Review: Blue Beetle #24

Omigodthiswassogood.

Also this week I got Justice Society of America #13, which was rather enjoyable. I particularly like the penciller on this book. Rock on, Fernando Pasarin. Your expressions make me a happy HAC.

Also got the Blue Beetle Reach for the Stars TPB. It was fun. And went from issue 13-19, which is bigger than I thought it would be, but also means that the unexpected guest issue isn't going to mess with the next trade, so I'm OK with that.

I did not get Teen Titans #56 and, in fact, did not even bother to flip through it in the shop, and I don't particularly feel like regretting it, either.

So, how about that Blue Beetle #24, eh?

Cover: Ohmigod, that speech bubble they added to the cover. I screamed silently in my comic shop when I saw it. The last time I did that was-- OK, the last time I did that was when they added a speech bubble to Booster Gold #6. BUT STILL.

Pg. 1: Yay, survival for the Reyeses and company!

Pg. 2: Yay, Traci 13! Yay, cookies!

Pg. 3: Hehehe, Beetle-mobile.

And lookit how miffed Brenda is on this page. So very miffed.

Pg. 5: Unpunchableium. Kehehehe.

Pg. 6: Jaime speaking Scarab Speak! It's like a full circle of awesome from the Scarab speaking English last issue!

Oh, and the translation: "Code A1Beta." and then "Stun."

Don't need no stinking powers indeed. <3 Ted would be so very damn proud, Jaime.

Pg. 7: Pants, then spaceship. Good prioritizing, Jaime.

Scarab Speak translation: "thanks."

Pg. 8: I <3 this outfit.

Pg. 9: OK, so Brenda's obviously calling La Dama here, but who's Paco on the phone with? The Posse, maybe? but that seems awfully quick.... Although I suppose they'd mobilize more quickly than La Dama's forces, anyway....



A coincidence? I think not.

Pg. 10: Peacemaker's on his feet again! \o/ And he's got the Posse with him! \o/

Pg. 11: Scarab Speak translation: "You have no idea what I can do." Negotiator's D:/o_o face after that is awesome.

Pg. 14: La Dama! The Diviner! Mr. Reyes! *General flailing of love and awesome*

Pg. 17: The code just seems to be gibberish to me.

Pg. 18: Jaime's gleeful "I knew they were alive!" makes me happy. Mortal danger? Guards with guns that want to kill him? Bah! His family's still breathing!

Pg. 19: Mrs. Reyes and Brenda <3

Pg. 20: Oh noes!

Also, please note Mrs. Reyes with a gun there. So awesome.

But also oh noes!

Pg. 21: I'm interested in knowing what the code is for. And it interests me that Jaime's surprised the ship can't crack it.

I love the defiance here. Ted would be so very damn proud and then some. <3

Pg. 22: Khaji Da! That's the phrase Dan used to activate the Scarab, of course. I have no goddamn idea what it's giong to do in this context. I can't wait to find out. Way cruel cliffhanger.

Also, next issue features a JLI reunion, too! Booster appearing in Blue Beetle yesplz.

Review: Booster Gold #0

Well, this took forver.

The also-rans of the weeks:

Atomic Robo #5: I actually remembered the sucker this week! \o/ Amusing, but felt mostly like set-up for next issue. It happens.

Green Lantern Corps #21: I thought Boodikka has returned to Bellatrix before.... I seem to recall seeing scans of her visiting her mother on Mother's Day. That aside, I am interested in where this story's going. I am somewhat disappointed that it seems to expect one to be following the other Green Lantern book, considering that I'm only picking up GLC.

Wonder Woman #17: I do believe that I will continue to buy this book. I wouldn't say I'm ZOMGSUPEREXCITED about it, but it doesn't repulse me like Teen Titans did, so it stays.

Brave & the Bold #10: Y'know what's odd about this book? I honestly can't remember what's going on in it between issues. I'll open the book and be like, "Oh, right, last issue ended on that cliffhanger, didn't it?" and then "Oh, right, there's that Mephisto thing going on," and then "Oh, right, that team-up happened." I can't recall this happening with any of the other books I read, it's just Brave and the Bold where I keep going, "Oh, right, stuff is actually happening in this book." It's really a good book while I'm actually reading it, so I keep buying it, but it just doesn't stick once it's out of my hands.

Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps War Vol. 1 HC: I concur with the rest of the blogosphere that this event is rawkin'.

And now, the main course, Booster Gold #0:

Cover: Does not have as much Zero Hour trade dress as I would've though. Also, the image itself is slightly off-center and that bothers me.

Pg. 1: Interesting how Future Beetle doesn't quite seem to be pointing at Ted specifically. Although I'm pretty sure there's no "supposed to be dead" in Booster's life (recently).

Also, noticeable and considerable height difference yeesssssss.

Pg. 2: "Of course, I just broke the same rules I'm supposed to be enforcing," amuses me greatly, considering that Booster got his superhero career started by stealing from a museum he was employed as a security guard in.

While Max was very directly involved in Booster's League membership (and there is a certain argument to be made for making the League seem ineffective with that...), Ted was a member of the Giffen League from the very start, while I think it took almost a year for Max to really become an accepted part of the team.

Pg. 3: "Leaving my future to be eaten away by the spawn of Mr. Mind." Ooooooo, a hint of another panel of the preview page at the end of the first issue!

Dan and Ted's successive "What?"s amuse me. So much I made a LiveJournal icon out of it:


Scarab Speak Translation: "Ted, take the wheel." Which, of course, makes no sense in context.

Pg. 4: Oh hai Zero Hour!

Daaaaaaan, Jaime doesn't quite qualify as a grown man yet!

Pg. 5: Oh, wait 'til Ted hears that Booster was drunk when he rear-ended Barry, too.

Scarab Speak Translation: "Ted, take the wheel." And it actually makes sense here! And seems to be Future Beetle's Scarab speaking, which is interesting.

Pg. 6: Booster confirms that he's over 30. And, of course, he was 19 when he started, so he's been at the superhero thing for over a decade. Of course, considering how long it's probably been since CoIE for the rest of canon, a few of those years were probably spent in the future between the end of the OMAC Project mini and when Booster reappeared in Infinite Crisis. I really would like to know what happened in those years....

Scarab Speak Translation: "My Scar ab's goin g nuts." I really like how they formatted the line breaks there to show the wigging out.

Pg. 7: Hal Jordan was a good guy again by the time I started reading comics. Is hurting Parallax as big a deal as I think it is?

Booster and Hank Hall have met before. In Booster's first series, actually. Issue #17. They did not get along. Things do not seem to have improved. (Which is really no wonder, considering how Booster left Hawk at the end of that story....)

"I lost some special to me. But Parallax says he'll bring him back." Substitute "Future Beetle" for "Parallax." Smirk knowingly. And worry.

Pg. 8: Scarab Speak Translation: "Or me." Hee.

I love how "already destroyed 64th century" = "annihilate the 25th soon enough." That's not nearly 4,000 years or anything. Quick, Shane somebody who's actually read Zero Hour! How long was it between Impulse's disappearance and Booster's? And between Booster's disappearance and when the present was in very immediate danger? Because if that was like bang-bang-bang, then I'll reverse my "haha, what?" reaction to that. But otherwise....

Pg. 9: I rather like how the 25th century is still "home" for Booster, despite everything.

Pg. 10: So, it seems that Jonar lost his eye to pay for a debt. Not terribly exciting, but certainly gruesome.

"Do you really think you're strong enough to deal with that kind of guilt?" Jonar Carter. Still an asshole!

