Yes I Did!

Yeah, I finally took the plunge and got my tattoos done. I've been thinking about getting a tattoo for a while now, but I sat in the chair today. On my right forearm is a medical caduceus with the script Type 1 Diabetic and the left forearm is a 24th century Starfleet insignia. I'll post some pictures once they heal sufficiently.

I'm glad I finally did it!

R.I.P. Majel Barrett Roddenberry

Courtesy of The Beat:

Majel Barrett Roddenberry, widow of STAR TREK creator Gene Roddenberry, passed away today at the age of 76.

She had just recently finished voice work for the new STAR TREK movie, reprising her role as the voice of the ship’s computer.

In the original series, she played Nurse Chapel, as well as Number One in the original TREK pilot “The Cage.”

People forget she was active in Star Trek even before William Shatner was... I'm glad she was involved in the upcoming film and am truly sorry her contributions to the Star Trek mythos are over.

Evil Under the Sea!

I finally got to see the latest episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. It featured a cool intro with Batman and the Atom teaming up to take on Felix Faust (very cool).

Then, on to the main story, which sees Batman and Aquaman facing off against Black Manta and Ocean Master! Here's what stuck in my head afterward:

Good:
Aquaman's telepathic powers look and sound like an update on an old classic!
Mera makes a couple of cameo appearances!
Black Manta (look and sound)!
Aquaman really puts off a fun vibe!

Bad:
Orm (Ocean Master) is a full Atlantean brother to Aquaman and has telepathic powers.
Aquaman's boastful attitude.

Throughout the show, Aquaman is heard boasting about his many adventures, like "Coral Reef Rescue!", and the like. It makes me want to check titles of old Aquaman stories to see if the writers took them from the comics! Some of them sounded to me like they could have been authentic titles! That would be a neat thing, if it were true! I'll have to jot down all the titles mentioned and then cross reference them to the story titles. Perhaps I can get it done this weekend...

Anyway, I enjoyed this show and look forward to future appearances from the Sea King! Maybe they'll tone the attitude down a bit...

Updated Trailer!

Courtesy of AICN:

For an added treat, download this trailer!

Off to Vegas!

I was able to download the Star Trek trailer, but considering it weighs in at 160 mB, there's no easy way to me to host the high definition version. You'll have to view it at Apple, or the official site.

And with that, I'm off! Have a good week!

Hi-Def Star Trek Trailer

Can be found at the Apple website, so go ahead. Go there and watch it! I'll wait right here. Trailer 2 is the one to choose...



(whistles)



(twiddles thumbs)



Hey there, you're back? Great!

How fan-FREAKING-tastic was that!!!??

I love the new transporter effect! And the Enterprise's shiny corridors! The ship itself, I'm not so sure about... viewed from the front it's good, but it's the profile I have a problem with. We didn't really get to see more of the ship (other than the forward view). Based on what we could see of the USS Kelvin, Federation phasers may be red. The bridge looks great, as do the graphic displays. I also really like the uniforms! And hearing the familiar red alert klaxon!!

I think it's going to be a very popular movie in 2009!

Star Trek Trailer!

Holy Crap!!



This is gonna be awesome! When the high definition trailer is released Monday, I'll figure out how to post it here for everyone to enjoy!

But this'll do in the meantime!

New Enterprise!

Courtesy of Popwatch:


I not sure what to say... but the story is from a credible source. In 5 days we'll see more of it in the new trailer, so I'll reserve judgement until then.

The Secret's Out!

In ten days I will be on a plane heading to Las Vegas!

As part of the birthday celebrations for my friend Liz, a group of us are heading down to Vegas from the 19th to the 22nd! Whooo-hooo to slots, paralyzers, and a great time!

Poll Results!

The last poll asked who was your favorite first officer and the results are in!

First up, with a whopping 75 percent of the popular vote, is Mr. Spock!
I figured Mr. Spock would be the most popular, but didn't realize how many old school Trekkies there are!

Coming in second with 20 percent of the vote was The Next Generation's William T. Riker.
I thought Commander Riker would place where he did. He's a popular, fun character, who embodied a lot of what James Kirk did for the original series.

Next up with the remaining five percent of the vote was Kira Nerys, first officer of Deep Space Nine.At first I thought of Kira as an Ensign Ro knockoff, but fortunately she developed her own personality (and hairstyle) over the years. I think she really came into her own during Deep Space Nine's seventh season.

Which leaves Commander Chakotay and T'Pol, who garnered no votes at all.

Chakotay was never my favorite on Voyager, and I think most people see him in the same light.Unfortunate, but considering Robert Beltran has made comments dissing Voyager and his role in the show, he places where he deserves to be.

