swatkat | Entries tagged with comic: batman

Let this be known, flist - and

tanndell will stand witness - today I wore a Bat-badge in honour of You Know Who (Batman Inc #8).

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/337604.html

I still think the new default comment page is ugly and comes with a lot of user issues, which means I'm not going to consider renewing my paid account until I see a response from LJ's side. This however means that the comment page on my LJ, as of now, will be the new comment page, which, I'm told, has been triggering headaches for some people - something about the bright blue on white. I'm not turning off comments on LJ, but if you're perhaps in danger of getting a headache, you can comment on DW instead (the link is on the bottom of every LJ post, since I crosspost and will continue to do so).

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Meanwhile, comics. ( spoilers for Batman: Leviathan Strikes and Wonder Woman #4; there is a gif under the cut among other images )

Nightwing #4 was rather unimpressive, despite Babs' presence: I don't know any 'Richard' Grayson, sorry, unless it's someone like Diana calling him Richard. I think I'm ready to pick up Birds of Prey now though - Babs is back and Dinah is still Dinah (even with a new girlfriend), and I've only been hearing good things about the book.

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/316651.html

+ I have watched Warehouse 13 3.05! There was a lot of clutching my chest and making hearteyes at the computer screen, ( you know my feelings on HG Wells )

The episode also felt like a backdoor pilot, which, given the rumours of a spin-off featuring HG, isn't surprising at all. The last bit with Claudia and Artie did feel like a hint of sorts: don't get used to having HG around, except in small doses. In some ways, HG Wells works so well as a character because she's a recurring - she's like the Han Solo who drops by occasionally and charms everyone with her swagger before disappearing just as quickly, maintaining an aura of ~mystery, or the Cara of 'Reckoning', adding a new life to the stable Richard-Kahlan-Zedd set up, as opposed to the more domesticated Cara of S2. This is not to say I wouldn't want HG around forever - she could grow and change as a person ~~and hook up with Myka~~ and bring in her own unique brand of fun to the team, but I enjoy this too. And I would so watch the show about HG and Agent Ianto's adventures in Victorian London, where they sometimes run into historical personalities. Sometimes those personalities are RDJ and Jude Law's Holmes and Watson (which, okay, difficult in universe because Helena knows Arthur Conan Doyle, but whatever), with bonus Irene Adler, and much fun is had by all.

+ Speaking of crossovers, I now want this AU where Bruce, Clark and Diana are the heads of Slytherin, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff respectively. Barbara - as

musesfool suggested - may or may not be the head of Ravenclaw, the brightest witch of her generation, the youngest to be the head of a house, ever. Dick is Head Boy. His crush on her is extremely ~inappropriate. Donna is Head Girl and also Hufflepuff Quidditch co-captain. Wally is the Hufflepuff Seeker.

+ I also seem to be watching Revolutionary Girl Utena (don't ask, apparently I watch anime now). I am up to episode 8, and so far there has been girls with swords, sword-fighting, defending of honour, forced co-habitation, accidental engagements (yes, ~symbolic, whatever) and bodyswap. I just... I give up, okay. It's clearly tailormade for my narrative kinks. I will watch more of this. I love everybody, but I hope Anthy gets more of a personality soon. And hey,

hibernate, did I mention the ~stoic sword-fighting lesbian with a tragic past who does not believe in miracles?

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/307522.html

I am back, internet - I have been travelling (which was fun - if I ever end up editing the 500 million photos I took, I will share) - and mostly caught up on my flist, but in case there's anything you think I should see, please point me to it. ♥

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Thoughts on comics:

1. HUNTRESS MINI HUNTRESS MINI HUNTRESS HUNTRESS HUNTRESS \0/

2. When did Jaime get those abs?

3. Batgirl #23: My heart. ;_____; Good issue, if a little rushed - it's very clear that Miller was asked to wrap up what was going to be a longer storyline.

4. Birds of Prey #14: It might have been a fun adventure? Andreyko was fantastic in Manhunter, but the art was hideous, and anyway I am too heartbroken about Gail Simone not writing the book anymore after just having her back to care. There were a couple of nice moments with the ladies hanging out.

Speaking of which, who is Starling in the new BoP? Have we met her somewhere before? Is she a Wildstorm character?

5. The other day I was watching Batman Begins, and okay, possibly I am a philistine who does not get the magnificence of the Nolanverse, but it's easily the most boring Batman movie I have seen. So boring, in fact, that I would rather watch Batman and Robin, because silly or no, it has ridiculous cartoony villains and Robinwing and StephBabsgirl. This, meanwhile, has whiny emo Bruce who spends most of the movie being whiny, like the worst of ~manpain!Bruce, but without any of the emotional payoff that usually accompanies ~manpain!Bruce in comics. Morgan Freeman is wasted as Yoda!Lucius Fox, and I'm not sure why Liam Neeson is Ra'as al Ghul. Also, Bale's 'Batman voice' doesn't work for me at all.

