Saturday, July 08, 2006
You Know...
...There's something really, really cool about monsters trash-talking each other.
Friday, July 07, 2006
Johnny Drama Says...
"Keep up those requests!"
Go to this page and submit a request for an Aquaman T-shirt from the Entourage show! For the subject line, put "Entourage Aquaman T-Shirt?" and for the content, just request a t-shirt based on the Aquaman movie in the show.
I'll be checking the HBO Entourage Shop regularly and will alert folks if I see an official shirt appear. T-Shirt Watch has a link to what appears to be an unofficial t-shirt, but I'd like to see a legit one, personally.
So let's start a wave. Write in and ask for it.
Review Copy Reviews
Ah shucks. Somebody else was nice enough to send me a free comic book (even though I've already ordered the book and will be getting it through my shop as well). I feel I ought to review it. And since I'm in the middle of a ton of other reviews, I'll drop them and get this one up first. This book should be out in stores next week, though as always there is the possibility it will be out the week after. They are currently available at the Dorothy website.
Dorothy VI: "Heartless": Wow. I've seen a few different origins for the Tinman, but this is one of the strangest and coolest, mostly because it's set in a version of Oz that doesn't follow all the rules of the original story. Like the story of the Scarecrow, the story of the new character is introduced through flashbacks. If I say much more, I'll give part of the tale away, so I'll skip the juicy details and just say that the Tinman's tale is very different but almost as tragic as the Scarecrow's tale (and the Scarecrow's tale is the most intense bit of comic book reading I've had in a long time). I particularly like the bits with Dorothy in this one, as she shows off her skills and learns she has some new ones. I want to see more of Toto, though. The little bits we get of him in this issue were tantalizing, particularly Tinman's response to him. Now that I've finished reading the issue, I kind of wish I could erase my memory and read it again, it was that good. This has been an incredible series so far, and this issue doesn't let it down. Recommended. 
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Overdue Reviews
Finally getting into last month's books. I've promised myself that I won't be reading this week's books until I get within a week or two of the current week. Which means I'll continue to review books rapidly until I get caught up.
52 Week Four: "Dances With Monsters": This one seems to be focusing a little on Renee, though what's happening to Steel is fascinating. And the return of some of the heroes, too. Maybe we'll finally learn what happened to Alan's eye. In fact, this is the best issue so far. It feels like the book is hitting its stride and the pieces are starting to fall into place. There's a lot more to go, sure, but we're finally starting to get some shaping of the DCU here.
Ion #2: "Torch Bearer Part 2": Kyle Rayner, out of his head and hurting people. Most powerful weapon in the universe, and he doesn't know what he's doing? ug. Not my cuppa.
Action Comics #839: "This Look Like A Job...": Nice to see Superman overwhelmed by his own powers. Makes you think about it, a bit. I'm still not sure what Luthor is up to, although I get all the references and such. That last panel definitely gives an idea of it, though. This has been a fun ride.
JLA Classified #21: "After The Fire!": This was a very bumpy story, but it ended nicely. I like the method that J'onn used to rid people of the virus. The final few pages, with Batman, were excellent. This won't go down as one of my favorite JLA stories, but it's not too bad.
Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre #1: "Dead Again Part One": I haven't yet read the Gotham Central books that lead up to the death of the character that the Spectre joins with, but this book gives a nicely solid overview of what happened so I don't have to wonder too much. In fact, that's pretty much all this issue is: an overview of what has happened before to get everyone up to speed. Lots of seeds planted in this one, I hope to see some of them sprouting in the next issue.
Warlord #4: The artwork is too sketchy, the storytelling is lousy. Only by reading the text closely can I figure out what is going on, and even so I can't understand half the happenings because the art is too weak. This is pretty much my definition of a bad comic book. And that's a shame, because I really wanted to like it.
Local #5: "The Last Lonely Days At The Oxford Theatre": This is the first issue of this book that I really didn't like. Megan is playing mind games, and she does it poorly. While I generally like this book, this issue just didn't connect with me at all.
Mouse Guard #3: "Rise of the Axe": Well, this is a fine mess they've gotten into! This is a great book, well worth checking out. My only complaint is that I wish each book would go on a lot longer. The lavish art allows for a limited amount of story per issue, but if you really think about it, each issue has as much or more movement as a comparable superhero book. Anyway, go flip through this book. I recommend it.
52 Week Five: "Stars in Their Courses": I like the opening scenes, with Ellen Baker waiting for Buddy to come back. I'm guessing Steel is wearing his armor to disguise whatever was happening to him in the last issue. And Alan's explanation doesn't make sense, but I don't think it's supposed to... yet. This is more like what I expected to see from this series.
Wonder Woman #1: "Who is Wonder Woman?": I thought Donna Troy was off learning about the universe in the back pages of 52? And is it just my imagination, or does that final page evoke some old Wonder Woman comics in which Diana Rigg seemed to be more in vogue than Diana Prince? I know who the three villains Donna faces are, but who is Nemesis? And why does he deserve his own logo? And, yes, where is Steve Trevor? Interesting start.
Detective #820: "Face the Face part 7 of 8": Nice battle at the beginning. It always seems cool when a writer manages to make Batman chatting with someone while fighting work. The rest of the story seems to be a pretty basic look at the news of Harvey's regression. Not wonderful, but not bad.
JSA #86: "Where Highwaymen Rode": I like the flashbacks to Jim as usual. I also like the way the whole thing is coming together, including why The Gentleman Ghost worked on getting them to England. And I like Ma Hunkel smacking the Ghost. Go Ma!
Justice League Unlimited #22: "Outside Looking In": I like this one, as it shows Gypsy's skills off, and makes her look pretty cool while doing it. This is a strong issue, and I like seeing these and hope to see a lot more like them. This may well be the strongest DC book available, and certainly the strongest all-ages book they put out.
