Stocktonwood

A new villain for Superman, a new writer for "Justice League of America."

2009-06-20T21:04:00.005-05:00

DC Comics has announced that James Robinson ("Justice League: Cry for Justice") and Mark Bagley ("Trinity") will be the new creative team behind "Justice League of America," come this October. The DC Source has gotten a few words from Robinson on this new assignment, and a very cool piece of art from Bagley. If that wasn't enough to get us excited, yesterday they also released a full color version of Bagley's work (see above).

I am now officially excited. This first image looks amazing, and I can only imagine what Robinson has in store for us that would render that image a reality.

In other DC news, TV Guide is reporting that Brian Austin Green ("90210") is coming to the next season of "Smallville," as one of Superman's most dangerous enemies, Metallo (John Corben).

I haven't seen a lot of Green's work, but Metallo, if done correctly, is a frighteningly cool villain. The fact that Metallo is literally powered by the one substance on Earth that can take out The Man of Steel, all but guarantees an interesting fight. On more than one occasion, Superman's battles with Metallo have ended up forcing him to rely on his wits to survive the encounter. That's a situation I always love to see, because I think it is an important aspect of Superman's character that he's a lot more than strength and speed, he's also a clever and capable strategist when the situation demands it.

Whatever direction they go in, I sincerely hope they do this fantastic villain justice.

The new season of "Smallville," starts Friday, Sept 25th 8/7C.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #1

2009-06-18T18:40:00.002-05:00

"Batman: Streets of Gotham," is a brand new monthly series from the team of Paul Dini and Dustin Nguyen. A partnership most famous for their work on "Detective Comics," Nguyen and Dini combine stellar, and engaging art with fantastic stories and top notch characterization. Their work on "Batman: Streets of Gotham," is no exception.

The first issue sees Dini laying the groundwork for an interesting run. Two plot lines showcase old enemies, both with the potential to cause plenty of trouble for Gotham in the future. The rescue of a young girl from a horrific life by a mysterious stranger is another piece of the groundwork, and one that I am interested to see more of. The last thread brings in a villain usually relegated to the second string, and gives him a scheme ambitious enough to thrust him into a much higher profile role. The sheer destructiveness of his plan is rivaled only by it's gruesome nature.

In addition, we get to see the new Batman interacting with Commissioner Gordon and Gotham P.D, an aspect of this title that I am particularly excited about. After all, Dick Grayson has known and respected Commissioner Gordon since he was a child, and is even an ex-police officer himself. Those two facts alone are sure to affect the dynamic between Gotham's official and unofficial protectors.

The writing is enjoyable and easy to read, with none of the awkward phrasing that can be such a problem in comic books. Dini’s Commissioner Gordon is always a treat to read, and I found myself liking his take on Damian Wayne, the new Robin.

The issue closes with an incredibly cool bit of action from Robin that really showcases how much of an impact good art can make. The action scenes are clear, concise and give the reader a great feeling of motion, and excitement. And as good as the action is, the atmosphere the artists create is just as impressive, it gives the book a feel and a mood that fits well with the characters and the content.

The artistic team does a fantastic job of utilizing shadow and muted colors to give Gotham that characteristic look of a big, dirty city where the towering skyline prevents all but a few rays of sunshine to reach the streets below. It's a really lovely affect, and the pale, off-color sunshine evokes the feeling that the ugliness that pervades Gotham has even gone so far as to pollute the very air.

Overall, I enjoyed this title a great deal. The art was beautiful, the writing enjoyable and the way this issue ended has me eagerly anticipating issue number two.

"Batman: Streets of Gotham #2," is scheduled for release on July 15th, 2009.

This Weekend is the Red River Shootout! Get them Horns Up!!!

2008-10-08T16:34:00.007-05:00

This Saturday is the Red River Shootout (also known as the Red River Rivalry for you young 'uns.).

For those of y'all that don't know, that means that the undefeated University of Texas Longhorns will face bitter (and stanky) rival, OU at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.

It is an old rivalry dating all the way back to 1900, when Oklahoma was still just a territory.

Overall, Texas leads the series. Mostly because we're awesome like that, and partly because of our enormous testicles.

It's true.

Anywho, this year's meeting could very well decide who goes to the National Championship. Right now OU is ranked #1 and Texas is #5. If Texas defeats OU they will certainly rise in the rankings and provided they win out could go all the way to the National Championship.

