Clone Wars Season 3 is coming!

On September 17th, Star Wars, the Clone Wars returns to Cartoon Network for its third season. Are you watching? (to paraphrase Yoda…) You should be! You Shooould be!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX83F8O-ptQ

This cartoon is the Best thing to happen to Star Wars since Empire Strikes Back. It is so good, it makes the Prequel Trilogy better. Its so good, you'll want to go to the Tashi Station and pick up some power converters. You'll make the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs. I promise, you'll not have a bad feeling about this. Clone Wars is the most in-depth exploration into Star Wars ever, and its done perfectly.

Let me get you up to speed. Clone Wars takes place between Star Wars Episode II, Attack of the Clones & Episode III, The Revenge of the Sith. The cartoon tells the story of the last days of the Old Republic and the epic battles that made Anakin Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi legendary heroes during the great galactic Clone Wars. Besides Skywalker and Kenobi, there are many familiar faces in R2D2, C3PO, and Padme. But the thing that makes this special is the ability to tell the story of the background characters. This world contains the most diverse and well written characters ever in a Star Wars story. From Yoda to Mace Windu, Chancellor Palpatine to Count Dooku, Bounty Hunters and an army of Jedi that populate this continuing adventure. Speaking of Jedi, lets not forget the newest character with the deepest impact on Star Wars Lore, Anakin's Padawan, Asooka.

Asooka. A young female Jedi, who is as brash and heroic as Anakin, himself. She's been a great foil for Anakin, forcing him to be the level headed, by the book Jedi teacher. Anakin still breaks the rules, but he is the true hero of the story. It didn't take long for me to care about Asooka. And to add a twist this season, I've read that Asooka begins on a darker path, and creeps closer to what could be her final destiny. Now we know what happens in Episode III. Where Anakin is finally seduced by the Emperor and becomes Darth Vader. Vader then leads the Empire on a path that eliminates all the Jedi. Asooka isn't in ROTS, and so we have to assume that if this is in continuity, something has to happen to her. Will she die? Will this also help contribute to Anakin's fall from grace? I can't wait to find out. I just hope they don't do it too soon, I'd be happy watching this cartoon for a few more years.

MOST importantly, let me point out that Clone Wars is keeping The Star Wars bug alive and breeding new fans for the next generation. Conventions are filled with kids who know more about the Clone Wars than "A New Hope". I love this cartoon and its characters. I even loved the Jar Jar Binks episode told in the first season. Yes, even a Jar Jar story was fun and enjoyable. Cartoon Network has struck gold with this cartoon, and sometimes the "stink" of the new trilogy may scare people away. Please don't let it. If you love Star Wars, you'll love Clone Wars.

Batman Inc. Explained

If you haven't heard the NEWS.

Quietly's take on Batman Inc.
(via the New York Post and DC Comics)

Dick Grayson will still be Batman... so will Bruce Wayne. The echoes of Captain America continues as DC announces there will be not one, but two Batmen.

We all saw this coming, much like Bucky, Dick has been doing way to well in his mentor's boots. A lot of fans did not want the Dick Grayson version to go, and now they don't. Instead, Bruce becomes Batman International, taking on crime around the globe while Dick/Batman (Dick-man... uh... Bat-Dick... uhm B2? ) stays home with the flying car and continues to clean up the streets.

What does this mean for Tim (Drake) Wayne? Will he lose the "Red" and just become the International Robin? Or will we just see Batman and Red Robin in the pages of BATMAN Inc. and Dark Knight?

One thing is certain, we are hilariously close to comedy when they both show up at the same spotlight.

Bat-Dick?
Bru-man?

KNOW YOUR BATMEN

Issue 22: The Endless, Summers

Segment One:
Death comes to DC: One of The Endless meets Lex Luthor, good for the characters or bad? Will going Mainstream cost them hipster cool?
Segment Two:
"Because you DEMANDED IT!" We finally talk X-men. How's that Hopey, Vampy thing working out for ya?
Segment Three:
Back to School with the best Student/Superheroes!

Comic book Pride Day!!!

I didn't know it was Comic Book Pride Day!
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/08/28/read-comics-in-public-day/

"I'm still hiding in the basement reading my comics!"

Comic books & Friends...

Two great tastes that go together! A few pics I meant to post from a recent comic gathering and one from last nights Movie night! Maybe Monty will post more us the Painter hat Team pics!

Nerds of the world…Unite! And put on some deodorant!

Another "Capes Newsletter" memory from issue: 11-24-2008

Have you noticed there is a hierarchy among the nerd community? Like a level of nerd that allows someone more privilege than a lesser nerd. When you walk into a comic store, and whip out a pack of "Magic Cards", does the clerk behind the counter shake his head? Or what happens when you ask, how soon until you get your shipment of 20 sided dice in?

