Pop Quiz

Been meaning to respond to this for awhile, but in the hubub that is now my life I'd forgotten, so here it is:

1. Full Name: Logan Gabriel Polk
2. Were you named after anyone? Roman Gabriel, great fottball player, not sure where the Logan comes from, but it's not Wolverine.
3. Do you wish on stars? Occaisionally
4. When did you last cry? Wow, it's been awhile.
5. Do you like your handwriting? No, I'm left-handed, which means I smude my writing. Thank God for computers and typewriters, notto mention I forgot cursive as soon as I had to stop using it. What a useless bunch of crap that was.
6. What is your favorite lunchmeat? Turkey, with Roast Beef a close second.
7. What is your birth date? March 18, 1979.
8. What is your most embarrassing CD? Hmmm...that's tough, Vanilla Ice maybe. MC Hammer? Nelson? Not sure.
9. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? Depends on the person. I don't have many friends at all, so doubtful I'd want to be friends with the new me to begin with.
10. Are you a daredevil? Hell no.
11. Have you ever told a secret you swore not to tell? Most definitely.
12. Do looks matter? Yes. Not alot, but they do matter. If you can't make yourself presentable in some form or fashion, why leave the house?
13. How do you release anger? Lots and losts of cursing.
14. Where is your second home? My job probably. I practically live there. Maybe Wal-Mart.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? My He-Man toys maybe...or my Star Wars toys, especially the Ewok villiage.
17. What class in high school do you think was totally useless? 99.9% of them.Math comes in handy.
18. Do you have a journal? Does this count?
19. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Naaaaaaahh, not me.
20. Favorite movies? Tough one. The Shawshank Redemption, Casablanca, Breakfast at Tiffany's, the Crow, Almost Famous...and for the dork in me, X2 and the first TMNT film.
21. What are your nicknames? I have a cousin that calls me Log (pronounced "Loag")
22. Would you bungee jump? Sure, If I was dying.
23. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Nope 24.
Do you think that you are strong? Depends on the context I suppose. Physically? not really.
25. What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Right now it's Baileys Irish Cream from Haagen-Dasz
26. Shoe Size? 10-1/2.
27. What are your favorite colors? Black and blue.
28. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My wieght probably. I'm not grotesque, but given my dad has diabetes, I'm concerned.
29. Who do you miss most? My grandmother, she moved to Oklahoma a few years ago, and now she's not doing so well.
30. Do you want everyone you send this to send it back? I forgot to send it to anyone.
31. What color pants are you wearing? Jeans.
32. What are you listening to right now? My desk fan. It's very soothing
33. Last thing you ate? Cereal, peanut butter cinnamon toast crunch to be exact. Good stuff.
34. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Dark purple.
35. What is the weather like right now? Humid, but cool.
36. Last person you talked to on the phone: My twin brother, Ryan,like five mins ago.
37. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex? Depends on the view. I'm a guy so I look at one of two things.
38. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Very muchy so, Mr. ADD is responsible for this here blog.
39. How Are You Today? Grumpy, but I just woke up
40. Favorite Drink? Cream Soda. Unless you meant alchohol, then it's a margarita.
41. Favorite Sport? Football. Go Falcons!
42. Hair Color? Red, soon to be blonde though.
43. Eye Color? Brown.
44. Do you wear contacts? Nope, glasses for me.
45. Favorite Food? Corn dogs.
46. Last Movie You Watched? Man on Fire, brilliant movie.
47. Favorite Day Of The Year? Christmas maybe, but I love the winter in general.
48. Scary Movies Or Happy Endings? Both.
49. Summer Or Winter? Winter.
50. Hugs OR Kisses? Niether, not much on touching. If I had to choose, a hug I suppose.
51. What Is Your Favorite Dessert? Cheesecake, ic cream's a close second.
52. Who Is Most Likely To Respond? No one, I'm stupid and forgot to mail it.
53. Who Is Least Likely To Respond? Everyone I suppose.
54. Living Arrangements? Me, my Dad and my Step-Mom. I love them dearly and love that they rent me a room
55. What Book(s) Are You Reading? None, haven't been big on reading lately.
56. What's On Your Mouse Pad? Some peridic table or something. Got it from a friend.
57. What Did You Watch Last night on TV? Lots, the last thing was Adult Swim though. I did watch Boston Legal and Desperate Houswives, before that it was that home makeover show, before that football.
58. Favorite Smells? Blueberry muffins and pancakes.
59. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles
60. Do you believe in Evolution or Creationism? Creationistic evolution.
61. What's the furthest you've been from home? North Carolina I think. I live in Georgia.

Okay, I'll be back later with reviews...I swear!

-L

Time for a quickie?

Lots on the agenda today, but I do have time for a quick review.


Sabretooth #1 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Creative Team: Daniel Way, Bart Sears, with inks by Mark Pennington, colors by Mike Atiyeh, and letters by VC's Cory Petit

What's it about? Sabretooth of course! Seems the crazy mutant has found his way into a small town near Lake superior and is butchering the local menfolk. A coast guard ship gets a distress call from a local woman and decides to investigate. Sabertooth makes short work of the 12 man team sent in, except for one, who has now become his prisoner. The Sasquatch shows up to help out. Yeah, that Sasquatch.

