Thank God It's Wednesday

This has been something of a tough week for me, and it's only half over! I've actually had to work ALL DAY LONG!!! My God, I don't know how most people can stand it. Fortunately, there are comics awaiting me, and one of them is going to be Green Lantern.

On the other hand, due to a mix-up or something, there aren't any copies of the latest issue of Brightest Day, so now I'm cranky. I LIKE my weekly or bi-weekly comics dammit! Did anyone else have this problem? I didn't even notice until I got home, when it finally dawned on me.

What else can I whine about?

And I almost forgot, because I REALLY have my head up my ass this week, but I've been awarded a Kreativ Blogger Award! Thank you to both "DC Women Kicking Ass", and "Adventures of Comic Book Girl"!

I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do, but I'd love to pass this award on to Sea of Green At the Hoosier Journal of Inanity, and to Duskdog, over at Long Dogs and Longboxes, because they are two of my favorite people.

Now, I think I'm supposed to list a few things of interest about me.

What the heck, I'm old, and a Mom, and I've been reading and buying comics since I was fifteen. I'm fifty-two now, so it's been a while. I like to draw, and read, and think that gravy is nature's most perfect food. I hate radishes. And okra. I like Green Lanterns, and their magnificent behinds. And really, what else IS there?

Anyway, here is a very nice picture of the Warriors Three.



I know this isn't my usual "schtick", and there are no behinds to be seen at all, but what the heck. It's a very nice picture anyway.

Happy Reading!

Oops

I did a very bad thing, and I would like to humbly apologize. The other day, I ran a very funny scan, that I had taken from the incredible Ty Templeton's Art Land site at http://tytempletonart.wordpress.com, without giving him credit for the work.

As I go merrily from blog to blog and from site to site, if I see a great picture, I frequently download it. I try to remember where I got it, and sometimes I forget, and that's not the polite nor the correct thing to do. Mr. Templeton reminded me of this, and was quite nice about it, and in the future I will REALLY try to be sure and credit the authors.

Mea Culpa.

The Physical Prowess of Guy Gardner

Doesn't THAT sound pretentious? Or at least portentious. I was originally going to use "athleticism", but I'm not sure if that is the way that it is spelled, and although my actual blog entries are probably riddled with spelling and grammatical errors, I do at least try and keep the titles fairly legible.

Why do I always end up rambling off in a tangent?

Anyway, getting back to the thrust of my argument. It has always been interesting to me, that Guy was presented as being an athlete right from the beginning...except that originally he was a gymnast and gym teacher, and then suddenly became a footplayer. And not JUST a football player but a defensive linebacker!

The two...don't really mesh that well.



There are quite a number of pictures of Guy using gymnastic equipment. He's on the rings here, and I remember some other stuff as well. Later on, after he had run away from Maltus back to Earth, he trapped all of the other Green Lanterns in a green glowing construct of bars and stuff. Hal was pissed, and yet strangely impressed, as I recall. It wasn't really until Beau Smith came along that the college football career seemed to come into effect. At least that's how I remember it. Otherwise, you would have thought that he and Booster would have had a lot to talk about in the old JLI.

Nothing wrong with being a brilliant college football player of course, and I always liked that Guy ended up being the star player instead of Mace, and that it STILL wasn't enough to win any attention from his miserable old goat of a Father. But a Linebacker? Those guys are built like TANKS!

In Green Lantern, and in the old JLI, Guy WASN'T built like a tank. He was listed as being 6' tall, which is the same as Hal, but Hal usually looked a bit broader in the chest. John was bigger, Kyle was smaller. The way that Guy was drawn by Joe Staton, or Kevin Maguire or Adam Hughes or Ty Templeton, was as a man in tip-top physical condition, muscular without being freakish. I rather liked that.

In the 90's of course, EVERYONE was presented as being bizzarely muscled! So suddenly, Guy went from being long and lean to having the physique of the Hulk.



Oh well. It WAS the 90's. Even the women looked like the Hulk. But in my mind, he may have played college football, but NOT as a linebacker.

He would have been a tight end.



Oh yeah.

And...To Finish Romance Week

Sorry about missing yesturday. I actually had to work A WHOLE DAY!!! Usually, I'm 8-2, but I stayed till 5, because two of my coworkers had to leave early, and there wouldn't have been anyone left to answer the phones. The place was a ghost town by 3:00! How do people DO that all day?!!

Anyhoo.

I do believe that we'll finish up Romance comic week with this little gem.



That's not Hal or Guy or even Kyle. That's Bruce Wayne.

*snicker*

If they had the "Return of Bruce Wayne" take a stop off in Regency England, I would be all OVER it!

Enough of Romance...Howzabout Some Reviews?

Well, that was a very pleasant week at the comic book store! I did pick up Batman #700, mainly because I was curious, and it was quite nice. I don't have a lot of time or angst invested in Batman, so I was perfectly happy with all of the stories. Plus some of the art was simply glorious. Some of it was not so glorious, but hey, them's the breaks.

I was also quite pleased with The Return of Bruce Wayne #3. Pirate Batman! The Black Pirate from Starman, and Blackbeard! What's NOT to like!Grant Morrison seems to be enjoying himself, and the art was quite nice. It had pirates, and caves, and treasure and Batpeople and mayhem and swashbuckling. Lots and lots of swashbuckling. Grant Morrison can buckle my swash ANY day!

