Monthly Archive for September, 2008

ZOMBIEFEST DETAILS

Okay, so after a bunch of delays, Zombiefest ’08 is officially on.
We will have zombie movies each night in the shop and then on the side of the building outside on Saturday, October 11th.

Here is our schedule:
Monday, October 6th: 28 Days Later

Tuesday, October 7th: The remake of Dawn of the Dead
(Okay! then we are done with fake running “zombies”)

Wednesday, October 8th: Return of the Living Dead
(Then talking funny zombies… hmmm.)

Thursday, October 9th: Day of the Dead
(Now were talking!  Uncle George, he knows REAL zombies!)

Friday, October 10th: Land of the Dead

Saturday, October 11th:
1. Fido

2. George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead

3. Shawn of the Dead
Remember this is an all weather showing (unless it’s raining) come even if it’s cold.  I remember the first year we did it… man, that was frosty.
We will be running zombie movies inside the shop on Saturday night as well, but those are as yet undetermined.
There’ll be a costume contest and other activities going on as well.  Pretty much a drive in movie atmosphere, just with out the bad popcorn, cars and backseats.

Come, learn and have fun… because it is not if, but when!!

Week of September 30th

Sorry for this not getting this out on Monday, but I was a little preoccupied with baseball yesterday and will be so again today.
The best book I read last week was Black Panther #41 (I also sold out of it, but I’m reviewing it for a different reason.)  In this Secret Invasion crossover, Jason Aaron proves why he’s one of the best writers in the industry.  I’ve not been reading The Panther and I picked it up simply because of Aaron’s name.  His Scalped is one of Vertigo’s premiere books.  Not a real happy go-lucky book (actually rather depressing) but certainly well written.  Aaron’s run on Ghost Rider has me reading that book for the first time in my life and really enjoying it.  Aaron has taken a plot-line (The spirit of vengeance is a weapon of Heaven and a corrupt angel… changing the total dynamic of the book)  However, I’m not talking about those good books, I’m talking about Black Panther, can you dig it?
The story could just as easily NOT been a part of the Secret Invasion crossover.  Aaron writes a hell of a vicious tale as the Skrulls are trying to take Wakanda for the empire.  The final issue of the arc is written from the point of view of the Skrull commander and reads like an old school war comic.  This is the same kind of writing he does on Scalped; vicious and from the point of view of the “villian.”  If you see his name on a book (like the on-going Ghost Rider or Scalped) just pick it up, you will not regret it.
(An aside to this… Jason Caskey, the shops first comic hold list, walked into the store this morning saw Jason Aaron’s name on Black Panther, didn’t even ask if it was any good and just put it on the pile of books he was reading.  “It’s got Aaron’s name on it, it has to be decent.”  “Ghost Rider is one of my least favorite characters and one of the top five reads each month – just because of the writing.”  Another satisfied Aaron customer.)

A week from Tuesday (October 14th) we’ll show Iron Man in the shop.  Then the week after, we’ll get into some good horror movies… probably John Carpenter… Hell Yeah!

The Week of September 22nd

Zombiefest 2008.  The dead will rise again, one last time.  It’ll be on Saturday, October 11th and movies will start at 7:00.  We’ll have a signing of some sort here at the shop during the late afternoon.  I’m considering what we should watch and am leaning towards some Romero films.  When it comes to zombies, he’s kind of the master of the genre… though Shawn is a pretty damn funny film… I don’t know yet.  If you have requests, I’m all ears, but you have to tell me why we should play the film you want.  Those films that don’t make the cut for Saturday will be shown during the week, one a night starting on Monday and proceeding through Friday.  (There might not be a movie on Wednesday as there is a Presidential debate that night.)

More Movie Fun Time.  Monday Movies at 7:00 continues.  We’ll watch Predator tonight and both Bill and Ted movies next week, but will be switching up for October.  We have been asked if we could move the night to Tuesday’s and next month we will try it on that night as a way to try and garner a little more interest.
Rock Band is also still on Wednesdays at 7:00 as well.

We will also be showing the first presidential debate this Friday.  The debate starts at 8:00.  I’ll be here and wearing my liberal heart on my sleeve just above my boxing gloves.

All Star Superman #12… wow.  I’ve enjoyed this book so much over the three years it’s been published (I can’t remember if it has taken that long, but it sure seems like it) and am sad it is ended.  I’ve loved every issue.  This one doesn’t disappoint and was better then everything else that came out last week.  Frank Quietly’s art is really something special.  His line work and facial expressions are so similar to one of my all time favorite artists Kevin McGuire, but his attention to background detail far exceeds nearly everyone working today.  Morrison’s writing on this book has been, like everything he writes, great and weird.  I always feel sort-of dumb after finishing some of his work.  He uses these big, but fake words that make me feel like I’m reading a more complex book then I really am.  He very well could be this generation’s Orson Wells or George Orwell and is most certainly the best writer in comics.  I’ll argue that with anyone.  If you haven’t read this book, I recommend the first trade with is available now.  Unfortunately the second trade will not be out for probably six months, but I think I can get most of the issues, so, that is an option too.  Either way, I can not recommend it enough.

