Away My X-Men

Lately, I've been thinking about the X-Men and the different things I like about them. This train of thought then brought me to how much "House of M" really bugged me. Besides de-powering one of my favorite X-Men (the mighty and awesome Jubilee). It also really annoyed me how much they shrunk the mutant population. One of the things I dug about the X-Men pre-House of M was the variety in mutants and powers and how the different groups within the Xavier Institute. Of all the things I miss about the X-Men and their affiliated "X-Teams" the pre-House of M variety and the combinations that led to make my really miss those days. sadly, stories like House of M have become a trademark of Joe Quesada's editorial run at Marvel. After all who would of thought after this terrible story we would have the whole Civil War fiasco followed by Peter Parker selling his soul to the Devil and getting a divorce out of the deal. One the plus side it looks like they're finally undoing a couple of these stories and even though DC has been better at the major event promotions as of late. One of the things that really has been bugging me about both companies has been the whole Nothing Will Ever Be The Same!!! events. Of course, the main reason I'm not a fan of these events is because, the only thing that makes one of these events stick is wholey dependent on how good the story is. After all once another writer takes over a book (s)he is able to throw out the stuff they don't like while keeping the continuity they either like or were fans of back in the day and in teh end I guess, even us fans have the power to do that as well and in my X-Men Universe Jubes is still a mutant and the kids that starred in the X-Men Academy books are all still at the school and they all still live in New York state.

Even Buttmonkeys Have a Good Day

When I can (which is mainly when I remember too,lol). I enjoy watching Batman: The Brave and The Bold. So far, I've really enjoyed the show, I like it's light and fun tone and enjoy its pairings of Batman with wide swaths of the DCU. Through all of this the thing that most surprised me (especially, if you're a longtime reader. Hi Mom!) is that some of my favorite episodes are the ones with Aquaman in them. I have been enjoying their characterization of him quite a bit. The episode that really brought this to my attention was the one in which Aquaman is supposed to be on vacation with Mera and Arther Jr. and he keeps sneaking off to fight crime. Plus, it always brings a smile to my face when I hear his catchphrase, "Outrageous!!!" something about that just really tickles me in a happy place.

WOW! What a year

Although, the official anniversary of this blog isn't for anther couple of days. I figured I would post about it today. When I first started this blog, i didn't think it would go on for this long especially, since I set a rule for myself to post Monday thru Friday, and although I haven't been able to keep up that amount postings. I'm still enjoying the forum this gives me to talk about comics without watch the eyes of my friends glaze over. I still have no clear no long term plans for Monkey Knife Fight. However, I do plan on posting more than I have in the last few months and to keep this blog going as long as I have something to say about comics and other nerdy pursuits. I have really enjoyed this last year and the positive feedback I have received from writing on here. Hopefully, this year will have a lot less drama and I can stick to an at least semi-regular schedule when it comes to posting. Though, I have dropped the 5 day schedule permanently I will do my best to post more than once or twice a month. Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who reads Monkey Knife Fight as well as the bloggers that have linked to me, especially, the guys that run Comics Make No Sense and Random Happenstance, I was a huge fan of their blogs before finally, getting up the courage to start my own and have my little ol' blog on their blog roll, feels me with pride. Thanks to everyone who has read these posts and to everyone who has left a comment and don't worry I will be returning to my mocking of Aquaman shortly (I haven't forgotten about doing so,lol). With all that said. On to a new year of Monkey Knife Fight....

