Saturday, April 17, 2004

Another sketch from the Emerald City Comicon this year. James was sitting next to Jay Faerber, who was putting the finishing touches on an ashcan for their project Dodge's Bullets. I picked up the ashcan, and after reading it I ordered the book from my retailer. It came in on Wednesday, and I'll be putting up my rapid review sometime in the next couple of days. In the meantime, here's a sketch of my favorite character from the artist of Webster Dodge.

AQUAMAN
by James Francis
29 February 2004
(permission to post given 29 February 2004 in person)
Dodge's Bullets

As a reminder: Almost every sketch in my sketchbook was non-commissioned and done on the floor of a con. These are not the best works of the artists. These are only representative of what the artist can do under pressure in a loud, crowded, and often stressed-out environment. Most of them were done as quickly as possible, to prevent huge lines from forming. Don't judge any of these artists negatively by the artwork you see, instead be as impressed as I am by what they accomplished in far-from-ideal conditions.

To see all the sketches I have permission to post so far, check out my Sketchbook Page. If you have any contact information for any of the other artists I'm trying to contact, please e-mail me. Click for a random Aquaman sketch.

The Saturday Sketch ™ is brought to you by the letters "A", "Q" and the number "27", and also courtesy the fine artists who pour their lives into producing wonderful comic books, then come to conventions only to get asked by geeky fangirls for a sketch of Aquaman. Support an artist, buy a comic book.

by Tegan at 8:57 PM Seattle time

Oh my. It's The Electric Company Digital Archive. Including the pinball counting clip. Which I thought was from Sesame Street.

Kaja Foglio has the latest on the status of Girl Genius and "secret project #1".

24 Hours Comics is coming...

Ode to Half Price Books. When we lived in Redmond (yes, the home of the evil empire), we had a Half Price Books within easy walking distance. Every once in awhile I'd find comic books there, too. Good times.

Curse you, Elayne, you've addicted me to another on-line game... Bookworm. Elayne also points out these unlikely campaign posters (note, they are not childsafe).

Um. Cats and Bunnies, via Metafilter.

Stealing an election using electronic voting may be even easier than previously thought, if you work out just how few votes need to be changed. Again, insist on a paper trail. If there is not paper trail, it's not a real election, it's a sham. via Boing Boing.

From the NY Times (registration required): 9/11 Files Show Warnings Were Urgent and Persistent. An excerpt: "The new information produced by the commission so far has led 6 of its 10 members to say or suggest that the attacks could have been prevented". Ok, when you've got 6 members of a bi-partisan panel saying the attacks could have been prevented, I begin to believe they might be right. I still think that the arrogance of our government simply didn't allow them to accept that such attacks could happen, thus making it impossible to stop, but the more I hear about the warnings that Bush received, the more I wonder if the man has any brain at all.

Speaking of the 9/11 commission... a member is receiving death threats because of a memo that might have had a tiny bit to do with the problems that eventually led to the intelligence failure. Lovely. I'm beginning to believe that there is a group of thugs who masquerade as Republicans trying to take over this country.

Is it just me or are lots of blogspot sites turning into gibberish partly down the page? I noticed it in particular while searching Iraqi blogs for news, but I'm seeing it on other sites, too.

by Tegan at 8:45 PM Seattle time

Age of Bronze #19: Oh. I was afraid of how it would work out. But anything said at all will give away an important bit of the plot... so... This is a book that requires re-reading. And I don't mean that in a bad way at all. I mean that once you've finished each issue, you feel like going back and reading the whole story again, it's so good. If you are in the mood for historical fiction, without a trace of spandex anywhere, pick this up.

Just to note: the second Age of Bronze collection, collecting this issue along with the rest of the story-arc, will be out in May. I've pre-ordered my copy from the Age of Bronze website. You can too, or wait until Amazon stocks it. And if you haven't already, go buy the first collection.

PS238 #6: Oh man. I swear this book gets funnier every issue. It's consistently good, and getting consistently better. And if I thought this book was funny when I read it, that was nothing to when hubby-Eric read some of the bits of the back-up story aloud to me. Heh. This book is great. Go get it.

Free samples HERE. Or start here or here or here or here or here or here (or you could just click on that first here and keep clicking "next" as you read the minis. The regular issues are full length with a back-up story). A trade of the first five issues is coming out soon, I like this series so much that I'm getting the trade despite already having all the issues. Yes, I plan on loaning this one out to folks. And I want MORE. I've even started reading the on-line Nodwick (starting back at the beginning) to get more of Aaron Williams artwork.

To pick one of the AIT/Planet Lar books to review turned out to be impossible. Each time I'd reach over, look at the pile, and start to pick one only to think, no, I want to read this one first. Then I'd start to pick up that one, and see another one that I wanted to try first. The third time this happened, I realized that I had no idea where to start, one of the downsides of having such a large group to choose from. So I finally flipped them all over, shuffled them the best I could and spread them out, then closed my eyes and picked one up. And that, folks, is how I am determining the order of reviewing these books. The first pick was Codeflesh.

Codeflesh by Joe Casey and Charlie Adlard: Funny, but even while I read this book, my opinion went up and down. At first I didn't like it much, then I kind of liked it, then I really liked it, then I didn't like it so much anymore. And on and on. It was very odd. I did, however, read the entire book in one sitting, which is generally a good sign. Let's see... I liked that almost everyone who saw him was confused by the mask. It's clear that while there are metahumans/superpowers in this world, people don't generally don masks to haul in the crooks skipping bail. I liked how Carl Stalin figured out who he was... the indication was that sooner or later, everyone would figure it out. Carl also asked about the mask, another mystery that I hoped would be answered in the pages, but wasn't. I liked the last issue in the trade, one in which the words and the images don't match up, because it gives a little bit of an insight into how the reader perceives comics. It took me awhile to get used to the dichotomy, and once I did I found I had to re-read the story ignoring the words to understand it fully. The book was dark and violent, and at points I got a little bored with all the fighting. Overall, however, I think I enjoyed it, and I felt there was some good stuff in it. I can't give it a hearty recommend, but I'll give it a mild recommendation, particularly if you like dark and gritty stories.

