Litany of Schist

The iPhone 4S vs. Nikon D40

2012-01-12T18:40:00.008-06:00

While I've been working directly with iOS for a few years now, it's only recently that I've come to own a device for my personal use outside of work. Last fall I broke down and obtained an iPhone 4S, and I have to say it's a wonderful thing to have.

Much talk has been made of the 4S's improved camera and it was one of the clinchers in finally putting an end to my iPhone procrastination. I use the camera constantly-- on holiday, snapping food, and of course casual candids. On a recent trip to Disneyland I accumulated over 300 photos. On a cross-country road trip with Vicky, even more. I'm no stranger to photography (I once took photos with film!), and I wholeheartedly support the digital revolution. But I did find phones and point-and-shoots to be a bit lacking, so employing a DSLR scratches my photography itch on many occasions.

I decided to give the iPhone 4S a challenge, and popped around downtown Los Angeles snapping pics to compare it against my meek-but-workable Nikon D40. Now the D40, especially in the speed-of-light technology race, is woefully outdated and very much as "entry" as you can get for an entry level DSLR. Surely I would love to rock out on a D90, but as of yet the expense hasn't totally justified an upgrade (it looms, tho).

The Nikon D40 is:

a trusty workhorse
malleable to many situations
good 'ol DLSR controls for ISO, F-stop, Aperture, etc.
decent white balance settings
virtually un-fillable SD cards (we're talking thousands and up)
Stock 18-55mm lens is incredibly versatile
takes Nikon lenses and a multitude of filters

somewhat cumbersome
requires patience to set up shot
often prefers a tripod when you don't have one
needs halfway decent knowledge of photography
must be adjusted for even small shifts in environment
Auto setting tends to disappoint (of course)
Still needs dedicated time to "develop" via Lightroom, iPhoto

The iPhone 4S is:

convenient as all get out
built for spontaneity
magically automated
fantastic apps like Camera+, Hipstamatic, and Photogene
great in daylight
near-instant sharing capabilities
surprising quality more often than not

automation can be frustrating for photographers ("that's not what I see!")
flash pretty much useless
white balance is luck of draw, difficult to adjust if at all
all exposure or color correction must be done in post
decent in low light but noticeably suffers
auto-focus can be annoying
can be awkward to hold and use

Above you'll see some examples near and around the LA Public Library. Um, no people tho cause that really isn't my thing. I don't want to cloud these comparisons with tech specs, I just want to present the images as I caught them. Of course I did my best to use the appropriate settings for the D40, which makes the instant shots of the 4S all the more impressive. What you should know is that all of the photos are "as is," meaning no post production for color or exposure. There are differences to the keen eye but likely none to the casual observer. I do notice one usually edges out the other, which comes down to personal preference, I'll let you decide for yourselves.

No no one's saying a 4S is going to replace a DSLR, but I got to be honest with you, in comparison to a D40 it comes pretty damn close in alot of situations. What I've noticed is where the 4S excels-- outdoors in the daylight. And when you do shoot people, it hits the mark. Perhaps it's largest flaw outdoors is the limitation of the lens, if as a photographer you have something specific in mind. I've done some trickery to force its hand indoors, sometimes as simple as holding up a white piece of paper as an impromptu reflector. Overall it performs great indoors, too. Its main detraction may be the automated exposure and white balance, without any of the cool apps mentioned above photos all start having that even keel, generally ever-so-cool-tinted look. As an artist I sometimes see a group of iPhone pics as , well, "cold."

What a DSLR gives you is control, as long as you're willing to learn that control and have the patience to make use of it. At times I love that control and at others the constant clicking back and forth between settings distracts from getting "that shot." But the patience pays off, and shutterbugs can usually get some of their preferred setting in pretty quickly. Also I'll add that the times I've gotten to use a D70/D90 were awesome, they really up the game.

The main win for the iPhone 4S is that it's always with you, just waiting for photo opportunities. Any time. And believe me I've lugged around that D40 all over this damn country (as recently as this past winter break). But as far as grabbing the moment the 4S takes it, leaving little excuse not to snap or document something that catches your eye. That's the cool part, yea?

Thoughts on Digital Comics

2011-12-23T00:40:00.001-06:00

Digital Comics. Is there such a thing, or is it just "Comics?"

The comics news sites seem to be abuzz that 2012 will be a make-or-break year for digital delivery. Some going so far as to suggest the make or break will be for the industry as a whole (well we've been hearing that one for a while now).

There are two interesting reads lately that spell things out. The first is found at Savage Critic, a lengthy and thoughtful dissemination by Brian Hibbs. This primarily takes a retailers' point of view, though I have to say that personally I rarely find retailers espousing anything remotely resembling logic on the subject of their industry. I don't hold that against Hibbs, tho, as he raises several strong concerns about the increasing move to digital distribution. I don't even agree with some of his conclusions, but I respect anyone in his position that is actually thinking and communicating about it in a helpful way. He's not entirely alone, and these steadfast (and smart) businessmen are the ones who can survive.

The second comes from a creator, an Op-Ed over at The Beat by Dave Castelnuovo. In my opinion he's right on the ball here, much more so that I've heard from many a retailer or publisher who are intent to keep the blinders on. There is a new generation of content generators who are embracing digital distribution for one sole purpose: get content to readers that is not only sustainable, but profitable.

Form factor is a terribly hard argument to win on either side. I love printed comics, but comics on an iPad look pretty damn sweet. Comics on Kindle, not so much. There are wonderful advantages and nitpicky drawbacks on both sides. It's hard to look past the technology of the now, but surely if we're in the midst of a Star Trek era of portable devices, the future can only get better. Lighter, thinner, sturdier, tactile. Cheaper. When that price point finds the sweet spot, content providers better be fucking ready or they'll be left in the dust. You think that's happening now? Just wait.

What it comes down to for me has less to do with the creators and the retailers than it does with the publishers whose bloated ways seem to barely grasp the potential on all fronts. This is doubly hampered by publishers' desires to not only reach their audience and hopefully expand it, but contradictorily bow to pressures imposed by physical distribution and retailer angst. By publishers I'm only really inferring the big two, DC and Marvel, as for all intents their stock is the stock and trade of comics retailers. Should one of them choose to grab the future's brass ring and jump into the digital deep end entirely, it effectively puts at least 85% of comics retailers out of business over night. I wish they would do that and get it over with, cruel as it sounds. But for now neither of them have the insight, means, nor the balls to do so.

Publishers seem to be missing the win-win. They have an immense catalog that can be cheaply ported to digital and sold again. There's even some double dipping potential with not only a new audience but an old one who has quit previously and of course the existing one that wants to move to a new format. On the physical distribution side, there's no need to stop. Floppies, yes, there are dozens of reasons to stop the equally dozens of mediocre titles that come out week after week. But prestige titles, original graphic novels, omnibi, Absolute editions, etc., they can all still be the draw in the shops and Amazon. Think about it. Would you really miss a Batman comic every week, if you got the equivalent via digital? Maybe... but what if throughout the year an original Batman graphic novel by some kick-ass team came out that was just dying to be read in that groovy page-flipping format? It can be offered digital, too, but there will be a stronger market for it on both sides. The largest obstacle here is one that Hibbs nails, in that again it's the publishers who can't seem to market themselves in a way to make them accessible.

One last note on something that alot of people seem to refuse to consider. Perhaps 2012 does mark the end of comics distribution in a retail environment, and that's okay. At least, on a national, readily available scale (which is pushing it as it is). There are never ending tales of comics stores struggling, there have been for years and years. If it's done, it's done. A physical retail location will suddenly become much more rare, but it will be for those who's passion remains. This for both customers and owners. That's the way it has to be for any niche market. And here we are on the cusp of printed comics becoming just that-- niche.

As an extreme example, ask yourself where you can go buy a horse-drawn carriage. Sure everyone loves cars, anyone can get a car. But you want a carriage, with all it's history, tangibility, and craftsmanship. And you know what? You can get one. Sure it may cost more and be harder to find, but when you do find one it will have been made by people who are just like you. And there will be fellow customers who are like you as well, and that's a community you will be glad to belong to. Most people cannot be bothered with this. Most people could care less about the demise of the mass-market carriage building industry that came along with the onslaught of the automobile. And that's why most people have a car, likely including yourself.

The Last Bud Plant Catalog?!?

2011-12-14T00:43:00.001-06:00

I've received the Bud Plant Catalog for years. Years and years, close to 20, probably. It's been one of my favorite things to browse through and order from when the art book bug bites. Bud Plant-- eventually re-branded to Bud's Art Books-- has probably the largest book catalog of all things art that there is. I've met the man in person at cons, and it's certainly no secret he loves what he does.

There have always been periodic updates and a couple times a year the big "brick" catalog would come. Many a Saturday morning was spent on the couch watching TV and dog-earing my wishlist. So I was more than surprised to see the latest catalog arrive a couple weeks ago branded along the top: "This is the LAST Bud Plant Catalog!"

Fret not, the business is merely moving orders exclusively online. A sign of the times, Bud admits himself in an editorial inside. I'll miss the print edition, tho I have to admit at times I thought it might have come with more frequency than it needed to. I remember more than a few times during spring cleaning finding a literal stack of those things that had built up :-) The website may not be as tactile, but it certainly has its conveniences, not to mention some ripe selections you're not likely to find on Amazon. I encourage all book lovers to stop by and browse-- often!

BUD'S ART BOOKS

Disneyland, ORLY?

2011-11-26T18:46:00.003-06:00

Here are 11 photos I took at Disneyland that one might not necessarily associate with Disneyland. Can you decipher their origins?

My Little Felsteed

2011-10-25T22:03:00.001-05:00

A fun project from a while ago I'm just now getting posted:

Special thanks to Mary for 1) supplying the blank Pony and 2) re-rooting the hair!

And before you ask, this little dude is one-of-a-kind for my <3 Vicky!

The Playboy Club vs. Pan Am

2011-10-09T00:09:00.001-05:00

See what I've got to say about these two eerily similar shows over at Sleepless Films.

