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Actions Comics Annual #10: I actually liked this. My only issue is that there is no respect for continuity. Geoff Johns is one to respect continuity via his JSA comic so I find it funny how all these Crisis / Zero Hour type stories tend to be meaningless and eventually ignored after a certain time. There are so many continuity contradictions that you can clearly see that the editors are not doing their job.

I love the first issues that Johns, Donner and Kubert (BTW, Kubert is doing what IMO is the best art in his career. You can see the love he has for the character flying out to the reader) did as it feels like they’re doing new and interesting things with Supes. It doesn’t feel like they’re Writer X who creates new D-list villains that no one will remember or care for and have plots that make The Image Comics of the 90s look like pearls of wisdom.

Annual #10 had some interesting moments giving readers a glimpse of what’s to come. I like seeing different artists capture each small story and was impressed with the Arthur Adams and Gary Frank’s work. Everything else in the middle was alright, nothing to talk bad or good about. Overall, I look forward to what that trio has in store for the Man of Steel. I haven’t like Superman more since Byrne wrote and drew the character in the 80s (yes, he may be an asshole in person, but he was once a talented asshole).

Wow, I mean WOW, was that story a lazy, derivative piece of crap.

The art wasn’t bad at all though, IMO.

The standout though, was how conspicuously awful the lettering was. I mean really, really awful. Given the story, for the LETTERING to be the worst bit? Ouch.

(Quick cultural lesson: in Spanish, the word for vacation is vacaciones and the word for cows is vacas. It is common [at least in my family] to shorten vacaciones to vacas when wishing someone a good vacation; therefore the sentence always becomes “Enjoy your cows” instead of “Enjoy your vacation.” This has been a public service announcement from your buddy Adan.)

Not a STRONG argument, I grant you, but it’s something. :-)

Trail of Tears was all right to me but nothing in it really jazzed me. Which is what I desperately need right now to be interested in a Ghost Rider title after the disappointment of Way and the predictable lackluster end note of the Finale. I was glad to see Garth Ennis really do some characterization and lots of quiet scenes that were effective, but I think I just needed at least one or two more pages of haunting imagery to get me jazzed up.

Action Comics Annual was a disappointment for me in a number of ways. The stories weren’t bad, but they’re rather contradictory to some Superman stories we’ve had in just the past three years, stories we were told were setting a new standard at the time. Birthright said Clark didn’t learn Kryptonese or his real name until he was 25 and Metallo regained a mostly organic body a couple years ago. Where are the editors?

And no one will ever convince me that Gold Kryptonite, as it stands, makes any sense. If it takes away the powers permanently, why not use it EVEN ONCE against Superman? He’ll recover from Green K, all right, but Gold? Just chuck the damn thing at him!!!

On the other hand, I’m glad they were careful enough to merge the silver age and post-crisis takes on Kandor and who possessed it and to say that “true” Kryptonians don’t actually live there (way to remember Tolos too!) and Non’s new origin was cool to me (especially since he was never in a comic book until a couple months ago). Also liked that we’ve definitely got the Pre-Crisis Brainiac back.

I can’t even talk about Secret. I just can’t. :-P

Sorry this was longer than I expected. You guys know I talk too much.

Interestingly enough, that IS in fact the plot of an old teen horror movie. Anyone remember the name?

that’s a stalemate, sucka.

well, so do us boys.

Perk up ….you’re still on the right side of the grass.

Join the club, Adan. I’m 30 and the chicks I think I still have a chance with are now calling me “Sir.” Let the hate come. Just let it come. It feels so natural. Life will be easier if you don’t fake it.