Tonight's Supergirl Was Great

Tonight's Supergirl was great. It reminded me of Star Trek and Stargate before Wynn referenced them. If CW can make desert sets and rubber masks and Legends can make the Waverider I don’t see why mainstream TV can't stretch further to make a main network Star Trek show.

Monel was alright this episode and best yet they didn’t do any obvious romantic stuff with him and Supergirl. My prediction that he's the Prince of Daxam is confirmed with the Dominator and other alien bowing to him.

Speaking of Romantic, Alex and Maggie get all kissy and happy until Alex blames her happiness for interfering with her work and Maggie gives her the ultimatum that this is her last chance at making it work. They have a beautiful hug at the end.

Harley-Quinn Smith appears and she and Supergirl get to hug. How many people get to hug their heroes like that?

Wynn has a crisis of conscious after getting beat up by thieves and then realizes that he got to go on another planet and survive to tell the tale. He’s living the dream Jimmy Olsen probably lived back in the day with Superman.

Snapper Carr's coming around to Kara.

Roulette was wasted in screen time that was taken up by her alien thugs, but she really proves to be wicked scum that will sell out humans to aliens who don’t seem concerned with how they sell each other out working for her.

I love Joe the alien who speaks in third person and got to go back to Earth with Supergirl and crew.

Review Supergirl Season 2 Episode 6 Changing

First of all Parasite kind of sucked and was wasted just like Metallo. I'm also shocked they actually addressed though wordlessly that Supergirl kills him. I feel like the global warming angle didn't earn itself as the topical cause of the episode, though. There's better villains that would have served that purpose while Parasite is wasted as a knock off Yeerk turned purple, hulking Red Skull. I feel like Flash's episode about Everyman does this concept more justice. Than again I feel Metallo was wasted too. A pattern perhaps.

They're getting Alex's development down and done better than last episode. This could be the first dreaded friend zone trope to apply to two gay characters on tv. Alex's rejection felt real, I can relate to the forget I ever said it should of kept my mouth shut sentiment. That her memories are filling in childhood moments of identity that were buried is also a common experience and it needed to be addressed. After many misdirects they actually have Kara supportive. There's never too many shows that have believable sisters that hits you. She also has time to work, and convince M'gann and Mon El to rise above themselves.

Maggie's presumptions and brush off aren't wrong, but condescending in trying to be a friend to a child kind of way. This Maggie while irritating in some ways is what I wish we would have gotten for a liveaction Renee Montoya than that plot device on that Fox show. While she has comic Maggie's confidence, she doesn't have her comic book backstory baggage. She does like comic Renee have an implied blink and you'll miss it drinks alone mention that could lead somewhere, or go nowhere as the writers choose. It didn't go so well for Laurel Lance so I don't think it will work here. Alcoholics rarelhy make compelling characters, especially on CW.

I'm sort of interested in how they resolve Mon El's kidnapping and his job as n enforcer. I was not expecting the enforcer angle, I thought they were going to go with not stripper, but maybe male model. I like to see him interact with James and more Winn. I'm glad Alex inspired him to be a hero, but maybe James and Winn got to show him how to be a proper human being since Kara's doing a fine job at it and Alex has her own problems besides the obligatory rescue that she and Supergirl will come up with.

I'm not sure what to think about James's vigilantism. I'd have rather they'd done a wacky gains superpowers for an episode to revert back to normal but most of those stories reek of a stay in your place mentality. If his should be a stepping stone for Winn's turn as the new Toyman than that'd suck.

I'm liking the slowburning development of J'onn and M'ann's friendship that could rip apart any second. One nitpick I have is that I like the actress who plays M'gann, but basically the symbolically oppressive white martian is doing the shapeshifter equivalent of blackface. I mean so is J'onn, but M'gann's race is explicitly genocidal and conquering (they're not only white, but they're coded white). It only works because of the initial misdirect and the actors are just that good. While I'm used to Miss Martian being a bright, sunny teenager with a shameful secret in need of a father figure, this Miss Martian whose distrustful, remorseful and older with a shameful secret in need of a friend, or something more works for me in a CW drama. I can see the Young Justice cartoon fans pissed as I was when they dumped Tim, Bart and Cassie, replaced it with Teen Titan characters and screwed up Kon, so fairs fair.