Booster tracked Jonar down, did he? Iiiiiiinteresting. Mostly, of course, because if Booster tracked Jonar down, then Jonar didn't track Booster down to demand monies of him, which is fractionally less bastardliness than I would've expected.

Honestly, though, this page can pretty much be accurately summarized by just "Jonar Carter is an asshole and Booster's not a particularly bright kid. (Though he is a particularly pretty one.)"

Pg. 11: I love how Michelle is totally more important than anything Booster's done as Booster Gold.

Michelle's supposed to be blond like Booster! Curse you, Hi-Fi! At least the red hair isn't totally out of left field, considering that Mrs. Carter was a redhead, but still. I get the feeling that somebody or multiple somebodies have gotten the two Goldstars mixed up, since Trixie (who actually was a redhead) is sadly overlooked here. But I guess she's kind of obscure.... Not that Michelle isn't, of course, but Michelle's easier to bring back than Trixie would be, of course. Which is really sad when you consider that Michelle's the dead one of the two.

Also it means I have to update my Proud Carter Tradition icon again:


Oh, while I'm at it, hey, lookit, Booster's football uniform is red again. Exciting.

Pg. 12: Ah, Michelle, I am so happy that you are so capable of seeing through Jonar's bull. Not that Booster would ever listen to such a thing, of course. But it's nice that one of you is capable of reason. Also makes me feel much less worried about Jonar's "you and your sister always thought too much of me" from issue 4. Funny how one simple page can assuage my Jonar-rezzing-Shel desires fears.

Tangential thought: Why is the locker room so empty save Carters?

Bawwwwww, Booster's crippling need for love and attention.

"A few months after I went back in time, Michelle followed me" is such a drastic understatement. I mean, of course they couldn't summarize that whole arc down to anything even closely resembling reasonable, but still. It would be hilarious to see 'em try. (I think the shortest I can summarize it is something like, "Booster's power source for his suit ran out, and also he got the tar beaten out of him and ended up terminally ill, so he went back to the 25th century, and the cops caught him, because stealing a time machine is a crazy heinous crime [the punishment is execution without trial, even! Booster compares it to setting off a nuclear bomb in a church.], but then Shel breaks him off death row and returns to the present with him, 'cuz like hell she can stay in the future after that."[And, yes, that link is completely gratuitous, but I love that panel, so bah!]) I would've at least liked it if they mentioned that Booster made a return trip to the future and Michelle ended up coming back with him, instead of making it sound like Michelle made the trip independently.

Pg. 13: I don't think Michelle ever actually called herself Goldstar. I'm not sure anybody ever called Michelle Goldstar in-canon. I mean, Goldstar was the name associated with the costume, of course, but it's not like Shel ever actually did any heroing. It's explicitly stated in canon that she stole (and funny how that part isn't mentioned....) the costume because she wanted to fly. Of course, I can excuse this because it's not like she ever told Booster that, and I can easily believe that Booster is not as good at sussing out Shel's motivations as she is at his.

Booster, 5 minutes does not really a big brother make, while I'm at it.

"It wasn't your fault she died." Actually, Ted, it kind of was. I realize that Booster has probably never explained what actually happened to you, but Shel was not actually murdered like you thought in C2IC; she died at the uncaring hands of electrocution via falling rubble. And what caused the structural damage that resulted in the falling rubble? Yeah, that'd be a guy by the name of Booster Gold. So Booster's part in the death of Michelle is roughly equal to Ted's part in the death of Dan. So unless you've gotten over your massive guilt complex, Ted, (and maybe you have, considering the general lack of Freaking Out that's been done so far, actually,) I'm not sure you should really be telling Booster not to feel guilty about it.

I adore that Ted places Michelle before himself here. Because it is Right and Good and feels like delicious, delicious Validation.

Explicit statement that Friends and Family > Career and Respect makes me happy.

And check out that grin in that last panel. Booster has a Plan. A Plan that involves saving his sister. Yesssssss.

Pg. 14: Look, it's the Space Museum! Check out Booster's Legion Flight Ring in the foreground there and the forcefield belt in the back.

Also, be sure to check out the expression on Dan's face. He's so totally gawking. Jaime probably is, too, but it's less obvious. And Future Beetle's just like B|.

Hi-Fi, I do not think that the guy tackling young Booster on that screen should be wearing the same color football uniform that he is.

While I'm at it, why is this game being broadcast to an empty museum?

I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable with Dan Garrett calling Booster "Michael".

I'm curious as to how they managed to get this far without setting off any alarms already.

Pg. 15: Lookit, it's a Batarang and Adam Strange's helmet!

Man, that's a lotta robots. Which is new. I'm none too familiar with the Space Museum's original stories, but I don't think it's ever had robots other than Skeets in the context of Booster. And none of these other robots look like Skeets, which is even more weird.

"And I don't want to hear any more complaints from you about our protocol. Shoot to kill, Skeets, you're scrap." I still haven't figured out if the Leader 'Bot is telling Skeets not to kill people or if he's telling him to kill people. Very big difference, that.

I like the expressions in the 4th panel. A lot. They are quite perfect.

Pg. 16: "Which one?" Hee. (Although, c'mon, Ted, why are you even bothering to ask; what could you do against a horde of robots like that?)

It amuses me that the other robots turn into regular OMAC's, while Skeets just turns into an OMAC'd Skeets. That makes perfect sense!

OK, starting from regular Booster and working outwards, we've got the original costume (complete with cape!), the life support suit from Extreme Justice, the Conglomerate outfit (<3), and 3 versions that I don't think are actually from anything. Pretty sure I'd remember seeing a Booster with that many stars on his costume. So gaudy.

Besides the Jaime-esque costume, all of the alterna-Teds seem to be just made up.

Of course, if I'd been in charge of this, I probably would've included the Booster from this (admittedly fairly obscure and probably with good reason) comic and the literal Blue Beetle Ted who recently appeared in Countdown: Arena.

Pg. 17: "This is so awesome." QFT.

"We can't remember this? But that's not fair." Also QFT. Although I do agree with Dan regarding the necessity of it, and it does explain why Jaime is not showing any signs of having met Ted over in his own book.

"Just try to remember to go easy on me that first year of school, okay?" "Never." I <3 you, Dan. <3

Ted and Jaime bonding yay.

Pg. 18: "Your blind, unflinching determination is as inspiring as it is fortuitous, Michael." It's also probably kind of unhealthy and definitely makes him easy to manipulate.

Pg. 19: "In fact, everyone looks ridiculous with a mustache." As a fan of facial hair, I will fight you, Ted!

Rip's not that bad, is he, Booster? Just has a stick up his time-traveling butt, does he?



That just can't be healthy.

Oh noes, the chalkboard is clean! And, uhh, broken to bits. That too.

What is with all the using Michael in this issue? He goes by Booster. He calls himself Booster. Other people call him Booster. All to the point where if he is going by Michael or Mike, it's usually to protect somebody else's secret identity (since he lacks one of his own), and when somebody has to introduce him as Michael/Mike in that situation, they usually pause before they say it, because it's something they have to work to recall, even if it's Booster himself doing the introducing. Booster got the moniker of Booster Gold by automatically answering Booster when asked for his name by the President and not getting the chance to fully correct it in time. That's how thoroughly Booster goes by Booster instead of Michael. Could we please not throw it around like we would Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne or something? Kthnx.

Pp. 20-21: OHSHI-

Pg. 22: Yes, Booster, Zero Hour. That's why there are OMAC's all over the place. That makes perfect sense. B| Booster, sweetie, I love you, and I understand that you really don't want this to be exactly what Rip was warning you about, but seriously. Could you at least try for a scapegoat that makes sense?

So, this is going to end well, yes?

