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 amongst yourselves.

Clearly the big news has been the announcement of Jodie Whittaker as the new Doctor on Doctor Who. The first woman to ever hold the role in it's 54 years of a regenerating main character. The more toxic end of the fandom, of course, turned up in force and doubtless will continue to but frankly, sod them.

The increase in British life expectancy has slowed down for the first time in over a century.

Trump has been Trump, what more needs to be said.

Though I will mention that he seemed a little nonplussed by President Macron's Bastille Day celebrations including a marching band performing a selection of Daft Punk numbers... a sentence it positively delights me to type.

In cheerier news, the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare has failed, again


Noted actor Martin Landau (best known for North by North-West, Mission Impossible, Space: 1999, or Bela Lugosi in "Ed Wood" depending on your age and tastes) died at the age of 89. A little known aspect of his history was that he spent over a year as a professional cartoonist back in the 1940's. Mark Evanier covers it here.

Comments

[leoboiko]

I watched Warren Ellis' Castlevania. I was… underwhelmed, to be frank. Ellis is my hero these days, the amount of stuff he's doing simultaneously is just ungodly, but we've been waiting a long time for a Castlevania adaptation and, with all resources at his disposal and given the quality of his output, I expected something less formulaic. I can't really recommend it unless you're a Castlevania fan, in which case the adaptation is at least decent; it has the perfect balance of references to the original vs. innovations, and more importantly it respects the spirit of the thing. I like how he not only fleshed out a personality for Trevor, but also gave an entire new meaning to the 8-bit cutscene at the start of the game, where Trevor throws his coat; I'll never see it the same way again. The barfight in episode #2 may be the most British thing I've seen in a long time; it made me wonder about the marvel that is a Japanese videogame about American horror movies with Germanophile tendencies (Rondo) and French/Catholic imagery (Symphony) that's now Britishified.

Speaking of Ellis, I found this Injection tidbit (from last week's newsletter) interesting:

I'm already thinking about the next arc, which is about Simeon Winters of the British Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. I promised Declan a James Bond experience for this one, so I have to return to the mindset of being an Ian Fleming James Bond Official Continuation Author.

(If you don't know what I mean by that, google JAMES BOND: VARGR and JAMES BOND: EIDOLON)

All of the INJECTION volumes are takes on classic British weird fictions. Vol 1 was Quatermass, Vol 2 was Holmes, Vol 3 is Doctor Who. I felt like taking a tour of the old terrains. So Vol 4 is Bond. Vol 5 can possibly be characterised as Carnacki. These are probably personal territories as much as anything.

I'm deconstructing Fleming plots in my head to get something Bondlike and also Injectionlike.

[kamino_neko]

I...wouldn't classify Holmes or Bond as 'weird fiction', and I'm not sure why Ellis is counting them as such. (Quatermass and Carnacki, certainly, Doctor Who, if you're not going to consider time period, but not Holmes or Bond, outside of pastiches.)

[janegray]

I finally got to watch it. Gotta say, I liked it better than you did.

I was quite unimpressed with the first episode. It sounded like they were just making it gritty and gory and vulgar for cheap shock value. But, as I kept watching the episodes, the series grew on me. They definitely get better, episode 4 is much better than episode 1.

Much as I normally loathe child killing in fiction, I must admit it was pretty much necessary here. Because the villagers had been so utterly and completely shitty to poor Lisa, so horrifically monstruous to a woman whose only fault was being in possession of a vagina while she studied science to bring medicine to poor people, that it would be incredibly difficult to resist the urge to root for Dracula if we didn’t see him send his minions to literally butcher babies.

The callout scene was a personal favourite. “Lies? In your House of God?” I wanted to high five the murder beast from hell.

I found Sypha very annoying at first. Some stranger risks life and limb to save your life and the life of your family, asking for absolutely nothing in return, and you bitch at him because the rescue wasn’t smooth enough? He is “rude”? You didn’t even say thank you!

However, she too gets better. She was a real badass in the final episode.

Alucard was pretty much perfect.

