A final of steps in the musical faring thee well of ought-ten. Songs are no longer written as tough as this. Likeso, I think there are worlds of strength in the past to learn from. When my paternal grandfather was my age he was a POW in Korea, surviving torture. When my maternal grandfather was my age he was a trailblazing forest ranger surviving shoot-outs with poachers right here in Kentucky. I know guys my age now who gripe about everything as though they were the most royal of princesses. And not about swallowing hot shrapnel, but about what's on their hamburgers. That's really the only use the past serves, anyhow. To bleed it for knowledge, and to shed the rest as a snake shedding itself blind. Not to downplay that role. We come from the past, so of course we find ourselves in there, always. Just as this song alludes indirectly to where my gourd is in this, the last days of a curious year of years: we can choose to reflect the past. We can choose to remember.
28 December 2010
25 December 2010
d'odgem l'ogic
Under that purdy Kevin O'Neill cover comes issue SEVEN of Dodgem Logic, the Northampton mag produced and published by Alan Moore and associates. Contributors this time around include Stewart Lee, Dick Foreman, Kurt Amacker, Robin Ince, Steve Aylett, Josie Long, Orlando Harrison, Steve Holland, and Melinda Gebbie, among others.
Also in this issue: Miss Enid Truckleton answers reader letters for the very first time!
It's art, it's social commentary, it's funner than psychiatry and safer than prostitution. Order your copy now, ladies and gentlemen and ladies.
19 December 2010
here and there
Alright, with but one week to go in the kettle season for my local wing of the Sal Army, the race is on to find more work, and a new apartment. I need a place to bring chiquitas home to.
Reading list...After Atlas Shrugged, I read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, so as to get back in touch with my inner Coyote God. I liked (not loved) his American Gods. Certain bits of 'Gods were better than classic, while a certain sizable bit near the end was just ripped off from Clive Barker. He does have a greatly whimsical voice in Anansi Boys though, and I would love seeing a full return on his part to this style.
After that, I read an Ayn Rand sampler, which included biographical info, along with selections from a number of her works. Anyone who signs on with the Ayn Rand Institute's mailing list may receive a free copy if they so choose. I was sent three, as somebody there seems to appreciate this here magickal blog of blogs.
This was followed with Kurdt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, which I had never actually read before. I have read, and owned, over a dozen of his other books however. My previous favorite was the Welcome To The Monkeyhouse collection of his early prose, but I adored the political defiance of Slaughterhouse Five. And written in such a breezy style at that. Boy did Vonnegut leave a mother of a void for us to fill.
Currently, I am knee deep in The Trials Of Lenny Bruce, co-authored by Ronald Collins and David Skover. Stunningly indepth and well-researched. I knew already that much litigation was written BECAUSE of Bruce's comedy, but I hope to better understand the enemy that is censorship by a study such as this. Because the only folks who censor as much as Americans do were Nazis.
But for something completely different, please scope my brand new interview with the indomitable Norm Breyfogle. I have dug his work forever and a day, and am still trying to talk him into finding a publisher willing, able, and sensible enough to collect all of his Metaphysique material. Because.
Reading list...After Atlas Shrugged, I read Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, so as to get back in touch with my inner Coyote God. I liked (not loved) his American Gods. Certain bits of 'Gods were better than classic, while a certain sizable bit near the end was just ripped off from Clive Barker. He does have a greatly whimsical voice in Anansi Boys though, and I would love seeing a full return on his part to this style.
After that, I read an Ayn Rand sampler, which included biographical info, along with selections from a number of her works. Anyone who signs on with the Ayn Rand Institute's mailing list may receive a free copy if they so choose. I was sent three, as somebody there seems to appreciate this here magickal blog of blogs.
This was followed with Kurdt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, which I had never actually read before. I have read, and owned, over a dozen of his other books however. My previous favorite was the Welcome To The Monkeyhouse collection of his early prose, but I adored the political defiance of Slaughterhouse Five. And written in such a breezy style at that. Boy did Vonnegut leave a mother of a void for us to fill.
Currently, I am knee deep in The Trials Of Lenny Bruce, co-authored by Ronald Collins and David Skover. Stunningly indepth and well-researched. I knew already that much litigation was written BECAUSE of Bruce's comedy, but I hope to better understand the enemy that is censorship by a study such as this. Because the only folks who censor as much as Americans do were Nazis.
