Mary Louise Eklund

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Comic Comments without a Comic

Fear Itself – Wolverine, Issue 3. Writer Seth Peck, Penciller: Roland Boschi, John Lucas, Colorist: Dan Brown Letterer: Jared Fletcher Orig. Published: by Marvel on September 07, 2011

I started doing Comic Comments just to share my thoughts about a comic with other comic readers. Kinda like chatting about a movie at a fast food joint after seeing it. Not a true review of the comic but more just commenting on it from my reading. If it’s working or not is hard to tell because I don’t get many comments back (apparently I’m sitting alone at a table chatting about the comic I just read) and very few e-mails. However it’s new and my inner voice says, keep your head down keep doing the column for a year THEN start to evaluate it.

Like all writing it’s developing organically, creating its own form just like characters and stories do as you work on them. The number of scanned pages has dropped. The legal statement has to be done. The shape has taken on a formula for now of intro, legal, creative team, discussion, few scans with comments. Seems to work for me right now but I’m running into some trouble defining just what I want the discussion to be.

I’m leaning more toward a review. I’ve been looking about at comic reviews and find there are basically three types – summary, cheerleader, critic.

The summary one retells the story of what happened in the comic. This is an easy one to fall into for me. It’s the sharing of my love for this style of storytelling that inspired the whole column to begin with. I want to share what’s going on with the title! However, a commentary or review isn’t about retelling the story. It’s to discuss the story with those who have read it or inspire someone to read it and then discuss.

The cheerleader one goes against my basic kvetching nature. Also if every comic book you read is yippeee-skipee wonderful great. I have to wonder about you more than the books. Trust me, comic book fans love to complain. If you are all rainbows, sparkles, and unicorns something’s up. I’ve come to the conclusion they are brownnosers. Why? maybe freebies from the big publishers, maybe promoting a friend’s indy, maybe just too Mary Sue to say what they really think, maybe secretly it’s the creative team doing the review (has happened in novels). I don’t know, but if all your articles on comics are rosy then I’m suspicious.

There there’s the critic or overly critical or a troll or just plain bitchy. This is the flip side of the cheerleader. Doesn’t matter what the title does it stinks. Sure there are occasional books that just plain stink even more rarely a whole title that stinks. These are few and far between. Publishers don’t invest money in actually printing if it is crap. Usually the art or the story will be a bright point in a book, sometimes it’s a matter of taste of if it went well. I can appreciate something that’s not my taste but well done for the genre it is. For example I’m not into Anime but I can tell great Anime when I see it – it’s just not my bag.

I try to strike a balance in my comments not reveal too much, not be overly approving or overly critical. I know I don’t always succeed. Sometimes I do. I’m not sure where the column is going, more toward review, summary, critique, or fangurling. I think it’ll waffle for a while longer while I find my Comic Comments voice. The one thing I do know is I’ll keep doing it. I enjoy it. It’s a labor of love. I don’t have anyone here in real life to share this interest with so I reach out here and occasionally get nods and emails from other comic book readers. Maybe I might even interest someone in picking up a comic now and again to look at it with a different eye than before. Heck if I can do that I think it makes it all worth while.

Next time I promise I’ll be back with a comic in tow to share. However if you can offer any input on how you see this thing going and what you as a reader want to see it do I’d love to hear it. Like Logan says your choice! Until next time peeps.

December 14, 2012
Meet Miss Mo

Sorry I missed posting yesterday but I was recovering. Monday had a follow up with the surgeon, things are going well but healing more slowly than he expected. Eh, I felt fine until he poked me – then I was sore. The next day I worked a double shift – 10 hours on my feet. So yesterday was spent recovering. Now I’m good to go! So excuse the missed day I have a doctor’s note.

I promised way back when I introduced my furry entourage that I’d fill in each’s individual story. Today let me tell you about Miss Mo our senior entourage member.

Actually Mo is short for Mohican as she’s the sole survivor of her litter. The Last Mohican if you will. It all started when I was taking our dear Popcorn (a Siamese kitty we had for 17 years) to the vet for a pain shot. She was dying of intestinal cancer the best we could do was manage her pain and watch for signs that it was the end. As I’m pulling into the vet’s parking lot I dodge the mashed box in the road. Just as I turn I see a cute tabby kitten face peep out of the open edge of the box. OMG there’s a baby kitten in there! I stopped and grabbed the box.

Teenage Miss Mo with her distinctive tail

I struggled into the vet’s with the nasty disintegrating box that had more than one kitten in it, some not moving and a yowling Popcorn in her carrier. Popcorn was never one not to vocalize her opinions, especially when she wasn’t treated as the Queen she was. I explained to the receptionist what the box was she looked in and quickly disappeared with it to the back. Popcorn and I took our seats in the waiting room.

