We are ringing in a new year and coasting along a bit during the holidays, getting our bearings as we contemplate doing it all over again. What a treat to have Hurricane Nancy with us to share more of her work. This is what Nancy says about the above artwork: “If only life was this simple. I could dress up and be whatever I want for any occasion. Not get sick or worry about our future. Just dress up and decide to make a great holiday and bright future!”
Filed under Art, Comics, Hurricane Nancy
Deck the Halls with Graphic Novels!
Diamond has released its Holiday Catalog and that got me thinking. Here are a few highlights from their list that jive with my own outlook. As many of you already know, I love me an eclectic mix of everything! Whatever curls my toes. Most of the time, it’s character driven, offbeat, maybe not the most obvious choices and just makes you feel something, you know? You can consider these titles some of the best for 2022.
RAIN
THE FIRST IN CHRIS RYALL & ASHLEY WOODâS NEW SYZYGY PUBLISHING IMPRINT LINE OF TITLES AT IMAGE COMICS!
On a seemingly normal August day in Boulder, Colorado, the skies are clear, and Honeysuckle Speck couldnât be happier. Sheâs finally moving in with her girlfriend Yolanda. But their world is literally torn apart when dark clouds roll in and release a downpour of nailsâsplinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. RAIN makes vivid this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads across the country and around the world, threatening everything young lovers Honeysuckle and Yolanda hold dear.
So begins a gripping 5-issue presentation of New York Times bestselling author JOE HILLâs acclaimed novella, adapted by rising stars DAVID M. BOOHER (Canto), ZOE THOROGOOD (The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott), and CHRIS OâHALLORAN (Ha-Ha).
CLEMENTINE
âTILLIE WALDEN is the future. Her boldly authentic voice brings new heights to the world of The Walking Dead.â âROBERT KIRKMAN
âWill have you craving more when the final page turns.â âCHIP ZDARSKY
âAn exquisitely drawn story about how to survive trauma and find strength in ourselves and others.â âKELLY SUE DECONNICK
Powerhouse creator TILLIE WALDEN takes on the world of ROBERT KIRKMANâs THE WALKING DEAD in the most anticipated YA graphic novel of 2022.
The trilogy marks the graphic novel debut of Clementine, star of the massively successful Telltale Games video game.
In Book One, Clementine discovers new allies, new rivals, and new love. But as the group tries to build a walker-free settlement in an abandoned ski resort, they soon discover that the biggest threat to their survivalâŠis each other.
SIDE EFFECTS
âSide Effectsâ is a personal story about mental health and what it takes to find yourself again.
Hannah doesnât want to be a hero. She just wants to be well.
Hannahâs dealing with a lot in her first year of college and to make matters worse, sheâs also battling her own brain, in the form of anxiety and depression. Fortunately, her therapist has put her on some meds to help, but those meds cause some unintended side effects, like sleepless nights, pounding headachesâŠ
âŠor, in Hannahâs case, superpowers.
Now, on top of juggling tests and dates, Hannah has to deal with occasionally shooting lightning bolts from her fingers or reading her girlfriendâs mind. Maybe sheâs supposed to be a superhero, but all she wants to do is make it through the year in one piece.
Written by Ted Anderson (My Little Pony, Adventure Time: Beginning of the End, ORPHAN AGE, MOTH AND WHISPER) and illustrated by Tara OâConnor (Fly By Night, Roots, Puddles) comes a personal story about mental health and what it takes to find yourself again.
EVERYDAY HERO MACHINE BOY
SEA SERPENT’S HEIR
What if you were destined to destroy the world?
For Aella life on Kinamen Isle is completely boring. She dreams of life beyond the horizon even as she spends her days fishing and minding her aunts.
Everything changes however when she awakens an ancient evil within herself: Xir the serpent that almost destroyed the world. Worse yet a fanatical religious organization has arrived on Kinamen Isle to destroy Xir.
As Aella is forced to fight for her life she’ll discover that her entire world is not what it seems. Her aunts know more than they let on-and what exactly does the infamous Pirate Queen want with Aella anyway?
From the team of MAIRGHREAD SCOTT (Star Wars: Resistance Guardians of the Galaxy) and PABLO TUNICA (TMNT Universe) comes an extraordinary tale of growing up and changing your fate.
WE LIVE
The year is 2084 and the world has changed
Wracked by calamities and crawling with monsters, the last remaining humans face a dangerous existence.
