Anyways...

Once more, with feeling... Ah... Need to ...

2011-12-03T14:37:00.003-05:00

Torsten Adair shared a post with you on Google+. Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life. Learn more.

Join Google+

Once more, with feeling...
Ah... Need to check the "Also email 1 person not yet using Google+" next to the share button. Can I set up a phantom account for my Blogger ghost who handles all of the email sent to my blog?

So I'll add a photo, then a link.
http://www.torstenadair.blogspot.com/

View or comment on Torsten Adair's post »

You received this message because Torsten Adair shared it with REDACTED@blogger.com. Unsubscribe from these emails.

Torsten Adair added you to his circles and invited you to join Google+

2011-12-03T14:20:00.002-05:00

Torsten Adair added you to his circles and invited you to join Google+.

Join Google+

Google+ makes sharing on the web more like sharing in real life.

Circles

An easy way to share some things with college buddies, others with your parents, and almost nothing with your boss. Just like in real life.

Hangouts

Conversations are better face-to-face. Join a video hangout from your computer or mobile phone to catch up, watch YouTube videos together, or swap stories with up to 9 of your friends at once.

Save as Draft

Mobile

Lightning-fast group chat. Photos that upload themselves. A bird's-eye view of what's happening nearby. We built Google+ with mobile in mind.

You received this message because Torsten Adair invited REDACTED@blogger.com to join Google+. Unsubscribe from these emails.

2011-10-04T23:09:00.001-04:00

http://broadcastinitiatives.com/groom.php

DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK. I did not post it, nor do I know how it was posted.

I will change my password.

Rubik's Magic Solution in 17 Steps!

2010-12-27T06:02:00.018-05:00

Following the notoriety of Rubik's Cube and the lesser success of Rubik's Snake, Matchbox released Rubik's Magic, an eight-tile puzzle. While I never succeeded in solving Rubik's Cube (I didn't have the patience to learn the technique, plus I prefered to solve it by myself), I was somewhat adept at the lesser puzzles of the age, such as Pyramix and The Missing Link.

The puzzle consists of eight tiles, joined by filament hinges which run along the diagonal grooves. On the initial side, shown above, one sees three unlinked rings. On the other side, shown on the right, are the tiles which create the solved, linked-ring image.

I think I fiddled around with this puzzle for about a month before I solved it. Some more expirementation followed, and I was able to create a solution in seventeen steps.

Below is my solution, scanned from the original sketch I made back in 1986 or so, when I was in high school.

The actual links may be hard to see, but should be clear enough. If I could find my original Rubik's Magic (I own all three variations), I would simply do a photo montage. Instead, the illustrations might need a bit of decoding themselves. I think you can click on the image to enlarge...

Trespassing While Sitting Still

2010-07-06T23:25:00.000-04:00

[Q|
So there I was, commoding with Mother Nature, when I notice the toilet tank is running.

"How would I react if something bit me on the ass while I was on the toilet?" I thought.

Being a New Yorker, I immediately thought: Aligators In The Sewers. Perhaps a small Cayman? And what if it was slightly radioactive? Would I become LEG8R, superhero?

My Secret Identity

2010-07-05T16:25:00.004-04:00

The FantASStic Sphincter Man!

AKA "Perry Neeum"

Unfortunately, my trusted sidekick, Tushie, was tragically murdered by my arch-nemesis, Public Enema #1. He took us by surprise.

Trespassing Through Antarctica

2010-07-04T14:48:00.012-04:00

Okay... the Fourth of July is generally considered one of the hottest days of the year in New York City (probably because everyone is out and about, perception is reality, so the legend gets imprinted over the fact).

Thus, I got to wondering one day, what if ice was denser than water? That is, what if ice SANK when if froze, not float?

(And we'll ignore the other FOURTEEN versions of crystalline water, and concentrate on Ice I_h, your typical crystalline ice found all over the planet.)

So, first, a few facts.
Ice has a density of 0.917 g/cm³. As the temperature drops, the density increases. Liquid water has a density of about 0.997 g/cm³ at room temperature. These numbers are for your average everyday existence. Pressure can affect melting and freezing points.

So, as we learn at an early age, ice floats. By floating, it insulates lakes and other bodies of water, and thus allows life to thrive. (Since water is most dense at 4°C, this cold water sinks to the bottom, leaving warmer water above, covered by the much colder frozen water.) If ice sinks, then lakes, ponds, and rivers would "silt up", freezing everything within the water. While this would have a very negative effect upon life, it could be argued that perhaps the organisms within this frozen ecosystem would adapt, just as frogs adapt to dry seasons and the Pompeii Worm adapt to extreme temperatures near hydrothermal vents.

As for oceans, there's a different system involved. Most scuba divers know that the weight of water creates water pressure. The deeper one dives, the greater the mass of water above the diver, which creates a greater pressure. Divers must carefully regulate their bodies to the change in pressure (much like an airline passenger), and the current deep sea diving is 1,010 feet. Regelation, using pressure to change the melting point, might not affect the ice, as this "heavy ice" I postulated might not expand upon freezing. If it does, than each atmosphere of pressure lowers the melting point 0.0072 °C. The deepest depth visited by humans has a pressure about one thousand times that of sea level, so the freezing point would be about -7°C. Of course, the salinity of the water would also lower the freezing point (which is why we salt sidewalks in the winter time). So the ice would sink, then hit the regelation zone, and become liquid. So, there might be a thick layer of frozen ice at the poles, then a zone beneath that ice where the water remains liquid (but under high pressure and low temperature). What type of ecosystem would exist here? Would the boundary of ice pack and open water differ than it does now?

Given the increased density of ice, how much more of Antarctica would be sunk beneath sea level?

A small density increase would be negligible during the winter... electrical wires, tree branches, and roofs would still collapse under the weight, but perhaps a little bit more. (Engineering could mitigate this in man-made structures.)

If glaciers are denser, they would move more quickly via basal slidi ng. (The pressure of the glacier melts the ice at the bottom, allowing the glacier to slide.)

Okay... enough trespassing for today. Hope this cooled you off!
(If you need more cooling, or just an excuse to stay inside, visit the Official Snowflake Bentley Web Site. Wilson A. "Snowflake" Bentley photographed some 5,000 snowflakes via microscope, and all snowflake images on this post are from that website.)

If I Only Had A Brane...

2010-07-02T22:32:00.008-04:00

Okay... I saw this word, "brane", and wondered what it meant.

Eventually, my searching lead me here.

Wikipedia does a pretty decent job of explaining stuff, so when I read this:

In string theory, D-branes are a class of extended objects upon which open strings can end with Dirichlet boundary conditions, after which they are named. D-branes were discovered by Dai, Leigh and Polchinski, and independently by Horava in 1989. In 1995, Polchinski identified D-branes with black p-brane solutions of supergravity, a discovery that triggered the Second Superstring Revolution and led to both holographic and M-theory dualities.

I immediately got the feeling that sometime in the near future, this would make perfect sense to the average citizen. Sort of how the equation "x + 2 = 8" can be simplified into first-grade math as "□+2=8".

But then, the average citizen doesn't even know how to define zero-, one-, and two-dimensional space. (Dot, line, polygon)

And I must admit... this looks pretty darn cool. What if our brain (HA! no pun intended) worked like this?

I wonder how many surfaces this has?

Is this your brain after drinking from a Klein bottle?

Or perhaps the instant explosion from an atomic bomb? Or maybe the instance of the Big Bang?

Or maybe God's bubble gum right after it popped?

Me, I just wonder... if you can extrapolate a circle, line, point, and various other conic sections from a cone (as well as a triangle!), what sort of 4-D shape can a cone be extrapolated from?

ALA Sunday: More Digital Comics?

2010-06-27T19:13:00.003-04:00

Did your parents save all your artwork, from when you were very little?

Sophie Crumb's parents did. So this Fall, W.W. Norton will be publishing Sophie Crumb: Evolution of a Crazy Artist.

Starting at age 2 1/2, this book showcases her development all the way up to last year. Lots of personal history as well, so this will generate lots of press!

What else... Supposedly OverDrive, one of the leading companies providing digital books to libraries and retailers, has signed an agreement with Marvel and Tokyopop. (I heard this secondhand, that OverDrive announced this at their luncheon today.) Now, I've seen that they've offered ebook versions of some of Marvel's and Tpop's titles since April 2010. Searching the web, I see certain issues available via public libraries. OverDrive requires an account to see the entire selection of titles, so I can't see much beyond the link above. It seems that the content is available, but only for lending, not for direct sale. Perhaps today's announcement will change that. Or maybe this is just a re-iteration of what they are already doing. I see single issues from Marvel, not graphic novels, although Marvel could easily bundle them together. I wonder how much they charge the libraries?

Oh, and the scope? According to OverDrive, they serve TEN THOUSAND libraries.
And they already work with HarperCollins, Hachette, Random House, Simon & Schuster...
Stone Arch Books GNs since November 2008.
Classical Comics
ComicsOne
Capstone

A selection from last summer...

GREAT FARKING ZARQON! The graphic novel of The Restaurant at the End of the Universe! (The Queens Public Library has 151 titles under "Comic and Graphic Books"... including The Ray Bradbury Chronicles (just the modern stuff, not the EC stories)!)

Hmmm... published by childrensElibrary, a division of ibooks, which, if memory serves, was purchased by Simon & Schuster at bankruptcy? Which raises the question... if Overdrive charges a library to carry a digital file of a defunct company, where does the money go? To the original copyright holders? The creators? The copyright still exists, but do the original contract rights still exist? Or does OverDrive restrict access to the actual file? Or does that copy "sold" to the library still continue to exist just like a paper copy does?

210 titles at the Los Angeles Public Library. Faeries' Landing is one of the Tokyopop titles.

Barnes & Noble does have a business relationship with OverDrive, so it is possible that BN.com might start selling titles as they become available. OverDrive's files are in Adobe PDF eBook format, which is readable on the nook, but not the Kindle or iPad (but readable on Macs and PCs).

Of course, if sold on the nook, the image would be in black-and-white. Might the suggested retail price be less than that of the iPad app from ComiXology? Resolution and size might not be a problem, especially if it's a digest-sized book, or if one can enlarge the image. Yes, a bit unwieldy, but Plastic Logic will be selling the larger QUE ProReader e-reader via B&N which will have a larger magazine-size screen and handle more digital formats than the nook.

Developing, as they say.

Not much else in the way of surprises. Of course, OverDrive is a pretty big surprise!

My Brain Does Not Wander...

2010-06-26T00:01:00.002-04:00

My brain does not wander… it trespasses.

On the subway, one hears, “If you have been the victim of unwanted sexual contact, please notify a police officer or MTA employee.”

So I got to thinking, what is lawful sexual contact? Can you do it on the subway? Should I ask those sitting next to me before I engage in lawful sexual contact? Is it okay if I take pictures of others engaged in lawful sexual contact? Is it unlawful if they ask for money? Or play music?

ALA Friday Night Lite

2010-06-25T20:48:00.010-04:00

Okay... there was a "preview" of the exhibit floor, from 5:15 (opened late) to 8 PM.

First, there was a buffet (YES, an actual spread of food), but I had just eaten lunch, so I just grabbed a can of Coke.

Trina Robbins has a new book out with Lerner, so I took a quick detour to their booth. Just arrived (due out in August), she writes middle school detective story titled "The Drained Brains Caper", illustrated by Tyler Page. Then's there's the second volume of Colleen AF Venable's Guinea PIg, Pet Shop Private Eye, titled "And Then There Were Gnomes"!

Scholastic caught me off guard with Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer teaming up again for "The Odious Ogre", a picture book. I've never been a fan, haven't read the book, but the film of The Phantom Tollbooth, directed by Chuck Jones, actually put me to sleep. Now, The Dot and The Line... that is one of the ultimate nerd romances ever written! I first saw the Oscar-winning short, and then years later found the original hardcover. (It's since been reprinted.)

Then I ventured to the graphic novel pavilion, and eventually wound up at the Drink and Draw. Free wine, five artists drawing crazy suggestions from the audience (a person, a place, a situation). The three challenges:

Sarah Palin, cooking a bundt cake, at the Grand Canyon
Albert Einstein, doing the long jump, on the Moon
A dwarf, performing heart surgery, in the middle of a road

One drawing was raffled off, the others will be auctioned off by ALA.

Oh, and some BIG news. The Dabel Brothers have a new business, titled Sea Lion Books. Three initial authors: L. A. Banks, Richelle Mead, and...
(let me but it up in lights so you won't miss it...)

PAULO COELHO

Yeah, my jaw dropped. That's a BIG name, an author who writes regular literary fiction, not some author known for genre work. Then they showed the book cover:

The Alchemist

Yes. THAT book. A book which has been been in print since 1987, and still sells tremendously (currently #316 among all books on BN.com). A book translated into 67 languages, and which has sold over 41 million copies worldwide.

Not much information available, although it is scheduled for November, 2010.

I'll let others discuss the Dabel's previous publishing history. This graphic novel is being published via HarperOne, which has the rights to the prose novel. The other two books seem to be under the Sea-Lion name, with an EAN prefix of 978-0-9828186.

No listing yet in Books In Print, but here are the first five EANs from Sea-Lion:

978-0-9828186-0-2 Shadow Walker by L. A. Banks
978-0-9828186-1-9 (nothing in Google)
978-0-9828186-2-6 (nothing in Google)
978-0-9828186-3-3 (nothing in Google)
978-0-9828186-4-0 Storm Born by Richelle Meade

Very interesting... and this is just Friday evening!

ALA Friday

2010-06-25T20:33:00.009-04:00

So, I’m on my way to Washington, DC, for the annual conference of the American Library Association. It’s already started, and runs until Tuesday.

This year, there will be an actual Graphic Novel pavilion on the exhibit floor. If you’ve attended a comic-con, this would be where all the publishers and dealers would be located. ALA actually offers a variety of passes. I could spend $300 to get the full package, which includes various panels and such, or I could spend $25 just for the exhibits hall. Since I’m a stealth librarian (cataloging books and what-not for Barnes & Noble), I opted for this pass.

Like I said, the GN pavilion is on the exhibits floor, it’s a mini comic-con within the bigger librarian conference. Lots of publishers promoting graphic novels, lots of librarians seducing other librarians with graphic novels, and everyone having a grand time.

I’ll be staying at the AYH youth hostel, where I used to live and work. Dormitory beds, bath down the hall, but it’s super cheap, has free wi-fi, a kitchen, and is a short walk from the convention center. North of the convention center is a Giant Foods store (once considered massive, now just a regular grocery store) so I’ll probably dine there instead of partaking of the overpriced dining options.

Oh, and unlike a regular comic-con, there will be lots of free books handed out! Librarians are on the front lines of advocacy. We’re kind of like bloggers without blogs. People ask us what’s good, and we recommend what’s good. If we really like something, we give it an award, which is a Seal of Approval for books, which publishers love.

What was the last good free book I read? It was a book set in middle school. A weird kid makes an origami Yoga finger puppet. Other kids start asking Yoda for advice, advice which turns out to be really good. It’s a fun book, teaches a soft lesson, and even includes easy, do-it-yourself origami Yoda instructions! (Advice not included.)

(Sorry, I’ll try and find the exact title information later. No wi-fi on the hoi polloi Boston-DC trains, only on Acela.

[Edit: Here it is: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, by Tom Angleberger.]

That’s all for now. Just left Wilmington. Four more stops.

What I've Been Up To...

2010-06-19T12:55:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted anything lately, so I thought I should at least try for once-a-month posting...

A few months ago (April) I somehow discovered Yahoo Answers.

Being a librarian, and living with a Boy Scout complex, I immediately began to help people by researching answers online.

My profile can be found here which includes the various answers I've posted.

I'm proud of my 1600 points, but I have been slacking a bit lately... usually I answer a few at work while I wait for my computer to process files, or I spend a few hours on the weekend helping people.

The mathematics questions are the most fun, as they are more of a puzzle than a question. I try to be vague... instead of just giving the answer, I show how to solve it. Sometimes, my answer usually just gives the first step, then "solve for x".

A LOT of questions get repeated... some are nothing more than simple self-esteem or dating questions. Some sections tend to attract trolls and other extremes of human behavior, but that's the Internet for you... One can rate each answer with an UP/DOWN vote, and Yahoo does sometimes pull offensive questions (sometimes while I'm answering them!) so it there is some remedy.

The interface is quite easy to use... I recommend the site.

2010-05-02T13:50:00.005-04:00

Take a minute. Can you remember any great books you read in school? Not the required reading, like Johnny Tremain or The Red Badge of Courage. Stuff you checked out of the library because a friend liked it, or a librarian recommended it. How many of those titles would you recommend now to a child, or would read again if you could find the time?

Judy Blume? Donald Sobol? Beverly Cleary? J. K. Rowling? C. S. Lewis? Ellen Raskin? Shel Silverstein? Isaac Asimov? James Marshall? Jolly Roger Bradfield?

Via Robot6, the School Advocacy Wiki has commissioned artwork to publicize the proposed cuts to California school libraries, and to fight to keep school districts from cutting positions across the state (and country, as other states face similar cuts).

There is some good news, at least in Fremont, as funds have been found to restore cuts next year, but that article already has proven how devastating these cuts are to students and literacy. (Half a million fewer books checked out system-wide.)

Full disclosure: I'm a librarian. I am an uncle who actively encourages my nieces and nephews to read. Reading is the foundation of all education, it's ACTIVE learning. Every student who visits a library is looking for something to read. Let me make this clear:

Children are visiting school libraries to read.

They are not sitting in desks, listening to a teacher teach. They are not taking tests, or writing reports, or filling out worksheets, stuff which every student finds boring but necessary. They are seeking books and information. They are exploring worlds, feeding their imaginations, and, even though they do not realize it, are learning. By themselves.

School budgets are difficult to manage. How does a school board cut any budget, when the investment in students is so important? Even before the current economic mess, teachers were buying school supplies from their own pocket. I just feel that cutting library budgets, especially staff positions, should be one of the last items to be cut in any year.

In Review: Free Comic Book Day 2010

2010-05-01T00:01:00.008-04:00

Since there are so many different titles, and because many comics shop limit the number of comics you can have, I have created the following review of every single comic book offered on Free Comic Book Day.

The images below, used for review purposes, appear on the official Free Comic Book Day website. Many publishers offer previews there as well.

Many thanks to all the publishers and retailers who support this great day! I personally read a lot of comics, but there's a lot I cannot read, or just plain ignore. Even the stuff I wasn't too keen on, I still appreciate, as it has broadened my knowledge base!

And a big THANK YOU to Joe Field of FLYING COLORS Comics & Other Cool Stuff, for coming up with such a crazy idea! You are a Seducer of the Innocent Par Excellance!

So lets start with the Golden sponsors, titles which were sent out to every participating store.

ARCHIE’S SUMMER SPLASH! #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Dan Parent.
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS

The Pembrooke private beach is closed for the summer due to an oil spill (perfect timing!), so Cheryl Blossom is forced to slum at the public Riverdale Beach. She soon becomes jealous of The Archies, and decides to form her own band, “Blossom”, with disastrous results!

Doctor Solar/Magnus FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Jim Shooter (A) Dennis Calero, Various (C) Raymond Swanland.
Publisher: DARK HORSE COMICS

Dark Horse relaunches Doctor Solar: Man of the Atom, and Magnus, Robot Fighter with Jim Shooter in control. Doctor Solar offers an early story of Doctor Solar, right after he gains his powers, and his first “crime-fighting”. Magnus is caught in a strange robotic love nest, setting up future storylines. Both series debut this summer, but I’ve never been a big fan of either character. We’ll see if Dark Horse and Jim Shooter can revive these characters once again.

FRACTURED FABLES FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Bryan Talbot, Doug TenNapel, Alexander Grecian, Derek McCulloch, Ted McKeever (A) Camilla d'Errico, Doug TenNapel, Christian Ward, Anthony Peruzzo, Ted McKeever (C) Mike and Laura Allred
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS

An all-star cast, previewing an original hardcover graphic novel. Lots of good stuff, including a very weird Rumplestiltskin from Doug TenNapel. It’s fairy tales, but probably suited for older kids who will get the satire and humor.

(And I love the "Kid Friendly" logo!)

G.I. JOE: A REAL AMERICAN HERO #155½ FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Larry Hama (A) TBD.
Publisher: IDW Publishing

I was never a fan of G.I.Joe, the comic, although I did watch the cartoon regularly. This issue seems to continue the storyline from the original Marvel Comic, and has Cobra Commander initiating a very Machiavellian scheme, which will continue in an ongoing series. This issue features COBRA, and intrigues me enough that I will read the collected trade. Larry Hama knows how to write, and this is like Steve Ditko and Stan Lee returning to write Amazing Spider-Man #38½.

IRON MAN/THOR FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Matt Fraction (A/C) John Romita, Jr.
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

A nice moral tale, involving Tony Stark and some misused tech. My suspension of disbelief was tested by the plot (billionaires create a gated community by terraforming the Moon), but this is a Marvel comic, so I just let that slide for the sake of storytelling. That the Moon has been colonized since 2005, but not mentioned in other titles? Sure. Okay. There’s some nice dialogue between Iron Man and Thor, lots of collateral damage, and a good ending. This is the sort of done-in-one story Marvel perfected in the 1960s, and is perfect for a lazy summer afternoon.

MOUSE GUARD/FRAGGLE ROCK FCBD 2010 Edition
Creative Team: (W/A) David Petersen, TBD.
Publisher: Archaia Entertainment

A flip book with Fraggle Rock. The Mouse Guard story serves as an introduction to the third story arc, Spring 1153. Narrated by a journal entry, this story serves as an introduction to this ambitious series. Fraggle Rock, a new series from Archaia, presents two stories. The first, starring Boober Fraggle, uses a beautiful painted style to tell an important lesson. The second story, featuring Red, uses a rough pencil style to teach a lesson about Art. (Was it rushed for publication? Or done deliberately to comment on the story?) All ages.

(Not final cover)
KiZOIC Presents: Shrek & The Penguins Of Madagascar FCBD 2010 Edition
Creative Team: various
(Publisher: Ape Entertainment

This is a flip book, shared with The Penguins of Madagascar. I wish I could show you the final covers… the Penguins have a stark simplicity drawn by Antonio Campo, and the Shrek cover is riot of Shrek, Donkey, Puss, Fiona, all a flight on Dragon. All of the stories are fun, and if you’ve got kids, or know of them, this is a great title, especially with the new movie out this summer. KiZoic is the young reader imprint for Ape Entertainment.

YOW! The John Stanley Library FCBD 2010 Edition
Creative Team: (W/A) John Stanley.
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly

Nancy visits Oona Goosepimple! Tubby grows a mustache! Judy Junior manipulates Jimmy Fuzzi. Nancy is chased by that ruffian Spike! Melvin Monster brings home a pet that takes a liking to Baddy! And… pulled from obscurity, Choo Choo Charlie (love my Good & Plenty) must rid his train of the squeebles. Lots of fun stories, mostly for younger readers.

(Not final cover)
TOY STORY FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Jesse Blaze Snider (A/C) Nathan Watson.
Publisher: BOOM! Studios

This issue reprints the first issue of “The Return of Buzz Lightyear”. Andy’s grandmother mistakenly sends him a second Buzz Lightyear action figure. Before Andy can return the duplicate to the toy store for a refund, it gains freedom and challenges Buzz (AKA “Sally”) to a duel.

WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) James Robinson (A) Eddy Barrows, Ruy José (C) J.G. Jones.
Publisher: DC COMICS

The cover has been changed, it is now a more iconic image drawn by the interior artists. This is a prelude to DC’s next Big Event, as they hope to repeat the success of last year’s Blackest Night prelude. The issue has two stories: Superman on New Krypton, and Lois Lane on Earth. The first story recaps What Has Gone Before, as Superman confronts General Zod. The second story, by Sterling Gates, features one-page pin-ups that introduce the major players of the upcoming saga.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Ian Flynn (A) James Fry, Jim Amash
Publisher: ARCHIE COMICS

Yup. A comic book about a video game character, one that has been published for over 200+ issues. This issue seems to be set between story arcs, showcasing Sonic, his nemesis Dr. Robotnik, and a unique challenge. The backstory is explained, the main characters are introduced to new readers, and enough action is shown to make this a good read. I wouldn’t read more, but for fans of the character, this series seems to be rich with storytelling.

WORLDS OF ASPEN FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) David Wohl, JT Krul, David Schwartz, Vince Hernandez (A) Joe Benitez, Scott Clark, Marcus To, Eduardo Francisco, Alex Konat (C) Michael Turner, Peter Steigerwald, Various
Publisher: ASPEN MLT

I am familiar with Aspen, but have never read a regular issue from the publisher. This issue works as an introduction to various titles, using Fathom as a framing sequence to give brief exposure to other Aspen titles. Mindfield, a series of telepathic CIA agents fighting terrorism, looks intriguing. Soulfire, set in a future where Magic has returned to reality, does not entice me to read more. Executive Assistant: Iris, a story of a bodyguard/secretary/assassin, shows promise. Dellec intrigues, if only for the two-page spread. No idea what the series is about, but it looks cool. The issue ends with a pin-up of Lady Mechnika. It should be an advertisement, since it appears to premiere in Fall 2010, but there is no text, aside from the title and the creator’s name, Joe Benitez. Looks interesting, but I have no idea why I should read this.

FEARLESS DAWN/ASYLUM PRESS SAMPLER FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Steve Mannion, Various
Publisher: ASYLUM PRESS

Fearless Dawn…full of craziness. Only eight pages are reprinted from the first issue, so I hope it makes more sense. (Nazis in Manitoba?) It looks like fun, but I’d have to look more to be certain. Enter the Bladeviper has a Heavy Metal vibe, nice art, but it seems like I’ve seen this story before. Black Powder… is what happens when writers try to draw. This is 3-D modeling software with a Photoshop filter (or wayward Wacom drawing). It’s the uncanny valley between the realistic artwork of Alex Ross and photographic Fumetti. Unfortunately, the writing doesn’t overcome the limitations of the artwork. Farmhouse will be an original graphic novel about an art studio for psychiatric patients. This is also available as a preview on the iphone from Comixology. The preview is confusing, and I wouldn’t give it a future look. Eeek! Is the most interesting part of this sampler, channeling horror stories from the Seventies. Jason Paulos writes and draws in a variety of styles, and I’ll give it a longer look when the paperback is released in October. Warlash: Zombie Mutant Genesis seems to be Batman vs. Zombies, and doesn’t make me want to read more. Undead Evil is a wordless preview, but the artwork is AMAZING. Will the story be of equal quality?

S.E. HINTON/FAME FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) CW Cooke, Dan Rafter (A) Various (C) Vinnie Tartamella
Publisher: BLUEWATER PRODUCTIONS

Perhaps the strangest flip-book of them all, but not too surprising, since it’s from Bluewater. On one side, noted novelist S.E. Hinton adapts her juvenile novel, The Puppy Sister. Most readers know Hinton from reading “The Outsiders”, and this is quite different. According to Wikipedia, this puppy will eventually transform into a young girl. Hmm… maybe this does fit in with Lady Gaga… The other half of the book is devoted to Bluewater’s new “Fame” series. Lady Gaga gets the usual Bluewater treatment, told by a personal narrator. The other preview… Taylor Swift. Aside from the Grammys, this is probably the only place you’ll see them together, especially with a cameo by Ellen Degeneres. The cover you see is the best art in this issue.

BONGO COMICS FREE-FOR-ALL! FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Matt Groening, Various
Publisher: BONGO COMICS

Chuck Dixon writes about Krusty giving up show biz and getting a job at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Sergio Aragonés chronicles Maggie’s scheme to stay up late. Tony Digerolamo chronicles Homer trying, in vain, to cool off. And, Because You Demanded It, Ian Boothby shows us what happens when Bartman, Stretch Dude, and the Cupcake Kid team-up to overthrow Evil Bart.

