A Few Thoughts on Comics from this week

Some over-due mini-series finally see their end, some story-arcs wrap up and two outstanding books make for an interesting week of books. Let's start with the joy, shall we?

The Muppet Show Comic Book has started as a series of mini-series. The first four issue series took some time to focus on some main characters (Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, and Miss Piggy) and establish the style for the books. This week the second mini started under the story title 'The Treasure of Peg Leg Wilson'. This four issue arc will apparently follow a few storylines rather than the 'one and done' of the first mini-series. I have no problem with this and this issue continued on with the joy I received from the first set. The structure of the issue still follows the structure of the original show: there are backstage storyline scenes, sketches, and a closing number, all of which may or may not be impacted by the others. There are, as I see them, three plot threads for the overall arc: a map that indicates a treasure is hidden in the Muppet Theatre, Kermit returns from a 'dentist appointment' (on Sesame Street, Grover couldn't Kermit a toothbrush because he has no teeth) acting strangely, and Animal is part of a Muppet Labs experiment to make him smarter which has the unfortunate side effect of making him a drummer that lacks passion. Oh, and there's a ninja tap dancer. Wayne and Wanda appear in this issue. Animal gets a country club membership. The Swedish Chef makes onion soup. This is good stuff here!

Fantastic Four #569 is the final part of the 'Masters of Doom' storyline as well as the end of Millar and Hitch's run on the book. Wow! I think I can explain the awesomeness of this issue, and indeed this entire run, with a quote: 'You are of no consequence. I bear as little animus for you as the brainless megalodon that tore me asunder.' Over the top craziness that, somehow, makes sense. Love it.

Long over-due Ultimatum #5 finally came out this week. A bunch more Ultimate characters die or probably die. Possibly die? Anyway, for a universe that was the 'anything could happen' universe, a lot of anything did happen. Was all this death in order to reset the Ultimate Universe as something separate, something clearly different from the regular Marvel Universe? Or was it an excuse to kill off a bunch of characters? At this point, it's hard to tell. We really won't know until the new stories begin and the books either continue to forge ahead or if they just continue to revamp old characters in new forms. To me the most telling part of the whole process so far was the epilogue to the book, with the 'No More Mutants' chant. In theory, the Ultimate Universe needed this big 'shock' as the regular Marvel Universe had grown too much like it. The chant told me differently, this book was the Ultimate Universe's version of the 'House of M' storyline, just done more 'realistically'. Everyone was more violent. Everyone seemed to be more 'justice means I must kill you now'. The only character that didn't seem to follow that path was Spider-Man and he was missing for most of the series. In the end, as much as I was enjoying this crazy roller-coaster ride, I'm left with a feeling of 'ugh'. I'm debating whether or not to even bother giving the relaunched Ultimate Comics a try. There's 'heat of the moment, this is war' stuff and then there's the 'you must be punished' moments that don't feel right for the characters. One I get, can understand, the other, not so much. I know this has reached 'ramble' mode because I try to avoid spoilers here but I'm just a bit disappointed, that's all.

Doctor Who must be getting big again

Monday afternoon I was in a Chinese restaurant with my mom and some of her friends. I'd eaten and was tiredly listening to the conversation before me. My ears perked up to the conversation at the table next to us because the name 'Torchwood' floated across to me. Impolitely I listened in a little, curious to hear if I'd heard correctly. I had, they were discussing 'Torchwood: Children of Earth' and Doctor Who in general. Also impolitely I glanced over at them. They appeared to be more in my parents' age group than my own. Fascinating.

Wednesday we talked about Doctor Who a bit as we tend to do. There, most of the conversationalists are close to my general age.

Thursday I visited with some of my other friends and spent some time talking to Lester about Doctor Who. He's about ten years older than me and has been watching the show since he was a kid in Jamaica.