For the next few days until the big game, I'm posting fun facts about the University and some cool media I think you'll enjoy that will get everybody in the UT spirit.

Today, we're focusing on LHB, otherwise known as the Longhorn Band.

They're those devastatingly handsome fellows and sexy ladies, you always see at the games, dressed to the nines in their Sunday best fringe and pure, white Stetsons. Rowr!!

Cut me off a piece of that!!!!

Anywho, they're a big part of what makes Texas football so exciting and they've been out there doing their thing since 1900.

They are an old, venerable (but still sexy!) institution with many proud traditions.

One of the most poignant traditions is that of The President's Ring.

LHB is also in possession of the world's largest marching drum, Big Bertha, which is awesome.

LHB has never failed to put me in the Texas Football spirit, so to put you, gentle reader, into the spirit I've got some super inspiring music from the Showband of the Southwest themselves.

So, without further ado...

Ladies and Gentlemen, The University of Texas Longhorn Band!!!!
(open media links in new window)

Texas Fight
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
And it's goodbye to A&M.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
And we'll put over one more win.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
For it's Texas that we love best.
Hail, Hail, The gang's all here,
And it's good-bye to all the rest!

(YELL)
Yea Orange! Yea White!
Yea Longhorns! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight,
Yea Texas Fight!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight,
Yea Texas Fight!

The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the livelong day.
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
For it's Texas that we love best.
Hail, Hail, The gang's all here,
And it good-bye to all the rest!

Note: The line, "Hail, Hail, the gang's all here" is usually replaced with "Give 'em hell, Give 'em hell, Go Horns Go!"

The Yellow Rose of Texa s

March Grandioso

T-E-X-A-S is spelled out along with the music at the hits.

Wabash Cannonball
Darrell K. Royal's favorite tune. You know you love it too. I know I do! It's sassy!!!

Yeah, try not to dance. It's impossible!

And finally....

The Eyes of Texas
Our school song.

The eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the live long day.
The eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Do not think you can escape them,
At night, or early in the morn.
The eyes of Texas are upon you,
'Till Gabriel blows his horn!

Here's some more great Longhorn Band sounds.

And here's some great info on some of our beloved traditional songs.

Hook 'Em Horns!! Beat the Hell Outta OU!!

Radiation Update Day Seven!!!

2008-10-08T15:59:00.004-05:00

Well kiddies, it's day seven of my radioactivity and I'm sorry to say, I've seen absolutely no signs that I have developed god-like super powers of any kind.

I know, I'm sad too.

One thing I did develop though was a horrific cold/flu thing!!

Yay!!!

Oh, wait, no. It sucked donkey dong. Never mind, no yay for that. In fact, fuck that. It really sucked.

Anyway, on this past Friday, I started feeling achy, and developed a runny nose. Part of me hoped it was burgeoning superpowers, you know like in "Spider-Man," where Petey gets all sickly and passes out after he gets bit by the spider?

Well, it wasn't superpowers, it was just the flu or something and by Saturday, I was sick as a dog.

I ended up spending the majority of the day asleep or completely miserable, or both. Then proceeded to sleep for 14 straight hours on Sunday.

I'm still trying to take it easy, but am feeling much better today.

So, thanks for asking!

Tomorrow, I get to go to the endocrinologist's and find out how my thyroid is doing.

Then I get to come home and launder all my radioactive shit, throw away my toothbrush, clean up the mess that accumulated during my convalescence and time permitting, go look for Halloween costumes!!!

Whoo-hoo! Wish me luck!

Congrats to UT on their 38-14 Win Over Colorado!!!

2008-10-08T15:54:00.003-05:00

Hook 'Em Horns!! Well done on your 38-14 win over the Colorado Buffs. Tighten up that O-line and give Colt and the running game a bit more time though would you?

Oh, and props to Colt on his super impressive self awareness on that connection with Ogbonnaya for what ended up being a 65 yard touchdown. Great job! Gotta say that Ogbannaya really shined at this past game.

The Horns did a great job against a hostile crowd and came away with another impressive win.

Believe me, the Colorado crowd is not nice.

Anyway, Hook 'Em Horns!

