Does anyone else remember the movie Adventures in Babysitting? It was one of my favorites when I was a kid. It is the classic 80's teen movie, though I think it appealed much more to people who were my age when it came out than to people who were actual teenagers at the time. But whatever.
In that film, there is a character who is obsessed with the comic book character of Thor. The movie even features a crazy young Vincent D'Onofrio as a possible Thor. (More power to this movie for making the character obsessed with a superhero a little girl, by the way. Way ahead of their time in acknowledging the geekiness of girls. I approve.)
I have a small confession to make. I have seen that movie oodles of times (I do, in fact, own it on DVD). While as a kid the only comic book characters I was really familiar with were Archie and Superman, I have since college been getting more into comic books. Even if I haven't been reading the standard Marvel titles, I have been getting to know all of the different characters contained within that universe. Yet somehow, by some strange fate, it never occurred to me until yesterday that the Thor from Adventures in Babysitting was actually a real line of comics, or to connect the comics talked about frequently in that movie to the big summer action flick that is opening today. Huh.
I think it is just one of those things. When I was a kid I assumed they had just made up their own line of comic books, as television shows and movies were wont to do. I was quite familiar with Norse mythology (I was that kind of kid--books of myths and fairy tales were my comic books--when I wasn't reading Archie and Jughead of course. I loved Jughead.). I just assumed, if I gave it any thought at all, that someone said "Hey, we need a superhero for this kid to be obsessed with. How does a Norse god sound?"
So, yeah, I have gone through the whole of my life pretty much unaware that Thor has somehow had a long and varied life as a superhero in the Marvel universe until word of the movie came out. I guess I should feel a little bit ashamed about that but...it happens, right? But this leaves me woefully unprepared for the comic-book version of Thor that the movie is based on.
Did I mention I am going to see Thor today? No? Oh, yeah, hey, guess what, I get to go see a movie today! Thor! With one of my best friends who is a huge fan of Norse mythology (and has a little bit of viking blood running through her veins)! I am really excited about this! It seems like the universe is as well, because yesterday I got a couple of crash courses in the Marvel version of Thor sent my way. How nifty is that?
First, there was this article on io9: Everything You Wanted To Know About Thor (But Were Too Afraid To Ask)
It's a pretty groovy primer on the basic background of the comics v. the original mythology so you have a point of comparison for the characters that actually show up in the movie. It's also spoiler-free for the movie, yay!
Even more serendipitous, however, was the bonus item in my stack of comic books that arrived in the mail yesterday. There exists in this world a wonderful event known as Free Comic Book Day, and that day is this Saturday, tomorrow, in fact. Now, I don't have a local comic book store that I shop at (shame on me, I know, I have been considering rectifying this though), so I don't usually get to partake in the festivities. Things From Another World, the online shop from whence my comics come, however, does want to share the Free Comic Book Day love, so in the packages that get mailed out the week of the event, they do include one of the freebie titles.
What was my freebie title this year? The Mighty Thor Saga. I kid you not. Basically, it is a synopsis of the whole run of Thor comics to date. It features images from various comics and tells the tale in a lovely linear fashion. It is wonderful! Hands down the coolest Free Comic Book Day offering I have ever received. Also, the timing could not have been more perfect.
So I am off to get my viking on. Have a fantastic weekend! I certainly plan to.
Oh, and Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms and moms-to-be out there. I hope you have a lovely time on Sunday.
Oh, oh! I know I have been slacking on linking, but don't forget to check out this week's new Gronk! It is just over a year old, and still as wonderful as ever!
Ciao!
Oh, oh, oh! One more thing! Even though it took me far too long to connect the Thor comics from Adventures in Babysitting to the Thor of the upcoming movie, others were much quicker on the uptake, and now there exists this. Enjoy.
Okay, laters for reals this time, folks. See ya Monday.
Showing posts with label Comic Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comic Books. Show all posts
Friday, May 6, 2011
Monday, December 6, 2010
Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale (Comic Book Review)
Disclaimer: The following review is largely free of spoilers for the comic book, but does have one HUGE spoiler for the movie Serenity if you have not seen it. (And if you haven't, why the heck not? Seriously, stop reading this and go watch it. Chop, chop! I'll wait.)
Those of you familiar with the television series Firefly and the consequent movie Serenity will be aware that the character of Shepherd Derrial Book (played so excellently by Ron Glass) was perhaps the singularly most mysterious character in that 'verse.
Okay, I know all of you River super-fans are screaming out in protest at this, but I stand behind that statement. River is baffling, certainly, and often an unknown quantity, but once the movie had aired, there wasn't a whole lot of mystery left to her character. Questions? Sure. Mystery? Not so much. We know exactly what happened to make her, well, her. We even find out what a lot of her super secret skills are as the series and movie unfold. While we know that we don't know all there is to know about River Tam, at this point I doubt any new revelations will actually be shocking, or even all that surprising. She was trained to be a psychic super soldier. Anything new and badass that she ends up doing can likely be traced back to that training.