Still to review: Dodge's Bullets, 1602, Fallen Angel, and Common Grounds.

by Tegan at 1:15 AM Seattle time

Friday, April 16, 2004

Angel [1-04]: I Fall To Pieces: In a superhero roleplaying game, my husband once played a character that could detach his body parts, which then would fly off and do things under his control. This story is along the same theme, only much much creepier. It's instructive how the story built up into a feeling of true horror. This show tends to use bits and pieces of various genres to make itself work. Anyway, it was a fun one, if a wee bit icky. And it was nice to see Angel use his new police contact. This is the final episode on the first DVD.

Angel [1-05]: Rm w/a Vu: Is Cordelia just the unluckiest person alive, or what? I mean, the bugs in her apartment I can understand, but getting a haunted apartment for her second place? What I liked about this episode was the glimpses of the ghost we get at first, followed by the longer sequences of Cordelia and the ghost. With familiarity, the spookiness slowly dissipates, and you get the whole sense of the absurd that Cordelia's experiences in Sunnydale bring to the show. Doyle's subplot is very interesting, as we're finally getting to see a bit more about the most mysterious character on the show. This is the first episode on the second DVD, and also has a commentary track.

Angel [1-06]: Sense & Sensitivity: Oh my. Now that's the kind of sensitivity training I'd really hate to have. This turned out to be a remarkably funny episode, with a focus on Kate the cop... I have to wonder if Angel will be in danger from the sensitivity trainer guy later on. A strong episode with a great sense of fun.

by Tegan at 8:57 PM Seattle time

The Mountains of Majipoor by Robert Silverberg: a shorter novel set in the future of Majipoor, this book explains Majipoor by taking the reader out of it almost entirely and contrasting the reality of "modern" Majipoor to an isolated people's way of life. And, overall, it's a good tale. We have the bored princeling who has managed to make a big enough mistake that his career is essentially over unless he undertakes a dangerous quest. We have the not-entirely-trustworthy guide and interpreter. We have the egotistical king-of-all-he-surveys trying to broker a deal with forces he doesn't understand. It's a fun little tale, indeed, but relies a little too heavily on conventional characters in an unconventional setting. This really could have been set in any number of different fantasy worlds. There wasn't a lot distinctly Majipoor about it, which is a mild disappointment. But for that, it was still a good read. Just not a spectacular one.

Anybody Can Do Anything by Betty MacDonald. You could argue, and many people would, that this is Betty's least important book. I would argue just the opposite. Not only is this book about early Seattle, this book also is about living through the Depression and becoming a writer. And, unlike The Plague and I and The Egg and I, this one ends on a very high note. I've mentioned before that I first read this book in the eighth grade, which might be why I love it so dearly. There were two passages that stuck out vividly in my head. The first is when she gets a job tinting photographs, and the second is her first skiing trip. But there is so much more in this book. Betty goes on and on about how untalented she is, reinforcing the idea that she has no raw talent, and yet her writing is smooth and delightful, and captures the spirit of the Northwest perfectly. She describes how her sister Mary pushes her along, getting her different jobs through sheer enthusiasm and gall. And yet Betty somehow tends to not just survive those jobs, but thrive on them. Taken as a self-help book, this is one of the most inspiring tomes I've ever read. And then there's the descriptions of Depression era Seattle. She is sparse with details, and yet can capture the street scenes perfectly. She also has a lot to say about the feeling of the era, and novel experiences like this thing called "credit". Taken as a historical document, anyone interested in the Depression should read this book. If all you've ever read by Betty MacDonald is Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, then go out and find a copy of this one. It's definitely worth the read.

Gerti Jung directed me to The Betty MacDonald Fanclub and The Betty MacDonald Society. The websites aren't terribly well-designed, but the heart is in the right place. Gerti also informed me that Kimi, mentioned in The Plague and I, is alive and has written some stories. I'd very much like to see Kimi's take on life.

by Tegan at 12:15 PM Seattle time

Time for me to get down to some serious reviewing. And I'm not just talking about comic books. Expect three sets of Rapid Reviews today... if I manage to write them all. If you aren't a fan of my reviewing, come back tomorrow. Let's start with some spandex-clad nonsense:

JLA #96: Striking cover, but that was about all that was striking. I felt like I was reading a poorly plotted Silver Age book. Some fun bits, but mostly dull. And lots and lots of talking without interesting visuals to match. Better than the last issue, but not by much.

JSA #60: Does this book ever make sense anymore? It seems like it skeps constantly from one plotline to another, never stopping on any long enough to make an impression. I like the characters, but I wish the stories were a little more focused.

Green Arrow #37: Nice touch having the guest appearances outside the problem area giving us a bit of exposition so we know what's happening. This issue set up an appropriate atmosphere, and looks to lead into a strong finish. A good issue.

Still to review: PS238, Age of Bronze, Dodge's Bullets, 1602, Fallen Angel, and Common Grounds. Also up for review: Angel DVDs, Betty MacDonald books, and more Majipoor. And maybe even some AIT/Planet Lar stuff, if I need a break.

by Tegan at 1:09 AM Seattle time

Thursday, April 15, 2004

Positive Aquaman review on Four Color Meat and Fish. Check it out, then tell me again why YOU aren't buying Aquaman.

Ah, football. The 2004 NFL Schedule is out. Yup, Seattle has a Monday Night game.

Oh, this spam was wonderful:

"Dear Citi-Card _Users_, ThIs Letter was seent by_t_he OnlineCitibank server to verify your_ _mail address. You must complete this process by clicking on_the_link beelow and entering in the little winndow your Citibank _Debit Card_Number and PIN that you_use on Atm_Machine. That_is donne for-your protection becaurse some of our memmbers memmbers have access to their EMAIL_ adress_ and we must verify it. (link removed) To verify _your_ email_ adress_ and akcess your_ Citi account, click on_the__link _below_."

Letters to Stars & Stripes.

Hubby-Eric and I went out to dinner tonight. We went to Taco Del Mar for the first time. Not bad, not bad at all. Then we went to Dairy Queen to get a "cheesequake" blizzard for dessert. Also not bad at all. In fact, "pretty darn good" is closer to the words I'd use.

