It's Fate I Tells Ya

As regular readers know, I post a weekly round up of my comics each Sunday under the heading of Who'd Like A Cocktail?

As I'm going away this weekend, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get one done but then I saw the list of what's coming out this week and, aside from the usual issue of Previews, there's this:

That's it - Jennifer Blood #17 and nothing else, at least from the titles I get and I'm not heading into town to see my comic shop for just one issue.

Guess that saves me trying to rush a Cocktail post this weekend at least.

Because No One Demanded It

Coming soon:

Following on from my look backs at Justice League Detroit, the Jurgens League and even the Global Guardians, in a few weeks time I shall be turning my attention to the League that no-one remembers: Justice League Task Force!

Hey, I've got to have something to write about on a Tuesday.

Who Was Who Is Who #22

So for want of anything better to write about on a Monday, I'm going to go through all my copies of Who's Who and see if I can predict who will make it over to the new DCU by the end of 2012, who might make it and who hasn't got Johnny Peril's chance.

IRONWOLF - okay, what do we have here? Galactic Empire (sorry Empire Galaktika)? Check. 61st Century? Check. Anti-gravity trees? Check. Utterly ridiculous costume? Double check. Zero chance of seeing this guy again. Triple check.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #181

You'd be amazed how often that describes my working day.

Saved By The Bat

Just when I thought I didn't have anything to post today . . .

I'm so looking forward to this.

You Don't Want THAT On Toast

Not surprisingly, I wasn't the only one to pick up on the Watchmen toaster:

but the guys over at Let's Be Friends Again do a much better job with it. Click the picture to see the rest of the strip.

Who Was Who Is Who #21

So for want of anything better to write about on a Monday, I'm going to go through all my copies of Who's Who and see if I can predict who will make it over to the new DCU by the end of 2012, who might make it and who hasn't got an Iron Major's chance.

ICICLE - the Icicle's son was one of the main villains during the last but one run of the Justice Society so it wouldn't surprise me to see either the original or the son return in the pages of Earth-2 before the end of the year. Chalk him up as a possible.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #180

Flash really can't do the whole bad cop thing

Shows Promise, But Isn't Really Trying

I read that phrase so many times on my old school reports and it would always elicit a disapproving head shake from my parents.

Sad to say, it looks like Justice League is going the same way.

Oh sure, back when it started, when the whole New 52 was . . . er . . . new . . . Geoff Johns would write back-up pieces for the book. I'm sure we all remember fondly the faux pages of David Graves's book or the classified questioning of Steve Trevor but now time's gone on . . .

Well, they're just not putting the effort in any more.

From this week's Justice League:

Look at that page. Just gibberish letters. They didn't even bother to put in the lorem ipsum text which would have been something. See? They're just not trying any more.

Would it have killed them to use something from one of the earlier back-ups? I mean if I can do this:

in ten minutes, surely someone in the DC art department can do something way better thaN "AK;JW FK'YIDLLE; DASIJ' ASNHEK"?

Come along, DC. You must try harder.

What We Learned About Los Angeles From Captain Atom #9

Taken from this week's Captain Atom #9:

Los Angeles has no easily recognisable landmarks.

Nope, not a one.

Who Toasts The Watchmen?

Some people believe that Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Elvis and others held dear to them have appeared on toast.

Some comic fans hold Watchmen in high esteem, perhaps even in some form of reverential awe and we all know how they've reacted to DC's plans for Before Watchmen.

I wonder how they're going to react to the news of Dynamic Force's Watchmen branded toasters.

From the article:

""Dynamic Forces is excited to work with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to release these collectible image toasters that capture the spirit of some of Warner Bros.' most admired properties and timeless brands," President of Dynamic Forces, Nick Barrucci said via press release."

Because nothing says literary deconstruction of the superhero archetypes like a slice of toast.

Please, please let this be a joke.

No More Justice League International?

While browsing through my news feeds, I came across DC's August solicitations and fully intended to throw together a quick Don't Ask -- Just Buy It post but then another item from CBR caught my eye: Justice League International #12 is to be the final issue of the series.

From the article:

"The issue is also the only entry noted for August as the final issue. Considering the most recent Diamond sales estimates have the book far from the least-selling DC title, the ending is most likely story driven"

There's some small comfort there that it's not a decision made based on sales, but that still leaves me wondering what's happening with the book. Over the last few issues, several of the starting members have been hospitalised (none of whom appear on the cover above) and Rocket Red's been killed so it seems likely that this incarnation is done with (not a decision I'd be happy about if I'm right, by the way.)