T'Pol on the other hand, I really wanted to like when Enterprise started, but in the first two seasons her character walked around as if she had a very large stick up her butt!
By the time the third and fourth seasons aired, writers were getting away from that characterization, but it was too little, too late. The damage had been done.

Thanks to everyone for your votes and look for a new poll coming soon!

More Star Trek Pictures!

As we get closer and closer to the November 15th release date for the trailer, Paramount releases more pictures!

First, here's Spock standing in front of the main viewscreen on the Enterprise bridge.

And a shot of Kirk, Sulu, and an unknown crewman in EVA suits sitting in a shuttle.

A close-up of Spock...

Followed by a medium shot of Kirk:

Apparently, the black undershirt is what cadets will wear in the future Starfleet Academy. I assume they'll get their divisional color shirt (red, blue, or gold) once they get their first assignment.

Looks good so far!

**UPDATE**
Uhura on the bridge!

The Final Crisis?

January solicitations are up and it appears Final Crisis 7 is not going to see J.G. Jones drop pencil to paper. To me, it's just another indication of trouble with DC's big summer event. After the Sinestro Corps War, I admit, I got spoiled.

From the moment I heard that J.G. Jones was the artist on this event, I thought something was off. Sure, some of those covers he drew for 52 were very good, but I've never understood what made him 'the hot artist', if he was. I think the choice of artist seemed like one of the first fumbles... Then he proved unable to deliver the whole 7 issues in the series, so Carlos Pacheco pitched in for Final Crisis issues 4, 5, and 6. Now J.G.'s not even doing issue 7? Man, that is weak.

Another problem was evident with the first issue. It had an absolutely horrible cover design that must have been ripped off from Marvel's Civil War event.

I'm so disappointed with this 'event', I'm embarassed to have it on my pull list. The only reason I've stuck with it this far is because of Grant Morrison. I have great respect for him as a writer and creator, and that faith keeps me coming back. I know the story will be good, but is anyone even paying attention any more? I think the message is lost in the medium.

I'm not really excited about this series anymore. Please DC, just get the issues out so I can read them and put it behind me. I'm looking forward to Rage of the Red Lanterns and the upcoming Blackest Night crossover more than I am looking forward to the end of Final Crisis. Sorry DC, but I have to be honest.

Infinite Crisis let me down with unfinished Phil Jimenez artwork and Final Crisis with what I said above. That makes Crisis on Infinite Earths the only event to deliver what these events always promise! There's a crisis with the Crisises!

Shane Davis Likes Aquaman!

According to this article on Newsarama, Shane Davis would be up to working with Geoff Johns again...

And I'd still like to do an Aquaman project with him or something. But I'm looking forward to working with him again one day.

Please DC, there have been many creators saying they'd love to work on Aquaman... Could you please pick someone and get a book out!?

Mini-Countdown

According to the article in Entertainment Weekly, the new Star Trek movie trailer will air with the new Bond flick, due in theatres November 14th! It's just a little over a month...

Star Trek Movie Pictures!

I know it's two and a half months away, but it sure feels like Christmas! Paramount finally released pictures from the new movie and they didn't disappoint! Click the pictures to see bigger versions.

First up, here's the crew! From left to right we have Chekov, Kirk, Scotty, Dr. McCoy, Sulu, and Uhura:
I must say, they all look pretty good! The uniform shirts are two pieces, the black part underneath, while the division color goes on top. I really like the texturing of the division color shirts... Rank is still found on the cuffs of the sleeves, and the black shirt is the captain's uniform. Probably an alternate similar to the green tunic Kirk wore in the original series... I'm not sure if we'll see Kirk in his gold shirt, but I'm hoping we will.

Next, a picture of Kirk and Spock grappling:
This picture shows another classic Trek feature, Star Trek sideburns!! The Next Generation and following series were a bit inconsistent when it came to the sideburns, but I'm glad they're back!

Next up, the new bridge:
What a great shot! It appears similar to the classic Bridge, in that Navigation and Helm control stations are in front of the Captain, but different in that whoever mans the Communication station has to stand. I also like the silvery-white color scheme... Also, it's hard to tell from this picture if the uniform pants will have the familiar flare at the bottom. Here's hoping...

A shot of Nero, the Romulan villain:
Of course, he doesn't look like any Romulan we've seen before, but that was to be expected, I think.

A special effects shot of another ship, the U.S.S. Kelvin.It looks like it's in the heat of battle, and those raised objects might be the ship's phaser banks, but I'm not sure.

And finally, Kirk making his way from an escape pod on an icy planet.I don't have much to say about this one, other than the pod is from the Enterprise (note the registry).

Only 204 days until the premiere! Can you tell I'm excited?

Star Trek Movie Trailer Soon?

According to this story at TrekMovie, we're going to see a trailer for the new Star Trek movie sometime in November. They also have this to say:

Edits are still being made, but it is expected to show the Enterprise exterior and the Enterprise bridge as well as dialog from movie.