Why you should be reading it: Well, I picked it up based on my past enjpyment of Way's Venom, and recent enjoyment of his Bullseye. Seems he writes Marvel's crazy folk perfectly, and this is no different. Bart Sears handles the art chores decently enough. I'm not fond of his Sabes rendition, but I love everything else in the book, weird, no? I believe this is a mini, which has me sticking around until the end, and hoping for a bit more violence. Outside the cartoony looking Creed I found nothing wrong with the book, it slightly suffers from "first issues syndrome" (to steal a phrase) and is probably of interest only to long time X-Men fans, but that's understandable I think. So, yeah, this one was pretty good, not as good as Bullseye, but still worth the 3 bucks I think.

-L

It's like stealing.

Amazon.com: Welcome

Go there for a few deals of a lifetime. Here's what Season 1 sets they're offering for a measly $15.

24 Season 1

This is a great show. I've only watched this season, but for $15 it's well worth owning.

Futurama Season 1

One of the best, if not THE best science fiction shows ever on television. This should be in everyone's DVD library. Now's your chance to pick it up cheap.

Roswell Season 1

Never watched it, but for $15 I'm giving it a shot.

Angel Season 1

Ditto. With my recent like of Whedon's Fray, I'm hoping to enjoy at least some of this series, if not, I can find someone to pawn it off on for ten bucks or so. Cheaper than renting.

Simpsons Season 1

If for some unknown reason you don't have this, please remedy that now.

Buffy: The Vampire Slayer Season 1

Pass. For $15 I almos, ALMOST, went ahead and got it, but I never liked a single episode I watched, so I do not wanna waste the cash. I'm thinking about getting it as a present for someone though.

King of the Hill Season 1

Great show, and well past being worth the fifteen bucks they're charging. Buy it.

M*A*S*H Season 1

Never interested me one bit. But, for those that loved it (and there are many) here you go. You cannot beat that price folks.

Wish they had more, but never look a gift horse in the mouth, eh?

-L

The Blind Mans List

I've broken my glasses, and with no spare pair, been pretty helpless the past few days. Fortunately I'll have them tomorrow. I'd planned for big updates yesterday and today, but looks like you'll have to settle for the list, because the less typing, the better for me.

After School Specials (1974-1976)
After School Specials (1976-1977)

I think they speak for themselves...

Casablanca / Maltese Falcon (Set)

This is a must own set if there ever was one. Fortunately I have both already.

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Fourth Season

I swear, one day I'll actually watch this show.

The Day After Tomorrow

For those longing to see Jake Gyllenhall put in harms way.

Dream On: Seasons 1 & 2

The best show HBO ever created. Yes, better than the Sopranos. Believe me, it is.

EZ Math Trix: Addition & Subtraction
EZ Math Trix: Card Tricks
EZ Math Trix: Division
EZ Math Trix: Math & Number Fun
EZ Math Trix: Multiplication

Math made easy, but apparently they know nothing of English. It just struck me as completely insane.

Five Days to Midnight

Anyone catch this when it aired? I wanted too, maybe I'll rent it.

Free Enterprise

A must own...that I don't own...dammit.

Kingdom Hospital: The Entire Series

This is on my "buy it eventually" list. Anyone watch it?

North By Northwest / Dial M for Murder

Two great friggin' movies.

The Ren & Stimpy Show: The First & Second Seasons

Still no season sets of Bevis & Butthead though...but this will do.

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (Special Edition)

Another classic that gets well deserved special treatment.

Taxi: The Complete First Season

Damn, I need more money! One of the true great TV shows. You can't beat Rev. Jim or Latka (SP?)

That's it for now, but I swear I've got a ton of stuff to talk about, so do come back.

-L

Slaying Thursday

Okay, as promised, I'm here to talk Joss Whedon and his Dark Horse mini, Fray. The issues reatailed for $2.99, or you can shell out the dough for the trade. Either way, it's a great read. In the past I have openly criticized Whedon, possibly unjustly, but I do not feel his writing is as great as most people believe. This series tries its damnedest to prove me wrong.

Going into it, it had a few strikes against it, my dislike of most of Whedon's material I had seen, and of course being involved in the Buffy universe...sort of. I didn't follow the show on any kind of regular basis, so I have no idea how much it relates to Buffy. I'd assumed a good bit, and judging from the letters it dropped plent o' hints as to things that might happen to Buffy and/or her crew.

Still, in spite of all that,I found myself instantly drawn into this world. Whedon lays down the foundation very quickly and sets up his main character as well or better than any introductory issue I've seen in quite some time. Of course, I'm late to the game with this series, so it was probably even more effective upon its original release.

Mel is a full time thief for one of the local "gangsters" who has quite a troubled past. Unfortunately for her, her present is about to get extremely bizaare. Turns out she's this era's chosen slayer, and now she has to asuume the mantle and take on an army of vampires. But, first she has to be trained.

