Thanks, Dad.

June 15, 2013

I get asked by people all the time “How did you get into comics? Why is Batman your favorite hero?” stuff like that. At the root of it all it the same answer “It’s what my dad liked.” My dad was born in 1950, and thus grew up in the Silver Age of comics. He read Superboy, Superman, Captain America, and Archie. He also got heavily into sci-fi and proudly ran his college sci-fi club. He attended a few cons and was overall dedicated to it. And then I was born. Now was his chance to rub some of his nerdness off onto me. (As far as his SA comic collection goes, my grandmother threw them away.)

 

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I don’t remember a time in my life before comic books. When Batman came out I was 3, and Batman was everywhere. I would come home from preschool and watch the Adam West show. If we went out and I saw anything that resembled the Batsymbol, it was imperative to my life to obtain it. When Batman Returns came out in 1991, my dad took me to see it. My mom was less than thrilled. “She won’t sit still.” She insisted. My dad knew better and sure enough I sat through it with a possibly glazed over look. Batmania had hit me hard. I gobbled up comics, toys, and whatever I could find on T.V. In my first grade Halloween party I insisted my parents buy me a Batman costume. I broke the belt and cried the whole day because of it. When I got home dad stapled the belt back together which ultimately saved the day.

We started going to a local comic shop, Alternate Worlds in Cockeysville Maryland, when I was 6. Before then we had been to other shops but now we had a place to go every week. Dad still read his Superboy and Captain America comics (and anything else that caught his eye), while I focused on the Batfamily, Archie, and eventually manga. My dad never understood the manga thing (and still doesn’t) but it made me happy so why not. In 1999 he even took me to my first Otakon! However that was a little much for my dad (something I can’t really understand) and I’ve been gleefully attending anime cons without him since. But we still went to small comic shows and sci-fi shows since that was still in the scope of things he liked. His last convention was Baltimore 2008. He got himself an Amazing Fantasy #15 and Amazing Spider-Man #1, and left a happy camper. That was also around the time we got into collecting key books, specifically Silver Age DC books. My dad still gets a kick out of buying a book he had as a kid. My grandmother kicks herself for throwing away his books when she finds out how much their worth now.

I still attend conventions, and I still read comics. My dad doesn’t read comics or attend cons anymore. He still loves the medium and enjoys it from the comfort of his own home, but the torch has been passed. If it weren’t for my dad I would have never been as involved with the wonderful world of comics like I am. Thanks dad, for fostering such a deep and passionate love for a truly wonderful medium in me.

And a Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads out there!

-Lauren

 

 

 

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Man of Steel movie review (spoiler warning)

June 15, 2013

I saw Man of Steel on Friday.
So,I wanted to write a review on it.
Is it the best Superman movie? Yes.
Did I enjoy it? Yes.
Is this the Superman movie we’ve been waiting for? Yes and then some.

The movie starts out with Lara-El giving birth to Kal-El.
We soon find out that he’s the first “natural” birth on Krypton in centuries (this twist interest me)
Apparently,Krypton were using a form of Eugenics to create their people (I wish they would of given more info on why they were doing it)
Anyway,Jor-El tells the leaders of Krypton that using the planet core for resources has made the planet unstable and have a week to live.
Then we see Zod and his goons killing everyone.
Jor-El escapes and returns to his home to send his son to Earth (their sun is still young,so Kal-El can survive on Earth)
Zod gets there,but it’s too late in stopping the rocket,he then fights and kills Jor-El.
He and his goons are send to the Phantom Zone for their crimes.

We then jump 33 years after on Earth to see Clark working on a number of jobs (crab fisherman is were he starts off)
I could go on for hours writing this review,but I want everyone to watch it themselves.