I swear I'll scream like a 12-year-old girl when that trailer finally hits the street!!

Believe It or Not...

I want you to study the picture below for a 15 seconds... be sure to take it all in.

I'm fairly certain this is wrong on more than one level.

I'm all about deep fried foods... my friends will tell you of my love of the humble corn dog. And of hosting a deep fryer party... a party where all the food was cooked with a deep fryer.

So anyway, back to our tasty tidbit... Sausage on a stick? That appeals to me for some reason... Oh yeah, I'm sure I could go for that. And I sort of understand wrapping it in pancake batter... there has to be something there to absorb the grease from the sausage... kind of like the english muffins they use for breakfast sandwiches at McDonald's. But to include chocolate chips in the batter?? To continue with the McDonald's analogy, that's turning it into a McGriddle, and I've never liked those.

Still, I wonder how the sales were... Probably higher than what I'm guessing right now...

DC Direct Aquaman

Well, just when you don't think it's possible, news from DC Direct that the next wave of action figures in the Superman/Batman line will feature the Arthur Joseph Curry Aquaman from Superman/Batman 45!I'm not a huge fan of this version of Aquaman, but I am a big fan of Shane Davis' artwork, so how can I pass up an Aquaman action figure based on his work? Well, I can't actually, so I better find some room on the shelf for it...Yeah, looks nice to me... Now they need to release a Captain Comet action figure based on Mr. Davis' redesign! Yeah, that would be sweet!

Baltimore Aqua-News!

The Baltimore Comic Con was this past weekend, and it seems a convention can't go by without the mention of my favorite hero. Courtesy of Newsarama:

Q: When will we see Aquaman?

A: Johns: “He’s a Black Lantern.”

DiDio added that he’s writing an eight page Aquaman story in the coming DC Holiday Special with art by Ian Churchill.

An appearance here and another there... It's better than not appearing at all, I suppose.

Ask the Answer Man!

Ask the Answer Man was a DC Comics column designed to answer fan questions. The column proved so popular that the Answer Man was at times a year behind. I'm not sure when I sent my question in, but I was thrilled to see it show up in World's Finest 271, which also sports a very cool George Perez cover! It was also a anniversary issue, being the 200th anniversary of the Superman-Batman Team, so to have my name appear in the issue is even a bit more special!


And here's the column my question appeared in!


I still get a kick out of seeing my name in print! The first time I saw it would have been June of 1981. I was 13 at the time.

Aqua-tidbit!

Courtesy of CBR, where an interview with the writer of the Limited Series 'Vixen: Return of the Lion':

Wilson said while writing a 'Vixen" ongoing series would be an interesting prospect, she would rather sink her teeth into a fish of another water. "I would love to write Aquaman. It seems like everyone's got a crazy pet idea for an Aquaman story, and I'm no exception," said Wilson. "I know, lame Vixen reference."

Aquaman seems to be getting a lot of love from creators lately... Hopefully one of them can turn that into a series...

DC, I'm waiting.

New Poll!

The new poll is Star Trek themed one and I want to know which First Officer is your favorite! The poll is located in the sidebar at the left.

Thanks for taking the time to vote!

Poll Results!

The last poll asked which super team was your favorite and garnering 58% of the vote was the Legion of Super-Heroes! I have to say, they would be my first choice as well. I had no idea the Legion was that popular! I think one of the reasons behind the popularity of the Legion is that. because of the sheer number of characters, there's always someone to appeal to a potential reader. I always was a little partial to Element Lad myself...

Coming next with 28% of the vote was the Justice League of America! Also another favorite of mine... and a favorite of others also! There's a reason they're the premiere team in the DC Universe! When you have the greatest heroes of the modern world working together, great stories are an everyday occurance! And did I mention one of the team's founders was Aquaman??

And next was the Teen Titans with the remaining 14%! I always followed the Teen Titans because of Aqualad... It was also where I think he got to shine, away from Aquaman and out of his mentor's book. Until he left around issue 28, that is.
The Doom Patrol, Justice Society, and Outsiders failed to get any votes.

I never caught the appeal of the Doom Patrol, even though I liked Changeling (now Beast Boy) in the Teen Titans, none of their appearances ever made me want to read more about them.
The precursor the the Justice League was the Justice Society. Until the mid-nineties, I would have said there was nothing at all appealing about this team. It was a mini-series by Len Straszewski and Mike Parobeck that changed my mind and now I can't think of the DC Universe without there being a place for the Justice Society!
The Outsiders first teamed with Batman in the mid-eighties, while he was taking a sabbatical from the JLA. There have been several incarnations of the team and Batman is back to leading them again.
Thanks for participating and look for a Star Trek themed poll next!

