Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Working On An Ashcan for My Odysseus Rex Graphic Novel
Monday, April 9, 2018
I've Published a New Music Zine, Abba Zab!
Abba Zab, the first issue of my new, B&W digest music review zine, is ready to ship. It's 16 pages jam-packed with LP reviews, CD reviews, podcast reviews and music documentary reviews. Only $4 ppd. Contact me for PayPal payments or other kinds of payments here or on Facebook.
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Recently Read: Golden Age Marvel Comics, Vol. 2
This book is oddly titled: it actually reprints Marvel Mystery Comics Nos. 5-8. At any rate, the origins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Marvel Universe in general start in this important book, wherein The Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch meet and battle it out! Never before had two Marvel characters interacted in a shared universe.
As with the previous volume, Bill Everett's work on Sub-Mariner is the best in the book - it packs a punch, with the mariner acting more like Osama bin Laden than a Marvel hero. Also great is Steve Dahlman's art for the underrated Electro: the Marvel of the Age series. Ferret: Mystery Detective has a ferretless story near the end; his series would soon be supplanted by Terry Vance, boy detective. The rest of the features are primitive, but fascinating as time capsules, and The Angel was about to get a lot weirder in the next volume.
Also features an introduction by Roy Thomas and contemporary ad reproductions.
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Recently Read: Naruto, Vol. 3
Naruto Vol. 3, the strongest of the series so far, first gives us some quiet scenes explaining the back story of the village of Konohagakure (and the evil of antagonist Gato). It then culminates in a thrilling 100-page battle sequence which seems far from over at the end of the book. This isn't your dad's Hulk vs. Thor sort of fight; it's a strategic, character and ability-revealing competition with amazing graphics and pacing.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
The Nix Comics Kickstarter 2018 Is On!
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
Sunday, March 11, 2018
Recently Read: The Revenge of Analog, by David Sax
An enjoyable and timely (though somewhat snobby) look at the resurgence of analog in many endeavors, industries and practices. It confirms, through many means, including extensive institutional studies, that physical means of communication and face to face communication have incalculable advantages over the use of digital media.
Topics covered include vinyl LPs, paper books, notebooks, education, film, board games, working environments, retail and more.
One drawback of the book is the author's nonplussed recounting of younger (i.e. hipster's) ageist judgments on older analog customers. Snarky, patronizing characterizations of older analog users are repeatedly quoted throughout the book. One retailer, Andrew Zuckerman, describes older customers as "geezers, crummy old men...with a balding crown...endless soliloquies of cultural superiority emerging from their lips." Andrew, who do you think was keeping the vinyl industry alive in the '90s, while teenagers were buying Nickelback, Korn and Chumbawamba CDs?
Since author David Sax gives his opinions on any number of subjects in the book, it's positively odd that he doesn't indicate whether he believes in these characterizations or not.
Another board games retailer describes the average action figure purchaser of the '90s as a "geeky male living in his mother's basement." Really? The retailer tracked down the purchases to their delivery points and personally confirmed that stereotype? There's many more examples of prejudicial contempt in this otherwise exemplary book.
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
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