2 in 1 Showcase Episode 260: Superheroes Beyond Comics

Although comic books gave birth to the superhero as we know it, that doesn’t mean they’ve been restricted to the four-color pages all these years. This week, Blake and Kenny share their own top ten lists of superheroes who were born outside of comic books, then dive into some of your suggestions. In the picks, Kenny goes with Aquaman, and Blake chooses Wolverine and the X-Men and the final issue of Tiny Titans. Contact us with comments, suggestions, or anything else at Showcase@CXPulp.com!

Music provided by Music Alley from Mevio.

Episode 260: Superheroes Beyond Comics

2 in 1 Showcase Episode 244: Holiday Movie Preview 2011

With Thanksgiving coming upon us, Blake and Erin talk about this year’s slate of Holiday movie releases! They delve into all of the big releases, lots of the little ones, and gush profusely over the Muppets! In the picks, it’s Animal Man #3 and Peanuts #0. Contact us with comments, suggestions, or anything else at Showcase@CXPulp.com!

Music provided by Music Alley from Mevio.

Episode 244: Holiday Movie Preview 2011

Blake & Erin’s To-Do List For This Week:

Before Erin goes home on Sunday, there are several things we’re hoping we get the chance to do. We probably won’t get to them all on this visit, but here’s what’s on the docket…

• Visit the Art of Disney exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art
• Visit the National World War II Museum
• Go to a Hornets game (shouldn’t be too expensive this season)
• Go to the Riverwalk/French Quarter/points of interest in the city
• Comic shop/bookstore visit
• Celebration in the Oaks
• See “Sherlock Holmes”
• See “Nine”
• Rivershack Tavern, Copelands, Phil’s Grill, and various other assorted eateries Erin can’t go to in Pittsburgh — she especially wants good fried catfish
• Hang out with our friends who haven’t seen her since June
• Discover a cure for Feline Dandruff
• New Year’s Party, baby!

2 in 1 Showcase Episode 144: Holiday Movie Preview

 

We’re heading into the second big movie season of the year, the time when the studios roll out all of the major Thanksgiving and Christmas releases, plus the Oscar contenders, treats for the kids in us all, and even the odd sci-fi epic. This week, Kenny and Blake sit down to discuss all of the major releases for November and December, from A Christmas Carol to Avatar and everything in between. In the picks, Kenny gets creative with the movie Hot Fuzz, and Blake stays quasi-traditional with the first issue of The Marvelous Land of Oz Contact us with comments, suggestions, or anything else at Showcase@comixtreme.com!

2 in 1 Showcase Episode 144: Holiday Movie Preview
Inside This Episode:

What I’m Reading: The Lightning Thief

I’ve mentioned it here before but it bears repeating: I really love Greek Mythology. As you guys have already seen in detail here on the site. But a couple of months ago, one of my fellow teachers recommended this book to me, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The premise sounded intriguing and I always like new series fiction — especially if the series in question is finished and I don’t have to worry (not to sound crass) about the author dying and never finishing. So upon my friend’s recommendation, I picked the book up and cracked it open, finishing just earlier today.

The Lightning Thief is the first volume in a five-book series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Percy is a sixth-grade student who has spent his life bouncing from one boarding school to another, none of them able to handle a genuinely good kid who nonetheless constantly seems to find himself in trouble. This year, that trouble starts getting worse — as in the “monsters and mayhem” kind of trouble instead of just flunking an English test. One of the nastiest encounters leads him to a strange summer camp full of other kids just as extraordinary as he himself is, and Percy finds the truth: the gods of Greek myth are real, are alive, and one of them is his long-lost father.

I didn’t really pay attention to this book when it was released, shelving it mentally with the dozens of Harry Potter clones that were being put on shelves at the time. Having read it, I still think I was partially correct in that assessment. Structurally, this first book is very similar to Harry Potter — Percy has two friends who accompany him, the mentor characters are suitably mysterious, and the school setting is swapped for a summer camp. However, the more I think of it, none of those elements Percy and Harry have in common were really originated by Harry anyway. There are a lot of elements that Percy has unique to himself, and that’s what makes this book easy to recommend. Riordan has a really interesting social structure in place here, with the gods capable of playing both ally and antagonist as the situation demands. He uses the classic Greek deities, monsters, and symbology to great effect here, crafting a story that is singularly exciting. Percy is quite different from Harry in personality, carrying a bit of a god’s temper in him. As for his friends — well, Annabeth does seem to have a dash of Hermione, but considering who her sire is, that’s only natural.

