And now, ladies and gentlemen...

I give you The Flu!

Nope, it's not a new comic, it's what I've somehow contarcted (Could it be the many, many people who hand me money every day? Nah!). So, everything is officially on hiatus until I pick myself up off the bathroom floor. Everything except the CBG review, which isn't coming along as well as I'd hoped, especially now.

Remember my post about everything, good or bad, that happens in my life happens during the winter months? Boy was that ever prophetic.

Hopefully I'll be back to full speed (well, half-speed would probably be a better description) around Sunday or Monday. Thanks for the patience.

-L

Those pesky reviews...

I managed to get one book read last night between watching Smallville, South Park, the new animated show Drawn Together, and the history that became the 2004 World Series.

Which book?

Sabertooth: Open Season #2 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Writer: Daniel Way
Artist: Bart Sears
Inks: Mark Pennington
Colors: Mike Atiyeh
Letters: Chris Eliopolous

What's it about? Before Sabertooth could finish off the residents of a small town one of them placed a distrss call, recieved by the Coast Guard. The first rescue team is ripped to shreds, only one member survives, and is now locked in a basement with two young boys. Just as they prepare another team, Sasquatch arrives on the scene and goes in after the monster.

Why you should be reading it: I just reviewed the first issue a little over a week ago, so it seems pretty pointless to go into the same little speech. The art is even less impressive here than it was in the first issue, which makes me wonder if the series was rushed, especially since there were only two weeks between the first two books. What little dialogue there is is pretty good, especially Sabertooth's. The interaction with Sasquatch was better than I hoped, and Way shows that he can write a smart character just as well as a psychotic one, which proves his most excellent Fantastic Four material from Venom wasn't a fluke, the man can actually write more than one type of character. Tracking down his Gun Theory book is quickly rising to the top of my list. I just wish the art was better here.

2.5/5

Smallville was a surprise, after seeing the previewslast week I'd expected something ridiculous. Just goes to show you, great acting can save mediocre writing.

South Park's take on the importance of voting had me laughing my ass off. If you missed it, hopefully it'll be re-run soon. It's a must watch, and all but mirrors my thoughts on voting (which I expressed a number of weeks ago). Not to mention the PETA massacre.

There's a new show airing after South Park now, Drawn Together. Hopefully it will last. Seems that timeslot has proven nothing but trouble for the folks at Comedy Central. I can name at least a half dozen shows that have been there in the last two or three years, none of them lasting long at all. This one is better than any of those that came before it, and I hope it sticks around for awhile.

Still working on that first CBG review, and I'm about to take on quite the monumental task (for me at least) and re-read all of The New Frontier, then write a review, a real review, not one of my "This rocks my socks!!!" reviews. It will probably just appear here, and not on CBG, unless I just surprise the hell out of everyone and write the best damn review in the world.

Don't look for that to happen. Still, it's something I've been meaning to do. New Frontier is probably the best mainstream book published this year. I'm hoping I can figure out how to add some cover scans, too. So, once again....more later.

-L

Curse you say?

I think the folks in Boston would disagree. There's no such thing as a curse...not anymore.

The bad luck that began for the BoSox in 1919 has finally seen its end. 86 years folks. It's taken them 86 years to win another championship. But those self-described idiots pulled their asses out of the fire in the playoffs against the most hated team in baseball, the Yankees, then swept a team that had previously beaten them in another WS appearence quite awhile ago, the Cardinals.

Babe Ruth is laughing in his grave. Congrats Sox, you have earned it. You're fans love you, and those of us sitting on the side of the road salute you. You played your hearts out, and came back against impossible odds. I love you guys, if for no other reason than someone finally shut the damn Yankees up.

-L

You're my Angel

Lot's to cover I suppose, but with little time at the moment. I'm working on my first review for CBG, which has taken up most of my time lately.Then there's the ever present family issues (my grandmother goes from better to worse on a daily basis it seems, which has a rollercoaster effect on my emotional state) and my job, so once again my posting has fallen by the wayside.

I bought a whopping three books at the store today, and even though I wanted to spend more, I couldn't find a damn thing to buy. I did make it to Circuit City today and I blew fifty bucks on the Hellboy Collector's Edition DVD set, mini-bust included. It's a nifty set, worth the money I think. The bust is great, and I can't wait to see the brand new cut of the film.

