Justice Society of America #33
Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges
Art by Jesus Merino

The team splits into two teams this issue after defeating the villains who attacked and destroyed the Brownstone. I still feel the split is forced even though the JSA did fail at this mission. All-American Kid turns out to be the evil villain Kid Karnevil which was a cool twist. We still don’t know who was behind the attack from the villains or why Kid Karnevil wanted Obsidian in egg-form so this really wasn’t a conclusion, but it was a fun ride, even if the split seems forced. But the question still remains: where the fuck are Atom Smasher, Sandman, and Jakeem Thunder?!

The Shield #3
Written by Eric Trautmann
Art by Marco Rudy
Co-Feature by Brandon Jerwa
Art by Greg Scott

The Shield’s first storyline comes to a close and it perfectly shows why already he is a better character then Magog in the last page alone. He is a hero – and Magog is a douche with horns. When I found out that the creepy tentacle-headed guy was called the Brain Emperor I looked it up and sure enough he was a villain from The Shield’s days at Archie Comics – I like that they are not only reintroducing the heroes but the villains and everything that comes with it. The Inferno back-up is decent, still not a fan of the art though.

PakAlert

By Sajjad Shaikh

The coming of the Mahdi is one of the major signs of Judgement Day. Unlike the minor signs his appearance will signal that the Final Hour is near and that believers must ensure that they are ready to endure its trials and tribulations (fitan).

The Mahdi will come at a time when Muslims will have become disunited and where tyranny and corruption will have prevailed.The situation will be so bad that a person would wish he was not born or that if someone died he would wish that it was him.

The story of al-Mahdi, as recounted in the sunnah, is a story of hope where the struggle between Haqq (Good) and Baatil (Evil) results in the believers gaining victory over the disbelievers, where the earth is filled with peace and justice due to the just rule of al-Mahdi. It is narrated by Abu Said al-Khudri (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) said: “At the end of the time of my ummah,the Mahdi will appear. Allah will grant him rain, the earth will bring forth its fruits, he will give a lot of money, cattle will increase and the ummah will become great.” (Reported by al-Haakim in his Mustadrak, 4/557-558).The story of mahdi is one that encourages the believers to work for the unity of Muslims and the justice of Islam via the establishment of the Khilafah and the application of the Shariah as the believer knows that one day the whole world will be enlightened by the light of Islam and falsehood shall vanish. But until that day comes he must take encouragement from the bashaarat (glad tidings) of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) and strive and work for Islam following the Sunnah of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam).

So it is sad to hear sometimes that some find in the story of Mahdi an excuse and justification for inaction, taking the fatalistic view that we as an Ummah cannot, and even should not, do anything about the corrupt situation until the Mahdi appears at the end of time and establishes the Khilafah. Clearly, this is not the message the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) took when they heard the story directly from the lips of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam). They heard this story and they took its lessons and they worked tirelessly, first in Makkah in order to establish dar al-Islam and then after its establishment in Madinah to consolidate and extend the influence of the Islamic state.After the death of al-Mustafa (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) the Sahabah appointed Khulafah who extended the authority of Islam even further until the light of Islam had spread to a large part of the world. So how can it be that the coming of the Mahdi has become an excuse for the resignation to the corrupt reality? Indeed, if we analyse the authentic reports about the coming of Mahdi from both a prophetic and legal point of view we can conclude the following:

The Khilafah will not be established by the Mahdi but he will be a Khaleefah coming after the death of the Khaleefah before him. In other words the Khilafah will have been established by the Muslims before the coming of the Mahdi.This can clearly be seen in the hadith narrated by Umm Salamah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) said: “Disagreement will occur at the death of a caliph and a man of the people of Medina will come flying forth to Mecca. Some of the people of Mecca will come to him, bring him out against his will and give bay’ah to him between the Rukn and the Maqam. An expeditionary force will then be sent against him from Syria but will be swallowed up in the desert between Mecca and Medina. When the people see that, the God fearing people of Syria and the best people of Iraq will come to him and swear allegiance to him between the Corner and the Maqam. Then there will arise a man of Quraysh whose maternal uncles belong to Kalb and send against them an expeditionary force which will be overcome by them, and that is the expedition of Kalb. Disappointed will be the one who does not receive the booty of Kalb. He will divide the property, and will govern the people by the Sunnah of their Prophet (peace be upon him) and establish Islam on Earth. He will remain seven years…” (Reported by at-Tabarani in al-Awsat.According to Ibn Hajar in his Majma’ az-Zawaid the transmitters in at-Tabarani’s narration are sound and authentic.)

Notice the above hadith states that disputes will take place at the death of the Khaleefah and consequently a man will come forth who after being given bay’ah as the khaleefah will declare himself to be the Mahdi. So clearly Mahdi will not establish the Khilafah Rashidah that will return as foretold in the ahadith, and as well he will not be the first Khaleefah after the destruction of the Khilafah and nor will he be the last Khaleefah. Rather, he will be a just Khaleefah who will establish the justice of Islam on earth.This is from the perspective of the account of the story as prophesised by the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam).

From a shar’I or legal perspective the hadith which detail the emergence of the Mahdi do not establish any Shariah rules for the reality of Muslims of today, as they relate to a different situation when the Khilafah exists.A Hukm Shar’i or divine rule comes for a manaat (reality to which the hukm pertains) which requires a ruling, which is our current reality and not the end of time which will be signaled by the major signs of the day of judgment.A hukm shar’i essentially is a request to do an action or refrain from it whether by way of obligation (wujoob), prohibition (tahreem), encouragement (nadb) or discouragement (karaaha).Although the hadiths about the Mahdi do not request the obligation to establish the Khilafah, as they are largely ikhbari (informative) in nature and as the Khilafah will already exist when the Mahdi comes (which is why we say this reality is inapplicable), but they certainly do NOT say it is not obligatory to work for a Khilafah when it does not exist. Indeed the Shariah rules established at the time of the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) are applicable till the end of time as long as they pertain to the reality for which they came. So not only must the Muslims abide by them, so must the Mahdi and so did ‘Isa (Alaihi as salam) who came not as a Prophet but as a follower of the Shariah of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam). So if the coming of a great Prophet like Isa (as), after the prophethood of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam), cannot suspend the rules of the Shariah, how can the coming of the Mahdi suspend them?

As for the hukm shar’i on what to do when the Khilafah does not exist, as we see in our situation today, we need to refer to the following hadith of the Messenger (Sallallahu alaihi wassalam) as it addressed that very manaat (reality): “Whosoever dies without a bay’ah on his neck dies the death of Jahiliyyah.” (Reported by Muslim in his Sahih).This hadith clarifies by its implied meaning (mafhum) that it is not permitted for a Muslim to live without the presence of a Khaleefah as it censures the one who dies without his presence. Consequently, it becomes obligatory on the Muslim to work for the presence of a Khaleefah who will rule justly and work to remove, through only da’wah and political struggle, the Ruwaibidah that are our current despicable rulers.This is our reality today and the work to establish the Khilafah is the vital issue that the Muslims cannot neglect.

