A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Battlestar Galactica: "Razor/Razor Flashbacks" - We watched the extended version on the DVD first. Most of the Razor Flashbacks are integrated into the extended movie, so we saw those in context. Then we watched the flashbacks alone. Only three of them weren't in the movie in their entirety, the first two and the last half of the last one. But the movie made perfect sense without them in there. The whole thing was pretty impressive. I hate Cain with a passion, but at least this story made it easier to understand her. Overall, a good movie, but I'll be glad to get back to the regular episodes.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: "The Grasp of the Gnome" - RenFair! A RenFair infested with pirates. Velma: "Is it me, or are pirates basically just hoboes with earrings?" More dramatics between Velma and Scooby over Shaggy, but it's all the same. Still some movement in the overall Mister E plotline as well. I can't believe I'm enjoying this show.
• History Detectives: "WB Cartoons; Galvez Papers; Mussolini's Dagger" - The cartoon cells story was rather incredible. Finding the list of names of the women who worked in the color department was just awesome. I've often wondered about the people who colored original DC comics back in the 40s. The manumission documents and the story of why the governor signed them was a great story, and fits Who Do You Think You Are? as much as History Detectives. The last story is a repeat.

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This week's movie was The Cat Returns from Studio Ghibli. I came into this with no expectations, and was pleasantly surprised. The story concerns a girl who saves the prince of the cats from an untimely death, and gets rewards that she doesn't expect or want. The voice casting is incredible, and the story is just tight enough to carry the movie along. The animation is as fantastic as every Studio Ghibli film, and even the DVD extras were amusing. So, overall, definitely a good movie for an evening watch.

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Here are reviews of the DCBS comic book shipment that arrived this week, of books originally released August 18th and 25th:

• Brightest Day #8 - No Aquaman. Not much interest. Really, I am a one-note fan. I would say I'm pathetic, but that would be redundant, now, wouldn't it?
• Green Lantern Corps #51 - Eh. I want to enjoy this, and I think the plot is getting nicely intricate, but it's still just the same old superheroes in space thing.
• Justice Society of America #42 - Wow. Kyle's mixed up relationships in an endless fight scene. Just what I don't want to read.
• Power Girl #15 - Well, I'm kind of enjoying this. I wish the old team were on it because it was actually fun then, but if you have to make it dramatic, they are working on some good plots here.
• DC Universe Legacies #4 - An interesting look at the superhero glory years from the perspective of a police officer, and I love the Aquaman and Aqualad content, of course. Good cliffhanger, even. But the backup story... that was just fantastic.
• Batman Beyond #3 - Bruce is getting senile in his old age if he thinks Terry can keep up that pace. As for the rest, I'm enjoying seeing how the remainder of the Bat-verse fits into the future.
• Tiny Titans #31 - Needs more Aqualad.
• Doctor Who Ongoing #14 - This whole story could've been compressed by at least three issues and would have been better and more interesting. I usually hate decompressed storytelling in comics, and this is an example of the kind I hate.
• True Story, Swear to God #13 - There's at least one page I would consider TMI, but I do love how he "describes" the headaches, because I've had those, frequently, from a completely different source. I also love how the first page plays on the readers' expectations, especially those of us who have followed Tom and Lily in real life and have an idea of some events that may be on the way.
• Usagi Yojimbo 1 for $1 - Nice! I know I have this in a trade somewhere, but reading a reprint of the original appearance just is cool. I think I ought to find someone to give it to who might appreciate it.


• Action Comics #892 - Nice show of Lex's utter disregard for life.
• Justice League of America #48 - Yay! A resolution! And the back-up story sets up even more fun for the future! Yay!
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20 - Big Barda, Scott Free, and the Female Furies always make for an entertaining story, if cringeworthy from a property damage perspective. I'm a little surprised that the second story is the first half of the story from issue #18. What's up with that?
• Usagi Yojimbo #131 - After last issue's cliffhanger, I was pleased to see how well Usagi and Kato handle themselves. The big with the cut off hand, and Usagi grabbing the sword from it, was nicely handled. I love the ending. Romance is so sweet.

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My library book this week was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot. We, as a society, owe Henrietta Lacks a huge debt. Her cells were the first human cells successfully cultured, and for a long time the only cells that could be cultured. Because of her cells, many diseases were cured that ravaged people for generations. But for many years no one had a clue about the woman who the original cells were taken from, or her family. Skloot was determined to tell the missing part of the story, and the result is this book. This is not a textbook, although you will learn a bit about the history of science. This is a biography, but it's more about the entire Lacks family and the fact that the children of arguably the most important person in modern medical history cannot afford health insurance. The descriptions in the book are repeated punches in the gut, both the history and the story of how the book was written. I found it well worth reading, and once I'd passed the halfway point I couldn't put it down until I got to the "where are they now" section. If you want spoilers, you can see what has happened because of this book, though without reading the book you may not understand the significance. So my conclusion: definitely worth reading, probably worth buying.

