Have a safe and happy one. Me, I'll be watching movies and attempting to contain our menagerie (2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 snake) while trick-or-treaters do their thing.
Comics reviews in the post below, by the way...
Sunday, October 30, 2005
And now, Johnny Bacardi brings you...COMICS!
Thought I'd write some short reviews of books I've received since I submitted Friday's LAST CALL column over at CBG. You see, since I started getting books via DCBS and not from my local comics shop on Wednesday, I've been receiving most of my comics on Friday, too late to add to the column so I have to wait a whole week to review them. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to write about them here, then if needs must expand on these capsules for the column. So here goes nothing. Beware of spoilers.
B.P.R.D.: THE BLACK FLAME 3
Finally, signs of life! After two issues which just seemed off somehow, we get a series of events which bodes well for the remaining two. Beginning with an effectively imagined dream sequence with Liz Sherman, to the striking Nevermen-ish bad guy who seems to be doing his darndest to exacerbate the frog-creaure problem, to an explosive finale, Arcudi finally begins to hit some correct scripting notes- but all would be for naught if not for Guy Davis. I can't think of an artist who's doing better work right now than him. I wish he would hook up with Alan Moore on something right now. A
CATWOMAN 48
This was a good read, with Selina interacting with all sorts of characters including (of course) Batman as she attempts to run a scam on the band of supervillains who have invaded her beloved East Side of Gotham, and elegantly illustrated by Pete Woods. And it boasts a sudden finale which involved our heroine getting a plastic 90 degree angle stuck in her forehead. Ouch. But c'mon, Will- nobody thinks for a minute that Selina's gonna actually be dead, and it's kinda offputting that you'd try to make us think so, not to mention all the annoying contrivance you're gonna have to indulge in to keep the licensed property functional. B+
DAREDEVIL 78
Pretty much standard-issue Bendis/Maleev DD, as we revisit all that "Matt Murdock's secret identity outed" jazz yet again. Bendis has written some 50-odd issues of this, and he's never really seemed to be able to move beyond it, admittedly a good idea and well-handled the first time...but geez. Pretty much saved by some lively dialogue between Elektra, the Black Widow, the new White Tiger, and DD as well as an interesting interlude with Foggy Nelson. But even then, Bendis can't resist sticking Iron Fist and Luke Cage in. It may get better, but so far for me this storyline is like eating last night's pizza for supper. Tastes good, but not as good as last night and boy, did I want something besides pizza. B
DEFENDERS 4
Bit of a changeup, as we are given a Star Trek: Mirror Mirror-style premise in which Dormammu has recreated our world with evil opposites of the Marvel superhero community, and sics 'em on Namor and Doc Strange. Lots and lots and lots of talk, as usual, (Giffen & DeMatteis, the letterer's best friend and patron) but also a lot more engaging and enjoyable than last issue, which pointed towards the fizz going out of the pop. And the last page with the Silver Surfer made me laugh out loud. A-
LOVELESS 1
This wasn't terrible, but for some reason I expected more than a rehash of The Outlaw Josey Wales with contemporary comic-book slang- "fucksticks" indeed. And when compared to the hightoned Shakespearean discourse of Deadwood, apples and oranges, I know, but don't think for a minute that this is anything but an attempt to capitalize on the Deadwood-inspired renewed interest in the Western, it's abysmal. This sort of stuff works well in the here-and-now world of 100 Bullets, but not here. Another outstanding art job by Marcelo Frusin, who I miss on Hellblazer, but the coloring is so murky and dank that it was hard to parse sometimes. Still, it's early, and if nothing else Azzarello is a good plotter so I'll hold out hope that it will get better. C+
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES 11
The extended "darkest hour before the dawn" continues, as the apparently defeated Legion continues to struggle against the menace which has killed (or so we're led to believe, anyway) one team member and has stranded the splintered team in several places acorss the galaxy. This wasn't as muddled, narrative-wise, as the last couple of issues have been, and several interesting ideas are presented to good effect. Even Barry Kitson seemed to be alert and awake. Then Waid goes and shoots himself in the foot with a coda that scolds the very fanboys and the collector mentality that 2005 DC seems to be bending over backwards to cater to. Mixed messages, biting feeding hands, et cetera. B
JSA CLASSIFIED 4
God, what a gyp. This is gonna resolve the whole Power Girl origin mess, trust us, they said- and they deliver, sort of, except they don't really because everything's gotta be tied into all the Identity Bullshit. Bah. The saving grace for this whole series was Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti's expressive art. C-
LOSERS 29
Losers, on the other hand, rarely disappoints, and this issue is no exception. Really just a stage setting chapter in the final story arc, but still full of great characterization and dialogue, and the welcome return of Jock to the art chores. A
SILENT DRAGON 4
This, too, is a bit livelier than the last couple of issues, as our hero Reizo consolidates his plans and finds someone who can tell him what's what with his new armored body. Leinil Yu's art is pretty, but for some reason (which I can't quite put my finger on) it absolutely embalms Diggle's scripts, sucks the life right out. B-
SOLO 7
What's puzzling about this is why they had to remove the Adam West Batman from the cover when a pretty good facsimile appears on the back cover and one of the stories inside. Oh well, the replacement illo isn't bad, with Wonder Girl "shaking a pretty mean cape" instead. Yes, it's Mike Allred's turn in the spotlight, and he gives us pretty much what you'd expect- amusing, if slight, takes on DC's Gold-and-Silver Age characters with a plethora of well-known, as well as obscure and forgotten, characters- everyone from Superman and Batman to the Mad Mod and the Fox/Sekowsky Robin of Earth-2. We get an amusing Hourman story, chaotic but likeable 60's Doom Patrol/Teen Titans team-up of sorts, fun New Gods 2-pager...but he darn near squanders whatever good will he's evoked with an overlong and hamfisted plea (actually written by his older brother Lee) which uses a sort of amalgamation of today's and the 60's Batman for a return to the lighthearted and noble DC of yore or at least that of his childhood. Their hearts are in the right place, and I can't say I disagree that there's precious little fun to be had at DC these days to its detriment, but fellas, there's a reason why they stopped making comics like that, and that particular genie won't go back into the bottle no matter how much we might wish it were so. And it's best to lead by example, rather than come across didactic as you do here. I mean jeez- I loved Scooter, the Inferior Five, Metamorpho and Super-Hip as much as anybody who grew up in the '60s, but there's no way in hell that trying to inhabit that long-gone mindset once more on a regular basis is going to save anything or anybody. A-
Don't be surprised if you see a couple of these again...
Thought I'd write some short reviews of books I've received since I submitted Friday's LAST CALL column over at CBG. You see, since I started getting books via DCBS and not from my local comics shop on Wednesday, I've been receiving most of my comics on Friday, too late to add to the column so I have to wait a whole week to review them. I'm thinking it might be a good idea to write about them here, then if needs must expand on these capsules for the column. So here goes nothing. Beware of spoilers.
