text:
ARLINGTON — The graduation ceremony Saturday night had distinguished speakers, praise for the students' hard work and proud parents in attendance.But the 16 young adults being honored on this night had, in recent days, already gone through their high school commencement exercises. This banquet, instead, was for the inaugural class of the Arlington school district Fire Academy, established two years ago in partnership with the Arlington Fire Department and Tarrant County College.Twenty-three students started out in the first academy class two years ago. Sixteen made it all the way to the ceremony Saturday night. A handful of them were among the 1,100 people who recently took the written exam in hopes of becoming one of the Fire Department's 2013 recruits.Four of them, including recent Martin High graduates Brent Bousquet and Blake Cretsinger, have made it to the fourth stage of the hiring process: a panel interview.Fire Chief Don Crowson and other officials stressed that being academy graduates does not give the four any advantage over other candidates. But it does show that the Fire Department's secondary goal for the academy of attracting more Arlington residents to the applicant pool may be paying off.Bousquet and Cretsinger, both 18, said they want to give back to the department that made their early training possible and, though neither was born in Arlington, to help protect what is now their hometown. Along with their academy classmates, they now know what the department has to offer."I want to work for the best fire department in the nation," Cretsinger said.Their fathers, Rick Bousquet and Dean Cretsinger, said the program helped make the boys into men.On Brent Bousquet's first day on clinical rotation for his EMT training, his father said, he was called to perform CPR on a patient who would die."It really hit him in the face what this was all about," Rick Bousquet said. "He saw that this was life and death. I'm proud of him for pushing through it."A future fire chiefThe Arlington school district and TCC wanted a program that would prepare graduates to enter the work force right after high school even if they planned to go to college. But officials were unsure how high school students would perform in a rigorous program that demanded college-level coursework and the extracurricular time commitment of a varsity athlete, said Lt. Rob Constantine, the academy coordinator.He and other fire officials, as well as TCC and school district leaders, said they were pleased with the initial results.The new academy graduates now have up to 24 hours of college credit toward TCC's associate degree in fire professions and can sit for the state firefighter or emergency medical technician basic certification exam once they turn 18."We might have a future fire chief in this room," Arlington City Councilman Robert Rivera said Saturday evening.The academy, at Sam Houston High School, is funded by the school district mostly with state money. Nineteen members of the Fire Department, working as TCC instructors, teach the courses during their off time.Getting selected was not easy. Candidates had to write an essay, get recommendations and pass a college-entrance test.Fort Worth academyThe Fort Worth school district offers a similar program. The Fire Science Academy at Eastern Hills High School is one of the district's Gold Seal Programs of Choice. Retired Dallas Fire Chief Eddie Burns came on board as the instructor last fall.Unlike the Arlington academy, Burns said last week, Fort Worth's is a four-year program that starts with a broad overview of public safety the first year. Students can branch into law enforcement or fire service their second year. Training takes place at TCC.Burns said he intends to show students the professionalism and conduct that are required to work for a big city fire department."It's about improving their character," he said. "They know they can't make a bad choice or it reflects on the program. That, to me, is a powerful tool."The Fort Worth Fire Department provides some support services for the program, spokesman Tim Hardeman said."Cleaning the firefighting gear is one of the services we provide; other services are considered upon request," he said.As with the Arlington program, graduates are positioned to take the state certification exam for firefighter or EMT upon graduation. They can also apply to the Fort Worth Fire Department, but as with Arlington, they are not guaranteed jobs. This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.
Patrick M. Walker, 682-232-4674 Twitter: @patrickmwalker1


text:
Self-service web catering for the myopic hoi polloi
I think this column has been vindicated in its campaign in favour of changeable font sizes on websites. Just to remind you: you can hit View on the top bar of Explorer, hit Text Size and then select one of the five options - and all the text changes size accordingly. Sometimes.
Subscribe to the AJ from £3 per week
for less than 46p a day
Join thousands of professionals who already subscribe to the Architects' Journal.
You'll get instant access to read this article - and 50,000 others like it.
- Trusted industry news & analysis, wherever you need itUnlimited online access and weekly magazine delivery – now also available on iPad/iPhone
- Get ideas, get inside buildings and check precedentsBuildings Library – images, drawings and plans for exemplar projects in British architecture
- Planning & regulation – what you need to know Protect your practice - the AJ keeps you up-to-date with changes to regulations and legislation
For less than the cost of a pint you can have the magazine, iPad edition, full access to TheAJ.co.uk and the amazing AJBuildingsLibrary.co.uk. Subscribe now and experience architecture from a British perspective. The AJ - it's your journal.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
South Bend students can pick up backpacks Saturday morning from our 16-Pack-a-Backpack drive.
We collected 3100 backpacks and all sorts of supplies during Pack-a-Backpack, all donated by you.
Schools are responsible for handing those out now.
The South Bend Community School Corporation is handing out backpacks at 9:00 Saturday morning.
They'll be at Jefferson Intermediate Traditional School on South Eddy Street.
It runs from 9 until noon, but you'll want to get there early because they're handed out on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Kids must have an adult with them to receive a backpack.


text:
hired 1 time on Thumbtack
We specialize in residential HVAC (heating and air conditioning), gutters, downspouts, architectural flashings, chimney caps, ventwork, attic fans, bath fans, lead,copper and stainless steel work. Getting more into hi-eff mini-split systems lately.
We have over 40 years experience and are licensed (CA lic. # 378639), bonded and insured.
Jefferson Av.redwood City
Redwood City, CA 94062
- DOJ Smart Search verified
- License verified
- Email verified
- Thumbtack reviewed
- Facebook verified
- LinkedIn verified


text:
Hawaiian Gallinule and chicks in recently planted taro in the Hanalei Valley, Kauai
Sand Turtle at Baby Beach
The Hawaiian Nene caught digitally at the Kiahuna golf course near our vacation rental
Kids pushing Dad off his favorite rock. He spends his sunset time absorbing the heat accumulated in the rock during the day.
Port Allen Chicken (Taken with instagram)
Port Allen (Taken with instagram)
More Food Please (Taken with instagram)


text:
Mary Kelly, Post-Partum Document, 1972-79
There is so much to say about this. These are fragments of her child's life that she documented (and there are many more). The first image is a Rosetta-stone like tablet which documents the child's entrance into language. It shows her child's first letters, her observations as a mother, and then other observations in a clinical, scientific language. The second photo is I suppose swaddling clothes for the baby when first born.
Anyways, one thing that can be said about this is that the audience never sees the mother nor the child, only fragments of the child's life and fragments of the mother's thoughts. It is using Brecht's idea of distanciation that engages the viewer with the piece because the viewer has to piece together all the fragments to create an image. No images can be fetishsized like this.
On top of this, it is also a response to the clinicalization of women's bodies. A response to how women's bodies are regulated, especially when it comes to reproduction.


text:
Sorbet Mix and Match T-shirt
- Low stock, selling fast
3 reviews
- Delivery
Sorbet Pyjama T-shirt
This pyjama T-shirt by Sorbet is part of their mix and match range of sleepwear and is a cute choice for summer.
In an orange hue, this tee is bright and bold, while the casual shape and style as well as cotton-rich fabric keep it a cool and comfy pick for balmy summer nights.
Wear this pyjama top with the Sorbet floral print pyjama shorts for a cute and cool summer sleepwear style.
Useful info:
- Pyjama T-shirt by Sorbet
- Part of mix and match range
- Crew neck' quarter sleeves


text:
One man is dead after officials say he fell off of a truck bed.
By Robin Jedlicka - bio | email VALDOSTA, GA (WALB) - Family members returned to the scene a fatal fire in Lakeland for the first time Friday. GBI agents are still trying to figure out who set the fire that killed 12-year-old LaQuinta Bowens Wednesday.
As they sorted through the rubble that was once their home on Davis Avenue, the family wondered why someone had set the fire that claimed the life of their beloved girl, LaQuinta Bowens.
LaQuinta's classmates at Lanier County Middle School are still in shock. "She was quiet. She was a happy young lady, and very well loved by her classmates."
After an intentionally set fire claimed the young girl's life, the community is grieving.
"As students have gotten upset or needed grief counseling, there have been counselors available for them."
Investigators found evidence suggesting home-made bombs were utilized. Now, the Lakeland Police have called in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
"We can a lot of times provide a lot more man power. And we can provide a lot more expertise and bring in additional resources."
The GBI's manpower is evident. Seven of the nine agents from their office in Douglas are working on the case.
"They've been assisted by ATF agents who brought along an arson-trained K-9 unit to help them search for clues."
The GBI is asking neighbors to help solve this terrible crime. "We definitely need the community's help and involvement to provide us with information. We know there's information out there, and we're continually seeking it."
Anyone with information is encouraged to step forward and bring justice to the memory of that quiet, happy girl.
If you have any information that could help investigators call the Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 912-389-4103.
You can remain anonymous.
P.O. Box 3130
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 446-1010
FCC Public File
(229) 446-4005
EEO Report
Closed Captioning


text:
Advanced Search
| Search Tips
This cute 2pc set is from the Jungle Queen line at Cach Cach. The ruffle edging and animal print detail make this a stunning outfit! There is a matching clippie available for the complete look.
All prices are in USD
© 2005 - 2014 Gingersnaps Kids Boutique.


text:
Get 10 free worksheets per month plus activities, articles and science projects.
Celebrate Valentine's Day while reviewing times tables! Your little love-bug can put his simple multiplication skills to the test, and soon he'll be on his way to memorizing them.
About Us | Support | Submission Guidelines | Privacy Policy |
Terms of Use | Partners | Widgets and Tools | AdChoices


text:
Discovery Channel
Erosion is the geological process in which Earth's surface is worn down by natural forces like running water, wind, glaciers and waves. Erosion breaks down rocks, mountains and land surfaces, and then these broken pieces are carried away by wind, rain or rushing rivers. Even the smaller particles add to the erosion as they move along and pound against exposed earth. Erosion is constantly reshaping the land around us. It's what allows rivers to create channels and deep gorges like the Grand Canyon, and ocean waves to re-create the shores along the coastlines. Glaciers can also cause severe erosion to anything along their paths as they slowly advance and scrape the earth beneath them.
Determining whether an area will erode depends on four factors: soils, surface covers, topography and climate. The factors are interrelated, but each can affect problems and solutions related to erosion in natural and developed areas. For example, some soils are more susceptible to erosion because they do not let water soak into them, while permeable soils with plenty of organic matter allow rainwater to infiltrate instead of running off, taking more soil with it. Surface cover refers mostly to whether the soil has vegetation covering it. Shrubs or grasses covering the soil slow water runoff and help water soak into soil. Even mulches and paving help control erosion to some extent.
Topography affects how -- and how much -- water runs off, which affects overall erosion. Naturally, a long, steep slope causes faster flowing water, as do channels. When soils face south and are exposed, the ground is hotter and drier, so vegetation may not grow as easily there. Climate can cause erosion problems when rain comes in high intensities instead of lighter intensity storms. Snow does not cause erosion, but if the ground constantly freezes and thaws, it can break up soil aggregates that transport in melted snow runoffs [source: State of North Carolina].
The four factors affecting erosion are largely natural, but man affects many of the factors. Construction -- such as erecting new office buildings or adding subdivisions as part of urban development -- disturbs land and can dramatically accelerate erosion. The loose soil, or sediment, washes into water resources with flowing rainwater. Climate change also is affecting soil erosion. Increased precipitation caused by climate change has added to runoff and melting sea ice caused by global warming has caused more open water. This generates stronger waves that add to erosion of shore lines, along with warmer temperatures and increased storm activity [source: Parry]. Arctic terrain is particularly vulnerable to erosion.
What is the role of water in the future of human achievement?
Answered by Steven Kotler of Abundance
How does water form?
Answered by Discovery Channel
What is lava?
Answered by Discovery Channel


text:
Crossing the Digital Divide
June 7, 2013
Preparing for Hurricane Season
June 7, 2013
How We're Investing Smart To Expand Rural Broadband
May 16, 2013
You are about to leave the FCC website and visit a third-party, non-governmental website that the FCC does not maintain or control. The FCC does not endorse any product or service, and is not responsible for, nor can it guarantee the validity or timeliness of the content on the page you are about to visit. Additionally, the privacy policies of this third-party page may differ from those of the FCC.


