Category: Blogposts

Posts not connected to a comic… sometimes information, sometimes just ranting, it’s a bit of a gamble when you read these.

This Week in Comics (My Pull List 2-21-24)

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Bruce

This week’s witty banter has something to do with style, art and mental blocks. You see I have been drawing or “doing art” since I was very young. It has (like comics) been my way to escape. I’ve taken classes but a lot of what I do is self taught & that can be a problem. Over the years there have been times when I draw something and I know it is “good” basically because after I look at it I try to figure out who drew it. A lot of times I try too hard and it ends up just wrong. I have a picture in my head of what I want it to look like… many times it just doesn’t match. I’ve had many people ask me if I ever considered being a serious artist… what is that?!? Van Gogh? Monet? Warhol? Pollock? Lichtenstein? Calder? We all have our muses and mine happens to be a short, pudgy guy named Earl who has a big nose.

I’m currently doing some work for Comic Carnival, my LCS, and I’ve hit that stumbling block with my style… the female form. You see I was teased anytime I attempted to draw the female form so I have a bit of an anxiety about it. It’s something, as an adult I should be able to get over, but it will take practice. Walking around with a sketchbook full of sketches of women just makes me nervous. I’ve taken life drawing classes, I’m just concerned with the reaction when I open my sketchbook of “What kind of a pervert does drawings like this?” It’s something I have to get over. The funny thing is, as an artist and a teacher I tend to look at women in two ways- 1. As subject matter… like a still life. A bowl of fruit, a group of shapes. 2. As a teacher- it goes back to having taught for 35 + years and an old court case which defined a teacher in Indiana as having moral conduct “in all respects exemplary and beyond reproach.”(Crawfordsville vs. Abbie Hayes – 1873) I think of most young women (especially those that many Con attendees drool over aka cosplayers or the ones at booths used to draw in people) as former students… she could have been one of my third graders. Like any teacher with morals beyond reproach would want to get intimate with a student- that’s just yucky.
I’m going to start working on drawing from life and then warping it into my style… whatever that is, but I think for now I’ll stick with whatever Earl comes up with. Side Note: Earl was sick the day they filmed the “I’m Alive” scene in Xanadu where the muses all danced… he’s still a little mad about that- he had a great tap dance/clogging bit choreographed.

This week, the issue with the most variants is: Edge of Spider-Verse, Vol. 4 #1, with 17 variants! After last week it looks like they’re slacking off.

This Week’s Comics:

Edge of the Spider-Verse #1 (for the record I have cover 1A) – An anthology comic with a number of stories from a variety of creative teams. The first story deals with “Weapon VIII” taking its lead from the program that in Marvel comics created Wolverine (Weapon X). It looks like it is all going to end up (if given the chance) in a “Into the Spider-Verse” kind of organization- fighting bad guys, but what if the good guys, aren’t all that good?

U & I #1 – This month I got hit with three comics written by some of my favorites: Kirkman (Fire Power), Busiek (Arrowsmith) and Stracyzynski (U & I). Stracyzynski created a universe in which the world is hit with a plague (right around when COVID hit). This plague was similar to the one that happened in George R.R. Martin’s Wild Card stories. People got super powers, got a burst of super powers- then died, died (These people are called Moths), or had nothing happen. The comics deal with the world’s reaction to this event. I highly recommend them and will not spoil the stories here. in U & I we are just starting to learn about these characters… We start off discovering the first person we meet has powers, basically a super healing factor. He’s also a bit delusional. Our second character is a bit more of a mystery and all we know is that her name is Isabelle and was kicked out by her uncle’s family who has control of her money. She’s living on the streets and, while surviving, on the run from not so nice people. So what happens when these two meet up? We’ll find out next issue.

Batman #144 Joker Year 1 Part 3 – This looks like it was a simple three issue arc. Telling the origin of the joker intwined with a modern story dealing with the Joker basically turning everyone crazy using harmonics… As part of the origin timeline we also get to learn more about Jim Gordon dealing with the corruption in the GCPD as he started out and how the Joker manipulated so much even early on.

Superman #11 – With Superman and Action Comics (Bizarro storyline), things like this get confusing… Lex Luthor is in prison. He gave Lex Corp to Superman to do good in the world. Bad guys who hate Lex are trying to kill him and destroy everything he has created. They’ve done a bunch of stuff (like send Superman into the wild west of 1800’s) now we find out who all the players are and which team they actually are on. We also find out about all the rainbow of fruit flavors that kryptonite can come in (I swear after “Crisis on Infinite Earth” kryptonite only came in green- but I must not have been absent or just not paying attention at some point there have been a lot of “multiverse shattering” events over the last few decades). How will this end up? Will Lex die? Will Superman kill him? Will the entire population of the Earth die? Am I being overly dramatic?

Titans #8 – I did not read the Beast Wars crossover event… I’m too old to do that. From what I can tell people turned into animals, other people died, and the world has issues with Beast Boy. So after that kind of thing what would you do? Bring in one of the original big bad guys from Titans’ history… and plan for a double cross. Oh my…

Mech Cadets #6 – I’m guessing final issue in this arc… Can the Mech Cadets save the world from the Shard invasion being lead by one of their own? Will they continue working for the evil general who doesn’t like them (not one little bit). How does the military control giant robots that have bonded to their pilots if their pilots won’t follow orders?

Man’s Best #1 (Ashcan) – Spaceship, heading to another planet to colonize. A scientist has her two dogs and a cat with her (emotional support animals?) who have been augmented and can operate various machines. This is only part of issue one which will be released in a couple weeks. It’s an interesting story being told not only through the eyes of the humans, but also through the animals. I’m looking forward to reading more.

For those confused- “Ashcan” was a term used to describe a prerelease comic usually printed cheaply and given out to hook readers to a new title or concept.

Fire Power #30 (Final Issue) – For the last 30 issues we’ve followed Owen Johnson as he comes to grips with a bunch of stuff. Now he’s finally pulling together everyone (still alive) and saving the world. One thing I like about Robert Kirkman is his stories seem to have an end to them. The Walking Dead, Invincible, and now Fire Power. Some, like The Walking Dead I didn’t last through… others like Invincible the last few issues were a great way to celebrate the character and end the story in a nice way so those who read it can sleep knowing that sometimes, characters do get their happily ever afters. It’s also nice to see a series end without a ? and the possibility of continuation. Yes, there could be more… but there doesn’t have to be. We don’t need it.

Star Trek #17 – Oh boy, Dinosaurs, Romulans, possible intergalactic war, and undercover shenanigans (get your mind out of the gutter didn’t you read my intro?). It does look like things will be coming to an end, but is it the end of the Theseus and her crew? (non-Ensign) Harry Kim, Sisko, Scotty, and Data all have threads weaving together to hopefully bring this all to a world shattering (or not) conclusion.

Midlife #5 – So our hero does some saving and introspection while trying to figure out what to do next. After, of course talking with the kidnapped special agent responsible for dealing with fire demons. He learns about his past and his father… but not enough for us to know too much and we will need to tune in next month to find out more.

Spider-Boy #4 – The story of Bailey unfolds even more as he tries to find out his place in the world. Unfortunately his creator (the “They called me ‘MAD’ at the University) scientist creates another version of him (Boy-Spider) to draw him out, and give him a more problems. He’s also wrestling (like most kids) with strong emotions and these play a part in how Boy-Spider acts.

Ultimate Spider-Man #2 – Peter Parker, what have you done now?!? Imagine a world where most of the marvel heroes never existed. Then somehow they are given the choice to gain their powers. Peter Parker who has: married MJ, had two kids (Richard & May) now has powers and is trying to figure them out. He’s also learning just how trusting he is… which can lead to some issues. I’m enjoying this take on Spider-man almost as much as I did when the first (and second) versions of ultimate Spider-Man came out. It’s nice to see old heroes being taken in a different direction.

Arrowsmith – So Smart in Their Fine Uniforms Trade paperback vol. 1 – Imagine another world… there are many great writers who reimagine the world or a time period to meet the needs of their narrative.  Kurt Busiek has done this a few times masterfully.  In Astro City he focused on character driven storytelling in a super hero inhabited world.  Many stories focused on the ordinary people, but the world was filled with twists and turns and Easter eggs galore.  In Arrowsmith, he goes back in time to World War 1, but the twist is- magic and magical folk are real.  Things like airplanes have not needed to be invented, because men can use dragonets (small dragons) and magic to fly.  Here we find a young man Fletcher Arrowsmith from what we would call the Midwest, it’s part of the United States of Columbia,  Fletcher joins up to help in the war effort in Europe prior to the U.S. joining in.  This is his story.  This first volume goes through his early days and his discovery that “War is Hell.”  I highly recommend it especially if you are into “what if” or alternate history type stories. There are only two volumes in this series due to the untimely death of one of the creators.

This Week in Comics (My Pull List 2/14/24)

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Bruce

It seems that with the popularity of comic based media anything and every gathering that crosses over into comics is a “Comic Con.” I remember as a kid in high school going to various Cons and most took place in a ballroom of a hotel and featured a dealer room which consisted of a bunch of guys with long boxes on folding tables. There might be some programming, which was someone talking to the crowd the history of a certain character. Big Cons had artists and writers. Bigger Cons might have an actor or two from a comic book based movie or TV show. Even in Los Angeles there was maybe one Con that had studios come in to talk about upcoming movies. I recall hearing about Buckaroo Banzai and The Last Starfighter at this convention. But they were short presentation showing maybe a trailer and giving away some promo material. My blindfold when I was a pledge in college was my Team Banzai headband.

