So Far, So Good

Haven't had any computer issues lately. Let's hope it stays that way.

382. Essential Iron Man, vol. 1 by Stan Lee, Don Heck, et al. In most Marvel comics of the period, radiation is the macguffin that will do whatever the story requires. In Iron Man, it's transistors. Nobody ever seems to have explained to Stan that a machine can't be transistor-powered. And man, the red-baiting is turned up to 11 in these stories. Only a handful of the bad-guys aren't commies.
     
383. The Silent Invasion, vol. 1/2: Secret Affairs/Red Shadows by Larry Hancock and Michael Cherkas. Speaking of commies, this comic is set in the 50s and is all about Cold War fears. Who's a Red? Who's an alien? Who are the shadowy figures manipulating the public?
     
384. A Mess of Everything by Miss Lasko-Gross. Semi-autobiographical comics about a mixed-up teenager. I liked this better than I expected. (Checked out of the library.)
     
385. Conan, vol. 6: The Hand of Nergal by Timothy Truman & Tomas Giorello. (Library.)
     
386. Green Lantern: Rise of the Red Lanterns by Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Mike McKone, & Shane Davis. If Johns took this a little less seriously, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. You've got to admit that there is something inherently goofy about the sudden creation of a whole bunch of new [insert color here] Lantern Corps. But Johns is extremely earnest about all this, and shows it by depicting lots of gory death & dismemberment. Lighten up, dude. Your comics will be the better for it. (Library.)
     
387. Skelebunnies: Complete Collection by Tommy Kovac. (Library.)
     
388. Jingo by Terry Pratchett. For a couple of weeks, I've felt like re-reading this book about how countries are manipulated into war. Pratchett is so good. What an amazing writer.
     
389. Atomic Robo, vol. 1: Atomic Robo and the Fightin' Scientists of Tesladyne by Brian Clevinger & Scott Wegener. Fun stuff, but it feels an awful lot like Hellboy-lite. (Library.)

Despite the delay, not many movies since I last updated them:

• RiffTrax: Missile to the Moon.
  
• A Night at the Opera. Ah, the stateroom scene.