phoenixastraea: (We can fix it)
So, when I was coming back from lunch today, I saw THE most beautiful man getting in and out of the elevator.  6'3", shaved head, muscular and dressed in an all white tracksuit.  For my rasslin' ladies, think of Tomko's build but with Angel's face.  WOW.  I told me coworker I wanted to take a bite out of him; dirty up that tracksuit a bit.  Whew.  *fans self*

Also, a fun meme from  [profile] hurrigirl

1. In a street brawl, who do you think would win Lady Jaye or the Baroness?

Ohhh, Baroness no question.  No offense to Lady Jaye or Scarlett lovers, but Baroness aka Anastasia DeCobray, was one badass chick. 

I also made a kickass Baroness for Halloween. ;^)


Yes, Cobra Commander is shilling dish soap; it's why I had to bust some caps.  My glasses were giving off glare, hence why I'm not wearing them. Wow, our costumes were awesome. Baroness doesn't take crap from ANYONE, certainly not Cobra Commander.

2. Who is your favorite comic book hero/heroine?

OH Lawd, this is really a tough one.  For men, it's easy: Batman.  Hands down.  He is beautiful in so many ways; character development, motivation, looks, achievement.  CLOSE CLOSE Second Place is Wolverine.  My Logan.  OH man, how amazing.  My brutal, intelligent, crafty, athletic, berserker rage machine.  Oh, and his eternal, angst-ridden love for Jeannie gets me every time. *Happy Sigh* Third place has to go to Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern.  In many ways, Batman and Hal are alike in how powerful they are, the pain they've gone through, and how they're ('scuse the pun) the best at what they do.  They differ in that, as beautifully put in Green Lantern: Rebirth (A MUST READ), Batman uses the darkness to get his job done, manipulating fear to his whims while Hal is all about the light: the green light of courage that opposes the yellow infection aka fear, as embodied in Parallax.  

As for my lovely heroines, I'd have to say it's an even tie between Catwoman and Phoenix.  Both powerfully independent women, both prone to both good and evil behavior as well as a love/hate relationship with their identity.  For Phoenix, it's the difficulties inherent in being an avatar for an amoral Elemental/Cosmic power; for Selina, it's the conflict between the sides of good and evil and the people in her life who wish she would choose.  Even so, both women have very rich, complex personalities: it's all about the Beauty of Gray with these women.  I love them for it. 

(I've also cosplayed them as well and may do CW again for this coming Halloween.)

3. If you could have any super hero's powers, whose would you want?
 
Probably Phoenix's; maybe it's cheese, but hey, she's a Cosmic Force! How can you beat that? She has total molecular control over herself and her universe (and multiple universes whenever she decides to fly out and see them).  Creation, destruction, telepathy, telekinesis, flying, healing, extreme ass-kicking.  It's all there. 

4. When did you start writing?

Probably when I was in elementary school.  It started off with the usual: crappy love poems, emo journal entries, etc but then it branched off into the fandoms that I love to this day.  It was around high school where I started writing lengthy fanfics that to this day, I haven't gotten around to finishing.  Possibly becaue they need to be almost totally redone! =^)

5. And my uber-serious question: Peanut Butter - Creamy or crunchy?

Creamy.  Jif.  Shaken, not stirred.  ;^)  PEANUT BUTTAH R SRS BZNSS.
phoenixastraea: (Snzzzzz!)
Supervillain Meme )

Ganked from [livejournal.com profile] greyjedi. I've so done that meme in the past, but its still fun. Some of it smacks you in the face with obvious; for example, if I say I don't steal, then I'm automatically not Catwoman! Pshaw! ;^)

Hmmm, other news. Not much. Am sure I will have something of more worth to say later. Until then, I love this icon so much. It's exactly how I feel at work today.
phoenixastraea: (Transporter Party!!)
So, I found this awesome South Park creator website, and was totally inspired by [personal profile] jadeblood's"Heroes" South Park characters...So....

phoenixastraea: (Default)
From the ashes... )

Kyped from [livejournal.com profile] poppy_kitty, with geeky love. Funny that I'm only 50% Catwoman, but when the main questions have to do with thievery, its pretty obvious who they're going for!
phoenixastraea: (Seeing Stars...)

