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James Stokoe returns to send Godzilla to Hell in new IDW mini-series
IDW's and James Stokoe's 2012 Godzilla: The Half Century War mini-series was instrumental in making me love the character once more, in addition to being a superb comic in and of itself. While the publisher puts out a regular Godzilla -I believe monthly- book, this newly-announced 5-issue mini-series sounds like it could be something special, partly because it sees the king of monsters in previously uncharted territory: Hell! Set to release in July, it finds Godzilla suddenly plunged into the deepest bowels of Hell, where he must survive amongst unspeakable horrors, attempt to discover what has led to his damnation, and whether there is any hope of salvation. The premise of this sounds like the kind of out there crazy that has the potential to sweep you along and work really well, or fall flat; I really hope it's the former. Although it does raise questions like: does Godzilla have a soul?
What's particularly enticing about this mini-series is that it will see a rotating team of artists and writers work on different issues, as Godzilla works his way through the various levels of Hell, with none other than blog-favourite James Stokoe returning to author the first issue. I personally prefer Stokoe's work when he's working on licensed properties, and as his Avengers 100 special issue showed last year, he's more than capable of producing something exceptional even in a single issue, so to see him back on Godzilla, a character he's previously done such excellent work on, is fantastic news, and well worth looking forward to. 'Drawing Godzilla must be my comfort food, because it feels really great to come back and work on pages with IDW again,' said Stokoe. 'Also, the list of amazing creators they've tapped for this series beyond my issue feels equally great as a fan, especially with the theme everyone gets to play with. You can't get much bigger than Godzilla versus Hell!'
Successive issue will see writer/artists Bob Eggleton and Dave Wachter take on an issue, with writers Ulises Farinas, and Erick Freitas, together on issue #3 and Brandon Seifert, tackling issue #4; artists on those issues will be announced at a later date. Multiversity have an exclusive look at the Jeff Zornow's EC variant cover, which looks amazing.
Posted by Zainab at 16:06 No comments: Links to this post
Labels: Godzilla, IDW, James Stokoe
ELCAF unveil poster by Jillian Tamaki, announce venue -and guests
Tickets for the East London Comics and Arts Festival -ELCAF- go live today. The event has been expanded to 2 days this year for the first time, being held on the 20th and 21st of June from 10am to 7pm, after growing quickly in the four years since its inception; tickets for one day will cost £3 as per previous prices and £5 for entry on both days. Interestingly, the venue has also been split into two, taking place across The Laundry and Space in Hackney, with the idea that all the pressure won't be on one space, in a bid to avoid queuing. The venues are close to each other, not more than a couple of minutes walk, which seems like a good idea- Thought Bubble and other festivals take the same approach and it works well. Also unveiled today was this years poster, designed by artist in residence, Jillian Tamaki. It's also revealing in that it tells us what other guests will be attending alongside Tamaki: Michael DeForge, Max, Brecht Vandenbroucke, Daniela Olejnikova, Arnal Ballester, Henning Wagenbreth. No doubt prints of the poster will be available to buy on the day, with full programming for all events and further guests to be posted on the website very soon.
Labels: comic conventions, comic festivals, ELCAF, ELCAF 2015, Jillian Tamaki, Michael DeForge, Nobrow
Comics & Cola will return in April
A quick note to say there won't be any further posts for March, but Comics & Cola will be back as normal in April. I'll still be reviewing one comic a week over at The AV Club, along with some other pieces- I'll link to them on my Twitter and Facebook for anyone interested.
Ricardo Delgado returns with more beautiful dinosaur tales in new Age of Reptiles mini-series
My love for all things dinosaur is well established, but a mere glance at these pages from Ricardo Delgado (provided exclusively to CBR) will allow you to determine that the beauty and artistry of his work transcends subject matter. Delgado began producing his glorious, silent Age of Reptiles series with Dark Horse in 2009, winding back the years to follow various beasts before the existence of man: tracking seasons, migration journeys, families, survival, and more. The series proved popular, winning him an Eisner award, and Delgado went on to expand it, creating further stories: Age of Reptiles, Age of Reptiles: Tribal Warfare, Age of Reptiles: The Hunt, and Age of Reptiles: The Journey, all of which were later collected into one omnibus volume in 2011. There have been a couple of hints that Delgado may return with new Age of Reptiles comics: he contributed a couple of short stories to the Dark Horse Presents anthology, and Dark Horse officially announced details of a new mini-series yesterday.
The four part mini-series Age of Reptiles: Ancient Egyptians, moves to Africa, and old spinosauraus (the big one with the snout and sail) will be making an appearance: 'The steaming swamps of Cretaceous Africa teem with prehistoric life and primordial danger in a tale filled with villains, victims, and one of the most dangerous and unpredictable protagonists ever created: the lonely anti-hero Spinosaurus Aegypticus!' Issue #1 will be 32 pages in length and goes on sale the 3rd of June. Delgado wrote an interesting piece for CBR to accompany the announcement, where he talks about his creative inspiration, film -namely westerns- and issues of representation; he's Costa Rican- nothing about dinosaurs, or the comic really, but well worth a read. Really excited to see this back; the pages here look fantastic.
Labels: Age of Reptiles, Dark Horse, dinosaurs, Ricardo Delgado
Slate announce third annual Cartoonist Studio Prize nominations
Beautiful Darkness by Kerascoet
The shortlists for the third annual Cartoonist Studio prize, founded by Slate and the Center for Cartoon Studies, have been announced. This year, the shortlist was chosen by Slate book review editor, Dan Kois, the faculty and student body at the Center for Cartoon Studies, represented by CCS Fellow Sophie Yanow, and guest judge, cartoonist Paul Karasik. The Slate prize is nice and simple, with two categories: best print comic, and best web-comic. The winner of each prize receives $1000; previous winners have been Chris Ware and Taiyo Matsumoto in the print category, and Noelle Stevenson and Emily Carroll for best web-comic. The prize is one of the few in comics to recognise web-comics, and do so correctly (not lumping them in with digital comics), and also one of the few with a monetary award, which I would imagine is very nice.
Jillian Tamaki continues to have an outstanding year with nominations in both categories for This One Summer, co-authored by Mariko Tamaki, and SuperMutant Magic Academy. The print category manages to fit in all the hard-hitters of last year, with Beautiful Darkness, Here, Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, The Love Bunglers, and more. I would think Richard McGuire's Here would be the undeniable choice there, but would really like to see Beautiful Darkness pick up some recognition. This years winners will be announced in April. A full list of the nominees can be found below.
Best Print Comic:
Arsene Schrauwen, Olivier Schrauwen, Fantagraphics
Beautiful Darkness, Fabien Vehlmann and Kerascoët (Drawn and Quarterly)
Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? Roz Chast (Bloomsbury)
Here, Richard McGuire (Pantheon)
The Hospital Suite, John Porcellino (Drawn and Quarterly)
How to Be Happy, Eleanor Davis (Fantagraphics)
An Iranian Metamorphosis, Mana Neyestani (Uncivilized Books)
The Love Bunglers, Jaime Hernandez (Fantragraphics)
This One Summer, Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki (First Second)
Truth is Fragmentary, Gabrielle Bell (Uncivilized Books)
Best Web Comic:
Bikram Addict, Eroyn Franklin
Carriers, Lauren R. Weinstein
Dear Amanda, Cathy G. Johnson.
The Hole the Fox Did Make, Emily Carroll.
Hollow, Part I, Sam Alden.
How San Francisco Sold a Majority Stake to Tech, Susie Cagle
Nod Away, Joshua W. Cotter.
Oh Joy Sex Toy! Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan.
SuperMutant Magic Academy, Jillian Tamaki.
Watching, Winston Rowntree.
Labels: awards, cartoonist studio prize, CCS., comic awards, Slate
Lorenzo Ghetti's 'To Be Continued' attempts to reapproach the webcomic
I'm often conscious of the manner in which I can describe comics with regards to enthusiasm: most of the things I write about I find interesting in some capacity, or I'm engaged with on some level, therefore one of the things I'm trying to move away from is hyperbole- like this comic is the greatest, the worst, the last word and so forth, in a losing effort to not descend into boring cliche for those words to regain their actual meaning. It can be difficult to do; those descriptors have become shorthand really; most people would agree when that when you say something's great, you don't actually mean that: you mean it's very good- give or take an extra very.