Now it seems that almost every pop culture convention goes by the name “Comic Con”. I love that the most important announcements from these cons seem to be which actor will be there for photo ops and autographs. I’ve been trying to figure out which cons I want to attend and I can’t see which artists and creators will be there, who will be in artist alley… only that this actor will be there – aren’t you excited!?!?

I’d be more excited to know that one of favorite artist would be there and how to get on their commission list. Some cons are a little more than a month out and they still haven’t posted who will be in Artist Alley… Then again some don’t even have a listing for anyone in comics- just TV & Film (36 actors and voice actors so far) and Panelists (Panelists: being TikTok “stars”, Cosplayers, and Bloggers) no comic book people… yet it is called a “comic con.” Wha? Huh? and you want me, a comic book guy, to buy a badge?

So what should we call these “Comic Cons” that only tangentially connect to comics? Pop Culture Cons (Pop Con does exist- it seems to focus on YouTubers and Influencers with a dabbling into Cosplay & other geeky pursuits) Geekfests? There are a lot on conventions that focus on specific shows or media/genre which is awesome! I do understand that this is an income stream for many actors… I wouldn’t want them to lose out, but… How about they just put something in from of it and “con” afterwards – “Photo-Op & Autograph Con.”

I guess, for me I should be happy that unlike when I was growing up bullies are now wearing comic book characters on their t-shirts so those of us who actually know something about the character aren’t getting teased as much anymore. I should also be happy that girls are now more openly supportive of the geek culture, which freaks out a lot of geeks, kinda like Taylor Swift going to football games freaks out some football fans.

I just wish that the comic creators would get as much praise, recognition, and attention as the actors who play their creations. San Diego Comic really started this whole thing… I recall being their one year and having a great time (no one was in line for days to see the people I wanted to see) but I kept getting texts from people I knew asking if I’d seen this or that celebrity. If I was in Hall H or Ballroom 20 for this sneak peak. No, I was listening to this Eisner award winning artist talk about character design, or listening to this writer talk about the future of one of my favorite characters. It’s not that I don’t want actors or celebrities at a con, I just wish they weren’t the big draw. My first year there it wasn’t as big of a deal and I did go to Ballroom 20 to hear about a Superman movie (Which didn’t do well in the theaters), and listen to Kevin Smith (who was Kevin Smith). No lines back then either… Nostalgia, ain’t it great?

For the record I have been to a few Cons over the years- not in any order (many more than once):

  • Creation Convention Los Angeles
  • Wizard World Chicago
  • Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention Los Angeles
  • Cincinnati Comic Expo
  • Indiana Comic Con
  • WonderCon
  • C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo)
  • New York Comic Con
  • San Diego Comic Con
  • AwesomeCon (Indianapolis)
  • PopCon Indy
  • Gen Con (not Comics- Games)
  • Galaxy Con Columbus
  • CXC (Cartoon Crossroads Columbus)
  • Power Con (Not Comics – Toys/Action Figures)

With all that said “Comic Cons” are still a place where I can find my people. They are still places where If I look, there are people there who understand what I say, and sometimes make me feel far less of a geek than I do when surrounded by people who only care about sports scores and… well sports scores. That’s what makes these places sacred, You can be yourself without worrying about people thinking you are strange. Even with all the celebrities. I won’t stop going and maybe someday I’ll cosplay. I’m still a bit leery about cosplay, I have it on my bucket list (#62 to be precise), but I’m concerned about getting that personal… it’s the introvert in me.

According to CLZ our winners with most variant covers this week are: Vampirella, Vol. 6 #666, with 16 variants, and Penthouse Comics #1 with 16 variants. I’m guessing both are not all ages. 🙄. Then again nothings says “I Love You” or “Happy Valentine’s Day” as much as a scantily clad female vampire and an all adult comic.

This Week’s Comics:

Amazing Spider-Man #43 – Gang War ‘nuff said… only one more issue of Amazing Spider-Man until we get a whole bunch of “Gang War: The Aftermath” comics! 🤪 Woo Hoo!

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16 – Gang War ‘nuff said

I Hate Fairyland #11 – How does Queen Cloudia fare in the “Real World”? <Major Spoiler> Yes, it is an entire issue devoted to making light of death in comics, and a fart joke, so all is good.

Wesley Dodds The Sandman #5 – The Sandman continues to look for the evil behind stealing his notebooks… but is that evil too close for him to notice?

The Ministry of Compliance #3 – C’mon it had a cover with people in monkey masks wielding katanas… of course I was going to buy it. Who is going to save the world from the alien menace that has been secretly ruling for… and who gave katanas to monkeys? Would you trust someone in a monkey mask with a katana?

Blue Book #1 1947 – Flying Saucers? No, this is not the comic adaptation of a bad Netflix documentary or something that was on the History Channel after dark… or is it? Ancient Astronaut Theorists say… <redacted>

The Displaced #1 – As a first issue it sets the stage for the actual story, that will answer the question: If a small city in Canada vanished… would anyone notice? Would anyone care?

Action Comics # 1062 – So magic has changed everyone into a Bizarro version of themselves… We discover why… but also find out who might be the only person who can save the world (hopefully before Superman loses it).

Batman #143 – Joker Year One Part 2, We learn more about how the Joker became the joker, with a little help from someone from Bruce Wayne’s past. Does every comic DC makes have to have something to do with multiple personalities? The trope is wearing thin.

Speed Force #4 – After four issues, I’m finally starting to figure out this whole thing… while it might be that this issue was mostly told from the POV of the villains who seem to be more Gen X or Z so in a dialect that I understand. Monologuing without actually monologuing. Although I will say- After this and Batman, I’m thinking I need to just wear earplugs 24/7.

Brick Journal #84 – Yes, I do get a LEGO Fan magazine. Mostly so that I can keep up with things but also so I can look at what I create out of LEGO bricks and groan at how bad my stuff is. This issue we have articles about cool cars (1/22 scale), and a massive cyberpunk collaborative build (Minifig scale). A bit on customizing mini figures. Along with short articles on a Pandora build (LEGO does make Avatar sets now, but this is bigger and more complex than the LEGO sets) and Echo Base from Star Wars. I’m still working on my town and Batcave… which will be finished about the time I need to sell all of the LEGO, sets and pieces.

Hey Sports Fan’s! Let’s Put The Rock in the House

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Bruce

Those people who know me, know that I am not a big fan of sports in any shape or form. My older brother was the athlete of the family and I learned from an early age to avoid sports so as not to compete (and lose) against him. My parents reinforced this by focusing on his successes and ignoring my failures or attempts. I recall being affectionately called “Speedy” (with a laugh) by my mother because I was so slow when I tried my hand at swimming. I decided to focus on drawing and frankly imaginative play since I spent a number of weekends growing up at home, by myself with the instructions to not answer the phone or the door. Later in life I learned that if it dealt with throwing, kicking, hitting, or catching a ball, that ball tended to hit me someplace that would be amusing to everyone around me… so again- reason to avoid most sportsing especially team sports.

I have mentioned my interest in downhill skiing. It was one of the only things I actually was pretty average at and enjoyed. I was introduced to it in high school and while I haven’t had as many opportunities to hit the slopes I have enjoyed any time I get out. Living in Indiana makes skiing a challenge, especially after learning in California and Colorado (climate change hasn’t helped). I then tried golf out of an attempt to make Sue happy, since she grew up playing the game. After being teased and bullied at our local country club, I decided that it was not for me. I can say, I have played horrible golf on some of the finest courses in the country… but that’s not saying much. I tend to just have problems with sports, I’m not that coordinated and I tend to be the one laughed at when it comes to catching and throwing things.

So Why Curling?

I’d say “because it isn’t pickle ball” and while that is very true, there is more to it. A few years ago , on a whim, 😉 Sue signed us up for a “Learn to Curl” evening just for fun. We’d seen it on the Winter Olympics and it looked like it would be interesting and a bucket list kind of thing. One night at the Indiana State Fair Grounds… I wasn’t great, but neither was anyone else. I actually wasn’t half bad. There seemed to be something just weird and logical enough that I could wrap my head around some of the basic motions. I looked at other opportunities and due to limitations on ice availability It wasn’t going to be possible. Yes, I was an adult and I didn’t have a set bedtime, but I was also a public school teacher who had to be at work at 7:00 in the morning if not earlier to prepare for the day. So I wrote it off as a maybe later when I have time.

Recently the Circle City Curling Club got dedicated ice. Which is a fancy way of saying they didn’t have to use the ice after the hockey practices were over at 8:30PM. When I retired I added this to my bucket list (#70 to be precise) after seeing that they had a “Rookie League” starting with “Learn to Curl” and then try it out for 4 weeks on Saturday afternoons. Their facility is only about 30 minutes away, so not that far. I went to my first session, had fun, but realized I had a lot to learn, then I got sick.

The Basics

What is Curling? Let’s have the experts explain it.

