The New Model SUCKS!

Often times your favorite pop culture institution goes through a major change and to quote Mr. Horse from Ren and Stimpy, "No sir, I don't like it!" It's like Doctor Who fans say you never forget your first doctor, but the one after is bound to cause some ire. I remember all the nerd rage over David Tennant "Come on man, he looks like he's like 12 years old!" Same was complained by Jon Pertwee fans "This jackass is all teeth and curls!," Tom Baker fans "Who the hell is this prettyboy!" and Peter Davidson fans "this new doctor is a total clown, just look at the way he dresses!" And of course this is more than Doctor Who,  Trekkies get it too with new series, and with the new movies (though I am shocked at people hating on the new movies myself).  And the less said about the Star Wars Prequels, the better.

So that's my question, what is the new impelentation of a classic pop culture icon that just pissed you off to no end. For me I have a few, the first is Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition.

Now to be fair I was never the biggest D&D person to begin, but as it was the biggest game in the hobby thus you have to deal with it some times because of that. I was always more of a runequest fan because the rules were more realistic and interesting. I put up with people in the 2nd edition calling my beloved RQ archaic and old while their system was "modern" Really? Modern? you still use levels, have a ton of "just because" rules (Why cant mages use swords, because they are mages!) etc. etc. but 3rd edition was an incredible improvement. More tactical, and engaging, it did a lot to improve the inherent goofiness of the D&D rules. and other than the D&D revolution (which is a rant for another time) D&D had actually moved into my stable of enjoyable fantasy games.

Then came 4th. TSR had been bought by Wizards of the Coast (the makers of Magic the Gathering) who in turn were bought by Hasbro. That's right Hasbro, makers of G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, and Mr. Potato Head! in fact the afore mentioned d20 "revolution" was really an attempt to sell more players handbooks by saying you can use the basics of the OLR to do what you like but must require the use of the player's handbook in a full d20 version of the rules. (too bad clever game companies found several loopholes and then began to release their own many clones with different and many may say better feel.  Through company brainstorming it was determined that D&D and in deed all roleplaying games as a hobby were circling the drain! to attract new blood we need to make the game more like a rising star in the gaming industry, the MMO. And thus D&D 4 was born, with online content. World of Warcraft terminology, and an attempt to homogenize the classes to the point of uselessness. The whole game was now like the old video game gauntlet. Wizards and Elves had different ranged attacks (magic vs arrows) but no real difference other than semantics. It was a perfect example of the company over thinking and mass packaging a good thing. Others have argued that progress is important. But when it is mutated beyond the point of being recognizable is it progress or something else? So what about you guys what is the big implementation hat you think sucked? New Star Trek, New Star Wars, new Coke? let me know!

5 reasons the New 52 sucks.

I have thought this for some time and keep forgetting to blog it, DC had a string of really good books recently the new Flash, The whole All Stars idea, Green Lantern hit his stride with the sinestro corps war, and even the spectrum lanterns that came after it. I was digging the new Doom Patrol, and even Superman's walk across America. But all good things must come to an end.  However most just end they don't get a painfully directed craptastic reboot that was the last nail in the coffin that made me give up comic collecting with the big two. So what is so bad about revamping the books to attract new readers? I mean some might even consider this a noble calling. Normally I would agree but Jim Lee and the staff at DC had their heads up their collective asses with this reboot. and here are 5 perfect examples.

5-The gay Green Lantern- I want to lead with this only because it may seem crass to complain about moving a character forward in this way as it is an impressive step towards equality. The idea of a gay Green Lantern isn't what bothers me here though. What bothers me is the hows and whys. so far we have had 4 (now 5) Earthborn Green Lanterns. In short more than any other sector Earth has a but ton of Lanterns. Add to this that the real reason for the decision to make a major DC hero gay was to steal the thunder of Marvel's wedding of Northstar, who was originally designed to be gay in the 1980s, but thanks to politics then was temporarily a space elf, until it was socially acceptable for marvel to pat them selves on the back for their forward thinking. Logically speaking in the DC universe Batman would be the logical choice. he has kept the advances of more women away where Superman, had Lois Lane, the Flash has Iris and each GL has had a serious relationship that seems hard to part, So why make a green lantern gay? simple it's a bit of a trick Alan Scott from the new Earth 2 comic line is gay. Allan Scott was the original golden age Green Lantern with a different power source (later ret-conned to connect with current DC) but to make Guy or John or Hal Gay might cause too much of a stir and Batman, no way so let's make it the most obscure version of a major character we can, a reboot of a golden age character in a technically alternate universe where it's effect are not part of current official DC Cannon. Way to show your pride DC!