B.P.R.D.: THE BLACK FLAME 3
Finally, signs of life! After two issues which just seemed off somehow, we get a series of events which bodes well for the remaining two. Beginning with an effectively imagined dream sequence with Liz Sherman, to the striking Nevermen-ish bad guy who seems to be doing his darndest to exacerbate the frog-creaure problem, to an explosive finale, Arcudi finally begins to hit some correct scripting notes- but all would be for naught if not for Guy Davis. I can't think of an artist who's doing better work right now than him. I wish he would hook up with Alan Moore on something right now. A
CATWOMAN 48
This was a good read, with Selina interacting with all sorts of characters including (of course) Batman as she attempts to run a scam on the band of supervillains who have invaded her beloved East Side of Gotham, and elegantly illustrated by Pete Woods. And it boasts a sudden finale which involved our heroine getting a plastic 90 degree angle stuck in her forehead. Ouch. But c'mon, Will- nobody thinks for a minute that Selina's gonna actually be dead, and it's kinda offputting that you'd try to make us think so, not to mention all the annoying contrivance you're gonna have to indulge in to keep the licensed property functional. B+
DAREDEVIL 78
Pretty much standard-issue Bendis/Maleev DD, as we revisit all that "Matt Murdock's secret identity outed" jazz yet again. Bendis has written some 50-odd issues of this, and he's never really seemed to be able to move beyond it, admittedly a good idea and well-handled the first time...but geez. Pretty much saved by some lively dialogue between Elektra, the Black Widow, the new White Tiger, and DD as well as an interesting interlude with Foggy Nelson. But even then, Bendis can't resist sticking Iron Fist and Luke Cage in. It may get better, but so far for me this storyline is like eating last night's pizza for supper. Tastes good, but not as good as last night and boy, did I want something besides pizza. B
DEFENDERS 4
Bit of a changeup, as we are given a Star Trek: Mirror Mirror-style premise in which Dormammu has recreated our world with evil opposites of the Marvel superhero community, and sics 'em on Namor and Doc Strange. Lots and lots and lots of talk, as usual, (Giffen & DeMatteis, the letterer's best friend and patron) but also a lot more engaging and enjoyable than last issue, which pointed towards the fizz going out of the pop. And the last page with the Silver Surfer made me laugh out loud. A-
LOVELESS 1
This wasn't terrible, but for some reason I expected more than a rehash of The Outlaw Josey Wales with contemporary comic-book slang- "fucksticks" indeed. And when compared to the hightoned Shakespearean discourse of Deadwood, apples and oranges, I know, but don't think for a minute that this is anything but an attempt to capitalize on the Deadwood-inspired renewed interest in the Western, it's abysmal. This sort of stuff works well in the here-and-now world of 100 Bullets, but not here. Another outstanding art job by Marcelo Frusin, who I miss on Hellblazer, but the coloring is so murky and dank that it was hard to parse sometimes. Still, it's early, and if nothing else Azzarello is a good plotter so I'll hold out hope that it will get better. C+
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES 11
The extended "darkest hour before the dawn" continues, as the apparently defeated Legion continues to struggle against the menace which has killed (or so we're led to believe, anyway) one team member and has stranded the splintered team in several places acorss the galaxy. This wasn't as muddled, narrative-wise, as the last couple of issues have been, and several interesting ideas are presented to good effect. Even Barry Kitson seemed to be alert and awake. Then Waid goes and shoots himself in the foot with a coda that scolds the very fanboys and the collector mentality that 2005 DC seems to be bending over backwards to cater to. Mixed messages, biting feeding hands, et cetera. B
JSA CLASSIFIED 4
God, what a gyp. This is gonna resolve the whole Power Girl origin mess, trust us, they said- and they deliver, sort of, except they don't really because everything's gotta be tied into all the Identity Bullshit. Bah. The saving grace for this whole series was Amanda Connor and Jimmy Palmiotti's expressive art. C-
LOSERS 29
Losers, on the other hand, rarely disappoints, and this issue is no exception. Really just a stage setting chapter in the final story arc, but still full of great characterization and dialogue, and the welcome return of Jock to the art chores. A
SILENT DRAGON 4
This, too, is a bit livelier than the last couple of issues, as our hero Reizo consolidates his plans and finds someone who can tell him what's what with his new armored body. Leinil Yu's art is pretty, but for some reason (which I can't quite put my finger on) it absolutely embalms Diggle's scripts, sucks the life right out. B-
SOLO 7
What's puzzling about this is why they had to remove the Adam West Batman from the cover when a pretty good facsimile appears on the back cover and one of the stories inside. Oh well, the replacement illo isn't bad, with Wonder Girl "shaking a pretty mean cape" instead. Yes, it's Mike Allred's turn in the spotlight, and he gives us pretty much what you'd expect- amusing, if slight, takes on DC's Gold-and-Silver Age characters with a plethora of well-known, as well as obscure and forgotten, characters- everyone from Superman and Batman to the Mad Mod and the Fox/Sekowsky Robin of Earth-2. We get an amusing Hourman story, chaotic but likeable 60's Doom Patrol/Teen Titans team-up of sorts, fun New Gods 2-pager...but he darn near squanders whatever good will he's evoked with an overlong and hamfisted plea (actually written by his older brother Lee) which uses a sort of amalgamation of today's and the 60's Batman for a return to the lighthearted and noble DC of yore or at least that of his childhood. Their hearts are in the right place, and I can't say I disagree that there's precious little fun to be had at DC these days to its detriment, but fellas, there's a reason why they stopped making comics like that, and that particular genie won't go back into the bottle no matter how much we might wish it were so. And it's best to lead by example, rather than come across didactic as you do here. I mean jeez- I loved Scooter, the Inferior Five, Metamorpho and Super-Hip as much as anybody who grew up in the '60s, but there's no way in hell that trying to inhabit that long-gone mindset once more on a regular basis is going to save anything or anybody. A-
Don't be surprised if you see a couple of these again...
Time once more for the latest installment of the ongoing saga of
JOHNNY B'S 25 FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS!
Number 9:
WAS (NOT WAS): BORN TO LAUGH AT TORNADOES (1983)
Hey, look! Another '80s album! I like the bright colors and the encyclopedia-borrowed graphics, a very attention-getting way of making a connection with the quirky title.
If you haven't heard this one, I strongly recommend seeking out a copy- where else can you find a synth/pop/rock/R&B album with guest vocals by Marshall Crenshaw, Doug Fieger of the Knack, Mitch Ryder, Ozzy freaking Osbourne (kinda/sorta rapping, no less) and Mel Torme? The Bros. Was were David Weiss (Dave Was) and Don Ferguson (Don Was), and they employed a rotating cast of musicians with "Sweet Pea" Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens as the primary lead vocalists. This record came out to almost complete indifference, although it did trouble the lower reaches of the charts, but five years later they resurfaced with What Up, Dog? and the hits "Spy in the House of Love" and "Walk the Dinosaur", and rode high for a while, even releasing a follow-up titled Are You Okay? in 1990, but it stiffed and the Bros. broke up the band thanks to disagreements between the two. Don Was went on to become one of the hottest record producers of the 90's, with huge successes with slickly produced efforts by Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones, as well as working with Brian Wilson and many others.
