'Best of TBH Politoons'
Cory!! Strode
'Empowered'
Most of the time, a "graphic novel" is a bunch of single comics that
were published as individual issues and are being collected so that
the reader can get the whole story (or a big part of it, at least) in
one volume. It's pretty rare for one of the bigger comic book
publishers to put out an all-original book because they use the single
issue format to see how much interest there is a story, and so that
the company and creators can have income while they are working on the
book.
It's also hard when the reading audience is used to trade paperbacks
being collections of mini-series or story arcs within a regular comic
book series. That's why, when a completely original graphic novel
comes out, I tend to try to find reviews before I put my $15 down on
it. Thankfully, I picked up "Empowered" based on the strength of the
creator involved and was not disappointed.
Adam Warren is a cartoonist who has been working in the style of
Japanese comics since the late 80's, and has shown on series like
"Dirty Pair", "Gen 13" and "Livewires" that he is able to do
American-style stories with Japanese style art. Even when he isn't
doing the art, he's a creator who always brings a great sense of
humor, and interesting characters to what he writes, and when he's
drawing as well as writing, he has a great skill for drawing
expressions and body language that makes the stories even more fun to
read.
"Empowered" is the story of a female super-hero who gets powered from
her suit, fights super-villains, deals with super-hero teams and the
perils of having your "super-suit" fail at the worst moment. However,
all of these topics and many others are treated with humor instead of
the standard seriousness found in the super-hero genre. The book is
made up of several stories, each about 3 - 10 pages long, and while
they are all connected, you don't have to try and read it all in one
sitting. However, the stories are so fun that I finished the book in
s single setting.
None of the story-telling conventions are taken seriously, and the
humor ranges from the character commenting on the clichés involved in
the story she's in to crude sexual gags, with a wide range of topics
being skewered, including the whole idea of wearing something skin
tight while fighting, and how in comic female costumes often get torn
while male costumes never seem to fall apart. This is not a comic for
kids, and some of the jokes run right up to the line of bad taste, but
there's nothing here that goes as far as an episode of South Park.
The other problem I sometimes have with super-hero humor/parody books
is that they tell the same gags that were told back in MAD when it was
a comic in the 1950's making fun of Superman, but this book finds new
ways of mocking the genre without claiming that the genre or readers
are stupid.
The art is reproduced directly from Warren's pencils, and his style of
Americanized Manga is the highlight of the book, giving the book the
frenetic pace and style of one of the Good Warner Brothers cartoons,
making each story a treat to read.
"Empowered" hit bookstores about a month ago, and sales were good
enough that Adam Warren has already announced a sequel will be
released this summer. I can't wait for it, although I wonder if he
left anything unscathed in this volume. "Empowered" is highly
recommended and gets a 4 out of 5.
Cory!! Strode has been reviewing comics longer than the world wide web has been around, and also writes essays, commentary, jokes for comedians and a news parody called the Weekly News Update that has just celebrated it's tenth anniversary. You can see all of it at
www.solitairerose.com.
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Gore Vidal: Hail and Farewell: the End of the American Empire (truthdig.com)
Whenever "The New York Times" finally gets the point to what is going on in our native land a celestial choir can be heard in Times Square, shouting hosannas. This happened recently, on April 14th, when they realized that there could be a dark explanation for what W. is doing when he sends a Mr. Bolton, a U.N. hater, to be ambassador to that body or a Mr. Wolfowitz to the World Bank, a man as ignorant of history and finance as the president himself.
E.J. Dionne: They're Democrats, Not Idiots
Roger Ailes, the mastermind behind Fox News, publicly fumed when the Democratic presidential candidates refused to participate in his network's debates, but can he really blame Obama, Clinton and Edwards for avoiding a conservative ambush?
Nico Hines: Professor hailed as a hero (timesonline.co.uk)
A 76-year-old Jewish-Romanian lecturer was hailed a hero after blocking his classroom door long enough for many of his students to escape the Virginia Tech gunman, before being shot dead.
