Saturday, March 12, 2005

I have a bit to say about this one, but I'll say it next week. In the meantime, enjoy this sketch from San Diego 2000.

AQUAMAN
by Stephen Sadowski
21 July 2000
(permission to post given 6 February 2005 in person)
The Artist's Choice

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 "S", "S" and the number "88", 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 7:49 PM Seattle time - Permalink   

Friday, March 11, 2005

Bizarro World: I had higher hopes for this one. It was ok, but a lot of the stories just fell completely flat. It was like the creators were trying a little too hard to wring as much as they could out of the superhero concept. I hate to say it, but the best story may well have been the one with the kids of the Justice League. The one story focused on Aquaman was pretty pathetic, even if the art was nice. Overall, a neutral from me.

It's A Bird by Steven T Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen. This reads like a very long introduction to a particularly excellent story-arc of Superman. Which it may well be in some ways. But the story is barely about Superman, except how he impacts the life of a writer who gets the plum job of writing him. This is much more a story about coming to grips with life... and death. It's an excellent book. Recommended.

Teen Titans: A Kid's Game: It took me awhile to remember the lousy "event" that led up to the start of this series, but there were more than enough hints along the way to remind me once I got into it. Most of my complaints with this series have to do with things that happened before it came out. It was hard for me to divorce those opinions and take this book on its own merits. That said, I think I liked it. I plan on checking out the next collection from the library. This group is still not, and never will be, the Titans in my opinion, but they aren't a terrible bunch of kids after all.

Y: The Last Man - Unmanned: I had read bits and piecs of this before, but sitting down and reading it all at once made it read so much better. I still have a few problems with the general premise, and I expect that some of the mystery will get solved fairly soon... in the next three collections maybe? This is a decent start, and I can see why the series quickly became popular.

The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide To The Characters of The DC Universe: I had high hopes for this. I admit I was mildly disappointed when I read the subtitle and found that this so-called encyclopedia was limited to characters, but oh well, I can survive. First thing I did when I got this home from the library is check out the Aquaman-Family, since that's the group I know the best. Aquaman gets a decent two-page spread, but I notice that it's seriously lacking pictures of Peter David's version of the character. It's definitely focused on the present. Ok, I can live with that.

Next up would be Aqualad... so I flip back a page and ... nope. No Aqualad. Not even a redirect to "Tempest". There is, however, Aquagirl. Not entirely accurate, but close enough. Ok, time to look up Tempest. One-page for him, and not bad overall. Ok, next would be Mera. She gets a small entry, like Aquagirl. Again not bad. Next up would be Vulko. Of course he's not there.

Ok, how about some Aqua-villains? Black Manta is in here, and has a good half-page. More than Ocean Master, at least, who also makes an appearance. Wait, Atlan gets an entry, but Vulko doesn't? Ug. WHAT? Charybdis gets an entry? At least they didn't put him under "Piranha Man". Corona... she appeared in like two issues. Dolphin's here. At least she deserves an entry. Oh dear... The Fisherman got an entry... The Atlantean sorceress Gamemnae got an entry... The Lady of the Lake got an entry. I like her occupation: "Water spirit". Ok. Flipping on...

Lori Lemaris and Little Mermaid both got entries, but they aren't really Aquaman family members, so I'll just move on... water elemental Naiad got an entry... Neptune Perkins... wait, Prez??!?? You gotta be kidding me... Ahem... Qwsp got an entry, but not Quisp (no, I don't think they are the same character)... The Red Tornado entry doesn't have a picture of Ma Hunkel, though it describes her. She should have got her own entry... back to the water, the Sea Devils are listed... The Shark... The Thirst gets an entry? Again, focusing on the modern, which will make this book out-of-date faster. Actually, it's already out-of-date... Tsunami, but not her daughter Deep Blue... ok... that's the book.

Overall, not bad, but it lacks some of the minor characters while including others. The coverage is uneven. And, yeah, it's already out-of-date. This would be much more useful as a Wiki or on-line encyclopedia maintained by DC. Still, it's fun reading, and I would love to spend some time just reading about the more bizarre characters. Too bad they had to be selective and didn't include a lot of them. DC's history is full of fun stuff to cover. I'd like a copy, but I'm not desperate for one. I think I'll leave it on my wishlist, after all.

by Tegan at 1:16 PM Seattle time - Permalink   

tebeos contra la violencia

by Tegan at 9:10 AM Seattle time - Permalink   

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Mercury Studios points us to David Hahn's new website, Hahn Dynasty. I've updated his entry over in my sketchbook, and I urge you all to check out the page and enjoy.

