"Return of the Jedi" graphic novel

posted by Tygrrius @ 11:39 PM

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi graphic novel (Dark Horse, 2006 edition)
Script: Archie Goodwin
Pencils & Inks: Al Williamson & Carlos Garzon
Colors: Cary Porter & Perry McNamee
Lettering: Ed King
Front cover art: Bill Sienkiewicz

I tread into dangerous ground tonight after stepping a bit into the territory of JS. Dangerous not because I’m going to review a comic book, but because I dare review one that originated at Marvel.

For the recent release of the Star Wars: Unaltered DVDs, I had to decide which of the retail bonus items would lure me in. In the end, it came down to the Best Buy tin versus the Wal-Mart graphic novels.

Since reviewing a tin would’ve been quite boring, I took the practical route and bought my Unaltereds from Wal-Mart in order to get the graphic novel/trade paperback bonus items.

The version of each movie that came with the graphic novel sold for about $5.50 more than it did standalone. Since the Return of the Jedi graphic novel was not a free bonus, was it worth the price?

The comic book version of Return of the Jedi first appeared as a four-issue series from Marvel in 1983. The four issues were collected shortly thereafter in a Marvel graphic novel sold by Scholastic books. (Incidentally, it is the circa-1984 Marvel edition of the Return of the Jedi graphic novel that is pictured on Wal-Mart’s DVD/graphic novel box rather than the 2006 Dark Horse reprint that it actually contains.)

I collected the four Return of the Jedi comic issues as a kid. I remember thinking they were "okay." They at least offered one way to re-live the movie.

The graphic novel compilation had a different cover than the comics, but the same content. I was 8 or 9 at the time and had never heard of a “graphic novel” when I ordered it from Scholastic. The cover sure looked cool, so how could I lose?

I believe I was under the mistaken impression back then that the "graphic novel" would be the full-length novelization with lots of fantastic art thrown in. I remember being quite disappointed when receiving the book that it was, in fact, just the same four comic books that I already owned. This was probably my first instance of buying re-packaged Star Wars, come to think of it. How appropriate, then, that it is included as a bonus item on the Star Wars: Unaltered editions.

In 1995, Dark Horse re-released the Return of the Jedi graphic novel as a two-part collection. Presumably, the reprint rights must have moved with the overall Star Wars comic license from Marvel to Dark Horse.

This 2006 edition is also from Dark Horse, and collects all four parts of the 1983 Marvel Return of the Jedi series. It features the same cover art as that graphic novel I duped myself into buying back in 1984.

As I did in the 1980’s, I still believe that the front cover by Bill Sienkiewicz is the best part of the book. This would have made a fantastic poster.

That 1984 graphic novel is long gone, but I still have all four issues of the 1983 comic book series. I pulled them out to compare against the 2006 edition.

The most obvious difference is in the coloring. The 1983 comics were colored by Christie Scheele and Bob Sharen. Since the printing process is different now than it was in the 1980’s, the 2006 edition has glossy pages like modern comic books and was re-colored by Cary Porter and Perry McNamee. The new coloring was likely first introduced for the 1995 Dark Horse editions.

The glossy pages are certainly a huge improvement over the newsprint style pages of the original version. As for the new coloring, I ultimately would have to rate it as disappointing. 50% of the time, the difference is negligible between the two. 25% of the time, the 2006 version is better. The 1983 version is also better 25% of the time.

The main problem with the 2006 version is that the coloring job just seems rushed in certain spots. A lot of details are just left plain white, even when they previously had color in the earlier versions. For example, facial features are often left blank/white in this version, while in the 1983 version, more time was obviously spent on coloring them in to add more detail. In other areas, a single color is used on multi-colored objects--even when the same panel of the original used more than one color. It serves to make the comic of lesser quality than it could have been.

The penciling and inking is farily typical for the time period. As I found myself wanting to judge these against modern comics, which are a lot more detailed, I pulled out some other comics from around the same time in order to provide proper perspective. This is the same approach I take when judging movies, actually, particularly special effects. The art varies from rather horrid to quite nice, with most of it falling in the mediocre range.

We all know the story of Return of the Jedi, but the lines are definitely more stilted here. Whether that is the result of the writer working from an earlier draft of the script than the finished version or perhaps modifying it a bit to fit comic book needs or simply being inept, I do not know.

I found the dialogue quite distracting at times. For example, here’s a line from Han as it appears in the comic book, "Not bad for a little ball of fuzz! Just wish he’d checked with us first! Guess he knows enough to grab the nearest vine and leave the Imperials chasing an empty bike!"

There were several big secrets in Return of the Jedi, and the graphic novel actually leaves out a couple of them. This was probably to keep the news from leaking out in 1983. In the graphic novel, Yoda does not die, nor do we ever see the man beneath the Vader mask. (Actually, the three Jedi spirits did appear in the fourth issue of the 1983 comic book, but only in a "Mighty Marvel Bonus Pin-up Section" at the end and not within the story itself. The various full-page pin-ups are not included in the graphic novel version.)

This bonus Return of the Jedi graphic novel offers a bonus of its own. The last 32 pages feature production sketches from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, and others. Though the graphic novelization itself is somewhat unfulfilling, the production art alone makes it worth the $5.50 cost.

To conclude, I was going to suggest that it would be interesting to see Return of the Jedi remade as a manga. It turns out, however, that Lucasfilm beat me to it and already released this back in 1999. I sense another Return of the Jedi related purchase in my future.

Story/Writing: 5 (out of 10)
Art: 6
Cover Art: 9
Bonus (Production Sketches): 9
Overall Experience: 8
Recommended: Yes, mostly for the cover and the production sketches bonus

"Heroes" (Pilot) NBC

posted by JediSheltie @ 12:34 AM

Okay, I admit it, I was hoping to hate this show from the start. Right out of the box, I was going to eviscerate it. Sigh... It's almost disappointing writing this for that reason alone.

I suppose going in with reasonably low expectations worked out well for it. Don't get me wrong, it was not the finest hour of television in history, but it wasn't the worst, and I was pretty satisfied when all was said and done. Not that this review will make it seem that way. In fact, you'll probably think I really did hate it, but hey, we kid the ones we love.

Or at least have a passing, highly conditional appreciation for...

“In recent days, a seemingly random group of individuals has emerged with what can only be described as “special” abilities.

Although unaware of it now, these individuals will not only save the world, but change it forever. This transformation from ordinary to extraordinary will not occur overnight. Every story has a beginning.

