So what if I'm late? Seth barely has one page done of Ragged Rider, and that's due the 15th.

Sorry this post is like 4 days late. I just beat two Uncharted games in 3 days. What about that extra day? Go f*** yourself, that's what. I can post whenever the hell I want.

Also, Seth illustrated a poem for my class. I was supposed to "collaborate" with a work of art. Seth got a large workload for school and almost backed out, so I almost did it myself. I had 3 or 4 panels drawn, but luckily he pulled through. And pumped this out in maybe two days.
Also, to see what Seth has to put up with when I pitch an idea to him, here's my layout sketch:
You should see the ones for Cowboy Mummy. They're ridiculous.

Anyway, on to the reviews...and I apologize if any are brief. My fault for doing this so late...






Action Comics #899 - (6/10) Paul Cornell's Lex Luthor run has been going downhill as of late. What began as an unique look on one of the DCU's most interesting villains has turned into a bore. Cornell seems more interested in finding convoluted reasons to keep having characters made interesting by someone else pop up in the book. His characterization of the Joker was one of the worst I've seen. Cornell is trying too hard, and it's beginning to show. The "battle of the minds" between Lex and Brainiac feels like two children trying to one-up each other in a game of rock-paper-scissors where they keep making up new hand gestures. It doesn't help that by this, the penultimate issue, the story has lost almost all coherency. I'll pick up #900 to finish the story off, but I won't stick around for Superman's return.

American Vampire #13 - (8/10) Snyder's vampire series continues to get better. Every time I finish a story arc, I worry that the next one won't live up. I was especially worried with this one, as the previous standalone issue was one of the best. Rafael Albuquerque continues to knock the artwork out of the park. I'm really torn on the upcoming miniseries. On one hand, I'm excited for more AV, but it sucks to add another brief title to my pull.

Avengers #11 - (4/10) Oh, Brian Michael Bendis...what are you doing to me? You wrote one of the best and one of the worst books this week. This issue was just horribly executed. Ever hear of the "show, don't tell" rule? Bendis apparently hasn't, as he has the Watcher needlessly narrate the entire issue, slowing the pacing down to an agonizing crawl. It seems like he just padded the entire issue out to lead to the final "cliffhanger" ( I stopped caring 3 pages in). Also slowing the book down, most, if not all, of the pages are caption-heavy splash pages. This would be fine if Romita Jr.'s art was as good as his father's. I have a fond spot for Romita Jr. - he was the Spider-Man artist for several years when I began reading comics. But man...he's gone downhill. At first I thought I just remembered him being better at this, but I looked back and aside from everyone, including women, having the same boxy face, his Spidey art holds up. His Avengers work is just amateur, though. He flat out doesn't finish pages. It looks like a change in inker and colorist has improved it slightly, but still. Also, his Watcher looks like Bendis in a bathrobe. That's not even a joke.

Deadpool Team-Up #883 - (6/10) I wanted to give this a higher score, but I see now that there is a reason Skottie Young is an artist and not a writer. His cover sure is purty, though. The story, though, is only passable, with only a few "heh"-worthy jokes -- plus several missed opportunities. The art is also passable, but I really wished Skottie just drew the issue as well. That would at least earn it another point or two. Luckily, I learned that this is the last issue of DPTU. I will miss it -- it was easily the better of the Deadpool spin-offs -- but at least I will no longer be tempted by Young's covers.

Detective Comics #875 - (9/10) The cancellation of the back-up stories featuring Gordon and his son was actually a great thing. It allowed Snyder to continue and expand the story into full issues, making what was before just an interesting post-plot distraction actually a compelling main plot. Full of twists, misdirections, and incentive to think about what you read, this story really resonated after I was done. My only complaint was minor, but I felt like Batman's appearance at the end, as well as in the last issue, was mostly there to ensure that he wasn't completely absent from his own title. Still, this was one of the best books this week.