I posted something on Social Media about this and got some interesting feedback so here are some of the things people wondered about:

  • Does everyone participate? Yes, each person on the team of four has a role, so everyone does get to participate. The Skip- is the strategist and tries to help each person figure out the best place to put their stones. They throw last. The Vice- is responsible for the all important coin toss and takes over for the Skip at the end. Lead- the first person to throw. I’m under the initial impression this is usually the weakest player (aka me!) so they don’t get into too much trouble. I think they are called the “Lead” for self esteem purposes. Second- the second person to throw. When you are not throwing you are sweeping. Following the directions of the Skip in order to properly position the stone. Sweepers can add a few feet to a stone’s distance.
  • So what kind of gear do you need? When you arrive you change into different shoes, because who knows what you might bring in from the parking lot. You also have rubber covers to go over your shoes to provide grip. You’ll get a broom for when it is your time to sweep. When it is your time to throw, you put your non-dominant foot on a slider and have a stabilizer to help balance. When you are starting out it’s best to have some kind of head protection (I wear a cycling helmet) the club does have “Halos” – squishy headbands because hitting your head on the ice hurts and could cause problems.
  • Order of operations: 1. Put your dominant foot into the hack. 2. Put your non-dominant foot on the slider. 3. Crouch down using the stone and the stabilizer to help maintain balance. 4. Look to see what directions the Skip is giving you. 5. In my case be reminded that you have the stone in the wrong position- pointed at 2:00 when it should be at 10:00. 6. Push off using your dominant foot, and before you reach the hog line release the stone turning it back to 12:00, let your momentum carry the stone. 7. For me fall and slide all over the place. 8. Get up and walk back to the hack trying to regain some dignity in the process. 9. Be politely told that you actually turned the stone to 6:00 instead of 12:00… then grumble a bit (maybe that’s just me).
  • “Broom Stacking” has nothing to do with stacking brooms.

It was a comedy of errors my first day, just trying to figure out silly things like how to line up in the hack, or not slide all over the place. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing- I thought I was better at it than I actually was… Fortunately, most people were in the same boat. By the end I was at least feeling like this was something I could continue. I thought I’d try to figure out when I could come in a practice, but being sick did not make that possible.

The third week of the League was a focus on sweeping since week 2 had focused on delivery, aiming, and just getting the rock going the right direction. All the stuff I really needed to know. I spent that week repeating my mantra of “I missed last week, so I’m still figuring this all out.” I decided that I would take some time and return to the ice later in the week to practice. Funny thing, unlike Golf (my other attempt at sporting at a club) I was asked if I would be interested in coming out Wednesday and substitute in a league they had going. If they didn’t need anyone, then I could just practice. I figured, “Why not” and that Wednesday participated in seven ends. While I wasn’t great (heck, I wasn’t even good) I did feel as if I was getting better.

Our fourth week we covered buying the stone in the right place, so what would be called “weight.” Weight is the speed at which the stone is traveling across the ice. You should be able to properly position the stone exactly where the Skip tells you. If the stone goes too fast, it won’t curl, if it has too much rotation it also won’t curl. It’s funny the stone doesn’t start really curling until it slows down (must be physics. I looked it up on YouTube, and there are a bunch of competing theories as to why with white papers flying between Sweden and Ireland… This week allowed us a lot more time to work on delivery since we were trying to figure out how to get the stone to stop right where we wanted it. We then had couple of ends and even learned how to use the scoreboard. Talking it over with everyone we had fun and were trying to figure out how to continue.

Having dealt with golf and a golf club I had noticed some differences early on. When I was first trying to play golf everyone had their own ways to help… most of the involved advice that contradicted each other, or joking about how I played. “Swing Faster.” “Swing Slower.” One guy kept teasing me about my “magic putter.” 🙄 They might have thought it was all in good fun, but for someone who was never athletic and had low self-esteem… My “favorite” memory was when I was just warming up while putting when the “men’s choose” was about to go off. In golf this is like elementary kick-ball and all the anxiety that goes along with choosing teams. Some nice person yelled to me and asked if I’d be interested in playing… Another person yelled out before I could respond – “No!” This was about a month into our membership at the golf club. From that point on I tried to only be on the course when no one else was. Sue would ask me to join her, and I reluctantly would, but I knew I wasn’t really welcome, it was Sue’s thing.

In the immortal words of Monty Python – “And now for something completely different!” While I am not by any means good, the people I have worked with have been so nice and yes, they have opinions on how to improve my game, for the most part they all agree, that practice is important. While complex and there is definitely nothing natural about anything dealing with curling, the advice I’ve been given has been consistent and usually simple things that I can do as a beginner. Unlike the golf club, curlers seem to be passionate about the sport, and more importantly willing to help bring in new people. Most of the people I’ve been working with have maybe a year of experience. It seems that the “team aspect” does help in that you want everyone to be good, where in golf, it is an individual sport… and there are limited tee times so you don’t want too many people playing.. especially those who play “slow.” My issue will always be, I’m kind of socially inept, so just getting me to start working with a “team” is hard for me. The question is- do I like this enough to get over that anxiety?

There were more people present, but we were some of the die hards who finished three ends on the last day, and going over time. No time for broom stacking It was a lot of fun and I definitely saw growth in my game, but still have a lot to go.

After the last day of the “Rookie Curling League” I have some options and I’ve decided that like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Balloon Handler bucket list item, I’m going to keep going through the season. I’m not going to jump in with both feet and be in every league, and sub, and… do what I have done with other things, because I’ve learned that is the quickest way to burn myself out. I’ve signed up for one non-competitive league and an event called the “Shamrock Spiel” in which two new curlers are paired with two experienced curlers for a two day tournament over… you guessed it, St. Patrick’s Day. I’ll see how I feel about the sport and the club after that.

If you are interested, many localities do have curling clubs, in Indianapolis you have the Circle City Curling Club that has a facility in Anderson just off of exit 222 on I-69, about 30 minutes from where I live, so not that bad of a drive. Sue drives farther to go geocaching (currently I think she goes to Iowa to find new caches😉). Check out their Website, Facebook, or Instagram to see what is going on. They have one more “Rookie League” coming up starting March 2. The season runs from late-September until mid-April.

My family was notorious for getting involved in something and going whole hog, investing in everything needed, then getting bored after a few months. Doll houses, ceramic winter villages… my mom would do one and then go out and buy every single one that existed. If tools were needed she’d buy the top of the line… then all this stuff would sit around, for years. I’m taking it slowly with curling. I know if I decide to take it seriously I should buy my own broom, and shoes. Fortunately, not a massive expense, but for a person trying to divest themselves of stuff- I just don’t want it to join my golf clubs in the basement.

Oh- and broom stacking? You have to experience it to truly understand.

This Week in Comics (My Pull List 2/7/24)

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Bruce

I had a piece ready to go all about comics and collecting and then this week’s comics came in and I decided to jump ahead and just talk about one as my intro- Art Club by Rasha Doucet. Yes, there is a lot of commentary and not much about this awesome book, that kids and adults should read… sorry, but giving kids a chance to create visually, is a big thing with me, and always has been even when I was a teacher being told to do things with “Fidelity” and “Intentionality” to improve test scores just like the high paid consultants promised. “Remember: if it doesn’t work- you as the teacher must have done something wrong.” – any Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop consultant

When I was a teacher one thing I prided myself on was my classroom graphic novel library (Multi-Modal Literacy Space – when the consultants came in.). When I retired, I opened the library up to the teachers at the school. “Take what ever you want.” I was disappointed when very few took me up on the offer. Most who actually took things did it for their own children, and not for their classrooms. 🙄 Then again, Books are being banned, teachers are being threatened with jail time if a parent doesn’t approve of the books in their classroom library. Which was also why when asked if I would set up a library in my name at the school, I turned down the offer… I was willing to stand up for any book in my library, I couldn’t see someone being as careful at a school level. “It’s Batman! Of course it’s appropriate!” Page One: Batman raids a topless bar looking for information about a crime… true story.

When my school switched from a Science and Technology Magnet School to a STEM school (the difference? the district received a grant.) In the process my school lost Art class, because the “highly intelligent” administrators at central office felt that STEM did not need art, and instead needed robotics or some other “sexy” class to make it stand out. I can’t complain too much since I ended my career as the “Robotics & Design” teacher. I had requested that “Design” be put in the title since without any art, how do you design anything. The result over the years of “no art” ended up with kids who can’t hold a pencil, draw a straight line, cut with scissors… basic skills that were either taught or reinforced in Art Class. Couldn’t change all that while trying to teach engineering and computer programming in the little time I had. Special Classes end up with around 32 days each year, total. Teachers, were busy making sure kids would pass all the various mandatory assessments required by the district, none had anything to do with cutting, pasting, or drawing. I spent a lot of time trying convince the school and district admin that we needed Art… When I left they had a “STEAM” class which was basically “Art” under a different name and that made me happy.