Review: Blue Beetle #23

Yeah, I ended up never reviewing #22. So I'll do that right now, real shortlike: It rocked.

I bought 4 books today:

Atomic Robo #4- Needs to stop coming out on Booster Gold weeks so I can actually remember to buy it. Also it was good.

Wonder Woman #16- Did not totally rawk my socks off, but doesn't fill me with boundless rage, either. Hrm. Also, didn't she, like, just come back to life? And is showing up in multiple comics? (But I'd rather not get into that headache....) So I'm having a bit of trouble caring/worrying.

Teen Titans #55- Is probably going to be the last issue of Teen Titans I pick up. I started getting this book for Jaime, and I don't really approve of how McKeever is writing Jaime. Also there is just something about Tim and Cassie that makes me want to stab people in the face and never stop, so I figure it's for the best if I just drop it.

I will admit that I did chuckle at Rose dismissing Jaime's talk of the Reach as just joking, though.

And, of course Blue Beetle #23, which was soooooo goooooooood.

Pg. 1: "Yaaaaaay me." Hee. Oh, Jaime. <3

WWTKD? Oh, Jaime. <3

Hahahahaha, the books on the bookshelf. 5 and 2 and then 2 and 3. I don't know who's responsible for that, but <3 <3 <3 for them.

Pg. 2: C2IC Parallel #2 (#1 being the Beetley star, of course): The massive Conspiracy the Justice League wouldn't believe.

I rather like Jaime's description of the average Teen Titans meeting.

Pg. 3: Any plan in which Paco does not get to help is a sucky plan. Of course.

It is impressive to be an uptight control freak at 8.

Pg. 4: I am interested by the social system slightly exposited by the Negotiator and Dawur here.

Also I bet the ruling caste is totally scary and I hope they show up sometime.

Part of me wants to play around with the Calculus in the first panel. The other part wants to beat that part into a bloody pulp for even suggesting it. And then I get sad because I look at it and realize that I don't really remember much Calculus.

Pg. 5: Thousand-year rule? Haven't the Reach been around for a good deal longer than that?

C2IC Parallel #3: The bad guys closely monitoring the hero's every move! (Yeah, that's pretty standard fare, but still.)

Pg. 6: Oh, Jaime, you're so wonderfully responsible. And again with the incredible 8-year-olds! Also, <3 Jaime's parents. As always.

Pg. 7: Om nom nom themes.

<3 last panel.

Pg. 8: I like how Jaime had different narration-thought-boxes when he's in costume.

I just.... Oh, Jaime. <3

Pg. 10: I love that Ted managed to get 3 entire chapters worth of notes on time travel out of vague hints from Booster. And that he appears to have also noted Booster's jokes and lists of boob-slang.

Nebulae is the correct plural of nebula, but I guess that could change in the 400-some years between now and then.

Also, I am surprised that those notes are at all comprehensible, considering how often the rules of time travel as relate to Booster Gold keep contradicting themselves.

Should Booster Gold-related time travel craziness count as C2IC Parallel #4? I think it might be stretching it a bit....

Pg. 11: Delightful, delightful time travel craziness.

Pg. 12: Hahahaha, Jaime's so confused. <3

Pg. 14: Yes, the dialogue monologue here matches up with on page 11.

Pg. 15: Invisible-fied!

\m/ triangulation. Clever!

I oddly <3 the expression on the Negotiator's face in that 2nd-to-last panel. It's so "Bwuuaaaahh!"

Pg. 16: I audibly gasped at the Scarab speaking English. Truly one of the most awesome things I have ever seen in a comic book. <3 It's just pure Fuck. Yes.

Pg. 18: Oh, Negotiator, you sneaky bastard.

Pg. 19: D:

C2IC Parallel #4/5: Lightning-bolt-esque energy from space machine destroying Beetle's home with friends/family inside. D:

(I, uhhhh, checked, and the sound effect does not match up perfectly with C2IC, at least. It's just "CA-KOOOM" in C2IC, as opposed to the "WHAKA-KHOOOM" here.)

Pg. 20: Poor Jaime. :(

Pg. 21: Shouldn't that have, like, killed Jaime? Or at least rendered him extremely unconscious?

The Negotiator really is a Magnificent Bastard.

Pg. 22: Man, now that is a helluva last page.

And maybe by next month I'll have figured out how many C2IC Parallels the cover of next issue will count for!

I'm Just Saying, I Wouldn't Be Surprised If I Ended Up Blogging Only Once a Month

Once a month being, of course, when the new issue of Booster Gold comes out. >.> I also bought the Flash, but I don't think I will continue to do so. It's an alright book, but it's failed to grab me in the 4 issues I gave it.

Did Wonder Woman come out this week? DC's site says yes, but it wasn't at my LCS, and I know how the DC site is frequently full of crap. But it never hurts to double-check.

Anyway, Booster Gold!

Cover: Is incredibly terrifying. Especially with the added speech bubble.

Pg. 1: I get the feeling that Future Beetle has no business reminding me of Uncle Sam. I mean, he's just waaaaay too convenient. He's got to be up to something.

Pg. 2: See, Rip agrees with me! Although I wouldn't say that Skeets needs Booster right now more than ever. Skeets has been neglected before plenty. Booster kept him in a box for years for crying out loud! (Skeets kept himself amused by playing with the Internet. Oh, Skeets.) And I'd say that Skeets needed Booster a lot more when, saaaay, he got eaten by a certain Venusian mindworm during 52?

Also, I love the body language of the Beetles in the 1st panel. Namely, that Dan and Future Beetle are both standing all ramrod straight and Jaime isn't. It's a nice detail.

Pg. 3: Future Beetle speaks incredibly... academically. Yes. He uses many big words when a few small ones will do.

Jaime's dialogue hints that the Beetle Brigade came to pick up Booster at his suggestion. I find this interesting.

So, Skeets, who is the other guy? I choose to believe he's referring to when the Joker beat Booster senseless using Skeets as a prop. Because that makes the other guy Booster and that's hilarious.

Skeets is woobieful.

"What are you going to do to stop me?" <3 <3 <3

Pg. 4: olol Beatles.

"I'm going to bring my friend back or I'm going to die trying." Oh, Booster.

Pg. 5: The wormholes shown are Jason Todd and Red Robin, which I hear tell is where Countdown is headed; Ralph Dibny, Batman, and Sherlock Holmes, which is, I believe, the 50th anniversary issue of Detective Comics (I vaguely recall seeing an ad for it in Booster's original series); and the Jack Knight Starman with a guy whose name I can't remember, but I saw him in JLA: The Nail and I think he's a Kirby character, but I'm not sure....

Thought: There's clearly no room for privacy in that time sphere, and Booster's changed costumes. I mean, Booster wouldn't have a problem with that, of course, but still. Awkward!

Also his wounds have disappeared and changing clothes doesn't work that way!

"These colors are giving me a serious headache." Hee. Oh, Jaime. <3

Ted is something of a study in contradictions. Part of the reason I like him.

Booster 'n' history lessons and the like will never fail to vaguely amuse me.

Pg. 6-7: Kehe, Action Heroes is a nickname for Charlton heroes, although I'm not entirely sure where the nickname itself originated, come to think of it.

I want to say that Ted fought the Madmen in his first appearance, but I'm not at all sure that's right. Pretty sure they were in the Ditko Charlton days, though. Which, uhhh, they'd pretty much have to be, I guess, with the hourglass-goggles and being before CoIE.

CoIE being the "In any Crisis." panel, of course. [Aside: I really should read CoIE one of these days....]

