• March 2026
    S M T W T F S
    1234567
    891011121314
    15161718192021
    22232425262728
    293031  

  • On Facebook

    On Facebook

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Comic Blog Elite

    Comic Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory

Booking Through Thursday: Fluff

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Walt

btt button

You’ve just had a long, hard, exhausting day, and all you want to do is curl up with something light, fun, easy, fluffy, distracting, and entertaining.

What book do you pick up?

Today? Marvels: Eye of the Camera or Brightest Day vol. 2. Maybe they’re not exactly light, fun, or fluffy, but they’d certainly do.

As “graphic novels,” they’d make relatively quick reads without being TOO quick, like a single issue of a comic, but not represent nearly the lengthy time-investment of starting another book.

Of course, these two would be if I didn’t simply turn to a single issue or two for something to read. I’m months behind on some of my reading for comics, and only recently gradually catching up (last night I think I read five comics, getting caught up with several series I’ve caught up on before and been trying to keep up on). So some of those would be enticing–dive in, read an issue at a time, and make a bit of a dent in the queue.

There’s also Eclipso: The Darkness Within series that I recently acquired that would be well worth picking away at. Also still have about 40 issues of a stack of Amazing Spider-Man issues a friend’s loaned me and been trying to get me to read.

So I guess, ultimately…the answer to this is whatever strikes me first when I go looking for something to just grab and read for a bit for something to do while winding down from a day.

Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

Booking Through Thursday: National Book Week

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Walt

btt button

It’s National Book Week. The rules: Grab the closest book to you. Go to page 56. Copy the 5th sentence as your status

(We’ve done something similar to this before, but it’s always fun, so … why not?)

I didn’t even have time to close my eyes.

(Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer)

Maybe fitting, in a way. Several years back, I’d been noticing some facebook posts and other general “chatter” around about something called “Twilight.” I had the presence of mind to ask friends, and found out a bit about it. I later accompanied a friend to see the first film while it was in theatres, but basically gave it no further thought.

I was a Popular Culture major in undergrad, though, so something about the Twilight stuff followed me, until I decided I really ought to “give in” and just read the thing–then, whatever I thought of it, I’d at least be coming at it from actually having given it a chance, from actually having read it, rather than jumping on any bandwagon yay or nay but uninformed.

I wound up buying a mass-market paperback edition just before heading with my mom to a hospital for the weekend, right before I lost my grandmother.

I wound up further continuing with the 2nd and 3rd books (and whether I triggered it or it was simply fortuitous timing, all but had a “book club” going on at work for the series–I started out a book and a half ahead of most of the others reading, but they all finished the series while I was early in book 3). I ultimately listened to the 4th/final book as an audiobook.

A few weeks ago, a local Half-Price Books had a stack of the full-size editions for $1/apiece. Me being the sorta book person I am (I like when books in a series look like they belong together and ARE the same series), I forked over the $1 to snag this copy, so I have the first 2 books in “full size” paperback, and the 3rd in hardback (though I’d probably “trade” the hardback for a paperback, given opportunity).

Back to my original statement: this is fitting. I first started reading the book as I lost my grandmother. And this post/prompt comes along the day after the funeral for another lost loved one.

Of course, all this rambling is mainly to pad out this post. I missed the last few weeks of Booking Through Thursday, but each of those were long enough to be their own posts (at least for today, if you look at my homepage Comic Reviews by Walt the first four posts should be this one as well as the three “catch-up” posts).

Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

Booking Through Thursday [catch-up]: Anticipation

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Walt

btt button

What’s the last book you were really EXCITED to read?

And, were you excited about it in advance? Or did the excitement bloom while you were reading it?

Are there any books you’re excited about right NOW?

Probably The Perks of Being a Wallflower. At least, I was excited enough to finally purchase the thing, 9 years after having first read it. I’m pretty sure this was my third time through. (Oops…I seem to have left that out of a prior post…)

I had never heard of the book until a friend handed me a copy to borrow back in 2001. This time through, it was in advance as I knew I wanted to RE-read it.

Offhand, can’t say there are any books I’m particularly excited for right NOW. It’s been over 3 months since I purchased The Lost Hero, and while it’s a good book, it hasn’t engaged me as much as I’d hoped–I even took it on VACATION with me, and only read about 60/70 pages–I’m still only about 3/4 through, if that far. I’ve been easily and highly distracted with other stuff, though…and my sister suggested recently that one can’t read much AND have an active Netflix Streaming subscription–which WOULD tend to hold a lot of merit looking at my Netflixing this year.

I’m looking forward to whatever Grisham‘s next “main” novel is, and Brad Meltzer‘s. Probably even Stephen King‘s, though I have yet to get all that far into Under the Dome; I enjoyed Full Dark, No Stars as an audiobook.