There had been five kittens in the box when it was taped shut and dumped in the road in front of the vet’s office. Two survived the hit by a car who probably never knew there was life in that box. The vet made me a deal – he’d treat the survivors if I’d give them a home or find them a home among those I trusted. He knew I took good care of my pets and if I couldn’t provide a home I’d not let them go to one that wasn’t up to my standards. I agreed.

Only the female tabby whose face I saw in the opening made it. She had a broken pelvis. She lost her plume of a tail. She had a respiratory infection that was so bad her sinus infection abscessed out her jaw. Such a horrid 6 weeks of life she’d had. When she was ready she came home but had to be restricted to a small space while her pelvis healed. A good friend loaned her extra large dog carrier for the purpose. There Miss Mo got an efficiency apartment. Tiny litter pan in the back, bed in the front, food bowls opposite the bed. She did well but wasn’t fully weaned so I had to feed her with a nursing bottle twice a day as she adapted to cat food.

To our joy and Popcorn’s chagrin Mo became a healthy romping kitten. Oh when we were around PC would act all Archie Bunker grump to the kitten but there were moments when she didn’t know I was looking I’d see her groom the kitten as they curled up together in a chair. PC slept at my feet and Mo slept by my shoulder on nights Mike was away. As PC became more ill I was grateful for the new joyous life to lift her spirits and ours. I can’t say it eased the pain when the cancer won, but it was better to come home to house that still had a kitty presence. One that I knew PC loved despite not ever admitting it openly to me.

Miss Mo and Mr Boots Red wait for their nightly pills

Mo is still skittish of strangers but trusts me implicitly. I have to say I treasure that trust and like to think I redeemed humanity a bit in one kitty’s eyes. Her rough start has haunted her all her life but it’s not slowed her down. She’s knock-kneed in her back legs making her running look more like hopping and her walk look so prissy. Her tail is a powder puff instead of a full plume. She eats from the side of her mouth that didn’t abscess at such an early age because the jaw is stronger there. Arthritis set in early due to all the bone damage, which meant regular meds to manage it. She now has kidney problems because they were always less than optimum from the damage but now that’s complicated by renal insufficiency from old age. Another daily pill is required to manage that. Still none of this stopped her from feeling safe in her home and enjoying being a kitten and later a cat.

We got Mo when Aaron was in first grade. When it was time to take her in to be spay I explained to Aaron that Mo was having surgery to be “fixed.” When we picked her up at the vet I was paying (he only billed me cost for his Miracle Kitty) and Aaron was on the floor peering into the carrier. From the floor came shout, “Hey MOM! They didn’t fix her – her tail is still too SHORT!” The whole office laughed!

Mo is now comfortable enough to boot the dog from her bed. Home is the SAFE place.

Now Miss Mo is in her senior years being the rich old age of 12 despite all her set backs. She’s a wisp of a kitty struggling to keep weight on, but still on good days she romps with Mr. Puss Blue. She still rather do the steps herself thank-you and the litter box belongs in the laundry room no second one on this level is acceptable. She has a ramp to her bed and steps to her perch. She’ll jump into chairs on good days and yowl for help to get there on bad ones. Real bad ones she sleeps on her blanket where two radiators meet in living room. In the winter she burrows into blankets to sleep, keeping old damaged bones warm. So check the folds of that Afghan before sitting on it. She still plays with her pompom toys and grooms them – we call them her babies. She’s as vocal as Popcorn was once she mastered the ability to make a noise after recovering from the abscess years ago. Today she likes her cuddles first thing in the morning. She sits patiently and takes her pills in the evening to snap up the treat chaser. She’s even taught Mr. Boots Red (who now has to take a pill nightly) just how this med thing is done.

Here’s to many more years with our precious wisp of a survivor. Until next time!

December 13, 2012
Comic Comments – Cubs In Toyland

I’ve been putting off writing about the Fables 114 – 121 Cubs in Toyland while I sorted out how I felt about this powerful arc. It’s another arc centered on Bigby Wolf and Snow White’s cubs. This answers more questions related to the San Diego Comic Con 2009 One Page Fable‘s predictions. We saw that Winter became the North Wind to succeed her grandfather as ruler. We think that she’ is the first child – the one to be king. Now with this arc the fate of two more of the cubs is established. In the back of each issue my beloved Bifkin continues his revolt in Oz. It provides a light comical relief to the heaviness of the story.

First the legal disclaimer: All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

Now to give credit to the wonderful creative team that brought us this powerful arc. Cubs In Toyland credits are as follows: Bill Willingham, Writer/Creator; Mark Buckingham, Pencils; Steve Leialoha, Inks; Lee Loughridge, Colors; Todd Klein, Letters; Gregory Lockard, Assistant Editor; and Shelly Bond, Editor. The credits for A Revolution In Oz Chapters 2-8 are: Bill Willingham, Writer/Creator; Shawn McManus, Artist; Todd Klein, Letters; Gregory Lockard, Assistant Editor; and Shelly Bond, Editor.

