Beanball by Ron Carlson

Last night I read Beanball by Ron Carlson. It was issue number 99/100 of One Story Magazine. The story struck me in several ways. It was beautifully written and full of characters with remorse about their pasts and guarded hope for the future. It was about the eternal hope that goes along with baseball. It was also about human greed.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I felt the story was going along fine until it got about 75% through. It seemed that the plot took a fantastical direction that wasn’t needed. A simple, straight forward ending would have been stronger, truer to the characters and world created in this story. I seem to remember from workshops in college that being simple and straight forward is the way to go. I just felt this story fell flat in it’s complicated and crisscrossing plot. In the end it was all to neat and tidy.

A Little George Saunders

So Shannon’s gotten around to reading some George Saunders and, for once, we actually agree on a book. She actually said that Civilwarland in Bad Decline was worth reading! If you’re interested, he also does a nice satirical piece titled Antiheroes that is quite funny and captures some of the flaws with the television show Heroes quite well.

Captain America #42

Apparently issue #42 of Captain America marks the end of the current story arc. First off, I can’t believe that I’ve just finished a forty-two issue story arc in this day in age. It’s been absolutely wonderful. The art, writing, and consistency of this run has reminded me why I love reading comic books. If you haven’t read the issue, go to Marvel’s website and preview it here. I don’t want to give too much away considering that the Red Skull/Agent 13 story line ties up and we discover the fate of The Grand Director (also known as the Cap of the 1950s). The important things that come out of this include:

• James continues to struggle with the idea of being Captain America, but he also starts to get it.
• The Black Widow and the Falcon continue to be treated as quality characters.
• James is going to be Captain America for the foreseeable future.

Do I miss Steve Rogers?  Yes I do.  Am I excited to see where this title is going to go now (especially since Thor met James in the Secret Invasion series)?  You bet.

If you want to read more about this issue check out reviews:

• here
• here
• and here 

Long Time No Blog

So it only seems like 100 years since I’ve posted a roundup here.  Work, baby, life are all enough to distract me greatly.  Where to begin this week:

Let’s start in literature & books…

• Shannon ponders the point of e-books 
• Philip Roth’s new book Indignation sounds good to me.  I need to read more of his stuff, I’ve enjoyed it all.
• Francine Prose has a new book coming out

In comics, we continue to have Secret Invasion…

• The Invincible Super Blog points out the the week in ink. Some good stuff including All-Star Superman and Marvel Apes #2.
• For all those who doubted it, Harvey Dent is really dead in the movies.
• LOTRKing reviews one of my favorite FF issues from what is the finest run of FF creative in my life so far.

Off to the rest…

• Electric Lust has this video combining the Hold Steady and the Muppets
• The AVClub has brought Fight Club into its New Cult Cannon

Ok, I’ll try to do better about posting.  Wish me luck…

Summer’s Almost Gone

My birthday was this week, and for me that’s always meant that summer is almost gone.  When I was a kid it signalled about two weeks until school started.  Of course now it means that school is just around the corner.  No update last week because my Dad and I went to New York to see a few games at Yankee Stadium. While there I did stop at one of the best comic book stores in the world, Forbidden Planet.

It’s going to be comics heavy this week…

• First, I just read Captain America #41 and while this series doesn’t seem to be closing up any loose ends, I love it. The Red Skull’s plan seems to be coming together and unravelling at the same time, the mental fake Cap is still running around, and James/Bucky is really figuring out how to be Captain America (as evidenced by events in this book). Check out LOTRKing’s review.
• I also have to mention that Secret Invasion continues to be great. Is the tide turning? It’s starting to look like we might have some hope against the Skrull invasion. My only complaint with this crossover is that I wish the main Secret Invasion book had more and the crossover titles less. I miss the old days when limited series told the entire story (like Secret Wars). In the meantime, check out LOTRKing’s review here.
• Also noteworthy of late are the Fantastic Four and a new Mark Millar book War Heroes.
• The AVClub has two comics-related articles this week; one that ties comics to the Olympics, the other is its comics’ panel which also mentioned War Heroes.

In comics and movies, Sam from Electricity & Lust (on his Screenjabber blog) checks in on the Watchmen buzz.

In links, it looks like Electricity & Lust have been out of touch for a while too. They have a bunch of links this week.

I think that might be it for now. There are one or two music items I might write about over at ROCKIST. Off to watch some Battlestar Gallactica and tackle my ever-growing pile of comics.

