5th
2008's books: The second 25
The second batch of 25, of the 100 books I’m attempting to read in 2008.
26. Modern Masters: Mark Schultz
A long-form interview with the “Xenozoic Tales” creator. Wouldn’t have minded this one going more in-depth, especially into the Kitchen Sink years. Has kind of whetted my appetite to pick up the “Xenozoic Tales” reprints.
27. Can I Keep My Jersey? 11 Teams, 5 Countries and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond, by Paul Shirley
Journeyman forward Paul Shirley, who played college ball at Iowa State, writes of the trials of a 6-10 white guy from Kansas who just wants a shot at the NBA. Shirley bounces from the highs of playing with the Lakers, Bulls, and Suns, to the lows of playing in front of dozens in the U.S. minor leagues, or in Kazan, Russia, where the weather and the traffic were largely inhospitable. In the tradition of “Ball Four,” “Can I Keep My Jersey” is an engrossing peek behind the scenes of a major sport.
28. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, by Bill Bryson
Bryson recollects his childhood in 1950s Des Moines in a way that will make you nostalgic for a time and place you never experienced. Or I never did, anyway. It’s a little gross in places (bulletin: kids are gross) but consistently engrossing, as well. Bryson examines what was great and what was terrible about the Baby Boom era in a way that’s consistently funny.
29. The Maze Agency vol 1 By Mike W. Barr and Adam Hughes (with Alan Davis)
Private investrigator Jennifer Mays and her sort-of boyfriend Gabriel Webb, a true-crime writer are called in on tricky whodunits. The reader can attempt to solve the mysteries, as well. Some aspects of “Moonlighting” and “Remington Steele,” along with some old-fashioned Ellery Queen, “The Maze Agency” remains one of my favorite comics. It was where Adam Hughes first got noticed as well. Alan Davis provides the art for the included 0 issue. IDW announced plans to reprint 3 volumes of these, along with a new miniseries, but as near as I can tell, the miniseries never concluded, and no volumes beyond vol. 1 were ever released. (There’s another mystery.)
30. Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs, by Max McCoy
Indy is drawn into a search for a nun’s missing father, a professor who has discovered a dinosaur bone in the Gobi desert. This bone appears to be recent, giving rise to speculation that the professor may have found an enclave of live dinosaurs. Indy and his friend Granger join the daughter, Joan Starbuck, on her search. But everyone’s motivation is not what it seems, as the team crosses through dangerous areas in China and outer Mongolia. Action-packed, and a good way to satisfy your jones for Jones if the recent film put you in an Indiana kind of mood.
31. Saving Jack, by Jack Willis
My former adviser at the Oklahoma Daily writes about his battle with breast cancer — something he, like most, wasn’t aware that men could get. Jack writes about an incredibly trying ordeal with honesty and humor. Highly recommended reading.
32. X-Men: Law of the Jungle, by Dave Smeds
Back to lighter fare, Ka-Zar calls the X-Men to the Savage Land when Sauron and a gang of mutates are kidnapping Savage Land natives. Sauron’s goal, however, was to lure in the X-Men, to feed on their mutant energies. This Sauron seems more devious than ever before — Psylocke, of the X-Men, thinks she knows why. The X-Team featured in this book are Wolverine, Cannonball, Beast, Iceman, Psylocke, Archangel and Storm. If you enjoy Ka-Zar and his supporting cast — Shanna the She-Devil and Zabu the sabretooth — you’re even more in luck. I’m slowly making my way through all the X-Men novels, and I’d say this is one of the better ones.
33. Tarzan/Carson of Venus, by Darko Macan and Igor Kordey
This collects the four-issue Dark Horse miniseries, as well as another “Tarzan” one-shot by Macan and Kordey. If you only know Kordey from his “New X-Men” fill-ins, then you are missing out on an artist capable of a lot more. In “Tarzan/Carson” and the back-up tale, Kordey’s art has a Barry Windsor Smith-like quality, but is wholly original. The designs of the various Venutian species are eye-catching. Macan’s story is mostly a fun romp, but it manages to ask some questions about the nature of love, government and humanity in a four-issue “Tarzan” tale.
34. Indiana Jones and the Hollow Earth, by Max McCoy.
A dying Artic explorer passes on to Indy the secret of a passage to a civilization inside the Earth — information the Nazis are also after. With the help of a Danish explorer, Indiana aims to get there first, and to rescue a long-lost girlfriend along the way. McCoy provides another action-packed “Indiana Jones” adventure.
35. X-O Manowar: Birth, by Jim Shooter, Steve Englehart, Bob Layton, Barry Windsor-Smith, Joe Quesada and more
The fourth series to come out from Valiant Comics in the 1990s, “X-O Manowar” mixed the barbarian archetype with the idea of a high-tech hero for “X-O Manowar.” Aric is a Visigoth, captured long ago by the spider-aliens. He finally breaks free, stealing the Manowar armor and returning to earth. But more time has passed than Aric realizes — 1600 years. He’s now in 1990s earth, as the spider-aliens stealthily invade earth by means of members of their race altered to look human.
