Post What I Read – Feb 29

This week was another strange one for me when I realized that Romeo and Juliet were living in my nose. I know y’all out there are scoffing but it’s true! What you have to understand is that my nostrils truly are independent of each other. The right nostril is always blocked. It’s my drippings collector. If I have a cold then the right nostril is clogged. If I cry at a sad scene in the movie, the right nostril is clogged. Suffice to say the right nostril never works.

On the other hand, the left nostril never clogs so I can always breath and smell through it. But, the left nostril also collects all kind of dirt. When I swept down the corn silo, everything coming out of the left nostril was yellow from pollen. When I swept down coal pulverizers, everything coming out of the left nostril was black. So you can see how I have a Capulet and Montague thing going.

Well, the other day I notice that the hair in my nose was getting a little out of control and starting to extend outward. It’s at the point that I noticed a hair on the left had grown out and started reaching around the septum. At the same time, a hair on the right had done the same thing! It’s like the two hairs were reaching for each other. Appalled I did the only thing I could and stuffed everyone back in their respective nostrils. Later that night as I was getting ready for bed, there they were again… the little hairs were reaching out to be with each other. So, I came to the conclusion that left nostril hair was having an illicit affair with right nostril hair and only bad things would come from it. So, before the angry villagers lit my nose on fire in angry protest I clipped everyone.

In between my nostril love fest, I managed to read My Friend Dahmer, Billy Fog Vol 1, Ampney Crucis: Vile Bodies and Hector Umbra. You can see what I liked below the break.

Looking Back: Superman Birthright

I was unpacking some boxes last weekend and in the process I dug out a copy of Superman: Birthright, Mark Waid and Leinel Yu’s origin of Superman. While it can’t be denied that the book is part of Dan Didio’s endless attempts to both retell and tweak DC’s history, it is still a very, very good comic book. In fact, comparing it stuff like Geoff Johns’ Secret Origin and Earth One only demonstrates both how good this book is and what a great handle Mark Waid has on the character of Superman.

The Blank Page Before Me

Where was I last week, some may have asked, well Lee was kind enough, along with Thomm to come to my rescue as February 17, my Mom died. Obviously I had other things to deal with and the weekly column become something that I did not care about at that moment. My Mom was ninety and in declining health, so it was not a shock, but I have never lost anyone so close to me and it was still difficult. My Dad, who is 92 and was married for over 66 years, has the tough job at this point. I always debate how open to be on the blog. Still regular readers know I have lost my dog, had my first grandson, moved to Florida, now work from home and now lost my Mom. So I guess I’m pretty open. The reason why I talk about all of this is a prologue to the column title and what this post is about.

Due to my life being what it has been, I have read very little and have way too many comics to read to try and catch up. I started to think about what I was going to post and I realized I was drawing an incredible blank. I have not read a single book from this week, have hardly read any recent comics at all, nothing that I have read was screaming at me to post about it and all in all I had no clue what to write about. The proverbial blank page was starting at me.

That I realized I have become more of a casual comic book fan. Instead of being plugged into every last bit of news and following Bleeding Cool, CBR, Newsarama and all the rest I was now on the peripheral side of things and thought that perspective might be something of interest to write about.

 

The Alchemist

I've dreaded this one for a while now. If Aaron and Ahmed had some New Age elements to it, this is ought but that. Worse yet, while I couldn't find fault with the art in Aaron and Ahmed, the art in The Alchemist has its own significant failings that detract from the book.

The Alchemist was originally a novel written by Paulo Coelho. This review is of the graphic novel adaptation. Derek Ruiz wrote the adaptation and Daniel Sampere did the art. On the face of things, I wouldn't blame Ruiz for what we have here but reading his introduction, he's bought hook, line and sinker into the theme of Personal Legend.

