By A.K.
April 16, 2003
Hello, and welcome to my comic book column.
Big news this week is the EISNER NOMINATIONS are out. Comic's Oscars, Comic's Grammies, Comic's Best Chest in the West competition -- the big (staggeringly boring) awards show. Wait, let's use the bold-face: staggeringly boring. Do not go to Eisner Awards and operate heavy machinery. Pregnant women not recommended to go near Eisner Awards. Consult your doctor if Eisner Awards have side effects.
Mmmmm, you like this year's list of nominations? I'm sort of vacillating between "THEY LICK HAIRY SHAFT" and "THEY CUP HAIRY BALLS." Oh heavens, I simply can't decide! What ever shall I do? I'll be the laughing stock of the ladies who lunch unless I come to some sort of decision. (LADIES WHO LUNCH was a Bad Girl Comic about vampire lesbian swordswomen back in the early 90s) (Am I lying? You'll never know!!!!) (Actually, yeah, I'm lying, so you will know... except I was lying then about you not knowing... which means, what, I lied about not-lying, but not-lied about the underlying lie being a lie? Okay, glad that's been cleared up).
Some of the nominees I hate; others, I simply loathe. But objecting not only to their existence through this weekly hatefest, but to their being NOMINATED FOR MERE RECOGNITION by other, kinder people -- is that assholey? Does that seem asshole-y to you?
Or, consider this: would our refusal to tear into things be a -- what? A symptom of Tom Spurgeons Team Comics phenomena, the "we must be nice because comics depends on us" psychosis fans get? (I think you can still find Spurgeon's Team Comics essay at the Journal's website; it was in the magazine, too, the one with the Herge interview...).
The Oscars engender hatred. It’s okay to hate Oscars. They gave an Oscar to Angelina Jolie once for being a famous person's ho-bag daughter -- its okay to hate Oscars nominees and Oscar-winners and that whole circlejerk. But Eisners -- where's the "FUCK STRANGERS IN PARADISE" contingent? Seriously because I'd like to join. Well, that's unfair because I haven't read it in years; it lost me at the bullshit about the ninja whores. Moore draws well, but the fuck I need to read about ninja whores for??? Frank Miller, Terry Moore, Carl Barks -- why am I the only person in or adjacent to comics who seems to think ninja-whores are the stupidest fucking idea ever???
Our own excellent Jeff Wells can complain that THE HOURS is a depressing slab of lesbian angst, but can I complain that the Bendis-Maleev DAREDEVIL is a depressing slab of lesbian angst? I'm not joking: Who was Daredevil fighting in the comics? The Owl. What does OWL stand for? ORDER OF WILD LADIES. Read between the lines -- entertainment liberals are going after our kids!!! RUGMUNCH ON VIRGINIA WOOLF IN HELL, BENDIS-MALEEV, YOU COMMIE FUCKS! Hmm, wait the joke doesn't work because Daredevil beating on them would be the reassertion of the patriarchal values onto alternative earth-loving lifestyles, obviously... fuck, well, how are daredevils like lesbians, hold on... (Google, please, Google, I need you now more than ever)... well, I did find this review of the DAREDEVIL movie from Lesbian Nation: "With no favours done for him with an outfit that's more fetish than fantastic, [Ben Affleck's] as wooden as his stick."... as wooden as his stick???... Anyway: Daredevil's all metaphorically about dirty girl-girl angst now, just trust me, okay...
Anyway: No, its not healthy to complain about the Oscars, nor a right, nor a privilege -- its a grotesque time-waste of a decadent and bored middle-class being exploited by rich capitalists. That's why Joan Rivers should throw off her masters at E! and join the proletariat to smash their apparati. I think we all agree about that. Yes, its silly for me to complain that it feels a teensy bit weird to be vulgar about the Eisners.
But that having been said... seriously: I don't get the ninja whore thing. SIN CITY: Ninja whores. STRANGERS IN PARADISE: Ninja whores. HUEY, DUEY AND LOUIE VERSUS THE NINJA WHORES: Duck ninja whores that were trying to steal Scrooge McDuck's money bin, I mean COME ON.
Anyway, that introduction or whatever the fuck I was just talking about(???) aside, we're looking at the Eisner nominations this week... YIPPIE-KAY-YAY, MOTHERFUCKER... that didn't work. I thought it'd be nice to make this feel more exciting by randomly quoting one of the many exciting lines from the Bruce Willis actioner DIE HARD. Unfortunately, this won't be that exciting. It won't be like DIE HARD IN AN EISNER AWARDS SHOW. Man, I wish Argyle would host the Eisners... the 80s are coming back in comics; if Transformers and GI JOE, why not Argyle, the limo driver from DIE HARD?
???
