Friday, December 30, 2005
HOSTY V. CARTER UPDATE!
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan asked the U.S. Supreme Court to refuse to hear a college newspaper censorship case that has prompted concern by free press advocates. In her brief in opposition to the petition for high court review requested by student journalists at Governors State University, Madigan argued that the case present neither the context nor the issues deserving of Supreme Court consideration.
3:45:00 PM
WEEK 17 NFL PICKS.
Denver at San Diego
N.Y. Giants at Oakland
Arizona at Indianapolis
Baltimore at Cleveland
Buffalo at N.Y. Jets
Carolina at Atlanta
Cincinnati at Kansas City
Detroit at Pittsburgh
Miami at New England
New Orleans at Tampa Bay
Seattle at Green Bay
Houston at San Francisco
Tennessee at Jacksonville
Chicago at Minnesota
Washington at Philadelphia
St. Louis at Dallas
2:52:00 PM
COMIC BOOK STORE BOOTY.
Planetes, Vol. 4, part 2
The Couriers 2: Dirtbike Manifesto
Night Fisher
Pure Trance
Transformers #0 (IDW)
Sixgun Samurai #1
Fell #2, 3
2:36:00 PM
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
FROM THE INBOX.
The Grimoire #4
Sebastien Caisse, story; Djief, art
Speakeasy Comics
32 pages
$2.99
I read this a couple of weeks ago and I'm just blogging about it now. The art was OK, a bit cartoonish but simple and conceptually good. However, I think it looks like a lot of other art out there and wasn't sure it brought anything different from Djief. Otherwise, the book was forgettable and, indeed, I did so.
Grade: D
10:51:00 AM
FROM THE INBOX.
DMZ #1 and #2
Brian Wood, story; Riccardo Burchielli, art
Vertigo
$2.95
DMZ is the story of a war-torn New York and how those who are trapped in the middle try to make a life out of it. As always, Brian Wood's story is excellent and I do think the choice of Burchielli for the art was appropriate. As a wait-for-the-trade person, I will say I bought each individual issue of Demo and will probably do the same for DMZ. I thought the second issue was just a bit weaker than the first, but overall the series should be interesting.
Grade: A-
10:47:00 AM
WEEK 16 NFL PICK RESULTS.
Week 16: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 15: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 14: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 13: 14-2, 87.5%
Week 12: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 11: 9-7, 56.25%
Week 10: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 9: Forgot again.
Week 8: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 7: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 6: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 5: 7-7, 50%
Week 4: 8-6, 57.14%
Week 3: Whoops, forgot.
Week 2: 7-9, 43.75%
Week 1: 7-9, 43.75%
Year to date: 126-86, 59.43%
10:08:00 AM
CHRIS BUTCHER BRINGS NEWS of a Belle & Sebastian-themed comics anthology.
10:00:00 AM
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
NO, IT'S NOT.
Last night, I was watching "NFL Live" on ESPN. The hosts were talking about the last Monday Night Football game on ABC. They mentioned that on the first MNF game, the Jets lost 31-21 and that last night, during the last game, the Jets lost 31-21.
And, the host said, isn't that ironic?
8:56:00 AM
Saturday, December 24, 2005
SETH FISHER RULES.
I think I found new wallpaper.
1:07:00 PM
CHRISTMAS COMICS WISH LIST.
2020 Visions
Buddha
Capote in Kansas
The Couriers 02: Dirtbike Manifesto
The Couriers 03: The Ballad of Johnny Funwrecker
Finder: King of the Cats, Vol. 3
Finder: Talisman, Vol. 4
Finder: Dream Sequence, Vol. 5
Finder: Mystery Date, Vol. 6
Finder: The Rescuers, Vol. 7
The Fountain
Full Moon Fever
Hello
Moped Army
Night Fisher
Planetes Vol. 3
Planetes Vol. 4, part 2
Pure Trance
Pyongyang
Salamander Dream
SPX Anthology
1:04:00 PM
Friday, December 23, 2005
WEEK 16 NFL PICKS.
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Buffalo at Cincinnati
Dallas at Carolina
Detroit at New Orleans
Jacksonville at Houston
N.Y. Giants at Washington
Pittsburgh at Cleveland
San Diego at Kansas City
San Francisco at St. Louis
Tennessee at Miami
Philadelphia at Arizona
Indianapolis at Seattle
Oakland at Denver
Chicago at Green Bay
Minnesota at Baltimore
New England at N.Y. Jets
9:55:00 AM
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
COMIC BOOK HAUL TODAY:
Finder: Sin-Eater, Vol. 2
Smoke
Channel Zero: Jennie One
DMZ #2
Local #2
Atomika #1
Night Light Comics mini comic
7:49:00 PM
WEEK 15 NFL PICK RESULTS.
