Hey, who's talking about Grant Morrison and how he's re-imagined New York for Seven Soldiers? The New York Times is! Interesting piece that talks about how Morrison and Stewart's Seven Soldiers: The Manhattan Guardian reimagines a place that I've come to love fiercely.
Sunday, July 31, 2005
VW Pickup
VW Pickup
Originally uploaded by BeaucoupKevin.
New photos up on My Flickr Page. We went for a short little walk this morning before brunch at Picante, where you can get really tasty Mexican breakfast food on the cheap.
Run, Barry (or Jay or Wally), Run!
Holy shit, it's a giant Jay Garrick!
I love covers that use "real world" people for some
silly reason.
Great composition. Now I want to know who the hell
Walter Jordan is.
Looks...familiar somehow. Brilliant recycling of
an great image.
Kneel before Grodd!
Great Eisner nod with this one.
Father forgive me. I tried not to do it.
What a great image.
I'm...Captain Kirk! I'm...Captain Kirk!
Aquaman's totally like "I don't think
so, Girlfriend."
Bolland. We bow before thee.
And now, Josh has a new Flash-related remix,
which should make you cackle or shudder.
Or both.
Saturday, July 30, 2005
It's been a little while since I did one of these, so here's a sort-of-dancable, slightly melancholic mix I've put together this afternoon using Audacity, a neat little open source application.
Right click to download The End Of July mix by BeaucoupKevin. (59mb, 192kbps mp3.)
Here's the track listing, with commentary because I'm pretentious like that.
Right click to download The End Of July mix by BeaucoupKevin. (59mb, 192kbps mp3.)
Here's the track listing, with commentary because I'm pretentious like that.
- "Love Is The Message" by LFO starts this off for no particular reason other than I love it. This is a fine, chugging piece of minimal, funky UK acid house from "The Day."
- "The Season" by Beanfield starts off sort of quiet, letting the listener catch their breath before that insistent, jazzy rhythm starts. Compost is one of those record labels whose stuff I snatch up instantly when I see it, as it's very rarely less than stellar.
- "Timber" by Grantby. A great little piece of spy-jazz with a beautiful piano medley that sneaks in and out perfectly.
- "Discotheque Du Paradis" by Buffalo Daughter comes from their album I, one of the most eclectic recordings I own that still manages to sounds like same band all the way through. If you're not doing a little chair dance as this kicks in, then there's something wrong with you.
- "Rise" by Craig Armstrong. Strings and beats, man. Strings and beats.
- "Lilac Wine" (Remixed by The Album Leaf) by Nina Simone. I view jazz remixes with a suspicious eye in general, but Verve's Remixed series really surprised me with its third installment. If you've not heard The Album Leaf, I urge you to seek out In A Safe Place or One Day I'll Be On Time - perfect soundtracks for late-night writing sessions.
- "The Creator Has A Master Plan" (More Rockers Combination Mix) by Brooklyn Funk Essentials. Speaking of jazz, this drum and bass remix of this version of Pharoah Sanders's most emotional piece should be a complete disaster. Instead, it's so good that I spent years tracking it down on CD after hearing it on a mix tape made for me by Atlanta's DJ Bobble in the mid-90s. What a rush this record still gives me.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Battlestar Galactica Drinking Game!
When Saul or Ellen Tigh drink, take a drink.
No, really, that's it.
So say we all.
Oh, dear. David Baddiel at The Times Online went thermonuclear on Dan Brown and The DaVinci Code. Let's run an excerpt, shall we?
Harry [Potter], of course, has the get-out clause of being for children. Dan Brown�s get-out clause should have been: �It�s a bestseller, so therefore it�s for those essentially childlike creatures, the general public.� And then everybody would have been happy. Unfortunately, by doing some historical research and putting the Mona Lisa on the cover, Brown makes his book aspire to that quality most jealously guarded by those who consider themselves the reading elite, gravitas. The thing that really makes literary critics furious is the idea that there are people reading TDVC who think that they�re reading a proper book; who think, God save us, that they�re reading a literary novel.
Brooklyn! Representing!
Congratulations to the Rocketship crew and best of luck with the new shop. I plan on swinging by next time in the city, probably with a bottle and a few glasses in my hand to celebrate in a manner appropriate to this medium we love.
Somewhat further away from me, but no less worthy of our love is a store called RIOT!, Jason Richards's new joint. It looks like he's got his ducks in a row and I hope he posts pictures of the finished place so I can savor the awesomeness.
Hey, Kochalka's new book, The Cute Manifesto, came out this week. Despite the fact that the promotional material describe this as his Dianetics, you should pick it up anyway. Kochalka discusses craft, life, Gameboys, and the tiny billion details that make our world what it is in an engaging manner. Sometimes, yes, it's a tiny bit precious (the opening comic, "Sunburn" was remixed by a friend of his into a cruel, cruel mini that gave me spastic fits of laughter,) but that's easily forgiven when you realize how deeply felt "The Horrible Truth About Comics" is. His love of the medium comes through like a white-hot laser, inspiring and provoking thought in a way that a thousand interviews with people like Dan Jurgens could never manage. Some special note should be made of "Reinvinenting Everything (Part 2.)" Maybe it's my impending old age (less than a month until I'm officially over the hill at 31,) but the story behind the conception of his son Eli was much more moving than I expected. While I won't exactly admit that there might have been something like a lump in my throat during a good portion of the piece, I won't deny the power of his deceptively simple style.
Bonus Links (Kochalka Related):
Tom "Boom Boom" Spurgeon interviews the man himself!Extra Special Bonus Links Related To Ian Brill
Jef Harmatz reviews this work on CBG.
And Having Nothing At All To Do With Kochalka
But I Wanted To Point Them Out As Ian Is Smarter
Than Me And Loves A Lot Of The Same Stuff As I Do
So Enjoy These Before I Stalk Him Down And Consume
His Brains To Improve My Own Writing:
His review of Darwyn Cooke's issue of Solo.
His review of AEIOU.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Bob over at the Jack Kirby Comics Weblog posted a great entry about Kamandi #13, which features Reason #293 that I love the work of The King:
In my rush to do the list this week, I skipped right over Dead West, a graphic novel from the creators of Teenagers From Mars. This is because I spend all of my time of late working instead of thinking about comics as much as I should, which means I may not be presenting the blogging value that you, the readers, expect from me. In fact, right now, at 11:09 at night, there's a work-related document open on my desktop, expecting me to add at least a few hundred words of high-quality rubbish that will make people fall over themselves to procure a copy of the software. Not that I want your absolution or anything, but please cut me some slack until they get an additional helper monkey, ok?Anyway, thanks to an email from Rick Spears, I was reminded that this fine-as-hell looking graphic novel comes out this Wednesday and judging from the minicomic they produced as a test for this work's new style, it's going to be a class act all around. I'm sure I'll give it a longer review once things settle down a bit, but I just wanted to make sure I told you people about it.
Now, who wants some digital scrapbooking software?
Over at The Beat, Heidi MacDonald (who I want to call H-Mac and invite to the ECB cabal) links to this incredibly trippy visit to the offices of The Des Moines Register And Tribune by Lucy Van Pelt and Charlie Brown of Peanuts fame.This is a neat little cultural artifact, especially as it's from the mid-50s, before Schulz marketed the heck out of those tykes. I wonder how much of the technology mentioned and spotlighted in this is still in use.
My giant bald head.
My giant bald head.
Originally uploaded by BeaucoupKevin.
ECB/BOS Meetup
I've decided we need to meet up for the Stray Dogs exhibit at the Gardner Museum, per previous rantings. We will do this next Saturday, August 6, at 1pm. Are you wondering how to get there or if it's going to be worth it? Click here. Afterwards, we will go to a location such as the Pour House and have a late lunch. Alternate suggestions for time or meal location? Let me know. This is, sadly, the only day I have completely free in the next couple of weeks. The photo above will tell you people what I look like.
Monday, July 25, 2005
Hey, yeah, it's time for the list. But first of all, there's a few people that deserve my thanks. Thank you, Pete Von Sholly, for a review copy of Sergeantstein, which I will review soonish. It looks quite loony and may just be the thing I need to focus on to ignore the fact that it's hotter than Satan's bunghole up here in ECB territory. Then there's Fat Cramer (an alias, no doubt,) who gifted me a gift of such proportions that...I was honestly a little choked up. I'm now the proud owner of The Fantastic Four Omnibus, and it is a thing of beauty. Damn, Fat Cramer! You make a grown man weep like a baby. These two presents, along with Ryan's making sure I got the latest Matt Kindt mini from SDCC, make me a happy, happy man. You dudes rule.
And now...
Your Shit That's Killing Comics List
For The Week Of July 27, 2005
Nothing from Dark Horse or DC really offends my sensibilities outside of JLA / Cyberforce, which is going to sell not nearly as well as they'd like, I bet. I mean, was anyone going "Hey, is there any way we can get that dude with two right arms to, like, punch Green Lantern?"
Image comes through in a pinch, though:
Marvel
Wizard
Other Companies
The "What I'm Buying Or At Least Looking At
In A Not Entirely Unkind Manner List" for the week
Of July 27, 2005.
Dark Horse
DC
Image
Marvel
Other Comics Companies
...
Kochalka!
That looks like it, really. If anyone checks out the manga version of Nightmare Before Christmas, let me know if it's any damned good.
And now...
For The Week Of July 27, 2005
Nothing from Dark Horse or DC really offends my sensibilities outside of JLA / Cyberforce, which is going to sell not nearly as well as they'd like, I bet. I mean, was anyone going "Hey, is there any way we can get that dude with two right arms to, like, punch Green Lantern?"
Image comes through in a pinch, though:
APR051660 GODLAND #1 $2.99I read the preview of this on some site or another and wondered what happened to the Joe Casey whose work I quite liked there for a while. We need another lame Kirby tribute the way that we need Just Imagine Stan Lee Creating...Flaming Carrot. I just don't think that you're paying tribute to Jack when you mindlessly recreate poses and linework in a pandering effort to create nostalgia. Disclaimer: I have a soft spot for Ladronn, who manages to create a more organic feel while using the same blockiness.
MAY051596 TOMB RAIDER WITCHBLADE MAGDALENA VAMPIRELLA ONE SHOT $2.99You hear that? That's the sound of a thousand lonely fanboys crying out in climax together...and then were suddenly silenced by their mom banging on the bedroom door, wondering what they were up to.
Marvel
MAY051824 COMBAT ZONE TRUE TALES OF GIS IN IRAQ VOL 1 TP $19.99I see this selling less than Call Of Duty. I like how it went from being solicited as a miniseries to becoming a trade very, very quietly.
MAY058106 ULTIMATE IRON MAN 3RD PRINTING #1 (OF 6) $2.99I like how Issue 3 is not out yet, months and months after issue 2 hit the stands. I think that's really cute.
Wizard
JUN052626 WIZARD COMICS MAGAZINE JLA LEGION OF DOOM CVR #167 $5.99I just wanted to point you guys to this hilarious post from David at Precocious Curmudgeon. I have very little interest in shôjo, but found the latest issue of The Comics Journal to be worth approximately ninety-three issues of Wizard when it came to readable, coherent sentences that discussed things like craft and structure.
JUN052627 WIZARD COMICS MAGAZINE X-MEN 3 CVR #167 $5.99
Other Companies
JUN052823 BRIAN PULIDOS LADY DEATH DEAD RISING MARTIN SKETCH ED $34.90I...don't know what to make of Unholy Nature Calls. Is this a fecophiliac comic about demons emerging from orifices best left alone? And "Killing Blow" edition? And seven variant covers for Abandon All Hope? What the fuck is wrong with you, Pulido? Who did what to you when you were young and impressionable? Tell us - we can help!
JUN052821 BRIAN PULIDOS LADY DEATH SWIMSUIT 2005 KILLING BLOW ED $5.99
JUN052824 BRIAN PULIDOS UNHOLY NATURE CALLS CVR #2 (MR) $5.99
APR052678 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE #1 (OF 4) $3.99
JUN052884 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE COMM CVR #1 (OF 4) $5.99
APR052682 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE GLOW CVR #1 (OF 4) $19.99
MAY052640 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE GOLD FOIL #1 (OF 4) $5.99
APR052681 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE PREMIUM CVR #1 (OF 4) $9.99
APR052680 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE RYP CVR #1 (OF 4) $3.99
APR052679 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE WRAPAROUND CVR #1 (OF 4) $3.99
JUN052822 LADY DEATH LEATHER & LACE 2005 HOT AS H$$$ ED $5.99
APR052653 FATHOM SIGNED ED #1 $29.99Man, they just don't let up over at Aspen Entertainment or whatever the hell Turner's calling his little company.
JUN052812 GYPSY #1 $3.50I fucking hate Stevie Nicks. She's the reason I've not purchased the new Deep Dish album. No, really, they've remade "Dreams" with her. That's not necessary, people. I liked my diva-prog house version that Perfecto put out around 95 just fine.
JUN052813 GYPSY ADRIAN CVR #1 $3.50
JUN052815 GYPSY NOUVEAU CVR #1 $3.50
JUN052816 GYPSY PREMIUM CVR #1 $9.99
JUN052814 GYPSY REARTE CVR #1 $3.50
JUN052793 STARGATE SG1 DANIELS SONG DALLAS CON GOLD ED #1 $4.99I'm very glad Avatar did not get the Battlestar Galactica license, I tell you what.
JUN052794 STARGATE SG1 FALL OF ROME JUDGE SGN #3 (OF 3) $39.99
NOV042476 THRESHOLD LOOKERS NUDE CVR #53 (MR) $6.00You know what I like? I like it when somebody says something like "This cover, this nude cover...it's not mature and edgy enough. We need a Demon Nude Cover!" That's what I like.
NOV042475 THRESHOLD LOOKERS WRAPAROUND CVR #53 (MR) $4.99
NOV042474 THRESHOLD PANDORA CVR #53 (MR) $4.99
JAN052537 THRESHOLD PANDORA DEMON NUDE CVR #53 (MR) $6.00
NOV042477 THRESHOLD PANDORA NUDE CVR #53 (MR) $6.00
MAR052787 TRANSFORMERS UNIVERSE #1 RED FOIL CON ED $12.99You know what Jason likes? Transformers.
In A Not Entirely Unkind Manner List" for the week
Of July 27, 2005.
Dark Horse
MAY050040 HELLBOY THE ISLAND #2 (OF 2) $2.99There you are, Sean! I hope he talks about drinking with skeletons some more in this one.
DC
MAY050270 ALBION #2 (OF 6) $2.99I liked the first one enough to keep going. Hell, they put a Cyberman in the opening splash - how wasn't I going to be kind of interested?
MAY050197 BATMAN DARK DETECTIVE #6 (OF 6) $2.99Read the shop's preview copy on Sunday. Surprisingly gory, actually. Even with the whole EC vibe that the cover implies, it's not nearly as exploitative as I was worried about.
MAY050274 CITY OF TOMORROW #4 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99Oh, so funny and wrong.
MAY050236 JLA CLASSIFIED #10 $2.99Ellis's long-completed arc starts here. Jackson Guice on the art, which is pretty damned easy on the eyes, even with those fucking awful CG covers.
