Avengers vs X-Men...so very excited

Yep this announcement made me squeal a little. Nothing I like more than hero on hero action. I thoroughly enjoyed Civil War and am hoping for more of the same. However I approach with caution and I'll tell you why. I have recently invested my hard earned pennies in two of the Marvel events.

Not entirely satisfying?

I bought Fear Itself, an event that involved a lot of the Avengers and opted to stick with just the 7 issue main title, not the all the tie-in titles and not because I didn't want to but because my husband didn't want to have to remortgage the house. Past big events like this I had only read in graphic novel form, but as my comic collecting has stepped up a gear I decided to allow myself the pleasure of eagerly waiting for the next issue to drop through my letterbox. The downside of this was a gutting feeling that I missed an awful lot of the story by not buying, lets say, Ironman's point of view.  This was disheartening, yeah what I read was good, don't ever think I have ever truly hated a comic, but I just knew more awesome feats and battles were happening elsewhere. It niggled at me all the way through and when it reached its conclusion I felt as though I had merely read a wiki entry synopsis for the event. Yes I can go to the wiki and read all about what happened to everyone else, but the question is should I have to?

On the other hand X-Men:Schism I thoroughly enjoyed. It reminded me of a similar scenario my rpg group and I played in our superhero universe and so I was instantly enthralled and excited by it. My assumption from the brief I read, was that I would side with Cyclops. Of the two I am a bigger fan of  Scott, why? purely girl reasons I'm afraid, great love stories, betrayal and angst. Wolverine as great as he is seems to be a very male orientated character. Now don't think for one minute I don't like Wolverine, that would be sacrilege, I have read many stories with him and enjoyed them, I'm just saying if I had to pick it would be Cyclops.

Nothing like a little action within the team

However I was wrong in terms of Schism. I actually shocked myself and definitely sided with Wolverine. It won my approval  and I felt the story delivered was satisfying and complete. I was happy that I knew everything to make my choice without feeling the need to rush out in my slippers and buy the Schism:Generation Hope. This, I believe, is a compliment to the writers. I often feel that Marvel take advantage of the fans and try to produce as many titles tied to one event as possible, spread across the entire universe. This is unfair to the average earner like me who has to put feeding and clothing children ahead of my intense desire submerge myself in every comic I can get my get my hands on. So this takes me back to Avengers vs X-Men

May be I am just a bigger fan of X-Men then any of the others. But, to be honest, I have now read many comics and have found I am capable of enjoying many of the superheroes both Marvel, DC and others have to offer. My point is Avengers vs X-Men will hopefully involve some of the biggest heroes from each team and so the stakes are higher and I am expecting a lot.

What do I want? well I'll tell you, I want a full and completely gripping story. I want to be told personal tales where a readers loyalty is tested and torn right until the end and I don't want to have to buy 30 comics just to get a satisfying story. 

Please, please, please let it be as good as this picture suggests.

Either way I will be adding it to my pull list just as soon as they let me. It would be foolish for me not to. However, I do so with fingers crossed and a simple wish that Marvel will make me happy.

Tee's for comic fangirls

I often browse the net looking for comic themed clothes. Nothing like coming home after a long day working and slipping into by batman PJ bottoms and Marvel Heroes hoodie. But I find most of these are located in the men's department of the particular store I am perusing. Why is this? The other day a work colleague showed me some Marvel slippers in the Avon catalogue (she knows me so well) great I thought I'll have some, but no, they only do men's sizes 8 and up (UK) WHY? Anyway because of the lack of consideration on the part of retailers for the needs of the geek and nerd fangirls I have trawled the Internet and found some of my favourite tee's for the girl comic fan.

How cute is this? I love it, ickkle Storm. Available to buy here from Think Geek. Though Storm isn't my first choice of female superhero I think she looks fab here and I will add this to my christmas list.

