Free Imagine Blogs

ok, maybe one gift, one nightmare.

First, I bring you Plinkett's review of Episode III!

Second, I give you my almost 100% finished website (it's missing Thundercats fics, other fics, etc).

Enjoy! and happy 2011 everyone!

Nothing says "insanity" like Silver Age Superman comics! This is Thursday Night Thinking!

Here's the thing: during the Silver Age Lois was a terrible person. But that's okay, because Superman was even worse. I imagine this whole sham marriage to "Clark Kent" is just a twisted trick on the part of Superman to teach Lois a valuable lesson.

Such is the Silver Age.

So I checked out the first issue of David Finch's The Dark Knight today. Mostly it was okay. The art wasn't bad and the story might have potential.

But I still have a serious bone to pick with this comic. Before I get to that, however, let me say something: I'm not opposed to retcons. Some of my favorite comic book stories involve retcons. But there is a time for and a type of retcon that is acceptable. Dark Knight #1 doesn't have that type of retcon.

Let me take you back to a similar retcon. Recall, if you will, Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee's wildly popular run on Batman. Remember when Tommy Elliot showed up? Remember how it was suddenly "revealed" that not only were Tommy and Bruce friends as children but best friends? Remember how Tommy Elliot was given an oversized importance on Bruce Wayne's childhood even though nobody had ever heard of him before?

That's the kind of retcon I'm talking about. That's what we get again in The Dark Knight. The sudden revelation that Bruce Wayne was friends with a girl named "Dawn Golden" as a child. Not only that, but they were best friends. Even more than that she was his first love. Heady stuff, no?

No. This is the bad kind of retcon. There are hundreds of characters in Batman's past that can make for a good story. Hundreds of villains and girlfriends who were throwaways just waiting to be used again. They have histories with Batman already. They don't need to be manufactured.

That is the problem with this sort of retcon. When a character's relationship with another character is important we see it develop and grow over time. Bruce Wayne's relationship with Alfred is important because it has built over time. On the villain side his relationship with Two-Face is the same way.

No more Tommy Elliots. No more Dawn Goldens. They're the wrong kind of retcon.

Ahh, late December. My favorite time of year. Sunny skies and warmth. At least when you live in California. Usually.

I'm afraid that this bout of unexpected rain is partly my fault. You see, I had a party last week and invited some of my villain friends. One thing leads to another and someone is drunk with a weather machine. This is the sort of thing that happens when mad scientists get together.

I'll often hold soirees for the other villains. My place is the nicest and most of the others wouldn't be able to put on a good party even if you threatened them with imminent destruction.

There are some exceptions, of course. Black Manta is an excellent cook, but if you don't like sashimi you won't find much to your liking at one of his get togethers. Dr. Domino usually orders out for his food, but his cocktails are to die for. You haven't lived until you've tasted one of his patented "Cloudburst Formulas."

Of course, there is the other side to the equation. Some of my fellow villains aren't quite so chummy. Lex Luthor can put on an incredible show, he just never invites anyone. He thinks he's better than the rest of us, you see.

Vandal Savage's meals are as undercooked as Black Manta's. And I'm sure they were considerably more intelligent than even the dolphin Manta serves. Don't eat with Vandal Savage.

Of course, none of you will ever be invited to a villain party to begin with. You must be of a very exclusive club to receive such an invite. And even if you did come we'd never hear about it. Because you'd never be heard from again.