Mindy's Comic Book Blog

Falling Behind

2010-02-07T10:55:00.001-08:00

Once again I have fallen behind on comics. My New Year's resolution lasted until I went away for a week, and then I got back to two weeks worth of comics, plus problems with the website and podcast posting.

However, in the last two days I have read 31 comics, and only have 12 more to read before Wednesday, when the new ones come in.

What did I like in the last two weeks? As always, Terry Moore's Echo continues to delight. I love this story, which has much more action than SIP, but maintains the characterization and relationship building of it.

The Question and Manhunter. These two strong female superheroes (who took over from male predecessors) both have good stories, with the "superhero" and "regular person" sides balancing out -- sometimes.

The Vertigo titles I have read so far this month have also been great. Sweet Tooth is a little weird, but the story is moving along well; Cinderella is cute, and House of Mystery is mysterious.

What I didn't like quite so much? Well, I was confused by Teen Titans. Connor is back, but it seems like Cassie doesn't know it. I thought she did, but this issue made it seem like she didn't. And how does this tie in with the Milestone title that just came out? I am confused.

Falling Behind

2010-02-07T10:55:00.000-08:00

A Book I Read, and Some Comics

2010-01-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

First, I want to mention that I finally got to read the Fables novel, and I have written a little bit about it here. Suffice it to say, I really enjoyed it, and it gave a lot of back story on the characters of Peter Piper and Bo Peep. It occurs BEFORE the big war, so you could really read it any time in the course of your Fables reading.

I am also doing really good keeping up with the comics reading. There were a few things I wanted to comment on that we didn't get to in the podcast. SPOILERS AHEAD!

First, The Unwritten #9 -- Argh, Mark was right. I am really glad this is labeled for mature readers. As Mark predicted in the podcast a few weeks ago, the prison warden's kids have (apparently) been killed. I am sure Tom will be blamed for this. I really like this comic (in spite of the killing?), and think it is going into a really interesting direction.

Blackest Night: Suicide Squad is one of the those canceled titles that they are bringing back for a Blackest Night issue. To me, this seemed more like an extra issue of "Secret Six," which isn't a bad thing. If you like "Secret Six," don't miss this one!

All I can say about Echo is READ IT.

I had "House of Mystery" in my pile that I wanted to post about, but I can't remember why. Another good Vertigo title, and it seems as though this issue (21) is starting a new arc, so it might be a good time to hop in.

Comics

2010-01-09T11:12:00.000-08:00

Argh, I haven't posted here in quite a while. But I spent the last three days reading about a month and half worth of comics. I am caught up through this past Wednesday's releases. Some comments:

There were lots of lettering "typos" in some of the Star Trek comics. That really takes me out of the moment.

Batwoman (Dectective Comics) is growing on me. I still don't love the comic, but I'm not skimming over the main story just to make it to Manhunter anymore.

Vertigo Crime -- YES!

Secret Six -- Black Alice comes for a visit. I love the Black Alice character.

Angel Annual #1: Last Angel in Hell -- a comic book adaptation of a movie that was made in a comic book that is based on a TV series. Talk about multi-media.

Blackest Night -- I think half of the comics I read in the last few days were Blackest Night related. I have to say I am a little tired of this. It is like the same thing happens in every title.

Maybe I should make a New Year's resolution to read the comics in a timely manner? So I can make timely posts? Okay. I will try to read all of the comics before the next week Wednesday's releases enter the house!

Graphic Novel Month, and Contest

2009-10-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

In November, Mark and I are going to do a graphic novel month. We'll both read the same graphic novel (one neither of us has read before), and talk about it during our regular podcast. I wanted to do eight books, two a week, but Mark says that is too much!

If you want to read along with us, we'll announce our books the week before we talk about them. Next week will be the first volume of 100 Bullets (chosen by Mindy!).

We're also having a contest for the podcast. As our long-time listeners know, we sometimes go to comic book conventions. We picked up a few sample issues of comics at this past summer's Wizard World Chicago comic-con. I've put together two packages, each containing the 70th anniversary Wizard magazine, a copy of Masquerade #1 (Dynamite), the Death-defying Devil #1 (Dynamite), and two other freebie comics (different in both packages).

