Be Resolute: 2013

1. You've tried deleting Facebook; it's unnecessary and doesn't stick. So scale back Facebook presence to near-obscurity.
2. Exercise. Everyday. Somehow, some way.
3. Stop pirating comics and music. Only taking from major labels of artists you have philosophical issues with is no excuse. If you're not willing to pay for it you don't need to read or listen to it.
4. Subscribe to Spotify (see #3.)
5. Limit comics pull-list to 5 titles.
6. Comic books are great but read more book books.
7. Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper. Cool it on supper; you don't get home until 7 anyway so enjoy a light soup or salad.
8. Don't argue or instigate Republicans regarding politics or religion no matter how right you may be.
9. No fast food for the entire year. Fast food being as Anthony Bourdain refers to the likes of McDs and BK: soggy discs of ground up elbows and assholes. It's not even real food.
10. Get up and out of Hobbiton and back to the W-B, even temporarily so as to...
11. Get to school on time: this Fall. Web Development AS, here I come!

New List'nin': Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.A.A.d city

25 Days of Crimmus: Day 2

The Kinks - Father Christmas

Holiday thanks for who and what we have by way of a British hooligan of a Santa Claus impersonator mugging. Should be no surprise it's delivered by the crazy kooks Kinks frequently giving props to the nostalgia tunnel that is the photograph.

Nevermind Santa and his toys, the "jigsaw or Monopoly money." The message remains the same:

Have yourself a merry merry Christmas
Have yourself a good time
But remember the kids who got nothin'
While you're drinkin' down your wine

But Santa, if you got one, Ray will take a machine gun to scare the kids down the street.

Maybe tomorrow a traditional Crimmus tune.

25 Days of Crimmus: Day 1

Eels - Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas

This is the acoustic cousin of the more bombastic version from the Useless Trinkets rarities album. The addition of sleigh bells and yuletide choir elevate this holiday tune from the original's reassurance that yes, Mr. E, you'll be doing just fine. With the Christmas consumerism overload of advertisements and backed-up shopping mall on-ramps, couldn't we all use the same reminder?

Everything's gonna be cool.

Non-Crimmus List'nin': Flying Lotus, Until the Quiet Comes
Readin': All-Star X-Men #2 [Marvel], Batman Incorporated #5 [DC]

Ross Campbell to Publish Fan Fiction TMNT Webcomic

Joe Keatinge recently made a few revelations regarding Glory, his revamp of the dubious 90's Rob Liefeld not-quite-Wonder Woman knock-off. Among them was a price hike due to meager sales (shame on all of you) and an impending end to his and Ross Campbell's creative run. While I would generally welcome some wiggle room for my comics budget I would just as soon sacrifice a number of major label titles for Glory.

Although not the breakout hit Prophet became Glory sets the standard for a comic book reboot. With the inclusion of an almost all-female supporting cast to the bold reinvention of Glory herself, the title shows what a strong force women can be in modern comics. I'd declare it the definitive modern Wonder Woman if her own reboot wasn't so damned good itself. But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Keatinge seems to be juggling offers by the Big Two as well as his own surprise success, Hell Yeah [Image], but illustrator Ross Campbell hasn't strayed far from publishing his own web comics, nor does he intend to.

Like the rest of the industry Campbell has gotten cozy with nineties nostalgia, announcing a return to his TMNT work...but it's not what you might think. Last June the artist posted the above sketch via Tumblr with the following statement:

"[T]his is the first sketch for a TMNT fan-comic i’m cooking up called Secrets of the Ooze, which is a retelling of the second Turtles movie (a.k.a. the one with Vanilla Ice XD) with my own spin on the story and characters."

Having spent much of my elementary days sketching Ninja Turtles all over my composition books and later making fan-fic designs of my own, I'm a sucker for these redesigns. I haven't seen Campbell's TMNT: Micro-Series Leonardo work but his style is a perfect match; all round features, cartoonishly exaggerated calves and Sam Keith feet. Among the changes included is a fifth turtle, a female named Artemisia, DayGlo markings in place of bandanas, and hand-made junk heap weaponry.