This is a design by TheRandomFactor who has a lot of geek themed designs, but I choose this one because good ol' Jean Grey is one of my favourite heroines. I think that's mainly because I'm a romantic softy, and no I don't think I will ever forgive Cyclops. This is available to buy here.

I love this one featuring Wonder Woman, shame its only in pink, I'm not a huge fan of pink (apart for work clothes) but I think the design of this would persuade me on this occasion, to wear pink in my own time. Available here.

I like this because of the colour and it features some of the superheroes I like to read. Except of course for Green Lantern, I'm just not a huge fan, tried to read some comics but they didn't really really grip me, still simply for being in the Justice League he retains some cool factor. Available here.

One for the Scott Pilgrim fans. I put my hands up, I haven't yet read the comics just seen the film, but I enjoyed that enough to want to read the comics so I'll be adding it to my christmas list. Available here

Ahh Wolverine and Jean, what more can I say, Love the look and colour of this one and of course classic x-men storyline. Available here

Feeling a little evil? Don't always want to be the hero? Pop on this tee dedicated to the DC female super villains. Available here

Finally a simple design featuring Tony Starks very own Stark Industries logo. Love the colour plus the bonus of free delivery. Available here

 On occasion you may be lucky enough to find a tee in the mainstream shops. For instance I bought two awesome Wonder Woman tee's from Primark this summer. I sometimes buy from the men's department but find the fit a bit iffy and always feel strangled by the collars. Anyway, keep an eye out you don't know where they may pop up next, plus with the influx of superheroes movies bringing these long loved heroes into the mainstream, fingers crossed, we may get more designs for the girls. So there it is, some tee's for the girls. Stand up and show the world you are comic fan and proud!

London Expo and Comic Con October 2011 - I met Gail Simone

I wanted to share one of my most geek out experiences. On the 29th of October my husband and I attended the London Expo & Comic Con. It was unlike anything I had attended before, I'd been to Collectormania and seen a few cosplayers but this time it blew my mind. It just so happened that it was also the Euro Cosplay finals so this somewhat explained the overwhelming numbers if wacky and wonderful characters.

One of the reasons I was particulary excited to attend was because one of my favourite comicbook writers was there to sign.  Gail Simone - writer of Wonder Woman (my personal favourite) Birds of Prey, Secret Six, the new Batgirl run and many more. 

So on the Saturday we set off bright and early. I made it very clear to Scott that we were going to find Gail Simone before we did anything else. Arriving there we head straight for the comic area of the Expo. An area I was a little disappointed in to be honest. From the write up I expected it to be a huge event, however compared to the rest of the Expo the comic con was relatively small.


I could find no reference to where Gail would be signing. I must admit slight panic set in the thought of completely missing it and ending up in a never ending queue got my stress levels rising. Then there was a man, not just any man, a man with the badge round his neck and a beard. So I asked him "Do you know where Gail Simon will be signing" and he said "right here, I'm setting it up, you can be the first"


OH YEAH No.1 in the line, this normally only happens at buffets. Here is a pic of me no.1 in the queue and that beardy bloke in the background is the bloke I mentioned a moment ago..

We waited about 40 mins but it was worth it, I got to chatting with fellow fans and soon realised I hadn't brought nearly enough comics to get signed. I didn't want to overload the poor woman but it would seem fellow fanatics did not have the same worry. Ah well, I was grateful for what I got signed though. Some pics of me and Gail (and her lovely husband).

She was lovely, her husband commented on my awesome Wonder Woman t-shirt (which I got her to sign and subsequently can never wear again) and she commented that she liked my purple hair. She took her time to sign her name and finish the Wonder Woman signings off with a little red star. Such detail. Here is me with one of my signed comics.

So that was my most enjoyable part of the expo. I may share some more of my photos next time.


I would like to add another highlight. My husband and I were stood by a bin, not sure why, think we were just resting our very tired feet. When I heard a welsh accent say "Brilliant T-shirt, love the hair colour" and as I turned to say thank you it turnedout to be none other then Eve Myles (Gwen Cooper from Torchwood) she was being hurried along by expo staff but gave me a beautiful smile. It's a shame I couldn't stop her and get an autograph but still an awesome thing to happen.

