Hello to All,
Fear not. I may have disappeared for awhile, but I have not forgotten you all. Trust me the end of July was full of insanity, especially of the reading kind. But I am back now. I'm intent on attacking August full force. Hopefully the cyberworld will follow me unto the breach.
As usual my book club meeting was highly enjoyable. We discussed the book Citizen Vince by Jess Walter (review is forthcoming). We even got the chance to talk to the author via speaker phone. He was very nice and answered our questions thoroughly. I give thanks again to Zach Sampinos, leader and moderator, for pulling our little book club together each month. It's always a good time.
I also had the pleasure of co-hosting a discussion of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Anne Barrows (review is forthcoming) for the Mainly Reading Book Club. Becci Webb, fellow librarian, has built a great group that meets every month. I am reminded that one of my first reviews posted on this blog was for The Jane Austen Book Club, a book I read for the same reasons as Guernsey. It's odd that the books themselves and the circumstances under which I read them are so similiar. Eh or maybe it's just coincidence. Well I digress. Onward!
Reviews
Harley and Ivy
I've already spread my love for comics writer Paul Dini all over this blog. He is a great Batman writer, but he's most well known for the series he created called Batman: The Animated Series. I picked up this collection because it showcases the relationship between the femme fatales Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. This is a fun collection, although it's really strictly for the kids. Harley Quinn is a fun character, although she is haplessly dumb. In this team up with Poison Ivy they play like vaudeville. Admittedly I was hoping for something a little more sophisticated and smart, but this did make me laugh.
Here's a clip from Batman: the Animated Series that features these characters. Enjoy.
Into the Wild
In 1992 Chris McCandless was found dead in the wilds of Alaska. He had starved to death after living in an abandoned bus for 4 months. In this book author Jon Krakauer examines the 2 year odyssey that led McCandless across the US and ended in his death. I had been meaning to read this book for some time. Krakauer does a great job of not only telling us McCandless's story but also interweaving in similiar stories of crazy adventurers. Krakauer even includes his own story of nearly dying in Alaska. This is an interesting account of this young man's tragedy. What drove him? is the question at the center of the book. Really only Chris McCandless knows for sure, but from the accounts left behind it seems that McCandless felt the need to test himself. Man vs. Nature is one of the eternal conflicts. McCandless lost due to his own inexperience. Unfortunately it his family and friends who live with the loss. Well worth checking out.
Bio Info: Christopher McCandless, Into the Wild
The Reading List
Books
BPRD: The Black Flame
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Mags
Four Four Two
Comics
Deadpool #12
Check Out Count: Could be better.
Comic Pull List: Amazing Spider-Man #601, Buffy The Vampire Slayer #27, Doom Patrol #1, Dynamo 5 #23, Justice League Cry For Justice #2, Secret Six #12, Superman World Of New Krypton #6, Terry Moores Echo #14, Wednesday Comics #5
Have a great week! Book Slave.
Showing posts with label Paul Dini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Dini. Show all posts
2009-08-04
2009-07-09
Take it Easy
Hello,
I hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend here in the states. I did. Good times, bbq, and family, were all available to be had. In the whereabouts that I reside it has become a sweat lodge and I've received my first major sunburn. Must remember to find the shady tree to read under.
So after last week's review-extravaganza today we are taking it easy. Recently I was captured by Newsweek's What To Read Now issue. I like to think of myself as a well-read individual but I was woefully humbled. I'll definitely be taking a look at some of these titles in the upcoming months. There's also some other cool essays and articles. I particularly enjoy the essays by Jon Meacham and David Gates where they extol the virtues of re-reading.
I wish I could re-read more often. It's great to be able to look at text from a new point of view based on life experience. I had this happen when I re-read My Antonia a while ago. As a highschooler I was caught up in the will-they or won't they romance between the lead characters. However 10 years later when I opened it again I was struck by how this story is more about the strong immigrant women who built their lives from nothing. I wonder what I will see in the text a few years from now, most likely something new. Gotta love a rich text. So it's definitely worth checking out the July 13 issue of Newsweek. Good job again editor Jon Meacham.
