GRAPHIC NOVELTY- Danity Kane's "Bad Girls" *Updated w/ more POW!*

The ladytrannys of Danity Kane have their new vid out and it's all comics!

It's set in Gotham City. Though from the looks of it they take more cues from Alba & Co. in SIN CITY.








The girls can't have their stellar track interrupted so they make good use of graphic sound effects. Though I half expected to see SHELLACK! somewhere in the vid as a means of explaining their makeup application process. I'm sure re-painting the Golden Gate takes less time.





There's more than a fair share of latex catsuits.






And it does have a bit of a Paulina Rubio (or Toxic Brit or Get you Good Shania if you prefer) reimagining of AKIRA.








Last but not least some archetypal bondage scenes worthy of a Golden Age Wonder Woman issue.










Even the "DK" opening logo is a straight ripoff of the flickering panels Marvel Studios logo. Glad to see Diddy copying off the best.

See if Joel Schumacher were still doing the Batman flicks this song would have totally made it onto the soundtrack. I mean who can seriously resist the poor-man's version of Girl Aloud? I will give the song a thumbs up though simply because it managed to pull off a sort of urban BOND sound thanks to Danja (Whose "Break the Ice" for Brit also spawned a manga inspired vid)

Graphic Novelty: When comics hit mainstream. Hilarity ensues.

Gwyneth Says "Bring Me the Head of Tony Stark!"

I've got to give major props to Vogue for actually putting an explicit comic book reference on the cover. Seriously who doesn't pair their Iron Man cosplay with Oscar de la Renta? Now if they'd only get Robert Downey Jr. to do a Men's Vogue cover as Tony Stark. I mean it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the man likes his bespoke!

Re:Blurb-I'm sad to see that Gwyneth has to "juggle" Chris. I mean he looks like a nice bloke and all even if his music does put me to sleep.

Can The Amazing Spider-Man Sting?

If Spidey's new status quo appeals to Adult Contemporaries then I guess Marvel can consider this a hit..I keep debating whether to read this issue. On the one hand I really do want to see if Peter Parker's return to Singledom is as funny as Caroline in the City. But on the other hand I refuse to pay $4.05 CDN + 12% GST/PST for a standard size comic book from one of the big two. [This is the same morbid curiosity that leads to the monthly dilemma of deciding whether to buy InStyle. But at least that mag can be the size of a phone book from time to time.]

You know I wouldn't leave you without some dessert...

I'm pretty sure VH1 is still playing this.

Comic Books are in Vogue (literally!)

I thought hell would freeze over (or I'd be named Editor-in-Chief) before Vogue would put comic books on their must list. Well in reality they're putting comic book movie adaptations on the list. But hey we got to start somewhere.

Go check out the January issue of Vogue to read the blurb on p.86.

In Sequential Style-Andi Watson & Simon Gane's "Paris"

When I saw the cover to Andi Watson & Simon Gane’s Paris (out now on SLG Publishing) I immediately grabbed it and smiled. Why was I smiling like an idiot in a comic book store? Because there on the cover of a comic book was a woman wearing what closely resembles a Roland Mouret Titanium Dress! I’m such a fangirl for that dress (& Its sister Galaxy) because its geometric shaping gives it a brilliantly futuristic noir (à la Blade Runner) look. Finally a comic book that nicely compliments my copy of ELLE!

Oh and if you’re wondering- the book is an excellent read. It’s quality melodrama. Think along the lines of Douglas Sirk & David Lean and not Lifetime.

Oh why can’t all books be this pretty?

I'll vote for whoever says Emma Frost is their favorite Comic Book Character (at least then they're being honest)

Comix.com recently revealed that Libertarian Republican Presidential Candidate (& Texas Congressman) Ron Paul's favorite comic book character is Baruch Wane, the Berlin Batman, from The Batman Chronicles. Surprised??? You shouldn’t be! A quick Google of “Libertarian Comic Books” (result #5) leads you to an article about Paul Pope posted on the site of Advocates of Self Government. They go on to mention in the article that Berlin Batman's adventure in The Batman Chronicles #11 (Collected earlier this year in the Batman Year 100 TPB) is "one of the great libertarian moments in comics history!".

Oh Ron Paul! You should really give your campaign people a raise because they have excellent Googling skills! Kudos to them for discovering that ridiculously talented comic book (& soon to be fashion designer) guy Paul Pope is a libertarian through a 2004 article & then using that to push your political agenda to the hip graphic novel crowd. Bravo!

Fred Thompson better hit the pedal to the metal and choose big business/alcoholics/"registration" friendly-Iron Man before Giuliani gets to him!

What I learned at Toys"R"Us-Marrying Patricia Arquette Makes You Vengeful

I really hope that this is the work of someone at Marvel with a wicked sense of humor. Because pairing action figures of Patricia Arquette's ex-husband and her current husband for children 3+ to play with is absolutely brilliant. Kudos to whoever at Marvel put it together!

And if you were wondering (and if you weren't you may want to reevaluate your life) what else handsome gents Thomas Jane and Nicolas Cage have in common...

