(bedrest central moves short-term to the couch, and I attempt to remember how to type on my Mac)

Sooo... 'Tec 800 Okay, who switched our dear AG's brain with that of Jeph "Crack Daddy" Loeb for the extra-long session of Batman Plays Hand Staple Forehead Then Regroups? Seriously. It was Loebtastic. I don't think I mean that in the good way. Also, it basically serves as Exposition 101: Post War Games Edition. There's not much story in the story. Yawn.

Hmm. I read other stuff. Oh, yeah. Astonishing. No thoughts on it, though. And, err. Hmm. (thinks) I'd have to check, but it's all in Bedrest Station #1. I did read The Question, and am withholding judgey bits until next issue. Wait! I remember. I also read the second issue of Catwoman: When in Rome, Be Naked at All Times.

See 'Tec comments, and keep in mind that this one's the Real Loeb Deal.

On my way to the Dr's today, I saw a building called the Carter Hall Apartments. I just thought I'd share.

On my way to the Dr's today, I saw a building called the Carter Hall Apartments. I just thought I'd share.

That's no way for Hawkman to keep a secret identity!

That's no way for Hawkman to keep a secret identity!

I laughed and laughed and laughed.

The building looked totally low rent for him, too. I think he's doubling as a slum lord.

The building looked totally low rent for him, too. I think he's doubling as a slum lord.

Well, the guy's been reincarnated like 3,000 times. so he had to have been a slum lord at least once.

....

Uhm, don't tell that to anyone at DC. They're not as weird and crazy as Marvel these days, but, you know, best not to give them ideas.

Uhm, don't tell that to anyone at DC. They're not as weird and crazy as Marvel these days, but, you know, best not to give them ideas.

Oh, I'll keep it on the hush hush. If not, they'd find a way to cross his ass over into Richard "My Hairline Magically Regrew and I Dropped a Good 20 Years as Well as my Zen 'Tude, Ask Me How" Dragon's book or something.

Oh, I'll keep it on the hush hush. If not, they'd find a way to cross his ass over into Richard "My Hairline Magically Regrew and I Dropped a Good 20 Years as Well as my Zen 'Tude, Ask Me How" Dragon's book or something.

Is that any good? I've been hearing it bandied about, but haven't picked it up.

Maybe now that I've officially dropped all X books not written by Joss Whedon...

Is that any good? I've been hearing it bandied about, but haven't picked it up.

Eh, not especially. It's Dixon at his worst rather than his best.

Plei, I'm with you on 'Tec 800. Ultimate Fantastic Four #13 was likewise boring, although due more to okay, so Reed is super-bitchy and way smarter than Victor now? And Victor is all one-note villain? And exactly when did Victor share those revelations about being abused as a child? Whaffuck? Yawn.

I know the idea is to make a "fresh, new, HAPPENIN'!" portrayal of characters with the Ultimate line, but I wish that for the iconic characters they'd at least try to use the core personality and essence of the character to build around rather than having no resemblance to their Universe 616 counterparts beyond the super powers they share.

My Reed Richards is an even-tempered, benevolent, and fundamentally gentle man whose primary concerns are his family and using his genius for the betterment of mankind. Not an adrenaline junkie snotty teenager devoid of common sense and responsibility. That's why him going stone cold and cowing Dr. Octopus with nothing more than words back when Sue was losing their baby was so powerful—when the company's equivalent to Ward Cleaver suddenly acted that way it was a lot more chilling than the same behavior would be from the latest machine gun-wielding vigilante du jour .

I'm only following Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Spiderman currently (well, and Ultimate Nightmare for it's run) and I think for the most part they've remained pretty true to the original characters. Spidey, in particular, really doesn't seem that much different, aside from being back in highschool. UXM has made some interesting twists on some of the characters, but they're still recognizable as their normal-verse counterparts. (The only character that seems really, really, different to me is Dazzler. But since she's a modern rocker instead of a disco-diva, it's understandable and since I didn't care for the original character, it doesn't bother me.)