There's A Darkness

Vacation

2012-02-24T06:00:00.002-06:00

I'm off to start a revolution/eat hot dogs.

New Orleans, I'm coming for you.

Image Friday #35

2012-02-24T00:00:00.002-06:00

When I Lost My Con Virginity

2012-02-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

Reasons I Love Batman #3

2012-02-22T12:00:00.000-06:00

3. He doesn't take the easy way out.

Heisenberg And The Cartel Of Death

2012-02-22T00:00:00.005-06:00

‎"Heisenberg and the Cartel of Death" is a 2008 American adventure film. It is the fourth film in the Heisenberg franchise which stars the titular character, a famous meth-cook, cancer survivor, and mild mannered chemistry teacher by day. In this installment, he takes on a young junkie protege and inadvertently stumbles upon a Santa Muerte-worshiping cartel using a chicken stand as a front for their criminal operations.

Team Ninjaink credits: Timothy Lim, Illustrations Robert Simpson, Concept and Layout

Follow along as Team Ninjaink sets out to conquer 2012.

Comics On The Brain

2012-02-21T00:30:00.002-06:00

You may think you have comics on the brain when you dream of Alan Moore giving a lecture on Michael Chabon's Kavalier and Clay. The deep Northampton voice talking about the two 1930s Jewish boys both looking to escape reality and creating the key that will save and doom them: The Escapist....

However you know you have comics on the brain when you hit snooze on your alarm three times causing you to be late for work because you had to know how the dream ended.

Nolan's Prestige

2012-02-21T00:00:00.005-06:00

"It seems you took my advice...a bit literally."

Anon Prime

2012-02-20T12:00:00.000-06:00

Or How Tim Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Mask

Thoughts on A Death In The Family Part I

2012-02-20T00:00:00.003-06:00

Despite my Batman mania, I have never read A Death In The Family.

"It's not that good" and "everyone knows what it's about" stood as the excuses for avoiding this story of how Batman lost a Robin to the Joker. But when I decided to check out digital comics, DC had the four issues on sale for $ .99. No matter how bad it may be, four bucks would be an adequate price to check out the wonder of the new evolution in both technology and the comics industry. It turned out to be an enjoyable story, not a good one. It's Adam West meets 1980s geopolitics featuring guest appearances by Cesar Romero, Superman and the Ayatollah. COMICS, EVERYBODY! Try and stay with me as I summarize.

Jason Todd is the new Robin as well a complete douche bag. Bruce and Alfred know that he's a complete douche bag. Jason is hotheaded, doesn't take orders and frankly isn't as good as the original Robin Dick Grayson. However Batman can't accept the fact that he screwed up which is a somewhat consistent character trait. After all, he is the goddamn Batman. So after Jason directly disobeys an order during a fight, Batman suspends him. It's adorable. "YOU SOCKED THE WRONG GUY IN THE JAW, CHUM! GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Of course, Jason, being the idiot douche that he is, doesn't listen and decides to go out and cause some trouble.

He discovers that he's not the orphan he thought he was. No, instead he's got a list of three women who might possibly be his long-lost mother and all of them happen to reside in the Middle East. Coincidentally, the Joker has broken out of Arkham and just so happens to be in possession of a nuclear missile which he intends to sell due to a desperate need for cash. Who better to sell a nuclear missile than Muslim terrorists? So unbeknownst to each other, Jason Todd and Bruce Wayne head off to the Middle East in pursuit of Mother and Joker!

"AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE CRAZY ONE!!!"

In Beruit, Jason finds Mom Candidate #1, an Israeli spy. Joker finds crazy Islamic terrorists to sell his nuclear missile. And Batman finds Jason. Chaos ensues. Joker's nuclear weapon turns out to be a dud so he flees to escape from the crazy enraged Muslim terrorists. Meanwhile Mom Candidate #1 turns out to have never given birth to a complete shithead so she's obviously not the mother of Jason Todd. Bruce chastises Jason for going over to 1980s Beruit, Lebanon without informing him then promises to help him find his mother.

Lucky for the two of them, Mom Candidate #2 turns out to be in Beruit as well however she's quickly kidnapped by the enraged Muslim terrorists. But...oh wait...there's a twist! Mom Candidate #2 is actually semi-villain and mistress of martial arts Lady Shiva.

"WAIT FOR IT!"

DOUBLE TWIST!: The enraged Muslim terrorists that captured her are actually led by Lady Shiva. After Batman saves Jason's ass from Shiva, they discover she's never had a complete shithead for a son either therefore she is definitely not the mother of Jason Todd.

