Michael Deeley has been reading comics since he was 12 years old. His first book was an issue of Silver Surfer by Jim Starlin, leading him to see all comics as ideological conflicts with big-ass fight scenes. At the very least, he expects a comic to be entertaining in some fashion, which is why he thinks Secret Wars II is better than Dark Knight Strikes Back. He has never work in the comics field, but he does have a belligerent attitude and a lot of free time.
During his brief intervals in the real world, Michael looks for a paying job that should, (theoretically) lead to a better life involving more comics, privacy, and women.
He currently lives between Pittsburgh, PA, and the Pittsburgh International Airport, in a suburb so new, it only has one McDonalds.
Since this mini-column is composed of what others said, there doesn’t seem to be much point in putting a quote up here.
Over the last year, I’ve talked to a variety of people about the comic books they read. I’d always intended to use them as part of a year-end column. I’d also intended to have the last column posted on Dec. 31. Oh well. Here below are what comic book writers and artists have told me they read. Unfortunately, my notes did not include the full names of everyone I talked to, so there are quotes I cannot use. Suffice to say, ‘Hellboy’ came up again, as did ‘Love and Rockets’, ‘Acme Novelty Library’, and Carla Speed McNeil.
George Perez: Doesn’t have time to read comics, though he has been watching a lot of 1950s TV shows.
Adam Hughes: “Good, funny books”, which include ‘Hellboy’ and ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’.
Scott McDaniel: Superman comics, of course, but also non-comic books about the sciences, like biology and computers. He called them a “palate cleanser”.
Tom Scioli: The legend in the making reads ‘Tom Strong’, old Popeye and Wally Wood horror comics, including “The Art of Wally Wood”, ‘Hellboy’, ‘Nexus’, and ‘Lone Wolf and Cub’.
Frank Cho: Reads ‘The Ultimates’, ‘PvP’, ‘Hellboy’, and the Spider-Man comics.
Jim Gow: ‘Cerebus’, ‘Strangers in Paradise’, and ‘Evil Eye’, (yeah, I don’t know who he is either).
Terry Moore: ‘Supergirl’ (which was cancelled), Batman, ‘Jane’s World’, ‘Bone’, and ‘Spirits of Wonder’, which he called the best comic ever.
Jason Yungbluth: This sick, sick funny man likes Evan Dorkin, Jhonen Vasquez, (‘JTHM’, ‘Squee’, and “Invader Zim”), ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ ,’The Invisibles’, ‘Planetary’, ‘The Filth’ (his favorite), Kevin Smith comics, and “dark, rude humor”. Remember, this man crafted a post-apocalyptic version of “Peanuts” and a 6-yo girl who blames herself for being molested by her father. Genius!
Jim Balent: Says he doesn’t read to many; he mostly draws. I made sure to ask him this before I insulted him.
Rich Faerber: He was a year behind on his reading. Hopefully he’s caught up. He was catching up on ‘Flash’, ‘JSA’, ‘Tellos’, ‘Buzzboy’, ‘Astro City’, ‘Top 10’, the ABC books, ‘Y: The Last Man’, and ‘Hulk’. Oh, and he wanted me to mention his new character Roboy Red, which appeared in ‘More Fund Comics.’ Learn more about this lil’ guy at www.roboyred.com. Oh and his name is pronounced, “FAR-ber”.
Don Simpson: Only comic he reads is a alternative comic strip called “Julius Knipl, Real Estate Photographer”, by Ben Katchor. A collection is available from Little, Brown and Co. Another collection by Katchor, “Cheap Novelties: The Pleasures of Urban Decay”, can be bought from Katchor at Box 2024, Cathedral Station, New York, NY 10025, for $15.50.
So, that’s it. That was my Christmas-week fill-in column. Most people just take the week off. But not me! I turn in a new column a week late! HA! I always make sure you get the most out of your dollar you don’t spend.
For Christmas, I got a lot of DVDs, including homemade DVD-ROMs of “Mystery Science Theater 3000”. My brother gave me the first 3 seasons, assorted specials, and the rare episodes from KTMA, the UHF station where the series was originally created and aired. Thank you Donald.
My family doesn’t usually give me comics for Christmas. They never know what I like. Last year was the hardcover ‘Ultimate X-Men’ (returned that right quick). This year was ‘Palomar: The Heartbreak Soup Stories’ by Gilbert Hernandez. This is a massive, 522-page hardcover collection of stories from ‘Love & Rockets’. I’m only up to page 91, but I like what I’ve read.
And now for the last new book reviews:
Uncanny X-men #436 -
Cain Marko fights another Juggernaut who turns out to be a kid from Austen’s ‘X-Men Unlimited’ story. It’s during the fight that She-Hulk tells Cain to be more aware of what he’s doing to the people around him. The lawyer prosecuting Cain agrees to a plea bargain after Sammy’s mom (turns out she’s not dead), says she feels safer knowing Cain will protect her and Sammy from her husband.
Not a bad story, but it connects to a bad story, so that hurts it. Also, the prosecuting attorney is an Asian woman wearing an ornamental Chinese outfit. High collar, gold dragon pattern you get the idea. Why is she dressed like this? Is she just of the boat? Am I so sheltered that I don’t know Asian-Canadians wear this to the office?
Christ, I’m sounding like Ray Tate.
Wildcats #17 -
A fill-in issue, as we se how Agent Wax was recruited by Jack Marlowe, and how he lives his new life. Also, Grifter/Ladytron learns where the Coda are, and possibly Zealot too.
Right, this is just a distraction from the main story. It fills in a little detail from Wax’s past, which is helpful, but not necessary yet. Not a fan of the art of Francisco Ruiz Velasco; it’s a little too goofy for this series, especially next to Sean Phillips’ work.
Negation #25 -
Javi dies, but so does another hero. It’s sudden. You don’t even know what’s happened until he’s died. Or course, this permanently divides the team, with only Lizard Lady, Memi, and her mother staying with Kaine. Evinlea goes to find Charon and become his “consort”. Yeah, I’m reading this series to the very end! Bring on the war!
Filling out the week:
The Spirit Archives Vol. 1; Captain America: Red, White, and Blue; Wonder Woman #175; Nightwing #62; Millennium Edition: Detective Comics #359; Young Justice #36; Syn #3; Ruse #26; Starman #36; and ‘Uncanny X-Men #141, from ‘The 100 Greatest Marvels of All Time: #25-#22’.
And that is my last column covering a full week. Next, my last column, in which I look back at the year, update where needed, and make a shocking announcement.
