"Draw yourself as Batman"

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While I won’t share all of the fruits of my progress through Barry’s exercises, I’m particularly fond – even though it’s difficult to make out my face, especially in C (vomiting) and D (passed out) – of the results of the Batman exercise (in the center card I’m making an omelette; don’t think I’m vomiting because of my omelette):

five index cards, clockwise from top left: me as Batman, screaming; me as Batman, making an omelette; me as depressed, droopy-eared Batman; me as passed-out Batman in a back alley; me as puking Batman, Joker balloon overhead.

Barrys’ instructions:

"For today's attendance card, you'll be drawing yourself as Batman doing something you did in the last 24 hours. Include your entire body and we need to be able to see your face. You have 3 minutes... Repeat this 3 more times. Draw yourself as Batman 

a. screaming
b. depressed
c. vomiting
d. passed out.

Include settings."

last week's comics this week, 2023w40/41

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No new additions to the list this week, but:

  • G.O.D.S. was solid and beautiful and longer but $9.99 solid and beautiful and longer? Price point destined to be forever a mystery. 50/50 on whether I'll continue – though I do want to re-read this issue before I decide on picking up the next: can't shake the feeling that I missed something.

  • FANTASTIC FOUR and BIRDS OF PREY are utter delights and I can't wait for the next issues.

  • BATMAN 138: I've loved Zdarsky's run (Zur FTW / adore Jiminez's art) but the Vandal Savage / Ra's angle addition to GOTHAM WAR is unnecessary and, so far, makes an intriguing concept far less; each have great potential separately – especially the Bat/Cat war with Zur taking over the Bat and the familial fall-out – but the clunky combination (so far) dilutes both. Still want to see how it plays out but I'm growing dismayed with its unfolding and want to get on with whatever the next status quo that this arc is clearly setting up may be. That said, I'm most curious about where Jason ends up in the wake of what happened here.

  • Bill Morrison's YELLOW SUBMARINE graphic novel adaptation is STUNNING; K is thrilled to have it in her collection.

accept / embrace

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Working still to accept that I won't have a "career" (whatever that looks like these days) as a writer and to fully embrace that I'll forever be underground, a blend of writing, pulps, underground comix, and cassette-trading electronica. Want to be the Jiro-restaurant, the little sushi stand in a subway station that strives only for perfection, knowing full well it can never be attained.

While there are mainstream things I’d like to accomplish – have to believe that I've got a Batman run in me somewhere, if only to satisfy the kid that hungers for it inside – I'm trying to be good with where I am and what I'm doing.

THE FLASH (Andy Muschietti, 2023)

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(Directed by Andy Muschietti from a script by Christina Hodson and starring Ezra Miller, Michael Keaton, Sasha Calle, Maribel Verdu, Ron Livingston, Michael Shannon, Kiersey Clemmons, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and Antje Traue. Released 16 June 2023; watched 2023w34 via Max.)

Still from THE FLASH: Sasha Calle's Supergirl arrives to kick Zod's ass.

That THE FLASH even exists as more than a punchline (box office returns notwithstanding) after nine years of development, a litany of directors and visions, and the unending drama in and around the DCEU, is cause for celebration (or at the very least, a slow clap); that it's as enjoyable as it is – though not without significant flaws – is reason for elation.

Excepting his choice in Batfleck's new costume (which raises questions about his taste when it comes to his upcoming take on the DCU Batverse in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD), the sometimes-jarring and unearned tonal shifts, and my general weariness with both Miller's take on Barry (their iteration is far too Spider-Man-y for my taste) and the lackluster supporting characters (though I would certainly alter the timestream to save Maribel Verdu) surrounding him, Muschietti, to his eternal credit, made the most of a thankless mission that, for the most part, didn’t feel like the Frankenstein monster of visions and meddling for which its production history had seemingly destined it.

Keaton's return as Batman was wonderful and welcome – though I can't deny that his iteration felt tonally out of place here; I wanted to be more excited than I was by his presence. Were the possibility not sadly precluded by his health issues, Val Kilmer's Batman would have been the perfect fit (as I said in my Postscript on my BATMAN FOREVER rewatch, his Bats is the one I could see figuring out how to survive a fall from outer space and struggling to raise Damien) for this take – and would have solved the issue of Nu-Bruce in the Gunniverse-adjacent Flash-DCU which elicited a smile but felt forced, at best.

While I have my fingers crossed that we'll get more of Sasha Calle's Supergirl – she would be PERFECT for WOMAN OF TOMORROW (though, admittedly, Melissa Benoist would be amazing too; if they were going to bring any two over from the CW, let it be her and Grant Gustin) – it's lamentable that THE FLASH will most likely be the final time we'll see not only Calle, but also Affleck and Irons – who I wish had gotten their own film series as I still want to know more about their Gotham (BATMAN '16 digital-exclusive comics, DC?) – and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman: all deserved better than development hell, Joss Whedon, BvS, WW84, and that atrocity of a Batsuit seen here.

But hey: if nothing else, THE FLASH earned its place on a pedestal for being the first superhero film to save a baby by sticking it in a microwave (the DCEU's version of Indiana Jones's nuclear fridge?) – and to FINALLY give us Nic Cage as Superman facing down a giant spider.