Happy 4th Anniversary, Birds of Prey!

The Birds of Prey movie was released in theatres February 7, 2020. And it's such a fun, ridiculous and underrated film that I really wish had gotten a sequel. It's a spellbinding story that follows as Harley Quinn attempts to change her life now that she had ended things with the Joker. Yeah, she's a total mess but a fun mess who can totally take care of herself. Meeting fellow misfits (Black Canary, Huntress and Renee Montoya) and trying to protect a little girl, Cassandra Cain from Black Mask made this a weirdly fanscinating story.

I remember going to see this on a Saturday with some friends and I really enjoyed watching Birds of Prey. Between the zany story and equally zany characters and cool fight and action scenes this really was an interesting movie. Yes, these were not the comic book version of Birds of Prey and other DC Comics characters but the movie adapted them in a unique way that went perfectly with this chaotic movie. I noticed that as time goes by, there are more and more fans who have grown to really appreciate this fun little movie. If I have time today, I think I'll rewatch it. It's been a while since I've seen this movie.

Happy fourth year anniversary to the Birds of Prey movie!

What books have been on your TBR List for a long time?

Well, I couldn't be happier that it's the weekend, this week has been busy. I just want to curl up on the sofa and read or watch a few shows and movies. And speaking of reading, I was looking over my ever growing TBR (To Be Read) List and I was wondering what are some books that have been on your list for a long time?

Since, I have my books listed on a spreadsheet (now, don't laugh, it makes it easy to keep track of all of my books) I just looked at the beginning of my list and saw these four books: Night of the Living Dandelion by Kate Collins, Teen Titans/Outsiders: The Insiders, Huntress: Year One and Sentenced to Death by Lorna Barrett that have been on my list for a long time and I still haven't read them.

I do have an excuse for not reading Night of the Living Dandelion and Sentenced to Death and that because they are the 11th and 5th books in each of the series which I didn't realize when I had originally bought those books. And since I want to read the two series from the beginning, although I still haven't gotten around to buying the first books, so I just sort of forgot about these books. As for the other two books Teen Titans/Outsiders: The Insiders and Huntress: Year One, I don't have any excuse I just haven't gotten around to reading them.

Book: Night of the Living Dandelion (A Flower Shop Mystery #11) by Kate Collins

Description:

Flower shop owner Abby Knight does not believe rumors that Vlad Serban, friend and employee of Abby's fiancé Marco, is a vampire. But how to explain that Vlad is from Romania, has prominent canines, likes bizarre plants such as bloodwort and Dracula orchid, and dresses entirely in black?

When a local woman is found dead, her body drained of blood, the stakes become life and death. With Vlad the #1 suspect, Abby and Marco race to find the real killer, before Vlad's life really starts to suck.

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) by Ar Jeffrey Bati

Art of the Day: Black Canary and Huntress

Artwork: Black Canary and Huntress by Evgeniy Bornyakov

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: Birds of Prey by Patty Arroyo

"Birds of Prey" Teaser Trailer

Here's the teaser trailer for the upcoming Birds of Prey movie which is scheduled to be in theaters February 7, 2020.

I'm a big Birds of Prey fan, I love the comics that featured Oracle, Black Canary, Huntress and Lady Blackhawk as the four main characters and on occasion they would receive a little help from other heroes. With that said you would think I would be over the moon excited for this movie. However, so far I don't have any interest in wanting to see it. Maybe by the time a full length trailer and promotion materials are released, I will have changed my mind and gained some kind of interest.

Whether I find interest in the movie or not, I do hope is that it will lead to a Gotham City Sirens movie because that's something I'm really interested in seeing. I would rather see Harley Quinn is a movie with Catwoman and Poison Ivy teaming up and causing a lot of trouble than pairing up with heroes.

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: Batgirl and the Birds of Prey #20 cover by Adam Hughes

I love this cover but I never liked the title for this comic book series. It was as if the Birds of Prey were Batgirl's sidekick instead of all of them being a team. Why couldn't the series simply have been titled Birds of Prey especially since Batgirl has her own solo series, she didn't need to headline this one as well.

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: Birds of Prey by Astro

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: variant cover art for Bird of Prey issue #1 by Cliff Chiang

Illustration of the Day: Birds of Prey

Illustration: Birds of Prey issue #122

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Week!

Illustration: Birds of Prey issue #68

National Teacher Appreciation Week started on May 4th and ends on May 8th. I have a couple of friends who are teachers and they really enjoy their jobs.