OK, so....get this....They can make a kickass statue of this....which wasn't even in the damned movie...



WTF?!?!?!  

Two words, Ratner: FUCK YOU!! Why couldn't you have given us this scene? ! I'm wondering whether or not he actually took the time to make these scenes and then just cut them out to piss me off.  

*wanders off, steaming*

Oh, and by the by, this is a really fucking awesome statue...I just wish I could chop Scott out of it.

phoenixastraea: (The Kiss...)

I'm sorry my posts have been mostly boring stuff about my move; I promise I'll be over it soon but for now, its what's going on in my life.  I still hope to put up my review of Superman, as Pirates was pretty much pure enjoyment all the way through and doesn't require any dissecting from my English Major mind.  Superman, however, surprised me on many levels.  I find myself wanting to see it again, even though months ago I was adamantly and stubbornly sticking to my plan to boycott the whole thing.  I tell you, a good director can take any unsettling idea and make it golden.  Bryan Singer, I salute you for making a great Superman flick.  I'm also terribly upset that you didn't do X3...because Superman showed me just how glorious X3 could have been, or more to the point, how glorious Jean would have been. 

No, I'm not over that yet.  No, I probably won't be ever.  That was my one chance to see my favorite X-woman/cosmic power portrayed on the screen and its gone forever.  Leaves a bitter aftertaste, that does...Anyway...

I got some more organizing done today...brought up a shelving unit that my grandfather made for me back in elementary school into my room.  Its really tremendous that I find myself using this over a decade later...There's something comforting in that, I think. Its painted white now, but it feels right to have it here again.  I've got my stereo set up and some of my figures/tschotckes (sp?) set up, including my Vash the Stampede figures, my Jack Skellington with the 13 interchangeable heads, multiple figures of Phoenix and Darth Vader and all my Catwoman figure collections.  Its definitely feeling more like home. 

My cat has been serving as a second alarm clock for me in the mornings...its actually pretty great to wake up to her meowing instead of any alarm clock.  

In fandom news, I missed watching Hugh Laurie on Inside the Actors Studio, which sucks cause I was looking forward to that for a while.  Hopefully someone will put up a copy on the intarwebs somewhere so I can hear Hugh in all of his glory say "I'm game!" when a fan asked him about having a relationship with Wilson.  Simply awesome.   Yes, we slashers do indeed rule every once in a while. 

My icon is hot.  Matthew Grey Gubler of NBCs Criminal Minds is my new geek crush.  I love this series so much...I really can't wait until the new season starts! 

OK, I'm just being paratactic now...I'll stop when I have something more interesting to say!

phoenixastraea: (404d!)
First off, a thousand wonderful returns and birthday wishes to my dear friend [profile] theevilearl!  Happy Birthday, Lesley! You are much loved, my Shostakovich-obsessed friend! =^)

Secondly, I have to note that the Sloganizer dealio in my LJ profile said today: "Don't play with fire; play with Dirk Nowitzki". Friggen fantastic!

I also got to see France kick Spain's ass in the Round of 16 today! Brilliant! France hasn't been playing too well in this World Cup and since its Zidane's last year, I'd like to see them advance a little more.  Unfortunately, since they won, they now get to face Brazil. Sucks.  Germany v. Argentina next!! WOOT!

Aside from eating waay too many wings and having a blast at Lesley's party tonight, I was feeling uneasy.  It seems that the feeling of connectedness and productivity that I had when I was in MD evaporated like so much mist when I walked back in the doors here.  I suppose it was coming back to all the bills and rent I have to pay, whereas back in MD, I had some sense of running around DC a lot interviewing for various jobs and really feeling like I was on the brink of actually getting one.  On driving back in the torrential rain, all I could think of was how much mail I have waiting for me and how I need to get my loans consolidated in like, the next three days or else I die.  Oh, and apparently my roommate has been borrowing my DVDs without my permission, since I found my Incredibles DVD in the wrong place on my DVD stand.  

