Worst Things About Comics 2004

I normally try not to dwell on the negative, but there were some unpleasant moments or events in comics that need to be recalled in order to cleanse the palette in anticipation for 2005. Here is a list of things that happened that made me question my many years of loyalty and support.

1. Liberty Meadows was not regularly published this year. I love Liberty Meadows and I think Frank Cho is one of the nicest, most talented guys in the business. I am not dissing the man or his creations, just the lack of availability of the product. Please Frank, more Liberty Meadows in 2005!!

2. Rob Liefeld still having a place in comics. He is egotistical, callous, pretentious, and worse yet willing to demean his fellow talent, but still has the balls to toot his own horn everywhere he goes. I refuse to buy any product associated with this guy, because I don't want to perpetuate his own high opinion of himself. I have never been a fan of his artwork, and the way with which he has conducted himself as a businessman further alienates me. If I didn't complete my goals and tasks, I wouldn't have a job. Neither should he.

3. The Catwoman movie. Don't take liberties with a character and think Halle Berry's hot bod will compensate.

4. The death of Julius Schwartz. The legendary DC Editor helped to guide the DCU through some of the best loved work done ever. He will always live on through the characters and the body of work, but we will always miss him.

5. Ben Raab on Green Lantern. I quit reading the book for the first time in over ten years because I couldn't stand the tales being told. If it weren't for Ron Marz' return to finish the title, I probably still wouldn't be reading it. I also blame his lackluster storytelling for playing a part in Kyle's decline and Hal's rise at the end of this year.

6. The death of Cross Gen. Never have I seen the likes of Mark Alessi, and I hope he doesn't come back to comics. He is a calculating businessman who separated his assets from Cross Gen's future and bailed on his employees when the going got tough by not paying them what they were owed. He tried to get too big too fast and ignored the warning signs that spelled disaster. I have read the documents, he let the company go, while saving his own hide. The incredible talent he had was stuck with no money and bills that went unpaid while the legal meanderings hid the truth from the fans. Good riddance Alessi.

7. Avengers disassembled. I love Bendis. I hated this. Making the Scarlet Witch a villain and killing off Hawkeye made my head hurt. Making She Hulk go nuts wasn't a favorite either. If you don't make New Avengers the coolest thing since sliced bread, I will be very disappointed!

8. Kevin Smith and Joe Quesada not finishing high profile projects. Daredevil: Father and Spider-Man/Black Cat are damn near lost to memory, and I will be doing my part by not buying any new issues that may come out eventually. If you don't have the time, don't do these books! Stick to what you do best and what pays you, not what you think will feed your ego!

9. Identity Disc. Talk about the height of arrogance. This is a lukewarm book with a name that some preening ass put on it. Next time, don't believe your own hype, Marvel.

10. Alpha Flight sucking the intelligence out of my brain. This book was so bad I couldn't even read it a second time. That NEVER happens. Nuff said.

Hope you don't think I have lost my mind with the above rant, but I had to get it off my chest. Somethings can't be ignored and definitely shouldn't be given any credibility if they don't deserve it. As much as I am crossing my fingers for perfection in 2005, I am sure there will be new things to challenge and annoy me.

Tomorrow: The Good, The Great, and The Impressive!

New Comics for December 29

Hey there, I am back from Christmas! It was a hectic three days of parties, but was worth seeing treasured family and friends. My best gift was a paper shredder, and Jim got an ebay gift certificate. We especially enjoyed watching our two nephews enjoy the holiday - we tried to look through their eyes.

The Diamond List promises oodles of goodies this week. Here is a sampling of what I am picking up.

Adam Strange #4
Batgirl #59 - I am really enjoying the move to Bludhaven
Batman #635
JSA Strange Adventures #5
Legion of Super Heroes #1 - I can't wait to see Waid and Kitson's take
Razors Edge Warblade #3
Superman #212
Superman Batman #16 - the coolest storyline going
Teen Titans #19 - the second coolest storyline going!
Invincible #18
Wildguard Fire Power
Amazing Spider-Man #515
Exiles #57 - my last issue
Iron Man #2
Strange #3
Supreme Power #14 - lots of Straczynski goodness this week!
Ultimate Fantastic Four #14
Ultimate Nightmare #4
ALL the What If's

I can hardly wait! I will attempt to do a year end round up at the end of this week, highlighting the good, the bad, and the downright strange.

Take care!

Taking off Christmas Weekend

Hey there! Just wanted to let you know I am taking off Christmas weekend but will be back next week.

I want to wish you and yours a wonderful holiday! Be safe and healthy!

Heidi

Garth Ennis Makes Maxim!

Hey there, I was just reading the new January 2005 issue of Maxim magazine with Eva Longoria on the cover. On page 61, there is a kick ass interview with Garth Ennis. It is titled "The Man Behind The Skull", and is pretty funny.

Evidently they interviewed him to coincide with the release of the new Punisher video game which received high marks from Maxim.

Give it a look if you get a chance. As a female Maxim reader, I can say that I find the magazine much more interesting then the schlock I read in Cosmo! You can't beat an interview with Ennis- you know we would never find that in a chick's magazine. Grant Morrison maybe (in his underpants), Ennis, no way!

Take care all!

New Comics for December 22

Wow, it is close to Christmas! Here is my list of books for the week. Hopefully it doesn't break the bank with all the dough Jim and I have been spending on friends and family!

Conan #11
Authority Revolution #3 - a make or break issue for me
Catwoman When In Rome #3
Green Arrow #45
Green Lantern Rebirth #3
JLA Classified #2
Manhunter #5 - a really underrated title
Witching #7
Wonder Woman #211 - the aftermath of the Medousa fight
Astonishing X-Men #7
Black Widow #4
Excalibur #8 - another make or break issue
New Thunderbolts #3
Punisher Red Xmas - Carl, this ones for you! A must read!
Rogue #6
Ultimate Elektra #5
Wolverine #23
X-Men #165
Queen & Country #28

AND of COURSE... Wizard so I can get my monthly spoilers before the issues come out .

Whew! What a week!

Take care all! Tomorrow is the shortest day of the year so it only gets better from here on out!

Not Another Christmas Party!

Tonight Jim and I have another Christmas party! This time it is for his work, so we will be going soon to that. Last night we had our friends over for a gift exchange, and though it was an absolute blast, it leaves little time to regroup and reclaim sanity.

I can hardly believe Christmas is this Saturday. Time has gone so fast this month and I am so behind on my comic book reading! I am hoping that after the holidays I can get caught up and blog more regularly. I am really sorry I haven't had a lot to say lately.

Happy Sunday to all of you! I hope you are all keeping up on the Christmas fast track.

P.S. I did a new review of Birds of Prey #77 at 4 Color Review. Give it a look if you get a chance.

Busy Holiday Season

Crap it has been busy. I won't be able to blog anything other then have a great day!

Take care all!

Identity Crisis #7 - I need an aspirin

I just got done reading Identity Crisis #7. What a mind bender. I can see why it ends like it does, but I really think I need to read the entire mini-series to put it all in perspective.

I liked it but feel let down and vacant. It is so not what I was expecting!

Anyone else have any thoughts? Carl?

Take care all! I am off to make some dinner.

Comics for December 15

Wow, this month has gone so fast! I can hardly believe it is almost half over. I printed out the Diamond Pull list, and it is a good one. Here is a list of my stash.

Adventures of Superman #635
Batman Gotham Knights #60
Birds of Prey #77 - I love Lady Blackhawk as a recurring character!
Catwoman #38
Hawkman #35
Identity Crisis #7 - Woo hoo! I can hardly wait to see how Meltzer finishes it off
Justice League Elite #6 - why I am getting this is beyond me. It is schlock.
Robin #133
Tomb Raider #58
Ultra #5 - an excellent read
Witchblade #81
Daredevil #68
Exiles #56 - probably my last issue. I can't stand the new writing
Fantastic Four #521
Ultimate Spider-man #71
Worldwatch #3

Take care all! I can hardly wait until Wednesday to get the discussions going about Identity Crisis!

Christmas and Inventory

It has been absolutely crazy this weekend. Friday and Saturday I had inventory at my company. I worked 12 hours Friday and 16 hours yesterday. I was pretty much toast when I got home last night. Today I had to go in for an hour and a half, but I got that out of the way so I could spend the rest of my day wrapping presents and doing Christmas cards.

I just finished our Christmas letter and got all the cards addressed, so now all we have to do is stuff envelopes. After we do that we are going to wrap all of Jim's families presents so we can get them in UPS tomorrow. They live in Delaware so it is a six day UPS shipment.

Otherwise, I have read three comics. I read Angeltown 2, Action Comics 822 and Powers 7. I enjoyed all of them, even though I was put off by the way Powers is ignoring the Deena powers plot. The only thing I can think is that he is building up to it. Otherwise, I liked the second issue of Angeltown better then the first, as this issue is where a great deal of plot building occurred. Action Comics was a great read for the tension between Lois and Lana. Great stuff.

It is back to the grind stone, but I wanted to check in. Take care all! Tomorrow should be new comic book checklist.

No New Comics?

Crap on a stick! We didn't get our comics today because of a UPS shipping glitch. I am pretty bummed out, as is my hubby. To top it off, there is only a repeat of Smallville, not a new episode, so I am reduced to pulling old books out of one of my long boxes.

Oh well, it still beats Christmas shopping!

Take care!

Working Out with a Trainer

Tonight was the first time I have ever worked out with a personal trainer. It was pretty cool, as Rob was able to check my form and make sure I was breathing right. I joined Golds Gym in mid-November and part of the sign up is getting two full personal training sessions. I had no idea what to expect, and am pleasantly surprised. He was able to tell me how I need to train to achieve the goals I am looking for. He also gave me core exercises that I can do when I am in a hurry.