Two Brilliant Stories

I’ve read two fantastically brilliant short stories recently and wanted to share them with the world.  They are, however, about as different from each other as two stories could possibly be.  The first one is titled English Cousin and is by Patrick Sommerville.  The story focuses on a teenage boy who has his English cousin thrust upon him.  The uneasy relationship between the two and the main character’s inability to get out of his rut drive this story along.  It was as if the entire world ignored what he had to say every second of everyday – and he decides to take it out on his somewhat smarmy cousin.

It’s part of his debut collection of stories Trouble. So far the entire collection has been great. It’s funny and quirky, but the collection uncovers some real truths about the human condition and how ridiculous we are as animals. How our worries and insecurities make us crazy like a dog that won’t stop scratching itself.

The other story, I found in the May 5th New Yorker.  It’s by Annie Proulx and titled Them Old Cowboy Songs. Surprisingly it has not been released online. This means you’ll have to read the May 5th issue OR other people’s thoughts on the story. The other choice is to wait for her new collection to come out in September. This story was powerful and again showed how our choices and weird decisions can leave a permanent mark on our lives.

It involves a young couple who buy some land in Wyoming in the 1800s and the struggles they’ve escaped and still face in trying to scratch out a living and a family.

Both of these stories come at the human condition from different perspectives but still manage to point out the absurdity of everyday life.

My One Word Review of the Dark Knight…

Wow.

Now on to the rest of the week’s crap. I’ve fallen behind in my blogging lately thanks to work and a five month old who likes to bounce. Now that he’s asleep I can share a few items and thoughts for the week. Let’s continue with where I started… comics:

• Marvel’s Secret Invasion continues and LOTR King reviews the latest Avengers installment.
• He also reviews Thor #10. This title has been slowly getting stronger and stronger and has become one of the more interesting Marvel titles.
• The AVClub has published its comics panel.  Not a whole lot that I’d read, but it’s still worth browsing.

Moving on to television, a few interesting things…

• The AVClub reviews one of the most underrated televisions shows of all time… TV Funhouse
• Electricity & Lust reviews Generation Kill. I’ve been really enjoying this HBO mini-series. Also, check out his new movie blog here.

In technology/Web 2.0 stuff, I found a new website I want to try, Fluther. Apparently the collective will answer your questions. I just wonder how you know if they’re right or not?

In words and the such, more good stuff from One-Story.

Finally, I’m also starting a new project for myself. As I find myself in airports from time to time, I thought I’d start a blog that covers travel. You can find it here, but I haven’t really posted anything yet.

Laziest Sunday Ever

So after some work travel, a weekend away, late nights, etc.  I’m back to the blog.  I know, you all missed me so.  Actually, traffic has shot up like crazy from the odd 2-3 hits a day to hundreds.  Now before I go and get too excited it’s all being driven by Kirstie Alley searches.  Maybe she’s become popular again… who knows? 

So I’m going to start in comics.  There’s a shitload going on in comics.  Where to begin?

Let’s begin with the mother of all comic book movies, The Dark Knight.  Beyond smashing box office records and drawing repeat viewers and people who typically prefer Sandra Bullock movies, this movie is getting fantastic reviews.  I have not seen the movie yet, but here are the words of a few who have:

• The AVClub
• Cinematically Correct
• Electricity & Lust
• LOTRKing

Ok, continuing in comics, a lot of quality books have come out in the last two weeks as well. Once again, Captain America is the highlight of my haul. Issue #40 has got me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what the hell is going to happen. This book continues to be one of the best written and drawn comics out today. Check out LOTRKing’s review. He also reviews Astonishing X-Men #25. So far, I’m a little unimpressed with it, but I think that’s in large part due to the great run Joss Whedon had on the Astonishing X-Men.

• Also, the AVClub released its Comics Panel.
• Check out an interview with Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.
• And check out the New York Times writing about the creator of Invincible.

Finally, ComicCon has been going on this week, check out the AVClub’s coverage here for July 23, July 24, July 25, and July 26. Also, the Invincible Super Blog posts the true rumors here.

Whew, moving on to music. I found a few cool reviews and articles this week, including:
Sub Pop records turned 20 years old while I was away. A few people have written about it, including Cinematically Correct, and Electric LustElectricity & Lust’s Tumblr site.

• Also in music, the AVClub reviews Nine Inch Nails new album The Slip. I downloaded it a while back for free.
• I also have attempted my own version of the best albums of each year since my birth. Not an easy task (especially for the lean years of the 1980s).

In literature and books and the such, One Story Magazine dominates this week…

• The editor points out how newspapers are cutting their noses off in spite of their face as they try to stay relevant. The latest cuts? book reviews.
• Issue 106 Safe Passage has arrived in my mail box and landed on my to read list.