Dollhouse: Epitaphs - (8/10) Confession time: I was a Dollhouse fan. It wasn't perfect, and I almost stopped watching early on in season one, but I stuck through to the end and saw it evolve into something more compelling than it originally appeared. Much of this came from the unaired season one finale featuring a post-apocalyptic Earth and...sigh...Felicia Day...where am I? Oh yeah, blog. Anyway, I saw this one-shot that was to lead into an ongoing series and thought I'd give it a shot. I had no intention of continuing on past this, but it delivered a pretty good story that made me think otherwise. I'm still not sure if I'll look into the ongoing, but it certainly looks like the Whedon brothers plan on delivering.

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors - (7/10) "The War of the Green Lanterns" continues, this time focusing primarily on Guy and Hal. While they fight arbitrarily (although it made sense in context) and the plot doesn't move too far forward, it held my interest and whet my appetite for the next chapter. Not much more to really say. Good, but not great.

Jimmy Olsen - (9/10) Just like the storyline in Detective Comics, this story was originally a back-up feature in Action Comics for I think 5 issues before they dropped it. This massive issue collects those 5 chapters, plus the final 2. And man is it a fun ride. Nick Spencer delivers an enjoyable, fast-paced story, full of laughs and throwbacks to Golden Age goofiness -- even bringing the Smallville character Chloe into the pages of the comics, too. The art, aside from a few pages done by a fill-in artist that stand out too much, is also great as well.

Scarlet #5 - (8/10) I've really been enjoying Bendis's creator-owned stuff, and Scarlet is no exception. The "gimmick", where Scarlet and occasionally other characters break the fourth wall through boxed speech bubbles, is unique, doesn't feel forced, and actually works well. Maleev's artwork is phenomenal as well. The first story arc is over and I'm eager to see where it leads.

Secret Avengers #11 - (7/10) Secret Avengers has been a title that I pick up each week and I let that issue convince me to continue next month. The stories have been "okay" or "good", but nothing really convinced me that I must read. This new two-issue story is intriguing, but doesn't really change anything for me. The art is nice, but inconsistencies here and there bugged me. In one panel part of Cap's costume isn't drawn the same, and covers show him in what looks like his Ultimate costume, but nowhere in the story does he wear anything like that. Issue 2's cover does the same. I'll stick with the title for now, but Brubaker is leaving as writer soon, and I'll probably go with him.







B.P.R.D.: Plague of Frogs 1 - (7/10) I had a 40% coupon for Borders, and I decided to pick up the first of four large omnibuses of the Hellboy spin-off. The stories inside were really hit-or-miss. Most written by Mignola were well-done, but some others were just passable, including one by Geoff Johns. The art, however, was all over the place. Some were okay, some were bad, and some were actually quite good. Part of the problem is that Mignola's art is what made Hellboy, and many of these artists tried too hard to channel him. I thought the first story was actually drawn by Mignola, but I was wrong. I only double-checked because while it looked like Mike's work, the pacing was way off. The artist of the final five chapters was by far the best, as he appeared to adapt Mignola just enough, while still coming off with a style of his own. The final cliffhanger interested me enough to grab the next omnibus whenever it hits.

Invincible Ultimate Collection 6 - (8/10) Book 6 was released rather quickly after the heavily delayed book 5. The story picks up immediately with the return of an old villain, more game-changing moments, and another costume change, ending with a pretty good cliff-hanger. A few things happened that made me think back to past issues and smile at just how far ahead some of this was planned. The pacing in the opening chapter is way off though. I understand why it was the way it was, but too many quick cuts made it incredibly disorienting. The return of original artist Cory Walker for two issues really made me realize how much Ryan Ottley has shaped the series. Speaking of art, as usual the art gallery in the back is full of some fun stuff, but it felt a little slimmer this time around.

