Because some days, you really need to hear Radiohead covering New Order.

Tonight, starting at 11pm (Eastern)…

…and going for two hours or so, I’m going to be mixing records on the computer internet for your listening pleasure. It’ll be dancy, probably a touch retro on occasion. I did it last night on a whim and very much enjoyed it and the feedback was positive, so now I’ve scheduled it. Listen and enjoy the occasional trainwreck.

(I think that URL is permanent. It looked the same this morning when I glanced at my broadcast software. If it’s not, I’ll change it.)

The Rack | Staff Picks for the Week of July 16, 2008

This is a weird week on comics shelves. At least there’s plenty of in-print Batman trade paperbacks for those of you looking for a jones after The Dark Knight.

(Animated) Thoughts of The Moment

Marvel’s announced a new Iron Man cartoon series that doesn’t tie into the hit movie or the previous Iron Man direct-to-DVD film or the late-90s cartoon (which is probably for the better.) Rather curious that they’re following DC’s multiple-versions model so early for what is a, let’s face it, newly-hatched piece of intellectual property in the eyes of the majority of the audience.Speaking of animated, these Invincible “digital cinematic comics” from MTV look more like ads than actual content. The merging of animation and the static comics image perplexes me. Why have word balloons when people are speaking dialogue aloud? Why are there sound effects on the “page” when we can clearly hear a “kaboom?” Is this a read-along book? Do you think I’m illiterate? Am I just curmudgeonly for not seeing the point? Where’s my damn Geritol? When’s Newhart gonna be on?

(Actually, you know those video trailers for comic books? I’m tired of those too.)

Gary Phillips talks about High Rollers, a comic I enjoyed.

Monday, Monday (Da, Da, Da Da Daaaa)

1.
No, there is no Rack today. It’s another week of Tuesday-Friday goodness and we’ve freed up fifteen to forty seconds of your day for better tasks. We’ll be back on schedule next week, I’d like to think. Historically, Mondays are our best days because most of the readers are looking for a way to escape the ennui of work as early as possible, and we value that relationship.

2.
On Sunday, I read the copy of Jason Shiga’s Bookhunter I’d picked up at MoCCA and Dirk Deppey and Pal Renee were correct in their assessments. It’s a deadly earnest (and thus hilarious) Michael Bay-meets-Serpico tale of stolen books, deadly enemies, and one library special agent who’s willing to go the distance, projected through a Megaman-style lens. Order it from Sparkplug; you won’t regret it.

3.
The Bug’s new album London Zoo has a preview mixed by Kode 9 that makes it sound like it may be my album of the year.

4.
Yes, I am at San Diego this year and will generally be around the BOOM! Studios booth. No, I will not be announcing anything. Yes, I will be at Thursday Night’s Drink-Up. No, I will not being giving Ian Brill much crap, because he’s a very nice young man.

A Question For Our Times

[poll id="2"]

An Idle Thought

Go, look…

…at this thing Birdie’s gonna do. I think I’m the editor or something.

Wrong side of the art.

Some random clicking around brought me to Wrong side of the art, a blog featuring “Horror, sci-fi, exploitation, cult, trash, B-movie posters.” It’s fantastic, beautifully organized with lots of big, big images. Some of them are, of course, Not Safe For Work, but since it’s the weekend, I figure you’ll be OK. Here’s a semi-random selection:

More Typing About Comics.

1.
I read two singles yesterday, 100 Bullets and Young Liars. both were fine installments in longer-form narratives, so there’s not much else to say other than I respectfully disagree with Dorian’s assessment on the latter’s merits, particularly as I think it’s a very David Lapham book, much more so than a Vertigo comic like, say, The Vinyl Underground. (I should note that The Vinyl Underground does give Simon Gane more exposure, which is undoubtedly a good thing.

2.
Jason Aaron’s “The Man In The Pit” is a fantastic single-issue story, making the rest of the The Death Of Wolverine, penned by Mark Guggenheim look pretty humdrum, excluding the hilarious “toy store as front for The Hand” bit. Chaykin’s art, as usual, made me happy, and there’s a slight tweak made to Logan that could potentially make him a bit more interesting if anyone does anything with it.

3.
The Complete K Chronicles is freakin’ fantastic. Even in his earliest works, Keith Knight gets to the heart of cultural phenomena and political events in a way that makes me laugh, even if I disagree with him on some point or another.

4.
Blake Bell’s Steve Ditko book is a stunner. I’ve been making my way through it in 20-or-30 page chunks and his writing is so sharp and conveys philosophical and artistic analysis so well that it makes me want to find out if a local gun buyer will let me try before I buy with a single shot to my own brainpan. I’d hate to spend $400 or so on something I’m only going to use once.

Helping Bookstores And Libraries Across America Since 2008

Read this.

Pal Dave talks about something that’s bothered me a lot lately.

The Rack | But the past ain’t through with us.

This is really, honestly, truly, the end. No more earworms. Honest.

(Until the one about Michael Bolton’s “Love Is A Wonderful Thing,” that is.)

This is the best thing I’ve ever seen.

Herman Miller is ready to fly off for some tricks and treats and your pup is welcome to co-pilot. This bat-wing costume offers comfort and and tons of cute factor – the sky’s the limit!

(Superman Related) Thought Of The Moment

So, I read Superman: Last Son and that was OK.

The Rack: Opening weekend

If you want the answers to the big questions, you gotta ask them yourself..

Return To Supermans, Episode 4

Finally, some of those rhythm-based music video games for me!

J Jonah Jameson, by Fred Chao