Volume One of their epic tale begins here...”

This is how Heroes on NBC begins, with said crawl passing over the screen. Translation: “Welcome to years, upon years, upon years of origin story.” I said I went in with low expectations, right? This didn't do much to buoy them. Honestly, though I recognize backstory as necessary, I'm always one to hope they skip to the spandex ASAP and start swinging. Really, Donner's Superman might be a classic, but if you're not careful, that first hour will bore you to tears.

Fortunately, things only improve from here. I doubt the crawl will be attached to all the episodes, so I won't have to be continually reminded the series is couched in the most boring aspect of all superherodom.

I'd try to give an outline of the plot, but there kind of really isn't any. In fact, the opening crawl was the primary plot revelation of the entire episode, and, as you can see, it's a bit vague. What we have here in this first hour is the introduction to our... well, Heroes. Six of them, in fact, with the promise of more to come. As you might imagine in a show with an ensemble cast and multiple, interwoven stories revolving around each, you weren't allowed to really focus on any one character for any stretch of time. I'm not holding this against the show. It was the first hour... really, what else were they going to do?

Due to the nature of the show, then, caring about the characters becomes a paramount concern. Someone seems to have realized this and actually pulled it off. Our neophyte heroes are a disparate group with a little something for everyone. This is what any “team” comic is really about, after all. Most people come to the table liking one or 2 members of the team, and the rest grow on them. (Although Vixen and Arsenal are going to need to do a hell of a lot of growing for me in the new JLA comic). Heroes appeal will definitely come in the form of the heroes themselves.

Now, let's face facts. Prime time television hasn't been kind, in my humble opinion, to superheroes, especially established ones. Before our host gets the impression I'm about to fly off the handle about another certain piece of television history, (about which we have a long standing disagreement) I'll just say the use of “original” characters works for Heroes. The quotes there are on purpose, naturally. There's a lot of “hero archetypes” here, but then again, I doubt a completely original superhero has come down the pike since Fat Momma from Who Wants to Be A Superhero?

Yes, “originality” doesn't have to be a good thing....

In a lot of cases certain archetypes have been broken down. There's no “Superman”, but there are guys who can fly. There's no “Wolverine”, but there's... Wait, yes, there is one, and it's a hot, blond teenage girl who finds her developing regenerative abilities to be a significant social impediment. No one has stuffed her full of adamantium yet, but, well, someone's thinking of ways to try. (That was a minor “spoiler”, but if you haven't seen the “twist” at the end of the first episode coming a few parsecs away, then, seriously, lay off the weed).

The “clairvoyant” drug addict isn't much to speak of, just the guy who paints about what the heroes will be trying to stop. Something's going to explode, basically. A very large explosion. These are generally bad and in most comic book universes, usually require intervention by super powered individuals to stop. Good thing this show is called Heroes.

There's also the guy who can teleport, a Japanese guy named “Hiro” who is totally into being a superhero. Hiro's scenes are some of the most entertaining, as he certainly represents the childlike wonder that most of us had as kids with superheroes, and some of us still manage to maintain. Granted, I thought Japanese guys named Hiro as a protagonist was “sooOOoo done,” but it occurs to me this trend was mostly confined to games, and thus it just hit the “mainstream.”

Then there's Ali Larter, whose superpower appears to be the ability to perform the most tame live webcam show in history, despite her intrinsic hotness. Unless of course multiple personality disorder has been elevated to the level of superpower... Actually, it seems there's more than one Wolverine in this pack, as Ali's other personality seems to be quite the little murderous hellcat. As such, it stands to reason the alternate personality is far more interesting and probably would put on a much better cam show.

Finally we have “the guy who figures everything out” in the form of an Indian doctor moonlighting as a cab driver while trying reconstruct his dead father's work in the “finding superheroes” field. It remains to be seen if he actually has powers or is just going to serve as “smart guy doctor/tactician.”

Again, this isn't the full lot, just most of them. More are on the way in coming episodes. The teaser for the season seems to indicate that some of the hero's powers will grow. Which, in the case of the flyboys, really needs to happen. Let's face facts, 90 pound weaklings who can fly are still 90 pound weaklings. So far, the only really heavy hitters are our nubile teen friend with the regenerative abilities and Ali, who's other personality may or may not have superpowers.

As they say, heroes are only as good as their rogues gallery, and from the bits we encounter, it looks like we're starting with the standard nefarious shadow conspiracy who wishes to exploit these new found talents. It only remains to be seen whether they're working for the government, a “supervillain” or some combination of the two. I'm willing to toss in the outside chance of repelling an upcoming alien invasion, too. But I think they're doing that on The 4400, and if they are, then toss that idea.

Despite the lack of plot or any expressly overt villainy, I've found myself willing to hop on board for the ride. The characters, though a bit shallow at the moment, show some promise. It's hard to knock the first outing of a 1 hour show for not fully developing a cast of at least 6 main characters. This is a serialized drama, it's all about the long haul. As it stands, we get the basics of each character, teases of their powers, and a smattering of supporting characters. I'm sure the villains, whomever they may be, will be showing up sooner or later, perhaps even with a legitimate reason for existing.

I do feel compelled to point out one last thing. Sadly, unless there's going to be some kind of “equal treatment” in the future, the series has “taken sides.” It wasn't just a casual “Spiderman” reference, either. No, Hiro virtually quotes chapter and verse from old X-Men comic and mentions Kitty Pryde by name. Kitty (God, I really wish I could curse here) Pryde. I swear man, if someone doesn't mention “Karen Starr” in the future, I'm going to deduct points purely due to my sworn duty as a DC fanboy.

Related Film Frontier articles:
Review: Justice League of America #1

"Return of the Jedi: Unaltered"

posted by Tygrrius @ 9:34 PM

Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi—Limited Edition
Disc 2: Original theatrical (1983) version of
Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi

The Web is full of conspiracy theories.

One of them is that George Lucas insisted on releasing the unaltered versions of the original Star Wars trilogy in a non-anamorphic format so that fans would finally accept the 2004 enhanced versions as definitive.

I don’t put much stock in that particular theory but if that was, by some slim chance, Lucas’ hidden agenda, then he has failed when it comes to this fan.

Miserably.

Tonight, I journeyed back in time to 1983. For a brief instant, I was eight-years-old again. And I was watching Return of the Jedi for the first time.

Without the clouding of preconceived notions of Star Wars, without all the fan “entitlements,” I watched Return of the Jedi.