So, what am I going to do with these? Right now, we have four reviews on iTunes. I think we should have more. So, if you leave us an iTunes review by November 15, you'll be eligible to win one of these packages. Anyone who has already left a review on our current feed will also be eligible. We'll announce the name of the winner in our November 15 podcast, so any reviews posted before we record on the 15th will be eligible.

It doesn't matter what kind of a review we get. I hope they aren't zero stars, but those reviews will still be included. I assume if you wanted to rate our podcast a zero, you wouldn't be listening...

What a Marathon!

2009-08-22T08:16:00.001-07:00

It is Satuday, and I am completely finished reading ALL of the comics in my TBR pile. That is not, however, all of the comics. What didn't I read?

I found, at the bottom of the pile, The Amazing Spiderman #583. We don't normally read Spiderman anyway; I think this is one Mark just picked up on impulse. Mark very seldom gives in to the crossover of politics and comics, but I guess the Obama cover was an exception.

I didn't read Ex Machina. Mark has been reading this one since the first issue, but that was back before I paid attention to who was writing what, and the cover didn't catch my attention. But now I realize that Brian K. Vaughan was the writer. I loved Y: The Last Man, so I think maybe I should have Mark pull these out the old issue of Ex Machina for me to read. Or, I'll just look around for the first graphic novel. Then I don't have to tell Mark he was right, and I should have read them to begin with!

The Simpsons I generally skip, unless Mark says it is really good. (I looked for a link to Bongo Comics online, and couldn't find an official one. Hmmmmmmmmm.)

I did read the Wednesday Comics. But I am skipping the Wonder Woman strip in there. I find it was giving me a headache trying to follow the tiny little boxes! But I like the rest of the strips!

I didn't skip Final Crisis: Escape #4, or Final Crisis: Dance #4, but I wish I had. I won't be finishing out these series. Maybe these would be better read all at once, but I cannot follow the story in either of these. Which is a shame, because I am really enjoying Final Crisis: Run! and Final Crisis: Ink.

In the final stretch...

2009-08-14T09:47:00.001-07:00

What did I read?

FC: Escape #2, #3 -- This is very confusing. I have no idea what is going on.

FC: Dance #2, #3 -- Ditto. Except I really don't even remember these people from Final Crisis.

FC: Ink #1, #2, #3 -- I like this one better. Maybe because there wasn't a long gap for me between the first issue and the others? No, because the story appears to be more contiguous.

Strange Adventures #5, #6 -- I like The Weird.

Billy Batson and Magic of Shazam #5 -- Very nice. I eally like Mary Marvel in this comic.

Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps #3 -- Am I wrong, or is almost half this comic just the equivalent of a DVD commentary of a previous comic?

Astro City : The Dark Age #2, #3, #4 -- It seems like this whole Dark Age story line is longer than any previous Astro City story. I know Mark likes it, but I am getting kind of tired of it.

Beowulf #1-4 (all of the miniseries) -- I got this because it was Neil Gaiman. Yes, I know the story is based on the epic poem, but you know what I mean. But, eh. The art was nice, but the story itself seemed to be unsuited to the comic format. Maybe I’ll rent the movie.

So that was only 18 comics for yesterday, and most of those I actually read this morning. But That is pretty much the bottom of my backlog. I have five issues of Fringe, two issues of Wednesday Comics, plus 18 new ones for this week. I think I will just commit to reading five a day for the next 5 days. I should be caught up by Wednesday next.

Sunday we’ll probably be talking about the newest issues of Blackest Night, the new Adventure Comics, and, of course, WOTCOEW.

2009-08-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

I did read my 20 comics yesterday. I finished up with:

Superman #35 -- in which, of course, Superman figures very little. We did see Steel and Chris Kent (Nightwing? NEVER!), with a page or two of Zatara and a Dr. Light/Guardian play date.

Superman: World of New Krypton #6 -- The start of Codename: Patriot.

And finally, the finally, Final Crisis Aftermath: Run #4 -- The Human Flame gets more powerful. He's finally a real villian...

You know I am getting down to the bottom of my pile if I read the Final Crisis book. I now have 2 issues of Dance, 2 issue of Ink, and 3 issues of Escape to read today. I think I really was trying to wait until these were done, but that would be another three months, and I really would like to get them out of my TBR pile. I have books to read, darn it! Real books! Plus school is starting soon.

