Podcasting back on track once again

Finally got podcasting back on track, what with a used laptop powering it and all. Presently That NEw 52 Smell is the first of the relaunched podcasts, but I have plans to next launch Digital Scriblles once again so stay tuned for that. In the meantime That New 52 Smell Volume 2 Episode 1 is now up and agvailable so try that out. Updates coming soon.

80's Mini Review : Adventures of Superman #441

Adventures of Superman #441
June 1988
Publisher - DC Comics
John Byrne & Jerry Ordway - Script, Penciller, Co Plotter
Dennis Janke - Inker
Anthony Tollin - Colorist
Albert Deguzman - Letterer
Renee Witterstaetter - Assistant Editor
Mike Carlin - Editor

Probably a good time to bring up the mischievous little imp from the 5th Dimension, the one with the hard to remember how to spell name Mxyzptlk... I'm calling him Mixxy for short... ever since the 18 issue magic mushroom mind trip that was Action Comics in the New 52. This will be far easier to grasp, I assure you.

In "The Tiny Terror of Tinseltown" Superman finds himself fighting a large burger wielding singing corporate shill for Big Belly Burgers in Hollywood, under the watchful gaze of Mixxy floating above a freshly altered Hollywood sign sign changed to read as Mixxy' s name.... hmmm... burgers... anyway after smashing belly boy Superman makes quick work tricking Mixxy into saying his name backwards, rearranging the Mixxy sign to say Mixxy' s name backwards.

But since Mixxy only stays away for 90 days he bounces back quickly... by not leaving. Yeah, apparently sick of the whole backwards name gag Mixxy has decided to change the rules... right after we watch a page of Cat Grant back in Metropolis basically being called a cougar by her eventually killed by crazy Toyman kid Adam... you think this Toyman May never see the light of day again, but the New 52 did just turn Vandal Savage into a serial killer so... nah. Then there is a page with Lois, then back to Superman and Mixxy... who can't seem to make his mind up on his new weakness... until 7 pages later when he tries to smother Superman in Smurfs, until he's inspired to challenge Superman to trick him to paint his face blue... don't get used to this, he drops it almost immediately after this issue.

Sigh. Then we have a page with terrible Brainiac, not Supergirl Supergirl, and Mr blow up LexCorps holdings shadowy guy before getting back to Superman... who only takes 5 pages to make Mixxy leave in a huff... then an alien ship arrives near Jupiter and we're done.

Bleach. Not one of my favorite Mixxy tales, the issue is a bit distracted with several stories going on at once, and when we do see the Mixxy stuff it is short and pointless with a pointless change to Mixxy that might as well never happened as it doesn't stick as far as I know. And for the record? This iteration of Supergirl doesn't interest me none. A 2 out of 5.

Next 80's look?
Remember when Checkmate had its own Prestige format title? Here, let's remember it together. Checkmate #1-#3.

First Impression : Superman Sunday Classics 1939-1943

It is the 75th Anniversary of Superman so, logically, everyone EXCEPT DC Comics is celebrating it. DC Comics is... trying to make Superman young again...again. But forgetting forgetting DC Comics insecurities with age age we got ourselves a blast from the Golden Age with Superman Sunday Classics 1939-1943 (collecting the color sunday strips which had their own stories seperate from the dailies which are collected in their own book).

Ah. Golden Age Superman, a title that reminds you of a far simpler time when the Man of Steel randomly spawned new powers powers and abilities at random for plot convenience, threatens people and property for effect and randomly killed bad guys without warning. Throwing them into the sky Team Rocket style, letting enemy fire blow them up and what not. Clearly the whole Superman as the world`s biggest boy scout does not originate from the Golden Age.

Presently reviewing it, will have it out soon, but right now I think you will enjoy this if you are a fan of the Golden Age. Stay tuned.

That New 52 Smell : First Unpacking Update

That New 52 Smell
The First Unpacking

Six weeks later and the first subscription issue finally arrived. My first review issue... and subsequently I finally had a few questions answered.

- Subscription issues start mailing after six weeks HOWEVER that only means they mail on the week they come out... which may mean it might take extra weeks for some first issues to mail.

- Oh yes, they seemingly come out a month behind. Its April... and I got March's issue.

- And they mail one issue at a time. That's good. Means I dont have to wait two months between reviews... I dont know why I was even worried about that. Really.