There's one piece of casting I will keep, however, and that's Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon. Because I love ♥Jim Gordon♥ and want to draw hearts around him and Gary Oldman looks the part. In fact, I would pay good money to watch a Batman movie about him - Snyder's current 'Tec run, preferably, with DickBat and Babs and James Jr (Detective #879 highlights once again why Jim and Babs are my favourite father-daughter duo in comics ever. EVER). It has every element of a good Batman movie, without being bogged down by emo or an idea of a so-called 'serious' Batverse, where seriousness apparently means a lot of OTT manpain and everyone wearing grey.

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I also have read Wee Free Men, A Hatful of Sky and I Shall Wear Midnight in the last couple of weeks, and OMG, why did I not read these before? Possibly because I was stupidly prejudiced against the Feegles because I did not particularly have a good impression of Wee Mad Arthur in the Watch books, but that was just a silly misconception! I have now seen the error of my ways. The Feegles are ♥, Granny and Nanny and the rest of the witches are, as always, fabulous, and Tiffany Aching - following in the footsteps of Angua and Susan - is a Pratchett heroine of my heart. He just loves his sensible girls, doesn't he? I think I love I Shall Wear Midnight the best, and I squeed when Carrot and Angua showed up in their little cameo. Can Tiffany please hang out with Susan next? <33

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/305744.html

I've come to the conclusion that if Batman is the King of Manpain, then Jaime Reyes is the anti-Batman.

( this post is an excuse to shirk work and post panels. tl;dr, and there are images under the cut )
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I cannot believe I've failed to mention this here, but Bryan Q. Miller said he liked gabzilla-z's Oracle!Steph comic. \0/

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/304504.html

Grading is hell. At least I have found my red pen.

This post in

scans_daily on Barbara's love for blondes however offered me great joy, especially the part where Peej - noticing Steph and Cass - says, 'You're picking them younger and younger, Oracle.' Someday, Steph is going to find out that Barbara's bitter ex-girlfriend thinks she's one of her ~conquests, and troll Babs for the REST OF HER LIFE. Possibly calling her 'Sugar mommy' all the time.

Also there was this: ( Quiet or... )

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/298295.html

'ZLOPP!' is the best sound effect ever.

( embedded video under cut )

Which is my way of saying, dear DC/WB, stop making boring GrimDarkMan movies and get on with that live-action Batgirl: Year One already. Or at least the animated feature.

Even Dick agrees.

( image under cut )

Also, Steph's new Batgirlmobile aka 'The Compact'? Totally a homage to Batgirl's 'electronic Batgirl compact' in the Adam West show. I ♥ Bryan Q. Miller SO MUCH. <333

ETA: Speaking of comics, Birds of Prey #11 was fun. ( Huntress FTW )

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/297063.html

For the record, that's Batman. With Alfred.

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/293397.html

+ Guys, you have to read what I got for

camelotsolstice: The Cupbearers, gen, The story of the Grail Quest is an old one, and mostly wrong. It's a gen fic featuring the OT4, Morgause and Elyan (that really made me squee - the Elyan voice here is a delight!), and the thing I love most about Merlin: family. ♥

And some more Yuletide, though I've haven't been reading much in the last few days: ( Warehouse 13, Calvin and Hobbes, Disney Princesses, Legend of the Seeker, Hellcats )

+ I watched a brilliant film today: Arekti Premer Golpo (Another Love Story - or should it be Just Another Love Story). Sometimes it's easy to forget that Bollywood is not the be all and end all of Indian cinema, so I've been taking some time to watch as many Bengali films as possible in the theatre. And, gah, it's hard to believe that we can make LGBT-themed films like this now (that seems to be doing fairly well, too *fingers crossed*). Although I kind of wish that there was less English dialogue in the non-flashback parts - it's not unrealistic in a contemporary setting, even more so given the protagonists, but some of the best dialogues would've been so much prettier if it weren't in English.

+ LOLDiana.

+ Speaking of comics, I was re-reading bits of No Man's Land the other day (dear

roga, do you know how many hours of my life has been wasted ever since you said I should read Gotham Central and NML? *shakes tiny fist*), and god, Huntress really breaks me. There's a lot of ridiculously OTT Batdickery in NML - to the point where it doesn't make sense! - but. Huntress. dcwomenkickingass had a great post about her last stand before Joker today, which said (among other things):

She won’t let the Joker win and she will defend the people inside with the last breath in her body.

