Bit of a mixed bag this week comics-wise.

First up, and possibly the biggest release of the week for DC fans is the Final Crisis sketchbook.

As a tease of what’s upcoming I think it works well.  We get a look at the redesigns instore for some of the New Gods as well as a look at some of the new superhero teams Morrison has lined up.

As I’ve said before, I’m not a big fan of the New Gods, but I liked the look of these redesigns, and the concepts behind them (although I’m still unsure about the Darkseid having trouble moving thing).   We get a really interesting tease in terms of the “Multiverse Machine” (perhaps a sign that there’s a larger plan for the multiverse which will definitely see it sticking around?  I hope so), and a look at some of the new Japanese super teams (I love the Super Young Team a crazy Japanese version of the JLA).

Less successful for me, was Titans #2.   I’m not a dyed-in-the-wool Titans fan, although I enjoyed Geoff’s relaunch of the Teen Titans, and I like the characters well enough.   I thought I’d give this series a couple of issues, but to be honest, its not grabbing me.  Some of the characterisations felt a bit off to me, and I’m not big on the art.   The three crossovers going on that I’m picking up, I’m going to have to get brutal on titles that I don’t love, so I can’t see me picking up the next issue.

The first part of Batman RIP though, I enjoyed.  While it very much felt like a first part, with not a huge amount happening, and more introducing things, I’m definitely intrigued enough to be sticking with this crossover for now.  I have to say though, as someone who’s not been buying Morrison’s Batman, I loved the interaction between Bruce, Tim and Alfred.

From the non-DC side of things, I had Knights of the Old Republic #28.  Although not a series I talk about a lot on the blog, its one I’ve enjoyed immensely, possibly ranking alongside GL in terms of my pull list.

I have to say though, that the much-vaunted Vector crossover has done nothing for me.   I disliked the fact that most of the main cast were missing for the last 4 issues, and I found the art badly off-putting.   I can’t say I’ve been left with any real desire to pick up the rest of the crossover, and I’m really hoping that now its over, the series will get back to telling stories I more enjoy.    I will say though, that I did appreciate the writer trying to fit the crossover around his ongoing story of Zhane being on the run from the Jedi Masters.

From Marvel, I picked up Captain Britain #1.   Now being written by Paul Cornell (of Dr Who fame), and with “Secret Invasion” stamped on the top, I couldn’t resist.

I really enjoyed this book.  It was probably the surprise hit of the week for me, as something I ended up enjoying a lot more than I thought I would.  Its really grabbed me, and its really nice to be reading about a British hero, and set in Britain as well.   In that regard, I think Marvel have probably done a very wise thing in getting a British writer on board.   However, I’m going to stop saying “Britain” now, lest I end up sounding like an episode of League of Gentlemen.

I do love the setup though, with Captain Britain resolving to be more like a proper counterpart to Captain America, and the Skrull disguised as John Lennon who’s working with MI 13 (the agency Cap works for) to help find other Skrull infiltrators.  I’m definitely onboard for the next issue.

One of the shows I’ve been enjoying a lot is The Big Bang Theory.

A new sitcom from America, it follows Leonard and Sheldon and their two friends Koothrappali and Wolowitz. Thing are complicated when an attractive girl, Penny, moves in next door, whom Leonard immediately falls for.

There’s a tendancy with these kinds of comedies to go for a really bad stereotype of geek, which tends to put me off. However this show has captured the characters really well. Each of the four main geeks is distinct, and I must admit that I do see characteristics from myself cropping up in the show (thankfully not from Sheldon). While it took a few episodes to settle in, its really hit its stride now, with episodes featuring Sheldon catching a cold, or Leonard winning the Time Machine (from the film of the same name) being incredibly funny.

So, I remember talking to some friends yesterday during the day regarding my fears for the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester.

I knew that Rangers fans were descending en masse, and most of who had been drinking since the Tuesday.   I pointed out that I hoped things went smoothly, as the scope for things to kick off was quite high.

So I was really sorry to see the news today that things had infact, gone sour and Rangers fans had spent the night trashing as much of Manchester as they could get their hands on

For the record, I’m no football fan.   Partly because I’m a geek by trade, so me and sports have never mixed well.   But also because of my upbringing in Glasgow.  The biggotry and general unpleasantness that goes alongside football in this city is hard to avoid, and its put me off the game almost completely.

Still, it always made me happy when I saw Scottish fans at international matches, having a great time, and being well-liked by the locals.

Last night however was a disgrace.   Watching the news, with the mobs chasing down police officers has made me ashamed to be associated with these people, by virtue of where I’m from.    There’s no doubt in my mind that what they did has damaged Glagow, Scottish Football, and Scotland itself.