For my money, though, this was the best thing any of them were ever involved in.
Finally, here's a pic of the Bros. with regular vocalists Sweet Pea and Harry at Detroit's Comerica Stadium!
JOHNNY B'S 25 FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS!
Number 9:
WAS (NOT WAS): BORN TO LAUGH AT TORNADOES (1983)
Hey, look! Another '80s album! I like the bright colors and the encyclopedia-borrowed graphics, a very attention-getting way of making a connection with the quirky title.
If you haven't heard this one, I strongly recommend seeking out a copy- where else can you find a synth/pop/rock/R&B album with guest vocals by Marshall Crenshaw, Doug Fieger of the Knack, Mitch Ryder, Ozzy freaking Osbourne (kinda/sorta rapping, no less) and Mel Torme? The Bros. Was were David Weiss (Dave Was) and Don Ferguson (Don Was), and they employed a rotating cast of musicians with "Sweet Pea" Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens as the primary lead vocalists. This record came out to almost complete indifference, although it did trouble the lower reaches of the charts, but five years later they resurfaced with What Up, Dog? and the hits "Spy in the House of Love" and "Walk the Dinosaur", and rode high for a while, even releasing a follow-up titled Are You Okay? in 1990, but it stiffed and the Bros. broke up the band thanks to disagreements between the two. Don Was went on to become one of the hottest record producers of the 90's, with huge successes with slickly produced efforts by Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones, as well as working with Brian Wilson and many others.
For my money, though, this was the best thing any of them were ever involved in.
Finally, here's a pic of the Bros. with regular vocalists Sweet Pea and Harry at Detroit's Comerica Stadium!
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Time once more for JOHNNY B'S FEARLESS WEEK 8 NFL PROGNOSTICATIONS!
And now, give it up for the standard disclaimer, as performed by Latina singing sensation SHAKIRA!!!
THESE PICKS ARE FOR (his own, and presumably your) AMUSEMENT PURPOSES ONLY! DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE THESE PREDICTIONS AND BET YOUR HARD-EARNED OR SOFT-EARNED MONEY ON THEM, BECAUSE JB DOESN'T KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT THE NFL THAN THE AVERAGE FAN, AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BE INCORRECT QUITE FREQUENTLY! AND YOU DON'T KNOW HIM- HE MIGHT BE CRAZY, OR F*CKING WITH YOU!
Thank you, Shakira.
NY GIANTS over Washington
DALLAS over Arizona
HOUSTON over Cleveland
JACKSONVILLE over St. Louis
CAROLINA over Minnesota
DETROIT over Chicago
CINCINNATI over Green Bay
TENNESSEE over Oakland
NEW ORLEANS over Miami
SAN DIEGO over Kansas City
DENVER over Philadelphia
TAMPA BAY over San Francisco
NEW ENGLAND over Buffalo
PITTSBURGH over Baltimore
Last week: 9-5. Season so far: 62-40, .608.
Fantasy: Cut-Throat money league, lost 37-26. 2-5, dead last in a 4 team division but still only 2 games out of first.
Yahoo freebie league: Won 61-41. 5-1-1, first place in a 12-team league.
And now, give it up for the standard disclaimer, as performed by Latina singing sensation SHAKIRA!!!THESE PICKS ARE FOR (his own, and presumably your) AMUSEMENT PURPOSES ONLY! DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE THESE PREDICTIONS AND BET YOUR HARD-EARNED OR SOFT-EARNED MONEY ON THEM, BECAUSE JB DOESN'T KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT THE NFL THAN THE AVERAGE FAN, AND HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BE INCORRECT QUITE FREQUENTLY! AND YOU DON'T KNOW HIM- HE MIGHT BE CRAZY, OR F*CKING WITH YOU!
Thank you, Shakira.
NY GIANTS over Washington
DALLAS over Arizona
HOUSTON over Cleveland
JACKSONVILLE over St. Louis
CAROLINA over Minnesota
DETROIT over Chicago
CINCINNATI over Green Bay
TENNESSEE over Oakland
NEW ORLEANS over Miami
SAN DIEGO over Kansas City
DENVER over Philadelphia
TAMPA BAY over San Francisco
NEW ENGLAND over Buffalo
PITTSBURGH over Baltimore
Last week: 9-5. Season so far: 62-40, .608.
Fantasy: Cut-Throat money league, lost 37-26. 2-5, dead last in a 4 team division but still only 2 games out of first.
Yahoo freebie league: Won 61-41. 5-1-1, first place in a 12-team league.
Friday, October 28, 2005
New LAST CALL is up over at CBG! In it, I make a lot of typos and take a look at Oni's OFF ROAD GN, SCOTT PILGRIM VERSUS THE WORLD VOL.2, SEVEN SOLDIERS: KLARION 4, THE SURROGATES 2, STRANGE GIRL 4, and JOHN CONSTANTINE: HELLBLAZER 213.
Hopefully I can get the mistakes corrected, but don't let that stop you from reading it anyway. And by all means, comment, either here or on the CBG forum!
Hopefully I can get the mistakes corrected, but don't let that stop you from reading it anyway. And by all means, comment, either here or on the CBG forum!
Thursday, October 27, 2005
SOX WIN! SOX WIN!!
This one's for you, Shoeless Joe Jackson!
And Buck Weaver...
And Bill Veeck...
Britt Burns...
...and all these guys!
Crossposted from the LJ, by the way.
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
My blog is worth $54,195.84.
How much is your blog worth?
From the Good to Know Department. Now how do I cash it in?
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
RIP Rosa Parks.Sister Rosa Parks was tired one day
after a hard day on her job.
When all she wanted was a well deserved rest
Not a scene from an angry mob.
A bus driver said, "Lady, you got to get up
cuz a white person wants that seat."
But Miss Rosa said, "No, not no more.
I'm gonna sit here and rest my feet."
Chorus
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark,
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks.
Thank you Miss Rosa you are the spark,
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks.
Now, the police came without fail
And took Sister Rosa off to jail.
And 14 dollars was her fine,
Brother Martin Luther King
knew it was our time.
The people of Montgomery sit down to talk
It was decided all God's children should walk
Until segregation was brought to its knees
And we obtain freedom and equality, yeah
Chorus
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark,
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks.
We'll sing it again
Thank you Miss Rosa, you are the spark,
You started our freedom movement
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks.
So we dedicate this song to thee
for being the symbol of our dignity.
Thank you Sister Rosa Parks.
Chorus 2x
Sister Rosa Parks
by The Neville Brothers
D. Johnson, C. Moore, C. Neville, C. Neville, Jr., J. Neville
L. Neville Irving Music, Inc. obo Neville Music, Inc.
Johnson Music; Wm. Claffey & Associates
(p) 1989 A&M Records
Courtesy of A&M Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Monday, October 24, 2005
I know, you think I've forgotten about it...but not so! Here's...