On a personal note, I have to admit reading this book startled me, because Riordan actually overlaps once or twice with things I have done (or was planning to do) with my own work-in-progress Summer Love, but as both stories employ Greek myths, that’s really unavoidable. My story is drastically different from Riordan‘s, as is my interpretation of the Olympians. It was a little hard, still, to divorce my own ideas from what I read here.

Once I was able to do that, though, I really did enjoy this book. It’s a very strong beginning to the series, and I intend to hunt down book two, The Sea of Monsters, ASAP.

BONUS REVIEW:

As I’ve mentioned here before, I’m a member of the Amazon.com Vine Program, which gives me a chance to read and review books before they are released. I just finished a really great mystery novel by Lyndsay Faye entitled Dust and Shadow, about Sherlock Holmes and his effort to capture Jack the Ripper. If you’re interested in my review, you can read it here: Dust and Shadow review.

What I’m Watching: 2009 Edition

As I sit here in the New Orleans Airport, waiting to head off to Nashville for a conference on “redesigning ninth grade,” I thought I’d take advantage of the time to post the movie list for the year thus far. Like the reading list I posted yesterday, I’m adding this to the links on the right-hand side of the page for the sake of anyone who’s actually interested in that sort of thing. Now when you feel like asking, “Hey Blake! Have you seen Wanted yet?” you can just click on the sidebar. Ain’t that cool?

Also, like for the books, I’ll include a link for those movies I’ve reviewed.

