I found myself.

I guess it was inevitable given the economy and the rash of cancellations at DC, but they're cancelling Blue Beetle.

On the one hand, I'm grateful it ran as long as it did. On the other hand, it just makes me sad to see more good titles be cast by the wayside because the mainstream continues to support the mediocre. I'm not mad at the DC editorial staff about this, I'm just disappointed in general. (Although I really think that cancelling the title just as the Brave and the Bold cartoon comes out is a bad plan marketing-wise; they're pulling it just as they have an awesome opportunity to promote it widely.) I really wish they could have waited for Sturges to get through the next story arc after "Boundaries" - the fallout of Khaji Da sharing the idea of nonviolence and free will and everything with the other Reach scarabs would have been a really interesting read.

Although, seriously, DiDio, a word of advice. After a 20-question interview where you discuss the fact that you're axing half a dozen titles, some critically acclaimed and some with decent sales (I mean, come on, the Nightwing cancellation's an RIP gimmick if I ever saw one), that is not a question you really want to pose to fans.

ETA: Okay, can someone please explain the phenomenon of some fans taking delight in this cancellation because they didn't like the character and miss old characters (not just Ted)? I mean, I understand not giving a damn in that case, but... what's there to take pleasure in from the cancellation of a book you don't care for if it doesn't affect the stuff you do like and read? I don't get it. I've heard it from a couple people whose opinions I otherwise respect, too - it's not just trolls expressing this sentiment. The mind boggles.

Okay, con journal is still pending. Work is INSANE since we all just hit the "ohshitwe'regonnadie" homestretch. Also, my cell phone vanished last night, and after finally concluding it was lost/broken/stolen (I called it, and it was turned off. I never shut it off and the battery was good), ran around trying to find and activate my old phone for the month remaining on my contract.

Also, picked up Blue Beetle #28. ...I am once again grateful that Will Pfeifer is NOT the regular writer. Not going to go into details, but I don't think anybody was in character, and I saw the big "twist" coming miles away. Also, the resolution? Was ridiculous. Seriously, Jaime was a hell of a lot more in character in his Manhunter cameo and that wasn't even his own book!

Sturges had better be good. I realize John Rogers is a tough act to follow, but after the two months of Pfeifer-penned suck I'm missing his work on this title even more. If the quality continues to go downhill, I might actually drop the book.

Anyway, back to fighting with image uploads now.

Okay! Here's an actual decent batch of icons from BB #25. Some of these can be used as bases, but even so PLEASE credit; I did mess with the clone brush quite a bit to get rid of speech/thought bubbles in some places.

( So much awesome. 28 icons below the cut. )

Sooo... I did promise something resembling a coherent review for BB #24. And I intend to deliver. But my squeeing resulted in Mom giving me a prelude: why get so excited over a comic book?

Here's your answer, Mom, and this issue ( embodied all the reasons why I adore this series. (Cut for moderate spoilers and a lot of tl;dr) )

Yeah, yeah, real review coming. But this had to be said.

So I caved and ran out on my lunch break just to pick this up, and read it in the car. The solicit and the cover are TOTALLY misleading, people. In a good way.

I do not have time to give this issue the gushing tl;dr love it deserves. So a couple quick thoughts follow.

( 'No. This is about the point when Ravager tries to stab somebody and Robin starts that grind-y thing with his teeth. You're way cooler.' )

Okay, it's official, I've pretty much forgiven John Rogers for any involvement he had with that Catwoman movie.

( ETA: Two nitpicks that are probably the letterers' doing. )

So for a while there I was all antsy because I was afraid John Rogers would kiss Blue Beetle goodbye after Year Two wraps up with issue 25. Which would make me very very sad, as his writing is one of the main reasons I love the book so much. The few guest issues this book's had have been good, but you can still really tell when he's not writing it. And since the last he mentioned the future of BB, only the first two years had been plotted out and he hadn't mentioned Year Three or the possibility thereof. Given that comics can go from Awesome to Suck with the drop of a hat or the change of a writer or editorial policy... well, I was worried.

And then narm00 pointed out an entry in John Rogers' blog.

Numfar, do the dance of joy!

*flails*

*flails some more*

I called it. I didn't expect my predictions to come true. DAMMIT I HATE BEING RIGHT.

Major spoilers beneath the cut.

Yes, this incoherent ramble took two days to write, I blame trying to write this in intervals during training class. Which is also why it's not that concise.

( 'My ring still says you're a monster.' 'Well, my scarab says you're a #*#$&, so we're even.' )

As I said, the above would be more concise if I hadn't composed it in between intervals in training class while trying not to go completely insane. Discuss?

I was driving home from work a few days ago and noticed that the consignment shop I'd found a few months back - one that usually had some nifty stuff - was gone. I finally managed to pull in there so I could read the signs without getting rear-ended: "Closed for fire." ...I really hope they'll be able to reopen. I feel bad for being slightly relieved that it didn't say "Closed permanently" or something, though. *crosses fingers*

Picked up Amazing Spider-Girl #12 and have flipped through it to confirm or disprove my fears. Not quite what I was afraid of. *sigh* Okay, Tom DeFalco is not on my hit list, but... I foresee a Giant Sucking Black Hole of Angst and Guilt for the next several issues. Arrrgh. I may want to take it off my pull list and get the third trade instead if that's going to be the case. Oh, and Moose is a complete freaking IDIOT.

So although I don't think anyone else on my friends list reads Spider-Girl, Cosmic Comix got the first issue of the gimmicky relaunch in today, and I wanted to air out my first-read thoughts. Cut for spoilers and for people who don't care. :)

( First off, what I didn't like. )

Having gotten that out of the way, the important part:

( Why I am definitely picking up Amazing Spider-Girl #2. )

Yeah, I'm going to pick up Amazing SG #2 when it comes out, because I am fairly intrigued. Hopefully, the explanation for Mona and the Glowing Green Bag of Doom will live up to the tease, May will put the webs back on (and I would not be surprised if she doesn't find it hard to get a costume given Peter's suspicions), Felicity will get a clue, Gene will either show his true colors or get written better, and May will get fed up eventually and get a haircut.

Hey, I'm allowed to have my pet peeves. Nyah. :)