Sleepy Hollow’s writing cliches

I have been wanting to blog about Sleepy Hollow for a while, but I just never sat down and wrote the blog.  I had to sit down and write this short one.

Did anyone else have issues with Abraham being the Headless Horseman?  Did anyone else have issues about the secret baby?

Brom

We all knew Brom had to be in the show at some point, in the story he is Kartina’s fiancé.  I am even alright with Brom and Ichabod being friends.  Even though I do think Ichabod was a bit of scoundrel by taking Katrina away from him.  I know Ichabod did not do it on purpose.  I do have some issue with the fact that because Katrina decided she wanted to be with Ichabod this caused Brom to become angry.  It is because of this anger that Moloch was able to turn him into the horseman of Death.  Moloch now has Katrina trapped in a plane between worlds because Brom still wants her.  Now the beef between Ichabod and the Headless Horseman is over a girl.  That is one of the oldest tv/movie cliché’s ever.  I am a bit disappointed in the writers for not coming up with something better.

Brom is the Headless Horseman

While we are talking about writing cliché’s, Katrina had a baby.  A baby that Ichabod did not know about because he dies before Katrina can even tell him she is pregnant.  I was so annoyed when I saw that scene.   Naturally, Katrina never mentioned this during any of her dream meetings with Ichabod.  Now we are going to have to watch Ichabod search for this missing child.  Of course Ichabod is going to obsess over his child, he is too good of a man not to.

Katrina, she hides that she is a witch and now she hides that she had a baby.

Now two things we have to deal with on the show is the love triangle between Ichabod, Katrina and Brom.  We are going to have watch Ichabod search for this missing child.  The writers have used some of the oldest clichés in the book.  I am annoyed with this because the show is so interesting.  I love the story line and where it was going – but they had to add in these writing clichés.

I am wondering what do the other Sleepy Hollow fans think of these new story developments?

-Christena

Catching Fire: Movie vs Book (Part 1)

I went and saw Catching Fire on Thursday night like the true obsessed Hunger Games fan that I am.  I will admit I was very excited to see the movie; I had been looking forward to it since last year.  It was amazing I really enjoyed it.  I have no problem going to see it again.  Since I am a true obsessed fan, I naturally read the books.  I am going to compare the book and the movie, while the movie was amazing there  were some things missing from the book.

I will admit this has gone through a few different versions because well I talk a lot so I have so much to say.  On the topic, I know not everyone is going to want to read a super long blog.

SPOILER ALERT (Do not read part here unless you want to know what happens)

Video of Gale and Katniss kissing. Which only happened about 20 min before Snow’s visit.

Gale & Katniss Kiss

Since I am Team Peeta I naturally think, Gale came to the game too late and really did not bring anything of note.  With that being said, the location of the kiss was different.  It was done in town instead of the woods; Gale did not profess anything to her.  He just said that he had to do that just once after it was done and walked off.  It really was uneventful.

Presidents Snow Visit

Now this scene makes your skin crawl no matter what.  I will admit that the nice thing about the movie is that we are spared Katniss’s descriptions about what she smells.  This scene is very true to the book and is brilliantly delivered by both Donald Sutherland and Jennifer Lawrence.  I did find interesting though, since the kiss and President Snow’s visit happen in the same day how he got that footage so quickly.  They had to have kissed only 20 minutes before hand.

They look so unhappy, this was the worst torture ever.

The Victory Tour

This one is long so I decided to bullet point it.

The tour starts the same – Peeta and Katniss kissing outside their homes.  I am a bit sad that she did not run into his arms, but Peeta still fell down (something I was worried about since he never lost a leg in the last movie) that helped.  I have to give it up to Jennifer and Josh; they did a great job with the whole Peeta & Katniss tension.  You should just feel the awkwardness.

• District 11 – that was a hard scene to watch as it should have been.
• Thrash and Rue’s families just standing there under the pictures of their children for all to see and crying was just heart wrenching.
• Peeta and Katniss’s speeches were perfect, I felt everything I had felt when I read the book.
• It is because of those feelings and their ability to absorb you in I still felt the shock of the peacekeepers killing the old man even though I knew that was coming.
• I really enjoyed the commentary from Haymitch and Effie as they watched Peeta and Katniss deliver their speeches.

• I have to say I am a bit disappointed the victory tour only showed them giving their speeches at various districts.  They did have some fun during the tour; I wish that had been shown. I would have loved to see them running around in the water in District 4.
• I am disappointed that we saw the proposal via video commentary from Ceasar.  I would have liked to see them actually perform it.
• I did like how they made sure to have Katniss have her nightmares and ask Peeta to say with her.  From that moment on, you would see them sharing a bed, which is such a great aspect of their relationship.

