Dear Morgan,

You need to grow up. I know you don't like me - for insanely childish reasons - but this isn't about me. It's about the rat you are doing wrong. All you ever do to anyone who ever tries to give you advice - no matter how friendly, helpful, or important - is throw a tantrum and run away as thought they have personally attacked you. Do note that I would not say anything at all if I didn't give a shit. Kindly stop pitching fits, stop acting as though you already know better, and wise up. You will be a much more likable person and your responsiveness to knowledge will help you grow as a person and an artist.

I expected the nature of your reply, although the block was beyond ridiculous and only served to showcase your poor attitude. The only reason I said anything is because I was already aware of the fact you were making poor decisions and I am an advocate of animal welfare. What you just said is very alarming - you won't do the right thing unless you have to because the rat is showing clear signs of depression (same as feeding a pet only when it's beginning to starve) and even at that point you might consider dumping her instead of getting another. Another rat would not be that huge burden on you and such a state of mind strongly suggests - well, I think we all know what it suggests.

You have no idea how selfish you're being, do you? As well as how incredibly arrogant in your refusal to learn from others? Why would you not want to make sure you're taking the best possible care of your companions? They depend on you and when you bring them into your life you are making a commitment. You are not following through. All rats are in dire need of other rats. It is a basic requirement due to their psychological makeup regarding social behavior and it is highly irresponsible to wait until she actually shows depression - which she may not. Yet, she will reflect it later in life and will most certainly be underdeveloped mentally.

Read. For the sake of your rat; please do not be a conceited brat about this, it's not about me: http://www.quite.co.uk/rats/#Social%20Life:%20Rats%20Need%20Company and http://www.rmca.org/Resources/apair.txt

Please do the right thing.

Responsive To This

Regarding This.

I suppose this is a decidedly more concise follow-up entry to my previous fit.

It's official. I dread the upcoming “Riddle Me This” arc. I have very low expectations for there being any big surprises under the rug and currently find it a tragedy that Tony Daniels is being allowed to write Batman. I also worry how this coming arc will reflect on Gotham City Sirens – rather, perhaps how it already is. The next issue of Sirens (#9) seems to once again star Eddie prominently and this time on unclear grounds.

As long as there isn't some great twist in the works like Clayface impersonating Eddie or mind controlling drugs (a lot of villains have to consider him a turncoat), it appears that he is truly taking the knife to Eddie – first there was Batman #693 which a great many fans had a lot to say about. When taken at face value it was bad writing at its worst. There are plenty of insane villains to choose from and no need to warp Eddie's character and development to make him into another. There was a brief appearance in #695 that managed to create annoyance within the span of a page and now a rather ominous new cover for the upcoming #698 that strongly suggests that Eddie is indeed returning to a life of crime and likely insanity. It's very disappointing to see a character with such anti-hero protagonist potential be mangled in this way. We all know what's coming – he'll get his brief moment of “badass” as a Joker clone then return to being a pointless villain and the butt of jokes.

While not all credit can be given to Dini for developing the character (he didn't take the potential as far as it could go and good examples of it going further are Gotham Underground and Trinity - some of the worst examples are when he used an internet chat room to do the detective work for him), the character was finally beginning to come into his own – searching for a different path in life, reflecting on his past, perhaps even starting to feel regret (Sirens #3). There was satisfying complexity. There was depth and an avoidance of characters having to be black or white without a middle ground.

While still an egotistical bastard, he was three dimensional and very human - he was the jerk you loved and hated all at once for being bad at being good, but still being successful in the endeavor. He was stuck in-between the worlds of crime and law and it was an interesting and fantastic character dynamic. Really, this would be the best possible way to write him. He was a vaguely sympathetic reformed member of the rogue gallery and it was doing wonders for his portrayal – the private investigator run has been generally well received as well! So, why the sudden and poorly introduced change?

If his obsessive compulsive nature absolutely had to return to the surface, which is admittedly a strong aspect of his personality, it could have been dealt with creatively for the good of the character. He's highly intelligent and even if he never becomes truly good he knows that he has a good thing going and can compete with Batman on an investigative level – still play the game without the risks. It simply suited him better. He could even stray from the path eventually, but not like this. We're lacking depth entirely.