The casting is pretty much spot-on.
Cavill as Superman is awesome.
Amy Adams as Lois Lane is good (I’m one of the few that likes Ms.Lane as a redhead,I think it adds to fiery personally)
Michael Shannon as General Zod is pretty badass.
The 2 performances I thought were great are Costner & Crowe as Jonathan Kent & Jor-El.
They’ve helped Clark to understand his powers and how when the world see him,the world will change forever.
I was surprised how much screen time Jor-El got in this film (45 mins total)
Seeing Jonathan Kent die was heartbreaking,but he knew that Clark wasn’t ready to be seen yet (which is why he didn’t want him to save him)

The idea of Superman being a Christ-like figure makes sense to me.
Superman was created to give kids someone to look up to.
And when you look at Superman,he is someone we as humans can look up to for what he stands for good.

The one scene that will get fans upset is at the end were Superman has to kill Zod to save a human family.
We all know that Superman doesn’t kill,but in a situation that he was in what would have he done?
Also,by killing Zod Superman is the last Kryptonian,and Earth his new home.
Knowing what he did,he’s angry and in pain for his actions knowing he’s the last of his kind.

The SFX were awesome(Superman finally gets to punch some bad guys)
The flashback scenes were pretty good (it gave us a idea on how Clark was dealing with his powers)

Overall this the best Superman movie to date.
The one problem I had with the movie is they didn’t explain why Krypton were using Engenics to create their people.

4 out of 5
It’s a must see movie (screw the critics)
I loved it,and I’m a Marvel Comics fan girl LOL.

-Sarah

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Archie and the Movies

June 7, 2013

If you haven’t heard yet, rumors are flying all across cyberspace in regards to a live action Archie movie. My phone and email inbox were blown up by my friends sharing this exciting news. To all of you, I thank you. That means a lot to me to know that when you see or hear anything about Archie, your first thought is to tell me.

The movie will likely be done by Warner Brothers studio, with Jason Moore taking the helm. Moore is no stranger to teen film. He directed “Pitch Perfect” and his writer, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa works on the show “Glee”, which Archie is currently doing a cross over with. Aquirre-Sacasa has said the movie will be “a quintessential teen movie..” complete with drama, heartache, humor, and maybe a musical number or two. Oh and the most important part? It’s going to have zombies in it. Why not.

Archie has always dabbled in the world of live action. In the 1950s, Archie attempted to break onto the small screen with a TV pilot. The pilot has been in circulation via YouTube and many a con bootleg, so it’s not hard to find. To be honest it’s not half bad. We open with Mr. and Mrs. Andrews trying to get Archie up for school. He has devised a mechanism that makes it sound like he’s getting ready for school, when in fact he’s still asleep. The plan backfires, but you can’t blame him for trying. Then when he gets to school we’re introduced to the classic Riverdale gang; Beautiful, rich Veronica. Cute, girl next door Betty. Best friend and eating machine Jughead. Wise guy and rival Reggie. And of course Mr. Weatherbee who constantly has inner monologues about Archie and what to do with him. The acting isn’t half bad and it is very enjoyable.

The second foray was an ABC special in 1978. If you have any Archie comics from that year, you’ve undoubtedly seen the ads for it. I have yet to see any footage of it but I know it has to exist somewhere.

Third was the failed TV pilot turned made for TV movie, “Return To Riverdale” in 1990. The movie shows us what the gang is like 10 years after high school. Archie is a big city lawyer married to a woman who is neither Betty or Veronica. Betty is a school teacher, Veronica is still rich, Jughead is a psychiatrist, and Reggie owns a gym. However this isn’t a terrible basic movie in terms of how these characters have grown. Betty winds up with a creep who bosses her around, Veronica has been married and divorced four times, and Jughead has also been divorced and has a child. Our innocent teenagers carry some pretty heavy baggage…but that’s another post for another day.

Everyone is reunited for the big high school reunion. Archie is nervous as he hasn’t seen anyone in forever, and when he encounters Betty and Veronica sparks do fly. The climax of the film is when the gang has to save Pop’s from being torn down by Veronica’s still rich and kind of rude father. There’s a happy ending for everyone, and they all live happily ever after. 

