With Wizard World Texas having taken place in my backyard this past week, you'd think that ol' Unca Stars would have been in attendance. That I would be there… ready to rub elbows with the creators. Lead a lynch-mob after Michael Turner to ask why Superman/Batman #13 still remains unreleased. Pick up the variant of the variant of a Wolverine comic I didn't even want the ordinary cover of.
Well, had it not been for a personnel crisis at work involving three people's resignations (some more sudden then others) which required me to work the entire weekend, I very well might have. Sadly, since working most of the weekend has become a habit for me, I was well prepared for this and had long since accepted that the odds of me attending Wizard World were virtually nil.
Still, Wizard World did have an effect upon my plans for this week. For it was at Wizard World last year that I made the acquaintance of a talented writer by the name of Drew Edwards. A few months ago, Drew contacted me, telling me that after self-publishing his characters to his website, he was about to get his first professional publication gig and would I be interested in getting a preview copy?
Incidentally, if you haven't had the good fortune to see Drew's comic Halloween Man, take a quick break right now to check it out at http://www.halloweenman.com. Anyone who is a fan of old Lee/Ditko Spider-Man to say nothing of funny horror movies like "Evil Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead" will love this. And the rest of you probably will too.
Anyway, I spoke with Drew's editors, got my copy of their latest title… and found myself enjoying the whole thing quite a lot. I asked if they would have any objections to being featured in an article a few days before the release of the book. Needless to say, they were happy for the press and all was well and good after they gave me a release fate for the book of "November 10th.
This worked out doubly well, I realized, after I learned the dates of Wizard World Texas. Sure, I'd miss the con… but I could be certain of getting a good article out that week and being able to give some attention to a small indie title that could use some press…
And that's when I found out that that the release date had been bumped up without anyone telling me. Seems this wonderful new comic, Across The Pond Presents #1… actually came out two weeks ago as I write this.
Mea culpa.
Still, the title is still out there. The review is still written. And the book may be available at Across the Ponds website (http://www.acrossthepondstudios.com/) if your local shop doesn't have it and Mile High Comics is out of it. Regardless, this title is well worth hunting down, no matter what.
Metal Locus: Ground Floor Up
Written by: Keith Champagne
Penciled and Inked by: Sergio Cariello
Colored by: Rick Hiltbrunner
Lettered by: Charles Pritchett
Probably best known as the inker on JSA, Keith Champagne has recently turned his talents to a different type of penwork. He recently did a story for Legion of Superheroes as well as this post-apocalyptic yarn that reads like "Of Mice And Men 2099."
The action centers on two cyborg brothers in the future: Charlie the big, well-meaning one and Cliff, the default brains of the operation. The two are mercenaries, down on their luck until the typical gorgeous dame turns up with an offer they can't refuse.
Amusing in an off-beat kind of way, this story would not be out of place in 2000 AD or Heavy Metal. It is well matched with artwork by CrossGen mainstay Sergio Cariello, who manages the neat trick of creating a dirty dystopian city with some of the cleanest artwork ever seen.
The Adventures of Gauche-Man
Written by: Scott Fry & Stephan Nilson
Penciled and Inked by: Scott Fry
Colored by: Michael Wolf
Lettered by: Charles Pritchett
We know from the instant we see the hero… back-lit like a Miller drawing… cape furling like a McFarlene character… and a KICK ME sign blowing majestically in the breeze behind him, that this ain't going to be Batman or Spawn. And that's when most of us sigh with relief and add "Thank God!"
If you're looking for superhero satire as sophisticated as, oh say… The Tick… look elsewhere. This is outright silliness on par with the long lost "Inferior Five" and the best of Monty Python. Right down to the snooty British announcer heaping praise and insults on our hero as he struggles to find and save a screaming woman.
Fry has a real gift for comedy, both as a writer and an illustrator. He manages a bit of stylistic parody of a few different styles. And yet, he manages to blend everything together so that characters like Anime Girl look every bit as natural standing next to the Frank Miller-esque Gauche-Man.
Halloween Man: Working Stiffs
Written by: Drew Edwards
Penciled by: Nicola Scott
Inked by: Mike Furth
Colored by: Jess Farrell
Lettered by: Charles Pritchett
I've heaped enough praise on the brilliance of Edward's writing and concepts in the past. But one more time won't hurt…
What we get here is a typical Halloween Man tale: half-man/half-zombie Solomon Hitch, empowered by the spirits of classic horror movies and armed with a magical spade, teams up with his girlfriend Lucy and best friend (Man-Goat, a superhero who is half man/half goat) to fight various evils. In this case, various evils equals a whole mess of vampires.
The story is a great little intro to what the character does, but not really who he is. We don't get so much as a back-story or secret origin here. While this isn't a problem for an old fan like me, I can see it being it bloody confusing for new reader's first exposure to the character. Still, the artwork is some of the best I've ever seen paired up with Edward's scripts.
Necro City Chronicles: A Shot In The Dark
Created by: Richie Blackmon
Written by: Scott Parker and Mitch Byrd
Art by: Mitch Byrd
Colored by: Rick Hiltbrunner
Lettered by: Charles Pritchett
Somewhat reminiscent of "Rob Zombie's Spookshow" in both tone and art style, this story will be a hit with anyone who is a fan of that aforementioned title as well as the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Dashiell Hammett. Despite some rather obvious tributes, it manages a unique feel, as it centers upon crimes and sins in a Noir landscape in a city full of demons and nightmares.
Pin-up artist Mitch Byrd is uniquely qualified to draw this story. This story isn't for the kiddies and he makes that apparent in every panel, creating a deep aura of sensuality in every demonic dancer, even if the most we actually see is one briefly bared buttock.
Tune in next week. Same Matt time. NEW Matt Website.
Sunday, November 7, 2004
Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Strange #2 - A Review
Written by: J. Michael Straczynski & Sara Barnes
Penciled by: Brandon Peterson
Inked by: Brandon Peterson
Colored by: Justin Ponsor
Lettered by: Randy Gentile
Editor: Axel Alonso
Publisher: Marvel Comics
With all the bru-hah-hah over J. Michael Straczynski’s work on Amazing Spider-Man of late, I’m amazed that the same purists aren’t all a tizzy over his other title with Marvel. The fact is that this new book, which is currently retelling the origins of Doctor Stephen Strange, master magician and sorcerer supreme, has made some changes on par with those regarding the past of Gwen Stacy.