But for something completely different, please scope my brand new interview with the indomitable Norm Breyfogle. I have dug his work forever and a day, and am still trying to talk him into finding a publisher willing, able, and sensible enough to collect all of his Metaphysique material. Because.
14 December 2010
King 2
Written by Thomas Hall
Art and Letters by Daniel Bradford
Published by Blacklist Studios
Creators Hall and Bradford continue to pop out cult-hit phenomenons as though neither honestly has a better thing to do. Last issue, we met King (who may or may not be that certain other king) and his valiant defense of a fast food dive in the middle of nowheresville from a dastardly onslaught of the undead. There was also the bit with the legendary Spear Of Longinus. Here, we fastforward somewhat to meet up with King as he comes royally close to scoring with a barmaid. And once again he gets to exhibit just how butch the good King is after all.
Hall may not be a crackhead, but his mind seems to enjoy piecing together these bizarre settings and scenarios as though he really were cracked out enough to believe that zombies are not yet overplayed. Which obviously, they ain't. His King as presented here is a total macho-badass, with some more subversive suggestions thrown in for the reader to wonder just who the hell this guy really is anyways. So much attitude, and so much delirious fun. And Mexican wrestlers, too!
Bradford's art continues to evolve. Though not illustrating armored skulls pounding mythological monstrosities here, he is instead challenged with a comedic horror set-up, with an increasingly sublime and sinister aim. He is illustrating, simply put, what Bubba Ho-tep could've/should've been. His forms are elongated and sharp, perhaps owing moreso to the Vampire Hunter D anime than to assorted works from Mike Mignola or Guy Davis (both artists who have obviously influenced Bradford's earlier work). It's dark stuff, quite stylish. And the humor of it all never crosses over into falling anvils territory.
Robot13 is a dynamite book. The same persons responsible are pushing their creative mettle in a very different direction with King, and it is a fun story in progress. Though the plot may not have much in common with a plate of spaghetti, there is just so much irresistible potential here- what's not to love?
12 December 2010
Stiletto 7
Everything and the kitchen sink by John B. Lai
Published by Ultimate Comics Group
After somehow surviving an alien civil war in the past story, "Detour" has the classy Stiletto and faithful pet puppy-monster Rigby hitching a ride home, at last. Until, the nasty nasty Godra launch a full-scale assault on their ship. Who are the Godra? Imagine a potty-mouthed cross between a Klingon and a Skrull. Yes, it's that serious.
And Lai continues his more serious direction for the femme fatale heroine, as close to such as possible for an intergalactic stripper. This iss does bring the reader a totally unexpected dream sequence though, a bit that answers a helluva lot of questions while setting up several possible future plot threads. Crafty crafty work.
All that can be said for the art of Stiletto, for those who've taken me up on my sage wisdom and checked out this series, is that Lai's actual layouts and storytelling are evolving faster than an other-dimensional, multi-pronged erection. His imagination is all over the place, as exampled by the range of stories he has popped out throughout the history of UCG, sure, by he seems to be operating under the delusion that Imagination is not a dead virtue. Thankfully, for those not easily offended anyhow, he is turning out some incredibly imaginative stuff with this, his pet-project comic book.
Stiletto is raven-haired in this arc. Stiletto is at once the name of the main character and of the comic series said main character stars in. And Stiletto is the rare type of story that has a royal plethora of colorfully weird, horny aliens. This will not teach you about String Theory, unless we are talking string bikinis. This kind of humor is not for everybody, certainly not for minors or nuns. Well, maybe some nuns, but you get the idea. Lots and lots of guilty fun, and it seems to only get better and better with each new issue.
Buy this book.
Published by Ultimate Comics Group
After somehow surviving an alien civil war in the past story, "Detour" has the classy Stiletto and faithful pet puppy-monster Rigby hitching a ride home, at last. Until, the nasty nasty Godra launch a full-scale assault on their ship. Who are the Godra? Imagine a potty-mouthed cross between a Klingon and a Skrull. Yes, it's that serious.
And Lai continues his more serious direction for the femme fatale heroine, as close to such as possible for an intergalactic stripper. This iss does bring the reader a totally unexpected dream sequence though, a bit that answers a helluva lot of questions while setting up several possible future plot threads. Crafty crafty work.