Jane Smiley: What I Think About Guns (huffingtonpost.com)
Grievance is something right-wingers do, no matter how much power they have. They are shocked, shocked, that they don't have all the power, shocked and victimized and angry. You could tell it in Bush's response to today's shooting. First he said he was shocked and saddened. Then he said everyone has the right to bear arms. He wouldn't want to let any of those NRA-types imagine for a second that any amount of senseless killing could possibly shake his commitment to a fully-armed populace.
The angel at my bedside (guardian.co.uk)
In the final extract from his new book on courage, chancellor Gordon Brown looks at how Cicely Saunders, who began the hospice movement, found a way to give dignity to the dying.
Anonymous: How Living With a Compulsive Hoarder Destroyed My Family (leoweekly.com)
"Hoarding" is defined as the acquisition of and inability to discard worthless items even though they appear (to others) to have no value, and is most commonly found in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Erik Deckers: The Thrill of History, the Agony of Math (irascibleprofessor.com)
Narrator: It's a test of desire and learning, grit and knowledge, as each participant lives his or her lifelong dream. Each one has endured countless hours of grueling pain to reach this point. But for all their dreams and efforts, only one will be crowned champion. Only one can win the coveted gold medal at the 14th Annual Eastern Iowa Academic Olympics!
Andrew Bard Schmookler: Eddie Murphy and His Gift: A Tragedy and He's Proud of It
The other day, I dropped into the middle of a TV show in which famous actors engage with a small audience in conversation about their craft. The performer on this occasion was the comedic actor, Eddie Murphy, and evidently he'd just been asked a question about getting or taking advice concerning his work as a performer.
Taking it on the chin (entertainment.timesonline.co.uk)
After 91 years, 80 films, two new knees and a stroke, "God doesn't want me yet", Kirk Douglas tells Kevin Maher.
ADAM KIRSCH: A Self-Effacing Impresario (nysun.com)
Lincoln Kirstein - impresario, agent, poet. Ed Koch once joked that Lincoln Center was named after him. It ought to have been...
Kurt Vonnegut's Writing in "In These Times"
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sunny, cool and very windy.
UT Acquires Collection
David Mamet
The papers of playwright, writer and film director David Mamet - from handwritten journals to correspondence with actors - has been acquired by the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas.
The collection spans from 1966 to 2001 and includes more than 100 boxes of material, with multiple drafts of acclaimed plays "American Buffalo" and "Glengarry Glen Ross," as well as screenplays for "The Untouchables" and "Wag the Dog."
Mamet also has agreed to participate in a series of short residencies at the university in which he may be a guest lecturer, assist on play production and give readings.
David Mamet
Magazine Marks 40th Anniversary
Rolling Stone
Just a year ago, Rolling Stone magazine marked its 1,000th issue with a fun-themed double issue and a big party. This time, founder and editor Jann Wenner is more pensive as he prepares to put out the first of three commemorative editions.
The first issue hits newsstands on Friday. It's entitled "Where We've Been" and tracks the progress of the baby-boomer generation through interviews with the likes of Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Steven Spielberg. It also includes musings from members of the silent generation, such as Jack Nicholson and President Carter.
The second issue, due in June, focuses on the so-called "summer of love" of 1967, the backdrop for the magazine's launch in San Francisco. The series will be rounded out in November, with a forward-looking issue where artists and pundits will attempt to predict the future.
Rolling Stone
Hangng With The Hedgehog
'Entourage'
TMZ has learned that the television show "Entourage" is using uber porn star Ron Jeremy's Los Angeles apartment for production during their new season, and they're paying him $500 dollars a day for the curious privilege.
TMZ spoke to Jeremy who told us "They are using both of my balconies." He also described how the crew from the hit show cleaned over five years of bird droppings from his balconies! Yes, bird droppings. "They invited me to come and watch several tapings, and they even fed me," Jeremy added. It's always good to feed your porn stars.
The cast and crew has been there for a few weeks, and we're told that, er, shooting will continue for a couple more months at the porny digs. As TMZ earlier reported, residents of the complex are not as enchanted with the crew, but Ron claims it's great having them around. "They even babysit my pet tortoise, Cherry." Who knew that Ron still had Cherry?
'Entourage'
Family Still Looking For Justice
Notorious B.I.G.
