Read Comics

Okay, when DC made the big announcement that they were rebooting and revamping their hero books, I really didn’t have an opinion. It’s been awhile since I’ve read any of them regularly, and a good story is a good story. The news did not rock my world.
I felt some trepidation when I heard that Babara Gordon would no longer be Oracle or in a wheelchair, but my mind was put at ease when I found out Gail Simone would be writing her series. If anyone can return her to batgirl and erase all the awesome character development over the years since she became Oracle, but still keep her smart, kickass, resourceful, and compelling it’s Gail Simone.
So like I said, I had no strong feelings about the the reboot until I saw this!

That, if you can’t tell (and OMG how could you?) is supposed to be Harley Quinn!
My reaction was something like the title of this post but less articulate.
I love Harley Quinn! Love her! This isn’t her!
I don’t object to the idea of character redesigns. In fact I’ve liked quite a few of the ones I’ve seen for the new DC so far. But this is to put it mildly an abomination!

The redesigns were supposed to update the look, but stick to the essence of the character. What about this is Harley?
As a refresher this is what Harley has more or less looked like for about two decades.

Isn’t she cute? She’s spunky, kooky, violent, and yes sexy. She is dressed very much like the clown archetype that inspired her name.

She isn’t a skank! She doesn’t look like she is about to eat your liver. She might, but she wouldn’t telegraph it like that. She isn’t in danger of contracting a venerial disease anytime she sits down.
I wouldn’t have cared if DC introduced this thing as a new character. I probably wouldn’t have bought the book she appears in, but to each their own. If they want to publish this character then fine, just don’t call her Harley Quinn! Call her Lady Wetdream vonTrollop derGonerrhea and be done with it. And leave my Harley alone, you bastards!!!!!!!

This is apparently a picture of Theodore Roosevelt, taken when he was attending Harvard.   I’ll take the internet’s word for it, but all I can see is Wolverine.

I never went to college, let alone Harvard, so I’ll leave it to someone else to determine if this is evidence that it has changed a lot, or not at all since then.

On the Day Batman’s Parents Died

A poem by me

On the day Batman’s parents died

It was Christmas

It was New Year’s Eve

It was Halloween

It was Bruce’s birthday

They went to the movies (it was Zorro)

They went to the opera

They went to the ballet

They went to the movies (it was not Zorro)

Little Bruce’s mother scolded him

Little Bruce told his father he hated him

His father hit his mother

His mother told his father she was pregnant again

Bruce pretended to be the Lone Ranger

Bruce’s mother read to him from Alice in Wonderland

Bruce’s father dressed up like a bat

Bruce’s butler stayed home with a cold

A black cat crossed their path

A clown juggled for pennies

A crow died

A criminal got away

There was a full moon

There was no moon

It was everyday

It was the only day

This was inspired by the fact that every Batman comic I’ve read  or movie or tv show I’ve seen, has set every flashback to Bruce Wayne’s childhood on the day his parents were murdered.  Of course each one contradicts the last.  But why not?  It all happened.  It is the only day that matters.