Signings Update

For all of you to know, I've updated the sidebar with some store signings that will be taking place around the GTA (that I know of). As it stands, I'll probably only able to attend one of them (Stadium Comics' Adventure Comics Release Party with Francis Manapul and Agnes Garbowska), but if any of them fit your schedule, go check them out.

Really wish I could check out one of the two Rufus Dayglo signings, but can't take off a day to head down (already booked off the last two weekends of August).

*edit* Also, really wish I could go to the Jeff Smith signing at Indigo Yorkdale. Unfortunately, as my bro mentioned, we'll be at the Jays game, for the Back2Back 92/93 World Series Reunion. And with the price I paid for my ticket, I might as well stay for the game.

Boughts and Thoughts - July 29th, 2009

Detective Comics #855 - This book is just too beautiful. I'm loving the work by J.H. Williams III in this series, and with Batwoman. Things are freaky, yet just visually appealing. I'm also enjoying the backstory, which features The Question (Renee Montoya).

New Avengers #55 - Liking that Stuart Immonen is now the regular artist on this title. Kind of not caring about all the C- and D-Lister villains.

Boughts and Thoughts: Richard Stark's Parker: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke

I picked this up yesterday, along with my weekly books. I don't normally pick up hardcovers, trades, collected stuff on the day they are released, as I usually wait to place my order elsewhere, to save some $$$. However, this was something that I just wanted then and there. Well, I wanted it back when it was announced at San Diego Comic Con 2008. Heck, this was something I wanted before it was announced, as Darwyn Cooke teased it at the Paradise Comics Store Signing, last June. Said that if there was anything that he could work on, it was this. I was sold right there, so I splurged a little when the book was released yesterday.

Unfortunately, I was unable to read it yesterday, after reading the floppies, as I was called into work... though, I was considering not working, just so I could read this. Oh well.

So this morning, after my usual morning coffee, I cracked opened the book (which I didn't tell Danny I picked up, cause I wanted first crack at it... it's on my bookshelf).

As I am one that normally doesn't get into retelling stories here, I won't. I also can't speak from personal experience, as I have not read any of Richard Stark/Donald Westlake's Parker series, but I am told that this book remains incredibly faithful in its adaptation, from the novel.

Although, I doubt I'll start reading the novels (what can I say, I'm not just a novel reader), I am looking forward to the remaining adaptations that Darwyn Cooke will be doing of the Parker series.

Next one will be out in the Summer of 2010.

Boughts and Thoughts - July 22nd, 2009

Amazing Spider-Man #600 - Lots of content in this issue. All new content too, so I actually don't feel ripped off for buying this book. Loved the "Covers we'll never see" covers, throughout the book.

The Boys: Herogasm #3 - What happened with Hughie? I got confused with all of that. Gotta give this one another read through.

Executive Assistant Iris #2 - Enjoyable, but am thinking about stopping with this title soon... or possibly now. I'll see.

Gotham City Sirens #2 - Still liking this, but don't know how much longer I'll be following this title as well.

Green Lantern #44 - More of the J'onn J'onzz/Hal Jordan/Barry Allen stuff, that took place in Blackest Night. So wait, when does Flash: Rebirth take place? Before or after Blackest Night?

The Incredibles: Family Matters #4 - An end to the mini-series. Fun story.

Invincible #64 - Okay, Kirkman, you redeemed yourself.

Power Girl #3 - And now we have an end to the first arc... don't really care for the Ultra Humanite.

inFAMOUS

inFAMOUS was a game that I had been wanting to get, ever since I played the demo. I've seen all the ads on Newsarama, and on television, so I figured trying out the demo wouldn't hurt. I haven't really used the Playstation 3, that we have, all that much, since we got Street Fighter IV in March, and Metal Gear Solid 4 back in June 2008. Also, the price tag on a lot of the PS3 games, are quite more than on the Nintendo Wii.

I downloaded the demo near the beginning of June, and had fun playing it. I enjoy games that allow free-roaming and completing the story mode at your leisure (like Grand Theft Auto, Spider-Man: The Movie, Ultimate Spider-Man, etc.) The downside, I couldn't justify spending $69.99 +taxes on the game (being sick during the beginning of June, had me in a really tight state for funds).

So I waited until Canada Day, hoping that either Future Shop or Best Buy would have video games on sale for their usual holiday sale (usually 10-15% off). To my surprise, they reduced the price on inFamous to $29.99. I jumped at it, and ended up placing two orders (one at each store), in case it sold out (knowing I could either sell off one, or return it, if I got both). To my disappointment, I received emails from both stores on July 2nd, saying they sold out. The game ended up being sold out all over the GTA. I was checking stores in Brampton, Oakville, Newmarket, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, etc.

Out of desperation, I checked online for the Barrie and Orangeville Future Shop locations, because even with the gas I'd use driving to those locations, I would still be saving quite a bit. I found that Orangeville had them in stock, so I placed my order for pick-up, and headed out to Orangeville, after getting the confirmation. Made the hour trip to Orangeville, and the 40-minute trip back after getting the game (which was really weird, cause I was speeding quite a bit going there, and driving closer to the speed limit going home).

