The first two seasons' flashbacks were definitely more relevant. Seasons 3 and 4, not so much.

Arrow has gotten increasingly melodramatic, soap-operay and generally ridiculous — and that doesn't even bother me. It's a show about superheroes who could never exist in reality. Camp it up, melodrama it up, whatever. It's fun. It doesn't have to be HBO-quality or Shakespeare. At the end of the day, we get a legit…

Yeah, problem is it wouldn't even be a contest.

They are VERY occasionally relevant to explain some present-day plot point, but even then, it's often forced and contrived to mirror the weekly episode's story. At least that stupid wig is finally gone.

… dont forget the aborted angel babys Nobama and the Dumocrats have holocausted the last 40 years!!1!

Ironically, in issue 47, it ends up happening sort of like that…

I understand why a lot of Bat-fans are lukewarm on Snyder. Much of his work is very different, and it's pretty prose heavy. I've appreciated it for being generally well thought out and written, and for the fact he's bold enough to go in some unconventional directions.

The only thing I'll add is that volumes 4 and 5 (Zero Year — Snyder's retelling of Batman's origin) does contain a few nuggets and hints (perhaps seeds, if you will) as to what is to come, including the Joker's origin. So it's relevant in that sense, but not 100 percent crucial to Endgame and the current Superheavy…

There are a lot of guys like that in comics. (Chuck Dixon comes to mind.) They either start out eccentric and we don't know it, or they become that way for some reason. It's a weird business, chews up a lot of guys and spits them out.

I've met him twice at Seattle's Emerald City Comicon. Both times it was in signing lines, and they move you through pretty quick because there are so many people waiting in line. Under the circumstances, he did his best to take time and engage while signing. I've also had better experiences with other creators at…

I've also met Snyder a couple of times at cons. He's obviously often mobbed, so the most you get is 30 seconds with the guy, but he makes it count. If you read any of his musings (in the back of his indie books or in interviews) the guy he comes across as in those is the guy I've met in person. Another "one of the…

Ditto. I love Greg Rucka — as a writer, and as a person. I've met him a few times at cons and listened to him at a few panels. He's a great dude. (Not everybody will agree with his far left politics, but can't deny he's a nice, genuine human being.) Has always been engaging and appreciative when I wanted to talk to…

I've also had mostly good experiences. A few "I'm tired and/or maybe don't want to be here" moments, but 90+ percent positive. As you say, I think as the days and weekend wear on, the creators get exhausted and have a bit less patience.

I admit I hadn't seen or heard about the knee jab. (I'd only seen the main broadcast angle that didn't show it.) The GIF I saw didn't make it clear if he actually made contact to the shoulder with his knee, but if does look like he intentionally took a jab so it's kind of moot. Now I understand better why people were…

"Where do they get these wonderful previews?!"

3 words: Jim. Bob. Cooter!

I dunno, Belichick, Dark Lord of the Sith, hate only makes him stronger, etc.

"The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up about their waists and all the whores and politicians will look up and shout 'Save us!'… and The A.V. Club will whisper, 'No.'"

And it's not that he's always wrong (though I think he is far too often), but that he NEVER offers a good explanation of why a play should be ruled a certain way. He's terrible at both explaining the rule, and why it does or doesn't apply.

Yeah, I don't understand the outrage regarding the legal Big Ben hit. If people want to say the celebration after the fact was inappropriate, or that Burfict's later hit on Antonio Brown was disgraceful, then I'm right there with them. But the hit on Big Ben wasn't dirty and was legal.