Daniels even took the scalpel to the relationship between Eddie and Ozzie, who was not only a frequent client, but perhaps the closest thing he had to a good friend as shown in multiple instances. The statement made on the phone was unjustified and confusing. The only thing I even remotely like is the return of his memory and the confusion it's causing him. That is both interesting and exciting, although I strongly doubt it'll be explored positively.

In summary, what a lot of fans want to see is characters given more respect. As characters. As believable individuals not defined simply by their status as a "bad guy" or "good guy". We want to see them allowed to grow and develop rather than fall back to the typical and predictable status quo like they so often tend to do. We don't want to see writers afraid to leave established ground. Unfortunately, that's what we're seeing.

Amuse me, my pretties.

I got me some comic books today - had no idea how awesome our local comic book store was - and I am a happy camper. I had a nerdgasm, although I was a little disappointed at Gotham City Sirens #8. I saw several summaries advertising that it was the return of Eddie teaming up with the girls (still really hopeful for him to become sort of a Charlie or Bosley figure e.g. Charlie's Angels - the upcoming #9 looks like a hopeful for pushing things forward), but all he got was a single page and a single phone call from Selina. Alas! Still, it is obvious that the writing is favoring him being a source of interest and making frequent appearances. He did get a whole issue (Gotham City Sirens #3) to himself for this series.

The verdict is still out for Tony Daniels and his upcoming 'Riddle Me This' Arc. I was grumpy at Batman #693 on a knee-jerk reaction*, it seemed like some poorly devised cop out to shoo him back into crime, but I really liked what I [hope I] saw more recently in Batman #695. He is still a private investigator and the allusions being made towards him regaining his memories and being confused are pleasing. I never did like the mace-to-head, coma, and memory loss retcon at all, him having the knowledge could be creatively utilized to great effect. Ironically, Paul Dini, who I thought before might have been my favorite Riddler writer, DID like this.

A highly interesting note, in past issues since he became a private investigator, it seemed strongly supported that Eddie and Oswald were something of friends - Eddie showing up at the lounge during a party, for instance, and them having a chat in the office where Oswald warns Eddie against his boredom. (Detective Comics #824) "Ah, ah, Eddie. I know that restless tone of voice. Be careful now. We've got some good things going here." It was very relaxed, friendly, and suggested that they did this often.

Then there was, of course, good ol' Gotham Underground. There was the commentary in #1, but I think of particular importance is #9 above all else. I'm going to have to leave you to go read it yourself, but it follows up a hard love beating (#7), where Oswald (thinking he is going to die at the time) leaves Eddie the key to the Iceberg Lounge after admitting the beating was to save his life. I think it may have been one of very few instances where we've ever gotten a decent emotional and non-sarcastic insight on Eddie. Their relationship is unstable, but this instance in particular really convinces me that they're perhaps the closest thing each other has to a best friend. I can't think of either of them ever having any other sort of relationships in this manner.


Anyways! While dropping Oswald as a client in Batman #695, Eddie mentions that, due to his memory returning, he now remembers that he never really liked Oswald much at all - with a strong suggestion towards a hostile relationship previously. What's interesting here is that if this was the case, why before now did Oswald never make reference to this himself? Why have we always been shown the exact opposite instead? Does Edward have a warped perspective due to his confusion over memories? Is Daniels ignoring their previous portrayals or is this why Oswald was so pissed off when the phone was dropped?

Poor Eddie. Without Oswald, I'd have to say that now he's practically alone - distrusted by heroes and enforcement and practically a traitor and snitch to the crime world. In other words, at best between a rock and a hard place, more realistically eventually up the creek. All he has is those in the same between-worlds position - Oswald, Selina, Harley, Ivy. At this point in time I'd say that Harley and Selina are the closest things he's got to actual friends - especially Harley, they seem to meet up a lot - and that really isn't saying much. Unfortunately, I doubt Ivy will ever make an exception for his having a penis and put their pretty deep history of mutual dislike for each other aside. Note Gotham City Sirens #1 and Batman: Battle for the Cowl - The Underground #1. I've got to note, though, The Underground fails pretty hard - the inconsistency in character design from page to page alone is absolutely astounding. Ironically, the art is the part about the entire comic - the story is atrocious, accomplishes nothing, and ignores any sort of depth in character relationships. I'm not sure it is to be taken seriously at all except for setting things up for Sirens.