Straczynski has expanded upon the specifics of Strange’s background, which has been vague in some respects. While we’ve always known that he was something of an arrogant jerk and a respected surgeon before a serious accident, we’ve seen very little of his formative years. And while some of the fine details of his history are changed here, the changes either change little or make a good deal of sense. For instance, it matters very little whether Dr. Strange was a neurosurgeon or a plastic surgeon… but given his old money-grubbing ways, being a plastic surgeon makes a good deal more sense. Likewise, the accident (which we see the aftermath of at the start of this issue) is changed from a car-crash to a skiing accident, but the end result is the same: Stephen Strange’s hands are damaged to the point that he will never be able to hold a scalpel again.
Refusing to accept that he will never be able to work in his chosen field again, Strange travels the world seeking second, third and ninth opinions from the greatest experts in the world. Eventually, he makes his way back to Tibet, where he interned for a summer, seeking a young man named Wong. Wong, whose arm he fixed during his internship, has apparently been inspired by Strange’s example during his more idealistic days and gone on to become an alternative medicine man as well as the greatest hand expert in the field…
These changes further ground the idea that a respected surgeon would turn to a magical healer in Tibet for help as well as expanding upon the character of Stephen Wong (yes, he has a first name!), who started out as little more than a poor man’s Kato. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this series reworks Strange’s cluttered past.
About the artwork, I have only the kindest words. Brandon Peterson has an eye for showing great detail without cluttering up a single panel. His style is like that of Ultimate Spider-Man’s Mark Bagley, but with a much darker edge that is perfect for the world of this title. All of the characters, even the nurses and bar patrons in the background, have an individual and distinct look that marks every individual as just that.
Monday, November 1, 2004
Looking To The Stars: Who Dun Et, Part Deux
Last week, I talked about the crimes and evidence we had thus far in "Identity Crisis" and discussed the pros and cons of the various theories that have sprung forth involving "Who Dun Et?" I then asked for all of your opinions and theories.
You people are GOOD.
Admittedly, some of the ideas are a little out there but no more so than some of the other theories being tossed around. In fact, your ideas gave me a few more ideas as well. But first things first: viewer mail.
Our first letter comes from Brandon Downard…
I'm going with Maxwell Lord. In the early issues of JL, he had files on every superhero and knew for certain that Jack Ryder and The Creeper were one and the same. I wouldn't put it pass him to know the IDs of most of the DC heroes considering the research he put in them to make the perfect team to protect him for the alien computer. He has the resources to hire Calculator, Boomerang, Bolt, and any one else that he would need.
I think his motive would be the fact that he wants to bring order to the DC and make up for his screw-up JL. He creates this killer to get the superheroes serious about taking down the world's super villains. The heroes get really serious and in short time they put most of the major and minor villains in jail and in the future they'll be more proactive in their work. He had Calculator get Bolt (who looks really good considering the fact that he was eaten to death by ants in SS V. 2 I. 3) to get the Lex Luthor battle suit so that he could frame an already hated man on the ID killings.
Ummm. Dunno how to explain away Bolt's apparent demise. Any chance that he discovered a latent power to talk to ants and commanded them not to eat him and that everyone just THOUGHT he was dead?
No? Oh. Okay then…
Hmmm… Maxwell Lord: the opportunistic millionaire who personally financed the Justice League throughout most of the Justice League Europe and Justice League International days. Well, he'd certainly be morally loose enough to do this and he's the master of Machiavellian schemes.
Still, I don't know if the idea of him wanting to make up for screwing up the Justice League has any merit. Lord was an egomaniac; a reasonable one to be sure, but definitely not one to easily acknowledge his own mistakes. Besides, as of last year's "Formerly Known As The Justice League" story-line, he was still his incorrigible self and hard at work on creating a new low-rent Justice League.
Ironically enough, said team contained Elongated Man, his wife Sue(who was the one truly sane person on the team) and our next suspect, who was suggested in a letter by Andy DiNunzio…
I have an interesting theory as to who did the murders. Booster Gold is one I came up with. He could have all the knowledge as to the identities of the heroes and still found ways to confuse them by the use of Slipknot's noose. Since he originally stole the items from his future to make him a hero, he has the semi-lax moral code. The why is still a mystery. Could be some unrequited love affair with Sue and hatred of the rest of the heroes for treating him as a joke. I can't come up with a decent reason as to the why, but he could definitely make the motive and opportunity.
Hmmm… Booster Gold. The most opportunist, hero-for-hire ever. Well, he IS a sleaze, but hasn't been a killer. He COULD have stolen the equipment to pull off the murders. Heck, Blue Beetle, who he frequently partnered with, probably has a teleporter and flame-thrower in his lab. But as you say, there's no real motive other than him MAYBE being upset for being treated as a joke. But from what I recall of his time in the Justice League, he tended to dismiss all criticism and thought highly enough of himself to off-set everyone else's low opinion of him.
Besides, aside from the superheroes whom had open identities, I can't see ANYONE letting Booster Gold know their secret identity. You think Batman is going to chance a known superhero who craves the spotlight getting anywhere NEAR the Batcave? Or risk the guy just suddenly showing up at Stately Wayne Manor with a bus full of strippers so he can party with his "close personal friend, Bruce?"
And speaking of Batman, Francisco Gonzalez has a theory about the mastermind being someone very close to the Batman Family.
I have a theory about the master-mind that would explain a lot of things, but, given the character, I do not really think it would be "her".
A brief discussion first. So far the suspects fall in one of two categories: a villain seeking revenge or a hero turned traitor (but none of the second have a real strong, personal motive).
The first suspect was Dr. Light, in revenge for what the JL of A did to him. I think that event could be central to the story and not just circumstantial. What if someone is mad at the heroes, not for doing it, but for not doing it "to someone" else?
There are some situations that could be mirrors here: the obvious one is The Calculator to Oracle.
The second one would explain the "need" for the Sue Dinby's rape, as a mirror action to Barbara Gordon's rape in "The Killing Joke". Some readers see that the torture done to her by the Joker amounted to, if not included rape. And even if that is not the case, how could the JL of A have altered the minds of The Wizard, Felix Faust and Dr. Light and let the Joker get a pass?