Review Flash #10

Up at 6 in the morning reading yesterdays comics to cheer me up. Reading Flash #10. The Shade returns and they introduced what I'm sure will be a one issue wonder villain in Papercut.

I'd like to comment that the art was good this issue. It's the first issue of The Flash in a long time where the anatomy isn't wonky, people have distinct faces, the line work is clean.

The Shade has come back, gone from dapper and good to appearing creepy grotesque and has lost hope, which is what turned him into a bad gut and gaining hope and friends turned him good. Not a lot more has been revealed yet as it ends on a cliffhanger, but the shadow effects look great. If I had to guess, the stealing of years has either reset Shade back to square one without his connections and without them he's lost, or he has enough awareness to know that a higher power can rip your life away and despairs because of it.

Now on to Papercut. Other than the unfortunate villainous albino aspect, he has potential. To be honest I'm not sure if he's a white albino with dreads and that would be unfortunate, or if he's intended to be black albino. He does have a cool costume and a cool power. In fact the m.o. sounds like something I would have created. He makes origami paper weapons because he can control wood. I'd like to see this rogue go up against Alan Scott, if his old powers/weaknesses were restored by Rebirth.

Flash Facts are back! At least in dialogue. Between this and Psylocke's mention of Psychic Totality this is a good week for old acknowledged catchphrases.

The little shit who must not be named better stay out my comic. Don't care if Kid Flash is on his team.

Meena might be alive, but I'm not digging the explanation for her staying away. There's got to be more to it. It'd suck if she only came back once Barry and Iris take the next step. Wish they'd resolve things before that happens. I actually like Meena as brief lover interest unlike Patty in the books and show even though both Patty's seem like different people to me.

While I find some of young Wally's impulsive actions annoying, I got to keep in mind that he's a teenager and they rationalize things weird, or maybe that's off writing either way I can overlook it, because other times he gives me the feels whether it's his joy of his powers and helping people (even when he doesn't always think of that when he's showboating a villain), distrusting Flash, not wanting to disappoint Iris,being withdrawn, trying to prove himself (though looking for trouble seems iffy to me). I also want more development on his friendship with Chunk.

Even though I think Barry keeping his identity from Iris is stupid, I suppose in this lost time of his life he can justify it. I dig the fact that Iris protects him when they're in danger. It sort of reminds me of Diana in Steve over in Wonder Woman.

Missed The Record Swap So I Went Shopping At The Mall

After the write in, I went shopping and got two cool things that sort of makes up for missing the last record swap meet.

My first purchase was at the Sleeping Tiger import store where I got a print of Mick Jagger talking to Ed Sullivan while Keith Richards looks on, arms crossed looking reserved and rather cute. He's also wearing pinstripes and I'm mad gangster for those. It cost $3.99, so no big loss. I figure I mine as well make it official since my sister won't stop pestering me about our secret relationship. I mean if I'm all defensive about him, but all shy, embarrassed and in denial about it, it must be true, right? Anyway I found that this same print sold on ebay for $14.99 + $4.99 shipping so I made out.

At all the previous record shows I was already scraping the bottom of barrel of availability and budget. Needless to say I was never going to find any Small Faces/Faces LP's not credited to Rod Stewart only. I have many of those, but today that all changed when I went to FYE where they always have overpriced vinyl reissues. My sister found me First Step discounted from $24.99 to $19.99. I ended up buying it making it the most expensive record I've ever bought, beating out Truth, Rough And Ready, and Beck, Bogert & Appice at $5 each. Yikes. Well anyway the record itself is orange color, which is tacky, but alright whatever and long as it plays.

An older guy notices I'm holding it and he tries to step to me with his old man hipster act. "Oh The Small faces with Rod Stewart, well that's a good album, but I liked them with that other guy." You know trying to slyly call me a poser without coming out and saying it.

"You mean Steve Marriott," I said. "I like him and Rod."