Whilst the coming of the Mahdi is an important subject in the books of hadith, it is almost as though some have taken the subject as a “get-out” clause to not work for the return of the Khilafah and the giving of bayah to the next Khaleefah.As though the mere mention of Khilafah in the time of Mahdi in some way excuses Muslims from their obligation of removing the corrupt regimes of today.Yes, there will be a Khilafah again inSh’Allah, but will we all be of the ummah that lived in darkness and did nothing to change that situation? And wait for Allah (SWT) to bring a people that loved him and He (SWT) loved.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِي اللّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ يُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَلاَ يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لآئِمٍ

“O you who believe! If you ever abandon your faith, Allah will in time bring forth (instead of you) people whom he loves and who love Him – humble towards the believers, strong towards all who deny truth: [people] who strive hard in Allah’s cause, and do not fear to be censured by anyone who might censure them” [5:54]

This documentary was created by a Turkish Scholar which proofs that all major prophecies by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) have been fulfilled and we are living in the last age where we will witness the arrival of Mehdi and Jesus Christ (pbuh)

The Spiritual War

967, a report was issued under the presidency of Lyndon B. Johnson, “The iron mountain report” which was a global research study on the possibility and desirability of peace in US. This was the era of cold war, the time when US was in the middle of Vietnam war and both US and Soviet Union providing excuses to Egypt, and Jordan that they can’t help them for the upcoming invasion on Israel (the 6 day war). How funny it seems now that the biggest opponents of cold war were practicing same diplomacy tactics when it comes to the sovereignty of Israel and dealing with Muslims. One can say that this was the right time to look for world peace and this study was conducted just for that…. or not. This report has reached the conclusion that the worst thing that can happen to United States and its national security were if world peace were to come about. It said that “if lasting peace could be achieved in the world, it would almost certainly not be in the best interest of the society because war is an essential part of the system, war is an essential part of the economy”. Period.

The above concept refers to the teachings of Leo Strauss a professor at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and who is known to be a political Zionist. It is widely believed that it was his teachings that fostered neoconservative foreign policy of George W. Bush’s administration. It was his teachings that resulted in the formation of Neo-cons or more accurately “Neo-con Evangelist Christian Zionists”. Among his famous students being Paul Wolfowitz, who was deputy secretary of defense during U.S. led Iraq war and William Galtson who was a senior advisor to President Bill Clinton on domestic policy. It is hence no surprise, that Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld who are known for orchestrating the whole Iraq war, are among the well-known neo-cons who crave for war to fill their own interests.

The concept of keeping society intact by keeping them in a fear of constant war is not just a Western doctrine. Chanakya, who was an adviser and prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor, Chandragupta and who played an important part in the foundation and governance of Maurya dynasty used to say, that in order to gain control over the people of the country, always keep them in war with your neighboring dynasty or country. Hence it is not surprising at all that India has never been on good terms with it’s neighbours and these terms don’t seem to be on their way to improvement anytime soon..

Why global peace is such a dangerous phenomenon that it used to and still threatens the mightiest of empires and countries. If we dig deeper, the idea of world peace has been reduced to symbols from ancient mythology that are the very opposite of everything that reflects positive energy. For example, the sign of world peace (the dove) is in reality a ritualistic symbol for the Illuminati. Why the most powerful and influential people of the planet are scared of global peace? This is not a matter of imposing martial law on the people of the planet, the upraising of new world order. This has nothing to do with gaining more power or taking over the world or implanting RFID chips in humans as if they are “products” tagged with a number, these are just small pieces in the bigger picture. Believe it or not, even the most ritualistic or evil of mankind wants to get enlightened with satanic power, the power of evil, the power of their satanic god “Lucifer”.

The Satan challenged ALLAH (SWT):
“O My Lord, because Thy hast put me in the wrong, I will make (wrong) fair-seeming to them on the earth and I will put them all in the wrong. Except thy servants among them, sincere and purified (by Thy Grace)” (Al Hijr: 39-40)

And the war has been waged on mankind ever since. The question here is, who was purified by the will of God and how many dedicated their lives to serving the sinister plan of Satan, who thrives on anarchy, war and mayhem. The world peace is a threat to those who are the followers of satan. This is a war of spiritual values, the religious beliefs of the good and the evil, this is the war of the verses..

President George W. Bush told French President Jacques Chirac in early 2003 that Iraq must be invaded to invoke Gog and Magog, the Bible’s satanic agents of the Apocalypse. The president of the United States, in a top-secret phone call to a major European ally, asked for French troops to join American soldiers in attacking Iraq as a mission from God. During the Iraqi invasion in 2003, their out of office statement was that “Gog and Magog are at work in the Middle East…the biblical prophecies are being fulfilled…this confrontation is willed by God … and this is necessary before the beginning of the new age”. Now all of a sudden the prophecies from the book of Ezekiel and Jeremiah (Jewish Books) are so important for them that they were willing to forget their very own New Testament which clearly tells us the downfall of their evil (read: satanic worship) in such a way that even their ultimate savior Jesus (PBUH) won’t help them.

But as Bible says:
“Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” (Matthew 13:13)

Even Quran tells us about Zulqarnain and the wall that he built to keep Gog and Magog from spilling onto the earth. Yes we allowed them to manipulate our ancient history by replacing Zulqarnain with Alexander the Great but this is just another example of our ignorance. We might have seen the movie “Alexander the Great” and admired it but we have no fear or knowing of the second coming on Gog and Magog prophesized in Quran:

“But when Gog and Magog are let loose and they rush headlong down every height (or advantage). Then will the True Promise draw near” (Al Anbiyaa:96-97)

There is nothing significant about Horus sharing same life events as of Jesus. What most of us don’t know this Egyptian methodology of Horus is same as the methodology of Nimrod with her mother Semiramis and the miraculous birth. Horus who was also known as the “war god” or the “god of war” is associated with the falcon. The great seal of United States which features the “falcon” on one side and “pyramid” on the reverse side, strongly reinforces their dogma of following the Horus and Egyptian gods. A detailed study of events occur in the Mesopotamian region (present day Iraq, with some parts of Syria, Turkey and Iran) will give you so much more that will change your point of view on macro level. The Operation Iraqi Liberation wasn’t about just OIL. For them Iraq (former Babylon) is the land of their serpent Gods. For them they are the new leaders of the planet. They will prove what once has been joked by Ronald Reagan on international media that “What is that we need to build world peace … an attack from some outer space, an alien attack that will unite us under one supervision” (New World Order).

You may call them evil beings or satan worshippers … you can see them worshipping and presenting sacrifices to Moloch every year in July (The Bohemian Grove) and still we don’t understand why they are doing this? Nimrod was the first monarch on this earth who wanted to take over the whole world. Today Nimrod statue is present in Israel with Nimrod being one of the most famous names among its inhabitants. He was a “fire-worshipper” and he’s been idealized in a country formed on the ideology of a monotheistic religion. It’s hard to imagine what kind of evil we are dealing with and knowing no evil makes you one of them. This is what they are trying to do to keep us ignored and in return we are becoming a devil within our ownselves.

No matter how much you talk about the Holocaust of World War II, no matter how much you yell over the legality of Belfour Declaration, blame Lawrence of Arabia, Mufti Amin Al Hussaini (the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem), Anwar Saadat anyone. According to Jews, creation of Israel is the fulfillment of the prophecy written in Torah (old testament).