Best of luck this week as you prepare for the Red River Shootout this weekend in Dallas.

Super Power Update....

2008-10-03T16:47:00.003-05:00

It's day two of my radioactivity, and as of yet there has been no sign that I have manifested superpowers.

Unless of course, you count the massive amount of peeing I've been doing lately. Although, me thinks that due more to the fact that I've been drinking a fuckton of liquids to help flush my system.

Also, I don't really see how useful peeing all the time is as a superpower.

Oh well.

I'm Radioactive Mother Fuckers!!!!

2008-10-03T00:09:00.005-05:00

Hey kids and kidettes! Guess what? Well, as you might have guessed from my super subtle title, my ass is totally radioactive right now.

What's that? How you ask?

Well, it's actually rather simple. You see I have a disease called Graves disease. It's an autoimmune disease that can wreak all kinds of havoc on your body. One of the many fun side effects of Graves disease is hyperthyroidism. Which means my thyroid is a super over achiever and makes a fuckton more thyroid hormone than I need.

Unfortunately, that can cause all kinds of problems for yours truly. Such as accelerated heart rate, tremors (especially of the hands. It sucks trust me), mania, depression, racing thoughts, an inability to concentrate and weight loss.

Over time it can even cause permanent damage to your heart. The point is kiddies, that it sucks.

A lot.

So, I am getting treatment. The anti-thyroid drugs I was taking didn't work. Boo. So now I'm undergoing radioactive iodine treatment.

The goal is to use a very small amount of radioactive iodine to disable my thyroid to the point where it is only producing the amount of thyroid hormone that I need. Thus, ridding me of these foul symptoms that have been a thorn in my side for far too long! Also, maybe it will cure me of my tendency to randomly channel Dr. Doom. Curse you Richards!!!!

Oops, sorry.

Anyway, the side affect to ingesting radioactive shit, is that I am very slightly radioactive, and am in a sort of mini quarantine. Nothing serious, I just can't be too close to people for a few days. Also, no swapping spit (bummer) or urinating into people's mouths anymore (also bummer)
so that kinda sucks.

Anysploo, I'm gonna find a spider, trap it in a jar over my hand and piss it the fuck off until it bites me. Then, it's superhero city baby!! Whoohoo!

So, if in a few days you hear about some superhot lady crawling all over buildings and foiling criminals...actually I don't know what to tell you about that.

However, if in a few days you hear about a mildly attractive lady, crawling all over buildings in an extremely poorly made costume, foiling criminals, then don't worry. It's just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Woman.

(Namely, me)

I wonder how long it takes to have those little cards printed up....

Longhorns Take out Arkansas in 52-10 Victory!!!

2008-09-27T01:11:00.000-05:00

The Horns took out old rival, Arkansas in a great 52-10 victory.

Again Colt McCoy looked incredible, (as did his receivers) throwing for three passing TDs, two to Shipley and one to Cosby. McCoy also completed an impressive 17 out of 19 passes. Awesome.

As if that wasn't good enough, Colt also ran for two TDs. Way to go Pistolas!

Defense again looked good. Well done there.

One misstep was by backup QB Chiles, whose fumbled ball resulted in an Arkansas TD. However, I'd much rather he make such mistakes in a game where we are up 52-3 than in a game that is closer. Get the stupid mistakes out of the way now, so that you don't make them in games where it can really hurt us.

Anyway, well done Horns! Keep up the great work!!

Hook 'Em Horns!!!

Happy Birthday Mark Hamill!!!!!!

2008-09-25T19:12:00.000-05:00

It's Mark Hamill's birthday today!!! He's all of 57 years of age. An age I feel, is one appropriate for retrospection.

In that spirit, let us ruminate on a few of the awesome things Mr. Hamill has done over the years.

There was that time he was on "The Flash," as The Flash's coolest villain ever, The Trickster. I remember the night well. I was but a lass then, it was before the days of the internet scoops, and as such, it came as a complete surprise to me to see Mark Hamill in my brand new episode of "The Flash." It was indeed glorious and it would go on to spawn a rather intense love for the character that persists to this day. (Curse you D. C for killing my beloved James Jesse!!!)

There was also the time that Mark reprised his role of The Trickster for the super awesome "Justice League Unlimited." This time I knew it was coming, but that knowledge did nothing to dampen my squealing, girlish excitement. Best Flash centric episode ever!!
Yeah, that's right, you heard me. BEST. EVER! I love me some Rogues!

