Just Stay at Home

Coming to you fast and furious: Thursday Night Thinking!

Here's a serious question: who do you think will win in this "versus" match? My money's on the Batman-Superman team. Because, you know, heat vision. And batarangs.

Anyone who read comic books in the 1970's or 1980's has got to remember all the Hostess Cupcake, Twinkies, & Fruit Pie ads starring some of their favorite Marvel & DC Superheroes. They ran these all the time & I totally loved them! First, it wasn't like a regular advertisement. They made it look like another page of the comic book to trick you into reading them. Second, they were always such fun because the hero would use Hostess Treats as a way to confuse the criminals. Apparently, if you throw packaged Fruit Pies at crooks or bank robbers their brains just totally short-circuit & they go nuts for the fruit filling! But, I mean, who can blame them? At the time they had Cherry, Apple, & Peach! My personal favorite was Cherry. As a little kid I used to completely love them & I would beg my Mom to buy some at the store, ha ha! ( Be sure to click on the ad up above for a more readable version. You'll be glad you did because it is quite the adventure ).

On the internet awhile back I came across some amazing Batman Promo items that I wish I would have known existed, back when they did the promotion. It seems that, at Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants ( in the Philippines ), they had special Chicken Buckets & Plastic Soft Drink Cups decorated with graphics of Batman, Robin, Batgirl, & Catwoman! I found these on the personal website of the graphic designer who designed them. His name is Brian & he's an extremely talented artist. The weird thing was that it combined a few different "themes of Batman", namely, THE BATMAN animated cartoon & "THE GOTHAM GIRLS". But, where's Poison Ivy & Harley Quinn? They were an internal part of Gotham Girls. Plus, Batgirl was NOT a Gotham Girl but a member of the Bat-Family...weird. But regardless, I would like to have these KFC buckets & cups though, they're pretty cool!

The pictures up above are 4 different brand-new "Japan Anime-Inspired" PVC Statue Figures to keep an eye out for in the future. They're called "Ame-Comi Hero & Heroine Series". Of course they are Japanese-Style versions of Batman, Robin, Modern Batgirl ( Cassandra Cain ), & Catwoman. Each figure measures approx. 7 1/2 to 9" tall & come with a display stand inside a window box. They also vary in price from $60.00 to $70.00. Batgirl & Catwoman have a release date of October 21st, 2009. Batman & Robin won't be out until around February 10th, 2010. ( Thanks Saul for sending me the improved photos ).

Look at that: I finish up the Black Mask story and it's suddenly Thursday! Thursday Night Thinking!

You didn't even realize that was Jason Todd, did you? Cookie cutter Robins...

by Scipio Garling
Gotham City, The Gotham Times
(Multiversal Press Association)

The United Underworld has pulled off the seemingly impossible with an across-the-board attack on the line of Batman titles, leaving three dead and two wounded.

Dan Didio, Grant Morrison, Fabian Nicienza, and Peter Tomasi (see photo at left), have cancelled the Nightwing series, the Robin series, and the Birds of Prey series, all staples of the Batman editorial line. Each of these titles stars one of Batman historically principal in-family allies, Dick "Nightwing" Grayson, Tim "Robin" Drake, and Barbara "Batgirl/Oracle" Gordon.

Meanwhile, in another part of Gotham City, the incomprehensibly puzzling writing of Grant Morrison (see photo at right) has incapacitated the two main Batman titles, Batman and Detective Comics, possible killing their star, and leaving even long-time readers riddled with doubt.

Also crippled by the attack were Batfamily members Spoiler and the Huntress, hard-luck cult favorite Manhunter, women's issues pioneer Zinda Blake, and a host of supporting characters and secondary villains.

Reaction to the attack has been mixed.

"Zis obzezhion vit ze Batman is unhealt'y," opined local psychologist H. Strange (see photo at left). "It is a vise move to cripple ze Batman lines at zis time, particularly as his rezent zinematic zuzesses have led to an overzealous popularity vit zis character among ze masses." Strange posited that the changes may, in fact, be good for the Batman family in the longer run. "Vhatever does not kill, it makes stronger. New birt' comes vit pain. Pain unt zuffering vill make ze Batman strong, even stronger. Pain like ze lashing of ze vhip! Suffering like zat of the characters and readers of All-Star Batman und Robin!"

Another interviewee, who wished to remain anonymous and identified himself only as "a Stranger" to Gotham (see photo at right), voiced the concerns of many. "For years, the Batman and his allies have used darkness as a weapon; but now a greater darkness has descended upon them and upon us all! Seek solace in friends and band together against the lowering storm. I cannot join you, for I must remain.... a stranger. Otherwise, my sexual orientation would become too public."

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