And yet, there's the solicitation of Justice League International Annual #1 also out in August written by Geoff Johns and Dan Didio, two of the head honchos at DC. They're hardly likely to waste time writing a finale for a book that's being cancelled that month, surely, particularly as the OMAC character - whose series was written by Didio - has just joined the team.

Much as I loathe Bleeding Cool, I've heard rumours from that site that DC will be publishing #0 issues in September. If that's true, I foresee either a Justice League International vol 2 launching after the #0 issue or a newly named series featuring some or all of the same characters in a slightly different team.

Man, I Would Buy This In A Heartbeat

From the excellent Super-Team Family blog

While 2003's JLA/Avengers was pretty good, the issue above just looks so, so good it's almost criminal.

I swear, in an alternate world, Marvel's films have been successful alongside DC's and in the same year that we get The Avengers film, we get the Justice League one as well, all of which builds to a cross-company crossover three film epic modelled on the story above.

Now, where did I leave that transmatter cube?

Who Was Who Is Who #20

So for want of anything better to write about on a Monday, I'm going to go through all my copies of Who's Who and see if I can predict who will make it over to the new DCU by the end of 2012, who might make it and who hasn't got a Human Target's chance.

HERCULES - with Wonder Woman's premise of gods and monsters, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Hercules turns up there so I'm going for a possible here.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #179

A talking horse? Who's ever heard of such a thing?

New Phantom Lady Miniseries Announced

And it's written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, two of my favourite writers!

"Phantom Lady and Doll Man is an exciting return to the roots of the characters as pulpy, street level crime fighters with a few new twists and some heavy sci-fi overtones,” Justin Gray told THE SOURCE. “We took the best of their original core concepts and updated them with no relation to our previous work on Phantom Lady and Doll Man in the Freedom Fighters. You're getting in on the ground floor of the origin story of two people whose lives intersect and a common threat that transforms them into pretty amazing and engaging superheroes."

Having recently completed a miniseries starring the new Ray (which was very good, by the way) and now Phantom Lady and Doll Man appearing in another, this just increases the chances of a new Freedom Fighters team and/or series.

DC's all about world building at the moment, right? What's the chances the same official guy who arrived at the end of The Ray and handed Ray a card saying "We Want You" in red white and blue letters, will turn up at the end of this miniseries?

Freedom Fighters in 2013, anybody?

Liar, Liar, Marvel's On Fire

Really, Marvel? No more Avengers? When the film with that title has just opened and is breaking all sorts of opening weekend records?

Find me one person who believes that, I dare you.

Earth 2 Hawkgirl

CBR has an exclusive look at the cover of Earth 2 #4 which features the new Hawkgirl:

You can see a much bigger version over at CBR where James Robinson says

"As the co-creator of the original Kendra Saunders, I've taken pains to keep the essence of her personality while adding a more two-fisted quality to her as well. I'm also enjoying developing another aspect to her, in that with the absence of Batman, she must also step up and become the great detective of Earth 2."

The character not only looks good - big white wings, dual pistols - but she gets to be the detective of the Justice Society as well.

Happy days, eh?

Who Was Who Is Who #19

So for want of anything better to write about on a Monday, I'm going to go through all my copies of Who's Who and see if I can predict who will make it over to the new DCU by the end of 2012, who might make it and who hasn't got a Helix's chance.

GUNNER & SARGE - again, an example of those characters that a year or so ago you'd never have expected to see in a mainstream DC title. However, with DC still going for war titles even after Men of War didn't make the cut, it wouldn't surprise me if they turned up before 2012 finished. They're going in the possible column.

Who'd Like A Cocktail? #178

Good advice whatever world you're on

Trinity War Speculation

DC's unveiled a big picture of the four page gatefold in the Free Comic Book Day issue (which I didn't get - need to speak to my comic book guy)

and Newsarama has a link to an absolutely massive version of it.

Not wanting to miss out on the speculation about Trinity War, I thought I'd have a quick look and see what we've got:

Happy Star Wars Day!

Hey, come on, it's not like they knew they were related at this point.

Dark Knight Rises Trailer

I honestly haven't been that impressed by the Dark Knight Rises trailers until I saw this one:

Oooooh, that looks good!

Perusing Previews - May 2012

It's a sleeping bag shaped like a shark and yet there's not a single "sleeping with the fishes" gag in the copy! Come on, people, if you're selling a shark-shaped sleeping bag you cannot be too proud to go for the obvious line. Jeez, I swear, you're gonna need a better writer . . .

Didn't See That Crossover Coming

From last week's The Ninjettes #3:

I know there's some big Dynamite crossover going on at the moment, but Dracula vs the Ninjettes? Heck, my interest in this title has been rekindled.