Oh yeah there was also the time he was The Hobgoblin in "Spiderman: The Animated Series." And he is such an incredibly talented voice actor, that I couldn't tell at all. Years later, I would come to realize that my favorite Spidey villain was in fact voiced by my favorite voice actor. It was cool.

Speaking of cool voice acting, Mark Hamill also happened to voice one of the coolest, most bad ass characters of all time, when he took the reins as The Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker, in "Batman: The Animated Series." I adored The Joker from the moment I saw this show, and my undying, fanatical devotion has never wavered since. And at the time I had no idea that my boy Mark was the man behind the laughter. Neat right?

The man is a ridiculously awesome voice actor of the old school tradition. You know, the kind that actually use different, original voices instead of just using their regular speaking voices? Yeah, you know, real voice actors. Seriously, if the man doesn't want you to know it's him doing the voice, you ain't gonna know.

I mean check out his Solomon Grundy. Where the hell did that come from? Pretty sweet right?

I know, I know, it's incredible. Believe me, I know.

If you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of animation. I love the medium, I think you can do fantastic things that just aren't feasible with other mediums. And I have a deep and abiding respect for the men and women of the voice acting community. They are some of the most skilled actors out there today. Kudos to you ladies and gents!

However, that does not mean I am blind to the wonders of live action film either. And in that medium Mark has done some pretty badass stuff too.

Take, for instance, "The Big Red One." Sam Fuller's semi autobiographical war epic, that is in fact unbelievably awesome, and sad and horrific. But it is a great flick that was unfortunatly, maimed horribly by the studio at the time of it's release, leaving it a shade of it's former glory.
Thankfully, for you and me, years later, Mr. Fuller's original vision was put back together in the form of "The Big Red One: The Reconstruction." It is actually one of my favorite war movies, and strangely, contains one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in a war movie (the bit inside the tank, watch it, you'll see) and one of the saddest (the little boy in Marvin's arms). It is filled with incredible moments from start to finish, not least of which are the parts in the ovens, and the bangalore pipe. I don't think I took a breath during either scene. Oh yeah, and Mark Hamill is in it. He's Griff. And he does a ridiculously awesome job.

Oh yeah, he was also in a little movie called "Star Wars." Played the part of Luke Skywalker. You know, the ridiculously good looking, absolutely badass ace fighter pilot and Jedi extradonaire? Yeah, you know, THE HERO!! Yeah, that was Mark.

The man inspired an entire generation of children to aspire to be no less than full fledged Jedi Knights upon reaching adulthood. Good for him!

I advise all of you to spend the night with your favorite Mark Hamill movie, cartoon, or if you're very lucky, Mark Hamill. (Mrs. Hamill, that one's for you)

I myself am about to watch that "Freakazoid!" episode where Mark makes a cameo as.....HIMSELF!!! It's his greatest role. Then I will spend the rest of the night watching "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm," and all the old episodes of "B:TAS."

For old times sake.

Then, time permitting, I will watch all three "Star Wars," movies, in order, all the while grinning like a complete idiot.

See what you do to me Mark?!

Oh also, speaking of Mark doing a cameo of himself, you should totally find and watch "The Simpsons," episode entitled, "Mayored to the Mob." It has a particularly awesome cameo by Mr. Hamill, proving that some celebrities do in fact have a sense of humor. Also, you get to hear his super, impressive rendition of the theme from, "The Bodyguard."

Whitney Houston, eat your heart out!

Happy Birthday Mark, and here's to many more!

P.S-I could go on and on about all the reason why Mark Hamill is awesome, but I will leave you with these two comments on Mr. Hamill's exquisite taste in music.

Mark Hamill loves The Beatles and even has a totally bitching Beatles memorabilia collection. A man after my own heart!

And, what's more, he love Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf." Again, could that man get any more awesome? I don't know, but with the impending release of the film version of "The Black Pearl," I'm sure we'll all get to see all new, never before imagined levels of awesome!

Happy Birthday Mark!!!

Longhorns Defeat Owls with 52-10 Victory!

2008-09-20T00:59:00.001-05:00

Texas Longhorns looked good again tonight. Especially Colt McCoy, who is really coming into his own as a QB. He even set the new school record for passing TDs.