text:
Summer Squash Soup
Yield: 4 servings
More From Oxmoor House
Recipe Time
Cook Time:
Prep Time:
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
- Calories: 86
- Fat: 3.1g
- Saturated fat: 1.8g
- Protein: 4.1g
- Carbohydrate: 11.1g
- Fiber: 3.0g
- Cholesterol: 9mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
- Sodium: 614mg
- Calcium: 101mg
- 1 tablespoon light stick butter
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh yellow squash, sliced and cut in half (about 4 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add squash and onion. Cover and cook 13 minutes or until squash and onion are very tender.
- Transfer squash mixture to a food processor bowl; puree until smooth. Return squash mixture to saucepan. Stir in broth and next 4 ingredients; cook, uncovered, over low heat until thoroughly heated.
- To serve, ladle 1 cup soup into each of 4 individual serving bowls, and top evenly with Parmesan cheese.
My Notes
Only you will be able to view, print, and edit this note.Add Note
Summer Squash Soup Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Soups/Stews
- CONVENIENCE: Entertaining, Family
- CUISINE: American
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Vegetables
- COOKING METHOD: Food Processor
- PUBLICATION: Oxmoor House
More Recipes Like This
Summer Squash and Corn ChowderCooking Light
Summer Squash and Pasta SoupCooking Light
Do you love cookies?
We do too! Get your favorite holiday cookies delivered to your inbox.(Nov.-Dec.)
We Respect Your Privacy. Privacy Policy


text:
Narrow your search
Company, recently acquired by Sun Microsystems, is awarded a patent for "adaptive computing ensemble microprocessor architecture," with Glaskowsky named as co-inventor.
Glaskowsky notes the passing of Montalvo Systems.
It's been a long, strange, expensive trip for Montalvo.
Here's one secret stealthy chip start-up Montalvo has had trouble keeping quiet: it's being bought. The formal announcement is expected soon.
Montalvo has been casting about for a buyer, and it looks like Sun is it.
Montalvo Systems has spent a lot of money and hasn't produced a chip for commercial shipment yet. Cuts look inevitable.
State DMV orders the ride-for-hire services to stop operating within the state or face fines.
First post and introduction
Peter Glaskowsky's Kindle has some kind of problem with its battery or charger, and Amazon promises to provide a replacement in one business day. Can't beat that.
Peter Glaskowsky upgrades the hard disk in his MacBook Pro, but asks for reader help in migrating the contents of his Boot Camp partition for Windows.


text:
La Follette School students headed to the country on September 22 to pick apples as part of a social activity organized by the La Follette School Student Association. Right: Katherine Mitchell displays some of her pickings. Below: The group at the El Eplegaarden farm in Fitchburg, just 20 minutes south of Madison
— posted September 24, 2012


text:
Refine Your Search
Sort by
- 2004 (655) Apply 2004 filter
- 2005 (616) Apply 2005 filter
- 2006 (736) Apply 2006 filter
- 2007 (1229) Apply 2007 filter
- 2008 (1100) Apply 2008 filter
- 2009 (983) Apply 2009 filter
- 2010 (874) Apply 2010 filter
- 2011 (915) Apply 2011 filter
- 2012 (603) Apply 2012 filter
- 2013 (147) Apply 2013 filter
- 2014 (1) Apply 2014 filter
Related Keywords
- ENVIRONMENT (111) Apply ENVIRONMENT filter
- ENERGY (5) Apply ENERGY filter
- DEVELOPMENT (4) Apply DEVELOPMENT filter
- LEADER (4) Apply LEADER filter
- POLLUTION (4) Apply POLLUTION filter
- LAI SEE (3) Apply LAI SEE filter
- POLITICS (3) Apply POLITICS filter
- SCIENCE FOCUS (3) Apply SCIENCE FOCUS filter
- WILDLIFE (3) Apply WILDLIFE filter
- Beijing (2) Apply Beijing filter
- ENVIRONMENT: ANALYSIS (2) Apply ENVIRONMENT: ANALYSIS filter
- HEALTH (2) Apply HEALTH filter
- LAND (2) Apply LAND filter
- ANIMAL CRUELTY (1) Apply ANIMAL CRUELTY filter
- ARCHITECTURE (1) Apply ARCHITECTURE filter
- AUTOMOTIVE (1) Apply AUTOMOTIVE filter
- AVIATION (1) Apply AVIATION filter
- CANADA (1) Apply CANADA filter
- CHANGING FACES (1) Apply CHANGING FACES filter
- CHINA BRIEFING (1) Apply CHINA BRIEFING filter
- CITY BEAT (1) Apply CITY BEAT filter
- CLIMATE CHANGE (1) Apply CLIMATE CHANGE filter
- CONSERVATION (1) Apply CONSERVATION filter
- COUNTRY PARKS (1) Apply COUNTRY PARKS filter
- COURT (1) Apply COURT filter
- ECO-DESIGN (1) Apply ECO-DESIGN filter
- ELECTRICITY (1) Apply ELECTRICITY filter
- GLOBAL WARMING (1) Apply GLOBAL WARMING filter
- GREEN MATTERS SHI JIANGTAO (1) Apply GREEN MATTERS SHI JIANGTAO filter
- ISRAEL (1) Apply ISRAEL filter
- MY TAKE (1) Apply MY TAKE filter
- MYANMAR (1) Apply MYANMAR filter
- NATURE (1) Apply NATURE filter
- PROPERTY (1) Apply PROPERTY filter
- QUIZ CADMIUM (1) Apply QUIZ CADMIUM filter
- RESOURCES (1) Apply RESOURCES filter
- ROOKIE MUM (1) Apply ROOKIE MUM filter
- RURAL DEVELOPMENT (1) Apply RURAL DEVELOPMENT filter
- SCIENCE FOCUS WITH MARTIN WILLIAMS (1) Apply SCIENCE FOCUS WITH MARTIN WILLIAMS filter
- Shanghai (1) Apply Shanghai filter
- SUNDAY MORNING (1) Apply SUNDAY MORNING filter
- SURVEYS (1) Apply SURVEYS filter
- TALKING POINTS (1) Apply TALKING POINTS filter
- TECHNOLOGY (1) Apply TECHNOLOGY filter
- toyota (1) Apply toyota filter
- TRADE (1) Apply TRADE filter
- TRADE WAR (1) Apply TRADE WAR filter
- UNITED STATES (1) Apply UNITED STATES filter
- WEATHER (1) Apply WEATHER filter
- WHAT THE MAINLAND MEDIA SAY (1) Apply WHAT THE MAINLAND MEDIA SAY filter
Search Results
Related topics matching your search
- (-) Remove Environment filter Environment
- Environmental Issue (1015) Apply Environmental Issue filter
- Hong Kong (897) Apply Hong Kong filter
- Disaster (521) Apply Disaster filter
- Natural Disaster (395) Apply Natural Disaster filter
- Climate Change (391) Apply Climate Change filter
- Pearl River Delta (360) Apply Pearl River Delta filter
- Business (347) Apply Business filter
- Waste Management (309) Apply Waste Management filter
- Energy (257) Apply Energy filter
- Carbon Finance (218) Apply Carbon Finance filter
- Chemical Engineering (217) Apply Chemical Engineering filter
- Epidemiology (196) Apply Epidemiology filter
- Atmospheric Sciences (174) Apply Atmospheric Sciences filter
- Education (171) Apply Education filter
- Technology (166) Apply Technology filter
- Politics (162) Apply Politics filter
- H5N1 (161) Apply H5N1 filter
- Biology (154) Apply Biology filter
- Global Warming (143) Apply Global Warming filter
- Social Issues (130) Apply Social Issues filter
- Health (126) Apply Health filter
- Islands District (125) Apply Islands District filter
- Weather (118) Apply Weather filter
- South China Sea (115) Apply South China Sea filter
- Human Interest (109) Apply Human Interest filter
- Climatology (108) Apply Climatology filter
- Guangdong (108) Apply Guangdong filter
- China (106) Apply China filter
- Man Made Disaster (106) Apply Man Made Disaster filter
- Recycling (102) Apply Recycling filter
- Beijing (100) Apply Beijing filter
- Microbiology (98) Apply Microbiology filter
- Chemistry (93) Apply Chemistry filter
- Extinction (88) Apply Extinction filter
- Meteorology (87) Apply Meteorology filter
- Geography (86) Apply Geography filter
- Alternative Propulsion (80) Apply Alternative Propulsion filter
- Smog (80) Apply Smog filter
- Medicine (79) Apply Medicine filter
- Product Issues (79) Apply Product Issues filter
- Fuels (77) Apply Fuels filter
- Energy Conversion (76) Apply Energy Conversion filter
- CLP Group (75) Apply CLP Group filter
- Hang Seng Index Constituent Stocks (73) Apply Hang Seng Index Constituent Stocks filter
- Influenza a Virus Subtype H5n1 (71) Apply Influenza a Virus Subtype H5n1 filter
- Energy Economics (69) Apply Energy Economics filter
- Lantau Island (69) Apply Lantau Island filter
- Tai Po District (69) Apply Tai Po District filter
- Law (67) Apply Law filter
Search results
Health issues highlight need to act on pollution
Posted Jul 30th 2006, 12:00am by Staff Reporter
... and the Hong Kong and Guangdong governments to cut wasteful use of energy and harmful emissions. But for the sake of our health and the city's future it is time that promises to reverse the tide ... Hong Kong people do not need reminding that air pollution is taking a rising toll on our quality of life. It is a topic that is here to stay until pollution not only goes away but stays ...http://www.scmp.com/article/558482/health-issues-highlight-need-act-pollution
Comment - Insight & Opinion - LEADER
In Hong Kong, political will is the key to clean air
Posted Apr 18th 2013, 12:00am by SCMP Editorial
... as usual, pollution originating on the mainland. But these underline how important it is for Hong Kong to strive for an acceptable living environment with concrete efforts to reduce home-grown ... by Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying that the quality of the air we breathe is a core livelihood issue. Roadside readings in Central on Monday were so bad that everyone was advised to steer clear ...http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1216989/hong-kong-political-will-key-clean-air
News - Hong Kong - POLLUTION
Athletics coach Paul Wright to quit Hong Kong for sake of son's health
Posted Sep 09th 2012, 12:00am by Richard Castka
... Richard Castka and John Carney Pollution forces coach who transformed city's athletics to leave just four months into contract Wright quits to save son's health Hong Kong ... Since Wright took the job in May 2010, Hong Kong athletics has seen a significant improvement, notably qualifying for the men's 4x100 metres relay in the London Olympic Games. But Wright, ...http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1032477/athletics-coach-paul-wright-quit-hong-kong-sake-sons-health
News - Hong Kong - ENVIRONMENT
Hong Kong scientists to launch alternative air quality health index
Posted Aug 29th 2012, 12:00am by Kristie Wong
... Kristie Wong email@example.com Pollution alert system sidelined by government takes specific health risks into account, giving the public advice on levels of physical exertion ... their air quality health index (AQHI), to be provided on a website as early as next month, will offer the public better, clearer and more timely advice on health risks than the present government ...http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1024785/hong-kong-scientists-launch-alternative-air-quality-health-index
Burning issue
Posted May 29th 2012, 12:00am
... of sites was announced. But such controversy is not limited to Hong Kong; incineration has been a hot topic worldwide for decades. There's even a Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance (GAIA), founded in 2010 and with a membership of more than 650 grass-roots groups, NGOs, and individuals in 90 countries. Dr Kenneth Tsang Wah-tak, a respiratory medicine specialist in Hong Kong, says ...http://www.scmp.com/article/1002304/burning-issue
Should the government build incinerators in Hong Kong?
Posted Dec 01st 2010, 12:00am by Matthew Murchie
... be a backward step for Hong Kong because there are much better ways to reduce the volumes of waste being sent to landfill sites. Elise Choi, 16, Sai Kung Sung Tsun Catholic School The three main landfills in Hong Kong will be full in a few years. Extending landfills is not the best solution because it cannot go on, especially in a place like Hong Kong where there is a shortage of land. ...http://www.scmp.com/article/732063/should-government-build-incinerators-hong-kong
Comment - Letters
Recycling efforts in Hong Kong inadequate
Posted Nov 01st 2012, 12:00am by LETTERS
... We must develop recycling culture in people's homes The lack of progress on combating Hong Kong's dirty air and the severe health problems resulting from this pollution have been highlighted in these columns. However, an equally pressing environmental issue is the need for urgent action to implement an effective recycling system for Hong Kong's household waste, so ...http://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/1074129/recycling-efforts-hong-kong-inadequate
Water conservation an important issue for Hong Kong citizens
Posted Apr 05th 2010, 12:00am by Staff Reporter
... also affects Hong Kong. I think a lot of the problems relating to wasting water are caused by people's bad habits, and this is down to a lack of education. Even though in schools teachers are now promoting the message of conservation, water usage per person has actually increased. Daily water usage per person is higher in Hong Kong than other places in the developed world. Just ...http://www.scmp.com/article/710605/water-conservation-important-issue-hong-kong-citizens
News - Hong Kong - ENVIRONMENT
'Hundreds of graves' lying in Hong Kong's country parks and green belts
Posted Jan 21st 2014, 02:19pm
... on 500 sites over 4,000 hectares across the New Territories. That compares to just 800 hectares set aside for most of Hong Kong's non-indigenous villager population for cemeteries and crematoriums. "Hong Kong land is already so scarce, but indigenous villagers can still buy and expand grave sites? This is an unfair land-use policy on the part of the government," league founder Chu ...http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1410262/hundreds-graves-lying-hong-kongs-country-parks-and-green-belts
Web index tracks real-time health, economic impact of air pollution
Posted Dec 19th 2008, 12:00am by Staff Reporter
... Cheung Chi-fai An index believed to be the first anywhere to offer continuous, real-time measurement of the economic and health impacts of air pollution was launched yesterday in Hong Kong on a website that claims to reveal the 'cold hard facts' about the city's air quality. The Hedley Environmental Index was developed by the University of Hong Kong's department ...http://www.scmp.com/article/664364/web-index-tracks-real-time-health-economic-impact-air-pollution
In Case You Missed It
SCMP.com Account
Log in using a partner site
Log in using your Facebook account. What's this?
Don't have an SCMP.com account? Subscribe Now!


