Blogathon | ***Dave Does the Blog

No Blogathon this year

Part of me is slightly relieved — though it would be interesting doing it (with my comic book topic) a week after the San Diego Comic Con. But the Blogathon gang have decided to pass on 2010.

Unfortunately, due to personal, technical, and maybe even astrological reasons, Blogathon 2010 has been canceled. No worries, though – we’re planning to return in 2011, and in the meantime we have no doubt that bloggers will do their own thing and continue to make a difference throughout the second half of 2010 and into 2011. Come join us next year and tell us about all the fabulous ways you’ve made a difference!

The anticipated date in 2011 is 30 July. Mark your calendars!

And for those who were eagerly waiting to hear about the ‘Thon from me so they could make a pledge for my favorite charity this year — feel free to send some donation love to the Denver Dumb Friends League. The animals can always use it.

Some drifting thoughts for next year’s Blogathon

This week is “Drowsy Driving Prevention Week” in the US (in case you hadn’t marked your calendars), so we’ve gotten some interesting safety info here at the office on the subject — some of which is applicable to the Blogathon.

“A study by researchers in Australia showed that being awake for 18 hours produced an impairment equal to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .05, and .10 after 24 hours; .08 is considered legally drunk.” So, yes, you do feel a drunk through the last quarter of the ‘Thon — plan cogitational needs accordingly.
“Take a 15 to 20-minute nap. More than 20 minutes can make you groggy for at least five minutes after awakening.” I’ve never done this during the ‘Thon, but it’s worth noting.
“Remember, caffeine takes about 30 minutes to enter the blood stream.” Don’t expect an instant bump, esp. if you’re a regular caffeine guzzler. It does mean, though, for the ‘Thon you can down a Coke, then take your 15-20 minute cat nap, then be up and at it. And that applies to driving, too.

I’ve driven while drowsy, and not only is it no fun, but it’s been a marvel the next day I made it safe. It’s not worth it. On the other hand, getting loopy during the Blogathon is kind of part of the fun and not nearly so dangerous, unless you’re going wardriving during the ‘Thon, or unless your topic is “Making delicate hints about secrets of mine that I really don’t want you to know about.”

Doing well by doing good

Got all my reminder emails from the Blogathon today for the various sites and causes I sponsored. While I feel vaguely virtuous for fulfilling all of the commitments, I’m more pleased I was able to help support (in small increments) so many worthy causes.

Though it’s going to be annoying at tax time.

Much better late than never

Woot! I’ve received two post hoc sponsorships for the Blogathon. Thanks, Judy and S.Pinkney!

That brings me to 17 pledges totalling $674.41. That’s an amazing number, and I’m deeply appreciative.

Pledges can still be made to the end of the week (see the sidebar); after that, the ‘Thon will close the pledge area, and send out reminders to everyone with a link to the DFL contribution page.

Thanks again, everyone.

Post-Blogathon Action Report

Well, aside from one very brief stop, I stayed well away from the keyboard after I got up yesterday afternoon. I didn’t read much, either — I was seriously into “passive absorption of someone else’s entertainment product” mode.

We went for a walk to the park, and Katherine and I watched some Sarah Jane’s Adventures. I headed upstairs for the evening at around 9.

I ended up with 15 pledges totalling $636.73, which is amazing. Thanks to all. Those who came late to the party can still sponsor me — sponsorship closes on this coming Friday, I believe.

Now I have to get all those books up onto the bookshelves.

I also need to do my Prize Raffle. I may wait on that until the weekend, on the off chance that someone donates something between now and then. Slim, I know. I did pull in the process a few additional books that I’ve decided I don’t need to keep, but that someone else might like. You’ll see at the final list.

Despite my not-very-good eating habits during the “Thon, weight gain (per this a.m.) was pretty minimal. 🙂

Interestingly enough, per Google Analytics, there was no traffic bump over the weekend. Vaguely disppointing, though I didn’t do it for the fame.

Overall, a fun, if intense, experience. I ended up having (again) more material than I needed. I never even got to some of the non-comics-review material I had in mind, let alone natter more about the Dumb Friends League. I had to rush a bit near the end, in fact — which is okay, because I was dog tired. Which led to the only problem I had with the new laptop over the weekend: the keyboard layout was different enough that, esp. as I got more fatigued a blurry-visioned, I had problems finding where “Home” and “Del” and so forth were.

