Reflections on Batgirl

For those of you who know me (or who read my blog), you will know that when DC decided to reboot Batgirl with Barbara Gordon taking up the cowl once more was a double-edged sword for me. You can go ahead and put away your torches and pitchforks because this is neither a rant nor an article filled with snide remarks over DC's decision. It's not that I don't like Barbara Gordon as Batgirl (far from it, actually), after all...she was the one to originate the role for all those who came after her.

So then why is this reboot a double-edged sword for me? You might think my reasoning is silly, but I'm going to say it anyway.

My reason for this reboot being a double-edged sword for me is because as much as I love Barbara Gordon as Batgirl, I absolutely adored her as Oracle (her role after Joker's brutal attack on her in The Killing Joke).

In that particular role, she proved that being in a wheelchair doesn't mean that you can't still be a badass. As Oracle, she may not have been swinging and jumping from rooftop to rooftop like she did when she wore the cowl, but she was far from helpless. Rather she was more of an omnipresent force of nature.

As Oracle, she was connected to everything by way of cyberspace (and seriously...what better way is there to bamboozle someone than to upload a nasty computer virus or to turn their own technology against them?). Nothing could hide from her. She had eyes and ears everywhere which allowed her to quite literally "strike hard and fade away" (yes, even in a non-TMNT related article, my fangirl colors still show, lol), and as such she could very easily be more dangerous than Black Canary or even Huntress. She was my favorite character in the Birds of Prey series (even in the short-lived television series, Dina Meyer was Barbara Gordon personified, and she brought her to life in the most awesome of ways!), and I was very sad to see her go.

I have one more reason for having the reboot be a double-edged sword for me, and that is that I had grown rather attached to Stephanie Brown (she was the Batgirl before the New 52 reboot, for those of you who didn't read her arc). She was funny, brave, quick-witted, had awesome 'toys' (seriously…check out her Batarangs as well as her Batmobile, a purple Mini Coop by day and awesome tech station on wheels by night, towards the end of her arc), as well as the perfect amount of snark, and I absolutely LOVED her Batgirl costume. Of course, since my favorite color is purple, I will admit that maybe I'm a little biased in that regard...

However, all of my misgivings aside in my going into the reboot, I have to say that I am absolutely loving what the writers are doing with it.

For those of you who haven't picked up the New 52 reboot, I won't give too much away, but I will say that the way in which the writers handled the occurence in The Killing Joke is very well done. Instead of the writers ignoring it completely and starting the reboot completely from scratch, they kept it as part of the cannon lore (and it's often referred to throughout the course of the reboot), and instead created a solution to the incident's outcome. However, because the solution itself was experimental, the chance of once again returning to a wheelchair is constantly looming over Barbara's head.

This only serves to add to the drama that ensues, and believe me there is a great deal of drama. It not only centers around Barbara's demons from the residual trauma of The Killing Joke, but it also centers around matters of a more familial nature (again...not going to go into too much detail for those of you who haven't read the new comic books).

But drama isn't the only thing to be found within the pages of these rebooted comic books. There's plenty of action to be had as well as humor.

While I went into the reading of the Batgirl reboot with trepidation, I nevertheless instantly found myself completely pulled in and chomping at the bit for new issues with the same voraciousness that I usually reserve for my TMNT comic books. The bottom line is that I'm so very glad that I went ahead and ignored my original misgivings and gave the Batgirl reboot a shot. While Stephanie Brown will always have a special place in my heart (along with Oracle and Power Girl), there can be no denying that it's good to have Barbara Gordon taking up the mantle once more.

Have you hugged your nerd today? ;)

TMNT Issue #7

Hello again, fellow turtle fans!

Once again, I come to you with tidings of the awesome heroes in a half-shell!

Now, I know it hasn't been that long since the last issue hit the shelves, but believe me when I say that it felt like FOREVER since I last got my TMNT fix (especially since our nearly cross-country move a few months ago made me fall seriously behind right off the bat), so you can only imagine my excitement when I found the latest issue in our pull-box when we went to the comic book shop yesterday. My excitement never once waned on the drive home, and I found myself once again more than pleased with the comic as a whole as I all but devoured it like a ravenous wolf (well...not literally, but you get what I mean).

In this issue, Krang makes his appearance in more than simple reference, and lets Baxter Stockman know under no certain terms that he's not happy with his work progress.