Also, got my Season One sets of Angel, Roswell, and 24. I'm into Disc 2 of Angel, and while I have enjoyed most of it, there's still quite a few things about the show that bug me. Not sure if it's the writing, the actors, or a combination of both, but it's like any show in it's first season I suppose, just trying to carve its niche.

Haven't started Roswell yet, and 24 was great the first time I watched it, can't wait to get into the features.

A few short reviews are coming later, it's Smallville time!

Looking Up

Life seems to be doing just that, with one tiny exception, my financial affairs, but hey, they've not been in great shape since I was 20, so, why worry now? Seems I'm a CBG staff member now, and with it I get a load of fantastic perks.

What?

No perks?!?!

Dammit!!!

Seriously, it's absolutely fantastic news, and probably the best thing to happen to me in a very long time. I'm looking forward to having someone who will expect better things out of my writing. My blog might suffer, and there will probably be less comic talk here, but in the end that may be a positive thing.

I'm milling things over, wondering what I should review first, nervous as all hell. I'm gonna scan the CBG archives and make sure I don't review something that's already been hit upon. The most recent trade I've read is the new Wolverine, and while I loved it, I'm hoping to find something not so traditional.

My DVD buying is still out of control, spent sixty bucks a few days ago, but got some damn fine fliks; Man on Fire, Jersey Girl, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Scooby-Doo 2, Ladykillers, and Mean Girls.

I can rationalize Mean Girls with a few recommendations, and the fact that Tina Fey wrote it, but I have yet to watch it, along Ladykillers as well. I'm looking forward to seeing them. Scooby-Doo is always an eye-bros raiser when I bring it up. Seems no one shows the movie any love. I think the dog's got more character in the film than he ever did on the show, and I love the original run. Sure, it's not the TV show,but has anything ever been the original? Possibly A Pup NamedScooby-Doo came close, and is definitely the best of the follow-ups.

Not sure where I was going with this...

It's a good family flik, and achieves what it sets out to do, can you ask any more than that?

Jersey Girl was an odd buy, in some ways I actually got it for free (Buy 2, get 1 Free, I love you Movie Gallery!!). I had wanted to wait for the Special Edition release that's coming down the pike in about six or seven months, but the features sold it for me.

I listened to both commentary tracks today, and I was pretty impressed. I've always loved Smith's commentraks, not because they shed any light on the process, but because he just has a damn good time. The first one has Ben Afflek and Smith conversing about various things, including the Bennifer and Gigli fiasco that came back and bit them in the ass. They talked alot about critics, actually both tracks did, and how the movie was panned by longtime Smith lovers, yet hailed by people who didn't like most of his other films. Except for Jay & Silent Bob, I've loved every View Askew film, not just Smiths, and found it bizaare that the movie recieved so many bad reviews.

The second has Scott Mosier and Jason Mewes, and Mewes steals the show here. Smith even gets him talking about his drug addiction and a few other personal problems the man has suffered through. I've definitely got a newfound respect for the guy. I'll still be buying the Special Edition later, but I'm glad I picked this up. The Roadside Attractions extras were nice, even if they have nothing to do with the film.

I watched Eternal Sunshine last night. Wow. I like Being John Malkovich, but could hardly stay awake through Adaptation, so I wasn't sure what I'd be getting here. Maybe because it's an outside director, but this is by far Kaufman's best film to date. He write the script, and co-wrote the story, and it's just absolutely brilliant. Jim Carrey gives the performance of a lifetime, and if the world were right he'd be recieving a Best Actor trophy for this film. Sadly, I'm sure that won't be the case.

That's it for me folks, but I shall be back tomorrow.

-L

Gracias

To ADD for sending me a critique of my review last night. There's nothing scarier than someone you consider a friend giving you an honest opinion of your work. I gotta say, honestly, (HAHAHA...no one else will think that's funny....) it wasn't as bad as I'd feared. I edited the review in the hopes that it will read better, and I think it does. A few of the mistakes were grammatical, which makes me want to just delete Microsoft Word from my comp. Hey, Bill, what's the point in having a program that only points out some errors? Maybe my version's just too damn old.

Where was I? Oh, yeah, thanks Alan, it was definitely taken to heart. Any specific deadline for the submissions?

In other news...I spent fifty bucks at the comic shop this week. Good God that's alot. What's funny is that I only bought four floppies. Sadly, all of them Marvel, and one of them because I'm a sucker for complete sets.