But Book? No one in the 'verse knew what was up with him. We know he's a Shepherd, the equivalent of a priest or a pastor in the 'verse, but that's about it. Throughout the series and movie he was a stalwart man of faith, exploring the 'verse for the sake of the journey itself. But throughout there were always hints. A line here, an action there, a counter-intuitive reaction somewhere else. As the story unfolds it becomes clearer and clearer that Book was most definitely not always a Shepherd, and while he never reveals what he did before turning to God, the impression is pretty clear that it was rather ungodly work. Then, Joss Whedon, in typical fashion, up and killed Book in Serenity. Without revealing any of his back story. Fans have been clamoring for years to find out what Book's deep, dark secrets were, pestering Joss at conventions, speculating about it online, etc., etc. I myself speculated that perhaps he had at one time been an Operative. (I'm not gonna tell you whether or not that guess was right.)
Finally, with the help of his brother Zack Whedon and artist Chris Samnee, Joss has deigned to give us that back story in Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale. This graphic novel (which comes in a lovely hardcover edition), is a little shorter than your standard trade paperback comic book, but definitely longer than a one-shot comic. Let me be clear. This is not the complete, unabridged, full-out origin story of Shepherd Book. What it is, is a glimpse at the series of events that got our favorite preacher onto the crew of Serenity.
It is a very satisfying set of snapshots that show us not only where Derrial Book came from, but how he got from each stage of his life to the next--leading from his childhood to his death, although not in that order (more on that in a sec). I don't think it will surprise any of the readers to learn that Book's life before becoming a Shepherd was a difficult one, or that he committed many sins for which he wished to atone. We only get to see a few of those sins. Some of them are monumental to shaping the Shepherd, but some are just stepping stones. What I did find delightfully surprising was the array of allegiances he seems to have gone through in his life.
My favorite part is that this story is told backwards. It starts with the attack on Haven (which occurred during the course of the movie Serenity but was not shown onscreen) and works its way back through different points in his life--his days on the ship, leaving the church to go wandering, finding God in a bowl of soup, and so on--all the way to the defining moment of his youth when he took charge of his own life and set out on the path that led him to us in the first place. If you are familiar with the Wheel of Time series at all, the manner in which this is told struck me as being very much like the trips the prospective clan chiefs and Wise Ones of the Aiel took through the glass columns in Rhuidean. Not just because it started at the one end of the time line and worked its way backward, but also in the manner in which we see the different lives led by the man who came to be known as Shepherd Book. It is one life, overall, but it may as well have been many separate lives.
All in all, I give this book a hearty thumbs up. I, as a fan dying of curiosity to know more about Book, was completely satisfied by the answers this story provides. Perhaps even more so because it does leave some of the mystery intact. And who would Book be, without his mystery?
My only nitpick with this at all is the art. Don't get me wrong, the book is gorgeously drawn and inked, but I didn't see any familiarity in the faces of the characters we knew. I realize there is a certain freedom with comic book representation of established characters, and they can vary from artist to artist, and I accept that. I just feel very strongly that in the case of established characters that were, in fact, established on a television or movie screen, rather than first on the written page, the artist should try to remain faithful to the faces of those characters that we know and love. I read many comic books based on television series and believe me when I say that sometimes a poor representation of a character's appearance can be so jarring as to take a reader right out of the story. Thankfully, the story in this case is wonderful enough that the incongruity can be overlooked. But I would be remiss not to warn you of it, all the same.
Other than that though, quality stuff. Christmas is just around the bend, folks. If there's a Browncoat on your shopping list, this might make a right shiny gift (or perhaps Santa could bring you a copy, if you ask him nicely).
Those of you familiar with the television series Firefly and the consequent movie Serenity will be aware that the character of Shepherd Derrial Book (played so excellently by Ron Glass) was perhaps the singularly most mysterious character in that 'verse.
Okay, I know all of you River super-fans are screaming out in protest at this, but I stand behind that statement. River is baffling, certainly, and often an unknown quantity, but once the movie had aired, there wasn't a whole lot of mystery left to her character. Questions? Sure. Mystery? Not so much. We know exactly what happened to make her, well, her. We even find out what a lot of her super secret skills are as the series and movie unfold. While we know that we don't know all there is to know about River Tam, at this point I doubt any new revelations will actually be shocking, or even all that surprising. She was trained to be a psychic super soldier. Anything new and badass that she ends up doing can likely be traced back to that training.
