Mike Sterling's Progressive RuinAlone, unmourned, and unloved since 1969

Progressive Ruin presents…the End of Civilization.

§ February 27th, 2015 § Filed under End of Civilization § 5 Comments

Back after a brief hiatus, the End of Civilization returns to warn you what awaits in your local comic shop’s future! Forewarned is four-armed, after all, so crack open your copy of Diamond Previews March 2015 edition and follow along! Also, here’s hoping enough of you read the Dirk Gently novels to know what I’m talking about in my alleged joke for it:

p. 42 – Fight Club 2 #1:

“The Third Rule of Fight Club is that a Fight Club must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.”

OR

“The Third Rule of Fight Club is just keep on talking about Fight Club and its rules, I mean what the hell at this point, right?”

OR

“Um actually there are eight rules of Fight Club, your jokes are dumb”
 
 
p. 112 – Convergence: Swamp Thing #2:

So if you’re a big dope like me and just have to be a completist about certain characters, then you end up doing dumb things like buying both the main cover of Convergence: Swamp Thing #2 (the big pic there) and the Chip Kidd-designed “variant” cover (the little inset), even if you think the “variant” is, well, kinda so-so. I mean, maybe when all those variants are up on the rack they’ll give an impression of, well, some kind, but just on its own…I don’t know. I may have poked some slight fun at the design with an image on the Twitters recently:

 
 
p. 153 – The Flash Reverse-Flash Ring:

“Hey, I really like your Flash ring!”

“Actually, it’s the Reverse-Flash ring, worn by the Flash’s arch…enemy, um…from the future…uh, yeah, I really like my Flash ring, too.”
 
 
p. 155 – Wonder Woman The Art of War Wonder Woman by Robert Valley Statue:

Man, the Lady Apple Bonkers are hot:

ALTERNATE GAG: That statue’s legs are almost as long as the statue’s name.
 
 
p. 161 – Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #1:

I’m kind of hoping there’s a plotline in the comic about how they have to go back in time to prevent Keven Smith from finishing Daredevil/Bullseye: The Target in order to save the universe.
 
 
p. 436 – The Art of the Pimp: One Man’s Search for Love, Sex and Money:

“Dennis Hof, proprietor of the world-famous Moonlite BunnyRanch brothel and the P.T. Barnum of prostitution, charts his path to fame and infamy, while dispensing homespun wisdom about sex, sales, money, and how to live as the country’s most recognizable pimp. In The Art of the Pimp, Dennis Hof offers a hilarious, insightful, behind-the-scenes look at life as the proprietor of The Moonlight BunnyRanch and recounts his chaotic life as the king of America’s sex industry.”

Comics, everyone!
 
 
p. 482 – Firefly Jayne Cobb with Hat Legacy Collection Action Figure:

Actually, it’s about ethics in knit caps.
 
 
p. 490 – Batman 1966 Dynamic Duo Monolith:

Say, why don’t we have a giant statue for Batman and Robin? Maybe we can just hit Mount Rushmore and slap a cowl on George Washington and a mask on Jefferson…and, I don’t know, dye Roosevelt white and green and put a luchador mask on Lincoln. Just spitballin’ here.

While we think about that, please enjoy Batman’s visit to Rushmore:

 
 
p. 492 – Avengers Coulson’s Captain America Trading Card Set II:

So Coulson just had card sets in every pocket while he was runnin’ around doin’ stuff in the Avengers movie? Did he have Force Works pogs in his socks? A Nomad phone card in his wallet?
 
 
p. 556 – My Little Pony Rainbow Dash Hooded Throw:

Oh, hey, to go with your Doctor Who pony, your very own Lady Cassandra pony:

 
 
p. 558 – Roddenberry Trek Fish Car Emblem:

“What does God need with a bumper sticker?”
 
 
p. 559 – Star Wars Darth Vader Comfy Throw Fleece Blanket with Sleeves:

Man, even in the upcoming sequels they’ve found a way to undermine Vader’s villainy.
 
 
p. 560 – Zombie Window Buddies Decal Sets:

Sure to delight any nearsighted traffic cops that happen to be in your neighborhood!
 
 
Marvel Previews p. 131 – Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 2 – Revelations TPB:

Oh man, Chip Kidd got to this cover too?