IRREDEEMABLE #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Mark Waid (A) Peter Krause (C) John Cassaday
Publisher: BOOM! STUDIOS

Boom! presents their second FCBD title, and this is actually two issues in one, as this issue contains a flip-book of Incorruptible #1. This is a no-brainer, given that Incorruptible tells the tale of a villain who reforms after seeing the havoc created by The Plutonian in Irredeemable. Irredeemable shows what happens when a superhero becomes evil and amoral.

DC KIDS MEGA-SAMPLER FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Landry Walker, Art Baltazar, Franco, Sholly Fisch (A) Eric Jones, Art Baltazar, Mike Norton, Dario Brizuela (C) Baltazar
Publisher: DC COMICS

The second free issue this year from DC Comics, featuring teasers for Billy Batson & The Magic of Shazam #17 (June) and Tiny Titans #31 (August). The Brave and the Bold has a complete story featuring Batman and the Martian Manhunter. Super Friends has two activity pages, and Johnny DC features this month’s titles on the last page. The Shazam story features the delightful artwork of Mike Norton, who draws THE. BEST. COWS. Cows in drag, but that’s not the actual joke! (Props to Art Baltazar and Franco for taking a cliché and twisting it into something fun!) My only criticism? This should have been DC’s Gold title, available to all stores. This is a Johnny DC title, but the stories inside will appeal to all. (Tiny Titans is full of canonical in-jokes, but still fun for everyone.)

This issue is the smaller 6x9 format, which works well for this material.

(Not final art)
DEL REY SHOWCASE FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Various
Publisher: DEL REY COMICS

The cover features Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel. I’ve not read Austen or Grahame-Smith, yet the writing seems fun enough, and the art is simple yet detailed. I especially enjoy that the Bennet sisters seem more “manly” than the English gentlemen! The Talisman, adapted from Stephen King and Peter Straub’s novel, introduces us to the story, but it doesn’t entice me to read more. Dean Koontz’ Odd Is on Our Side is presented in landscape format, due to the manga format. Odd can see the spirits of the dead, as shown here in an eight-page preview. The Last Airbender Prequel: Zuko’s Story, gets a preview, but doesn’t interest me. Of course, I’m not the target audience, no almost nothing about the movie or anime, but I like a good story, and this doesn’t interest me. (Sorry, Dave.)

(Not final cover)
GREEN HORNET #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Kevin Smith (A) Jonathan Lau, Ariel Padilla, Aaron Campbell (C) Alex Ross
Publisher: D.E./DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
This issue presents short previews of Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet, Green Hornet Year One, The Green Hornet Strikes!, Kato Origins: Way of the Ninja, and Kevin Smith’s Kato. (What, no Green Hornet Babies?) Not interesting enough for me to purchase, but the historical themes are interesting.

WEATHERCRAFT: A FRANK COMIC FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Jim Woodring
Publisher: FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

Yes. Jim Woodring. Definitely not the sort of thing I would give anyone under the age of thirteen, but a wonderful introduction into Jim Woodring’s storytelling. Fantagraphics does an excellent job of introducing Jim Woodring’s distinct vision, which I was familiar with, but had never read. Would I read more? Yes, but I wouldn’t pay to. It’s a unique and personal work of art, but way too strange for my tastes.

THE OVERSTREET GUIDE TO COLLECTING COMICS FCBD 2010 EDITION
Publisher: GEMSTONE PUBLISHING

Gemstone features one of their few remaining properties: The Overstreet Guides. This is actually a decent introduction to collecting and selling comics, giving a good introduction to the various aspects of the hobby. My favorite part? The comparison of prices from the First Edition (1970) and the Fortieth Edition (2010). Showcase #4, the first appearance of the Silver Age Flash? $12 then, $48,000 now. (Of course, if you had $12 back in 1975, you could buy twenty-four copies of Giant Size X-Men #1.)

LIBRARY OF AMERICAN COMICS #0 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Publisher: IDW PUBLISHING

A flip-book, the other side features Blondie on the cover. A nice, glossy comic featuring IDW’s comic-strip reprints. The best part of this comic? The two-page ad for “Genius Illustrated: The Life and Art of Alex Toth”, coming in October! Yes, IDW would have to feature Toth to top the comics reprinted inside: X-9: Secret Agent Corrigan, Rip Kirby, Li’l Abner, Archie, Polly and Her Pals (color Sundays!), and Blondie! The strips are printed vertically, meaning each page features two daily strips, enlarged to an eye-popping ten-inches across! (Check out Al Williamson’s amazing artwork!)

These archival books are not cheap, but this issue features the amazing quality found in each volume. I’ve already purchased a few, and will buy more.

(Not final art)
ARTIFACTS: FIRST LOOK FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Ron Marz (A) Top Cow's Finest (C) Stjepan Sejic
Publisher: IMAGE COMICS/TOP COW STUDIOS

Top Cow (Image) presents a preview to their next Big Event. I’m not a regular reader, only a bit familiar with some of the characters, but I like the concept. Each character has at least one artifact (like the Witchblade) and an unknown mastermind seeks to gather these artifacts to initiate a cataclysm. Ron Marz writes the 13-issue series, which also feature back-up origin features. In this issue, we are introduced to The Magdalena, descended from Christ, and wielding the Spear of Destiny. I’ll keep an eye on this, out of curiosity.

LOVE AND CAPES #13 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A/C) Thomas F. Zahler
Publisher: MAERKLE PRESS

Thom Zahler once again publishes a new regular issue as a Free Comic Book Day comic.

The series, a romantic comedy of a superhero and his fiancé, concludes with this issue, as Mark Spencer, a mild-mannered accountant also known as The Crusader, enjoys his honeymoon with his wife, Abby. As with previous issues, the story centers on the romance, with excellent characterization and witty dialogue. Had I not discovered this series years ago, (as well as the incredible FCBD issue from last year), I would be eager to read the earlier issues.

IRON MAN: SUPERNOVA FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Paul Tobin (A) Craig Rousseau (C) Ed McGuinness
Publisher: MARVEL COMICS

The second Marvel comic is “Great For All Ages” (it says so on the cover, so it must be true), and I agree. Written by Paul Tobin, this story features Iron Man and Nova battling the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. Igor is the star of this story, and he doesn’t have a single line! The Super Hero Squad Show has a backup story featuring the Hulk versus a robot, which is kind of fun.

THE TICK #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Ben Edlund
Publisher: NEC PRESS

Once again, New England Comics reprints the nigh-invulnerable Tick. It’s been a while since I read this issue, and though the humor is a bit unusual, it’s still a lot of fun. Plus, it’s got ninjas.

ONI PRESS FREE-FOR-ALL! #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Chris Schweizer, Matthew Loux, Ray Fawkes
Publisher: ONI PRESS

This issue features three of Oni’s characters for younger readers. While Possessions, Salt Water Taffy, and Crogan Adventures are technically graphic novels, not comics, this is still a great introduction to some fun stories. I was not familiar with Possessions, featuring a mischievous spirit named Gurgazon, but the story has enough charm and interesting ideas that I’ll read more and probably give it to my niece. Salt Water Taffy features Jack and Benny, two brothers spending a summer vacation in a very unique Maine town. Fun storytelling, amazing artwork, recommended for all.

THE SIXTH GUN #1 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Cullen Bunn (A/C) Brian Hurtt
Publisher: ONI PRESS

The first issue of a new series, a supernatural western centered on a cursed six-shooter. We meet the various protagonists, and end with a great cliffhanger! While I won’t be adding this to my weekly purchases, the story is worth a future look. If you like Preacher, but want a title you can let your younger sibling read, then try this title.

RADICAL: BIGGER BOOKS! BIGGER VALUE! FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W/A) Various
Publisher: RADICAL PUBLISHING

A hefty 48-page glossy issue, featuring some interesting stories. Driver for the Dead has a nice introduction, although the main character and the plot of the story aren’t made clear in the pages shown. Time Bomb is centered around a sub-terranean Nazi city, a doomsday weapon, and time travel back to World War II. Palmiotti and Gray write, Gulacy draws, so this should be worth reading further. However, the preview is not appropriate for children. After Dark has beautiful artwork, but the preview does not entice me to read further. After Dark has a great “Heavy Metal” feel to the story, set in a future Earth ravaged by war and dominated by an alien species. Not my cuppa, but worth a further look, especially in a collected edition.

ATOMIC ROBO AND FRIENDS FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (W) Brian Clevinger, Various (A) Scott Wegener, Various
Publisher: RED 5 COMICS

Atomic Robo hunts for giant birds in the Amazon, to humorous results. Neozoic shows us a world where dinosaurs never became extinct, and Box 13 teases us with a mystery based on MKULTRA. Box 13 appears to be an original graphic novel. Neozoic has been collected as a graphic novel, and Atomic Robo has had impressive sales on the Diamond Top 300 GN list. Atomic Robo seems to be a bit like Hellboy, but with a different attitude. Neozoic and Box 13 are worthy of a longer read, but I wouldn’t buy the books.

(Not final cover)
FREEDOM FORMULA: SPEED METAL OVERTURES #0 FCBD 2010 EDITION
Creative Team: (Writer) Edmund Shern ,Brandon Jerwa, Andrew Dabb, Tony Lee (A) Puppeteer Lee, Zid, Leah Liu, Zhaoweiyi (C) Puppeteer Lee
Publisher: STORM LION

Storm Lion is a publisher from Singapore which has published comics with Radical Comics. The first story, Devolution, presents a futuristic military state patrolled by mechas. There’s a dark secret revealed in the last panel, making this an intriguing story. This is followed by advertising for Nebulous, The Deserter, Ghost Moon, Brinkman, and Titan Rain. Nicely done, worthy of more attention.

THE STUFF OF LEGEND: MORTAL INSTRUMENTS PREVIEW FCBD 2010 EDITION
Publisher: TH3RD WORLD STUDIOS

This is a flip-book, the other cover features Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. This issue recaps an ongoing series, The Stuff of Legend, based on toys which seek their boy who has been kidnapped by the Boogeyman. Once crossing over into The Dark, they become “real”, as seen on the cover. The artwork suits the story, and the characters are distinct and unique. I would not seek out the trade collections, but would read more if given the opportunity. The other half of the book introduces a paranormal adventure due to be published this winter. Interesting premise, but it doesn’t interest me. After this, there are three one-page comics from Webcomics Online. Super Fogeys, featuring geriatric superheroes, seems funny enough to warrant a web browsing. Pinkerton Park seems to be another comic strip of whacky animal characters, and Legend of Bill takes a humorous look at barbarian adventuring. Bill has an ongoing story online, unusual for a humorous strip, but the four strips featured here are single gags. Again, these are free comics EVERYDAY, just visit the website featured at the bottom of each page.

OWLY AND FRIENDS FCBD 2010 EDTION
Creative: (W/A) Andy Runton, James Kochalka, Christian Slade
Publisher: TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

A delightful sampler of Top Shelf’s kid-friendly (but really all-ages) titles. Owly flies a kite, Johnny Boo does something, and Sprout has a food-inspired nightmare. James Kochalka’s story is the only one with actual words, but his deft dialogue actually presents one of the best stories of all the FCBD offerings this year. If you can, grab an extra copy for the kid next door, young relatives, or students who don’t like to read.

(Technically, all of these characters appear in books, not comics, but I hope more publishers follow Top Shelf’s example.)

MARVEL HEROCLIX: WAR MACHINE FCBD 2010 FIGURE
Publisher: WIZKIDS/NECA

I’m not a HeroClix player, but these are nice little action figures. Generally speaking, War Machine is Iron Man’s backup. He/It will be featured in the movie which debuts next week.

The Evolution of Allure - The MIT Press

2010-04-21T10:54:00.000-04:00

While at work, I discovered the following:

The Evolution of Allure - The MIT Press

"From the Medici Venus to Vitruvius, Leonardo, Dürer, and the phone-sex goddesses of D-Cup Superstars, Hersey's lively, erotically charged text shows that the formulas set forth by the Greek sculptor Polykleitos have established a Western canon of human gestures and proportions and may have influenced human evolution."

"Hersey concludes with an excursus on the current hyperdevelopment, in both sexes, of breasts and muscles, as exemplified in the likes of body builders, Batman, and the Incredible Hulk."

Oscars, Part 3

2010-03-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

11 PM... shoulda been done by now.

Documentary Feature. The Cove... something's up... banner? heh... ABC cut the text message ad!

Another unknown... Film editing: Hurt Locker.

Promo for Hurt Locker

Quentin Tarantino and ??? Foreign Language Film: Argentina. The Secret In Their Eyes.

Promo for Avatar.

Best Actor. Wow... nice set! What's with the testimonials? Zzzz... too long Michelle....

Jeff Bridges. Crazy Heart.

Best Actress. [fifteen minutes later] Sandra Bullock Time is 11:50.

Barbra Streisand! Looking pretty good. Best Director. Hurt Locker. Kathryn Bigelow.

Tom Hanks. Best Picture. Hurt Locker. Six total. It might be the lowest grossing BP on record.

And that's a wrap.

Oscars Part 3

2010-03-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

10 PM.... one hour to go...
HEY ABC! Program the Oscars like the Super Bowl! Pregame. Red carpet 6:30-6:30. Oscars from 7:30 to 11 ET. Move Barbara Walters to the week before. Two or three specials, maybe some specials on special effects. handicapping the major categories.

Avatar for art direction.

Hey, Phylis Diller is presenting! Oh, excuse me... Sarah Jessica Parker. Costume design. Ironic since Ms. Parker doesn't have great fashion sense. Young Victoria wins, and the winner upstages her with a classy glamourous look!

Precious promo. What's on her dress, Is that the underwire for the dress, on the outside?

Orchestra... Best Score? Heh... funny film.

Nice dress. Horror appreciation. Wow... they hit eveything!

Nice intro to Sound. Hurt Locker for both editing and mixing.

Nice dress whoever she is.

Tech awards promo

Glorious Basterd promo.

Speeding things up? No frills no noms for Cinematography. Avatar. Wow. The cinematography was in a computer!

Best Score? Nope.. In Memoriam. Roy Disney? Horton Foote? Quite a loss... So much talent. Yet it is all cuaght on film, in front and behind. I hope there is a webpage at the Academy with bios. So often we don't know those behind the camera.

Who's the hipster with J-Lo? Best score. Break damcing to Sherlock Holmes? Hurt Locker? Shades of Saving Private Ryan! Fantastic Mr. Fox... Up.... oh man... I'm on the floor! Avatar. Nice staging. well, the audience liked it.

