BOUGHT/THOUGHT for May 16, 2007

[PWN3R]

I'ma get, get, get, get, you drunk, get you love drunk off my lady lump = this thread

 

[Darthphere]

I wouldn't use it if it wasn't true. I can't count how many times jaydawg has pulled out the UA card to overrule my opinion on something. You threw X-MEN: FIRST CLASS in my face in a rant a few weeks ago.

I get tired of having to explain myself over and over and over. I mean no one wants to ever talk about the books I liked. No one. Ever. I have to practically beg people to post over in INVINCIBLE. Hey, I liked MOON KNIGHT, too, but who wants to discuss that? Anyone? Yeah.

I never insulted people who liked MA. I never said, "If you like this, you are all stupid". I just noted areas I felt could have been better or whatnot, with my usual Bendis bias, and went on my way. I mean I get that someone is going to pull the, "If you don't like us nitpicking everything you write, don't to it to our beloved Bendis, hahaha-hypocritiePWNED!", but it gets draining going over the same stuff again and again and again.

Especially, for the last god damned time, I DIDN'T HATE MIGHTY AVENGERS #3!! I felt it was an improvement over the last issue! I liked the fight scene even if it was predictable, it was paced well!

Can we please discuss some other comic? We've hogged the topic enough as it is, and of course that is my fault.

While it's true that you never actually insulted anyone, you do however write in a condescending attitude about comics you don't like, and the people who read them. It all comes down to opinion but I have told you, that you do tend to overanalyze some things in your reviews. But hey, say what you want, just be prepared for someone to not like what you say. I haven't read MA #3 yet, as I'm currently trying to burn through The Plain Janes, so I have no real comments about your review.

 

[Dread]

While it's true that you never actually insulted anyone, you do however write in a condescending attitude about comics you don't like, and the people who read them. It all comes down to opinion but I have told you, that you do tend to overanalyze some things in your reviews. But hey, say what you want, just be prepared for someone to not like what you say. I haven't read MA #3 yet, as I'm currently trying to burn through The Plain Janes, so I have no real comments about your review.

Oh, I won't deny I have a condescending tone sometimes.

But I've rarely said something to someone like, "every week you say the same crap". Then I get offended because most weeks a good 1-3 hours of my time goes into typing a review and then it gets me in a bad mood when I get outright insulted, and then I act like a general arse until the next morning. It makes me feel like I am wasting my time typing all this stuff. By all means let's discuss stuff but when people are all like, "No, you don't see it like I see it, idiot" then I get annoyed.

People complain when I repeat myself over and over. And yet, here I am having to re-explain my opinion and do just that.

I think I have stated my opinion on MIGHTY AVENGERS #3 and Bendis fairly clearly. I never said it was a bad issue at all. The fight was good and it had a few cute moments, like Ares seeming to fall for Black Widow or Wonder Man, for whatever reason, finally remembering he can fly. Wasp it still utterly wasted, IMO.

The irony is I expected people to give me the most grief about stuff I said about ULTIMATES 2 #13. But I guess because it's horribly late, criticizing THAT was alright.

 

[Not Jake]

you are wasting yer time. I RUUuuuLlLLE

 

[Marcdachamp]

Dread, my biggest qualm with your reviews is the fact that you seem to act as though you know Bendis. I've often been called an apologist of his on these boards, but one thing I can't stand is when people criticize the man for how he thinks or for things he doesn't do (the Hank situation a few weeks ago springs to mind). Now, I've never met the guy, but I've been going to his forum for a few years now, and he is easily one of the most accessible welcoming people I've had the pleasure of talking to online. I get that you don't like his work, but I'm really sick of idiots that paint him as the ****ing Anti-Christ of comics.

Also, I think the reason you get called out on several reviews is because of the sanctimonious worship you receive from some of the other posters in regards to said reviews. Celebrity status has its flaws, I'm sure.

 

[Dread]

Dread, my biggest qualm with your reviews is the fact that you seem to act as though you know Bendis. I've often been called an apologist of his on these boards, but one thing I can't stand is when people criticize the man for how he thinks or for things he doesn't do (the Hank situation a few weeks ago springs to mind). Now, I've never met the guy, but I've been going to his forum for a few years now, and he is easily one of the most accessible welcoming people I've had the pleasure of talking to online. I get that you don't like his work, but I'm really sick of idiots that paint him as the ****ing Anti-Christ of comics.