Turns out the "trainers" (I forget what they're really called) have pretty much gone looney tunes, so it's up to a demon to show her the way of the warrior...or in this case, slayer.

Each issue has it's share of action, something it turns out Whedon, and artist Karl Moline are very, very good at. It's rare to find a fast paced series that is actually understandable, not to mention one that has art as clean as this. Also, it's not often I mention the inking of a book, but Andy Owens does a bloody good job with this series.

Now, I feel for those who waited monthly (did it make its monthly schedule?) to see the next installment of Mel, especially since I read it in one sitting.

Not to say it didn't have its flaws. Whedon's overall plot was a bit of a let down. I saw the "villian" coming a mile away, not to mention the secret as to why Mel hasn't inherited the memories of past slayers. Still, even if it was an obvious plot twist, it was a good one.

In a day and age where everyone tries to add a "twist" to their stories, it's hard to be original. Often times people mistake not "figuring it out" with originality, too, and Whedon is commended for truly making and original twist. Again, even if it's obvious.

So, yeah, maybe I'm wrong about Whedon, but I still can't stomach Buffy, and his work on Alien: Resurrection is atrocious (even if he was "following orders"). Maybe once he finally quits the X-Men gig we'll see some more original creations from the man. I'd definitely check them out.

-L

The 2 A.M. List

Aladdin

The Disney classic gets the special edition treatment. Honestly, there are better Disney movies out there more deserving, but, who argues with the House of Mouse.

Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adv.

I didn't watch this made for TV movie when it aired, and I doubt I'll pick it up, but for those who loathe incomplete sets, here it is.

Dawson's Creek: The Complete Fourth Season

For all you Dawson/Joey/Pacey fans out there. Personally, I liked Jack...as a character...

Fahrenheit 9/11

Yay! I finally get to see it! Well...eventually.

Friday The 13th: The Ultimate Edition Collection

Collecting all the original fliks. The first one is still the best.

North and South: The Complete Collection

For those with tons of time to kill.

Roswell: The Complete Second Season

I really should have watched this show, it always sounded fairly interesting.

Saved!

You should be seeing a review of this quite soon, I'm dying to watch it.

The Shawshank Redemption (Special Edition)

My car doesn't want me to buy good DVD's, it only breaks down when the greatest movie ever made gets the grand-pooh-bah treatment it deserves. Stupid vehicle.

TMNT: Croc Attack

I really hate that I quit keeping up with this show.

The Untouchables (Collector's Edition)

One of the "classics" I haven't seen. I've heard it's great though.

What's Happening: The Complete Second Season

Because they're aren't enough crappy TV shows on DVD.

And apologies for the lack of updates, work, my car, and family crisis have kept me pretty much busy, I hope to get back into the swing of things this weekend with a few reviews. First and foremost, Fray. Big thanks to ADD for sending it my way. So, come back soon and I'll tell you why I may have been wrong about that Whedon fellow.

-L

American Idiot

by Green Day

Don't want to be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation that under the new media.
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mindfuck America.
Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Well that's enough to argue.
Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along in the age of paranoia.

This is a great album, perhaps their best yet. Go, buy it, now!

Voting!

Just wanna get something off my chest real quick. I just finished a lengthy conversation with a friend about why i don't vote. Simply put, I've never liked any candidate who's run (national or local) so voting would be tremendous waste of time. Add to taht my pure hatred for all things political, and the fact that I don't keep up with quite a few issues, and not only do I not like what things I do know about them, but I'm not fully informed, and wouldn't vote for either of them, not to mention my thoughts on the ineffective and archaic voting process we currently have, and you have a list of reasons I shouldn't vote.

So, I don't. Why is that hard for people to grasp?

Still, constantly, I have people trying to convince me not only to vote, but why the person the back is "the right guy." I give the same answer every time, the reasons I listed above. Still, I'm met with hostility because I choose...I repeat CHOOSE, not to participate in this ritual.

Their response is always the typical "But why, it's a matter of life and death." Other than the answers I've given, I don't have a higher purpose. Honestly, it's become a cult-like thing, as if I'm somehow offending them because I don't vote. As if I'm the person ruining their lives. I'm the cause of all their problems. I'm the reason the country is the way it is.

Hate to tellyou this folks, but that's a load of crap. You people elect the idiots that run this country, you let them get into public office, so it's all on you. Stop tryng to convince me that "you're guy is the right guy" because he's not. Politicians are nothing but hand puppets, and I'm not joining their little sect of groupies.

What's even better is that this election is basically people choosing the lesser of two evils. That's not a decision I want on my soul. It's like saying I'm either gonna smoke myself into cancer, or drink myself into liver failure. How about I choose not to elect any stupid white men to lead this country, why do you choose to do it?

So, in short, stop trying to convince me that one side is better than the other. Bottom line, they're all out to screw you, it's just a matter of how. They're politicians, it's what they do, it's what they'll continue to do as long as voters put them in office.