So the boys travel to find Mom Candidate #3 who runs a medical center in Ethiopia and also happens to be an old associate of none other than the Joker. TONS OF COINCIDENCES, PEOPLE. So in a Python-esque moment, all four players (Batman, Shithead, Joker, and Mom Candidate #3) all wind up at a makeshift medical camp in destitute Ethiopia. The Joker's grand scheme involves stealing medical supplies to sell on the black market while replacing the boxes he steals with boxes of laughing gas. Batman figures it out and decides to chase after Joker's caravan after informing Jason that he is not to go into the warehouse where his mother is waiting until he returns. So what does Shithead do? If you guessed the exact opposite of what Bruce told him to do then you are correct.

So Jason goes in only to have his mother offer him to the Joker because she's either a heartless bitch or perhaps because she intuitively knows that her son is a complete shithead. In a seminal moment of Batman history, Joker proceeds to beat the shit out of the shithead with a crowbar.

MY HERO.

To top it off, Joker walks out after setting a bomb. After Batman stops the caravan, he returns to find the medical warehouse in ruins and finds Mom Candidate #3 in the ruins who cries as she breathes her last. And with desperation, Bruce looks for his chum in the rubble. He digs out the boy's bloody and broken body and sobs instead of, you know, doing a happy dance. So all in all, Jason Todd does stupid things that Batman tells him specifically not to do and the Joker kills him. BUT YOU THINK IT'S OVER? No way, brah. This happens:

COMICS EVERYBODY!

Shirt Plug

2012-02-18T00:00:00.000-06:00

Image Friday #34

2012-02-17T00:00:00.005-06:00

Playing The Part of Dr. Gonzo...

2012-02-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Quick Same Difference Thought

2012-02-16T00:00:00.002-06:00

I'm roughly a third of the way through Same Difference. Any comic that references Tom Waits is A-OK in my blog.

Selectiv From Korrektiv

2012-02-15T23:30:00.001-06:00

Random Quotation #34

2012-02-15T17:55:00.001-06:00

From a CBR interview with Marvel's Joe Quesada and Dan Buckley:

"In the course of conducting this interview, CBR News asked a follow-up question as to Marvel's policies towards its creators: 'Finally, issues of legal ownership aside, one of the most common complaints, if not the most common complaint about the comics industry, is that the deck has been stacked against working creators as far back as the industry's inception. Does Marvel feel a responsibility now to help support the writers and artists who helped build the Marvel Universe, and in particular the artists who had a direct hand in creating the kind of franchise characters that can support multi-million dollar movie and licensing endeavors?'"

"Marvel declined comment with a spokesperson citing the ongoing litigation."

Picks For 2/15

2012-02-15T00:00:00.003-06:00

Dysfunctional Greek Family!

Brubaker writes Bucky vs a gun toting gorilla!

Snyder and Capullo provide another opportunity for debate about violence in comics!

Random Quotation #33

2012-02-15T00:00:00.001-06:00

"He doesn’t dress up like a bat, doesn’t balk at killing people who so clearly need it and doesn’t hang around with a little boy in tights. There’s really no mistaking the two." - Garth Ennis on the differences between Batman and the Shadow

To Whom It May Concern

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-06:00

My birthday is ten days from now.

I would consider Christina Hendricks a suitable gift.

That is all.

My Favorite Valentine

2012-02-14T00:00:00.001-06:00

A Confederacy of Beards

2012-02-13T01:00:00.001-06:00

If it ever gets made into a film (it won't), I honestly believe A Confederacy of Dunces would do well to have Zach Galifianakis as Ignatius Reilly. At least it'd be better than oft-rumored Will Ferrell.

Shirt Plug

2012-02-13T00:00:00.002-06:00

I'll actually be purchasing this one for myself.

Reasons I Love Batman #2

2012-02-13T00:00:00.001-06:00

2. I can never look at a crowbar without thinking of this.

Today In Creators Helping Creators...

2012-02-12T21:00:00.001-06:00

A donation account as been set up for Gary Friedrich, the man now not legally allowed to properly label himself co-creator of Ghost Rider. I donated a small sum because of the ridiculousness as well as the sadness of the situation. If you feel free to do so you can follow the link.

A NOTE TO MY FANS AND SUPPORTERS:
Since the various news agencies and websites have reported the ruling against me on my claims against Marvel in the Ghost Rider lawsuit, and the assesment of a $17,000 judgment against me and my company instead, I have read an amazing amount of comments in my support on the internet, and have received many messages of support directly. Although the reports of my employment situation and financial difficulties as well as problems with my health are unfortunately true, I want to let everyone in the comic book world, especially my supporters and fans of the Ghost Rider character which I invented, created, and wrote, that I am going to appeal the Court's ruling and continue to fight this as long as I am able and that your support of me means more than you will ever know. I have heard your voices. I thank you with alll my heart, and I appreciate your thoughts and best wishes as I soldier on.
Feel free to keep in touch with me via e-mail: fgroovygary@aol.com.
Thanks again and God bless you.

