Everything I got up to in November.
Reading
Amazing Spider-Man #4, Strange Tales Annual #2, Amazing Spider-Man #5-6
Man, Peter's so fucking obnoxious in the early stuff. It was really strange to come off of Fantastic Four #40 (see below), where Doom absolutely ran the Thing ragged before losing, then read an issue of Amazing Spider-Man where he doesn't actually end up coming off as better. Jack draws action better.
Anyways, these issues are good.
Fantastic Four #39-62
I've read a handful of Silver Age books recently, and I think this one is the best. That is probably not surprising when you know I worship Jack Kirby as a storyteller, but it is what it is. It shouldn't surprise anyone to hear that Ben Grimm is consistently the most compelling character in early Fantastic Four, and as far as I'm concerned he'll continue being the most compelling character in the team for nearly the entirety of the team's run.
Issues 39-43 feature Ben Grimm very heavily, as the central piece in a pretty lengthy story that sees the Fantastic Four on the ropes against the Frightful Four (Trapster, Medusa, Sandman, & Wizard).
Issue 44, on the other hand, features the word "boner" and a sick monster fight. It's also the beginning of the story which officially introduces the Inhumans.
#45, on the other hand, has no such thing as the word "boner" in it. #46 has some really great action. At the end of #47, Maximus tries to end the world.
That brings me to #48, wherein after the Inhumans are put on ice, the Silver Surfer debuts. There are some gorgeous stretches throughout, each likely colored by Stan Goldberg. I started reading this comic to get to this point, and I wasn't entirely sure whether or not to believe the hype...but man, this book has won me over. It's head and shoulders above most comics running at this time, not to mention most comics running today. The writing is rudimentary, but it gets so many things right that your average modern comic gets wrong.
At any rate, I'd like to say that obviously, there's a lot to say that I won't be saying about these issues. This whole pack of issues sort of represents the first time there's serious long-term narratives occurring across a number of different stories and issues. And this ends up being where this thing comes to life.
Early Doctor Strange, in Strange Tales 110-123
This is a pretty good book.
FOUR COLOR #386, #456, and #495, AKA Uncle Scrooge #1-3
Heh, this duck rules.
Green Lantern v.1 #1
Oh man, the scans are bad.
Batman #1
Oh man, the scans are good.
Ring
I've basically just started this, and it's definitely good.
At the Mountains of Madness
I read this whole thing for a roleplaying game campaign. The penguin comments made me laugh, but my thinking is, if your memories of penguins are associated with all that, maybe you'd hate seeing them, too.
Master and Commander
The last time I watched the movie, it was in the middle of some crazy entertainment center in a Best Buy. I haven't read the book, but I get the appeal.
Horatio Hornblower 1
I did read this one, a long time back when I was in my early teens I think.
Abarat
One of the Barker books I didn't check out back when I discovered Clive Barker at 8 years old. (In case anyone was wondering, Abarat is among the few Clive Barker books suitable for someone under 18.)
Playing
King's Quest
I did not die to the witch, but in retrospect I should have.
Harvester
A game that critics hated at the time, which game they were idiots for hating. The combination of various topoi in this game gives rise to the possibility for expansive and varied interpretations of what the meaning and message of the game are.
Yakuza 3 Remastered
Picking it back up. My Steam name does still say I'm doing a full Yakuza playthrough.
Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
In the future, I'll look back on this decision as a mistake. When I've spent hundreds of dollars, I'll regret getting into Trails in the Sky. For now, though, this game kind of rules.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
It never gets old kicking dudes into spikes. It does get old trying to sneak around, but this game never was Thief.
Watching
General Hospital (caught up)
Man, I hope Drew gets his ass beat again. Also, hope they split up Michael and Willow and put them with, like...anyone else on the show. Literally any other people, just end this romance and end my misery.
Danny's had some good moments lately.
Last episode of November was pretty good!
But how's the Nature Photography?
The nature photography in General Hospital is never very good.
Amores Perros
As a film, it's incredible. It also completely annihilated me, leaving me in agony for nearly its entire runtime. I'll tell you right now: don't watch this movie if you can't stand the thought of seeing dogs get harmed.
If you do watch it, understand that it's going to hurt a lot.
But how's the Nature Photography?
As Amores Perros takes place inside an urban environment, there's really no such thing as nature photography in most of this film. However, at the end, there is an amazing shot of El Chivo walking into the distance in a natural setting.
Started watching through: Ring Kazenban, The Ring Virus, Ring, Spiral, Ring 2, Ring: The Final Chapter, Rasen, Ring 0: Birthday, The Ring, The Ring Two, Sadako 3D, Sadako 3D 2, Sadako vs. Kayako, Rings, Sadako, Sadako DX
A tall order. I'll write a big crazy blog post when I finish.
By the way, Nakata's Ring has beautiful nature photography.
Baby Assassins, Baby Assassins: 2 Babies
These movies are really funny.
I spent five hours trying to track down the third film, and I'm sad that it looks like I'll have to wait to watch it. I'd also like to see the whole miniseries bridging the 2nd and 3rd films. (And Ghost Killer, I want to see that.)
But how's the Nature Photography?
Nightbreed: Director's Cut
I mean, it's not new, but I did watch it with a friend. Quote from friend: "Honestly kinda scary to watch in the current political climate." I suppose that's true...anyways, the Director's Cut is a good movie. This story of queer "monstrosity" is always going to do it for me.
But how's the Nature Photography?
Return of the Street Fighter, The Street Fighter's Last Revenge
There's something so compelling to me about this specific brand of martial arts ultra-sleaze. The immoral hero, the monstrous villains, the bumbling and occasionally treacherous sidekicks, the borderline femcel loser women, the flesh torn from the body, the absolute fucking stank on Chiba's face every time he ends a life. If you love watching scumbags end the lives of even bigger scumbags, watch Street Fighter.
But how's the Nature Photography?
One Missed Call
In my heart, I believe that you either have the capacity to sign up for a Takashi Miike film, or you don't. I am not entirely sure what this implies, other than that I think people who hate the average Miike flick probably don't like his "good" films in the way that I do, but I'm not really sure that's a meaningful critical comment. For that matter, nor is it a comment I expect you to readily understand. What I can say for sure is that I don't agree with most people on this film: I think it's pretty damned good.
In terms of horror using technology as a subject, it certainly does come in behind both Ring and Pulse, but there's more to the story than that. Technology, after all, doesn't turn out to be the actual focus, nor the only mechanism of this particular curse.
But how's the Nature Photography?
Bones (the Snoop Dogg movie)
Look, a friend got shown this, and I had to rewatch. Bones still rules.
Multiple allusions to Hellraiser, some of which are dual allusions. Some people hate the paint-like bright red blood, but to me I think it's sick that they worked in that reference point to gesture to the classics that inspired Bones.
But how's the Nature Photography?
Neil Breen's Double Down
Well, I still consider it above The Room. It is completely idiotic, but it's not completely without a soul. It's always been very clear to me that Breen is someone who cares deeply about filmmaking, whereas Tommy Wiseau most likely is just someone who cares deeply about money laundering.
Look, if you watch Breen you know what it is. Terrible, incoherent, you'll get angry after 50 minutes without anything actually happening, etc. I fell asleep for 30 seconds in the middle and became completely lost.
But how's the Nature Photography?
Well, to be honest, it might actually be the worst nature photography of all time. Those responsible for the stock footage in this film should actually be rounded up and shot for their crimes.
Detective Conan S2 (stopped s2e10)
I find myself shocked having made it to season 2 episode 10 and realizing I've still seen every episode at some point in my subterranean past. I keep making it halfway through an episode, pausing with surprise and saying, Oh. Anyways, this show is good.
Scooby-Doo Where Are You (through episode 14)
Bit surprised at how often they hit up the "Scooby feuding with a small rodent" bit. Clown episode is legitimately a little scary.
Simpsons S1 (through episode 5)
The Tracy Ullman Show shorts are something I haven't examined in a long time, but it's pretty fun to see the many differences that arise in the Simpsons between the shorts and the first episodes of the TV show. My favorite thing in the early stretch of episodes is the origin of Santa's Little Helper, the family's greyhound dog.
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