Back for a pit stop...

Spent the week at Disneyland and SDCC, in that order. We're home long enough to do laundry and pack for a week in Utah visiting Mrs. Z's aunt & uncle. Saw family and had a good time at Disneyland, geeked waaay out, saw friends, & had a fantastic time @SDCC. We'll see how my pictures came out next week when I'm back posting on a more regular basis. Meanwhile, have a good week.

But Wait! There's More!

Friday 5 #8

This will be the last Friday 5, and probably the last post in general, for at least a week and possibly 2. The family & I are heading off for vacation on Monday. Two days at Disneyland, then down to San Diego for Comic-Con and other stuff. BTW, I don't know know if I'd mentioned this before, but I was planning on blogging my way through the con. However, that's unlikely now, thanks to shitty 'Net access at the hotel, suspect transportation (the hotel's in Chula Vista, about 8 miles from the con, so it's obviously not along the shuttle route), and the rest of the family lounging about the room. Besides the 3 people who read this blog can get the same info in a more timely manner from one of the places listed to your right anyway. So, let's get down to business!


1. 52 #10: Hmmm...Let me get this straight. Perry's going to take the PR hit that comes with firing a popular reporter/successful (award-winning?), certainly best-selling, auhor? Come on, if Perry's complaining about the Daily Star (probably-not-coincidentally the paper the E-2 Superman worked for) scooping the Planet on naming Supernova, how unhappy is he going to be when they sign Clark? What a dope.
Also, why is it that, for the last couple weeks, the only time we've seen Booster, he's bitching about Supernova? Has he stopped doing hero shit? Because if I'm trying to rebuild my credibility, I'm on patrol, I'm helping little old ladies across the street, and to Hell with what anyone else says. But then, I'm not convinced of my own messianic tendencies.
Can we see more of Ralph and the cult?

2. SDCC: Despite the issues listed above the fold, I'm psyched for SDCC this year, as always. In some ways, I get more excited about the con than I do about Christmas. Shhh, don't tell Mrs. Z. Anyway, I put together my sketch list for this year, and it was 2 pages long. There's obviously no way I can hit up 2 pages' worth of artists for sketches in 3 days. So, I've had to prioritize. I'll let you know after the con who I got and who I didn't.

3. SDCC again: I like going to the panels at SDCC. They're informative, fun, and a place to sit down for a little while after navigating the gigantic mess that the con floor becomes on Friday afternoon/all day Saturday. So what's my problem? My most pressing problem is that on Thursday, at 10:30 am there are 3 panels that I want to see: a Pokemon panel, a panel on the DC Comics postage stamps/first cancellation ceremony, and the Comic Arts Conference panel dealing with Pete Coogan's new book tracing the development of superheroes and Philip Jose Farmer's Wold-Newton concepts. And that's only the first of many panels I want to see that I'm going to have to make choices for.

4. Star Wars: Legacy: Dark Horse's new Star Wars books are pretty good. I enjoyed the first few issues of Knights of the Old Republic series were enjoyable before I had to sacrifice it on the altar of fiscal responsibility. So what do I do? I pick up a new series. Legacy picks up 137 years after the Battle of Yavin (Episode 4), and deals with the last of the Skywalkers and political subterfuge on the Imperial Throneworld. I don't want to give too much away, but just take my word for it: it's good reading. I've liked John Ostrander's work for many years, and it's just as good here. One word of advice: if you have the opportunity to grab the 25cent preview, do so. It doesn't have a story, but it's a handbook-style intro to the series that clarifies things that Ostrander will no doubt be addressing in subsequent issues anyway.

5. Finder: If you like good comics, but you're not reading Finder, what's wrong with you? Seriously. Warren Ellis loves it. I love it. What more do you need? Go pick up Sin-Eater, Volume 1. It's the first trade in the series. You won't regret it. Unless you don't like good comics. In which case you will. Because Finder is good comics.

But Wait! There's More!

Stuff I Bought (7-6-06)

Four books last week, and I just got around to finishing them. Oy. Anyway, we're trying a little capsule review action for you this week. I'm trying to get a routine going, and so I'm experimenting to see what works here...

