Focused Totality

Focused No More ...

2007-02-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to sling my duffel over my shoulder and walk away.

It's obvious to anyone reading that the quality and frequency here has declined in a steady slope since this past summer. A lot has to do with general workload here at Casa Fossen, but that's not the real reason I'm closing up shop.

My original intent was to have an outlet for honing my writing. However, as I resumed my theatre career after a near decade-long retirement I realized that my creative passion lies there. Writing was a good substitute, but at the end of the day, it's just that: a substitute. It's not the real thing ... at least not my real thing.

This isn't an angry farewell to the WeboComicsBlogoNet or to the artform. I just need to be "focusing" my energies elsewhere. I've come to thoroughly enjoy this community, and hope that I have contributed something to it. I'll still be lurking around, reading and commenting when and where I can. I'll also be making infrequent contributions to the excellent gaming blog 5WG.

T.G.I.F.: February 23, 2007

2007-02-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Busiek wins.

Again.

I can't even find a specific image from this wonderful issue, so I simply give you the stunning cover. Want to see superheroes being super? This is the title you want to add after you cull that pull list, as per Mr. Church's suggestions.

From Superman #659 by Busiek, Nicieza, Vale, and Pacheco.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

52 on 52 #42

2007-02-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

Again, plotlines slowly built over the course of the series suddenly get resolved in a few pages.

It's a bit of slumming, a bit of fulfilling the contract, a bit of "leave your hamster jokes at home, smartboy" ... but Darick Robertson absolutely nails Ralph's look.

How well does a longbow float?

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

T.G.I.F.: February 16, 2007

2007-02-16T16:08:00.001-07:00

Excuse the lateness - this Friday was more Friday-ish than most. At least it's basically over. I imagine that were I a nattily attired evolutionary standout, the day would have gone much better.

From Nextwave #12 by Ellis and Immonen.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

52 on 52 #41

2007-02-15T09:20:00.000-07:00

"What the hell was Wacker letting you people do? We've got 12 issues left! Start wrapping this shit up pronto!"

Why so surprised, Adam? It's a deux ex machina. Surely you've seen one before?

Wouldn't the Valentine's Day issue have been a good time to touch base with the weird-on-many-levels Nightwing/Batwoman relationship?

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

This Week's Releases: February 14, 2007

2007-02-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

Goodbye, Nextwave. Thanks for all the T.G.I.F.s.

When I hit 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics, I'll be sad to see this delicious brew of Ellis-Immonen madness come to a close.

Casanova, Godland, Manhunter, Astonishing X-Men and Thunderbolts should take off some of the sting, I figure.

52 #41
Batman #663
Gen 13 #5
JLA Classified #34
Justice Society Of America #3
Manhunter #28
Stormwatch: PHD #4
Casanova #7
Godland #16
Astonishing X-Men #20
Nextwave: Agents Of HATE #12
Thunderbolts #111

Focused Linkblogging

2007-02-12T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hey! Look! It's a bus! Let's throw Adam Kubert under it! I'm all for informing the readers, but pointing fingers to appease forum denizens seems .... unseemly.

Elk's Run will be finished soon, so where can one go to find creepy tales of gnawing suburban dread? One could go to Three Rivers, the new story from Joshua Hale Fialkov and Noel Tuazon. The prospect of more from the Elk's Run team warms the cockles of my cold, cold heart and may be the tipping point that pushes me into reading webcomics. Josh says it's a secret ... so don't tell him I told you, OK?

I really feel a Focused Linkblogging post needs at least three items, but I can't find a third.

Focused Linkblogging

2007-02-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

You read the last 52. You were told by wise and knowledgeable men that the title was an allusion to a song. You wanted to hear that very song. I provide.

"Mark," you ask, "tell me: what is the fine line between wit and bile? Between snark and spew? Between mocking and ranting?"

"Grasshopper," I answer, "direct your gaze here, and learn."

ComicMix has actually opened now, but quickly becomes another site I won't read unless someone links me there. Why? Three simple letters: RSS. There's no feed I can find, and the FAQ makes it pretty clear that none's in the works: "How can I find out when there's something new on ComicMix? You can check in regularly. We have new content every day, several times a day -- new comics, new columns, new blogs, and new news." I like the idea behind the site, and want to see Elayne writing about comics again ... but not enough to check in every day.

T.G.I.F.: February 9, 2007

2007-02-09T09:15:00.000-07:00

Secret.

Freakin'.

Codes.

And decoder ~~rings~~ websites!