Preamble over, Lorenzo Ghetti's To Be Continued is a comic I find interesting -more so or with what it tries to do with the webcomic platform than the actual content- although that's not poor by any means. Ghetti is an Italian cartoonist, involved in Bianca Bagnaerlli's Delebile imprint- I remember reviewing Myriad, a sci-fi effort he produced in collaboration with Ugo Schiesaro, early last year. The story of To Be Continued comes encased in superficially familiar clothing: in a world in which each country has its own superheroes, their position rather like famous musicians plus additional disaster/crime prevention, kids with powers enroll at a special school designed to hone their talents. Ostensibly, the narrative focuses more on these young adults growing up, forming relationships, and generally learning to deal with their hopes and doubts and frustrations. The comic updates every Wednesday, and readers can select from a few languages, including English, thanks to a translation courtesy of Mauro Nanfitò.
Ghetti's obviously put a lot of thought into how to manipulate the web form and present the comic in a more dynamic, fresh way instead of the traditional read the page, read the next page linear fashion, bringing on board Carlo Trimarchi, who's designed and constructed the site. It's very interactive, leaning towards motion comic space- there's some animated facets, incorporated videos, speech bubbles pop up as you scroll, giving the appearance of immediacy. Clicking on next arrows doesn't merely take you to the next page, but the next section, moving within the same room or area, zooming in and bringing forward images or back, in from the left or right. For example, one panel will focus on the character talking in the foreground, and clicking on the next arrow will zoom in, moving past that panel to bring the background and what's going on there into focus. This is put to nice use when George is going through the oral exam for entry into the school of powers, facing and addressing the reader as if we're the judging board, with Ghetti switching between him answering the questions and producing demonstrations of his powers to the kids in the background bickering and bitching about him.
Ghetti uses the infinite space of the scrolling screen to move his characters around, requiring the reader to navigate left and right, up and down all whilst on the same 'page.' A page starts in the top left with panels of characters talking at eye levels and then switches perspectives to an aerial, bird's eye view as they walk out of the room and down the corridor to lunch, all the while following their conversation, before dropping back down. He doesn't use a great deal of panels or borders which makes it less anchored to specific time and place, and offers varying angles - one scene sees events unfurl as the characters watch a live TV news report, seated with their back to the reader, so bits of the TV are visible: people walk in and out of frame, reacting to what's happening. It's not 100% niggle free or intuitive, but it's worth spending some time playing around with, and I like the attempt at something different, especially as I'm of the thinking that the web-comic format should be explored further to see what (accessibility aside) it can provide as an experience and medium that print can't. Boulet, Emily Carroll, Jen Lee and Zac Gorman are the only artists who come to mind in experimenting with interactivity, and all their work is excellent. It'll be interesting to see if and how the platform progresses and develops.
You can start reading To Be Continued here.
Labels: Carlo Trimarchi, Italian comics, Lorenzo Ghetti, Mauro Nanfito, To Be Continued, web-comics, webcomics
Missy by Daryl Seitchik
A new installment of Missy by Daryl Seitchik. New Missy will publish here every fortnight. Previous installments can be found here.
Labels: Daryl Seitchik, horror, Missy, Missy comics, nightmare
Zine watch: fashion, style, magical girls, coffee, feathers: dreams all
Style and Fashion Zine #1 by Ryan Cecil Smith and Graeme McNee
Ryan Cecil Smith self-publishes the bulk of his work, and what I like most about it is that he pays as much attention to the comic/zine as a product in and of itself; print as an object, as well as how that interacts with the material and content within. It means that by now he's become an expert at crafting each individual work, and it's in a class of it's own at the moment. Comics and zines are ingrained in DIY culture, and while on the one hand that equates to accessibility in making, it's not always to be conflated with cheap, or a lack of thought and care with regards to design and aesthetic. Style and Fashion Zine, the first in what Smith intends to be a monthly zine, is another gorgeous production with a navy, gold-embossed half-cut protective cover (under which the full cover lies), and special needle-and-thread binding.
In his introduction, Smith talks about how he's been inspired by people-watching in Japan where he lives; observing the effort and care which people pay in presenting themselves, and appreciating getting to see this kaleidoscope of clothes and fashions and colours. There's something unique in style and clothes in that they can serve as an extension or facet of identity and personality, as a means of identifying yourself with groups or subcultures or professions- you can construct an deconstruct something via clothes. Here, Smith and Graeme McNee record some of the many people, fashions and trends they see around them, almost as an homage to street fashion, and those who make you look twice.
I love this zine so much: I enjoy looking at clothes and styles anyway, but here the alternative presentation from commercial fashion is nice- it's not telling you what to wear or avoid, what you should buy, but revelling in those who take the time to put themselves together in a specific way. There's lots of detail and annotations to pore over: materials, patterns, cuts, accessories, shoes, and Cecil Smith is really good at incorporating environment and place which he sees as intrinsically linked with Japanese expression by way of fashion. It gives you a greater feel for the people and the spaces in which these observations are taking place; the people are part of the place and vice versa, and that's reflected in their clothes somewhat. So you've got coffee shop interiors on which little figures are walking, double page architectural spreads of buildings- I'm not sure but those minimal lines may be McNee, whose simple outline shapes (seen above) are reminiscent of cutout cardboard 'dress up' dolls, and offset and balance Smith's more energetic, loose textures really well.
I like too, that all ages are represented, not just a specific spectrum. There's a 'what's trending' section: chester coats, chelsea boots, overalls, rucksacks, black wide brimmed hats, wearing your knit cap on the tippy top of your head, collar bling. There's a style spotlight feature on a man who works at a clothes store which focuses on how friendly and welcoming he always is. Most of all I like that other people's creativity and pleasure in their clothes has led to more creativity and obvious enjoyment on Smith and McNee's behalf, which trickles down to the reader.
Your interest level in this probably correlates with your interest in fashion (otherwise buy something called fashion and style zine); I definitely enjoy looking at what other people and sometimes attempting to translate it to something I could perhaps emulate in my own way. I used to pay a lot more attention to what I wear -I was more into prettier things at one pint- lace, floral, embellishments- and it definitely helped make me feel more confident about myself, and still does when I put in the time and effort; paying attention to yourself in any way generally makes you feel good, it's that simple. Today I'm less about pretty, but more about slouchy or boxy shapes or clean lines (which is hard to achieve when you've got an arse stubbornly disproportionate to the rest of you). In the mornings I just want to pull on things and be at work. I think if you wear a hijab, outfits can be that much trickier to pull together- it's one more colour, or one more pattern to incorporate, and you'r losing the advantage of how a lot of colours would look against your colouring. so where pink looks and purples and reds look good against black hair, when it's covered the colours have only my face to bounce off of, which brings out all the wrong, unflattering tones. Clothes are something I've been wanting to get back to again this year, and this has helped me along; I really hope Smith can continue with the zine-a-month idea.
Mutiny on the Mousey by Steven Weissman
Steven Weismann's Mutiny on the Mousey is simply a perfectly conceived and executed little idea. Charming and tongue-in-cheek, the story of a young cat who excitedly embarks on a his very first voyage with Captain Joe the mouse (a distant cousin of his mother's, hmm) to see the world and make a better cat out of himself, only to find himself exploited and bullied at every turn. These events are narrated in epistolary/diary form, as cat finds himself subjected to further despair and hardship. The bright orange/turquoise/black colours are jaunty and eye-catching, while the little sketchy doodles accompanying the diary entries are expressively amusing. The design and art is bold, the inscriptions in elaborate, fancy typeface adding comedic punch : 'rats' 'bottoms up!'. And all the while you wait for cat to realise that Captain Joe is actually much, much smaller than him (even though, to be honest, you have to admire Captain Joe's chutzpah)... So much fun, and the manner in which Weismann manages to pack in a whole, robust experience into a shorter format is superb.
