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.

Honestly, just scrolling down the news headlines made me want to start watching cute kitten videos to compensate, so if anyone wants to share good news, I actively encourage you to do so, please!!

James Cameron is telling fans not to complain about the predicted long run time for "Avatar 2: The Way of Water", because people bing watch entire seasons of shows in one go.

For those of us suspecting that he might be overlooking the value of the pause button on the remote, apparently not, because "Here's the big social paradigm shift that has to happen: it's okay to get up and go pee."

Well, technically yes, but given how much I have to pay to go to the cinema, I am curious if he will flash up a helpful sign on screen saying "This is the dull bit, you have four minutes to go pee and you won't miss a thing, promise"

Speaking of streaming, Stranger Things Season 4 pt 2 arrived and I've yet to make it past episode 2 of Season 4 pt 1, so no rush.

On the other hand I finished The Umbrella Academy season 3 in short order, because gosh this fustercluck of asshole idiots are such fun to watch!

Have to run to catch a train, so away you go my pretties!

Comments

[cainofdreaming]

Re: the Avatar 2 bit. There's still places where if you want to go to the toilet you have to exit the cinema. And you're not getting back. Not even if you pay again. Once the movie starts no one enters.

So, better bring an empty bottle, I guess.

[super_fly]

Also his argument falls flat when you remember that you can pause the binge stream at any time.

We don't all have the bladder capacities we used to, Jimmy-James.

[zachbeacon]

These days every July 4th feels like it might be the last Independence Day.

(Though, given the Supreme Court’s recent anti-EPA ruling, it might be the pollution that kills us and not the fascists)

On a related note, itch.io is doing another huge charity bundle as a reaction to terrible current events. https://itch.io/b/1472/indie-bundle-for-abortion-funds

Random classic TMNT thought of the week: I was watching some Casey Jones clips from the original cartoon. That guy was 100% at the capital on January 6th.

(And, a few days after having that thought, I saw a Twitter thread pointing out that that the Arrested Development cast also would have been there…mostly unintentionally.)

It really is amazing that there are still major national pizza chains without functioning websites.

Okay, I’ve run against the limits of Hoopla. Only the last 50 things you favorite show up in the android app (though it does show up on the website). Also, no Marvel books have been added in a couple months (but apparently that’s library-dependent). Still a better reading experience than the new Comixology.

I read the first volume of Gentlemind because I’m suffering from Blacksad withdraw. Its very different than the writer’s other book but still very good.

Between my dislike of the Court of Owls and an election where Gothamites chose between two terrible mayoral candidates, I didn’t really enjoy Batman: The Adventures Continue Season Two as much as Season One. Still, there were a lot of fun cameos and a villain reveal that I really didn’t see coming. It’s pretty crazy that someone lost their badge for doing the kind of thing Bullock did weekly on the cartoon but I think it’s fair to say they’re setting up something for Season Three.

I’m halfway through the recent Ben Reilly Spider-Man mini (not Beyond) and I think it is a great use of that 90s villain everyone says they hate. I also like Ben hanging out with Edward because he’s usually even worse at making friends than Peter.

I did finish the OTHER Ben Reilly Spider-Man thing (Beyond) and I hate how relentlessly grim it is.

Big week for RWBY news. A trailer for the new volume dropped .. which reminded me I never finished the previous one. Zmage already mentioned there’s going to be a Justice League crossover movie based on the comics. Also, WayForward is making a video game.

I’ve started watching Rise of the TMNT. So far it’s not my favorite (what have they done to Splinter!?) but I think the previous cartoon is probably the best Turtles cartoon and even that took a while to find its footing; Rise was cancelled before it had a chance. Still, I can’t help but love things like the “Baxter Stockboy” reimagining and setting origin story exposition to “Modern Major-General”.

The usual suspects are losing their minds over a Baymax short about the healthcare robot providing healthcare. Their biggest problem with it seems to be that it points out that women and trans people exist.

Ms. Marvel thoughts: Huh, I thought the other guy was the Red Dagger. A little fuzzy on why grandma ages and the baddies don’t; I guess they’re different species of alien?