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth”. (Isaiah 62:6, 7)
Then say to them what Adonai Elohim says: ‘I will take the people of Israel from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land”. (Ezekiel 37: 21)

If we dig history further, these verses are in conflict with each other and we will notice a pattern in them which will lead us to the present time, to the world we know today. The problem is we have forgotten our history our roots, we have been put into sleep deliberately and they, they have memorized history like no one’s business.

In the “book of Daniel” comes a story about a prophet of God named Daniel who, while explaining the meaning of a dream seen by the king of Babylon, ‘Nebuchadnezzar’ prophesiezed the upcoming world events. This was the time of Jewish exile into Babylon. It was here in Babylon the Jews started learning and practicing black magic known as “Kabbalah”. It was a time for the creation of Talmud and Mishnah, both being books of law that deviates Jews from the original commandments given to Moses and which govern the present day Israel. Prophet Daniel in the year 333 BC prophesized about the upcoming empires of the world. In the end of it he prophesized that, 2300 years from then on, an “evil empire” will emerge on the face of this earth and from that point we will enter into the end of times. Do your math and you’ll find out that the year is 1967. The year in which after the end of 6 days war with Palestine, Syria, Jordan and Egypt, Israel was able to capture the Sinai desert, Golan heights, West bank and Jerusalem. It was after this war that Israel emerged on the face of the earth as a superpower : An empire founded on murder and injustice: or in the words of Prophet Danile (PBUH), an ‘evil’ empire. He also prophesized that 45 years after the creation of the evil empire, the time for the coming of Antichrist or Dajjal will be very near. Do your math again and find out which year he is referring to.

This is a war initiated by Satan himself and it is a battle for our soul. Dajjal being the final of Satan’s weapon for inflicting unbearable pain on the sons and daughters of Adam, is about to be unleashed into this world. The Quran teaches that for Nimrod came Abraham, for Pharoah came Moses and for Dajjal will come Jesus (PBUH). So, the question that we need to ask is; are we ready for this war on the ground and more importantly within ourselves? The misinterpretation and manipulation of holy scriptures is nothing but a warfare technique chosen by satan and his followers. Those who understand this know that this is in every sense a ’spiritual’ war.

I may actually be the first person getting sick from just repeatedly getting bombarded by so much information on the H1N1 virus. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure its a pretty bad virus… but geeeeezzzz are they ever milking the news cow with this one. OK we get it, its bad, we have to get vaccinated and people will die from it! Now can you get on with something else? And that whole thing with Obama’s Japan bow… are you serious people??!! Is this the best news they can come up with. So who the f*ck cares if he bowed a little too low, too long or that he bowed at all. In my opinion, it takes a strong man to be able to give that kind of respect. There’s something suspicious about people who look too confident and strong… they might actually be the insecure ones. Politics suck!

Anyways enough of this crap, pictures is what I wanted to show you. Here are some of the latest shots I took, mostly end of October beginning November. As always no matter what happens in my life, I can always take my camera and shoot the world the way I want, when and where I want. I try to keep that moment and when I go back years from now… hopefully… I will remember who I was and how I was. I regret not taking more pictures in my teens and in my twenties. Then again, the only pictures I actually have from that time are also a reminder why I have so few of them

There are kids everywhere these days.

Yes, take those pictures… she will grow up sooner than yo think.

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I think that baby clock is not working for some women… seriously, does that look like a happy dog?

Fast forward to a great weekend we had with a couple of friends in Eastman and Magog. We truly had the best weather that weekend!

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Am I like the only person who doesn’t read?

I don’t know why but this picture always makes me smile… there’s something charming and awkward that I really like in it.

Having a quick bite up on “Mont Chauve”

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It was such a cheesy but cozy place… its too bad time flies when you’re having fun.

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Which now takes us to another weekend of B-day celebrations in St-Jovite… again we were really lucky with the weather, although it was really cold for October we had a great time…and some nice wines

Early mornings are always the best for me… everything is quiet and crisp.

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I wish I had a cottage up north… then again I wish I had many things.

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They call this sport “Petancle Extrême” many obstacles and sometimes you play uphill.

Form is very important!

For all the times I shoot people I can let him take a couple of me, no?

Sunsets are also made for some nice moments.

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Unfortunately this means that if we don’t build a fire fast, we will freeze to death… ok maybe not but it will feel like it.

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Yeah, that ’s for shooting me earlier!

Where there is wine…

and beer…

it usually means there might be a party… or in this case a B-day.

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Sleeping on a bed is soooo over rated.

This was my ladie’s cake and there was another for Fred… a chocolate one. Another year gone by… yes indeed.

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How can you loose right?

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I love how the 28/1.8 reacts wide open

I love it when people are not paying attention to me.

So between Halloween cupcakes  and scary movies I was able to acquire a Zeiss Plannar t* 50mm/1.4 with a mount for my Canon 5D. Best investment ever! This lens is absolutely what I needed. I took it for a ride to my friend’s performance with their band Tone Signal.

Most of there are at f1.4 or 2.0

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So promised him I wouldn’t put this picture on Facebook… technically I wasn’t lying

A couple of days later, I went shooting downtown for some ideas… actually for a painting I’m doing for a friend. While I was there I saw other interesting moments…

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I call this one “Women who drive men to drink”

I also met a great man who was giving out Poppie pins for remembrance day. I bought one and asked him if I could take a pic. I sometimes wonder how difficult it must of been for those soldiers. I hate war but I have a lot of respect for what they did.

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I had to fit in my Lily… always photogenic in a “scared of life” kind of way.

Got lots of ideas lined up for Nov-Dec hopefully these projects will work out. Apart from work and shooting, things are quiet… I’m really glad we have a nice place to have a drink close to home... Great music also!

Hope everyone is doing great! Thanks for watching!

]]> http://citron007.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/vaccinh1n1%3ac%27estmalbarr%c3%a9%28guillain%29enfranc/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:22:37 +0000 citron007 http://citron007.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/vaccinh1n1%3ac%27estmalbarr%c3%a9%28guillain%29enfranc/ http://geeksville.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/the-exiles-pull-list-114-and-111109/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:07:34 +0000 knavehart http://geeksville.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/the-exiles-pull-list-114-and-111109/ http://jsaroundtable.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/dan-didio%e2%80%99s-answers-november-16/ Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:12:50 +0000 jsaroundtable http://jsaroundtable.wordpress.com/2009/11/16/dan-didio%e2%80%99s-answers-november-16/

In this week’s “10 Answers and 1 Question with DC’s DAN DIDIO” Dan had some interesting things to say about the Justice Society of America as a franchise:

DiDio: Well, we’re trying right now, and I think we have a nice level of success, with Justice Society of America. By spinning out Power Girl and Magog into their own series, I think we’ve shown some characters that are part of a larger group that haven’t had the chance to be showcased nearly to this level before. And then also by splitting the team into JSA All-Stars, it also shows that we have belief in a large group of characters in that book that people are wanting to see and see in more stories.

I look at several of our team books, and in particular Justice Society and Teen Titans, and I think each one of them can have more material coming from them.

Major Spoilers has posted a podcast with Matt Sturges on their website. While Matt continues to answer questions over at the ComicBloc. He had interesting things to say on King Chimera:

We’ll learn a lot about him as All-Stars progresses, including where he’s from and why he’s such an ass. With respect to Chimera, I have to say no. I basically wanted to just call him “King” and they wouldn’t let me, so I tacked the Chimera on the end ’cause it was more or less relavant and it kind of sounded cool. But you’ll notice that when people talk to him in All-Stars, they almost always just call him “King”.