Although, Selina has broken his jaw before (Batman Confidental #21) - just one example among their assorted history, unsure how seriously one is to take that particular story much less those such as When in Rome - and they somehow manage to get along these days.

That or I'm just speculating too much and must remember that with the huge amount of writers and artists for all the varied series related to Batman, there is going to be a terrible amount of inconsistency, unintentional retcon, and overall confusion - especially when it comes to secondary characters. Writers can't possibly remember everything or research with complete accuracy.

Still, if the case really is that simple, this is another characterization pitfall for Daniels and a rather ugly one at that. Eddie has almost always gotten the short end of the stick and it is hard to tell if that is changing yet. As far as I'm concerned, it's a race between the Sirens and Batman series in earning my respect. How lesser characters are treated says a lot to me about the writer. Eddie, as a character, is long overdue for a little respect. Trinity aside since it doesn't really count in regards to the positive / matter / main world. His antimatter self seemed like one Hell of a tease, though! I appreciated Eddie (as brief appearances and references were) and really enjoyed Enigma / Quizmaster. Especially since Eddie, in recognizing his own mental patterns in the rash of thefts despite knowing his innocence, ran off to the Caribbean rather than getting further involved - amused me.

I think Daniels final verdict from my end will come during the 'Riddle Me This' arc. I do hope for something fresh and new that does justice to the character.


* Okay, so it wasn't just a mere knee-jerk reaction. It was more of an explosion of rage. I absolutely took the scene at face value and felt that it was merely a horrible method of returning Edward to a life of crime through a cheap 'sudden insanity' tactic. However, I can see it more along the lines of being related to his brain damage and only a strange moment of behavior. I was largely angry at the idea of Eddie returning to being a criminal, which I also attributed to 'undoing all of the work Dini has put into the character'. As a player in Batman's rogue gallery, he was overall a failure and a laughing stock, constantly given the short end of the stick and injured time and time again, driven only by a crippling OCD complex and extreme boredom. He never went anywhere and only ever got himself in trouble.

While he is absolutely a self-centered, egotistical, know-it-all jackass, I do not actually see him as a bad person. I think that his life of crime was merely a part of his past, a curious path along the road of life, and not a defining characteristic of his personality. I don't think returning to villainy suits him at all. After all, his OCD showcased his desire to tell the truth and gain attention, which was why he left riddles to allow Batman to catch him time and time again - depending on what interpretation you favor that is. In good ol' Annual #8 he claimed that it was for the sake of crime being a performance art too. I honestly think that if he ever really had defeated Batman, he would have been disappointed and miserable, having lost his best adversary in 'the game'. It was fun and easy to be a thief, but it wasn't ever the focal point in his motivations. No, it was the intellectual stimulation.

His private detective life was probably initially a fresh challenge to Batman, a safe and financially promising legal course of action, but I think it really does fit the character - especially due to his past as a criminal and what he learned from it while becoming a member of Gotham. He could have up and gone back home (there are a couple origins depending on what source you look at) or elsewhere at some point, but I think the city has become a part of him and somewhere inside, he genuinely cares about it as a home. While for now he may be helping people only to suit his own ends, financially and intellectually, there may come a time when it becomes apparent he isn't a true sociopath and begins enjoying the positive end of the work, begins worrying about his image, begins worrying about his loneliness and future. A true reformation and turning point rather than just an alternative to being bad.

Oh, and I also just finished reading Catwoman: When In Rome. I love that stupid airport scene when they're waiting for Selina's luggage, it would look great redrawn in current style trends. In appearance as far as Eddie goes, maybe Kramer style or what Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Kevin Nowlan did in the King Tut arc. He did look pretty young there, though. I think my preferred version - aside from his ginger phase in TAS - really is how Kramer tends to draw him / drew him in Detective Comics / Origins. Especially Detective Comics #828. Guillem March's rendition isn't too bad either, but is a bit different from the sort of middle-aged, but 'boyish' look I think I like for him. Enigma in Trinity is also fantastic in my opinion.

Every so often I see my friends fill one of these out and get an inexplicable urge to return the favor. So, have some random information!