Manifest Eternity #1: This seems to be a book about prejudice, at least at first. But then it turns into a multiverse spanning war. I'll wait and see on this one, but so far it doesn't have a lot to recommend it, in my opinion.
Noble Causes #20: Slightly better artwork than the last issue, but I still can't tell Race and Rusty apart. Still, it's an improvement. I'm curious to see what Rae really is, and hope we get answers for that one. And what is Slate up to, anyway?
It would be easier to catch up if I didn't have a dozen books a week I keep reviewing.
31 May 2006
52 Week Four: "Dances With Monsters": This one seems to be focusing a little on Renee, though what's happening to Steel is fascinating. And the return of some of the heroes, too. Maybe we'll finally learn what happened to Alan's eye. In fact, this is the best issue so far. It feels like the book is hitting its stride and the pieces are starting to fall into place. There's a lot more to go, sure, but we're finally starting to get some shaping of the DCU here.
Ion #2: "Torch Bearer Part 2": Kyle Rayner, out of his head and hurting people. Most powerful weapon in the universe, and he doesn't know what he's doing? ug. Not my cuppa.
Action Comics #839: "This Look Like A Job...": Nice to see Superman overwhelmed by his own powers. Makes you think about it, a bit. I'm still not sure what Luthor is up to, although I get all the references and such. That last panel definitely gives an idea of it, though. This has been a fun ride.
JLA Classified #21: "After The Fire!": This was a very bumpy story, but it ended nicely. I like the method that J'onn used to rid people of the virus. The final few pages, with Batman, were excellent. This won't go down as one of my favorite JLA stories, but it's not too bad.
Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre #1: "Dead Again Part One": I haven't yet read the Gotham Central books that lead up to the death of the character that the Spectre joins with, but this book gives a nicely solid overview of what happened so I don't have to wonder too much. In fact, that's pretty much all this issue is: an overview of what has happened before to get everyone up to speed. Lots of seeds planted in this one, I hope to see some of them sprouting in the next issue.
Warlord #4: The artwork is too sketchy, the storytelling is lousy. Only by reading the text closely can I figure out what is going on, and even so I can't understand half the happenings because the art is too weak. This is pretty much my definition of a bad comic book. And that's a shame, because I really wanted to like it.
Local #5: "The Last Lonely Days At The Oxford Theatre": This is the first issue of this book that I really didn't like. Megan is playing mind games, and she does it poorly. While I generally like this book, this issue just didn't connect with me at all.
Mouse Guard #3: "Rise of the Axe": Well, this is a fine mess they've gotten into! This is a great book, well worth checking out. My only complaint is that I wish each book would go on a lot longer. The lavish art allows for a limited amount of story per issue, but if you really think about it, each issue has as much or more movement as a comparable superhero book. Anyway, go flip through this book. I recommend it.
7 June 2006
52 Week Five: "Stars in Their Courses": I like the opening scenes, with Ellen Baker waiting for Buddy to come back. I'm guessing Steel is wearing his armor to disguise whatever was happening to him in the last issue. And Alan's explanation doesn't make sense, but I don't think it's supposed to... yet. This is more like what I expected to see from this series.
Wonder Woman #1: "Who is Wonder Woman?": I thought Donna Troy was off learning about the universe in the back pages of 52? And is it just my imagination, or does that final page evoke some old Wonder Woman comics in which Diana Rigg seemed to be more in vogue than Diana Prince? I know who the three villains Donna faces are, but who is Nemesis? And why does he deserve his own logo? And, yes, where is Steve Trevor? Interesting start.
Detective #820: "Face the Face part 7 of 8": Nice battle at the beginning. It always seems cool when a writer manages to make Batman chatting with someone while fighting work. The rest of the story seems to be a pretty basic look at the news of Harvey's regression. Not wonderful, but not bad.
JSA #86: "Where Highwaymen Rode": I like the flashbacks to Jim as usual. I also like the way the whole thing is coming together, including why The Gentleman Ghost worked on getting them to England. And I like Ma Hunkel smacking the Ghost. Go Ma!
Justice League Unlimited #22: "Outside Looking In": I like this one, as it shows Gypsy's skills off, and makes her look pretty cool while doing it. This is a strong issue, and I like seeing these and hope to see a lot more like them. This may well be the strongest DC book available, and certainly the strongest all-ages book they put out.
Manifest Eternity #1: This seems to be a book about prejudice, at least at first. But then it turns into a multiverse spanning war. I'll wait and see on this one, but so far it doesn't have a lot to recommend it, in my opinion.
Noble Causes #20: Slightly better artwork than the last issue, but I still can't tell Race and Rusty apart. Still, it's an improvement. I'm curious to see what Rae really is, and hope we get answers for that one. And what is Slate up to, anyway?
It would be easier to catch up if I didn't have a dozen books a week I keep reviewing.
Overdue Reviews
Hey, let's see if I can get caught up on reviews to last month...
52 Week Two: "Looking Back At Tomorrow": It's a puzzle, and we haven't got many of the pieces yet. While Booster seems to be the focus, I find Ralph's experiences far more intriguing. He's the guy I feel for. It's interesting that the vandal actually gave him something to live for, instead of just causing damage. The backup feature doesn't do anything at all for me, yet. I hope it'll get more interesting. Not bad.
Green Arrow #62: "An Eye for An Eye": Just a big fight between Green Arrow and Deathstroke. Definitely not the high point of the series so far.
Shadowpact #1: "Death in a Small Town": Tell me, is it a major continuity blunder that Superman appears, with his full powers, at the beginning of this issue? Or could this have happened before the crisis? Anyway, how can I not enjoy a book that has Rex the Wonder Dog show up? Definitely an intriguing start to this series.
Wolverine Origins #2: "Born in Blood Part Two": I'm not sure I get this. Wolverine used torture to program soldiers to commit atrocities in Vietnam... at the bidding of whoever his mysterious goal is? There's a story here, but I'm still not quite following it. Not enough pieces yet.
