The only thing more relaxing to Darth Vader than killing a Jedi is when he’s taking a sith.

You can see more of these hilariously candid superhero shots by checking out Ian Pool’s photography gallery, known as “Super.”

They’re all pretty funny, but I think my second favorite of these has to be Doctor Octopus with his Jonas Brothers posters.

[Tip of the hat to Graeme for spotting the link]

This is kind of a short’n'sweet rundown on the articles I bookmarked this week, as I’m knee-deep in so much stuff right now I don’t have time to do them justice.

The Hathor Legacy on Warren Ellis’s Freakangels.

The Angry Black Woman says she would make a terrible superhero girlfriend. She also takes on being a sci-fi/comics fan and being a woman of color.

Johanna Draper Carlson wants to know what your geekiest thing is.

Racialicious revisits Secret Identities: The Asian American Superhero Anthology and finds a few identities still missing.

Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, prone to outrageous statements, will be the latest politician to star in her own comic book.

Todd Klein does the Library of Dream.

Splash Page has five out and proud heroes who’d oppose Proposition 8.

Daryl Cagle sticks it to the Huffington Post on comics and editorial cartoons.

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m working and packing, so I thought I’d share with you all the fun things I stumbled across this week in the comics Web.

And since I mentioned webs, you have to check out the winners of Warren Ellis’s Spider Queen Remake/Remodel contest. From Ryan Kelly, Pia Guerra and Paul Sizer, three totally different and totally fabulous visions of a character from a one-paragraph description.

Comics come with teaser trailers now? Apparently so, and this one, for Jeff Lemire’s upcoming Vertigo book, The Nobody, is pretty cool.

Figures the night that I don’t watch Rachel Maddow she talks comics. From Comics Worth Reading, Archie’s Marriage on Maddow.

I’ve always got to have one overly academic link, don’t I? These are notes on a paper titled “Harshin Ur Squeez:Visual Rhetorics of Anti-Racist Work in LiveJournal Fandoms.” It sounds like a mouthful, but if that’s your thing, check it out.

And to wrap things up, a nice little post on “Growing up Vulcan” inspired by the new Star Trek movie (duh).

Kryptonite, Lex Luthor and Doomsday have yet to fell the “Boy of Steel” (funny, for a lead actor in his 30s now), but finally something may be too deadly for Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman to overcome: A new Friday night timeslot.

Making the rounds in entertainment trades is news that The CW network has laid out their Fall 2009 schedule, and while Smallville managed to survive (news known for weeks, actually), the show looks like odd man out in terms of its choice time of the week. Making way for a new program (The Vampire Diaries) to be paired Thursday nights with the thriving Supernatural, Smallville has been moved to Fridays and given a mere repeat of America’s Top Model (I just threw up a little in my mouth) to carry the night for the network. Gotta love, also, how CW has put together a night devoted to Aaron Spelling material from days of old, 90210 and Melrose Place. I can assure you what network I will NOT be watching on Tuesday nights come September.

Terminator fans know all too well how toxic Friday night prime time can be with the recent cancellation of Fox’s Sarah Connor Chronicles. And despite being touched by an angel with Dollhouse, Joss Whedon fans were infamously burned with the short shrift given to cult classic Firefly. But despite the fact that I am sure Smallville’s move to Fridays is the first step in The CW clearing it off the books a year from now, I really can’t complain about the show’s treatment dating back to its origins on The WB in 2001. Nine seasons for any show in this day and age is remarkable, and in spite of creative ups and downs over the years, there is no denying that Smallville cemented its status in Superman lore years ago.

Ultimately my biggest hope is that the show producers develop a season from beginning to end that’ll make some sort of historical sense in Man of Steel mythology and not make it up as they go along, unsure of the promise of a tenth season. And I know everyone who follows the show has an idea in their head on how the eventual series finale should play out, but I for one would like them to simply end Season 9, regardless of the show’s fate, on a note that gives fans a sense of hope, if not closure. Stay tuned.