Aric and the X-O armor seek revenge the aliens, with few allies and less knowledge of the workings of the modern world. Valiant’s interconnected universe shows up in “X-O,” though it’s not necessary to understanding the story. Aric fights the Harbinger kids, and briefly crosses paths with Solar. A not-yet Shadowman, Jack Boniface, shows up in a New Orleans scene.
36. Confessions of a Tax Collector, by Richard Yancey
Yancey reflects on his decade-plus as an IRS agent with surprising humor and insight.
37. Game Boys: Professional Videogaming’s Rise from the Basement to the Big Time, by Michael Kane.
I read an advanced copy of this look inside the lives of professional Counter-Strike players, and I recommend it for game fans.
38. A Champion’s Mind: Lessons from a Life in Tennis, by Pete Sampras (with Peter Bodo)
Sampras is among the greatest players to ever lift a tennis racket, and he recollects on his career here.
39. Madman Boogaloo, by by Mike Allred, Mike Baron, Bernie Mireault, and Steve Rude
Madman meets up with Nexus and The Jam in this collection of the two crossovers. Steve Rude’s art on the Nexus portion is outstanding, as always. The stories are goofy but fun.
40. Marvel Adventures Hulk Vol. 1: Misunderstood Monster, by Paul Benjamin and David Nakayama
Went to Paul Benjamin’s signing today in Oklahoma City and picked this one up for Audrey. Benjamin writes a fun handful of Hulk tales, featuring Rick Jones and a monkey, among other things. Guest-starring Madrox the Multiple Man. Fun stuff!
41. Wolverine, by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller
One of my favorite Wolverine stories, collecting the four-issue miniseries.
Wolverine’s girlfriend Mariko is coerced into marrying a boor of a businessman by her father, seeking more power for his clan. Her husband beats her; Wolverine wants to retaliate, but doesn’t at Mariko’s request. He does, however, find himself ambushed by Shingen, Mariko’s father, and very nearly killed. His battle between his animal nature and his honor drive this tale, which features the warrior Yukio who nurses Wolverine back to health, but also harbors a dark secret. Probably both the best-written and best-drawn Wolverine story.
42. Spider-Man Family vol. 1: Back in Black, by Sean McKeever, Paul Tobin, Fred Van Lente, Paul Benjamin and others.
Another purchase from the recent Paul Benjamin signing in OKC. The lead story features Venom and Sandman, with other stories featuring the Black Cat, the Wizard, the Scorpion and Electro.
43. Wanted, by Mark Millar and JG Jones
Reread this to prepare for the movie. I possibly like the movie better. “Wanted,” the graphic novel, does some interesting things, but is ultimately too mean-spirited for me to fully enjoy.
44. Weapon X, by Barry Windsor-Smith
Another of the great Wolverine stories, this explains how Logan ended up with adamantium bound to his bones. It’s more than that, as well, it examines the difference between man and animals and a soldier and a weapon. Beautiful art, incredibly violent.
45. JSA: Lost, by Geoff Johns; art by Dave Gibbons, Jerry Ordway, Sean Phillips and others
As Hal Jordan, the Spectre, tries to transform from the Spirit of Vengeance to the Spirit of Redemption, souls condemned by the Spectre find their way back to earth, where they confront the Justice Society.
46. Starman Omnibus, vol. 1, by James Robinson and Tony Harris
Jack Knight, son of the original Starman, becomes the reluctant protector of Opal City in this collection of the excellent comic from the 1990s.
47. Your Movie Sucks, by Roger Ebert
The famed film critic shares some of his less-than-positive reviews.
48. George Perez: Storyteller, by Christopher Lawrence
A recounting of Perez’s storied career as a comic-book artist. Perez notes in this 2006 book that the one big superhero team he’s never worked on is the Legion of Super-Heroes. Perez’s next project? Legion of Three Worlds, with writer Geoff Johns, is due later this year.
49. JSA: Stealing Thunder, by Geoff Johns and David Goyer; various artists
The Ultra-Humanite gets his hands on the powerful Thunderbolt genie, and uses it to enslave most of the earth’s superhero population. A small group, including Hourman and Captain Marvel, are the resitance force to the Ultra-Humanite’s control.
50. Wolverine Classic vol. 1, by Chris Claremont and John Buscema
Some of my favorite Wolverine stories are the Madripoor tales by Claremont and Buscema. Claremont drops the thought-dead Logan into the seedy nation of Madripoor, which shares more than a few similarities with Humphrey Bogart’s Casablanca. Calling himself “Patch,” Logan gets into scrapes with crimelords and pirates.