Personal Legend is Coelho's philosophy that everyone and everything has something it wants to accomplish in life. This is your Personal Legend. The young know it but tend to forget it as they get older, unless they've actually pursued their Personal Legend. You and I may call this following your dreams, some of which are more possible than others. I can have a Personal Legend that I'll be President of the US, but if I wasn't born in the US, that's going to be a problem. Hell, if I'm black and I was born in the US, it's still a problem for a lot of fantacists. On the other hand, wanting to work in comic books since you were eight, like Ruiz, isn't so unrealistic.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold # 16 – A Review

Writer: Sholly Fisch
Artist: Rick Burchett
Inker: Dan Davis
Colorist: Guy Major
Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Cover: Rick Burchett, Dan Davis and Heroic Age
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99

This is the way a great series ends.

This is the way a great series ends.

This is the way a great series ends.

Not with a whimper but a Bat-Mite!

Indies Previews For April Part 3 of 3

Hermes Press
Gray Morrow's Orion SC by (w/a/c) Gray Morrow
Hermes Press is reprinting the entirety of legendary artist Gray Morrow's Orion from the pages of Heavy Metal magazine. Orion is Morrow's sword and sorcery masterpiece about an Errol Flynn-like swashbuckling hero who battles evil on a strange and mystical world. Most of Orion will be shot directly from Morrow's original hand-colored artwork, and reproduced in full-color along with Morrow's Edge of Chaos series, originally published by Pacific Comics. Proceeds from Orion are going to Morrow's wife Pocho Morrow. Accompanying Orion will be a biographical essay by Irving as well as more samples of Morrow's inimitable artwork and storytelling. 144 pgs, $39.99 Read about Morrow here. 

I Spy: Complete Series Vol. 01 HC by (w) Paul S. Newman (a) Alden McWilliams
One of the greatest spy shows from the 1960s, I Spy, returns with Hermes Press' new deluxe reprint of all six Gold Key comics' issues of the feature. Included in this complete reprint are informative essays about the creative team behind the comic book and loads of never-before seen publicity photographs featuring stars Robert Culp and Bill Cosby. Artwork by Al McWilliams (issues #1-5) and Mike Roy (issue #6); scripts by Western Publishing mainstay Paul S. Newman. 256 pgs, $49.99 Read about McWilliams here.
Lee: Sigh, if only I was rich. Morrow is one of the realistic greats of old. He worked on daily strips such as 'Secret Agent X-9', Rip Kirby and Tarzan. As such he wasn’t well suited for superheroes which is why many aren’t familiar with him. But his art is eye popping amazing. The same is true of McWilliams. He worked on Star Trek comics and many others and is just amazing. Sadly, he too is unknown to most fans. I have no clue if the I Spy stories will be any good (I doubt it) but the art will be great. Now only if I were rich.
Thomm: I think Morrow’s the better bet, based on the history of comic adaptations of movies and TV. I’ve seen some Morrow stuff, too. Even if the story is weak, the art is great.
Lee: A late find, a complete I Spy story can be read here. It was better than I thought.
Thomm: It’s not bad, but I don’t get the personalities of Cosby and Culp coming through the way the show did. Just looking at the pictures from the show that are with the sample I got more of the personality the two actors brought to the characters.

Eight more books below the break, it's a huge month I tell ya!

Indies Previews For April Part 2 of 3

Chronicle Books
Darth Vader and Son HC by (w/a/c) Jeffrey Brown
What if Darth Vader took an active role in raising his son? What if Luke, I am your father was just a stern admonishment from an annoyed dad? In this hilarious and sweet comic reimagining, Darth Vader is a dad like any other - except with all the baggage of being the Dark Lord of the Sith. Celebrated artist Jeffrey Brown's delightful illustrations give classic Star Wars moments a fresh twist, presenting the trials and joys of parenting through the lens of a galaxy far, far away. 64 pgs, $14.95 Visit Brown here.
Lee: Jeffrey Brown is an excellent slice of life cartoonist. His autobiographical material has been outstanding. Now he is taking on some very silly stuff… and I am interested. I am up for a good roasting of Star Wars.
Thomm: Probably funny, but not exactly new ground in roasting Star Wars. Is his sister going to be in the book, too? Will it explain the sticky buns hair style? Now that’s stuff I want to know.

9 more books below... and 1 game too.