Shenanigans & Tomfoolery

Computer woes and Blackest Night.

It’s been a while but my computer got really screwed up again.

I won’t go into details but the good news is that I did manage to save pretty much all of my data. I gained a couple of hassles (I can’t sync my iPhone applications with iTunes anymore or I’ll lose all my application data) but since I was planning on reinstalling XP from scratch anyway, I went ahead and installed the Windows 7 release candidate instead. I’m liking it so far but I don’t feel like it’s a huge departure from what MS has done before. I do have to say that installation was a breeze, I did not have to install a single driver (except for my Wacom tablet driver, I think). Everything is done automatically, so props to Microsoft for that. Aside from that, I’m enjoying some of the smaller stuff like an integrated search and being able to shuffle wallpapers automatically after certain intervals. I hope someone comes out with a crack later so I don’t have to pay for this when the release candidate period ends.

Anyway, I picked up Green Lantern #43 which is a Prelude to Blackest Night, thoughts on that after the break.

The issue sets the stage nicely for the coming crossover. It’s an all Black Hand issue and writer Geoff Johns really gets under the character’s skin and explores what makes him tick. From an unhealthy obsession with death to subtle hints of necrophilia, Black Hand is growing up to be quite an interesting character that seems pretty much irredeemable at this point. What I liked the most though, was how much the issue reminded me of the various Rogue Profiles that Johns wrote on his Flash run. In the middle of this huge space epic that Johns is writing in Blackest Night, it’s so great to see him write the smaller character exploration stuff that he does so well. I mean, Black Hand’s costume being made from of a body bag? Awesome stuff.

Also worth mentioning is Green Lantern newcomer Dough Mahnke who is handling the art in book while Ivan Reis goes on to draw Blackest Night. I really enjoyed his stuff in Black Adam: The Dark Age and his work seems to have improved quite a bit. Some of the more awkward poses from his earlier work are gone and his style is so clean and slick that it’s just a joy to look at. I’m a huge fan of Ivan Reis (when he doesn’t rush his work) but if this issue if any indication, Mahnke has stepped to the plate without a hitch.

The last few pages, by the way, were classic Geoff Johns jaw-droppers. Without giving too much away, let’s remember that all the Black Lanterns that have been shown so far are deceased. Black Hand is very much alive at the beginning of the issue.

Blackest Night #1 comes out tomorrow.

I’ve been waiting for this story for at least 2 years.

Can’t wait.

Posted on July 14, 2009 in Comics, Technology |