Finally, in movies, I have to point to Electricity & Lust’s movies since their birth. I don’t think I’ll try it myself, but I think they have a pretty good list. They also give us a little commentary on The Wackness a movie that intrigues me for some reason.

You might be wondering why I have a picture of ROM in this post…  Well, I heard they’re making a Tron 2 and it led me to wonder why there is no ROM movie??  Ok, that’s all for now. Back to my lazy, lazy Sunday.

Happy 5th

Well it’s the holiday weekend. I was going to post yesterday but I got lazy on the couch. So I’ll just jump in before I drift into a nap again.

First, in comics, I’ve made yet another trip to the comic book store. My local shop was having a sale on sets and I got the coolest thing… I found the entire run of Jack Kirby’s Devil Dinosaur. I had the last issue when I was a kid and it’s quite beat up by now. It was a great price and a nice addition to my collection. Even better, Sean will have it around and get to read the entire series. It’s really kind of mental and interesting and strange.   I also picked up Astonishing X-Men #25, the first in a new story arc with a new creative team. I doubt it will be as good as Joss Whedon’s run, but I’ll give it a try.

Also in comics:

• The Super Invincible Blog highlights the week that was in July 2. I’ve picked up some of these issues as well, including the freakout issue of Batman.
• Click here for a Comics report card. I agree totally with their thought that Captain America is the best book around.
• LOTRKing reviews both Captain America #39 and Mighty Avengers #15.

In movies/DVD, the AVClub reviews Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. I wrote about it earlier this week here. If you haven’t seen it, it’s well worth the time.

• The AVClub also reviews The Wackness, a new film about 1994. I’m intrigued by this movie but will wait for it to hit HBO or Netflix. I’m also curious to see the Ben Kingsley/Olsen twin thing.

In music, Plain or Pan directs us to quite possibly the coolest Dylan spoof ever.

In links, Electricity & Lust has its regular mix of cool stuff to check out. Especially interesting were the Liz Phair, Batman, and Zach de la Rocha articles. I am so glad they’ve got the time to go out and scour the interwebs so I don’t have to. They always find the best stuff.

Well, I’ll be back next week with the roundup and I’ll mention anything else I come across in my journeys. Enjoy the hotdogs and hamburgers this weekend.

Where’s Your Burpcloth?

That’s the big question in my house for the 15th straight week as Sean continues to resemble Linda Blair. This week I’ve actually put a decent dent in my giant stack of comics, watched some Battlestar Galactica, and continued to listen to the new Jakob Dylan album while also listening to the new Mudhoney album (I wrote a tiny bit about it here). So before the baby spits up all over me again, let’s begin…

In comics this week there are a few good things to note…

• LOTRKing gives us a Marvel year in review. Or at least the year so far. I half agree with his X-Men synopsis but can’t argue with the rest of his article. He also digs back into the archives and reviews Fantastic Four #124 from 1972.
• The AVClub features a lengthy comics panel
• Electricity & Lust pointed me towards Peter Travers’ review of The Dark Knight and it sounds quite amazing.
• Zach Smith had a cool free comic called Satan P.I. on his website (it showed up in my reader) but the link has been disabled. When it comes back I’ll link to it, it’s really sharp and fun!

Finally in comics, I believe the comics world is off in Chicago (or about to return). I know the guys at my local shop, Ultimate Comics (as seen in the new Marvel book 1985) are there. I’ve also found the Invinsible Superblog.

In television, thanks to Cinematically Correct for posting the preview of the new season of 24. The question is, will they sucker me in again?

In books and other misc. words, a few things I noticed this week…

• David Guterson, the author of Snow Falling on Cedars has published The Other. The Times reviews it here as well.
• One-Story posted some interesting stuff this week. Their intern released a quite interesting list of his top-10 stories. This was in response to a top ten list published by EW which spurred a discussion here.
• The Times talks about a new e-book reader.

Electricity & Lust has two interesting posts this week. Their Diggin post talks about the New Hold Steady (among other stuff), and they provide the usual great mix of links per usual. Many weeks they help me keep up on stuff in ten minutes instead of searching for hours. I’d add them to my RSS if I were you.

And finally, George Carlin died a week ago. I’ve posted a few thoughts from others below, but my favorite was when Howard Stern asked Gilbert Gottfried if he had any bad stories about George Carlin and he did. Apparently George told Gilbert to get the hell away from him and to leave him alone once.

• Cinematically Correct mentions it here.
• The AVClub here.
• The New York Times here.