And next year? Yeah, I’m up for it. The only possible conflict is that we’ve bought tickets (thanks, Mary!) to next year’s San Diego Comic-Con, which was this past weekend as well. While it is theoretically possible to blog from the Con, I think I would probably give it a pass. But we’ll see!

We now resume your regularly scheduled programming …

The Sleeper … shall … awaken …

I’m awake now. Got about 7 hours of sleep, which isn’t bad. My true desire is to sit on the couch and passively absorb entertainment (as opposed to reading or doing anything at a keyboard, both of which I have no desire to do). Instead, it sounds like we’re going for a walk to the park, which is probably a good thing for me to do.

Later …

BT09 – So long and thanks for all the cash, er, fish (#Blogathon)

Well, this is it, then. The 49th checkpoint. The final post of the evening, er, morning, er, Blogathon.

And so I turn to all the thank-yous. This sort of thing doesn’t just happen through my effort alone. I have a lot of folks who’ve helped.

First off, thanks to the folks who organized the Blogathon. You give structure to this effort, which helps make it happen. Because otherwise it wouldn’t. I’m sure everyone’s a critic, but what matters is that you stepped up and got it done. Good job.

Thanks to the folk who monitor — in my case, Judy. Your chat during the day and night helped, as did your comments and your forwards. All this, and you Blogathonned, too. Awesome..

Thanks, too, the the folks who commented the past 24 hours: Lee, De, Ginger, Steve, Avocet, Meredith, Michel, Carrie, Mary, Les, V.E., Tim, Bruce and Margie. Oh, and phone calls from my Mom. This is not an effort easily done without any feedback or sense of community. And extra thanks to Les, who kept pinging me by GTalk. Helped keep me on my toes (or off my pillow, as the case may be).

Thanks, again and more, for those folks who actually made this a worthwhile effort by pledging to the Denver Dumb Friends League (you should, next week, get an e-mail reminding you of your pledge and where to go to make the donation): Mary, Mom, Steve, Jim, Les, Lee, Tydas, Margie, De, BD, Tim, Solonor, Doug, George, and Frykitty. At $636.73 , this was the most I’ve raised in a Blogathon, and I very much appreciate it.

(I’ll get the raffle stuff all set up … um, probably not today. Early this week.)

(I am told you can continue to pledge all the way through next Friday, by the way.)

(For the record, the overall Blogathon attracted 146 blogs and a total, as of this writing, of $41,330.93 in pledges to various causes.)

Thanks to the creators of the comics that give me so much joy, not to mention fodder for commentary.

Thanks to Katherine for offering to do stuff for me. And doing it.

And most of all, and always, many thanks to Margie. When I offer up 24 hours of my life to an effort like this, perforce it means a lot of extra hours for her, too, plus all the food shopping and solicitude and all that good stuff. Margie’s been a brick in this, and her “but of course” willingness to support me made this not just possible, but doable. Complete with Dancing Girls. Love you, honey.

And to all a good night!

BT09 – Hey, Kids! The Last of the Comics! (#Blogathon)

Teen Titans #12 (DC) Miller/Bennett

Thor #601 (Marvel) Straczynski/Djurdjevic

Thunderbolts #133 (Marvel) Diggle/Sepulveda

Unknown Soldier #9 (Vertigo) Dysart/Ponticelli

Usagi Yojimbo #121 (Dark Horse) Sakai

Wolf-Man #17 (Image) Kirkman/Howard

Wolverine #76 (Marvel) Way/Liu

Wonder Woman #33 (DC) Simone/Lopresti

Wonderful World of Oz #8 of 8 (Marvel) Shanower/Young

X-Factor #46 (Marvel) David/DeLandro

X-Men Legacy #226 (Marvel) Carey/Weaver

Zorro #14 (Dynamite) Wagner/Razek

-30-

BT09 – Hey, Kids! Even Still Some More Comics! (#Blogathon)

Here we go … last batch!

