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Things in the desert

I saw Mad Max: Fury Road last night and gosh was it awesome. Like truly a spectacle, one which actually lingers, as I've been thinking of the movie all day.

For one, it's beautiful.

Two, it's actually got a lot of things to say, with very sparse dialogue. Feminism!

And three? It's a Mad Max movie. I watched The Road Warrior dozens and dozens of time as a lad. To see this kinda sequel is like a dream.

Steeped in Dystopia.


No spoilers, but the movie is not overly graphic or extreme, even though it might seem like it from the ads and previews and material. Yes, there is a lot of violence, but it's so well done and hits all the notes it wants to hit, it's like no movie I can think of in the last 20 years.

Go see it on a big screen before it's too late.

Happy Hanukkah (post dated)!

Ben Grimm wishes you Mazel Tov!

For the record The Thing could only hope to slow down or distract The Hulk. The Thing is quite strong, but nowhere near Hulk levels. Maybe if you had all Fantastic Four you could contain the Hulk for a short period of time, but since they don't exist in the MCU, the question is moot.  Hulk smashes.

Boris Karlof can go suck a beet

Hulk Hogan speaks for us all. He defends us all against the likes of Boris Karlof. Be thankful Hulk is looking out for us.

Your Terrorist is my Nobel Peace Prize Winner

RIP. A great man who fought an evil cause. And in so doing employed violence and gathered what allies he could. Fighting evil leads to many grey areas, since, when is violence ever "good"? But if the end result of violence leads to a greater good, isn't it for the best then? Big questions.

And a big impact. Ask yourself if you'd be prepared to give up most of your life in the name of a cause, and then have your actions inspire billions? Only a few get asked, and even fewer can eventually say yes.

From zero to hero

Charlton Heston. You might remember him as the leader of the NRA as it turned crazy, epitomized by his quote "I'll give you my gun when you pry it from my cold, dead hands".

A hero to the wingnuts, of course. America, personified. Get your damn hands off me, you dirty ape! But wipe away the fog of Wingnut mythology and remember the "Charlton" of yore.

Charlton marching on DC for Civil Rights.

Charlton protesting in OK for Civil Rights.

Charlton picketing for Worker's Rights.

What happened, Charlton?
What happened, America? Why did you go mad, infecting so many people with madness?

And what kind of name is Charlton? Sounds like prep school. Not rugged American gun owner.

Lesser Heroes

Poor Aquaman. Never gets any respect. But I tell you what: Bring your attitude out into the ocean and then talk some smack. You'll be hanging with Davy Jones before you can say "Hey Hey!".

Superdick

Sure, Superman. Ruin the Moon for all of time just to get your "Goodbye Cruel World" message out there. Dick.

Hey! Gotta couple of hours to waste? Check out Superdickery, the Internet's source for evidence that yes indeed, Superman is just a giant dick.

World's Finest

I just got the leaked script to 2015's "Superman and Batman". Apparently, the two will team up (with Robin) to stop some kids from illegally swimming.

Should be awesome.

A great disturbance in the Internet

You may have felt strange the other day, for reasons you couldn't explain. Let me: Ben Affleck was named as the new Batman, and nerds across the Internet screamed out in nerdy rage. It was epic, and one of the things I love best about the Internet - nerd panic.

But fret not, fellow nerds. Ben will be fine. Look at this history of Batman for proof:

As always, click for big. Pretty cool - Batman is by now an iconic hero in just about worldwide mythology. I'm a bit disappointed the 1940's TV movie shorts were not included, but alas. Check out the history of the Bat logos in more detail:

Modern mythology is wicked awesome, and if you've avoided it in the past, due to the nerd association, I would advise you to let go your embarassment, your pride, and dive in to the world of comics - the modern hero mythology of the 20th century, and going strong in the 21st.

As for Ben, he'll do fine. I worry about the overall focus of the movie (Superman and Batman) far more. I really enjoyed the new Superman movie and am disappointed it's not getting its own sequel, rather than sharing one with not just Batman, but a new Batman. Don't blame Ben. Blame D.C..

In the meantime, imagine the Batman of your dreams and how Affleck will ruin it for you.

May the Internet be with you.

Good for

War is good for lots of things, actually. Profits - as long as not too much gets destroyed. Propaganda. Keeping the poors further in their place. Your election chances, if your war is going well. And if it's not going well? Send some more boys into the meat grinder! Why not? Ain't you or yours, and "surges" are good for your poll numbers.

Where else can you get so many medals and pins? If you're lucky - but hey! Someone's got to be lucky. Could be you or me! Roll the dice and storm that building. You could be a war hero!