And I loved it. Just like I did back then.

As an eight-year-old, I never wondered how the teddy bear Ewoks could defeat the evil galactic Empire. I never noticed that Harrison Ford seemed to be phoning in his performance, whether due to a weakened role for Han Solo in the script or sheer boredom.

Tonight, I managed to keep those and similar movie-spoiling thoughts from my head.

Tonight, it was all about having fun. And I came to a realization.

Since 2004, I’ve kind of straddled the fence on the whole enhanced versus unaltered versions debate. As is often the case with me, I could see both sides of the argument. Until this month, I was perfectly content with the 2004 versions.

While I still respect Lucas’ right as an artist to continue to change these films to his liking, Star Wars: Unaltered, Return of the Jedi: Unaltered, and, to a lesser extent, The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered have all made me realize that I don’t need the 2004 versions anymore.

They were a nice substitute for awhile. I enjoyed them for what they were. But the real films are back now.

Now on to a couple of things I would never have worried about as an eight-year-old and which I am almost inclined to skip for this review were they not such topics of controversy around this release: video and audio quality.

The video quality for Return of the Jedi: Unaltered was top-notch, except for the fact that it was not anamorphic.

I’m not kidding here. This movie looked beautiful. For whatever reason, distortion was not a noticeable issue with Return of the Jedi: Unaltered when zoomed in.

I am very begrudgingly deducting a point for the anamorphic issue, simply because I know that it would look that much better in anamorphic format.

Oh yeah, and I could still see both lines of the subtitles while zoomed in. People with far more knowledge in such matters than I are still complaining about that in various dark corners of the Web. They should know better.

Then again, these are the same people that wanted all of us fans to disregard and ban the Star Wars: Unaltered releases. After what I’ve seen over the last ten days, I can’t exactly respect their opinions on much of anything.

Though Dolby 2.0, this was a great surround mix that added to the excitement of the movie. It was never lacking, so I’m not deducting anything. I don’t care if it’s not Dolby 5.1. So there.

As for bonus features, the 1983 film is the true bonus feature of the set. Also, it's good to know I now have three copies of the LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game trailer and demo. That gives me three times the number of opportunities to not watch or play.

By the way, of course the Ewoks could bring down the Empire. It was their destiny.

Movie: 9 (out of 10)
Video Quality: 9
Audio Quality: 10
Bonus Features: N/A (this movie was the key bonus feature)
Overall Experience: 9
Recommended: To both casual fans and Star Wars fanatics

Related Film Frontier articles
REVIEW: The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered
See the Greedo subtitles on Star Wars: Unaltered
REVIEW: The truth about Star Wars: Unaltered
Return to a time long ago with Star Wars: Unaltered
Film Frontier rounds up Star Wars: Unaltered retail bonus items
EDITORIAL: The Power of the (Unaltered) Force
Lucasfilm releases Star Wars: Unaltered screen caps
Lucasfilm to release Star Wars: Unaltered DVDs in September

"Miri" ("Star Trek: Remastered" edition)

posted by Tygrrius @ 5:55 AM

Star Trek (Remastered): "Miri"
Remastered Episode #2 (9/17/2006)

As with "Balance of Terror," there were a couple of good points about the upgrades to "Miri": the Earthlike "Miri's planet" looked beautiful from space; and they refined the vanishing of the blemishes from McCoy's face after he injected himself with the vaccine.

Still, the overall effect continues to be diminished by the cartoon Enterprise. What a great opportunity here, and it is being wasted.

They also continue to restrain themselves by sticking to the feel of the original shots. Several returns from commercial breaks featured the Enterprise orbiting to the left of the planet and slowly approaching the camera--exactly as it did in the 1966 version.

Why not change things up a bit? Try some different angles that weren't possible in 1966? I'm still left with the overall impression of, "Why bother?"

The HD conversion may be the answer to the above question, but I have not yet experienced this portion of the upgrade so I cannot comment on it.

Dramatic Content: 10 (out of 10)
Effects Upgrades: 4
Overall Experience: 8
Recommended: To casual Star Trek fans; to first-time viewers of the original Star Trek

Related Film Frontier articles
REVIEW: The cartoon Enterprise returns in Star Trek: Remastered
Paramount releases "first season" episode list and stations for Star Trek: Remastered
Paramount debuts remastered TOS preview video
Star Trek TOS returns to syndication with updated effects, music, and in HD

"The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered"

posted by Tygrrius @ 10:09 PM

Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back—Limited Edition
Disc 2: Original theatrical (1980) version of Star Wars: Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back

After watching Star Wars: Unaltered a few days ago, I was expecting more of the same from The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered. Little did I know, however, that I was in for a surprise.

The Movie

This is the best Star Wars movie ever made! It's always neck and neck with Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan as my favorite movie of all time.

It was nice to watch the original version for the first time in a long time. In general, the changes made to Empire in 1997 and 2004 were not as severe as those made to Star Wars and Return of the Jedi.

Watching the unaltered version shows that most of the subsequent changes were cosmetic and, quite frankly, unnecessary. And, as I said in my Star Wars: Unaltered review, I generally prefer to see the special effects in their original forms, matte lines and all. It was wonderful to see it this way again.

Video Quality

The big surprise for me was that The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered looks noticeably better than Star Wars: Unaltered. After watching the latter, I was expecting more of the same as far as video quality.

While Star Wars: Unaltered looked only as good as it needed to, The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered looked great most of the time. Whether this was due to motion picture advancements between 1977 and 1980, or simply a better quality Laserdisc master, I'm not able to say.

I viewed it on a 30” widescreen, so the fact that it was a standard 4x3 letterbox image rather than an anamorphic 16x9 widescreen image came into play.

Left unzoomed, the standard 4x3 letterbox image results in a smaller picture bordered on all sides: top, bottom, left, and right. You’re still seeing the entire picture. It’s just smaller.

In this mode, the picture quality is quite crisp most of the time. While it doesn't look like the fully restored and anamorphic 2004 version, the quality difference is not as noticeable as it was for Star Wars: Unaltered.

Like the 1977 Star Wars, the 1980 version of The Empire Strikes Back has a brighter color palette than the 2004 edition. Compare Luke's face when Han is rescuing him on Hoth in both editions and you'll see what I'm talking about.

In general, I prefer the 1980 colors . . . though the difference is not as striking as the 1977 vs. 2004 Star Wars colors.