Cable & Deadpool #8 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Up until now I'd only been enjoying Fabes rendition of Deadpool, but his writing of Cable has greatly improved since the previous storyline, and takes off within this issue. It does suffer from "longtime reader" syndrome, meaning if you haven't followed the character since their inception, you're likely gonna be lost. Not crazy about the art, but I'm loving the writing. Deadpool's interaction with the current X-Men had me clutching my sides with laughter, and Irene's interview with Cable (Why did they insist on keeping the damn name? I'm sure even Liefeld can admit how stupid it is.) was very interesting. Good stuff.

Madrox #2 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Unlike Tom (dog that he is), I love the art here, it fits perfectly with the story. The opening sequence, with Jamie addressing the noir feel to the situation was hilarious. It was nice to have a few laughs along with some seriousness, both here and in C&D #8. It'll be a shame to see this book wrapped up in a few issues.

Fantastic Four #519 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

This is second on the drop list I mentioned last week. Waid and 'Ringo are producing some damn fine material, but the price hike to $2.99 has sealed the deal. I'll be buying the trades after this arc wraps up. As for this particular issue, well, that makes three Marvel books that made me laugh this week. When's the last time that happened?

Identity Disc #5 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Wait, make that four! Only this one wasn't supposed to be funny (Well, except the Deadpool bits, Rodi writes great DP dialogue). So, who was actually surprised by this ending? If you were, boy do I feel sorry for you. Eventually I'll re-read the entire series and review it as a whole, maybe after I forget how awful an ending that was.

I also picked up the latest Wolverine trade. I'm hoping I'll get to it in the next few days, along with Ursula and Brit.

-L

BAH!

To steal a phrase from the almighty Doom. I had hoped to get some reviews up last night, but fate wasn't having it, then I got called into work early today, so finally, I have a review.

Since I'm debating trying out for CBG in light of Alan's recent announcement, I've decided to try and do a more traditional review. As always, comments would be greatly appreciated, as would pointers. So, yeah, away we go!

The Wild, Weird West

The Wicked West $9.95 (Image Comics)

Writer(s): Todd Livingston & Robert Tinnell
Artist(s): Neil Vokes
Letters: Tim Wallace
Colors: Scott Keating
Cover by Neil Vokes with colors by Anthony Schiavino

I had absolutely no expectations upon picking this up. Of course I had seen it in the solicitations for the week's books, but hadn't the slightest idea what it was about. The cover looked interesting enough, a cowboy standing in front of a small wooden cross, a demon lurking behind him. So, I flipped it over.

There was a blurb on the back from Frank Durabont, one of my favorite Hollywood writers, so yeah, I couldn't pass this one up. Especially when the words vampire and western appeared.

Of course I knew it was based in the Old West, I'm not completely dense, but the idea of vampires in late 1800's Texas sounded pretty damned intriguing.

Unfortunately we get something closer to the Rodriguez/Tarantino flik From Dusk Til Dawn rather than Niles and Templesmith's recent comic book vamp-hit 30 Days of Night. Well, that may not be entirely fair, it's got a tad bit more vampire action in it than Dusk does, but the pacing feels about the same.

It seems that rather than risk losing their audience in the story of the main character, Cotton Coleridge, Livingston and Tinnell jump right into the action. When we first see Coleridge he's looking for a man, an old Indian named Big Medicine, but instead he's forced to fight his way out of a gun battle. Seems he's on the wrong side of the law, but we never get an explanation as to why, or what exactly happened.

Which is unfortunate, because as the story progresses the character becomes increasingly interesting. Coleridge drifts and eventually comes upon a town, Javer's Tanks, that's looking for a new schoolteacher.

I found it quite odd how quickly he got the job, even if it is the Old West. A man drifts in out of nowhere, is asked a few questions and is put in charge of children? It just doesn't quite add up. ("Unless it's a David E. Kelley TV series!" -ADD)

Still, the story progresses and eventually we get to the main plot behind the book, the vampires. Or, vampire at first. And yes, even more stuff that doesn't quite add up.

I will say that I liked the fact that the vamp wasn't portrayed in a particularly favorable light, nor was he romanticized in any way. In fact when we first see him he looks something like a rat, only walking upright.

Meanwhile, between certain events happening in the "past" we're given the story of an older gentleman taking his grandson to the movies in the '30s in Colorado. Actually, these series of scenes start immediately after the first introduction of Coleridge. So, actually what we're witnessing is more or less a flashback to the events of the 1870s.