The backwards-S layout is even more awkward here than it was in the 1st issue with Booster's 5-second life story. And, of course, while Booster's went a little something like, "I'm a failure, I suck, Ted's great, I still suck, but I'm trying to get better. For Ted.", Ted's is more like, "Ted's great, Ted's great, Ted's great, Ted's dead." Oh, Booster. Therapy.

The switch from Charlton to DC not only goes from the hourglass goggles to the round goggles (which make more sense), but it also changes the head bit of the beetle design on his chest. And also improves it, imo.

The Scarab temp-rezzing Dan and trying to kill Ted with him is still in continuity, is it? I would muchly like to see that explored at some point, be it here or in Blue Beetle.

Does ripping off the layout of the cover to A New Beginning ever get old? Honest question. It's not a straight lift here, with Max replacing Dr. Light and Oberon, Batman moving over to occupy Black Canary's and J'onn's spot, and Booster in Batman's vacated spot. Also there was considerably less smiling on the original.

Ted, mind you, did not fare particularly well against Despero or Doomsday, but he tried, poor boy. (Also, lawls, Booster's long hair. And Bloodwynd, being J'onn in disguise, really shouldn't be so close to that fire there....)

So, if Canary and Ted are right behind Babs there, then who is she talking to?

It amuses me that Jurgens can't seem to decide which direction Ted's antennae go. Not that anybody can, of course.

Pg. 8: Man, I know on an intellectual level that Dan's an archaeologist and I believe he even had a doctorate (I seem to recall reading Ted referring to him as "Doc Garrett", though I can't say where I saw it), but when I think "Dan" I think "punching", not "quoting Emerson."

...I'm not sure Booster's actually done so much of the being sincere and thinking aloud thing with Ted. I mean, probably moreso than he's done with others, but honesty is not one of Booster's particular strengths. He's been described as talking a great deal, but saying very little, which I think is incredibly accurate. I mean, he tells Guy in issue 2 that he never told Ted about his dad, remember?

Scarab Speak Translation: "I only did it to impress a girl." I like to imagine it's said in a mocking tone.

Pg. 9: I've no comment on this page but <3

Pg. 10: The Conglomerate! Once upon a time, Booster was in the JLI. And then he got fed up with nobody giving him any respect, so he quit, and formed his own team. The Conglomerate. I <3 the Conglomerate. Booster as a competent leader yesplz. Also, reminds me that I have yet to review JLQ #1. Aheh. >.>

While Danny is indeed more of a strawberry blond in this issue and Booster's been pretty consistently sandy throughout the series, Danny's hair has previously shared its palette with Booster. The question is whether or not the difference will continue to exist....

Danny being two inches shorter than Booster makes him anywhere from 6 feet to 6 feet 3 inches, I think. Booster is tall. Two inches seems like a pretty precise measurement to be able to tell, though....

It amuses me that she didn't see fit to mention that Danny and Booster have completely different haircuts.

Hahahaha, Golden Age Booster, hahahahaha.

Putting on acts, eh? Oh, Rose, you Carter(-to-be).

The eye Rose is removing a contact from in the 2nd-to-last panel is not the one that is contact-less in the last panel. Goddammit, Hi-Fi.

I wonder if anybody besides me remembers that Danny is also a contact-wearer.

"Now what do we do?" The answer?

Pg. 11: HAWT HAWT MAKE-OUTS AND EVENTUAL BABY-MAKING. Getting interrupted by super-devious Rip!

Danny and Rose have switched positions on the couch. This bothers me.

So much love for Rip here. Apparently the answer to "What are you going to do to stop me?" is "Recruit your ancestors!" This will probably not end well. But it had damn well better be ancestors. Can't imagine why else Rip would bring both costumes otherwise. And Rose should totally be Supernova IV. Because it would make for the fastest moving legacy ever. How many Starmen have there been so far? I need to know what number we have to beat. :P

Carter family's heroic legacy? Really? I always figured that Carters were, by nature, more likely to fall on the other side of the law. Considering that the Carters-by-birth we know are Booster, who's a wanted man several times over in his home time period, and if the cops ever catch him, he gets to get executed sans trial, very lovely (unless that's been retconned, but I certainly hope not.); Michelle, who busted a guy off of death row (note the aforementioned "executed sans trial") and stole the Goldstar costume, even though Booster probably would've given it to her if she asked, he being a giant push-over like that; Jonar, who is, of course, a supervillian, to say nothing of the back-stabbing that Booster mentioned or his gambling problems; and Danny, who, admittedly, doesn't seem to be all that bad of a guy (at least comparatively), but, well, somebody's who reaction to getting an extremely powerful supersuit is "play Madden without bathroom breaks" is probably not entirely there to begin with. So I'm not sure where Rip's getting this "heroic legacy" stuff from. I mean, Booster's a straight-up hero, but Danny and Shel have so far just gotten in on technicalities, and Jonar's straight-up evil.

Pg. 12: I'd try to figure out if 16 months is accurate to what we've been given before, but I've honestly just given up on making sense out of the timestamps in this book.

"I wasn't exactly in the best place" is some pretty drastic understatement. At the time of Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Booster was apparently flat broke and homeless.

The files are pretty directly cribbed from C2IC, it seems. Straight down to that "intransigent" error in Booster's file that drives me nutters. (And that Shel's middle initial is A. It's just so random.)

It's so odd to see this scene without Ted's narration boxes. Mostly because it amuses me that Ted refers to Michelle as Booster's "murdered sister", because that makes it pretty clear that Booster never actually told Ted the circumstances of her death. Michelle wasn't murdered at all. It was, at best, a tragic accident, and, at worst, totally Booster's 'n' Skeets's fault. But I wouldn't call it a murder.

Pg. 13: Y'know, I was worried that this would end up changing C2IC a bit, and I don't mean because of the time-travel. But, no, all the dialogue on this page is lifted straight from C2IC, straight down to the italics. I <3 it. I mean, there's some skipping of stuff, but it's understandable, given space limitations and such.

"We never liked Max. Not really." is a total lie, though. They might not have always gotten along perfectly with Max, but they certainly seemed to like him well enough.

"But we were never bad guys." Booster, sweetie, do I need to remind you of your impressive criminal record? I mean, OK, Booster's not a straight-up bad guy or anything, but he does fall kinda low on the moral ladder....

Pg. 14: And nobody knows the danger of ego like Booster Gold.

Sooooooooo much woobie. <3

Dan's smirk here? Best.

Pg. 15: Nice ass, Ted.[/shallow]

Man, I really hope that something gets done with hospitalized Booster.... Mostly because I greatly <3 hospitalized Booster.

I love that Ted is visibly shorter than Booster and Dan here. Yes.

"Brother Eye fried that bozo Booster" is close to a line from C2IC, but not identical. (Max calls Brother I "Brother One" in C2IC, there's a bit in the middle, and "that bozo Booster" gets "flash-fried" instead of regular fried.)

Pg. 16: Scarab Speak Translation: "They tried to kill Blue Beetle. Let's break their skulls." Which is interesting, since the Scarab and Ted never seemed to be on any sort of good terms. Probably just the principle of the matter, though.

Max has not technically said yet that he made the League ineffectual on purpose. Whoopsie!

I'd also like to point out that the JLI was plenty effective when they had people to fight, it just didn't happen very often. But the joke amuses me anyway.

And Ted and Booster are fighting people together and bantering and, darnnit, that just makes me happy.

Pg. 17: Man, Dan and Sasha really are totally flirting here.

Future Beetle has zappy powers. Good for him.

Jaime, your timing for questions is terrible.

Max's OMAC activation code is same as in C2IC, except that instead of "Blue Beetle recipient" it's "intruder recipients", which is nice.

The dude who turned into an OMAC in C2IC was blond, though.

