Saturday, December 01, 2007This is my Saturday post.
I got a late start on my "End of Civilization" post from yesterday, so I was pretty tired while I was working on it and forgot to mention this wonderful, wonderful item:
p. 420 - Cthulhu Gloves: It sorta looks like random pieces of leftover bits of fabric sewn together, doesn't it? Speaking of that post, my gag about the Revoltech Danboard Action Figure was kinda lost...I was trying to imply that the figure looked unfinished, like they didn't bother sculpting the arms, torso, and legs, and just put a finished head on a clunky, unfinished body. Sorry, guess I wasn't clear...don't post when you're sleepy, kids! And some of you folks seem really excited about this. So what do I know? In other news:
Friday, November 30, 2007Got about an hour to spare?
If not, then download and listen later...it's Part One of the long-awaited Bispectucult podcast featuring yours truly, where I am given the third degree by Dafna and Kid Chris. We talk about comics, weblogging, and and other stuff you have to know. Someone's fiddling with the microphone through part of it, but I'm reasonably certain it wasn't me. WARNING: Patrick Swayze's magnum opus Road House is briefly discussed.
Also, I may be responsible for the audio gold that opens the podcast. Progressive Ruin Presents...The End of Civilization.
Yes, it's that time of the month yet again, where through long hours of hard work and personal sacrifice (and by "sacrifice" I mean "I'm doing this instead of reading my newly acquired copy of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier"), I once again present...the End of Civilization: Special "Naked Girl PVC Figures from Japan-Free" Edition. If you have a copy of the December 2007 Diamond Previews, why not follow along? (Links to earlier installments may be found in the sidebar.)
p. 276 - Ghostbusters Winston Zeddemore Limted Edition Lithograph: For some reason, I was just struck by the sheer randomness of this item. I mean, were you expecting to see this? I wasn't. p. 358 - Honey and Clover Volume 1 TP: It seems to me that there's some kind of...I don't know, event horizon, or saturation point, or critical mass, or something, where the caricaturing of young ladies in manga crosses the line from "cutesy" to "life-threatening." You know, like the eyes are too big and watery, a Keene painting X 1000, a tiny mouth, a GIANT head...all exaggerated body elements pushed to their ultimate extremes, forming a horrible black hole of cuteness, sucking in all light and energy and matter for light years around. Honey and Clover doesn't quite reach that point, but we should take its warning seriously. p. 363 - Great Figures in History: Mother Teresa & Nelson Mandela GNs: I'm not ready for the adventures of Superdeformed Pokemon Teresa. Though I am curious if Nelson ever finds all the Dragonballs. p. 379 - The Shatner Show: Sometimes there are things that happen that make you wonder about the world around you, and whether you really, truly understand what's going on, what dwells within the minds of your fellow humans. One of those things is an art collection devoted to illustrations of that man among men, William Shatner. p. 385 - The Golden Compass Movie Storybook: "...And then the heroes killed God, and everyone lived happily ever after. The end." p. 402 - Rolling Stones Premium Trading Cards: I know this is a new card set, and not just a warehouse find of Rolling Stones cards from the 1970s...but they certainly look like a '70s artifact, don't they? That's probably a problem inherent in any Stones merchandise. Also, I wonder if there are chase cards in the set...you know, prop cards with pieces of Keith Richards, that sort of thing. p. 409 - Superman "Real Heroes Never Die" Black T-shirt: From the "Trying Too Hard" clothing collection, comes this fine piece of pandering.... p. 409 - Batman Laser Cut Logo Necklace: Apparently "imported from Italy," which is how they get away with charging you nearly 95 bones for it. For 95 bucks that thing had damn well actually summon Batman. p. 417 - Tonner DC Stars Batman & The Joker Collector Dolls: Okay, I can kind of handle "1990s Nondescript Sitcom Actor" Bruce Wayne, but I'm afraid that Liberace Joker is far, far too terrifying: p. 424 - Star Trek Retro Cloth Scotty Figure: What the hell is Scotty doing? "Och, Capt'n, I've got descriptive text crawlin' up me pants! My disco moves canna stop 'em!" p. 425 - Star Trek Wrath of Khan "Death of Spock" Spock Figure: You know, if you coat your Spock figure with radiation burns, you've pretty much limited your play options. "Oh, no, Spock died...again." "Oh, no, Spock has been terribly burned." "Oh, no, Spock has been terribly burned...and he died." Though some imaginative kids could work around it, I'm sure...not that many of these will end up in the hands of kids, of course. p. 438 - Spider-Man Six Arm Mini-Bust: At last, a commemorative statue of the storyline that's notable for being the former Worst Spider-Man Story until "The Clone Saga" came along. (At least, people used to think Six-Arm Spidey was the worst, way back when...do people look more kindly upon it now, particuarly since it likely compares favorably to a lot of the nonsense published recently?) p. 440 - Back to the Future Flux Capacitor Replica: $275 seems like a lot for a box with some lights inside that happens to look like something you saw in a movie, once. p. 444 - Lord of the Rings Animated Twilight Ringwraith Maquette: So we've cycled through figures and statues of the characters as they appeared in the movies, now we have to make merchandise based on some nonexistent "animated" versions of the same films. "How to tell when a franchise line is reaching the end of its licensing cycle." p. 476 - Revoltech Danboard Action Figure: Oh, c'mon, jointed plastic boxes...? You people just aren't even trying. p. 495 - Star Trek "D.J. Spock" Ringer T-Shirt: It's cute seeing companies still trying to make Star Trek "cool." Not working, sorry. Thursday, November 29, 2007Mike's New Comics Day Lunchtime Update 3007.