1. DuckTales the Movie: Legend of the Lost Lamp; 1990-B
2. Futurama: Bender’s Game; 2008-B
3. 24: Redemption; 2008-B+
4. Death to the Tinman; 2007-B+
5. Rated R: Republican in Hollywood; 2004-C+
6. Batman Vs. Dracula; 2005-C
7. Hamlet; 1960-D (Movie); B+ (MST3K Riff)
8. Confessions of a Superhero; 2007-B
9. Storytelling; 2001-C+
10. You’re a Good Sport, Charlie Brown; 1975-B+
11. You’re the Greatest, Charlie Brown; 1979-B-
12. The Black Cauldron; 1985-B+
13. Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown; 1975-A
14. A Charlie Brown Valentine; 2002-B
15. You’re In Love, Charlie Brown; 1967-B+
16. It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown; 1977-C-
17. Howard the Duck; 1986-D+
18. Quarantine; 2008-B
19. Coraline; 2009-A
20. Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder; 2009-B
21. Friday the 13th; 2009-C+
22. The Karate Kid; 1984-B+
23. Wonder Woman; 2009-A-
24. Watchmen; 2009-B-
25. Wanted; 2008-D
26. This is Spinal Tap; 1984-B+
27. Judge Dredd; 1995-D
28. The Gamers: Dorkness Rising; 2008-B+
29. Primer; 2004-B+
30. Sheena; 1984-C
31. Persepolis; 2007-B
32. Surf’s Up; 2007-B-
33. It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown; 1974, B-
34. It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown; 1976, B+
35. Vampirella; 1996-D
36. Tales of the Black Freighter; 2009-A
37. Under the Hood; 2009-B
38. The Norman Rockwell Code; 2006-B
39. Monsters Vs. Aliens; 2009-A
40. Once Upon a Girl; 1976-C
41. Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird; 1985-A
42. Snoopy’s Reunion; 1991-B-
43. It’s Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown; 1984-B-
44. William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet; 1997, C
45. X-Men Origins: Wolverine; 2009, C+
46. Star Trek; 2009, A
47. The Phantom; 1996, C
48. Vantage Point; 2008, B+
49. National Lampoon’s European Vacaction; 1985, B
50. Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest; 2007, B-
51. The Odyssey; 1997 (miniseries), B
52. O Brother, Where Art Thou?; 2000, A
53. The Terminator; 1984, B
54. Terminator 2: Judgment Day; 1991, A+
55. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines; 2003, C+
56. Terminator: Salvation; 2009, A-
57. Nightmare Circus; 1974, F
58. Day of the Dead; 1985, B+
59. The Call of Cthulhu; 2005, B
60. The Running Man; 1987, C
61. Grindhouse Presents Death Proof; 2007, C-
62. Partly Cloudy; 2009, B+
63. Up; 2009, A
64. Across the Universe; 2007, C
65. Tropic Thunder; 2008, B
66. Good Luck Chuck; 2007, C+
67. The Hangover; 2009, B+
68. TransFormers; 2007, B
69. TransFormers: Revenge of the Fallen; 2009, B-
70. My Cousin Vinnie; 1992, A
71. 1776; 1972, A+
72. The Rocketeer; 1993, A-
73. Independence Day; 1996, B+
74. Short Cuts; 1993, D
75. Comic Book Villains; 2002, B
76. Riding the Bullet; 2004, B
77. Fanboys; 2008, B+
78. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; 2005, B+
79. Chalk; 2006, A-
80. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince; 2009, B+
81. Push; 2009, C+
82. Donald in Mathmagic Land; 1959, A
83. He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown; 1968, B+
84. It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown; 1969, B
85. Charlie Brown’s All Stars; 1966, A
86. Green Lantern: First Flight; 2009, A
87. The Dark Half; 1993, B-
88. Cashback; 2006, B+
89. Flight of the Navigator; 1986, B-
90. Justice League: A New Frontier; 2008, A
91. Ghostbusters II; 1989, B
92. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra; 2009, F
93. District 9; 2004, A
94. Ghostbusters; 1984, A
95. Inglorious Basterds; 2009, A-
96. Halloween II; 2009, C-
97. Severance; 2006, B
98. Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters; 1988, C+
99. Countdown to Wednesday; 2004, B
100. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen; 1988, B+
101. Murder Party; 2007, B
102. Hulk Vs.; 2009, B-
103. Graveyard Shift; 1990, C+
104. Saw V; 2008, C
105. 9; 2009, B+
106. Zombie Strippers; 2008, F
107. Return of the Living Dead 3; 1993, C
108. Superman/Batman: Public Enemies; 2009, B
109. Zombieland; 2009, B+
110. Toy Story; 1995, A
111. Toy Story 2; 1999, A+
112. Frankenstein; 1931, A
113. Bride of Frankenstein; 1935, B+
114. Son of Frankenstein; 1939, A
115. Ghost of Frankenstein; 1942, C+
116. House of Frankenstein; 1944, C
117. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein; 1948, A+
118. Trick ‘r Treat; 2007, A-
119. Hobgoblins; 1988, F (movie), A (MST3K Riff)
120. The Men Who Stare at Goats; 2009, B+
121. The Time Machine; 2002, B-
122. Animal Farm; 1999, B
123. Planet 51; 2009, B
124. Play it Again, Charlie Brown; 1971, B+*
125. You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown: 1972, B*
126. There’s No Time For Love, Charlie Brown; 1973, B-*
127. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; 1973, A*
128. It’s a Mystery, Charlie Brown; 1974, B*
129. Garfield’s Thanksgiving; 1989, A-
130. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians; 1964, F (movie), B (MSK3K Riff)
131. A Christmas Carol; 2009, B+
132. A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa; 2008, B+*
133. A Chipmunk Christmas; 1981, B*
134. A Flintstones Christmas Carol; 1994, B+
135. A Muppets Christmas Carol; 1992, A-
136. Mickey’s Christmas Carol; 1983, A*
137. The Small One; 1978, A*
138. Pluto’s Christmas Tree; 1953, A*
139. Santa’s Workshop; 1932, A*
140. Prep and Landing; 2009, A-*
141. Frosty’s Winter Wonderland; 1976, B+*
142. Cranberry Christmas; 2009, B-*
143. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July; 1979, B-
144. A Charlie Brown Christmas; 1965, A+*
145. It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown; 1992, B*
146. Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales; 2002, B-*
147. I Want a Dog For Christmas, Charlie Brown; 2003, B+*
148. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown; 1985, A-*
149. The Princess and the Frog; 2009, A
150. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; 1964, A*
151. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation; 1989, A+
152. Hogfather; 2006, B+
153. Home Alone; 1990, B
154. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; 1974, B+*
155. Elf; 2003, B
156. A Christmas Story; 1983, A+
157. Avatar; 2009, D+
158. Night of the Creeps; 1986, C
159. Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys; 2005, B
160. Sherlock Holmes; 2009, B

Last Updated on December 31, 2009

What I’m Reading: 2009 Edition

In the past, I’ve always compiled a year-end list of the books I’ve read during the past year. However, I’ve noticed that my good pal Walt Kneeland, on his awesome Comic Reviews By Walt blog, keeps a running list on his website throughout the year. It’s something that never occurred to me before, but I like it. So therefore, I’m going to keep this post updated frequently, whenever I’ve got something to add to the list. I’ve also added the links to the right-hand column of the page, right beneath my Twitter Feed, so you’ll be able to access it easily if that sort of thing floats your boat. I’ll do the same with my movie lists. And y’know what? If it’s a book I’ve reviewed, I’ll even link to the review. I’m all about service, friends.

So without further ado, here’s what I’ve read so far in 2009:

1. Speaker For the Dead; Orson Scott Card, 1987-A
2. Look at My Striped Shirt; Phat Phree, 2006-B-
3. You’ll All Be Sorry; Gail Simone, 2008-B+
4. Tales of Beedle the Bard; J.K. Rowling, 2008-B
5. Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street; Michael Davis, 2008-A
6. Tales From Outer Suburbia; Shaun Tan, 2008-B+*
7. Kingdom Come; Mark Waid &; Alex Ross, 1996-A+*
8. Infected; Scott Sigler, 2008-B+
9. Archer & Armstrong: First Impressions; Jim Shooter, Barry Windsor-Smith, 2008-A-*
10. Sheldon: Nerds on Parade; Dave Kellett, 2008-A-*
11. Mini-Marvels: Secret Invasion; Chris Giarrusso, 2009-A*
12. Tiny Titans: Welcome to the Treehouse; Art Baltazar, Franco, 2008-A-*
13. Fool; Christopher Moore, 2009-B-
14. A Slobbering Love Affair; Bernard Goldberg, 2009-B-
15. It’s Not Easy Being Green; Jim Henson, 2005-B
16. Love and Capes Vol. 1: Do You Want to Know a Secret?; Thom Zahler, 2008-A+*
17. Starman Omnibus Vol. 2; James Robinson & Tony Harris, 2009-A*
18. Before You Leap; Jim Lewis, (as Kermit the Frog), 2004-B
19. The Graveyard Book; Neil Gaiman, 2008-A
20. Transmetropolitan Vol. 1: Back on the Street; Warren Ellis &; Darick Robertson, 1998-B*
21. Tales of the Green Lantern Corps; Len Wein and others, 2009-A*
22. JLA/Avengers; Kurt Busiek & George Perez, 2003-B+*
23. Enemies and Allies; Kevin J. Anderson, 2009-B+
24. Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament; S.G. Browne, 2009-B
25. Shade’s Children; Garth Nix, 1997-B+
26. Superman: Panic in the Sky; Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson & Roger Stern, 1993-A*
27. JLA: Salvation Run; Matthew Sturges & Bill Willingham, 2008-B*
28. Contagious; Scott Sigler, 2008-A-
29. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Douglas Adams, 1979-A
30. The Complete Peanuts: 1969 to 1970; Charles M. Schulz, 2008-A*
31. The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet; William Shakespeare (probably), 1597(ish)-B+
32. 3 Geeks: Going to the Con; Rich Koslowski, 1997-B+*
33. 3 Geeks: An Eclectic Potpourri of Reading Pleasure; Rich Koslowski, 1999-B*
34. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Douglas Adams, 1980-B+
35. Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs; Molly Harper, 2009-B+
36. The Complete Peanuts: 1971 to 1972; Charles M. Schulz, 2009-A*
37. Star Trek: Countdown; Mike Johnson & Tim Jones, 2009-B+*
38. Life, the Universe, and Everything; Douglas Adams, 1982-B
39. So Long and Thanks For All the Fish; Douglas Adams, 1984-B
40. “Young Zaphod Plays it Safe”; Douglas Adams, 1986-C
41. Sheldon: Pure Ducky Goodness; Dave Kellett, 2006, B+*
42. Dust and Shadow; Lyndsay Faye, 2009-B+
43. The Lightning Thief; Rick Riordan, 2005-A-
44. Nina Kimberly the Merciless; Christiana Ellis, 2009-B+
45. The Sea of Monsters; Rick Riordan, 2006, B+
46. The Big Book of Barry Ween, Boy Genius; Judd Winnick, 2009, B+*
47. The Titan’s Curse; Rick Riordan, 2007, A-
48. The Battle of the Labyrinth; Rick Riordan, 2008, A-
49. Sheldon: The Good, the Bad, and the Pugly; Dave Kellett, 2007, B+*
50. The Last Olympian; Rick Riordan, 2009, A+
51. Personal Effects: Dark Art; J.C. Hutchins & Jordan Weisman, 2009, A-
52. Was Superman a Spy?; Brian Cronin, 2009, A-
53. “All You Zombies”; Robert A. Heinlein, 1958, A
54. The Strain; Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan, 2009, B+
55. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Demigod Files; Rick Riordan, 2009, B
56. G.I. Joe; Chuck Dixon, 2009, A-*
57. The Dark Half; Stephen King, 1989, B
58. The Long Walk; Stephen King (as Richard Bachman), 1979, B-
59. Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? (Deluxe Edition); Alan Moore, 2009, A*
60. Franklin Richards: Not-So-Secret Invasion; Marc Sumerak & Chris Eliopoulos, 2009, B+*
61. Batman: Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader? (Deluxe Edition); Neil Gaiman, 2009, A*
62. Starman Omnibus Volume 3; James Robinson, 2009, A*
63. ABC Warriors: The Meknificent Seven; Pat Mills, 1978, B*
64. Judge Dredd: Dredd Vs. Death; John Wagner & Alan Grant, 2005, B*
65. Preacher: Gone to Texas; Garth Ennis, 1996, B*
66. Preacher: Until the End of the World; Garth Ennis, 1997, A*
67. Preacher: Proud Americans; Garth Ennis, 1998, B+*
68. Earthcore; Scott Sigler, 2005, B+@
69. Personal Effects: Sword of Blood; J.C. Hutchins, 2009, B@
70. Dark Entries; Ian Rankin, 2009, B*
71. G-Man: Learning to Fly; Chris Giarrusso, 2009, A*
72. Drood; Dan Simmons, 2009, A-
73. FlashForward; Rober J. Sawyer, 1999, B+
74. Danse Macabre; Stephen King, 1980, B+
75. Peter and Max: A Fables Novel; Bill Willingham, 2009, A
76. Kabumpo in Oz; Ruth Plumly Thompson, 1922, B-
77. UR; Stephen King, 2009, B+
78. It’s Hard Out Here For a Shrimp; Pepe the King Prawn, 2008, B
79. Kronos; Jeremy Robinson, 2008, B+@
80. “The Red-Headed League;” Arthur Conan Doyle, 1891, A
81. 7th Son: Descent; J.C. Hutchins, 2009, B+
82. Cakewrecks; Jen Yates, 2009, B+
83. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks; Max Brooks, 2009, B*
84. Batman: The Long Halloween; Jeph Loeb, 1997, A*
85. The Monstrumologist; Rick Yancy, 2009, B
86. Half-Minute Horrors; Susan Rich (ed.), 2009, B
87. Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men; Molly Harper, 2009, B
88. Animal Farm; George Orwell, 1945, A
89. The Colour of Magic; Terry Pratchett, 1983, B
90. Living Dangerously With Saturated Fats; Dave Kellett, 2009, A
91. Just After Sunset; Stephen King, 2008, B+
92. Abducted to Oz; 2003, Bob Evans & Chris Dulabone, F
93. The Dude Abides; 2009, Cathleen Falsami, B+
94. Nocturnal; 2007, Scott Sigler, A-@
95. Title Fight; 2009, Scott Sigler & Matt Wallace, B+@
96. Lost; 2001, Gregory Maguire, D
97. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus; 1902, L. Frank Baum, A
98. “A Kidnapped Santa Claus;” 1904, L. Frank Baum, A
99. A Kidnapped Santa Claus; 2009, Alex Robinson (based on the story by L. Frank Baum), A*
100. The Gift of the Magi; 2009, Joel Priddy (based on the story by O. Henry), B+*
101. The Fir-Tree; 2009, Lilli Carré (based on the story by Hans Christian Andersen), B-*
102. Haunted Christmas; 2009, Mary Beth Crain, B
103. “Scrooge & Cratchit;” 2002, Matt McHugh, B+
104. More Holmes For the Holidays; 1999, Martin H. Greenberg (ed.), B
105. North Pole Lost and Other Holiday Stories; 2007, William H. Cooke, D
106. The True Gift; 2009, Patricia MacLachlan, B
107. The Night Before the Christmas Before I Was Married; 2009, Adam Maxwell, B-
108. Purgatory; 2009, Tim Dodge, B@
109. Archie New Look Series Vol. 3: Moose and Midge in Break-Up Blues; 2009, Melanie J. Morgan, B*
110. Mini-Marvels Ultimate Collection; 2009, Chris Giarrusso and others, A*

*-Graphic novel or comic strip collection
“”-Short Story
@-Audiobook

Last updated on December 31, 2009

Everything But Imaginary #288: Christmas Tales From the Longbox I

It’s Christmas once again, and how better to celebrate than by sitting down and reading a thick stack of Christmas comics? Here are a few of the books I’ve read this year — so far!

Everything But Imaginary #288: Christmas Tales From the Longbox I
Inside This Column:

AlphaInventions.com

Recently, I noticed a big uptick in traffic to this website coming in through a site called AlphaInventions.com. I’m not entirely sure how the site works, but it appears to produce a scrolling, up-to-date slideshow of lots of different blogs. It’s a neat way to find a lot of various blogs in a short period of time. I don’t know how exactly they found me, but I’m glad they did.