Women Read Comics

The Next Chapter

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 22:13:00 +0000

Yes, I have been neglecting this blog for awhile. I was working hard at getting links to it and steady readership, but it never really took off as I had hoped. That, plus work and having to put my dog to sleep (cancer) has really taken me off my game. I just don't have the time I used to when I would read lots of comics blogs and news.

So now I really need to reassess what I'm doing, and what I want to be doing. It has been fun, but if it's only an exercise in vanity, then what's the point really? I'm not about that.

Thanks for reading.

Rock Band Songs on iTunes

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:57:00 +0000

The folks over at Kotaku point out that iTunes is now offering the Rock Band songs for download at $73.26. Here's a cheaper way to get those songs, tune your FM to Jack FM whatever the radio station chain is called in your neck of the woods. Here in LA its 93.1 Jack FM, and listening to it is just like listening to the soundtrack to Rock Band.

Then, with the money you just saved, buy a new video game and a pizza.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure In Closed Beta

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Okay, it's not Hello Kitty Island Adventure. But it is Hello Kitty Online, which I just read this morning is in closed beta.

Then I threw up in my mouth a little.

You can see and hear the sickeningly sweet webpage here. Be warned though, you have to click off the sound everytime you switch to a new page.

Now why, you might ask, did I throw up in my mouth? This is a cute little harmless game for ten year old girls. But I know that 30 year old women will play this. The Hello Kitty crowd scares me a bit. Okay the tee shirts are cute, but do you have to have the Hello Kitty toaster oven and matching vacuum cleaner? Really?

Also how many creepy old men will play this to meet little girls? Ew, I know. But it happens. This is just a bad idea all around.

Con: The Saga Continues

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:49:00 +0000

Okay, so I finally got through on the phone line to the travel agency (Travel Planners) for the con (3 and a half hours later...). Apparently their website crashed around 9:30 PST - which is around the same time I had gotten the confirmation window up. And all the people that did get through booked absolutely all the hotel rooms close to the convention center.

All of them.

The bastards.

So I'm on a waitlist (thank you Andrea!), and Travel Planners is trying to get more close rooms. At least I'm on a wait list. That's three hours of my life I'll never get back.

Comic-Coooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 18:54:00 +0000

Fails.

Again.

At hotel reservations.

I have tried to make a reservation for the past two hours online and on the phone. Constant busy signals on the phone. And I keep getting an error after I click "confirm reservation" online.

Fail.

This sucks.

My Readership Scares Me

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 21:26:00 +0000

Apparently after posting "Furries Scare Me," my website views went up. A lot. In fact, that post rates third in page views on my blog. The views come from searches on Google, mostly image searches.

I don't really think this is my target audience. Or maybe it is. Maybe I should be more open.

...

My blog feels dirty.

Gawker Gets it Right: Gaming Journalism's Treatment of Women

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:11:00 +0000

Thank you.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Looking Forward to Warhammer Online

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:06:00 +0000

First, let me get this out of the way....

Dear EA Mythic,

Please let me into the beta, please, please, please. I will be very good and helpful and good and I'm a woman. You need feedback from women, right? In closing, ...please.

Okay. This is going to be a WoW killer. Having played World of Warcraft for a few years, and quit last year (healing priests were NEVER going to be fixed!!!), Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR) features the Warhammer universe, which is very similar to the Tolkein, D & D, and Warcraft universes. That's because they were all based on each other. Warhammer has been a tabletop game for years and has a very loyal following, although I have not played it.

That said, this game looks like loads of fun. The mmorpg is in closed beta at the moment, but EA Mythic has been releasing trickles of info regarding the combat, armies, careers, ui, cities, etc. It seems like a more thoughtful version of WoW, with a British sense of humor, and a focus on realm vs. realm combat. Supposedly it's being released in 2008. I think I remember seeing a Q2 2008 release referred to, but that may have changed, since we are still in closed beta.

The armies and careers are very intriguing. I like the idea of Destruction, but the female characters are just not what I'm looking for. They look more like what a teen boy would play. Although the Greenskins (Orcs and Goblins) are asexual, they are very male looking. I'm thinking I might have to go Order just because the female toons look more interesting. It will be interesting to see who the women gravitate toward.