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Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• History Detectives: "Lauste Film Clip, Baker's Gold, Transatlantic Cable" - The early film clips they show are incredible, as are the machine shops she visits. Finding out that the collection that guy had was as significant as he thought was very neat. The Gold Rush story had a few good bits, and again an amazing outcome for the owner of the artifact. I found the transatlantic story fascinating. I don't think I ever realized just how much telegraph cable was laid in the Atlantic. I was surprised that they were able to figure out it was authentic, but even more surprised that they even figured out what line it belonged to!
• Dinner Impossible: "Spring Training Tangle" - This one is just cruel. Having good ingredients for the Major League, and crappy for the minor league is bad enough, but that twist with the equipment and the three strikes is just insane. Worse that George is the one who got both strikes.
• Battlestar Galactica: "Unfinished Business" - We watched the extended version on the DVD, and it was a LONG episode. Lots of flashbacks to New Caprica. Starbuck again becomes a more fascinating character. Her choices are strange but I sometimes think it all makes a sort of sense. She cannot settle, but if she is she's going to settle with someone who doesn't remind her of what she lost. I feel very sorry for Dee. She deserves so much better.
• Battlestar Galactica: "The Passage" - The fleet must go through a highly radioactive area to get food. In the meantime, a Cylon is having revelations. A low key episode in many ways, but it has a lot going on, much more than I would expect. And another character passes on, but in a wonderful evocative episode.

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Here are reviews of the DCBS comic book shipment that arrived this week, of books originally released June 23rd and 30th:

• Beasts of Burden Hardcover - There's a possibility you've already read these. You can read a handful online, and you might have gotten the series. One of the stories is a little more difficult to get your hands on, as it's only in a larger collection. But in any case, this is definitely worth the price of the book, even if you haven't read them before. The story is about a group of dogs (and one cat) that keep running into the supernatural in their homes on Burden Hill. Lovely artwork and thrilling stories make this a MUST-BUY for just about anyone. Seriously, if you have the chance, get this.
• Green Lantern Corps #49 - Do not like the alpha-lanterns. Don't much like the lanterns anyway, but really don't like the alpha-lanterns.
• Power Girl #13 - I was expecting to hate this book with the new creative team. After all, nothing is quite like Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti on a book. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it. I don't love it like I loved the previous 12 issues, but I enjoyed it. The big problem is that if you didn't know what Max Lord was up to, you might not completely understand what happened in this issue. But then, Power Girl is closely wrapped in DCU continuity, so that's to be expected.
• Zatanna #2 - I like her style in this book, but it's the supporting cast that will make or break this book. So far, so good.
• Astro City #1 New Printing - Way back when, a clerk at a comic shop showed me "the best use of wind and movement marks to disguise nudity" that she'd ever seen. Had I known that book was going to become one of my favorites, I would have bought that first issue. But I passed, and over the years was able to collect every issue *except* the first one. Which I now have in reprint form.
• Tick New Series #4 - I'm really not a big Tick fan. I mean, I'll read it, and chuckle along with the jokes, but it's not a book I seek out. But then there are issues like this one, that poke fun at every water-based hero in every comic book universe. As an Aquaman fan, I can't resist and can't help but enjoy it.
• Powers #5 - Walker's depression is horrible to watch, but Heather has the right idea. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like she's going to get away, does it? Lots of stuff happened in this issue, but it's really difficult to write about any of it without spoilers. I like this book, but it's not something that lends itself to my kind of light reviewing.
• Incredibles #10 - So wait, is the entire family running around completely ignorant of each other's adventures?
• Doctor Who Ongoing #12 - So, Turlough's diary is fake? Interesting manipulation of Matthew.


• Green Lantern #55 - Lobo. Why'd it have to be Lobo? Eh, good enough story in the middle, but it's the little story at the end that tells why there's a Red Lantern cat that makes this issue worth checking out.
• Justice Society of America #40 - Is JSA really late, or is JLA way ahead of schedule? I ask this because the events in this issue apparently take place right before JLA #44, and the current issue of JLA is... #46. So, what the heck, DC? Fix your scheduling! Well, I wonder if all the events in JSA #41 will have already been discussed and fixed two issues ago in JLA. Ug.
• Justice League of America #46 - And, speaking of poorly timed books. I can't tell if I should wait for the JSA books to catch up if this is supposed to be a crossover. Although this issue says to check with the next issue of JSA, which is printed as #41, for the next part, so maybe it's going ok now. But if DC intended this odd schedule... well, I'm not impressed. Besides, this book needs more Aquaman.
• Action Comics #890 - Got this because of the writer. I may keep getting it just because it was surprisingly good. Lex is dealing with the aftermath of being an Orange Lantern, searching for meaning with his good friend Lois by his side. With the recent revelation of who else is going to appear in this book, I'm actually looking forward to it.
• Batman Beyond #1 - Enjoyed the TV series, and the comic based on that, so we had to get the start of the character in the DCU proper. Terry is definitely overworked in this, but I hope we can see more of the Justice League anyway. There's an Aqua-character in there.
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold #18 - Martian Manhunter and Doctor Fate. Good stuff in this one, but I wonder if it'll go above the heads of some younger readers? Still, love the letter column and the Aquaman picture someone drew.
• Northlanders #29 - I like when they hit Iceland. But the rest is pretty depressing. What a big world it is.
• Royal Historian of Oz #1 - The description of the Official Oz Society cracks me up to the point of evil giggles. I'm sure there are many Oz fans who might find that parts of this book hit a little too close to home. But it appears to be both all in good fun, and done with a care for the real Oz history that takes the sting off. I think I'm going to enjoy this one.
• Usagi Yojimbo #129 - I love Usagi's response to the challenge. I love the way he proved his point. Very good stuff here, as usual. I always save this book for last because I know that I will always enjoy it, and I want to end on a good note.