Normally I talk story first but this time I’m going to talk art. As always with major arcs the art is wonderful. It was in this arc I remembered what Fables art reminded me of… Classics Illustrated Comics from my childhood. The comic books that told the classic stories like Black Beauty (my favorite at the time) or Pinocchio (not Disneyified version) ore Rumpelstiltskin and such. I loved those so much. Probably why I enjoy Fables art so much. This is used in the telling of the main arc – Cubs In Toyland. The secondary arc, or comic relief arc, is more cartoony. I enjoyed it and smiled at the story being an Oz fan and all. However, it’s light fodder compared to the main one as it should be.

The A Revolution In Oz arc continues to follow our Bifkin former librarian now Revolutionary Leader in Oz. His Barleycorn girlfriend rescues him from the noose. He rejoins the revolt and becomes its leader again. He plans a bloodless coup but this is Oz and things never work out as planned. I enjoyed the characters and the parody of revolutions – the various stages. It’s a fun but serious arc that moves Oz forward down the path of Revolution that Bifkin has set. Only will there be regrets?

Now for the main arc – I’ve put it off long enough. I had to do some soul searching about why I liked but cringed at this arc. I know why – it places children in positions a loving adult never wants to see a child placed. Children having to make adult decisions about things without having the benefit of adult experiences. It wrenches my gut much like Torchwood: Children of Earth did. This hits the same emotional notes that were struck in X-Men that drove Wolverine to found his own school. We in the modern “first” world countries think children should have time to be children and not face adult burdens. We want to protect them but in this arc as much as Snow and Bigby want to and are capable of protecting their children they can’t.

That brings me to another aspect of the story that made it very hard for me. Good parents who have lost their child/ren to circumstances beyond their control. As I’ve said before I like crime shows. Often it is a gut punch – the thought they did everything they good but evil still befell them. That’s Snow and Bigby as parents in this arc, they are good parents but evil befell Darien and Therese. As Snow and Bigby looked first for one child then for two my heart broke for them. I’m a mom I get it. I am so relieved that Aaron made to being an adult without tragedy. It’s a risk every parent takes but does their best to minimize.

The story centers on Therese. She receives a boat for Christmas. Here it plays upon her vanity, her wanting to be better than others. She’s taken away to Toyland and made Queen. Only there are a few things young Therese doesn’t get – there is a weight/price to ruling a heavy mantle to being Queen and these toys hold a dark secret, one she only discovers too late after she too is drawn into their dark fraternity.

At home Darien the cub who feels the responsibility of leadership of the pack sets out to find his sister. Lord Mountbatten helps him and they both wind up in Toyland. We learn the true dual nature of the clockwork tiger in the process. Darien becomes a true hero in Toyland taking care of his sister in the bleak land. He uses his brother Ambrose’s interests in ancient magic to pull off this feat. Despite never seeming to pay attention to Ambrose’s ramblings Darien has absorbed the deep meanings so much he can use them. His story draws heavily from the Fisher King legends. It’s well written and tragically beautiful while wrenching your gut every step of the way.

Therese now fully gains the weight of the Queen’s mantle. She’s learned there is a price to decisions, sometimes prices we didn’t see. With her new insight she takes command of her position and sets out to save her land, her subjects, and herself as best she can. However the hardest lesson of all is that the past can’t be undone we can only learn, change, and atone for our errors even grave ones made in youth. Once she is strong enough she returns home only to tell her mother of Darien, herself, and assume responsibility for all that has transpired. Finally Therese is mature she’s taken responsibility for herself and her actions. Unlike her siblings She is now an adult both physically and emotionally as time moved differently there from here.

There are many levels to the story. It’s well written. Like all good tragedies when you are finished it is satisfying but sad. Hat’s off to Fable for using all mediums of the comic book to bring a powerful story to the page.

***** WARNING SCANNED PAGES BELOW MAY BE CONSIDERED SPOILERY BY SOME*** You have been warned.

(more…)

December 10, 2012
Hospitals Are Odd Places

Warm Air Control by Thirteen of Clubs on Flickr. Use granted by Generic Creative Commons License 2.0
This was the lovely control the warm Bair Paws hospital gown!

Now that I’m up and running I’m looking back on my stay in the hospital. When you are in the hospital you aren’t at your best. Going in for planned surgery was better than being admitted for pneumonia but still anxiety was high. So things that I might get on the first take when I’m my usual self, in the hospital might take a bit longer or be greeted in odd thoughts. Then there’s the equipment – stuff I’m not familiar with and makes for new experiences.