Art Club by Rashad Doucet – is a graphic novel about a student who loves art in a school that doesn’t have an art class. This one student makes it their mission to bring it back and prove to the adults that art is important and should be a part of everyone’s education. After an impassioned speech to the Assistant Principal (that get’s him thrown into the principal’s office) the Principal explains why they no longer have Art at his middle school. I appreciate the reality of the “produce students who excel on standardized tests” line- which is the standard go to for any school especially in this day and age of school letter grades and funding going to schools with the best test scores. In my experience most tests actually are really good at seeing which schools have families with the highest income…

I’m embarrassed to admit that one of the arguments the Assistant Principal uses “Art is just a hobby” I used in college when confronted by the University Art Department. I was an Education Major. I had taken Studio Art AP in High School and had my mediocre score sent to DePauw. During orientation they asked me to get my portfolio out so they could go over it. Being across the country in a time before FedEx, my parents overnighted it ($$$) and at the end of the week, they basically told me, “No.” I would still have to take all the required classes. I started with Studio Art 101, which was a review of everything I had already taken in High School. As a sophomore I took Art Teaching Methods or Elementary School Teachers in which I was told numerous times that I was not allowed to answer questions because I already knew the answers (You don’t want the class to rely on one student). I saw my fellow education majors in tears over this class, which was stupid. It should have gotten them excited about the possibilities and how to integrate art, not that art was some kind of magic that they would never really ever understand. This was when I went in for my “Sophomore Crit.” Remember, I’m an Education Major, not an Art Major. The same teacher who would not let me answer questions, went over my drawings and basically said what many cartoonists art teachers have said to them- “You’d be pretty good, if we could just get these creatures out of your head.” Outlined the courses I needed to take in the next year (which would have been most of my course schedule). Then asked me what I saw myself doing in 5 years… I said teaching 3rd grade. When asked “What about art?” I replied… “Art is a hobby.” After that I never took another art class at DePauw. A friend of mine switched to an art major, and ended up having to switch to something else at the last minute, because they decided after everything, he just wasn’t good enough… as a Senior after taking and passing all of their required classes for graduation, he wasn’t good enough to graduate.

When I go back and consider events I like to think what could have happened to change the outcome? In this case a couple things. First, I would have felt a lot better and more positive towards the art department if they had honored my previous work and said- we’ll let you skip Studio Art 101. That would have been a start. Secondly, if instead of focusing on “fine art” they had some idea about cartooning and graphic novels. If during, the Crit, they had emphasized the importance of life drawing in cartooning & animation instead of berating what I had done, I may have double majored, but I didn’t. Later in life I took a portraiture class, the instructor had us draw in a style that was comfortable for us one evening… after looking at my work he, said- “I now get it… you’re a cartoonist!” The model actually asked if he could keep my drawing. The instructor changed the way he approached my instruction to better deal with how a cartoonist interprets things. I can’t complain about the path I’ve taken, but it just takes some small changes- and maybe this will help some other art department professor trying to increase the number of people majoring in art.

Still Art Club reminds me of how the visual arts of all the “arts” tends to take a back seat. Performing Arts have shows and entertain, parents get involved in a wide variety of ways. Visual Art is a deeply personal thing, most visual artists do their thing by themselves without an audience, some people need that alone time and we as a society, just don’t seem to care enough to support it, especially in schools. I’d give my copy to a school, but I’m not sure anyone would want it… it isn’t on the test.

Back to reality and off the soapbox… As for variants this week- The big winner according to CLZ is Thundercats #1 with (drumroll please)… 69 variants! 😳 Yes! Sixty-nine different covers! I have no idea why… Prices ranging from $4.99 to $29.99 each. If they all were just cover price it cost someone over $350 (including tax) to purchase all of them. 🙄 Whatever makes you happy. I guess I should think of it as 69 different artists got paid to do a Thundercats cover and that is great!

This Week’s Comics:

Batman #142 – So I’ve either missed something, (probably) or whatever. In this issue we start a new arc dealing with the Joker. DC has done a lot with the character altering it with every film adaptation. So Joker Year One-Part One I think is trying to tie things together and make a cohesive background story about one of the most chaotic characters ever. We shall see how they do it. There have already been some call backs to other origin stories like The Killing Joke. Who knows? I might keep reading Batman.

First appearance of the Joker… no dramatic scars creating a smile… just a guy, a psychotic sociopathic guy who is pretty good at mixing chemicals.

Captain America #6 – Everything ties together as we end this arc and start another. Steve is still bouncing between memories of the 1940’s and fighting Nazi demons trying to take over the world. It actually adds a bit to the origin of Captain America with a tie back at the end, which is nice.

Star Trek Defiant #11 – A Piece of the Action and Gorns? Worf and the crew of the Defiant try to complete their latest mission and stay within the boundaries of Star Fleet morals. Can they?

The Space Between #4 – Each issue of this series seems to end up with a few people making the ultimate sacrifice or at least having to make the hard decision that their elected officials won’t make for the good of everyone. IN this last issue the question becomes do they settle on the planet they’ve spent generations getting to, or do they continue to live on the space ship, adapting to the changes that occur due to dismissing resources? Robert Heinlein wrote a book called “Orphans of the Sky” which was my introduction to him as a writer. Many thanks to my dear friend and sometimes older brother Eric for requiring me to read it. Similar as to caste system and just the crazy stuff that can happen on a generation ship after generations… No muties in this comic and civilization seems to stay together.

Midlife #4 – Again, I may have ended up skipping one, I need to check… but our midlife crisis superhero is still balancing his real life and being a superhero while dealing with a government agency concerned about what terror he may bring… C’mon the guy only wants to help people.

Rogue Sun #18 – Here’s the final boss battle with everyone joining in to save the world. We’ve got Vampire Werewolves, and evil demonic creatures and a good guy, along with a doppelgänger bad guy. Did I mention zombies? Of course there are zombies. Will good triumph over evil? Will the comic return in May (like they advertised)? Nice character development and I’ll be interested to see how things play out in the future.

Love Everlasting #12 – We follow the cowboy as he searches for Joan (his true love) on his way to Rochester. In the end we learn why for the past 11 issues, through time and space the cowboy has been stalking Joan as she moves through life and love…

Batman & Robin #3 & #4 – Catching up on missed issues. The story makes a bit more sense now that I have read the missing portion. Think of reading a novel and skipping two chapters. You can follow it along but there would be some holes that need filling.

SANCTUARY!

Posted on February 4, 2024 by Bruce

So do you have a place where you can escape? We’ve been in our house for over 30 years and during that time some rooms have changed what their purpose has been. The room I currently use as a studio/office was originally the “library” since it was the size of a bedroom, but didn’t have a closet. The “guest bedroom” morphed into Sue’s office/craftroom, except that since it has three outside walls it gets either too hot, or too cold, so the dining room is her actual office. Both rooms at one point were TV rooms, but neither have had the purpose of being bedrooms. I tell people being introverts, we have never thought of the house as a place for guests. We’ve had people stay, but usually for very short periods and only as a last resort. It’s not you… it’s me, being honest.

So here is what I like to call the Upper Lair. The house doesn’t really have hallways it’s a great room with other rooms stuck around it. If the front door was 12:00, the door to the room would be about 1:00. To properly cast ritual spells the room does have five walls so a pentangle can be drawn in goats blood on the floor when needed. When I first took over the room I covered the walls with prints and artwork. a few years ago we put in new floors and repainted. I took that opportunity to reduce the wall clutter allowing me to rotate works when I remember to, which isn’t that often. You might recognize some of the artwork on the walls from the blogpost I did on hoarding.