text:
What courses are available?
(a) GCSEs Level 2
You will already know how the system of grading operates for GCSE. It is hoped that most students will work towards a minimum of a grade C in both English and Mathematics. Students are able to follow different courses in Level 2 Numeracy and Literacy which are equivalent to GCSE Maths/English Language.
You may do a complete course (usually four or five) GCSEs or supplement two-year courses with one or two GCSEs. You may wish to resit subjects already taken or try something completely new.
GCSE Mathematics and English Language re-sits or Level 2 Numeracy or Literacy are possible regardless of subject combinations at all levels. You may wish to mix GCSEs with other certificated courses. Some students will also wish to mix A levels and GCSEs. Basically we aim to meet your particular needs and wishes. GCSEs available are likely to include: Maths, English, Core and Additional Science, Psychology, Sociology and Latin. BTEC Applied Science is also available.
(b) Literacy and Numeracy Level 1 & 2
These are national assessment tests and focus on practical applications of day-to-day use of Maths and English concepts. The courses are designed to give a fresh approach to students who did not enjoy or grasp the subjects during the GCSE course at High School.
(c) ESOL Level 1 & 2
This course is for those students for whom English is not their first language.


text:
AICN COMICS REVIEWS AVENGERS ACADEMY! CHEW! BOOSTER GOLD! An early review of Bug's NANNY & HANK! & MUCH MORE!!!
Writer: Christos M. Gage Art: Mike McKone Publisher: Marvel Comics Reviewer: BottleImpI have a confession to make. I purchased this issue fully expecting to…well, not hate it, hate is perhaps too strong a word, but definitely dislike it. Underwhelmed by it—that's better; I bought this comic fully expecting to be underwhelmed by it. The premise of a rag-tag group of fledgling heroes, gathered together by experienced elders, trained to be the next generation of superheroes…it's just so played by now. I mean, from the 1960s through today, this setup has been used so often in so many incarnations that it's become cliché. The original X-Men, the varied permutations of the New Mutants, X-Force, X-Factor, and back to the semi-recent return of the Xavier School as setting (beginning, if I'm not mistaken, with Grant Morrison's run on the X-MEN title)…let's face it, we've seen it all before, and the only difference has tended to be the powers, abilities, and the one or two token deformities of the young, inexperienced heroes. The one truly different aspect that AVENGERS ACADEMY seemed to have working in its favor was that the usual collection of tortured, melodramatic mutants has been replaced with tortured, melodramatic superhumans whose powers were either accelerated or forced upon them by Norman Osborn back when he was pretending to be a good guy.
(I have another confession to make. I never read any of the DARK REIGN, INITIATIVE, or SIEGE books, and so have only the most vague notions about what the whole Norman Osborn thing was about. Actually, I was surprised that the character had been either resurrected or ret-conned so that he had never been killed—I'm still not sure which. But I digress…)
So yes, I picked up this comic book with a negative opinion partially formed and gaining more mass and volume as I read. Tortured melodrama? This issue's narrator and reader surrogate, the solid-to-gaseous-state-girl codenamed Veil, learns that her body's molecules will inevitably begin to lose cohesion, and she'll discorporate into nothingness. Hazmat, who can emit toxic levels of radiation, must constantly wear a containment suit so as not to poison everyone around her with her powers. Mettle is a big red skull-faced metallic guy. So yeah, there's the typical amount of drama and pathos that usually accompanies this situation. But as I read on, I found things that I almost grudgingly liked about the series.
The roster of elder heroes doesn't read like your typical "young heroes" comic. Instead of the Captain Americas or the Thors (or in the case of DC's JUSTICE SOCIETY titles, any character who was created before 1940), AVENGERS ACADEMY has a mixed bag of second and third-stringers for its teaching staff—Hank Pym, Tigra, Justice, Speedball, and Quicksilver. I was intrigued, and frankly, I was happy to see that Speedball was back to being Speedball again, even if he still was emotionally torn up from his time as Penance (the details of which I have to thank wikipedia for), and that Quicksilver was going to be put to good use again, even if it wasn't by Peter David (in my opinion, the first and only writer so far to actually give him a fully-realized personality beyond just being a dick).
Now it's time for the SPOILER! moment. So here comes the SPOILER!, so if you don't want your reading enjoyment to be SPOILED!, please skip to the end.
Turns out, these young heroes aren't being tutored because they're the best and the brightest of the new wave. No, these are the kids who raised the most red flags in their evaluations, the ones who have the most dangerous powers, the ones whose mental states place them just shy of being sociopaths—they're the equivalent of the kids who set fires and torture small animals for fun. AVENGERS ACADEMY is in actuality a way for the elder heroes to keep an eye on these loose cannons and if possible, turn them into something positive.
With this simple yet elegant twist, Gage turned my opinion on this series around. When you think about it, the notion that young people who have been gifted/cursed with extra-normal abilities would be all sunshine and farts is laughable—I mean really, who here doesn't think that it would be far more likely for a kid with super-strength to use his powers to rob a bank or kick someone's ass than to use that ability for a more benevolent purpose? All of the sudden the choice of the elder heroes makes sense, seeing as how all of them have had similar issues with walking the path between darkness and light. Gage also hearkens back to what I always thought was the most bizarre Avengers lineup, that of Captain America with the three reformed criminals: Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. I would love to see the reasons behind that incarnation explored more within this title, seeing as how the circumstances in both that era of the Avengers and the Academy share that touch of the Dark Side.
McKone's artwork is easy on the eyes; he's got a clean style that works well with the script. I do have a couple of nits to pick, though. First off, I would love to see a bit more variation in the facial expressions. There are a lot of different emotions on display in this issue, but none of them (apart from the excellent smugness that McKone draws on Osborn's face) really register in the expressiveness of the faces. Second, the costumes of the characters are a mixed bag (and again, since I didn't read any of the titles leading up to this one, I'm not sure if these designs are McKone or someone else). I love Hazmat's graphic, black-and-yellow radiation-symbol motif, and likewise Striker's outfit—the electricity lines on flat black; an homage to Neal Adams' similar motif for the X-Men's Havok? Veil's look is…different, but okay. But Mettle and Reptil both go the street clothes look, and Finesse's leotard is, well, a leotard. What I'm missing is a bit of the iconic superhero look.
And lastly, I know that women in comics are 99.99999% of the time drop-dead gorgeous, but when the writer goes out of his way to describe a character as being flat-chested and wearing thrift-store clothes, and insinuating that this girl is a member of her high school's lower echelon of coolness, the artist should at least try to make an effort to illustrate those ideas—not just take the easy way out of slapping glasses and a ponytail on a drawing of girl who looks like Scarlett Johansen.
Nit-picking aside, this issue was a pleasant twist from the old "mentor/student" standby of the comic book world, and it's nice to see that teenage angst isn't just for mutants anymore. I can't say that I'm 100% sold on the series yet, but this first issue gives me enough reasons to stick around and see how this skewed cliché develops.
When released from his Bottle, the Imp takes the form of Stephen Andrade, an artist/illustrator/pirate monkey painter from the Northeast. You can see some of his artwork here. He's given up comics more times than he can remember. But every time he thinks he's out, they pull him back in.
Special Advance Review! In stores in August!
Writer: Mark L. Miller Art: Steve Babb Publisher: Bluewater Comics Reviewed by: superhero This book can be ordered in June's Previews Order #JUN100824It's not often that I come across a vampire idea that seems original to me. Granted, the idea of sparkly vampires walking around in daylight seemed pretty unique but walking around in daylight sort of cancels out the concept of a vampire to me so I don't know if I'd consider the TWILIGHT "vamps" original. Then again, I've never read the TWILIGHT books or seen the movies so I can't judge TWILIGHT too harshly. I'm only going by what I've heard…but what I've heard doesn't sound too good.
When Ambush Bug a.k.a Mark L. Miller gave me a slight hint about what NANNY & HANK might be about at Comic Con about a year ago I just know that my instant reaction was, "Now, that sounds interesting." Back then, it was just an idea that he was trying to see if he'd develop with someone else and as we all know, ideas tend to fall apart and not necessarily manifest into art as cool as the initial thought that spawned them. I'm happy to say that NANNY & HANK is a great first issue that's got me reacting as positively as I did when Bug first started a sentence with, "It's about…" almost a year ago.
What's it about? Well, ever since the LOST BOYS it seems that almost every new vampire that's come down the pipe has been one of the B.P.'s…the Beautiful People. They're all young and toned and hot and…well, you get the idea. It makes it seem that almost every vamp has been turned in the prime of their lives. When they were at their best. Almost every modern vamp (with an exception of a couple here or there) just looks like they are forever 21…ready to pose for the next Abercrombie and Fitch catalog at the drop of a hat. But what if…what if you were turned when you were in your golden years? What if you were made into a bloodsucker at age sixty, seventy, or eighty? What would that be like? Would it, for lack of a better term, suck or would it be like revisiting your youth all over again?
This is the idea that seems to be at the heart of NANNY & HANK and it's one that is really fascinating to me. As a culture, we're obviously obsessed with youth and most fiction that involves any kind of immortality basically freezes its subjects in their late teens to early twenties. But what if you were stuck at an age when you were supposed to be starting to think about the end of your life rather than just beginning it? What would that be like? That's a great question and it looks like one that's going to be explored in the pages of NANNY & HANK.
Miller does a great job of setting us up with this first issue. In so many vampire dramas, the person that the vampire was before they are turned is ignored. Their history is gone the moment they are changed. Like they never had a life before they were switched. With an elderly vampire it's impossible to ignore the life that came earlier…because they've already lived so much of it. It's because of this that NANNY & HANK comes across so well. By making the two leads an elderly couple settling into their sunset years we are able to imagine two full lives lived and it makes the book very touching and sweet when they interact with each other. In much of the vampire lore that I've read many of the vamps were people with not much to lose or with little desire to deal with the lives they were leading. In NANNY & HANK we're given two people who obviously love each other and have a stake in each other's lives. They enjoy their lives together which, to me, makes them unique in vampire fiction. It's the lead characters that make NANNY & HANK such an interesting read and Miller should be congratulated for fleshing them out so well. There are some great character bits in this book and it makes the story all the more believable. This is the most poignant vampire story I've read in a while…if ever.
IIt's a poignancy that's almost lost, however, because of the artwork. Don't get me wrong…I love this artist's work. I'm just not sure that it's the right style for this book. Steve Babb's style is cartoony and original but some of the key emotional moments tend to get a bit lost with the flair that Babb adds to his pages. The art style of NANNY & HANK is bit more style than substance. It doesn't take away from the story completely; I just felt that there were some moments that could have been better served with a more straightforward artistic approach. But make no mistake, Babb is a fantastic cartoonist. His style is like nothing I've ever seen and at the very least his pages pop. The mix of artwork and color in NANNY & HANK make for some really nice looking visuals.
So all in all NANNY & HANK is more than worth reading. Not only is the story original but the artwork is as well. NANNY & HANK is all around a different kind of vamp book and if you ask me that's a good thing.
Discovered as a babe in an abandoned comic book storage box and bitten by a radioactive comic fan when he was a teenager, superhero is actually not-so mild mannered sometime designer & cartoonist, Kristian Horn of Los Angeles, California. He's been an @$$hole for three years. Some of his work can be seen at www.kristianhorn.com and check out his blog at www.parttimefanboy.com.