More From Clint Eastwood

2012-02-12T17:30:00.000-06:00

Well, Bill Hader as Clint Eastwood:

Reasons I Love Batman #1

2012-02-11T00:00:00.002-06:00

1. He fights pirates with a massive wrench.

Jack Kirby Already Looks Ghostly

2012-02-10T19:45:00.001-06:00

A Great Way To Waste Seven Minutes

2012-02-10T18:00:00.001-06:00

John Hodgman presents Dana Gould as Dr. Zaius as Hal Holbrook as Samuel Langhorne Clemens as Mark Twain:

Today In Companies Screwing Creators...

2012-02-10T14:30:00.001-06:00

From Topless Robot:

1. The guy who created the demonic, biker version of Ghost Rider for Marvel asked if they'd credit him and give him a slice of the pie when they put out the Ghost Rider movie.
2. Marvel said "Ha-ha! You're funny."
3. Creator took Marvel to court.
4. Marvel counter-sued, won and is now trying to take away said creator's last source of income and deny him the right to sell Ghost Rider merchandise or ever promote himself as having created Ghost Rider.

The man now owes Marvel around $17,000 dollars for the money he's made at cons selling sketches all while Marvel will reap a couple million from what is all but assured to be a shitty movie.

One day, Jack Kirby will come back and haunt these fuckers as the true Spirit of Vengeance.

Regnat Populus

2012-02-10T00:00:00.010-06:00

I normally stick to snark when it comes to politics instead of deeply evaluating them because I find it best not to explode and rant about our corrupt state of affairs... But a former teacher of mine is trying to do some good in my state and I think it's worth noticing. The following is reposted from the Arkansas Times blog.

Committee aims to toughen Arkansas ethics law
Posted by Max Brantley on Sun, Feb 5, 2012 at 7:43 AM
OZARKS UNBOUND
CLEAN IT UP: New group would reduce influence of money on politics.
The Democrat-Gazette's annual article on legislative expense reimbursements is a good takeoff for what could be good news on the ethics front — a campaign for an initiated act to stiffen Arkansas ethics laws.
The D-G article noted that legislators, nominally limited to about $14,000 a year in pay, manage to knock down $40,000 to $50,000 through dubiously supported expense reimbursements. Numbers are down this year, thanks to pressure from a number of sources, but they are not down that much when you consider that a lawsuit (of which I'm a part) is certain to eventually end current expense practices that amount to unconstitutional pay enhancements.
Moral: Legislators must be protected from themselves, because they don't have the ethical bearings to do it on their own.
So enter the Regnat Populus 2012 ballot question committee. It filed organizational papers with the state Ethics Commission last week. Its chair, Paul Spencer, a teacher at Catholic High School, talked to me a bit about the work that is underway. A Facebook page and website are in the works and you may be sure I'll provide links when they are ready.
Spencer and a like-minded group of good goverment types — including lawyers, a minister who's been active in the Occupy Little Rock work and many more — hope to organize from the grassroots and through social media a statewide organization to put an ethics law on the ballot in 2012. They'lll need 63,000 signatures by July and hope to gather 80,000 to have some breathing room in the certification process. They don't intend to raise a lot of money for the cause, a sign of their admirable, if perhaps naive, idealism. Spencer said it made no sense to strike a blow against the corrosive influence of money in politics by raising a bunch of money to fight money in politics.
The final draft of the initiative is under review by lawyers and should be submitted to the attorney general within the month. Here are the probable major thrusts:
* WALMART RULE: At last, at last. The law would ban lobbyist spending on legislators. No more drinks. No more steaks. No more trips. If out-of-state junkets are useful to legislators, let them ask for public reimbursement and justify the expenses.
* REVOLVING DOOR: The one-year cooling-off period now in place before a legislator may walk into a fat job as a lobbyist? The law would make it FIVE.
* CORPORATE INFLUENCE: The initiative would make state campaign finance law parallel federal campaign finance law. The biggest difference — THE END OF CORPORATE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS. In Arkansas, the corporate influence is even more pernicious because the same people can make maximum contributions under the names of multiple corporate shells.
* CITIZENS UNITED: The ballot measure would be styled as a non-binding vote of disapproval against the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that established corporate personhood in political spending.
Like the sound of this? I do. I can't wait to hear the Chamber of Commerce messages that are devised to explain why these are bad things.
Want to be a part of it? Make suggestions for additions to the initiative. Send an e-mail here: regnatpopuluscfr@gmail.com ....
PS — If you didn't know, Regnat Populus is the state motto — the people rule. Not corporations.

