2012 End Of Week 21 - Books.

Greetings Friends,

I've finished three graphic novels this week. Check them out.

#14 (of 20) Cuba: My Revolution.

This book written by Inverna Lockpez may not be a biography, but it sure feels like one. Lockpez (who left Cuba herself in the sixties) weaves a dramatic tale of a seventeen year old girl living in Cuba. Sonya has two choices for a career: Art or Medicine. But when Fidel Castro's revolution takes over her beloved Cuba her choice is all but made for her. So Sonya puts art on the back burner to study medicine. Being behind the revolution Sonya is willing to give a little for the greater good of Cuba. But as the country and the people around her fall deeper and deeper into turmoil Sonya begins to realize that maybe this revolution isn't a good thing after all. 

This book (drawn by Dean Haspiel) reminds me Empire Of The Sun or Hotel Rwanda. This story, once again, shows people living their lives then their world is turned upside down by a government or new regime. It's a real page turner.      Highly recommended.

#15 (of 20) Fancy Froglin's Sexy Forest.

What can I say? James Kochalka has done it again. Fancy Froglin is another winner much in the vain of Super Fuckers. What is Fancy Froglin? He is a frog that lives in the woods. He breaks the fourth wall by talking to the readers. He shows you his bottom and tells you that you can spank it. Then he shakes it in his nice tight pants. He pants cause him to get a boner. This makes him so happy he goes for a walk in the woods to show his friends.

Okay that is enough of that. You have to read it for yourself. It is too funny. Twisted but funny.  

#16 (of 20) Officer Downe - Bigger Better Bastard Edition.

Officer Downe is the story of Terrence Downe a former by the book motor cycle cop. Now he is the police forces secret weapon. Through his back story you learn that he may not be your average cop (think Robo Cop). But is he in on it? 

The art chores are by one of my new favorites Chris Burnham (Batman Incorporated). His style reminds me of a (not quite as detailed) Geof Darrow. That's pretty high praise. Unfortunatly the story by Joe Casey had numberous dropped sequences and a flat hurried ending. Artwork: A, Story: C-.

Keep Reading Comics.

D.L.  

2012 - End Of week 21 - Comics

  Greetings Friends,

After my Dallas Comic Con weekend last week, I made up for lost time this week. Check out my comic book reading list.







#268. Ragemoor #3.
#269. Winter Soldier #5.

#270. Hero Comics 2012.

#271. The Bionic Man #9.

#272. Warlord of Mars - Dejah Thoris #12.

#273. All Star Western #9.

#274. Batman - The Dark Knight #9.

#275. The Manhattan Projects #3.

#276. True Blood #1.

#277. Captain America #12.

#278. B.P.R.D. - Hell on Earth - The Devil's Engine #1.

#279. Batwoman #9.

#280. Planet of the Apes #14.

#281. Steed and Mrs. Peel #5.

#282, The Secret Service #2.

#283. Saga #3.

#284. Dancer #1.
#285. The Avengers #26.
#286. Elephantmen #39.

#287.Fury Max #2.

#288. Big Numbers #1.

There was two big winners this week. First up: Fury Max #2. The Punisher Max team of Garth Ennis and Goran Parlov is really knocking this out of the park. Total Max. Totally Terrific! Secondly: Batman Incorporated by Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham. It's off to a good start story wise, but check out the art. It's the big winner.

Twenty one comics read this week. That's not bad. Only 212 to go on my challenge.

Keep Reading Comics.

D.L.

2012 - End Of Week 20 - Comics.

Greetings Friends,

I read a big two comics for this week. But I do have an excuse. I went to the Dallas Comic Con this weekend. Check out the next post for info on that.

#266. Nadir's Zenith #1.
#267. Justice League #9.

That's it.

K.R.C.

D.L.

Dallas Comic Con '12.

Greetings Friends,

It's been awhile.

Last week I hit the Dallas Comic Con. As usual it was held at the fantastic Irving Convention Center. The building was a brief home for thousands of fans there trying to get a glimpse of their favorite media guest or meet a comic book creator. There was also (always) a number of people in costume. If you were looking for deals there was no shortage of things to buy either. 

Unfortunately judging by the incredible amount of turn out the building maybe already too small for this event (Saturday was over-crowded big time). As I noted by three things. #1: the food for sale (not a food court on the floor) caused huge lines that ended up blocking a lot of the show floor. #2: The parking garage was full and people had to park in two adjoining fields. (that wasn't a big deal but I'm guessing that the garage size was based on how many people should be in the building). #3: It didn't help that the escalators all but gave up with the masses trying to gain access to floors three and four. I had to take the outside stairs and the inside stairwells a few times. 

The highlight of my convention experience this year was seeing Patrick Stewart and John De Lancie on stage together. A really cool time that was cut short by time constraints of Mr. Stewart's signing and getting Mr. De Lancie off stage early to make room for the next panel. That was ridiculous.

Even with a couple of negatives the show has a lot of positives. I bought quite a few cool books and saw a number of comic book and media guests.  I can always have a good time in Dallas.

Keep Reading Comics.

D.L.

2012 - End of Week 19 - Comics

Greetings Friends,

Free Comic Book Day has come and gone again. I went out as always and picked up quite a few of their offerings. Check them out. 