The Whipping

Gale being whipped was horrible to see. Reading that part sucked, but seeing it was something else Katniss jumping in to save him, followed by Haymitch and Peeta was great.  Then seeing Katniss’s mom and Prim work together to help him was great.  Of course, they added in some extra kissing between Katniss and Gale.  Since I am Team Peeta, I just felt that was completely unneeded.

Being lead to the reaping.

The Announcement and Reaping

The reactions from Katniss, Haymitch, and Peeta were so perfect.

Katniss’s reaction to the Quarter Quell announcement

Peeta’s reaction to Quarter Quell Announcement

Haymitch’s reaction to Quarter Quell announcement

Katniss running off into the woods and then coming back to beg for Peeta’s life, perfect.  I appreciate the emotions they had Effie show during this scene.  It would make sense for this to be hard for her since she would have gained an attachment to Peeta and Katniss.  Everyone knew that Katniss was going back into the arena, there is no other District 12 female winner.  Effie looked like she was about to cry reading Katniss’s name, she almost made me cry.

The District 12 tributes for the 75th Hunger Games.

The Capitol/Training

• At first I was a bit upset they only showed the first 5 districts and explained about those victors.  I got over it once I officially saw Joanna; I will get to that later.  (Side note I am happy they cast someone else as Annie for the next movies I did not like the girl they used for the reaping scene).
• Now the movie did not include Peeta and Katniss training in district 12 before hand.  It also did not show they viewing the videos of the past Hunger Games.  I am surprisingly alright with that I don’t feel like anything was lost.
• Finnick with coming up to Katniss with the sugar cube, I though that moment was just as good as the book.
• 
• When Katniss pushed, the button for their costumes to flame up was perfect.  She really looked like she was going screw you President Snow.
• 
• Joanna, yes she got naked in the elevator.  Since that was the first time they decided to show her and have everyone meet her, it was perfect.  The faces of Haymitch, Peeta, and Katniss during this scene were priceless.  Peeta being just a 17 year old boy about unzipping Joanna’s dress – the death glare Katniss gave him for it.  Joanna standing there naked talking to them – Haymitch was the perfect dirty old man, Katniss was so annoyed, Peeta tried to be respectful but he looked.
  

• Training was interesting; you got to see the viciousness of some of the victors.  Katniss spending her time with Beetee, Wiress and Mags, was perfect.  They went off the fact that the people watching knew whom Katniss wanted so they only showed her interact with them.
• The scene where Haymitch asks her who she would pick was great because Peeta looked like “Really, my Sugar Cookie.” (Yes, in my world Peeta has baking nicknames for Katniss).
• 

• The wait for the skills test was good because you see the bond between many of the district victors.
• Instead of finding out what Peeta did from Peeta afterwards they had Katniss walk into the room and find his drawing on the floor.  The movie makes it look like that might have been part of her motivation.  This is different from the book since she did not find out about it until afterwards.
• They do not show the scores this time, I guess they decided that those were not important to the story.

Cesear and Katniss

The Interview

That was done great, Cashmere crying in order to gain sympathy.  Finnick’s part to Annie, I will admit I did not believe.  Joanna, that was great, she just seemed so over it.  Her being so mad about Katniss’s wedding dress was perfect.  The wedding dress and the spin into the mockingjay dress was great.  If you read the book, you had an idea in your head and it did not disappoint.  Peeta’s announcement about the baby, Josh Hutchinson did a great job.  His smirk after the announcement was perfect.  All the victors holding hands at the end showing a united front was perfect.

It would be alright if it wasn’t for the baby.

The Arena

This was honestly the best part of the movie – done so perfectly.

• Lets start from the beginning, Cinna getting Katniss ready to go into the arena.  I knew what was going to happen, but to see Katniss screaming and banging on the tube while they beat Cinna.  I was crying; Cinna was one of my favorite characters.  I had held out that he lived until they confirmed his death in the 3^rd book.
• I was definitely right there with Katniss as she was freaking out as she headed into the arena.
• The cornucopia – great.
• Peeta and the force field, great emotions from Jennifer Lawrence, if you get a chance see the cast interviews about this scene.
• I really enjoyed the extra scene added in of President Snow’s granddaughter saying how she wants love like Peeta and Katniss.
• The acid fog – the movie did a great job of bringing that to life.  The burns were horrible to see.
• The monkeys – they were creepy, creepier then I imagined.
• The jabberjay scene was really emotional – Finnick was believable in his love for Annie here.  Watching Katniss scream and having Peeta pressed on the other side of the glass unable to get to her was heart wrenching.
• The attack from Gloss and Cashmere was intense – Wireless death was out of nowhere (I knew it was coming).  The spinning conucopia was crazy, everyone doing their best to hold on for dear life.  It was even more obvious everyone needs to protect Peeta and Katniss in the movie.
• The final plan – that was amazing, Enobia and Brutus’s attack on the group and Joanna cutting out the tracker out of Katniss’s arm.  It was so obvious that Joanna and Finnick were trying to protect Katniss and Peeta.  At least it was to me, I think that is because the movie is from the 3^rd person point of view instead of  just Katniss’s point of view.
• Of course Katniss shooting the force field and it blowing her backwards – wow.
• I enjoyed the part where Katniss is asserting her dominance to Finnick while taking out the machete that she hands to Peeta who takes it while still staring down Finnick.
• There was not bread and cookies sent down to them – letting them know about when they were going to be saved from the arena.  Honestly, since Katniss did not understand the meaning of any of that in the book it kinda was not missed in the movie.
• Also no scene with Finnick saving Peeta because he cannot swim, Peeta did not look as useless in the water as he is suppose to be.

