tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131427272012-02-04T06:18:44.063-08:00The <i>mostly</i> comics blog.Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.comBlogger881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-77134502773631051562009-12-11T22:05:00.000-08:002009-12-11T22:08:20.649-08:00

Somehow, someone wrote a song that told me exactly what I wanted to hear today.(tweet on 10/11)

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-29219440010546781632009-04-06T15:42:00.000-07:002009-04-20T13:34:15.930-07:00

link

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-37834754984376380352009-03-16T22:25:00.000-07:002009-04-20T13:49:13.542-07:00

Easiest review ever. Nothing Nice To SayWell, maybe that's a little too harsh. The art eventually moves towards solidity after starting rough. The jokes come just often enough to motivate continued reading, and the characters are clearly, if thinly, defined. The main thing that I can offer in the way of buying advice is this: If you recognize the reference on the cover (pictured here),

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-32976876558699824902009-03-14T22:23:00.000-07:002009-03-14T22:23:00.876-07:00

Note: The following text was written starting in January 2008, when I had finished the book discussed here. I picked up the draft and finished it in March 2009. The copy of the book that I read was an advance preview, and while I think there were few revisions before publication, it should be noted.I had heard about some static about this book when I was a quarter the way through reading it and

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-11267422981832051772007-03-29T22:43:00.000-07:002007-03-29T23:38:14.226-07:00

I have been to San Diego Comic Con every year for the past 18 years, and I sold comic books for most of those. In a business like comic book retailing, at an event like San Diego, you meet people that you tend to run into year after year, and if you share a common interest, you tend to continue the same conversation year after year. There are many such people that I see in San Diego, but there

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1160122193381909772006-10-20T00:57:00.000-07:002007-12-09T00:59:10.128-08:00

Well...I've always hated the idea of Dr. Strange. Anything having to do with "the Mystic Arts" or spellcasting or magical worlds or other dimensions or blah blah blah has always turned me off.But...I've always enjoyed the creators that work on Dr. Strange. Steve Ditko, Bill Everett, Marie Severin, Gene Colan, and even the recent Defenders series by DeMatteis, Giffen and Maguire.So...Here's a

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1160020163480963522006-10-04T20:41:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.796-08:00

I saw this at Target and I couldn't pass it up.Every decent human being under the age of 40 knows that wearing a mustache is a sign of the dastardly deeds the wearer is capable of, that's why they named the villainous cartoon character as such. This fact is supported by the costumes that this kit suggests are possible. No decent human being would want to be known as any one of these characters.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1159516990101149452006-09-29T00:31:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.732-08:00

There are many comics these days that can be categorized as crime comics, but most of them include another genre convention. They involve super-heroes or former super-heroes, they investigate something supernatural or fantastic, or in the most famous case, Sin City, they are set in a world that never seems real, but never decides on how much unreality it should include. There are some

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1159334666316810222006-09-26T21:33:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.601-08:00

This is a new children's book from an artist that has drawn comics, works as an illustrator, but is probably most famous online for his collaborative effort, Happy Tree Friends. I picked this book up at SDCC, but I admit that I probably wouldn't have if I didn't have a nine month old daughter. My book "collection" before my daughter was born did contain a few books that are conisidered

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1158386261672397652006-09-15T22:17:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.539-08:00

The precedent set for anthropomorphic comic books or cartoons is that the animals will, in some way, be illustrated to highlight human emotions and enable a connection with the reader that wouldn't be present from a realistic drawing. Whether it's simplifying the character to a cartoon abstraction as Gary Larson would in The Far Side, or adding human characteristics such as emotive eyebrows as

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1158207085691511032006-09-13T19:56:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.468-08:00

As I've said before, I like emo comics. I appreciate the earnestness of a guy writing "about cooking pasta alone on a rainy night", if he's writing the truth. The main drawback to emo comics is that they are never funny enough. These books are so busy taking everything so seriously that they forget how silly someone looks when they are in love. To pick on someone whose work I really enjoy,

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157944338915372082006-09-10T19:52:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.397-08:00