Image Friday #33

2012-02-10T00:00:00.001-06:00

Caught Up On Breaking Bad

2012-02-09T22:00:00.000-06:00

I started watching Breaking Bad around Christmas and have devoured the four seasons over the last month and a half. I won't go into details because I don't want to spoil it for anyone as well as I think Sean T. Collins is doing a pretty damn good job at providing thoughts. However, if you're not doing anything remotely important, like studying for the bar or something, I suggest starting it.

So I Googled My Pseudonym

2012-02-09T00:15:00.001-06:00

....and the first two pages were nearly all mugshots.

I DOUBT J. LUKE PHAM HAS THIS FUCKING PROBLEM.

Shirt Plug

2012-02-09T00:00:00.003-06:00

You know the deal by now:

"I'll Be Watching"

2012-02-09T00:00:00.002-06:00

Here's a quick Batman tale written by Ed Brubaker. While I think motion comics are a bit wonky, the voice acting is appreciable. It reminded me a bit of the little character studies from Batman: The Animated Series.

Random Quotation #32

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

"Writing comics? Still the best job in the world. I sit around all day making shit up and see it illustrated, in 99% of cases, exactly as I imagined it if not better. I've been doing this a long time now and I'm going to do it until I die which probably won't be long, given the constant insane deadline pressure. But fuck it. Anything worth doing takes work. Some people do question if it's worth it, given that the industry makes no friends and takes no prisoners and is not kind to people without the chops or the commitment or a thick skin. You know what? I've got forty books out there that some people wear on their fucking skin, and I didn't manage that by arsing around on the internet all day. That's right. I managed it AS WELL AS arsing around on the internet all day. I have powers." - Warren Ellis, maddest of buggers.

Writer Envy #9

2012-02-07T12:00:00.001-06:00

Warren Ellis and John Cassaday with something I think daily:

Timothy Lim Liked The Avengers Trailer

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-06:00

Well There's A Succinct Argument

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-06:00

Super Bowl Shocker

2012-02-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

Random Quotation #31

2012-02-05T19:30:00.002-06:00

"...We're all scared because this isn't a game.... It seems that we've lost our heart at times. The fog of division, discourse and blame have made it hard to see what's ahead... But after those trials we all rallied behind what was right and acted as one. Because that's what we do. We find a way through tough times and if we can't find a way then we'll make one... All that matters now is what's ahead. How do we come from behind? How do we come together and how do we win? This country can't be knocked out in one punch. We get right back up again and when we do, the world will hear the roar of our engines." - Clint Eastwood, in a Chrysler commercial of all things.

Coming Fall 2013

2012-02-05T00:00:00.004-06:00

Image Friday #32

2012-02-03T00:00:00.004-06:00

A Real Criminal

2012-02-02T22:10:00.000-06:00

Frank Miller's Ninja Whore Assassins

2012-02-02T16:00:00.000-06:00

...will be searching for J. Luke Pham who contributed the following.

Frank Miller
Could concoct quite a thriller.
But Holy Terror
Was an error.

Frank Miller's
Framed his house with five pillers:
Shattered bones, Greeks, tarts, shuriken,
And being Amuriken.

Frank Miller
Became mentally iller.
He used to be super,
But ended a bluper.

Frank Millier
Grew sillier and sillier.
His corpus' late excrescences
Pure adolescences.

Frank Miller
Cranked out cartloads of filler.
Not much made much sense;
Mayhap he was dense.

Watchmen II Addendum

2012-02-01T13:30:00.000-06:00

Adam Hughes, who will be illustrating the Dr. Manhattan mini-series, has updated his profile pic on Twitter.

Watchmen II: The Wrath of Moore

2012-02-01T10:00:00.001-06:00

Discussed for years with rumors picking up over the last six months or so, DC announced today that it had given a "go" to Watchmen II. It's an understandable business decision as there's an opportunity for a massive amount of sales in a down market.

They've been able to attach a massive amount of talent to the project. Darwyn Cooke and Adam Hughes especially stand out to me. And they've established a format based on Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers where multiple miniseries are formatted and released to form one 25 issue long maxi-series. These decisions show an effort to tell a story worth reading.

However, two ghosts hang over the project. The rather obvious first lurks in his magic cave, stroking his beard and grumbly muttering curses while a sweet intoxicating smoke curls around him like mist. “I don’t want money. What I want is for this not to happen… As far as I know, there weren’t that many prequels or sequels to ‘Moby-Dick,'” says Alan Moore.

The second has plagued the comics industry from the beginning: Ethics. Superman's creators were shortchanged by what would become DC and would fight until the end of their lives for a small piece of the fortune the company would earn from the Man of Steel.

Bob Kane took sole credit for Batman while Bill Finger, who came up with most everything save the hero's name, remains forgotten by most. Stan Lee seemed to go long periods where he couldn't remember Jack Kirby's or Steve Ditko's names.