Up wins. What are the pins the Pixar folks are wearing?

Two unknowns... visual effects. Avatar. easy pick.

Up in the Air promo.

Oscars, Part 2

2010-03-07T22:00:00.000-05:00

What's with the sunglasses? Is that Robert Downey Jr.? Screenplay... nicely presented.
original: Hurt Locker
adapted:

The mike melts into the floor! Nice!

Who's with Matthew Broderick? Molly Ringwald? Nice appreciation of John Hughes. Woulda been classy to segue into the Memoriam feature.

Up Best Picture promo.

Commercials.

Whoa... some dresses! Short Film? Animated: Logorama... not a surprise.
short documentary: Music by Prudence. Man... that's what it's all about. Biggest night of hos life, and he's enjoying it! And Prudence is there!
Live Action Short: New Tenants

Heh... Ben Stiller. Makeup... of course. Star Trek. (thought so)

serious man promo

Bathroom break.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Push. Cool. He's overcome... Saphire is there too. Nice.

Queen Latifah? What's this? Governor Awards. Will that be broadcast?

Robin Williams. BSActress. Mo'nique. It seems that the color line has been erased at the Oscars.

An Education promo.

Commercials.

Ready for My Long Shot

2010-03-07T20:29:00.004-05:00

Nice opening with the nomines... escorted off by their seat warmers. Holy... Neil Patrick Harris! Steve Martin becoming Jack Benny? And Steve Baldwin looks squished.... bad tailor? Knocking em dead in the aisles!

Heh... Avatar jokes.

No lectern!

BSActor... on screen captions would be nice... Inglorious Basterds.

Blind Side commercial. and regular commercial. what goes on in the auditorium while TV goes to commercial?

An ipad commercial? Why?

Nice Sonata ad.

And we're back. Who's the blonde with Steve Carell?

Oh man! Best Animated Feature! Nicely done. No surprize. Up.

Oscar... kinda looks like The Gimp when the face is in shadow.

Original Song... nicely done... show is moving quickly. Miley Cyrus forgot to put on her top. upset... no Disney win. Crazy Heart.

Ten Best Pics... difficult to fit all in. District 9 is next.

And commercials and bathroom.

Superfriends Got Nothing on Da Bronx!

2010-02-08T09:17:00.001-05:00

Wow. The Hall of Justice is a new building, composed mostly of glass. A large atrium greets visitors as they wait in line for the security scanners.

The Jury Assembly room, located on the First Floor, is a cathedral to Justice. Skylights offer some natural lighting, and large padded seating, backed by a veneered wood (fancy plywood), give the room a graceful yet serious ambience. Almost no noise is heard as we wait for the clerks to make their appearance on the dias.

While I waited in line, I saw a juror wearing her card like a convention attendee. The date on her card? December 21, 2009. I wonder what the longest juried case is on record, and what percentage of jurors are not selected?

More later.

This Looks Like A Job For...

2010-02-08T08:27:00.000-05:00

Today, I am on my way to the Hall of Justice. No, not the one in Metropolis with Superman and Wonder Dog. The one in the Bronx. As a registered voter, I have once again been summoned to serve. I have no opinion against jury duty. It is only required once every four years in the Bronx, and, like taxes, is a requirement necessary to keep a democracy functioning.

I do not know what type of case I might be called for, if I am found suitable. I probably will not blog about it, lest someone misplace their anger and frustration.

Last time, I read Tom Wolfe's "Streamline Baby" collection of essays while I waited. This time, Terry Pratchett's Unseen Academicals. I'm sure he's written one or two Discworld novels about the Justice System, but this is his latest.

See you soon...

Super Bowl XLIV : Post-Game

2010-02-07T21:49:00.001-05:00

E-Trade first class... okay
Chevy... ZZZZ
Campbell's Chunky... okay
Pace Picante... good
Flo TV... good.
Toyota... repeat, okay
Ford Escape... okay
...
Intel... Equates their new chip with email, wi-fi, Atari 2600, excellent
Sun Life... good
Walmart... good
Hyundai luxury... good
Crazies... interesting ad, movie is dime-a-dozen but told interestingly?
...
(and nothing else of interest...)

Super Bowl XLIV : Fourth Quarter

2010-02-07T21:02:00.003-05:00

Vizio... effective
Emerald/Pop Secret... weird but effective
NFL Draft... repeat, but effective
Undercover Boss... repeat, more effective as solo ad. Premise is presented effectively.
...
Dante's Inferno... effective. Looks great.
Budweiser... obligatory Clydesdale ad, not that great.
...
Honda Crosstour... good.
Denny's... okay
CBS promos... good
...
Audi eco-police... excellent
Taco Bell... effective
...
Doritos Tim... HA!
...
Bud Light Book Club... women drinking Bud Light with a book club? Okay.
Hyundai Sonata... seen at pre-game, good
E-Trade babies... not that good.
...
Skechers Shape-up... repeat, blah
Go Daddy... good, drives web traffic
Denny's Birthday... effective
CBS 5-D... good
Mentalist... good.

Super Bowl : Third Quarter

2010-02-07T20:31:00.003-05:00

Prince of Persia... looks good
Motorola... heh. Who's the model?
Volkswagen punchbuggy... Effective, nice use of celebrities!
Denny's... interesting.
CBS... How I met your mother... Where does the number go?
...
Michelob Ultra... good use of Lance Armstrong
HomeAway.com... Brilliance using the Griswolds!
Bridgestone... good
KGB... funny and effective
...
Coca Cola... Serenghetti. Memorable.
E-Trade babies... memorable, cute.
...
Census 2010... good
Google... WOW. Telling a story with typing and a simple sound track. One of the best.
...
Kia Sorento... fun. good message
Roundup... okay
Bud Select 55... good
...
NFL thank you... good
Toyota apology... good
Metro PCS... offensive? not that good.
Ford Edge (local ad?)... okay
...

Super Bowl XLIV : Halftime

2010-02-07T19:53:00.002-05:00

Flo TV... remixed video, very effective
HBO The Pacific... neutral.
Acura ZDX... is the woman turned on by a car?
NY Lottery (local ad)... guy playing in a lottery ball bin to promote Powerball and MegaMillions, effective.
...
(What's with the PSP displays during the halftime report? Sell that space to Flo TV or a mobile carrier.)
...
CSI:NY... interesting.
Amazing Race... feh
NFL Network... excellent
...
(Who dat playing? / The Who. / Who? / Yes. / Who's the band? / Yes. / Yes is playing? / No, The Who is. / Who's the band? / No, Who is the Who. The Band's not playing tonight. / Then the Who's playing? / Exactly.
...
CBS promos... zzzz...
....
CBS News... good
TV.com... blink you miss it
Backup Plan... huh?
Ford Fusion... okay
Prudential S.O.S... okay
American Airlines... good, keeps attention
Honda... It's All-American. So much for Lee Iococa and Chrysler...

Super Bowl XLIV : Second Quarter

2010-02-07T19:13:00.002-05:00

Budweiser... interesting.
Shutter Island... intriguing!
CBS Heart PSA... effective, well done
Late Night... Holy &@$!!! Epic!
...
Career Builder... freaky ads tonight... eh.
Dockers... more freaks on parade. feh.
Hyundai... Brett Favre... effective
...
Bud Light Lost... okay
Dove Men... William Tell Overture kept your attention, effective
...
Dodge Charger... Well done. Where's this going? Good payout.
Teleflora...Hahahaha!
Papa John's... nice
CSI: Miami... in space? I'd watch.
...
Alice in Wonderland... it's now a blockbuster? Loses geek cred with this trailer. Blech. Should have maintained mystery.
Dr. Pepper Little Kiss... Cool.
NFL Full Contact... Groundhog Day, effective
...
Universal Harry Potter... nice teaser for fans.
...
FloTV... good intro... effective
...
Intel... ??? nice logo ending with the employees

Super Bowl XLIV : Second Quarter

2010-02-07T19:13:00.001-05:00

Super Bowl XLIV : Second Quarter

2010-02-07T19:13:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl XLIV : First Quarter

2010-02-07T18:39:00.000-05:00

Bud Light...first ad... house of Bud feh.
Snickers! five stars
Tim Lebow... eh... lots of controversy... no big deal. smart of CBS to put it early.
...
Boost Mobile... Bears... cool. three stars.
Sonata zzzz
Dotitos... ???? why's the collar do that?
....
Robin Hood... doesn't sell me
Doitos Jalen... eh.
Bud Light Asteroid... good
CSI... ignoring most network ads, but well executed.
...
Coca Cola Simpsons... okay
Go Daddy... nice logo placement. Otherwise, eh. Who was masseuse?
...
Doritos funeral. eh.
Bud light party... good
Beaver Monster... memorable.
Wolfman... feh
....
Bridgestone Shamu... great ending!
Sketchers... money wasted
Cars.com... excellent
CBS Network of the decade... yeah, right.

Super Bowl XLIV : Pre Game

2010-02-07T18:38:00.000-05:00

Macdonald's... Hahha... good, but better if you saw the original. Sonata Hyundai ad is simple but effective.

Nice having the Hall of Fame class at the coin toss. Is the toss unbalanced, 13 in a row?

Players should be more reverent during the National Anthem.

Shrouded In Mystery

2010-01-24T21:26:00.003-05:00

9 Chickweed Lane is my favorite comic strip currently being published! (Click on the comic above to view the entire strip.)

The daily strips tell an ongoing story, mostly about romance, with the occasional surreality thrown in to keep things interesting. The Sundays, as seen above, are one-shot strips, and are nice little vignettes.

So, I could not resist posting the above strip. I wonder if it's for sale?

I Don't Think So

2010-01-16T06:00:00.000-05:00

I left the house at 5:15 AM to catch a 7 AM bus to Boston. As I turned the corner onto the local Main Street, a car pulls up along side me and yells, "Taxi! Taxi!"

Now this is a common occurance in my neighborhood, especially around the subway station. I was taking the train to the bus, so I replied, "Subway. Subway".

The taxi driver repeated his call of "Taxi! Taxi!", so I replied, "Two dollar taxi!" (Yeah, it's now $2.50, but it doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely.)

So the taxi drives on as I continue walking to the local deli for breakfast. That's when I get a good look at the taxi.

It's a red minivan with residential plates. Not a sedan, not a van, a MINIVAN.

So, Strike One: you aren't licensed by the Taxi and Limousine Commission, and you're probably not paying any taxes or fees as a taxi driver.

Strike Two: You want me to get into a strange car driven by a strange man at 5:30 in the morning? Folks... there's a lot of stuff I never learned in school, or forgot because of the cheerleader sitting in the desk next to mine, but I do remember this: NEVER EVER GET IN A STRANGE CAR WITH SOMEONE YOU DO NOT KNOW. Not if they offer you candy, or say there's an emergency, not even if they are sweeter and curvier than a chocolate Easter bunny.

And Strike Three: You want me to get in an unlicensed cab, at 5 AM, in New York City, driven by some strange guy who probably isn't wearing his safety belt, AND you want me to pay for it?

I don't think so.

From The Archives: My LEGO Pyramid

2009-12-30T23:45:00.001-05:00

Somewhere in my teens, I grew bored with LEGOs. I briefly explored abstract creations with the specialized pieces of Technic and Classic Space, and created octahedrons using the classic bricks.

Eventually, I used a 50x50 base plate, and constructed a pyramid with bricks. Using almost every brick I had, I corbelled each brick so that half of each brick was attached to the one below, creating a stair-step angle. I had to calculate which row would have which color to maximize the use of bricks. I only used one cheat: a blue layer needed a brick, and I had to laminate slats to create the needed brick. I soon discovered that each side tended to buckle towards the middle of each side, which necessitated the use of braces along the bottom half of the pyramid.

Since this was a pyramid, I felt that the interior should have some sort of ritualistic purpose, and designed a complex structure inside. However, all that remains of this are some schematics drawn on graph paper. LEGO does offer a digital construction program on their website, and I might reconstruct this digitally.

Once completed, I stored it away in a cabinet with the remains of my other LEGOs. Roughly eight years later, I dusted it off, and wrote a paper for an architectural history class, investigating the use of LEGOs and corbelling techniques. I passed the class... and the original paper awaits rediscovery via Macintosh System 9.

What follows are pictures taken with my Treo cellphone, as I deconstructed the pyramid. Almost very brick is classic, although some were from Classic Space sets.

Plot Factory: Boy Meets Girl

2009-12-30T22:55:00.000-05:00

My freshling year at Cornell College, I took my English requirement in the Spring. Sitting in South Hall, trying to type a report on a PC with a three-color monochrome screen (orange type, white type, green type), staring out the window at the warm weather, I started the following to keep from going crazy. The original draft had 78 choices for Girl, and 68 for Boy. I added more, ending with 108 Girls and 95 Boys.

Later, when I transferred to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, I turned this list into a french-door binding for an art class on non-adhesive bindings. The professor, Bonnie O'Connell, then invited me to adapt this into a fifteen-by-fifteen print for an invitational portfolio. I spent Spring Break typesetting the text, fueled with Double Stuff Oreos and Mountain Dew.

The Big Idea: Start with the basic plot. Select one possibility from each, and use that to write a story.

Plot: Boy meets Girl. Boy falls in love with Girl.

