I don't think it's an either/or. Part of Rebirth's success has got to be people like me who preferred the pre-Nu52 version of things and are returning to buying books because DC appears to be trending back that way, but we also bought that Martian Manhunter book DC just canceled and who doesn't love Jaime Reyes?

Not at all. Even as a dumb kid I didn't care for them. Except for that one season when Fred and Barney were cops and the Shmoo helped them solve cases, of course.

As the very definition of a Bystander, I suppose any old comic universe would work, although I'll always be partial to one where Superman exists. It just seems like a nicer place, somehow. I would like to be guaranteed not to be anyone's Supporting Cast, though. That's just asking for trouble.

When the choice is between "revitalizing classic superheroes at discount prices" or "bloated crossover where Hawkeye kills the Hulk," I'm kind of glad to see Rebirth getting more dollars.

The restarting #1s in the middle of a story contributed to my loss of interest in BPRD and Hellboy. Dark Horse has been pulling that shit for a long time.

Neandertals didn't do cave art. Anatomically modern humans did cave art. The art in Europe is attributed to Cro-Magnons, who were immigrants from Africa at the time, but by the time the Cro-Magnons start putting antelopes on walls, Africa itself already had some history with abstraction and representation.

I didn't read teen superhero comics even when I was a teenager.

They called them the X-Men then.

While you've been away, many people have stepped into the breach and taken it upon themselves to ask that all-important question. I guess since we all noticed you were back, we all expected you to step up and take the hit.

To be fair, even the Heston version was itself a remake. So there's nothing wrong with remakes per se.

I heard about it, but somehow it never occurred to me that it opened last weekend. Weird! Probably because I didn't care.

Most dangerous game, I think you mean.

That is such a good fucking book. I really should read more of Achebe's stuff.

I'm fuzzy on even the broad strokes of the period - I have no idea how the Tudors ended up running everything, just that they did - and my only points of reference for this period (before starting this book) were Henry V (via Bill S.) and Joan of Arc (via Catholic school). So I've been learning quite a bit, but I…

Spelling America with a k, are we?

Not all the nerds, just enough of them to make the rest of us look like complete assholes by association.

The first one was a delight. I haven't seen the other two (in fact, didn't realize the third one was published). I shall have to remedy that post-haste.

Reading Dan Jones The Wars of the Roses, the follow up to his overview of the Plantagenet dynasty. Breezily written, easily digested, clear discussion of English history. Horrible people doing horrible things, yet somehow a viable, thriving nation emerges. Fascinating stuff, really.

Do Sawney Bean next!

Katana motteimasuka?