JOHNNY B'S 25 FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS, NUMBER 8
SALLY CAN'T DANCE-LOU REED (1974, RCA)
This, kids, was the first Lou Reed album I ever owned. Yeah, I could try and be all cool and tell you that I was into the Velvets in the late '60s (when I was 9, in Kentucky, yeah right) or picked up Transformer at age 12...but no. I had, however, started reading CREEM magazine in 1973, and believe you me, Uncle Lou got namechecked every single fricking issue. So when I spied this sitting on the record rack at the town drug store, and was immediately smitten with the vivid colors and vaguely disreputable look of the cover, I had to have it, especially after reading a Circus magazine review which made it sound even more intriguing. Another example of my tendency to get sucked in by cover graphics, and forming an immediate bond with the musician represented. I loved the (I'm assuming) color-pencil illos of Reed, at the height of his bleach-blond phase, and his then-significant other along with the typography, a mix of the fonts Souvenir (same as CREEM used!) and Windsor. Why the artist chose to hand-letter Lou's name at top is a mystery. But this was one striking cover, at least to 14-year-old me.
This was kind of an odd album for Lou- RCA was putting some pressure on him to follow up the successful live album Rock 'n' Roll Animal, which had the label thinking he was about to hit the big time after the huge flop of 1972's Berlin, an ambitious, but depressing and often turgid song cycle. So naturally Lou couldn't be arsed, and reportedly spent most of his time drugged and drunk, contributing songs and his typical singspeak vocals while producer and former Blood, Sweat and Tears guitarist Steven Katz did everything else, and it turned out to be a different, more R&B/soul sound than Reed had used with the VU and with Bowie and Bob Ezrin, described by Robert Christgau as a "grotesque hodgepodge of soul horns, flash guitar, deadpan songspeech, and indifferent rhymes". Reed never really acted like he cared much for the record at all, because he had participated so little in its making, but there are several first-rate cuts on it, and he reunited with John Cale's VU replacement Doug Yule on one of the best cuts, a longish acoustic guitar/sax/bass rumination called "Billy". In fact, this remains the highest-charting album of his career to date, actually denting the top 10, which is no doubt why it was placed by the rack-jobber on my local drugstore's record rack for me to purchase, and to make a Lou Reed fan of me for life.
Instant karma, baby.
JOHNNY B'S 25 FAVORITE ALBUM COVERS, NUMBER 8
SALLY CAN'T DANCE-LOU REED (1974, RCA)
This, kids, was the first Lou Reed album I ever owned. Yeah, I could try and be all cool and tell you that I was into the Velvets in the late '60s (when I was 9, in Kentucky, yeah right) or picked up Transformer at age 12...but no. I had, however, started reading CREEM magazine in 1973, and believe you me, Uncle Lou got namechecked every single fricking issue. So when I spied this sitting on the record rack at the town drug store, and was immediately smitten with the vivid colors and vaguely disreputable look of the cover, I had to have it, especially after reading a Circus magazine review which made it sound even more intriguing. Another example of my tendency to get sucked in by cover graphics, and forming an immediate bond with the musician represented. I loved the (I'm assuming) color-pencil illos of Reed, at the height of his bleach-blond phase, and his then-significant other along with the typography, a mix of the fonts Souvenir (same as CREEM used!) and Windsor. Why the artist chose to hand-letter Lou's name at top is a mystery. But this was one striking cover, at least to 14-year-old me.
This was kind of an odd album for Lou- RCA was putting some pressure on him to follow up the successful live album Rock 'n' Roll Animal, which had the label thinking he was about to hit the big time after the huge flop of 1972's Berlin, an ambitious, but depressing and often turgid song cycle. So naturally Lou couldn't be arsed, and reportedly spent most of his time drugged and drunk, contributing songs and his typical singspeak vocals while producer and former Blood, Sweat and Tears guitarist Steven Katz did everything else, and it turned out to be a different, more R&B/soul sound than Reed had used with the VU and with Bowie and Bob Ezrin, described by Robert Christgau as a "grotesque hodgepodge of soul horns, flash guitar, deadpan songspeech, and indifferent rhymes". Reed never really acted like he cared much for the record at all, because he had participated so little in its making, but there are several first-rate cuts on it, and he reunited with John Cale's VU replacement Doug Yule on one of the best cuts, a longish acoustic guitar/sax/bass rumination called "Billy". In fact, this remains the highest-charting album of his career to date, actually denting the top 10, which is no doubt why it was placed by the rack-jobber on my local drugstore's record rack for me to purchase, and to make a Lou Reed fan of me for life.
Instant karma, baby.
Time once more to delve into the new Diamond shipping list and viddy what I'll be getting before this time next week. ** signifies that I should get them via DCBS, whom I've been very pleased with so far, sometimes getting my new books on Friday afternoon! Too late to review in Last Call, but better than waiting till Monday! OK, here goes:
**BPRD THE BLACK FLAME #3
**CATWOMAN #48
**JSA CLASSIFIED #4
**LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #11
**LOSERS #29
**LOVELESS #1
**SILENT DRAGON #4
**SOLO #7
STRANGE GIRL #4
**DAREDEVIL #78
**DEFENDERS #4
Whew! Some haul, huh!
Also, I 'll keep an eye out for SUPERF*CKERS #2, which I didn't pre-order because I thought I might get a review copy from Top Shelf, like I did #1. So far, that hasn't been the case, so I can safely assume that I won't.
MIA: THE EXPATRIATE #3.
Other noteworthies coming out this week but most likely unbought by me are
MAD NIGHT FEATURING JUDY DROOD, GIRL DETECTIVE TP which is the collected "Reflections in a Glass Scorpion" story by Richard Sala from Evil Eye, which I've been buying in single format so I'm not especially moved to pick it up. It meanders and rambles, but it's typical fun/creepy Sala stuff, and if you like his work, you'll like this. I really need to score a copy of PECULIA AND THE GROON GROVE VAMPIRES one of these days. Speaking of Sala, I bought a set of his Halloween greeting cards Saturday.
PARIS #1 is scripted by Andi Watson, with bizarre, fluid art by Simon Gane. I was going to pick this up in singles, but i think I'll wait on the trade instead, same as with Watson's LITTLE STAR, the penultimate issue (#5) of which comes out this week as well.
And that's that!
**BPRD THE BLACK FLAME #3
**CATWOMAN #48
**JSA CLASSIFIED #4
**LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #11
**LOSERS #29
**LOVELESS #1
**SILENT DRAGON #4
**SOLO #7
STRANGE GIRL #4
**DAREDEVIL #78
**DEFENDERS #4
Whew! Some haul, huh!
Also, I 'll keep an eye out for SUPERF*CKERS #2, which I didn't pre-order because I thought I might get a review copy from Top Shelf, like I did #1. So far, that hasn't been the case, so I can safely assume that I won't.
MIA: THE EXPATRIATE #3.