So, in addition to those, I have three issues of Astro City: Dark City, the four issues of Beowulf, five issues of Fringe and a couple miscellaneous DC comics to read. Plus whatever Mark brings home from the comics store today. Argh. Argh. Argh.

Sixteen today, so far...

2009-08-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

And I'm sure I'll get the other four read, as long as I don't have to do dishes. Dishes or comics? Hmmmm.

Supergirl #34 -- I like Supergirl. In this issue, she is on New Krypton. I wonder how long New Krypton will be around.

Justice League: Cry for Justice #2 -- The group is getting together.

Justice League America #35 -- Loved the reference to Detroit!

Justice Society of America #29 -- Is this the end of Mr. Terrific?

Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson: Homecoming #2 -- I think I must have missed the end of this series. I was trying to keep this until I had all 4, but I never got them. MARK!!!!

Eureka #2 -- I am liking this story, but the art seems to be a little scattered. Not always able to identify people. All the girls look alike.

Angel: Not Fade Away #3, Angel #24, Buffy #27 -- Not much to say about these.

Fallen Angel Reborn #2 -- LOVE IT. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT! Illyria is visiting Bete Noire.

Twenty Yesterday; Twenty Today?

2009-08-12T05:40:00.001-07:00

I actually, I think, finished 21 comics yesterday.

Tuesday:
Solomon Grundy #6 (of 7) -- I have no idea what is going on in this miniseries. Lots of swampy explosions and flashbacks. Frankenstein? The Bride?

The Brave and the Bold #25 -- I like team ups with the Blue Beetle. I think Jaimie is one of the more interesting new heroes. His Blue Beetle (in the Teen Titans, too) always makes a story more interesting.

Power Girl #3 -- With Terra.

Doom Patrol #1 -- Killing off characters in the first issue. Oh, Nudge, you will be missed by me, if no one else.

The Last Days of Animal Man #3 (of 6) -- Oh, this is in the FUTURE! League of Titans? But Nightwing is still there! Whine about continuity.

Today is non-DC comics day for me.

Star Trek: Missions End #5 and #6 -- The story about giant bugs is over.

Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Q
Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Romulans -- Eh, if you're not human...

Star Trek: Spock Reflections -- How many Star Trek comics are there?

Star Trek: Crew -- Again, probably one of the best ST comics, taking a look at the life of "Number One" from the original Captain Pike pilot of the ST series. We still don't know her name, but she apparently did make one for herself.

So that is six for today so far. Next, on to Buffy, Angel and Fallen Angel.

Did I read 20 comics today?

2009-08-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Update # 2:

Not quite up to 20 for the day. I am at 15. I will finish the last five before I go to sleep!

Wonder Woman #34 -- Lots of humor between Black Canary and Wonder Woman. I like issues like this! I did wonder, though, how WW and BC changed into their disguises after jumping from the invisible plane. I didn’t see any backpack full of costumes...

Secret Six #12 -- Banshee is back! And I have to ask Mark who's in the last panel...

House of Mystery #16 -- Glad to see Cain continue his appearances. And what about the Hounds of Titus Roan? Note: Ask Mark if the hounds have appeared before. Will we see the king of the hounds appearing later, maybe? Also, that was a very weird preview!

Madame Xanadu #13 -- I love to see Dian and Wesley. I hope we see more of them.

Jack of Fables #36 -- Jack being Jack.

The Hangman #1 -- The first Red Circle (at least for me). Very nice origin story. I am looking forward to this continuing.

Bill Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #6 -- More for DC Kids. Mark really likes these.

Teen Titans #73 -- I'm still waiting for Superboy to show up. And I really like the Ravager second feature.

Doctor Who: Room with a Deja View -- I liked the story, but not the artwork so much. Some of the Doctor depictions just seemed weird.

Five more to go today.

Books To Read...

2009-08-11T06:23:00.001-07:00

I have 63 comic books in my TBR pile. I WILL read them all by Friday. Hmmmm.... Do I have to count the new books that come in on Wednesday? YES! 63 books, plus those that come in on Wednesday will all be read by Friday...