Final Farewell

LAS VEGAS - After a decade at the final frontier, "Star Trek: The Experience" is going where no Las Vegas Strip attraction wants to go.

With a decommissioning ceremony - as befits any great vessel - the exhibit and its replica of the starship Enterprise are closing Monday.

Thousands of trekkies are "beaming up" from across the United Federation of Planets, er, the United States and around the world one last time, according to exhibit spokesman Chad Boutte.

Some seek a final encounter with the Borg, the television show's race of organic robot aliens who tell everyone "resistance is futile." Others just want to share a farewell drink - likely a stiff Warp Core Breach, with its 300 millilitres of rum - with fellow fans at the attraction's restaurant.

Employees dressed as aliens discuss the minutiae of their worlds' mythologies with visitors who learn, in typically circular trekkie logic, that the exhibit is a "time station" for transporting researchers and equipment between the 21st and 24th centuries.

For US$49.99, fans could enjoy two virtual rides and the Museum of the Future, with costumes, "phasers" and Mr. Spock's coffin. More than three million people have come through since the Experience opened in 1998.

In the end, the frontier the USS Enterprise couldn't breach was earthly. The attraction's owner, Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., and the Las Vegas Hilton, its landlord, couldn't agree on a new lease.

They worked as a typical landlord and retail tenant, with Cedar Fair keeping all revenue from the attraction, said hotel spokesman Ira David Sternberg.

Trekkies are incensed. They have scrawled reminiscences about the exhibit on the walls inside and are calling Cedar Fair and the hotel to complain. But their online rumour that the space the exhibit occupies will become a theatre for pop star Michael Jackson is unfounded, Sternberg said. He said nothing has been decided.

Karen and Eric Klein, from Easton, Pennsylvania, had planned to renew their wedding vows at the Experience on their 10th anniversary but came this week instead, four years early.

A Federation captain told them during the ceremony on the bridge of the Enterprise that the energy between them created their love.

"He had his own schtick, and it was very beautiful, and it actually made the moment even that much better," said Eric Klein, 39, still holding his wife's hand outside the gift shop. "It wasn't simply being on the bridge, it really felt very emotional."

I found this story and it reminded me of my experiences there. I'm glad I had the opportunity to go, and to have gone with some great friends to help make it special... well, it was an awesome trip! And the Warp Core Breaches are so much fun to share!

Ethan van Sciver and Aquaman

Courtesy of CBR:

Could their next project be “Aquaman: Rebirth” in 2010? Didio confirmed Friday night at Fan Expo during the DC Nation panel that the Sea King would return in “Blackest Night.” “Anything’s possible. They’d have to renew my contract,” laughed Van Sciver. “He’s got a big part in ‘Blackest Night.’ But he doesn’t look as well as he used to look. Let’s put it that way.”

Van Sciver continued, “Like Plastic Man, Aquaman is an ongoing source of frustration in a way because everybody wants to work on him. I have some ideas for him. But I think DC is unsure how to proceed. Like Barry Allen. I would bring him up and they would say, ‘Uh, uh. Now is not the time’ or ‘No, it’s never going to happen.’ And I am hearing that with an ongoing Aquaman series, as well. So until they come to me and say, ‘Now it’s time,’ I am not even going to ask or bring it up. It seemed to work with Barry Allen. Finally, they came to us.”

I don't know how long we're going to have to wait for a new Aquaman series, but c'mon already DC! Let's get going on this! I think we've waited long enough!

Canadian Aqua-News!

Courtesy of CBR, who are reporting on the DC Comics panel of Toronto’s Fan Expo.

A long swatch of conversation was spent discussing Aquaman, of all characters, with Didio recalling a dinner during the Emerald City Con in Seattle where he opened a chat with the assembled creators by saying, “Gentlemen, bring on the Aquaman pitches” as everyone always comes to him with plans to reboot the character and “finally get Aquaman right.” For his part, the editor thought the character’s mainstream cultural identifiability comes from nostalgia for the cartoons of the ‘60s.

As for the problems with the character, Didio proved his point that Aquaman needed major attention when he asked fans to name five recognizable Aquaman villains, and the audience stalled at a questionable fourth pick of the Human Flying Fish. Didio admitted that the sea king is “an incredibly strong character when he appears with the teams. He’s a great counterpoint to a lot of other characters in Justice League and other places,” and he said that the challenge came in giving fans one version of the character that presents the very best elements of the long-running and confusing mythos.

Apparently, step one of solving the Aquaman puzzle outside of the character’s mystery tease in “Final Crisis” will be in the upcoming “Green Lantern” crossover “Blackest Night” as Van Sciver said most of his story will get resolved there.

