I'd buy that for a dollar
Jul 13Matt mentioned earlier that the new Escapist comic was coming out – this confused me to no end, as I’d bought a couple of the VERY expensive and sporatic Escapist comics from a few years back. They were good, but they were eleventy bucks or more, and they always felt like the comic equivalent of fast-growing a clone from a child to an adult in a matter of months – the whole point behind them seemed to be to portray the Kavalier and Clay story as fact over fiction. Which was cool and all, but I could only read so much about how Gil Kane did character studies for Amazing Midget Radio Comics, but it never went anywhere and he returned to DC. And whole pages of the books were a mix of fake and real letters. It was a great idea and I just couldn’t pay attention.
Now Dark Horse is doing a six part series, wherein Brian K Vaughan, Philip Bond, and Eduardio Barreto tell the tale of a man attempting to get The Escapist updated and publishing again. I dig Vaughn. I love Bond’s art. I should probably know who Barreto is, but don’t – his “golden age” Escapist art is excellent. The whole thing is awesome – and the first issue that just came out… is a buck.
In fact, the only downside to this whole venture is that they lead with Frank Miller doing the cover. It’s not quite an eyeball grabber – I actually tend to skip over Miller art when I visually scan the shelves, so I almost missed it. Why can’t that dude do feet properly? They always look odd. Brian Bolland did the backcover, so that kind of makes up for it.
Anyhow, if you liked The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, you might want to check this out – it’s almost like a sequel, without all the pretentions of presenting fiction as fact.
Chime in, Matt – what’d you think?
WikiWikiWhack: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
In Praise of Done-In-Ones
Jul 12When I was thirteen years old, the idea of diving into a multi-issue comics storyline that would leave me in suspense for months was thrilling.
These days, not so much. I still buy monthly comics and do like me a big sprawling tale just fine, but I also keep one eye constantly open (yes, I do spend a fortune on eyedrops! why do you ask?) for the ever-elusive single issue that can deliver thrills all by its lonesome.
In other words, the done-in-one.
We’re in a done-in-one renaissance right now, with a metric shit-ton of titles and specials on the stands that satisfy the urge to just read ONE comic and get a FULL experience. Fell, Jonah Hex, even the venerable Detective Comics–all great writers telling great stories that just happen to fit into a single monthly comic.
Right now, my pile of just-read comics is chock-a-block full of great done-in-ones, and so I thought I’d peck out a few recommendations, in case you’re in the market this Wednesday for something relatively cheap to read and enjoy without acres and acres of backstory. (All of this stuff SHOULD still be on the stands in plentiful quantities.) Or, be a lazy cheapskate ass and watch for this stuff in half-price or dollar bins over the next three to five years. Your call.
Funky Site
Jul 12No clue what’s happening with AN today. Not much time to play with it, either. I’m swamped like Swamp Thing.
Will fix as soon as possible. In the meantime, read what you can, love the one you’re with, etc.
IMMEDIATE UPDATE: Okay, now it looks fine. Fuck. Whatever.
What To Do?
Jul 11I’m plotting my Con schedule, configuring my line-up like a particularly intricate game of Tetris, trying to ensure that I have adequetely budgeted for 1) panels and 2) exploring the vast con floor and of course 3) drinking.
My biggest issue so far is Sunday. I can leave whenever I want on Sunday, as we are driving. However, I will also most likely be CON-ED OUT by Sunday, and will be at that super-special point where I will totally go into drooly, eye-twitchy spasms if I have to sit still for one more Q&A or see one more glossy promotional poster for Heroes or hear one more nasal voice pontificating about Superman Returns.
So. I’m definitely staying for Gail Simone’s Q&A, which ends at 12:30. Then lunch and the long road home. Right?
Well, maybe not. Because then I saw this:
1:00-2:30 Rogue Pictures— Rogue Gallery will feature previews of upcoming Rogue Pictures movies, plus special appearances by filmmakers and actors from Balls of Fury (Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon, of Reno 911!) and Hot Fuzz (Edgar Wright and Nick Frost, of Shaun of the Dead), and more guests to be announced! Room 20
Hot Fuzz! Nick Frost! Edgar Wright! AND MORE GUESTS TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Can I do it? Can I last until 2:30? I know it doesn’t seem that much later than 12:30, but trust me, it is.
What would you do?! I’m looking in your direction, Chris Stewart. And also yours, John Charles and Katherine (by the way, you guys are totally on Rock Star right now! I paused the TiVo!).
Super Sidekick
Jul 11Smallville has found their Jimmy Olsen in the form of Aaron Ashmore (Troy Vandegraff to you Veronica Marsians). I used to have a tragic mental block and thought 1) Shawn Ashmore and Shane West were the same person (no, seriously, I thought that for YEARS) and 2) that Aaron Ashmore was either also the same person or the twin of the Shawn/Shane hybrid. I was right about at least one thing (Shawn and Aaron being twins).
Anyway. The Ashmores are the ones with the geekly credentials, and this strikes me as very good casting indeed. I also like the idea of pairing him with sweet Chloe, who really deserves a break after all these years of mooning over Clark. (By the way: is the debate still raging on about Chloe being the REAL Lois Lane? I thought maybe the show producers had squashed this theory at some point, but it remains one of my favorites, even though I like Erica Durance).