COMING TO A COMIC SHOP NEAR YOU THIS WEEK
Every Monday, we provide a list of products shipping for the current week, as well as those products expected to ship the following week!
Shipping This Week: April 16
The following products are expected to ship to comic book specialty stores this week. Note that this list is tentative and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for availability.
PREMIER PUBLISHERS
DARK HORSE
Let's see: how did DARK HORSE do this year? Four nominations, three of which are for Mike Mignola (and daughter) comics, the fourth for SUPER MANGA BLAST (bizarrely, instead of HAPPY ENDINGS, which seems obviously the better choice for the nomination, if one simply had to nominate DARK HORSE for something). So: Mike Mignola, basically.
And everyone's favorite category, this year: BEST SHORT STORY where Mike Mignola's 8-year-old daughter is nominated. Some poor, long-suffering comic artist, possibly from Norway, even, who's finally attained a career-best work good enough to be nominated for an Eisner... is going to get beat by an 8-year old girl! You'd have to have a heart made of coal not to laugh your ass off at those assholes.
CLASSIC COMIC CHARACTERS #39 BUCK ROGERS $49.95
COWBOY BEBOP FAYE VALENTINE MINI BUST $45.00
Oh, Faye Valentine Mini Bust... where is your Eisner nomination? Why does no one care for you? DAMN YOU TOMER HANUKA! IF YOU WERE ANY SORT OF GENTLEMAN, You'd give your spot to poor Faye... I LOVE YOU, FAYE!!!
COWBOY BEBOP SPIKE SPIEGEL MINI BUST $45.00
JUDGE DREDD VS ALIENS INCUBUS #2 (Of 4) $2.99
It’s nice that Dark Horse is helping British nerds be as sick of Aliens cross-overs that American nerds are. That way, if your lame ass ever travels, you'll still be able to communicate with the natives. The nerdy, nerdy natives…
"In my country, we have ridiculous Aliens crossovers ALL THE TIME."
"Cor blimey, same here, old chap! But in every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and -- SNAP -- the job's a game! You think... you wink... you do a double blink. You close your eyes, and JUMP!"
British people? Talk in italics. They’re like elves.
OH MY GODDESS #96 PHANTOM RACER (PART 1 OF 4)$2.99
ROYO MILLENNIUM MEMORY PORTFOLIO (MR) $19.95
DC COMICS
The aspect I least understand about this year's nominations is this: what won best continuing series last year? 100 BULLETS. What was almost uniformly overlooked this year but for a nomination for the colorist and the cover artist? 100 BULLETS. How do you go from best series to virtually nothing? No nomination for Best Series, no nominations for Brian Azzarello, and most shockingly, no nomination for Eduardo Risso for Best Artist after winning Best Penciller/Inker last year.
Who got nominated instead for Best Artist?
Hey, Bryan Hitch is good for a guy that slow -- he's easily one of the best of the molasses-slow guys. Every four months or so when the ULTIMATES comes out, I think, "hey, not bad, he made Nick Fury look like Sam Jackson." Sure he should be nominated. And Seth Fisher -- I was really excited by those FOUR comics he got nominated for. I seriously hope this year he does five. All these guys -- Kevin O'Neill, J.H Williams, Michael Lark (who might be the only monthly-scheduled artist nominated) -- I don't object to any of them. OF COURSE NOT. I’m mocking a little, but I’m honestly excited by those four comics Seth Fisher did -- I liked Pop:Tokyo, and I’m down for whatever he does next. Same for Hitch, O’Neill, etc.
But nothing for Risso, despite MONTH after MONTH of what I think is consistently the best ongoing series art going? I'm so shocked about that, that I have to assume there's some rule or some agreement or something that kept him from being nominated....
As for Best Series: That's where STRANGERS IN PARADISE got nominated. Well, I like the nomination for Louis Riel I guess because I'm looking forward to the collection there and because I hear it’s really good. On the other hand, I'm just confused -- isn't Louis Riel a nonfiction biography of some real-life Canadian dude? And for some reason, I'm under the impression that the conclusion issue is coming out soon, #10. So -- how is a BIOGRAPHY an ongoing series? How is this not a 10-issue miniseries that just comes out slowly? I could look at the rules, I suppose, but that’d be work...
The nice thing about these nominations is how independent comic friendly they seem, compared to earlier years. There seems to have been movement away from the Vertigo books and Alan Moore's work towards the indie books. Great, fine -- I don’t like the Alan Moore past-worship retro books, even if he is the best writer in comics … ever, so…
The nomination for TRUE STORY SWEAR TO GOD is the most surprising nominee of any nomination this year, I think -- but come on, I'd seem like the guy who shot Santa Claus if I complained about that. No complaints there, it’s very sweet...