Jack of Fables #36 (Vertigo) Roberson/Akins

John Constantine, Hellbalzer #257 (Vertigo) Milligan/Camuncoli

Justice League of America #34 (DC) McDuffie/Barrows

Justice Society of America #28 (DC) Ordway/Wiacek

Madame Xanadu #12 (Vertigo) Wagner/Kaluta

Marvel Divas #1 of 4 (Marvel) Aguirre-Sacaasa/Zonjic

Mighty Avengers #27 (Marvel) Slott/Pham

Ms. Marvel #42 (Marvel) Reed/Takeda

New Avengers #54 (Marvel) Bendis/Tan

New Mutants #3 (Marvel) Wells/Neves

Outsiders #20 (DC) Tombasi/Garbett

Power Girl #3 (DC) Gray/Palmiotti

Punisher #72 (MAX) Gischler/Parlov

Runaways #12 (Marvel) Immonen/Pichelli

Secret Six #11 (DC) Simone/Scott

Squadron Supreme #12 (Marvel) Chaykin/Sharpe

Stormwatch PHD #22 (Wildstorm) Edginton/Fernandez

Strange Adventures #5 (DC) Starlin/Shoyket

The Sword #18 (Image) Luna Bros.

Superman #689 (DC) Robinson/Guedes

To be Concluded (for real!) …

BT09 – Hey, Kids! Still More Comics! (#Blogathon)

An orange-pink band on the horizon. Looks very pretty …

Aside from that, I’m having problems keeping my eyes focused. Three more posts, and the last one is already planned … better hurry up on my typing, or eliminate all the commentary.

Dark Avengers #7 (Marvel) Fraction/Ross

Dynamo 5 #22 (Image) Faerber / Asrar

Echo #13 (Abstract) Moore

Ex Machina #43 (Wildstorm) Vaughan/Harris

Fables #86 (Vertigo) Willingham/Fern

Fantastic Four #568 (Marvel) Millar/Ahearne/Hitch

Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds #5 (of 5) (DC) Johns/Perez

Gotham City Sirens #2 (DC() Dini/March

Gravel #17 (Avatar) Ellis/Wolfer

Green Arrow and Black Canary #22 (DC) Krisberg/Norton

Green Lantern #44 (DC) Johns/Mahnke

Guardians of the Galaxy #15 (Marvel) Abnett, Lanning/Walker

House of Mystery #15 (Vertigo) Sutrges/Rossi

Invincible #64 (Image) Kirkman/Ottley

To be Concluded …

BT09 – Hey, Kids! More Comics! (#Blogathon)

Okay, it is now officially past the time that I usually get up on weekday mornings. That makes it way too late for me not to have gone to bed, and my body is chiding me soundly for it. I’m risking a bit more caffeine — it’s got a half-life in the body of 90 minutes, so I should be okay in two hours …

Batman #688 (DC) Winick/Bagley: So, with Bruce Wayne dead, Robin’s decided to become the Bat. Ho-hum. More meaningful if I thought any of it was going to stick. As it is, not thrilled — though there’s an amusing note here about how Dick’s unused to acrobatics wearing a heavy cape.

Black Panther #6 (Marvel) Hudlin/Lashley: So is Shuri the Panther now or what? Goodish stuff, but a trifle confusing.

Booster Gold #22 (DC) Jurgens/Rapmund: I’m really enjoying the time-bopping / time-fixing / learning to be a selfless hero BG series. The execution isn’t always perfect, but the ideas are a lot of fun, like someone setting thing things up so the Ravager killed Robin in the Teen Titans early days, so that now there’d be no Batman.

The Boys #32 (Dynamite) Ennis/Robertson: The Boys are ambushed at the Female’s hospital. But that just means the Boys’ opponents are coming to them …

The Brave and the Bold #24 (DC) Wayne/Porter: Black Lightning and Static Shock meet. Hmmm. Okay.

Captain America #601 (Marvel) Brubaker/Colan: Great to see Ernie Colan’s work again. Odd flashback tale to WWII.

Captain Britain and MI13 #15 (Marvel) Cornell/Kirk: Dracula and his Moon Vampires defeated! Brian and Megan together! Um … was this the final issue?

Castle Waiting #15 (Fantagraphics) Medley: I love this book. Even if the story doesn’t seem to go anywhere, it’s just pleasant to visit. Recommended.

BT09 – Hey, Kids! Comics! (#Blogathon)

Now that we’ve finished what I’ve read in the past, how about what I’m reading now?

I’d do something a little different — but, honestly, I’m not firing on a couple of cylinders here.

Action #878 (DC) Rucka/Olmos: Alas, Rucka’s gritty outlook doesn’t fit in with the Superman world, even during the “World without Superman” arc. Plus, multiple Kryptonians running around and soldiers running after them — not all that interesting.

