Target's Exclusive JLA Action Figures

So it looks like Mattel has found a use for their old Brave and the Bold molds with a line of JLA action figures that appeared last week at Target.  There's a wave of single carded figures- Superman, Batman, Flash and Green Lantern- for $7.99.  Lex Luthor is also pictured on the back, but there's been no sightings of him so far.  There's also a seven pack, including the four heroes plus Aquaman, Cyborg, and Wonder Woman.  That's $49.99, which is a good deal on a per figure basis.  However, when you take into account:

-Superman, Batman, and Aquaman are already a part of the B&B line;
-Flash and GL are available as single carded figures;
-Cyborg sucks (the figure, at least);

It's more like $50 for Wonder Woman, which is not so great a deal.  I bought Flash and GL, and I figure I'll take my chances with Wondy on either eBay or clearance.

The other thing to note is that the characters are in their New 52 style, which is an odd style clash with the Brave and the Bold style.  Superman, with his old-time Fleischer style head, looks pretty terrible.  Batman and Flash both have those weird armor lines painted on, which makes them look pretty cheap.  In fact, I'll be painting over my Flash's extra yellow lines, which makes him my first ever non-Minimate custom figure, I guess.  If anything, these figures show just how limited those Jim Lee designs really are; they only look good if they are drawn in that style (and even that's debatable), and certainly pale in comparison with the sleek timelessness of the original Golden and Silver age designs.

But, if you're a fan of the B&B cartoon and figure line (which I am), it's nice to get a few more figures to add to your collection, even if they don't 100% fit stylistically.  Flash was one of a handful of figures tooled for the line that never saw release (Captain Marvel, the Gentleman Ghost, and the Faceless Hunter are the others), so it's really nice to finally have him.  Brave and the Bold was probably the oddest DC toy line you'll ever see, considering how we saw the likes of B'wanna Beast, Plastic Man, and Blue Beetle before we saw Superman, Flash, and Green Lantern, but I hope these do well enough for a second wave-- particularly if that second wave includes a single carded Wonder Woman.

Minimate Customs: New Gods

Jack Kirby made his name, and reputation, with his work at Marvel in the '60s.  But, personally, I've always preferred his later DC work, which is crazy and colorful and pure Kirby.  And the highlight from that period is undoubtedly the Fourth World Saga, which ran through Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Mister Miracle, The Forever People, and the flagship New Gods.  DC has released some fairly lovely hardcovers collecting the whole Fourth World saga, and you should buy them.  Anyway, I've made some New Gods Minimates, so let's get to them!

These photos were taken with our IPad, because the family camera is broken.  They came out with a soft glow, like they were taken by an arty nude photographer.

Minimate Customs: Rocket Raccoon

Little (admittedly embarrassing) backstory here: a bunch of us over at the Minimate Multiverse (your home for all Minimate chat) have spent the last several years championing Avengers villain Kang as a shocking omission to the Marvel Minimate lineup.  Well, last spring, the impossible dream became a reality, as Kang received a Minimate.  The question now, among Minimate fans, was whom would we champion next?  Within days, this became an all-out Civil War, as factions were formed, alliances were created and broken, and general chaos reigned in the Minimate world.  Oh, the fun we had!  I'm sure anybody reading this that wasn't there is simply green with envy.

Anyhow... I threw my weight behind Rocket Raccoon.  Two reasons (besides Rocket Raccoon being awesome): one, he's become an important part of the Marvel Universe over the last decade; and two, I figured he was beyond my customizing skills.  While the former is certainly still true (even moreso, now that the Guardians of the Galaxy are heading towards the big screen), the latter actually ended up being incorrect....

On Guns and Violence, part 2

Here is a letter I sent to my Congressman, Republican Patrick Meehan of the Pennsylvania 7th District:

Dear Mr. Meehan:

As one of your constituents, I urge you to support the agenda to remake our gun laws put forth by President Obama today. Like so many Americans, I have become increasingly horrified by the amount of lives lost in the name of appeasing a few strident voices.  It is clear to me (as it should be to any student of American history) that this kind of unfettered access to weapons of war is not what our founders intended when they drafted the Bill of Rights. 

I work in a public setting, as a librarian; my wife works in a public setting as the associate rector of an Episcopal church, both within your district.  On more then occasion in the last few months I have lain awake at night imagining that we could be next.  All of us that work in public buildings are targets. What are we to do?  Turn our libraries and churches into fortresses, as Wayne LaPierre wishes to do to all our schools?  Does that really make more sense then simply making it harder for potential threats to get their hands on a weapon?

As a voter, I've always prided myself on being an independent, unaffiliated with any party.  Likewise, I've never believed in being a one issue voter.  However, I feel so strongly about this cause, and that ignoring these problems and rejecting these solutions is to be criminally negligent, that I would find it impossible to vote for a representative that would put the welfare of us all behind limiting the rights of a few.

Sincerely,
Kenneth Raining

I urge everyone to contact your Congressman and make sure that your voice is heard as this debate continues.  Find your Congressman at http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

I Know I Shouldn't be Surprised, But...

... I am surprised- shocked, really, and horrified- that the NFL is carrying on with tomorrow's Kansas City Chiefs- Carolina Panthers game in the wake of Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher murdering his girlfriend and then committing suicide in front of Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel and GM Scott Pioli.  I know that the NFL has never been known for its' sensitivity, but this strikes a new low.  Rather then allow an obviously distraught team(not to mention community) a day or two to collect themselves, the Chiefs will take the field a little more then 24 hours after one of their teammates orphaned his three- month old son daughter.  Crennel will have to try and lead his troops through a game with visions of one of them ending his life.  And why?  Because this is a heavyweight game between two playoff-bound titans.  Oh, nope, not that: the Panthers are 3-8, the Chiefs the worst team in the league at 1-10.  But, you see, this game has ramifications.  What if the game were cancelled, and the Denver Broncos miss out on a first-round bye because the Chiefs are only 1-14, and their strenghth of schedule is affected?  Wouldn't that be a tragedy?

No, of course it fucking wouldn't.

So now we know what's more important then football: nothing.  Not even death.  I'm sure that Crennel and the Chiefs players want to play... but they shouldn't.  Just like in every other profession, your place of work would be closed the day after a tragedy, since it's still a crime scene, for god's sake. The NFL has to be the voice of reason here.

In 1963, the week after John Kennedy was killed, the NFL played its' full slate of games to massive national criticism.  Legendary commishioner Pete Rozelle called it the greatest regret of his career.  Well, congratulations, Roger Goddell: by allowing a meaningless game to be played the day after an employee kills himself on your property, you're finally in Rozelle's class.

Minimate Customs: Calvin & Hobbes

It's been a while since I've shown off any customs.  The truth is that I've been none too active for most of the year, and so, despite the fact that I still have quite a backlog of 'mates to post, I haven't really been inspired to do so.  Well, that changed this week when I realized that a project I'd had on the back burner would make for a perfect entry in a contest my buddy Luke Porter's running.  The theme? Dynamic Duos.  My entry?  Well, see for yourself:

As Good an Explination as Any

The other day, my (soon to be) five year old daughter asked me why the Eagles are so bad.  I said I didn't know.  She then said "maybe the Eagles are so bad because Dr. Doofenshmirtz zapped them with an inator."  I said that makes as much sense as any other explanation.