Fun-Size Friday| 8-9-19

Another week means another edition of Fun-Size Friday, where going off on random tangents isn’t just acceptable, it’s encouraged! Theme songs; old movies; the occasional mini-review; anything goes. One rule and one rule only: keep every talking point under a hundred words or less. We haven’t broken the streak yet and we’re not about to start now. Let’s do this thing!

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I HONESTLY CAN’T BELIEVE I’M
STILL READING X-MEN COMICS

Let’s get this out of the way: I liked House of X #2. NO SPOILERS, incidentally. Artist Pepe Larraz once again delivers some solid artwork, while writer and Professional Flowchart Enthusiast Jonathan Hickman gives readers their first proper look behind the origins of his All-Newer, All-Differenter X-Men. This is a tricky recommendation; I’m convinced now more than ever that these comics are being written for the long-term or lapsed X-Men readers, rather than an as entry point for hypothetical new readers. It’s basically nerd catnip for me, but if you’re new to all this you might want to keep Wikipedia handy.

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Y’ALL SHOULD GET ON
WATCHING INFINITY TRAIN

I’ve been waiting for Owen Dennis’ animated mini-series to drop for a while now and it has not disappointed. I thought I had a decent idea of what to expect going in, but I definitely wasn’t expecting the show to go to the places it did with it’s subject matter, specifically the always awkward topic of divorce. Admittedly the idea of showing divorce from the perspective of a child is not a revolutionary concept, but the way the show executes that idea features some genuinely creative and heartfelt moments. Infinity Train comes highly recommended for kids of all ages.

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DO YOU LIKE JUMANJI, BUT
WISH IT WAS MORE GOTH?

I’ve been a casual fan of writer Kieron Gillen for a few years now — mostly through his Marvel Comics work with long-time collaborator Jamie McKelvie — so I was curious to see how his latest series Die would hold up. Well, it holds up. Featuring incredibly beautiful artwork from artist Stephanie Hans, Die is a fascinating study of six broken adults who find themselves unable to escape the fantasy world of their youth, both figuratively and literally. If you enjoy the “Isekai” genre or you’re a big D & D fan, take the Initiative and check this series out.

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THE ONE TRUE BATMAN IS BACK
NOW IN LIVE-ACTION FORM

After nearly three decades of voicing the Dark Knight over multiple TV shows, movies, and video games, voice actor Kevin Conroy is set to make his very first live-action appearance as Batman in the upcoming TV crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths. “Arrowverse “or not, this is just plain awesome news. I’m not even gonna try and be cynical about this news; look guys, Kevin Conroy is my Batman. More than any other actor whose played the character, Conroy’s take on Batman is the one I imagine before anyone else. Sorry Mr. Clooney, I know you did your best.

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MAX SARIN’S ARTWORK GIVES ME LIFE

There’s a lot to love about the Giant Days comic from creator John Allison —  the snappy dialogue; the random story lines; the impossible-to-hate characters — but near the top of the list has to be the artwork by Max Sarin. Giant Days is an emotional book equally full of large personalities and tender moments, and darn it all if Sarin doesn’t nail each one perfectly every time. Honestly this book and the whole creative team deserve all the praise they’ve gotten and more…and I’m really going to miss it. Lord am I gonna miss it.

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JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT

I’m afraid to admit that watching A Goofy Movie again last week has gotten me more than a little nostalgic for the nineties, and nowhere was this more evident than my YouTube search history. One particularly bizarre path led me to this clip from Jetsons: The Movie, featuring an impromptu music video from musical artist “Tiffany”. I’d try and put this into context, but honestly it’s such a shift from the rest of the movie — tonally and visually — that it pretty much stands on its own. I kind of admire it.
So yeah, Tiffany and the Jetsons. Wow.

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ALRIGHT LET’S WRAP IT UP

That about does it for this week. Tune in next week where I’ll struggle once more to get these posts ready in time for an actual Friday release. Hooray for time management and a proper work-life balance. Seriously though I am so tired.

Anyway, I hope the next week treats you well. You deserve it.