I’ve been jamming to this tune something fierce. It has a really simple melodic background, but there’s something that just feels so good about it. And now I’m sharing it with you!
I officially have a pull list with my local comic book retailer. Stranger yet: the guy who owns the place now recognizes me when I walk through the door. Clearly I buy a lot of comics… And, well, this is actually kind of awesome. Most of my comics are coming from a local place called All Star Sportscards & Comics. It’s probably the best place in Gainesville to get comic books. Though it’s not as big as the other major comic shop in town — MegaComics — the prices are better, the staff seems friendlier and more helpful, and every time I go there, I spend money (which is great for the owner, but not always so good for my bank account — oh, hell, who am I kidding? I love comics). In a way, I’m fortunate to live in a town that even has a comic book shop. Short of buying hardback or trade paperback collections, without a shop, I’d have almost no way to rebirth my interest in the form. And that, I think, would be a horrible thing for me, as one of the things sustaining me through what is one of the toughest years I’ve had in a while (in terms of work and intellectual requirement) is this rediscovered passion for comics. I’m having those little kid moments again. You know the sort. You open a book, movie, comic, or pack of collectible cards and you experience some variation of the following: tingling skin, goose bumps, elevated heart rate, an uncontrollable desire to smile or jump up and down, and just an overall feeling of excited euphoria. I had those moments when I was a kid only a few times, really. Video games and movies were part of what helped me survive what I would describe as a relatively shitty childhood. Comics were part of that, too, though I certainly moved away from them when I hit my teens (RPGs and video games filled that gap). In a way, I’ve always been a geek, so there’s something nostalgic and generally pleasurable about rediscovering something that made you happy when you were younger. That’s what it’s been like the last few weeks. With all the things going on in my life at the moment — most of them stressful, but not necessarily “bad” — I need something to help me decompress. Comics are doing just that right now. And I’m loving every minute! Anywho. You may wonder what I put on my pull list. Well, here you go: Superman Unchained Superman & Batman Justice League of America Cable & X-Force Uncanny X-Force X-Men (Vol. 4) Nova Secret Avengers New Avengers Iron Man The Wake I also have subscriptions to Batman, Justice League of America (through a donation I made, which is cool), Uncanny X-Men and Uncanny Avengers. I may switch the last two to the regular pull list when the subscriptions are up; apparently the comics are not properly bagged and boarded when shipped, which means they get a little beat up through the mail. I’m a bit of a collector now, so I’m not a big fan of slightly-mangled comics. That list will probably change over time, depending on how the stories progress. Right now, I am pretty much obsessed with Batman, Uncanny X-Men, and Cable & X-Force, though I’m sure Superman Unchained will join the obsessions list soon (Scott Snyder is writing it, which means I am almost guaranteed to love it). Needless to say, comics are one of the many things I am grateful for right now. If ever there was something to discuss during my Week of Joy, comics would be it! What about you? What are you reading, watching, or just straight up loving right now? Let me know in the comments.
If you don’t follow me on Twitter, then you have no idea what this is all about. Basically, with all the nasty crap going on in the world right now, not to mention in the science fiction and fantasy community, I have decided to take one whole week off from depressing things and only write about things that bring me or others some sense of joy. I won’t go completely off the trail, of course, but I think a little detox will do me (and maybe others) some good. So, for the next seven days, you can expect lots of talk about books (releases, books I like, etc.), comics (ditto), movies (ditto), and anything else I feel like babbling about (SF/F-related or otherwise). Of course, I don’t have to do this alone. If you want to join in, feel free to do so! All you have to do is spend the next week blogging or tweeting about things that make you happy. That’s the only rule. And if you do join in, let me know where you’re going to do it so I can link everyone who reads my blog to your stuff! And so you should all prepare yourselves, for the Week of Joy has BEGUN!
If you haven’t seen this already, then you have to look before the whole thing goes kaput. DMCA notices have been issued (expected really), and it’s unlikely the images will remain online in an easily accessible space for long (if I’m wrong about that, please let me know in the comments). So what is Speculative Friction? The owner of the page defines the project as a “disinfectant” for the SF/F community. The tumblr itself contains a number of screencaps from the SFF.net forums, featuring the sometimes sexist, but mostly confused, thoughts on the SFWA fiasco(s) from the last month (I discussed the second fiasco here) from several big-name and lesser-known SF/F authors. It’s quite illuminating, really. I definitely recommend reading it. Anywho!
A half-and-half list. Half new stuff, and half retro stuff. It’s really kind of weird how this keeps happening. Oh well. Here’s the list: 10. Genre Books for Non-Genre People: Still Missing the Point, Folks! 9. Why I Hated Superman Returns 8. Amal El-Mohtar Calls for the Expulsion of Theodore Beale from the SFWA 7. Silly Reader Questions: Super Powers, Magic, Bathrooms, and Poetry 6. Top 10 Most Ridiculous Moments in Science Fiction and Fantasy Film in the 90s 5. Dear Regal Cinemas: Insane People and How Your Staff Responded 4. Ray Bradbury Predictions Fulfilled 3. Top 10 Cats in Science Fiction and Fantasy 2. Top 10 Overused Fantasy Cliches 1. SFWA, Sexism, and Progress (A Response to Jason Sanford)
