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DC's Countdown to Final Crisis: A Rant Review

You'd think that with a title like "Countdown to Final Crisis", I'd have realized that Countdown was merely a prologue to the much-anticipated DC event called "Final Crisis". But with 52 issues under its belt, I think I was pretty justified in my assumption that the final issues of Countdown would actually BE the Final Crisis.

Instead, a few weeks after the final issue of Countdown comes out, we get DC Universe ZERO... which is, yet again, a prologue to each segment of the crisis as it will be released in ALL THE MAJOR heroes' INDIVIDUAL books.

Well, shit.

Grant Morrison has already stated that the Batman: RIP storyline is going to run for six issues, so this means that we've got Final Crisis issues running individually on Batman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, as well as a couple of mini-series with (no doubt) stunning revelations that only insane completists must own ON TOP of the ACTUAL Final Crisis.

So, to recap: You remember the past 52 issues of 52? You don't have to own/have read that. Countdown which was, mind you, a hefty 51 issues (counting down from 52, duh) was the actual prologue EXCEPT nothing of great importance actually happened in it! You get a bunch of secondary characters, kill a few of them, and omfg IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I'm guessing the only books that you need to read/own to understand Countdown are the main hero books and the actual Final Crisis mini.

Clearly DC cares more about making as much money as they can off of stupid completists than actually TELLING any stories, or they would've started off with Final Crisis SIX MONTHS ago.

I miss the days when "big events" would happen over the course of 12 issues (more or less, anyway). 52 issues of 52, 51 issues of Countdown, craploads of mini-series revolving around the 52 other worlds, and now 6 months more of prologues. Damn.

What the fuck, DC.

LIZZ'S "WHAT IF": Imagine if Marvel had given the 14-issue "X-cutioner's Song" the same treatment. We'd have 50 issues of an all-new mini series with Scott being emo/Jean and Ororo having a catfight/Bishop's life story/(insert random x-man here) suddenly becoming uber important/etc. before Xavier ACTUALLY GETS SHOT.

And again: WHAT THE FUCK, DC?!

I'm starting my new job tomorrow, so I felt quite justified in spending today eating cheetos and rewatching my favourite romantic comedy "Something's Gotta Give".

To everyone who's never seen the film, it's about 50-something Diane Keaton falling in love with 60-something Jack Nicholson-- the only catch is that Jack is her 30-year old daughter's (played by the gorgeous Amanda Peet) boyfriend, and that she herself is kinda seeing a 30-something doctor (played by pretty boy Keanu Reeves).

Out of all the "Notting Hill"s and "Love Actually"s out there, it's ironic that my favourite RC is spearheaded by a protagonist who isn't even remotely in my age range. Also ironic is the fact that I relate to her the most (again out of all the Julia Roberts/Sandra Bullock/Keira Knightley heroines out there).

Keaton hits all the right buttons, I think. She's the mom you always wanted (or in my case, actually have), she's the accomplished professional that we all want to grow into, and she's flawed and neurotic enough to push all my OC buttons. Frances McDormand plays her sister Zoe perfectly, and again this is ironic because I don't have a sister and yet I relate to their relationship so much.

Maybe I'm just in a particularly speculative mood today, or maybe I'm just a sap in general. But out of all the parties, concerts, and girl's nights out I had since getting back to Manila, today proved the most introspective.

Tomorrow, I'm starting my new job as a graphic designer for a European-based company in Eastwood.

Hello, next chapter of my life.

I can't wait. :)

I'm leaving for China on the 17th and I've got a few interviews lined up before then. Thank God my phone is on quad-band-- I'd hate to miss the results (or lack thereof) of the interviews. Almost all the jobs I'm applying for are in Eastwood, which makes me really happy because it's a fifteen minute drive from my house.

My portfolio is wanting for an upgrade, though, and I've been a bit busy trying to get it all together. Hopefully it's one thing I can definitely accomplish today.

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

02:25 Contender: Asia - better than sliced bread? Hell yeah. #

02:26 John Wayne Parr is a god. I would kill to see a match between him and Yodsaenklai in the finals. #

02:27 Who would've thunk that a reality series based on Muay Thai could be more interesting than boxing? #

02:29 On the fight between JWParr and ZADominik-- I wasn't aware that a person could take so much hurt in such a short time span. Damn. #

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Sometimes I wonder what I'm more frightened of: Failure or Success.