Comics-wise, I’m looking forward to getting back into the Ultraverse comics. I’m currently gathering up what issues I own, and intend to track down those I don’t in order to attempt a personal reading project of starting with the June 1993-released issues and read the entire line in publication-order to simulate what the original experience would have been, following the entire line. (This journey is being chronicled in my Ultraverse Revisited blog). I’m also looking forward to the new TMNT comics from IDW, and DC Comics‘ RetroActive: 1990s – Superman issue.

Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Booking Through Thursday [catch-up]: Night Owl

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Walt

btt button

What’s the latest you’ve ever stayed up reading a book? Is staying up late reading a usual thing for you?

I’d have to say it was one night my junior year of college. I was taking a Sci-Fi/Fantasy Literature as Pop Culture course, and after the success of the first Lord of the Rings film, the professor decided to include the entire trilogy as part of the semester’s reading load.

I’d previously read Fellowship of the Ring in high school, and followed along this time. I kept up with the reading for The Two Towers. But by the time we got to Return of the King, I’d fallen a bit behind.

Then came the night before we were due to discuss the final part of the book. To that point, I’d never read the entire trilogy, and did not know how it ended. And I was determined 1. to NOT skip class that day and 2. to NOT have the ending SPOILED for me.

So I pulled an all-nighter, staying up to read something like half of the entire book in virtually one sitting.

I finished the book, and got to class on time. I even stayed awake for class.

The unfortunate thing of it all, though, was that in the end…it wasn’t worth it. I had FORCED the read, which took away the fun. I read out of obligation to the class, rather than simply being drawn into the thing.

Other than that time, I’ve stayed up til probably 2/3 in the morning at points, reading–I know I was up late finishing the 7th Harry Potter book, as people at work were already talking about it, and I didn’t want to get spoiled (again with the semi-forced reading, though–stuff only just with the release of the final movie finally made sense from scenes toward the end). I’ve also been up simply TO read at other points…comics, mainly. Probably for a couple of Grisham’s latest books, and likely also at least one of Brad Meltzer’s.

As I’ve gotten older, though, and work’s pressed in on me…and just lately, life in general–I haven’t really had much that’s been SO much a thing as to keep me up late.

I read as I find or make time, and that’s that. And when something DOES come along that’s compelling enough…well, I just wind up FINDING the time to read over other stuff.

Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Booking Through Thursday [catch-up]: Repeats

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Walt

btt button

What’s the first book that you ever read more than once? (I’m assuming there’s at least one.)

What book have you read the most times? And–how many?

I’m not sure, but I’d guess probably something in the vein of Patrick’s Dinosaurs or some other children’s book. Perhaps one of the Boxcar Children books, or maybe a Hardy Boys Casefiles, even.

I know for certain that I’ve read Dragons of Autumn Twilight at least 6-7 times all the way through, and have started it a couple other times. In addition, I’ve seen the animated movie adaptation, and read multiple comics adaptations AND a dramatized audiobook, as well.

I’ve read The Brothers’ War at least 3 times all the way through–the first book in the main Magic: The Gathering series. I’ve read Left Behind (the first/original) at least twice now, in addition to listening to the audiobook, listening to an audio drama, seeing the film, and reading the comic adaptation.

I’ve read the “Greensleeves” trilogy from the ORIGINAL Magic: the Gathering novels at least twice; I’ve read the Aliens: Earth Hive/Nightmare Asylum/Female War trilogy of novelizations at least twice each and pretty sure I’ve read Earth Hive at least one additional time (and I’ve since read the original comics the novels were based on, thanks to Dark Horse‘s Aliens Omnibus vol. 1).

And I’ve read The Death and Life of Superman at least 3 times, and I’ve started it a couple more (plus listened to the audio drama twice now).

…where comics are a whole different thing. I’ve read Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying a number of times; same for Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: A Death in the Family. I’ve read The Death of Superman more times than I can even remember. Honestly, as I sit here scanning my bookshelves, it’s an overwhelming prospect to try listing all the graphic novels/etc. that I’ve read multiple times.

Filed under: Booking Through Thursday, NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Not At Comic Con

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Walt

I’m not in San Diego this week.

I’m not going to Comic Con.

And at this point, I’m seriously considering staying off of Facebook and Twitter for a few days.

Maybe I’m just some curmudgeon anymore. But it seems there’s so much focus either on “exlusives” (how many people want these to HAVE them, and how many want them to SELL them at huge markups on eBay???).

And frankly, I just don’t think I have it in me to try to “keep up” with every last snippet of “news” or “announcements” and such.

