfare 2 and perusing bfads.net for Black Friday deals I'm not even going to bother with. Seriously though, no Black Friday for me. Did it once, and I wasn't a buyer. I was working at Best Buy in college and the I experienced the craziness of people who stayed outside of the store all night. That day for me was cut short with the stomach flu and I personally don't think I'll ever do a Black Friday. I take too long to make a decision anyway.

There isn't really much that captured my eye anyway.

Oh, and I've been watching that masterpiece of franchise revitalization known as Star Trek. I picked up the 2 disc at Target for the model Enterprise/DVD case and I will say it is AWESOME!

So yeah...

Being a Collector in the Holiday Season

There a lot of good and a lot of bad around this time of year. The good is well, the spirit, the general sense of humanity and how no matter what, around this time of year people generally treat one another better. Not to completely go off beat with a warm and fuzzy opening, but what is dangerous about the Holiday season (which technically it isn't the Holiday season until the day AFTER Thanksgiving, but hey, the economy sucks), but what's dangerous is being a collector.

I like to collect action figures. I was real big on action figures as a kid and I love to collect and display them. Currently, the only series I am truly, religiously collecting is the 3 3/4 inch Marvel Universe line. With the exception of the comic packs and a couple of the Toys R Us 3 packs, I have everyone of these things, including the SDCC exclusives. For a while I was collecting the DC Infinite Heroes, but once the MU line came out, nothing else mattered.

Usually, there is one toy line I'll go after religiously, a couple years back it was the 25th Anniversary G.I. Joe's, but they had gotten to be a bit much. Then there were the Indiana Jones figures. As a kid I never had an Indiana Jones figure, and I only truly geek out about Indy, so having them was a must. After that, there was a bit of a lull. There wasn't any one toy line I was after. I almost bought all the Star Trek figures, but didn't in the end. There was a little bit of the DC Infinite Heroes, but once the MU line came out, they took over. So when I walked into Wal-Mart yesterday and saw the new Giant Skrull/Bucky-Cap and Giant Man/Classic Iron Man two packs. They run about $30 a pop, which is steep, but will be purchased at some point.

Today, I walked back in to Wal-Mart (day job is across the street) and they had put out the missing Marvel Legends Wave with Nova, Tigra, Daredevil, Punisher and Black Bolt. I bought the red Daredevil at the Baltimore Con, never expecting to see these figures. But alas, there they were, so I had to grab Nova.

Usually, I'll grab the characters I like, especially in terms of the Marvel Legends and DC Direct/DC Universe Classics. For example, earlier this week I picked up the AWESOME looking Superman/Batman Public Enemies Superman DCUC, possibly one of the best Superman figures out there.

While the MU line is my current obsession, I still pick up figures I like the look of. Hence why I own a few of the G.I. Joe Rise of Cobra figures, because some of them look great. And then of course, I buy Han Solos. That's the only Star Wars figure I'll get, unless they do another Dash Rendar.

There are also new 3 3/4 inch Might Morphin' Power Ranger figures. Yes, the Power Rangers. I used to LOVE that shit when I was in 4th grade. I remember how hard it was to find the big 6 inch figures, and I remember finding my first one at a local drug store off all places, so when I see these new ones, it is purely nostalgia that makes me debate buying some Power Rangers. That's bad.

My beautiful fiancee puts up with this and she's wonderful. But I will tell you. In this economy, working a job where I am severely underpaid, trying to make multiple comics and run a business, the collecting market is HOT and my wallet is in pain!

Oh well, I love action figures.

Assembling the Avengers, Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of "Assembling the Avengers," the multi-post KP's Take blog event where I list my choices for the future of the Avengers post-Siege. There are a lot of characters to choose from, and I've already listed who I'd like to see make it to the roster of the main team of Avengers. But they can't do it alone. It'd be wise for the Avengers to have a stable of characters in reserve.

While essentially, Marvel could and should take a "Justice League: Unlimited" approach to the Avengers, they need to have a core group of reserves to call upon at a moments notice. Each one of them with their own special abilities and individual contributions to the team.

Part 2: THE RESERVES

The Hulk
I could see Bruce Banner being one of the Avengers resident scientists, along with Hank Pym and another person on this list. It would make sense to have Bruce be Hank’s equal and opposite in terms of methods and opinions. Of course, there’s a lot more to Banner and he should be the ultimate powerhouse of the team. There is really no need for the Hulk to be a major member of the team, Banner more so, but as for the Hulk, when the odds are stacked against the main team and they need someone to smash, that’s when the call in the Hulk.

Nova
Being an Avenger probably makes the most sense for Nova. While the Avengers deal with villains and threats to the Earth itself, it only seems prudent that there be someone guarding Earth from the cosmos, or at least having someone available to call ahead and warn the Avengers. In recent years, Nova has stayed away from Earth and served full-time as the Prime Centurion of the Nova Corps, however, including him as an Avengers seems to make the most sense, and having an Avenger is space could help prevent another invasion.


Jocasta
Because she was one of the founding members and has always been a constant on the Avengers, placing Janet van Dyne on the team is a no brainer. Unfortunately, Janet is dead, so the closest thing? The robot that shares her brain pattern and memories, Jocasta. Jocasta herself has been a fairly common member of the Avengers and she proves to be a valuable technological asset for the team. To top all of that off, there is the bizarre relationship between Jocasta and Hank Pym that is kind of creepy.


Black Panther
Time will tell how long Shuri remains the Black Panther. If she continues on as the Black Panther, than I could see her being a relatively common star on the New Avengers team. However, I think eventually T’Challa will re-assume his role as the Black Panther and let’s face it; he’s the King of Wakanda and won’t be able to serve as an Avenger on a full-time basis. T’Challa should definitely serve as the Avengers’ top diplomat, whether or not he is the Black Panther. This could also lead to Storm being a member of the Avengers Reserves.


Storm
See Above. Oh, and let's face it, following "Utopia" and Cyclops' conversion of the remaining mutants into an army, the X-Men needs a royal, friendly and non-Logan face on the Avengers.

 

Sentry
Following “Dark Reign,” there’s no telling what will happen to the Sentry. Many fans believe the Sentry has been underutilized and turned into a bit of a laughing stock, and with Marvel Man on the way, the Sentry may become even more irrelevant. That is unless of course he is able to stabilize his psyche and truly become the hero he was always meant to be. He’d serve in a similar fashion to the Hulk, called upon when needed to take out the bigger threats.

Hercules
It just wouldn’t see right if Hercules weren’t an Avenger. He would have to be the powerhouse that the main team calls on the most. He’s saner than Hulk or Sentry and has no problem taking orders from an honorable warrior like Steve Rogers. His appearances could also add a solid level of humor, but Hercules should really only be used at certain times to take on threats of a god-like nature.

Songbird
Songbird originally made the main team on this list, but I’m not entirely convinced she’d rank over any of the others in terms of exposure. However, Songbird has had a brush with popularity in 2009, first as the defecting member of Norman Osborn’s Thunderbolts and also as a featured heroic character in the video game Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. Songbird has always been a staple of the Thunderbolts and never a full-fledged villain, but perhaps the time has come for her to step up in the world. With both expert hand to hand combat skills and a very unique power, Songbird would certainly be an essential weapon in the Avenger arsenal.

Quicksilver
Every super-team has to have a speedster, right? While he does have a checkered past and is not as well known as some of the other names on this list, Quicksilver is certainly a staple of the Avengers. He’s been part of multiple incarnations of the team and certainly has proved his worth time and time again. Plus, Quicksilver brings something to the table that no other Avenger can, super-speed, which can be crucial in battles against super-villains.
3
These are the characters that would make good, recurring reserves. In Part 3 of "Assembling the Avengers," I'll list who should be the "Street Avengers" or as I will refer to them as, the "New THUNDERBOLTS!"