...corporate monkey whore.

I have been back in Manila for a total of 13 days and I've been trying to get a job for 10 of those days.

In the midst of renewing old contacts (partying), seeing old friends (partying), and fixing my papers at the Uni (partying later), I have been sending out emails, resumes, inquiries, etc. In the space of a week, I've written more cover letters than I have in my entire 5 years of freelancing as a graphic artist.

The thing about working in Japan is that everything in Manila feels just a little bit off somehow. It's not the money, because God knows the cost of living is pretty much proportionate to the salaries we get, but rather the way the machine works.

I wouldn't say that job hunting in Manila was necessarily more inefficient, but I would say that it quite definitely takes much more time. This is ironic because I am applying primarily through the internet, which should expedite rather than hinder the process.

With all the trouble I'm going through looking for a full-time job, perhaps I'd be better off staying freelance.

Tch.

So. The thing about being away from home for a year is that when you get back, your reaction can only go two ways. Either you A) Hate everything. or B) Love everything.

I find it somewhat ironic that I strictly belong in the B category right now, since I was never really happy with how things were run in the Philippines. I mean, driving here is insane and traffic rules are suggestions rather than law, but now I'm actually so damned happy to be back you can't even believe it.

It's absolutely brilliant: Everything is dirt cheap. You don't have to make an appointment a week in advance to see friends. People aren't afraid to show cleavage (not that Japanese women have any cleavage to show, but you get the point).

I feel like I've been holding my breath for the past year and I finally got the chance to exhale.

I feel *fantastic*.

Manila: Your weather is obscenely hot and half your drivers should be in jail, but you're mine and I love you. Don't ever change.

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

02:29 oh my god i'm home. #

02:29 the new puppy is adorable. and also, i am in love with my brother's new car. i must kill him and steal it. #

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I'm sitting at the Narita airport waiting for my flight back to Manila, surrounded by a crapload of Filipinos from America (and some tourists from Japan). After a year of having to concentrate to understand the random conversations of the crowds around me, it was somewhat disconcerting to sit in a the middle of a crowd and be able to understand every fucking word that was being said.

It was mostly posturing about how they were pissed at having a layover in Japan but not being able to go outside (because they didn't have a visa), and boy does that get repetitive.

And if that wasn't enough to remind me that I was going home, there was a periodic announcement from North West airlines asking if anyone was willing to give up their seat (!) and take a 9:30 am flight tomorrow instead in exchange for a USD400 voucher (!!). After a year of the absolutely fucking stringent Japanese and their perfect systems, I could't believe that this airline had either a) Overbooked or b) Had A Really Crappy Computer Malfunction.

I was almost tempted to take the offer, but I remembered that I had appointments lined up tomorrow and didn't really want to cancel.

Ah, well.

The next few days are going to be really interesting.

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

00:07 Should I buy a Wii before coming home from Japan? :D Hmmmm... #

00:10 Busy, busy bee... and right in the middle of pollen season. My how I hate Japanese weather. #

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I am appalled at the sheer amount of *stuff* that I have accumulated during my stay here. What on earth possessed me to leave this behind when I sent all my boxes ahead? I swear my suitcase looked larger when it was empty. :(

It looks like I might not be able to buy a Wii because I'll have NO PLACE to put it.

*makes vague grabby hands at all her gorgeous clothes* I can't bear to leave any of you behind!

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

19:17 I just had about 24 hours of sleep. Had to miss work, but at least my fever is gone now. #

19:17 And in other news, mother just sold my car today. *sigh* #

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02:26 Wow. Looks like I'll be working until the 26th instead of the 24th. Thank god I have a night flight on the 27th. #

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04:54 It's five in the morning and I need to get up in 4 hours. There is something seriously wrong with my body clock. #

04:56 Why oh why can't I sleep? #

04:57 Is it because someone up there is secretly conspiring to make me unhealthy and therefore chubby and depressed? Arg. I hope not. #

04:58 Why don't any useful epiphanies come at 5 in the morning? My brain's not working properly. #

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At my brother's recommendation, I picked up Mark Millar's "Wanted" and read it over the past few days. I have mixed feelings about it because I actually really like the magic of superheroes, but I can't deny that this very anti-hero mini-series was just really, really well-done.

