Paging Doctor Aphra

Doctor Aphra - TPB #1 "Aphra"

Kieron Gillen - writer
Kev Walker - artist

One of the more delightful surprises in my reading stack has been Doctor Aphra.  The recent incarnation of Star Wars comics have, overall, been good to excellent.  Marvel has put its full force of top quality writers and artists behind this corner of their comics division.  With Kieron Gillen writing and Kev Walker doing the art, you’d think that this would be a title that everyone is talking about but unfortunately it’s not getting the attention that it deserves.

The best way to describe Doctor Aphra is “a female Indiana Jones set in the Star Wars universe,” or “Tomb Raider in space with a sprinkle of Wookie dipped in the Dark Side.”  The titular character Doctor Aphra appeared as a supporting character in the revamped Star Wars and Darth Vader solo series.  She was hired / forced (depending on how you look at it) to work for Darth Vader.  After her role was complete, I didn’t think much would come of this character.

I put off reading the first trade, titled simply “Ahpra” (collects #1-6), for a while.  I enjoy the Star Wars books but when it comes to reading the offshoot titles, I’ll let them build up and go on a Star Wars binge.  This is when I’ll catch up on the Lando’s, Chewbacca’s, Princess Leah’s, etc. of the Star Wars universe.  Doctor Aphra was such a surprise because it is exciting, funny and expands on her own story.  

Taking place between during the time of the original trilogies, it’s a period we’re familiar with but Aphra’s story isn’t beholden to any of the plot points that sometimes traps the other character’s storylines.  We know where the likes of Luke, Leia, Vader, Solo… are heading but that’s not the case with the dear Doctor.  She’s even amassed her own rag tag crew of Triple-Zero and Beetee (the very evil versions of C-3PO and R2-D2) and the equally villainous Black Krrsantan (evil Chewbacca).  Mix in a few other familiar faces and her own family issues, Doctor Aphra is a great way to explore the universe and tell new stories not involving the Skywalker clan.  With the recent news that Disney is going to make new movies set in the Star Wars universe but are sans-Skywalker centric, this is hopefully the kind of adventures we can expect.    

Thanks, 

WK

@wkbear on Twitter 

3 Good Reads / Must Buys

Eclipse (Image / Top Cow) #1-4

Zack Kaplan - writer

Giovanni Timpano - artist

For a newcomer, Zack Kaplan doesn’t waste any time.  Within the first four issue story arc, Kaplan’s got me hooked.  The premise of Eclipse is fairly simple but with artist Giovanni Timpano, they quickly drop you into this post-global warming hell-scape that Earth has turned into.  Oddly, Pitch Black has been on TV a lot lately and the basic premise of Eclipse reminds me of the failed idea of its sequel, Chronicles of Riddick which the sun is so dangerous everyone must find safety underground or at least in a secured covering during the day otherwise you’ll burn instantly.  

Instead of a convoluted (and poorly executed) attempt at a space opera, Kaplan uses this idea as a backdrop for a murder mystery.  Sprinkle in a little bit of a political thriller and you’ve got Eclipse.  Our main character is straight out of the Bruce Willis hero text book.  Put John McClane into an Armageddon spacesuit and you’ve got our hero.  

Add in the sci-fi element of our possible mystery villain who seems to be able to walk freely around during the flesh melting daylight, we’re ticking all the boxes.  There’s a chase scene, a fight, an assassination attempt, a damsel in distress, a rescue… you’ve got it all.  Again, this is all happening over the course of just four issues.  Trust me when I say, it all works.  I’m ready for the next arc and hopefully a little slower pace, even for one issue, so we can get more exposition on the world and the characters.  

The main thing I look for, especially with indy titles, is am I having fun reading this.  If you can take a brand new world, with new characters and have fun… you’ve got yourself a successful comic.  This is another BUY and Kaplan is a creator to watch.

Black Hammer (Dark Horse) #1-6

Jeff Lemire - writer

Dean Ormston - artist

Dave Stewart - colorist

Have you ever wondered what happened to a team of superheroes after an epic universe saving event?  What if the Justice League saved the world but was lost to a different reality?  Black Hammer tells the tale of a group of heroes lost with no way to return home after saving billions of lives.