[Relationship Status] - Taken.
[Siblings] - Half-Sister and Half-Brother; Tanya and Jesse. Also associated siblings-in-law.
[Pets] - Here, check out my WIP site: http://opossumrats.webs.com/

FAVORITES
[Color] - Orange.
[Number] - ???
[Animal] - Golden-Lion Tamarin, Virginia Opossum, Frogs.
[Book] - Far too many to name - I never understood people being able to list a favorite book, even if just a handful. It suggests to me that they must not read much! I might be able to find a few favorites in every given genre, though.
[Flower] - California Lilacs.

DO YOU
[Have tattoos?] - No, but I'm planning on one.
[Cheat on tests?] - No.
[Like roller coasters?] - NO.
[Wish you could live somewhere else?] - France.
[Like cleaning?] - Yes!
[Own a cell phone?] - Yes.

CURRENT
[Current hair] - IDK, THIS. I'll note that it actually does have an orange shine when in the right lighting, due to the fact that my hair was orange, then I dyed it back for the sake of job hunting, and only the roots are my true coloration.
[Currently playing] - Game; Batman: Arkham Asylum, Music; Poets of the Fall, TV; CNN.
[Last movie you saw] - District 9, Fight Club, and Legion. Legion SUCKED.
[Last thing you ate] - Cheese Crackers.
[Believe there is life on other planets?] - Absolutely.
[Hate yourself?] - Nope.
[Collect anything?] - Comic Books (Batman), Ancient Egyptian Junk, Pokemon Crap.
[Like your handwriting?] - No Opinion.

LOVE…
[First crush] - Stupid question, skipping.
[You believe in love at first sight?] - No.
[You believe in "the one?"] - No. I think there are multiple soul mates and it isn't fate or a perfect match - it's a friendship that has grown and evolved into something incredibly tight knit.

ARE YOU
[Sarcastic] - Highly.
[Shy] - Occasionally.
[Talkative] - Yeah.

WOULD YOU RATHER…
[Pierce your nose or belly button?] - Nose, but I'm not really interested in any facial piercings except for maybe an eyebrow.

ARE YOU…
[Simple or complicated?] - I like to THINK I'm complicated.

ABOUT YOU...
[What time is it]- 7:20pm.
[Name] - Coltara James Cady.

WHAT DO YOU WANT…
[Where do you want to live] - France.
[How many kids do you want] - NONE.
[What kind of job do you want] - Editor, Author, Zoologist, Journalist - I'd enjoy many!
[Do you want to get married] - Unsure.

UNIQUE...
[Are you double jointed] - Yes.
[Can you raise one eyebrow] - Yes, my left!
[Can you cross your eyes] - Nope.
[Do you make your bed daily] - Hahaha, no.
[Which shoe goes on first] - Left.
[Ever thrown one at someone] - Probably.
[How Much money do you carry in your wallet] - Depends, usually not much. I stick to my debit card, mostly.

IN THE PAST 24 HOURS HAVE YOU…
[Bought something] - Yes. Mmm, comic books...
[Gotten sick] - Nope.
[Sang] - Yep.
[Felt stupid] - Sure.
[Missed someone] - IDK MY BFF MARGHEE / BECKY / DEADY.
[Gotten drunk] - No.
[Gotten high] - No.
[Danced crazy] - A little!
[Gotten your hair cut] - Nah.
[Watched cartoons] - Youbetyourass.
[Lied to someone] - No.

IN THE LAST FEW DAYS WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON THAT…
[Slept in your bed] - Leash, Lucian, Red, and I! Same as usual.
[Saw you cry] - I haven't cried in the last few days.
[Saw a movie with you] - District 9: Leash, Joana, and Freda. Legion: Leash, Dad, and Dawn.

HAVE YOU EVER…
[Been to California] - Yeah, I was born and raised in Tahoe-Truckee. I was just there last week for a ten day visit, too!
[Been to Europe] - No, but I really want to!
[Wished you were the opposite sex] - Yeah, sometimes.