I am going to enter the Golds Gym fitness contest in January, because I am sick of being slightly overweight. Also, I need stress release in a major way, and this is as good as it gets. To top it off, I achieve cardio fitness, and hopefully keep my arteries flowing with perfect synchronicity. My biggest problem has always been overeating rather then exercising, so that will be the biggest challenge to overcome.

As I gear up for this, I may have thoughts from time to time. It is sure to be pretty time consuming, but I know the longterm goal will be worth it. My co-worker actually won the contest four years ago, and is very supportive, which is super helpful.

On a final note, tomorrow is comic book day, so I am pretty psyched. I am also glad it is hump day as this has been the week from Hell!

Take care all!

New Comics For December 8

Hey there! I just printed out the Diamond List, and here is my weekly dose of comic book goodness.

Samurai Heaven & Earth #1 - New Ron Marz series
100 Bullets #56 - great reading material
Action Comics #822
Angeltown #2
Aquaman #25 - a deciding issue for me
Fables #32
Gotham Central #26
JLA #109
JSA #68
Nightwing #100 - Nightwing versus Tarantula for all the marbles
Noble Causes #5
Rising Stars #23 - woo hoo!
Bullseye Greatest Hits #4
District X #8
Doctor Spectrum #4
Emma Frost #18 - final issue of the series, which is too bad
Hulk & Thing Hard Knocks #4
Marvel Knights 4 #13
Powers #7 - I am really looking forward to it
The Punisher #15
She Hulk #10 - one of the coolest books out there
X-Men The End #6

It is quite the list, so I should be one happy lady! Take care all!

What A Mess!

I blogged on Thursday, and it didn't stick. On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I couldn't get into blog. I am extremely dismayed by this.

I had a great post about Comic Book Holiday Specials that is gone. Sigh.

At any rate, I hope you all had a great weekend! I did a review of Deadshot #1 over at 4 Color Review. If you get a chance, check it out.

I will keep my fingers crossed that the blog is working tonight so that I can put up my weekly new stuff.

Take care!

New Comics for December 1

I just got the weekly print out of new comics from Diamond online. It isn't as ugly as some of the past weeks, but there are some gems in there.

My stash is as follows:

Deadshot #1 (the preview looked hilarious)
Fallen Angel #18
Outsiders #18
Superman Batman #15 (totally excellent storyline)
Swamp Thing #10
Y The Last Man #29
Darkness #17
PVP #12
Exiles #55 (this is make or break for me- I haven't enjoyed Bedard's stuff here at all)
New Avengers #1 (out of curiosity)
Rogue #5
Ultimates Vol 2 #1 (this is a leap of faith for me- I hated how behind the book was last run)
Uncanny X-Men #453

Wednesday can't come soon enough!

Have a great day!

Invincible Review up at 4 Color Review

Hey, I just did a review on the great series Invincible over at 4 Color. If you are so inclined, give her a look.

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Have a great Saturday night! Jim and I rented White Chicks and Elf, so tonight if the night for lame humor at our house!

Powers- a little downer?

I just got done reading Powers #6 and was expecting to see Deena kick major butt. Instead, what I got was vague flashbacks. I am a little disappointed, but also am hoping that the vagueness is as much for our benefit as it is for Deena's co-workers. Having her manifest at the end of issue #5 was a huge shocker, so the ramifications are sure to be far reaching.

Sorry I have been out for a few days- I swear that having a vacation means catching up on all the things a person doesn't normally have time for! It has been hectic, and now vacation is almost over.

I am off to read the rest of my week's stash. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Jim and I spent the day going through the last year and a half of my new comics organizing it to go into my collection. Whew, what a job that was! It is 4 long boxes and 4 short boxes.

Take care all!

New Comics for November 24

I just printed out the Diamond Shipping list for November 24, and it is another exciting week. Thank god for my paycheck!

Adam Strange #3
Authority Revolution #2
Batgirl #58
Batman #634
Flash #216
Green Lantern Rebirth #2
Razors Edge Warblade #2
Superman #211
Witching #6
Invincible #17
Amazing Spider-man #514
Black Widow #3
Daredevil #67
Excalibur #7
Powers #6
Supreme Powers #13
Ultimate Elektra #4
Ultimate Fantastic Four #13
Tarot Witch of the Black Rose #29

Should be a great week for reading, now if I could only get last week's stuff read!

Things I'm Thankful For Part II

I can hardly believe how lucky and blessed Jim and I are. Today we both received gift certificates to Safeway from our bosses for Thanksgiving. We were able to go and get a great dinner for Thursday and also get our groceries for the week. How wonderful is that? We are both very thankful and appreciative.

Seeing that it is Thanksgiving week, I thought I would revisit my post of things I am thankful for by adding some new ones.

1. I am thankful to be gainfully employed for 15 years at a place I have been able to thrive. In today's society it is rare to be able to make a career out of a job, but I have been lucky enough to do so at mine. Don't get me wrong, I work my ass off and am very loyal and dependable, so it is partially by my efforts, but still- to have a reciprocal relationship at a place of employment like that is a valuable thing. Because of my job security and efforts I can pay our mortgage and have some of the things I want. For this, I am very thankful.

2. I have a close knit group of relatives. On both sides of my family, I am the first grandchild, so I have always been surrounded by loved ones on holidays and major events in my life. From my grandparents to my cousins, I have always felt loved and supported. To this day my family on both sides get together for the holidays and go to each other's events. Even though Jim and I don't live close, we still go and visit and spend quality time with family. If I could wish one thing, it would be that we lived closer to Jim's family so we could do the same thing with them.

3. I am thankful to live in America. Nuff said.

Take care all and have a great evening!

P.S. Jim and I just found out his sister had a baby girl named Carly, so we are especially blessed.

New Review at 4CR

I just did a review of Wonder Woman #210 at 4 Color Review. It is a great issue that will surely have repercussions for a long time in the title.

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Hopefully I will have quick shots up all during this week. Jim and I have the week off work, so we are going to try and get some stuff done around the house and then catch up on our blogs.

Take care all!

Working out is Good for you!

After a sporadic couple of months working out, I was finally able to go get a two hour workout yesterday. Man, nothing makes me less irritable then two hours of getting my aggressions out in the gym.

The thing that sucks is that today I am sore as hell. Normally I don't get very sore after a workout because I have been doing it consistently all my life, but from being sick last month to the drama I have had a work recently, I haven't worked out at a normal pace. That changes as of now.

So as to not seem like a vain person, the biggest reasons I work out are:

1. To get out my aggressions so I am not homicidal.
2. To fight my genetic disposition of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.

It the end result is a slimmer, healthier body, then that is good for me. I really encourage everyone to get some form of exercise at least three times a week even if it is just going for a walk. Don't overdo it either, just find a happy medium.

At any rate, it was nice to get back to working out. I have got to keep the osteoporosis at bay with weight lifting, and keep the pounds off with aerobic activity. It is a never ending cycle. When I see obese people, the first thing I want to do is help them find a happy medium in their life. It is so easy in our society to get fatter and fatter, with all the great food there is to eat, and the high stress level so many of us live our lives under. That is where self control and exercise come in.

I don't claim to be thin, but I do claim to be much happier and saner when I am working out and thinner then when I am heavier. I am a life long yo-yo dieter who has to watch every bite they put in their mouths, so I understand the struggle.

Now that I went and got up on my soap box, I will now take a bow and get the hell off it.

Happy Sunday all!

New Stuff for November 17

I had another massive comic book week this week. God help my wallet!

Here is a taste:

Wonder Woman #210
Ultra #4
Teen Titans #18
Robin #132 - War Games aftermath? Identity Crisis aftermath?
The Pulse #6 - Secret War tie-in
Superman/Batman #14
She-Hulk #9
Ultimate X-Men #53
X-Men #164
Woverine #22 - part 3 of Enemy of the State
Fantastic Four #520
Birds of Prey #76
Ultimate Spider-Man #69
Captain America #1
Catwoman #37
Adventures of Superman #634
Batman Gotham Knights #59 - more War Games fallout
JLA #108
Hawkman #34
Manhunter #4
JSA Strange Adventures #4
Terra Obscura Vol. 2 #4
The Punisher #14
Conan #10

Whew! What a list! I am off to do some serious reading. I hope to have some quick shot reviews for you tomorrow. Take care!

New Artist Alert

I forgot to mention in my convention report that there was a great new emerging artist at the Seattle event. His name is Greg Scott Bailey and he has his own concept in a comic called Mocktales. If you get a chance, check out his website at www.mocktales.com.

He did an excellent Kyle Rayner sketch for my hubby last con, and at this one he did an incredible Batman sketch for my hubby's friend. I will figure out how to insert art next week and show it off.

Greg is a nice guy, and very congenial. He has a professional attitude and a friendly smile. I hope to see more of his work in the future.

Seattle Comicard Show Round up

My husband Jim and I arrived at the Seattle Con around 8:30 a.m. expecting to get in line to see the Aspen Comics crew. To our surprise, we were first in line. We were sure there was going to be a crush of people that had gotten there early to see comic artist demi-god Michael Turner in the flesh. No such deal. Even luckier, one of our friends was there as a retailer, so we were allowed to go in early and hang out with them. We kept an eye out for a line, and it really didn't start to build until around 9:30. It really wasn't a much bigger line then we have seen in the past.

As people started filtering in, the Aspen creators, accompanied by their business manager/VP Frank set up shop. By the time Turner and company started signing it was approximately 9:20. The line was long, and full of signing whores (definition: people with more then 40 books). Much to Jim and my disgust, we waited a good 45 minutes and we were pretty far up in the line! I couldn't believe the amount of comic books these people wanted signed. I told Jim if we looked on ebay Monday, there would probably be a glut. A specific guy had around 50 copies of Darkchylde comics that he had Jason Gorder sign. To top it off, he had another 50 for Turner and Peter Steigerwald. He bragged to anyone who would listen that he would have to make at least another two to three trips in line to get all the books he had brought signed. I really loathe people like that!