As for when we can anticipate SOTO, Campbell states, "[I]’m hoping next year, [I]’m hoping [I] can squeeze a page a week into my schedule and run it as weekly webcomic." Make sure to follow his website and Tumblr for more news and artwork including a lineup of SOTO's villains.

Pull List 101: September 12, 2012

With my admittedly harsh comments yesterday regarding the recent output of the comic industry's Big Two publishers I should probably clarify exactly what it is I am reading. You might be surprised to find my LCBS pull list is nearly half what I so offhandedly referred to as New 52 fluff. While my opinion of DC's continuity relaunch is mixed at best, its probably left to a blog post all its own. Suffice it to say, there are some great comics to be found among the editorial muck.

On the flip-side, I have exactly two Marvel titles reserved in paper copy. This can fluctuate from week-to-week depending on rotating creative teams and might change entirely with the coming Marvel New 22NOW! relaunch starting this October. Secret Avengers, Uncanny X-Men, and Wolverine & the X-Men were solid reads until they took on the role of token summer event tie-ins, the latter looking to be the first AVX victim to be released from the asylum with this week's issue. *psst* Chris Bachalo's back on art; can't miss it.

My love of Rob Liefeld's relaunched and completely re-purposed Prophet and Glory kill me a little inside with each recurring issue. Brandon Graham (King City, Multiple Warheads) and crew have taken the former comic atrocity and re-imagined it into a Heavy Metal romp—an intergalactic barbaric adventure through the artistic lens of three of the industry's best. It could only be topped by Brian K. Vaughn's (Y: the Last Man, Ex Machina) adult Star Wars space saga Saga, which is ironic given its childhood inspiration and children's book illustrated narrative style.

Having been raised on pioneer indie publishers Image Comics and Dark Horse, Sam Keith's psychological head-fuck the Maxx and Mike Mignola's brimstone bruiser Hellboy were my two watershed influences. It only makes sense I would seek out similarly unique and non-editorially shackled books. Luckily Image has become an increasingly popular presence in the industry—arguably on the back of the Walking Dead's success—and has been pumping out creator owneds and this December sees the return of Mignola on story and art with Hellboy In Hell. All I asked was a jumping on point on one or two indie titles and I've been given a cornucopia.

Today being New Comic Day, as Big Bang Theory has attempted to catch-phrase into popularity, I should probably list today's purchases and downloads. Reviews/comments/vague oversight to come, possibly maybe. Check it:

Purchase: Wolverine & the X-Men #16, Batman #0, the Victories #2, Uncanny X-Force #31, the Manhattan Projects #6

Download: AVX #11, Uncanny X-Men #18, Batman & Robin #0, X-Treme X-Men #3, Creep #1

Tomorrow, some music news: the passing of an indie label great, and an update on colossus fave Black Moth Super Rainbow. Lates.

Long Time No Blog

I started reading "Eating the Dinosaur" by Chuck Klosterman during a power outage this past weekend. It opens with a series of discussions between Klosterman and various (and varying types of) journalists regarding the art and craft of the interview. In one such discussion, British author Chris Heath states the following:

I'm not sure that we aren't seeing the emergence of a society in which almost everyone who isn't famous considers themselves cruelly and unfairly unheard. As though being famous, and the subject of wide attention, is considered to be a fulfilled human being's natural state—and so, as a corollary, the cruelly unheard millions are perpetually primed and fired up to answer any and all questions in order to redress this awful imbalance.

Klosterman deduces that very statement explains the "rise of New Media." Do I believe that I inherently desire to be some entitled, perpetually drunk heiress? No. Do I believe that the internet has opened up an expansive playground in which I, as a unique individual, feel I must be heard?

Yes. Guilty as charged.

As such, this is an attempt to prove that my blogging has not merely been a byproduct of my unemployment. I've been correcting a lot of errs, getting my life back on track. I'm four months employed, looking at school next Fall, losing weight (19.8 lbs down), and getting my financial weight in check.

Not unlike my diet, so much of my comic book appetite (having primarily being a comic book blog) became full of empty calories. Crossover continuity crushing Avengers vs. X-Men tie-ins. New 52 fluff. I was consuming comics simply to feed my weekly(ish) panels feature and finding myself not enjoying all the satisfying whole food comics.

So like my diet (and by extension, my life) I've cut the crap. I can count my local comic book store (LCBS) pull list on two hands and I'm downloading far fewer titles. That being said, I'm not sure what, if any, form a panels feature will be... featured here. It's kind of played out anyway, right? I mean, they're everywhere (my personal favorites being here and here.) So unless I come up with some unique idea, panels will merely play as part of larger reviews and features.

I have no delusions to any overall purpose for almost colossus. We'll see what it slowly evolves into but for now, consider it my expanded Facebook without all the New Media-ness. Much like it began, really. There will be a couple small posts coming tomorrow and we'll see where things go from there.

Peas.

PULL LIST: Proper Superhero Shit | April 4, 2012

Things got a little hectic this past week. I'm going to wrap things up briefly with a couple legit reviews and simply panels and a few words for the rest. Then, on to this week's comics. There's simply too much to cover the first half of each month and little the second. Maybe I'll spread the reviews out in the future so that they're not necessarily specific to the date of release.

Take note of the new rating system as well. Let's call it X out of 5 Mokkelbosts, hm?

Swamp Thing #8

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Swamp Thing is finally revealed in full as he confronts Sethe, the "stinking Lord of the Rot," in hopes of rescuing Abigail Arcane from its clenches. Head-to-toe in Mignolia-esque medieval armor of his own Green composition, Swampy bears lush wings and a crown of spiked antlers. It would seem goofy if it didn't look so badass.

Snyder nails Alec Holland's complete acceptance of his role, having dragged him kicking and screaming to accept his role as heir to the Swamp Thing legacy. There are no traces of the reluctant hero here.

PULL LIST: AVX | April 4, 2012

PULL LIST was originally intended to kick off with a lengthy Avengers vs. X-Men event review which I had all but ready to post until my (n)ever trusty HTC Android phone decided to take a shit and die. I've lost track of the times I've performed a factory restore on this thing. This is by no means a tech blog, but just say no to HTC products.

But I digress. Comic panels are late, late, late this week. I've had a few job prospects, interviews, Zombie Jesus Day, etc. So, here's installment one of PULL LIST: the AVX edition.

Wolverine & the X-Men #8

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Without a functioning Matter Transmuter to repair a crippled Wolverine from last issue's foiled casino raid on Planet Sin, the Beast, né Dr. Henry McCoy, PhD. must rocket to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters in Earth's orbit to recover his backup. But what Dr. McCoy finds instead is a bloody murder scene and his girlfriend, The Peak's Director, held captive by a rehabilitated Sabretooth who forces Beast to shed his diplomatic exterior if he wants to save Abigail's life.

THIS WEEK IN PANELS: March 28, 2012

Last week for THIS WEEK IN PANELS, folks. In case you missed yesterday's post, later this week TWIP will undergo an expanded format under the title PULL LISTED. I'll probably let the link to TWIP linger for a few weeks in the Features column but I don't have any intention of merging labels for the two features. So bookmark away or get friendly with the search function if you want to backtrack.

Let's start this (last) week off with one of my favorite comics by one of my favorite artists. I missed it in the March 21st post and, frankly, nothing this week compared for the coveted "panel of the week." Abbreviations still go (S) Story, (A) Art, O))) Sunn.

The Goon #38

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This month's Goon marks the second issue focusing on tales of semi-fictional characters that aren't Goon. Kizzie, feeling out of place in her podunk town, leaves her family and fiancé to join the traveling circus, eventually displaying her brute strength as the Iron Maiden, and (without giving too much away) becomes a very prominent figure in the Goon's life.

More panels make ya jump, jump.

BMSR April Fools

The following status was posted by Black Moth Super Rainbow main man Tobacco's Facebook early yesterday afternoon:

My opposite of an April fools joke - song from the new album, forever in the making, tomorrow afternoon: http://soundcloud.com/black-moth-super-rainbow. #freebmsr

After some fans speculated the release of BMSR's much belabored album Psychic Love Damage, a video for "Like A Sundae (edit)" was posted to Tobacco's website late last night. Whether this is the #freebmsr in question or not, the one minute thirty-seven second track is a welcome return from the Pittsburgh band.

The keys in BMSR songs always reminded me of the music during the scenic country drive in the neo-zombie flick 28 Days Later. That recollection is stronger than ever here, especially with the nuclear playground scene of the accompanying video. Take a peak below and follow Tobaxxo.com throughout day for more treats, April Fools or no.

Site Happenings: April 1, 2012

Something just occurred to me, it's now been two years since I acquired this blog space and began contemplating when, how, and why I was tackling this thing. And quite frankly, I'm still not sure. Initially I intended to feature original art and graphic design. Having not really done much with my talents in a while I've found inspiration and motivation to be infrequent. I've also been highly critical of my design work, being only self-taught in Photoshop, Illustrator, and such.

Basically, its going to be a while until there's any real artistic content.

In the meantime I've been bouncing back and forth between promoting comics and music that I find unique and interesting. I think there's been too little music and too much and the wrong kind of focus on comics. THIS WEEK IN PANELS is getting out of hand as I find myself reading more and more titles each week in effort to lengthen the post, leading only to delays in the actual posting. Quality over quantity.

This brings me to some upcoming projects:

• THIS WEEK IN PANELS will become PULL LISTED as I focus on selected titles (TBA) and feature full reviews. I'm still debating whether PULL LISTED will be a single post on Thursdays or spread over two or three days. I'll do a test run this week and last week's delayed TWIP will see publication later today.


• The Hunger Games movie review has been pushed back until I get a chance to see it once more to solidify my opinions. They're a little jaded at the moment, having been somewhat a fan of the novels. Expect it sometime next weekend or the following Monday (April 9.)


• Paul Pope's Batman: Year 100 comic review is coming soon. SPOILER ALERT: Its awesome.


• And expect much more music to come. I'm going to try and hook up some interviews with independent (and possibly local) musicians. Album reviews should be more frequent, too, with Melvins and Quakers reviews coming shortly.

I hope those of you following are still entertained as I try and figure out exactly what I'm doing here. I'll try to figure it out as soon as possible. Drop me a line with encouragement, criticism, and comments.

- J

VIDEO: Regina Spektor - "All the Rowboats"

Regina Ilyinichna Spektor's music has been labelled "eccentric" by music journalists too lazy to formulate a genuine opinion on a diverse (albeit scatterbrained) body of work ranging in style from classical piano ("Apres Moi") to cutesy pop ("On the Radio") to the utterly macabre ("Chemo Limo"), sometimes within the very same song ("Back of A Truck.") Criticism aside, Spektor has risen from posting free albums to the internet (2002's Songs) to certifiable Gold (2006's Begin to Hope) in just under five years. That's no small feat for anyone, let alone an eccentric Russian-born classical pianist.

But when 2009's Far felt heavy by the hand of over-production, many fans were left want for the intimacy of her earlier recordings: little more than Regina, piano, and her patented human beatbox metronome. Ironically, its under the hand of superstar producer Mike Elizondo (Eminem, Fiona Apple, Dr. Dre) that new single "All the Rowboats" channels the live studio energy of her earlier work paired with the broken electronics of previous tracks "Edit" and "Machine."

 

The Adria Petty directed video (she also directed the excellent "Countdown" for Beyonce) features the sort of Michel Gondry cartoon reality props that are reminiscent of his video for Bjork's "Human Behavior" as Regina fights her way through claymation waves, undersea nets, and a ginormous maritime rope vice before finally rowing to freedom on fluorescent oars. A perfectly nightmarish video for an ominous track that bodes very well for her upcoming album.

"All the Rowboats" is the first single off What We Saw from the Cheap Seats out May 29th.  Watch the video below:

MUSIC NEWS & INTERLUDES: BADBADNOTGOOD

Cannuck hip-hop/jazz-strumentalists BADBADNOTGOOD are poised to release their second studio full-length on April 3rd. The no-frills titled BBNG2 continues the eponymous naming of 2011's mostly covers mixtape BBNG and two following live sets. BADBADNOTGOOD's sound is firmly rooted in jazz and live instrumentation emulation of Dilla beats with the end result sounding like a looser, free-form version of The Roots, sans vocals.