Or so we are to believe…

Jeff Lemire (w) is telling a tale that could be a straight forward “fish out of water” take on a lost super team but my guess is that we’ve got a long way to go.  Not every hero that is lost seems to be cut from the Joseph Campbell hero’s journey.  Dean Ormston (a) and Dave Stewart’s (c) art sets just the right tone for a twist or two.  Everything about this book is off, just by a little bit, which I mean in a good way.  It seems that every “hero” has a secret or something to hide from their fellow castaways.  Some seem down right crazy and even until…well… they don’t.  With all this subterfuge we’re still learning key plot points and characteristics of each member.  Even the titular “character” Black Hammer is barely shown through the first six issues.  When we do get glimpses of their home world, the picture of who’s good and who may be evil becomes even less clear.

Lemire seems to be the guy who replaces “the guy” after a strong run on a series at Marvel (All-New Hawkeye / Old Man Logan / Moon Knight / Thanos) and DC (Animal Man / Justice League Dark / Green Arrow).  So far, Lemire continues if not surpasses the books he takes over.  His slow burn styles seems perfect for a crazy superhero mystery box series.  

  

Buy this book.  It’s an interesting story.  Even though the first arc is a tiny bit slow to unravel, it’s only because Lemire gives each character their chance to be weird and for the audience to get hooked in.  The story never bogs down and as soon as each issue was done, I was ready for the next one.  

Weirworld (Marvel)

Trade(s):

- Secret Wars tie-in 

Jason Aaron - writer 

Mike Del Mundo - artist

- Trade #1

Sam Humphries - writer

Mike Del Mundo - artist

Two Trades, two totally crazy books.  The first reason to pick up these Trade Paperbacks is the art.  Del Mundo is one of the best cover artist over the last few years.  Now you get him for 12 full issues!

Del Mundo’s art is the only thing that connects the two books.  There are a few small connections and references that carry over from one book to the next but nothing of significance.  In fact, the second book stands alone better due to not being beholden to any other Marvel story AND just being batshit crazy.  While the first book is slightly better written and does reference the Secret Wars event that would eventually reboot the Marvel Universe, I enjoyed the second book more as a standalone story.  

Jason Aaron writes the first trade like an informal nod to a Marvel version of the Twilight Zone.  There are twists and turns and it’s not until the end when everything comes together and you realize what’s going on.

In the second Trade, Sam Humphries takes you on a completely wild ride around this crazy world.  What if I told you that the last chapter even contained homage to an old Tribe Called Quest song and album cover, and that would be the least “weird” thing that went on in this book?  Even as I describe the madness of this book, the second Trade is a more conventional story.  A girl finds herself lost in this world, she goes on a path to find home, gains friends and foes and the story concludes with a battle.  Imagine Wizard of Oz on acid.  

Both are definite reads.  Marvel cancelled the regular book but the initial story wraps up cleanly.  This is the kind of book that would have been a risk for Marvel to keep printing but done as an anthology series in which a new writer and artist could play in this sandbox for a six issue run would have been a fun ongoing series.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  But being a Marvel property for about 40 years, I wouldn’t count out a return by a new creator at some point.  

Thanks,

WK

@wkbear on Twitter

DC Rebirths The Man of Tomorrow From The Ashes of Their Past

90% of The New 52 was crap.  I have long and short boxes filled with half read series and cancelled storylines.  Before The New 52, DC wasn’t doing much better.  Needless to say, if DC books were flying off the shelf and / or getting rave reviews they would not have felt the need to restart their entire DC universe.  

Before we go on, let me lay my cards out on the table.  You don’t need to be Mike McDermott to read me like KGB in order to tell that I’m not a fan of Superman.  No sir, I don’t like it.  Creating a compelling Superman story is one of the hardest jobs in comic book writing, if not in all of storytelling.  Don’t confuse the idea of Superman with the need of a good Superman story.  You can’t have DC without Superman, which makes him an even more daunting character to write. Superman is one of the world’s most recognizable symbols.  Every kid, even me, at one time wished he (or she, let’s be politically correct without shoehorning Wonder Woman in as a token) had the unlimited powers and strength of Superman.

And there lies the problem.  Essentially Superman is unbeatable.  In reality, any earthly problem could be resolved in a laser blink of an eye, a puff of frozen breath, a flick of his wrist or at the speed of a bullet.  With no apparent weakness, even the best of writers would inevitably lean on the same tropes; some new and unusual way to use Kryptonite (which for an element only found on an exploded dead planet lightyears away, seems to run abundant on earth…), an other worldly galactic enemy or a lack of exposure to a yellow sun (global warming couldn’t come soon enough for Supes) as being the only way to defeat The Man of Steel.  