The Ending

Katniss being brought up in the hovercraft was well done.   This part is interesting because you see all these horrible ideas that Plutarch had come up with when it came to Katniss and the arena, that you naturally think he is on President Snow’s side.   There he is in the hovercraft talking about the rebellion.   I think the movie did a great job of throwing the audience off with that.  Katniss attacking Haymitch after finding out about Peeta was great, Jennifer Lawrence and Woody Harrison are great together this part made me excited for Mockingjay (those who have read the books will understand).  There is a lot of speculation about what Katniss says as she is being drugged – I would to hear what others thought they heard.  Katniss waking up and Gale telling her that District 12 was destroyed was amazing.  The hurt and rage on Katniss’s face – I have to give it up to Jennifer Lawrence again on great facial expression.

Misc Scenes

Missing from the movie was the one with the 2 people running away toward District 13.  Without that interaction, there was no need to Katniss to check the tapes and notice how they do play the same footage about District 13 every time.  I think this will shock the movie audience to know that District 13 exists and to find out about it, since it is never mentioned in the movies.  I will admit I did not miss this part at all.

I would have loved to have seen the footage from some of the past Hunger Games and that moment between Peeta and Katniss.  There was no cute moment between Peeta and Katniss on the roof of the hotel; I really did like that moment in the book so I was a bit sad to not see it.

Extra scenes; most of them I liked, the ones with President Snow and his granddaughter were great.  She helped show how much of an affect Katniss was really having.  The scenes with Plutarch and President Snow, I loved – it really helped to emphasis how much Snow hates Katniss.  I could have done without all the extra kissing scenes between Gale and Katniss – I am Team Peeta.

Overall, I really liked the movie and to me this was a better adaptation the first one.  I think they hit all the key points and things that were left out really did not take away from the story.  This time I felt, while they did anticipate that most of the audience read the books this time, instead of leaving things out.  This time I felt that they tried to make the audience feel what they felt when they were reading the books.  I had read the books and the movie still did a great job of shocking me, it drew me in and made me forget about some of what was about to happen  I really enjoyed this movie a great deal more then the first one. I am really happy that Francis Lawrence will be directing the next 2 movies.

I am a film person, as in I have a Master’s Degree in it.  I understand adapting a book to script can be hard.  Not everything is going to make it in. What makes a great adaptation is that all the important things are put in to the book fans are not left wanting more.

I hope you all enjoyed my review of Catching Fire, please check back for the second part when I compare the differences between the characters in the book and movie.

Until part 2, may the odds ever be in your favor.

– Christena

Here is a mini treat: Joanna stripping down in the elevator

Peeta being helpful

Peeta, what are you doing?

I just can’t stand this outfit

Is this chick serious?

Hello Joanna, it is good to see you again.

Boobs.

Teen-Heroine Smackdown: 5 Ways Katniss Is Better Than Bella

Since I am huge Hunger Games fan… I will be seeing the movie at 10:00 tonight.

Will anyone else be seeing Hunger Games tonight?

-Christena

Entertainment

With the second film in the Hunger Games series set to premiere this weekend, it’s tempting to throw The Hunger Games and Twilight series into the same category. Of course, comparisons were made last year when the Hunger Gamesdestroyed Twilight’s box-office record, and they will surely be made again as the new movie opens.

The similarities are there: they’re both young-adult novels turned movies with rabid fan bases. They both include a love triangle, a decent amount of PG-13 violence and have a strong female character as their protagonists.

But that’s pretty much where the parallels end. TheHunger Games follows a girl who must survive a competition in which 24 youngsters are pitted against one another in a battle arena/reality show in a future dystopia, where only one can emerge alive. Twilightis about a girl in Washington State who falls in love with a vampire.

And when…

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What’s New, 52? – November 2013 Edition

Hello, dear readers, and welcome to “What’s New, 52?” Here I plan to discuss recent comic book releases and news in the DC universe with a focus on female heroes and supporting characters.This week, we start with a review of Wonder Woman #25, then a few bullet reviews, and wrap it up with comic book news and opinion on some of the more recent teasers and previews.

