Batwoman

Batwoman continues to be amazing.  I finished the 3rd Graphic Novel last night.  The art is still amazing.  The panels are amazing.  The writing is good.  I am really going to hate it when I reach the end of J.H. Williams III's run.  

Wonder Woman shows up in this Volume.  It was cool that she was there, but meh.  I'm probably a little biased because I'm still pissed off about the Zeus being WW's father thing.  They had to make sure they reiterated that every single page she appeared on.  

I didn't feel those two really clicked and I found Batwoman's starstruck inner dialogue a little ridiculous, but hey, maybe kick-ass superheroes have fangirl moments as well.  It just seemed a little out of character to me.

It's totally worth the read though.  Amazon has it right now for $17.03 or you can pick it up at your local comic shop for about $22.99. 

Fortune Telling Bacon and other flavorful things

Remember those little Fortune Telling fish?  I might be dating myself here.  Or just proving how weird my childhood was with a Dad that dragged me to every Magic Shop and trick store in the Midwest because he wanted to be the next World renown Magician.  ThinkGeek has a new spin on those little Fortune Telling Fish.  It's Fortune Telling Bacon.  LMAO.  Yes, Bacon.  Now you can let Bacon, a little thin piece of transparency-like film printed like Bacon, guide your life.  Sounds more dependable than a magic sky king.

In other news, Dynamite Comics is relaunching Red Sonja.  I'm not sure when their current Red Sonja stopped.  I read it religiously up until last year.  So it must have been some time last year that they ceased or this year.  I feel so behind in the comic world.  I haven't been able to buy anything for over a year and with the demise of my preferred comic retailer, I haven't really wanted to go into the other shop.  They aren't the friendliest males to comic chicks.  Anyway, it looks like an interesting relaunch.  They have hired a woman, Gail Simone, to pen the new Red Sonja.  I am slightly interested in this.  I believe (I'll have to double-check) Ms. Simone was the woman responsible for writing the Wonder Woman's with some real direction and excitement to them.  The one's that DC just abandoned for 52's launch.  The one's that for the first time began putting Wonder Woman where she needed to be.  Apparently DC fired her.  Not suprising with all the rumors and whispers of how DC is run by a bunch of men always comparing the sizes of their peckers.  I'm honestly surprised Batwamn has made it this far.  Of course, those types always like women like Batwoman. Wonder Woman doesn't fit into a nice little box.  (Pun sort of intended. *snicker*) She has her own culture and beliefs and is very fierce about them.  This isn't about Wonder Woman though, this is about Sonja.  I think I'm going to like Ms. Simone's take.  I'll let you know.  I'm going to go pick up the first 2 new issues sometime this week.  Or get them online here: http://www.comixology.com/Red-Sonja-1-Digital-Exclusive-Edition/digital-comic/44559

I'm not impressed with the artist they hired to draw the new Sonja.  Walter Geovani.  His art seems a little straightforward and frankly, a little boring.  Maybe he will get more dynamic while working on Red Sonja.  Although, he's already done some work on her before.  Again, not impressed.

Pretty craptastic.

But hey, who am I?  I've been working on the dang Xena Graphic novel for over a year.  

Maybe I should finigh it and apply to Dynamite.

Oh, and if I haven't mentioned it yet, I have put up or built or whatever you want to call it a FaceBook page version of this blog.  www.facebook.com/artloveactionfigures

I put stuff up over there a little more frequently, but without as much wordy commenting and context.

Feel free to go "like" it.

Bendy Heroes

Coming in June 2013 from Nj Croce is an

entire line of Bendable DC Superhero figures

at a very affordable $7.99.

Each figure is around 5 1/2 inches and bends like crazy!

You can pre-order now at Entertainment Earth!

Wonder Woman Lamp

This Wonder Woman lamp is by Westland Giftware and available in May for around $55.00.

It's 16 inches tall and takes a 60 watt bulb.

Wonder Woman + Superman

If you haven't heard yet, Geoff Johns over at DC has decided that Wonder Woman and Superman should have sex.  It will happen in Justice League #12.  

It's nice to see DC paying so much attention to Wonder Woman finally.  Trying to fill out her character.  Give her depth.  I'm not sure why they think boinking Superman is the way to do it, but okay.  Clark is a great guy.  I mean, he's basically Christ when you break it down.  Being an Amazon, if you're gonna go for some penis, Super Penis would be a solid choice. *snicker* 

I mean, she grew up surrounded by beautiful women.  She was a Princess. She could have any woman on the island.   I'm sure Steve Trevor was her first male conquest. I've always figured Diana would be at least Bisexual or Pansexual.  Growing up the way she did and having the desire to protect people I think she must look at souls more than gender.  Of course, we always have the tendency to project ourselves onto our heroes.

In my opinion, the whole reason there hasn't been a Wonder Woman movie is due to her sexuality.  How do you avoid addressing it?  In the real world, sexuality is something that just pops up.  People ask you if your married, dating, etc.  I can't tell you the number of times some dude has noticed I don't have a ring on my left hand, chatted me up all friendly (I'm thinking we're just chatting mind you), and then asked me if I have a boyfriend.  Of course, I always say no.  Then he asks me out. *sigh*   Then it gets really awkward.  I mean, do I want this stranger to know?  And then again, why is that weird in the first place?  But what if he gets violent?  Or gets really offended?  Or says something really hurtful?  What if he feels really stupid?  If I don't say something though, he will think that I just am not interested.  Which I'm not.  But not for the reasons he thinks.  Ugh.