MAY050281 SILENT DRAGON #1 (OF 6) $2.99I read the first issue (again, the preview pack) and thought it was interesting enough to merit reading the second, even if I'm not completely sure what's going on yet. Diggle's like that, though.
Image
JAN051591 CASEFILES SAM & TWITCH #18 (MR) $2.50This series needs trades, stat. I think it could build an audience among the people who like Gotham Central and CSI as it's very far removed from the lousy, stinky, putrid, godawful Spawn mythos.
Marvel
MAY051817 AVENGERS WEST COAST VISION QUEST TP $24.99Yes, vintage Byrne doing an oddball team. I'm quite looking forward to this one.
MAY051770 DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER #2 (OF 6) $2.99Outside of garish color, this mini has impressed me so far, as it's a straightforward 70's style morality play between Murdock and Castle. I've been kind of on a Punisher kick lately, with the Ennis Max series and this thing.
MAY051778 MACHINE TEEN #3 (OF 5) $2.99Disappointing and slightly stupid instead of being "all-ages." Bah. B+ for effort, though, even if I've already read the Not Quite Human books.
MAY051748 PULSE #10 $2.99This series is getting the axe from me pretty soon, I think. This month's issue is an abysmal, completely illogical House Of M festival.
APR051955 SPIDER-MAN HUMAN TORCH IM WITH STUPID DIGEST TP $7.99Buy this. Just. Buy. It. Buy one for a kid, too, goddammit.
Other Comics Companies
AUG042366 BILL & TEDS MOST EXCELLENT ADVENTURES VOL 2 TP $13.95Yes, they're black and white and digest-ized, but this series is pure fun and I'm so glad somebody's putting it back in trade.
MAY052895 CAPOTE IN KANSAS GN (MR) $11.95Ande Parks takes a look at the true story behind In Cold Blood. I'm pretty sure it's not going to suck one bit.
APR052555 CUTE MANIFESTO TP $19.95Kochalka! KOCHALKA! KOCHALKA! Apparently, this is just precious enough without the reader crossing into hypoglycemic shock.
...
Kochalka!
MAR052699 HERO SQUARED #1 (OF 3) $3.99Yes, there's a variant and I should be lamenting that, but I loved the hell out of the special that came out last year. You do have to have to be able to tolerate Giffen and DeMatteis riffing for pages in their very vaudville style. The art by Joe Abraham manages to keep up with them perfectly, which is quite nice.
MAR052700 HERO SQUARED PULL MY FINGER CVR #1 OF(3) $3.99
APR053045 QUEEN & COUNTRY DECLASSIFIED VOL 3 #2 (OF 3) (MR) $2.99At least this Q&Cseries is coming out on time.
That looks like it, really. If anyone checks out the manga version of Nightmare Before Christmas, let me know if it's any damned good.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
File Under: Not Very Surprising.
William Faulkner wrote you. Yes, you're a genius,
you drunken old coot.
Which Author's Fiction are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
William Faulkner wrote you. Yes, you're a genius,
you drunken old coot.
Which Author's Fiction are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Great angle, actually.
A random French comic I just liked the look of.
Spotted this one the other day. Instant love.
I like how happy he appears to be at the prospect of
meeting the enemy. Maybe they brought cake.
I hope he's got good upper-body strength. Damn.
Some cat in an Amazon review for Batman In The 70s said that
"Death Flies The Haunted Skies" was a 40's style story that must have
slipped in before giving it a D- rating. This person must be sterilized
to prevent further idiot outbreaks. Brilliant story by Goodwin and Toth,
and if you think otherwise you are wrong and will be punished.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Potpourri!
Typos and all (since corrected upon being appalled that I'd let it slide,) I made Tom Spurgeon's week in review over at the comics reporter as his quote of the week. Spurgeon's also gone and reviewed Wimbledon Green, Seth's October-released graphic novel that I'm rather eager to read. He shows superior taste and recommends Tales Designed To Thrizzle, as well, so go give him some clicks if you've not already.
Just to prove he's crazier than the rest of us, Christina's brother Arthur has gone and decided to walk from London to Rome; I presume he's procured a diving suit and two strong men operating the bellows for the Channel crossing. Anyhoo, he's blogging the adventure and I've added him to my sidebar for easy reference.
I keep meaning to review The Surrogates from Top Shelf, but I can't quite get a grip on why I enjoyed it so very much, so I'm going to just cheat and call it "NYPD Blue with cybernetics" and tell you to go check it out. For a first issue featuring a brand-new writer, Venditti's nailed the beats perfectly and Brett Weldele (who I'm always glad to see making with the comic art) creates a moody, moody world that you get sucked into. While I may be wishing this was just being released as a novel, buying it in singles form helps Top Shelf get some money back on their investment before the inevitable trade, and I'm pretty darn OK with that.
Typos and all (since corrected upon being appalled that I'd let it slide,) I made Tom Spurgeon's week in review over at the comics reporter as his quote of the week. Spurgeon's also gone and reviewed Wimbledon Green, Seth's October-released graphic novel that I'm rather eager to read. He shows superior taste and recommends Tales Designed To Thrizzle, as well, so go give him some clicks if you've not already.
Just to prove he's crazier than the rest of us, Christina's brother Arthur has gone and decided to walk from London to Rome; I presume he's procured a diving suit and two strong men operating the bellows for the Channel crossing. Anyhoo, he's blogging the adventure and I've added him to my sidebar for easy reference.
I keep meaning to review The Surrogates from Top Shelf, but I can't quite get a grip on why I enjoyed it so very much, so I'm going to just cheat and call it "NYPD Blue with cybernetics" and tell you to go check it out. For a first issue featuring a brand-new writer, Venditti's nailed the beats perfectly and Brett Weldele (who I'm always glad to see making with the comic art) creates a moody, moody world that you get sucked into. While I may be wishing this was just being released as a novel, buying it in singles form helps Top Shelf get some money back on their investment before the inevitable trade, and I'm pretty darn OK with that.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Music News What I Think Is Really Important Follows. You may or may not agree. Whatever.
Underworld is collaborating with composer Gabriel Yared to score Anthony Minghella's upcoming film Breaking And Entering. Yared worked with Minghella's previous films The English Patient, The Talented Mister Ripley, and Cold Mountain. Yared's score for The English Patient is a disc I put on quite a bit, actually, and not just for the period music - he infuses regional themes beautifully and his deft use of Marta Sebestyen's vocals sends a chill up your spine in the wee small hours. This should be interesting, at the very least.
UK and Euro sorts are lucky on September 5 - that's when the Pet Shop Boys soundtrack for Battleship Potemkin is released, as long as they get the necessary sample clearance, which EMI Classics and Parlophone are confident of obtaining. They are also working on a DVD release of Potemkin with the new soundtrack, which may actually make me shit myself with glee upon receipt. Tennant and Lowe are also in the studio with Trevor Horn right now, working on their forthcoming album which has been stated to be a return to the dance stylings that have made them my favorite pop band.
Underworld is collaborating with composer Gabriel Yared to score Anthony Minghella's upcoming film Breaking And Entering. Yared worked with Minghella's previous films The English Patient, The Talented Mister Ripley, and Cold Mountain. Yared's score for The English Patient is a disc I put on quite a bit, actually, and not just for the period music - he infuses regional themes beautifully and his deft use of Marta Sebestyen's vocals sends a chill up your spine in the wee small hours. This should be interesting, at the very least.
UK and Euro sorts are lucky on September 5 - that's when the Pet Shop Boys soundtrack for Battleship Potemkin is released, as long as they get the necessary sample clearance, which EMI Classics and Parlophone are confident of obtaining. They are also working on a DVD release of Potemkin with the new soundtrack, which may actually make me shit myself with glee upon receipt. Tennant and Lowe are also in the studio with Trevor Horn right now, working on their forthcoming album which has been stated to be a return to the dance stylings that have made them my favorite pop band.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
The first day of this year's San Diego Comic-Con saw DC announcing that Darwyn Cooke was going to be drawing a Spirit/Batman one-shot written by Jeph Loeb before taking on authorial and artistic chores with a regular ongoing series featuring Will Eisner's barely-masked, dapperly dressed character. Oddly enough, the first thought I had after "Well, it'll look very pretty," was "Oh my god, Cooke's turning into Branford Marsalis."Marsalis, for those of you who aren't down with The Jazz, is an enormously talented saxophonist. The son of famed jazz educator Ellis Marsalis (a man who finally found recognition as a musician thanks to the success of his children,) Branford earned his reputation the old-fashioned way: by getting very good at what he did and taking chances to sit in with alto, tenor, and soprano as part of Clark Terry's band as well as Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers before getting on board with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock as well as his own brother's influential group. He went on to play with Sting's pop/rock/crap group in '85, but apparently recovered quickly enough to find himself forming his own combo in 1986.
He was recording his own albums and generating a significant buzz when he joined Jay Leno's Tonight Show as the band's leader, but that didn't last longer than his two-year contract. He continued recording after this, to various degrees of success (Contemporary Jazz is a very well-made album,) until 2002 saw him recording, faithfuly and with little (if any) improvisation of his own, the works of Ornette Coleman, and Sonny Rollins as well as (most importantly, in my mind) the entirety of John Coltrane's A Love Supreme on Footsteps Of Our Fathers, ignoring the very essence of what makes jazz, jazz.
Cooke's clearly in a similar space: his years of work in advertising and design before being hired to storyboard Batman Beyond and put out his own Batman one-shot, Ego, allowed him to create a unique visual dynamic: one that applies techniques from his various jobs over the years through a filter of Playboy cartoons and Gil Kane bombast. Yes, it's a tribute to the 1950s pop style, but it's clearly had enough thought and effort applied to it to stand on its own merits. His biggest success, DC: The New Frontier, created a highly appealing synthesis by blending DC's stable of Julius-Schwartz conceived heroes, Kennedy-era idealism (and dread,) and modern comics storytelling techniques.
DC: The New Frontier uses the past as a launching point, imagining a more realized (if not neccessarily more realistic) and cohesive beginning for the Silver Age of comics with Hal Jordan's character arc as the lynchpin. While it does explicitly use the Cold War and its accompanying space race, much like the comics of that era, the entire effort has an entirely new feel. This is due to the fact that Cooke was taking characters created by a group and directing them to his own beat. New Frontier is more than just an homage: it's a new creation in its own right, even while celebrating its forebears. That's what makes the news that Cooke's looking backwards to do a title with The Spirit less than encouraging in my mind.This brings us to Eisner and Coltrane, two virtuosos in their own mediums whose most popular works are their defining statements. Even if Eisner used other writers and artists over the years (including the rightly-celebrated Jules Feiffer and Lou Fine,) his style and voice was the single vision that guided The Spirit's adventures. Coltrane was, well, John Fucking Coltrane. He played hard enough for six lesser men and experimented wildly. His epic A Love Supreme is a four-part spiritual meditation that stands head and shoulders over every other record released at the time. Yes, there was a Spirit anthology series that allowed new writers and artists to take on the character, just like there have been many tributes to John Coltrane's work by other musicians, but it's the difference between many people paying homage and a single person reproducing a defining piece that bothers me the most.
I know that Cooke can use pre-exising characters with his own voice, just like I've heard Marsalis play shorter pieces by other musicians and make it his own thing. However, my concerns with Cooke's Spirit series don't seem unfounded to me, even as he insists that this is more than a simple homage; I heard the same from Marsalis in the interviews around the time that he released Footsteps Of Our Fathers. It's not that Footsteps is a bad album by any stretch, but it's the slavish reproduction of a work that deprives me of any enjoyment when I listen to it. The (admittedly very few) sketches I've seen from the work show that it looks like Darwyn Cooke doing Will Eisner, which is particularly disappointing after the lively tongue-kiss to the medium that was his issue of DC's Solo title.Because Cooke is such an enormous talent, I am hoping for the best with The Spirit, but I'm worried that, just like I break out Coltrane's A Love Supreme instead of going to track 5 of Footsteps Of Our Fathers, I'm going to be particularly glad I collected the 70's Warren reprints of The Spirit.
Between Junior Boys and Ratatat. October 2004.
Between Junior Boys and Ratatat. October 2004.
Originally uploaded by BeaucoupKevin.
Busy working today. While on the phone with customers,
I moved some old photos into my Flickr account. Enjoy.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Fast Comic Reviews Because I've Got A Moment Or Two:
Tales Designed To Thrizzle #1
Michael Kupperman is a very, very funny man. With tales of Sex Blimps, the true story of Jesus's half-brother Pagus, and the Buzz Aldrin Mysteries, he delivers a dose of surreal hilarity that effortlessly jumps between styles. Read this interview at The Comics Journal to learn a bit more. Nice one.
Appendum: Ian makes smart writing dude about this over on his site, so read that, too.
Grounded #1
It's been a long time since I've felt like a new superhero-related comic exceeded my expectations by such a large margin, but Grounded is, with the exception of one minor quibble (our protagonist's name isn't mentioned by writer Mark Sable until page 23, something that irks me unless it's a dramatic choice,) just about the perfect comic for me. It's laugh-out-loud funny in places, touching and surprisingly inspirational without being too maudlin, and just metafictional enough to reward long-time superhero fans without alienating indie-slanted people who may just think that it looks neat.
And looks neat it does - Paul Azaceta's art, combined with colors by Nick Filardi, conveys mood and action perfectly. Azaceta reminds me of Michael Lark without openly aping his style and has the clear storytelling of Alex Toth: viewing a page as static shots without words, the reader can easily get an idea of what's happening. Highly recommended. If this sounds interesting, you can find out a little more at the book's annoyingly Flash-intensive website.
The Defenders #1:
It takes longer to read this single issue than The Ultimates V2 #7 and Daredevil #75 (an oversized finale) combined. Thankfully, it's very funny to watch as Giffen and DeMatteis, with Kevin Maguire, pick on the original non-team affectionately. What's funny is how this manages to convey the essence of each character - Namor's a completely arrogant prick, Strange is an overly verbose man with an ego the size of the Eye of Agamotto, and Hulk is...Hulk. I laughed and laughed like an infant with a rattler, but my tolerance for the works of the Justice League International team is higher than most.
Daredevil #75
Well, that was a bit excessive.
Tales Designed To Thrizzle #1
Michael Kupperman is a very, very funny man. With tales of Sex Blimps, the true story of Jesus's half-brother Pagus, and the Buzz Aldrin Mysteries, he delivers a dose of surreal hilarity that effortlessly jumps between styles. Read this interview at The Comics Journal to learn a bit more. Nice one.
Appendum: Ian makes smart writing dude about this over on his site, so read that, too.
Grounded #1
It's been a long time since I've felt like a new superhero-related comic exceeded my expectations by such a large margin, but Grounded is, with the exception of one minor quibble (our protagonist's name isn't mentioned by writer Mark Sable until page 23, something that irks me unless it's a dramatic choice,) just about the perfect comic for me. It's laugh-out-loud funny in places, touching and surprisingly inspirational without being too maudlin, and just metafictional enough to reward long-time superhero fans without alienating indie-slanted people who may just think that it looks neat.