Justice League Unlimited #23: I normally really enjoy this series. I got into it planning on buying the issues that caught my attention, but they were all of such uniformly high quality that I made it a regular part of my pull list. And you know what? This story bored me to tears. I know I'm probably not the target audience here, but man, this story was dullsville. I couldn't even finish it. I noticed that this issue's not by Adam Beechen, who's picked up the writing chores on Robin. I hope his absence is only temporary, because I missed him this month. Grade: D.

The Thing #8: Apparently this is the final issue of the series, but I picked it up for 2 reasons: the series had been getting such rave reviews by people who's opinions I value, and because it was Poker Night. Benjy's poker games are the stuff of legend in the Marvel U, so I wasn't going to miss a chance to see it. And? Meh. It was ok, and there were some funny bits, but I don't know if Slott didn't bring the 'A' game because this is the last issue or what. Maybe this is the statistical outlyer issue, you know, the one that balances out the good issues? But I guess I'll never know, because this is the last issue. Grade: C.

Teen Titans #37: This is the last part of "New Teen Titans", the first OYL storyline for the series. Everything gets tied up, but not much seems to actually happen. There's not a lot of momentum. There's some good stuff here, but I hope to see it pay off with more movement of the storylines and subplots. I hope to see more of the Robin/Cassie subplot, along with the cloning subplot, but given Tim's reaction to his latest efforts, that storyarc may be finished. Anyway, Johns has earned the benefit of the doubt from me, so he gets a little extra credit. Grade: B.

Jonah Hex #9: This is consistently among the best books I get every month, and this month's no exception. Every time I feel like I've got a handle on Jonah's character, I get surprised. But in a good way. This is just another great story. Seriously, month in and month out, Palmiotti and Gray are writing a top-notch book. And it's nice to see Tony DeZuniga working at least semi-regularly. In all, this is a good way to drop 3 bones. Grade: A.

Hmm. I see that somehow the books managed to put themselves into ascending order. Funny. That wasn't intentional. Anyway, that's what I bought last week. This week looks to be a little lighter, so maybe I'll get reviews posted before I leave for Disneyland and SDCC.

But Wait! There's More!

Pruning the Branches 3-D Extravaganza

Let's continue on. I'm way behind on this particular project, so I've no time for witty repartee! See you after the jump!


Part 1 Part 2

Supergirl & the Legion of Super-Heroes: I'm loving this title. I'm a Legion fan from waaaaayy back, and have enjoyed almost every version of the LSH, but I'm astonished that no one picked up on the stuff Waid/Kitson are doing before now. There hasn't been a bum in the lot, so guess what? This one stays. Verdict: Thumbs up.

Manhunter: Over at The Absorbascon, Scipio's been spending a lot of time giving reasons to read Manhunter. All of them are fine, fine reasons. And I'm adding a new one. Kate is Jack Knight's cousin. Boo-yah! Starman really is the center of the DCU! Actually, this one works super-fine on its own merits. I'm glad DC gave Manhunter a reprieve, and everyone should be reading it. Verdict: Thumbs up.

Shadowpact: I liked Day of Vengeance, and monkeys (or in this case, chimps) make everything better. I tend to enjoy Willlingham's work (I dig Fables), but I'm afraid that, unless something spectacular happens before the end of the initial arc, this one's getting the boot. Not because it's not good, but it's got to be SUPER-GOOD to make the cut here. If the funds open up a little, this one will make a return appearance. Until then, Verdict: Thumbs down.

Teen Titans: I don't know why Geoff Johns is getting all the hate from the blogosphere lately. I dug his work on Flash, he's done more with the JSA characters than anyone else has done in 25 years or more, and Teen Titans is a lot of fun, too. I've never been super-crazy about Robin or Connor (although Connor's obviously not a problem anymore), but I like the interplay between the old & new Titans. I also think this book has seriously benefitted from the One Year Later conceit. The glimpses of the team's turmoil as Cyborg blinked in and out during that year were VERY tantalizing, and I'm anxious to learn more about what happened. And who can resist Wendy & Marvin? Seriously. Verdict: Thumbs up.

Wonder Woman: I followed the Rucka run in trade, and picked up the first issue of the new series (which I reviewed here). As I recall, I gave it a hearty "meh." I like Wonder Woman, particularly what Rucka did with her, but I just couldn't get all that excited about the new series. I also miss Giganta's leopardskin bikini. I know it's impractical and probably sexist, but it's how I always think of the character. Blame Superfriends. Anyway, Verdict: Thumbs down.