And later, Dan Didio had this to say:

“What we’re doing coming out of ‘Final Crisis’ " and I’ll say this here, and I’ll say this everywhere " is that we’re locking our characters down. We’re going with a good interpretation, and we’re staying with it. That’s why you don’t see Aquaman right now, because we want it to be clear what it is, who he is and what he’s all about.”

Didio added that they were trying to find the best, most recognizable and most popular versions of all of their characters, including Aquaman, Hawkman, Batgirl and Supergirl, who he noted only really works for readers and for the general public when she is “Superman’s cousin.”

Well, at least we're getting some movement on Aquaman... I'm looking forward to the Blackest Night even more now!

Karma

Yesterday I was on the highway returning from a family function. This highway is 2 lanes, and the posted speed limit is 100 km/hour. Shortly after leaving the town of Onoway, two young kids probably between the ages of 16 and 18 were behind us in a very old truck. Apparently we weren't going fast enough for them as they rode my bumper for a while. A little later, when a car ahead of me slowed down to make a turn, the two losers behind me almost didn't stop. After the near-collision, they sped by me and I said to myself "Hope to see you wrapped around a pole, losers!"

Jump forward five minutes.

There seems to be a vehicle on the side of the road... and as I get closer I see it's the two kids who passed me earlier, desperate for a ride. Apparently their truck broke down and they must not have had a cell phone.

As I drove by I chuckled and loudly exclaimed, "Karma's a bitch, boys!"

Now We Know...

Final Crisis 3 dropped yesterday and it featured the long-awaited (by me, at any rate) appearance of 'the mysterious new Aquaman'.

It was someone who looked a lot like Arthur Curry/Orin riding a seahorse. The costume was original orange and green. He didn't have long hair like Arthur Joseph (Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis) Curry and there was no water hand as well. So where does he come from? Will he be around after Final Crisis?

Only time will tell.

**Update**
Grant Morrison wrote Final Crisis over two years ago, and at that time Arthur Joseph Curry would have been the 'mysterious new Aquaman'. Apparently Morrison intended it to be Arthur Joseph. This doesn't explain why he doesn't look like Arthur Joesph, but I blame that on J.G. Jones and the editor who should have caught the error.

More Aquaman News!

Courtesy of CBR:

Will Johns be involved in an Aquaman revival, as one fan had heard rumors about? "Ian and I are talking a lot about Aquaman. I love Aquaman," Johns said. "I like that he's the king of Atlantis. I think he's a much bigger badass than anyone gives him credit for," he added to applause. "I would give him a trident and have him throw it around and stuff.”

With Flash: Rebirth on the way, can an Aquaman: Rebirth be far behind?

One can hope...

More Aquaman Action Figures

More Aquaman news courtesy of Toy News International, the current DC Universe classics line also gets another entry from Aquaman! This time featuring his blue camoflage costume!



Doesn't it look great? I'm going to have to make sure I get that one! e-Bay, here I come!

Also announced was a new action figure line based on the new Batman Brave and the Bold cartoon and both Aquaman and his enemy, Black Manta, get figures!



It's a good time to be an Aquaman fan!

More SDCC Aqua-News!

Courtesy of Newsarama:

A fan asked Johns what other DC books he wanted to write, with Johns rattling off a nearly-exhaustive look of titles, including "Mystery In Space" and "Aquaman". "And he's got proposals in for all of them," joked DiDio.

I want an Aquaman book! C'mon Dan! Last year at San Diego, you said late 2008 for an Aquaman book. It hasn't been announced yet and October solicitations are up!

Don't let this classic character languish in limbo for much longer!

San Diego Comic Con Aqua-News!

Courtesy of CBR:

"Aquaman's in 'Final Crisis' #3 and there will be more plans for Aquaman," Morrison said of the much-missed character.

And here's a picture of Aquaman and Batman taking on Black Manta from the new animated series Batman The Brave and the Bold!

Final Crisis Aqua-News!

Straight from the mouth of Grant Morrison (courtesy of Newsarama)...

Another clue is ’the mysterious new Aquaman’ who makes his debut in Final Crisis #3. As I said before, the Monitors are the elephant in the room of Final Crisis and I couldn’t do a Crisis without the alternate Earths of the Multiverse playing a fundamental role. The presence of Sonny Sumo on ’New Earth’ is another big red flag that something is going wrong with the machinery of the entire Multiverse.

Oh man.... Could it be? Do you think...? Is this how Arthur Curry makes his return to the DC Universe? Will 'the mysterious new Aquaman' stick around after Final Crisis is over??

I'm hopeful...

New Poll!

Since the last poll was related to Star Trek, this time it's all about comics. More specifically, which of the listed super-teams is your favorite? Please look for the poll in the sidebar and cast your vote!

