T.G.I.F.: February 23, 2007

Busiek wins.

Again.

I can't even find a specific image from this wonderful issue, so I simply give you the stunning cover. Want to see superheroes being super? This is the title you want to add after you cull that pull list, as per Mr. Church's suggestions.

From Superman #659 by Busiek, Nicieza, Vale, and Pacheco.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: February 16, 2007

Excuse the lateness - this Friday was more Friday-ish than most. At least it's basically over. I imagine that were I a nattily attired evolutionary standout, the day would have gone much better.

From Nextwave #12 by Ellis and Immonen.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: February 9, 2007

Secret.

Freakin'.

Codes.

And decoder rings websites!

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: February 2, 2007

Would you like to send your own postcard?

Do so at the Postcards website, and spread the T.G.I.F.-ness.

You could even do it on Monday, if you insist.

(Look at that freakin' lineup!)

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: January 26, 2007

You come here for happiness, and I give you an advertisement. Sometimes, that's just the way it is.

Posting's been even sparser than sparse this past week. I've been quite busy in rehearsals for This Mortal Coil at SB Dance. Here's some info from The Salt Lake City Weekly and The Salt Lake Tribune.

Anyways, we open tonight, and that's a good feeling.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: January 19, 2007

I didn't post this in this week's 52 on 52, fearful of it's spoileriffic nature. As I debated if a few days had ameliorated the spoilerosity contained, I realized I simply can't ignore it as the single image this week that made me sit up and take notice.

From 52 #37 by Johns, Morrison, Rucka, Waid, Giffen and Pat Oliffe.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: January 12, 2007

Slipped in among "All-American powerhouse", "Kryptonian survivor from a parallel universe", and "The third smartest man in the world" ... this made me laugh.

"Laugh" isn't something I usually associate with a Geoff Johns book.

From Justice Society Of America #2 by geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: January 5, 2006

Just a boy and his dog.

From All-Star Superman #6 by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: December 29, 2006

Everyone and their brother will be handing you Hamburger-Spewing Elvis M.O.D.O.K.s.

I bring you a damn funny character moment.

Have a Happy New Year, and I'll see you in 2007!

From Astonishing X-men #19 by Joss Whedon and John Cassady.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: December 22, 2006

Yes, I know it's not comics. This defines me as a Child Of The Eighties as much as Anatomy Lesson and Ronin: Frank Miller, Alan Moore, Bob Geldof.

Merry Christmas!

Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Slightly More Tolerable since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: December 15, 2006

Not much in this week's books that qualifies for the stringent requirements placed upon the T.G.I.F.: an image that made me smile.

Hence, an image from a book that's new to me: Absolute New Frontier. This was my first time reading it, and while my reaction was tempered by the outsized hype ... I still loved it. This image is just one of many that blew off the page, exploding a sense of time and place and boundless optimism. New Frontier has some storytelling deficiencies, but is an unparalleled period piece and a work of tone. A month of Fridays, and I couldn't get to all the images I loved in here.

From Absolute New Frontier By Darwyn Cooke.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: December 8, 2006

Because nothing says "Christmas" like fascism.


From Marvel Holiday Special 2006.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: November 30, 2006

It's almost become telegraphy (or contractual obligation): if you're doing an Eisner homage, you must include the book's title spelled out in architecture as Eisner did in his Spirit title sequences. I was surprised through the first few pages of Batman/Spirit as it didn't appear, and then ....



From Batman/Spirit by Jeph Loeb and Darwyn Cooke.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: November 17, 2006

While the issue as a whole was weak, 52 also managed to produce the biggest grin in this week's books. Red Tornado's head bolted to a pile of junk while mindlessly chanting "52! 52!" just tickles my funnybone.

From 52 #28 by Johns, Morrison, Rucka, Waid and Drew Johnson.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: November 10, 2006

Only the third post this week. I wish I could - like a seeming half of the WeboComicsBlogoNet - blame this, but I will instead blame this and this and this.

And this.

Nevertheless, a trip to Batman's sci-fi closet fills me with Friday joy.

From Batman #643 by Grant Morrison, Andy Kubert and Jesse Delperdang.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: November 3, 2006

Though I have problems with Midnighter #1, by Garth Ennis and Chris Sprouse, I can't deny it also gave me my favorite panel of the week.

