Finally got our comics.

Finally got last week's comics, after waiting six days. This week's comics will arrive on Friday, if they come on time. My understanding is that the Portland hub of UPS is really backed up.

I'm also going to try to blog here more often, but not try to dress it up with pictures and such. That has really blocked me, for some reason. I blog every single day at my Best Minimum Wage Job a Middle Aged Guy Ever Had blog, but I keep that to basically words.

So if I do the same here, I ought to be able to post more.

A Religious Experience

There's a new book out that says that buying a well-known and loved brand, like Coke, or Apple, is akin to a religious experience.

Got me thinking about how Marvel Comics always outsells everything else, no matter the content and the quality. Sometimes Marvel deserves to outsell, other times it seems strange.

Europe has a whole backlog of great comic material, but about the only real intersection between American readers and European readers is Heavy Metal magazine. Just about every other attempt to get us to read those stories has failed.

But here comes Marvel with a new line of comics reprinting Euro comics and what happens?

They sell out.

Because of the Marvel Brand.

Why fight it?

Obama-man? Barack the Barbarian?

TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

Barack Obama: The 50 facts you might not know:

He collects Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics.

Don't tell Fox News....

"Local 'inker' for Dark Horse to sign comics...."

The following article ran in the Sunday Bulletin last Sunday for an event taking place in our store on Saturday.

We'll have copies of the #1 comic for the series Clone Wars, as well as graphic novels of the first two Star Wars Legacy books. Hope to see you there!

Local ‘inker’ for Dark Horse to sign comics on Saturday

Comic book artist Dan Parsons doesn’t get out of his Terrebonne home very often. Inking comics for Dark Horse Comics, a Portland-based publisher, keeps him too busy.

But you’ll be able to see Parsons at Pegasus Books of Bend on Saturday. He’ll be on hand signing these and other titles he’s had a hand in, and promises to give away a sketch to each patron (see “If you go”).

“Inker” means Parsons, 42, is an artistic middleman on the creative side of the comic book assembly line. After the writer produces a script, which resembles that of a screenplay, a penciller sketches it and does the layout.

“Then they give it to me … and I put the blacks in and basically finish the drawing,” he explains.

And, with a little help from FedEx, an inker of his ilk doesn’t need to leave home to get his completed drawings to the colorist, who scans them into a computer and does the coloring digitally.

“I basically work out of the house and pretty much don’t leave. I work night and day,” he said.

“Particularly now, with the Clone Wars series,” an in-progress miniseries.

He also inks another Star Wars spin-off, the Legacy series, which is set in the future — Star Wars’ future, that is — and features character Luke Skywaalker’s descendents, according to Pegasus Books owner Duncan McGeary.

“It’s by far the best-selling Star Wars series we’ve had since maybe way back to Dark Empire, which is the first one Dark Horse did,” McGeary said.

Before entering the comic book world of art, Parsons worked for a number of years in developmental psychology in Baltimore. Drawing was merely a sideline until about seven years ago, when he quit and moved to Eugene with the intention of pursuing a freelance art career.

He lived there for about six months, then moved to Crooked River Ranch.

“At that time, I didn’t really have a job, per se. I was just doing trading cards and miscellaneous small jobs.”

Then, in 2002, he went to Comic-Con, an annual convention in San Diego, where he had a table displaying his artwork and its classic, retro style inspired by Alex Raymond and Al Williamson, two artists behind the mid-20th century Flash Gordon comic strips.

There, a Star Wars artist from Dark Horse scouting for talent liked what she saw and approached Parsons. Dark Horse gave him some sample pages to ink, “and I’ve been working for them ever since.”

Along with the Legacy and Clone Wars titles, he also worked on Star Wars Jedi, as well as Dark Horse’s King Kong, an adaptation of the Peter Jackson film for which he did pencils and inks.

Additionally, Parsons has illustrated for the Topps brand on its Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Indiana Jones lines of trading cards.

Comic Reviews.

Comic Book reading weekend. I'm staying away from that gooey, strawey mess (October Fest) downtown -- They set up a straw bale maze in front of my store. I'll be vacuuming up straw for months out the nooks and crannies...

I'd planned to read dozens of titles, but my son Todd showed up on the doorstep yesterday afternoon. I'm trying to convince him and Linda to go see APPALOOSA this afternoon. I never miss a Western, since there are so few of them.

To get some use out of these reviews, I decided to read number ones, maybe I can get a few of you started on a new series.

SOLOMON KANE. Another Robert E. Howard creation, a traveling 'Puritan' if you can imagine, who will rebuke you for swearing and then slice up evil bad guys without nary a word.
Good competent sword and sorcery, like many of Dark Horses' offering.

GREATEST HITS. Imagine superheroes as popular as the Beatles. Flashes from the glory days of "The Mates" to their cynical old age. I just really like the Vertigo take on the world, and this is fun.

FLASH GORDON: Competent (damning with faint praise?) and very slick comic. Sets up the storyline O.K. The art looks like J. Scott Campbell (Danger Girls) art on steroids.

BACK TO BROOKLYN: This is my kind of thing. Hardcore gangster story, by Garth Ennis and Jimmy Palmiotti. Like it a lot, if only it wasn't a mere 20 pages long.

SAMURAI: Another Soleil (French imprint) comic from Marvel. Amazing how well these sell. Slap any other logo but Marvel on them, and they wouldn't sell at all.
So far, every one of these titles have been really good. This is a straight out ...well....Samurai story.

Finally, I decided to jump ahead on my Wolverine reading, and start the new storyline.

WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN: Holy cow, this was great! Wolverine in a Road Warrior future. Old man Logan has sworn off violence, but the world is dominated by bad guys, so I think we can see where that's going. He is hired by a blind Hawkeye to drive across the wastelands to deliver a mysterious shipment. This is very cool, fun stuff.
I'm going to try my best to get reprints in of the first 3 issues and push this for all it's worth.

APOCALYPTO

I've always said, if there really was such a thing as a Star Trek like holodeck, I'd probably never leave it.

There was a time in my teens when I would have just inhabited Middle-Earth.

I recently upgraded to "The Works" with cable, so that is a bit of a time wasting danger. There is a plethora of movies that I never had access to before. But just like when I go into a video store like Westside Video, I'm stumped by what I want to watch. Movies that I almost went to the theater to see, suddenly aren't appealing.

Watched APOCALYPTO.

***(SPOILERS)***

Got to give Mel credit for attempting unusual things.

I must be really jaded, because all the blood letting wasn't as bad as I expected.

It was interesting the way he did it, though.

A slow, in real time sacrifice, from the victim's viewpoint, looking upside down as the knife descends, eviscerates, lifting the still beating heart, then the axe descending, the rolling of the horizon as the head comes off.

Umm, Mel.

You got a problem. You seem to really like this kind of thing. Whipping, evisceration, and other such tortures seem to be a theme in your movies. Makes me wonder if you wear a hair-shirt in real life (you really must be punished, you bad boy).

I said I was jaded, but I pretty much cringed. Won't be recommending it to my wife.

Anyway, the rest of the movie could just as easily been called, "A Run Through the Jungle."

