Saugatuckin'

I will return next week. Flying to simba's mom and Prince E's wedding at the Twin Gables Inn in MI with the whole Hail to the Victors! clan. It was voted one the Top 5 B and B's and one of the best overall inns in America. While I am gone, please feel free to add to the previous post on "Comic Terms that sound dirty, but they aren't". Comments make me happy!

Comic terms that sound dirty...

Thanks to Van Jensen of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, who e-interviewed me about libraries and comics. He's a hard news reporter first, but also is writing a book called Manifest Destination.

Good friend Joe started a blog The Full Catastrophe. Not comics related, but he's a copywriter and has always been an interesting writer. One of the first zine- creators I knew.

A radio station does this same goofy thing with sports terms>
My list of Comic Terms that sound dirty but they aren't--
Long Box
Bagged and Boarded
Two page spread
Being inked
Seperator
Spandex
Johnny Quick
Amazing Man I
Kingdom Come
JLA: The Nail
Tigress
Wildcat I, Wildcat II
Man of Steel
Swordplay
Phantasm
Team-ups
Mister Terrific
Batcave
Oliver Queen
bi-monthly
graphic novel
Marvel chipping
one shot
x-over
gutters
redhead fangirl

Dig deep in your dirty minds and help me add to the list! [and I know there are pervs out there from my referral list!]

SWFCAT seeking SWFBAT

Birds of Prey Batgirl/Catwoman
The first part, BIRDS OF PREY: CATWOMAN/BATGIRL, featuring art and cover by Darick Robertson (TRANSMETROPOLITAN) and Jimmy Palmiotti (21 DOWN) with a cover by Robertson, takes place in the past, when Barbara Gordon filled the role of Batgirl.

Picked up this from a dealer this summer. Published in 2003, it's a good standalone story of Batgirl and Catwoman, with both women playing off each others strengths. Catwoman is sassy and independent, but still a thief; Batgirl is courageous, smart, but still unsure of her place. The end of the book sets up a Catwoman/Oracle story, where the playing field is a bit more level, I suppose.

A very fast scan here- seems much darker than the actual book. This was a great scene with Robin. Barbara is trying to prove herself as a detective in the shadow of the big Bat, and Robin is interested and encouraging of her (forshadowing their Oracle-Nightwing romance).

Read Civil War 4. I've made my opinion clear since SW2 that I hate the unveiling of Peter Parker. The delays in this make me appreciate 52 more and more. While not the grand funeral/betrayal/Gods of Civil War-- the flow and characters are so much more fleshed out [well, comparing 4 issues to like 20, I guess so].

What is a comics dilettante?

While being called a dilettante is a minor slight, Ellison goes overboard here:
Harlan Ellison on Litigious Rampage [from mediabistro.com] Last month, we discussed how Harlan Ellison's lack of restraint made him the goat of this year's Hugo Awards. Well, the pugnacious science-fiction writer is as used to attacking as he is to being attacked, and he's proved that this week with a lawsuit against Fantagraphics Books, the Seattle-based independent comics publisher.

Describing himself in the general allegations as "a famous author, screenwriter, commentator and public speaker," Ellison claims that Fantagraphics, along with its principals Gary Groth and Kim Thompson, have defamed him in the forthcoming Comics as Art (We Told You So), as well as violating his "right of publicity" under California law by "wantonly trad[ing] on Ellison's name" when publishing The Comics Journal Library 6: The Writers, a collection of interviews which describes Ellison as a "famous comics dilettante" on the cover. You gotta love a complaint that refers to the alleged defamatory statements as "First Big Lie" and "Second Big Lie," but it's not like any of the parties involved on either side come across all that well.


I think this 2005 movie is under the radar, but I was so laughing out loud at this romantic comedy, about a "baxter", you know, the guy that is the placeholder because the girl lost the one she really loves. Showalter, Black, Wain -- all from The State and Stella-- appear in this modern ro-com.
The Baxter
Michael Showalter, Michelle Williams


WOMEN OF THE DC UNIVERSE: BATGIRL BUST
The original sketch had a book and said Gotham County Library on the base, but didn't make the final product. Still great though.

Actually reading some fiction, but I have 2 weeks of comics waiting. Since I spent last weekend in Philadelphia, I knew I wouldn't have time to get through them.

