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December 19, 2005

COMICS 101 is in Session

IT’S (STILL) THE HOLIDAY SEASON

A quick addendum to my Holiday Gift Guide a couple of weeks back. One thing I meant to mention but forgot was the fantastic Star Wars FORCE FX lightsabers from Master Replicas.

Not only is it an exact 1:1 scale replica of the movie props for the lightsabers of Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker and Mace Windu, but the blade lights up with an ultra-bright 64-LED light array, along with with the classic sound effects, in sync with motion sensors in the saber’s hilt.

I saw these things all over the place at Comic-Con this year, and man, are they cool. They’re selling them at Best Buy right now, and you can find ‘em pretty easily online. Go to www.masterreplicas.com for a closer look.

Which leads me to this e-mail from a reader:

Amy P. writes: Dear Professor Scott,

I loved your worst-dressed list of super heroes! We, too, admire well-dressed super heroes--so we launched our company PureHero to offer aspiring super heroes performance technical fabrics (throw out the ol' screen print cotton tee) with innovative athletic styling. Our first collection includes cycling jerseys, BMX-inspired jerseys, and performance crew shirts featuring the classic iconography of Spider-Man, Captain America, Fantastic Four and the Punisher. PureHero products are official Marvel license merchandise and available in limited quantities exclusively online at www.purehero.com.

Your Gift-Giving Guide for 2005 already came out, but I wondered if you could give us a mention as a last-minute gift idea?

Tipton: Absolutely not. We won’t stand for this kind of shilling of wares here in the Mail Shoot. Even if you cleverly tried to tie it in to a recent column. Some things are simply not done.

Now, to the letters:

The Watcher writes: this email might be off topic because its not JLA related. this year marvel is launching a new defenders series. normally I would be very happy but when I found out the who's writing it and the story having a humorous direction like formally known as the justice league I can't help but be bummed. don't get me wrong though I like giffen and dematteis and I loved formally known as the justice league but the defenders are one of my personal favorite teams and I've been waiting for marvel to bring them back but I didn't want to see them like this. on the plus side they are releasing a essential defenders book.

but still I think marvel is misusing a team that has potential. http://marvel.com/catalog/showcomic.htm?id=2160&format=comic

Tipton: Well, considering that the last two attempts at a serious DEFENDERS revival both failed pretty fast, I don't see the harm in trying a different tone. Besides, Giffen/DeMatteis/Maguire, as I've been discussing in recent columns, get a lot of a bum rap for the comedy, as the original run was a pretty satisfying mix of comedy, drama and action. I'm enjoying it.

Randy writes: I really love your reviews.

Make me feel nostalgic for a by-gone era.

How about writing a review on Helena Wayne of E-2 considering the recent fan frenzy over the reference by Per Degaton to her in JSA #72?

In the original Crisis series, Marv didn't do justice with the death of Earth-2 characters like Robin of E-2 and the Huntress.

Robin of E-2 was the first sidekick ever in DC's history and the Helena Wayne Huntress was a very popular character with a huge fan base even up to this day (just check out the various comic message boards).

I have always felt their deaths were rushed and ill-conceived. I hated the Crisis for that.

I would like to know your comments on this point.

Tipton: I absolutely love the Helena Wayne character, and it always bugged me the way she and E2 Robin were swept under the rug in the last issue of CRISIS almost as an afterthought. I thought the mention of her in JSA and JSA CLASSIFIED was great.

The Helena Bertinelli version is a fair substitute, but nowhere near as cool.

Jeremy writes: Hi Scott. Ok, silly question time. Get ready. Do you know if it has ever been established that Arthur is a vegan? You know, like Changeling. One would think so. I mean, all the little sea critters would be pretty bummed at Orin if they heard that he had been frequenting the local Red Lobster or something. They'd give him hell for that kind of shit, right? I'd like to get your thoughts on this most important matter. Thanks.

Tipton: I remember reading that the Atlanteans hunt sharks for food, as well as lesser-developed sea life like shrimp.

Sean B. writes: Just finished reading the latest installment of the JL/JLI/JLA/JLE history. Well done! Bringing back a lot of fond memories. I took the Crisis/Legends revamps as a good point to jump into the DC Universe (read primarily Marvel before then) since I only had a passing knowledge of the major DC characters. Justice League was far & away my favourite discovery of that period. I started with issue #8 (the beginning of the full-on Bwah-Ha-Ha era. I quickly picked up 1-7) & was immediately hooked. Stayed with the title until about issue 45 or so (at least through the Wally Tortellini story) when the financial fun of college made collecting a lesser priority. I’ve always wondered what I missed. Sounds like I got out at just the right time (General Glory?!?). Can’t wait for the next installment to find out what (if any) good stories I may have missed from the last days of JLI. After seeing Beetle capped, I could use a laugh & a good read. Excellent work as always. Thanks again!

Tipton: Yes, you got out at almost exactly the right time.

John L. writes: Nice column on the Rocketeer. I was a fan of the film but never knew about the graphic novel. I have a question, though, regarding your identification of the rocket pack's inventor. I know that in the film it's Howard Hughes, but in the final comic page you provided, the two characters who dropped off Peevy at Cloverfield looked a lot like two associates of Doc Savage: Monk Mayfair (who was also a colonel) and "Ham" Brooks, the fancy-pants lawyer. Does the graphic novel say definitely that Hughes was the inventor?

Tipton: No, the comic leaves the question open, so a Doc Savage reference was definitely there as well.

James S. writes: Man I am at a loss with what's going on at the moment so many things are happening that my brain is going numb. I've written in before and living in England I can't regularly get comics so I pick up the trades now and again or get the ones that are receiving critical acclaim. Anyway the point of why I'm writing in is what exactly is happening in Batman. I've lost the plot after War Games (even though that lost the plot from the very beginning), and I've heard loads of things concerning Jason Todd returning and all this bullshit. Also I'm really confused by Countdown to Infinite Crisis and the respective miniseries to accompany it, just really what's going on. I mean, I'm trying not to sound dense here, but all I understand at this point is that Max Lord is apparently the head of Checkmate (how?), plans to screw the League over and murders the Blue Beetle because he wouldn't go along with his plans... EH?

Basically can you please clarify things for me because I'm a huge Batman fan and I'm so confused as to what's going on concerning him and his role in this new money-grabbing-scheme-by-DC-without-a-coherent-plot-and-alienates-the-old-fans-but-hey-as-long-as-it-makes-money-FUCK-THE-FANS (breathes for air), that I don't get it at all. All I can gather from messageboards and fan reaction is that at the moment he, instead of being the ultimate dark hero, has become a Nazi general who could care less about his family as long as they do what he says. There's being aloof and cold-hearted at times, but he loves them, and it seems that he's just being a dick. Is this the fate of all superheroes this day and age?

Also, have you started reading Amazing Spider-Man again? I know you dropped the book because of Sins Past storyline, but apparently the latest arc is meant to be really good. Also, what do you think of the current course of the Spidey titles, because I heard of his now organic webshooters and nearly cried.

Sorry if this sounds incoherent, the purpose of it really is what you think of the current course of comics at the moment. I just want to understand what's going on I'm really confused. I am really enjoying your articles on JLI at the moment you've convinced me to pick up the trades of these books. Screw Winnick and whoever made this new garbage I only like stories with plot and characterisation, not "oh I'm so shocked wait hang on I'm not really that kinda sucked" plot devices used to "shock" people into losing their money over crap.

