Just let the sun come down on me.

Hello,
Today the rain is endlessly gloomy. It won't stop. What a bummer. I've found myself all week distracted. Flitting from book pile to book pile unable to settle on anything. It must be the promise of spring, if it will ever consistently come.

Previously I've mentioned that PBS is currently showing an excellent BBC adaptation of Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens. Breathlessly I've been watching this miniseries and I highly recommend it. It's so topical in these economical times. If you've had to miss an episode or two they are available to view here for free. Also I've enjoyed the guest blog reviews over at Egalitarian Bookworm and comment over there after each episode. Check those out here.

Reviews
JSA: The Golden Age
It is generally agreed that the Golden age of comics began in 1938 w/the appearance of Superman #1. After that comics became mostly about superheroes until comics were shut down by the Hays Office in the mid-fifties. It was The Flash that ushered in The Bronze Age in 1956. In his 4 issue mini-series JSA: The Golden Age writer James Robinson brings back the Justice Society of America for a post-World War II reunion. I picked this up because I've loved Robinson's work on Starman and I heard this was a good intro to JSA. Boy is it. I really enjoyed this series. Although it is outside of continuity it brings in so many wonderful aspects of pre-realism comics. Robinson gives us great simple introductions to each character quickly using cool page layouts by artist Paul Smith. Although there is a lot of action, Robinson focuses on giving the characters "real" psychological human issues. My particular favorites were original Starman Ted Knight, who has a mental breakdown, and Liberty Bell, a woman who feels trapped in a bad relationship. The problem I had with this series is that I don't think that it was long enough. There is a lot of wrap up in issue 4 which I think could have been been decompressed. Perhaps may 6-8 issues would've meant less exposition writing and more Ted Knight.

Comic Info: Justice Society of America, Golden Age comics


The Reading List
Books
Game of Their Lives
I Led Three Lives

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comics
Trinity #44

Check Out Count: Not as good as it could be.

Comic Pull List: Action Comics #876, Fables #83, Green Arrow Black Canary #19, Incognito #3, Oracle #2, Stand American Nightmares #2, Trinity #46

Have a great week! Book Slave.

The Good and the Bad

Hello readers,
I hope you enjoyed the last entry. I want to make these a habit. Of course if you want to know the moment that I post, I urge you all to subscribe. It will make your life easier. Really. Okay enough plugging myself, onward!

Reviews
Starman Omnibus Vol. 1
Boy did I love this book. I had to force myself to slow down because I never wanted it to end. This series was written by James Robinson, who is currently writing Superman, beginning in 1994. The series centers around Jack Knight who is forced into becoming Starman, protector of Opal City, after the murder of his brother David. David had taken up the superhero mantle from their father Ted, who is the retired Starman. The twist here is that Jack doesn't really want to be Starman. Robinson expertly portrays the emotional conflict between father and son. It isn't what they say to each other it is what they don't say. Tony Harris art is also amazing. I love the way that he portrays the Mist. I also love the use of black and white and color in the issue where Jack talks to a ghostly David. Check this out.

Ultimates Vol. 1
While entertaining I found that this series fell apart in the end. In this series Bruce Banner, Tony Stark, and Nick Fury team together to try to develop a super team like the Avengers. I enjoyed the beginning which focused on Captain America in WW2 and then when he's reinstated in the modern world. There was a poignancy between Cap and his displacement in 90s America. Millar seeks to bring the entire Marvel universe into the modern world, and I get that. But the pop cuture references are horribly dated. This slowly kills the middle half as the world starts piling onto Bruce Banner like he's Peter Parker. It doesn't work and then the ending gets lost in melodrama.

What's In My Bag
Graphic Novel
Animal Man Vol. 1

Book
Love is a Mix Tape

Comic
Pax Romana

Magazine
Four Four Two

Comic Pull List:Buffy The Vampire Slayer #17, Criminal 2 #4, Detective Comics #847, Final Crisis #3, Nightwing #147, Robin #176, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane Season 2 #1, Terry Moores Echo #5, Tor #4, Trinity #10

Check Out Count: Absurd.

Enjoy your week folks. Book Slave.