Cross Bronxin'

There's been a lot of negativity in the comic blogosphere recently. Usually I have that Wed-new comic day feel when I click on comic blogs or read smart and fun comments on my own, but not the last month or so. All I can control is my work here, and I'll keep trying to endorse new blogs through the Comic Blog Legion, indie creators I meet at my own con or others, and reviews of the big-name stuff. Hope we haven't "lost that lovin' feelin".



Cross Bronx 1
Michael Avon Oeming and Ivan Brandon, writers
Oeming, art

Mike Oeming is the local-guy done good. He's from central Jersey, and raves for Red Sonja and Powers have elevated him. He's also an artist-writer, one of the few that can bring sharp dialogue or a gritty police procedural page.

I've been enjoying the free POWERS daily: Who Killed Retro Girl?. Great way to dip into the series and see Mike and Bendis partner for a superhero murder mystery. It's also the seasoned detective Walker and rookie Deena that lead to a great pairing.

So Cross Bronx is Oeming's latest effort. Rafael is a homicide detective, dealing with a brutal multiple homicide crime scene, and the difficulties of being a normal person.
"After hours of looking at photos of what the city does to a little dancing girl...I have to go home and try to be a person. Someone's husband."
The use of different panels, color, dialogue-- the world-weariness and resolve show through on the face of Raphael. Brandon's NYC Mech style is injected into the work also.

An added bonus to get Cross Bronx is the Rejection Letters in the back. Omeing publishes many of his letters, in hopes of encouraging others to have Patience. Knowing Oeming from 2 midjersey con's- success hasn't spoiled him yet (ah, Rick Springfield) and he absolutely believes in up and coming creators and small cons [yes!].

Year-long snooze

[blogger is driving me bonkers trying to upload images!sorry, I tried.]

A belated thanks to The Comic Treadmill for calling this mention in their blogomania list:
Redhead Fangirl: Thoughts from New Jersey's most interesting librarian.
The Comic Treadmill consistantly has very thoughtful and lengthy reviews and lots of images to add to their posts. New Jersey does have some interesting librarians, so I guess it's a good thing to be put at the top of that pile!

There are a few Marvel titles in my pull list--
She-Hulk 11 "Creature Comforts"
Dan Slott, Rick Burchett
Dan Slott on She-Hulk future. With a new arc, comes a new tone.
“I think you’d be hard pressed to find another book in the Marvel Universe that’s playing with everything in the canon of the mainstream Marvel Universe"
Burchett's art of She-Hulk show her represented as a taller, longer version. I thought her face seemed sort of long and big eyed sometimes, but he had her proportions more realistic than the cheesecake version we have seen.
Pug still believes that Jen is under a love spell, and that's why she married John Jameson.
Jen "He's not a wolf-man! He's a man-wolf!"
Two Gun Kid "You and your future-talk. Before long, you'll be having me callin' him a "Lupine-American"!"
The Starfox love power storyline wraps here, involving a character who absorbs superpowers and made everyone stay in love with each other.
Jen comes to the realization that most girls have after long periods of torturing themselves
"It's like a switch went off in my head. I'm not in love with that man."

Nextwave 7 Ellis, Immogen
There is no doubt that I smile a few times reading every issue of Nextwave. But is that enough to keep me reading it when the characters are so forgettable to me-- I can't seem to hold one name or backstory of character from issue to issue.
A deal is struck with Rorkannu, the Lord of the Dark Dimension, to rent his 'mindless ones'
for cash and girls "No blondes. I liked those suicide girls"
Regarding the x-men: "Magik was dead?" "X-men come back more than Jesus"
And hee hee to this line "Dr. Strange hit on my once. 'Got any magic in you? Would you like some'?"


Sloth Gilbert Hernandez
Thank you, public library. I just got Sloth in, and in the first few pages I've seen, really like the depressed-youth angle and the black and white artwork. It's smart but not overly wordy, edgy but not pretentious. I know it will get into that magical realism realm (a la Garcia-Marquez), so we'll see. Read it if you like depressed teens and suburbia stories.

Reconnecting with redheads

I read 52 Week 18 and The All New Atom, 3 today on my breakat the library - and both comics had redheads and redhead references.
Ralph Dibny, redhead himself, is asked "Help, huh? Blonde or Redhead?"

And in the All New Atom, a very forward redhead faculty member and a first date with Dr. Choi...well, let's just say she grows on you.

Baltimore: Cup of Joe the excerpt that made me giggle:
Asked by a young girl if there will be a second season of Stan Lee’s Who Wants to be a Superhero series on SciFi, Quesada said that the program was something that Lee did through his POW Entertainment brand, and suggested that she write Lee a latter and tell him that she liked it, and he’ll bet back to her.