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

52 on 52 #40

2007-02-07T16:47:00.000-07:00

Like I said 31 weeks ago, standard superheroics are simply too decompressed to fit in 52. Though an enjoyable enough fight comic, this failed miserably as an issue of 52.

I do get the reference.

"Nancies" still paints Gar as a homophobic bully.

We get this cliffhanger, then three weeks of nothing?

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

This Week's Releases: February 7, 2007

2007-02-06T12:43:00.000-07:00

I have no interest whatsoever in Dark Tower.

There ... that's out in the open. I feel better.

There's so much other great stuff happening. Aside from a weirdly manufactured hype event, this Wednesday's comics look to be as good a crop as 2007 has seen. 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics isn't having one of those midnight openings ... but I kinda wish they were.

I'm not alone amongst bloggers by saying that Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil (a.k.a. All-Star Captain Marvel) is at the top of my list. I'm a bit selfish on that one, though: I know I won't be scrambling for a TGIF this week. But there's seas of cool stuff beyond that: Action Comics Annual, Astro City, Fell, Cthulhu Tales ... and more. This is one of those weeks where it's really worth the trip.

52 #40
Action Comics Annual #10
Astro City: The Dark Age Book 2 #2
Detective Comics #828
Midnighter #4
Shazam: The Monster Society Of Evil #1
Welcome To Tranquility #3
Fell #7
Fantastic Four: The End #5
Incredible Hulk #103
New Avengers #27
newuniversal #3
Uncanny X-Men #483
X-Men Annual #1
Cthulhu Tales: Rising

Maintenance

2007-02-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

Who cleans up after Dr. Sivana?

The Maintenance guys, that's who.

I received a preview pack of the first two issues of Oni's Maintenance, by Jim Massey and Robbi Rodriguez. It's one of the perks of being a blogger: people send you stuff that you never would have bought otherwise, and you like it. I'm not much of a sitcom watcher - I think the last sitcom I watched was The Office on BBC America - and Maintenance is nothing if not sitcom. In an underground lab for scientists who are both evil and mad, Doug and Manny are the janitorial crew, cleaning up fetid piles of shit and freeing zombie kittens from the inside of vending machines.

It's funny, it's charming, and it has a wit that moves past pop-culture reference pretty quickly. I laughed out loud reading it, and immediately grew attached to the characters. Rodriguez lays out the pages well, and tackles all the weird creations the script throws his way.

The one big drawback here can probably be chalked up to the ol' comics bogeyman know as "economics". Maintenance is published in black and white with grey tones, but really sreams for a full-color treatment. The mad lab of scientists, aliens and sharkmen just doesn't have the visual punch it ought to. I understand that color's expensive ... but how many more copies does Maintenance sell if it's in full color, allowing it to become the mad Adult Swim title it is at heart?

The second issue hits stores tomorrow (February 7th), and is another solid lark: cavemen, Segways, and time travel.

T.G.I.F.: February 2, 2007

2007-02-02T10:34:00.000-07:00

Would you like to send your own postcard?

Do so at the Postcards website, and spread the T.G.I.F.-ness.

You could even do it on Monday, if you insist.

(Look at that freakin' lineup!)

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

52 on 52 #39

2007-02-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

I know how that goes. I can't remember what happened to you either.

Beard Hunter, where art thou?

Pleeease keep the Metal Men action figure sized!

In a classic 52 "Clue Or Typo" moment, we go backwards from "Day 6" in Khandaq to "Day 5" for Lex's storyline.

No. You're Power Girl.

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

This Week's Releases: January 31, 2007

2007-01-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

I missed the New Releases post last week. I'm sure you shed a tear.

I did head to 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics last week, even if I didn't post about my shopping list. I'll be going again this week, buying comics of various sorts.

It's a light week, and the thing I'm most looking forward to is a trade paperback: Doom Patrol: Magic Bus. (I'll probably be an ass and buy it online at a discount, though. Sorry, Night Flight.) I used to have a complete set of Morrison's run on the title, and am glad DC's easing the sting of my eBay cashout. I also used to own Flex Mentallo ... any help with that sting, DC?

Deathblow is really, really unexpectedly good and unpredictable. "Titans East" begins in this week's Teen Titans, so I suppose the Batgirl complaints can become official.

Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham Crisis is the classic comics conundrum: does the art of Mike Wieringo, Mike Allred, John Severin, Jim Mahfood and others outweigh my intense dislike of JMS' comics writing?

