Mary Louise Eklund

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  • Comic Comment – What’s on the Pull List Now?

    Comic Comment – What’s on the Pull List Now?

    Once again I’m been messing with my pull-list.  I hear of such great comics I just have to jump in and give them a try.   Then there are old faithfuls that almost always get unless the arc is so bad I suspend it until they are through it.  So what’s on the list now and why?

    A bit of legalese – 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.

    Comic Con Girl Issue 1

    Adventures of Comic Con Girl (Antarctic Press) won me over with the title alone! I mean really how can I a fangurl pass up a book about a fangurl’s adventures? At various comic cons no less! I’m in! It just started. I’ll start my comments with issue 1.

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  • Library Park in Kenosha From Books to Homes.

    Library Park in Kenosha From Books to Homes.

    Library Park, Kenosha, Wisconsin
    Gilbert m Simmons Memorial Library #74000093 on the National Register of Historic Places. It designed by Daniel H. Burnham and built as a donation to the city by Z G Simmons. It was dedicated May 30, 1900 to the memory of his son Gilbert M. Simmons.

    Back in the early Spring Rappy (my greyhound) and I went to Library Park to make pictures. You see Library Park is one of the locations on the National Register of Historic Places in Kenosha. The library the Gilbert M. Simmons Memorial Library was added back in 1974. The Library Park Historic District including the library, historic homes, and St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church was added to the register in 1988. Library Park itself was added in 2000.

    You can read about each home in more detail on this flyer by Kenosha Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. I’ll give just a small blurb in the comments on each photo. You can take a virtual tour of the interior of the library here at Kenosha Public Library website. Oh and hear a librarian tell of her encounters with ghosts in Simmons Library here on YouTube.

    Now that I have information from the Kenosha History Center I see I missed some important homes and building in that historic district.  I’ll go back some time soon and make it another post.  Enjoy an sunny but cold early Spring day in the park.

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  • Comic Comments – Underneath

    Comic Comments – Underneath

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 309

    This is a story follows up a limited series from 1989 starring Wolverine and Havoc entitled Meltdown.

    The story is set back before Schism (the breakup of the X-Men with Wolverine leading one back to the school and Scott leading the others on Utopia) and just after M-Day (when many mutants lost their mutations) so I’m totally confused as why it appears now in Wolverine volume 4, issue 309. Yet here it is folks!

    I always like to give credit where credit is due. Here’s the credits for this issue: Ivan Brandon, Writer; Rafael Albuquerque, Art pg 1-13, 18-20; John Rauch, Color pgs 1-13; Jason Latour, Art pgs 14-17, 20-36 and Color pgs 14-16; Jeanine Schaefer, Editor.

    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.

    Let’s start with the art since art was big part of the Meltdown series.  It was avant guard, more impressionistic.  That’s how I’d describe it not being an art student but more of an art fan.  I didn’t like it because I found it distracted from the story instead of adding to it.  The style is reflected here on the pages done by Jason Latour but toned down a whole bunch.  I’d refer you to where you could get the TPB but everywhere I looked they were sold out so just sent you to the cover art, the interior was much more abstract.

    As for the art of this one, I don’t really care for it.  The start is the heavy outline boxy style that reminds me of kids coloring books not a gritty story like this.  The other is more focused on being stylistic than telling a story.  Comic book or graphic novel art should focus on telling the story, expanding it beyond words through images.  Neither hit this mark for me.

    As for the story it centers around Elixir as a boy.  Elixir was/is a mutant with the powers to heal people, manipulate your body into healing itself.  He later learned it could be used in another manner, to make your body destroy itself.  That was his downfall.  For a time he was on the X-Force team that Wolverine commanded.  That was before the downfall and when he was a man.  So why this story of him as a boy trying to figure out Wolverine is beyond me.  Why it’s here in this volume only the Secret Star Chamber of Marvel knows.