Well onward!
Review
Batman Private Casebook
This was a collection of issues from the latest run of Paul Dini's work on Batman Detective. This was a re-read for me because I had read the issues as they came out. I came back to it because lately I've been obsessed with Batman's female characters such as Cat Woman, Zatanna, and the Birds of Prey. These issues are so good, Dini is the best at writing stories that contrasts the differences between Bruce Wayne as a human vs. Bruce Wayne as Batman. In his interactions with Cat Woman and Zatanna as a reader Dini explores the loneliness of being Batman. Other than Alfred and Tim, Bruce is unable to lead a normal life due to his commitment to protect Gotham. Even when he's out "being Bruce Wayne" at a society party he is kidnapped. It is like the evil of Gotham is drawn to him no matter what. Dini gets that. Also want to throw some props out to artist Dustin Nguyen who is an incredible artist. I love his work on the Batman series.
The Reading List
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies
Escapist
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comics
Wednesday Comics #1
Comic Pull List: Batman #688, Bprd 1947 #1, Green Arrow Black Canary #22, Green Lantern #43, Red Robin #2, Stand American Nightmares #4, Superman World Of New Krypton #5, Wednesday Comics #1
Check out count: Eh?
Have a great week! Bookslave.
I hope you all had an excellent holiday weekend here in the states. I did. Good times, bbq, and family, were all available to be had. In the whereabouts that I reside it has become a sweat lodge and I've received my first major sunburn. Must remember to find the shady tree to read under.
So after last week's review-extravaganza today we are taking it easy. Recently I was captured by Newsweek's What To Read Now issue. I like to think of myself as a well-read individual but I was woefully humbled. I'll definitely be taking a look at some of these titles in the upcoming months. There's also some other cool essays and articles. I particularly enjoy the essays by Jon Meacham and David Gates where they extol the virtues of re-reading.
I wish I could re-read more often. It's great to be able to look at text from a new point of view based on life experience. I had this happen when I re-read My Antonia a while ago. As a highschooler I was caught up in the will-they or won't they romance between the lead characters. However 10 years later when I opened it again I was struck by how this story is more about the strong immigrant women who built their lives from nothing. I wonder what I will see in the text a few years from now, most likely something new. Gotta love a rich text. So it's definitely worth checking out the July 13 issue of Newsweek. Good job again editor Jon Meacham.
Well onward!
Review
Batman Private Casebook
This was a collection of issues from the latest run of Paul Dini's work on Batman Detective. This was a re-read for me because I had read the issues as they came out. I came back to it because lately I've been obsessed with Batman's female characters such as Cat Woman, Zatanna, and the Birds of Prey. These issues are so good, Dini is the best at writing stories that contrasts the differences between Bruce Wayne as a human vs. Bruce Wayne as Batman. In his interactions with Cat Woman and Zatanna as a reader Dini explores the loneliness of being Batman. Other than Alfred and Tim, Bruce is unable to lead a normal life due to his commitment to protect Gotham. Even when he's out "being Bruce Wayne" at a society party he is kidnapped. It is like the evil of Gotham is drawn to him no matter what. Dini gets that. Also want to throw some props out to artist Dustin Nguyen who is an incredible artist. I love his work on the Batman series.
The Reading List
Pride and Prejudice and the Zombies
Escapist
Magazine
Four Four Two
Comics
Wednesday Comics #1
Comic Pull List: Batman #688, Bprd 1947 #1, Green Arrow Black Canary #22, Green Lantern #43, Red Robin #2, Stand American Nightmares #4, Superman World Of New Krypton #5, Wednesday Comics #1
Check out count: Eh?
Have a great week! Bookslave.
2008-04-22
Book Binge-ing
Hello cyber-world,
I have been on a wonderful book binge lately. Hopefully you all will benefit from the results. It's hard to turn down the books when they are being sold at discount, y'know what I'm saying? Anyway on with the show!