While that would seemingly explain the reason the Old West scenes felt so rushed, it still never sat right with me, even after a re-read. If it were just one man's (or boy's) memory of the event it's quite possible that he would not remember the finer details and only the broader things that came to pass. However, the entire story isn't told from the grandfather's point of view (he turns out to be a kid that helps Coleridge fight the vampires, which becomes entirely too obvious after the first few pages). Instead we're shown some things that he never saw happen, and some he did, so it feels much more like inter-cutting rather than a complete flashback.

It's the best part of this entire book. The movie that they're watching turns out to be the very same story of Coleridge and the town of Javer's Tanks and the vampire horde they had to face. Of course it's been bastardized by the industry into a stereotypical western, complete with candy-coated dialogue. I found it dead on to the types of movies that were coming out at that time...well, the types of Western films anyway.

The different art styles are absolutely amazing. The movie they're watching has a softer feel to it, very much reminding me of Bruce Timm, while the "present" events with grandfather and grandson seem to have a more down to earth (I hate to say realistic, because that's not the right term) quality, and the "past" art feels like some kind of Western Noir. And the same artist, Neil Vokes, draws the entire book. Absolutely beautiful.

We've got a ton of failed opportunities here, and quite a few things that just don't add up. The structure is flawed almost from the beginning. Showing us a glimpse into the rough world of Coleridge, then giving us the "present day" story of the grandfather and his grandson. Which just ruins the "flashback" feel. On top of that we have little to no background on any of the characters, which may be all right for the townsfolk, but it makes it harder to identify with Coleridge. We get little hints of the man's past, but other than the opening sequence, nothing concrete.

The book could have benefited from a longer page count, thus giving us a bit more detail instead of the rapid-fire pace at which the story currently moves. But, the $9.95 price tag played a big part in my decision to pick this up, and it wasn’t bad, just not as unique as one would hope a “vampire western” would be.

The creative team gets kudos for such a great concept, and the art is magnificent. There’s a bit of a bonus as well, a prose story and a few pinups that do indeed bring the value of the book up a notch or two.

7/10

-L

Breaking the Curse

As I type this the boston Red Sox are on the verge of going to their first World Series in almost 20 yrs, and given the two teams fighting it out in the National League, stand a pretty good chance of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

I know, most of you probably could care less about baseball, and usually I feel the same way, but I'm watching sports history in the making, and for a on-again-off-again sports fan (except for football, I'll always love football) like myself, it's pretty exciting.

Nothing will ever get me back into loving baseball, tho8ugh, not even the Great Homerun Chase, nor the New Iron Man could bring me back. The athletes are overpaid babies for the most part, especially the Yankees. I hate the Yankees. With a passion. If they were playing baseball against Satan and his demon horde for all of our souls, I think I'd root for Satan.

Yeah, that a bit of a reaching scenario, but hopefully you get my point. If not, you're denser than even I am.

So, yeah, I'm hoping beyond hope that the Yankees lose. Looks like I'll get my wish, but, theen again, they are cursed.

So, anyway, until I get some reviews finished, here's a bit of link blogging to keep you busy.

Cinescape - Home -

Check out the Comicscape column by Tony Whitt, always good stuff. He talks a bit about Chris Reeve, and I agree, like or dislike the actor, you have to admire the man. He was a superman in every sense of the word.

Tom the Dog's You Know What I Like?

Tom's talking about crappy horror films, and while I agree with his assessment of Halloween: Resurrection, it's very much in the vein of almost every horror film to come down the pike sense...well...the original Halloween flik. They're all pretty much shit, so picking out the shittiest in a sea of shit seems like a self defeating task. But, it's entertaining to read!

(postmodernbarney.com)

Dorian's got a Superbitch..err...Girl cover to show you, and he's got a look at the new DC solicits, a feature I've come to enjoy, even if I don't read many DC books.

Mike Sterling's Progressive Ruin

Mike's got a Blondie cover and a few links of his own. Even more if you scroll down. Gotta admire the man's obsession with a certain moss covered DC character.

Near Mint Heroes

Shane's got more links than you can shake a stick at, including news about the new Superman (Cinescape has some on this as well.). Seem's that's all he's had time for lately, so, Shane, here's hoping to see you back in the swing of things soon, but, I'm enjoying the links in the meantime.