Review: Wonder Woman #25: Entre the Goddess of War

Horses and furs and still all of the leg! Shit looks like it’s gonna chafe.

The New 52 incarnation of Wonder Woman is a significant departure from Classic Diana Prince. In her previous origin, Diana of Themiscrya is daughter of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, an immortal race of warrior women living on an Island Paradise, protected by Hera from the world of man. She has no father, instead having been sculpted by her mother out of clay from the island and breathed into live by the queen of the gods. In the New 52, the gods of Olympus are warped, keeping more in touch with the gods of Greek mythology, but Wonder Woman’s origin has been changed to align more with a well known cliche. Diana is now simply another bastard child of Zeus.

But let’s simply gloss over the defeminization of the character by taking a totally independent female character and reworking her origin story to make it dependent on a man (and a womanizing chauvinist of a man at that).

Right. Glossing.

A prophecy had been foretold that one of Zeus’s children would die at the hand of another, and Wonder Woman seems to have been the instrument of this prophecy. Per the events of Wonder Woman #24, Diana is now the Goddess of War, holding a seat on Olympus under the new King of the Gods, a to-date highly duplicitous Apollo.

You see, last issue, Wonder Woman was made to kill Ares, the god of war, and so now, because the transitive properties of “The Santa Clause” apparently work in all aspects of the divine, she is now expected to become him.

That’s right. TIM ALLEN IS WONDER WOMAN NOW.

The old War is dead, she killed him, and is now the new War. In comics past, she and Ares have always been at odds because, even though the Amazons are a warriour people, they don’t revel in it; they do it out of duty and honour, and often enough just to stop some bad shit from going down. Apollo expects her to sit with them at Olympic board meetings and such so that they can vote on the colour of the paper for the new newsletter or something. She, because her senses of justice and compassion and her respect of the value of life, wants nothing to do with the position of “War.”

She also wants nothing to do with her relatives themselves, but that might be because it’s a big, fat Greek family…

Meanwhile, a mortal Hera is sharing as apartment Odd-Couple Style with Zeus’s latest booty (whose name I forget but who named the baby Zeke in case we weren’t sure that she was white trash after we initially meet her soliciting sex at a truck stop).

Extreme Make-Over: Hera Edition
Yes, that’s Diana’s half-brother’s severed head on the mantle as decor.

As Diana tells Apollo off and Apollo coolly tells Diana that she’s got no choice, the traitorous Hermes, who feels bad about what he did but is more visibly hurt by the women’s rejection of him, takes Diana home. The comic closes back on Olympus, where Strife, despite her major c-word attitude this whole time, apparently took it personally and is planning to take Diana da fuck out. Bitch is all over the place.

Just like a woman.

So, next month, it looks like Strife is going to be battling Wonder Woman for the seat of War on Olympus. Wonder Woman will probably defeat her, because losing would mean death and the series is going to keep going, so… I also don’t see Wonder Woman straight up killing another god, so she’ll probably remain War for a while while Strife pulls back and tries to make her life hell.

I will admit, I am actually a little intrigued by the idea of Wonder Woman, one of DC’s most compassionate characters, having to deal. Will she suddenly start gaining power when people fight amongst themselves? Will she kinda like it? Or will she instill aggression in those around her, even without being conscious of it? Brian Azzarello is a good writer, and hopefully he does the premise justice.

On the other hand, I hope to editor at DC don’t use this as an opportunity to sully yet another one of their most iconic characters, and really the only female character who isn’t just becoming an awful person on the brink. I think she’s going to get a little darker, at least for a little while.

Time will tell.

Oh, gods…

Bullet Reviews: 

Alright. A brief summary and my opinion in a paragraph and a picture or less. Remember, this is only for books with strong female protagonists (not too many team books).

Batgirl #24 – Babs’ dad done just shot her boyfriend. She’s understandably upset, but to stop her father from being murdered by a group of super-powered hitmen hired by a crazy heriess, she is forced to put the costume on one more time… Which we, of course, know won’t actually be one more time.

She missed a golden opportunity to punch her dad for sporting that mustache all these years. Mustaches are TERRIBLE.

Batwoman #24 – Batman cameo. Lots of classic Batman rogues. Lots of action. I can’t get past Batwoman’s white white skin.

Bird of Prey #24 – Batgirl and some chick I’ve never heard of have to rescue Black Canary and some other characters who don’t really matter… And here I thought that the whole purpose of the reboot was so that every book could line up their timelines properly. Silly me.

Catwoman #24 – WHY ARE PEOPLE PASSING AROUND THE JOKER’S FACE! I still don’t get the reasoning for him having it cut off in the first place, let alone bitches wearing rotting skin pinned to their own faces.

…We ain’t your girlfriends.