Unqualified Offerings points to some interesting spots, including the embedded Joe Sacco comic that shows how US troops are surviving, and may shed some light on the attitudes that led to the recent shooting of an Italian journalist. The Sacco comic is in PDF format, and it's huge, but worth it.

Christopher Priest continues to deal with a loud dog, and even records the beast so everyone can play it for their cats and dogs to enjoy.

Evan Dorkin wants to sic Milk and Cheese on baby supply retailers. And after what he's gone through, I just don't blame him. I particularly like that he's typing in an odd voice. Sounds familiar.

In the same entry, Evan points out that Tokyopop is offering a free Manga sampler to anyone who fills out a form on their site. Sure, I'll bite. Could expand my horizons a bit.

The folks at Illusive Arts tease Dorothy III. Check out Dave Dorman's cover.

Kevin Melrose points us to an interview with Stan Sakai.

Garrett recommends testing your phone number in Google and see what comes up. My new cell phone number doesn't get a response, but hubby-Eric cell (which used to be our landline number) has a full entry. Just type your phone number in the format 555-555-1212 and hit enter. Not only do you get the usual phone book entry, you get a link to a mapquest map to find your house.

Garrett also links to a flickr user's view of the Mt St Helens eruption on Tuesday. Boing Boing also has some pictures.

Wil Wheaton's episode of CSI is on tonight, and he's thrilled at the attention. Especially the NY Times article.

The Museum of Hoaxes wonders if dogs committ suicide, and the ensuing discussion is actually pretty fun.

Boing Boing finds a new piece of jargon, in which paper newspapers are called "dinosaur blog"s. Heh.

Principles for the Internet in the age of terrorism: The Internet is a foundation of democratic society in the 21st century, because the core values of the Internet and democracy are so closely aligned.

1. The Internet is fundamentally about openness, participation, and freedom of expression for all -- increasing the diversity and reach of information and ideas.
   
2. The Internet allows people to communicate and collaborate across borders and belief systems.
   
3. The Internet unites families and cultures in diaspora; it connects people, helping them to form civil societies.
   
4. The Internet can foster economic development by connecting people to information and markets.
   
5. The Internet introduces new ideas and views to those who may be isolated and prone to political violence.
   
6. The Internet is neither above nor below the law. The same legal principles that apply in the physical world also apply to human activities conducted over the Internet.

Boing Boing also directs us to Fore Edge Paintings, a type of artwork I admit I'd never seen. There is a video that shows what it really is on one of the links.

More Metafilter links: Was this woman author really black? - apparently she was considered black only because of a photograph, The Edelweiss Pirates - not all young Germans joined the Hitler Youth in the 30's and 40's, and More on Cargo Cults.

AAA has a Fuel Cost Calculator. With the current gas prices, we need it.

Where is Aquaman when you need him? Scientists are stumped by mass squid suicide. Yes, I giggled when I typed that.

There's a fantastic gallery of digital images available from the New York Public Library. I've barely even checked it out, and I'm amazed at all the stuff there.

Kevin Drum begs the question.

Folks who "hacked" into Harvard's extremely unsecure computer system to try and see if they had been accepted have been barred because of the "breach of trust". I should think that changing a couple of letters in a URL isn't hacking, and that Harvard should turn its collective wrath on the computer system, not on people who were exhibiting natural curiousity.

The Russian MP3 site isn't violating Russian law by selling music extremely cheap on its site.

Four Bangladeshi babies who supposedly helped loot a man's house have been cleared, and now the man who filed the charges and the police who supported him are in hot water. In addition to the four infants, ranging in age from 3 months old to two years, seven other people were accused, including a dead man. The BBC's Bangladesh correspondent Roland Buerk says anyone can file a criminal case and it is a popular method of harassment. The police and lower courts are plagued by corruption and some false prosecutions drag on for years, he adds.

And lastly, does anyone know of a cheap reliable MP3 player that I might be able to get that has at least a couple of hours worth of battery power, can be carried on training walks, and holds a couple of albums worth of songs? I don't need cutting edge, I'd just like something to distract me while I exercise.

by Tegan at 2:26 PM Seattle time - Permalink   

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, illustrations by Brett Helquist. A decent little book with some twisty mystery and a bit of genuine art history thrown in for the fun of it. While it seems at moments that it's trying to be the Da Vinci Code for kids, it doesn't lean that far into the realm of impossibility. On the other hand, Charles Fort is a major aspect of the plot, and not entirely in a Fortean way. I liked it, and kids will enjoy it, but it's probably a bit light for many adults, who will find the way the plot wraps up a little disappointing.