I would like to thank all the teachers for their service especially the ones who make learning interesting.

Also in honor of teachers, I included this illustration of one of the best fictional teachers, Helena Bertinelli.

Art of the Day: Helena Bertinelli and Dick Grayson (New 52)

Artwork: cover art for Grayson Annual issue #1 by Mikel Janin

Illustration of the Day: Lady Blackhawk and Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)

Illustration: Lady Blackhawk and Huntress: Hat Swap by hildebabble

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: cover art for Birds of Prey issue #8 by Stanley 'Artgerm' Lau 

The Birds of Prey with their two new members Hawk and Dove, I thought it was interesting having Hawk on the team. His approach to crime fighting was similar to Huntress but with even less finesse.

Art of the Day: Birds of Prey

Artwork: Birds of Prey by Marcus To

Illustration of the Day: Birds of Prey

Illustration: Birds of Prey issue #108

Illustration of the Day: Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) and Black Canary (Dinah Lance)

Illustration: Birds of Prey issue #74

I miss this version of Huntress (Helena Bertinelli) and Black Canary they were awesome. The New 52 versions are so boring and unlikeable. The New 52 Helena Bertinelli is pretty but dull and it's hard to imagine that Bertinelli in any form would join a horrible organization like Spyral.

And Dinah Laurel Lance never truly made it to the New 52, she was replaced by Dinah Drake a water down boring version of Black Canary.

Maybe one day DC Comics will bring both characters back.

Book Review: Grayson #1 (New 52)

Book: Grayson #1 by Tim Seeley (plot by Tim Seeley and Tom King) with illustration by Mikel Janin and color by Jeromy Cox

Rating: 2 stars

Review:

That cover is really ugly but it has nothing to do with my rating this 2 stars. That was due to the dreadfully boring story, writing and supporting characters.

There were two things I liked about this, one is that Dick's personality is still pretty much the same but he was just stuck in a dull story. And two, the artwork, it's really good.

This followed Dick Grayson or should I say Agent 37 as he tried to prevent a rival spy group from acquiring a certain metahuman. This was a really slow moving story.

Grayson feels like an attempt to capture the appeal of The Winter Soldier and James Bond but without success. This story was missing so much excitement and information too bad because this would have been a thrilling spy adventure.

I don't really get why Dick is even a part of this organization, he could be doing far more good out there on his own than with this group. And if you have not read the last issue of Nightwing there is no real introduction for new readers and they will feel lost. Which is not what a first issue should do.

I'm really disappointed by the New 52 Helena Bertinelli, she's so boring. She doesn't have any of the pre-new 52 Bertinelli's personality, Helena is now another forgettable New 52 character. She is just Helena Bertinelli in name only. Seriously, how do you make her boring?

So far Grayson is off to a lackluster and underwhelming start, here's hoping the second issue will be much better.

Illustration of the Day: Helena Bertinelli and Sin (Birds of Prey)

Illustration: Birds of Prey issue #98

I couldn't stop laughing at these two pages because kids can be a little too honest at times. That guy she called a nerd did not look happy at all.

Anyone else still miss the pre-New 52 Birds of Prey?

Comic Book News: Some Good News for Helena Bertinelli Fans (Sort of)

(Picture: Cover of Birds of Prey issue #69)


The good news first: Helena Bertinelli will finally be making her first appearance in the New 52. After DC Comics had decided to shelve the character as well as kill her (off panel), despite fans strongly voicing their disapproval (myself included). But according to a very recent Newsarama interview with Tom King and Tim Seeley, she will be featured in the upcoming new Dick Grayson comic book series "Grayson" that will premier this July. Helena will be one of Dick's partners and trainers during his new journey as a spy.

The bad news, according to the interview, they are planning to "put a pretty different spin on her". For some reason that doesn't sound like that will be a good thing. I'm going to stay hopeful that there will still be something recognizable about Helena and she will not be turned into another New 52 disaster.

I'm still disappointed that DC Comics got their wish to kill off Dick Grayson. Even though he will be faking his death, the character is still considered to be dead and most likely will be going by a different name. And with his face seen and name known to the world, how can he effectively go out and be a good spy. I guess he will be wearing a lot of disguises.

I guess, I will have to wait and see how this will be, since I do plan on picking up the first issue. I really do hope the writing will be good.

Is it me or does this feel like DC Comics answer to Marvel's Winter Soldier and Black Widow?