Well, another part of it is over. The teachers in Marysville finally have a contract. Very bittersweet for hubby and I, as we have no idea if he'll be in the district next year.

I just finished reading all this week's comic books, and now I'm working on what to say. I did want to point out Dodge's Bullets to folks who may not have heard of it. The book is set in Seattle, with an artist who has actually seen the city and not just pictures of it. More on that, and the artist James Francis, in a bit. The writer is Jay Faerber, whose books are rapidly headed up my favorites list, as I'm also enjoying Noble Causes, and plan to buy more issues.

Hey, the M's just won their second game! Wahoo! A lousy start, yeah, but their still my team.

by Tegan at 9:59 PM Seattle time

Smallville [3-17]: Legacy: Uh... how? The ending confuses me. And, oddly enough, I found that the Lionel/Pa Kent catfight was something I had actually been hoping to see. No Chloe, no Pete... but lots of good Lionel moments and it's always good to see Christopher Reeve. A decent episode, but too many hanging threads to be really good.

Angel [5-17]: Underneath: So let me get this straight, Lindsey was sent to... suburbia? Is that a dimension of heck? Not the most amazing bit of television ever. The bits with Wesley and ex-Fred weren't very compelling. The best bit was the three folks screaming as Eve was pursued. Always lots of funny bits within the serious bits, but this episode was mildly disjointed and didn't keep my interest as well as others have.

Still to review: PS238, Age of Bronze, Dodge's Bullets, 1602, Fallen Angel, Green Arrow, JLA, JSA, and Common Grounds.

by Tegan at 12:49 PM Seattle time

After going to bed at a more normal hour last night, I spent many hours staring at the clock, watching the minutes tick past. I couldn't sleep even in bed. And so tonight I'm not making the effort to go to bed, and have instead managed to stay up and watch another episode of Angel from the DVDs my sister leant me. I spent a lot of time thinking about past events while I lay awake, and one event stuck out in my mind in particular. Unfortunately, it requires a lot of explanation.

I've never been a big basketball fan. Like many tall girls, it was assumed that I would be good at the game, but I lack coordination. My talent was in running, but I never took advantage and developed that either. Basketball, to me, was an awful sport that was all sharp elbows and hurting knees. In fact, during one memorable game I was pushed to my knees several times by opposing team members, none of whom were ever called for a foul, and the next day had huge bruises that lasted weeks. My knees were never the same again. And that was in a "friendly" game.

So when I got into High School, I was already biased against basketball, and figured that I would never attend games. Well... that notion was quickly abolished, as I was in the band, and band members were absolutely required to attend most varsity boys home games. Luckily, we saved our formal uniforms for football, and only had to wear band sweatshirts when we played at basketball games.

Anyway, early in my sophmore year, before basketball had started, I was talking with my English teacher who mentioned that he needed a few volunteers for sports. As a band member, I got to attend a number of events, but never as what I considered a participant. So I mentioned that I was intrigued. Ooops. A few weeks later he called me to his office after school. I thought I was in trouble, having completely forgotten about the sports-related conversation. But no, it wasn't trouble. He proudly told me that I was going to be a "timer" for basketball. Alarm bells whistled loudly in my mind, and I scrambled for an excuse for a moment before I realized I had a perfect one already... "I'm in the band," I said, "I can't time the games." He smiled, and my heart sunk as I realized he had me trapped, "No, that's not a problem. You'll be timing the boys JV games, and the band never plays the JV." I could have, I suppose, graciously begged off. But I wasn't in the habit of questioning authority, so I became the official JV boys timer for Hazen High School home basketball games.

It wasn't really that bad. Timing can be remarkably stressful, but I was a smart kid, and took to it readily. The biggest problem for me was that boys JV games were generally followed by girls varsity games, which the band usually didn't play at. So during basketball season I was nearly always at the gym either timing or playing in band. I saw virtually every basketball game played at Hazen.

The few girls varsity games that the band played that season I ended up being late to join the band, as I would finish timing the JV then have a short conference with the official scorers, then I'd have to book it to the bandroom to grab my instrument. And if I was stupid enough to wear my band shirt while I timed... let me just say that the timer was always seated right next to the opposing team's coach, and some of them would use any excuse to claim that I was biased against their team. When in reality, it was basketball in general I was biased against.

I really didn't enjoy the experience much, though I didn't hate it, and hoped to never do it again, but I had the same teacher for a class the next year, and I couldn't say no to him when he gave me that look of hope. A bonus for him was that I was already trained.

I recall that the JV games were hard fought. The coaches were particularly rabid, as some of them succumbed to the "big fish little pond" syndrome. One coach in particular I recall would stand up and step in front of me when the officials were about to restart the clock. This was a problem because the signal to restart the clock was the official dropping his arm. If I couldn't see the official, I didn't know when to start the clock. After the coach did this a couple of times, I called an official over and complained. The coach sat on the bench the rest of the quarter, glaring at me every once in awhile to make me nervous or something. The next quarter he started to stand in front of me again, so I again called the official over to complain. The official said, "next time he blocks your view, buzz us."

Now, if you've ever been to a basketball game, the buzzer is LOUD. It's usually used to indicate the end of a quarter, or a substitution. But I'd just been given permission to buzz when the coach blocked my view. And oh, I was not shy about it. The coach had been mouthing off at me all game, never going over the line but definitely making me angry, so I took advantage. The next time he blocked my view, I buzzed. Every soul in the gym jumped at the unexpected sound and every eye in the gym looked at me. Both officials came over to see what the problem was. I explained, and the officials told the coach to sit on the bench. He argued, but sat. Then got up and blocked my view again. I buzzed. The officials gave him a technical. Oh how he glared! But he stayed sitting until the end of the game, and the next time he came to a game, he sat on the other end of the bench from me.

After two years of timing, I really had no desire to ever time a game again. Early in my senior year I discovered that I didn't have that same teacher, the one in charge of finding basketball timers. So my job was to avoid him. I mentioned my problem to some of my friends, who thought it was hilarious. "Why don't you just say 'no'?" they asked. Because, for the life of me, I can't say no to that teacher. He's a nice guy, taught me a lot, gave me good grades... if he asks, I know I'll be weak and say yes. So the only choice, I explained to my laughing friends, was to avoid him entirely until basketball season was well underway and he'd found another poor sap to time games.