As we swallowed our irritation, we were given the opportunity to look at signed prints and original art. The prints were $40 for one, $60 for two, and four for $100. Yikes! Lest that be distressing, the original art started at $100, and that was for a Wally West Flash head shot. One customer bought a sketch of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman for $9500. It was a sketch mind you, nothing special. All I could think was that I could pay my mortgage for more then a year with that kind of dough! No wonder the Aspen guys could afford to stay at the Edgewater Inn and bring their business guy.

At any rate, we got our three books apiece signed and moved on quickly since the line was so long. I asked Turner what he had coming down the pipeline and he said he plans to focus on Soulfire for the time being, but is in negotiations with both Marvel and DC for future possible projects. Sounds like Turner, Gorder and Steigerwald won't be looking for work any time soon, as the opportunites are plenty. They were all nice and very polite, with Steigerwald giving his standard brag about his drinking ability. I believe you Peter!

Meanwhile, the line for Turner stayed incredibly long until about 2 p.m. when things just kind of died. Since we left before the end of the show, I don't know if things picked up or not. It was definitely a good crowd for book signing, but not a great buying crowd.

After the thrill of getting books signed, it was time for some serious shopping. I picked up Justice League of America issues. I got the following from the first series: 11, 30, 37, 49, and 56. This filled several holes for me, and I was especially pleased with their condition. Jim and I spent most of our money at Richard and John's booth again. They are easily the most intelligent business guys in the place, starting with fair prices and a good attitude. Most of the other dealers there started at double guide, which is really condescending.

Otherwise, I bought all the Strangers In Paradise issues that weren't in the trade paperbacks, and got a few Liberty Meadows back issues. Jim bought me a Superman Family and an Adventure Comics book featuring Supergirl. I can hardly wait to sit down and read them all!

Here is the scoop of the day. We were able to talk to Jim Demonakos, who runs the Emerald City Con, and he didn't deny the rumors that Wizard World is in talks to buy out the con. In fact, in my opinion, next year, it will be Wizard World Northwest. Good for Jim for bringing such a spotlight on the fantastic show he created! I know that my hubby and I fully intend to be at the 2005 Emerald City Con in full force on February 5 & 6, 2005.

It was a nice day, other then parts of the drive back over the mountains being a bit treacherous. We really enjoy being able to go over the night before and relax. We were able to go to our favorite comic book shop The Dreaming over on University Way. I got a couple of Wildcats trades and some Alan Moore Swamp Things. Very cool.

I don't know yet when the next Seattle Comicard show will be, but chances are that I will be there with bells on. Steve Miner puts on a great show for fans and collectors. I was able to get a picture of him and the Aspen Comics crew. If I can ever take time to figure out how to insert pictures I will be sure to put it up here.

I would give the show itself a 7 out of 10, the creators a 6 1/2 out of 10, and the comics we picked up an 8 out of 10. Being able to spend the day with my handsome husband didn't hurt either.

Back from Seattle Comicard!

Jim and I both tried to blog last night when we got back from the Seattle Comicard Convention, but things in cyberspace were not cooperating, so we are going to attempt a full report after work tonight.

Stay tuned for a full report and a little juicy gossip about the Emerald City Comicon!

Happy Monday All!

Seattle Comicard Show TOMORROW!

Just a reminder that the Seattle show is tomorrow, November 14 at the Seattle Center. Jim and I will be there with bells on to meet the Aspen Comics crew, including Michael Turner.

I will be wearing my 4 Color Review shirt and Jim will be sporting a Kyle Rayner GL shirt. If you see us, come by and say "hi". We will be the slightly middle aged but not too homely folks running around there.

Take care all!

Iron Man Money Concerns

Last night I read Iron Man #1 written by Warren Ellis. I have got to say it was definitely an Ellis story, complete with the quirks that make his writing so compelling. From Tony's weird behavior, to a creepy new storyline, the book is firing on all cylinders. I will pick up issue two for sure.

I have just one question. In Avengers Finale, Tony was too poor as a result of the events in Disassembled to fund the team anymore, correct? Why in his own title is he living like the richest man on earth? He has his private jet, and the money to transport his fancy "sports car" around, but he can't afford to build a new headquarters?

I understand the stock market and it's ramifications. I also understand that most corporations are top heavy, paying their top executives crazy amounts of money. I can see the points of both titles. I just don't see a sense of continuity.

Any opinions?

Tomb Raider Review on 4 Color

Happy Friday! I just did a full review of Tomb Raider #47 over at 4 Color Review. If you have a chance give it a look!

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Have a great evening!

Quick Shot Reviews

Identity Crisis #6 (of 7): Well, we find out who the killer is in this issue. Somehow the way it goes down is startlingly anticlimatic, so I am really hoping for issue 7 to slam things home. I have read Brad Meltzer's novels and think he is an excellent writer, so I am keeping the faith that he is going to pull out all the stops for us readers. Also, he is a longtime JLA fan, so I am taking into consideration that he won't beat the crap out of continuity. As to why the person who is taking lives did this, God only knows.

JSA #67: An Identity Crisis tie in that finds Mr. Terrific and Doctor Midnite doing Sue Dibny's autopsy while the rest of the team reflects on their personal lives. I especially enjoyed the Power Girl-Superman interlude. I have to give Geoff Johns a great deal of credit for rejuvenating the Justice Society while holding them true to their roots. This is a must read book month after month for me.

Avengers Finale: This issue took the sting out of Avengers #503 for me. I was pissed last week after reading it, and this book gave me a sense of closure. Though I am not thrilled with the deaths of Hawkeye and Antman, and am iritated by Scarlet Witch's transformation, I am willing to try and trust Brian Michael Bendis to make things interesting. I wouldn't be as open to the idea of rebooting the team if Bendis wasn't on board.

Nightwing #99: Dick Grayson learns the end results of War Games and is less then thrilled to say the least. The high emotional tone of the issue keeps it from becoming just another recap. I am really looking forward to issue 100 to see resolution of the Tarantula/Nightwing relationship. I am also crossing my fingers that Dick doesn't bite it somehow in Identity Crisis or his 100th issue so I can continue to follow his adventures for years to come.

Those are the comics I have read twice. I hope to reread several more tonight so I can come back with more reviews. Have a great night!

Things I Am Thankful For - Part 1

With Thanksgiving around the corner, I think now is a good time to reflect on the things we should be thankful for. I know that there are many things I take for granted that are wonderful blessings in my life, and I am sure you could think of a few things as well. Here are a few things I am thankful for to start my list.

1. Good health and the use of all my body parts
My grandma had polio in the 1950's and is in a wheelchair. She has overcome a great deal of adversity in her life, and has maintained a positive Christian attitude. How lucky am I to be able to walk across the room to get a soda? How easy is it for me to go walk four miles and have energy for more? For this I am very thankful.

2. I still have a full set of Grandparents
I am 38 years old and still have both my grandpa and grandma around to share time with. Though they have some days that are better then others, the joy I get from their company is unparalleled. I was able to sit next to my grandfather Sunday for lunch, and it was some of the best quality conversation I have had for a long time. My grandparents are not only incredible people, but also set an example for me. They have been married 60 years and are going strong. One piece of advice they have given me is that fighting with your spouse is better then ignoring them. That way the problems couples encounter can come to the surface and be dealt with. For this advice, and many more things they have shared with me, I am very thankful.

3. I have a happy marriage
My husband Jim and I have an enviable marriage. Our love has deepened and matured into a wonderful union. We have respect for each other and communicate as much as possible. We also have a lot of common interests, including comic books. I like to spend time with Jim and treasure the days we can stay home together. I know he feels the same way about me as I feel about him and we tell each other we love the other several times a day- we can't help it. For my happy marriage, I am thankful.

This is a start to the list of things I am thankful for. There are so many things to be happy about, and it bothers me that so many people get stuck in the muck rather then enjoying what they have. I subscribe to the "pay it forward" theory of doing good deeds for others, even if it is just a matter of letting them pull out before me in a parking lot.

Sorry to be sappy, but I believe it is good to revisit the positive things rather then focus on the negative. Life is filled with enough adversity as it is.

Our Newest Blogger- My Husband!

Hey there, just wanted to let you all know that my very handsome husband Jim has started his own blog as of yesterday. It is called The Comic Asylum, and is his take on comics, being a retailer, and the industry in general. Jim is a very passionate guy so it should be hypnotic.

Here is a link:

http://thecomicasylum.blogspot.com/

It's pretty cool to have the whole husband and wife blogs going. It reminds me of when we both did reviews at 4 Color. I can hardly wait to see what he has to say!

New Comics This Week

Here is a smattering of the comics I am breathlessly awaiting arrival of this Wednesday, November 10.

100 Bullets #55
Action Comics #821
Angeltown #1 - New Vertigo series I am checking out
Aquaman #24
Fables #31- One of the coolest titles out there
Gotham Central #25- aftermath for GCPD from War Games
Green Arrow #44- Mia with HIV, probably more fallout
Identity Crisis #6 - Woo hoo!
JSA #67 - Identity Crisis tie-in
Nightwing #99
The Gift #8 - now at Image!
Avengers Finale #1
District X #7
Emma Frost #17
Marvel Knights 4 #12
Marvel Knights Spider-Man #8
New Thunderbolts #1
X-Men The End #5

It's going to be a mixed bag for sure! To top it off, Jim and I are going to have an Identity Crisis round table discussion at his friend's shop Friday night.