Poll Results

The last poll asked which starship was your favorite and here are the results:

In first place with 66 percent of the vote, USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E. I expected this to be the top pick, not only because it's the most advanced ship, but also the coolest, IMO.
The ship first appeared in Star Trek: First Contact and when the laserdisc version of the movie was released, I watched the opening flyby of the Enterprise over and over because it was so nice to watch.

Next is a tie for second place! Both the original Enterprise and USS Voyager each got 16 percent of the vote!
The original set the standard and it still holds up well. I hope the new movie doesn't deviate too much from the original design.
USS Voyager is my second choice as well. It's a smart, quick ship and has moving warp nacelles! How could that not be cool? It's also enhanced with bio-neural circuitry.

The remainder of the ships didn't get any votes.
The NX Enterprise commanded by Captain Archer was a nice looking ship, but perhaps a bit too nice when compared to the original series. I thought it made The original Enterprise look a little lame. But that's the problem with a prequel series...
The Movie or Refit Enterprise was a nice evolution of the original's design... I had a lump in my throat when it was destroyed in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
The Next Generation Enterprise was a departure from Federation Starship design, and it still looks weird to me when compared with other ships in the fleet.
The Defiant as seen in Deep Space Nine was also a design change, but the reason for the change made sense. It was designed as a warship to resist the Borg. Of the two designs, I have to say I prefer the Defiant more.

Thanks for voting and look for a new poll soon!

Wizard World Chicago Aquaman News!

In an interview with Newsarama, Ethan Van Sciver had this to say:

We talked about the rumor mill and how most fans think his upcoming "secret project" with Geoff Johns is either Aquaman or The Flash.

"Aquaman's leading the pack?" Van Sciver said in obviously feigned surprise. "Wouldn't it be nice if it was Aquaman though? You know who wants Aquaman? Shane Davis. And I like Shane Davis, so I said, you know, Shane, I will never mention Aquaman again. If you want Aquaman, I will not stand in your way. And he drew Aquaman for Superman/Batman and it was awesome. And he deserves it."

We pointed out that he had just said in the DC panel that Aquaman was showing up in Blackest Night, although it was obvious that Geoff Johns, who was sitting next to him on the panel, had whispered and told him to say it.

"I turned to Geoff and said, 'Geoff, what do we say about Aquaman?' And he said, 'Tell 'em to wait for Blackest Night.' I went, 'OK. Wait for Blackest Night.' That doesn't mean I know. I don't know everything. In fact, I know barely anything about what Geoff is planning for Blackest Night. So you'll have to refer that question to Mr. Johns," Van Sciver said.

I would be very happy with Shane Davis as an Aquaman artist...

Poll Results!

The last poll asked which member of the Justice League was your favorite... There were 10 possible choices, and here's it turned out:

First place (with 38% of the vote) Aquaman!


I would have been surprised if my favorite hero hadn't come in first, as this blog is very Aqua-centric. I'm sure part of what draws visitors here are my Aqua-related items. It's also nice to know that I'm not the only one who thinks Aquaman is the coolest!

Second place (with 14% of the vote) Green Lantern!


I was a little surprised Green Lantern came in second place, as I thought other members would place higher. As a long-standing JLA member, I expected him to do fairly well, but did not anticipate a second place finish! I wonder if the popularity of the Sinestro Corps War and the relaunched Green Lantern book play into this?

Third place is a 3-way tie! Welcome Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman, who each garnered 9% of the vote! Frankly, I didn't expect any of these characters to wind up in one of the top three spots, but that just shows you what I know!


Green Arrow was the first non-charter member of the Justice League. Denny O'Neil transformed the Emerald Archer into a liberal superhero in the pages of Green Lantern/Green Arrow. That characterization continues today and has always added liveliness to those boring meetings in the Justice League's satellite HQ.


While not my favorite, I have come to like the Martian Manhunter. When I started reading the Justice League of America, the Manhunter had left the League and didn't reappear until shortly before Crisis on Infinite Earths, so it seemed kind of odd in the 90's when he's referred to as the 'heart and soul of the Justice League'. He next appeared as part of the 'Bwaa-Haaa-Haaa' Justice League by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire. Rumor has it the Martian Manhunter will be a casualty in the upcoming Final Crisis mini-series.


Wonder Woman is the first of the 'Big Three' characters at DC Comics to place in the poll. (For those wondering, the other two are Superman and Batman). I know Wonder Woman has fans, but was surprised by the support she received. I suppose this is a good time to remind you that results of this poll reflect the popularity of heroes according to the visitors of my blog, and not the popularity of these heroes in general.

Next up, a 4-way tie for fourth place! Atom, Batman, Black Canary, and Flash each end up with 4% of the vote.




Batman and Flash were founding members of the Justice League, and the Atom and Black Canary joined the team very early on. I honestly expected the Flash and Batman to be more popular than they show in this poll.