Now with the game in hand... I had to go to work that night... started playing the game on July 3rd, and was playing it everyday, until July 16th, when I cleared the game (twice), and unlocked all the Trophies for the game (got my first Platinum trophy!).

For those that don't know much about the game, check out the Wikipedia entry for inFAMOUS. I won't really get into the game itself, cause that Wikipedia entry is pretty good at describing the game. However, I will say the reasoning for clearing the game twice, was that you can play either on the side of Good, or Evil. So I played through the game twice, completing it for each side.

Now, this in my opinion, was a great game. Very short, but a great game. There have been mixed reviews for this, but a lot of the reviews online have been insanely positive for this game.

But now that I have completed the game, and gotten all the trophies, I had no desire to play it any further (nothing left to do). The game has been sold to EB Games for store credit (which I'll be using towards Batman: Arkham Asylum). Got $40 in store credit for that game. Score!

Boughts and Thoughts - July 15th, 2009

Blackest Night #1 - What a start to this mini-series! Sh*t has already hit the fan, and I'm sure more will be thrown to that fan.

Blackest Night: Tales of the Lantern Corps #1 - This book is purely stories of the different Lantern tribes. Doubt I'll pick up the other two issues of the series.

Captain America #601 - Special issue featuring artwork by Gene Colan. 'Nuff Said.

Creepy #1 - Picked up a copy of the variant issue, just because I like the cover. Not sure why.

Dead@17: Afterbirth #2 - Trouble's a brewin' for Nara. Please, someone bring Josh Howard up to Toronto!

The Last Resort #1 - Decided to check this out. Zombie story by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. Covers by Amanda Conner and Darwyn Cooke. I'm sold.

The Walking Dead #63 - With the current Chew craze, I picked this up, even though I have copies of the first printing of Chew #1. This issue contains Chew #1 in black & white. As for The Walking Dead issue, not bad.

Ended up heading over to Stadium Comics today, for the Blackest Night Release Party. Got a sketch of Hal Jordan, done by Vince Sunico (pictured above), and got myself one of those Black Lantern rings.

First Celebrity Encounter

I've been looking for this picture for quite sometime... though not looking really hard. It was Danny that actually found it, and now it's scanned.

Back in the late 1980's, I took my first trip to Los Angeles, with my family, to visit my dad's side of the family (grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc.). Getting to go onto a plane for the first time, it was an exciting time for me. The airline we took was Wardair.

Now I can't remember if we were in Toronto at the time, leaving for LA, or arriving in LA, but my mom noticed and pointed out to me, "Michael Knight." Better known as David Hasselhoff. I loved watching Knight Rider as a kid, and I guess I was just watching reruns of the show. So seeing Hasselhoff in person, was a pretty cool experience for me.

Then my family kinda pushed me over to head over to say hi to Hasselhoff. I even remember asking him, "Are you Michael Knight?" I didn't know his real name at the time, but that didn't matter.

It was a short encounter, but it ended with Hasselhoff pulling out the photo from his back pocket, and signing it for me, right there. Then I head back to my family, all happy that I met my hero at the time, Michael Knight.

Boughts and Thoughts - July 8th, 2009

Green Lantern #43 - Pretty good story of how the Black Hand became the leader of the Black Lanterns. Also, pretty messed up.

North 40 #1 - Interesting start to the new series. Lots going on in this book, but it's the start of the series, setting everything up. Doubt I'll continue.

Street Fighter II Turbo #7 - More action, leading to the Street Fighter Tournament.

Wednesday Comics #1 - I was quite interested in how DC was going to do this, and it is pretty cool. However, I doubt I'll be following for twelve straight weeks with this. Especially at $3.99US for 16-pages (even though it contains a lot of fantastic creators). I really hope DC releases a collected version of this, and somewhat smaller, with each story in order.

Commissions by Alina Urusov

Just got a couple of commissions in the mail, that were done by Alina Urusov (NYX: No Way Home cover artist). Both are fantastic in my opinion, but the one that bro will eventually post, was the best outta the bunch.

Boughts and Thoughts - July 2nd, 2009

Wow, this week has thrown me off quite a bit. With the shipping delayed in Canada, for Canada Day, books were released on Thursday. I didn't get much time yesterday to read all the books, so I finished them off today, and am doing this thing today.

Batman and Robin #2 - I really want to kick the crap outta that new Robin. Annoying little bugger. Aside from that, an enjoyable issue.

Chew #2 - I did manage to get copies of issue #1 (first printing), which seems to be selling like hot cakes. Had to order them, but got them at cover price. Great new series! Issue #2 was equally as good. I'll be continuing this series for the foreseeable future.

Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth #1 - Fun start to a new series. Doubtful I'll continue, but it was a fun one.

Greek Street #1 - Really seemed to enjoy this book. So many things going on at once, and it's a little messed up. Not sure if I'll continue with this one, but I'll see.

Locke & Key: Head Games #6 - What the hell happened in this series? Probably gotta give this another read (the series), as it just seemed to have shifted from one thing, to another. It did set up the next series. Not sure if I'm continuing with this title any longer.