Happy Comics!

Blog World technical difficulties

Jeez, I haven't been able to get in here since Tuesday night for whatever technical reason! Finally this morning, the Gods of Blogworld saw fit to let me in. In the meantime, we have retained our president, got another week's worth of comics, and just generally made it through the work week.

To make matters more thrilling, I will be away from my computer for a couple of days. My nephews are having their joint birthday party, so Jim and I want to spend time with them as much as possible this weekend. Brooks just turned 11 and Brandon just turned 8. They are the coolest, best looking guys this side of the Rockies for sure! I am crossing my fingers we are able to take them to see The Incredibles, as I think it looks like a great movie for their age group.

Comic books wise, I have a review of Detective Comics 800 that will be up Sunday night at 4 Color Review. I also just wanted to say how much I love the Supergirl cover of Superman/Batman #13. I bought an extra copy for Michael Turner to sign at next weekend's Seattle Comicard Convention.

Because my mother said not to say anything about someone if you can't say anything nice, I won't bring up Avengers #503. I also won't say a thing about The Intimates #1.

Take care all and have a wonderful weekend!

Voting today

Today is the big day FINALLY. After watching advertisements on television until I was blue in the face, it is now time to go exercise our constitutional rights to vote!

Since I am on the West Coast, Jim and I are just now going out to vote. We consider it one of the most important things we can do. I hope all of you were able to get out there as well. No matter who you vote for, it is your right.

In a lighter note, tomorrow is new comic book day, so that is worth waking up for.

Take care all!

Wizard Avengers Cock-up

I read Wizard last Wednesday and accidently stumbled upon the Avengers spoilers. It was hard to miss, in my defense, since it was the first major story in the new issue.

At any rate, now when Avengers #503 comes out this Wednesday, there won't be any big surprise so I am bummed. I don't know if it is Marvel coming out a week late, or Wizard's exuberance to reveal the next big Bendis scoop, but it completely sucks.

That's my two cents.

Comics for November 6

This week brings a shorter list then last week, which is good for my pocket book. There are a lot of goodies coming our way. Some titles I am planning to pick up:

Catwoman When In Rome #2
Detective Comics #800 - fall out of War Games
Fallen Angel #17
Intimates #1 - to check out for review purposes if nothing else
JLA Classified #1- Grant Morrison rocks my world
Superman Batman #13- Finally! My hubby says he'll believe it when he sees it!
Swamp Thing #9
Rising Stars #22- I can't even remember the story- guess what I'll be pulling out of my long box tonight?
Witchblade #80- Ron Marz comes on board and there are three incredible covers!
Astonishing X-Men #6- the end of the first incredible story arc
Avengers #503- already spoiled for me, thanks Wizard
Hulk & Thing Hard Knocks #3- love Jae Lee's art!
The Punisher #13
Ultimate Fantastic Four #12
Ultimate Spider-Man #68
Uncanny X-Men #452- loving Alan Davis' art!

What a great week this is going to be!

Seattle Con Reminder

Hey, anyone who is going to be in the Seattle area on November 14, the Seattle Comicard Convention will be held at the Northwest Rooms in the Seattle Center. Special guests are the Aspen Crew- Michael Turner, Peter Steigerwald, and Jason Gorder. It starts at 10 a.m and ends at 5 p.m.

Jim and I are planning to attend, so let me know if you are going to be there. Maybe we can meet and wait in line together!!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all of you! Jim and I are spending the day at home awaiting any trick or treaters, and getting caught up on our comic book reading. We are also really appreciating Daylights Savings Time and the extra hour of sleep we got last night.

Take care all and Happy Halloween!

Quick Shot Reviews

I read some titles that I wanted to point out this week.

Solo #1: Tim Sale
Man, what an incredible look at a great talent. The pricey book at $4.95 featured stories written by Jeph Loeb, Diana Schutz, and Brian Azzarello and illustrated by above mentioned Sale. The book is filled with touching tale after the other. If you want to treat yourself, go pick this up and give it a look.

Wonder Woman #209
The fight for the embassy between Medousa and Wonder Woman takes place in this issue. Greg Rucka has the meter turned up to gut wrenching here, and the main battle hasn't even went down yet. Next issue it's Medousa vs the Amazon Princess for all the peanuts.

Strangers in Paradise #69
A turning point issue, with focuses on Francine, Katchoo, and Casey. This book never ceases to touch me, no matter what mood I am when I pick it up. Here is my plea: If you have never read Strangers in Paradise, run out and grab a trade or a pocketbook edition. It is worth the price of admission and then some.

Catwoman #36 and Batman #633
The end of the War Games drama. Between the events here and over in Identity Crisis, I am fascinated to see what shakes out, especially with Tim Drake. The inevitable and unthinkable happens, as Batman sacrifices another member to the war against crime.

Birds of Prey #75
Heading off into a totally new direction after the events in said above War Games drama, the Birds have a new, more global agenda. How this will affect the book's popularity is anyone's guess.

The Flash #215
Holy Crap! It's an Identity Crisis tie in. Actually, this is a particularly compelling story, with Wally facing up to his Uncle Barry's actions. How this goes down next issue, is anyone's guess.

Green Lantern: Rebirth #1
I refuse to say anything about this issue, lest the HEATer's find me and make my life hell.

X-Men #163
This book is rudderless with Austen ending his run next issue. Larroca's art is the consistent piece of the puzzle.

I have several more titles to read this week, so I am off to go relax and catch up.

New Review at 4CR

I read an incredible new title called Razor's Edge: Warblade #1 this weekend. I have a review for it up at 4 Colorreview. Give it a look if you get a chance.

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Halloween Party tonight

Tonight is my hubby and mine's annual Halloween Party. We invite over a dozen friends each year for a night of fun and scary movies. I am currently in the process of cooking hamburger and chicken for use in homemade nachos. Hopefully they will turn out great. We also all dress up, and usually end up playing some kind of trivia game.

This week's comics were exceptionally good, and I will have a report on some of my favorites tomorrow, unless I have too much fun. We are having strawberry margaritas and bahama mamas with the food! My husband doesn't drink, so he keeps track of people to make sure they are okay to drive home. Otherwise, he takes their keys and makes them sleep over.

Take care all and have a great Saturday night!

Halloween Party last night at the Comic shop

Last night the comic shop my husband works for, Ron's Coin & Book, held a comic book appreciation night with a costume contest. In past events they have had anywhere from 15 to 25 people, but last night was exceptional, as there were around 44 customers and friends that attended.

Artist Clayton Crain, who drew a story arc of Darkness, the Venom Vs. Carnage mini-series, and Top Cow's Tom Judge maxi-series Universe, was there. He was extremely gracious, spending time with fans talking and telling antecdotes. He also did a sketch that was given to the winner of the art contest. My husband's high point was that Clayton did a Kyle Rayner sketch for him, which I hope to post sometime in the next few days.

There were only six people that dressed up for the costume contest, and two were cute little girls who wore bunny suits. I was disapointed at the lack of participation, but am thinking that maybe people were worried they would be the only one. The winner wore a Kitty Pryde Shadowcat outfit that was outstanding. The really impressive thing is that she sewed it and put it together in one afternoon. Too cool. Her partner in crime came dressed as former Generation X member Chamber. Rounding out the group was myself dressed as "Super Wife" and Jim's buddy Corey dressed as Captain Kirk. He had it down pat, right to the boots!

It was a fun evening which I hope becomes an annual event. Any chance to get the comic fans in town together is always a blast. There was a trivia contest that my husband created, and there was a great art contest.

Do any of your local shops do anything like this?

Happy Friday All!

Halloween Excitement

This Saturday my hubby and I are throwing a Halloween party for our friends. (I am desperately hoping to feel better by then)

We like to dress up in costumes, eat good food, and drink a few beverages. I am planning on making nachos and margaritas to start. I also want to make an orange sherbert punch. Of course, there has to be desserts like cookies and pie!

Jim is going to dress up as a Girls Gone Wild cameraman and I am going to be a drunken college girl. Should be funny, except there won't be any flashing!!

What are all of you doing?

Comics for October 27

Man, what a list for this week! It will be a big one, but a good one as well. The following is my list of must-haves.

Adam Strange #2
Aquaman #23
Authority: Revolution #1
Batman #633 & Catwoman #36- end of War Games!
Birds of Prey #75 - Happy Anniversary!
Flash #215
Green Lantern Rebirth #1 - the book I am dreading for the repercussions of it all
JLA #107- Busiek's run starts here!
Outsiders #17
Superman #210- hopefully I start understanding the story soon...
WE3 #2- Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly genius
Wonder Woman #209- end of this story arc
Amazing Spider-Man #513- praying for a big payoff
Black Widow #2
Daredevil #66
Excalibur #6- praying for this to make sense
Strange #2
Ultimate Elektra #3
Wolverine #21
X-Men #163

I am STILL sick, and now have added a bladder infection to the deal. I am praying and crossing my fingers that this madness ends any time soon, as I hate being sick.

Take care All!

Identity Crisis Theories

Hey All, thank you for the get well wishes. I am finally to the stage in my bronchitis where everything is breaking up, so hopefully rest this weekend will get me there.

I sat and reread the five Identity Crisis issues that are out. I also had a great discussion last night with a friend on some theories. These are some guesses towards the conclusion.

Potential Spoilers- don't go further if you haven't read this!

1. Events of issues five and six send Batman over the edge and he quits. In his absence, Dick (Nightwing) must take over the Bat cape. This sends newly orphaned Tim and his mentor Batgirl to Bludhaven for intensive training while Dick does his best Batman impression.