Writer: John Layman Art: Rob Guillory Publisher: Image Comics Reviewer: Humphrey LeeAbout a year ago I fell in love with a fresh new book about a guy with an ability that I had never heard of and honestly still haven't bothered to figure out was a real word in all the time since. As this book is always wont to remind you, Tony Chu is a Cibopath, which gives him sort of a psychic insight into the life of whatever it is he eats, plant or animal, and has also been a hell of a hook for this title since the start. For ten issues now, hijinks have ensued, gorily comedic events have occurred and Tony Chu has fallen in love, much like my adoration for this title. Issue eleven here, the first date between our sometimes unwillingly cannibalistic protagonist and his love interest, Amelia Mintz, proudly keeps up the tradition year one has established.
What has really carried the momentum of this book is that as it has sort of flourished since its inception, so has Tony Chu. After a couple crazy adventures, one partner almost dying and another betraying him, the once timid beat cop has now become a bit of a full-fledged badass in his current job with the FDA. His new confident stand, though somewhat awkward, is greatly reflected in the book. I mean, shit, now we're dealing with a villain that can gain knowledge from those he "consumes" and is so self-important about it he's presenting himself as a vampire. If that isn't over-the-top in both comedic value and kind of intimidating at the same time, then I don't really know what is. And it works exceptionally for this book and what it is.
As Tony grows and as the scope of the book grows with it, so do the characters that make up this world. Really, every element in this is in sync which is why it always has a fresh energy to it. Tony and his adventures get more bizarre and unnecessarily, but amusingly, gory while the side characters and their little moments each issue take some weight off of just that main conceit. The developing relationship between Tony and his handler at the FDA, and how that has cooled off thanks to a Strasburg-like curve ball of Tony's partner hooking up with the feverous prick is the exemplification of the kinds of WTF moments that keep this book popping. And as long as this keeps popping, and I have no reason to believe it won't at this point, then I will always be here to keep singing its praises as one of the best books I am currently reading.
Humphrey Lee has been an avid comic book reader going on fifteen years now and a contributor to Ain't It Cool comics for quite a few as well. In fact, reading comics is about all he does in his free time and where all the money from his day job wages goes to - funding his comic book habit so he can talk about them to you, our loyal readers (lucky you). He's a bit of a social networking whore, so you can find him all over the Interwebs on sites like Twitter, The MySpaces, Facebookand a Blogger Account where he also mostly talks about comics with his free time because he hasn't the slightest semblance of a life. Sad but true, and he gladly encourages you to add, read, and comment as you will.
Writer: Mark Millar Art: Steven McNiven Publisher: Marvel Icon Reviewer: Johnny Destructo"Aye, I know....fookin' COOL, right?"
I imagine that's the reaction that Millar goes for when he writes things like MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN, OLD MAN LOGAN, and his new creator-owned follow up to KICK-ASS, NEMESIS. Only the second issue in, and already there are some bad-ass sequences. This installment tells the brief origin story of our bizarro Batman, and make no mistake, this IS the opposite of Batman in almost every way. Decked out in all white, with a high-tech white car that expels a "bat-pod" type motorcycle when needed, tons of gadgets and money, with a huge batcave-like lair. He's not even trying to hide it; much like the Superman gone bad stories over in Mark Waid's IRREDEEMABLE, here we have bad-Bats. And it's pretty awesome. Brimming with over the top bad-assery, this book is just a fun read! It's entertaining to see the two hyper-intelligent enemies go toe-to-toe. And the best part is the whole reason I love it when creators can play with our most recognizable comic-character archetypes. Unlike in Batman books where we know that Bats will win out over the Joker every time, I have no idea how the boogens this book is going to end. And that is a great feeling! Part of the problem with iconic characters is the fact that their stature as icons in a way neuters the tension of their stories and automatically down-scales their fictional peril. No such worry with a book like this. This story can go anywhere and can be anything Millar wants it to be. And you can sense the amount of pure fun Millar is having writing this.
Same with McNiven. Keeping with, for the most part, wide open panels, crisp line work that's heavy on the detail, but not overbearing, I wanna have sex with Steve's inkwell. The colors are for the most part quality, but I think it does the pencils a disservice at times (sorry Dave McCaig). Just like in a movie, my belief is that a good score goes unnoticed, while a bad score is entirely obvious, Dave's colors put a hurting on Howard Anderson's face in the "Anderson Foundation" scene. Poor old man Anderson looks like he's 2 steps away from shambling off the page and eating my brains as a fully-turned zombie. I understand that he was just trying to be thorough with his coloring, but the maze of whites, grays and dark grays on every lump of Howard's face is just too much. Otherwise, the colors are consistent and attractive. I kind of wish whomever had done the colors for the McNiven cover had done the interiors though. There is a level of color detail on the outside of the book that doesn't follow through into the panels contained within. But that's just nit-picking a quality read.
Aye, Mark. It IS fookin' cool.
JD can be found hosting the PopTards Podcast, discussing movies, comics and other flimflam over at www.poptardsgo.com, graphically designing/illustrating for a living, and Booking his Face off over here.
Writers: Keith Giffen Artist: , J.M. Dematteis, Chris Batista Publisher: DC Comics Reviewer: Optimous DoucheI can't express all the ways I have hungered for this issue. Oh wait, I'm a verbose douche; of course I can explain the ways. Since the start of Booster's new direction as a chronological Maytag repairman, I would close my eyes at the end of each issue, find the brightest star in the sky, and hope beyond hope itself that the next issue would concoct a mission that would bring Booster back to the glory days of JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL. Well thank you Jiminy Cricket, because 33 made all of my wishes come true and so much more.
I'm glad my wish didn't come to fruition earlier. Katz and Johns did a great job setting the stage for Booster's new direction in the face of the impending FINAL CRISIS during the title's first year. The next year and a half was a series of highs and lows, with Booster partaking in one off missions that didn't exactly dazzle or disappoint, they were just sort of meh. The blessed year three though brought back my hands-down favorite creative team from my childhood, the men who made Booster and Blue Beetle characters worth caring about, the Grandfathers of Bwahahaha – none other than the great Giffen and Dematteis. Their masterful fusion of heart and humor in comics served as a template in my corporate communications career and in all of my personal musings. I try desperately to never let the Fanman side of me bleed into reviews, but while I've been honored to speak with tons of creators since I started spewing on Ain't It Cool, these are two men I would give my left nut to meet or simply exchange e-mails with. Welcome back gentlemen you have been missed.
So why did Booster go back to the glory days? In what I can only describe as a nostalgic crossover panacea, Booster is looking to unravel the global mind-wipe performed by the recently resurrected Maxwell Lord in JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST. And since none but a select few can remember the vile doings of Lord in the present, Booster hops into the Rip Hunter way-back machine to find evidence of Max's existence in the past. A fun plot to be sure, but as with all things Giffen the true beauty of his pieces is found in the characters and the moments he delivers.
This was almost like two different books, and I'll give the guys credit for this being by design (even if it wasn't). The first part of the tale, before Booster travels back in time, is firmly embedded in the current DC universe. We live in dark times, an age of cynicism if you will, and DC has evolved their stories to fit that tonality. Skeets' dialogue is as acerbic as it ever was and Booster is still a man child, but the world is clearly the new DC. Now, once Booster dons his old costume and ends back in the late 80s, it was like the first time I read JUSTICE LEAGUE 1, the issue with that infamous cover of all the heroes staring at us, almost daring us to read on. This was all old school, even down to the self-deprecating credits, which I have always read and cherished. But what's most important is that this section also acknowledges the passage of time. I almost want to punch Steven Spielberg in the face for introducing the term "trapped in amber" into the public psyche. It's a tag that DC gets hit with often and I find it quite unfair. This issue is a prime example that their universe has evolved without forcing us poor readers to read the continued adventures of "Old as Fuck Man". While Booster is sleuthing in the old JLI headquarters he passes J'onn J'onzz who senses a difference in Booster's psyche. When Booster challenges J'onn in an attempt to keep his ruse alive, J'onn also points out that Booster's hair is a different style and that he is suffering from early male pattern baldness. Now, sure in real-time Booster would be pushing fifty at this point. I get it, but these are comics and we all know real time must be slowed if not halted. In my opinion this was a perfect way though to exhibit that time has passed without angering the wrathful Gods of Continuity. Subtle, yet brilliant.
The rest of the issue focuses on what evidence Booster will bring to the table and offers some great JLI moments to be relived. I also have to mention that I almost welled up with a slight tear when Booster saw the old room he shared with Beetle and lamented to Skeets, "This is the only place I ever considered home."
Needless to say, I'm smitten with Booster and I'm also smitten with the bleed into the events of JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST. Now that my wish of seeing the old JUSTICE LEAGUE alive again has come true, when I look up at tonight's sky I am going to ask my favorite star for DC to give Giffen and Dematteis another shot at writing an in-continuity team book. I am a greedy douche and I do not want this reading goodness to end with this arc.
Optimous' book AVERAGE JOE is being published by COM.X. AJ is a tale that explores what our world would be like today if everyone was gifted with super human abilities in 1938. The guys are looking for top shelf art talent to partner with on this project. Reach out to Optimous on FaceBook for further details.
Writer: Matt Fraction Art: Terry Dodson Publisher: Marvel Comics Reviewer: KletusCasadyI have been waiting a long time for X-MEN to be this good. Up to about 3 or so years ago I couldn't care less about the X-men. There were too many to keep up with, I'd open a book and realize I didn't know anyone much less care about what happened to them. The Scarlet Witch was the best thing to happen to mutants since Wolverine first popped those claws and called somebody "Bub". The appeal of mutants were that they were persecuted, chased and most time hated but they had pretty much become one of the fastest growing populations thus rendering their initial appeal null and void (maybe not null and void but you know where I'm going). Now they have their backs against the wall and it makes for some good 'ol X-fun, X-ass kicking, and X-treme badassery (don't worry I got more).
At this point in our "Second Coming" crossover event, X-Force accompanied by Cable and Cypher has gone into the future to shut down the Nimrod Mastermold and they apparently don't have any way to get home. Nimrods are still looking to X-terminate all life within the Red Balloon (what a boring movie!). The X-science club is still stuck outside but is receiving help from Earth's Mightiest Heroes and then some with not much luck. Cyclops has a fuck of a plan Z, I mean this idea is wild, dangerous and highly unpredictable but at this point he doesn't have much choice. Oh yeah Hope hates Cyclops.
I actually like Cyclops more and more with every issue I read; he is one of the few comic book characters that has actually matured and became something better than his past self which was a whiny prick with a hot girlfriend. I felt really weird that Professor X was no longer in charge of the X-men because I couldn't imagine the X-Men without the X (see what I did there?); it was like when Jordan retired and I just couldn't imagine basketball with out him. This has proven to be really smart move by the X-writers because now Cyclops has become a well rounded character and Prof X doesn't have to be this one dimensional character that he's been for a number of years.