Earth 2 #17 – Lois Lane’s consciousness has been downloaded into a lady-version of the Red Tornado robot. She was dead in this universe, but now she’s a hollow shell of the strong woman she once was, and the man she loves is a brainwashed mass murderer. The New 52 ain’t doin’ my girl Lois right. She’s been resurrected with the sole purpose of talking down the marauding Man of Steel. And then her dad dies in her arms. Hm.

Supergirl #24 – Daddy issues.

Manifesting as your childhood form and crushing the cybernetically enhanced yet inexplicably brunette villain made out of your old man… Yeah.

Superman/Wonder Woman #1 – Let’s talk about our relationship, intercut with scenes of a really anticlimactic battle/rescue operation. Oh, and even thought you’re going to approach our date with an awkward, boyish charm, I’mma totally pull a sword on you because that’s the basis for a healthy relationship that seems stable and should continue. I can’t even.

World’s Finest #16 – Power Girl’s powers are going haywaire like Karen Starr circa 1997, so recycled ideas = angry Patty. I do like the book, though. I’m just really waiting for something big to happen here. A lot of this comic seems like filler, but I know that next year, they’re actually going to meet Batman and Superman in the most uncomfortable pseudo-family reunion since… Well, any of my family functions.

I bet this power failure is going to lead into their meeting with Batman and Superman.

NEWS OF THE WEEK: Sorry, Supergirl; Red’s Really Not Your Colour

The big news this the past few days for female DC superheroines seems to be that Supergirl is going to be inducted into the ranks of the Red Lanterns.

But, finally, her boots cover her knees!

That’s right. Supergirl is going to barf up acid blood, her shiny red ring is going to cut out her heart, and she’s going to be a Kryptonian powerhouse with unstoppable, irrational rage.

Awesome.

Except… Oh, wait. No, it’s not. It’s just more of the same “gritty” bullshit that DC has homogenized their Universe UNIVERSES into for the past two years.

The New DCU seems to just me mired in negativity. And, while I realise that heroes are more realistically going to have more bad days than particularly stellar ones, it’s just not something that I want to read. I can see it in the Bat-Books; Barbara Gordon’s personal life and crime-fighting persona taking hit after hit jives with the whole of Gotham City. Gotham is an admittedly terrible place to live and has been so for pretty much all of it’s written history. The criminals are always looking to up the stakes and even the lowliest thug would love the chance to try and take out a member of the Bat Family. That’s established. And that’s going to take a huge toll on a person who’s not as balls out crazy as Bruce Wayne’s night-time alter-ego, so Batgirl’s losing it I can see.

Babs would make a TREMENDOUS villain. Like, nigh unstoppable.
She was a bad bitch in a wheelchair. Clearly, nothing can stop her.

But this isn’t the case with the Super Books. At least, pre New 52, Metropolis was a decent place to live. Clean, high-tech, prone to supervillains, and sporting a neighbourhood called Suicide Slum, sure, but the murder rate is way below that of Gotham. Plus, over it all, Metropolis has their golden boy, the Big Blue Boyscout. His little-cousin-who-is-actually-older-than-him also lives there and is struggling to find her place on this strange new planet and discover the hero within– Except that none of that is true any more, either, is it? Superman’s either a superpowered douchebag (which of course we need in the world) in “Action Comics” or he’s standoffish and dating Wonder Woman for no good reason.

The sex IS probably amazing, but I REALLY hate this pairing.

And Superboy is being replaced by his murderer, the biological child of Lois and Clark from an apparently alternate future who happens to be completely batshit crazy and no one is going to know the difference. BeeTeeDubs, Marvel did the same fucking thing a couple of months ago with the “Superiour Spider-Man” title, and I dropped the book after two insufferable issues.

But I digress.

According to Wikipedia, a Red Lantern’s rage is specific to the rage felt after a significant loss. What more, though, can she lose at this point? Is this going to be like The Walking Dead, where every time there’s a new character, I’m going to have to be prepared for them to be killed off unceremoniously? If it turns out that this sense of loss that fuels her transition into a RL is the loss of Krypton, I’m gonna barf. Why is she mired in this? I mean, I understand. She lost her home, her family, she’s an even more petulant version of Katie Kaboom, etc.

BTW, apparently there’s a stripper named “Katie Kaboom,” so be careful what you Google Image Search…

But does the editorial staff at DC really think that it’s good writing for your character to be stunted for MONTHS? Oh, no, wait. TWO YEARS! My personal experience with comics is that my favourites have been series which establish a good selection of supporting characters for their protagonists, and when said protagonists display signs of steady growth as a character. Hell, that’s why Spider-Man was such a great success from it’s launch way back into the before time. Peter Parker was the draw! He was a person that the fanboys could se into the life of, that wasn’t this hyper powerful, unattainable figure but rather someone with whom they could relate. The character becomes that much more compelling, and that’s why I’m stalwart in my opinion that Peter David’s Supergirl run from ’96 through ’01 was the best iteration of the character since pre-Crisis Kara moved to Chicago and got an apartment and went to college LIKE A PERSON in the Daring New Adventures of Supergirl (1982-1984).