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This week's movie was October Sky. A group of four boys are inspired by Sputnik to learn how to launch rockets. It's a little unsettling to see the dangerous experiments the kids manage to do without any adult supervision, but then, those were more innocent times in a lot of ways. The story is powerful and compelling, and ought to be shown in schools more. The idea that a group of kids can learn how to launch rockets through experimentation and hands-on work is wonderful. I was far more interested in what happened to the people after the events of the movie, and some searches led me to gather that the information at the end of the movie wasn't exactly true, but wasn't too far off, either. I love the fact that the title is an anagram of the original title, "Rocket Boys". That just makes it even cooler.

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My library book this week was Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest by Ella E Clark, 50th Anniversary Edition. This book was originally printed in 1953, and is a collection of native tales gathered from multiple sources around the Northwest. The edition I checked out is a 2003 reissue. The tales are loosely organized into five sections, tales of the mountains, tales of the lakes, tales of rivers and waterways, myths of creation, and a final section for anything that didn't fit in the first four. The tales come from native nations who originally inhabited Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. There's an introduction to the book itself, then each section has an introduction. Most tales have a very short paragraph saying where the story was collected, by whom and from whom, and the dates it was told. There are a lot of people who were in their 70s and 80s in 1953 quoted. Some of the stories are very similar, but the editor seems to have made a number of choices to keep within her themes while still being true to her subject. The story intros will sometimes give alternate actions that happen in the tales. The book has an extensive bibliography, a glossary, and an index. And there is surprisingly little editorializing about the stories, although what there is grates. Definitely a good book to pick up for a general sense of native legends in this area. Fascinating reading.

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Agatha Christie this week was Ordeal By Innocence from 1958. A man's alibi arrives two years too late, but reopens the murder case to the distress of the family involved. I admit I couldn't figure out Dr Calgary at all in the beginning. How could he have not realized the significance of his act upon the family? But I suppose I'll buy his ignorance for the sake of the story. The atmosphere was nicely built up, and while I had a good sense of who really did it, I was completely shaken by a red herring and the reveal of another fact of the case, and in the end guessed completely wrong because I kept second-guessing myself. Which I always do with Christie's books, and I always love every minute of it, so I suppose I should stop complaining.

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Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews -- My Wishlist

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Big Daddy's House: "Dream Dinner" - Looked tasty, but mostly stuff I don't generally eat. This guy makes me feel like I could almost make it, despite my ability to make the easiest recipe turn into inedible slop.
• Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: "Brain Freeze" - Ok, I'd love to try the sweet potato ice cream. But I really don't need most of the ice cream. I want it, but I'm strong enough... I don't need it.
• Food Detectives: "Brain Freeze" - I almost never get brain freeze, because I usually eat ice cream pretty slowly. The freezer burn advice was good, and I will no doubt use it in the future.
• Ace of Cakes: "Swimming With the Sharks" - I wanna swim with the sharks.

Comics this week:

• Green Lantern Corps #27 - A bit of a day-in-the-life issue, with some nasty set up. Natu appears, but only briefly, so I'll say it was a so-so issue.
• Captain Britain and MI13 #4 - I like Faiza. The rest, not so much.
• Checkmate #29 - This book is nearly done, right?
• Action Comics #868 - Um, go Brainiac?
• Batman #679 - Don't know what is happening in this issue, don't really care.
• Doctor Who #6 - Hrm. If the issue hadn't had a review of what happened, I wouldn't have understood it at all. As it was, the story was almost too confusing to follow.
• Tiny Titans #7 - Wonder Girl playing with an Aquaman action figure? CUTE!

