Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
The Weekend - The Admiral is Saluted
This weekend we headed into Houston.
As I mentioned about a month ago, The Admiral has retired from his jobby-job at the Corporation Place where he's worked for the last couple decades. Saturday night his colleagues threw him a shindig at Houston's Morton's Steakhouse down near the Galleria. It was lovely.
So, Friday Jamie and I drove into Houston.
On Friday evening, we visited with very longtime pals Shannon & Josh and their kid, Owen at Texas Tex-Mex fixture Ninfa's. Its been years since we'd seen any of the Houston contingent, and we had never met young Owen. Saturday we headed to the Galleria (a fairly tony shopping complex for those of you wondering) for lunch with Erica & Scott and their two kids, Isaac and Mara.
We've definitely headed into the phase where our pals from days of yore have had kids, and we have not, and that puts us in that Childfree American minority. We are now those weird people you remember from your own childhood who didn't match your understanding of the world in which the function of adults was to have kids so somebody would feed people e exitinglike you. They'd show up at the Holidays for meals, maybe, and have no concept of soccer practices, school programs, homework, etc... Also, those people just sort of stared at your kid-ness, did they not?
Yup. That's us. We are most definitely the weird kid-less people now.
As I mentioned about a month ago, The Admiral has retired from his jobby-job at the Corporation Place where he's worked for the last couple decades. Saturday night his colleagues threw him a shindig at Houston's Morton's Steakhouse down near the Galleria. It was lovely.
So, Friday Jamie and I drove into Houston.
On Friday evening, we visited with very longtime pals Shannon & Josh and their kid, Owen at Texas Tex-Mex fixture Ninfa's. Its been years since we'd seen any of the Houston contingent, and we had never met young Owen. Saturday we headed to the Galleria (a fairly tony shopping complex for those of you wondering) for lunch with Erica & Scott and their two kids, Isaac and Mara.
We've definitely headed into the phase where our pals from days of yore have had kids, and we have not, and that puts us in that Childfree American minority. We are now those weird people you remember from your own childhood who didn't match your understanding of the world in which the function of adults was to have kids so somebody would feed people e exitinglike you. They'd show up at the Holidays for meals, maybe, and have no concept of soccer practices, school programs, homework, etc... Also, those people just sort of stared at your kid-ness, did they not?
Yup. That's us. We are most definitely the weird kid-less people now.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
SW Advent Calendar December 3
Yes, they come from a planet of living machines, but their artificial hearts are no less warmed by the joy of the season.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Signal Watch Reads: It's Superman!
In 2005 or 2006, I bought the novel It's Superman! by Tom De Haven. And, I never read it. I don't know why. I read the first couple of chapters and then loaned it to Judy (my mother-in-law) and when it came back a week later, I just never finished the book.
Truthfully, I didn't really understand the point of the book. Who was Tom De Haven? With television, comics, movies, cartoons, etc... all spinning their own take, why go to the media where Superman hasn't had as much success as elsewhere? Why start over?
After listening to the novel as an audiobook from Blackstone (delivered via audible), I'm still not exactly sure. Yes, the novel provides angles and insights movies and comics might not. It follows inner monologues, switches points of view with tremendous regularity, but it also seems to lack a certain insight into Superman, the sort of insight that I think has been understood by others in recent media, from Mark Waid's Birthright to Paul Dini and Alex Ross's Peace on Earth to Morrison's All Star Superman to bits and snippets of Superman Returns. And, again, I think I'm seeing it in Grant Morrison's Action Comics.
Between buying the book of It's Superman! and listening to the audiobook (thank goodness for long car rides), I read De Haven's follow up to this one. The follow up, however, wasn't another novel. Instead, it was a meditation on Superman entitled Our Hero: Superman on Earth. It was a nuanced read but it also informs some of what I think De Haven struggled with in writing It's Superman! and where he and I might part ways in our opinions of what's going on with the character.
Truthfully, I didn't really understand the point of the book. Who was Tom De Haven? With television, comics, movies, cartoons, etc... all spinning their own take, why go to the media where Superman hasn't had as much success as elsewhere? Why start over?
After listening to the novel as an audiobook from Blackstone (delivered via audible), I'm still not exactly sure. Yes, the novel provides angles and insights movies and comics might not. It follows inner monologues, switches points of view with tremendous regularity, but it also seems to lack a certain insight into Superman, the sort of insight that I think has been understood by others in recent media, from Mark Waid's Birthright to Paul Dini and Alex Ross's Peace on Earth to Morrison's All Star Superman to bits and snippets of Superman Returns. And, again, I think I'm seeing it in Grant Morrison's Action Comics.