A better example would be a story of a few years ago at my 30th birthday party, where a debate broke out about the upcoming Star Wars Episode III movie. (I honestly don’t remember specifics about the debate, because I was so drunk that I proposed to a half dozen people that night. and licked all the icing off my birthday cake) During this debate, a "lesser" nerd friend of mine, Scott attempted to put in his 2 cents. And I, in my high and mighty, wanna-be Lucasfilm-all knowing way, berated him. I told him he was not a Geek enough to participate in such an intellectual Dork-off. Then I spent the rest of the night puking green icing into the toilet.

Who am I to tell someone they can’t be a geek? Just because someone hasn’t memorized the entire script of the trilogy, this doesn’t make them a lesser nerd. In the original script of "Return of the Jedi", Luke is told that Owen Lars was actually the brother to Obi-wan. In the new Trilogy, we find out that Owen Lars is actually Anakin’s half brother, thus truly being an uncle to Luke Skywalker. Does this knowledge make me a better person than my dear friend Scott? (Only a little bit) Is Scott, doomed to be made fun of and ridiculed each time he participates in a heated discussion about, "how fast is a parsec, and isn’t that a measurement of distance?" Never again!

I now realize and love that many of friends fall into different categories of nerds. Although, I’d like to believe that being a Comic book nerd puts me on top of the "dork" food chain. I realize now, I am not. I have friends who are Toy Nerds. I have friends who are Miniature Nerds. I have Star Wars and Star Trek dork friends. D&D… I have them too. Goth Nerds, Big Bang Nerds, Simpson Nerds, Lord of the Ring Nerds, Video Gamer Nerds, Magic the Gathering Nerds, Cooking Nerds, Music Nerds, you name it. Hell, my Dad is a fishing nerd. (Dad if you need help with the blog, let me know. I have Ideas!)

And Scott, you’re a nerd too. You can school me on Music, Cars, Carpentry, Billiards, and most Basic Motor Skills, just to name a few.

So next time you hear someone says, "Comics are just for kids." Or "Gasp; Look at that grown man, buying toys. I don’t think he has any children." Stand up to them. We will never have to put up with, "Those teens are playing with cards, and they aren’t gambling?" Or, "Did you see those dorks playing 2.0 when version 4.0 D&D is out? You guys suck THACO!" Never again, nerds unite! This is the moment when you put on that fake Darth Vader helmet and have sex with quarterback’s the hot, cheerleader girlfriend. Then you go to the pep rally and give a great speech about how we are all dorks. Well, We are all dorks!! So I say in conclusion, If you are a nerd, if you know what "Bah Weep Grana Weep Nini Baum" means. If you love knowing that William Katt from "The Greatest American Hero, TV show auditioned for the part of Luke Skywalker. If you are a nerd, you are my friend.

Except you guys who play GURPS. No thanks, keep walking.

Darkseid sent Steve to the same cave as Bruce?

I didn't read the description, but based on the feel of this picture, Steve Rogers is looking for Bruce through time on the same path as the Justice League. Ahhh Comics! Read more about it here: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=37590

Why didn't people like this movie???

I went to the mailbox last night and found a surprise from Netflix, but I didn't know it at the time. About 2 months ago, a good friend recommend I try the Astroboy animated movie. Besides my friend Matt and later Tracie, I had heard nothing but negatives from the normal nay-sayers about this film. I put it on my pull list and figured, eh I liked the old Japanese Astroboy cartoon. I liked the commercials for the movie, what the heck? It was waaaay down on my Netflix pull list. So I basically forgot about it. Until last night.

What a fun movie! From the git-go, the action/comedy grabs you and visually plays catch with your eyes. The character designs and animation are so smooth and seemless. It’s a nice blend of anime big eyes & big hands feel, but not too much. They avoid incorporating the oversized sweat or tears, or the general playful silliness that comes with the usual manga inspired animation, like Teen Titan's for instance. Astroboy is a gorgeous world floating cities, robots, and sci-fi technology above a dirty junkyard of outsiders and misfits.

The movie starts as funny and a little slap-sticky mixed with an intelligent comedy. We are introduced to Toby, A fun loving, intellectual boy, who's one desire is to spend time with his super scientist father, Dr. Tenma. They live in a utopian flying world built up and aided by a "sub" robot society. And we learn that below is the left over's of our old junk and disregarded surface world. The curiosity of the boy leads to tragedy and cost Toby his life in a lab accident. This crushes Dr. Tenma and sends him into an emotional downward spiral. Thinking he can bring Toby back in some form, Tenma begins to manufacture the most sophisticated robot ever made, powered by a piece of positive "blue" energy from an exploded sun. Thus Astroboy is born.