    Elixir tags along on a personal mission of James’s.  You see James seduced a redhead (he’s got a thing for redheads) who was caught in between her mutant state and human state when M-Day happened.  She told him of a place where a mutant man was feeding off other mutants like her.  James, being James when to stop it.  Elixir wanting to understand James more tagged along.

    We see how much James has matured.  Now he’d take the adult role and keep Elixir from going into what is going to be a battle to the death of the energy vampire mutant.  Then he simply said, “Kid you want to get yourself killed, you get right to it. I ain’t yer Daddy.  Just so long as you stay out of my wake.” Not at all the stand he’s chosen to take as Headmaster James “Logan” Howlett.

    In the end the energy vampire is the villain of the Meltdown story returned.  There is a battle and Elixir gets involved.  In the end it’s James himself that gives Elixir the answer to understanding the appeal of Wolverine – He gets back up and tries again to do the right thing despite shortcomings and failures.

    The story was a good one. It depends on the reader knowing a lot of background stuff from long ago.  It’s very out of place in the flow of what’s going on now in this book and in the Marvel Universe.  I felt that somewhere there was a lack of planning on Marvel’s part so they tossed in an old story that was sitting on the shelf unpublished to fill the gap between arcs.

    We are going to leave the Wolverine title for now.  I’ve reached the current story of Sabertooth Reborn.  I know you can feel my <strike>trepidation</strike> excitement over that.  My next Comic Comments will move on to the Wolverine and the X-Men volume 1 issues 1-3 the Welcome to the X-Men Now Die arc.

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  • Kenosha History Center

    Kenosha History Center

    Kenosha History Center, Simmons Island, Kenosha Wisconsin

    Saturday when I had the pleasure of the Pike River Rendezvous and the tour of the Kenosha Light Station I went around the corner to the Kenosha History Center. It’s a wonderful small museum dedicated to the history of the Kenosha, earlier called Southport, community.

    The Center has a collection of things related to life in Kenosha. There’s everything from cars once made here to toys played with by children growing up here. I too had a Mrs. Beasley doll like the one one display. I enjoyed my stroll through the museum as one of a few people that had found this gem.

    Kenosha History Center, Simmons Island, Kenosha Wisconsin

    I was surprised more people weren’t stopping by the Center. First off, it’s free – they ask for a small donations if you are able but if not that’s fine. It was air conditions and on a hot day it was nice to come in and cool off. It had indoor plumbing bathrooms which beat the port-a-pottys at the Rendezvous all to pieces. (I will only use a portlet in case of emergency.) It was just a block from the Rendezvous and half a block from the Light Station. But the final reason was it was very interesting to see how the community developed from the time period of the Rendezvous to today.

    I made pictures as I do when I go places. I do apologize for the warm coloring of some but it’s the type of lighting used in the museum to preserve the artifacts combined with the no flash photography rule. I’m always appreciative of museums that allow photos and understand why flash photography is out. Don’t want to fade the color of the objects. Textiles are especially vulnerable to that. That also accounts for the grain in the photos due to the higher the ISO. (The more light sensitive the higher the ISO. The higher the ISO, the more noise to picture ratio on single pixels. Eh, what I refer to as grain which is a throw back to silver grains in the higher ASA films back in the day when I did my own darkroom work.)

    Sit back and enjoy a tour of a few things that caught my eye.

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  • Comic Comments – Rot

    Comic Comments – Rot

    This is the last completed arc in Wolverine. Just one stand alone until we leave it for the next title on my pull list. We’ll return to the title after I work through the other completed arcs in other titles I read regularly. Next up will be Wolverine and the X-Men arcs that are complete. Before you start wondering given what the rotation has been so far, no I don’t just read Wolverine titles. My system of going alphabetically puts many of the Wolverine themed titles together and X-Men just behind those. Yes, I do read a lot of books he’s in because he’s my favorite character. If you are getting tired of him just hang in there. Once I get through the Ws and Xs it’ll be some time until I get back to him.