The Johnny Bacardi Show

J.B. (not to be confused with comics' other, far more idiotic J.B.) has some song lyrics that are sure to give you a chuckle. If they don't you take things waaay too seriously.

Neilalien : A Doctor Strange Fansite : A Comic Book Weblog

Neil's always good for a linkfest as well, not to mention more Doc Strange info than you can shake a stick at.

Mercury Studios

Good news for Steve Lieber, Me and Edith Head is being adapted as an independant film. Well, I assume it's good news for him, guess it depends on how well it turns out. There's also a few sketches up, one that's sure to make you laugh.

FredSez

Fred's got a Irv Novick memorial of sorts. Good stuff. I was sad to read of his passing. I'm not terribly familiar with his work, but it's always sad to see one of the industry's creators pass. I wish his family the best and Irv all the fame and fortune he deserves in his new life.

Permanent Damage

Mr. Grant examines the time-space continuum and why it seems to hate him so much.

Comic Book Galaxy - Now in our Fifth Year!

CBG is holding open submissions for new reviewers. I've got half a mind to actually submit something and create a real review as opposed to what I usually end up with. I've no actual expectations of being accepted, but it might be fun to actually force ADD to critique something I reviewed. So, all you looking for a higher profile gig, you won't get any better than this. Well, you can't get any better quality site than this, I'm sure you can find somewhere with higher traffic, like saw Newsarama, but who the hell wants to deal with the idiots that frequent that site.

National Novel Writing Month - National Novel Writing Month

This is an interesting idea. If I weren't already swamped with writing what I write I'd definitely give it a go. A great experiment, and free to boot.

Fiction Novel Proposal Guidelines

Wizards of the Coast is opening a new book publishing division and is holding open submissions. They'll only choose one candidate, but it's a good way to get your stufflooked at. It's another thing I'm considering, maybe I'll actually follow through.

So, yeah, it's the bottom of the ninth and the BoSox are about to make history. I'll be back later with a review...I hope.

-L

A Few Hours Late...

But here nevertheless.

Sgt. Rock: Between Hell & a Hard Place HC $24.95 (Vertigo.DC Comics)

Creative Team: Joe Kubert, Brian Azzarello

What's it about? Rock and the men of Easy Company set out to take a few German Intelligence officers hostage and possibly gain an advantage in the Hurtgen Forest. The mission's a success, but nothing but bad seems to follow. When all but one of the captives ends up dead, Rock makes it his mission to find out who killed them and why.

Why you should read it: First things first, bravo to Kubert getting first billing here. It's often (almost always) the writer who gets top billing, but here we have Kubert's name loud and proud before that of Azzarello's. His art is great, and the opening panels just speak volumes, with nary a word in sight. Azzarello's script isn'y as superb as the art here, but it's more than passable. The mystery was a bit too easy to figure out, but this doesn't strike me as the sort of book that's setting out to change the way you think about life. It has it's finer points, sure, but it's just a story, plain and simple, and a well told one at that.

I'm fairly certain this is the only hardcover in my entire collection, and likely will stay that way for sometime. I can honestly say that had I not gotten in cheaper than cover, it's doubtful I'd have purchased it at all, which is ashame, because I really did enjoy it thoroughly.

I did like the subtle morality message within the story, and it surprisingly didn't hit me until closer to the end. Rock is searching for a murderer in a world full of killers, how does one differentiate between the two? Is there a difference? None of that dawned on me until fairly late in the book, I was just simply enjoying it that much.

Others may feel differently, some may think it's too preachy, but this is just one man's opinion.

I've never been one for DC War Stories, and other than a few written by Ennis, I don't think I've read that many. I doubt that will change too much, but this book has certainly brought them more to my attention.

The $25 cover price may indeed be too much for most of you out there, but I assure you it's worth every penny. This is probably my first experience with the Boys of Easy Company, but after this I doubt it will be my last.

Kudos to both creators for crafting such a great piece, especially Kubert, the art is just great. And, much thanks to ADD for sending this my way, I'd definitely be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. If you did review it in the past, I may have missed it.

So, yeah, more later...

-L

The "Go BoSox!!!" List

Because as I write this Boston is trying to break a curse. Since I hate the Yankees with a passion, Go Boston!

Arrested Development: Season One

I wish I could afford this one, but I just don't have the cash right now. But, it's a great show and a good buy. I'll get it eventually.