I've never wanted to and probably never will pick up FABLES, but that's not for any reason -- maybe someday I'll get sissified and want to read about fairy tale characters. That could happen… I hear its good, but I’d just feel like a sissy. Is that psychopathically inconsistent to not want to read about Snow White but being willing to read about Iron Man? Yes. Yes it is. On the other hand… uh… you’re mom’s combat boots are inconsistent!!!
Who doesn’t love the Bill Willingham “character arc,” though? He was doing some porn comic for Eros a couple years ago, and now he has four Eisner nominations, more than anybody! It’s like he’s the closest we’re going to get to Roman Polanski winning Best Director. Willingham’s been around forever, so it’s nice to see things working out for him.
The tone of all of these nominees though, they... they…
Well: they skew GIRL. I can't explain that, but there's definitely something very FEMININE about this set of nominees. I feel if I were more in touch with my feminine side that I'd understand these nominations better. I can't explain it, but ... I just feel like the Eisner Nominees should be in pigtails. They're sugar and spice and everything nice? R.Kelly wants to sleep with this year's Eisner Nominees? They... they skew GIRL. Maybe I should go to this years Eisner’s. Maybe they won’t be boring -- maybe Bill Willingham will tear off his shirt revealing his sports bra if he wins -- Comic’s Mia Hamm.
ADAM STRANGE THE MAN OF TWO WORLDS TP $19.95
This is about Mrs. Strange finding Adam's leather Jock Pouch that he hid in his toolbox, where he thought she wouldn't look. Oh, that Zeta beam...
What is this collecting? That bad "grim" Strange miniseries with the Kubert Bros. art? Well, I only read the first one, but I don’t remember it fondly. Why are they reprinting that after all this time??? Out of nowhere! Who cares about Adam Strange? Well, maybe it was good -- I don't even remember it, shit...
How strange? Get it? It’s political humor, so its okay if you don’t get it.
BATMAN GOTHAM KNIGHTS #40 $2.75
BATMAN HARVEST BREED SC $17.95
BEWARE THE CREEPER #1 (Of 5) (MR) $2.95
This is written by PISTOLWHIP's Jason Hall. It might be worth buying just for that -- I've enjoyed Hall's work on the PISTOLWHIP books. I've heard nice things about the art for this too. I'm not sure what to expect from this, though -- the Creeper was a post-sane Steve Ditko character from the 70s-ish. This is a Vertigo take on the character, which means... what, exactly? I'm not sure. Still, Hall's very capable, to my eyes, so... this could be something... This is probably worth a look.
BROOKLYN DREAMS TP (MR) $12.95
FLASH #197 $2.25
GREEN LANTERN #162 $2.25
HERO #3 $2.50
JLA AGE OF WONDER #1 (Of 2) $5.95
JLA SCARY MONSTERS #2 (Of 6) $2.50
JSA #47 $2.50
NIGHTWING #80 $2.25
POWERPUFF GIRLS #37 $2.25
ROBIN #113 $2.25
Yeah, yeah, yeah -- until I see Eisner nominations, all these books can SUCK IT. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST! Two men enter, one man leave.
SLEEPER #4 (MR) $2.95
I know it’s a horrible time to do new comics, or to do anything besides superhero comics, and yet... all these post-ASTRO-CITY/POWERS books. The "it’s got superheros in it, but its not quite a superhero comic so HA!" thing. SLEEPER, HERO, upcoming books (the Andi Watson thing, the Sangiacomo thing), STORMWATCH, ALIAS... I like the ones that are out now, but anytime I hear about a new one, I just feel a twinge, like a “Comics aren’t in good shape” twinge. I’m feeling “Superheros Only X” burnout, even as I recognize that its necessary genre-reinvigoration and that the audience just won’t read other kinds of books…
I picked up the last issue of this -- I'd skipped earlier issues, guarantee or no, but got curious after the good word about the series. I've enjoyed Ed Brubaker's earlier work on books like SCENE OF THE CRIME, the FALL, and certainly DEADENDERS, but I wasn’t interested in his superhero work. This book… One chunk, involving a pleasure resort for the "true rulers" of the world, was just severe hokey, not my sort of thing. The rest… well, it’s nice but it’s not what I want from a superhero comic (have you ever heard the expression “Eyeball kick?” It’d take too long to explain).
SUPER FRIENDS TRUTH JUSTICE AND PEACE TP $14.95
Wasn't that Don Cornelius's saying on SOUL TRAIN? Are the SUPER FRIENDS going on the SOUL TRAIN NOW?
Huh: "Aquaman is a Soul Train Dancer" sounds like the title for the best Primus song never written.