The family of slain rapper Notorious B.I.G. has filed a second wrongful-death lawsuit against the city, alleging that rogue police officers killed him 10 years ago.
B.I.G., whose given name was Christopher Wallace, was 24 when he was gunned down March 9, 1997, while leaving a party at a Los Angeles museum. The New York rapper, also known as Biggie Smalls, was an influential hip-hop artist in the 1990s.
In addition to the city, the lawsuit it names former Los Angeles police officer Rafael Perez and his ex-partner, Nino Durden.
The suit contends that Perez, Durden and other police agents conspired to murder Wallace and that the police department covered up their involvement.
The rapper's family filed a similar lawsuit in federal court. That suit ended in a mistrial in 2005 when it was discovered that a police detective intentionally hid statements by a jailhouse informant linking the killing to Perez and former officer David Mack, who also has denied involvement.
Notorious B.I.G.
NASCAR Appearance
Eddie Van Halen
Eddie Van Halen will serve as an honorary NASCAR official this weekend in what will be the rock guitarist's first public appearance since he entered rehab early last month.
Van Halen will participate Friday in pre-race activities at the Subway Fresh Fit 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series event at the Phoenix International Raceway, unveiling a limited edition Fender Stratocaster guitar series. Additionally, he is set to greet drivers on the pre-race stage the following day as they are introduced prior to the start of the race.
Eddie Van Halen
Paternity Proceedings
Chris Rock
Chris Rock has asked a Georgia court to start paternity proceedings to determine if he's the father of a 13-year-old boy whose mother tried to file a paternity lawsuit against the actor and comedian last month.
Rock "desires to contribute to the support, maintenance, and education" of the boy if there's evidence to prove he's the father, according to papers that Rock's attorney filed Monday in Bulloch County Superior Court.
Kali Bowyer, who lives in Bulloch County, sought last month to file a paternity lawsuit against Rock seeking child support and medical coverage for her son, Jordan. She withdrew the lawsuit after court officials told her it was outside the southeast Georgia county's jurisdiction because Rock is a New Jersey resident. However, Rock, who has two young children with his wife of ten years, Malaak, is requesting that the matter be taken up in the Georgia court.
Chris Rock
Funeral Expenses
James Brown
The trust handling James Brown's estate owes more than $70,000 for his elaborate funeral and care of his body for nearly three months before it was laid to rest in March, according to the funeral director who handled the soul singer's arrangements.
"I'm just waiting on them to get some of this mess straightened out," said Charles Reid, manager of the C.A. Reid Funeral Home in Augusta, Ga., which handled Brown's funeral. "I really haven't pushed the issue, even though I'd like to have my money."
Some of the funeral costs have already been paid and trustees have mailed a check to Reid this week covering the outstanding balance, Brown's longtime adviser and trustee Buddy Dallas said Wednesday.
"It was the children that ran up a funeral bill of over $150,000, not the trustees," Dallas said. "We've done our very best to do what we could to accommodate the creditors. There's no great big pile of money or surplus of money just lying around."
James Brown
Horses May Be Drugged For Stones Concert
Belgrade
Preparations to sedate as many as 300 horses stabled at Belgrade's racecourse to keep them calm during a Rolling Stones concert have enraged Serb animal lovers who are lobbying to have the gig moved to another venue.
The concert is expected to draw more than 100,000 people to the Hippodrome, Belgrade's largest fenced space. The horses will be only a few meters from the stage.
The sedative would be diazepam. In Serbia it trades under the name Bensedin, a very popular drug during the 78 days of NATO air strikes in 1999, when much of Belgrade's adult population was on tranquilizers.
Belgrade
Replacing Joan & Melissa Rivers
Lisa Rinna
Joan Rivers is being replaced by Lisa Rinna as TV Guide Channel's leading red-carpet host. The actress will make her debut at the Emmy Awards on Sept. 16, the network said Wednesday.
Rivers, 73, and her daughter, Melissa, launched TV Guide Channel's red-carpet programming in January 2005. They had previously appeared as red-carpet hosts on E! Entertainment.
Rinna, 43, recently appeared on ABC's dance competition, "Dancing With the Stars." She starred on "Melrose Place" and "Days of Our Lives."