On the flip side is All Star Batman and Robin… I’m not going to get going on my personal dislike of this book, but I wanted to point out the absurd mess that has grown out of issue 10, which hits shelves this week.  There was a printing error regarding some really bad language which has made this book even more controversial then it was before.  I couldn’t come close to get everything that has gone on with this issue in one little paragraph, so I recommend Rich Johnston’s column, Lying in the Gutters, from last week.  You can find it here: www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=18058 and it’s entitled “some days you just can’t get rid of an F-bomb.”  Very good reading.

And it wouldn’t be a set of reviews without me mentioning how much Captain America is so amazing and awesome!!  I’ve read next week’s issue (number 42) and it’s the end of a storyline that has stretched the better part since the relaunch.  Obviously it’s super great and is still the best superhero comic on the racks.  If I have not yet convinced you (what do I have to do?) let me put it this way.  Curt, fellow Cup business partner, read very little Marvel before working at the shop.  (You don’t get half the name Brother’s DC for nothing.)  He wanted to broaden his reading several months ago and looked at my favorites and wanted to read Cap.  I loaned him all the issues up to current and is now collecting it.  He considers it one of the ten best comics he is collecting.  Only a small step for Matt, but still a victory for comics.

Add-on for September 15th

It appears as though Zombiefest 2008 is a go.

The dead will rise at dusk on Saturday, October 11th.

Obviously, there is a lot more information to come on this breaking story…  Stand by for word from the authorities.

The Week of September 15th

I hope everyone is feeling okay.  Man-o-man, I have not seen so many people walking around like zombies in some time.  Not really dead, not really alive either.. a bunch of Zombies.  I’ve been in that state off and on for like the last two weeks.  Lack of playing hockey will do that, you never hear about an outbreak starting in Canada, do you?
I have a couple of reviews for you, a few you might not suspect.
I read and enjoyed the first issue of Deadpool.  This is surprising to me, as I have never read any of  Deadpool’s series ever (with or with-out any Cable.)  I’ve just never been a real big fan of the character or the creators on the book.  It was pretty funny and seemed to have no relation to any old story lines, but I’m sure that will change.  It is, however, very tied in to the Secret Invasion, but would be readable without the main crossover book too.  Surprisingly good.
Another book I read was the House of M/Civil War book.  I think it probably got put in my pile by one of my devious business partners, the brother’s DC as I have started calling them.  I would never have read it if I was pulling the books myself.  Thing is it wasn’t bad.  Cristos Gage is an under rated writer and this book shows it.  He was not working with much on this, House of M was not a real strong story, but you could read this as just its own alternate history Marvel book.  This issue appears to be a history of The House of M (though I don’t really remember much about the House, so, I’m not really sure if this is new or not.)  However, if you are a Marvel Zombie, you would probably like this.  I’m not and I will be reading the rest of the series.
The two best books last week were The Goon #28 and The Stand.
First the Goon.  Man, if you are not reading this book, shame on you.  It is so damn good and if you don’t believe me, ask Nate on a Wednesday night or Saturday Morning.  He’ll tell you the same thing I do, THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS ON THE MARKET!  It’s for everyone too.  My fiancé is now reading it too, and it may be her favorite book, even more the Fables.  Powell has made comments on how important it is to write for the single issue.  He wants people to be able to pick up an issue, read it and want more, not need more to understand it.  That said, the book is better if you read some older trades first, but it’s not necessary that you do.  I’ve talked and beat this horse into the ground, but it really is fantastic.
The second best book last week was The Stand.  Now I’ve never read the (real) book, but if it’s the intent of Mr. King to license his stuff out so people would go and pick up his novel… it’s working.  I really liked this comic.  I’m sure they are cutting tons out of it and I know King writes very good descriptive characterizations.  That is, I’m sure missing, but for basic comic story telling it has me very much awaiting the next issue.  It also didn’t make me feel I wasn’t getting something.  I tried the first issue of Dark Tower (of the first series) and I didn’t get it.  I felt as if I was missing something that would make the whole story click for me and have since not bothered to read any of the rest of the series.  So, if you are looking for something not superhero and with good storytelling, try it.  You will like it.
Some shop notes:
We will be showing Sin City tonight at 7:00.  Next week we’ll show Predator.
On September 26th, we will have the first Presidential debate up on the screen and you can gather and discuss.  I have not perfected how to make this happen yet and will have to talk to my tech guy on streaming it, but, if this works it could open up a lot of possibilities.