The man from Room Five

V for Vendetta

Alan Moore's classic graphic novel stands head and shoulders with other works of classic literature. His vision of a fascist society, based on the 1980s conservatism of the Thatcher administration, rings even truer in the current neo-con dominated America. We are a nation getting wire tapped, spoon fed sound bites, and the voice of dissent is lost. V brings the hope of ideas to a group of people who are imprisoned in their own society. He's cryptic, poetic, and has gone from hell and back to 'set us free'.

"Our masters have not heard the people's voice for generations, Evey, and it is much, much louder than they remember."

David Lloyd's art in V-- shadows, expression, pace are the perfect fit with Moore's words. The lead character V, wears a mask the whole time, but Lloyd manages to portray emotion.

And V is funny, when he confronts the pedophile bishop with "Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm a man of wealth..and taste.". Sympathy for the devil, after the politicos use the church as their bloody pulpit against V? Great!

As a librarian, my profession is one of the few that has been fighting the fight for intellectual freedom. This is my heart. I can handle disagreement or dissent, in fact welcome it-- but don't tell someone they don't have the right to say their opinion. Even if such opinion is derided, ridiculed, by those with a larger and louder forum. I don't think anyone should be denied access to information, or the opportunity to express their opinion.

Any hint of censorship, or a majority boot heel on the neck, hell- I'm there.

I liked the V for Vendetta film, and it was basically true to the source material. But just as Saga of the Swamp Thing, Moore's layers can't be direct to film. Now that Lost Girls book he just did-- has anyone gotten a lookie-loo? 15 years working on a pornographic book, that's commitment.

Recent reads: DMZ 5, S loves MJ 9, 52, Girls 16,Catwoman, BOP 97, Walking Dead 30. Some thoughts soon

Recently awarded flight rings

A few new blogs that asked to join the Comic Blog Legion- they still have that new blog smell!
Show them your love!

Ink Destroyed My Brush
Charles Yoakum here, inker of a bunch o' different comics over
the years (Batman: Outlaws, The Grackle, Trinity angels, Turok, Magnus,
etc.). I linked out on my comics blog to your personal blog, but would love
to have a listing on the comic blog legion. Especially if I get my own flight ring.

Comic Coverage
Mark Engblom (in St. Paul, MN), and I'd love to join the Legion! I just launched a blog a few days ago, so I'm trying to get up to speed on everything (a bit like drinking from a firehose).

http://underpantsontheoutside.blogspot.com/
Comic book blog. It's called, "Mad science"

http://www.comx.ca/
The name is Tone and I am from Montreal. This is a online comic entertainment blog for all ages.


C and I went to see Better than Ezra in Philly on Friday. They played for almost 2 hours, and were both more rockin and funky than I would have thought. Desperately Wanting is one of my favorite songs. Sister Hazel opened- I watched a lot of guitarists that night.

Studying to be Batman

All Batman related news today!

Grant Morrison 'gets off a good shot at the plans to show Batman kicking bin Laden's ass: "Cheering on a fictional character as he beats up fictionalized terrorists seems like a decadent indulgence when real terrorists are killing real people in the real world. I'd be so much more impressed if Frank Miller gave up all this graphic novel nonsense, joined the Army and, with a howl of undying hate, rushed headlong onto the front lines with the young soldiers who are actually risking life and limb 'vs' Al Qaeda'

Christopher Nolan promises a 'darker joker'. He references The Killing Joke.

Justice League of America 1 Brad Melzer, Ed Benes
The new JLA begins with the selection process.

Forty beats per minute- that's fast for Bruce--he's actually excited.

From what I followed, the JLA is the Big 3, with Captain Marvel, Red Tornado, Green Lantern Hal, Mr. Terrific, Ray Palmer, Flash
I don't know the character Roy as Arsenal, except that I know Shelly is happy (and had a great Roy Harper gallery )
Well, I'm just overjoyed (not) that Power Girl is now 'ready' to be in the League. She has been pretty high profile in DC the last few years. Let's not kid ourselves though that it is because of her strength.

The Tornado's Path begins, with the Red Tornado pondering a restart in a human form.
"the most powerful- and potentially dangerous- thing Reddy's got going for him- is the android body suit."

Being from New Jersey, Kevin Smith movies incorporate a lot of the raunch and scenery of my life here. I thought C2 was a more mature yet still the same at its roots, but laughed more than anything else in recent memory. And, in Clerks II Kevin Smith tied in his comic background in two lines from the movie-
Dante's future wife says "Face it Tiger, you hit the Jackpot" a la the Mary Jane line to Peter Parker.
And Randall tells Dante "We took Criminology. What were we studying to be, Batman?"

I have a big stack of comics to read this weekend!

September 11th in images

I've started reading The 9/11 report: A Graphic Adaptation on Slate. As well as we know the story, seeing the images of the hijackers passing through security, on their way to changing our whole lives- very powerful.

The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón, which sets text from The 9/11 Commission Report to images—with striking results. Slate is excerpting a chapter a day through Sept. 7.

I haven't gotten any new comics since August 12! Way behind, but actually reading more books these weeks.

DWB (Driving while Batman)

Two great bits from The Week.

Bad Week For
Caped crusaders, after Scottish police pulled over a drunken driver and recognized him instantly by his clothing as Batman, the fictional crime-fighting vigilante. Slumped in the passenger seat was a visibly intoxicated Superman.
[I stand for truth, justice, and 7 Jaegerbombs!]

Good Week For
Judging a book by its cover, after a team of German researchers declared that redheaded women are lustier and have sex more frequently than other women. "The fiery redhead certainly lives up to her reputation," said professor Werner Habermehl.
[Nice book reference. This librarian will have to see how these Germans conducted this research]

R, my pulp friend, let me borrow Rough Stuff magazine- Celebrating the art of creating comics. Get it if you love sketches and back story from artists. Many Kevin Nowlan Batgirls!
Through R, I met another pulp and comic fan S- who gave me this little Batgirl figure. So nice to think of me!

Marrying a man-wolf

JLA #1 late one week (hardly the Civil War delay)
It's no secret that Meltzer's building his first story arc around Red Tornado, but he's found a new and yet quintessentially Meltzerian way to deal with Reddy. There's guest stars aplenty, including one spooky character whose appearance is deceiving..


She-Hulk 10: I married a man-wolf
A campy cover of She-Hulk in the 1950's horror movie poster style.
Sweetie, I am always green to go!
Jennifer and new husband John Jameson try to capture rogue superheroes in the Civil War. "Near John, I am so deliriously happy, and lucky for me, he feels exactly the same way!" Although Jennifer complains about the other big Marvel weddings (Jones and Cage, Panther and Storm) were grand and theirs was "a quickie in Vegas".

Great scenes in the 'comic reference library'- first, a debate over where to shelve the new She-Hulk in terms of Sensational, Savage, and just She-Hulk-- all volume ones!. Then, the reference librarian comes to an important revelation regarding the head of the firm. Go, librarians!


Living in Infamy 4 of 4
Words: Benjamin Raab and Deric A. Hughes
Pencils: Greg Kirkpatrick
This was one of those series that I liked, but the space between issues made me forget the characters and plot. The basic premise is that people with superpowers are relocated, a la witness protection, into a new community. There is an old blind samurai (who drives a car!), a mafia type, a mayor who telepathically asks for votes, more. The lead male, Tom, sold out the Baron in Romania to make a new life for his wife and son. Of course, a final showdown ensues..

Y the Last Man 48
The origin story of Alter, the Isreali soldier hunting Yorick. Word is that Issue #50, in October,
the person, people or thing behind the plague that killed every man except for Yorick Brown is finally revealed

Redhead and Magma trooper

Another successful MidJersey Comicon! 170 people through the door, dealers with lots of long boxes, sketches, and Stormtroopers! Did you know there were Magma troopers? I consider Magmas like a redhead-- very rare and certainly stand outs. The NJ Order was back for their 3rd show, and this time issued citations to people including "jaywalking in a skywalking zone". Watching them cross the street in costume to the Wawa was just a kick.