2. Nightwing and/or Alfred bite it, so Batman loses it and kills, or quite possibly, goes crazy.

3. The Suicide Squad are sick and tired of being seen as underachievers that are used at the government's whim, so they decide to make a statement by killing the super heroes' loved ones. Using technology from Cassandra (Oracle's) tenure there, they are back dooring her system and honing in on the most powerful and the minor league heroes to throw things off.

4. Look back at the first part of issue one. Clark and his parents are featured, as is Dick and Starfire. Also featured is Black Lightning and Katana and Tim and his dad. This can't be coincidence. Tim has seen his father's fate, so who is to say that the other heroes featured aren't next?

5. The villains kill Clark's parents, sending Superman over the edge. This is a wildcard, but after seeing them featured so prominently throughout, this wouldn't be a coincidence.

Any one else have any theories? At one of our local comic shops, we are going to have Identity Crisis discussion groups each Friday after the issue comes out. Should be pretty fun.

Thank you again for the well wishes. I am feeling way better then I did last week at this time. Amazingly I didn't miss any work, but I am sure that didn't speed my recovery.

Bronchitis = Bad

Hey there, just checking in. My lovely doctor told me I have bronchitis so I am laying low. I am trying to not work more then eight hours a day until I can get some relief.

That doesn't stop me, of course, from being very interested to see Identity Crisis #5 tomorrow. My hubby and I were talking about it last night, and we are thinking either Jack Drake or Nightwing gets it. We get this impression from looking at DC Comics previews for January online.

Any thoughts? I am off to lay on the couch and recuperate. Take care!

She Hulk: Buy This Book

Anyone out there who hasn't been reading She Hulk, but has been even slightly curious needs to pick that sucker up. This title is funny, irreverent, and 100% She Hulk. The way the character has been portrayed in the past has left this poor girl a laughing stock for all the wrong reasons. This newest title puts Jen in on the joke, where she should have been all along.

Issue 8 just hit the stands on Wednesday. Do yourself a favor and grab a copy- it is worth the price of admission.

New Review at 4CR

I have a review of Ultra #3 over a 4 Color Review. What a cool book.

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Powers "Shocker"

Has anyone else looked at Powers #5 yet? Holy Crap, what an ending. I don't want to spoil it, but it is apparent that Bendis is intent on keeping things fresh with one of the coolest spoilers I have seen in awhile.

I'm off to read the rest of my stash- Powers was on top as normal.

Happy reading!

Big week in comics for me

I printed the Diamond list for this week, and could hardly believe how many titles I am getting on Wednesday. Thank God I got paid last week!

Stuff I am getting:

100 Bullets 54
Action Comics 820
Astro City A Visitors Guide
Authority More Kev 4
Fables 30
Fallen Angel 16 BUY THIS BOOK!
Gotham Central 24
Green Arrow 43
Hawkman 33
JSA 66
Justice League Elite 4 (this is decision issue for me to keep getting)
Nightwing 99
Ultra 3
Bullseye Greatest Hits 2
District X 6
Emma Frost 16
Marvel Knights 4 11
Marvel Knights Spider-Man 7
Powers 5 (YAY)
Secret War Book Three
She Hulk 8 BUY THIS BOOK!
The Punisher 12
Ultimate Nightmare 3
Ultimate X-Men 52
X-Men The End 4

Holy Crap, my wallet hurts just thinking about it, and next week isn't much better.

Hopefully this weekend I will feel better and can get some reviews done. I am training a new assistant at work, so I am praying that she can help me get back to normal 8 or 9 hour days in the next six weeks. These are things to look forward to!

Have a great comic book week!

Busiek does local signing

I just got home from seeing Kurt Busiek at a local comic book shop where he was doing a signing. It was one of those experiences we have never had in our town to my knowledge. I have lived here 15 years and this is the first time we have had a comic book creator, other then local Clayton Crain, here for a signing.

My friend Mina's husband Ben owns Heroes For Sale, and that is where the signing took place. Awkwardly, my husband Jim works for the competitor, but the way I see it, any activity like this in our town needs support, so we eagerly went.

The signing started at 11 a.m. but we didn't go until 1, because I am feeling crappy with an bacterial infection. When we got there, it was a homey, casual feel. Kurt was answering questions from the local fans, and it went very well. After awhile, it dwindled down to a half dozen people, so the hubby and I were able to ask the burning questions we had.

Kurt was patient and witty, doing his best to humor us. He got some good cuts in on Jim, and we learned how to pronounce other creator's names. We also learned that Kurt's favorite comic book character is Hawkeye, and that while he is alright with the character's recent demise, there is always the artistic license available to bring him back.

As I speak, Kurt and our friends Ben and Mina are headed to Grants for dinner. It should be a relaxing, delicious way to end the day. I hope that we are able to have more creators in the town in the future, and am eagerly awaiting the upcoming 12 issue Astro City maxi-series.

Quick Takes on Today's Comics

I just got done looking through my stack for the week, and there is definitely a mixed bag. Here are some good reactions right out of the gate.

Pick of the Week: Conan and the Daughters of Midora. Wow, this is what comics are about. A great story with sensational art, and an emotional trigger for the reader. I am reeling from it.

Queen & Country #27 is the usual standard of excellence. It doesn't instantly attract the eye in the stores, but it is the gem in the jewelry box. Greg Rucka is at his best here, and his lead character Tara Chace is compelling as it gets.

Y The Last Man #27: A surprise twist in this one. I felt I should have seen it coming afterwards.

Exiles #53 & Captain America & the Falcon #8: I just couldn't get into them. These books are on the edge for me. I would love to keep getting both titles to support the creators, but it's been a miss for me this time around.

Wolverine #20: God I hate overhyped books. I mostly bought it for the John Romita Jr. art, but the story has a surprisingly good hook. Damn that Millar!

Nyx #5: Head hurts. Can't remember plot. Why the Hell did I buy this?

Ultimate Spider-Man #66: I laughed myself sick reading this. Was this the reaction Bendis was looking for? SPOILER: (Freaky Friday meets testosterone head on with comedic results!)

Teen Titans/The Legion Special: You say you need a new jumping on point for your Legion book? Hey, use the Titans- they could use a time travel story. Nuff said.

Detective Comics #799: War Games reaches a fever pitch. I am so into this that if the ending is cheesy I may just drop all the Bat titles out of sheer disapointment.

Uncanny X-Men #450: Love Alan Davis. Revere Claremont's old stuff. Have over 330 issues of continuity. Will probably continue to buy. Seriously, I am enjoying the synergy between Claremont and Davis. A definite B+ on this title right now.

Superman/Batman #12: I HATE late books. They irritate me to the point I can't fully enjoy them as much as I would if they were remotely timely. Great creators doing an incredible story that may not be finished until Christmas for all I know. Give me strength here to be patient!

New Reviews at 4CR

I am engrossed in reading The Da Vinci Code, so I just did quick shot reviews this week. I hope you all had a great weekend!

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Concert

Last night Jim and I went and saw Joan Jett at the Central Washington State Fair. We were totally jacked about it, especially after our long work week. After battling traffic and inept parking attendents for a half hour, we finally got into the fairgrounds and grabbed a bite before getting our reserved seats. The crowd was an eclectic mix of cowboys, goth types, lesbians, and middle class yokels.

Joan and her band came on after the song "Won't be Fooled Again" by The Who played. Dressed in black leather, with her hair dyed black again, Joan was all business. Her band, which included a mix of young guys and the more seasoned and legendary Kenny Laguna, was tight as a drum. Every song drilled itself into my ears, as the band played with relentless agility.

Joan and the guys debuted several songs from their upcoming album Naked, due out next year. My favorite was the title track, which featured Joan at her nasty best. Her guitar chops are incredible, and her lead guitarist Dougie Needles complimented her perfectly. Dougie is young, skinny, and cute in that brooding rocker way. Needless to say, the girls in front of us were going insane for his sexy behind.

The show in itself was incredibly good. Joan and her band were in top form musically, and were worth every penny. I had never seen Joan live before, and was thrilled at the opportunity. I would gladly go see her again, and am going to go check on her website periodically for release dates of the new album. Favorite moment of the concert: Joan sang "Fetish" and a mom with two kids went running out. Call me sadistic, but I can't help wondering why you would take your young kids to see Joan? Hello People, this isn't Celine Dion - it's Joan Jett, the female Chuck Berry!

The downside: The most boring bunch of assholes on earth in the reserved seats. I was embarrassed to be a local at this concert. There were a good sized group of people who had come to dance and party, but the rest made me sad. Joan and Dougie asked a few times for the crowd to get up and rock, and there were people who wouldn't do it. They sat there poker-faced and wouldn't do more then clap at the end of songs. I get mad just thinking about it.

Low point of the concert: I was asked by security to sit down because the people behind me couldn't see. Two problems with that. 1. The chicks in front of me were standing up, which was fine with me, but I needed to stand as well to see. 2. I wanted to stand because I was there to get my freakin' ya-ya's out. I was so pissed that I was shaking, but I complied. I turned around like an ass and glared at the people behind me to boot .

We sat for about five songs, which must have bewildered Joan and her band, but when "I Love Rock N Roll" came on, all bets were off. Jim got on top of his seat, and the whole audience stood up and rocked it with the exception of the four killjoys behind us. I am normally a sensitive, kind person, but for once I just didn't care. The music was so incredible that I couldn't just sit there. I consider concerts an interactive experience, and it was obvious these people just didn't get it.

I would give the concert four stars and the killjoys a negative 10. Joan Jett and The Blackhearts put on a killer show.

Jim and I are tired and deaf this morning, but also insanely happy because we finally were able to buy Joan's greatest hits album and some great t-shirts. Our town doesn't get many concerts, and certainly no rock acts. To have Joan in our local vicinity was a great treat to be sure.