And finally (and perhaps most surprisingly!) coming in dead last with no votes whatsoever, is Superman.


I really expected the original superhero to do better than he did, but that's the way the chips fall sometimes. As I've mentioned before, people coming to this blog are most likely fans of the less popular heroes, as my comics entries generally focus on Aquaman.

Thanks for voting and check out the new poll, this time with a Star Trek theme!

More NYCC Aqua-News!

Courtesy of CBR:

"Any chance Geoff Johns or Grant Morrison can bring us back a kick-ass Aquaman?" Morrison said in Final Crisis #6, Aquaman fights the Deep Six from NEW GODS.

Always good to have confirmation! I'm looking forward to it! And then there was this:

Why aren't characters like Aquaman and Hawkman given more high profile creative teams? "They'd still only sell fifteen copies!" Morrison said.

I respectfully disagree and dare DC to put Geoff Johns on a new Aquaman book! Please?

New York Comic Con Aqua-News!

Courtesy of Newsarama:

Any plans for Arthur Curry Aquaman? "Who is that?" joked DiDio.

DiDio then asked the crowd to describe Arthur Curry - "blonde hair," "orange shirt" and "two hands" led the list of descriptors. Some said "one hand," which led to DiDio explaining the harpoon-handed, long-haired Orin Aquaman is often confused with Arthur Curry, and made sure that wasn't the Aquaman the fan wanted. The fan clarified he wanted the orange shirt, green pants, "Superfriends"-esque one, and DiDio said he'd keep that in mind.

A former "devout Marvel fan" that said "DC is now my favorite" said that the solution to the "Aquaman problem" was to get Geoff Johns to write the character.

I've been saying that for months now! I'm glad Dan DiDio (Executive Editor, DC Comics) is hearing it directly from the fans! Thanks, anonymous Aquaman fans!

Dawnstar Revealed!!!

In an earlier post I mentioned how it would have been cool if the Legion of Super-Heroes animated show had made it to another season because it might have seen the introduction of Dawnstar and Wildfire???

Well, hold on to your flight rings kids, because Dawnstar has already appeared!!!

Check this out:


There's no mistaking the only winged Legionnaire in that shot! If anyone finds Wildfire, please let me know!

For the curious, this image was taken from the final episode at the 19 minute and 34 second mark.

Aqua-Talk!

From an interview with Artist Ethan Van Sciver, courtesy of Newsarama;

Any other DC Characters that you’d really like to take a swing at?

Yeah, I’d like to work on Aquaman. But the only way I would do it is to take the original Aquaman and restore him. I’d want to re-present him in away that’s accessible to more fans. I really believe that all of these characters have a pure essence to them. You can go back and read the first ten issues of a character’s first appearance and then just use that [as a starting point]. If you’re going to do Batman then go back and read “Detective Comics” #27 on up for a little while and bring him back to his roots, for God’s sake.

The original intent of the creator is what I’m most interested in. So take Aquaman and just bring him back. Just straiten him out and untangle him. Give him to the audience as simply as possible and in a refined manner that people will find appealing.

And then, I always add a little touch of horror. There is always something a little scary about what I do. I believe in creepy, scary villains. I believe in dark shadows and really contrasting good and evil in my comics. Because I’m a DC Comics artist, I think that line is very definite in our books. So a character like Black Manta would be great. It would be an awful lot of fun to work on. I get shivers. I have goose-bumps right now just thinking about it. So I’d like to do an “Aquaman” book and work on our boy Arthur.

See?? I'm not the only one who thinks Aquaman is an A-list hero! C'mon DC, bring Arthur back soon!

And also from Newsarama, this from Grant Morrison, writer of Final Crisis, DC's next big event:

"Everybody is in it. In addition to the big guys, the third issue has Captain Marvel Jr., Supergirl, Green Lantern, Aquaman, Green Arrow and Black Canary. It's got everyone. Pretty well from #4 to #7 is one big battle royale. I want to leave lots of room for the fight. There's about ten issues worth of fighting," said Morrison.

Even though he doesn't specify which Aquaman will be seen, I'm happy an Aquaman is included in this big event. And I thought Captain Marvel Jr. was now going by the name Shazam? Is the Trials of Shazam! limited series being ret-conned already??

Legion Questions Answered & Aqua-News!

Courtesy of Newsarama.

According to this interview, a third season of the Legion of Super-Heroes would have seen the introduction of Dawnstar and Wildfire! Tucker goes on to verify my suspicions that the inspiration for Kel-el came from wanting to add Mon-el to the Legion. After reading the interview, I can only reiterate how much of a shame it is that we didn't get a third season...