One of my favorite things about being a comics fan is that most of the creators that you follow are not out of reach. There are exceptions, of course: the dead, the recluses, the dickheads. For the most part they are available to their fans. I have had the great fortune to meet many of the legends of comic history over the years at comics conventions, and I kick myself for not approaching the

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157859966626917062006-09-09T20:42:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.337-08:00

Maybe I'm just a sucker for emo comics.Brian Wood is another guy that I never bothered to read. The early works I saw, like Channel Zero, never struck my fancy. I read Pounded, but it smacked of trying to hard. The blurbs that I read about Demo always sounded interesting, but whenever I grabbed the books themselves I was just kinda, "ehh", but now that I'm a Becky Cloonan convert as well it

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157583421635009312006-09-06T15:45:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.276-08:00

This is an anthology of parodies of the well-respected indie comics anthology, Kramer's Ergot. Now, this has been done before. Kurt Wolfgang did it in Low Jinx #3, Ed Brubaker and Sam Henderson and others did it in Deceased Corpse, and Johnny Ryan performed his own version of it in the recently expanded Comic Book Holocaust. This comic and Low Jinx both went for the method of cartoonists (

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157435636019653562006-09-04T21:53:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.218-08:00

When I first saw these mini comics I thought they were by Nicholas Gurewitch of Perry Bible Fellowship fame. The PBF is maybe my favorite online comic strip, given that I have no interest in video games and I can't relate to Achewood. So anyway, the surface similarities led me to connect this mini-comic with The PBF, and when I looked closer I realized that I had made a connection based on the

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157258371273269672006-09-02T19:59:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.152-08:00

I first read about the USS Catastrophe collective (if that's the right name for it) a couple years ago. I had heard the name, and the names of the main crew of this comic-makin' ship, Kevin Huizenga, Ted May, and Dan Zettwoch, but I'd never hunted for the works of these guys until the 2004 election prompted them to hold a fund raiser. I sent my $25 bucks and received a drawing by Mr Huizenga.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157005257612896772006-08-30T23:15:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.069-08:00

I have a small tattoo or two, just enough to regret, but if I were bolder and was planning to show off my tattoo and my love of comics, I would wish for a tattoo as cool as this:As your average American comic geek, though, my stomach doesn't look that nice, and, well, I'm just not cool enough.Photo cribbed from the DOs and DON'Ts at Vice Magazine.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1157004672822678882006-08-30T22:49:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:33.009-08:00

Normally the appearance of "Various" as a art credit on a comic means one of a few things. One, there are so many artists who "chipped in" that it wasn't worth giving any one top billing. Two, there are numerous artists of mediocre quality so that if you gave any one billing, you would need to give all of them an above the line credit. Or, three, there are so many high quality artists that you

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1156651719531451162006-08-26T19:51:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:32.950-08:00

I wanted to start a new semi-regular feature here at 512.My impression is that the artists who work for Marvel, DC, or even Dark Horse should be capable of drawing whatever they put in their comics. Especially on the assembly line books. I can't figure out how a piece of lousy art can make it past a penciller, an inker, a colorist, a letterer, and a cadre of editors. And because I think it

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1156569994868421522006-08-25T21:41:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:32.891-08:00

An interesting trend in the last half decade or so is the mainstreaming of many independent or alternative writers. It happens less frequently with artists, mainly because the distinctive style of artists are rarely appropriated for a genre that requires a certain amount of uniformity in the depiction of the main characters. Sure, you get the occasional Kochalka Hulk story, or Bagge Spider-Man

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1156313666244443872006-08-22T22:57:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:32.833-08:00

About a month ago people began asking if they could send comics for review. I said "of course" and I told them that, like it or not, I would review anything sent to me. So file this review under "Careful what you ask for."This British photocopied mini comic has a color cover that doesn't indicate promise for the interiors. The text on the cover is a mix of computer typeset and hand drawn, but

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1155839987110304212006-08-17T11:23:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:32.774-08:00

