Movies:

1. True Grit
2. Rabbit Hole
3. Another Year
4. The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011: Live Action
5. The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011: Animated
6. The Illusionist
7. All About Eve
8. Cedar Rapids
9. Source Code
10. Scream 4
11. POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
12. Bridesmaids
13. Potiche
14. Meek’s Cutoff
15. Midnight in Paris
16. Super 8
17. X-Men: First Class
18. The Future
19. The Prestige
20. The Help
21. Griff the Invisible
22. The Debt
23. Weekend
24. The Skin I Live In
25. Martha Marcy May Marlene
26. Le Gamin au Velo
27. The Deep Blue Sea
28. The Descendants
29. Shame
30. Hugo
31. Young Adult

Books:

1. Voodoo Heart by Scott Snyder
2. The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan
3. The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter
4. Last Summer by Michael Thomas Ford
5. Galileo’s Dream by Kim Stanley Robinson
6. Shopgirl by Steve Martin
7. The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa
8. This Is NPR: The First Forty Years by NPR
9. The Diary of a Dr Who Addict by Paul Magrs
10. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
11. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
12. Trouble on Triton: An Ambiguous Heterotopia by Samuel R. Delany
13. The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee
14. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
15. Going Bovine by Libba Bray
16. Twinkle Twinkle by Kaori Ekuni
17. D.C. Noir edited by George Pelecanos
18. Homemade Living: Canning & Preserving with Ashley English: All You Need to Know to Make Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Chutneys & More by Ashley English
19. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
20. The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee
21. The Demon’s Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan
22. Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
23. Naked City: Tales of Urban Fantasy edited by Ellen Datlow
24. Bob the Book by David Pratt

Fiction Magazines, Chapbooks, and Zines:

1. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #23
2. Lightspeed Magazine, January 2011
3. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #24
4. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #26
5. Lightspeed Magazine, February 2011
6. Fantasy Magazine, March 2011
7. Fantasy Magazine, April 2011
8. Lightspeed Magazine, March 2011
9. Lightspeed Magazine, April 2011
10. Fantasy Magazine, May 2011
11. Lightspeed Magazine, May 2011
12. Fantasy Magazine, June 2011
13. Lightspeed Magazine, June 2011

Graphic Novels:

1. Tintin in America by Hergé
2. Kurozakuro Vol. 1 by Yoshinori Natsume
3. Twin Spica Vol. 5 by Kou Yaginuma
4. Cigars of the Pharaoh by Hergé
5. The Blue Lotus by Hergé
6. The Broken Ear by Hergé
7. Hikaru no Go Vol. 20 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
8. Hikaru no Go Vol. 21 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
9. Toys in the Basement by Stéphane Blanquet
10. Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke
11. Batman – The Annuals Vol. 1 by Various
12. The Complete Ouija Interviews by Sarah Becan
13. Justice League International Vol. 5 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Bart Sears
14. Bakuman Vol. 2 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
15. Bakuman Vol. 3 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
16. Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga by Paul Levitz, Keith Giffen, Pat Broderick, and Larry Mahlstedt
17. Cross Game Vol. 1 by Mitsuru Adachi
18. Cross Game Vol. 2 by Mitsuru Adachi
19. Ivy by Sarah Oleksyk
20. Gaylord Phoenix by Edie Fake
21. A Friendly Game by Lindsay Hornsby
22. Shadoweyes Vol. 1 by Ross Campbell
23. Aria Vol. 6 by Kozue Amano
24. Yotsuba&! Vol. 9 by Kiyohiko Azuma
25. Prince Valiant Vol. 2: 1939-1940 by Harold Foster
26. Lewis and Clark by Nick Bertozzi
27. Tsubasa Vol. 23 by CLAMP
28. Tsubasa Vol. 24 by CLAMP
29. Tsubasa Vol. 25 by CLAMP
30. Tsubasa Vol. 26 by CLAMP
31. Tsubasa Vol. 27 by CLAMP
32. Tsubasa Vol. 28 by CLAMP
33. Twin Spica Vol. 6 by Kou Yaginuma
34. Scenes from an Impending Marriage by Adrian Tomine
35. Finder: Voice by Carla Speed McNeil
36. Hikaru no Go Vol. 22 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
37. Batman: The Black Mirror by Scott Snyder, Jock, and Francesco Francavilla
38. Suicide Squad: Trial by Fire by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell
39. 7 Billion Needles Vol. 3 by Nobuaki Tadano
40. How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less by Sarah Glidden
41. Brody’s Ghost Vol. 1 by Mark Crilley
42. Brody’s Ghost Vol. 2 by Mark Crilley
43. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 11 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
44. Salt Water Taffy, vol. 4: Caldera’s Revenge! Part 1 by Matthew Loux
45. Love and Rockets: New Stories Vol. 3 by Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez
46. Earl & Mooch: A Mutts Treasury by Patrick McDonnell
47. The Complete Peanuts 1963-1964 by Charles M. Schulz
48. It Was the War of the Trenches by Jacques Tardi
49. Bunny Drop Vol. 1 by Yumi Unita
50. Bunny Drop Vol. 2 by Yumi Unita
51. An Elegy for Amelia Johnson by Andrew Rostan, Dave Valeza, and Kate Kasenow
52. Tonoharu Part Two by Lars Martinson
53. I Will Bite You! and Other Stories by Joseph Lambert
54. Bunny Drop Vol. 3 by Yumi Unita
55. Daytripper by Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon
56. Astro City: Shining Stars by Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson
57. Hikaru no Go Vol. 23 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
58. Paying for It by Chester Brown
59. Torpedo Vol. 3 Enrique Sanchez Abuli and Jordi Bernet
60. Cross Game Vol. 3 by Mitsuru Adachi
61. Empire State: A Love Story by Jason Shiga
62. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: Race to Death Valley by Floyd Gottfredson
63. Real Vol. 9 by Takehiko Inoue
64. Justice League International Vol. 6 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, Adam Hughes, Bart Sears
65. La Quinta Camera: The Fifth Room by Natsume Ono
66. Cross Game Vol. 4 by Mitsuru Adachi
67. Twin Spica Vol. 7 by Kou Yaginuma
68. The Summit of the Gods Vol. 2 by Baku Yumemakura and Jiro Taniguchi
69. Bakuman Vol. 4 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
70. Wandering Son Vol. 1 by Shimura Takako
71. Wimbledon Green: The Greatest Comic Book Collector in the World by Seth
72. Americus by M.K. Reed and Jonathan Hill
73. Congress of the Animals by Jim Woodring
74. Cul de Sac Golden Treasury: A Keepsake Garland of Classics by Richard Thompson
75. Bake Sale by Sara Varon
76. Troop 142 by Mike Dawson
77. Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami
78. A Zoo In Winter by Jiro Taniguchi
79. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vol. 1 by Naoko Takeuchi
80. Holy Terror by Frank Miller
81. X 3-In-1 Vol. 1 by CLAMP
82. Any Empire by Nate Powell
83. Loserville Vol. 1: And Then You Might Explode by Alex Cox
84. Feynman by Jim Ottaviani and Leland Myrick
85. Who is Jake Ellis? Vol. 1 by Nathan Edmondson and Tonci Zonjic
86. Twin Spica Vol. 8 by Kou Yaginuma
87. The Walking Dead Book One by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charles Adlard
88. iZombie Vol. 2: uVampire by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred
89. Celluloid by Dave McKean
90. Twin Spica Vol. 9 by Kou Yaginuma
91. Prince Valiant Vol. 3: 1941-1942 by Hal Foster
92. Bubbles & Gondola by Renaud Dillies
93. Kobato Vol. 4 by CLAMP
94. Freddy Stories by Melissa Mendes
95. Tesoro by Natsume Ono
96. Twin Spica Vol. 10 by Kou Yaginuma
97. Picket Line by Breena Wiederhoeft
98. Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: Trapped on Treasure Island by Floyd Gottfredson
99. Yotsuba&! Vol. 10 by Kiyohiko Azuma
100. The Hidden by Richard Sala
101. Nina in “That Makes Me Mad!” by Hilary Knight
102. A Waste of Time by Rick Worley
103. Rust Vol. 1: Visitor in the Field by Royden Lepp
104. Criminal Vol. 6: Last of the Innocent by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
105. Walt Disney’s Donald Duck: Lost in the Andes by Carl Barks
106. The Punisher Vol. 1 by Greg Rucka and Marco Checchetto
107. American Vampire Vol. 3 by Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, Sean Murphy, and Danijel Zezelj
108. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton
109. Wandering Son Book Two by Shimura Takako
110. Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths Vol. 1 by Brian Holguin, Barbara Randall Kesel, Alex Sheikman, and Lizzy John

(P.S. Will someone please reissue Dave Louapre and Dan Sweetman’s The Wasteland? I would buy several dozen copies of it as gifts. Instead I treasure my lone copy, and while I’m at it also wish for collections of their other big collaboration, Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children. Seriously people, it’s a license to print money.)