Also, I think the reason you get called out on several reviews is because of the sanctimonious worship you receive from some of the other posters in regards to said reviews. Celebrity status has its flaws, I'm sure.

I also will cop to being especially hard on Bendis.

That differs from the arrogant, smug, holier-than-thou know it all a-hole he usually comes off as in Newsarama or Wizard interviews. Personally I felt Slott was cool here, until people on SHH drove him away. As Marvel's #1 writer on their #1 books, and personal architect for their 2004-2005 events for the entire company, he will become a lightening rod. Especially when in the eyes of the many he made some very big blunders. Bush will never be forgiven for Iraq. Bendis will never be forgiven for Hawkeye or some of his HOM bobbles, just as Mackie will never be forgiven for Clone Saga or JMS for Sin's Past. Get used to it. It's life. One major screw up, or SEVERAL, brands you for life. JetBlue fired longtime executives/employees for ONE screw up last winter. Thems the breaks. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Sanctimonious worship...Mmmmm, I could go for some of that right now. Anyone got any?

 

[Assassin]

JLA #9

Dawnstar made my wewe bigger

 

[Marcdachamp]

I also will cop to being especially hard on Bendis.

That differs from the arrogant, smug, holier-than-thou know it all a-hole he usually comes off as in Newsarama or Wizard interviews. Personally I felt Slott was cool here, until people on SHH drove him away. As Marvel's #1 writer on their #1 books, and personal architect for their 2004-2005 events for the entire company, he will become a lightening rod. Especially when in the eyes of the many he made some very big blunders. Bush will never be forgiven for Iraq. Bendis will never be forgiven for Hawkeye or some of his HOM bobbles, just as Mackie will never be forgiven for Clone Saga or JMS for Sin's Past. Get used to it. It's life. One major screw up, or SEVERAL, brands you for life. JetBlue fired longtime executives/employees for ONE screw up last winter. Thems the breaks. Don't hate the player, hate the game.

Sanctimonious worship...Mmmmm, I could go for some of that right now. Anyone got any?

A Bush comparison? Iraq is only the tip of the Ice Berg with that pitiful excuse for a human being. Bendis wrote "Not Like this!". One of those two rectified his mistake.

The backlash that some creators receive for their works is inexcusable. Chuck Austen received death threats because he wrote some X-Men stories people didn't like. Don't excuse the way people talk about writers and artists because of what some may perceive as missteps. Austen was ran out of town with some of the most disgusting, vile things I've ever read in a forum. I'm sick of the internet being used as a veil to hide behind by cowards that wouldn't attempt to say such things in real life.

Also, kissing someone's ass while bashing his fellow co-workers is sure to drive people away every time.

 

[hippy fascist]

Didn't anyone buy countdown???

 

[BrianWilly]

Y'know...I write reviews that are at least as lengthy as Dread's, I'm reasonably certain I hate Bendis and his Avengers books far more than he does, and I overanalyze everything about everything. And yet week after week in these threads we must always, always have a page or two reserved for the btch-at-Dread crowd, while usually I can expect little more than a lighthearted "lulz u shor do rite long revewz" in response. In light of that I can't help but wonder, just a bit...is all this targeting and stirring sht up actually, honestly a result of having things to whine about against Dread's reviews, or are we just poking him with a stick 'cause it's the in thing to do or what?

I'm not exactly saying that I care, I'm just saying that I'm saying.

Oh, and I'm a little saying that I care.

With that said...my reviews for Mighty Avengers, Ultimates, ASBARTBW, and Flash will all have to wait since I was running late to a showing of 28 Weeks Later and didn't have time to read them in the store. I know, I know, you're all so very sad and you just can't wait, and for that I apologize. If it makes y'all feel any better, I was sht-faced drunk off my arse for good reason and it possibly wouldn't have been a great idea to read those particular books right then in that particular mindset.


Countdown #50
After having read a bloody thirteen-page preview of this which is really my own fault and something that I resolve never to do again, I was hoping that the remaining dozen or so pages has some bigass beyond-the-charts awesomeness, 'cause those thirteen just seemed to suck the steam right out of this series for me after a pretty solid first issue. No such luck. Bad signs abound...we're merely in the second week and already in murky waters.