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Have I Got News For You: "Jeremy Clarkson, Kate Silverton, and Ian McMillan" - Final episode of this batch. Paul Cornell almost gets a mention, as the Captain Britain comic is one of the subjects they cover. It was funny to see the US Presidential race from the British point of view, as well. Though I suspect Clarkson isn't a liberal. Too bad there wasn't another episode, I would have loved to see them react to the guy who was pepper sprayed for laughing too hard at Paul (possibly in this very episode).
• Iron Chef America: "Flay vs Samuelsson" - Very common ingredient, and as usual I'm rooting for the challenger, who is simply cool. Also as usual, I'd much rather taste the challenger's dishes than Flay's.
• The Next Food Network Star: "Star on the Go" - What, they still let Robert play with the big boys? The challenges were out of a nightmare. Lisa really redeemed herself this week in the challenge itself, but was a witch during the judging. In the end, they picked the right person to not move on.
• American Gladiators - Hulk-themed episode. Very lackluster. None of the contestants really stand out, and the clipping of events was at the same time annoying and a relief.
• Ghost Hunters: "Garden State Ghosts" - It seems really strange that some of the ghost hunters are terrified of bugs and spiders. Also, they debunk while running around in the dark: couldn't they do some debunking before lights out? I still think a proper investigation of a place would involve weeks of work to establish baselines, intense debunking, and cameras running 25/7. No group could afford to do that, though. So the show always leaves my skeptic side unsatisfied, even if I generally feel entertained.
• Monster Quest: "Ghosts" - I watched this as a sort of counter-point to Ghost Hunters, hoping for a little more science. Oh well. It's a nice enough show, and I'm sure I could get into it as a cryptozoology fan, but it is overproduced (like GH) and repetitious. Really repetitious. I really want that infrared camera, though. I don't know what I'd do with it, but my gadget-loving heart wants to play with one.
• Doctor Who: "Midnight" - Wow wow wow. That's some of the best acting I've seen in a long time. The script was pretty basic, but WOW the acting. I wouldn't call this episode my favorite by a long shot, but it was really really good. Wow.

Comics this week:

• Trinity #2 - Um. Ok. I'm not really feeling the impressed-ness yet.
• Wonder Woman #21 - Three different stories in one issue! Sort of! And all three work well, and even work together. Who woulda thunk it?
• Action Comics #866 - Hmm. Not a lot to say about this one except it's a nice set-up.
• Titans #3 - I still want to know what happened to Garth. But he's in limbo with Aquaman, I guess.
• Green Lantern Corps #25 - Yay, more Natu. Boo, more cosmic stuff.
• Tiny Titans #5 - No Aqualad or Fluffy in this one. Bummer.
• Wildguard Insider #2 - Looking forward to the final issue of this one, and I really liked this issue. I wish I'd kept up with the on-line comic when it was going, but I'm glad I can catch up now.
• Captain Britain and MI13 #2 - Skrulls and fairies. It's not bad, if you like Skrulls and constant battles.
• Star Wars Rebellion #14 - You know, if I'm going to read Star Wars comics, I could do much worse than these. Pretty good finish to the tale.
• Local #12 - I want to reread all the previous issues now. I think this is a satisfactory ending to the series, but I won't know until I reread the entire thing.

Just a final note here, I'd like to thank my friend D who is buying many of the comics I read each week, allowing me to read a lot more than I could afford. Thanks, D!

This week's library movie was Happy Feet. Well, that had a lot of songs in it. I wouldn't recommend this one unless you've got a person who really likes music and dance with you. It wasn't bad, it just was a little overwhelmingly musical. I liked the guy near the end who said, "I don't want to live in a world without penguins!" Otherwise... well, this one was just ok. Maybe I'm suffering from penguin overload or something.

Agatha Christie this week was her first collection, Poirot Investigates from 1924. Although the original US edition had 3 extra stories, I ended up with a reprint of the original UK version, which only has the original 11 stories. But they are really good little stories! Each one a bite-sized Poirot tale. Quick reads, and intriguing enough to make me slap my forehead at each reveal, because I always think I should have figured it out. Somehow Christie makes me feel not quite stupid, yet still a little slow. I'm enjoying her works and I'm glad Doctor Who inspired me to start reading her books.

My library book this week was A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca by Andrés Reséndez. This book was recommended in Fortean Times #236, and because it speaks to my interests in pre-Colonial America, I couldn't wait to dive into it. The story concerns four men who survived an ill-fated colonialization effort that landed in Florida. The four men, including Cabeza de Vaca, walked across North America from Florida to the Pacific Coast before any Europeans had reached that far. Along the way, they endured slavery and starvation and eventually became holy men in their quest to return home, which they managed in 1536. There are two ways to read this book. You can read it right through then check the end notes, or you can read the end notes as you go along. Because I'm a fussy reader, I tend to read the notes while reading the text. This book had lots of notes. Practically every paragraph had an endnote, and the majority of the notes were as long as the paragraphs themselves. Everything was documented, and parts of the story where there is contention among scholars had the disputes laid out along with the reasons the author chose one interpretation over another. If you were to read the book straight through without reading the notes, it would be a quick read of an interesting bit of history that most of us know nothing about. With the notes it became a fascinating look into the past and a study of the limitations of understanding what happened only 500 years ago. If you have any interest at all in what America was like back then, or want to read an incredible tale of survival against the odds, this is the book for you.

I also read Little Brother by Cory Doctorow this week, and was hit pretty hard by the ideas in the book. I recommend it to just about everyone. You can download it for free or buy a copy.

