John Buys Comics. Uphill. In a blizzard.

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 It's true! It snowed so hard yesterday Wednesday that I got to leave work early, but I still trudged off to Strange Adventures to buy the comical booklets that I love so dearly. Plus I got some D&D miniatures. And also I stopped on the way home for some beer. Hell, if I'm going to get snowed in, lose power and gradually freeze to death I might as well go doing what I love.

But everything turned out all right! And I still got to keep the comics! Oh what a world we live in. Here are some of the stand-outs:

Oh hey, it's the DAYTRIPPER TRADE, YOU GUYS. Yes, that one series that I've been going on and on about for the last year has come out in trade and of course I haven't reread it yet, because I drank some of the beer and fell asleep early. But trust me, it's great. If you've read Casanova or Umbrella Academy then you know what Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá are capable of art-wise, and it's at least as great on a storytelling level. It's... the story of a man's life, told as a series of defining moments and punctuated by the finality of death. There, that's my succinct sumary. Does it tempt you? It should tempt you. Read it, damn it.

And in a completely different part of the comic spectrum, it's the Superman 80-Page Giant! Despite my abiding love for Superman, I almost passed on this one but heck, the Batman one was a hoot and this one followed suit. I mean, neither was perfect, but all that matters is that I am smiling at the end, yes? Here are the highlights: an amusing Bizarro take on the current Superman storyline, a completely awesome Jimmy Olsen yarn, Perry White's adopted son Keith re-entering continuity after maybe fifteen years and me still not being sold on bearded Jor-El. Headband Jor-El 4-evar, yo.

Oh god, so tired. This is all you get. Sorry 'bout that.

 

Real Smooth Moves

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Been reading some early Seventies DC magic in the form of Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love, a horror/mystery/romance book that later dropped the romance part and became Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion and then still later ceased to exist altogether. Something that I have noticed about the book: the male characters are just impeccably smooth, whether they're giving their prospective lady-love a little sweet talk to soften her up for smooching...

Or finding the precise and most appropriate moment to express their feelings...

(Hmm... not quite as obvious as I  had thought. Note that the lady is unconscious for the first two panels)

Or mixing it up: a little from technique A and a little from technique B:

Early Seventies, you have so much to teach us.

In a City Like Gotham, Even the Fashion Police are Corrupt.

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DOORMAN (thinks): Oh my god I can't believe how late I slept in this morning. I'd bet I got ready in 3 minutes flat. Sure hope Old Man Johnson doesn't notice my... Oh hey, Batman.

DOORMAN: Can I help you sir?

BATMAN: Is Mr. Geraldson in right now?

DOORMAN:

BATMAN (thinks):

EPILOGUE: Doorman docked one week's pay for breaking dress code and allowing a stranger into the building. Batman locates man at nearby restaurant.

Yet another apology ham anonymously delivered by Alfred.