It's a little bit like Garth Ennis' "The Boys" in that it's got a lot of anti-superhero sentiment, but while "The Boys" just tells you that Superheroes are in reality all assholes underneath, "Wanted" tells you that they're all dead (or close to it, anyway). In the world of "Wanted", the supervillains have taken over the world and brainwashed us (the common folk) into believing they'd never existed.

The writing is (as to be expected from Millar) very strong, but I found that the book's lack of a protagonist that I could identify with largely unsettling. In "The Boys", the reader was meant to identify with the bumbling Wee Hughie. Sure, he killed a superhero every now and then, but he always felt *bad* about it, (and they were usually assholes, anyway). The Butcher (a.k.a. the bastard, iron-for-blood team leader) may have been the cool one, but Wee Hughie was undoubtedly the protagonist.

In "Wanted" we have your basic three leads: Killer (protagonist), Fox (love interest), and the Professor (mentor). Given that Killer's backstory includes a Neo-esque (ala Matrix) beginning, you'd think that reader would easily identify with him. But as the story progresses, he just... well, he just isn't likable. He's a prick, really, and not somebody I would like to know, much less *be*.

Fox is basically Catwoman (of Batman fame), but I have difficulty empathizing with her, as well. Her background wasn't really developed all that much, except for establishing that she's hot, an excellent killer, and really great in bed.

All told, I liked the Professor best of all. He was the brainy, inventor type of villain, and I've always enjoyed that stereotype in mainstream comics. He was the Morpheus to Killer's Neo, and he served his purpose fairly well.

In any case, in the midst of pages and pages of Killer and company killing a whole bunch of people (mostly innocent bystanders and non-powered common folk), we are told snippets of what happened to the heroes of old. Superman is dead, Batman and Robin are old has-been television actors, etc.

The actual plot is pretty much your regular "Hero's Journey". There's a call to action, a training period, and a "save the world" moment. (Or in this case, "screw the world".) It's a straightforward superhero story from beginning to end, except tilted at a 90 degree angle; the perspective's slightly fucked on everything.

In any case, the most depressing thing about "Wanted" was that I kept waiting for heroes-- *real* heroes-- to come in and save the day. Never mind that it was a Top Cow publication and that in logical terms, no Marvel or DC character would ever step into it. I couldn't bring myself to root for Killer, and as hopeless as it was, I kept wishing that the superheroes would come back and save the world.

They don't, of course, and instead we get more pages of Killer killing all the bad guys who aren't on his side. And there's a bit in the back of the book where Killer makes his choice to remain a supervillain (after he's killed all the supervillains who were in his way), and he breaks the fourth wall as he describes the mundane life of the stereotypical comics fan and tells us that we're screwed.

If I were to search for a "deeper meaning" in this book, it would be this:

Hoping for superheroes to rescue us is an exercise in futility.
Supervillains control the world.
We're all mindless sheep who exist only to be gunned down at random.
Humanity is screwed.

This is actually quite clever because it shows us in pretty pictures and clever dialogue what the newspapers tell us everyday: There are no superheroes. Assholes are in charge of the world. Humanity is screwed.

It's escapism so far out that it goes full circle and ends up firmly set in reality-- to say that "Wanted" was an unsettling read is putting it mildly. All told, I have only one thing left to say:

Mark Millar: you are a bastard and a genius. In that order. Never stop writing.

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

01:16 I will break into the international comics industry this year. (repeat 5 times) #

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01:29 The thing about me is that I have a ton of great ideas that I get really into but quit midway. Here's hoping I actually finish this one. #

01:30 I've got to cancel a crapload of utilities tomorrow. Oh, how I abhor moving. (But yay, home in 23 days!!) #

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00:02 Finished the last commission (storyboards this time) on my queue. Whew! Just in time... my life's about to get really busy. #

00:02 And in other news: 25 days to go before I get home! :D #

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Action Comics- I've been a fan of artist Gary Frank for as long as I can remember. His run on The Incredible Hulk back in the nineties was exquisite, and the way he draws expressions is just marvelous. His Superman in Action Comics' current run is a dead-ringer for Christopher Reeve, and his storytelling has improved quite a bit since the old days. Very nicely matched with the fun, campy stories that the Legion of Superheroes are known for.

