I don’t write much about my photographer’s life here, apart from the occasional mention of the latest big martial arts or fashion thing… Anyway, today I found myself in a serious crunch. My DSLR is having some sort of major hemorrhage or something. Compact Flash Card Reader lupus or sarcoidosis. Total meltdown. I could only spend so much time trying to fix the direct problem and just needed to be able to shoot and get the images on the computer – screw the CF card. Some quick Googling led me to the wonderful and FREE Sofortbild (Would probably be something like ‘Instaphoto’ in English). Sofortbild gives you all the control and more you would love to have with tethering your camera to your computer. Bracketing. Timer. Interval Shooting (time lapse, if you like) Major control from the App. Works with the Mac remote. Connects via USB or WiFi. Can feed right into iPhoto or Aperture. I’m still working out my workflow with it, but the full screen view alone is a wonderful thing. It works with many camera models. If you are a Mac shooter, and the sort of person who checks in regularly at PhotoJojo, then this is definitely something you want to try out.

Photo from flickr user Dead Air under a CC License

It’s rare that we get handed a gem like this. Flickr user Dead Air has posted an astounding series of double exposure Holga photos of Joshua Baker‘s Offset Needle Radius performance on KPSU’s What’s This Called program on February 5th. Check these awesome shots out.

Peter, P2, Krems, originally uploaded by Chris_Carter_.

Peter ‘Sleazy’ Christopherson has often been the man behind the scenes in his 35+ year career in music. He was known and celebrated as a pioneer in electronic and industrial music, sampling and video – first with Throbbing Gristle – and in the last 30 years with his own long-running Coil project (from 1982 until co-conspirator Jhonn Balance’s death in 2004), Psychic TV, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Rage Against the Machine and many more. But much of his work – the stuff your mom probably was aware of – was behind the scenes. He often portrayed himself in this boy in the back room image in Coil publicity shots. Little about his biography indicates that he was very shy. But it seems clear he had his hands firmly on the controls creating images and video for Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel (his first three solo album covers), Paul McCartney, Jah Wobble, The Crystal Method, Rollins Band, Hanson, Erasure, Robert Plant, Sepultura, Van Halen, and Yes, for the Owner of A Lonely Heart Video. Now that is subversive. There are even more curious entries to be found in his videography. (A partial list is to be found on Wikipedia.) We have lost one of the premier image makers in popular music, aged only 55. And he could make the electronics scream real good, too.

COIL – Windowpane
Uploaded by RileyELFuk. – Explore more music videos.

Windowpane by Coil.
The uploaded video is not of the best quality. I picked this track because it is one I used to play on my old radio show in the early 1990s. It was the white label promo 12 inch and it fit in nicely with the mix of acid house, industrial, post punk and American post-hardcore/grunge/what-have-you I would spin on Wednesday mornings on WRPI 91.5FM, Troy. WRPI’s record library contained (and still did, last I checked in 2009) an impressive collection of records by Throbbing Gristle and it’s various offspring. Windowpane also evokes some of the feel of Joy Division’s ‘New Dawn Fades’. It’s a more positive flip on that haunting melody.

Throbbing Gristle bandmates Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti have issued a statement on the band’s website.

Dave Simpson’s memorial post on the Guardian’s Music Blog.

I picked three of my favorite photos of Sleazy from Chris Carter’s flickr collection.

“I had an imaginary band and it turned into a real band”, or some words to that effect, was how Colleen Martin (aka Lady Starlight) described how her and her brother Jason’s childhood band Brown Cuts Neighbors, took on a life of its own some 20 years ago. I was in that band for two long stretches during its 13 years of realness and I approve that description. Compared to most else of what we all we got up to… it’s a bit harder to explain.

Sandwiched in between legs of the Monster Ball tour with Lady Gaga, the opening acts from it: Lady Starlight and Semi Precious Weapons, have squeezed in a flurry of dates around the country on the Dirty Showbiz Tour with Breedlove joining the crew. I caught up with them Tuesday at Slim’s in San Francisco. The first thing you need to know is that Slim’s has some of the best tortilla chips you will ever eat. Next… I cannot believe how hard these people work. These are some seriously dedicated musicians (A DJ with amazing stage presence and a strong liver in Starlight’s case). It’s a great show. Catch it if you can.

See my set of 32 photos from the show on flickr.