All of the business between AAK and King should be ironed out in the next issue…

Tweeting on the upcoming crossover between JSA titles, Matt had this to say about Magog:

Just turned in my part of the JSA Annual. If you like Magog, this is the book for you. If you LOATHE Magog, this is ALSO the book for you.

The Source has posted covers to Magog, Power Girl, JSA All-Stars and Justice Society of America Annual for February. Look like the team has a bit of an issue with Magog.

IGN has solicits for the Blackest Night books for February including a cover shot and preview text for Blackest Night: JSA #3

The bloodthirsty combat in Manhattan reaches its stunning conclusion here! Earth-2 Superman returns to prove that the true legacy of the Justice Society of America is death. Can our heroes rise up to defeat their dead mentors, role models and villains? And can even the third- smartest man in the world, Mr. Terrific, devise a way to destroy them – or will Manhattan and the world perish under Nekron’s might?

Newsarama has an extensive interview with Matt Sturges about his upcoming JSA All-Stars title. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

“They’re taking these young people and creating a program to make them the best possible thinking and fighting heroes they can be,” said Sturges, who has been co-writing Justice Society of America with Bill Willingham up until this spin-off. “Their goal is to train up these superheroes in a very practical way, teaching them tactics, maneuvers, and all the things that Power Girl has learned over her many years of being a superhero, with Magog providing tactical training that he learned during his years in the Marines. It’s like ’superhero college.’

I know I began Episode 1 with a question. It was quite a simple one, nothing earth-shattering or too complex. On the surface, the question is actually quite simple; “Why do you live in Japan?” I didn’t realize that in order to come up with the answer, I would have to backtrack and meander down a few paths I hadn’t visited in a while. In trying to answer the question, images of cows and bells and baguettes on cold winter mornings flooded my memory banks. My year in Hauteville, France, it would seem, is connected somewhere in my sub-conscious to my present situation here in Nagoya.  I hadn’t thought of that place in years, yet when I lived there, the angst I was feeling while sitting in that small room up in the mountains almost consumed me and had me so overwhelmed and confused I was certain my life was close to its end. I was self-absorbed and emotional in a way that only a somewhat sheltered twenty-two year old could be. Oi, the drama.

The furthest “abroad” I’d ever been before my year in France was across the lake from our summer cottage when I was a little girl. That summer cottage wasn’t on the Costa del Sol or nestled in an Austrian valley. It didn’t require passports or visas to gain access. There were no airport lounges or out-of-the-way train stations utilized in order to arrive at our summertime get-away. It was a two-hour drive in a non-air-conditioned car from our home in Montreal to the doorstep of our two-bedroom cottage.

It was in Magog. That’s M, long A, plus “gog”, rhymes with frog.

Magog.

It sounds like something out of Tolkein, but it isn’t. Magog is in Quebec, and as beautiful as it was, it wasn’t “abroad”.  But, in my 6-year old mind, it was nearly abroad. From our living room window, looking out over beautiful Lake Massawippi, there was a whole other country. The United States of America. Vermont. Or, more exotically, New England. I think it was the England part that really captured my imagination.

New England was my testing ground for foreign culture, and I’d live for those days that my dad would get up extra early and NOT go out to the pier to fish. That meant something was going to happen. Shopping in town for food? Going to the farm down the road to pet the horses? The best excursions happened when he would get us all together – me, my older sister and my mom – and tell us to get ready because we were ‘going to the States’.  My sister and I would run out to the Delta ‘88, (the equivalent by today’s standards would be a cross between a tank and a Hummer; that car was HUGE) roll down all the windows (yes, by hand, with a silver crank and a plastic knob) and wait for at least five minutes for the trapped summer heat to subside enough to allow us to sit on the hot vinyl without the bare skin on our legs getting totally glued to it. It was the seventies. Short-shorts and tank tops were in, even for the pre-teen set.

My sister Kelly and I would be impatient, urging my dad to just start the car and get going. And why wouldn’t we be excited? We were leaving Canada!  My dad would prolong the agony, standing outside of the car as we bounced around in the back seat. He would  jangle the car keys in his hand, take a puff on his Cameo, and whistle as he blew out the smoke, tapping his foot on the gravel in time to some old Irish tune playing in his head. With no air-conditioning to cool the car down, he’d wait for at least ten more minutes for the heat inside to subside and some of the cooler air from outside to take over. My dad would further the anticipation by asking us questions, bending down and leaning his head through the open window, smiling at us in the back seat.

“So, what’s the first thing you’re going to do when we get to the States?”

We weren’t rookies to this. We were old hands at cross-border travel, having gone to Stanstead, Vermont for two one-day trips in previous summers. We both had our favourite things to do. Kelly leaned right across me to whisper in our dad’s ear, but I could hear just fine. And I was pissed off. She picked what I was going to say.

“I’m getting American ice cream!”

Damn her. I had to think of something better. But American ice cream was really hard to top. American ice cream came from American road-side diners and was served by big-bosomed, smiling waitresses who called you “honey”. American ice cream was served in clear glass parfait dishes, with a long, slender metal spoon that could dig right to the bottom of the dish to get at the drops of chocolate fudge and peanuts that had oozed their way down through melted ice cream crevices.

It was decadent. It was big. And to us, it represented a real foreign delicacy.

And then I got it. I knew exactly what I wanted. I leaned over my sister’s lap and whispered my own American specialty into my dad’s ear.

“I’m going to get pawp!”

My dad smiled, winked, and stood upright, pulling the ignition key away from the mess of others on his key chain. He opened up the front door and adjusted the seat with a clunk, causing it to squish my legs momentarily until he pulled it forward again.

I learned about “pawp” by watching American television. We only received 4 channels, the rest being black and white fuzz, and out of those 4 channels, 2 were American. And Americans loved their pawp. People on sitcoms drank it, and it was always advertised as being on sale in the supermarkets; “Twelve cans of pawp for only two dollars and fifty cents!” Sometimes it was called soda pawp, or just plain “soda”. Whatever the name, it was not Canadian. We Canadians only had wimpy soft drinks, opened by pressing a triangle-shaped can opener firmly into the top of the can, one triangle hole pushed into each side to allow the air to get in and the soft drink to flow smoothly.  American soda pawp, on the other hand, had a handy little circular tab that cracked when you pulled it, and when you peeled back that little metal tab, there would be a satisfying pfffst! That was pawp. And did it ever taste good.

It took all of twenty minutes to reach the border in Stanstead, Vermont from our cottage in Magog. I use the term “border” quite loosely. That kind of border crossing just can not exist in post-911 America. It looked like a big, old-fashioned 2-storey brick house with a sloping driveway out front. You’d pull your car up the drive to the front door and wait. The customs guy (and it was always a guy, and he always had mirrored shades on – to me those sunglasses were oh-so-American) would amble out, slow as could be, and make his way to the driver’s side window. He’d lean over, practically putting his head in the car, scan our faces first with a sternness that was a bit unnerving for a 6-year old, but that would soon change to a smile as he’d stand back up again.

“Folks goin’ shopping?”

My father would nod, respectful.