Mary's story is okay so far, but I hope she gets a more distinct personality, stat. Right now you could switch her for another character entirely and it wouldn't make a lick of difference to her dialogue. And I realize this is out of the hands of the Countdown writers, but I'm really wondering why -- if she needed answers about her powers -- she doesn't just yell for Billy. Or, on that note, why Billy is ignoring her.

Karate Kid sequence is too long, far too long; we could have cut the first three pages, or at the least the first two and a half, and gotten the point across perfectly fine. Hell, Brad Meltzer's script of the same exact event seems positively breezy compared to this, and we're talking Brad frakkin' Meltzer who needed seven issues to form a team comprised of members who already knew each other. And yes, I did like that JLA story. It's still a valid point. I realize that Karate Kid's going to be an important part of this obviously multiverse-centric series, but come on. The scene's been seen before, and just recently; did y'all honestly think it would be a good idea to waste time on it, or are we just filling the page-quota for lack of anything better to write?

As I said otherwhere, Jimmy knowing about Jason Todd could be explained with reasonable efficiency and is ultimately not that big a deal. Jimmy knowing about Dick Grayson makes no goddamn sense and must needs retcon punching now. I do really like his conversation with the Joker, though. I don't really...understand why this particular scene needed to be here, but maybe the next issue will make it clearer.

Another storyline that I'm liking is the Rogues'. They were always a bit of the more relatable, blue-collared type characters than other mad-scientisty despot villains, and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes of their story and how it will depict the villains' world in the DCU, which has always been one of the DCU's strong points. I like that the hardcore rogues are doubting Piper and Trickster's allegiance so much; for pete's sake, Piper's had dinner with the Flash's wife. I was afraid that this series would just turn him into a villain again without any explanation for the sake of a plotline -- it's happened to characters before, and it'll happen again -- but thankfully that seems not to be the case here.

(6.8 out of 10)


X-Factor #19
Peter David's best and worst attributes both come out in this issue. His best attributes, of course, being his flawless sense of dialogue and character which have often been the only things keeping me on this book in lieu of a plotline -- any plotline -- that I cared about. Ironically enough, that in particular is not a problem here; the plot (certain ex-mutants are pissed about M-Day and are doing something about it) is just fine, and a whole lot more understandable and interesting than the Singularity tomfoolery of yesteryear.

The problem, and one I've sometimes seen in his other books like Aquaman (which sucked...) and Supergirl (which rocked!), is his filling the hell out of issues and storylines with bizarre...or rather "colorful" D-list nobodies that we're supposed to know and care about or something. And maybe if he took some time to let us get to know them, we would care. But he doesn't. I see Marrow and Blob here, okay, I know those two because I play video games...and then there's Callisto, some chick with a blue gun, a guy with robot tentacles, and -- as far as I can tell -- a death clown with reverse-Guyver-arms.

And, yes, these guys have the most awesome dialogue ("My most heartfelt apologies for not really giving a crap.") but simply because they're so random and nameless, I too am having a hard time giving a crap. No matter how much the plot moves along (and it does, logically if not rapidly), this just feels in a lot of ways like an issue wasted.

(6.6 out of 10)


Justice League of America #9
...I am so confused.

I like the writing, I mostly like the interactions, I with my vast and completely useless font of DC trivia managed to recognize every character and every villain and every locale that they visit...but I am so confused.

They grab Timberwolf who's in Gorilla City, okay fine. Then there's Dawnstar (who manages to have a costume that screams "SEX ME!!!!" even louder than Power Girl's) who's on Thanagar for some reason...except that she's not and she only left her ring there...with a girl who's...in love with her? And then all the Legionnaires get drawn to the same place and they...are going to commit suicide to bring...someone back. From someplace.

...Alrighty then. Y'know, if this "someone" doesn't end up being Superboy which is a wild guess I'm pulling completely and painfully out of my ass, I'm pretty nearly going to consider this whole thing time well wasted.

It's just that this is a big ol' JLA/JSA crossover, both teams are just starting out, and...I guess I had hoped that the story would be a bit less abstract and a bit more...blockbuster?...than almost twenty people hopping around places chasing things and everything's a big ol' mystery which doesn't make a whole lot of sense since we're not being given a whole lot of info.