Mirror Mask - (3/10) A friend had me borrow this movie, and I was really was not feeling it. I'd had it for over a month, and I just kept finding reasons not to watch it. Once I finally did, I was underwhelmed. The story is boring and slow, not to mention its basically the same as Coraline, another Neil Gaiman movie I wasn't a big fan of. The visual style, which I think took almost a good twenty boring minutes to finally get to, was neat, but damn, did it get old fast. It's so dark that you can barely see anything. Ugh. Pass.

Tangled - (7/10) I remember seeing the trailer for this in theatres and thinking that it looked completely forgettable. Then it came out and I heard a lot of good things, but I remained stubborn. However, one of my classes was canceled this week, so I took the opportunity to dollar theatre it, and I was pleasantly surprised. The songs were mildly enjoyable, and some even catchy. The story was predictable, but what Disney movie isn't? The animation was well done, and the characters were likable. Plus, it had me laughing rather consistently. Aside from a chameleon sidekick that added nothing and was thrown in only to be "adorable", I can't find much to complain about.

Fear Itself ads - (2/10) Marvel just cannot shut the hell up about Fear Itself. And while, at first, I said I'd pick up at least #1, their constant badgering has completely driven me away. I swear, across all the new material each week, I swear I've already pretty much read the first issue, and I didn't care for it one bit. I can't see myself picking this series up at all now.

Rift ads - (0/10) Speaking of annoying advertisement, I can't wait for Rift to come out. These two-page ads have been invading every book for the past few months. I'm sick of it. The worst was in the last issue of Batman, Inc., where the two-page spread was dissected to fit on the opposing sides of the same page. I don't even know what system it's on or even what kind of game it is. Action? RPG? Racing? I don't care. Get it out of my face.

Jimmy Olsen (one-shot)

I really loved this series. Not only was it tons of fun, but it also functions as a pretty solid analysis of Jimmy Olsen himself, and how, despite his previously important status as "Superman's Pal" (even holding his own ongoing under the title), he's a relatively forgotten character who just hasn't done anything in forever. The only reason this didn't get a solid 10/10 was the $6 price tag. Well-worth the price of admission, but the fact that I already owned 5 of the 7 chapters in Action Comics made the strain on my wallet more noticeable. Still, it was nice to have it all in one place. Plus, look at that cover. Beautiful.

See ya next week. I promise to be on time.

"Wooooooooooo!" "Yeah!"

So Seth and I drove down to Columbus Wednesday, a five-hour round trip. Seth's local comic shop, The Laughing Ogre, was celebrating the new Future Foundation #1 by bringing in some local artists to do sketches. If you bought the variant blank white cover of FF #1, you could get a sketch. One of the artists was David Willis of Shortpacked!, which has been a personal favorite of mine for some years now. Of course, I had to go. Unfortunately, I was house/puppy-sitting for my parents, who were on vacation for the week. I locked Rascal up, but somehow he escaped when I had a friend stop in to check on him, then again when I came home. Thing is, his cage was still bolted up. Freaky.

Anyway, review time...






Batman, Inc. #4 - (7/10) I'm really torn on this issue. First off, I was stoked to find that we were getting another issue just two weeks after the last, especially with the delays. But I feel this chapter was hit-or-miss. As an overall extension of the story as a whole, I guess it was fine, but standing on its own, I really don't know. The flashbacks were fun, but they didn't seem to balance humor and serious story-telling as they should have, both in writing and in art. Seth mentioned that Robin was amusing, and some of his semi-meta commentary had me smirking, it overall felt...wrong. Morrison usually handles these nostalgic and goofy references more smoothly than this. In R.I.P., the "Batman of Zur En Arrh" felt natural, whereas these flashbacks in Inc. were jarring and almost completely different in tone than Plot A. Also, the "reveal" about Batwoman in the main story made me stop and go, "yeabuhwha?" I think a lot of the problem is the new idea of "drawing the line at 2.99" at DC. The drop to 20 pages per issue really seems to be hurting Morrison. Things feel crammed and condensed. I trust Morrison to make everything work in the end, but this issue felt like a stutter in an overall phenomenal series.

