The Big Crunch

Remember the X-Men game for Sega Genesis? Also known as the best game ever? Well, the second to last level was called "Mojo's Crunch." This was based on three issues of Wolverine in the 90's written by Larry Hama. I just bought two of the issues this week to read the story (I never had before). Here's an awesome panel of Spiral.

Forgotten Comics: X-Men Unlimited #14

For a new series on this blog, I am going to be highlighting some of my favorite lesser known comic books, individual issue-style.

First up is X-Men Unlimited #14. For those unfamiliar with X-Men comics... they are basically my favorite. Many of the stores that are going to be dealt with this for this series are going to be X-Men, and they are going to be from the '90s when Marvel was over saturating the comic book market with 'em. In my opinion, it was also a creative high point in X-Men history. Many great stories took place. In 1997, this rare gem was published.

Without going too much into the convoluted history, the X-Men had just been more or less betrayed by their founder, Professor X. Tainted by Magneto's evil influence, Xavier had become an amalgam of himself and Magnus to form a villainous entity known as Onslaught. It also created what big comic companies love: a gigantic crossover, where you have to buy a lot of titles to understand what the heck is going on. Basically, Onslaught was such a threat pretty much the entire planet was in trouble. Hence, not only the X-Men banded together to stop him, but the Avengers and the Fantastic Four as well. Since this is an X-Men story, I'll skip to the end and tell you that our merry mutant band survived. Avengers? Fantastic Four? Not so lucky. Onslaught apparently kills them.

I'm About to Cross the Line

I realize I'm playing on the book title's pun, but bear with me readers... this one is a bit more serious.

I'm reading a book for SLJ that would come under the topic of LGBT bullying.

I'm about halfway done. I just got the book early this week, so ... obviously it's pretty readable. I can't decide if it's making me mad in it's portrayal of a quasi-gay high school student or proud. Maybe a little bit of both even. The character, Alan, has basically been bullied the whole book. In the chapter I just read, he showed up to school wearing lipstick.

Although not the same thing, a student in my high school came to school one time dressed in what I can only describe as a "rainbow jumpsuit." While in the library, he would approach people he did not know and ask them if they had a problem with him. The story was something I got secondhand, but I did actually know the student. There was a kind of gay/straight alliance at the school that we were both a part of. When I heard the story, I knew at least the majority of it was probably true.

The Trouble With Chickens

I briefly tried to think up a better title for this blog than just ganking the title of the book I want to talk about, but... well, that's an awesome title I feel the need to honor.

I've found myself flush with LibraryThing Early Reviewer books lately. I'm winning about one a month from the pile now after long lull of de nada. I've had mixed success with actually receiving these titles; because I was listing my home address and not my work one, HarperCollins foolishly sent a book to me UPS. If you read my yelp reviews, you know I hateHateHATE going to pick stuff up at the UPS Center, which is in the Bronx and right next to where I used to work. But I had Monday off and decided, what the hey? I should go out there and get my book. I didn't pay for it or anything, so I probably shouldn't complain.

I'm about halfway through The Trouble with Chickens. I don't think I'd ever describe a children's book as having noir elements; this book totally does. J.J. isn't just a rescue dog; he's a dog detective sniffing out the clues. I think this book could do for kids what the movie Brick did (or was supposed to do) for teens; it can introduce kids into this old element of a true mystery. You don't know what's going to happen and it's the not knowing that's the really interesting part. I could finish the book in one sitting, but I'm almost considering putting it off tomorrow... just to save if those two little chickens get saved in the end. I have a feeling like they just might make it. Also, you got to love a book I can not only read in a day, but pretty much read in an hour. Why don't I read more childrens books, I ask you? I might just have to start.

Anyway, I hadn't done a reading update in awhile. If you follow my Goodreads, I usually post what I'm reviewing for Kirkus and SLJ. My reviews were randomly due this week. I was all productive and finished them, so I actually had time to read something new (and possibly even play catch up, if I'm so inclined). I do recommend The Trouble With Chickens, though. It's a really adorable read.

Can Wonder Woman Bowl?

I discovered the answer when I was reading up on everyone's favorite ladyist.


So... "no" then. But read Wonder Woman: The Circle. It's making me like Wonder Woman a lot. That's something I never thought I'd say.

The Pancake Disc Jockey

So, while I was on the hunt for a new Twitpic yesterday, I found this image by crazy random happenstance. It made me obviously want pancakes.


It's so awesome that I just felt the need to share it with you all.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

An Unfinished Book is a Terrible Thing

Recently, I have been putting myself in an awkward position.

I never like to say I've "read" a book without, you know, reading the entire thing. It might be that some of the books I've picked up lately are just.... meh, and so my lukewarm feelings lead ultimately to putting the book down. Then not picking it back up. The ending alludes me because in the end, I just don't care enough to care.

This is pretty sad, I think. It happened with Nic Sheff's We All Fall Down. I got all the way up to Part 3 of the story; it's divided into three parts, with the last part being just about 100 pages. I have it on my bookshelf at work. I know I'm going to go back and finish it at some point, but... I'm not really in a rush. You might recall this happened with Firestorm! a few months ago, too. As I try to embrace adult nonfiction, it seems to be happening even more. I'm worried it's less the content of the book and maybe just my lack of an attention span. Could it be that things are just not grabbing me like they used to? Am I just a bad reader? Do I only like books for teens and for kids?

I'm kind of curious if this happens to anyone else.

I'm sure it does, but not to the other readers I know.

As a librarian and a self-proclaimed reader's advisor, I usually tell patrons that if they are not enjoying a book they should just stop reading it. I can't take my own advice. I feel like you can't be super critical of a book you didn't get all the way through. Maybe Sheff's book gets really, unmistakably good in the last 100 pages. Maybe I should have just stuck with it in order to give it a chance. Books, like many people, often get the benefit of the doubt with me.

I just can't help thinking... an unfinished book is a terrible thing.

Empty Threats (of Blogging Soon)

So I guess I kind of reneged on my promise to blog more, huh?

I did get a new gig writing reviews for Kirkus, which combined with my writing for School Library Journal, is keeping me fairly busy in terms of reading. And writing about what I'm writing. Using clever adjectives is something I'm just getting better and better at.

We should have a moment of silence for Borders. As you may or may not know, I was a big fan. They had a free rewards program. Their magazine selection was always superior. The two stores on the east side of Manhattan are both closing, so I'll have to take a trip to the stinky stores at Penn Station and Columbus Circle from now. I don't hate the Columbus Circle one - they had a CD I wanted one time there when no one else did, and I did meet Laura from the third season of Project Runway there. But I was just falling in love with the Park Avenue one... it bums me out that I won't be able to go there anymore.

It's not really like I spend a significant amount of money on buying books or even DVDs for that matter. But still.

I promise a more hearty blog soon. I caught up a lot on muh reading today, so hopefully I can update y'all soon.