Thursday, June 7, 2012

Ray Bradbury Has Died

American science fiction and fantasy author, Ray Bradbury, died Tuesday, June 5 2012, at the age of 91.  I first encountered his work in the late 1970s in the form of a film based upon his book, The Illustrated Man, and a television miniseries based another book, The Martian Chronicles.  Over time, I encountered more films, television, and even comic books based upon Bradbury's work.  His novel, Fahrenheit 451, is one of my favorite novels.

This Associated Press article (via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer) has details on his life and career, including this tidbit:

Bradbury was so poor during those years that he didn't have an office or even a telephone. He wrote "Fahrenheit 451" at the UCLA library, on typewriters that rented for 10 cents a half hour. He said he carried a sack full of dimes and completed the book in nine days, at a cost of $9.80.

Although some academics doubted that account, saying he could not have created such a masterpiece in such a rapid, seemingly cavalier fashion, Bradbury maintained in several interviews with the AP over the years that that was exactly how he did it.

I won't put into words what his work meant to me, but I will say Rest in Peace, Mr. Bradbury.

Nura: Tono Monogatari

I read Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 9

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free comics).


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

I Reads You Review: STAR WARS: Darth Plagueis

STAR WARS: DARTH PLAGUEIS
DEL REY/BALLANTINE BOOKS

["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]

AUTHOR: James Luceno
COVER: Torstein Nordstrand
ISBN: 978-0-345-51128-7; hardcover
394pp, B&W, $27.00 U.S., $29.00 CAN

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis is a 2012 science fiction novel written by James Luceno and is set in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The novel belongs to the “Rise of the Empire Era,” which is the one thousand year period before the events depicted in the original Star Wars film (1977), also known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis also takes place over the 35-period that leads into Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. However, of the last 30 pages of this novel, 22 pages transpire during the events depicted in The Phantom Menace and 8 pages occur immediately afterwards.

Darth Plagueis is the Sith Lord of legend mentioned by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker about mid-way through Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Now, Star Wars: Darth Plagueis tells the story of Darth Plagueis, one of the most brilliant Sith Lords ever to live. He is Hego Damask, a member of the powerful Banking Clan, and as an apprentice to the Dark Side, Damask embraced the ruthless ways of the Sith. After killing his master, Darth Tenebrous, however, Damask is determined to never suffer the same fate. He wants power over both life and death.

Using his vast financial resources, Damask plunges into wicked scientific research. He even meets the young man, Palpatine, scion of a noble family from the resource-rich planet of Naboo. Palpatine eventually becomes Plagueis’ apprentice, Darth Sidious, and the master sets his apprentice on course to one day rule the galactic government. In the meantime, Sidious is determined to learn the secrets of the Sith, the ones of which even Plagueis is unaware and also the ones his master wishes to keep from him. The ultimate goal of both Sith is the destruction of the Jedi Order, but this quest is a path fraught with peril as the traps they set for their enemies also threaten to ensnare them.

For me, Star Wars novels take the science fiction action and adventure of the films and transform that into riveting prose. That prose is supposed to help me mentally visualize something similar to what I’ve seen (countless times) in six Star Wars movies. James Luceno does not do that for me with Star Wars: Darth Plagueis; he wrote something different. I was initially disappointed, especially while reading the early chapters of the book, but like the father in that classic television series, Luceno knows best.

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis is a political novel. Call it a political thriller, a political conspiracy drama, or even a political character drama, but this novel is filled with backstage politicking, back-biting, back-stabbing, subterfuge, manipulation, political assassination, trumped-up wars, etc. In creating this kind of story, Luceno could not rely on X-Wing dogfights and space battles. He has to focus on characters, and so he fills this novel with an ensemble of engaging characters. They are the kind of sly and salty players that you will love even when you are thinking that you would like to put them to the lightsaber. Either Plagueis or Sidious alone could carry an entire novel, and despite what the title says, this novel is more about Sidious than it is about his master. To me, it is clear that Luceno loves Sidious, and it is hard not to love the man who would become Emperor of the known galaxy. Palpatine is the thinking man’s bastard: always plotting, surprisingly droll, witty and thoughtful, and always three steps ahead of everyone else.

Readers will be interested to know that we learn about the young Palpatine, which is his family’s surname, but we don’t learn his first name. The origin of Darth Maul is presented, and we see how Nute Gunray moved up the Trade Federation ladder. There are lots of other tidbits, but I leave that up to you, dear reader, to discover, because this book is worth reading. I will tell you, however, that Star Wars: Darth Plagueis is the Star Wars novel that takes you to the halls of power and to the places where secret deals are made. You’ll find blood on the floor, bodies around every corner, and a story that will grab you by the neck. Plus, there is some kind of creepy Anakin reveal that I’d rather not think about again. Go. Read.