“That’s right. And then for some lunch at the diner.”

From the back seat I could see my dad’s face reflected back at him from the border guard’s sunglasses. My dad was definitely not smiling. This was serious business. Very official.

“Well, enjoy your stay. Maybe I’ll see you on the return trip.”

The guard would tip his hat and point us on through to the end of the driveway with a wave of his hand. My dad would drive a little ways up the road before stopping the car for us to get out and survey the scene. We were standing on different soil. We were breathing different air. The sky even looked a different shade of blue. We were in a whole different country, and it just felt… good.

“It smells different, eh?” That would be my sister.

“Yeah. It’s… like it’s, well, it’s…  American!” That would be me, overwhelmed by the foreignness of it all, and really at a loss for words with only the vocabulary of a 6-year-old at my disposal.

My dad would herd us back into the car, closing the back door firmly once we were safely in, and then he’d go through the seat-adjustment routine yet again, sliding back and then forward, before putting the key back in the ignition and revving the gas.

Then, the magic words; “Come on. Let’s go get some American ice cream and pawp.”

We were Canadians abroad, and loving every minute of it.

***

So now, here I am in Japan, trying to answer the question; “Why do you live in Japan?” and all I can come up with is the memory of me, America, and the exotic drink called “pawp”. Oh, the brain is a funny thing, isn’t it?

I don’t know when I learned that “pawp” was actually “pop”, but it was probably around the same time I realized that it wasn’t necessarily Americans who had the accent; perhaps it was me. When I live in Japan, I am always aware that I am… abroad. I have been here ten years, and I can say in all honesty that not one day has passed by that I am not aware, on some level, that I am experiencing something new, something different, something exciting. There is, of course, a downside to this, but that’s another episode, for another blog, for another day.

Today’s question, then, can be answered by peering back at my six-year old self, and recognizing how important it is to be amazed, excited and challenged by your surroundings. It’s that younger self who understands that when you walk out the front door in the morning how very important it is to have the knowledge that, more-often-than-not, something different and interesting and new will likely cross your path at some point in the day. I know from both my own intuition and by watching other ex-pats who have lived here for fifteen, twenty, thirty, even forty years, that the daily delight of the senses, the tastes, the colours, the sounds and the scents that can only be found in Japan will keep me invigorated and challenged for many years to come. “Pawp” has been replaced by green tea, and the ice cream in the parfait dish is now sesame flavour rather than vanilla, but the end result is the same; I’m happy.

That is why I live in Japan.

shesbiginjapan xox

I walked out my door, and I saw... Buddha

Eric Trautmann has a big JSA week this week, with his JSA vs. Kobra finale and Magog guest appearance in The Shield.

GREEN ARROW AND BLACK CANARY #26

Written by Andrew Kreisberg; Art by Renato Guedes and Jose Wilson Magalhães and Mike Norton and Bill Sienkiewicz; Cover by Ladrönn
Black Canary squares off against Cupid and her new partner (Green Arrow?!) in the lead story this month! Meanwhile in this issue’s co-feature, Green Arrow teams up with Black Canary against Cupid and…Green Arrow?
DC Universe | 40pg. | Color | $3.99 US | Preview

JSA VS. KOBRA #6 (OF 6)

Written by Eric Trautmann; Art by Don Kramer and Michael Babinski; Cover by Gene Ha
It all ends here! Now that the Kobra’s lair has been razed by the Justice Society, Jason Burr’s plans should fall to pieces. But the terrorist leader has more than one plan at work, and the JSA won’t be able to stop them all once they’re put in motion! It’s old dogs vs. new tricks in one final gambit!
DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US | Preview

THE SHIELD #3

Written by Eric Trautmann; Co-feature written by Brandon Jerwa; Art by Marco Rudy and Mick Gray; Co-feature art by Greg Scott; Cover by Francis Manapul
The Shield is due to conclude his first mission, but he may not get out alive! “Backed up” by fellow former soldier Magog and facing the evil behind the mind-grabbing evil known as the Brain Emperor, The Shield better catch his bearings fast if he plans on surviving his third issue!
Meanwhile, Inferno keeps blazing a trail wherever he goes, no matter how hard he tries to stay invisible.
DC Universe | 40pg. | Color | $3.99 US | Preview

Magog #3
Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Howard Porter

I can’t say that I actually like the character yet, but Giffen at least makes Magog less of a douche this issue. Although I think a true hero would have listened to the villains’ rant to gain information instead of just ignoring him. I guess that is what makes Magog different from others – he is so often focusing on his own thoughts. He is a very self-centered hero. I did like seeing that he is going to look into the nature of his powers and what exactly Magog is. The villain is rather interesting – I wish that we got to hear what he was saying and I like the idea of an underground land for the homeless.

Magog #3
Written by Keith Giffen
Art by Howard Porter

I can’t say that I actually like the character yet, but Giffen at least makes Magog less of a douche this issue. Although I think a true hero would have listened to the villains’ rant to gain information instead of just ignoring him. I guess that is what makes Magog different from others – he is so often focusing on his own thoughts. He is a very self-centered hero. I did like seeing that he is going to look into the nature of his powers and what exactly Magog is. The villain is rather interesting – I wish that we got to hear what he was saying and I like the idea of an underground land for the homeless.

If  you want a sneak peak at what is in store for Magog today before you hit the comic shop hop over to The Source for a preview. UPDATE: They also have a preview of Red Tornado #3

Jimmy Palmiotti teases the awesomeness that is to come in Power Girl #8 with an updated cover with finished colors.

The Huffington Post has and interview with soon to be Hawkman, Michael Shanks. He lets a few things drop in the interview:

Let’s just say that a few of the Justice Society characters have come out of retirement to meet up with an old foe and happen to cross paths with Clark (Tom Welling) and some of the characters from the Justice League. And let’s just say there are some misunderstandings.

Speaking of Smallville Geoff Johns tweets a bit about Stargirl

Courtney Whitmore – “a sophomore at Blue Valley High” – too cool… #smallvilleJSA

Not much going on this week just Magog #3 which I am surprisingly finding very enjoyable. He wouldn’t be my first choice for a JSA spin off but Giffen and Porter are definitely changing my mind. We also have former JSAer Red Tornado meeting some siblings in his miniseries.

MAGOG #3

Written by Keith Giffen; Art by Howard Porter and John Dell; Cover by Glenn Fabry
Sometimes powers are as much a curse as they are a blessing. Magog learns that lesson firsthand when the minions of Miasma assault his enhanced senses. Thank Gog he finds himself “rescued” by hi-tech-clad members of the mysterious Flashpoint! But it could be out of the sewer and further into hell for the pseudo-god hero!
DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US

RED TORNADO #3 (OF 6)

Written by Kevin VanHook; Art by José Luís and J.P. Mayer; Cover by Ed Benes and J.P. Mayer
The dysfunctional family reunion continues for Red Tornado as we introduce Red Inferno! Can he survive working with his “sister” Red Torpedo long enough to find their deadly elemental brothers? Or are these four siblings doomed to be destroyed before they learn the real truth behind their existence?
DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US

Justice Society of America #32
Written by Bill Willingham and Matthew Sturges
Art by Jesus Merino

I have a feeling that All-American Kid is going to die, which sucks because I liked him but I guess that just shows that Willingham and Sturges are good writers and character creators. Mr. Terrific is definitely going to be back as his body is being held in stasis. This was by far the best issue of the Willingham and Sturges run so far. Power Girl acts more like a chairwoman then she did even under Johns’s pen. Things do go from bad to worse as everything catastrophic does keep happening. Chimera is shown to be an incredibly powerful character in this issue but I know he is not behind anything. Whoever is behind this is someone who knows the JSA well and he or she is doing a really good job at destroying them. I am looking forward to seeing how this concludes.