Fool's Gold: A review

For my first post of the new year I thought I would try something different and try to write out a review for one of the books I have really enjoyed. I didn't really set out with any master plan but I just finished re-reading Fool's Gold by Amy Reeder Hadley and thought it would be fun to write up a review of it and hopefully get a couple of people to check it. But, before we get to the book itself I should probably give you my faithful readers a little bit of background on how I came to be in possession of this fine book. Last year I went to Comic Fest (for the first time) here in colorful Colorado and while I was there one of the the writer/artists I met was the creator of this tome, Amy Reeder Hadley. It was pretty cool, though I must confess I wasn't all that familiar with her work before meeting her and really the thing that really piqued my interest in her work was that she had her sketch book open for folks to come by and check out and when I got up to her table it was opened to some of the Sailor Moon sketches she had done and in high school I was a huge Sailor Moon fan, no matter which channel it moved to or what time it aired (even when it started airing here at 6 a.m.) I always tuned in and would be totally bummed if I missed an episode. So, back to the story I flipped through her Sailor Moon drawings and remarked on how much I used to love that series and after chatting for awhile I decided I needed to get some of her work, so I picked out a copy of the first book of her Fool's Gold series and she was nice enough to sign it and draw a neat little sketch for me in the inside cover. So, these facts along with her being a native Coloradan like myself made it extremely hard for me not to like this book upon my first reading of it and if you ever get the chance to meet her Amy Reeder Hadley is a total sweetheart. As you could probably tell by reading this so far I was quite biased in my first reading of this story. Well, since that time (nearly a year since then) a lot of things have gone on in my life some good, some bad, some completely awesome and some completely terrible and the other night as I was getting ready for bed and trying to find something to read before dozing off I figured I go with this story, and boy am I glad I did. Now I'm not really the target audience for this book seeing how I'm a 30 year old hetero male, rather than a teenage girl which is definitely the target audience of this manga. However, even through this second reading I still enjoyed the story quite a lot if not more. If you haven't read the story and I encourage you all to check it out. The story starts off with the main character Penny a fledgling fashion designer who is starting her sophomore year of high school and dealing with her best friend Katie dating a complete jerk whom cheats on her and how Penny keeps trying to get Katie to leave this tool. While reading about pyrite for her Geology class she stumbles upon a classification for the jerks she sees Katie and all the other girls in school fall for and it's during this Geology class the teacher asks for a volunteer to head up the Geology club. This gives Penny the idea to use the cover of the Geology club to get the girls of her school to stop chasing the jerks and look for nice guys to date. Now as a nice guy (and I'm not just that I have references)I enjoyed the idea of girls seeing through the slickness of the douchebags they usually go for(or atleast, did in high school)and seeking out the nice guys in school. Another thing I really loved about this story were the outfits Penny wears,she designs and makes all her own clothes and some of the designs Amy comes up with for the character are just so cool. Plus it doesn't hurt that she mostly wears dresses and if there is one thing I love more than anything else it is seeing a girl in a dress and speaking of the clothes the costumes Mrs. Hadley draws for the school Halloween dance, are just awesome. This story has just gotten better since I've read it again and after reading it the first time I went out and got a copy of Madame Xanadu which Mrs. Hadley also did the artwork for and the issue I picked up by sheer coincidence happened to be the last issue with Amy Hadley doing the artwork on before a new team took over the book. Well, I don't know if this is the best review you'll read for this book. But, I just wanted to share with you fine folks out there on the Internets and Interwebs how much I truly enjoyed reading this book and hopefully turning some of you on to Amy Reeder Hadley's talents as a writer and artist. Plus, I think I may have promised a little more in depth talk on this subject in my posts way back when I first commented on here about the fun time I had at Comic Fest all those months ago.

I'm dreaming of a geeky christmas

The other day I was watching the Justice League Unlimited episode "Kid's Stuff" if you haven't seen it I highly recommend giving it a watch. Anyways, while I was watching it I started thinking about how awesome it would be if they made a Justice League Kids cartoon akin to the Tiny Titans comics but starring the big seven of the Justice League. This could be such a great series. You've got a boy scout in Superboy, a kid with serious ADD in The Flash, the overly serious Batman (Batboy?) the bossy and powerful Wonder Girl, a geek Green Lantern and weird little J'onn J'onnz and the buttmonkey Aquaman (Aquaboy?). You could even have most of the plots being how the Legion of Doom is trying to control the neighborhood or bust up the Justice League's lemonade stand. Hilarity ensues.

Hopefully this won't be the last post of the year

Once again, I feel the need to apologize to the loyal few of you out there whom read my blog. I have been woefully neglectful of you these several months. Hopeful if god(s)'s willing. I will be posting on here regularly after the new year. I may have done a similar post to this on in the past. But, I feel it is time again to do a list of the Justice League I would have if I was writing the book. As some of you who have followed this blog for awhile may remember (or may not due to my sporadic posting) I am a big fan of lists. I enjoy creating reading them pairing them down. In short I am a big fan of lists and if no further delay here is my JLA team.

Superman - Even though I'm not a huge fan of Supes, in my mind there is no better leader in the DCU then the big blue boy scout.

Batman - He's Batman, he has a plan for everything. Hell, he's even got a badass singing voice (anyone remember way back when I posted that vid of him singing "Am I Blue"?)

Guy Gardner - Every JLA team needs a Green Lantern and since he's my favorite emerald guarding, he's on the team (ah the fun of nepotism).

Booster Gold - I really enjoyed his time with Bats and Guy back in the Justice League International books. As well as enjoying his current solo title and if nothing else he adds some good comic relief. Plus I kinda like the idea that with this team Kal-El could be a good role model for the goldster and help him become a true hero (in any time stream).

Stargirl - After all these years of having her being on the JSA roster and the superhero game become a bit old hat for her. I think it would be fun to move Courtney up to the majors with a spot on the League. Plus she could fill the Jubilee role on the team :)

Zatanna - I'm a big fan of Zatanna (as well as her costume,lol). Because of this and the fact that on a team like this you need someone who is able to handle the magic wielding foes the league occasionally goes up against she is a good person to have on the team (as long as she promises not to mind wipe her colleagues that is,lol)

Oracle - For while there she was the eyes and ears of Gotham City and I feel that her skills and computer suave would be ideal for use on the watchtower (yeah, in my book the watch tower also makes a comeback).

Wildcat - He's already taught most of these folks to fight anyways. Why not have the old, tough as nails hard fighting, hard drinking sonabitch that is Ted Grant on the team. Plus, it would be fun doing stories where he bitchslaps Lex Luthor or Mr. Freeze.

