When I go to various news sites, I want to know what is going on. I am helping the sites justify their existence in that way. I figure that can help build up some good karma, which I certainly need. But today, when I went to check out a news site I only visit every couple of days, I found out something I didn’t want to hear, that Geoff Johns is leaving JSA with issue #26.No this isn’t earth shattering news. But it is disappointing news. I have been reading JSA since Johns took over, and it has consistently been one of the best mainstream comics out there. His handling of characters from Jay Garrick, to Maxine Hunkel, to Damage, has been top notch. He took bits and pieces from the history of the DC universe and wove them together, making them part of a tapestry, rather then curiosities.

So it is sad to hear that he has given up the book he has used to enrich the DC universe to well. There is a silver lining of course. He will continue on Green Lantern, and will be working on Superman: Secret Origin, Blackest Night, and Flash: Rebirth.

I admit I am ambivalent about the Flash project. One the one hand, Barry Allen staying dead helps the idea that actions have consequences in the DC Universe. He heroically gave his life saving the Multi-verse and bringing him back will lessen that. On the other hand, Barry is very different from most of the frontline heroes in DC. He has always felt more everyday and down to earth, and having someone like that can be a help in stories. On the gripping hand, I think Geoff Johns can use him to tell one hell of a story.

I am looking forward to Superman: Secret Origin. Johns has shown great skill in working with the origins characters and making them more detailed and richer. The fact that he gets to add Superboy back in, and is covering the Legion, makes me think this will be a real treat.

Blackest Night is probably the most anticipated story coming out of DC this next year. After the Sinestro war, and the slow introduction of the various spectrum warriors, I would say that there are few DC fans that don’t want to see this one.

Of course, when something like this happens, rumors immediately start about who is taking over and what the creator will be doing in the future. Johns says he will end 2009 writing 3 ongoing series. Green Lantern will be his only ongoing after he leaves Action and JSA, so he will be picking up a couple somewhere. There seem to be quite a few people hoping he will be writing Flash and a new Legion series. His use of the Legion in Action certainly makes that prospect appealing. But I wouldn’t be adverse to seeing him on JLA either. Just have to wait and see.

Another rumor has also started about who will be taking over JSA. Based soley on the fact that the new creator asked Johns’ blessing before accepting the job, some have decided it could be Gail Simone. As far as I know, there are no facts to base this on, but I like the idea, so will be helping spread the rumor here.

I guess I should mention this, since it was big news for the last day or so and will probably be news for most of today. It didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t know about Obama. I try to look at candidates and their positions before deciding who I will vote for. For those that are undecided or unsure about Obama, it probably did a good job helping them get to know him and his positions better. It may have helped some folks make up their mind or be more certain about their decision.

I think the one thing that really says it all about the current campaigns from both sides is this from TPM.

That is just the section that was produced for airing. It doesn’t include the last few minutes that were at a live rally in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I haven’t seen that anywhere on the web that I can link to. But there is this commercial, which is worth watching.

While reading over at 538.com, I followed some links to a couple of commercials for Barack Obama. The first is from the Obama website and it exemplifies most of the reason I am voting for him. It is 2 minutes of him talking about the country and what his plans are to get up back on the right track if he is elected president.

The second video is a bit more humorous. And much more painful, as it points out many of the problems with the country right now. It is from 60Frames and stars the same guys that were in the Budweiser wazzup ad. This one is not from Anheuser-Busch, which is not surprising considering where Cindy McCain gets her millions, but otherwise it is very recognizable.

The two ads are obviously not going for the same demographics, which shows the broad appeal of the Obama/Biden campaign and the narrow base of McCain/Palin.

That same broad appeal is also a danger for Obama. If he wins the election with any kind of mandate, it is imperative that he and Congress actually deliver on at least some of their promises. They will be handicapped by the ongoing economic crisis, but that is also the first place they can show leadership.

Obama winning the election will probably ease some of the current fears in the market, but who he would chose for his cabinet would be even more telling. Listening to his advisers like Buffet and Powell and picking the right Treasury Secretary, National Security Advisor, and Secretary of State, will ease all kinds of fears and nerves, all over the world. If, on the other hand he picked someone out in left field, it would probably be catastrophic.

I have faith that Obama will choose his cabinet wisely if he wins the election. He has already shown a talent for surrounding himself with able men and women and listening when they offer advice. In the complicated world we live in, that is the probably the best talent that an intelligent POTUS can have.

I wasn’t planning on writing anything today, or probably until this weekend. But I found this video and had to share it.

It certainly brings back memories. I just wish I wasn’t old enough to have them.

Well, I don’t know about everyone else, but I am more than ready to stop hearing about Joe the plumber. He isn’t running for office and he doesn’t really add anything to the current political atmosphere. If he is really tired of the attention like he says, he is more than welcome to drop back into obscurity in my opinion.

I am also tired of the negative advertisements that keep showing. I know the theory of the Big Lie, and I know it works, but so far this year it seems to be less than completely successful. Maybe the US electorate is finally starting to look beyond the sound bite and trying to find the facts. Well, at least some of them. There are still people that are more than willing to believe the worst about their opponents.

These two videos from the Smith Memorial Dinner are much better advertising for both candidates. They made fun of each other, the audience members, and themselves.

This kind of thing is much nicer to hear about than something like this story about Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) and her views of Obama, and apparently every “liberal”. Why do we have so much trouble in this country with the idea of a loyal opposition? Why are people like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, who advocate that anyone that disagrees with them are evil, subhuman, and/or traitors, so popular?

I can understand being passionate about beliefs and wanting to win. Anyone who has ever competed in sports has felt that. But demonizing your opponents, considering them less than you for some reason, is a bad idea in wartime, nevermind during a political campaign. Because, when it is all over, the winners are required to work with each other to get things done.

Even if the Democrats manage to get 60 senators this year, it won’t last, any more than the Republican “permanent majority” lasted. The Democrats will get some blame for the current economy, deserved or not, and they will make some mistakes as they govern. If they do a very good job, without too many mistakes or scandals (Yes, they will have both, they are humans in a position of power. Failing to temptation by someone is going to happen.) they will probably be able to stay in control of Congress until at least 2012. What happens then will depend on just who the President is and how good of a job he does.

But no matter what happens they need to keep in mind that eventually, the Republican Party, or whatever continues in place of the current mess that makes up the GOP, will have the top hand. Ignoring the checks and balances in our system, or trying to dismantle them, just makes things worse when you are the minority again. I think it is very important for the Democrats to remember this, if they manage to win as big as it seems they will right now.