Hugh Jackman on FCBD plus Wolverine Trailer

Damn! For the 3rd year in a row I'm working on FCBD!

Support your local shop and buy some comics.

Watching & reading, as usual!

Is everyone as confused by LOST as I am? (SPOILERS)

I mean I still enjoy the show and many of the characters, but the current time-hopping storyline makes things even more confusing then they were when you just had to worry about something being a dream or vision. Characters are not only appearing in flashbacks, but some have actually moved back in time to the 1970s. In the latest episode one character saw himself as a three month old infant!! Oh, and John is alive again. (End spoilers)

I'm currently reading three books, and should probably concentrate on one. I'm about half way through I'M NOT A COP! by Richard Belzer, one of those books where the celebrity writing as her/himself becomes involved in a mystery or murder. Steve Allen, wrote a nice series where he mixed fictional and real life characters solving crimes. Belzer, does that here, but doesn't really include anybody other than himself in the story, except in some phone conversations he has with his wife. I think you have to like the Belz and his humor, along with his television persona to enjoy the book. So far, I am.

I've been a fan of Charles Dickens, since I first read some of his novels back in junior high. His final, unfinished novel THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, has been the subject of close to a dozen books, in which different people have tried their own hand at discovering what Dickens had in mind for the ending and even attempted to write that conclusion themselves. In DROOD, writer Dan Simmons tries his hand at not only figuring out the mystery of the novel, but also of the final years of the author. Following his surviving a horrendous train wreck, the famous writer spent the final years of his life engaged in not only writing, but performing and staging adaptations of his works. In his personal life he also seemingly became even more difficult and began suffering from both physical and psychological attacks, often leaving him in weakened states.

Simmons, through the narration of Dickens'one-time friend and collaborator, author Wilkie Collins (The Lady in White, Moonstone, etc.), chronicles the final years of the "illustrious" writer as he becomes involved in with a mysterious individual called, simply Drood. Who is this person? Is he a healer, or serial killer? What hold does he have on the author and what will Dickens do to protect him? Finally, has the favorite of Queen Victoria begun plotting a murder of his own and decided to turn his own life into one reflecting his final work? Even though I'm not quiet halfway through I highly recommend the book.

Oh, and in case you're wondering I'm also reading comics.

Not sure where Dwayne McDuffie is going with JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, but things do not look good in the current issue #31, where the team is basically told to disband by the current chairperson. Repercussions of several past and current stories come together and we see how a few of the characters are dealing with the apparent death of Bruce Wayne/Batman. McDuffie sort of fills us in on things and lets us know of other changes taking place in the DCU. Looks like there are several super-hero teams about to be shaken up and have their rosters changed.

That does it for now! Don't forget about FREE COMICBOOK DAY coming up pretty soon, either!

Supercar series one title sequence

For some reason I can't explain, I found myself humming this on my way to Starbucks this afternoon. I haven't seen the show in a couple of decades, but still remember the opening.

On an unrelated note, it pays to call the hotels in San Diego a couple of months before the convention if you want to book a room. Hell, don't even mention the con! I know folks who booked rooms last year when they were there, or a few months after. If you are sharing a room the costs aren't that bad.

Oh, did anybody else catch the premiere of THE UNUSUALS last night on ABC? A comedy/drama cop show, with some familiar faces. I liked it!

Just some random stuff!

If I haven't mentioned it before, but I believe I have, I'm going down to the San Diego ComiCon again this year. My friend, Dan, is flying in from Brooklyn and we already have a hotel room booked for three nights (Thursday thru Saturday). The only definite thing so far will be the annual Capa-Alpha get-together on Saturday morning. Be nice if we got more than the six folks that came last year, although I had a really good time. These things used to take up several long tables with a couple dozen current and former K-a members. Ah, well...

I have finally gotten around to watching my anniversary present from last year. Namely the MST3-K 20th Anniversary DVD set. Nice selection of four films from several seasons, plus the "History of MST3-K" special split over three of the disks. I still haven't watched the fourth film, with the video of last year's SD convention get-together. Recommended to all MYSTies!

In the comics, it looks like several titles are having deadline problems for various reasons. It will be interesting to see what effect the badly delayed FINAL CRISIS: LEGION OF 3 WORLDS will have on the up-coming new LS-H series. Also, I'm really disappointed that Marvel's THE TWELVE seems to have slipped under the radar and the delays will probabaly real damage the sales on this very, good book. Finally, it's nice to see Barry Allen back in the scarlet costume. I don't think things are going to go smoothly for the speedster though. Check out THE FLASH: REBIRTH, if you haven't already. Plus, I recommend RAGE OF THE RED LANTERNS and both the current GREEN LANTERN & GREEN LANTERN CORPS books. Been quite a few year since I could say that!