The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E. Howard. An extremely well-done compilation of the early Conan stories, with a nice chunk of scholarly excerpts and information, including maps, in as an addendum. This book is the perfect introduction to Howard's creation, and the place for a beginner to start. Or for a person whose only exposure to Conan so far has been the Kusiek/Nord comic book series. If there is any problem with this book, it's that Nord's artwork on the comic has spoiled me so much that the illustrations in this book, good as they are, are disappointing in comparison. Highly recommended.

The Bloody Crown of Conan by Robert E. Howard. Only three stories, compared with the dozen or so in the previous volume, but wow, what stories! In addition, there are synopsis of never written stories, and fragments from unfinished tales, along with explanations of why the stories were written as best as scholars can figure. I can hardly wait for the third volume of this series, which won't be out until next year some time. Definitely a must for any Conan fan, or anyone even mildly interested in the history of the REAL Conan.

Farscape [2-09]: Out of Their Minds: An alien weapon causes the crew members to switch bodies. Hubby-Eric has a pet peeve with this particular sci-fi TV cliche. Namely, the voices always switch along with the bodies. From a dramatic point of view, this allows the audience to recognize who is in which body, but from a physical point of view it makes no sense. So hubby would be happy to watch this one, in which the voices are only enhanced for a short time after the first switch, after that it's all the effort of the actors, and their actions as characters. Yes, they do pull a little trick to make it easier on themselves and the audience. As for the bad guys, aren't they refugees from Dark Crystal? Overall, a cute episode with a seriously overused concept.

by Tegan at 11:03 AM Seattle time - Permalink   

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

But I haven't got a clue where to start.

Manga I have read:

• Cardcaptor Sakura - Liked it, but the art was a bit crowded and frenetic for my tastes.
  
• Banana Fish - Not horrible, but not to my tastes.
  
• Star Wars Manga - Cute adaptations.
  
• Iron Wok Jan - Fun and interesting, would like to read more.
  
• Lone Wolf and Cub/Samurai Executioner - Loved it.
  
• Vagabond - Loved it, want to read the whole series.

by Tegan at 5:34 PM Seattle time - Permalink   

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

No, no spoilers.

The Official Doctor Who Site has updated for the relaunch, and there are some trailers to watch there as well.

The BBC is reportedly "livid" that the episode was leaked: But BBC chiefs were furious last night that the entire episode - not due to be aired until later this month - has been leaked and put on the internet. The cult sci-fi drama has its publicity launch in Cardiff tonight to celebrate its first TV series for 16 years. However, an insider said of the leak: "We're livid, to say the least. There will be a full inquiry as to how this got out."

And while there are a few folks who've posted negative reviews, apparently the response from Doctor Who fandom has been "overwhelmingly positive". I know that hubby-Eric and I loved it and can hardly wait to see more.

The leaked version may not be the final version. Apparently the music was not finalized when the version was leaked. There is some speculation that the theme song itself is not the final cut. We'll find out in a few weeks.

And yeah, ok. I finally believe that new Doctor Who is being made. I said I wouldn't believe it until I saw it on my TV screen... well, I've seen it now. And I believe.

by Tegan at 11:07 AM Seattle time - Permalink   

Monday, March 07, 2005

Clearing out my Bloglines saved notes:

Things That Go "Woof" In The Class. Hubby-Eric's encounter with a drug-sniffing dog.

Peter David blogs about Funky. In case you haven't seen it, the current storyline in Funky Winkerbean is about adult comic books. The storyline starts with March 3rd's Strip.

The set-up looks suspiciously like the Castillo case (summarized here), in which Jesus Castillo was arrested for selling an adult comic book to an adult, but the jury was convinced by the prosecution that comic books are only for kids, resulting in an unconstitutional conviction against Castillo.

The last Lying In The Gutters for some time. Where will all the fans get their rumors from now?

Tom Peyer points us to Color Photographs From WWI. I, too, didn't realize that there were any surviving color images from then. The ones I find most amazing are the ones that show the French soldiers bright red pants and hats from early in the war. Yeah, I'd guess they made good targets.

Garrett points us to some well done animation. Also check out his What's In Your Address Bar? meme.