Pg. 18: Dan to the rescue!

The OMAC successfully broke Ted's arm in C2IC, of course.

Pg. 19: Max is supposed to already have given his "you or Batman, but I was betting on you" spiel, but I guess he could be repeating himself here for effect.

I'm not sure that Max's powers can be used to shut somebody's brain down, but OK.

I am sad that "Join or die time, is that it?" got cut.

I find it odd how far Booster's bleeding progressed in these panels, while Max's nosebleed did not progress at all.

Pg. 20: If any of you ever doubted Booster's willingness to literally take a bullet for Ted, do me a favor and go smack yourself, because seriously.

And then Ted flips out and beats the crap out of Max. Mmm-mmm, catharsis.

Pg. 21: But Booster's OK! \o/ Which is kind of weird, because you'd think that having somebody shutting your brain down would cause some sort of permanent damage....

I find it odd that it took all 3 Beetles to shut down the OMAC, considering that Jaime had a pretty good advantage over them by his lonesome in IC.

Scarab Speak Translation: "There's more security detail on the way. A lot more."

OK, Future Beetle is way wrong here. Max's files don't get sent to Batman, Alex Luthor deletes them. (Max blames Ted and later Batman, but it's irrelevant.) Batman finds out about the OMAC Project when Sasha sends Ted's brain-meat-covered goggles to him, which is obviously not going to happen now. And Max isn't going to just forget what happened, of course. Future Beetle, you have screwed things up.

Pg. 22: Booster's so giddy. It's adorable.

I think that Future Beetle knows too much. :/ But his smile reads as sincere to me, and that's throwing me off. (Possibly because he's not actually smiling much, even.) It's weird.

I really want to see that explanation on-screen, man. The past X # of years of Booster's life since Ted died, as told by Booster himself? Yes, please. Ted would be totally freaked by Booster's extreme hero-worship of him, assuming Booster actually let that bit into the summary. But, as previously noted, Booster does lie by omission pretty much all the time.

Tune in next month for Booster Gold #0, in which I pick apart Booster's origin! It will be great!

Oh, Hey, Did You Hear That Blue Beetle's HISPANIC?!

I groaned at the Teen Titans cover. That speech bubble was completely unnecessary and somewhat painful, even. I mean, seriously. I don't think Jaime's ever been shown to curse in Spanish at all. I can remember a few "damn"s from him, but other than that.... And who says "Oh Dios Mio!" anyway? I mean, I'll admit that I don't know many Spanish speakers, but that just doesn't sound right to me at all. (Is it even grammatically correct? I don't know, man, I took Latin in High School.) I was thinking about it after I bought it and I actually remembered it as "Madre de Dios!" or something like that that would translate to "Mother of God!" instead of "Oh my God!" 'Cuz somehow that makes more sense to me. I dunno. *Waves hand vaguely* Catholicism.

Which led me to realize that the current roster of the Teen Titans + Jaime currently consists of, if I've got this right, 2 Catholics, 2 aliens, 2 atheists/agnostics/lapsed whatevers/doesn't really give enough of a damn about religion to self-categorize (I can only assume that Tim and Rose are non-religious since neither strikes me as religious), and 1 Greek. (What do you call somebody who worships the Greek pantheon, anyway?) I'm not sure what I'm getting at here, but that certainly looks like an interesting set-up. Really, though, I'll I'm getting from it is the mental image of Tim planning some Titans thing and asking if Sunday morning's OK for everybody else and Jaime and Eddie both being like, "Can't. Mass." (Possibly followed up by M'gann asking if Sunday is somehow denser than other days, because I can never resist a good corny science joke.)

The discovery that Eddie and Jaime share a religion has only served to further my determination that they should be the best of friends. Red and Blue, guys! Who's with me?

Ummm, right. Comics I bought this week:
Teen Titans #53
Blue Beetle #21

So, that's 2 instances of Jaime, neither of which was written by John Rogers. How distinctly unusual.

I enjoyed both, though there were things that seemed slightly off about Jaime's portrayal in both of them. Meh.

Normally, I would promptly launch into a long, involved rant about Blue Beetle here, but I just experienced a sudden rush of "Oh, God, must finish Christmas knitting! D:", so, ummmm, laterz. I may end up blogging over the weekend to make up for slacking so much during the week. We shall see.

But I'd just like to note that the Scarab Speak in Blue Beetle is, uhhhh, well, let's not say "untranslatable" but rather, it was directly cribbed from previous issues. The first bit of Scarab Speak translates to "Sinestro". Needless to say, I was very confused.

But to round out this Jaime-licious post, I'll just link to this. Jaime Reyes is keepin' the peace down in El Paso, folks.

Flash/Waid-fest!

Well, I've had something of a busy holiday (which is why I haven't posted since Monday, aheh), so I'mma keep this short 'n' sweet, 'K?

This week was Flash-o-licious. Or Waid-o-licious. Or both. I got Brave & the Bold and Flash.

Iris and Jai are really growing on me, it turns out. I seem to like super-spawn in general, it seems. I have no objections to Damien over in Batman or Chris Kent over in Superman (although I suppose that Chris doesn't exactly count as super-spawn). But I was kind of iffy-feeling about Iris and Jai until this week. I like 'em.

But I can't shake the horrible feeling that one of them (probably Jai) is somehow dooooooooooomed. Sad.

Anyway, both comics were enjoyable. I'm inclined to say that I enjoyed BatB more than I did Flash, but that might be because BatB was a more self-contained story.

Also, the ending was a delicious gut-punch of my favorite sort. >:3

It probably doesn't help that I read BatB before I read Flash, so throughout most of Flash, I was trying to apply the ending of BatB. I think I've decided on Iris, but I've been wrong in that past. It's entirely possible that Kingdom Come is influencing my thoughts.

It's all probably irrelevant anyway, but it's interesting to think about.

The Flash back-up was fluffy and fun and I absolutely love the art on it to pieces. Also oodles. It's just really pretty. And it's unique and distinctive without looking out of place in comics like Ross's or Acuna's art does sometimes.

And I enjoyed the story there, too, of course.

I hear there was a vaguely Ted-like Dan Garrett Blue Beetle in the Gotham by Gaslight Countdown Special or whatever its actual title is, so I intend to give that a look-see the next time I swing by my LCS.

...Yeah, this is my version of "short 'n' sweet." Kinda pathetic, hunh?

Review: Booster Gold #4

What I bought this week:
Booster Gold #4
Wonder Woman #14
All-Star Superman #9

Wonder Woman was hmmm. I'm not sold, but I'll probably finish this arc out, at least, and then we'll see where we stand.

ASS was great stuff, but that's par for the course there.

Which brings us to Booster. Get comfy, guys, we'll be here for a while.

I am amused by Booster's towel and coffee. So nice that the drunk thing didn't get dropped between issues. I hate it when things get dropped between issues.

"That whiskey saved Superman." Best excuse for drunkenness ever Y/Y?

As an aside, I hate possessive plurals. How on Earth do you even say "Flashes'"? It's so awkward.

Also, eye color arrrrrrrrrgh.

I kind of get the feeling I'm missing a reference of some sort with the title of this chapter. Hmmm.

Time Spheres are pretty dangerous.

Is Wally restraining Booster from attempting to more or less rip "Rex"'s face off here? I'm not entirely sure.

The question is, is it OK to push Lex into an oncoming train now? Because man, oh man, would I love to see some repercussions from New Year's in 52. Because just thinking about the look on Boosternova's face in that one scene sends shivers up my spine.

Being the greatest by virtue of being the only is not really a good thing, "Rex".

Getting deleted from time hurts, apparently. Although I'd suppose it would.

