Here are some more cool blogs to read!!

This is something I like to do from time to time... point out good stuff on blogs other than mine, because a lot of these sites are cool enough to demand exposure, and because it is a great filler for when I don't know what else to post!

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The last two times I did this I worked the blog name into a pun, but I won't do that this time. A few of those blogs that got my pun treatment have since stopped updating, and I can only assume it's because of my terrible jokes. So, Mark and Emily, I am deeply, deeply sorry. I should be... punished?

Okay, that's the only one, I swear.

ANYWAY:

Covered: This is a really cool art blog whereby indie comics artists do their own versions of classic comics covers. Lots of fun to look at! Here is yesterday's entry, by The Man Who Loved Breasts artist Robert Goodin:



Deep End of the Long Box: This blog, run by my friend Mike, is premised on the treasures (or crap) you find when you finally read those comics you bought years ago for the sole reason that they were super-cheap. I think this is a really unique and interesting concept; I don't believe I can name any other "random back-issue review" blogs. Visiting his page is like spinning the big wheel on the Price is Right... you never know what you're going to get, and maybe Drew Carey will heckle you a little bit.

GeniusBoyFireMelon: I'm not sure why this blog is so named... perhaps it's explained in an earlier post... but I know that its author, Timothy Callahan, is one of my favorite writers in the field of comics criticism (it is sadly a small field, but Mr. Callahan would be awesome no matter how much competition there was). I own his book Grant Morrison: The Early Years, which is a fantastic look at Morrison's career from Zenith through Doom Patrol, and I really really hope that a book covering Morrison's later stuff (JLA, All Star Superman, Final Crisis, Seaguy, etc.) is on the horizon. He's also written a book on the Legion of Superheroes called Teenagers from the Future. The point is that his writing on comics is thoughtful, incisive, and awesome. He often reviews hordes of comics that come out every week, and I always love to hear his opinions.

You Ain't No Picasso: Screw Pitchfork, this is my source for indie rock on the net (and actually, comics do come up every now and again). You will often find cool videos or new MP3s; there seems to be a focus on obscure, neat covers (I must have downloaded like 60 different songs Of Montreal covered off this site). Bonus, if you go there soon, down at the bottom of the page you can catch a video of this really sweet Pepsi commercial featuring The Who's "My Generation." Seriously, it's really cool.

Actually, you know what... watch it here. Then go to this site because it will show you more cool things like this:

Where have I been?!

I mean, seriously. This nigh month-long absence is pretty unacceptable on my part. I'd like to thank Evie of Awesomed By Comics for giving me/the shop a generous shout-out in her last post, thus inspiring me to write again. Since I've kinda missed a lot of stuff, I think the best thing right now would be to do a quick kind of recap post, briefly running down a lot of the important things I've missed in the realm of things that matter to me. So, in no particular order:

Secret Invasion: Kind of anticlimactic, awesome last page.

Batman RIP: Is awesome.

Final Crisis: Is awesome to the maxx!

Grant Morrison: Should bear my intellectual children.

Brian Michael Bendis: Is still, in my opinion, a really good writer, and I loved the first post- SI New Avengers.

Mortal Kombat vs. DC: Shockingly very cool. Highly recommended.

Fox vs. DC (via WB): If Watchmen doesn't come out on time, I might cry.

The holidays: Busy and overrated.

Bang Camaro on Conan O'Brien: Incredible. I have now stood where Conan has stood in relative position to the Camaro drum set. This is probably the closest I will come to being a rock star. I love it.

The recession: So passe. Let's be hiply ironic and go spend money on frivolous things like comic books, okay?

The winter weather: Also passe. Cleaning off my car is so 9:00 AM this morning.

Blackened, Chicago's premiere Metallica tribute band: Is playing tonight at 10:00 PM at JJ Kelly's in Lansing. I am going to see them. My friend Jim is in this band and they are very good. If you like Metallica and/or talent, you should check them out.

Take Cover, Chicago's hottest new cover band: Will be storming your area soon! (probably not but hey, this is my own project and I'm psyched about it. Check out entertaining videos at myspace.com/takecovernow)

Blog entries that are phrased in such a way that they could have been taken from Rorshach's journal: Satisfying. Must investigate further. Hrm.