Hopefully this won't turn into another Tabula Rasa, where I was really excited, then I played it and.... Yeah.

Review: Angel: After the Fall

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:40:00 +0000

So what happened to Angel and his crew in that alley on the verge of the apocalypse? I, for one, was sad to find out that Angel the TV show would be no more. Thank the Powers That Be - now Joss Whedon is continuing the series in comic book form, just like he is with Buffy. Now we have Angel: After the Fall, published by IDW. Yes, I also think it's ridiculous that the Buffyverse is split between two publishers (IDW and Dark Horse).

Well, #1 is out and I didn't even realize it until I happened upon it at the local comic shop. Looks like I wasn't the only one to notice - they are already in the third printing! This comic is "presided over" by Joss Whedon (I'm assuming that means, let's put Joss' name on the cover), written by Brian Lynch and illustrated by Franco Urru. Lynch does have the voices pretty well down. When I read a Buffy or Angel comic I tend to picture the actors and their voices in my head. If those don't mesh it's not a pleasant read. The art is in a style I prefer - the colorful, detailed, almost attempting realism type. Yes, I know I fail at describing comic art properly.

As for the story, I think I find it difficult to judge based on my excitement over continuing the series. I just really want to know what happened! It did not disappoint, however, in bringing in a whole new perspective. No drawn-out rehashing of what took place before. No. We are in for a roller coaster ride, this one is going to be good!

Basically, we join the story after that famous alley scene, and it becomes a sort of where-are-they-now. The main plot (the apocalypse bad juju stuff) carries over from the series. But we have a few new twists involving some old friends.

Now, some may ask if this is good to pick up for someone who hasn't seen the TV show. The answer is, I don't know. I saw the TV show and I liked it. So, um, yeah. It might be pretty confusing though. Even my boyfriend who also watched Angel had to reread it when I explained that the ____ was ____. Ohhhh, that makes more sense.

Well, now that the writer's strike is going to last for at least another two years... maybe Whedon will be able to concentrate more on the Angel and Buffy comics. A silver lining maybe?

In all, this is a must-have comic for any fan of Angel. If not a fan, then you have serious problems and shouldn't confuse yourself with this.

My Perfect Video Game

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 22:03:00 +0000

Please check out my article published at WomenGamers.com! My first of, hopefully, many articles to come.

If at first you don't succeed...buy Fables

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:49:00 +0000

So the boyfriend and I went for a stroll down to the comic book shop this weekend. I wasn't looking to buy Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile, but that's what I did. Actually, the boyfriend did, but I paid for lunch so we're even. Well, not really even. I mean lunch was freaking expensive - like fifty bucks! So no, not even until he buys me the rest of the series....

I really wanted to get Artesia. Ass-kicking historical female with swords and armor and stuff, sure! But not in stock.

Then I asked about She-Hulk Vol. 2: Superhuman Law. I read She-Hulk volume 1 and liked it a lot. But apparently it's out of print and they won't get more until the next one comes out or something.

Was interested in Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures, Vol. 1 (Graphic Novel) since I've started reading the novels. I held off because, I don't know, I thought they would be more Harlequin Romance-y, but they aren't so far. But anyway, no luck there either.

Hey look there's that Buffy the Vampire Slayer Omnibus, Vol. 1 up there on that high display rack. Haven't heard much about that. Well, the comic book guy says it's basically back stories for those who have to have everything Buffy. And I might fit that description soon, but not looking forward to reading a lot of filler just to have the full "background".

So then I came back to Fables. I read issue #1 (the freebie) and liked it. I think I liked the idea of it better than the implementation of it. But there is a great potential there, and everyone seems to love the series. So I'm thinking it may just take a few issues to get into the groove of the characters.

If you don't already know. The basis of the Fables series is the fairy tale characters living in present day New York City, but underground. It really does lend itself to the graphic / comic genre. Plus Snow White is a no-nonsense woman who basically runs "Fabletown", but just don't mention the seven dwarfs to her! Come on, who doesn't love that? Actually, this would make a great TV series...hmm, I wonder if Joss Whedon is reading this....

Well I've only read issues 1 and 2 so far, so I'll post a review when I'm finished. Then if I like it, I think there are only like seven or eight more to go....

