I shouldn’t start the 2010’s on a negative note, so let’s consider this 2009’s last gasp of cynicism.

I hate New Year’s.

The ever-growing popular disdain for the Christmas season still somewhat eludes me because I’ve always felt like there were millions of ways to celebrate. But one week later, if you’re not in a crowded pub or hall, clinking glasses and singing “Auld Lang Syne” at THE EXACT RIGHT MOMENT, then you’re doing it wrong. No thanks.

But among the more festive end-of-year trappings come hundreds of equally tiresome retrospective lists and unrealistic resolutions- shallow rituals that serve as poor stand-ins for a neatly inventoried past and well-planned futures. The problem is that this assumes life is a series of dominoes to knock down. As if there’s some master list of tasks- defined by society our our own private delusions- that will bring enlightenment or happiness or glory at the end of a wacky, winding to-do list. We all know life isn’t that simple, but we continue to torture ourselves, and that’s the real travesty of the holiday. That and the drunk driving.

Still, while it may technically be arbitrary, the passing of a year- let alone a decade- can’t really be ignored in modern society. The fact that I’m writing this at all probably proves that, so screw it, here’s my goal for 2010: no, large, sweeping, personal goals. My happiest moments in life so far were mostly accidental, and since I have to operate within schedules for the day-to-day minutiae of life, any kind of master plan seems wrong.

I also want to pay off my car.

Solomon Grundy was originally the title and subject of a 19th Century nursery rhyme, but in the world of DC Comics, Solomon Grundy is the name of of a giant, swamp-zombie gangster supervillain. Read the rest of this entry »

Apparently, in comic books, The Creeper wasn’t exactly a nemesis of Batman. However, he was sort of presented that way in an episode of the animated TV series, so that was enough as far as the esteemed panel choosing Rogues’ Gallery subjects was concerned.

I don’t know much about the character beyond that. Wikipedia tells me that he was a late-1960’s invention of Spider-Man co-creator Steve Ditko. I don’t really think it’s any surprise that this didn’t hit as big.

Anyhow, I thought “late 60’s” and “creepy” and nothing combines those elements quite like the Yellow Submarine artwork of Heinz Edelmann. This is my pale imitation.

There have been many bat-foes to go by the name of Clayface, but they’ve all pretty much been amorphous blobs of goo. Sometimes the character originates as an actor or a scientist, but they always end up as horrifying, criminal mud-monsters.

That’s got to be a depressing existence, even if (especially if?) you own Elliot Smith’s From a Basement on the Hill on vinyl.

Most of Batman’s famous foes have been around for decades, and have had the benefit of being depicted my multiple artists in different eras. Bane is a relatively new addition, having first appeared in the mid-1990s.
Read the rest of this entry »

A couple things kept nagging at me while I was working on this week’s Batman villain. The first is this old song by the Coasters, which I now can’t get out of my head. You’re welcome. Read the rest of this entry »

I ask you, what more can I do?

Here’s another batman villain! Well, a Batman/Superman team-up villain. The Composite Superman was a disgruntled janitor who gained a myriad of powers (including shape-shifting) in a freak accident. He decided the best way to exact vengeance…on…the World…I guess…was to shift into the shape of a Half-Batman, Half Superman green-skin guy.

Jimmy Olsen and Robin are as confused as you and I.

I’m preparing to make a cross-town move, and once again I’m shocked at the sheer amount of JUNK that has been accumulated in my apartment. In an effort to ease the transition, I’ve rented one of those self-storage lockers. Maybe I’m easily impressed, but there’s something surreal about the self-storage environment.

Read the rest of this entry »

Last night I volunteered at my Alma Mater, the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, helping to review student portfolios.

Read the rest of this entry »