52 #39
Deathblow #3
Doom Patrol: Magic Bus TP
JLA Classified #33
Teen Titans #43
Ultimate Civil War Spider-Ham Crisis #1
Ultimate Fantastic Four #38
X-Men #195

Focused Linkblogging

2007-01-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone is bitching and moaning about DC's teaser image. Personally. I'm excited. This looks like a big ol' "Hello-o-o-o-o, Multiverse!", especially the wonder of Pirate Batman. For me, the drug that draws me back to DC comics is The Big Idea: Multiverses, New Gods, and Pirate Batmen. Wild sci-fi fueled space opera is the order of the day when DC's working right ... not conspiracy and rape and betrayal. Leave the soap opera to Marvel - their characters are designed for it. What I want is Gardner Fox and Julie Schwartz filtered through Mark Waid, Kurt Busiek, and Grant Morrison.
- I realize there are corpses littering the ground, but those are all literally in the past. Hopefully they will stay there.
- Re: Emo Superman. It's a dramatic shortcut. Want to show how devastating something is? Show it through your most powerful character. It's not rocket science.

Attention DC: Hand Alice the keys now. She's your Designated Driver.
- As Kevin suggests, package it with Rivkah's Batgirl and Tintin Pantoja's Wonder Woman.
- Please refrain from calling said collection Sexy Chix or Super Girls! or Eeek! Cooties! the like. How about calling it Good Comics By Talented Creators?

Attention Joshua Hale Fialkov: You're an asshole. Making me buy Vampirella? What is it with you people? I've bought her for Morrison, Millar, Busiek, Carey ... and now Fialkov. You're all assholes.
- Though Postcards, Elk's Run and FCBD Punks makes up for it.
- Kinda.

Attention Blogosphere: Civil War's a bloated mess and DC's spinning up another crossover event. That said: please shut the fuck up about what you don't like, and tell me what you do. At this point, the only thing more drawn out than Civil War is the bitching about it. Maybe I'm just cranky, but it all seems so negative these days.

T.G.I.F.: January 26, 2007

2007-01-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

You come here for happiness, and I give you an advertisement. Sometimes, that's just the way it is.

Posting's been even sparser than sparse this past week. I've been quite busy in rehearsals for This Mortal Coil at SB Dance. Here's some info from The Salt Lake City Weekly and The Salt Lake Tribune.

Anyways, we open tonight, and that's a good feeling.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

52 on 52 #38

2007-01-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

Paging Dr. Scott.

They just lost track of Yuurd The Unknown, Titan of The Age Of Hunger?

(Any chance he snuck out disguised as a certain spheroid robot with a newly acquired appetite for Waveriders and Phantom Zones?)

Vegas puts Natasha's lifespan at three weeks.

I'd take the Under on that action.

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

T.G.I.F.: January 19, 2007

2007-01-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

I didn't post this in this week's 52 on 52, fearful of it's spoileriffic nature. As I debated if a few days had ameliorated the spoilerosity contained, I realized I simply can't ignore it as the single image this week that made me sit up and take notice.

From 52 #37 by Johns, Morrison, Rucka, Waid, Giffen and Pat Oliffe.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

Focused Linkblogging

2007-01-18T11:03:00.000-07:00

Though it's not the tempting edition that Eddie Campbell hints is coming, I bit the bullet on the new Top Shelf edition of From Hell. I even splurged on the limited edition hardcover, and it's worth the extra pennies. This is simply a gorgeous edition, with a cover sans dust-jacket: the artwork is printed directly (and beautifully) on the cover. I had carefully amassed a run of the issues at some point, but lent them to a friend who promptly moved thousands of miles away - absconding with my hard-won eBay victory. While I wouldn't use the word "favorite" to describe this harrowing book, I personally think it's Moore's best work. In fact, I think that "Chapter 10: The Best Of All Tailors" is one of the great achievements in all of comics. This is something I want to have a permanent copy of, and this new edition will do nicely ... at least until 2008.

Tim O'Neil takes 52 to task for being Big Event Fan Service Comics. I'm looking forward to future installments in this series: "24 has too many explosions" and "American Idol doesn't feature enough Arnold Schoenberg".

You're all following 365 Reasons To Love Comics, right?

The shame about these World War III one-shots is that they spoil the symmetry and structure of 52. And they present me with a quandry: are these part of 52 on 52? maybe I do a "Three on World War III"?