Now, for all of you who watched the 1980's cartoon, Krang looks like a more bad-ass version of how he looked in that instance. Just looking at him, you know that his voice is more menacing than the grating, borderline doofus voice that his cartoon version had. Also, instead of the giant baby wearing suspenders and speedos that was his mechanical body in the cartoon, his mechanical body in the comic book (pictured in the image above) cuts a much more imposing (not to mention hulking) figure. Befitting his title of 'General', his mechanical body is attired in full military garb complete with a beret. Unlike the Krang from the original cartoon (which was actually quite funny when he got irritated), this is not a Krang that you would want to cross. You just know it.

We also get a glimpse into the slowly budding relationship between April and Casey (you knew it would only be a matter of time ;) ). Shredder still has yet to make an appearance, but that's more than alright. I have absolutely no problem with IDW working up to the reveal of the turtles' ultimate nemesis.

Once again, it is Donnie who acts as Leo's foil (butting heads over logic vs. blind faith), while Raph assumes a more easy-going persona, and I would be lying if I said that I didn't like this change because it shakes things up a bit and lets all of us loyal fans know that Raph's not the only one who can question authority. Perhaps it's the writer in me, but I really love that kind of character development. Now, don't get me wrong. Raph makes an awesome bad boy with a heart of gold (Exhibit A being the 2007 TMNT movie....I mean seriously, who amongst us can honestly say that the rooftop battle between him and Leo didn't get their heart racing? Don't bother lying...I know you were sitting on the edges of your seats), but at the same time, this new Raph isn't the same Raph that we're all accustomed to.

He had amnesia and was living on his own for the first few issues, remember?

He's still figuring out exactly who he is. Now I know this next comparison might get lost on some of you, but think of him as Doctor Who after he's been newly regenerated. While at his core, he remains the same guy, other things nevertheless change...sense of humor, sense of taste, sense of style, certain idiosyncracies, etc (if you're a Whovian like me, then you can immediately think of more than once instance of those examples, lol). In the mean time, while Raph is busy getting to know himself and his family again, the position of foil was required to be filled by another (because siblings never get along 24/7), and since Mikey is simply too happy-go-lucky (in any and every incarnation) to be at odds with anyone, the logical choice was Donnie.

Who knows what future issues have in store?

Well, after this issue's cliffhanger, I think some sort of resolution would be in order!

And no, I'm not going to tell you what it is. Call me a meanie if you want...call me a blue meanie if you want (by the way, whoever gets that reference gets a cookie), but I don't want to spoil anything for you.

And on that note, I would like to close with this thought...

Reboots are very tricky ventures (whether they be on big and small screens or on pages), and they can very easily rub hard-core fans the wrong way (Exhibit A being my die-hard, Superman fan of a husband not being even remotely pleased with how the reboot of his ultimate favorite superhero is going). But I'm finding that such is not the case with TMNT's reboot. Overall, I am still genuinely stoked and beyond pleased with how IDW is handling the resurrection of my four favorite heroes. From the actual storyline to the art, I couldn't be more pleased, and I greatly look forward to what IDW has in store for the next issues to come.

Until next time, peace, love and cookies...or in this case, pizza!

Have you hugged your nerd today? ;)

Phangasm: A Nerdgasm For Phanatics Everywhere

Attention, attention all musical-geeks and fellow phanatics!

That's right...I'm talking to you!

Rejoice and be merry for the ultimate phan experience has finally arrived! I'm speaking of course of the just recently released DVD of a live performance of none other than Andrew Lloyd Webber's, Phantom of the Opera!

Released in honor of the 25th anniversary of this musical juggernaut, this live-taped production of Webber's ultimate masterpiece takes what Cameron Mackintosh did with Les Miserables: The Dream Cast in Concert to the next and decidedly more awesome level.

Now, I'm not just saying that because I'm a die-hard phan (seriously...if there was such a thing, I'd have a PhD in all things Phantom of the Opera (just don't you dare mention the atrocities that are Phantom of the Paradise or Dario Argento's Phantom of the Opera in front of me, because I swear, I will frakking cut you)), but because as someone who has seen both live recordings, I can see the very obvious differences between the two production-wise. Don't get me wrong, Les Miserables: The Dream Cast in Concert was an excellent production in its own right (I mean, come on...the music is phenomenal all on its own, but once you add in all of those voices from all of the casts, it just becomes all that more amazing), but it was predominantly just that...a concert. Costumes were used for the key characters (the chorus members simply wore black, Les Miserables shirts), and there was some scenery and prop usage, but for the most part, the performers would walk up to a microphone when it was their turn to sing and then sing either their song or their part of the ensemble. Once they were finished, they would either go sit back down or leave the stage if they no longer appeared within the Act.

With this 25th anniversary release of Phantom of the Opera, things could not be more different.