It must be more difficult to write the first issue of a new ongoing series without a finish in mind than it is with a finish in mind. If you know the ultimate destination of the story you are offering, then I would think you can have a bit more confidence in knowing what's going to be important in the long run, and what can be thrown away if it's not working.There are a few Vertigo series that

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1155190227719411802006-08-09T22:57:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:29.417-08:00

I like to look at the art of Bilal, Moebius, Guarnido, Bobillo, et al, but I've never been a fan of science-fiction or fantasy comics for the most part. There are of course exceptions, but they generally prove the rule. The interest just isn't there, so I never bought Flight 1 or 2. The art always looked nice, but the stories seemed to me to be in the Heavy Metal, French album vein, regardless

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1155009552586033832006-08-07T20:43:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:29.354-08:00

This is a mini that I picked up in San Diego. I just saw it a few minutes ago and realized I hadn't yet read it, so I read it and made this post. I feel like a real blogger - real-time comic reviews.This isn't much of a comic. It's numbered with a "1" and it certainly reads like the first short chapter of a longer story. It also reads like it was created stream-of-conciousness. Well, at least

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1154754406599428322006-08-04T21:49:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:29.271-08:00

I didn't think that I would use this as a review because my first thought was, well, that this isn't a comic. Then I thought, says who? This Hairy Monster guide consists of seven panels in the form of attached portfolio plates in a limited edition of 500 from Cabanon Press, and I thought well, the seven panels do tell a bit of a story, even if it is a light one. At least in the McCloudian

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1154631439567463032006-08-03T11:39:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:29.156-08:00

I've been waiting for years this book to come out. Andrew Robinson kicks so much ink-slinging ass with the art on this book, that it even lived up to my expectations. I'm not even going to review, because I'm not in the mood to nitpick. I'm just gonna be a fanboy and tell all of you to go out and buy it. And then add it to your subscription list. And then buy copies for friends. And then buy

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1154582494642969452006-08-02T22:02:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.929-08:00

There are plenty of comic fans each year at San Diego Comic Con (oh, sorry, Comic-Con International) who are familiar with Glenn Danzig's work as a musical artist. In the encounters I've had with him at comic book shows over the years, he's been nothing but genial, never showing off the attitude that one might expect from a punk and metal legend. Whether you like him or not, he does come across

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1153847756995643062006-07-26T18:00:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.792-08:00

Short stories that hold substance are hard to pull off in the medium of comics. It takes many many pages to build an effective story when each page can be read in a matter of seconds. To get any nuance out of character or story is difficult to do in a story that can be read in a matter of minutes. I bought this mini from Zander Cannon in San Diego. It is a twelve page story in a five inch by

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1153810992522437362006-07-24T23:41:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.735-08:00

I picked up this mini-comic by Ken Dahl at the Global Hobo booth. I have seen a mini or two from Dahl before, probably at APE, but I picked this up on the strength of the cover alone, with barely a glance inside, and it paid off.This is an extremely well done comic, with wonderful art and layouts. Dahl manages to pull off a style that plays to the comedic and the dramatic moments in the story.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1153809561300643542006-07-24T23:28:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.679-08:00

Well, I'm back from SDCC and it was a good time. The part of the trip that was fun was just the right amount of fun (meaning I'm looking forward to next year), and the part of the trip that was work was fun as well (right up until 9:30 or so on Sunday, oh well). As always, it was nice to see old friends and meet new ones, and I was able to buy many, many comics, and a few pieces of art.For the

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1153280917262497222006-07-18T20:38:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.621-08:00

Well, I thought that I might continue these reviews straight through the weekend of the Biggest Comic Book Convention In The World (except France, Japan, and Nairobi, and well, it's not really just comics, but y'know), but who am I kidding. I leave tomorrow morning for five lovely days of nerd heaven, so I'm putting the reviews on pause. I know, I know, a real professional would have built up

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1153110147897846912006-07-16T21:21:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.565-08:00