Green Arrow and Black Canary- This is a new series, and I admit I was somewhat hesitant about picking it up due to the fact that I've never been much of an Arrow fan. I read practically all the books in the Batman family, though, which probably means I'm a fan of dysfunction. Hah. In any case, GA/BC is an absolute delight to read. Chang's art is simply gorgeous-- almost nouveau, even, and it complements Winnick's almost Peter David-esque stories with surprising aplomb. And hell, as dysfunctional as this little family is, this book is an extremely funny read.

Nightwing- Currently featuring the best writer/artist team-up to ever grace the pages of this book. Tomasi, Morales, and Bair: You are Gods among men. I hope you never leave this title.

Robin- Not quite sure what I think about Dixon (there are some patchy bits in his writing), but Batista is pretty good. Considering that the quality of Robin artists hasn't really been that great, it's pretty easy to be "the best artist to ever grace this title", but there you go. Batista's art is uneven in some areas, but the middle pages of 171 are exquisitely rendered.

Countdown to Final Crisis- My interest dropped after Jason Todd and company left Earth 51, but I'm still reading in order to keep up with the inevitable Universe-shattering conclusion. 8 issues to go before the end!

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

13:39 I just finished packing a year of my life into 2 large boxes that I'm sending home ahead. I feel oddly lighter. #

13:40 And in other news, I have hay fever. My god, I hate pollen season. Yet another reason to hate Japan's weather. #

15:58 I've said it before and I'll say it again: Gary Frank is ridiculously talented. His work on Action Comics is exquisite. #

15:59 Frank's take on a young Superman with the Legion of Superheroes is brilliant-- he captures Christopher Reeves' facial feaures to a "T". #

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23:53 Saw a brilliant Gay and Transexual show in Shinjuku this evening. My year in Japan just ended on a perfect note. :D #

00:43 And in other news, I received a kiss on the cheek from the gorgeous transexual diva Miss Jennifer at the end of the show. #

00:44 Her ass was far better looking in sexy fishnets than mine. This should depress me but it doesn't. Break gender barriers, people!:) #

16:00 Oh maaaan. BBC's "Extras" is like a 30-minute show of every embarrassing moment in my entire life multiplied by 3. Absolutely *brilliant*. #

16:21 "Extras"' Maggie is the stereotypical dumb best friend that every single one of us has ever had. Can't live with em, can't kill em. #

16:47 Oh my god. David Bowie guesting on Extras 2x02. This show never ceases to impress me. #

18:23 "Have you still got that catsuit from the avengers?" XD #

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• 00:48 Abstract art is a product of the untalented, sold by the unprincipled to the utterly bewildered. (Al Capp) #
• 14:09 I'm off to get my hair straightened! I've gotten tired of it being so curly... #
• 14:11 And in other news, just watched a 6-year old sing on the Brit equivalent of AI. She's better than all the Carries and Fantasias out there. #
• 19:06 I got my hair done and I love it! :) It's a little on the emo side, but then most assymetrical cuts look like that. #

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I arrived in Toyko approximately 11 months ago, ostensibly to study Japanese culture (i.e. language) as a foreign exchange student with 2 art degrees and a total 7 years of university education under my belt. Given the fact that there was little relation between my Fine Art degrees and what I would be required to study here (electives notwithstanding, of course), I felt that my primary goal would be to "find myself".

I considered this study leave as my last hoorah before starting life in the Real World of 9-5 jobs and non-existent summer vacations. If there were any other goals in my life that I wanted to attain, I would do my best to plan my future towards them while I was here. In other words, I came to Tokyo to *think*.

Considering the fact that I broke up with my ex-boyfriend (whom I was with for a whopping 7 years), and that I would be away from my mother who was, as is common among any person bereft of a Y chromosome, the biggest influence in my life, this time alone proved an excellent opportunity to find out what I really wanted in life.

I was no longer my mother's daughter, no longer Nathan's girlfriend-- for the first time in my life, I had no one to please but myself. My mother, as all mothers tend to be towards their children, tended to be on the "freakishly controlling" side. She had an idea about how I should wear my hair (quite long and chemically straightened), how much I should weigh (always less than what I currently was), and how I should dress (girly and a bit on the dressy side). And, oh! What boundless criticism I would receive if I strayed from her purported ideal.

Nathan, on the other hand, never criticized my appearance. He did, however, "require" a girlfriend who was as physically fit as himself, which is why at 24, I have a fifth degree black belt in Arnis that I'll probably never use for anything. During my time with him, I spent more hours in a day training than painting. All well and good for him-- as a sports science major, it's right up his alley. But I was an artist, and the time I spent doing sports was time I should have spent honing my craft.