Today I met one of my mom's friends that lives in London (lucky!). Doctor Who was mentioned immediately and there was surprise that I was familiar with the show. Her six year-old son is a big Who fan but he was shy and didn't want to meet me and hear my Who theme phone ringer. He does have blue TARDIS pyjamas (lucky!) and chose his shoes based on what David Tennant wears as the Doctor.

I've been all over the board this week with the Doctor. I should probably watch 'Planet of the Dead' then huh?

Game Time!

For whatever reason I've spent the past few weeks yearning to play some of my old games. Perhaps thankfully, one of my younger brothers had borrowed my PS2 from me and I was therefore unable to play any Playstation related games. Last week he returned the device to me. Today I started playing 'Muppet RaceMania' again for the first time in ages.

I like racing games in general, and I love the Muppets so this is very win-win. I had forgotten how much is packed into this game. Each course has a normal race mode to it but then there's an 'Adventure' mode that allows you to explore the level and collect things. One of the main advantages to this is that it makes you very familiar with the level and shows you where the shortcuts might lie. On the first level, I was placing third of six to start. I played through Adventure mode, found the shortcut, and then had a chance of placing, finally winning the race. Collecting the items in Adventure mode unlocks a Reverse mode race for the level as well as a 'Battle' mode where you get to attack the other racers, trying to be the survivor of this demo derby. Mario Kart doesn't even do Battle mode anymore. Why not?

The levels are arranged by the Muppet Movies with four sub levels to each movie: two regular courses, a battle/boss level, and then a 'stunt' level that tends to have weird jumps in it. There are loads of Muppets to unlock and each Muppet has different vehicles to unlock. The different vehicles do have different 'effects': different top speeds, grip, etc.

It's a fun race game with lots to unlock and Muppets are involved. Once Disney turns the Muppets into 'stars' again, I'd really like a sequel. These PS1 graphics are okay in a polygonial sort of way but it could be so much better.

If yesterday was a flash-back then I guess this is a flash-forward

Smasher grunted. “I remember what title fever feels like. I know da nervous excitement that grows in your gut when you got a chance to be recognized as da best. I also know da sick feelin’ you get when ya lose that and ya feel like you’ll never get it back. I got lucky. I had one last run wit’ a belt before I hung up da boots. Dat felt good.”

“That was the tag-team championship you won with Striker, right?” I check. He nods. “Whatever happened to him? I lost track of him after you retired.”

Smasher grunted. “Last I heard from him he was wrestling out west.”

“So he can talk normally?” I check. “I don’t recall ever hearing him say anything other than ‘Timmah’.”

This brought a grin to Smasher’s lips. “Nah, I gotta postcard from him that wuz ‘Timmah’ written inna shape of an arrow pointing west.” I chuckle. I’m not sure if he is kidding or not.

Busy Working on New Text so, for you, a Flashback

Daredevil led the Doctor to a darkened section of the dressing room. The dim lighting was focused on a large silver box with a couple buttons on it. Daredevil pressed one and politely asked, "Oracle?"

The lid slid back and Daredevil released the button. After a large cloud of white gas passed, a figure could be seen. It was aged, there could be no mistaking that, but not painfully so. It was muscular, very muscular. The top o��f the head was bald, but long, stringy blond hair grew from the sides of its head. A thick Fu Manuchu mustache grew on its upper lip. The eyes, when they opened, were clear blue and energetic. He looked somewhat familiar to the Doctor. When he spoke, the mystery was cleared. "Someone need help, Oracle-a-manics?" its voice boomed. The Doctor groaned quietly. Still, he thought, it wouldn't be the first time he would be taking advice from a 'dead' man.

"The Doctor here has to fight the Destroyer," Daredevil reported. The Oracle looked over the Doctor.

"Whoa. You remember the three Demandments kid?" the Oracle asked.

After cooling off from being called 'kid', the Doctor was ashamed to note he did remember them. "Uh, yeah. Do the exercises, take the vitamins, and say your prayers."

"Right kid." Arggh, he said it again! "For you, Oracleamanic, I offer this advice."

"Yes?"

"Concentrate on the prayers��, man."

"Thanks."