There was a real Peril's of Pauline element to the wife in the deep hole, pregnant, struggling for food and water, then a flood, and then...gasp, a baby being born in the flood, holding the baby and the child over the water...and on and on.

Oh, and the son's 'native' getup was just too cute for words. A little Aztec cherub.

I think Mel missed his calling as a silent film director. He must have given directions to the inhabitants of the city something like this: "O.K. Look really, really evil and degenerate."

The evil, sly, crafty looks of the 'king' and the 'priest' weren't exactly subtle either.

I liked the arrival of the white man at the end, though, signaling the doom of the Aztecs.

New Books. Books! More Books!

I've decided to really go for new books. They did very well this summer, and I'm getting lots of folks in the door who are bookish.

I started to reorder most of the books I'd sold over the summer, and began to realize that almost all of them fell under the rubric of "cult" books -- not in the evil, fundamentalist "cult" sense, but in the old 'pop culture favorite' sense. The books that most readers end up reading, that are passed from friend to friend, that have become so much a part of our culture that they are constantly referred to in the media and conversation. Books like On The Road, or The Alchemist, or The Prophet.

Meanwhile, the "best sellers" I brought in because everyone said I should, like "The Shack" or "Breaking Dawn" are just sitting there...4 copies of a Stephanie Meyer book that everyone bought at Costgo.

After I was done reordering, I thought why not keep going that direction -- why not keep bringing in the classics, the perennials, the favorites...?

I plugged "Cool Cult Books" into Google, and up popped an article in The Telegraph.co.uk about the biggest 50 cult books.

Funny thing is -- I'd read almost all of them. And I'd also read almost all the books brought up in the comments.

And here I thought I was such an independent thinker. But I read Jonathan Livingston Seagull just like everyone else....

Anyway, plenty of food for thought, and plenty of great books still to bring in. Hopefully, by Christmas I'll have a great, great selection.

Reading or viewing?

Been reading lots of books and comics. Too many to review.

This, I think, is my natural state. Reading.

My T.V. hasn't been turned on much this summer. We switched over the digital a couple of weeks ago, and for a day or so, I had, like, 500 channels. I see ads for shows like True Blood, and I wonder if I should sign up for HBO. I wonder if I should get Netflix; I wonder if I should get Tivo. And biggest of all, a big screen T.V. with all the trimmings.

But....I keep thinking this would be like filling my fridge with donuts and cake and candy and ice cream and telling myself I'll eat only a little. I'll be good. I'll be choosy.

Uh, uh. Gorge city.

As usual, I'll check out the new shows like Fringe. Last year there were a whole bunch I thought I'd like, but ended up only watching Terminator (Sarah Conner Chronicles). Which I recommend, by the way, much better than you'd expect, and if you guys don't start watching it, it will go the way of Firefly and every other good S.F. that people only seem to discover after they've been cancelled.

Finished another Jack Reacher novel, Nothing to Lose, by Lee Child. Seems to get more and more ridiculous in getting the protagonist in interesting situations. Read a couple Stephen Greenleaf 'Tanner' novels; Death Bed and State's Evidence. Hit Parade by Lawrence Block. The Secret Servant by Daniel Silva.

I read a bunch of comics, but took them back to the store before writing them down. House of Mystery, Kick Ass, Richard Corben's Lovecraft series, who's title escapes me.

I love Corben's take on things; but then again, the comics include the original Lovecraft stories and poems, which are a whole nother level of weird.

I think what has held me up from blogging here more often is the need I feel for pictures. So....rather than hold off any longer, you get this.

Words not pictures.

The RIght Madness

James Crumley writes hardboiled fiction like a Raymond Chandler who is still alive and drinking after all these years, and doing drugs on top of that. And has a closet full of guns.

C.W. Sughrue is the Hunter S. Thompson of hardboiled detectives. If H.S.T. could've shot people (other than himself.)

I love it. I lost count of the colorful characters and falling bodies, but you don't read Crumley for the plot. You're just along for the ride.

Virgin Comics, only half a Virgin?

Every few years, a multi-millionaire will enter into the comic business with great fanfare, ready to show us fanboys how it's really done. Cross Gen, the late, unlamented Tekno (which I seem to be the only one who liked), are only two of the examples. They have a common characteristic of having big names involved -- who usually lend not much more than their name.

Virgin Comics was sponsored by Richard Branson.

Never took flight.

Not enough people gave it a spin.

I don't necessarily believe that there is wholesale rejection of new companies -- more that comics are a hard sell, no matter who you are, and if Marvel and DC weren't already Marvel and DC they'd have a difficult time.

Which makes Dark Horse Comics achievement all the more remarkable.

I'd say Image, too, except that they've come down so far from the height, that just surviving isn't really a success.

Interestingly to me, these comics often tend to find their footing a couple of years in, actually publishing comics that people want to read. I'm not sure if this is just because they have produced so many comics that they finally hit on a success by accident, or because they finally figure out the market. (See above Dan Dare comic....)

Of course, the Holy Grail of all these companies is to create licensed characters that can be made into movies, toys, T.V. etc.
I'm beginning to believe, in fact, that comics are nothing more than the Research and Development arm of Hollywood. Huge creativity expended at a relatively lower cost.

The comic pundits -- yes, we have pundits -- are ready to blame the insular comic market for these failures.

For instance, Dirk Deppey of Journalistica has this to say:

"The Direct Market caters primarily to a closed network of 25-35 year old men who’ve been reading Marvel and DC Comics for over a decade, and have next to no interest in buying anything that doesn’t cater to their narrow set of interests. You can occassionally snag a moderate number of readers by producing work that grabs them by the fanboy short-hairs — vampires, zombies and licensed versions of characters or creative works that they fondly remember from childhood are usually required — but anything else is slow death where money is concerned."

He apparently doesn't see the irony of an earlier statement in the same article:

"Setting the question of content aside — I haven’t read enough Virgin Comics to speak to that — "



Who screwed Virgin Comics? We all did.

Hugo Award for comics?

Well, graphic novels at least.

I suppose it might be hard to ignore Watchmen, 300, Sin City, etc., even for Science Fiction snobs.

Besides, why should there be such a thing as S.F. snobs. (And believe me, they exist....) Didn't they suffer from that same attitude for a generation?

Lot's of Mom's think it O.K. now to read S.F. and Fantasy.

Next.... broadening of the minds (or dumbing down of America, depending on which camp you inhabit) .........comics!

Quit playing video games, son! Read a good comic!

Bones of the Earth, Gridlinked.

I've known about Neal Asher for some time now, simply from recommendations and reviews. I even ordered most of his books for my store.

But I was waiting for a used copy to show up. I was almost ready to give up and turn one of my new copies into a used copy when Gridlinked appeared at Linda's store.

This is the first of Polity series, and it's very good. A far future cyberpunk novel, much like Richard Morgan's Kovic series, (Altered Carbon.)

I was feeling lucky in finding a new author to explore, when I picked up the second book pictured above. Bones of the Earth.

This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for a long time. Not sure why I hadn't read it before, because Michael Swanwick had written my favorite steampunk novel, The Iron Dragon's Daughter.

This is one of those compulsively readable novels that pin you to the couch and won't let you go. Time travel, paradoxes, creationists, and dinosaurs. Really fun. It's rare to read two great novels in a row, and I'm really relishing it.