Bonus checklist:

Farewell Austin

2011-10-06T23:26:00.000-05:00

It was a grand run in what I think may be the only truly hospitable city in Texas. Not that I've grown to have any dislike of the Lone Star State or its fine residents, just that for a west coast boy like me Austin was a pretty good fit.

Four years is one of my longer durations in a single place, if you can believe it. And of course I've made some wonderful and hopefully life-long friends during that time. I met my special gal here, too, and that counts for alot. Austin is a lush, hilly oasis in the vastness that is Texas, and it is home to good people. The town has a liberal bent compared to its conservative surroundings, and was often described to me as "a little blue island in a sea of red."

The city itself is small and compact. Downtown has a great culture and atmosphere. Music really can be had just about anywhere, and I've been fortunate enough to see some great shows, big and small. The surrounding areas and suburbs are what you's expect from the urban sprawl America has come to excel at-- but it's the rolling hill country, rivers, lakes, and greenery that set it apart.

But as one's path in life meanders and forks, so it goes that I move on again to new endeavors, back to the sunny shores of California... more on that and some additional thoughts on Austin to come.

Ye be free to see thee away to sea!

2011-09-19T00:23:00.000-05:00

Yer back be breakin' from runnin' the decks, but it's a far better task than walkin' the plank!

Call forth your heart's desires over these wide waters-- ifn' yer toils be worthy and your luck be just, it's a life's treasure that awaits. The only question left is if it wer earned... or stolen!

International Talk like a Pirate Day

A pre-determined love for Hanzell

2011-08-19T12:53:00.003-05:00

I do like a sip of the grape, especially a tart, smooth merlot or pinot noir. Now I haven't had the pleasure of sampling a bottle from Hanzell Vinyards, but I do plan to soon continue my fine, misguided tradition of sampling wines based solely on the appeal of their label.

Or more specifically in this case, the warm and lovely script of their namesake.

An extra cool feature of Hanzell's web site includes an index of all their labels and bottles!

El Camino High School 50th Anniversary

2011-08-17T16:42:00.001-05:00

The high school I once attended (and subsequently graduated, thank you) recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. A good friend with close ties to our old teenage gauntlet reached out to request a logo design to celebrate the event. It was a fun project to doll up the traditional mascot logo, which then ended up on a variety of promotional materials and swag-- including a pretty sharp hoodie and the requisite tee.

Yeah, I did make use of an Adobe Illustrator flourish, but hopefully by way of its included intent.

Goodbye comics, you may or may not be missed.

2011-08-07T17:19:00.000-05:00

So today I handed off the last of my decades of acquired comics to the brother of a good friend. This has been a steady procedure over recent years as chunks have been sold off to ebay and local comics stores, but never in the bulk or finality of this instance.

As I had gone through my collection looking for books I wished to keep (a longbox and a half as it turns out) I was reminded of many great stories, artists, and rare gems that only comics had to offer. Many of these I have since purchased in other forms such as trades or nice hardbacks, so I don't think it is a total expulsion by far. I mean shit, I'm still buying those trades and nice hardbacks, maybe not in the frequency I used to, however lax I have been of late in relaying that here.

And yet it was a very good feeling to hand them off to someone who genuinely loved comics and wanted these books. A better choice than random ebays and wholly underpriced trade-in to stores if you ask me. We chatted about how comics and comics collecting was transitory, how the whole basis of the classic collection was based on books trading hands. So now my collection, too, has been put into the care of another. It is likley one day he may do the same.

The unexpected beauty of Francine

2011-06-05T18:18:00.004-05:00

Every once in a while, an animated show surprises me with a shot or sequence above the norm. Contrary to many who would bash McFarlane series for being cheap and static, I find them endearingly efficient by necessity. American Dad is more story driven and has only gotten stronger in its short lifetime (whereas I find Family Guy falling fast, albeit still amusing), and when they "spend the money" it's a great bang for the buck. While Family Guy has its moments, they are primarily for shock and guffaw, whereas American Dad showcases much smarter payoffs and more than a few that are downright genius.

And yet something more subtle can have just as nice an impression-- the screengrabs here from the recent episode "Flirting with Disaster" caught my attention instantly for their staging, composition, and color.

These are two beautiful stills, surely by intent, because the gag that follows is a real kicker.

The beauty of Big Red

2011-04-16T16:42:00.001-05:00

I had never heard of Big Red soda before coming to Austin. As far as I can tell it's an overly sweet, vaguely cream soda of indiscernable flavor. It has me curious, if only there was some way to find out the history of this intriguing beverage...

Ah, Yes.

I leave it to other consumers to decide the flavor for themselves. In this instance it's not the taste that excites me (as a patron of cream sodas I've had many better), but the "Delicious" design screened over what could only be yet another offering of the retro label throwback trend. Its beauty is in its bold simplicity, and while it mysteriously found the need to make use of five fonts (on the whole), it is thankfully bereft of any additional "retro" or "classic" branding so often forced on the public as if we'd be so shocked by an certain aesthetic that we might think the actual decade had changed around us. In fact the only truly anachronistic detail on the bottle is a discreet listing of www.bigred.com under the UPC.

Should you visit the site you'll no doubt notice the current logo and branding has nowhere near the class or charm of this red and white treat.

Hellboy: The Wild Hunt

2011-04-07T00:41:00.002-05:00

Hellboy is a unique book in a couple ways beyond the amazing art and crafting of Mignola's macabre and oddly humorous world. First, it's a rare book that "stuck," a smaller title that endured long enough to steadily grow devoted followers. And unlike the majority of classic comics characters, fans of Hellboy have been there since it's beginning. While that's going on -gasp- 18 years now, it's a far cry from the decades upon decades heaped onto Marvel and DC historians. There is a much younger generation that knows the whole of Hellboy and has grown along with it.

Second, Hellboy is fortunate to have a greater than average readership of "people who don't read comics." That is, an audience outside of the weekly warriors and die hards. Certainly a feature film or two helped grow this audience, but I'd bet far more people are going to be familiar with Hellboy than with, say, Booster Gold.

Hellboy's roots will always be in the comics, found in increasingly better formats as trades and Library Editions. Even though I resigned myself to the Library Editions at first sight, it is difficult to not pick up a new trade. Hellboy: The Wild Hunt is one of the most recent, and one of my favorites. What sets The Wild Hunt apart is that it is not only a great self-contained story, but a huge payoff to longtime Hellboy readers. Many old plot threads and characters start coming together out of seemingly forgotten tales and quickly build to a fever pitch. There is a foreboding finality to it all, as the book as a whole begins to build to the crisis point that may or may not define Hellboy's existence. Mignola as a storyteller is firing on all cylinders here, sweeping through his mythology with bravado and giving all those around the campfire a rollicking good time.

Mignola has a firm grasp on the story, probably more so than ever, and does treat us to his artwork in chapter breaks and covers. It's a shame that he can't maintain the work on actual story art, but... not really. Hellboy's cache is such that is can draw in some of the greatest talent in the field. The Wild Hunt brings on Duncan Fegredo, who is no stranger to the pages of Hellboy already. And I LOVE Duncan Fregredo! Always have. Fegredo's interpretation of the house that Mignola built is filled with the wonderful contrasts and interspersions of detail that make Hellboy unique. The populating characters are eccentric, the environments mysterious, and the monsters epic. It's not as minimalist a look as Mignola's signature, which is good, there's no real point in xeroxing. Fegredo's personality shines through the character and does a tremendous justice to the world he inhabits. It's awesome.

It's not a huge secret that Mignola is wrapping up Hellboy to meet its climactic end (literally), and book like The Wild Hunt keeps the anticipation at peak levels.

Superman: Brainiac

2011-04-04T23:49:00.001-05:00

I've been a fan of Gary Frank since near the beginning of his career. His early work on Hulk would end up eclipsing superstar Dale Keown's fervent re-invigoration of the title, and it was Frank who would set the character's signature style for years to come. He would hop around titles quite a bit after that, with the occasional creator-owned work like Kin filling in the gaps. And of course his time on Gen13 is near and dear to me, marking a period of the book that was the most mature it's ever been, this in spite of the immaturity required of the series.

It was only to my joy to see that what I feel is his best work has exploded in the last couple of years. When I first saw a fill-in of his on Superman, my first thought was an odd familiarity mixed with an artistic excitement that rarely comes over me. Probably not unlike many comics followers, I said to myself, "This is Gary Frank?" Indeed it was and on further inspection it had all of his qualities encased in a hard-edged, crisp determination that fit Superman like a glove. Thankfully more than a few recognized this as well, and Frank was soon onto producing story arcs and regular covers. Frank is currently oft-aided no less deftly by Jon Sibal, a highly skilled (and adaptable) inker in his own right.

With Superman: Brainiac, we are treated to a re-introduction of the titular villain that is one of the best. Writer Geoff Johns continues his path on quilting the DCU from his personal whole cloth, which I've found questionable on more than one occasion. But I do have to say, when he gets it, he gets it. It's a very powerful and driven version of Superman and Clark Kent, facing off against a Brainiac that's every bit as cunning, calculated, and ruthless as one would expect him to be. Some riveting conflicts and truly great battle scenes lead to a tragic end, where the climax of Superman and Brainiac's rivalry shadows the far away death of Pa Kent. The theme of Superman not being able to save everyone has been seen many times-- here the combination of story and art make it one of the more memorable ones.

Again, enough can't be said of Frank's work on these chapters. His Superman's features ever-so-slightly invoke the memory Christopher Reeve with an effortless consistency that can only be the mark of a master artist. All of his characters are great, from Lois Lane to Supergirl, and the supporting cast as well. Rarely is a villain as one-note as Brainiac been represented with a depiction of power that matches his eerie state of being. The fight scenes are just fantastic to look at. And all the moments in between-- the whole book is a visual treat from start to finish.

Oh, and everything said above can also be said of Superman and the Legion of Superheroes, which is even better!

The Artist Himself: Rand Holmes

2011-03-31T22:22:00.000-05:00

Published by Fantagraphics, The Artist Himself: Rand Holmes is a true artist retrospective. It wonderfully chronicles both the art and life of artist Holmes, illustrated througout with what is likley the most comprehensive catalogue of his art available.

