The Johnny Bacardi Show

By gum, it's new comic day!

According to the Diamond shipping list, here's what I'll be getting:

HUMAN TARGET #1
LUCIFER #41
SMAX #1
TOM STRONG #21
DAREDEVIL #50

plus I'll have the first issues of 1602 and Witchblade Animated in my folder. I'll probably get the former, but I'm still undecided on the latter because I have less than no interest in the Witchblade character or, for that matter, any of the other Top Cow stable. I also have the softcover TPB of Human Target put back for me in my folder, but that's still a twenty dollar item and I just can't afford it right now. I'm also considering Cinnamon: El Ciclo 1...but I doubt I'll get it. Looking forward to Smax, though...it's the first continuation of Top 10 since that great series went on hiatus a year or so ago.

I've been reading a lot, here and there, in the comics blogosphereiverse about many new interesting books that have come out, most notably Craig Thompson's Blankets, which looks like an obvious work of care, quality and craft but at 30 bucks is way out of my price range. Plus, to be honest (and I haven't read it so this is an uninformed opinion if there ever was one), from the 5 page preview I read it seems like one of those earnest, achingly sincere TV-show dramas, about as exciting as church, that I wouldn't watch if you paid me. A lot of very intelligent folks are singing its praises, though, so I'm willing to be proven wrong. But unless someone sends me a free copy it won't be anytime soon! Also, the Acme Novelty Library Datebook looks pretty spiffy. Big Sunny D and Alan David Doane (along with yours truly, the three-headed David hydra of comics blogging) like it. And to be honest, Chris Ware's series is one that I've been interested in for a long time- I even own an issue or two. But back issues are somewhat hard to find in the comics shops I have access to, and I'm just not intrigued enough to order from Fantagraphics and pay shipping and all that. But as a has-been Graphic Designer I can tell you that Acme, not only the Datebook but the whole series, is a marvel. As in the adjective, not the company. Here's another book, though, that's just too damned expensive for me to purchase. Bet your ass, though, that if I hit the lottery I'll soon have a complete Acme collection. Also, Sunny D and ADD express appreciation for the most recent issue of Eightball, about which I wholeheartedly agree. No one can express deadpan strangeness like Daniel Clowes. Fortunately, I've been a longtime Eightball reader and have had this issue for some time now...but it came out before I started blogging, so I've never written about it. I wonder what his version of Auto-Focus would have been like?

On a more personal note: the State of Kentucky computer systems have been down, probably virus related, causing my unemployment check to be late. And I have the biggest bills of the month due today. Ah, worra worra me.

Some news on the job hunt front, though: I received a call from R.R. Donnelley yesterday, setting up another phone interview tomorrow. I'm a little nonplussed by this, since I've already had at least one phone conversation and a face-to-face interview as well. Guess we'll see. They might be calling to tell me thanks, but we can't use ya. I have also heard from my contact at Printlink.com about the Cabela's job in Nebraska- she says that they're very interested in me and I should hear something within the week. Light at the end of the tunnel or oncoming train? Stay tuned!

Saw the embarrassingly bad 1993 film Boxing Helena last night. I'm tellin' ya, it blew chunks. Bad acting, ludicrous script, cheat ending, it had it all. I suppose that it's a wonder this odd film got madein the first place- I seem to remember a lot of controversy prior to it being filmed. Kim Basinger was sued (or sued the filmmakers) either because she backed out or was dropped or something, and Madonna was considered to replace her...blah blah blah. Anyway, they settled on Sherilyn (Twin Peaks) Fenn and Julian "what the hell happened to my career" Sands as the principals, and while both have done fine work in other films, they flat out suck here. Sands is twitchy and wooden as the nutty surgeon who becomes obsessed with the shrewish Fenn...so he manuevers a way to get her to his house, where she gets hit by a truck, giving Sands the opportunity to amputate her legs and (eventually) her arms, and places her in a box where he can wait on her hand and foot, no pun intended. This sounds horrifying, but believe me when I tell you that it's all presented as neatly and cleanly as can be. No cheap shocks or gore effects, which would have probably livened this mess up a bit. This film crawls at a snail's pace- after I had watched for what seemed like a long time, I looked at thecable channel guide, which shows how much time is left in the movie, and it said there was another hour and twenty minutes to go! Also on hand are Bill Paxton, overacting mercilessly as Helena's snubbed boyfriend, and Art Garfunkel, underacting mercilessly, perhaps in a vain effort to keep the viewer from noticing his puffy, pointy, bald-in-the-middle hair, which reminds one of Dilbert's pointy-haired boss. So here's a word of warning, boys and girls...don't be like me and succumb to curiosity about this formerly controversial, little seen film. Don't watch. Resist. You won't miss a thing, unless you're as devoted to Fenn as Sand's character was to Helena, and if that's the case you need to get a life!

Well, I'm going to get from here now and head south on my comics run. Of course, you know that I'll inflict my opinion of each on you right in this here space. Later!