What Is This?

This blog is for my writing.

Most of it comes from io9's Observation Deck before it was deleted. I tended to post a lot there, especially my "Hypothetical TV," but also essays on movies, television shows, and comic books. If a blog post has a "Posted:" at the top, that was the date it was posted on Observation Deck.

I'll probably trying writing some stuff directly for this blog. Someday.

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The Middle of the Venn Diagram: All of the IPs That Have Crossed Over With Both Marvel and DC

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It's no secret that the last Marvel/DC crossover was JLA/Avengers (or Avengers/JLA ) in 2004 and nothing since. Marvel/DC crossovers used to be an interesting phenomenon, events that happened at random moments when the two companies got along enough to get together in order to make something that would make them both a lot of money. And from Superman vs the Amazing Spider-Man to DC vs. Marvel to  JLA/Avengers , they happened at an irregular, if steady pace, until they came to an end. There are, however, secret crossovers. Characters that have appeared in one universe and then appeared in the other. Characters that didn't belong to either Marvel or DC (at the time) and therefore were able to slide between the two. Think of a Venn Diagram: one circle is Marvel, the other is DC, and in the middle? These franchises. First, the rules: Rule 1: It has to be an IP that was separate from both Marvel and DC, even if it is currently owned by Marvel and/or DC and/or their parent companies....
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The History of the X-Men Logos, Part One: Uncanny X-Men

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 A history of the X-Men logo over the years. The X-Men #1 (July 2, 1963) The X-Men #4 (January 3, 1964) The fourth issue introduces a tiny flying Angel above the logo that lasts until issue 13. The X-Men #15 (October 5, 1965) The fifteenth issue reintroduces the tiny flying Angel, but slightly higher than before. This lasts until issue 22. The X-Men #24 (June 30, 1966) The 24th issue introduces a tiny Professor X above the logo. This lasts until issue 38. The X-Men #42 (January 9, 1968) The beginning of a stretch where the X-Men logo is smaller and placed above cover copy as "The X-Men featuring." This lasts until issue 48. X-Men #50 (September 10, 1968) The first issue to use the new, more iconic logo created by new artist Jim Steranko. X-Men #56 (March 12, 1969) The first instance of a character on the cover grabbing or interacting with the logo. X-Men #94 (June 10, 1975) The first issue post-Giant Size X-Men #1, with the logo now sporting "The All-New, All-Different...
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When a Superhero Gets Married and Has a Child (Part 1)

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 I've been meaning to compile this list for a while now, so here goes: generally, giving a superhero a child is a death knell, the ending of a story rather than a continuation of one. Why? Well, nobody really wants to read subplots about changing diapers or waking up at four in the morning due to crying; those things are mundane events that generally people read comics to get away from. And yet some creators can't help themselves sometimes in giving characters kids. Why? Because, after two characters get married, it's the next logical step for them. Heteronormativity says that couples need to have 2.5 children and a picket fence with a dog and a cat, but writers are generally hesitant to give a main character those things and let them stick, because the story has to keep going. There is no "The End" for these characters. So let's look at some examples and what happened after the love and marriage and a baby carriage appears. *** Scott Summers and Madelyne Pryo...
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