That would give a motive for the killings. Her knowledge of the super-hero community would allow for opportunity, and she has access to all the resources that she might need. That would explain the bypass of all the security systems and that surely would explain how Dr. Light knew that the JLA was coming for him in Issue #2. She could have warned him once she saw that the JLA was trying to find him and she would have had that information from the Suicide Squad files (were she first started as Oracle).
Dick Grayson will become the decoy and possibly last victim to this. The killings started the anniversary of his parents deaths... and, according to the DC solicitations, Bludhaven is gonna need another protector.
The scary thing, I can SO see this working. One of the biggest blindsides of the DC Comics Universe is that in a world full of amazing technology, people with magical powers and now… the Justice League using their powers to cover up events such as the rape of one of their members as well as altering the minds of criminals who had learned their secret identities… nobody has ever addressed why nobody has ever thought of trying to heal the broken spine of Barbara Gordon.
I can only remember two times that the question was ever addressed. Once, in Grant Morrison's JLA, when the villain Prometheus told Barbara he could heal her if she quit helping the League. She turned him down. The other time was in "Batman: The Chalice", an alternate universe story where Batman becomes protector of the Holy Grail and offers to use it to heal Barbara. She turns him down because she doesn't believe an item that depends on faith will have any effect on a faithless soul like her.
Still, how much time would it take? Call Zatanna, have her say a few magic words and BOOM… Batgirl walks again. Need something more based in reality? Dr. Midnite is an amazing surgeon who has performed miracles in the past. Ditto Mr. Terrific.
Of course Barbara is very strong-willed and would probably reject help from anyone who suggested that she was in anyway incapable of handling herself in her current form. This has been suggested in the past by other Batman fans who said the only reason Barbara hasn't been cured is because, like in The Chalice, she refused to be helped. Problem is, there's been enough stories where they showed her lamenting the loss of her legs to blow that whole "I'm handi-capable" argument to high-heaven. The truth is that there is no reason, other than editorial power insisting that Barbara Gordon remain confined to a wheel-chair, that she SHOULDN'T have been healed by now.
So think about that. She is cheesed off at the superhero community she busts her butt to help that will watch their own backs but not hers. She got her start as the master hacker Oracle as an associate member of Suicide Squad. She'd definitely have the resources to hire several mercenary villains to act on her behalf as well as the knowledge of how to hack the JLA security systems. She definitely knows the secret identities of Superman and Robin. And she'd definitely be able to send everyone on wild good chases as the plan unfolds…
Still, while Babs COULD do this, as Francisco points out, it would be very out of character for her to do something like this. Besides, as this week's "Batman" and "Birds of Prey" (which actually take place AFTER the end of Identity Crisis chronologically) show, Barbara couldn't have done it by sheer dent of being free to fly around the country.
Unless she really IS the mastermind and plotted the downfall of another patsy as she continues to roam free…
Our last letter comes from James Lawson, who had an idea about how a super power that most of we detectives have ignored might have had a hand in things…
One power set overlooked is time manipulation. As Degaton
showed in a recent issue of JSA, it is possible to find out information
about people then act on it by walking between the seconds of time.
The only problem I see with this theory is I cannot think of any
time-traveling villain that would benefit from this situation. Well,
that is just my theory. Although Snapper Carr is still my top suspect.
Regarding the time-travel option; it certainly is possible, but unlikely as time-travel would be kind of a cheat and go against the grain of the usual detective story. Additionally, it would be kind of cheap to go this far and then find out the whole thing was done by the likes of Waverider or Chronos.
Hey wait… Chronos IS in this story. Crud!
As for Snapper Carr, the "mascot" of the original Justice League and second only to Jimmy Olsen on the list of hapless-sidekicks, I somehow forgot to include him on the list of suspects last week. And speaking of suspects, that's as good a cue as any to discuss the new suspects I've come up with since last week.
Snapper Carr
How He Did It? Snapper actually DID have the ability to teleport for a while and, as mascot to the original incarnation of The Justice League, he would have known something of their secret identities.
Why He Didn't Do It? There's no definite proof he ever knew Superman was Clark Kent or knew anything about Batman and Robin. Also, the last time we saw him he didn't have any super powers and had fallen on hard times. So, he wouldn't have had the resources to contact or hire Captain Boomerang.
Martian Manhunter
How He Did It? A founding member of the Justice League, the alien superhero J'onn J'ozz would have the ability and knowledge to perform most of the crimes. He can walk through walls and read minds, so he could easily track down all the people he would need to act on his behalf when he couldn't act directly. Setting Sue's body on fire would also have thrown suspicion away from him, as all Martians have a fear of fire that is so intense it negates their considerable powers.
Why He Didn't Do It? As loyal as he is to the League, they being the only family he has now in the wake of the holocaust of the Martian people, it makes little sense for him to turn on them. No motive at all.
Dakath, the Burning
How He Did It? The dark side of Martian heritage given physical form, this being was created accidentally by Martian Manhunter during a romantic liaison with a fire-controller who helped him overcome his fear of fire. Possessing all of Martian Manhunter's knowledge and powers, as well as the ability to control fire itself, he nearly destroyed the Earth once and was able to put the entire Justice League into check single-handed.
Why He Didn't Do It? He hasn't been seen since the destruction of his physical form in the JLA comic over a year ago. Plus, as a hands-on kind of villain, he's have little reason to recruit Captain Boomerang as an assistant.
Ben Morse, Comic Nexus Editor
How He Did It? Is actually a character in the DC Universe, albeit a rotting zombie in his one appearance so far. Connections with popular DC Comics writers would enable him to find out everything he needed to know to take on the world's finest heroes and outwit them.
Why He Didn't Do It? Well, I was going to keep it secret… but in the interest of clearing his name, I cannot. The Zombie Ben Morse six-part mini-series, with artwork by Jim Lee and writing by Geoff Johns will be out in Summer 2005!
You people are GOOD.
Admittedly, some of the ideas are a little out there but no more so than some of the other theories being tossed around. In fact, your ideas gave me a few more ideas as well. But first things first: viewer mail.
Our first letter comes from Brandon Downard…
I'm going with Maxwell Lord. In the early issues of JL, he had files on every superhero and knew for certain that Jack Ryder and The Creeper were one and the same. I wouldn't put it pass him to know the IDs of most of the DC heroes considering the research he put in them to make the perfect team to protect him for the alien computer. He has the resources to hire Calculator, Boomerang, Bolt, and any one else that he would need.