I’m sure it would do me a wealth of good on multiple levels, and be immensely satisfying to achieve at that.

While I don’t see myself writing full reviews of them, I did think it would be fun to write down somewhere my impressions of the books as I make my way through them.

So, Tintin in America. First published in 1932 as a black and white edition, redrawn (and shortened) in 1945, and then slightly edited in 1973 when published in the United States. It’s…

…well, it’s a good thing Tintin has such a high pedigree or I doubt I’d be planning on reading Cigars of the Pharaoh next. It’s not actively bad, but I don’t think I’d go out of my way to tell people to read it either. Tintin taking on gangster-era Chicago sounds like a potentially fun story, but there’s so much of it that just strikes me as slightly inept. Tintin seems to be someone who benefits by good luck more than smarts half of the time (the number of near-death experiences inadvertently stopped by a third party is rather high), and it’s got such a rushed conclusion that I wonder if when the book was shortened to just 62 pages if Herge did so by throwing out everything beyond a certain point.

I found myself unsure if Tintin’s dog Snowy is supposed to actually talk or if we’re just hearing his thought processes. I’d assumed it was the latter for most of the book, but at one point he tells Tintin where he’s been for the previous few pages, and Tintin seems to understand him. Odd. And Snowy is also slightly irritating.

The depiction of the Indians is rather painful to read. It’s a big pile of stereotypes, and to top it off they’re either stupid or inept the entire time. “Make it stop,” was the thought I had during that entire sequence. Of course, when it does, it’s the one time the tone shifts with them as the Indians are abused by the US Government in order to perform a land grab. After bad slapstick and jokes centering around them up until that moment, the tonal shift is rather startling.

I did, however, like Herge’s beautiful and clean art. It’s the high point of the book, and for that alone I’m glad to have finally dipped into the Tintin library. I’ll admit I had some second thoughts on if I’m going to continue reading the books in order (especially after reading an announcement today about Fantagraphics publishing the entire Carl Barks “Ducks” library, but doing so slightly out of order in order to jump into some of the best books and storylines first), but for now I’m planning on pushing on.

Hmm. I suspect more write-ups down the line won’t be quite so long. Anyway, I’ll try and read Cigars of the Pharaoh later this month!

Movies:

1. Avatar
2. Invictus
3. Alice in Wonderland
4. Greenberg
5. How to Train Your Dragon
6. Iron Man 2
7. Please Give
8. The City of Your Final Destination
9. Micmacs
10. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
11. Winter’s Bone
12. Toy Story 3
13. Despicable Me
14. Inception
15. The Kids Are All Right
16. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
17. Salt
18. Christmas in Connecticut
19. A Letter to Three Women
20. Easy A
21. Heartbreaker
22. Never Let Me Go
23. Waiting For “Superman”
24. The Social Network
25. Red
26. Fair Game
27. Certified Copy
28. Tangled
29. Black Swan
30. The King’s Speech
31. Somewhere

Books:

1. Havemercy by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett
2. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
3. Hapworth 16, 1924 by J.D. Salinger
4. Aye, and Gomorrah: And Other Stories by Samuel R. Delany
5. Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
6. Blackout by Connie Willis
7. Ash by Malinda Lo
8. Twelve Stories by Paul Magrs
9. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
10. The City & The City by China Miéville
11. Stealing Fire by Jo Graham
12. Travel Light by Naomi Mitchison
13. Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category ed. by Dave Eggers
14. The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
15. Second Line by Poppy Z. Brite
16. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa
17. The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff
18. Soulless by Gail Carriger
19. Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson
20. Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart
21. All Clear by Connie Willis

Fiction Magazines, Chapbooks, and Zines:

1. Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #25

Graphic Novels:

1. Real Vol. 6 by Takehiko Inoue
2. Bokurano: Ours Vol. 1 by Mohiro Kitoh
3. All My Darling Daughters by Fumi Yoshinaga
4. Biomega Vol. 1 by Tsutomu Nihei
5. Nightschool: The Weirn Books Vol. 2 by Svetlana Chmakova
6. Refresh, Refresh by James Ponsoldt, Benjamin Percy, Danica Novgorodoff
7. Yotsuba&! Vol. 7 by Kiyohiko Azuma
8. Smile by Raina Telgemeier
9. Sweet Tooth Vol. 1: Out of the Woods by Jeff Lemire
10. Tsubasa Vol. 21 by CLAMP
11. Tsubasa Vol. 22 by CLAMP
12. xxxHolic Vol. 14 by CLAMP
13. Aria Vol. 5 by Kozue Amano
14. One Piece: East Blue 1-2-3 by Eiichiro Oda
15. Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 23: Bridge of Tears by Stan Sakai
16. Zig and Wikki: Something Ate My Homework by Nadja Spiegelman and Trade Loeffler
17. The Return of King Doug by Greg Erb, Jason Oremland, and Hunter Clark
18. The Splendid Magic of Penny Arcade: The 11 1/2 Anniversary Edition by Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik
19. 20th Century Boys Vol. 6 by Naoki Urasawa
20. Grendel: Behold The Devil by Matt Wagner
21. Missile Mouse Vol. 1: The Star Crusher by Jake Parker
22. Spell Checkers Vol. 1 by Jamie S. Rich, Joelle Jones, and Nicolas Hitore de
23. Tekkon Kinkreet: Black & White by Taiyo Matsumoto
24. Ristorante Paradiso by Natsume Ono
25. Crogan’s March by Chris Schweizer
26. Bronx Kill by Peter Milligan and James Romberger
27. 20th Century Boys Vol. 7 by Naoki Urasawa
28. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 7 by Naoki Urasawa
29. Real Vol. 7 by Takehiko Inoue
30. Yotsuba&! Vol. 8 by Kiyohiko Azuma
31. Oishinbo A La Carte: Izakaya – Pub Food by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
32. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks and Ibraim Roberson
33. A Home for Mr. Easter by Brooke A. Allen
34. Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Vol. 1 by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck
35. The Stuff of Legend Vol. 1: The Dark by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith
36. Real Vol. 8 by Takehiko Inoue
37. Wilson by Daniel Clowes
38. Hellboy Vol. 9: The Wild Hunt by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo
39. Twin Spica Vol. 1 by Kou Yaginuma
40. Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka Vol. 8 by Naoki Urasawa
41. Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit Vol. 5 by Motoro Mase
42. RASL Vol. 2: The Fire Of St. George by Jeff Smith
43. Black Blizzard by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
44. Hikaru no Go Vol. 17 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
45. Hikaru no Go Vol. 18 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
46. Hikaru no Go Vol. 19 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
47. xxxHolic Vol. 15 by CLAMP
48. Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson
49. Afterschool Charisma Vol. 1 by Kumiko Suekane
50. John Constantine, Hellblazer: Hooked by Peter Milligan, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Landini, and Simon Bisley
51. Prime Baby by Gene Luen Yang
52. Ghostopolis by Doug TenNapel
53. Moomin Book Four: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip by Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson
54. Octopus Pie: There Are No Stars in Brooklyn by Meredith Gran
55. Suicide Squad: From the Ashes by John Ostrander and Javier Pina
56. Children of the Sea Vol. 3 by Daisuke Igarashi
57. Foiled by Jane Yolen and Mike Cavallaro
58. Bakuman Vol. 1 by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata
59. Kobato Vol. 1 by CLAMP
60. Kobato Vol. 2 by CLAMP
61. Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour by Bryan Lee O’Malley
62. Secret Six: Depths by Gail Simone and Nicola Scott
63. Rabbi Harvey Vs. the Wisdom Kid by Steve Sheinkin
64. Jellaby: Monster in the City by Kean Soo
65. Twin Spica Vol. 2 by Kou Yaginuma
66. Moomin Book Five: The Complete Tove Jansson Comic Strip by Tove Jansson and Lars Jansson