First Update:

Echo # 14 -- I’m really liking this story, but it is not enough! Terry Moore, write faster! I almost think I’d rather read it in the collections, so I get a bigger bite at a time. But I will keep buying the issues because I want Terry to keep writing.

A new nemesis is introduced; the company who created the metal is now out to destroy it, and Julie at the same time!

Outsiders #19, #20 -- These issues finished up the story arc of “The Deep.” Okay, it’s been two months since I read #18, so I was a little confused. Maybe I need to read every month, so I don’t lose track of the story. But it seems that Ra’s a Ghul, Vandal Savage, the rest of Vandal Savage’s tribe, and the Outsiders are all trying to find the remains of the meteor that caused Vandal Savage’s immortality. In the end, no one gets it, and pretty much every one walks away alive. So what was the point? I guess some new characters were introduced. I could really skip this comic without missing it at all.

Batwoman in Detective # 855 -- Is it bad that I’d rather see the Question as the main feature? I have absolutely no interest in this new Batwoman story.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #7 -- Best Batman comic currently in print?

Batman Confidential #31, #32 -- Batman (Bruce Wayne -- none of that Batman Reborn in this comic) meets the Russian Mob and THE BEAR! I didn’t realize how much I’d miss Bruce until he was gone. Batman Confidential is that traditional Batman we all know and love. And since it is purposefully outside the continuity of the DC universe (being a story from the “confidential files”), I don’t have to try to fit my brain around why things are happening here that aren’t referenced in another story where the Bat characters are appearing. I can’t help it, I like my fiction consistent.

Waiting for Mark...

2009-08-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

I am not home this weekend, and Mark is supposed to be posting this week's episode of How I Got My Wife To Read Comics. I haven't seen it yet! Hurry Up, Mark.

In the meantime, I have printed our tickets for the Chicago Comic-con. Here is Mark's t-shirt for Comic-con. If you see him, say Hi! Of course, some of our other "fans" will be wearing the shirt, too, but feel free to stop any of us and tell us you listen.

Umbrella Academy: Dallas

2009-06-10T10:50:00.001-07:00

I read all six issues of this story arc today. For anyone who doesn't know, the story is written by Gerard Way, of the band "My Chemical Romance." The first story arc won an Eisner award in 2008.

I have to say that it really makes a difference reading the stories in one sitting. The first arc I read pretty much as the issues came out, and I was so confused. I couldn't remember what happened from one issue to the next (and since Mark bags and boards what I've read fairly regularly, it is hard to go back). So, this series, I held on to the issues until they were all out.

Anyway, the story of the special children of the Umbrella Academy filled in a lot of question marks about what happened to Number 5 when he disappeared. We continue to learn more about each sibling, and what they can do. The story refers to events in the first series, so readers should start with Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite.

It is a very satisfying story, and I would read future releases; but I guess I'd much rather wait for the graphic novel collection than read individual issues.

What I Didn't Read

2009-06-08T05:44:00.001-07:00

Here are the comics Mark read in the past few weeks, that I skipped:

The Spirit 28
Ex Machina #42
Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen
Simpsons Comics #154
Futurama #43

What do you think? Should I read these?

&$&$(#&&@%#!!!!!

2009-06-06T12:43:00.000-07:00

Drat and double drat. If you are having problems downloading the podcast on Sunday afternoon, don't fret. It should be fixed as soon as I downgrade my RapidWeaver software AGAIN! Hopefully, they will have the bug fixed in the NEXT release. I won't hold my breath.

How I Read Comics

2009-06-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

Mark generally picks up the comics on Wednesday or Thursday. Sometimes even on Friday. Mark reads the comics first, and he has a particular order. Usually it is DC comics first, then Vertigo, then the independents. When he gets done with a comic, he puts it in the pile for me to read.

I end up reading in a haphazard order, depending upon what day it is, and what Mark wants to talk about on How I Got My Wife To Read Comics. I generally skip any of the Simpsons/Futurama comics, and the horrible Army@Love (is that still going on?), and a couple others. And generally the shorter series (less than six issues) collect in my pile until the series is complete. Right now, The second series of Umbrella Academy is waiting at the bottom of my pile...

So I have comics as new as this week, and as old as six months, in my TBR pile. This can drive Mark mad; and when I go to the comic book store, I never know for sure what we have gotten the previous week!