Wil Wheaton is tired of Wesley being Star Trek's most annoying character, and urges you to vote for someone else. I voted for Neelix.

Slashdot reports on the leak of the first Doctor Who Episode, much of the ensuing discussion is about how the "leak" will boost ratings of the new show. I don't know if that's true, but I sure hope so.

Warren Ellis apparently got a copy and reviewed it (warning: mild spoilers). He reflects that maybe it's too English for the Sci-Fi channel, which is why they turned up their noses at it.

BBC news also covers the leak, with a huge spoiler in the article on the plot of the episode.

Networks don't want to air an anti-landmine commercial. Never mind that thousands of children live in these conditions daily, we mustn't let delicate Americans see such brutality, even toned down. Why, then they might do something about it.

Cat recognition software prevents cat from bringing animals into house.

Check out the cool CBC Archives.

Shredding Videos. The steel drum filled with concrete and the oversized tire were oddly satisfying to watch. Of course, after watching the shredding video you might be amused by the chicken catching video.

A Promise To My Grandfather. One of those must-read tales.

According to my Amazon.com stats, I have sold 3 copies of True Story, Swear To God: Chances Are... through my website. This is two copies more than any other book I've sold, and honestly more than I ever expected to sell, as I usually sell about three books each quarter, total. I hope that everyone who bought the book on my recommendation loved it at least half as much as I did, because that would mean you are buying True Story, Swear To God: This One Goes To Eleven.

And lastly... just give $5, and if enough of you do so, maybe I can make my goal. Help fight breast cancer, and give me another reason to keep walking.

by Tegan at 7:55 PM Seattle time - Permalink   

Yes, it's that time again... time for "Things in Previews That Look Interesting But I Can't Afford To Get (with a list of things I am getting just for contrast)". I'm going to start with the bulk of the book, and then come back and cover the "big four" at the end. Please remember, I'm listing what looks interesting. My actual purchase list is going to be much smaller. The numbers after each title are usually the page number in Previews Magazine, so you can follow along at home.

Let's start with the covers. I'm not sure why the Green Lantern cover gave me chills the first time I saw it. I was expecting it, after all. But hey, Jordan is back! The other cover is... well, the action figure is impressive in detail, but I'm just not impressed overall.

Moving on, let's hit the Splash Page (8-9). Nothing really catches my eye. Just the same old stuff.

Now until May I'll be talking about Free Comic Book Day (12-15). Again, if you are a regular customer and want to get these, offer to PAY for them, since the retailer does not get them for free. Most of them are between 10-20 cents, which is worth it for a regular reader. While I intend to get one of each, the ones I really want to get my hands on are Beckett Comics' Ronin Hood of the 47 Samurai #1, Gemstone's Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge, G.T.Labs' Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards, and Renaissance Press' Amelia Rules #0.

Skipping over the Premier section for the moment, I hit Wizard's stuff (188-194). While I'm mildly interested in Toyfare's Cartoon Network coverage, mostly it's just the same old stuff.

The Comics & Graphic Novels Featured Items pages (196-199) have a couple of things of interest. I think I might get Hero Squared #1 by Giffen and DeMarreis, though I'm not positive about it. I've always like Gasoline Alley, and the new collection Walt & Skeezix Vol 1 looks intriguing. It might be fun to read the original old strips.

Turning the page, the full-page ad on 201 not only looks familiar, but makes me want to get it even more...

If you are the least bit romantic at heart, you will order this book. Shop owners: Get multiple copies for the shelf.

Ahem. Moving on. AAA Pop Comics (202) has the next volume of The Golden Plates this month. I actually don't recognize the scene on the cover, so my curiousity is piqued. I'm looking forward to revisiting these tales from my childhood.

Adhouse Books has a neat looking one-man anthology Zig Zag #1 (204). If not for the price, which seems a bit steep for a 32 page book, I might give it a shot.

Adv Films (205-216) once again provides a whole lot of manga for the teens. And once again, not one book jumps out at me.

Alias (217-228) also puts in a long set of ads. The ones that jump out at me include Isis, just because of my general interest in ancient Egypt, and Pakkins Land #2, since we ordered the first issue. I won't be getting Isis.

Sandwiched in between Alias' ads and Alias' regular solicits is AiT/Planet Lar (226). If you are a retailer, trust me: buy at least one shelf copy of each of the books offered this month. At least one. And point them out to any female that comes into the shop or any guy with a girlfriend who might want to try comics, or any guy who isn't too testosterone-laden to enjoy a great romantic tale. Heck, buy two or three copies, especially of "Chances Are..."