Other noteworthies coming out this week but most likely unbought by me are
MAD NIGHT FEATURING JUDY DROOD, GIRL DETECTIVE TP which is the collected "Reflections in a Glass Scorpion" story by Richard Sala from Evil Eye, which I've been buying in single format so I'm not especially moved to pick it up. It meanders and rambles, but it's typical fun/creepy Sala stuff, and if you like his work, you'll like this. I really need to score a copy of PECULIA AND THE GROON GROVE VAMPIRES one of these days. Speaking of Sala, I bought a set of his Halloween greeting cards Saturday.
PARIS #1 is scripted by Andi Watson, with bizarre, fluid art by Simon Gane. I was going to pick this up in singles, but i think I'll wait on the trade instead, same as with Watson's LITTLE STAR, the penultimate issue (#5) of which comes out this week as well.
And that's that!
Well, with this, I started the ball rolling three years ago today, and hopefully it has a ways to roll before it's done.
In plain English, today is my third blogaversary. Huzzah!
I didn't really have time to come up with a snazzy graphic, hope you'll forgive.
I didn't really know what to expect when I started this thing, only that it might be interesting and kinda fun. Cue the voice of Walter Parks Thatcher in Citizen Kane: "I think it would be fun to run a newspaper." Anyway, I've made a lot of friends, garnered a tiny bit of attention, and learned a lot in the process, and I thank each and every one of you who deigns to take some time out of your busy lives to read what I've posted, from the Google searchers looking for Kim Possible porn to the comics professionals and publishers who link to the reviews I write. And in turn, as always, all I can do is promise that I will always strive not to suck.
OK, that's all, back to your regularly scheduled lives.
In plain English, today is my third blogaversary. Huzzah!
I didn't really have time to come up with a snazzy graphic, hope you'll forgive.
I didn't really know what to expect when I started this thing, only that it might be interesting and kinda fun. Cue the voice of Walter Parks Thatcher in Citizen Kane: "I think it would be fun to run a newspaper." Anyway, I've made a lot of friends, garnered a tiny bit of attention, and learned a lot in the process, and I thank each and every one of you who deigns to take some time out of your busy lives to read what I've posted, from the Google searchers looking for Kim Possible porn to the comics professionals and publishers who link to the reviews I write. And in turn, as always, all I can do is promise that I will always strive not to suck.
OK, that's all, back to your regularly scheduled lives.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Y'know, the fact that Joaquin Phoenix only slightly resembles Johnny Cash more than costar Reese Witherspoon does isn't exactly causing me to shiver in antici....pation over the upcoming Cash biopic Walk The Line...but this is one hella-sweet piece of poster artwork. I'd hang this on my wall in a heartbeat.
Right, then.
JOHNNY B'S FEARLESS NFL PIGSKIN PICKS, PART TWO!
ARIZONA over Tennessee
CINCINNATI over Pittsburgh
CLEVELAND over Detroit
INDIANAPOLIS over Houston (if you bet, though, take the Texans and the points)
GREEN BAY over Minnesota
PHILADELPHIA over San Diego
NEW ORLEANS over St. Louis
WASHINGTON over San Francisco
SEATTLE over Dallas
NY GIANTS over Denver
BUFFALO over Oakland
CHICAGO over Baltimore
ATLANTA over NY Jets
Very, very difficult slate of games to pick- half of these could go either way. But after last night I'm 1-0, so I won't go 0-14...
Oh and lest I forget, WHITE SOX in 7. Go Sox!
JOHNNY B'S FEARLESS NFL PIGSKIN PICKS, PART TWO!
ARIZONA over Tennessee
CINCINNATI over Pittsburgh
CLEVELAND over Detroit
INDIANAPOLIS over Houston (if you bet, though, take the Texans and the points)
GREEN BAY over Minnesota
PHILADELPHIA over San Diego
NEW ORLEANS over St. Louis
WASHINGTON over San Francisco
SEATTLE over Dallas
NY GIANTS over Denver
BUFFALO over Oakland
CHICAGO over Baltimore
ATLANTA over NY Jets
Very, very difficult slate of games to pick- half of these could go either way. But after last night I'm 1-0, so I won't go 0-14...
Oh and lest I forget, WHITE SOX in 7. Go Sox!
The Hero of Canton.
Now HERE'S an online resource for ya...a Firefly website with screencaps of every episode!
Friday, October 21, 2005
The cover art for the new KATE BUSH album, Aerial, which is due out in the US on 8 November. I thought I'd keep the authentic British flavor of the announcement, hence the date before the month. Anyway, by clicking on Kate's name in the previous sentence, it will take you to katebush.com, where you can hear an excerpt from the first single "King of the Mountain", and even see the video unless you're like me and are forced to make do with the prehistoric Mac OS9 and its outdated Flash plugin. What I could hear of the single sounds OK; it kinda crashes and bashes along and at least has a melody that you can remember after you've heard it once or twice, unlike about 75% of her last album, The Red Shoes, which kinda dampened, hell, threw a bucket of ice water on the burning coals of my enthusiasm for her music. I will remain guardedly optimistic.
Click on the pic below for another Kate news site, with some snazzy retro animation on the front page which makes you think it's going to be a Bill Nelson video...
Oh yeah- new LAST CALL over at Comic Book Galaxy. In it, I impose my opinions upon you in regards to ARMEGEDDON & SON, GIANT MONSTER 1, 100 BULLETS 65, FABLES 42, TOP 10: BEYOND THE FARTHEST PRECINCT 3 (I accidentally bought two copies of this one, darn it), BANANA SUNDAY 3, F.PAUL WILSON'S THE KEEP 1, SHAOLIN COWBOY 4, JACK STAFF 9, and ASTRO CITY: THE DARK AGE 4.
I've also opened the floor for questions and comments for me to answer, which shall become future column fodder. Please send as many as you like, but keep 'em comics related, 'mkay?
Also, Chris Allen at Large has a new Breakdowns column up over there, and that's ALWAYS worth checking out.
I've also opened the floor for questions and comments for me to answer, which shall become future column fodder. Please send as many as you like, but keep 'em comics related, 'mkay?
Also, Chris Allen at Large has a new Breakdowns column up over there, and that's ALWAYS worth checking out.
OK, thanks to Hurricane Wilma (does anybody else hear Fred Flinstone's voice on the end credits of the old cartoon shouting "WILLLLMAAAAA!!"?) there's gonna be an NFL game tonight, and since I decided to move my FEARLESS NFL PROGNOSTICATIONS back over here at the main site, I guess I should go ahead and pick a winner.
But first, the disclaimer.
THESE PICKS ARE FOR (my own, and presumably your) AMUSEMENT PURPOSES ONLY! DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT TAKE THESE PREDICTIONS AND BET YOUR HARD-EARNED OR SOFT-EARNED MONEY ON THEM, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT THE NFL THAN THE AVERAGE FAN, AND I HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO BE INCORRECT QUITE FREQUENTLY! AND YOU DON'T KNOW ME- I MIGHT BE CRAZY, OR FUCKING WITH YOU!
So, without any further ado:
KANSAS CITY over Miami.
Record last week: a scintillating 11-3! Guess being back at the Show agrees with my chimerical luck. Season to date: 53-35, .602.
Fantasy: Money league, lost 42-30, I'm 2-4 and last in a 4-team division. Freebie league, won 72-66 and moved into 1st in a 12-team league with a 4-1-1 record. Injuries are killing me in that league, though- I've got Randy Moss and Julius Jones both on the bench and not much to replace them.
I'll do the rest tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
DC, Marvel, and Image have all released their January solicits, so like any semi-comics blogger worth his salt, I shall wade into the fray and bring out the covers and info-packets that are of some interest to me, along with comments various and sundry. Click on the little-bitty covers to make 'em all big for your perusal.
DC first, just because.
Hey look! I'm starting off with a Superman title! Actually, this nice Kalman Andrasofszky heralds the introduction of the Superman: The Animated Series baddie Live Wire (voiced by the Tank Girl, Lori Petty). I won't be buying, but I always liked that character. This is from ACTION COMICS #835.
Another book I won't be buying is DETECTIVE COMICS #815, although it is the first in a run of stories illo'd by Cliff Chiang, whose work has steadily grown on me over the last couple of years.
CATWOMAN #51 features another striking Adam Hughes cover, but unfortunately the interiors will be tied in with the ongoing Identity Whatnot. Still, I trust Pfiefer and Woods to give me something I can read and still respect myself in the morning. Really.
Same goes for GOTHAM CENTRAL #39. I hope that the Jim Corrigan thing is as close to all that stuff as we get.
If you've ever wanted to see Walt Simonson channeling Mike Kaluta, well, look no further than this cover to DAY OF VENGEANCE: INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL. You'd think if I was going to stick my toe in the foetid Infinite waters, it would be with this series...but despite my affection for all of DC's supernatural roster, I passed. I might be tempted to pick up a collection one of these days...
As I keep saying, James Jean rules the school. From GREEN ARROW #58. Love the raining arrows and cherry blossom branches, which make no sense to the reader, like myself, who doesn't know what's going on in the title, but are very interesting design elements.
DC UNIVERSE: THE STORIES OF ALAN MOORE TP should be some fine readin'. I've read and owned several of these, still do some of 'em, but there are a few that even I haven't read. However, even with the DCBS discount, it's a bit too rich for my blood. Maybe someday. Snazzy Brian Bolland cover, huh!
Bat Lash returns in JONAH HEX #3; while I'll always love the character as he appeared in those eight 1960's issues by Sergio Aragones, Denny O'Neil and Nick Cardy, almost every revival attempt and guest appearance has been flat and bland. Guess it's just too much to expect writers today to channel that James Garner-Maverick vibe...still, hope springs eternal, and I'll be getting this comic for at least six issues.
It's Atom Girl, aka Shrinking Violet, on the cover of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #14. She also has a torso like a tree trunk. Did Mike Mignola lay this out, or is this yet another example of Kitson's inconsistency? Methinks the latter.
Nice Doug Mahnke cover for SEVEN SOLDIERS: FRANKENSTEIN #2, featuring my old buddy Spawny, all reimagined for these dark and gloomy times.
Fans of old DC war comics are surely salivating over SGT. ROCK: THE PROPHECY #1, as it features the whole Kubert clan, mostly Dad Joe, on art. Me, I've always been lukewarm about them, even the ones drawn by personal art heroes Jerry Grandenetti and Russ Heath, so I think I'll pass. Can't buy everything!
Ladies and germs, I give you the final issue of the title voted most likely to defy all expectations of longevity, PLASTIC MAN #20. I flirted with this title a while ago, but after an admittedly clever issue or two, mostly involving Kyle Baker having some fun with DC's superhero community, I got tired of the slapdash art and recycled Tom & Jerry plots, and bailed. Judging by this cover and its hurried-convention-sketch look, nothing much changed.
Here's Michael Golden imitating Jason Pearson imitating Baker on the cover of VIGILANTE #5. Aw, I know that it's probably more like Pearson's style is very similar (influenced by, in other words) to Golden's these days, but I can't help but think back on how his style has changed since I was first blown away by it in the pages of Batman Family back in the 70's. I still think that Golden drew the best version of the Demon waaay back then, and no one's topped it since.
Hel-lo, Nurse! I turned my back, no pun intended, on the smirky, sophomoric, FHM magazine-level spy hijinx of Danger Girl a long time ago, and I won't be buying the comeback mini DANGER GIRL: BACK IN BLACK, but this cover image for issue #3 certainly appeals to my love of cheesecake pinup art.
Rumor has it that PLANETARY #24 will be coming out this month, however, this has yet to be officially confirmed. Most in the know say to wait until January and see.
Aw, man. This is the last issue of THE LOSERS, #32. Hope it goes out as well as it came in.
TESTAMENT #2 is on the list; I haven't had an opportunity to write about it yet, but I was kinda impressed with the preview which appeared in the latest issue of Fables, so I'll be picking this up for a while, it appears.
And that's it for DC. Now, Marvel. Four books have piqued my interest:
Looks like Milligan and Allred are being given another shot with their smarter-than-the-norm take on Marvel's X-population with X-STATIX PRESENTS: DEAD GIRL #1 (of 5). I bought X-Statix for a good long time, but there was just a perceived-by-me disconnect between Milligan's scripts and Allred's art that made the books dull and static (as opposed to "statix", I suppose) more often as not, so I bailed long before the Princess Di flap. This looks fun, with lotsa dead superheroes coming back as zombies or something, but it will be a game time decision in regards to whether I'll buy.
DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON #1 (of 6) gives us a long-overdue spotlight on two supporting characters that used to appear in Claremont and Byrne's 70's issues of Iron Fist, back before they became major annoyances. Claremont and Byrne, that is, not DotD's Colleen Wing and Misty Knight. I don't know what, if anything, has been done with them since then (I know they had some 70's kung-fu magazine backups and appeared in Power Man/Iron Fist) but this triggers the nostalgic response in my head so I'll be buying.
NEXTWAVE #1 (of 12) looks like it could be fun, and I like the samples I've seen so far. "Fun" isn't natural to Ellis, though, so I could be disappointed but I'll sample it anyway.
MARVEL VISIONARIES: ROY THOMAS HC: In the 60's, I really loved Roy Thomas' scripting. His character's patter was snappy, he knew how to give a tense situation the proper amount of desperation and edge, and he threw in all kinds of cool pop culture references of the day that even I, as a somewhat more-than-the-norm-perceptive preteen, recognized. Thomas, unfortunately, got lazy writing Conan for about 50 years, lost his mojo, and lapsed into overwrought, needlessly convoluted nostalgia-pandering...and on top of that, the very same snappy patter and hipster vibe that was fresh when Thomas did it in 1966-1969 inspired the worst excesses of a host of writers that followed in his wake and gave us over two decades' worth of cringe. In my opinion. Anyway, this is a hardcover collection of some of the Rascally One's good stuff, and although I wish there was more of his Neal Adams collaborations on X-Men, my favorite of all his work then, there's plenty of good readin' here nonetheless. The one X-Men story represented here is inexplicably the Don Heck/Tom Palmer illo'd origin of Sunfire, and while I kinda liked the character, the art just didn't cut it. The Avengers stories contained here are top-notch, with the origin of the Vision and the Barry Smith-drawn #100, which featured every character that (at the time) had ever been an Avenger.
