You want to say something? Click on comments and say it. Anonymous personal attacks, suggestions, requests to have your blog added to my blog roll, complains, self-promotion, fun links, questions, whatever. This is a dumping ground for all "off topic" comments. Go.
I will begin -- could someone that has a copy of Brian Michael Bendis's Total Sell Out handy email me? (geoffklock@earthlink.net)
ReplyDeleteI'd like to bring up About Superman returns. Basically wouldn't you consider it nothing but a big budget fanfilm? I mean honestly. It had no continuity and yet it's part of the original movie storyline. It's like Singer decided to make a fanfilm rather than what Nolan did with Batman begins. Well made, but still a big fanfilm.
ReplyDeletePersonally I thought he should have completely made his own version of superman instead of just modifying the old ones. When I heard about I figured it'd be like Kingdom Come instead it's the old campy stuff, and Clark's a goof ball, and Lex hatches a realestate skeem once more. Like I said big fanfilm.
I want to return to the subject of Geoff's podcast (briefly mentioned in last week's 'comics out' section). It's no secret that the Geoff Klock interviews on Geek Speak are among their best episodes. Between his second book coming out, the lesson plans he needs to generate, and his settling back in the States, I'm sure that Geoff feels he doesn't have the time to deal with all the technical crap that goes into recording and releasing an audio podcast. So, if there is anyone here who can direct Geoff down an easy path to podcasting, this would be a good place to start helping.
ReplyDeletepat -- I think that is a good way of talking about why that movie didn't work. It is great fanfilm, it is just not a great film. But we would need to be clear that Superman Returns is distinct from Kill Bill -- the latter is a kind of "fanfilm" but Tarantino is reinventing and reimagining every step of the way.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: thanks, that would be helpful. I am not great with the tech stuff. I think what I would need would be some kind of short weekly audio rant I could link to on the blog.
Well KillBill was more of a tribute to films tarintino loved, not dorectly based on any particular story.
ReplyDeleteBTW what you think of that fanfilm "Patient J" I posted here a while back. I honestly thought it was the best Batman fanfilm I've ever seen.
I thought Patient J was alright. I didn't really like the actor playing the Joker. He did a good job of imitating Mark Hammill, but I don't think there was all that much new there. I'm also not a fan of "humanizing" the Joker, because it I think it takes away from the danger and randomness.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to let everyone know that if you have old books/comics that you don't need (and used bookstores don't give diddly-squat for), and there are other books/comics you'd love to own, you should check out BookMooch.
ReplyDeleteI've been using it for a couple of months now, and have given away 5 books, received 3, and have 4 more on their way to me. There aren't any fees at all; it works on a point system, and the sender always pays the postage (generally $1-2 for media mail). It's a much more fun and cheap method of obtaining trades and graphic novels than my local used bookstores, I've found.
Enjoy!
Mitch: What do you mean. That's how the Joker is in the comics. Mark Hammill just did an excellenent job portraying him(in a G rated format) as for humanizing. Hello, Killing Joke? One of the best Batman stories ever told.
ReplyDeleteYou have to understand what make's the Joker work. In the course of a day his life was ruined completely, and right when he saw his face in the water he just started laughing. Everything that happened was so rediculous. So obsurd. He felt life was all a big joke. So he treats everything as a joke, including mass murder.
I think the portrayal was very accurate
Oh and could you link my new blog thingy Geoff?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've seen anyone talk about The Prestige around these parts, so here are some thoughts:
ReplyDeleteI loved it, for the most part, though much of the third act dragged for me as I was always (at least) a few steps ahead of Nolan when it came to twists in the plot. This was exacerbated by the kind of semi-patronising "reveals" that M Night Shyamalan is always crucified for, but (I find) rarely guilty of. (I've yet to see Lady in the Water, so I can't comment as to whether he has finally revealed himself to be a bloated ego-maniac or not.)
As discussed in Geoff's OMAC Project post, a good story is more than its spoilers, and The Prestige certainly is that, and knowing the ending(s) won't affect my enjoyment at all on repeat viewings, but that wasn't much solace when I was sat in the cinema going "yeah yeah, I know this already".
Ok -- folks have been added to the blog roll. I also have to admit to not having yet seen the little Joker movie or the Prestige, but I will get to them eventually.
ReplyDeleteStarrlett: I know you will be writing reviews shortly -- when you have a new one just link to it on one of these Friday posts so everyone can read it.
I'm just about finished with "The Filth" and as you can imagine, I'm interested to hear what you think about it, Geoff.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I wish it had been the first of Morrison's stuff I read, because it makes a great sampler platter of all of his reccurring themes/ideas: nostalgia, superheroes and the fictional worlds they live in, gross/bizarre/magic hidden worlds under the surface of the most mundane things and even cyborg animals done up as weapons--all of it at a million miles an hour.
It's been fun, but it hasn't done anything totally new for me. I find myself shrugging my shoulders a lot and saying, "Crazy old Grant Morrison."
Mitch: that's a fair point -- every writer has there themes and at some point you are going to get bored. I love the Filth because I think it is one of the best places to see all his themes with the least amount of errors (fill in artists etc) -- it is one of the first Morrison books I give people to show what he is like. But like Beckett, Morrison comes back to the same places over and over. Still, I love it for being so much fun, even if it's not the first time I have seen his stuff.
ReplyDeleteThis is why, by the way, in a conversation about style vs substance that I keep having in little bits on this blog and others, that style is more important to me than ideas, than the book's "big point" -- because I can get tired of a big point but never of a well told story. I think the Filth is a pretty good story (whereas WE3 is a PERFECT story and New X-men is a mess)
I like that Morrison's X-Men is messy. I would argue that any solid run which truly captures the spirit which is essential to the X-Men needs to be messy.
ReplyDeletePing: Korday is too messy for my taste.
ReplyDeleteGeoff mentioned this above, but I thought I'd put the info for my CGS 200(Which was a blast)piece at Silver Bullet here. Thanks again for contributing to the article Geoff.
ReplyDeleteYou can read my article here: http://www.silverbulletcomics.com/news/story.php?a=3251
And listen to me talk about the whole crazy experience on the Comic Timing Podcast here: http://www.speakgeekspeak.com/comictiming