One thing I remembered from my encounters with hospitals was being cold. No fears of that here. No I didn’t get a great warming/massaging bed like Dad had in ICU. But I did get a heated hospital gown called Bair Paws! I kid you not. My purple paper gown had ports that hooked up to a warm blower. Actually the blower reminded me of the old hair dryer mom used to have. You know the kind if you are a child of the 70s or earlier – the ones with the inflatable bonnet. So yeah you got a puffed out gown but it was TOASTY warm.

Air Baby by Jane Lackey on Flickr. Used under Creative Commons Attribution, NonCommerical 2.0 License.
Like in the picture here it does POOOF out while keeping you toasty warm.

Next I was dehydrated so IVs were hard to put in. But what do you expect when you tell me not to consume anything including water for 18 hours? So they got one IV in and said they’d get the other in after I was out. Well the last thing I remember was we started wheeling out the gurney toward the nurse’s station and before we turned the corner to the door. BAM I was out.

The next memory was of someone having a damp sponge on a stick and swabbing my mouth. That was nice as my lip didn’t stick to my teeth any more. They also put lip balm on me. Not bad. I was relaxed sleeping well and someone was keeping me from being thirsty.

You know I never thought I’d have to be reminded to breathe. Even more than that – I never thought if I needed such a reminder I’d find it annoying. Still one of my memories is of a woman saying “Mrs. Eklund you have to breathe on you own now.” Well the first time she said it I thought “Oh, okay” and breathed. Then off to peaceful dreamland as a person who doesn’t sleep well – I was blissfully enjoying the dozing. Then she reminded me again. This time I thought ‘FINE I’ll do it go away! I want to sleep!!” Then about the fourth or fifth time I was getting beyond annoyed and onto pissed off. “Really lady bugger off your breathing thing I’m sleeping here!”

Next I was getting wheeled on the gurney into my room. Mike, Aaron, and Sara were there to greet me. They were asked to step out while the team got me settled. Don’t remember much until I woke and Mike was holding my hand. As I woke more I remember I no longer had on the purple warming gown. Well in most instances waking up to find yourself dressed in totally different clothes is disheartening but here it was par for the course, not as annoying as the breathe on your own lady was. For me it seemed just a nap between when I’d bid my family farewell and the waking in new clothes but it’d been about 5 hours or so.

Leg Compression by Brian O’Connor on Flickr. Used under granted Creative Commons Attribution, NonCommercial, ShareAlike 2.0 License. No these aren’t my legs and my compression had a foot part too. I loved ’em. Massage all night long!

As I progressed things made more sense but I discovered odd things about my post surgery body. It’s a bit disconcerting to think about people you don’t know dressing you while you are out. I know it doesn’t mean much to them, it’s a job they do and that’s that. But discovering say you have a scratch on the roof of your mouth from anesthetic intubation. Or finding I have a deep bruise on my right arm because of a failed attempt at the second IV. Or pondering did I have those scratches before? Good thing with the drugs to alleviate pain you tend to take it all in stride.

Speaking of stride – the first walk is always a dozy. I knew my abdomen would be sore I didn’t expect my hips to be so sore and stiff. The more I walked the better they felt so I wasn’t against doing the walks. The nights in the hospital are never restful. I mean why the heck wake me up in the middle of the night to do “dangles” to prepare me to walk the next day? “Dangles” are sitting up on the side of the bed with feet hanging off not touching the floor. They watch your blood pressure and stuff to make sure you won’t faint when it comes time to stand.

Oh, did I mention I loved the leg massagers? Okay I know that’s not what they are called. They are pneumatic compression boots that are to prevent deep vein thrombosis in the legs. I LOVED ‘EM. I’ll tell you my feet and legs always ache to some level or another. It’s just life after 40. But to have those on rolling pressure up and down my legs and over the soles of my feet. A dream come true – a leg massage all night long. The only thing that could have made it better was Hugh Jackman there doing it instead of pneumatic boots…

I have to take my hat off to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. They were fantastic to make a difficult experience go as pleasantly as possible. They did all they could to make me comfortable and my family too. Everyone was beyond professional but genuinely caring and nice. Well except that faceless woman’s voice that kept waking me from the best sleep ever to tell me I now had to take the responsibility of my own breathing… Okay thanks to her too since because of those reminders I’m here but it was annoying when I was sleeping so well!

Until next time.