Tipton: It looks to me like the overarching intention of all of this IDENTITY CRISIS/WARGAMES/COUNTDOWN stuff is a way to explain why Batman is such a paranoid, unlikable a-hole: it's all residual baggage from his being brainwiped back in the day, and he enacts all these plans and countermeasures to prevent it from happening again, such as his anti-JLA handbook in ROCK OF AGES, and the Brother Eye satellite, which has apparently fallen into the hands of Checkmate, as shown in the first issue of OMAC. As for the return of Jason Todd, your guess is as good as mine.

Never went back to AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, so I don't know how that is these days.

There are still as many good books as bad, so don't lose heart. GREEN LANTERN, JSA, TITANS, EX MACHINA, THUNDERBOLTS, GLA, and plenty of others make up for the real stinkers on the shelves.

Robert W. writes: I've been reading you Comics101 articles...eh except for your hatred for the Identity/Infinite Crisis stuff but I don't want to get into a battle over that please.

Anyway, I was wondering, how about you do an article, later, about the how the CRISIS-original characters (Pariah, Lady Quark, Harbinger, Dr.Light II) and discuss how unfairly they had been treated in the Post-Crisis Universe

I mean, Harbinger, who clearly was one of the few who WOULD remember the events of CRISIS, is put into the Post-Crisis universe as a person who doesn't remember who she is and can see in the future with the help of an orb AND she died in Superman/Batman #10.

Pariah...hardly been used

Lady Quark...stint in L.E.G.I.O.N. and died in #62

And Dr.Light II...while one could say had the best luck, as far as apperances in the comics go, of the four was handled THE WORST of them all! I mean, aside from her apperance in the first issues of JLA (and still be remembered to this day as a founding member still) which still kept her true to how she was in CRISIS, how she was treated afterwards was APPALING! I mean, first they reveal she's been a long time student of Buddhism...HUH?!? First off that sounds sterotypical with her Japanese origins and secondly, how does that explain her attitude from events in the past? Not only that but they changed her great black and white outfit to a YELLOW and white outfit! One of the most UGLY costume changes ever...I HATED IT! Then they made her more of a whinning confused and quiet character to boot...what happened to the stern, no-attitude, and some-what bitchy, Dr.Light II? THEN they decided to introduce that she, from a failed marria! ge, had two kids! Now I know EXACTLY why they did that...so they can have an excuse to hardly ever use her cause they set up she's the only one to take care of them...YET, at the same time, to explain where they had been before the time of JLI and JLE, they said they were with her mother...well why not leave them with her whenever she goes out to fight. Ok, sure Light became the leader of the JLE after Hal went nuts...for what? 6 Issues! Come on, that's just plain stupid and unfair. After that, aside from an apperance in the previous run of Doom Patrol, she has faded from existance to, of course, raise her kids...but I know she is NOT retired, just not fully active. She does make small one shot cameo apperances with no dialogue in them still when a massive crisis hits like Our Worlds At War.

Ok, it's obvious, I'm a Dr.Light II fan and proud of it! She is a great character who deserves to be handled better. I mean they treated the characters that came out of Crisis like the bastard children of DC...characters they never wanted but were stuck with so they decided, like most would in such a situation, to make their lives hell and screwy.

Anyway...hope you consider my article suggestion and reply back.

Tipton: I think the fading away of the CRISIS-born characters was pretty much bound to happen, since part of the purpose of CRISIS was to set up the newly unified DC universe, then pretend the old pre-CRISIS stuff never happened, so any character whose backstory depends on the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS was almost doomed to obscurity. It's a shame, too. Lady Quark and Pariah were pretty limited in how they could be used (especially Pariah -- only so much moping and sobbing I can take in a comic), but Dr. Light and Harbinger had a lot of potential.

And we’ve seen them pop up here and there recently.

And I didn't hate IDENTITY CRISIS, by the way. I had some qualms with the appropriateness of the story, but I've always said it was a well-done compelling read. COUNTDOWN, well, if you can't say something nice...