  • A – My Rocketeer Collection. This includes the pre-release poster which Sue had framed for me as an anniversary gift, and all my Dave Stevens books. I’m working on how to properly display artwork as I collect more original art from various artists.
  • B – The Comfy Chair. This was originally meant for this room, but has spent most of its life in the great room. It gives me a nice place to sit and read. You might notice the white elephant next to it with a can of Diet Dr. Pepper… I’d say I got it as a gag gift at a party, but I’d be lying.
  • C – The Great Outdoors. Yes, I have a window that allows me to see what the weather is like as I hide away from the world. On the window sill is a silhouette of a raven… because I happen to like ravens.
  • D – My Grandfather’s Bookcase. When my grandmother was downsizing I happened upon this bookcase in a storage room off her basement. I asked about it and she basically said, my grandfather had made it and I could have it if I wanted. So, I took it home with a number of old books still inside it. Right now, it contains some of my favorite books. I also contains a few things I have collected over the years: A tin plane commemorating Doug Corrigan’s flight across the Atlantic, a limited edition MINI Cooper from MINI Takes The States 2008- #37, A automaton of a bird from my grandmother, and frankly just a lot of weird sentimental stuff, and lots of purple crayons.
  • E – My 2019 District Teacher of the Year Award – as the story goes after being named Teacher of the Year for my school district I realized something… I could apply to be State Teacher of the Year, but I wouldn’t get it. The current State Teacher of the Year was a high school STEM Teacher from my district. I did apply but was not shocked when I was not named a top ten finalist, or when the Teacher of the Year came from a more rural district and was an elementary art teacher. Pretty much politics, making sure that the honor is spread between disciplines, and districts across the state. Which was fine, because the last thing I wanted was to be State Teacher of the Year- as a introvert… being district teacher of the year was anxiety enough.
  • F – My Antique Drafting Table. I found this in a knick-knack shop in Fountain Square and knew I had to have it. The mechanism has the name “Donald C Ridge” engraved on it. I don’t know who Donal was, or where it actually came from, but it is AWESOME!
  • G – Various Hats. When growing up I had a collection of hats, I have continued to pick them up during some adventures. The ones currently on the wall from left to right: a Viking Helm worn during “Going Caching” in 2023, along with a sword and a large version of the dragon charm from the event. A “Police Box Fez” from Fez-O-Rama because fezzes are cool, there are goggles hanging from it. A leather pirate hat I picked up at Gen Con after my robotics team had made it to the World Championship, the medal from the event hangs from it. A Driving Helmet I picked up while attending Phil Wicks MINI Driving School, hanging from that is an “I am here” marker from the first MINI Together. Below those are a German Alpine Oktoberfest hat, I bought at the City of Lawrence Oktoberfest celebration. Finally, my Tilly. This is my second Tilly. The first I picked up in Charleston, SC and wore on many an adventure around the world until I misplaced it. While in Wales (Hay-on-Wye) I found a duplicate to replace it. It is my “go to hat” when I need one.
  • H – Van Gogh’s Starry Night LEGO Ideas Set 21333.
  • I – Important Stuff. Since I do have to deal with finances these shelves tend to be the catch all for mail, and bills. Above you will find my infamous Kindergarten Report Card (See Below). It is also a Cecil storage area, and I have a large wooden mini fig. Next to the important stuff is a place of either cat to sleep while waiting for treats.
  • J – The Box of Perpetual… The boys spend a lot of time in here and therefore this box is always needing emptying.
  • K – Bailey’s Bed. While Bailey has been known to pick almost anywhere to crash, this is one on his favorite places outside of the Comfy Chair and Cat Cave.
  • L – Shelves of Stuff (1). These shelves contain various things including: a number of graphic novels and books about various artists. A black statuette of a bird carved from the stuff dreams are made of… My Star Trek stuff- not everything, but most things. My role playing game books and dice. The top of the shelf has my first computer, an original Macintosh purchased in 1984 as a graduation gift.
  • M – Shelves of Stuff (2). These shelves contain books about drawing. Some other weird things like Pinky & the Brain, Doctor Who and Batman collectibles, and more graphic novels. There are also two notebooks, one containing geocaching trackable and the other holding the pins I have collected over the years… not all, some are lurking somewhere in “the pit of despair.”

The view from my desk. You might notice some things like the moose head above the door. This moose head was given to me one Christmas when I was in middle school or just starting high school. It has always been in my room since then. It had a place of honor in my classroom for 35 years. Funny thing, I never named him, but he is the last thing I take down before I leave a place

A closer look at the “Cat Cave” on my desk and the mess that my desk usually is. The framed letter is a copy of my kindergarten report card which states: “His temper has been better controlled for one thing. He has only displayed anger to any significant degree once since Christmas (the report is dated January 25). He is a little too independent at times still but on the whole much more agreeable.” Everything is spot on except the “much more agreeable” comment.

Usually this is where I will be hanging out at home, unless I’m toiling away in the Lower Lair also known as “The Pit of Despair” which is still needing a lot of work… A lot of work. 30 years in a house and lot of stuff ends up in the basement… at least there aren’t stacks of National Geographic Magazines holding the house up. I’m in the process of culling comics, and other items down there, it does look a lot better, just still not ready for the general public.

“The Pit of Despair”

Around the walls you’ll see mostly finished LEGO Sets, and my LEGO Town taking up a large portion of the middle. When we had the first floor floors redone (the original carpet replaced with wood flooring) a lot of things ended up here. When I retired another round of things ended up here from my classroom. It is going to take some time, but fortunately I’m only attached to about 89.3% of the things down here so in a decade or so I should have made a decision to keep most items.

This Week in Comics (My Pull List 1-31-24)

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Bruce

I thought a couple weeks ago was a short week… I’m guessing I must have missed a few on my pull list, and I know there are a few comics I thought of picking up, but after a morning of curling and broom stacking over lunch, I obviously forgot. I’ll pick them up next week, or miss out on them entirely.

I was surprised and honored that one of the pieces I’d been working on has become a sticker for my LCS, Comic Carnival. I’m working on some other ideas to help celebrate their 50th anniversary. What would a carnival be without some monkeys? If you want a sticker, stop by Comic Carnival and buy one! Yes, that is a shameless plug. You should also buy some comics, too. For the record, there are subtle differences between CeeCee (the Comic Carnival monkey) and Cecil (the evil geocaching monkey).

The winner for most variants according the CLZ this week: Lily & Stitch #1 with 25 different covers! I ended up with none of them, because… I really could care less about it.

This Week:

Spider-Boy #3 – Bailey tries to succeed at being a hero even though he has some monstrous aspects to his personality… physiology? (Did you see the cover?!?) He ends up actually doing good and maybe, just maybe, starts changing public perception about him- Hey, Thor even thinks he did an OK job. What does this have to do with “Gang War” the story taking over all the other Spider-Books? Nothing, which is refreshing.

Alan Scott Green Lantern #4 – It’s time to learn about the secret origin of Alan Scott’s lost love and Red Lantern. Yes, it’s time to bring in the Soviets! Personally, I’m enjoying this take on the early years of the Golden Age Green Lantern and how it addresses some of the social issues of that time period, which sadly, are still hanging around. Oh no! Woke stuff in comic books! The world is about to end! Why can’t comics just cover family friendly kid stuff like…

Dark Ride #10 – What if Walt Disney had actually made a deal with devil? I know that’s just conspiracy theory #347 currently being thrown out into social media by conservatives everywhere, but that’s the basic premise behind Dark Ride. In Dark Ride a Disney-like character wants to build a theme park based on Horror. Well what do you know… after some contract signing it happens, and it is magically successful! Now as he has gotten older things aren’t going to Hell… or are they? As we come to issue 10 his son, Sam (Samhain), has kind of figured things out and is now frantically searching for his daughter, who is lost in the park after being escorted around by… cute furry park mascots (who happen to be cute furry demons). Sam’s sister, Halloween, unfortunately seems to be fine with the status quo and we have drama, and blood, and gore (along with cute furry demons). Did I mention this isn’t a comic for kids?

Plot Holes #5 – This happens more times than not… I start a series a at some point during the run either it is late, or after a month, I just forget that I was reading it. I guess this is why some people now devote themselves to buying trade paperbacks. The problem I have with that is there are some great series that never make it into a trade. I have spoken with a number of creators who are now just working on doing things in a long form. Telling the entire story because individual issues aren’t as marketable.
Enough- let’s talk about the final issue of Plot Holes. The premise is characters from books go around through unpublished works, editing them to make the stories work. Basically, they are physically removing characters or plot points that just don’t work. These are, of course unsuccessful characters in their own right. One of their group has decided to destroy everything… the rest of the group needs to stop him. Tragic loss, and lots of tropes get stomped on.

On This Episode of Hoarders…

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Bruce

I have always collected things for as long as I can remember (which my memory isn’t great). As a kid, stuffed animals, Hot Wheels, comics, and stuff. I was never in it for a return on investment (actually most kids during those days weren’t). I said when I started this retirement gig that I would try to figure out what my real passions were and focus on them. Over the past 7 or so months I have learned a few things and am still learning.

MINI Coopers, Games, LEGO building, and Geocaching are all things I’m still trying to figure out. There are parts about each I enjoy, and other parts that bring about frustration and a wee bit of anxiety. For some it may be that I’m just tired of the same old same old stuff. For a socially awkward introvert, being in any kind of social group is draining. Then again as a creative person who likes to solve problems, it’s frustrating when you have to watch people complain about the same things every meeting and not be willing to make even the slightest change. It’s also hard to herd cats and get people to agree on something simple like when or where to meet. I learned a while ago that I really don’t like leadership roles… they have actually made me step away from a lot of things just for my sanity. I’m sure I’ll go into detail about each one as I come to a decision as to my future in that activity, for now I know there are two things I have gravitated back to over the years and still work at… amazingly enough these tend to be things that don’t require a lot of interaction with… people.


I’ve been collecting comics seriously, since elementary school, and drawing long before that. It was my escape, and still is. When I was sent to soccer camp in 3rd grade- I sat on my bed reading Hagar the Horrible. When I was dropped off by my grandmother for college, I went to the book store and picked up Bloom County. I have always read comics. There’s a family story about when I was away at college, my parents decided to clean out my room- they were going to get rid of my comics. My older brother pulled out an Overstreet’s Guide and showed them the value of a handful of the comics they were about to throw away. I still have some of those comics. As my hoard grew and grew I decided that maybe I should focus more on art. As I have said before the first thing that drew me to comics was the art. Over the years I have tried to collect original art, pages, and just sketches. This started when I was teaching in a class at an International Studies Magnet School my grade had an Asian focus. I was at Wizard World Chicago and Stan Sakai was there. For those who don’t know, Stan is known for Usagi Yojimbo, the samurai rabbit. I bought a sketch. Now there were a lot of cool sketches with Usagi chopping enemies into pieces… They were not going to work in a classroom, but there was one of him holding a cup. That was my first art purchase. That’s when I started to spend more time in Artist Alley and less time just roaming the exhibit hall.

Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai My very first original art purchase.
Ben and Me Storyboard by Bill Peet. The first time I attended San Diego Comic Con I was there preview night and saw this… those who know me, know I’m a big Bill Peet fan. I remember using my flip phone to call Sue and ask if it was OK. This was an unplanned expense, and I didn’t want to surprise her. She replied with “Why are you asking? Just buy it.” I think my older brother was a bit floored when I did just that.
Imaginaries Page by Gregory Titus This was the only time I actually took a cash advance from a credit card to buy something… I came back after getting the cash and luckily took one more look through his portfolio and changed from a cover of Nazi teddy bears to this the last page from the first issue. When asked why- I told him this was my desktop on my computer, which it was… I think I made his day.
Galactus by Ryan Dunlavey You know if Galactus gives you a thumbs up, then everything is going great.
Gronk by Katie Cook. Katie has been known for her cool little watercolor cards she will do while you wait. Usually people have her do their pet. We have one of Hemi. I have a few others. Most people wait in line just for that and never really look at the amazing original stuff she has.
Flying Monkey by Scottie Young I put in this request at C2E2 on the first day and kept returning each day. I told Scottie I was there all weekend, and to take his time, “no rush” I’m glad I waited.
The Rocketeer by Bill Walko
A transforming MINI Cooper Robot by my friend “Hatrick Mandolin”
The Flash by Rick Bernatovech This was an alternate cartoony style he did during COVID when he got bored.
Teen Titans Go page by Khary Randolph. I learned that charity auctions are great… if you don’t get your hopes too high on what you can afford.
Ex Machina Cover by Tony Harris. I really enjoy seeing the process. This was a tracing used to create the cover… it was also all I could afford at the time, but still amazing work.
Strange Academy Page by Humberto Ramos. There are artists I follow just because their style is unique. Humberto is one of those. One of the many WTF moments at New York Comic Con for my little brother.
Rocketeer by Judd Winnick for Cartoon Art Museum’s San Diego Comic Con Sketch-a-thon
Some artists start off with a schtick… The Flash by Chris Giarusso Chris would do these headshot drawings in crayon, which were awesome and a great entry level way to start collecting art.
HiLo by Judd Winnick for Cartoon Art Museum’s San Diego Comic Con Sketch-a-thon. I had given him the choice of “Barry Ween or HiLo” I love both characters.
Rocketeer by Stuart Sayger. One of the other WTF moments for my little brother at New York Comic Con.
Gronk by Katie Cook Another example of the process. I like how the text is written out on the bottom as is a thumbnail of the strip.
Beppo & Streaky by Franco C’mon it’s a monkey AND a cat. of course I was going to buy it, I’m the target audience.
Invincible Page by Ryan Ottley. The cost of a page can be determined by a lot of things, one of those is who is actually on the page. In this case Invincible is nowhere to be seen. only Allen the Alien. This made the page a lot cheaper, but then again, I loved it because Allen is such a cool character and it has a Star Trek parody in to too.
The Wizard of Oz page by Skottie Young. I went to the Cincinnati Comic Expo one year when Skottie Young was going to be there… He ended up getting sick, but still had a friend selling his artwork. I decided to pick up this page because I love this work (pre all his Mini-Marvels stuff which is still cool) it shows the process.
Mouse Guard Winter by David Petersen. Funny thing, David was at Gen Con one year when the Mouse Guard Role Playing Game came out. I grabbed a one day ticket, and stopped in just to see if I could get some original art. This came with the snow template that was used over the drawing… I still have that too.
Sheldon Strip by Dave Kellett. I went through a number of strips until this one just jumped… it is so true.
A panel from Oddly Normal by Otis Frampton
Alternate Ending (A) and (B) by Will Eisner – Used on page 99 of Comics & Sequential Art. I was at Cartoon Crossroads Columbus last year and happened to walk past Denis Kitchen’s table. I saw this and few other Will Eisner pieces. I recall this one from a book I had at home. About the 10th time I looked at it I decided to purchase it, because I knew I’d regret if I didn’t. I considered it a retirement present to myself.
Phone Bone & Smiley Bone by Jeff Smith. I was in line at C2E2 and the person in front of me was holding the sign that said “End of Line for Jeff” I was hoping that if I was patient they’d let one more person get something signed… Nope. I asked for the sign when I found that out. I kept the sign for a little over a year and when I was at San Diego I asked him to sign it. Some Cons there are lines for artists, others… not so much. San Diego has gotten to be one of those Cons that if you want to see actual comic artists and not Hollywood people… you actually might have a chance.

As with collecting anything do I really have any idea what any of this stuff is worth? Nope. Do I care? Nope. It brings me joy. I also have a bunch of signed prints, but to me actual art from the artist is what I like. being able to see the lines. With my love of the Rocketeer, I have been looking at getting more drawings from artists focusing on that character… but there are other characters I have in mind, it just matters the artist and my budget. It’s funny, I’m now looking at which artists will be at which Cons to decide if I want to attend. I know Heroes Con and Baltimore Comic Con are on the possible list. I’d consider a return to NYCC, maybe even C2E2 if timing and funding align.

As for drawing… One of the nice things about drawing is all I need is a pencil and some paper. I’m working on a few projects, and trying to draw everyday. I may not be drawing the prompts I get sent (although I really should) I have been focusing on art when the boys let me. Trying to draw with a cat rubbing against your stylus or arm, can be difficult. One more thing, While I have mentioned how some organized groups have actually made me shy away from an activity (It’s me, not you). I do try to meet with a group of artists monthly (when my schedule permits) to just sit and draw together. It’s kind of like the concept of the silent bookclub. We all gather at a place (usually a microbrewery) and sit together and draw. We might talk a bit, but we each are in our own little world drawing whatever we want. We share, if we want to, but mostly it’s hanging out with people who prove that there are others out there like me who like to draw comics/cartoons, we aren’t weird. In college I recall being told by an art professor that I might be pretty good if they could just get these silly creatures out of my head. I stopped taking art classes after that. The creatures kept me company when I got lonely… they still do.

This Week in Comics (My Pull List 1-24-24)

Posted on January 25, 2024 by Bruce

So this week was a bit lean when it came to titles but all in all some good things. I was actually able to spend part of yesterday catching up on some work in the Pit the Despair. Bagged and boarded a couple hundred back issues so I might be able to go back and read them in a decade or so. Mostly Justice Society and Golden Age heroes most people don’t care about. It was nice to catch up on some organization work. As always a bit of commentary then the reviews.

When I first started reading comics it was pretty much art first, story second. I liked to look at the pictures. I followed artists, not writers. I’d stop reading a comic when the artist switched. This was in the time of Frank Miller- Daredevil, John Byrne- X-Men and Fantastic Four, George Perez – Teen Titans, Walt Simonson – Thor, Bill Sienkiewicz – Moon Knight… you get the idea. I took a break from comics during the whole 90’s and when I returned (as a way to escape the stresses of grad school) I started focusing on art and story, in some cases story was more important than art. Maybe I had grown as an artist, maybe I’d matured as a reader, I don’t know. Now if you can’t tell I read a rather eclectic mix some with amazing art, some with amazing stories, most with a good mix of both. For this I thank the folks at my LCS (Local Comic Shop). I started stopping into Comic Carnival when it was on the way to my grad school classes which met on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I learned about the pull list when I kept missing some issues since new comics came out on Wednesdays. Over the next 30+ years things started to just show up in my stack. For those who don’t understand, most comic shops have a pull list for regular customers. the customer comes in is given a list of comics and basically, a couple months before the comic comes out orders it. When that issue comes out it is pulled. As the customer, I have already paid for it, but then after a while they get to know you and start pulling other things for you. I’d also get pulled aside and asked about things I didn’t mark on my list. “Bruce, you’ve always pulled Captain America, you didn’t this month…” I’d say I wasn’t interested in the way the story was going… then I’d be told, I had missed out on a super key issue that they’d sold out of and they’d try to get me a second printing… or it might be “OK, just checking.” The moral of this story… get to know your local shop, support them, they’re great people and they will take care of you.

Variant winner this week according to the CLZ Newsletter- Red Sonja #7 with 17 variants… although in the next line the mention Femme Force : Taylor Swift #1 had 18 variants… Ummm… why do you need that many? I didn’t need 25 Princess Diana purple Beanie Babies. Then again Quested had 9, Defiant and Power Pack each had 3. I received the “A” versions of each which means the one that everyone gets.

This Week’s Comics:

Star Trek Defiant Annual #1 – So what is an Annual? You’ve seen a few of these show up in my list. For the most part these are bigger issues. They can either start or finish a story line, or could be a one off story. In the case of Defiant this is a background story of Sela- you know Tasha Yar’s daughter who has played a villain over the course of a few Star Trek story lines. Here we get to see her come to grips with her mommy issues. It is basically starting off a new twist for the crew of the Defiant when they finally meet up.

Ministry of Compliance #2 – Issue number 1 was pulled for me, and I frankly kept meaning to pull issue number 2 but being me, forgot. This week I remembered. So the world is secretly being run by aliens (who look just like us) with various ministries in charge of various aspects. The Ministry of Compliance is the ministry in charge of keeping everyone in line. Right now, everything has fallen apart and there is a scramble to figure out what they should do next… I rarely will pull something from a comic, but I felt these three panels say a lot about the world we live in… Yes, comics do offer social commentary, and not just spandex.

