Plastic Fantastic

Plastic Man #1 (Dec 1966)

Not quite a grail book, but Plastic Man #1 (Dec 1966, DC Comics) is a comic I've wanted for a while. One of my first comics was a coverless copy of #11 from this series, which I have since re-acquired, with an attached cover. After snagging #1 and #19 during SDCC, I now have 10 out of the 20 issues of this run.

Where does this land in Plastic Man history? Well, Plas first appeared in Police Comics #1 (Aug 1941). He didn't get his own series till later, and there have been multiple series named for him. The CLZ app refers to this run as Plastic Man Vol. 1 while Comic Book Realm considers it Vol. 2. The earlier run by Vital Comics / Quality Comics Group (1943-1956) is Plastic Man Vol. 1 at the Realm, while CLZ files the series under the moniker of Plastic Man (Quality Comics). I'll probably never own any of those QCC books, or Police Comics for that matter. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  

Anyway, this issue has the 1st appearance of the Silver Age Plastic Man (Eel O'Brian Jr), considered the son of the Golden Age Plastic Man (Eel O'Brien). After 1977, the son is all but forgotten, and DC Comics focuses on Eel O'Brien. 

Well, that's not entirely correct. The "Jr." version of Plastic Man's son is gone, but he got a son called Offspring in The Kingdom: Offspring #1 (1999), and JLA #65 (June 2002) gave Offspring the civilian name of Luke Ernie "Loogie" McDunnagh O'Brian (Luke O'Brian for short). 

Dead Boy Detectives - Netflix

I’m going to start with the paw rating for this one

4 paws and a tail for one cat and

4 paws and a tail for another cat

One for each dead boy detective

This show is spectacular. 

I was sad when we found out that the actors from Doom Patrol were not cast in this Netflix show but, no offense to those actors at all, but … this crew is phenomenal. I am 100% in love with all of them. They are a wonderful family of misfits and I want to be adopted by them so much!

I absolutely adore the relationship between Charles and Edwin and then how Crystal and Niko fit in along with Jenny. Simply superb relationships and the most intense love between people. 

The show is quite violent and even gory at times but it can’t distract me from the incredible personal stories and the incredible relationships between the main group of characters. 

Here’s hoping for a season two. 

Baltimore Comic Con 2022

Our first con back since 2019 and it is one of our favorites ... and ... it remains so.

Small, easy to navigate, easy to talk to all the vendors, good panels, great volunteers and nice people across the board.

These are the items we purchased during the con, most from previous artists/vendors that we love but there are some new people here. I recommend all of them and I hope you enjoy looking through our purchases and please be sure to click through to see all the amazing people's websites and other wares.

http://dawngriffinstudios.com/

https://ewacats.com/

https://steveconley.com/the-middle-age/

https://artnessbyjustinbrown.com/

http://www.mouseguard.net/

https://www.skjaldborgartisans.store/

https://www.thescarygodmother.com/

https://jeremybastian.bigcartel.com/

https://mouseguard.bigcartel.com/

https://redstylo.com/product/ninja-bear-1/

https://baltimorecomiccon.com/

https://sourkissdesigns.com/

https://martybaumann.com/

http://www.geekboypress.com/

The Sandman - Netflix

 Dangrdafne review:

I am again in love.

This time with Tom Sturridge as Sandman, Dream, Morpheus ... by any other name, he would be just as amazing in this role! Wow!

I have never read The Sandman but I know a lot about it from Brainwise and other friends who love the story and Neil Gaiman. I had no idea what to expect or if I would even like it. And I didn't like it.

I LOVED it! Although I will say having no background at all, I think there are some things that I missed and didn't understand. I am hopeful it is just a long game in the storytelling and it will all shake out in the end. But I am a little frustrated that we have watched the whole season and I still have questions. I guess I am more used to closed ended seasons, I will just have to let go and play along.

Death. 

What a glorious actress and performance for Death, sister to Dream. Their moments on screen together are some of the best acting and story I have seen, and I have watched a lot of amazing shows lately. I am completely taken with Kirby Howell-Baptiste in this role. It would sound a little funny to say that I think she was born to play this role :) I know she is completely different than the original but both are perfection and both can live in this story without any issue from me.

Vivienne Acheamong as Lucienne is another favorite of mine. I just love watching and listening to her. She is the perfect companion to Dream and I am completely jealous of her :)

I also adore Vanesu Samunyai as Rose Walker. She is brilliant in the role and although her story seemed to flip the storytelling around from the opening of the series, it ended up fitting right in and led to an incredible conclusion.