But Book? No one in the 'verse knew what was up with him. We know he's a Shepherd, the equivalent of a priest or a pastor in the 'verse, but that's about it. Throughout the series and movie he was a stalwart man of faith, exploring the 'verse for the sake of the journey itself. But throughout there were always hints. A line here, an action there, a counter-intuitive reaction somewhere else. As the story unfolds it becomes clearer and clearer that Book was most definitely not always a Shepherd, and while he never reveals what he did before turning to God, the impression is pretty clear that it was rather ungodly work. Then, Joss Whedon, in typical fashion, up and killed Book in Serenity. Without revealing any of his back story. Fans have been clamoring for years to find out what Book's deep, dark secrets were, pestering Joss at conventions, speculating about it online, etc., etc. I myself speculated that perhaps he had at one time been an Operative. (I'm not gonna tell you whether or not that guess was right.)
Finally, with the help of his brother Zack Whedon and artist Chris Samnee, Joss has deigned to give us that back story in Serenity: The Shepherd's Tale. This graphic novel (which comes in a lovely hardcover edition), is a little shorter than your standard trade paperback comic book, but definitely longer than a one-shot comic. Let me be clear. This is not the complete, unabridged, full-out origin story of Shepherd Book. What it is, is a glimpse at the series of events that got our favorite preacher onto the crew of Serenity.
It is a very satisfying set of snapshots that show us not only where Derrial Book came from, but how he got from each stage of his life to the next--leading from his childhood to his death, although not in that order (more on that in a sec). I don't think it will surprise any of the readers to learn that Book's life before becoming a Shepherd was a difficult one, or that he committed many sins for which he wished to atone. We only get to see a few of those sins. Some of them are monumental to shaping the Shepherd, but some are just stepping stones. What I did find delightfully surprising was the array of allegiances he seems to have gone through in his life.
My favorite part is that this story is told backwards. It starts with the attack on Haven (which occurred during the course of the movie Serenity but was not shown onscreen) and works its way back through different points in his life--his days on the ship, leaving the church to go wandering, finding God in a bowl of soup, and so on--all the way to the defining moment of his youth when he took charge of his own life and set out on the path that led him to us in the first place. If you are familiar with the Wheel of Time series at all, the manner in which this is told struck me as being very much like the trips the prospective clan chiefs and Wise Ones of the Aiel took through the glass columns in Rhuidean. Not just because it started at the one end of the time line and worked its way backward, but also in the manner in which we see the different lives led by the man who came to be known as Shepherd Book. It is one life, overall, but it may as well have been many separate lives.
All in all, I give this book a hearty thumbs up. I, as a fan dying of curiosity to know more about Book, was completely satisfied by the answers this story provides. Perhaps even more so because it does leave some of the mystery intact. And who would Book be, without his mystery?
My only nitpick with this at all is the art. Don't get me wrong, the book is gorgeously drawn and inked, but I didn't see any familiarity in the faces of the characters we knew. I realize there is a certain freedom with comic book representation of established characters, and they can vary from artist to artist, and I accept that. I just feel very strongly that in the case of established characters that were, in fact, established on a television or movie screen, rather than first on the written page, the artist should try to remain faithful to the faces of those characters that we know and love. I read many comic books based on television series and believe me when I say that sometimes a poor representation of a character's appearance can be so jarring as to take a reader right out of the story. Thankfully, the story in this case is wonderful enough that the incongruity can be overlooked. But I would be remiss not to warn you of it, all the same.
Other than that though, quality stuff. Christmas is just around the bend, folks. If there's a Browncoat on your shopping list, this might make a right shiny gift (or perhaps Santa could bring you a copy, if you ask him nicely).
Thursday, October 28, 2010
That's Okay Rangers, You'll Do Better Tonight
Game one of the World Series has come and gone with a Giants win, sigh. BUT, it was just game one after all. We can still do this. Watching the game last night I was struck by a funny realization. I have crocheted in exactly two baseball stadiums. And do you know which two? That's right, the ballparks for the Rangers and the Giants. I even have photographic evidence, see:
Right next to me that's my mom (knitting) and then my little sister (who lives in the bay area, which is why we were at that game). I was making a shawl for one of my best friends for her wedding at this game. AT&T Park really is a beautiful ballpark, especially at night. Also, the seats in front of us had cup holders attached to the back that made a perfect yarn holder!
Of course, I have also crocheted at the Ballpark in Arlington, my home team's home:
I was making a dish towel there. I've done a few other crochet projects at that stadium (including my first pair of socks) but I can't find any other pictures. It was frikkin' hot that day and we were directly in the sun, until about a third of the way into the game, after which it got much better. This was Baby Girl's first baseball game. You can see her on the right sitting in her daddy's lap, trying to chew her way through the cap on the Sprite bottle.