Queen & Country Novel

I was sitting here reading the new Wizard when I noticed on Page 18 that Greg Rucka has a Queen & Country novel coming out October 5. Called A Gentlemen's Game: A Queen & Country Novel, it takes place between issues 28 and 29 in continuity.

From what I gather, it is not a must-buy for readers, but more of an added bonus for folks who are looking to get an extra dose of their Q&C. As a huge fan of the series, I am thrilled about this. I am also relieved that I just found it on Amazon.com for $16.80.

If you have never read Queen & Country, I highly recommend it. It is an engrossing read for adults who are looking for more of a thriller/spy feel in their comic book reading material.

Conan Review at 4CR

I have a new review of Conan up at 4 Color Review. Talk about a great series- Conan is brilliant.

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Back from Idaho!

After a good part of the week spent in Idaho, I am back home in Washington with my hubby. Talk about a long week. I am just now going to sit down and peruse my comics. Jim had to pick them up by his lonesome on Wednesday, poor fella.

Cool thing that came in this week: my Wonder Girl (Cassie) action figure. I have been pretty selective about the DC direct figures, staying with a theme of female heroes. It is nice to be able to add Cassie to my wall. If DC really wants to make me happy, they will come out with a single Donna Troy figure next. I had to buy the Wonder Woman/Wonder Girl two-pack to get one last time, and it would be much nicer to have a onesie.

Jim and I went to the Central Washington State Fair today. We intended to see Weird Al Yankovic, but there was a long line and no reserve seating unless you spent another $15 for tickets. Because we were both pretty tired, we said screw it. The fair itself has a $10 admission for adults and $5 for parking on top of it. By the time we spent a few hours wandering around, it was a $40 proposition. The good news is that next Friday Joan Jett is performing, and Jim and I decided to buy reserved seats so we are ensured a place to see her. We are trying to reason that it ends up being not much different then dinner and a movie for us as a couple, cost wise.

I am off to read comics and catch up on what my favorite characters are up to. Hopefully I will have a full report tomorrow. Take care all! Happy Saturday Night!

Catching Up

Man, this weekend went fast. Between doing laundry and house cleaning, I was never able to get on the internet like I wanted to. Tomorrow I am going to Jerome, Idaho for four days to our branch down there to work on some inventory issues, so I am not going to be a very reliable poster to boot!

My husband did do a cool thing though. Last night, he and four of our best friends gave me the Wonder Woman statue based on Adam Hughes art for a late birthday present. Man it is beautiful! I was surprised and thrilled to get such a cool gift. I am going to put it up with my other statue based on Brian Bolland's work. I don't buy every WW related item, but I am fortunate to have a few select pieces that are precious to me.

Comic wise, I read my stack and was really impressed by Adventures of Superman #632. What an amazing issue. I also read Identity Crisis #4, and am getting very curious to get to the end of things. Batman figures into this somehow in a big way, just how, I am not sure. Otherwise, I am hoping to read my stack again and get a better idea of where these issues are going. I have a ritual of reading everything once quickly and going back and reading it more carefully a second time, so that is the plan for this evening.

I was going to get a "meeting the pro's" post up as well as part 2 of Jim and my internet dating, but it isn't going to happen unfortunately. I have to go pack and finish folding the last load of clothes. Have a great week all!

Cool Stuff, Quirky Stuff

I have made some cool acquisitions lately that I feel the need to spread the word about. The coolest thing I have gotten in several years is a Green Ipod Mini. It is the most badass thing since sliced bread. I put the music I want on it and roll. It is especially great for working out. I can get on the tread mill or exercise bike and not worry about it going anywhere. My old CD player was a pain in the ass that kept coming unattached to the purse-like strap that held it up. Also, I was limited in what I could listen to. With the Ipod Mini, I pick what I want to listen to and have great mixes. As far as MP3 players go, it is the shiznit.

Motley Crue: Music To CrashYour Car To Volume 1 is my other must-have. I know, I know, don't start with me about butt rock and such! I was in high school and college in the mid and late eighties, and to this day I am a major metal fan. I have seen the Crue in concert several times, and take their image in stride. Volume 1 of their two boxes contains all the old school Crue that made me want to be a metal head in the first place. It was spendy, coming in around $50, but worth every penny. The set has 4 CD's and includes the Leathur Original Mix of their first album. It also has remixes and rarities that make the set a steal for Crue fans.

Confessions of An Heiress: A Tongue-In-Chic Peek Behind the Pose by Paris Hilton is the feel good book of the month. I bought it on Amazon.com for $15.40 and it a hilarious, self-deprecating POV book from the chick you love to hate. Paris lets the readers know that she is in on the joke, and doesn't really give a rats ass what we think. She is rich and attractive and knows exactly how to promote herself to maximum effect. As a fellow woman, I have to admire the fact that she understands life and the little games we all play to get ahead, even if I don't always agree with her methods. Full of glossy color photos, and reeking of trendiness, I found myself liking Paris more as I read each page. To think, Nicole was always the reason I thought The Simple Life was such a hoot. Paris was in on the joke too.

I also picked up Guys Gone Wild on DVD in an effort to support the equal-nude time for men. As someone who has seen Girls Gone Wild on DVD and been partially horrified and partially amused, I have to give this company credit for having the, ahem, balls to give women their equal time. I haven't watched it yet, as I figured it would be way funner to do so on a Saturday night with my chick friends after a few martinis. I will report back to you after the gala viewing.

My last major purchase was Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination. I have read it three times, and am absolutely entranced by it. Written by Author Helen Fielding of Bridget Jones Diary fame, Olivia Joules is a an incredible look at a woman who lives by her instinct in a world that is all too real. Olivia is accused of letting her imagination get away from her more times then she would like to admit, so when she finds that she isn't as far off base as she originally was led to believe, there comes a freedom and a joy that the reader experiences along with her. This is the best book I have read in a long time, and I know that I will find myself perusing it several more times before it finds a permanent place on my book shelf.

Though my major love is comic books ( and my hubby), I like to read books and listen to music to break things up, and find that waiting and saving my money for special acquisitions is half the fun. I hope to pick up Volume 2 of the Motley Crue set, and maybe a few new DVD's down the road. It is all about being picky and making fun choices.

When Fanboys go Wrong

Since I am fresh off of a comicon experience, I thought I would note a few fanboy behaviors that I find hinder my ability to enjoy the conventions I attend. Basically, this is a convention "Don't" list.

1. Having a creator sign more then 20 comics at one setting is tacky and reprehensible to the other fans behind you in line. I know you are a fan and want to have quality face time with your favorite pro, and if having several comics to sign helps you not be so nervous that is great, but more then 20 is completely uncalled for. A good rule of thumb is that more then five minutes is too much, unless the pro in question is sketching for you. I will never forget the guy in front of me with two short boxes- his 8 months pregnant wife was forced to stand in every line so he could get all his comics signed. Every time I see him at cons I want to kick his ass. Everything in moderation, Man!

2. Digging through one long box while your bag is piled on another one at a retailer booth is big sin #2. Get a back pack or shoulder bag at Target so you don't need a short box or paper bag. When I want to look at a booth and I can't get to the boxes, I will leave. I may even tell you to move your ass if you being rude enough.

3. Body Odor. I know this is going to get me into trouble, but please don't perpetuate the myth that comic fans all live in their parent's basement and don't get dates by being one of the unwashed masses that file through. I have actually been made to gag by some of the people surrounding me, simply because they didn't think enough of others or themselves to wash up before coming to a public event. Be hygienic, which includes brushing your teeth, and you may find you have a better time as well.

4. Pushing and shoving. I am a 5'5" female who has been shoved out of the way by fanboys to get to a retailer booth. For God's sake, all you have to do is say "Excuse me" or "Could I get to that box please", and I would move so fast it would make your head spin. Pushing me out of the way just pisses me off and makes me want to go get my hubby, who, trust me, you don't want to see angry.

5. Quit bragging for five minutes! I like to talk about meeting creators with other fans as we are waiting in line. It is fun to compare notes and usually leads to talk about their titles and what we enjoy about them. But... Please refrain from bragging to me that you are such a unique person that the pro in question just had to spend time with you, cuz I won't buy it. I am thrilled you know someone, and think it is cool, but the minute it turns to bragging, I start to wonder if you are overcompensating for something (if you know what I mean).

6. Rubbing up against me. It only happened once, but I knew exactly why you did it, you pervert! You don't want me to go get my hot-tempered Irish husband!

7. Not really a fanboy complaint, but: Creators that show up late, even though I know they had a hotel in town the night before. Learn to handle your alcohol, and get to bed for a few hours if you know there are fans that are coming to see you. It is common courtesy.

Anyone else had any Comicon drama they would like to add? I have had great con experiences for the most part, but there is always that one bad egg who has to ruin for the rest of us!

Turner at next Seatle Con

Comic fans around the Seattle, Washington vicinity are in for a special treat as Michael Turner is headlining the next Seattle Comicard Show. Scheduled for November 14, 2004 at the Seattle Center Northwest Rooms, Turner will be joined by Aspen Colorist/Production Guru Peter Steigerwald and Jason Gorder of Darkness reknown.

Get your money and autograph goodies ready, Kids. It should be a great show! Several retailers I spoke to are attending, and are planning to bring the goods for your purchasing consideration.

It is getting exciting to live in Washington State with the Emerald City Con and the Seattle Comicard Show coming with great talent and getting retailers interested again.

Forgive the Mess...

I am trying to figure out how to do links and make them look pretty, so please excuse the sidebar at this time!

Thank you for your patience!

Seattle Comicard Convention Today

Jim and I made the trek from Eastern Washington to Seattle for the Seattle Comicard Show. We came over Saturday afternoon and got a hotel room over by Huskies Stadium. It was a nice change as we were able to get in some down time which included dinner with good friends in Chinatown.