#227. FCBD Spider-Man Season One.

#228. FCBD Ride #0/Anti #0. 

#229. FCBD Buffy The Vampire Slayer/The Guild.
#230. FCBD Overstreet's Comic Book Marketplace.

#231. FCBD Top Shelf Kidsclub.

#232. FCBD Graphic Elvis.
#233. FCBD Atomic Robo.
#234. FCBD The Hypernaturals.
#235. FCBD The End Is Totally Nigh.
#236. FCBD World of Aspen 2012.

#237. FCBD The Stuff of Legend.

#238. FCBD Star Wars/Serenity.

#239. FCBD Yo Gabba Gabba.

#240. FCBD Image Sampler 2012.

#241. FCBD Dinosaurs vs. Aliens.

#242. FCBD The Infernal Devices.

#243. FCBD Bad Medicine #1.

#244. FCBD Donald Duck Family Comics.

#245. FCBD The Censored Howard Cruse.

#246. FCBD Bongo Comics Free-For-All! 2012/SpongeBob Comics Freestyle Funnies.

#247. FCBD The New 52!

#248. FCBD The Avengers Age Of Ultron 0.1.

#249. FCBD My Favorite Martian.

#250. FCBD Mouse Guard Labyrinth And Other Stories.

Wow! That was a lot of good (FREE) reading. On to my usual stack.

#251. The New Avengers #26.
#252. Fatale #5.
#253. Batman #9.
#254. Hell Yeah #3.
#255. Star Trek #8.
#256. Fury - My War Gone By #1.
#257. Lobster Johnson - The Burning Hand #5.
#258. Captain America #11.
#259. The Punisher #11.

#260. Trio #1.

#261. Epic Kill #1.

#262. Avengers - The Initiative #19.
#263. Justice League International #9.
#264. Mystery in Space (one-shot).

#265. Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #1.

Okay, I saved the best for last. If you didn't pick up the new Frankenstein book by Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson (!) run don't walk to your nearest comic book store and grab it. The story is off to a good start true, but the artwork is some of Wrightson's best in years.  

Well that was a big week for reading. Only 235 comics left to read in my challenge.


K.R.C.

D.L.          

2012 - End of Week 18 - Books.

Greetings Friends,

I read two more books and a graphic novel this week. Check them out.

Book #11 (of 12) The Death-Ray by Daniel Clowes.

The Death-Ray is just like many of Dan Clowes books. And I mean that in a good way. This book starts out in the present (2004). We meet Andy a middle age man who tells his story in flash backs from when he was a geeky teen. We also meet his friend Louie and his pretend girlfriend Dusty. During the story Andy gets his death-ray. He also goes on patrol to protect innocents on the street. Does the his death-ray work? Oh yeah. Too well.

This is another terrific book by Dan Clowes. Once again he uses nice page/panel lay out but, not as many art styles used as we're used to. The coloring choices are nice also. If you like his other books: Wilson, Mister Wonderful and the like give it a shot.

Book #12 (of 12) Fear Agent vol.5 I Against I.

Okay, I really liked Fear Agent in the past. But this arc didn't really do it for me. In this arc we find our hero Heath Huston on an alien planet. This leads him to town - an old west town (cowboy town). In town he runs into Charlotte. How could she be here? As the story moves along we realize that there are two Heaths. A good Heath and bad. We also find out that our (good) Heath is the clone. What? That's weird.

The story was just okay. But the art by Tony Moore was really good (as always).

Graphic Novel #13 (of 20) Afrodisiac by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca.

What is Afrodisiac? He's a man. A man of the streets. He beds women, fights a would be super villain, stands up to an alien invasion, tag team wrestled with Tricky Dick (Nixon) in the past, and even played checkers against God. One of the funniest chapters has Afrodisiac kicking Hercules ass in a bar fight.

With fake covers included, this story is told in many chapters that are (short) comic books. The artwork (at times) has a nice 70's era Marvel Comics feel to it. Much fun to be had. Give it a shot.            

Keep Reading Comics.

D.L.

2012 - End of Week 18 - Comics.

Greetings Friends,

I read a few more comics this week. Check them out.



First of all, I read the fourteen issues that make up The Twelve. Even though the book was on hiatus for four years, I picked up the last four issues (9-12) when they finally shipped. Most of the time the writer doesn't (for me) stick the landing. However, J. Micheal Straczynski certainly did here. Well done. Chris Weston's art was of course wonderful.



  
#207. The Twelve #1.
#208. The Twelve #2.

#209. The Twelve #3.

#210. The Twelve #4.

#211. The Twelve #5.

#212. The Twelve #6.

#213. The Twelve #7.

#214. The Twelve #8.

#215. The Twelve #9.

#216. The Twelve #10.

#217. The Twelve #11.

#218. The Twelve #12.

#219. The Twelve #1/2.
#220. The Twelve - The Spearhead (one-shot).
#221. Blue Estate #11.
#222. Worlds' Finest #1.
#223. The Bulletproof Coffin - Disinterred #4.
#224. X-O Manowar #1. YES!
#225. Earth 2 #1.
#226. Detective Comics #9.

Twenty comic books total. That's not too bad.

Keep Reading Comics.

D.L.