Coffee, and Herring Fro Plum II: a mini investigation of mis-hearing, by Evah Fan
What I love about Evah Fan's work is that its intensely visual, not in that there's a lot to look at in terms of hyper-detail or so forth, but that it relies solely on looking and absorbing: so in Seesaw Fidgets you have to work out what word the doodle represents, sort of like Pictionary. Her zines are often silent, or with one or two words that will play around with puns and visual connectivity and space, for which the reader has to fill in the blanks. Herring Fro Plum II is a mini-zine, small enough to sit in the palm of your hand -again the smallness of the physical object mirrors the quite whisper of the subject- which illustrates a chain of what in bigoted Britain is referred to as Chinese Whispers, but in the US, is, I believe called 'telephone' as a phrase gets contorted and misheard as it's passed on. Fan draws an image for each incarnation, often amusing and odd, as we journey from 'hearing problem' to 'surf jump mama.'
Coffee is an ode to the drink which seems to have taken over the world. I don't drink hot drinks (although I love the smell of hot chocolate and coffee); lots of people consider this deeply weird, especially in England where tea is king, but I'm very much okay with it. I don't get the fascination, but I'm able to appreciate the idea of fervent passion for anything, particularly food and drink. Fan's Coffee zine is one continuous narrative, the illustrations from page to page bound together by a spilling, flowing stream of the drink winding from one onto the next, connecting all these people, bound together by the commonality of their love for the drink, or the experience of it. Different people are shown imbibing it in various ways, as part of a morning routine, curled up with cats- even out in space. It's a lovely production, the cream, brown, and mocha colours giving it an elegant look.
The Greatest Gangster in the Galaxy by Benjamin Courtault and Tiger Man by Noa Snir
A couple of gorgeous new dream leporellos from one of my favourite endeavours- the Spanish project elmonstruodecoloresnotieneboca ('the monster of colours has no mouth'), who enlist artists to illustrate the transcribed dreams of school-children from around the world. These two complement each other nicely in relation to colour scheme, the blue, pinks and purples are all very harmonious. I find the blurred fuzziness of French artist Courtault's art appealing -and pink and white penguins waddling around!-, but the best part as always are the children's dreams- here's one from Marina: 'Today I dreamed that our food was shit. I ate and became transparent and when I went out to the street I saw nobody because all the people were transparent.' And another, more disturbing one: 'Today I dreamed that a man was in TV and he was shaving his skin with a knife. In the end he had no skin left.' Shared by 9 year old Maria. But I like that: that the dreams are relayed as they are, weird and surreal and strange and inexplicable, and the continuous, looping landscape of the leporello in capturing them all running into one another captures that really well.
Israeli artist Noa Snir's work is wonderful, lovely shapes and personality. For this leporello, the images are all one side, so you get a brilliant, long unfolding picture of what appears to be a very odd circus: pigs shooting at aliens in a galley, Betty Boop asleep in a tent, dancing cats, a monkey whizzing by on roller-skates, an ice-cream cone shaped candy stall. It's ready to be pinned straight onto a wall, and the fluorescent pink and black contrasts sharply enough to make it stand out without it being jarring. The children have very real dreams too (they're not exempt, sadly) as Vincent, 9, demonstrates with a grounding one-liner: 'Yesterday I dreamed that someone kissed my girlfriend.' But then in another, he dreamed he was a tiger-man, so I guess it's okay. I'm a huge fan of this project, and long may it, and chief organiser extraordinaire, Roger Omar, continue.
In the Garden by Emily Rand, Hato Press
Emily Rand's In The Garden is another zine that's evidence of what you can do today with even small-scale self publishing. The pages are die-cut laminated and hand-sewn together along the spine with a red thread. Each one is a different shape and size, too, so together they form a unique layered, 3D effect, lending it texture and depth. The risographed greens are lovely and lush, and the blue cleverly used to pick out leaves and branches. It's another very simply idea, but pulled off right. It makes for a very tactile experience; as you open and turn each curved page, you feel as if you;re being further immersed in the shrubbery and foliage- you can imagine the sense of quiet, leaves and trees all around, stretching overhead -it really does create a lovely atmosphere. Amongst all this green is a small pop of colour: a red feather floating on the wind, which is what you follow from page to page to its destination. There's some fun topiary to see along the way, too. I believe Rand is making this into a series, with future titles including Under the Sea, In the Rainforest, and Above the Snowy Mountains, which I'd be more than happy to see.
MGCL_GRL by Mathilde Kitteh, Peow! Studio
Another cool offering from the fine folk over in Sweden at Peow! Studio, Mathilde Kitteh's MGCL GRL refers to the Japanese anime and comics trope of girls who use magic, or mahou shoujo or majokko (so Wikipedia tells me). Now, I read pretty much anything, as even a brief perusal of this blog will indicate, but I really don't get/like stories with magic in them: they just don't do anything for me. I still enjoyed this, because Kitteh's art is very accomplished- she has a nice blend of that textured, cartoony realsim style going on, and some of the spreads are gorgeous. This is a faux--magazine from the magical world, with guides to help you ascertain what kind of familiar would be best suited to you, tips on where to get specific magical plants and ingredients, fashion spreads that help you best look the part, predictions for the day's events, and more. There's even a (fictional) interview with Sakura Kinomoto, from popular manga Cardcaptor Sakura, in which she discusses the triumphs, trials and tribulations of being a successful magical girl. It's very cool, fun thing, but it needs to be in the hands of the right person, as with all magical items. I appreciate that it's specific in vision and appeal, though, as are all the zines, here- I think that always pays off in creating a superior thing, and finding the audience that it will be of interest to.
Labels: Emily Rand, Evah Fan, Graeme McNee, Hato Press, Mathilde Kitteh, Roger Omar, Ryan Cecil Smith, Steven Weismann, zines
Guillaume Singlein to publish first English-language book, 'PTSD,' with First Second
It's not due until 2017, but the knowing it's on its way is good news of itself: French artist Guillaume Singlein will be publishing his first English language book, P.T.S.D., with First Second. While that may seem rather far off, the good thing about First Second is that they're that rare beast of a reliable comics publisher and 99% of the time, their projected releases come out on time. P.T.S.D. tells the story of Jun, who returns home to a Hong-Kong style metropolis from a unpopular and failing war. Struggling to re-assimilate to civilian life, and grappling with post traumatic stress disorder, she's forced to navigate and confront her inner demons and arrive at some peace with her self. It's an intriguing set-up; I can't recall many books dealing with a female soldier's PTSD, or even a book dealing with the experience of being a female soldier. Couple that with Singelin's art, his mastery of light and atmosphere, and you've got an incredibly exciting proposition on your hands.
As regular readers will know, I am a big fan of Singelin's work: his series The Grocery, that amazing space illustration series, listing him as one of the 10 artists whose work I enjoyed most in 2014, and generally writing about his art in a drooling fashion as I'm unable to understand any French. In that last piece I wrote, 'I'm not making a wishes for 2015, but I hope upon hope that an English language publisher is working with him in some capacity, or looking into it.' So I am thrilled by this news. I hear a lot of criticism about First Second -most of it rather condescendingly seems to be that their catalogue appeals to young adults and children: boo! hiss!- but they publish some fabulous work with writers and artists I don't see anyone else picking up: The Divine by the Hanukas, the Last Man series, Penelope Bagieu's Exquisite Corpse, This One Summer, Farel Dalrymple's sublime The Wrenchies, in addition to lots more. As a comics fan, I'm grateful for what they do, and I think their range of books represents the medium well, too.