4- Wait, She can Walk now?- Poor Barbara Gordon was effectively taken out of commission as bat girl in one of the few good examples of a change that stayed in comics. It was a brutal and terrible act, but it was nice not to see a comic company backpedal and say "It was all a dream," or "Now that we've rebooted, let's forget that corner we painted ourself into!" So she's back as batgirl, no real explaination I have heard, and no sign of her replacements.

3- Retconning Crap to fit the Movies- Why is this done other than to legitimize crap that made me so freaking annoyed at the movies. Why is Hal Jordan, serious space cop, now have to sound like he is a warmed over Ryan Reynolds character. Hal was 1000X cooler than that Van Wilder douche but hey if we make him more like Ryan Reynolds in the comic maybe people will forget that he was not a "perfect choice" to play the emerald gladiator. Also way to step up the writing now, I thought I was reading a comic about interesting characters not what would it be like if Van Wilder had a power ring.

2- Costume Changes- I think that it's one thing to subtly change costumes over time, the way many heroes have superman's "S" becoming more diamond shaped and stylized for example but much of the costuming changes here just seem unnecessary with an eye for busing up the look to make them more "futuristic" and at the same time very quickly less classic. then there is the other new superman from Action Comics, WTF man, just WTF.

1- Change, for Change's Sake: When has this ever been a good idea? "Let's make Steele more like Shaquille O'Niel" Yeah gangbusters!  Many writers may have good even great ideas of where to take the DC universe next I really liked the premise of Flashpoint and enjoyed the specral lantern sagas, but to just one day put a whole new coat of paint down and ignore what has come isn't evolution it's a callus and cheap attempt to line your coffers and set up a me too JLA movie with a new continuity that the "Kids" will get Changing Captain Marvel's name to Shazam (awesome now he can't even say his own name without transforming) Making Superman and Wonder Woman DC's new "power couple" and adding all of Jim Lee's Wildstorm characters into DC cannon for no other reason then to net him some more money. This isn't the actions of one of the greatest comic companies of all times, this is corporate market speak destroying what fans hold dear, hence I voted with my wallet and I doubt I am alone there..

What is the Best Fictional city to live in.

So I am kinda curious on this one and would love some feedback, also why does no one comment on these blogs? Seriously, just a couple of words would be nice, tell you what the first person to comment gets a dollar. anyhoo here is my topic, and I would love to hear  your responses which fictional town city would in your mind be the best to live in and why, here are a few examples and my own thoughts.

RAPTURE- Like an Ayn Rand novel gone horribly logical, Rapture is a massive city beneath the waves where the true makers can create a better life, of course now it's a sinking ship full of tweaked out plasmid junkies and ghostly little sisters but you can see whales from your apartment window.
THE PLUS- It's a nice undersea city with a classic 1940s art deco look
THE MINUS- about everything else!

THE CITY OF TOWNSVILLE- It's a sugary sweet answer to living in Gotham City, with a cute cartoony mayor and it's got superheroes (Except after bedtime). It's low on crime high on cuteness.
THE PLUS- It's a great place to raise your kids
THE MINUS- being laughed at because the biggest threat to your city is a monkey with an odd speach pattern.

DOG RIVER, SESCACHEWAN- It's 40 Km from nowhere, meaning that if you are looking for peaceful, this is it, however you only have once place to go to in town and it's the corner gas station and coffee shop.
THE- PLUS- Low crime rate, and sarcastic neighbors.
THE MINUS- As a town in a sitcom, chances are you will be drawn in to no end of cartoony fiascos.

GOTHAM CITY- A hopping nightlife, cool art deco buildings and plenty of high tech facilities, of course there is also an insane crime rate, and a high chance of getting poisoned by Joker gas, Poison Ivy's Toxins or any one of a thousand other supervillian plots.
THE PLUS- Never a dull moment.
THE MINUS- Really, you need this spelled out for you?

SPRINGFIELD- For Small town living with everything from a comic book store, to a gorge, a dam, a tire fire and more, hell springfield has more stuff in it than most large cities. and its full of character to boot.
THE PLUS- It's got it all, seriously is there anything this town doesn't have?
THE MINUS- It's been domed, blown up, and moved trust me this place is anything but peaceful!

any thoughts, any ones you can think of you would rather live in? Let me know.