Astonishing Spider-Man & Wolverine #5 - (10/10) This series really shouldn't work. Two popular main characters. Top writing/art team. It could honestly be phoned it in and it's guaranteed to sell. But this miniseries is amazing. It balances humor, story, character, and references perfectly. From the recap to the end I was entertained completely. I heard some crap from a few about the revelation about Spidey's mystery dream girl, but I thought the answer was funny and fit the tone of the story. With the finale coming in #6, I'm a little sad to see it go, but I know that it's self-contained nature is what made it work so well.

Green Lantern #64 - (9/10) After a lot of hype, "The War of the Green Lanterns" finally begins, and I must say...it looks to be a fun ride. Much like "Sinestro War" before, it's going to be self-contained within the pages of all three Lantern titles. I didn't know how to feel about this new War, especially since the Lanterns really haven't had a chance to rest since Rebirth ages ago. However, it kicks it into gear immediately, and I was hooked. The reason for the Lanterns to turn on each other is a convenience, but it serves its purpose and lead to an engaging ending. Also, Part 2 picked up immediately this week in...

Green Lantern Corps #58 - (8/10) In Part 2 of "The War of the Green Lanterns", we abandon Hal to focus on John, Kyle, and Ganthet. There's a two page summary of John and Kyle's origins that brings everyone up to speed easily, but also sets the emotional tone for the rest of the issue. We also learn why Hal, Kyle, and John aren't immediately affected by the cause of the Lantern revolt, and while it's a convenience again, it works for what was needed. The was also a moment towards the end that had me staring at a panel in disbelief. I'm really looking forward to Part 3 next week in Emerald Warriors.

Deadpool #34 - (5/10) This whole space arc needs to end. I don't know what it is with Deadpool. Way knows how to write Deadpool and the humor, but some issues and storylines can just bomb. I almost dropped it until the two-issue vampire arc won me back, but this space setting is just stupid. I hate it. I really can't even articulate anything more than it's dumb and doesn't make sense. This issue did have a genuine laugh or two, but not enough to save the stupid plot. It certainly doesn't help that the alien designs are uninspired. It really felt like Way had no idea what more to do with Deadpool and stalled by throwing him in space to distract us. I'll let the final issue next month slide if it sucks as well, but after that he better pump it into overtime to win me back.

Neonomicon #4 - (4/10) Man, I really don't know what to say about this. It was hyped as Alan Moore's last series outside of LXG, so I felt I had to give it a shot, especially since it was only 4 issues. I mean Moore + Lovecraft ≠ FAIL, right? Issue 1 was slow, but had me interested, but issue 2 and 3 pretty much turned into monster rape. Seriously. Barely censored, gratuitous, nothing-but-this-for-32-pages-aren't-you-glad-you-spent-4-dollars monster rape. But as a completionist, I felt I had to get the last issue...if nothing else than for closure and maybe an apology from Moore. Well, at least there was no more rape. Some answered were given, but it was all pretty much an expository infodump. The idea was interesting, I guess (I had typed it here, but I want Seth to read it, so that I'm not the only one to suffer), but it felt more like a rape-tastic build-up to this reveal. Still, it was a cool concept - the execution was just...wrong.

Future Foundation #1 - (7/10) I had to buy this for three reasons. 1: I buy almost anything with Spider-Man because I have a problem. 2: David Willis sketch covers. 3: To support the idea of change and shaking up the status quo in comics. I feel that every time someone tries something new, half of the audience hates it for not being like every issue before it, and the other half refuses to give it a chance because "nothing ever sticks in comics". And because that I feel that too many writers are scared to experiment like Morrison and FF's own Hickman do. That said, this issue was just "okay", but it's understandable really. It's a #1 under a new title, but it's still pretty much the next issue of Fantastic Four. There's a lot of the obligatory mourning for Johnny Storm, as well as some exposition explaining the new status. It had a lot of hand-holding for those new readers that jumped on to the title change. This is not a bad thing at all, but it does make the comic slightly boring. Not a lot really happens. However, the final page reveal had me so shocked and intrigued enough to at least buy #2.

