The Weekly 5

Here it is, the first in an ongoing weekly series, coming to you directly from the blog-o-sphere, on Sundays in the post meridian. These might not be new, they might not be old; it’s possible they’re ancient or not even out yet. But anything here is wearing on my brain and ready for mass consumption. So here they are, a list of entertainment/information/etc presumptive suggestions. The first of The Weekly 5 :

Read It: Greg Rucka – any of his books fit for the week, but the most recent that I read is what I’m talking about. A Fistful of Rain (the title is a line from a Warren Zevon song) is all about repression, anger and vengeance. Set against the life of a rock and roller and the fame that comes with success, this is a dark and fast-paced thriller. As usual, the writer knows how to write great female leads and Mim (the lead in this one) is right at the top of the list. Rucka also writes a lot of comics, but he was a crime/thriller novelist first, and his books still pack more punch than his Eisner Award winning comics – that’s saying a lot.

Scan It: Marvel Comics’ and Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men – Mentioned on this very site earlier in the week in a sort-of review, I think it’s worthwhile to list again here. Yeah, it’s that good.

Listen To It: Beastie Boys - To the 5 Burroughs – wasn’t a huge fan of the album the first time I listened to it and it still lacks some of the verbal hash-slinging of Paul’s Boutique, or even Check Your Head, but the more I listen, the more it seeps into my bones. Worth it.

View It: (this is a double shot) IFC’s showing of the documentary Frazetta: Painting with Fire – while I am not a huge fantasy reader or fan of the art style, Frazetta’s obviously the master. That being said, this doc gives a casual fan or the most die-hard follower an amazing perspective on the man and his work. Coming out next week on DVD, check The Punisher. Not the best comic movie ever, not a great action movie, but Tom Jane’s performance is dead on (no pun intended) and he is Frank Castle. The movie’s true to the character as well, and that’s getting a lot for any adaptation of the written word to moving pictures. Plus, with the DVD release, you get a limited edition Punisher comic by writer supreme Garth Ennis (whose comic issues the film was based on.)

Bookmark It: www.comicbookresources.com has all the comicbook and comic movie news that’s fit to upload. A regular haunt that I visit daily and if you have any interest in comics, you should be there too. The weekly columns are nothing to scoff at either – insightful, informative and damn entertaining.

So, there it is. The first of the weekly spin. It turned into a mostly comic-themed first salvo, but I promise diversity and challenges in the weeks and months to come. This was a warm-up and came right off that first thin layer of cerebral tissue.

“Burn,” – Superman to Mongel, in the classic Alan Moore-penned Superman Annual #11