Above photo: Semi Precious Weapons Psycho Donuts. Rock Candy Topping. Champagne Cream Filling. Designed by Shango, AKA Nurse Dylan.

Benoit Maubrey/ Audio Gruppe’s The Audio Ballerinas (2010) use light sensors that enable them to produce sounds as they dance. Friday, September 17th, during AbsoluteZER0. San Jose, California.

AbsoluteZero is a street art fair with a heavy DIY tech vibe. It’s a spin-off from the similar annual SubZero event. My sole contribution was the music video for nickname: Rebel‘s “Ouroboros” (without the music), which was part of the video loop projected by the Art Ark. There were many familiar faces from SubZero and Maker Faire displaying their work, including Share San Jose, who are always worth checking out for their home-brew showcase of gadgets and programming, like the beatseqr.

AbsoluteZER0 is a vibrant street festival where the public can engage with art, music, science, and technology in new and compelling ways outside on city streets. Growing out of the success of the SubZER0 events during the June South First Friday, AbsoluteZER0 celebrates the creativity and technological virtuosity that are the hallmarks of Silicon Valley by showcasing art projects for public exhibition, performance, provocation, and interaction related to theme of the 3rd 01SJ Biennial, Build Your Own World.

View my set of photos of the event on flickr.

HappyHollow20101, originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

Today (Sunday March 14, 2010), San Jose’s beloved childrens’ playground and zoo, Happy Hollow reopened after a nearly two year renovation and closure. Clearly the star of the show was the installation in the entry courtyard of sculptures by Tom Otterness. “Another World”, a series of over a dozen cast sculptures installed in the entryway to Happy Hollow comes with a special coloring book. You can color it and relate your story and send it back to Tom in Brooklyn and receive a plaster sculpture back (Tom’s studio copies your book and the returns it to you). The offer is open to any age.

See my photos of the installation on flickr.

I first encountered Tom Otterness’s work in the 1983 show and catalog at Tony Shafrazi Gallery “Champions” which also featured Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ronnie Cutrone, Keith Haring, Futura 2000, Kenny Scharf and others. It was an attempt to unite this set of mid-80s New York artists, and even then, Tom Otterness was a clear outsider. (an odd aside, an instructor of mine at SVA once told me that I reminded her of Tom). This is one of Otternesses largest collections of public art (probably the largest on the West Coat), and well worth a visit. It stands as a fair substitute for the old playground fairytale exhibits at Happy Hollow (See my photos of the old Happy Hollow on flickr)

I have to admit to not being the biggest fan of the new Happy Hollow, and was quite fond of the many dilapidated playsets of the HH of old that have been retired. I think the could have managed to go more the route of Oakland’s Fairyland in keeping the old, but moving forward.

Some tips when visiting Happy Hollow.
Bring your own food. The stuff they sell is crap.
Expect the usual idiocy of any parking experience in San Jose.
There is a big area between the playground and Hallow Zoo that contains the old Crooked Man slide. Avoid this, as the house is now boarded up. No sliding will occur.
It’s not there for you, it’s there for your kids. Let them dictate how much fun it is.

UPDATE: There is a long article about the renovation in the Silicon Valley Mercury News. They also have a preview map with 360º views of the park and a collection of vintage photos and visitor memories.

bcn – bogarts, originally uploaded by lookseeseen.

First up. BCN has a facebook fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/BrownCutsNeighbors

Does anybody out there have visual documentation of shows and other live Brown Cuts Neighbors interventions? 1989-91 most desired, but other eras good too! i got all the audio, and Marc’s digitizing ALL the public access episodes from over the years… its the visual documentation of live performances and happenings that i have very little of…. We’re gonna use this stuff and you’ll get credit if you contribute. xoxoxox Jason

Visit the new Jason Martin website

For more info on Brown Cuts Neighbors, please visit the archived web site from 2002. BCN also has a Wikipedia entry.

ArtofZines11, originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

The Art of Zines show opened at Anno Domini Gallery in Downtown San Jose this past Friday. Stacked on shelves along the walls are dozens of zines from all over, including many titles from Wow Cool and old familiar favorites like the latest issues of Fluke, Cometbus and Doris. Stop by if you can. The show runs through March 13th, 2010. Long time friends of Wow Cool will no doubt recognize the late James Kopta on the cover of “That Dog Drives a Go Cart” on the poster art for the show. See some photos from the opening: My Photos | Cherri’s Photos | Brian’s Photos

On the spot reporting by Silvia Chenault

100 Cassettes, originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

In preparing for a guest spot on Don Campau‘s radio show No Pigeonholes I decided it would be a good idea to go back through my ridiculously large archive of tapes from the 80′s and 90′s. I slotted a bunch of them (there are sooo many missing from this set, including much of the upstate New York bands, seminal industrial releases, and much Bay Area stuff) into a 100 spot wooden case I grabbed from the local goodwill. It’s an impressive testament to a DIY time gone by.

