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Showing posts from October, 2024

The Mead of Strangeness, or "Norse Myths are Weird, Man.'

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Welcome, weirdos, to a realm where gods ride flying chariots pulled by goats, where squirrels deliver divine messages up and down the world tree, and where a trickster god once gave birth to an eight-legged horse. That's right, we're diving headfirst into the weird world of Norse mythology. The Chariots of the Gods First up, let's talk about Thor, the hammer-wielding, lightning-slinging, red-bearded god of thunder. You might know him from his recent Hollywood appearances, but did you know that his chariot is pulled by two goats named Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr? These aren't your average goats, mind you. Thor can actually eat them for dinner and then resurrect them the next morning using his hammer, Mjölnir. Talk about a renewable food source. But wait, there's more. Freyr, the god of fertility and prosperity, also has a unique mode of transportation. He rides a golden boar named Gullinbursti, which was crafted by the dwarves and can run through the air and over wat...

Growing Up on the Wrong Side of the Spaceways

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  What I remember best about being a kid and reading comics are the characters that I liked and ended up pretending to be while having numerous imaginative adventures, either with friends or by my lonesome. Loving Super-hero teams and growing up in the early eighties meant that I was exposed to such titles as The New Teen Titans, The X-Men, The Justice League, etc. However, none of these Supergroups could hold a candle to the 30th century's Legion of Super-Heroes (at least in my mind!) I loved the issues written by Paul Levitz and pencilled by Keith Giffen best of all, enjoying the intrigue, action and drama that could consitsently be found in every issue. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that my favorite futuristic superhero of all time also came from the pages of Legion.   Ultra Boy's first appearance! One of the most famous of all Legion members, Jo Nah of the planet Rimbor, a.k.a. ULTRA BOY never lost his appeal for me, even after the numerous reboots the Legion ha...

After the LOBOtomy

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  Whenever I get tired of wordy comics or the high-brow moralizing normally found in the so-called 'literary' graphic novels, I feel like I need to release the pressure in my aching brain by pulling out a stack of back issues and kickin' back with some LOBO back issues. What? Did you say Lobo? Yep, that's right. Lobo. Not only is he one of the most funny and consistently entertaining characters in comics, but he is also the perfect anti-hero for those who get tired of the do-gooder superhero set who NEVER indulge in drinking, partying, or raucous mayhem whenever they feel like it.  Lobo shows the darker side of what every superhero could be if you took away the 'hero' and pumped them full of alcohol and mind-altering drugs. And no, I am not saying that I want to be like Lobo. I mean, the guy is a murderer, a galactic bounty hunter who revels in torture and bloodshed; who betrays his friends (or rather 'acquaintances.' He doesn't have any friends - bi...