[zachbeacon]

I liked Castlevania but I was disappointed by the way it suddenly ended without resolving anything. It felt less like a season of a show and more like the first third of one.

Now if we want to talk recent Netflix disappointments, how about Friends From College? It's an unfunny comedy about people who are terrible (but not in an entertaining way like Seinfeld or Always Sunny) and it wastes a perfectly good cast.

[laughing_tree]

Like I said in last week's Off topic Tuesday, whenever I watch one of Ellis' animated projects, I'm surprised by how little of the distinct Ellis voice carries through to the different medium.

I enjoyed Castlevania, though it's definitely weaker than his comics work.

[kamino_neko]

George Romero has also passed on, on the same day as Landau, in fact.

[dr_archeville]

A local movie theatre is having a free showing of Night of the Living Dead this Thursday night in his memory.

[liliaeth]

was just going to comment something like that.

[stubbleupdate]

What song are you currently obsessed with? The one where as soon as it finishes playing, you go back and listen to it again.

I'm still stuck on I was Jesus, two weeks after I posted about it.

[janegray]

I've been listening to this one a lot lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdJPAptAa5I

The beginning is way too slow for me. But the catchy part I love starts at 1:10.

[lissa_quon]

Been kinda hung up on Leonard Cohen for some reason.

Love the poetry of the lyrics of You Want it Darker and Darkness

[skjam]

Into my second week of training for the new job. First paycheck is due Friday; ue to the reduced hours, it will be just a few more dollars more than unemployment.

Over at my blog, it's time for fantasy romance shoujo manga: http://www.skjam.com/2017/07/16/manga-review-dawn-of-the-arcana-1/

[janegray]

Saw this on tumblr. I would absolutely watch this anime:

http://rainbow-taishi.tumblr.com/post/162753935208/shounen-laundry-washing-anime

[zachbeacon]

That's great. They can even throw in a supernatural element as they try to uncover what happened to missing socks.

[informationgeek]

So we had the Disney 23 Expo happened. A lot of interesting things being announced... but dear god did I groan after hearing the announcement for the live action Aladdin actors. The title character was fine but Will Smith as the genie? A half white actress for Jasmine? Oh come on!

[beeyo]

I gotta be honest, I think Will Smith taking up the role is surprisingly perfect. It came out of left field, for sure, but Robin Williams left some pretty big winklepickers (yes, I just googled what genie shoes are called) to fill, and it was going to take a lot for anyone to live up to his performance. But the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Will is funny, quirky, can be heartwrenchingly sentimental when he wants to be, and has the ability to be endearingly cartoony.

Maybe I'm biased because, despite all his success in Hollywood, I still remember him as the Fresh Prince, and I look forward to...well, not actually ever watching this movie unless I have kids one day, but I feel like he can make the role as memorable for children today as Robin did back when I was a little one.

[zachbeacon]

Let's forget about Donald Trump for a moment. Let's talk about Donald Trump (Junior). This guy openly admitted to treason and nothing is being done about it.

[lissa_quon]

No no you see he tried to commit treason. It didn't work out like he wanted so it's all fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

Nah seriously at this point I'm starting to really support the precedence of the Dutch who killed and ate a prime minister they didn't like.

[lissa_quon]

Started playing DnD for the first time recently. So been having fun with that, very grateful our DM is very forgiving when we take the game off the rails. (My bard keeps avoiding combat situations with the power of Charm Person and shmooze.)

Also discovered in real life I now have a nemesis. Well they probably don't know they are my nemesis - but they are.

[kamino_neko]

very grateful our DM is very forgiving when we take the game off the rails.

Any GM worth his their either doesn't put down rails to begin with, has several contingency plans, or is a hell of an improvisor. The GM of my group is in the third group.

My favourite story about that was one session...something like 15 years ago, I think. The GM had planned a battle, intended to take up most of the session.

The only reason it lasted an entire round was the party's wizard acted last.