So, in the wake of this week’s season finale of Smallville, “Doomsday,” there was a little matter of a letter that Clark Kent composed in the event of his passing, as the Red-Blue Blur, that Lois Lane was instructed to run in the Daily Planet. 
It was only for a few moments at best that the viewers got a glimpse of the letter as Clark (Tom Welling) was typing it out.  As a service to the loyal viewers, I made it a point to transcribe the letter in its entirety…

To the citizens of Metropolis:

You have welcomed me into your city and allowed me to make it my home. I will always be grateful for that. Which is why I cannot leave without saying goodbye. This newspaper has made me into what you think I am — an example, a symbol, a “hero.” But the truth is, I’m simply one of you. The only difference is that my days in the shadows and my nights on the streets have allowed me to see what you’ve lost sight of — the good in each of you.

I’ve seen regular people do extraordinary things. I’ve seen you help each other up after you’ve been knocked down. I’ve seen you stand together when times are tough. And I’ve seen the smallest act make the biggest change. If I’ve done anything right, I hope it’s help you realize one person can make a difference in the lives of others — that Metropolis doesn’t need a hero. Have faith in yourself, and you will find hope in each other.

Remember, it’s not the mask that makes the hero. It’s the choices we make and the desire to do what’s right. I’ve seen that desire in all of you. It inspired me to promise I would do everything in my power to protect this city — but I can’t promise that I’ll be around forever. One day, there may be a fight I cannot win.

But if that day comes, please, keep fighting without me to make the world a better place. Be the heroes I know you are.

~ The Red-Blue Blur

It has become a sought after book but the graphic novel which the upcoming Robert Downey Jr. Sherlock Holmes movie is based upon remains unpublished. Written by the film’s producer, Lionel Wigram, to help promote the viability of the project, it seems that this book was never meant for the general public. This is not to be mistaken with the current Sherlock Holmes comics series by Dynamite Entertainment. And, of course, this movie is not to be mistaken with the Sacha Cohen/Will Ferrell version.

And the money shot in the comic book that wowed investors? Sherlock looking all bed head and wielding a sword in one hand and a whip in the other. 

Director/writer Guy Ritchie, Robert Downey, Jr. and the rest of the cast, which includes Jude Law, Rachel McAdams and Mark Strong, all appear to be on top of their game. There’s been a lot of buzz about this one and that will just keep humming along with the first trailer for the general public to be released to accompany Terminator Salvation when it opens May 21. 

Set for a Christmas Day release, this movie promises to give the viewer a rough and tumble Sherlock Holmes more true to the original than what the casual observer may imagine. You’ll see a Sherlock Holmes who is handy with a sword and knows his boxing and martial arts. You’ll also get a pretty sweet mystery involving a sinister occultist. And lots of manly swagger between Holmes and his buff compatriot, Watson. These two mean to kick some ass.   

USA Today provides a feature story about the latest developments. Go to their site to see more photos. Now, the question remains, who will win over audiences and go on to become a franchise? Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes or the Sacha Cohen/Will Ferrell flick? Well, the one with Cohen and Ferrell sounds like it’s going to be really offbeat much like the one with Gene Wilder in the ’70s, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother. It might be good but it will be too offbeat and a franchise like this can’t pull any punches. You want badass action for something like this, right? And, if you have to take sides, how can you pass up the guy who made Iron Man hip?  

Also, if you’re in a position to do so, someone snag me a copy of the Lionel Wigram Sherlock Holmes graphic novel. Then again, who knows, it may not have been intended to be more than a glorified storyboard but it could end being published and available everywhere for the holidays.

Or not-gettin’-any-action-figures? (OK, OK, that was awful, I’m sorry). Lucas drew my attention to this on Twitter (via GeekGirlDiva), and I just had to share it. I stopped collecting action figures ages ago, though I still have my Death and a few McFarlane NHL figures. I’m certainly not going to break that streak for Twilight figures, but maybe someone else will.

There are also quite ridiculously priced dolls of Edward and Bella that are temporarily out of stock–which means there’s a significant number of people who spent $139 plus shipping and handling on them.