The Best Female Character on TV?

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:11:00 +0000

I was watching Bones last night, which I watch with some kind of frequency, and realized something: Dr. Temperance 'Bones' Brennan, the title character, may be the best female character on TV today.

"Bones" is well-played by Emily Deschanel. She brings a quiet, dignified, yet amusing demeanor to the role. She pulls off "super smart" without a hitch.

The Bones character is a forensic anthropologist who solves murders alongside her FBI partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth, played by David Boreanaz of Angel fame. Not quite a coincidence, Kathy Reichs who is the inspiration for the character is also a forensic anthropologist. She serves as a writer and producer for the series.

What do I love about this character? She is unapologetically intelligent and smart. Not just one of those booksmart bimbos who fumbles through life without any sort of social skills. Sure, Bones doesn't get most pop culture references (I assume due to the fact she poured her whole life into her study and work) and isn't afraid to say exactly what she is thinking. But that only makes her stronger in my opinion. Her fault (and every character needs one) doesn't lie in the fact that she is too smart for her own good - a victim - which would be the easy way to play it. Her fault is that she is so intelligent and so passionate about her work that it leaves little room for a social life.

She is also unapologetically truthful. Saying what she thinks almost to a fault. Not afraid to start a fight with a man twice her size or carry a gun. I love it!

Deschanel was made to play this role. It fits her like a glove. She has that glint in her eye that says, "I know something you don't know." She's attractive, but not overtly sexual. She's not the sexy librarian that becomes a Playboy model when she takes off her glasses and lets down her hair. The casting here is great because it doesn't make you suspend your disbelief to think that she might be a genius.

Perhaps Bones is such a great character because it is modeled after, and co-written by, and actual woman. A woman who is writing herself (or her ultra witty self she hopes to be, as most writers do). Not dumbed down or oversexualized to please the men. Just a great, three-dimensional female character. Really the best I have found on television. Oh, and the show is pretty good too.

Bionic Woman: Old Becca vs. New Becca

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:58:00 +0000

No, I'm not talking about old Becky vs. new Becky on Roseanne. Although, new Becky is much better, especially on Scrubs.

Why did they recast the sister and recut the pilot episode? I saw the original, condensed pilot at the SDCC 2007, and the recut pilot last night on NBC.

The first "Becca", Mae Whitman, was an angst-ridden, cocky, emotional teen who blamed the title character, "Jamie Sommers" for just about everything that was wrong in her life. Oh, and she was deaf too (although I do not believe the actress is deaf).

The second "Becca", Lucy Hale, is a perky, cocky, cute-as-a-button teen who has the proverbial sisterly fights with Jamie, but all in all is doing okay. Oh and she's a computer hacker, and not deaf.

The episode I watched last night seemed a lot lighter than the original pilot, even though it still had it's dark moments. Whereas Jamie's life seemed really depressing and heavy before, it seemed a bit more casual and slackerly now.

I have to tell you, I was very disappointed when the producers announced at Comic-con that they had recast the sister. As was most of the audience. It was nice to see a hearing impaired character on a major show that was just like any other character. It was also nice to see a female character that was not super skinny and super pretty. She was a normal weight and was a bit goth. I was excited to see that many female teens would identify with her. So no, I was not initially happy about the change.

Hale's Becca is one of those super cute girls that we are supposed to believe is some sort of outcast and computer hacker. Um, yea, right. She isn't a bad actor, it's just that it's too much. Maybe I could see Whitman's Becca as a hacker - she had the loner tendencies needed to make a good hacker. But Hale? No way. It seems like the powers that be decided, "hey the sister needs to be involved in the stories somehow...computer hacker!"

Maybe my opinion was spoiled by the pilot that could have been. Maybe I wouldn't be so critical if I hadn't seen the first version. Maybe I'm just sad that an interesting female character was scrapped for another OC lookalike. Maybe I'm being too harsh on a really great show - looking for something to pick apart.

Truth is, it still is a great show. Michelle Ryan's "Jamie Sommers" kicks major booty. As does Battlestar Gallactica's Katee Sackhoff as "Sara Corvis." The women do rule this show, and that makes me happy. Besides, maybe the new Becca will grow on me. Maybe she'll gain ten pounds and start painting her fingernails black....

