Buys
Two spheres of purchase, really, the first being DVDs, the second, comics. In the first, I got me Teen Titans vol.3 and to round out the order, I got Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Just trying to be a completists about those fab WB cartoons, I guess.
For comics, it was that time of the month when both Brave and the Bold and a Showcase Presents come out, so I went to the store. I'm collecting them all, so I did buy Showcase Presents Superman vol.3 (a quick perusal made me want to start reading these crazy Silver Age nuggets, which is a good thing) and Legion of Super-Heroes vol.1 (despite the fact I already have a third of the stories in color thanks to an Archive Edition I'd gotten on sale for, like, 20 bucks back in the day). Speaking of sales, it's still 3 trades for the price of 2 at the store so I got Jonah Hex: Guns of Vengeance. I was really looking forward to buying Morrison's All-Star Superman, but it's a hardcover.
"Accomplishments"
Since we're on the subject of comics, I'll start there. I didn't wait to read Brave and the Bold #3, and I'm glad I didn't. There are so many great moments in this thing, it's a joy to read. It's the first time I meet the new Blue Beetle, but Mark Waid has written the definitive BB for me. What a sympathetic character.
Jonah Hex: Guns of Vengeance didn't last long either. It's my first look at the critically-acclaimed new series and the trade features issues 7 through 12, all stand-alone issues. I agree with the ISB and others that there's too much incidental rape, and the storytelling isn't always as smooth as I'd like (transitions, similar-looking characters, etc.), but they're good western tales and I liked the use of interstitial titles in them. I was especially glad to see El Diablo as well, in what was perhaps the strongest story of the collection.
The real star on my reading table this week, however, was The Escapist vol.3, collecting books 5 and 6 of the series. The very definition of a "handsome volume", there's no dearth of talent on this thing, and the stories manage to be thought-provoking, postmodern AND rollicking great adventures or hilarious strips. The team-up with the Spirit - some of Eisner's last work - is excellent and might be worth the price of admission even if you didn't also get Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle, Eddie Campbell, Paul Grist, a non-Hawkgirl Howard Chaykin, and - surprise surprise - Jeffrey Brown ("Clumsy"). That last one is a HOOT, supposedly an unauthorized mini-comic published here in lieu of a lawsuit. The fact this collection gets away with printing a romance story that has nothing to do with the Escapist or his supporting cast is proof enough that Dark Horse can do no wrong with this anthology.
Over in Warcrap, I got Lynda from levels 33 to 36, and fully expect to get her to 40 in less than 2 weeks. Can't wait to get my mount, if only because it'll be an elephant. And that's COOL.
Who CCG cards? I'm a bit behind, I admit. Should've been done with The Sontaran Experiment, but only made 6. The week was mostly spent contemplating my stripping schedule and a rules fix to make the game better.
In preparation for stripping, I did get through The Invasion DVD, a 2nd Doctor vs. Cybermen story from the 60s, now famous because its two missing episodes have been animated. And I must say: The retro look is awsome. Simple, but moody and effective. Not sure about Jaime's likeness, but the Mighty Trout's expressive face looks great. If the BBC wanted to "fix" all stories with missing episodes this way, I would be TOTALLY up for it. Dare I dream of a day when they animate even the stories that are missing wholesale?
Another DVD I flipped was Kar-Wai Wong's 2046. This is the first work of his I've experienced - and it IS an experience - and I absolutely loved it.
He's a very visual director, and I was especially intrigued by his choice of cutting off half the image to work in square rather than rectangular compositions. The net effect for me was to show characters who were incomplete with that ellusive "other". But I was most impressed by the acting. Lots of silent, lingering moments, and all the great Asian stars (from all over) know how to sell those moments and create interior lives for their characters. Announcing the start of WongQuest 2007: I've got to get my hands on his other films, and not just because 2046 is a sort of "echo" (some might call it a sequel, but Wong wouldn't) of In the Mood for Love and others.
Website finds
101 People Who Are Screwing Up Canada is a blog by fellow New Brunswicker Spinks, and as of this date, he's up to #31, Pot King Mark Emery. Personally? I can't wait to see what he's got planned when his countdown reaches #1.
Housewife Elyse has turned me on the joys of the Indian Superman musical, surely one of the high points of Bollywood cinema.
And since this is Doctor Who Week, it behooves me to throw a little Who in here: Vote Saxon. Every year, the BBC starts tie-in websites, and Series 3 seems to be making references to this mystery figure whenever it can. Who is Saxon? How will he interact with the storyline? Find out here. Kinda.