My plan went well. Despite having a class right next to his room, I managed to sneak away even when he was looking for me specifically, which I knew he was. In fact, it was going so well that my classmates jokingly told me they were going to go tell him I was avoiding him. It didn't matter. A couple more weeks and I was home free.

Then came the day of the fire drill.

If it had happened during any other period, I would have been half a school away from him. But it happened during the one class in which I was next door to his room. And, being a fire drill, I wasn't thinking about timing basketball when I went outside to stand in the rain with everyone else. In fact, the first I realized my mistake was when the teacher's voice boomed out from behind me, "Laura! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

Oh man, I was shocked, and I was still in "hide" mode, my body not connecting with the fact that there was no chance of it now. I turned around in horror, then backed up rapidly. Right into a decorative log that tripped me. And I fell on my butt onto the swampy ground. In front of every person from that entire wing of the building, including quite a few people who knew exactly why he'd been looking for me and why he hadn't found me. He, of course, had no idea why I'd reacted that way, and assumed he'd just startled me. He helped me up, apologizing profusely, but he was very much on track and got out the request for me to time, which I ruefully agreed to do, to a whole lot of laughter from many people in the watching crowd.

It really wasn't that bad. It ate up a lot of time, true. And I never did get to the point where I enjoyed watching basketball. I did not get paid, though some of my classmates seemed to think I did. And the opposing coaches continued to annoy me. But I survived it, and I guess that's the important part.

by Tegan at 3:00 AM Seattle time

Wednesday, April 14, 2004

Aquaman #17: There is so much I could write about this, my Aquaman writer's block that has left my poor website lacking serious updates seems to be going away. But for this blog entry, I'm just going to tell you what DC has done right with this title.

First off, as much as I love the Atlantean back-story, Pfeifer made the right choice in dumping it and concentrating on Aquaman. Only an Aquaman fan could love the whole history of DC's Atlantis, which has gotten genuinely convoluted in the last few years. I wonder how it could be reintroduced in a way that would interest a general audience... but for the moment, leaving it to rest is a good choice. Had you asked me that a few months ago, I would have declared that Aquaman's status with Atlantis is a huge aspect of the character, and shouldn't be ignored. But these first three issues have convinced me that Aquaman needed to be shown away from that backstory. And it isn't like Atlantis has vanished... Veitch left it in a state where just about anything could happen, so any writer who chooses to revisit it in the future has an almost blank slate to work from.

Next we have Gleason's artwork. It's not perfect, but it is edgy and different. And he actually shows "underwater". People come out of the water with wet hair. People react like there is water around them. There are fish in the water. Objects move like they are in the water. He also seems to be well aware of shadows and light, and uses them to great effect in his art.

Alan Freakin' Davis on covers. 'Nuff said.

The promotion of this version has been decent. For awhile there, you couldn't look in any DC comic without seeing the cover to Aquaman #15 as an ad. And, being a very striking cover, it worked well to draw attention to the book. They've also been good about putting Aquaman in the retailer sneak peek package, which reminds the retailers that the book exists and makes them more likely to promote it.

I really enjoyed this issue. The sheer strength of Aquaman is explored, as are his abilities as a monarch. He has been shown to have a calming effect on people in the past, this was one of the better portrayals of that part of him. I like the addition of Lorena, as Aquaman always has worked better with someone to explain things to (it's the Doctor Who effect, you need a companion to represent the audience and to ask the stupid questions that the audience would if they could). I do wonder if the San Diegans could live in Atlantis, and if any of them would want to try? One minor nit with the art, how can Lorena swim with those shoes on? Anyway, this is the issue in which Pfeifer hits his full stride, and it's well worth reading.

H-E-R-O #15: Ok, so this issue was mostly exposition to get us up to date on what Robby Reed is really up to... but it's really good exposition. This would be an excellent jumping on point for anyone not reading the series, too, as it hits all the major points. You don't have to know the characters to get an idea of what is happening and where this might be leading. As for the cliff-hanger... well, Pfeifer is one sick puppy, but it ties in to the exposition entirely too nicely.

Available Light by Warren Ellis: Oh well. This didn't break the string. It seems that I just don't connect with Warren Ellis' writing at all. However, my friend Carol is interested in reading it, so I'll loan it to her and maybe she'll get more enjoyment out of it. See, I want to enjoy Ellis' writing. I hear what a great writer he is, and I keep getting interested, then I get a book and find I don't enjoy it at all. For instance, I was told how utterly wonderful and engaging Transmet was. But I had been interested and had bought the first issue, and found I really didn't like it. People told me to try more, so I borrowed and tried, and found it to be the same. Planetary looked good... but didn't work for me. Authority looked good... but didn't work for me. He did a whole bunch of 2099... none of which was stuff I liked even though I was a 2099 junkie. His ideas engage me, but the writing does not. I fully accept that it's my problem, something off with my perceptions. I just keep hoping that whatever it is will change, and one day I'll reread something and say, "Oh, hey, this is good! How did I ever think otherwise?" In any case, should I even give this a rating, as I a) wasn't able to finish it and b) don't think my opinion on it is particularly relevant to other people's likely enjoyment? Nah, I'll skip this one. No rating.

Colonia: Islands and Anomalies by Jeff Nicholson: Yeah, I'm cheating. I'd already read this, but I figure mentioning it again is good, and besides, it was in the AIT/Planet Lar box. I think I've said this before, but Colonia is one of the very few series that I bought cold, just from the Previews decription, during a time when I was buying almost exclusively superhero books. It was actually a single image that convinced me to try the book. That would be the image below.

I couldn't resist. I actually pre-ordered it, with no real idea what is was about. And I loved it. The art is simple but evocative. The storyline has enough mystery to make you wonder, and enough hints to give you a sense of what's really happening (if you read carefully enough). This trade collects the first story-arc, establishing the main characters and the situation, although you have to read carefully to figure out what that situation is. The next three issues, not yet collected, deal with some further adventures in this new world, and this summer the next three issues are due out, starting in July with issue 9 (MAY04 2455 - $2.95). I recommend this series, and this trade is the best place to start.

