Mod Post: Off-Topic Tuesday

[icon_uk]

In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than me.

The US Presidential election race continues with the DNC putting forward an array of astounding, motivating speeches at their convention, and the RNC's candidate alternating between endless whining, and welcoming RFK into the fold.

Francis Ford Coppola's "Megalopolis" got a trailer, which then immediately got pulled from the official site by the studio when it was notced that the critic's quotes in it were fake. Ooops.

Oasis have announced they'll reunite for a live tour in 2025.

As ever, too little time for a proper post today, so go wild my hearties...

Comments

[onsokumaru]

Mom got covid. She got midly sick 3 days.
Times like that are when I wonder if 2020/2021 really happened or if I dreamt it. Back then, she would probably have gone way sicker, and my reaction to her having covid would have not been "oh crap, hope she gets better soon", but "this is it, I will lost my mom".
It's scary how fast a virus can evolve in one way or another.

I remember I was quite a mess during the lockdown, and I found some confort online, including here on S/D.
So thanks you all for existing and for posting here.

[lilacsigil]

Yeah, my mother (who has seriously compromised lung function after a lifetime of asthma) got covid for the first time recently and...she was fine! It was just bizarre, after how long we'd been living with the idea that if she gets covid she is at serious risk of death. I'm still shocked that she wasn't even really sick.

Keep up your vaccines, people!

[malurette]

Are we getting ready for the Bell Riots next week?

[numeronone]

DM'd my first session of DnD this long weekend. Had a hell of a time - got plenty of positive feedback - and I think it being a limited-time one-shot kinda helped? Knowing we had to get to the end within 4 hours meant players got to be laser-focused on solving the problems presented to them.

But then, it was also a brilliant adventure to work with, so can't complain there either.

We've switched on our household tour of the 90s from The Sopranos (it was getting too soul-crushingly maudlin) to The X-Files, since that's hosted on Channel 4's streaming service for free. Gotta say, it's fun watching the cast of Twin Peaks slowly trickle in to join Duchovny in wholesome cryptid-hunting fun.

[shakalooloo]

Yeah, never give the players time to think. They will think, and they will think, and then they will think some more...

[tripodeca113]

Read Jupiter's Legacy. I guess it was okay, but I've seen pretty much every idea it had done better in other story's. It sort of feels like Millar removed the edginess but didn't replace it with anything.
I guess having Not-Superman be a genuinely heroic figure whose issues come from his inability to adapt to a changing world is more interesting than just having him be evil.
I guess I can also see how the first and only season of the TV show adapts two and a half issues of the comic. Those were pretty eventful but would probably benefit from being fleshed out more. Bs pbhefr zbfg bs gur Fhcreurebrf Nf Pryroevgl'f fghss qbrf frrz yvxr cernzoyr gb 'Sbezre Fhcreurebrf Va Uvqvat Sebz N Gbgnyvgnevna Ertvzr Frpergyl Envfvat Gurve Fhcrecbjrerq Puvyq' juvpu vf n zhpu zber havdhr naq vagrerfgvat cerzvfr.

Also read American Vampire. I won't say it's all bad, but it could have been better.
So Snyder seems to treat evil vampire Skinner Sweet as being kind of sympathetic ,which I didn't really buy considering his past as leader of a murderous outlaw band, how he's casually racist, and does a lot of stuff which make you think the other characters should try and kill him on general principal whenever they see him.
Also some of the stories don't really take advantage of the historical setting.

Finished reading Phoenix. The series jumps between the past and future, telling the history of Japan and the downfall of humanity, intending to create a full chronicle of human history and our struggles to exist alongside the natural world. Sadly Tezuka probably died before he could even reach the halfway point, but the episodic nature of each story means it isn't as big an issue as it could have been, but man all the stories we could have had....

[shakalooloo]

I see Jupiter's Legacy as a 'fixed' version of Civil War, a story not acting in contradiction of existing characters.

Those missing eyebrows disturbed me in every single panel, though.

[skjam]

Anomalous results on my ultrasound, so I am having a CT scan tomorrow.

Work is a little much right now.