The girl followed up with, “What do you think, would happen if Spider-Man found out that you were the guys destroying his life?” Which was met by thunderous applause form the room, and stumped Quesada.

“He’d probably write Stan a letter too,” Quesada said.

Joss Whedon on Runaways
“Hey, Brian made my favorite book. I'm gonna do right by his kids, the ones that aren't dead or on Planet Hulk.”

Sean McKeever on Spider-Man Family. I've been a big fan of Spider-Man loves Mary Jane and McKeever's writing. Not sure where this will go, but if it gives MJ more face time, I'm down.

Flash, oh, oh, Flash...

I'm so not Flash, but I did run my first 5K Sat! But I ran my first 5K yesterday- Seaside Heights, NJ on the boardwalk. It was hotter than expected (80's at 10 AM), and it was an out and back run. As I was going out, I saw C with the leaders. He won his age group! So proud. As for me, I kept an even pace and finished faster than I thought, but there were more walkers (it was for the Cancer Society, and many people had names on their backs of who they were there for). Post race we had bagels and muffins and juice, while my face stopped being purple from being overheated. Walked the boards for a few hours. Crashed, then went to phillygirl's Beef and Beer for her 60 mile walk.

American Virgin 6
Adam: "I'm a momma's boy" [run, girls!]
"You're a total virgin?"
Alex Alexis, drag queen and interviewing for GLB TV, is doing her shock interview with Adam and ends up surprised at his character:
"I don't like your type. Holier than thou. I'm troubled to see you have some real human compassion."
Adam's conflict with his christian beliefs and the turmoil of the murder of his girlfriend- and the need to track down the murderers- has been one of the more unique stories being told in comicbookland. I'm a very lapsed catholic, and biblebeaters tend to be opposite my beliefs or hypocrites in some cases. So following Adam has been a good test of tolerance for me.

Y The Last Man 50
(spoilers!) We were told that this would be the issue to reveal what killed all the men. Well, I need to do more research on Dr. Mann's last page to see what kind of doctor will help put together the mystery- but in no way do I feel the answer of why Yorick is left is solved. So that was disappointing to me. However, the art of Yorick and Ampersand was particularly cute this issue.

Rex Libris 5
Non-librarians should be reading this series! It's hyper-literate, with terms like biopolytronic masking field being commonly thrown around. You certainly get your wordcount bang for the buck- it takes quite a while to get though a story because the introductions and story are lengthy. The black and white art of librarian Rex, working his way around the universe to "preserve knowledge and wisdom for thousands of years against all forms of perfidy- and the moaning undead legions who ignore the 'quiet please' sign", is sharp, well done, and simple yet complex. How can you not like a character that exclaims "Oh Belgium!" and makes fun of the space babes "Can't exist here! Deadly allergic reaction to copious amounts of clothing!"

Just started reading Jim Starlin's Mystery in Space. Looks like a good read!

melancholy men and sad sacks

Came across an interesting review while doing collection lists for the library:
An Anthology of Graphic Fiction Ivan Brunetti [comic artist]
"showcases varied styles and emotional depth of the field...seems to celebrate a certain type of loneliness and sad childhoods...a casual reader might come away thinking that comic art today is mostly the province of melancholy men and the sad sacks that invent them"

It will be no surprise I am excited for All-Star Batgirl, to be released next year. Glad that my Babs warrants her own book, instead of the planned arc in the All Star Batman and Robin...

Joe Pruett and John Kissee's The Untouchables, organized crime has turned the streets of Chicago into a dismal and dangerous place. Image in September.

Moonstone Titles Available At WOWIO

Ten titles from comics and graphic novel publisher Moonstone Books will be made available to interested readers through WOWIO, a new online bookstore. WOWIO allows readers to download ebooks at no cost. Instead, advertisements that are inserted into the material downloaded allow for the compensation of publishers. The books that Moonstone has made available for download through WOWIO are popular titles such as the Phantom, Kolchak, Cyclone Bill, the Cisco Kid, Lai Wan, Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons, Mr. Moto, Night Driver, Silencers and Werewolf: Call of the Wild.

52, week 17
Lex Luthor's own justice league appears. "you're just his one-trick pony" to John's niece.
Regarding Starfire "Why doesn't she listen to me?" I can tell you- it's because she's a redhead!
Lobo, the superhuman bounty hunter and genocidal sociopath appears on the scene. He's new to me. He looks like a cross between a pirate, a biker, and a British rocker, leading to the funny line "Huge biker dude standing in the vaccuum of space smoking a cigar?" I love that he will destroy any and everything, except space dolphins.

