Unmotivated

I just can't seem to work up any enthusiasm for updating anymore. I think Good Reads is filling the need that this blog satisfied.

I'm not saying that I'm completely abandoning the blog. After nearly nine years, it would be weird to just walk away. But I don't think I'll be posting all that much.

Maybe I'll just start posting exclusively about movies and TV shows.

Or maybe not.

Brain No Work

Feeling pretty drained from my first week at my new job, so I'm postponing again. It may be a while before my mental muscles build up enough to post again.

Called on Account of Heat

I've read plenty of books in the past couple of weeks, but it's too damn hot today to spend it in front of the computer listing them all. Maybe next weekend.

Movies, At Last

It's been over two months since I listed movies, so it is well past time that I caught up on them.

• The AvengersLots of fun. Never thought I'd see a superhero team movie, much less a successful one.
• Doctor Who: Terror of the AutonsCreepy mannequins come to life.
• The MuppetsEnjoyable, but I agree with Teena's assessment that they made a mistake in making the viewpoint character a new Muppet. It took too long to get to the characters we know.
• Iron Man 2Not as good as the first one, but still entertaining.
• Cowboys & AliensGreat cast.
• The Three MusketeersThe recent "clockpunk" version. This movie is completely preposterous, but it is a hell of a lot of fun.
• The Three MusketeersThis is the 1974 movie with Michael York, Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Raquel Welch and many others. It was a lot funnier than I expected (and intentionally so, unlike the 2011 version). Some great fight sequences too.
• Doctor Who: The Claws of AxosYet another alien invasion.
• Laughter Is the Best Medicine Comedy show at the Alberta Rose Theatre. Fund-raiser for the Alzheimer's Association. We went mostly because a couple of MST3K alumni were performing. J. Elvis Weinstein was pretty good, but both Teena and I found Frank Conniff's delivery way off (and his material didn't do much for us either). The host, Dave "Gruber" Allen, was great. Before the show, he lip-synced to a few songs and played air guitar. He threw guitar picks to the audience after he "played" them.
  
  One of them landed near us.
• Go WestBuster Keaton was a fantastic comedian.
• The Four Musketeers Not as funny as the first movie, but still star-studded and very good.
• BraveWow. Absolutely fantastic. Up there withThe Incredibles.Loved this movie.
• Doctor Who: Snakedance One of my favorite Peter Davison stories.
• Doctor Who: Vengeance on VarosI haven't seen as many of Colin Baker's stories as I have the other Doctors. This one was unfamiliar.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2We finally got around to watching this. The movies got a lot better as this series progressed. We did feel that the battle for Hogwarts focused too much on the main characters. It would have been nice to have seen more of the other characters fighting.
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - Extended Edition
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Extended Edition
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - Extended Edition Teena and I watched one disc a night for nearly a week, which seems to be the ideal way to watch these movies.
• Doctor Who: The ChaseThe first Doctor flees through space and time from the Daleks.
• The Dark Knight Rises Very impressive. Great finale to Nolan's trilogy. Not a Batman I'm used to, but an interesting interpretation. Will be interested in watching all three movies on consecutive nights when this becomes available on DVD.
• Doctor Who: Ghost LightA rather confusing story. Apparently it got cut a lot during production.

Book catch-up next week.

More books

209. Jon Sable, Freelance Omnibus, vol. 2 by Mike Grell
     
     Adventure comics from the 80s. Great art, occasionally awkward characterization.
210. Lost Dogs by Jeff Lemire.
     
     Lemire's first graphic novel back in print. A little rough, but showing the promise exhibited in his current work.
211. African-American Classics (Graphic Classics, vol. 22) edited by Tom Pomplun & Lance Tooks.
     
     Anthology of comics adaptations of short stories & poems by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, et al. (Checked out of the library.)
212. The Savage Sword of Conan, vol. 5 by Roy Thomas, John Buscema, et al.
     
     They seem to have run out of Robert E. Howard stories to adapt by the time they got to this volume.
213. Captain America: Death of the Red Skull by J.M. DeMatteis, Paul Neary, et al.
     
     I had fond memories of these comics from when I was a kid and am happy to say that it holds up well. (Library.)
214. The Lovely Horrible Stuff by Eddie Campbell
     
     Money, money, money. It's been a while since I read a comic that Campbell both wrote and drew, and I had forgotten just how good he is.
215. Snarked, vol. 1: Forks and Hope: Forks and Hope by Roger Langridge.
     
     Fantastic all-ages comic inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll. Fun & funny. One of the best comics I've read all year.
216. H.P. Lovecraft's the Dunwich Horror by Joe R. Landsdale, Robert Winberg & Peter Bergsting.
     