Conservatives Go After Sesame Street

I got into work this morning, kind of grumpy. There's a lot on my mind between getting the first two issues published by TJ Comics printed correctly, a constant rush of story ideas running through my head, writing out the second part of my "Assembling the Avengers" post, wondering if I should get long overdue body work on my car done soon, and a general frustration with the day job. All of those things usually make for a few headaches. But as I sat down at work this morning and got the AIM homepage with the news, there was an item that quite simply pissed me off. I used to spend a good deal of time talking politics and promoting my support for President Obama. But over the past six months, I've lost the energy to talk politics. Not because I am unhappy with anyone office, in fact, I think Obama has done a phenomenal job, in fact he has indeed done great work... it's the conservatives and the media pundits who have really just drained me. At every turn, they find a way to slam the President. The latest I heard was how he didn't go to the Berlin Wall ceremony. So what? He is the President of the United States and there was a MAJOR vote in the House of Representatives this weekend. A MAJOR vote that will lay the ground work for the much needed healthcare reform. While the Berlin Wall coming down was surely a momentous occasion, Obama has major domestic issues that are more pressing, so NO ONE should be upset with him.

Now, the real reason I'm writing this post and the political fires have be ignited inside of me is because of a report on one of the AOL entertainment gossip sites that conservatives has lashed out at PBS and Sesame Street and accused them of having a "liberal left-wing agenda." Even better, it is because of a 2 year old skit. WWWHHHAAATTT?

http://www.popeater.com/2009/11/06/sesame-street-dig-at-pox-news-backfires/?icid=main|aim|dl2|link2|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Fsesame-street-dig-at-pox-news-backfires%2F

This is how low it has gotten. This is how ridiculous this whole political divide has become that conservatives are finding Sesame Street skits from 2 years ago that poke fun at both CNN and Fox News. I'm kind of disgusted. To the point where I am really curious why we all, as Americans, cannot simply stop the pointless bickering and finger pointing and let cooler head prevail. Through 8 years of Bush, liberal pundits NEVER got this extreme. Through 8 years of Bush, sure the Speaker of the House wanted impeachment, BUT she was appeasing her voters by saying that and knew impeaching Bush meant Cheney, which would have led to the construction of the Death Star.

But Sesame Street is under attack now? Is this really how things are going now?

Assembling the Avengers, Part 1

With the return of the true Captain America, Steve Rogers, Marvel is preparing to move full-steam into "The Siege" and end "Dark Reign" to prepare for the oncoming "happier" Marvel Universe. The Marvel Universe has gone through hell since "Avengers: Disassembled" and after many years and big events, it appears Marvel is returning to their characters actually teaming up and being iconic heroes. So who will round out the Avengers? Will there be two or even three teams? We know Captain America, Iron Man and Thor will once again lead the Avengers, but who will surround them? What will happen to H.A.M.M.E.R.? What will happen to S.H.I.E.L.D.? No one is certain just yet, so why not guess? These posts will list who I believe should round out the Avengers and Marvel teams into 2010! This will be a multiple post event!

First off, let's talk hypothetically. If Marvel asked me to pitch a post-Siege Marvel Universe, I would have S.H.I.E.L.D. reinstated and have President Obama ask Steve Rogers to take the Director role. This could leave Bucky in the Captain America role for the time being and really create a much different and cleaner Marvel Universe with Rogers in control. Of course, lurking in the shadows would be Nick Fury, but given everything Cap has gone through, he would be a changed man. There would be the Avengers such as Iron Man, Thor, Bucky-Cap and the others essentially under Steve's command, but I also think a unique idea would be if Steve took control of the Thunderbolts as his black ops team. I'm talking street level characters, those who will get their hands dirty.

Anyways, without further adieu, let's list the team!

Part 1: The Main Team

THE AVENGERS
The Main Team

Captain America, Steve Rogers
He's the heart and soul of the Avengers and the Marvel Universe. While even I have grown accustomed to Bucky, Steve Rogers is and always will be Captain America. He represents freedom and hope. In Steve Rogers there is no political divide, there is no hate, no conspiracy. This character, more than any other in pop culture, represents the fundamental ideas of what America truly is.

Iron Man
Tony Stark has more than just a demon in a bottle. He's got skeletons pouring out of his closet and his actions during Civil War, as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and being on the run during "Dark Reign" has left him beaten down. Tony became a villain and then became a victim. He tried to cover his own tracks, realizing in the end, Cap was right. While he does have the best comic book movie ever, in the comics Iron Man has a lot to redeem. It's interesting if Marvel goes the way of redemption with Tony Stark as it will certainly harken back to his days of originally becoming Iron Man.