Several of his indie comics stories are re-printed in full, as well as selected paintings and personal art pieces that show his tremendous skill and adaptability. His fine art paintings are pristine and inspiring, but I myself adore his black and white comics art that holds the style of the greats and clearly represents the best of the indie genre. The pages are at times rough and loose, yet elvolve over time in to pure comics craftsmanship. Holmes covers many subjects of his day, which thankfully include a healthy dose of drugs and smut.

Any art fan or would-be comics historian will revel in the text that rolls over the years of the birth of the underground comics scene through the indie comics boom of the 80's. This peppered with the story of one artist's life and all his ups and downs, loves, losses, struggles and successes. At times Holmes seemed to have lived a hard-luck life, at others a carefree hippy lifestyle with just the right amount of luck. It's decades before Holmes finds his place as both an artist and a man, sadly his final determinations come only shortly before his death. This, along with other key moments of his career, is punctuated by Holmes' own journal entries, heightening the personal tale with few details omitted. It is an amazing story of an amazing storyteller.

I also like to grow onions

2011-03-27T11:08:00.005-05:00

If you're looking for something more dramatic.

I like to grow garlic

2011-03-26T11:02:00.002-05:00

Mmmmmm... garlic. I love garlic. And whenever I come across a bulb that shows signs of a little green, I throw it in a jar and watch it sprout at a tremendous rate over just a few days.

Mac and Cheese Refresh

2011-03-24T23:01:00.000-05:00

You may have noticed (or not) the bold new design on boxes of the Kraft classic. It's actually been out for a while now, but each time I see it I take a second look. There have been quite a few designs over the years but they haven't strayed far from home.

This design literally turns the heritage upside down! Another small detail that's so subtle it barey registered: That box has got a spoonfull of mac and cheese-- on a fork.

Dr. Pepper, I forgive you!!

2010-12-07T00:57:00.001-06:00

Despite its unnecessary foray into BBQ sauce, Dr. Pepper joins the recent spate of sodas going retro.

There are a dozen reasons to make this more than temporary. Keep this, please!!!

Speaking of BBQ branding

2010-12-05T23:54:00.002-06:00

Bull's-Eye has recently re-jiggered their label (new on right), and I like it!

I also genuinely like the sauce not just for taste, but becasue it's one of the very few brands of BBQ that does not use high fructose corn syrup. Yea, I know that distinction can be debated, but if you've a chance to get one less thing with HFCS, why not?

Enough with the cross-branding already!

2010-11-08T22:51:00.000-06:00

Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce???? Really?

Random Ectomobile Sighting

2010-11-04T20:08:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Comics Collected Edition

2010-10-12T00:52:00.001-05:00

Speaking of oversized books, the Wednesday Comics Collected Edition is no slouch.

I really did enjoy the Wednesday Comics floppies in the newsprint format, but after about 6 of them the novelty wore down knowing in th back of my head that a collection would likey be the best format to enjoy these great strips.

The stories are great all around, there is some simply fantastic art involved, but it's the oversized format that really shines. The book itself reminds me of a family edition, something a parent could read to a wide-eyed child. And then imagine that child growing older and appreciating the book more and more, eventually being able to share with another generation. That's the feel this book has. The stories and characters have roots, some are more unorthadox than others and are likley to make more of an impression because if it.

The print quality is top notch, and boy do these pages pop on the much needed white paper. The original folded newsprint was a nostalgic touch, but here the art can be truly appreciated. It's not even a heavy gloss stock, it's a lighter matte finish and a great choice.

From the classic adventure styling of Kamandi, the slick and bubbly fun of Supergirl, and the flat out weird and wonderful Metamorpho, the second tier characters ride as high (or higher) alongside the more well known heroes who's stories are no less colorful. The book is a love letter to comics fans and a great gift for just about everyone else.

The Rocketeer Artists Edition

2010-10-10T00:44:00.002-05:00

What a glorious, beautiful book.

Bless all at IDW for putting out this oversized edition of Dave Steven's Rocketeer. The pages are all produced from the black and white original art, and every page is a wonder to behold. Dave Stevens could flat out draw, and aside from owning or seeing an original page yourself, nothing shows that off better than this book. It makes you feel that you do own a library of the original art, as great care was taken to faithfully reproduce the page "as is." Blue line pencil can be seen beneath the inks, screen tones masks show ever so slightly, and numerous lettering balloons show corrections and paste overs.

The detail on the inks themselves come through in such a heartfelt manner that it's hard to just not sit and stare in awe at every page, observing (and deeply missing) a master of his craft.

Comics afficianadoes and art collectors would do well to sit a spell in front of this edition, should you be able to get your hands on one. I myself had to look at it second hand, hoping for an additional printing but I'm prepared to hunt the aftermarket.

Dave Steven's The Rocketeer Artist's Edition

Long Live WildStorm

2010-09-22T19:51:00.003-05:00

I would say I didn't see this coming, but after all I have two functioning eyes.

But damn it all if it isn't just a tad bittersweet. As a WildStorm editor of days past, it's easy to remember of all the crazy shit that went on there -- and most of it is the good kind of crazy. In alot of ways it was seat-of-your-pants comics publishing, and I learned a ton from the most talented people in the biz at the time. My time there was hardly monumental, but in that time I got to do some really cool things.

I'd like to give a holler to all my WS peeps, many of whom are still dear friends. In good times and bad, it was a great thing to be a part of.

The Beat: The WildStorm Legacy

Bleeding Cool: The End of the WildStorm Universe

Sit on my lap. It's storytime.

2010-09-19T15:14:00.001-05:00

When I was a wee lad, me great grandad would spin tall tales of me great, great grandad Dread Edco Roberts. Across all the seven seas he did sail, plundering treasure like the scourge he was harkened to be. His deeds more dishonorable than not, for he was a pirate, a man turned to the life of the skull and crossbones with as many stories to his origin as there were ships he sank. Was he betrayed by his country? Did the scandoulous wiles of his true love turn his heart black as coal? We know not the truth to why he set sail upon the fearsome waves of piracy, we only know Dread Edco painted fear across the ocean and all who dared cross his path...

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Dear DC,

2010-09-15T18:48:00.003-05:00

If you ever want Green Lantern to be dead to me, this is a good way to start.

via Bleeding Cool

Field & Stream Fishing coverage

2010-09-12T20:35:00.000-05:00

What you see here is a bona-fide print advertisement in a national magazine, designed by yours truly. Yes, the fact that a Field & Stream Fishing advert appears in Field & Stream magazine is no mere coincidence, but I'll take whatever exposure comes.

You should check out Field & Stream Fishing!

Post Rasin Bran: Very old is new?

2010-09-02T22:44:00.000-05:00

"Vintage" branded Raisin Bran.

Colors, layout... perhaps. Typograpgy, no.

Subway token

2010-08-30T18:29:00.001-05:00

Used on recent travels thru Chicago...

It's a cool trick, tho surely they are pushing the limits of generations who can recgonize a cassette.

Field & Stream Fishing

2010-08-29T16:04:00.002-05:00

Got a new game out for iPhone and iPod touch: Field & Stream Fishing.

It's a slick arcade-style fishing game, and a pretty addicting time-killer. Give it a go!

Generic branding, literally

2010-08-28T00:10:00.002-05:00

Some decades ago, generic branding was just that: minimal lableing that gave only the base description of the product. This was done for a multitude of reasons, namely to distinctly separate off-brand foodstuffs, tho it has to be argued that a lack of money or access to actual package design resources also played a part.

In the modern age where most any office clan can boot up photoshop, that later caveat becomes less of an issue. But more interesting is the choice to make use of that resource in an effort to directly compete with branded product. Every once in a while a generic brand surprises you in its effort if not its execution.

Safeway brands makes its latest canned generics a step further by replacing photos with (digital) illustration. The "S" curve motive still covers all its products, but with a more classic presentation of boxed type. The addition of illustration takes more than minimal effort in both management and cost. The generic line continues to blur.

New Label alert: Quorn

2010-08-26T01:00:00.001-05:00

I love Quorn. The delctable chicken substitute has recently expanded its product line along with all new branding. Got a bit more of an easygoing, southwestern feel.

The staple of the line has always been the cutlets, but there's many more offerings-- check some out the next time you need a break from the bird!

Signage of Downtown Chicago

2010-08-24T08:56:00.001-05:00

Oh, yeah, I went to Chicago. It was a whileago now but it sure is a cool town. Downtown is pretty sharp; outside of the amazing buildings and clashing architecture, Michegan Ave and the surrounding area is chock full of wonderful, crafted signage to geek out over.

Shedd Aquarium, Chicago

2010-08-23T21:50:00.001-05:00

Now merely the second largest* aquarium in America, Chicago's Shedd Aquarium does have some cool exhibits. It's a bit more old school, something I liken to the San Francisco Academy of Sciences (before the renovation). What was noticeably quaint as it was awesome were all the nautical details built into the archetecture. No detail in this building shies away from its aquatic theme, and god bless.

See some pictures of fish, and stuff.

* largest: Georgia Aquarium, previously visited.

Big Moth

2010-08-08T22:15:00.001-05:00

Took this pic with my cell phone-- which I know these days is anything but remarkable. Except that my stubbornness in keeping off the mobile technology train has me in possession of a cell phone several years old. Sans bells, whistles, or touch screens, it still surprises me on occasion when the conditions for its meager megapixels are just right.

And, um, that is a big freakin' moth!

Inception

2010-07-21T02:37:00.003-05:00

Man, what a great movie. Definitely my fave of the year so far. Check out my full review over at Sleepless Films.

Design Reflects Culture

2010-06-19T11:06:00.002-05:00

This image says more than I ever could. But like history, both design and culture are on a spiraling curve-- while a points may show on a different plane, they all come around again.

Related: Crunchberries not actual berries

The Evolution of Cookie Crisp Cereal

2010-06-12T15:49:00.002-05:00

"Co-OOOOOOO-kie Crisp!"

Remember that? Believe it or not I am old enough to remember both Jarvis the Wizard and the Cookie Crook. That original changeover was one of the first examples of radical re-branding that stunned this once-naieve child. Watch as crooks then make way for dogs, wolves, and in foreign markets-- a panther? I'd love to know the story behind that, what other cultures do or do not accept about wolves hocking cereal.