All that can be said for the art of Stiletto, for those who've taken me up on my sage wisdom and checked out this series, is that Lai's actual layouts and storytelling are evolving faster than an other-dimensional, multi-pronged erection. His imagination is all over the place, as exampled by the range of stories he has popped out throughout the history of UCG, sure, by he seems to be operating under the delusion that Imagination is not a dead virtue. Thankfully, for those not easily offended anyhow, he is turning out some incredibly imaginative stuff with this, his pet-project comic book.
Stiletto is raven-haired in this arc. Stiletto is at once the name of the main character and of the comic series said main character stars in. And Stiletto is the rare type of story that has a royal plethora of colorfully weird, horny aliens. This will not teach you about String Theory, unless we are talking string bikinis. This kind of humor is not for everybody, certainly not for minors or nuns. Well, maybe some nuns, but you get the idea. Lots and lots of guilty fun, and it seems to only get better and better with each new issue.
Buy this book.
Metapatriot 9
Written, Lettered, Flatted & Edited by John B. Lai
Art & Coloring by Rick Lozano
Published by Ultimate Comics Group
In "Bad Medicine", psychopathic Roughcut is given a new set of targets with which to unleash his grievances- the unfortunate staff of the hospital failing to cure his mother. What follows is an all-out war as the murderer slashes away at hospital personnel and Met-Con agents alike, all the while Tommy Starr- the one and only Metapatriot- tries...and fails to stop him?
Lai continues his ongoing tale of the patriotic hero here with a page-turning action bonanza. The plot moves fast as the title character is forced to make on the spot decisions, doing anything and everything to bottle the fury of Roughcut before things get any worse. But what drama could there really be if things did not actually get worse? A quick and easy to follow read, with no real introductions needed for new readers.
Lozano has done work for UCG elsewhere, among other places, although this is in fact his debut full issue effort. He has a very crisp style, easy on the eyes while telling the story well enough visually. Influenced by many of the big 1990's gamut of artists, his own style really shines through in his use of extra-darkened borders and forms. He wants every image to have a full-blown iconic effect, and pulls that off, strangely enough, in the more static and violence-free sequences. It works. And to his credit, his color style especially fits in smoothly with the UCG house look, presenting a nice overall tone that would do well to stick around for as many issues as needed to truly make this book his own. Artwise, the best yet for this title, I think.
Though arguably gory at times, this iss shows how for the most part Metapatriot is still a solid action-adventure book: standard superhero fare, and thankfully more inspired by mainstream comics of the 70's and 80's than the generically bland look and smarmy feel of more modern comics. A pocket dimension of fun for the kind of reader who remembers still when comics were escapist melodrama without misplaced messages being forced fed left and right.
Better than you might believe.
Art & Coloring by Rick Lozano
Published by Ultimate Comics Group
In "Bad Medicine", psychopathic Roughcut is given a new set of targets with which to unleash his grievances- the unfortunate staff of the hospital failing to cure his mother. What follows is an all-out war as the murderer slashes away at hospital personnel and Met-Con agents alike, all the while Tommy Starr- the one and only Metapatriot- tries...and fails to stop him?
Lai continues his ongoing tale of the patriotic hero here with a page-turning action bonanza. The plot moves fast as the title character is forced to make on the spot decisions, doing anything and everything to bottle the fury of Roughcut before things get any worse. But what drama could there really be if things did not actually get worse? A quick and easy to follow read, with no real introductions needed for new readers.
Lozano has done work for UCG elsewhere, among other places, although this is in fact his debut full issue effort. He has a very crisp style, easy on the eyes while telling the story well enough visually. Influenced by many of the big 1990's gamut of artists, his own style really shines through in his use of extra-darkened borders and forms. He wants every image to have a full-blown iconic effect, and pulls that off, strangely enough, in the more static and violence-free sequences. It works. And to his credit, his color style especially fits in smoothly with the UCG house look, presenting a nice overall tone that would do well to stick around for as many issues as needed to truly make this book his own. Artwise, the best yet for this title, I think.
Though arguably gory at times, this iss shows how for the most part Metapatriot is still a solid action-adventure book: standard superhero fare, and thankfully more inspired by mainstream comics of the 70's and 80's than the generically bland look and smarmy feel of more modern comics. A pocket dimension of fun for the kind of reader who remembers still when comics were escapist melodrama without misplaced messages being forced fed left and right.
Better than you might believe.
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