I might be infected with some sort of Batman mental virus.
535
534
Testing out a new brush pen and sketchpad.
I watched Son of Batman the other night because I clearly don’t get enough Batman in my life, or think about Batman at all times or anything. Anyway, it might be the worst DC animated movie so far, and I sat through Justice League: War and Flashpoint Paradox. Actually, the worst is Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. There’s a story in it told from the point of view of Hal Jordan recounting a story told to him from another Lantern, told as a flashback within a flashback. What a piece of shit. Not even Henry Rollins as Kilowog could make it better. Anyhoo, Son of Batman is loosely based on a couple of Grant Morrison stories but without the imagination and charisma. Draining all remaining life from it is the voice cast, including Greg from Dharma and Greg as Deathstroke who seems to have been half-asleep when reading (and I mean barely reading – not acting) his lines.
531
Last night, I started watching Guillermo Del Toro’s Mimic. I did not finish it due to needing to get up earlier than usual. Tonight, I am watching The Phantom and I realize that James Remar (Dexter‘s dad) is in two of the most unfairly maligned comic adaptations of the 90s (the aforementioned “The Phantom” and Judge Dredd).
529
I’m currently house/cat-sitting for my folks. So, cable is happening. And on Sunday I watched three of the original batch Planet of the Apes films (Escape from, Conquest of, and Battle for). They were on. I also re-watched Oz the Great and Powerful and the pilot episode of Guillermo Del Toro’s The Strain. I enjoyed the book and I love Del Toro and I enjoy his take on vampires (Cronos, Blade II). The pilot was incredibly flawed, even to a person like me who dismisses or ignores dumb things. But, it’s interesting enough that I’ll keep watching for a bit.
528. The Riddler
I watched Batman (1966) yesterday. Twice. It is a delightful movie and I love it. I particularly think Frank Gorshin as the Riddler is fantastically perfect. So, I was inspired.
527. Batgirl
Bandwagon! I jump it. With the news of the new creative team on board Batgirl and her slick new costume, I decided that I too wanted to draw it. I like better than the jagged armor thing she was wearing, but I still bristle about comic characters with “realistic” costumes – which is what this is. The art for the rebranded series looks AMAZING, and it truly seems as if someone in the Batman offices of DC are attempting to try some new takes in tone and direction, which is appealing. I’d really like to try the new set-up, but something about writer Cameron Stewart gets my hackles up (though he’s a fantastic artist himself) and the new backdrop of basically Portland-in-Gotham/Gotham’s Hipster Mecca makes me queasy. It all seems very “The Kids like this stuff! Selfies! Bacon donuts! Ironic mustaches! Please buy a comic?” So I’m undecided if I’ll try it. Which is kind of heartbreaking, as I am basically not supporting anything DC lately except for the non-continuity Batman ’66 and a stray Vertigo book here and there (still getting Wonder Woman until Azzarello leaves ‘cuz no way in hell am I buying a David Finch comic). I’m a weird ball of negativity that desires to be positive. Which means I shouldn’t talk about The Conspiracy – the movie I watched on Netflix last night.