Mech Cadets #5 – I was reading this back when it was Mech Cadet Yu and before Netflix turned it into a cartoon. The Earth has been attacked by aliens, we were rescued by giant robots that bond with their pilots. The Military Industrial complex doesn’t like being dependent of aliens so they build their own… Now aliens are back and those in power giving the orders aren’t listening to the people who know better. You think their hearts might be in the right place, but… so they are abandoning a unauthorized rescue attempt which could save the planet… gotta love egos.

Detective Comics #1081 – Is it real? Is it a fever dream? What are they putting Batman through this time, because it is so much fun to torture Batman. Last entry I said, I’m seriously thinking about dropping one of my Superman and Batman titles… In Batman, Bruce Wayne is getting beaten up by his own subconscious in the form of Zur-En-Arrh. In Detective he’s been hung and now is finding himself in some weird dreamscape… Where’s the giant penny? Where’s the giant typewriter? You know chum, this is getting to be a bit much for me.

Power Pack Into the Storm #1 – in an attempt to create an all ages comic decades ago Marvel created “Power Pack” a group of siblings who each got powers and saved the World from aliens. It was a cool comic, Louise Simonson did an amazing job. They’ve brought the team back and mixed them in with Franklin Richards of the Fantastic Four. This is a flashback to an early adventure and with it being issue #1 it is just setting up the pack trying to save an alien princess and their friend from evil aliens…

Quested Season 2 #1 – Fun D&D adventure… I won’t go into it, because the intro at the beginning of the issue goes over Season 1 better than I could. Let’s just say the band has broken apart, but they will get back together at some point…

The Flash #5 – Wally West the original Kid Flash, who took the Flash mantle when Barry Allen was “killed” during Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wally has been put through the wringer during all the various Crisis that DC comics decided they needed. He is back, with his wife and kids finally and trying to figure it all out. Last month he was wandering around a garden filled with statues trying to determine the meaning of life (42). This time around we are following his son Jai. Now as we know super powers are fickle, sometime heroes pass them along, sometimes, they don’t. In this case Jai’s sister got the super speed power and Jai… well he got a mixed bag, that includes things like super strength and some other weird things. In this issue Jai comes to grips with his powers, but also his destiny. Remember when you were a kid? I know for me at some point I had to let my parents down and let them know their idea (or what I thought their dream for me) wasn’t what I wanted. For me it was getting into a super elite private school and after the first week being asked if I was happy. I was honest (for probably the first time didn’t just say what I thought they wanted to hear) and said “No.” Like any kid, I figure I’d let them down, and I probably did, but they said “OK” and on Monday I was back at my old public school, with my friends. FYI- my old public school was one of the top schools in California, so I really wasn’t losing anything education wise, just I didn’t have to deal with ultra snobby kids. So Jai, after all this and thinking he’s going to let his dad down, tells him that he really isn’t into the whole superhero thing and then has to deal with the consequences. Basically one of those comics that focused more on character growth than action… which is OK.

Next week- same Bat-time. Same Bat-channel. Unless Bruce Wayne is dead (again) which means we’ll have to wait 3-8 months for him to return.

This Week in Comics (My Pull List 1-17-24)

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Bruce

So I was sick… I know you heard about that already so I won’t go into details.  I dropped by Comic Carnival on Monday to pick up last week’s pull list to catch up… looking at what’s coming in this week, maybe I should have waited, it looks like it might be a light week.

Some comic collecting commentary then on with the show… You might notice I avoid certain titles.  I do this mostly because, while they are popular, they are also a tangled web.  I’m noticing that more and more often publishing companies try to tangle up stories in order to get you to read… everything.  When I started out collecting comics most  heroes appeared in one solo book.  The exceptions were Superman (Superman & Action Comics) and Batman (Batman & Detective Comics). There were limited other runs, and of course the Team books or Team-Up books, but again, unless the hero was amazingly popular it was in just one book.  Every once in a while there would be a crossover, but for the most part… one comic per hero or group. I used to read The Uncanny X-Men, I stopped when I couldn’t keep up with the continuity or which comic I should read.  Wait?!? Wasn’t Phoenix dead? So Wolverine is now an Avenger, and an X-Man and a member of Power Pack? That’s when I started looking outside the big two (DC & Marvel). I always recommend talking to your Local Comic Shop.  Tell them what you like, even though the kid behind the counter might not look old enough to drive, they know their comics and may have some suggestions.  Worst thing? You read something and come back saying – “it wasn’t for me.”  I’ve been shopping at the exact same store continuously for almost 40 years.  I trust everyone there, even the new kids. I’ve stumbled upon some great writers, artists and characters by just trying something new. You may have noticed as you look at my pull list…there is a mix- variety is the spice of life.

Speaking of variety the winner for number of variants last week was “Avengers Twilight #1” with a shabby 13 variants. Running a close second was “Cobra Commander #1” with 12.

This Week’s Comics:

Jay Garrick: The Flash #4 – I’ve always been a fan of the Flash- Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, Kevlar Age, Linoleum Age, pick an element and put age after it and I’d probably still be a fan.  So we’ve recently (Stargirl: The Lost Children Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Todd Nauck) introduced Judy- the Flash’s hitherto unknown daughter and as we find out a bit of history we find out the diabolical schemes that made the Flash, the Flash. Let’s just say – it wasn’t an accident.  Now what will Jay and Judy do about it?  I’m concerned that I may lose my favorite new edition to the Flash Family in the process, but I really hope not.

Superman #10 – aka Back to the Future 3?  I’m starting to think I need to stick with one Batman and one Superman title.  While each title has their own flavor, I think I just need to pick a story… it’s getting too confusing.  Superman is back in time fighting to return aided by a ghost of a hero from that time period.  The bad guy? A future cowboy who I recall first appeared in the 1970s…

Titans #7 – while the Titans have a massive event going on with Beast World which I am not following I seem to have been able to catch the end of it by just reading the main title.  Yes, I’ve missed out on some important details, but like many crossover/special events I can’t say I’m having issues (pun intended) about it.  So we find out who the evil aliens are, and many of the infected heroes are saved.  When Titans restarted it was hinted at that this was going to no longer be the “Jr. Justice League” but would actually replace the JLA… well they have dealt with an intergalactic bad guy, so… let’s see what happens next.  I’ve been reading the Teen Titans since the 1970’s they, like the Flash I have weathered through good times and bad… only time will tell.

Amazing Spider-Man #42 – Gang War ‘nuff said.

Jackpot #1 – Gang War ‘nuff said. Who is Jackpot?  MJ Watson granted super powers at some point after breaking up with Peter Parker… it’s as confusing as it sounds – Peter Parker, like Bruce Wayne can’t seem to have anything nice happen.  Although Bruce Wayne at least had money, until they took that away from him… kind of.

The Enfield Gang Massacre #6 – I’ve never, really never been one for westerns.  While I started reading this series because it connected to “That Texas Blood” a fictional true crime like series, I stuck around.  One thing it had was a fascinating prose portion.  Reminding me of the “Shade’s Journal” in Starman.  Telling a bit more of the detail and backstory for those willing to take the time… spoiler- the all live happily ever after, maybe, if you look at it from a certain point of view.

Unnatural Order #2 – you’ve heard about it..: drug dealers give you a “free sample” to get you hooked.  Well that’s kind of what happened here.  Issue one was free with purchase.  Like I explained to my students when encountering a new book… the first few chapters set up the rules for the world the writer has created.  They also introduce the characters… not all the details, but enough to get you to either care, or not.  If after a few chapters you decide it isn’t for you, you should be able to explain your reasoning.  Comics work the same way, in the “old days” the set up was done in panels.  By the end of the first page… you had everything you needed.  Now, it can take issues.  We’ve got mad science, and soldiers and magic and universe changing, you might even throw in some time travel- hard to say after one quick reading. After this issue (which I had to pay for) I’m curious as to how our intrepid band of adventurers will defeat the evil Druid and his minions.  

Phantom Road #8 – you know how I mentioned that Jeff Lemire just writes some weird stuff? Well, this is another one, but like everything else it’s weird, yet good.  

Star Trek #16 – Harry Kim is no longer an Ensign!  Dinosaurs!  Geology! Saving worlds!  Did I mention Harry finally got pips?

Black Hammer The End #5 – yes, Jeff Lemire rears his weirdness into my pull list again this week.  A little back story on the whole Black Hammer universe for those unaware.  These stories take place in an alternate universe in which a different set of heroes battle evil… the ultimate evil being the “Anti-God”. When the series first started a group had been transferred to another dimension in order to save their world.  Memories erased and trying to just lead ordinary lives.  There have been crossovers with the Justice League, some amazing characters like Sherlock Frankenstein and Cthu-Louise.  I felt it was like (but not like) Astro-City.  So now we reach “The End” and I’m not going to say B anything except that it is a unique take on dealing with the “great power…” bit and family responsibility.

What else am I reading?

I’ve been bouncing between some prose books using the *gasp* library… I’ve read Legends & Lattes but started with the prequel Bookshops & Bonedust. The story by Travis Baldree of a 1/2 orc mercenary looking at other career options. Owning a coffee shop, in a fantasy land that really had never heard of coffee seemed like a good move. overall I’ve been a big fan of “Comic Fantasy” a subgenre that makes fun of high fantasy and the overly serious nature of elves & the like. This fits right in and was a lite escape.