The donkey didn't get a choice. But then, no animal does, when a war's on. Except the rich ones.

The New King James

Yeah, they should totally update the Bible for the 21st century and beyond. More pictures would be awesome, as well as Spiderman and friends. The movie rights would be huge.

A Polite Doom

Look how polite everyone was back in Olden Tymes! Also, I'm sure I've said this before, but I was a voracious reader of comic books as a lad, and I learned a ton of words from them - I'd go to the dictionary all the time as a ten year old. And so I say, parents! If your kid is reading comic books, be of good cheer, for they are reading. And reading is fundamental.

Also, just as a taste of how crazy we as a country got after 9/11, here's a panel showing Dr. Doom's response:

Sure, he's tried to take over the world multiple times and killed lots of innocents himself, but America got attacked that day! Even Super Villains cried.

The Olden Days

As always, click for big. I'm not sure exactly what year these panels come from, but I'm guessing in the early 40's. Regardless, behold the original Superman! An alien who fought corrupt industrialists, corrupt government officials, greedy capitalists, etc. In other words, he was a Socialist hero. The first hero. Check out the full backstory at the wiki.

As you'll learn, the very first story featuring the Super Man was in a short story in 1933, and he was a villain. Here's the cover:

Lex Luthoresque, yes?

Special K

Know your Kryptonite! Sure, we all know about Green K, but did you know about Red K? Superboy sure does:

Also called "plot generation Kryptonite".  I mean the horrors of "Bearded Superman" should be obvious to all.

Speaking of horrors, check out the progressive nature of pre-destruction Krypton:

They were so alien they had "highly developed blacks".  That's some sci-fi shit right there man.

Super Mensch

Have you seen Man of Steel? I loved it, but then, I am a nerd. But never a Superman fan, previously. But I really enjoyed this new take, as it presented Superman in a way he should always be portrayed in my mind: As an alien. An alien that mankind should be both suspicious of, and thankful for.

A God among men. He can hear whispers across the planet. He can see through walls. He cannot be stopped by any weapon - this is the ultimate hero? The Boy Scout from Kansas? If a being liked this walked among us, today, how do you think the world react?

Sometimes though, the old ways are better:

Kal-El's a dick.

The American Way

Creepy, right? Another longstanding meme - the so called "Roman Salute" -  obliterated because of use by the NAZI's. Yes, good, honest American children used to recite their pledge of allegiance by raising the right arm and pointing it forward. Like Romans did for hundreds of years, and many other nations. Until the NAZI's. Thanks again, Hitler.

And with that, let us celebrate the 4th in one of the two acceptable manners:

Drinking! Fireworks of course to follow.

For want of charisma

Big Brother is but a name for a charismatic enough leader, with enough power, who shapes the State to his will.  With today's insane Republican party, a charismatic leader could do pretty much anything if given the power to do so. But I don't think there's a charismatic enough GOP leader alive today.

Oh for the days of St. Ronaldus Magnus Reaganus! The greatest bestest leader America's ever had - it's true. Ask a Republican. But thankfully, today's Republican party has eaten its own product (Propaganda) for too long, and is now batshit stupid insane. I look upon the GOP horizon and see nothing but crackpots and hypocritical assholes. Old people gone completely bitter and deluded by the grifters and liars of the GOP.

Reagan has become unto a God to these Teabaggin' morans. For real - it's weird and creepy. Fun fact you could tell them and they'd never believe it: Reagan signed 11 tax increases during his two terms.

Cuz facts don't matter anymore to the so called "Conservative" party. They are 100% in with pure Ideology, whatever it is that given day in opposition to Liberals - because that's the gist of it: Whatever you're for, they're against.

If they get full power of the Government again anytime soon, we're in big trouble. If FSM be praised we can have a Democratic Administration and Congress from 2014 - 2024, we could do some serious work of undoing the damage they've done to this country and the world over the past 35 years.

It's up to us to decide - literally, the weight of the world is on our shoulders, upon our choices.

Where we're going

You're living a dream, Mr. Anderson.

Other Monsters (Retro)

All our monsters and villains are "Others". All our enemies or threats are "Others". All fear of crime comes from fear of the "Others".  In the end we can only trust ourselves, but what if I told you that aye, verily, within your own mind lurk "Others".  What if I also told you that everything looks way cool in retro sci-fi pulp covers?

So yeah, "Others". What perhaps is more interesting is what we define as "Not Other". Who is in our Tribe and thus one of us, not one of them? Who walks in the Light and not in the Dark?

Mexican Wrestling Vader might appear to be a bad guy, but he's just waiting for his reverse heel turn. The Flip-Rudo.