Doctor Aphra #6

[laughing_tree]

There is one thing in this story that is based on a very obscure bit of Legends material that I suspect people won’t spot. It’s so obscure that even long term Star Wars fans might not spot it and even then they probably won’t notice it until the end, because it’s a complete reimagining of a concept. I mean, to stress, it’s so obscure that I 100 percent don’t expect people to get what I’m building on. It’s just a good idea we’re giving a 21st century spin on. I expect readers to experience it just as this excellent thing that happens. -- Kieron Gillen

( Read more... )

'Going Sane'

[cyberghostface]

In light of some of the recent Joker posts and discussions on his sanity and morality (or lack thereof) and the ethics of Batman keeping him alive I decided to revisit what I consider to be one of the definitive Joker stories.

( Scans under the cut... )

Off-Topic Tuesday!

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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 amongst yourselves.

The horrible events overnight in the UK at the Manchester Arena have left me in not very much of a light-hearted mood today, so this may be a somewhat shorter list than usual.

If you are concerned about anyone still missing, the Greater Manchester Police have emergency contact details on their Twitter feed.

Local people and business have, as they so often do, rallied round magnificently offering shelter, resources and transportation for those who needed them, and given how many of those impacted were young children and their parents coming to collect them at the end of the concert, those were some deeply traumatised people to deal with.

As yet, not motive or motivation has been ascribed to the bomber, and media outlets have been asked not to speculate or mention names, as it may hinder investigations, or spread fear and we would ask that you do the same.

Any act of terrorism which targets the helpless and innocent is an abomination, and I can find no words foul enough to describe someone who would deliberately target an event where the audience are likely to be young children and teenage girls (The concert was by Ariana Grande, the star of a Nickelodeon show for Gods sake). Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones.

In associated news, the UK political parties have, in a pleasing display of unity and good taste, agreed to suspend any campaigning for today, and most likely for the rest of the week.

In other news, Zach Snyder has withdrawn from the Justice League movie to deal with a family tragedy. Joss Whedon is coming on board to finish it.

Buzz for the Wonder Woman movie is extraordinarily positive, which is a reassuring change of pace.

A photo of Donald Trump (spreading his special kind of politics around the globe and trying to avoid all the talk of Russian-links investigation), King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and the Egyptian PM Abdel Fatah al-Sisi all placing their hand on a glowing globe (actually switching on a bank of computers, but giving the suggestion that they are activating the Omegazon Omni-Destructor (tm)) hit Twitter and every single possible joke that could be made was. My favourite quote is that it looks like an Alex Ross cover and all it needs is the Justice League looming behind them to complete the effect.

Things took an even MORE surreal turn when a sinkhole mysteriously appearaed at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort... I'm SURE the two events are not connected.

And on a lighter note to end with, anyone buying the Titans Return Seapray from Transformers, might have spotted, or more likely have not spotted, an incredibly geeky easter egg from one of the designers.

And it's just been confirmed that Sir Roger Moore, British actor and star of several Bond movies in the 1970's and "The Saint" in the 1960's, has died at the age of 89, in Sqwitzerland, after a short battle with cancer. RIP 007.

Solicts for X-Men: Gold #9 and Iceman #4

[flint_marko]

From Newsarama:

( Mutant romance )

NoScans: An unexpected changing of the guard

[tcampbell1000]

http://ew.com/movies/2017/05/22/justice-league-zack-snyder-daughter-joss-whedon/

TLDR: Joss Whedon, obviously the person whose resume most matches the position, will be taking over from Zack Snyder as director of Justice League. Snyder feels the need to spend more time with family in the wake of the suicide of his 20-year-old daughter. DC Entertainment seems a bit nervous in its declaration that the remaining directing is "minimal," but it's probably true that the finished result will feel much more like Snyder than Whedon. (Snyder's wife Deborah, a producer on the project, is likewise taking time off.)

If Snyder were departing for other reasons, I'd be cracking cheap jokes at him and a filmmaking approach that I think could charitably be described as "controversial." As it is, I find my heart going out to him. His vision of what makes a good movie will never be mine, but I have no doubt whatsoever that he deeply loves making movies, and I respect the hell out of him for walking away from his magnum opus for the few things in life that are more important.

NoScans - Wonder Woman trailer - Old meets new... on multiple levels

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A new viral promo for Wonder Woman, featuring...

( perhaps the only American Presidential endorsement I would accept )