(via Comics Beat)
Labels: First Second, Guillaume Singelin, PTSD, publishing announcements
Kickstart this: Chainmail Bikini, a rad female gaming comics anthology
Friends, as you know, I am not really a fan of Kickstarter --or indeed, crowdfunding in general. However, every now and again, a project will cross my path that is too enticing to pass up, and if said project is a comics anthology with a rad (Queen) Hellen Jo cover, then the question really does become moot. Chainmail Bikini is a 200+ page comics anthology edited by Hazel Newlevant, with all new stories about and by female gamers. With contributions from over 40 artists including Jane Mai, Annie Mok, Carey Pietsch, Aatmaja Pandya, Sophi Yanow, MK Reed, Yao Xiao, and more, the anthology covers all types of gaming from video games to table-top role-playing to collectible card games. The Kickstarter is launched today and is seeking $13,000 towards printing and other costs (there's a full breakdown of where the money's going on the page), and has already raised over $6000 of that goal. Gaming and comics are two a very large crossover interest groups, and with so many fantastic, high-quality artists involved, I've no doubt this will meet it's target a couple of times over at least. This article isn't so much a 'hey, let's get this funded,' as it is a 'look at this amazingly cool comics anthology you'll want to get.' The nitty gritty: you can get a pdf of the book for $10 and a physical copy for $25 (it's not clear, but there's an additional $15 charge for postage to anywhere in the world).
'The comics in Chainmail Bikini explore the real-life impact of entering a fantasy world, how games can connect us with each other and teach us about ourselves. Alliances are forged, dice get rolled, and dragons get slain! We believe that gaming should be open to all, regardless of gender. Chainmail Bikini shows that while women are not always the target market for gaming, they are a vital and thoroughly engaged part of it, and are eager to express their personal take as players, makers, and critics of games.'
You can find and pledge to the Chainmail Bikini page here (where you'll also be able to find details of extra rewards and tiers- there's a very nifty goldfoil cover stretch goal), and I've included some preview pages below for a taste of what will be in the book- they should enlargen when you click on them.
Labels: Chainmail Bikini, comics anthology, gaming, Hazel Newlevant, Hellen Jo, Kickstarter, videogames
Last Fight, the Last Man video game looks fun and rather damned attractive
While we're on the subject of the Last Man, you may recall that back in April last year in my profile of Bastien Vives, I briefly discussed his, Michael Balak and Michael Sanlaville's intention for the comic to be an interactive, multi-media experience, with associated animations and video-games. Well, the latter goal is now closer to reality, as the trio have released a teaser trailer for Last Fight, a 3D indie arcade fighting video-game created for PC and consoles, and releasing soon. Influenced by games such as Capcom's Power Stone and Smash Bros, Last Fight will feature a roster of 10 characters from the comic, with up to four able to fight at any one time. Despite not being even faintly a gamer of any kind, I really like the look of it, especially how the art style mirrors the comics so closely, and it looks pretty accessible too, which makes me want to give it a whirl once it's out. There's a Facebook page for the game here, where you can view some in progress backgrounds and news, and is probably the place to keep an eye on for a release date.
Labels: Balak, Bastien Vivès, fight games, Last Fight, Last Man, Michael Sanlaville, video games
ELCAF announce Jillian Tamaki as artist-in-residence
The East London Comics and Arts Festival (ELCAF) have announced Canadian cartoonist and illustrator Jillian Tamaki as their artist in residence. Now in its fourth year, the festival has expanded to a two-day event for its 2015 programme, and will take place on the 20-21st of June. Tamaki will be producing the festival poster in addition to being in attendance with her newest book SuperMutant Magic Academy, the multi-award winning This One Summer, and more. While Tamaki is a highly regarded, successful artist with four Eisner award nominations for 2008's Skim, co-authored by Mariko Tamaki, and listed as one of the New York Times' Best Illustrated Books of 2008, she has hit a particularly rich career streak of late. Her second collaborative work with cousin Mariko Tamaki, the bestselling This One Summer (published last year), won the prestigious Governor General's Literary Award, and also became the first graphic novel to receive a Caldecott Honor. Meanwhile Tamaki's illustration work continues to go from strength to strength, she contributes to the New York Times regularly, and recently completed a stunning wraparound cover for a new Penguin edition of Les Miserables, amongst various other book covers. This is a really great get for ELCAF; Tamaki is a superb fit for the festival, a high quality, very contemporary artist, and I imagine there's going to be large portion of people excited to attend due to her presence.
Labels: ELCAF, ELCAF 2015, Jillian Tamaki, SuperMutant Magic Academy, This One Summer
Nilah Magruder's M.F.K. wins inaugural Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity
Nilah Magruder's web comic M.F.K. has won the inaugural Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity. The other four nominees for this year's award were Hex11 by Lisa K. Weber and Kelly Sue Milano (HexComix), Ms. Marvel by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona (Marvel), The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew (First Second Books), and Shaft by David F. Walker and Bilquis Evely (Dynamite). 'Nilah Magruder's M.F.K. is a great read,' Matt Wayne, director of the McDuffie diversity award, says in a statement. 'Nilah created an incredibly engaging post-apocalyptic fantasy world peopled with a broad array of characters. In terms of both excellence and inclusiveness, this is just the sort of comic the award was created for.'
M.F.K is a fantasy: the story of Abbie, and her journey to scatter her mother's ashes over the Potter's Spine mountain range (and return home as quickly as possible), and the numerous people and challenges which seem intent on delaying her. Magruder, who received her B.A. in communication arts from Frederick's Hood College, graduating in 2005, before getting her B.F.A. in computer animation from Ringling College of Art and Design. is a native of Maryland now working in LA as a storyboard artist and children's storybooks illustrator. She launched M.F.K. online in 2012. She was presented the award at the Long Beach Comics Expo by Dwayne McDuffie's widow, Charlotte McDuffie.
Established in September 2014, the aim of the award is to honor and continue McDuffie's legacy; his commitment to the championing and creation of work representing people from all backgrounds and walks of life, and those creators from the same.. A co-founder of Milestone Media, Dwayne McDuffie was a hugely respected and influential comics figure, with a successful career as a writer and producer in animation and comics. 'I am so proud that my husband's personal mission to include a more diverse array of voices -both in content and creators- is able to continue now through this award in his name, by encouraging others who share his vision of comics, characters and the industry itself better mirroring society,' Charlotte McDuffie said in a statement.
The Dwayne McDuffie Award Selection Committee was comprised of Neo Edmund, Joan Hilty, Joseph Illidge, Heidi MacDonald, Glen Murakami, Eugene Son, William J. Watkins and Len Wein.
(via Washington Post)
Labels: comic awards, Dwyane McDuffie award for diversity, Nilah Magruder
With pound in hand: March comic and graphic novel releases
Here we go: picking out the cream of this month's releases, in graphic novels, collected editions and anything else notable:
PICK OF THE MONTH: Last Man: The Stranger vol 1 by Bastein Vives, Balak, and Michael Sanalaville, First Second: I've been prattling on about Last Man before the news of First Second picking up the English language rights was announced, so my apologies if you're tired of hearing about it. The trio of authors involved Michael Balak, Bastien Vives, and Michael Sanlaville- is too exciting to pass up, and having seen it in the flesh, it's even more of an attractive prospect then it is on paper. Inspired by gaming and Japanese comics, specifically shounen manga, First Second are releasing the first 3 volumes of the series this year (with 3 to follow in 2016), and the first book centers around a martial arts school and a games tournament to determine who is the best fighter, with added intrigue of a mysterious stranger who quickly establishes himself as a serious contender. Promising to incorporate a rich fantasy adventure setting with character-driven storytelling and plenty of action sequences, expect kinetic illustration and an entertaining story.
Trash Market by Tadao Tsuge, Drawn & Quarterly: I'm always interested and grateful to learn more about alternative manga via English language translations, and this collection of six stories from Tadao Tsuge, a key contributors to the legendary avant-garde Japanese comics magazine Garo during its heyday in the late 1960s and early 1970s, seems to fit the bill. renowned for his unpretentious journalistic storytelling and clear, eloquent cartooning. A mixture of auto, bio, journalistic reportage and fiction, the stories range from the charming lowlifes of the Tokyo slums, WWII veterans who found themselves unable to forget the war, to a piece on growing up in a Tokyo slum during the Occupation of Japan with an abusive grandfather and an ailing father, and finding brightness in the joyful people of the neighbourhood.
The Swords of Glass by Laura Zuccheri and Sylviane Corgiat, Humanoids: I find the titles Humanoids picks up for English rather more hit than miss, and the art in this looks wonderful. It's a hefty fantasy tome, set in a world with a dying sun in which young protagonist Yama lives a relatively happy and peaceful life as the daughter of the chief of the village. Until one day, a sword of glass falls from the sky, fulfilling an old prophecy and changing everything. 'Anyone who touches the sword is instantly turned to glass and dies. Orland, the local warlord, comes to the village to seize the unique weapon, but fails, and in the process Yama's father and mother die. Yama, however, escapes and survives with only one thought: to retrieve the sword of glass, and avenge the death of her parents by killing Orland with it. Yet, Yama is also the key to the swords of glass prophecy: which provides humanity with one final chance of surviving the extinction of the sun.'
Seraphim by Satoshi Kon and Mamoru Oshii, Dark Horse: This released a little early -it was in comic book shops last week at which point I spotlighted it on the blog with a 9-page preview. Set in a future Earth plagued by "tenshi-byō" (angel disease), a pandemic that induces apocalyptic visions in the afflicted, even as it ossifies their bodies into dead, seraphic forms. A young girl named Sera, and three men embark on a journey to solve the mystery of the strange fatal illness which is decimating the population. I haven't got around to reading my copy yet, but from what I can gather, it's an unfinished book, in that further story was planned, but it reads fine with the ending it has (but don't hold me to that).s
Aama vol 3 The Desert of Mirrors by Frederik Peeters, Self Made Hero: Peeters continues his ridiculously attractive sci-fi tale of an AWOL sentient science experiment: aama. Verloc Nim and his brother Conrad -the man of science and the sceptic- continue their planet-hopping, leaving Ona(ji) after seeing the amazing transformation in the planet's environment- a direct result of aama. This third volume sees mysteries deepen and the truth regarding aama even more beyond their grasp as reality begins to waver.
Girl in Dior by Annie Goetzinger, NBM: On the one hand, I love comics that encompass fashion and style, on the other hand I'm rather snobbish about the air-kissing, dubious world of couture and the means by which its built. Set in 1947, Goetzinger's biographical docu-drama follows Clara, a freshly hired chronicler and guide to the busy corridors of the brand-new fashion house -hand-picked by Dior to be a model- as the crème de la crème of Paris haute couture flock to see Christian Dior's debut fashion show. In a flurry of corolla shaped skirts, the parade of models file down the runway and the mesmerized audience declares the show a triumph.
Lost Property by Andy Poyiadgi, Nobrow: I've been excited for the release of Poyiadgi's book with Nobrow since I first heard about it a comic show a year back, and having read it, can happily recommend it (review next Tuesday at the AV Club). The story of Gerald, a very British postman, who one day visits his local lost and found after misplacing a precious letter-opener. Only to find a bit more than he bargained for, as every single item in the lost and found belongs to Gerard, or did at some point. But how did they all get there? And what does it all mean? 'Faced with this new trove of personal riches, Gerald discovers their ability to trigger powerful memories, resurrecting the ghosts of his past, igniting long lost passions and helping him change the course of his future.'
Hit by Vanesa Del Ray and Bruce Carlson, Boom!: I started reading Hit in issue format: Vanessa Del Ray's art seems purpose built for noir stories, and it's a genre I am very fond of. I gave up, having since realised serialised comics are not the domain of people who can't remember what they had for breakfast, so I'll be giving it another go now it's been collected into trade format. A 50's LA dark crime drama filled with murderers, rapists, and drug lords...and the men who will stop at nothing to bring them to justice.
Copperhead by Jay Faerber, Scott Godlweski, and Ron Riley, Image: I believe I'm writing in saying a preview/excerpt of this ran in an FCBD comic last year, which is when I read it. I recall enjoying what I read, and will be picking this trade which collects the first 5 issues. A sci-western set in the grimy mining town of Copperhead sees new sheriff Clara Branson dealing with a hectic full-on first day on the job: a resentful deputy, a shady mining tycoon, and a family of alien hillbillies. And a massacre. All under the suspicious eyes of the townspeople as they size her up.
Posted by Zainab at 20:37 1 comment: Links to this post
Labels: Andy Poyiadgi, Annie Goetzinger, comic releases, Frederik Peeters, graphic novel releases, Last Man, Tadao Tsuge, Vanesa Del Ray, with pound in hand
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text:
The Corrections
By: Jonathan Franzen
Narrated by: Dylan Baker
Categories: Fiction, General & Contemporary
4 out of 5 stars 4.2 (185 ratings)
Narrated by: David Ledoux
Freedom comically and tragically captures the temptations and burdens of too much liberty: the thrills of teenage lust, the shaken compromises of middle age, the wages of suburban sprawl, the heavy weight of empire. In charting the mistakes and joys of Freedom's intensely realized characters, as they struggle to learn how to live in an ever more confusing world, Franzen has produced an indelible and deeply moving portrait of our time.
The new 'Great American Novel'
By Deborah on 07-03-11
Narrated by: Dylan Baker, Jenna Lamia, Robert Petkoff
A magnum opus for our morally complex times from the author of Freedom and The Corrections. Young Pip Tyler doesn't know who she is. She knows that her real name is Purity, that she's saddled with $130,000 in student debt, that she's squatting with anarchists in Oakland, and that her relationship with her mother - her only family - is hazardous. But she doesn't have a clue who her father is, why her mother has always concealed her own real name, or how she can ever have a normal life.
Like stories of narcissists? You'll love this.
By Helga on 05-09-15
By: Jennifer Egan
Narrated by: Roxana Ortega
Jennifer Egan's spellbinding audiobook circles the lives of Bennie Salazar, an ageing former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Although Bennie and Sasha never discover each other's pasts, the listener does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs over many years, in locales as varied as New York, San Francisco, Naples and Africa.
Good, but a bit too many (very well chosen) words
By Bee on 20-12-17
By: Ben Lerner
Narrated by: John Moraitis, Christopher Ragland, Regina Regan
From the award-winning author of 10:04 and Leaving the Atocha Station, a tender and expansive family drama set in the American Midwest at the turn of the century: a tale of adolescence, transgression, and the conditions that have given rise to the trolls and tyrants of the new right. Adam Gordon is a senior at Topeka High School, class of 1997. His mother, Jane, is a famous feminist author; his father, Jonathan, is an expert at getting "lost boys" to open up. They both work at the Foundation, a well-known psychiatric clinic that has attracted staff and patients from around the world.
By Michael on 09-01-20
By: Bret Easton Ellis
Narrated by: Bret Easton Ellis
In White, with the same originality displayed in his fiction, Ellis pours himself out and, in doing so, eviscerates the perceived good that the social media age has wrought, starting with the dangerous cult of likability. White is both a denunciation of censorship, particularly the self-inflicted sort committed in hopes of being 'accepted', and a bracing view of a life devoted to authenticity. Provocative, incisive, funny and surprisingly poignant, White reveals not only what is visible on the glittering, pristine surface but also the riotous truths that are hidden underneath.
The trolls have taken the centre
By Matthew on 07-06-19
My Life as a Man
By: Philip Roth
Narrated by: Dan John Miller
At its heart lies the marriage of Peter and Maureen Tarnopol, a gifted young writer and the woman who wants to be his muse but who instead is his nemesis. Their union is based on fraud and shored up by moral blackmail, but it is so perversely durable that, long after Maureen's death, Peter is still trying—and failing—to write his way free of it.
I've listened to this twice.
By Martine on 12-07-18
By: Jeffrey Eugenides
Narrated by: Nathan Osgood
'I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974.' So begins the breathtaking story of Calliope Stephanides and her truly unique family secret, born on the slopes of Mount Olympus and passed on through three generations. Growing up in '70s Michigan, Calliope's special inheritance will turn her into Cal, the narrator of this intersex, intergenerational epic of immigrant life in 20th-century America.
Well worth the wait!
By 3lionslover on 08-10-19
By: Martin Amis
Narrated by: Steven Pacey
John Self is addicted to life. Porn freak and jetsetter, a aficionado of wealth and women, Self is the shameless heir to a fast-food culture where money beats out an insistent invitation to futile self-gratification. Out in New York, mingling with the mighty, making a fortune but spending more, Self is embroiled in the corruption, the brutality and the obscenity of the money conspiracy.