Between buying the book of It's Superman! and listening to the audiobook (thank goodness for long car rides), I read De Haven's follow up to this one. The follow up, however, wasn't another novel. Instead, it was a meditation on Superman entitled Our Hero: Superman on Earth. It was a nuanced read but it also informs some of what I think De Haven struggled with in writing It's Superman! and where he and I might part ways in our opinions of what's going on with the character.
SW Advent Calendar December 2
Christmas is the great gifts at this year's office Christmas party and wondering what you have in common with your work colleagues other than work. Also, wishing for Don Draper's hair.
Holiday Helping Hand
Hey! It's the Holidays!
It's the time of year when movies and TV tell us we learn important life lessons about the real meaning of Christmas.
This can mean family, giving, whatever TV and movies seem to say, I suppose. In the case of Die Hard, it means blowing up Alan Rickman in a spectacular fashion.
Things are rough out there, of course. Nobody is saying it isn't. But it can also be a time to step back from buying that one more $15 present and putting that money toward something that will help somebody who actually needs the money more than you need one more package under the tree to make things symmetrical.
If you give to any charity this year in the spirit of the Holidays, why not send me a message so I know what you've been up to, and I'll post a Signal Watch Holiday Honor Roll. You don't have to say how much you gave, but we'd love your name, who you gave to, and if you feel like saying so, why you gave to that organization.
You can also mention any groups that you regularly give to, especially if you have someone you give to monthly.
I'll give an example:
It's the time of year when movies and TV tell us we learn important life lessons about the real meaning of Christmas.
This can mean family, giving, whatever TV and movies seem to say, I suppose. In the case of Die Hard, it means blowing up Alan Rickman in a spectacular fashion.
Things are rough out there, of course. Nobody is saying it isn't. But it can also be a time to step back from buying that one more $15 present and putting that money toward something that will help somebody who actually needs the money more than you need one more package under the tree to make things symmetrical.
If you give to any charity this year in the spirit of the Holidays, why not send me a message so I know what you've been up to, and I'll post a Signal Watch Holiday Honor Roll. You don't have to say how much you gave, but we'd love your name, who you gave to, and if you feel like saying so, why you gave to that organization.
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| Superman helps out with more than a donation |
You can also mention any groups that you regularly give to, especially if you have someone you give to monthly.
I'll give an example:
I give monthly to Capital Area Food Bank, which provides food to local families in need.If you have an organization you give to (that I won't find creepy), just send it our way via our email or click the contact tag on this website.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Signal Watch Advent Calendar: December 1
Christmas is about siblings competing, and talking it over with your mystery spouse.
Santor has advice upon the topic of Christmas Gifts
Happy December 1st! The first day of December, and already, you're probably a bit sick of Christmas.
Santor is here to help. He has prepared this inspirational video to get you through the holidays.
he struggles, he does. Poor Santor.
Santor is here to help. He has prepared this inspirational video to get you through the holidays.
he struggles, he does. Poor Santor.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Signal Watch Reads: Superman #3
Superman #3
A Cold Day in Hell
script & breakdowns - George Perez
penciller - Nicola Scott
inker - Trevor Scott
colorists - Brian Buccalleto, Brett Smith, Blond
letterer - Carlos M. Mangual
cover - Perez & Buccelleto
associate editor - Wil Moss
editor - Matt Idleson
Superman created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
this review is of the print edition
The storyline taking place five years after the events in Grant Morrison's Action Comics continue, with Superman established but not the paragon of trust in Metropolis that readers may have been familiar to readers of prior Superman series. There's most definitely a bit of "One Year Later" fatigue setting in as characters speak elliptically about the past, established relationships, etc... and it can feel a bit more like we're picking up a comic that's been running for a while than stepping into the start of something new. Which, truthfully, seems to defeat some of the purpose of a "relaunch".
A Cold Day in Hell
script & breakdowns - George Perez
penciller - Nicola Scott
inker - Trevor Scott
colorists - Brian Buccalleto, Brett Smith, Blond
letterer - Carlos M. Mangual
cover - Perez & Buccelleto
associate editor - Wil Moss
editor - Matt Idleson
Superman created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
this review is of the print edition
The storyline taking place five years after the events in Grant Morrison's Action Comics continue, with Superman established but not the paragon of trust in Metropolis that readers may have been familiar to readers of prior Superman series. There's most definitely a bit of "One Year Later" fatigue setting in as characters speak elliptically about the past, established relationships, etc... and it can feel a bit more like we're picking up a comic that's been running for a while than stepping into the start of something new. Which, truthfully, seems to defeat some of the purpose of a "relaunch".
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
No Post Tuesday
Instead, I leave you to ponder the Fortress of Solidarity.
Doug and Kristen were still with us Monday night, and I had an early morning. No post for you.
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| click to enlarge |
Doug and Kristen were still with us Monday night, and I had an early morning. No post for you.
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