I think that covers about everything I would've talked about in the few months I haven't been reliably blogging. I promise I will be back with regular posts soon. YEAH!

Dear my friends, have you ever wanted to be more literate?

Well now's your chance!!!!

But in all seriousness... I'm using my blog and Facebook to get out the word about something we're starting over at the comic shop I own (Stand-Up Comics, if you didn't know, which you probably did). It's an idea I've had since before we opened the shop and I think it's high time we got it done... a Comic Book Book Club, or, if you will, a (Comic) Book Club.

Basically what happens is every month a member of said club will pick a graphic novel for everyone interested in participating to read. Around the last Sunday of every month, all club members who want to will congregate at the Baker's Square down the street from the shop at about 4:00 for refreshments and discussion of the book at hand. It's like what Oprah does except with books by Grant Morrison instead of Toni Morrison (to all store customers: yes, I used this same joke in my email announcing the club. I feel like it's funny enough to re-use. We'll call that nepotistic continuity, and thanks for that term TJ!).

There is definitely no obligation to being in this club; you can opt in and out certain months if necessary. All that you have to do is, if you want to be part of a discussion on a given month, you'll have to have your own copy of the book in question, and you'll have to have read it prior to the discussion. If you already own the book that's cool, and if you don't you can buy a copy at Stand-Up for 10% off (we will spotlight our "book of the month" in the store).

And I feel it's important to note that almost any graphic novel or trade paperback is fair game for the club--mainstream or indie, superhero or not, it makes no difference as long as the book is accessible to newcomers (for instance, picking volume 6 of "Y the Last Man" is probably not a great choice, but volume 1 is!). As I mentioned above it's up to the club members to pick the book we read each month; we will probably do something like assign choices in the order in which people joined. That said, us shop owners have the first few picks and then we'll turn it over to our customers. I already know what the first month's book (chosen by Pat) is, and I think it's a great mix of indie and mainstream, but I will be announcing that soon...

We'll be starting this off in January, which is only a few weeks away. If this sounds like something you might be interested in please let me know. So far response has been really positive and I think we will have a pretty sizable club. If you've ever been curious about graphic novels or wanted to expand your library, this would be a great way to do it!

So, in summation, I apologize for using my blog/Facebook for what is essentially store promotion but I feel like this is an exceptional circumstance. Thanks for reading folks!

I'd like to announce a new blog project.

I'd like to. But I've got nothin'.

...

Okay, sorry. Here we go:

I was talking to my friend and fellow Chicago Camaro Choir (C3?) member Andy over the weekend, and he mentioned that he was thinking about starting up a blog specifically for and about C3 (yes!) members and goings-on. I told him that I thought this was a stellar idea, and he ran with it, making the excellent Chicago Camaro blog at chicagocamaro.blogspot.com. There's already a few posts up there, mostly recapping the awesome events of Lollapalooza that, if you read my blog, you'll know I missed out on (and I totally made peace with that but, not gonna lie, the fact that they got to meet KG makes me more than a little jealous).

In the future, you will probably see posts from me on that blog over yonder, and I'll definitely keep up some Camaro posting over here as well. So please add it to your "favorite blogs" list if you have one... or make such a list and then add it if you don't. The link will also be over on the right-hand side of this blog permanently (as soon as I finish this post, that is).

And since we're on the topic, I thought I should pimp a few more of the blogs that I've taken up reading since my first post on the matter when I started this here blog. So, with puns a-blazin, here's a few more reads you might want to check out:

- For news on the comics industry and pop culture in general, this blog can't be beat. (Sorry, that one's kind of obvious, but honestly I consider this site, part of the Publisher's Weekly webring, essential reading for anyone interested in the comic business. And it updates a ton!)

- Found by following a link on the above site, I am totally awesomed by this blog. (That one was even more obvious. What can I say? These are easy names to work with. It was harder to work in the actual names of my friends like in the first post... but I don't personally know the people who do these blogs).

Alright, to make up for it, I'll try one for me.

- This guy may not Garknow too much, but I like it when he posts funny videos.

How was that?

Jesus Christ, how about some good news?

