Professor

I may be the only person to remember that Sleepwalker series (let alone like it), but it really shouldn't be collected in anything.

Ms. Marvel #1-11 - So. I don't get the love this book gets. It's not bad. I enjoyed it even. Yet, I wasn't blown away. Might comeback to this after a while, but I somehow doubt it. Comics: 222 Digital First Comics: 59 Graphic Novels: 17 Trades: 90 (479)(4)(144)

Spring training is in March. Also held in much warmer and sunny venues than a Chicago winter. Yet, the season starts the first week(-ish) of April. This year is was April 6th.

The Life of Captain Marvel - I knew very little about Mar-Vell. Gave this a chance and I liked it. It took a while to get into the older style of writing (and constant recaps). Given that this is a collection of reprints (with a random Two-in-One thrown in) it kinda ends in an odd place. The main story is, I think, the first Thanos appearances. That entire story kinda ends abruptly and the collection ends on the issue following. I get that it was a rather important issue, but doesn't fit the collection. Marvel Graphic Novel #1 - The Death of Captain Marvel - I knew the story ever since I read about it in an issue of Wizard many years ago. But actually reading it? Wow. This was amazing. A total gut punch. I don't know that I have ever had a reaction to a book like this. I don't know if having a little background first helped or what, but man. I don't know if there was some forshadowing between where I left off (I think issue 35ish) and the next thirty issues. But damn, this hit me hard. Comics: 197 Digital First Comics: 59 Graphic Novels: 17 Trades: 88 (468)(4)(144)

Dusty Rhodes passed away early this morning. He was well before my time, but man that guy could talk.

Lola XOXO - I liked this. Felt rushed at the end. Like the writer forgot it was a six issue mini until issue six. I wouldn't mind exploring this world some more. Batman '66 #59 - I don't think Clayface fits this universe. Boo. Starpunch Girl #1 - I have no idea what this is. Drugs are bad, m'kay. Random High Impact Comics - Getting back to my $5 long box of randomness. Read everything in said box from High Impact. I lost brain cells. Normally I have fun with these shit comics from the mid 90s. Normally. In other news, I started a pile of comics to get rid of. Comics: 192 Digital First Comics: 59 Graphic Novels: 16 Trades: 88 (468)(4)(144)

Banzai Girls (Vol. 2) - On the plus side, I didn't feel like I was missing much having not read Vol. 1. Other than that, this was cheesecake. Yin Yang: Bounty Hunters - Story went to an unexpected place. But that doesn't mean it was good. Femme Noir: The Dark City Dairies - Two complaints. The first being that as a four issue mini, this didn't feel like one. Nothing really connects the issues and nothing overarching happens. I could deal with that. But when you spend the entire first issue setting up the mystery "who is Blonde Justice?" I bloody well better know the answer by the end of the series. Comics: 176 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 16 Trades: 88 (468)(4)(144)

Voodoo Child: The Illustrated Legend of Jimi Hendrix - I liked this. I cannot say I knew much about the man outside of his music. And while this surface level accounting of events it worked for me, I feel that if I had more prior knowledge then I would have similar feelings I had toward the Johnny Cash book a few a few months back. The art is done by Sienkiewicz. Now, I love and hate his work. I think my opinions on this book changes every few pages. Overall I think it fits the book. Sometimes, like Jimi lighting a guitar on fire, it really works. Oh, and it comes with a CD of home recordings. Nothing special, but serves as choice background music while reading this. Ka-Zar: The Burning Season - I picked this at the library for one reason. I needed a quick, dumb read to kill time in a waiting room. It's Ka-Zar. Jungle action with dinosaurs and monkeys. Nope. Politics. Jungle politics. Interrupted for UN politics. More jungle politics. And then issue one ends. And in something I never do, I stopped reading. Fuck this book. I flipped thru the rest and man this thing is too wordy. Just fuck this book. Comics: 167 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 15 Trades: 88 (468)(4)(144)

8/16/32/64-Bit Zombie - I don't know what to say. They were so nothing that I don't think I have any thoughts. Marvel Knights/Sensational Spider-Man - These fall right into the crossover after crossover crap that hurt these books before OMD. It all felt rather unimportant. Having read Amazing earlier this year, nothing is connected. It is really obvious in the Back in Black branding/crossover. The tone in Sensational does not come close to the tone in Amazing. Remember when Spider-Man got new powers and bone things sticking out of his wrists (The Other)? Well, none of the writers did either. Oh, and lets do a 'clever' Superman story. It will be 'great'. I think one of the best things OMD/BND did for Spider-Man was to cancel all the non Amazing titles. Comics: 166 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 14 Trades: 88 (468)(4)(144)u

If anybody wants to play in a fantasy movie league, join the group Mutant Movie League with password qwerty. A worthwhile weekly five minute distraction. Also a reminder that I know very little about movies.