I have read several issues of Michael Chabon’s Escapist anthology that has been published somewhat regularly by Dark Horse Comics and found them to be, well, boring. They were frequently illustrated by spectacular artists and written by some of my favorite writers, but for some reason, they fell flat. There was little suspense, little drama, and little excitement. It could possibly be that I

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1152816249490981172006-07-14T06:00:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.505-08:00

Several months ago I commented briefly on this book before I had read it. Those comments still stand, and I think they bear repeating here:"Artist/writer Brian Fies presents a perfect opportunity to talk about the misnomer webcomic. In my experience, the strips and stories that are given this designation are simply comic strips or stories in the comic format. They don't need the designation

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1152762642634282412006-07-12T20:41:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.448-08:00

This 2004 graphic novel is subtitled Niels Bohr's life, discoveries, and the century he shaped. That sums up the subject and goal of this biography of Niels Bohr (1885-1962), a legendary physicist who interacted with Einstein, Heisenberg, Churchill and F.D.R, among many other important 20th century figures. The novel is written by Jim Ottaviani who, according to his included bio, "stud[ied] to

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1152587804518219062006-07-10T19:38:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.393-08:00

Oh shit, is it the 10th already? Oops, here you go...This is the recent six issue mini-series that just wrapped up, and as a comment on the state of the market today, consider this an advance review of the trade paperback. I commented briefly on this book before, but at the end of it, I thought it worthy of a slightly more thorough assessment.Darick Robertson, best known for his run on

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1152412575722591662006-07-08T19:02:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.338-08:00

This collection of the self-published mini-series recently came out from Image Comics, and I had somehow managed to not pick up the last issue of the series despite enjoying it in floppy form, so I scooped up this collection to see how the whole thing turned out.I remember reading creator Nabiel Kanan's early series, Exit, when it was published by Caliber Press in the early 1990's and enjoyed it

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1149843254268279392006-07-06T20:53:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.654-08:00

The new format begins June 26. Review every two. I will post a newly written review, mostly of comics, every two days. That's the plan. I will still occasionally post links and other nonsense, but my main focus will be on maintaining a steady stream of reviews.Why reviews? Well, I'm glad you asked.Read this.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1152207468281359002006-07-06T09:58:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.276-08:00

This is the second issue of a mini-series, but, near as I can tell, is a stand-alone story, with no reference to previous or forthcoming issues. This story is given a credit on the title page of being "inspired by the African fairy tale, The Friendship of the Tortoise and the Eagle."Kyle Baker illustrates this issue in his current color style, which appears to be illustrated wholly on a computer

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1152051500796406282006-07-04T12:56:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.217-08:00

Well, in honor of Independence Day, I thought I should come up with some theme for today's review. The best I could come up with, however, was a book published by an independent publisher. That'll have to do.The new book by Tony Consiglio, 110 Per¢, is named for a fictional boy band that is the obsession of the story's main characters. Consiglio has been around the mini- and art-comix scene

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1151817512498208002006-07-02T06:00:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.149-08:00

Not Brave.Not New.Well, I guess it qualifies as a World. Just a boring one.Am I the only one that is wholly disappointed by what DC is offering with this group of titles. I don't even care about the one title that held the most interest for me, The All New Atom, after reading this preview.There was one title that I will now check out because of the creative team, OMAC. The art in this preview

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1151654920593605842006-06-30T00:53:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.092-08:00

It is rare that I will revert to fanboy blathering rather than write an actual review, but here it is, the third review in to my new posting schedule and a blather-worthy book has arrived.I've heard that this series has been cancelled, but thank goodness it wasn't before this issue arrived. I've been a fan of Sergio Aragonés for as long as I've been a fan of comics, being that the first "comic"

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1151469622770955182006-06-28T06:00:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.947-08:00

This is a new title that I thought was going to follow the same format as Warren Ellis and Ben Templesmith's Fell -- 16 pages for $1.99. The first issue is only $1.99, but it features 28 pages of story. I don't know if this is a special introductory page count, or if every issue will be this many pages, but even with 12 fewer pages it would be well worth the two bucks. Picking up the