There’s been some good Superman stories over the past few decades but it’s been few and far between for the main character in DC’s stable and a character that usually has no less than two solo books per month and is in various other team books.  Geoff Johns had two great arcs.  Grant Morrison ripped off a good 12 issue All-Star run.  Scott Snyder’s Superman Unchained was surprising good.  I might be one of the few to enjoy J. Michael Straczynski’s Superman: Earth One graphic novels.  In fact, the best part of The Death of Superman, was the aftermath and chaos that ensued when four separate characters all claimed to be “Superman” and the stories that unfolded.

How do you break the unbreakable?  How do you defeat… literally… The SUPERMAN?

DC Rebirth found a way.  Take his universe away from him.

On my regular monthly trip to my favorite comic book store (shoutout to Jud and crew @ Blastoff), I went through my pull list, checked out the various new books and Indy section.  Since the end of The New 52, I’d vowed to switch all DC pulls to Trade Paperbacks or Hard Covers only.  I wasn’t going to get caught up on monthly issues of a crap product, especially if they were going to now be putting out bi-weekly issues.  In the immortal words Roger Murtaugh, “I’m getting too old for this shit.”  Soon the new “DC Rebirth” Trades started to roll out.  I had read a few reviews online (as you are doing now) and was surprised to see more positive takes than in past years for many of the DC series.  I asked Jud, “So, is Superman still a complete shit show?”  Jud and I have known each other for years and our relationship extends into a personal friendship at this point (reason #1 to frequent your local comic book store).  I know he’s much more of a Superman / DC fan than I am and he knows my feelings (or lack there of) in regards to Superman.  There’s no bullshit.  He’ll tell me if I’ll like something or not at this point.

Again, get up, get out and go to your local comic book store, run by comic book people.  

I was shocked at what his response was, “Buy it.”  Not only that, he referred me to Superman: Lois and Clark.  “Start with that and pick up Superman Vol. 1, trust me.”  I’ll never forget his tagline that really hooked me, “It’s OUR Superman.”  That got me interested.  Never did I think a Lois and Clark Trade would be good.  I thought is was some sort of retcon of the old TV series.  Dan Jurgens has been writing Superman forever so what possibly could he have to say?  But I trust Jud so I picked up both Trades, added it to the rest of my stack and went home.  

I build up my comics in runs and will read them in Trades or when I’ve collected full arcs of 6-12 issues.  I also like to flip between Marvel / DC / Indy books just so I don’t get board.  I couldn’t get Jud’s words out of my head.  Reluctantly and with no expectations I started to read Superman: Lois and Clark.  God damn, it was really good.  It took an old version of Superman and set him in a post-New 52 world where the young / hip Superman had just died.  Somehow this older version of Superman had been able to escape the collapse of his universe, bring Lois and their newborn child with them this new universe.  Not to spoil anything, but once the “new” Supes died, this wiser family oriented Clark Kent emerged from the shadows to take up the mantle of Superman, because the world always needs a Superman.  This time, he was a reluctant hero.  This Clark would much rather stay at home with his family but with great power comes great… sorry, wrong book but you know what I’m getting at.  

There were touches of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible within the relationship and growth of his son Jon.  Superman Rebirth #7 is probably the best single “bottle” issue example of the family’s new universe dynamic.  Writer Peter J. Tomasi has always been an underrated favorite of mine.  His work with artists Patrick Gleason and Doug Mahnke have been some of my favorite works even when DC was at it’s darkest (Superman #7’s art was by Jorge Jimenez).  You can find some of their combined and solo works on Green Lantern, Green Lantern Corps and Batman & Robin if you want some solid overlooked gems from past years.   What DC has done is stressed the “man” part of SuperMAN.  He’s older and wiser than his younger, now dead, counterpart was.  He may have lost a step or two but he’s still Superman.  His drive to have a good relationship with Lois and raise a decent son is more important than the “threat of the week” that befalls earth.  No longer treated as an invulnerable god, this Superman has died before and fears it could happen again.  This Superman has lost everything except his wife and child and will do anything to protect them.  He’s more vulnerable, inside and out, than he’s ever been.

In the second Trade of the latest Superman series, we get a great storyline between Superman and his son, and Batman and his son Damien.  This Batman still doesn’t totally trust the man that took over the mantle from his former friend.  What they do have in common is that they both want to raise the next generation of heroes the right way, and be the true fathers that neither of them had.  Not inconsequentially, Jon and Damien now have their own series, Super Sons.