James Tucker is also the producer behind the new animated Batman team-up show titled Brave and the Bold. Speaking about the teaser image released with the press release picturing Batman, Green Arrow, and the new Blue Beetle, Tucker said: “They are some of the guest heroes but there are tons more. It’s not just them,” said Tucker, who when pushed, added “We love Aquaman.”

Cross your fingers! I really hope it happens!

A Beginning and an Ending

Today I watched a series finale for one TV show and a season premier for another. Both were excellent, and left me wanting more, which is not necessarily a good thing.

Last night, Battlestar Galactica Season 4 started. I like the new text in the opening credits, and had forgotten how much I liked this show. Season 3 ended with the four newly revealed Cylon models dealing with their real origins and also a back-from-the-dead Starbuck appears in a pristine Viper, saying she's been to Earth.

There was a lot of good character stuff going on for everyone, Colonel Tigh got one of the best gotcha! moments of the show. Anders and his tete-a-tete with the Cylon Raider was the other one.

I'm not sure how Starbuck came back or even how she got to Earth, but I think a certain Light Ship might be responsible. In the original show, the Ship of Light made everything everything look white and seem brand new. Certainly, Starbuck's ship looks brand spanking new! I think it's a clue, Scoob.

So the questions I'm left with now? The obvious, who is the final Cylon? What's going on with Starbuck? When are they getting to Earth? What will they find there? What's going to happen with the four new Cylon Models?

And the series finale for the Legion of Super-Heroes was today. It was the end of a two part episode that saw the entire team and the Substitute Legion get in on the action. I didn't guess the ending at all, but it made the connection to the Legion of Super-Heroes in the comics seem much more real.

I was expecting the time-travelling Kryptonian, Kel-el to take the hero name of Mon-el, providing an interesting twist for the animated version of the character, but it didn't happen. We got to see the return of Triplicate Girl's third self, which would have been interesting to follow up on had there been a third season. Also, would Wildfire and Dawnstar have joined the team had there been another season? That would have been so cool! Would we have seen the return of Ferro Lad in the third season (as hinted at in the season finale for the first season)?

It was such a well done show. The voice cast really get into the show. Wil Wheaton has posted about it on his blog... and he's a comic geek too! Way cool! I loved it when less frequently seen Legionnaires like Sun Boy, Blok, Element Lad, Tyroc, and Colossal Boy charged into the thick of the action! The first season of this show reminds me of the Adventure era Legion, while this last season reminds me the Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes time frame. Would the Giffen/Levitz era have been the next direction the third season would have taken had the show continued? Interesting to note that in the first season the animated team's Headquarters looks like the Adventure era one. In this show, we see the orange building of the Superboy and the Legion era's HQ. It's really too bad we didn't get another season... it would have been very, very cool to see the Giffen/Levitz era in animated form.

Bravo to all the creators and talent associated with both shows! I've been thoroughly entertained, thank you!

Star Trek Movie Pics

Gleaned from another site (which has since been asked by Paramount to remove the images) the first on-set pictures from the Star Trek movie!

First up, a look at part of (what might be) the new uniform...



Ok, had time to soak it in? I'm thinking this might be a starbase or academy uniform, as I've heard the familiar Mustard, Red, and Blue will be seen on board. Rather than sewn-on insignia, it looks like they'll have pins. And I say pins because I don't think they'll make them comm badges... that just seems too futuristic when compared with the Original Series and their communicators. That said, the shape of the Enterprise delta (or arrowhead) mimics what we've seen in the posters and teaser. It's different than the original, more rounded on the bottom than the original series. As I mentioned to a friend earlier, I appreciate the fact they had to modify the Enterprise insignia somewhat, but I prefer the original (see left).

Next up, the exterior of (what may be) a shuttlecraft...



What's kind of cool about this is that we can see what looks like engine nacelles at the top of the craft. Knowing that the original series design for shuttlecraft engines was closely tied to the design of the ship's warp engines, this may be a first look at what the Enterprise's warp nacelles might look like... I know the engines in the picture aren't massive like the Enterprise's warp engines, but I can picture them having the same flair at the ends of the nacelles. And if this is a hint of things to come, I'm ok with it! Well, cautiously optimistic, at least.

Then there's this...



It looks like the interior of this craft can hold more than six people, making me wonder if it is really a shuttlecraft, or another type of vessel. Note the harnesses/seatbelts.

And finally a look at the control panel of the aforementioned vehicle (which is the coolest)



I think J.J. Abrams is definitely going for the realistic look as this control panel looks like it's had a number of drinks spilled on it! That said, I like the font they're using for the numbers in the display, and imagine the letters will look as good. Also notice the dials and toggle switches... totally in keeping with the Original Series. I would hope the Enterprise is a bit cleaner, though. I can see a starbase shuttle being a bit run-down, but Scotty wouldn't let that happen to the Big E.

Still, I like what I see so far.