A Return To The League With My Latest Obsession!

After a bit of a hiatus, The League of Extraordinary Bloggers has returned to the masses. This is something I have enjoyed being a part of and I am glad that our fearless leader, Brian has decided to bring it back for us to yammer on about a wide variety of whatever topic he comes up with.

This week's topic: My Latest Obsession.

That is a tough topic for me because I have a ton of obsessions. I am obsessed with my girlfriend. I'm obsessed with my Yankees and Batman and Spider-Man. I'm obsessed with bettering myself. But, for this blog, I will stick with something "pop culturey" . And, to everyone's surprise, it will NOT be about Batman or Spider-Man (Get off the floor George. You read that right!). No, no. It will be about a T.V. series that I am late to the party on.

Yes, I am officially obsessed with CW's Arrow.

I have not been this into a T.V. series in years. In fact, I cannot even remember the last show I was obsessed with. Agents Of  S.H.E.I.L.D. comes close as I have not missed an episode yet, but I don't think that Agents is as good a show as Arrow is. And to be honest with you all, I had absolutely zero interest in Arrow to begin with. In fact, I missed the entire first season of the show. Being that I am not a huge Green Arrow fan or a fan of the CW Network, I never turned the show on.

That just goes to show you how stupid I can be sometimes.

An assist goes to my buddy George. One day while we were out and about, he asked if I had seen the show and I told him I had not. He suggested I check it out. He praised the show, saying it's what "Batman Begins" is to Batman, this show is to the Green Arrow. Still, I resisted in watching it. I let the first season pass and let the second season start and still had not watched the show.

Fast forward to November of 2013. I suddenly found myself with a ton of free time on my hands. One day, I turned on my Netflix account and saw that Arrow was now on there. Now, I'm the kind of dude that likes to have something to watch while I eat. It just so happened I had my lunch sitting on my lap and I was looking for something to watch while I inhaled my cold cut combo from Subway. So, I popped in the first episode and watched it. Then the second and then the third episode. When I contemplated about watching a fourth, that's when I knew I was hooked.

Damn You CW Network!!!!!!

I got sucked in by the wonderful writing, the great direction and the terrific casting of Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen, the billionaire playboy who was shipwrecked and stranded on an island for 5 years. When he is rescued, he is determined to right the wrongs his deceased father made him promise to correct before his death. The cast rest of the cast is just as good. Katie Cassidy (Yes, the daughter of David Cassidy) plays Laurel, Oliver's ex-girlfriend who got her heart torn apart by him, Colin Donnell plays Tommy, Oliver's best friend, David Ramsey plays John Diggle, Oliver's bodyguard, Willa Holland plays Oliver's sister Thea. The cast is rounded out by Paul Blackthorne, Susanna Thompson, Emily Bett Rickards, Colton Haynes and John Barrowman.

I don't want to give too much away in case there are people, like me, who has yet to see the series, but trust me when I say that once you watch the show you will get hooked. Is it a show based on a comic book character, yes but I would also say that it's a well written drama as well. The show also has a bunch of twists and turns to keep even a non comic book fan into the show. Plus, for the comic book geeks, they throw DC characters into the show such as Deadshot, Huntress, Deathstroke and Merlyn. Is the series very faithful to the comics? Of course not, but what Hollywood production, be it film or television, is faithful to the source material. Not a lot, but it shouldn't keep you from enjoying a well written and acted show like Arrow is.

So, if you haven't checked out Arrow and get the opportunity to do so, I say watch it and enjoy the heck out of it. The show was renewed for a third season, so you have time to watch season one if you have Netflix or have the means to pick up a copy if Season One, take a weekend and sit back and enjoy the ride to Sterling City.

Check out some of my fellow League members obsessions:

https://jathniel-velazquez.squarespace.com/journal/3/10/2014/my-latest-obsession-welcome-back-to-the-league

http://thedustyshelf.weebly.com/the-league.html

http://monstercafesaltillo.blogspot.mx/2014/03/league-assignment-my-latest-obsession.html

http://coolandcollected.com/binge-watching/

http://fortuneandglorydays.blogspot.com/2014/03/league-of-extraordinary-bloggers-im.html

Mego Monday's: Green Arrow

Today's Mego Monday post is one of my favorite Mego figures I own, The Green Arrow. Now, admittedly, he was not one of my favorite characters growing up, but as I read stories like Identity Crisis and Blackest Night, I have gained a new respect for Ollie Queen. Enough to want me to hunt down Kevin Smith's Quiver graphic novel real soon.