Alan Moore and Dave bloody Gibbons signed a deal that would revert the rights to the creators once Watchmen was out of print. In its near thirty year history, the book has been so successful that it has never gone out of print. All of these creators have fallen victim to a success that they never imagined would happen as well as business men with questionable ethics.

I have three wishes when it comes to 'Before Watchmen': first, that it's good. Second, if it's not good, it's not so bad that it will ruin the experience of the original. And third, that Moore will not start Ragnarok because of its existence.

Because you KNOW he totally could.

Breaking Batman

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

Kids And Comics Addendum

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-06:00

Or, Neil Gaiman Writes About Watchmen Before It's Completed And Before He Himself Is Famous.

Drive DVD Release

2012-01-31T00:00:00.004-06:00

Just a reminder that this is out today. It's the first new release DVD that I've bought for myself in at least two years.

Kids And Comics

2012-01-31T00:00:00.003-06:00

A recent comment on my Batman #5 review got the wheels turning. First, the commenter felt underwhelmed with the issue and viewed it as a stunt. The latter part I can agree with an extent. After all, the comics industry is a commercial venture dominated by mega-conglomerates in the form of Disney and Time-Warner. And DC's latest venture in "The New 52" is a massive stunt to gain commercial interest is the reason there is a Batman #5 in 2012. So while I do believe that Snyder and Capullo are telling a story that's worthy of a read, I'm also aware that the bottom line for DC and Time-Warner is money.

I paused to reflect on that for a bit but the second part of the comment has stuck with me: "I'm glad I grew up reading comics that were less graphic and so much more pure and fun. Today's stuff tends to become more and more disturbing, especially for kids." My immediate thought was that the issue in question wasn't meant for kids. However, the comment is worthy of more than a quick write-off that Batman is rated "T" for teen by DC standards.

The comics industry which began as a cheap medium for young boys and girls has evolved into a somewhat expensive hobby for mostly white adult males; Obviously I fit that profile. None of the books on my pull list would be appropriate for anyone younger than a teenager (though maybe a really intelligent pre-teen girl would enjoy Batgirl). It's a sad necessity for the industry.

Comics began over eighty years ago, making it up as they went along. That means many comics have at least fifty years worth of continuity which could be viewed as baggage that weighs down a story. Batman can be explained in roughly ten minutes in the films but in the comics it's somewhat important to know the second Robin, Jason Todd, was bludgeoned to death with a crowbar by the Joker then brought back to life in a fashion that's so ridiculous that I will just have to move on.

Kids of the '30s had two main outlets: comics and radio. Now children have tv, videogames, and movies among other things. Superheroes dominate those mediums. Think Brave And The Bold, Arkham City and Iron Man. IRON MAN. Who would've thought that Iron Man would be a popular Halloween costume in the 2000s?

While I find it disgusting that rape was an important factor in a story featuring Superman and Batman in Identity Crisis and that Catwoman was recently shown riding Batman in a full page spread, I don't think those extreme examples are the norm. There are still books for kids; well done books at that. Sometimes they don't sell and they're cancelled like Marvel's Thor: The Mighty Avenger. Other times they're massive successes like Ultimate Spider-Man which would probably be my pick as a starter book for a 10 year old.

And then, a couple years later, I'd get them hooked on Batman with Year One, The Killing Joke and TDKR. :D

The A Club

2012-01-30T00:00:00.002-06:00

By ninjaink Captain, Timothy Lim

Newt 2012: To The Moon, America!

2012-01-27T00:30:00.004-06:00

Stickers and t-shirts can be found at my Red Bubble store.

Image Friday #31

2012-01-27T00:00:00.002-06:00

Writer Envy #8

2012-01-26T11:00:00.000-06:00

From Superman Annual 11's "For The Man Who Has Everything", written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave bloody Gibbons:

"Think clean thoughts, chum."

Bob, Book Cases, And The Brit In Black

2012-01-25T00:00:00.001-06:00

I have four book cases in my bedroom/batcave.

As the books laying on my trunk that holds all kinds of bits will tell you, four is not enough.

...I prided myself on these book cases.

Then Neil bloody Gaiman had to one up me with his basement library.

Batman and Robin #26

2012-01-24T00:00:00.012-06:00

Written by David Hine, Illustrated by Greg Tocchini and Andrei Bressan

Dadaism meets Batman.

First, take a long look at the great cover by Batman Inc. artist Chris Burnham. It's easily the best thing about this final issue of Batman and Robin before the New 52 relaunch I found in the dollar bin of my local comics store. However, that is not a backhanded compliment.