And looks neat it does - Paul Azaceta's art, combined with colors by Nick Filardi, conveys mood and action perfectly. Azaceta reminds me of Michael Lark without openly aping his style and has the clear storytelling of Alex Toth: viewing a page as static shots without words, the reader can easily get an idea of what's happening. Highly recommended. If this sounds interesting, you can find out a little more at the book's annoyingly Flash-intensive website.
The Defenders #1:
It takes longer to read this single issue than The Ultimates V2 #7 and Daredevil #75 (an oversized finale) combined. Thankfully, it's very funny to watch as Giffen and DeMatteis, with Kevin Maguire, pick on the original non-team affectionately. What's funny is how this manages to convey the essence of each character - Namor's a completely arrogant prick, Strange is an overly verbose man with an ego the size of the Eye of Agamotto, and Hulk is...Hulk. I laughed and laughed like an infant with a rattler, but my tolerance for the works of the Justice League International team is higher than most.
Daredevil #75
"I can't believe-"Ultimates V2 #7
"-what?"
"That I paid $4 for such a-"
"-disappointing read?"
"And dude, you know how I feel about this title."
"I know exactly how you feel about this title."
"I mean, at least the King Of Hell's Kitchen story had all those whaddaya call 'em."
"Yakuza?"
"Yeah, Yakuza. Talk about an anticlimax with this one."
"Not a single Japanese gangster gets his face ripped off by a car antenna?"
"Not a one."
Well, that was a bit excessive.
From "By Any Other Name"
Tomar: What is it?
Scotty: It's...it's green!
James Doohan
March 3, 1920 - July 20, 2005
Rather busy here at work, but thanks to Kristin, here's a great article telling "mainstream" reviewers how to not look like prats when they're talking about comics. Right off the bat in her bullet points, Jessa Crispin made a new friend, even if she didn't know it:
1. �They�re not just for kids anymore� is not an original, interesting, clever or even remotely intelligent opening statement. You�re recycling a decades-old stereotype, akin to declaring �Novels: They�re not just for ladies of leisure anymore� in a review of a �real� book.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Much like Neal Adams, Jim Aparo came from the world of advertising and comic strips before being hired by Dick Giordano at Charlton Comics. It was with Giordano that he moved to DC Comics and found work drawing the adventures of characters such as The Phantom Stranger, Aquaman, and The Spectre before finally getting the opportunity to work with Bob Haney on the Batman team-up book The Brave And The Bold.When I was a wee 'un, it was The Brave And The Bold that I preferred over any of the other Batman titles because it let me get to know the rest of the DCU at a slow-but-steady rate and it was always, and I'm talking always easy to find in quarter bins. Sure, the stories may not have been the best, but where else would you get to read Batman teaming up with The Flash in "The Disco Of Death?"
Aparo went on to co-create Batman And The Outsiders with Maike W Barr and was finally given the chance to draw the Dark Knight's two main titles in the mid-80s, even handling the art chores on the fan-decreed death of Jason Todd in the infamous storyline "A Death In The Family." Even in the midst of the ugly 90s, editors knew they could rely on Aparo to get the work in on time and with inkers like Bill Sienkewicz and Kelly Jones, his art was a far cry better than most of the pencillers that were getting work at the time. No, he wasn't as flashy as some, or as elegant as others, but Jim Aparo drew the first Batman comics I read and in my mind, it's his Batman that I see when the character's name is mentioned, much like Curt Swan's Superman. Aparo died last night at the age of 72. No, he'd not done much work lately, but I don't think that a week went by where I wasn't reminded of how damn good he was. The comics industry certainly could (and did) a lot worse than this quiet, unassuming artist who helped make sure that Batman was one of my favorite characters. Thanks, Jim. You'll be missed.
So, Mal announces his upcoming Street Stupid book:
Okay, STREET STUPID is a book I'm doing after I finish SCOTT PILGRIM Vol 3. It's tentatively scheduled to come out July 2006, which I realize is a year away, but they wanted to announce it right now. I'm doing it because I want to take a little break before plunging in to the rest of SCOTT -- I don't want to get stuck writing only these characters, I guess.Want to see the preview art? Go to StreetStupid.com.
STREET STUPID is sort of a teen comedy about two sisters (who hate each other) who discover a secret society in their local library. The society has dedicated itself to using learning for evil. They want to destroy California (where they all live) because California is the center of entertainment, and entertainment makes people happy, and the goal of evil is to make people unhappy. So, it all sort of makes sense.
Yes, it's LESS deep than Scott Pilgrim. I know I said I'd do another tragically emotional book, and I'm working on one in the background, but I'm saving it for a little later. It needs more time.
Anyway, the only STREET STUPID art I have to show you is still the teaser site, and I probably won't talk about this project much until I get started on it about six months from now. But now you have some basic information and can hopefully look forward to a fun book next summer instead of bitching about the length of time it'll now be between SCOTT PILGRIM 3 and 4.
Monday, July 18, 2005
The Diamond Shipping List for the week of July 20, 2005 is up, so let's pick at it a bit, OK? OK.
Your "Shit That's Killing Comics" List, firstly.
Dark Horse
Eh. Some t-shirts and merch that's not eye-gougingly overpriced.
DC Comics
Image
Marvel
"But Kevin!" You will all cry out upon seeing this. "Why are you picking on this excellent example of modern spandex comics that are just serious enough?"
"Because it shouldn't be a $22 hardcover first! It should be a $14-17 paperback so that they can get the word out more easily. Then, once they have 13-14 issues to slap together, they can reward the fans with a $29.95 oversized hardcover, kind of like, oh, Supreme Power."
Memo to Joe Q and the rest of the Marvel editors:
Next time, have the entire series in the can before you solicit it. You know that the monkeys are going to climb that tree anyway, don't you?
Wizard
Other Publishers
Editor One: You know, I just feel that people aren't taking our comics about a hockey-masked wearing serial killer, a murdered with a serious mother complex, and a kiddie-touching freak seriously enough.
Editor Two: I think you're quite correct. Now, how can we get them on-board for our bold re-imagining of these characters!
Editor One: Painted covers! The people that we have previously sold three other covers to will procure them to show to their friends, declaring the art "good!"
Editor Two: BWAH-HA-HA! You are a genius, my friend! Now, let us hope that this covers the cost on these expensive licenses that have a rapidly dwindling audience.
Hey, what's not complete shit for this week?
Can you put that in a list, Unca Kevin?
I sure can, kids...
Dark Horse
DC Comics
Image
Speaking of hormonally-encumbered superpowered beings, the Invincible collection features a not-bad-at-all price, making it a decent gift item come the holidays or a present to yourself if you're enjoying the book or suspect you might. (See, this is how you get on my good site, comics companies: put your deluxe hardcover out after you've made sure it's easily available at a lower price in paperback, building your base steadily.) I'm still not as charmed by this title as everybody else seems to be, but it's cute and just meta enough to make me pick up the occasional issue and flip through it with a slight bit of interest.
Marvel
Other Companies
That's it for me on this Monday. Stick around for more badly remixed comics, a post I've got brewing concerning this whole return-of-The-Spirit thing, and further nerdy shenanigans later this week.
Dark Horse
Eh. Some t-shirts and merch that's not eye-gougingly overpriced.
DC Comics
MAY050215 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #642 $2.50The third chapter in a four-part "saga" that takes place between two issues of a miniseries that connects to events that will take place in a continuity-tweaking seven-issue maxiseries. And people wonder why the big two can't get new readers!
Image
DEC041583 STRYKEFORCE TP $16.99OK, who out there asked for this? I really need to talk to you about this. Jay Faerber's weakest work, really, and it's got godawful Top Cow art by Tyler Kirkham that seems to be bound and determined to devolve everyone to the days when chromium walked the Earth and Rob Liefeld had his own stable of artists.
Marvel
MAY051815 CAPTAIN AMERICA VOL 1 WINTER SOLDIER HC $21.99
"But Kevin!" You will all cry out upon seeing this. "Why are you picking on this excellent example of modern spandex comics that are just serious enough?"
"Because it shouldn't be a $22 hardcover first! It should be a $14-17 paperback so that they can get the word out more easily. Then, once they have 13-14 issues to slap together, they can reward the fans with a $29.95 oversized hardcover, kind of like, oh, Supreme Power."
FEB058520 HOUSE OF M DIRECTORS CUT #1 (OF 8) (PP #676) $3.99They're making it too, too easy for me anymore, judging by the lukewarm response I've been seeing at the shop and online. Fuck 'em and their huge crossovers that only return things to the status quo when it's all said and done. Fuck 'em for not doing anything daring when they have a chance.
JAN058163 HOUSE OF M PETERSON VARIANT COVER #4 (OF 8) $2.99
MAY051740 SECRETS OF THE HOUSE OF M #1 $3.99
MAY051746 SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M #2 (OF 5) $2.99
MAY051818 THE PULSE VOL 2 SECRET WAR TP $11.99They can't even put the title that this crossed over with out on time and we've got a trade for the ancillary material?
Memo to Joe Q and the rest of the Marvel editors:
Next time, have the entire series in the can before you solicit it. You know that the monkeys are going to climb that tree anyway, don't you?
MAY051823 X-FORCE SHATTERSTAR TP $16.99You're joking. Please. Tell me you're joking or I'll not believe in mom, country, and Apple Pie anymore!
Wizard
MAY052343 YOUNG AVENGERS WW LA SKETCH CVR CGC 9.8 PIPlease, somebody tell me you bought this. I've got a ton of stress to work out and your body, hanging from a meathook, would make an excellent punching bag.
MAY052342 YOUNG AVENGERS WW LA SKETCH CVR SGN #1 PI
Other Publishers
MAR052558 10TH MUSE #1-6 COLL PACK $6.00Now you just stop that, 10th Muse! We did nothing at all to you! Stop whoring around!
JAN052633 ARMY OF DARKNESS SHOP TIL YOU DROP DEAD FOIL #4 PIYou know, just because you waited three extra months for the comic came out doesn't mean you have to pass up on the chance to have a holo-foil version that's not priced until it arrives at your local comics shop! That's how much Dynamite Entertainment cares about you, people. I hope you apprecaite it.
APR052684 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH #5 $3.99If you ever catch Brian Pulido reaching for your ass at a con, it's not because he's feeling overly affectionate - he just feels he should have the right to rip out your wallet and swipe a fistful of twenties.
APR052687 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH FOIL INC #5 PI
APR052686 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH PREMIUM CVR #5 $9.99
JUN052819 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH SERENITY ED #2 $5.99
APR052685 BRIAN PULIDOS MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH WRAPAROUND #5 $3.99
JUN052818 BRIAN PULIDOS WAR ANGEL FIERY REAPER ED #1 (OF 3) $5.99
JUN052820 LADY DEATH ABANDON ALL HOPE #1/2 VENGEANCE ED $5.99
MAY052543 LADY DEATH DEATH GODDESS $2.50
JUN052885 LADY DEATH DEATH GODDESS GOLD FOIL CVR $5.99
MAY052545 LADY DEATH DEATH GODDESS LOPEZ CVR $5.99
MAY052544 LADY DEATH DEATH GODDESS NOUVEAU CVR $5.99
MAY052547 LADY DEATH DEATH GODDESS PLATINUM FOIL CVR PI
MAY052546 LADY DEATH DEATH GODDESS PREMIUM CVR $9.99
APR052688 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA #1/2 $2.99
APR052692 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA ART NOUVEAU CVR #1/2 $2.99
MAY052641 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA COMMEMORATIVE CVR #1/2 $5.99
JUN052881 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA GOLD FOIL CVR #1/2 $5.99
APR052691 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA MARTIN CVR #1/2 $2.99
APR052690 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA RYP CVR #1/2 $2.99
APR052689 MEDIEVAL LADY DEATH BELLADONNA WRAPAROUND CVR #1/2 $2.99
MAY052685 FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF HOMELAND CVR A #2 (OF 3) $4.95Man, I still don't fucking like Dungeons and Dragons or the majority of people who play it instead of, oh, bathing. I just wanted to point that out, as RPG fans are the only people that comics nerds can pick on safely. You can punch one and they'll spend 30 minutes fussing over their stat sheet to determine if they're going to pummel you in return while you wander off.
MAY052686 FORGOTTEN REALMS DARK ELF HOMELAND CVR B #2 (OF 3) $8.95
JUN052828 FRIDAY THE 13TH SP PAINTED CVR #1 (MR) $5.99How I picture the Avatar editorial meeting behind these variants...
JUN052827 NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST SP PAINTED CVR #1 (MR) $5.99
JUN052826 TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE SP PAINTED CVR #1 (MR) $5.99
Editor One: You know, I just feel that people aren't taking our comics about a hockey-masked wearing serial killer, a murdered with a serious mother complex, and a kiddie-touching freak seriously enough.
Editor Two: I think you're quite correct. Now, how can we get them on-board for our bold re-imagining of these characters!
Editor One: Painted covers! The people that we have previously sold three other covers to will procure them to show to their friends, declaring the art "good!"
Editor Two: BWAH-HA-HA! You are a genius, my friend! Now, let us hope that this covers the cost on these expensive licenses that have a rapidly dwindling audience.
APR052777 RED SONJA #1 $2.99We couldn't sell the zero issue at a quarter or whatever they were charging. I'm predicting...not very much success.
APR052778 RED SONJA FIERY RED FOIL HIGH END ED #1 PI
Can you put that in a list, Unca Kevin?
I sure can, kids...
Dark Horse
MAY050039 GOON #13 $2.99I have recently discovered The Goon and declare it to be the epitome of working-class monster-packed comics that have the requisite amount of eye-stabbing.
DC Comics
MAY050289 100 BULLETS VOL 8 THE HARD WAY TP (MR) $14.99This is my favorite storyline this book has had in a long, long time. Brutal and elegant at the same time - there's a sequence in here that haunts me six months later, which is a good sign.
MAY050258 TEEN TITANS GO VOL 3 BRING IT ON TP $6.99Can't keep these in the shop. That's a good thing.
Image
MAY051530 GROUNDED #1 (OF 6) $2.95I'm not sure the world needs yet another comic about adolescent superheroes with Grounded, but I'm giving it a shot.
APR051666 INVINCIBLE VOL 1 ULTIMATE COLL HC $34.95
Speaking of hormonally-encumbered superpowered beings, the Invincible collection features a not-bad-at-all price, making it a decent gift item come the holidays or a present to yourself if you're enjoying the book or suspect you might. (See, this is how you get on my good site, comics companies: put your deluxe hardcover out after you've made sure it's easily available at a lower price in paperback, building your base steadily.) I'm still not as charmed by this title as everybody else seems to be, but it's cute and just meta enough to make me pick up the occasional issue and flip through it with a slight bit of interest.
Marvel
MAY051773 DEFENDERS #1 (OF 5) $2.99You know, when The Defenders in reprint and Ironic Comedic Form are the highlight of your week's publishing schedule, you may have a problem. No, you're not going to convince me that I should like Astonishing X-Men. It's a high-quality book that reminds me of seeing a great band do a Greatest Hits tour.
