A Few Thoughts on Comics from this week

Some generally interesting books this week but no real 'whoa!' of excitement, which is fine.

The first issue of the ongoing Doctor Who book was fun, with a twist or two, and gets extra points for being set in the time period at the end of the silent movie era with a not-quite Charlie Chaplin star. The story's there, fitting together nicely in a traditional sort of way, with a cliffhanger that's both serious and funny at the same time; a moment of danger that you know the Doctor will escape from but is amusing because it's a cliche of sorts from the time period in question. The art is good but Tennant's likeness is just a bit off more than I'd like. This is generally an issue with licensed books like this; the art either needs to accurately depict the look of the characters we know from the other medium they normally inhabit or needs to be individual enough so that this 'other' look for the characters feels right. I point to the recent Muppet Show comic for an example of the latter. Still, in all ways, this is a good start and I can see where I would recommend the DVD in a few months, err, I mean trade paperback collection. Not quite the same thing.

I need to give a nod to the Mighty Avengers #27 as well this week. For the past couple issues we've been reading about Hank Pym's big project and this issue we finally get to see it: the Infinite Avengers Mansion. It's another dimensional area for the Mighty Avengers to stay that has doors leading to different areas in space for them to pop in and out of as they need to respond to situations. It's essentially a TARDIS that doesn't travel in Time or Space but allows the users to travel in Space to some degree. The issue also introduces a 'forgotten' character from Inhumans history that will either be very interesting indeed or very, well, forgetable.

Punisher #7 shows the recently revived super-villains adjusting to this new time period and their enhanced power set. Frank's already working to return them back to the land of the unliving. I believe the art here is by a different artist than normal for the book. It's not bad but it's a bit looser than I'm used to seeing.

Speaking of loose art, it took three artistic teams to complete Amazing Spider-Man #599. This must be the price for having Amazing be three times a month; less time to cover for creative team changes. The letters page indicates that the team on the first issue of this five part story hopped over to Astonishing X-Men after completing that first issue. If I was still getting Astonishing I might not mind but, as I'm not, I shall politely boo and hiss for awhile here. I did enjoy the story and ended up not minding the art we got, so that's why it's all meant politely. There's no point in getting too upset by what I 'could' have gotten because it didn't happen. Unless of course in ten years or so they have the original team redraw the books like they were supposed to do, kind like the 'Clone Saga' mini that they're soon doing. Then I could compare and contrast and be annoyed if I want.

Marvel Adventures - Avengers continues to be fun. Issue #38 has a third grade class spending the day on a field trip with the Avengers and the Mandarin uses the children as a shield for his attack. The Hulk is running the part of the field trip at a petting zoo, which is a good way to keep the Hulk calm as he likes animals and knows how to be nice to them. How he can be this calm and still the Hulk is not important really. Hulk referring to sheep as 'dogs with funny sweaters' is good stuff.

Simpsons Comics #156 is set in the year 2194 and the Simpsons are the most important family in history! A museum tour explains why as flashbacks explain how Our Favorite Family brought peace to the world and saved the environment. Of course, it's never as non-complicated as it sounds. Saying anything more would give it away so I shall stop here.

Bother

Do you know the feeling where a certain something has been in a spot for awhile, perhaps years, but, while you're cleaning, you realize that it should really be elsewhere, as this new spot is the 'perfect' spot for it, but then later you go to look for it and you can only remember the old spot for it, not where it is now?

I've had that all week. It's crushing me.

More Personal Baseball Stats

Looking back to the 2008 season, I attended 18 games, according to the tickets I have on hand. The Brewers record for those 18 games was 13-5. If I've done the math correctly, that gives me a .833 winning percentage. Very nice. This includes the sole playoff game that the Brewers won last year. The longest winning streak within the season was 5 games.

If I've done the math right, my percent for this year is .8 so, even with the streak, my numbers for this year are close to last.

Does this mean that, despite their rough play of late, the Brewers are playing to a similar pace to last year? Or am I just lucky?

It's also obvious that, unless something odd happens, I'll be attending more games this year than last year. Excellent.

Personal Baseball Stats at the All-Star Break

Did a little digging to confirm some information regarding the lost lamented streak I had at Brewer games.

Going back to last season, I observed 12 straight victories at Miller Park by the home team. This includes one playoff game as well as a game played by a Brewers associated minor league team, the Timber Rattlers. 10 of the victories took place this season, starting with Opening Day. The streak started on Friday Sep 26, 2008 vs the Chicago Cubs with a 5-1 win. The last win of the streak was Sunday May 31, 2009 vs the Cincinnati Reds with a 5-2 win.

Now, since May, the Brewers play has been less consistent. I had grown to feel that I hadn't been to many successful games of late and that day games were a specific weak point. Actually checking the record showed that things weren't as bad as I thought. Since the streak ended, my record is 2-3 with one of the wins being a day game. That said, the last two games I've been to have been a bit on the painful side, so perhaps this is the basis for my discomfort.

For the season to date, my record is 12-3. Overall, this is excellent. I've nothing to complain about when I look at it, at least at this point. There is a lot of season left. I shall also have to have look at last season for comparison purposes.

15 games already this season. Wow. Hey, that's fifteen 3 beer walks. Woo-hoo!

An Open Letter to the Driver of That Van

I'm sorry, but I have to ask why. Why would you pull out in front of me when you know your crusty, rusty van can't accelerate properly? Did you somehow not think that I was easily doing the posted speed limit of 35mph or that traffic was not clear behind me? Did you expect me to just swerve around you as you struggled to get the van to a double digit speed, seeing as how the left lane was clear? Why should I have to swerve? Why didn't you use the right-most of the three lanes to accelerate instead of jumping into the center lane with me?

I'm trying to be nice in not questioning why you'd continue to drive such an obviously ramshackle vehicle as I understand that times are hard and this may be all you can get for transport. That still doesn't mean you need to pilot such a vehicle thoughtlessly. Just because there are so many other thoughtless drivers on the road doesn't mean you have to join them.

If you didn't see me, then consider glasses. If you were hoping I'd hit you for the insurance, well, then you're a jag, and you didn't do a very good job of it.

Eat a rock,

-Steve

Morrissey, I Want My Ten Dollars

The transitions are always confusing. There's a moment where who, when, and where become paramount questions to be answered. Sometimes I'm not all that clear as to who I am or when I am in my own personal time-stream. After that moment, most answers become clear.

I am still me but I'm not sure what age I am as there are no reflective surfaces nearby. I think I'm about twenty because, somehow, that seems right. I'm in an alleyway? No, like a passageway, a hallway but outside, leading to an outdoor market. Brick walls, cool air, bright sunlight. People mill about me but I'm not alone as I'm with Johnny Marr.

Wait a minute, I am? So I am. Based on his appearance, I've gone back in time as he looks like a younger version of himself. Early eighties maybe? Have the Smiths hit big yet? Have they even formed? We work to get to our destination, whatever it might be, through the crowd.

We pause briefly and this is when Steven Patrick Morrissey arrives, bright eyed, hair carefully combed. A large man looms behind him, a truck driver that Morrissey bummed a ride from in exchange for the promise of ten pounds.

Really? That's a lot of money. Why couldn't he have just taken the tube? Typical Morrissey.

Johnny and I reach for our wallets. I haven't exchanged my money and still have American dollars in it. Will he take ten dollars instead? Or in addition to whatever Johnny has available? I hand over the money and promptly wake up.

Morrissey, what a mooch. Snore...