We got over to Seattle Center around 9:30 a.m. and were shocked to be 4th and 5th in line. Normally there are more people there, and as we normally just drive over and back for the day, we don't get in right away. Jim and I were so happy to be there, and were looking forward to seeing what comic treasures we could find, that we really didn't dwell on it.

Some quick highlights: We talked to Bill Schelly, who we had not previously met. I bought several back issues of Alter Ego and got his Comic Fandom book, which I am dying to read. I hope to give you more exact details as the week progresses. What a nice, gracious man.

We were also able to acquire original art from Rick Hoberg, who was as kind as could be. My hubby bought his first cover ever, and I bought a page from Green Arrow #75. Talk about being giddy- you couldn't have pulled us off the ceiling if you tried!

Jim and I were able to go talk and buy great stuff from our favorite retailer John and his partner Randy. This guy is the real thing. He loves comics but also understands the value of a deal. That is solid gold in this day and age.

Quick footnotes: When I have the time to master making links, I am going to add them for the Emerald City Comicon and the Seattle Comicard Show. I can't help but think there are a lot of comic fans out there missing these events, so I would like to get the word out as best as I can.

The Show was short on big names as Steve McNiven was supposed to be there but was supposedly prohibited by Marvel. That didn't stop us from having a wonderful time, and we didn't need a big name today. Rick Hoberg and Bill Schelly made up for it by being professional and friendly. Jim also got a sketch from an up and comer by the name of Greg Scott Bailey.

Overall, the show was less well-attended then hoped, but the retailers we spoke with were relatively happy with their sales. People who were there were buying and making deals. We spent our fair share of cash and went our merry way back to the East side of the mountains as we both have work tomorrow.

It was nice to spend the night and relax a little, which made the trip a mini-vacation of sorts, as well as a fun adventure for Jim and myself.

My Top 5 Favorite Titles (Then & Now)

Every week I buy entirely too many comic books, my version of a crack addiction if you will. When I get home that night and put the books in an order I want to read them in, a real pattern emerges. My absolute must-read books always go on top, down to the last one, which I could read at any time. It is interesting to see which ones win now versus the ones that I had to read immediately when I was 10 years old.

A sample of my top 5 must read in 1976, at the age of ten:

Wonder Woman
Justice League of America
World's Finest
All Star Comics
Showcase

Those were the tastes I had then, and I can still go back and read these issues with a great amount of pleasure. I can sometimes remember where I was and the atmosphere in which I read them, which makes it even cooler. To this day, I still read Wonder Woman as voraciously as ever, and the JSA will always hold a significant place in my heart, as you can see below.

My current favorites:

Astro City
100 Bullets
Strangers In Paradise
Powers
Marvel Knights 4
Honorable Mention: Identity Crisis

I read titles from other companies then just DC now, and my taste is much more sophisticated, but it knocks me out that not a lot has changed in my innate sense of what I want from a read.

As the weeks progress, I hope to bring a more intimate picture of what brings me back time and again to these titles. Each of the current favorites are those books that I can hardly wait to get home from the store to read, and have to discipline myself not to open while driving.

Anyone else feeling a tad nostalgic?

Quick Shots at 4CR

I have new quick shot reviews over at 4 Color Review.

http://www.4colorreview.com/


God, what a great week for comics this week!

Why Am I Blogging?

With the recent slew of blogs retiring, (Happy retirement John!) I have been considering my place in this "world". Why do I want to have a blog, and what do I want the end result to be?

I know what I DON'T want:

-No politics. My politics to me are like a religion, and I am not looking for endless threads of debate on the subject.
-No personal attacks on comic professionals. They need to make a living like I do.
_No obsessing about my job. It is stressful, but fulfilling and I have been at it for 15 years. It is so much a part of me that it is hard to separate myself from it.


I do want this:

-A focus on the positive. I want to share books, movies, and experiences with a sense of humor and good vibes. This world is shitty enough at times without perpetuating things during my personal time. Reality is always in my face, so I want to be able to focus on the things I enjoy.

-Reviews of comics and books. Also the occasional movie or pop culture musings.

-How much I value my hubby and the occasional love story update. The way we met and fell in love is pretty cool, and I want to share bits of it.

-A safe place for others to come where they can read what they choose and feel like I am not a professional sales person shoving my opinions down their throat.

As I get a more definitive picture of where I am going, I will share it. I just really wanted to give you a feel as to what my intentions are.

Happy Blogging!

Love Story Part 1: John Byrne and a chat room discovery!

Many of you are probably not aware that I met my husband on the internet. We have been together for over seven years, and married for four of those. I would call us an example of the right way to go about an internet romance, and how having common interests only serves to enhance the relationship we have.

What makes our internet meeting unique and sometimes gives us a good laugh is where we met online. I had gotten a computer for Christmas in 1996 and brought it home to give the internet a try. I knew exactly where I wanted to go, and that was the DC chat rooms. Back around that time, DC advertised discussions with creators in their comic books, so I even had a schedule.

Given this interest, I proceeded directly to the John Byrne Wonder Woman chat at DC online on AOL. Within a short period of time, another person in the room private messaged me that they liked my take on the current story line. We proceeded to talk for awhile and he was the picture of a gentleman. At the end of the chat, he e-mailed me that it had been a pleasure, and I e-mailed back thanking him.

Amazingly enough, this person is now my husband. Jim and I were talking about it the other day, and we think that not only was Byrne in a strange way responsible for our meeting, but it is now impossible to hate the guy for any of his other character traits for precisely that reason.

A side note is that I am pretty sure that James Schee was in the very same chat room with us when lightning struck, so he will always hold a special place in our hearts as well You're a gentleman and a good influence, Mr. Schee!

There are other stories to tell, but for today it is enough to just thank John Byrne for holding a chat that would bring about such a momentous event in our lives! Oh Sweet Irony!

My "Heavenly Seven" comic book artists

I was talking with my hubby today and we were going through who are favorite comic artists are, when he looked at me with a grin and said "you have seven favorites Dear. It is like your heavenly seven". Since this is so true, and it made me blush a bit, I thought I would share my "Heavenly Seven" with you.

Dick Dillin- Justice League back in the day. Long since past away, God bless him. He was the first comics artist I absolutely loved.
Joe Staton- "father" of the Silver Age Huntress. I met him at a con, and Jim says I gushed like a school girl. He did the most incredible Huntress sketch for me, and made me adore him even more.
George Perez- the detail master, I especially love his stuff on Wonder Woman.
Phil Jimenez- a total sweetheart who can draw detail like his mentor Perez.
Steve Dillon- chain smoking, whiskey swilling hunk who drew Preacher. I would buy his stuff if he illustrated the phone book.
Greg Land- the man can really draw women, and his men are as hunky as it gets. I pretty much buy anything he does.
Gary Frank- I first fell in love with his work on Incredible Hulk, the bachelor party issue, and continue to enjoy his stuff on the Supreme Power series over at Max.

There's my list. I am not ignoring the works of legends like Kirby and Heck to be obtuse. This is all about personal preference.

New Review of Periphery on 4CR

I got a great comic book to review called Periphery. I just posted my review on 4 Color Review. Give her a look!

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Movie Viewing etiquette

This afternoon I went and saw Vanity Fair starring Reese Witherspoon. I went alone as my husband didn't want to go with me to aforementioned film for fear it would be a chick flick. It kinda was, but that's not the point. I liked it for the most part, and was suitably impressed by Reese's work. Otherwise, the popcorn was stale, and my drink was lukewarm as usual. Typical viewing in our mid-sized town off the beaten path with one choice for movie theatres.

At any rate, I had a really piss-poor movie experience in general. Just about every movie "don't" that could be committed was. It went down like this.

1. Lady down the road from me keeps getting cell phone calls. Turn off your damn ringer Bitch! If you can't get away for two hours to see a movie, don't bother coming. I turn my phone to silent every time I walk through those doors- it's all about courtesy.

2. Three ladies behind me talk English literature parallels throughout movie. I finally have to turn around and shush them. They shut up for a bit, but start back up before it's said and done. If you're going to be a critic, do it professionally, or at least go get some coffee afterwards. Don't ruin for the rest of us by not being able to shut your yapper.

3. Parents with obnoxious child. The kid is not the least bit interested in this movie, and we all know it. Do the parents take said child out? No, of course not. They glare at the rest of us when we glare at them, and are in general completely insensitive not only to us, but the poor kid, who could give a rat's ass about the movie.

4. Old dude with a flashlight. I had gotten to the film about 25 minutes early, so I got to enjoy watching an older gentleman and his wife walk into the theater. It wasn't dark yet, but they had their flashlight full blast. Not only did I get it flashed in my eyes, but the chicks in front of me got it too. To top it off, the guy keeps turning it on during the movie to check his watch! Give me a break.

5. People arrive late and step on my feet. This is an effin matinee people! It is on a Thursday at 3 p.m. Why do you need to get there five minutes into the movie? Not only were these idiots loud, but they were disrespectful and didn't excuse themselves before they proceeded to climb over me for seats. The worst thing about it is that there was both a left and right aisle, and they didn't need to step over me in the first place.

6. Couple in the back attempting sexual intercourse. I know about being hot for your date, as my husband and I like to sit close together when we go to films. We were especially bad when we first dated, but we never tried to do it during a matinee filled with middle aged women and older couples. Get a freakin room!

I could go on and on, but going through this again just makes me more angry. It is irritating that I was so excited to have the day off and go see a movie only to have it ruined by a bunch of insensitive jerks. Did I like the movie? It was okay, but I would have liked it more if people would have made an effort to be courteous and quiet.