The previous holder of that record was beloved UT QB Major Applewhite.

It should be noted that Major is the running back coach at the University, and was on hand for the achievement. (P.S- I love you Major!!!)

The defense also put up an impressive stand with the Owls on the Texas 2 yard line. The Owls took 11 snaps and never made it into the endzone. Fantastic. Way to go defense!!

Overall, a great game!

Hook 'Em Horns!!!!

Paul McCartney Rocks.....

2008-09-15T03:37:00.000-05:00

Tel Aviv!

Sir Paul rocked out a concert in Tel Aviv today, despite threats against his person should he do so.

Good for him!

People who would threaten such an action over a concert, are clearly people that need to be shown that they cannot intimidate the world with their threats of violence.

My hat is off to you, Sir Paul, for your continuing efforts in making the world a little more awesome.

I bet it was an awesome concert too! I've been lucky enough to see Sir Paul twice in concert and I'll tell you now that those were nights I will never forget.

Here's to an incredible musician, and one of my personal heroes! Cheers to you mate!

Keep on rocking!

TMNT: Back to the Sewers

2008-09-12T18:36:00.000-05:00

Saturday Sept. 13th on the CW is the season premiere of the awesome, "TMNT: Back to the Sewers."

"TMNT," is a fantastic series that has consistently been one of the best written shows since it's debut in 2003.

Don't miss this awesome new show in it's new time and new home, the CW Network, 9:30 Central Time.

Mark Hamill in "Batman: Arkham Asylum."

2008-09-10T22:00:00.000-05:00

Mark Hamill will be providing the voice of The Clown Prince of Crime himself, The Joker in the upcoming "Batman: Arkham Asylum," game for XBox 360, PS3, and games for Windows.

For those of you who don't know, Mr. Hamill has long provided the absolutely perfect Joker voice for years. Both in the critically acclaimed, "Batman: The Animated Series," and in the equally badass, "Justice League." This is fantastic news for anyone who has been seriously jonesing for a good dose of my most favorite Joker in the wide world for far too long.

The game makers have also announced the "A Life in Arkham Asylum," sweepstakes that gives you the chance to be immortalized within "Batman: Arkham Asylum."

The game is slated for an '09 release. I look forward to playing it and basking in the dulcet wonder that is Mark Hamill's Joker.

And who knows, maybe you guys will even get to see yours truly locked inside her little cell in Arkham. I sure hope so.

Texas Longhorns Defeat UTEP in 42-13 Victory!!

2008-09-06T00:54:00.001-05:00

Horns did well again tonight. Colt looked fantastic!! As did Shipley and Cosby! The Horns let them put up more points than they should have, but came away with an impressive victory nonetheless.

Hook 'Em Horns!!!!

Longhorns Defeat Florida Atlantic 52-10

2008-08-30T00:44:00.000-05:00

The Horns came out strong in their season opener against the Owls of Florida Atlantic.

I was excited to see them start their new season, and even more excited to see them win. Colt looked great, that added weight is definitely helping to make him a bit more resilient and he looks as confident on the run as he does on the pass. Great job Colt.

The defense was a bit shaky, but overall I was pleased with how the boys looked.

Hook 'Em Horns!!!!

"With The Beatles" by The Beatles

2008-03-27T21:32:00.000-05:00

I love The Beatles. Really, I love The Beatles, and I mean LOVE. With a capital 'L' and a big, cheesy peace sign as the 'O'. I have adored The Beatles since I was old enough to understand the concept of a band. They provided the soundtrack to my childhood, my adolescence, my...well, you get the idea.

Anywho, like I said, I love them. No matter to what genre or type of music I wander, I always come back to The Beatles. They are my home base, so to speak.

And every once in awhile, I go a comparatively long time without hearing one of their albums.

I have a lot of cds you see, a lot of music to cycle through and you know how it is, sometimes you're just on a certain kick.

Sometimes, I just gotta listen to that Bobby Darin over and over, and sometimes the only thing that'll get me going in the morning is a healthy dose of the Thin White Duke himself.

However, these little hiatuses only make the inevitable reunion all the sweeter.

After all, there really is no one like your first love.

This past week, I've been reunited with the old friend, "With the Beatles."

