By Jeff Ayers
Plaque, Legos, Dozers… These things build up. So too does the rather heaping mound of comics, books, and assorted curiosities on the coffee table back at Casa de Ayers. I get sent and/or buy a whole lot of stuff in my capacity as buyer for FP (not to mention my lot in this life- Jeff Ayers, geek) and most weeks simply cannot keep up with the volume. Don’t get me wrong, there are worse problems to have, but there are many quality works that need to be rescued from this oblivion periodically. Let’s see what’s currently mixed in the pile.
TRON Ghost in the Machine– I’ve been gobbling up nearly everything I can in terms of news, tidbits, and images in anticipation of next year’s TRON sequel, Legacy, and this book just adds fuel to that fire. This was originally released by Slave Labor in single issue form over the course of what felt like years due to long delays between installments. As such its already shaky plot became much more tenuous, though it works much better here in this collected edition. The story concerns Jet Bradley, son of TRON programmer Alan Bradley and yadda, yadda… It’s no masterpiece (and I deplore the book’s look/design, shrunken down to Manga sized trade with slick paper presumably so that such a specialty book might sell in a Barnes & Noble in Tuscaloosa), but if you’re aching for a TRON fix as much as I am right now then this’ll do nicely.
And be sure to watch the TRON Legacy rather thrilling trailer for the umpteenth time. And get some exercise. Some fresh air would also be nice. Maybe some sun.
Translating Hollywood: Ah, movie posters. Those often iconic images commissioned by Hollywood to help get you to plunk down your twelve bucks that many of us end up plastering on our walls for years to come. Picture your favorite film, hell, even one of your least favorite, and it’s a good bet you can also picture its theatrical poster (or DVD cover, which is the same more often than not). Since World War II, when Hollywood really stared to ramp up international marketing, much of what Americans would consider an iconic movie poster is entirely different from what our human brothers and sisters around the globe would. Translating Hollywood has documented nearly sixty years of international movie poster design, offering side by side comparison and cultural insight as to the differences.
As an added bonus, for the book fetishist in me, it’s a really well put together, gorgeous tome. Case bound hardcover (no dustcover to maintain through the years) always goes down well. What a swell book!
Asterios Polyp- There’s little else for me to add that hasn’t already been said about this phenomenal story by David Mazzucchelli (Cityof Glass, Batman Year One), except that having finally read the entire book I can unequivocally write this about it: Book of the Year; Easily. Next time you have a chance to pick one up don’t hesitate.
And that’s it for this edition, sure to be the first of many. There’s a never-ending avalanche of geekdom sliding down upon me. Keep it comin.
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