So April is going to be a slow month. This episode coming? Superman Issue No 18, featuring fallout from H'el on Earth, the realization the artwork reminds me of manga artwork which reminds me of the time Superman was drawn that way for a time in the 90's as a sales gimmick... and the threat of Hector Hammond, the new 52s worst ever evil bobble headed human... I mean wow! Just look at the size of his head! Sheesh... oh, and that is only the tip of the iceberg in this first ever New 52 Superman review.

After that? Waiting on Supergirl to come in. Hopefully not too long of a wait.

May is a little busier. Besides the second issues of Supergirl and Superman we also get the first issues of Action Comics and Teen Titans, doubling the monthly reviews to four.

For all intents and purposes it looks like a major trade will be resolved. So that means June and probably July will see the last of the first year content rolling in, setting the pace of the series in 2013 to 2014..

It took awhile, but we are finally ready to get That New 52 Smell rolling full speed ahead. And that can only be a good thing.

So how will we close up the first year of content? Good question... I am still fudging abit on the end admittedly. That is still abit up in the air.

Wonder Woman is still on the list most certainly, that is scheduled, but how to end? Hmm... I was thinking of several possible scenarios... my mind is basically stuck at this point, at a indecision moment, and while there is a bit of time left to resolve it... that time is running out so... what to end with. That I will save for an upcoming update.

So right now we will focus on upcoming episodes.

- Supergirl episode
While I am hoping that we will see the first issue arrive today (April 20th)... it might not. So first issue coverage coming soon.

There is also the digital content, but that is a topic of another update... stay tuned.

That New 52 Smell - First Unpacking Minus 5 and Digital 52?

Well as of today (April 4th) we are almost to the six week mark for the first two 52 titles for the cast, Supergirl and Superman, depending on when the first issues finally show up in the boxy box. So waiting on that before... oh wait, my stupid MP3 Player I was recording on is broken screen wise... at long last... meaning I have to do the casts another way. Sigh. What a bother. Well while I work on that I have an update in another vein, possibly reintergrating digital content for reviews.

I am finally going to, this year's tech add on, add a tablet for review purposes of digital comics. Odds are I am going to add the Kindle Fire, and probably make Comixology my home for digital... but that is in a future update. Stay tuned.

Another add should be in the handheld dept, but that's for the RPG blog. Stay tuned.

Hmm... short updates. So waiting on the first unpacking and I will update when it shows up.

That New 52 Smell Week 1

That New 52 Smell
Episode 0.1 - Origins

Putting thought to life, and coming up with this notion, started with the announcement of the coming end of The New 52 Adventures of Superman.

To me it was logical. DC already had scheduled titles on my pull list, and I was inquiring with them about press releases and such so why not expand it to a podcast?

Admittedly the show started its life as a Superman family centered title... but when I checked the subscriptions list I couldn't find Superboy... huh?

If I was left to my own devices I would quickly fall out of picking up what I need to review. This way I am locked in for a full year of episodes, and just have to renew yearly, making changes to the review format once a year as needed. That and this was made possible through a huge trade I am presently doing.

So let's recap. This series was originally thought up when the announcement came that The New 52 Adventures of Superman was winding down to completion.

So with only 4 episodes of New 52 left? Where are we in terms of progress... let's see...

- Starting off with first two titles, Supergirl and Superman, which speaks of the cast's origin as a New 52 Superman inspired cast.

- Presently soliciting votes for the other four starting slots of the cast. Cast your vote at http://www.thisoldcomicaddict.blogspot.com and http://www.rkyvrevue.blogspot.com

- Plans are to add 3 of the bigger page count title along the way. Action Comics and Justice League (two more nods to New 52 Superman) along with Justice League of America, totaling titles covered to nine.

- Titles being voted on? Aquaman, Batgirl, Catwoman, Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Teen Titans and Wonder Woman.

- Originally I was not going to put Batman or Green Lantern titles up for consideration, but then voting would not had been picking a top four as much as dropping the fifth title.

- Deadline for voting is March 22nd.

That is about that for now. The process of preparing the cast has just begun. Next time I speak of the 800 pound Gorrilla Grodd in the cast, preparing the technical aspect of a news section of the cast... when DC Comics wont give me the time of day.

That is coming next week. So stay tuned, and see you then.

Addendum - Cast Format
One thing I am working on is the exact content of the cast itself. At this early production stage I have the following...

- Opening
- DC News Brief
Whatever news I came across that is fit to print, so to speak.
- Rumor mill
i.e. what the WB is not doing lately.
- Mailbag
Going to open an email just for work.
- Reviews
What came in the mail for review

But that is just the beginning! Stay tuned as I work on this and prepare Episode Zero!