The music, the cinematography, the characters and the actors who portray them, the costuming, the everything is done to perfection. Including the end credits art that you definitely should not skip. 

Fair warning that there is lots of gore, violence and extremely difficult scenes but honestly they fit right in with our current times. I have to say that the show really affected me. I slept terribly each night we watched and I am not sure if was just The Sandman messing with my dreams or if the story lines had my mind working overtime. Worth every lost moment of sleep, mind you.

4 paws

SDCC 2020 - Comic Con @ Home

So as you all know there is no in person SDCC this year. And while I will miss all my friends terribly and miss all the fun that is SDCC, but I am ready to enjoy Virtual SDCC or Comic Con @ Home.

I like the idea of not having to pick what to do or figure out what room I can get to for a panel... they are all in MY room. And if I really miss the run between the rooms, I can walk around my block between the video panels.

I like that I can even do more than one panel at a time if need be or I just want to. The very first day of panels, Wednesday, I had a conflict and I got my normal anger at first and then I realized, I can do both! I have a pretty packed schedule of panels for all the days now and it makes me so happy.

I loved seeing some names on the panel lists that I didn’t know were going to be there and I know I will get to see them. There were also some missing names but hopefully I will catch up with them in other areas.

I also got to add some panels I know I wouldn’t normally get to for various reasons.. hello Kevin Smith.

One very real part of Comic Con @ Home is that I still feel like I am going to miss out on things. I already feel like I am missing things. There is so much that can be done for this SDCC Virtual and so many places to find information that it still feels overwhelming, like I am really going to SDCC. I was hopeful for more quiet but apparently not.

Every day I turn on more Twitter feeds to get their tweets so I can follow along and try not to miss out. It is a lot of people :)

@CrazyForComicCon is tweeting SDCC lists for this year. One of the items is what will you miss? Besides the obvious of seeing my friends I only see during SDCC, I realized it would be missing out seeing the Legion of Superheroes table on the mezzanine. We visit them every year now and they are awesome! We always end up spending a hour or so talking to them and sometimes every day... as you have to pick up a pin every day. I will miss their smiling faces and catching up on our lives. It is a quiet respite and a perfect example of SDCC friendship. I hope they are all happy and healthy.

So I ask what will you miss most about SDCC this year?

And if you know of any special information I might be issuing out on, please let me know :)

Lastly, if someone could mail me the gluten free turkey burger with large fries and a Lavender Mint Lemonade from Burger Lounge, I will owe you big time!

Neon Future #1

Still catching up on comics I picked up during SDCC 2019. Here's one that was handed out for free at the company's booth: Neon Future #1.

This debut issue from Impact Theory Comics presents a world in which those with tech enhancements (the Augmented) are on the verge of war with those who shun such enhancements (the Authentic). The title of the book is the name of the resistance movement that wants to show how the future can be peaceful and harmonious: Neon Future.

The resistance movement takes desperate action in their bid for this future: When Clay Campbell, a reality TV star and darling of the Authentic, dies, Neon Future's leader, Kita Sovee (based on Steve Aoki), uses tech to bring Clay back from the dead. The hope is that this new Augmented will shift the balance in the ongoing struggle. Clay, of course, isn't exactly on board with this plan, but he will be forced to make a choice. And forced is the correct word, especially as he doesn't exactly know what his augments enable him to do ... yet.

The concept is compelling, and the art is beautiful (particularly the "after-life" Clay briefly experiences before his return).

Check out the video trailer.

Digital version of Issue #1 is available for free at the Impact Theory site. Be certain that Digital Copy PDF (Cover A) is selected.

Friday 80s Flashback for July 19, 2019

[Comics!] -- I'm currently in San Diego for the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC). It started with Preview Night on July 17th, and it will roll through until Sunday, July 21. This year is the 50th anniversary of the venerable Nerdhalla. It was founded in 1970 as the Golden State Comic Book Convention. As it grew, this convention was later rebranded with the name we have come to know and recognize. SDCC bounced around to several locations in San Diego until it landed at the San Diego Convention Center where it has been held since 1991. SDCC is now widely recognized as a juggernaut of TV and film events. So much so that critics regularly complain it's "not about comics anymore!" However, there is still plenty of comic book related activity at SDCC, as Comic Spectrum pointed out last year and in 2016. To celebrate SDCC this year, I've selected several 80s tunes inspired by, or about, comic books. What made the latest playlist? Read and hear more the jump.