Now, with stuff like that, I normally wouldn't give a fuck.  All I ask, is that you effing ask me.  I don't care if you borrow a MILLION DVDs; I just want to know where they are.  I'm meticulous enough to know and smart enough to see a gap in my DVDs where I know one was missing.  All of a sudden, its miraculously returned? WTF? Just ask me! ARgh! It makes me feel like Spocko here when he gets 404'd! 

In other news, I haven't watched WWE in a LOOONG time but the other night I turned it on and it looked like they finally started giving the fans what they want! All of a sudden, JR has been rehired, Coach fired, Rob Van Dam has the ECW AND the WWE US Titles and Degeneration X has been reunited!!! OMG HOLY SH*T WTFBBQ!!!  Apparently, when I watch on a regular basis, they decide to crap on all of my fave wrestlers and create horrible storylines; when I stop watching, they get HHH and Shawn Michaels back together to do hilairous imitations of the McMahon's and dump horse manure on them and their dipstick Spirit Squad.  Absolutely phenomenal.  Long live DX!! 

So, we'll see how I feel tomorrow.  A good night's sleep will help.  I hate feeling like I'm riding this fine ragged line between together and unhinged...

P.S. For all of my X-Men fans out there, This is really f*cking funny.  *gigglesnort*



phoenixastraea: (Bring it!)
Meme from [profile] realcdaae:

One word, no explanations. 

Dig? )

I tag you, flist!

I also found this short and sweet review on MSN's "Hitlist": 

Movie Lowdown: "X-Men: The Last Stand" is a mixed bag. Longtime fans of the franchise will love the addition of characters like Kitty Pryde and Beast, but the entire picture moves so fast there is no chance to reflect on the many tragic events that should be more moving than they turn out to be. Additionally, scenes that would clarify the story line are bizarrely missing. So much so that if you somehow missed the last movie, don't even think of buying a ticket: You'll be too lost to follow the convoluted plot. Some of the blame must go to director Brett Ratner, but could the bigger culprit be studio 20th Century Fox itself? The movie feels like one special effects shot  after another was cut to keep the budget down. Plus, fans have been asked to wait three movies for Jean Grey to become the legendary Phoenix character, and there isn't one firebird effect? Shame, shame, shame. 

(The bolding in the last two sentences is mine and I couldn't said it better myself.)
phoenixastraea: (OTP2)
Well, I had a blast last night heading out with 12 of my buds to see X3.  I wore my Dark Phoenix shirt to celebrate the occasion.  

Be warned, I will be going in-depth over most of the movie here.  For those of you who are spoiler-wary, go no further...

phoenixastraea: (Smile for me)

[profile] poppy_kitty, this one's for you!  

So, I had written a huge response to all the X-3 hype that's been running around.  These are my qualms, my predictions, my anticipation, etc. 

phoenixastraea: (Wolvie)
Its my first attempt at a serious icon. Check it out, all you X-men fans.

Comments, criticism? It's my first real go at iconage (besides my hot Hugo icons, of course)!

It's a good night. =^)

Ad nauseum

Mar. 9th, 2006 11:24 am
phoenixastraea: (Bring it On Bitch!)
To quote Inigo Montoya in "The Princess Bride", I hate waiting.

For the most part, I think I'm a really patient person. Sitting alone with a book does not bother me. Having quiet time doesn't bother me. I am, however, bothered when I have multiple threads of life that must wait for one or more events to come to fruition before they can be tied up. Such is the case now. The past week I have done nothing but work and whine here on Livejournal and to anyone who will listen. I'm tired of doing that. Hell, I just did it again.

So, on a positive note, I'm sitting here today, finishing up the last few bits of research I think I must do before I pound out 20 pages by Tuesday. I can do it. I will do it. I must do it. I will feel better after having done it.

I also find myself daydreaming about Xmen. I blame the trailer for my current distraction. The fact that anyone dared to tackle the Phoenix Saga in a movie amazes me and therefore, I have high hopes for the movie. It may indeed turn out to be a Whedon/Claremont quickie, but I hope they make the most of it. Simply put, I admire Phoenix more than any other character due to the immense power she wields, what she must overcome to retain some continuity and unity of identity, and that she does it all for the nookie.