MAY051774 MARVEL MILESTONES DR STRANGE SILVER SURFER SUB-MARINER HULK $3.99
Other Companies
MAY052761 ANAL INTRUDERS FROM URANUS #1 (A) (O/A) $3.95I love the bluntness of smut comics. I really, really do. I may find them about as titillating as a Waffle House menu, but I think that they're a bit of a riot.
APR052895 BLOWJOB #14 (A) $3.95
MAY052759 DILDO #9 (A) $3.95
MAY052790 BONE VOL 2 GREAT COW RACE COLOR ED HC $18.95Buy this and Volume 1 for that Lord Of The Rings loving 9-year-old family member that you know, OK? (Alternately, buy them the giant mondo one-volume edition, but the trickle method will keep them thinking you're a fine aunt, uncle, or cousin for the next few years.
MAY052789 BONE VOL 2 GREAT COW RACE COLOR ED SC $9.99
MAY052749 LOVE & ROCKETS VOL 2 #14 (MR) $4.50Feels like it's been forever since the last one. I do love this comic, quite possibly more than I love you. I'm sorry about that, but it's just how I feel, baby.
APR053048 NORTHWEST PASSAGE #1 $5.95Here, there's a fifteen page preview over at Comic Book Resources. Read that and decide.
MAY052941 PARTING WAYS NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCES OF PETER ORBACH GN $12.99I misread that as "Jerry Orbach" and got very, very excited. I am now saddened and will console myself by watching one of the seven episodes of Law and Order that TNT will be showing in the next 19 hours.
MAY052601 ROSWELL WALKS AMONG US TP (O/A) $12.95I'm glad that Bongo put this back into print - it was one of the comics that got me back into the funnybooks back in the mid-90s, after I'd run away screaming from the awfulness that was the Big Two's output, unaware that there was better out there.
JUN053335 SERGEANTSTEIN GN $14.95Much like adolescent superhero titles, the whole monsters thing is starting to look a bit thin, but give them points for an excellent title at least.
That's it for me on this Monday. Stick around for more badly remixed comics, a post I've got brewing concerning this whole return-of-The-Spirit thing, and further nerdy shenanigans later this week.
I don't know exactly why I feel a little defensive about enjoying All-Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder, but I kind of do and I want to apologize if maybe I've come off as a jerk when talking about my love of the comic on other blogs.. There's some people out there (like Tom The Dog) who feel that their not enjoying the comic and my saying "Hey, I think it's deeply, deeply ironic, this here funnybook" means that they don't get it. Tom - you don't need to worry. I've seen plenty of good writing from you that shows that you get things just fine, unlike other, unnamed blogs and message board posters that are out there. Yes, All-Star Batman And Robin is a lousy comic, but so's the original Batman TV series, if you're looking for straight action adventure.
It's funny that I can read ASBARTBW and enjoy it because I have not had, at any point in time, a real love of camp. I've never enjoyed John Waters as a director, even if he is a fine, fine gentleman on his own terms. I own one (1) Liza Minnelli album because the Pet Shop Boys produced it and not because I think she's a wonderful, glorious trainwreck to watch and cackle at. However, inside of the genres and mediums that I like, I can rarely find something that others despise and champion it: Verhoven's Starship Troopers is one of them, and ASBARTBW is another. They're far too screeching and over-the-top to be considered anything but satire in my mind, but I know plenty of intelligent folks who can't stand Starship Troopers because it bastardized the legacy of famed misogynist Robert Heinlein and featured Doogie Howser in a Nazi-inspired getup. It's supposed to be funny. As anyone who actually has written can tell you, it's the hardest thing on the planet to make 100 or even 10 people laugh at the same thing. Sometimes, people just don't think the joke is funny or well-told, which is how I feel about Family Guy, a program I actively loathe and mutter about in my sleep.
Back to Liza Minnelli for a moment, just because I like saying her name: I think she's brilliant on Arrested Development because of her self-awareness. She's on a comedy, yes, but one that's about a hair's breadth away from being Dynasty or Dallas. Much like her, I'm pretty sure Frank Miller's a smart enough cookie to know exactly what he's doing. To prove that he's got skills, all anyone needs to do is look at 300 and read Eisner/Miller. Some people can't stand Arrested Development, others despise Starship Troopers and a huge swath of spandex funnybook readers may not like All-Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder, but as long as they can prove they've got more than three synapses chattering to each other, that's fine by me - just buy me a drink in the near future and your lack of taste will be forgiven swiftly.
And that's enough on this particular topic. I'll be working on the week's shipping list, so expect another post later tonight, okay?
It's funny that I can read ASBARTBW and enjoy it because I have not had, at any point in time, a real love of camp. I've never enjoyed John Waters as a director, even if he is a fine, fine gentleman on his own terms. I own one (1) Liza Minnelli album because the Pet Shop Boys produced it and not because I think she's a wonderful, glorious trainwreck to watch and cackle at. However, inside of the genres and mediums that I like, I can rarely find something that others despise and champion it: Verhoven's Starship Troopers is one of them, and ASBARTBW is another. They're far too screeching and over-the-top to be considered anything but satire in my mind, but I know plenty of intelligent folks who can't stand Starship Troopers because it bastardized the legacy of famed misogynist Robert Heinlein and featured Doogie Howser in a Nazi-inspired getup. It's supposed to be funny. As anyone who actually has written can tell you, it's the hardest thing on the planet to make 100 or even 10 people laugh at the same thing. Sometimes, people just don't think the joke is funny or well-told, which is how I feel about Family Guy, a program I actively loathe and mutter about in my sleep.
Back to Liza Minnelli for a moment, just because I like saying her name: I think she's brilliant on Arrested Development because of her self-awareness. She's on a comedy, yes, but one that's about a hair's breadth away from being Dynasty or Dallas. Much like her, I'm pretty sure Frank Miller's a smart enough cookie to know exactly what he's doing. To prove that he's got skills, all anyone needs to do is look at 300 and read Eisner/Miller. Some people can't stand Arrested Development, others despise Starship Troopers and a huge swath of spandex funnybook readers may not like All-Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder, but as long as they can prove they've got more than three synapses chattering to each other, that's fine by me - just buy me a drink in the near future and your lack of taste will be forgiven swiftly.
And that's enough on this particular topic. I'll be working on the week's shipping list, so expect another post later tonight, okay?
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Special "The Aliens Are Coming!" Edition
They're here for the low, low prices!
Do you think a red or white goes with
hu-mon?
You know, he talks about being all Martian and
shit, but what planet is at the center of his
little chestpiece there? That's right - Earth.
I think somebody's got some issues.
...and a new day of mourning was established
on the French calendar.
I bet the spy is going to tell everyone that
he used to wet the bed in summer camp on
Mercury or something.
Haag! HAAG! Who can save is from his
forthcoming reign of terror?
That's right - Killraven.
Nice outfit.
bondage night at that local dive.
Note: As Johnny Bacardi (rightfully) gave me shit over the
cheap joke I made at the expense of bondage fans everywhere,
I've decided that I'm going to mock Queen fans instead by stating
that the outfit featured appears to have been rescued from Freddie
Mercury's closet in the post-apocalyptic world.
Or maybe Bowie's.
I just wanted to post this. I still
have an unhealthy amount of love for
the whole Invasion! story.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
BSG07
BSG07
Originally uploaded by justjenn.
Jenn saw Katee Sackhoff at SDCC and all
I got were these lousy photos.
She was, apparently, 45 minutes late for the panel,
which is pretty bad form for one of the stars of
a show, isn't it?
Perhaps she was pining for me.
(Excellent episode last night, by the way.
Now I must away to the Shop as I am working
on this lovely Saturday.)
Friday, July 15, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Just a little reminder for those of you who aren't at Nerd Prom...
Tomorrow night, at 10PM EDT, Battlestar Galactica is back for a second season on Sci-Fi, and I'm going to provide you with links, links, links to celebrate this occasion, where I finally get to find out if Adama's lived through the assassination attempt, if Starbuck's as fucked as I believe she is, and if Apollo, Roslin, and Boomer enjoy their various incarcerations at the hand of Tigh as much as I think they will. (This is, of course, not at all.)
So, let's talk links. Most importantly, Katee Sackhoff speaks about the show:
Meanwhile, The Mercury Sun does a nice little piece about the show's reflecting real life:
The boys over at Dark, But Shining talk about the season opener a bit too, which you may want to gaze at as I scrupulously avoided poaching their images or linked article out of respect.
Me, I've read it so I'll be looking at this photo:
Oh, by the way: yes, I'm still standing by my assessment of All Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder: it's Miller and Lee doing exactly what I expected, possibly at the expense of others. I'm perfectly fine with that and I enjoyed the first issue just as much for its metacommentary on DarkDC as its managing to provde unknowing Wizard fans with some high-quality, deeply ironic spandex porn. (I'm fairly convinced even Jim Lee doesn't know how far he's being pulled into Miller's web, actually.) It should be noted, of course, that I am not the world's biggest fan of Miller - I think Sin City is Chandler and the like remixed to the beat of hookers with machine guns, which loses me completely, but I love his Batman's weary, funny voice so very much.
I suppose this makes me a bit of a pariah among the blogospherical sorts, but I'm fine with that. I still got love for the players, if not the game, as it were.
OK, not all the players. Some fools best learn to represent like us fly peepz up in the ECB.
Tomorrow night, at 10PM EDT, Battlestar Galactica is back for a second season on Sci-Fi, and I'm going to provide you with links, links, links to celebrate this occasion, where I finally get to find out if Adama's lived through the assassination attempt, if Starbuck's as fucked as I believe she is, and if Apollo, Roslin, and Boomer enjoy their various incarcerations at the hand of Tigh as much as I think they will. (This is, of course, not at all.)
So, let's talk links. Most importantly, Katee Sackhoff speaks about the show:
About.com: I love that there�s nothing �butch� about Starbuck. You�re doing a great job with that �confusion� you talked about before, taking the natural confusion you feel as a twentysomething woman and making it fit Starbuck�s search for her role in life. And I love the thumb ring. What are some touchstones for Starbuck�s character beyond being a fighter pilot?Not to be outdone, Jamie "Apollo" Barber talks about being on board for another run:
KS: She�s got a huge heart. She�s really is a team player. It�s very easy to say she�s insubordinate and a loud mouth pilot and throw her away. But then, why would anyone want to be her wingman? I wanted to make sure people understand that she is good at her job. She wins the fights she�s in.
There are scenes coming up, though, where she gets her ass kicked, and it�s nice to see that.
There�s a scene in a future episode with Apollo where she hits him and he hits her back. I really wanted to do that. There was some talk about cutting the scene, but I argued for keeping it. It explains that she�s one of the guys and it also does that thing where he realizes, �Oh my God, I hit a girl.� Lee�s got some balls.
About.com: Well, we certainly have reason these days to think about the role of the military.Hey, Malaysia's getting the miniseries soon.
A friend of mine just loaned me the DVD set for Band of Brothers, in which you played 2nd Lt. Jack Foley [of Easy Company of the US Army Airbourne Paratrooper division and their mission in WWII France during Operation Overlord.]. Did that experience playing a soldier influence your take on Apollo?
JB: Definitely. I've done a number of roles which have informed my opinions on the military. I mean, we're shooting this scene with horrendously difficult tasks in feet-deep snow, artillery going off, and all. And while it's only make-believe, it was pretty real when we were doing it. That was an experience that you try to imagine -- absolutely terrifying. I remember a line from the work when the soldiers have to confront finding that ability to make it through despite everything:"Just remember you're already dead." It may be a very pessimistic approach, but that must be how you get through it.
Meanwhile, The Mercury Sun does a nice little piece about the show's reflecting real life:
Not directly ripped from the headlines, the plots of the new series still hit the hot-button issues of the day: The president believes her visions fulfill an age-old religious prophecy. The Cylons slip through security with explosives under their vests. The rogue pilot is a woman who tortures prisoners. Everywhere there are shadowy characters, such as populist leader Tom Zarek (Richard Hatch) -- is he a freedom fighter or a terrorist?Do you maybe want an autographed photo of Ms. Sackhoff from the show? That's fine, these guys can take care of you.
In the new season, one episode will examine whether a fetus should be used to save a life. In another, a journalist at a news conference challenges the president to answer another reporter's question before moving on to his own.
The boys over at Dark, But Shining talk about the season opener a bit too, which you may want to gaze at as I scrupulously avoided poaching their images or linked article out of respect.
Me, I've read it so I'll be looking at this photo:
Oh, by the way: yes, I'm still standing by my assessment of All Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder: it's Miller and Lee doing exactly what I expected, possibly at the expense of others. I'm perfectly fine with that and I enjoyed the first issue just as much for its metacommentary on DarkDC as its managing to provde unknowing Wizard fans with some high-quality, deeply ironic spandex porn. (I'm fairly convinced even Jim Lee doesn't know how far he's being pulled into Miller's web, actually.) It should be noted, of course, that I am not the world's biggest fan of Miller - I think Sin City is Chandler and the like remixed to the beat of hookers with machine guns, which loses me completely, but I love his Batman's weary, funny voice so very much.
I suppose this makes me a bit of a pariah among the blogospherical sorts, but I'm fine with that. I still got love for the players, if not the game, as it were.
OK, not all the players. Some fools best learn to represent like us fly peepz up in the ECB.
Yeah, I dig the Samuel L. Jackson Ultimate Nick Fury
and all, but...give it up for Hasselhoff, bitches!
I just read my stack of singles for the week and you know what? You're going to hear about them. Deal with it. These are presented in semi-random order as I pull them from the stack.
Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures ofThe Escapist Mr. Machine Gun #7
*whew* A marathon read, this one - a full 80 page single graphic novel written by Chabon Himself, focusing on a character created by Kavalier and Clay during their creative peak and his 70s revival. Is it good? I thought so, but I've a real soft spot for the genre Chabon and Baretto were emulating - the over-the-top, lurid Marvel and Warren black and white magazines. Without this connection, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't give to tosses for anything besides the flashback material from his origin.
The Middle Man #1
A writer from Lost and one of my favorite local cartoonists working a comic about secret agents that take down the weird and keep mankind safe? Sign me up - Marxauch's script is spry and funny, moving along quickly and Les McClaine, whose art has grown better and better each time I've seen it, keeps up easily. You may miss this one, but you shouldn't, as it's an immediate add to my subscriber list.
Smoke #2
DeCampi obviously has nailed this series down from the start - what would be an opaque, hard-to-follow story under lesser writers becomes as easily (and compulsively) readable as Spooks / MI-5 is watchable, with a meaty story that captures a bleak future perfectly. I've never seen Igor Kordey's pencils looking quite so dynamic and his action storytelling is perfect.
Banana Sunday #1
Sometimes, when I am feeling especially egotistical, I like to pretend that Oni makes comics just for me and Banana Sunday doesn't make these delusions go away. An all-ages comic about a girl and her primates making their way through high school, this couldn't be more charming if it were a giant puppy made of kittens. I was smiling the whole time I read this and I may have adopted a new animal totem: Go-Go The Gorilla. He really likes Bananas.