SUPER FRIENDS WONDER WOMAN & CHEETAH DLX ACTION FIGURE SET PI
SUPERMAN METROPOLIS #3 (Of 12) $2.95
THUNDERCATS THE RETURN #3 (Of 5) $2.95
WILDCATS VERSION 3.0 #9 (MR) $2.95
WONDER WOMAN OVERSIZED POSTER $19.95
The nominees -- I haven't seen much discussion yet, so I just have lots of questions. I know the rules on limited series are convoluted (you can only get nominated if half your series is out already? something like that). Is that what kept 100% or POP: LONDON or POP:TOKYO from being nominated? Strangely, only three series are listed under Best Limited Series, and even more strangely, one is the really awful COURTNEY CRUMRIN, from Oni. I'm always surprised people like that. It’s always a “Wow” moment.
Oni didn't really fare too well at the Eisners this year. The big surprise for Oni must've been that Andi Watson's DUMPED was overlooked despite easily being Watson's best book, hands down. Wasn’t that last year??? Maybe I’m wrong. As I said, lots of questions.
Here's the fascinating bit about that BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM-NEW category: nominated in the Best OGN category? EPILEPTIC by David B! Why is that fascinating? Because it’s a REPRINT of three volumes of the famous French comic. It’s even NOMINATED for best reprint of foreign shit category. Keep in mind that there were certainly other worthy nominees: my favorite book last year SPARKS was largely new material, THREE FINGERS which I didn’t care for but was certainly a worthy book, or perhaps CREATURE TECH which was very Christian but a fun thing anyway…
I mean... it’s VERY late, but am I even reading this list right? I'm not one of the "smart smarty" comic critics and this list isn't making much sense to me, so I'm really looking forward to seeing someone clever go through this list and explain all this to me... I don't get this...
The real battleground category, the BEST PICTURE category for the Eisners, in my opinion, is BEST Graphic Album Reprint category. Because ongoing series are obviously for nerds with too much time; reprints -- that covers a wide range of history, and all the alternative comics that have been slowly put together over long courses of time, or what have you. I'm rooting for Eddie Campbell's AFTER THE SNOOTER, but I haven't read Kim Deitch's BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS yet; that seems to have been a critical favorite.
Confusion!!!
IMAGE
BLOOD LEGACY YOUNG ONES ONE SHOT $4.99
DARKNESS VOL 2 #3 $2.99
DEFIANCE #7 $2.95
HELLSPAWN #16 $2.50
KORE CAPULLO CVR #1 $2.95
KORE SEELEY CVR #1 $2.95
POWERS #30 (MR) $2.95
This is my favorite of Bendis's current comics, so I'd rather see the R-rated Bendis of POWERS get nominated over the PG-rated Bendis of DAREDEVIL, but... I'm curious how they made that call.
This issue is extra-large since it wraps up this storyline, which started slow but certainly seems to be ending on a bigger scale than it let on.
SAVAGE DRAGON #106 $2.95
SPAWN #124 $2.50
TECH JACKET #5 $2.95
WITCHBLADE #63 $2.99
MARVEL
Further EPIC announcements this last week, announcing the first two books by EPIC, Marvel's new program to get new voices into comics. New voices in this case being a CRIMSON DYNAMO (???) series from the editorial director of the comics and games division of Krause Publications, and a commentator/reviewer [whose newspaper articles for the Indianapolis Star regularly run at comics news site] Newsarama.
Even if Marvel laughs it off, I think there's a reasonable fear here that... you know, I grew up with plenty of people teaching me important things about comics like "FUCK MARVEL" or even "FUCK MARVEL IN THE ASS." But now, if our wise men are afraid they might someday want to draw Devil Dinosaur with Marvel's help... how are the kids of tomorrow going to learn that Marvel needs to be fucked in the ass by juicy, hard cocks? What -- Frank Tieri's going to tell them about juicy, hard cocks? It's too important to leave it to him!
All that set-up just to get to a juicy, hard cocks punchline? Unfortunately. Unfortunately...
But on the other hand, I kinda like the "wise men" image, too. "I climbed a mountain taller than Everest and when I got to the top, the guru who meditated peacefullly thereupon awoke from his enlightened slumber, wiped frost from his long flowing moustache and told me that BLACK PANTHER is sadly overrated, why, even though there was jumping-on point lo only two scant new moons ago!" ... I should have just been satisfied with the juicy, hard cocks? Perhaps.
Jump-on point... retcon (i.e. retroactive continuity)... donkey punch... maxiseries... grim & gritty... all these stupid fucking bits of terminology we've let comics shove into our head. It’s the tragedy of it, isn't it?
ALIAS VOL 1 TP (MR) $19.99
CAPTAIN MARVEL #8 (Note Price) $2.99
INCREDIBLE HULK VOL 3 TRANSFER OF POWER TP $12.99
NEW X-MEN #139 $2.25
This issue is drawn by Phil Jiminez, reuniting with Morrison. The two worked together on the best stretch of the INVISIBLES, Volume 2, so I'm just happy to see them reunited -- I thought each brought out the best work in the other.