Still to review: PS238, Age of Bronze, Dodge's Bullets, 1602, Fallen Angel, Green Arrow, JLA, JSA, Common Grounds, and then just for good measure, Smallville and Angel. Whew. That's a whole lotta writing.

by Tegan at 9:03 PM Seattle time

There's a drawing of Aquaman in this month's Previews Gallery, by Scott Shehi. The latest edition of Previews On-Line is up, including the May/Jul order form.

Retrocrush has posted an Underoos Gallery. No Aquaman pair yet, but as I recall the Aquaman ones were pretty lame.

Larry Young thinks I'm the Terminator of bloggers. Actually, that would be "Teganator", a nick I've used before. And I've just started to delve into the amazing pile that Larry sent me, starting with Available Light. Reviews will start tonight.

Batmobile recalled "because the rear tail wings on the car pose a puncture or laceration hazard." Well, duh. One look at the thing and you'd know it's not for kids. That's got to be one of the most dangerous looking toys I've seen in a long time. I'd hate to step on it in the middle of the night.

I checked out some Mariners baseball blogs, and they are about what I expected. There were a handful of good ones. So far I've enjoyed U.S.S. Mariner (the name comes from the ship that was in the outfield at the Kingdome and fired a cannon when a Mariner hit a home run), which seems to be one of the oldest M's blogs. They note that the current problem with the M's (who are now 1-6) is defense, something I noticed when I watched the game last night. Offense is strong, pitching is ok, but the defense is pathetic. Anyway, good blog except for the lack of an RSS feed. Next up is Mariner Musings which seems to cover the bases pretty well. I liked a recent post on trying to imagine Mariners skipper Melvin as "pretty animated". The last one I'll mention today is the Seattle P.I.'s Mariners Weblog. Why them? Because they list all the scores for the Minor League teams too.

Would you like to get paid to go to a baseball game? If you live near Battle Creek Michigan, you could've gotten a whole dollar to see the Single-A team play.

The flasher that got beaten up by a bunch of Roman Catholic schoolgirls has been sentenced.

Moving into politics... just my dumb opinion:

The Bush Administration is setting a very dangerous precedent. They've been declassifying things that make their opponents look bad, then refusing the declassify the remainder even when asked. Ashcroft dropped a bombshell on the 9/11 commission, declassifying a memo that lays some blame on commission member Gorelick. They've been doing this for quite some time, declassifying things in order to embarrass people, instead of for intelligent reasons. So what happens when, someday down the line, a democrat gets into office and pulls out the same trick? I'm sure the republicans will cry "foul!", but remember who is doing it now.

What should we do in Iraq? Set up elections for a new Governing Council. We should ask the UN to come in and preside over the elections, and we should actively encourage the Iraqis to vote. And Iraqis should be calling for free elections, after all, that's what we promised them. None of this "appointing" crap... that's what Saddam did. Call for elections. This two cents brought to you by "ignorant American Laura".

And that's that for today's edition of Random Thoughts. Tune in later tonight for some Rapid Reviews of this week's comics and at least one AIT/Planet Lar book. I got these books from the shop today: PS238, Age of Bronze, Dodge's Bullets, 1602, Aquaman, H-E-R-O, Fallen Angel, Green Arrow, JLA, JSA, and Common Grounds.

by Tegan at 3:33 PM Seattle time

Al Yankovic talks about his parents.

Eric is a huge fan of Weird Al, while I'm a more moderate fan. We did get to go to a concert and meet Al once, and here's my rapid review of that concert: "Weird Al Yankovic In Concert at the Evergreen State Fair. Now, I like Weird Al's music, sometimes a lot. I enjoy his parodies, and his original songs are even better. But I don't like crowds much, so concerts generally disappoint me. But this... Al is different. You don't know anything about this guy until you see him in action. And he is always amazing. This particular concert, the second Al concert I've been to, was punctuated by a wild hailstorm that missed the venue to the south but lit up the sky in time to the music. Although the concert itself ran a little short, my husband and I had won coveted backstage passes and got to meet the band and Al in person. All-in-all an enjoyable night, despite several mishaps leading up to the fun. RAPID VERDICT: If you've never seen Al in concert, try to sometime." (1 Sep 1999 for a concert on 30 Aug 1999)

by Tegan at 7:15 AM Seattle time

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

I asked for permission to post this image on my blog, and got it, so here it is:

Go visit Fred Sez and Freddy Drewit. I try to check 'em every day.

Crossgen Pre-Employment Incentive Pack on eBay, apparently put up by a former Way of the Rat artist (maybe?). Yeah, I put in a bid. It's a piece of comic book history. No, I don't expect to win it.

Speaking of eBay, somebody put up a CGC 10.0 Aquaman #16... the one that just came out last month, with a "buy it now" price of, get this, $149.95. If anyone is stupid enough to buy something that recent at that price, they are getting exactly what they deserve.

Currently checked out from the library: Onions in the Stew by Betty MacDonald (her fourth and final autobiographical novel), American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson. I'll probably finish Betty's book first, then it's a toss-up as to which I'll read next. All this and I'll be reading the AIT/Planet Lar "collection" that Larry Young sent me too. And weekly comics. And I'm still watching the Angel DVDs. And new Smallville and Angel this week. It's a good thing I read (and write) very fast.

Speaking of Angel, the Save Angel Campaign wants YOU to watch Angel this Wednesday, particularly if you are a Nielsen family.

Larry Young mentioned me again on his sort of blog at AIT/Planet Lar (think about syndicating it, Larry). He mentions Planet of the Capes, which is a book I considered ordering back in the dark ages, before I knew anything about the company. I mentioned it in my Flipping Through Previews the month it was solicited. Of course, now my interest is higher than it was, and I'll have to consider putting in an order at my store and hoping Diamond comes through.

Very cool painted transformer boxes, via Boing Boing.

Book Meme (via Tangognat)
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.