67. Moving Pictures by Kathryn Immonen and Stuart Immonen
68. Sandman Mystery Theatre Vol. 8: The Blackhawk and the Return of the Scarlet Ghost by Matt Wagner, Steven T. Seagle, Guy Davis, and Matthew Smith
69. House of Five Leaves Vol. 1 by Natsume Ono
70. The Unsinkable Walker Bean by Aaron Renier
71. The Unwritten Vol. 2: Inside Man by Mike Carey and Peter Gross
72. Hellboy Vol. 10: The Crooked Man and Others by Mike Mignola, Joshua Dysart, and Richard Corben
73. Villains United by Gail Simone and Dale Eaglesham
74. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Eric Shanower, and Skottie Young
75. American Vampire Vol. 1 by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, and Rafael Albuquerque
76. Whirlwind Wonderland by Rina Ayuyang
77. Pang, the Wandering Shaolin Monk Vol. 1: Refuge of the Heart by Ben Costa
78. Drinking at the Movies by Julia Wertz
79. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 2 by Fumi Yoshinaga
80. Wonton Soup Vol. 1 by James Stokoe
81. Twin Spica Vol. 3 by Kou Yaginuma
82. Bokurano: Ours Vol. 2 by Mohiro Kitoh
83. Nancy Vol. 1: The John Stanley Library by John Stanley and Dan Gormley
84. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 9 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
85. The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service Vol. 10 by Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki
86. Slam Dunk Vol. 12 by Takehiko Inoue
87. 7 Billion Needles Vol. 1 by Nobuaki Tadano
88. Louis – Night Salad by Metaphrog
89. The Sisters’ Luck by Shari Chankhamma
90. Koko Be Good by Jen Wang
91. Secret Six: Six Degrees of Devastation by Gail Simone and Brad Walker
92. Johnny Wander Vol. 1: Don’t Burn the House Down by Ananth Panagariya and Yuko Ota
93. Korea As Viewed by 12 Creators by Various
94. Secret Six: Danse Macabre by Gail Simone, John Ostrander, J. Calafiore
95. A Drunken Dream and Other Stories by Moto Hagio
96. Make Me a Woman by Vanessa Davis
97. Kobato Vol. 3 by CLAMP
98. Marvel Masterworks: The Fantastic Four Vol. 2 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
99. Showcase Presents: Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3 by Jim Shooter and Curt Swan
100. AX Vol. 1: A Collection of Alternative Manga by Various
101. Twin Spica Vol. 4 by Kou Yaginuma
102. Saturn Apartments Vol. 2 by Hisae Iwaoka
103. Genkaku Picasso Vol. 1 by Furuya Usamaru
104. Children of the Sea Vol. 4 by Daisuke Igarashi
105. The Summit of the Gods Vol. 1 by Baku Yumemakura and Jiro Tanaguchi
106. Dungeon Monstres Vol. 3: Heartbreaker by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, Carlos Nine, and Patrice Killoffer
107. Dungeon Zenith Vol. 3: Back in Style by Joann Sfar, Lewis Trondheim, and Christian Boulet
108. Fogtown by Andersen Gabrych and Brad Rader
109. Justice League International Vol. 1 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire
110. X’ed Out by Charles Burns
111. xxxHOLiC Vol. 16 by CLAMP
112. The Sixth Gun Vol. 1 by Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt
113. Emitown: A Sketch Diary by Emi Lenox
114. Grand Guignol Orchestra Vol. 1 by Kaori Yuki
115. Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
116. 7 Billion Needles Vol. 2 by Nobuaki Tadano
117. Justice League International Vol. 2 by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire
118. Elmer by Gerry Alanguilan
119. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 3 by Fumi Yoshinaga
120. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 4 by Fumi Yoshinaga
121. The Return of the Dapper Men by Jim McCann and Janet Lee
122. Justice League International Vol. 3  by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire
123. Justice League International Vol. 4  by Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Ty Templeton
124. Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. 5 by Fumi Yoshinaga