Marvel -- Soleil Comics.

I'm glad to see Marvel doing these kinds of comics again. Back in the day, they had an Epic imprint, a kind of Americanized Heavy Metal. I personally thought Epic was more readable and enjoyable.

When Marvel ran into financial difficulties in the 90's they pretty much stopped doing any 'licensed' product, including titles like Star Wars and Conan. (Dark Horse comics was the big beneficiary of that -- and they've done a great job, much better than Marvel in my opinion.)

Anyway, these are French titles under the Soleil imprint, and I really enjoyed them. Skydoll is very racy, but a fun romp. Universal War is straight ahead Science Fiction, with a cast of misfits (a Dirty Dozen, if you will) confronting a galactic menace.

What's funny about this venture is, if these same subjects had been printed in a Humanoid Press (collectors of Heavy Metal type stories) hardcover book, no one would have bought them.

I was probably a little too conservative, and sold out of most of the issues that have come out so far. Having read them, I'm going to up my orders on the other titles and reorder these.

We really, really need Marvel to expand it's offerings beyond the in-house superhero genre, because they are by far the industry leaders. They can lead the way, if they chose to.

"Cult" books.

(Cult books, not occult books, dammit!)

If Watchmen isn't our all-time best selling book yet, it is almost inevitable.

Meanwhile, I've been selling the two books shown here on a steady basis for years. A couple of titles that most people haven't even heard of, that are passed lovingly from one reader to the next, those in the know, the ultimate 'cult' books.

The first is Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, Tim Burton's weird poetry and illustrations. Sick humor.

The second is Johnny the Homicidal Maniac by Jhonen Vasquez, (who did the Invader Zim cartoon). Also sick humor.

Hmmmm. Seems to be a pattern.

I admit, I was a little late on board with these two books. When I sold the mall store, it eventually passed into the hands of a former employee and a former customer, who were a little more hip to the goth scene than me. But I jumped on board.

I love these kinds of books, because I'm pretty sure that Barnes and Nobles doesn't have a clue. Even if they carry them, they are probably buried somewhere.

I stick them front and center, like a badge of honor -- we are different, we carry fun titles.

Captains and Opera

I'm a real sucker for Horatio Hornblower type science fiction. The best, by far, is the Miles Vorkosigan series by Lois McMaster Bujold. The Naomi Novik series, about Captain Will Laurence (dragons and Napoleonic ships!) is also fun. I couldn't really get into the Honor Harrington series, which seemed like a poor copy of Bujold's books.

And this series, about Captain Nicholas Seafort. Prisoner's Hope, by David Feintuch, is the third book out of five, and I'd read the other four. A fascinating wreck of a character -- a priggish, guilt ridden, martinet Hornblower. Disliked him all the way through -- but the true test, I guess, is that I read them all.

One of the things I really, really liked about the Vorkosigan series is that Miles is shown as a strong, eithical, intelligent character. Whereas it seems to me that Nicholas Seafort seems to fall into situations, showing neither smarts or talent, but nevertheless wins in the end. It's the Lord Foul's Bane compared to Lord of the Rings, if you will.


Death at La Fenice is a well written parlor room mystery, or in this case, an opera house mystery. Set in Venice. Interesting enough, but I've really lost interest in this kind of mystery. Devoured all the Agatha Christie and Josephine Tey books when I was younger, and kept reading. But they seem too mannered and formal to me these days.

I prefer the hard-boiled type mystery -- though I'm well aware that they are just as mannered and formal in their own ways.

Bookstore visiting.

Linda and I went on a bookstore tour, of Klamath Falls, Grants Pass, Crescent City, and Brookings, with stops at Chiloquin and Rogue River. I'll be talking about them on my BMWJAMAGEH blog.

But I got some great ideas, that I'll be trying to implement.

I take in a notebook and just start stealing ideas. With permission, of course. And we always buy at least one item in every store, sometimes several, and it gets a little expensive, especially in the new bookstores.

One of my favorite things is to just let titles or bookcovers grab me, and I write them down. There is a sea of books, but something in the look or feel or subject matter of a book just appeals to me. I let each store give me 3 or 4 titles, so that by the time I get back, I have a couple of dozen books I want to order that I think will fit my store.

One thing is for sure...there are plenty of books being published.

Interesting thing about this trip is that not one of the independent bookstores were doing the "Book Sense" program. Unlike the 90% of the stores we've visited elsewhere.

More, later.

That didn't take long!

The readership of this blog, such as it was, has diminished rapidly. I've only been away 4 days!

My Best Minimum Wage Job a Middle Aged Guy ever had has never missed a day, and often I post more than once.

Interesting difference. That plus it has so many more connections than this one.

Anyway, I'll be back to posting daily tomorrow, and once I start again I don't intend to let more than a couple of days go by without some news.

Been visiting bookstores out of town again, so lot's to talk about.

Hancock

I was really disappointed in this movie. I expected much better.

It was pretty good up that that moment where -- and I don't think this is a spoiler to anyone who hasn't seen the movie -- a refrigerator goes flying through a wall.

Up to that moment, there were some nice bits about what it means to be a 'super' hero, the marketing of a superhero, the loneliness of a superhero. They could've taken this movie to another level, by putting into conflict the 'marketing' vs the ethics, the friendships vs. the right thing, and so on.

Instead, in an apparent effort to reach a deeper meaning, they jumped the shark. In a sense, I thought they were very disrespectful of the comic form. They were saying, we have deeper meanings here, and comics are silly and we aren't.

And in doing so, they reached for meaning that has been overdone in comics; that no self-respecting comic would stoop to. Because...it's quite obvious that other than Will Smith having superpowers, they didn't have a clue about comics.

I've seen this in my writer's group over and over again. Someone comes with a Science Fiction idea that has been done a million times, that was done to death in the first decade of S.F. , that has had Twilight Zone episodes and bad movies; and the writer doesn't even know it.

And sure enough, when you ask, they almost always say, "Oh, I don't READ science-fiction, I just had this cool idea."

That's Hancock, the second half. Stupid, half baked and very tired cliches.

X-Files: I want to Believe...you'll go see it.

Linda and I went to see the X-Files movie. We have always been huge fans, and for a number of years it was our 'event' T.V. show, where we'd have friends over for pizza and oh and ah over the brilliance of the show.

I thought this movie was great. It reminded me how much I liked those two characters of Skulldar and Moldy. The actors have become, if anything, more attractive and charismatic. (Especially Gillian Anderson...oh, la la.)

I liked how they did a more 'monster of the week' kind of storyline, because the conspiracy stuff got old even for me.

My Mom once got dragged the Star Trek 4 (the one with the whales.) Now Mom never knowingly read a science fiction or fantasy novel (except mine, of course.) She always wondered what happened to her number 2 son, who seemed to have been carried off by fairies.

But she came back from S. T. 4 with the comment: "That was very enjoyable. It was like visiting old friends."

That's the way the X-Files felt to me. Old friends. Sad if it's a flop, and they never get a chance to make another. Get off your butts, people!


P.S. I haven't read the above comic because I wasn't sure if it was the movie, and I didn't want to spoil it. I'll do a post-script as soon as I find out today.

