Tonight I am in Lubbock. And tomorrow night I leave Lubbock. I won't be home until near midnight, so do not look for me.
I'm up here visiting Texas Tech University, a pretty darn good school pretty darn near as far away from the rest of the world as possible. Sort of a reminder of how spread out we are once you pass west of the Mississippi. Fortunately, I haven't had to go to El Paso yet for work, but I might one day. And when I do, I might see about going to Ft. Davis or something you hear about in Texas, but you kind of have to really want to do.
This time to Lubbock I flew rather than drive my own car. I had believed the Lubbock airport took turbo props from Dallas, but learned en route from SF a couple weeks back that jets come here. It wasn't a 737, and I forgot to look to see what carried me here, but I'll look on the way back. It sure beats the 8 hour drive.
Anyhow, limited blogging for several days. I'm sure you'll all get along just fine.
Film. Comics. Sci-Fi. Superheroes. Pulp. Noir. History. Superman. 20th Century Archaeology.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Signal Watch Reads: Action Comics #6
Action Comics #6
When Superman Learned to Fly
writer - Grant Morrison
penciller - Andy Kubert
inker - John Dell
colorist - Brad Anderson
letterer - Patrick Brosseau
associate editor - Wil Moss
editor - Matt Idleson
A half a week late, a geological period in superhero comic terms, I finally got to sit down and read Action Comics #6. The issue is the sort of Superman comic that is going to separate the Supermen from the Superboys, and while I enjoyed the comic, it left far, far more questions than answers.
Frankly, I'm completely shocked that DC has chosen to release a story that is so clearly a nod to a different Superman as early as issue 6, and at first assumed this was part of what was considered a clever B-Plan on the part of DC with the ReLaunch should an artist fall behind. But I wonder... there's a lot of territory covered in the issue to answer questions, and its not like all of All Star Superman made sense as it was released until you had a chance to look at the overall picture Morrison was creating.
When Superman Learned to Fly
writer - Grant Morrison
penciller - Andy Kubert
inker - John Dell
colorist - Brad Anderson
letterer - Patrick Brosseau
associate editor - Wil Moss
editor - Matt Idleson
A half a week late, a geological period in superhero comic terms, I finally got to sit down and read Action Comics #6. The issue is the sort of Superman comic that is going to separate the Supermen from the Superboys, and while I enjoyed the comic, it left far, far more questions than answers.
Frankly, I'm completely shocked that DC has chosen to release a story that is so clearly a nod to a different Superman as early as issue 6, and at first assumed this was part of what was considered a clever B-Plan on the part of DC with the ReLaunch should an artist fall behind. But I wonder... there's a lot of territory covered in the issue to answer questions, and its not like all of All Star Superman made sense as it was released until you had a chance to look at the overall picture Morrison was creating.
We've had Lucy for a while now
Here's when we brought home Lucy roughly 7 years ago, February of 2005.
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| Mel, Jamie and Lucy in the backyard in AZ |
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| A pretty good introduction |
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| You pretty much had to told her like this to hold still |
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
No Post Friday
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| Myrna Loy is outta here |
Have a lovely Friday.
Oh, and probably no post for Saturday. I'm off to see They Might Be Giants with SimonUK tomorrow evening.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Achewood seems to have actually returned
Its only hitting when Chris Onstad has energy and time to do a strip, but the results have been worth it. I am glad to see multiple successive Achewood strips have been published.
Return to Achewood here.
Return to Achewood here.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
10 Surprises from The Watchmen Prequels - The Second Wave!
A few surprise late announcements regarding the second wave of Watchmen books in the all new DC Watchmen imprint. "We couldn't stop with just our first wave of announcements! We're just too excited and need to show profit again in the 3rd quarter! Watchmen was always a group effort, just like signing an office birthday card" said Didio and Lee. "We dug deep to find the greatest talent DC had to offer. Grant said he was busy, so here's what we came up with."
"While this is clearly unnecessary, its much easier to take this money than do cover work," said Brian Bolland. "You'd be amazed what its like to sleep on a pile of money from work you did when Reagan was in office. Yes, Dan, I will take another bag of money and a hooker. Is this thing on?"