(As a side note, I should clarify by saying that I’m not trying to tar all Rangers fans with the same brush. I’m aware that the people instigating this were probably wearing a Rangers top for the first time in their lives, and many fans were there and had a great time without rioting. However there’s no doubt as to how this looked for the Rangers fans).

At least, I think that’s the right weeks. My numbering could well be off by now though.

Its been an interesting couple of weeks in the Apprentice. Last week saw the double firing of both Jennys, and this week had the shock firing of Sara. In both cases there was a common theme. That theme being “Why didn’t Michael get fired?”. There was no doubt that firing Jenny C was the right decision. She’s been one of the more divisive candidates from the start, first targetting Lucinda, and then Sara. Her tendancy to change her story didn’t go unnoticed though, and was what ultimately got her fired.

That same week, Michael had a lucky escape, as while bribing the tennis raquets place to delay the other team was Jenny’s idea, there’s no doubt he went along with it, and failed to warn the team leader about it. He’s also made numerous bad decisions over the weeks, and (from what I’ve seen), doesn’t seem to have contributed much to the successful teams. But still, Jenny M was the one who got fired. She was project manager that week, so ultimately must take some of the blame for her team’s failure (lack of preparation sat squarely on her shoulders), but still I’d have picked Michael to go.

And then this week, we were faced with a similar situation. It seems obvious that everyone other than Sir Alan felt Michael should’ve been for the chop. It was his idea to split the team geographically rather than by the actual products. He championed the cakes which failed to sell miserably, and he was also just as guilty as Sara for his hard-selling tactics (if anything he was worse than her).

But then in a classic shock firing, Sara went, while a last minute plea from Michael earned him another week in the house. Clearly there’s something we’re not seeing keeping him in the competition.

I was definitely sorry to see Sara go. While I’ve not been convinced that she’s Apprentice material, often very quiet during tasks, she was one of the nicer candidates in a series filled with bitching and backstabbing. She’s taken a lot of flack from various people in the house, and I was glad to see You’re Fired, highlight the night in the house where most of the other candidates started laying into her.

Of course, we’re now hitting the point where the predictions for who’ll make the final are running wild.

One of my picks is definitely Claire. While there’s no doubt she’s got her rough edges, she’s proven an ability to learn, and take criticism onboard. Comments made in the boardroom seem to indicate that they’ve got their eye on her as well. I’m not convinced she deserves a lot of the flack she’s been getting in the media and online.

My second pick is harder. Obviously Raef is a legend, and the stand-out candidate from this series. However I’m not sure if he’s proven himself enough of a salesman to make it to the final. Lucinda, after a slow start, has proven to be an incredibly effective Project Manager. Lee often puts in a lot of good work, but does have a temper which could cause him problems. Just the fact that he’s been continually on the losing team places Alex on a weak-footing, although I’m not sure that’s necessarily his fault (certainly wasn’t last night). Helene can sometimes let her personal feelings towards people cloud her judgement, and certainly didn’t come across a great project manager last night, but again I feel she might have more to offer.

On reflection, while I’d like to see Raef, I think Lee could be a strong contender for the final. The interview round is usually quite ruthless though, with some surprises, so it’ll be interesting to see who makes it through.

Man, I’ve really fallen behind on my blogging…

Green Lantern Corps #24 continues the story of Kyle, Guy and co heading out to track down Sinestro Corps rings.  Sodam Yat and Arisia have been captured by Mongul, and they’re flying to the rescue.

Another great issue.   We get confirmation of Mongul altering the Black Mercy plants to feed its victims fear-based hallucinations instead of hope-based (which was in itself interesting - a nod to the emotional spectrum from a plant previously unrelated to it - perhaps showing Mongul’s growing knowledge of what’s going on in the wider GL universe), and in possibly the high point of the issue, we see Sodam Yat and Arisia’s hallucinations.

Arisia’s is based around being buried alive, playing into the fact that she was buried back in the old Guy Gardener title after being “killed” by Major Force.  Of course, we now know that her race’s natural healing factor had allowed her to survive until she was found by the Manhunters.  Its a nice bit of continuity for the character.

Sodam Yat’s is possibly even more interesting, for the panel where we see his fear of dying in a rainbow of colour (or somesuch), its a clear nod to the Blackest Night prophecy, and how in the original prophecy, Sodam Yat falling was one of the first steps in the destruction of the Corps.   Of course, in that prophecy he’s also described as the greatest Green Lantern, which he’s clearly not yet, so it remains to be seen exactly how this will play out.

Another scene worth mentioning is the opening, with Kyle and Guy’s group of Lanterns arriving at the planet Mongul’s based on, and having to fly through the bodies of various victims of the Black Mercy’s, and presumably some Sinestro Corps recruits who didn’t agree to Mongul’s leadership.  Its a gruesome scene, but well presented by writer and artist, and Peter Tomasi once again uses these scenes to juggling the larger ensemble cast, ensuring each character gets a share of the spotlight.