• Both have January birthdays (birthstone:garnet)
• Both starred in Face/Off (or what many consider the greatest movie ever made)
• Both were at Comic-Con this year (awkward!)

and

Both are currently involved with comic book projects. Mr.Jane is the cover model for Criminal Macabre:My Demon Baby @ Dark Horse (and in early talks to star in the movie adaptation) and Mr.Cage & offspring are producing Voodoo Child @ Virgin Comics. (I confess that I actually picked up the first issue of CM:MDB simply because Thomas Jane was on the cover. And Voodoo Child is on my pull list even though Nic's mug doesn't grace the cover. But it's definitely a great book worth checking out.)

One More Day??!?!?!?! (And I'm not talking about Spidey!)

According to my local comic book shop books won't be in until THURSDAY (at least in Vancouver) due to the weather. I swear sometimes I feel like we live in the Yukon! That means that I'll have to wait one more day to read the end of BKV's arc on Buffy! And on the other things I like...

Buffy #9
Northlanders #1
Vinyl Underground #3
Dynamo 5 #9
The Sword #3
Suburban Glamour #2
Uncanny X-Men #493
The Order #5

(which is why i'll be slipping these into my pumpkin spice lattes--->)

[Note: Those of you in S. WA & N.BC stay safe and dry!]

Is it Wednesday Yet??? *UPDATED WITH 100% MORE ANGEL!*

So even though it isn't Thanksgiving here in Canada this week (which is still so hard to get used to) I will be gladly filling my plastic cornucopia (not a euphemism) with some comic book goodness.

Angel:After The Fall #1!!!
Umbrella Academy #3
Ex Machina #32
The Spirit #11
Lone Ranger #10
Checkmate #20
She Hulk #23
Catwoman #73
Powers #27
New X-Men #22/Messiah Complex #4
Loners #6

Not that I don't love all the writers but this week's art roster is all-star with Bá, James Jean, Harris, Darwyn Cooke, Cassaday, Hughes, Oeming, Ramos and Karl Moline! [End of extreme fangirlyness. Well at least until Wed.]

"I don't read the words. I just like it when he punches people."

If you didn't see tonight's episode of The Simpsons-"Husband & Knives" bribe whoever has it on their TiVo and sit back and enjoy. This episode is all sorts of awesome!

The first ten minutes of the episode are all about the cool new comic book store in town run by a guy with a.....wait for it.......GIRLFRIEND! I know the stuff of fiction, right???

Naturally since the new comic book guy is all hip to the indie comix he gets autreurs Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman, & Daniel Clowes to do a signing at his store. But things get ugly though when Comic Book Guy attacks the cool new store (whose owner *gasp* cares what customers think). Thank God The League of Extraordinary Freelancers is there to defend all things good, pure, and indie! Gotta love the beefcake!

<-----Alan Moore irked (like my Canada-inhabitating self) that DC isn't releasing Black Dossier outside of the US.

<--On the other hand Daniel Clowes wouldn't mind it if DC would get more of any eye for details. Especially when it comes to Batman's utility belt- complete with a money dispenser for the billionaire crime fighter "in case he has to take the bus".

Now filming in Vancouver for a 2009 release....

All the dialogue in the comic book shops is gold (Reason #425 of why you should support the WGA) but I particularly love this line-
"These books are meant to be read and enjoyed not hoarded and then sold when you get divorced"-Cool Comic Book Guy With a Girlfriend Who Wears a Pork Pie Hat (voiced by Jack Black)

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
For Your Consideration
Alan Moore for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance

(Entry clip)
Bart: Alan Moore! You wrote my favorite issues of Radioactive Man!
Alan Moore: Oh really! So you like that I made your favorite superhero a heroin addicted jazz critic who's not radioactive?!

Haiku Reviews for Oct 18

Suburban Glamour #1
Story, Art and Letters: Jamie McKelvie

Suburbs emo style
Splash of pink and fantasy
Hell of a read



The Umbrella Academy #2
Writer: Gerard Way
Art: Gabriel Ba

Acad in full swing!
Way says music is deadly,
When did Six die?

What's Going on the AMEX! -Comic Book Edition

Not that I don't look forward to every Wednesday (except maybe Jan 2) but this week is shaping up to be one of the best!!! I'm officially giddy and in the process of taking out a second mortgage.

Buffy-The Long Way Home TP -Featuring that gorgeous new Jo Chen cover!)
Umbrella Academy #2 -More Bá is always a good thing
Checkmate #19 -Sasha Bordeaux rocks!
DMZ #24 -Helping me get to know (ie: fear) NYC better
Ex-Machina #31 -See Above
Fables #66 - Those James Jean covers are the bees' knees
Killing Girl #3 -can't wait to see who's dead now!
Marvel Comics Presents #2-Kitty Pryde!!!
Powers #26-that last issue was kinky.
Whiteout Vol 2 Melt-The Definitive Edition - Carrie Stetko's the sh*t.
Voodoo Child #4-I'll buy pretty much anything with Mike Carey's name on it. (All my love for Nick Cage aside)