SDCC last minute reminders

Print out all your confirmations: SDCC Merchandise pre-order, Exclusives Lottery wins, tickets to parties, anything that you think you can get on your phone, don't trust it and print it. Some places only accept the print out too.

Make sure you have binoculars, sunscreen, swimsuit, a few pairs of shoes, extra socks and underwear, and business cards if you are handing them out this year. If you are cosplaying make sure you have all the parts for your costume. And most of all, YOUR BADGE!

I was trying to go from memory for packing and I decided that I shouldn't trust that, so I pulled out my travel folder and found a fun checklist from Crazy for Comic Con's 2012 post!! It was perfect, it helped me remember to get the binoculars out and into my carry on. I love to use them when in our hotel room, if we are lucky enough to get a view.

Another fun thing that someone did and I "stole" :) was creating a secret Facebook group with your friends so that you can safely post where you are and when so a potential meet up could happen at any time. Instead of trying to text everyone or Tweet out your info publicly, I though this was a great idea. So I created one for my group of friends and I am hopeful it will work for us. *Crosses fingers and toes for good service in the center*

I also highly recommend using the My Sched that is offered by CCI. If your friends all use it and you are connected by social media then you can see your friend's schedules and see if anything overlaps. My hubby and I even use it for each other!!

Last but not least, have fun, be nice, sleep well and remember we are all here for the same reason... the love of comics and all that entails.

-Dangrdafne

SDCC 2019

So next week at this time we will be in San Diego anticipating the start of SDCC 2019, the 50th anniversary of SDCC. How amazing is that??

I am very excited for this trip and can’t wait to see all my friends and all the amazing panels and wares to be had on the floor. We don’t have many exclusives to get, except for one in the portal. We did our best to use our credits appropriately but only time will tell if it works out for us. Hopefully the 80th anniversary SDCC Batman will come home with us. What are you looking for this year?

I have some friends on panels this year so I was sure to put their times on my calendar and we always see the animated film on Friday night. Other than that there are no parties on the schedule with the ending of Game of Bloggers and the Hero Within closing party. While I am sad to not have the parties to go to and the time to see certain people, I am happy to have the time open. Hopefully we will still see everyone we want to.

What are your must do panels? Do you have any parties planned?

I am also just looking forward to being away and hanging out in San Diego. It is one of my favorite places to visit and the bonus of seeing my childhood best friend is a huge factor in my love of the area.

I hope everyone attending has safe travels and may all the odds be in our favor to get the exclusives we want and seats at the panels we want. Happy SDCC!!!!

Oh Nerdy Christmas Tree

We decided to open our Batman and Friends ornament container this year and decorate our tree in all the nerdy goodness we have. What nerdy goodness do you have that you like to use to decorate?

Here are some highlights:

Friday 80s Flashback for July 27, 2018

[Post Comic-Con Blues] -- I have them. My wife has them. And over 150,000 other people probably have them, too. I'm talking about those blues that settle in after attending an epic event like the San Diego International Comic-Con (SDCC). Comic-Con ended this past Sunday, but it's hard to return to the mundane world after being embedded with so many fanpeeps at quite possibly the largest celebration of comic books and pop culture. (By the by, there was a specially curated Flashback post for Comic-Con last week).

My initial plan for today was to create a playlist of sad goodbye songs. But we don't need sad songs. We need to get pumped up! So, I chose more upbeat songs to help us chase those blues away. Now, each of the three songs this week has a fairly obvious connection to this week's theme, but there is a more subtle connection for one of them. Can you find it? I'll take the names of all the folks who provide a correct answer, and I'll select a random winner to receive a geeky prize. I hope that motivates you to post a comment ... when you read and hear more after the jump. 

Friday 80s Flashback for July 20, 2018

[SDCC 2018 Playlist] -- I can in no way offer a definitive 80s playlist for the Valhalla of geekdom that is the San Diego Comic-Con International. Well, I could try, but I'm just one person. So I turned to the power of Twitter to ask my fellow comic con attendees (and folks who wish they could be attending this week) to help me curate a special playlist. I asked, "What is your favorite 80s song?" And my fellow nerds responded. So, this post is going to go beyond my standard three selections. And it's going to run the gamut of styles. But in the end, I think we end up with a nice 13-track set to kick off the weekend. If you'd like to know what tracks were selected, and who suggested them, you can read and hear more after the jump. 