Green Lantern Corps #49. Egad!

Green Arrow #1. Yes, I admit that I went out and bought this. I just can't resist Ollie, and that's an awfully pretty cover. Besides, I mostly buy my books because I like the CHARACTERS, so I'm willing to give just about any writer or artist a chance. So don't blow it.

It wasn't really bad at all. There is a giant star-shaped forest in the middle of Star City, which is rather odd. The rest of Star City seems to be going to the dogs. Yes, Ollie does save that attractive young lady from a fate worse than death, that we saw in all of the previews,and he fills quite a number of unpleasant young men full of pointy sticks into the bargain. She's probably going to be a recurring character, since they went to the trouble of giving her a name and a bit of a backstory. The politicians are corrupt and the police are even more corrupt, so the poor people of Star City are suffering a lot. Ollie is more than happy to hang out in the forest as a latter-day Robin Hood, literally stealing from the rich to give to the poor. Too bad some of the poor don't like his hors d' oevres.

Oh, and Hal shows up, and manages to fall on his head, when his ring suddenly stops working. It may have something to do with the large White Lantern symbol that is on an equally large tree. You know I can't resist Hal, so I'll be picking this up for a while.

Justice League: Generation Lost #4. I actually didn't hate this issue. Maybe I'm getting into the story a bit more, although I still am not thrilled with the way that Ice whines all of the time. Our doughty heroes were somehow transported to Russia of all places, where they manage to run into a bunch of Rocket Reds, who are fighting an OLD Rocket Red, and in all of the mayhem, they end up helping the lone Rocket. Red. That guy. He's more than delighted to hang out with the JLI. They all deny it, but then it finally dawns on Booster that this is what Max has been planning all along. He's getting the Band Back Together.

Max meanwhile is having problems of his own, since every time he uses his mind whammy powers, he creates a Black Lantern. A DEAD Black Lantern. I have to admit that I'm becoming intrigued. Just what the heck is going on here? All we need is a Green Lantern, which is exactly what the new Rocket Red pointed out, expecting a GL to simply fall from the sky.

It had better be Guy!

Streets of Gotham #13 was fun. It finished up the story of the Carpenter, and how she manages to escape being the guinea pig to test the serious of deadly boobytraps that she's created for her insane movie-making employer. He wants to trap Batman and film it all, but he is also planning on using her first...to test the traps and to get out of paying her. So this was fun.

Also Manhunter was wonderful. Really, trying to use Ramsey as a way to get back at Kate is probably one of the stupidest things that Jane Doe ever tried. So wonderful.

And finally, I picked up Superman #700, and it was quite enjoyable. I haven't been following the Superman War, or the whole Krypton thing, so this wraps up a few loose ends, and it was just so nice to get Clark and Lois back together again. And the story with Superman and Robin was just cute. So it was definitely worthwhile.

And finally, simply because I cannot let this whole Romance Comics Cover thing go...



Why look, there's Guy and Kari Limbo before Hal Jordan entered and destroyed their lives! I'm sure that Guy is managing to keep one eye on the television, although I must admit to being surprised that he's not watching a football game.

Still More Romance Covers

Man, I've got a ton of these. They're just mindboggling really.

Here's Hal getting together with some random blonde. Fill in the name of the lucky girl!



I'm not exactly sure what it is that she's supposed to "get over", but if it doesn't bother Hal, then it doesn't bother me.

More Romance Comic Covers!

These just crack me up for some reason.

Here's an interesting one.



Well, Obviously Hal and Carol are having one whale of a good time. Right in front of the entire office too! Oh, those swinging pilots. The excitement has bleached all of the black right out of Carol's hair. And her frumpy secretary is so hot for Hal, that she's pretending to be his fiance, and has even come up with a cute nickname for him.

And dig those loafers!

Romance Comics Week!

Gosharootie, I simply adore those unbelieveably cheesy old Romance Comics. Firstly, it seems that most of the heroes look just like Hal Jordan. Or Barry. A few even look like Guy. The women all look pretty much the same with the exception of hair color and style. There's a LOT of mooning around, sighing and crying. Man is there a lot of crying.

If I were making Romance comics today, I think I'd use "Bucket O'Tears" as my title.

But anyway here's a lovely cover.



Once again Hal appears, although this time he appears to be a teenaged Hal. But still apparently a heartbreaker. I simply LOVE the cuffs on his rolled up jeans. He's probably headed down to the basement to deal with the busted water heater. His hysterical girlfriend however KNOWS what evil lurks in the basement! Probably Parallax, is lurking up in the pipes.

Can you come up with a more plausible scenario?

Happy Father's Day

Gosh, that's an original title! Nevertheless, I hope you all have fun with your Dads, or if you ARE a Dad, you have fun with your kids.

And just another little gem from Black Cat. THIS is how I like to think of the Arrow Clan.



Oh, if only.

I've Been Thinking

Always a dangerous pastime. But I keep picking away at the thought of the new Justice League: Generation Lost book like a scab. It is BOTHERING me. And in a way, I suppose that that is a GOOD thing, because as much as the out-of-character writing of Tora is annoying me, I can still hardy wait for the next issue, just to see what is going on. And that therefore, the book has done what it is supposed to. Get me to read, and think about it.

Just what IS going on with Max Lord anyway? On the one hand, you have him trying to talk to Booster and he says that he misses him...albeit while bashing him in the head with a piece of rebar. And Max is portrayed in a slightly more favorable light in Booster Gold. So that's one side. On the other hand, he's going out of his way to be unbelievably obnoxious to Fire, Ice and Capt. Atom back in the JLI book. It's almost as though there are TWO Max's!

Could that be it? From way back when, Max was possessed by that cyborg thingie, and mind controlled by Kilg%re. And we know that Kilg%re is still around...at least I THINK so, because he showed up in the final issues of Birds of Prey, when they were in Platinum Flats. Geoff Johns has talked about the possibility of redemption for some of the characters that were brought back in Brightest Day, and if anyone needs redemption, it has to be Max Lord.

Not to mention the fact, that Captain Atom and Hawk were ALSO heroes who went bad. Really bad. Monarch and Extant ring any bells? And yet here they are, all happy and shiny and redeemed. Wonder Woman didn't twist THEIR heads off!

So, I'm beginning to suspect that there is more to all of this, than we have actually seen so far. I'm nervous...but hopeful.

The Karate Kid [2010]

Director: Harald Zwart
Cast: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, Taraji P. Henson, Wen Wen Han, Zhenwei Wang
Genre: Martial Arts/Comedy/Drama
Rating: General
Comment: "About as predictable as any remake, but this is a remake that stands on it's own two feet..."

One look at the cast and it is easy to recognise that this movie was made as a star vehicle for the Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith offspring, Jaden Smith. Frankly FPBM! thinks it is a spectacular idea for he truly deserves a shot, even at his young age. He first came into prominence with the release of the Chris Gardner biopic, The Pursuit of Happyness [2006]. Being a child actor, few would expect him to actually wow the audience with the kind of acting adults are capable of. In The Karate Kid, however, it might render his first performance seem mediocre at best for he seemed to have improved a lot since.

Being a remake, little can be said about the plot. Jaden Smith stars as a twelve-year-old whom with his mother, relocates to China. Cultural differences is not the only trouble he faces, he also has to face becoming a bully victim. He then forge an unlikely alliance with an aging maintenance man, who teaches him kung fu as a mean to protect himself.

Yes, Kung fu. Not Karate, but Kung fu. What prompted this change is nobody's guess, but most probably because of the change in the setting. From an aesthetic point of view, maybe it is because Kung fu has a reputation of being beautiful but deadly art; and they show up better, flashier on camera. In fact, the entire movie is beautiful thanks to it's excellent cinematography.

One can't help but applaud Jaden Smith for his performance. Not only he is a spitting image of his father, it would also seem like he inherited his talents as well. He mixes action with comedy very well and I am glad he refrained from incorporating the archetypal African-American Gangsta-style of acting. More importantly, you will no longer feel like he is a wannabe who cashes in on his father's fame. No doubt, judging from what can be seen here, he will grow up into a credible movie star in his own right.

The inclusion of Jackie Chan in this film might initially appear questionable. Sure, he has a life-long reputation of a legendary action star and watching him portray a kung fu master is not at all surprising. But take notice that ever since he's been pushing fifty, he began venturing more into dramatic roles with his most successful one so far being Shinjuku Incident [2009]. His performance in The Karate Kid may have further strengthened his credibility as a dramatic actor - his character's physical prowess was downplayed and he was shown to have a prominent sensitive side.

My only complaint is the movie could have benefited from shorter running time by including less training montage. But this issue is very benign and it hardly disrupts the viewing experience.

Overall, this is a remake you would not want to miss for it is an absolute pleasure to watch. If you're sentimental enough, you might even shed a tear or two.

Points Calculation

The Good [+100]
- Story
- Heart-warming
- Solid performances
- Inspiring

The Bad [-10]
- A tad long

100 - 10 = 90 points

Summer May not be Official

Ok, Summer isn't here quite yet, that's on Monday, but it certainly FEELS like Summer! Fortunately, my house has thick old brick walls, so it actually stays fairly cool in the summertime. Plus all those porches and things, help keep the windows cool. The Victorians may not have had air conditioning, but they knew a thing or two about keeping things cool.

And speaking of keeping cool...



...here's Oracle and Black Canary taking a refreshing dip in the water. It's not erotic at all, they were just hawt! I mean hot.

See, it's not male Green Lantern butts ALL the time around here. Sometimes I remember that boys read comics too.

Toy Story 3 [2010]

Director: Lee Unkrich
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Action
Rating: General
Comment: "Surprisingly we can never outgrow these toys for they never get old..."

Fifteen years after it's debut, the toys are back for the third time and guess what? We still care about them. What makes the Toy Story series so endearing is how they play with nostalgia and evoke those childhood memories few of us could really remember, but we all knew it was some of the best years of our life. After three movies, it still works.

Toy Story 3 tells the part of the story that was hinted in it's predecessor; beloved Andy is all grown up and is going off to college. Few people play with toys beyond the age of fifteen, and Andy is no different. Hence, the toys now have two possible routes waiting for them; they can only either go to the trash, or be donated.

I shall not give away too much details here, but some of you might have already guessed that chances are only the principal cast remain for this sequel. That doesn't mean you will feel like there is something missing, for you could never go wrong with Pixar. The movies has plenty of laughs, fond memories of our own childhood and plenty more.

