Wanna Get Ficced?

I just realized I'm three issues behind on "X-Factor," and two issues behind on "Nightwing," but I've caught up on other things!

In no particular order and with minimal spoilers:

( just in case )

That's all I can remember for now. You need me, I'll be doing homework yet again.

I sat down tonight to read some of the Kirby/Simon Romance comics from way back in the day. The first story? "Back Door Love." All about a woman who falls for the wrong man. He is, apparently, a dead beat, but that is so not where I thought that terminology was going.

In other news, I continue to have the most juvenile sense of humor of all time.

Oh, my, do we. And by "we," I mean, "I," and by "I," I mean "I don't really care if you don't care. I wanna show you some fucking awesome Warren Ellis work and hypothesize threesomes."

( If you decided to check it out because I said 'threesomes,' I am okay with that. )

I've got others; some from the rest of Ellis's run, and a few from Millar's, though I'm not a fan of Millar's work on the run overall (details are here), he had a few good panels. We'll get to those later. And by "we," I mean, "I still need to upload them."

If you prefer print comics, for whatever reason (you're a reader and collector, you've got that weird smell-boner people sometimes have with printed things, whatever), then buy your comics as printed materials. No one is stopping you. No one is demanding you switch over to digital. Hell, Marvel is going to start including a code for free digital copy of the comics you buy in print, which means collectors can always re-read their favorites without breaking the seal on the bag.

But don't ever, and I mean EVER, get all high and mighty about how the end of print is nigh, and you refuse to read comics in digital form, and OH GOD THE SKY IS FALLING.

Because you know what? It's not. At all. All the companies will keep putting out paper comics for as long as there is a viable market. It's the same damned rules as print books. If you prefer print, BUY IN PRINT. BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MARKET FOR THAT.

If we use ebooks vs. print books as an example (and I think it's a fairly decent indicator), ebooks only account for about 20% of the market. 20%. That's it. Print isn't dead. Maybe it will be at one point, but right now, 80% of people still prefer their book container to be made of trees. And I'm willing to bet about that same number of people prefer their comics to come in dead tree form as well.

How long with the 20/80 breakdown last? No idea, but I do know this: If you pay for it, they will generally keep making it. So, buy your comics in paper form and calm. your. shit.

This post brought to you by a series of people shitting themselves over Marvel announcing full day-and-date on major titles by March.

--I'm reading The Authority from the beginning because I never got through it the first time (I started it right before the move), and I'm pretty sure I shouldn't want Jack and Midnighter to have a one night stand, but man, I kinda do.

--The entirety of Steph's tenure as Batgirl is now available on comixology. As if my "to buy" list needed to get longer.

--I have at least one major though on JLI #2, but I'm saving it until I can get the screencap uploaded because there's like, paragraphs of stuff I want to say, and it works better with the image to start it off.

--I sort of want to watch "Once Upon a Time" on ABC, and I hear it's pretty entertaining, but I also know ABC attempted to option Fables, so it feels like they went for a legally distinct version of stuff. On the other hand, fairy tales on my tv could be super cool.

--I have watched no new shows for the fall so far. I think I'm becoming one of those crotchety types who likes my shows and only my shows and fuck new stuff. Or I'm hella busy. I don't know.

--The bulk of my Halloween costume is nearly complete! I should be able to finish the body tonight and maybe even get the zipper in. Can't wait!

--I am without any real fic plans right now. I think this is mostly due to still trying to figure out how the new DC universe works out, and as that's my general writing area now, I'm sort of in a holding pattern.

What are you up to, flist?

If you don't know, I'm going as Gal Gardner for Halloween. Not the Gal Gardner from this cover (and, yes, that is gender-swapped Guy in canon), but a '60s inspired Gal Gardner. Allow me to run you through the basics.

First, I am crocheting a dress in this basic shape (you have to click the thumbnail to make it bigger). I'm crocheting it because I can't sew for shit and can crochet quickly as needed. Right now, I'm nearly to the high waist, and once I've got that done, the rest of the bust will come pretty quickly. I'm gonna make a series of GL symbols to run down the front of the skirt similar to the way Joan's skirt is here. Mine would start slightly farther down, but it'd be a clean line of symbols from wherever I start it down to the hem.

But now we're at accessories. I have a pair of heels that will work with the whole look if I can wear heels at Halloween (may be in a knee brace--nothing serious, just annoying as fuck), and I have flats I can sub in if I need too, but now I am DETERMINED to style the rest of the look. I need little white gloves (wrist-length), and I desperately want a mustard yellow clutch to carry because it will a) be hilarious to people who know Lantern history and b) allow me to haul around my ID and shit. Amazon has this, but I'm certain I can find something sleeker and cheaper. I know there was one I coveted but put back at an overstock store, so I may hit it again to see if it's still there.

This is why I don't design my own costumes, people. I get a little nuts about them.

Okay, look, I'm not gonna pretend like the lack of Ted in the new universe doesn't make me die a little inside. So much of Ted as a character has been used in the last five or six years to build up the whole universe. Booster's never-ending (heart breaking) devotion showcased so much of him in Booster Gold. And Jaime wouldn't have been half the Beetle he was if not for Guy telling him that Ted is the guy to emulate.

But for now, Ted is no more, and Jaime is back to the start, and I'm gonna catch you up on the basics. Spoilers abound, but mostly in terms of where-are-they-now and not so much the plot (which hasn't really launched out yet).

( Five catch-up photos behind the cut )

Basically, if you skipped the scans, we're back to where we were the first time Jaime showed up on the scene with only one really noticeable change in everyone's characters. I do think they rebooted just to be able to wipe out Ted, and I am so not happy with that, but at the same time, I have always loved Jaime, and I do wonder what he'll be like without Ted's legacy as a guiding influence. But I wonder, will he and Guy have their student/mentor relationship if there's no Ted to talk about? I really liked that relationship, and I'll miss it if it's gone.

But, I will wait and see, because this was a strong first issue, and I have a lot of hope for this book.

--I am writing, but nothing wants to be finished. I'm having the same issues when writing for non-fannish purposes and have no other explanation then my brain hates me and wants me to to stab it to death with a pen.

--I am trying to write a "5 things" fic in the Buddy Cop AU with Guy and Kyle, but the damned thing suddenly grew legs on one of the parts, and I hate it slightly. Wonder if I can make vignettes out of what's NOT suddenly the beginning of an epic story?

--I know I missed Comic Dork Sunday. In my defense, I was at the doctor being told I need to see the orthopedist for my knee if the giant dose of ibuprofen doesn't work this week. Fun. Comic Dork Sunday will be around this week. I am determined, damnit.

--I have read all the rest of the DCU I'm reading right now. Loved GLC and New Guardians (I'm sure we're shocked), and I really, really liked Nightwing. That thing's got legs, me thinks. And not just the ones attached to Dick's glorious ass.

--Still ridiculously happy over Snyder's Batman. HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS SO HAPPY.

--I was still on the fence about Teen Titans and haven't read it, and then I realized that Lobdell is doing Red Hood & Starfire has amnesia and gets mostly naked for no goddamn reason the Outlaws, so Teen Titans is totally off the list.

--That being said, I'm sure a bunch of us have read the thing about the mother who showed her 7-eyar-old a copy of Red Hood & what the fuck Lobdell seriously the fuck the Outsiders, and you know what? I'm not okay with that. I don't think it's right to show a kid something so sexualized and then say, "And how does this make you feel so that I may post it on the Internet?" The book is disgusting to me and I'm a full-grown adult who understands my sexuality. A 7-year-old should not have to try and make sense of that bullshit. If the kid had come across the comic herself, fine, but her mother showed it to her expressly to get her reaction so she could fucking blog about it. It bothers me a lot. I read that and don't see how the character affects the kid; I see how the creepy fuck parent exposed her kid to something she did not need to see at 7. I know she did it under the guise of "I must make my daughter aware," and you know what? Fuck that. She's seven. She should not have to deal with the concept of sexuality and idiotic douches being idiotic douches until she's at least old enough to understand everything sex entails. That's not fair.

--That made me ragey. I'm okay with that, and if you think that mom did a solid with her kid, please do not tell me about it. We will not agree, and I make real attempts not to get into conversations that will only anger both parties.

--I found the beginning of a Watchmen fic I'd nearly forgotten about. I really, really like the idea but it's gonna take WORK.

--I am watching Human Target from the beginning, because I watched the first three episodes, loved them, and then immediately fell into a hole. As he is somewhat weird-looking and fucking badass, I don't think anyone's surprised I have a totally inappropriate thing for Guerrero. Yeah, he'd probably sell me off for a really good sandwich, but by god, I love him. Also, I swear he has a total crush on Winston. If Winston had pigtails, they'd be pulled.

--I did skip ahead on HT and watch "Cool Hand Guerrero" because, dude, shirtless Jackie Earle Hayley (hi, I'm shallow). And you know, what I saw of the second-season vagina attachment was pretty good. They seemed interesting and likable, but the reason I call them "vagina attachment" is because they were added by network mandate, and you know what? Fuck that. I wasn't watching (and am not watching) HT to see a motely crew of three dudes and two chicks run around and save the day. I was watching (and am watching) because there are three dudes blowing shit up and having awesome fight scenes and sometimes they take their shirts off or skydive into a secure building. And it is AWESOME. I'm tired of networks declaring they need more women viewers and so they add women to the cast. I say if a woman isn't going to watch a three-dude show about explosions and fight scenes, adding women to the mix isn't going to change that.

--And I totally almost deleted this whole post, so I'm gonna go. What's up with you, flist?

Who do I still own comics? I still have them sorted, but things went a bit sideways after vacation (not in a bad way, just a pre-school way). So, if I still owe you comics, please ping me so I know. I'm digging through old PMs and e-mails double-checking myself, but chiming in helps me out.

Or, as I like to also call it: "Judd Winick, this is how you do emotional stuff and goofy superhero stuff. Take some fucking notes."

( minor spoilers and lots of pics )

Funny yet sad yet funny yet touching yet heartbreaking. The shooting of Bob is beautifully timed.

(Also, if the slideshow doesn't work, I suck, and I'm sorry.)