Week 15: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 14: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 13: 14-2, 87.5%
Week 12: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 11: 9-7, 56.25%
Week 10: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 9: Forgot again.
Week 8: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 7: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 6: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 5: 7-7, 50%
Week 4: 8-6, 57.14%
Week 3: Whoops, forgot.
Week 2: 7-9, 43.75%
Week 1: 7-9, 43.75%
Year to date: 115-81, 58.67%
10:43:00 AM
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
ELK'S RUN FOR FREE: issue one and issue three.
(Via Johanna.)
4:43:00 PM
Monday, December 19, 2005
READ ABOUT BRIAN WOOD'S DEMO proposal here.
8:34:00 PM
DMZ #2 REVIEW at The Fourth Rail.
8:33:00 PM
Saturday, December 17, 2005
MORE ON SPEAKEASY COMICS.
(Via NeilAlien.)
2:37:00 PM
BIO BOY CREATOR SAL CIPRIANO INTERVIEW over at The Comics Review.
2:04:00 PM
NEWSARAMA INTERVIEW WITH DARREN ARONOFSKY about his graphic novel, The Fountain.
2:02:00 PM
WEEK 15 NFL PICKS.
Tampa Bay at New England
Kansas City at N.Y. Giants
Denver at Buffalo
Arizona at Houston
Carolina at New Orleans
N.Y. Jets at Miami
Philadelphia at St. Louis
Pittsburgh at Minnesota
San Diego at Indianapolis
Seattle at Tennessee
San Francisco at Jacksonville
Cincinnati at Detroit
Cleveland at Oakland
Dallas at Washington
Atlanta at Chicago
Green Bay at Baltimore
11:50:00 AM
WEEK 14 NFL PICK RESULTS.
Week 14: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 13: 14-2, 87.5%
Week 12: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 11: 9-7, 56.25%
Week 10: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 9: Forgot again.
Week 8: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 7: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 6: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 5: 7-7, 50%
Week 4: 8-6, 57.14%
Week 3: Whoops, forgot.
Week 2: 7-9, 43.75%
Week 1: 7-9, 43.75%
Year to date: 104-76, 57.78%
11:44:00 AM
Thursday, December 15, 2005
ADDED TO MY TO READ LIST:
"Slam Dunks and No-Brainers: Language in Your Life, the Media, Business, Politics, and, Like, Whatever."
8:12:00 PM
COPY EDITORS FIGHT BACK.
8:02:00 PM
REGISTER NO MORE:
First the Houston Chronicle and now the Toronto Star.
(Via Romenesko.)
2:17:00 PM
THE BIGGEST NEWSPAPER ERRORS this year.
(Via Romenesko.)
2:09:00 PM
RYAN MCLELLAND OF NEWSARAMA'S Your Indy Weekly features Lackluster World #3 (I previously reviewed issue #1) and Raised By Squirrels.
(Yeah, they're both old reviews, but I just found them this week.)
2:09:00 PM
Thursday, December 08, 2005
RYAN DUNLAVEY has a full preview of Action Philosophers #1 available on his site.
6:38:00 PM
THE ROLE OF A COMIC BOOK READER.
That's the discussion that's been going on around the comics blogosphere. James Meeley got it started by discussing how fans act as the "face" of comics.
We represent, to them (non-comics readers), the type of people who read comics. When they see displays of personal insults slung at creators and other fans, over something as insignificant as a work of fiction, it lessens us all. It hurts the industry. It makes it look undesirable and a haven for the intellectually and emotionally stunted. And who'd rationally want to be a part of that? Can you blame potential new readers for not wanting to be a part of comics, knowing that's the behavior they'll deal with if they want to talk about the work? Ed Cunard disagrees (last item in the post):
You see, readers don't have to be a part of comics--it's entirely possible to like something without being wholly invested in it. Chris takes more of a middle road:
While I think James is right that fans are, more often than not, the public face of the medium (as opposed to the characters or, as in other creative media, the creators), I doubt that most outside of this culture think of the sniping, snarking message board troller as the archetypical fan. If I had to guess, I'd say that most think of a comic book guy as, well, Comic Book Guy, from The Simpsons, a physically disheveled, socially crippled collector of ephemera. John Jakala sums up another very good argument:
The part that I disagree with is the notion that there's some obligation to adhere to some set of standards on how one can express one's opinions. If Chris (or James) had stated that such behavior is an ideal that everyone should attempt to strive for, I would probably agree, but I don't see how the positing of such an ideal creates an obligation on anyone to uphold it. As I see it, an obligation has two essential features: (1) one takes on an obligation by assuming some role that carries with it certain clearly defined expectations; and (2) if those expectations are not met, there is generally some form of censure that can be leveled against the individual failing to fulfill his duties. Ultimately, if a fan wants to act as a face for the comic book industry, that person can do so. However, that person shouldn't feel obligated to do so. And, certainly, the non-comic book reading public probably won't be deterred from having the opinion that the average comic book reader is someone in the Comic Book Guy mold.