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1151291871316230572006-06-26T06:00:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.891-08:00

It's a funny thing. When you give credit to the creators of a mainstream comic, you have to decide how far down the credits box you want to go. Here I have included the colorist because he is also the "inker." Am I giving short shrift to the letterer. And how often does anyone credit the editor? Well, anyone since Stan Lee, since you know he always credited the editor. I give credit to those

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1151524067811250562006-06-26T00:01:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:28.003-08:00

Why reviews? Well, I'm glad you asked.First, I like 'em. I like reading them, I like writing them. I love to discuss the entertainment and the art that I consume. I endeavor to entertain and inform at the level of my favorite review writers -- RC Harvey, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Lester Bangs, The Crew at Vice, Chris Reed and Chris Nieratko from Big Brother, Nick Hornby, Dylan Horrocks, Eddie Campbell,

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1150343637824009032006-06-14T20:34:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.708-08:00

Small week this week. Just a few titles to comment on. One notable (as far as the sales charts go) drop from my list this week is the 52 series. The art is too poor, and the story goes in so many uninteresting directions at once that I just don't care. I'd much rather read this.On with the show:American Virgin 4 (DC) - It might be my laziness as a reader coming through, but I don't think

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1149842862295235582006-06-09T01:35:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.600-08:00

So I never posted last week's reviews. Shame on me and no time for excuses. Here are two week's worth in one swell foop (and in somewhat chronological order):Chronicles of Wormwood preview (Avatar) – This sampler of pages from the forthcoming series bodes well for fans of Garth Ennis and his inflammatory Preacher-style work. I don’t know if inflammatory is the right word for my reaction to

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1149744986170520032006-06-07T22:34:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.547-08:00

06.26.06A major format change for the 512 blog.If you like comics, be here.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1148881617507760702006-05-28T22:23:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.487-08:00

Just a few more this week.The American Way 4 of 8 (Wildstorm) - This series brings to mind a popular technique among some of the most popular comics writers, and one that has different results depending on the creator. The technique is to throw out ideas as fast as they arrive. The preeminent idea-thrower is Grant Morrison. He makes it appear as though the ideas are coming so fast that he

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1148617370865988752006-05-25T20:50:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.432-08:00

Here's a quick start to this week's batch... X-Factor 7 (Marvel) - This series has seesawed through artists — inker became penciller and now a different penciller. Ariel Olivetti (right) is the fill-in for this issue, but that's not a bad thing, because he does a great job and I, for one, would love to see him as the regular artist. Ahhh, such is the life of a Marvel Comics reader: you get what

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1148282912960014122006-05-22T00:25:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.334-08:00

It's cartoons like this that keep Roger Langridge near the top of my favorite cartoonists list:See more at The Hotel Fred.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1148236141185642652006-05-21T11:19:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.273-08:00

...continuedIllustration 16 (Illustration Magazine) - This quarterly magazine is outside my main interest range in illustration. Of course, comics are foremost, and when it comes to illustration work I tend to prefer less realistic work, and especially black and white illustrations. This magazine focuses on primarily realists, and generally on painters. The reason this magazine continues to

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1148009722585026832006-05-18T20:12:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.202-08:00

...continued.Wolverine Origins 2 (Marvel) - The comments from last issue hold true. I'm still waiting for the promise that this series holds based on the two previous Daniel Way/Steve Dillon collaborations.52 Week Two (DC) - DC's big title continues, and I'm along for the ride. I'm good with the Elongated Man detective story and the Renee Montoya mystery story. I just hope the mystic

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1147938592698859692006-05-18T00:32:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.151-08:00

Here's what it looks like when I try to be more timely with these posts. I'm exhausted and I have to wake up in six hours, so if there are some typos, bear with me and I'll fix them tomorrow. On to the books.Moon Knight 2 (Marvel) - I don't think that in the long run this book will hold my attention. Last issue I talked about David Finch assuming Todd McFarlane's long since abdicated throne,

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1147760779118645682006-05-15T23:08:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.095-08:00