I don't know what to say about AP Comics book on page 238: Mr T #1. I'm sure not saying anything about pitying anyone. They also have a couple of other new offerings this month, including Dark Mists #1, set in 1936 Kyoto Japan, and The Gloom #1 set in 1940's Manhattan.

There's another issue of Futurama Comics from Bongo (256). Yeah, we'll be getting it.

New publisher Boom Studios (257-258) arrives on the scene with Giffen and DeMatteis' Hero Squared #1. Again, I wouldn't mind getting this one. I enjoyed the preview copy of the zero issue I got from Atomeka Press.

Comics Conspiracy (263) will get some of our money this month for Generic Mini-Series #2.

Dork Storm Press (283) manages to amuse me even more than normal, if that's possible, with a clear homage to 'Doctor Who' on the cover of PS238 #12. If that wasn't enough, the second collection PS238 Volume 2: To the Cafeteria... For Justice! is also being offered. I HIGHLY recommend this series to any and all superhero fans.

Drawn & Quarterly (284) is offering Walt & Skeezix, the collection of Gasoline Alley strips. It will be a 400 page hardcover book for $30. Tempting.

Exhibit A Press (292) is offering the first issue of Supernatural Law in a new printing. I'm thinking this is something to get.

The third issue of Dorothy is solicited this month from Illusive Productions. The painted cover is by Dave Dorman.

Kandora Publishing (312) adds another book to their listing with Savage World #1. I think I'll likely stick with Barbarossa and the Lost Corsairs.

Layne Morgan Media (314) presents the final issue of Chickasaw Adventures. Like so many minis nowadays, I haven't seen the first issue yet, but I'll go ahead and buy it anyway.

The next issue of The Phantom is coming out from Moonstone Books (318).

Of even more interest to me is NBM Publishing's Papercutz line (318-319), which has added Zorro to the lineup, along with Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, both of which are soliciting their second collections.

NBM Publishing is also the publisher of Cryptozoo Crew, which I have to review the first issue of soon. There are samples on the website, so check it out.

Pantheon Books (323) is soliciting the next Marjane Satrapi book. Remember Persepolis? This book, Embroideries goes into the *ahem* "sex lives of Iranian women."

Ok, this title just cracks me up: Dracula vs King Arthur from Silent Devil Productions (326). Not something I'm likely to get, but the concept is interesting... Vlad Tepes makes a deal with the devil and is sent back in time as Dracula to battle King Arthur. heh.

Still no new Akiko from Sirius. Just more reprints.

Speakeasy Comics (329-334) has two books I plan on getting. Yes, I was pulled in by the concept of Beowulf and plan on giving it at least three issues. Same with The Grimiore, I'll give it a few issues. None of the other Speakeasy Comics really interest me.

I can tell I'm getting near the end...

Viper Comics (358) once again has Oddly Normal, which I will be getting. Otis Frampton left a nice comment on one of my previous Flipping posts, and directs everyone to the Oddly Normal Preview. After reading it, I'm certain that the choice to get it was a good one.

And that's it for the main listings! Another month down! All that's left are the big four and the merchandise, so anyone uninterested in the mainstream can stop reading now.

Nothing in Magazines I care to mention, but the Books have a couple of items of interest. The Salmon of Doubt (386) by Douglas Adams may fascinate folks. I like the solicit: "Culled posthumously from... Douglas Adams' fleet of beloved Macinosh computers..." Nice visuals there. I also noticed The Thackery T Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric & Discredited Diseases which I saw in a bookstore the other day. In the super-hero section is Heroes of the DC Univserse Ultimate Sticker Book (391) which appears to have "over 60 reusable full color stickers". If that doesn't float your boat, try Villains of the DC Universe Glow-In-The-Dark Sticker Book (392).

I like the new Doctor Who T-shirts in the Apparel section (425). I think I would like the Dalek shirt the most, but the Cybermen shirt with Tom Baker isn't bad.

In the poster section, I noticed the Charlie & The Chocolate Factory poster (481). I have to admit that I hate the Willy Wonka movie from way back when, because when I first saw it as a child I thought all the bratty kids were killed, and had nightmares about them for a long time after.

So that's enough... time to jump back to the beginning of the book to hit the "big four"

Marvel Comics (178) is the usual stuff. I think I'll be getting Incredible Hulk #81, Shanna, The She-Devil #4, Strange #6, Amazing Spider-Man #520, and Powers #11.