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: "Real Deal Fast Food" - We should've seen this last week, but thanks to Comcast's stupid digital cable box that hates our TiVo, we missed it. As with all the episodes of this show, I tried to decide which place I wanted to visit most. Unlike most episodes, I couldn't decide between the first and third spots.
• Classic Doctor Who: "Invasion of Time" Parts 3 & 4 - I really like Leela in this story. Confident, strong, cunning, and intelligent. And her faith in the Doctor is good to see.
• American Gladiator - I hope I wasn't the only person creeped out by the woman who was competing "for her husband" while he looked on in apparent disapproval. Very creepy. I really liked Brick... he made Toa take a dunk. I hope Brick goes all the way.
• Have I Got News For You: "Lee Mack, Shami Chakrabarti, and John O'Farrell" - Celery and Moobs! Still not as great as the Brian Blessed episode, but this one had lots of laughs. The "artist impressions" were a lovely touch, particularly "Ian hunting Methodists".
• Iron Chef America: "Flay vs Iacovone" - This is a good one to play the drinking game with. As usual with Flay, I rooted for the challenger. As is often the case, I wasn't much interested in trying any of the dishes.
• Ghost Hunters: "House of Spirits" - Well, the first location was goofy, but the second had some good solid debunking happening. The "eat that dead moth" bet was predictably silly, and I'm really glad he didn't do it.
• Dinner: Impossible: "Firehouse Fiasco" - That was a nightmare meal. I'm surprised he was able to pull the food/equipment in as quickly as he did. It was a miracle that meal turned out at all.
• Supernanny: "Doyle Family" - Not a bad episode. The reinforcement of the "naughty chair" technique is important in this one. It seems like most parents are inclined to give up too quickly. Again, I wish I could see follow-ups that are years later instead of weeks or months.
• Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: "The Memphis Barbecue Tour" - I'm really not into barbecue, so this was just mildly interesting to me instead of hunger-inducing.
• Doctor Who: "Silence in the Library" - Um. Wow? Creepy, and yet touching in parts. Appropriate that this follows the Agatha Christie episode. I'm waiting to see how the girl fits into the whole thing. And I like River Song.

Comics this week:

• Final Crisis #1 - I can hear the complaints already. With my lack of interest in the new gods, this is going to be a boring mini for me.
• Batman #677 - Still not sure what's going on, still don't care. Bruce Wayne examines his inner soul. Yawn.
• Action Comics #865 - Nice little side story on the Toyman. Not great, but not bad either.
• Green Lantern #31 - More origin. I really don't like galactic DCU, so this did nothing for me.
• JSA: Classified #38 - And more Wildcat. Nice detective work there, and a decent cliffhanger.
• Northlanders #6 - Ah, what a lovely twist at the end! I'm liking this book more and more.
• Rogue Angel #4 - Hmm. I'm getting into this one again. I like the main hero, and the plotline with Mark Twain is very nice.
• Usagi Yojimbo #112 - Every once in awhile I feel like going back and re-reading all of Usagi Yojimbo for clues to what's happening in the current story. This is one of those times.
• Heroes - Very nice collection of the on-line comics. I've read most of them, but I'll be re-reading as soon as I have a chance to sit down with it.
• DC Super Friends Young Readers Volume 1: "Heroes United/Attack of the Robot" - Glee!!!! This is a really cute book. It's for young readers, but the punch out heroes in the center are very nice, and the story is surprisingly solid. "Heroes United" is just an introduction to the characters, the five male members of the Super Friends (no Wonder Woman). "Attack of the Robot" puts them up against Lex Luthor. The only problem I have with the book is the lack of Wonder Woman, otherwise it's very cute and sweet.
• DC Super Friends Young Readers Volume 2: "Flying High" - Again, no Wonder Woman. Aquaman doesn't appear on the cover, but is in the book. This one is at the youngest reading level, while the other book was at a slightly older level. The story involves the Penguin, but naturally hasn't got much detail. Still, it's fun. Just not as fun as the first one.

This week's library movie was Stardust. I've read the original, and I must admit it was slightly better than the movie. Of course. But the real fun was seeing where the movie veers away from the book, and what bits are different completely. The scenes from the book are wonderfully realized. The changes were mostly for the best and worked very well. Overall, this is just a great movie to see for a light evening's entertainment. But read the book first. It's even more fun that way.

My library book this week was Orphans of Chaos by John C. Wright. It was recommended by an Androgum at our last Doctor Who party, so I figured I'd give it a chance. It is very strange. The orphans live in a school in which they are outnumbered by the staff, and each of the children seems to have abilities beyond normal humans. Not to mention a great deal of intelligence. The story veered off into high concepts at times, which made for an odd read. Overall, though, it was an enjoyable read and a nice contrast to my usual fare.

Another Agatha Christie book this week, The Secret Adversary, her second published novel. This one features Tommy and Tuppence, a young couple seeking money and adventure who get caught up in a mystery involving a missing girl. I was cursing myself at the end of the book, when I realized that I'd half-missed the vital clue. Yeah, I caught the clue itself, but missed the full meaning. Argh! So... I liked this one a lot.