And now, the Earth has been sent a message from the deepest reaches of space â a dark countdown to the extinction of all humanity. But there is hope! Five thousand children will be rescued by these mysterious message-senders.
This is the journey of Hototo, one of the lucky five thousand â but only if his teenage sister, Tala, can safely deliver him to the nearest Beacon before time runs out.
WE LIVE is a world of violence and beauty, a unique tale of the apocalypse as told by Inaki Miranda (Catwoman, Batman Beyond) and Roy Miranda, that invites both dread and hope.
Alrighty then, there’s plenty more I could add to the list but that should whet your appetite. This is plenty to feast upon for now, some of the best quirky and fun stuff out there.
Filed under Comics, graphic novels
Art by Hurricane Nancy. Color added by Henry Chamberlain.
Here’s a Halloween Art Cartoon by Hurricane Nancy and an artist statement:
My area just missed a heavy hit from Hurricane Ian: so here is a not too scary cartoon as life was scary in real Time!
Different has become scary to many. Hereâs a bit of Halloween which only becomes scary when you ask, âWhere are the rest of these Bodies?â
For updates and to purchase art, visit Hurricane Nancy here.
Filed under Art, Comics, Comix, Hurricane Nancy
“Getting Rid of False Gods and Tricky Demons”
Today’s Hurricane Nancy comic strip: “Getting Rid of False Gods and Tricky Demons.” Nancy says, “This comic strip covers my current feelings and is dedicated to All the authorities who want to trap and subjugate individuals. They can try, but truth is they canât!”
Filed under Comics, Hurricane Nancy
From “Spirits Rising” limited edition series.
Happy Halloween from all of us at Comics Grinder. Here is a work by artist Hurricane Nancy!
Be sure to visit Hurricane Nancy at her website right here.
Filed under Art, Hurricane Nancy
Something as good as a stocking full of cash?
Here are more suggestions for you to consider during this holiday season. See what you think of this next Top Ten List. What do you want most? Maybe stuff a stocking with some cash and glitter? That is hard to beat but let’s see. Look, I’m trying to help. Here, let’s make it an even dozen…
MAX & THE MIDKNIGHTS
A book that is bound to be welcomed by young readers. Filled with jokes, action, and just the right mix of middle school angst, Lincoln Peirce strikes another home run with his latest kid epic. Published by Penguin Random House.
BENEATH THE MOON
A gorgeously illustrated collection of some of the world’s most beloved fairy tales, fables and myths. Yoshi Yoshitani presented time-honored classic with a sly contemporary vibe. Published by Penguin Random House.
SONG OF THE COURT
Here is an appealing book for cat lovers, young readers, and anyone who appreciates an energetic and polished children’s book in a graphic novel format. By Katy Farina, known for creating the New York Times bestselling Baby-sitter’s Club Little Sisters series. Published by Sterling Children’s Books.
THE COMIC BOOK STORY OF BASKETBALL
Fred Van Lente has been attached to some of the most significant educational graphic novels and he brings his A-game to this detailed tribute to basketball. Published by Penguin Random House.
DRAWING FIRE
Bill Mauldin (1921-2003) is one of the all-time great political cartoonists we’ve ever had, winner of two Pulitzer Prizes for his editorial cartoons. Here, collected in one book, is a treasure trove of collected works and substantial essays reviewing Mauldin’s career beginning with his “Willie and Joe” cartoons from World War II. Published by Pritzker Military Museum & Library.
GREAT NAVAL BATTLES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
In the history of civilizations, sea power has always played a preponderant role. This symbol of a nationâs scientific and military genius has very often been the deciding factor during major conflicts, putting the names of several clashes down into legend. With this collection, Jean-Yves Delitte and Giuseppe Baiguera plunge you into the heart of three of the twentieth centuryâs greatest naval battles. The comics narratives exploring Tsushima (1905), Jutland (1916), and Midway (1941) bring you right up to the action. Published by Dead Reckoning.
THE PHOTOGRAPHER OF MAUTHAUSEN
This is the riveting true life story of Francisco Boix, a Spanish press photographer and communist who fled to France at the beginning of World War II. Boix ended up imprisoned at the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp. But, through some luck and skill, Boix found a way to not only survive but to expose Nazi war crimes. Another stellar title published by Dead Reckoning.