I feel that this assemblage hints at a need for something to be done with the collection. No idea what. Maybe Don can help me work it out. In the meanwhile, please tune in to 91.5FM in the Bay area (or listen online at http://www.kkup.com/) Sunday, December 13th, 2009 at 3pm (Pacific). View the case of Brown Cuts Neighbors tapes I’ll be bringing to the session. I’ll be mainly playing CDs and vinyl. Tune in if you can.

Mike Bonanno of the Yes Men, by Marc Arsenault on flickr.

Now! Well, soon. Full list of screenings.

I appreciate the above portrait of Mike from the Yes Men much more now then when I took it six years ago. Alot has happened since. Now this pretty clearly represents where the Yes Men are at. It’s so obvious I wouldn’t do the same shot now.

The Yes Men Fix the World opens local to the larger part of the Wow Cool crew at the Roxie in San Francisco on October 30th, 2009. There is some danger of hijinks occurring.

The Yes Men are anti-corporate pranksters who create phony Web sites to get themselves invited to high-level corporate conferences and media events – where they give hilarious, Swiftian analyses that unmask global injustice and satirize human rights abuses. They are the 21st century’s answer to Timothy Leary’s proselytizing for acid and Ken Kesey’s busload of hipsters. The big difference is that they care less about changing minds than changing policy. But announcing, as spokespeople for Dow Chemical, that they will at last take full financial responsibility for the victims of Bhopal, they create a media sensation that embarrasses the real powers that be. And, outfitted in their wacky “survival ball” getups, the Yes Men address a room full of straight-laced suits who don’t think there’s anything funny about going to insane lengths to assure one’s personal safety in the event of any and all calamities. The Yes Men don’t exactly speak truth to power. But their hearts are in the right place — right next to their funny bones. Written, directed and produced by Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonnano. Co-directed by Kurt Engfehr. Running time: 87 mins.

The Official Trailer:

The Yes Men Fix the World Official Trailer from Bink on Vimeo.

When Civilization Falls, You’ve Got Balls from Bink on Vimeo.

Genius NYC indie promoter Todd P hosted a great end-of-summer bash at Broadway Backyard in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn last weekend and I brought my camera. Against a backdrop of the M and J train line and a martial arts school converted from a bank (with a memorable mural), Hot Box, Talk Normal, Teeth Mountain and Lightning Bolt entertained, thrilled and all that kind of crap.

View the set of 45 photos of Lightning Bolt, Teeth Mountain and the audience on flickr.

Below is my hi-res video of some bits of the show, including the whole soundcheck.

Info on Earthly Delights, Lightning Bolt’s first new album in four years, tour details and more at Brooklyn Vegan.

John Culhane‘s video from the show after the jump.

Iron Man?, originally uploaded by mifblip.

Found this great version of Torgo’s severed head on flickr pretty much randomly. It’s next to either Don Van Vliet (Captain Beefheart) or one of the Thompsons from Tintin. More than you want to know about Torgo can be found on Dial H for Blog.

I’m now imagining that Simon Pegg and Nick Frost take over the Tintin movies and they use the tagline, “It’s Hot Fez!” to promote it. The first true believer who can remind me what damn book the Thompsons wore fezzes in wins a no prize.

halfmoonbay19, originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

If you like big rusty metal dinosaurs, then you will want to check out this photo set on flickr of Mike and Nick from CALMS and nickname: Rebel exploring the “Spanish Town” shops on Route 92 in Half Moon Bay, California. We were headed to the marina to shoot a video of the nickname: Rebel song “Rescue Boat” and joked that it should be just like the 1975 film of the Land that Time Forgot. We came pretty close.

Nick Carpenter of CALMS, by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

Mostly noise show. July 28, 2009 at El Rincon on 16th Street, San Francisco, CA. Featuring CALMS, Cruiser, Hora Flora, Vibrating Garbage, Amphibious Gestures, Lung Transducer and Nerfbau.