On the other hand I’ve always been a fan of Science Fiction aka Speculative Fiction. I tend to avoid books that require a glossary to understand what is going on. I recall in High School missing out on getting bumped into Honors English when my Freshman english teacher suggested I read Dune and I returned it after one chapter because it was just too hard to get through having to bounce between the glossary and the story. Then again I took Science Fiction in High School (Thank you Mr. Calkins for offering it) and didn’t have to take the final because my GPA in the class was so high. I instead sat during the final, reading the book that the class was being tested on, giggling at all the references Mr. Calkins had dropped throughout class the week before. I also took Science Fiction Advanced Projects and as my Senior Art project painted a mural on his door. That said I’ve been reading the Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells on the recommendation of my mother in-law and throughly enjoying it. I really can sympathize with Murderbot and his feeling towards humanity.

While sick (System Efficiency Down to 62%) I fell back to one of my old favorites- Dream Park by Larry Niven & Steven Barnes. I read the sequels, but nothing really equalled the first book and the unique premise- murder mystery, in the middle of a Live Action Role Playing Game in a completely immersive environment in a massive amusement park. Basically two story lines running simultaneously. The dates are off, but I’m still waiting for tech to catch up with what was envisioned. Then again it was written in the 80’s.

The Bucket List Challenge?

Posted on January 21, 2024 by Bruce

I’ve been a bit under the weather recently which has given me some introspection time and time to reflect on and reset some goals I had been working on.

Sue and I had talked about what we would do during our post work lives, and to help get things organized (this was pre-word of the year -“whim”) she bought us both a bucket list journal.  Basically a workbook to help figure out what your “real” goals are… if you haven’t seen the film “The Bucket List” I do recommend it even though it is rather depressing.  I started working on my workbook with the first exercise defining my goals in 10 different categories.  Since I was at the end of my career I could go light on things like “Professional” and while I do want to support causes I went a little light of “Giving” since, as an educator, I’d given a lot over 35 years.  From there take those goals and turn them into actual items.  “See the world” gets broken down into specific activities/places.  Mostly, for me, the “why” was important. Honesty to myself became a key part of this… why do I really want to?  While I really like my comfort zone (it’s cozy) everyday I walked into school I knew I was stepping out of it.  Retirement has made it easy to stay there, so what could I do to push myself out of that comfy, cozy place and help me be a better human being?  If you see over the past six or so months I’ve done a lot of going places and interacting, or lurking around other people.   You see, being an introvert, with very low self-esteem, it takes a lot out of me to “Embrace my inner ‘Bob’” which is to say be extroverted.  I had to do this a lot at school… people got to a point where they might have even seen me as a leader, or outgoing… nope, just an act.  Imposter syndrome runs strong in this one.

My original bucket list had about 60 things on it when the smoke cleared, a lot of travel and experiences, and a lot of “learn to…” Some were attempts to establish routines, “Draw every day” or visit my God daughter at least once a year… others were low hanging fruit- do something once, try it out, then decide if it was something that could become routine or tradition.

In 2023 I did a lot of exploration- seeing what might actually be something I would want to focus on.  I was concerned that after devoting all that time and energy into teaching, I had no idea who or what I was outside of a teacher.  I knew, I was “that weird teacher, that no one understood, or really wanted to be around.”  I was the guy who walked away the minute the conversation turned to sports scores, or sneakers, which seemed to be the only thing people wanted to talk about.  I was was passionate about teaching, but my other passions were so geeky, no one really cared to socialize with me.  One favorite memory (reminded me of when I was in high school, but that’s another story…) was the last day of school getting invited by my teaching team to go out for a beer.  I realized about halfway through that this obviously seemed to have been a regular thing with these people, and I had just never been included.  That was on me, I could have tried harder, but I didn’t like being fake… I’d grown up in Southern California and had enough of dealing with fake people in the end only to be ignored.  So, still was figuring things out- was I a Board Gamer, a Cartoonist, a LEGO enthusiast, a MINI Cooper enthusiast, a Sociopath, a… dull boring old guy?   Low hanging fruit… I went to conventions- Gen Con, Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC), Power Con, New York Comic Con. I went to museums – the Strong Museum of Play Bucket List #57, the Neon Museum, the Stephen F. Udvar-Hazy Center, the Space & Rocket Center along with just small little ones.  I had a few adventures – Going Caching, GeoWoodstock, the Macy’s Thanksgivings Day Parade Bucket List #7, MINI Together.  I tried to reconnect with groups (social stuff=scary) – Geocachers, Indy LEGO Users Group, MINI Car Club of Indiana, Indy Webcomics Group.  Some of these were successful… actually, looking at it- all taught me something about myself and my relationship to each group.

So My Bucket List…

After a valiant effort my bucket list is a work in progress.  There are still a lot of low hanging fruit to pick, some things have moved to higher branches (They’re probably sour anyway).  This year we have a few things that are non-negotiable.  MINI Takes The States is one of them.  I’ve been on part of every one, why stop now?  It will also take me to places I’ve never been and give me opportunities to return to places I haven’t visited since I was a child.  Bucket List #10 find a geocache in every state in the lower 48. The route back will make this possible.  Also my older brother lives near the end, so I can visit, and see where he decided to retire. Funny thing, family is still kind of important, after all these years and everything that has happened along the way. I have learned over the years don’t get used to warm Norman Rockwell family moments.

GeoWoodstock is another adventure, more because it seems like a nice tradition to celebrate the anniversary of my retirement…. I’m no where near the avid Geocacher I was when I first started out, but I still enjoy the hobby and as long as I’m not having to deal with prickly things… These are some good people.

Sue and I both want to travel around and learn about new places.  This year we plan to visit Billund, Denmark.  For most of you the question is WTF?!? There are so many places in Europe, why an unheard of city in Denmark.  No, I’m not Danish (Sue… a bit).  So why? An interest in Hans Christian Andersen? A love of petite mermaids and ugly ducklings? “Alas poor Yorick?” Actually, Billund is the home to the LEGO Group.  Ahhhh… Now it all makes some sense.  Since leaving my part time gig at the LEGO Store I haven’t bought as much, and since leaving teaching, I’ve taken even more of a step back, I still enjoy being an Adult Fan Of LEGO (AFOL) just not enough to display, or go to meetings (Both require being social).  LEGO House has special tours throughout the year, the “Inside Tour,” and the “Fan Tour.”  The Inside Tour is three days, very intense, application and lottery to get in.  I’ve applied three times, never gotten in.  The fan tour is a single day, a long, full day.  You just have to hope that tickets don’t sell out once they go on sale.  We lucked out and were able to get a couple.  I received my Inside Tour Rejection email a couple weeks after getting my Fan Tour confirmation. There are some differences, but in actuality, not enough for me to grumble. Basically, I miss out on chatting with designers (social = anxiety), a special shopping experience (have you seen my basement?), and a unique gift (again, have you seen my basement?!?). I’m sure I’ll be fine. We’re planning to do a bit of Odense (Hans Christian Andersen’s Hometown) and Copenhagen while we’re there. Billund is Bucket List #47  as we keep coming up with more places to visit in the area (Sue’s weirdly into bog people), making it already set for a return trip sometime… if we like what we see.

This stupid sickness has kept me from a few things this week the most import to me was Bucket List #70 – Curling.  Yes, I decided to join the Circle City Curling Club’s Rookie League and after one session, I get sick.  The one thing I promise myself (even though Social Stuff = Anxiety) I will make it next week, and try to fit in some practice to make up my missed session. You see (as far as my old brain can remember) growing up, I would start an activity (usually in my case non-sportsing) and I would end up due to whatever, missing one meeting.  I rarely returned to the activity after that.  As for why curling?  Because it’s not pickle ball… and over the years I have discovered a few activities that I actually enjoy and don’t embarrass myself at- down hill skiing was one I learned in high school (many thanks to my friend Rob who invited me to join his brother and him for a long weekend at Mammoth Mountain) and just never have the chance to ski- Bucket List #67. The other one, was after a “Learn to Curl” evening a few years ago, curling.  I still have a lot to learn, and I may change my mind, but…

As for some other things… time will tell.  As I said earlier, there are some things I sadly just don’t see happening anymore.  Will they get removed from the list?  Not yet, ever the optimist, but also realist enough not to get my hopes up.  I learned when you want to share an experience with someone, they have to want to be a part of that experience.  You can lead a horse to water… or like I used to tell my students “Actions speak louder than words.”  You can tell me how important this is, how much you really, really really, want to… but if you don’t actually make time or put forth effort- it’s only words.  So my bucket list items that have something to do with “spending more time,” or doing something with someone else, have become less appealing.  Yes, I still do, but I also don’t want to drag someone along (again, high school memories… a story for another time). As for needing permission (as an adult) I’m fortunate enough that Sue’s response to most of my requests is “Is your insurance paid up?”  No guilt trips about spending too much money (she trusts my financial anxiety levels) or my guilt at leaving the poor cats to fend for themselves.

As for my word for 2024 – “whim” as you can tell I have a plan (how unwhimlike), but there is more than enough room to whim, and whim, and whim some more.