Girl is:
engaged/promised to another boy.
a figment of Boy's imagination.
using Boy to get revenge on her parents.
a different religion than Boy.
not interested.
possessed by Cthulu.
suffering from an Electra complex.
from the wrong family/social class/gang/species.
jail bait.
pregnant.
all of the above.
Boy's mother.
Boy's father.
really a boy.
Boy's long lost sister.
J. Fred Muggs in drag.
a terrorist.
Boy's assassin.
a leader of a small European monarchy.
an alien humanoid from another planet.
a prostitute.
a mafia princess.
Typhoid Mary.
an IRS agent.
an agent for the KGB.
a porn film star.
an advertising copyrighter.
actually Cleopatra.
a private detective.
a time traveller trying to prevent the future from happening.
a psychologist studying acute sexual deficiencies in human males.
a right-wing, flag-waving, God-Bless-Amurika Christian.
a swimsuit model.
a television producer.
a writer of Gothic romances.
an editor for the National Enquirer.
a fugitive.
a foreign spy.
a statue.
a mermaid.
an insurance salesman.
a robot.
a millionaire.
a ghost.
a psychopath.
a nymphomaniac.
a militant feminist.
a manic depressive.
a masochist.
a sadist.
schizophrenic.
terminally ill.
a vampire.
a werewolf.
a nun.
a contributing editor for People Magazine.
a painting.
a drug kingpin.
an actress looking for her big break.
a donut dolly during the World War Two.
an animal.
a witch.
Catherine the Great.
a Neanderthal.
an undercover police officer.
Boy's reflection.
Boy's teacher.
an animated cartoon.
a comic strip character.
Boy's nanny.
Boy's guardian.
Boy's step-mother.
Boy's niece.
Boy's aunt.
Boy's grandmother.
Boy's mother-in-law.
a clown.
an Olympian immortal.
Boy's professor.
Boy's minister.
minister's daughter.
an hallucination.
Boy's evil twin.
an Army drill sergeant.
the anti-Christ.
Boy's daughter.
a telephone sanitizer.
a foreign exchange student.
a junk bond broker.
Death.
a mime.
a spokesperson for "No Excuses" jeans.
kidnapped by gangsters.
an angel.
a blood-sucking alien looking for a host.
boy's student.
a gold digger.
a zombie.
a Valkyrie.
Eva Braun.
a KGB agent who was using Boy, but who has since fallen in love with Boy.
a cheerleader.
Boy's warden.
an orphan who was raised by black widow spiders.
the Pope.
farmer's daughter.
is Elvis in cognito.

Boy:
kills Girl.
kills himself.
kills himself and Girl.
kills Girl and serves her to parents as main course.
kills Girl's family.
kills Girl's boyfriend.
blackmails Girl.
keeps Girl captive in basement.
marries Girl.
marries another girl to escape from Girl.
dumps Girl for European model.
sells Girl into slavery.
loses Girl.
turns Girl over to the authorities.
abandons Girl in the Amazon rain forest.
leaves Girl waiting at the altar.
enlists Girl in the United States Marine Corps.
marries Girl's sister.
marries Girl's mother.
seduces Girl's brother.
enters a monastery.
enters an insane asylum.
joins the Merchant Marines.
joins the Peace Corps.
joins the French Foreign Legion.
changes his identity to escape from Girl.
changes his gender to escape from Girl.
defects to Albania.
gets drafted.
participates in questionable genetic experiments.
escapes to the Amazon, and is never heard from again.
turns himself over to the authorities.
is cryogenically frozen to escape Girl.
flees to deserted island in the South Pacific.
volunteers for missionary work in New Guinea.
writes bestselling novel about his experiences with Girl.
assassinates the President of the United States to show his love for Girl.
appears on late afternoon talk shows.
overthrows a small African dictatorship.
wins a Nobel prize.
writes best selling love song about Girl.
saves Mankind.
dies from sheer boredom.
becomes a chronic alcoholic.
withdraws into himself.
fails blood test.
starts Armageddon.
dies from shock.
is never heard from again.
wakes up.
does nothing.
doesn't care.
self destructs.
sells soul to the devil.
builds a luxurious palace for Girl.
has torrid love affair with Girl's mother.
leaves wife for Girl.
dies from battle wounds.
elopes with Girl.
rapes Girl.
has deep meaningful relationship with Girl.
kills Girl's brother.
creates a popular television sitcom about Girl.
loves Girl anyway.
forsakes family heritage to marry Girl.
undergoes operation to be equal to Girl.
dies in Girl's arms.
writes Doctoral thesis about Girl.
volunteers to fly the Army's experimental fighter, is lost somewhere over the Caribbean.
kills Girl's rabbit, makes rabbit stew.
gains infinite wisdom, realizes that Earth is illogical, and destroys it.
marries Girl, has 2.3 children, makes $25,063 a year, and dies an average death.
asks Girl to prom.
ridicules Girl in front of entire student body.
writes, directs, and produces TV Movie of the Week about Girl.
performs questionable genetic experiments on Girl.
joins police force to find girl.
dumps Girl for Girl's brother.
reveals that he, too, is what Girl is.
remembers previous appointment, leaves Girl.
wins lottery, enters life of decadence.
elopes with Girl's moose.
accidentally kills Girl's brother.
reveals secret identity to Girl.
writes bawdy limerick about Girl.
goes AWOL to elope with Girl.
wins six Olympic Gold medals, becomes immensely wealthy, and forgets about Girl.
joins leper colony to escape from Girl.
is exiled from society for associating with Girl.
rescues Girl.
invents time machine to escape from Girl.
invents faster-than-light travel to escape from Girl.
changes gender to fulfill Girl's sexual needs.

This Is Only A Test

2009-12-30T20:20:00.011-05:00

My True Fans will recall one of my earliest posts, "Testing Email Posting", where I posted a tongue-in-cheek test.

The following was the inspiration for my test. I acquired it from my uncle, Herr Doktor Hans Steffen, business professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. I do not think he ever administered this test, although I do recall him laughing over the questions.

(I do know of one English professor who administered a test over Hamlet with one question: "At the end of the play, who survives?")

You have four hours.

From the Archives: Buttons

2009-12-30T18:53:00.006-05:00

Here are a sample of buttons I have collected up to circa 1994. This is not the complete collection, but just the best. Many were purchased when I was in my hippy rebellious stage in college (purchased from a counter-culture / progressive catalog based in Minnesota). Others were collected from comics shops, others were lying around the house, a few I actually purchased in stores or found at garage sales.

Since then, I have found many more, mostly via science fiction conventions. (The "Watergate" button is an example.)

If you are wondering, the "Mutants for Nuclear Power" button was pristine at one time. The stains are from water damage, not radioactive material. Now that I think of it, a luminescent button with that design would be pretty cool...

YouTube: Martha Stewart and Cookie Monster

2009-12-30T13:19:00.009-05:00

Here we see Cookie Monster visit Martha Stewart's kitchen, to bake cookies.

Of course, the word "cookie" cannot be spoken, lest Cookie Monster loose control. Of course, the magic word is spoken, and Cookie barters with Ms. Stewart to satisfy the cookie monkey on his back!

Enjoy!

Something a bit more serious:

From the Archives: Self-Portraits From The Erlangen Comic Salon

2009-12-30T10:31:00.026-05:00

As you saw in the previous post, I attended the Comic Salon in Erlangen, Germany, in 1994.

It was my first comicbook convention, and I guess a was a bit uncertain what to expect. As comics events go, this was quite interesting... the city embraced the show with the Lord Mayor having breakfast with many of the guests, the train station had advertising to promote the festival, and there were comics displays in the local bookstore window.

Wandering around the convention hall, I soon realized that various guests were drawing free sketches for attendees. I quickly departed for the nearest stationery store and purchased a drawing pad.

What follows are various self-portraits I commissioned from the guests. Many artists do not regularly draw self-portraits, and most hesitate before drawing.

This is a pencil sketch of/by Henrik Dorgathen. He won the Max und Moritz Preis for Best German-Language Comics Artist. Space Dog, a story told entirely in icons, had been published the year before, but I was short of funds, and Mr. Dorgathen graciously drew this quick sketch.

This artist, unfortunately, is lost in my memory. He is German, but that's all I can hypothesize.

This is Hunt Emerson's self-portrait. Mostly unknown in the United States, he is probably best known for his adult humor comics, such as Casanova's Last Stand.

Scott McCloud visited Erlangen to promote the German editions of Understanding Comics and Destroy! He was situated up on a mezzanine, and seemed a bit forlorn.

The next day, I visited him again, and had him draw an abstract version of himself.

Finally, we have Neil Gaiman, who is not known for his artwork (although he did create one of the first 24-hour comics). Since this was back in 1994, he was not yet a rock star, and the line, while lengthy, moved quickly. Don Rosa, on the other hand, had to hand out tickets for his Duck drawings. Of Will Eisner, Neil Gaiman, and Don Rosa at the Ehapa booth, Don Rosa was the most popular. (Yeah, that was typical of Erlangen. Joe Kubert was also there, signing archive editions for another publisher, but he was only autographing his books.)

The next Salon is in June 2010. I suspect the festival has gotten more popular, although the comics scene in Germany is still a bit nascent.

From the Archives: Neil Gaiman

2009-12-30T00:32:00.010-05:00

While travelling around the world in 1994, I spent two months in Europe, mostly visiting family in Hannover.

While there, the biennial Comic Salon in Erlangen was taking place, so I took the train south to northern Bavaria. The Salon was quite amazing, as the entire city embraced the culture and art of the medium! The salon itself was small as compared to other comics shows I've attended... The MoCCA Festival is probably the closest comparison to what I experienced in 1994.

My German is passable, allowing me to survive well enough on my own. I knew very little about the European comics scene, attending mostly because many American (and British) guests had been invited by German publishers. I learned first of the Salon because of Don Rosa, then met Will Eisner, Hunt Emerson, Scott McCloud, Joe Kubert, and Neil Gaiman. What surprised me the most were the free sketches most artists made for attendees! I quickly bought a sketch pad from an art store, and collected many sketches. I was extremely fortunate to be one of the first to get a sketch from Don Rosa, who actually produced FINISHED artwork... pencilled in blue, then hand inked! Not a quick sketch, but what would be considered a commission... I asked for a Guardians of the Lost Library motif (the story had just been published in May) and he delivered! Of the others, I asked for self-portraits of each artist, since many do not publicly produce them.

I had spent three months in New Zealand while travelling (and would have stopped my wandering there had immigration not been so difficult), and found all of Neil Gaiman's early stories for 2000 A.D. He graciously signed them, and then even agreed to a quick self-portrait. This might be the only time he has done this, so I am sharing this with the world. The original is on A4 paper.

Later, during the Max und Moritz Preis reception (the awards ceremony was held at the Opera House, preceded by a comedic gymnastic performance), I eavesdropped as Mr. Gaiman told a cautionary tale of an actual industry professional. Of course, I've kept it to myself, as it is not my story to tell.

From the Archives: LEGO "Wir Bauen" Idea Book

2009-12-29T11:18:00.027-05:00

Yesterday morning, the grandkids (my nieces and nephew) came over to play.

Being the cool uncle that I am, I excavated my box of LEGO bricks from the basement.

When I was younger, I was a LEGO fanatic, having inherited the toys my three older brothers had outgrown. Every Christmas, I would get one big set (or some smaller ones). For those box-shakers out there, rattling LEGOS have a sound unlike any other! Sure, you know there are LEGOs inside, but what kind? And what are you going to build?

My friends were Space Lego fans (Star Wars influence, circa 1980), so most of my sets are from the early years of that series. (Alpha-1 Rocket Base, Starfleet Voyager (suh-weet)...)

I have lots of the older, traditional bricks (now known as Creator), and used them to build a massive pyramid on a 50x50 base plate. That was my swan song as a child, although I did use that model as the basis of a paper on corbelling for an architectural history class at university.

So, while I was digging around the boxes, I found some older manuals. The following pictures are from a magazine-sized book which was old when I first saw it. I have no idea what the original looks like, but as a kid it was both fascinating to look at and frustrating to contemplate. Here were little dioramas, little Legoland displays I could make, but the pieces were too exotic! (Clear bricks, those rare quarter-column curved pieces, flags!)

The text is German. "Wir bauen" translates to "We build". I love the illustration style, somewhere between photo and illustration. Note that brick edges have been highlighted to help builders decipher brick placement. This document is from the early 1960s, as LEGO entered that market in 1959. Possibly 1964, when instruction manuals were first produced. The staples were lost years ago, so I have arranged the pages thematically.

Enjoy!

BN.com Top 1000 Titles Graphic Novels and Comics 12.25.2009

2009-12-25T18:04:00.002-05:00

BN.com Top 1000 Titles Graphic Novels and Comics Friday 25 December 2009
(reviewed at 12:01 AM)

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 196
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $11.16
Member price: $10.04

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
Hardcover - Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 258
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 304
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 314
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover - 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 403
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Watchmen by Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Barry Marx (Editor)
Paperback - REV
ISBN-13: 9780930289232
Sales Rank: 462
Pub. Date: April 1995
List price: $19.99
Online price: $12.99
Member price: $11.69

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 481
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Cyanide and Happiness by Kris Wilson, Matt Melvin, Rob Denbleyker, Dave Mcelfatric
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780061914799
Sales Rank: 491
Pub. Date: January 2010
List price: $13.99
Online price: $10.49
Member price: $9.44

Logicomix : An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos (Illustrator) , Annie Di Donna (Illustrator)
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
Sales Rank: 704
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $22.95
Online price: $14.91
Member price: $13.41

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Hardcover - 3-volume set
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
Sales Rank: 730
Pub. Date: October 2005
List price: $150.00
Online price: $97.50
Member price: $87.75

On the Money: The Economy in Cartoons, 1925-2009 by The New Yorker, Gladwell, Malcolm
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740784903
Sales Rank: 940
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $24.99
Online price: $16.24
Member price: $14.61

In Odd We Trust by Dean Koontz, Queenie Chan (Illustrator)
Paperback - Graphic Novel
ISBN-13: 9780345499660
Sales Rank: 957
Pub. Date: June 2008
List price: $10.95
Online price: $8.76
Member price: $7.88

The Fine Print:
While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.) I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time. Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:
http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

From the Archives: Chic Young's All New Blondie #211

2009-12-25T16:53:00.006-05:00

Blondie, Volume 7, No. 211, December 1974

Cover by Paul Fung, Jr. (Wow... quite a biography! His NCS biography can be read here.)

In the feature story, "Blondie: Heritage of a Super-Bumstead", Dagwood suffers from a jumpy stomach. To calm it down, he creates one of his signature sandwiches.

The ingredients, as disclosed in the story: relish, mustard, pickles, olives, catsup, horseradish, sardines, peanut butter, cheese, beans, onions, and mayonnaise.

Dagwood eats only half the sandwich. Alexander's friends disturb Dagwood's nap, and Dag erupts in fury! Dagwood demolishes a tree, notices that he's damaged the front door, and quickly realizes that his sandwich has granted him super powers! He retrieves the other half of the sandwich from the refrigerator, but before he can analyze the contents, Blondie drags him away to fix the front door!