It didn't even dawn on me until I was talking with my sister on the phone today that it is both of our home teams going up against each other in this series, that's just crazy! So naturally there's been a little bit of good-natured ribbing. I have a feeling whichever team wins, one of us will have teasing ammunition for a while to come! My poor mom doesn't know who to root for (though I think she's leaning towards the Giants) but my grandmother told me she's rooting for the Rangers for me. It is possible we're a baseball family.
Adding to the blow of my team losing the opening game of the series, Syfy officially canceled Caprica last night. Sigh. Remember that rant from Tuesday, about how I am not too sure that Syfy actually cares about its scifi programming anymore? Yeah. They aired half a season, waited until the start of the next television season to air the back half, after moving it to a new night where it was up against some extremely stiff competition, and gave it four episodes before pulling the plug. Way to show faith in your programming, Syfy. They're not even going to burn off the remainder of the season and let us end the year with a bang. Oh no, they're holding off the rest of the season until some unspecified time in 2011's first quarter. Grr. Argh. Think happy thoughts Cori, think happy thoughts.
Hmm...happy thoughts...ooh! I did get my new comic books for the month yesterday!
In the top photo, clockwise from the top left corner we have the newest issues of Dragon Age and Buffy Season 8, the first issue of Warlord of Mars (based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series), and the newest issue of Angel Aftermath (a.k.a Season 6). In the bottom photo, clockwise from the top left corner we have issues 3 and 5 of The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World (they sent me issue #4 last month, ah WOT comics, you are eccentric), the newest issue of The Last Unicorn, and the first issue of Star Wars Knight Errant.
Ooh, I am excited to do some comic reading! I realize I have absolutely no credibility as a comic book geek, since all of the series I read are either adaptations of existing novels, series set in various video games or scifi franchises, and continuations of canceled television series. But that will not stop me from getting excited about my new comics nonetheless! Maybe I should keep the stack close by during tonight's game to read in between plays, just to keep my spirits up....
 |
| San Francisco Giants v. Colorado Rockies September 23, 2008 |
Right next to me that's my mom (knitting) and then my little sister (who lives in the bay area, which is why we were at that game). I was making a shawl for one of my best friends for her wedding at this game. AT&T Park really is a beautiful ballpark, especially at night. Also, the seats in front of us had cup holders attached to the back that made a perfect yarn holder!
Of course, I have also crocheted at the Ballpark in Arlington, my home team's home:
 |
| Texas Rangers v. Boston Red Sox August 15, 2010 |
I was making a dish towel there. I've done a few other crochet projects at that stadium (including my first pair of socks) but I can't find any other pictures. It was frikkin' hot that day and we were directly in the sun, until about a third of the way into the game, after which it got much better. This was Baby Girl's first baseball game. You can see her on the right sitting in her daddy's lap, trying to chew her way through the cap on the Sprite bottle.
It didn't even dawn on me until I was talking with my sister on the phone today that it is both of our home teams going up against each other in this series, that's just crazy! So naturally there's been a little bit of good-natured ribbing. I have a feeling whichever team wins, one of us will have teasing ammunition for a while to come! My poor mom doesn't know who to root for (though I think she's leaning towards the Giants) but my grandmother told me she's rooting for the Rangers for me. It is possible we're a baseball family.
Adding to the blow of my team losing the opening game of the series, Syfy officially canceled Caprica last night. Sigh. Remember that rant from Tuesday, about how I am not too sure that Syfy actually cares about its scifi programming anymore? Yeah. They aired half a season, waited until the start of the next television season to air the back half, after moving it to a new night where it was up against some extremely stiff competition, and gave it four episodes before pulling the plug. Way to show faith in your programming, Syfy. They're not even going to burn off the remainder of the season and let us end the year with a bang. Oh no, they're holding off the rest of the season until some unspecified time in 2011's first quarter. Grr. Argh. Think happy thoughts Cori, think happy thoughts.
Hmm...happy thoughts...ooh! I did get my new comic books for the month yesterday!
In the top photo, clockwise from the top left corner we have the newest issues of Dragon Age and Buffy Season 8, the first issue of Warlord of Mars (based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series), and the newest issue of Angel Aftermath (a.k.a Season 6). In the bottom photo, clockwise from the top left corner we have issues 3 and 5 of The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World (they sent me issue #4 last month, ah WOT comics, you are eccentric), the newest issue of The Last Unicorn, and the first issue of Star Wars Knight Errant.
Ooh, I am excited to do some comic reading! I realize I have absolutely no credibility as a comic book geek, since all of the series I read are either adaptations of existing novels, series set in various video games or scifi franchises, and continuations of canceled television series. But that will not stop me from getting excited about my new comics nonetheless! Maybe I should keep the stack close by during tonight's game to read in between plays, just to keep my spirits up....
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