December 9, 2012
Comic Comments – Back On The WXM Rollercoaster

If you are keeping track you know I didn’t like the last issue of Wolverine and the X-Men because it was like the Holy Roman Empire (which was neither holy nor Roman nor an Empire). However I loved the issue before that. Well we are back up again. I thoroughly enjoyed this issue. Though it seems just dropped in the middle of things. It’s not got an AvX Interruptus connection like the last few issues or the one that follows. I think they just had a finished issue and stuck it in here for some reason only the Marvel Star Chamber comprehends. However, thank goodness they did. I needed it- a silliness break. This issue is why Doop is the receptionist at the school when very few understand what he says.

Credit where credit is due – Jason Aaron, Writer – Michale Allred, Artist – Laura Allred, Colorist – VC’s Clayton Cowles, Letterer – Michael & Laura Allred, Cover Artists – Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor – Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor – Nick Lowe, Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

Okay this stand alone issue is just fun. The summary of story to this point says it all for how to take this issue “Lots of things happened, but don’t worry your pretty little head about it. ENJOY!” Yep that sums up the who why Doop is on the staff of JGS.

Despite Logan saying in the Just Another Day in Westchester that he didn’t want any secrets from his staff. Well, he’s got one – why he hired Doop. They are asked to just trust him on it. As Doop doesn’t seem to do any thing – get in their way or cause trouble – the staff accepts this. We see the real reason and just the lengths Logan had to go to to get the little green guy behind the reception desk.

Just so you know, I still hold fast to my rule no aliens in my X-Men. I stick my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la-la-la then Doop becomes just another mutant. True he’s an odd mutant that speaks his own Doop language that few understand. BUT in my book just like Warbird and Kid Gladiator – he’s another mutant. We see Doop is a man about town and does get around the Marvel Universe more than any one else. Then again it’s kinda what he was hired to do… sorta.

The story is light, it’s fun, and it makes me laugh. That’s good on occasion given the heavy results of AvX that will be hitting the school. It is school centric and involves staff of the school. So I’ve got all I need when it comes to story.

The art is fun and fits the issue. It’s cartoony but that suits the silliness of the issue. I don’t know why Logan’s hair is purple black instead of the traditional blue-black but I consider it’s one of Doop’s employment conditions and move on. Over all I found enjoyable and supporting the story at hand. Which is what comic art is supposed to do!

*** More Scans this time That Could Be Spoilery***YOU ARE WARNED********

When Logan goes to hire Doop, Doop refuses to take the job. Logan swears he’s not leaving until Doop agrees. This leads to funny pages where Doop is trying to get Logan to leave by sitting up silly job conditions. This page is the start of that.

Just two questions come to mind from this scene – first off what are my dear Bamfs doing? Second why did the whole senior staff sit on the same side of the table. Did they think they were having dinner while being in a sit-com?

Sometimes you just don’t want to know Logan, really you don’t.

Okay I’m not sure which couple is stranger – Husk and Toad or Doop and Warbird – Xavier warned Logan before the school officially opened about fraternizing among the staff. Also just who do you think Logan was with in the old Danger Room? hmmm? been referenced in several issues that he was with an X-Woman in the danger room… bet it was Ororo.

Until next peeps.

December 7, 2012
I Love My Dog, I Love My Dog

Deskunked by OakleyOriginals on Flickr. Poor Moose here was getting a deskunk bath.
Used under the granted Creative Commons License 2.0 Generic Attribution license

A special thanks to Diatribe and Ovations blog for reminding me of this skunk story. It always makes me cringe and laugh.

First let me set the scene, it was in my early days of working for this company. I was in one of three cubes in a large room that was once a waiting room like area for 4 offices. We were administration support for the production team leaders in the offices. Office doors never closed, we all got along and liked each other. It was like a big processing family with shouting and laughing back and forth. The radio played in the background as keys clicked and copiers whirled with the sounds of great people doing a good job. You know a good work environment like that couldn’t last and with layoffs it was decimated leaving those of us that remained over worked and separated. However in this golden era of enough work for everyone and camaraderie too boot is where the skunk story sets.

So in walks the young and newest production team leader. He’s not his usual self but quiet and withdrawn. He hangs up his coat in his office and gets to work. Everyone has a bad morning and we all figure it’s his. We leave him to his coffee and morning e-mails for an attitude adjustment what ever is needed.

It’s not long before people start asking one another “Do you smell a SKUNK?” Now this is odd because we are all in the center of a large shielded building. We processed radioactive waste and the office area has no windows or outside walls. Add to it that it is in an accessed controlled area that is fenced in and wild life is kept out. I know I walked the fence line regularly as part of my job. So needless to say it was odd to smell a wild animal.

Sheepishly from the unusually quiet office came the answer. “It’s my coat. I’ll take it outside.” He quietly walks the aisle between the cubicles holding out the offending barn coat. Yep, we all got a good strong whiff it was the coat. I’m sure every office from our quad to the door got a good whiff of that coat! As it warmed up it got more pungent.