S.T.R.I.P.E. - All I got to say on this one is that he's a badass Mecha. He's on the team and if nothing else it would be fun seeing him and Stargirl interacting with the rest of the League as he tries to protect her and carry out his role as her step dad. While sitting next to Bats, Guy and, Booster.

So, there you have it my Justice League. Feel free to mock me for my choices. But, I think this team would really make for a fun and enjoyable book. i could even foresee Guy and Courtney becoming partners in crime not literally, but in getting some of the other teammates to loosen up (I'm looking at you Batman).

Something New

Every once in a while a ponder why I like the things I like. For instance in music I've come to the conclusion that the most important things in the equating of whether or not I like a song are how good the baselines are and how the beat moves me. A couple days a go I was pondering this question about the comics I read as well. I think the reason I get on these tracks of thought are because my tastes are fairly eclectic. So, I was thinking about what the common themes were in the comics I read and the answer I came up with were mainly fun, adventure, with a good soap opera in place. Which is probably the reason why lately I've been really enjoying reading the old issues of Bat Lash and The Spirit.

Wow! Two posts in one month?!?!

So, lately I've been reading the Showcase collections of The Unknown Soldier and Bat Lash and while reading them I started thinking about how awesome an Unknown Soldier movie would be. This Would make such a dope WWII movie. It has everything, a protagonist whom disguises himself to look like who ever he needs to be, Nazi punching, the pathos of a man who lost his face in battle. This could be the best WWII movie ever.



Seriously, just the tagline of "The right man in the right place can change the outcome." Put that on the movie poster with a darkened silhouette of the Unknown Soldiers bandaged up face and it would be just like printing money. Looking at Bat Lash however, I think his adventures would work better on television, despite it being a western I actually think a Bat Lash TV show would do really well, especially on USA. That channel would be perfect of the gentleman rogue whom trouble finds whenever he walks into a new town set up the series long story of him looking to exact revenge on the guys who killed his family and a girl and town of the week and you get ratings gold!



Well, those are me thoughts on a couple ideas for TV and movies.

Meet the new director of S.H.E.I.L.D.

With Nick Fury M.I.A. (again) and Disney aquirring Marvel. I now present you with the new S.H.E.I.L.D. Director...

Kim Possible

Buddy Cop Meme

So, checking out Fraggmented yesterday, I saw the meme John Seavey was trying to start and I thought it would be fun to do. Plus, I felt I needed to post something here since, I've been negliclecting the two readers I have on here by not posting anything in nearly two months (E-gads!).So, here we go:

She is the daughter of disgraced former Vice President Aaron Burr and He is a time displaced S-Mart Clerk. This Summer Theodosia Burr and Ash Williams have only 48 hours to find the necronomicon before the world is destroyed. Can they save the world in time? This Summer... Bruce Campbell and Megan Fox, star in Burr Notice.

Scott Free

For those of you whom have read this blog before, you've probably noticed my affinity for Mr. Miracle. At first glance these a lot of superficial reason to dig Scott Free as a character. I mean how could you not enjoy someone with the tag line of "The Super Escape Artist." Much to Stan Lee's chagrin that is probably the most awesome set of words to every be strung together. Besides that he has the most garishly awesome costume to every grace a comic book page. But, digging a bit deeper beneath the surface and Mr.Miracle becomes the definition of pure brilliance. From the way Mr.Kirby set up his origins with his links to the High Father and Darksiad. To his set up of the relationship between Scott and Barda. In my opinion the Mr.Miracle books were Mssr. Kirby's magnum opus. I think the reason Scott Free hits such a cord with me is because, I really like the idea of being able to escape from any confines or situation no matter how deadly. There's something that really appeals to me in the concept of the world's greatest escape artist. I know I have been in many situations through out my life where I wish I could find a way to escape through a hidden passage or by using a lock pick, or just running away. I think (for me at least) that is the main reason I dig Mr. Miracle so much. He is never confined against his will (at least,not for long) and he can find a way out of any dangerous situation without having to punch his way out. He can simply look at the elements of whatever is keeping him trapped reach into his bag of tricks, or just use his mother box and he's free. Also like how the writers have always shown him and Barda as a loving couple that likes to fight crime and world threats more of a hobby than most other superheroes. That and they make such an awesome couple its hard not to root for them against the force of Apokolips.

A new post??? Finally!!!

So, I haven't been able to blog as much as I was hoping I would be when I decided to stop posting Monday thru Friday. Things have just been crazy lately and I haven't had much time to pontificate on comic book stuff. Last night though, while I was laying in bed about to pass out out I had I thought I just had to share with my faithful readers (all two of you,lol). Getting on with it. I'm thought was this. I think Wildcat (Ted Grant) would be a natural character for Warner Bros. to make a movie about. Whit his history as a boxer turned superhero. I think he would be a hero that would transition quite nicely to film. Best of all you could do the movie as the story of a depression style hero or as a modern day hero that's a bit past his prime but, still able to beat the snot out of the criminals he runs into. In my opinion either of these stories would work nicely on film. Even his costume would transition nicely onto film since he basically just wears a cat costume, that looks like you could by it at a costume shop. Well, there you go that's the thought I just had to share with you my adoring public (lol).