Dan Jurgens is still turning out a solid story in Action Comics.  It is a more broad comic that shows Superman interacting with the rest of the world, including a maybe / maybe not to be trusted version of Lex Luthor?

I’m now a recovering Superman hater.  While I’ve found great joy in these latest offering of The Man of Steel, I found myself increasingly angry at DC comics.  I’ve spent tons of money and too many hours slogging through reading hundreds of horrible Superman titles.  For years Superman has been a mess.  The New 52 reboot was a disaster.  Not even Grant Morrison could lay the groundwork for a solid series in his initial run on Action Comics a few years back.  This more simplified Superman story and motivation has proven to be exactly what the character needed.  I’m still shocked and couldn’t recommend starting with Superman: Lois and Clark and continuing with the Rebirth Superman series more.  

Thanks,

WK

@wkbear on Twitter

Spider-Man: Miles Morales TPB #1 and #2 review

Do you remember when Ultimate Spider-Man first came out?  Not only was Brian Michael Bendis’ quick-witted Sorkin-esque-lite writing refreshing but also this new Spider-Man didn’t have decades of exposition to tip-toe through.  BMB has captured that again with Miles Morales.  This time he’s able to expand storylines and characters by having Spider-Man be a minority.  Additionally, Morales has a few new spider-powers to explore.  And the return of web-shooters is never bad.     

None of this is completely new.  Miles Morales comes from the Ultimate Universe when the Ultimate Peter Parker was killed off (spoiler alert, oops).  Morales quickly became a fan favorite of the Ultimate Universe and was one of the few characters to make the leap to the 616, post Secret Wars company reboot.  

None of this matters when sitting down to read this new series.  All you need to know is;

• Miles Morales is a new Spider-Man still learning his powers
• High School aged
• Black (father) / Hispanic (mother) mix
• His best friend is Ganke (yes, he knows Miles is Spider-Man)
• And he’s already an Avenger

Okay, so that’s kinda a lot, but you’re ready to go.  

I’ve read all of the past Miles Morales stories, including his origin from the Ultimate Universe.  They're enjoyable if you want to go back and read them but you don’t need any of it to start enjoying this series.  

Best read in Trade form due to the occasional issue where nothing happens except character development.  As with most BMB stories, his writing is enjoyable, humorous and most importantly a quick read.  

So far, I really haven’t told you anything you probably don’t already know.  

The real standout, especially through the first Trade, is Sara Pichelli’s art.  With inking assists from Gaetano Carlucci and coloring by Justin Ponsor, the first trade is beautiful.  Pichelli’s ability to handle fast paced dialogue and then transition to double page splash action scenes is fantastic.  The second Trade’s main arc is handled by Nico Leon (art) and Marte Gracia with Rachelle Rosenberg (color), which provide a slight drop-off from Pichelli but still very high quality and a similar style.  

The main drawback is most of the second Trade is bogged down with a Civil War II crossover story.  Join the club Spidey.  I can’t totally rip Marvel for dragging this Spider-Man solo book into the Civil War II storyline when Spider-Man plays a huge roll in the Marvel event but these are definitely the weakest of the 10 issues covered in the two Trades.  There’re also two sub-plots involving Miles’ father and grandmother, the father seeming to be more important to the overall Marvel universe but the grandmother’s is probably the one BMB is more interested in telling and exploring, since it includes BMB staples Jessica Jones and Luke Cage.  To BMB credit, even these “lulls” are good reads and you get through them quickly.  In lesser hands, the subplots and Civil War II tie-in’s would be a mess.

My recommendation is a huge yes.  As someone who is 5+ years behind on all the Dan Slott, Peter Parker Spider-Man stories, this is a great way to jump in a Spidey book that very much is intertwined with the current Marvel Universe.  I hear great things about Slott’s Spider-Man but I haven’t taken the time and effort to get caught up with the Parker world.  Sometimes you just want a good awkward teenaged Spidey who’s just trying to get through school while becoming one of the most iconic superheroes ever.  With BMB and Miles Morales, you can get right in and have fun.

Thanks,

WK

@wkbear on Twitter

BearCast : The Trial of Batman vs Superman

BEARcast - ShowCast 2016-04-04 Trial of BvS

The definitive “Trial of Batman vs Superman”.  Not a regular review or recap.  Rather we debate the merits of the movie.  The BearCast family chimes in with five different contributors we span the spectrum of opinions and takes.  This podcast is FULL OF SPOILERS.  The result is up to you, the audience.  Let us know what you think!! Enjoy.