SUCH a good series.

“But Patty,” you gasp, “Surely this is only a temporary gimmick, anyways! Why are you getting so upset?”

Well, see, I do figure that it’s going to be a temporary situation, what with her having her own series to star in and all. My issue is that Red Lanterns… Are mindless. This either means that the story will be unintelligent, full of mindless destruction and shock for the sake of shock value (whoopee), or it means that someone will be manipulating her and her rampage.

Been there, done that.

And I’m getting upset because I’m a fangirl. We’re either panicking, swooning, glomping, or raging.

We know that love isn’t the answer (sorry Harry Potter), as feeling love will kill a Red Lantern (because SCIENCE). Also, removal of the Red Lantern ring causes instant death for the (former) wearer, unless there’s a Blue Lantern there to slip a Blue Lantern ring onto their finger first. Are there any really cool Blue Lanterns left? I can’t think of any. And I also doubt that almost anybody would be able to get in close enough to a rage-a-holic Kryptonian with a power ring to slip a second ring daintily on their finger. Even if somebody does turn her into a Blue Lantern, it’s going to be such a hard 180 that I’ll have a hard time buying it, personally. Plus there’s the fact that nobody’s been de-Red-Lantern-ed without at least having some lingering effects from their own incredible toxic and corrosive blood substitute…

So, y’know, assholes with anger issues are always great. Oh! Hey, since we’ve run out of ideas anyways, remember the 90s? Remember how much everybody loved Guy Gardner before they found a way to rationalize his irrationality?

I don’t know the context of this picture… But I see it.

Ahem. Okay.

I’m better now.

The point is, I’m going to read it. I’m just worried about having to read through something that’ll make me so mad that I’ll suddenly find myself with a red ring of doom stuck on my ring finger…

I don’t care if it DOES fit my personality very well!

Thanks for reading through my ramblings, and be sure to come back mid-December for another installment of “What’s New, 52?” in which we’ll (probably) be focusing on the upcoming release “Harely Quinn” #0.

Later.
–Patty.

Jane Foster VS Sif

Sif and Jane Foster

Ever since the Thor: The Dark World came out many people have been divided on whom Thor should be with.  I thought I would compare these lovely ladies to see who might be better suited for Thor.

First, let us look at Jane Foster since she is the main love interest.

Jane Foster: the main love interest.

What does Jane have going for her?  Well she is smart; she is an astrophysist, (yes I know it is different then the comics where she is a nurse) who does not love a smart woman.   From what I have seen from both movies, she seems like a nice person.  Both Erik and Darcy love her dearly and are extremely loyal to her.  Jane is also very strong willed and determined.  Which can be a very good trait to have, sometimes is has been for her.

While she has some really great qualities most people cannot get over the fact how weak she is.  Thor always has to save her, but that is what most superheros have to do when it comes to their love interests.  How many times has Superman had to save Lois because her curiosity, strong will, and determination has gotten her into trouble?  Just about every episode of a Superman cartoon, live action show and movie.

Superman catching Lois, yet again.

Granted Lois is the daughter of a general (depending on the lore) so she is not completely useless.  The point is that she still needs to be saved most of the time.  Superman is not the only superhero who has to save his or her love interest: Aquaman, the Green Lanterns, Flash, Wonder Woman, and even Batman.  Jane is just one of many superhero love interest who need to be save by their hero.  She does have some fight to her because she does slap Thor and Loki in Thor: The Dark World.

(Spoiler Alert)

I know people have issues with the fact that an alien artifact infected her.  Because of that fact, she had to be taken to Asgard, which caused the Dark Elves to come to Asgard.  Many people have issue with the fact that she hid away while Figga, Thors mother fought off the Dark Elf thus getting Figga killed.  I will admit, I did not like Figga dying and really wished it did not happen.  At the same time, Figga did tell Jane to follow everything that she tells her.  Figga knew that they were after Jane and knew that Jane had to be protected.  While I really wish they did not kill Frigga, Jane might have actually been following orders.   Yes, she was somewhat useless for a bit there when they were escaping, but it had been said that she would not survive being a host.  I figured by that part it was taking a toll on her, I can deal with that.

Figga protecting Jane.

Jane was the one who did figure out how to get them back to earth when she discovered the shoes, keys, and cans from the abandoned building.  She was a huge help during the final battle when she was shifting the dark elves and their leader through the portal.  This was one of those moments where her intelligence was useful.  She obviously loves Thor because she tried to save him from the falling ship.  You have to give her points for actually having feelings for the hero.

Now lets look at Sif, many think she is a much more suitable choice for Thor.