Since this is the last story before last year's relaunch, there's a lot crammed into what probably would've been at least a two-part story. Instead of being a detriment, I think it gives the comic a refreshing kinetic feel. This book has got a story and a short time to tell it, damn it!

We begin in France where Dick Grayson, Damian and the French Batman Inc. agent Nightrunner are dealing the breakout of four inmates of France's Arkham equivalent, Le Jardin Noir. The ensuing aftermath fittingly takes place at the Louvre as the inmates use their various powers to turn Paris and its people into twisted and sick works of art. A flash mob fighting the heroes, people turned into glass, Batman split in half, Nightrunner warped like Dali's Clock. However all is not as it seems. The mastermind behind the plot reveals his motif as performance art and goes off on the classic Bond villain monologue. This Son of Man was raised by an insane father who used him as his own art experiment. In the most enjoyable part of the story, The Son of Man reveals his face. The Man Who Laughs, played by Conrad Veidt, was one of the inspirations in the creation of the Joker. And now (well maybe now... who knows in this New 52 Universe) he is the French Joker. And the ultimate gag? This farce of an art show has been put on for his father, now cut up in bits and residing in a bacta tank, who will be forced to watch it for the rest of his days.

A succinct and nicely written fill-in issue that, while unfortunate, doesn't suffer too much with the change of artist mid-story.

Quick Notes:

"...What on Earth is this?" "It used to be The Louvre."
The Black Garden is such a great name for an institution for the criminally insane.
"It took a millenia for man to evolve from the beast. Devolution is so much easier. It can happen in the blink of an eye -- depending on whose eye is doing the blinking."
The Man Who Laugh's greatest piece: Daddy in the tank. Titled: "The Psychomantic Improbability of Life in the Mind of Someone Dying".
And The Son of Man/The Man Who Laugh's first word: "DADA".

WM3

2012-01-23T01:00:00.001-06:00

Damien Echols with parents of two of the children the State of Arkansas claims he murdered.

Peter And The Symbiote

2012-01-23T00:00:00.001-06:00

Newt 2012

2012-01-21T21:00:00.003-06:00

Words: Warren Ellis/Manip: Robert Simpson

Now available as a t-shirt or bumper sticker. Show your (lack of) support!

Shirt Plug

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-06:00

Tim Lim, a.k.a The Nicest Audiologist/T-Shirt Designer Ever, has a 24 hr shirt sale today.

Six Months

2012-01-20T18:30:00.001-06:00

Image Friday #30

2012-01-20T00:00:00.003-06:00

British Goth

Future Book Blurb

2012-01-19T23:00:00.000-06:00

Excerpt from a convo with a brother in bedlam:

"He makes me care about shit I don't care about."

It's An Ad, It's A Campaign, It's A Super PAC

2012-01-19T01:00:00.010-06:00

Batman #5 Review

2012-01-19T00:00:00.007-06:00

Written by Scott Snyder, Illustrated by Greg Capullo

Batman has been targeted by a mysterious secret society that has long hidden in the shadows of Gotham City. Snyder shows Bruce Wayne as a man proud to be the guardian of Gotham City and keeper of its secrets...then Snyder asks "What if Bruce is wrong?" Enter the Court of Owls. This society has literally built nests in Gotham City (hidden in the non-existant 13th floors of various buildings), has assassins known as the Talon to carry out its commands... and has now targeted Bruce Wayne. Last issue, Batman found himself trapped in a massive maze: the lair of the original boogeymen of Gotham.

Batman is one of the most solid titles in DC's New 52 campaign. Its history hasn't been wiped clean with old characters being re-introduced in ridiculous fashion, characters aren't screwing each other senseless, the art and story have been reliable and, best of all, there's an actual story worth telling. Scott Snyder has crafted an original Batman tale and brought Greg Capullo along for the ride. However, I think this issue is the one where the team actually clicks.

Batman has been trapped in the maze for a week now. Commissioner Gordon has burned out the bat signal in a vain attempt to contact his friend, his sons Dick and Damian are in pursuit of any information and criminals have begun to run rampant all while Batman is on the verge of insanity. He wanders the maze only to discover bizarre trophies the group has collected over the centuries: a wall photos of victims, names engraved in the wall, coffins with photos of children which he believes were trained and turned into the Talon.

There are two things to show you Batman has really lost it. One, he hallucinates Thomas and Martha Wayne as an elderly couple who've been trapped in the dark for decades only to be shredded by owls. And then Capullo plays his non-scripted trick: rotating frames that disorientates the reader along with chronicling Bruce's descent into madness. It's a very cool idea and a sign that these two guys have started to hit the groove after reportedly a rocky start.

This is a turning point in the Court of Owls. This is where Batman realizes that he doesn't know everything about his city and what he doesn't know will most certainly hurt him. The issue ends with Bruce still trapped in the maze, surely driven mad by his hidden oppressors while his young son Damian furiously demands that the GCPD replace the bat signal. "Please", he begs Gordon as the issue ends.