Mnemovore #4
We're deep into the second act of this horror story and I'm becoming quite worried for our intrepid lead, Kaley Markowic. That's rather the point, innit? Effective and I hope it does well enough to earn a trade, as it will find an audience with the sort of people who kiss horror on the mouth with a scaley tongue and lips covered in ichor.
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #1
Frank Miller is obviously writing specifically for Jim Lee, as the three pages of Vicki Vale prancing about in her underwear just before the double-page "seeing what she should wear on her date with Bruce wayne" spread indicates with a giant red arrow and an "aaa-ooo-gah" horn. This particular take on Vale isn't an intrepid, scrupled reporter; instead, we're given a muckraker for a tabloid who is obviously bored with the society galas and awards ceremonies that she's been covering.
The obvious things happen to set Dick up as Robin, decompressed to allow Lee to engage in drawing for the hell of it, but it never falls victim to Ultimate Spider-Man syndrome. The last page, frankly, made the book for me as Miller's Dark Knight shows up and delivers a line that falls just between "soul-stirring" and "parody." I enjoyed the hell out of this comic despite myself and hope that they do manage to get on the 6-week release cycle we were promised after the second issue. (One note to the fanboys: Miller's not taking this very seriously, and neither should you. If you want overwrought, dead serious adventures of a guy who dresses like a giant bat, that quite good movie is still in theaters.)
Desolation Jones #2
Warren Ellis, for all of his technofetishes, really does seem to get the emotional fragility of his fellow man at a much deeper level than many people seem to realize. There's a moment in this issue where I felt my heart break a tiny bit because Jones revealed a side of himself was unexpected but made perfect sense. That's one of the reasons he's a creator that I look out for where as Mark Millar is someone who I have come to revile - he's far too cynical and over-the-top across the board. The Ultimates is fine and dandy for that, but outside of that I really don't want to read a damned thing he puts out.
While I'm on a tear about Millar, I want to say that yes, I read this weeks Ultimate Fantastic Four at the shop and I want those five minutes back so very, very badly. Ugly, over-rendered work by Greg Land that relies far too much on photo references, combined with an opening that would have been really cool if I were a lobotomized nine-year-old and a suddenly sexpot version of Sue Storm (Warren made her coy; Millar makes her into The Wasp circa 1966) made me toss the book back on the shelf and pray a silent prayer that Ellis would go back to the title when this particular mess was said and done.
Seven Soldiers: The Manhattan Guardian #3
Wow. I'm pretty sure the same drugs that created Seaguy were behind this tale of renegade robots, a global geopolitical model built on Ellis Island, and the breakup of a relationship. The final page of this seems to be the half-way mark in the whole Seven Soldiers epic, as secrets are promised in issue 4.
Hero Camp #3
This felt like a Madman adventure gone horribly wrong and I enjoyed myself quite a bit, but I feel something should be pointed out to Greg Thompson: it's OK to have your characters use names to identify each other. I can not remember our dark-haired, normal lead's name to save my life right now and saying "The Goat has to turn to the Dark Haired Lead Character and hope that he'll forgive past transgressions to save his furry ass from El Chupacabra" feels kinda stupid.
100 Bullets #62
Soon, it's all going to end in tears and Risso's going to render it perfectly. I can't wait to see what Azzarello's had in store.
Goddang, that's a lot of floppies this week. I've not even cracked open Essential Killraven, the latest Marvel Knights 4 trade, or Modern Masters Volume Five: Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, but maybe I'll work up the energy to talk about them soonish.
Michael Chabon Presents The Amazing Adventures of
*whew* A marathon read, this one - a full 80 page single graphic novel written by Chabon Himself, focusing on a character created by Kavalier and Clay during their creative peak and his 70s revival. Is it good? I thought so, but I've a real soft spot for the genre Chabon and Baretto were emulating - the over-the-top, lurid Marvel and Warren black and white magazines. Without this connection, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't give to tosses for anything besides the flashback material from his origin.
The Middle Man #1A writer from Lost and one of my favorite local cartoonists working a comic about secret agents that take down the weird and keep mankind safe? Sign me up - Marxauch's script is spry and funny, moving along quickly and Les McClaine, whose art has grown better and better each time I've seen it, keeps up easily. You may miss this one, but you shouldn't, as it's an immediate add to my subscriber list.
Smoke #2
DeCampi obviously has nailed this series down from the start - what would be an opaque, hard-to-follow story under lesser writers becomes as easily (and compulsively) readable as Spooks / MI-5 is watchable, with a meaty story that captures a bleak future perfectly. I've never seen Igor Kordey's pencils looking quite so dynamic and his action storytelling is perfect.
Banana Sunday #1
Sometimes, when I am feeling especially egotistical, I like to pretend that Oni makes comics just for me and Banana Sunday doesn't make these delusions go away. An all-ages comic about a girl and her primates making their way through high school, this couldn't be more charming if it were a giant puppy made of kittens. I was smiling the whole time I read this and I may have adopted a new animal totem: Go-Go The Gorilla. He really likes Bananas.
Mnemovore #4
We're deep into the second act of this horror story and I'm becoming quite worried for our intrepid lead, Kaley Markowic. That's rather the point, innit? Effective and I hope it does well enough to earn a trade, as it will find an audience with the sort of people who kiss horror on the mouth with a scaley tongue and lips covered in ichor.
All-Star Batman & Robin The Boy Wonder #1Frank Miller is obviously writing specifically for Jim Lee, as the three pages of Vicki Vale prancing about in her underwear just before the double-page "seeing what she should wear on her date with Bruce wayne" spread indicates with a giant red arrow and an "aaa-ooo-gah" horn. This particular take on Vale isn't an intrepid, scrupled reporter; instead, we're given a muckraker for a tabloid who is obviously bored with the society galas and awards ceremonies that she's been covering.
The obvious things happen to set Dick up as Robin, decompressed to allow Lee to engage in drawing for the hell of it, but it never falls victim to Ultimate Spider-Man syndrome. The last page, frankly, made the book for me as Miller's Dark Knight shows up and delivers a line that falls just between "soul-stirring" and "parody." I enjoyed the hell out of this comic despite myself and hope that they do manage to get on the 6-week release cycle we were promised after the second issue. (One note to the fanboys: Miller's not taking this very seriously, and neither should you. If you want overwrought, dead serious adventures of a guy who dresses like a giant bat, that quite good movie is still in theaters.)
Desolation Jones #2
Warren Ellis, for all of his technofetishes, really does seem to get the emotional fragility of his fellow man at a much deeper level than many people seem to realize. There's a moment in this issue where I felt my heart break a tiny bit because Jones revealed a side of himself was unexpected but made perfect sense. That's one of the reasons he's a creator that I look out for where as Mark Millar is someone who I have come to revile - he's far too cynical and over-the-top across the board. The Ultimates is fine and dandy for that, but outside of that I really don't want to read a damned thing he puts out.
While I'm on a tear about Millar, I want to say that yes, I read this weeks Ultimate Fantastic Four at the shop and I want those five minutes back so very, very badly. Ugly, over-rendered work by Greg Land that relies far too much on photo references, combined with an opening that would have been really cool if I were a lobotomized nine-year-old and a suddenly sexpot version of Sue Storm (Warren made her coy; Millar makes her into The Wasp circa 1966) made me toss the book back on the shelf and pray a silent prayer that Ellis would go back to the title when this particular mess was said and done.
Seven Soldiers: The Manhattan Guardian #3
Wow. I'm pretty sure the same drugs that created Seaguy were behind this tale of renegade robots, a global geopolitical model built on Ellis Island, and the breakup of a relationship. The final page of this seems to be the half-way mark in the whole Seven Soldiers epic, as secrets are promised in issue 4.
Hero Camp #3
This felt like a Madman adventure gone horribly wrong and I enjoyed myself quite a bit, but I feel something should be pointed out to Greg Thompson: it's OK to have your characters use names to identify each other. I can not remember our dark-haired, normal lead's name to save my life right now and saying "The Goat has to turn to the Dark Haired Lead Character and hope that he'll forgive past transgressions to save his furry ass from El Chupacabra" feels kinda stupid.
100 Bullets #62
Soon, it's all going to end in tears and Risso's going to render it perfectly. I can't wait to see what Azzarello's had in store.
Goddang, that's a lot of floppies this week. I've not even cracked open Essential Killraven, the latest Marvel Knights 4 trade, or Modern Masters Volume Five: Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, but maybe I'll work up the energy to talk about them soonish.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Bob over at the Jack Kirby Comics Blog linked to Joe Sinnott's site, where his monthly feature for July shows off his favorite moments working with The King on the Fantastic Four. He (or his webmaster) was kind enough to scan in the opening splash for my favorite single comic of all time, and you know what? I decided it should get shown here because I'm obsessive like that. It was shrunk a tiny bit to fit this page, but it still looks goddamn great.
Three comics-related questions I would like answered, preferably correctly.
- How exactly did Claremont explain away Magneto murdering so many people in Manhattan in Morrison's New X-Men run? He couldn't have gotten away with "It wasn't me, Charles," right? Sure, you can off Jean Grey and bring her back just in time for the Spring Fling at the mansion like like clockwork, but mass murder in Manhattan? That's a little harder to write off. Of course, overwriting has never been Claremont's weakness, has it?
- What's your current favorite regularly-published title from the big three? Do you even have one? Are you just that indie?
- Is this Street Stupid thing something I should be informed about by those responsible? It feels like it is. Those responsible should tell me something about it.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Graydon Enjoyed his Cake
Graydon Enjoyed his Cake
Originally uploaded by Johnny Huh.
Lazy blog post. Awesome photo.
Kid likes cake - what the hell are you gonna do about it?
Monday, July 11, 2005
It's time to get ill!
I said "What's the time?"
It's time for this week's
"Shit That's Killing Comics List!"
These will be in your local shops on
July 13, 2005, so look (or look out for) them!
Follow along here.
Dark Horse
They get off very, very light this week. Not a single thing offends me. I know that Mike Richardson and Diana Schutz are breathing a sigh of relief at this very moment.
DC Comics
JAN050384 FLASH VS GORILLA GRODD STATUE $195.00This is based on the designs of Michael Turner.
This costs the equivalent of 95% of the weekly paycheck of someone earning the Federal minimum wage before taxes.
It is an abomination and must be destroyed at all costs.
APR050325 SUPERMAN BATMAN VOL 3 ABSOLUTE POWER HC $19.99OK, look. I was actually quite on board for this story arc until the scene where Superman strangled Wonder Woman to death with her own lasso. At that point, I didn't care about the fact that they were working in Kamandi or hopping through the various eras of the DCU that have been long forgotten - I was just plain disgusted with the imagery, even if it was from an alternate timeline. Women have it hard enough in comics without the one icon that's crossed over and is a pop culture icon around the planet getting the garrote action handed down from on high.
Image Comics
MAY051527 BODY BAGS FATHERS DAY #1 (OF 2) (MR) $5.99Oh, christ. I thought we'd left this dead in a ditch about a half-decade ago. Gah.
MAR051740 DALE KEOWN DARKNESS #18 LITHO SGN $29.99What's the difference between a lithograph and a poster? About $20 of your dignity.
FEB051643 KEU CHA PIRATE DARKNESS LITHO SGN $29.99
MAY051588 FRESHMEN LINSNER CVR #1 $2.99Seth Green, I don't remember asking for this failed movie pitch or its three variant covers, even if Wizard keeps telling me otherwise.
MAY051587 FRESHMEN MIGLIARI CVR #1 $2.99
MAY051589 FRESHMEN PEREZ CVR #1 $2.99
Marvel Comics
MAY051780 MARVEL NEMESIS IMPERFECTS #3 (OF 6) $2.99Is this as bad as every other video-game related comic out there seems to be? Johanna seems to think so, and that's good enough for me.
MAR051905 NEW AVENGERS #7 $2.25Joe Quesada and his marketing people really need to look into good athletic cup technology next time I'm drunk in New York City. I'm just saying that my fists, sometimes they do things and I can't control them.
JAN058021 NEW AVENGERS NEAL ADAMS VARIANT #7 $2.25
MAY051750 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #21 $2.50
APR058305 ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR VARIANT ED #21 (PP #676) $2.50
MAY051754 ULTIMATE X-MEN #61 $2.50
APR058296 ULTIMATE X-MEN COIPEL VARIANT #61 (PP #675) $2.50
MAY051803 WEAPON X DAYS OF FUTURE NOW #1 (OF 5) $2.99Oh, come on - the title makes absolutely no sense and I gave up on reading the comic after four pages thanks to Tieri's inability to create his own voice or indeed any voice that inspires the slightest shread of something resembling interest on my part.
Other Companies...like Dynamic Forces, you know?
APR052743 BRUNNERS CARNAL DELIGHTS #1 (A) $9.95Is this Frank Brunner doing porn? Because, you know, that'd be kind of interesting to...some people out there. Not me. No, really!
MAY052624 BRUNNERS CARNAL DELIGHTS ALICE CVR #1 (A) $9.95
Still, negative points on the variant covers, something I let Serenity get by with, as you'll read below.
MAR052849 DF BATMAN SCARECROW YEAR ONE #1 SGN $29.99
APR052849 DF HOUSE OF M #1 SGN $19.99
MAR052838 DF MONSTER WAR FOIL CVR #2 $10.00
MAR052862 DF NEW AVENGERS #2 DOUBLE SGN $49.99
MAR052871 DF PHOENIX ENDSONG #1 & #2 SGN SET $49.99
MAR052869 DF ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR #19 SGN $19.99
MAR052876 DF ULTIMATE IRON MAN DLX SGN ED #1 $49.99
MAR052853 DF VILLAINS UNITE #1 SGN $19.99
FEB052770 DF WANTED KILLER REVEALED LTD ED FOIL CVR #6 SGN (MR) $29.99
APR052857 DF WOLVERINE #26 ROMITA SGN $19.99
The vein in my forehead is doing about 180BPM right now and it won't stop until I think about Katee Sackhoff coming back to my TV on a regular basis soon. Aaaah. Sweet bliss...
MAR053007 FATHOM #12 MICHAEL TURNER SIGNED HOLOCHROME ED $19.99Oh, crap - ANYEURISM!!!! Listen, the only way we can really defeat the terrorist is to stop this kind of stuff coming out. This represents the absolute worst in decadance American can offer outside of eating gold, as David Cross ranted about beautifully on It's Not Funny.
MAR053008 SOULFIRE #1 JAY CO VARIANT (O/A) $12.99
MAR053010 WITCHBLADE WWLA LTD DIGITIALLY PAINTED ED $24.99Oh, wow. I think I just felt my bowels prolapse as my brain has completely exploded. Comics, you're killing me with this shit...must...ignore...associate merchandise ($200 Sin City statues?!?)...and get to...
MAR053009 WITCHBLADE WWLA LTD SKETCH ED $19.99
MAR053011 WITCHBLADE WWLA LTD SKETCH S/N ED $29.99
Shit That Will Be In Your Shop This Wednesday" List.
Dark Horse
MAY050017 MICHAEL CHABON PRESENTS ADV O/T ESCAPIST #7 $8.95I'm really looking forward to this issue, as it's all Chabon introducing Mr Machine Gun to the comics readers out there with art by Eduardo "I Rule" Barreto and a cover that Brian Bolland seems to have really enjoyed drawing. Mmm. Fine, fine packaging.
APR050089 QUIMBY THE MOUSE WOODEN TOY (RES) $29.99Buy this for me. Thanks
MAY050013 SERENITY CASSADAY CVR #1 (OF 3) $2.99OK, I am not a fan of Firefly or any of Joss Whedon's works, but he has his audience and boy do they flock to any associate merch. The problem is, of course, this: if the show failed because of low ratings, what does that mean for the comics? Are the devout fans going to grab comics? Should they?
MAY050014 SERENITY HITCH CVR #1 (OF 3) $2.99
MAY050015 SERENITY J G JONES CVR #1 (OF 3) $2.99
Well, Dark Horse seems to understand how to do licensed books better than anyone else, so let's hope so. I'd like to see them make a nice profit on these, even if there's three goddamn covers out there, which smacks of opportunism taken to the Nth degree. So, I'm basically posting this as a way to remind people that like Whedonstuff that he's putting out some funnybooks this week that you may enjoy, but please - just buy one cover.
DC Comics
MAY050190 ALL STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN THE BOY WONDER #1 $2.99I don't care what all you haters are saying - I'm pumped for this book. I think the title is great (an opinion that, apparently, only Graeme at Fanboy Rampage seems to share) and the combination of Frank Miller and Jim Lee is intruiging as hell to me. I realized something yesterday - something about Lee's work appeals to me at a gut level on first blush but if I gaze at it too long, it starts to fall apart. I really hope this is a fast read.
MAY050276 DESOLATION JONES #2 (MR) $2.99Yeah, I've prattled about this enough - fine Ellis material. It may seem a little familiar, but I like the tune he's playing this time.
MAY050251 SEVEN SOLDIERS GUARDIAN #3 (OF 4) $2.99Here's the solicit: Century Hollow � a secret project in the American heartland � is an artificial town created and maintained as a very unusual experiment. A bizarre terrorist group seizes control of the project, and only The Guardian has any chance of saving the people of Century Hollow. The only question is: Should he?
I honestly believe that Jack Kirby would be proud to see that somebody "gets" his creations more than the "cloning" that certain "creators" seem to think is a worthy tribute. This is something I can not say enough in relation to Morrison's "treatment" of these characters in this story. I think only a few "people" will get my punctuation in this bit of blah-blah.
Image Comics
MAY051562 HERO CAMP #3 (OF 4) $2.95I've not said anything about Hero Camp, and I should - the first issue was cute, if slight and the second picked things up nicely. Greg Thompson's story has plenty of charm with a knack for better-than-average dialogue and even if Robbi Rodriguez seems to owe quite a bit to Mike Allred, his storytelling is clear and he manages to convey humor really well.
Marvel Comics
MAY051831 ESSENTIAL KILLRAVEN VOL 1 TP $16.99Sure, this reprint volume may owe quite a bit to War Of The Worlds having been made into a Xenu-approved blockbuster, but I really don't care. This is one of those series I've been curious about, but never worked up the patience to buy in bits and pieces, which is how I always found it.
Other Companies
MAY052894 BANANA SUNDAYS #1 (OF 4) $2.99It's a comic from Oni about talking monkeys. Yeah, that'll do nicely, won't it?
JAN052658 DR BLINK SUPERHERO SHRINK #2 $3.49I sort of liked the first issue, even if it seemed to be a one-note joke. Apparently, the second (which is about 4 months late) introduces plot. Huh.
APR053278 PLOT SECRET STORY OF PROTOCOLS OF THE ELDERS OF ZION $19.95My shop got its copies in last week. I looked at it because it's, you know, the last work that Will Eisner put out and I hate to say this, but the book needed an editor, badly. It reads like a string of bullet points with the connecting material lacking any weight at all. Yes, the story of The Protocols could be interesting, but this is, sadly, a beautiful, well-packaged failure on that score.
APR052961 SMOKE #2 (OF 3) $7.49I loved the first issue and DeCampi seems to think the second and third are far better, which means I am tres excited, as they say in some place that's not France.
MAY053044 WAHOO MORRIS VOL 2 #1 (MR) $2.75Wow, talk about a blast from the past. I thought they'd just let this die back in '99, right when it was getting interesting as a more pop Vertigo-style story. I'm presuming that I ordered this, and even if I didn't, I hope Mike remembers our conversations where this came up as a book that we wanted more of.
OK, yes, you've made it to the bottom. Congraulations. Make yourself a drink while you fetch me one, could you?
So, Danijel Zezlj's got a graphic novel "on display" at the Gardner Museum here in Boston and I was thinking that there's a fair number of BosComBloggers (my completely unsuccessful attempt to abbreviate "Boston comics bloggers") that may want to do some sort of completely nerdy group outing to see it. We would, of course, open our arms to Dave Lartigue and anyone else who may not be from the immediate environs that wanted to sojourn to our fair city for such an event, no? Anyhow, I'm thinking some Saturday early in August, as the exhibit takes off on the 21st of that very month. Kitty? Tangognat? Jumbotron? Y'all get in touch if this sounds like something you wanna do. If not, I can go by myself and sob quietly on occasion.I'm imagining a decent meal out afterwards, too, FYI. Maybe something with pie for dessert.
I really like pie.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Just in time for the second issue, Ellis gives you a reason to re-read Desolation Jones #1 with some clever monkey commentary. Nice one.
And, just because I like to point out how fucking pretty J.H. Williams can draw, here's the cover for this week's issue 2:
J.H. Williams can draw very fucking pretty1.
Those of you who stuck to Promethea through the end (I was not one, despite thoroughly enjoying the first 6 issues; it lost me when it went into hyperacademia mode), there's the Promethea Covers Book coming out this week. Despite lacking a real title, it seems to be quite the bargain at $5.99.
1Yes, I know that should be "prettily," but adverbs are for the weak and girlish liberals who want to tear down our society.
And, just because I like to point out how fucking pretty J.H. Williams can draw, here's the cover for this week's issue 2:
J.H. Williams can draw very fucking pretty1.
Those of you who stuck to Promethea through the end (I was not one, despite thoroughly enjoying the first 6 issues; it lost me when it went into hyperacademia mode), there's the Promethea Covers Book coming out this week. Despite lacking a real title, it seems to be quite the bargain at $5.99.
1Yes, I know that should be "prettily," but adverbs are for the weak and girlish liberals who want to tear down our society.
Sienkiewicz's Jimi Hendrix comic in my recent
rundown of Ugly Comics About Musicians. This
is because Billy The Sink can do no wrong in my
mind and it's to Sean that I dedicate this special
ultra-big (you have to click to see 'em fully) edition of
Genius Covers Sunday:
Bill Sienkiewicz 0\/\/ns j00
It's hard to pick a favorite from the Elektra miniseries,
but this one edges the rest out for its humor and design.
Just plain hilarious and reflects Nick's view of himself
during this series perfectly.
This is still my preferred way to read this novel.
We get it, Ishmael and Queequeg were gay. Big deal!
I still really like the "Demon Bear" storyline. Never
had a real affinity for the characters, but it's very
pretty and Claremont was doing decent work then.
Hi, Doug!
I've always liked the adaptation more than the movie
itself. Sienkienwicz knocked himself out and captured
the mood perfectly. I'd love to see him tackle the
original novel or, better yet, something by China Mielville.
Comet Man, Comet Man, does whatever Comet can.
Cleans your tub really fine /
keeps the grease right in line...
Walk it off, old chum! Walk it off!
Are you happy now, Sean? Are you?
The French edition of Voodoo Child, which I actually
prefer vastly over the American.
Just a random sequence from the interior that I found.
Pretty freakin' sweet, eh?
OMGWTFBBQ?!?!?
Saturday, July 09, 2005
DC's current mainstream direction just
a little too much, you know?
Click To Explodo
Originally from Adventures of Superman #540 by
Kesel, Ordway, Dodson, and Story.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Two items of note, both involving Marvel and Monsters, as it seems they've finally figured out how to get their grubby paws on more of my money:
- Keith Giffen redoes the Howling Commandos (hi, Benari!) all monster-mash style with some pretty tight art by Eduardo Francisco.
- The return of many, many classic monsters including Devil Dinosaur and Fin Fang Foom. The solicitations are on that page, so go check out Eric Powell's sweet, sweet covers, once of which I'm placing here so you may revel in the power and glory of The Goon creator finally getting to take a whack (no pun intended) at characters that he seems born to draw.
All hail Super Disco Breakin' Action Supergirl,
new from DC Direct.
She now stands on my desk, waiting
for evil to strike!
Her hair smells terrific, thanks to "Gee Your
Hair Smells Terrific" shampoo!
Her headband keeps the sweat out of her eyes
while she boogies down to the greatest hits
of The Bay City Rollers and ABBA!
Hail, Kara!
Hail, freedom!
Hail, liberty!
Hail, justice!
(Jesus, the fumes from the package must have
done a number on me.)
So, you'd like to see the Pet Shop Boys performing "Go West" at Live8 Moscow? There you go, then.
Pedantic, Fannish Note Follows: I still can't fully sign off on the rock-band lineup they've been using since Release. Bless 'em for trying something new, but I've always rather liked their disdain for live drums and guitars, even if their percussionist is kind of hot. Maybe it's the fact that the duo's always done their best to be not like every other band out there and I'm seeing this as some sort of betrayal to their cause. Maybe I just don't like guitars in my fabulous disco records.
Hell, I liked Moby best when it was just his skinny ass and a tape machine on stage, so maybe I'm just difficult.
Pedantic, Fannish Note Follows: I still can't fully sign off on the rock-band lineup they've been using since Release. Bless 'em for trying something new, but I've always rather liked their disdain for live drums and guitars, even if their percussionist is kind of hot. Maybe it's the fact that the duo's always done their best to be not like every other band out there and I'm seeing this as some sort of betrayal to their cause. Maybe I just don't like guitars in my fabulous disco records.
Hell, I liked Moby best when it was just his skinny ass and a tape machine on stage, so maybe I'm just difficult.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
You all know how I hate reviewing anthologies, right? I mean, they're a real pain in the ass because there's no single unifying tone throughout the book itself and even if there's quite a few people out there who manage to put some real content into 6 pages or less when asked to, shorter works leave me feeling a bit empty for the most part. So, what does it take to make me actually want to show some love to one of these dreaded books?First, they have to have some redeeming features - at least 50% of the damned thing has to be something I enjoyed in one way or another. Secondly, it helps to have somebody you grew up with doing design work on the book itself as well as lettering on one story because he will pester the living shit out of you until you finally give in - are you happy now, Josh?!?
So, here we go with the review of Commercial Suicide: The Biannual Book Of Wrong V3.0. Highlights are mentioned, some things are swept under the rug or simply forgotten while others are pointed out as glorious failures. Let's go.
If you can stomach Tim Massey's riotously funny script for "Sky Heroes," the rest of this collection is going to be a breeze for you. With likeably cartoonish art by Lee O'Connor, Massey recasts the 9/11 hijackers as noble men battling food poisoning and aerodynamics to save orphans and kittens. It's a thumb in the eye of good taste and political correctness that'll appeal to the meaner South Park fans out there. Did you think it was funny when Scott Tenorman was forced to eat his own parents? Then you'll like this brutal, over-the-top take on the tragic events of that autumn day.Juan Arteaga and Felipe Sobreiro's "America's Favorite Sitcom" made me laugh and laugh and laugh thanks to lines like "Matt, quickly, drop down your pants and rape this corpse in the ass to save Terry" and a willfull skewering of the Friends meme in lame television. This is followed by another, much-less-popular idea getting a comedic treatment when furries are given a brutal what-for in Adrian Brown's brutally funny script for "The Beast Within" or 'A Pint of Bestial.'" David Goodwin's thick lined, affable art serves this story very well and I'd really like to see more from him in the future.
I was a little too happy that "Baphomet's Fun Time Pizza Horde" was only two pages long, since the script by Ryan Richards and art by Sean Azzopardi proved that sometimes, a title is worth a thousand panels. It's followed by the too-surreal-for-its-own-good "The Exploded Cat," which has lovely vector art by its creator Daniel Merlin Goodbrey and little else going for it. Maybe I'm just dense, but I found it to be trying too hard to make me go "Cor, this here thing in my hands is certainly strange and not at all funny!" I can accept that as an excuse, certainly.
I do not understand Fanboy Rampage icon Matthew Craig's latest Duck With A Gun adventure and I do not want to understand it one bit. It's opaque to anyone who's not necked a fistful of peyote. Imagine children's drawings going horribly, horribly wrong and you're about 1/30th of the way there.
These two disappointments only make Kieron Gillen's "Ultimate Pol Pot" that much funnier, however. This piece, simply, slays. It's a glorious brutalizing of the Ultimate Marvel line of comics that mocks the easily-mockable tropes of Bendis, Millar, and Ellis perfectly. The art by William Coogan and Gerry Turnbull compliments the script perfectly. This is the kick-to-Marvel's-crotch I've been wanting to read for the last couple of years since Quesada's managed to drain the creativity right out of the company and turned it into a corporate icon factory. This one's far, far too short, which I never say about these things.
How can you beat Ultimate Pol Pot? Nick Locking and Tony Rollinson have the answer with the second appearance of Jeeves The Gentleman Ninja, a rude gem that celebrates what made England great while supplying the readers with their requisite amounts of nudity, violence, and fellatio delivered by the Queen. Brilliantly executed and even if the art isn't quite professional yet, it services this story perfectly - especially in scenes involving a pantsless Jeeves. Dean Haspiel writes and Michael Fiffe arts up "Broken," an exploration of the far-too-brief career of a superhero who can't catch a break. This darkly funny little piece manages to do more in its four pages than any six issues of Supreme Power and rounds out the book's very strong middle.
Sadly, the brilliance must fade a bit for a stretch and that's when we read Jean Canesqui's "The Spirit of Communism," a tepid piece that broadly stereotypes the founders of the titular movement to no real comedic affect while Sam Hart's scratchy art made me want to turn the pages more quickly than before. It's followed by another historically-themed piece, "King And Country," where British Monarchy meets Dr Who, Sam Raimi, and John Woo. The script by "F Example" is a fairly jolly bit of work that's ill-suited to Cath Tomlinson's pencils. They vary wildly from panel to panel when it comes to effectiveness and storytelling, even if I do like the facial expressions and action shots that she seems to want to draw.
"Bareback and Pregnant" by Matt Terl and Shawn Richter ties to make the phrase "fetal rape" funny and fails, even if it's very, very well drawn. I'll also give Kev Hill's "Hip Hop God Squad" a nod for interesting art, even if I didn't find the violently pro-choice script to be that funny. These are matched in the "interesting disappointments" department by "Himmler Bunks Off," Blackgang Chang and Lucas Hackett's attempt to reproduce the failure of Heil Honey I'm Home. I must be particularly bloodthirsty when it comes to Nazi-based humor or something, because I'm shocked this did so little for me.