PETER PARKER SPIDER-MAN VOL4 TRIALS&TRIBULATIONS TP $11.99
RAWHIDE KID #4 (Of 5) (MR) $2.99
RUNAWAYS #1 $2.50
For Los Angeles peeps, I was at the new Giant Robot store on Sawtelle. Giant Robot opened a second store, an art gallery, and their first exhibit is for David Choe.
You'll remember David Choe for getting "blacklisted" by Marvel because of the SPECTACULAR meltdown caused by Marvel's not going forward with NYX, a comic Choe would draw from Brian Wood's scripts. Choe's meltdown unfortunately involved some name-calling (Mark Bagley drawing like a “bitch” is the only bit I remember off the top of my head) and was… at the time, I just found it hilarious, but now, it only saddens that we’re not getting Choe’s art in comics as a result of what was just some momentary nonsense. For, what, saying stuff online that comic pros I’m sure say daily to each other(well, not to suggest that comic pros sit around and talk about how Mark Bagley draws like a bitch every day, but… you get my meaning…)
Because the gallery exhibit, etc. -- the guy can seriously fucking draw. Anyone who'd seen his earlier book, BRUISED FRUIT, or his new one, CURSIV, let alone this exhibit -- the guy's art has this feeling of unrestrained, barely controlled energy bursting out everywhere. Comics would have been (and who knows, still might someday be) a better place with him in it.
Oh, but its okay because Marvel's got Tsunami which is, what, some kid who has a DVD of Ghost in the Shell and a Pause Button... All this “American Manga” stuff? Its just some kid with a Ghost in the Shell DVD and a Pause button.
I'm not sure if this comic is guilty or not. I know its some Tsuanmi book. I don't know anything about it though.
Anywho: people bored at work near Sawtelle are recommended to walk over to the Giant Robot gallery, and then have some crepes from the crepe-to-go guy across the street.
Further Side-note: The new Giant Robot has an interview with kozyndan, the two-person design team, who made one of the posters that now hangs near my bookshelves. They were super-nice selling me the poster, and if you're poster-shopping, I was really happy with the experience.
SOLDIER X #10 (Note Price) $2.99
THUNDERBOLTS #78 $2.25
WOLVERINE #189 $2.25
WOLVERINE XISLE #3 $2.50
X-MEN UNLIMITED #44 $2.50
WIZARD
TOYFARE NIGHTCRAWLER TOY CVR #70 $4.99
Let's see, I haven't talked about the Eisners in a while:
Well, I guess there are two truly big stories about this year's nominations that I should pay the obligatory lip-service to.
First, they ignored manga. Which is horrendous considering the year manga had in bookstores. The Best Reprint material all tends to the arty side though, which is natural considering some of the people on the nominating committee (i.e. the “comix” snob from TIME). Tezuka's PHOENIX -- I like that I like it, but some people find it batshit nuts. The only manga nominated was for Uzumaki and SUPER MANGA BLAST from Dark Horse, which I always considered a minor title for that market. I can't imagine LOVE HINA being nominated for an Eisner, but at the same time, considering the Tokyopop phenomena, it gives the Eisners a "Head in the sand" quality that other people have commented better on than I have... And granted: you can’t just give Tokyopop a BEST TOKYOPOP award, but…
SHIT, HOLY SHIT, didn’t NO. 5 come out last year? Taiyo Matsumoto’s No.5? Was that last year or the year before? Man, I hope that was the year before and that they didn’t overlook that… I mean, that’s the clear choice for an Eisner nomination. Go read about it here; I’m too tired to write about it, but that’d be the CLEAR choice for an Eisner nomination recognizing manga, for whichever category its available for. I mean, if it was up… head + sand…
The best part of that failure is it encouraged Evan Dorkin to rant about manga, which encouraged Evan Dorkin to provide the best comic-related quote I saw this week: "There is a certain individual in this industry who has apparently referred to himself as 'the smartest man in comics'. I heard this from two people who heard him refer to himself in this manner. My reply was, 'If he's so fucking smart, then why the hell is he in comics?' I sir, am not the smartest kid in comics, sir. That kid grew up, got out of comics, and had himself a life."
Second is the nomination of NOWHERE GIRL, the first internet comic or webcomic. The nice thing about this is that the judges didn't create some "Best Webcomic" ghetto to marginalize internet comics. On the other hand, I don't really care for NOWHERE GIRL much at all. I read the second episode, not the first -- I didn't care for it at all.
Right now on a format level, I hate most webcomics because I find them terribly hard to read. I don't think anyone's thought about interface issues AT ALL. Most of the webcomics I've ever seen have been unreadable because there's been no thought as to presentation whatsoever.
Nonetheless, its encouraging to see that good creators like Derek Kim or Jasen Lex or ... well, I'm not sure why Jason Little wasn't nominated this year, but... But its encouraging to see that they'll be rewarded with something come next year, and not some booby prize, but equal with their peers.
COMICS
ALICE IN SEXLAND #1-6 PACK (A) $21.00
ALICE IN SEXLAND EXTREME #1 (A) $3.50
AMERIMANGA VOL 3 $7.99
AP HOW TO DRAW MANGA #23 $4.95
ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #142 $3.59
ART & BEAUTY #1 (MR) $4.95
ART & BEAUTY #2 (MR) $4.95
BAREFOOT GEN VOL 1 TP NEW PTG $14.95
Huh, this is a classic manga about Hiroshima created by a survivor (I think). There's an anime available for it, as well; it should be at your local Blockbusters.
BETTY & VERONICA #187 $2.19
BIG O PART 4 #2 (Of 4) $3.50
BLOWJOB #2 (O/A) (A) $3.50
BLOWJOB #5 (A) $3.50
You really can't understand #5 without having read #2. Its a WHODUNIT. And a WHOCARESWHODUNIT.
BONEYARD #10 $2.95
BRIAN PULIDO LADY DEATH #3 MEDIEVAL TALE $2.95
It’s nice that in comics you can go bankrupt, not pay some people, and still get top billing. He's still putting his name above the title. I don't have a problem with that though -- I'd always heard Pulido was a good shit, even if he published unmitigated crap.
BUNNY TOWN #1 (O/A) $2.99
"She's my mother!"
SLAP!
"She's my sister!"
SLAP!
"She's my bunny rabbit!"
SLAP!
“Forget it, Jake. It's BUNNY TOWN.”
CHICAGO VOL 2 GN BOOK OF JUSTICE $15.95
COLOUR KAMIKAZE #1 (MR) $29.95
CRUMB SKETCHBOOK SC VOL 6 (O/A) (MR) $19.95
CRUMB SKETCHBOOK VOL 1 SC (STAR01339) (MR) $19.95
CRUMB SKETCHBOOK VOL 2 SC (STAR04481) (MR) $19.95
CRUMB SKETCHBOOK VOL 5 SC (STAR01064) (MR) $19.95
DF BATMAN DOUBLE SGN #612 $39.98
DIGITAL WEBBING PRESENTS #8 $2.95
DILDO #2 (A) $3.50
DRAGON ARMS #5 $3.50
DRAGONBALL VOL 1 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL VOL 2 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL VOL 3 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL VOL 4 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL VOL 5 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL VOL 6 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL VOL 7 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 1 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 2 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 3 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 4 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 5 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 6 TP 2ND ED $7.95
DRAGONBALL Z VOL 7 TP 2ND ED $7.95
Uhhhhh!!!!!! What -- is th --
Oh, wait, okay, this is the re-release of all the DRAGONBALL trades through Viz's new smaller, cheaper format. This seems important somehow. They're doing that to compete with Tokyopop, which sells smaller books. You know, look how affordable its become, how MUCH of it is… head + sand…
Which seems a bit ill-advised considering that Tokyopop's had so much success with a very different kind of material, stuff like LOVE HINA, girl-oriented stuff... Seems like the bookstore audience leans towards the girls more than Dragonball fans, from what little I know, but… I hope it works out for them.
There's chunks of Dragonball reprints in SHONEN JUMP. I don’t always understand them, but I am impressed with the clarity of Toriyama's storytelling...
I'm always just very interested in the differences between writer/artists versus writers. It seems a couple British writers aside (all of whom have written more than American readers might be aware of), the great comic creators are usually writer/artists. Manga seems more writer/artist oriented somehow. But whenever you hear people talk about manga, that point gets overlooked. The whole “assembly line” system we have here, let alone all the writer/artists who flake (I want to be mad about 100% not being nominated for something, but how can I when it WON’T COME OUT???)… I don’t know if they have an assembly line there of ghosts, but some of the visions just seem purer.
EC PANIC ANNUAL PACK (O/A) $32.40
ELIZABETH BATHORY #4 (A) $3.50
ELVIRA #120 $2.50
FORLORN FUNNIES #3 (MR) $3.95
Buying this: Oh god, it’s late -- don’t make me explain this. Can’t I just get away with an empty Chris Ware reference and some song-and-dance about it being bad-ass? It’s up for BEST NEW SERIES. It’s a very sad, pleasurably visual book, the second issue of which started a story about a boy’s relationship with his widowed father. If you like art comics, you already know about it, I’d imagine. So…
FUTABAKUN CHANGE VOL 7 GN $11.95
GANZFELD VOL 3 TP $24.95
GI JOE SPECIAL MISSIONS #1 SKETCHED EDITION $34.99
GIRLS GREED GUNS AND GORE GN (O/A) (A) $13.95
GOON #1 (O/A) $2.95
GUTWALLOW #3 (Of 3) $2.95
HUMMERS (O/A) (A) $14.95
Trying to steal BLOWJOB’s audience! NEVER! HUMMERS is such a BLOWJOB ripoff. Who do these hacks think they are? They’re no BLOWJOB.
CONCLUSION
I am running late, and I have run out of shit to talk about. So, we’re going to have to end it here, this week. Let’s end with some basic picks and pans:
Best Short Story: The little girl’s got to win this one. See above.
Best Single Issue or One-Shot: I’d go with FLEEP, but I hear the CASTAWAYS is good. Kim Deitch doesn’t need it -- he’ll win for BOULEVARD probably.
Best Serialized Story: QUEEN AND COUNTRY CRYSTAL BALL. It’s funny somehow to see the INCREDIBLE HULK on this list, but there you go…
Best Continuing Series: … Well, I only read DAREDEVIL of these. I want to read Louis Reil but I wait for the trade… I like DAREDEVIL but why isn’t QUEEN AND COUNTRY or 100 BULLETS nominated again? I’d want QUEEN AND COUNTRY.
Best Limited Series: HELLBOY, easy. But man, what crappy nominations -- only three books? What a smack in the face to the other good miniseries last year not to give this a full five -- there was no shortage of good miniseries. I must not understand something about this category because these nominations makes no sense to me.
Best New Series: Forlorn Funnies.
Best Title for a Younger Audience: Well, Herobear is the only one I read but it hardly ever comes out. I’d be okay with Kochalka winning this though I’m not a huge Kochalka guy honestly. I’m okay with Kochalka, but I don’t want to have his babies or anything.
Best Humor Publication: See, this has AMAZING SCREW-ON HEAD which was amazing, but it feels like the wrong category for it somehow. Even though DORK is funnier, I’d have to get root for SCREW-ON just for being a better comic. But it’s BEST HUMOUR. So…? Who cares -- nerds’ll probably give it to the stupid-ass PRO anyway…
Best Anthology: ROSETTA. I’d never seen or heard anything about ORCHID, so that’s the most curious nominee of these. SUPER MANGA BLAST, though -- jesus, no. How is that even on anyone’s radar post-Raijiin or Shonen Jump?? I feel for DARK HORSE because they bring over classic book after classic book, they do a great job on manga, and yet I’d never describe them as a leader when it comes to manga. The people who work there -- I wonder if they’re frustrated by the shotgun model that Tokyopop is having success with.
Best Graphic Album—New: I’m rooting against EPILEPTIC even though I hear its thoroughly excellent, but its simply not a NEW Graphic album, if I understand the facts right. Let’s see -- oh, ONE HUNDRED DEMONS will win. PULPATOON’s got a shot, but no, it’ll be Lynda Barry.
Best Graphic Album—Reprint: Yeah, I said above -- I’m rooting for Eddie Campbell’s graceful, seemingly effortless AFTER THE SNOOTER (he makes it look too easy is the problem -- maybe people don’t appreciate how good it is…), but it’ll be Kim Deitch’s BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS. I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve been looking to read that for months now. There’s a funny-strange BOOKWORM interview with the guy available at KCRW’s website.
Best Archival Collection/Project: How is Krazy & Ignatz not going to win? It collects what are widely recognized as the best comics ever? How does the best comics ever not win? Easy call.
Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material: UZUMAKI has to win for all manga. That’s what it’s come down to. Epileptic might have a push behind it (I’ve seen it in stores; it seemed kind of word-heavy to me), but I’d rather see Jason win if not UZUMAKI… I haven’t read much Jason at all, but he seems interesting to me.
Best Writer: Easy, Bendis. Other people -- Rucka’s QUEEN AND COUNTRY is just a great comic, but Bendis writes THREE OUR FOUR above-average to really good comics a month, without any feeling of one book being “second-class” to the others. Easy, easy call.
Best Writer/Artist: How did LA PERDIDA not get a BEST NEW SERIES or … is it up for BEST LIMITED SERIES? Well, Jessica Abel.
Best Writer/Artist—Humor: Not Tony Millionaire? I don’t like Tony Millionaire. Ahm… I’m guessing Kim Deitch, though it’ll probably be Millionaire. I don’t like that stuff at all.
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team: This is a booby prize. Fuck it -- it should be Risso again. It really should. Ahm, of the one’s left… well, I’d have to go with J.H.Williams and Mick Gray for PROMETHEA…
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art): Multimedia? Let’s see -- well, Eric Drooker would probably win this, but I’d like to see Dave Mack win an Eisner someday, so I’m rooting for Mack. I’ve never seen Lorenzo mattotti’s books, though… But yeah, this’ll probably go to Eric Drooker.