If there are any complaints however, certain elements from the second movie was carried over to the third movie. Whether or not this is intentional is no one's idea, but it might hamper the experience for you will not be left guessing as to who is the 'villain' this time around.

Toy Story 4 is very much unlikely, for the ending of this movie pretty much wraps everything up for the toys. This is probably the most heart-warming moment of them all for Andy is a very sentimental guy - let's just leave it at that.

Points Calculation

The Good [+100]
- Story
- Heart-warming

The Bad [-30]
- Predictability

100 - 30 = 70 points

Reviews and Celebrations

Egad, but that was a tiny tiny week for books. Still, it wasn't too bad, all things considering.

First off, was Birds of Prey. I have to say that the art was actually rather moody and atmospheric in this issue,which is not something that I normally associate with Ed Benes, so kudos to him. We still don't know who the White Canary is, but boy howdy, does she have a beef with Dinah! And the Blackmailer just went ahead and outed her, just as was threatened. And that's not all.

Oh Creote and Savant. *sniff*

Dagnabit. If you haven't read it yet, this is a spoiler. Savant and Creote bite the big one...and I'm sad. And yet, at least in THIS story, their deaths actually serve a purpose, or at least it doesn't feel so gratuitous. Gail has never played us false, and I tend to grant her some slack that I don't necessarily lend to other writers. But the Birds have been set up, and big time, they are on the run from the law, and are apparently aiding and abetting the Penguin of all people. This of course, just makes Oracle mad. And when Babs gets mad, it is always interesting.

Brightest Day #4 has Hawkman and Hawkgirl viewing the rather singular sight of a glowing portal made from their former skeletons. THAT'S just not something that you see every day. Carter of course, is all hot to trot to just jump through and see what's on the other side. Shayera, actually having a brain, voices a few doubts, which are rather brusquely brushed aside. I'll bet that Carter never stops to ask directions either.

Meanwhile, Deadman pops up in Georgetown of all places after his uncermonious departure from Qward. A beautiful white-haired young lady is sleeping, and for one startled moment, I thought it was Ice, but it is actually Dove. I think that she and Boston are equally startled. He apologizes for waking her up, and they start talking, but naturally, Hawk comes busting in and starts beating Boston up, because that's what Hawk does.

In New Mexico, a pair of attractive young lovers are at a lake. She's about to jump in, but he pulls her back,which turns out to have been a good thing, since all the water has mysteriously disappeared. While in the Bermuda Triangle, all kinds of peculiar things are happening, while a very cranky looking lady, who somewhat resembles Mera bursts out of the water, with mayhem on her mind.

Raymond is having bad dreams while at school, haunted by Gemma, while Jason also dreams. Interesting.

And now that they know Boston Brand still has his white ring, Hawk decides to put it to good use, by having him resurrect his brother Don. We'll see how THAT works out. Seriously, let's go over to the Dibny's graves and see if it works there too!

I'm enjoying the heck out of this book so far.

The story of Snow White and Rose Red continues in Fables #96. Willingham may be something of a jackass when it comes to dealing with people at conventions, but curse it, he's a damned good writer. He successfully, at least in my opinion manages to meld the two versions of Snow's origin together, and to explain what and how she ended up where she did, and how she was separated from Rose. I can hardly wait to read next month's issue!
Good good stuff.

Joker's Asylum II: Harley Quinn. I don't usually pick these up, but I enjoyed the one with the Riddler so much that I felt it worth a try. And it's also quite enjoyable. Harley busts out of jail, even though she is due for payroll in a couple of weeks, because it is Valentine's Day, and she simply HAS to have a nice date with her Puddin'. The ins and outs and various vagaries of her day, are a lot of fun, as is the denoument. Oh, and the Joker has a cute little puppy.
\
DC Universe Legacies #2 also continues to entertain me. We have such lovely artwork, and two excellent stories of days past, the first one continues the story of Paulie, the boy from the last issue who has decided to give up his life of petty crime. The Kubert art is just gorgeous, and it's a fun story, that leads up to the disappearance of the Justice Society.

The second story is with the Seven Soldiers of Victory, illustrated by J.H. Williams, and it's beautiful too, and a heck of a lot of fun. They've captured the spirit of the Golden Age, without making mock of it.

And finally...



...because it's my birthday today, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with a superhero birthday party. And GREEN LANTERNS! So, so perfect.

I hope you all enjoyed YOUR books!

Running Around Like Mad

Gosh, I'm having a busy day. I've got to get to the comic book store of course, even though it looks as though it's going to be a pretty light week. Still, I AM a creature of habit. I also have to go and see if I can find my way around the wilds of Springfield, Mass, in order to find a small costume shop, wherein I can pick up a couple of Barrister's wigs and an English Judge's wig. And therein lies a tale.

My attorney, and one of our oldest and dearest friends, is going to be appointed a Connecticut Superior Court Judge, so we're going to a party for it on Saturday. My Sweet Baboo, and his various partners in crime, decided to get Jay a Judge's wig, while they would dress up as Barristers, in the black robes and stuff. They may be old, but they still are boys at heart. So I think it will be fun.

But what makes this pertinant to comics you may say? Well, Jay went to school with the son of Nick Cardy, and they used to play over at Cardy's house, and read tons of old comics, and drive him nuts when he was trying to draw.

