Pulp Notes
by Michael Lerner
12/17/07
Hello Pulpfictioners,A kinder, friendlier Pulp Notes this time around, where we get back to basics and share with you some awesome comics you should check out, along with a few anecdotes. For those of you who don’t regularly peruse the website, go there now and let us know what you think of the new look - we will be adding more graphics in the near future, so go back often. Also, click on the Cool Links button to find some updated goodies, including the Gotham Times??? and Time Magazine's Top 10 graphic novels of 2007 - some odd choices here I think, but on the other hand it’s pretty cool (heh) that Time magazine actually thinks graphic novels deserve top 10 list inclusion (finally).
That’s it for me…good luck on all your holiday shopping and don’t forget Pulp Fiction has gift certificates.
11/14/07
Hello PF subbies,Just a few news and notes (and a recommendation)….
Big week this week (think Perfect Storm II) as League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier finally arrives, World War Hulk #5 smashes in, New Avengers #36 is here and the much anticipated (and quite expensive) Alex Ross Batman statue appears…oops, almost neglected the year in the waiting Scott Pilgrim vol 4. Definitely something for everyone. Click here (http://www.diamondcomics.com/shipping/shipping_111407.txt) for a complete list of everything shipping this week.
Not quite free, but almost department…Big sale for the next week or two on figures and statues…think 50%-75% off retail - must clear space to put more comics on the walls.
Never too late for a scary read…The last of our Halloween scary reads recommendations - my personal all-time fav and the title that got me hooked on Alan Moore…Swamp Thing as reviewed by our own Bob Gay…take it away Bob:
Swamp Thing: Dark Genesis
For 10 issues that came out between 1972-74, artist Berni Wrightson and writer Len Wein offered the origin and first adventures of the Swamp Thing: the creature that scientist Alec Holland had become. Wrightson's art hit an all-time high on this series and each page is lovingly rendered, particularly the issue that features a guest appearance by Batman. The horror here comes from the monsters, creatures and spirits that inhabit Swamp Thing's world and, most importantly, from Alec Holland himself, who is trapped in the body others perceive as that of a monster.
Saga of the Swamp Thing (and the volumes that follow)
Beginning in 1983, Alan Moore appeared on the American comic scene when he took over Swamp Thing which was near cancellation. Moore's Swamp Thing has a different feel than the earlier series, in that the stories explore many different facets of horror. Monsters and creatures are here, but they are not the central focus of the book. Some stories are psychological, some about monsters, while others focus on the horror of disease, insanity, or even the dark and horrifying sides of life. Moore's writing carries an understated tone throughout the series that simply lays out the facts without exclamation, even when describing a child listening to the death of his parents: "He lay upstairs. He heard it all. The sound, exactly like someone eating lettuce. The silence that followed." The series is also ably supported by the art of Steve Bissette and John Totleben, who compliment Moore's words with unsettling images and also allow many scenes to occur off camera: a style that capture the subtlety of the stories perfectly.
9/28/07
Hello Pulp Fictioners,Welcome to Pulp Fiction's news and notes, October style:
As I write these words, week 3 of the NFL season is wrapping up. Why do I mention this you may ask…because with week 4, Pulp Fiction will be starting our very own football contest! Every week you will be invited to pick ten NFL games against the Master Prognosticator (that would be me), with the winner(s) getting acclaim and valuable prizes. Check out the website for details.
Speaking of Sundays, we will be officially reopening on those days of football worship, starting Sunday, October 3rd - yes the experiment of being closed failed, so feel free to come by - just be understanding of the screaming, ranting and raving of the person behind the counter.
The highly anticipated webstore is still a work-in-progress, with the newest projected opening day being the weekend of October 9th/10th. Look for new manga / manga sets / anime initially, with comic books sets / graphic novels / figures and statues to be added in over the month of October. In-store, be sure to check out all the really cool statues and figures we are adding! Also, find a great “scary” read on our Halloween display!
Cosplay Night -- mark Friday, November 2nd on your calendars, as Pulp Fiction will be bringing back its manga book club in style, with a costume party! And yes the superhero crowd is invited as well. We will have food, refreshments, lots of great outfits to checkout and prizes for the best costumes and acts. Everyone (even those out of costume) is invited!
One last note - watch for the Heroes hardcover book (and come check out our wall display) coming out November 7th - collecting all the online comic stories and lots of brand new art, it is the perfect gift for any Heroes fan (and if you aren’t watching the show, you should be - it’s great). Remember you can save big $$ by purchasing it at your favorite store, Pulp Fiction.
We’re out - see you soon,Mike and Chanmary (and now Max and Mike #2) <TOP>
9/10/07
Hello Pulpfictioners,Pulp notes is back again! A few observations from the schoolyard and then some comics recommendations…
As some of you know, we had a booth at Long Beach State last week (just across from the bookstore) where we tried to introduce all those new and returning college students to the world of comics and manga. We ended up handing out varied items including Family Guy, Star Wars, Sandman, Fables and more to about 400 different people. A few surprises from our end were that more than half the people to come over were women. I would also say the vast majority of people to come over had never been in a comic book store before. We found that just by talking to these people about Sandman and Fables, we could get them to at least try them (our samples - reprints of the first issues - were free). All in all, we consider this event to be a major success. More than that, we have found out that we can have success by taking the word to the people, so to speak. Past “events” such as Free Comic Book Day have been very disappointing, in that they never (in our experience and with talking to other store owners) really created that many new readers. Now I feel like we have a way to actually grow comics and graphic novel reading, which is one of the things I always wanted Pulp Fiction to be about. Best of all you can help! Look for some of my ideas (including becoming a “secret agent” of Pulp Fiction) in future columns. Last, but not least, a special thank you to all those that helped out - Anthony, Dave U, David (Henry #1), Max, Mike #2, Zen, Kayla, Stephanie (Bunny Girl), Ian, Jesse L, Billy B, our own Chanmary and even my Mom (who came and worked the counter last week) - we could not have done it without you!
And now a brief foray into the world of comics. I have only had a chance to look over a few items, but one that stands out, both in cover and story is Buffy #6. If you are fan of the Buffy universe at all, give this a try. It features our favorite “bad” girl, Faith, who writer Brian K Vaughan captures to a tee. Also having a starring role in this arc in Giles, another one of my favorites. As Faith would say, this issue was “five by five”. My next recommendation doesn’t actually come out until this week, but I got an advance look at it…Thor #3. This title has been a great seller for us, although many of you have noted the lack of story/action thus far. Issue three changes that, as Thor and Iron Man “have words” about the changes in the Marvel universe - definitely check it out if you were on the fence about this title.
More reviews / recommendations / store news next week plus the start of our weekly football contest!
I’m out,
Mike <TOP>