All-Star Superman: Grant Morrison's one of those writers who gets a free pass from me. Not that I enjoy everything he's done (I thought Invisibles was too long, to name one problem with it), but I'll always give it a look. And unlike, say, All-Star Pedophile and Robin, the Boy Victim, I'm really enjoying this one. Of course, I also know that it'll be collected in trade, and that's how I'm going to have to enjoy the rest of the series. Verdict: Thumbs down.

52: Do I really have to answer this? Have you not been reading the Friday 5? Come on, now. You're going to hurt my feelings. Verdict: Thumbs up.

Batman/Detective Comics: I'm combining these, because that's how I picked them up, post-IC: together. That they had a (mostly) excellent story by James Robinson helped immensely, because I found out that I miss Batman. I dropped the Bat-books cold turkey several years ago, right at the beginning of "Bruce Wayne: Murderer", and didn't really miss the convoluted multi-phase crossovers, the Bat-dickery, etc. But Robinson's given us a Batman that takes care of business and his "family." And thank Buddha the family's been pruned back a little. Anyway, I'll be keeping Detective because I can't get enough Paul Dini. I'm dropping Batman because, as I mentioned 2 entries ago, Morrison's run will be collected. I'll read it then. Verdict: Thumbs up (Detective Comics)/Thumbs down (Batman).

Desolation Jones: I don't know. I like most of Ellis' work, but I'm not sure about this one. I'll have to reread the intial arc and get back to you. But until then, in the interest of pruning, Verdict: Thumbs down.

Ex Machina: Brian K. Vaughn & Tony Harris do great work together. If you like politics, you should be reading this book. If you like superheroes, you should be reading this book. If you like good shit, you should be reading this book. Need I say more? Verdict: Thumbs up.

We'll stop there for now, since 6:00am comes pretty damn early around here. We should be able to wrap this up in one more installment. We'll see if we can't manage that before I leave for vacation on Monday.

But Wait! There's More!

Friday 5 #7

This is the 3rd time this weekend I've tried to post this damn thing, but one thing or another always gets in the way. So enough of the fancy schmancy stuff. Let's get to the business.


1. 52 #9: Steel's story took up the bulk of the issue, with him getting his ass handed to him by his neice because he underestimated a) how much power she had, and b) what a jerk she is. B is understandable, I suppose, given that he's essentially raised her, but A is unforgiveable, given that Luthor's involved. You know, I don't understand why Steel is surprised Natasha did this. My only familiarity with Natasha (outside of 52) is the occasional appearance in JLA when Steel was a regular member. And she seemed like a disobedient jerk there, too. If anyone out there could provide me with a little more insight into the character, I'll be happy to listen. Because right now I'm not overly sympathetic to her position. We also see The Question again, although this scene really seems designed to show Bat-Woman brooding on the rooftops of Gotham. Finally, we see Adam Strange, Animal Man, and Starfire "escape" Devillance and continue their quest to get home. But will they? I have my doubts. And you know who I really want to see? Ralph. And Cassie. Where are they now? How's this whole "resurrection cult" thing working out. And did Cassie really put the symbol on Sue's headstone?

2. Man, I am soooo tired it's not even funny. What I'd really like is to be able to just stop time long enough to get these two papers finshed, then be able to enjoy the rest of the summer. Tomorrow's the last week of summer school, then we head off for vacation. Yay!

3. I have to go back and reread "Face the Face" in its entirety, but 2 things come to mind: 1) I really missed comics by James Robinson. Seriously, I'll buy anything he writes. He's that good. 2)Great WHO? Where the hell did he come from? I don't think I've ever seen him before. So for me with one read, the ending was a letdown. When the "surprise mastermind" elicits not a gasp, but a "huh?", that's not a good sign. But even with that, I'll still buy anything Robinson writes. Nobody hits it out of the park all the time. Even Grant Morrison.

