Your humble narrator hasn't been idle even though IiSF? has
(I admit) been a bit sparse as of late. I've been working on my EGOT or whatever
the comic book blogger equivalent is. I'm still slaving away for the best
publisher and co-conspirator a guy could ask for, Comics Bulletin's grand
poobah, Jason Sacks. Along with the Jerry to my Joe, Daniel Elkin, there are
more reviews waiting in the wings, one of which contains this nugget of Elkin erudition:
''It's that intense desire that you are
overwhelmed with at the sight of a person or an object – the one upon which you
have that deep animal longing to rub your genitalia;'' and this from Sacks:
''an insanely appropriate and insanely
wonderful Japanese WMD that looks to the past and to the future ...'' Yeah, these guys are the balls.
If you haven't read the interview I did for CB with Rachel
Deering, by all means go,
do. Deering is as smart and candid as anyone I've interviewed in seventeen
years as a television reporter/photographer. Often the most candid interviewees
have axes to grind and so caught up in their own passions that they come off as
insulated and aloof. Deering is passionate, no doubt, but down-to-earth and
honest. She's got one of the best horror comics going, Anathema, and when she makes the big time, watch out.
To spread the Sophisticated
Fun around I got asked to write for a new website for one of my favorite
comic book podcasts, The Two-Headed Nerd Comicast. I've written about Joe
and Matt here before, so when they asked if I'd contribute I jumped at the
chance and hoped not be a pimple on the (Two-Headed Nerd) ass of progress. The
essay I wrote was about how I've been lukewarm on Saga. Funny story, Saga
slurper (I kid because I $3.99 like), Owen K. Craig of Panel
Culture very congenially pointed out that I had spelled Saga scribe Brian K. Vaughan's surname
as Vaughn. Craig could have dinged me for such an obvious and egregious
mistake. Instead, he complemented me on my opinion, valiantly defended his boy
Vaughan, and mentioned in a demure direct message on Twitter that I had
misspelled his master's name. That's how you come correct without coming off
like a prick. Be 'the Owen.'
These roll call posts wouldn't be complete without a mention
of my blog-father, Justin Giampaoli of the
incomparable Thirteen Minutes.
I wrote a review of Mind MGMT, for
what Justin has (now) christened a recurring feature called 'shotgun blurbs'
about creator-owned comics. In his 'no-nonsense, icy Walter-White-like
efficiency, Giampaoli wanted to know, in 300 words or less: what the
comic is about and why should someone buy it. My latest 'blast,' so-to-speak, is
aimed at Prophet. How Brandon Graham
has transformed this 90's cement-head
into a sort of 'sophisticated fun' shall we say (?) WTF kind of story is a prime example of what
can happen when creators are left to do what they do best, create.
It's been one year (August
31, 2011 to be exact) since I received that fateful
spam from the bean-counters at Warner Brothers. One year removed from
buying every New 52 title I could get my hands on (Red Lanterns? Suicide Squad?
What was I thinking?!?). One year after agreeing to 'read a couple of comic books' with my 'old friend,' Seth, who must accept some of the blame for the 'pleasure of my compnay' that I inflict on you all. Now, I blog, tweet and email back-in-forth with all
these smart and passionate writers, artists and creators. Excelsior! Meyers said it, ''You folks are fantastic.'' (Included a little Kracklin' Kirby Romance for all the lovin' goin' 'roun.' Enjoy!)
Aforementioned Links:
(re)AssessingSaga at Two-Headed Nerd, Interview with Anathema creator Rachel Deering and a review of Anathema #2 on Comics Bulletin, Thirteen Minutes Shotgun Blub: Prophet
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