In time for the Holidays...
Here's a list even more Cool Shit you requested.*
1) Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures by Walter Moers (book)
Remember awhile back when I said go out and buy the 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear right now? Well, if you haven't...go ahead and do so.**
Back? Good. Now go buy Moers followup novel Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures. Equally as impossible to explain this novel is a fair bit darker and not quite as a good as Bluebear. Which just means it's merely one of the most kickass things you'll ever read and not just possibly the most kickass thing you'll ever read. The only downside is that now I want a Wolperting Whelp...and I don't think I can import one.
2) The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (book)
Definitely an impulse buy that paid off. This story of a young boy who gets drawn into a fantasy world after his mother's death reminds me of Gaiman and Barker a bit, but with a style all its own. Sometimes the book does seem to be trying a wee bit hard to be literature with a capital L but that's a minor quibble. Mostly it's a creative and fun modern fairy tale.
3) John Sable: Freelance by Mike Grell (Comic trade paperbacks)
This time around the "step into the way back machine"place on the list belongs to John Sable, Freelance and his comic series of the same name. This loveable cross between JK Rowling, Alan Quatermain, Robert McCall, and Frank Castle is a fun modern pulp adventure series. Grell also wrote a novel about Sable, which basically modernizes the 80s comic plot a bit but is also a fun read. However, if you get the chance grab the comic and enjoy Grell's unique art style as well.
4) Hellsing OVA Vol. 1 (DVD)
So it might not be quite as jaw-droppingly cool as the TV show but the new OVA adaptation of popular manga Hellsing manages to improve on a lot of the old show, even if the music and pacing isn't quite as good. Still, the return of the excellent English voice cast from the older anime and some great moments of comedy make this very enjoyable and an easy purchase. Also, this version of the story will include Nazi vampies, which is combining two of the five great antagonists.
5) Heroes (TV Show)
Yeah, yeah, I should have mentioned this a while back and it's hardly news to anyone I know but damn this is a solid piece of TV. From the comic style camerawork to the tightly woven plot where things actually happen (yeah I'm looking at you Lost) this is probably best new show of the year. It really deserves its high ratings and hopefully nothing stupid will happen and hurt the shows chances for future seasons.
6) Patton Oswald (Comedian)
Man, this guy is so funny it actually hurts. The best part about Mr. Oslwad's comedy is often it starts in a way that makes you shake your hed and say "Huh, I wonder where he's going with this." The end result is always a) suprising and b) totally worth it.
Seriously, check out Patton if you haven't. He was one of three things that made the Shatner roast on Comedy Central really enjoyable (the other two were George Takei and Betty White) despite a few terribly unfunny comedians. His stand up is hysterical and he's a pretty darn good comic writer too though he's only written a few things.
Oh and he's also a tremendous geek. Which I consider a big plus since he's one of the few comedians who can work frost giants into a stand-up and have it actually be funny for everyone and not just the folks who can tell you how many hit dice those have.***
7) Frisky Dingo (Cartoon)
This Adult Swim 15 minute a pop animated series isn't the funniest thing on TV...that's Venture Bros. (or maybe The Boondocks). Nor is it the reason TV was invented...that's Veronica Mars. But it is a delightfully absurd superhero parody that's not a bad way to spend a quarter hour. This is the array of random crazy stuff that Tom Goes to the Mayor tried to be...but without all the sucking.
And no, I have no idea what the title means either.
So there's a few more things for the list of stuff you should be watching, reading, etc... Have a happy holiday if I'm not back before it's over.
* And for anyone who hasn't figured this out yet, the title of this reoccurring theme is taken from Hodgeman's list of hobo names. See my first list for more details.
** Unless you're a friend of mine who happens to go to school in the Pacific Northwest and probably is not even be reading this at all. Why? No reason...just that the book is poison! A slow poison that won't wear off until after X-Mas...best to avoid it until then.
*** If for some reason you're reading this and don't get that reference, just keeping walking. You're better off not knowing...
1) Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures by Walter Moers (book)
Remember awhile back when I said go out and buy the 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear right now? Well, if you haven't...go ahead and do so.**
Back? Good. Now go buy Moers followup novel Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures. Equally as impossible to explain this novel is a fair bit darker and not quite as a good as Bluebear. Which just means it's merely one of the most kickass things you'll ever read and not just possibly the most kickass thing you'll ever read. The only downside is that now I want a Wolperting Whelp...and I don't think I can import one.
2) The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (book)
Definitely an impulse buy that paid off. This story of a young boy who gets drawn into a fantasy world after his mother's death reminds me of Gaiman and Barker a bit, but with a style all its own. Sometimes the book does seem to be trying a wee bit hard to be literature with a capital L but that's a minor quibble. Mostly it's a creative and fun modern fairy tale.
3) John Sable: Freelance by Mike Grell (Comic trade paperbacks)
This time around the "step into the way back machine"place on the list belongs to John Sable, Freelance and his comic series of the same name. This loveable cross between JK Rowling, Alan Quatermain, Robert McCall, and Frank Castle is a fun modern pulp adventure series. Grell also wrote a novel about Sable, which basically modernizes the 80s comic plot a bit but is also a fun read. However, if you get the chance grab the comic and enjoy Grell's unique art style as well.
4) Hellsing OVA Vol. 1 (DVD)
So it might not be quite as jaw-droppingly cool as the TV show but the new OVA adaptation of popular manga Hellsing manages to improve on a lot of the old show, even if the music and pacing isn't quite as good. Still, the return of the excellent English voice cast from the older anime and some great moments of comedy make this very enjoyable and an easy purchase. Also, this version of the story will include Nazi vampies, which is combining two of the five great antagonists.
5) Heroes (TV Show)
Yeah, yeah, I should have mentioned this a while back and it's hardly news to anyone I know but damn this is a solid piece of TV. From the comic style camerawork to the tightly woven plot where things actually happen (yeah I'm looking at you Lost) this is probably best new show of the year. It really deserves its high ratings and hopefully nothing stupid will happen and hurt the shows chances for future seasons.
6) Patton Oswald (Comedian)
Man, this guy is so funny it actually hurts. The best part about Mr. Oslwad's comedy is often it starts in a way that makes you shake your hed and say "Huh, I wonder where he's going with this." The end result is always a) suprising and b) totally worth it.
Seriously, check out Patton if you haven't. He was one of three things that made the Shatner roast on Comedy Central really enjoyable (the other two were George Takei and Betty White) despite a few terribly unfunny comedians. His stand up is hysterical and he's a pretty darn good comic writer too though he's only written a few things.
Oh and he's also a tremendous geek. Which I consider a big plus since he's one of the few comedians who can work frost giants into a stand-up and have it actually be funny for everyone and not just the folks who can tell you how many hit dice those have.***
7) Frisky Dingo (Cartoon)
This Adult Swim 15 minute a pop animated series isn't the funniest thing on TV...that's Venture Bros. (or maybe The Boondocks). Nor is it the reason TV was invented...that's Veronica Mars. But it is a delightfully absurd superhero parody that's not a bad way to spend a quarter hour. This is the array of random crazy stuff that Tom Goes to the Mayor tried to be...but without all the sucking.
And no, I have no idea what the title means either.
So there's a few more things for the list of stuff you should be watching, reading, etc... Have a happy holiday if I'm not back before it's over.
* And for anyone who hasn't figured this out yet, the title of this reoccurring theme is taken from Hodgeman's list of hobo names. See my first list for more details.
** Unless you're a friend of mine who happens to go to school in the Pacific Northwest and probably is not even be reading this at all. Why? No reason...just that the book is poison! A slow poison that won't wear off until after X-Mas...best to avoid it until then.
*** If for some reason you're reading this and don't get that reference, just keeping walking. You're better off not knowing...
posted by Jack at 3:20 AM
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