Monday, May 31, 2004

Jack's back!

Well....his name's not really Jack, but Alan David Doane is back in action over at the newly relaunched Comic Book Galaxy, and I for one couldn't be happier. Let's hope this lasts awhile folks, as the internet is a much sadder place without him! Welcome back ADD, we've missed you.

As for me, Look for one or two updates this week at most. I've tried to keep my interest from this (and all my other writing projects) from waning, but I've been working fifty hours a week, and second shift at that, so it's been difficult to write. Mostly because I'm exhausted, partly because I don't have the desire (which could be directly related to the exhaustion) to talk about anything.

So, for now I'll leave you with a link to Comic Book Galaxy...just look to the right!

-L

Tuesday, May 25, 2004

Time off

Sorry folks, looks like it's gonna be a loooong week, and unfortunately my time is very, very limited. So, don't look for too many updates over the course of the next week, maybe even longer. So, my apologies, but honestly, it can't be helped. As for your weekly shopping list, head on ove to Cinescape.com along with DavisDVD to get a full rundown of notable releases headed your way.

-L

Wednesday, May 19, 2004

A quick note

Head on over ro Cinescape.com and check out Tony Whitt's latest Comicscape colum. Tony has really outdone himself this time, folks. He's got a brief, yet satisfying interview with Less Thean Heroes creator David Yurkovich. For those not in-the-know, Less Than Heroes is a collection of David's earlier Threshold series. Top Shelf is distributing it, which means it's most likely excellent. So, in the words of Ahhhhhnold: Do it! Do it now!

The links to the right!

-L
Three issues of Dick

Just finished reading B. Clay Moore and Steve Griffin's very excellent Hawaiian Dick series from Image. Yeah, I'm oaver a year late on that one, but it's still a damn fine read. anyone who's a fan of noir, mystery, or just plain good stories should definitely give this a look. Moore mixes all of those elements along with a touch of Hawaiian mythology to give us a truly original take on a tried and true concept. Please, do check it out.

-L

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Da DVD's!

Here's what's comin' your way:

Around The World In 80 Days (Special Edition)

Never seen it, so I can't really comment.

Enter The Dragon (Special Edition)

A Classic!

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (Special Edition)

Another Classic! Check Best Buy, they've got a sweet deal on this one.

Miracle

Disney's latest sports story, check Target and Best Buy, both have good deals for those interested.

Paycheck

John Woo flick that borrows elements from tons of other sci fi movies.

Sex And The City: Season 6, Part 1

Overrated crapfest.

Smallville: The Complete Second Season

The best Superman story ever told continues!

Speed Racer Volume 2 (Collector's Edition)

Classic anime series, finally gets the proper treatment.

Star Trek Voyager: Season Two

Sorry, not my cup o' tea.

Torque

Goofy movie about a bike gang. Fortunately it's suipposed to be goofy.

Undercover Brother: The Animated Series

If you liked the movie, you're sure to like this.

The West Wing: The Complete Second Season

Another show I don't watch!

Avoid Like the Plague!!!!!!!!!!

You Got Served

Do you really need a reason? Look at the title. Yeah, there ya go.

-L

Friday, May 14, 2004

Missing Links

I've been needing to update my links for quite some time now, and I finally did so. Added were links to DavisDVD, and excellent news site for DVD buffs like myself, along with Postmodernbarney, Mikw Sterling's buddy, Dorian's blog. Also, Patch Drury's blog is back after a brief hiatus off the list. Somehow my link was corrupted, but thankfully I fianlly found the damn site again.

Here's a rundown of interesting happening on that list:

NeilAlien searches for middle ground between the juvenile Wizard Magazine and the snobby The Comics Journal. I'll join the list of people echoing his want for something that can appeal to just about everyone.

Over on Breakdowns, Chris Allen reviews Mother, Come Home and The Complete Peanuts Vol. 1. Definitely worth a look.

