Lantern7

I don't know if I'm going to be subscribing to DC Comics' streaming service. However, I reckon that I'm qualified to start a thread on the comic book history of the Doom Patrol, a.k.a "The World's Strangest Heroes." As you can see on the Doom Patrol Wikipedia page, there have been many iternations of the team. I've read the adventures of the original team in Showcase format (black & white omnibuses). Core concept: genius in a wheelchair (Dr. Niles Caulder, aka "The Chief") recruits an adventurer whose brain has been implanted in a robot body (Cliff Steele, aka Robotman), an irritated test pilot who is able to release a "negative man" from his bandaged body (Larry Trainor),and an actress who was exposed to exotic gases and gained the power to grow and shrink her body (Rita Farr/Elasti-Girl). Basically, they fought weird villains and menaces to mankind. Rita was romantically pursued by Steve Dayton, a millionaire who invented a helmet that gave him psychic powers, and they eveneutally wed. Also joining the team: a slick green-skinned with the ability to change his shape to any animal imaginable (Gar Logan/Beast Boy). The kicker of the original team was that they actually got killed . . . as in "not a dream, not an imaginary story." Dr. Caulder and the core trio sacrificed their lives to save a small fishing community. And those deaths stuck. Okay, it turned out Cliff's brain was saved, but that was nine years after Doom Patrol #121. The other really noteworthy version came about when Grant Morrison took over the book that was launched after Crisis on Infinite Earths. Basically, it boiled down to "Grant Morrison doing Grant Morrison things," bringing the exotic to the mainstream. One character was Danny the Street. His name was Danny. He was a street. A sentient street. A transvestite sentient street, with masculine stores dressed all frilly, that could pop up anywhere on Earth. What else? Let's see . . . the hermaphrodite Rebis, a fusion of Negative Man and Negative Woman (long story); an ape-faced girl (Dorothy Spinner) able to bring her nightmares to life; and Crazy Jane, a woman with 64 personalities . . . and thanks to a "gene bomb," each and every one had their own superpower. Their adversaries were even more "out there," like the Brotherhood of Dada (supplanting the Brotherhood of Evil), the Beard Hunter (who had a special mad-on for the Chief) and the return of The Brain (disembodied brain) and Monsieur Mallah (a gorilla whose intelligence was increased by the Brain; he also had a French accent), who had a startling turn to their relationship. Well, startling for that time, anyway Currently, Doom Patrol is the oft-delayed titles from Young Animal, an imprint developed by Gerard Way, the headman of My Chemical Romance (and writer of The Umbrella Academy, another comic making the jump to subscription television). To be honest, I haven't read it, but I understand it's a batshit book. Anybody else hear of the team? Or at least see them on Teen Titans (the cartoon), Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and the shorts from DC Nation?

I think that goes with the setting and feel. The theme in the opening credits (which debuts next week( isn't really as intense as the others. I'm still thinking "meathead." He hasn't beat up the little guy, and I suspect he might need to get beat up a lot. His mother? Well, maybe she got Oldjo to impregnate her at knifepoint, and threatened to neuter him if he didn't tell everyone he had an affair. "It wasn't my idea, boy! I faced Strazio, Santana, the Pillar Men, goddamn DIO . . . . but every night for the past sixteen years, I've had to check under my bed for Tomoko Fucking Higashikata! OH MY GOD!!!!!!"

Last episode before Las Vegas!

I watched on the iPad yesterday. Glorious continuity porn, which means “Malcolm” was the “money shot.” Man, Red Death looked like a badass in the flashback. Anyone thinking that his name was inspired by — I think — a musical act called “Red D’Eath” in Watchmen? I kind of like the idea that Rusty was his father’s downfall, as Team Venture trips on his toy, and Jonas literally goes to pieces. I’ll have to rewatch soon. Also, the app version didn’t have a teaser for next week. ETA: Here’s this week’s shirt. I haven’t seen the appeal of buying an episode-specific tee. This one is nice . . . and I think the font is based off Doc Savage.

I laughed. Seriously, though, with the world we live in these days, maybe Melania IS pining for her husband as she works with aluminum and adjusts to her new male body. Anyone have a list of John’s nicknames? The only one I remember is “Daughter Wife” for Ivanka. I tried calling Pence “Mother’s Husband,” but I’m currently using “Handmaid’s Tale.”

I hadn’t heard the president speak in a while, so there was that. Also, the bit where he called China “motherfuckers” . . . the way his hair looked . . . could that be considered a mullet? Same old thing from John . . . point out and clear up stuff we were unclear about, show us that racists have wormed into the Australian government, and present a story where Melania body-swaps with a male aluminum worker, which explains why she seems reluctant to hold her husband’s hand. Because there’s a male aluminum worker trapped in her body. Oh, and we get a sweet presentation voiced by Danny Kaye, ridiculing a right-wing blowhard’s approach to documentaries. The knife labeled “DUMBFUCKERY”? Icing on the cake.

I elected not to do an anime con this weekend, opting for a nearby two-day show. There was anime cosplay, though, and I ran into these two. I had to share.

Caught the premiere of DiU this morning, and I'll have to rewatch. I like the idea that Jotaro gets roped back into a new adventure because Oldjo had an affair and a bastard son. Also, I like to think that the now-adult Jotaro was forced into what he was wearing because he's going to spend a lot of time with high school kids. Josuke? He looks mercurial. Kinda resembles a young Goku, only with a berserk button centered on his hair. Seriously, to piss off Goku way back in the day, Krillin had to die first. Here, you just rip on Josuke's hair, and he'll rip you. Naturally, he has a Stand. Naturally, it's bizarre . . . it can repair any damage Josuke can inflict. I reckon the highlight had to be a gun-wielding asshole finding the gun jammed inside his stomach. *sigh* I'm probably not explaining it right. Oh, and Star Platinum can stop time like The World. I think Jotaro said he only did it for a second . . . but it's been twelve years since Egypt, so I'm guessing the span can be longer.

