I've been growing more bitter with and disengaged from DC Comics since the turn of the century. I like to think of myself as an amateur comics historian, but after setting up five DC-themed blogs and running them with widely varied regularity/quality, I'm rather put out that all that continuity I memorized and memorialized got tossed out with the rubbish. This blog has made a small blip in awareness about the minor lore that encircles the Manhunter from Mars, but my other efforts haven't even had a fractional benefit in comparison to that dubious accomplishment. I'm feeling terribly burnt by and burned out with the DC Universe, so for the most part, my blogging has contracted to my Martian Manhunter daily blog and semi-weekly reviews at ...nurgh... I don't have the energy or see the point of working beyond that anymore.
On the other hand, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done wonders for revitalizing my early love of their comics, and while there remain considerable flaws in the narrative that have often worsened since I jumped ship for DC in the early '90s, I still find myself wanting to engage more with Marvel stories. I've also had an itch to try podcasting for a while now, so I recently enlisted my two best friends to do some heavy duty recording sessions. The result is our new weekly effort, The Marvel Super Heroes Podcast. I just want to explore other realms. I encourage readers to give the podcast a chance. Episode Zero reintroduces myself in audio form and my two best friends as we discuss our childhood favorites Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk, as well as how we got into the comic book medium. The just released Episode #1 focuses on the first ever Marvel (anti-)hero, Namor the Sub-Mariner, as well as very recent Marvel news. It's fun hanging out with my buddies, reminiscing and opining without all the baggage of DC exclusivity I felt shackled to in blogging. Also, while we're trying to build a listener base with Marvel properties, the goal is to expand to other topics, not only from other comic publishers, but other entertainment mediums. Hell, I might even try some DC episodes, and I hope you'll be there listening and commenting!
Ryan "Count Drunkula" Daly of the Black Canary blog 
Superman whined to himself about how he wished someone else was Superman, and how he's responsible for what happens to every bullet that bounces off his chest, and oh do cry us a river Man of Steel. No wonder so many people find you unsympathetic. Superman did this while smashing up the Toyman's city of malevolent playthings as the script writer caption box monologued like a low rent Alan Moore just as hard as he could, bless his heart. The physical Toyman was found to be a shirtless unkempt chubby geek overrun with Brainiac's nanotech who was obsessed with saving the children of the world in a vaguely pedo way, which is about as insightful as pointing out that wool is itchy, but the junior college will cash your Creative Writing 101 tuition check all the same. Finally, Toyman revealed how many nuclear warheads Brainiac had taken control of: "All of them." So money! So, so money!
Superman then flew to Scarecrow's city, where Green Lantern Hal Jordan handled citizens driven mad with fear. Yes fear. Will, against fear. Got it? This prompted Scarecrow to run away into a sewer... where the Joker happened to be lurking... dressed as Bela Lugosi's Dracula... and proceeded to bite his "Super Friend" on the neck for leaving him out of the Legion of Doom. META TEXT! Joker needs plastic fangs! META TEXT! Joker needs plastic fangs! META TEXT! Joker needs plastic fangs! META TEXT! Joker needs plastic fangs!
The Marvel Family flew the innocents out of Toyman's city atop a giant, er, top. Stretching men Plastic and Elongated were also essential for evacuations elsewhere. Most of the characters featured in the mini-series remained visible doing obligatory background stuff like that without contributing to the primary narrative. Lex Luthor was the main person responsible for finally corralling Brainiac, while others halted the doomsday missiles he'd launched. Zatanna was key to getting Superman to Brainiac over and over again, who was captured almost as an afterthought, and its not like his plan hadn't already been foiled. Basically, Superman was only around to rescue Zee after she was imperiled by the final leg of the pursuit. Later, the Man of Steel gave a frozen, miniaturized Brainiac to the Kandorian Museum. Batman-- get this-- Batman insinuates that this very capital-I IMPORTANT 
The extra long, extra torturous final "Chapter Twelve" was plotted and painted by Alex Ross. The script was provided by Jim Krueger, and the penciled layouts by Doug Braithwaite. None of these men have any share or even self-awareness.
Continue the story through these character-specific posts:
