M'iko

editor_lass @ 2008-04-14T09:01:00

2008-04-14T16:09:11Z

Read the new Dresden book, Small Favor, over the weekend. I liked it better than the last one--and, as always, Harry is an utter dork. *heart!*

Bit that left me terribly, nay, even violently amused: When Harry (to his surprise, granted) conjures up a Bigby's hand spell and beats an enemy into the ground with it. Should I ever be at a con with Jim Butcher, I owe him a large drink.

Also, Murphy finally gets the sword offer, which I've been anticipating for a couple of books now; but her best moment was facing down the (billy goat) gruff and insisting on her authority as Chicago's lawkeeper. Loved her there.

And after all of Harry's dealing with evil entities, the Other Side finally takes notice of him. This might not, in fact, be a "good" thing.

But perhaps most surprising: Harry gets some, FINALLY. About damn time.

In conclusion: Yay Harry Dresden!

editor_lass @ 2008-03-05T15:02:00

2008-03-05T23:06:52Z

I just spent some hours going through the last galleys of the 4th Edition Player's Handbook. They bit me and I bled. Fitting, that.

It looks fantastic. I'm biased, granted. But. I have a proudness.

And though everyone else said it faster and better, nevertheless: Thanks, Gary. I wouldn't have had a career--much less one this satisfying and enjoyable--without you. Wouldn't have had a *life* this satisfying and enjoyable, for that matter.

Not "just a game." Ever. Thank you.

palate cleanser

2008-02-20T23:45:35Z

Lists are therapeutic. The hot comics list this month:

1. All-Star Superman (on months that it's out)
1. Fables
2. Detective (Dini's issues)
3. Wonder Woman (Simone FTW)
4. Checkmate (....*sniff*)
5. Captain America
6. Immortal Iron Fist
7. Superman
8. Brave and the Bold
9. Flash
10. X-Men First Class (so. CUTE)

(+ Daredevil, which I buy in trades. But like Captain America and Immortal Iron Fist, it's full of Brubaker goodness.)

Changes since last time: Loved Cooke's The Spirit, but can subsequent authors sustain it? It's off the list until I know for sure. And Welcome to Tranquility is over. Sigh.

Other Marvel yay: Nova is ridiculously good. Who knew? I like The Order, but that's cancelled too, go figure. The Dark Tower translation is tremendous. Ms. Marvel is still reaching for greatness and not quite getting there. Ellis makes me enjoy psychopathic Thunderbolts. First two issues of The Twelve intrigued. And slow pace or not, I still like Thor.

Other DC yay: Tiny Titans AW YEAH!!!! (And Titans Year One, too.) Salvation Run is wrongfully entertaining. Morrison's Batman has moments. Nightwing is good again! I sort of can't believe it and I'm afraid to jinx it by saying so. Shooter's Legion of Super-Heroes is giving me double vision, but it's swell. Lots of other stuff that falls in the "okay, not GREAT" category, but I have to get back to work now.

skip this post

2008-02-20T22:44:45Z

As with all things of this kind, it's not for you. It's for me.

Tigger, engaging in a very common activity in our house

We lost him about a month ago, now. Didn't know he was sick, and then he was, and then he was gone. You don't share space with a living creature for ten years--human, feline, or otherwise--without becoming, you know, *attached.*

I've more or less come to terms that we couldn't have done anything, even if we'd known he was sick earlier--he really was acting normally, right up to the night before. It's harder to accept that it was probably *better* that way; knowing he was sick would have stressed us out, would have stressed him out, and we probably would have lost him sooner. Tigger spent his last night sleeping sprawled on top of us, where he belonged.

Like I said to some friends: He had a good life and we loved him and he loved us, and that's about as much as anyone gets.

For equal time: our other cat, Pooh, who is still wondering where his friend went.

I still wasn't really ready to write this post. Is anyone, ever?

editor_lass @ 2008-02-15T15:24:00

2008-02-15T23:34:27Z

Oh. Hi, neglected journal.

Update: another time.

Instead: a list.

A librarian friend of mine keeps showing off her list of current books read. I thought that was a cool idea, so I kept track last year.

2007 books
Really a very short list. I blame Warcraft. And 4th Edition. OTOH, a number of long plane rides and enforced periods without internets made up for some of the pixel-addiction. In retrospect it seems ridiculous to list graphic novel trades and not the thousands (yes) of individual issue comics read over the year, but there you go.

(Reread) I reread things a lot, especially when I want to refresh my memory before a sequel or media adaptation.

The Best of the Spirit, Will Eisner
Sandman Mystery Theater v4: The Scorpion, Matt Wagner
PS 238 v3: No Child Left Behind, Aaron Williams
Catwoman: The Life and Times of a Feline Fatale, Suzan Colon
(Perfect Dark: Initial Vector), Greg Rucka
Perfect Dark: Second Front, Greg Rucka
(My Enemy, My Ally), Diane Duane
(The Romulan Way), Diane Duane
(Swordhunt), Diane Duane
The Empty Chair, Diane Duane
The Devil You Know, Mike Carey
Vicious Circle, Mike Carey
The Good Fairies of New York, Martin Millar
(Proven Guilty), Jim Butcher
The Man Who Ate Everything, Jeffery Steingarten
White Night, Jim Butcher
(Blood Price), Tanya Huff
Ysabel, Guy Gavriel Kay
(Blood Hunt), Tanya Huff
Daredevil: The Devil, Inside and Out, Ed Brubaker
Wonder Woman: The Greatest Stories Ever Told, Marston et al
Huntress: Dark Knight Daughter, Paul Levitz
Gloomcookie, Serena Valentino and Ted Naifeh
It Must Have Been Something I Ate, Jeffery Steingarten
Mouse Guard: Fall 1152, David Petersen
Rats Saw God, Rob Thomas
(Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, JK Rowling) [skim-reread]
Neptune Noir: Unauthorized Investigations into Veronica Mars (Smart Pop series), Rob Thomas et al
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling
Helltown [DC Universe], Denny O'Neil
Soon I Will Be Invincible, Austin Grossman
Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus, Vol. 1, Jack Kirby
(Stardust), Neil Gaiman
(Keeper), Greg Rucka
(Finder), Greg Rucka
(Smoker), Greg Rucka
(The Golden Compass), Phillip Pullman [audio book]
Devil's Cape, Rob Rogers [ARC]
(Shooting at Midnight), Greg Rucka
(Critical Space), Greg Rucka
Daredevil: The Devil, Inside and Out v2, Ed Brubaker
Grimm Fairy Tales, Ralph Tedesco [not recommended]
Television Without Pity: 752 Things We Love to Hate (and Hate to Love) About TV, Tara Ariano and Sarah D. Bunting
Patriot Acts, Greg Rucka
Spin, Robert Charles Wilson
Greywalker, Kat Richardson
Blood and Iron, Elizabeth Bear
Whiskey and Water, Elizabeth Bear
PS238 v4: Not Another Learning Experience!
(His Majesty's Dragon), Naomi Novik
(Throne of Jade), Naomi Novik
(Black Powder War), Naomi Novik
Empire of Ivory, Naomi Novik
(The Subtle Knife), Phillip Pullman [audio book]
Hammered, Elizabeth Bear

2008
4th Edition still devouring all reading time, so a pathetic list to date:

Torchwood: Border Princes, Dan Abnett
Grant Morrison: The Early Years, Timothy Callahan
No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain
Heroes: Saving Charlie, Aury Wallington

Currently flipping between: Scardown, Elizabeth Bear; Heroes, collected webcomics; Torchwood: Another Life

On top of towering pile: last Daredevil trade; League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier; Queen and Country: Operation Red Panda

In conclusion: if it's comics or superhero-related, I read it. Not much room in brain for other material, barring work from the couple of authors I follow obsessively. I would make a resolution to elevate my material, but you know what? My free time, my melted brain. The underwear perverts* make me happy. So there.

*[tm Warren Ellis]

Friday, why aren't you over yet?

editor_lass @ 2007-12-21T15:12:00

2007-12-21T23:22:00Z

uh!

hello!

I've been a little busy.

*lapses into hysterical giggling*

ahem. The Player's Handbook just went into Kim Mohan's (the managing editor) most capable hands. That doesn't mean I'm done working on it, not by a long shot. I'm going to be reviewing every inch of it over our winter "break," and diving into the Dungeon Master's Guide as well.

I'll sleep in...March. Let's say March. March sounds good.

(I'm a little. manic. maybe a lot.)

I've very, very proud of the work that my fellow editor Jeremy Crawford and I have done on the PH. It's a great system, a great book, and I can't wait until everyone else gets to experience the D&D we've been playing for a few months now. It's ALL NEW! And ALL DIFFERENT! And yet, as the French guy says, Ze game remainz the zame.

I owe some of you communications! And possibly hugs and kittens. And possibly I should stop typing now, because seriously, incoherence is close.

woot!

2007-10-26T22:34:49Z

If you can brave the Gleemax boards (I know, I know), I posted about getting my name on a cover for the first time HERE.

(See? SEE?)

It's pretty awesome, I must admit. :)

oy, I say

2007-10-17T15:29:53Z

Can't even keep up with one blog, and I'm supposed to maintain another over at Gleemax as well. I hadn't started it yet because, well, repeated "Player's Handbook not on my desk yet. Not on desk yet. Not on desk yet. Still not king*" would have gotten old fast.

Now the Player's Handbook IS on my desk, and there's no time. Ironical!

But as usual when I have a big project, the need to blather about non-work things becomes stronger than ever, and I mean to start writing an updated comics round-up over lunchtimes. That'll probably take a few days, give or take a month. :p

Oh, and Pushing Daisies? INSANE. In the best, most twisted way. Someone called it "Lemony Snicket for adults" and that's just about it: morbid, funny, dark, technicolor, Tim Burton on crack fun.

Big, belated *hugs* and love to Stan!, just because.

More later. (And by "later" I mean...yep.)

ETA: oh, wait! I haven't done a comics top-ten in awhile, that's fast and easy.

Top 10 Comics (subject to change on the moment):

1. All-Star Superman (on months that it's out)
1. Fables
2.The Spirit
3. Detective (Dini's issues)
4. Checkmate
5. Superman
6. Captain America
7. Brave and the Bold
8. Flash
9. Immortal Iron Fist
10. Welcome to Tranquility

Birds of Prey is temporarily off the list because I'm waiting to see what McKeever does with it; I have high hopes. Ditto for him on for Teen Titans, which needs...help. So does Nightwing, but my hopes have been dashed so often with that book that it's difficult to keep faith. Peter Tomasi says the right things in interviews, but so have others. VERY excited for Gail Simone on Wonder Woman.

Also of note: Batman, JLA, JSA, Legion of Super-Heroes on odd months, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, Jack of Fables, Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Daredevil, Ms. Marvel, Runaways, She-Hulk, Thor, Thunderbolts, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

* 2 internets geek points for the reference.

editor_lass @ 2007-09-03T21:43:00

2007-09-04T04:46:43Z

Before the Crazy starts up tomorrow morning:

Checkmate 17: Really nice character (obscure! bonus points!) spotlight, and yeah, it answered a pretty vital question about Checkmate's security. LOVE the callback to last issue, with Draper looking at Sasha and thinking she's beautiful. More hints about the scariness of the Rooks, but what I like best is the theory that many supervillians--minus the psychotic ones--could be "rehabilitated" just by giving them something *challenging* to do. (It's working for the Riddler...for now. Of course, his intrinsic craziness will out.) Sharp ending, too. Good work, Eric. :)

...of course I'm so frazzled these days I didn't even THINK of checking on the webaddress; thank goodness for comics message boards. Looking forward to browsing through that highly impressive database as well.

Started rewatching: DVDs of Star Trek: The Animated Series. The animation is craptacular, but the stories are damn fine. I have fond memories of checking the Alan Dean Foster narrative Logs out from the library as often as possible, cementing my love of all things Trek from an early age.

Got all excited about posting on ENWorld and screwed up on the very first post. AWESOME. Back to not talking again on message boards, ever.

And on that note, good night.

posting in a rush

2007-08-31T21:20:56Z

Shocking, I know.

Saw Young Frankenstein on Wednesday up in Seattle and enjoyed muchly. Both as funny and as raunchy as a Mel Brooks production should be. It should do smashingly well on Broadway. I knew Roger Bart mainly as the crazy-eyed psycho stalker pharmacist on Desperate Housewives (oh, shame) and he's perfect as FRONKENstein, just as crazy-eyed and wonderfully intense; Megan Mullally is her usual dramatic and squeaky self (yes, it's a good thing); Sutton Foster's Inga is a real standout with a fantastic voice; and Andrea Martin's Frau Blucher (*neiiiiiigh!*) is terrifically quirky and strangely touching. I wasn't as drawn in by Christopher Fitzgerald's Igor, but it's only in comparison to Marty Feldman, and that's not fair. And the production nails the one really essential moment, so everything else is gravy.

Review of Checkmate 17...will have to wait because it's at home. Sorry again, Eric. But I DID really enjoy it! Pinky-swear!

Finally got my copy of Patriot Acts and am devouring it in stolen moments. The friend who sent it to me off my wishlist did so with a note that "...[Greg] likes to kill all our favorites"; it's good (?) to see that tradition holds. The description of Montauk as the ass-end of Long Island made me laugh because that's where Bill's family is, and...yeah. Time-jumps, also not unheard of in Rucka works...and oh, hey, a six-figure advance! Erika done good.

zomg, I can't believe I haven't done a comics rundown since last November. To do in my copious spare time! *cough, choke*

I can has GenCon

2007-08-20T20:57:26Z

Back, still tired...and I wasn't even working the show, just auditing for my own amusement. I went to see friends and see the reaction to the 4th Edition (I CAN FINALLY SAY IT) announcement: purpose achieved. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I might be tempted to put my name in to go officially next year. I can hear all of you who know of my longstanding aversion to GenCon* gasping in horror.

* It was the entertain-the-crowd phobia, not the show itself. I still have demo nightmares. But we don't run demos as a rule any more, so....

Anyway, it was a good show. ...actually, heh, I have a ton of stuff to get to today, so here's the abbreviated form. I fulfilled the stated purpose of going by catching up with old friends: Monte and Sue Cook, Steven Schend and his wife Sarah, Stan!, Dale Donovan, Ted Stark, Miranda Horner, Skip Williams, and...others I'm forgetting, I'm sure.

Couldn't stand still before the big announcement, couldn't stop bouncing afterward...and attending the D&D seminars over the next two days just reinforced the excitement. I'm wearing my 4E t-shirt here in the office today, getting my geek on. Guys, you guys, it is SO COOL, I can't even say. Second favorite moment of the con: the guy who was bubbling over after the first seminar, saying that he'd come in as a complete hater but was virtually evangelical about the coolitude (I say it's a word) of what he'd heard. We gave away more than originally intended, but everyone here agrees that was a good thing. Folks were nervous after the announcement because there wasn't enough detail to assure them. Post-seminars, most of the reactions were far more positive.

Favorite moment, for me personally: Having Kevin Kulp, the excellent Ennies MC, tell me that he knew and appreciated my work. Buh-WHA? NO ONE knows who the editor is, ever! And frankly, I am just fine being anonymous most of the time; the editor should be invisible. But it was a stunning and really affecting moment nonetheless.

Didn't buy much, because I'm not (...shhh...) much of a board gamer or other-RPG player, mostly due to time constraints. No doubt that the cool new games will be making the rounds of the office and game nights, so I'll catch up eventually. I did pick up a Cthulhu shirt that made me laugh, and a new ring. I don't wear much jewelry as a rule, but it's inscribed with "Int +4" and I have no doubt the bonus will be needed during the months to come as I begin work on the new rulebooks. Which isn't a little bit of a nervewracking prospect, nope. (Yike.)

Holy cats, I didn't read any COMICS last week! MUST GET TO SHOP.

Checkmate 16

2007-07-18T21:27:38Z

Best. Issue. Ever. mercuryeric, you were right.

Just for the *Nite-Lite* appearance alone!

But between Sasha/Michael and the Bea/Tora reunion, I would be tearing up with joy like a weepy little bitch. If I was inclined that way.

Wow, a comic that made me *happy.* How rare is that?

editor_lass @ 2007-07-13T08:36:00

2007-07-13T15:38:28Z

I always like Friday the 13th. Today is a particularly interesting one: It's also my 15 year anniversary for working at TSR/Wizards of the Coast.

...of course, in keeping, I also have a deadline today. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....!

Proof

2007-07-02T15:16:07Z

...that scans_daily is a force for Good and not Evil:

1) I post about liking the Transformers movie;
2) haetmunky reminds me that the ~~director~~ writer, John Rogers, also writes the Blue Beetle comic (which I don't currently buy) and directs me to his blog;
3) said blog is entertaining;
4) very soon thereafter, a couple of pages from Blue Beetle #16 are posted on scans_daily, which are also very entertaining;
5) finding myself in my LCS, I pick up a copy of Blue Beetle #16 and find it good, which will likely lead to purchasing subsequent issues.

True story swear to God!

In other news, watched Pan's Labyrinth last night. Holy shit.

movie and a show

2007-06-29T18:11:34Z

As if I didn't already have the coolest job in the world, sometimes it gets even better: this morning, all of WotC was treated to a free viewing of the Transformers movie. Thanks, WotC! Thanks, Hasbro!

So, straight up: I had no expectations. I have zero Transformers attachment; never played with the toys, never watched the cartoons, never read the comics. The entire phenomena passed me by. At most, I was hoping for something like Independence Day (I liked it, shut up) with robots: things blowing up, robots fighting, rah rah.

It was better than that.

It was, in fact, AWESOME.

It had GIANT ROBOT SPLODY ACTION.

And! Funny! For reals, actually funny. Surprising and pleasing.

Plot? Who cares about plot? STUFF BLOWS UP! Great, great summer fun movie. Turn your brain off and enjoy.

***

So, GenCon. You guys know I have never gone by choice, right? It's not the show, it's the whole..."stand up in front of a roomful of people and entertain" thing. I still have demo nightmares. And the GONG. You oldtimers know whereof I speak.

But I'm sort of thinking about tagging along this year on my own dime just to see it, catch up with folks, watch the spectacle. Good idea or bad, Y/N?

editor_lass @ 2007-06-21T16:35:00

2007-06-21T23:44:39Z

Found myself at home with a pile of comics and the urge to comment on at least one. (PLENTY of stuff to talk about, but this is one I can do without incoherent ranting.)

Previously: The forces of Checkmate and the Outsiders went on a combined mission that ended badly, with three of their members--Nightwing, Sasha "Black Queen" Bordeaux, and Owen "Boomerang" Mercer--left in the hands (so to speak) of the villainous Chang Tzu.

Things go downhill from there.

Random read-through comments:

I adore Fire's passion and her loyalty, but oh, do I feel badly for her. Bea hasn't been having any fun lately at all. Someone needs to tell her that her best friend's alive again, stat!

Also liking the new Mademoiselle Marie, just the right kind of hardass Checkmate needs.

Still not thrilled about the Thinker as the White King's Bishop. As if that isn't going to bite Michael on the ass someday...and the "third smartest man in the world" (DRINK!) should know that.

As usual, one of the best things about this book is the political intrigue and complications that accompany every move as a matter of course. Between Sasha trying to reason with the General and the negotiations with the Chinese ambassador, we get a great picture of the landscape that Checkmate occupies. Oh, and North Korea might have a problem with operations in their near-airspace? You think?

Chang is one bad egg. SORRY! SORRY! Had to be said. In a nice visual touch, his endless dripping "reads" like excitement-sweat over the torture he's about to perform. ewwwww.

Not particularly happy about seeing Nightwing helpless again. It's perfectly in keeping with the storyline, I've just seen it too often in the past couple of years. It's like Batman's ultimate put-down to Superman: "The last time you inspired anyone was when you were dead." The last time Nightwing did what he's best at, really lead a team, was during the JLA "Obsidian Age" arc--what, five years ago now? Ouch. Again, not a problem for this story, but it's a sad trend. // ADDENDUM: Okay, it hasn't been *that* long. He had a moment or two in Infinite Crisis, and a nice spotlight in the "Back in Action" arc in Busiek's Action. But not in his own book, and not consistently.

How much fanfic d'you think Nightwing and Naked!Tortured!Owen in a cell are going to generate? I'M JUST SAYIN'.

Three things specifically about the torture scene(s):

1) I really, really appreciate that we don't see Sasha's torture on-screen. Oh, no problem with her being in that situation; Owen's not faring any better and all's fair in war and torture, etc. But I've been feeling a little bit bruised in regard to the treatment of female superheroes lately and I just didn't need to see another one graphically go through the ringer. We know exactly what's happening, it's awful, and it's not gratuitous.

2) It turned out to be an interesting--albeit nasty--way to inform the readers about Sasha's OMAC parts without clunky exposition. I admit that I still sort of miss the original kick-ass blonde bodyguard Sasha, but this new incarnation certainly has enormous potential.

3) Given what ~~Egg-Fu~~ Chang Tzu said about Sasha's nanobots, he might want to be a little more concerned about what she just spit in his face.

I do like the Great Ten and hope to see more of them around. Immortal Man in Darkness makes me smile a lot. Durlan tech, indeed.

Grace remains my favorite Outsider (outside of Nightwing when he's acting like himself) and consistently cracks me up. Rude, crude, and all kinds of in-your-face.

Cannot WAIT for the "Fall of the Wall" storyline. Much as I love watching Waller do her plotting, I love seeing her get caught at it even more.

Also, I want to see Michael doing his thing "backward and in high heels" now. Look, don't SAY it if you don't want to give me the image.... *g*

Nice fake-out with the locations. Even having seen that kind of thing a thousand times on tv, it still worked.

Finally: HELLO, BAT-DADDY. I just...oh, for pete's sake, tell me this isn't going to be the excuse for Batman to take the Outsiders away from Nightwing. Haven't we gotten over that, already? But that's a problem for another book and I'm looking forward to seeing Bats and Sasha meet up again.

Great issue. Best book you're not reading, folks.

oops

2007-06-18T20:54:54Z

Heh, LJ neglect is funny.

Let's see: Hawai'i was awesome, natch. Still writing up the trip report and pictures are available, hidden online, for them what wants 'em.

STILL killing brain cells playing WoW.

Saw FF: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Man, that was dumb. The Surfer himself looked fantastic, and I loved every moment he was on--but everything else blew.

I think I owe another comics rundown, but that'll have to wait. Quick shots:

Among the interesting current news, Waid's return to the Flash -- which, considering that Waid was the one who made me fall in love with the Flash to begin with, ought to fill me with glee. And I have no doubt that he'd write any of the speedsters well. But is he going to be writing the one I want to read about?

(Hint: Not Barry.)

Oh, and of course, all the Black Canary/Green Arrow wedding hoopla. Isn't that exciting? Gosh! One of my favorite heroines, marrying one of my least favorite loudmouth jackasses! .... I just. It hurts me, really.

Countdown would be more fun if it wasn't starring Jason Todd, Murderer. Cannot STAND the fact that he's running around and no one cares.

Wonder Woman is dead to me until Gail Simone starts her run. Both Robin and Shadowpact have gotten more readable of late; All-New Atom fell off my buy list and as much as I wished it, even Marv Wolfman hasn't made Nightwing anything more than not-offensive. (A step up, granted.) And when the Supergirl comic takes an entire issue to preach how much cooler the current version is than "dull, perfect" Original Kara? It does not convince.

World War Hulk previews looked...surprisingly fun. Color me shocked. (But then, Tony's needed a good asskicking for months now....)

Top 10 Comics (subject to change on the moment):

1. All-Star Superman (on months that it's out)
1. The Spirit
2. Fables
3. Birds of Prey
4. Detective
5. Checkmate
6. Superman
7. Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born
8. Captain America
9. Brave and the Bold
10. Welcome to Tranquility

Also of note: Batman, JLA for the Real Legion stuff, JSA ditto, Legion of Super-Heroes on odd months, Manhunter, Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Daredevil, Runaways, She-Hulk, Thunderbolts.

What month is it, again?

2007-04-19T17:52:31Z

I *said* I wasn't going to post much.

Work has been, as usual, insane. I got a mini-promotion to "Lead Editor" (that's sort of like "Lead Monkey") -- what it boils down to is my representing the editing team at meetings so that our team has a voice and a say. I've never gone to this many meetings in my *life.* :p But it's worthwhile, I think.

Reading: Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything, highly entertaining. Next up, probably to take on trip (see below): White Night, Jim Butcher's new Harry Dresden novel. Also might take along Tanya Huff's old Blood Price book (the first in the Vicki Nelson series, first read back in college) to remind myself about the differences with the Blood Ties tv series.

Starting to see Demonweb reviews and comments:
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=821996
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=192879
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=193701

Still playing WoW, still hooked. I ~~expect~~ hope (for the sake of doing anything else!) to burn out in a couple of months, as usual.

And oh, the big news is that Bill and I are headed to HAWAII for an honest-to-God vacation for the first two weeks in May. OMG, still so much to do!

Top 10 Comics (subject to change on the moment):

1. All-Star Superman (on months that it's out)
1. The Spirit
2. 52
3. Birds of Prey
4. Fables
5. Detective
6. Checkmate
7. Superman
8. Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born
9. Captain America
10. Brave and the Bold

Also of note: Batman, JLA for the Real Legion stuff, JSA ditto, Legion of Super-Heroes on odd months, Manhunter, Y: The Last Man, Ex Machina, Welcome to Tranquility, Daredevil, Runaways, She-Hulk, Thunderbolts.

So. Busy! My icon looks like I feel.

(p.s. to montecook, I did repeat some of this in my letter, sorry -- too much to do to be creative with updates. :p)

yawns, showing teeth

2007-02-02T19:18:47Z

Well, January was a wash. I've got my eye on you, February.

Scattershots:

Check out doodlestan's entries for yesterday's Hourly Comics Day-- super cool!

Expedition to the Demonweb Pits (by the_monkey_king and gkestrel) galleys look awesome. Can't wait to see what the fans think of it.

Happy belated birthday to montecook! I'd tell you in your own journal if you hadn't diabled comments...but I'm very much enjoying the Ptolus comic book. I keep feeling it's a shame our characters didn't interact with her more. She would have gotten us into all kinds of additional trouble.

...and reading further back into my flist finds that even more belated but utterly sincere congratulations are due to brainstormfront! All the bestest, man, you deserve it.

p.s. to mercuryeric: Spent a cross-country plane trip rereading Perfect Dark: Initial Vector and the just-released Second Front...and now I'm kicking myself that I didn't pick up Janus's Tears beforehand. The trade can't get here soon enough.

Won on (evil, evil) ebay: The eight issues of Alan Moore's The New Adventures of the Spirit, because after reading the Best of... collection and Cooke's new Spirit comic, I had a hankerin'. If only the Archive editions weren't $50 a pop....

Currently burning out braincells playing Knights of the Old Republic. I can only load these things in when I have a relatively normal workload, because nights and weekends immediately become given over to giving myself carpal tunnel as rapidly as possible.

Last and least important, I finally went and got my hair colored-and-cut and hey, it looks good again. I kind of liked my white streak but you know, there's no reason to *remind* myself that 40 is coming up fast.

quick rec

2007-01-01T20:24:45Z

If you've been dubious about the return of Bucky in the current Captain America run, trust me and pick up the Winter Soldier: Winter Kills one-shot that came out last week. No, listen: I never would have imagined a time when Captain America was one of my favorite Marvel books, much less *dreamed* that the return of Bucky could be anything but a horrible, horrible mistake.* And yet? Ed Brubaker, ladies and gentlemen.

