Month: May 2008

I think I figured out why CVS is selling all of those boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for such an outlandishly cheap price: none of them contain the elusive MACH 5 toy! I bought another box today, but got the same red car once again. My troubles, they run deep.

I suppose since I had a countdown for Jon Favreau’s Iron Man up for a month I should mention that I finally got a chance to go check it out last night. My general reaction mirrors a lot of what I had already heard about it. I liked it a lot, Robert Downey Jr. was perfectly cast, and it really was worth it to stay after the credits (even if it had been spoiled for me at that point by some ne’er-do-wells).

The most impressive part of the movie to me was that it wasn’t just all about SFX. Most of the movie was spent outside of the suit setting it all up, and I dug pretty much all of the characters and the actors that played them. However, when it was finally time to suit up, well, I don’t think many superhero movies look more impressive than this one. Favreau’s intention to shoot the CG Top Gun style as opposed to something like Stealth (sorry, Jimmy) really paid off.

For the longest time—and maybe this is a product of experiencing this fine holiday in Louisville—I associated Free Comic Book Day with an opportunity to become annually reacquainted with one or more of the lovable scamps at Riverdale High. Offerings beyond the occasional issue of Spider-man would extend to Jughead or Betty & Veronica, and I wasn’t necessarily complaining. Sure, I don’t think I’d pay for an Archie comic at this point in my life, but I won’t turn my nose up at them like some ghoulish fiend adverse to fine literature.

So today I put on my walkin’ shoes and set out with a couple of Prime Friends to enjoy my very first Free Comic Book Day in New York City, and I gotta say that things have changed over the years! First of all, I should mention that Forbidden Planet is a killer comic shop, and I would have stayed longer if it hadn’t been so darn crowded. The crowd became understandable, though, as I was ushered around to the back, where they bestowed upon my person a large black bag full of fully illustrated periodicals, presumably chosen at random.

Our three respective hauls were all different, but here’s my dubious pull in no particular order:

Ultimate Fantastic Four #47
Daredevil: The Man Without Fear #99
The Man in the Iron Mask (5 of 6)
The Incredible Hercules #113
52 (Week Fifty-One)
Dragonlance: Chronicles: Dragons of Spring Dawning #4
Delete #5
Ed Burns’ Dock Walloper #1
Heroes for Hire #9
Ghost Whisperer #2
52 (Week Fifty-Two)
52 (Week Fifty)
Wonder Man (1 of 5)
Wonder Man (4 of 5)
Dominion (4 of 5)
Wisdom (2 of 6)

The jury’s still out on how many of these are destined to be kindling, but I’ll be sure to report back on DOCK WALLOPER.