     Adaptation/sequel to Lovecraft's story. Not terribly impressed, which is unusual. I normally like Landsdale quite a bit. I think it was the art, which I didn't care for.
217. The Twelve, vol. 1 by J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Weston.
     
     (Library.)
218. The Twelve, vol. 2 by J. Michael Straczynski & Chris Weston.
     
     I enjoyed the first volume when it came out a couple of years ago, and I was looking forward to the second volume, but it was delayed and delayed. Glad it's finally out now. Nice wrap-up to the story. (Library.)
219. The Knight Life: Chivalry Ain't Dead by Keith Knight.
     
     The first (and only, as far as I know) collection of Knight's syndicated "autobiographical" comic strip.
220. FF, vol. 3: All Hope Lies in Doom by Jonathan Hickman, Juan Bobillo & Nick Dragotta.
     
     It had been too long since I read volume 2, so I had difficulty remembering what was going on, and the book made no allowances for new readers or faulty memories. (Library.)
221. Marvel Universe Spider-Man: Amazing Fantasy by Paul Tobin, Rob DiSalvo, et al.
     
     Fun all-ages comics.
222. Invincible Iron Man, vol. 9: Demon by Matt Fraction & Salvador Larroca.
     
     (Library.)
223. The Defenders, vol. 1 by Matt Fraction, Terry Dodson, et al.
     
     Weirdness in the Marvel Universe.

Updating again

193. The Punisher by Greg Rucka, vol. 1 by Greg Rucka & Marco Checchetto.
     
     (Checked out of the library.)
194. Roadwaysby Jeff Lang & Ted Slampyak.
     
     Print on demand collection of a fun comic series that ran for a short time in the 90s. Only available through Amazon.
195. Crogan's Loyalty by Chris Schweizer.
     
     New volume in this wonderful series about history and family. I got the first two volumes from the library. Someday when I have some disposable income again, I need to buy copies of them.
196. The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century, pt. 3: 2009 by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill.
     
     I like this one better than part 2, but still a little too dark for my tastes.
197. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins.
     
     Teena warned me that this one feels a lot like a repeat of the first volume, and I see why. Still, I quite enjoyed it and am looking forward to the third book. (Borrowed from Teena.)
198. Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8, vol. 8: Last Gleaming by Joss Whedon, Scott Allie & Georges Jeanty.
     
     I stuck it out through all of "Season 8", but I wasn't all that impressed. I'm not going to bother with "Season 9".
199. Oil and Water by Steve Duin & Shannon Wheeler.
     
     A writer for The Oregonian and a cartoonist went to Louisiana after the Deepwater Horizon disaster. This book is the product of their experience. (Library.)
200. Batman: Gates of Gotham by Scott Snyder, Kyle Higgins & Trevor McCarthy.
     
     (Checked out of the library.)
201. Archie: A Celebration of America's Favorite Teenagers by Craig Yoe.
     
     A look at the history of the Archie characters and the publishing company.
202. Morning Glories, vol. 3: P.E. by Nick Spencer & Joe Eisma.
     
     I really like this series, and while there are plenty of mysteries, I feel confident Spencer knows what's going on and all will be revealed. I just wish it were published more frequently so I could see the answers.
203. All Saints Day: An Amy Devlin Mystery by Christina Weir, Nunzio Defilippis & Dave McHargue.
     
     I need to remember how much I enjoy the things Weir & Defilippis write.
204. Daredevil by Mark Waid, vol. 1 by Mark Waid, Paolo Rivera & Marcos Martin.
     
     Everything people have been saying about this series is true. It's lots of fun, which is a welcome change to Daredevil. He has been grim ever since Frank Miller's run in the 80s. A light-hearted touch is a welcome change. Also, it's nice that Marvel is acknowledging creators in their book titles now, it'd be even better if they acknowledged more than just the writer. (Library.)
205. Dungeons & Dragons, vol. 2: First Encounters by John Rogers, Andrea DiVito, et al.
     
     I really like the fact that the collection is designed to look like a D&D source book, but that wouldn't matter if the comics inside weren't enjoyable. Fortunately, these are.
206. Red Lanterns, vol. 1: Blood and Rage by Peter Milligan & Ed Benes.
     
     As I mention nearly every time I read something by him, Milligan can be hit or miss for me. This is somewhere in the middle. I didn't dislike it, but I am glad I didn't buy it. (Library.)
207. Cinderella: Fables Are Forever by Chris Roberson & Shawn McManus.
     
     Spy story starring Cinderella. Fun.
208. Tales of the Beanworld, vol. 3.5 by Larry Marder.
     
     Collection of odds & ends, stitched together to make a (slightly awkward) story. Also, color! (Borrowed from Teena.)

Not completely caught up yet, but I need a break from sitting at the computer. More soon.