Owl House thoughts:
17- Cbbe Xvat.
18 – Tynq gb frr Thf naq Jvyybj trg zber bs n fcbgyvtug nsgre orvat fvqryvarq sbe fb ybat.
Fb boivbhfyl gur nohfr naq tnfyvtugvat ner n ovt cneg bs Uhagre’f onpxfgbel ohg V guvax V sryg fbeevrfg sbe uvz whfg jngpuvat ubj hapbzsbegnoyr ur jnf va gung tebhc uht.
Gur Urnqznfgre vf n punenpgre V’ir ernyyl qbar n 180 ba fvapr frnfba bar. Ybir guvf thl.
(Nyfb, p’zba enaqbz fghqrag, vgf 2022; jr’ir NYY farrmrq juvyr jrnevat n znfx)
19 – Orgjrra Xvat’f avtugzner naq nyy bs rcvfbqr 17, V’z ernyyl phevbhf jung – vs nal – pbaarpgvba gurer vf orgjrra gur Pbyyrpgbe naq gur Gvgnaf.
Fb, gur fvfgref ner xvaq bs n qvfnfgre jura yrsg gb gurve bja qrivprf, uhu?
Hafhecevfvatyl, Yvyvgu vf rfcrpvnyyl onq. VG VFA’G NYY NOBHG LBH!
Yhpxvyl fbzr bs gur bgure jvgpurf unir n cyna. Vg’f nyfb n eryvrs gb svaq bhg abg RIRELBAR ba gur Obvyvat Vfyrf (nfvqr sebz gur pber pnfg bs bqqonyyf) vf oenvajnfurq naq/be rivy.
(V qb jvfu zhfvpny gurngre glcrf jbhyq fgbc gelvat gb hayrnfu PNGF ba gur jbeyq, gubhtu)
Vgf cebonoyl sbe gur orfg gung jr arire tbg gur ornpu rcvfbqr. V org Xvat fzryyf yvxr jrg qbt.
Gur crbcyr qrznaq zber Fgrir!
20 – Avpr gb trg n Oyvtug fcbgyvtug fvapr V yvxr nyy ohg bar bs gurz. Unccl gur qnq vf fgvpxvat nebhaq sbe gur svany pbasebagngvba ohg V jvfu gur gjvaf unq pbzr gbb.
Bu, Yhm … gurer’f oenir naq gura gurer’f fghcvq.
21 – Zvggraf!
V nz whfg abj abgvpvat gung gur tvey jvgu cynag zntvp unf n orr snzvyvne.
Gurer’f whfg n ybg tbvat ba urer ng bapr.
Qvq gur fcryy xvyy Envar? Npghnyyl … qvq nalbar qvr? Yvxr V fnvq, gurer’f n ybg tbvat ba ng bapr.
Va nal pnfr, gur havirefr ernyyl frrzf gb ungr Rqn.
Gung Tevzjnyxre tenirlneq vf bar bs gubfr guvatf V ernyyl pna’g oryvrir gurl tbg njnl jvgu va n puvyqera’f pnegbba.
V’q fnl xvyyvat Orybf vf n jnfgr bs n tbbq ivyynva ohg gung ovg bs tbb ynaqvat ba Uhagre frrzf cerggl bzvabhf naq vgf pyrne Orybf unfa’g ernyyl orra uhzna sbe n ybat gvzr. Ur’f tbvat gb or fb fpnaqnyvmrq jura ur frrf gur zbqrea-qnl uhzna jbeyq.
Jryy, abj V xabj gur Pbyyrpgbe/Gvgna pbaarpgvba.
Cbbe Xvat.
Frnfba 3 – V xabj gurl qba’g unir zhpu gvzr yrsg ohg V ubcr gurl fgvpx jvgu guvf fgnghf dhb sbe n yvggyr juvyr; V yvxr n tbbq svfu bhg bs jngre fgbel. Naq vs gur snapbzvpf V’ir frra ner nal vaqvpngvba, crbcyr ernyyl jnag gb frr Nzvgl vagrenpg jvgu Pnzvyn. Npghnyyl, V’q or unccl whfg gb frr zber Yhm naq Nzvgl; vg srryf yvxr gurl’ir orra gbtrgure rira yrff fvapr orpbzvat n pbhcyr (gubhtu Yhm vf irel njner fur unf n ybg gb qb naq abg n ybg bs gvzr gb qb vg).
Vg jvyy or vagrerfgvat gb frr ubj nyyvnaprf funxr bhg fvapr vg gheaf bhg gung zbfg bs gur ivyynvaf jub gubhtug gurl jrer cneg bs gur vaare pvepyr xarj rira yrff guna gur ivyynvaf jub jrer ernyyl cneg bs gur erfvfgnapr. Gur rkprcgvbaf orvat Xvxvzben naq Zef. Ovtug; V guvax vgf fnsr gb pnyy gurz veerqrrznoyr.
(Gubhtu rira gurl cebonoyl qba’g jnag n punbf tbq ehaavat nebhaq)
Pna’g jnvg sbe gur rtt gb ungpu.

[icon_uk]

Oh, darn it, I was going to mention Baymax series as a good thing, so thanks for remembering it.

Yes, an episode devoted to something as basic as your first period should not be seen as being quite so controversial in it seems to have been in certain quarters.

Honestly I was more weirded out by the recurring, rather invasive "I am going to scan you now" bit, to people who had NOT given consent to that.

(I won't even ask if they've claimed that the "first gay" character bit, because they neatly introduced TWO.)

[stubbleupdate]

The bulk of my comic reading happens on Marvel Unlimited now, and even that is a better reading experience than the new comixology.

Getting to the next issue on comixology seems to involve reaching the end of the book, triggering the review page, going back from the review page, having to trigger the menu the brings you back to your library and then finding the next book that you want to read yourself.

Getting to the next issue on Unlimited is just a case of reaching the end of the book and it triggering a little pop up that says "You just finished #3. Here is #4" and works really well unless you're reading a multi-title crossover (or even X Lives/Deaths of Wolverine)

[iamrman]

A 90’s villain that everybody is supposed to hate? Could you mean Judas Traveller perchance?

[llordllama]

Today I'm mostly hiding in my home office working, because we've the plumbers/heating engineers in to replace the ancient (and not very good) water heating system in the house. Oh and get rid of the TWO water tanks in the loft space (mmmmmn, musty water, delicious). I'd be in my campus office instead, but we've got a 'please don't come in this month, we need the space for the Commonwealth Games' mandate. Not quite sure which events are taking place in my office though...

Like the esteemed Icon_UK, I'm progressing more slowly through Stranger Things - savouring the episodes and...gosh darn it dodging flipping spoilers is proving near impossible. For those keeping track I've also reached S2 of Reggie Perrin, and realising how much of a touchstone he is for my own attitude to routine working and office cultures. Although, I've yet to inexpertly fake my own death and affect a range of terrible regional accents (give me time, I'm a LARPer, that'll probably arrive in due course).

I will confess I'm struggling to find time and space to keep up with everything coming out at the moment - behind watching The Boys, Umbrella Academy and heck, even the last season of Call my Agent. Maybe I need to watch fewer episodes of Rate my Takeaway on YouTube...

I did finally catch Spidy-No-Way-Home over the weekend and was...a bit underwhelmed. Enjoyed it enough, just not quite as much as the previous entries in the series and my stars above that final fight was dark, confusing and muddled. Please tell me Doctor Strange MoM is going to blow my socks off this weekend, someone?!

House renovations have meant once again I'm staring at my comic book archive and thinking 'I really need to find an auction house to take this lot on', as I could really do with the space in the spare room back. Or at least that's what Mrs Dr Prof Llama tells me (she's almost certainly not wrong). Be good practice for when we have to (eventually) liquidate my FiL's book collection which is...vast, antiquarian, and full of rarities I suspect (and a whole heap of train ephemera stretching back over a century to boot).

[deh_tommy]

If you were underwhelmed by No Way Home, you’re probably going to be even less impressed by Multiverse of Madness. I’ve never been so let down or infuriated by a film before, though as far as I can tell that’s pretty much just me.