Now we are all curious – how did his coat come to smell like a skunk? Needless to say all 6 of us were waiting for his return. Once he came back, clothes changed to scrubs (we wore scrubs under the canaries yellow protective gear and respirator to keep from risking contamination on street clothes) we all stuck our heads out to hear the answer. It was up to Oscar, the senior team leader, to ask the embarrassed young man what happened.

It all started with his new hunting dog. He’d been working with the dog and had gotten very close to it. So much so the dog went wild when it was about time for him to get home. So his wife, who was home with the new baby, had taken to letting the dog out about half hour before he got home so the excitement of doggie anticipation didn’t wake the napping infant. (The production shift changed at 3pm). Usually when he got home the dog would run circles about the yard in joy and greet him once he was out of the truck, having mastered the rules of stay back from the auto gate and running truck. Only that previous afternoon was different. As he drove down the road to his house the dog didn’t greet him at the fence and run the length of it barking welcome to the truck. As he pulled into the driveway, no dog in view. He was worried. He loved that new dog. Then suddenly from around the back of the house there came the dog tearing toward the truck with all he’s got. “Oh he was off doing doggie stuff at the woods and missed hearing me. Now he’s making up for it!” the young man thought. Well, before he could get out of the stopped truck, the dog jumped into his lap through the open door. “Aww it’s okay boy! You don’t have to run the fence welcoming me!” Then it hit him. The dog had just been sprayed by a skunk. Now it was all over him and the dog was rubbing his burning eyes on the truck passenger seat!

That was when he began the mantra of “I love my dog, I love my dog.” His eyes started watering from the smell! He got out and got sick as the stench was too great. Seems that the dog wasn’t the only one getting the tomato juice bath that night. The coat was washed and dried so many times and the truck sat with door wide open and fans blowing on the wet upholstery from a good vinegar and baking soda scrub. The dog was at the vet being shaved and treated for its eyes were chemically burned from the spray. This poor guy rode to work in snowy weather with his windows down sitting on garbage bags placed over the wet drivers seat. He’d parked his truck in the far lot and left it open to air out more. Now the offending coat hung on the open driver door and the clothes aired out in the bed of the vehicle. All told the infamous “skunk dog welcome” as it came to be known in the office cost the guy a bundle in vet bills, truck cleaning bills, and new winter coat. Yes at times his new mantra of “I love my dog, I LOVE MY DOG” became audible as he dealt with the incident.

Now whenever I hear a skunk story I remember the skunk dog welcome and how it took some time for our enclosed office to shed the smell. Until next time peeps.

December 6, 2012
Comic Comments – An Issue I Don’t Care About

From loving last issue to hating this one. For all the reasons I praised the last I’ll criticize this one. It has nothing, nothing at all to do with the Jean Greay School for Higher Learning. It’s all about the stupid concept of 11 years olds being the HellFire Club. Nope don’t like it at all don’t care about how they came to be, don’t even want to acknowledge they exist if I can help it. Then to top off the totally irrelevant story line is the very style of art I don’t like. I think you get the gist of how this is going to go after the legal stuff and credits are out of the way.

Next we need to get the legal statement out of the way – All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

The credits are as follows. Jason Aaron, Writer – Chris Bachalo, Penciler and Colorist – Tim Townsend, Jaime Mendoza & Al Vey, Inkers – Chris Eliopoulos, Letterer, Chris Bachalo & Tim Townsend, Cover – Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor – Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor – Nick Lowe, Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckely, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

Okay you get that my first issue with this The Fires of hell A-Glowing story is it has NOTHING to do with the reason for the title – the school. That’s pretty simple really.

Next I have issues with a Hell-Fire Club that is made up of children no matter how precocious they are in killing or anything else. First off the real Hell-Fire Club isn’t for children at all. It did lead to the Phoenix Society all tied into the inspiration for the original use of these names in the Marvel story that spawned all the knock-offs and repeats we have gotten over the years in the Marvel titles. The Hell-Fire Club NYC was NSFW (not safe for work) and into BSDM. That’s why in the Marvel comics back in the day you saw the women in corsets with whips. So 11 year olds taking ove the club – don’t buy it for a second.

Next I don’t really care about any of these characters, where they are or what they have been through. I don’t care about how they got to be the club or how Kade became the leader. If they enroll in JGS as real student I’ll be somewhat interested. Until that day go away kids you annoy me.

As of the art, I do not like Bachalo’s style at all. However either I’m developing a tolerance factor of he’s toning down his extremes. He still likes pointy feet as much as Liefield likes tiny feet and pouches on belts. Bachalo has a tendancy to make the angle from the ground or low looking up. I don’t know if he’s Danny Devito short or what. As a photographer I know this is an unflattering angle to anyone. It broadens the facial features and stress the chin which isn’t a favorable facial feature. Might explain Bacchalo’s penchant for extreme chins and mouths though. I just don’t like it. I guess that’s why I’m relieved when any other artist takes an issue in the title. Except Liefield please no not Liefield… he might be a great guy (as Bachalo might be) but neither is to my taste in comic book art.