There was also the time in our M&M game, where my data elemental/technopath rolled a natural 20 when calling down an orbital strike...with an enemy mech that she'd suborned halfway through the two-session battle (ie: as soon as the mechs came out). One of the few times my character gets super-dramatic (lots of big gestures - we were fighting a sentai-gone-bad), and it worked out.

[onsokumaru]

Watched Spider-Man: "I hope Tony-senpai notices me" this week-end.
It wasn't that bad, but I didn't really enjoy it.

Maybe it was because Peter was too irresponsible and was letting too many people down. I know, I know, it's what most Spider-Man stories are about, but this one was going too far. At some point, I felt like I was watching a "JJJ is right" video.

Also they wasted that big iconic scene for something that wasn't really worth it, IMO. They should have kept it for sometimes people's lives are in danger and Peter has to get free as fast as possible.

On the plus side, the supporting cast and the villains were quite good.
They didn't have much in common with the original versions, but when you think about it, neither do, for instance, first trilogy MJ or Ultimate MJ. Heck, this version is quite an improvement from the original (but if we go by similarities, she is closer to Ultimate Gwen).
Also the actress who plays LIz is absolutely gorgeous.

On the minus side, I feel like all that supporting cast should have been Miles' and not Peter's.
I mean, they stole Miles' best friend and tried to pretend it was Ned Leeds. Even May sounded and looked more like Miles' mother. And Liz could have been MCU Kate BIshop. Heck, MJ as Laura Buamgartner would have worked too.

[janegray]

SPOILERS

It really bothered me that they portrayed Flash as a backstabbing coward who throws other people under the bus to save himself. The scene in the elevator where he practically shoves Liz aside to be the first to get out. Even at his worst, when he was just "the bully," his one redeeming trait was that he was genuinely brave.

[scorntx]

So. Jodie Whittaker.
She's not ginger. Hey, maybe next time.
I apologise for the crudity, but... fuckin' finally.
(At present it is hard to specify any specific thoughts, not having seen any of the actress' prior performances, but the general theme seems to be excited.
And this is fae someone rarely excited for anything. Feels weird.)

-frankly, sod them.-
Indeed.

And the thing I'm hoping for most out of Chibnall's tenure (aside from quality writing and character development) is...
Technobabble.
Don't think that's a greedy demand after the drought of it over the last seven years.
Yes, okay, too much is bad, but... just some technobabble isn't going to kill anyone, is it?

Keepin' with the Who theme, was rewatching Series 6 the other day.
I just couldn't manage it. Two episodes in, and I gave up.
I don't know if it's because it hasn't aged well, or because all of Moffat's habits, quirks and faults as a writer are on full display but... just couldn't watch it.
Gave up because "Curse of the Black Spot" would've done me in.

... decided to watch "Robots of Death" . Only had that DVD sitting around for three years. Better late than never.
Enjoyable.
No "The Android Invasion", but still enjoyable.


And for a burst of non-Who news, I think someone on Transformers: Robots In Disguise's writing staff is cruising through TFWiki looking for obscure things to include.
They just had an episode about a Seismic-shock Warhead.
Which only appeared in one issue of Dreamwave's Energon comic (well, and a prose story, but those clearly Don't Count).

Also, enthusiasm for Avengers: Infinity War has waned slightly with the news of the Black Order being in it.
What does Thanos need with a goon squad?

[laughing_tree]

Without a goon squad, who can we have the heroes beat up?

[dr_archeville]

Paizo's Starfinder RPG -- which is their Pathfinder game set a few thousand years in the future -- is due to be released at GenCon next month, but they've been steadily leaking out bits and pieces. Yesterday was something that may be of interest to folks here: the two pages of "Inspirational Media" from the Starfinder Core Rulebook, listing many (but by no means all) of the novels, comics, video games, movies, and other tabletop RPGs that inspired the folks who were working on Starfinder.

If you're having trouble making out the titles from that image -- or would just like a text version -- I've posted one to my tumblr, here.

[beeyo]

...anybody else laugh hard enough to shit themselves at Jason Jordan being Kurt Angles illegitimate son?

