Tomorrow is free comic book day.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47284253/ns/today-books/

Rabbit_67 wrote:Tomorrow is free comic book day.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/47284253/ns/today-books/

Anyone able to pick up Mouse Guard Labyrinth and Other Stories for me?  Might also want Bongo Free For All for my Nephew who's big on the Simpsons.  Will pay shipping.

ShaneG.

Congratulations to all of our French members !!!

Just seen some of the coverage, and Hollande looks and sounds like a thoughtful President.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17975660

Badmike wrote:

red_bus wrote:Congratulations to all of our French members !!!

Just seen some of the coverage, and Hollande looks and sounds like a thoughtful President.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17975660

Hollande is a train wreck waiting to happen. Just what the moribund French economy, with high unemployment, and growing French debt need, more socialism! Another nail in the soon to be coffin of the Euro-zone.  

Not saying Sarkozy was much better. Never seemed to get what he wanted to do, he was a flip flopper. But he did seem to grasp the idea that for an economy to succeed you must create opportunities for wealth.  Hollande instead wants to increase government spending the next few years by $20 billion dollars (while the rest of Europe is on a fiscal kick), drop all debt reforms, raise taxes, and lower the retirement age back down from 62 to 60. And he's considered a moderate. Good Luck!

Mike B.

+1

A train wreck is putting it mildly. Why not just have the government take over everything and call it a day?

Badmike wrote:

red_bus wrote:Congratulations to all of our French members !!!

Just seen some of the coverage, and Hollande looks and sounds like a thoughtful President.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17975660

Hollande is a train wreck waiting to happen. Just what the moribund French economy, with high unemployment, and growing French debt need, more socialism! Another nail in the soon to be coffin of the Euro-zone.  

Not saying Sarkozy was much better. Never seemed to get what he wanted to do, he was a flip flopper. But he did seem to grasp the idea that for an economy to succeed you must create opportunities for wealth.  Hollande instead wants to increase government spending the next few years by $20 billion dollars (while the rest of Europe is on a fiscal kick), drop all debt reforms, raise taxes, and lower the retirement age back down from 62 to 60. And he's considered a moderate. Good Luck!

Mike B.

What is worse is that if Hollande ends up destroying the French economy you can bet that there is going to be a huge growth in the far-far right. 18% in the first round for the National Front (I think that is the far-far right party). I saw their may-day rally in front of the Joan of Arc memorial. That was a vital party with a charismatic leader.

JasonZavoda wrote:

Badmike wrote:
Hollande is a train wreck waiting to happen. Just what the moribund French economy, with high unemployment, and growing French debt need, more socialism! Another nail in the soon to be coffin of the Euro-zone.  

Not saying Sarkozy was much better. Never seemed to get what he wanted to do, he was a flip flopper. But he did seem to grasp the idea that for an economy to succeed you must create opportunities for wealth.  Hollande instead wants to increase government spending the next few years by $20 billion dollars (while the rest of Europe is on a fiscal kick), drop all debt reforms, raise taxes, and lower the retirement age back down from 62 to 60. And he's considered a moderate. Good Luck!

Mike B.

What is worse is that if Hollande ends up destroying the French economy you can bet that there is going to be a huge growth in the far-far right. 18% in the first round for the National Front (I think that is the far-far right party). I saw their may-day rally in front of the Joan of Arc memorial. That was a vital party with a charismatic leader.

Be careful what you mean by "far right."

In the US, the far far right is classic liberalism - limited government, individual freedom, free trade - in the vein of Washington, Reagan, Ron Paul, among others.

In Europe, the far far right is protectionism, anti-immigration, strong central government, etc.

Badmike wrote:The hype is true, The Avengers is the must see of the year. One of the few movies I might actually see again at the theater just because New York getting destroyed by aliens looks so good on the big screen.  Great Whedon script, nice ensemble acting, just an all around fun summer popcorn flick. Not perfect, but might be as close to seeing a comic book on screen as any superhero movie ever made (Even though I think the Thor movie was just ok, that WAS a Stan Lee and Jack Kirby comic brought to life). Stay after the credits to get a sneak peak at the next Avenger foe (and one of the baddest ass villains in the Marvel Universe) and stay after the credits AFTER that for a hilarious scene. All Thumbs Up.

