Hearts of the Month: February 2012

PERSON - Kevin Smith
Smodcasts, (most of) his movies, live "Evening With" shows, playing street hockey... I could watch him do pretty much anything (and have done all of the above). I loved that at the beginning of February he broadcast his show "Kevin Smith: Live from Behind" from Toronto live to Cineplex theatres all over the country. He is just all kinds of fantastic and I am super excited to be seeing him live for the 3 (or is it 4th?) time this summer!


COMPANY - ThinkGeek
They have the most incredible customer service team I have ever come across. I had some shipping issues early in the month and they cleared it up quickly and beyond generously. I have never had a bad experience with them.


QUOTE - Won-Ton Jim
My sister was attempting to sing "The Saga Begins" by Weird Al and when it came time for her to say "Qui-Gon Jinn" she said "Won-Ton Jim". I am still laughing about it and this was weeks ago.


THING - Costume Parties
I have 2 costume parties a year, one about every six months. In the winter, for the Oscars and in the summer for my birthday. Call me a loser if you like but I just can't help but love a good theme party!


VIDEO - the new Avengers trailer

This Month in Comics: February 2012

Well obviously I've sort of fallen off the wagon when it comes to my comic related posts, and at the same time, I worry about overloading my blog for people who don't enjoy them if I DO post weekly.

SO to make it easier on everyone, I'm changing my comic posts to an end of the month roundup.

I admit I am behind on visiting the comic book store and picking up my books, so this month's roundup I thought I'd share my list of the books I am currently subscribed to. These are the books I care enough about to have them automatically 'pulled' for me every month (or every other week as the case may be).

Subscribed Series List:

1. Amazing Spider-Man
2. Avenging Spider-Man
3. Batwoman
4. B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth: The Long Death (mini-series of 3 issues)
5. Deadpool
6. Journey into Mystery
7. Wolverine & the X-Men
8. Wonder Woman

I also regularly purchase Animal Man and Swamp Thing on the DC comics digital app.

Then I have my "pending" list. It's a list of titles that I have pulled one or two issues of in order to decide whether I want to subscribe, wait for the trade paperback, or forget about it altogether.

My current pending list:

1. Adventure Time
2. Astonishing X-Men
3. Fanboys vs Zombies
4. Justice League Dark
5. Peter Panzerfaust
6. Scarlet Spider
7. Secret Avengers
8. Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi
9. Steed & Mrs. Peel

Since starting to blog about my comic purchases I have dropped quite a few titles.
I no longer read (not including mini-series that have ended or titles that were cancelled):
Uncanny X-Men, Justice League, John Carter: A Princess of Mars, Action Comics (though I'll pick up the trade), Captain America, Doctor Who, Teen Titans, and once Jeff Lemire finishes his run on Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. I'll be dropping it too.

I'm off to the comic shop tomorrow to catch up on some major reading!

Last Week in Comics: November 9 - December 7

Once again I'm playing catch up! That's what 5 rehearsal nights a week will do to you!

Marvel
Journey Into Mystery #630
Buying next issue? I did! Can I just say that I LOVED this issue! Volstagg <3

Journey Into Mystery #631
Buying next issue? Yes! I was worried that with 2 issues a month I'd get burned out on it but Journey has definitely become one of my favourite series.

Wolverine and X-Men #1
Buying next issue? Sure. I wasn't blown away but I'll give it a chance to find it's feet at least.

Shame Itself #1
Buying next issue? I thought this was hilarious. If they make more, I'll definitely pick it up.

Uncanny X-Men #1
Buying next issue? See answer for Wolverine.

Avenging Spider-Man #1
Buying next issue? I will indeed.

Legion of Monsters #2
Buying next issue? I'm quite enjoying this miniseries and I'm really bummed there's only 2 more issues.

Alpha Flight #6
Buying next issue? Yep. Again, can I say how sad I am that this was changed from an ongoing series back to a mini. Two issues left. *single tear into my poutine*


DC
Action Comics #3
Buying next issue? Weaker than the previous 2 issues for me, but still good. I can see it setting up some interesting things for the next few issues.

Wonder Woman #3
Buying next issue? Yes. I am enjoying the different take on the origin story of Wonder Woman.


Dark Horse
Abe Sapien: Devil Does Not Jest #2
Buying next issue? OH YES! Love the art. Love the story. Love Abe. LOVE.



COMIC OF THE WEEK(s): Abe Sapien: Devil Does Not Jest without a doubt!
BOTTOM OF THE PACK: least favourite was probably Uncanny X-Men, but it wasn't terrible!

Last Week in Comics: November 2

I've been sick for a couple of weeks so I got quite behind in picking up my pulls from the shop/reading. I'm still behind but lucky for me, rehearsals and backstage are great places to catch up.

Marvel
Journey into Mystery #629
Buying next issue? Yes, I'm really getting into this book.


DC
Animal Man #3 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next issue? Yes definitely.

Swamp Thing #3 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next issue? To be honest, my love for this series is wearing off a little. However, I can't drop it because I have a feeling there is a crossover with Animal Man brewing.

Justice League #2
Buying next issue? Oh sure. Still not LOVING it but liking it enough to keep going.

Wonder Woman #2
Buying next issue? YES. Even if I wasn't digging the story (which I am) I would keep this series just because of the amazing art alone.

Batwoman #2 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next issue? Probably.

Justice League Dark #2 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next issue? Still haven't made up my mind on this one but I think I am entertained enough to continue.