I think his motive would be the fact that he wants to bring order to the DC and make up for his screw-up JL. He creates this killer to get the superheroes serious about taking down the world's super villains. The heroes get really serious and in short time they put most of the major and minor villains in jail and in the future they'll be more proactive in their work. He had Calculator get Bolt (who looks really good considering the fact that he was eaten to death by ants in SS V. 2 I. 3) to get the Lex Luthor battle suit so that he could frame an already hated man on the ID killings.
Ummm. Dunno how to explain away Bolt's apparent demise. Any chance that he discovered a latent power to talk to ants and commanded them not to eat him and that everyone just THOUGHT he was dead?
No? Oh. Okay then…
Hmmm… Maxwell Lord: the opportunistic millionaire who personally financed the Justice League throughout most of the Justice League Europe and Justice League International days. Well, he'd certainly be morally loose enough to do this and he's the master of Machiavellian schemes.
Still, I don't know if the idea of him wanting to make up for screwing up the Justice League has any merit. Lord was an egomaniac; a reasonable one to be sure, but definitely not one to easily acknowledge his own mistakes. Besides, as of last year's "Formerly Known As The Justice League" story-line, he was still his incorrigible self and hard at work on creating a new low-rent Justice League.
Ironically enough, said team contained Elongated Man, his wife Sue(who was the one truly sane person on the team) and our next suspect, who was suggested in a letter by Andy DiNunzio…
I have an interesting theory as to who did the murders. Booster Gold is one I came up with. He could have all the knowledge as to the identities of the heroes and still found ways to confuse them by the use of Slipknot's noose. Since he originally stole the items from his future to make him a hero, he has the semi-lax moral code. The why is still a mystery. Could be some unrequited love affair with Sue and hatred of the rest of the heroes for treating him as a joke. I can't come up with a decent reason as to the why, but he could definitely make the motive and opportunity.
Hmmm… Booster Gold. The most opportunist, hero-for-hire ever. Well, he IS a sleaze, but hasn't been a killer. He COULD have stolen the equipment to pull off the murders. Heck, Blue Beetle, who he frequently partnered with, probably has a teleporter and flame-thrower in his lab. But as you say, there's no real motive other than him MAYBE being upset for being treated as a joke. But from what I recall of his time in the Justice League, he tended to dismiss all criticism and thought highly enough of himself to off-set everyone else's low opinion of him.
Besides, aside from the superheroes whom had open identities, I can't see ANYONE letting Booster Gold know their secret identity. You think Batman is going to chance a known superhero who craves the spotlight getting anywhere NEAR the Batcave? Or risk the guy just suddenly showing up at Stately Wayne Manor with a bus full of strippers so he can party with his "close personal friend, Bruce?"
And speaking of Batman, Francisco Gonzalez has a theory about the mastermind being someone very close to the Batman Family.
I have a theory about the master-mind that would explain a lot of things, but, given the character, I do not really think it would be "her".
A brief discussion first. So far the suspects fall in one of two categories: a villain seeking revenge or a hero turned traitor (but none of the second have a real strong, personal motive).
The first suspect was Dr. Light, in revenge for what the JL of A did to him. I think that event could be central to the story and not just circumstantial. What if someone is mad at the heroes, not for doing it, but for not doing it "to someone" else?
There are some situations that could be mirrors here: the obvious one is The Calculator to Oracle.
The second one would explain the "need" for the Sue Dinby's rape, as a mirror action to Barbara Gordon's rape in "The Killing Joke". Some readers see that the torture done to her by the Joker amounted to, if not included rape. And even if that is not the case, how could the JL of A have altered the minds of The Wizard, Felix Faust and Dr. Light and let the Joker get a pass?
That would give a motive for the killings. Her knowledge of the super-hero community would allow for opportunity, and she has access to all the resources that she might need. That would explain the bypass of all the security systems and that surely would explain how Dr. Light knew that the JLA was coming for him in Issue #2. She could have warned him once she saw that the JLA was trying to find him and she would have had that information from the Suicide Squad files (were she first started as Oracle).
Dick Grayson will become the decoy and possibly last victim to this. The killings started the anniversary of his parents deaths... and, according to the DC solicitations, Bludhaven is gonna need another protector.
The scary thing, I can SO see this working. One of the biggest blindsides of the DC Comics Universe is that in a world full of amazing technology, people with magical powers and now… the Justice League using their powers to cover up events such as the rape of one of their members as well as altering the minds of criminals who had learned their secret identities… nobody has ever addressed why nobody has ever thought of trying to heal the broken spine of Barbara Gordon.
I can only remember two times that the question was ever addressed. Once, in Grant Morrison's JLA, when the villain Prometheus told Barbara he could heal her if she quit helping the League. She turned him down. The other time was in "Batman: The Chalice", an alternate universe story where Batman becomes protector of the Holy Grail and offers to use it to heal Barbara. She turns him down because she doesn't believe an item that depends on faith will have any effect on a faithless soul like her.
Still, how much time would it take? Call Zatanna, have her say a few magic words and BOOM… Batgirl walks again. Need something more based in reality? Dr. Midnite is an amazing surgeon who has performed miracles in the past. Ditto Mr. Terrific.
Of course Barbara is very strong-willed and would probably reject help from anyone who suggested that she was in anyway incapable of handling herself in her current form. This has been suggested in the past by other Batman fans who said the only reason Barbara hasn't been cured is because, like in The Chalice, she refused to be helped. Problem is, there's been enough stories where they showed her lamenting the loss of her legs to blow that whole "I'm handi-capable" argument to high-heaven. The truth is that there is no reason, other than editorial power insisting that Barbara Gordon remain confined to a wheel-chair, that she SHOULDN'T have been healed by now.
So think about that. She is cheesed off at the superhero community she busts her butt to help that will watch their own backs but not hers. She got her start as the master hacker Oracle as an associate member of Suicide Squad. She'd definitely have the resources to hire several mercenary villains to act on her behalf as well as the knowledge of how to hack the JLA security systems. She definitely knows the secret identities of Superman and Robin. And she'd definitely be able to send everyone on wild good chases as the plan unfolds…
Still, while Babs COULD do this, as Francisco points out, it would be very out of character for her to do something like this. Besides, as this week's "Batman" and "Birds of Prey" (which actually take place AFTER the end of Identity Crisis chronologically) show, Barbara couldn't have done it by sheer dent of being free to fly around the country.