While Dagwood repairs the front door, Daisy and her pups devour every last bit of sandwich, causing Dagwood to start from scratch. (It is not shown if the dogs develop super powers.) Will Dagwood rediscover the source of his powers?

The editors tease further adventures, and according to the Grand Comics Database, a second story was printed in the very next issue. (This is quite unusual for a licensed comicbook. Usually, the editors would wait for sales figures and reader letters before deciding to continue a particular story. Perhaps the writer and artist had this written as a two-parter, and the editors decided to split it over two issues to maximize sales.)

Blondie #214 showcases the five-page "Tonic... With A Real Kick" featuring "Super-Dagwood". Since the series ended shortly thereafter, I suspect they do not exist. (Although I know many fanboys are salivating over the idea of "Super Blondie"...) John Byrne did work at Charlton during that time, and could revive the idea. (Dagwood and Blondie make a cameo in Fantastic Four #276, when Reed and Sue move to suburban Connecticut.)

(Hey... I just noticed... those big black eyes, the strange feathered hair... Dagwood looks like an extraterrestrial alien!)

From the Archives: Star Trek #7, March 1970

2009-12-25T15:50:00.001-05:00

Ah... one of my favorite "bad" comics!

Star Trek #7, published by Western Publishing Company in March 1970. The issue has been collected in Star Trek: The Key Collection, Volume 1, published by Checker Book Publishing Group, LLC. Apparently there are known credits for this story, but I will be charitable and respect their anonymity.

"The Voodoo Planet", a twenty-six page story, involves the Starship Enterprise discovering an exact replica of Earth.

Here we see the Enterprise, as it approaches the planet on Page Two. Note the exhaust from the nacelles. This error is repeated later on the same page, and two pages later, as the ship travels over Paris on Page Four. (Perspective is badly drawn. Either the Enterprise is smaller than the Eiffel Tower, or the Enterprise is far in the distance, and the colorist could not use the limited palette to create a sfumato effect.)

Panels on later pages show the exhaust from the nacelles without color (unlikely to be contrails, as the ship would have no exhaust to create them). Only one panel shows the Enterprise without exhaust. Every other panel uses the exhaust, with speed lines, even though the speed lines would have been sufficient to denote movement.

So, Kirk and Spock beam down to what they think is Paris, only to find it deserted. There, they find a copy of the Eiffel Tower, several feet shorter, and constructed COMPLETELY out of papier-mâché. (Shouldn't they have used plaster of Paris?) Before Spock can theorize how a large 100+ foot tall Eiffel Tower constructed out of glue and paper could support its own weight without collapsing, an mysterious "laser beam-ray" strikes the tower, causing it to collapse. Kirk and Spock flee, barely escaping as the Tower crashes into the papier-mâché buildings which surround the Tower. (Although Google Maps shows that there are few buildings near the Tower, I will ignore this error, as this is a Voodoo Planet, and verisimilitude is not required to achieve the desired effect.)

Soon, news arrives from Earth via "relayed galaxy radio photograph". Not video, PHOTOGRAPH. In the 23rd century. Relayed across light years of distance almost instantaneously. The news? The Eiffel Tower has collapsed in Paris, at "exactly 12:40 P.M."!

Spock glances at his wristwatch chronograph (I guess classic design never changes), and deduces "That was precisely the outer-galaxy time here that the papier-mâché tower toppled on us!" Doctor McCoy conjectures, "Could it be some sort of weird, deep space voodoo I wonder?"

As the Enterprise flies over "Rome", the laser beam appears again, demolishing the Colosseum of Rome! The Enterprise triangulates the source of the laser beam, and rockets (literally, there's exhaust from the nacelles) to a nearby planet. The ship hides in a debris field of space trash and Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down for reconnaissance. (No redshirts.) There they find a primitive voodoo tribe (although the natives are only throwing spears at human targets, not actual effigies). The natives are subdued with hand to hand combat (the sound of the phasers would have been too noisy, but fisticuffs aren't?), and the control room of the laser fortress is entered. Before our heroes can subdue the villain, a small button is pressed and... the Sphinx is destroyed!

Kirk and Spock are subdued by voodoo dolls (action figures!) manipulated by the natives, the pain too excruciating to allow Spock or Kirk using their phasers on the natives! The villain? The nefarious Count Dressler! Leader of a small kingdom on Earth, Dressler was "the only fanatic in power who sought to produce hydrogen bombs when all Earth was negotiating to ban them!" (Kirk) (Wait... they still had H-bombs on Earth? After a nuclear holocaust? And independent countries? What was the United Federation of Planets doing all this time?)

Escaping in a ROCKET ship, Dressler lands on a planet "hostile to Earth's ways". (No, not Qo'noS.) Dressler mastered the natives, stole their secrets, and became their leader. (Wait... why didn't the natives just make a voodoo doll of Dressler?) Dressler, in typical supervillain fashion, then demonstrates his voodoo technique in front of Kirk and Spock. Instantly, the Tower of Pisa is toppled! While Dressler gloats, McCoy rescues Kirk and Spock, fisticuffs subdue the natives, and, without firing phasers, our heroes retreat back to the Enterprise.

There, they once again experience extreme voodoo pain (but not death) but with McCoy's pain killers, they can concentrate enough to research a solution. (My solution? Use the ship's phaser and level the laser fortress, killing the villain and a few natives, while preventing thousands of deaths on Earth.) Spock then discovers that a similar technique was used by a Vulcan clan known as "pain casters". Spock synthesizes the Vulcan herbs, and Kirk and Spock undergo the voodoo rite.

Free of the pain of the action figures, Kirk and Spock (again, no red-shirted security) subdue Dressler, and transport him back to the Enterprise. Kirk then decides, without any sort of trial or rule of law, with no regard to the destruction of priceless landmarks and human suffering, to exile Dressler to an unpopulated planet. (Hey... you don't suppose George W. Bush read this comic, do you?)

So... Spock discovers an incredible weapon which can be used across vast distances... and it is never heard of again. (Although, perhaps the Tantalus Field used a similar technology.)

From the Archives: Walter Lantz Andy Panda #4 (reprint)

2009-12-23T21:38:00.017-05:00

Here's one of my favorite stories from my childhood collection of comics. (Comics I collected before becoming a serious collector in 1984.) These comics are dog-eared, creased, sometimes coverless. But flipping through the covers to find the comics I wanted to blog about, I could recall many of the stories. Dennis the Menace, Richie Rich, Super Goof and other Disney comics,l Sad Sack... good stuff!

The following is one of my favorites, even though the character is not well known, especially in the Midwest, where cartoon shorts were non-existent, and I did not see a Woody Woodpecker cartoon until 1985 (in Austria!). Andy Panda is a Mickey-Mouse-type character. His friend is Charlie Chicken, who causes most of the trouble.

In the following nine-page story, Andy has a mice problem. Charlie plots numerous schemes, all of which fail miserably. As you will see in the story, Charlie finally succeeds...miserably!

The moral of the story?

Build a better mousetrap, and the mice will beat a path to your door!

From the Archives: Electronic Games

2009-12-23T19:43:00.016-05:00

Cracked open a box, and found video tapes and old video game magazines.

The videos I'll watch later in bed, but here's a sample from the magazines:

Electronic Games (ISSN 0730-6687), published by Resse Publishing Company, Inc.

The issue: July 1982, Volume One, Number Five. Cover price: $2.95, full color throughout.

Here's the cover, which is why I picked it.

And the Table of Contents, with masthead.

Let's see... there's a two-page profile of Alan Miller, one of the original programmers of the Atari 2600, and a founding member of Activision. A four-page article discusses the early history of penny arcades and amusements.

"Strategy Session" discusses how to win at K. C. Munchkin (Odyssey), Adventure (Atari), and Match Racer (Gebelli Software). Old school gamers (such as myself) will remember that Atari/Namco sued Odyssey for copyright and trademark infringement, one of the first lawsuits involving videogames.

This is followed by the cover story, "The Coming of... TRON". Six pages of production stills, with the article discussing the movie and the various merchandise game tie-ins.

"Insert Coin Here" covers "Kickman" (Midway), "Space Duel" (Atari), Mouse Trap (Exidy), Zaxxon (Sega-Gremlin), Barracuda (Coinex), and Alpine Ski (Taito).

"The Player's Guide to Summer Sports Videogames offers eight pages of sports games.

"Games Library", reviews videogame guides, while "Arcade America" profiles the Westworld arcade located in Westwood Village, California. "Passport to Adventure" reviews "The Prisoner", based on the television show and designed for the Apple ][. "Mini-Arcade Gallery" profiles programmable stand-alone games. (The ancestors of today's PSP and GameBoy.) The best known games featured were Coleco's Total Control 4, which used cartridges containing the game screen, and Milton Bradley's Microvision.

Four pages then discuss displaying videogames on projection screens, such as the Sony KP-5000. "Programmable Parade" reviews Space Fortress (Astrovision), Trickshot (Imagic), Galactic Invasion (Astrovision), Boxing (Intellivision), and Haunted House (Atari). "Coin-Op Classroom" discusses Atari's Tempest. "Computer Playland" reviews Mousattack (On-Line), Crossfire (On-Line), Hockey (Gamma Software), Sammy the Sea-Serpent (PDI), David's Midgnight Magic (Broderbund), and Ceiling Zero (Turnkey Software).

"Stand Alone Scene" reviews Parker Brothers' Reflex, Coleco's Quiz Wiz Challenger, and Mattel's World Championship Baseball. Mattel's game is a pricey $65 (in 1982), but seems quite worthwhile, as it allows players to create a roster, and is housed in a chic case.

Here's the rankings presented on page 12.

From the Archives: Walt Kelly in Life Magazine

2009-12-23T10:38:00.020-05:00

Below is a scan from a photocopy from a bound volume of Life Magazine.

The article, which appeared in the May 12, 1952, issue of Life Magazine, profiles Walt Kelly and his popular comic strip, Pogo. Running from page 12 to 14 of that issue, it includes a stunning one-and-one-half page drawing of the swamp, populated with many of the swamp denizens, all in dialogue!

Here's a sample, roughly half the page, scanned from the photocopy. Click for detail!

Here's the cover of the issue, readily available for purchase online. Comic strip fans will also be interested in the cover from March 31 of the same year, showing Li'l Abner being married to Daisy Mae.

While trying to find online images from the internet, I found the following at the Life archives on Google. It seems Walt Kelly was visiting Harvard University to stump for presidential candidate Pogo Possum at New Lecture Hall.

The historic "I Go Pogo" candidacy was created not by Walt Kelly, but by the editors of the Harvard Crimson newspaper. (This might be open to interpretation. It is possible that Kelly started the promotion to increase newspaper and book sales.) The newspaper endorsed not Adlai Stevenson or Dwight D. Eisenhower, but Pogo Possum.

The idea snowballed, and soon Kelly was invited to speak at the University. His arrival was late, and a waiting crowd of 200 people swelled to 1600, causing traffic jams. Eventually, Cambridge police, simmering under town-gown prejudices, instigated crowd control, beating participants and arresting 28 students. The "Pogo Riot" thus entered the history books.

More Artwork From the Archives

2009-12-22T22:58:00.002-05:00

Another piece of artwork... maybe First or Second Grade?

Colored tissue paper glued on paper. I like the colors.

More From the Archives

2009-12-22T22:40:00.006-05:00

Here's a project from Seventh Grade art class.

I think the assignment was to fill a sheet of graph paper with various designs, and then the art teacher could choose some for enlargement or something. Or maybe she just wanted us to fill the paper, and then graded the designs. The paper was cheap construction paper...pulpy but practical. The drawing was in pencil, and the teacher made selections with a red marker. (The dots on the paper were the ones she liked.) The graph paper was not cut exactly, so the far left squares were only about three-quarters of the regular square. I filled them in anyway. Readers will notice that stencils were used on some of the squares. I had a six-inch plastic ruler from some cereal box. The ends were keyed so that rulers could be attached end to end.

I enjoyed art class in the Seventh and Eighth Grades. I had to give that up to concentrate on my college prep classes... I probably should have continued studying art.

A Treasure From The Archives

2009-12-21T22:34:00.025-05:00

I'm back home for the holidays, and spent a few hours today rearranging my vast collection of comics, toys, and other miscellany. I guess you could say I'm celebrating Christmas early, as I open boxes sealed years ago, rediscover stuff I didn't know I had, and enjoy the stuff I knew I had but didn't know where it was.

Here's a nice surprise from 1989, from Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.

That "Army fairy" (don't ask, don't tell?) is "Grogan". And, NO, he's not kicking Wellington" (the dog) in the balls. I've watched A LOT of Warner Brothers cartoons, but do not recognize and can find no information on Grogan. Or Wellington. Or that kinda cute "Red" located above the Three Bops.

Many years ago, I attended a "Space Jam" panel at the San Diego Comic-Con, and the director (producer? writer?) stated that every Warner Brothers cartoon character had a cameo in the movie. Not too hard to do, when the bleachers can be filled with characters.

The artwork is a bit off model (Hippity Hopper looks like Jimmy Durante). Also, there are some characters which I do not believe have ever been in a theatrical short (Petunia's nephew, Cicero? Honey
Bunny?)

No Coal Black, (WB's "Song of the South), although Inki and Baby Owl are shown. No Michigan J. Frog, no Pete Puma. Perhaps those cartoons are not part of the package offered here. Perhaps MJF was working as the WB spokesperson, and was not available. Perhaps Pete Puma was considered derogatory. (But then why Slowpoke Rodriguez?)

Here's the key to the entire poster.