Please check us out at www.worldofbear.com and on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-bear/id828777439?mt=2 and don't forget to Subscribe!  Also, don't forget to spread the word to friends, family and fans.

Thanks,
WK
@wkbear on Twitter or email the show at WorldOfBearBC@gmail.com to send in ideas and comments.

Gravity Review 10/04/2013

Gravity is a movie about Science and Trust.  Whether it’s a description, recommendation or execution of this movie, science and trust explains it all.  Trust me, go see this movie and you’ll be amazed by the science behind it all.  It’a akin to a wonderful magic trick where you don’t want to know how they did it, you just want to enjoy it.  Although it’s so incredible, you'll want to know how it was made because the visuals are so unbelievable. 

This is not a George Clooney movie.  This is not a Sandra Bullock movie.  This IS an Alfonso Cuarón movie. A more accurate word would be “production.”  Cuarón is the captain of this remarkable movie and there is no doubt that this was a massive undertaking by hundreds of artists.  An undertaking that few would choose and even fewer would succeed.  Fear not, Gravity lives up to the hype.

Before I pontificate, let’s get the business end of this review out of the way.  Go see this movie.  Go see this movie on the biggest, best and truest IMAX 3D that you can find.  The price of movie tickets go up and up, and many times spending money on 3D, IMAX or 3D IMAX is a complete waste of hard earned dollars.  It’s usually just a way for movie studios and theaters to charge you more money.  Gravity is worth the money.  My price was $21 per ticket and it was worth every cent.  You could spend $100+ for a ticket to Disneyland and spend all day going on each ride and you wouldn’t accumulate 90 minutes of actual ride time.  Gravity is a 90 minute roller coaster that is just about as perfect of a ride as you could hope for.  There is no fat on this movie.  From the beginning credits you’re going up a 20,000 mile hill and you don’t stop until the final minute.  Like every great roller coaster, there are moments where you can catch your breath, stabilize and then are sent on to the next set of twists, turns and loops.  Unlike recent movies that try to be a “thrill ride” from beginning to end, such as Star Trek: Into Darkness, this movie does it right.

Both Science and Trust are key elements in this film and to the making of this film.  

The Science in this film is obviously pushed.  I’m assuming this film takes place in current or a near current time.  This isn’t a sci-fi / futuristic movie.  If all of what went on in this film were to actually happen, I’d assume everyone would be dead within seconds.  If not by the events that took place, then the shitting-of-their-space-pants would quickly suffocate them.  If I saw even one space rock fly by me at the speed of bullet, I’m taking off the helmet and going out on my own terms which would be as quick and painless as could be.  Let’s move on from my fears.

The science of this movie is standard for a modern space adventure.  Science is all around and is what makes the movie what it is.  We start out with the line, “Life cannot live in space” (or something like that).  It’s science that keeps the characters alive and what allows us to have a movie.  The science of film making is the other meaning that I think of.  The spectacle of this movie is the real science here.  It feels like there are less than 25 “cuts” in this movie.  That’s not to say there aren’t a few tricks that could be used to add edits but it seemed as though you were watching one 5 - 10 minute scene after another.  Cuarón’s other film, Children of Men, has one of the best single shot scenes of all time.  It’s the scene where Clive Owen’s character has to enter a run down hotel in the middle of firefight between insurgents and the police in order to retrieve the woman and baby he’s sworn to protect.  It’s a ballet and whether you liked the movie or not, the sheer skill involved to pull off that scene is breathtaking.  Well, times that by 20 and you’ve got Gravity.  Every shot is a beautiful painting and you can tell that the 80 million dollar budget was poured into making this film look like the best movie ever created.  “Spectacle” and “this is what movies are made for” are often thrown around too easily but this movie earns that type of praise.  

The science, technology and skill it took to make this movie completely outweigh the on screen science.  This movie is an unbelievable feat of movie making, which leads me to my second thought...

Trust.  There’s an unbelievable amount of trust needed between the characters in this movie.  What took more trust is from the movie studio to make this movie.  My biggest question leaving the theater was, “How did this movie get pitched to the studio and how did it get green lit?”

There’s really no plot.  There’s a story but there’s not a plot.  Bullock’s character is the closest thing to an arc that you’ll find.