Image Comics (133-176) is a bit more difficult, as usual. I'm interested in Hero Camp #1 (142) which seems to be borrowing some mojo from PS238 in that the main character is a non-powered son of super-powered parents. But what really gets me is the name of the camp: Camp Enokchuk. Heh. It's a four issue mini, and it has a chance of making the list. PVP #0 (146), being only 50 cents, will make the list. Lullaby: Wisdom Seeker #4 (155) features a twisted version of Oz's Tin Man. This series has the potential to really stink. Next up is Noble Causes #11 (157) which is my favorite new super-opera series. And hey, The Pact #2 (158) is also coming out, which features the Noble's vacation home. And not a thing in the Top Cow section interests me.

Next we hit Dark Horse (21-56). Still loving the Conan books, and I'll be getting both the regular book Conan #16 (26) and the mini Conan and the Jewels of Gwahlur #2 (27). I'll admit that the solicit to Concrete: The Human Dilemma #6 (30) makes me want to go find all the Concrete stories and read the whole lot even more. But I won't be getting it this time, instead I'll get Usagi Yojimbo #84 (30) which will no doubt be excellent and interesting. I'm wondering how many volumes of Samurai Executioner (38) there will be. I'm enjoying them, but I do wonder. Not as many as Lone Wolf and Cub, right?

And finally, DC Comics.

Batman (64-70): I just skipped the movie stuff, as I'll be skipping most of the Batman section itself. The cover to Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #191 is interesting, but I've always liked Mr. Freeze. But that's about all that catches my eye.

Superman (71-78): I'm mildly intrigued by Superman: Infinite City, but not enough to pay $25 for it.

DC Universe (79-97): Aquaman #30 looks good, with the use of strands of DNA as chains, I wonder just what sort of plot twist to expect. I'm definitely warming up to Arcudi's writing. Bird of Prey #82 will also make the list. We ended up ordering the first issue, so we'll probably get Day of Vengeance #2.

I'm sad to see it ending, but I will get Fallen Angel #20. There's also a decent chance I'll be picking up The Flash #222, though no promises. I suspect hubby-Eric would have grounds for divorce if I didn't get Green Lantern #1, so I'll get it.

Speaking of Green, I'll stick with Green Arrow #50. I can hardly believe it's hit fifty issues. I'm annoyed that Aquaman didn't make the cover of JLA #114, but not surprised. I'll get it, yeah. And JLA Classified #7. Nice cover to JSA #73. And Legion of Super-Heroes #6 is on the pull list now.

Other books I'll be getting from this section include Plastic Man #16, Teen Titans #24, Outsiders #24, The Rann/Thanagar War #1, Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight #2, Seven Soldiers: Guardian #2, and maybe, just maybe Villains United #1

Johnny DC (98-100): More no-brainers. I'll be getting The Batman Strikes! #9 and Justice League Unlimited #9. I like the cover to Looney Tunes #126, but I won't get it. Probably.

DC Library (101-108): I'm including CMX, 2000 AD, and Humanoids in this category. I continue to find nothing of interest in it.

Wildstorm (109-119): Nothing for me.

Vertigo (120-127): Again, nothing.

DC Direct (128-132): GAH! A drought of Aquaman for months and months, then they have to put out TWO Aquaman figures (and a Black Manta figure) in one month. Do they hate me or something? While I fully plan on getting these, paying for them might be an issue.

Luckily, the JLA set isn't out until earlier September, and the Aquaman and Black Manta figures aren't due out until late September. So I might manage to save up enough pennies by then.

Notes I've seen indicate the JLA Set will retail at about $40. If we get it, I'll probably split it up and sell the Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman figures while keeping Aquaman and Green Lantern. The Alex Ross figures will retail at about $16-20 each, and it looks like I can order them individually, though I'll have to check with my retailer about them to be sure.

So that's it for this month's "Things in Previews That Look Interesting But I Can't Afford To Get (with a list of things I am getting just for contrast)". Comments? Questions? Did I miss any really cool books that you know about and would like to point out? Do you disagree with something I wrote, and want to correct me? There's the comments, right below. Post something. And, yes, I accept review copies. I'm willing to give almost anything a try.

by Tegan at 11:46 AM Seattle time - Permalink   

Sunday, March 06, 2005

No transcript will be available for this audioblog, as it's how to pronounce my last name.

by Tegan at 1:27 PM Seattle time - Permalink