There’s also the successful live action Sabrina The Teenage Witch, and let’s not forget about the Josie and the Pussycats movie which was very enjoyable.

Maybe it was just poor timing, or maybe America just didn’t want Archie as a live action series. But there’s no actual good reason why it shouldn’t be done! The characters are likable and diverse. The situations are realistic. After 70 years it’s high time we got something. Even if the acting and dialogue isn’t the best it will still be an enjoyable film. I can’t wait to see it.

-Lauren

 

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Batgirl #19

May 6, 2013

Batgirl #19

The New 52 run of Batgirl has had it’s share of drama. Barbara Gordon can now walk. The Joker tried killing her mother. Writer Gail Simone getting kicked off, then brought back on to the title. The newest piece of drama was Batgirls brother James trying to tear her life apart.

Batgirl 19 continues the emotional roller coaster of her life. It opens with Babs going back to her room mate Alysia and asking to come back. Barbara tells her everything (except that she’s Batgirl). In turn we find out Alysia is transgendered, marking the first transgendered comic book character. Or at least, the first one who isn’t fantasy based or has super powers. This is a huge step for DC, and for mainstream comics in general.

We then continue on where Batgirl has to track down James before he kills their mother. In an emotional showdown, James reveals why he hates Barbara so much, and why he wants to ruin her life. It ends with Batgirl throwing a batarang into his eye which causes him to plummet to his death. Maybe. It also starts a possibly new chapter where Commissioner Gordon is now Batgirl’s enemy. I hope Simone and DC explore that in upcoming issues. I feel it would really push Barbara to the limit and we can then see how truly strong our heroine is.

This was a fantastic issue and shows how far the New 52 Batgirl has come. This is certainly darker than previews Batgirl issues, and I’m personally loving it.

-Lauren

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Minorities actors casted in white roles (comic book)

May 4, 2013

I’m a member of a comic book forum and they were talking about how minorities are being cast in roles that were originally white characters.

For example Idris Elba played Heimdall in Thor (Heimdall is white in the comic books)

Anyway,there’s this rumor that Fox may cast a African-American to play Johnny Storm in their Fantastic Four reboot.

This news got a lot of comic book fans upset because they see it as trying to get minorities to see it or Fox not being faithful to the source material.

What’s my take on this subject?
Well,It really depends on the character they’re casting.

Characters like Superman,Batman,Wolverine,Captain America,Wonder Woman,and others I can’t see being played by minorities actors mainly because they’re so iconic that it would upset both fans and non-fans.

But if it’s like a 2nd tier or supporting characters I could see it happen.

Jamie Foxx is playing Electro in the Amazing Spider-Man sequel.
Lawrence Fishburne is playing Perry White in Man of Steel.
Kerry Washington played Alicia Masters in Fox’s Fantastic Four movies.

So,it can work but it really depends on the character.

For me,All I want is an actor that can really play the part well (doesn’t matter what their skin color is)
Could an African-American actor play Johnny Storm?
Don’t know,but it’s a subject worth talking about.

Let me hear what you think about this subject.

-Sarah

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Batman Push-ups

May 2, 2013

Batman Push-ups

In real life I work at a gym. I also work out with an awesome trainer named Katie who has managed to incorporate superheroes into my workout, which has led me to this:

Over the next few months I plan to expand the Girls With Comics YouTube channel with superhero workouts everyone can do at home!

So dear readers, is there anything you’d like to see? Anything you’d like to suggest?

-Lauren

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Archie Makeup

April 1, 2013

Archie Makeup

This has been my obsession for the past month. I somehow managed to buy the entire collection. It took a ton of time and a ton of money. But if you like Archie and you like makeup, this is a win win. The Veronica blush (as shown) is literally the best blush I’ve ever used. The collection is available through MAC, although many stores are sold out you can still score it online through eBay.