One of The Beatles earlier albums, it was originally released on November 22, 1963 in the UK. It consists of eight original Beatles compositions and six covers.

The six covers are all given a brand new Beatles spin, with wonderful results.

No offense meant to the originators of these songs, but the moment The Beatles got their hands on them, they were made theirs forever.

Lennon's vocals on "Please Mister Postman," and "You Really Got a Hold on Me," are some of the best of his career. There's a raw energy to them that I've always loved, and the backing vocals are a thing of beauty.

The Beatles have always been famous for their incredible harmonies, and these songs showcase their abilities flawlessly. There really was something magical about the way these lads sang together.

As raw as "Postman," and "You Really Got a Hold on Me," were, the Willson track, "Til There Was You," is soft and gentle and really showcases Paul McCartney's incredible voice.

It's a rare thing for someone who can scream with the best of them on tracks like "Long Tall Sally," to then be able to do a complete 180 and deliver a beautiful, rich, performance of a Broadway tune. But Paul McCartney does it, and how. It's also in this piece that Harrison gets to shine. His guitar is simple but strangely intricate, and it lends a lovely delicacy to Paul's rich tones.

As per usual, the original compositions are top notch, and include one of my all time favorite Beatles' songs, "All My Loving," and one of my all time favorite under rated Beatles' songs, "Hold Me Tight." The latter of which features some truly flawless vocals from Paul McCartney.

From Lennon, we get the ridiculously under appreciated song, "Not a Second Time."

It was teeming with the odd mix of vulnerability and harsh resolve that only Lennon could truly manage. John's voice is double tracked for that great, slightly abrasive effect that only John could pull off so well. It's one of my favorites.

The thing is, I could go on and on all day, going track by track and gushing about how great this album is, but the bottom line is this;

This album is incredible because of the sheer energy contained within it. The boys loved the music they were playing, and their enthusiasm for it is almost palpable.

The album is tight all the way through, it never lulls or looses it's intensity, not even during the ballads, which although slower, never drag. The Beatles were a great live band and in this album you can definitely tell. Listening to this album is like hearing a live concert in your own home.

There was always a fierceness, and intensity to The Beatles, and in this album, you can hear it plain as day.

The Beatles didn't just make music, they loved music, and when you really love the music you're playing, it's infectious.

That infectious energy makes "With The Beatles," one of my favorites.

Save the Legion!

2008-03-26T17:01:00.000-05:00

Howdy ya'll!

This is just a quick note to all those fans of the fantastic show "Legion of Superheroes."

Since it's premiere, "Legion of Superheroes," has showcased fantastic stories, great characters and clean, attractive animation. Among the many animated shows out there today, "Legion," has always stood apart by virtue of its commitment to character development and sharp writing.

Unfortunately, KidsWB! the network which carries "Legion of Superheroes," is being shut down, unfortunately, that means "Legion," will also be shut down, and no further episodes will be made.

However, there is hope that 4Kids! Entertainment, the network that is taking over KidsWB!'s timeslot will choose to pick up the show and continue it's production.

There is also the hope that this wonderful show could be given another life on the Cartoon Network.

But the show needs the help of its fans.

If you also want to save this wonderful show from going off the air, please, please, please go here and sign the petition to save "Legion of Superheroes."

Remember, we need all the signatures we can get, so tell your friends, tell your neighbors and tell your friends' neighbors!

Thanks in advance to all!

Long Live the Legion!!

Welcome Home Major!!!!!!

2008-01-16T13:02:00.000-06:00

For ya'll that don't know, I bleed burnt orange. That's right kids, I am a dyed in the wool, forever loyal Longhorn from the University of Texas.

Having said that, I am pleased to say that Major Applewhite, my most beloved football hero ever, has finally returned home as the new assistant head coach and running back coach for the Longhorns.

That news just about had me in orbit. Major is the classiest, nerviest, toughest, smartest player I have ever had the privilege to see in action, let alone on my team.

The comeback he led at the 2001 Holiday Bowl is the stuff of legends and may be the greatest game I have ever witnessed. That is what football is all about.

Welcome home Major, it's good to have you back where you belong.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

2007-09-13T00:57:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to put it out there that the insanely hilarious, "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia," is returning with brand new episodes starting Sept. 13th on FX at 10:00 PM Eastern time.