I mean, I would really like to hear something positive right now. Between the stock market plummeting, Hurricane Ike, houses exploding in Munster, and Frank Miller single-handedly trying to destroy comics, is there anything freaking happy to say about the world? I feel like Adrian at the end of Watchmen, sitting in front of his massive display of TVs, looking at all of the shit going on and knowing that one way or another, catastrophe is coming.

I actually went to ask.com and typed in "is there any good news?" on a whim. And it sent me to this site, the Good News Network. Top story: "Toyota Joins Climate Group to Cut Corporate Greenhouse Gases."

Well, it's not much. But it's a start.

I'm off to WizardWorld Chicago

as of tomorrow. Which means I probably will not be updating for a few days. And I know I'm super-lame for not really writing anything recently anyway... I suppose I haven't been properly inspired (plus, I have been improperly busy).

But hopefully, when I get back I will have a report of the con and pictures to share, much like I did with the New York Comic Con (plug-PS: you can read about my New York misadventures here!). I trust this year's show will be both profitable and interesting... but, hopefully, not as interesting as last year's, if you catch my meaning.

So if you're going to the con, stop by and say hi (we're booth #2135), or if you're not, just wait patiently by the computer for an update on what you missed. Yes, that's it. Don't move. Don't even blink. Just sit there, staring, staring, forever staring... into.... oblivion...

Pimping

is supposed to be illegal. That's what "The Law" says. But that may only be when there's sex involved. And God knows there's no sex here. I mean, come on.

So my buddy Marc designed the logo to my blog that I just now put up. It's really cool. He did it for a really great price which included me mentioning who did it. But I was gonna anyway. Marc is part of the trio of guys known as Unshaven Comics, who you can find here. They're a company of aspiring-but-further-along-than-most-of-us-will-ever-get graphic novelists from the south suburbs of Chicago. On Free Comic Book Day, they did a signing at our store, and it went really well. If you're so inclined, you can support them by checking out their book, called The March: Crossing Bridges in America at good old Amazon.com... or Stand-Up Comics. Or you can e-mail Marc and tell him how cool his work is/commission some of your own, at marc@unshavencomicsonline.com.

(I'm also going to be cross-posting all my comic-related stuff at the Unshaven website, where I already have a few blogs up. If you're interested, you can scope 'em out in the "Words" section).

And while I'm at this pimping game ... I'd like to mention a few of the people who inspired me to start doing this. It would be really cool if you looked at their blogs, too (oh, and all these blogs are linked to on the right-hand side of the page, if'n you don't remember to bookmark them now):

- Attention men: from summer to winter fashion advice, this is where you should turn! (and we could all use it)

- Find yourself missing the mark with your poker play? Maybe you'll find some tips to dominate the table.

- Sure this political blog hasn't updated in a few months, but maybe some heckle-ing would convince the owner otherwise. He's strong enough to take it.

- My comic knowledge is but a trickle compared to this foss-it of insight.

And yes, all those italicized words are puns. Deal with it.

Hey

I've decided that the timing is right. I'm about to become like seven million other assholes (and a handful of actually cool people) who have an honest-to-goodness blog.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that a bunch of my friends have taken this up as a hobby lately, and I enjoy reading what they write... it gives me something to do. Also, I don't know why, but I've been feeling inspired lately... not just when it comes to writing, but when it comes to all my pursuits. This is a good feeling, and I'm gonna go with it. So it is that I feel like having an outlet to express myself critically, since shoe-horning these things into everyday conversation just doesn't always work (sometimes it does, though... and it's always fun to try!!).

So what I'm going to be writing about here is kind of whatever crosses my mind as an important topic of discussion at the moment, but I'm willing to bet that most of the posts will be about one of three things. In descending order, those are: comic books, music, and philosophy--the three things I know most about (or at least pretend to), and, more importantly, care most about. And maybe it's just me, but I feel like I do have something to contribute to the discussion at large when it comes to comics and music. Philosophy, not so much, but it's an interest of mine, so bear with me.

I don't know how often I'll update, but I imagine it will be pretty frequently. Like I said, I've been feeling inspired, and I've already got three-four posts lined up, one of which will probably go up later today. So, thanks for visiting, guys, and enjoy!