Sif: Goddess of War

One of those reasons being because she is of the same race.  Since Asgardian’s can live for thousands of years, she would be a much better choice then Jane who is human and will die much sooner.  (We will just ignore that in the comics they did grant Jane immortality and powers at one point to be with Thor.)  Obviously, Sif would be a much better choice because her and Thor could have a long life together.  Another reason is that Sif is a warrior just like Thor.  They have fought and won many battles together.  Fighting in battle with someone does forge a connection and bond.  Sif will have achieved a level of trust that Jane will never be able to obtain.

Sif in battle.

It is obvious that Sif still has feelings for Thor; in both movies, she was concerned about him.  In the first movie she worried about him getting hurt when he was sent to Earth.

(Slight Spoiler)

In the most recent movie she definitely tried to convince him join her in having some fun after restoring peace in one of the realms.  Sif, knows that Thor’s has strong feelings for Jane, which is why she helps him sneak out of the castle.

In some ways, I cannot help comparing Sif and Thor to Katniss and Gale.  They just seem to be too much a like with a similar fire.  Having a similar fire can sometimes be very bad causing more issues then anything.  While in many ways Sif does seem like the better choice, she just seems to much like the logical choice.  Another way Sif and Thor are like Katniss and Gale, everyone just assumes they will be together.

Katniss & Gale: They have the same fire – just to similar.

It is mainly because of this reason why I am slightly Team Thor and Jane.  With that being said, I would not be traumatized if Thor chooses Sif.  There is no amazingly strong connection between Jane and Thor in the movies.  I am sure the connection and bond between is much stronger in the comics since it has time to build and flourish.  In the movies, Sif is such a minor character that I do not feel we know enough about her.  I know much more about Jane then Sif, so it is hard to fully be able to decide which one because in some ways it is skewed towards Jane.  That does make sense since she is the primarily love interest in the comics.  When Thor goes back to Asgard he does date Sif and eventually becoming betrothed to her in the comics.  Both women do play a huge role in Thor’s life and love life.

I am curious what you all have to say on the topic. Are you Team Jane or Team Sif, let us know why.

– Christena

Girly and geeky?

When it came to writing a blog I had no idea where to start.  What does one write about that other people will care about? That they will actually be interested in reading?  It had been suggested that to write a blog so people could get to know me better.  I have bio up on the site, I have a twitter and tumblr that everyone can view and follow.  We will be having a podcast going eventually.  I figure you will have many opportunities in the future to get to know me; I am going leave some mystery for now.

The whole getting to know me better did get me what makes me different from other fangirls?  Or at least what makes me different from the rest of the group.  That answer is actually rather easy I am a girly girl.  I love the color pink, getting dressed up, getting French manicures, and wearing high heels.  I am actually a girly girl who is also a geek/fangirl. The other amazing ladies of the Fangirl Perspective are definitely not like me.  They are not going to sit in the nail salon with me – well at least not on a regular basis.

I will admit that I would so get my nails done like this.

You are actually more likely to see us in heated debated at the local comic ship.  I do wear heels more often then they do, maybe heels do comprise most of my shoes.  I might also have 2 very sexy Catwoman boots.  I am just different in that sense but I am still a geek/fangirl.   I have no problem being girly and geeky – I find it quite fun actually.

Being that I am an Event/Wedding Planner, I like throwing parties (again something that is pretty girly).  I would definitely throw a Hunger Games party since I am obsessed with that series.  (I might have already thrown a Hunger Games themed b-day).

Me doing archery for my birthday – they gave me the purple bow to use.

Did you notice the pretty French manicure in the pic – yes I shot archery with nicely done nails and I did not break a single one.

I also plan in throwing a party to get ready for the Mockingjay part 1 and part 2.  Since I like to bake (another of my girly traits – don’t expect me to cook) I will probably bake these cupcakes for the party.  I will also make Peeta’s cheese buns, since I have done those twice now.

Girl On Fire Cupcakes.
Found on the Hostess with the Mostess.

That should give you some extra insight into me that I do not think you would have gotten from my twitter, tumblr or the podcasts.

Until my next blog,

Christena

How to Be a Hero, as Told by “Thor: the Dark World” (and other sources)

Howdy, nerds!

Last night, the Fangirls and Friends went to go see Thor: the Dark World. We loved it, universally. There was some dissention in the ranks with respect to the romance (Kizer and I are on Team Jane-Foster-Is-Boring-And-Useless-And-Thor-Could-Do-Better-And-By-The-Way-I’m-Watiting), plus you can pretty much tell the scenes which were tweaked by Joss Whedon when they flew him in to fix things, but the movie’s final fight scene was arguably the BEST fight scene I’ve ever seen in a live-action movie. There was also a cameo even greater than a certain surly Canadian in X-Men First Class. Also, Chris Hemsworth is a sexy lion.

“RAWR.”