I could have said "No", of course, but at the time I didn't even notice that I was living other people's dreams.

During my time in Tokyo, I was isolated. I speak passable Japanese but not enough to hold any sort of meaningful conversation, and thus spent the time relearning what *I* enjoy doing, instead of doing what everybody around me likes.

I went to design fairs and art shows and museums. I kept my hair page-boy short and loved it every day. I painted more than I exercised and I grew leaps and bounds as an artist. I stopped checking my weight everyday. I stopped going on diets. I danced, loved, and sang (badly, because some things never change-- not even in the land of karaoke).

And I lived life as myself.

I may not have decided what I want to do with my life yet, but at the very least I know that I'm making the choice as myself.

Japan is a strange, beautiful, frightening, awe-inspiring, racist, perfect, flawed, angry, polite country.

I'm going home in 30 days. :)

Lizz on Twitter: labuenaventura...

• 00:30 Holy crap! Chigurh WAS in the room when Bell entered! sahajayogi.150m.com/chigurh.html #
• 00:30 And that totally put a new spin on things. No Country For Old Men= best movie this year, plzwinkthnx. #

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"In Russian prisons your life story is written on your body in tattoos. You don't have tattoos, you don't exist."

--Eastern Promises

2008 Oscar Favourites

Best Actor: After watching "Eastern Promises" leading man Viggo Mortensen, I've got my fingers crossed for his win. Featuring the most disturbing fight sequence in a sauna I've ever seen, Mortensen gets cut, sliced, and stabbed several times before successfully killing his Czech would-be assassins. I'm not sure what was gutsier-- the fact that the moves were so NOT slick (eat your heart out, Matt Damon), or the fact that Mortensen was as naked as the day he was born during the entire sequence.

Fairly certain that either Johnny Depp or Daniel Day Lewis will win this one, but fingers crossed anyway.

Best Actress: Ellen Page for "Juno", simply because never once did I think she was anything other than a sarcastic, pregnant, confused 16-year old.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Javier Bardem for "No Country For Old Men". This guy has got to be the scariest, craziest, most cold-blooded son of a bitch to ever walk the face of this earth. If Garth Ennis' "Preacher" was ever made into a movie, I'd cast Bardem as both Jodie AND the Saint of Killers, because he has enough balls to cover both parts.

Animated Feature Film: I really hope Ratatouille wins this one, if only because it had so much heart.

Directing: I hope "Juno" gets this one, but "No Country for Old Men" may deserve it more. My heart was in my throat during viewing both films, but for entirely different reasons.

Music: This isn't even a contest. Enchanted's numbers were nothing short of awesome, but Once's "Falling Slowly" isn't even in the same hemisphere. It's a hands-down win for Hansard and Irglova, or gosh darn it, I'm going to eat my hat.

Best Picture: And again I'm rooting for "Juno" but really think that "No Country For Old Men" will take it home. "Juno" has a genuine shot because it's the only film that lets you leave the theater without wanting to shoot yourself, but "No Country For Old Men" was just... disturbing. It's the kind of movie that stays with you-- not necessarily in a good way, but in a rather permanent way nonetheless.

**And that concludes my Oscar List for this year! See you at the Oscar's, everybody! :D

I was talking to my mother about Valentine's day yesterday, and how she was upset that my father was going to be working and wouldn't have time to celebrate til the weekend.

With that conversation came the realization that this Valentine's will mark the very first I'll be spending alone since I was 17. Perhaps this is simply avoidance speaking, but I actually don't mind all that much.

It was nice to spend it with a significant other in years past, and it was admittedly nice to get a little present and a nice dinner out of the holiday. But this last year marked a rather turbulent change in my love life, as I got into a new relationship before I was really over the one before and, as I was somewhat surprised to learn, some things actually DO take time. Relationships are apparently messy things, regardless of who they're with.

In any case, a quiet Valentine's day will probably do me some good.

A friend posted a link to the SIX WORD MEMOIR and I thought I'd give it a try.

It's a startling realization when you have to sum up your life in 6 words: It brings about your greatest dream, your deepest insecurity, and maybe, just maybe, it tells you what your one true goal in life is.

"I won't be a starving artist."