So I went from cudos to why did they waste an issue on that?!? Wonder what the next issue will bring. Well best to go up from the bottoming out don’t you think?

***SPOILER INTERIOR SCAN***WARNING***POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO CARE*****************************************************************

No he didn’t sent him to Logan’s school. You know if Scott had killed this stupid kiddie Hellfire Club it’s almost made AvX Interruptus worth it for me. Just to get rid of this annoying group.

Like I said I didn’t like it. Said that in enough ways to put the issue in the file box and never read it again. Time to move on, Until next time…

December 5, 2012
Biblophile or Biblomaniac? Does It Really Matter?

Image from Card Cow and used from their embed on your website service.

I love books. I’ve always loved books. Trips to the library were great when I was a kid. My first memories of the library in Greeneville were the old one. The one that was the Carnegie Library. My mom read me the whole Wizard of Oz series out loud. I loved it. I carried on the tradition with Harry Potter until Aaron was old enough to read those on his own and didn’t want to wait the chapter a day that we did.

The children’s library was down in the basement. One Summer I remember I got an outline of the library for the summer reading club. As I read a book I got a brick sticker in my library. The goal was to build your own library on paper without Andrew having to give a penny. I was so proud when mine was finished!

Later built the library that is in use today. They had contest to guess what the new library would look like. I painted a picture of what I thought it would look like based on our police station, town hall and such. Turned out I was RIGHT! down to the decorative rail around the crown of the roof. I was again so proud!

Many of the books I read from there have become life long friends. My Side of The Mountain by Jean Craighead George was a favorite that I shared with Aaron. I fell for the love literary writing of Gene Wolfe in his Shadow of the Torturer. I found Gothic romance in Victoria Holt’s books and later matured to enjoy the historical fiction of Eleanor Hibbert’s other pen names. Some books – the titles are long gone from my memory as are the authors to which I owe thanks but their stories, their stories are dear treasured friends.

It wasn’t just the fiction section I loved. I remember getting books about King Tut’s treasures, the old west, Hollywood back in the Studio Heyday, NASA’s space exploration, and so much more. It was all there all free and ALL interesting. I knew how to research before I left high school just because if I wanted to know something I had full faith the library could tell me.

I fully supported libraries every where I went from then to today. I worked in our high school library my senior year. I volunteered full time for two years in Aaron’s elementary school’s library. I still can get lost in a library for hours just browsing. I love them!

Now don’t think that my bibliotheca amor negated my also loving bookstores. I bought and buy books at least weekly. Some old favorites are held together by rubber bands. Seems that some books are great guests you pass on to the next reader’s party and others become treasured family members of your shelves. I can’t tell you how many times I read Gone With The Wind or Jane Eyre in my younger days. Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod has become a personal holiday tradition to read.

When I was driving a lot I got into audiobooks. I love them even more today. I listen when I’m in the car, cleaning the house, doing research, beading, walking the dog, on the bike, and so on. I love them. I prefer the spoken word over music most of the time now. I just can’t get enough of stories, fiction or nonfiction, comic book, printed, or audio – tell me something, tell me something new, tell me something interesting – take me places I can never go, introduce me to people I could never meet, let me be someone else in a new world for awhile. That’s what happens when I read or listen to a story. I’m no longer bored with every day life chores. Audio books have their place but nothing is the same as curling up with a book and immersing yourself in the story, history, life, – the power of the written word. Which is why I aspire to be a writer I’d guess.

So now the question in the title. I say I’m a biblophile – a book lover. Mike claims that no I’m a biblomaniac – crazy over books. We used to playfully argue the point. Really it doesn’t matter – I’m happy. I enjoy books in any form but I think honestly my deepest love still goes back to words on paper – don’t need electricty or programs or players or viewers. Just a bit of light -the sun supplies that daily here- and the willingness to be transported without going anywhere.

If I’m a biblomaniac – I don’t want a cure.

Until next time!

December 4, 2012
Back to Routine Postings Soon

Great Smoky Mtn Heritage Center Townsend TN by me, more photos here

WOW! The holiday whirlwind has hit. Ours this year comes with some unique extras! I’ve got surgical restrictions through December – no heavy lifting. So picking Mr. Red the chubby kitty is OUT, never mind lugging packages. Oh and I hope to be starting a part-time job. More on that when I know it.