Supernova is a dick.

Supernova's robot is also a dick. But Skeets is adorable.

Danny got dressed between issues. );

Oh, Rose, I love you to pieces. And am somewhat mystified that you're going to end up with a goober like Danny.

"And we had a moment, I swear." Can we legitimately call this a Jocasta complex? Does such a thing even exist?

"I'll can only tell you" *Winces*

Question: Since when does Booster keep spare costumes? Since when is it even possibly for Booster to have spare costumes?

Oh, Danny, Danny, Danny, that was not very wise of you. Also, your hair is way shorter than Booster's anyway. I dig the cocked eyebrow, though.

Is that The Giant Mummy That Was Not Dead?!

...Is that Jaime?!

History is crazily specific about this lightning storm, apparently.

"And I shall brag to all my robot friends." seems to be our required ridiculous moment of the issue. (Compare to Rip's "Friends don't let friends drive drunk!" last issue and Sinestro's mustache twirl in issue 2.)

As an aside, I love the word "fisticuffs." I also kinda love how Rip's attack doesn't really look like he's applying any of those martial arts or fighting techniques he was just bragging about.

Booster's dad (If this interview is to be believed, his name is Jonar, for the record.) looks incredibly creepy and not at all like how I'd expected him to look. Mostly because I was under the impression that Booster got the vast majority of his looks from his father's side. (Mostly because he doesn't resemble his mother very much.) The huge scar down the side of his face and blank eye certainly don't help matters any. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeek. D:

What also doesn't help is that there's this weird red mark on my copy that goes right over Jonar's face.



Stuff. Of. Nightmares!

Bonnie was, if my memory serves, Rip's girlfriend back in the day. Rex is a bastard.

I am relieved to see that relation to Booster is still a requirement for the Supernova suit. It was mentioned in Week 52 when Daniel showed up, and then wasn't mentioned at all in the first 3 issues and I was almost worried about it. I guess mentioning it again would've made it too obvious?

"Or be the hero my son couldn't." Jonar Carter. Asshole.

One wonders what the last time Booster refers to was.

"Without guidance, you'll always be a failure. You'll always be a disappointment." Jonar Carter. Asshole.

"Tell me something I don't know." Booster Gold. Woobie.

Skeets is the littlest Big Damn Hero ever.

Jonar bringing up Shel and blaming Booster for it. Asshole.

And Booster actually tearing up at that. Woobie.

I really cannot wait to find out the full story here, y'know. I don't have patience, darnnit!

The fact that the Supernova mask keeps disappearing and then reappearing in Booster's hand bothers me.

I like Booster categorizing his dad as a bad guy. Finally! Booster shows evidence of actually having a spine when it comes to his relatives!

Look at Booster's posing on this page and try and tell me it's not unsettlingly Luthoresque.

As an aside, I really love how Booster tends to refer to Skeets in human terms. He says "awake" here, instead of something like "online" that would be more applicable. Even back in Countdown to Infinite Crisis, you've got "kidnapped" and "murdered" instead of "stolen" and "destroyed."

Gawd, Booster's in such a bad mood here. Am I a horrible person for loving it? At least he's focusing it towards a goal.

But man, Rip, you picked the absolute worst person for a time cop.

I kinda totally love Babs/Ted. So I am pleased by this ending.

But horrified by the thought of Booster vs. Joker. No possible way for that to end well.

Dear Self: This is a Comics Blog, Not a Knitting Blog.

Business the 1st: I apologize for the lack of post yesterday. I was busy trying to get my Blue Beetle yarn in my hands. It was insane. But at least I have the yarn now! I'm thinking I'm gonna knit these suckers. The design might describe the lace pattern as leaf-like, but I look at that and see scarab wings. Hopefully it will not look horrible in black and blue.

Business the 2nd: Went to LCS today, ended up getting both trades of GLC and no Wonder Woman. GLC was good. I'm totally digging how the cast is all huge 'n' everything. I kinda want to learn everything there is to know about all the members. This could not end badly at all.

Seriously, though, like, there's this chick in the 2nd trade, and her name isn't even mentioned, but one of her hands is a ring construct, and I think that's totally cool. Who is that? What happened? Was it as utterly badass as I am imagining?

Something I noticed, however, is that some plot threads seem to get dropped and then picked up again a couple of issues later, which I'm sure I would kinda find utterly maddening if I was reading it monthly. But maybe I wouldn't. I don't know. I do intend to start picking up GLC once the Sinestro War is over, and then picking up the Sinestro war in trade, so we'll see if this stitch-slipping trend continues.

...Actually, I really like that, the comparison of writing to knitting. That is totally a great metaphor. There are all sorts of different needles and yarn out there, just like there's all sorts of different media, and certain needles and yarn are better for certain types of projects than others are, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you can't knit that certain type of project with a different sort of needles and yarn or write that certain type of story with a different medium. It just takes more effort and consideration to make it work just the right way. Sometimes you have to pass over a stitch/story thread for a row so you can do something better with it in the next, and sometimes you got to knit a couple of stitches together to shape the fabric just right, and sometimes you have to add stitches, and sometimes to have to bind them off and end them. And sometimes you have to sew some different knit pieces together, or write a crossover. And if you don't do all that in the right way at the right time, the whole thing ends up looking stupid. And if you don't do any of it at all, then what you end up with is a garter stitch rectangle, be it a dishcloth or a scarf or what-have-you, and while there's not really anything necessarily wrong with those, they are incredibly boring to knit (although useful as a learning tool when one is first starting), and, well, if one starts a hobby to be entertained, be it knitting or reading comics or watching a certain TV show or whatever, one does not want to indulge in that hobby if it's boring. Because if it's boring, then it's not a hobby anymore: it's a chore. And nobody likes chores. (Because if they like them, then it's a hobby!)

...I've had knitting on the mind a lot lately. I'm sorry.

Business the 3rd: Y'know what I realized while I was at work today?





And it only took about 18 years!

...

I'm sorry. I really can't be held responsible for the things my brain throws at me. (Seriously, just ask Shobha. She knows exactly what I'm talking about. And I'd say I'm very sorry for that, but I'm really not. :P Sharing is therapeutic!)

Me, As of Five Minutes Ago

"...I forgot to eat blog today." (Although, come to think of it, I haven't eaten in a good 10 hours or so. I should probably fix that at some point.)

So, ummm, here's something I found (and promptly bought) over the weekend. Blue Beetle yarn. Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle yarn. It so very pleases me to see my two largest interests intersect in such a way. I am going to knit an incredibly nerdy pair of socks and grin every time I wear them. It will be glorious.

Review: JSA # 10

I didn't buy much today, just my weekly issue of Booster Gold and JSA #10. So here's me talking about JSA #10. Exciting, right?

Hey, lookit, it's an Alex Ross cover with more than one character on it! ZOMG! Next step: have them do something other than stand around please?

I don't usually comment on ads, but, and I don't know about your copy, but the one inside my front cover is for "Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane". Think up your own Snakes on a Plane joke; I'm too lazy to.

Anyway, I'd just like to say that I rather like Eaglesham's artses. I mean, look at Maxine on that first page there. She's adorable.

"I watched all of you die." Superman-22: Not exactly the World's Greatest Conversationalist.

Wrong Crisis, Jay. Superman-2 died in IC, not CoIE.

The thing about Starman is that you can never entirely tell if what he's saying has significance or not. Like, there was a bit in the 2nd issue where he's pretty clearly referring to when Maxine got kidnapped by T. O. Morrow, but sometimes I'm pretty sure it's just nonsense. All out of yellow, I'm thinking is nonsense. Or it could somehow reference the Sinestro Corps War. Although it seems by the solicits that there will still be a Sinestro Corps of some sort post-war, so maybe not. Hrm.