"Kicksplodo" barely describes the coolness of this panel, with Midnighter leaping to kick an artillery shell out of the air. It's a great moment, and Sprouse's page explodes with energy.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: October 27, 2006

I promised myself I'd find a T.G.I.F. that wasn't from Nextwave. It's like shooting fish in a barrel, taking glee-packed images from that book.

I bypassed the Doom Patrol wink. I bypassed the Authority nod. I even controlled myself when Forbush-Man appeared.

But this? This I could not refuse. After all, turnabout is fair play.

From Nextwave #9, by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: September 22, 2006

I'm the damn Batgirl.

Another Gail Simone.

Another inside joke.

Another T.G.I.F.

Though I have to ask: What's the story? Need a hit movie on your resume to be able to use "goddamn"? A mere writer of comic books can only use "damn"?

From Birds Of Prey #98, by Gail Simone, James Raiz, and Robin Riggs.

T.G.I.F.: Making Fridays Better since August 26, 2005.

T.G.I.F.: September 15, 2006

Go ahead. Click on that image. Blow it up, and take it in. It'll brighten your day.

There was no doubt where my T.G.I.F. would come from this week. I knew it instantly. Part of the First Second Fall 2006 line, Joann Sfar's Klezmer is a work of irrepressible joy, leaping off the page. It is so deep and true, capturing the Jewish Diaspora experience of "laughing wild amidst severest woe", of making life and music and laughter even under extreme persecution and hardship. In this careful story about musicians in Eastern Europe in the early 20th century, Sfar captures a time and a place and a people. It feels instantly classic, belonging alongside Isaac Bashevis Singer on the bookshelf.

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture - it's a really stupid thing to want to do," said Elvis Costello once. He may be right, but perhaps sequential art has a leg up. It's not easy to have musical numbers in a comic, but Sfar's explosions of color and action when the music starts throughout the novel almost create synesthesia where you can hear the colors. He also tells stories through these musical set pieces, such as the confrontation between The Baron Of My Backside and the townsfolk musicians who killed his friends. It's absolutely glorious, and the book as a whole is so complex and beautiful that it's easily one of the best graphic novels I've read. Not "this month" or "this year" or "this decade" ...

The cover promises this is only "Book One", and I'll be eagerly awaiting the rest of this wonderful story.

T.G.I.F.: September 8, 2006

Sanity Roll!

Either you've made one, or you haven't.

I've made more than a few back in the day.

Thanks, Gail. From The All-New Atom #3.

("What the hell kind of inside joke is this?", you ask.)

T.G.I.F.: September 1, 2006

A powerless Superman leaps to a near-certain death, falling for 20 seconds with the faith that his cobbled-together compatriots will do what's needed to save both him and the world. His only powers are faith, heroism, and leadership.

This week's Action Comics is one of those Perfect Superman Moments, in it's simple assertion that what makes Superman special is not his powers but his humanity and his heroism. It's a wonderful sequence that gave me the smile and chills that I look for every Wednesday.

As much as Grant Morrison's wonder-filled All-Star Superman captures one kind of Perfect Superman Story, Kurt Busiek's recent work on the Man Of Steel is just as stunning.

T.G.I.F.: August 25, 2006

Actually, there were two T.G.I.F. candidates from Batman #656, a comic I enjoyed immensely. I also loved the sequence as the ninja man-bats attack that ends with "Ninja man-bats. Alarming twist."

This panel wins out for it's sheer balls and willingness to be completely over-the-top and off-the-page. For that brief panel, I could hear the voices and the soundtrack, as the Hammer Horror Batman came to life right in front of me. It's also, of course, bringing the Lichtenstein pop-art that decorates the earlier scenes right into the comic itself. It's bold and fun, and made me smile.

T.G.I.F.: August 18, 2006

From the piratically delightful Polly and the Pirates by Ted Naifeh, about which I will write more later.

T.G.I.F.: August 11, 2006

From "The Origin of Metamorpho" in 52 #14, by Mark Waid and Eric Powell.

I don't know who that little dude with the laser eyestalk is, but he made my comics-reading week.

T.G.I.F.: August 4, 2006

That would be one kick-ass hotdog stand.

Judging from the first issue of Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk's Agents Of Atlas, I concur with Gorilla Man.

That would be a kick-ass hotdog stand.