Can Someone Please Make This Magazine for ME?

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 21:00:00 +0000

First of all, I'm sick of these.

Why is it that men's magazines have cool stuff like gadgets and video games, and women's magazines have crafts and decorating tips? These men's magazines are everywhere. And they are all the same really. There are like a billion men's versions and no women's versions.

I want a women's lifestyle magazine with games, gadgets, films, tv, comics, and other stuff from a women's perspective. Yes, magazines like Play or PC Gamer may be somewhat non-gendered, but they don't go that extra mile. And even so, they err on the side of male, with the all too frequent "girls of gaming" issues.

You may say, "But Karen, there are online magazines like Cerise and WomenGamers that fill this niche."

I think those are both great, but they are not printed magazines. There is something about a magazine that you cannot get online, no matter how hard you try. It's the tactile part of it that makes it appealing, the glossy pages. WomenGamers.com says that women make up 43% of PC gamers and 35% of console gamers. Why doesn't this magazine exist yet?

I would definitely subscribe to that magazine.

Kitchen Nightmares Review

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 17:16:00 +0000

Okay, I watched the first episode of Kitchen Nightmares on Fox. This will be a short review - I wish it were more like the BBC version.

All right, I'll elaborate.

1. The premise.

So, the premise is basically the same. Gordon Ramsay, foul-mouthed British celebrity chef, visits a restaurant that's in the dumps and turns it around. How he does that varies in the two versions of the show.

2. The food.

For me, it's all about the food. On both shows Ramsay tastes the (usually) awful food at the beginning.

BBC: Ramsay works with the chefs and owners creating a new menu, and discovering hidden talents in the kitchen. He then usually takes samples out on the street for locals to taste what they are missing.

Fox: Ramsay creates a new menu and about five minutes is spent on the food during the hour-long show.

3. The music.

This may seem silly, but I've noticed it really sets the tone for the shows.

BBC: The musical score (I don't know if you can call the music for a reality show a "score" but I'm doing it anyway) is light and airy. It's happy and would be welcome as the background for a Monty Python skit and the whole thing put together with Ramsay helping people instead of just berating them makes you feel "good".

Fox: The music is dramatic with sharp violins and a heart-pounding bass that would be more welcome on some telenovela. Which makes the whole thing overly dramatic and silly, like a carbon copy of so many reality shows out now.

4. The restaurant.

I hope this is a one-time thing and not a trend.

BBC: The restaurant owners and chefs are the sort of quiet, polite, yet misguided souls you would expect to find anywhere in the UK.

Fox: This first show features the overtanned, teeth-bleached, bulky namesake of the restaurant has some sort of roid rage episode about every ten minutes. I can't help but think that this restaurant was cast not because of the dire state (there were actually lots of people dining there before Ramsay stepped in), but because of the "drama". It makes me sad because I don't care about this guy, and I don't care about that restaurant. I like the honest casting in the BBC version much more.

5. The upgrade.

This is when Ramsay does his thing and turns the restaurant around.

BBC: The menu is revamped, sometimes the owner takes a cue from Ramsay and renovates the dining area, or the outside using their own money. I think this really gives hope to anyone who might be stuck in the same situation that they too can change things around without the help of a "surprise makeover".

Fox: I was surprised when the show sprang for a whole new kitchen. That's right, a whole new kitchen complete with new commercial grade ovens, refrigerators, etc. They paid for it. It seems like such a cheat, just another surprise makeover.

In the end, the mook changes his ways, yippee! And the restaurant seems like it will be a success. Oh how I care. Yes, I'll watch again next week, but if the formula stays consistent I don't know how much longer. Although I will keep watching the BBC version for sure.

Airs Wednesdays 9/8c on Fox.

Goodbye to Comics

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:58:00 +0000

Yes I am late in reading this. I just read the whole thing today. I finished it about two hours ago and I can't stop thinking about it. It seems that late last year, blogger Occasional Superheroine spilled her guts and I just figured it out.

First of all, I cried a little. Which says a lot for her writing. It is very visceral and easy to read. Okay not quite easy emotionally. Difficult emotionally. That girl has been through some serious shit that I never even imagined. But I feel some kind of bond, some understanding, just for the fact of being female. It's that silly "sisterhood" thing. I guess that's empathy.