Spot on performance.
By S. Wragg on 10-11-09
By: Saul Bellow
Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
Winner of the National Book Award when it was first published in 1964, Herzog traces five days in the life of a failed academic whose wife has recently left him for his best friend. Through the device of letter writing, Herzog movingly portrays both the internal life of its eponymous hero and the complexity of modern consciousness.
Two Stars!?!?!?!
By: Maggie Nelson
Narrated by: Maggie Nelson
Maggie Nelson's The Argonauts is a genre-bending memoir, a work of "autotheory" offering fresh, fierce, and timely thinking about desire, identity, and the limitations and possibilities of love and language. At its center is a romance: the story of the author's relationship with the artist Harry Dodge. This story, which includes Nelson's account of falling in love with Dodge, who is fluidly gendered, as well as her journey to and through a pregnancy, is an intimate portrayal of the complexities and joys of (queer) family-making.
By Thomas Jaffray on 10-02-19
By: Ann Patchett
Narrated by: Tom Hanks
Danny Conroy grows up in the Dutch House, a lavish mansion. Though his father is distant and his mother is absent, Danny has his beloved sister Maeve: Maeve, with her wall of black hair, her wit, her brilliance. Life is coherent, played out under the watchful eyes of the house's former owners in the frames of their oil paintings. Then one day their father brings Andrea home.
By Andrea H. on 28-10-19
By: Cormac McCarthy
Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, 2007.
America is a barren landscape of smoldering ashes, devoid of life except for those people still struggling to scratch out some type of existence. Amidst this destruction, a father and his young son walk, always toward the coast, but with no real understanding that circumstances will improve once they arrive. Still, they persevere, and their relationship comes to represent goodness in a world of utter devastation.
Perfect for the road - or anywhere else
By SKA on 20-09-09
Seasonal Quartet, Book 1
By: Ali Smith
Narrated by: Melody Grove
Fusing Keatsian mists and mellow fruitfulness with the vitality, the immediacy and the colour hit of Pop Art - via a bit of skullduggery - Autumn is a witty excavation of the present by the past. Autumn is a take on popular culture and a meditation in a world growing ever more bordered: what constitutes richness and worth?
a collage of leaf-fall & never-ending stories
By Rachel Redford on 08-11-16
By: Nell Zink
Narrated by: Eileen Stevens
Pam, Daniel and Joe might be the worst punk band on the Lower East Side. Struggling to scrape together enough cash and musical talent to make it, they are waylaid by surprising arrivals - a daughter for Pam and Daniel, a solo hit single for Joe. As the '90s wane, the three friends share in one another's successes, working together to elevate Joe's superstardom and raise baby Flora. On September 11, 2001, the city's unfathomable devastation coincides with a shattering personal loss for the trio....
By: Don DeLillo
Narrated by: Richard Poe
Nick Shay and Klara Sax knew each other once, intimately, and they meet again in the American desert. He is trying to outdistance the crucial events of his early life, haunted by the hard logic of loss and by the echo of a gunshot in a basement room. She is an artist who has made a blood struggle for independence.
A modern classic - read it
By shirley on 30-04-14
By: Marilynne Robinson
Narrated by: Tim Jerome
From the author of Housekeeping, Gilead is the long-hoped-for second novel by one of America's finest writers.
Chosen by the New York Times Book Review as one of the top six novels of 2004.
In 1956, toward the end of Reverend John Ames' life, he begins a letter to his young son, a kind of last testament to his remarkable forebears.
A salve to the soul and a joy
By clive on 22-11-14
By: Junot Diaz
Narrated by: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Karen Olivo
Things have never been easy for Oscar. A ghetto nerd living with his Dominican family in New Jersey, he's sweet but disastrously overweight. He dreams of becoming the next J R R Tolkien and he keeps falling hopelessly in love. Poor Oscar may never get what he wants, thanks to the Fuku - the curse that has haunted his family for generations.
By M. on 12-03-15
Fleishman Is in Trouble
By: Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Narrated by: Allyson Ryan
Finally free from his nightmare of a marriage, Toby Fleishman is ready for a life of Tinder dating and weekend-only parental duties. But as he optimistically looks to a future of few responsibilities, his life turns upside down as his ex-wife Rachel suddenly disappears. While Toby tries to find out what happened - juggling work, his kids and his new, app-assisted sexual popularity - his tidy narrative of a spurned husband is his sole consolation.
Disappointing but maybe just too American
By Julie baker on 24-08-19
After almost 50 years as a wife and mother, Enid Lambert is ready to have some fun. Unfortunately, her husband, Alfred, is losing his sanity to Parkinson's disease, and their children have long since flown the family nest to the catastrophes of their own lives. The oldest, Gary, a once-stable portfolio manager and family man, is trying to convince his wife and himself, despite clear signs to the contrary, that he is not clinically depressed. The middle child, Chip, has lost his seemingly secure academic job and is failing spectacularly in his new line of work. And Denise, the youngest, has escaped a disastrous marriage only to pour her youth and beauty down the drain on an affair with a married man - or so her mother fears. Desperate for some pleasure to look forward to, Enid has set her heart on an elusive goal: bringing her family together for one last Christmas at home.
Stretching from the Midwest at midcentury to the Wall Street and Eastern Europe of today, The Corrections brings an old-fashioned world of civic virtue and sexual inhibitions into violent collision with the era of home surveillance, hands-off parenting, do-it-yourself mental health care, and globalized greed. Richly realistic, darkly hilarious, deeply humane, it confirms Jonathan Frazen as one of our most brilliant interpreters of American society and the American soul.
©2001 Jonathan Franzen (P)2001 Simon & Schuster Inc.
Audie Award Winner, Fiction (Abridged), 2002
An Oprah Book Club Selection
"When critics refer to 'The Great American Novel' this is it, people!" (Oprah Winfrey)
"The brightest, boldest, and most ambitious novel I've read in many years." (Pat Conroy)
"This is, simply, a masterpiece." ( Amazon.com)
The End of the End of the Earth
Flash Boys
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams
bookylady
It made me laugh, it made me cry.
A wonderful story of a dysfunctional family and all its ups and downs, misunderstandings and petty grudges. Bittersweet and full of well-rounded characters, none of whom have many redeeming features, but somehow become likeable in their own way. There are many moments of tragi-comedy and some real points of despair. Well-plotted and skillfully narrated. The deep-seated problems in relationships between parents and children and between siblings will strike a bell with many.
Moving story, well told.
Fine if you haven't read the book. Disappointingly abridged if you have. Would have preferred an unabridged reading.
P. A. Dourado
Bloxham, Oxfordshire, England
beautifully read
Read this when it came out and felt the need to revisit it. Poignant and true-feeling on the family dynamics àt the centre of the story and the perspectives of each family member and the spirit of the age in which it was written. beautifully voiced, particularly when the reader has to voice the aged father, which was totally believable . Brilliant, richly-textured, moving book.
this is abridged
It was not clear that this is abridged which is really annoying. Wish I could rerun.
Took me a while to get into but once I did I found it moving and profound.
dark exportation of middle class America
A fascinating story, well written and well narrated exploring the depressing realities of middle class life.
Superb! Amazing performance. Thank you.
I do wish that it was the full version of the book. However, I didn't feel like I missed too much of the detail that was skipped and omitted from the book.
Everything else about this book was brilliant and characters were consistently portrayed so, it was easy to follow.
T. D. Larden
One of the great American novels
Would you consider the audio edition of The Corrections to be better than the print version?
At least as good, well for me anyway! The narrator brings the subtlety required.
What about Dylan Baker's performance did you like?
The pacing was superb and the delivery and emphasis at times gave a new aspect to the text... excellent.
So many! I think Alfred on the boat, fighting the night terrors and then the passages of his accident, contrasted with Enid getting high!