Tales of Beedle the Bard, J.K. Rowling

I don't know......I'm not sure.....do you think this will sell?

Coming in December.

Also, considering my rather relaxed attitude toward books: I keep missing the demand on the "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyer. I try to get more of them, and even the distributer is out most of the time, with thousands of copies on order.

Anyway, I've got more on order, just not sure about my chances.

This series just seems to get bigger and bigger. I'm glad that it's popular, though I wish there was a broader base support for reading instead of this huge rush for Harry Potter, or Twilight, or the DaVinci Code.

Still....at least they're reading.

I have to rely on news and requests and reviews for these young adult and or women oriented books. I don't have the instinct, though I try to be very responsive.

I ordered what I thought was a four month supply of the Watchmen, and I may run out in a couple of weeks. Never seen such a response to a 30 second trailer. What's really amazing is that this graphic novels has been selling well for years and years. DC Comics is supposed to be making an announcement soon that it's sold like a MILLION copies...or something like that.

Tried ordering a bunch more, since the movie is still 9 months away, and it's out of stock. There were tens of thousands of copies just a day or two ago, so the odds are that one of the big bookchains just raided Diamond's stock and scooped them all up.

Oh, well. I've still got some, and I'll just let them sell naturally for awhile instead of pushing them.

Exciting that graphic novels are getting more and more notice.

Which they deserve.

Which they need to continue to deserve.

Which I have my doubts about. It's too much of a sea change to happen all at once. I saw a huge influx of comic readers when the first Batman Movie came out, what 20 years ago? But since then, there has been response to each license -- selling a lot of V for Vendetta and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, etc. but not yet creating the habit of buying them.

I'm thinking by the end of my career that graphic novels may became a firm part of any true readers repertoire. Not altogether sure that would be good for business, but it would be good for the culture.

Reading and imagination. Words and pictures.

How about that?

New Engineering and more.

Had a customer call yesterday who just got back from the San Diego International Con.

He was all charged up and excited.

Comics can seem like a lonely activity around here. A few guys looking at any one time. It's just part of the small town and single comic shop atmosphere.

So it's always cool when someone goes to a convention and sees thousands of other people like themselves.

In this case, 250,000 people!

Too many for me.

Speaking of customers calling. Had a request for a manga called New Engineering. Looked interesting, so I ordered it. Seems very avant garde.

Other new titles this week:

Reorders of:

Dark Knight Returns (Frank Miller's classic take...)
The Killing Joke (Alan Moore's classic take...)\
The Man Who Laughs.

Astonishing X-Men TP #1-4. Joss Whedon writes the most reader friendly, non-continuity laden X-Men series.

Army @ Love TP. #2; a satire of selling war as a brand. Or....maybe not a satire....

Bookhunter: Interesting indy that I haven't been able to get a reorder.

Korgi 1 and 2. Yep, about a dog.

Alex Raymond, His Life and Art. The golden age Flash Gordon artist. I'm a sucker for expensive art books.

Art of Alberto Ruiz. Pin-up art.

Buffy Omnibus's 1 and 2. There are 4 of these Buffy books, collecting all the previous stories.
(Also got a reorder of Buffy, Season Eight; Joss Whedon's continuation, with "unlimited special effects budget...")

Forgotten Realms Vol. 7. Salvatore's popular series, in graphic novels.

Graphic Classics: Arthur Conan Doyle. I love the idea of graphic novel adaptations of classics. Even if they don't sell all that great.

Journey. I read these adventures of Wolverine McAlistaire, by William Messner-Loeb many years ago. I enjoy stories of early Western lore -- really, pre-gunfighter type westerns. A different feel.

Hellboy and Heroes TP's restocks.

Pigeons From Hell: Lovecraftian story by Conan creator Robert E. Howard. I just love the title.

Planet Earth Monopoly Set.

Restocks of all the Star Wars Legacy Graphic Novels. These are inked by local, Dan Parsons, who is also going to be doing the Clone Wars comics from the movie. I think it may be time to ask him to come in a do a signing this September.

Robots and Donuts. Another great title.

Weird-Oh's Models. I loved these when I was a kid.

And much much more.

On Wednesday.

"Parker" by "Richard Stark"

O.K. This is fun.

I've been on a quest for some time now to track down all the original "Parker" (no first name) novels by Richard Stark. These were potboilers written by Donald Westlake.

Thing is, I've tried reading the Westlake novels starring Dormunder several times, and it just wasn't my cup of tea.

But the Parker novels. Fun and quick and intriguing. He's a bank robber, no apologies. A pro.

Of course, the most famous manifestation of Parker was Lee Marvin in Point Blank. One of the all time great 'noir' movies, though I don't think it's aged very well.

Ironically, Mel Gibson was raked over the coals for coming up with his own version of Parker, Payback, which was really much closer in tone and style to the original novels.

Anyway, fan favorite artist, Darwyn Cooke is going to be adapting the Parker novels, and I'm kinda excited by it. This is one of the synchronistities that make me believe I'm in the right business....

See....the real irony....the Parker novels have been out of print for a long, long time. Don't know why. But I just can't buy any. A few have been reprinted under the Hard Case Crime imprint, but I can only find one for sale.

This seems to happen a lot in book publishing. Seems strange to me, but there it is.

"That Fu#%@%#ing Flowers...."

I'm cheating a bit here, reviewing before I've read the last 30 pages. But there is a reason -- I have no idea who the killer is. And that's pretty rare in a mystery these days.

This book features the character Virgil Flowers (or the running joke in all the "Prey" books, 'That fucking Flowers....")

Good move on Sandford's part. I think the Lucas Davenport character is getting tired, and the author has been mailing it in. Flowers is more interesting, maybe because he's new. But he also doesn't carry all the baggage that Davenport has, which has become a distraction. (Him being rich, and a software developer, and friends of the rich and famous and lowlifes, and a ladies man and a devoted husband, and some kind of loose cannon, and smart and dangerous and charming and generally too good to be true, and..........just what the hell is he?!)

Sandford has an easy style, and is a fast read.

Which sometimes is just what the doctor ordered.

Crazy Days Sale

Sidewalk sale.

We're putting a bunch of hardcovers for 1.00 and paperbacks for .50.

Good books, too.

Linda gets an excess of good books, and we'd like them to find a good home.

"Portland is the Hollywood of comics."

In case any of you missed the article in the Oregonian today about comics and movies from Portland.

Just as an correction to the rosy view contained, I've included a picture of Fortune and Glory, which is about Brian Bendis's adventures in Hollywood which I think made me feel like I never want to go near the place.

But good for Mike Richardson.

Hollywood says hurray for Portland comic books
Local creators are following "Hellboy" to an eager Tinsel Town
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
KRISTI TURNQUIST
The Oregonian Staff

If there were any doubts about the hottest trend in movies, they were crushed like a Gotham City police car last weekend. "The Dark Knight," the latest interpretation of the Batman saga, swooped off with 158.3 million box-office dollars, the highest weekend opening ever, according to Variety.

The superhero sensation is the most dramatic demonstration yet that movies are cashing in as never before on stories from comic books and graphic novels.