Also I am now fully convinced that Matt Fraction can (and should) be writing every character in the Marvel Universe. None of the dialog feels out of place, from Mr. Fantastic being almost giddy about the challenge to get into the red dome, to Bucky trying to be like Steve and take charge, to Thor not wanting to give up even though its killing him, everything just feels right which is a huge accomplishment when dealing with a cast this size. The meeting for this story line must have been one of the most fun Marvel meetings ever because everyone is bringing their A game and it seems like the writers are really into this story and it really shows, every issue before this has left me thinking "Ok they're fucked," until the next issue when I'm like "Ok now they are REALLY fucked." Basically what I mean is the ante is upped every issue to the point where I really don't know how there are going to get out of this. I know they will cause they gotta fight vampires or some shit next but logistically I don't know HOW it's going to happen and I like that.
Terry Dodson does a pretty darn good job on art; there are a few panels (page 9, Thor has a pig face!) where things look a little muddy but I don't think there have been any delays and I can barely draw a stick figure so I can let it slide plus the panels with action (Namor fighting 2 Nimrods, Iceman throwing one out of a window, or any of the action in the future) are pretty stellar. This issue has a lot of carnage and things are getting worse for the X-men but things are getting so much better for the readers. The more shit hits the fan the more I like this book.
Matt Fraction is awesome and he is writing some badass X-Men tales and I hope he's on this title for a while (not sure if UNCANNY is getting cancelled) because he's got great ideas and great ways to execute those ideas. Science is an important theme for the X-men and Fraction comes across to me as a science geek (see CASANOVA & INVINCIBLE IRON MAN) so most of his stories seem so natural to me and his dialog is always good. When Rogue is told to keep Hope safe she replies "Cross my heart," SHE'S GOT AN X ON HER CHEST. Little things like that that may not seem much to other people but they make me smile and give me a deeper appreciation for Fraction's attention to detail. Terry Dodson's art work isn't my favorite of the X-artists but his action is really good but sometimes faces come across kind of weird (see pig face). Am I the only person who digs Greg Land? I know there's a lot of hate but I like his shit, porno faces or not it looks cool to me.
Anywho…if you're not reading this for fear of some X-cavation of old X-Men ideas and stories, stop it, put down the gun and pick up this issue. If you haven't read any X-books in the past 5 years this one will at least make you curious as to what happens next and if not…hmm I didn't have anything for that…damn. Just read the damn book you won't be disappointed.
NINJA GIRLS Volumes 1-3
By Hosana Tanaka Released by Del Ray Manga Reviewer: Scott GreenIt has to be said, NINJA GIRLS does what it says on the tin. You certainly can't complain of false advertising here. Wanna see buxom young women in exotic, skintight outfits smash baddies with super ninja powers? You're in luck. If you want to see risqué women in peril, bondagey stuff, you're good to go. If you want, skin and sex, you might be disappointed. The manga stops just short.
NINJA GIRLS, aka RAPPI RANGAI, ran in SHONEN SIRIOS, an anthology dominated by moe or bishojo manga, with cute girls integrated into various genres from sci-fi/fantasy to horror like PRINCESS RESURRECTION. Here, the girls are the chief attraction. It's a bit naughty... a key scene involves the characters stripped to their undergarment, tied up and imprisoned while one of the ninja girls bleeds from a leg wound... until an orgasmic burst of excitement allows her to break her bounds. And, the manga is a bit kinetic... Tanaka doesn't pay much attention to panel to panel transitions or composition in the fights and as such the choreography is basic, but zip tones and inks are used well with the fleshy characters to give scenes of things hitting each other some pop.
NINJA GIRLS opens with the manga identifying itself as being set in the Sengoku, also known as the Era of Warring States, the chaotic period prior to Japan being unified under the Tokugawa Shogunate. One of the clans wiped out in the contests of power was the noble Katana. The lord committed suicide. His household was exterminated. In the wake of this tragedy, the Katana's vassals went out searching for remnants.
Raizo lived as a poor orphan, ostracized from his village due to the horn growing out of his head, seen by many to mark him as a demon. Guided by his mother's spirit inhabited memorial tablet, which reacts by tipping over or occasionally correctively striking him, Raizo barely contains his rage and disappear. On day, he finds a woman in shapely armor washed up on the river bank. He's aroused, but he manages to carry her home, pump the water out of her chest, give her mouth to mouth, take off her wet clothes and pour some sake into her mouth to warm her up. Yeah, that's the sense of humor at work here. As Raizo begins to notice how many bladed weapons she had secreted in her clothes, the woman wakes up, and isn't too please to discover her unclothed, boozed situation. Fortunately for Raizo, her maidenly rage is calmed when the misunderstanding is cleared up. Turns out, Kagari almost drowned herself in a reed snorkel, ninja hiding related miscalculation. Her view of Raizo further shifts when she discovers the horn on his head. Rather than the mark of demonic heritage, the horn is proof Raizo is a remnant of the Katana bloodline. Fired up by his proximity, Kagari can shift into Shintaigo god body mode and waste some newly arrived adversaries. So, Kagari swears allegence to Raizo, as does relatively elder, busty, one eyed sharp shooter Kisarabi and androgynous, s&m-y trapster Himemaru. Together, they plot to restore the Katana as a substantial household under Raizo... marriage alliance seeming to be a solid option for achieving the aim.
If you don't think you'll like a manga that exists to showcase heavy chested ninja girls getting tied up by or smacking around other ninjas, there's no reason why you'll like this one. The faults of a manga like this can't be anything but apparent. Narrative, well constructed characters or concepts, anything thoughtful for that matter... they're not in the offering. And yet, if you are inclined towards the material, you can appreciate how NINJA GIRLS is careful not to stagnate or irritate.
Raizo is a bit spine-possessing as anime/manga characters in his circumstances go. Despite being all surface, there's plenty of energy radiating from the rest of the cast as well. The story quickly scootches in and out of situations. It set on tapping substories for less than a volume's length, with troubles related to a given potential bride set up and resolved in less than a hundred fifty pages. Volume three for example, introduces a mess of Yagyu, the famed family of sword masters that yielded the adversaries of Lone Wolf and Cub and the semi-historical legend Jubei Yagyu, inspiration for a host of anime, manga, novels and video games. A succession fight tournament and a preamble encounter with the ninja girl's master are worked through by the volume's conclusion. Without being perfunctory, the manga gets through a set of excuses for extravagantly revealing new costumes and dismembering fights with freakish foes, wraps it up and is ready to present something new before too much thought distracting can be applied.
NINJA GIRLS is spectacularly unapologetic. In no way does it veil its low minded intensions. It's gladly trashy. I could name plenty of junk manga I'd rather see released in North America, but I'm still glad this one has made it over. I'm glad the avenue to this low field in the diversity of manga hasn't been closed off.
Scott Green has been writing for AICN ANIME for over nine years. If you like what you see here and love anime & manga, be sure to check out his latest AICN ANIME column every week on AICN.
Hey folks, Ambush Bug here with another trio of indie flavored comics to satiate taste buds gone numb by the monotony of the mainstream. Enjoy!
BOX 13 OGN Red 5 ComicsFollowing the tradition of thrillers such as THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and the BOURNE series this book follow a writer of spy fiction and his action packed adventure that occurs when he is presented with a box with the number 1 on it at a book signing. The events that occur after that mundane start are filled with adrenaline as the pages and panels fly by at lightspeed in this 120 page graphic novel. Writer David Gallaher knows how to amp up the tension aided by the fantastically kinetic panels by artist Steve Ellis. This is a pretty great read -- an adventure story that keeps the chase going from beginning to end.
INSANE JANE: AVENGING STAR #1 Bluewater ComicsThis book reminded me a lot of Morrison's ARKHAM ASYLUM in that the narrative takes place in a mind unhinged where what is real is all in the eye of the beholder. Is Jane a super heroine trapped in a mental hospital or is she just bug-nutz crazy? The fun is in the mystery here as the lines between what Jane sees and what is really happening blur and bend. The true standout in this book is the art by an artist known as GMB. The graphic / mixed media quality of his art makes this a truly surreal read. I really enjoyed the layered art and the tiny details GMB adds to each and every panel. This seems to be a very cool miniseries by Darren G. Davis and Zach Hunchar.
REYNARD CITY #12 Reynard City/PolycomicalMore surreal goofiness ensues and if you've read any of the 12 issues of REYNARD CITY, you know what I mean. The folks behind this book seem to be having a great time melding anamorphic superheroes with fun super powers and super hero traditions. But all of it is done with a sort of madcap lunacy that one could only find in an independent comic. Not for the literal minded, REYNARD CITY is a challenging but ultimately fun read and worth seeking out if you're interested in something out of the norm.
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole / wordslinger / reviewer / co-editor of AICN Comics for over nine years. Check out his ComicSpace page for his entries in Cream City Comics' MUSCLES & FIGHTS VOL.3 and MUSCLES & FRIGHTS VOL.1 anthologies. Bug was interviewed here & here (about AICN Comics) and here & here (on his VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS: THE TINGLER comics). Bug's latest comic is VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS #21: WITCHFINDER GENERAL (available in May's Previews Order # MAY100828) on sale in July. Fanboy Radio recently interviewed Bug about it here. Bug was also interviewed here & here about his upcoming original vampire miniseries NANNY & HANK (available in June's Previews Order #JUN100824) due out in August.
THE BUZZARD #1 Dark HorseThough things with the Goon seem to be stalling a bit, Eric Powell shows he still has what it takes when it comes to writing and drawing a compelling story. Though the Buzzard's tale is a bit more somber than what some would expect from the writer of THE GOON, it does have a whole bunch of monsters, carnage, and of course a wide-eyed kid taking the brunt of most of the abuse. Powell's art in this one will fill the eye-stomachs to near bursting capacity with its sumptuously textured and shaded art. Powell and artist Kyle Hotz team up for a back up feature focusing on Billy the Kid and his gang from the miniseries that is fun, but somewhat difficult to follow because it doesn't really introduce readers to many of the characters. Sure Powell and Hotz teamed up to bring a miniseries before with this cast, but that was a while ago and a recap or at least a floating head section at the beginning would help set the stage. Still, Hotz's spindly and wiry characters are fun to look at. All in all, a very pleasing issue. - Bug
SECRET SIX #22 DC ComicsThis series is shaping up to be my pick for Best Ongoing Series of the year. After a bit of stagnancy last year, this year's run started out with a team up with Ostrander and a return of the Suicide Squad. Now, Simone follows that with one of the grittiest and white knuckle armchair clutching arcs I have ever had the pleasure to read. Catman goes on a rampage in search for his son's kidnappers. There were moments in this arc that literally took my breath away, which is something given the amount of comics this jaded comics fan has read. Simply one of the best series on the racks and the conclusion to this arc is filled with so many amazing scenes that I am almost jealous of those who haven't experienced it yet. Damn good storytelling with Simone writing at her best. - Bug
META 4 #1 IDW PublishingEither you love Ted McKeever's art or you don't. There doesn't seem to be a middle ground. I'm in the "love it, Love It, LOVE IT!" camp. There are only a few artists today that I devour each and every issue of when I see their names on the cover. Ted McKeever is at the top of that list. His characters are emotive and gestural. His landscapes are stark, industrial skeleton frames. His themes vary from horror to sci fi to noir to intense drama. But there's always that gritty, grimy, guttural style that I can't get enough of. In META 4, a man in an astronaut suit wakes up in what looks to be a broken down Coney Island-type wasteland populated by a haunting Santa Claus, a pimp, and a hooker. Much violence and mystery ensue. Surreal and wholly original, METRA 4 is the perfect book for someone who wants to read a story that falls out of the norm. Can't wait for issue #2. - Bug