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews

A Sunday Review

TV this week:

• Have I Got News For You: "Julian Clary, Ed Byrne and Andrew Neil" - I really, really like Julian. He's frickin' hilarious. I love when he deadpans full speed ahead despite the awful jokes.
• Classic Doctor Who: "Sunmakers" Parts 3 & 4 - This one was fun to watch with blooper reels in mind. It's a remarkably silly story.
• Numb3rs: "End Game" - The return of a sympathetic murderer was a bit of an unexpected twist, but I thought it was a powerful story.
• Dinner: Impossible: "Culture Clash Wedding" - Robert comes to Seattle, and shops at a couple of places I've shopped. Not his best showing, though. He forgot the dessert.
• Supernanny: "Clause Family" - Looks like the family took to the new routine like ducks to water. I think the boy really needs a haircut, and I'm usually not too picky about such things.
• Ace of Cakes: "Wedding Week" - The hockey cake was cool, but my heart was with the Baltimore skyline cake. I would want Seattle instead, but that was an awesome cake.
• Doctor Who: "The Poison Sky" - Sontar-HA! Goofy, somewhat predictable, but what a great ending! "Are you my Mommy?" heh heh.
• Smallville: "Apocalypse" - It's a Wonderful Life, Clark Kent. Someone please give this show a mercy killing.

Comics this week:

• DC Universe Zero - Except for the spoiled ending, this was ok. The problem was that, instead of wondering who was narrating, I was steaming about already knowing. Oh well, I guess it was DC's choice to screw the fans in the hopes of getting more regular folks to read the book.
• Action Comics #864 - Starman is really creepy now. I thought he was still in the JSA brownstone.
• Green Lantern #30 - Another Hal Jordan origin retcon. I'm trying not to yawn. Oops. Too late.
• JSA Classified #37 - Ted and Selina make a pretty good team, really. I wouldn't mind seeing them pair up again.
• Teen Titans: Year One #4 - I still can't stand Garth's awful design in this book. He's ugly as sin. I want the real Aqualad.
• Blue Beetle #26 - ok, I confess. I bought it because it was in Spanish. And I liked it, darn it. So there.
• Local #11 - What a crappy thing to do to someone. And yet... this is what Brian Wood is doing to Megan as well. Metatextual. Dang, this is one intense book.
• Noble Causes #33 - Slightly better than the last issue, but only because Frost is the focus. I want Liz and Race back.
• Star Wars: Rebellion #13 - I'm actually really enjoying this story. And I don't really know how it'll end, which is nice.
• Usagi Yojimbo #111 - Usagi is so noble, rushing to the rescue. And Gen is a real twit to not warn Usagi.
• Wonderland #6 - I really ought to read the original books one of these days. I've read bits and pieces, but never the whole books through.
• Wildguard: Insider #1 - Black Rover? Oh, I'm looking forward to more issues of this one.
• The Oz/Wonderland Chronicles: Jack & Cat Special - If there was a trade collection of these books, it would probably... hopefully... make more sense. As it is, I've lost the thread of the story and can't figure out what's happening, despite knowing the characters.

This week's library movie was Spider-Man 3. While the movie as a whole wasn't too bad, the scenes of 'evil Peter' acting like a moron sleezebag from the 70's were almost impossible to watch. If I'd been in a theater I would have wanted to leave. As it was, if I had been in control of the remote and not hubby-Eric, I might have turned it off. Good fight scenes, but too many cringe moments to be a great movie.

My library book this week was A Fire in My Heart: Kurdish Tales. The book starts out with a summary of who the Kurdish people are, including their current situation and the irony that the Iraq war has protected them in Iraq. The book describes the culture, and then gives a few recipes and games that are popular in Kurdistan. Then we get the tales. Classic, simple, and unfamiliar in many ways. They describe the way people think in terms that no psychologist can match. I finished the book with a new appreciation for the Kurds, and, for the first time, a reason to want US troops to stay in Iraq. Or, at least, part of Iraq. I highly recommend this book. Check it out, if you can find a copy at your library.

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews

A Sunday Review

TV this week: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: "Neighborhood Joints" (some of these folks have really long weeks), Robin Hood: "A Good Day to Die" (wow, intense talking scenes, and the most that Little John has ever said), Robin Hood: "We Are Robin Hood!" (I really really didn't expect the ending, and I'm glad I managed to avoid spoilers about it), Ghost Hunters: "Ghostly Bounty Hunter" (nothing in this one but good tales that turned out to be false, and a bat), Destination Truth: "Flying Dinosaur; Sloth Monster" (way more bats than Ghost Hunters had), I also saw ads for Sarah Jane Adventures during both Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth, Supernanny: "Addis Family" (dinnertime problems brought back really bad memories for me), Ace of Cakes: "Duff's Birthday" (meatball cake for the goofball), Torchwood: "Exit Wounds" (whoa. intense. too bad I had one of the major plot points spoiled), and Doctor Who: "Partners in Crime" (I prefer my weight loss program).

Comics this week: Countdown 4 shows me that I clearly missed out on a lot of Mary Marvel storyline, since I haven't got a clue what the deal is with Darkseid. Detective #843 is as good as all the rest of Dini's issues, but there's a bit of continuity I'm not familiar with in this issue that made it a strange read. I also read Action #863, which was a suitable finish to the Legion tale. I found the two-page house ad for Final Crisis at the end of the book to be strange and slightly disappointing.

Justice League Unlimited #44 was a little depressing in the way it humanized another villain, something this series has done before. It's a shame this series is ending. It's probably the best Justice League series ever. I'm not sure what to make of Jonah Hex #30. It was a story told from the wrong angle. I think I liked it. And lastly for this week, PS238 #30 was excellent as usual! The Las Vegas saga gets nicely wrapped up and Tyler starts a new adventure. I love this book.

