Awesome.

Hey, so the past month-or-so my day-job has been extremely busy and all-consuming - hence the lack of posts and general uber-dorky enthusiasm here on JIMSMASH! I also have a full inbox of unread emails - apologies if I haven't replied and/or posted anything cool you've sent me.

So, in order to rebuild my mind, body & spirit I'm heading off-planet for several days. But I shall return! See ya on the other side!

It's been awhile since I felt compelled to spotlight some good comics.... I really enjoyed these comics:

LOKI
4-issue mini-series, which just wrapped up. It addresses the connection between the Asgardians of Myth with the Asgardians of Marvel, all the while shining light on LOKI and his role in the whole thing. I recommend picking up the issues or the collection.

FEAR ITSELF #1
Wow, I freaking loved this issue! Thank you Matt Fraction for making a Marvel Event I care about (thus far based on a single issue). And thank you Marvel for giving the keys to someone else besides fucking Bendis or Millar.

JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #622
The title returns and continues on with the numbering (confusing)! This is a 'Fear Itself' issue and I really enjoyed it. So far, I'm sold on the event. It's like a new Marvel!

UNCANNY X-FORCE #5.1
This stand-alone issue was a lot of fun and a throw back to the Claremont/Silvestri X-Days in the Outback. It's fun and kicks ass - exactly what I want in an X-Force book.

FANTASTIC FOUR #587
I'm loving Hickman's run! I already want an Omnibus when its finished.

FF#1
This is essentially Fantastic Four #588 , but I understand the reasoning behind the name change. I love the new direction; costumes, teammates, etc.

UNCANNY X-MEN #534.1 and 535
I sadly dropped UXM last year due to Fraction's x-writing and Greg Land's art... but new writer KIERON GILLEN has won me over in 2 quick issues! He actually KNOWS the characters - how they ACT, how the TALK. I absolutely loved these two issues! I'm back... even with Land's return soon (he's a rotating artist), I may still pick this up... ok, I'll pick up the Land issues later as to not contribute to Sales Figures (my money is my message). Thank you, Gillen!!!!!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #655
I'm generally enjoying Dan Slott's Amazing Spider-Man run, but this issue stood out simply for the amazing sequential art storytelling by Marcos Martin. I wish he was the regular monthly artist on this book, but alas I heard he's moving onto other projects.

GREEN LANTERN #64
Geoff Johns Green Lantern.... Doug Manhke art... and the beginning of "WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS" crossover, which so far has me hooked! I had some GL Fatigue after Blackest Night and... just stopped caring about these books... but all systems go!

GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #8
This is the best Green Lantern book right now! Writer PETER J. TOMASI is bringing it and the art by FERNANDO PASARIN is superb! I've already pre-ordered the hardcover, which collects the first 7 issues.

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #58
I'm not loving this title, but its been ...entertaining... since Kirkham jumped onboard as artist (quasi-guilty pleasure). Like I said, I'm really enjoying this crossover, which this is apart of. On a side note, how is it possible they've made John Stewart even LESS interesting of late?

Has anyone seen the new BIG Dr Manhattan Heroclix? These pics don't do it justice... I kinda want one...

Rejoice! Today marks the release of WALT SIMONSONS' Epic & Legendary THOR RUN in one big ole honkin' OMNIBUS EDITION!!

It collects Thor #337-355, #357-369, #371-382; Balder the Brave #1-4 in 1192 Mighty Asgardian pages!!!

Pretty! While I still prefer the lovely ORIGINAL coloring (and paper!), this new coloring by Olyoptics looks nice... although I would personally prefer less saturation. But they are a big improvement from the previous recoloring, seen in the Walt Simonson Trade Paperback editions:

*thanks, Mrs Smash!

from the ELFQUEST WEBSITE:

Both of us have been fans of EQ since we were little girls, and this project is a complete labor of love. We are working actresses and producers in the New Media circle and when we discovered our shared lifelong love for this series we were spurred to action. ElfQuest showed us the heroines that we could aspire to become and its magic shaped us, ultimately leading us into the creative entertainment sphere. So we owe it a lot! (read the whole series here at www.elfquest.com)

Self-published in the 1970's, ElfQuest was a pioneer in the comics scene and this transmedia project represents our hope to champion it to new horizons.

We hope you watch, enjoy and share this trailer with your friends. Our goal is to create new fans and give existing ones a taste of the world we've loved for so long.

Shade and Sweetwater,
Paula & Stephanie

*this post dedicated to lil' Dylan & Brentypoo!

Apologies for the recent dullness on JIMSMASH - Work has been kicking my ass. Misery! To help cope, I've been listening to SLAYER round-the-clock for 2 weeks. Above is a colleciton of their [studio] album cover art.

And here is a clip from their live performance at the Augusta Civic Center on July 11, 2004:


*this clip is on the live dvd "Still Reigning"

Check out NECA's upcoming ARNOLD-Terminator from the 1ST film (my personal favorite).

And dig this sweet custom Terminator figure... it's of Marcus from a sequel outing I do not acknowledge. So I dub thee "Unnamed Generic Terminator in the Future".
The custom is by PANZERVARGAS who posts,

"For this figure, I used a T-850 from Mcfarlane, I think this figure was great for many of my customs... I sculped his head and some details and used one hand from a NECA terminator!!!... Hope you like him!!!... Happy modeling!!!"

Nice job!
I want one for myself!

From Best of Craigslist:

"I have a morning ritual that I need to share. I call it "the terminator". First I crouch down in the shower in the classic "naked terminator traveling through time" pose. With my eyes closed I crouch there for a minute, visualizing either Arnold or the guy from the second movie (not the chick in the third one because that one sucked) and I start to hum the terminator theme. Then I slowly rise to a standing position and open my eyes. It helps me to proceed through my day as an emotionless, cyborg badass. The only problem is if the shower curtain sticks to my terminator leg. It ruins the fantasy. I think maybe I read too many comic books when I was a kid..."


I thought everyone did this.... no?

*thanks, Sheila!

i09's Alasdair Wilkins posted:

"This is the Valles Marineris, believed to be the biggest canyon in the entire solar system. At nearly 2,500 miles long, it would stretch clear across the continental United States."

"Much like Mars's highest peak, Olympus Mons, the sheer scale of Valles Marineris is almost incomprehensible. Depending on how you measure it, its total length falls somewhere between 3000 and 4000 kilometers, its width is as much as 600 kilometers, and it reaches 8 kilometers deep at points."

NASA link

Awesome.... but my inner nerd keeps telling me the photo is clearly a Temporal Rift-Echo in the Space/Time Continuum related to an epic fight between the Enterprise NCC-1701 and a Klingon Battle Cruiser.....