Train kept a rollin’…

five questions from the Frabjous Dave. ask and you shall receive five from me, whereupon you post your answers with these instructions and perpetuate ad infinitum.

1. What are five comics you’d recommend?

Dave is cheating here, since he knows both of my fondness for graphic novels, and of my compulsive buying habits.

But I’ll take the bait, and answer the question twice.

Collections/trades. Graphic novels.

1a. God Loves, Man Kills. The first of the modern graphic novels, it is a must have that changed the way the industry, and America in general, looks at comic books. It was reprinted in a special edition two years ago, and is worth it. While technically the fifth graphic novel in the format, it really shines far and above the others in the same run.

1b.Planetary. If you’re not reading this, then you don’t live close to me and my trades, or a decently supplied store. They’re all in print. Go, now, read.

I mean it.

1c. The Watchmen. Nothing I can say about this book is more important than the headline and title of the link you’ll follow.

Click.

Buy.

Read.

1d. Shazam! (from the 40s to the 70s) This collection, more than any other, is why I like comics, and read them to this day. There were comics before this, during this time of my life, and thousands more after it. But I cannot count the hours, days, and weeks I spent poring over this volume, when we had no money, no hope, and no reason to keep beleiving that things would get any better.

And when things got WORSE, I still had the book. And I have it now.

1e. Crisis on Infinite Earths 20 years ago, this series rocked my world. It was the most ambitious, most far reaching, and most satisfying thing I had ever read. Of course, the Watchmen came out that same year, and blew this all to hell. I reread it soon after I moved into my current home (the singles, not the collected trade), and the story is shoddy, the art dated, and the resolution unsatisfying.

But issues 7 and 8 make me cry.

A lot.

1f. Kingdom Come I cannot possibly distill my list of graphic novels to 5. Hell, I’m cutting out titles within my field of vision to go this far. But no list is complete without this one. It is everything that Crisis and the Watchmen were, and everything that they aren’t as well (tense change intentional). It takes me a little more than an hour to read it start to finish, and the novelisation is simply amazing. (slightly more than an hour on that one, in case you were curious)

Monthlies/dailies (current)

1a Astonishing X-men
1b Green Lantern/Green Lantern Corps Recharge
1c Strangers in Paradise
1d. Questionable Content
1e. Something*Positive

He didn’t say comic books. And I slavishly click through to “d” and “e” every day. I only go to the comic book store twice a month.

2. How about five movies you’ve seen in the past five years?

I’m going out on a limb here, and assume that for #2, the same operating conditions are in effect as for #1.

In no particular order, and not limited to movies released from 2000 on.

Serenity
Bringing up Baby
For Love of the Game
Chasing Amy
Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan

I can talk for many, many hours on why each of the above has affected change in my life, brought me joy, and will do so for years to come. These are good movies, strong ones with plot, resolution, dynamism, and entertainment.

If limited to “seen in theaters” in the past 5 years, the list is as follows

Hidalgo
The Rookie
Miracle
Bringing up Baby (Valentines day 2005, on a date)
Serenity

I’ve seen them all in the current calendar year as well, and own 4 out of 5 on DVD. Same can be said for the first list, with the same film missing from both.

3. Five books?

Tricky. No time limit on this one, so the gloves are coming off.

The Hollow Tree and Deep Woods Book

Alfred Bigelow Paine

Collected of short stories written for children in the 1890s, my copy was passed down through my Grandfather (the first member of my European family to be born in the United States) and my mother. It helped me through some of the same times as the Captain Marvel collection above. I’d pass it to my son, but I’m selfish. I bought him action figures.

Of course, he has the volume right now, but it very much belongs to me.

The Wizard of Oz

L.Frank Baum

This is the first science fiction book I’ve ever read or had read to me. My aunt used to read to me from my copy, and I later discovered that she had the “family’s” collected series (of the same library diaspora that passed the Hollow Tree to me). This book is one of the primary reasons I learned to read, and I still have that same dog-eared paperback amongst my boxes (something else she taught me about reading). It also inspired one of the most original comics I’ve read in years, the first volume of which has been collected and sits at my elbow.

A Winter’s Tale

Mark Helprin

One of several books I pimp at every opportunity. I love this book so much, I have two first edition hardbacks still bound in plastic. I read from a Trade Galley, and love every minute of each pass through. It’s been a few years, but I’m due to read it again soon. Good, wholesome adventure, with some wacky fantasy elements in the mix.

Mulengro

Charles deLint

If you’ve not read deLint in the past (and especially if you have), try and track down this oft out of print, thoroughly enjoyable novel. I just got another copy for myself earlier this year, after foolishly loaning mine out in 1991. Through the Interregnum, I haunted bookstores around the globe for another copy(not hyperbole). The search was worth it.

On a Darkling Plain

Ben Bova

I just read this for the first time today, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve owned this exact copy for over 20 years.

I’m a dumbass. Had I read this one back then, all of the Bova novels set in the same mythos would have been that much more enjoyable.

Of course, I own them as well, which means my week is going to be fun, as I dig them all out for another, expanded experience.

I give you this passage, from a main character, in response to a statement of futility from another:

“That would be fine, wouldn’t it? Give up and forget about it, without knowing where the machines (ed. a seemingly insurmountable problem) came from, or what they’re doing, or why
…. (They) mark the limit of our ability to understand the physical universe. Do you know what that means? If we turn our back on (them), we turn our backs on the basic premise of human thought. If we admit that we can’t understand (it) then we admit that there’s an absolute limit on our ability to understand the universe….”

If I had not been sitting at the time, I would have needed to do so. Very powerful, especially coming from that character, and his relationship with the machines earlier in the book.

4. Five Seattle locations you love.

Safeco Field/Qwest Field

Seattle Center

Lombardi’s (Ballard)

The Grand Illusion (the same reverence holds true for the Majestic Bay as well)

The Rock Bottom

5. Five pickup lines that have worked.

Given as I am currently single, this is somewhat of a crazy question.

Instead of “worked”, I will instead answer “have been successful” Success is of course, a relative term. I leave it to your imagination as to how each of these conversations turned out, based on your knowledge of me, and my probable state of intoxication at the time.

“You are amazing/beautiful. Will you marry me? Just for a couple days, no strings.”

“What day do you have off? I’m going to call you for a date, and I want to make sure you’ve got the time free.” (Only used once, and I’ve referenced her in the last month on this site)

“Hey, you asked me out. What do you want to do?”

“What’s that on the tray? Can we have some?” (same comment as as listed above)

“I wanted you to know that I’ve just paid money for your fake e-mail address, in the hopes that you will find me at least moderately interesting.” (Don’t laugh, it worked. And though we’re no longer together, she’s a good and true friend)

Crazy Dave.