Here's mine: "Don had also visited on Bainbridge Island." - Onions in the Stew by Betty MacDonald. I'm really lucky it was the fifth sentence, because I swear that's the shortest sentence in the book...

I'm Princess Leia.

Ever want to learn Arabic? Faiza Teaches you Arabic is a website run by Salam Pax's pal Raed Jarrar, with posts from Raed's mother. Raed has his own blog now, too.

It may be a year old, but it is still on target. Sometimes I like the Onion, sometimes not. This is one of the times I like it. via various bloggers over the last few days.

Slate has an article about Baseball blogs. I'm going to have to look for a good one on the M's that isn't so negative as every chatroom/message board I've visited. Of course I want the M's to win, but being nasty about it always irritates me.

by Tegan at 7:34 PM Seattle time

And since I finally woke up, I've been dealing with it. Apparently one of the sites I visited last night snuck one through. So, no posts until I fix the problem. Except this one. At least Mozilla is working again. This is one of the few times I actually think hubby-Eric's choice of Mac isn't so bad.

by Tegan at 4:13 PM Seattle time

It's two thirty in the morning, and I hurt over every part of my body. I can't fall asleep, and I'm too tired to stay awake. There's a spider on the ceiling looking down at me, and it's making me nervous. The white noise of the air purifier is a comforting background. I want to read, but words keep blending together when I pick up a book. And that spider is making me nervous. I've spent the last few hours visiting various websites, and getting extremely bored. It's annoying how that works. You're in pain, can't sleep, and yet you still can get bored. It's like one torture is not enough, they just keep piling on. My thoughts are drifting in odd directions, like a fly buzzing around a room. I can't seem to focus on any one thing for more than a minute or so. Typing is sheer torture, but it drives away the boredom for a few minutes. I'm afraid to watch Angel, because I won't remember a thing about it in the morning. In fact, unless I post this before I try to sleep again, I'm unlikely to remember this event. Shadows make little things seem larger. Stuffed penguins look menacing in the dark. I tried to go to the local news sites to see what is happening, but they are so poorly designed it was hard to even tell what the top story was. I can hear distant voices whenever I hurt this badly. I can't understand them, just hear them. Talking like I'm not even here. I type faster than I can write stuff out longhand, and when I type I can actually read what I wrote. I never really learned cursive, you know. I liked my printing, and thought cursive was ugly. I learned just enough to sign my name, then promptly forgot the rest. I had at least one teacher take me to task for not writing in cursive in her class. When I started to oblige her, she told me to go back to printing. She couldn't read it either. When I got married, I had to learn how to write "Gjovaag" in cursive. It was a strange experience, and I practiced for many days, but I still can't write a cursive "G". It always looks like a "B" or "S". I still like my last name though. Gjovaag is a cool name. Very Norwegian. The first thing I ever asked my husband, before I'd met him in person, we were talking on the phone, was how to pronounce his name. He said, "air-ick". I knew that we'd get along. I wonder if morning will come before I can sleep? I really don't want to be awake at six am still crying in pain. I'd rather sleep it off before then. I'm definitely calling the doctor tomorrow. I can't keep living like this. I really wish I could read. I want to get started on the last Betty MacDonald book. It's apparently about life on Vashon Island, which ought to be fun to contrast to life there now. Hubby grew up on an island, too. It might be interesting to see how many experiences of island life he shared with Betty. I grew up in an ex-coal town dominated by the huge Boeing plant on the shores of Lake Washington. The spider wouldn't bother me nearly as much if it would stop moving. I don't think I'm going to get much sleep tonight. Time to hit "post".

by Tegan at 2:46 AM Seattle time

Monday, April 12, 2004

So, I was settling down for a relaxing afternoon alone when my sister appeared holding a single DVD that she'd borrowed. Yup, the first DVD of the first season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. We decided to watch it all in one go, and sat and watched all four episodes in a row. We didn't check out any of the extras on the disc.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Welcome To The Hellmouth (1): This apparently picks up from the end of the movie, which I've never seen. That turned out to not be a problem, as the events in the movie are, if not re-capped, certainly explained. We are introduced to Buffy's new crew, and were able to pick out the character that was doomed very quickly. In fact, thanks to our watching of Angel, a lot of the conventions were easy enough to figure out. It was fun, but it was a good thing it ended on a cliff-hanger, as it wasn't really strong enough to inspire watching the second episode without it.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Harvest (2): This follows the style I expect from a show that doesn't take itself entirely seriously. Lots of the events were foreshadowed a little too well, and it was fairly predictable in parts. I did like how Xander slew his first vampire, though. Not a bad start to a new series, but not an excellent start, either.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Witch: Ah, this is more like it! Suitably creepy, with nasty things happening to various characters (including the thoroughly unlikable Cordelia), and it isn't Buffy who saves the day at all. It's pure Giles. It's a strong episode that shows the strengths of the entire cast, instead of just Buffy.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Teacher's Pet: Ok, this one is just nasty. Funny, but nasty. Particularly funny is the kids in the cage bits. There isn't really that much more to write about this one, except I wonder if the mantis' come back to the show? Perhaps I'll find out someday.

by Tegan at 9:48 PM Seattle time

DC Comics for July are up, including Aquaman #20. Ah... more Alan Freakin' Davis on the covers...

Want to get into a really fancy restaurant? Well, why not try bribing the maître d'? Amazing what a little bit of money will get you, assuming you have it to spend in the first place. Via Modulator.

What type of villain are you? via the Girl Genius mailing list. Are you an Evil Genius?

CrossGen has pulled out of this year's Free Comic Book Day, due to the cancellation of the book they were going to put out for FCBD. Can't say I'm surprised, as I've been waiting for this announcement since the book was cancelled. via Fanboy Rampage.

Speaking of CrossGen, Paul O'Brien at Ninth Art has this wonderful article about the cancellation of American Power that has one of the best points about free speech that many people ignore: "A lot of people buy into the unfortunate fallacy that, in order to believe in freedom of speech, you must respect the opinions of others. This is completely wrong. In order to believe in freedom of speech, you must respect the right of others to voice their opinions. You can do this and still have complete, open contempt for the opinions themselves." The whole article is excellent, but that's the money quote, in my opinion. Which you can disagree with. via The Hurting.

