Random wondering: Is/was Louis E. Grieve somebody in particular? I mean, aside from being the namesake of a fictional high school? Neither google nor my internal brain serves up either a 'verse character or an obvious subject for a tribute (the way it would be if it were, say, Julie Schwartz HS). But doesn't sound to me like a generic made-up name, either.

I went to "my" store after work---Batman and Catwoman were SOLD OUT. Asked about The Outsiders, was told it came out last week and they were sold out. For some reason I thought it didn't come out last week.

Buy Astonishing X Men, Superman, Wonder Woman, a back issue of BoP, and um issue 1 of some X men title I'm blanking on.

Then I go sit in the car and read Astonishing. Well, not so much read as skim through until the last few pages and the last panel killed me. DEAD. guh!

Then I went to the other store that's open after 5:30 and they didn' thave Batman or Catwoman. But I found the one War GAmes issue I am missing, but dind't buy it because I didn't have any cash on me and they don't allow debit card purchases under a certain amount.

I'm starting a file at my store so this doesn't happen again.

I'm starting a file at my store so this doesn't happen again.

Yeah, that's pretty much what got me there. "Are you sold out of XYZPDQF again?" "You know, we could save that for you next time...."

Okay - -my store NEVER got the new Outsiders!

And hadn't any news about it either. WTF?

I picked up the two War Games comics + Astounishing + the new Flash + GL 177.

I'm pretty sure there was no new Outsiders.

I got Catwoman (ick), Batman (yum so far), Astounishing (oh), Excalibur (it's failed the four issue test -- no more), Ultimate FF (once I get up to #12, I'll start collecting it in books. Like it, but not that much), and Ultimate Elektra (hmm).

Finally saw JLU. Very lame, but I thought it was very funny having Jason Hervey and Fred Savage voice Hawk and Dove.

re: Astounishing -- is there any chance someone could give me a quick and dirty explanation of Colossus, and why I should have been more impacted? That last panel sure was Joss, though, wasn't it?

re: Batman -- I almost lost my shit when I saw Nightwing grabbing Tim. SA was here, and she was reading back issues of Teen Titans, and I was reading this week's titles, and we'd keep interrupting each other to point out things that we found important, or full of HoYay, or shocking. She had pretty much the same reaction that I did at the Batman panel.

Steph, here's the Astounishing lowdown:

Colossus came over from Russia when Prof X invited him to be a member of the new X-Men. While there, he fell for the young Kitty Pryde. Which was very sweet and oh-so-OTP. Then he cheated on her with some space-ho, and the relationship ended (though he was still sweet). Kitty moved on, moved to the UK, got a new shag. He sacrificed himself to host the cure for the Legacy virus which was threatening to kill a whole lot of people. Poor gutted Kitty (this and other stresses got her down) quit the superhero biz.

Okay, ick. Re War Games -- I understand that public distrust of the Batfamily is important, but what in fuck was the leap of the journalist in the last frame? There was a fucking GUN BATTLE outside the school, with no heroes present, and somehow Batman caused the death of the girl? Okay, sure, the whole thing is Spoiler's fault, but that's not a conclusion that can be reached with available evidence. It's so patently clear that Bats and them ended the hostage situation, that I just don't get the conclusion. Or maybe armed guys taking over buildings and then falling asleep is a regular Gotham thing.

Cracksmoker.

However, it might just all add up to a very clever plan -- why does Batman need to carry her out? Why not just vanish?

I'm with you on that, ita. It made no sense. Maybe Willingham really should just stick with Fables and keep out of the Batverse.

ETA: But ita, if he planned it, why was he then so snappish with the other two for being "exposed"? To me, it seemed like a necessary evil for him to carry her out, to make sure she got out safely. He took on that responsibility, at whatever cost.