Now, like all lists, my votes are subjective. There are a few books I plain forgot about. And there are others that I haven’t read, or only read part of, so I couldn’t include them in my line-up. (For instance, of the top ten books, even though I only voted for two, seven of the others are either on my “to be read/finished” list, or barely missed getting onto my own list of votes.)

But anyway, to make a long story… well, less long… for those interested, here are ten great comics from 2010 that you might find also worth reading (plus various longer reviews from me about these books over the past year, so you can get a better idea). Check em out.

The Sixth Gun
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Brian Hurtt
Publisher: Oni Press

What happens when you mix horror, dark fantasy, and the wild west? If you’re especially lucky, The Sixth Gun where every month Cullen Bunn comes up with new and fantastical creations for Brian Hurtt to beautifully draw. It’s almost criminal the first issue was given away for free at Free Comic Book Day, because there’s no way to keep from getting hooked after just one issue.

Review @ CBR (#1)
Review @ CBR (#2)
Review @ Read About Comics (#6)
Review @ CBR (#7)

Part sketchbook, part diary, part short story collection, Vanessa Davis’s Make Me a Woman is especially noteworthy for not only her fluid, beautiful art style, but how easily she pulls the reader into her orbit. You’ll finish Make Me a Woman feeling like you’ve known Davis for years, and that in doing so had a new close friend to boot. Some people are writers or artists, Davis is a true storyteller.

Review @ Read About Comics

Why can’t all crossover comics be this good? Beasts of Burden and Hellboy are each independently a blast to read, but everyone involved is at the top of their game with this this one-shot. Horrific and exciting, the only bad thing about Beasts of Burden/Hellboy is that we now have to wait for the next Beasts of Burden mini-series.

Review @ CBR
Review @ Read About Comics (the previous mini-series)

American Vampire may have gotten its initial attention by having Stephen King write back-up stories for the first five issues, but as soon as it hit stands we all realized it was Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque who were going to hook readers. Dark and dangerous, American Vampire takes what was the boring genre of vampire fiction and reminds us that it can still be great. (Plus, no sparkling vampires here. I promise.)

Review @ Read About Comics (#1)
Review @ CBR (#2)
Review @ CBR (#4)
Review @ CBR (#9)

If you only know Jeff Smith from his all-ages comic Bone, you might be a little surprised by RASL, his science-fiction saga with a boozing, dimension-hopping art thief whose morals might not quite be in place. Each new issue adds another piece to the overall puzzle, and add in some of Smith’s always gorgeous art and it’s a treat and a half.

Review @ Read About Comics (#1)
Review @ Read About Comics (#8)
Review @ CBR (#9)

How do you end a saga over half a decade in the making? If you’re lucky, just like Bryan Lee O’Malley wrapped up Scott Pilgrim. With sly winks to the readers as he subverts half of their expectations, it’s an energetic blast of video game styled fights, sharp one-liners, and a surprisingly touching examination of Scott Pilgrim’s soul. Scott Pilgrim wasn’t just the little indy book that could, it was the indy book that kicked butt.

Review @ CBR

A comic about a window washer might not sound interesting – but what if it’s a window washer who works on a massive space station that circles the planet some 35,000 meters above the surface? Saturn Apartments follows Mitsu and his fellow lower-level dwellers in a fascinating series that takes an ignored class of people and makes them heroes in their own right.

Review @ Read About Comics
Review @ CBR

Mike Carey and Peter Gross’s The Unwritten continues to delve into the hidden world of books, with enough twists and turns to create a Choose Your Own Adventure novel. Then again, they did just that a few issues ago. Always inventive and surprising, The Unwritten is a must-read month-after-month.

Review @ Read About Comics (#1)
Review @ Read About Comics (#8)
Review @ CBR (#11)
Review @ CBR (#18)

I’d never heard of Moto Hagio until Fantagraphics published this best-of collection of her stories, and it’s easy to see why Hagio is one of the queens of shojo manga in Japan. The short story “Iguana Girl” (about a girl who grows up with her mother treating her like she is an iguana) is strong enough to make you feel like you’ve gotten your money’s worth, but the remaining nine stories are also all excellent to boot.

Review @ Read About Comics

A struggle to get across a house, aided by toys, dipping in and out of reality? Joe the Barbarian takes its core concept and runs with it thanks to gorgeous illustrations by Sean Murphy, and an increasingly gripping script from Grant Morrison. Between this and Toy Story 3, it’s a good year to be a toy.

Review @ CBR

Obviously I know who Tintin is, and when that stupid hair flip was in style a few years ago I referred to those who had it as Tintins. But while my good friend Marc introduced me to Asterix back in 1980, for some reason I never raided his Tintin books while I was at it.