If you're not already a fan, you should check this show out, because it is the funniest show on television since "Arrested Development."

Check out the official website for videos from the new season.

Legion of Superheroes

2007-08-07T01:12:00.000-05:00

Legion of Superheroes (Saturday mornings on the CW) is returning on Sept. 22nd with it's second season.

It's a great show, and everyone should check it out.

I was very skeptical of the show when it first came out, I saw the new designs and wrote it off as kiddie anime that would undoubtedly do to Superman what The Batman did to Bats.

And I wasn't interested in seeing that in the slightest.

So I simply forgot about that show for the next several months, filing it away under the same category as Teen Titans and The Batman.

It wasn't until after the first season had already ended that the show came up in conversation with a friend.

He suggested I give the show a chance, telling me that it really was a thoroughly enjoyable show.
I was skeptical, but he pressed on, urging me to simply give it a chance.

I agreed and the next Saturday I found myself enjoying a show that I had written off months before.

From that first episode I was hooked, I watched every Saturday morning I could after that, until finally I had completed the first season.

And I can honestly say that I am now a bona fide fan of Legion of Superheroes.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I had a few complaints. But the gripes I had with the show were extremely few and almost all of them occurred within the first three episodes.

And that is quite a feat, considering the fact that my favorite comic book character ever is Superman and I am notoriously protective of him. Even going so far as to abstain from watching a certain animated program simply because I jump the gun and decide they will not do him justice.

Not to mention the fact that I am not that big of a fan of the Legion of Superheroes(the comic book incarnation).

AND the fact that I dislike the idea of Superman being taught the ropes by anyone.

See, I told you I was totally biased by my love of Superman.

And yet, I still very much enjoy Legion of Superheroes.

Why?

Because of all the things they do right.

All the characters (even Lightning Lad at his jerkiest) quickly endear themselves to you, even if you're like me and have never really been that big of a fan of The Legion.

The episodes are all well written, with definite care taken to ensure that all the characters remain in character and yet all grow up between the beginning of the season and the end.

The style of animation is in actuality(and much to my delight) not even in the anime style. There is no 'red x' of frustration, no teardrops on people's foreheads and no weird mad faces.

The character designs are actually quite attractive and not too different from what us old folks are used to seeing. Everyone looks really cool. Superman looks great from his clothing (Supersuit and civilian clothing) to his hair (in both civilian and in uniform). Not to mention a cool little plus; they remembered to give him his baby blues.

The voice cast is really great as well, and I must say that I am especially picky when it comes to Superman's voice, (I still haven't come around to Newbern's Superman voice from JL) so that is a high compliment. I really like Saturn Girl's, Bouncing Boy's and Timber Wolf's voices as well.

It's also a lot of fun to catch little things, like Booster Gold at the Superman Museum or Clark pulling one of those classic Superman poses.

But what's most important (to me anyway) is that they understood what it is that really makes Superman special.

What really makes him Superman.

It's not his powers, although they rarely miss a chance to showcase how truly powerful he is, and thus by extension, how profoundly powerful he will be when he reaches maturity.

And I love that, because lets face it, Supes is in a league of his own when it comes to power, but that's not what really makes him super.

What truly makes him super is his kindness, his compassion, his selflessness and, his courage.

All of which are showcased wonderfully in Legion of Superheroes. Superman is always the first to respond to a call for help, often in blatant disregard for his own safety, and is always the first one there to protect his comrades.

One episode in particular illustrates this point beautifully.

Spoilers ahead.

In "Fear Factory," episode 1.04, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Brainiac 5, Bouncing Boy and Superman find themselves on a very creepy space station that it turns out is sentient and uses fear as an energy source.

To accomplish this, the space station (Quavermass 12)terrifies all those who are unfortunate enough to enter it and freezes them in a state of suspended terror, feeding off their energies.

And the station is quite adept at what it does, it has scanners that identify what exactly it's victims are most frightened of and then puts that scenario into play.

One by one the heroes are picked off, despite Superman's best efforts, until finally only Brainiac 5 and Superman remain. Brainiac then integrates with Quavermass' system in order to discover a way to defeat it.

What he discovers is frightening; to free the victims, Quavermass must be destroyed, unfortunately there is no way to disentangle Brainiac from Quavermass and to destroy Quavermass is to destroy Brainiac 5.