**Ezekiel’s prophecies of Chapter 38 and 39 deal with a Nation called “Magog” and its allied confederation of nations that joins together to attack Israel across Israel’s northern border. The prophecies mention several different tribes will be involved, several of which are located in the modern nation of today known as Turkey. Another key nation named is Iran or Persia. Until 1945, prophecy commentators primarily held to the identity of Magog as being the nation of Turkey. After WW2 and the rise of the Soviet Union, younger commentators claimed that Magog was the Soviet Union and Russia. A debate has since emerged between commentators over whether or not Russia or Turkey would be the Magog nation. Since the beginning of 2009, Turkey has shown increasingly hostile attitudes towards it’s one-time ally, Israel. Tensions have further increased in the past two weeks as Turkey has taken some major moves suggesting that Turkey is now turning around and seems to shaping itself towards a role as Magog. The following news stories illustrate such a possibility….***

TURKEY’S PM says: ISRAEL THREATENED TO NUKE GAZA

Turkey’s Prime Minister has made a shocking statement claiming that Israel’s Foreign Minister recently threatened to “nuke” the Gaza Strip. The remarks were made in an interview with a British newspaper interview in which Prime Minister Erdogan also called Iran’s President Ahmadinejad a “friend.” Relations between Turkey and Israel have dramatically deteriorated this year as Turkey has begun a sharp turn towards embracing Israel’s enemies including the Palestinians, Iran and Syria.

To read the rest this story HERE

ISRAEL-TURKEY RELATIONS CRISIS/Break Off in Relations Looms

Turkey To Sue Israel for Weapons delivery

Turkey and Iran Closing Ranks/Turk PM defends Iran’s Nuclear Rights

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan publicly defended Iran’s right to have its own nuclear program. Erdogana’s comments come in advance of his trip to Iran to meet with Iranian leaders.

The Turkish government has recently begun to ally itself with Islamic nations. Earlier this month, Turkey and Syria signed trade and military agreements and both nations conducted joint military exercises. Analysts believe its just a matter of time before similar moves are made with Iran.

Turkey is also forging new ties with old enemies such as Armenia and Russia, while at the same time reducing its relationship with Israel. Earlier this month, Turkey disinvited the Israeli Air Force to join in military air drills. Turkey’s relationship with Israel is reportedly “strained” at best and are not far too far from becoming non-existent.

The new remarks by Prime Minister Erdogan supporting Iran’s right to have its own nuclear program illustrates just how far and how fast Turkey has begun drawing itself into a Muslim brotherhood that eventually appears poised to become The Magog Confederation of Ezekial 38/39. For more on the Prime Minister’s latest remarks HERE

Turkey and Kazakhstan becoming strategic partners

Turkey and Kazakhstan are about to become strategic partners. The president of Kazakhstan is on a state visit to Turkey where he and his Turkish counterpart will sign new agreements that will consolidate relations between the two countries in the fields of politics, economy, military, technology, science and culture and reinforce the ties of friendship between the Turkish and Kazakh nations. For the first time in the history of their bilateral relations, a Kazakh president will address Turkish deputies at the Turkish Parliament. Read rest of story HERE

Turkey moves to Advance relations with Azerbaijan

ISRAELS WATER RESERVES COULD BE DEPLETED BY 2010 ( would have to buy water from TURKEY)

Hello and welcome!

WHAT:  This blog will follow and examine current events for potential ties to Christian endtimes prophecy.

WHO:  I’m a follower of Christ. I’m not a prophet and claim no prophetic or revelatory gift beyond those available to other Christians.

MY BELIEF:  Rapture is coming, probably immediately before the rise of Antichrist and the onset of the Tribulation. I also believe the War of Gog and Magog (WOGAM) will likely precede the Rapture. I believe the world stage is set for WOGAM and that this is the first time in history that the stage is set in the sense that WOGAM is not only immediately possible, but immediately plausible as never before.

In light of the above, a great deal of the content in this blog will focus on WOGAM, hence the name “GogMagog Blog.” It is my hope and prayer that other believers will join in an effort to observe, report, and discuss prophetically relevant world events. I also hope and fervently pray that unbelievers will find these issues to be compelling food for thought on the critical issue of eternity. We will all spend it somewhere, and Christ is the only way to the Good Somewhere.

This is from “Doug,” and I reposted it here and will comment on it because I think it is a window into the past that will show us some very interesting things. It first appeared in yesterdays comment section:

We were discussing this on another thread. I got out my dad’s old Bible 1928 edition. He had some notes he made in the margin on Ezek 38,39. He named Russia coming with Libya, Syria, Persia, etc. against Israel. There was no Israel then, Libya was an Italian colony, Syria a French one and Russia was the Soviet Union. The merchants of Tarshish and all the young lions, he noted were Britain, it’s empire and the United States. During the cold war,I could never figure how we and the British could appear weak and only question why this attack was occurring and had they come to take a spoil?

With a vacillating President and economic chaos in the West, it becomes more clear.

*                                  *                                *

In another comment someone posted that we have been hearing this for about 100 years and we may have it wrong. Here’s something to consider. For the most part people did not study their Bibles until fairly recently. If we look at the history of the church for over a thousand years the only people who were allowed to read the Bible, under penalty of death, were the Catholic priests. When the reformation came and the Bible was finally translated into English – by the way Tyndale was burned at the stake because of this – people had a chance to see for themselves what had been kept hidden. We have much to thank the reformers for!

Here is a link to Tyndale and it should be required reading! http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/william-tyndale.html

So this printing of the Bible only occurred about 400 years ago. Another element to consider is that many people were illiterate. There was no general education for the masses. Much of Europe was still enslaved in the feudal system and America was under the rule of Great Britain. All of that changed and people began to study what had lay dormant for centuries and in doing so began to study prophecy.

Here’s the first hurdle of the Ezekiel prophecy and without it nothing  jibes. It says in Ezekiel 37: I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered. This prophecy was not fulfilled until 1948. In other words you can’t get to Ezekiel 38, unless there is a fulfillment of 37. Now we see that the Jews were gathered in their ancient homeland and reestablished as a nation and this event starts t he prophetic clock ticking!

Let’s take another look at Doug’s fathers Bible notes, where he tells us that the nations of Syria was a French colony, and that Libya, was an Italian colony. So at the time of his fathers entry many of the nations that are mentioned in the prophecy didn’t yet exist! The rise of Islam being fueled by Petro dollars has changed that and now we see the very nations that are mentioned in the prophecy, are lining up against Israel. The question that remains is not if, but when. In other words when will we see an event that will trigger the prophecy? Iran and her proxies are no dummies. They understand only to well that Israel has a penchant for preemptive strikes. They know that Israel will not allow them to get a nuclear bomb. So will the Iranians attack first? And what of Russia who along with China last week declined to sanction Iran? We see that Obama apologizing for America hasn’t changes anything except remove us from a position of strength and appear uncertain and weak. The hook in the jaw which draws Russia into the fray, in my opinion is set. Russia will join forces with Iran and the other countries mentioned and attack Israel at some point.