There’s no star to this movie.  While Bullock was great and Clooney was Clooney, they were not the “stars” of this movie.  The star of this movie is Cuarón and his production team.  Clooney has about 10 minutes of face time and Bullock has the torturous task of being the main character.  What she must have gone through was less acting and more like winning the world cross-fit championship.  

The trust involved by the actors and even more so by the studio that Cuarón and crew were going to make a perfect movie is unimaginable in these days of box office tallies and actor recognition.  It takes a tremendous amount of trust by two very well known actors to essentially do their job and not know how the movie is going to come out.  Their acting was great but it was not going to be what made or broke the end product.  The studio and its executives could not have imagined what the results of this movie were going to be.  The 80 million dollar budget doesn’t fit into the current studio trend of mega-blockbuster or small indie-type movie.  

I really can’t explain the movie in just a few words.  It’s an experience.  It’s not a perfect story but it is a perfect movie.  By the end, you’ve travelled thousands of miles and you feel each one.  You’re heart will stop, your breath will be taken away and at times you’ll feel queazy.  It’s a spectacular ride.  

I feel like I’ve told you everything it’s not.  What the movie is, is great.  Go see it.  Get out of the house and see it on the biggest and best possible screen that you can.  The trip, time and money you’ll spend is well worth it.  Gravity is an awesome movie experience.

Avatar Review

When I first heard about this movie, so many years ago, I said it sounded stupid. I kept thinking of that anime Avatar crap and couldn't get those images out of my mind. Then I started to hear bits and pieces of what the movie was truly about. Still, it wasn't making my blood heat up.

But, and you can ask many people about this, I said that I didn't want to hear anything more about this movie until it comes out. This was a James Cameron movie. The man who brought us Aliens, T1, T2, The Abyss (all of which could easily be in my top 10 or 2o influential movies) and to some extent Titanic. I never liked Titanic but could certainly appreciate it for the special effects and scope of the movie. Even though I didn't care for the story, and knew the ending, you now see how the path of special effects changed once that movie came out.

So having said all this, I didn't want to know anything and would take faith that JC (huh, never thought of that connection before) would know what he's doing.

Avatar proves he does. The movie is spectacular. I wouldn't call the story ground breaking or some of the ideas and designs so new that it will change the way people think, but the execution. This movie does what Titanic did, changes the path of special effects and opens doors to what future film makers and story tellers can do.

The film is a good, solid film which is what is needed to hold up with the eye candy that would make a fat kid cum. The love story and themes of technology vs nature are all strong and well done. This wasn't My Life where I'm crying half way through the movie. The 3D worked well. Once I even found myself jumping at an effect. What made the 3D good was that it didn't try to be a 3D movie. No gimmicks just, come see this world and get immersed in this world, which you do.

Another masterpiece by a master. A film maker that doesn't take crap, knows what he wants, has a clear vision and makes that vision come to life. At the end of the day, that's what I'll remember. It's what inspires me to create and pisses me off that I'm not creating as much. At the end, all I kept thinking was, what's holding me back. Now I know that no matter what I think of is possible. And to not limit myself to what I know can be done, but take my ideas further because technology can make them attainable.

It's a great movie and will make Billions. But better yet, it will make better film makers and inspire better films. James Cameron is a limit breaker. It reminds me of the Matrix where the young child tells Neo, there is no spoon (which is the secret of the Matrix). Avatar reminds us and tells us that there is no spoon. Once you understand that, you're mind will be free.

Let's see what all the hub-bub is about

Any of you who know me, knows that I hate the Watchmen. Ok, I feel a geek sniper aiming in on me now.

Maybe it's because I read it so long after it came out, I feel current writers are taking what Moore did to higher and better levels. Or maybe I prefer more superheros in my super hero books. Or maybe I just like good books and so many have been persuaded over the years to say this is a great book when it's really not.

Either way, I don't like Watchmen. I do like when people tell me the story and what it's all about and the intricacies inside the book, but I couldn't even stay awake reading Watchmen. Instead of Ambien, I'd read a few pages of Watchmen and I'd be out like a light.

Never the less, this weekend on HBO is the movie's big premier. I've already got it set to record. I'm sure there are some really good points and I'm a fan of Zack Snyder so in a way I am looking forward to watching the Watchmen. The long asked question will be answered this Saturday. Who watches the Watchmen, well... the BEAR will be. I'll let you know how it was.