From the Ashes

Dog Days

2010-01-06T00:00:41Z

This may be my favourite headline of the week, it makes me giggle on multiple levels.

"Thanks to Twilight, 'Bella' becomes most popular dog name"

J

Let's Talk Television: Heroes 4x12/13 - Upon This Rock/Let it Bleed

2010-01-05T03:38:14Z

Blah blah blah, solid season, blah blah good character stuff, blah blah fun. You know the general drill by now, and tonight's two episodes follow well in the tradition of the season thus far.

The reactions and how everyone dealt with Nathan's death really helped sell me on it a LOT more than the actual event itself. I really felt for Claire and Peter, and even Noah and Mama Petrelli, in her way. The actual death was a big meh, but the things said in rememberance of Nathan actually got me in a few moments.

If Samuel's plan is actually to create a ~~Genosha~~ homeland for special people, and that is a REALLY big if, I'll admit, then I find that I hope he succeeds. I've always loved the idea of mutants and such having a place where they can just...be. Do the ends justify the means? Good question. I don't think so, especially if they involve killing his own brother to get there, but I always like when good can come out of tragedy.

Always fun to see Doyle again, playing with his favourite toy. ;)

"I have a love/hate relationship with rooftops," is such a great nod to the entire series, and how many important moments have taken place up where Claire and Peter were talking, as well as atop the Deveaux building.

And yay to Sylar almost being whole again.

J

Random Ramblings

2010-01-04T17:07:18Z

One of the silliest things I've seen on a keyboard is a button that basically acts as a shift/caps lock for the f-keys.

I get wanting to add more functionality to more buttons so they do more things, but when the default is that this button is OFF, and that means the f-keys don't do their standard functions? That's dumb.

It would be like having to push a button to activate the alphanumeric keys before they'd do anything, every time you reboot.

J

Baked

2010-01-03T23:36:01Z

Man, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, and Emeril all in the same kitchen together?

I am sooo looking forward to tonight's Iron Chef special.

J

Who Loves You

2010-01-03T04:15:37Z

Hrm.

I've been sitting here for the past thirty minutes and change trying to process the End of Time part 2.

From comments I've been seeing so far, I think I'm going to be in the minority in saying that I don't think I liked it, and I can't really point to why.

It seemed...kinda boring, really. And people did things that just didn't make sense, because the plot demanded they do them that way.

While I liked revisiting a lot of old friends in the end, and was glad they weren't all pulled in and jammed into the plot like last year, I just felt completely emotionally disconnected from it all. I actually think I prefer last year's finale to this one.

I really wish I knew what it was, but I just was not emotionally invested in tonight's episode, and it's bugging the hell out of me.

Which isn't to say there wasn't stuff I liked, but something just seemed to be missing.

Ten and Wilf were awesome in almost every scene, and they have great chemistry. The explanation of the drums was pretty good, I thought.

What if Wilfred only knocked three times? Heck, he knew the prophecy, I would've made sure not to do it four times...

The vault was such a convolutedly silly device that doesn't make any rational sense to me, and trapping Ten inside was just so forced.

Bringing the Time Lords back was cool, but somehow wasted. To have them show up and be grumpy then sent away just seems like such a missed opportunity from all the build up. But I understand how bringing them back for good (Which part of me wants) would change things a LOT.

I want to like this, I want to LOVE it, and maybe when I sit back and rewatch all the specials on DVD in a month, all will be well.

Maybe it's from what feels like years of build up, and knowing what was coming that I just couldn't get into it? *shrug*

J

Comics Next Week

2010-01-02T08:15:57Z

A refreshingly small week. With a few items from this one in bold.

Amazing Spider-Man Presents Jackpot #1
Blackest Night #6 Regular Ivan Reis Cover
Blackest Night Wonder Woman #2 Regular Greg Horn Cover
Boys #38
Cable Vol 2 #22
Cinderella From Fabletown With Love #3
House Of Mystery Vol 2 #21
Marvel 2010 Calendar With Avengers ID Card - FREE - Limit 1 Per Customer
Marvel Boy Uranian #1
Nation X X-Factor
New Mutants Vol 3 #9
Origins Of Siege - FREE - Limit 1 Per Customer
Siege (Marvel) #1 Regular Olivier Coipel Cover
Siege Embedded #1
Suicide Squad #67 (Blackest Night Tie-In)
Wizard Comics Magazine #221 Iron Man 2 Cvr

J

Feeling Blue

2010-01-01T15:06:13Z

I just had to explain a blue moon to my mother.

She thought the moon would actually be blue, and was asking if I went out to see it, and take pictures.

But this was the best.

"A blue moon is when there's two full moons in one month."

"There was two moons out last night??"

J

And Have a Trisky New Year!

2010-01-01T03:45:18Z

Finished up my third and final planned review for December over at Triskaidekafiles!