Draw things like THIS!



Gorgeous, isn't it? *sigh*. I love Nick Cardy.

I just offer this as proof, that reading comics DOESN'T ROT YOUR BRAIN! And I know a Hawaiian shirt-silly-wig wearing Judge, who is an example of that!

Best Collaborations

People often forget that directing and acting are jobs because they are so glamorous. But it remain as that - a job. With that being said, virtually any job require teamwork and good teamwork means good outcome. Film-making is no different. Very often we see the same people working behind the screen of movies that turn out so well. Without a doubt, credit goes to excellent teamwork among the production team.

This entry shall focus on what we can see on the screen; the common recurring collaborations between any given director and lead actors. The numbering may be a subject of dispute, but bear in mind that these rankings are the result of filtering them through several criteria;

1. The collaboration occurred more than twice
2. Critical success comes first, but commercial success is also taken into consideration
3. Varying nature of subject matter
   
4. Total amount of successful collaborations
5. Cultural significance
   

Hence without further ado, here are the unofficial ranking of some of the best duo to ever work on movies.

#1 Akira Kurosawa & Toshiro Mifune
Number of Collaborations:
16

Greatest Hits:
Rashomon [1950]
Seven Samurai [1954]
The Hidden Fortress [1958]
Yojimbo [1961]

A collaboration that lasted almost two decades, the influence of the Kurosawa-Mifune pair remain to this day arguably unsurpassed.
Now, Akira Kurosawa would easily top any knowledgeable movie buff's list of Greatest Filmmakers of All Time and not without good reasons. The man pioneered many film-making techniques that has now became cliches. But the man behind the camera can only do so much. That is where Japanese thespian legend comes in, Toshiro Mifune brought to the set the kind of talent that complemented with Kurosawa's vision.
Although their collaboration ended bitterly, both acknowledged that they could not have made a mark in the industry the way they did if it weren't for each other. With that being said, this proved to be not only one of the best collaborations the movie world has ever seen, but also one of the most important.

#2 Martin Scorsese & Robert De Niro
Number of Collaborations:
8

Greatest Hits (as of 2010) :
Taxi Driver [1976]
Raging Bull [1980]
Goodfellas [1990]

Controversial filmmaker Martin Scorsese who had always been a stride ahead of his contemporaries, could not have found a better lead actor to complement his vision in the Hall of Famer, Robert De Niro. Their first collaboration in Taxi Driver [1976] was particularly important to both men, whose careers flourished as a result from it.
As of 2010, they had worked together for a total of eight times. Although they have their ups and downs, with landmark movies like Raging Bull [1980] and Goodfellas [1990], their collaboration will remain unforgotten for generations to come.

#3 James Cameron & Arnold Schwarzenegger

Number of Collaborations:
3

Greatest Hits (as of 2010) :
The Terminator [1984]
Terminator II: Judgment Day [1991]

Very rare do we ever get to see a collaboration that pretty much defined an era, along with that, their collaboration also redefined the action/sci-fi genre while bringing something special to the table.
James Cameron, a visionary filmmaker who had always been ahead of the curve, saw something special in Schwarzenegger. The man may not be much of an actor, for he is more of a prop. But nevertheless the Austrian Oak had what it takes to fulfill Cameron's vision of a killing machine that would stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission.
Aside from their work in the Terminator series, they had only one other collaboration in the form of action/comedy/romance True Lies [1994] in which Schwarzenegger starred alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. The film was also very commendable, although ultimately forgettable. Not to take credit away from their hard work, this is simply a matter of Terminator II: Judgment Day [1991] being a tough act to follow.

#4 Tim Burton & Johnny Depp
Number of Collaborations:
7

Greatest Hits (as of 2010) :
Edward Scissorhands [1990]
Sleepy Hollow [1999]
Sweeney Todd [2007]

What made them click was their unwillingness to conform to Hollywood norms. What set them apart from the rest of the pack is their quirky way of looking at the world, which is reflected in all of the movies they have worked on thus far - All seven of them (Rumour has it there is another one coming in 2011). Even so, the world could never get tired of seeing their names sharing screen credit. If anything, we can never have enough of it.
However, that is not to say that neither of them could do without the other for they both have a very respectable body of work outside of their collaboration. But we all know why we love seeing Johnny Depp in a Tim Burton movie; they take us to a place we are all familiar with, yet could never get used to - that place where you are unsure if you are still dreaming or awake. That is exactly the kind of feeling these duo are able to evoke. Tim Burton provides the world, and Johnny Depp makes it believable.

#5 Ridley Scott & Russell Crowe
Number of Collaborations:
5

Greatest Hits (as of 2010) :
Gladiator [2000]
American Gangster [2007]

Prior to the movie that revitalised the swords-and-sandals genre, these two had never shared screen credit but they both at the time had already possessed a solid career in show business - Ridley Scott in particular whose body of work include the sci-fi classics such as Alien [1979] and Blade Runner [1982].
Ridley Scott is known for taking meticulous care in the making of his movies, topped only by the legendary Stanley Kubrick. Scott is also known for his wide range as a director, having directed various genres of movies from family-friendly movies, to dark and murky sci-fi, to the epic of biblical proportions. Nothing could complement his abilities better than the Australian actor, Russell Crowe whose range as an actor is just as intriguing.