Maybe I can get into the habit of being caught up this summer.

Secret Six

2009-05-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

One of our Facebook member posted that Secret Six was rapidly becoming one of his favorite comics. After this latest issue, I am tending to agree with this. Issue 9, a tie-in to "Battle for the Cowl" features the three of the Secret Six thwarting a kidnapping in Gotham. Ragdoll dressed as Robin and trying to quip like the '60s TV version of same was simply priceless. At the same time, Bane and Catman striving to be more like Batman, in spite of their more lethal tendencies, shows that these "villians" are not the typical one-dimensional Gotham villain.

Catman's line "One saves a terrorist, one kills a terrorist. Who did more for the world in the end?" strikes a note that Mark and I have talked about before. Wouldn't Gotham be better off it the Joker was killed? But that crosses a line. In the DC Universe, maybe that is the line that separates the hero from the villian.

What Have You Read Lately?

2009-05-10T15:36:00.000-07:00

This week, I only read the comics Mark gave me for the podcast. Well, not entirely true. Early this week, I caught up on Trinity. There are only three issues left, due in the next three weeks. I won’t be sad when this is over. I imagine it will be like most other limited series (even though it had 53 issues), and it will wrap everything up in the last five pages of issue 52. In a series this long, I think that the whole last issue should just be tying up loose ends -- resolution should have be done by issue 51. Just my opinion. What do you think of Trinity? Discuss on our Facebook page!

Lax, Lazy, Lethargic

2009-05-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

I haven’t posted anything for a while. I was in the last two weeks of a class I was taking, along with working LOTS of days. Those are my excuses for only reading the comic books that Mark wanted to talk about for each week’s podcast. Not very good ones, since I have been reading a lot of other stuff!

Mark is really excited about the Blackest Night Green Lantern event coming up. Me, not so much. I find I am usually disappointed in the “event” comics. So it was quite a refreshing experience to see Geoff John’s column in the Free Comic Book Day GL that he didn’t think it would happen with this one. He will really try to make it stay on track, and not be late. One can only hope.

The following is a list from Wikipedia on all the titles in the event:

Prelude to Blackest Night

* Blackest Night #0 (June 2009)
* "Agent Orange" - Green Lantern vol. 4, #39-42 (May - July 2009)
* "Emerald Eclipse" - Green Lantern Corps vol. 2, #33-37 (April - August 2009)

Blackest Night

* Blackest Night #1-8 (September 2009 - April 2010)
* Green Lantern vol. 4, #43-47 (September - December 2009)
* Green Lantern Corps vol. 2, #38-41 (September - December 2009)
* The Titans vol. 2, #15 (September 2009)
* Blackest Night: Tales Of The Corps #1-3 (September 2009)
* Blackest Night: Batman #1-3 (October - December 2009)
* Blackest Night: Superman #1-3 (October - December 2009)
* Blackest Night: Titans #1-3 (October - December 2009)
* Blackest Night: Wonder Woman

I’m not sure how accurate this is, but with that many titles, I wonder if the writers will really be able to maintain the continuity. If I had my way, I would wait and read all of them at once, but Mark would NOT like that! I expect we’ll be talking about this AT LENGTH in the podcast.

On another note, I am really looking forward to the Wednesday Comics, as well as The Unwritten.

And finally, here’s another recommendation for getting your wife to read comics. I am rereading (yes, even though I still have new ones to read!) Y: The Last Man. The entire series was very good, but the first few story arcs were excellent. No superheros, no special powers. Just a world of women, and one man...

Home Again

2009-04-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

Boy, it’s been a while since I posted. I was away for Easter (without Mark -- he had to stay home), and I still haven’t figured out how to do my blog on the road. That is one of the first things I am going to work on when I am out of school this summer!

So, I went to visit the family for Easter. I was talking to my nephew, Ben. He was saying how he was looking for a new copy of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, the same printing his mom had spilled coffee on way back when. Way back when I had given him a copy, apparently when he was about 10.

I remember reading it back then. I wasn’t a regular comics reader by any stretch of the imagination, but for some reason, I got this book.