Then the conversation goes on where he talks about Steve's stage presence and the scarcity of their live shows and I'm all, well it's not a concert, but I have a burnt copy of their BBC selections from Ogden's Nut Gone Flake performance on dvd, you can find some of those clips on youtube if you do a search. Well by the end of it he told me to take care having finally been convinced of my Small Faces fan credentials in spite the fact that I appear to be a short, greasy, ugly, androgynous female sixteen year old. In fact I'm all those things, but sixteen and female. So anyone who tells you Comic Book fans will quiz ya for being born with the wrong genitalia, well Rock fans are exactly the same.

Review For Flash #9 And Flash Episode 4 The New Rogues

This was a great week for me in The Flash department. A great Flash episode with a competent Barry outsmarting the Mirror Master who've I've been wanting on the show since day one, forever annoyed the first series done it and the new series was dragging it's feet. I not a fan of Top being Mirror Masters girlfriend since I'll always associate Top with Golden Glider, but since they already botched that and had Glider be interested in Cisco, whatever. This Top also reminds me more of Golden Glider than the Golden Glider they cast as well. She just has that fun, gleeful vibe to her. Maybe that's just me. I'm not keen with either being metas, but that complaint left the station when they did it to Weather Wizard first season. I also thought it weird that this Mirror Master had an accent (which I don't think resembles a real world one) even though he was Scudder and not McCulloch who I could understand having an actor do a botch Scottish accent, but no excuses for Scudder whose traditionally States. There was a blink you'll miss it mention of Earth-2 McCulloch who gets mirror gun, but I'd have preffered main Earth Mirror Master had one.

Most importantly this week was the comic. In Flash #9, the two Wally's meet, we get the confirmation that young Wally's father is in fact Daniel West/Reverse Flash who've I've suspected for awhile. I don't know if this is new information since Barry knew as I didn't read most of the crappy previous run.

There's so much to unpack with this issue. I can't get into all of it, but each scene and dialogue was smartly paced and written.

I'm not going to go detail by detail, but Iris gets flowers from a secret admirer who unlike Barry knows they're her favorite flowers. The two Wally's meet. A possessed Barry reveals that Daniel West is young Wally's father. Chunk cameos. Older Wally reveals to Barry that Abracadabra's behind his disappearance. Older Wally is the one who's been sending the flowers as gratitude and knowing he can't reveal himself to her yet. Barry suspects there's more at work and that the culprit is bound to return to the scene of the crime. Barry sees one vision he wasn't supposed to see while he was possessed. Jay Garrick's helmet, y'all!!! And that vision filled Barry with hope!

I'll admit the issue made me emotional and not just because there's the hope that we'll get a proper reunion between Jay and the Flash family and perhaps more Justice Society members in other books. Please let Alan meet Simon and Jessica. Please. If not reunite with Hal and Kyle.

Quotes:

"You would never understand! My parents were taken from me…But you two…Both of you were abandoned by your parents. They left you." - possessed Barry

(I promise Barry's not all angsty except here.)

"Iris didn't just introduce me to you, Barry…She got me out of that house…Iris saved my life. The least I can do is give her flowers." -Wally

My Favorite Brother Published A Book And I Helped!

My favorite brother wrote a book and got it published! He drew this cover, front to back, as well as the map and postcard. We collaborated on the non-animal interior illustrations throughout the book. Basically I’d draw the crappy outline, he’d redraw or improve it, then digitally line and shade it. A friend of ours drew all the interior animals illustrations and they’re amazing. I took the author photo as well.

Here's the link to purchase, if you're interested.

If you want to give the author more of the profits, use this:
Create Space

If you just want the convenience, though we lose a little money, use Amazon which will take more of the cut. We honestly don't blame you, so don't feel ashamed. We just want it read (and hopefully reviewed).
Amazon

Goodreads Author Page

Link To Jay’s Tumblr Page
I apologize for the lack of posts there. It’s a working progress.

I'm Not Dead Yet, Perhaps Undead

Though I sure feel like it with this unbearable heat and working on the house repairs.

I watched The Flash season finale. Honestly as much as it pisses people off I'm glad Flash saved his mom. I expect torches and pitchforks now. With how low the last episodes were, it felt like my birthday all over again getting the ending I wanted in the first season all along. I'll get to my Season 3 theories and observations in another post.