Why no Wonder Woman film?

I am very disappointed and I'll explain why?

Let me take you back to the mid 80's when the summers were always hot and it never rained, and children would play out all day not worrying about the possibility of being kidnapped by some depraved paedophile and the fabulous Lynda Carter was starring in The New Adventures of Wonder Woman on British TV.

I was about 5, 6 maybe and I loved Wonder Woman, (and still do). I spent my summer holidays spinning and spinning and pretending to be the Amazon. My mum even made me an outfit. Looking back now, what a great role model, a female superhero kicking ass in a male dominated world.

20 odd years on and I am very disappointed by the continuing sexism in the superhero movie industry. Both Batman and Superman have been well represented in the film industry, both have been re-booted at least once so where oh where is my live action Wonder Woman film??

I have read many rumours of a film over the past few years, but none have seemed to have come to fruition. I have recently read an article stating that one the problem was her costume, it being outdated,  which is just ridiculous (giant bat and man who wear underpants on the outside) or its sexual exploitation (for god's sake have they watched music videos these days?  the likes of Lady Gaga are, for all intents and purpose, naked and writhing around simulating sex on the male dancers, which apparently is ok for airing during the day when children are watching (but that is a whole other rant).

I am, however, very pleased with the Wonder Woman animated film and would welcome more, however I fail to understand the lack of live action. Even now they are making superhero films with lesser known (to the general, non geek, public) superheroes like Green Lantern and Thor. Don't get me wrong, I welcome these along with Captain America and The Avengers but goddam it where is the lead female superhero.

Kick Ass featured the awesome Hit Girl but not without a bucket load of controversy, and I don't feel the X-Men films did any of the female heroes justice. I can only hope the X-Men: First Class will do a better job representing its ladies. Electra was quite disappointing and as for Catwoman well I don't really need to go into why that bombed. I fail to think of any others at this point, which obviously means they were not good enough to remain in my head.

Furthermore, I sat down and watched Batman Superman: Apocalypse, not so long ago and I came away with two thoughts,

1. It should be spelt Apokolips, and I'm not sure how they got that so wrong.

2.Why wasn't it called Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman: Apokolips (Yes I have corrected the spelling, I'm kind a stickler for that). Wonder Woman practically appeared in it as much as the two blokes, yet gets missed from the title. Do they think people would not buy it, if it featured her name? I just don't get it.

All you have to do is look around the Internet and shops, Wonder Woman merchandise is everywhere, her comic continues, so it must sell well and therefore have a secure fan base. Surely fear of it being hated by the fans isn't enough to stop them. The industry has produced both Batman and Superman films that suck (Batman and Robin just being one example) and not forgetting emo Spiderman. Geeks watch it anyway and it hasn't stopped 'them' making more with the same hero.

Just to clarify my hairy legs are due to it being a tired working mum who has been married a long time, who wears trousers all the time and its winter. I am by no means a feminist out protesting for equal rights at every opportunity, who is down on society because it is male dominated, things have and will continue to get better.  But I truly hope that the lack of lead role female superheroes in the world of film it is not down to sexism.  I thought we were past that, but the more I think about it the more it plays on my mind. I welcome the industry to prove me wrong and I can only hope that the reason is as simple as not being able to find an actress who can live up to the icon that is Wonder Woman.

Cyclops angst

Just a little sketch I did of Cyclops all angsty....

So lets start you off with a couple of my favourite geek themed parodies...

I'm a huge huge fan of X-Men, more so in recent years, when the X-Men films were released from 2000 onwards I loved them, however in the years that have followed I have read many many more X-Men comics and now the films, well they kinda annoy me, is it so hard to stick to the existing cannon? May be this parody (one of my favs) suggest it is...

Next little video just made me laugh so much, plus I love Doctor Who...

So there, I am sure I will find more so keep checking.