Wonderland #1: I still need to read the Alice books. Then I might have an idea of who Mary Ann is. For now, I'll just read and enjoy. It's a funny little book, but it runs along nicely and has a very wonderland-y feel to it. Looking forward to the second issue.
Conan #28: "Storyteller": This is a sad sort of story... the main character is not Conan, but a villager who longs for excitement. He gets more than he expects. Except for Rovann himself, the art feels a little off to me. But because the focus is Rovann, it actually works for the story. It's a sad story, but I liked it.
Paradox #3: This issue has the exact same problem as the first two: it needs a good editor and another draft or two. The story is still fun, the concept still excellent... but it really needs some polishing to work. It's a good book, but it could be a great book.
Fallen Angel #5: Events move forward a long way in this issue. In fact, I think this is my favorite issue of the entire series, DC and IDW, so far. We get the culmination of pretty much everything, and end on a new status quo. I'm looking forward to seeing how Jude deals with his new reality. Angel's theology is depressing, but a neat bit of philosophical ranting. I think Jude should know better than to ask a fallen angel about God. Lots of nice bits beyond that in this issue. Let's see where this book goes from here.
52 Week Three: "New World Order": So, Alexander Luthor died in an alley with half his face burned off... but this Luthor is dead in perfect shape. Not the same guy? Or something else. I still feel like this book is setting up, not shaping. I want to see some shaping, darnit.
Birds of Prey #94: "Stolen Inferno": The frustrations of Shiva and Black Canary both start to reach boiling point in this issue. I'm not sure how they are going to get out of this. Canary can't let the child become the next Shiva, and Shiva isn't going to tolerate Canary's requirements. Still one of the best of the OYL titles.
Secret Six #1: "Exposed": I very much liked the Secret Six mini during the event, so I have big hopes for this mini as well. In this book we learn that the society is still active, which we'd heard in other books as well... but this book gives us a look at their fractured nature now. This issue wasn't great, it was mostly set-up with a shot of action at the end, but it'll do. Looking forward to the next issue.
Green Lantern #11: "Revenge of the Green Lanterns": That has got to be one of the oddest covers I've seen in a long time. Exactly what are they doing? This is a story of Hal trying to redeem himself after his crimes. I think I might be able to like it, but I need to see more before I forget what came before.
JSA Classified #12: "The Fall and Rise of Vandal Savage part three": I can see that we're trying to be given this whole sense of Vandal's history and all... but this story could really have used some serious editing to reduce the duration. In this case, decompression doesn't seem to be serving it. I want a shorter story.
Batman #653: "Face the Face part 6 of 8": This issue is entirely about Harvey making a decision about the future. It's got some flashbacks, and a somewhat gruesome scene involving acid. It's a very depressing issue.
Checkmate #1: "The Game of Kings Part #1": As soon as we learned that Alan Scott was part of the new Checkmate, we picked up the first issue. And the second issue was already out, so we got that too. As an added bonus, my second favorite JSAer, Mister Terrific, is also part of the team. I'm not sure what to say about this book except it's a complicated read with too many characters, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it about as much as I do JSA.
Checkmate #2: "The Game of Kings Part #2": Kobra, Checkmater, massive political intrigue, and a couple of heroes in the middle of the insanity. I'm waiting to see if it pulls together in my mind, or if I'll have to keep rereading.
Squadron Supreme #3: "International Incidents": huh. The way she overcame The Voice's power was quite a hint into the nature of the character. There were a lot of clever bits in this issue, and a few that made me grumble. Not a bad issue overall, but far from the greatest book I read this week.
Powers #18: The opening monologue finally fits into the storyline directly. We actually get the resolution of the latest murder investigation in this one, but hopefully we'll move into the solution to Deena's problem soon. Still a good, if often difficult to read, book.
Conan: Book of Thoth #3: "The Serpent Rises": An origin tale that Howard never wrote, but a good one. Thoth sets up a puppet ruler through his magic, while Kalanthes sits around not figuring it all out. It's depressing to see how Thoth accomplished his conversion of the people to Set. After convincing the ruler to send armies on foolish missions of conquest, the people were beset by outside enemies to the point where they were terrorized, then they willinging followed the leader who promised to deliver them from the terror that he himself caused. It's an ancient pattern, and it still holds true in reality as well as fiction.
Age of Bronze #23: "Betrayal 4": This issue shows the Trojan side of things as the battle draws near. There isn't a lot I can intelligently comment on about this issue... expect it is excellent as usual. Shanower has given life to these cardboard characters and made them something more than players in an ancient drama. They have motivations, fears, goals. And for the first time I'm seeing all that. If you have any interest at all in the Trojan War, BUY THIS BOOK.
Nope. Still not up to last month yet. There were a LOT of books out in those couple of weeks! I'm drowning in comics! Help! Ok, right... back to the stack. May 31st coming up...
17 May 2006
52 Week Two: "Looking Back At Tomorrow": It's a puzzle, and we haven't got many of the pieces yet. While Booster seems to be the focus, I find Ralph's experiences far more intriguing. He's the guy I feel for. It's interesting that the vandal actually gave him something to live for, instead of just causing damage. The backup feature doesn't do anything at all for me, yet. I hope it'll get more interesting. Not bad.
Green Arrow #62: "An Eye for An Eye": Just a big fight between Green Arrow and Deathstroke. Definitely not the high point of the series so far.
Shadowpact #1: "Death in a Small Town": Tell me, is it a major continuity blunder that Superman appears, with his full powers, at the beginning of this issue? Or could this have happened before the crisis? Anyway, how can I not enjoy a book that has Rex the Wonder Dog show up? Definitely an intriguing start to this series.
Wolverine Origins #2: "Born in Blood Part Two": I'm not sure I get this. Wolverine used torture to program soldiers to commit atrocities in Vietnam... at the bidding of whoever his mysterious goal is? There's a story here, but I'm still not quite following it. Not enough pieces yet.