Coincidentally, shortly after Ben and I were talking about this (and I was thinking about how totally inappropriate this would have been for a 10 year old), Mark and I watched this week’s episode of the Big Bang Theory. Penny goes with the guys to the comic book store to pick out something for her nephew. The store owner recommends Hellblazer. So, I don’t feel so bad about my choice. Isn’t any Batman better than a smoking, drinking, hanging out with demons magician?

Technical Difficulties Resolved?

2009-04-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

I promised you commenting on the podcasts, and I can’t deliver. For some reason, the software update that allowed us to add commenting to the blogs also messed up our ability to post podcasts. So, for now, no commenting. But you can always visit us on Facebook.

Technical Difficulties

2009-04-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, we know there are problems! We can’t quite figure out where the error lies -- with our blogging software, with our host or with the iTunes store. But we are working on getting the latest episode to you!

Old Comics for a New Generation

2009-04-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Remember those old comics I got for crafting? I took several issues
up to my nephew Joel, who is in the second grade. A Wolverine, an issue of
Marvel Universe, the issue where Clark tells Lois he is Superman --

very appropriate issues for an 8-year-old boy (all approved by the Comics Code!). And it was wonderful.

He loved those comics. I can see how Mark must have been when he was
8 and poring over an issue of Justice League or Superman. It really
is too bad that comics are too expensive for most kids today. So,
maybe the option is to give them the old comics, that you can buy for
a quarter. They don't have to keep those pristine in bags and boards.
They can just enjoy them.

Who's on the Cover of Entertainment Weekly?

2009-03-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

Loyal listeners know that we regularly finish our podcast with a game we call “Who’s on the cover of Entertainment Weekly?”. I’ve been making Mark guess who is on the cover of the magazine for years. I don’t know that he enjoys the game, but I do.

This week, though, Entertainment Weekly actually changed the cover! The issue subscribers (like me) received was Paul Rudd. The issue on the newsstands features Natasha Richardson.

I have never noticed that happening before. I wonder if they really think Natasha will sell more magazines? Tragedy is better than comedy. But does this mean Mark didn’t really lose WOTCOEW this week?

No Comics for You!

2009-03-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, I didn’t get to read many comics this week. I really meant to, but at least there weren’t very many this week in the Wednesday pickup. DC had a very light week. Which also explains why we really only talk about two comics in this week’s episode.

But one of them is Star Trek (and Mark goes very in-depth into the Star Trek comic timeline). And just to let you know, Mark and I were introduced at a Star Trek convention. But we weren’t in costume (that time).

Old Comics

2009-03-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have decided I want to decoupage a table for the comic book lounge, and I want to use old comics to do so. Of course, I can’t use Mark’s comics, so I recently purchased a bulk lot of comics online. Basically, quarter comics. There were a lot of middling old Marvels and DC’s, mostly from the early ’90s, as well as several independents.

In particular, there were several from Valiant, ~~a now defunct comics publisher~~. And one of those from Valiant was “The Second Life of Dr. Mirage.” I loved this comic. While still in the superheroic vein, it did not have all the “back story” that the DC Comics Mark was reading did. I could pick this up, and start from the beginning. And, in fact, I am going to go back and reread them again. If you get a chance, read the eleven issues that were published. You won’t be sorry.

Facebook

2009-03-15T13:08:00.000-07:00

I’ve had some feedback on the website, so I really appreciate that. I am working on how to add comments to our posts (so you could comment on the pages for our podcast, or this blog). That is, hopefully, coming soon. For now, though, you could look for us on Facebook. We’ve set up a fan page for “How I Got My Wife to Read Comics” and you can post in the discussion boards, or on the wall, there.

I really don’t want to encourage anyone to join Facebook. It can become an awful time waster. But it is also a great tool for finding old friends (or enemies...).

And as a final note, I did read 19 comics in one day (the 10th). I almost got caught up reading. But I haven’t read even one of the four current issues of “The Umbrella Academy.” I will make that my goal this week!

Read, Read, Read!

2009-03-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Our new feed is officially up and running on iTunes, so PLEASE make a note of it. You can subscribe in the iTunes store, or you can copy the RSS link location from the podcast page, and paste it into your iTunes (under the “Advanced” pull-down menu.