The sad thing is that about six or seven years ago, I ended up with an almost complete collection of the Tintin books (everything from Tintin in America through Flight 714) for just a few dollars. I picked them up then and figured I would finally get around to reading them, but a recent article about Tintin reminded me that they’re still sitting on my bookshelf, untouched.

My goal for next year is to finally sit down and read them all. I went ahead and bought a copy of Tintin and the Picaros in anticipation of reading the others. But for Tintin fans out there, here’s a question: should I bother tracking down copies of the first two volumes, Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin in the Congo? I know the first one is of a much cruder style, and the second one has a lot of racist depictions of people that has made it rather verboten. My instinct is to just start with Tintin in America and if, upon reading the others, I’ve enjoyed them enough I can always backtrack to those other two. (Or for that matter, pick up the never-completed Tintin and Alph-Art.) But I figured for those of you who are Tintin knowledgeable, it couldn’t hurt to double-check. (Also, read them in order, or try one of the later ones first and then jump back to the beginning? I’m leaning toward the latter but once again, can’t hurt to ask.)

It’s not quite some of the classic literature that I’ve been telling myself I’ll read soon (although I did finally tackle a few key novels over the past couple of years), but it should be a fun diversion.

I saw DC Comics’s Blammoids! toys a couple of weeks ago and I was entranced, utterly entranced. The ones from the first set are innocent enough, I guess, although really, what little kids want superhero figures where all you can move are their arms and heads? Totally aimed at adults, with their strange proportions and deformed bodies, meant to be perched on a desk or bookshelf.

But then I saw some of the more recent figures, and…

…all I could think was that this was how a toy line envisioned by Kevin O’Neill would appear. (For those unfamiliar with Kevin O’Neill—best known for his work on comics like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Marshall Law—he has a harsh, angular line that disturbed the Comics Code Authority enough that they refuse to approve anything he’s drawn. Which is a plus in my book, but there you go.)

Seriously, look at those three figures. They’re a little twisted and messed up. This is totally not for kids. I cannot stop laughing at these toys.

Fortunately, as my big goal for the next year or so is to wipe out debt, plus having to replace my main computer due to its painful death over the past year, it was easy to justify not buying any of these. Because I don’t need another toy addiction, after all. But I totally had to share the “wow” factor.

(Many, many more pictures of the line are available at DC’s website, for those truly interested.)

Worst Open House Ever?

Probably not. But Charlie and I did look at some open houses over the weekend (not that we’re buying in the near future, but to get an idea of right now what is available in our suspected price range) and there was one house that stood out in particular for being unwelcoming. First, when we got there, the front door was locked. As we were standing right next to the front window (with the realtor slumped on a couch), he saw us trying to open the door and hopped up and opened the door. “I don’t know how that happened,” he said. Because of course the door locked its own deadbolt.

But then, we stepped in and were greeted with an overwhelming smell of cigarette smoke. As we gasped for air, then realtor dealt the final blow. “When I got here for the open house I found out that one of the contractors working on the house is not feeling well and he’s lying down in the master bedroom, so I’m going to have to ask that you not go in there.”

“We’ll just come back,” Charlie said, as he and I scrambled towards the door. Which of course, meant, never. Talk about three strikes and you’re out…

Small Press Expo 2010 A Success

This year’s Small Press Expo (a show I first attended in 1995, first volunteered for in 1997, and have helped run in some capacity since 1998) was a huge success, hurrah! It was also my last year as the grand poobah of the Ignatz Awards, so having that off my shoulders (more or less) was also a big relief. I finished up my wine sketchbook, which I started back in 2001. I am determined to buckle down and scan the rest and start posting those sketches here… soon… honest.

Autumn = Soup Weather

I love making soup in colder weather, both on the stove and in my crock pot. I also finally decided to give Soupergirl a try, a local chef who sells her homemade soups that you order in advance. I’m going to keep making my own soup, of course, but I’m dying to see how hers taste too. Especially since hers is a zucchini pear soup, something that sounds strange at first and then intriguing, and more importantly I’d never have thought to try it on my own.

Upcoming Documentary I Can’t Wait To See

Waiting for “Superman” is opening this weekend in the DC area, David Guggenheim’s new documentary on the public school system in the United States and its decline over recent years. Part of the focus is on the DC school system and DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself. For the record, while I don’t think she was perfect (and made some mistakes along the way), I do think that Rhee was one of the best things to happen to DC public schools in the past few years.