I also used my DVD player's zoom function to see how the image would look brought in just enough to remove the left and right borders. As expected, it becomes a bit distorted. From a normal, comfortable viewing distance, though, the difference between watching the non-anamorphic 1980 version in zoom mode versus the anamorphic 2004 version was nearly negligible.

I really didn't note a lot of image issues with The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered. The picture was more than acceptable. Of course I would have preferred a fully restored print presented in anamorphic format but we can't have everything now, can we?

Audio Quality

Though only a Dolby 2.0 Surround mix, The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered sounds fantastic. Again, I'd rate it better than the sound in Star Wars but this has always been the case. You may have to crank your speakers up a bit more compared to the Dolby 5.1 mix used on the 2004 edition.

Bonus Features

The 1980 film is the true bonus feature of the set. The only other special features are related to LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy video game (a trailer and an Xbox demo). These are the same as presented on the Star Wars: Unaltered disc.

Overall Experience/Entertainment Value

It was great to see the original version of The Empire Strikes Back again, and it's nice to know that I'll be able to watch it whenever I'm in a nostalgic mood. Unlike Star Wars, I'll probably defer to the 2004 edition most of the time simply because the changes are not as jarring. I still prefer those original effects, though, so it's a tough call. I may alternate each time.

Recommendations

If, like me, you’re a Star Wars fanatic who loves The Empire Strikes Back, then I recommend this release whether or not you already own the 2004 edition. You need to own and watch this movie.

If you’re a casual fan who already owns the 2004 set, then I don’t recommend this release. You will likely not find the differences big enough to warrant rebuying this film. Save your money.

If you’re a casual fan that does not yet have the 2004 set, then I’d definitely recommend this release. Otherwise, you're missing out on the best Star Wars movie ever. Be warned, though, that this is Act II of a three act trilogy. If you only watch this movie, you're only seeing the middle and could be left quite confused. To achieve maximum entertainment value with The Empire Strikes Back, you'll also need Star Wars (A New Hope) and Return of the Jedi. If you only want to buy one then stick with the original Star Wars, as it can stand alone.

Coming soon will be the Film Frontier review of Return of the Jedi: Unaltered. Are there any surprises left?

Movie: 10 (out of 10)
Video Quality: 8
Audio Quality: 9
Bonus Features: N/A (this movie was the key bonus feature)
Overall Experience: 9
Recommended: To casual fans who do not already own 2004 edition; to Star Wars fanatics who love The Empire Strikes Back

Related Film Frontier articles
See the Greedo subtitles on Star Wars: Unaltered
REVIEW: The truth about Star Wars: Unaltered
Return to a time long ago with Star Wars: Unaltered
Film Frontier rounds up Star Wars: Unaltered retail bonus items
EDITORIAL: The Power of the (Unaltered) Force
Lucasfilm releases Star Wars: Unaltered screen caps
Lucasfilm to release Star Wars: Unaltered DVDs in September

The cartoon "Enterprise" returns in "Star Trek: Remastered"

posted by Tygrrius @ 7:23 AM

Star Trek (Remastered): "Balance of Terror"
Remastered Episode #1 (9/16/2006)

With a sense of irony, I find myself reviewing Star Trek: Remastered less than five days after reviewing Star Wars: Unaltered.

In a year of surprises, one of the biggest was Paramount announcing the return of the original Star Trek to syndication in a remastered format, including updated special effects.

First off, "Balance of Terror" has always been one of the finest hours of any version of Star Trek, including the movies. It is a natural choice as the premiere of 2006's remastered episodes. It serves a better introduction to the series than, say, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" or "The Man Trap."

The dramatic content is great. But I already knew that. I've been watching this since I was a kid. What about the new stuff?

Unfortunately, it is a mixed bag.

The CGI Romulan bird-of-prey and some other upgrades, such as the comet, look nice.

The big disappointment, though, is the computer-generated Enterprise. Considering that this effect needs to carry from episode to episode, it simply doesn't look very good.

Devoid of detail, the CGI Enterprise would have been a great enhancement for the animated Star Trek series but the cartoony look only served to pull me out of the episode each time it was on screen.

Re-creating the original Enterprise is a tough challenge for those responsible for the CGI. The original 1960's physical model did not require a lot of surface detail to meet the needs of the era. Attempting to exactly duplicate it in the 21st century with CGI serves only to bring that lack of detail to the forefront.

The conundrum for those creating the CGI version is that if they added previously unseen surface details, purists would undoubtedly moan about that decision. So, instead, we get the cartoon Enterprise.

For me, the cartoon Enterprise is not an improvement over the original. Yes, there were matte lines and all sorts of other problems with the original model. But I'm used to seeing it that way.

When I watch the unaltered Star Trek, I don't see these effects limitations. I "see" the Enterprise and the other effects as they are "supposed" to be, not necessarily as they are. As a long-time viewer, I believe in the Enterprise.

Unfortunately, this blurring of my vision does not occur with Star Trek: Remastered. The cartoon Enterprise stands out each time as looking not quite right. Why are these live-action characters traveling around in a cartoon vessel?

Absolute purists won't like changes to the episodes at all, no matter how "accurate" they are. With that being the case, why not add some more detail to the Enterprise CGI? Make me believe in her, like I did the original and the Enterprise-A.

The "new" opening credits are a fairly accurate reproduction of the original opening credits, but with the cartoon Enterprise doing the flybys. Apparently, cartoons have an even bigger whoooshhh in space than physical models.

The "new" effects sequences would better be described as "reproductions." The shots really aren't any different, they are just presented with CGI. If the full advantages of today's CGI are not to be used, this leaves me to wonder, "Why bother?"

I give Paramount credit for what they are attempting here, though. As we enter the high definition era, shows like Star Trek will need certain upgrades to fit in with the new format.

"Balance of Terror" ultimately leaves me with the impression that Star Trek: Remastered was brought to television too quickly--most likely rushed to capitalize on the series' 40th anniversary. What could have been the revitalization of the original series is, so far, just a curiosity.

All in all, not bad. It could have been a lot worse, but it deserved to be great. I can't imagine ever choosing to watch the remastered "Balance of Terror" over the original in the future. Since this is only the first episode, however, hopefully there is still time for the techniques and the Enterprise to improve.