Now, last but not least, IMAGE:
Probably the most noteworthy release is, to me, Jason Pearson's return to all-new Body Bags adventures in the BODY BAGS: ONE SHOT, er, one-shot. BB was bloody and excessive, but it was bloody well-drawn and often amusing, and I liked it.
GØDLAND, VOL. 1: HELLO, COSMIC! TP collects the series of which I've read the first issue, because I got it free, and liked it but not enough to buy it with my own dime. I figured it would be collected soon enough, and by golly, I was right! It's a fun and skillfully done Post-DC 70's Kirby pastiche. GØDLAND #7 will also come out in the same month, enabling slackers like me to get caught up fast if we so desire.
I'm wondering if the FLAMING CARROT SPECIAL is the fumetti which Bob Burden mentioned last issue. Oh well, I'll most likely pick it up regardless- I love me some Carrot.
In the text of the solicit for MICHAEL GOLDEN?S MONSTERS PORTFOLIO they describe him as "The elusive artist...", which evokes images of the Image guys dressed in pith helmets and jungle gear, stalking Golden with tranquilizer darts.
Arthur Suydam has had his moments in the past, and he's a fine artist overall, but his ORIGINAL ADVENTURES OF CHOLLY & FLYTRAP always struck me as poor man's Vaughn Bode. I'll leave the final decision up to you.
THE ATHEIST #4: Atheist seems to be coming out under the Planetary release system. Just saying.
EXPATRIATE #6 is solicited; I haven't seen #3 yet.
FELL #5: I've been wracking my brain to come up with a clever song tie-in to this book's title, but all can think of are "If I Fell" and "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"...and those don't work. Oh well, I'm still gonna get this anyway.
And that's all I got! Thanks for sticking with me till the end!
DC first, just because.
Hey look! I'm starting off with a Superman title! Actually, this nice Kalman Andrasofszky heralds the introduction of the Superman: The Animated Series baddie Live Wire (voiced by the Tank Girl, Lori Petty). I won't be buying, but I always liked that character. This is from ACTION COMICS #835.
Another book I won't be buying is DETECTIVE COMICS #815, although it is the first in a run of stories illo'd by Cliff Chiang, whose work has steadily grown on me over the last couple of years. 
CATWOMAN #51 features another striking Adam Hughes cover, but unfortunately the interiors will be tied in with the ongoing Identity Whatnot. Still, I trust Pfiefer and Woods to give me something I can read and still respect myself in the morning. Really.Same goes for GOTHAM CENTRAL #39. I hope that the Jim Corrigan thing is as close to all that stuff as we get.
If you've ever wanted to see Walt Simonson channeling Mike Kaluta, well, look no further than this cover to DAY OF VENGEANCE: INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL. You'd think if I was going to stick my toe in the foetid Infinite waters, it would be with this series...but despite my affection for all of DC's supernatural roster, I passed. I might be tempted to pick up a collection one of these days...
As I keep saying, James Jean rules the school. From GREEN ARROW #58. Love the raining arrows and cherry blossom branches, which make no sense to the reader, like myself, who doesn't know what's going on in the title, but are very interesting design elements.
DC UNIVERSE: THE STORIES OF ALAN MOORE TP should be some fine readin'. I've read and owned several of these, still do some of 'em, but there are a few that even I haven't read. However, even with the DCBS discount, it's a bit too rich for my blood. Maybe someday. Snazzy Brian Bolland cover, huh!Bat Lash returns in JONAH HEX #3; while I'll always love the character as he appeared in those eight 1960's issues by Sergio Aragones, Denny O'Neil and Nick Cardy, almost every revival attempt and guest appearance has been flat and bland. Guess it's just too much to expect writers today to channel that James Garner-Maverick vibe...still, hope springs eternal, and I'll be getting this comic for at least six issues.
It's Atom Girl, aka Shrinking Violet, on the cover of LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #14. She also has a torso like a tree trunk. Did Mike Mignola lay this out, or is this yet another example of Kitson's inconsistency? Methinks the latter.
Nice Doug Mahnke cover for SEVEN SOLDIERS: FRANKENSTEIN #2, featuring my old buddy Spawny, all reimagined for these dark and gloomy times.Fans of old DC war comics are surely salivating over SGT. ROCK: THE PROPHECY #1, as it features the whole Kubert clan, mostly Dad Joe, on art. Me, I've always been lukewarm about them, even the ones drawn by personal art heroes Jerry Grandenetti and Russ Heath, so I think I'll pass. Can't buy everything!
Ladies and germs, I give you the final issue of the title voted most likely to defy all expectations of longevity, PLASTIC MAN #20. I flirted with this title a while ago, but after an admittedly clever issue or two, mostly involving Kyle Baker having some fun with DC's superhero community, I got tired of the slapdash art and recycled Tom & Jerry plots, and bailed. Judging by this cover and its hurried-convention-sketch look, nothing much changed. 
Here's Michael Golden imitating Jason Pearson imitating Baker on the cover of VIGILANTE #5. Aw, I know that it's probably more like Pearson's style is very similar (influenced by, in other words) to Golden's these days, but I can't help but think back on how his style has changed since I was first blown away by it in the pages of Batman Family back in the 70's. I still think that Golden drew the best version of the Demon waaay back then, and no one's topped it since.
Hel-lo, Nurse! I turned my back, no pun intended, on the smirky, sophomoric, FHM magazine-level spy hijinx of Danger Girl a long time ago, and I won't be buying the comeback mini DANGER GIRL: BACK IN BLACK, but this cover image for issue #3 certainly appeals to my love of cheesecake pinup art. Rumor has it that PLANETARY #24 will be coming out this month, however, this has yet to be officially confirmed. Most in the know say to wait until January and see.
Aw, man. This is the last issue of THE LOSERS, #32. Hope it goes out as well as it came in.TESTAMENT #2 is on the list; I haven't had an opportunity to write about it yet, but I was kinda impressed with the preview which appeared in the latest issue of Fables, so I'll be picking this up for a while, it appears.
And that's it for DC. Now, Marvel. Four books have piqued my interest:
Looks like Milligan and Allred are being given another shot with their smarter-than-the-norm take on Marvel's X-population with X-STATIX PRESENTS: DEAD GIRL #1 (of 5). I bought X-Statix for a good long time, but there was just a perceived-by-me disconnect between Milligan's scripts and Allred's art that made the books dull and static (as opposed to "statix", I suppose) more often as not, so I bailed long before the Princess Di flap. This looks fun, with lotsa dead superheroes coming back as zombies or something, but it will be a game time decision in regards to whether I'll buy.
DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON #1 (of 6) gives us a long-overdue spotlight on two supporting characters that used to appear in Claremont and Byrne's 70's issues of Iron Fist, back before they became major annoyances. Claremont and Byrne, that is, not DotD's Colleen Wing and Misty Knight. I don't know what, if anything, has been done with them since then (I know they had some 70's kung-fu magazine backups and appeared in Power Man/Iron Fist) but this triggers the nostalgic response in my head so I'll be buying.
NEXTWAVE #1 (of 12) looks like it could be fun, and I like the samples I've seen so far. "Fun" isn't natural to Ellis, though, so I could be disappointed but I'll sample it anyway.
MARVEL VISIONARIES: ROY THOMAS HC: In the 60's, I really loved Roy Thomas' scripting. His character's patter was snappy, he knew how to give a tense situation the proper amount of desperation and edge, and he threw in all kinds of cool pop culture references of the day that even I, as a somewhat more-than-the-norm-perceptive preteen, recognized. Thomas, unfortunately, got lazy writing Conan for about 50 years, lost his mojo, and lapsed into overwrought, needlessly convoluted nostalgia-pandering...and on top of that, the very same snappy patter and hipster vibe that was fresh when Thomas did it in 1966-1969 inspired the worst excesses of a host of writers that followed in his wake and gave us over two decades' worth of cringe. In my opinion. Anyway, this is a hardcover collection of some of the Rascally One's good stuff, and although I wish there was more of his Neal Adams collaborations on X-Men, my favorite of all his work then, there's plenty of good readin' here nonetheless. The one X-Men story represented here is inexplicably the Don Heck/Tom Palmer illo'd origin of Sunfire, and while I kinda liked the character, the art just didn't cut it. The Avengers stories contained here are top-notch, with the origin of the Vision and the Barry Smith-drawn #100, which featured every character that (at the time) had ever been an Avenger. Now, last but not least, IMAGE:
Probably the most noteworthy release is, to me, Jason Pearson's return to all-new Body Bags adventures in the BODY BAGS: ONE SHOT, er, one-shot. BB was bloody and excessive, but it was bloody well-drawn and often amusing, and I liked it. 
GØDLAND, VOL. 1: HELLO, COSMIC! TP collects the series of which I've read the first issue, because I got it free, and liked it but not enough to buy it with my own dime. I figured it would be collected soon enough, and by golly, I was right! It's a fun and skillfully done Post-DC 70's Kirby pastiche. GØDLAND #7 will also come out in the same month, enabling slackers like me to get caught up fast if we so desire.I'm wondering if the FLAMING CARROT SPECIAL is the fumetti which Bob Burden mentioned last issue. Oh well, I'll most likely pick it up regardless- I love me some Carrot.
In the text of the solicit for MICHAEL GOLDEN?S MONSTERS PORTFOLIO they describe him as "The elusive artist...", which evokes images of the Image guys dressed in pith helmets and jungle gear, stalking Golden with tranquilizer darts.
Arthur Suydam has had his moments in the past, and he's a fine artist overall, but his ORIGINAL ADVENTURES OF CHOLLY & FLYTRAP always struck me as poor man's Vaughn Bode. I'll leave the final decision up to you.
THE ATHEIST #4: Atheist seems to be coming out under the Planetary release system. Just saying.
EXPATRIATE #6 is solicited; I haven't seen #3 yet.
FELL #5: I've been wracking my brain to come up with a clever song tie-in to this book's title, but all can think of are "If I Fell" and "Fooled Around and Fell in Love"...and those don't work. Oh well, I'm still gonna get this anyway.
And that's all I got! Thanks for sticking with me till the end!
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
From Publishers Weekly comes some interesting news- Fantagraphics, of all people, will be reprinting Linda Medley's Castle Waiting, a fantasy series that I bought regularly when Medley was publishing it with Olio books, but bailed about three issues in after she started releasing it through Jeff Smith's Cartoon Books imprint. Why I did this escapes me now- perhaps I was just tired of fantasy stuff, no matter how cleverly it's imagined and illustrated, and that's what this one certainly was. I got hooked after reading the short story that appeared in one of those Trilogy Tour one-shot annuals released by Sirius, I believe. Something about snickerdoodles, you know, cookies- a twee touch which is usually cringeworthy but she deftly worked the conceit into an excellent discourse about religion and faith, and grabbed me hard. I'm wishing now I'd stayed the course. But now, unless I misread, here's my chance to catch up without buying a bunch of singles as Fantagraphics will release a collected edition, including a final unpublished chapter, and will then proceed to publish the ongoing series.
BSBdG's go out today to the great CHUCK BERRY, 79 years young today. The thing that impresses me the most about Berry's classic music is not his rascally stage presence with its duckwalk, not the chunka-chunka rhythm that he popularized, and not the incalculable influence it has had on luminaries like the Beatles, especially John Lennon, and Keith Richards...it's the lyrics. He was writing cheeky, cleverly crafted words at a time when many of his peers were barely beyond moon and June. To wit:Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Arrested on charges of unemployment,
he was sitting in the witness stand
The judge's wife called up the district attorney
Said you free that brown eyed man
You want your job you better free that brown eyed man
Flying across the desert in a TWA,
I saw a woman walking across the sand
She been a walkin' thirty miles en route to Bombay
To get a brown eyed handsome man
Her destination was a brown eyed handsome man
Way back in history three thousand years
In fact every since the world began
There's been a whole lot of good women sheddin' tears
For a brown eyed handsome man
It's a lot of trouble was brown eyed handsome man
Beautiful daughter couldn't make up her mind
Between a doctor and a lawyer man
Her mother told her darlin' go out and find yourself
A brown eyed handsome man
Just like your daddy, he's a brown eyed handsome man
Milo Venus was a beautiful lass
She had the world in the palm of her hand
But she lost both her arms in a wrestling match
To get brown eyed handsome man
She fought and won herself a brown eyed handsome man
Two, three count with nobody on
He hit a high fly into the stand
Rounding third he was headed for home
It was a brown eyed handsome man
That won the game; it was a brown eyed handsome man
and
You Never Can Tell
It was a teenage wedding,
and the old folks wished them well
You could see that Pierre
did truly love the mademoiselle
And now the young monsieur
and madame have rung the chapel bell,
"C'est la vie", say the old folks,
it goes to show you never can tell
They furnished off an apartment
with a two room Roebuck sale
The coolerator was crammed
with TV dinners and ginger ale,
But when Pierre found work,
the little money comin' worked out well
"C'est la vie", say the old folks,
it goes to show you never can tell
They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast
Seven hundred little records,
all rock, rhythm and jazz
But when the sun went down,
the rapid tempo of the music fell
"C'est la vie", say the old folks,
it goes to show you never can tell
They bought a souped-up jitney,
'twas a cherry red '53,
They drove it down New Orleans
to celebrate their anniversary
It was there that Pierre was married
to the lovely mademoiselle
"C'est la vie", say the old folks,
it goes to show you never can tell
Sure, Johnnie Johnson shaped the melodies and the accompaniment, but it took Berry's verve to make it special.
Essential listening: The Great Twenty-Eight.
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