Don't get me wrong, there are things to like here. The characterizations are great; Vixen's excitement in Gorilla City is particularly cool even though no cheetah in the world should be able to keep up with Jay Garrick, much less scout things before GL manages to finish a sentence. Roy's being a bit/lot denser than in previous issues, possibly on purpose...

Power Girl: "Stop. Trying. To have sex. With her."
Roy: "Durr...what are you talking about? No speako your languagey."

...but then that's probably closer to how Roy has traditionally behaved (re: with his penis) than the first JLA arc Meltzer wrote.

I am still looking forward to the next JSA issue. Geoff Johns is notably a lot better at being able to explain these complicated, multiversal time-travel stories more coherently than almost any other writer these days, and I'm hoping that he'll shed some more light here.

(7.2 out of 10)


Checkmate #14
The greatest thing about Boomer accidentally leaking vital info regarding Waller's Suicide Squad during 52 is that it came as a total surprise. I'd completely forgotten about Boomer having been a part of that, and why Waller would be pretty damn checkmated (LULZ) if her involvement ever became known. These two teams seemingly have little to do each other actually have pretty vital things to do with each other; it's those little touches, teases, contributions to continuity that are completely casual and natural which make this book so lusted by me.

Actually, for all my adulations of this title, I did find Nightwing and Sasha's convo regarding Batman to be a bit/lot...juvenile. Well, not juvenile exactly, but cliche. Reminiscing about Bruce is a nice thing for these two incredibly different characters to be sharing, which is exactly why it should go a bit farther than "Ah yes, you were Robin. You made him laugh. I didn't. Different times. Yes." Um...good?

Katana's dialogue to Vertigo? Good times. Also, Tommy's gay. Y'know, to think that it was merely two years ago that I was ranting about the fact that in all of both DC and Marvel's major mainstream teams -- X-Men, Avengers, JLA, JSA, Titans, FF, etc etc -- there was only one team out of both universes who had gay characters; the Young Avengers. One single team. To see how far we've come along in just two yea...

...wait, actually, Checkmate isn't a mainstream team at all. Neither are the Runaways or the Outsiders, and Obsidian has yet to appear in JSA in any practical capacity whatsoever...so I guess we really haven't come along very far. Huh. How 'bout that. Oh well, this book is still great.

(8.3 out of 10)

 

[PhotoJones]

Y'know...I write reviews that are at least as lengthy as Dread's, I'm reasonably certain I hate Bendis and his Avengers books far more than he does, and I overanalyze everything about everything. And yet week after week in these threads we must always, always have a page or two reserved for the btch-at-Dread crowd, while usually I can expect little more than a lighthearted "lulz u shor do rite long revewz" in response. In light of that I can't help but wonder, just a bit...is all this targeting and stirring sht up actually, honestly a result of having things to whine about against Dread's reviews, or are we just poking him with a stick 'cause it's the in thing to do or what?

I'm not exactly saying that I care, I'm just saying that I'm saying.

Oh, and I'm a little saying that I care.

Are you...crying...that we don't care enough to talk about your reviews? Because if so that's just...vain, man. Damn.

 

[BrianWilly]

No sht I'm vain. I'm so awesome, it's only fair everyone knows it.

I notice you didn't actually answer the question.

 

[PhotoJones]

There was a question? It's hard to see through the haze of self grandeur. Oh, you mean the one about if we actually care about discussing comics? Hmm...seems like the question answers itself, right?

Or maybe you were refering to the pages and pages of "Dread-bashing", and if those are in earnest or just for the sake of *****ing. I would answer that question with a question: What about you endless pages worth of "discussion" with Gluon?

 

[Doc Destruction]

BW, it's not Superboy. It's Lightning Lad.

 

[BrianWilly]

I'm not sure where you got the whole caring about discussing comics part of the question since I never said anything remotely about that, but whatever. Not important.

I am madly in lust with Gluon. Can't you tell? It's the wild, wacky world of internet courtship. Also, there's that thing where I love being right and will gleefully take on anyone who thinks otherwise. Doesn't matter if it's her, or Dread, or Darthphere, or Horrorfan, or you, or anyone else. Just so happens that she's one of the few who love it almost as much.