[tripodeca113]

Well, that's IDW's Transformers comics over. The main ones at least, there's still a few miniseries to go. Still the 2019 and Beast Wars comics didn't really get a proper conclusion, they just sort of stopped.
ah well

I've finished the first volume of Powers (issues 1 to 37), and I think I'll probably read more of it. Still I've heard that the series starts going downhill later on. Is anyone familiar enough with the later stuff to suggest a good jumping off point?

I'm still working on my story. I think I enjoy the planning part of writing, but not the part where I actually have to write stuff. Oh well.

[scorntx]

At least the G1 stuff got a big one-shot to wrap things up.
Not like Beast Wars.
(And that'll be it for the Beasties for the next decade, knowing Transformers and its track record with them.)

[skjam]

There's an app for long movies at gopee.com but I have never tried it. "MTV moments" used to be my go-to time for nature breaks.

Spent much of the long weekend taking daytime naps.

Over at my blog, I look at a 1950s British science fiction comic book: http://www.skjam.com/2022/07/04/comic-book-review-fleetway-picture-library-classics-presents-rick-random/

[lilacsigil]

I think the last movie I saw that had an intermission where you could go pee was Dances With Wolves, which was a very, very long time ago!

[bolindbergh]

The only such intermission I can recall was in 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was somewhat earlier...

[cyberghostface]

Saw a few films:

The Black Phone: It's a solid horror film, the kids gave very good performances. Ethan Hawke didn't impress me as much and I think the mask he was always wearing limited his performance. Not saying he did bad but the kids were better. It's based off a Joe Hill story if there are any Locke & Key fans here.

Lightyear: Decent film but not Pixar's best. It made me annoyed that this got a big theatrical release but not Luca or Turning Red.

Minions 2 - Rise of Gru: It's better than the first Minions but I still prefer the original Despicable Me where it was about Gru trying to be a father.

Also Stranger Things was great. V qvqa'g rkcrpg gb srry nf onq sbe Oeraare nf V qvq.

[lego_joker]

The big spoiler I've gotten for Black Phone is ironically what makes me want to go watch it: the kid gets a better Bond one-liner than, arguably, any Bond has ever gotten.

[iamrman]

I have just read the X-Force: Child's Play trade. An okay crossover with New Warriors. A bunch of rich jerks called the Upstarts are hunting the surviving members of the New Mutants and Hellions for the lols. I was disappointed that Wolfsbane didn't get a bigger role, but I will settle for her defeating the Fenris twins off panel.

I tried to read some Silver Age Legion of Super-heroes, but gave up a couple of issues in. The Legion engineered various accidents to test Superboy's powers. Then they did the exact same thing to Supergirl a couple of issues later. The heroes of the 30th Century, everybody!

I have added another title to my manga list. Several manga I have read teased certain content only to cop out. I didn't have to worry about Monster Musume copping out of 'certain content'. ;p

Presently I am reading volume 1 of the Clone Wars Epic Collection. I don't know why Quinlan Vos rubs me up the wromg way. Maybe to be he seems like the Jedi version of a rad 90’s anti-hero that does all the dirty jobs the other Jedi are too scared to do. I bet he was so badass he survived Order 66.

Apollo finally moved in to my island in Animal Crossing. Now I have at least one villager for every personality type. Sherb and Sasha (lazy), Audie and Bella (peppy), Petri (snooty), Agnes (sisterly), Gayle (normal), Dom (jock), Marshal (smug) and Apollo (cranky). I dare say my list of villagers will change again when I get bored of the new arrivals.

[scorntx]

At least they're testing Superboy's powers, rather than just messing with his head for kicks.
(Unless they are also messing with his head for kicks. Which seems like all anyone did in the Silver Age.)


-I bet he was so badass he survived Order 66-

Well, um, now that you mention it...