Wonderland #1: I still need to read the Alice books. Then I might have an idea of who Mary Ann is. For now, I'll just read and enjoy. It's a funny little book, but it runs along nicely and has a very wonderland-y feel to it. Looking forward to the second issue.
Conan #28: "Storyteller": This is a sad sort of story... the main character is not Conan, but a villager who longs for excitement. He gets more than he expects. Except for Rovann himself, the art feels a little off to me. But because the focus is Rovann, it actually works for the story. It's a sad story, but I liked it.
Paradox #3: This issue has the exact same problem as the first two: it needs a good editor and another draft or two. The story is still fun, the concept still excellent... but it really needs some polishing to work. It's a good book, but it could be a great book.
Fallen Angel #5: Events move forward a long way in this issue. In fact, I think this is my favorite issue of the entire series, DC and IDW, so far. We get the culmination of pretty much everything, and end on a new status quo. I'm looking forward to seeing how Jude deals with his new reality. Angel's theology is depressing, but a neat bit of philosophical ranting. I think Jude should know better than to ask a fallen angel about God. Lots of nice bits beyond that in this issue. Let's see where this book goes from here.
24 May 2006
52 Week Three: "New World Order": So, Alexander Luthor died in an alley with half his face burned off... but this Luthor is dead in perfect shape. Not the same guy? Or something else. I still feel like this book is setting up, not shaping. I want to see some shaping, darnit.
Birds of Prey #94: "Stolen Inferno": The frustrations of Shiva and Black Canary both start to reach boiling point in this issue. I'm not sure how they are going to get out of this. Canary can't let the child become the next Shiva, and Shiva isn't going to tolerate Canary's requirements. Still one of the best of the OYL titles.
Secret Six #1: "Exposed": I very much liked the Secret Six mini during the event, so I have big hopes for this mini as well. In this book we learn that the society is still active, which we'd heard in other books as well... but this book gives us a look at their fractured nature now. This issue wasn't great, it was mostly set-up with a shot of action at the end, but it'll do. Looking forward to the next issue.
Green Lantern #11: "Revenge of the Green Lanterns": That has got to be one of the oddest covers I've seen in a long time. Exactly what are they doing? This is a story of Hal trying to redeem himself after his crimes. I think I might be able to like it, but I need to see more before I forget what came before.
JSA Classified #12: "The Fall and Rise of Vandal Savage part three": I can see that we're trying to be given this whole sense of Vandal's history and all... but this story could really have used some serious editing to reduce the duration. In this case, decompression doesn't seem to be serving it. I want a shorter story.
Batman #653: "Face the Face part 6 of 8": This issue is entirely about Harvey making a decision about the future. It's got some flashbacks, and a somewhat gruesome scene involving acid. It's a very depressing issue.
Checkmate #1: "The Game of Kings Part #1": As soon as we learned that Alan Scott was part of the new Checkmate, we picked up the first issue. And the second issue was already out, so we got that too. As an added bonus, my second favorite JSAer, Mister Terrific, is also part of the team. I'm not sure what to say about this book except it's a complicated read with too many characters, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it about as much as I do JSA.
Checkmate #2: "The Game of Kings Part #2": Kobra, Checkmater, massive political intrigue, and a couple of heroes in the middle of the insanity. I'm waiting to see if it pulls together in my mind, or if I'll have to keep rereading.
Squadron Supreme #3: "International Incidents": huh. The way she overcame The Voice's power was quite a hint into the nature of the character. There were a lot of clever bits in this issue, and a few that made me grumble. Not a bad issue overall, but far from the greatest book I read this week.
Powers #18: The opening monologue finally fits into the storyline directly. We actually get the resolution of the latest murder investigation in this one, but hopefully we'll move into the solution to Deena's problem soon. Still a good, if often difficult to read, book.
Conan: Book of Thoth #3: "The Serpent Rises": An origin tale that Howard never wrote, but a good one. Thoth sets up a puppet ruler through his magic, while Kalanthes sits around not figuring it all out. It's depressing to see how Thoth accomplished his conversion of the people to Set. After convincing the ruler to send armies on foolish missions of conquest, the people were beset by outside enemies to the point where they were terrorized, then they willinging followed the leader who promised to deliver them from the terror that he himself caused. It's an ancient pattern, and it still holds true in reality as well as fiction.
Age of Bronze #23: "Betrayal 4": This issue shows the Trojan side of things as the battle draws near. There isn't a lot I can intelligently comment on about this issue... expect it is excellent as usual. Shanower has given life to these cardboard characters and made them something more than players in an ancient drama. They have motivations, fears, goals. And for the first time I'm seeing all that. If you have any interest at all in the Trojan War, BUY THIS BOOK.
Nope. Still not up to last month yet. There were a LOT of books out in those couple of weeks! I'm drowning in comics! Help! Ok, right... back to the stack. May 31st coming up...
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Girl Genius #14 Soon Available
Kaja Foglio reports that Girl Genius #14 will soon be available:
Those of you who tuned in last time (whenever that was) may remember that the magazine-style comics were being released up until issue 13, but the fourth collection contains issues 11-14. Annoying indeed for those who already have volumes 11-13 of the old-style comics. Actually printing an issue 14 in the usual way (a big expensive print run that will take up too much space in my basement) isn't something I'm going to spend limited time and money (and basement space) on, but now that I have the collection reprint situation stabilized, I am going to do this for the three of you who contacted me about the problem. FEEL LOVED!The book will be available through lulu.com. I think I may plan on getting a copy too, despite not being really affected by the move to webcomic. In fact, I've been delighted by the webcomic, because they've been far more consistent since they moved to the web. Getting Girl Genius three times a week has been very cool. In fact, it's made me wish more of my favorite comics would move to the web.