Their first collaboration - Gladiator [2000] - proved to be fruitful; a critical and commercial success, raking in more than 450 million dollars in worldwide gross. They had since worked together five more times as of 2010.

#6 Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks
Number of Collaborations:
3

Greatest Hits (as of 2010) :
Saving Private Ryan [1998]
Catch Me If You Can [2002]
The Terminal [2004]

Steven Spielberg, a versatile director whose name is a staple in the movie business as Kleenex is to tissue papers. Spielberg has an overwhelmingly amazing body of work. But few of them are as memorable as his works with fellow Hall of Famer, the living legend Tom Hanks.
To date, they have worked together only three times, but those three movies are all special in their own right - All three feature different settings, mood and subject matter. All three elements were played masterfully and one cannot imagine anyone else filling in the shoes of either silver-screen legends.

If Hal and Guy aren't Going to be Friends...?

...It is going to mess up the group dynamic something fierce. I still don't know exactly WHAT it is that Ganthet and Atrocitus have got up their collective sleeves, or what Guy is going to be doing in his new book, but apparently, it is something that Hal will disapprove of.

And really, what on EARTH would Hal disapprove of? Hal is an odd combination of rebel and the ultimate Company Man. If Guy is going to be undermining the Guardians, I can only think that Hal would approve of such a thing, considering his own issues with the little blue pixies. I really can't conceive of Guy agreeing to do anything completely underhanded, because he DOES have a strong moral code, so at this point I'm completely flummoxed.

But anyway, getting back to the premise. If Guy and Hal have a falling out, then what happens to custody of their joint friends? John will back Hal of course. He always does. He always did. Well, except for when Hal was Parallax. I think that Kyle however, will go with Guy. They've been partners and they've become awfully close lately. Kyle likes Hal, but they really haven't been in the trenches together the way that he and Guy have. I would also have to say that I imagine Kilowog will side with Guy...since they're just about bestest buddies as well.

In fact, when it comes right down to it, I would have to say that most of the Corps would probably back Guy if it came down to a popularity contest. Guy has been involved with the Corps, living on Oa, and working with the rookies. Hal has been mostly on Earth, except for short visits, and there is still that whole lingering Parallax thingie to live down. Most of the GL's probably realize by now, that Hal, and later Kyle weren't responsible for Parallax's shenanigans, but still, when you've been killed and then brought back by someone who looks exactly like your hero, it's hard to get over that.

Whatever the result, I guess we won't be having all the guys hanging out at Warriors anymore, and that's a shame.



I always loved it when they all got together and drank beer and played cards and talked about the good old days when Hal wasn't crazy. Now I just want to see them all get together and talk about the good NEW days, now that Guy isn't crazy. Or Hal. Or Kyle. John has never been crazy. John doesn't get to have a whole lot of fun, now that I come to think of it.

Feeling Lazy

Back from the Special Olympics. Chris won a gold in the 4x100 relay and the running long jump, and a silver in the shot put, so we're all very proud of him. There was ice cream for everyone! We also marched in an incredibly LOOOOOOONG Fireman's parade, and my feet may never recover.

So, it's Monday, and I'm feeling unbelievably lazy and unmotivated. But here is my blog, just begging for attention. And so, I fall back upon the tried and true.



Egad, a two-fer! Not only do I present to you Kyle's magnificent hindquarters, but Conner's as well!

I rather miss Conner. Apparently, Ollie's obssesive jackassery, has made him decide to abandon his Buddhism, and all the tenents that he was raised by, and become a jackass TOO! Or something. The Arrow family has been increasingly convoluted lately. It's a relief to only have to deal with the 7200 members of the Green Lantern Corps!

Off To The Races

Well, the Special Olympics anyway. Time for our yearly pilgrimage with our son Chris. He's been doing this for more than ten years now, and still loves it...and has the medals to prove it. It IS exciting, and fun, although it is a heck of a long weekend. And rain and thunderstorms are forecast, which is a bit of a bummer. But what can you do?

THEN I get to march in a parade! All this fresh air and exercise is killing me!

So...for absolutely no reason at all, other than it makes me snicker...



...Namor, falling with his legs open. He'd have made a GREAT Green Lantern!

Bouquets and Brickbats

Ok, let's try something new for a change. What comics were worthy of a bouquet this week, and what comics...were not.

Obviously I loved Secret Six, Jonah Hex, and Prince of Power, with Thor and Amadeus Cho. But the two that seemed to strike the biggest chord with me this week, were Booster Gold and Justice League: Generation Lost. But Booster is getting the bouquet, and JL:GL is getting the brickbat.

Interestingly enough, they both cover the same thing to a certain extent. And Keith Giffen is involved with both of them.

In Booster Gold, Booster comes up with the brilliant idea of searching for Max Lord in the past, hoping that he hasn't thought to cover ALL of his tracks. Rip is skeptical, but goes along. Little Rani, the child that Booster brought back from Daxam last issue is adorable, scrawling ponies and butterflies on Rip's blackboard. Naturally, this makes me fear greatly for her life.