But that's about as close to FM radio or anything BNM'd by Pitchfork as they're likely to get. As far as comparisons go, they're more akin to the nerdy kids jamming in your University's jazz club, although they do share much in common with the "future rock" of Providence, Rhode Island's now defunct Grüvis Malt.

According to their Bandcamp page, the trio met while enrolled at Humber College in Toronto, Canada, over a mutual admiration of hip-hop artists OFWGKTA, Gucci Mane, and Wacka Flocka Flame. They tend to lean toward the neo-jazz production of Flying Lotus and covers of Legend of Zelda's Ocarina of Time, though; although they did some sessions recordings with Odd Future's Tyler, the Creator.

Seriously, only these guys could make that dude tolerable.

 

No word on cost or method of release, but if their previous live and studio releases are any indication, BBNG2 will be available as a free download on their website. Until then, check out the promo video above which parodies recent Apple ads. Watch for the witch house spoofing album art at the end and make sure to snatch up all the free musics on their site and stay based.

OMGWTFBBNGKTALOL: Four Tet, Rounds | BADBADNOTGOOD, BBNG

THIS WEEK IN PANELS: March 21, 2012

Revel, one and all, in the new formatting! Bask in the equalizing page breaks! Tremble at the sight of creator credits! (S) Story, (A) Art, (You) Smitten!

Also, next update -- new feature title (finally) and header icon. Excelsior!

Dark Horse Presents #10

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DHP #10 is a welcome return to the indies of my rebellious teens. The return of Milk & Cheese? (Not entirely sure they went anywhere, really. Time to bone up on that.) Geof Darrow and Andrew Vachss? All I needed was some Tank Girl and I'd have been transported back to hovering over longboxes, flipping through back issues of Deadline USA.

More after the jump. Don't stop, get it get it!

Jean Giraud "Moebius" (1938-2012)

On March 10, 2012 the comic and art world lost a living legend in prolific illustrator Jean Henri Gaston Giraud, more widely known as the singular moniker Moebius. Anyone with even a fleeting interest in fantasy and science fiction in the late 20th century has felt Giraud's broad influence. His film contributions alone are immense, contributing storyboards and concept designs to the films Alien, Willow, Tron, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, and The Fifth Element.

It is, perhaps, his comic work that defines him -- from co-founding Métal Hurlant which would translate into the long-running English science fiction magazine Heavy Metal, to his own ambitious independent titles: Blueberry, Azrach, The Incal, and the Airtight Garage of Jerry Cornelius. But it is perhaps his work on Marvel's own space philosopher that sealed his legend. In just two issues, Stan Lee and Moebius' Silver Surfer: Parable depicted a showdown between the Surfer and intergalactic devourer of worlds, Galactus, that has since defined the character on par with creator Jack Kirby himself.

Having read several obituaries and tributes over the past week, it seems that most fans in their early thirties and on have a similar story regarding their introduction to Moebius. I am no different. As far back as middle school, I had been fascinated with an illustration of late guitarist Jimi Hendrix eating a surreal bowl of soup floating out of its own dish in psychedelic appendages as smoke billows from Hendrix's own purple afro that graced the cover of a double album import of Are You Experienced / Axis: Bold As Love. Eventually I would discover the work credited to a single name: Moebius.

Already, I recognized his style on the screen (or rather, the video rental store), in Ralph Bakshi's animated science-fantasy Wizards and, of course, in comic books. The cover of SS: Parable was everywhere -- on ads and t-shirts -- and his detailed abstract style was so apparent in the works of Geof Darrow (Hard Boiled, Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot) and Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman, New X-Men) and in the anime of Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Gibli (Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke). It's no wonder blogs like Comic Twart and What Not are abundant with illustrated homages to the artist.

Brazilian author Paulo Coelho appropriately eulogized, "the great Moebius died today, but the great Moebius is still alive. Your body died today, your work is more alive than ever." Jean Giraud was 73. His work can be found in the collected volumes Moebius 0-9 and several editions and reprints of his comics and art.

Watch a bittersweet video of the master in action below:

Page Update, New Reviews

In an effort to bring more content to this page I will be posting more reviews. I seem to be heading in that direction with almost colossus as I've been less studious in art and graphic design for the moment.