Dramatic Content: 10 (out of 10)
Effects Upgrades: 4
Overall Experience: 8
Recommended: To casual Star Trek fans; to first-time viewers of the original Star Trek

Related Film Frontier articles
Paramount releases "first season" episode list and stations for Star Trek: Remastered
Paramount debuts remastered TOS preview video
Star Trek TOS returns to syndication with updated effects, music, and in HD

“RiffTrax- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier”

posted by JediSheltie @ 7:50 PM

It's incumbent on me, to meet the highest journalistic standards to which this site aspires, to fully disclose any bias I have in writing this review. Said biases are as follows:

Michael J. Nelson is God.

Mystery Science Theater 3000, WITH TRACE, is the finest comedic endeavor ever undertaken by any sentient beings in the entire Universe.

Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, I can continue with this highly dispassionate, impartial review of the Star Trek V Rifftrax.

The Prelims

Well, I'm told by my editors that some you reading this might have no idea who Mike Nelson is, or for that matter, what Mystery Science Theater 3000 was. I'll repress my rage at that ignorance long enough to say that you should just use the Wikipedia god gave you to find out what it was. For those even too lazy to type it in, I'll provide the link: The Link.

The RiffTrax

Picking up RiffTrax is easy, when you allow all the scripts required to do so through your FireFox “NoScript” plugin, otherwise you might, like myself, encounter a white screen with no information on it right before you theoretically add something to your cart. Really, I'm trying not to sound too mentally impaired here, it was an honest mistake that cost me some time and further hair loss. The cart works through PayPal, and includes a straight credit card order option if you don't have a PayPal account, like us cool people do.

It's a short hop to the roughly 30MB download which includes an MP3 and text file instructions. You might be thinking this sounds fairly... rudimentary. And it is. As instructed by the text file and the opening of the MP3 file, your steady finger on the play/pause button is required in order to get a good sync going. Basically, you'll need to have your TV/DVD setup somewhere in the vicinity of something that can play an MP3 file. In my case (pathetically perhaps), my formerly awesome 3 year old home-built gaming computer is naught but 5 feet away, so I played the MP3 there with the speakers pointed at me. If you have an MP3 player, etc., you can use them as well, or even burn it to a CD, like all you young whippersnappers do these days.

Included on the RiffTrax, roughly every 10-15 minutes or so, is the helpful synthesized voice of “Disembaudio”, who will speak a line of dialog straight from the film. If Disembaudio and the DVD line sync up, your RiffTrax is on target. Judging from the RiffTrax forums, some folks have trouble with “drift” in later parts of films, possibly due to very tiny lags when some DVD players change chapters. Imperceptible, mostly, but over time they can build up and throw off the audio a bit. The solution is equally as rudimentary- simply pause either the DVD or the Rifftrax, depending on the nature of the miss-sync, for a second or so, to get things back in harmony. I didn't experience this issue myself.

Star Trek V- The Final Frontier

Um, do we need to do this? You know the score right? Harve Benett was ritually sacrificed over this movie, if I recall correctly. Just in case: Spock's emotionally overwrought half brother kidnaps some wholly uninteresting people in order to lure a starship to the Planet of Intergalactic Peace in order to steal said starship, which naturally turns out to the Enterprise, and take it beyond the Great Barrier, which, between the Original Series and this point, magically inverted itself from being on the outside of the galaxy to the inside. He does this in order to find "God."

Kirk and company tag along, and after some really "emotional scenes", such as implied nudity on the part of a 57 year old woman, they end up face to face with "God." Kirk astutely points out this can't really be God because, 1. he needs a starship, and 2, he doesn't look like Mike Nelson. There's some kind of electrical disturbance and it turns out Klingon disruptors can destroy spectral beings.

The End.

Star Trek V- The Rifftrax Experience

Ah, bittersweet, is really the only good way to put it. While enjoying the antics of Mike and special guest riffer, Tom Serv-, er, Kevin Murphy, one couldn't help but be brought back to those good old days. Granted, if you never experienced them, this won't be an issue for you. In terms of films the MST3k fan base desperately wanted to get “the treatment,” The Final Frontier was always at or near the top of the list. Well, it's finally happened, just not in the way a lot of us expected.

But it has happened.

It's all here- the jokes about Shatner's greed, ego, and directing prowess, fake Klingon sayings, the slightly resigned, calm “ugh” when the first few frames of the “fan dance” appear on screen. That's pretty much the same “ugh” anyone utters when that happens, in fact, but they make it funny, dammit. Honestly, if Comedy Central had any sense, or even a long term memory, they would have gotten Mike to do the Shatner Roast.

The jokes keep coming, stopping only to let that next bit of riffable dialog through. Anyone familiar with the MST3k “formula” knows the score, if you're not, you should try to keep the laughs under some control, as you'll end up missing the next joke if you're too busy yuking it up from the last one. MST3k fans shouldn't expect any of the “classic bits”. Everything here, though representative of the style, is fresh. Kevin doesn't lapse into any “Servo” routines. Depending on your point of view, that might be a good or bad thing.

I've focused a bit tightly on the point of view of an old MST3k fan. Uh, I am one, that's why. Don't let your complete unfamiliarity with MST3k deter you from trying this out. You'll find it funny without knowing a lot of “back story.”

Removed from the pretext of the show, Mike and Kevin's smooth banter sounds a lot like the same casual exchange of riffing any fans have when doing their own group viewings of awful movies. Though perhaps a lot more consistently funny. Mike isn't “Mike Nelson- stranded astronaut/guinea pig” and Kevin isn't a small hovering robot named “Tom Servo”. They're two guys making fun of a bad movie. Even if you haven't ever watched MST3k, a lot of you know that feeling of camaraderie from a shared “bad movie experience.”

I've been there myself with the guy who runs this place, exchanging acerbic one-liners while enduring bad b-horror and sci-fi. You don't have to be a crazed devotee of a dead television show to like RiffTrax.

I mean MST3k, by the way.

Any problems I have with Rifftrax are just the ancient, misguided ramblings of guy who desperately wants a long-dead TV show back on the air. This is (partly at least) a Star Trek fan site, so many of you should be familiar with that point of view. I want Mike, Kevin, and Trace to pick up their little cow-town puppet show and come back to me. It just not going to happen.

For now, Rifftrax will fill the void nicely.

Related Film Frontier links

Michael J. Nelson takes on Star Trek V

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier section

The truth about "Star Wars: Unaltered"

posted by Tygrrius @ 12:04 AM

Star Wars IV: A New Hope—Limited Edition
Disc 2: Original theatrical (1977) version of Star Wars

If you’re a Star Wars fanatic, like I am, you’ve heard about the controversy around the Star Wars: Unaltered DVD release for months. In fact, the controversy pretty much started the day the release was announced and grew from there.

