Possibly My Last Post Until New Year's

Traveling next weekend. Then Christmas. So this may be the last post here until New Year's.

436. Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami.
     
     Very touching story about a dog's loyalty. I do wish the translation had been presented in the Japanese format, since flipped art is occasionally distracting. (Checked out of the library.)
437. Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 26 by Hiromu Arakawa. Only one volume to go. (Library.)
438. The Secret Society of Super-Villains, vol. 1 by various. A collection of standard 70's fare from DC. The stories are okay, but there is absolutely no way this material warrants one $40 hardcover, much less the second one implied by the "vol. 1" in the title. Originally DC solicited a Showcase Presents for this material. $20 for 400-500 pages of comics printed in black and white on cheap paper would have been ideal. So glad I didn't buy this. (Library.)
439. The Show Must Go on by Roger Langridge.
     
     Odds & ends from Langridge. Very funny stuff.
440. Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, vol. 1: Race to Death Valley by Floyd Gotfredson.
     
     Comic strips from the 30s. A great mix of adventure and humor. Looking forward to getting future volumes from the library.
441. PS Magazine: The Best of the Preventive Maintenance Monthly by Will Eisner. Here is a book that owes its existence to a creator's reputation. If Eisner weren't a legend, there would be no call to collect the best of the comics he created for an Army-published magazine about maintaining equipment. Some great art here, but the stories are mostly all-business. Fortunately, Eisner brought interest to what could have been some incredibly dull comics. (Library.)
442. Moomin, vol. 6: The Complete Lars Jansson Comic Strip. After his sister Tove stopped doing the Moomin comic strip that she created, Lars took over and kept up the gentle humor. (Library.)
443. Dragon Puncher Island by James Kochalka. (Borrowed from Teena's classroom.)
444. Hellboy: House of the Living Dead by Mike Mignola & Richard Corben. An untold tale of Hellboy's time in Mexico working as a luchador. Man, I love Corben's art.
445. DC Comics Presents: Batman: Don't Blink by Dwayne McDuffie & Val Semeiks.
446. The Misadventures of Prince Ivan by Diane Duane & Sherlock. I don't know enough about Russian folklore to know if this is an unusual retelling of an old tale or an original story from Duane, but I quite enjoyed it.
447. Captain Swing and the Electrical Pirates of Cindery Island by Warren Ellis & Raulo Caceres.
     
     Ellis takes on steampunk and the nature of police work. I loved this.
448. B.P.R.D.: Being Human by Mike Mignola, Karl Moline, et al.
     Short pieces about some B.P.R.D. agents.

Just one movie since last week:

• Hogfather. Amazingly faithful to the book. Incredibly well-done. This may go into the list of Christmas movies Teena & I watch each December. If you love Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, you have to see this.