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics 12.20.2009

2009-12-20T23:26:00.008-05:00

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics Sunday 20 December 2009

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 26
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover - 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 77
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 136
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
Hardcover - Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 144
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 147
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 198
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
Hardcover - Revised
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 224
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Hardcover - 3-volume set
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
Sales Rank: 280
Pub. Date: October 2005
List price: $150.00
Online price: $97.50
Member price: $87.75

Celebrating Peanuts: 60 Years by Charles Schulz
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 321
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

Kiss Kompendium
(Not appropriate for children) by Gene Simmons
(Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 9780061728198
Sales Rank: 425
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $48.75
Member price: $43.87

The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks
(Reprint) by Max Brooks
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780307405777
Sales Rank: 542
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $17.00
Online price: $11.05
Member price: $9.94

Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
Sales Rank: 602
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $22.95
Online price: $14.91
Member price: $13.41

Watchmen (REV) by Alan Moore
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780930289232
Sales Rank: 746
Pub. Date: April 1995
List price: $19.99
Online price: $12.99
Member price: $11.69

Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780316114882
Sales Rank: 791
Pub. Date: September 2005
Also Available in eBook
List price: $14.99
Online price: $11.99
Member price: $10.79

Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 878
Pub. Date: November 2009
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

Bloom County Complete Library, Volume 1 by Berkeley Breathed, Berkeley Breathed (Artist)
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9781600105319
Sales Rank: 930
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $39.99
Online price: $25.99
Member price: $23.39

The Fine Print:

While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.) I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time. Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics 12.19.2009

2009-12-19T18:52:00.006-05:00

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics Saturday 19 December 2009

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover - 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 29
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 31
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 127
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
Hardcover - Revised
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 153
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 169
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
Hardcover - Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 231
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 250
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 253
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Hardcover - 3-volume set
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
Sales Rank: 402
Pub. Date: October 2005
List price: $150.00
Online price: $97.50
Member price: $87.75

Kiss Kompendium by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley
Hardcover - Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780061728198
Sales Rank: 410
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $48.75
Member price: $43.87

Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. Lansdale
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 617
Pub. Date: November 2009
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780316114882
Sales Rank: 788
Pub. Date: September 2005
Also Available in eBook
List price: $14.99
Online price: $11.99
Member price: $10.79

Attack of the Deranged Mutant Killer Monster Snow Goons (Calvin and Hobbes Series) by Bill Watterson
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9780836218831
Sales Rank: 893
Pub. Date: January 1992
List price: $12.99
Online price: $10.39
Member price: $9.35

Logicomix : An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos (Illustrator) , Annie Di Donna (Illustrator)
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
Sales Rank: 898
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $22.95
Online price: $14.91
Member price: $13.41

The Fine Print:
While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.)

I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.

I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time. Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

Fly Me!

2009-12-18T20:40:00.000-05:00

For those who wonder...
18th and Fifth to Newark Airport train station: one hour.
Airport through security: one hour.

Continental charges $20 to check luggage. I could have lugged my 35 pound backpack through security and then checked it at the gate. However, my toiletries are hostile, so I paid the money. I doubt they refund the money if it is lost or delayed.

HOWEVER... Continental does not charge a fee if I check it at the gate. So... Continental is encouraging fliers to carry on oversized luggage, which causes overcrowding in the overhead bins. (Most people do not store bags under the seat... no legroom, and if the bag is that small, there's got to be space overhead, right?)

I can tell by eyeballing walkies, that they would not pass the cram test. (Those metal your-bag-must-be-smaller-than-these-measurements cages.)

What would I suggest? Every carry on must be lasered for dimensions, and given a tag certifying said scanning. If too large or too heavy, the bag must be checked. Passengers can sidestep check-in by paying a $100 fee to carry the luggage on board. Checked baggage is free, unless the luggage is overweight or of strange dimensions (skis, bicycles, steamer trunks).

Hmm... still waiting to board a Nine O'Clock flight...and it's 8:40. Google search says the plane landed hours ago... so why the wait? It is a direct flight, so no worries about connecting flights.

Gonna finish this for now...

Tweet, Tweet, Tweetledee

2009-12-17T20:45:00.000-05:00

I realize I could just set up a Twitter feeder, however:

1) I earn microcents everytime someone visits, and those add up. (A microcent bears the image of Herbert Hoover on the obverse, with a picture of Hoover Dam on the reverse. The trickle of water released compared to the amount in Lake Mead is symbolic of the value of microcents.)

2) While I could have millions of mindless minions and a bevy of busty beauties at my beck and call, that sort of thing usually Ends Badly. Although, I would be cool enough to offer everyone Jell-O shots instead of Kool-Aid.

3) Unlike Facebook and MySpace (Hola, Ceci), no sensuous woman has "encouraged" me to set up a Twitter account.

4) Twitter does not handle pictures. Also, I like to know what the link is I'm clicking. As seen with the recent GOP URL truncator, a bit.ly link can lead to a site showing chimpanzees fornicating in a vat of banana pudding. Or Sarah Palin talking about Alaska seceding from the U.S.

5) I don't need an account. I can voyeur other people's feeds when necessary.

6) I suspect Twitter does not archive remarks, or that Google searching uncovers them.

7) If I joined Twitter, the Cool Kids would mock me, causing me to wear a black trenchcoat and listen to Marilyn Manson records.

8) 140 characters... Do those 140 include foreign characters like umlauts, cedillas, and Unicode? Or does Twitter only speak Amurikin?

9) Bold, italics, color, font, size, underline, embedded links?

10) Isn't your attention worth more than 140 characters?

And so it goes...

Either Or...

2009-12-17T08:20:00.000-05:00

An optimist says,"The glass is half full".

A pessimist says, "The glass is half empty".

Myself, I'm a pragmatist. I say the glass is too big.

Thought For The Day

2009-12-17T08:10:00.001-05:00

Is it:

Many hands make light work.

Or:

Many cooks spoil the broth.
?

BN.com Top 1000 Graphic Novels and Comics 16 December 2009

2009-12-16T18:59:00.002-05:00

Dog Days (Diary
of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 16
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy
Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
- 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 27
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

The Book of
Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
Hardcover
- Not appropriate for children
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 70
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

Marvel
Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
Hardcover
- Revised
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 93
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

Diary of a Wimpy
Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 96
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Rodrick Rules
(Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 102
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Last Straw
(Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 114
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Celebrating
Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 443
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

Diary of a
Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup,John L. Lansdale
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 519
Pub. Date: November 2009
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

DC Comics
Encyclopedia, Updated and Expanded by Daniel Wallace, Phil Jimenez, Scott Beatty, Robert Greenburger
Hardcover
- Revised
ISBN-13: 9780756641191
Sales Rank: 795
Pub. Date: September 2008
List price: $45.00
Online price: $29.25
Member price: $26.32

Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780316114882
Sales Rank: 907
Pub. Date: September 2005
Also Available
in digital eBook
List price: $14.99
Online price: $11.99
Member price: $10.79

The Complete
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Hardcover
- 3-volume set
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
Sales Rank: 960
Pub. Date: October 2005
List price: $150.00
Online price: $97.50
Member price: $87.75

BN.com Top 1000 Graphic Novels and Comics 15 December 2009

2009-12-15T18:31:00.003-05:00

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 32
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book
Set by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover - 4 Hardcover books
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 52
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
Hardcover - Revised
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 59
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

The Book of Genesis Illustrated
by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
(Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 89
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21(save 35%)
Member price: $14.58

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a
Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 121
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy
Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 149
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy
Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 182
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32
(Save 28%)
Limited Time Offer!Everyone
receives the Member Price on books.

Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 328
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

Logicomix : An Epic Search for
Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou,Alecos Papadatos (Illustrator) , Annie Di Donna(Illustrator)
Paperback
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
Sales Rank: 470
Pub. Date: September 2009
List price: $22.95
Online price: $14.91
Member price: $13.41

The Zombie Survival Guide:
Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks
(Paperback)
ISBN-13: 9780307405777
Sales Rank: 798
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $17.00
Online price: $11.05(save 35%)
Member price: $9.94

Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid
(Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup,John L. Lansdale
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 927
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Illustrated
Edition) by Nancy Butler
(Hardcover)
ISBN-13: 9780785139157
Sales Rank: 978
Pub. Date: November 2009
List price: $19.99
Online price: $12.99(save 35%)
Member price: $11.69

Free Comics! From Neil Gaiman

2009-12-13T21:50:00.006-05:00

Okay... here's a few to get your juices flowing.

Let's start with the Patron Saint of Graphic Novels. (Yes, I know he's Jewish. Yes, I know Will Eisner has a claim to that title as well. Yes, I know he was Jewish as well. Okay okay... Mr. Gaiman is one of the 36 unselfish people who keep comics going. Happy?)

Coraline (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell (Illustrator), Lovern Kindzierski (Illustrator)
$18.99 List price
(Hardcover - Graphic Novel Edition)

(Hmmm.... the view pops up, but nothing is visible past the front cover! Even the page slider, at the bottom, which shows thumbnails, shows blank pages. Perhaps HarperCollins has removed the images? Most everything else from Gaiman's HarperCollins catalog is available for preview.
HarperCollins has a functional preview here. 38 pages!)

Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman, Charles Vess (Illustrator)
List price: $17.99

(Thirteen pages available to all, fifteen with account)

Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman, Dave Mckean (Illustrator)

List price: $18.99

(Thirteen pages available to all, sixteen with account)

The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman, Gris Grimly (Illustrator)

List price: $17.99

(Ten pages for everyone, twelve with account)

Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman, Dave Mckean (Illustrator) , Dave McKean (Illustrator)
Online price: $6.99

(Only the cover! Hardcover is the same. HarperCollins has a preview here. Fourteen pages! Heh..."Browse inside the Wolves in the Wall...)

Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman, Dave Mckean (Illustrator) , Dave McKean (Illustrator)
List price: $17.99

(Cover only! HarperCollins has a preview available here. Sixteen pages!)

Children's Crusade (Books of Magic Series #3) by Carla Jablonski, Neil Gaiman (Created by) , John Bolton (Created by)

(Oh. It's a novelization of the comicbooks. Should have known better... DC doesn't post previews on BN.com.)

Free Comics! Introduction

2009-12-13T21:40:00.004-05:00

Much discussion has occurred online over comics being converted into digital e-books.

Well, over on Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com, publishers have been offering previews of regular books for the past five years or so. A few publishers have also begun to offer actual e-books which can be downloaded to e-readers, cellphones, and computers.

So... I will feature a few here, courtesy of BarnesAndNoble.com (I like their reader more than Amazon's, and since I have an account there, I can sometimes read the ENTIRE book when I log on.) Yes, I work for them, but I'm not doing this as an employee, just as a professional Seducer of the Innocent, letting other fans enjoy some comics they might not realize they might enjoy.

If you click through on the links below, I will not earn anything from BN.com. I'm not on their affiliate network, and they'd probably look sideways at me if I sold books for them 9 to 5, then sold books again online.

Yeah, I'm doing this out of shear love for the medium of comics and graphic novels. Of course, if you DO appreciate this service I provide, my BN wishlist is available here.

BN.Com Top 1000 Graphic Novels and Comics Bestsellers 12.13.2009

2009-12-13T20:57:00.013-05:00

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics
Sunday 13 December 2009

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney

ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 22
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 31
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 78
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney

ISBN-13: 9780810994737

Sales Rank: 113

Pub. Date: February 2008

List price: $12.95

Online price: $10.36

Member price: $9.32

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney

ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 124
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb

ISBN-13: 9780393061024

Sales Rank: 138

Pub. Date: October 2009

List price: $24.95

Online price: $16.21

Member price: $14.58

Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 321
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 718
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. Lansdale
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 841
Pub. Date: November 2009
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

The Fine Print:

I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.

I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time. Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

Razza Fracken...

2009-12-12T14:28:00.006-05:00

God is laughing...

I figure... let's go to the Library of the Performing Arts, where I can reserve a computer for 45 minutes. I'll go through my old floppy disks, and cull some old files which I can post here.

Guess what? None of the terminals here have floppy drives. USB, DVD-RW... no problem. Floppies? Ancient history. Now I know they have some old Edison cylinders in the collection, not to mention vinyl (both Edison and RCA), magnetic tapes of various widths and tracks, and probably even some old player piano scrolls and a few music boxes. Probably almost all of that has been digitized for mass consumption, but if I want to do it, it looks like I'll have to go over to Kinko's and rent a computer for $18/hour. Or use my desktop at work.

Que Sera Sera, as Doris Day would say...

BN.Com Top 1000 Graphic Novels and Comics Bestsellers 12.11.2009

2009-12-11T21:32:00.006-05:00

BN.com Top 1000 titles Graphic Novels and Comics
Friday 11 December 2009

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
* ISBN-13: 9780810983915
* Sales Rank: 11
* Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
* ISBN-13: 9781615579181
* Sales Rank: 34
* Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney
* ISBN-13: 9780810979772
* Sales Rank: 39
* Pub. Date: October 2008
List price: $10.95
Online price: $8.76
Member price: $7.88

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
* ISBN-13: 9780810993136
* Sales Rank: 69
* Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
* ISBN-13: 9780810970687
* Sales Rank: 84
* Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
* ISBN-13: 9780810994737
* Sales Rank: 109
* Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
* ISBN-13: 9780393061024
* Sales Rank: 187
* Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
* ISBN-13: 9780740785481
* Sales Rank: 210
* Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
* ISBN-13: 9780756655303
* Sales Rank: 240
* Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. Lansdale
* ISBN-13: 9781597071635
* Sales Rank: 314
* Pub. Date: November 2009
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

Pokemon : Ultimate Handbook by Cris Silvestri
* ISBN-13: 9780545078863
* Sales Rank: 930
* Pub. Date: October 2008
Online price: $9.99
Member price: $8.99

The Fine Print:
While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.)

I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.

I will survey the BN.com website weekly (and daily if possible) and at approximately the same time.
Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comics&SRT=S

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comic+strip&SRT=S

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comic+books&SRT=S

BN.com Graphic Novel and Comics Top 1000 titles for 12.10.2009

2009-12-10T17:44:00.003-05:00

BN.com Graphic Novel and Comics Top 1000 titles
10 December 2009
(posted via email)

I am employed by Barnes & Noble, but do not speak for them.
All rankings shown below were found on their public website at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/index.asp .