I actually agree with Erik Larsen on something! Here's Larsen on Icon's imact on Image: "I think some people are really blowing this out of proportion." Yup. I don't see Marvel stealing all of Image's business. And, while Powers is a book I read and will now be getting from a different source, Image still have Age of Bronze and a dozen other titles that other people enjoy. via Fanboy Rampage.

"Comic books are like wine. You can pick up a bottle at your local grocery store and trade expertise for price and convenience, or you can go to a wine or liquor store and become an oenophile." ICv2 has one of the more intelligent similes for the fan phenom I've seen recently from Torsten Adair of Barnes and Noble. via The Hurting.

Johnny B directed me to the website of Craig Rousseau to look at his Aquaman drawings. Very good stuff here! He also does Abe Sapien from Heckboy. Wish I could afford to get a commission from him! Incidently, I think the picture on his main gallery page, of Hellboy coming across a movie villain, is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long, long time.

MMMM. Pie.

by Tegan at 2:10 PM Seattle time

Legends II - Edited by Robert Silverberg (January 2004)

• Robin Hobb: Homecoming from Realm of the Elderlings

  This story grew on me, as I think it was supposed to. The "journal" style can be extremely cool when used effectively, and I think in this case its use was excellent as it showed the progress of the attitudes of the main character better than any other point of view was likely to. I hated the main character at the start, which I think I was supposed to, and grew to like her as the story, and the character, developed in circumstances that can only be described as horrific. I'm not sure I will seek out more from this series, but it was a very interesting story.

• George R R Martin: The Sworn Sword from A Song of Ice And Fire (also in Legends)

  Back to Dunk and Egg, a few years later than the first tale, after they've been traveling a bit. I really like the characters, and definitely wanted to see more of them, so this story was a delight. Dunk's continual development is nice to see, even if we've only got two samples of it in the two Legends stories. And he's an excellent straight man to Egg's trickster-like figure. I still want to see more of these two.

• Orson Scott Card: The Yazoo Queen from The Tales of Alvin Maker (also in Legends)

  I didn't like the first Alvin Maker tale I read, from the first anthology. This one was much more to my liking, perhaps because it touched on more serious topics and showed a little more of both Alvin and his apprentice. This one alone is enough to make me curious to seek out the Alvin Maker books at some point.

• Diana Gabaldon: Lord John and the Succubus from Outlander

  I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, as this story sprang out of a time-travel series. Thus the resolution was a bit unexpected and quite a ride for me. I liked the whole tale and might just have to seek out the original stories that this guy came from.

• Robert Silverberg: The Book of Changes from Majipoor (also in Legends)

  Majipoor is a place of thinking. Yeah, there's quite a bit of action there, but there's a lot of thought poured into what Majipoor is and what it ought to be. This is a heavy thinking tale, and a story about how the creative process works in some people. Being a bit of a writer myself once, I recognized what the main character went through to some degree. To some tiny degree. Ah well, it was interesting, at least.

• Tad Williams: The Happiest Dead Boy in the World from Otherland

  Wow, this is a fascinating world introduced in this story. However, as I read the story, I wondered if there was any point in going back and reading the original series. It seemed like too much about the whole storyline was given away, both in the introduction and in the story itself. I had the same problem with the Majipoor trilogy, in that "The Seventh Shrine" gave away the very ending of the story. So I'm not entirely sure if this story makes me inclined to read the originals. That's the problem with setting a short story after the originals.

• Anne McCaffrey: Beyond Between from Pern (also in Legends)

  Is this the first ever Pern ghost story? On a world that seems rather devoid of horror stories, this one story adds a whole new dimension. And fixes a continuity problem that I've wondered about for a long time. And one that I didn't wonder about for as long. It was like a piece of a tapestry is now showing that I didn't quite realize had been missing. Very nice.

• Raymond E Feist: The Messenger from The Riftwar (also in Legends)

  Ah yes, a nice, short coming-of-age story set in the midst of a strange war. I think I'm beginning to warm up to Riftwar, and this story (ironically enough) started the thaw. I may have to check these books out after all!

• Elizabeth Haydon: Threshold from The Symphony of Ages

  Terribly depressing story about a group of doomed people. Even the moments I hoped would lead to something positive ended up being slightly more depressing. The world seems like a world of magic, but almost everything in this story was very down-to-earth. Almost. I doubt I'll seek out the series on the strength of this story alone.

• Neil Gaiman: The Monarch of the Glen from American Gods

  I have an idea what this is about after reading it, but not enough to form a full opinion... just enough to want to read a lot more. What amazed me about this story was how much I understood from my own knowledge of mythology, and how much I learned from the story itself. If the whole book American Gods is like this, it might just be one incredible read.

• Terry Brooks: Indomitable from Shannara

  I've read the Shannara books. The original three, at least. A long time ago. But I remember nothing about them. None of this is familiar in the least. It's like I never read them at all. The result was initial confusion, as I kept thinking I should remember the characters, then resignation, then I actually got down to enjoying the story. It moved a little slowly for me, like the pace just needed to be pumped up one notch for me to really like it, but overall it was a strong tale.

So that's it. Another eleven tales from eleven masters of fiction, five of them returning to the same universe as in the first Legends Anthology, and one writer visiting another creation. While the quality of the stories was mixed, overall it was very strong, making this yet another book well worth getting. Each story did its job in introducing readers to it's parent universe, or at the very least the writing style of its author. As I've been heard to say, a bargain at twice the price. And so this collection also gets a solid four and a half starfish from me.

by Tegan at 1:17 AM Seattle time

Sunday, April 11, 2004

It's almost 80 degrees outside, but it's still cold enough in here that I'm shivering even wearing a jacket. You gotta love this house.

Want to see what Japan looked like during the occupation after WWII? Check out this site for over 300 images taken during 1948-1951.

How about a nice comparison of Costco vs Walmart. I know which one I'd rather work at, and I know which one I'm more likely to shop at. I'll give those who can't figure it out a hint: the one I'd rather work and shop at starts with "C".