[scorntx]

So the thing I predicted would happen in Ms. Marvel happened.
More or less.
I did figure escaping would be slightly more of an effort, but that probably did require the assumption Damage Control do not suck on every level. And they do.
Seriously, a sternly worded sign saying "no escaping please" might've slowed them down more.
Maybe because I wasn't paying attention, but Red Dagger's motivation seems a little confusing. One minute he's chucking daggers at Kamala's head, the next he's making nice. (Or was he just unsure how to say "hi" to her?)
Meanwhile, Red Dagger Boss is polite, friendly, informative, helpful. So naturally he was screwed eight ways from Sunday.
Kamala's cousins are kind of stupid and / or awful. Leaving your teenaged cousin alone in a strange city just to go hang out with your friends? Guessing the reason we don't seem them after is because actually Kamala's mom found out about this, smacked them over the head with a shovel and buried them in shallow graves.
And on that note, it's... reassuring to know Kamala's mom is also awful to her own mother, not just her daughter. (Disclaimer: Not actually reassuring.)

The book "Shadows of the Sith", yet another valiant attempt to try and make Rise of Skywalker make sense came out last week.
My sarcastic prediction that Ochi "Waspinator" of Bestoon killed Rey's folks by accident then died stepping on a rake turned out to be... less off the bean than it really could've.
It's a perfectly alright book, but it does have that problem all the interquels have of having to set up the status quo of the sequels in there.

Managed to record some of Doctor Who: Redacted. Now just need to find the time to listen to it.

During the weekend found a TV channel showing a marathon of The Goodies, of all things.
That was a weird evening.

The latest patch for AC: Valhalla managed to totally un-install all the DLC.
I'm not quite sure how that happened, but that's an impressive level of failure all the same.

Keep hearing about how Lightyear is either terrible or just not good.
Kind of want to go see it now, just to see what all the fuss is about.

After much bugging from DWP, checked out a thing they'd been "strongly suggesting" I take a look at.
Turns out it's for people in an entirely different housing situation anyhow, and therefore I'm not eligible.
*sigh*

Nasty stomach bug this morning. Took a while to pin it down because when you've got a job that requires getting up super early and leaves you feeling tired and exhausted anyway, waking up the next morning feeling like you've been done over with a shovel just seems normal.
The 'being sick just drinking a tiny glass of water' bit was a tip-off, though.
Blurgh...

[cyberghostface]

Lightyear's not bad but it's definitely not as good as the other Pixar or Disney animated films that have come out recently.

[leahandillyana]

Very bad. Fighting suicidal ideation. :(

[werehawk]

Hold onto something you enjoy or even look forward to a little and hang in there. You can make it through this and will be happy again at some point. I hope you are still getting help to make it easier to get there.

[janegray]

Has anybody seen Everything Everywhere All at Once?

Does it have a happy ending?

[thezmage]

I have not but I have heard nothing but gushing praise for it and based on that praise if it didn't have an overwhelmingly happy ending I would be shocked.

[mister_terrific]

Got my new hearing aids last week and have been slowly getting used to them. Having Bluetooth capability is such a game changer! Phone calls are much, much easier to listen to, and I can sit there watching YouTube on the sofa while my wife watches her videos at her desktop.

It does have its headaches, though. If I'm watching something and she calls out to me...umm, what was that again? And since our old smart TV wasn't very smart, we went out and got a new one at a very sweet price...and after a great deal of error and error and trial and error, I can hook up to that as well.

Daughter got herself a promotion at a different resort within the same chain, and informed us she was coming for a visit next week. This means a) we have to buy a new mattress for the daybed (since the current one does not meet Daughter Standards (eyeroll)), b) I need to clear some clutter out of the office/bedroom (never never NEVER offer to take some costuming junk off someone's hands right before a pandemic!), and c) I have to figure out how the heck we can get stuff to the storage unit...where they've been doing major street work right in front of the place. Of course.

[werehawk]

I've had bluetooth hearing aids for almost 3 years and in a lot of ways they are better, but I feel the sound quality is not as good as the non-bluetooth ones (for my kind of hearing loss - otosclerosis). Also, they just don't work well for audio books for some reason (but great for videos/music/phone). My other problem with them is that when I get in the car and my phone shifts to car bluetooth, it pops my hearing aids back so the basic volume for that setting and not what I have shifted it to (higher or lower depending on the situation - I have to mess with them depending on what I am listening to sometimes). I am getting new ones in a few months and I hope they have worked out some of the bugs from my model. Sadly, I cannot hook up to my TV (but its an LG - and picky about what bluetooths work - is maybe why).