I notice you didn't actually answer the question. If you're not going to and are just going to continue avoiding it with..."clever"...little diversions, you might as well just say that now and save everyone the trouble.

 

[BrianWilly]

BW, it's not Superboy. It's Lightning Lad.

Oh.

..well, that seems obvious in retrospect. I didn't even realize he was dead.

 

[PhotoJones]

I'm not sure where you got the whole caring about discussing comics part of the question since I never said anything remotely about that, but whatever. Not important.

I am madly in lust with Gluon. Can't you tell? It's the wild, wacky world of internet courtship. Also, there's that thing where I love being right and will gleefully take on anyone who thinks otherwise. Doesn't matter if it's her, or Dread, or Darthphere, or Horrorfan, or you, or anyone else. Just so happens that she's one of the few who love it almost as much.

I notice you didn't actually answer the question. If you're not going to and are just going to continue avoiding it with..."clever"...little diversions, you might as well just say that now and save everyone the trouble.

I believe that the question was indeed answered. Sorry if it's not the answer you were looking for.

And it's funny you bring up Horrorfan. You two should be best buds. Both of you are not capable of real discussion, only the furthering of your own points without so much as the acknowledgement of the other person's contributions.

 

[BrianWilly]

Now what did we just say about those...clever...little diversions of yours?

So your answer to why these B/T threads invariably require devolution into Dread-bashing to the point where people are openly antagonistic and insulting towards each other and getting everyone riled and spiteful is because...you like to be right as much as I do.

Alright then.

Y'know, I had expected someone to miss the point, but I didn't quite expect anyone to miss it so entirely and so soon. The question was never about me. You think I give a rat's ass if people respond to my reviews? If that were the case I would have stopped doing them months, even years ago 'cause, hey, behold my lack of success. Right from the start, the question was far more about Dread and you all. I was not asking if you were all *****ing for the sake of *****ing. I was asking if you were all *****ing exclusively and specifically at Dread and with such fervor for any actual reason, or just for the sake of *****ing at Dread. The same people. Every time here, like clockwork in a B/T thread. And I'm not the only one who's noticed, in case you haven't noticed!

As low and abrasive as my rounds with Gluon had the tendency to reach, at the least I hope we stopped short of doing sht just to get a rise out of each other. Or, if we did, I at least hope that someone would have had the balls to tell us to shut the hell up already.

 

[PhotoJones]

Now what did we just say about those...clever...little diversions of yours?

So your answer to why these B/T threads invariably require devolution into Dread-bashing to the point where people are openly antagonistic and insulting towards each other and getting everyone riled and spiteful is because...you like to be right as much as I do.

Alright then.

Y'know, I had expected someone to miss the point, but I didn't quite expect anyone to miss it so entirely and so soon. The question was never about me. You think I give a rat's ass if people respond to my reviews? If that were the case I would have stopped doing them months, even years ago 'cause, hey, behold my lack of success. Right from the start, the question was far more about Dread and you all. I was not asking if you were all *****ing for the sake of *****ing. I was asking if you were all *****ing exclusively and specifically at Dread and with such fervor for any actual reason, or just for the sake of *****ing at Dread. The same people. Every time here, like clockwork in a B/T thread. And I'm not the only one who's noticed, in case you haven't noticed!

As low and abrasive as my rounds with Gluon had the tendency to reach, at the least I hope we stopped short of doing sht just to get a rise out of each other. Or, if we did, I at least hope that someone would have had the balls to tell us to shut the hell up already.

What? You're asking if the exclusive *****ing at Dread is...exclusive? Well. It would appear so. It would also appear that by stating the same people are replying to Dread's reviews, and Dread's reviews alone, you pretty much answered your own question. Nice.

The real question would be why do people endlessly agonize over his every word, while at the same time burning him for being analytical. I'll include myself in that category at times, and I don't have an answer for you. For whatever reason, Dread's reviews have become tradition. Maybe it's because through all the snarky bull****, you can see deep down he loves the medium. Whereas, if one tries to dig through your snarky bull****, all you get is more of the same.

I myself, sometimes read his entire posts and sometimes I skip them completely. But I do know that no Wednesday is complete without them.