Just to backtrack, Occasional Superheroine was one of the first comic blogs I really got into reading regularly. I'm really new to this whole blog thing (seems I'm always late to the party). So I started reading that blog probably two months ago. I thought, "man, this girl has got her stuff together. She's smart, witty, knows stuff, doesn't take shit from anyone. This is what I want my blog to aspire to."

I saw the mentions of "Goodbye to Comics" and kept thinking, "I need to read that," but never made the time. Until now.

I am just floored with the candor of the posts. It seems like the kind of thing I would do on a whim (spill my guts) but then delete it before I posted it. But she just kept spilling and posting. I admire that.

It made me think of the women I have prejudged (come on, I know I'm not the only one), and why I believed what other people said about them. It made me grateful that my childhood was a mostly suburban dream. It made me ache for women that suffer at the hands of misguided men and dubious women.

All this brings me back to my original view of Occasional Superheroine. She is stronger than I thought, having overcome such crazy things - one after the other - it's almost ridiculous.

I hope she affects change in the comics industry - I hope she publishes her books. We need strong women to show other women out there (and men!) what real women can do.

Thank you for writing.

Retooling

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 01:07:00 +0000

Okay, I need to change this blog up. It's not going to work as I originally intended. So I'm going to add some other media which I'm more familiar with and also enjoy discussing. Namely television, film, and video games.

I enjoy that a blog is a very organic thing, so I'll try not to be too confined and see where that takes me.

Fall TV Preview

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:13:00 +0000

Remember when TV Guide wasn't the size of Life Magazine? Remember Life Magazine? Remember when you couldn't wait to crack open that "fall preview" extra thick TV Guide with the new magazine smell and read what great TV shows you would be watching very soon on such networks as CBS, ABC, and NBC?

Those days are gone. The "new fall season" is gone. TV shows start and stop whenever the hell they want to nowadays. There are a gazillion channels with new shows on. Basically what used to be a perfect time for TV hounds like me has become a huge cluster#$%#. I keep asking my boyfriend, "are there any new shows on yet?" It's all very confusing. I long for the old days, but for now, I will make do.

So I've taken all the good stuff and chopped it up into easy to digest bites for you.

You will notice that Lost is suspiciously absent. That's because they aren't showing new episodes until next year! But then they won't split the season so that's a good thing.

New Shows:

Monday

Journeyman / NBC / 10pm - Quantum Leap meets...um...good writing? Kevin McKidd (the best thing on "Rome") travels through time. That's really all you need to know. Great actor and the promos look amazing. Starts 9/24.

Tuesday

New Amsterdam / Fox / 8pm - This detective guy is immortal. Or is he? I haven't heard much about this but immortal guy = intrigued. Just learned they moved this to midseason yay "coming soon".

Chuck / NBC / 9pm - Chuck downloads some government secrets or some such directly into his brain, and hilarity ensues I suppose (yawn). People are psyched about this one. For some reason I'm not that excited, but I'll give it a chance. Starts 9/24.

The Reaper / Fox / 9pm - Some slacker guy's soul was sold to the devil by his parents, so now he must serve the Dark One. A dark comedy that could be interesting. I have the feeling that House and Chuck are going to blow this one out of the water. Really bad programming on Fox's part. Starts 9/25.

Wednesday

Pushing Daisies / ABC / 8pm - Ned can bring stuff back to life...or death! Hehe, I get the feeling this one is going to turn into a soap opera. It's so hard to tell with these new shows because they hardly ever live up to the promos. Starts 10/3.

Bionic Woman / NBC / 9pm - Not so much a remake of the 70's TV show as it is an update (way more serious, action packed). Lots of buzz. I saw the pilot at CCSD and was very excited about it. Brought to you by the same people that brought you Battlestar Galactica. But now they've recast the sister and changed up the pilot episode. If they are messing with the original vision, this could be a disaster. Starts 9/26.

Thursday

Kitchen Nightmares / Fox / 9pm - The US version of the BBC show, headed up by Gordon Ramsay. Okay it's not scifi, but I love cooking shows! Ramsay is the foul-mouthed celebrity chef that also hosted Hell's Kitchen, which I hated. But in Kitchen Nightmares he actually helps people with their failing restaurants. Starts 9/19.