Marvel Puzzlequest has moved on to a "villains attack" theme. The chase character is the Rich Ryder Nova.

Stormy here this morning with 60mph winds.

Over at my blog, I look at a children's graphic novel about fantasy fandom. https://www.skjam.com/2024/08/26/comic-book-review-tiffanys-griffon/

[icon_uk]

Best wishes for the CT scan!

[dewinged]

I tried to keep away from news about the One Piece live action season 2 production, because I want to at least be surprised at what ends up on screen. They started filming back in June or July. My sole exception was for the supporting role of Kureha, which had a lot of buzz about Jamie Lee Curtis taking the role.

Ms. Curtis, however, had previous commitments and could not do it. (Note: since this just recently started filming a couple of months ago, the ill-fated Borderlands movie would have been well into post-production by that point, so we're not placing blame there).

But Kureha's casting was announced last week...and they got Katey Sagal instead. Just...wow. like Curtis, I'll watch Sagal in almost anything and I think this casting is amazing for the role in question.

[scorntx]

Last week, enjoyed the clear blue skies and calm breezes of yet another storm.
... think the Beeb's weather service need to switch their entrails.

After Venom War, we're getting an All-New Venom. Don't worry, still written by Ewing.
But apparently it is a new Venom (an All-New one). You can tell because he (they?) look like the old Venom, but with funky gold highlights.
And it's apparently not Dylan, Eddie, Peter or any of the kajillion others it could be.
My money's on Venom Horse.

Solitics for Ultimates have helpfully revealed (or spoiled) that the Immortal Weapons of Iron Fist fame be turning up.
So we've got a merger of Immortal Iron Fist and Immortal Hulk.
Really, I don't know why anyone didn't think of something like that sooner.

Speaking of Ultimate Marvel, beginning to wonder if Ultimate X-Men actually was just a random idea Peach Momoko had which the editors just decided to claim was part of Ultimate Marvel, because it's so tonally different...
("Man, nearly six issues and no-one's popped a claw yet!")

Got that Epic Collection of the start of PAD's Hulk. Interesting read.
But between that and the twenty issues of Byrne and Milgrom, Quartermain's characterisation sure pinballs. From smug git to trying to kill Hulk to help Hulk to remorseful at Gamma Base's stupidity...

Also getting a mad desire to try and find some of the collections of later New Mutants (only the one wi' the New Warriors crossover, I swear!)
Naturally this means they will vanish from existence.

Been re-reading the starting New Mutants.
Much as I do rag on Claremont, it's actually alright when he's not going full Claremont. It's just after the Demon Bear Saga he starts doing that.
I... not 100% wild about Emma Frost in general, but her characterisation here is a step-up from the earlier Emma of Dark Phoenix and the body-swap thing.
She's evil, sure, and unpleasant, but she's slightly more rounded than just "Bwa-ha-ha!"
There's some other interesting bits, like mentioning Karma is potentially as powerful as Charles himself, or Magma is supposedly as smart as Kitty (*sigh*).
Gotta say, nothing Magma does here (or has since) has really given the indication she's a genius. Much less one as super-awesome as Kitty.

The rewrite goes. Actually, it's the most I've managed to write in months. Or longer.
Trying something out with not using Emma Frost; using Lourdes Chantel instead.
Problem is that she only appeared in one issue which is super-hard to find in print version (thanks, Amazon), and I refuse to use anything Duggan did with her as a character reference.
So, for the moment, having to use... my imagination. (*duuunnnn*)
She's still on the bad side, just softer manipulation tactics than Emma's "do what I want or I'll brainwash your ass" approach.
There's also the question of what do with Juliana (y'know, Roberto's tragic backstory). Obviously I'm not going to kill her. Not killing a teenager just to provide tragedy and angst. This isn't the 1970s. But that leaves the question of what to do with her. An equally angsty break up wouldn't work. Maybe lightly injured?
I was toying with making her also a Mutant, just she hasn't noticed yet, with some sort of moon-related power to contrast 'Berto, but not part of the New Mutants. (There aren't a lot of X-characters with water related powers...)