I also got Holmes from AiT/Planet Lar as a review copy. I think the description on the website says all that really needs to be said, "Omaha Perez' vicious skewering of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic..." I will confess that I've never been a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. In fact, I consider him an unsufferable twit. I adored a Doctor Who novel (All-Consuming Fire) that took Holmes into a fantastical setting in which Watson could cope but Holmes could not. This graphic novel goes quite a bit further, making both Watson and Holmes out to be insane drug-addicts. It's very strange, very raunchy, and a bit over the top in places. I can't really recommend it to most folks, but if you dislike Holmes already or like re-imaginings of classic characters, this is one you should check out.

While on the trip to Portland last week, we listened to Doctor Who: Spare Parts from Big Finish productions. This was an intense audio story about the origin of the Cybermen. The story is about the need to survive and the lengths to which people will go simply to continue existing. The story is chilling from start to finish in more than one way. I've listened to a few of the Big Finish audios, and I think this is one of the best.

This week's library movie was Surf's Up. As I somehow collect penguins (or do they collect me?) I tend to like the idea of another penguin movie. The style is very clever, as a documentary about Cody, a penguin surfer wannabe. The story is a bit like Karate Kid with surfing. I would not have enjoyed this movie if it were just a standard surfer movie: the penguins pretty much made it watchable. I really liked the Pen Gu-ins that Chicken Joe befriends. It's a fun little romp.

My library book this week was Dragon Harper by Todd and Anne McCaffrey. I have been a fan of Pern since I was a pre-teen. I've read all the Pern books I could lay hands on, and loved them dearly. Well, most of them. The collaborations between Todd and his mother on Pern have been... not quite a strong. The writing is less finished, like it needs about three more drafts. The action sometimes just jumps, leaving out key moments or transitions. I actually found typos in this one, which doesn't generally happen to me. While I'm certainly interested in this history of Pern, I don't find it nearly as satisfying as the original Pern novels. I'll keep reading these, but Pern is no longer on my "must buy in hardcover!" list.

Past Sunday Reviews -- Comics at Amazon.com -- Previews

Really Rapid Reviews

Rather than risk the drive in the snow to my weekly swim, I stayed home last night and read comic books. For the first time in ages, I have the reviews written the same week the books came out.

These are mini-capsules: about one sentence per book with whether or not I recommend the book.

28 February 2007

52 Week Forty-Three: "Family Matters": Figures. I actually like Osiris, and was getting used to Sobek. Very mildly recommended.

Action Comics #846: "Last Son Part Three": Um. Ok. Haven't I seen a plot like this already? Neutral.

Green Lantern #17: "Wanted: Hal Jordan" Chapter Four: Batman being chosen first was interesting. The rest was not much to me. Mildly recommended.

JLA Classified #35: "Torrential Reign": Another reality, another mistake. I want to like this story, but it just seems ok. Mildly recommended.

JSA Classified #23: "Nightfall" part 1 of 2: I'm not a big Doctor Mid-Nite fan, but this story was ok. Mildly recommended.

Justice #10: My head is spinning. WHAT IS BRAINIAC DOING TO POOR ARTIE JR?!?? Ahem. Recommended.

Noble Causes #27: I like how I can pick this book up and figure out what's been happening, thanks to both the summary in the front and just how well written it is. Recommended.

Wisdom #3: "Enter With Drag On": Ok, I didn't much like the first two issues of this book, mostly because I had a hard time following the action, I think. This issue was so much better for me it's not even funny. I actually enjoyed this issue. Not like I enjoy lots of books, but the whole Welsh Dragon thing hit some happy spot for me. Mildly recommended.

Fallen Angel #13: Just what are the players in this book? Archetypes, clearly, but of what? This book annoys me because I can't stop being interested in it. Recommended.

Dorothy #7: HA! The entire famous foursome are finally together, kicking butt and taking names! And we get to see more behind the scenes action from the other side of the story. Highly recommended.

True Story, Swear to God #4: This one hurts. No, I mean literally. A few years back I was similarly stupid and got a very bad sunburn. I know EXACTLY what it feels like. I could not have done what he did. Strongly recommended.

Action Philosophers #8: "Senseless Violence Spectacular": The earliest issues of this series were the most effective, but it's still a really good book. Recommended.

Really Rapid Reviews

These are mini-capsules: about one sentence per book with whether or not I recommend the book.

3 February 2007

JLA Classified #33: "The 4th Parallel" part 2a: Eh. I could take it or leave it. This one just does nothing for me. Mildly recommended.

Phantom Annual #1: "Five Days of the Dragon": I really liked this one. The ending was a bit weak, but the other stories were wonderful. Recommended.

Nodwick #36: "The Evil Wed(ding)": I like how everything ties up at the end. It's a good one! It's also the final issue of this version of Nodwick. Recommended.

Usagi Yojimbo #100: It's the freakin' 100th issue. Of course it's good. It's just not the normal stuff, since it's a jam issue with all kinds of guest art and writing. Recommended, but only for people who are already fans of Usagi.