SOLOMON KANE: DEATH'S BLACK RIDERS #4 (of 4) Dark HorseThis was a damn fine miniseries featuring Robert E. Howard's dark Puritan. Though at times the book became a bit redundant, especially with the writer Scott Allie's overuse of the sound modifier "BAM!" (I mean, the book uses BAM! for everything from a door slamming, to a fist punching, to a kick, to a sword hit…how about a BLAM! or a WHAP! or even a FWOMP!), you can't deny Allie's love for the original material and the quality of the thick and moody lines of artist Mario Guevara. Here's hoping we get to see more Solomon Kane some time soon and that Scott Allie and Mario Guevara will be the creative team behind it. And maybe a few less BAM's… – Bug
YOUNG ALLIES #1 Marvel ComicsNot that there's particularly anything wrong with this book (OK, Firstar deserves to be in the Avengers, not the Allies), but there's not a lot standing out with this one either. The new villains introduced in this issue are kind of one note, though I do like the name The Bastards of Evil. But with such stellar series as NEW WARRIORS, NEW MUTANTS, RUNAWAYS, and YOUNG AVENGERS under their belts, I tend to expect a bit more when it comes to young hero team books in the Marvel U. So far, this is just another team thrown together simply because they were at the same place at the same time. This is one of those books I'll stick with for a few issues, but if it doesn't kick my @$$ in the next few issues, I'm out. David Baldeon provides some pretty strong art, but the light tone of his panels don't really match with the carnage that the Bastards of Evil enact in this issue. I hate to call "meh" out of the starting gate, but that's kind of what I muttered after finishing this one. - Bug
Remember, if you have a comic book you'd like one of the @$$holes to take a look at, click on your favorite reviewer's link and drop us an email.
Check out the @$$oles' ComicSpace AICN Comics page here for an archive and more @$$y goodness.
Readers Talkbackcomments powered by Disqus
+ Expand All
June 16, 2010, 10:23 a.m. CST
Really looking forward to the second Chew TPB
by SpiderHarshaw
They've done a bang up job at getting that book in people's hands, between the flipbook with The Walking Dead, the reprints, the first TP's low $10 price tag. And I really need to start following Secret Six more regularly. What I've read, I've liked a lot.
June 16, 2010, 10:52 a.m. CST
by BilboRing
June 16, 2010, 10:54 a.m. CST
No Daredevil?
by SteadyUP
June 16, 2010, 10:54 a.m. CST
Young Allies?
by Continentalop
Is Whitewash Jones grandson a member? <p>
June 16, 2010, 10:55 a.m. CST
Yet where Booster Gold succeeded last week, JL Lost failed.
by Squashua
JL Lost failed. If the subject line got cut-off. It's retarded simple to add an HTML size limit to the subject line in a form.
June 16, 2010, 11:06 a.m. CST
Bastards of Goodness would be even better.
by cookylamoo
Half the people in comics don't know who their fathers are.
June 16, 2010, 11:10 a.m. CST
Avengers Academy and other stuff
by Joenathan
I was also surprised by how much I liked that book. Even thouh I find Gage to be a little "meh", and the voices were a little flat (and the emotional moments a little to sudden), I'm intrigued enough to stick around an issue or two more.<br><br>Also, I picked up the first two in the second coming cross-over. I've just flipped through so far, but it does look good.<br><br>No S.H.I.E.L.D. #2?
June 16, 2010, 12:57 p.m. CST
by RICHARD_GERE_RAPED_MY_GERBIL
June 16, 2010, 1:03 p.m. CST
The Buzzard kicked ass
by rev_skarekroe
It's a better Dark Tower comic than the Dark Tower comics.
June 16, 2010, 1:23 p.m. CST
by Jaka
I'm with ya 1000% on the McKeever love, Bug. I'll be making a call to be sure I get this one in my pull box going forward. Definitely looking forward to reading issue 2 of Nemesis, as well. Not sure why I haven't done that yet, actually.
June 16, 2010, 1:49 p.m. CST
Avengers Academy, Young Allies, Secret Six
by Homer Sexual
Hell Yes! I just read Secret Six two days ago, and that kicked some serious butt! And... Bane wasn't there anymore, which makes me extra happy. But what was so good was the Catman flashback. So intense, I know I'll remember it for a long time, and sometimes I can't even remember if I read a comic last week. So that is high praise. It appears Simone is leaving some of her books, but whether thats why or not, her writing has really kicked it up a notch the past two months. <p> I posted late last week that Avengers Academy was far superior to Young Allies, and I'm glad you agree. I even agree that Reptil and Mettle need better costumes. And Mettle needs a better name. Veil could have a better name and costume. But those nits aside, it was a great read and even made me not puke seeing Hank Pym, who I've hated ever since he gaggingly "redeemed" himself. Big props to Avengers Academy, it's already a favorite. <p> Young Allies was far less impressive. Firestar is completely illogical here. So,her best friends are Monica Rambeau, Black Cat and Hellcat and she's in grad school, but her team is all like 16 years old. And un-powered Arana is lame and unbelievable even by comic standards. I give Marvel credit, because they've really warmed me up to Firestar with the Marvel Divas books, and I wouldn't have bought, or buy again, YA if Firestar wasn't in it. <p> Oh... I liked JLI Lost. I've read several people dogging it, but I am not sure why. I mean, I hate the fact that Max Lord is alive again, but apart from that I have quite enjoyed this miniseries.
June 16, 2010, 2:28 p.m. CST
If I'm not reading JLI: LG...
by kungfuhustler84
will Booster Gold be confusing or less enjoyable? I picked up #32 because I have a bunch of old Keith Giffen books and I enjoy his writing (Legionnaires 3 mini FTW!), but that one was more of a stand alone issue.
June 16, 2010, 2:31 p.m. CST
by kungfuhustler84
how can I write reviews for the a$$holes? I am going to have some more free time this summer, and unlike BottleImp, am familiar with all the Dark Reign/Siege bullhonkery.
June 16, 2010, 4:42 p.m. CST
Giffen sold Ted down the river.
by TedKordLives
Now they can keep Ted dead while continuing to tell stories with him? <P> BULL AND SHIT. <P> Keep twisting that knife, DC. All you're doing is inuring me to it.
June 16, 2010, 4:58 p.m. CST
Giffen never knew what to do with Ted.
by TedKordLives
"Oh, since I never give Ted anything to do, let's give him a weight problem, like the Nite Owl." <P> Great plotting, Kieth. Way to go. <P>Obviously it was J.M.DeMatteis' dialogue that endeared Blue & Gold to so many people.
June 16, 2010, 5:02 p.m. CST
Uhh.... TedKordLives?
by Thalya
You do realize Ted's heart condition actually came from his stint in Birds of Prey, right? Giffen and DeMatteis just took his current status quo and ran with it.
June 16, 2010, 5:06 p.m. CST
You've got it out of order.
by TedKordLives
Weight problem-JLI <P> Heart condition-BoP <P> I know everything about Ted Kord. I know more about him than anyone on the planet, as a matter of fact. <P> But thanks for playing.
June 16, 2010, 5:10 p.m. CST
by TedKordLives
I know that may sound like typical internet hyperbole, but I've spent more time thinking about the whys and wherefores of Ted's journey more than, I suspect, anyone who's ever written the character. <P> I've gone all 'Geoff Johns' on him, if you will.
June 16, 2010, 5:32 p.m. CST
When dealing with a guy
by optimous_douche
named TedKordLives...chances are you shouldn't challenge his knowledge of the character...we've all learned.<p>
June 16, 2010, 5:35 p.m. CST
by optimous_douche
LG isn't necessary to understand Booster, it just enhances the expierience.<p> Squash is right this weeks wasn't stellar, but remember it's a bi-weekly there will be many peaks and valleys.<p> At Wizard World this weekend I ran into one of my old college buddies and he was all about Marvel as a kid but grew an appreciation for DC as he got older.<p> He's been digging Booster, but did not understand my adoration.<p> I handed the first JLI trade from back in the 80s and he picked it up. Wrote me a few days later and finally understood the true meaning of Bwahaha
June 16, 2010, 5:39 p.m. CST
Thanks, Optimous.
by TedKordLives
I didn't wanna haveta hear a hundred "What issue blah blah blah" questions. Mainly because that's not really what I'm talking about.
June 16, 2010, 5:40 p.m. CST
Oh god...
by Thalya
You're gonna write him as an emotionless Roger Stu badass who never makes any wrong moves, guarantees his peers dampen their own personal characteristics in order to better reflect his weak-depth attitude, and make us wish you were a real idiosyncratic Silver Age writer instead of a George Lucas-esque Hollywood hack that relies on remixing the work of others?<BR><BR><BR>*tips her hat* Clearly I'm going to have to dig out my JLIs and reread. Just as an advance warning - you've got dibs on Ted; I call Calculator, Weather Wizard, and, (as soon as I can finish the backissues I picked up this weekend) Riddler.
June 16, 2010, 5:45 p.m. CST
Well, not per se, Thalya.
by TedKordLives
Ha! That's funny, tho. I always wanted to see a Blue Beetle/Weather Wizard fight. They both use technology to bring the lightning, you know.
June 16, 2010, 5:56 p.m. CST
Nemesis = Diabolik
by LaserPants
How come nobody has noticed this?
June 16, 2010, 5:59 p.m. CST
I take what I can get....
by Homer Sexual
Truthfully, all my favorite eras of Justice League included Fire and Ice and Beetle. But I will take flashback or out of continuity stories, etc, to read about these characters again. <p> If Marvel were to publish a Scarlet Witch comic from before she "went crazy" or whatever, I would so buy it, and be super thrilled.
June 16, 2010, 6:05 p.m. CST
Mark Mardon could stand to broaden his resume..
by Thalya
The one Rogue who really got around outside Central City back in the day. Just so long as he doesn't try to rob a tech convention with iffy henchmen like Calc in Blue Beetle #8, he should be a-ok. :)<BR><BR>Also? Let me just say we are definitely great company for one another: http://tinyurl.com/26f7ldk
June 16, 2010, 6:27 p.m. CST
Damn, girl!
by TedKordLives
Color me impressed. That's some dedication. If I were half as technically proficient as my namesake, I'd prolly be doing the same kinda thing.
June 16, 2010, 7:22 p.m. CST
*weak shrug* It helps to be boy-crazy?
by Thalya
Pure uncanny coincidence. Was looking at a chronology for WW one dark stormy Friday night, noticed that heyyyy... Giffen-DeMatteis Justice League: America #43? Isn't that the ish with..? Thunder struck. All the pieces came together pretty rapidly after that and I was off to the races writing. Probably also helped that I was taking vitamins with as much caffeine as a cup of coffee at the time, but..
June 16, 2010, 7:24 p.m. CST
I DID enjoy Avengers Academy, tho.
by TedKordLives
But I've been a fan of Gage's ever since his Deadshot mini years ago.
June 16, 2010, 7:33 p.m. CST
Yeah, but...
by TedKordLives
All of those WW/Calc connections, over all those years. Can it be coincidence? I guess it'd have to be. Pretty crazy stuff. But very commendable work putting all those pieces together. I applaud.
June 16, 2010, 7:38 p.m. CST
LaserPants, I'll one up you
by Continentalop
Nemesis = Diabolik = Fantomas <p> So it is doubly unoriginal.
June 16, 2010, 7:44 p.m. CST
*bows* Thank you much!
by Thalya
I figure WW has a brother rivalry complex, Calc being a Clyde stand-in. That, and there's an interesting magic/science theme running through there: does WW use a tech wand that alters weather or does it channel his innate weather powers? Is Calc's special button magic or Kadabra tech?<BR><BR>At any rate, I wonder what other hidden nuggets you could find between characters if you cross-referenced various chronology lists? Especially if they were written by Bob Rozakis?
June 16, 2010, 7:50 p.m. CST
See. Now THAT is the fun of comics.
by TedKordLives
And maybe just life in general: Reading between the lines and coming up with your own conclusions. I don't know if you can do that with today's comics. Or maybe you need a few years distance to look at it all properly. <P> Either way, I'd say you should definitely dive into some more back issues and look for more connections. You never know where you might find one. <P>For instance, did you know that Blue Beetle fought Two-Face during INVASION?
June 16, 2010, 7:50 p.m. CST
Have you dropped X-Factor, Jaka?
by SOMEBODYS_SOMETHING_SOMETHING
And burned all your Incredible Hulks?
June 16, 2010, 7:59 p.m. CST
Related to Ted..
by Thalya
Was thinking about this idea again on the drive into work this morning: At the beginning of the big kill-off/replace spree that started around the time of Identity Crisis, it's notable that Ted Kord, Ronnie Raymond, and Ray Palmer were all taken out of the picture for replacements. And I wonder if, at that particular time, the folks at DC understood they had just taken out the 3 characters (to my mind, and this could be a gross misgeneralization) that were ready-identification figures for a large part of their audience? Regular guys with a science bent - geeks. Am I off-base? I could well be - Ted and Ray stand out to me because I find them both crush-worthy.
June 16, 2010, 8:04 p.m. CST
To a certain extent, that's a good point.
by TedKordLives
Although I always saw Ronnie as more of a slacker than a geek. He never really seemed too bright to me. Still, plenty of slackers out there reading comics-me, for instance. <P> Now that I see what the plan was-Blackest Night-it makes more sense. But at the time I could not believe they were going so kill crazy. I really doubt that editorial noticed that they were killing characters that were more easy to indentify with.
June 16, 2010, 8:07 p.m. CST
That may not be very clear...
by TedKordLives
I'm getting ready to leave work, but I didn't wanna leave you hanging.
June 16, 2010, 8:12 p.m. CST
No review for the Blacksad hardcover?
by toshiro-solo
Sure, the first two stories were just a repackage, but the third story hadn't seen print in the U.S. yet, and all three are such amazing looking comics. Good stuff.
June 16, 2010, 8:22 p.m. CST
So many No-Prizes, so little time...
by Thalya