Amazing Spider-Man #656 - (8/10) Spider-Man has been consistently "decent", but since the wonderful execution of #655, the quality has jumped to "great". Spidey deals with his promise that "no one dies" on his watch, extending this promise even to the villain. The idea that his spider-sense is still gone since #654 is actually a compelling plot point, leading to (yet another) costume change, but it makes sense here. And I really like how it's addressed that his sixth sense affects Spidey's actions more than even he was aware, such as subconsciously aiming his webbing to points that can hold his weight. I almost had a hissy fit when he shot a spider-tracer at the villain, but I calmed down when he remembered that it was honed into his spider-sense. Very strong character- and plot-writing here, and I eagerly look forward to the next issue dealing with the death of his late best friend, Johnny Storm.







David Willis - (10/10) Seth and I met David Willis, author of Shortpacked! and Dumbing of Age, this week, and he was such a good sport. He put up with all our crazy sketch requests, our in-jokes, and even us not leaving him alone for probably almost an hour until we finally left. And then came back. Such a cool guy, and I was so stoked to meet him. I must've shaken his hand like 5 times. Plus, he drew some knockout covers.

Long Car Rides - (2/10) I f***ing hate car rides. If we ever go anywhere again, Seth is driving. Also, we learned Seth and I suck at car high fives.

Redbox - (0/10) My brother, Kyle, and I went to three different gee-dee Redbox machines looking for Jonah Hex so we could complain about how much it sucked. The third finally had it, but, after three tries, refused to spit it out of the damn machine. Needless to say, we were pissed.

Toy Thor Hammers - (9/10) Both the large electronic Mjolnir, as well as the small foam one for the new movie are sweet. I carried the smaller one around Walmart and kept smacking Kyle with it. We also had a swordfight in the middle of the toy aisle with some Pirates of the Caribbean weapons. No, we aren't 5. Yes, we know how to have fun.

Kinect - (6/10) Kyle and I danced like idiots in front of people at Best Buy. Then it stopped recognizing our motions and we suddenly felt like fools. Still, it was kinda fun.


David Willis. Seriously, this guy was so cool. He put up with all our shit and drew some awesome covers for us. First was my request for "Batman as all four members of the Fantastic Four":

Then Seth asked for himself in the Future Foundation, with everyone so glad that Johnny died and he joined, and Sue "sexing him up":


To which, of course, I asked for day 2 of Seth's time on the team, with him dead and everyone saying that he sucked and that they should have listened to me:


Then my request for the Ragged Rider and Batman high-fiving each other, saying that Axe Cop sucks because we're jealous of its success. Dave only had our description of Cowboy Mummy to work with, and I think he did a good job:


Finally, there was Seth's awesome idea for a two-cover spread of us as Future Foundation members:


We also left and came back later. We asked for a cover of us with Dave in the middle (all in FF uniforms, of course), with both us saying "Andrew rules" and "Seth is sweet", and Dave asking who we were. When he finished it and handed it to us, Seth replied, "No...that one's for you," and doing a suave double-point. We wanted him to remember us if we run into him at the next convention, because we like making all of our celebrity idols uncomfortable. I think I might rub Grant Morrison's bald head, and we all know Seth wants to rape Skottie Young. I have documented proof.

See ya next week! (I can't make the underline go away and I give up.)

Entertaining myself whilst home alone - Day Two: Nick Jr. told me I'm a really good square-finder. Is it too late to change my major again?

Remember how this was going to be a webcomic? Yeah, lately I've been far too distracted to focus on drawing weekly, especially when I don't have a domain name draining my wallet like I did with Chums in highschool. Doesn't mean it won't happen, but not until I can get focused. I'll update with a full comic when I can, but for the foreseeable future, it looks like it'll just be doodles and sketches.