Ross W. writes: As a child my exposure to comic books was limited to the Animated X-Men and a box of old Marvel Silver Age titles, mostly X-Men and Avengers, that had belonged to my mother. I loved those old comics, with their slightly silly adventures, and gloriously unrealistic dialogue. The 1960s Marvel marketing had me hooked in the early '90s, and to this day I feel a loyalty to Marvel over DC and to the original X-Men over all other heroes. Perhaps I would have expanded into modern comics, but everything seemed senselessly violent and humorless. It all had too much Wolverine in it, on a metaphorical level even when the Wolverine overload wasn't literal.

Anyways, the years passed and I became a rabid fan of Joss Whedon's television work. And so when I found out that he was writing Astonishing X-Men I was compelled to enter the worlds of comics again. I read the trade paperback, and it was good (despite Wolverine- annoying Canadian managed to ruin the X-Men movies for me too). Good enough that I had to check as to whether there was anything else like it in comics, because I didn't want to miss that quality of storytelling.

And then I found your archives. In the space of around a week read them- a week later I found your mailbag archives and read them in a day. I was not astounded, since I'd heard enough vague references to the brilliance of Watchman and Neil Gaiman to anticipate your message, but I was indescribably ecstatic at the depth of wit and intelligence that seemed to permeate the comic book genre in your every column, and moreover at how comfortable you made me feel with jumping into the mythos. Today I read Grant Morrison's run of Animal Man, which I would never have even considered opening without reading your column. Tonight, after re-reading Animal Men of course, I may just have to order everything else Grant Morrison has ever written. Or maybe Starman. Or Astro City. Or the next volume of The Essential X-Men. Or the first volume of The Essential Fantastic Four. Or Thunderbolts. Or the Busiek run on Avengers...

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that you've done unforgiveable and terrible things to my disposeable income. Damn you sir, damn you.

Forever in debt to both you and my bank…

Tipton: You can't go wrong with STARMAN, I'll tell you that.

Luke writes: Hey, the names Luke, I've been reading your updates for a while now, and they are very insightful and have really helped round out my comic knowledge. Anyways, I picked up Paul Jenkins last issue of Spectacular Spider-man (#27) and thought it was fantastic. I had alread read issue 14 and found it to be one of my all time favorite comic stories ever, but the issues right after that let me down until 27. I was wondering what were some of the better Spider-man stories from Jenkins. Any help would be very appreciated.

Tipton: Honestly, I was never a big fan of Paul Jenkins' Spider-Man. I did really enjoy his Sentry miniseries from a couple years back, which is getting more attention now with the NEW AVENGERS appearances.

Kyle V. writes: Preach it brother, preach it from the mountaintops. recent decisions mad in the DC proper universe have left me seriously cutting back on my purchases. I've gone from about 10 a month to 3 and even those are on the bubble. I'm not saying that I don't enjoy a better richer more in-depth story for DC titles but that's not what's been getting produced now is it. this is simply a sad attempt by DC to try and compete with darker lines like Marvel's Ultimate line and failing miserably.

Erich R. writes: Do we know for sure that Ted is 100% Bucky Barnes dead? I ask because while he was shot in the head, the un-shown injury may not have actually been fatal. There's the chance that at last second, Max pulled up a bit and just put a nice crease in the top of Ted's head, and we could yet see him return. I kinda hope that happens....

Tipton: Based on his cremation at the beginning of THE OMAC PROJECT, that sadly seems unlikely...

Tom W. writes: I'm sure you're sick of email about Countdown so I'll try to keep this short.

Regarding DC's recent move towards revisionism in both Countdown and Identity Crisis - Lord keeping the League ineffectual and Silver Age villains being mind-wiped into goofy jokes - it seems to me that the whole process began a little earlier. But rather than the current direction, explaining away the DCU's lighter moments to fit in with a cohesive and darker universe, it was the other way around...