No Blog Post Wednesday

2012-01-17T23:59:00.003-06:00

SOPA Protest, laziness or, perhaps, something else?

YOU DECIDE.

Bat Bob

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-06:00

Dating Woes

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-06:00

Overheard Post Pats/Broncos Game

2012-01-16T00:00:00.001-06:00

Me: So three days later, Denver will be back in the playoffs. That's how the story goes, right?
Mother: BLASPHEMY!

"What Do You Want?"

2012-01-15T00:00:00.002-06:00

"...My face on a NinjaInk t-shirt."

Now For Something Completely Different

2012-01-15T00:00:00.001-06:00

Feel free to leave costume suggestions in comments.

El Lucha Libre de Nolan

2012-01-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

The Gospel According to Nicholas of the Cave

2012-01-14T00:00:00.001-06:00

"Jesus met the woman at the well. And He told her everything that she'd done. And He said: "Woman. Looky here, Woman. Tell me where is your husband?" She said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... I don't have one." He said, "Woman. Looky here, Woman. They tell me you have five husbands. And that man you have now sure ain't one." She went running and crying, "God help me!" She said, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa... You must be the prophet because you told me everything that I've done." - Nicholas 10:40 - 10:47

God And Adam

2012-01-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

Alan Moore: "What is it about the mask - is it just useful or what?"

Protestor: "The whole character is very relevant to what we're doing. We're going against a system that we feel is corrupt..."

Image Friday #29

2012-01-13T00:00:00.002-06:00

Batman Incorporated News

2012-01-12T22:00:00.003-06:00

Batman Incorporated aka Kramer VS Kramer On A Massive Scale will return this year, probably around May. And all of the books I pick up emerged safely from DC's cancellation list.

Christopher Nolan's Batman: Life in a Post 9/11 World Part I

2012-01-11T00:15:00.001-06:00

I've been a Batman fan since I was at least three years old. I know this because I was three when Tim Burton's Batman came out. While I still look back fondly on the film, its flaws leap out at me. Flaws such as the Adam West inspired take on Commissioner Gordon, the fact that Batman doesn't seem to have a problem with killing and, the biggest flaw of all, when you really boil it down Batman and Joker are fighting over a girl (who isn't that attractive and just seems to stand around and scream or look on stupidly).

Burton's film is really a mash up of Burton macabre and the Adam West series. There isn't a ton of substance. The same for Batman Returns which swings more toward Burton's sensibilities while the last two films of the franchise embrace the absurdity of Adam West (quite poorly, mind you). This brings us to the relaunch and Christopher Nolan.

I've seen all but one of Nolan's films, Following, multiple times. For the most part, I find that he's a brilliant technician and exploits his stories to show his mastery of various skills. Memento plays with a non-linear story, The Prestige with the idea of three acts, and Inception with dealing multiple realities in an increasingly complex format. (I know I left out Insomnia which is a remake of a foreign film but bear with me.)

However, I sincerely believe that his Batman films are just as reliant on story and subtext than they are tools for Nolan to show how awesome his films can be. And what is the subtext behind his entire trilogy? Life in the post-9/11 world from the attack itself to the last ten years of escalating war to, possibly, the financial fall out. Heavy stuff for a superhero flick right? Stick around. It gets heavier. Let's start with a film that has been forgotten by some: Batman Begins.

"Direct threats require decisive action." - Dick Cheney

I picture Begins as a summary of the first month post-9/11. Even the dusty hue of the film reminds me of Ground Zero after the attacks. There are two key emotions that drive the film: fear (which writer David Goyer believes should be mentioned at least every other scene) and rage. If there were two words to describe the feelings of many Americans during that period, those would summarize it perfectly. Bruce Wayne's fear of bats, his fear of helplessness after his parents death, the fear that almost engulfs the city in the third act. And then there's the rage that creates Bruce Wayne's need for Batman, even the rage that dominates his growl while he wears the mask.

While the movie focuses heavily on the Begins bit with emphasize on his childhood and training, the time period that covers Bruce's time in cowl is fairly short. However that's plenty of time to act. The first move reminds me of the start of the Afghanistan war, a quick surgical punch at the people who allowed the evil that caused so much harm. The rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban, are initially easily taken out much like Batman easily takes out Gotham's crime lord, Carmine Falcone, in one night. However, this isn't the end in either case. The true threats remain ever elusive.

Ra's al Ghul emerges as the fanatical leader of a sect of warriors determined to purge the world of what he perceives as evil. Sound familiar? New York lost the Twin Towers, Gotham City loses the Narrows. While Ra's' plot to literally bring fear to Gotham City ultimately fails due to Batman and Jim Gordon's efforts, the game has been changed.