-Lauren

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Tomb Raider game review

March 31, 2013

I’ve been playing the Tomb Raider game for my PS3.
Here’s my review:
The games starts out with Lara Croft and the Endurance crew in a storm that leaves them stranded on a uncharted island.
They soon find out they’re not alone,and it’s up to Lara Croft to save the day.

I have to admit I was never a fan of the games (I only played 1 TR game for the PS1 and didn’t like it)
So,I was curious about this reboot by Square Enix (I’m a fan of their Final Fantasy games)

To my surprise,I really enjoy playing the game.
While I said I didn’t like the games,I always like Lara Croft.
This is pretty much a origin story for Ms.Croft,We see how she became a badass,gun-toting tomb raider (not by choice,but just to survive)
They didn’t change her appearance all that much (which is nice)
I like this version of Lara Croft than past versions.

One thing I didn’t like about the TR games was that controls were just god awful.
They fixed that problem,her moves feel more natural.
The camera angles were fixed here as well (I never had a single issue with the camera)

Weapons in the game are great too.
The bow & arrow is by far the best weapon in the game (you’re going to use that more than any other weapon)

The map is huge (you’re going to wind up exploring to find relics,gps,challenges,and,documents)

The only downside to the game is the multiplayer (it feels like an afterthought)

Overall this is the first Tomb Raider game I enjoy playing.
If you’re new to the franchise,this is a good starting point.

4 out of 5 for me.

-Sarah

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My Boyfriend Was an Anime Con Virgin: Katsucon 2013

February 17, 2013

Sort of. He was familiar with Otakon (or rather, with people watching). He ad been to a few conventions before for other genres. In fact we had met at a horror convention late September. I did take him to Tigercon, a local anime convention at a college around here.It probably wasn’t the best con to take him too; the average con goer was maybe 17. Him and I are both in our late twenties.

So this past weekend we went to Katsucon! Thankfully Katsucon has a much more age diverse crowd. Plus it has some of the best cosplay you’ll ever see. He had originally wanted to cosplay as Naked Snake, and I went as Sailor V. His plans fell through, but in a way that may have worked out. If you’ve ever had a con virgin with you, you know that it’s impossible to walk a straight line without them stopping to look at something every other minute. It might seem annoying, but it was really endearing. It reminded me of my first conventions as a 14 year old. Everything was shiny and new. Watching him go through that helped me capture some bits of nostalgia as well.

We spent a good three hours in the dealers room painstakingly combing through every booth to see who had the best deals on what. We sat in the hallways and people watched. He excitedly pointed at things and asked questions. I think his new favorite anime may be Chi’s Sweet Home. We didn’t attend panels, we didn’t watch anime. We bought stuff, we people watched, and we had fun with our friends.

Yes, there was another convention in the hotel. No, we did not have any bad interactions with them. While I did see one Tweet from one bad apple of the BBYO, that was it. Everyone else gawked accordingly (but let’s be real. If you’re a cosplayer you should be used to that) but no one bothered each other. Of course that might not be the case for other con attendees.

The Gaylord is as always a great hotel, but impossible to navigate. One young lady at the check in counter had no idea where a staircase (to get to higher levels) was.That was funny to us, but ultimately she needs to know. What if there’s a fire inside of the hotel?

Also I only paid $8 for the day to park at the garage across he street. That’s about on par with what I pay to park at my garage for Otakon.

All in all Katsu was fantastic. If you’ve never been, or haven’t been in a while, I urge you to go!

Pictures I took can be found here. Enjoy! :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/baltimorelauren/sets/72157632786606877/

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J.J.Abrams to direct Star Wars:Episode VII?

January 24, 2013

Reports are that Lucasfilms has hired J.J.Abrams to direct Star Wars:Episode VII.
If this is true,I’m both excited and sadden.

Excited because I loved what he did with Star Trek,and I hope he’ll give the Star Wars franchise a much needed boost.
Sadden because he may not return to direct a third Star Trek film :(

But that’s if the rumors are true.

We’ll see what happens with this news.

-Sarah

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