Agree, disagree, I don't care. I'm not asking anyone to join me in my apathy (or whatever term you choose to describe it) so don't ask me to join you as you put idiots into office. Deal?

-L

The Fall- A.K.A. Another "Important" Post

Recently read a post by a noted blogger who mentioned fall being such a odd time for him. It always seems to be about change, new growth, and even the loss of something. I find it weird that I've always felt the same way, but maybe it's not weird, does everyone feel this way?

The leaves start to change, and fall off the trees. The climate gets bitter and cold. Being sick is more common. With all the holidays clumped together the way they are towards the end of the year (I guess that depends upon your background though...) you see more of your family. Unless you don't have close family, in which case loneliness is probably an everyday thing as other fly off to be with theirs.

Now, as depressing as that may sound, I've always loved the fall. Maybe it's the oddness, the way it makes you feel. Mostly though, I think it's because it does make me feel. I never need a calendar or a weather man to tell me when the weather's about to turn, I can always feel it in my heart.

That may sound stupid to most of you, but it's very true. The Fall has always been the most emotional time of the year for me. Seems every really good, or really bad thing that's ever happened to me has happened in the last four or five months of the year.

Statistically that's probably impossible, but it's the way I've always felt. This year is no different. My grandmother is very ill, has been for over a month now, and has taken a turn for the worse in the last two days. Before I get into it any further, I apologize in advance if I make anyone uncomfortable, or if this feels in any way like apity party.

It's been quite some time since I've seen her, which I regret nearly every day, and I don't talk ter her as often as I used too. Of course she used to be one town away, and now she's a good fifteen hours away. Still, it's no excuse.

I'm probably getting away from my point, but hopefully you'll indulge me for a bit.

At one time in my life I was very close to my family, as I'm sure many people were, but once I graduated from high school it seemed like everyone began to drift away. Both family and friends in fact. It's been seven years since then and half of my family lives quite a distance away from me.

I could rationalize it and say they chose to move,not me, but honestly, it doesn't change anything. I still miss them on occasion, and never more so than in the Fall.

I could go into tons of detail about the various things that have happened to me emotionally during this season, but I won't. But I'm going to talk about a few.

It was also when we found out my brother had cancer. Add to that, it's was towards the end of Fall that he went into remission, albiet a few years later. My one and only niece was born it the fall, and I saw her today. She has a smile that can light up a room, and she's only four. She's one of my very favorite persons in the world, and it warms my heart each time I see her. Unfortunately it's usually only near her birthday.

The longest relationship of my entire life began in the Fall of the year, actually, two of my longest relationships, romantic and friendly began during the season. There are a several birthdays that come around this time, including my Mom's and Grandmother's. There's more, but like I said, I won't bore you.

So, now add this latest occurence to the mix, and my belief is substantiated, the Fall is always a special time of year for me. It always brings a rememberence of things past, and both dread and hope for the future. Most of all, it makes me feel alive again.

Too often in my life I've felt as if I'm coasting, in so many ways. Mentally, phsically, finacially, spiritually, and especially emotionally. Not in the Fall though. These last months of the year bring out the life in me, and honestly makes me wish it were a year round feeling. But, it's not, and there's not much that can change that.

Again, I hope this doesn't sound depressing, because it's not meant to be. I look forward to what the coming months bring, even if it's bad, because I know it will make me feel more alive. Is that selfish? Sure, but it's the way I feel.

Not sure how many others feel the same, but I honestly hope some of you do. When the wind gets colder and blows harder; when you can't stop sneezing, and your feet won't stay warm, I'm right there with you, feeling and loving every damn minute of it.

-L

Couple O' Reviews

Been putting these off for awhile, but here's some thoughts on a few recent reads:

Drawing on Your Nightmares $2.99 (Dark Horse Comics)

Creative Team: Steve Niles, Ben Templesmith, Eric Powell, Brett Matthews, Sean Phillips, with some lettering by Pat Brosseau

What's it about? It's a trio of horror stories. The first focus' on Steve Niles' Cal McDonald, in a story called Letter From B.S. Cal gets a letter from a dead man who's trying to get to his dead girlfriend, but some dead mooks are keeping her from him. Enter Cal, who bullies the tough dead guys into giving up the girl, and it's happily ever after for the dead couple. The second features Eric Powell's The Goon in a story titled The Brothers Mud. This is really the story of a spider named Percival who's gambling debts become a problem. When the Brothers Mud are sent to rub him out he directs them to the Goon. Fighting ensues, and there's a few laughs thrown in for good measure. There's even a funny little twist at the end. The final tale claims it's part of the Buffy universe, but there's no sign of her here. Instead we get to meet a grifter who also happens to be a vampire. The story's titled Dames, and that pretty much says it all. This grifting vamp comes to the aid of a stunning woman, thinking it could be his lucky night, only for it to end up as his last night.