Now, the DVDs are finally available and we can all judge for ourselves.

Long-winded background on what to expect from this review

Since this is the first time I’ve reviewed a DVD on the site (rather than simply a movie in general), I should give you a bit of background so that you will know how compatible my opinions might be with yours.

I love movies, all kinds really, with a particular affection for the ones I’ve centered this site around. However, I am not a “Home Theater Enthusiast.” That’s not to say I don’t appreciate home theater, I just don’t consider myself a Home Theater Enthusiast.

A Home Theater Enthusiast has trouble watching a movie without counting up occurrences of dust spots, scratches, artifacts, contrast problems, shadow detail issues, color saturation problems, defects, grain, bleeding issues, and dot crawl.

If you’re someone like that, then this review (and, quite honestly, this DVD) isn’t for you. I’m not saying you have to stop reading here, but you’d probably be happier to move along to some other section of the site. Yeah, I know, might be nice if I actually finished the Star Wars section and added it someday. Until then, you’ll have to settle for Star Trek.

Though I love movie soundtracks, particularly the Star Wars soundtracks, I am also not an “Audiophile.” Again, I definitely appreciate a great audio mix when watching a movie, but I just don’t put myself into the Audiophile category.

Similar in some respects to the Home Theater Enthusiast, the Audiophile has trouble enjoying a movie without being distracted by making notes of things like processed sounds, matrixed sounds, and frequency response.

If you fit this category, then this review may not be for you. You’ll have to make your own determination about the sound quality on this one, or read someone else’s review.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten rid of 50% of the people who were going to read this review, I’ll continue for the two of you still remaining.

When I review a DVD, my main consideration is entertainment value. Was it worth 2+ hours of my life? And, in this case, was it worth the four month wait? While I’ll certainly touch on video and sound quality, just remember that I don’t let cataloging audio and video oddities take away from my overall experience.

Oh, and another thing, I don’t rate menus. Menus are just what you have to get past to watch the movie. So the only time I’ll generally mention a menu will be if it is extremely annoying for some reason. The Disc 2 menu was fine.

With that long intro out of the way, on with the review of Star Wars: Unaltered.

Video Quality

Let’s just get the big question out of the way first. The thing everyone is wondering about. How does this release look?

In the first three minutes alone, I was able to count 547 scratches, 322 separate instances of dust spots, and an unbelievable amount of dot crawl.

Hey, come back. I’m just kidding.

How does Star Wars: Unaltered really look?

As good as it needs to.

I viewed it on a 30” widescreen, so the fact that it was a standard 4x3 letterbox image rather than an anamorphic 16x9 widescreen image came into play.

Left unzoomed, the standard 4x3 letterbox image results in a smaller picture bordered on all sides: top, bottom, left, and right. Don’t let those borders fool you, though. You’re still seeing all of the picture. It’s just smaller.

In this most basic of modes, the picture quality is actually surprisingly crisp. But don’t go in expecting it to look like the fully restored and anamorphic 2004 version. There is a noticeable and expected quality difference.

However, in some respects, the 1977 version actually looks better than the 2004 version. A lot of the colors changed in the 2004 version, and it is interesting to note how much better the 1977 colors look.

There are some issues, though, the most noticeable being the occasional bout of small, white specks on the screen. Such issues are usually short. And I did not count them, nor did they ruin the viewing experience. In some ways, they contribute to the nostalgia. But I'm kind of weird that way.

So, no, it’s not a perfect picture. But it looks a heck of a lot better than I hoped it would, and tons better than some people would have you believe. 90% of the time, I did not notice image problems.

I also used my DVD player's zoom function to see how the image would look brought in just enough to remove the left and right borders. It, of course, becomes a bit distorted. From a normal, comfortable viewing distance, though, the difference between watching the non-anamorphic 1977 version in zoom mode versus the anamorphic 2004 version was nearly negligible.

So, in the end, the picture was perfectly acceptable.

Some people around the Web have mentioned alien subtitles (Greedo) being cut off when zooming in for a widescreen TV. When zoomed in, I was still able to fully see the two line subtitles. Oddly, the subtitles started between the movie image and the black bars. Perfectly readable. Since they are apparently player-generated, this will vary by player.

Do I wish they could have somehow made this an anamorphic release? I won’t lie to you, of course I do.

Do I wish they could have somehow properly cleaned up the image for this release? Yes, but only with the caveat that the original color be preserved.

For I would rather watch this 1993 image quality of the theatrical version than watch a “theatrical” version whose image had been “cleaned” to resemble the generally darker colors of the 2004 version.

Also, leave those “garbage mattes” in. I don’t mind them being cleaned up for the George Lucas signature edition or whatever, but leave them alone for the theatrical version. They were there in 1977, so that’s good enough for me. Nice to see them back for this edition.

Incidentally, the 2004 version that is on this set is identical to the one first released in . . . 2004. So, in case either of you are fan enough to wonder: no, the lightsaber glitches in the 2004 version have not been fixed. Luke’s lightsaber is still briefly green aboard the Falcon in the 2004 version.

Now that the big issue of picture quality is out of the way, I want to move on to something more important, and that is, the movie itself.

The Movie

This is Star Wars the way I remember it! This release proves that the 1977 version of the movie is much better paced than the 2004 version. Though nice eye candy for those of us in the fanatic set, the Mos Eisley fly-through, Jabba, and Biggs scenes really serve to slow the 2004 version down.

None of that here. The movie runs at a much tighter and exciting pace. Enough of a difference, in fact, that I would actually rate this version of the movie slightly higher than the 2004 version.

By its very nature, Star Wars is the only Star Wars movie that works as a stand-alone film. And without all of that “Episode IV” business at the beginning, this is even more true of the 1977 version. Casual fans can watch Star Wars, skip everything else, and come away with a complete experience. The same cannot be said for any other movies in the saga.

It was exciting to watch this movie again, almost like seeing it for the first time. I did not care for the 1997 special edition version, but I thought the 2004 version was quite an improvement over 1997 and an acceptable alternative since Lucas seemed intent on not releasing the original.

I was wrong, though. The 2004 version, for all its beauty, for all its anamorphic, super crisp picture, and 5.1 surround sound, is still not an acceptable replacement for the 1977 version. For all of its greatness, the 2004 version just can’t take you back to 1977 like this one can.

Again, I have no problem with George Lucas continuing to tinker with these films. They’re his babies, after all. Some people tinker with cars. Lucas tinkers with movies. Nothing wrong with that.