An interesting essay on Doctor Who fans reaction to new Doctor Who TV. Reason often has a lot to recommend it, and this is just a well-thought out article. Thanks to Franklin for reminding me about this one.

Bill Sherman tackles a much worse plumbing problem than the one I tackled awhile ago.

The Seattle Mariners managed to stop their impressive slide. In 1991 they started 0-6... in 1994 they started 0-5... and in 2004 they started 0-5. Tied for second worst start for the M's. Still, they won today, and in dramatic fashion, beating the Athletics in the 10th inning after tying the game in the 9th. It was like everything finally just clicked, and all the stupid mistakes and miscues stopped. Let's see if they stay this way, or if they become lovable losers this year. I like 'em either way.

I apologize for the recent explosion of political posts here. It's just that my heart is with the soldiers and I'm bitter at the people who sent them to die without any plans of following through. I'm amazed at how utterly incompetent the Bush Administration appears to be, and shocked that anyone can still support them. I'm also bitter that the only real opposition to Bush is "sound-bite" Kerry. Will this country ever get a real leader?

by Tegan at 4:25 PM Seattle time

Blogger was acting up all evening, so this one is a bit delayed. Sorry. Anyway, this is another sketch that I got at the Emerald City Comicon 2004. It did not occur to me until after he'd finished a sketch for my sister that I should have asked for Mera instead. Maybe next time I see him.

AQUAMAN
by Phil Noto
29 February 2004
(permission to post given 29 February 2004 in person)
the art of phil noto

As a reminder: Almost every sketch in my sketchbook was non-commissioned and done on the floor of a con. These are not the best works of the artists. These are only representative of what the artist can do under pressure in a loud, crowded, and often stressed-out environment. Most of them were done as quickly as possible, to prevent huge lines from forming. Don't judge any of these artists negatively by the artwork you see, instead be as impressed as I am by what they accomplished in far-from-ideal conditions.

To see all the sketches I have permission to post so far, check out my Sketchbook Page. If you have any contact information for any of the other artists I'm trying to contact, please e-mail me. Click for a random Aquaman sketch.

The Saturday Sketch ™ is brought to you by the letters "A", "Q" and the number "27", and also courtesy the fine artists who pour their lives into producing wonderful comic books, then come to conventions only to get asked by geeky fangirls for a sketch of Aquaman. Support an artist, buy a comic book.

by Tegan at 2:56 AM Seattle time

Let's look at the infamous August 6th 2001 PDB (bolded bits by me):

Bin Ladin Determined To Strike in US

Clandestine, foreign government, and media reports indicate Bin Ladin since 1997 has wanted to conduct terrorist attacks in the US. Bin Ladin implied in US television interviews in 1997 and 1998 that his followers would follow the example of World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and "bring the fighting to America."

After US missile strikes on his base in Afghanistan in 1998, Bin Ladin told followers he wanted to retaliate in Washington, according to a ...(redacted portion) ... service.

An Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) operative told an ... (redacted portion) ... service at the same time that Bin Ladin was planning to exploit the operative's access to the US to mount a terrorist strike.

The millennium plotting in Canada in 1999 may have been part of Bin Ladin's first serious attempt to implement a terrorist strike in the US. Convicted plotter Ahmed Ressam has told the FBI that he conceived the idea to attack Los Angeles International Airport himself, but that Bin Ladin lieutenant Abu Zubaydah encouraged him and helped facilitate the operation. Ressam also said that in 1998 Abu Zubaydah was planning his own US attack.

Ressam says Bin Ladin was aware of the Los Angeles operation.

Although Bin Ladin has not succeeded, his attacks against the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 demonstrate that he prepares operations years in advance and is not deterred by setbacks. Bin Ladin associates surveilled our Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam as early as 1993, and some members of the Nairobi cell planning the bombings were arrested and deported in 1997.

Al-Qa'ida members -- including some who are US citizens -- have resided in or traveled to the US for years, and the group apparently maintains a support structure that could aid attacks. Two al-Qa'ida members found guilty in the conspiracy to bomb our Embassies in East Africa were US citizens, and a senior EIJ member lived in California in the mid-1990s.

A clandestine source said in 1998 that a Bin Ladin cell in New York was recruiting Muslim-American youth for attacks.

We have not been able to corroborate some of the more sensational threat reporting, such as that from a ... (redacted portion) ... service in 1998 saying that Bin Ladin wanted to hijack a US aircraft to gain the release of "Blind Shaykh" 'Umar 'Abd al-Rahman and other US-held extremists.

Nevertheless, FBI information since that time indicates patterns of suspicious activity in this country consistent with preparations for hijackings or other types of attacks, including recent surveillance of federal buildings in New York.

The FBI is conducting approximately 70 full field investigations throughout the US that it considers Bin Ladin-related. CIA and the FBI are investigating a call to our Embassy in the UAE in May saying that a group of Bin Ladin supporters was in the US planning attacks with explosives.

This is a "historical document"?!? Is Condi Rice really that stupid? Is Bush really that stupid? This thing all but spells it out. It doesn't take a genius to understand that this document is saying that the terrorists want to strike INSIDE the US soon. They can say all they want that 9/11 wasn't preventable, but they cannot claim that they didn't have any clues. And what's even more scary? This is only one of many warnings Rice and Bush are reported to have gotten. Short of an actual attack, would anything have gotten them to do their jobs?

NOTE: It's kind of amazing how little some people claim to see in this memo. Look, it says that Bin Laden wants to retaliate in Washington DC. It says that Bin Laden is patient and has operatives within the US. It says that there are plans to hijack planes. It says that there is recent surveillance of buildings in New York. It has, in fact, everything but the date of the attacks. Now, hindsight has made it incredibly obvious, but even back then it would have taken a complete idiot to claim that this wasn't a warning, and an even more complete idiot to claim now that this was "mostly historical" as if that means you shouldn't act on it.

Update: There are reports that the original PDB was eleven and a half pages long. What is in this short one is enough to prove Rice a liar, but is this only part of the actual document? Were ten pages really left out, or was the 2002 mention of the memo incorrect? Are there any actual investigative reporters left covering politics anymore?

by Tegan at 12:11 AM Seattle time