Tonight (pretty much as soon as I post this, actually) I’m driving to the airport to pick up my sister. First I’ll have seen her in over a year and a half. That’s pretty exclusive, wouldn’t you say? And I’m going to get to introduce her to Zig, my parents’ kitty, who I simply adore. That’s gonna be a pretty exclusive slice of life.

I just got a package the other day of the complete Eclipso: The Darkness Within story from the 1992 DC Annuals. It’s been 19 years since I was introduced to that story. Kinda special, no?

I picked up Legends 1-6 for $.25/ea at the LCS today, and I’ve been interested in that story for a few months now with a vague interest since way back in 1992 or earlier when I found a Superman comic that was a Legends tie-in (#3?). Kinda special as well, no?

And while everyone’s geared up for this unfathomable mass that is Comic Con…

I will be beginning my first real vacation in better than 2 years, with a couple of my oldest friends, and getting far away from usual life. Y’all have your comic con…I’m taking vacation.

And I’ll catch up with stuff sometime later.

[Due to vacation, no reviews this week and none next week. I may post some random stuff from vacation via phone, but time will tell.]

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Eclipso: The Darkness Within (19 years later)

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Walt

eclipsocoverscircleBack in 1992, a friend shared with me a new Superman #1 issue. It had some new villain, was a #1, AND he’d gotten it at a store that SPECIFICALLY SOLD *COMICS*. Such a novel thing to a kid who’d only been able to find comics at the local Waldenbooks or a spinner rack at the grocery store.

But that Superman comic was Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #1, part of the Eclipso: The Darkness Within crossover through that year’s DC titles’ annuals. Not long after, I tracked down the other Superman annuals, as well as Eclipso: The Darkness Within #2; among my earliest “back issue hunting” was Eclipso: The Darkness Within #1. This was also when I was introduced to the Direct Market, the world of comic stores.

Even though I read a handful of the Eclipso annuals, and wound up with a few others from bargain bins here and there through the years…it wasn’t until a package arrived today that I finally have the complete event.

19 years after they came out, I’ll finally be able to read the whole story.

eclipsoeclipsed

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Another one complete

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Walt

Just since high school…

– Entire new Star Wars trilogy has come and gone. Been as long now SINCE the premiere of the last one as the entire time they were coming out.

– Entire Lord of the Rings trilogy has come and gone. This coming December will be 10 years since ‘Fellowship’. (And note the debate in Clerks II over the Classic Star Wars trilogy vs. Lord of the Rings trilogy)

– Entire Harry Potter film series has come and gone. Now, moving forward, anyone newly introduced to the films OR books has the entire series available. Assuming they have, want, and make the time–there’s no waiting for “the next chapter” to come out. No two year waits between books, no year and a half waits between films.

Saw the final HP film today. And frankly…I feel like I understood the ending a heckuva lot better than what I (thought I) could remember from reading the book. As a film series, I liked it. Didn’t even consciously occur to me until today that they never introduced Peeves, or went into any depth with Nearly Headless Nick. And occurred to me mid-week last week that we never got the subplot about Hermione and the House Elves at Hogwart’s, among other things.

Plenty of other thoughts, but those’ll be shared some other time.

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Weekend Ultraverse acquisitions

Posted on July 17, 2011 by Walt

newestultras01Had a quick 10-minute dash through another local comic shop’s bargain-bins Friday night. Also visited one of two local Half-Price Books locations. Snagged a fair number of additional Ultraverse issues.

I’ve decided to start a separate blog to focus on my Ultraverse project. First will be this hunt to track down all the story issues (if I find some cheap variants and such along the way, cool…but I’m more interested in simply having a copy of any given issue in order to read it).

My plan at present is shaping up to be that I locate the full run, and then do a read-through, June books 1993 through to Future Shock from 1997.

I’ve read a good number of these before, but most I have not, and given the nature of the Ultraverse line, I think it’ll be interesting to read all the books, and to do so in order of release (at least by month) to roughly simulate what the original experience of doing so may have been.

My scope is to share the enjoyment of the story and perhaps quasi-review the books. I’m no Ultraverse expert, and will leave the fun stuff like interviews and such to other parties.

I will most likely crosspost here for awhile at least, until or unless the Ultraverse Revisited blog gets some legs of its own.

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

More of the Same: Captain America #1

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Walt

Captain America #1 came out this week. Didn’t blow me away, didn’t suck…but just came off as more of the same to me. Nothing special.

But then, it’s JUST a Captain America #1. 5th one I’ve picked up, just in MY time as a comics person.

I mean…1996? 1998? 2002? 2005? I guess this newest one was a couple years late in the coming.

cap1996  cap1998

cap2002  cap2004

cap2011

Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »