Todd Klein's Blog, page 373

And Then I Read: MADAME XANADU 22 & 23

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

Matt Wagner and Amy Reeder finish off the "Broken House of Cards" storyline in fine fashion. This 1950's storyline focuses in on the battle between Nimue and her sister Morgana, both wielders of powerful magic, and Nimue's current friend John Jones, possessor of unique abilities himself. Morgana chews up the scenery magnificently, and has a nasty surprise for the Martian Manhunter. Nimue has her work cut out for her against her more powerful sister.

The art of Amy...

And Then I Read: BRIGHTEST DAY 0

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

The previous DC crossover event, "Blackest Night" was one I mostly didn't enjoy, but at the end of it many of DC's older characters who had died came back to life, setting off this new event. I liked that idea enough to give BRIGHTEST DAY a try, and this first issue is one I like. Using Deadman as the main viewpoint character, it visits a number of the characters brought back from the dead, from Aquaman to Hawk and Dove, Barry Allen's Flash to the Martian Manhunter...

And Then I Read: DRAWING DOWN THE MOON

Images © Charles Vess.

I've been a fan of Charles since we first met around 1978 in New York, where he was then living and I was working at DC Comics. I think I met Charles through Michael Kaluta, they were often together. He showed me some of the art that would appear in his early book "Horn of Elfland," and I found it charming. Little did I know that we would work together a number of times, or how accomplished he would become, but Charles' love of fantasy and faery stood out then, and...

Cats with Bug, Cats with Spots

"Look, Tigger, a Bug! Can we catch it?"

"Not unless it comes inside the screen, Leo."

"What kind of bug is it?"

"Why, I believe it's the caterpillar of a Banded Tussock Moth, one with a yellow tint, Leo."

"Is it good to eat?"

"Those hairs don't look too appetizing. I much prefer them when they grow up."

"Like that moth you caught the other day here inside the porch?"

"Yes. Mmm, crunchy!"

*******

In other cat-news, our local zoo, the Cape May County Zoo, has successfully bred their pair of Snow...

And Then I Read: MOOMIN Volume 5

Well, I've given up trying to predict how many volumes this entire series will be. I thought the third was the last, then then fourth, and here's another. Reading the fine print, I noted that these episodes were written by Lars Jansson, the brother of artist and Moomin creator Tove Jansson, who handed over first the writing of the strip, then the drawing to Lars, according to Wikipedia. That source says Tove drew it until 1961, and these strips are © to 1959, so I guess there may be more...

And Then I Read: BATMAN ODYSSEY 1

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

I'm not sure when I first became aware of Neal Adams, but it was some time in the mid-70s. I had missed his work before then, but started seeing his wonderful covers for DC, and through a friend with a used book store who was buying old comics to sell, began finding work like the eye-opening GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW. By the time I started at DC in their production department in 1977 I was a firm fan, and it was thrilling to be able to work with his art on projects...

And Then I Read: THE GHOUL

© Steve Niles & Bernie Wrightson.

I like the horror work of both Niles and Wrightson, and when I saw this in San Diego, I had to have it. I wondered what sort of feel it would convey, and surprisingly, the closest thing to it is HELLBOY. The Ghoul is a monster of unknown origin, even to himself, something the book begins to explore. Having survived in the shadows for centuries, he's now working on supernaturally horrific cases for the FBI, among others. Niles plays him as confident...

And Then I Read: LEGACIES 1 & 2

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

While it doesn't say so up front, this miniseries is a nostalgic ride through DC history from the beginning to, I assume, the present, no doubt meant to tie in to DC's 75th anniversary. If so, you'd think they'd say that somewhere. Following in the footsteps of MARVELS at Marvel, the main viewpoint character is an ordinary man who was there from the beginning, a poor kid in a crime-ridden city, drawn into petty crime himself by a "friend," and witness to the first...

And Then I Read: BATMAN 700

Images © DC Comics, Inc.

I haven't been reading Batman's own title for some years regularly, but I had to give this one a look. If I measure out my life in the span of this title, the earliest one I can recall reading and owning was issue 102 from 1956 (long since gone). The first 00 anniversary issue I recall reading is 300 from 1978, which came out not long after I started working for DC myself. Issue 400 happened while I was on staff, and I probably did production work on it. Issue 500 was ...

Butterflies and a Beach Walk

In our front garden, the Joe Pye Weed, a large and showy member of the Milkweed family, is blooming, drawing in lots of butterflies like this Monarch.

Almost as large is this Spicebush Swallowtail…

…and here's another view showing the body.

A less common one is this tiny Pearl Crescent. There are also Skippers, an American Lady, a Hairstreak and others I've already shown here this year, or haven't gotten good photos of.

After dinner yesterday Ellen and I went for a beach walk at Sea Isle City...