While "The Dark Knight" is adapted from the venerable DC Comics franchise, Hollywood's growing infatuation with comics has spread north. Portland's thriving community of comics creators and publishers -- including Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press and Top Shelf Productions -- is playing a major role in feeding the silver screen's voracious appetite.

"Portland," says Eric Gitter, Oni Press' L.A.-based producing partner, "is the Hollywood of comic books."

The week before Batman and the Joker commandeered the nation's cineplexes, the No. 1 movie in the country was "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," adapted from the comics series published by Milwaukie-based Dark Horse Comics. Although it fell from its perch in the "Dark Knight" onslaught, even a brief stay on top can do wonders for your visibility, Dark Horse founder Mike Richardson says.

"My phone's been ringing," Richardson says. "Lots of people have been calling and saying, 'Congratulations! Oh, and by the way, I have a project . . .' "

Although publishers won't reveal exactly how much money such Hollywood deals add to their revenue stream, Richardson says the movie connection may account for Dark Horse's sales records for three consecutive years. "We're heading for another record this year, despite the economy," Richardson says. Dark Horse Entertainment has offices at Universal Studios and Sunset Gower Studios in Los Angeles and is developing a slate of productions.

Portland's Oni Press, with several projects in development, has added staff. "We're at seven people now in Portland and two in L.A.," Oni Press co-founder Joe Nozemack says.

Local comics publishers aren't necessarily driving Jaguars and rolling in dough, Nozemack says. "You're not looking at serious amounts of money until the films are actually made. But the money that creators get for option rights gives them the freedom to do their own thing rather than working on somebody else's characters."

The comics-to-movie frenzy will only escalate this week, when San Diego Comic-Con International starts. The Thursday-to-Sunday convention is the largest annual pop culture event in the world, attracting some 125,000 people. The conference is also ground zero for whipping up fan support of comics-based movie and TV projects.

Portland-area publishers will be out in force at "the Con," a place where deals get made and buzz gets built. Brett Warnock of Top Shelf recalls the company debuted "The Surrogates," a five-issue miniseries, at the Con two years ago.

"Immediately we had interest from various parties," says Warnock, who wanted to turn the story into a film. It's shooting now in the Boston area, with Bruce Willis in the lead role.

Other examples of Portland-published comics coming to screens near you are "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," from the series published by Oni Press, scheduled to start shooting this fall under the direction of Edgar Wright; and "Whiteout," from the Oni Press graphic novel by Portlanders Greg Rucka and Steve Lieber, scheduled to open Sept. 19.

Those films are just the start. Dark Horse and Oni both have several more projects in development. With writers and artists moving to Portland every day, comics are shaping up as the city's newest natural resource.

Dark Horse is Portland's comics publishing pioneer, and it was the first to enter the movie business. Building on the success of its creator-friendly approach -- Dark Horse artists could own the rights to their characters, in a change from industry tradition -- the company started its entertainment arm in 1992. After developing two dozen film and TV projects, Dark Horse Entertainment took an even bigger step into Hollywood in March with a three-year deal with Universal Pictures.

Dark Horse and Universal are in the process, Richardson says, of picking projects to develop. Though Richardson prefers not to discuss specific movies until they have the green light to go into production, a number of titles have been optioned -- in other words, a producer or studio has paid for the right to make the comic into a movie. Whether the movie ever gets made is subject to all sorts of variables.

Among the Dark Horse projects: "R.I.P.D.," about a team of "undead police officers," to be directed by David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers"); "The Ark," which mixes UFOs and Noah's Ark; "Rex Mundi," set in an alternate past in which the Catholic Inquisition still rages, to be produced by Johnny Depp's company (and, maybe, star Depp himself); and "The Goon," an animated version of Eric Powell's stories, to be produced by director David Fincher ("Fight Club").

And, Richardson adds, "I hope that we'll be discussing 'Hellboy III.' It's way too early to say if there will be a third one, and (director) Guillermo del Toro is very important to that. But we're talking."

Comic book artists -- and, eventually, small comics companies -- followed Dark Horse to Portland. And now they're following the company to Hollywood. Hot on Dark Horse's heels is Oni Press, which has been racking up movie deals at a breathtaking pace.

"Yeah, it's been an interesting few months," says Nozemack, who helped start Oni Press in 1997. Oni's output is eclectic. For example, the hit "Scott Pilgrim" series, by Bryan Lee O'Malley, is about an underemployed 23-year-old who falls for a young woman, but to win her he must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends. Not exactly superhero-with-a-cape material.

For director Edgar Wright, the Englishman who made the acclaimed zombie comedy "Shaun of the Dead," the "Scott Pilgrim" combination of "flights of fancy coupled with very mundane kinds of situations" reminded Wright of his own work. "The dialogue, the characters, the style of it is something I can develop in live action and take it to another sort of stage that comics can't," he says.

Other Oni-to-movie properties in development are "Resurrection"; "The Leading Man"; "The Damned"; "Maintenance"; "Courtney Crumrin and the Night Things"; "The Last Call"; and "Three Days in Europe," a romantic action-adventure with Jennifer Garner and Hugh Jackman set to star.

Since teaming with Oni in 2003, Gitter has seen interest in comics-based material soar in Hollywood.

"When you're in this town, you see a lot of the same types of stories over and over again," Gitter says. He wanted to team with Oni, he recalls, because "I felt like there was this world out there that we could be tapping into for fresher choices. Movies and comics are both visual storytelling."

Comics first, movies later

Hollywood's ardent embrace of comics has inspired some publishers to print comics with the idea of selling them for films. Walt Disney Studios has helped launch Kingdom Comics, which is charged with developing graphic novels to create film projects for the studio.

Comics veterans, however, say that puts the cart before the horse. Brett Warnock of Top Shelf Productions says in an e-mail, "While of course we're all about optioning our comics to other media, we NEVER make comics solely to pimp for that purpose. We make comics for comics, not TV or film."

But the upside of having your comic made into a film is considerable. What did movie version of "Hellboy" do for its creator, former Portlander Mike Mignola?

"It makes a heck of a lot more people aware that there is something called 'Hellboy,' and hopefully they get curious and look at your book," Mignola says. "There's so much stuff out there that having a movie is like having a giant spotlight in your stuff."

Steve Lieber, who illustrated "Whiteout," writes in an e-mail that "in the short time since the movie version was announced, the new edition of the two 'Whiteout' books have already sold more copies than the old ones did over the past eight years. And they haven't even started promoting the movie yet."

Speaking for many of his colleagues, Lieber adds: "I hope the movie does well, but at the end of the day, I'm a comic book illustrator. And what I want is more people reading our comic."

Penguin Books

I've mentioned before, that at least while I'm getting started in this process of becoming a bookstore, I've decided to eschew the 'best-seller', 'trendy', 'Book Sense', aspects of most independents, and go with the quirky, the unique, the books I've read and can recommend, books that other people love and recommend, books that people ask for but never come in used, books that people can't find.

Classics are a big part of that.

I think I've found a new trick. Plug in a classic author, say Charles Dickens, or Mark Twain, and then plug in the word Penguin, and up pops all the classic, classy, and moderately priced Penguin editions. Which most readers recognize as quality.