That's the choice, his friend's life or the life of countless victims. Can Superman kill his friend to save others?

The dilemma is a tough one and it is here that we finally discover what Superman's greatest fear is; to lose those he loves, to be incapable of protecting those nearest him.

This is what makes Superman so super.

Lightning Lad feared the 'lightning monster' that attacked him in his youth, Saturn Girl feared roller coasters, Bouncing Boy, the horror movies he watched, and Brainiac 5 feared his reintegration with the 'hive mind' of his native world.

All justifiable fears to be sure, and yet none so altruistic as Superman's. He fears not for himself, but rather for others. Indeed, throughout the entire episode as the heroes are picked off, it is always Superman who arrives first to help them, Superman who is most active in their defense and Superman who is clearly the most desperate to save them.

And yet when the time comes for him to choose between killing his friend and protecting countless innocents, he makes a choice. He destroys the evil space station, and kills Brainiac 5. But in doing so, he saves so many more. (Don't worry, it is revealed at the conclusion of the episode that Brainiac 5 created a backup disk of himself, just in case and all is well)

Thus illustrating yet another facet of Superman's character, his ability to make the hard choices. His ability to do what hurts him the most, for the greater good. Be it physical, emotional or mental pain, Superman is willing to put himself through any and all of these things if it means he can protect someone else.

That takes courage. And Superman has courage in spades, and the folks at Legion of Superheroes got that right too.

On a few occasions throughout the season, Superman's powers are compromised or altogether eliminated.

For those who are unaware, Superman's powers are nonexistent under a red sun, and he is actually vulnerable to magic, so there are ways to render him powerless.

Now, when his powers are eliminated or compromised it would not be unreasonable to assume that he bows out of the action, takes a breather and lets the rest of the Legion handle the problem.

But that's the exact opposite of what he does. In these scenarios, Clark does what he always does; he fights on, protects those that need protection and helps those who need assistance.

It's not as easy as when he has his powers, but he presses on nonetheless. It is clear that his concept of responsibility is not contingent on possessing powers.

And it is also made clear that he is not brave because he has powers, for he displays exemplary courage without them time and again.

Superman is also shown as being slow to anger and quick to forgive. And thank goodness they remembered to do so, for it is that compassion that often sets Superman apart from even other heroes.

The fact that they got all these things right over at Legion of Superheroes was enough to make me an instant fan, but they didn't stop there.

No, they continued to break down every reservation I had about the concept as a whole.

Remember how I said that I didn't like the idea of anyone teaching Supes the ropes about being a hero? Well, it was almost like they read my mind and set about to changing it.

In Legion of Superheroes, Superman is learning the ropes of being a superhero, but he is doing so under the tutelage (so to speak) of young superheroes who were weaned on his legend. The other members of the Legion, with perhaps one exception (Lighting Lad) think of Superman with a certain amount of awe (more than likely the reason for Lightning Lad's jealousy). This dynamic creates a very interesting relationship between Superman and the rest of the Legion. He is not technically the leader, and yet the others look to him for leadership, and he is often the representative of the Legion.

It is truly awesome to see the farm boy Clark, step into the shoes of the legend he will one day become.

And he does so beautifully.

As the series progresses, it becomes clear that although the Legion is supposedly teaching Superman the super heroic ropes, they are actually for the most part, only really teaching him the finer, logistical aspects of the job.

The stuff that truly makes heroes is already within Clark.

The idea that Superman's powers are what makes him super is clearly the idea the folks at Legion of Superheroes want to dispel.

As many people are guilty of that thinking, so too are many of the members of the Legion.

In fact when they first meet Clark (who is looking anything but extraordinary in his white button down shirt, red sweater, jeans and respectably combed back hair) they are skeptical of his identity. Many even expressing disappointment when they first see him, that is of course until they witness a display of his power.

After that most are convinced he is Superman, but it is not until later when they witness his true strength, in his refusal to give up, even when the odds are hopelessly against him, that they, and the audience begin to understand that it is not his powers that make him Superman.

In adventure after adventure, the Legion, and the audience see time and again that what made Superman a legend in their time and ours was his kindness, his compassion, his selflessness and his courage.

And in this way, it turns out that Superman is teaching them more than they are teaching him.