T.G.I.F.: July 28, 2006

"... he writes like a honkytonk angel."

As previously mentioned, I've had better weeks.

So it was with much joy that I went to my mailbox this week to find a book I pre-ordered almost a year ago: Howard Waldrop's Howard Who?. It's a collection of madness, stories of magical pop-culture fantasies: jazz superstar Dwight Eisenhower playing for Senator Presley, a robotic dog, duck and mouse (named GUF, DUN, and MIK) making their way in a world they don't understand, and the Marx Brothers team up with Stan and Ollie and Abbott and Costello to try and avert The Day The Music Died. One of my favorite books as a teen, and one that irrevocably shaped my own short story writing, it's been out of print for quite some time. In idle moments I would sometimes search around the Great Intarwub in hopes of finding an inexpensive copy, to no avail.

Then came Small Beer Press. This small publishing house has just released a new edition of Howard Who?, and its arrival is one of the high points of this week.

Oh? You want comics content? Yes - that postcard for Howard Who? features Kevin Huizenga's cover artwork. He contributes covers for the entire line of Peapod Classics.

T.G.I.F.: July 20, 2006

I'll be spending the day with my girls at our Old West "Cousin Camp" today. Almost 30 cousins going on hikes, train rides, cave explorations, and more. It's an annual event, and always great fun.

And that, my friends, is very T.G.I.F.

T.G.I.F.: July 14, 2006

I somehow completely spaced last week's T.G.I.F., but the feature's not gone ... just forgotten.

Today, we honor Bastille Day!

Au revoir!

(This F*@% Yeah Moment brought to you by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch in The Ultimates.)

T.G.I.F.O.J.: July 4, 2006

Thank God It's The Fourth Of July!

I have a busy day of parades, cars, fireworks, and some eatin'.

Here's a sketch from the fantastic The Black Coat, featuring revolutionary fervor aplenty as the Black Coat fights off a slew of lobsterbacks.

Poached from The Black Coat Website.

T.G.I.F.: June 30, 2006

Friday is quickly passing, so I turn to my friend Nextwave for guidance. It, certainly, will provide me with the TGIF happiness I need.

Perhaps Death Bears?

Perhaps Etheric Loop Recall Televocometers?

Actually, what got me in Nextwave #6 wasn't explodo humor, but a simple act of heroism. Well drawn and simply written, it was all the more arresting being in the middle of this non-stop manic issue.

T.G.I.F.: June 23, 2006

Yes you, do, Jimmy. Yes, you do.

(Am I hallucinating a response to another scene of skimpy clothing in the All-Star line?)

This Friday, I am also cheered by James Sime's review of Superman Returns. Because I think he gets it, and I'll have about the same response. Now, how to wrangle a chance to see it? Please - send babysitters, stat.

T.G.I.F.: June 16, 2006

[Note: This post contains spoilers for Checkmate #3.]

This week's happy-making comes from a shocking last page reveal.

No - not that one.

The final page of Checkmate #3 put a huge smile on my face, which is .... unexpected ... coming from this grim-n-gritty espionage book.

Why?

Because this is why I read the Big Two - at least partially. This is what they can offer that other publishers can't: a shared universe. I love that feeling, that click in the brain when unexpected bits lock together in mainstream comics. I love reading the introduction of The Great Ten in 52, then heading over to another book coming out the very same week using them as a surprise ending. Yeah, sure - it's editor-driven, event-driven comics. But when done well - like this - it's deeply appealing to me.

T.G.I.F.: June 9, 2006

As of last night, I am caught up with Runaways. I'd heard the good word about the book since coming back to comics almost a year ago, but didn't want to jump into the monthly without knowing what's going on. Now I've digested the excellent hardcover of the first series, the two digests covering much of the current series, and found the last few issues at 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics.

I'm floored.

All the praise I've heard didn't prepare me for this sustained excellence. The arc of the first series may be one of my favorite storylines in comics. Runaways is remarkable for being on the short list of new characters that actually succeed, and the secret is simple: they are characters. They are not a set of costumes, powers, and high-concept origins. They are living, breathing people who are engaging and endearing.

Anyways - this T.G.I.F. I present maybe my favorite joke from a series full of wit.

T.G.I.F.: June 2, 2006

Hectic day what with recalcitrant WordPress, unexpected bugs in production code, and messageboard debate on the Marriage Amendment.