Doing that with every order, now. Yesterday it was Dickens and Twain. Next time it might be Robert Louis Stevenson or Tolstoy.

Meanwhile, I still find enough books to pluck out of the ether to fill my orders. In fact, I blew my entire budget yesterday on just replacing sold books and a few quirky choices.

This is my favorite part of being a bookstore, even if I'm not able to read every book. I've found I'm way more influenced by covers than I would have thought -- unique and interesting covers, or titles or subjects.

I'm going to be very interested to see where this all leads.

American Flagg

AMERICAN FLAGG, by Howard Chaykin, 1983.

When I first bought the store, I wasn't into comics. I went on a reading spree, and slowly acquired the taste -- or more, recollected how much I used to like the taste.

But it wasn't until I read American Flagg and Swamp Thing that I understood the full potential of the form. (Swamp Thing was a toss away title that DC gave to a newcomer by the name of Alan Moore -- who went on to do V for Vendetta, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, From Hell, and the Watchmen.)

They are finally releasing a collection of the American Flagg series; and I'll be interested to see if it was as prescient as I remember. (The U.S. consists of corporate malls -- where everyone lives and shops....)

Also this week:

Comic Book Tattoo SC
Daredevil #109
2009 Dragon Calendar
Dmz #33
Flight GN 05
Gon Vol. 5
Hack Slash Annual Suicide Girls
I Killed Adolf Hitler
Invincible #51
Korgi GN Vol 02
Mad Magazine
New Avengers 343
Scud the Disposable Assassin TP
Serenity (restock)
Star Wars Legacy #26 (inked by local Dan Parsons)
Superman #678
Ultimate X-Men #96
Uncanny X-Men #500!!
X-Files Special

And of course much more.

Who watches the Watchmen?

Now that the Watchmen trailer is out, I thought I'd remind everyone that we are well stocked with this graphic novel, which no matter how good the movie proves to be, is a hell of a read and cannot possibly be contained in a single movie.


Postscript: Sold the Heath Ledger Joker bust within the first hour on Friday. But then stocked up on a really cool Joker vs. Batman statue that a customer had, and several more Black and White interpretive statues, and got another 1/2 sized Batman Head, that is a companion to the Joker Head (below) that is coming in September.

Also, I recommend the Joker's Greatest Stories, and the Killing Joke. And I personally enjoy the All-Star Batman and Robin, by Frank Miller and Jim Lee, which is controversial.

I don't know what to say. As I mentioned below, I think there are a number of themes and motif's in the movie that are well represented in the graphic novels.

The Stand.

After a strong showing with The Dark Tower I series, and a not quite as strong but still pretty good showing with DT 2; Marvel is offering an adaptation of The Stand.

This used to be one of my favorite books.

Used to be because, like my love of David Brin's The Postman, my love was diluted by subsequent ham-fisted movie and T.V. adaptations.

Still, I'm going to be reading this, and hoping they can capture Stephen King's doomed aura. To me, this is the best King book, not the DT.

Joker Bust.

I ordered this Joker bust as a companion to the half-sized Batman bust. It's the more 'classic' version of the Joker, if you will. It's not coming out for awhile. Amazingly, I sold the Batman, if at a third off due to some 'glueing' problems.

At the last minute, I ordered a smaller Heath Ledger style bust. Which I got in.

This week, I decided it wasn't ghoulish to get a 'Heath' Joker, but a tribute. Tried ordering more of them. But they're all gone.

This is one of those situations that happen where I actually have a bust in stock and I'll have dozens of people think about buying it and walk away and I don't like to manipulate people by saying "Buy it now or forever hold your peace!" even though in this case its true and then someone will finally and begrudgingly buy it and they'll never realize they got lucky and then all the people who walked away will come back and it will be gone and they'll be mad at me for not having enough and not understand that I can't order more but "I'm sure they'll satisfy demand eventually" I'll tell them and DC will rush out a replacement but by then you won't be interested anymore and I'll have to stare at Heath's Ledgers doomed face for a year or two.

And I need say nothing.

Recommended site.

A short post to recommend a website I've found that posts wonderful art on a regular basis, most of which isn't available in book form that I know of.

It's really all kinds of wonderful illustrative art, not just comics.

I still don't know how to hypertext a link, but here is the title of the blog, so by all means google it.

Golden Age Comic Book Stories.

New this Week.

Acquire Board Game. One of those classic Bookshelf games coming back.
Angel: After the Fall Hdc. Joss Whedon penned story, all in one book.
Astonishing X-Men #25, reorder. The beginning of Warren Ellis run.
Batgirl #1
Captain America #40
Conan the Cimmerian #1. New writer and artist, new story.
Dark Knight the Joker Bust. Scary, creepy Heath Ledger likeness.
Doctor Grordborts Contrapulatronic Dingus Director: Companion book to my $700.00 raygun.
Gentleman Jim
Incredible Hercules #119
Iron Man #31
Moon knight #20
Mice Templar #5
Swamp Demon: Killer Frazetta cover.
Marvel 1985: Marvel villains invade the 'real' world of 1985.
Spike: After the Fall. Another Buffy spinoff, because we can't have too many of those.
Universal War.
Zot: Complete stories.

And much much more. Arriving Wednesday.

Image fest.

Had a real image fest yesterday.

First went to see The Fall. Linda and I had both loved the imagery in The Cell, so expected a real treat. I was a little surprised by the gentle nature of the movie -- which contained a core of realism with a beautiful fantasy story.

The imagery was fantastic, the little girl who so wonderfully mangles the story in her mind, coming out with a mix of cultures and symbols, was charming.

It didn't quite have the emotional depth I hoped for: but I would've watched this movie with the sound off, I think. (Indeed, I went to the movie expecting no real story, just images, and only got my hopes up for an emotionally satisfying movie after I started watching it.)

It has a bit of leisurely pace, and though it's told from a child's viewpoint, it has violence and death. Kind of a mix between The Princess Bride and Pan's Labyrinth. (Though not as good as either -- a smaller movie, despite the images.)

Speaking of Pan's Labyrinth. We then drove across town to see Hellboy 2, which was much faster paced, an action flix with a heart. Linda and I have always liked Ron Perlman, ever since Beauty and the Beast days. (I informed her that the guiding force behind that show was none other than our favorite fantasy writer, George R.R. Martin).

It's amazing how much fantasy and comics have pervaded popular culture -- without much real awareness on the part of the public, I think, who just take it all for granted. I've always wished that Hellboy graphic novels would become a hit, too, because of their beautiful Gothic art. Mignola was co-writer of the movie, and it contains a great deal of his sensibilities. Equally good, maybe better in some ways, is his B.P.R.D. stories -- which have the characters in the movies, plus many others. It think seeing characters like Abe Sapien and Johann is probably the most satisfying part.

There was a big 'Producer' credit for Mike Richardson again, and Linda and I talked about how much he has become Hollywood, and wondered how central he is to the whole process. I started to talk about Barbwire again, and Linda told me something I didn't know. I had always assumed that Mike Richardson had forgotten where he got the name Barbwire (Linda had told him of a dream she'd had where the main character was named Barbwire) but Linda told me he had asked her if he could use the name. He may have forgotten where he got it, but apparently Linda had said go for it. Other than the name, he didn't actually take any of the ideas.