Just kidding on that last one. She has, however, made great sacrifices for the greater good and has retained the love of her friends through it all. The evolution of her character has been one of the greatest I think in Marvel history. She is the ultimate woman: friend, lover, mother, wife, widow, divorcee, unique (don't even mention cloning; I'm overlooking that for simplicities sake), independent, powerful, vulnerable, angry, sad, fulfilled, energized, weak, and goddess-like all in one. And men fight over her CONSTANTLY. Heh heh. Cool.

At any rate, I hope to channel some of that power today and Phoenix Force the EF outta this research/thesis.

Time to fire it up.
phoenixastraea: (Powned!)
Cool. Here at Bryan, working on my Thesis. Feeling better.

Man, Kelsey Grammer is going to be cool as Beast.

May put up another list of revelations after I work a little more.

Until then, worship my icon.
phoenixastraea: (WOOT!)
Well, the next two weeks are going to be a doozy.  First off, I have an interview with a high school on Wednesday, which fills me with excitement and trepidation.  I haven't interviewed before so I'm worried that I'm going to come off as either too talkative, too brassy, too nervous, or too...something.  I don't even know.  What I do know is that I really want this job and don't want to flub it up.  I also have to write a personal statement and start getting recommendations out to these people.  OH and I have to take the PRAXIS II sometime and get my SAT I scores for PRAXIS one.  ARGH!!!  

Classes are going really well.  These education courses are transforming the way I think about teaching, including my personal teaching philosophy and classroom management tactics.  Its just a constant flow of work that keeps me busy all week.  It's also quite daunting how much goes into teaching.  or at least, GOOD teaching. 

I REALLY need to get my thesis focused.  I know when I write something great and what I turned in back in January was not great. I could really use one more semester; I wasn't intending on taking these education courses so I meant to have the entire semester to devote to this project.  I don't regret my decision at all (indeed, it's the main reason I have this job opportunity) but its made my time so much more precious and procrastinating that much more difficult.  My prof wants to have a finished product by the 15th of April, so I'm going to shoot for that, which gives us enough time to edit and review for glaring mistakes.  I'll be happy for that deadline.  It's going to force me to kick my ass into shape. 

I need to get back to the gym.  Haven't really had time.  Going in the morning was a good routine but now I have some office hours to attend and to be honest, all the positive and negative stress that I'm under has me cherishing my morning sleeptime.  Even the obnoxious Kid Kraddick of 107.5 couldn't get me up today!

Speaking of waking up this morning, I woke up with a greater confidence in the X-men movie.  They're playing fast and furious with some key plot-lines (think of it as Claremont and Whedon having a dirty quickie in the copy room) but all the threads might actually come together with some consistancy.  Either way, I want to see Jean and I want to see her NOW!!!

I just need to survive until May; I should hopefully be able to make some key decisions as to where I live then (based upon job status, etc.), the thesis has to be bound and turned in by May 1st, and I should be able to return to enjoying the things I love like sketching, writing (for pleasure!), reading (again, for pleasure!), playing my flute, and even fencing.  

Thrilling, eh?  

Think I can make it?  Place all bets here.
phoenixastraea: (Default)

So Superherohype.com and Comics2Film.com were good enough to post these leaked photos of our favorite fiery Phoenix.

Famke looks divine although I'm not thrilled about some of the rumors that I'm hearing about the movie.  Scott dying at Jean's hand within the first few moments of her rebirth at Alkali Lake?  I mean, Scott's a total TOOL as a character but that's pretty silly.  Honestly, it's the fault of the writers that Scott has become the laughing stock of the X-Men whereas he SHOULD have continued to develop as a strong team leader, not someone who has lost confidence in himself after cheating on his wife with the former enemy, alienating the rest of the team in the process with his puerile behavior.  Ridiculous.  They had a chance to redeem him in the movies and started to do so; Marsden did a great job in X-Men and his performance at the end of X2 was fabulous.  Really moving stuff.  Killing him off only stifles the development of the character and the potential for a great performance in what purports to be a great film.  Or...what might very well be a mediocre piece of fluff.