4. Congratulations to Italy for winning the World Cup. See you in 4 years, Italia!

5. You know who else I'll buy anything from? Rich Koslowski. His 2 most recent books, The King and Three Fingers, are 2 of the best I've ever read, with Three Fingers being in my all-time top 5. His 3 Geeks stuff is funny without being condescending to the medium or its fans, which can be a tough trick to pull off. Anyway, it looks like he'll be at SDCC this year, so I may see if he's got time for another sketch for the old Starman sketchbook. Anyway, if you've got $15.00 to spare and are looking for the good reading, check out Three Fingers. You won't regret it.

But Wait! There's More!

An apology...

...for not posting more this week. I'm trying to finish up a couple of papers that were due at the end of Spring quarter, wrap up summer school, and get ready for SDCC. Oy. Anyway, Expect a Friday 5 sometime this evening or tomorrow and we'll continue Pruning the Branches later in the week. I'll also be (hopefully) posting some capsule reviews of things I bought this week. Finally, I had planned on blogging from SDCC, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen now. A combination of shitty internet access at the hotel and the trip morphing and expanding into a family vacation make dragging the laptop along an impractical proposition. Which is unfortunate. I'd been looking forward to the challenge. I guess that'll have to wait until next year. Ah well. Until later...

But Wait! There's More!

Friday 5 #6 (for real this time!)

Ok. Now let's get down to business. Part 2 of Pruning the Branches just went live, so be sure to check that out. And here we go. Meet you at the usual place?


1. 52 #8: A few things this week, which I shall divide into "Things I Liked" and Things I Did Not Like":
TIL: Ralph's visit to Star City. I'd dearly love to see more of Ralph's story, but I guess that's one of the sacrifices that have to be made when you're tracing six distinct narrative threads in a weekly, "real time" book.
TIDNL: Natasha Irons is a jerk. Maybe it's just the parent in me (and I don't even have teenagers yet!), but she is a tool. Sticking her nose into John's business, then running out without asking the obvious question AND waiting for a response, and running straight to someone who, though her uncle (and everyone else in "The Life" for that matter; didn't she hang with the Teen Titans for a brief while?), she should KNOW is bad news. Goofball.
TIL: Booster's cranky rant about SuperNova.
TIL: Clark's response to Booster's cranky rant about SuperNova.
TIDNL: Adam's Mysteriously Regenerated Eye. I know it was an editorial goof, and normally it wouldn't bother me. It just did this time.
TIL: Jack Knight's appearance in the History of the DCU backup. Duh! Having said that, unless we get to the end of this feature and find that the infinite earths are back, I'll be glad it's over.

2. Las Vegas: Went to Vegas for a wedding reception for one of the Epstein's. My friend PJ married longtime girlfriend Brooke in Chicago (where her family and much of his still live) back in May. This weekend they held a little reception/party for those of us who couldn't make it to Chicago. I also stopped in at Casa del Bunin for A Very Epstein Independence Day [3 Days Early]. I went and remembered 2 things over the course of the weekend. That Epstein's Mother is the best bunch of fuckers in the world, and that Las Vegas is the hottest fucking place on Earth. Seriously, at one point, I stuck my arm out the window while I was driving and it was like putting my arm in an oven. Ugh. Having said that, however, I still miss Vegas (and the Epstein's). It haunts me. It calls to me like the Sirens called to Odysseus. I'm going to have to try & get down their more often, especially since Vi and Dan and everyone else was so emphatic about me not being such a stranger. And I'm still convinced that Ray broke his foot being a dumbnuts.

3. Hex: Mrs. Z. and I watched the second episode of this BBC America series the other night (the premiere cycled its way out of the DVR because we were too slow). I liked the scenes with Cassie and her lesbian ghost best friend. I was less impressed with the main storyline of the demon trying to get into Cassie's pants. It just seemed ponderous and sort of "meh." I'll probably give it one more episode, but if things don't pick up, I'm done with it.

4. Son and Daughter are Cute As Hell. Just thought I'd share that one.

5. Barenaked Ladies: On the special edition of Stunt, there are 2 bonus tracks. "A Long Way Home" is ok. It's not great. But "She's on Time" is hilarious. It's my new "Favorite Song Until Something Else Becomes My New Favorite Song." I can't wait for the new album and hopefully they'll tour again and hit California for the holiday tour. Because they rock. Seriously, if you have the opportunity to see them, you must, for the sake of your continued mental health and spiritual well-being, you must see thim live. You won't regret it.

And that takes us to the end of the show. We'll see you next week!

But Wait! There's More!