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 8
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four
Book Set by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9781615579181
Sales Rank: 47
Pub. Date: December 2009
List price: $52.80
Online price: $34.32
Member price: $30.88

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
Sales Rank: 81
Pub. Date: April 2007
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 94
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 97
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy
Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 99
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 135
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 361
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid
(Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. Lansdale
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
Sales Rank: 363
Online price: $7.95
Member price: $7.15

Dumbheart : A Get Fuzzy
Collection by Darby Conley
ISBN-13: 9780740791895
Sales Rank: 644
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $12.99
Online price: $10.39
Member price: $9.35

Bone : Out from Boneville (Bone
Series #1), Vol. 1 by Jeff Smith, Jeff Smith (Illustrator)
ISBN-13: 9780439706407
Sales Rank: 893
Pub. Date: January 2005
List price: $10.99
Online price: $8.79
Member price: $7.91

The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks
ISBN-13: 9780307405777
Sales Rank: 936
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $17.00
Online price: $11.05

Pokemon : Ultimate Handbook by Cris Silvestri
ISBN-13: 9780545078863
Sales Rank: 968
Pub. Date: October 2008
Online price: $9.99
Member price: $8.99

BN.com Graphic Novel and Comics Bestsellers 12.09.2009

2009-12-09T18:32:00.004-05:00

Barnes & Noble online
Graphic Novel and Comics Bestsellers
09 December 2009
(Posted via email)

Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
Sales Rank: 6
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $13.95
Online price: $8.37
Member price: $7.53

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Four Book Set by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13:9781615579181
Sales Rank: 39
Pub. Date:December 2009
List price:$52.80
Online price:$34.32
Member price:$30.88

Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
Sales Rank: 43
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $75.00
Online price: $45.00
Member price: $40.50

The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
Sales Rank: 62
Pub. Date: January 2009
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
Sales Rank: 69
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $12.95
Online price: $10.36
Member price: $9.32

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13:9780810993136
Sales Rank: 77
Pub. Date:April 2007
List price:$12.95
Online price:$10.36
Member price:$9.32

The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
Sales Rank: 155
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $24.95
Online price: $16.21
Member price: $14.58

Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
Sales Rank: 372
Pub. Date: October 2009
List price: $40.00
Online price: $26.00
Member price: $23.40

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13:9780810979772
Sales Rank: 500
Pub. Date:October 2008
List price:$10.95
Online price:$8.76
Member price:$7.88

Bone: The Great Cow Race (Bones Series #2), Vol. 2 by Jeff Smith
ISBN-13: 9780439706391
Sales Rank: 806
Pub. Date: July 2005
Online price: $9.99
Member price: $8.99

Bone: Ghost Circles (Bone Series #7) by Jeff Smith
ISBN-13: 9780439706346
Sales Rank: 861
Pub. Date: February 2008
List price: $10.99
Online price: $8.79
Member price: $7.91

Bone: The Dragonslayer (Bone Series #4), Vol. 4 by Jeff Smith
ISBN-13: 9780439706377
Sales Rank: 862
Pub. Date: July 2006
List price: $10.99
Online price: $8.79
Member price: $7.91

FINE PRINT
While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, I do not speak for them.
These sales rankings are found on the Barnes & Noble public website, using the following bookmarks:
http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20book

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&SRT=S&WRD=comic%20strip

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

No proprietary sales data is used in the creation of this list, nor do I have any knowledge as to how the sales rankings are calculated.

2009-12-06T17:27:00.030-05:00

Barnes & Noble Top 1000 Graphic Novels and Comics Bestsellers
Sunday 06 December 2009 5:45 PM

As of approximately 17:45 EST, 06 December 2009, the following titles were among the top 1000 titles as calculated by www.BarnesAndNoble.com.

Last year's analysis can be found here.

The Rankings:

7. Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney

ISBN-13: 9780810983915

List price: $13.95

Online price: $7.53

37. The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
ISBN-13: 9780393061024

List price :$24.95

Online price: $14.58

39. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810993136

List price: $12.95

Online price: $9.32

42. The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810970687

$12.95 List price: $12.95

$10.36 Online price: $9.32

55. Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810994737

List price: $12.95

Online price: $9.32

409. Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
List price: $40.00
Online price: $23.40

464. Gift of Nothing by Patrick McDonnell
ISBN-13: 9780316114882
Also Available in eBook
List price: $14.99

Online price: $10.79

679. Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
ISBN-13: 9780740785481

List price: $75.00

Online price: $40.50

751. The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

ISBN-13: 9780740748479

List price: $150.00

Online price: $87.75

916. Warriors Manga Box Set: Graystripe's Adventure (Warriors Series) by Erin Hunter
ISBN-13: 9780061782282

List price: $16.99

Online price: $9.93

Dropped titles from last week:

NA. Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. Lansdale

[Currently sold out in paperback AND hardcover at BN.com, therefore no sales ranking. Congrats to Papercutz!]

1384. The Zombie Survival Guide : Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks, Ibraim Roberson (Illustrator)
ISBN-13: 9780307405777
List price: $17.00

Online price: $12.24

1493. Logicomix : An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis, Christos H. Papadimitriou, Alecos Papadatos (Illustrator), Annie Di Donna(Illustrator)

ISBN-13: 9781596914520

List price: $22.95

Online price: $16.52

1679. Maximum Ride, Volume 2 Manga by James Patterson, NaRae Lee (Illustrator) , NaRae Lee (Adapted by)
ISBN-13: 9780759529687
List price: $10.99

Online price: $7.91

2228. Bloom County Complete Library, Volume 1 by Berkeley Breathed

ISBN-13: 9781600105319
Sales Rank: 2,228
List price: $39.99

Online price: $28.79

2235. Vampire Knight, Volume 8 by Matsuri Hino
ISBN-13: 9781421530734

List price: $9.99

Online price: $8.99

3064. Batman : The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, Brian Bolland (Illustrator) , Richard Starkings
ISBN-13: 9781401216672
List price: $17.99

Online price: $12.95

Analysis:
The Gift of Nothing, a delightful gift book, makes an appearance. Featuring characters from Patrick McDonnell's comic strip Mutts, it is more of a picture book than a graphic novel, but why quibble?

The Warriors Box Set is a nice marketing technique. By packaging previously published volumes into a set, HarperCollins/Tokyopop manages to sell a "gift book" without having to design or publish a new edition. At the sales price of $9.93, more than half off the cover price of the three separate volumes, it costs the same as a regular manga volume.

Not much else is surprising, although Wimpy Kid rockets up to number 7.

The Fine Print:
While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.)

I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.

I will survey the BN.com website weekly and at approximately the same time.
Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comics&SRT=S

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comic+strip&SRT=S

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comic+books&SRT=S

2009-12-06T11:45:00.008-05:00

Barnes & Noble Top 1000 Graphic Novels and Comics Bestsellers
Cyber Monday 30 November 2009 5:30 PM

The following is a survey of comics-related titles appearing on the Barnes & Noble website.

Using various keyword searches, sorting by sales ranking, the following books are among the Top 1000 books items, as viewed at approximately 5:30 PM on Monday, November 30, 2009.

Sales in the Top 100 listings can be considered “bestsellers”.

While I am an employee of Barnes & Noble, Inc., the data presented below is general information from the public website. I have not researched any proprietary sales data, nor do I speak in any official capacity for Barnes & Noble. You can do the same thing I am doing, using the bookmarks listed below. (The easiest way: enter “graphic novels” in the search bar at BN.com. On the left side, you will see a frame titled "Browse Graphic Novels". Click on “bestsellers”. The website sorting differs from the sales ranking (probably due to differing algorithms), so scroll through the listing of ten titles. Unlike other searching, where a user can show 100 titles at a time, this screen can only showcase ten. Click on “next” to continue your research.)

I have no knowledge on how sales rankings are calculated. I hypothesize that since the site refreshes periodically throughout the day, that a rolling calculation of sales is performed, where recent sales are weighted more heavily than older sales. Also, sales are in relation to other titles, not a set number of copies sold. The sales rank is sequential. Just as two football teams can be undefeated in a football poll and one may be rated higher than the other, so too are the titles here listed sequentially in relation to everything else. Of course, analysis can only be compared to the titles NOW. Retail sales were difficult last year, and with the media dubbing “Black Friday” as “Grey Friday” this year because of reduced consumer spending, this year will be just as challenging.

I will survey the BN.com website weekly and at approximately the same time.
Here are the bookmarks I use to survey results:

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?env=web&endecaid=&visgrp=fiction&bncatid=1133349&cds2Pid=16864&linkid=1511365

http://browse.barnesandnoble.com/browse/nav.asp?bncatid=1133350&visgrp=fiction&isendeca=y&Ns=SALESRANK_SORT&sid=65213F09810C&act=M9

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comics&SRT=S

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comic+strip&SRT=S

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?SZE=100&WRD=comic+books&SRT=S

Last year's analysis can be found here.

The rankings are:
Sales ranking / Title / Author
Product number
Publisher’s list price / Current sales price (noted as sales prices can affect sales results)

14. Dog Days (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #4) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810983915
List price: $13.95 Online price: $6.97

62. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #1) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810993136
List price: $12.95 Online price: $9.32

64. The Last Straw (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #3) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810970687
List price: $12.95 Online price: $9.32

65. Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series #2) by Jeff Kinney
ISBN-13: 9780810994737
List price: $12.95 Online price: $9.32

Not surprisingly, Diary of a Wimpy Kid continues to sell amazingly well. Although it is a hybrid of cartooning and text, the publisher (Abrams) tags it so that it is found via a keyword search for “comics”. Even the Papercutz parody, “Diary of a Stinky Kid”, sells well, which is somewhat unusual for a parody.

66. The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb by R. Crumb
ISBN-13: 9780393061024
List price: $24.95 Online price: $12.47

Robert Crumb’s interpretation of the Book of Genesis continues to sell well, even after two months of release. While some have criticized Crumb’s research, and the depiction of certain scenes, the book is, in my opinion, a faithful (sorry) depiction of the Book.

154. Diary of a Stinky Dead Kid (Tales from the Crypt Series #8) by David Gerrold, Stefan Petrucha, Rob Vollmar, Jim Salicrup, John L. Lansdale
ISBN-13: 9781597071635
List price: $7.95 Online price: $7.15

This is the parody of “Wimpy Kid”, using the classic style of “Tales from the Crypt”, an ongoing comicbook series. This volume is actually an anthology, containing “Stinky Kid and a few other stories from the comics (one of which pokes a pointy stick at "Twilight").

Even more surprising, the hardcover edition of this book, marketed mostly to libraries, has also charted well.

366. Marvel Encyclopedia 2009 by DK Publishing
ISBN-13: 9780756655303
List price: $40.00 Online price: $23.40

The original edition of this book has sold continuously well since it was first published two years ago, an amazing feat for a $40 gift book. This year, Dorling Kindersley has updated the title, as well as offering a special limited edition volume for $100.

421. Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth by Apostolos Doxiadis
ISBN-13: 9781596914520
List price: $22.95 Online price: $11.47

A biographical analysis of the life and ideas of Bertrand Russell as he strives to create a logical philosophical definition of mathematics. Barnes & Noble Studio offers a 4-minute video interview with the creators of this title.

436. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks
ISBN-13: 9780307405777
List price: $17.00 Online price: $8.50

Another zombie title, written by the author of “World War Z”, chronicles zombie outbreaks throughout history.

437. Celebrating Peanuts : 60 Years by Charles Schulz
ISBN-13: 9780740785481
List price: $75.00 Online price: $40.50

Andrews McMeel continues their series of anniversary collections of classic comic strips. This oversized volume chronicles the highlights of each year in a beautifully designed volume. Click on the hyperlink and you can "see inside" the edition. Log in with a Barnes & Noble account and one can read even more pages.

546. The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
ISBN-13: 9780740748479
List price: $150.00 Online price: $87.75

Another perennial, this title has made the holiday sales charts since its first release in 2005. Three volumes present every comic and supplemental material from this classic series. An amazing success, given the cost. (Actually, it was a huge success when it sold out the second week of December 2005! That it continues to sell well, even without any advertising or newspaper publication, is a testament to the mastery of Bill Watterson.)

766. Bloom County Complete Library, Volume 1 by Berkeley Breathed
ISBN-13: 9781600105319
List price: $39.99 Online price: $23.39

This is the first volume of a series reprinting every strip from the Pulitzer Award-winning comic strip. Annotations help the reader rediscover the cultural references cited. (Does anyone remember the IBM PC Jr.?)

778. Vampire Knight, Volume 8 by Matsuri Hino
ISBN-13: 9781421530734
List price: $9.99 Online price: $4.99

Although manga is popular as a sub-culture of comics, like comics in general, unless there is specific buzz for a title (like the latest volume of Naruto), the sales will be slow and steady. This is even more true during the holiday season, when gift books are more attractive than a regular title. (Loved ones might be hesitant to purchase a regular volume which the giftee might already own.)

972. Batman : The Killing Joke by Alan Moore, Brian Bolland (Illustrator) , Richard Starkings
ISBN-13: 9781401216672
List price: $17.99 Online price: $8.99

A fantastic selling title, ever since the release of The Dark Knight movie in 2008. This title, in print since publication in 1988, has been remastered into a deluxe hardcover edition by the artist, Brian Bolland.

999. Maximum Ride, Volume 2 Manga by James Patterson
ISBN-13: 9780759529687
List price : $10.99 Online price: $5.49

A manga adaptation of the popular prose series by James Patterson. Random House/Del Rey Manga has had great success publishing manga editions of popular Young Adult series. Librarians probably appreciate a “licensed” graphic novel which isn’t based on a media property, teens probably enjoy the comics and tie-in with the Maximum Ride “universe”.

(In a twist of prose to comics, Scholastic will soon be publishing chapter books based on Jeff Smith’s Bone series of graphic novels. He will approve the writing, and supply spot illustrations throughout.)

That's the way it was, Cyber Monday, 2009.

If you've read this far, here's a reward. In 2007, Running Press published a massive, two-volume slipcased collection of Don Martin, priced at $150. However, it didn't sell as well as expected, and is now available as a remaindered title for... wait for it... Twenty-five dollars! Wait a minute! B&N is offering a special discount! It's not $150. It's not $25. It's not even $24.98! Order now, while supplies last, and only pay $22.48! 1200 pages of classic Don Martin insanity from MAD Magazine, for sale, CHEAP!
MAD's Greatest Artists: The Completely MAD Don Martin by Don Martin (Artist)
Operators are standing by! 1-800-THE-BOOK ISBN: 161557333X