Friday

Women's Murder Club / ABC / 9pm - Based on James Patterson's novels which I haven't read. But I loves me some murder mysteries! Four women solving crimes after work? I'm in! Starts 10/12.

Moonlight / CBS / 9pm - Vampire solves crimes. My favorite was seeing the actor interviewed on, I think, TV Guide Channel? He said "this has never been done before." Orly? Angel? Will this be better than Angel? Doubt it. Is it just me or does the whole cast look like little people on the website? Starts 9/28.

Sunday

Viva Laughlin / CBS / 8pm - Hugh Jackman produced musical drama. Cameo please! Starts 10/21.

Returning Shows:

Monday

Heroes / NBC / 9pm - I was excited, then disappointed, then excited with the first season of Heroes. It could have been complete crap. It wasn't, so my hopes rose. Then they fell as the show became slow and the story lagged. But the last few episodes have been encouraging. Looking forward to next season. Starts 9/24.

Wednesday

Bones / Fox / 9pm - I always seem to watch this show in reruns. And its a good, solid show. Funny and smart. And since it's opposite Bionic Woman, I'll probably watch it in reruns again, or start programming the DVR. Starts 9/25

Thursday

Survivor / CBS / 8pm - Takes place in China this season. From what I understand that's new and cutting edge. Do we see the survivors holed up in some sweatshop making sneakers? Or censored by the government when they post on their blogs? Kidding! Seriously though, I didn't even watch at all last season. Unless Jeff Probst joins the survivors in camp and eats bugs I doubt I'll be watching. Starts 9/20.

DC Plus Random House Equals New Readers?

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:44:00 +0000

So big news yesterday; Random House announced that they will be distributing DC's graphic novels.

In business terms this is Brangelina — the biggest and deepest backlist in the biz coupled with the marketing power of Random House should equal continuing ka-ching for all involved.

This is huge. Random House is like the Godzilla of book publishers. They have their tentacles - or paws, I guess Godzilla has paws - in more places than any other publisher.

And Levitz believes Random House will help sell the graphic novel category to independent bookstores, which have lagged significantly behind chain bookstores in embracing the category. “Graphic novels have a weaker representation in independent stores than in the chains. Random House has an opportunity to have a big impact there,” he said. Abraham agreed, noting that “we’re very selective in choosing our clients. We try to find category leaders like DC that are perfect for our own internal experience. I certainly hope we can bring in the independent stores.”

Independent stores are good, expanding is good. Maybe some other comic book publishers can ride their coattails into those independent stores.

But how much can these indie booksellers really penetrate into the non-graphic-novel-reading customer base? I mean - most readers do buy their books at the big chains or Amazon right? And Amazon is a different beast altogether. You pretty much go in there knowing what you're looking for, right?

I think the biggest coup here could really be spreading out the graphic novels to appropriate sections. Really, does Maus belong in the same section as The Ultimates? Sure, some people will read both, but in my opinion it doesn't make a lot of sense. Put the superhero TPB's with sci-fi / fantasy. Put the autobiographical graphic novels with biographies. Put the non-superhero books with fiction, etc. That is going to expand your reader base with the bookstore browsers who might not otherwise think of buying a graphic novel.

We don't have a separate section for books with etched drawings on the title page, or books with 12 point type. To me it makes about as much sense to group together books because they are made up of drawings.

Far-fetched metaphor incoming: The graphic novel section is like the gay / lesbian / bisexual / transgender of the bookstore. They don't have much in common other than they don't fit anywhere else comfortably.

Of course that will probably not happen for a long time (but wouldn't it be cool?). In the meantime, it will be interesting to see how this relationship plays out and what Random House can bring to the table.

What's the Definition of Insanity Again?

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 15:15:00 +0000

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? I don't know if that's really the definition. I think it's just something some clever person made up that sounded good. Actually, I looked it up. Apparently someone did just make it up.

Fact is, I had a vision. A vision of introducing women to comic books. Here's the problem: women not interested in comic books don't read comic book blogs. I've tried advertising it in non-comic-booky places but it's not working.