Holy shit, where does the time go? Oh, I know, a birthday, Mother's Day, and work, work, work, and the next thing you know it's Monday night and your five days behind on your weekly post so you hack it out. So, in honor of all the hacks in the history of comics, here's my hack for the week:She-Hulk 7 (Marvel) - Speaking of, Will Conrad provides serviceable art for this issue. The storyline

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1147495782810043562006-05-12T20:18:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.031-08:00

It seems that this week somehow became matte cover week. The first three books I have for review this week all have matte finish covers. I actually think this is a great trend. It showcases one further advantage of print over non-print media. The difference in tactile experience is just one more factor in your form of entertainment attaching itself to your brain. Just like those of you in my

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1147069469736615722006-05-07T22:40:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.975-08:00

I remember seeing the first issue of Schizo when it came out. It was published by Antarctic Press but looked nothing like their usual faux-manga or anthropomorphic titles. From memory this was the first out of a couple titles that tried to fit in with the "indie/alternative" titles of the era. This book, however, was unlike most any title on the stands at the time. I had seen Brunetti's work

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1147031321690875832006-05-07T12:26:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.923-08:00

Part TwoLast summer All Star Batman and Robin 1 came out the week of San Diego Comic Con. It was a book that any mainstream follower was curious about and I wasn't prepared to wait until I got back to my pre-ordered copies to wait to check out the book. So I paid my three bucks and grabbed an issue from a nearby retailer. Now I spend plenty of money and the Con each year on books that I'd

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1146765245716730442006-05-04T10:42:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.865-08:00

I don’t think it’s coincidence that the weekend that includes Free Comic Book Day is the week that the two biggest company cross-over books came out. I’ll go ahead and start with those.Infinite Crisis 7 (DC) – The final issue to this title that supposedly affects the entire DC universe. It’s probably just me, but this is the first issue that actually made sense most of the way through. There

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1146197089748523802006-04-27T20:54:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.809-08:00

Here's another week passed already, and I still have one book left from last week that I haven't read yet. Well, two. Here's the other, but you don't really "read" it.Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide 36 (Gemstone) - This is indispensable for a comic nerd like me. It'll probably end up lying within arms reach of the desk I'm at with a highlighter for reference and notation. Nerdvana.Solo 10 (

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1145829817957907692006-04-23T14:17:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.753-08:00

Continued from yesterday...Justice 5 (DC) - This has nicer Alex Ross art than anything since Kingdom Come, mostly because he used Doug Braithwaite to pencil it, and their styles complement nicely. But overall, when reading it, I just think - meh, who cares.Spider-Woman: Origin 5 (Marvel) - Here's the final issue of a series, that just didn't get very far. I wanted more.Daughters of the Dragon 4

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1145668177058345732006-04-21T17:52:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.676-08:00

Continued from yesterday...Hank Ketcham's Complete Dennis The Menace 1953-1954 (Fantagraphics) - There's no question that this is a fabulous series, worth buying every volume. There's no question that Mr Ketcham is a tremendous illustrator, one of the daily greats, even considering his various assistants. There's no question that I'm going to buy more of these volumes. The thing I want to point

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1145593939794289642006-04-20T21:16:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.623-08:00

I bought plenty this week, not all of it brand new, so I thought I'd cover it in installments. Here's the first batch.The New Avengers 18 (Marvel) - Bendis is on a roll in this new storyline, I just wish his back-up (read: artist Mike Deodato) was stronger. A satisfying chapter, if maybe a little drawn out, which lacks consistency in the illustrations. Character's features change a little too

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1145376325591686382006-04-18T09:02:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.567-08:00

I posted a link to this blog on The Comics Journal Message Board the other day, and one of the responses conjured this out of me, and I thought it appropriate to repost here:That's why I do the "New Comics" list of what I buy each week. I thought it only fair to show that I'm hooked on comics enough to buy not only the Chris Ware, Sammy Harkham, and Jordan Crane books that come out (among others)

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1145213652585723812006-04-16T20:25:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.514-08:00