1. So what's up with the art in Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters #3? There seem to be a quite a few photocopied (or Photoshopped) faces and bodies used repeatedly throughout the issue, particularly with Uncle Sam late in the book. I know it's a time-saving device and all, but it's just obvious to the point of distraction this time around.
I'd make some scans, but our store scanner is dead slow and I don't want this to be a Dinner Update. EDIT: Dwayne's got all the evidence you need. 2. All Star Batman and Robin #8 is a thing of beauty, and woe betide you if you think otherwise. I love you, All Star Batman and Robin. 3. I looked at the character descriptions on the package backs of the new Shazam! action figure set, and this is what they say about Hoppy the Marvel Bunny and Billy Batson: "A quiet newsboy by profession, BILLY BATSON was chosen by the wizard SHAZAM! to take on the alter-ego of Captain and protect the world. He's even more effective when similarly powered HOPPY THE MARVEL BUNNY is by his side." I love the fact that this is all the explanation for Hoppy that they give you. Okay, chances are most people buying this will be in their 40s or older and know who Hoppy is, but there's a possibility someone somewhere is going to be totally baffled by a rabbit in a superhero costume. This is all somehow Roy Thomas' fault. 4. Eros Comix's Blowjob has had 22 issues? Good gravy. Er, so to speak. 5. Employee Aaron: "This comic is very quality!" Me: "This comic is full of quality!" Employee Aaron: "This comic couldn't be more quality!" Me: "Quality? This comic is soaking in it!" Employee Aaron: "This comic is oozing quality from every pore!" Me: "This comic is suffering from quality leakage!" Employee Aaron: "Er...." Me: "Too far?" Employee Aaron: "Quite." 6. Well, Sensational Spider-Man #41 is out, and it looks like we were all right about what's gonna happen to Peter, Mary, and Aunt May (and as I first alluded to way back when). 'Course, there's one more issue left in this story, which should come out sometime before Christmas '08, so there could be a last minute twist -- we'll see. But it's a moot point, since, according to the last installment, the only comic you should buy was part two, so you'll never read the rest of the story anyway. Oh, and a quick glimpse through Death of the New Gods #3 would seem to indicate that my theory about what's really going on is on the right track. I haven't actually read the issue yet, but I'm going to interpret the info I gleaned from my quick scan as supporting my argument. It's my weblog, so there. DEEDS NOT WORDS.
So yesterday was not New Comics Day, as I'm sure most of you knew, or at least discovered when you popped in to your local Comick Shoppe Emporium and Painless Dentiste and discovered the mockery of empty shelves and the derisive laughter of store employees, pointing and laughing and drinking deep your tears. At least, that's what happened at our store. Maybe things were different where you're at.
Anyway, no new comics calls for drastic measures, so up went the "graphic novels 25% off - today only" signs, and our new comics-less Wednesday was indeed saved. Sold lots of books...not enough manga, alas, since we could stand some thinning of the herds there, but money is money and by golly, we'll take it. Sold an expensive slipcased volume or two, got rid of some Batman books, gave a few customers that additional incentive to try out a series they'd been meaning to get around to...all in all, a good day at the shop. Unfortunately, I also found out that, while we are getting our reorders of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier in this week's shipment, that's gonna be it for the time being. DC's now taking orders for a second printing, which will be released just in time to not be in time for Christmas...well, this year's Christmas, anyway, as they'll be out 'round 'bout Dec. 28th. Save your gift certificates for that, kids. And I'm getting my copy, this time. Pal Dorian keeps mocking me with his copy. Lessee...what else happened on New Comics-less Wednesday? I got asked if I knew how much the action figures were going to be for the next Hellboy movie ("Um, that's not coming out 'til next year sometime." "Yeah, but how much will the figures cost?" "Well, fifteen bucks or so, maybe? I don't know." "Okay, thanks!"), found out the reason I hadn't seen one of my longtime customers lately is because he's been acting on sitcoms and getting parts in feature films, found a copy of one of those Megaforce comic book ads for a customer ("DEEDS NOT WORDS," man), and, for reasons too silly and convoluted to go into, I drew, on an old backing board with a felt tip pen, a stick figure Dracula. "Stickula," if you will. I don't have the original...the gal from the game store next door saw it and asked if she could have it, and since I'm a soft touch, I said, "five bucks and it's yours." But, here's a detailed reconstruction of said image: Those little squiggly lines at the sides are supposed to be his menacing cloak, you see. Have I mentioned lately that I'm 38 years old? Yes, I certainly am. So, anyway, in other news:
Wednesday, November 28, 2007I don't want to hear anyone complain about my customer service ever again...
...because as cranky and as annoyed as I may get at times:
from The Durango Kid #30 (July/Aug 1954)...at least I don't shoot the customers. Well, not yet, anyway. I do look like that, however. Though my hat's taller. Can't tell you why I love this panel from this old Moby Dick adaptation...
...I just do:
from Feature Presentations #6 (June 1950)"The sharks! AGGGHHH!!!" That just says it all, doesn't it? Tuesday, November 27, 2007Presenting SPACE WOLVERINE...
...with his SPACE AXE. Mankind Under the Leash by Thomas M. Disch/Planet of Exile by Ursula K. LeGuin |
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