greenygal

You know, I like the Black Widow a lot, and it's nice that Iron Man II is netting her all this attention...but have I really got to buy a book called BLACK WIDOW AND THE MARVEL GIRLS? Really?

Also, this cover just makes me roll my eyes. Look, she's an attractive woman wearing a skintight black leather jumpsuit. If you can't make her look sexy without giving her severe frostbite, you need refresher art courses.

You know, I would pay real money to see a commercial where, on Christmas morning, a girl was thrilled to get a Transformer and a boy was thrilled to get a Barbie.

(I think my money is pretty safe.)

Heather Dale's The Trial of Lancelot is a beautiful song and I love it, but after listening to it too many times it starts to sound like this:


NARRATOR: So Lancelot and Guinevere are in a whole lot of trouble. And here to help with the sticky question of what to do with them, Arthur's knights.
LANCELOT: *proudly* My crime was love!
ME: Honey, that isn't helping.
KAY: Look, the king's laws are the king's laws. Doesn't matter who you are: you break 'em, you bought it.
LANCELOT: I wish to establish that I love Guinevere!
GAWAIN: Okay, not that sleeping with the king's wife is a good thing, but considering the sixty-zillion times he's done good for us, we could maybe cut him a break? Like, not cutting his head off?
LANCELOT: I did it all for Guinevere! Because I love her!
TRISTAN: Love is awesome, but it makes no damn sense and can drive you a little crazy. So I kind of sympathize here, is all I'm saying.
LANCELOT: Did I mention? Love! Guinevere!
GALAHAD: Oh my god, my dad had sex! Icky, sinful sex! I am so embarrassed.
ME: Kid, you have issues.
LANCELOT: Yeah, I totally had sex with her. Because I love her!
ARTHUR: *deeply upset* I hate the entire world. But mostly I hate you and Guinevere. And I really am going to have to kill you both, aren't I?
LANCELOT: I die for love!
ME: ...at this point I'm tempted to say you have it coming.

Dear Bones:

I sincerely apologize for my dark suspicions that this was going to be a painfully embarrassing comedy episode about a) those funny Amish people or b) wacky misunderstandings as our heroes attempt to interact with those funny Amish people. Admittedly it's not like you haven't given me cause for suspicion, and the trailer didn't help, but instead you delivered a mostly serious and genuinely moving episode that treated everyone involved sympathetically. I don't know if you got it right, because what I know about the Amish you could write on a postcard, but you at least seemed to be making an effort. And you kept focus on the victim and his loved ones through the whole episode, all the way to that heartbreaking close. I was honestly worried last season that you'd forgotten how to write your murder victims as real people who we should care about (and you used to be really good at that) and I am so happy to be wrong. (Also I'm sniffling, but that just means you did it right.) Even the subplot with Cam and her adopted daughter, while overly sitcom-y, kept everyone in character and had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments, like Bones' reaction to Cam's book. And you didn't spend any of the episode hammering us with tortured UST. (I don't object to the UST existing, mind you; this show runs on the stuff. But it's generally been a lower-key version than explicit "will-they-or-won't-they??" teasing, and the first episode had me worried they were going to spend the whole season doing that. Now it looks more like they're just going to ease back to the level of "it is pretty obvious that we are in love, but we don't really seem to have noticed." At least until sweeps.)

In short: oh, show, keep it up. I am liking you a whole lot better this season.

Yesterday was my birthday, and I had a pretty nice time. I took off work (ruthlessly leaving my coworkers to the mercy of the new timecard system) and had a successful bowling outing with my mother and stepfather, by which I mean I beat them (in the first game, but we don't have to discuss the second). I also got a couple of calls and some nice presents, including an Arthurian murder mystery I've been wanting to read for a while now.

Plus, quite unexpectedly, I found myself a pirate sword. For being plastic and (very) cheap, it's surprisingly pretty (engravings all down the blade! real fabric strips on the hilt!) and I've been hugely enjoying brandishing it at imaginary enemies. I'd only vaguely started to think about Halloween costumes, but this may be a sign that I should go find myself a three-corner hat and a gold earring. I can always work out the details of being Jay Garrick next year...

From a random episode of G.I. Joe:

GI Joe double agent infiltrating Cobra: What frequency are you using to transmit [this week's weapon]?
Cobra guy: There, that's it, but what's it to you?
GI Joe: No reason. I just love to see the flashing numbers on the screen.
Cobra guy: *is not even a little suspicious*
Me: ...you know, I think I can see why Cobra never got to rule the world.

I've just noticed that the Crystal City area is in the middle of running an outdoor superhero film festival, every Monday night until the end of September. X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Batman upcoming. (Yes, all the Batman movies. Yes, even that one.) Definitely want to go see the first two X-Men movies, at least. (The third, um...maybe? I mean, the effects are pretty?) Anyone else interested?

So I've been rewatching the TMNT cartoon all week, and it's a lot of fun, really, but I think I need to ratchet my suspension of disbelief up a little higher. I'm sitting here watching these emotional scenes where Leo's all depressed because he got beat up and lost his swords, and Raphael's going, well, hey, I bet you'd feel better if we made new ones, bro, and they do and it is all very triumphant and brotherly. Or it would be if I could turn off the part of my brain going, yeah, you're going to make a really good sword--two really good swords--out of scrap metal that has been rusting in a barn for who knows how long. With the extensive sword-smithing skills that you presumably learned living in a sewer. Where I am totally sure you had a forge to practice with! It's not the most improbable thing in TMNT by a long way, even discounting the bipedal ninja turtle thing, but for some reason I really notice this one. I mean, the damn things even shine when he's done with them. Maybe it's an extra ninja power.

(Also I am kind of amused at the idea of the exchanges this would probably lead to later on.
RANDOM WARRIOR: My family has carried this sword for generations on generations, since it was first forged by the hand of the most famous of swordmakers, and in all that time it has never known dishonor or defeat. Face my steel, turtle!
LEONARDO: Well, I made my sword myself a couple of months ago. Out of farming equipment. So you might be a little embarrassed when I beat you with it. Fair warning.)

And of course this just raises the question of where the weapons came from in the first place. Which might have been handled somewhere in canon, but I can't think of it offhand, and okay, bo staffs and nunchuks are presumably homemakable if you can lay hands on the raw materials and some tools, but sai? Katanas? (Okay, I hear they're not actually katanas, but that's what Leo always calls them and whatever they actually are is probably not any easier to make.) Do they actually have a forge down there? Does Splinter have some sort of discreet understanding with a weapons shop? Or just an Ebay account? "My son, I present you with these swords. Bear them proudly and care for them well--I had to win a most vicious bidding war to get them."

...okay, yeah, that's probably not it. Probably.

Last night's Bones was not bad, particularly by the standards of season four--I didn't find the setup real plausible, but a lot of the character interaction was good--I even liked Sweets--and this week's intern was very sweet. (I assume he is Annoying Girl's replacement in the rotation. Good call.) And hey, a musical montage! I'd forgotten how sniffly those things can make me.

But the main thing I'm thinking is that Angela and Bones really ought to get together. I haven't shipped them since first season, but after their conversation this ep I'm feeling the urge again.

Also, while there's a lot to enjoy about the Bronze Tiger episode of Brave and the Bold (GIANT BAT!!) I think I get the most actual glee from the teaser. Why is Batman teaming up with Jonah Hex in the old West? Because, that's why! Explanations are for the weak! Also, "Bat-Hombre" gives me so much joy I can't tell you; somebody definitely got into the Haney issues that day.

(Yes, I am parked on the couch spending my Sunday with Cartoon Network.)