Thor
Rounding out the trinity of course is Thor. However, I feel like Thor should only really show up when he's absolutely needed. I would love to see Asgard stay in Oklahoma and see Thor fighting off threats from coming to Earth. I think Thor also needs some new godly villains, villains so powerful that they threaten the very existence of the universe. Only the god of thunder could stop them!

Marvel Man
No one really knows the plan for Marvel Man. No one has heard much since it was announced that Marvel acquired the character. How will he come into the Marvel Universe? Is he Norman Osborn's brainwashed secret weapon? Whatever it may be, the Avengers could not exclude a man who may be more powerful than the Sentry. Marvel Man has to become an Avenger and I certainly hope he fills a Superman-like role in the Marvel U.

Hawkeye and Mockingbird
I have a feeling that once "Dark Reign" ends, Clint Barton will re-assume the role of Hawkeye. After Bullseye sullied the name as a Dark Avenger, Barton will no doubt want to reclaim the reputation of Hawkeye. The wheels are already rolling towards this as more and more Clint has been using the bow and arrow once more. Of course, with Hawkeye comes Mockingbird. Personally, I think it would be great to see these two act as the "Avengers spy team." Jim McCann's mini-series "Reunion" showed the couple in a very James Bond like situation and I think that if they are used in such a fashion, it could create many fun and suspenseful scenarios.

Ms. Marvel
With Captain America being the leader of the Avengers, he'd also need a close military adviser. It would only make sense that Ms. Marvel would be Cap's closest tactical adviser. There has never been a ton of interaction between these two characters and I think now is the perfect time to explore how the two would work together. Ms. Marvel also never backs down from a fight and would certainly be an essential asset to the main team of Avengers.

Spider-Woman
I think Spider-Woman would be another member who like Tony Stark is seeking redemption. But adding to the character arc, she would be seeking redemption for something she didn't even do. Of course, this is currently being explored as Jessica comes to grips that her face became the evil of the Skrull invasion, but I think it can be stretched out further. I think perhaps she and Tony could also confide in one another and perhaps have a bit of a romance.

Hank Pym
You've got to have the brains behind the operation and who better than Marvel's newest crowned scientist supreme? It only makes sense, one of the original members and founders of the team. I think Marvel should continue to run with what they've got right now, Hank as the Wasp, super-smart but everyone is questioning the man's sanity. Rather than "Hank the loser" as a point of conflict amongst the team, it should be the ultimate question of his sanity as he would continue to problem solve, but carry on a relationship with Jocasta.

Stature
The Avengers should certainly have a young team member and there is no one better than Stature. The daughter of the late Avenger Scott Lang, Cassie was destined to become an Avenger. Also, a staple of the Avengers has always been a giant, and with Hank Pym running science support and perhaps being a little crazy, Stature would be the perfect compliment to the team. She'd also bring the essential youth and inexperience that is needed on any team as well as open the doors for regular appearances by Young Avengers.

Spider-Man
I'm always on the fence about Spider-Man being an Avenger, the same way I am with Wolverine. They don't really belong with the Avengers. Spider-Man has always done best on his own or with team-ups, but it make sense why he would be an Avenger. Aside from the fact he's Marvel's most popular character, being an Avenger also allows Peter Parker the resources to create his webbing and whatever else he needs. Spidey also brings the humor to the table and while I would almost rather see him on one of my alternate teams (coming soon), from a business standpoint, Spidey has to be an Avenger.

Wolverine
As with Spider-Man, from a business standpoint, it only make sense to have one of your most popular characters as an Avenger. While he is on many, many teams, I think Marvel has certainly handled Wolverine's abundant appearances quite well. But to not have your second most popular character on the main team? That's silly.


Falcon
It only makes sense that the Falcon become a main team member. Cap will round out his main team with his most trusted friend, Sam Wilson. Sam is a master tactician, a perfect counter-part to Ms. Marvel and such a dynamic could lead to decent conflict with Cap stepping in as the cooler head. Falcon and Redwing could also bring recon strength to the table, scoping out the odds before the Avengers plan their course of action.


That rounds out Part 1 of "Assembling the Avengers." Coming in Part 2, I'll list who should be the "Main Team Reserves" to support the main team!