I dunno if today's comics offer as many opportunities to fill in the blanks. Most tend to focus on the interpersonal/behind-the-scenes as much as the actual hero work.<BR><BR>Beetle and Two-Face, nice! Sounds like commentary, and not to dis Ted by any means, but were Bruce and Nightwing both incapacitated at the time?<BR><BR><BR>That said, what I wouldn't give for a good behind-the-scenes of an event like COIE. <BR><BR>Riddler: "Ooga chaka!" <BR><BR>Weather Wizard: "Ooga chaka, man!"<BR><BR>Captain Cold: "What the hell?"<BR><BR>Weather Wizard: "Anti-Monitor crisis. Outta nowhere we were suddenly right next to each other in Wayne Manor staring gape-mouthed at a bunch of cavemen." <BR><BR>Riddler: "A couple of times at that."<BR><BR>Captain Cold: "My jaw hurts just thinkin' about it. S'like we were all a bunch of sucklin' pigs for months on end.."<BR><BR>Or a story where Calc decided to sit that crisis out in Boca. something like that..
June 16, 2010, 8:46 p.m. CST
Heh. Yeah.
by TedKordLives
And yeah, Bats & Co. were indeed incapacitated. It was only one panel, but the first time I saw that I thought it was awesome. Certainly the most high profile villain Beetle had fought at the time. <P> But yeah, I'm all for more stories about the DC villains throughout the times, especially the Rogues. I don't hide the fact that even tho I boycott DC now, I'm still a sucker for Suicide Squad/Deadshot stories.
June 16, 2010, 8:50 p.m. CST
Pshhhhh Nemesis un-original?? Surely you jest!!
by gooseud
From the guy who ripped off Unforgiven panel for panel and plot beat for plot beat?? Say it isnt so!!
June 16, 2010, 8:51 p.m. CST
Secret Six
by gooseud
that truly was one of the most harrowing and truly intense story arcs.......well, in a long time. I kept waiting for some kind of.....redemption? Light at the end of the tunnel? Ray of light? Not to be found, I'm afraid.
June 16, 2010, 8:52 p.m. CST
By the way, Crossed:Family Values
by gooseud
There is no way I would ever read it on general principle, but I hear the gimmick/hook is that they are making a hero out of a child molesting incest rapist. Crossed, always good for a little lowest common denominator sensationalism.
June 16, 2010, 9:06 p.m. CST
Question fro Ted Kord
by optimous_douche
When your namesake was killed off bny Max Lord, DC had pretty much mothballed him by then right. I can't remember and I'm too lazy too look it up.<p> Thx...
June 16, 2010, 9:18 p.m. CST
fun fun..
by Thalya
*nods* Yeah, Ronnie's def. more a slacker. I just didn't want go saying that the comics reading audience is all a bunch of slackers, heavens no. They weren't looking at who they were actually culling, it seems, just at which characters weren't drawing an audience, never mind that poor interpretation can do that, not the characters themselves (Batgirl, much?).<BR><BR>Cool beans for Ted; nice little tip of the hat to better integrate him into the universe. Hopefully your boycott won't have to last too too long. They all come back in the end. And Secret Six has been both Suicide Squad-y and Ostrander/Deadshot-y of late.<BR><BR>You just had to mention the Rogues, didn't you: http://tinyurl.com/2e9w5ac Beware of Runenklinge with her fic and scans and Ted Kord avatar.:)
June 16, 2010, 9:45 p.m. CST
RE: "Avengers' Academy"
by njscribe44
I thought Dan Slott's "Mighty Avengers" series was the best series during "Dark Reign," but I doubt this "Academy" series has any real legs.
June 16, 2010, 10:28 p.m. CST
Absolutely LOVE Blacksad
by Jaka
So glad to know there's a hardcover containing all three stories (is that right?). I'd much rather see a Blacksad film adaptation than Smurfs, Fraggles OR another Wizard of Oz movie.
June 17, 2010, 1:59 a.m. CST
Its a God damn DC love fest in here!
by Joenathan
My feet are stuck... amber... hardening....
June 17, 2010, 2:58 a.m. CST
Joenathan, I got news for you - they are both stuck in amber
by Continentalop
It is only the illusion of change. Brand New Day proves that.
June 17, 2010, 4:16 a.m. CST
My dick is stuck in amber...
by The Penultimate Gunslinger
... but it's my own fault for sticking it in there in the first place.
June 17, 2010, 5:56 a.m. CST
That's What You Get
by optimous_douche
For having a Jurassic Mosquito fetish.
June 17, 2010, 6:37 a.m. CST
Avengers: Stuck in Amber
by gooseud
The non-Bendis Avengers titles in this reboot have actually been surprisingly decent, but lets be honest: any chance of Marvel having the high ground in the "Stuck in amber" debate just went right out the window along with Osborn.
June 17, 2010, 7:27 a.m. CST
Too Many Avengers
by The Penultimate Gunslinger
The Avengers are the new X-Men, with too many teams and too many members. It completly cheapens the whole concept. I'm just waiting for them to relaunch Runaways as Runaway Avengers and New Warriors as New Avenger Warriors. And maybe the Fantastic Four as the Four Avengers or something. Well, you get the idea with that...
June 17, 2010, 7:34 a.m. CST
More Avengers Moaning...
by The Penultimate Gunslinger
Also, why bother restarting New Avengers at #1 when it's exactly the same team and exactly the same Bendis? It feels about as fresh as my underpants.
June 17, 2010, 8:13 a.m. CST
Jordans discount activity .40%
by whfgshoes
http://www.jordaner.com $46.99--$51.99 Discount activity 40%discount Supply . Air Jordan Shoes. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. Let me introduce CHAOYUE. CHAOYUE is CHINA registered company, we are located in CHINA and Australia, website is http://jordaner.com Jordaner,Inc. We are the best online dealer,about all kinds of jordan.run retailing and wholesale trade wordwidely for years. Free Shipping And Customs,Super Sale Off Retailing,With 1Week Delivery to your door. Thank you for your support.
June 17, 2010, 9:57 a.m. CST
A question about Nemesis, if I may:
by Kevin Holsinger
Exactly how blatant could it be that one story borrows from elements of another before you have to worry about being sued?<P>I'm not knocking this particular book (haven't read it). It's just that I've seen people sued when their stories barely resemble the original, while others can blatantly do a Batman/Superman/whatever, and nothing happens.<P>My thanks in advance.
June 17, 2010, 10:37 a.m. CST
by Joenathan
IT seems, with things like this, that there is a unwritten "fair play" type of understanding. I think, as long as it's not too direct, the Big Companies let the use of familiar tropes slide. Which is really the best way because, can you imagine how much time they would spend sueing each other? I mean, in the end, can't you just boil down pretty much EVERY character to either Superman or Batman?
June 17, 2010, 10:38 a.m. CST
by Joenathan
I don't know what you're talking about, everything is brand new and different from before at Marvel. Why do you think they call it Brand New Day?
June 17, 2010, 10:39 a.m. CST
I don't think
by Joenathan
you guys can complain about the lack of change with the new Avenger Titles, since you spent the last seven years complaining about all the change going on over there... It's just seems weird to me. Maybe its just me though...
June 17, 2010, 10:41 a.m. CST
by Joenathan
This is what you all were begging for. An Avengers team comprised of Heroes worthy of being called Avengers. And look at the team. It's awesome. I mean, besides JRJR, what's there to complain about?
June 17, 2010, 11:38 a.m. CST
Joenathan, thanks.
by Kevin Holsinger
This has been confusing me for some time now. I know "Hey, I just made a sh*tload of money off this story." is an invitation for a lawsuit. But stories like Wanted and Supreme Power were REALLY blatant in who they were inspired by, and nothing happened.
June 17, 2010, 11:41 a.m. CST
by The Penultimate Gunslinger
The New Avengers are pretty much the same team apart from The Thing, but at least Hawkeye has got rid of his Ronin swords so he won't be chopping people to bits. Though I always thought the Ronin costume was pretty cool, just not for Clint. <p>The main Avengers lineup is awesome, with Bucky/Cap, Iron Man, Thor and what-have-you, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the first issue. I'll have to see how it goes. Oh, and I know Bendis loves her, but how did Spider-Woman make the cut? She's been replaced by a bloody Skrull for the past few years, and since she's come back she's done exactly ziltch. Did she do the unthinkable, and go down on Steve Rogers? "Ok, ok, you're on the team!"
June 17, 2010, 11:53 a.m. CST
More tea please Jarvis
by The Penultimate Gunslinger
That made me laugh quite a lot, not exactly sure why.
June 17, 2010, 1:09 p.m. CST
by Joenathan
If I had a complaint about Avengers, if would be: Not enough women. Spider-woman made the team because Bendis loves her AND... I think she was under-served by being the Skrull Queen, so now she's a bit of a blank slate, so this is his chance to re-establish her as a character.<br><br>Poor Jarvis... Giant Man is a giant douche
June 17, 2010, 1:09 p.m. CST
by Joenathan
You thought the Ronin costume was cool?
June 17, 2010, 1:49 p.m. CST
by TedKordLives
He'd been popping up sporadically, mainly in Birds of Prey. Chuck Dixon had a plan to start up an spinoff male version with Ted and Tim Drake, but DC nixed it after the story had started, leaving Ted with an unnecessary heart condition.
June 17, 2010, 1:55 p.m. CST
by TedKordLives
Ted had a pretty big role in the Last Laugh crossover that happened (I think) a year or so before he got capped. Saved Nightwing's ass, he did.
June 17, 2010, 4:10 p.m. CST
Reptil is in the comics now?
by Triple_J_72
June 17, 2010, 5:23 p.m. CST
by The Penultimate Gunslinger
I stand by my Ronin costume comment. It's all black with yellow bits, slitty eyes and double swords. What's not to like??
June 17, 2010, 5:23 p.m. CST
"I've gone all 'Geoff Johns' on him"
by sonnyhooper
....now thats just too funny a turn of phrase. well done sir, well done.
June 17, 2010, 5:43 p.m. CST
The yellow bits
by Joenathan
and the green shoulder pads...<br><br>And the rest.
June 17, 2010, 6:25 p.m. CST
I think Brand NEW Day counts as false advertisement
by Continentalop
They should of just called it Groundhogs Day.
June 17, 2010, 6:28 p.m. CST
As for Millar ripping of stuff for Nemesis
by Continentalop
I actually don't mind that. Like Joe said, everyone does it in comic books. Half the characters are just rip offs of other characters. <P> What I don't like is when people go nuts like somebody did something truly amazing or original. You can like it and admire it and even praise aspects of it, but at the end of the day it still is just an "adaptation" of someone else's work. <P> And I think you can extend it to everyone is either Superman (all powers), Batman (no powers) or The Flash (one power).
June 17, 2010, 9:23 p.m. CST
the problem with Pastiche....
by sonnyhooper
.....is that more often than not, the story being told would be way cooler if the writter was able to use the original character. imagine if millar got to tell a story of batman actually going nuts and killing off people, instead of having to make up nemesis. <p> thats why superma; red son is such a cool story. because he got to tell the story using superman, instead of having to make up a superman rip-off clone. thats why DC needs to bring back the elseworlds titles, asap.
June 17, 2010, 9:25 p.m. CST
Oh Thalya?
by Psynapse
I'm afraid not my dear, Edward is mine. :)
June 17, 2010, 9:47 p.m. CST
by toshiro-solo
I think this thread is likely dead, but on the off chance you see this - yes, it is one hard cover collection with all 3 Blacksad books collected, and for a very reasonable price. Published by Dark Horse, came out last week. Definitely worth looking up.
June 17, 2010, 9:54 p.m. CST
by Thalya
Psy-fi! He's mine! All mine, I say! *waves her $7.50 copy of Batman #179 to prove it!* <BR>*glances at Eddie on the cover* D'ohh.. *sigh* we really are more just affectionate, playful co-conspirators with an understanding that a relationship doesn't get in the way of our respective criminal careers. We just take moments where we can find them, without promises for the future.<BR>Mark's not much better - he actually fell for my violet personality rather than me, myself. And Noah's got so many nanites in me I'll never be rid of them, no matter how many times I go incorporeal. I really oughta go work on my sand-colored personality: Courtesan. ;P<BR>*big hugz* Have you read Joker's Asylum: Riddler by any chance?
June 18, 2010, 1:22 a.m. CST
toshiro-solo, thanks for letting me know
by Jaka
I've read the third story in English, but I'm not sure it's the same translation that will appear in this book. Either way, since I've amassed a reasonably large amount of hardcover comic books over the years, having all three of those stories in one volume has me pretty excited. Looking forward to putting it on the bookshelf in the very near future.
June 18, 2010, 1:26 a.m. CST
by Jaka
lol - Missed your post before. Never purchased or read those books. In case my comments in the comic book columns don't make it clear, I'm don't read very many super hero books. Not really my thing, for the most part. Probably won't be keeping up on Fallen Angel anymore, though. Thanks for asking Pe... I mean Somebodys.
June 21, 2010, 1:24 a.m. CST
jordan shoes $46.99-$51.99 . Discount activity
by jordanerinc4
http://www.jordaner.com Discount activity 40%discount Supply . Air Jordan Shoes. Safe Payment.Paypal Fast Shipment.5-7 days you can receive your order product. No min order request.You can order only one product Free Shipping.The price on our website are including everything. Jordaner,Inc. We are the best online dealer,about all kinds of jordan.run retailing and wholesale trade wordwidely for years. Free Shipping And Customs,Super Sale Off Retailing,With 1Week Delivery to your door. Thank you for your support.