It happens to be one of my favourite books anyway so readers beware of my bias!
loved it. dylan baker is brilliant and helps create the characters further with his voices and accents :)
Charles Elmore
A memorable book; flawless narration
For once the publisher's summary has got it right. The broad character sketches and plot synopses that it offers are dead on, and without a doubt Jonathan Franzen has written a brilliant novel. I would also like to add, as many others have mentioned, that Dylan Baker, the narrator of this piece, is one of the best narrators I've heard so far. He truly adds a depth to these characters that is astonishing; he literally becomes each character.
The Corrections follows the lives of five family members, each with their own unique problems. All of these characters are fully developed and none are stereotypes -- each character is a decidedly different shade of gray. And despite the summary's emphasis on Enid, the wife and mother, of the novel's five characters, I would have to say that the story most belongs to Denise, the daughter, whose eyes seem to see more clearly than anyone else's here.
I cannot say when I first became hooked into this story, which is actually a collection of character vignettes that crisscross over one another before finally uniting in the last few chapters; but I know I surrendered early on. At nine hours this book is a saga that only gets more interesting the longer you read it. As some have mentioned, the characters do tend to do hateful things to each another, and one could classify this book as depressing in tone; yet somehow one doesn't feel depressed while reading it, only uplifted. The Corrections is a fascinating, insightful, and satisfying book that leaves you thinking about it long after you've put it down.
25 of 25 people found this review helpful
Wonderful study of growing old
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Hilarious and deeply moving, you find yourself alternately laughing at, abhoring, hating, and loving each disfunctional person in this family as the author digs deeper and deeper into their past and present states of mind. and just for a thoughtful look into the mind of old age and how parkinsons might be like, it's worth it. You think that this author is never going to be able to rescue these people in my mind. But he does. They do redeem themselves, if only in becoming human enough, in spite of all their failings, they do something kind. And I love them for it. It's everything I like in a book. Highly recommend it.
A. Compton
I L-O-V-E this book!
Coming from a completely dysfunctional family myself it was so refreshing to read this book. There was no pat ending, no great epiphany that suddenly made all the characters become different people, no redemption, and no deliverance. Just a bunch a crazy people (and aren't we all) trying to wrench a little fun and a little excitement from their lives before they die. Its wonderful and funny and sad and very realistic. I thought it was terrific. I wish audible was set up for recomendations, i.e. if you enjoyed X, you might also enjoy Y. I would love something else along these same lines.
Almost ...
This was one of the most skillfully done abridgments I've come across - no sense at all that vital material was being left out. Unfortunately the narration was only adequate. Some of the voices were good, others not quite there. As has been pointed out, this is a depressing book, but there are passages of astounding literary brilliance. Often made me think of Roth and Bellow.
T. C. Pile
Abridge-me-not!
I missed this book when it came out, but after listening to and being awed by Freedom, I had to go back and get this one. Every bit as incisive, true, and gut-wrenching as the newer book, but I realized halfway through that I had downloaded the abridged version by mistake.
There is nothing to gain from gutting a masterful work of fiction for the purpose of convenience, it that's the reason why books get abridged. As I finished the book, I had a feeling like I missed something, and the experience did not ring true.
While I now have to go back and get the unabridged version to find out what I missed, I can still unequivocally give this book a 4 star rating, because the power of the writing and the insight came through loud and clear, even if incomplete.
Kris Seale
Hard to take, but worth it.
At first, you are not going to know if you can make it through this book. Then you will have an epiphany, and that epiphany is that the characters are real...not "fiction" novel real, but everyday average home, average family real. Their problems are identifiable and so close to the surface you realize that this is why it's so hard to listen to this book. The narrator does a good job at giving you the feelings you are meant to feel as well. He is not overly charismatic as what is called for in this read. This book is deeper than the story. You will definitely self-reflect.
Reademandweep
Unique and spellbinding
Jonathan Franzen writes like nobody else. It's hard to describe this book so I'll just say you've never read anything like it. His writing style is fluid and exquisite. He describes things in a way that makes you feel you're inside the characters minds and reminds you of things you remembered to forget, or forgot to remember. Either way his use of description and the English language left me in awe and Dylan bakers narrration is an equal match. I highly recommend this book.
I expected something totally different,however, I was entertained and did not want to stop listening until the book ended. This is the first book I have listened to on audible. I liked the descriptive content that gave you a great idea of the story. I was able to follow along with the voice that changed with the characters.
An interesting book with interesting people.....
But hey, I enjoy reading about messed up folks who only get their head above water long enough to choke down some sea weed. If you like this book go read Choke by Chuck Palahniuk....There's some interestingly neurotic characters in his books as well. The entertainment value of some people's daily struggle is highly under-rated.
Characters Reverberate
Finished this book 3 weeks ago and have since listened to two other audio books, but the words of Franzens' characters continue replaying in my head (perhaps this is partly attributable to the narrator's superb performance. Some books I can't wait to finish, but when this one ended I wanted more.

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October 22, 2020 October 24, 2020 Stephanie Wiele
Western Heritage Art Show to Feature Tom Fuller Paintings
SMA's APPLAUSE Series will begin its Western Heritage event Saturday, November 7 with an Art Show by Western painter Tom Fuller in the Henderson Gallery at 6 pm. The artist talk and opening show will be for APPLAUSE Members only. The exhibit will be opened to the public on Sundays 2-4 pm, and Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-6pm through November 22. The Jo and Tom Henderson Gallery is located at 201 Fourth in Sweetwater, Texas. Art Show passes for non-members are $5 each at the door.
Art Force Committee member Terry Blankenship discovered the artist and recommended him to APPLAUSE Director Mila Gibson and the committee. According to Gay Young, Art Force Chair, "We were all excited when Terry shared photos of his paintings!" Interestingly Blankenship had met him at Steve and Jan Smith's son's wedding. The Smiths along with Dr. Bud and Sherie Alldredge are Event Underwriters for Western Heritage.
Tom Fuller had this to say about his career as a Western painter,
"I am a native of Wichita, Kansas. The history of the Cowboy legacy is part of my family culture. Stories of Belle Starr, the Dalton Brothers etc. are handed down from generation to generation. My grandparents lived during that time, and in the same area as these now famous people.
As a child, my first images were of horses and cowboys. It was natural, and I knew it was a part of my lineage. I sat at home, constantly working on, and honing my skills, it became my life. Never keeping track of the hours, days, weeks, months and years. I learned by trial and error how to portray the character of the cowboy, the unspoken language of the horse, tack and its relationship between rider and mount.
Everyone is born to do something, and being a Cowboy artist is what, and who I am. The purpose of my work is to present a gateway for you (viewer) to step into that moment and feel its soul. Not just an outward experience, but also an inward significance. "
Fuller's works have not only been featured in numerous art shows, but in American Cowboy online magazine, Art of the Horse online magazine, American Art Collector Magazine (more than once) , and Western Art Collector Magazine (also more than once).
Event Underwriters for the event are the Smiths and Alldredges. Event Sponsor is Texas National Bank. Event Co-sponsors are Big Country Electric Cooperative and Big Boy's Bar-B-Que. Season underwriter is BNSF Foundation. Lodging provided by Nolan County and Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce and the Smiths. For more information contact swtxauditorium@gmail.com or https://sweetwaterauditorium.org.
Next Named Seats Available


Image by Flickr user corygrunk Curse the weather, and technology.
Thursday was not a good day for those flying into or out of the Charleston International Airport.
The airport recorded the most canceled incoming flights in the nation and came second only Chicago's O'Hare for the number of canceled departures — that's 21 canceled incoming flights, and 17 outgoing. And that's not counting the 8 canceled outgoing flights from today already.
Blame it on the weather, and faulty equipment.
A fog that rolled in obscured the runway and a radar-assisted landing technology stopped working, which meant many a traveller was left unhappy.
On the upside, officials thought it may take until mid-day today to get flights back up, but it appears many flights are flying in and out again, though if I had a flight today, I'd be checking with my airline as there are still several canceled flights.


Police have confirmed that the young man found with major injuries by the road in Ha'atafu on Sunday afternoon has died at Vaiola hospital yesterday.
It is believed that the cause of death was from the major injuries he sustained.
The victim has been identified as Paea 'Olikoni Lolohea, a 19-year-old from Kolomotu'a.