BTW, even though the team was great, I'd like to see a new member or two the next movie if they don't require a big introduction (like Black Widow and Hawkeye, who didn't get their own movies). They need to get a little "color" in there besides Nick Fury so I'd suggest The Black Panther, Goliath (the Bill Foster version) or Luke Cage (Sweet Christmas!).

Mike B.

I thought it was a great movie as well.  The only thing that I didnt like were Loki's alien allies, the Chitauri.  Whedon could have used a more familiar Avengers foe like the Kree and it would have made a whole lot more sense to those that were fans of the comic and it wouldnt have made a bit of difference to those that had no clue about the comic.  And it could have opened the door to introduce one of Marvel's most iconic characters in the next Avengers movie.....Captain Marvel, who was a Kree defector and sworn enemy of the "baddest ass villain" that Mike mentioned above.  For me, I wouldn't mind seeing another female team member.  Wasp would be the most obvious since she would provide a power set unlike anyone else.

Oh, and Marvel finally got the Hulk right.  His brief fight with Loki was the best part of the movie.  

THE AVENGERS?

That was the best movie I have ever seen in my entire life.  

Skipping this movie should be listed as a federal crime and they should actually have vans to round people up from the streets and physically FORCE them into the theatre to see this.  

It should be shown in schools.

Its release date should be declared a national holiday and our nation's flag should be redesigned to have a big Avengers "A" on it.

JasonZavoda wrote:

Agent Cooper wrote:THE AVENGERS?

That was the best movie I have ever seen in my entire life.  

Skipping this movie should be listed as a federal crime and they should actually have vans to round people up from the streets and physically FORCE them into the theatre to see this.  

It should be shown in schools.

Its release date should be declared a national holiday and our nation's flag should be redesigned to have a big Avengers "A" on it.

Should you see the movies that came before it, like Iron Man 1 &2, Thor, was Captain America in it? (The Hulk movies?)

Not a spoiler if you have seen a trailer: the team is Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow and Hawkeye (Black Widow appeared in Iron Man 2, while Hawkeye appeared in Thor).  Nice iconic team, even if they did leave out Antman and Wasp (basically, Black Widow and Hawkeye replace them, and it's a good decision....no one seems to want to treat Antman as anything but a punchline anyway nowadays). And Nick Fury is played by Samuel Jackson, a nod to the Ulitmate Universe (and he's not a WWII vet).  He does a great job chewing up scenery in the parts he's in, it looks like he's having a ball.

Yes.  You can skip the Hulk movie if you want (weakest of the bunch, different lead actor, and the character has such a familiar backstory, it's not essential). I'd watch them in the order you listed....Avengers practically begins right where Captain America ended. And, of course, watch every movie to the end of the credits....they all have bonus scenes.

I actually DREAMED about it last night.....which doesn't happen often. But I'll definitely be bringing my grandson to see it (even the violence isn't anything but comic book violence, nothing over the top) so I can have an excuse to watch it again.  Anyone who thinks it isn't the best "comic book" movie of all time (yes, I have seem those who said the recent Batman movies are better, or maybe the first Spiderman) are just saying that to be contrary. They don't believe it in their heart and are just saying that out loud so they can see you gasp, shake your head, and disagree (they are the kind of people who like to argue, bank on it).


@King: Yeh, using a more established Marvel race (Kree, Skrull, Shiaar, Badoon) would have been a nice tip of the cap to fans. The Chitauri are basically the Ultimate Universe Skrulls, and sadly these movies have more of a "Ultimate" universe tilt than a "Marvel" universe tilt.  Whedon's script has so very little wrong I'm willing to forgive him for it.   The movie is so good, in the extra scene I kept thinking [spoiler]we'd see Galatus's spaceship with the Silver Surfer, scouting the wrecking of the aliens ship.....but instead Whedon kicked it up a notch with Thanos. Awesome![/spoiler]

MIke B.