I think that happens a few months back. He had a small RW: Austin reunion as well.

Conclusion of the “Morphic Trilogy.”

Saw this, thought of one of the series’ darker sketches. It actually popped up last night.

Reminder: the series has been moved to 10 p.m., starting off the Toonami block. Didnt rewatch last week’s episode. I was irritated that the first bit of the new opening credits involved stretching, but now I’m mildly amused by the appropriateness of it.

@lathspel: The Lion King or Fullmetal Alchemist? I did like Yami's straightforward origin story.

Breakdown of "Stand Proud" and "End Of The World":

1. Auction from the estate of Ronnie James Dio, the namesake behind JBA's most dastardly villain (at least through the first three parts; Pillar Men had the better intro music). 2. Brief clip of Giorno Giovana, the Jojo from Vento Aureo. That's coming out in October in Japan. If "Diamond Is Unbreakable" is a hit on Toonami, maybe we get the follow-up right away. However, the production house tends to wait between volumes, so "Stone Ocean" might need to be in development first.

There's a guy that does parodies of Dragon Ball Z. This . . . this is beautiful. Just watch.

Yeah, if you poke "Stardust Crusaders" hard enough, it starts collapsing. For instance, how did Holly get sick? How could DIO give her a Stand from that far away? Was it even a Stand? Maybe it was just "diagnosed" as such. Maybe Kakioyin, under DIO's influence, implanted a slow-moving brain slug in Holly's brain, and that happened before his fight with Jotaro. And what was the point of Anne? Anna? I get the appeal of having a kid tag with five rugged men on their quest for vengeance/justice, but there's no payoff. Maybe DIO didn't have it long enough? You have to admire Jotaro's lateral thinking . . . as well as Oldjo's sense of timing. "And now, he's gonna wake up. Right old man? Old man???" "ANCIENT SPIRITS OF EVIL!!!!" "Oh. Fuck. Me." "TRANSFORM THIS DECAYING FORM INTO DIO . . . THE EVERLIV-" "STAR PLATINUM!!!!!" "Joke! It was a joke!!!!!" I think Jotaro won because DIO "surfaced" first, while Jotaro was still biding time. If you look at these eyecatches, you'll see that the Stands have almost exact stats.

Before I forget . . . if you’re a guy, is a collared shirt the best option on the first date? I like t-shirts, but I usually want to give the impression that I want to make an impression. Or something. ?

When is the show coming back next month? Also, is she moving far within Manhattan?

In regard to racing the clock . . . I'm over 40, and there is so much I've yet to do. A lot of it is social stuff most folks take for granted. I was always the platonic friend in school, so I never had any experience. I've had a few relationships, but I don't think they add up to a year. It's not like I hear a clock ticking, but I want to go through trials before I'm too old to enjoy the experience. I hope that doesn't sound weird. I said "dumped" in regard to the girl whom I turned off because . . . well . . . I don't date often. Getting rejected with zero or a single date feels like a "dump" for me. I know, not the traditional definition. That's probably something else I should adjust. After the date on Saturday, I actually feel better. Dating isn't THE priority on my mind, but I want to find somebody nice. Thanks also to @GoodieGirl and @JTMacc99

I still think of Hange over on Attack in Titan. Is there a trope for four-eyed girls who get too obsessed about weird stuff?

Going through my e-mail, see a link from the Mets about their game on Facebook, click the link, Mets are up 18-4, and now it's 22-4. Oh, and another Met (Jose Bautista) hit a grand slam. It's been an odd week . . . Mets start at the Bronx for a makeup game, go to Baltimore for two games, then play a doubleheader the following day. Oh, and they play the Phillies at Williamsport on Sunday. I would have thought they'd ask for tips from the team representing Staten Island, but I don't think they need it now. ETA: TWENTY-FOUR RUNS. Now watch as they don't get a runner on base in Game 2, and everybody will get to see that.

Story on Survivor casting for future seasons. One of the people involved is Jodi Wincheski. According to the article, she was on TAR14. Wikipedia confirms that . . . but I have zero memory of her or her partner Christie. Anybody recall the flight attendants?

Survivor casting for seasons 39-40. From the article: How I take it: “Be young, be attractive. Maybe be a real piece of work. If you’re an attractive male, and you cause Jeff Probst to bulge in his cargo shorts, you will automatically make it to Day 33.”

Sakura: I've come to kill you, Sasuke. Sasuke: If I were capable of laughter, I'd be on the ground in tears. Sakura: TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!!!!! Sasuke: Look, I'm sure you have leveled up since I knocked you unconscious while leaving the village. But look at me. I have learned of types of Sharingan I never even knew about. I can summon a giant purple bogeyman. Oh, and I killed the Hokage. Sakura: Danzo? He more or less elected himself. Sasuke: Whatever. I killed Danzo, and he had, like, fifteen of my clan's eyes embedded in his arm. And you're coming at me?!? Sakura: You think this is easy for me?!? I had to sleep-bomb three friends to get to you! I know you're a big deal, but I've grown beyond the girl with the obvious crush and maniacal black-and-white . . . wait, why am I talking to empty space? Sasuke: (from behind Sakura) Are you familiar with "deja vu"? Sakura: Oh, come on!!!!!