Why you shouldread it: Well, there's three pretty good stories here, so I'll tackle them indidvidually. The Niles/Templesmith Cal McDonald story is probably the weakest. It's not bad, but Templesmith's art suffers from the poor quality paper the folks at Dark Horse chose to print this with. I like the character Niles has created, but if I didn't know about the previous works of these guys, I'd definitely shy away from seeking out anymore, especially Templesmith's. It's just a shame the company couldn't shell out for some better paper stock. Next we have Eric Powell's The Goon. I liked this story, maybe not enough to pick up the floppies, but I'd definitely buy a trade if it's released. The Goon has a very blue-collar feel too it, and it's compared to Hellboy and the Spirit, and I think I can agree with that. But only in the blue collar sense. The concepts are different, thankfully, and I liked the fact that Powell infuses these characters with a sense of familiarity, even though I've never seen any of them. I was instantly drawn in by a spider gambling, and his escape gave me a laugh. The Brothers Mud were quite enjoyable, and the introduction to the Goon was great. Finally, we've got the Matthews/Phillips tale of a vampire who followed the wrong woman. I understand the need to plaster the Buffy logo with the story, to ground it in a universe, but I think that's a bit unfair to both sides of the fence. Buffy fans might feel let down and Buffy haters might avoid it (though this is a pretty old book, so it's not likely to bring in anyone or turn anyone off). This is the best of the three tales, and probably one of the best short stories I've read in quite some time. It captures the classic noir of older movies, and even though we're never properly introduced to the two characters we instantly connect with them. I've never been a fan of Phillips art, but here it's magnificent. Especially the last page. The story itself feels like some twisted amalgam of Elmore Leonard novels and Tales from the Crypt, and the dialogue is great, short, and to the point. While Niles and Templesmith may create great vampire-based horror fiction, Matthews and Phillips have created a new type of vampire tale, vamp noir if you will. Unfortunately with the demise of the lead character, it's not likely to feature him in a regular series.

Overall this was three bucks well spent. I wish the paper stock had been better, but only the McDonald story really suffers. I'm definitely interested in the Goon, and will have to lookout for some Matthews and Phillips collaborations, even if its on a Buffy book. Who knows, maybe they can get me to like the character.

The Authority: More Kev #1-3

Just a few short comments here, as I'm gonna review the series as a whole when it's completed. This book is wrong on so many levels I can't begin to count them. But, my God, is it hilarious. If rude, immoral, un-p.c., over-the-top, action/comedy is your thing, this is your book. If it's not, what the hell is wrong with you? Despite his recent Punisher offereings, this further proves why Garth Ennis is one of the best, most fascinating writers working in comics today. The man is either insane, or brilliant. Either way, I'm entertained.

-L

The List is with you

The Alamo

When historical epics go wrong!

Children Of The Corn (Divimax Series)

Thislackluster film gets the Divimax treatment. Real king fans ask why.

Crank Yankers: Season One Uncensored

Sometimes funny, sometimes silly, usually gross.

Ellen: The Complete Season One

Probably the best season of this show, thankfully.

Envy

Jack Black/Ben Stiller comedy that may be worth a rent.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

This is a must see. Which means I must see it.

Footloose (Collector's Edition)

Dear God in heaven, why?

George Carlin: Complaints & Grievances

A funny, funny man.

In Living Color: Season Two

A funny, funny show.

Land of the Lost: The Complete 2nd Season

I like the theme song...and that's about it.

Silk Stockings: The Complete First Season

80's TV show fans rejoice again!

Star Trek Voyager: Season Four

Star Trek fans rejoice again!

Static Shock: The New Kid

A good show that didn't get the recognition it deserved.

Strangers With Candy: Season 3

Ditto. Tho I haven't seen half the episodes.

Super Size Me

That's just gross.

Tales from the Cryptkeeper: Stacks of Fear

This is edited, and I can't figure out why, or what they'd edit.

Teen Titans Vol. 1: Divide & Conquer

Sigh, I'm waiting for the season, I'm not falling into this trap again.

Walking Tall

I really wanna see this flik. I've been impressed with Rock's charisma so far.

That's your list for the week folks!

-L

Movies, for a change

Picked up a few cheap today, among them two recent favorites, The Girl Next Door and Ella Enchanted. One being a teen T&A flik, the other a kid-friendly fairy tale, just to show how bizarre my movie buying is. Also picked up The Triplets of Bellville (two Acadamy award nods hopefully will equal a good flik) andthe Station Agent, which I've heard great things about (over at Movie Poop Shoot, DVD Diatribe, it's a great column.) Oh, and the last Lord of the Rings picture. Just to round out the set...plus it was only seven bucks. I'm a sucker for anything cheap.

Then I rented Star Wars: Battlefront. Haven't talked much about video games at all, maybe I'll remedy that. Not that anyone's begging for it. So, looks like those reviews will be waiting at least another day, sorry folks!

-L

A Good Image Book?