That said, I'm taking a page out of my bud Seth Kumpf's book and doing weekly comic reviews. I buy a fair share of floppies each week, and I really enjoy discussing them, though I'm usually limited to talking to Seth. Reviewing here at at least gives me a reason to check back on the blog weekly and type something.

Also, Seth and I are looking into a weekly comic podcast. Anyone interested? Seth? You're the only one following me...

Carrying on:

(What I grab normally, plus anything else that may have caught my eye.)



Batman #708 - (6/10) Thank god this is my last issue of Batman Main my shop ordered for me since I canceled. Ever since Morrison left and Tony Daniel took over, it's been going downhill faster and faster. He's only decent as an artist, but pretty awful as a writer. What's with everyone getting a 10-year-old female sidekick? But I'm ranting...thankfully, this issue was written by David Hine, and while it certainly wasn't bad, there wasn't much too convince me to continue, especially since the next portion of the story takes place in Red Robin.

Xombie #1 - (8/10) This was a fun first issue, but while I was very amused by the strange, and often goofy, supernatural happenings in this book, I'm not sure if I'll come back for seconds. Maybe if I have a slow week, but I'm trying not to pick up too many new titles.

Bad Dog #4 - (8/10) Man, I love me some Joe Kelly. It wasn't hard for me to forgive the eighty-year hiatus, but the recap page mocking it's own delay had me laughing and saying, "Okay, Kelly...let's go." As for the issue itself, it was amusing as usual, but what plot I recall developing in #3 seems to have halted. Still, well worth the price of admission.

Invincible Iron Man #502 - (8/10) I won't lie - I was hesitant about introducing Doc Ock, especially this strange (but cool) new version, into Iron Man. However, Matt Fraction continues to write a thoroughly enjoyable title. Doc Ock presents a unique threat to both Tony Stark, his friends, and his ego. The addition of Pepper Potts was a fun surprise, as well. I look forward to the next issue.

Brightest Day #22 - (5/10) I f***ing hate Firestorm. Not really as a character(s), I guess, but his story is by far the least interesting of all in Brightest Day. And this issue was all about him. I could not have cared less. Plus, it was pretty stupid, and had a sudden convenient "I fixed everything because I'm the White Lantern and you don't get to question me, reader" moment that ticked me off. The fact that the lantern scanned the Anti-Monitor had me curious as to why, but really, let's not fool ourselves...this was a stupid issue. In fact, I only gave it a 5 because Deadman appeared on the final page, pointing his ring in Firestorm's face. Here's to hoping #23 opens up with him blasting him (SPOILER ALERT: It won't).

The Unwritten #23 - (10/10) Confession time: I love The Unwritten with every fiber of my soul. You will probably never see me give it any lower than a 9. It's smartly written, beautifully drawn, and full of so much intriguing mystery that I can never get enough. Every month, this is the one book I look forward to with my pants unzipped. This issue deals with giving us more information as to who/what Tom may be, and how his abilities work. Plus, some fun literary nods, as usual. The only problem I have is that Mike Carey stole my idea of titling each scene separately, before I even got to use it much myself. Rat bastard. Seriously, though, pick this book up.

Iceman & Angel (One-Shot) - (9/10) I almost didn't pick this up, but shortly before I picked up my comics for the week, I saw that it was Brian Clevinger was writing it. I couldn't pass it up. I was a huge fan of 8-Bit Theatre back in highschool, and now I absolutely love Atomic Robo. Clevinger has a real knack for writing smart humour, and while this issue started a little slow, it quickly put a big goofy grin on my face. Clevinger is one of the few writers that still understands that first and foremost comics should be fun. I know some people really love Juan Doe, but I don't see it. This book is drawn well, and I certainly don't have any complaints, but it wasn't anything that really wowed me. He really hasn't impressed me outside of his propaganda-style covers.

