Characters of Mine

Katwen Templar is a fairly new addition to my Knights Without Armor family, but she's quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. I just thought I'd share this with y'all.

What I'm Reading (In So Many Words or Less)

Books

Daisy Kutter: The Last Train by Kazu Kibuishi. The title character is a former outlaw-cum-shopkeeper asked to rob a train in order to test a new security system. It's set in a world where the Old West-meets-high-tech (robots, radios, etc. - think Firefly minus the Chinese cuss words). As you would guess, all isn't what it seems. As a budding cartoonist, I love the looseness of Kibuishi's line, along with distinctive bits of business (one security robot is wearing wire-rim spectacles). And Daisy herself is a wonderful character I'd like to see more of.

Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Third time going through this one again. Just might see movie one day. No hurry.

The preceding review was written in glorious Rohrschach Speak. No special glasses needed to enjoy the experience.

A Princess of Mars/The Gods of Mars/The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. John Carter is, to quote the young folk of today, the bee's knees.

The Great Shark Hunt by Hunter S. Thompson. Assorted articles from the creator of Gonzo Journalism, seasoned with pieces from the early, sedate period of Thompson's career. The Gonzo-fueled stories are far more interesting.

Public Cowboy No. 1: The Life and Times of Gene Autry by Holly George-Warren. You probably know Gene Autry, if you know him at all, as the guy whose "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" pops up every Christmas on the radio. I grew up watching his old Western movies on TV...but back in my day, Westerns were all over television. In any case, this is a fascinating biography which gives an old-style icon a human face. I found myself impressed by how much of a pioneer he was in what was then called hillbilly music, as well as how his movies injected life into a genre that was considered box-office poison by the mid-1930s.

Comics

RASL by Jeff Smith. Read this. Now.

X-Men Forever by Chris Claremont and Tom Grummet. On one hand, I tend to agree with the reviews which accuse Claremont of being self-indulgent and old-fashioned in his storytelling. On the other hand, a little old-fashioned storytelling can be a refreshing thing. And Kitty's at the forefront - yeah, I know she's back in Uncanny X-Men, but at the moment, she's on the sidelines for the "Second Coming" foofraw.

Besides, Brother Chris gave her a neat little gift.

Fantastic Four by Johnathan Hickman and Dale Eaglesham. Another book you should read. Now.

Gold Digger by Fred Perry. Assorted manga stylings + wild and woolly adventure + fascinating characters = Yet Another Book You Should Read. Now.

The Incredibles by Mark Waid, Landry Walker and Ramanda Karmaga. Rereading issue #7, which wraps up the Dash-centered story arc, it struck me how much this resembles the last moments of Invaders From Mars. For a book marketed to younger readers, that's impressive.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick and Tony Parker. I have a paperback copy of the original novel, with the Blade Runner logo and poster art on the cover, that I pull out and read every couple of years. That said, I'm impressed with this presentation.

Side Note: I've got the Blade Runner: The Final Cut DVD, but I haven't gotten around to watching it. That, and a number of other DVDs I have, are waiting to be viewed.

Keep watching for more.