Obligatory Comics Post

With the New York Comic Convention drawing to a close, I thought I would put out some brief comic-related thoughts and tidbits. Nothing major - just that I haven't really focused on them recently.

• First, a hearty welcome back to Lorien Javier - if you're not reading his blog on diversity in comics, you're really missing out.
  
• Lorien - along with other reputable sources - have posted the above image of several of DC's female characters. Rather than complain about who's left out or shout sexism, I just want to say...it's an incredible piece of art.
• Unlike, say, DC's competition (Thanks, Rich!), who seem increasingly bent on pushing the boundaries of good taste and decorum.
  
• If you know someone who still believes that the recent DC/Siegel settlement is motivated purely by greed, I suggest hunting down a copy of Men of Tomorrow by Gerard Jones. (I can't find it on Amazon). It's a great read about the early days of comics...but also outlines why the settlement was so important - it's not about the purchase of rights, but about giving creators their due.
  
• Am I the only person enjoying the heck out of Annihilation and Tangent: Superman's Reign? Probably...
• ...but I'm also enjoying Captain America and especially Immortal Iron Fist. It's hard to believe that the book's mix of martial arts, eastern philosophy, and pulp fiction could work, but it does. And now, Brubaker and Fraction are leaving the book. Darnit!
  
• My personal favorite unsung comic would have to be Dynamite's The Lone Ranger and The Lone Ranger & Tonto. Brett Matthews has a great way of integrating the character's "traditional" values into a slightly grittier setting than it's used to, fleshes Tonto's character out a lot more...and honestly, it works! If you do not agree, I will fight you on it.
• On Winick & Churchill's Titans # 1: I liked it better when Wolfman & Perez first wrote it in 1980.
• Playing catchup - OK, I'm enjoying Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, even though I only started reading both in the past month. Yes, I'm an idiot for not doing so sooner.
  
• I'm also liking Straczynski's The Twelve for Marvel - however, it's more out of being a slight Golden Age geek, as the story has JMS' trademark strengths and weaknesses.
• After reading JSA # 14, I have to say...I'm starting to suffer from Kingdom Come fatigue. OK, I get it, heroes need to be moral and in check, they need to work with human beings, etc - now, can we move on? Please?

And now, a special message to Doctor Who fans from Sgt. Hulka, our favorite drill sergeant from Stripes: