THE RACK: Liberal Arts
No Comments | Posted: March 16th, 2010 | Filed under: The Rack
Here’s a strip about comic book stuff.
THE LONELIEST ASTRONAUTS: And slide, and slide.
No Comments | Posted: March 16th, 2010 | Filed under: The Loneliest Astronauts
Steve goes about making some repairs.
Great Comic Book Fights: Captain America vs Batroc
No Comments | Posted: March 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Wacky Out Of Context PanelsI was re-reading some old Captain America comics this afternoon for inspiration and came across this pretty spectacular fight between Cap and Batroc from Tales of Suspense #76, written by Stan Lee and drawn by John Romita. I’ve edited down a bit; there’s a few panels with people running and screaming “Holy fucking shit, Captain America is here to ruin our meticulous plans and we better leg it before OH GOD SHIELD TO THE HE–” that didn’t really need to be included but the gist is certainly present.
Thanks to Bully for sending me scans of the relevant pages so I don’t have to crack the spin on my Masterworks volume. You should go see what he did for the Ides of March.
Coming Soon: VERONICA GOMEZ: SHAOLIN LINE COOK
No Comments | Posted: March 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Veronica Gomez
Brandon Dawley and myself have been working at this for a while now and the first installment should debut in the next few weeks. Why have I been teasing it so far in advance? Because I’m really proud of what Dawley and I have put together, as it’s not like anything else I’ve done before. It’s an all-ages science fiction martial arts adventure with romance and derring-do, featuring the usual better-than-mediocre quality you’ve come to accept from the staff at Agreeable Comics. I’m sure I’ll do a splashier announcement in the near future, but hopefully this will tide you over until then.
A YEAR OF GIVEAWAYS: Win a Harley Quinn trade collection.
18 Comments | Posted: March 15th, 2010 | Filed under: Contests
As usual, let’s get the blah blah blah involving last week’s contest out of the way and give a big round of applause for Troy Wilson. Troy, the cheeky fuck, just mentioned a guest appearance and not an actual Daredevil story, but what the hell, let’s let him have it because The Death Of Jean DeWolffe does have a pretty great moment featuring by ol’ hornhead Congratulations, Troy!
This week, we’ve got a hardcover collection of the first eight or so issues of Harley Quinn, a comic I enjoyed more than I should have but really don’t need to keep around the house. Preludes and Knock Knock Jokes features the Joker’s better (?!?) half on her own, getting a crew together, and committing crimes. The art by the Dodsons really is the highlight of the thing, but Karl Kesel’s scripting helped the title stood out in an era of not-very-good Bat-family stories.
How do you win a copy of it? Leave a comment with, I don’t know, your favorite Harley Quinn moment in comics or on the Batman Animated Series. Does that sound good? Yeah, let’s go with that. This has to be something that has happened, not your masturbatory fantasies involving Veronica Mars or whatever her name is in clown makeup.
Just leave said comment before 12:01 AM on Saturday, March 20, 2010 to qualify and the winner will be chosen using Random.org’s random number generator. Previous entrants do, in fact qualify, because I’m such a nice fellow like that. Comments that don’t qualify (such as the person from last week who just said “I like Daredevil” without answering the question) will be deleted.
Terms And Conditions:
Please note that because of shipping costs, this contest is for residents of the United States of America and Canada. You must leave your email address with your comment to qualify, as I’m not going to spend any time hunting down someone who didn’t want to be contacted about their amazing prize. One comment per person and yes, I will know if you cheat and will probably mock you in public.
WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING: Harry Brown
1 Comment | Posted: March 13th, 2010 | Filed under: What I've Been Watching
Harry Brown, directed by Daniel Barber from a screenplay by Gary Young, stars elder British statesman Michael Caine as a pensioner who takes the death of his closest friend at the hands of local hooligans very personally. Emily Mortimer, in a somewhat-quiet role in which she still manages to exude no small amount of strength, plays the detective investigations his friend’s death and the subsequent murders of those who attacked him. With two actors of that caliber on opposite ends of a screenplay, it’s easy to ignore the frequent wallowing in stereotype the script happily engages in, particularly when it comes to The Youth of England. It’s through the two leads’ abilities and Barber’’s visceral direction and methodical pacing (with no small help from Martin Ruhe’s camerawork) that Harry Brown becomes something engaging and smart. Particularly strong is the final act that lifts rest of the film’s mass up significantly by dint of having at least one actual surprise in it.
It’s a movie that’s easy to overpraise because when it works, it sings, but there’s still significant problems in how it enforces storytelling cliché and laziness on the part of movies that attempt social relevance, even if it is highly entertaining to watch Michael Caine wreak Old Testament havoc on his inferiors one more time.
THE RACK: Sitting On The Something Of The Something
No Comments | Posted: March 12th, 2010 | Filed under: The RackDanny suffers a case of entitlitus.
PROMOTING SOMEONE ELSE’S WORK: JustJenn’s New Comic
No Comments | Posted: March 11th, 2010 | Filed under: Outbound Linkage | Tags: justjennMy family, being a bunch of drama-free bores who are scattered across a nation, rarely give me that dose of insanity that I think everyone needs in their day-to-day life. Thankfully, JustJenn is one of my best friends and the true stories she tells me about her family are better than any I could concoct. She’s done two comics previously OG: The Book and The Adventures of Kid Emo And Grr Baby but her newest one (which also features the titular grandmother from OG: The Book) is my favorite so far. Jenn takes the conversations she’s had while driving her grandmother around and turns them into funny, sweet three-panel comics that I just plain love.
Here’s one of the first installments from OG: Road Trippin’:
There’s quite a few like this; little bursts of naturally comedic dialogue. What’s pleasantly surprising is seeing how evocative minimalist style is when it comes to the topic of her grandfather’s death, forgoing mawkishness and rending of cloth and instead focusing on little moments that are pretty universal. You can pre-order the book now or wait to see her at San Diego, where she’s forced to sit next to those schmucks from Agreeable Comics for four days.
THE RACK: The Pattern
No Comments | Posted: March 11th, 2010 | Filed under: The RackJerry sees the obvious for the first time.
SHE DIED IN TERREBONNE: Episode 21
No Comments | Posted: March 11th, 2010 | Filed under: She Died In Terrebonne
Sam and the sheriff have yet another conversation.
THE RACK: Staff Picks
No Comments | Posted: March 10th, 2010 | Filed under: The RackWe took a week off, but now here’s your staff picks.
THE RACK: Fishtales
No Comments | Posted: March 9th, 2010 | Filed under: The RackAfter some needed rest and recuperation, Benjamin Birdie has returned.
THE LONELIEST ASTRONAUTS: Every Planet We Reach Is Dead
No Comments | Posted: March 9th, 2010 | Filed under: The Loneliest AstronautsThe Loneliest Astronauts banter for two panels.
After April 10, you’ll be able to buy these.
6 Comments | Posted: March 8th, 2010 | Filed under: Shameless Self-Promotion, She Died In Terrebonne, The Loneliest Astronauts
Make Friends With Marvel!
3 Comments | Posted: March 8th, 2010 | Filed under: Outbound Linkage
Through Google Books, the entirety of Popular Mechanics is now online.
THE RACK: Hiatus Week Special Bonus!
No Comments | Posted: March 8th, 2010 | Filed under: The RackUp-and-comer Tracie Mauk gives us her version of Yavin IV’s staff.
A YEAR OF GIVEAWAYS: Win An Ann Nocenti Daredevil Trade
48 Comments | Posted: March 8th, 2010 | Filed under: Contests
But first, let’s get to last week’s winner. The random number generator at Random.org has spoken and Mike Laughlin won Palestine: The Special Edition! Congratulations, Mike, and thanks for everyone’s thoughtful responses. I know it wasn’t as random or as goofy as previous contests, but the participation was impressive, to say the least.
This week, we’ve got a collection of stories from Ann Nocenti’s run on Daredevil, all of which feature art by John Romita, Jr. Here’s the official solicitation for Lone Stranger:
The Man Without Fear becomes the Man Without Hope as Manhattan falls beneath the fangs and claws of Inferno! Losing everything in more than one kind of fire, DD leaves Hell’s Kitchen to walk to and fro upon the Earth – but no matter where he goes, Mephisto’s waiting for him! Inhumane experimentation and Inhuman secrets abound! Guest-starring Spider-Man and Freedom Force! Collects Daredevil (1964) #265-273.
To qualify, just mention your favorite non-Miller/Bendis/Brubaker Daredevil comics story and say why, if you want to. Mine, for instance, is the Chichester-written arc Last Rites that was later dubbed The Fall Of The Kingpin for the trade. Matt Murdock takes on The Kingpin in a reversal of Born Again and systematically destroys his criminal empire with the help of Nick Fury and some other friends.
Just leave said comment before 12:01 AM on Saturday, March 13, 2010 to qualify and the winner will be chosen using Random.org’s random number generator. Previous entrants qualify, because I’m nice like that. Comments that don’t qualify will be deleted.
Terms And Conditions:
Please note that because of shipping costs, this contest is for residents of the United States of America and Canada. You must leave your email address with your comment to qualify, as I’m not going to spend any time hunting down someone who didn’t want to be contacted about their amazing prize. One comment per person and yes, I will know if you cheat and will probably mock you in public.