Aaron has finals to get through then packing up and moving out of his house. He’s off to boot camp and other schools as of January 2nd. Needless to say he’s a bit stressed! Uh yeah, we’re selling his car too so no insurance while he’s gone for 5 months. Then when he gets back we’ll help him get another one.

Mike has school on-line and preparing for going there in person in January. I’m going too but for me it’ll be a week of writing on the beach away from the Wisconsin winter!

Did I mention in the middle of this we’re going to do Christmas and New Years? uh- yeah. Busy busy BUT that’s what life is for – to DO THINGS. So I’m livin’ baby I’m livin’!

Be back soon with MORE stuff! Until next time, don’t eat too many holiday cookies.

November 28, 2012
Comic Comments – This Why I Go To JGS

THIS is why I read this title! I know, I know it’s a tie-in to the AvX Interruptus that I hate so but it is completely school centered. The story is set in the school, centered on staff and students, develops a larger story and is what I want when I pick up this comic. It is a stand alone issue entitle “On The Eve Of Battle”.

First cudos to the team on this issue: Jason Aaron, Writer – Jorge Molina Penciler, Norman Lee, Inker – Morry Hollowell, Colorist – Chirs Eliopoulos, Letterer – Stuart Immonen & Marte Gracia, Cover Artists – Jordan D. White, Assistant Editor – Daniel Ketchum, Associate Editor – Nick Lowe, Editor – Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief – Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer – Dan Buckley, Publisher – Alan Fine, Executive Producer.

Next we need to get the legal statement out of the way – All images are the property of their owners I reproduce them here under the Fair Use Doctrine of the copyright law for commentary and critique. No more than three pages total from any one issue is reproduced.

As I said I’m very happy with this issue. It’s school centric which was the whole purpose of this line of comics to tell the story of Logan’s founding the Jean Grey School for High Learning. Here the X-Men that aren’t Pheonix possessed or backing those that are, have gathered at the school. Xavier is there. We deal with staff and student issues. New students from Utopia have enrolled and Headmaster Logan is as to the point as ever announcing over the PA “Attention students this is your headmaster reminding you welcome our new arrivals OR ELSE!” Gotta love ‘im he’s so not cut out to do what he’s doing but he’s trying.

The art is good. It’s not my favorite but given how much I disliked the first art of this series this art is more than serviceable. It’s good strong art that is not overly stylized and supports the story well. I totally enjoyed it and was thankful for it. However it wouldn’t rank in my top five, should I be pressed to do such.

In the end I put down the issue happy to be back to the core of the title. I enjoyed the whole thing from cover to cover. I like how Logan welcomed back the staff that had disagreed with him at the start of AvX but now sees it his way. I get the touching moment with Hank and felt it too. I worry about some of the hints dropped by students – who is Idie seeing at this church? How Quire deal with the Stepford Cuckoos given his feelings and resurrection of their sister? Warbird what will her new role be? Good plot lines to be developed over time if they don’t get lost (shhh we shall never bring up frozen wolverpups again that should be lost along with the stupid lupine/Romulus crap) in service of the huge ‘event’ multi-title marketing arcs.

So hang on to your hats an issue I thought lived up to the promise of the title but trust me it doesn’t last long. But let’s bathe in the joy of the moment shall we?

****Scans that are possible SPOILERS*** WARNING WARNING WILL ROBINSON DANGER OF SPOILERS*****

The great scientific minds (minus Bruce Banner) were puzzling over the Phoenix problem but Broo the JGS student saw the answer to their equation. I have to say I love how Tony befriends little lost Broo. Oh wait didn’t Tony want to register all mutants and declare them… oh let’s let Civil War by-gones be by-gones and enjoy the cute. Still if it were mutant me I’d hold a grudge against him.

There are so many things I loved in these few panels. First Logan’s announcement his gruff exterior with a heart of gold to run the school was showing in just that little bit. Next Quire and Stepfords LONG story there but to see him with them again in a school oh… you know that’s going to cook up trouble. Finally in the last panel there – my beloved bamfs. Not just because they are like naked little Kurts running around (I mean I adored Kurt as Logan’s BFF) but also how they seem to like and protect Kitty. I love how she’s petting one here and the look on that one’s face. So cute.

I think I liked this page best. Except that Bobby is iced up again. I am starting to feel sorry for Toad who must have to follow Professor Drake about and mop up the water puddles. Serious Bobby why?

Any way I like how Logan handles Bobby’s return. I want people who aren’t yes men. Logan knows he’s taken on something that goes against his grain, that isn’t his natural talent. Doesn’t mean he can’t do it just means he’s working at it and needs people who aren’t afraid to tell him like it is. Yeah there at the end Bobby’s totally right. Logan knows it but can’t change everything in the first year of being headmaster RIGHT?

Until next time folks!

November 27, 2012