 

[Darthphere]

Now what did we just say about those...clever...little diversions of yours?

So your answer to why these B/T threads invariably require devolution into Dread-bashing to the point where people are openly antagonistic and insulting towards each other and getting everyone riled and spiteful is because...you like to be right as much as I do.

Alright then.

Y'know, I had expected someone to miss the point, but I didn't quite expect anyone to miss it so entirely and so soon. The question was never about me. You think I give a rat's ass if people respond to my reviews? If that were the case I would have stopped doing them months, even years ago 'cause, hey, behold my lack of success. Right from the start, the question was far more about Dread and you all. I was not asking if you were all *****ing for the sake of *****ing. I was asking if you were all *****ing exclusively and specifically at Dread and with such fervor for any actual reason, or just for the sake of *****ing at Dread. The same people. Every time here, like clockwork in a B/T thread. And I'm not the only one who's noticed, in case you haven't noticed!

As low and abrasive as my rounds with Gluon had the tendency to reach, at the least I hope we stopped short of doing sht just to get a rise out of each other. Or, if we did, I at least hope that someone would have had the balls to tell us to shut the hell up already.

It's fairly easy really, Dread is a really popular poster in these threads, so he's going to be an easy target for criticism. I don't think it has anything to do with "LOLZ lets ***** about Dread" And Brian, let's not lolligag, I criticize your reviews as much as I do Dread's.

 

[Red]

Can you guys do me a really big favor and drop this whole "let's rip Dread's reviews" stick and get back to you know reviewing.

 

[PhotoJones]

Hey Darth, did you ever get around to Plain Janes? I'm wondering what other people's reactions to it are...

 

[BrianWilly]

What? You're asking if the exclusive *****ing at Dread is...exclusive? Well. It would appear so. It would also appear that by stating the same people are replying to Dread's reviews, and Dread's reviews alone, you pretty much answered your own question. Nice.

The real question would be why do people endlessly agonize over his every word, while at the same time burning him for being analytical. I'll include myself in that category at times, and I don't have an answer for you. For whatever reason, Dread's reviews have become tradition. Maybe it's because through all the snarky bull****, you can see deep down he loves the medium. Whereas, if one tries to dig through your snarky bull****, all you get is more of the same.

I myself, sometimes read his entire posts and sometimes I skip them completely. But I do know that no Wednesday is complete without them.

It's fairly easy really, Dread is a really popular poster in these threads, so he's going to be an easy target for criticism. I don't think it has anything to do with "LOLZ lets ***** about Dread" And Brian, let's not lolligag, I criticize your reviews as much as I do Dread's.

It's gone far, far beyond the pale of even the most anal-retentive, overanalytical scrutiny debate should be like. What I'm seeing is not

"I hated this issue, this writer is stupid and here's why."
"What, you hated that issue? You're so totally wrong, the writer is great and etc."

What I'm seeing is

"I hated this issue, this writer is stupid and here's why."
"You're SO INSIPID and you SAY THE SAME THINGS LOL why can't you just NOT DO THAT."

Hell, a few weeks ago we had an entire page taken up in the B/T thread because people wouldn't quit btching about his grammar. Christ on a pogo. And, as you've no doubt noticed by now, I'm not the only one who's complained. I'm just the only one who's asking what in the name of poo people are even doing with this. And I wouldn't even care if the guy just responded with laughs and shrugs like everyone is just shooting the sht as people are prone to doing from time to time. But what he's responding with is "What the Christ, just go away already."

 

[Darthphere]

Can you guys do me a really big favor and drop this whole "let's rip Dread's reviews" stick and get back to you know reviewing.

It's all part of discussion my friend.

Hey Darth, did you ever get around to Plain Janes? I'm wondering what other people's reactions to it are...

Yeah, I finished it, thought it was pretty good actually. I plan on doing a review later.

 

[Darthphere]

Hell, a few weeks ago we had an entire page taken up in the B/T thread because people wouldn't quit btching about his grammar. Christ on a pogo. And, as you've no doubt noticed by now, I'm not the only one who's complained. I'm the only one who's asking what in the name of poo are y'all are even doing.

That's just stupid though, I would never go after Dread for his grammar, and people that do on the internet should be shot on sight.

I thought you wanted to drop this argument?