Avengers: Children's Crusade: Young Avengers (One-Shot...sorta) - (7/10) I'm really a fan of the Young Avengers, mostly because - much like Damian Wayne - it's a concept that shouldn't work. I have the original series and YA: Presents in trades, and I really wanted to get Children's Crusade in trade as well, but I couldn't wait. This "one-shot" is more or less a side-story that ties into the main mini-series. Because of that, it feels mostly forgettable and unnecessary. I say "mostly" because it's a flashback bookended by an interesting potential what-if future scenario that ends on an interesting cliffhanger tying directly into Children's Crusade. The best comparison I can make is Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. It was a "sequel" to AC2, but was mostly a bunch of pointless-but-fun missions and a multiplayer mode designed to cash in on the highly profitable franchise. However, it was framed by Desmond's story that really pushed the main plot forward and ended on an important cliffhanger that answered some questions and raised even more, leaving you craving the next installment. A:CC:YA was the same: The flashback tale was forgettable, but it was a reason to return to characters I've really grown to love. However, the what-if future scenario that frames it was a fun surprise, and certainly left me craving the next issue of CC proper. Wow, I wrote a lot.


(Wherein I discuss anything else that I read or interested me this week.)

Gotham Central: Book One - (8/10) I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I've heard good stuff about it for a long time, and almost picked up before, but my local Borders never carried any of the hardcovers before Book 2. Now that they're re-releasing them in TPB, I ordered the first when I was on Amazon. It started a little slow, and the large cast made it difficult me to keep track of everyone at first, but when it picked up it really began to blow me away. I love how it's a book about the police department dealing with normal crime, supercrime, and the Batman - yet, the Bat appears on maybe under 10 pages in the entire book. My one problem with the book wasn't with the series itself, but the back cover blurb. It gave too much away. Sure, nowadays many know the secret Renee Montoya has that is exposed halfway through the book, but the back cover doesn't even attempt to hide it. It even spoils a minor shock that occurs like four pages in. Let me be surprised...

Human Target: Second Chances - (9/10) I bought the first volume of Human Target because I had heard great things, but it took a while to grow on me. I almost didn't grab the second, but, boy, am I glad I did. For those who don't know, Human Target is about Christopher Chance, a body guard and master of disguise, who protects his clients by becoming them. The stories are very well conceived and expertly executed. There are several twists and turns that I was genuinely surprised by. Many times I'd begin to think I had outsmarted the book, but even when I had, it still got me to doubt myself. If I were to make a complaint, it'd be that it can often be difficult to tell who is Chance and who is his employer, but that's kind of the point. Sometimes Chance doesn't even know himself. Very cool stuff going on in this series. I eagerly await the third and final trade.

In Bruges - (7/10) Watched this with Seth last night because Session 9 had no audio. This is a hard movie to rate. I enjoyed it, and I'd certainly recommend it to the curious, but I don't know if I'd ever watch it again. The plot was too simple for me. I pretty much predicted almost the entire thing, and I guess some of my disappointment came from the fact that I expected to be proven wrong and wasn't. I also don't know where it falls, category-wise. It starts with this weird dry humour, but it never really had me laughing that often. It also makes sudden jumps to drama, which was done fairly well. It wasn't really a comedy, but it was making too many jokes to be a real drama. There was also a shoot-out near the end, but I definitely wouldn't categorize it as action. It was in this weird limbo inbetween. When it was a comedy, it stopped being dramatic. When it was dramatic, it stopped any hint of comedy (yes, that's the point, I know). It was almost watching two completely different movies that were spliced together, featuring the same characters, locations, and basic events. I really can't make up my mind on it.


PS - I basically modeled my review format off of Seth's, although I adopted a 10-point system because his 5-point system is retarded. There's just too big of a difference between 4 and 5 for me. 5 would have to be perfect in every way and 4 would encompass almost anything that would be worth my money. It does make it easier to rate the shit, though. I don't know. He also picks his favourite for the week, but I think I've jerked it enough to The Unwritten, don't you?

Atom in the rain

One day I will draw a comic again. Until then, here's a robot in the rain.

Remember how this was going to be a webcomic?

Anywho, 10 minute sketch of Atom.