I applaud the additions of Kelsey Grammar as Beast, Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut, and Twink the Electrocuted Tribble as Storm's new hairdo.  The first two should do an incredible job.  We'll see how well Storm's hair performs, along with her VASTLY extended role in the film.  One word: Ugh.  I maintain the position that I held from the start: Angela Bassett would have made THE best Storm, or at least, an extremely dignified one.  I am FURIOUS at her rumored "romance" with Wolvie.  I'm hoping...nay PRAYING that it will take the form of a one-sided infatuation, which will hopefully be met with indifference from Logan.  If this rumor turns out to be true...well...let's not go there just yet. 

As for my dear Jeannie...we'll see how the new director reveals her multifacted character.  If even 10% of what I've heard is true, the development of the Phoenix has been drastically abbreviated, adjusted, and remixed, which seems silly if they're actually making an X4 and X5.  Yet other reports have said that this movie WILL be the last in the series.  Then what's up with X4 and 5?  Ugh, I say.  UGH.   Being the purist that I am, I would have preferred the return of Jean be marked as the advent of Phoenix, not Dark Phoenix.  Yes, Dark Phoenix will cause a greater conflict, but resolving her death wont be as believable with the film's time constraints.  Somehow you're going to bring Jean back, make her evil, ally her with Magneto, appraise the world of her IMMENSE deadly potential and of the INCREDIBLE consequences for the rest of the UNIVERSE and then RECONTAIN her all in the space of 2-3 hours? 

I don't think so.

Oh, and did I mention that this director has managed to bring every other character in the entire FRIGGEN X-MEN UNIVERSE into this &^(#*$(#^#@ movie?!  Lets list them off, shall we?  Angel, Callisto, Jamie Maddrox aka Multiple Man, Psylocke, Jubillee, Sunfire, Arclight and more that I've forgotten since I read the articles.  I mean, JESUS!

*sigh* I'll be interested to see what happens as time gets closer to May 26th....

phoenixastraea: (Default)

Well, I just finished the second of three exams for this week. Things are moving along; not swiftly, but they're moving. Yesterday was both tense and amusing due to the unanimous reaction from my Fem. Crit classmates. We were all intensely frustrated at the very notion of being given exams as graduate students; as I told my friend yesterday, I thought that they were "a trivial exercise in testing us on whether or not we did the reading". My Shakespeare final, however, was not trivial, in that it made us focus on 5 out of 7 short passages, on which we were to do close readings, contextual analysis, or intertextual analysis.The rubric was helpful, the texts were insightful, and the work itself worthwhile. The other one...well, that was more trivial in nature, testing us on 600 pages of reading, 6 novels, and one film after a 5 page paper, a 20-25 page paper, and a team-teaching exercise. I mean, really.

All griping aside, I have my EDIS work left to do and one 20 pager to finish up for Shakespeare.Good ol' Shax; never ceases to get the neurons firing. Amazing that after so many years of reading those darn plays, I continue to come back to them with new eyes. I suppose thats a real tribute to his power as a writer.

In other totally unrelated news, my aunt's birthday is today! Huzzah!

I've also decided on an iRiver T10 mp3 player. I've read many reviews on its long battery life, amazing sound, and general excellence. WOOT!

I also had the pleasure of viewing the X3 trailer, which you can now see at www.x3movie.com. I recommend viewing it in High Definition: its the only way to fly (Be Warned: You need Quicktime 7 to view the site). Seeing Jeannie alive and well thrilled me, especially when she blew the hell out of the infirmary door. They also gave her waist length hair, a MUST if she's to become Dark Phoenix, IMHP(urist)O. The young Angel (Ben Foster) also looks pretty good, or at least, his wings do. Kelsey Grammar is STILL an inspired choice; seeing him on screen made me REALLY miss his presence in the first two movies. I am concerned, however, with the incorporation of the mutant cure from Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men #1-6 with Chris Claremont's inspired Dark Phoenix Saga.