RAWR.

Ahem.

Anywho, the film itself is a good time, but it’s opened up a topic which has always been a concern of mine.

“Turn back if ye be afeared.”

Earlier that afternoon, Kizer and I had stopped by our local comic shop to pick-up our dwindling numbers of monthly comics (my feelings towards the New 52 are a topic for another day), and among my usual picks is Ultimate Comics Spider-Man. Miles Morales is an interesting character, and I wholly appreciate the lingering presence of Peter Parker’s supporting characters in the new Spider-Man’s life and exploits. Confused, Kizer asked why I still read the book.

You see, months ago, Miles’ mother was killed in crossfire between Venom and the NYPD. She died in her son’s (costumed) arms. Understandably, Miles didn’t take it well.

Fucking BULLSHIT.

I took it worse.

Whatever your favourite hero’s origin, there is one common theme in all of their lives. They may come from privilege or they may have had to fight their way up from the bottom. They might have unparalleled moral fortitude or they could be straddling the line between light and dark. Their powers may stem from their genes, from another world, from margicks of the old world, or from the heights of modern technology. No matter these differences, they will almost always be the product of this one simple truth.

APPARENTLY… You can’t be a superhero if you have both of your parents.

Batman. Superman. BOTH Spider-Men. And now, because in this movie, where his mom is a bad bitch but ends up biting it pretty early, Thor.

An intruder is in the palace, Thor’s mother fights him off. She is AMAZING. This is after a scene where you see her visiting Loki (via hologram) in his prison cell, which she has had swankified in an effort to comfort him. She still loves Loki, but is honest with him in a blunt-yet-gentle kind of way. He, in turn, is a dick to her. Then she dies in a fight… WHILE NATALIE PORTMAN IS AROUND THE CORNER BEING USELESS.

Sif wouldn’t’a let that shit happen. Hell, DARCY would’ve at least TAZED a bitch!

But I digress (as you’ll find I often do).

She is tremendously talented, but ultimately outmatched because her foe is nigh unstoppable. Thor, of course, comes in just a moment too late. Just in time for a little extra traumatization. This leads Thor to release his brother and the two embark on a mission to save Jane (long story short, she’s bad at EVERYTHING) and stop a villain from gaining a terrible power (which they pretty much fail at).

I don’t know if you, dear reader, have also seen “Man of Steel,” a movie whose only saving grace was Henry Cavill’s glorious build, but you might recall the scene wherein Jonathan Kent dies. You know the one. The one where there is no reason for him to die? Yeah, that one.

Thor’s mom didn’t need to die. Jon Kent didn’t need to die. Xavier didn’t need to die in X-Men: the Last Stand (that FUCKING movie). These… These are plot devices. Cliches. That’s just bad writing. But this doesn’t upset me too terribly; my standards have forcibly been lowered by years of crap movies and comics…

No. The issue I take with this pattern is… How am I going to be Batman now?!

*sniff*

Since I was a child, and to this day, I have held on to the goal of, some day, being Batman. Minus the “Man” part, yes, but that’s hardly the point. I want to be a bajillionaire who spends her evenings beating the snot out of assholes. Doesn’t that sound like the life?

I save my money. I’ve studied hard. I workout. I’m a great shot and my throwing knives fly true. I make nifty gadgets in my spare time. I do it all! I’m so close. But I can’t get that brass batarang.

Because I don’t come from a broken home.

She’s crying now, but some day she’ll be in the JLA!

Well… Fuck.

Now, I love my parents. I do. I don’t have any plans that involve shoving them off of cliffs or dropping anvils on them or anything… But… According to DC and Marvel, if I want to suit up, they’ve gotta go.

In the real world, we know that this isn’t a necessity– Oh, wait. Jon Stewart had Malcolm Gladwell on the Daily Show and they talked about his new book and how many of the most successful world leaders were once kids who had lost a parent at a young age…

Dream killer… Or future arch-nemesis?

Well… FUCK.

So, my Bat-Boat may have sailed. Or, because I am a CHILD, this might just be my great sense of loss that launches me into a life in the shadows, verbally abusing people who argue over expired coupons and shooting jay-walkers with paintballs guns and such.

Mmmmmyyyeeeeeesssss… That’ll do. For now.

Meanwhile, as I retreat into the darkness to struggle my way into a latex catsuit and recall the original point of this post, I and the rest of my Fangirls HIGHLY recommend going to see Thor. See it 3D. See it in 2D. See it in Imax. I don’t care. Just go and make sure that they make the bank to keep on rolling out these movies. If nothing else, think of all of the people on the set of this movie who need your support. Writers, directors, gaffers, actors, editors, craft services, stuntmen, set designers…

“Two Thors?! YES! Now KISS!”

Until next time, I’m off to the Bat-Cave/my Mom’s basement!

Toodles.

–Patty.