HONESTLY…
1. [Honestly, what color is your underwear?] - Light blue, denim blue even.
2. [Honestly, whats on your mind right now?] - GOLLY THIS MEME HAS GREAT QUESTIONS. See: Sarcasm Question.
3. [Honestly, what are you doing right now?] - This, obviously. Also waiting for lasagna, editing a site, and thinking about what I should do after.
4. [Honestly, do you think you are attractive?] - I'm told it frequently and am happy with my appearance, but I really don't do well with narcissism or vanity. Attraction is a subjective aesthetic anyways, it depends on the person looking.
5. [Honestly, have you done something bad today?] - No. :D
6. [Honestly, do you watch disney channel?] - I used to, before its lineup turned into fail. I still watch Disney movies and older cartoons, though!
7. [Honestly, are you jealous of someone right now?] - Nope.
8. [Honestly, what makes you happy most of the time?] - My friends, family, creative comedy, debating, art, and characters!
9. [Honestly, do you bite your nails?] - Nope.
10.[Honestly, what is your mood right now?] - Cheerful.
11.[Honestly, who do you want to see at this very moment?] - MARGHEE. MARGHEE. MARGHEE.
12.[Honestly, do you have a deep dark secret?] - You know, I'm not sure I actually do. I'm VERY forthcoming. I've got nothing to hide.
13.[Honestly, do you hate someone right now?] - Well, now that you've got me thinking about people I dislike - TYVM.
15.[Honestly, do you like someone?] - I like my friends and family? I like intelligent people? I like the artists I watch? What do you mean by 'like'? If you mean love, duh. I'm still in a steady relationship of - fuck, five years now? Leash is my soul mate.
16.[Honestly, does anyone like you?] - How would I know? I HOPE SO? OH GOD DON'T LEA -

EVERYONE’S CONFESSIONS
[ ] I still watch cartoons on Saturdays.
[x] I eat Froot Loops.
[ ] I go trick or treating.
[ ] I’ve taken a bubble bath in the last month.
[ ] I have water balloon fights with my friends
[ ] I still believe in Santa
[ ] Mommy’s still the coolest person ever
[x] sleep till noon.
[ ] I still pass out little Valentines day cards on Valentines Day.
[ ] The boy/girl that sits next to me is cute.
[x] I still drink apple juice.
[ ] There are monsters in my closet.
[ ] I can’t sleep with the lights off
[ ] I can’t sleep with the lights on.
[ ] I still like piggy back rides.
[ ] Boys/girls still have cooties

A – AVAILABLE : Huh?
B – BEST FRIENDS : LEASH, MARGHEE, DEADY, BECKY, MALLORY.
C - CUTE : LEASH.
D - DAD'S FIRST NAME: Steve.
E – LAST PERSON OF OPPOSITE SEX YOU TALKED TO: Uuuh, some guy who worked in the comic store.
F – FAVORITE BAND/ARTIST: N/A. I like A LOT.
G – GUMMY BEARS OR WORMS : Bears, foo'!
H – HOMETOWN : Birthplace: Truckee, CA Home: Fayetteville, AR
I – INSTRUMENT : Saxophone
K – KIDS : No, thank-you. They make me uncomfortable.
L – LONGEST CAR RIDE: California to Arkansas, 1600 miles - I've done it twice, once just recently!
M – MILK FLAVOR : Chocolate.
N – NUMBER OF SIBLINGS : Two half-siblings, but one if you count them together! :D
O – ONE THING YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF : My BRAIN.
Q – FAVORITE QUOTE : “Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing bad things, but for good people to do bad things, it takes religion.”
R – REASON TO SMILE : Friendship, Family, Comics, Art, Movies, Books, Food, Home, The Cosmos, Life!
S – SONG YOU LAST HEARD : Maybe Tomorrow Is A Better Day - Poets Of The Fall.
T – TIME YOU WOKE UP : Noon.
U – UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME: If I told you, it wouldn't be UNKNOWN now would it?
W – WORST HABITS : Oversleeping, procrastination, laziness.

****Everyone has their firsts…****

First real best friend: Deady.
First Cellphone: Motorola V170. Now; Motorola RAZR V3
First pet: Silver - not counting goldfish!
First piercing/tattoo: Three ear piercings, all done at the same time! I currently have those plus two helix, but want more.
First flight: Arkansas - Dallas - Reno. I've done this twice and once back. I LOVE flying and airports.

****Everyone has their lasts…****

Last person you hugged: Jeff.
Last time you cried : I can't remember.
Last thing you touched: Keyboard / Tablet / Camera.
Last time at the mall: A couple weeks ago, roughly?
Last person you saw: Leash / Jeff.
Last thing you drank: Sunkist.
Last time you have been truly happy: TODAY. Actually, that should be a whole following journal entry...