News for the Week of January 28, 2009
Rick’s Writin’s
I seem to be drawing a blank today as to what to write about. We're in
Superbowl limbo week, the week prior to the week before the game. I think
the two week wait is stupid. There is no reason to have it, as there isn't
two weeks worth of hype in the game. Next year the Pro Bowl/ NFL All-Star
game takes place during this week instead of after the Superbowl as is
usual. That usual is also stupid, so I hope that the NFL decides to make
the change permanent, if they still feel they need to have two weeks between
the Conference championship games and the Superbowl. I'd rather there
be only one week, and also only two-or three exhibition games instead
of four, and then one more regular season game. The season could start
the week before Labor Day, just like college football and then it could
be over at the end of January, not pushing into February as it does now.
Okay, I thought of something...Does anybody really care about what's going on with J-Lo? Or the Hills (whoever the hell they are)? I know I’m older now than I used to be, but I've got to believe that all the media attention aimed at those type of "stars" is meant for a younger age group than mine, but that they don't care either. So, why does the media focus on these people. They're on the MSN home newspage, in TV Guide, on Letterman and all sorts of places. C'mon...does Jennifer Lopez really have fans? She can't sing, has maybe one decent movie out of the ten or so she's made and that was at least a decade ago. Why is there still any interest at all in her? It is my belief that the media powers that be rely on the traditional premise that all focus be aimed at attracting the 18-34 year old age group and that no other age group matters as much. The 18-34's traditionally were the up and comers with disposable income, not set in their way so then are easily swayed by advertising. TV ratings are all about the 18-34 year olds, as they are when producers pitch new shows and networks determine pricing when charging for commercials. I say this premise of focusing on the 18-34 year olds is flawed and out dated, not just because I no longer belong. More and more young folks still live at home, even into their thirties, than before. They are not setting up households until later in life, as the party-time teen age years stretch into the twenties behavior wise. It's way more expensive to move out than it used to be. As a result these people are still relying on their parents and are under the influence of their parents buying habits, which aside from pharmaceuticals, beauty aids and cars are rarely addressed in commercials. Younger folks are also more apt view TV using TiVo and DVR's, avoiding commercials as they view. Therefore, I say it's the 35-54 year old age group that's the most important and we should be catered to as far as media, TV programming and commercials are concerned. (Until I'm 55 and then THAT will be the most important group). I'd like to write more detail and back it up with research and all, but I don't have time to write a grad school thesis right now. Maybe later. I also feel that I can speak for almost all of our group when I say we don't care about J-Lo and her ring, or marriage or whatever else she may be doing, so quit putting it out there and let me stop wasting my time reading and hearing about it. I could be writing a thesis. And who the hell are the Hills anyway??
Another pretty good sized week of fun we have coming. For those of you that are watching the Watchmen, we have a treat. The very first Watchmen action figures are arriving. I don't usually talk up figures, but these look pretty nice, and they're characters that have never had figures before. Seems all is squared away on the Fox/Warner Brothers suit and the March 6th release date for the Watchmen movie is a go. I'm going to have to cover my eyes on the commercials, or DVR past them (Not only youngsters have DVR's). Can't wait. Wrapping up this week, aside from the Legion side story and the aftermath, is DC's Final Crisis (#7 of 7) and the FC mini Revelations (#5 of 5). As I was trying to figure out what was going on in the main Crisis book, I felt I needed to read Revelations, a set I originally was going to pass on. I'm glad I took the time to read it now, as it turned out to be pretty good. I'm looking forward to seeing how DC is going to finish this off. The FC number 7 issue is supposed to have a big payoff. Let's see if it can deliver. I'm pretty sure the reason the FC Legion of Three Worlds seems late is that it's part of the plan to relaunch the Legion in Adventure Comics. To that end, the current run of Legion of Super-Heroes (#50) ends with this week’s issue. Batman (#685) features a very nice Catwoman (Foe) Faces of Evil cover, and contains the second part of her duke out with Hush that began in Detective (#852). JSA (#23) moves on from the Kingdom Come story and starts a fresh one featuring Black Adam and the Marvel family. We have seen Black Adam do some really bad things in the past after the death of his wife Isis. But is she gone for good? It's comics and we all know that death isn't exactly permanent in comics. Read and see.
The Previews catalog and Wizard magazine arrive together this week as do both of Marvel's Stephen King books Dark Tower: Treachery (#5 of 6) and the last piece of The Stand (#5 of 5). I believe there's a new Dark Tower on the horizon, but I'm not sure about The Stand. Maybe we'll see in the Previews. Lady Bullseye and Daredevil (#115) finish up their battle this week and Marvel's Dark Reign has two installments with New Avengers (#49) and Ms. Marvel (#35). The New Avengers is about to undergo a change in members, starting next time in issue #50, and they will also battle the new Dark Avengers. Then the Mighty Avengers are going to show up, and then the Young Avengers do too, followed by the 1940's Avengers, I mean Invaders, and then The Avengers of Future Past show, followed by the Avengers of Future Present, which are actually the New Avengers. It's too confusing so everyone decides to quit being Avengers and they all go and join the X-Men, where they all lived happily ever after. Except Spider-Man. Oh, and Cap too, cause he's still dead. The End.
Paula’s Picks
I read Dark Avengers #1. I enjoyed it. I’m curious how Norman is
going to keep all of these “bad guys” in line and listening
to him. That’s the thing about bad guys, they don’t keep their
word, they’ll stab you in the back and they don’t wash their
hands (there’s probably 3 people in the world that got that one,
let me know if you’re one of them!).
So, I’ve got one heck of a cold. I’ve got a bunch of congestion, cough and no voice. Whenever I get a cold, I always got to the store and stock up on cough drops (Ricolaaaaaaa!), chicken noodle soup, (or chicken ‘n’ dumplins, yum) and orange juice. I also try to make sure I get plenty of sleep (maybe even a little too much). This has been difficult with the congestion since I’m afraid I may suffocate in my sleep. I had read something a few years ago that chicken soups actually help you recover from a cold faster. Perhaps I will try to make some from scratch this week. Tune in next week for my disaster story. It should be good!
As for books this week, I don’t really have much to talk about. I probably shouldn’t anyway, considering the state of my voice. It’s gotten worse through the day. If you call and all you hear is a mouse squeak, that’d be me!
By Wednesday, I should have another list of what’s new in the Previews for everyone to look over. Thanks for all your help on the last list!