Unlike the Les Miserables concert, this is an actual stage performance done with full costumes (even for the ensemble) and full choreography--including all of the elaborate dance scenes that are included throughout the perfirmance. While full sets were not used (no doubt because of the sheer size of the ensemble cast in this particular production did not allow for the space (I kid you not, in a normal stage production the entire casts consists of about 40 people or so, but here they used well over 100!)), all of the important props were used (such as the scaffolding with which the Phantom leads Christine to his lair, the gondola, the pipe organ, as well as others), and the production team employed the use of a digital backdrop that changes with the scenes.

That's right, all you techie nerds out there, you heard me...a digital backdrop is used for all the different scenes. Now, all of you phans out there, don't go getting your knickers into a twist. Being the phanatic that I am, I would be the first to trash the digital backdrop if it in any way, shape or form did anything to harm my all-time favorite musical.

But it didn't.

The digital background is actually very ingenious and it was done all for you--to ensure that the changes between the scenes were as seamless (and it is seamless) as possible so as not to take you out of the story.

And let me tell you something...with the way this production was done, you actually feel like you're in the middle of all the action. Facial expressions and raw emotion that you could never truly see during a stage production are now so very visible and crystal clear that they serve to enhance the overall experience.

In fact, if you can either never get tickets when a touring company of Phantom of the Opera comes to your town (because believe me, those tickets sell out QUICK!) or you've always wanted to see it but simply could not afford to spend the money on the tickets (I will be the first to admit how pricey the tickets for good seats can be), or you have seen it performed live on stage but could only afford tickets in the nosebleed section, then this DVD is the next best thing to actually seeing the show performed live. Unlike the Andrew Lloyd Webber film (which aside from the lack of deformity on the Phantom's face, I absolutely adored) that was based off of his musical, this particular production is the actual musical without all of the extra scenes that were included because the writers and producers were not bound to the time limits of a stage production.

The casting was excellent, and I could find no complaints about any of the actors because their voices were truly wonderful and amazing. The costumes were in their full, sublime glory, and of course the music captured me from the first chord all the way to the last. My only real complaint was that the chandelier did not drop, but it's not enough of a complaint for me to never watch this performance again.

And holy frak, did I let loose with a HUGE phangirl squeal when none other than Michael Crawford, the Phantom from the original London cast, walked onto the stage at the end of the show.

My overall rating for this DVD is a big, fat 10 out of 10. Whether you're a die-hard phan like me, or a Phantom of the Opera virgin who's looking to dip your toe in the water, this DVD is either an excellent addition to your collection, or an excellent way to ease your way into the fandom.

Buy your copy today!

Have you hugged your nerd today? ;)

Rise of the Foxy Fawkes!

Hear ye, hear ye, lords and ladies! Attention, attention all ye faithful Guildies! What wonders await thee over the not so distant horizon? Pray read the following herald and find out!

*ahem* Had enough of the Olde English? Fair enough, then. For the sake of the sanity of all of you who are actually taking the time to read this humble piece of mine, the remainder shall be written in the vernacular ;)

Just when you thought that The Guild comics could not get any better, Guild creator--a multi-talanted and genuinely wonderful person--Felicia Day has partnered up with none other than Wil Wheaton (geek extraordinaire and general, all-round nice guy) to create a one-shot centered around none other than Wheaton's recurring character in The Guild web-series--the dashing and chronically douchey Fawkes!

You remember him don't you? The sexy, bad-boy gamer to which Felicia Day's character of Cyd is chronically drawn? Like Batman and Catwoman, there is a genuine attraction between the two, and yet they can never truly be together because they go together like caramel and anchovies.

But don't go thinking that this one-shot installment is going to be along the same lines as the other one-shots in the series.

Unlike the other Guild comics (distributed by the comic book powerhouse, Dark Horse Comics) which were origin pieces--basically a behind the scenes, getting-to-know-you with the various characters that constitute the Knights of Good--this particular installment actually takes place within the timeline of the series that we all know and love.

Due to come out on May 23rd of this year, this installment promises to be an amazing addition to the awesomeness that is The Guild.

"Set after season 4 of the show, this issue reveals how Fawkes deals with his split from Codex and navigates the aggressive personalities of the Axis, and follows his journey to his surprising state when he returns in season 5!"

Seriously...was anyone else surprised by Fawkes' sudden appearance in Season 5? I sure as heck didn't see it coming, and that made it all the more pleasant of a surprise. That's right, I'm not ashamed to admit that I was openly looking for Fawkes all throughout Season 5. Why? Because he's an awesome character as well the perfect foil for Cyd.