    Wolverine Issues listed at Marvel Digital Comics

    Now to the number jump and just what volume do the 300+ issues go? I’ve left them in volume 4 and it seems so has Marvel. (you can always click on images to enlarge them to read stuff)  That’s a screen cap of my free digital copies that came with the more recent issues. They file them under volume 4 like me. The orderly librarian in me doesn’t like the jump. It doesn’t make sense if you are going to count all issues ever listed then jump back to issue 1 of volume 1.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 305

    That gets my notes out of the way, on to the Rot arc of Wolverine Volume 4 Issues 305-308. Here’s the credits: Cullen Bunn, Writer; Paul Pelletier, Penciler; David Meikis, Inker Cam Smith joins David as Inker for issues 306-308; Rain Bredo, Colorist; VC’s Cory Petit, Letter; Jim Cheung and Jason Keith, Cover Art of issue 305; Chris Samnee & Javier Rodriguez, Cover Ar of issue 306-308; Jared K. Fletcher, Designer; Jake Thomas, Assistant Editor; Jeanine Schaefer, Editor; Nick Lowe, Group Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor In Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and 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.

    This brings back a villain I liked  Dr. Rot who psychologically tortured James back in the Wolverine Weapon X  Insane In The Brain arc.  It’s a great story with very pretty interior art. I hardly recommend you check it out.  In this arc James again encounters Dr. Rot who is amazed by James’s brain and healing factor.  After James starts having trouble telling reality from hallucinations just like in his time with Dr. Rot he sets out find the doctor.

    I have to say there are aspects of this arc I don’t like. They just get to fantastical (like the brain machines/bombs in the first arc).  I can take a mad genius who manipulates people by re-wiring/surgery on brains.   I can take a mad genius who tortures/manipulates people into hitmen or assassins that self-destruct and he sells them to the highest bidder.

    There are parts of this arc I loved. I find James overcoming psychological torture, his ultimate weakness a good story line.  Dr. Rot is the person who knows how use James’s Achilles heel. Rot’d ability to control James is a thread to which I’m clinging. There is a way to make that an epic battle between the two of them that gives James a way to over come that mind control business for good. I’m hoping that is what happened here in this arc. There are panels that allude to it, but the kicker at the end leaves some doubt. Just like the Get Mystique Final Repose‘s ending came back later to bite us readers in the ass with yet another round of Mystique after James.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 306

    I don’t buy that Dr. Rot’s taking out pieces of James’s brain makes it heal clean, no memories. How about in the last arc when Mystique kept shooting James in the face?  Didn’t pieces of his brain splatter out his nose from being liquefied by the repeated impact on his metal skull?  Why wouldn’t that cause blanks spots?  I’ll make leaps with you, if you are consistent in the rules of those leaps.

    In the end this arc that could have been grand but felt as if it was just pathetic devise to get James back to having amnesia of sorts like he was before M-Day.  So now he’s not got a stable relationship, Sabertooth is back, Mystique is back, and he’s got amnesia.  We are quickly falling into the same old tired stuff.  I returned to comics, to Wolverine upon hearing about change and growth.  Those reasons are quickly evaporating. It’s going to get easier to alienate me from the title for a while if we keep rehashing stuff I’ve read for 30 years.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 307As for the art,  I like the interior art.  It’s good solid comic book art. Many times it pulled me deeper into the story.  That’s what the art is supposed to do add visual elements to the story.  I do think they went over the top on the gore factor.  Yes, Dr. Rot collects brains and isn’t observing sanitary conditions.  I get that. But trust me (I’ve seen lots of real stuff having a college friend that majored in forensics) blood doesn’t work that way be it from live or dead bodies, but especially from dead ones.  I know there is an audience for gore. That’s why we have gore horror and such.  I’m just not one of that audience. I’ll take realistic gore to a point.  I don’t see it as an aspect of entertainment but more to add an emotional and realistic punch.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 308

    As for the covers, issue 306 is my favorite.  I like the abstractness of it but what it represents within the story.  Issue 305 looks like a stock image of Wolverine.  I imagine they said “Oh crap we forgot to get a cover made we’ll use this.” The others go well with the arc and visually summarizes the story.