Reviews
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
After reading the Alan Moore interview book last week I decided to reread this great work. Moore takes characters from classic literature, puts them into a team, and throws them into an adventure in 1898. This is great adventure, sci-fi, mystery and humor. Murray and Quatermaine are the Nick and Nora of this book and I love it! I also love the hilarious opportunist jerk that is the character of the Invisible Man. I heartily reccommend this book. (BTW Avoid the film like the plague, it is horrible and not even close to the book. Don't cause yourself this pain.)
Wolverine #64
The "Get Mystique" storyline continues as we follow Wolverine and Mystique through their shared past and the present. In this installment Wolverine is conflicted when Mystique hides amongst American soldiers. Will Wolverine risk their lives to get to Mystique? This internal dillemma and the way it plays out is why Jason Aron is great. While Mystique cares about no one but herself. Wolverine has always been about the conflict between his humanity and his animal nature. I especially like his writing of the confrontation scenes between Logan and Mystique. Awesome art and splash pages from Ron Garney.
Detective Comics #843
This issue written by Paul Dini featured a team up between Batman and Zatanna to take down the Ventriloquist. Zatanna has been hired to do a magic show at the opening of a new night club. Bruce Wayne attends and is kidnapped by the Ventriloquist who is taking advantage of a gang war. While the action and villians stuff is great, I think that actually my fave scene was between Bruce Wayne and Zatanna. It touched upon their relationship, the will they or won't they that Dini introduced last year. Dini definitely writes the best Detective issues and this one was worth checking out.
What's In My Bag
Magazine
Entertainment Weekly
Comic
Secret Invasion #1
Books
Dealing With Difficult People
Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
(crazy4novels thru down the gauntlet on getting this done, It will be done, oh yes it will be done)
Checkout Count: Crazy, but not insane.
If you are interested in more of my pithy pop culture opinions I point you to Never Enough Time. Check it out, enjoy have a good weekend, Book Slave.
I have been on a wonderful book binge lately. Hopefully you all will benefit from the results. It's hard to turn down the books when they are being sold at discount, y'know what I'm saying? Anyway on with the show!
Reviews
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 1
After reading the Alan Moore interview book last week I decided to reread this great work. Moore takes characters from classic literature, puts them into a team, and throws them into an adventure in 1898. This is great adventure, sci-fi, mystery and humor. Murray and Quatermaine are the Nick and Nora of this book and I love it! I also love the hilarious opportunist jerk that is the character of the Invisible Man. I heartily reccommend this book. (BTW Avoid the film like the plague, it is horrible and not even close to the book. Don't cause yourself this pain.)
Wolverine #64
The "Get Mystique" storyline continues as we follow Wolverine and Mystique through their shared past and the present. In this installment Wolverine is conflicted when Mystique hides amongst American soldiers. Will Wolverine risk their lives to get to Mystique? This internal dillemma and the way it plays out is why Jason Aron is great. While Mystique cares about no one but herself. Wolverine has always been about the conflict between his humanity and his animal nature. I especially like his writing of the confrontation scenes between Logan and Mystique. Awesome art and splash pages from Ron Garney.
Detective Comics #843
This issue written by Paul Dini featured a team up between Batman and Zatanna to take down the Ventriloquist. Zatanna has been hired to do a magic show at the opening of a new night club. Bruce Wayne attends and is kidnapped by the Ventriloquist who is taking advantage of a gang war. While the action and villians stuff is great, I think that actually my fave scene was between Bruce Wayne and Zatanna. It touched upon their relationship, the will they or won't they that Dini introduced last year. Dini definitely writes the best Detective issues and this one was worth checking out.
What's In My Bag
Magazine
Entertainment Weekly
Comic
Secret Invasion #1
Books
Dealing With Difficult People
Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
(crazy4novels thru down the gauntlet on getting this done, It will be done, oh yes it will be done)
Checkout Count: Crazy, but not insane.
If you are interested in more of my pithy pop culture opinions I point you to Never Enough Time. Check it out, enjoy have a good weekend, Book Slave.
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