Ten years ago that was an oxymoron. These days the big I seems to be pumping out at least half decent books on a regular basis. I recently picked up the first issue of Robert Kirkman's Invincible ( $2.95, Image Comics) and enjoyed it very much. Once again I'm late to the party, but I did show up eventually. I did have a few problems with the book, but overall it was a very good read. Kirkman's dialogue is believable and his characters are very likeable. In fact it's hard to dislike the star of the book, Mark, even though we don't get to know him very well in this first isuue. Of course, the art has alot to do with that as well. I smiled when Mark gets the idea for what his superhero name should be. Weget glimpsesinto his everey day life along with the standard cape stuff we should expect. I'm hoping something will come of the fact that his father is never there rather thsan to just have it played out as anyother fact of life. I mentioned some problems, and it's probably unfair to say that the book has a problem. Better would be that I have the problem with the growing trend of "realistic" approaches to superheroes. Don't get me wrong, I like it, but I also like gritty books too, and the occasional out and out T&A book, or the over the top action book, or whatever else you can think of. But, just like those things were in their prime, "realistic" has become the new in. Seems everyone's doing it, and while they probably all bring something unique to their books, it would be nice to see comics get past "trends." Be it foil covers, dark and moody characters, disproportionate women, whatever. Yeah, yeah, trends are part of just about everything, but just like film and music, comics have such wide potential for variety it would be nice to see people exploring it to its fullest, not just adding on to the current trend.

None of this is a knock at this book, just my thoughts on the trend it's following. In fact, this was probably the most inappropriate place to talk about this, as I should be talking about Invincible. It's a good read, and I'll be picking up the trade eventually, as should you. It'salso got me interested in the other superhero books Image is putting on the shelves, so I may try and pick some of those up this week.

More later...I swear!

-L

The Ususal Suspects

I won't bore anyone with another complete rundown of the regular books I've been buying the last few weeks, but here's a few quick thoughts on some of them:

Freaks of the Heartland #5

It still looks beautiful of course, and the plot is finally picking up a little steam. But, I'm pretty sure it's only a six issue mini, so that's a bit disappointing. Still, it's been a good read, and I can't wait to see how Niles wraps it up.

Wolverine: The End #5

This has justlost all its steam, it's taking forever to hit stands and by now I can't even remember what happened in the first issue, The art looks sloppy, and the plot doesn't make a ton of sense. Fortunately there's only one issue left. I'm gonna reread it as a whole once it's complete, maybe I'll think better of it and even review it.

Fantastic Four #518

Okay, I'm sold for the storyline, if only to see how Waid gets them out of the situation. Great dialogue, awesome art, and probably my favorite cover so far.

Ultimate Fantastic Four #11

Still not sold on Doom, though Ellis writes one hell of an FF team. His Doom feel's wrong to me, but I've heard some people love it. This is another one I'm with at least until the arc is over, which should be next issue.

Venom #18

I'm confused. This is a book I was loving, but honestly I'm confused right now. Here's hopin Way focuses more on Venom in the next issues and less on the confusing storyline.

X-Men: The End- Book One: Dreamers and Demons #3

I'm still liking this. Claremont's actually writing an enjoyable plot, even if I don't know who half these people are. He's got me hooked with bringing in Cable and Domino. Doesn't hurt that his one page of Cable is better than any version we've seen since David Tischman and Igor Kordey tackled him.

That's it for me folks, more tomorrow.

-L

Riddle me this!

Okay, so I went diving in the fifty cent bins last week and picked up a few books. On a complete whim, one of them happened to be:

Batman/Judge Dredd: The Ultimate Riddle $4.95 (DC Comics)

Creative Team: Alan Grant and John Wagner, Carl Critchlow and Dermot Power, with letters by Richard Starkings and Comicraft.

What's it about? Well, seems villians across multiple universes are trapping various heroes (and I use the term loosely) so that they will be forced to fight it out against one another until only one survives. Both Batman and Judge Dredd get pulled into the sick little game nad are forced to team up if either hopes to survive.

Why you should read it: There's really only one reason to read this book. No, scratch that, one reason to look at this book, and that the absolutely beautiful artwork. I don't think I've ever seen a better looking Batman, and the fact that it's painted makes it even better. Plus, i only paid fifty cents. The five dollar cover price may be mandatory with this being a prestige format book, but it'snot worth it. There is a nice plot twist, tying into events from DC's past (or present, possibly, depending on when this originally came out) but when you stop and think about it it doesn't make a hell of alot of sense. Still, if you find this laying in a twenty-five or fifty cent bin, it's worth it justfor the pictures. Hell, I'd even pay a dollar to see it. With a little more effort, and possibly a better villian, this would've been a great read, but instead it's a mediocre plot, with cliche dialogue, that looks friggin' fantastic.

-L

Multiplying with a Vengeance

Okay, so Marvel seems to want to flood the market with pure shit, on the hopes that idiot fanboyswill buy anything X-related. We all know they will. However, occasionally there is a good comic for all the crap they put out. This is one of them.

Madrox #1 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Creative Team: Peter David, Pablo Raimondi, with inks by Drew Hennessy, colors by Brian Reber, and letters by Cory Petit

What's it about? Jamie Madrox, the Multiple Man, has started a P.I. firm in Mutant Town, and it turns out he's also being targeted by a killer. We get to see Guido, a.k.a Strong Guy, and Rahne, and the death of yet another dupe.