My sketchbook is with Mike Oeming (doing a Red Sonja for me!), but I added 2 other redhead sketches that I will scan when I get it back. Have a few indie creators that were at the show to write about soon also.

Today I ran 2.6 miles, relaxed in the pool, watched some of the Yankees game and began season 1 of Veronica Mars.

Librarians- nasty bunch if you rile them

I've only read one Fables compilation, and have always intended to read more. I picked up Jack of Fables, because of it's standalone nature. The two panels here show what I was pleased to find- one cute redhead and the gang who call themselves "senior, assistant librarians" who are "a nasty bunch of if you rile them".


Speaking of master librarians: Dave at Yet Another Comics Blog is celebrating a 2 year blogiversary and 100 comics giveaway. Congrats Dave!

Miyazawa leaves Spider-man loves Mary Jane

Stan Lee at NY comicon 2007

Quicky reviews
Bite Club VCU 4
Chaykin's signature style on the cover-- big bug eyes and bared teeth. Detective MacAvoy was shot, and when vampire bats gorged on the blood, he has been infected as a vampire. Risa del Toro is released when the plasmagoria was found in the two victims blood, and not in her own. At the press conference, Risa bites her girlfriend Carrie's ear..who had been meeting with police. Carrie has crossed the very dangerous Risa, and we can expect her number will be coming up soon.

Catwoman 57
Leather. Protective? Yes. Comfortable after 10 hours? Not so much.

Selena fights the crazed film guy and friend who have grabbed her baby Helena.

Holly is apprehended in the end- you killed Black Mask, now your gonna fry for it. Selena calls on Zatanna to help Holly:

Lives are in danger- you're the only one who can save them. You owe me, Zatanna!
I liked where Wildcat, smoking a cigar, goes off on a green, glowing lounge chair with the Green Lantern. I didn't like the asian style muted cover on this issue- while some cover art is too eye-popping, I think this was too muted. Points for a different style though.

4 days until my con

4 days left to go before my MidJersey con. I was interviewed by a small newspaper yesterday, on my thoughts of comic book movies, are kids interested in comic books, do people dress up at cons. All in all, I don't think I sounded like an idiot and hope it doesn't seem that way in print.

Wizard World Chicago wrap up
Seems like the wave of the San Diego con took its toll on WWChitown. But, see a photo of our good friend, writer Chuck Satterlee at Markosia.

The all-new Atom 2
"This bio-belt is an amazing, unbelievable device. " Ryan Choi continues in Ray Palmer's work as the Atom, with a belt that controls weight, mass, density-- shifting size is unstable.

John Byrne on art- the "oh so steamy nuclear physics prof" doesn't seem so attractive with the jagged edge pencils, and the shadows. I know Ryan Choi is asian, but his eyes are closed or just barely open in most of his panels. Eyes are a black slash many times. I've heard some groans about him on art (coasting on past success?) and Ethan Van Sciver has a post on the John Byrne sharpie marker incident and Heidi's creator creep squad.

Fanboys and girls, do you think the groans re; Byrne are more art based or personality based? I'd like to hear what the scuttlebutt is.

Simone addresses creating a new Atom head- (apply directly to the forehead) "I can't replace him. Not in a millenium could I replace Ray Palmer."

Fangirl serves it up

Just had a BBQ in the yard yesterday- volleyball, beer, grilled food, friends, pool-the heat index has finally gone below 110, so it was a good day.

What have I been reading? Grimm Fairy Tales 8 (Jack and the Beanstalk), The Creeper, Invincible 34 [ the damn blonde girl get the boy always and the redhead is left behind?] Y 48,Spiderman loves Mary Jane 8 and Living in Infamy 4.