As for myself, I don't particularly see any reason to act as a face for the comic book industry toward people who obviously already have preconceived notions of who a comic book fan is -- I don't feel like fighting an uphill battle. There's certainly enough people out there -- and, perhaps, it's mostly those of a younger age -- who have a more open mind about comics and who don't need to be argued out of an already-existing view of who a comic book fan is. But if I sense people are willing to expand their minds more in terms of who a comic book fan is, I wouldn't hesitate to act as a face for comic books -- I just don't see it as an obligation.
UPDATE: Apparently drew has some thoughts on this as well.
6:36:00 PM
WEEK 14 NFL PICKS.
Chicago at Pittsburgh
Cleveland at Cincinnati
Houston at Tennessee
Indianapolis at Jacksonville
New England at Buffalo
Oakland at N.Y. Jets
St. Louis at Minnesota
Tampa Bay at Carolina
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia
San Francisco at Seattle
Washington at Arizona
Baltimore at Denver
Kansas City at Dallas
Miami at San Diego
Detroit at Green Bay
New Orleans at Atlanta
7:52:00 AM
WEEK 13 NFL PICK RESULTS.
Week 13: 14-2, 87.5%
Week 12: 11-5, 68.8%
Week 11: 9-7, 56.25%
Week 10: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 9: Forgot again.
Week 8: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 7: 6-8, 42.86%
Week 6: 9-5, 64.29%
Week 5: 7-7, 50%
Week 4: 8-6, 57.14%
Week 3: Whoops, forgot.
Week 2: 7-9, 43.75%
Week 1: 7-9, 43.75%
Year to date: 93-71, 56.71%
7:49:00 AM
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
STOPPED AT THE COMIC BOOK STORE TODAY:
Demo
Kane: The Untouchable Rico Costas and other Short Stories
Lullaby: Wisdom Seeker
Local #1
Fell #1
8:30:00 PM
IS STUDENT GOVERNMENT AT FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY censoring the press?
8:55:00 AM
DAMIAN WILLCOX'S STUFF IS AWESOME: take a look at it. He has a webcomic, Skully, that starts here.
8:31:00 AM
Sunday, December 04, 2005
I JUST NOTICED MY PICKS FOR THIS WEEK, and I went 10-0 in the early games:
Atlanta at Carolina
Buffalo at Miami
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Dallas at N.Y. Giants
Green Bay at Chicago
Houston at Baltimore
Jacksonville at Cleveland
Minnesota at Detroit
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
Tennessee at Indianapolis
5:20:00 PM
LIBERALITY FOR ALL is something I'll check out when it comes out.
For now, there's this Newsarama feature on it.
(Via The Low Road.)
4:52:00 PM
IT'S BEEN HARD TO FIND THE TIME lately to read about comics and even less time to blog about them.
That's why I'm just getting to this item from Johanna about Alias Comics. She links to a post in an All the Rage column (about one-third down). There's been a lot of talk going on about the company and I feel like I've missed a lot of it. So I won't leave my comments, because I don't think I know the whole story yet.
4:48:00 PM
Friday, December 02, 2005
WEEK 13 NFL PICKS.
Atlanta at Carolina
Buffalo at Miami
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Dallas at N.Y. Giants
Green Bay at Chicago
Houston at Baltimore
Jacksonville at Cleveland
Minnesota at Detroit
Tampa Bay at New Orleans
Tennessee at Indianapolis
Arizona at San Francisco
Washington at St. Louis
Denver at Kansas City
N.Y. Jets at New England
Oakland at San Diego
Seattle at Philadelphia
6:07:00 PM
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