But I do not shirk my duties. I may be a bit late bringing the T.G.I. to this Friday, but it's a panel from Yotsuba&!, so it's extra good.

Have a great weekend, y'all ...

T.G.I.F.: May 26, 2006

As you enjoy your long Memorial Day weekend, look to the skies. For there be Death Bears.

Hard to pick this week. With Scott Pilgrim & The Infinite Sadness releasing and my belated purchase of Yotsuba&! Volume 3, I have enough here for a month of Fridays.

However, the moment that made me laugh loudest was from this week's Nextwave: Agents Of H.A.T.E. Crayon Butchery Variant. (2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics even included a pack of crayons with every purchase.)

T.G.I.F.: May 19, 2006

Frank Miller's continual hatred of Superman gets tiresome ... but this sequence from All-Star Batman And Robin The Boy Wonder #4 made me laugh out loud.

Happy Friday, all.

T.G.I.F.: May 12, 2006

So, like I mentioned .... it was my birthday last week.

I got a lot of great comicbookery out of the aging process: Superman/Batman: Absolute Power, Alias Omnibus, the Runaways hardcover, and The Fate Of The Artist.

The best gift I received, though, was this 22-page graphic novel which my six-year-old daughter spent a month working on. Half the fun of comics this time around is sharing it with my girls.

I'm a pretty lucky dad.

T.G.I.F.: May 5, 2006

If Free Comics don't make for a T.G.I.F., I don't know what does.

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, my daughters and I will show up at 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics for Free Comic Book Day. Personally, I'm looking to score a Free Scott Pilgrim, while my oldest girl is looking forward to Justice League Unlimited and the youngest just is excited to get any comic. It's a family event, and we're all celebrating.

If you can't make it to your local Free Comic Book Day, you could always take advantage of the offers available through the WeboComicsBlogoNet, couldn't you?

• Yet Another Comics Blog Free Comic Book Month


• Comic Book Galaxy and First Second Books Giveaway


• And my own Birthday Comic Giveaway, ending this afternoon!

T.G.I.F.: April 28, 2006

Oh. This makes me happy, yes it does.

Now I just need plane fare to Toronto so I can buy one.

The only thing that might make me even happier than this perfect melding of Scott Pilgrim with my misspent youth? The fact that Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness should be on store shelves in less than a month.

T.G.I.F.: April 7, 2006

My Punks T-Shirt came. That's my happy thing this Friday - Dog, Abe, Skull, and Fist.

T.G.I.F.: March 31, 2006

In an expectedly bad week, I read an unexpectedly good book: Northwest Passage, from Oni Press. Scott Chantler's adventure comic of the Hudson Bay Company combines fun art and a great story that explores territory* few other comics do. It made my week of coding hell just that much closer to "tolerable". I'm looking forward to finishing the second volume tonight.

*Pun only slightly intended.

T.G.I.F.: March 24, 2006

Usually the T.G.I.F. is a panel that made me smile this week. This seven-day stretch, nothing made me smile more than this link. Why?

Last Friday, I was slogging though the end of my coding day. In the spirit of procrastination, I hopped to my Bloglines. Seeing the latest Isotope Communique had gone out, I checked it. I noticed an problem in the post, something I know James Sime wouldn't want going out. I emailed him .... and he sent back the YouTube link showcased above.

He also said one was coming my way.

I show weekly love to the good people at 2005 Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Retailer Award Winning Night Flight Comics, but if I were to move anywhere in the U.S. based solely on comics retailing, I'd move back to the Bay Area to shop at the Isotope Lounge. James Sime does things right.

He pimps strange books that catch his attention like Blurred Vision. And I thank him for it - it's a preview that really caught my interest for a book that would probably have flown at a tangent to my radar.

He backs his choices, even offering to square things because I wasn't thrilled with a book he recommended.

He thanks strange bloggers by sending them swankness taken form. The impending arrival of this simple pint glass has made my week.

Thanks, Mr. Sime.

T.G.I.F.: March 17, 2006

It's Saint Patrick's Day. It's the second day of March Madness, in a year where it really seems like anything can happen. It's Friday.

You say that's not enough? That you want more reasons to celebrate today? Then how about this: Spring's around the corner.

From Gray Horses, by Hope Larson.