The cereal itself was practically a forbidden fruit, often reviled by watchdog groups as one of breakfastdom's worst offenders. Cookie Crisp's real claim to fame was topping lists with the highest sugar content and its unhealthy promotion of sweets as the first meal of the day. I mean, come on, it's cookies and milk for breakfast. Genius. I fondly remember the rare occasions I was able to partake.

The brand has gone through more than a few owners and themes, design-wise it's a steady downhill journey and you can see the instant the 90's rears its ugly head. Dear lord, it's like marketeers held designers by gunpoint to enforce their focus group and shopping psychology agendas. My favorite is the original with the photographed jar of cookies and the wonderfully quaint Jarvis illustration. Tho I do give some style points to the Nestle branded 2nd row 2nd, even if the actual product is a barely featured in the layout. The last box in the montage is one snapped just the other day in the store, and it may as well be a generic brand.

Cookie Crisp on Wikipedia

Jello puts product before brand

2010-06-12T10:10:00.002-05:00

On the left we see the design from a thankfully fading era of overtly gaudy packaging, a few boxes still in stock on the store shelves. A mishmash of approaches, all elements competing for attention with the product itself lost in the fray.

But on the right we have a cleaner, classy layout that puts Jello's presentation of the product front and center. Bastard child multi-branding of Oreo is relegated to a small but featured flourish, as it should be.

Fuelman will gas your car!

2010-06-10T06:45:00.000-05:00

One of the cooler things I've seen.

Things you see in Texas

2010-06-07T06:41:00.001-05:00

Pepsi Throwback

2010-06-05T18:36:00.003-05:00

It's neat Pepsi "Throwback" decided to use sugar instead of syrup for this special edition soda ("special edition soda"?), but really I wanted the can. Unfortuneately I was dissappointed by that darn self-proclamating yellow throwback ribbon across the front. So close, Pepsi, so close!

But damn, that was a sharp logo.

I'm sure they'll take your word for it

2010-05-01T16:08:00.006-05:00

It has been under construction for some time, altho this current announcement is a kicker. Thx to Vicky for the pic :-)

Dominic Fortune: It Can Happen Here and Now

2010-03-30T00:24:00.002-05:00

Howard Chaykin seems to have an endless number of projects in the works, and even after a decades long career I am always excited to see what he is writing and especially drawing. He's so damn prolific that I can't even keep up with everything he does. Primarily I have always been attracted to his art, but still have never been disappointed by his writing. And for whatever reason, Dominic Fortune is one of my favorite "non-heroes." The character's appearances were fleeting, but I attached myself to him nonetheless. Eventually set into relative obscurity, he was indeed the perfect candidate for a Marvel MAX revival, and I can't think of a better creative match than with Chaykin, who's ties go back to the character's earliest appearances.

The MAX line pretty much means anything goes as far as content is concerned, but the recent Dominic Fortune miniseries collected in the It Can Happen Here and Now trade simply gives readers old enough to remember Fortune an age-suitable story. It's a Rated R jaunt to be sure, but the story's time and settings seem to wrap themselves into that blanket fairly effortlessly, due in large part to Chaykin's equally effortless handling of the action-adventure genre.

This far-overdue spotlight on Fortune finds the original incarnation of the dashing raconteur globetrotting along the brink of a burgeoning World War II. Both in and out of uniform, Fortune skims over danger and dodges bullets, exposing dastardly plots and bedding beautiful women. Under the MAX banner this is of course all done with adult language, violence, and innuendo that's not innuendo at all. It's a perfect fit and it's great. Unlike other Marvel throwbacks that have been taken the MAX route, the mature approach wraps itself far better around Fortune's setting and attitude, and dare I say eclipses the originals. But I do say that now as an adult who enjoys adult stories, while still fondly remembering the yarns that introduced him those many years ago.

Chaykin's story blazes through events and keeps the action and intrigue center stage, and while the overall outcome is the inevitable crashing wave on the ocean of history, the characters he follows have more than enough to keep interest. And it's not even that they are deep or overly fleshed out, quite the opposite. It's trademark Chaykin spewing forth the brash and provocative in splattered brush strokes rather than fine lines. And speaking of brush strokes, Chaykin once again is in top form on art. Handsome and rugged heroes, slick villains, foppish hanger's-on, and... the women. Vicious, bitchy, drop dead sexy Chaykin women. There's no mistaking them on sight and any fan of his art will not be disappointed to add this book to their collection.

As an added bonus, this collection features reprints of some of the original Marvel stories, including the earliest that first captured my imagination as a young reader. Something about that cover to Marvel Premiere #56... so very different from the superhero offerings of the time. The character of course went through a few mix-ups through the years, none of which ever stuck, so it's a great treat to see Dominic Fortune in his true element once again.

New Comics

2010-03-29T22:42:00.004-05:00

With my comics reporting so lax of late, the "Day" of my traditional New Comics Day posts has become arbitrary.

Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps

So, so very near to the conclusion of Blackest Night, I can't say I was disappointed, but I wasn't exactly wowed either. But I will say it was more entertaining near the end after a lackluster buildup. In Green Lantern Corps there was more focus on the battle royale aspect of the Spectrum Corps, altho some of the more interesting points of the colors teaming up seemed to be glossed over in lieu of big fight scenes. Altho if anything that book had too much going on to keep up with. The current ish #46 may have jumped the shark with the introduction of Ice as a Black Lantern, considering for the life of me I don't know that she ever died... I mean, a second time. As with most things DCU, it's complicated. But as far as I know Ice was alive and well and awaiting Guy Gardner's return to Earth. Does this issue suggest-- nay, state-- that Ice had died "off screen?" Is this version of Ice as a Black Lantern the one from her original death? And if neither, does that give The Black re: Necron the power to just conjure up any 'ol Black Lantern he wants? Can you believe I have to type these kinds of questions? Also, Refrigerator.

The most ironic part of the Blackest Night storyline was that the most interesting stories didn't even happen in the Blackest Night books! They took place in Green Lantern Corps and Green Lantern proper, which is how it should have been from the get go. Looking back on the series, not a single piece of exclusive story or information came from the Blackest Night series. Now the argument there would be the reveal of Sinestro as White Lantern in Blackest Night #7. However, if one had not read that issue and instead read Green Lantern #52, you've really got it covered, and in far more detail. (same goes for the Alternate Spectrum Corps that preceded, as I see it). In fact I think GL #52 is actually the crux of Blackest Night, giving us not only Sinestro's self-imposed destiny, but the revelation that planet Earth is no less than the origin of life for the universe. Seriously, the last issue of Blackest Night better have some kind of doosie reveal or setup for it to have any relevance now.

This week sees Blackest Night #8-- the grand finale, and my self imposed target to discontinue regular comics buying. Not the end of the blog, or comics, or the reporting, mind you, more info to come.

New Comics Delay

2010-02-20T16:32:00.004-06:00

There are alot of lanterns.

Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps

I have to say I am enjoying the boiling point of the Blackest Night hoo-ha in Green Lantern #51, if only for all the crazy shit that's going down. It's still kind of surprising to see that a ring of any color is set to possess just about anyone at any time, even multiple times. The brief appearance by parallax seemed too quick and too good to be true, and was indeed short lived. But then it had a slightly ominous exit so surely something else is in the works. Whether that be for Blackest Night or further on, who knows. (Well Geoff Johns knows)

Not as unexpected are the winding down resolutions in Green Lanter Corps, presumably just before a grand finale for Blackest Night. Gardner of course is redeemed back to Green status, this his breif stint as a Red Lantern is a memorable one and not likely his last.

At this stage I'm curious as to who will be revealed as the White Lantern, current rumblings and announcements on the DC side no longer necessarily point to Jordan. I'm sure he'll play a part and may even be a catalyst, but "Brightest Day" announcements appear to be pointing in another direction..

Close Call

2010-02-18T18:58:00.005-06:00

Hell of a way to start the morning.

Plane Crashes into North Austin Building

Georgia Aquarium

2010-02-04T00:23:00.001-06:00

Billed "The Largest Aquarium in the World," The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta certainly has alot to look at. It's a real treat for any aquatic enthusiast, like me!

Most impressive was the massive central tank, home to gargantuan whale sharks and graceful giant rays. It is something pictures just can't do justice, but I did my best:

Georgia Aquarium Gallery

Gladys Knight + Ron Winan's Chicken & Waffles, Atlanta GA

2010-02-01T01:53:00.001-06:00

There's chicken, there's waffles. Good eats!

Trident Layers is fancy gum

2010-01-30T11:41:00.001-06:00

Trident gum has a separate branding look for its "Layers" gum. It's very adult contemporary, as far as gum goes. Sure do like the wallet-style interior, tho.

Wednesday Comics: Collected

2010-01-29T23:24:00.004-06:00

DC's The Source blog has delivered a flurry of information over the past couple weeks. Most of which solidify my desire to get off of the funnybook train. But there was the little snipped previewing the mockup for the collected edition of Wednesday comics, and boy does it look nice. Sometimes DC does okay.

I swear if the interior is newsprint I'm gonna cry.

New Comics Day

2010-01-27T18:22:00.002-06:00

Blackest Night is moving right along…

Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps

I'm getting to the shop about every other week now, and all I seem to be picking up anymore is Green Lantern and the occasional trade. Green Lantern and Blackest Night, I've said before I'm just going to see it out and call it a (Brightest) day. It can't come soon enough. Should it still linger, where will I get my periodical fix henceforth? Heaven forbid any of the major comic book publishers step into modern times with some form of digital delivery on a well-designed device custom made for page-by-page content.

The Blackest Night books themselves are a little crowded, suffering from typical "event plotting" which leads invariably to "event fatigue." Every single action can't be the end-all be-all world changing storypoint, it becomes a dilution of the whole. But I really do like the individual books, and again wish the Blackest Night story was self-contained within the GL line. The latest issues of Green Lantern Corps may have presented the false death of Kyle Rayner in a not-so-suprising delivery of soap opera cheese, but the sudden turn of Guy Gardner to the Red Lanterns is pretty compelling and I've liked reading it play out. I do wonder if it's an ongoing storyline or just a few issue's worth.