Before Vertigo seceded from DC, when the Mature Readers or Karen Berger titles were still part of the same universe as Superman, there were some wonderful interactions between the two. The Satellite JLA's appearance in Alan Moore's Swamp Thing is well-known, but we also had Superman turning up in Animal Man (for a handshake) and Doom Patrol, Mister Miracle in Sandman, all the magical characters in Gaiman's original Books of Magic series, and about half of the DCU in Rick Veitch's Swamp Thing. Of particular note in the latter series was the all-ape annual, sadly not included in the recent trade collection, which starred Gorilla Grodd and included every primate character in the company's roster.

Yes, it got ridiculous because everyone wanted Batman to appear in their books, but it was interesting to see, however briefly, a darker side to well-known characters, or to see Booster Gold and Superman utterly baffled by a surrealist painting that consumed a city. And it's hard to argue that anyone was done any harm by it - these weren't crossovers, just guest appearances in comics that remained on the fringes of the regular superheroic universe. At some point after the creation of Vertigo, however, the shared universe slowly stopped, with only a couple of nods to it in Mark Millar's Swamp Thing and the final issues of Sandman before Vertigo became a universe of its own.

It hasn't damaged the DCU particularly, though anyone wondering what happened to Lyta Hall has a long, strange trip in store, but I'd argue it has damaged DC. Vertigo has become the home of creator-owned projects, and repeated attempts to get their old characters up and making profit again (Totems, the various Swamp Thing relaunches) have failed because they're only allowed to interact with others in the Vertigo ghetto. John Constantine attended Hal Jordan's funeral, but he won't be looking him up now he's back. And, in the light of recent events, it was the beginning of a process of of homeogenization which has gone from eliminating the dark corners to eliminating the lighter side, so we just get many shades of grey...

I really enjoy your column. Thanks for listening.

Tipton: A very interesting track of the history. I agree, it was much cooler when Vertigo was just a creepier part of town that the DC denizens would occasionally stumble into.

Gavin J. writes: Recently I read through the entire 25 issue run of Booster Gold's solo series. Something I noticed is how it just falls apart at the end due to the DC Millenium arc. Mainly it's the parts that have to do with Dirk Davis, Booster Gold's close friend, agent and PR guy. Let me recap the story and tell me if this sounds familiar to you:

While dealing with how the other heroes look down at him, Booster realizes that somehow all of his company's funds have been stolen. Whoever is behind that starts setting up attempts at Booster's life. Booster then finds out that the one behind it all is his friend and associate Dirk Davis, a sleezy suit but otherwise decent enough guy. Not only that, but as a Manhunter, Dirk was evil FROM THE VERY BEGINNING! Despite inner dialogue and actions to the contrary, Dirk was playing Booster from the start. He then gave him the option to either join his side and betray his friends or die.

That's where the Countdown similarities end, since Booster decided to play along and later screw Dirk over. And you know what? Booster's still alive. There's a lesson in this, I guess.

But I find it funny how not only are the Max and Dirk revelations similar, but so are the way they're so contrieved when you factor in continuity. Interesting how this all pertains to Blue and Gold.

Tipton: Interesting. I'd forgotten all about Dirk Davis.

It really didn't make sense that Beetle wasn't smart enough to try to play along with Max in order to stay alive.

TV RECOMMENDATIONS

Sean B. writes: Hope you got to see yesterday’s hilarious Sideshow Bob episode of The Simpsons. The “plagiaristo” mugshot jokes about Family Guy & American Dad were priceless. Nice response to the Family Guy running over Homer joke from a few episodes back. Are these just potshots for the sake of a laugh or is there bad blood between Matt Groening & Seth MacFarlane?

Joseph A. writes: Did you happen to catch the Simpsons' awesome dig at "The Family Guy?" in last night's episode?

You know, I didn't even need that FAMILY GUY shot--I was already digging that episode... Sideshow Bob saying "I'll rock your world anon" was good enough for me. Good one. The FG/AMERICAN DAD jokes were just a nice, inspired bonus. And a really funny one. I thought the animation, with the Italian architecture and such, looked better than usual, too.