Yes, the one-shot is technically a Civil War crossover, but that's easily ignorable. Goodbuddy Bru writes a terrific story about Bucky then and now, with flashbacks to 1944, some great character-defining interaction with the Young Avengers, and a *spectacular* Namor appearance. (I KNOW! and I don't even usually like Namor!)

Christmas 1944
Bucky: Steve Rogers decides to have fun...it's not just Christmas, it's a Christmas miracle.
Steve: Stop. I have fun.
Bucky: When?
Steve: Remember when I punched Hitler? That was fun.

(Insert me cracking up. "WHEN I PUNCHED HITLER." I love you, Cap.)

Christmas now:
Namor: Enough of these pleasantries. And if you attempt to give me a Criss-mass present, I will break your arms.
~~Bucky~~ The Winter Soldier: I swear, I'm only packing heat.
Namor: Then I'm not unhappy you're not dead.

(Plus, Namor macking on Lady Jacqueline to make Torch jealous. COMEDY GOLD.)

Pick it up. And then go buy Bru's Cap trades.

* see Todd, Jason. Granted that Winick's Batman run did some fun stuff with his Superboy-punched-time resurrection, but they made the mistake of leaving the little bastard (hee, I just typoed bat-stard) alive after that, which misses the point entirely.

In other news, I probably won't be around for a bit: family stuff. Happy new year and be good, everyone.

psst, Shelly

2006-12-26T18:17:21Z

Still full from the magnificent Christmas feast held yesterday at the Grubbs--a yearly tradition and one I'm honored to be a part of.

The book rec: the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik, three to date: His Majesty's Dragon, Black Powder War, and Throne of Jade. (You can find the other links yourself, but they appear to be part of a current Amazon 4-for-3 sale, so it's a good time to buy.) "Master and Commander" with dragons, only much more readable and stuff actually happens. I'm waiting very impatiently for the fourth.

Jim Butcher's Dresden Files were also mentioned, and I wanted to second that rec as well.

Power = good

2006-12-16T20:03:10Z

Just to update: We lost power Thursday night around 9 pm to the windstorm. Friday was spent lazing around and trying not to think about food going bad in the fridge. We were fairly cozy last night, sleeping in front of the gas fireplace downstairs piled all 'round with blankets and cats, and startled out of a dead sleep with the blare of the alarm system when the power came back on at at 9 am.

The fridge was, indeed, a loss, but most of the freezer goods could be salvaged. (Not the good ice cream, alas.) But all in all, major kudos to the PSE folks who worked all night to restore the power--I had honestly expected to be in the dark for another couple of days, at least.

On the downside, having the computers back means I have no excuse to avoid the work I need to catch up on. Sigh. ;)

PLAGUE

2006-12-11T22:20:04Z

Sick like DOG. Wanted to stay home but there's an offsite meeting being held there today and it would just be creepy to stay in bed with co-workers downstairs.

MEH. Also WAH.

To make myself feel better I ate a couple of cookies thoughfully donated to the cause here at the office, and now I'm sugar-hyper-sick too. I am smart. S-M-R-T.

I like that the "sick" mood icon is yarking, though. That's pretty good.

!!!

2006-12-02T06:31:31Z

I feel a need for icons. Many, many icons.

http://www.statueforum.com/showthread.php?t=10151

TRAPPED LIKE RATS

2006-11-28T17:38:34Z

As my fellow Seattle-area friends are reporting, we got our required once-a-decade snowfall* and the roads are impassable. Particularly ours, since the house is at the bottom of two slopes that aren't a priority for anyone to come and sand/de-ice. Even if the city of Kent OWNED a sander. heh.

Bill and I ducked out of work early yesterday and got home just ahead of the storm, but the tales of horror commutes are rolling in from co-workers. Stay warm, everyone, and let's be careful out there.

* This native South Floridian thinks once a decade is plenty.