Another Linkdump
Bookslut gives some advice as to what that blurb really means.
Filkertom links to Avenue Q YouTube vids. You can see a lot of the show this way...
Excellent Interview with Kurt Busiek up at Coville's Clubhouse. Go check it out.
Lea Hernandez points us to a project on abstinence curriculum that she worked on.
Monty Python and the Holy Vader. A mash-up for true geeks only.
Update on Comic Book Urban Legends #49, and Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #58.
So, you want digital comics? Dave Rants on what digital comics ought to be. And he's right. He's SO right. I won't say much about his ideas on a magazine/comic reader, but his three points are a BIG deal:
Filkertom links to Avenue Q YouTube vids. You can see a lot of the show this way...
Excellent Interview with Kurt Busiek up at Coville's Clubhouse. Go check it out.
Lea Hernandez points us to a project on abstinence curriculum that she worked on.
Monty Python and the Holy Vader. A mash-up for true geeks only.
Update on Comic Book Urban Legends #49, and Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #58.
So, you want digital comics? Dave Rants on what digital comics ought to be. And he's right. He's SO right. I won't say much about his ideas on a magazine/comic reader, but his three points are a BIG deal:
- Copy protection must NOT be onerous.
- Price MUST be lower than paper copies.
- Special features would be a very good idea.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
A Gift On Independence Day
I went to my folks place for a party today, and while I was there my mom gave me a very strange but very cool gift. She explained that she was going through old boxes of bills to throw out files that weren't needed anymore. To her amusement, the bills went back a LONG way... including the bill for her hospital stay at my birth.
She stayed one night. The room cost her $63 with various other hospital charges adding up to $31.50. My delivery was $85. My stay in the nursery was $33. Surgical supplies cost $6. Anesthesia was $8.25. The total for my delivery: $226.75. A couple of other charges (pharmacy and lab) tacked on another $25.05 for a total bill of $251.80. That's how much it cost my parents to take me home.
Now if I could only find my birth certificates (yes, I have two).
She stayed one night. The room cost her $63 with various other hospital charges adding up to $31.50. My delivery was $85. My stay in the nursery was $33. Surgical supplies cost $6. Anesthesia was $8.25. The total for my delivery: $226.75. A couple of other charges (pharmacy and lab) tacked on another $25.05 for a total bill of $251.80. That's how much it cost my parents to take me home.
Now if I could only find my birth certificates (yes, I have two).
Oooh, There's Gonna Be Fireworks (fireworks!)
Ah, Independence Day. The Fourth of July. The day the Declaration was signed, after much peril and haggling.
Bothell, where I live, intends to celebrate the same way they have every year for many years. The revolutionaries have been camped out on the village green (Bothell Landing Park) for a few days, and will re-enact the battle of Lexington at about 2pm today (complete with REAL guns (no bullets)). I was able to snatch a couple of pictures of two revolutionaries the other day when hubby-Eric and I went walking around the park.
The old schoolhouse and bell tower of Bothell were open for visitors, so Eric and I went in and checked it out. Also open for the first time I've ever seen was the old Beckstrom Cabin, in which one of the founding families of Bothell spent many years. It looks tiny (it's to the right in the second picture below) but appeared to be bigger on the inside. I'm not entirely sure how 11 people would have fit in the place during our dreary winters, but apparently they managed.
For the holiday this year, Hubby-Eric and I have been invited to a small BBQ at my parents' house, and then we plan on coming home and watching 1776 (highly recommended) and maybe some Schoolhouse Rock (Fireworks!). Then we'll watch the parties in our neighborhood, ready with the phones to call 911 if needed. And maybe watch some of the coverage on TV.
Bothell, where I live, intends to celebrate the same way they have every year for many years. The revolutionaries have been camped out on the village green (Bothell Landing Park) for a few days, and will re-enact the battle of Lexington at about 2pm today (complete with REAL guns (no bullets)). I was able to snatch a couple of pictures of two revolutionaries the other day when hubby-Eric and I went walking around the park.
The old schoolhouse and bell tower of Bothell were open for visitors, so Eric and I went in and checked it out. Also open for the first time I've ever seen was the old Beckstrom Cabin, in which one of the founding families of Bothell spent many years. It looks tiny (it's to the right in the second picture below) but appeared to be bigger on the inside. I'm not entirely sure how 11 people would have fit in the place during our dreary winters, but apparently they managed.
For the holiday this year, Hubby-Eric and I have been invited to a small BBQ at my parents' house, and then we plan on coming home and watching 1776 (highly recommended) and maybe some Schoolhouse Rock (Fireworks!). Then we'll watch the parties in our neighborhood, ready with the phones to call 911 if needed. And maybe watch some of the coverage on TV.
Monday, July 03, 2006
This is the Jeopardy! post
I've been remiss in letting people know what happened last weekend when I went down to Portland to try out for Jeopardy!. well, it wasn't too bad. It turns out that it wasn't a tryout to get on the list to be a contestant for next season. By passing the online test and being randomly selected, I was already there! (Those of you who took the online test and didn't get called to your local in-person test, don't despair. Over 100,000 people took that test! Even a lot of people who passed weren't called, and I only got in by luck of the draw. And it was so successful, they'll probably do another online test before long, so don't give up hope!)
No, the reason I was there was so they could coach me on how to be a good player (much of it I already knew, but it was nice that they took the time), and if I had some personality. First, however, came the fifty question written test, much like the online test and what they've done in the past. This one was tougher, but I think it was more of a psych test, to see if you could do it again, would freeze up if you didn't know one, that sort of thing. This one was tougher, and I have no idea how I did, but I got at least some of them right. Then came the mock game. This time around, unlike when I did it about ten years ago, it was electronic, with Johnny Gilbert reading the clues. It was fun, but I have no idea how I did. I was the last one up, however, so I at least knew to keep pressing the button over and over instead of just once, and to speak up and show some enthusiasm. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday morning, and I hope it was enough.