[icon_uk]

Yeah, there are a number of characters who are described as being super-smart who really... aren't shown in that light, Magma, and Catseye being the two that spring to mind. Though Amara is shown as picking up living in the modern world extremely fast, to the point where she's better with computers than Rahne in no time at all.

Still living Juliana might work if we discover she had no problem with Berto being non-white, but couldn't accept that he was a mutant. So we have the angsty breakup.

And if she THEN discovers she's a mutant herself, and joins the Hellions because being sent to Emma's school is par for the course for the super wealthy and politically powerful.

As I recall, Lourdes was essentially personality-less in her single appearance pre-original mortem, so you have a free pass there. She was there to do as Shaw told her and that was about it.

[scorntx]

Ah, a blank slate.
Well, that's good to know.

Was trying to reduce the amount of angst the kids go through.
Goodness knows they go through more than enough of it anyhow.
(Juliana having a problem with Berto being a Mutant... wouldn't really jibe with what we see of her, where she seemed pretty fine with it. Maybe just not liking the threat of constant danger? Hmm...
Joining the Hellions, being around them, yes... there's several ways that could go, actually...)

[iamrman]

I will be interested to see how/if you adapt Doug and Warlock.

[scorntx]

Can't do New Mutant and not include Doug and Warlock.
That'd just be nuts.
(though given I do got problems when it comes to physically describing what characters look like, Warlock's gonna be a super-tough one...)

[icon_uk]

Good... good... (Icon_UK subtly puts down the ban hammer he had been quietly hefting)

When I've used Warlock in fics I usually leave it loose, mentioning that he's always shifting, and leaving it to the readers imagination, unless referring to a specific body option when it becomes relevant. Like when he's tried being a dog for a while, and then when he switches to a human disguise, he keeps the four legs because he was enjoying the quadruped experience.

(The one I remain proudest of is "Warlock didn't sink to his knees, because that would imply he took knees seriously")

[cygnia]

Gonna see a friend of ours face to face this weekend. It's been four years. Catching a ball game and catching up on Life.

19th wedding anniversary next week. Going to hit an escape room. :)

Pushing myself to finish editing a friend's novel. Not a knock on his writing -- a knock on my depression.

Hubby wants the election done here in the US so he can get back to accepting what his toxic brothers say unconditionally.

[iamrman]

Am presently in Spain on my holly-bobs. Fear not, for normal posts will continue.

Just having a sandwich, then I'm going in the pool. Unless I have a siesta and completely forget about the pool.

Had pizza last night. It's a good thing I didn't order garlic bread as well because I could only just manage half a pizza and some chips.

Mum's choice tonight, so we're going for tapas. Gimmie dat magra com tomate and goat's cheese on toast!

[deh_tommy]

Man, how do you do it? There’s so much I want to post but then I think “eh, I’ll do it later” and the next thing I know months have gone by.

[cyberghostface]

New trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 with Keanu Reeves as Shadow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSOyFiOiNd4

[cainofdreaming]

I do hope no one killed his dog.

[icon_uk]

He kicked Tails pre-emptively, I can sympathise he that he clearly has a bad backstory, but there are limits.

[deh_tommy]

Someone killed his sister. Does that count?

It’s funny because Sonic fanboyed over Keanu Reeves in the first film.

[deh_tommy]

Thank DAMN gosh. The thing comes out in less than 4 months, it’s wild it took this long for a trailer. And it looks so dang hype!

[shakalooloo]

It being on sale, I bought and tried the 'Midnight Suns' video game, and it's a lot better than it has any right to be. Smacking Hydra goons into each other like living dominos is fun, and being able to KO someone with a stack of Daily Bugle papers is very satisfying.

[cainofdreaming]

It is, isn't it? Though running around collecting weeds in the sidegame gets old fast. Got myself the season pass in the summer sales, so maybe I can get through the final map and finish it now. Attention span be danged.

[ladymidath]

I have not been able to do much of my favourite geeky stuff as my husband's medical stuff has been taking up a lot of our time. I have been catching up on my reading and trying to catch up on my fav shows. Hopefully once we get some of the medical crap out of the way, I will have a little more time, fingers crossed.