F*cking GOOD.
I apologize: more comics talk. It’s Dark Knight day, for Pete’s sake! It’s OUR DAY! Today we discuss how to summarize Watchmen.
Watchmen is a revered graphic novel, but it’s also a story so dense and complicated that it’s hard to read, especially for those not already immersed in the superhero world. I’ve tried to summarize it (unsolicited) many times before, and failed.
But last night, after watching the Watchmen movie trailer (which looks AWESOME), I stumbled on a way to do it, and that is by focusing on the story of the big blue dude, Dr. Manhattan. Okay, here goes:
Watchmen is a story where a passive, mild-mannered American scientist [...]
The panel above is one of my favorites in all the comics I’ve read. It’s on the last page of Zot! issue #12 where Zot, a superhero from a alternate reality Earth where everything is perfect, kisses Jenny, a “normal” girl from our Earth. It was sweet, optimistic and refreshingly NORMAL. Why did Spider-Man so often turn away from Mary Jane? Shouldn’t the hero be happy to have a girlfriend, and just kiss her? Zot and Jenny were in love and so they kissed each other. It shouldn’t have been a big deal, but at that time, it was. Comics never ended simply or sweetly. There were murders [...]
I finished a long comics series called Lucifer today that Kevin had recommended. It’s a spin-off of comics series The Sandman, which you may have seen lying around the shelves of various used-to-be-depressed girls and/or Will Hines over the years. Lucifer was very different than The Sandman, although similar in that lots of the stories had British characters casually explaining really obscure rituals to each other as they turn into trolls. “Oh this necklace? This is a POTLATCH. That’s a sort of gift that once received, is very hard to give up. Ask the old tree Yggrisil about those — he’ll have quite a tale to tell you. Just [...]
I saw this on the way to Tabitha’s place. It’s the exclamation point that really sells me on it. Although maybe, now that I think about it — an exclamation point would make any store name pleasantly ridiculous.
- Whole Foods!
- Virgin Records!
- Duane Reade!
Or is the just slightly too long wording that makes things funny?
- I Could Use Some Whole Foods
- Who Doesn’t Like Virgin Records?
- Wouldn’t Mind Stopping At Duane Reade
It’s both, probably.
This post made me realize I don’t go to a lot of stores.
I am only just now watching 30 Rock, at Tabitha’s insistence. Working my way through season 1 — the show is so good, it hurts me.
I’ve been asked to put together a series of ideas for news-based comedy. News-based comedy! Not only is it all people (with money) seem to want, it’s what people assume I’m good at. I may radiate “newsiness” but I’m as topical as Wacky Packs.
DeCoster and I did Oxygen Destroyer for Michelle’s Gilda’s Club benefit. Fun. People laughed.
The second (of this era of) Maude Night happened. I direct the team Mix Tape ‘98. It’s terrific fun. There were no Rick Roll parodies, which made me feel better about the world.
Cat update: Hopey is now enormously fat. [...]
The estate of Joseph Siegel, the writer who co-created Superman with Joe Shuster, has won its share of the copyright of Superman. This somehow causes me great relief — I couldn’t stand the thought that the man who created what is arguable the most successful story in the 20th century got paid $200 for it. Now I can maybe finish Kavalier and Klay.
UPDATE: I guess the ruling applies only to Action Comics #1 — but that’s a lot: Superman, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, Daily Planet. I don’t understand law. But this is big.
If you using Final Cut 6 on your new iMac G5 (intel chip) to import footage and having trouble with log and capture — try disconnecting all external drives. Use only one firewire port and that’s for your camera. It seems to help.
Jaime Hernandez interview (thx Dyna).
What the frak has happened on Battlestar Galactica? (8 minute seasons 1-3 wrapup) (thx Mike Still)
MC Frontalot raps about text advenutures. (thx Tony)
Happy birthday Brian Hines! Both Kevin and Brian are Pisces. Make what assumptions you will, astrologists.
Things that exist in the mind of all Hines brothers and likely few other sets of three people: the image of Zot!, Booyar, the landscape of Clapboard Ridge, They Might Be Giants as seen through a net at Toad’s Place in New Haven, The movie Batman as seen at the Palace Theater on Main Street Danbury, Outer Limits Comics, The Pembroke Panthers and Spite Magazine.
Canada + Cleveland + Connecticut = wryness off the muthaeffin charts!
On my iTunes now:
Robots In the Garden by Autolux from "Future Perfect"
Archives
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
Recent Comments