Barack Obama: Superhero?

Much is being made this week about about-to-be President Barack Obama’s appearance in a new issue of Spider-Man comics. Spidey apparently rescues Obama or something, and then the two beat on bad guys. Sounds like fun.

Barack Obama reminds me of a DC Comics superhero, actually: a new character with an old, and kind of stupid, name. Mr. Terrific sounds like a bad wrestler, but he’s actually an incredible character and an interesting addition to comics. Not that I’ve read many of them. Who can afford comics these days? Six bucks each? Jesus. I used to get a quarter for my allowance each week; I’d buy a comic and a candy bar.

I digress. Mr. Terrific is Michael Holt, a brilliant scientist and investigator and member of the Justice Society, the original super-team. He carries on the legacy of an earlier Mr. Terrific, but isn’t much like him — except for the words “FAIR PLAY” written on their costumes. I never liked that part.

Let’s compare the current Mr. Terrific and the current Mr. President Elect:

• Mr. Terrific believes in Fair Play.
• Barack Obama ran a fair campaign.
• Mr. Terrific has a weird black mask in the shape of a T.
• Barack Obama drinks green tea.
• Mr. Terrific is the leader of the JSA.
• Barack Obama is the leader of the USA.
• Mr. Terrific has two floating balls that serve as scanners, computers and communicators.
• Barack Obama has a BlackBerry and Rahm Emmanuel.
• Mr. Terrific has 14 PhDs and an Olympic gold medal.
• Barack Obama will likely get an honorary PhD someday, and might get to go to the Olympics, too.
• Mr. Terrific was urged to become a hero by that all-powerful being, The Spectre.
• Barack Obama was urged to run for president by that all-powerful being, Oprah.
• Mr. Terrific helped take out the evil satellites during Infinite Crisis.
• Barack Obama wants to delay the digital TV switchover during the financial crisis.
• Mr. Terrific fought Darkseid.
• Barack Obama gave Rod Blagojevich a dirty look.

I call this one a tie. Both these guys are cool. You know who isn’t cool? This Mr. Terrific impersonator (below, left) and his buddies. Seriously, this is how we geeks get a bad name.

I’m About To Get Rich!

Wow, I knew blogging would pay off. Check out this latest fanmail, which just arrived in the Weather Station’s inbox:

Dearest One,
It is my pleasure to contact you, i know my message will come to you as a surprise.I am Nina, the only child of MR Careme Konal My late father deposited 6.5millon dollars in finance company hear in Cote d’lvory, before he die, for on-word transfer aborad through diplomatic cargo for investment purpose,

This is an a confidential matter to be delt with carefulness to enable us understand more better with the fund to be a benefit to every one, Or if it can’nt be possible for the trip here, We can negotiate at any nearby country to come with this fund with all proves as a withness for the vital truth behind the stories and with the fund.If you are willing to assist me send to me your full datas  or your informations so that i will submit it to the finance company for them to contact you. for more details you need to konw,
Thanks

From Miss Nina Konal

At first, I thought this might be the Nigerian scam … but she’s from Cote d’Ivoire, so it must be real. She seems nice. I can’t wait to see how this pans out, but I predict a big Ivory Coast jackpot. First, I think I’ll buy my own island, plus a boat, and then cheeseburgers.

Wait, this guy might have something to tell me …

Lost: Hurley

(Indulge me. As we near the Season 5 premiere of Lost, I’m going to run through the current crop of main characters. There are spoilers.)

His name is Hugo Reyes, but he’s known as Hurley for reasons that have never been explained. He’s the island’s go-to goofball, an amiable, shambling mess of a man who hides a big secret: back home, he’s the winner of a massive lottery jackpot and one of the richest men in America.

He’s also mentally ill, but armed with a huge heart and a galloping sense of humour. Jorge Garcia, the first actor cast on Lost, has turned Hurley from comic relief to the emotional heart of the castaways, the common sense, the conscience, the fear and the courage all in one.

Other actors get attention at awards time, but I still hold that Garcia’s performances in Season 4 — from the premiere, when he had to tell Claire Charlie was gone, to the flash-forwards that found him back in the U.S., in a mental hospital — were perfect and spot-on. He rivals Michael Emerson as the show’s best actor.

Highlights:

• Sawyer finding his stash of Dharma ranch dressing
• His line at the Oceanic 6 press conference: “Uh, was that question for me, dude?”
• His surprise ping-pong mastery.
• Deducing that Ethan wasn’t on the plane.
• “Dude, you got some Arzt on you.”
• Saving the day on the beach when the Others were holding hostages, roaring forth in the old Dharma minibus … Hurley, action hero? Hells, yeah!

Really, there are too many highlights to list for this guy. Basically, if he’s on screen, Lost is firing on all cylinders.

Problems:

• The numbers. The numbers were such a huge part of Hurley’s story, then they just disappeared. It reeks of the producers running out of ideas.
• His relationship with Libby was just never plausible. I can’t put my finger on why, but it just didn’t make sense — unless Libby had ulterior motives. Ah, we’ll never know. Or maybe we will.
• Why the hell did he go with Locke in Season 4? Why? It made zero sense.

My favourite thing about Jorge Garcia is his constant presence online, including forums, MySpace and Lost podcasts. He loves to mingle with fans; that’s extremely cool.