Unless she really IS the mastermind and plotted the downfall of another patsy as she continues to roam free…
Our last letter comes from James Lawson, who had an idea about how a super power that most of we detectives have ignored might have had a hand in things…
One power set overlooked is time manipulation. As Degaton
showed in a recent issue of JSA, it is possible to find out information
about people then act on it by walking between the seconds of time.
The only problem I see with this theory is I cannot think of any
time-traveling villain that would benefit from this situation. Well,
that is just my theory. Although Snapper Carr is still my top suspect.
Regarding the time-travel option; it certainly is possible, but unlikely as time-travel would be kind of a cheat and go against the grain of the usual detective story. Additionally, it would be kind of cheap to go this far and then find out the whole thing was done by the likes of Waverider or Chronos.
Hey wait… Chronos IS in this story. Crud!
As for Snapper Carr, the "mascot" of the original Justice League and second only to Jimmy Olsen on the list of hapless-sidekicks, I somehow forgot to include him on the list of suspects last week. And speaking of suspects, that's as good a cue as any to discuss the new suspects I've come up with since last week.
Snapper Carr
How He Did It? Snapper actually DID have the ability to teleport for a while and, as mascot to the original incarnation of The Justice League, he would have known something of their secret identities.
Why He Didn't Do It? There's no definite proof he ever knew Superman was Clark Kent or knew anything about Batman and Robin. Also, the last time we saw him he didn't have any super powers and had fallen on hard times. So, he wouldn't have had the resources to contact or hire Captain Boomerang.
Martian Manhunter
How He Did It? A founding member of the Justice League, the alien superhero J'onn J'ozz would have the ability and knowledge to perform most of the crimes. He can walk through walls and read minds, so he could easily track down all the people he would need to act on his behalf when he couldn't act directly. Setting Sue's body on fire would also have thrown suspicion away from him, as all Martians have a fear of fire that is so intense it negates their considerable powers.
Why He Didn't Do It? As loyal as he is to the League, they being the only family he has now in the wake of the holocaust of the Martian people, it makes little sense for him to turn on them. No motive at all.
Dakath, the Burning
How He Did It? The dark side of Martian heritage given physical form, this being was created accidentally by Martian Manhunter during a romantic liaison with a fire-controller who helped him overcome his fear of fire. Possessing all of Martian Manhunter's knowledge and powers, as well as the ability to control fire itself, he nearly destroyed the Earth once and was able to put the entire Justice League into check single-handed.
Why He Didn't Do It? He hasn't been seen since the destruction of his physical form in the JLA comic over a year ago. Plus, as a hands-on kind of villain, he's have little reason to recruit Captain Boomerang as an assistant.
Ben Morse, Comic Nexus Editor
How He Did It? Is actually a character in the DC Universe, albeit a rotting zombie in his one appearance so far. Connections with popular DC Comics writers would enable him to find out everything he needed to know to take on the world's finest heroes and outwit them.
Why He Didn't Do It? Well, I was going to keep it secret… but in the interest of clearing his name, I cannot. The Zombie Ben Morse six-part mini-series, with artwork by Jim Lee and writing by Geoff Johns will be out in Summer 2005!
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
PS238 #8 - A Review
Written by: Aaron Williams
Penciled by: Aaron Williams
Inked by: Aaron Williams
Colored by: N/A
Lettered by: Aaron Williams
Editor: Aaron Williams
Publisher: Dorkstorm Press
You ever notice how even though they it was a school, that until recently we never actually saw any classes being taught at Charles Xavier’s School For Gifted Children in all the X-Men books? Aside from all those real-world combat exercised in the Danger Room, of course.
We never got to see Scott Summers sweating it out over mid-terms. We never got to see Professor X having to get the school inspected for meeting all the state standards as an independent educational facility. And, seeing as how most of the students were practically adults or orphans, we never got to witness any parent/teacher conferences regarding little Billy’s failure to correctly use his powers when he snuck inside the girl’s locker-room while invisible. And while X-Men has usually been a fine comic in other respects, it has never accurately portrayed what a real school for super-powered youths might really be like.
For those of us who have ever seriously wondered what such a school WOULD be like, there is PS238. Taken from the imagination of writer/artist Aaron Williams, the comic offers up lots of laughs along with the occasional spoonful of sentiment.
This issue continues a theme from last issue, in which the students of the PS238 secret school for superhuman children had to do a group report upon a great historical superhero. While this might be an ordinary assignment, it is made extraordinarily easy when one of your classmates has the power to walk backwards in time and interview the subject of your report. This time, we get to see the report of a student named Lyle. Lyle has the rather unusual superpower of being a super-detective - able to see the synchronic connections between seemingly unrelated events.
Lyle is one of a handful of students registered in what is called The Rainmaker Program; a part of the PS238 school designed to educate and train children with super-powers that might not readily lend themselves to crime-fighting, such as being able to dig through the earth super-quickly or change inorganic material into food. Lyle’s report is upon the first subject of the very first Project Rainmaker: a young man who had the power to control the rain, and how he would wind up changing the course of history for superheroes everywhere.
Sadly, this issue of PS238 is nowhere near as enjoyable as the last few have been. The revelations about original Rainmaker Project are rather muted compared to the rather dramatic story told in the last issue. And the comedic moments are few and far between, with this issue apparently being the founding moment of some greater story to be told later on. So the usual elements that make me recommend this book - the humor, the sweetness and the satire - are sorely lacking this time around.
This is not to say that the book is not up to the usual high standard of quality. William’s art is as good as ever, perfectly capturing the cuteness of a bunch of eight-year-old superheroes but still capable of being serious enough when needed. And what few jokes there are in this issue are pretty good. In fact, that sums up the entire issue - it is pretty good. But when one is used to greatness, pretty good isn’t good enough.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Looking To The Stars: Who Dun Et? - Part One
You'd think the past issue of Identity Crisis would have settled some of the big questions as to who the murderer is.
You'd LIKE to think that…
Truth is that as I write this, a day or so after the release of said comic, the message boards are still filled with more conspiracy theories than Florida come Election Day. But for the sake of voicing the opinions of the masses, as well as my own theories on "who dun et", I present the following list of suspects, motives and problems with the theories behind them.
But first, a quick review of the crimes so far…
Crime #1: Murder of Sue Dibny, wife of Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. The Elongated Man.
