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hey everyone, i'd like to plug my new-ish blog over at http://scene-guy.blogspot.com. recent posts include a defense of Juno, an endorsement of James Marsden, and an interview with Greg Pak. Drop by!
ReplyDeletegeoff, i name-checked you in my post about Marsden, as you were a sizable influence on it. hope that's alright..
I just wanted to mention that I Byrne-stole a bit of the Serenity Found book at the local book store. I wanted to give Geoff props for giving Matt Fraction and Casanova a shout out in his chapter.
ReplyDeletetoothpick -- looks good
ReplyDeleteStreebo -- I am a little crazy for that comic, yeah.
Doc Klock:
ReplyDeleteEver plan on blogging on the Venture Brothers? I'm just starting to get into the series.
i keep reading/hearing great things about Sweeny Todd...but I'm wary because I haven't liked anything by Burton in a long time.
ReplyDeleteWhat say you guys?
I keep hearing great things about Sweeney Todd as well. I'm going to check it out as soon as I get the chance.
ReplyDeleteHey Geoff - I need some recommendations on RZA/Wu Tang.
Thanks.
For me, if you are going to have only one, its LIQUID SWORDS. Enter the Wu-Tang is great, and if you want a good movie soundtrack Ghost Dog is pretty fun.
ReplyDeleteEagle: Try checking out Todd Alcott's blog as he's written on (nearly) every episode of The Venture Bros. and does a fantastic job. Just search the archives a bit. (Plus, his usual posts are awesome, too.)
ReplyDeleteI feel like -- because of the persona I have cultivated on this blog -- I am compelled to mention in this space that the greatest of all the "Alien/Predator" material out there is "Alien/Predator: Deadliest of the Species," a 12-issue maxiseries written by ... Chris Claremont.
ReplyDelete(It has apparently been reprinted in Dark Horse's "Alien vs Predator Omnibus" Vol. 2.)
It is crazy, and the plot doesn't really hold up to close scrutiny, but it still RULES. And it involves a Predator/Alien hybrid, too. (Is that really a plot point of the new film? I wonder if it was taken from Claremont?)
There were a few things in Sweeney that bugged me to the point of overshadowing what I liked about it, but the performances are all very good and Burton's London is quite breathtaking, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteJason -- Power Man and Iron Fist essential came out today, but I did not get it because I want it in color. Was that a mistake?
ReplyDelete"Was that a mistake?"
ReplyDelete*** I don't think so. Even if you are willing to settle for black and white (which I was), you'd want "Essential Iron Fist." That's got the classic Claremont/Byrne Iron Fist material.
"Essential Power Man and Iron Fist" picks up where that left off, after Byrne and Claremont (I think) had both moved on. I can't speak to where the quality goes after that, 'cause I haven't read it.
But the stuff in "Essential Iron Fist" surprised me with its goodness. It is not my favorite Claremont work, but it's got some fun twists. It kind of reminded me of shows like "Alias," where every new installment was revealing some new twist related to characters' pasts. It's definitely fun, in its own goofy, kung-fu way.
I wasn't aware Juno needed defending. Wonderful film and Ellen Page is awesome in it. I am worried about this coupled with Jamie Lynn Spears and Engaged and Underaged somehow romanticizing teen pregnancy though.
ReplyDeleteToothpick: Read your defense of Juno- I agree. You totally summed up the films greatness and where its heart truly lies.
ReplyDeletescott: thanks for dropping by and for your comments. you're right, juno's one of the higher rated films of the year and didn't really need defending -- but a lot of my friends didn't seem to enjoy it, hence the post. hope you continue to visit.
ReplyDeleteRE: Essential Power Man and Iron Fist.
ReplyDeleteI picked up the first Essential Iron Fist book because of the classic Byrne/Clarmont stories of the Iron Fist run. My favorite Iron Fist or PM&IF stories were always the ones steeped in the Kun Lun mythos. Those mythos were a prominent feature of the early Iron Fist run but they were seriously undervalued during the bulk of Power Man and Iron Fist. Most of the PM&IF run seemed like it was trying to be a hip version of Daredevil or Spiderman. Most of the stories revolved around an ever changing cast from the Villain of the Month club. Most of them were forgettable - but whenever El Aguila or the Daughters of the Dragon were around - things were always interesting. There were a few stories that popped up from time to time that focused on the Kun Lun mythos. Issues 74 and 75 featured a return the Kun Lun and Iron Fist fights a ninja - so what's not to love? The art by Kerry Gammil is the best of the series. His clean pencilwork handled the action well with powerful, yet graceful, dynamic figures. His art was not unlike a more conservative version of Neal Adams. Gammill worked well for the series - but he was all too frequently replaced by lesser guest artists.
I think Ann Nocenti was the writer for several years - but then Kurt Busiek wrote a few stories as well. The villains were usually street level and kinda boring. Sabertooth pops up as a recurring villain along with the Constrictor a few times - but otherwise a guy called Chemistro was the highlight. The next big Kun Lun story came around issue 99 and 100. The artist was Luke McDonnell - I believe - and his figures were big - but very stiff in comparison with Byrne and Gammill.
The Kun Lun elements disappeared from the series for the next year - but they returned in full force during the final year of the original series. These Kun Lun stories from issues 119 ( I think) to 124 expanded on the Kun Lun mythos. It all revolved around Iron Fist growing weaker, becoming evil, and fighting the Shou Lung (sp) dragon. The art here is the best since Gammill with Mark Bright who was coming unto his own here. Bright was a good example of the 80's era Marvel penciler. His work handled the dynamic action of the Marvel characters without making them too bulky or stiff. His line detail was usually somewhere in between prime John Byrne on Fantastic Four and later John Byrne on Doom Patrol. Bright would go on to draw the classic silver and red armored Iron Man. His run continued all the way through the Armor Wars and ended with Iron Man's next suit of armor a good thirty or so issues later.
Geoff:: I think you were right in waiting on this one. You can probably pick up the best single issues of Power Man and Iron Fist out of the back issue boxes.
Hey, quick question, House of 1000 Corpses is a joke, right? I mean, it's suppose to be funny, right? Because I honestly can't see it as a thriller.
ReplyDeleteChristian - Yes, House of 100 Corpses is a wacky 10-in-1 sideshow of rural American horror. It is a joke - albeit a disturbing one. My last girlfriend was totally creeped out by HO1C. I think it had something to do with the bunny suits at the end.
ReplyDelete