Agents of ATLAS #8 (Marvel) Parker/Pagulayan: This has turned out to be a pretty darned interesting title, with some fun protagonists and the interesting world setting (the erstwhile machinations of the Yellow Claw).

Anna Mercury 2 #1 (Avatar) Ellis/Percio: Giant powered leaps through space to other nearby inhabited planets! And that’s not even the cool part! Ellis on imagination overload.

Astonishing X-Men #30 (Marvel) Ellis/Bianchi: But here Ellis is trying to be really clever and imaginative and pushing the characters around in directions they don’t want to go. Not so much. I specifically subscribed to this title for his joining. My mistake.

Avengers: The Initiative #26 (Marvel) Gage/Sandoval: I am marginally enjoying some marginally interesting characters. Not sure that’s worth the price.

Avengers / Invaders #12 (of 12) (Marvel/Dynamite) Ross+Krueger / Sadowski+Herbert: Final end to a cross-over time-travel cosmic-cube even that should probably should have been shorter.

To be continued …

BT09 – W is for Wiped (#Blogathon)

Hey, that’s the end of the Graphic Novels / Trade Paperbacks! Woot!

Chronicles of Wormwood (Avatar) [collects #1-6]
w. Garth Ennis; a. Jason Burrows

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Ennis tackles the end times with all the sensitivity and discretion he applied to Preacher. Wormwood is the Anti-Christ, the son of the Devil, but he has no interest in messing up his passably pleasant life, with a girlfriend, a talking rabbit, and his bar pal Jesus (returned once again, but brain damaged from a policeman’s truncheon). Alas, the signs indicate it’s time for Armageddon. How will Wormwood get out of this?

It’s good fun, esp. if you’re thick- skinned about sacrilege. Which, if you’re going to read any Ennis, you sort of have to be. Good stuff.

X-Factor, Vol. 0, “Multiple Choice” (Marvel) [collects Madrox #1-5]
X-Factor, Vol. 1, “The Longest Night” (Marvel) [collects #1-6]
X-Factor, Vol. 2, “Life & Death Matters” (Marvel) [collects #7-12]
X-Factor, Vol. 3, “The Many Lives of Madrox” (Marvel) [collects #13-17]
X-Factor, Vol. 4, “Heart of Ice” (Marvel) [collects #18-24]
X-Factor, Vol. 5, “The Only Game in Town” (Marvel) [collects #28-32, XF:Quick and the Dead]
w. Peter David; a. Various

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

It’s hard to generalize too much about the title over the course of 30-odd issues, but here are a few sum-ups: (a) Peter David’s writing on this title has always been entertaining, frequently twisted, and never disappointing; (b) The artwork has varied widely, some pretty good, others tending toward mediocre; (c) The book has suffered most from incessant cross-overs and events and other X-mutant hoohah which has derailed more than a few plot irons that David had in the fire, and led to a much greater sense of incoherence than the book ought to have.

That all said, as much as David has assembled a fine ensemble here, Jaime Madrox is the star, giving David a chance to examine his strange condition — multiple bodies, fragments of personality that are then integrated into the whole when reabsorbed — as much as possible. Just as he revolutionalized the Hulk’s psychiatry, Madrox is now his character.

It is (as all the purchases indicate) a good series. And, yes, I need to reread it again.

BT09 – So close … (#Blogathon)

I am very close to a post that will wrap up my GN/TPB reviews. So … I’m going to post this. Then, when done, post that. Perhaps with a picture.

Then onto the next thing I’m doing …

I’ll note that it’s getting disturbingly late, in terms of it being less and less too early in the morning.

Three more hours …

BT09 – W is for Wicked (#Blogathon)

We’ve passed up the 5/6 mark, if I’m doing my math right (which is problematic at this point).

RThe Walking Dead, Vol. 7, “The Calm Before” (Image) [collects #37-42]
RThe Walking Dead, Vol. 8, “Made to Suffer” (Image) [collects #43-48]
RThe Walking Dead, Vol. 9, “Here We Remain” (Image) [collects #49-54]
w. Robert Kirkman; a. Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The definitive zombie series on the market. Our extended clan escaped from the “Governor” and made it back to their prison fortress. But the Governor isn’t so easily thwarted. Can good guys fight off the bad guys? Don’t lay money on it ….