Batman: Secrets of the Caped Crusader

Pass. Why do we need this if we have season sets? For the kiddies I suppose, but at fifteen bucks it isn't worth it.

Bionicle 2: Legends of Metru Nui

Recently rewatched the first film, and admired the storyline and what they tried to accomplish with the CGI, maybe this one is even better.

Born On The Fourth Of July (Special Edition)

Not a Cruise fan, nor am I a Stone fan, so I'll be passing this one up. But, it's there for those that are.

A Cinderella Story

Why oh why? Proceed with caution.

Garfield: The Movie

Looking forward to watching this to see if it's as bad as everyone says.

Hellboy (Director's Cut)

Sigh...something else I'll "have" to buy.

Justice League: The Brave & the Bold

I wish we were getting season sets here.

Superman: A Little Piece of Home

We will be getting season sets of this show, but not for a few months.

TMNT: Michelangelo's Christmas Rescue

I'm going to eventually catch up to the new episodes, probably just not anytime soon.

Tom & Jerry: Spotlight Collection

For all you fans out there, the series gets the deluxe treatment, and well worth the dough if you are indeed a fan.

Van Helsing

Also available in "Ultimate Edition" with some original monster fliks. Still haven't seen it.

Wacky Races: The Complete Series

This is one I'm definitely looking forward to buying. I loved the show as a kid and it'll be nice to have it available again.

Back later with those reviews!

-L

The Reviews!

As promised, and since there's alot of them, I won't go into all the major details, just my thoughts.

Bullseye: Greatest Hits #2 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Way and Dillon continue the origin of one of the most vile people in the Marvel Universe. Honestly it'll be a bit disappointing if all of Bullseye's little stories turn out to be true, but pretty obvious if he's revealed to be making it up, a la The Usual Supects. Here's hoping the boys pull a rabbit out of the hat and surprise the hell out of me. either way we're two issues in and I'm loving it, especially Dillon's art. I'm definitely in favor of a bullseye monthly instead of Way's current Venom series.

The Punisher #12 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

We finally see the end of the Kitchen Irish arc, and it ended much better than it began. Still, I'm dropping this and hoping they keep the Trades coming. Decent, but Ennis can do much much better. Like the next book:

303 #1 $3.99 (Avatar)

Ennis and artist Jacen Burrows craft a militaristic tale like only Ennis and Burrows can do. This is good, real good. I hope issue 2 isn't far behind.

Daredevil 2099 #1 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Decent, nice to see a single issue story from the House of Early 90's Ideas. Not sure the reasoning behind all these one-shots, but this was the only one I read. Kirkman's done better.

Guardians #4 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Good, good stuff. This would most definitely appeal to a younger crowd, and I'm not sure how it got approved at Marvel, but I hope it lasts for quite awhile. It won't but I can hope. Anyone loking to get a 10-12 yr old into comics might wanna give this a try. And if you're looking for something original (well, somewhat original I suppose) check it out.

The Tomb of Dracula #1 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Steve Niles this isn't. I wish it was, because Rodi and Jones aren't even decent substitutes. The art is passable at best, but the story just doesn't cut it.

Y, the Last Man #27 $2.95 (Vertigo/DC Comics)

Okay, I've tooted this series' horn forever, so if you don't get it, by all means, quit stopping by. If you're not buying this book, what the hell is wrong with you?

Doctor Spectrum #2 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

Why did we need a mini for this? Seriously? Still, it's not that bad, at least we don't have to stare at the nudity-passing-for-maturity that runs rampant in Supreme Power.

X-Force #3/X-Men: The End #4 $2.99 (Marvel Comics)

I'm done with Claremont's End book. This issue was steeped in confusion even for a follower of the x-books. Still enjoying the over-the-top X-Force though. Not because it has any actual redeeming quality, but because it seems to be a trainwreck in the truest sense of the word.

On that note, I'm gonna be dropping alot on monthlies in favor of more trades, just because reading floppies, not to mention the space they take up, has become increasingly idiotic. Not sure what I'm dropping yet, or when, but the Punisher is first on the list, we'll see what next week holds.

I've still got the Sgt. Rock HC, a Brit TPB, and the Ursula GN to review, but I want to dedicate actual space to those. Not to mention rereading all the current minis that have finished lately. So, definitely more tomorrow.

-L

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!