Well, I'm particularly late with this update, it's been a busy week.Desolation Jones 6 (Vertigo) - Warren Ellis seems to follow a pretty tight formula for his most popular books. Transmetropolitan, Jack Cross, Fell, Scars, the Strange Killings/Strange Kisses books, and now this title all have a main character with basically the same personality. If you find that this personality is someone

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1144460466261754012006-04-07T17:59:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.461-08:00

Here we go...Superior Showcase (AdHouse Books) - One of my favorite publishers follows up the Project Superior anthology from last year with a new title featuring the same idea - non-superhero artists doing superhero stories. The three in this issue are entertaining, if they all beg for a little expansion, the main downfall of most anthology titles. But don't misunderstand, Chris Pitzer has his

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1144098037769655012006-04-03T13:43:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:26.409-08:00

This album just came out last week, and I'll bet I'm just preaching to the converted with this post, but I thought I should show respect. This is his sixth album, counting the 718 record, but not the Wu-Tang or greatest hits records, and for many people his return to form since Supreme Clientele. He says as much in the intro track. I didn't think that Pretty Toney was weak, I really enjoyed

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1143778433402033932006-03-30T20:06:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:26.336-08:00

There was one great disappointment this week. The new issue of Or Else by Kevin Huizenga came out this week and my store was shorted. I'll have to wait until at least next week for this issue, and it's currently my immediate-top-of-the-pile book when it comes out. I'm consistently impressed with the stories, both in this series and in anthologies like Kramer's Ergot which he appears in. The

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1143176939100426242006-03-23T20:51:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:26.285-08:00

It was another interesting week, in that it was fairly heavy in the amount of money that I spent. There will be some weeks when you will be embarassed that I consider myself a hardcore comics fan, as my spending will be paltry, but keep in mind, I do have an extra mouth to feed. Anyhow, here it goes for this week, again in no particular order...Captain America (Marvel)Squadron Supreme (Marvel)

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1142444785116694042006-03-23T20:44:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:26.120-08:00

Walking Concert is the brainchild of Walter Schreifels from Quicksand, Rival Schools, and Gorilla Biscuits. If you are familiar with the first and last bands on this list, then you have an idea of how influential this guy is. If you are familiar with the Rival Schools, then you have an idea what his new band sounds like. They step a little bit more into melodic rock than the previous band, but

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1142569746776812072006-03-16T19:57:00.001-08:002006-11-10T14:58:26.231-08:00

I thought I would try a regular feature here. A weekly list of which comics got my hard earned money each week. They idea being that if I thought they were worth my money then they are worth an implicit recommendation for anyone else to buy them. In fact, because this implication occurs, I will make a note for anything I don't think you should spend your hard earned money on. This will be one

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1141446710064997582006-03-03T20:06:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:26.018-08:00

I first became aware of Sammy Harkham's art at the San Diego Comic Con about five years ago. He was in the small press section selling hand painted postcards for just a few dollars each. I was intrigued and interested and bought a few. I didn't see his work again until I came across issue 3 of Kramer's Ergot. I checked it out, but it seemed that the main interest for me in this anthology was

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1140910829536625822006-02-25T15:39:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.961-08:00

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1140627974589713152006-02-22T09:05:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.911-08:00

The new issue of Dylan Horrocks' Atlas came out this last week. I have been impatiently waiting for this new issue for quite a while now. Mr Horrocks has been one of my favorite comics artists for many years now, and if you've ever read Hicksville, you might have an idea why. I've seen Mr Horrocks post on the internet that he is interested in creative works that engage in "world building," and

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1139968103403893582006-02-14T17:13:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.856-08:00

I haven't been very good about updating, but I'm trying to get back on track. In the interest of momentum, my next few posts will probably not be very in depth. Here's a book that I grabbed off the top of my to-blog-about pile. It is a mini-series from Slave Labor Graphics, and issue number two has just been released.I have enjoyed all the Andi Watson works that I've read in the last several

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1136017796350581252005-12-31T00:25:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.804-08:00

So I read this news story......and thought:"Thank God. Now all the underpriveleged kids will have access to online porn."