I originally had plans to do four reviews this month to make up for the lack of anything in November, but delays in getting two of the movies I wanted, plus being under the weather last week, shot that all to hell. But I got three of the four done, so that's not so bad.

To finish off 2009, I reviewed the shlocky horror flick, Jack Frost. It was originally going to be posted on Christmas, but it didn't arrive in time.

My experiment to try and have some holiday themes going failed miserably. Better, longer planning in the future, and hopefully movies that aren't out of stock, will help curtail these issues.

Read! Share with friends! Party!

J

So Long, 2009!

2009-12-31T23:59:36Z

May the door hit your ass on the way out.

After treadmilling, I'll be in my usual spot in #comicbooks on DALnet, so if anyone wants to come by and ring in the new year, feel free to come by and shoot the shit. =)

J

...

2009-12-31T08:34:22Z

What the hell, ABC?

Way to blow build up and resolutions.

J

Bingwho

2009-12-30T16:15:53Z

Since I have a ton of Doctor Who fans here, I thought I'd share this bit of silliness, in honour of the upcoming End of Time pt2.

End of Time 2 bingo cards! There may or may not be spoilers.

Just how predictable will RTD's finale be? ;)

J

Flux Capacity

2009-12-30T02:06:50Z

Because I haven't done anything to up my pariah quotient lately...

With everything being on break during the holidays, I've been chugging through the backlog of movies on the DVR when I need something to watch over late dinner.

One of which, was the theatrical version of Aeon Flux.

And you know what? I actually really liked it, as a Flux adaptation. It wasn't a great movie, but I actually feel it was a good adaptation.

The look and style of the areas and characters was very much in line with the cartoon. The visuals were very well translated from animation to live.

The technology was suitably bizarre, if not downright labrynthine and obscure. Just as it should be. It was a mix of organic and tech, just like I'd expect it to be.

Now, the story left a little something to be desired. But it had some good action that was again like the animation come to life. It had some fun bits, and was a good diversion.

My biggest problem was with how wrong Trevor was, in almost every way. That kinda killed it. But other than that...

I also could have done without the typically forced romantic subplot and backstory. Aeon Flux is not known for explaining things and being coherent! But I guess it would've been an even bigger flop if they had gone the incomprehensible route. ;)

J

Cyclops Got Run Over by a Head Cold

2009-12-27T23:59:53Z

Oops.

I let this slip, just a bit. ;) But I'm not gonna let 2009 pass into memory without letting it go completely, especially since I didn't post it last year, apparently. I felt like craaaap this week, and just started coming out of it the last few days. Dk's posting of it distracted me, I think. ;)

And awaaaay we go.

Here's the holiday classic "Cyclops Got Run Over by His Ex-Wife" by yours truly, brucha, and dkphoenix. And CRETIN, wherever he is. Sung to the tune of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo and Patsy. Duh.

Chorus:
Cyclops got run over by his ex-wife,
Patrolling 'round the mansion Christmas Eve,
You may say there's no such thing as cloning,
But as for me and Essex, we believe.

He'd been swigging down his eggnog,
And we begged him not to go,
But Scott (that dork)'s so dedicated,
So he wobbled out the door into the snow.

When we found him Christmas morning,
At the scene of the attack,
There were claw-marks on his forehead,
And Infernal-looking symbols on his back.

Chorus:
Cyclops got run over by his ex-wife,
Patrolling 'round the mansion Christmas Eve,
You can say there's no such thing as cloning,
But as for me and Essex, we believe.

Well, we're all so proud of Cable,
He's been taking this so well,
Not a tear to rust his metal,
He just sits there playing cards with Sis Rachel.

It's not Christmas without Cyclops,
All the X-Men dressed in black,
And we just can't help but wonder,
Should we go to Sinister and clone him back?
(CLONE HIM BACK!!)

Chorus:
Cyclops got run over by his ex-wife,
Patrolling 'round the mansion Christmas Eve,
You may say there's no such thing as cloning,
But as for me and Essex, we believe.

Now that Scott is six feet under,
Jean's conscience is clear and clean,
My! Her luck is so uncanny,
At last she can go out with Wolverine.

I've warned all my friends and mutants,
Maddie could be after you,
The Goblin Queen is out for vengeance,
So glad I'm lucky to be missing from her queue.

Chorus:
Cyclops got run over by his ex-wife,
Patrolling 'round the mansion Christmas Eve,
You can say there's no such thing as cloning,
But as for me and Essex, we believe.

Sing it, Nathans!!

Chorus:
Cyclops got run over by his ex-wife,
Patrolling 'round the mansion Christmas Eve,
You may say there's no such thing as cloning,
But as for me and Essex, we believe!

Truth and Lies

2009-12-26T13:54:13Z

I'm listening to This Week in Tech's special yearly Christmas Eve episode, and once again John Hodgman is on.