I don't think that these two plotlines will mesh very well, considering that this cure was created by an alien race in order to prevent a prophecy from coming true, which foretold a destruction of their planet by a mutant.Of course, this would only make sense if Jeannie had already gone Dark Phoenix on the universe's @$$ and inadvertently destroyed a world in her hunger.There would be no need for a cure if the universe didn't recognize the immense destructive force that a single mutant can have on extra terrestrial worlds.  In short, Jeannie and Cure work as cause and effect. You see now how this makes no sense in the context of the third movie.If they do force these two plotlines together, I guarantee that it will be at Jeannie's (and the audience's) expense.

Call me obsessive, but I think the Phoenix Saga, truly beginning with Uncanny X-Men #101, was and is one of the greatest narratives in comic book history. It truly changed life for the X-Men and completely reinvented Jean Grey, making her even MORE of a beloved character by making her the most powerful damn mutant in the world.Hell, in the universe, even (now, don't get your panties in a bunch over my exclusion of Galactus; he's a cosmic force, not a mutant, whereas Jeannie is both( NananaNAna *pfffffffffffffffffffffttttt!*).I really don't want her time in the limelight to suffer because the execs at Warner Brothers and those producing the movie have decided to bite off more than they can chew for one film.

Another thing, I would have GLADLY gotten rid of Mystique in exchange for Nightcrawler. Now, I know that it doesn't work this way in the movies, but come ON, I want more Nightcrawler! I don't know what would be more expensive, though: Mystique's morphs or Nightcrawler's *Bamf*'s.

Either way, I can't wait for the movie to come out (May 26, 2006, baby!), though I will be watching with some trepidation.

phoenixastraea: (Default)

Ok, so good ol' Superherohype.com put this lil gem of information online: 'Lost' star Josh Holloway was up for the role of Gambit. Had they actually had the time/space/cajones to put Gambit in there (which they HAD hinted at by showing his name on a computer screen in X2), this is what he might have looked like:  

 

Not too bad, I say. Photoshop some red eyes onto that beeotch (a task for another night, I feel) and by jove, that ain't bad.  Kinda reminds me of Viggo, actually (who, IMHO, wouldn't be such a bad Ragin' Cajun himself). 

Thoughts?  I say that this one is a tough one to cast.  You have to have equal parts nonchalance, badassity, grace, and southern style.  Gambits not a pussy like Scott but he's not feral like Wolvie: kinda like a civilized, too-husky-to-really-be-metrosexual-but-riding-the-ragged-edge-of-disaster-type.   I think this dude fits the bill.

P.S. Ignore the breasteses in the pic.  I'm sure they wouldnt look like that with his posh overcoat on...

phoenixastraea: (Default)

Yeah, so despite all the papers and sh*t I have to do this weekend, Monday can't come fast enough.

For all you X-Men fans out there, check this out. 

(I guess they're really keeping our favorite fiery bird under (visual) wraps until next year...)

phoenixastraea: (Default)
First off, for all Xmen/Xbox fans, head to www.xmenlegends2.com to check the updates in the Mutant Vault. September 21, baby!! I canNOT imagine having to deal with the Four Horsemen PLUS Sugarman PLUS Lady Deathstrike PLUS Sinister PLUS FRIGGEN APOCALYPSE! All of these bosses are going to make dealing with Mastermold, Marrow, and Magneto seem like child's play. I'm seriously quivering in my boots as I write this...

Secondly, for those of you who love great writing, funny writing, and sensible writing, go here to read Stephen Hunter's brilliant article on "Hollywood Follows the Reader". If you can't reach it from this link, just Google it: you wont be disappointed.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/09/AR2005090900476_2.html
phoenixastraea: (Default)
I attribute/blame this odd entry on several nights' worth of unusual dreams.