It would appear, as Doug pointed out, that with a president who is vacillating on foreign policy and our ever increasing economic woes, this might be a good time for the enemies of Israel to try to wipe her off the map. This, however will not be the case as prophecy makes it very clear what will happen. May I suggest a reading of Ezekiel 38 & 39?

This book explores the Ezekiel prophecy in detail! Arm yourself with vital information in these troubling times:

Go to: www.lamarzulli.net

The Shield #2
Written by Eric Trauttman
Art by Marco Rudy
Co-Feature by Brandon Jerwa 
Art by Greg Scott

The second issue of this series was just as good as the first. The Shield is a VERY powerful character. I felt like he did something new with his warsuit on every page. The villain looked like he had a head made out of Spaghetti and it was pretty gross and while the art was good, it seemed a little unfinished at some parts. Magog still proves to be completely unlikable especially when compared to The Shield, who truly seems to be a real hero; always avoiding killing anyone. The Inferno back-up was okay story-wise but the art is just not fun to look at I am sorry to say.

This is a historic image of the Magog River and Bridge in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The Magog is one of two rivers that intersect in Sherbrooke with the other being the St-Francois. Sherbrooke was settled at the end of the 18th century by United Empire Loyalists. The Loyalists were Americans who were loyal to the British Crown and therefore moved to Canada after the American War of Independance. It is at the heart of the traditional region called the Eastern Townships and the modern administrative region called l’Estrie.

Sherbrooke Quebec, Magog River 7 Bridge. Vintage postcard. A Canadian Family

This is an enlarged detail from John Rapkin’s ca. 1850 map of East Canada and New Brunswick. You can view the complete original online at Mcgill University’s La Collection W.H. Pugsley de Cartes Anciennes du Canada. You can see Sherbrooke to the left between Brompton and Orford.

Related Posts:

Index: Vintage Postcards of Quebec

Einige Kurzreviews zu den Heften der letzten Wochen

BATMAN #691

Sorry, aber dieses Finale war überhaupt nix. Batman und Two-Face (doch nicht im Bat-Kostüm) battlen sich in der Batcave, Black Mask macht einen weiteren Versuch seine Bande zu vergrößern und Dick macht beim Entrümpeln der Batcave eine interessante Entdeckung. Das war’s dann auch schon…

Mal abgesehen davon dass die ganze Story einfach nur stupide geschrieben wurde, ist besonders der letzte Punkt an Dummheit kaum zu übertreffen. Dick findet im Sockel der Kostüm-Vitrine einen eingemauerten USB-Stick mit mehr oder weniger interessanten Daten die ihn selbst betreffen.

Warum zum Teufel sollte Batman Daten über einen Fall den er gerade bearbeitet auf einen Stick abspeichern und dann  einmauern? Und wenn er ihn geheimhalten möchte, warum hat er ihn dann nicht einfach gelöscht? Und warum hat er ihn überhaupt versteckt? Weil sie Dick betreffen? Der war ja schon ewig als Nightwing unterwegs weshalb die Gefahr, dass er in der Bathöhle „zufällig“ drauf stößt, äußert gering sein sollte.

Der Arc hat wirklich gut begonnen aber die letzten beiden Nummern waren einfach nur grottig. Zum Glück kommt jetzt endlich Tony Daniel.

2/5

DAREDEVIL #601

Daredevil ist nun wirklich der Leader der Hand und glaubt diese von Innen heraus verändern zu können. Zuvor muss er aber noch ein schreckliches Opfer bringen…

Mir gefällt der neue, viel düstere Daredevil. Er scheint nun wirklich alle Grenzen zu überschreiten was der ganzen Reihe wieder neuen Schwung geben sollte.

Das Artwork ist gut gelungen auch wenn Michael Lark mit Sicherheit einen besseren Regen hinbekommen hat.

Etwas gestört hat mich, dass sich Diggle lange mit Foggy & Co. aufgehalten hat, der aber nur das wiederholt, was er schon seit mindestens 100 Ausgaben von sich gibt. (Sorgen um Matt, noch nie so gesehen…) NaJa, für Neu- oder Wiedereinsteiger vielleicht hilfreich.

Ein tolles Heft. Nachdem ich dem Brubaker Run doch noch etwas skeptisch gegenüberstehe, hat mich Diggle wieder neugierig gemacht.

5/5

ANCHOR #1

Eine neue ongoing (?) aus dem Hause BOOM. Wie auch die praktisch alle anderen Serien dieses jungen Hauses hat auch diese Serie wieder interessante Aspekte zu bieten, doch würde ich nicht sagen dass dieses Heft mich rundum zufrieden gestellt hat.

Im Grunde geht es um einen Typen – dem Anchor – dessen Seele in der Hölle einen ewigen Kampf gegen die anstürmenden Heerscharen des Teufels führt. Überraschenderweise gibt es diesen Anchor auch auf der Erde. Das heißt seinen Körper, den seine Seele kämpft weiterhin in der Hölle. Auch hier ist sein Aufgabenbereich aber ein ähnlicher und so muss schon nach wenigen Minuten gegen ein Monster kämpfen…

Die Story an sich ist eigentlich recht simpel und es wird auch gut erklärt, doch gibt es immer wieder den einen oder anderen Moment der seltsam erscheint, und nicht näher eingegangen wird. Aber ist ja auch erst die Nummer 1…

Richtig toll ist die poetische Sprache des Heftes die der Serie einen eigenen Ton verleiht. Andererseits ist aber auch gerade diese der Grund, dass man sich ein paar Sätze öfters durchlesen muss um zu kapieren was jetzt gemeint ist.

Auch schien mir das Heft sehr dünn zu sein. Hab die Seiten nicht gezählt, aber ich war überrascht, dass es so schnell aus gewesen ist.

Zusammengefasst würde ich mal sagen dass die Story durchaus Potential hat, aber es schön wäre wenn die Story etwas komplexer werden würde. Dieser 2 Fronten Krieg des Anchor kann auf Dauer nicht das sein was einen Leser lange an die Serie bindet.

3/5

SECRET SIX #14

Großartiges, sehr blutiges Finale des Depths Arc. Ich liebe es wie Gail Simone mit ihren Charakteren umgeht und dasselbe gilt für Nicola Scotts Artwork.

Neben der, wirklich brutalen Handlung (der Ausbruch aus dem Sklaven-Gefängnis), gibt es auch wieder ein paar Einblicke in den Background und Psyche der moralischen Schurken.

Etwas gestört hat mich, dass Wonder Woman übermäßig schnell mit dem Grendel fertig wird. Ist aber auch ok, da sie ja schon 2 Hefte davor zeigte, dass sie mit ihrer Stärke eindeutig über all den anderen Akteuren dieser Ausgabe steht.

Unterm Strich bleibt Secret Six auch nach diesem Heft eine der besten Serien!

5/5

INCREDIBLE HERCULES #136

Einfach nur fantastisch! Wie erwartet kommt es zum Kampf zwischen Thor und Hercules in dem sich die Gegner nichts schenken und mit unfairen, aber gleichzeitig auch total witzigen Tricks gegeneinander vorgehen.