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1135051740726378112005-12-19T19:43:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.739-08:00

Here I introduce my excuse for not posting more frequently...Clementine.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1133508148267189692005-12-01T23:00:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.687-08:00

I went and saw I Walk the Line last night. I thought the movie was well acted, and that Phoenix and Witherspoon did a great job in the singing parts. It was rare that the production used on their voices was noticeable in the film. The film did seem a little slow at times. I didn't get enough sense that the space given to the story was needed to delineate the characters and that it

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1133492839912823102005-12-01T19:06:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.635-08:00

Dammit, I went a whole calendar month without posting. There goes November.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1130688095754537952005-10-30T07:01:00.000-08:002006-11-10T14:58:25.584-08:00

I've read in a few places that people are frustrated or annoyed with Marvel's policy of their comic covers being "generic" representations of the heroes rather than specific images relating to the story inside. If the concern is that Marvel is abusing the creators by using an artist's work over and over, well, that's what they pay for. If the concern is that a reader is not able to figure out

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1129876818336503572005-10-20T23:10:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.533-08:00

I like music. I like it very much. I listen to music of my choosing every day. This is not a passive, I like what I hear when I hear it type of music listening. This is a decision to choose music that appeals to me every day.Several years ago, I had a conversation with an acquaintance about the music I listened to. He could tell, from hearing what I listened to that I was passionate about my

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1125650171897279762005-09-02T01:31:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.472-08:00

As she slept he thought that if he were to learn something from her, that this could be it: She gave as though she would always have something more for herself. He reached over and just barely touched her hair. She didn’t stir, and he held his hand to her. Her head was cool under his hand as he looked away and listened to her inhale and exhale.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1123924176371764632005-08-13T01:39:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.421-08:00

This is a new collection from DC Comics, reprinting an eight issue series that was placed in the DC Focus line. This line is now defunct, and any titles that are still arriving from it have been folded into the main DC line.When this line started I remember it being promoted as a genre-less line of slightly fantastic, but non-superhero stories. Then I looked at the comics as they came out and

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1123403956526814582005-08-07T01:32:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.367-08:00

I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning by Bright Eyes.There are few albums that have had more critic ejaculate spewed on them than this album. You can add my name to list, because now I’m going to shoot my wad on it.I listen to the music that I listen to most frequently for the lyrics. I’m not musically literate enough to comprehend a well-played jazz song or to appreciate the challenges of writing an

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1123316397332399402005-08-06T01:14:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.309-08:00

I just got back from a late evening showing of this newly-released film and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I must say, however, that if you don’t know Pat Cooper from Jackie Martling, or Bruce Villanch from Dana Gould, or Tom from Dick, you might not enjoy this movie as much as it’s reviewers.One list of raves from the website includes the quotes: “You’ll laugh till it hurts!”; “Uproarious!”; and “…

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1123301559390296772005-08-05T20:49:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.256-08:00

She understood that some songs would be forever owned by those people that first shared them with her. These songs were tied so tightly to those people that anytime she heard them they brought back thoughts of forgotten history. Some songs brought memories that she’d rather forget. Memories of people who had crushed her heart, taking with them pieces of her she couldn’t recover. They would

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1119577233517212862005-06-23T18:23:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.142-08:00

Warren Ellis writes fast comics. When I read a Warren Ellis comic, I always feel as though I'm trying to keep up with him. This occasionally means that I fall behind and have a hard time keeping up with the ideas, they fly by so quickly (certain issues of Planetary come to mind). This also sometimes means that he doesn't give them the opportunity to build a solid base (Tokyo Storm Warning, for

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1151210200244451912005-05-25T21:35:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:27.837-08:00

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13142727.post-1116957549535999412005-05-24T10:57:00.000-07:002006-11-10T14:58:25.083-08:00

Hi, I'm Josh. This is my blog. It will be occasional. I relish input.

Joshua Letohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07748370953460025471noreply@blogger.com0