Now, what makes this particular one-shot exceptionally worthy of waiting in line for on May 23rd? Oh, nothing...except for the tiny fact that this is the first time in which we will finally get to see Fawkes' in-game character! Seriously, how awesome is that? We also get more of a prolonged peek into the workings of the Axis of Anarchy whereas during the web-series, it was more of a passing glance.

"One thing I can say is that this is a much more Axis of Anarchy centered story than we've ever seen before, even for the show."

Now, I don't know about you, my fellow fans...but I have been dying to see Fawkes' in-game character since he was first introduced into the series. After all, anyone who can control the likes of his rowdy (and that's putting it very mildly) guild members has to be a complete and total badass, both out of game as well as in the game...but mostly in-game, right? After all, in the face of so aggressive a crowd, dominance is the key to ensuring that you remain on top. Simply put, you need to be meaner and and more sly than those over which you hold dominion.

Suffice to say, I'm uber excited about this!
Not just because this installment promises a furthering of The Guild comics (while I do understand why there's such a long gap between their releases, that doesn't make the wait between the issues any easier to endure), but because for all his faults, Fawkes is a very complicated character that was only briefly touched upon in the series. You never really got a chance to see just what it is that makes him tick. What prompts him to be a complete and total douchebag (the scene in which he gets his jacket back from Cyd), one minute and then turn around and do something completely sincere (helping Cyd get to the creator of The Game) in the next? See what I mean? He's a complicated character.

But all of that aside, one simply can't deny that Fawkes is a sexy character who is both deserving of attention as well as long overdue for it. You don't believe me? Take a look at the picture (that was actually painted by a fan and presented to Felicia at a Con) below. Seriously...who can resist a man in a kilt? I know I can't...but that's probably my Scottish blood talking ;)

Believe me now?

Good! I knew you would ;)

Have you hugged your nerd today?

Now I Sit Me Down to Game...Almost...

As geeks, have you ever noticed how much of our lives revolve around gaming? How much thought and energy we put into it?

The last time I really noticed that was back when I was quite literally addicted to Everquest 2. A geek and a gamer though I am, even I'm a little ashamed to admit just how addicted I became. I'm not kidding when I say that if something kept me from playing on one of my designated days that I became something akin to a drug addict who had gone without a fix.

Since then, I've become much more well-adjusted in my gaming habits, and can now go for days at a time without needing to turn on my trusty Xbox. My husband is the same way, but then again he's quite proud of his strength of will.

However, over the course of these past few days...this has not been the case!

As I've stated before in previous posts, my husband and I have recently moved to a new state. Even more recently, have our belongings been shipped and delivered to us. Up until that point, yes...we had missed our Xbox, but it wasn't something we were obsessively pining over. Quite honestly, we were more preoccupied with finding a permanent place to live, lol. But, as the delivery date for our belongings drew closer, we found ourselves dreaming of being able to turn on our trusty Xbox and play our games. As the delivery date drew ever closer, I could literally feel my controller in my hands, and my heart raced with excitement at being able to play Mass Effect and Dragon Age 2.
However, it was not to be.

As we unpacked boxes (keep in mind that we were not the ones who packed them), we found our Xbox in one box, the cables in another box, and our controllers in yet another box. Suffice to say, my husband and I were very happy once we found all the pieces and put them all in one place. I only wish the same could be said for our games.

It's been nearly a week of going through a seemingly endless plethora of boxes, and we have yet to find them!

You can only imagine the agitation of being so close to getting back into the swing of our gaming routine only to have the rug pulled out from under us--especially me, since I had never played any of the Mass Effect games before, and I had yet to finish my first play through of the first game. While we've gone ahead and pre-ordered Mass Effect 3, I can hardly play it without having first played the first two, now can I? It's gotten to the point, where the both of us have stopped trying to find places for all the things in the boxes in favor of literally digging through the boxes in order to find the video games we've been missing and craving.

Who needs pots and pans when there are video games missing?

Why not simply buy new copies of the games, you might be asking? Because I just know that the minute we get home with the replacements that the original missing games will miraculously appear.
However, that doesn't mean that we're doing completely without. We did go into Gamestop today and pick up a couple new games we might not have picked up right away if we had in fact found the games that we already own. Hubby got Batman: Arkham City and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and I got Lord of the Rings: War in the North.

While hubby is happy as a clam at his new acquisitions (because he was planning on getting them in any case), and I would be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying my new game, I still can't help my pang of longing for my two missing games...one a tried and true favorite, and the other a new experience that would open me up to an entirely new franchise. I can't help but feel that my gaming collection is incomplete without them, and my mind is forever wandering to where in our new home that they possibly could be. All I can do is continue to hope that they will soon resurface and thereby put an end to my anxieties.

But until then...Middle Earth awaits!

Have you hugged your nerd today?