I skipped the Lightning Saga. Who was supposed to be going back instead of Starman? Or is that the basis of the Karate Kid storyline in Countdown? 'Cuz I'm not paying attention to that, either.

It takes Alan an entire page to do the mental math for 52-30. Then again, I imagine that Starman speaks very rapidly, so I suppose it probably would take that long to parse what he was getting at there.

Y HELO THAR, Alex Ross interiors! I do recognize a good bunch of these characters from KC, yeah, though there are some I definitely don't. Not even I can memorize everything instantly. But I'd just like to say that Captain Atom's spine hurts me. D:

So, is this before or after the Sinestro Corps War? 'Cuz I kinda figured the Sinestro Corps War would clue everybody into the "new Multiverse" thing, since that's one of the reasons that the Corps was after Earth, mmyes? Hmmm.

If the GL in KC was Alan, then why did he end up representing "New Oa" at the UN at the end? Mystifying.

Am I misremembering KC, or didn't Magog kill Joker in court?

I rather like the border of the 2nd panel and how it leads into KC Supes's ear in the 4th. S'nifty.

What we don't see: The rest of the JSA going "O SHI-" after ol' Ted points out that the Brownstone is not exactly sound-proof.

Yes, that's right, the JSA is solely responsible for the lack of Kingdom Come-itude going on. Nothing else could influence it. Nothing.

A hole blown through his torso like has been happening to the New Gods? Oh, don't tell me that that's getting mixed up in here. I like living in my world of denial where nothing bad is happening to them. :/

One wonders what's up with Dr. Mid-Nite 'n' that "GO".

So, am I interpreting this right, and this Supes got dragged out of KC right after the bomb was dropped?

OK, Ma Hunkel had the shirt, but where did the rest of the costume come from?

Dogpile on the Kryptonian! And they knocked Jay's hat off! For shame.

Hunh, KC Supes doesn't have a cape, does he?

Don'tcha think Supes could've at least tried to mention that he was going to stop a suicide?

Cosmic Treadmill = Auto lawls.

"I've never been comfortable with time travel." I so very much want to blame Booster for this. I guess we'll find out in a couple of weeks.

Again, I hope this isn't tying into Death of the New Gods.

And Superman meets Superman should be interesting. Lookin' forward to it. If only it weren't so far away. :(

I Promise to Get Off Your Lawn Posthaste, Sir, but Could I Please Have Your Autograph First?

Got my new debit card yesterday, so I went comics shopping today. Bought my weekly issue of Booster Gold, Flash #233, and that Green Lantern shirt I told myself I wouldn't buy last week. (I realized that I owned black pants and could therefore use it as an excellent basis for a Halloween "costume." I also live in southern California. So if I die of heatstroke, it was totally my fault.) I also Byrne-stole the Superboyman Special. ...Mostly to see if Booster did anything particularly noteworthy in the background. (He caught Miss Martian, for the record. Totally important.) Additionally, my copy of JLQ #1 arrived in the mail today, so it's a pretty good comics day for me. :3 Expect a rant about JLQ #1 at some point, because that's pretty much everything great about Booster concentrated. But I'mma talk about Flash right now. Or, more accurately, a tangent off of Flash.

There was a back-up by John Rogers (writer of Blue Beetle), you see, which is, incidentally, why I bought the issue. It featured Jay Garrick. Which is where I go off on my tangent.

So, I'm a big fan of the Badass Old Dude type. Honestly, I'm probably reading JSA more for Alan Scott, Jay Garrick, and Ted Grant than I am for any of the younger characters. I harbor a great deal of <3 for Peacemaker over in Blue Beetle. There's something really charming about that, y'know? These guys could retire. I mean, they're old; it's not like anybody would really hold it against them, right? They've fought the good fight since WWII or thereabouts, you can't say that they haven't done enough. But they keep fighting anyway, because they're just that great.

Like the Flash back-up with Jay. Technically, of course, Jay is still rather young at this point. Still courting his lady love, even, but you can still see a lot of the foundation that makes him a Badass Old Dude. The guy's just been teleported from his lady love's front porch, mid-conversation, by an alien dogosaurus, and while he's trying to get an explanation, these crazy aliens break in screaming about murder and rape and the like, and what is Jay's response? "I know bad guys when I see them." And even "Where I come from, you knock before barging in!" It's kinda hokey and cheesy, but that's kind of the point. Even Gorflack (the aforementioned alien dogosaurus) narrates that "Yes, he really said that." Jay is old-fashioned. That's his charm. He's all about the "yes, sir" and "no, ma'am" and church on Sunday and Ma's apple pie, straight from the oven. In JSA #1, Wildcat says that "polite" describes Jay in one word, and this is very much the case.

Jay so very much encapsulates what it is to really be a hero that he manages to inspire an entire planet, whose society was on the very brink of destruction, to fight back and repel their invaders. Freedom, justice, and family. That's the JSA, right there. It's just plain pure heroism. I love it.

And, y'know, Jay's the heart of it. That's what makes this story specifically a Jay story. It's all about the heart. Of the JSA's Big Three, Alan's the brains, Ted's the brawn, and Jay's the heart. So, when these guys finally retire or die or whatever it is DC decides to do with them when having folks who fought in WWII still be active just isn't feasible anymore, I really do hope that the three of them get to go together. I'm not sure it'd feel right to have it any other way.

Late Review: Blue Beetle #20

Apologies for the lack of blogging yesterday and Tuesday, but I kind of got mugged on Monday night, so blogging about comics has not exactly been at the forefront of my mind. :)

What I bought (technically, what my sister bought for me, on account of my getting mugged):
Blue Beetle #20
Teen Titans #52

So now it's time for a play-by-play summary of my thoughts on Blue Beetle #20. I'll do TT #52 tomorrow. Here be Spoilers, folks.

For starters, the cover. Me being me, I chuckled at the pun. And, of course, Sinestro does not appear in person in the entire issue. Which kind of makes sense, honestly, since this is peripheral to the War at best. And the solicit kind of made it sound like Jaime or his Scarab would be getting the yellow ring, but apparently this is also not the case.

So we open up with a splash featuring a fight over Mt. Rushmore that really makes me wish I wasn't tradewaiting this war, with a box of narration from our buddy Peacemaker. I went through the first two trades again last night (I was trying to see if any mention had been made of Brenda's last name or Paco's family period, but apparently not, interestingly enough.), and the box does, in fact, match up perfectly to the last time Peacemaker provided some narration. (His explanation of how he got the Scarab's programming in his head during WWIII, for the record.)

The Reach are from Sector 2. Not being a Green Lantern reader myself (umm, yet?), this doesn't really mean anything to me. Is there anything special of note in Sector 2, or is it just a random number?

Scarab Speak Translation: "Did you feel that?"

Scarab Speak Translation: "Christopher Smith". Am I reading this right and Peacemaker's Scarab has the same name as him? Interesting.

So, the Reach are a bunch of slimy jackasses, Y/Y? Gotta love the random terrified dude in the background of the top panel of page 5. A 99% chance of destruction of the GL Corps, you say? Mr. Reach "Negotiator" (does this guy have a name of his own? Usually I'd check my floppies instead of asking, but circumstances beyond my control make it a bit difficult to access said floppies at the moment.), I think you are either drastically overestimating Sinestro and his guys or drastically underestimating the GLs. Or both.

"Kid Devil and his sidekicks, the Teen Titans" amuses me, perhaps, a bit more than it should. In between this and the interaction between Jaime and Kid Devil over in TT #52, I gotta say that I'm feeling something good happening there, though I've kind of got no reason for said feeling, and the "interaction" between Jaime and Red Devil in TT gives off the opposite feeling. Sad.