Best Coloring: Matt Hollingsworth should and probably will win, but I HAVE to root for Patricia Mulvhill for 100 BULLETS now… Which is no let-down because she does a terribly good job there.
Best Lettering: Who cares? Come on. Anyway, what good is an Eisner to these guys? Aren’t they all losing their jobs now that Marvel’s taking their lettering in-house? It’s not like you can scalp an Eisner, is it? Yeah, anyway, seriously, I don’t care. Lettering’s hard. But I -- I have no idea. I don’t notice such things. As long as they don’t letter any of the ULTIMATE books, I’m fine.
Best Cover Artist: You know, I feel geeky but I like Kaare Andrews.
Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition: This is my favorite category even if there are some other books I’d rather have seen listed here (TEEENAGERS FROM MARS or INFINTITE KUNG FU). I’m rooting for FLEEP. I’m rooting against NOWHERE GIRL. I’ve never been inspired to buy FADE FROM BLUE before, but maybe I’ve missed something, who knows... I haven’t seen the other two. Congratulations to all of them, though.
Best Comics-Related Publication (Periodical or Book): Oh, fuck, the Krigstein book, are you kidding? IMP -- IMP is curious, but… the Krigstein book, don’t be stupid.
Best Publication Design: Shit, usually I just root against Tony Millionaire, that’s usually how I choose all my Eisner picks, but Chip Kidd? It goes to Chip Kidd for BEING Chip Kidd. He’ll get it anytime he’s nominated now. He’s that sort of name, you know? Who wants to be the guy who voted AGAINST CHIP KIDD for a BEST PUBLICATION DESIGN award? Who wants to be that guy?
Hall of Fame: Glad to finally see Herge shoved down people’s throats. Why he needed the shoving, I don’t know, but… they should get rid of VOTING for Hall of Fame…
Anyway, I SERIOUSLY got to go…
ILLUSTRATION COLLECTOR SET A PI
ILLUSTRATION COLLECTOR SET B PI
INU YASHA VOL 1 TP 2ND ED $8.95
INU YASHA VOL 2 TP 2ND ED $8.95
JAGUAR GOD RETURN TO XIBALBA (MR) $3.95
JAGUAR GOD RETURN TO XIBALBA FAN CLUB CVR ED (MR)$5.00
JOHNNY DYNAMITE TP $12.95
KODT MINISERIES PX SPECIAL ALT CVR VOL 1 #2 (Of 3)$2.99
KODT MINISERIES PX SPECIAL REG CVR VOL 1 #2 (Of 3)$2.99
KOLCHAK NIGHT STALKER LAMBS TO SLAUGHTER GN (MR)$6.95
MEN OF MYSTERY #40 $6.95
METAL HURLANT #5 (MR) $3.95
MIRACLEMAN APOCRYPHA #1 SKETCHED ED $34.99
MISS MASQUE #1 $5.95
NEGATION #17 $2.95
NEGATION VOL 2 TP BAPTISM OF FIRE $15.95
RAIJIN COMICS #19 (MR) $4.95
RAYEARTH SPECIAL GN BOX SET COLLECTION VOL 2 (Of 2)$29.99
ROUTE 666 VOL 1 TP HIGHWAY OF HORROR $15.95
SHONEN ACE MAGAZINE MAR 2003 $8.99
SIGIL #35 $2.95
SILENCERS #1 $3.50
SOJOURN #22 $2.95
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #122 $2.19
SYNCOPATED COMICS VOL 1 (MR) $6.95
TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #9 $2.95
TITAN VOL 3 COLD STEEL GN $10.95
TRANSFORMERS GENERATION ONE VOL 2 #1 (Of 6) $2.95
TWILIGHT X PKT MANGA #1 $14.95
UNUSUAL U 3 PACK $6.99
VAMPIRELLA #18 LTD CVR ED $9.95
VAMPIRELLA #18 LTD MODEL PHOTO ED $9.95
VAMPIRELLA #18 REG ED $2.99
WARHAMMER MONTHLY #67 $3.50
WEREWOLF APOCALYPSE GET OF FENRIS GN (MR) $5.50
X 1999 VOL 1 PRELUDE TP 2ND ED $9.95
X 1999 VOL 2 OVERTURE TP 2ND ED $9.95
XIN JOURNEY VAMPI OMEGA PREVIEW ED $1.99
YOUNG WITCHES VOL 5 THE LEGACY #5 (A) $3.95
ZEBEDIAH HILLBILLY ZOMBIE REDNECK BITES THE DUST GN $10.95
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