NAUTRALIST
An ambitious graphic novel adaption of Edward O. Wilson’s classic. Keeping to a steady pace, any fan of the original will be satisfied. For new readers, this is an excellent gateway to the life and times of one of the world’s preeminent biologists and to nature itself. Published by Island Press.
GUANTANAMO VOICES
Journalist Sarah Mirk and her team of diverse, talented graphic novel artists tell the stories of ten people whose lives have been shaped and affected by the prison, including former prisoners, lawyers, social workers, and service members.. Published by Abrams.
BAD ISLAND
Cult artist and longtime Radiohead collaborator Stanley Donwood embarks upon an eerie journey in his first foray into comics with this wordless graphic novel. Published by W.W. Norton & Company.
PLEASE DON’T STEP ON MY JNCO JEANS
Here’s a neat little stocking stuffer: a gem of self-loathing slice-of-life comic strips from indie cartoonist Noah Van Sciver. Published by Fantagraphics.
CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND
Kevin Hooyman’s masterwork is a perfect gift for anyone who enjoys an intriguing read. Published by Floating World Comics.
Tick Tock! You’re Running Out of Time!
FRIENDS: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK
Friends: The Official Cookbook. by Amanda Yee. Insight Editions. 2020. 176pp, $29.99. And $44.99 for the GIFT SET which includes a Friends apron.
Did you know there’s an official Friends cookbook? It’s not directly in response to the unofficial Friends cookbook but, let me tell you, that one was very disappointing for one particular reason. That book didn’t incorporate the show enough into the recipes! Wow! You would think that’s TV fandom 101! Of course, you must make such a cookbook relevant to the show you are paying tribute to, right? Am I right? Of course, I’m right! Seriously, this book is the real deal, a perfect mix of pop culture and foodie goodness. And now you can get the book or the special gift set which includes a Friends apron!
Friends. Friends. And More Friends. Can’t Have Enough Friends!
I don’t know about you but I always felt there was a bit of a subversive thing going on with Friends. It was, or it seemed to me, pretty self-concious that it was treading water, a sitcom for the post-modern era that really had nothing new to offer so it would revel in that fact and not in an ultra-clever way like Seinfeld but in a mainstream way, in a way that it could have its cake and eat it too. In other words, it wasn’t out to make a statement or even be especially funny. To me, Friends was amusing, meant to be utterly escapist and fluffy comfy. And so it all adds up, in a weird but fun way, as a show waiting to be turned into a cookbook! Anyway, the book is jam packed with quite an assortment of very practical recipes with intelligent tie-ins to specific episodes. You could actually give this to someone and they could very easily live off eating food prepared from this book for a year, maybe indefinitely. It’s that good a cookbook! Who knew, right?
Definitely Not Vegetarian Lasagna! Yes!
Of course, I gave this a try!
Now, this is one serious cookbook filled with one recipe after another! Check out Definitely Not Vegetarian Lasagna! Yes! Well, of course, I had to give this a try and, if I do say so myself, I achieved excellent results!
And get a Friends apron too!
And, of course, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, this book has got you covered with a sumptuous holiday dinner recipe. Perfect! For this post, I was a bit less elaborate but not by much. So, yeah, I chose to make a lasagna dish from the book to start with and I encourage you to do the same. It actually was a lot of fun and I’m not exactly new to cookbooks. I’ve tried my fair share of them. I think the book, like the show, is oddly amusing while also quite attractive. The layout and design is very upbeat and engaging. Any fan of the show would find that book and show are in sync. That said, I highly recommend you get yourself a copy. And, if you were wondering, yes, Insight Editions does have other pop culture themed cookbooks for you to choose from. Just go visit Insight Editions right here.
Insight Editions’ Friends: The Official Cookbook is one of the bestselling cookbooks of the year. Now, fans of Friends can enjoy the book’s 100+ recipes and an exclusive, new-to-market Friends Apron in the FRIENDS: THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK GIFT SET (Insight Editions; 11/10). The gift set is on-sale today!
The Official Friends Cookbook. New for 2020, Friends: The Official Cookbook is the freshest officially endorsed Friends cookbook and features dozens of full-color images and delicious recipes from the beloved hit show. With over 100 recipes, readers will learn how to master Monica’s Friendsgiving Feast, Rachel’s Meat Trifle, Just for Joey Fries, Chandler’s âMilk That You Chew,â Phoebe’s favorite Faceless Foods, and of course, Rossâs Moist Maker.