I didn't know my fellow Rampager Jamessmith3 could draw, but his art on Ryan Richards (yes, the same cat who wrote "Baphomet's Fun Time Pizza Horde") funny, EC-inspired "Dr Geiger Saves The World" is quite good, reminding me of Mike Allred in places and telling the story very, very well. An unassuming, oddly subtle highlight that stands out quite a bit in an otherwise over-the-top collection.
Speaking of over-the-top, let's talk about Alex De Campi and Jamie Boardmen's generosity when it comes to letting you read their "Necrocomicon" as a PDF for free. Dave Marquez draws the shit out of this particularly timely story that ends the third, but hopefully not final volume of the Commercial Suicide series.
You not only get a broad variety of the funny on the inside of the book - the whole shebang is lovingly placed between a sexy, sexy poop joke from Simon Fraser and a disturbing image from Jamie McKelvie that may well kill any chance most men have at an erection for at least a week upon first seeing it. This will class up your bookshelf while sending you straight to hell, so I'm recommending this very highly. You can buy your own copy by visiting the website. A bit of warning - if you're in the US, you will get shivved mightily by Lulu's shipping unless you select Media Mail.
From their official site:
Pet Shop Boys have been approached by the British art book publishers, Thames & Hudson, to produce an illustrated book compiling their entire visual and design output over the last 20 years.That's pretty darn neat, says me.
The book, to be entitled "Pet Shop Boys Catalogue", is being edited by Philip Hoare and Chris Heath and is expected to be published in autumn 2006.
Over on his Invincible Super Blog, Chris writes about a freebie comic featuring Li'l Perjury-Loving Kim, Fat Joe, Twista, and several other current hip-hop superstars that looks to be the sort of thing I find mordantly interesting. He also points readers toward a Prince comic from Pirahna Press that features a cover by Brian Bolland that I didn't even know existed:
So I started thinking about comics based on popular recording artists and fired up the browser to bring you these fine examples from the Rock N Roll Comics line, shrunk down to load quickly as well as save your eyeballs from the unneccessary strain of amateurish, ugly art.
Oh my god it's bad fan art!
I bet this person also has a Stevie Nicks
portrait or ten in their living room.
This is so ugly and DIY that the
band would highly approve. You
know, assuming that Malcolm
McLaren told them to.
I swear that I drew this on my
notebook in high school and they
swiped it.
This is just plain grotesque.
Damn. My eyes.
I like that giant diamond robot that Mr. Ice
is going to use to fight the Fantastic Four.
Wait, he's not? This comic sucks! I mean, more
than it did before! Really!
If you're anything like me, you had to have wondered at
one time or another "What if John Lennon really,
really hated the Jews?"
I found the answer...
So I started thinking about comics based on popular recording artists and fired up the browser to bring you these fine examples from the Rock N Roll Comics line, shrunk down to load quickly as well as save your eyeballs from the unneccessary strain of amateurish, ugly art.
Oh my god it's bad fan art!
I bet this person also has a Stevie Nicks
portrait or ten in their living room.
This is so ugly and DIY that the
band would highly approve. You
know, assuming that Malcolm
McLaren told them to.
I swear that I drew this on my
notebook in high school and they
swiped it.
This is just plain grotesque.
Damn. My eyes.
I like that giant diamond robot that Mr. Ice
is going to use to fight the Fantastic Four.
Wait, he's not? This comic sucks! I mean, more
than it did before! Really!
If you're anything like me, you had to have wondered at
one time or another "What if John Lennon really,
really hated the Jews?"
I found the answer...
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
OK, look - you may not like James Kochalka, but you've got to give the man a bit of respect for making comics that go across genres and appeal to a broad variety of audiences - he can make the crass and loud Super F**kers with the same pep and verve as his charming and quite sweet Peanut Butter And Jeremy. So, I was understandably unhappy upon hearing that he was discontinuing the publication of his Sketchbook Diaries books:
Yeah, I'm sorta bitter, here. At least we get The Cute Manifesto next week.
Later this week, look for reviews of The Surrogates and Commercial Suicide 3.0 - two books I enjoyed for wildly different reasons. Yes, I'm putting this here as a reminder to myself so I can avoid writing about things that make me want to work over the medium with a crowbar and stick to my "writing about good comics" manifesto that seems to have faded away in the last few weeks.
No, I'm not going to stop doing that "Shit That's Killing Comics List," so don't sob into your mocha lattes, bitches.
There's no damned justice in this world when Marvel and DC can fellate themselves to the delight of brain-damaged fanboys (no, not you, my friend - you're special) everywhere while people who do their best to provide original entertainment have to make tough decisions like this.
We have decided not to publish a Sketchbook Diaries #5, it's just not economically feasible. The big American Elf collection sold terribly, and even the individual issues of The Sketchbook Diaries sell terribly. Honestly, it's not profitable for Top Shelf to do either, but REALLY REALLY not profitable to do both.
The next book will be American Elf volume 2 and it will collect all the strips from 2004 and 2005. It will probably come out in the spring of 2006. It will be the same height and width as the giant American Elf collection, but it will be 3 years thinner.
Now you know. Anyone who's been waiting for Volume 5 of the Sketchbook Diaries, you can stop waiting now.
Yeah, I'm sorta bitter, here. At least we get The Cute Manifesto next week.
Later this week, look for reviews of The Surrogates and Commercial Suicide 3.0 - two books I enjoyed for wildly different reasons. Yes, I'm putting this here as a reminder to myself so I can avoid writing about things that make me want to work over the medium with a crowbar and stick to my "writing about good comics" manifesto that seems to have faded away in the last few weeks.
No, I'm not going to stop doing that "Shit That's Killing Comics List," so don't sob into your mocha lattes, bitches.
DC should look at doing this title in either their Showcase Presents
or digest-format series if they want more of my filthy
American money.
I just got a new job, people! I have more
money to spend on trivial things like comic books.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
for the Week of July 7, 2005.
Funnybooks are going to be in your local comics emporium a day late because of the holiday, so don't bother with the pitchforks and torches because they don't have the latest issue of House Of M, OK? OK. The shipping list is here, so let's go!
DC Comics
MAY050225 DC SPECIAL THE RETURN OF DONNA TROY #2 (OF 4) $2.99I don't care how gorgeous Jose Luis Garcia Lopez's art is; this is a spectacularly unneccessary series that points out everything I hate about continuity-as-story.
JAN050385 KINGDOM COME SUPERMAN HAWKMAN RED ROBIN STATUE $89.99You sad, sad fuckers that buy this need to be forcibly introduced to a good mutual fund or an accountant that'll beat you with a brick when you lunge towards this.
JAN050386 THE BATMAN BATMAN MAQUETTE $89.99The design is just plain ugly, so I don't see this appealing to anybody outside of kids who have stolen their parents' credit cards. Speaking of which, one of the little punks was in our shop last week, bragging about committing credit card fraud. He wondered why he was mocked openly by the adults present until it was made plain that his continued presence was not recommended.
Image Comics
MAR051727 HUNTER KILLER #3 $2.99I should like this series, but it just fails on pretty much every level for me - Waid's scared to go just that half-measure far enough to create a genuinely dangerous world, and Silvestri's art is lacking in the madness that made his New X-Men run beautiful to behold, even if I'm not much of a fan. At least they're trying something new, unlike most of the things that I pick on mercilessly.
Marvel Comics
MAY051739 FANTASTIC FOUR HOUSE OF M #1 (OF 3) $2.99I've said it before, but it bears repeating: House Of M is a cheap knockoff of 1995's Age Of Apocalypse, which I found to be about as fun as a good root canal. The fact that Marvel's revisited this hugely popular trainwreck not once but twice in the last year shows how naval-gazing they've become. Hard to believe they fairly recently let Grant Morrison loose on X-Men while Milligan and Allred's X-Force and X-Statix wreaked havoc on Rob Liefeld's legacy just before Mark Waid and Mike Wieringo did the most enjoyable Fantastic Four since Walt Simonson's epic run.
MAY051736 HOUSE OF M #3 (OF 8) $2.99
JAN058162 HOUSE OF M CASSADAY VARIANT COVER #3 (OF 8) $2.99
MAY051738 IRON MAN HOUSE OF M #1 (OF 3) $2.99
MAY051820 X-MEN NEW AGE OF APOCALYPSE TP $20.99
Oooh, Wizard! Come out to plaaaaaay!
MAY052340 ASTONISHING X-MEN COLOSSUS WW LA EX BUST PIOh, please, somebody walk up to me with one of these so I can hit them. With my fists. Please. I've had a mad-on since November of 2004.
MAY052344 YOUNG AVENGERS WW LA SKETCH CVR SGN CGC 9.8 PI
Other Companies!
APR052545 10TH MUSE ODYSSEY GN $9.99Alias says: Don't have taste! Just buy it! There's titties in this book, people! Big ones!
APR052544 10TH MUSE VOL 2 #3 $2.99
DEC042525 ARMY OF DARKNESS SHOP TIL YOU DROP DEAD GLOW #3 PIThat's right, Dynamite Entertainment isn't going to tell you how badly your trainspotting ass is going to get pounded until you walk into your shop. Have fun with that.
APR052861 DF BATMAN BEGINS MOVIE ADAPTATION SGN $29.99The only way I'd buy one of these is if Batman himself signed one. Thanks to one of my filthy assistants, however, I've obtained such a thing for free. She had to get mugged six times before he showed up, but he was very gracious about the whole thing. Thanks, Batman! Now to auction this sucker off on eBay...
FEB052788 DF BATMAN JEKYLL & HYDE #1 DOUBLE SGN $49.99
FEB052789 DF BATMAN JEKYLL & HYDE #1 REMARKED $69.99
MAR052850 DF BATMAN VILLAINS SECRET FILES 2005 #1 SGN $39.99
JAN052728 DF GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH #5 SGN $49.99Oh, c'mon - Frank Tieri's autograph is worth more than, say, a tinker's damn? Really.
FEB052809 DF HERCULES #1 SGN $19.99
MAR052882 DF TEEN TITANS #20 SGN $19.99
FEB052640 HEAVY METAL LIVE VOL 7 PHOTO OF JULIE STRAIN NUDE SC (MR) $8.95We don't need this shit, Kevin Eastman. Buy your wife some clothes, please.
MAR052680 HEAVY METAL LIVE VOL 7 PHOTO OF JULIE STRAIN NUDE TOUR SC (M $8.95
FEB052639 HEAVY METAL LIVE VOL 7 PHOTO OF JULIE STRAIN SC (MR) $8.95
MAR052679 HEAVY METAL LIVE VOL 7 PHOTO OF JULIE STRAIN TOUR SC (MR) $8.95
MAR053043 MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE VOL 3 #1 QUADRUPLE GATEFOLD CVR $9.95No, really, pull the other one.
MAR053048 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #9 HORRORFIND ED (MR) $9.95Not that hard, you fuck! Ow!
MAR053049 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #9 HORRORFIND SIGNED ED (MR) $19.95
MAR053046 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #9 SDCC ED (MR) $9.95
MAR053047 ROB ZOMBIE SPOOK SHOW INTL #9 SDCC SIGNED ED (MR) $19.95
APR052733 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE VOL 3 PX LTD ED TP (MR) $34.99Jim Balent knows what his audience likes: not having to buy real pornography.
Miscellaneous Comics-Related Crap.
MAY053692 ALIEN LTD SP ED PEWTER MINI BUST $300.00I know someone who is buying this. He gets laid more often than a stack of quality oriental rugs. He infuriates me because he wrecks my theories like a demolition team. Damn the man. Damn him.
MAY053584 RAVE MASTER SER 1 AF $90.00If somebody would say this is a figure set that includes the Chemical Brothers, Sasha and Digweed, Orbital, Underworld, and many other fine icons of thumpa, my life would be complete.
MAY053585 RAVE MASTER SER 1 DLX BATTLE PK AF $87.00
MAY053593 TRANSFORMERS CYBERTRON DLX AF $116.00Hi, Jason.
MAY053596 TRANSFORMERS CYBERTRON VOYAGER AF $111.00
Now that I've been a complete ass to the industry I so love, let me try to apply a bandage of sorts with the...
for the week of July 7, 2005
DC Comics
MAY050273 AUTHORITY HUMAN ON THE INSIDE SC (MR) $17.99I reviewed this last year and really enjoyed Human On The Inside as a nice piece of lean writing that made The Authority the victim of their own emotions. No, there were no buldings dropped on dictators, but it worked nicely enough. Worth the price in paperback, certainly.
MAY050196 BATMAN DARK DETECTIVE #5 (OF 6) $2.99Last issue was such a wash, but apparently this one picks right back up.
MAY050292 DEAD BOY DETECTIVES DIGEST (MR) $9.99This really isn't my kind of thing, but it looks marvelously entertaining to the sort of people who like to get their Vertigo in their manga.
MAY050205 GOTHAM CENTRAL #33 $2.50Have I mentioned how much I like this cover? Because, like, I really, really like this cover. Totally.
FEB050339 OCEAN #6 (OF 6) $3.99Finally!
MAY050247 SPACE GHOST TP $14.99Because you know you have to read a dead-serious take on Space Ghost. This thing sold by the bucketful at every shop I know of, so I expect the trade to do brisk business for the first few weeks.
Image Comics
APR051665 AMAZING JOY BUZZARDS VOL 1 TP $11.95Just buy this if you think the Gorillaz got a good schtick.
Marvel
FEB058414 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE DOLLAR DIGEST PICheap reprints of aged material are the one reason I've not stormed Marvel's offices with my posse of elite nerds, demanding the head of everyone there.
APR051973 ESSENTIAL DAREDEVIL VOL 1 TP NEW PRINTING $16.99
APR051972 ESSENTIAL IRON MAN VOL 1 TP NEW PRINTING $16.99
FEB058413 FANTASTIC FOUR FIRST FAMILY DOLLAR DIGEST PI
FEB058412 SPIDER-MAN AMAZING FANTASY DOLLAR DIGEST PI
FEB058415 SPIDER-MAN DOCTOR OCTOPUS DOLLAR DIGEST PI
FEB058417 X-MEN CHILDREN OF THE ATOM DOLLAR DIGEST PI
MAY051769 DAREDEVIL VS PUNISHER #1 (OF 6) $2.99I'm fairly curious about this, but as last week's solicits rundown shows, digital coloring + Lapham's art = eyeball pain. Can't any mainstream project not done by Darywn Cooke have some nice, flat colors, please? I mean, this is uncalled for, people!
MAY051828 THING FREAKSHOW TP $17.99While I first thought this was the Dorkin / Haspiel "Startling Stories" series in trade and was sad to be mistaken, Johns and Kolins did just fine with this beautifully drawn and well-told tale of Ben Grimm, being all grumpy and shit.
The Other Companies That Make Comics
MAY052383 BUMPERBOY LOSES HIS MARBLES GN $7.95I took a look at this at MoCCA and was duly impressed, but I'd already spent my available cash as well as some of Ed's in my sojourn.