    Next is an odd book out of sequence in the stories currently building.  This one is set back before Schism.  I’m not sure why it got stuck in here.  Underneath is a stand alone where we revisit the time James lived in Utopia and was still working with Scott Summers, kinda.

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  • Restoring the Keeper of the Light

    Restoring the Keeper of the Light

    Kenosha Light Station, Simmons Island, Kenosha Wisconsin
    Kenosha Light Station, National Register of Historic Places #90000995

    Saturday when I attended the Pike River Rendezvous the Kenosha History Center was having a fund raiser for the restoration of the Simmons Island lighthouse. I made a donation and toured the  keeper’s house as well as a bit of the lighthouse. The house is completely restored downstairs. Upstairs is in process with one room is complete.

    I didn’t go all the way up in the lighthouse. The deck up there was closed so there’s not much to see at the top. It was extremely hot so I just went up part way and enjoyed the wonderful wrought iron stairs in there. Why don’t we make every day things beautiful any more? Like stairs and warehouses?

    The lighthouse and the keeper’s house were built by the federal government in 1866. It is 74 feet above lake level. The light only operated for 40 years but light keepers lived in the house until the 1940s. There are other harbor lights they tended and posted weather warning flags on this lighthouse. It is being currently being renovated. It’s funded by donations and grants. It was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1990.

    Kenosha Light Station, Simmons Island, Kenosha Wisconsin

    Enjoy the tour after the jump. Until next time!

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  • Comic Comments – One More Round

    Comic Comments – One More Round

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 304

    This is a stand alone that does nicely to wrap up some aspects of the last few story lines and open up some others I have a feeling are in the works. It’s issue 304, of Volume 4 or the revisit of Volume 2 or where ever we are in that.

    First off with the credits. From the cover scan you see this time it took a larger than usual village, many artists contributing to the issue. Here’s the village: Jason Aaron, Writer; Steve Dillon, Ron Garney, Paul Pelletier with Dave Meikis, Mike Perkins, Jefte Palo, Daniel Acuña, Steven Sanders and Renato Guedes, Art; Matthew Wilson, Matt Milla, Rain Beredo, Andy Troy & Chris Sotomayor, Color Art; VC’S Cory Petit, Letterer; Dale Keown & Jason Keith, Cover; Jake Thomas, Assistant Editor; Jeanine Schaefer, Editor; Nick Lowe, Group Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Dan Buckley, Publisher; and 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.

    The cover of this looks so familiar.  I think this art has been on a cover before.  It’s just one of the covers that strikes me as a cool Wolverine picture so put it on a transition issue.  At least he’s bearing his teeth without doing an underbite.

    The interior art goes from great to why does Sabes look like Hulk Hogan?

    The story is one of Sabertooth throwing a party for all of Wolverine’s enemies.  Since he now rules both crime families of the East (Hand and Yakuza) they actually show up.  It’s fun to name the villain even those just in the background.  It’s his birthday party and since he’s alive James turns the tables and crashes the party.  He kicks Victor’s ass along with the guests to announce this is going to be his new annual tradition. Inter cut through this we get caught up the status of a few things.  We see what is going on with Maverick, Melita, Hell, and much more.

    It was a light issue that I’m sure will be a launching point for some stories.  It made me smile that James turned a tradition on its head. For years we had Victor coming to beat up James on what they thought was his birthday. Now it is reversed. I enjoyed the issue. It was fun and got me thinking where would I take these stories next.

    Next up is a four book arc, called Rot. That’ll be issues 305 through 308. It brings back a character I like very much that was previewed in this issue. Dr Rot was the villain from Insane In The Brain arc from Wolverine Weapon X volume 2.

    After the jump the usual spoiler panel bits.