Interview with Julia Wertz, creator of I Saw You…Comics Inspired by Real Life Missed Connections. Who doesn’t love missed connections? Even better in comics form.

Girl-Wonder.org has a new blogger at 1000 Miles Outside Metropolis, and her first post is on the perils of reading indie comics in a lousy economy. Check it out.

Comicsgirl is actually looking forward to Marvel Divas. And she makes me rethink my snark. (h/t When Fangirls Attack)

Daryl Cagle’s Arlen Specter cartoon made me laugh, and I love when he posts his progress on a cartoon.

Suzie at Echidne of the Snakes takes on Dollhouse-as-boyfriend-test. Take note, gentlemen.

I totally love when political bloggers blog about comics. Attackerman on Wolverine.

Finally, don’t forget G. Willow Wilson’s May Day AIRlift project. Buy comics, help a good cause. You can indeed still participate buying from your local retailer…

When you’re a show on the bubble and your season’s about to wrap, it’s good to give the fans something tasty that they can savor for awhile. The season (don’t make me say series, NBC) finale of Chuck was pretty darn successful at doing just that. This final, wedding-based episode did a terrific job of tying up loose ends and giving certain characters some new direction without really closing the door on anything in a finite way. This is in no way meant to be an Post Game-style episode recap (so spoiler shields up) to get you up to speed, this is for the faithful viewers who watched Chuck this week and hope that the line “I know Kung Fu” is only the start of something special.
(more…)

I’m still not finished working my way through the Buffy and Angel TV series on DVD, so I have yet to read the Buffy and Angel comics, though I bought them for my sister for her birthday. So I was surprised to hear that James Marsters (Spike from the show, for the uninitiated) had guest-written an issue of the Dark Horse Buffy comics.

Splash Page had a story earlier today with Marsters’s comments on writing the comic, which included:

“I thought that if I wrote a comic, I’d have ultimate power over everything,” said Marsters. “It was a rude awakening to find out how little power writers have.”

Dark Horse gave Splash Page a statement in response to Marsters’s comments, which included criticisms of artist Ryan Sook.

“The artist James was referring to was Ryan Sook, and he was someone Joss really liked,” explained Dark Horse Senior Managing Editor Scott Allie… “When James expressed his concerns about Ryan, Joss talked to James for me, and told him this was how he wanted the book handled. I talked to Juliet about this recently, and she had no problem with any of it — she’d seen the book and thought it was fine.”

This all may have been blown out of proportion just a bit, though. After all, the original article ended with Marsters joking that all of the portrayals of his character in the subsequent comics have been “overly handsome.”

PAWTUCKET, RI – April 15, 2009 – Hasbro announced today that G.I. Joe: Resolute, an adult fan oriented animated mini-series, will be broadcast via Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim on television as well as online.  Based on the classic G.I. JOE brand, Hasbro created 60 minutes of total content for this new story which will be presented as 11 episodes.

Beginning on April 17, fans will be able to see the first five minutes of the brand new, stand-alone animated mini-series on AdultSwim.com.  These episodes are broken down to ten 5-minute episodes and one 10-minute finale.  Following the first episode on April 17, subsequent installments will be posted on the Adult Swim website leading up to a full presentation of the entire series.   This finale will be broadcast on Adult Swim April 25 at midnight.  This televised event will not only feature all episodes seen online, but will be the first time fans can watch the final 10 minutes of the G.I. Joe: Resolute saga.  All episodes, including the finale, will be available to view online after this airing.

Intended for the adult fan that grew up with the brand in the 80’s, G.I. Joe: Resolute received standing ovations at both the G.I. JOE Convention, “JoeCon,” and San Diego Comic-Con in 2008 where sample clips were previewed.  Since then, fans have eagerly been awaiting the announcement of air-dates for the series.

“In a very exciting year for the G.I. JOE brand, we’re thrilled to be able to bring the G.I. Joe: Resolute animated series to the adult G.I. JOE fan,” said Michael Verrecchia, Director of G.I. JOE Entertainment Marketing.  “Adult Swim is the perfect broadcast platform to deliver the series, which features a more sophisticated animation style and story than prior animation.”

Hasbro developed the animation with executive producer Sam Register as well as a powerhouse creative team at Titmouse Studios including Joaquim Dos Santos, a veteran animation director, who worked closely with award-winning comic writer Warren Ellis, who penned the entire series. This highly regarded team brings an edgy, intense feel to the series, which will feature the most popular characters in the G.I. JOE vs. COBRA canon.  Iconic characters such Duke, Snake Eyes, Scarlett and Roadblock will do battle with Cobra Commander, Destro, Baroness and Storm Shadow.

Fans can learn more about G.I. Joe: Resolute by visiting www.gijoeresolute.com

Mmmm, gotta love slut-shaming comic-book characters. Except I don’t. At all. And neither does the author of this post. (via When Fangirls Attack)

OK, but these are awesome.

If you didn’t read the latest arc of Northlanders, you missed out. On art like this.

Warren Ellis swears he will die if you don’t read Ignition City. I did. Did you? What did you think?

The latest dirt on the possible-cancellation of Dollhouse? I’ll be sad it if does truly get cancelled–it’s just gotten better and better each week. But Friday night is a damned inconvenient time to watch TV if you’ve got any sort of a social life.

Speaking of Dollhouse, Racialicious looks at the cast and finds non-white characters the most interesting in the lot.

Finally, if we’re going to talk about “Strong female characters” can we talk about finding some “strong women” to write some of them? I don’t have a problem with men writing female characters in general, but I know there have to be some women out there who’d love to write superheroines, right? Gail Simone can’t be the only woman in all of creation who wants to do so…

You all remember the scene in The Empire Strikes Back where Luke Skywalker, desperate and lost in the freezing cold planet of Hoth, slices open his Tauntaun mount and huddles inside for warmth.

Well, now we’ve got the home game. Check it.

Topless Robot reports that ThinkGeek is moving on what was originally just an April Fool’s gag. If you click here, ThinkGeek will e-mail you if they manage to get George Lucas’ approval.

For me, the best part about this is not just the intestine-shaped embroidery on the inside of the sleeping bag, but the Lightsaber-shaped zipper. For that alone, I’m sold.

Obama Depressed, Distant Since ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Series Finale

Courtesy of The Onion HERE…

Good stuff for you this week, I promise.

When Fangirls Attack linked to this piece about the Silhouette in the Watchmen film. I’m partial to this piece because on my first read through Watchmen, Silhouette was the character that most intrigued me, even though she only warrants a passing mention. Sally Jupiter was easy to read, and both she and Laurie are characters worth re-reading and studying many times over, but I wanted to know more about this other woman.

Becky Cloonan has another Comic Attack up, this one with a mention of a game I have many fond and not-so-fond memories of from middle school. Am I dating myself? Do I care? Go. Read. Laugh.

Leigh Walton wants to know why Swamp Thing didn’t warrant as great a “remastering” as the Absolute Sandman or Absolute Death.

This piece at Jezebel isn’t comic-related, but does ask some questions that I ask myself when thinking about comics. The story is about Flannery O’Connor, a famed Southern writer who apparently was both judgmental and racist in her private life. The question, one that most avid readers of any stripe ask themselves, is, “Can you love the work and not the author?”

Since comics writers and artists are often far more accessible to their fans than long-dead authors of canonical Great Works of prose, this question seems to come into play fairly often. My answer to it is a definite “yes,” and I back it up by my wholehearted defense of the works of authors whose political beliefs are pretty diametrically opposed to my own. Sure, I love reading works where the authors believe what I believe, but I also like to challenge myself. My criteria for a good work is based on the work itself–is it complex, deep, with living, breathing characters who have agency? Does it make me ask tough questions? Or perhaps, is it just thrilling, addictive fun? Not everything has to be Les Miserables (says the girl who wrote a defense of Twilight).

Joelle Jones has more preview pages up, Ryan Kelly has the prettiest Megan drawing yet on his blog, and Fiona Staples has some secrets she’d like to tell you.

(No, I promise nothing in this blog is an April Fool’s joke. I’m too tired for that.)

Man, did I miss sharing this with you?
Mea culpa, but here’s a little weekend “Moment of Zen” that celebrates Bat-branding through the ages.
Cheers!

Because it’s Thursday, I’m swamped, but the rest of the blogosphere hasn’t been slacking.

Dollhouse: I’m not gonna lie, I skimmed this review because I haven’t watched this episode yet. However, some of the insights noted struck me, so I’m linking here. Also because I mean to write more about Dollhouse, which I think is steadily improving–and growing more challenging–with each episode.(h/t When Fangirls Attack)

The Blockbuster Mentality and the Invisible Audience: about how the magical male 18-35 demographic became so in Hollywood, with interesting possible extrapolations to the comics industry.

Joelle Jones, whose art I fell in love with on Token, links to a preview of her new Oni Press graphic novel with Jamie S. Rich, You Have Killed Me. Her art is worth it on its own, but the preview looks pretty fabulous.

Jezebel notes that Good Morning America has finally resolved the question: “Are There Vampires Among Us?” And in related news, Gawker assures us that Boston Latin High School is not, in fact, crawling with vampires. (Too bad, as I’m heading to Boston this weekend).

Daryl Cagle has a North Korea-related political cartoon that made him laugh. It made me laugh, too.

Finally, Splash Page posted this story about an autistic boy saved from a ledge by a man in a Spider-Man costume, which reminded me that Rachel Maddow actually had video on the other night. So here’s the video. Enjoy!

As promised (I hope), this should be my last offering related to the recent WATCHMEN release.

In a GQ issue with a little something for everyone (trying to make it in the publishing biz with Lenny Dykstra sounds more awful than any horror story I’ve caught in recent years about the comics industry), the April 2009 issue of GQ has a feature entitled “The 20 Graphic Novels You Should Read (After “Watchmen”).”

The men in tights are kept to a minimum (Batman doesn’t even get a mention that I’m aware of, save for citing Ed Brubaker — Superman and Madman earn high marks one time each), and it’s a respectable look at how comics aren’t just kids stuff, a noble venture by a magazine geared to get male consumers everywhere to buy $300 Hugo Boss t-shirts.

Of course 20 items isn’t even going to scratch the surface, but what additional suggestions would YOU make to a mainstream publication like GQ?

Robert Crumb reportedly has inked the last page to his interpretation of The Book of Genesis due out by W. W. Norton this fall and going by the title, Robert Crumb’s Book of Genesis. In fact, he’s completed every last bit: the cover, the intro, the commentary and a map that begins the 201 page book. We’ve gotten only a few glimpses of this project. The best is in connection with Phoebe Glockner’s photo comic report from the Angoulême comics festival in 2005 from which the above photo is taken.

The following quote from Crumb is well worth looking back on too. Art critic Robert Hughes interviewed Crumb for Time in 2005 and, after admiring Crumb for having the same distaste for Andy Warhol, gets the master to focus in what it was like to see God, so to speak:

HUGHES: Is God going to look like Mr. Natural?

CRUMB: Nah. He has a white beard but he actually ended up looking more like my father. He has a very masculine face like my father. My problem was, how am I going to draw God? Should I just draw him as a light in the sky that has dialogue balloons coming out from it? Then I had this dream. God came to me in this dream, only for a split second, but I saw very clearly what he looked like. And I thought, ok, there it is, I’ve got God.

South Park tackled the comic book superhero genre with mixed results on their March 18th episode. Simultaneously taking digs at The Dark Knight, The Spirit, and the up-to-the-minute Watchmen, the concept of a city’s masked hero fighting injustice with an Atlas-like sense of self-importance was mocked rather well despite a rather unsatisfying ending.

Click the link to get the episode in full, and swing back by here to let us know what you thought of “The Coon.”