Really, this is a very good book, in terms of throwing its characters again and again into a crucible to see what can be melted off next. Tragedy and death seem to be the only constants. Kirkman does not disappoint in this series. Shock, dismay, or induce cringing, perhaps, but never disappoint. Recommended.

Alan Moore’s Complete WildC.A.T.S (Wildstorm) [collects 21-34, et al.]
w. Alan Moore; a. Various

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Not Moore’s finest hour. His WildCATs is interesting and passably well done, but nothing particularly genius. If anything, probably adds more layers of complexity than are called for, without really adding any interest or value.

Wolverine, Vol. 1, “The Brotherhood” (Marvel) [collects #1-6]
w. Greg Rucka; a. Darick Robertson

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

If you think that Rucka’s going to do a bang-up job with the world’s grittiest superhero, and throw in a passel of blood and introspection while he’s at it (along with some law enforcement procedurals) — you’re right. Though he didn’t maintain that level of quality beyond this first segment, it was still a good run. The best of it is here, well worth reading for fans of the character (or of Rucka).

BT09 – U is for Unusual (#Blogathon)

Need to go take some aspirin. This is a good chair, and I’m sitting properly and all, but 20 hours of it is beginning to cause me some pain.

Ultimate Power (Marvel) [collects #1-9]
w. Brian Bendis, Joe Straczynski, Jeph Loeb; a. Grag Land

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The most powerful heroes of the Ultimate universe clash with those of the Supreme universe! Big fights! Big action! Big surprises! Yeah, there’s some human interest in there as well, and reasons fro the stuff tha tgoes on, but, honestly, what people want to see is Hyperion duking it out with Thor, etc. And it does all that quite well, and scenically.

Ultra: Seven Days (Image) [collects #1-8]
w/a. Luna Bros.

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Delve into the world of corporate contract super-heroes, where your fashion sense, public image, and “Sex in the City” sensibilities can affect your salary, or even your employment. The Luna Bros. do their usual good job with dialog between the characters, and the book’s few action sequences are handled well and cleanly. Ultra’s quest, with her friends, to define what’s important in her life makes for an elegant week-long story arc, and a fine tale to boot.

RWelcome to Tranquility, Vol. 1 (Wildstorm) [collects #0-6]
RWelcome to Tranquility, Vol. 2 (Wildstorm) [collects #7-12]
w. Gail Simone; a. Neil Googe

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Tranquility is a lovely, quiet little town, a little bit of “Mayberry.” It has just one distinguishing point: it’s where superheros and villains go to retire. Despite the usual small town clash of personalities, things are just fine until someone turns up murdered.

There’s a lot of humor in this book, as well as some poignancy. A good pair of books, especially the first volume. Recommended.

Listening to: -Various Game, “Bluff Eversmoking” (Unreal))

BT09 – T is for Time (#Blogathon)

Wow. Concentration is definitely running on fumes here. As I review the books for material to comment about, I keep getting distracted and starting to read …

The Twelve, Vol. 1 (Marvel) [collects #1-6]
w. Joe Straczynski; a. Chris Weston

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Twelve heroes, buried in suspended animation since the end of WWII. How can they adjust to a world so changed in the last sixty years … to families gone … to careers obsoleted … to societal attitudes and norms so altered.

The answer is, it’s not very easy. That’s the tale of the Twelve: Captain Wonder, Dynamic Man, Mastermind Excello, Mister E, the Laughing Mask, the Witness, the Black Widow, the Phantom Reporter, the Fiery Mask, Rockman, the Blue Blade, and Electro the Marvel of the Age, all trying to find their place in the Twenty-First Century.

Joe does a great job of coming up with variations on those reactions, and the problems different heroes of different types face. Weston’s art is nicely realistic, making these folks status as “mere mortals” in garish costumes all the more obvious.

Good stuff — waiting for the second volume to come out now.

Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 21, “The Mother of Mountains” (Dark Horse) [collects #83-89]
Usagi Yojimbo, Vol. 22, “Tomoe’s Story” (Dark Horse) [collects #90-93, Color Special 1-3]
w/a. Stan Sakai

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Sakai returns with two more collections of his rabbit ronin. These tales of Japanese society, myth, and, of course, swordplay are, as always, exquisitely drawn and well-written. Both these volumes focus a lot on Tomoe, the female cat samurai who is such a close comrade of Usagi’s. The final story is a lovely detailing of a Chinese Tea Ceremony.