And something occurrs to me.

Has the man EVER said anything truthful or factual that you can recall?? ;) Almost everything he says is a joke, or a lark, or disinformation. It's amazing how effortless it is.

J

Merry Triskmas!

2009-12-26T04:46:14Z

I finally got off my lazy, sick butt and wrote up the latest review over at Triskaidekafiles.

Today you'll find the massive lump of coal known as 976-EVIL in your stocking.

J

Photoblog: A Christmas Piccy

2009-12-25T14:39:21Z

This has to be my fave gift this year, and I'm ok with that.

And yes, I've got my Tom Servo and Crow T. Robot figurines protecting me as I watch bad movies these days. As it should be.

J

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-25T02:07:31Z

To start the celebration, Stan Lee reads The Night Before Christmas.

J

Marvel Comics: March, 2009

2009-12-24T14:14:15Z

SIEGE #3 (of 4)
SIEGE: EMBEDDED #3 (of 4)
DARK AVENGERS #15
MIGHTY AVENGERS #35
NEW MUTANTS #11
THOR #608
THUNDERBOLTS #142
X-23 #1
SHE-HULK: SENSATIONAL
STEPHEN KING'S "N." #1 (of 4)
DARK TOWER: THE BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL #5 (of 5)
DEADPOOL CORPS: RANK AND FOUL
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS: JACKPOT #3 (of 3)
AVENGERS VS. ATLAS #3 (of 4)
CLOAK AND DAGGER #1
CAPTAIN AMERICA #604
HERCULES: FALL OF AN AVENGER #1 (of 2)
INCREDIBLE HULK #608
FALL OF THE HULKS: RED HULK #3 (of 4)
FALL OF THE HULKS: THE SAVAGE SHE-HULK #1 (of 3)
MARVEL BOY: THE URANIAN #3 (of 3)
THE MARVELS PROJECT #7 (of 8)
LOCKJAW AND THE PET AVENGERS UNLEASHED #1 (of 4)
SECRET WARRIORS #14
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #24
NOVA #35
REALM OF KINGS INHUMANS #5 (of 5)
REALM OF KINGS IMPERIAL GUARD #5 (of 5)
X-MEN: SECOND COMING
CABLE #24
UNCANNY X-MEN #522
NATION X #4 (of 4)
ASTONISHING X-MEN #35
X-FORCE #25
X-MEN LEGACY #234
S.W.O.R.D. #5
X-MEN FOREVER #19
X-MEN FOREVER #20
X-FACTOR FOREVER #1
DARK X-MEN #5 (of 5)
X-MEN: PIXIE STRIKES BACK #2 (of 4)
X-FACTOR #203

J

Days of Future Passed

2009-12-23T14:47:08Z

Someone just showed me a picture of Amazon's Kindle and Kindle 2, and basically said "Welcome to the future!"

Well, that's a little baffling, and I pointed it out, since those are hardly new devices.

He rambled on about how they're so close to how people would show 'cool scifi tech gagets' in the movies and such.

Which ok, is a fair point, but HOW long has the Kindle been out, in any form? A year and change? The future was yesterday!

I wonder what he'll think when he sees the iPhone. ;D

J

DC Comics: March, 2010

2009-12-22T13:39:51Z

BLACKEST NIGHT #8
GREEN LANTERN #52
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #46
DETECTIVE COMICS #863
SUPERMAN: LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #1
SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #5
ADVENTURE COMICS #8
ADVENTURE COMICS #9
ACTION COMICS #887
SUPERMAN #698
SUPERGIRL #51
BOOSTER GOLD #30
THE FLASH: SECRET FILES AND ORIGINS 2010 #1
MILESTONE FOREVER #2
POWER GIRL #10
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #43
TEEN TITANS #81
SECRET SIX #19
R.E.B.E.L.S. #14
ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE BOOK 4 #3
FABLES #94
CINDERELLA: FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE #5
JACK OF FABLES #44
HOUSE OF MYSTERY #23

J

Gut Reaction

2009-12-21T23:43:08Z

I've covered in the past the growing occasional aggrivation of my parents at each other, and how my mom likes to misremember reality to make it sound like she's done nothing wrong, and is totally the victim.

But today topped that.

My dad went to the hospital to get a procedure done, trying to find out what's going on with him with some weight loss. They get home, I'm trying to sleep, but not quite there yet. Mother tells me, he has an ulcer.

Well, that doesn't particularly surprise me, with the way those two go at it, and the stress she causes him over every little thing, and money, and the dog, and...yeah, everything.

But holy crap, what she followed that up with.

"So, it's gotta be caused from all the yelling and screaming he does at me, since it's stress related. You think now he'll learn his lesson and be nicer?"

Yessss, because he sits there and plots out that he's gonna yell at you like some old serial villain.

I swear, if I wasn't SO desperately trying to sleep, I would've shot up in my bed, and demanded she try and actually take some damned responsibility, for pushing his buttons, and being a bit of a bitch this past year. She starts a LOT of the fights and gets the yelling going.

I was just...WOW can not believe she said that.

J

I Sit Corrected!

2009-12-20T21:27:01Z

icewing was right!

Take your second chance to get a Recycled Phoenix shirt. Before they sell out again! =)

J

Comics Next Week

2009-12-19T08:23:17Z

Two weeks in a row that are so big they get free shipping. I'm assuming this is because of things being shuffled around for no comics coming out (Save for a few) the following week.

Angel Vol 3 Annual #1 Cover B
Angelus #1
Black Widow & The Marvel Girls #2
Blackest Night JSA #1 Regular Eddy Barrows Cover
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Willow One Shot Jo Chen Cover (One-Shot Wonders)
Captain America Reborn Who Will Wield The Shield One Shot Variant Cover
Dark Tower Battle Of Jericho Hill #2 Regular Jae Lee Cover
Detective Comics #860 Regular JH Williams III Cover
Fall Of The Hulks Gamma Regular Ed McGuinness Cover
Freddy vs Jason vs Ash Nightmare Warriors #6
Green Lantern Vol 4 #49 Regular Ed Benes Cover (Blackest Night Tie-In)
Grimm Fairy Tales #43 Cover B Mike DeBalfo
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol 2 #21 (Realm Of Kings Tie-In)
Incredible Hercules #139
Jack Of Fables #41
New Mutants Vol 3 #8 (X Necrosha Tie-In)
Secret Warriors #11
Teen Titans Vol 3 #78 (Blackest Night Tie-In)
Thor Vol 3 #605
Uncanny X-Men #519
What If Astonishing X-Men
What If Spider-Man House Of M
Witchblade #133 Cover A Stjepan Sejic
Wonder Woman Vol 3 #39
X-Men Forever Vol 2 #14
X-Men Legacy #231 (X Necrosha Tie-In)

J

Let's Talk Television: Dollhouse 2x09/2x10 - Stop-Loss/The Attic

2009-12-19T03:31:03Z

Well, it looks like we'll be going out with a bang, at least.

The first hour tonight was not something I normally enjoy. It was a bit on the 'normal' side of things. The soldiers as a group mind thing though, is a pretty cool concept to play with, and I thought they did a good job with that whole idea.

The main reason I actually enjoyed Stop-Loss, as has been the case for a number of episodes, is Enver Gjokaj. This guy deserves a starring role somewhere after Dollhouse. He is an amazing actor, and I am totlly enthralled with him, and he makes me give a crap about Victor.

For a moment, I thought Tony and Priya might actually have gotten out of the Dollhouse for a little bit. Silly, silly Jason.

Having Echo with a personality of her own, beyond the blank slate of your typical Active has helped her and the show a LOT, I think. Giving this girl a persistent self that we can latch onto was sorely needed. It's a shame, while making sense at the same time, that she seems too much like Caroline. It would have been nice if they'd tried to make her different. A mind made up of 40+ minds should be something unique. See: Alpha. Not that they had to, or should have gone that route, but something would have been nice.

Pushing all these characters who, a little more than a year ago, wer seen by us as such amoral bastards to even their own breaking points, and having them start to exit their shades of grey has been a very fun journey.

I loved the second hour even more though, since it gets into the weird scifi stuff I love. I rolled my eyes a *little* at the people in the Attic being used as human computers. It's just such a silly concept that does not work, and was a big flaw that made me dislike the Matrix so much.

Still, it was a treat seeing Reed Diamond again, and even becoming an ally of Echo's as they realise they're on the same side.

And having us butt right up against the future of the Epitaphs was pretty great. I was on the edge of my seat, as the show was being inexoribly drawn towards that future. And tying that future right into the past and the origins of the Dollhouse was also a good use of their mythology, and built upon it as well.

The directing is worthy of note, since John Casaday, the well-known comic artist, did that. It wasn't bad. It had a little more flash than substance at times, and had the feel of someone a little new, and wanting to show how nifty he could be. The fights with Arcane at the start, especially. They were almost impossible to follow, and were little more than quick flashes of action.

I love having everyone on the show be brought around to Echo's cause by the end of the episode. I think many of us have wanted to see that moment, and it really turns the whole show in a new direct

And yay, Amy Acker is back next week!

Your turn!

J

Woot!

2009-12-18T15:25:03Z

I've bought a number of shirts from Woot, and you've seen a number of them. But people always point out they want them long after I've gotten the shirt, and the item is way sold out.

But not this time!
Until 1am eastern time, check out and get the Recycled Phoenix shirt.

I've already purchased.

Surprise surprise.

J