Mike Sterling's posting pictures of his cats. He's also got a few interesting things to talk about, you just have to scroll down to find them.

Steve Lieber posted the Cover to On the Road to Perdition #3 on his blog. Mmmmmm...pretty pictures.

Steven Grant posts a little diatribe about professional courtesy in the comic book creating world, and why he's ignoring it. I say good for him.

Cinescape has some movie news that may interest someone.

Patch has a few things to say about why porn is legal and prostititution isn't I completely agree.

Dino P talks about trying to get his movie off the ground, and of course, everything else that's going on in his life.

Oh, Dorian has a few posts that I found interesting; his rants about the covers are always good for a laugh, and his Why I Hate Comic Book Fans was brilliant.

I think that about does it. More from me later.

-L

Thursday, May 13, 2004

A Hero Defined

I picked up Book 1 of Matt Wagner's excellent Mage: The Hero Defined series recently, and last night I had a chance to read it in it's entirity. Now, I've read a few issues of the series (as well as Hero Discovered) and always enjoyed it, but never followed it really. This isn't exactly a great jumping on point, and for anyone who doesn't know anything about Kevin Matchstick it can be downright confusing at times. That said, the writing is excellent, as is the art (would you expect any less?) and once you grasp exactly what's going on, Mage is a unique concept in a world of recycled ideas. It never comes off too mystical, too serious, nor too goofy, yet still has elements of each of those. Wagner has done an extremely awesome job of crafting an interesting story that leaves you wanting more. The characters are rich with history, and their interaction with each other feels very real. My only problem was with the shoddy job of reproducing the work into this trade. That falls on the publisher, and in the end doesn't really hurt the book that badly. I suggest anyone that comes across this book in any capacity picks it up, it's one of the more original comics out there.

One more thing, there's now a comments section under each post, please feel free to use it!!

-L

Wednesday, May 12, 2004

A Few Odds and Ends

I've read a few trades lately, so here's some brief thoughts on 'em:

The Maxx Vol. 2 $17.95

Collecting issues #7-13 of Sam Keith's (and with dialogue by Messner-Loebs) unique series, Vol.2 is absolutely wonderful. Of course, you have to roll with some of the quirkyness, but for the most part (provided you read Vol. 1) it's comprehinsible. A few highlights include the truly bizarre Maxx/Pitt meeting, Julie's discovery of what Maxx truly is, Sarah's grandfather, and of course, the return of Mr. Gone. Great stuff.

Wolverine: Coyote Crossing $11.99

This collects Wolvie issues #7-11 by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez. I've never been the biggest fan of Logan's (despite sharing his name) but Rucka has turned that around. He has a grasp on the character that very few have ever had, and the art is fantastic, making the runt exactly that, a runt. He's mean, he's short, and he's ugly. As for the plot, it's pretty simple, dealing with a drug cartel. The end has a little twist to it, but nothing too surprising. I think the book really shines with it's supporting cast, Rucka infuses everyone around Wolvie with as much depth as he does the main character. Good, good stuff from the House of Recycled Ideas.

That's all for now, but feel free to head over to cinescape to check out this weeks Comicscape column, along with a review of the latest Exiles issue.

-L

Tuesday, May 11, 2004

El Listo

There's not much hitting shelves today, but here's the skinny on the skinny:

Friends: The Series Finale

I would hope that anyone with a lick of sense taped this instead of dropping the fifteen buck to buy it.

Have Gun, Will Travel: Season One (Set)

Classic western series, hopefully it'll gain some new fans with this release.

Independence Day (Limited Edition)

This will be probably the third or fourth release of this title on DVD. Fortunately this one has a free ticket in it, making it worth a possible pick up.

Invader Zim Volume 1: Doom, Doom, Doom

Much praised toon finally sees a DVD release. Can't wait to pick it up.

The Jetsons: The Complete First Season

You'll either want it, or you won't. Much like last months Flinstones set.

Jonny Quest: The Complete First Season

Same goes here.

Scary Movie 3

Why would anyone want this?

Survivor: The Complete First Season

May be worth a rent, but I don't see anyone actually wanting to buy this.

Van Helsing: The London Assignment

Prequel to the recently released film.

The Waltons: The Complete First Season

The world must be ending. Goodnight John Boy.


Heh, more stuff than I thought.

-L

Monday, May 10, 2004

A few words from an old friend

Alan David Doane posted this review over at Silver Bullet Comics. As short as it is, it's absolutely great to have a review by the man in any capacity. So, while I think of something else to bore you with, here's Alan:


Comics Poetry: The Adapted Victor Hugo HC

Posted: Saturday, May 8
By: Alan David Doane

Edited by Joe Johnson
Published by NBM Publishing

The manner in which poetry can compress a universe of ideas into an elegant, compact handful of words seems ideally suited to adaptation into comics form. This is readily apparent in The Adapted Victor Hugo, the first volume in a new ComicsLit series adapting poetry into comics.

In 96 pages, editor Joe Johnson compiles a broad sampling of Hugo's poetry, brought to life by a diverse group of artists working in a wide variety of styles. The opening piece, "Pretty Girls," vividly demonstrates the divisions between sexes and classes. It's a grim, convincing portrait that is as pointed today as it was when it was written in 1870. Efix's art nicely contrasts the beauty of the titular "Pretty Girls" with the cost of their metaphorical demands on the rest of the living.

"Oceano Nox" is a moody rumination on the dangers of seafaring, with some of the best art in the book, provided by Isaac Wens. His depictions of a French fishing village and its environs is gorgeous, gallery-ready images that perfectly bring the poem to life. It's one of the better examples of how the pictures can bring even more impact to Hugo's already revered work.

"At Dawn Tomorrow" is illustrated by Alfred. Hugo's poem reflects on the loss of his daughter, and the empty voyage that lay ahead of him as a result of her death. As is appropriate, Alfred's art is barely there and completely effective in making way for Hugo's dark resignation. Perfect.

As comics, The Adapted Victor Hugo works best taken one story at a time, allowing the reader to linger on the images and the powerful text. As an introduction to Victor Hugo, this compact little hardcover is a brilliant distillation of an enduring mind whose observations remain powerful and thought-provoking. Each story is supplemented with a text version of the poem adapted and brief notes informing the reader of what was going on in Hugo's life at the time it was written. NBM is off to a great start with this series, and I look forward to seeing future volumes.


-L


Thursday, May 06, 2004

Here's some more!

Two more books I got a chance to read today:

The Punisher #5 $2.99

Proving he is indeed the most dangerous man in the world (well, at least in this comic book) Frank Castle escapes from a nasty situation injury free. Unfortunately he puts himself right into another one, only this time he's got guns. Lots and lots of guns. Ennis and Larosa continue their run of greatness, and the cover is absolutely awesome. Not much to say that I haven't said before, but if you're notreading this, you're definitely missing out.

Thanos #10 $2.99

Thanos and the Beyonder go toe to toe again, only this time the fight's even shorter, and Thanos comes out on top. Trippy space goodness from Giffen and Lim, but I'm still missing Starlin on this book. His writing was alot less convoluted, and tended to explain things better, at least IMO. However, Giffen has a better knack for the humourous moments, which there are a few of in these pages.

-L

Wednesday, May 05, 2004

Reading Material

During my little absence I did have the opportunity to get some long delayed reading done.


First up is one of Brian K. Vaughn's Marvel projects, The Hood. I picked the entire run up for about three bucks, and it was worth it. I'm glad I didn't buy the trade, or the issues, when they originally came out, because frankly it was slightly disappointing. Vaughn's characterization is great, he even breathes new life into three washed up villians (Shocker, Constrictor and Jack O' Lantern), and the art more than does the job, but the plot seems a little thin and cliched. Parker, the main character, is, in my opinion, a typical "misunderstood bad guy" with a few exceptions, and is probably the least interesting person in the book. He gains his "powers" after a botched robbery where he apparently kills some sort of mystical demon, then takes his cloak and his boots. An interesting spin on origin stories, but it still doesn't bring much to the table. I get the feeling that Vaughn had a deeper tale in mind, maybe a follow up, dealing with the mystical side of it, but one has yet to surface. All in all not a bad story, especially for the price, but like I said, I hardly think it was worth the covers, or even the trade price.

Next!

Three Fingers $14.95

Wow. Rich Koslowski crafts a truly haunting tale in this graphic novel from Top Shelf. It's the story of Ricky Rat and his rise to world wide fame. Obvious comparisons can be drawn from other cartoons, the Mickey Mouse gang comes to mind first, and the parodies of Warner Bros. Looney Tunes characters are fantastic. I won't spoil anything for anyone who wants to read it, but I'll say it's one of the best damned stories I've ever read. If you see this anywhere, do yourself a favor and buy it. The art is excellent, making it feel much more like a documentary than a graphic novel. There are times (especially the Foghorn Leghorn parodies) where I wasn't sure if I should laugh or be nervous. Truly, one of the best stories ever crafted in the medium.

Open Space #0

This was a Wizard Special, featuring Alex Ross' very first Marvel work. Unfortunately it never saw print. The story has a great Twilight Zone-like feeling to it. You're never sure exactly what's going to happen, but you know there's bound to be a twist. However, by the time the twist does come it's bothe obvious and somewhat annoying. The writers name escapes my memory at the moment, but Ross' art is good enough. You can definitely see the beginnings of something very unique, but like I said, the story just lets you down. I think I spent a quarter on it, and it was damn well worth that.

Y, The Last Man #22 $2.99

Now, anyone looking to check out B.K. Vaughn work should definitely check this series out. Dr. Mann is taken hostage by a group of militaristic females, Yorick is left alone with a new friend (where a very humourous sex talk occurs) and 355 sets out to rescue the good Doc. We finally get a few answers to what Mann was working on before the plague, and another damn fine cliffhanger of an ending. Great, great stuff.

That's about it, but I've got tons more to read. In the meantime, feel free to check out Cinescape.com's new Comicscape, along with a few tasty comic book reviews.

-L

Tuesday, May 04, 2004

The (Somewhat) Late List

Here's what hit local shelves today:

The Bernie Mac Show: The Complete First Season

A sitcom that actually has funny moments. Somewhat of a rarity these days.

The Best Of Bobby's World

If this is the cartoon, it's worth checking out. One of the better (and funnier) toons of the 90's. If not, then I have no idea what it is.

Cowboys / Rio Bravo (Set)

Buy it, even if you don't like westerns. Hell, ESPECIALLY if you don't like westerns. This might be the best movie combo you're likely to find, especially for the price.

Gilmore Girls: The Complete First Season

Well, this show is still on the air, so that has to be worth something.

Girl With A Pearl Earring

This got some critical acclaim, and I love Scarlett Johannsen (Sp?). I hope to rent it soon.

The Last Samurai

Tom Cruise movie that doesn't look awful, another rarity. Of course, his last few films haven't really sucked...

Law & Order: The Second Year

A show that has as many incarnations as there are Friday the 13th films.

The Osbournes: 2 1/2

HUH? 2 1/2?

Party Of Five: The Complete First Season

A show that's not still on the air...I wonder why...

Peter Pan

It's been called the most faithful adaption of the book ever, and I'm dying to watch it.

Samurai Jack: Season 1

This is a good one for the entire family.

Three's Company: Season Two

John Ritter at his comedic best, unfortunately there's two bimbo's who completely ruin the show.

The Triplets of Belleville

Another film that got tons of acclaim, can't wait to see it either.

Avoid like the Plague

Chasing Liberty

Typical teen romance B.S.

I'll be back!!!

-L