Go see the set

On the Pipe, originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

Oakland, California. A lovely flickr set with a couple of videos from this last weekend. A magical fairytale land, originally built in 1950 and very well maintained and smartly updated. Pay a visit…

Mark Mulcahy, originally uploaded by taswan.

Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy

On September 29th Shout! Factory will release Ciao My Shining Star: The Songs of Mark Mulcahy, a tribute to former Miracle Legion front man Mark Mulcahy. The album features a collection of some of today’s greatest recording artists performing versions of Mark Mulcahy’s songs. Mulcahy’s wife, Melissa, died suddenly in September 2008, and proceeds from the sale of the album will go to Mulcahy to help him continue his music career while raising his 3-year-old twin daughters.

The album features 21 exclusive recordings by Thom Yorke, Michael Stipe, Dinosaur Jr., Mercury Rev, The National, Frank Black, Vic Chesnutt, Frank Turner, and Josh Rouse, among others. In addition, a further 20 tracks, from artists such as A.C. Newman, Buffalo Tom and Laura Veirs, will be available digitally. To coincide with the release, there will be two concert events, one in London and one in New York, details TBA.

Mulcahy was the front man and main songwriter for alternative rock band Miracle Legion in the 1980s to mid 1990s. Shortly after their demise, Mulcahy formed Polaris, the house band for the mid 1990s alternative television series The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1993–96) and perhaps best remembered for the song “Hey Sandy,” which was featured in the opening credits of the show.
Mulcahy has opened up for many notable artists, including Oasis and Jeff Buckley, and has received homage from Radiohead front man Thom Yorke, who dedicated a song to Mulcahy at a show in Boston. Nick Hornby wrote an essay on Mulcahy’s song “Hey Self-Defeater” (from the album Fathering) in his book 31 Songs.

Mark and his music is an old friend to those of us from the upstate New York/Berkshires/Five Colleges region. This is a heartbreaking loss and everyone here at Wow Cool HQ extends good feeling towards Mark. His is a voice so rare, it deserves the very best. Mark your calendar. grab one of these disks. UPDATE: Stereogum has posted cover art and a preview of Thom Yorke’s version of All for the Best.

UPDATE: Thom Yorke’s version of ‘All For the Best’ will also be released as a limited 7″ single backed with Mark Mulcahy’s ‘Ciao My Shining Star’ to be released on September 7, 2009. Via At/Ease

Mulcahy released his latest album, In Pursuit Of Your Happiness, in 2005, to critical praise: The Sun called it “majestic, mind-blowing, quite marvellous—your happiness is assured if you purchase this record.” “Terrific,” said The Guardian. “His third solo album opens wounds and plays with the patterns as the blood runs free.” The Daily Telegraph said, “The songs are intimate, intelligent, wise and melodic. But the really special thing is his voice: such range, such texture, such honesty—it’s gorgeous.”

Available on CD and digital download, the full track listing is as follows:
Thom Yorke – All For The Best
The National – Ashamed Of The Story I Told
Michael Stipe – Everything’s Coming Undone
David Berkeley – Loves The Only Thing That Shuts Me Up
Dinosaur Jr. – The Backyard
Chris Harford & Mr Ray Neal – Micon The Icon
Frank Black – Bill Jocko
Vic Chesnutt – Little Man
Unbelievable Truth – Ciao My Shining Star
Butterflies Of Love – I Have Patience
Chris Collingwood (Fountains Of Wayne) – Cookie Jar
Frank Turner – The Quiet One
Rocket From The Tombs – In Pursuit Of Your Happiness
Ben Kweller – Wake Up Whispering
Josh Rouse – I Woke Up In The Mayflower
Autumn Defense – Paradise
Hayden – Happy Birthday Yesterday
Juliana Hatfield – We’re Not In Charleston Anymore
Mercury Rev – Sailors And Animals
Elvis Perkins – She Watches Over Me (Son Of Actor Anthony Perkins)
Sean Watkins – A World Away From This One

This post was largely lifted right off of the Shout! press release as posted in Mark’s blog on his MySpaceship

Article on Stereogum.

Anyone who is, or has been a producer of any kind of sounds in the Albany/Schenectady/Troy area is invited to contribute. You do not have to be on the tiena list to participate. No previous SoundCloud experience required.

