Norming

Since one of the things I plan on doing with this blog is reviewing stuff (not just comics, but pretty much anything else I want to talk about), it seems like we ought to do some, as we refer to it in the Education Industry, norming.

Essentially, I'm going to tell you a little bit about what I like, generally speaking with some specific examples, why I like it, and what that means in terms of how I'll be reviewing stuff.

Comics: I like well-written, well-drawn comics (duh!). Although what consitutes well-written, well-drawn comics is widely subjective, in my case it's Starman. And Usagi Yojimbo. I'll buy anything written by James Robinson or Mark Waid. Almost anything by Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and Peter David. Art? Tony Harris or Stan Sakai. Alex Ross gets a look, as does Mike Wieringo. I like alternate-Earth/multiverse stories. I'm also apparently pretty good at picking short-time books. You know the kind I mean: the kind that get cancelled within a year or so. Seriously, my collection is like The Island of Short-Run Comics: Chronos, Aztek, Manhunter, Bloodhound, Firearm and Green Lantern: Mosaic.

Music: I don't buy a lot of music, mostly because I've got a few favorites, plus whatever comes on the radio, then I'll hit something like Napster or something, and pick a few individual tracks. Although, in case you're curious, I love Barenaked Ladies and Johnny Cash. I'm also currently on a Flatt & Scruggs kick, and I have The LeeVees in heavy rotation in my CD player, too.

Movies: Since Mrs. Z. and I have kids, we don't get out to the movies much. I'll review the occasional DVD, but not often (this is mostly a function of the time I have available more than a measure of my enjoyment of movies).

Books: Beyond a few comics, I don't get much reading done during the school year, especially now that I'm working towards an M.A. in English. So unless you want a review of Carnie's Syntax: A Generative Introduction, don't expect much.

Now, one more word about my comic-buying habits: I've got a buddy in Vegas who owns a comic shop (that would be Alternate Reality Comics on Maryland Pkwy across from UNLV). Said buddy, whom we'll call...oh...Ralph, sends me a package of books at the end of every month containing my purchases from the pull list for the month. In addition, here in Bakersfield I go to Dark Side Comics every week or two to pick up things that aren't on my list. Here's my problem: Ralph's got great selection, but I can't thumb through it. Chuck, over @ DSC, is in town, but carries a pretty limited selection. He's happy to order stuff for me, but that's not always a good option, either. Finally, I occasionally find myself near any of a number of purveyors of the four-color goodies, so I stop in & pick up a few things (my main two, if you're curious, are The Comics Factory in Pasadena and Brave New World in Santa Clarita/Newhall). To make a short story long, sometimes I won't be able to post a review on something until a week or three after its original publication.

So, that should do it for now. Sometime this weekend, I'll crank out a few reviews and post them here.

Peace...