No? Umkay. Back to my hole, then.

[toby_wan_kenobi]

I just groaned.

When has that angle ever worked? Ever?

And then I felt sad because it means we're not going to see American Alpha (imagine two golden retriever puppies who are amazing at wrestling) versus the Revival (imagine two of the most chickenshit assholes ever only they're so good at it you almost want to like them but then they make you hate them) for the titles.

Their matches at NXT house shows were hotter than hot fire. They were pure incandescent nuclear fusion exploding in the center of a volcano made out of supernovas.

[cosmos666]

Just finished reading John Byrne's run of Wonder Woman (V.2 #101-136). It started slow and weird but it did pick up half-way through. I know it isn't a very acclaimed run for the Wonderdom but it's undeniable that Byrne come to leave his mark and accomplished it. A new Wonder Girl in Cassie, restoring a WWII Wonder Woman in Hippolyta (and with a invisible jet to boot), tying Donna more closely to the Wonder legacy and establishing Diana as a living avatar of truth independent from the lasso. All in all a good run.

[icon_uk]

He made his mark all right, one that the title took years to recover from.

Donna suffered complete loss of agency. She was no longer a person in her own right, she's a magically empowered reflection of Diana (but who doesn't look like her) who is then sent through endless concurrent reincarnations each pre-determined to end in miserable tragedy? Wiped from the timeline and then only reconstraucted through the memories of her that Wally West had?

Theymscira suddenly being adrift in time and space is an idea that came out of absolutely nowhere and made no sense, as did Hippolyta's suddenly deciding, after repeatedly saying that she couldn't stay as it would futz up the timeline, decides to stay and join the Justice Society, so Diana's position as the first Amazon ambassador is erased.

Between this and his Doom Patrol run, Byrne's clumsy retcons without any consideration on what it did to existing characters really, really annoyed me.

[spider_man6]

I don't know if people are on big on this, but I recently heard that the Elongated Man is coming to the Flash tv show next season as a recurring character. As a fan of Ralph, I've been dying for him to appear ever since his name was dropped in season one, and this couldn't be more exciting. This isn't confirmed yet, but most of these character breakdowns have been solid in the past. Thoughts?

[zachbeacon]

Given Ralph's friendship with Barry, I was pretty disappointed to hear him listed among the dead in the pilot.

With all the time travel and alternate reality stuff, I suppose it would be fairly easy to undo that mistake.

[thezmage]

Looking forward to Comic-con on Thursday. Haven't worked out a schedule yet, but I'm looking forward to it.

Paid off my student loans last month. Filtering my monthly payment into comic-con cash.

I'm always a little disappointed that comic-con and Gencon are so close to each other. I feel like I'd have a much better chance at getting games (like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer deck building game or the DC Deck builder multiverse box expansion) at comiccon if they did that. At least the Legendary X-men expansion should be there.

[laughing_tree]

Ever have a hankering for a specific kind of story, so specific that you're having trouble finding works that fit the bill? I do at the moment, and hopefully someone can suggest something that fits the criteria.

I'm in the mood for a science fiction or fantasy story that does not take place in a fantasy world or the distant future. It should be either set today or in a world similar to today. But it can't be urban fantasy of the Jim Butcher/Buffy school of "people who go around fighting demons/monsters." And I'm looking for something I can really immerse myself in, so nothing too short like a one-off film or short story. A novel would be long enough.

And it can't be a comic. I love comics, but if it's a comic then I've probably already heard of it. Any other medium is fine: TV, prose, video games, whatever.

[zachbeacon]

How do you feel about Christopher Moore novels?

I really want to recommend the Magicians tv show (haven't read the books) but, since it's Harry Potter meets Narnia for adults, it likely breaks at least one of your rules.

[starwolf_oakley]

Wit the death of George Romero, I'm reminded of a zombie comic book I heard of, but can't remember the title. The basic plot is "Night of the Living Dead" in reverse: the zombies are trapped in the house and the humans who want to "kill" them are surrounding them. Sound familiar to anyone?