1. An 8-issue team up book penned and drawn by Scott McDaniel is planned. The book will feature Seymour, the news stand guy and the shrink with the sexual dysfunction. The rumored villain is Matthew Frewer.
2. Scott Lobdell will write a 6 issue series exploring the further adventures of the raft made of dead bodies from The Black Freighter. However, the captain will be replaced by his daughter, an edgy, sexy young woman with just a whole bunch of secrets (and no pants). Lobdell promises "action, action, action!"
On the topic of Watchmen Prequels
Today DC Comics formally announced that they are developing a series of Watchmen prequels.
Gerry wrote a compelling piece over at his site, and I encourage you to read what he has to say on the topic of Watchmen prequels.
No doubt one look at DC's books by the new leadership up at the very top saw that Watchmen isn't just successful in comics, its a transformative publishing success story for comics. Its more or less been DC's way of printing money every quarter since I was in high school. DCE President Diane Nelson is an entertainment executive, and it is not the job of an executive to think of the product as anything but product. We readers and collectors have the luxury of thinking of our comics as art or works of literature, but the first thing that happens when a book or movie does well? The publisher or studio starts looking to either produce a sequel or re-assemble the components that made that first hit such a hit.
If the President of a drinking glass making company sees that pint glasses are moving more than tumblers, they need to make more pint glasses, and probably a variety of pint glasses. ECONOMICS!
That, I get.
But I don't think I'll be picking up any of the series.*
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| there is a reason all the comics geeks over the age of 30 are posting this picture today |
Gerry wrote a compelling piece over at his site, and I encourage you to read what he has to say on the topic of Watchmen prequels.
No doubt one look at DC's books by the new leadership up at the very top saw that Watchmen isn't just successful in comics, its a transformative publishing success story for comics. Its more or less been DC's way of printing money every quarter since I was in high school. DCE President Diane Nelson is an entertainment executive, and it is not the job of an executive to think of the product as anything but product. We readers and collectors have the luxury of thinking of our comics as art or works of literature, but the first thing that happens when a book or movie does well? The publisher or studio starts looking to either produce a sequel or re-assemble the components that made that first hit such a hit.
If the President of a drinking glass making company sees that pint glasses are moving more than tumblers, they need to make more pint glasses, and probably a variety of pint glasses. ECONOMICS!
That, I get.
But I don't think I'll be picking up any of the series.*
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
I have a few questions for Mark Waid on "Irredeemable"
edit: I have recently been informed that my comics conversations have gone way "inside baseball". I suspect this is one of those. I apologize in advance.
Also, this thing was riddled with type-o's. Thanks for not pointing that out.
I just finished Irredeemable Volume 8.
Some thoughts:
As much as Kingdom Come was a commentary on the state of superhero comics in the mad, mad 90's, I have to look at Irredeemable in whole, if not in individual parts, as another bit of Waid's commentary, but (for me) its a bit like trying to hold mercury. The Plutonian is not exactly a Superman analog, even when he clearly is. There are hints of Squadron Supreme here and there, which was exactly a commentary on the Justice League, but maybe less so when JMS rebooted the Squadron a decade ago. Hints of Wildstorm, bits of reflections of reflections of the JLA and DC line of books in Authority or a few dozen other replicas that mistook gloss for edge and grim violence for "realism". But maybe this book is a reflection of that dark reflection.
Also, this thing was riddled with type-o's. Thanks for not pointing that out.
I just finished Irredeemable Volume 8.
Some thoughts:
As much as Kingdom Come was a commentary on the state of superhero comics in the mad, mad 90's, I have to look at Irredeemable in whole, if not in individual parts, as another bit of Waid's commentary, but (for me) its a bit like trying to hold mercury. The Plutonian is not exactly a Superman analog, even when he clearly is. There are hints of Squadron Supreme here and there, which was exactly a commentary on the Justice League, but maybe less so when JMS rebooted the Squadron a decade ago. Hints of Wildstorm, bits of reflections of reflections of the JLA and DC line of books in Authority or a few dozen other replicas that mistook gloss for edge and grim violence for "realism". But maybe this book is a reflection of that dark reflection.
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| In this issue, Irredeemable fights the ghost robot from space!* |
Monday, January 30, 2012
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