After all was said and done, I finally bought my months worth of comics on my pull list and I finally read DC Universe Rebirth #1 beyond all the spoilers and I busted out my neglected Legend Of Wonder Woman run and marathoned it before bed. Tonight I'll read the last three issues of Justice League 3001. I'll admit I've not kept on top of of these two series because of their finite nature and I haven't read any of Waid and Samnee's Black Widow because I never found a first issue in any of my local comic shops so next time I do Amazon (because Ebay failed me hear too) I'll buy it with shipping because nothing else on my wishlist free shipping fulfilled through Amazon matches the lowest price with shipping through individual seller. The perils of liking vintage and out of print books, cd's, records, dvd's and vhs's records like the loser I am.

Quick Reviews

DC Universe Rebirth #1

I'll just say now, that Rebirth exceeded my expectations and it made both of my brother and I cry, especially Wally's arc and the lost love between Ollie and Dinah. Sorry Babs/Dinah shippers. I like where they're going with younger Wally's turn to Kidflash especially in light of him being an actual new character instead of being a repeat of old Wally with a personality change. That bothered me. I loved the Atom and Blue Beetle subplots and yay for Dr. Fate and Johnny Thunder showing up. Even Jay Garrick gets a small blink and you'll miss it cameo where Wally talks about first taking The Flash mantle after Crisis. Even Saturn Girl is showing up in the present. I know Geoff Johns won't be writing a comic for awhile, but I feel optimistic that when he does it will be Society or Legion since no other writer employed by DC apparently cares about them or is trusted to do anything with them.

The three things I don't like, Baby Darkseid and Grail (an unoriginal repeat of Zeus/Zeke raised by Athena/Zola), WWINO's twin and the reinforcement of Azzarello's canon and Little Shit Who Must Not Be Named's decision to form the new Teen Titans.

I don't have problem with either Watchmen or the Three Joker's. I know it's perverse, but come on, a Night Owl/Blue Beetle or Silk Spectre/Black Canary team up are the dreams fanfanfiction are made of. Also if this means we can have one Joker that's classic and didn't either shoot Barbara or skin his face off, I'm happy. Those other Joker's suck and they seem to still exist too, but oh well, you win some you lose some.

Legend Of Wonder Woman # 3-6

Finally we get to have nice things. I've heard the criticisms that Diana doesn't smile. Perhaps that would bother me if I was reading this serialized weekly and I kept it in mind while reading the collected floppies. Honestly it makes sense for a someone who left her island while a political upheaval's going on, is traveling to an unknown land on journey wrought with peril and comes to America thinking her passenger died and is culture shocked, thinks her mom is in danger because a guy with illusion powers has her mom's stuff and then finally enlists into the nurses ward to see the horrors of war to not smile. It makes the first smile earned because of Steve no less.

I love this series. All the little retcons and bigger deviations from Marston are simple and not overly complicated or unnecessary like the Perex reboot, all the expansions included work towards her journey. I love Etta, a loyal true friend with personality and her own dreams and problems modern Wonder Woman is doomed to never have. I love Steve and his comment that he loves to fly, but admits he's not as good on ground when it comes to fighting is adorable. He really is cut from the same cloth as Steve Rogers (without the Hydra shit though, grr...) with a dash of Hal Jordan (not the sexist pig version, writers like to default to). I'm also glad to see Duke Of Deception again even if he looks like a Final Fantasy character (Reno, Axel, any Nobody really, take your pic) combined with Constantine. It's growing on me. Knowing I get to see Priscilla Rich Cheetah in the future has me excited.

Etta mentioning that her little brother's in the Justice Society Fanclub. I doubt that little mention will payoff with how little time's left in the mini-series, but maybe it will play a part in the second series. Just knowing they exist at all in the same universe makes me happy. I want Diana to meet, Jay, Alan and Carter again soon. Those were her real buddies before she was forced to play Robin for Superman and Batman Post-Crisis.

Why can't we have this Wonder Woman as canon and in the shared Universe?