But before Booster can go time diving, he's fighting a menace in the present, by the name of Brigadoom. He's large, Scots, and has a kilt and an enormous...moustache. He's a bit of a twit and just keeps yelling threats in a Scottish brogue, and referring to himself in the third person in proper villainish fashion. Naturally, Booster makes mincemeat out of him, although he's a little more snarky than usual because he hasn't had his morning coffee yet. Then Cyborg from the Titans shows up and makes a pest of himself, sneering at Booster and the old JLI. Booster has had just about enough of everyone's attitudes, and let's him have it...with both barrels.

FINALLY!!

The JLI weren't screw-ups! They were simply...lighthearted. And J'onn J'onnz AND Batman were a part of that group, which everyone seems to gloss over.

*ahem*

As I said, Rip is skeptical, but he does hand Booster his old suit with the collar, and off he goes. And...and there's Ted, yawning over monitor duty, and there's J'onn, and there's Booster trying to blend in...only to get nabbed by J'onn, who is highly confused. Booster IS Booster, but his thought waves are different...oh, and his hair may be thinning in the back, which cracked me up. Present Booster decides to make himself scarce, just as old Booster shows up. Booster then goes skulking through the embassy, and indulges in a little bit of heartfelt nostalgia, before he has to hide from Black Canary, who is pissed as hell, since she just found out that old Booster had been plied with booze by some lowlife reporters, and made up some story about the two of them. He's ashamed of course, but she takes it a whole lot better than I thought she would.

Then he runs into Max, and is bemused to realize that he still looks upon Max as a...friend. Makes sense to me, because back then, Max may have been morally ambiguous some of the time, but he WAS a good guy. He tries to swipe a video tape with Max on it, but of course it doens't make the jump back to the future. Booster is beside himself, and Rip is still a bit skeptical, but it seems to me that he's coming around, since he indulges in a bit of cryptic advice.

This was funny and sweet, and all of the characters were IN character!

And then there was JL:GL.

I want to like this. I do. It is an interesting set up, and so far Booster has been portrayed the best of all the reunited JLIers. Plus Jaime and his family show up, and it showcases some of my absolute favorite characters in the world.

But...is it too much to ask for them to be portrayed IN character? Bea and Captain Atom aren't TOO bad, and Booster so far is coming off as the smartest of the bunch. But I don't even recognize Tora. I can't help but wonder if Mr. Winick has even READ any old JLI's. Perhaps this is my fangirl privilege showing through. Every writer of course has their own interpretation of the different characters given to them...but Winick's Tora is so completely alien, that I'm repulsed. The OLD Tora was simply the sweetest, nicest person on the planet. Who was incidentally possessed of a very strong inner core of steel, that she didn't have to use very often, but sometimes did...much to the regret of people who underestimated her. She is also the daughter of a King, and was brought up to do her duty.

What she WOULDN'T do, is moan and whine, and keep trying to run away. I don't know WHO this Tora is, but she's not particularly heroic...or even very nice. And when they are all getting sucked into the vortex left by the departing Omacs, which had been attacking Jaime's family, Booster decides that they are coming along for the ride...and Tora, TORA says "...the Hell we are! Get me OUT of this!!"

Yes. Mr. Winick made Tora Olafsdottir swear.

And also, when the Reyes were being attacked, all they did was cower in a corner. Shouldn't Mr. Reyes have been smacking them with his cane at least? The Reyes are one of the most awesome families in DC history, they may not be superpowered, but they aren't cowards.

I...I have to go and lie down now.

Comics!

Ah, Thursday. We've all had a chance to go to the Comic Book Stores on Wednesday, and sit down and read our four-color booty. Well, it used to be that way, they all seem to have digital coloring nowadays. But I'm straying from the point.

Things That Made Me Happy in my Comics This Week:

Ponies and butterflies on Rip's Chalkboard!
"Brigadoom"! Best new name for a villain in quite some time.
A Sacajawea sighting! That's not something that just happens every day!
A Jaime sighting as well.
How Amadeus handles himself while fighting Thor. A whole lot better than I expected, I can tell you that!
My God. Ragdoll is actually...tall! Who knew?
Flying Old Men.

I also finally managed to get my grubby mitts on the hardback Jonah Hex: No Way Back tome, and it is...well it's fabulous. Tony DeZuniga KNOWS how to make everything gritty and dusty and bloody and violent. It's a bit more stylized than his older stuff, but no less beautiful. And as bad as Jonah can be, his Pa was SO much worse! If you can find this, it is so completely and totally worth it.

Thro Sneak Preview

We may watch a sneak preview of Thor thanks ET, teh gives shows the behind the scenes of Thor plus some footage and an interview of Natalie Portman and Chris Hemsowrth:


Two screen caps from the clip above:


I kind of like what I saw. What about you? Do you think that the movie Thor will be a hit?
:)

Jonah Hex is the Bee's Knees

Well, I finally managed to get my hands on last week's Jonah Hex: No Way Back hardcover book, by Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti, and the incomparable Tony DeZuniga, and I am as happy as can be. Not only that, but the regular Jonah Hex book ALSO came out this week.



A Darwyn Cooke cover no less. Be still my heart. AND the movie comes out next week, I believe. I've even seen trailers on the old T.V.! This much Jonah Hex can only be a GOOD thing!

Marvel has also brought out a western, but I do believe that they are simply making fun of the Rawhide Kid again.

*sigh*

Oh God, Not Another Tuesday

Man oh man, Tuesdays can be tough. But hey, that's what Photobucket was MADE for.