Police have arrested two young men from Ha'atafu in relation to the incident and are still under Police custody while investigation continues.
A post mortem is expected to be carried out soon.
Meanwhile, police also confirmed this morning that the mother of the abandoned baby found in Nukunuku last week has been identified.
No charges have been made yet as Police are still waiting for the medical reports.


New tools help developers define problems clearly.
When the subject is software, the concern for today and tomorrow is quality. IT community concerns are apparent, for example, in the current draft program for next months International Conference on Quality Software, scheduled to take place in Dallas on Nov. 6 and 7. Presentation topics during those days will include test-case generation from software specifications, checklists and models for estimating software costs, and the challenges of defining and testing software quality in e-commerce environments involving highly distributed systems with varying performance of critical communication links.
In the product reviews on this and the following pages, eWEEK Labs looks at three sources of tools that should reset enterprise expectations for stakeholder involvement in software definition, for developer rigor in defining and applying quality standards to their work, and for thorough understanding of the more dynamic behavior of code in complex environments such as Microsoft Corp.s .Net.
We present the first review ever published of the breakthrough iRise Application Simulator, a product designed to ensure that the right problem gets solved; a hot-off-the-CD-burner review of this weeks release of Parasoft Corp.s Jtest 5.0, which brings open-source Eclipse integration and streamlined defect repair to an already proven Java assistant; and a review of Compuware Corp.s latest update of its testing and quality assurance extensions for Microsofts workbench, dramatically expanding the products support for .Net development.
The growing concern for software quality swims against a tide of programmer talent that was trained during the early years of the PC to make applications run fast as the principal goal. The painful paradox is that hardware has proved to have much less inertia than software. Todays machines and their high-speed networks run almost every enterprise application fast enough to find themselves waiting for the user much more often than the other way around.
Meanwhile, users and administrators waste thousands of hours and billions of dollars attending to the weaknesses of "live fast, die young" code that achieved speed by eschewing internal defenses against unexpected input or resource shortages (to say nothing of its fragility in the face of patient and deliberate attack). Both the Parasoft and the Compuware tools reviewed here address these problems.
The other, perhaps much greater damage thats done by bare-metal programming practices is that software takes on rigid form much too quickly, even in what are supposed to be prototyping stages of development. The resulting code rapidly becomes difficult to change without starting from scratch.
Modern languages make it possible to design in a modular and flexible fashion, but they often do not enforce that modularity; they certainly do not meet the need of nonprogrammer stakeholders to understand the impact of their requests to development teams or to have an opportunity to refine those requests as a project moves forward. Were pleased to see iRise taking on this challenge.
Largely ignoring these changing priorities, mainstream application development tool sets have made huge strides in their ability to fashion code quickly but have made much less progress in bringing design and test tools closer to the focus of the developer. Among the best-known tool makers, Borland Software Corp. has been the most conspicuous in its campaign of the last two years to acquire process-oriented toolsmiths.
Borland has been expanding its category-defining "edit, compile, debug" environments into more complete offerings—such as the recently released Enterprise Studio for C++, reviewed by eWEEK Labs here, —and into the longer mantra of "define, design, develop, test, deploy, manage." Failure at any of these points, todays developers increasingly are realizing, is failure of the entire process.
We hope developers will tell us where else we should be looking for solutions to the critical problem of solving the right problem in the right way, rather than writing code quickly to run fast in the wrong direction.
Technology Editor Peter Coffee can be contacted at peter_coffee @ziffdavis.com.


St. Bernard Parish's Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast: April 29, 8 a.m. to noon at the school, 3604 N. 65th St., Omaha. Pancakes, breakfast casseroles, donuts and more. Nominal charge and kids under 3 are free.
V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School's Summer Camps: Registration is open for summer camps, with opportunities for kids ages 5-14. Register online at skyhawkcamps.com.
Living Well with a Life-Limiting Illness – A Palliative Care Perspective: April 28, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Cost is $20. Speaker is Kathy Kasher a palliative care chaplain in Denver and Servite Associate.
Christian Literature Book Group: April 11, 10-11:30 a.m. $5 per session. Pay as you attend. April book is "Esther" by Rebecca Kanner. Judith Barnes will lead the book group.
BELOVED, Be Loved! Retreat for Singles: May 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration 8:30 a.m. Bring your own lunch or pay $10.50 before the program begins. Program fee is $35. Speaker is Father Francis Nigli. Co-sponsored by Widowed, Separated & Divorced Support Group of Omaha.


Yesterday's re-read. I remembered most of the plot, but I'd forgotten just how good Sarah Thane and Tristram Shield are together. The slow growth of their understanding is a thing of beauty.
A Georgian rather than a Regency, for anyone who enjoys keeping count.


Today Labour launched its manifesto for culture: A Creative Future For All. The UK has a rich cultural heritage that has helped to shape our national identity. Our thriving creative industries define how we are perceived overseas and make a vital contribution to our economy.
A Creative Future For All has built on the work of the National Policy Forum in this area. This year the Environment, Energy and Culture Policy Commission consulted on widening access to and delivering support for culture and the arts. Many members and other key stakeholders contributed through Labour Policy Forum and participated in meetings held to discuss this issue. Key themes coming through from the consultation reflected in A Creative Future For All include making support available for those from all backgrounds to access the arts and protecting Britain's cultural industries during the Brexit negotiations.
Building Britain's cultural capital by introducing a £1 billion Cultural Capital Fund. This will provide a unique opportunity to upgrade and regenerate existing arts infrastructure and to build new facilities for all of us to be proud of.
Increasing access to culture and the arts so that people from all backgrounds have an equal chance to pursue their interests and benefit from creative and cultural institutions.
Putting creativity at the heart of the curriculum by introducing a £160 million arts pupil premium to every primary school in England.
Revamp the Ebacc to stop the marginalisation of creative subjects and a creative careers campaign in secondary schools to demonstrate the range of careers and opportunities available, and the skills required, in the creative industries, from the tech sector to theatre production.
Placing our creative industries at the heart of our industrial strategy and our negotiations as we prepare to leave the European Union.
Read A Creative Future For All here.


Rimmel Scandaleyes Rockin Curves Mascara, Black, 0.41 Fluid Ounce , (Pack of 2) Sale January 2019!
Rimmel's first broken heart-shaped brush creates a fringe of big, curvy, rockin' lashes. This cleverly-shaped applicator twists and curves to hug the lash line; the thin tip grabs hard-to-reach inner lashes, while the amplified base pulses lashes with incredible volume and curve. Lashes are plumped and lifted in one clean stroke. No clumps.


A pretty woman gets knifed on the Captain's watch...just when he was getting the tune down.
VERY MUCH see-saw action, Crane, Nelson, Riley and Sharkey all wind up at the Count's gambling joint just in time for pyrotechnics and a big shoot-out. Staglione goes down for the count, so to speak (he's killed), and Crane is reunited with his Seaview buddies and returned to the sub just in time to sing his tune. La La La.
Captain Crane teaches tune to soon-to-be-dead musician.
Trivia: A Hollywood talent agent asked Irwin Allen to cast actor Carl Esmond as Ferdie, claiming that their client, Charles Bennett, wrote the part with Mr. Esmond in mind. But Allen felt Renzo Cesana, a former 1950s TV star, was better suited for the role.
Mark Says: This episode was cut from the Man From UNCLE mold (a schoolteacher helping the submariners, beautiful women everywhere, colorful villains, exciting chases) and it works. Although it's a back-lot chase through Venice, the music and stock footage give it an added dimension. Renzo Cesana is so strange that his repellent charm is almost fascinating as nasty Count Staglione. Danica D'Hondt as Lola Hale is terrific and it's too bad she didn't return for future shows.
Mike Says: As Mark says, this episode feels more than slightly like The Man From UNCLE show which caused ABC to move Voyage from its Monday time slot. This episode's a bit on the light side, complicated as all get-out and fun to watch. The budget, rather than being spent on effects, goes for back-lot location shooting and set dressing to excellent effect.
Danica d' Hondt plays Nelson right hand lady, Lola Hale to fine effect in "Escape."


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