The minute I saw the "secret message" in the DC Nation, I thought that it would be fun to decipher. I'm interested in pre-computer cryptography, and this would be a fun exercise. Then I realized that it'd be pointless, as the Intarwub would provide me an answer before I got home. I'm glad I didn't waste my time. Every third word? How frackin' inelegant. I suppose "5 - 2 = 3", but still ... Read, and be spoiled.

52 on 52 #37

2007-01-17T17:45:00.000-07:00

Another cover that spoils the reveal inside.

Was anyone really surprised, though? J.G. Jones calls the Week 15 cover an "obtuse clue".

Looked like a neon sign to me.

How many Animal Man trades will this last page sell?

At least three, says my receipt.

Great timing on that origin story, DC.

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

This Week's Releases: January 16, 2007

2007-01-16T08:27:00.000-07:00

It'll be a damn light week for me at 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics, and half this meager list is populated with items of dubious desire. Were it not for the demands of 52 on 52, I doubt I'd make the horrific drive this week. After all, I have lines to learnin'.

The ebbs and flows of comic product fascinate me. While I understand it's seasonal, my budget is not. I have about $X a month/week to spend on comicbookery. If there's more stuff than I can afford it just doesn't get bought. If there's not enough to meet the budget ... it often gets spent elsewhere.

I was hyped to read Emperor Joker, until Kevin burst my bubble. Fantastic FOur is almost a pity vote: I'm always willing to give Dwayme McDuffie a chance, and without this book I'd simply be skipping Marvel entirely this week. Star Trek I assume would be unremarkable at best, but hits a sweet spot of series affection for me. Battlestar Galactica has been a disappointment, yet I keep buying with the hope that it'll turn into the kind of brilliance the TV series displays weekly. I keep buying Green Lantern with the hope that ... you caught me: I am a victim of character inertia.

It would all leave me feeling quite listless until I realize that there's also some more yummy Darwyn Cooke Spirit, Dans Slott and Jurgens on JLA Classified, and AiT/PlanetLar's First Moon. Larry Young was kind enough to send along a PDF of the book, and I overcame my comics-on-screen revulsion long enough to read the first few pages and get instantly hooked. Berkeley, Werewolves, Roanoke, and Continuity's Jason McNamara and Tony Talbert will do that to a guy. I didn't read it fully, as I need my comics printed on dead trees instead of phosphors ... but I'm excited to read the rest tomorrow.

52 #37
Green Lantern #16
JLA Classified #32
Spirit #2
Superman: Emperor Joker
Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Space Between #1
Fantastic Four #542
First Moon $12.95
Battlestar Galactica #5

T.G.I.F.: January 12, 2007

2007-01-12T11:00:00.000-07:00

Slipped in among "All-American powerhouse", "Kryptonian survivor from a parallel universe", and "The third smartest man in the world" ... this made me laugh.

"Laugh" isn't something I usually associate with a Geoff Johns book.

From Justice Society Of America #2 by geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

52 on 52 #36

2007-01-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Buddy deserves better than a non sequitur cribbed from Doctor Who and "Death By Confusing Battle."

Montoya finally read some of the blogs pointing out there's a guy who can cure cancer in Nanda Parbat?

Hooking Supernova back into the Skeets storyline re-convinces me that he's either Booster or his time-lost ancestor.

*What is this? Each week, I write exactly 52 words on that week's 52. The word count is according to the Word Count Firefox Extension. A picture is not worth a thousand words. For many more words (and excellent ones at that), check out Douglas Wolk's 52 Pickup.

A Token For Mike

2007-01-09T15:07:00.000-07:00

This was my drive last Thursday as I went to pick up comics, an hour of it each way. As I drove down, only barely keeping control on the slushy and slippery roads, I really questioned my sanity. Shouldn't I find another solution? DCBS or Westfield? Each week, come hell or bad weather, I drive an hour each way to pick up books.

When I finally got out of my car, shaken to my core, I patted myself down to check I had everything: keys, phone, comics list .... wallet. Wallet? Wallet?!?

Yes. I had driven a hazardous hour to buy comics only to find I had no way to actually buy comics. I almost got back in my car, defeated and ready to accept that the books would just have to wait a week. I headed into the store, though, and threw myself on the mercy of Mike. He let me call home for my card number and info, and run things through that way.

And that's why I'm not crazy for doing a weekly round trip that nears two hours. Service counts for something, and Mike's continually excellent service is what keeps me coming back week after week.

Plus ... his name's Mike Justice. That's gotta count for something ...

Thanks, Mike. And thanks 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics. Thanks for making me drive through sled-dog conditions every week, and being happy for the chance.