Send us your track

In other news… Anyone out there who takes photos and is a fan of Neil Gaiman’s book American Gods is invited to join a group I started on flickr called (wait for it…) American Gods House. I guarantee that the group description is very entertaining.

theGREAToutDOORS
Originally uploaded by billikidbrand

Opening this Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Artbreak Gallery, 195 Grand Street, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11211. Exhibit runs through May 29. Gallery open Thursday through Sunday, 1-7 pm.
Featuring altered doors By:
Billi Kid, Blanco, Broken Crow, Buildmore, Cake, C.Damage, Celso, Cern, Chris RWK, Deeker, Destroy & Rebuild, Feral, Goldenstash, Yassy Goldie, Imminent Disaster, Infinity, Kngee, LA 2, Matt Siren, Morgan Thomas, Peru Ana Ana Peru, Plasma Slugs, Royce Bannon, Skullphone, The Dude Company, Stikman, Veng RWK, Windowzoo and featuring a slide show by Luna Park.

Our friend Infinity from the Endless Love Crew created this very cool door for the show (below).

Click to make all huge

A set of photos from the amazing show by Schlong at El Rio in San Francisco, March 14, 2009. Many exciting tidbits and narrative to be found in the descriptions… well, two or three things… Go to teh flickr now to see it!

"fire", originally uploaded by lookseeseen.

Peter Barvoets – long-standing Brown Cuts Neighbors official scientific consultant – has joined flickr and has posted some of his amazing shots of early electrical wonderment.

LookSeeSeen flickr Photoset
Look See Seen homepage
Scott Smallwood’s Electrotherapy – A CD of electronic sound compositions based on recordings of early 20th-century electrical devices, including induction coils, an ultra violet ray oscillator, a diathermy machine, and a sectorless wimshurst machine. These devices are part of Pete’s collection. on Deep Listening.

UPDATE Feb. 24, 2009: You can vote for this photo as Your Best iPhone Art over at Wired.com

Back in May I got to visit the famous Monroeville Mall, just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the shooting site for George A. Romero’s film Dawn of the Dead. I have finally taken the time to sort through the video (above) and stills I took. Aspiring filmmaker tip: Baby strollers make really bad steadycams. The place does not look all that different. It’s a shame the carousel wasn’t there back in ’78. The Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood playground is also a new addition. I actually bought a Dawn of the Dead DVD at the Borders bookstore nearby. Find out more about the mall and the shooting of Romero’s zombie classic at MalloftheDead.net.

Check out the shots on flickr.

Tiger Claw Elite Grand Champion Becca Ross

It’s done! I’ve posted about 200 photos up to flickr of my absolute best shots from last weekend’s 2008 Tiger Claw Elite Championship. Go check out those, and past years shots now! I’m gonna go sleep.

More info on the Tiger Claw Elite Championship.

I wish I’d taken the time to find out who this is, but I was on the way out the door when I took the shot.

Unfortunately my visit to APE this year will be forever colored by the dreary drive to it–which included some most certainly dead people in a very grisly road accident that was followed by further delays due to a submerged section of the I-280. By the time I got to the show–nearly an hour later than expected–I just felt sick. The venue–the Concourse, where My Bloody Valentine (and old BCN pal Suzanne Thorpe!) had played a couple months before–also suffered from a leaky roof, which I personally witnessed and more than one exhibitor commented on (not ideal circumstances for a printed matter-type show). Despite all this I had a grand time and was excited to see many old friends and colleagues. I was also sad I did not get to see a few people who I somehow missed or would be there on Sunday. Picked up some great books. There is just so much great art coming out now. It’s crazy! Got some cool books by Jim Mahfood and Brandon Graham (ok, new to me). Tons others. Good feeling all around.

Very brief flickr set.

The first batch of my many, many shots from last weekend’s Disney’s Martial Arts Festival are up on flickr. These are all of Tiger Claw Elite Champion performers. Shot at the nighttime show on the main stage of the Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Saturday, October 25, 2008. See the set!

More info on the Tiger Claw Elite Championship.

Up on flickr now, 55 shots of classic pinball machines and their insane graphics. Check it out!