Lisa Rinna
Visiting Brooklyn
Minke Whale
Experts kept a close eye on a young minke whale that continued to tool around in a small bay off industrial Brooklyn for a second day, hoping the wayward animal would decide to head for open water and ease the worries of marine biologists, conservationists and amateur whale fanciers.
Kim Durham, a rescue expert from the Long Island-based Riverhead Foundation for Research and Preservation, said there was a brief moment early Wednesday when it appeared the 15-ton whale was on the move toward safer waters. "Initially we were pretty excited, but now we are told it is still in the same area," she said.
Durham, who got up close and personal in a motorized rubber boat on Tuesday, said the whale's breathing rates seemed normal, it did not exhibit a sunken appearance that would suggest it was drawing on its own blubber for sustenance, and it wasn't visibly bothered by nearby police and Coast Guard patrol boats.
Minke Whale
Tones Down Pageant Dress
Miss Mexico
Miss Mexico is toning down her Miss Universe pageant dress - not because it's too slinky or low-cut, but because its bullet-studded belt and images of hangings from a 1920s uprising have outraged Mexicans.
Cut from a traditional natural cotton called manta, the dress depicts scenes from the 1926-1929 Cristero war, an uprising by Roman Catholic rebels against Mexico's secular government, which was imposing fiercely anti-clerical laws. Tens of thousands of people died.
But many Mexicans weren't happy about the history the dress evoked, especially at a moment of debate about the Catholic Church's role in politics and its lobbying against a Mexico City proposal to legalize abortion. Others said it glorified violence in a country where a battle between drug gangs has brought a wave of killings and beheadings.
Miss Mexico, Rosa Maria Ojeda, presented the dress March 29, showing off the billowing, hoop skirt adorned with sketches of Catholic rebels hanging from posts. Rosaries and scapulars hung from the bullet-studded, bandolier belt; a large crucifix necklace, black halter top and wide-brimmed sombrero completed the outfit.
Miss Mexico
Oklahoma's State Vegetable
Watermelon
Oklahoma already has the strawberry as its official fruit, so the state Senate cleared the way Tuesday to declare the watermelon the state vegetable.
The measure was introduced in the House by Democratic Rep. Joe Dorman of Rush Springs, site of an annual watermelon festival in August.
"The controversy on whether watermelon is a fruit or vegetable has been officially decided by the Oklahoma Legislature," Sen. Don Barrington (R-Lawton) said. He said watermelon comes from the cucumber and gourd families, which are classified as vegetables.
Watermelon
In Memory
Kitty Carlisle Hart
Kitty Carlisle Hart, whose long career spanned Broadway, opera, television and film, including the classic Marx Brothers movie "A Night at the Opera," has died at age 96, her son said Wednesday.
Christopher Hart said his mother had been in and out of the hospital since contracting pneumonia over the Christmas holidays.
She had been touring around the country in her one-woman show "Here's to Life" until getting sick.
The entertainer was also a tireless advocate for the arts, serving 20 years on the New York State Council on the Arts. In 1991, she received the National Medal of Arts from the first President Bush.
Well known for her starring role as Rosa Castaldi in the 1935 movie "A Night at the Opera," her other film credits included: "She Loves Me Not" and "Here Is My Heart," both opposite Bing Crosby; Woody Allen's "Radio Days"; and "Six Degrees of Separation."
From 1956 to 1967, she appeared on the CBS prime-time game show "To Tell the Truth" with host Bud Collyer and fellow panelists such as Polly Bergen, Johnny Carson, Bill Cullen and Don Ameche. The show featured three contestants, all claiming to be the same person. The panelists asked them questions to determine which was telling the truth. (The popular show also had runs, sometimes including Carlisle, in daytime and in syndicated versions.)
Discipline ruled Hart's success. She began every day with an exercise routine, even after she turned 90.
Hart was born in New Orleans on Sept. 3, 1910. She attended the Sorbonne, the London School of Economics and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
She and Moss Hart married in 1946 and they had two children. He died in 1961 at age 57.
Besides Christopher Hart, 59, a director, writer and producer, survivors include her daughter, Dr. Catherine Hart, and three grandchildren.
Kitty Carlisle Hart
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