The cause of death is unknown so far. Her body was found, partially burned in her apartment. As of the end of issue #2, we find out (from Doctor Midnite, who was doing the autopsy) that she was dead before her body was set on fire, but no other means of death has been mentioned yet. Whoever the murderer was, we know a few facts from the text in issue #1.
First, the murderer had the means to enter their apartment without setting off the security system which is one of the most advanced on the planet. This would have required either the ability to teleport, the ability to walk through walls (aka phase) or a whole heck of a lot of electronic know-how. Or for the murderer to have been able to get through the security; i.e. be a Justice League member.
Second, the burning of the body was done with a flamethrower, but nobody knows this but we, the readers. The heroes investigating the murder are still running under the assumption that a fire-controlling villain is involved.
Third, the killer called her Sue. However, this means very little as her marriage and her husband's secret identity were a matter of public knowledge. Indeed, Ralph Dibny is historically recognized as the first masked superhero to out himself to the public in the DC Comics Universe.
Since then, we have learned (as of issue 5) that the cause of death is still unknown, but that Dr. Fate has ruled out magical involvement.
Crime #2: Attempted Murder of Jean Loring, ex-wife of Ray Palmer, a.k.a. The Atom.
This time, the murder was attempted with a different weapon: a hangman's noose. Superman (ever the Boy Scout) recognized the knot used as a bowline knot with a Dutch Marine twist. This was, it turned out, the trademarked knot of a villain called Slipknot, who specialized in tying nooses around the necks of his victims. The only thing that ruled him out was the fact that he was in prison, serving a ten-year sentence.
At this point, it is mentioned that Slipknot was a member of The Suicide Squad; a government program that sent convicted super-villains on missions too dangerous for ordinary troops. In the event that they survived, they would be given full pardons. If they were killed in the process, well… no small loss.
We also learn that the killer is definitely a man and wore brown work boots.
The killer was, again, somehow able to circumvent the advanced security system in Jean's apartment.
As the Atom has a public identity and his marriage was also public record, potentially anyone could have known how to find and attack her.
Crime #3: Threat of Murder, Lois Lane, wife of Clark Kent, a.k.a. do I REALLY have to say?
At the end of issue #4, Lois Lane received a letter which read…
Lois-
I know who your huSband is.
You're next.
The S, in husband was written in red ink with a triangle around it; an obvious reference to the Superman symbol.
So whoever the killer is knows Superman's secret identity, which is NOT common knowledge.
Crime #4: Possible Murder of Jack Drake, father of Robin a.k.a. Tim Drake.
Before the murder, Jake receives a box with a note which reads... Jack DRake. Drake with a capital R with a circle around it in red ink; this being a very loose approximation of the Robin symbol. The box contains a note with a gun which reads "Protect Yourself".
Robin's secret identity is even more secret than Superman's.
Shortly after, Jack Drake is assailed in his home by the villain Captain Boomerang. While he is able to apparently fatally wound his attacker, Boomerang is able to throw one razor-sharp boomerang into Jack Drake's chest before collapsing.
We only see the two men bleeding in the last panels, but the suggestion is that both men are dead.
In the build up leading to the fight between the two, we see Captain Boomerang's newly found lost son (whom dad just spent the day with) checking his messages and finding a message from his dad saying that he should watch the news and "this time I'm leaving a calling card… OUR card."
Captain Boomerang, it might be noted, is wearing brown work boots as he kicks in the door to the Drake residence.
Now, for the list of suspects… with the most unlikely coming first.
Firestorm, a.k.a. Ronnie Raymond
How He Did It? With the power to change matter on the atomic level as well as phase through solid materials, he could easily have killed Sue Dibny without setting off the alarms. Is also a JL member, so he could have bypassed the alarms. Probably knew Superman's secret identity as a JL member.
Why He Didn't Do It? Doesn't know Robin's Secret Identity. Lack of a motive, other than just going crazy. He wouldn't have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy. Also, he's kinda dead now as of the last issue.
Green Lantern, a.k.a. Kyle Rayner
How He Did It? A Green Lantern ring could EASILY allow anyone to walk through walls and set a body on fire. Also, he IS a JL member and could have bypassed the alarms. Definitely knows Superman's secret identity.
Why He Didn't Do It? Probably doesn't know Robin's Secret Identity. Lack of a motive, other than just going crazy. Also, he wouldn't have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy.
Nightwing, a.k.a. Dick Grayson
How He Did It? Taught by Batman, he could probably disable a security system utilizing the technology of four different alien races. Also, is an honorary JLA member after leading the team during the otherwise forgettable "Obsidian Age" story. He IS just clever enough to pull off the rest of it off and WOULD have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy. And he knows Robin's secret identity.
Why He Didn't Do It? Ignoring the fact that DC is unlikely to turn the original Robin into a villain, he really has no motive other than going totally crazy.
Elongated Man, a.k.a. Ralph Dibny
How He Did It? Could easily break into his own apartment. Is a JLA member, so he could have could have gotten past the alarms. Is a master detective, so he could easily have figured out all the secret identities he didn't know from his time as a JLA member. He would also stand to profit handsomely from his wife's death (insurance policy). Would easily have the resources to hire Boomerang as a patsy.
Why He Didn't Do It? No motive except the money, and he's already comfortably well off from his marriage to a wealthy heiress. Also, would totally ignore years of characterization concerning how madly in love he is with his wife.
Captain Boomerang, a.k.a. Digger Harris.
How He Did It? Was caught red-handed at the scene of the Jack Drake murder. Made reference to his son about "leaving a calling card this time". (What had he done before?) Wore brown work-boots during the Jack Drake murder, like Jean Loring's assailant. Had multiple motives, from striking back at one of the first heroes he fought against (Elongated Man originally lived in the same city as 'The Flash' and fought most of the same villains) to wanting to make a name for himself again to just wanting to make superheroes look foolish. He would also have been able to faked Slipknot's MO, having being a member of the Suicide Squad himself.
Why He Didn't Do ALL Of It? He would have needed a LOT of help to have done ALL the murders. While the evidence suggests he was responsible for the attempted murder of Jean Loring and was definitely the killer of Jack Drake, he probably has no clue about the secret identities of Robin or Superman. There's also the pesky matter of how he bypassed the security. Digger's a right bastich, but he's no security wizard. Odds' are he either had help or is a fall guy for a mastermind planning something bigger. In fact, it's highly doubtful Boomerang would have sent Jack Drake a gun in order to offer him a fair chance at defending himself.