That’s a hero. That’s a warrior, that’s a soldier. Helena has been among despair, hopelessness and misery for months. She’s been treated like dirt by the other Gotham heroes and left with virtually no phsyical or emotional support. She has had little food, little rest and no creature comforts. She’s been living in hell and yet she hasn’t given up. Despite the pain and the beatings she’s received, she holds her ground. As far as she’s aware there is no backup - she is the last line of defence between the Joker, a deeply terrifying madman, and the civilians. Defiant and proud, her one concession to his presence is to state ‘Bite me’.

She’s not doing it for glory or recognition. She’s doing it because it’s the right thing to do.

THIS. SO MANY HEARTS. ♥♥♥ The entire post is worth a read, but especially this.

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/288429.html

Sometimes Tumblr produces GOLD. COMEDY GOLD. ( Batman City )

Also, OMG, Batwoman #0, why is it not February yet?

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/286096.html

+ I need to get back into the habit of posting on LJ. I have photos to share (but coding is hard), I have fandoms to talk about (but typing is hard), I have books and movies I'd like to talk about (but formulating coherent sentences is hard), I have things to discuss re. LJ/Tumblr (but talking about things is hard). WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME

I'm also avoiding work. On a Sunday morning. Yesss. Deadlines suck (although I should not have put it off for so long so the fault is really mine).

+ The Young Justice cartoon is weird. It has Dick!Robin (who is a hacker, WTF), Wally!Kid Flash... and Kon. I may not be Tim Drake's biggest fan, but man, YJ is Tim and Kon and Bart, why are Tim and Bart not on this show? Aqualad looks cool, but I hope Miss Martian and Arrowette and Wonder Girl (once they get past legal hurdles; also, if it's Dick!Robin, then will it be Donna!Wonder Girl and not Cassie!Wonder Girl? will they ship Dick/Donna? will they ship Donna/Kon???) show up soon. The DCAU is weird. Great fun, but weird, and you have to keep reminding yourself that this is an alternate universe where Bruce/Babs is canon.

Bruce/Babs is actually interesting (yes, he's Dick's daddy, yes, he's like a crazy older brother to her and her father's friend and 'partner', that aside), because the little I have seen of Batman Beyond has a Babs who is only slightly less broken than old!Bruce, and Babs in canon is in some ways most like Bruce than any of the other Batpeople (thankfully, because they share some of the worst qualities: paranoia, control, lack of trust, obsessive need to know everything and push people they love away, freaking plans for EVERYTHING). But DCU Babs is also not Bruce-lite, because unlike Bruce, she won't let herself be broken the way Bruce has - Bruce needed about 80 issues of NML to figure out that he shouldn't have pushed his family away and another bazillion issues of Morrison's run, a blast of Darkseid's Omega beams, a trip across time and space and momentary death to figure out that he was never alone, he's always had help; Babs usually manages to figure the same thing out after some moping, and a hug from Dinah or her father. Nonetheless, Beyond!Babs is interesting because she's a might have been, and if I cared more about the Beyond!verse or Terry I'd watch more of the show.

Also I want to read a storyline that takes this seriously: 'Someday you're going to go mad with power, Oracle. Won't that just irk Batman to no end?' Batman vs. Oracle, scariest thing in the world.

+ PS,

applesred: Phil Hester has been talking about taking over the reigns from JMS here. He comes across as pretty well-versed in things, from Perez to Simone, especially here,

To me, WW represents righteousness. Not sanctimony or piety, but an innate drive to find the right, just course and follow it whether it leads to mercy or violence.

That's what I love about Rucka's Diana, I have to say (among many other things that is).

+ I still need to do something about how much I miss my sparkly Seeker show. I mean, just look at this gif, ( under cut )

+ I'm going for HP 7 today! \0/

Crossposts: http://swatkat24.livejournal.com/285196.html

I already mentioned this on Tumblr, but I'll repeat myself, because this bears repeating: I want to watch a Gotham Central live-action show. Preferably now. It's incredibly written, incredibly plotted, has brilliant characters and a vast wealth of storylines apart from the 40 issues - flashbacks to NML, Officer Down, or, ooh, even earlier, with the early days of Gordon, and flashforwards to Batman Beyond and that weird AU future in #700 with Batman!Damian and Commissioner!Babs, and so on - and surprise!Batman and Robin. It has RENEE MONTOYA, being awesome and broken and tragic, what more could you possibly want? ♥

Someone mentioned that they might be apprehensive about lending out Batcharacters to television after the Birds of Prey show, which makes sense (THEY RUINED BLACK CANARY OMG), but I want this so much.

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( other random comics things that made me laugh; images under cut )

Also, I don't watch Chuck, but I agree that Yvonne Strzechowski looks like Black Canary here: ( just put her in fishnets )