(I adore this picture.  Couldn't find the name of the photographer.  Apologies.)

So really, in the real world it's impossible to ignore. I mean, we know who Batman has the hots for.  Clark has been with Lois forever.  Aquaman has had a couple different Mermaids.  Wonder Woman though?  We just don't talk about it.

I hope this is DC's attempt to start delving into Wonder Woman and opening her up.  Making her a more rounded character.  Again, not sure why penis is involved.  Maybe we will get some great dialogue about Wonder Woman's fluid sexuality & sexuality as a whole.  Maybe they are just trying to main stream her more in order to wash away any question that she might hook up with chicks so they can present her to a larger audience in a theater.  I hope not.  Wonder Woman has the potential to be an amazing step forward as an icon.  She already has been, but she could be so much more.

Personally, once she's done with Supes, I hope she runs into Kate.  Man, the drama & intensity in that relationship might cause the Sun to Supernova.

Oh, one more thing.  Go check out NPR's take on this.  It's Hilarious!!!!

NPR Link.

Model Kit Sale!!!

Entertainment Earth is having a Model Kit Sale!  Buy one get one 50% off!  So go check out their kits!

Barnabas Dark Shadows Kit $24.99

Universal Mummy $29.99

Frank & Bride $44.99

Wonder Woman $19.99

This is just a small sample of the many kits they have available!

Wonder Woman & the New 52 from DC

DC Comics recently decided to revamp their entire comic line. All your beloved favorites get re-hauled, re-tooled, etc. The one I was most looking forward to was Wonder Woman. For years, DC has shied away from who the Amazon Princess really is & where she came from. They've been uncomfortable with what it is to be an Amazon. They have hesitated to play with the mythologies laid out in front of them. Unlike Marvel's Thor, who has always been in touch with his Gods, DC always tries to stick Wonder Woman in our time & strip her of any link to her past & her culture. I was happy to find that Writer Brian Azzarello, so far has NOT decided to follow in those past footsteps.

There is a costume change. Honestly, I like the change. Not too dramatic, pays homage to the old, and doesn't try to apologize by adding pants. Thank you for that.



Now, there are a few problems I have with the New 52 Wonder Woman, but not many. Of course, we are only 2 issues in. Okay, you MUST get your mythology right. Sure, you can play around with it, but make sure you have a damn good reason for changing it & don't just change it to change it. For example, in the picture above, you can bear witness to a female Centaur. *sigh* Alright, alright, there were very scarce references to female centaurs, but generally speaking Centaurs are thought of as an all male species. I'll let that one slide, since, technically there are both males & females. They did get the female one right on, though. She was considered to be a white Centaur. So that one is just nit-picky of me really. Let's not screw too many myths up though, okay?

The next thing though really chaps my ass. Hippolyta has, was & should ever be dark haired, raven tressed, possessing of locks as dark as the night. NOT BLOND. OMG, WTF. Wonder Woman's mom is now blond. Seriously? I'm blond myself, but the Queen of the Amazons is not. First of all, how many blonde Greeks do you know? I don't like it. It cheapens Hippolyta. CHANGE IT BACK.



I also dislike it when characters take control of humans to do their bidding & then without any reason kill them, when it's obvious that they might need them again for the same purpose. I call it Gratuitous Death. We already have this in issue 1. Really? Look, have the god take them prisoner in his giant mansion of a penthouse, or keep a godly spell on them, but to just have him lure them up, use them & kill them without any sort of care in the world, well, honestly that OMG impact you wanted in the story you were writing...yeah, didn't happen. I didn't get to know them enough to give a crap. So really, the whole scene ends up completely pointless emotionally. Yeah, I got the info, but man, was that a completely overdramatic way to deliver it or what?



The writing is not bad. It could be a little tighter. There are a few pages where I had to read twice because the dialogue seemed really choppy. The panels didn't seem to pull off exactly what was being told either. The art is average. Nothing to be awed by, but not just puked out either.

Things I love? Diana's attitude. Diana NOT shying away from WHO she is. The naughty Amazon jokes. The feeling that this time, DC is going to embrace their Amazon Princess & let her be who she should have always been. Push the boundaries a little.
Make her mythology part of her story. Take us into her world rather than plucking her out & putting her in ours and making her forget where she came from.




So, if you have ever wanted to read Wonder Woman & didn't really know where to start, please go grab issue 1 & 2 of the New 52 Wonder Woman at your local comics shop. Go on! It's 15 to 20 minutes of fun each month for $2.99 a comic. I think this could possibly end up being the best Wonder Woman run ever. You wouldn't want to miss it would you?


(All images in this post copyright by DC Comics)

Wonder Woman Painting: Even More Progress

You know what? A 42" x 36" painting in acrylic takes a little longer than I planned. Mixing enough paint to cover one area is a little tricker than an 18" x 20". She's so close to done. So close, but not yet.

Wonder Woman Painting: More progress

A bit more progress made. This is where it really starts getting hard. I don't want too much detail, but I don't want it to be too simple either. Getting it clear in my head before I lay it on the canvas is sometimes a bit of a challenge.

Lynda Carter Wonder Woman Painting update

More work done on the painting. She's almost done. I am nervous & excited. Toward the end of a painting is very similar to reaching the ending of a story you are writing. You have fewer choices in direction & every stroke/word effects the whole thing. You really have to be aware of the effects to the whole. Basically, you don't want to mess it up with one bad choice. So far, I am very happy with my choices. It is indeed one of my favorite things I have ever worked on.