But despite getting that far, it's still not a shoe-in. They need about four hundred contestants a year, but they're doing so many contestant searches now around the country that the list of potential contestants ends up being much longer. It does not help that I'm a white male teacher, which is the prototypical J! contestant — but I was the only teacher there, much to my surprise. There were a lot more folks there who work for Microsoft. There were also a lot more Seattle-area folks than Oregonians, plus one from Idaho, and two who had come in from further (Texas and Virginia).
The good news? If I am picked, they'll give me a call a few weeks ahead of time. So I'm not going to start studying until I know I'll need to do it. And I'll let everyone know when my first show is, so you can finally see what I look like and how badly I flame out — or not!
No, the reason I was there was so they could coach me on how to be a good player (much of it I already knew, but it was nice that they took the time), and if I had some personality. First, however, came the fifty question written test, much like the online test and what they've done in the past. This one was tougher, but I think it was more of a psych test, to see if you could do it again, would freeze up if you didn't know one, that sort of thing. This one was tougher, and I have no idea how I did, but I got at least some of them right. Then came the mock game. This time around, unlike when I did it about ten years ago, it was electronic, with Johnny Gilbert reading the clues. It was fun, but I have no idea how I did. I was the last one up, however, so I at least knew to keep pressing the button over and over instead of just once, and to speak up and show some enthusiasm. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday morning, and I hope it was enough.
But despite getting that far, it's still not a shoe-in. They need about four hundred contestants a year, but they're doing so many contestant searches now around the country that the list of potential contestants ends up being much longer. It does not help that I'm a white male teacher, which is the prototypical J! contestant — but I was the only teacher there, much to my surprise. There were a lot more folks there who work for Microsoft. There were also a lot more Seattle-area folks than Oregonians, plus one from Idaho, and two who had come in from further (Texas and Virginia).
The good news? If I am picked, they'll give me a call a few weeks ahead of time. So I'm not going to start studying until I know I'll need to do it. And I'll let everyone know when my first show is, so you can finally see what I look like and how badly I flame out — or not!
Overdue Review - Aquaman #42
Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis #42: "Deep Down": It really would be difficult to convey how much glee this issue gave me. And not all for just story reasons. I have been really enjoying this revamp and this issue was, in my opinion, great from start to finish.
I like how the status of Atlantis is explained. I love seeing parts of the undersea world from an outsider's point of view (Arthur's delight at the food and drink was a lovely touch). I love the fractured nature of the ocean civilizations once Poseidonis was destroyed, and I love seeing the underside of that world, the parts that Orin rarely entered. An undersea bar? Great! I love the Windward Home, and especially the view from below. I love seeing the old heroes return, like The Sea Devils, Red Torpedo (Jimmy Lockhart), and the variety of folks gathered at the Windward Home. And I LOVED the last page, even if the character wasn't drawn quite right.
And that's where I'll start on my complaints. I felt the coloring was too dark in many places, and would've preferred some brighter colors just for ease of reading. I also loved Guice's design for the bar... but we only see it clearly in a single panel, right before it's destroyed. I think I would've liked to see it more than that. And I wish the colors had made it look different than the trench wall it was clinging to. Same with the town. It's hard to tell that that opening scene is a town. Colors would make a HUGE difference here, but I wish Butch would give us a few more close-ups as well later on.
The only other major art problem is with the character on the final page. He just doesn't look quite right in robes. For obvious reasons, Atlanteans generally don't wear robes or dresses unless they are making a statement. So seeing that character in robes didn't look quite right. Not a big nit, but it did throw me.
So to sum up: Loved the story, loved most of the art, I think the color needs a bit of work (and some contrast in the backgrounds), and was absolutely delighted by the final page.
I like how the status of Atlantis is explained. I love seeing parts of the undersea world from an outsider's point of view (Arthur's delight at the food and drink was a lovely touch). I love the fractured nature of the ocean civilizations once Poseidonis was destroyed, and I love seeing the underside of that world, the parts that Orin rarely entered. An undersea bar? Great! I love the Windward Home, and especially the view from below. I love seeing the old heroes return, like The Sea Devils, Red Torpedo (Jimmy Lockhart), and the variety of folks gathered at the Windward Home. And I LOVED the last page, even if the character wasn't drawn quite right.
And that's where I'll start on my complaints. I felt the coloring was too dark in many places, and would've preferred some brighter colors just for ease of reading. I also loved Guice's design for the bar... but we only see it clearly in a single panel, right before it's destroyed. I think I would've liked to see it more than that. And I wish the colors had made it look different than the trench wall it was clinging to. Same with the town. It's hard to tell that that opening scene is a town. Colors would make a HUGE difference here, but I wish Butch would give us a few more close-ups as well later on.
The only other major art problem is with the character on the final page. He just doesn't look quite right in robes. For obvious reasons, Atlanteans generally don't wear robes or dresses unless they are making a statement. So seeing that character in robes didn't look quite right. Not a big nit, but it did throw me.
So to sum up: Loved the story, loved most of the art, I think the color needs a bit of work (and some contrast in the backgrounds), and was absolutely delighted by the final page.
Review Copy Review
Continuity: Just when I was convinced that I was off everyone's review lists because of my sporadic and never too comprehensive reviews, never to get a free book again, Larry Young came through and sent me this book. I downloaded the free version, but like so many other things I hadn't actually gotten around to reading it yet. I didn't have any problems reading the paper copy... I like the idea of digital versions of my comics, but I SO much prefer reading paper than computer screen.
Anyway, this is an incredibly disturbing and thoughtful book. I have to admit upfront that I really didn't like the art. It worked for the story, and I cannot complain about the storytelling skills of the artist for the most part... but the style was just not to my liking at all. Still, the story was compelling. The reader knows that Alicia is telling the truth, because we recognize her original world. But how do you deal when no one else can see the changes around you? I found the ending to be a bit odd, but endings often are in this kind of book. It's certainly worth a read if you want to spend some time thinking. And afraid to go to sleep.
