The last time I used Kool-Aid-Man in a fight I had to show him losing. (For the record, the Giant Thirst Monster turned out to be a hologram and he defeated it with a mirror. That’s actually not the worse science abuse in the story.) So I’m long past due to show him being the hero. And what better place for a giant picture of soft drink mix to save the day than at the beach?
No, this isn’t the surfing story.
Bartman guards the newest parade balloon for Macy's.
Bartman and Radioactive Man
Bongo Entertainment (1994)
packed-in with Hero Illustrated magazine #11 (May, 1994)
reprinted from Simpsons Comics & Stories #1 (January, 1993)
SCRIPT/LAYOUT/INKER: Steve Vance CO-PLOT/COLORIST: Cindy Vance INKER/EMBELLISHING: Bill Morrison & Mike Anderson
So we’ve gone through all of the issues of Babylon 5 that I own. Overall it was a good series, but for some reason DC Comics decided to cancel the full series, switching instead to a group of miniseries. However, only one was produced, the three-part In Valen’s Name. It serves as a sort of epilogue to the “Shadow War”, as we learn what happened to Jefferey Sinclair after he rode Babylon 4 back through time. Maybe I should explain, although I suspect only fans of the show would be able to follow after that.
Back when Earth and Minbar were at war for…whatever reason, the Minbari captured one of our soldiers, Sinclair. However, after studying him they found out we shared some DNA or souls or something and decided to end the war even though they were winning. Years later after Sinclair had left captainship of Babylon 5 he and some of our other heroes end up on Babylon 4, a space station that according to the promos at the time “vanished without a trace”. (Babylon 3 did the same while the first two just blew up real good.) During the investigation, Sinclar would end up becoming a “Minbari not born of Minbari”, the legendary Valen, who repelled the first attack by the Shadows. You’d have to watch the show to get the full explanation. It’s a long story.
Fans may have wondered what happened to Sinclair/Valen. That would be answered by Straczynski himself in this mini-series, taking place just after the Shadow War but before the War with Earth (which had been taken over by a less than friendly government).
Babylon 5: In Valen’s Name #s 1-3
DC Comics (March-May 1998)
SERIES CREATOR/PREMISE/WRITER (ISSUE 1): J. Michael Straczynski WRITER (ISSUES 2-3): Peter David PENCILER: Michael Collins INKER: David Roach LETTERS: Comicraft COLORS: Prismacolor EDITOR: Robert Graff
Run, kid, while you still have the chance!
Babylon 5 #11
FINAL ISSUE
WRITER: Tim DeHaas ARTIST: John Ridgeway LETTERER: Tracy Hampton Munsey COLORIST: Robbie Busch ASSISTS: James McCann EDITOR: Laura Hitchcock SERIES CREATOR: J. Michael Straczynski
That was the prototype image that was filed for copyright. Last week DC fully unveiled the full usage of the new DC Comics logo. Personally I still think it’s bland, much like most of the comic logos in the New 52. There’s none of that flash and style that DC is known for, along with that sigh of hope and looking up to heroes I mentioned yesterday (and Linkara mentions in his Identity Crisis review). However, seeing it in action I have to admit it’s not as bad I as I thought.
Oh, don’t get me wrong. It might grow on me, but it will be more of an acceptance than the endorsement. I still don’t like it. It’s a counterpart of DC’s new style, which may make it fit, but also factors into why I don’t like it. However, let’s see how it will work in practice.
The day the Roombas revolted!
Babylon 5 #10
DC Comics (November, 1995)
“Laser-Mirror-Starweb” part 2: “Coda For Human And Narn In B Flat”
WRITER: David Gerrold PENCILER: Rebecca Guay INKER: Rick Bryant LETTERER: Tracy Hampton Munsey COLORIST: Robbie Busch ASSISTS: James McCann EDITOR: Laura Hitchcock SERIES CREATOR: J. Michael Straczynski
On Atop The Fourth Wall this week, Linkara tackles the controversial Identity Crisis miniseries that changed the tone of the DC Universe. While I haven’t read the series (mostly because of all the things I’ve heard about it that is NOT what I look for in a DC book), just knowing about these things bothers me. I have heard that the series has its fans and that’s fine. However, as Linkara notes in the intro, there’s a certain tone that you expect from a DC comic, where heroes are the standard for us to achieve. Marvel, on the other hand, seems to hate their heroes (and by that I hope I mean the denizens of the Marvel Universe, not the people at the comic company, although there are times I wonder) to the point of being stupid in their analysis, thus making them the standard of stupidity I use in my reviews and discussions. I mean, supposedly after “Secret Invasion” they still don’t believe in aliens. You have to work hard to be that naive.
Cover of Identity Crisis
DC’s heroes until recently were strong, noble, and the ideal to which mankind should attempt to achieve; a sort of fantasy where good can overcome evil and everything can be right with the world. Starting in Identity Crisis, however, things change. As Linkara points out (and please go watch the videos, he has a long version and two short versions for those on slower connections, which is why I went with a link) characters were made darker for no real reason, characters were killed and yet they still had story potential beyond making a character angst-ridden, and it is another example of how rape is poorly used in comics. He says it better than I can because he read it, and we chose DC for the same reasons (although my gateway was actually Superfriends and two comics I was given in 1979 versus the one Marvel that wasn’t as interesting), so go check out his review now. While he will point out a few things the miniseries did right, there is so much Brad Meltzer did wrong.
The Clutter Reports Atop The Fourth Wall Comics Are Great Game Overthinker Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery Big Hollywood Crisis On Earth Prime Invincible Super Blog Slay, Monstrobot of the Deep Bully Says “Comics Oughta Be Fun” Four Color Media Monitor Reviewers Unknown Spacebooger Voice Actors in the News