Let the games begin

So we received emails from SDCC yesterday that our badges were on their way!

We arrived home and it must have been a worm hole because our badges were already here!

What is everyone looking forward to?

Dangrdafne is looking forward to seeing her friends and getting away from work for a long break.

Brainwise is looking forward to the overall experience of SDCC even for our eighth visit.

The Great Philadelphia Comic Con - Part 2 (The Comics!)

Dangrdafne already posted the basics about the Great Philadelphia Comic Con 2018. So I refer you to that post to see an overview of the con itself and pics of some art we picked up. She has, however, left it to me to talk about the comic book aspect of our venture on Saturday, 4/28/2018.

Several weeks prior to the con, I identified the comic creators I wanted to meet and also determined what books I would like them to sign. I'll provide details below. Now, some of the comics I wanted to have signed were already in my collection. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my copies of The Steranko History of Comics Vol 1 and Vol 2, or even access some of my older issues still in storage. So, I had to acquire other books to fill the gaps. Fortunately, with help from a my local shops and a few judicious eBay purchases, I was pretty much set for the convention.

Jim Steranko's table was my first stop, and I had six of his books ranging from 1967 to 1973, all found at a shop near my office. They were:

Strange Tales Vol. 1 #157 and #167

The Great Philadelphia Comic Con

Saturday April 28, 2018

Oaks PA

After spending quite a long time to find a parking space, waiting in line to get in, we were ready to comic con!

Brainwise got lots of comic books signed by various people, I will leave that for him to post about. And I made sure to go directly to Regenerated Arts and get my Wonder Woman art work. I adore Regenerated Arts art. It is just beautiful, so much so, that I couldn’t pass up two more pieces.

I just love her viewpoint and I love that each one of these pieces are a different color but it brings out exactly what you should see. In fact looking at the photos I am realizing there is only one color in each but I see all the colors that I know exist in the view. Wow, so amazing.

Then we accidentally saw the time wrong and went to a panel too early, so we ate lunch and then moved up to the 4th row to see the Black Lightning panel. I am so glad we moved up. I really like Cress Williams and his work and he was directly in front of me on the stage. I really enjoyed that. But I also am glad we went to the panel.

We have not posted a review of the show for Black Lightning and I am glad I haven’t. I am not crazy about the show and especially can not stand the Tobias Whale character but after hearing the panel speak and learning about the actors I have a new appreciation for the show. In fact, I even went up to the Tobias Whale actor, Marvin Jones III, and told him how much I dislike his character but am grateful to find that he is a joy in person. I also had to add that the fact I hate his character makes him a great actor. Since the role is NOTHING like him. I mean nothing like him. I now will be able to watch him and see beneath the evil surface and realize he is just good at what he does.

Then we walked most of the floor and shopped. I only picked up two more pieces of art

and then we chose a book. I was hopeful my Mom would want to read the book we got but I don’t think so. She isn’t much into the supernatural but we shall see after I read it. The Demon in Business Class by Anthony Dobranski.

We also got cool pins

and I LOVE the “logo” tee shirt! I would love to wear this if I ever got to meet Clark Gregg and ask him to join our team :)

I had read not such great reviews of this con but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. You can do it all on the Saturday but you will be pretty tired and we didn’t start at opening for 10am and we were still tired. It is a loud place and no carpets anywhere, so just concrete. Also the “panel rooms” are just portions from the main area with curtains. Soooo if there is a panel going on and an announcement is made, you can no longer hear the panel. Luckily for use, the only announcement came at the end of the Black Lightning panel and Cress made fun of it so it was ok.

I had heard that their food options were limited and not good. I would greatly beg to differ. There were tons of options with even very healthy items and it was all good. Priced a little high BUT that is always expected at a convention center. We ended up wanting and getting French fries and a coffee and Gatorade which are our go to things when wearing thin at a con :) It was all delicious.

The workers and volunteers were all super nice and except for no markings on the aisles to know where you were, the place was set up very well. All the aisles were wide and except for a few times every aisle was passable. I would definitely come back to this con as I liked the ease of it and the smallness. Not overwhelming and the access to creators, celebrity and artists is excellent. It is also not too expensive ...as long as you don’t do VIP and to be honest I did not see a reason to be VIP. I saw no seating areas saved, nor anything really to support this higher pricing. Just get a ticket and enjoy the day, we did.

[Update: As mentioned above, you can also read about Brainwise's comic acquisitions from this con.]