I doubt there's serious bad blood between the show's creators and FAMILY GUY's group of stoners, but at the same time, I could see THE SIMPSONS crew being a bit competitive over the fact that its lesser, derivative night-mate has been getting more of the attention of late.

Matt B. writes: lets be fair to the film version of how the grinch stole christmas.  If this movie is never made, Jeffrey Tambor never meets Ron Howard and Tambor is never on Arrested Development, and who wants to even think about that...Just thought it was worth pointing out.

happy holidays to all you guys and gals at poop shoot

Ryall: Thanks, and the same to you. And I appreciate yo at least pointing out that some sort of good came out of the evil that is that awful movie.

Eddie C. writes: Is there any truth to the news that either ABC or Showtime is considering to pick up "Arrested Development"?

Please tell me it is. If any show deserved to be saved by another network, this one is it. I'm also thinking how unfettered it could be on Showtime, really let loose. Though it would be more accessible on ABC. Tough choice!

Ryall: Well, it's true that they're talking, anyway. Not that Fox has officially announced its cancellation yet. I tend to think the show would have more of a life on ABC, simply because they can use some of that fat LOST revenue to keep the cast intact. Showtime might have a tougher time affording the show.

Chris G. writes: I know it's all tentative, and there's some major hurdles (like the price per episode), but I'm gonna think positively!

Even though Fox loses money on the first run, they make it back on DVD sales and, if they push through to 88 episodes, syndication.

On a mostly unrelated note about DVD sales, I think I've noticed a trend about good-selling DVDs, and it's that cult hits have big DVD sales but do poorly on the big screen. Specifically, I'm thinking of two theatrical flops of the past couple years, Serenity and (a little bit closer to home for this site) Jersey Girl.

I think Kevin is on the right track doing a smaller budgeted movie. As he's said in one of the shorts, even if no one sees it in the theater, it'll go into the black on DVD sales. Jersey Girl was in trouble because of Bennifer (of course) but also because it was about 10 million more to make than J+SBSB. If nothing else Kevin Smith (and, credit where it's due, Producer extraordinaire Mosier) has proven he doesn't need a big budget to make a film his fans will love and that will make money for everyone.

I think if Joss Whedon had gone STV with Serenity on a 5-10 million budget, he'd have a hit instead of a flop. Indeed, there's a rumor that the Buffy-verse may continue on STV, and I think that's the right move. Firefly cost about 2 mil per ep, so If they had 4 times that and stayed on the small screen, I GUARANTEE it would have made mad money. Plus, Joss could have played more to the fan base and less to the newcomers, cutting down on the exposition.

To make a long story short (too late!) I tend to ramble a lot.

Ryall: I agree with most all of this (especially the last point...)

Caged Heat

"bassplyr5150" writes:
I HEAR NICOLAS CAGE WANTS TO PLAY SARA PEZZINI

And that dead horse takes another hit!.

Ryall: If we have our way, that horse will be taking shots long after it's decomposed and rotting away... when they announce a movie called New Mutants 4: Demon Bear in 2025, I hope someone is still here to make a "I hear Nic Cage wants to play Doug Ramsey" joke...

Besides, whenever I need a good laugh, I do a search for "Nicolas Cage" at the site and see how many times we've gone to that particular well already.

Oh My Stars and Garters

Alfred R. writes: I am not a huge x-men fan, but I have seen the fox series and from all accounts I have heard, this is the one to rely one for close to comic as possible. with that in mind-wtf is with the x3 beast?

he looks like a blue ebenezer scrooge.

shouldn't he be reading a book or something?

also- he looks so small and unbeast like. I am glad they cast Kelsy Grammer, but I really hope they dont't whore him out as some sort of scare tactic.

Ryall: I like the Beast looking bookish--that was always the charm of the character, that he's this agile, bestial-looking hero who's also a well-educated, bookish professor. I just wish the movie version didn't look like someone I've seen at a comic con. The makeup thus far looked a bit too much like make-up. Someone said he looked a bit like Lemmy from MOTORHEAD with blue make-up--that made me laugh.

Pat B. writes: ou know, you guys have been making a lot of jokes about Brett Rattner ruining the wonderful X-Men franchise, but have you seen the new trailer? Sure, it's just a teaser, but I can't see how it could be BAD. I'm really excited about this whole Brotherhood/Dark Pheonix/Beast/Angel thing (no Gambit in the previews . . . hopefully he's not in it at all) and I don't see how anyone could screw it up, especially with the entire cast returning.

I think Colossus needs a bigger role though, and I doubt they gave him one.

Oh no! I was just looking through the cast on imdb to verify my "whole cast returning" comment and I didn't see Nightcrawler. Now I'm pissed. I would not trade a Beast, and Angel, and a Shadowcat for Nightcrawler (Emma Frost though. that's hot). Dammit.

Ryall: I'm glad not to see Gambit, either...

The trailer wasn't terrible, but still, Brett Ratner's not good. I'm pretty sure I saw Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in that funeral scene, too. And the Beast and Juggernaut both look a bit lame. Willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I also wasn't crazy about the script and the deaths in the movie (which the trailer just about spoils if you look closely, especailly at the funeral scene).

Losing Nightcrawler's a big loss, though, yeah--he was great in X2.

Typical Cubs Fan

"cubsfan94" writes: u suck and j and slint bob are gay just like u

Ryall: Not many dictionaries on the North Side of Chi-Town, eh?

JLA

Adam J. writes: I don't know if some other nerd beat me to this (very likely) but Warner Home Video announced that they are finally going to be releasing Justice League in a serious, season by season, DVD set.  Season 1 is due in March.  However, apprently there is some sort of Wide Screen controversy.  Season 1 was not animated wide screen, so that will be coming in normal, 4:3, full screen aspect ratio.  However, all subsequent seasons were wide screen, but WHV may release it full screen, to save money or some junk like that.  Who knows, right?  Anyway, here's a website with more info about it then I can give, and they also are starting the letter writing campaign to WHV to get the DVD's released wide sceen. 

Thanks,http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/jldvd.php

Ryall: Yeah, Bruce Timm is encouraging everyone to let Warner Bros. know that they'd like to see these episodes in widescreen format.

UPDATE: Tipton here. Good news -- the avalanche of e-mails, letters and phone calls to Warner Home Video has done the trick! From Season 2 on, JUSTICE LEAGUE season sets will be presented in widescreen format as originally intended. Give yourselves a pat on the back, everybody.

Photos of the Week

Ryall: Lest anything think OUR contests are too hard...

Robed finalists await their chance to claim "the Best Chest in the West" prize as they compete in the "Hairiest Chest Waxing Contest" at Los Angeles' Burke Williams Spa to celebrate the Unrated Edition DVD release of "The 40-Year Old Virgin" arriving December 13, 2005. Candidates were judged on hairiness, congeniality and best PG-rated scream.

OUCH. Contestant Korial Aylia winces during the waxing removal for "Hairiest Chest Waxing Contest" at Los Angeles' Burke Williams Spa to celebrate the Unrated Edition DVD release of "The 40-Year Old Virgin" on December 13, 2005.

Dave Schwartz, winner of Los Angeles' "Hairiest Chest Waxing Contest" proudly displays his "Band-aid Trophy" and his newly waxed chest with "The 40-Year Old Virgin" actor Miki Mia (right) in celebration of the Unrated Edition DVD release of "The 40-Year Old Virgin" coming December 13, 2005. A series of wax-a-thons were scheduled across the country last Tuesday to mark the official release of the DVD.

Ryall: And the award for the most boring key art of the year goes to...

Ryall: Finally, there's this, coming from Eli Roth and company:

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