Short term, I will be posting a review of Paul Pope's futuristic Batman tale, Batman: Year 100, as well as a review of noise relics the Melvins free EP, the Bulls & the Bees.

I should be posting more of my favorite comics as I discover them while music is going to be somewhat of a grab bag for the time being. I'm not too interested in making my view on so-called classics but I may do some sort of notable series of reviews -- stuff that's influenced me over the years. I may also review local and submitted comics and music if there's enough interest.

So please, submit your independent music and comics and I'll give you a bump. Contact me at any of the social networking tools, and until then:

THIS WEEK IN PANELS: March 14, 2012

THIS WEEK IN PANELS features the best in comic book panels each week. No criteria, no rhyme, no reason. Excelsior! (Click pictures to embiggen)

The Strange Talent of Luthor Strode #6 by Justin Jordan & Tradd Moore; Image 2012

Going on a year of reintegrating into comics after a lengthy break (Battle Chasers was still ongoing when I stopped), I find myself already tiring of the same ol' hero-punch-villain routine. The DC reboot was revitalizing at first for new/return readers but seven issues in, it seems most titles are already running on superhero auto-pilot.

Luckily, indie titles are vibrant in today's industry with Image pumping out new creator-owneds each week. I don't know that I'll find anything quite like, say, The Maxx which blew my 16-year-old mind, but Luthor Strode came pretty damn close. The pivotal panel above illustrates Moore's Adam Warren-esque style with the hyper-reality pacing of Scott Pilgrim that made this mini such a quick and incredibly satisfying read.

THIS WEEK IN PANELS: March 7, 2012

THIS WEEK IN PANELS features the best in comic book panels each week. No criteria, no rhyme, no reason. Excelsior! (Click pictures to embiggen)

Swamp Thing #7 by Scott Snyder & Yanick Paquette; DC 2012

Snyder and crew absolutely killed it this week in Swamp Thing. Paquette's art here is the best we've ever seen, its beautiful and gruesome (that child's head on the Rot's abomination) and minutely detailed in all of the Green fauna: the sunflower in panel border bloom, Swampy's cabbage coccoon, the psychedelic haze, leaves, and distortion of the Rot borders. J.H. Williams III better come back from his break on Batwoman with a vengeance because Paquette's progressive page designs are giving him a serious run.

Oh, and did I mention Swampy? This is the issue we've all been waiting for. Although I could have posted any damn panel here there was only ever one. The beast is back.

MUSIC NEWS & INTERLUDES: March 7, 2012

Indie rapper DOOM (a.k.a. MF DOOM) is the focus of the Spring 2012 issue of quarterly urban magazine Frank Book. Distributed free to select metropolitan areas by Frank 151, the pocket-sized publication is "helmed by a special Guest Curator and focuses on a unique editorial theme," as described by the media group itself. According to Stones Throw, the DOOM issue will feature "ILLUSTRATED DOOM LYRICS, ARTICLES FROM COLLABORATORS, [and] PHOTOS" from the likes of Jeremy Povolny, Mr. Kiji, and more. Keep a lock on Stones Throw for copies and locations.

Follow the jump for news on Tobacco, Flying Lotus, and more.

Melvins Free EP, Album; Tour Van For Sale

Little more than ten years ago, intrigued by name recognition and reverse packaging, I found my first taste of the Melvins. I wasn't sure what to expect behind the greyscale bar code television collage and DayGlo orange packaging of Colossus of Destiny, but what I found was almost 60 minutes of bleeps, blorps, squeals, and samples. At the time, I found it completely unlistenable.

Luckily, though, I was still curious -- a few months later they released Hostile Ambient Takeover, which delivered high octane guitars and drums and limited the electro-experimentation to an a 16-minute track and an extended outro. I was hooked. Material over their 25-year plus career range in sound from proto-grunge garage rock, Sabbath sludge at a snail's pace, and avant garde noise experimentalism. It's no wonder they've influenced bands from Nirvana to Queens of the Stone Age to Mastodon and beyond.

The grunge godfathers continue their campaign of annual output this year with not one, but two releases under two lineups and one new moniker. Listen to the track "Friends Before Larry" (via Metal Sucks) below and follow the jump for more, including the two releases.