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  • Pike River Rendezvous

    Pike River Rendezvous

    Pike River Rendezvous on Simmons Island in Kenosha, Wisconsin

    Yesterday I went to Simmons Island here in Kenosha.  I went to the Pike River Rendezvous.  It is a historic reenactment of life in the late 1700s and early 1800s in this area.  It is open and free to the public.  The reenactors like to share their stories, history, goods, and services.  There was a battle with pirates on the shores of Lake Michigan.

    I’d like to thank all the participants that were nice enough to allow me to photograph them and their things.  So many were gracious to allow it and look forward to seeing themselves there.  If you stop by please say hi.  I’m sorry but I lost my notes on who is who.  I would so like to give you credit for being such a gracious host/hostess.

    Pike River Rendezvous on Simmons Island in Kenosha, Wisconsin

    Oh one nice thing for me is I got to drive the Mustang.  Mike had taken the car to the airport to go on his long weekend of active duty.  Aaron had taken the truck to go to work so I got to take the lady out for a drive.  I didn’t put the top down because there was a prediction of storms rolling in about 11am or so. Don’t worry honey I was careful and even parallel parked her just fine.

    Pike River Rendezvous on Simmons Island in Kenosha, Wisconsin

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  • Comic Comments: And Then There Was a War/Back In Japan

    Comic Comments: And Then There Was a War/Back In Japan

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 20

    This story runs in Wolverine volume 4 Issues 20, 300-303. Okay I’m not sure it’s still volume 4 or did we revert back to volume 2 which would match what issue numbers we would have had volume 3 and 4 not occurred and the issue be numbered straight through. I’m leaving them in volume 4 just to keep chronological order straight for myself. WTF! Marvel this former volunteer librarian is upset in disruption of issue numbering.

    The credits for this run are complicated. Issues 300-303 are done in chapters with changing artists.  So stand back for a long credit appreciation list.   Credits for the whole arc are: Jason Aaron, Writer;  Jared K. Fletcher, Designer; Jody Leheup and Sebastian Girner, Assistant Editors, Jeanine Schaefer, Editor; Nick Lowe, Group Editor; Axel Alonso, Editor in Chief; Joe Quesada, Chief Creative Officer; Alan Fine, Executive Producer. The issue specific credits starting with Issue 20: Renato Guedes, Pencils and Cover Art; Jose Wilson Magalhaes, Inks, and Matthew Wilson, Colors. Issue 300 credits: Adam Kubert & Paul Mounts, Art for Chapters 1, 4, & 7; Steve Sanders & Sotocolors, Art for Chapters 3 & 6; VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer; no cover art credit listed in credits due to cover variants the one I have is the Adam Kubert cover.  Issue 301 credits: Billy Tan & Jason Keith, Art for Chapters 8, 11, & 12; Steve Sanders & Sotocolor, Art for Chapters 9 & 10; VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer; Adam Kubert, Cover Art.  Issue 302 credits: Billy Tan & Jason Keith, Art for Chapters 13, 15, & 16; Steve Sanders & Sotocolors, Art for Chapters 14 & 16; VC’s Cory Petit, Letterer; Arthur Adams, Cover Art. Issue 303 credits are: Billy Tan, Steven Sanders & Paco Diaz, Art; Mat Milla, Sotocolors, Jim Charalampidis and Rachelle Roasenbert, Color; VC’s Chris Eliopoulos, Letters, Brandon Peterson, Cover.

    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.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 300

    WHEW!  It took more than one village to make a comic this time!  Apparently many wanted to help celebrate hitting the 300th issue since the start of Volume 2.  Oh his whole solo title run it’d be the 304th issue.  So let’s not get picky, let’s not go into who counts who’s volumes and issues.  Still why go back to Volume 2?  I dunno once again it’s left to the Secret Star Chamber of Marvel to know what the heck they were thinking.