How are women introduced to comics? Most of the bloggers I've read seem to have grown up with comics. I didn't, unless you count Donald Duck and Hanna Barbera kiddie comics. I was introduced to comic books through my boyfriend. The first comic I really loved and bought every issue was Ruse. Then Crossgen went bankrupt, figures. In my opinion Ruse was what Minx should have been. But maybe that's the way in - attract male readers and have them tell their girlfriends? Too iffy.

Blogs like Occasional Superheroine, Comics Worth Reading, and the When Fangirls Attack blogrolls know comics much better than I do. And they are where I would go when I'm looking for some info. There is a reason they are successful. They are smart and informed and people know that they know what they are talking about. Yes that made sense in my head.

The other side of the coin would be to post stories that are controversial just to get noticed. That's not my style. There are enough "all boys suck, all girls rock" blogs out there, I don't need to add to them.

I really do wish more "normal" (please don't take offense to that, I mean it generically) women out there could discover comic books. They should know that there's more than just superhero comics out there. Maybe Laurell K. Hamilton has the right idea. She took her uber-successful romance-vampire book series, Anita Blake, and turned it into a comic book. Personally I have not read that series, but it's super successful with women. Actually, has anyone ever seen a man read any of those? So women addicted to the book series and "have to have" everything associated with it will buy the comics. It's actually pretty perfect, if it works. Take some story universe that women love and turn it into a comic series. Like maybe, I dunno, Buffy the Vampire Slayer?

Maybe that's the real future. I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels here. I enjoy writing and it makes me happy, but when no one reads it it's like an exercise in futility. And I feel like I'm just stroking my ego. I need to reevaluate, and get a different result.

Review: Mouse Guard Volume 1

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:14:00 +0000

Mouse Guard Volume 1: Fall 1152 is a treasure.

This book is published by Archaia Studios Press, which has a plethora of talented comic book writer/artists doing stuff outside the superhero vein. David Peterson does not disappoint either.

If I were pitching this as a movie I would say it's, "An American Tail meets Lord of the Rings." This is a story about mice in the year 1152. They have tiny little cities, and wear tiny little cloaks, and have tiny little swords. It's really all very cute, but is great because it's not cute in that Hello Kitty kind of way. The mice are all very serious and have real problems like predators who want to eat them.

But this story is about a threat from within their own ranks which is set to overthrow one of their cities. The main mice are part of the Mouse Guard, which guard the cities and towns from bad things. They also patrol the borders, chaperone "commonmice" and research wrongdoings. They are truly the adventurers of the mouse world. We follow mostly the three main mice, Saxon, Kenzie, & Lieam in this adventure.

The artwork in this book is phenomenal. This is a hardcover book (the paperback is due out spring 2008) and it would really make a great gift for anyone who likes LOTR type stories. Each panel is a work of art that you can study for details. The mice are very cute and stoic at the same time. There is also blood and stabbing and fighting (not in a Happy Tree Friends way, very minimal but effective).

Really I would recommend this book for men and women and boys and girls, and I look forward to the next one: Winter 1152.

Furries Scare Me

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 23:38:00 +0000

This chart reminded me of the above mentioned fact just by virtue of printing the word, "furries." *shiver*

I need a shower.

A funny chart though.

Digg: Books Not Newsworthy

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 20:56:00 +0000

Where the @#!! do you file a comic book story on Digg?

So I was browsing Digg, looking for any comic book or regular book news, and I noticed something odd: Digg doesn't list "books" anywhere. Not "reading material", or "newspapers", or even "things you check out of a library."

Here's a list of their categories:

Technology
Apple
Design
Gadgets
Hardware
Industry News
Linux/Unix
Microsoft
Mods
Programming
Security
Software
Tech Deals
World & Business
Business & Finance
Political News
2008 U.S. Elections
Political Opinion
World News
Offbeat News
Sports
Baseball
Basketball
Extreme
Football - US/Canada
Golf
Hockey
Motorsport
Soccer
Tennis
Other Sports
Science
Space
Environment
Health
General Sciences
Entertainment
Celebrity
Movies
Music
Television
Gaming
Industry News
Playable Web Games
PC Games
Nintendo Wii
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Entertainment
Celebrity
Movies
Music
Television

Are we so advanced now as a society that we no longer have any use for news about those ancient relics called "books"? Do books just get filed under "celebrity" or... I don't even know what else, "other sports". Doing a search on Digg for "comic book" heeds lots of results under a plethora of categories; movies, celebrity, general sciences, gaming industry news, offbeat news... but no books.