The Calculator, a.k.a. Noah Kuttler
How He Did It? This silly super-villain turned super information broker has been manipulating characters right and left since issue #1, calling up other super-villains and hiring them for special jobs or getting them information they needed. He helped Captain Boomerang with tracking down his lost son but no price was ever discussed for the service. Could it be possible that The Calculator planned the murder of Sue Dibny for some unknown reason and then used Captain Boomerang as a patsy to perform the last two murders to make it look like one criminal with a mission was at work?
Why He Didn't Do ALL Of It? The only problem with Boomerang as the master-villain is that he would have lacked the information on how to get past the security on the first two crimes and he didn't know all the secret identities involved. While The Calculator might be able to get such information, there's no definite proof that he knows Robin and Superman's secret identities or would be able to hack the JLA security systems. Also, from what we've seen there's no direct profit for him masterminding such an operation… and he's all about profit. In fact, as some of the super-villains in this story have pointed out, the murders are making their business harder as the super-heroes are now out in force investigating everyone making their jobs ten times harder. So why go out of his way to rock the boat for so little gain? Unless he's getting paid to act as a go-between by someone else who is more concerned with profit as revenge?
Amazo
How He Did It? A series of several robots programmed to duplicate the various powers and skills of any JLA member, an Amazo robot could have performed the Sue Dibny murder quite easily, excepting that it would have registered as a JLA member on their security system and as such, not a threat. Also, issue one started out with Elongated Man investigating the sale of an Amazo robot on the black market.
Why He Didn't Do It? We haven't seen hide nor hair of an Amazo robot yet. In fact, the crate that supposedly contained one actually held one of Lex Luthor's old battle armor suits. There's also the pesky issue of the robot being designed to go after JLA members, not their families. And the robot wouldn't know all the secret identities.
Lex Luthor
How He Did It? Last time we saw Lex, he swore their would be "a crisis". He has the motive to try and take down the superhero community at large just out of spite. He's got the smarts to take out the JLA security systems and could probably figure out Superman and Robin's secret identities. And assuming he managed to hide away some of his savings in secret accounts before his exposure as a master criminal (as opposed to a slightly dishonest businessman), he'd have the resources to hire Calculator and any other super-villain to act on his behalf.
Why He Didn't Do It? Aside from his armored suit being in a crate up for sale, we've seen hide nor hair of Luthor. And the only real suggestion we have that he's even involved in the story is some muttered words in Superman/Batman #6. Plus, we're assuming a lot that he has the resources and knowledge to pull this off.
Daron, The Dark Overlord
How He Did It? He has the resources. He could get the knowledge. He could very well mastermind the whole thing.
Why He Didn't Do It? Wrong universe, but even then I wouldn't put it past him.
Comments? Theories of your own? Some little detail I missed that could blow the whole thing open? Drop me an e-mail .
Tune in next week. Same Matt time. NEW Matt Website.
You'd LIKE to think that…
Truth is that as I write this, a day or so after the release of said comic, the message boards are still filled with more conspiracy theories than Florida come Election Day. But for the sake of voicing the opinions of the masses, as well as my own theories on "who dun et", I present the following list of suspects, motives and problems with the theories behind them.
But first, a quick review of the crimes so far…
Crime #1: Murder of Sue Dibny, wife of Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. The Elongated Man.
The cause of death is unknown so far. Her body was found, partially burned in her apartment. As of the end of issue #2, we find out (from Doctor Midnite, who was doing the autopsy) that she was dead before her body was set on fire, but no other means of death has been mentioned yet. Whoever the murderer was, we know a few facts from the text in issue #1.
First, the murderer had the means to enter their apartment without setting off the security system which is one of the most advanced on the planet. This would have required either the ability to teleport, the ability to walk through walls (aka phase) or a whole heck of a lot of electronic know-how. Or for the murderer to have been able to get through the security; i.e. be a Justice League member.
Second, the burning of the body was done with a flamethrower, but nobody knows this but we, the readers. The heroes investigating the murder are still running under the assumption that a fire-controlling villain is involved.
Third, the killer called her Sue. However, this means very little as her marriage and her husband's secret identity were a matter of public knowledge. Indeed, Ralph Dibny is historically recognized as the first masked superhero to out himself to the public in the DC Comics Universe.
Since then, we have learned (as of issue 5) that the cause of death is still unknown, but that Dr. Fate has ruled out magical involvement.
Crime #2: Attempted Murder of Jean Loring, ex-wife of Ray Palmer, a.k.a. The Atom.
This time, the murder was attempted with a different weapon: a hangman's noose. Superman (ever the Boy Scout) recognized the knot used as a bowline knot with a Dutch Marine twist. This was, it turned out, the trademarked knot of a villain called Slipknot, who specialized in tying nooses around the necks of his victims. The only thing that ruled him out was the fact that he was in prison, serving a ten-year sentence.
At this point, it is mentioned that Slipknot was a member of The Suicide Squad; a government program that sent convicted super-villains on missions too dangerous for ordinary troops. In the event that they survived, they would be given full pardons. If they were killed in the process, well… no small loss.
We also learn that the killer is definitely a man and wore brown work boots.
The killer was, again, somehow able to circumvent the advanced security system in Jean's apartment.
As the Atom has a public identity and his marriage was also public record, potentially anyone could have known how to find and attack her.
Crime #3: Threat of Murder, Lois Lane, wife of Clark Kent, a.k.a. do I REALLY have to say?
At the end of issue #4, Lois Lane received a letter which read…
Lois-
I know who your huSband is.
You're next.
The S, in husband was written in red ink with a triangle around it; an obvious reference to the Superman symbol.
So whoever the killer is knows Superman's secret identity, which is NOT common knowledge.
Crime #4: Possible Murder of Jack Drake, father of Robin a.k.a. Tim Drake.
Before the murder, Jake receives a box with a note which reads... Jack DRake. Drake with a capital R with a circle around it in red ink; this being a very loose approximation of the Robin symbol. The box contains a note with a gun which reads "Protect Yourself".
Robin's secret identity is even more secret than Superman's.
Shortly after, Jack Drake is assailed in his home by the villain Captain Boomerang. While he is able to apparently fatally wound his attacker, Boomerang is able to throw one razor-sharp boomerang into Jack Drake's chest before collapsing.