Anybody got any movie horror stories to tell? Today was a bad one for sure, but I am certain I am not the only one who has wanted to commit homicide instead of enjoying the show they paid to see.

World Watch Review at 4CR

I just put up a review of Chuck Austen's new series WorldWatch at 4 Color Review. Give her a look!

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Image Title Round-up

Oh Happy Day! I just got my hands on some sweet new Image stuff, and I have had the time of my life reading this weekend. The following is a round up of both current and new titles I got a look at.

Invincible #14
Robert Kirkman’s jewel is my favorite work of his. The lead character Invicible is as human as they get, and lives up to the Spider-Man credo of great power and great responsibility. Recovering from the death of his father, and his mother’s bitterness, he is left to attend school as well as fight evil. The mess of his life makes for compelling reading.

Forsaken #1
This book gave me chills, it was so cool. Lead character Apollo Delk has obviously been through some bad stuff, and his latest endeavor takes him from the frying pan into the fire. Forsaken is a book that deserves good buzz- it is intense, edgy, and unforgiving.

Superpatriot: War On Terror #1
Kirkman’s writing this book too. Does the dude ever sleep? Superpatriot is an interesting title about a man that is more machine then organic, but who still has heart. Parts of it reminded me of the old Justice League America book, and the General Glory storyline.

Witchblade #78
Ian Edginton and Tony Daniel throw their two cents into the Witchblade well with the return of Tom Judge. I am glad to see some resolution on this character, and am cheering the fact that Ron Marz is coming on the title with issue 80 to restore order.

Sylvia Faust #1
Here is a new title by Jason Henderson and Greg Scott, with a great tale to tell. Sylvia Faust is a creepy, but cool new character, and I love Scott’s art. I especially am thrilled to see Leslie Ann Barkley’s colors give Scott the edge he need with some great colors.

Hawaiian Dick: The Last Resort #1
Danny Byrd is back and in even deeper then last time. This time he is caught between neighboring resorts and the gangs who run them . There is sure to be carnage and mystery galore so strap yourselves in kiddies.

Bad Ideas
See title. They’re not kidding. Funny but extremely satirical. The villain’s name if Pussy Voodoo. Seriously.

Brit: Red, White, Black, & Blue
Written by Kirkman, the man who must never play video games. Brit is a bad ass to the end, and the way Captain America should be written.

Tales From the Bully Pulpit
Holy crap! It’s Teddy Roosevelt and Thomas Edison, and they’re here to kick your ass. Throw in a surprise past president, and its mayhem all around. This book is the dark horse winner in my book. I read it three times and it still leaves me speechless.

New Reviews at 4 Color Review

I have two new reviews up at 4 Color Review. They are of Fallen Angel #14 and Noble Causes #1. Give them a look!

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Ultra #1

Ultra #1
Image Comics
Created by the Luna Brothers
$2.95

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Ultra #1 is one of those comics you pick up because there is a sense of familiarity about the cover. The torso shot of an ample female heroine, not too unlike the cover to Supergirl #1 gives the indication that there must be a chick about to kick your ass on the inside. Either that or the chick is wearing lingerie and wants to spank you, but that is another story.

Ultra opens with three attractive women driving home from a night on the town. Dressed in what I would call business casual, most of the story is told from their point of view while riding in a car, with a brief stop on the way. The conversation really reminds me of what my girlfriends and I would talk about, dishing on men and the like, which builds an instant rapport with the characters. While most of the evening is pretty average, a chance stop at a fortune teller gives an ominous sense of what is to come in future issues.

The Luna Brothers have created a compelling look at a different kind of hero. The ladies pictured here are women of privilege, but with a life-saving career that gives them public adulation and star power. Pearl, Liv, and Jen are the kind of girls you would read about in Vogue, wearing the newest Dolce and Gabbana pantsuit. They have a sense of style and the credentials to go along with it. The fact that the entire first issue is told out of uniform but still attracts the readers' interest is a credit to the creative team.

Jonathan Luna is the artist, colorist and letterer along with co-writer with his brother Joshua. I had not previously heard of any work done in the comics industry so bear with me as I say that if this is a freshman effort, it is a brilliant one. I felt instant empathy with the characters and want to know more about them, especially how they interact in their work environment. Ultra is a book I showed to several women comic readers at the shop on Wednesday for this very reason.

Ultra #1 is one of the best comics to come out of Image for awhile that doesn't have Robert Kirkman's name on it. The art is unique and interesting, and the story is wonderful. I am interested to learn more about these characters and how the fortune teller's words will affect their lives. If you missed picking up Ultra, grab it and give it a shot, it's worth the read.

Back From Vegas!

Wow, five days in Vegas takes a lot out of a girl! I just finally am reading last week's comics, and got another big stack from yesterday I need to dig into! I can tell you what I will be doing this weekend- having bliss just reading and relaxing with Jim!

Vegas is a fun city, definitely 24 hours a day fun. We stayed at New York New York, which was quite nice. The first night we went to Coyote Ugly, where I realized that the chicks that work there put me to shame with their expert swearing! Man, between their hardcore dancing and belittling the men there, it damn near looks like a dream job. Those women have abs of steel!

Every night we went out somewhere after full days of meetings, but it was worth it, even with being tired this week. A special highlight was going to the Frontier Casino and making fun of the guys watching bikini bull riding at Gilleys. Too hilarious! Also, breakfast at the Monte Carlo, with four great friends was a hoot.

It is good to be home now, especially to have quality time with the hubby- him I missed! Unfortunately I have been short staffed at work this week, and it has made it tough to blog, or even recover from the booze and full schedule. Thank God tomorrow's Friday!!

Viva Las Vegas

I have only had this blog a couple of weeks and I am already an infrequent poster. There is a legitimate reason to this- my company is traveling to Las Vegas for our 20th Year Anniversary celebration. In preparing for this big event, I have been furiously working on a 287,435 KB power point 20 year photo retrospective. Saturday a friend came over and we taught ourselves how to splice wav files and make them work semi-decently in the presentation. Whew, quite the cool thing to know!

Otherwise, it is prep time for go. My hubby is stuck at home while I am off to many hours of meetings and probably too many cocktails.

Sadly, I won't be home to see my new comics until late Sunday night :-( This is the one down side other then having to leave Jim at home.

Take care!

New Stuff Tomorrow!

My hubby and I are back from visiting family, and though it was a wonderful time, are happy to be home. My parents had a nice, relaxed 40th wedding anniversary, and I saw my grandparents, who had celebrated their very important 60th wedding anniversary in May. What a cool deal it is to have been shown the right way to be married, through richer and poorer, sickness and health.

At any rate, tomorrow is new comics day, and it looks to be a high profile one for DC as the Batman 12 cent Adventure is coming out to kick off the big three month Bat title cross over. Forgive me for my lack of excitement, but I HATE it when the Bat titles collide. It makes me have to pick up all the titles, and takes the books I like off track for the duration. Consider Nightwing, who has gone through some heavy duty stuff- all of a sudden his stuff doesn't mean crap, and off he trots to Gotham City. Please!

In other, much cooler news, Swamp Thing #6 hits tomorrow. I love this book and especially enjoy the old school feel on a new twist.

Other stuff I am picking up:

Birds of Prey #71
Detective Comics #797 (tie-in) :-(
DC Comics Presents Superman (Julius Schwartz tribute)
Justice League Elite #2
Darkness #13
Captain America & Black Falcon #6 (for Priest, no other reason) :-(
Exiles #50 (make or break issue for me to continue collecting)
Ultimate Nightmare #1
Ultimate Spider-Man #63
Ultimate X-Men #50
Uncanny X-Men #447
X-Men: The End #1
Queen & Country #26

I have gotten sucked into all the X-titles again, much to my chagrin. I will need to analyze what I like and what I pick up just to keep a run shortly. The thing that sucks is that I have over 340 issues of UncannyX-Men continuity and all the X-Men run, so it is hard to stop, because if things get good again, there is that damn hole!

Enough rambling, I am one tired woman. My company is going to Las Vegas next week to celebrate our 20th Anniversary in business, so it is time to start gearing up. Hubby is stuck at home, but is vowing to see Alien Vs. Predator and have friends over to keep up.

Happy Reading!

Happy Anniversary & Infinity Inc?

My parent's 4oth wedding anniversary is this weekend, so I wish them love, respect, and my undying appreciation of all they have done to raise me as a sane adult.

Alas, this means I will be away from the computer while running around taking care of business. I know the blog is not even a week old, and the timing is bad, but this is a big event.

In the meantime check out a kick-ass post that James Schee did on his blog about Infinity Inc. It is insightful and dead on the money.

http://readingalong.blogspot.com/

Take care! I am outta here!

Dawn Three Tiers #4

I love Joseph Michael Linsner's art so much that he could probably just draw scribbles all day and I would be intrigued. Thank God the man does much more then that in his Dawn limited series. Each page is lovingly crafted, and incredibly detailed. The story is compelling too, with our hero Darrian Ashoka being tempted with lust in one panel while wreaking carnage in the next.

Fans who consider Dawn a bad girl book need to revisit this series. The story revolves around Darrian and his adventures, with Dawn being the woman he can't escape, almost a secondary figure. As Darrian must deal with one hopeless situation after another, it is his strength of will and self-esteem that carry him through the day. As Dawn's lover Death in some incarnations, the man is unbeatable; in the flesh, he is extremely dangerous, but vulnerable. In short, Darrian is a great hero with feet of clay.

Give Dawn a try sometime if nothing else then for the pretty pictures. I dare you.

New Review at 4CR- Astonishing X-Men 3

Hey Kids, reviews!

I just put a review of Astonishing X-Men #3 up at 4 Color Review, my home away from home.

http://www.4colorreview.com/

Take a look if you have a chance! Thank you and good day!