I’ve known Jack Tu for a few years now and have watched in awe as he tore up the U.S. martial arts competition circuit and then went to China to even greater success. Recently he was named Jackie Chan’s first ever disciple. A few days ago he made an appearance in America to commemorate this achievement and thank those who helped him on the way. I was sad to miss it… being stuck on planes and in airport terminals all day. It would have been nice to see Jack again before he flew back to China to start shooting movies. I’ve been fortunate to capture several of his performances and competitions. The shot above is from last year’s Disney’s Martial Arts Festival. Jack is incredibly talented as a martial artist and musician. They’ll have to start shooting kung fu movies in hi-speed. He is so quick it is hard to believe (and hard to get a good shot of) Like Bruce Lee before him he will probably have to learn how to slow down for the cameras. One thing I noticed early on about Jack is that he was the first person I’ve seen that really did have that ‘Bruce’ quality. It will be worth the wait.

Read more:
Article in the Argus

Jackie Chan’s revealing blog post about the event

JackTu.com

Video of the Disney performance

My shots of Jack on flickr

Jiayo!

Joshua Baker blows away the Fro’s Squire Strat riffage with some mean air guitar action. 28 more shots are up on flickr now.

An industry where the caretakers of properties make far more money off of creations than the creators themselves due to legal circumstance and standard practices that greatly favor corporate ownership should be an intolerable one to every single person who has even a half-measure of interest in the comics they read beyond the initial thrill of looking at the ink on paper.

Read on, true believer!

Superman spotted hiding out in the Research Triangle In a BT box at a Hampton Inn in Cary, NC.

I’ve just started uploading and making notes on pictures I’ve taken of artist studios. The first batch, taken for Kitchen Sink Press’ Michael Kaluta Sketchbook, is up on flickr now.

It was amazing. Pere Ubu tore it up. I am in fucking awe. They did Sonic Reducer and I completely went fucking mental. It was all a million times better then I deserved to expect. Best damn Easter basket ever. See my choicest shots here.

Karen Ulrich, originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool.

It’s starting to look like the more exciting Coney Island exhibit that the Brooklyn Museum is hosting right now is the one in the blog by curator Patrick Amsellem. And I’m not just saying that because they picked one of my photos to run in it. Yes, I am beyond flattered, but I’ve long made seasonal treks down to the boardwalk and am worried to see how they might be changing it. I just hope we’re left with more than a bunch of photos and our own Coney Islands of the mind.

See all my Brooklyn photos on flickr here, which are pretty heavy on the Coney action. I have a great roll or two somewhere of the summer that C.I. stayed open extra long because all the schools were closed for asbestos abatement. Gotta find those.

At long last I’ve managed to go through some more of my shots from the intense photo-overload in Florida last month. Some of my favorites are these from the Disney Martial Arts Festival night-time show performance by the Tiger Claw Elite Champions. Now I’m off to Raleigh-Durham in the morning for more martial arts action and to hopefully catch a Bryan Lee O’Malley’s book signing.

See the full set.

You can also watch the whole thing on YouTube.

More info at TigerClawElite.com.

The Comics Journal #285 – front cover by Darwyn Cooke, originally uploaded by fantagraphics.

You may find yourself actually buying the Comics Journal again. Although it has become virtually impossible to find (I have not seen it in a bookstore or newsstand for several years… and I’ve looked) they are still plugging on. My local comic shop actually had a few, and the owner told me that a few people who never buy it picked it up this time. Why? Well, with Power Girl’s greatest power cleverly covered, it was probably the fact that there are over 40 pages of words and art from Darwyn Cooke, the man who gave us Absolute DC: The New Frontier. Why? From my point of view… The New Frontier is probably the one super hero comic book I want to hold on to for my kids to have and keep. That’s pretty damn big. He did it right and so very, very well. I’m still working through the interview. Pretty interesting stuff. A different perspective from what you may be used to. As is usual with the Journal, the copy editing is a sad joke… thus, Toronto is a province of Ontario… and this in the very first column. There’s a few (but not nearly enough) pieces of rare and sketchbook art. It seems like this interview was done at the 2007 Comicon in San Diego, so no mention of Mr. Cooke’s tale of his Eisner Awards experience. Anyway.

Also of note is an interview with Keith Knight, a compadre from back in the day. This was a little bit like the Journal back in the form it had a decade ago… oh yeah, the design on this is just about the best they’ve ever had. Sorry for the rambling review… just wanted to share for those who would really want to read this but might not stumble across it…

smiths, originally uploaded by oh my good gawd.

Yes

Medianeras – "Smog", originally uploaded by Marc Arsenault – Wow Cool | Deptex | Gritboy.

Missing rooms…