I've got something of a different treat in store for you all today. Cats seem to keep cropping up in DC lately. Arsenal was having an...episode with a dead cat in an alley. Catwoman is running around and being pretty interesting over in Gotham City Sirens.

But this has got to be my favorite cat page...ever.



I HAVE a cat. It...it's just so perfect.

God, I'm going to miss Amanda Conner on this book.

Back In The Saddle Again

Aaaaand, we're back. I'll say one thing...camping without running water or electricity is NOT my thing...at least anymore. Having a shower, a four-poster bed, a small round Englishman to wait on me hand and foot and the best Eggs Benedict I've ever eaten, was infinitely preferable to sleeping in a tiny vintage camper, and washing with cold water and a washcloth.

But anyway. Comics.

I find myself looking forward to Wednesday with a combination of anticipation and trepidation. Justice League #3 is coming out, and after LAST week's mangling of the characters, I am wondering what Winick is going to offer us. It's a bit like a highway wreck, you don't want to look, but still find yourself slowing down to take a gander. I WANT to like this, but I'd prefer to read about some of my favorite characters...not the ones that Winick apparently plucked out of the air.

Now Brightest Day on the other hand, has been pretty good so far. There are several different strands of story, and it has been interesting seeing where they are going. The art has been superior as well. I presume that Deadman is going to be the glue holding the whole thing together. Plus, there is always a bit of Sinestro being sarcastic, which I simply adore. I can't WAIT until he finds out about Kyle and Soranik shacking up.

I'm not quite sure when the Time Travelers mini is coming out...the one where Hal, Rip, Booster and Superman are wandering around through time, trying to find Batman. It is SUCH an interesting combination of characters, that I think it will be quite fascinating.



That...is a cool cover.

Rip is being stalwart, Booster is posing, Hal is flexing a bit, and poor Superman is going "get them off, get them off!" in the background.

Heh.

D'oh!

It's National Donut Day! Or Doughnut, if you are a purist. This is the sort of holiday that I can really get behind. It's right up there with "Dress Like A Gorilla Day" and "Talk Like A Pirate Day". Nerds have a lot to answer for.

I'm taking the weekend off. Yes, I know this brings a chill to your hearts, but I'm off to the wilds of Kinderhook, N.Y. for a nice fife and drum Muster. We get to wander around the Historical Society, and Martin Van Buren's childhood home or something, and probably drop like flies from the heat and humidity...but it Will Be Fun.

Since my Sweet Baboo considers camping to be when the ice machine on his floor is out of order, we are NOT pitching a tent or staying in a camper on the parade grounds, but instead in an incredibly historic Bed & Breakfast Inn, conveniently located two doors down. I can rough it when I have to, but I have to admit that coming home to a jacuzzi and sherry on the veranda are MOST attractive.

Brightest Day was pretty good. It didn't have Hal kicking any cats though. What it is with DC and cats lately? Power Girl's cat has been the hit of her series, and finally gets a name, Hal is molesting Dex-Star, and Roy is beating up thugs with a dead cat in an alley in Arsenal. Not that I actually BOUGHT Arsenal...but I heard about it.

Go forth and eat doughnuts.

Borrowing from the Best

Gee, I sure do miss the Absorbascon. Sadly, Scipio closed it down a while back, but I still stop by once in a while to visit...and just to make sure that he hasn't posted something.

One of the things that he used to do, was every week, he'd have "Things That Made Me Happy", and then write cryptic clues about the new books that had come out that week. It was one of my favorite things to read, and I was wondering if it would be proper blogging etiquette to start it up again? Or would that be a faux pas?

But anyway, for this week at least, here are some of the things that Made Me Happy in my Comics.

The Joker tells a Love story.
Even the Bat-Computer can pick up a virus.
Sandy had a speaking part! Brief, but it was there.
Future Nazis are actually quite efficient
It's raining Green Lanterns!
Boy, the Hawks have died...a LOT!
The White entity has a strange sense of humor.

Toodles!

Alas...!

...No comics today.

So instead, I'll give the guys something to keep them warm, as we mourn the last issue of Amanda Conner's Power Girl.



Haw! Not what you USUALLY get on my site!

Back To the Grind

Man, I did NOT want to go back to work again today...especially, because it was such a GORGEOUS weekend. Now it's cloudy and we have some random thunderstorms, and...and...bleh. So I HOPE that everyone had a lovely Memorial Day. And remember that the books will be coming on Thursday instead of Wednesday, which always throws me off, even though it does seem to occur fairly regularly.



So. We've all seen the upcoming cover of August's Green Lantern, right?
It shows the manly manly Predator, holding a pissed-off Carol/Star Sapphire in pink chains. Unlike Carol, the Predator is wearing a completely form-covering black costume with nifty armor. This is so TOTALLy unfair. If most of the Star Sapphires are going to prance around in barely-there outfits, then by gum, their avatar should be equally half-nekkid.

But noooooooo!

So. You know who SHOULD be the embodiment of a Male Star Sapphire?



Vartox. He'd be PERFECT as a Male Star Sapphire. I cannot claim authorship for this perfectly stunning idea, someone on the Scans Daily blog came up with it first...but I think it's rather brilliant. Not only does he bare his manly chest and thighs, but he's just so INTO it! The Predator is something of a Wuss in comparison.

Alas, an opportunity missed.