Anyway, this is an incredibly disturbing and thoughtful book. I have to admit upfront that I really didn't like the art. It worked for the story, and I cannot complain about the storytelling skills of the artist for the most part... but the style was just not to my liking at all. Still, the story was compelling. The reader knows that Alicia is telling the truth, because we recognize her original world. But how do you deal when no one else can see the changes around you? I found the ending to be a bit odd, but endings often are in this kind of book. It's certainly worth a read if you want to spend some time thinking. And afraid to go to sleep.
Cleaning out the Saved Links
Johnny B has some good links to visit if you plan on attending nerd prom.
Leonard Kirk's Balls Part IV.
Powerpuff Girls Z. I like the Powerpuff Girls, but it looks like they'll definitely lose something in the translation.
I wasn't the only one who found the Doonesbury rerun to be very funny.
Whose Line (aka "The Laughy Show" in our household) is coming to DVD.
What can you hear? I can hear the 17,000 Hz tone, but only background noise on the higher ones. On the flash app I can hear the same... but I can feel the 18,000 Hz one there.
A Penny for you thoughts now costs too much to make?
Mark Evanier on the school cafeteria. I was a victim of the "eat everything on your plate" mentality, as well, and it haunts me to this day. Of all my bad eating habits, the sense that I must clean my plate is probably the hardest to break and the most damaging to my health.
Interesting article in the Seattle Times about how British troops in WWII were given a handbook on how to deal with the French.
Scoble linked to a funny picture.
Can anyone confirm or deny the news that Phil Foglio has posted on his livejournal? UPDATE: Phil was wrong and explains what happened.
Leonard Kirk's Balls Part IV.
Powerpuff Girls Z. I like the Powerpuff Girls, but it looks like they'll definitely lose something in the translation.
I wasn't the only one who found the Doonesbury rerun to be very funny.
Whose Line (aka "The Laughy Show" in our household) is coming to DVD.
What can you hear? I can hear the 17,000 Hz tone, but only background noise on the higher ones. On the flash app I can hear the same... but I can feel the 18,000 Hz one there.
A Penny for you thoughts now costs too much to make?
Mark Evanier on the school cafeteria. I was a victim of the "eat everything on your plate" mentality, as well, and it haunts me to this day. Of all my bad eating habits, the sense that I must clean my plate is probably the hardest to break and the most damaging to my health.
Interesting article in the Seattle Times about how British troops in WWII were given a handbook on how to deal with the French.
Scoble linked to a funny picture.
Can anyone confirm or deny the news that Phil Foglio has posted on his livejournal? UPDATE: Phil was wrong and explains what happened.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Rapid Reviews
Hey, let's see if I can get caught up on reviews to last month...
Alice in Wonderland #4: I really ought to read the original material for this one. The adaptation is cute, but I feel like I'm missing a lot. And was this how the original ended? It's good, but it left me wanting more. I suppose that's a good thing from an adaptation...
Mouse Guard #2: "Shadows Within": A complete jump that at first threw me off the story, but it's the same tale, even sharing a character. It just covers a different guard member. If I have any complaint about this book, it's that the story seems to end far too soon in each issue. I wish it would go on a lot longer.
Lions, Tigers and Bears Vol 2 #2: After the cliffhanger ending to last issue, this one introduces a new character right off, then jumps right into action. Joey isn't as annoying in this issue, and the flow of the story works well. Not bad.
Justice League Unlimited #21: "Stormy Weather": I don't have much interest in GL and Vixen's relationship, but the idea that two villains having a lover's spat could cause a massive storm is pretty funny. This one was disjointed and a bit silly, but worth a look for fans of the series.
Infinite Crisis #7: "Finale": Funny that you never see Aquaman's left hand in the interior artwork in this one. Somebody didn't want to draw it, maybe. Or risk a coloring error on a book this big. As for the story... well, I'm underwhelmed again. It wasn't bad, per se, it just didn't feel like the universe altering book it was supposed to be. Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I like the multiverse and consider the DCU to be richer for it. So any event that tries, yet again, to get rid of it just seems like a stupid waste of time to me. Eh. Maybe 52 will make this series look better in retrospect.
JSA #85: "...The Living Must Answer!": You have to wonder how Courtney's first driving lesson turned out, if this one was better (did we see it and I just forgot it?). Again, I prefer the flashbacks to the main story. I would love a fantasy story set in old England. Ahem... back to the story. What's the deal with the ghost Batman? I hope it's explained, since I'm not sure I understand. In any case, a pretty good story which I hope is nearing its end.
Action Comics #838: "Powers and Abilities": I'm only continuing to get this because Kurt's writing it. Ok, and it's a good story. But if not for Kurt, I wouldn't be picking it up, most likely. Since I generally don't collect Superman stories. There are just too many. Anyway... back to this issue... I liked the ending. I knew Clark would eventually do this, I just didn't know when or how. I like the way it finally happened. And now, I just have to wonder what happens next.
Detective Comics #819: "Face the Face part 3 of 8": Very striking cover to this issue. Magpie isn't a character I'm familiar with, but Ventriloquist... I didn't expect that to happen to him. The back-up story doesn't do much for me, I thought Jason was in Birds or something. Not that I ever really knew who the guy was.
Civil War #1: "Part One of Seven": Got a chance to read this, and was not as underwhelmed as I expected to be. The set-up was effective, and the result is about what I'd expect to see if superheroes were real. Of course the government would try to regulate them, and it wouldn't be an entirely bad idea. It's strange, though, that it's a shift of the rules of comic books. You don't expect this to happen because that pulls away part of the mystique of the mask. And I'm not entirely sure Marvel will be able to pull it off.
Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere #7: "Chapter Seven": Richard faces the final ordeal, and it's about what you might expect. I can't imagine what the others might have faced had they had to do it, but Richard's ordeal worked very well in the context of the story. Of far more interest was the reveal at the end of the book, in which we find out who is pulling the strings of Croup and Vandemar.
PS238 #16: ACK! The ending nearly made me cry. While the others were doing amazing things with their powers and working together in new and interesting ways... while they were having adventures... POOR AMBRIEL! Gah, Aaron Williams better be going somewhere with this one...
Truth, Justin and the American Way #2: Again, the art style just isn't my cuppa, so I'm wishing that somebody else was drawing this. The story is funny, the references are hilarious, and it's a neat book overall, but I'm just not fond of the artwork style.
52 Week One: "Golden Lads & Lasses Must...": While it's mostly an introduction to the characters who will be the focus of the series, I'll note that Aquaman and Mera appear in a panel, as does Lorena. There isn't a lot of big movement in this issue, just set-up for what will be happening next, which is about what you would expect from the first issue of a series like this. It does leave me curious about the next issue, but not terribly anxious to see it.
Superman #652: "Speeding Bullet": I like the Puzzler. And the rest of the villains Intergang sends out are an interesting bunch taken together. Fun fun fun! This one was just a ride. Sit back and enjoy it.
Ok, can't get caught up quite yet. I'll keep chugging away at them...
3 May 2006
Alice in Wonderland #4: I really ought to read the original material for this one. The adaptation is cute, but I feel like I'm missing a lot. And was this how the original ended? It's good, but it left me wanting more. I suppose that's a good thing from an adaptation...
Mouse Guard #2: "Shadows Within": A complete jump that at first threw me off the story, but it's the same tale, even sharing a character. It just covers a different guard member. If I have any complaint about this book, it's that the story seems to end far too soon in each issue. I wish it would go on a lot longer.
Lions, Tigers and Bears Vol 2 #2: After the cliffhanger ending to last issue, this one introduces a new character right off, then jumps right into action. Joey isn't as annoying in this issue, and the flow of the story works well. Not bad.
Justice League Unlimited #21: "Stormy Weather": I don't have much interest in GL and Vixen's relationship, but the idea that two villains having a lover's spat could cause a massive storm is pretty funny. This one was disjointed and a bit silly, but worth a look for fans of the series.
Infinite Crisis #7: "Finale": Funny that you never see Aquaman's left hand in the interior artwork in this one. Somebody didn't want to draw it, maybe. Or risk a coloring error on a book this big. As for the story... well, I'm underwhelmed again. It wasn't bad, per se, it just didn't feel like the universe altering book it was supposed to be. Maybe I'm off my rocker, but I like the multiverse and consider the DCU to be richer for it. So any event that tries, yet again, to get rid of it just seems like a stupid waste of time to me. Eh. Maybe 52 will make this series look better in retrospect.
JSA #85: "...The Living Must Answer!": You have to wonder how Courtney's first driving lesson turned out, if this one was better (did we see it and I just forgot it?). Again, I prefer the flashbacks to the main story. I would love a fantasy story set in old England. Ahem... back to the story. What's the deal with the ghost Batman? I hope it's explained, since I'm not sure I understand. In any case, a pretty good story which I hope is nearing its end.
Action Comics #838: "Powers and Abilities": I'm only continuing to get this because Kurt's writing it. Ok, and it's a good story. But if not for Kurt, I wouldn't be picking it up, most likely. Since I generally don't collect Superman stories. There are just too many. Anyway... back to this issue... I liked the ending. I knew Clark would eventually do this, I just didn't know when or how. I like the way it finally happened. And now, I just have to wonder what happens next.
Detective Comics #819: "Face the Face part 3 of 8": Very striking cover to this issue. Magpie isn't a character I'm familiar with, but Ventriloquist... I didn't expect that to happen to him. The back-up story doesn't do much for me, I thought Jason was in Birds or something. Not that I ever really knew who the guy was.
Civil War #1: "Part One of Seven": Got a chance to read this, and was not as underwhelmed as I expected to be. The set-up was effective, and the result is about what I'd expect to see if superheroes were real. Of course the government would try to regulate them, and it wouldn't be an entirely bad idea. It's strange, though, that it's a shift of the rules of comic books. You don't expect this to happen because that pulls away part of the mystique of the mask. And I'm not entirely sure Marvel will be able to pull it off.
Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere #7: "Chapter Seven": Richard faces the final ordeal, and it's about what you might expect. I can't imagine what the others might have faced had they had to do it, but Richard's ordeal worked very well in the context of the story. Of far more interest was the reveal at the end of the book, in which we find out who is pulling the strings of Croup and Vandemar.
10 May 2006
PS238 #16: ACK! The ending nearly made me cry. While the others were doing amazing things with their powers and working together in new and interesting ways... while they were having adventures... POOR AMBRIEL! Gah, Aaron Williams better be going somewhere with this one...
Truth, Justin and the American Way #2: Again, the art style just isn't my cuppa, so I'm wishing that somebody else was drawing this. The story is funny, the references are hilarious, and it's a neat book overall, but I'm just not fond of the artwork style.
52 Week One: "Golden Lads & Lasses Must...": While it's mostly an introduction to the characters who will be the focus of the series, I'll note that Aquaman and Mera appear in a panel, as does Lorena. There isn't a lot of big movement in this issue, just set-up for what will be happening next, which is about what you would expect from the first issue of a series like this. It does leave me curious about the next issue, but not terribly anxious to see it.
Superman #652: "Speeding Bullet": I like the Puzzler. And the rest of the villains Intergang sends out are an interesting bunch taken together. Fun fun fun! This one was just a ride. Sit back and enjoy it.
Ok, can't get caught up quite yet. I'll keep chugging away at them...
Great Aquaman Sighting
Leah found this great Aquaman appearance in the comic strip Grand Avenue (this link should work for 30 days).
