Short Thoughts

1. Dan Dare. Best mini-series I've read in the last few months. If you haven't read it, the books are starting to come out. Good and solid in a way that makes you want to be British. (I am not, in any way, British, but I like to pretend that I am sometimes because my great grandmother was born there, while her parents were half-way through emigrating from Romania to America.)

Pictured above is Lt. Christian, the real star of "Dan Dare." Dan Dare, of course, is also a star, but in kind of the way that William Shatner was the star of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture."

After a while, even if you are the "original," it still comes off like a cover version when The Rolling Stones sings "Hope I die before I get old" at 60 year olds. The character of "Dan Dare" was originally called "Lex Christian," which sets up Lt. Christian as "more original than the original."

2. Trinity. I like it a lot. I have no complaints. I don't think it's "too slow" or "too boring." I like the back-up stories. I always like Gangbuster, for example, and they all actually do fit into the plot. I seem to be in a Minority of One here. But then, how many blogs do I read of people who actual would list "Superman" in their top 10 super-heroes. Not many. But he's in mine.

3. Diana Price Vol. 2! For someone who can't stand reading those Black and White Archives, my collection of Wonder Woman between, say, the end of World War II and the 1986 was kind of sparse -- consisting only of Volume 1. This is a good thing.

4. I don't care if it's Spider-Man fighting The Human Flame when they first met in Amazing Spider-Man in the early 1960s, or Black Canary fighting Manhunter in last week's Birds of Prey #120, it NEVER works to have good guys fighting each other. You have to make them both act out of character.

Superhero Camp -- Just Like The Justice League

Medium Raggirl returned today from her first day of "Drama Camp." There is a different theme for each week, and this week's theme is "Superheroes."

No surprisingly, I guess, Medium Raggirl was the only girl of the seven kids signed up.

This wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but we were a little concerned how she would take it. The first day, though, went very well. She has created her persona as Wonder Raggirl. (No relation to Donna or Cassie.) Her character has antennae, and the power to "confuse" the bad guys.

After getting a number of additional superheroic details, we tried to subtly inquire as to whether it was a problem that there were no other boys in the class. "No, it's fine," she responded. "That means I get to have a boy as a sidekick!"

Good for her.

Action Reconciliation

Action #865 -- The Toyman may seem to be different, inconsistent characters, but there is only one real Toyman. The others were just life-like toys made by the real Toyman.

Action #867 -- Brainiac may seem to be different, inconsistent characters, but there is only one real Brainiac. The others were just life-life creations made by the real Brainiac.

I look forward to future Action comics addressing different different, inconsistent characters, who turn out to just be creations made by the 'real' villain.

Maybe You DO Need A Weatherman To Know Which Way The Wind Blows

Dear Ma and Pa Kent,

You are certainly very good parents to your son Clark, but your basic farming skills need to be improved. As is very clear from Action #866, you have failed to notice that your weather vane is busted. Only the ROOSTER is supposed to turn in the wind. If the whole darned thing turns, then -- as you can see -- the rooster is always pointing "West" no matter which way the wind is coming from.

Strange Attractors: Adam Strange -- Hair Magnet

So, was anyone else's enjoyment of Rann/ Thanagar: Holy War #3 diminished by the distraction of (Captain) Comet's hair being magnetically attracted to Adam Strange for the entire issue?

It didn't matter when Adam was to Comet's left:



Or Comet's right:



Or directly in front:



Comet's hair sought him out like True North.