Eindeutig mein Comic der Woche!

5/5

BATMAN & ROBIN #4

Es kommt zum Kampf zwischen Batman & Robin und Red Hood & Scarlet die sich mehr oder weniger als eine Hardcore Version und legitime Nachfolger des dynamischen Duos sehen.

Ich mag die Dynamik unter wie auch zwischen den beiden Teams und von mir aus kann Red Hood ruhig öfters in der Serie vorbeischauen.

Das erste Mal können wir auch einen Blick auf den neuen Killer El Flamingo werfen, der aber der gruseligen Einführung kaum standhalten kann. Ich habe mir hier ein Monster erwartet und stattdessen ist das nur ein Matador auf nem Motorrad. Trotzdem ist diese Reihe nach dem Absturz der Batman Serie momentan der beste Bat-Titel

4/5

DEADPOOL #16

Deadpool bewirbt sich also bei den X-Men und nachdem Cyclops ihn vorschnell ablehnt, ringt er sich wenig später doch dazu durch Domino wegen Verhandlungen zu ihm zu schicken…

Kein Brüller, aber immerhin eine nette Ausgabe mit ein paar guten Momenten. Etwas überrascht hat mich, dass Domino offensichtlich nicht darüber erfreut ist dass gerade sie zu Wade geschickt wird. Dabei schien sie während des Messiah War noch die einzige zu sein die mit Deadpool klarkommt… Bis auf ein paar Albernheiten von Deadpool ist dieses Heft aber wirklich verzichtbar.

3/5

HULK #15

Noch mal Domino! Nachdem diese Rulks Identität zu wissen scheint, jagt er sie zusammen mit seinem Team bis zu einer Bar wo sie mit ihren Kumpels von X-Force wartet. Es kommt zum Kampf, viel Action und am Ende bekommt man auch Red-She-Hulk zu sehen. Von der Kleidung und den Waffen her kann man eigentlich schon drauf schließen wer es sein könnte, aber das würde mit allen anderen Stories brechen und wäre mir persönlich auch alles andere als Recht. Na ja, aber da Marvel in letzter Zeit mit der Kontinuität seines Universums eher sorglos umgeht, scheint Alles im Bereich des Möglichen zu sein.

Übrigens glauben ein paar Fanboys aus einem Satz des Rulk (seine Identität wird nicht geklärt) herauslesen zu können ,dass es sich bei ihm um den Silver Surfer handelt. Ich hoffe nicht. Aber bald werden wir es ohnehin wissen.

3/5

DOCTOR VOODOO #1

Ich mag diese Magie-Serien ja nicht, weshalb ich auch mit diesem Heft erwartungsgemäß rein gar nichts anfangen konnte. Von Anfang bis zum Ende wird pausenlos über irgendwelche magischen Praktiken geplaudert und das einzige was ich von Voodoo erfahren habe ist, dass er nicht davor zurückschreckt auch schwarze Magie zu benutzen was wiederum Strange sehr schockiert. (was hat Strange eigentlich von einem Typen erwartet der sich Brother Voodoo nennt?)

Wenn der (um Jahrzehnte gealtert aussehende und dickem Schnauzer versehene) Strange mal weg ist und man glaubt, dass sich das Heft jetzt endlich dem Charakter Jericho Drumms widmet, taucht plötzlich Doctor Doom auf und beansprucht das Agammotto Auge für sich. Erinnert sich vielleicht jemand an das Heft in dem Doctor Doom alles daran setzte Thors Hammer in die Hände zu bekommen? Ähnlich verläuft auch dieser Kampf… War alles sehr enttäuschend.

2/5

HAUNT #1

Dieses neue Image Heft erinnert mit jedem Bleistift-Strich an die 90er. Tough Guy-Typen die noch dazu „Kilgore“ heißen, viele Tote, irre Wissenschafter mit Gen-Experimenten, Folter mit Kastration und ein Held dessen Kostüm sich symbiontenartig über den Körper ausbreitet.

Trotzdem kann ich dem Heft ein gewisses Potential nicht abstreiten. Störend ist nur,  dass es sich, obwohl es Kirkman schreibt, wie ein McFarlane Comic liest. Wenn sich Kirkmans Ton mehr durchschlägt komme ich vielleicht mal wieder darauf zurück aber so bleib ich lieber bei alten Spawn Heften…

3/5

DAYS MISSING #1

99 Cent und Archaia Comics. Da kann man beim Kauf ja nichts falsch machen. Und wirklich, die One-Shot artige Geschichte über einen unsterblichen Mann der indirekt durch seine Weisheit die Menschheit rettet ist ein gut lesbares Science-Fiction Märchen in ältester Tradition. Auch wenn der Name Roddenberry auf dem Cover prangt, erinnert mich diese Geschichte mehr an die Kurzgeschichten von Ray Bradburry. Wer diese mag wird sich hier sicherlich gut aufgehoben fühlen.

4/5

SOULFIRE #1

Soulfire erscheint ja schon seit längerem in verschiedenen Variationen bei Aspen Comics und hat offenbar auch eine kleine Fanbase. Auf genau diese ist auch diese #1 ausgerichtet denn als Neueinsteiger bekommt man absolut keine Einführung wer die agierenden Helden sind und wie sie zusammengehören. Ist jetzt nicht zwingend notwendig da der Handlung um Drachen und Cyberware auch so leicht zu folgen ist, aber dennoch hat man das Gefühl in einen bestehenden Arc reinzuplatzen, was ja nicht besonders angenehm ist.

Generell bin ich kein Freund von der Vermischung von Fantasy und Technologie, weshalb ich auch mit dieser Serie nie besonders viel anfangen konnte. Auch diese Nummer 1 schafft es nicht mich zu fesseln und ich würde nur Fans von Techno-Fantasy a la Shadowrun zu diesem Heft raten…

1/5

MAGOG #2

Ich hab angefangen es zu lesen, aber schon nach wenigen Seiten das Interesse verloren. Irgendwelche Cyber-Sandler überfallen ein durchsichtigs Labor das anscheinend Geheim ist, aber dennoch mitten in ner verwahrlosten Seitengasse zu finden ist. Kann auch sein dass ich es falsch verstanden habe, denn wie gesagt habe ich mich wirklich nicht sehr dafür interessiert…

Die meisten haben der Magog-Serie ja schon nach der #1 keine lange Lebensdauer prophezeit. Nach der #2 bin ich mir nun sicher, dass diese Serie so schnell wie möglich eingestellt werden sollte. Da ist nichts mehr zu holen…

1/5

NEW MUTANTS #5

Die Story ist ein eigentlich nur ein Filler zwischen dem letzten Arc bzw. Utopia und dem kommenden Necrosha Event. Warlocks groß angekündigtes Comeback reduziert sich auf ein paar wenige Panels. Cannonball wirf Dani aus dem Team nur um sie 5 Seiten später wieder aufzunehmen, Sunspot baggert Rogue an und der Rest versucht Legion zu helfen.

Wirklich verzichtbar.

Auch das Artwork ist schrecklich. Alle sehen um 10 Jahre jünger aus als sonst und das gesamte Heft machte einen kitschigen Eindruck auf mich.

Eine schwache Ausgabe

1/5