Rounding up the latest news from the "back capes"...

-- Some people are looking at the clues from a solicitation for Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1 and seeing clues that point to the identity of the vilain behind Final Crisis being a character who barely registers a blimp on Google or Wikipedia. The King of Limbo, indeed.

-- There's a new villain on Smallville. (spoilers.)

-- DC's Message Boards are hosting a discussion about the lamest villains. I'm using that as a checklist of up-and-comers to watch. If Gail Simone taught us anything, it's that D-list villains can, in the proper hands, become the subject of prim-o storytelling. OK... Not Kite-Man. But most of the others.

Thanks to the readers who have helpfully pointed out that Chess King hasn't been seen in malls since the mid-90s.

And, yes, I happen to remember when this was all farms. What of it?

With Emerald City in the rearview mirror, here's a complete rundown of all of the remaining convention appearances I'm planning. The conventions in blue are tentative.

Wizard World Philadelphia: May 29 - June 1

Comic Con: July 24-27. Appearing with my How To Make Webcomics co-authors, Kris Straub, Scott Kurtz and Dave Kellett.

Baltimore Comic Con: Sept. 27-28. Appearing with my How To Make Webcomics co-authors, Kris Straub, Scott Kurtz and Dave Kellett.

SPXpo (Bethesda, Md): Oct. 12-13

PhilCon: November

Since the buzz created by the upcoming How To Make Webcomics book, I've been e-mailed the same question over and over: "When are you coming *here*?" The answer is: As soon as I get invited to a convention near your town. Write the promoters of your favorite comic con and let them know! And if you're a convention promoter and/or if you help organize a comic convention please get in touch and we can discuss how to make that happen.

Taking stock of super-villains

Green Goblin: Stormin' Norman Osborn has been on a delicious slow burn since the start of the post-Registration Act Thunderbolts. With Warren Ellis taking the helm of the title, Osborn has been handled with tremendous aplomb.

In Thunderbolts #120, Osborn makes the long-awaited transformation into the Green Goblin. After the last issue, in which Norman single-handedly wiped the floor with former Masters of Evil alumni Tiger Shark, Cyclone and Mister Hyde, I was beginning to wonder if Norman was ever going to don the classic Goblin gear. After he explained his super-strength by mentioning bio-engineering, I was starting to expect some sort of mutation into a new goblinesque creature.

Seeing the latest incarnation of the Green Goblin costume (he refers to it as his "kit" in a wonderfully written passage), I'm very happy that didn't happen.

I don't think anyone writes the demented madman Osborn as well as Ellis. The first few pages of #120 are nothing but Norman ranting to himself in a nut-job rage. Click on the thumbnails below to read several of the choicest pages in the intro. Here are a few quotes:

-- "Norman Osborn. America's Last Hero. That's what I am."

-- "I'm so glad I never washed this particular costume. Smells like death, blondes and victory."

-- "'So says President Goblin!' ... Actually, that's a bit more Doctor Doom isn't it?"

-- "Note to self: Give naked dictation more often. The ideas seem to flow more freely."

-- Brad Guigar




(If you have a suggestion for "TWiV," please e-mail me.)