Now, here's Ollie

This is one of Mego's better figures. The costume, colors and accessories help bring Green Arrow to life for the youth of the 1970's. It's figures like this that have me convinced that the toys we had growing up back then are way better than the stuff that comes out today. But, to me, the reason why this is one of Mego's masterpieces is this:

Check out that well sculpted kisser. Looks almost exactly like Oliver did in the Neil Adams drawn comics back in the 70's.

The back of the figure showing off the plastic molded sack in which he carries his many arrows. I'm sure he had a couple for the producers of the Super Friends. I'm sure Ollie was a bit peeved he was not in the show. I bet he was thinking, "You have a character named Apache Chef, but not me?? Are you kidding me?"

As with most Mego figures, posing these figures is just not going to happen. With this particular figure, he has the handles of the sack hindering his movements, plus this is the first wave of figures. You can tell by the wrists as they have the circular metal joint rather than the plastic joints the later figures would have. This is almost a 40 year old figure, so posing it in all these crazy positions could do some damage to Mr. Queen.

This figure was also my first purchase off ebay that taught me a lesson of trusting dealers. I paid a pretty penny for Green Arrow, $70.00 back in 2006. The listing said everything was original. But, when I got the figure, I looked him over and noticed that the bow and boots had a DM on them.That means they are Doctor Mego reproductions. The hat and costume are real. Not sure about the back pack. Now, I don't mind if they are repos. It's for my displaying purposes only. Just don't lie and say everything is original. I did nothing because I really wanted the figure. I'm glad I kept it. The price of this figure has gone up.

As a kid, Batman, Spider-Man, Superman and Joker were my favorite Mego figures. They still are to this day, but I have come to love this figure just as much. I'm kind of glad I didn't have this figure as a kid. I probably would have broken all the accessories and not have appreciated Ollie like I do now. As both a figure and character.

5 Graphic Novels I Want To Read in 2012

Ok, I admit it. I'm behind on a lot of comic reading. I had taken a few years off from comics to concentrate on my Yankees collection. I have cards, autographs, bobbleheads, jerseys and a lot more in my collection. I'm at a point now where I want to catch up on all my favorite super heroes and lose myself in stories about heroes I never read before.


Recently, I was able to read graphic novels that I missed out on Like Secret Wars, Flashpoint, Identity Crisis, Killing Joke, Spiderman: Blue, I even revisted my childhood by reading Superman vs Spider-Man all over again.


I really enjoyed those books and it got me thinking about what other stories I'm missing out on. So, I did some snooping around as only I can. I found a whole bunch of books I want to read, but for the sake of this blog (and holding your intrest, dear reader), I've narrowed my choices to 5 must read graphic novels. Forgive me, if I barely know anything about these books. I'm sure most of you have read them and I feel less of a geek for not having read them.


Green Lantern: Brightest Day


I know absolutely nothing about this story. I have read Green Lantern: Rebirth and really enjoyed it. I also just watched Green Lantern on HBO on Demand and while I enjoyed it, I felt it could have been better. But it did light a spark in me to want to read more Green Lantern stories. I figured I'd start with the book I have been hearing so much about.


Green Lantern: Blackest Night


How can I read Brightest Day and not read Blackest Night? Again, I know nothing about this story, but I have seen some really cool figures from this graphic novel. My question to anyone of you readers who have read these, which graphic novel is the one to read first?


Crisis On Infinate Earths


Of all the graphic novels on this list, not having read this story in it's entirity shames me the most. I was reading comics regularly when this came out back in 1985. I even bought the issue where Supergirl was killed. I never got around to reading the full story. This is the one I am dying to read.


Green Arrow: Quiver


Now, I have never, ever read a Green Arrow story, nor have I ever wanted to. I never thought he was a character I'd be intrested in. But once I read Identity Crisis, I got to see what Green Arrow was all about and he intregued me. I ran across this graphic novel and it was written by one of my favorite writer/directors, Kevin Smith. I'm sold.


Marvels


I'm a huge Alex Ross Fan. I love his artwork.I also have Justice on my list of must reads. Each time I run across this book in some of my favorite comic shops, I always flip through it, admiring the artwork in this book. Now, its time for me to read the story Kurt Busiek wrote for this book.


I have vowed that 2012 would be the year I catch up on some much needed reading. The warm weather is coming up and there is nothing I love more than sitting out in a park with a good book. I have 5 books that I will be looking to put on my Kindle Fire and lose myself in some great comics.