Whay you should be reading it: Well, that little intro may not sound like much, but it was still a pretty good read. David has a better handle on these three characters than anyone who's ever written them. I briefly followed his X-Factor run, and it was always well written entertainment. This is along the same lines. The dialogue is pretty good, and David comes up with some pretty good uses for Jamies multiplicity, and adds some layers to the character that were much needed, IMO. We don't get much backstory on Guido or Rahne, but I didn't really think that was important. I can see where new readers might not be able to understand who they are though. But, this doesn't strike me as a book people would just randomly pick up without prior knowledge. Still, it would have been nice to be able to recommend it without giving a history lesson. The art is pretty good, sometimes it feels too dark, making it seen like they're running the noir tone of the book into the ground. Guido's glasses bothered the hell out of me, not sure why. The book does have it's cliched moments, and it does have its retreads. how many times do we have to go through Jamies dupes getting killed? Seems like this is the fourth or fifth time at least. Still, it was an interesting enough start to a mini and shows a ton of promise. Well worht the three bucks for most people.

-L

I lied, here it is:

Okay, so, here we go. First, let me say, maybe I'm a bit late to this party, as you don't see too many people discussing it lately, but it's still something I've always wanted to speak my mind about. So, either click the X in the top corner, or bare with me, and try to enjoy yourself.

Gay marriage seems to be very controversial, and for the life of me I cannot figure out why. As a kid who gre up in the church (and in the south no less) it's pretty radical that I actually believe alot of the things I believe. Sure, if you'd like to take a biblical standpoint, I can see where you have a point. In the eyes of your God, it might be wrong.

But, the church lessons I was always taught preached of tolerence and understanding, of love and acceptence. Those were always the important messages. I don't remember a passage condemning homsexual marriage (though some could probably point me ther, but honestly, I don't care). But, okay, I see what you're saying. In the eyes of your church it's wrong.

So, don't let gay men and women be married in your church. There are plenty of open churches these days that don't condemn homosexuality, and if yours does, well, whatever, it's a free country. As long as you're not out burning crosses and hanging people. You're the person who'll have to answer to God for the hatred you held in your heart.

Which brings me to this...what the fuck does religion have to do with marriage? Seriously. Two athiests can go down to a courthouse and tie the knot, as long as they are of different sexes, but two men (or women) can't because it somehow belittles the things you deem sacred.

What the fuck?

God didn't tell Adam and Eve to seek out a justice of the peace, get a license, a blood test, to file thier taxes differently, none of the shit that has become associated with marriage in this country. He said: "Go forth and multiply (or be fruitful, however you want to interpret that). Where's marriage in there?

By those words God just openly allowed sex BEFORE marriage, and among relatives at that (sounds a bit like the south, no? see, we follow our Bible down here folks!). So, you're whole basis for marriage is lost from the first book of the bible, for all those that claim marriage was simply a union between man and woman intended to start a family.

Sure, go ahead, quote me all those passages you love to spit out at naysayers. I'll listen. Tell me the history of marriage throughout the entire book, and what God says about it.

To that I say marriage in this day and age is a financial institution, not a spiritual one. Again, athiests get married, as do Satan worshippers, I'm sure, so why don't you try and outlaw that? You can't, can you? It throws a kink into your entire argument.

I have a cousin who told me he wouldn't have a problem with gay marriage, except that he feels, and I quote, "gays are trying to make a mockery of the institution."

That is without a doubt the most bone-headed, idiotic statement I've ever heard.

As if straight people haven't made into a big enough joke. Celebrities get married as often as they change their clothes, divorce runs rampant throughout the country, and you can pullup to a booth in Vegas and be married in five minutes. None of these things came from gay marriage, but they are prime examples of why marriage considered as anything other than a finacial institution is a joke.

I know an almost infinite number of straight couples, but I can count on one hand the number that are happy, whether they're married or not. However, the gay couples I know can be counted on just one hand, and every one of them is happier than 95% of the straight couples I know (me included). Which makes think there might be something to being gay, but sadly I just don't find men attractive.

So, why the hell can they not get married? Because it might piss of the religious folk? Fuck 'em, they've got it coming to them. Not one single person has ever given me a valid reason gay marriage shouldn't be allowed. Aren't all men and women entitled to equality? Isn't that what this country is about. (Before someone says it, yes, I know that's an idealistic view, but it's one I have).

Yeah, I'm not making quite the point I'd hoped, and this is coming off as a bit preachy, but it's also a subject I'm very passionate about. Interesting side note, I was told that if I support gay marriage and think the war was a bad idea, then I must (and the MUST was emphasized) vote Democratic in the upcoming election.

First, I've never voted, and don't intend to until the system and the parties are completely done away with. Which is another reason I was told I MUST vote. Second, just because I believe certain things in alignment with Democrats, doesn't make me a Democrat. I see eye-to-eye with alot of Republican views as well, but I'm not gonna run out an align myself with those idiots either.