It's our little in-joke.

Hell, Mike didn't even take any credit for creating The Mask for a long time. (He told me that the writers of the comics and the movie had taken it so much farther....but still....)

But it shows how small a world it is, and how a casual conversation can have unexpected results.

William Gibson and Neal Stephenson.

I hate to say it, but I think William Gibson may be a one trick pony.

Neuromancer was a revelation. I don't know if Gibson created the cyber terms we use today, or was just responsible for their wide usage. But a fun and interesting book, if a little difficult to read.

His next 3 books were equally good. But....pretty much the same book.

His last two books, Pattern Recognition and Spook Country are set in the present to near future, and I've had a difficult time getting into them.

He has an oblique style, coming at things sidewise, never really explaining. Which is O.K. if the payoff is there. He throws out brand names and new technology -- but it comes across as desperately hip to me now, as if he's gleaned all the fresh concepts and words off the net.

Contrast Gibson to Neal Stephenson, who maybe didn't create cyberpunk, but who wrote the quintessential cyberpunk book: Snowcrash. Then moved on to a Victorian flavored S.F. book, Diamond Age, which seems to me the quintessential steampunk book; and then wrote his own near future novel, Cryptonomicon.

It seems to me that Stephenson tackles bigger subjects, in more depth, and more entertainingly than Gibson. He's matured as a writer, where Gibson seems to have reached his limits.

Stephenson's Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver, The Confusion, and The System of the World) is a magnificent trilogy, and I breezed through the 1000 pages of each. Didn't understand all the science and philosophy, mind you, but enjoyed the story and maybe, just maybe, picked up a few mind expanding concepts.

I really need to plow through Spook Country and Pattern Recognition before I come to any final conclusions.

But there it is -- just the fact that I feel as though I need to "plow" through the books shows the problem.

Whither 40K?

Without great fanfare or to-do (unless you consider this blog fanfare and to-do) I am going to start carrying Warhammer 40,000.

As anyone who has been reading my Best Minimum Wage Job a Middle Aged Guy Ever Had blog knows, I've been struggling with this choice for a couple of years now, or at least since Gambit Games went out of business.

This is one of those times when all the roadblocks that once seemed so insurmountable have suddenly disappeared.

The time is right.

5th Edition is being released this Saturday. I can simply pick up each new release as they come out, instead of trying to go backward, trying to figure out what to buy and what not to buy. Money is no longer a huge problem; and space has been created by the reorganization.

The biggest change in my thinking has come from my experience with sports cards. I've made it no secret that 5 or 6 years ago, I was pretty much disgusted with cards. I was barely supporting them, hardly paying attention.

What caught my attention was when Fleer, which had been one of the three big companies when I started (Donruss and Topps being the others) joined Donruss and Pinnacle and many other companies on the scrap heap; to remain as a brand, only. I figured it was the bottom of the market: I could come in and set my own terms.

I also got the sense that the consumer had finally come to realize the difference between the junk they were selling at the chain stores, and the more premium product I could offer. That the price shock had already driven everyone out of the hobby that was going to be driven.

And finally, I thought that if I just concentrated on buying new boxes of cards, putting a reasonable retail markup, and stacking them, (with a sampling of packs, available) that I might have a viable product without having to go through all the gyrations I used to; without taking up too much of a footprint; and without the huge risky expense. (Not trying to carry singles, sets, and packs as well.)

And it's worked out.

Basically, I started carrying the product on MY terms; and if the customer hadn't accepted that, then I would've stopped carrying it.

I'm comfortable with carrying the boxed Warhammer sets, which I can stack, and the new hardcover books, which I can slot into my shelves. If it's a huge success, I'll revisit the idea of carrying blister packs later. I'm buying through a middle man, and I'm just going to carry one of most items. (Some of the armies are 240.00 retail! So I'll find out pretty quickly if I spent money for nothing...)

I am going against almost all the advice I've heard. I'm not buying direct, I'm not stocking deeply, I'm not playing or demoing the game, I'm not carrying paints and accessories, I'm not carrying the blister packs. But I am experienced at selling similar product, and I'm going with my instincts this time. I went with the experts last time, and felt I was duped; that it was overpriced, overblown and over hyped.

My store is different now; much less dependent on the 'fanboy' and much more open to off the street business. I figure I'll get the occasional sale this way. If a couple of the locals check other venues first and can't find it, they may come in and buy from me. They may even buy from me first, if I prove I'm dependable. And once I have a viable product in the store, I'm very good at keeping it in stock.

The customer is going to have to accept the fact that -- just like anime and manga, most boardgames and role-playing games, sports cards -- my expertise is limited. I'm just the bartender, and I'm selling you a product, and I don't pretend otherwise. I won't be able to chat you up, I won't be able to host games or demo them. I'll have them for sale, and in stock, at regular retail and that will have to be enough.

If it isn't enough...well, I figure the upside potential is much higher than the risk to me right now. I can take it slow and easy, instead of trying to dive into the huge Warhammer world. I calculate there is enough demand in Central Oregon, that -- just like sports cards -- I'll be able to sell enough to make it worthwhile.

War and Criminals

CRIMINAL

I read the Lawless storyline last night, without really realizing that the graphic novel was coming in today.

Good timing. I'm really enjoying these stories by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips.

One thing that has always kind of bugged me about comics is how rare it is to find a pure crime story or a pure fantasy or a pure science fiction or a pure western. Most stories seem to be hybrids. Makes it hard to create genre displays in the store.

But this is pure criminal noire. Three interconnected but stand alone stories.

As with the first series, I'm also enjoying the guest essays in the back, where underappreciated novels and movies are brought to light. I think the 1950's hardboiled novels are fascinating time capsules on another time and place.


Speaking of hybrids. STORMING PARADISE, by Dixon and Guice, is a war comic with a twist. The nuclear test at Las Alamos went wrong, killing all the scientists. Truman gives the orders to invade Japan.

It's got some fun elements. MacArthur being forced to include Patton in his invasion plans. John Wayne enlisting (after being shamed by an old guy who I assume is John Ford). The Japanese succeeding in getting the Nazi nuclear materials.

Alternate history.

One of the bonuses of my wife owning a used bookstore is that I get to pop in every night and scope out what got traded in. Every once in a while, I find a real prize.

If there was any justice in this world, Thomas Perry novels would outsell Grishem and Patterson and Evanovich combined. I thought I had read all his Jane Whitefield novels, so I was completely delighted to find BLOOD MONEY.

Jane Whitefield is one of those rare characters in novels who is smarter than everyone else and also shows it. She rarely does something bone-headed in service to the plot. At the same time, she's a deep character who we know very little about. She has an native American heritage, but Perry doesn't overplay that aspect. She's stoic and closed mouth but has a huge empathy. She's quiet and courageous. And she's sly.

Very, very sly.

She helps people disappear.

So...what's different about that? An Indian character, who helps people disappear? It's all in the intricate and believable plots, the dead on characterizations. There is never that moment when you think, "Why did she do that? Why didn't she do that?" She never makes a wrong move, but the people she's protecting are constantly creating complications, which she has to fix. You really like her, because she is always making the most ethical choice, and she's thinking about it, and she's doing it even though it puts her in great danger.