Also read She-Hulk 11, American Virgin 6.

Pathetic Fallacy, or Gary

Jack of Fables 2 Willingham
Quickly becoming a top of the pile series, Jack of Fables continues with Humpty Dumpty attempting to escape:
"You go over that fence, nobody's going to bother putting you back together again.", Jack's post-coital morning with Goldilocks:
"just because she's an insane killer didn't mean I wasn't going to sleep with her"
"okay, time to lose psycho girl"
and my favorite, escorting Jack to his meeting- Pathetic Fallacy, with thin blonde hair and hooded eyes, who really would like to be called "Gary".

Eternals 3Gaiman, Romita Jr.
I have to say that Eternals has not been capturing me. I've stuck with the first 3 issues, hanging on to see if I cared more about Mark Curry, Sirsi, and how he can take guns away from kidnappers because he can move with superspeed. Until this issue, when Iron Man broke through a glass window [a full panel with shards of glass seeming in motion- great art on that]- I perked up. I'm no Tony Stark fan, but his questioning of Sirsi "I've never been in the Avengers" and rescue of scientist Thena Eliot "my husband is dead. You owe me this one. Take me home."-- gave me the juice I need to continue reading.

Deadman 1 Bruce Jones, John Watkiss
Read this on a quick library break. Think I need to go through it again to get a better sense of the time shifting panels.

DMZ Body of a Journalist 5 of 5
The urban warfare remains of Manhattan, with landmarks like Subway tunnels and the Empire State with pieces missing, continue to give a gritty backdrop to Matty's story of the DMZ zone.
"I learned that somethings are more powerful when they're kept secret"
Matty brokers an agreement to stop a land invasion and show that Viktor was killed by the military, and that he is alive. Matty has sex with the independent newswoman! Poor guy, how could he go almost a year?
"I've been in the city almost a year..and now I finally feel like I'm part of it"


Secret Six 3-- continues to be an interesting read from Gail Simone. Ragdoll is so beyond the pale, freaky and funny, and not predictable.
A poet Muriel Rukeyser,what would happen should one woman tell the truth about her life? She said The world would split open."

Vandal Savage has visions of her father telling her to have a child and assassins are hired to take out the group.

Also read: Checkmate 5, Catwoman 58, Fell6, 52, Spidey loves MJ 9, Walking Dead 30, BOP97 and Girls 16. Need to read the latest Nextwave, Rex Libris, She Hulk, Superman, and Justice.

Green Hornet, Redhead

Bought this Green Hornet purely for the redhead cover.

RF is lucky to have both an audio and video mention recently-

Females in fandom: Comic Book Noise had a podcast on Females in fandom, and after discussing big sites like Friends of Lulu, Sequential Tart-- he talks about some of the "larger" blogs he goes to...including this one. Nice words for Shelly- says her good taste is due to being a librarian!
Comic Book Noise podcast #56 44 minutes


Variant Edition Episode 25
Coverage from the MidJersey Comicon from my VE friends (now producing a show at the Harvey Awards- rock on!). I'm so glad they gave some air time to indie creators that were at my show, and guests Mike Oeming and Chuck Satterlee. You can even see a punchy me at the end of the show!

Giant Size Episode 25 and Luis' Video Blog from the MidJersey Comicon.
Mike and Kevin take the new intern, Luis, to the MidJersey Comicon...hilarity ensues!

Episode 25
Mike and Kevin talk to Chuck Satterlee, Scott Derby, Dave Perillo, Geekboy Press' Louie La Palombara and con organizer [me]. And Luis shows how not to react during an interview when he gets a shot to interview Mike Oeming and Rob Reilly.

August referrals
[or a referral I got: referr madness]
kill nightwing
batgirl and redhead
i love redheaded men
knock knock unicorn
ragdoll secret six
get rhythm when you get the blues
redheads rule the world
the joker's memorable moments
redheaded Wonder Woman
Patti Lupone sing theme song life goes on
Superman always saves Lois Lane
tickle my fancy what does this mean
battle of the comic-book babes
redheads, librarians
what does the roman numeral XXL mean
man-wolf
spiderman and mary jane marriage fans
wing and a prayer theme song
throwing koala bears out of airplanes
Red Tornado human form
ch-ch-ch ha-ha-ha
damn lindelof
heatmiser costume
trust me guy is doomed