    Now for the cover art of the arc – to me the best is issue 301.  I like the composition of it.  I like that he’s in his Samauri mode, appropriate for an arc set in Japan.  I think the colors are lovely.  Over all it hits all the right notes with me.  Thought cover 20 was close I don’t like the orangeish skin tones, could be bad printing and I’d love the original. The worst is issue 303.  OMG!  Those glowy outlines are back! (pounds head on desk takes comfort they aren’t in piss yellow).   Ohhh and shiny shiny outfits that fit like a glove, ICK.  The back ground looks off too, like a mix of photo and art – photo shop of horrors again?   Finally cover that has the worst dental work – Issue 302 saw the need for some underbite action.  Cover 300 which does nothing for me at all can at least bear teeth without an underbite.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 301

    The interior art is all over the board with so many contributors.  Issue 20 is wonderful and I love the interior there.  The rest vary from great to bad but luckily no awful stuff.  After the jump I’ll chat about specifics.

    The story made me lose heart for my hero.  First off Sabertooth is no longer dead with his soul decapitated in hell.  How long did that last?  eh undid the soul part in just a hand full of issues.  I’ve had decades of *singsongs* Sabes and Wolvie sitting in a tree f-i-g-h-t-i-n-g.  I’m so over it.  I liked it being settled and moving on.  Can’t be though because I think Marvel fears letting a story line grow but instead cling to the tried and true plots until even the characters in the book mock them.  I was pissed off to take three steps back to this tired overly done story again.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 302

    Speaking of that didn’t last long, Mystique’s death was even shorter. But we knew this was coming as the ‘magic’ Hand bought her corpse and dang they bring people back from the dead as often as they go get groceries. Dammit another tired worn out thing done again – just wait there will be a bit that includes a chase where James kills her in the end.  This pissed me off too.  When can we stop doing the same damn thing?

    Seraph is still alive too. Guess it doesn’t matter we saw her bones in her coffin over in Wolverine Origins only part of that story became cannon – Daken. So mark this down as another back from the dead. It never stops!

    Why do I feel I’m trapped in Groundhog Day? Where’s Bill Murray? Do I have to fall in love with Andi McDowell to get out of these over done plots? WHAT WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO MARVEL? Don’t know how to do it maybe take a gander at Fables they do it with style, grace, and character growth but keep a stable core of beloved characters. You could learn something there Marvel.

    The core of the story I didn’t care about.  It’s a crime family war in Japan. Except here some of the crime families have magic that bring back the dead and there are unlimited numbers of them. James teams up with his adopted daughter Amiko’s foster mom Yuriko to try to stop the war. Amiko’s boyfriend is the Silver Samurai’s son and moves in to claim his father’s position but winds up allying himself with the newly returned Sabes and Mystique. This leads to a fight between them and a break-up.

    Wolverine Volume 4 Issue 303

    James and Yuriko eliminate the Hand in Japan. (how much you wanna bet this isn’t the end of them either?)  We learn she’s alive after Hellverine’s attack but wheelchair bound. Doesn’t keep this ninja woman down or stop her from trying to get James’s pants down. Which leads to something that may destroy James and Mariko’s relationship. Which is yet another thing I find disappointing about the arc. The only thing cheery in it is Amiko, Yuriko, and James become a happy crime fighting family.

    Overall I found this a very disappointing arc. Many of the things that enticed me to start buying Wolverine comics regularly again have been undone. I feel this is a disservice to long time fans. We love our characters we want to see them develop, we don’t want to keep doing the same things over and over again but this time only in San Francisco without flashbacks. I know I’m banging my head on the wall hoping for this type of deeply mature change but hope springs eternal.

    Next is a stand alone issue entitled One More Round. There’s more spoilery bits and comments after the jump, join me won’t you. If not – Until next time.

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  • Mike’s time in Naples told in Photos

    Mike’s time in Naples told in Photos

    Naples, ItalyThe final set of photos from Mike’s 17 days of active duty in Naples Italy this June.  He worked the night shift so he had a bit of free time during the day to see the city.  As usual he made lots of photos for me.  I love them but I think this one to the left is my favorite by far.

    So take a photo trip with me after the jump and see the sights of Naples.

    Naples, Italy

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