If you like Connelly and Sandford and Crais and Child, do yourself a favor and track down Thomas Perry. All his books are great, though I particularly like the Whitefield novels.

Gargoyle eyes.

Because of my gargoyle eyes, (see my BMWJAMAGEH blog), I'm doing a shorty, without the extras.

Went and saw Incredible Hulk finally.

It was fun. I was one of those who didn't mind the first movie -- and I thought this rendition looked just as artificial, if not more so. Still, I enjoyed it.

Two things.

When Stan Lee drinks the juice, they missed a bet. Instead of him saying, "Oh, my." They should have had a sexy female voice calling, "Are you coming to bed, Stan?" And then, a beat, and a "OH......MY!" in appreciative tones.

And why do the crowds hang around the streets when two monsters are fighting. Huh? Why are they still going oh, and ah ten minutes into the fight? Have they no instinct for preservation, Huh? Huh? Just wondering.

This week's books.

Yesterday, a graphic novel review, today... a used book.

I haven't quite figured out this picture placement process, yet. The review of this >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
is below.

Meanwhile, comics are coming in on Thursday this week, because of the holiday. Some of the more significant titles:

Amazing Spider-man #565
Berlin #16
Bone BK #8
Captain America White #0
Goon #26
Indiana Jones & the Tomb of the Gods #1 (New Story!)
Powers #29 (About time....)
Secret Invasion #4 (Best-selling story of the Year.)
Spawn # 180
Trinity #6 (Every week.)
Ultimate Origins #2

And.....drumroll.....Halo Action Figures! The first wave of these sold out everywhere and nary a one to be found.


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I'm going to review books as I read them. I don't read quite as much as I used to: this internet thing has gotten in the way. And I'm not certain how useful it is for the store to review books that aren't new books. Especially books I may not have liked all that much.

But....like I said, I don't read enough books anymore to not review every book I read.

Usually, T. Jefferson Parker is a reliable read. A good writer, mining Southern California. But this book was a miss, mostly because of the female character. She's one of those quirky sort of gals that used to be in 1950's movies -- but completely unbelievable in this day and age. I kid you not, within three pages she has the following three lines of dialouge.

"...you big lug."

"Jeezy peezy," said Frankie."

"Take 'er easy, cowboy..."

Once you start questioning believability, a book can simply fall apart. Too bad, too, because there is some interesting history here; the same history that was in the movie Rainmaker, and Chinatown.

But this was no Chinatown.

4th of July report.

The Watchmen. Written by Alan Moore. Often considered the best graphic novel ever created. There is a big Hollywood production slated for the prime May movie kickoff season next year, directed by Zach Snyder, the directer of the 300. (It' s not a blue screen movie -- at least, no more than any action movie these days....)

You're going to hear a lot about it.

DC is especially helpful with their movie licenses, giving us a chance to order large quantities in advance and return them on consignment. First time it happened, I ordered what I considered an outrageous number of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (also written by Alan Moore; the book which isn't the movie) and sold through them in half the time I expected. Next up was the V for Vendetta movie (also by Alan Moore, who is in my opinion an absolute genius) and I ordered an even more outrageous number and again sold through.

After a bit of a dud with the Superman movie, DC is again allowing us to get as many copies as we need.

Nothing like having a large inventory of a book that you can look people in the eye and say:

"This is the best graphic novel ever done...."

******************************************************************

Downtown was crazy yesterday. We opened at the regular time, but I told Patrick he could go home at 2:00, and I would decide if I wanted to work the rest of the day or not.

We were doing well enough, I decided to relieve him.

I was astounded by the number of people. It was like Disneyland (well, I've never been to Disneyland, but it's how I imagine it.) For someone like me, who gets a little tight in crowds, it was a bit intimidating. But, being a Holiday, I could park in front of the store and escape safely inside.

We did just a little below average in sales.

Patrick's remark was that when he came over the hill to work, he thought he was in New York. (I don't know if he's ever been there, but it's how he imagines it.)

This has got to be a healthy thing. People milling about, having fun. I know, I know....I hear you thinking....you don't like these things. But that's not exactly true. This was a genuine event, not one that was manufactured. It's traditional and somehow just more authentic to me.

Still working on it.

You get to watch the flailings of a technophobe. (or not.) I have an automatic, emotional rejection of new technology. Along with an intellectual realization that every bit of technology I've added to my repertoire has been a vast improvement.

But I know my own pace of acceptance, and try to accommodate it. It doesn't take much to feel overwhelmed.

This makes very little sense to people who are comfortable in this new world.

As Jon says: "Right on. One thing I've advocated to you before (I think) is blog the new comics/products you get in each week."

Well, yeah. I knew that.

But I've always thought that any new technology I install is useless unless I learn it. I could've hired someone long ago to make me a webpage, whatever. But I want to be able to use it on a daily basis, and that meant doing it myself.

I'm not above asking for help for one time things, like installing a logo to this site. (Even that I probably should learn myself.)

So it's a challenge. It's good to have challenges.

As long as they don't overwhelm you.

So I've become somewhat familiar with Blogger. I decided to make my new blog for Pegasus my de facto website. Later, I may want a real website with a shopping cart and all the trimmings, and add my blog to it. But I ain't ready for that, yet.

So here it is. Cut me some slack.

Meanwhile, I managed two new tricks. One, as you can see, is adding a picture to the blog. This is a view of the deck outside my home office. (Those are two concrete pigs I brought back from our trip to Astoria.)

Secondly, I added sitemeters to both of my active blogs. I'm especially proud of this, because in following the instructions I kept failing, but when I substituted a step, I managed to make it happen! On my own initiative!

I wouldn't have been able to do that a couple years ago. I'm picking stuff up slowly, by osmosis.

I'm hoping after a month or so of this, I'll have an actual actively functioning website, instead of journal of my technical travails.

Bear with me.

Dressing up the blog.

First thing I want to do, is dress up this blog. Make it the Pegasus Books 'website' for the time being.

Things like having my logo; posted store hours; brief description of the store.

I'd like to be able to post pictures.

THEGOON.COM is proud to announce that THE GOON has been optioned by acclaimed director and producer DAVID FINCHER and Academy-Award nominated BLUR STUDIO to develop as a CG animated feature film with Dark Horse Entertainment.

That pesky Dave

I'd like to be able to hyperlink.

I'd like to be able to Link.

And so on.

Anyone out there want to come in and help me out on these things? I warn you, I'm a total luddite.

I figure I can tackle about one of the above things per visit, or my head will explode.



Meanwhile, does anyone know where I can get Bend postcards? I'm constantly being asked. (By the way, Mother Hen, don't I owe you money?)

Also, anyone out there have a full list of books concerning local subjects? I'd love, for instance, to get ahold of the High Desert Museum book list.

I'm going to google both these subjects at the store, when I get to work.

Finally, Jake? Is there anyway you can include this blog on the BendBlogs? Jon? Could you use your influence?

Once I've got all the mechanics out of the way, I'm kind of excited about being able to concentrate on store issues, leaving the politics and commentary out of the mix.

I love my store, and I wish I could show it off better, and I'm hoping this blog will help me do that.