In a genre where violence can be just cheap thrills, Usagi Yojimbo retains an artistry and integrity that few titles can match.

Listening to: -Various Game, “Hyllian Suite” (Beyond Good and Evil))

BT09 – T is for Thunder (#Blogathon)

Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson, Vol. 4 (Marvel) [collects #371-373, Balder the Brave #1-4]
Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson, Vol. 5 (Marvel) [collects #375-382]
w. Dave Gibbons; a. Ivan Reis, Marc Campos

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The mid-80s were the golden age of Thor comics. Walt Simonson invested the Norse Gods with a power and majesty not seen since Kirby’s day, but also with more authentic mythological (and architectural) roots in Scandinavia.

By the time of these volumes, Simonson had dropped the art reins, handing them off to the capable but not-quite-as Sal Buscema. The first volume includes the companion mini-series Balder the Brave, a worthy inclusion. Much of the rest is frittered away with lesser tales (including a bit of the Great Morlock Massacre). Things heat up in he second, as Thor suffers from Hela’s curse to not heal from injuries — and immediately begins going up against some of the hardest hitters in the Marvel Universe, from the Absorbing Man to the Midgard Serpent, events hurtling toward the 300th Anniversary Issue.

Not the top of the period’s Thor, but some fine work nonetheless.

Thor, Vol. 1 (Marvel) [collects #1-6]
w. J. Michael Straczynski; a. Olivier coipel

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

Joe Straczynski brings Thor back, along with Asgard, in a manner most epic and appropriate, but with the human touches he’s good at insertnig. Coipel’s art is fabulous. A great start to a good run. Includes a memorable confrontation between Thor and Iron Man over some of the Civil War occurences.

Listening to: -Various Game, “ALF” (Unreal))

BT09 – Fortune and glory, kid! (#Blogathon)

Cool — I’m featured on the main Blogathon page:

Dave has been posting fantastic comic book reviews. He’s covered everything from Star Trek to Buffy to The New Avengers and then some.
The rating system is separated into four categories: Writing, Art, New Reader, and Non-Comics Reader, which makes it easy to figure out which comics would be good for someone who is just getting into reading comics (like myself).
So if you read comics or have thought about giving it a shot, head on over andcheck it out. Dave is blogging for the Dumb Friends League and can be sponsored here.

Spiffy! Welcome any groggy Blogathon visitors. If there’s anything else in the comic world you want me to natter about, let me know. Note that Steve is also doing comic book and related media reviews, if it’s a subject you’re interested in.

Thanks for the shout-out, Colleen!

BT09 – T is for Tots (#Blogathon)

The Blogathon is down to 151 blogs from drop-outs and no-shows — but our total pledged is just $9 short of $40K. Woot! If it stays there too long, I may have to donate the difference myself!

New Teen Titans Archives, Vol. 4 (DC) [collects #21-27, Annual #1]
w. Marv Wolfman; a. George Perez

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The New Teen Titans revived DC in the early 80s, much as the New X-Men had done for Marvel, and for much the same reason. These issues are seminal in the whole Teen Titan mythos — the introduction of Brother Blood, the backstory for Starfire, the “very special” Runaways tale … this is all stuff that’s beautifully rendered by Perez and imaginatively (if in a period florid voice) written by Wolfman. Good stuff.

Teen Titans, Vol. 7, “Titans East” (DC) [collects #42-47]
w. Jeff Johns, Adam Beechen; a. Various

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

One of those “team against team” sorts of conflicts writers love, as Deathstroke puts together his own band of Titans, all of them counterparts / enemies of the TT themselves. Not quite sure why I picked this up; it’s serviceable, but not spectacular, and I’m a steady but not collect-everything Titans fan. Oh, well.

Tellos Colossal, Vol. 1 (Image) [collects #1-10 plus lots more stuff]
w. Ted Dezago; a. Mike Wieringo

Writing		New reader?
Art		Non-comics reader?

The first half of the overall massive Tellos saga, a kid-friendly (and adult-enjoyable) fairy tale, complete with pirates, anthropomorphics, sorcery, and Secret Quests against Terrible Evils. Fun! Looking this over renews my sadness over Wieringo’s unexpected death. The colossal edition is hardcover, and includes oodles of supplemental material. I really wish they’d publish Vol. 2. Recommended for everyone, all ages.

Listening to: Elfman, Danny, “Sleeping Beauty” (Mission: Impossible))