I just got back from the comic book store. Damn.

Nightwing #94: I think I want to have Devin Grayson's babies. I know Michele found it meh, but there were just some brilliant bits, like Dick's babbling about the way sound works and how he didn't say STOP and the way the flashbacks were done. Yeah, I know comic not called Tarantula, but I could still feel everything he was going through, being shuttled through this story, relegated to the sideline almost, not having come to terms with what's happened yet trying to deal with this new "relationship" with Tarantula. Somehow, this issue portrayed Nightwing's mindset brilliantly without being Nightwing-centric.

And then, since I couldn't miss THE COMICS EVENT OF THE YEAR, I picked up Identity Crisis.

Wow. It's really good. Like, I almost wanted to buy it, and I never buy issues; I just wait for the trades. I'm not even that familiar with the DCverse, so the backstory went over my head, but I could still follow it all right. Anyone want to help me out with the relevant bits? And who the fuck is Dr. Light?

Then 100 Bullets #50, which was pretty sweet (and I knew it would be, being #50 and all) since we finally get the origin of the Trust and the meaning of CROATOA, kind of. And the introduction of a new Minuteman. Was it just me, or did one of the guys in the shootout look like Cole?

Finally, Fables #whatever it was. Holy crap. Deaths galore. Hell, fucking PINOCCHIO bites it. It kind of reminded me of "Chosen." Can't wait to see how this wraps up.

I'm with PC needing some help on backstory for Secret Identities. And I agree with him about Nightwing.

However I hated the art in Nightwing.

I didn't. It had some great splash pages. And I know the panel structure isn't determined by the artist, but I loved it.

94, P-C. 64 was a damned good NW, though. I recommend it.

Anyway, while Comic not called Tarantula I agree with your assessment of various moments. The "didn't say stop" bit just gutted me, given the doubling of his not saying stop to the shooting and the barely below the surface not saying stop to the rooftop sex and ( maybe slightly more buried) to the whole relationship with Tarantula. As for that whole mess, it can't end well -- Bats hates her, Babs hates her, and if I was worried by the previews off them gallivanting off to fight crime, well, it's looking like it'll stay good and dark.

Dr. Light is a golden-age villian. He, umm, used light in his crimes. More important for this, he turned up in the 70s sometime (memfault?) for a one-shot and found out everyone's secret identities, which is what led them to go public. What he's up to in this story line (and whether he's even the real baddie), I have no idea.

As for Identity Crisis, I'm liking it so far. A lot. More than I expected -- I was thinking it was a read-for-continuity-importance deal (kinda like Crisis was for me), more than something that would grip me on its own merits. I don't give a rat's ass about Ralph and Sue, although I doubt that's going to be the real tragedy they're talking about. I still suspect the whole thing of being a bit gimmickish. And yet, Meltzer has the mystery/thriller pacing down so well that I'm loving it in spite of all that.

Legends 180 is just great fun. Babs-centric, and with some happy geek moments (in spite of the usual oh, yeah, right of the technology) -- it's not just Batgirl!Babs, but Librarian!Babs as well. My slightly unhealthy overidentification is not going to go away because of this. PLEI you must read this book (and from the looks of things, the next). MUST. MUSTMUSTMUSTMUST. I came, I saw, I scanned.

GA 39... not reading until I've caught up on the rest of the arc.

Finally picked up Astounishing. Which I'm going to prounounce as "Astounishing" instead of "Astonishing" for ever and ever amen. It struck me as a good way in for people who've been away, or know the movies best, or whatever, but I'm just into Marvel enough to really get into it.

I liked the art in NW -- definitely more gritty-looking than Zircher, but I think it's done to good effect given where the story is. And the color was fantastic, especially in the contrast between flashbacks and current scenes. And even if you really, really hate it, remember -- at least it's not the clowny-cartoony stuff they used to do with this title. I do wish, though, that Dick would shave already. Eesh. Probably hasn't showered, either.

94, P-C. 64 was a damned good NW, though. I recommend it.

D'oh. Edited. Actually, I think I may have...no, wait, I haven't read that one.

Oh, good call on the "didn't say stop" doubling. Yeah, that whole monologue just...that's the kind of shit I read comic books for.

And thanks for the Dr. Light info!

I have to take my hate back.

Although it's not my favorite artwork I was definitly influenced by the cover art (yeah I know it's not the same person) which I do hate. Also his eyes in the first panel just seem weird with the little pinprick pupils. I'd rather have just white.

Alright, ita, I owe you an apology. I just re-watched the original X-men movie. I completely did not remember Mystique being that freaky ninja-tastic.

On a side note, finding out the only way to see the deleted scenes is to activate "Enhanced Viewing Mode", causing them to automatically load while watching the movie, AFTER you're done watching the movie is incredibly annoying. I ended up fast-forwarding through the movie, then dropping to normal speed whenever the "here comes a deleted scene" symbol popped up to see them. (Just fast-forwarding past doesn't trigger the scene load. Neither does skipping to the next scene.) I have one question: Exactly what accent was Halle Berry trying for in those deleted scenes, because it was completely unrecognizable.

Exactly what accent was Halle Berry trying for in those deleted scenes, because it was completely unrecognizable.

More unrecognizable than in the scenes that weren't deleted?

I have some questions about Identity Crisis what's Bolt's deal. I mean, who is he and why is he wearing a tshirt that makes me think of the Punisher. What's mother box technology and why is it so great. Who's Zatanna.

Which I think are actually my questions for right now, the more I read it the more I'm getting.