text:
Whoa. This new trailer for Ben Wheatley's A Field in England is mad trippy. Watch with caution and/or maybe mushrooms, or LSD.
Movie Trailer Moments
We love movies! Keeping alive the fine art of stills.
Moments from trailers on FirstShowing.net
Showing posts tagged gun
Primer director Shane Carruth's new film Upstream Color. From the first perplexing teaser trailer: http://onfs.net/TMvP9T
"Who the hell are you?" "I'm the Sheriff." Arnold Schwarzenegger with a big ass gun in The Last Stand, directed by Kim Jee-woon. From the new trailer: http://onfs.net/RWZ6Ag Arnold is back!
"I've seen enough blood and death… I know what's coming." Johnny Knoxville and Arnie having a little fun with the gat in The Last Stand, directed by Kim Jee-woon. From the new trailer: http://onfs.net/RWZ6Ag
Daniel Craig returns as Agent 007 in Skyfall, the latest Bond movie, directed by Sam Mendes. From the full trailer!
Jamie Foxx as Django and Christoph Waltz as the Bounty Hunter in Quentin Tarantino's spaghetti western Django Unchained. The first trailer is out now! Watch: http://onfs.net/LyspUH
Ryan Gosling stars as Sgt. Jerry Wooters in the badass first trailer for Ruben Fleischer's Gangster Squad. This looks so GOOD!
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as younger Joe in Rian Johnson's time travel movie Looper - watch the teaser trailer.