Some comic related stuff from my librarian life:
'In an effort to help identify quality kids' comics, a group of comics creators recently founded Kids Love Comics (www.kidslovecomics.com), an organization that aims to increase awareness and interest in kid's comics and help parents, teachers and librarians find comics suitable for kids ages eight to 12.'

Web comics

'Okay, maybe "hate" is a strong word, but it's pretty clear from his latest New York Sun column that Otto Penzler isn't impressed by graphic novels. "There are good writers, good stories, and good illustrators who work in this genre, I'm told, but I have yet to encounter one that could hold me until the end." Which must mean he really finds them boring, because, let's face it, most graphic novels are pretty short. (One that isn't, and if you're reading this, Otto, I'd suggest you give a try, is Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell's From Hell. Yes, it's the basis for that Johnny Depp movie.)'

Gasp! Birds of Prey

If you have ever cared or followed a certain redhead librarian (Batgirl) turned crime fighter turned information goddess (Oracle), you MUST read the latest Birds of Prey 96.

You should know that within the last year in BOP, Barbara Gordon, now Oracle, regained movement in one toe. The story was left there, with some scenes of intense physical therapy.

In this issue, the gals, minus one Oracle, go to intercept Black Alice. She's a goth girl getting teased in Ohio by blonde cheerleaders. Alice's dad meets Talia "If he's a man, and he's straight-- trust me, the guy is doomed."
There is also a nice storyline about remembering Blue Beetle, Ted Kord-- and how Babs "had a terrible cyber-crush on him" and "maybe we cyber-did it a little".

But, it's the last 3 pages that are gasp-inducing.

I do wonder if the obscene amount of press the redheaded Batwoman has garnered has diluted the adventure of the Birds of Prey 'she-peeps'. Gail Simones mix of snappy one liners for humor, and deep interior thoughts, make this one of the best series. Black Canary, The Huntress, Oracle, Zinda-- recent story arc with Lady Shiva-- good stuff!

The sketch here is from artist Neil Vokes, a regular at my MidJersey Comicon (sold out 45 tables! -- fielding lots of calls and emails and details for the show; 8 days away!)

Variety of monkey outfits

'best of' July referrals-

Peter Parker crying
redheads are evil
legs smell
are redheads considered aryan
petition to get Joe Quesada fired
batgirl was a librarian
redhead girl in spiderman
fanart Pippi Longstocking
paint like Alex Ross
ginger hair milkman
bookworms turns gotham burns
how not to be a fangirl
quitely, aquaman
dead ant, dead ant
comic nerds in love PVP
redophiles and blogs
kickboxing sport of the future
tempers and redheads
"i would shower you with such affection as to make the sky lament the insufficiency of rain"
redheads descended from cat


Secret Six, just caught up. Issues 1 and 2 were well done, thanks again Gail Simone!
Ragdoll: "I'm buying a monkey house and a variety of monkey outfits"
Don't tell us these things, Ragdoll

Scandal: "you put my heart in a coma. And my mercy has left for the evening."

American Virgin 5 Seagle/ Becky Cloonan
Nice to see another top line female in the comic world. AV focuses this issue on the funeral of his beloved Cassie, and Adam loses it during the eulogy and imagines her naked body before him.

Religous stuff- better place, never forgotten, god's love, yeah. What about my love? God left me in this place- alone.

Continuing to be tested, a green eyed redhead comes on to him, despite having signed his virginity pledge and with David.
"before then I want to be with you..once"


Warmed up more to Eternals 2 by Gaiman. Big party, hostage scene, and Mark being summoned telepathically.

Aquaman (Busiak and Guice)- started with some retro art a la the Justic League 70s show:
"I pretty much knew him from that cartoon. You know the one with the stupid walrus." This new, teen Arthur Curry still looks like a grizzled 40 year old, and why a new breathing-underwater Arthur Curry exists is still unresolved. "Prophecies can be slippery- patterns do reoccur."