[malurette]

I had a job interview in what is a good approximation of my dream lab last week but chances they hire me are very low, I have another interview next week at another place that very much not dreamy at all--a job I can do and fits my qualifications very well, for an important product, but in a startup and I've grown wary of startups after a previous experience that ended badly, with a hour-long commute ugh I know I need a job and chances they'll hire me are higher but. Only the prospect of having stocked up my e-reader with Star Trek novels makes me agree to grit my teeth and go with the idea of that hellish commute. (Yay Star Trek novels!)

[cyberghostface]

If anyone watches Chucky here... Lachlan Watson (who is non binary) has been cast as both Glen and Glenda (from Seed of Chucky) for the second season.

https://twitter.com/JenniferTilly/status/1541922372801921028

[werehawk]

Anyone that watches Chucky might want to check out John Oliver's recent Youtube video on Beach Dolls - so freaky.

[werehawk]

I really really didn't like this season of Umbrella Academy. Without spoilers, I like more grounded scifi/fantasy stuff the stuff towards the end was not that. That said, the characters/acting was still fantastic. Lila was certainly the breakout character of the season.

[zachbeacon]

So has anyone else seen the Polium One Controller? It seems like an obvious scam (what with the talk of NFTs and Web3.0) but it feels like only a matter of time before a real gaming company puts a dedicated wallet button on a controller.

[bruinsfan]

If I watch the Avatar sequel, it will be in the comfort of my own home where I can pause it at will to visit the restroom, fix snacks, or possibly read a book I find more entertaining, thank you very much Mr. Cameron. The original was filmed in striking fashion, but my memory of the story didn't survive the walk to my car in the parking lot afterward.

[lissa_quon]

Hah I remember the Avatar story because I could set my watch by it. It was pretty but the story was just so paint by numbers nothing was a surprise or interesting.

[folkemunne]

My first movie, "Blasted", came out on Netflix last week, and I've spent the past seven days binge-reading reviews. Most are pretty fun to read, even the bad ones (especially the bad ones), but I need to stop for my own sanity because this is one deep dark rabbit hole of neediness I'm climbing into.

[icon_uk]

Congratulations! What was your part in it? Writing? Acting? Behind the scenes?

If you wish to say, of course, no pressure there.

[thezmage]

James Cameron isn't planning to direct Avatars 4 and 5.

IOW, even he is losing interest in the franchise, why should we all be more invested in it than he is.

Watched the GI Joe animated movie this weekend. They really went all-in on Cobrala, but is it really any more ridiculous than a criminal organization devoted entirely to sticking it to Snake Eyes? I wonder how the franchise would've been different had this gone to theaters as originally planned. The only character design I really liked amongst them was Nemesis Enforcer

Steadily getting more and more players into the GI Joe Deck Building Game. Got a three player game in (albeit with one player who didn't really ever get into how to play, but he seemed to be new to DBGs in general) Maybe one day I'll get to the second mission with Dr Mindbender and Storm Shadow

[icon_uk]

Yeah, Golobulus and Co were... a BIT of a stretch.

That being said I liked the basic idea of Cobra-La (Apparently never intended to be the final name of the place, but it was a placeholder that stuck) as a place where bio-engineering had developed instead of mechanics. I don't think it was a good fit for a GI Joe story, but it was an interesting and cool idea.

Also the UK version was odd because they didn't have the rights to use the name "Sgt Slaughter", so he was renamed "Sgt. Slammer" who ran the "Slammer House" training centre and they redubbed every time it was mentioned.

[numeronone]

There used to be a whole website for telling you when was the ideal time to pee while watching a movie (e.g. when Spock starts telling you he's an endangered species in Star Trek).

[lissa_quon]

Not much going on here. Been low energy - mainly been taking care of cats and writing. Oh yea and The Sims.

I now have 5k words of The Vampire Book. Not sure where I'm going with it or what the end goal is but 5k words is better than nothing.