I’m just glad to have both versions. Glad to have the option of which one to watch. Though I doubt he will do it, I think all future releases of these movies should contain both the current “signature edition” and the original theatrical version.

By the way, I also prefer the effects of this movie. They are part of the reason this was such a ground-breaking movie. This film and its two sequels are true testaments to the hard work of everyone at Industrial Light & Magic. Forget digital, this was the real stuff. And it still looks incredible.

Audio Quality

It took me a little while to get used to this Dolby 2.0 Surround mix. At first, I didn’t think I liked it very much. But I cranked it up a bit more. And you know what? It’s actually pretty good.

It has a funny quality where you don’t hear much out of the rears, and then they suddenly kick on when there’s an action sequence. As I said I'm no Audiophile, so some of this may have been due to my system setup.

I also popped in the 2004 version and compared a couple of scenes. While the 2004 version has a fuller sound (and certainly works better for that edition, with one or two questionable mixing mistakes and/or choices), the 1977-era version has what I would call a more authentic sound. It also seems to highlight the incredible John Williams score a bit more. (Incidentally, this is likely a 1993 mix rather than the true 1977 mix, though I am unable to personally confirm that.)

It’s a charming sound mix, that’s all I can really say about it. That and it takes some getting used to, having been exposed to the 2004 version a dozen or so times by now. In general, I actually prefer the 1977-era sound, even though it’s only 2.0.

While I know that Home Theater Enthusiasts will hate the picture quality due to the anamorphic issue, I’m actually not sure what Audiophiles will make of this 2.0 mix. I personally believe it has more positive qualities than negative ones. The fact that it is 2.0 may be the audiophile equivalent of it being non-anamorphic, though. I suppose I’ll find out soon enough as reviews continue to roll in across the Web.

Bonus Features

The 1977 film is the true bonus feature of the set. Sure, it should have been the headliner, but why fret about stupid marketing stuff like that? Not much else in the way of special features on here, though.

There is a preview trailer for LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy. Though I prefer the more realistic Star Wars video games in the three minutes a year I have time to play, I remember finding the first LEGO Star Wars preview trailer pretty funny. Not funny enough to buy the game, but funny enough to give the trailer creators some credit.

Not so with the sequel's trailer. Fairly boring stuff. Incidentally, there is also a demo of the game for Xbox. Since I don’t have an Xbox, that’s about all I can tell you about it.

I have to give the game some credit, though, as it is, more than likely, the only reason Star Wars: Unaltered came to be. Star Wars: Unaltered is a marketing tool to sell more copies of LEGO Star Wars II. Yeah, I know it shouldn’t be that way. But just accept it and be glad you can get the movie now.

I will say the concept of LEGO toys for Star Wars is a great idea. I would have loved that as a kid, not to mention these Star Wars Transformers I’ve been seeing around lately, too. But back to the DVD review, which is getting long enough as it is.

Overall Experience/Entertainment Value

All in all, this was a thrilling and surprising experience. This was a movie I figured I’d be pulling out only for nostalgia while normally deferring to the 2004 version.

I believe the opposite will be true. This will be the version of Star Wars I watch most of the time, and I’ll watch the 2004 version whenever I finally get around to doing that six movie saga marathon.

Overall, this was the most fun I’ve had watching a DVD in a long time–especially considering how many times I’ve seen this movie.

Recommendations

If you’re a Star Wars fanatic, then I highly recommend this whether or not you already own the 2004 edition. Yes, it’s that good.

If you’re a casual fan who already owns the 2004 set, then I don’t recommend this release. You will likely not find the differences big enough to warrant rebuying this film. In fact, you would probably wonder why we fanatics make such a big deal about the different versions. But hey, at least this is one fanatic who’s telling it to you straight: Save your money, this release isn't for you.

If you’re a casual fan that does not yet have the 2004 set, then I’d definitely recommend this release. In fact, in some ways, it is aimed more at you than it is us fanatics. The idea is that you can now buy just the Star Wars title you want, rather than being forced to buy the whole trilogy. In most cases, presumably, an extremely casual fan would just want the original. Go for it. And maybe take a peek at the 1977 version on Disc 2 some day, to see if you can figure out what all of this fuss was about.

I never thought September 12 would get here, and now it is already over. Coming soon over the next several days, though, will be Film Frontier reviews of The Empire Strikes Back: Unaltered and Return of the Jedi: Unaltered. Granted, I probably could have watched both of them in the time it took me to write this review, but such are the sacrifices I'm willing to make for you.

Movie: 10 (out of 10)
Video Quality: 6
Audio Quality: 9
Bonus Features: N/A (this movie was the key bonus feature)
Overall Experience: 9
Recommended: To casual fans who do not already own 2004 edition; to all Star Wars fanatics (except Home Theater Enthusiasts)

Related Film Frontier articles
Return to a time long ago with Star Wars: Unaltered
Film Frontier rounds up Star Wars: Unaltered retail bonus items
EDITORIAL: The Power of the (Unaltered) Force
Lucasfilm releases Star Wars: Unaltered screen caps
Lucasfilm to release Star Wars: Unaltered DVDs in September

“Justice League of America" #1

posted by JediSheltie @ 11:20 PM

Introductions

Since the individual at whom's whim I write here did a brief introduction of why you should pay attention to what he says, so shall I.

Briefly... You shouldn't.

I'm nobody.

It's an incident of fate perhaps that that I have been “blessed” with the ability to string a few words together in a reasonably coherent manner. It was instrumental in my graduation from college, in fact. Beyond that, it hasn't served me too well.

So, don't get too worked up at anything you read in here. My opinion is just that, and it is no better than your own. Unless, of course, you disagree with me. Then your opinion is juvenile and moronic.

Okay, that was an example of ironic humor. If you didn't chuckle in the least, then you should probably just move on now. The bottom line is that, just because I have an outlet for my opinion doesn't make it right. Nor do the many thousands of similar bloggers have any great monopoly on being right or posting “the truth.”

Basically, my primary job qualifications are: I read comics and watch sci-fi. And I am thirty-one years old. Insert joke here. Yes, I'm a walking cliché, but at least I know it. I'm a huge Superman fan, have been since quite the young age. Don't tell anyone, but at the age of 5 or 6 I was running around my backyard in blue tights, a red cape, and appropriately dyed Underoos. If that doesn't earn you some fan “street cred”, I don't know what does.

