Consistency, If only.

Hello folks,
How are you all? Good I hope. Unfortunately I am really getting sick of being messed with by the weather gods. Will you please decide on snow or sun? I'm not asking much I just want consistency. I've had a tough time getting used to my new schedule and way of life. More sleep, more time to read, yet I still find myself buried. Need to find structure again, or let myself accept a more spontaneous life. Am I too old to change? God I hope not. We'll just have to see I guess. Onward!

Reviews
Uncanny X-Men: From the Ashes
I decided to pick this up because I like occasionally to delve into old-school comics. Sure they are a bit dated, wordy, and painfully expositional, however it's good for me as a comic fan to read the landmark story lines. This set of issues has a lot of classic stories in it. There's the introduction of Madeleine Pryor, the bizarre Jean Grey look-a-like. If you think about it a little her relationship with Scott Summers is actually kinda twisted. But I liked how they dealt with it. Scott just told her his issues, and they got over it. DONE. This also has the storyline of Wolverine getting married in Japan, and the awesome re-imagining of Storm as a punk with mohawk. It's great. The big difference here for me is that writer Claremont tones down his maddening expositional dialogue. Oh trust me it's sometimes still painful, but it's an improvement. There was a lot of great action and twists. Good comic booking.

Biographical Info: Uncanny X-Men
Related Reviews: X-Men and Relevancy, Sublime Baby Sublime

It's Complicated
Photojournalist Robin Bowman began in 2002 a project to document the American Teenager. She wrote a questionaire but didn't try to steer their statements in any way. The result is this book which includes portraits and interviews with over 400 teens from all across the country. I was amazed by the diversity of her generational sampling. Very much like Robert Frank, Bowman captures America in an honest, truthful way. As a teenager our lives are manipulated and powerless. Bowman never seems to be exploiting her subject matter. Both triumphant and heartbreaking, I loved it.

Other Reviews
Wausua Daily Herald | NPR | Josh's YA Reviews

French Milk
I had heard a lot of great things about this little independent book so when I finally had the chance to pick it up I did. I enjoyed this little slice of life, autobiographical journal. Cartoon artist Lucy Knisley chronicles her month spent in Paris with her mom during the holidays. I will contend that enjoyment of the book is contigent on whether you like Knisley or not. I happen to enjoy her spunky personality so I liked the book. Her art style is also very cartoony which adds to the humor of the book. She also includes the photographs that she took during the trip , which is fun. Is the story deep? Not really, but I recommend it to anyone who wants an enjoyable
read.

Other Reviews
Comic Mix | Pinot and Prose | Seattle Literature Examiner

The Reading List
Books
Bodega Dreams
All Star Superman Vol. 2

Comics
Fables #82

Magazine
Wizard

Check Out Count: Exploded.

Comic Pull List: Daredevil #117, Garth Ennis Battlefields Dear Billy #3, New Avengers #51, Oracle #1, Runaways 3 #8, Superman #686, Umbrella Academy Dallas #5, Wonder Woman #30

Have a great week! Book Slave.