Scarab Speak Translation: "Uh-oh." As Jaime helpfully translates, as well.

The way the Army guy speaks to Jaime makes me wonder whether or not the public at large has any idea that the guy in the bug suit is just a teenage kid. That said, it's nice to see an authority figure of some fashion being helpful to their local hero.

Scarab Speak Translation: "Reach-Tech."

The Infiltrator is very spiky. *Nods like this is insightful input*

Scarab Speak Translation: "Identity True" and "Sinestro Corps"

Can't fault Nadia for not having any strategic input of worth, really.

Dawur calls Jaime "the false Beetle" which suggests to me that if Jaime's Scarab was working like it should, then the Blue Beetle name would still be used. Not entirely sure if that's really significant in any way, but I find it interesting.

Earth and Earth alone seems kind of like a low goal to aim for, in perspective, (and not a wish that seems likely to be granted, given the hate-on certain members of the Sinestro Corps seem to have for the ol' Blue Planet,) but I wouldn't put planning for future back-stabbery past the Reach.

The "Peace" bit is, of course, important on account of the whole Peacemaker being in there thing. You don't need me to tell you that, I hope.

Scarab Speak Translation: "Order! Fear!"

It gives me a fun sort of glee to see that Guy gets so much respect in the Corps these days that Brik actually tells Jaime that he's not even worthy enough to say his name. Alright, Guy! \o/

Tangentially, I rather like it that Brik is entirely covered, save some of her face. Always nice to see a female character (even if it is an alien) as such. Tangent: Bring back Goldstar!

I wonder if the Scarab actually did call Brik a bitch or if Jaime's just making that up for the sake of symmetry.

The Infiltrator is certainly a good sort for the Sinestro Corps, considering that, from my impression of Sinestro (again, not a Green Lantern reader yet), that's pretty much his way of thought right there in that one panel of dialogue.

Scarab Speak Translation: "Peace."

Shouldn't we be aiming for Deduction instead of Induction here, Jaime? Or am I confusing my terms here?

Scarab Speak Translation: "Messy."

"Blue Beetle! Surrender and I will kill you somewhat less slowly!" makes me chuckle lots. :D Great incentive there, Infiltrator!

Scarab Speak Translation: "Messy" again.

Page 17, last panel: *Cue wibble wibble wibble sound effect*

Scarab Speak Translation: "Scarab Speak." x2 I figure this is a mistake on what I suppose is the Letterer's side. Which is a crying shame.

Jaime is right: Peacemaker needs therapy (then again, what character in comics doesn't, am I right?), as the next page or so handily demonstrates as well.

"There's no frikkin' spoon or whatever!!" Hee! :D

The Scarab as Faceless!Beetle is interesting.

Scarab Speak Translation: "Scarab Speak." again.

Nice to see the Scarab demonstrating free will of its own. Eat that, the Reach! :D

Interesting how Peacemaker's corporeal body shows the same damage his mental one did. I'd figured it was just symbolic or whatever. Guess not!

Peacemaker cutting the Infiltrator Scarab out of his own spine: Bad. Ass. Also, probably physically impossible. But awesome!

This is just woobieful, y'know. The whole "I was the monster I was afraid you would be" just kind of gets me, y'know? Maybe it's part of the going through the first two trades again last night that makes even more heavy-hitting, but ouch. It hurts 'cuz it's true, y'know?

There seems to be some debate over whether or not Peacemaker's a goner now. The Reach did, after all, say that they couldn't remove the Scarab from Jaime without killing him, and Peacemaker was not exactly delicate about carving the thing out of him (so badass!), but Peacemaker is considerably more hardcore than li'l Jaime. Then again, that is a lot of blood he's lying in in that last panel there. Personally, I'd figured he's good as dead, but I guess he could survive, if Rogers wanted him to. If he is dead, I gotta say, this is a helluva way to go. He'll be missed, of course, but that's the point. There is no shame or anger in a death like that.

In short, good show, Rogers! Though that is pretty standard fare for this book, granted.

Thinking of All the Money I Could've Saved Hurts Me a Little Inside

So, after a bit over two months here, I finally bothered to set up a pull list at my LCS. Turns out I get a 15% discount for that. Saving money: Always a good thing!

My Real Life Pull List, as it turns out, is a bit longer than my Theoretical Pull List, if we discount the multiple copies of Booster Gold on the Theoretical List.

My Pull List:
Booster Gold
Blue Beetle
Teen Titans
JSA
Brave and the Bold
Atomic Robo

Also managed to guilt myself into buying the latest issue of Brave & the Bold, and managed to resist the urge to buy a T-Shirt. We'll see how long that lasts.

BatB was, for the record, rather enjoyable. I like that Peej and Diana have different facial features. Good show, Perez! And I think, though I'm not entirely sure, that Peej's facial features match with Supergirl's. If they do, then even better show, Perez! I love the little button nose, too. S'cute.

Anyway, I read J2 yesterday, and it was enjoyable enough, as far as series go. I wouldn't recommend running down to your LCS and ravaging the back issues in search of it, or anything, but it's not a purchase I regret making. It's corny and cute. And I must say, Wild Thing is what X-23 should look like, with her short, stubby head 'n' all. But X-23 just plain mystifies me, anyway.

But, ummm, highlights! Because these bits amused me and I feel like sharing! \o/


(My favorite part might be that he's trying to thread the needle on the wrong end. Hah!)


(OK, so I'm secretly 12 and I find toilets automatically hilarious. Nyeeeeer.)

As you may have noticed, it's a very wordy book. Very wordy. I'm not sure there's a single panel in all 12 issues without words of some sort in it, even discounting sound effects as words. And that'd be annoying with a lot of other characters, but it kind of works for li'l Juggie. Zane there definitely strikes me as the type to mentally narrate his own life.

It's also worth noting that every issue has at least two stories in it. It's an interesting way of doing things, I suppose. It also has the side effect of making me think that things happened later in the series than they did, so imagine my surprise when something I had thought happened in the 4th issue or so actually happened in the 2nd. Aheh.

Biggest surprise: Random, bizarre appearance of Deadpool. OK, what? (And he wasn't even talking in yellow. For shame, whoever had that responsibility!)

All in all, I'm not really surprised that this only lasted for 12 issues.

I Find the Greatest Stuff Through eBay.

First, really quickly, what I bought this week:
Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil HC (Read it, great stuff, considering trying to trick my little brother into the world of comics through this as a birthday/Christmas gift, may not want to give it up, may not be willing to shell out cash for a second copy, will see what happens)
52: The Companion TPB (Halfway done, read 5 out of 10 stories included, managed to not skip directly ahead to the Booster origin story, somewhat proud of myself for that.)
2nd copy of Booster Gold #3
Considered buying Brave & the Bold, but decided that I was spending enough already, thanks.

But, anyway, eBay. I think eBay is grand. I actually work in a store which has the entire purpose of selling things on eBay. (Seriously, it's what I do.) So, I will, on occasion, whenever the fancy strikes me (which is somewhat frequently), I will search for whatever, uhhh, strikes my fancy. Booster Gold is, unsurprisingly, a staple in my searching. And sometimes I find some really great, weird stuff.

Find of the day?



Dan Garret(t) has the weirdest hobby ever. I do not even want to think about how this is even working, because I know that it does not.

Find of the day yesterday?



The best part is that it's drawn by a professional. A somewhat obscure professional, sure, but someone who has been paid real monies by a big publisher to draw comics.

One can only wonder what tomorrow will bring.