Justice League of America #1

For my inaugural entry in this probably not even semi-regular column, I've chosen the imminently timely "Justice League of America #1". We'll get the meat of the “what does this have to do with the site?” question out of the way first. It has Superman in it. That's about it, and it gives me a chance to wrap up with the really cheap and easy, “who would you put in your ideal Justice League” bit.

DC pushed this hard, not only because it's a return of a flagship title, but because Brad Meltzer, of “Identity Crisis” and “actual published, popular novelist” fame is doing the first 13 (counting “0”) issues, and is responsible for the current line up.

In the interest of full disclosure, I'll mention my previous favorite incarnation of the JLA was Grant Morrison's inaugural run on the last “JLA” series. I enjoyed the idea that the JLA should be primarily composed of DC's most iconic characters. Well, DC's most iconic characters... and Martian Manhunter. Since I've given scout's honor I won't work blue on the mike here, I can't launch my scheduled tirade against Martian Manhunter, so let's just say... I'm not a fan of this “iconic” seventh or eighth wheel...

Meltzer's line up gives us most of the iconic core, and expands outward. Much of the issue is concerned with familiarizing new readers with the parts of the team that don't have that instant name recognition of a Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, or Green Lantern. I won't “spoil” the full line-up, though if you don't know it by now, then you're damn sure committed to avoiding spoilers, and I commend you for it. Technically the full lineup isn't firmed up this issue, unless of course you glance at the alternate “incentive cover”. Supposedly an 11th member remains shrouded in mystery, unless I've missed a Newsarama post or something, that is.

My guess: Flash. They don't have a “speedster” in the current lineup as of yet.

If the title “The Tornado's Path” is any hint, this first arc is focused on soon-to-be JLA member Red Tornado. The story shifts back and forth between the “Trinity”, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, picking potential recruits, and the immediate back-stories of the eventual choices. As the picking goes, it's obvious some are going to turn down the offer. The smooth interaction of the big three here is an enjoyable return to happier days, giving us assurance that, though they don't always agree, they aren't storming off to build surveillance satellites, or breaking people's necks.

The art by Ed Benes is consistently spectacular. There's no real epic throwdowns in this, the first issue, so the character work is key, and it looks great. From the Metal Men commiserating over the lifeless shell of Red Tornado, to the reaction of Oliver Queen to learning he was not to be team's archer. After suffering through the miss-mash of artists on Infinite Crisis, it was nice to see the story play out with consistent quality. I liked IC, don't get me wrong, and I would have waited even longer if they'd have let Perez finish the issues.

Meltzer's characterization of the major players is also key. There's “wiggle room” perhaps with the Vixen's and Black Lightning's of the world, but you have to nail Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Since most of their presence in this issue is conveyed entirely through dialog, it is even more important. He does an excellent job in shaping the characters through their choices for team membership. It culminates somewhat in a minor, friendly “spat” where each one's motives are laid bare: Batman votes only for those he trusts, Wonder Woman for votes for purely tactical reasons, and Superman for those he feels are “nice.”

So, why isn't Capitan Atom getting in? Because Superman thinks he's a jerk. That's good enough for me.

One thing I disagreed with, and Meltzer will probably refine this a little in the upcoming issues, was the characterization that the new team needed a “tank”, and that would be Red Tornado. Personally, I think they're overlooking the tall guy with the big “S” on his chest. He's pretty well known for being able to soak up a lot of punishment and then serve it back, with interest. Again, perhaps the idea here is that Superman isn't exactly a tank, but more of the “nuclear option” in terms of striking power. I'll give Meltzer time to flesh the idea out a bit.

So, bottom line.... Uh, well, I realize I don't have a rating scale... So, for now, just buy it and read it, you'll like it.

"My" League

Yes, pointless space filler, but I can't resist throwing my ideal League out there. The topic of a thousand fanboy forum posts, I'll toss my 2 cents in as well. Anyone who notices any patterns should just keep their damn mouths shut. I'm going off the 11 member scale, since that's what the current League is using, no other reason. You have to stop somewhere, after all.

• Superman
• Batman
• Wonder Woman
• Flash

Core DC icons, identifiable by the “man-on-the-street”. They're the A-game, bottom line. They include the next entry, but that one's a bit more complicated, since there are, technically, more than one of him.

• Green Lantern- But what one? You are no doubt asking... Kyle. Two reasons: 1, he's now Ion, and thus more powerful than your average GL. Or even your average bear. Again, this is the JLA, it's about hitting power. 2. I started reading GL when Kyle got “the” ring, so it's also a function of that. I like Hal, I like the fact that he's the “iconic” GL, but Kyle has more raw power now, perhaps even on a "galactic" scale, it remains to be seen. Besides, I always thought it was a great idea to make a graphic artist a GL.
• Supergirl- Let's, for the moment, forget the dodgy characterization going on at the moment, I have every confidence it will all work out. Bottom line, 2 Kryptonians are better than one.
• Power Girl- Um... let's just say... 3 Kryptonians are better than 2, and leave it at that.
• Big Barda- Hmm... getting harder to not make this pathetically obvious, isn't it? What have people got against tall chicks, anyway? Never bothered me, not one bit.
• Zatana- Wait, I know what you're thinking, but seriously, this is a purely tactical decision based on the need to have a powerful magic user. I mean, so what if she wears fishnet stockings and a top hat. Superheros aren't known for their general fashion sense.
• Hawkgirl- Eh, it's a buy, she's already on the team... Seriously, took me years to figure out these “Thanagarians” were all just wearing the wings and beaks. Again, I think we covered the fashion thing in the last entry. I'll refrain from making a horrible pun about chicks with mace, so congratulate yourselves on missing that.
• Phantom Lady- Um, really, this one is just a plug for the Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters mini coming out now. Quite the enjoyable read, indeed.
• Special “wildcard,” no-limit pic: Ice- Yes, she's dead, no, I'm not jumping on the “DC is screwing the JLI” bandwagon. Honestly, I never really cared too much for that incarnation of the JLA, and didn't read many of the pre-Death of Superman arc issues, they were pretty much broken up after that anyway. But Ice, man, I had a crush on her... No, really, wasn't a horrible pun. Well, it was, but I didn't mean it that way. I hated that they offed her in a pointless “big event” that only made me constantly ask... if this is just a huge threat, where's Superman?

In a pointless side note, it also always peeved me Superman never really acknowledged her death, when she was front row for his own.

So, on a pointless side note, I leave you. Hopefully you chuckled a bit throughout this little shindig, that was mostly the point.