And back to superheros. Angel: Revelations - Nice quick read that really didn't add anything to the Angel character. The art is not a style I normally like, but I think it worked really well for this book. Morbius: The Living Vampire - I have no idea what this was trying to be. The first half is a set up for a decent ongoing, Superior Spider-Man shows up and series over. Felt more like reading issues 1-4, 9, 13-18, rather than a nine issue run. Would have worked better as a four issue mini. Comics: 147 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 14 Trades: 84 (446)(4)(144)

The Truman Show - I don't think I have ever had a movie pop up in more random places before in my life. Over like a ten day span I've heard it talked about on at least three podcasts, show up in a random youtube videos and even an old sitcom. So I watched it. What surprised me is the fact I remembered most (95%) of the film. For something I watch once on VHS when I was under 15, I don't understand why I remembered this so clearly. And I don't even know if I like it. Yet it stuck with me for some unknown reason. And that is bugging me.

Boneyard - The right amount of stupid and cartoony-ness. Enjoyed this more than expected. Comics: 147 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 14 Trades: 83 (431)(4)(144)

Moped Army - The world reminds me a lot of Marvel 2099. I liked it enough, but not clamoring for the non-existent vol. 2. Shortcommings - Basically an indie-romantic comedy in graphic novel form. I need to stop waiting for things to happen in these things. Creature Tech - I don't think anything really worked in this. Comics: 134 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 14 Trades: 79 (416)(4)(144)

I haven't listened to the episode yet. That said, I've had a certain theme song stuck in my head for over two days. I hate you both.

Swerve - Pro wrestling mixed with a crime story. I went in wanting a story of a wrestling territory in the 70s. Instead I got a mediocre (at best) crime story, with wrestling as a coat of paint. And I know it would not annoy most people, but all the wrestling stuff felt like it was straight out of the Secret of Pro Wrestling special. (Didn't help that at one point it basically screams "This is NOT NWA Champion Ric Flair. Totally different guy. Totally.) FreakAngels - Really enjoyed the first four collections, which are basically world building and character introductions. Nothing really happened, but it was a nice read. Then in the last two collections things happen. And I kinda lost interest. The ending felt anticlimactic and bit off the rails. Comics: 133 Digital First Comics: 58 Graphic Novels: 11 Trades: 79 (416)(4)(144)

About Scarlet Witch

I enjoyed it. What I wanted going in and what I got coming out was fun. Yeah, I have my quibbles with a handful of things, but I still had fun. And that is good enough for me.

Dead Sonja: She-Zombie with a Sword - Hey a parody comic. It is not good. I am shocked. Shocked. Dancer - Felt like Red, but less fun. And a really quick read. Looked nice. Sister Armageddon - I was surprised by this. Not anything special, but I expected more cheesecake. Instead the nun is just played as a badass with a huge gun. I appreciate that. Suburban Glamour - Out of everything I'm posting this time, I liked this the most. But, I for the life of me could not remember it. So I have no idea. Tabatha - A low budget horror film that couldn't get made. No real suspense here so that makes sense. Comics: 127 Digital First Comics: 44 Graphic Novels: 11 Trades: 73 (416)(4)

Spent the last half hour discussing middle relief, position player and minor league ERAs from five years ago. Man I missed baseball.

But for Spider-Man to be the 'viewpoint' character, he kinda had to unmask. Because if he switches sides, Tony-to-Cap or Cap-to-Tony, he would unmask at some point. Not going to re-write this What If? style, but I don't know who they could have unmasked besides Spider-Man than would have mattered.

Chimichanga - I have no idea what this was supposed to be. I think funny? If so, it failed completely. Unlikely - Autobiographical relationship story. The story is whatever, but the art is donkey. And this was really hard to read at times. As in, I could not make out words at times do to piss poor lettering. Take What You Can Carry - Juxtaposing kids shoplifting and Japanese internment camps. Why not. BB Wolf and the Three LPs - The classic story, but told with the wolf being the good guy. Oh, and set in Mississippi in the 20s. Lots of racism. Best of the bunch here. Art is pretty good too. Comics: 110 Digital First Comics: 44 Graphic Novels: 11 Trades: 73 (416)(4)

2 Guns - Having watched the movie first killed any surprises this may have had. Enough difference to make me keep reading, but more for curiosity. 3 Guns - I was expecting a 'buddy cop adventure'. Instead this is really just a rehash of the first series, with a new 'gun' added to make it 'different'. Hulk: Grey - I have little interest in the character of the Hulk. Plus, I feels like I read this story (or close to it) so many times. Daredevil: Yellow - Probably the best of these color things, but kinda grading on a curve. Having read close to no Daredevil, I didn't find the story to be repetitive. And I kinda like the stupid yellow costume. Captain America: White - Hard to judge fairly, as this was just a 0 issue for an unfinished series, but I don't think it would have varied in quality from the others. Spider-Man: Blue - Not bad, but again, nothing new to the story. And I have a vague feeling I read something similar to this when I did my clone saga read thru. Comics: 110 Digital First Comics: 44 Graphic Novels: 8 Trades: 72 (413)(4)

Superior Foes of Spider-Man - This book, right? Most fun I've had with a comic in a while. Comics: 97 Digital First Comics: 44 Graphic Novels: 8 Trades: 69 (396)(4)

Kinda hard to tell since the season is only five days old (and since the Reds have only played one game normally), but I think I like these new change of pace rules. I was against them in theory, but I cannot say I have noticed them impacting the game play. Then again, I've watched four games and the first three had rain delays. So what do I know.