Batman has entangled himself in a war that will result in unintended consequences which will be elaborated on in our next installment.

DC Announces Ongoing Two-Face Back Up

2012-01-11T00:00:00.007-06:00

... J. Luke Pham isn't writing it.

How disappointing.

Shirt Plug

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-06:00

Timothy Lim's latest shirt design can be found here.

Wallpaper

2012-01-09T12:00:00.000-06:00

Random Quotation #30

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

"Since most of our grandparents are too disappointed in our life choices to read this site..." - An article from Cracked.com that actually caused me to laugh out loud.

The Bob With No Tattoo

2012-01-09T00:00:00.002-06:00

The best part of my weekend? Going in late to a 12:50 showing of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, catching the tail end of the latest Madagascar sequel trailer and considering it odd only to have my suspicion confirmed when it was followed by Spielberg and Nickelodeon's Tintin and not David Fincher's sadistic rape-filled drama.

Problem was quickly resolved and once the film was over, the crowd was given a free ticket for their inconvenience.

Image Friday #28

2012-01-06T00:00:00.002-06:00

Nelle Harper Lee

Random Quotation #29

2012-01-05T00:00:00.001-06:00

"It's been so damn long the only thing I remember about Mad Men is cigarettes, something about a lawnmower, and the curves on that redhead." - "Maryland Mudflap"'s Twitter account.

Tagline I Wish I Wrote

2012-01-04T22:00:00.002-06:00

BATMAN: SCIENCE NINJA HERO.

Brilliant.

Drew Struzan's Chinese Knock Off

2012-01-04T00:00:00.002-06:00

"When I graduated with my doctorate in 2011, Robert Simpson gave me a prized book: "The Art of Drew Struzan."

In it was the inscription, "You got the Touch."

So... after months of studying this book, I thought, why not make a painting in the same style? The art of the illustrated poster has gone unappreciated. While I can't mimic Struzan's complex and rich style, I hope this will inspire more artists to follow suit.

(This is also an homage to the famous Transformers #1 cover by Bill Sienkiewicz)" - Dr. Timothy Lim

The Persephone Placebo Projection

2012-01-03T00:00:00.005-06:00

From the wiki article on Gaiman and Palmer associate Jason Webley:

He used to pretend to die every Halloween only to be born in the spring (usually around May Day or Webley's springtime birthday). Webley first "died" on Halloween of 2000 when, after a concert, he led his fans to a park on the University of Washington campus and had a group of women take off his signature porkpie hat and black trench coat, which were burned. He then had his head shaved, was placed in a coffin and driven away in a hearse, and disappeared for six months. At the 2005 Halloween show he stated that he no longer wanted to live and die with the seasons. He did not die that year, and is expected to continue not dying on future Halloweens.

Random Quotation #28

2012-01-02T08:00:00.001-06:00

"When it comes to my spiritual beliefs... I worship a second century human headed snake god called Glycon, who was exposed as a ventriloquist’s dummy nearly 2000 years ago. Famed throughout the Roman Empire, Glycon was the creation of an entrepreneur known as Alexander the false prophet, which is a terrible name to go into business under. A live, tame boa constrictor provided the puppet’s body, while its artificial head had heavy-lidded eyes and long blond hair. In many ways Glycon looked a bit like Paris Hilton, but perhaps more likeable and more biologically credible." - Alan Moore

Breaking Bad Initial Thought

2012-01-02T00:00:00.003-06:00

After watching roughly a season and a half of Breaking Bad, I've come to the conclusion that things get accomplished in a partnership if one member has cancer. Just brings a sense of urgency to things.

It may be time for J. Luke Pham or myself to start hanging around microwaves.

Let's Do This

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-06:00

It's Gonna Be A Good Year

2011-12-31T20:00:00.002-06:00

Image Friday #27

2011-12-30T00:00:00.001-06:00

March Madness

2011-12-27T11:00:00.001-06:00

Mad Men Season Five premieres in March.

Bah.

Patience....

Bah.

Lim... Tim Lim

2011-12-27T00:00:00.002-06:00

Only The Good Die Twice

2011-12-26T00:00:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas From IT'S A GOOD LIFE

2011-12-25T11:00:00.001-06:00

From Timothy Lim and Mark Pellegrini

Christmas Thought #25

2011-12-25T00:00:00.002-06:00

Christmas Thought #24

2011-12-24T00:00:00.001-06:00

I hope that within the next year or two I'll have tons more to say about this.

Christmas Thought #23

2011-12-23T00:00:00.004-06:00

Image Friday #26

2011-12-23T00:00:00.002-06:00

By Mark Pellegrini and Timothy Lim