I don't want to ruin any more plot than I already have, but I have to say this movie pushed the limits of being PG and really felt like they wrote an adult movie that children would like. I'm not saying it has curse words or over the top violence. It doesn't. What it does have is "real" and emotional situations that make you feel sorrow for the father as he comes to grip with the loss of his son and joy as life is re-newed when Astro brings other robots back to life. Its handled so beautifully, and sometimes gut wrenchingly in a way that children understand the severity of a death without glorifying it. Dr. Tenma goes through his own emotional rollercoaster and for a short while, I found myself looking at him as the villain of the movie. Because morally he's done some things he should be ashamed of, as he shuns this new life he's created. You hate him for it. This movie invokes emotion but is still a really fun action ride with an incredible story.

I was later informed by Tracie that the company that produced this movie (along with TMNT) went bankrupt. And although sometimes our voices may be the quiet ones on Comicbook Crossfire. We both agree that this is incredibly unfortunate. Were these movies on par with Toy Story or the Incredibles? Honestly, no. But they were better than Bolt, Planet 51, Shrek 3, Bee Movie, Madagascar 2, Surf's Up, and Happy Feet. (For the record, I'm not saying these are bad movies… just that Astroboy and TMNT are better) If these movies can make money, why couldn't Astroboy?

Anyway, for a movie that I got basically for free… I sooooo highly recommend this as a fun but serious movie that you can watch and enjoy with your kids. By the way, I'm planning on buying the DVD now, too.

Issue 21: The Wrath of Cons

Monty goes where no one has gone before

While in Vegas I went to the Star Trek Convention,
I walked next to Shatner and had my picture taken
with every pretty cos player there. You're WELCOME

Another Cape Archive oldie but goodie.

How to fix Final Crisis: The Big Blue Cry Baby
(from the Capes Newsletter 12/17/08)

I just read Final Crisis #5, the latest issue. The action and story line feels like it’s been turned up a notch. Darkseid’s plans are coming to fruition and DC heroes are in the greatest of dire straights. Readers are confused, story is dragging on, and the DC’s big three are no where to be found in this story. How do you fix this problem? How can you make Final Crisis better? I have one Simple Answer: Get Superman to Cry!! In many major cross-overs DC has done, we’ve had Superman crying on a cover. The most famous is Crisis on Infi nite Earths #7 where Superman is holding the dead body of Supergirl and weeping his head off as many heroes mourn behind him. This was the best issue of the series. A dramatic cover by George Perez, to suck the reader in and capture how dramatic the events that occur in this issue are. But I noticed something... Superman cries a lot. He’s a big baby. Every chance he gets, Boo hoo hoo. He cries more than Charles Ingalls does on Little House on the Prairie. Someone had to make Pa cry every episode, and something has Superman crying each major cross-over. (See some of my samples below.)

So DC, why not use Super tears to fix Final Crisis? But why stop there? It could be used to fix other comics, or better yet how about some movies? Superman, its simple, we just need you to call the girls over for a special movie night, borrow Sean’s DVD Box set of Mystic Pizza, or My Best Friend’s Wedding, or Fried Green Tomatoes. Grab a box of tissues and weep until it stops hurting. Go ahead Superman, have a good cry! ... Big Blue baby!

AvT

I love comics so much you guys.

I wanna see these dudes punch eachother SO HARD.

SO HARD!

<3

(via Comic Book Resources)

Superhero Pets

(a little fun one from the archives of the
ol' Capes Newsletter on December 12th, 2008)

Barak Obama is looking for one. Joe Biden went to a pound a got his. Everyone knows that Superman has Krypto. Back in the day, Batman had Ace. Lets not leave out the Legion of Superpets, Streaky and Comet and a few others I can’t remember. The Teen Titans have “Wonder Dog”, (who turned out to be an evil bulldog from hell). For many years, DC comics has ventured onto the path of super-pet side kicks. My question is this, “Why hasn’t Marvel or any other company’s characters taken this idea and put it to use?” (I know... cause its dumb, that’s why!) But for argument sake, lets see what would happen if they did.Krypto, you have competition. Ruff, Ruff, and away!!!!

I blame Monty!!

Having some 90's flashbacks... Need leather and a pony tail?
He was making some joke after seeing the Thor movie trailer... and Monty thought it'd be funny to mention Thunderstrike. Thanks a Lot Eich! I blame you, and my parents.

New York Comic Con Announces New THUNDERSTRIKE Series Before Marvel?
http://blog.newsarama.com/2010/08/01/new-york-comic-con-announces-new-thunderstrike-series-before-marvel/


Looks like it will be brought to you by the same team who brought the original "Thunderstrike" book to you. Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz will finish up their run on Spider-girl and set their sights on a limited series, starring my least favorite Thor spin-off. Good Luck Tracie, we may see Frog Thor and Beta Ray Bill after all.