MAR052894 CINEMA PANOPTICUM HC (MR) $18.95My shop got this last week - did anyone happen to buy this whose opinion I trust? It was still wrapped, but it looks like it's pointilist at first glance and I sort of have a thing for that kind of thing. If you know what I'm saying. About things.
MAY052763 HOUSEWIVES AT PLAY #14 (A) $4.95We don't want them working all the time, do we?
DEC042763 STEVE DITKO READER VOL 3 TP $25.00Booga booga booga! I'll swallow your soul, I'll swallow your soul!
Booga! WAAAAH!
I'll lick your face if you get close to me, I will! I'm Steve Ditko and I'm craaaaaazy!
And that's enough of that, I think.
So, MetroKitty, she liked Batman Begins and stated that yes, she'd like to see a crossover wherein Alfred was replaced by Jeeves, the erstwhile hero and savior in Wodehouse's tales of Bertram Wooster, which I consider to be required reading.
Her wish, my command, yadda yadda yadda. Originally, I posted this in her comments but thought it was ripe enough to go over to my site. Some call this sort of thing lazy, I call it recycling.
Her wish, my command, yadda yadda yadda. Originally, I posted this in her comments but thought it was ripe enough to go over to my site. Some call this sort of thing lazy, I call it recycling.
It was as I was stepping out of the elevator and Jeeves was waiting for me that I realized there was something horribly awry. The briefcase, which contained the suit, was not where it should be: in his hand.
"Sir?" Jeeves looked at me preemptively upon first noticing my disconcertment at the situation RE: my crimefighting togs.
"I had...plans for tonight, Jeeves." I said that as definitively as I could, which certainly should remind the man of his place in the whole scheme of things.
"No, sir. We're having your Aunt Harriet over for dinner. I've got Anatole preparing a lovely organic salmon fillet, resting atop a pinhead caper mash, with braised beets, and a fino buerre blanc. I've been assured that he's come up with the meal with your specific interests in mind."
I could swear that his eyebrows raised at that moment in a distance that can only be measured in micrometers. Some might suspect that he has mind-control powers like that fellow from Central City - you know the one, with the googly eyes.
"Oh. I suppose, then, that I should-" My point was lost at the idea of my other, less evil aunt's prize chef creating wizardry in my kitchen. The man is, of course, a genius.
"Yes, sir. Young Master Timothy will be driving us home, by the by. He's just obtained what he calls a "Learner's Permit.""
"Good lord, Jeeves."
"I would recommend entreating our safety to him quite often as we sojourn back. Quite. Often."
I'll be struggling through my first
day at the NuJob this lovely Tuesday,
so don't expect your "Shit That's
Killing Comics" update until this
evening.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Jack Sparrow: Stormtrooper.
Jack Sparrow: Stormtrooper
Originally uploaded by sara.bell.
This is to make up for the ranting on the earlier July 4th entry.
Bopping around on Metafilter, I came across this company, Response Unlimited. They creating mailing lists and the like for right-leaning companies looking to get out their information to certain demographics. While I don't like this sort of company being engaged in the practice of selling my information (the left is just as active at it, if not more so,) I do find the numbers fascinating.
So, as it's the Fourth of July and we're celebrating our freedoms today, let's take a look at Guns And Ammo readers, shall we?
Average age 40
Well, that certainly makes sense. Lots of young hunters + retirees balancing things out nicely.
$56,000 Average household income
Nice average there.
70% College educated
A bit higher than I thought, as I suspected they'd edge more towards the rural south, but not that unusual.
66% Own a dog
Lots of people own dogs, not even the shooting kind.
29% Own a retriever
For the hunting and stuff? I can dig it.
56% Own non hunting dogs
Say what you will, but the Maltese is a wonderful beast for retrieving pheasant and the like. Sure, it'll be three hours before he brings it back to you, but he'll look so cute doing it.
49% Camp
54% Fish
Of course! Outdoors life is vital to most people who read something like Guns And Ammo - they want to be out there, having fun, hunting deer, taking nature's plentiful bounty as their own!
61% Have purchased a gun in the past year and plan to purchase another in the next 12 months
OK, I...guess.
81% own & use scopes & binoculars
This is starting to get disturbing. But, I guess they've got a lot of hunters, you know?
99% Own an average of 22 guns
What?
52% Reload their own ammunition
No, seriously, what? 22 guns?
Twenty. Two. Guns. On. Average.
Somebody, give me a legitimate reason for the average reader of any magazine outside of Military Supplier Monthly to have more than, say, 3-5 guns on hand. I can easily accept a hunter having several rifles; different types for different game, you dig? I can even nod a bit at the idea of white-flight fuckheads having a .357 in their nightstand for when "those people" come to their house to take away their beautiful Ethan Allen furniture in a brutal home invasion that's never going to happen, but they need something to take their mind off their cold, dead love life as their spouse ignores them in their sleep, but twenty two guns on average? Who is that insecure? Who is that fucking paranoid?
Us bed-wetting liberals have a lot of catching up to do when the revolution comes, don't we?
Happy 4th. Don't blow anyone's head off.
So, as it's the Fourth of July and we're celebrating our freedoms today, let's take a look at Guns And Ammo readers, shall we?
Average age 40
Well, that certainly makes sense. Lots of young hunters + retirees balancing things out nicely.
$56,000 Average household income
Nice average there.
70% College educated
A bit higher than I thought, as I suspected they'd edge more towards the rural south, but not that unusual.
66% Own a dog
Lots of people own dogs, not even the shooting kind.
29% Own a retriever
For the hunting and stuff? I can dig it.
56% Own non hunting dogs
Say what you will, but the Maltese is a wonderful beast for retrieving pheasant and the like. Sure, it'll be three hours before he brings it back to you, but he'll look so cute doing it.
49% Camp
54% Fish
Of course! Outdoors life is vital to most people who read something like Guns And Ammo - they want to be out there, having fun, hunting deer, taking nature's plentiful bounty as their own!
61% Have purchased a gun in the past year and plan to purchase another in the next 12 months
OK, I...guess.
81% own & use scopes & binoculars
This is starting to get disturbing. But, I guess they've got a lot of hunters, you know?
99% Own an average of 22 guns
What?
52% Reload their own ammunition
No, seriously, what? 22 guns?
Twenty. Two. Guns. On. Average.
Somebody, give me a legitimate reason for the average reader of any magazine outside of Military Supplier Monthly to have more than, say, 3-5 guns on hand. I can easily accept a hunter having several rifles; different types for different game, you dig? I can even nod a bit at the idea of white-flight fuckheads having a .357 in their nightstand for when "those people" come to their house to take away their beautiful Ethan Allen furniture in a brutal home invasion that's never going to happen, but they need something to take their mind off their cold, dead love life as their spouse ignores them in their sleep, but twenty two guns on average? Who is that insecure? Who is that fucking paranoid?
Us bed-wetting liberals have a lot of catching up to do when the revolution comes, don't we?
Happy 4th. Don't blow anyone's head off.
Sunday, July 03, 2005
a rather-obvious theme!
What's better than a Golden Age Kirby
Cap cover where's he's punching Hitler?
Nothing.
It's too bad Maguire didn't finish drawing
this more-then-decent series; as you can
see, he "got" Cap. I still can't believe that
he drew all those scales on the armor - talk
about detail.
Steranko hits the ground running with
this wonderfully surreal cover. Dig
the swirl, baby. Dig the swirl.
Jack is back! Goddamn, I love these
stories so much. Pop madness thanks to
the King.
Another great 70s Kirby cover, part of his
big Bicentennial blowout. (I can't find
a large enough scan of the genius
Bicentennial Battles book, which is
included in the new trade.)
Update: Doug found a scan and you can
see it here. I dunno how I
missed the damned thing. Comics.org is,
of course, notoriously crashy as we've
all not contributed what we should to
their cause.
If you ever see it, there's an OOP trade
paperback that reprints the Stern/Byrne run
on Captain America and it's worth your
shekels. Great stuff. You can get the issues
cheaply enough, too, I suppose, but I'm a
contrarian in these matters.
Yeah, you knew I was going to work MODOK into this
thing somehow, didn't you? Didn't you?
Never liked the MK series until Kirkman took over
but talk about some lovely covers. Once again,
you get to see lots of scales thanks to Cassaday's
love of detail. Or fish. I dunno.
Oops. Oh, my. How'd that get there?
(Look for the OOP Fighting American
book by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon and prepare
to laugh and laugh and laugh...)
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Spidey Centerpiece.
Spidey Centerpiece
Originally uploaded by Erling A.
In the middle of this culinary tableau, there's a familiar-looking Marvel comics character made out of...something edible.
only one that saw this...
and thought of this...
Fare thee well, Zombie Ultimate Gwen Stacy,
we hardly knew ye.
(Thanks to Christopher Butcher, who had
the Marvel Select Ultimate Carnage figure
image on his site for me to gank.)
I finally decided I needed to add some of the art that I picked up at MoCCA 2005 to my Flickr account and the blog. I don't have a scanner, so I shot it with my fairly-crap camera; you still get the point - everyone that I got art from really knocked it out of the park each time. I'm including a link to the original Flickr page for each piece - just click on the image. There, you can see these in more detail and even full size if you use the "See Different Sizes" function on the right! Kinda nifty, huh?
by Tom Beland of True Story,
Swear To God fame. This is
uncomfortably close to my real
life.
Jim Rugg drew Street Angel
supporting cast member Afrodisiac
for me. He drew the hell out of
him for me, in fact.
This one's by Alex Robinson, who wrote
and drew Box Office Poison. She's
going to be appearing in his new
novel, Tricked and appears
to be based on my hot girlfriend.
Bryan Lee O'Malley and I did a swap:
an introduction to jazz on 5 CDs for
a sketch. I got the better end of
that deal.
Jim Mahfood took my request to "draw
whatever he felt like" and created this
wonderfully abstract piece. What the hell?
by Tom Beland of True Story,
Swear To God fame. This is
uncomfortably close to my real
life.
Jim Rugg drew Street Angel
supporting cast member Afrodisiac
for me. He drew the hell out of
him for me, in fact.
This one's by Alex Robinson, who wrote
and drew Box Office Poison. She's
going to be appearing in his new
novel, Tricked and appears
to be based on my hot girlfriend.
Bryan Lee O'Malley and I did a swap:
an introduction to jazz on 5 CDs for
a sketch. I got the better end of
that deal.
Jim Mahfood took my request to "draw
whatever he felt like" and created this
wonderfully abstract piece. What the hell?
Friday, July 01, 2005
Len Wein! Co-creator of Swamp Thing and the New X-Men! Writer of memorable runs on Amazing Spider-man, Thor, and The Hulk as well as this summer's favorite comic-book family, The Fantastic Four! Editor of Alan Moore's groundbreaking Watchmen and the epic Crisis On Infinite Earths! Creator and writer of...Gunfire! Ah, yes, Gunfire, DC's apparent answer to a question nobody was asking, which was: "What if you gave Tony Stark a very bad haircut, a costume that seems like it came off Jim Lee's X-Men scrap table, and made sure that Darth Vader was his dad?"Oh, this comic is one I have a special hate on for. It pains me to look at this single issue, which was yanked out of the fifty-cent bin of my local shop because, hey, there's Mirror Master! I'm the sort of guy who likes a good Mirror Master appearance because his "mirror-powers" vary wildly from writer to writer, and Grant Morrison's use of him in Animal Man and JLAmade me actually respect him as a baddie. Grant gets major props to for the we he wrote the character's dialogue as well, which finally extended beyond a few "laddies" being dropped hither and yon in the James Doohan Style that we've come to expect. (NOTE: Apparently, according to a pedantic know-it-all friend of mine, Mirror Master wasn't Scottish until Grant did some tinkering and the original had died in Crisis, which I recently failed to re-read again after giving up on page 50. I just assumed it was something that previous writers forgot on and off. Color me moronic!)
Anyway, back to Gunfire, as he's rather the subject of this tome. Boy, what a lame character. Andy Van Horn, millionaire C.E.O, has just taken over his family's business and is in the process of converting it from heavy arms sales to more benevolent uses. This seems very...ironman...familiar...somehow. Andy's rocking the totally past-its-sell-date-in-1994 ponytail look out of costume, and in costume, his beautiful mane seems to disappear thanks to the wraparound Oakley-brand headgear. He also carries around some weapons, like a giant glowing stick (I remember seeing those a lot when I was a raving raver) that's apparently very menacing for some reason and a gun that shoots out of his hands somehow. I couldn't make heads or tails of anything involving his gear outside of the waist-based jet pack, which seemed like a fine way to burn your outer calves.It seems like Andy's father Gunther, originally assumed to have been killed during Bloodlines, is also his biggest enemy named...and I kid you not...Ragnarok. Christ, can we have one villain not named something apocalyptic? I'd prefer Mister Sinister or The Fiddler to this sort of wanting-to-be-portent-packed pomposity. The issue starts off, admittedly, with a bang, where Gunfire storms into a heavily-weaponed warehouse to confront his pops, just to try to shoot a hologram. Doesn't Gunfire keep up with these things and know that the supervillain never gets caught in the first 5 pages of any comic, ever? Jeez, guy.
After this scene, we cut to a nice moment in Central Park where Lacey Van Horn is taking exception with Andy's new direction for the company and thinks that hiring insane Scottish people who terrorize The Flash's hometown is a fine way to go about effecting change in the organization. I'm sure she would be a smashing success at Microsoft - she'd probably hire the Weather Wizard to smite Steve Ballmer during one of his freakouts just because the company missed delivery on a product. Hasn't this woman ever heard of working through the board and talking to stockholders?
Andy's assistant, Ben Nakashima, apparently has a ninja twin brother, which I'm sure means something in later issues, but I just wanted to point out that he's got a lot more sensible stuff going on in his family life than the title character, and he's got a ninja for an identical twin.
There's another bit of moderate interest that could lead to something later on in the series if I had more than zero interest in tracking them down - Andy hires a pair of sexy twin detectives to track down Dear Old Dad and find out if he's really So, anyway, big corporate meeting interrupted by Mirror Master, fight scene, watch the sexy, sexy twins fight him off, another attack thanks to Lacey's tossing cash at the Scottish bastard - this one, Gunfire wins instead of the twins! Hooray! Hooray beer! This entire comic is bog-standard, by the numbers, mid-90s DC, which means it is very painful now. I wonder whatever happened to Gunfire, anyway? Please say it was something awful and involved Ben's ninja twin brother and a meat-cleaver. If somebody can give a brief precis of this character's end as well as who had what photos of Len Wein that got him to do this book, I'd really appreciate it.
(At this point, I'm realizing that I've spent more than one and a half hours looking at and writing about this comic, which I could have used writing my own, far superior comic. I don't think I can achieve the same smirking satisfaction doing original work, however, and sometimes, I just like being a bully. Give me your lunch money.)
Ego.
- I'm Kevin Church, a 33-year-old comics writer and commentator as well as a fair-to-middling photographer.
I drink more than I probably should and obsess over stuff that, really, isn't worth obsessing over.
Publishers: Contact me for samples.
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Email: beaucoupkevin(at)gmail.com
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