I am looking at the pile of comics I have to read, and am wondering where to start. Once a year, usually in January or February, Mark consolidates all the comics for the year into his big collection. Every week he bags and boards what I’ve read (because I am so much slower than him...), and puts it into a long box for the current year. Then, as I’ve said, once a year he consolidates that into the main collection, while “archiving” series that have ended into separate boxes. It is a pretty big undertaking, and he always asks me to try to finish up any issues of series that have ended so he can put them away.

He just finished this years...

and I am looking, in my pile of TBRs, at issues 7 and 8 (of 8) of Reign in Hell, issue 6 (of 6) of Terror Titans, and issues 2 and 3 (of 3) of Batman Cacophony. Now, I am pretty sure that some of these came out after Mark’s big consolidation effort, but what lousy timing.

So, my goal is to have all of those, plus 14 more from two weeks ago, in the next 24 hours. Do you think I can do it? Only time will tell....

More Episodes, New Feed

2009-03-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

Here are five more old episodes, along with episode 47 from this weekend. I’ve also updated the tags on the episodes. I am getting the hang of how this all works now.

All new episodes will be posted here, starting Sunday. Our new feed should be active in iTunes very soon -- it has been submitted.

I didn’t read any comic books today. I am trying to finish reading “Revelations” for a book discussion group with some teens. It is one of a myriad of vampire books being written for teen girls now. But I’ll be back to reading comics come Saturday morning.

Back to Work

2009-03-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

I have spent the last few days getting the first 20 episodes of our podcast posted to this new site. Now, though, I have to go back to work. Look for the remaining 20 to go up five or six at a time, over the next four or five days.

I also need to read comics (like always). I picked them up today, and it seemed like a light week -- I did see a new issue of Buffy, though!

And I am only two issues behind on Trinity!

You can read this now...

2009-03-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

Well, since you can read this now, I guess I figured out how to upload. It is still a little iffy, as the ftp client I am using seems to flake out a little with the hosting service I am using. It is amazing how much has to work out to bring a web page up.

But, tomorrow is comic book day! Of course, I still haven’t read most of last week’s comics. But that is of very little concern. I read the ones I wanted to read, like Echo 10.

And the second wave of Watchmen figures came out last week, too. So, hopefully, this will be a light week at the comic book store.

Still Working...

2009-02-25T17:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I am continuing to work on figuring out how to do this website. Right now, I don’t seem to be getting any links to older entries on the Vast Wasteland podcast page. And in the meantime, I’ve read last week’s Titans/JLA crossover. I am going to have to ask Mark about Jericho.

Origins and Omens

2009-02-24T17:47:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if the “Origins and Omens” stories are telling me anything or not. Mark seems pretty sure that the stories are foreshadowing, but -- especially in the Green Lantern book this past week -- I wonder if they are just something a little fun for the writers and artists. I did think the whole “Tom Sawyer paints a fence” Green Lantern thing was pretty cute, but the black paint as an omen was a little too over the top!

Lost My Blog on L.E.G.I.O.N.

2009-02-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

I was telling Mark in our podcast today, that I had been working on a blog entry about L.E.G.I.O.N, and how much I had liked that comic. So, I log into my blog editor, and the draft is completely gone. Argh... We are not sure about this Quick Blogcast software that our host is providing. I will try to reconstruct my comments on L.E.G.I.O.N and post it later.

EDIT: I am now blogging with a different software, so hopefully that won’t happen again.

Oh, No

2009-02-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

I haven't read any comics yet this week! We record the show in less than 24 hours. Argh.

:(

A Comic Week

2009-01-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

Well, I was off work two days this week for snow days, and my sewing machines were in the shop, so I read comics. I admit, with the holidays, all our recent travel, sickness, and work, I haven't read comics for about a month. My stack of comics to read was about two feet high. I spent Thursday reading all old stuff. Friday, I picked up the comic books for the week. The last issue of Final Crisis was in, so it was time to attack that.

Comics I Read This WeekComics I have left

So, Friday night I read Final Crisis 1-7, Final Crisis Revelations 1-5, Final Crisis Rogues Revenge, and three or four more Final Crisis titles. I think that may be the podcast this week.

One plea -- please read Terry Moore's Echo -- it is so good, and the first graphic novel has been named a "Great Graphic Novel for Teens."