Walking on the Moon

On the one hand, I think this is kind of cool, but on the other I was hoping Obama would avoid these kinds of shenanigans.

Several reviews up on Bell, Book, and Candle.

Another awesome thing tweeted by Gareth.

What can one say? I love the Muppet Show.  This is really perfect, from the song selection to the off-key execution.

This is kind of sad news.  Not that I’m a huge polka fan, but it seems sad.

Will Eisner’s The Spirit #28, Uslan, DeSnato, Justiniano, Wong. I’ve been enjoying these fellows’ take on The Spirit, but this issue didn’t have the winning character interaction from the core team that’s been holding up the short run. I found the plotting a little convoluted - a lot of exposition to introduce - and the art had some gratuitously odd perspective that didn’t improve the storytelling or look convincing. Still any issue that includes the line “Ellen, they poisoned my ketchup…” has something redeeming in it.

Glamourpuss #7, Sim. Honestly, too much unfunny parody, too little meticulously rendered comics history. Definitely playing away form the series’s strength from my perspective.

Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye #3, Morrison & Stewart. An ending of sorts for Seaguy. In keeping with the rest of the series, it’s not so much that Seaguy’s changed his world, but he’s definitely done what he can, and emerged different. The art’s still gorgeous and the odd world is consistent throughout. If you liked the other issues, you’ll like this one. I may be an old softie, but I thought the closing sequence was very sweet.

Secret Six #10, Simone, Scott, Hazlewood. After the last couple issues of one-shots, we’re back to a longer arc. Simone reminds us that these folks are bad guys, even with their redeeming qualities, by having them accept a job from some very bad guys. Beneath this rollicking adventure series is a very interesting look at good and evil, with very sympathetic but flawed characters asking hard questions. And it’s a smart, rollicking adventure. With art perfectly tuned to the story, and to communicating the characters internals. If you can stomach super-stuff at all, this should be on your reading list.

Capsules for The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, The Audacity of Hope, and The Kite Runner are up on Bell, Book, and Candle.

I’ve always been kind of proud of my valedictory address, but Jeffrey Rowland has shown me the error of my ways.

My capsule review of William Shatner’s autobiography, Up Till Now, is up on Bell, Book, and Candle.

Seaguy: Slaves of Mickey Eye #2, Morrison & Stewart. Seaguy continues its reign of oddness, but this issue ends on a hopeful note - unlike any of the others. I continue to like the magical world Morrison & Stewart have created, even with its tone of melancholy and conspiracy. I fully expect to have my spirit crushed along with Seaguy’s next issue, but if so, it will have been intentionally crushed by some good writing and Stewart’s clean beautifully laid out art.

Secret Six #9, Simone, Scott, Hazlewood. Another enjoyable genre tour de force. There’s all the fun of having Blake, Bane, and Ragdoll working a simple mission together, along with more exploration of the series’s subtext of the differences between heroes and villains. Simone’s dialog is funny and also manages to tell us a lot about these characters and expand on the theme all at once. The plot conceit that this is hung on is the idea that Batman’s dead and that someone will be replacing him - perhaps even Catman or Bane. As obvious as it is on the surface that these two aren’t heroes, Simone actually does a few really nice things with the idea. First, at no point does anyone deliver the speech about why these guys aren’t qualified; she shows us conclusively that it’s not the case, but no one preaches at us. She also makes it clear why they want to be Batman without beating us over the head. Finally, she shows us very specifically and very clearly not only why these guys won’t be heroes today, but why they won’t be heroes any time soon despite their earnest desires to play that role. None of this is done in the preachy “Very Special Episode” kind of writing that plagues these sorts of things.

All that and Ragdoll making every phrase sound perverted and some serious Nightwing beefcake. Something for everyone.