7 February 2007

52 Week Forty: "Man Ain't Nothing But A Man": Lorena has a good role in this, and it confirms that she's part of the Titans during the missing year. Now I want to see more of the Titans during the missing year. Recommended.

Detective Comics #828: "Sharkbite": Another great standalone story, yet set in the wider context of modern Batman comics. WHY CAN'T MOST COMICS BE LIKE THIS? The Aquaman reference didn't hurt my opinion of the book, either. Highly recommended.

Action Comics Annual #10: Not bad. Kind of Silver Age-y in a good sort of way. If I was more interested in Superman, I would have enjoyed it much more. Recommended.

Justice League Unlimited #30: "Heavy Mettle": Booster Gold and Speedy? Booster Gold and Speedy!?? Oh my. Recommended.

Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil #1: "YROOB SZH Z HVXIVG!*": Very cute. Kinda cuddly, even. And sweet. Odd, in some ways. Recommended.

Astro City: The Dark Age Book Two #2: "Eyes of a Killer": If you are going to set up a story like this, the cliffhanger at the end of this issue is definitely a fantastic pay-off! Highly recommended.

X-Men Annual #1: "Covenant": My friend asked me to pick this book up for him because he'd been told it would be a good jumping on point. So I thought, what the heck, I'll read it too! Not bad, but the cliffhanger means nothing to me. Mildly recommended.

Lone Ranger #4: This book jumps around a little too much for me, but it's starting to come together in my mind. Mildly recommended.

Star Trek: The Next Generation #1: "The Space Between": Artwork on a licensed comic is so difficult to do "right", and I think this book just barely manages it. The story was intriguing, at least. Mildly recommended.

Really Rapid Reviews

These are mini-capsules: about one sentence per book with whether or not I recommend the book.

22 November 2006

52 Week Twenty-Nine: "Name Calling": Nice appearance by the JSA, and interesting more stuff from Steel. Recommended.

Action Comics #845: "Last Son Part Two": Um. Ok. Mildly recommended.

Wonder Woman #3: "Who Is Wonder Woman? Part Three": It's a bad sign when I'm more excited about a Wicked poster showing up on the splash page than I am about the issue in general. Very mildly recommended.

JSA Classified #19: "Skin Trade Part One: Spare Parts": I want to like this, but I just didn't. Neutral.

Usagi Yojimbo #98: "The Return of the Black Soul": Jei is the scariest villain in Usagi's world... and it is back. Recommended.

Conan #34: "The Sons of Bel": I'm losing interest in this book again. Too bad, I wish Busiek were back on it. Mildly recommended.

Noble Causes #25: Ok, that was the way to wrap up that particular part of the tale. Excellent! Recommended.

Really Rapid Reviews

These are mini-capsules: one sentence per book (unless I feel like writing a bit more) with whether or not I recommend the book.

25 October 2006

52 Week Twenty-Five: "Liminal Times": Best. Cover. Ever. Insides weren't as good. Mildly recommended.

JSA Classified #18: "The Venom Connection Part 2": Not too shabby. Recommended.

Action Comics #844: "Last Son Part One": Promising enough start, though I'm not sure just what happened at the end there, or how this is an opportunity for Luthor. Mildly recommended.

Secret Six #5: "Life As We Know It": I'm liking this book less and less with each issue. It's just too depraved. Not recommended.

Trials of Shazam #3: "Cover Me!": The art bothers me in some mild way that I can't describe. Otherwise, it's an ok book. Mildly recommended.

Ion #7: "Home Again": Eh. Neutral.

Justice #8: Ah, Mera and Aquaman. Who the heck is "Yuko" though? Recommended.

Thieves & Kings Presents: "The Walking Mage": Quinton has a very interesting way of looking at the world, and of teaching lessons. I would NOT want to be on his bad side. Recommended.

Cindy and Her Obasan: "Elvis and the Lost Halo": Sounded promising, so we got it. It was fun. Recommended.

Castle Waiting Vol II #2: A lovely trip into Jain's past, with a cliffhanger and wonderful sketches. Highly Recommended.

1 November 2006

52 Week Twenty-Six: "Halfway House": I'm liking Osiris, he seems to work well as a foil to both Isis and Black Adam. Mildly recommended.

Justice League of America #3: "The Brave & The Bold": Still hasn't hooked me, but at least the story seems to be starting to pull together. Mildly recommended.

Detective Comics #825: "The Return of Dr. Phosphorus!": I liked this book better with Dini writing it. Mildly recommended.

Justice League Unlimited #27: "Climb the Mountain": Fantastic Black Lightning story. Highly recommended.

Fallen Angel #10: "A Sad Song for Terry May": A nice short tale, more or less standalone, though it refers to previous events. Recommended.

Local #7: "Hazardous Youth": Megan had hit the point where she was not likable... now we meet her cousin Nicky and his Arizona life. Recommended.

Mouse Guard #5: "Midnight's Dawn": Intriguing. This is going to be a good title to read all at once. Recommended.

Aquaman review will go up later this evening. At the moment I'm off to see the Dead Sea Scrolls!