Bits and bobs

Wotcha! I'm feeling a bit groggy this morning - too much sunshine I think. I'm constantly slapping sunblock on my son, but never bother with it myself and feel a bit dizzy today after a Bank Holiday spent soaking up the rays. Time to shake off my torpor, stop staring into my Sea-Monkey tank and focus the mind with some comics based blathering. Away we go...

• My submission to Dateline Silver Age made the cut. Huzzah! Check it out HERE. What a site. I'm mildly embarrassed that I failed to notice those little floaty balloon things which pop up when you hover over pics, and basically said the same thing in my comment as they'd already said in aforementioned floaty balloon, but never mind.

• Jonathan Ross wrote a very good piece in Saturday's Times. It's part review of the recent book about Joe Shuster's little-known Tijuana Bible style Superman fetish art, and part comic history lesson. Whatever, Ross really knows his stuff. He takes his comics seriously and THE ARTICLE is well worth reading. What a life he leads buying job lots of Tom Sutton art and giving away rare silver age books to holidaying rap stars. Oich! I am jealous.

• The LLC read pile continues to grow, but I'm taking action to reduce it (ie reading). Lots of decent stuff in there. One really good issue which you might've missed and is worth your time is Marvel Mystery Comics #1. Released as part of Marvel's 70th anniversary celebrations, this one shot is written by "old-timer" Tom DeFalco and drawn by "up-and-comer" Chris Burnham. It's a retelling of a classic golden age story, which is notable for some beatiful art from Mr Burnham and some refreshingly fun storytelling from Mr DeFalco. Honestly, I'm all grittied out by mainstream superhero comics at the moment and it's fantastic to read something where no one gets disemboweled, swears or talks like Jack Bauer. Good fun, old style comics, complete with giant Nazi robot and flashing swastika eyes...

Been a while since I saw those in a comic

• Away from the American stuff, I'm halfway through volume two of Uzumaki at the moment and loving it. I'm going to wait 'til I've finished the final volume before saying any more about it, but trust me, if you like weird horror you want to be reading this book - it's flipping ace!

That's it for the moment, I'm off to stroke my newly purchased Starro Heroclix. Thanks to everyone who expressed an interest in the Thursday meet-up which I mooted in the post below this one. I'm thinking of trying to organise this for a few weeks time - I'll give you plenty of notice/time to make your excuses before it happens.