Gift Set Includes Exclusive Turkey Apron. Not available anywhere else, this high-quality apron features adjustable straps, a large front pocket, and Monicaâs iconic holiday turkey recreated in glorious full color.
Filed under Book Reviews, Cookbooks, Food, Gifts, Holidays
It’s time for a Comics Grinder Winter Giveaway!
I have some treasures to give away. Here is the plan: I will mail out any of these treats to you in return for a little good cheer back. My prime objective is to get more folks to become aware of my book of collected works in comics, “A Night at the Sorrento and Other Stories.” What I ask of you is to read the book and give it a review on Amazon. Of course, say whatever you like. I will truly appreciate the feedback. And it can be as short and sweet as you like too. You can easily purchase my book (or read for free) at Amazon. Just go right here. I think this will be a natural fit for my thoughtful readers.
Filed under Comics, Comics Grinder, Giveaway, Holidays, Promotions
You do know about the T.J. Miller Uber kerfuffle, right? To recap, after a heated exchange involving Donald Trump, the “Silicon Valley” star allegedly slapped his driver. There’s nothing like a big red cup of Starbucks product placement (prominently held in the hand of Jason Bateman for the first few minutes) to take you out of the movie unless every time you see Miller on the screen, you start thinking about Uber drivers being manhandled. The good news is that watching “Office Christmas Party,” even with Uber drivers on the brain, pays off. At first, Miller does not seem up to it as he delivers his lines in the first segments with self-conscious snark. But the dude makes up for it.
OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY
Come for the laughs and stay to enjoy two heavy hitters, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston, who make this comedy stuff look so easy. While the actual movie they are in has its fair share of clunker gags, Bateman and Aniston own their characters and command razor-sharp chops. A weak early scene with Miller lamenting the misunderstood needs of bald men is saved by a perfectly-timed answer by Bateman: “Hair?” Miller says over a dozen words. Nothing. Bateman says one word. Comedy gold. It’s that simple. I’m not led to think about Donald Trump or Uber drivers being terrorized. I’m only enjoying pure comedy gold. The same with Aniston. In a somewhat similar set-up, Aniston’s character asks a simple question to Vanessa Bayer’s character who proceeds to chew the scenery. Aniston, now irritated, asks the question again in a tone that demands a quick answer. Bayer answers. Very funny performances from both of them.
Now, as for the plot, the whole shebang hinges on Miller’s character throwing this incredible office party that will save the company, save jobs, and make America really really great again. Okay, not necessarily that last part. Anyway, there’s more. Aniston and Miller are brother and sister in the movie. The two run the family business. Actually, Aniston runs it and Miller gets to act a fool at the Chicago branch office. But, if Miller can just get his act together this once, and this is where the office party comes in, everything could turn out great. Maybe even America could turn great again. Who knows. In fact, a good part of the plot rests on the action of the character played by Olivia Munn who shines as a tech genius. Another good reason to see this movie. In fact, there are quite a lot of moving parts to this movie and it works remarkably well considering unnecessarily bad humor and some rather maudlin subplots.
If only they had trimmed some of the frat house humor, this might merit another star for those keeping score at home. Otherwise, don’t sweat the weak spots. And we come full circle with the character of Lonny played by Fortune Feimster. She actually plays the role of a Uber driver! In the backseat is not Miller. No, instead, it’s Aniston who is none too patient with her chatty driver. Another good example of some good laughs.
Filed under Christmas, Comedy, Humor, Movie Reviews, movies
A Night at the Sorrento and Other Stories
4th of July: Top Ten List of What Has the Power to Unite the USA
Fireworks on July 4th, at Gasworks Park; People recording fireworks on cell phones; Space Needle in background, Seattle, Washington State, USA
Let’s start off with some music fun facts: Lil Nas Xâs âOld Town Roadâ is one of the biggest songs of 2019, sitting on top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for six straight weeks as of May 13. If you’re looking for an example of the power of pop culture and music, then this is it. The Billy Ray Cyrus-featuring remix also holds five of the top seven spots on Billboardâs list of the biggest streaming weeks in the publicationâs history.
Don’t underestimate the power of that which can unite and that which we share in common. We all want family, friends and community, right? We all want good health. We all want to be inspired. So, here’s a list of that which can unite us and that which most, if not all of us, have in common one way or another as the USA celebrates the 4th of July in 2019:
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Filed under Entertainment, Lists, Music, pop culture
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