A-

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Tuesday, June 5, 2012

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

DC COMICS

APR120181 ACTION COMICS #10 $3.99

APR120184 ACTION COMICS #10 COMBO PACK $4.99

APR120220 ANIMAL MAN #10 $2.99

FEB120245 BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS HC VOL 01 FACES OF DEATH $22.99

NOV110249 BATMAN PATINA MINI STATUE (RES) $95.00

APR120205 BATWING #10 $2.99

APR120137 BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTEMEN #1 (OF 6) (MR) $3.99

APR120140 BEFORE WATCHMEN MINUTEMEN #1 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR) $4.99

APR120197 DETECTIVE COMICS #10 $3.99

APR120199 DETECTIVE COMICS #10 COMBO PACK $4.99

APR120218 DIAL H #2 $2.99

MAR120276 DMZ TP VOL 12 THE FIVE NATIONS OF NEW YORK (MR) $14.99

APR120166 EARTH 2 #2 $2.99

APR120280 FAIREST #4 (MR) $2.99

APR120226 GI COMBAT #2 $3.99

APR120179 GREEN ARROW #10 $2.99

MAR120252 GREEN LANTERN CORPS REVOLT OF ALPHA LANTERNS TP $14.99

APR120287 IZOMBIE #26 (MR) $2.99

MAR128285 JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 8TH PTG $3.99

APR120165 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #10 $2.99

APR120269 LOONEY TUNES #207 $2.99

APR120242 NIGHT FORCE #4 (OF 7) $2.99

APR120217 RED LANTERNS #10 $2.99

MAR120243 RED LANTERNS TP VOL 01 BLOOD AND RAGE $14.99

APR120270 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #22 $2.99

APR120239 SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #2 $3.99

APR120227 STORMWATCH #10 $2.99

APR120221 SWAMP THING #10 $2.99

APR120292 SWEET TOOTH #34 (MR) $2.99

NOV110247 WONDER WOMAN VS SUPERMAN MINI STATUE (RES) $95.00

APR120168 WORLDS FINEST #2 $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

MARVEL COMICS

APR120663 AGE OF APOCALYPSE #4 $2.99

APR120613 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN MOVIE #1 $2.99

MAR120668 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP VOL 02 VULTURE READERS NOVEL $6.99

APR120582 AVENGERS ACADEMY #31 AVX $2.99

APR120596 AVENGERS BLACK WIDOW STRIKES #3 (OF 3) $2.99

APR120569 AVENGERS VS X-MEN #5 (OF 12) AVX $3.99

MAR120648 AVENGERS WEST COAST TP ALONG CAME A SPIDER-WOMAN $39.99

MAR120657 CIVIL WAR PROSE NOVEL HC $24.99

APR120597 DARK AVENGERS #175 $2.99

MAR120686 DEADPOOL TP VOL 09 INSTITUTIONALIZED $15.99

APR120648 DEFENDERS #7 $3.99

APR120679 FURY MAX #3 (MR) $3.99

APR120637 HULK #53 $2.99

APR120646 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #518 $3.99

APR120634 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #639 $2.99

APR120629 MIGHTY THOR ANNUAL #1 $4.99

MAR120673 MOON KNIGHT BY BENDIS AND MALEEV TP VOL 01 $19.99

MAR120678 SPIDER-MAN BIG TIME ULTIMATE COLLECTION TP $39.99

APR120662 TOY STORY #4 (OF 4) $2.99

APR120600 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #11 $3.99

APR120588 UNCANNY X-MEN #13 AVX $3.99

MAR120667 UNCANNY X-MEN BY KIERON GILLEN PREM HC VOL 02 $24.99

APR120626 WINTER SOLDIER #6 $2.99

APR120672 X-FACTOR #237 $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

IDW PUBLISHING

APR120387 30 DAYS OF NIGHT ONGOING #8 $3.99

MAR120399 COMPLETE LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE HC VOL 08 $49.99

APR120342 DANGER GIRL REVOLVER TP $17.99

APR120347 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS SERIES IV #5 (OF 6) $3.99

APR120348 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING 2 TP VOL 04 AS TIME GOES BY $17.99

APR120383 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS TP VOL 01 SHADOWPLAGUE $19.99

APR120338 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #179 $3.99

APR120341 GI JOE V2 COBRA COMMAND TP VOL 01 $17.99

APR120332 GI JOE VOL 2 ONGOING #14 $3.99

APR120343 INFESTATION 2 TP VOL 01 $17.99

APR120385 POPEYE #2 (OF 4) $3.99

APR120373 TRIO #2 $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

FEB128076 BPRD TP VOL 03 PLAGUE OF FROGS (NEW PTG) $17.99
FEB120043 CREEPY ARCHIVES HC VOL 13 $49.99
FEB120015 STAR WARS OMNIBUS DROIDS AND EWOKS TP $24.99