Staying On Topic #1

I always try and do this, and it never works. However, this time it will be different (I say that every time too, but this time I will try and persevere). I am going to sit down, every day, for this entire summer, and write a blog post for this very website. I am going to have a structure to each post, and I will adhere to this structure. Now, if this sounds like I am trying to give myself a pep talk about this whole thing, don't worry, I am.

I am a big fan of the iFanboy comic book podcast (www.ifanboy.com), and I think the best part about their program is that they have a structure that they follow for evvvvverrrry episode. I want to be able to do something like that, and I also want it to be interesting/entertaining. I am already submitting to the fact that not every post will be an essay. Actually, a large majority of the posts will be short and sweet. So let's see if I can do this.....

I had a realization today about comics, and more specifically the comics that I buy. I only really HAVE to read five comics. I buy 40+ titles, but there are only 5 that I really would miss if for some reason I quit comics. In no particular order....

1) Walking Dead
2) Green Lantern
3) Captain America
4) Ex Machina
5) Fables

The only problem with that list is that Fables shouldn't really be allowed on there. I am only through the 3rd Trade, and I am enjoying the hell out of it. I have heard that it gets progressively better as the series progresses, so it gets that last spot more out of speculation, because I'm not buying it monthly yet.

There's no Batman on that list, there's no Spider-Man, there's no Avengers (neither of the "Mighty" or "New" variety).

It seems like a paradox to me, because with all the money I spend on comics, I seem to only need to spend about 15 bucks a month. Will I stop buying the other 35+ titles that are on my pull list? Nope. I guess that means I have nothing to complain about. That was a good way to wrap that idea up before I started to ramble....

So the part about "structure" earlier seems unfulfilled at this point, so I think I should work something like that in here. So here it goes: At the end of every post, I will tell you three things that you should be doing that you probably aren't. If you read Warren Ellis's old column called COME IN ALONE, this might seem somewhat similar. Away we go then.....

1) Listen to Ted Leo's song called La Costa Brava (here)
2) Watch the newest episode of the iFanboy video podcast (here)
3) Read Peter David's Blog (here)

Image of the Week: Ethan Van Sciver Sketches Hellboy