COMIC OF THE WEEK(s): Animal Man
BOTTOM OF THE PACK: I didn't dislike anything enough to call it out as "worst" this time.

Last Week in Comics: October 12

Marvel
Alpha Flight #5
Buying next month? Definitely.

Legion of Monsters #1
Buying next month? Very similar to Frankenstein as it's a team of monsters fighting monsters. I definitely liked it though. Not sure how long I will keep both titles on my list.

John Carter: A Princess of Mars #1
Buying next month? No.


DC
Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #2
Buying next month? Yes, though as I said about Legion of Monsters, we'll see if I end up keeping both titles around. Which monster team will prevail??

Action Comics #2
Buying next month? YES YES YES. I am so into this series already!

Batwoman #1
Buying next month? Yes!


Dark Horse
Abe Sapien: Devil Does Not Jest #1
Buying next month? HELL YES. I am so excited about this title. Hellboy has long been my favourite superhero comic/movie series and Abe is my favourite character. This was an awesome first issue and I cannot wait for next month.




COMIC OF THE WEEK(s): Abe Sapien: Devil Does Not Jest
BOTTOM OF THE PACK: John Carter: A Princess of Mars

Putting the video in video games.

This past Saturday I took part once again in EXTRA LIFE.
Never heard of Extra Life before? Here's a handy video!



When playing video games for 24 hours straight, watching instead of skipping the opening cut scenes when I changed games gave my wrists and fingers a welcome mini break. It also gave my eyeballs something awesome to look at.

These are my top 3 favourite cut scenes I watched this weekend.

3. Left 4 Dead (xbox 360) - I remember the first time I started up this game back in 2008, seeing this video and thinking "HOLY CRAP what have I gotten myself into?!". I've never looked back since.


2. Marvel vs Capcom 3 (ps3) - I picked this game up on major sale when my Blockbuster was closing up. I had planned on waiting for Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 but I just couldn't pass up the $35 previously viewed price plus 25% off on top. I unwrapped it on Saturday for the marathon and my friends and I loved the opening. I sort of wish the whole game was this animation style.


1. DC Universe Online (ps3) - HOLY SMOKES. This game took 4-5 hours to install and I know why. The opening cinematic BLEW MY MIND. The animation was absolutely incredible (don't even think about viewing the video below unless it's full screen and HD) and really set the tone. THIS is how DC should be making their movies!!!

Last Week in Comics: October 5

Marvel

Captain America #1 (purchased digitally from Marvel iPhone app)
Buying next month? It was good enough for me to probably be getting the next issue.


DC

Action Comics #1 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next month? Yeah! This was a great read. I'm glad I tried this one this week.

Animal Man #2 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next month? Definitely. I am totally hooked now.

Swamp Thing #2 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next month? Yep. Still super creepy and interesting.

IDW

Doctor Who #9
Buying next month? I started a couple weeks ago but I'm still working my way through this one. It's feeling like a chore. It'd have to pull something major in the remaining pages to make me interested enough to pick up the next issue.

COMIC OF THE WEEK: Action Comics
BOTTOM OF THE PACK: Doctor Who

Last Week(s) in Comics: August 31 - September 28

Well, it happened.

It only took a month, but I've become a "regular" at my local comic book store.

I walk in and the man behind the counter says "Hi Erin" and grabs my brown paper bag from the Pull List (FANCY COMIC LINGO!) shelf and then I pay and I'm on my merry way with my comics for the week. Yes. The week. I've become one of "those" people. And I sort of love it.

I've decided to declare my new found love of comics by sharing with you all the issues I pick up each week. Will I be reviewing them? Sort of, but not really. There are many other places that can give much better reviews (I love iFanboy for example). I'll simply be answering the question: "Will I be buying the next issue?"

Today's will be a long list, going back to when I started frequenting the shop at the end of August.

Marvel
Alpha Flight #0.1, #1, #2, #3, #4
Buying next month? YES. I'm loving this series. (Even if I didn't LOVE it I'd probably still buy it just because it is all about a Canadian superhero team. Lucky for me, it's awesome.)

Journey Into Mystery #627, #628
Buying next month? Really didn't like #627, but Loki wasn't in it, so I gave it another shot. #628 was definitely better. I'm still not totally sold but I'll get the next issue.


DC
Batman: Cacophony (Trade Paperback)
Buying next month? n/a - not finished reading it yet (and it's a book of previous issues, not a monthly comic)

Justice League #1
Buying next month? I really was not a fan of this. I do like the idea of the team meeting for the first time and not liking each other but this issue felt like a chore to read. That said, I'll give it another shot at least until Wonder Woman shows up...

Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE #1
Buying next month? yes! Really neat concept, I'm interested in where this goes.

Wonder Woman #1
Buying next month? HELL YES! The story was great but the art was AMAZING. I'm really excited for the next issue!

Animal Man #1 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next month? Yep. Probably digitally again as well. I really enjoyed this book.

Swamp Thing #1 (purchased digitally from DC iPhone app)
Buying next month? I'm a little confused and a little creeped out but there were some really neat things going on here. So yes.

Justice League Dark #1
Buying next month? Yes.

Teen Titans #1
Buying next month? Probably not.


Dark Horse
The Guild: Clara
Buying next month? n/a - it was just a "one shot" comic, but it was fun.


Vertigo
Daytripper (Trade Paperback)
Buying next month? n/a haven't read it yet (and it's a book of previous issues, not a monthly comic)


COMIC OF THE WEEK(s): Wonder Woman, Frankenstein, Animal Man
BOTTOM OF THE PACK: Justice League, Journey into Mystery