Bottom line, marriage, as I said, is a financial institution, one any couple should be allowed access to. Others who agree with my statements may disagree with that and say that marriage is a display of devotion to your loved one, a commitment to building something together, but I disagree. If you need recognition from the government to make a commitment to someone you love then you're far beyond help.

-L

Smallworld

Tonight was the season premier of everyone's favorite teenaged superhero. Seriously, if you're not watching this show, you're missing out on some great TV. Sure it's filled with soap opera style plots, more teen angst than a John Hughes film (well, maybe not...), and probably a cast too sexy to even be allowed to be on television, much less play characters fanboys drool over (fangirls too, I'd imagine that works both ways, hell, multiple ways). but, it's still the best thing to happen to Supes since...well, since those nice Jewish kids created him.

Seriously. If you are watching this show and you're a comic book reader, you have to admit that this is the most interesting the character has been since he died oh those many years ago. And he wasn't that interesting then.

So, tonight we got to see the introduction of Lois Lane, find out that everyone isn't dead, see a bald Lionel luthor, and have even more secrets thrown our way. There were a handful of great moments, like clark wearing the red blanket, and Margot Kidder (in response to a query about her interest in Dr. Swan, who'splayed by Chris Reeve.) saying "In another life."

However, the flirting over the dead cousins/friends grave thing was a bit retarded (another word I meant to throw into my diatribe about how words take on different meanings...but, I'm getting off point). Yes, we all know she isn't dead, but it did seem to be a bit....dark, maybe? Not sure what word I'm looking for.

All in all though, a great episode. The black kryptonite seemed to be a handy plot point, but everything in this show is far too coincidental to feel grounded in the least bit. It's really part of the charm. Here's hoping the season just gets better from here.

Hope to have a review up later, possibly tomorrow, and I'm going to talk about one of those "important" things I mentioned a few days ago. Namely gay marriage. That'll either bring you back or send you screaming, either way, I'll be talking about it tomorrow. Well, lecturing would be a better word I suppose.

-L

One Down...

And far too many to go. This one's from quite a few weeks ago, but it was still a good read.

Bullsesy: Greatest Hits #1 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Creative team: Daniel Way, Steve Dillon, with colors by Dan Kemp, letters by Randy Gentile, and a cover by Mike Deodato, Jr.

What's it about? Bullseye has finally been apprehended, and this time the government intends to keep him that way. Unfortunately before they got him he'd stolen some nukes, and now Agents Hoskins and Baldry have to find out where the nukes are. Which, naturally, means interrogating one of the world's most dangerous men.

Why you should be reading it: Well, let's start with the obvious reason, the art. Steve Dillon is one of the mediums finest, he's proven time and again how good he really is. This is no different. The pages flow as well as they possibly can, and while it might not be Frank Quietly/WE3-ish, it's still pretty damned good. Dillon doesn't draw any two characters the same, and you've gotta love his facial expressions. His Bullseye looks menacing, even though he's wearing nothing but a hospital gown. Next, there's the writing. Until now I've only known Way from his work on Venom, which I've mostly loved. He also wrote a creator owned book at Marvel titled Gun Theory and was supposed to be writing an Ant-Man series for the MAX line, not sure if that one ever made it to the stands rhough. Anyone have any idea? This book, however, feels verey different from his work on Venom. Yes, they're both psychopaths, but where as Venom feels more like out-and-out hooror-ish (is that a word?), Bullseye feels more like a suspense. For instance, the build up before we actually see Bullseye is fantastic, thw two agents talking about the various misdeeds the man has been known for. It's an old plot tactic, but it's one that works well, especially here. The dialogue is excellent as well, and you can almost feel the hatred these people have for their prisoner fuming off the page. Then we finally get to our main character, and it's everything we could have hoped. Even his little "origin" story seems crazy, and you're not quite sure if he's telling the truth, with that sly smile he has on his face. It just great stuff. Theother reason is, it'sBullseye. Who doesn't love maniacle, psychopathic lunatics with uncanny abilities? Especially well written and drawn ones!

-L

Trilogy Tuesday

Looks like the event geeks everywhere have been waiting for has finally happened. The holy trilogy gets its first DVD release. Why do I say first? Look at how many VHS editions were released, so I can't possibly expect this to be the last we see of Lucas and his remastered shit. That's exactly what it is folks. Shit.

I could stand here all day and bitch about the fact that the man ruined his one and only masterpiece, but that's not true. The films were never his to begin with. At least, the original films weren't. This crap we're getting now, yeah, that's a George Lucas film.

The plot is a mish mash of various things, most notably akira Kurasawa's Hidden Forstress, and Lucas didn't even direct the best film of the series, and only gets credit for the story, not the actual script. The third film, Reurn of the Jedi, is the same as the second, Lucas niether directs nor gets credit for the script, just the story.

The man isn't getting a dime from me folks, and I feel for all you suckers coughing up good money for this shiny dog-turd he's selling.

You're better off buying either one of the other notable releases coming out this week, Mr. show: Season 4, or Mad TV: Season 1. At least they're intentionally funny.

-L