Digg isn't really all about news anyway. It's mostly just human interest stories. I mean "A Cat's Map of the Bed" is very cute, but is it news? Is it more newsworthy than "Killer Babies Infiltrate the Comicon!"? Possibly, but I digress.

I don't know, I'd like to think that if "motorsport" deserves it's own category that maybe books do as well?

No? Okay, I'll just be in offbeat news....

Reading Comics for Beginners Part 1: A Superpowered Glossary of Terms

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:56:00 +0000

Reading comic books can be somewhat scary for someone that's never done it before. It seems like some sort of secret society with capes and spandex and thought bubbles to an outsider. It's all very imposing.

There is a whole glossary of terms that people in the industry use. These are some of the commonly used terms you, as a reader, should know. Of course this is not an exhaustive list.

Colorist - the artist that applies color to the pen drawing
Comic Book Bag - a clear plastic bag used for comic book storage and protection
Comic Book Board / Backing Board - a (usually white) rectangular cardboard used in the comic book bag to keep the book from bending
Con - comic book convention
Fanboy - an obsessive male comic book collector that knows every detail about a particular comic (think "Comic Book Guy" from The Simpsons)
Fangirl - same as "fanboy" but female
Free Comic Book Day - an annual event when comic book distributors and retailers give away comics at local shops, usually in May
Golden Age - "the period of comics beginning June, 1938 with Action #1 and ending in 1945 with the end of World War II."
Graphic Novel - a bound book of either collected comic books or a standalone book that is thicker than a "floppy" comic book single issue
Inker - the artist that applies the ink to the pencil drawing
Letterer - the artist that applies the letters / words and captions to the artwork
Manga - a japanese comic book
Metaseries - "includes series of stories which include references to each other and some overall similar chronological or cast backdrop, but are not similar enough to be considered direct sequels."
Miniseries - a.k.a. Limited Series. a story contained in a limited number of issues, usually 2 to 12 issues
One Shot - "when only a single issue is produced of a title, or when the title is changed with each issue."
Ongoing Series - a series intended to continue indefinitely
Origin - the story of a character's beginning or creation
Panel - a box on the written page which contains a scene
Penciller - the artist that draws the original artwork with a pencil
Silver Age - "the period that begins in 1956 with the publishing of Showcase #4 and ends in 1969."
Splash Page or Panel - a large illustration or panel on the first page
Story Arc - a continuing storyline over a series of comic books
Superhero - character with mutant or super powers that uses those powers to do good and save the world
Supervillain - same as a superhero, but uses powers for evil or to destroy the world
TPB - trade paperback. A collected set of comic books reprinted and bound into a single book
Variant Cover - a comic book issued with multiple covers, each with different art, intended for collectors

I welcome corrections, etc., and look forward to adding to this "beginners" series.

References: About.com:comic books; Comic Book Dictionary; Wikipedia

Review: Those Left Behind (Serenity)

noreply@blogger.com (KarenR) — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:10:00 +0000

WRITER: JOSS WHEDON, BRETT MATHEWS
ARTIST: WILL CONRAD
COVER ARTIST: ADAM HUGHES

This is the TPB (trade paperback), Those Left Behind (Serenity)which takes place chronologically after Firefly the TV series and before Serenity the movie. All take place in the "Firefly" universe created by Joss Whedon of Buffy fame.

I wanted to like this more than I did. To me it felt more like a means to an end (the end being connecting the dots of what happened before the movie) than a well-thought out story on it's own merit.

Of course, Whedon and Mathews insert their humor into the writing, but not enough to make up for the lackluster story. There are no revelations here. It feels like a mediocre episode of Firefly.

The artwork really saved this book from being a complete failure. All the variant covers from the single issues are featured in between the stories, and they are really wonderful. Will Conrad's pencilling is right on, and Laura Martin is really my favorite colorist. I first got to know her work in Ruse; she does the best fabric I've seen in a comic book.

In all, I wouldn't miss this being a fan of Firefly/Serenity just to "complete" the story. But if I weren't I'd skip it.