We only see the two men bleeding in the last panels, but the suggestion is that both men are dead.
In the build up leading to the fight between the two, we see Captain Boomerang's newly found lost son (whom dad just spent the day with) checking his messages and finding a message from his dad saying that he should watch the news and "this time I'm leaving a calling card… OUR card."
Captain Boomerang, it might be noted, is wearing brown work boots as he kicks in the door to the Drake residence.
Now, for the list of suspects… with the most unlikely coming first.
Firestorm, a.k.a. Ronnie Raymond
How He Did It? With the power to change matter on the atomic level as well as phase through solid materials, he could easily have killed Sue Dibny without setting off the alarms. Is also a JL member, so he could have bypassed the alarms. Probably knew Superman's secret identity as a JL member.
Why He Didn't Do It? Doesn't know Robin's Secret Identity. Lack of a motive, other than just going crazy. He wouldn't have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy. Also, he's kinda dead now as of the last issue.
Green Lantern, a.k.a. Kyle Rayner
How He Did It? A Green Lantern ring could EASILY allow anyone to walk through walls and set a body on fire. Also, he IS a JL member and could have bypassed the alarms. Definitely knows Superman's secret identity.
Why He Didn't Do It? Probably doesn't know Robin's Secret Identity. Lack of a motive, other than just going crazy. Also, he wouldn't have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy.
Nightwing, a.k.a. Dick Grayson
How He Did It? Taught by Batman, he could probably disable a security system utilizing the technology of four different alien races. Also, is an honorary JLA member after leading the team during the otherwise forgettable "Obsidian Age" story. He IS just clever enough to pull off the rest of it off and WOULD have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy. And he knows Robin's secret identity.
Why He Didn't Do It? Ignoring the fact that DC is unlikely to turn the original Robin into a villain, he really has no motive other than going totally crazy.
Elongated Man, a.k.a. Ralph Dibny
How He Did It? Could easily break into his own apartment. Is a JLA member, so he could have could have gotten past the alarms. Is a master detective, so he could easily have figured out all the secret identities he didn't know from his time as a JLA member. He would also stand to profit handsomely from his wife's death (insurance policy). Would easily have the resources to hire Boomerang as a patsy.
Why He Didn't Do It? No motive except the money, and he's already comfortably well off from his marriage to a wealthy heiress. Also, would totally ignore years of characterization concerning how madly in love he is with his wife.
Captain Boomerang, a.k.a. Digger Harris.
How He Did It? Was caught red-handed at the scene of the Jack Drake murder. Made reference to his son about "leaving a calling card this time". (What had he done before?) Wore brown work-boots during the Jack Drake murder, like Jean Loring's assailant. Had multiple motives, from striking back at one of the first heroes he fought against (Elongated Man originally lived in the same city as 'The Flash' and fought most of the same villains) to wanting to make a name for himself again to just wanting to make superheroes look foolish. He would also have been able to faked Slipknot's MO, having being a member of the Suicide Squad himself.
Why He Didn't Do ALL Of It? He would have needed a LOT of help to have done ALL the murders. While the evidence suggests he was responsible for the attempted murder of Jean Loring and was definitely the killer of Jack Drake, he probably has no clue about the secret identities of Robin or Superman. There's also the pesky matter of how he bypassed the security. Digger's a right bastich, but he's no security wizard. Odds' are he either had help or is a fall guy for a mastermind planning something bigger. In fact, it's highly doubtful Boomerang would have sent Jack Drake a gun in order to offer him a fair chance at defending himself.
The Calculator, a.k.a. Noah Kuttler
How He Did It? This silly super-villain turned super information broker has been manipulating characters right and left since issue #1, calling up other super-villains and hiring them for special jobs or getting them information they needed. He helped Captain Boomerang with tracking down his lost son but no price was ever discussed for the service. Could it be possible that The Calculator planned the murder of Sue Dibny for some unknown reason and then used Captain Boomerang as a patsy to perform the last two murders to make it look like one criminal with a mission was at work?
Why He Didn't Do ALL Of It? The only problem with Boomerang as the master-villain is that he would have lacked the information on how to get past the security on the first two crimes and he didn't know all the secret identities involved. While The Calculator might be able to get such information, there's no definite proof that he knows Robin and Superman's secret identities or would be able to hack the JLA security systems. Also, from what we've seen there's no direct profit for him masterminding such an operation… and he's all about profit. In fact, as some of the super-villains in this story have pointed out, the murders are making their business harder as the super-heroes are now out in force investigating everyone making their jobs ten times harder. So why go out of his way to rock the boat for so little gain? Unless he's getting paid to act as a go-between by someone else who is more concerned with profit as revenge?
Amazo
How He Did It? A series of several robots programmed to duplicate the various powers and skills of any JLA member, an Amazo robot could have performed the Sue Dibny murder quite easily, excepting that it would have registered as a JLA member on their security system and as such, not a threat. Also, issue one started out with Elongated Man investigating the sale of an Amazo robot on the black market.
Why He Didn't Do It? We haven't seen hide nor hair of an Amazo robot yet. In fact, the crate that supposedly contained one actually held one of Lex Luthor's old battle armor suits. There's also the pesky issue of the robot being designed to go after JLA members, not their families. And the robot wouldn't know all the secret identities.
Lex Luthor
How He Did It? Last time we saw Lex, he swore their would be "a crisis". He has the motive to try and take down the superhero community at large just out of spite. He's got the smarts to take out the JLA security systems and could probably figure out Superman and Robin's secret identities. And assuming he managed to hide away some of his savings in secret accounts before his exposure as a master criminal (as opposed to a slightly dishonest businessman), he'd have the resources to hire Calculator and any other super-villain to act on his behalf.
Why He Didn't Do It? Aside from his armored suit being in a crate up for sale, we've seen hide nor hair of Luthor. And the only real suggestion we have that he's even involved in the story is some muttered words in Superman/Batman #6. Plus, we're assuming a lot that he has the resources and knowledge to pull this off.
Daron, The Dark Overlord
How He Did It? He has the resources. He could get the knowledge. He could very well mastermind the whole thing.
Why He Didn't Do It? Wrong universe, but even then I wouldn't put it past him.
Comments? Theories of your own? Some little detail I missed that could blow the whole thing open? Drop me an e-mail .
Tune in next week. Same Matt time. NEW Matt Website.
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