Two spheres of purchase, really, the first being DVDs, the second, comics. In the first, I got me Teen Titans vol.3 and to round out the order, I got Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. Just trying to be a completists about those fab WB cartoons, I guess.
For comics, it was that time of the month when both Brave and the Bold and a Showcase Presents come out, so I went to the store. I'm collecting them all, so I did buy Showcase Presents Superman vol.3 (a quick perusal made me want to start reading these crazy Silver Age nuggets, which is a good thing) and Legion of Super-Heroes vol.1 (despite the fact I already have a third of the stories in color thanks to an Archive Edition I'd gotten on sale for, like, 20 bucks back in the day). Speaking of sales, it's still 3 trades for the price of 2 at the store so I got Jonah Hex: Guns of Vengeance. I was really looking forward to buying Morrison's All-Star Superman, but it's a hardcover."Accomplishments"
Since we're on the subject of comics, I'll start there. I didn't wait to read Brave and the Bold #3, and I'm glad I didn't. There are so many great moments in this thing, it's a joy to read. It's the first time I meet the new Blue Beetle, but Mark Waid has written the definitive BB for me. What a sympathetic character.
Jonah Hex: Guns of Vengeance didn't last long either. It's my first look at the critically-acclaimed new series and the trade features issues 7 through 12, all stand-alone issues. I agree with the ISB and others that there's too much incidental rape, and the storytelling isn't always as smooth as I'd like (transitions, similar-looking characters, etc.), but they're good western tales and I liked the use of interstitial titles in them. I was especially glad to see El Diablo as well, in what was perhaps the strongest story of the collection.
The real star on my reading table this week, however, was The Escapist vol.3, collecting books 5 and 6 of the series. The very definition of a "handsome volume", there's no dearth of talent on this thing, and the stories manage to be thought-provoking, postmodern AND rollicking great adventures or hilarious strips. The team-up with the Spirit - some of Eisner's last work - is excellent and might be worth the price of admission even if you didn't also get Alan Grant & Norm Breyfogle, Eddie Campbell, Paul Grist, a non-Hawkgirl Howard Chaykin, and - surprise surprise - Jeffrey Brown ("Clumsy"). That last one is a HOOT, supposedly an unauthorized mini-comic published here in lieu of a lawsuit. The fact this collection gets away with printing a romance story that has nothing to do with the Escapist or his supporting cast is proof enough that Dark Horse can do no wrong with this anthology.Over in Warcrap, I got Lynda from levels 33 to 36, and fully expect to get her to 40 in less than 2 weeks. Can't wait to get my mount, if only because it'll be an elephant. And that's COOL.
Who CCG cards? I'm a bit behind, I admit. Should've been done with The Sontaran Experiment, but only made 6. The week was mostly spent contemplating my stripping schedule and a rules fix to make the game better.
In preparation for stripping, I did get through The Invasion DVD, a 2nd Doctor vs. Cybermen story from the 60s, now famous because its two missing episodes have been animated. And I must say: The retro look is awsome. Simple, but moody and effective. Not sure about Jaime's likeness, but the Mighty Trout's expressive face looks great. If the BBC wanted to "fix" all stories with missing episodes this way, I would be TOTALLY up for it. Dare I dream of a day when they animate even the stories that are missing wholesale?
Another DVD I flipped was Kar-Wai Wong's 2046. This is the first work of his I've experienced - and it IS an experience - and I absolutely loved it.
He's a very visual director, and I was especially intrigued by his choice of cutting off half the image to work in square rather than rectangular compositions. The net effect for me was to show characters who were incomplete with that ellusive "other". But I was most impressed by the acting. Lots of silent, lingering moments, and all the great Asian stars (from all over) know how to sell those moments and create interior lives for their characters. Announcing the start of WongQuest 2007: I've got to get my hands on his other films, and not just because 2046 is a sort of "echo" (some might call it a sequel, but Wong wouldn't) of In the Mood for Love and others.Website finds
101 People Who Are Screwing Up Canada is a blog by fellow New Brunswicker Spinks, and as of this date, he's up to #31, Pot King Mark Emery. Personally? I can't wait to see what he's got planned when his countdown reaches #1.
Housewife Elyse has turned me on the joys of the Indian Superman musical, surely one of the high points of Bollywood cinema.And since this is Doctor Who Week, it behooves me to throw a little Who in here: Vote Saxon. Every year, the BBC starts tie-in websites, and Series 3 seems to be making references to this mystery figure whenever it can. Who is Saxon? How will he interact with the storyline? Find out here. Kinda.
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