Come to think of it, Guy Gardner enwrapped by the rage of the Red Lantern is not that big of a deal for the character. He's had a long career as a Green Lantern in both comedic and dramatic roles. In one of my favorite past storylines, Garner graverobbed Sinestro's original yellow power ring and slung that around town for a while. Not to mention the time he outright refused reinstatement of being a Green Lantern after the original Parallax debacle (enter Kyle Rayner). And of course there is the "Warrior" period of his life that while not wholly dismiss-able was little more than a the man's adventures as a walking CG effect. I never really bought the need to re-invent Gardner as a Vuldarian decendant, tho comics are sometimes… desparate. And while returned to "proper" GL stature when Geoff Jones rewrote the universe, Seeing Gardner as a Red Lantern might not be the most suprising thing but at this stage turns out to be the most logical.

There are other little interesting things going on about how many Lanterns have worn other rings. Hal Jordan has had Green, Blue, and Red, and as of Green Lantern #50, Black. This issue also sees the alternate Spectrum Corps, with a full platoon of Earthbound heroes getting rings of their very own. I thought that was pretty cool if gimmicky, and would have liked to have seen the idea pushed further. Some of the choices are interesting, others like the Flash with a Blue ring, kind of redundant. I wish Wonder Woman's Sapphire costume was a little more inspired. Eh, it will do. But I will say the art by Doug Mahnke is fucking sweet. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite GL artists.

New Comics Day

2010-01-13T20:31:00.001-06:00

Indeed it's been a spell...

Blackest Night
Green Lantern, etc., etc.
The Chill

Not much I can say except the inevitable... I am really looking forward to Blackest Night coming to its (I totally called it) conclusion. And not because of any shocking revelation or "bold new direction" or -ahem- Brightest Day. No, I'm looking forward to it because it's the best excuse I've had in a while to quit the funnybooks. Gasp! But hey, there's still a ways to go and I will see it through.

But a far brighter spot in comcis than the announcement of Brightest Day was brought by Vertigo this week, with another installment of their Vertigo Crime books. What I can say without having read it yet is that the artwork by Italian Artist Mick Bertilorenzi is juicy.

Green Lantern Corps -- Gingerbread Division!

2009-12-03T23:36:00.004-06:00

In brightest day
In blackest night
No cookie shall escape my sight!

I am selling comics!!

2009-11-30T20:34:00.003-06:00

Lots o' comics for sale!

So I went thru all my books a while ago and came up with this huge stack to let go on ebay. It was way too much to post all at once so I've been doing it every other week or so. And I must not have been paying attention to recent solicitations, because like clockwork at the store I began to notice trade collections being released for years-old books I planned to sell!

Most have sold (tho some take a couple posts), so there are some folks out there who still want the floppies. More on this very subject soon...

What's up, Sweet Thing?

2009-11-30T02:06:00.000-06:00

Picked these packets up from my local diner, when I noticed not two but three separate labels on the same Aspartame sweetener. Is there a transition correcting a prior transition? Is there different labeling for different markets that got mixed up?

Who knows, but for me the choice (of label, not sweetener) should be clear.

Marvel U: Too True

2009-11-28T23:23:00.004-06:00

True Stories of the Core Marvel Universe is a very entertaining read. Puts things into context nicely, I must say.

Lotta neat stuff at the host, Comics Alliance, too.

Snagged from The Beat

Lantern Rings: Green and Red

2009-11-26T00:04:00.006-06:00

I wasn't really into getting the whole spectrum of promotional rings, tho I did dig the Black Lantern Ring. Like that one, I did a little ring hackery to make them my own. Just some ink pens and a little creativity, not hard to do: a metallic brush pen and some black pin-lining for the green, and a little black and burnish for the red. They are quite nice on thier own, the rings themselves have a metallic sheen in the plastic. But it's still fun to add a little personality :-)

New Comics Day

2009-11-25T23:29:00.004-06:00

Whoa, it's been a while!

Blackest Night
Green Lantern
Green Lantern Corps
Power Girl

An entirely predictable lineup for me, no doubt. The fact is my interest in comics has tanked in recent months, and I'm primarily sticking around to see how Blackest Night (won't) turn out-- like some vain attempt at loyalty in waiting out the finale of one's favorite soap opera even though you've long outgrown it.

There are still interesting books on the shelves and artists I'd like to follow, tho the ever-forthcoming trade collections take care of my needs more and more.

While the soon-to-be end of my weekly comics collecting days is both melancholic and not here fast enough, Blackest Night becomes an unintentionally symbolic storyline. Dead rise, heroes die, dead heroes rise, end of the universe draws nigh. It is an unending cycle that can only stop when the combined emotions of the psyche work together to overpower the dark forces behind it. Will, Fear, Hate, Love, Greed, Hope, and Compassion are all emotions I've held in my years-long affair with comic books, yet like all things the irony is that Death ultimately wins out.

BUT OH YEAH, I totally got me some Green Lantern Rings.

Venture Bros. is like... Damn.

2009-10-19T21:47:00.005-05:00

Yes, The Venture Bros. is my favorite show, yes it's always got cool stuff. But sometimes the thing just surprises me with it's overal quality and ingenuity of what we have come to know of as "the cartoon". This past Sunday's season opener was throughly enjoyable and delivers both action and gags galore in true Venture style-- but the Memento-esque editing employed in the overall narrative was downright ingenious. Dare I say sophisticated. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but comic books were involved and it was terribly original.

New Comics Day

2009-10-14T18:25:00.000-05:00

Green Lantern Corps
Planetary

I had completely forgotten that the "final" issue of Planetary was forthcoming. For a while I was convinced that the previous issue was the last. But it is good to see the whole crew back again, it is a very enjoyable book. Getting this final story so long afterwards is the impetus for going back and re-reading the series, almost as if that was the general plan for followers. At under 30 issues, that's not too much of a task. While Planetary evolved in to an arching saga to determine the identity of Elijah Snow, some of its most memorable stories are the one shots that riff on comics and sci-fi mainstays. Many other books have done this, but there is something about the combination of Ellis, Cassaday, and Depuy that brought it together just so. Hard to believe this strange little trip started over 10 years ago, and a bit more so for me realizing I was there. One of the highlights of being around the WildStorm office was the constant stream of art that came in, and it was always a special treat when Layman would bounce over to his desk with one of his intermittent bouts of glee, "Have you seen the new Planetary cover?"

Old Edco Haunt is a Crime Scene on CSI Vegas

2009-10-11T21:33:00.008-05:00

Man did I trip the F out when watching the latest episode of CSI Las Vegas, "Working Stiffs." Stokes and Sanders roll up on a murder victim's place of former residence, which happened my own former residence: the fabulously retro Valli Tropics of Studio City, CA!

The neighborhood was known for location shoots, I saw more than a few during my time there. But seeing my actual building was quite a surprise. Tho it wasn't my apartment they went into, I think it was the manager's. Still, trippy! Doubly trippy since I also used to Live in Las Vegas, and also can recognize when they're actually on location in my favorite desert town. But trust me when I say as cool and retro as parts of Vegas can be, finding a complex like Valli Tropics is pushing it a bit.

See more of Studio City HERE.

I am selling some comics

2009-10-05T21:02:00.005-05:00

And by some, I mean a buttload. Going for ebay again, as there are actual people who not only want such things, but will offer a small pittance for them.

The first round went pretty well, but I've got several more to go and there's lots of good stuff still getting listed. Some hard choices were made, but I've got to thin the herd for my own personal peace of mind (and closet space).

See my current listings.

New Comics Day

2009-09-30T18:43:00.002-05:00

Green Lantern
Power Girl
Umbrella Academy: Dallas
Hellboy Library Edition v3

Blackest Night marches on, and I gotta say it remains far more interesting in just the Green Lantern titles (which are having the habit of Green Lantern himself being suspiciously absent). But I do like it when Sinestro kicks up the dust. The Blackest Night book itself is lackluster by comparison. Tsk, tsk, DC, you don’t really have to milk everything, you know.

For library growers, another most excellent, oversized, clothbound volume of Hellboy has arrived. It is really hard not to get these. I'm not sure of their print run but my store-- which is a fairly large supplier of specialty items-- only ever gets a few of them and I'm compelled to steal one away whenever it appears. And it's soooo worth it!

On the "good reading" front, the trade edition of the latest Umbrella Academy chapter has arrived, "Dallas." Umbrella academy too has released glorious oversized hardcover editions of both its chapters, and would certainly be worth having around. But for now I'm content with aging through the trade, thoroughly enjoying it along the way.

Hey, I made a shirt

2009-09-29T23:55:00.003-05:00

Ladies, this one's just for you! And guys, don't let that stop you from ordering a shirt for that special girlie in your life!

I paid extra close attention to the throughout the production of this shirt, from screens to inks to registration. The printer switched over to retensionable frames on this job for an extra tight screen that really shows in the crispness of the print. The shirt itself is 100% ring spun cotton for that extra soft feel. The quality of this shirt is A-list all the way.

GET YOURSELF A GIRLIE SHIRT!

New Comics Day

2009-09-16T23:18:00.000-05:00

Blackest Night

The thing about Blackest Night turning into a "non-event" in record time is perplexing if not unexpected. What has become apparent is that Death in the DCU is so often troped and recycled that I find most all of the revelations of Black Lanterns anti-climactic. The basic premise is "the dead shall rise" pretty much implies that dead characters will show up and become a Black lantern. The only real shocks the plots allow are instances where living characters are killed, to instantly become Black Lanterns. And in that respect there are the usual safe routes of which characters succumb, still only to have their deaths reverted within panels of the supposed demise.

This third issue does introduce the Indigo Lanterns in official capacity, but at the expense of any insight into the master plan of the Black Lantern agenda. How this story plans to expand into the general DCU beyond Green Lantern escapes me -- so far it's just an excuse to ressurect as many dead characters as possible and put them into black costumes.

On this Day of Nines: The Tale of My 9's

2009-09-09T23:05:00.002-05:00

So when was the last time you changed something about yourself? Not like a haircut or a makeover, not even like quitting smoking or drinking. Have you ever modified your own personal doctrine, something that while perhaps minor, has some effect on your day to day life?

I was taught diligent and precise lettering in my younger years by way of a Mechanical Drawing class (not to date myself, but CAD was only just hitting stride back then). A '9' was done in two strokes and that was pretty much it-- top bowl and vertical stem. Over the years my penmanship was always a source of pride, tho general attrition saw some devolving attention to a few characters, and '9' was always one of them. If left to slop a nine barely looked like a nine at all, and in worst cases could be mistaken for a '4.' In the back of my head something I always wanted to do was to change my nine to something more roman, basically the inverse '6.'

At the start of the year, being 2009, I decided now was as good a time as any. Figuring I'd have to write '2009' or '09' frequently it seemed as an extra incentive. Little did I realize how ingrained my existing writing style was. I knew it would take alot of practice so I basically started writing nines as much as possible to retrain my brain.

That's exactly what I had to do-- I had to erase old knowledge and retrain my brain in what to accept as a proper nine. Over and over again. In addition to just repeating nines I tried to train myself in using them in context with other numbers. I've gone through pages and pages of crappy nines, occasionally giving myself some mental positive reinforcement whenever I struck upon a pen stroke that hit the chord of what I wanted my nines to look like. My goal is nothing short of an effortless '9' that has the ease and readability of my '6."

With most of a year into the new nine regime, I am finally finding comfort with the general motion (which took quite a bit to get used to- for the curious I've taken to the center origin counterclockwise motion). It's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but at least I've killed the reflex of starting the old version. With the reflex in place, it's only a matter of time for my lovely little nines to be second nature.

New Label Alert: Office Depot

2009-09-07T10:28:00.000-05:00

Looks like Office Depot is going thru a branding change... Such a shift to solid color and bold callouts is likely to get a quicker recognition among other brands.

Last Comic Day: Young Liars

2009-09-04T19:14:00.004-05:00

The absolute best comic of this year and last is, without a doubt, Young Liars. As an artist, creator David Lapham delivers pages as only a veteran of the form could, with a transparent ease of telling a story with pictures. From its large cast and ever-increasing plot expansion ludicrousy, its all there on the page. As a writer, Lapham has raised the bar to a level I didn't think was still around in comics. Young Liars takes a relatively simple premise and eclectic cast and completely fucks you over when you least expect it. Not since the early days of Y The Last Man was I so enraptured with plot twists and cliffhangers. But with Young Liars it's not just the twists, it’s the out-of-nowhere destruction of the book's core foundations that not only entertain immensely but make you wonder how anyone comes up with this shit. I've had occasion to fare well with storytelling and the written word myself, but reading Young Liars makes me wish I was that good.

Alas, Young Liars has come to an end with issue #18. Lapham notes this was well ahead of schedule, hinting sales could just not support the book's continuation. This is very sad considering the competition. I think we should consider ourselves lucky he got us this far, and a few trade collections were warranted. As a package Young Liars is still an incredible read, I would recommend it to any (adult) reader. I'll remain grateful to Vertigo and Lapham for what we did get to read, as it will be marked as one of my all time favorites. If there's anyone to be upset with it's all the people who didn't pick up the book.

Seeing as how Young Liars was actually a finite story (also noted by Lapham), perhaps the only real loss in ending pre-maturely is "what could have been." What crazy-ass shit was Lapham going for? How could he have possibly turned the whole series on its ear yet again? He had already done so at twice (maybe thrice depending how you look at the master narrative), so that questions what in fact is the true fiction of the Young Liars world presuming there was at least one more twist in store.

Maybe you stumbled upon this post having not read Young Liars. Please do-- go pick up the first two trades (and hopefully the last third soon enough). Enjoy it. Revel in it. And by all means look forward to what Lapham has up his sleeve for next time.

Breakfast at The Breakfast Klub

2009-09-01T10:55:00.004-05:00

Now one wouldn't think to drive two hours just for breakfast, but if you've already done so for burgers, keep that gravy train running with a stopover at Houston's famous Breakfast Klub. Home cooking that always puts a line out the door, the wait is well worth it for the good eats.

Ah, yes, the Kroissant.

And of course Wings and Waffles. Classic.

Burgers at Becks Prime, Houston

2009-08-31T21:40:00.005-05:00

Now one wouldn't think to drive two hours just for a burger, but if that burger is from Becks Prime, you'll be glad you did. Some of you may have to drive a hell of a lot longer considering this wonderful high-class, fast service franchise is exclusive to Houston, Texas. but if you're ever in the area do yourself a favor and seek one out. It quickly hit the top of my "best burger" list-- I was skeptical of the fore-spoken praise but after just a couple bites I was a convert.

Here's the Blue Cheese Burger. God-damn-fucking-tastic.

And the Hickory Burger, no slouch.

New Comics Day

2009-08-26T20:20:00.001-05:00

Couple weeks worth of books, just didn't get around to posting last week :-(

Green Lantern
Power Girl
Boneyard
Killer of Demons TPB
Dark Entries

Boy, I sure did love that Dark Entries book, I hope Vertigo keeps them coming. I was drawn mostly to the great art by Werther Dell'edera, perfect match for the story. I haven't kept up much with John Constantine, tho I read wuite a bit of Hellblazer back in the day. And I'm not familiar with author Ian Rankin but he spun a good yarn. It's the format the wins out, tho, and kudos for this. Comics readers may be thrown by it at first, clearly packaged and designed for the book market, but that's where I hope it has the most success. Still a great book for comics and Constantine fans, check it out.

And, um, yeah... I did cut off Wednesday Comics. It is cool? Yes. Is it that cool? Not really. I'm already more interested in how they collect it.

Never Soon Enough

2009-08-24T19:33:00.001-05:00

New Comics Day

2009-08-12T23:12:00.004-05:00

Wednesday Comics
Blackest Night
Green Lantern Corps

A double dose of Blackest Night this week, where we get to see the "return" of Aquaman. What this means for whatever, whoever, and however Aquaman may return in a comic is anyone's guess. As story goes, there is the typical heavy-handedness of these big crossover events. But the art is awful nice and it's kinda cool seeing the dead rise. Still as the Blackest Night concept is clearly reaching across the DCU and they really want you to know that. Green Lantern takes a back seat. Makes me wonder if there's a GL focal point at all, which points to the usual mega-crossover pointlessness.

Case in point: also shipping this week, Blackest Night: Batman #1 (of 3). Who cares?

Lucky J's Chicken + Waffles!

2009-08-09T17:38:00.004-05:00

On Burnet Road just past the 2222 is a little waffle wagon called Lucky J's. Keep an eye out or you'll drive right past! But pull in next to this little gem and they'll waffle you up some waffles and fry up some chicken right on the spot. It makes a lazy sunday morning the bestest!

Sun Wukong is da bomb!

2009-08-03T21:44:00.005-05:00

My friends know I love all things Monkey King. Well a totally awesome lad by the name of John just came back from a month-long excursion in China, and brought me back these sweet Monkey PVCs from Hong Kong!!!

There's Monkey, Pigsy, Sandy, and even Tripitaka with his Horse Yu-Lung!*

*that is actually a dragon

Mighty Fine Burgers, Austin

2009-08-02T16:26:00.003-05:00

A new Mighty Fine just opened in my area. If you're not familiar with the franchise, in addition to a damn fine burger Mighty Fine offers a pristine dining environment with a hometown picnic feel.

Mighty Fine also applies to the logo. Dig that Copperplate.

New Comics Day

2009-07-29T22:50:00.001-05:00

There are things that I buy. These things have art in them.

Wednesday Comics
GL: Tales of the Corps
Northlanders
Mark Schultz vol. 4
Al Williamson Flash Gordon

I'm really looking forward to this new collection of Northlanders, having thoroughly enjoyed the first.

A new volume of Mark Schultz's Various Drawings is out and it contains all kinds of goodness.

But! The venerable Flesk Publications has an even more amazing offering out this week, in a collection of all of Al Williamson's work on Flash Gordon! The comics art presented in black and white, and has random pin-ups and unpublished pages to boot. Really, really, fantastic stuff.

Check the links!

New Comics Day

2009-07-22T23:47:00.005-05:00

Brutal week!

Green Lantern
GL: Tales of the Corps
Power Girl
Wednesday Comics
Dethklok vs The Goon
You Have Killed Me
Parker, The Hunter

Two amazing graphic novel offerings this week! First up is Darwyn Cook's delivery of Richard Stark's Parker, The Hunter. It's published by IDW and is a slick package all around, a tight little hardcover with alot of heft. Cooke seems to have married well with the pulp noir of Starking's Parker series and his art is a real draw here in black, white, and blue ink. Man does it look cool!

Next is another hardcover offering, the impressively thick You Have Killed me by Jamie S. Rich and Joëlle Jones. Jones' art is lovely and crisp in black and white, and she has a knack for loose character that really pops on the page. Another fine offering from Oni Press who has one of the best graphic novel libraries around.

If you gotta see for yourself, each of the book links above has a downloadable preview!

Being a rather hefty lineup at the counter, I passed on the latest volume of Flight which also hit the shelves. It still looks to be a solid buy, tho I'm sure I can put it on the back burner for a while.

New Label Alert: Dep Sport Gel

2009-07-17T10:34:00.000-05:00

While my impeccable coif is world renowned, it might surprise some to know the occasional "product" I employ comes on the cheap.

The local HEB carries these nifty travel-size gels that come in a conveniently compact and ridiculously inexpensive package. The Dep Sport Endurance Styling Gel has a newly updated look, and now looks to be living up to its name.

New Comics Day

2009-07-15T22:26:00.001-05:00

Blackest Night
BN: Tales of the Corps
Wednesday Comics
Young Liars (!)
Modern Masters: Chris Sprouse

Blackest Night kicks into high gear this week with two books. I've already resigned to not picking up any tie-in books that are not directly related to green Lantern, and wouldn't you know the first one is. Tales of the Corps sheds some light on some of the newly introduced spectrum lanterns, including the mysterious Indigo Tribe.

The Blackest Night book itself is chocked to the gils, and I'm not sure what to make of it just yet. What worries me is writer Geoff Jones appears to be in full-on "Crisis" mode, eschewing what could be a fascinating take on the living dead for typical Crisis-like DCU gratuity. What excites me is the amazing art being done by Ivan Reis who is clearly pulling out all the stops for this series.

Oh, and I got a nifty promotional Black Lantern ring! The sharp-eyed may be wondering if my ring looks a little cooler than theirs. Indeed, just take a fine-tip sharpie and life hack that bad boy.

New Comics Day

2009-07-09T22:32:00.003-05:00

Wednesday Comics has finally arrived! And my opinion is... mixed.

Creatively it's hard to match, there is such a stellar lineup of talent it's a little too good to be true. Art highlights include José Louis Garcia-Lopez (inked by Kevin Nowlan!), Amanda Conner, Mike Allred, and Paul Pope. The large-unfold newspaper format presents the art in a smile-inducing style.

For whatever reason, parties involved chose to print all this glorious art on newsprint. Not even nice newsprint, but just utter crap stock. This is supposedly to enforce the nostalgic feel that is undeniably there, but what a waste. I'm not even suggesting gloss stock as that would defeat the purpose, but at least a bleach white to get those colors to pop! It really bums me out, it's a real downer! Read about online and most people are just fawning all over this thing, but I think they blew it big time. Newsprint for comics used to be a necessity out of cost and volume. Wednesday Comics by far is a niche indulgence and runs 4 bucks a pop. It goes to show that sometimes you can take the execution of the idea too far.

So I would recommend picking up the next several weeks of Wednesday Comics for the kick of it (or just a few that catch your eye), but then immediately do something creative and/or practical like wallpaper your room or wrap this year's Christmas presents. Don't worry, a oversized coffe table edition on deserved paper is just a matter of time.

Blackest Night has officially kicked off in the Green Lantern #43. It focuses on Black hand with the fantastic art of Doug Mahnke. What a treat to have him on the book, he's just one of those artists where the quality in drafting and storytelling really stands out. Black Hand as a character has a sporadic history in the GL book, I wonder if his turn in the spotlight as the nexus for Blackest Night was happenstance or a long time coming. Looking back, you have to imagine that some vaguely similar direction for the character was planned, but put on hold and even outright forgotten while the larger scope of Blackest Night germinated over the years.

Pixu is a collection of the hard to find issues of the same name, a wonderful little collaboration between Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon, Vasilis Lolos, and Becky Cloonan. Cloonan remains one of my top favorites in anything she does, but here she is in exceptional company. Highly recommended.

Sharp and Sweet

2009-07-03T10:31:00.001-05:00

I gotta say, gum packaging design has really stepped up the last few years. Here we have the brand-spanking new Orbit Mist, "Mango Surf" flavour. It's got metallic ink and a nice emboss, I especially like the design continuation on the interior. As for the proclaimed "hydrating sensation," 'fraid it's some of the 'ol marketing hoo-ha, 'cause Freshen-Up this ain't.

And here's a Dentyne "Arctic Ice." Dig that black, Dentyne.

New Comics Day

2009-07-01T22:24:00.002-05:00

Looks like Green Lantern Corps is it for me. Artist Patrick Gleason continues to be a major draw to this book, I really do hope he's around for a while. GLC can by nature lend it self to rotating art teams, and it does lead me to wonder what other book I would like to see Gleason on, and if I would follow to it (tho would likely wait for a trade).

Oh, also Brian Bolland's The Actress and the Bishop. Sweet, sweet black and white Bolland at his best.

Next week: Wednesday Comics!!!

New Comics Day

2009-06-24T22:52:00.005-05:00

A couple weeks worth of books-- it still doesn't add up to much, but we did get a hell of a treat this week.

Young Liars
Power Girl
Green Lantern
Empowered (!!!)

I was going to go over all the points that made the last issue of GL a poorly constructed letdown compared to the recent months preceding, but then there's only so much I care to deconstruct. Here's hoping the current ish gets things back on track.

Power Girl as a self contained title is a bit of a tough sell. On the one hand it has art by Amanda Conner, and she's drawing Power Girl. On the other hand PG is in all honesty a fringe DCU character, and it's difficult to invest into her corner of the universe. But for all purposes the book should raise an eyebrow: it's got a visually striking heroine, good art, tons of violence, and a giant white gorilla tearing shit up. Now I know what you're thinking, "Hey wasn't that a recent Wonder Woman arc?" Why yes, it was, near verbatum. Ah, comics. Except here in Power Girl, the ape in question is Ultra Humanite, with a re-telling of his origin in the second issue. But truth be told, even though I know who the Ultra Humanite is, I can't recall a single instance where I've read his origin. This time around it's spelled out pretty clear, and I don't know what's retold versus revamped, but I do know it involved (or at least strongly implies) some big monkey lovin'... I guess the genius mind of a frail man suddenly transferred into a monsterous white gorilla really turns on the ladies.

Young Liars, read it, etc.

Treat of the week! EMPOWERED Vol 5 is here!!! Just thumbing through tells that it's chock full of Adam Warren sexy sci-fi goodness. And damned if the Caged Demonwolf is not one of the most unique and outright funniest characters put to page in years. In what is sure to be a series highlight, one chapter entails him regaling page after page of the most outrageously literate sex scene brought to bear. And of course after all the jokes and cheesecake run there course, Warren brings the heavy and again shows us how deeply attached we have become to his characters. The overarching fiction of Empowered is just so damn strong, and Warren's art is as juicy as his ridiculously well-constructed vignettes. It should be no surprise that Empowered continues to receive my kudos.

Here's an interview with Adam Warren on this latest volume at CBR.

There were also some pretty good trades made available this week, one of note includes a re-issue of Rich Veitch's Brat Pack. I've an original collection, tho may just pick up this new one as well to revisit the harrowing tale of dark-side heroics presented loooong before The Authority and The Boys. As a matter of fact if you've never read it it just might scare the shit out of you, as it did me when I first laid eyes upon it in a time now so long ago.

Ah, Vegas

2009-06-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

New Comics Day

2009-06-11T22:27:00.001-05:00

Green Lantern Corps
Young Liars TPB 2

Things turn out just as I suspected in GLC, with Ion-infused Lantern Sodam Yat kickstarting the Daxam sun into high-voltage yellow. Not that it wasn't cool, subsequently giving and entire planet's population equivalent powers to Superman. It's even handled with a bit of sci-fi intent, showing the initial power upgrade almost out of control with a civilization who is initially clueless to adapt. Now how a planet of superpowers would be capable of anything but overthrowing the occupying Sinestro Corps has yet to be seen.

Se that paragraph I just wrote? That is some crazy shit, a language foreign to far more than those already indoctrinated. But that's kinda why I love it. Oh, and what's with the Sinestro Corps Turtle that radios in to Mongul?? Did he have the ability to instill great fear? Actually I thought he was pretty awesome, alas he was a sacrificial gag.

The parallel story just happens to be the homefront Green Lanterns holding off a full on Oan prison break, no small task there. Even the Alpha Lanterns show up all bad-ass like. The Corps title continues is strong run, Where as I mentioned Green Lanter Proper is dragging things out (and I have to admit after reading, the most recent GL ish is just plain bad).

The second collection of Young Liars is out. Buy it!!!!! I had to buy it in support of my favorite series this year (and last). The end is nigh, hopefully sales of the TBP can at least justify the series existence. Seriously, I say again, I'll say it every time: read this book.

Marvel Divas is confusing

2009-06-09T21:18:00.006-05:00

On one hand you have a female-driven book likened as a Sex and the City type romp with second tier Marvel heroines. On the other you have this recently released art by Croatian artist Tonci Zonjic. And it's good. Like, real good. Playwrite-slumming-in-comics scribe Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa is another addition to the mix that just makes the question mark a little bigger. No doubt the Mighty Marvel Hype Machine threw out the Carrie/Miranda/Charolette/Samantha to garner exactly just that-- hype. And the title "Marvel Divas?" Ugh, how could I purchase such a thing?

But that art... I can't wait to see the color treatment. If they slap on the typical Marvel over-rendered gloss and shine it will be a sad loss. But perchance it can get a smart colorist inspired by the tones and cuts of say, a French artist like Herval. Or the deft watercoloring seen on Marini, even digital color like over Alary. It's all about finding that right tone to set the book off. Zonjic's art is way ahead of Marvel's stock and trade in terms of personality and I can only pray someone is thinking about this as much as I am.

See more at CBR

Oh, and isn't it a weird coincidence that DC is prepping to launch "Gotham City Sirens?" No, it's not.

New Comics Delay

2009-05-29T23:27:00.005-05:00

Oh, look! It's something else about Green Lantern!

Green Lantern
Conan: Cimmeria TBP

The odd (if somewhat interesting) tale of the Orange Lantern continues, with no small shortage of "things happening." Honestly I wonder if they didn't somehow need to stretch this one out longer than it had to be to get more ancillary books lined up for Blackest Night... And if I wonder it, I'm sure someone else is wondering it. Add what could be considered a decent familiarity of backstage comics, it's probably more the case than not. Oh, that DC editorial sure is a card. GL frequent penciller Ivan Reis is on break and missed, here filled in by Philip Tan. I can't say I'm as enthusiastic about the style, but it's a good fit for the story and you can't say he isn't giving it his best shot.

And I sure do like those collected Conan Trades. "Cimmeria" is the official start to volume two of Dark Horse comics series, and stylistically is quite a departure from the previous. That's not to say they've skimped on art at all, featuring both Thomás Giorello and Richard Corben. With colors by José Villarrubia, no less, and chapter breaks by Frank Cho. Tim Truman, a fine artist in his own right, wrote the tail end of the first volume with and following Busiek, now having taken the reigns completely. His steadfast love of Howard's original material shows, continuing a great legacy of Conan in comics.

Speaking of GL...

2009-05-27T19:53:00.002-05:00

This is so cool!

Green Lantern, et alia

2009-05-26T23:31:00.005-05:00

Greg Hatcher of Comics Should be Good (via CBR) has a groovy rundown on the various incarnations of the Green Lantern comic-- from the original golden age incarnation to now. Funny thing is he uses GL as an example of a series that has gone through a multitude of reboots and restarts, ever searching to bump itself up in the marketplace. Even funnier that Green Lantern is all the rage in the DCU since the Sinestro Corps Wars, and now the cornerstone of DCU-wide event Blackest night. Everyone gets their turn, I guess.

It occurs to me how much I've been with Green Lantern thru the good and bad (at times sooo bad). It's kind of ridiculous how many of those comics are in my possession.

Blazing Combat

2009-05-24T00:09:00.006-05:00

Blazing Combat, a new hardcover collection from Fantagraphics, showcases some truly fantastic work from a multitude of comics greats. I often describe work from this era as "When people knew how to draw." Not that I think artists today can't draw, there is just a instantly recognizable level of draftsmanship found in artists from generations past. The schooling was different, the training, the market.. subtle factors that produced what I find to be remarkable art.

The collection itself is sharp as a tack, presenting a variety of hard-boiled war stories from a short lived 1965 comic series, all written by the venerable Archie Goodwin. Fantagraphics really packages it nicely, I've included some samples below but trust me when I say the reproduction in the book itself is much cleaner than the scans I got-- had a little trouble with moiré from the fine duotone and zipatone in the art.

Click the title link above to hit the Fantagraphics site page and download a PDF sample if you want to see more. And also to get yourself a copy of the book!

New Comics Day

2009-05-13T23:34:00.003-05:00

Groovy books and the beginning of a sad, sad end.

Green Lantern Corps
Young Liars
LOEG 1910
Ultimates 3

WOE IS ME!! Young Liars has been cancelled, with author Lapham asked to prematurely wrap up within the next two issues. DAMMIT! I wonder if every one reading this would take two friends to the comics store and pick up an issue each... prolly couldn't turn it around. Seriously this has been one of the best books of the past year. As thankful as I am to have what we got, I'm extra sad to see it go. Sadder still that such an amazing book couldn't find the audience it needed to thrive.

It was with a shakey hand that I picked up the softcover collection of Ultimates 3. The story is some of Loeb's most cringeworthy, if only for being such a divergent path to what Mark Millar had done in the previous two volumes. The essence of the widescreen theatrics is somewhat retained, yet is so very different. The reason it's a pickup is that it's incredibly hard to ignore a whole book's worth of new art by Joe Madueira, which is equalled (if not surpassed) by the digital paintwork of Christian Lichtner. This collection seems to have fared better in terms of color reproduction that was mostly too saturated and heavily printed on the individual issues. While generally it does still print on the darker side, the package seems to have come together nicely on the whole. It's not hard to look at.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: 1910 was a long time coming. And it looks to be longer still for all three volumes to come out, which I've heard as far out as 2011. Few things, however, are as enjoyable with such a wait. This new book *(technically volume 3) is also the first away from DC/WildStorm/ABC, now in the capable hands of Top Shelf Productions via Knockabout Comics. Production-wise the book appears solid-- a tight, squarebound, matte-cover with nice interior stock. Prints a little dark, tho :-P

New Comics Day

2009-05-06T23:41:00.007-05:00

More like cool comics day!

Blackest Night 0
Power Girl (!)
Fin Fang Four Return (!)
Pherone (!!)
Seaweed (!!!)

I do not pay much attention to things like Free Comic Book Day, because the last thing I need is more comics. So little attention did I pay that I wasn't even aware of DC's giveaway kicking off Green Lantern's Blackest Night. And then it goes flying ever-so-freely off the counter disappearing for good. Luckily one of the few perks of my hobby is being recognized as a regular Green Lantern reader at the local comics shop, and the fine folks at Austin Books were able to mysteriously produce an issue as if from the very mists of Brigadoon. Score.

Ah, but the primo offering form DC this week is actually Power Girl #1. I was torn in buying the issue or waiting for the trade, but in the end the art by Amanda Conner won out. Silly me will probably buy the trade, too, so much do I love her work. I even bought Conner's cover, even tho the variant Adam Hughes cover is very, very nice.

What a surprise! Marvel follows up one of their best one-shots (from "Marvel Monsters" a ways back) with Fin Fang Four Return! Aw man, that Rodger Langridge art is too sweet. The book is funny as all get out, and kind of says a lot towards the kind of book from Marvel that I'll actually purchase these days.

An unexpected treat is Viktor Kalvachev's hardcover Pherone, collecting his stories first run in Heavy Metal. This book is slick as all get out, Kalvachev's amazing art being the number one point of sale. His work is a distillation of the visceral black and white punch of Frank Miller, the dynamics of Howard Chaykin, and the refined discipline of Brian Stelfreeze. The content itself is hard-hitting noir with dames and dirtbags throughout. Goergeous book.

Finally, this week I picked up one of the most amazing books I've seen in a long long time. Seaweed, by animator and character designer par excellence Ben Balistreri. It's a wonderfully oversized 12"x15" hardcover that makes the crisp, animated art style a joy to look at. The story follows Captain Seaweed on a high adventure over the salty seas, with a broad cast of characters that are, well... cool. It's personal work like this that really shines a light on how bland the vast majority of commercial offerings are in both visuals and content. If the main story isn't enough, a fair portion of the book's back end shows Balistreri's working process, providing wonderful insight into such a large project's trepidations among raw artistic talent. Thankfully Balestreri's blog notes another volume is in the works, so I hope this first one receives the sales and recognition it deserves. Seaweed is just plain great, and gets my highest recommendation.

New Comics Day

2009-04-30T00:48:00.004-05:00

Green Lantern
Detective Comics
Blazing Combat

Looks like Green lantern is going bi-weekly to ramp up to Blackest Night. We're in the middle of the Orange Lantern storyline, which I believe is the last color of the spectrum to be explored. Um waitaminnit... Are the Zamarons Indigo or Violet? Doesn't that leave one missing? Did I forget one?

Red - Hate
Orange - Avarice
Yellow - Fear
Green - Will
Blue - Hope
Indigo - Compassion
Violet - Love

So Orange isn't the last. Where is that Indigo Power Battery anyway? Compassion, I believe I read in some ancillary promotional material, is to be the foundation. A small online investigation yields that the "Indigo Tribe" will be showing up soon enough. Oh, and of course who can't see the finale of Blackest Night culminating in the only possible outcome: Someone will end up harnessing the power of the entire emotional spectrum and become...

White Lantern.

I'm pretty sure its going to be Jesus. Yes, I enjoy this, but really it's not that hard of a conclusion to reach.

Detective Comics actually shipped last week, the conclusion of the hyped "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader." Unfortunately we don't really get that answer. Gaiman is a strong storyteller, but something tells me he didn't really get to flex his muscles here, and maybe two issues was not enough to bookend what DC seems to desperately want to note as the end of the most recent generation of Batman. Or at least what Batman "is" in the DCU. Gaiman only taps into a small amount of meta-story, even though it's wrapped by some nice Kuber artwork. Still, both story and art seemed like a means to an end, rather than a transitional necessity. As a direct comparison to Alan Moore's "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow," that's just a magic you can't bottle. I've no doubt Gaiman and Kubert could have done so in their own way perhaps if things happened more organically in terms of the timing and execution. The cynic in me sees (and reports mostly verify) that DC editorial dictated "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader" to force a swan song before the new directives shake things up (or so they hope). If anything, Grant Morrison should have written the hell out his own personal epilog to Batman RIP. Tho perhaps he is indeed doing that now with he and Quitely's teaming on the forthcoming Batman and Robin project. Clever Grant.

Two book notes this week: A new Frank Cho hardcover collection is on the shelves. It should be considered for completists only-- and admittedly it is difficult not to be a Cho completist. Apes and Babes: The Art of Frank Cho Book 1 follows an unfortunate habit of Cho's work being presented that is available in other volumes. To say the a third of the book is new material might be a little generous, and much of that is not in fact new but just hasn't been collected. The book is nice and large with heavy gloss paper stock, so if you are one of the aforementioned completists or not an owner of his many other collections, this is not a bad book to have.

Secondly, Blazing Combat... hot damn. I'll be writing about this separately.

Go directly to designer jail. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200.

2009-04-26T23:31:00.003-05:00

Burton's Nightmare? Really?

In all caps. Really??

New Comics Day

2009-04-15T23:48:00.003-05:00

Green Lantern Corps

Yeah, still looks like I'm that guy. The guy who just goes into the comics store to buy Green Lantern stuff.

But Damn, Green lantern is pretty good right now. The Corps books has several plots running, and they keep running towards each other. The return of Mongul and his occupation of Daxam starts to heat up as Daxamite GL Sodam Yat shows up to check out the digs. Followers of the DCU may have an idea of where this is heading and it could be a potent payoff. Meanwhile the Red Lantern the Corps just boxed up is already set to escape. That was quick, eh? But I think the real exciting stuff here is the return of Sinestro and his confrontation with Natu (his daughter??). And of course we're still waiting for Sinestro to get over to his yellow army on Daxam, and the inevitable showdown with Mongul. The art is still great and awesome from Patrick Gleason, it's a good time to be a Green Lantern fan.

Other notable releases this week center around the centennial. Last of the series, 100 Bullets #100. The series goes out with a bang, and is a laudable collection by authors Azzarello and Rizzo.

The most excellent 100% by Paul Pope has been re-released as a deluxe hardcover. Pope delivers pulp sci-fi at its finest, if you' haven't read 100% in its previous incarnations, this is not a bad book to have.

New Comics Day

2009-04-08T22:04:00.001-05:00

Green Lantern
Young Liars

Both Green Lantern and Young Liars are increasingly becoming the only reason I hit the comics shop. But I am still picking up trades, and am waiting for some more as well. There are some interesting books on the horizon, and I am curious as to DC's Weekly Comics if only for the novelty of the oversize format.

A hard decision to make will be to pick up single issues of books I'm looking forward to but know will be collected. Of the top of my head I think of JH Williams III's impending Batwoman arc, and Amanda Conner's Power Girl series. But sometimes you just want to bring something home, so maybe that holds in their favor

I'll likely ride out Green Lantern's Blackest Night storyline-- to which I have no interest in outlying DCU crossovers-- tho by that time may have to re-evaluate my weekly buying habits. It's not like I don't enjoy the comics shop, but if my buying habits have changed to the point where I can pick up a slew of books bi-weekly or even once a month, so be it.