It is in the nature of dreams for the dreamer to be so involved with their content until the very moment you wake up, and in the furor of attempting to remember them, they are forgotten. All I can remember of this particular dream was the fact that I spent a great deal of time flying through other people, Shadowcat style. I'm not sure what my purpose was in doing so, but it seemed to have some great effect on them. In other dreams, I have played the part of ultimate hero, miraculously undoing or healing many of the pains that plague this world...Specifically, I have cured many an environmental crisis, restored the Twin Towers to their former glory, and saved many a life that before would have been lost.

Is this all a display of a subconscious troubled by extreme vanity? Is this a byproduct of subsumed self-aggrandizement, my dreams displaying my eagerness for public acknowledgement of personal accomplishment? Is it only my idealistic desire to see a self-destructive world relieved of its burdens? Am I only guilty of overdrawn and absurd hope that some superpower/being would one day make it so?

Those who know me know of my rather deep attachment to the DC and Marvel worlds. As of now, they can boast of more original storytelling than we have seen in the entertainment industry for quite a while. Every once in a while a contrived plot comes our way and there have been recent disappointments (Im thinking specifically of the tarnishing of Leslie Thompkins' character in regards to Spoiler Stephanie Brown, and the most recent installment of House of M, which didnt advance the fairly interesting plot a jot), but even the movie industry is seizing upon the intelligent, emotional, and epic nature of certain famous comic book plotlines.

The strength, power, and dare I say, implied "American" wholesomeness and charm of Chris Reeve's Superman comes to mind. Then, the incredible portrayal's of Batman by both Michael Keaton and Christian Bale, who, as my friend David says, "represents the American reality in contrast with Superman's American ideal". Hugh Jackman, though much taller than Wolverine's canonical 5'3" stature, mades a HELL of a great Wolverine and I've been dreaming of Patrick Stewart as Professor X since I became aware of Prof. X. I could go on to talk about the excellence of Tobey Maguire and from there, onto the glory of all the comic book villains, starting with the illustrious Jack Nicholson and continuing with the greatness of Willem Defoe.

Hell, I could prob turn this into another friggin essay where I further glorify my fantastical childhood heroes. But I wont.

The point of all this is, society seems to needs superheros today more than ever. Epic films of triumph over adversity seem more pertinent now to us than ever before. Lord of the Rings DEFINITELY fits this mold; these are the films society seems to crave. Fantastic Four, Constantine, X Men 1-3, hell, they're even bringing Wonder Woman into film form and it doesn't stop there. I heard recently that Marvel is making its own film company since this business has become ridiculously profitable in the past 5-10 years. While not all of the above mentioned films are fantastic (*cough cough *FFour!* cough), their presence is undeniable and it's drawing movie-goers and comic book fanatics to theatres like flies to honey. Skeptics may argue that, boiled down, most of the movie plots out there are about personal transformation and conquering great personal, social, and political obstacles towards a known goal. If thats the case, what differentiates superhero movies from regular plots where Harry Meets Sally and the Untouchables meet Capone?

Despite the logic of that argument, theres something more that a superhero brings to the story: the near guarantee of triumph, and the renewed hope of CONTINUED protection from evil. Thats not to say that a lil bit of Kryptonite wont bring down Supes like a bullet could bring down a soldier, but the very fact of his difference and separation from the rest of the human race gives us hope that the cyclical nature of humanities failings just cant right now. At this time in our lives, I think that many of us have so long lacked any sort of superhuman, or dare I say, godly presence in our lives, that the desire for the fantasy presence of a superhero subconsciously illuminates our need for an ACTIVE, VISIBLE God-figure in our lives today, to set events right where we can't and KEEP them there. Yes, we have heroes in our midst, but forgive me for saying so, the Fire Department just ain't the JLA.

I've reasoned myself to this point. Does this mean that in all my diverse obsessions with Batman, the Xmen, the JLA, Green Lantern Corps, etc, I'm really unwittingly yearning, nay, PINING for the substantial presence of the divine in my midst? For some inkling of hope that injustice can be corrected, even if its by a man in blue tights, sporting a red cape and a spitcurl?

I really don't know. Maybe I am. Either way, its times like these I sure wouldn't mind a set of adamantium claws....

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phoenixastraea: (Default)
Phoenix Astraea

April 2017

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