Saturday, January 26, 2019

This Week in Reading

COMICS:
Adventures of Superman 528
Betty & Veronica Vixens 6 – 10              
Critical Mass 1 – 3
Dead Man’s Run 0, 1, & 2
Justice League Dark 7
Long Live Pro Wrestling 0
Mindbender 1
Monarchs 1
Richard Dragon Kung Fu Fighter 16
Summit 1 – 9
Superman 105
Teen Titans Spotlight 21
Wonder Woman 62
                                                                                                                             
BOOKS:
Explaining Postmodernism, by Stephen RC Hicks, COMPLETED.
Orphan Star, by Alan Dean Foster, COMPLETED.  
The Width of the World, by David Baldacci, pages 1 – 153.
The Mysterious Key and What it Opened, by Louisa May Alcott, pages 1 – 45.

Saturday, January 19, 2019

This Week in Reading


COMICS:
Adventures of the Super Sons 6
Amazing Age 1
Deathlok 2 & 8
Foolkiller 2 – 6
Forgotten Realms 9 – 13
Free Comic Book Day 2014: Epic
The Greatest Adventure 1 – 9
JSA All-Stars 6
Sabrina the Teenage Witch 70                                                          
Uncle Scrooge Adventures 20
Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland
         
BOOKS:
The Encyclopedia Blazertannica, by Michael Davies & Rog Bennet, COMPLETED.
Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe, COMPLETED.
Explaining Postmodernism, by Stephen RC Hicks, pages 1 – 85.
Orphan Star, by Alan Dean Foster, pages 1 – 62.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

My Podcast Awards!

Since I (1) listen to a lot of podcasts, and (2) have a blog, I believe I am qualified to talk about my favorites podcasts of 2018.


Favorite Podcast That I Guested On In 2018
Runners-Up: 12 Days of CrusadeMas, Back to the Bins, Coffee & Comics, Count Dante's Black Dragon Society, Fortress of Baileytude, Greystoked, Is It Jaws? Pop Culture Affidavit
Winner: Longbox Crusade Presents: Saturday Matinee Theatre I got to talk about Sherlock Holmes with a bunch of cool guys that I had met in person just a few weeks before, at Heroes Con. And I had a great time doing it.

Best Produced Podcast
Runners-Up: The Arkham Sessions, Christian Geek Central, The Classic Tales Podcast, The Future of Everything, No Agenda.
Winner: American Fiasco. Rog Bennett's audio documentary about the US Men's National Team's calamitous efforts at the 1998 World Cup is terrific.

Off Into the Sunset Award, for a show that wrapped up its mission in (or around) 2018, and rode off victoriously into the sunset.
Runners-Up: DC Comics Presents Show, I'm the Gun, Masters of Carpentry
Winner: Go Home Hollywood, You're Drunk! A classic case of "life happens," forcing this excellent podcast to end.

Where Have You Been All My Life? Award, for a show that started before 2017, but that I didn't start listening to (or even heard of, in some cases) until 2018.
Runners-Up: The History of the Early Church, Lord of the Rings Minute, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, PostConsumer Reports, Straight Outta Gallifrey, That Sounds Fun
WinnerThe Antidote Radio.

Podfaded But Not Forgotten Award, for a show that ended (or maybe seems to have ended) in 2018, and it's hard to know if or when it's coming back.
Runners-up: The Creative Spirit, Dinner 4 Geeks, The Final Issue, I've Got a Few Things to Say About Superman, Geeks On!, Salty Cinema, Who True Freaks
Winner: Long Play. Geeks talking about their favorite albums. This is a great great show, and I sincerely hope it comes back soon.

Back From The Dead Award, for shows that seemed to maybe have been dead, but released at least one episode in 2018!
Runners-up: Comics Monthly Monday, The Hammer Podcasts, Next Generation Monthly Monday, Quantum Cast
Winner: The New Jen & Dave Show.




SPECIAL BONUS AWARD: Outstanding Individual Episode Award: Done-in-One Wonders Podcast Wonder Show, Episode #6. Xum Yukinori and friends (including a celebrity friend) cover a Green Lantern issue that deals with time loops and the tragedy of lost love, and Xum tells a story that is even more intense than the one in the comic. Heartbreaking. Brilliant.


And now on to the two most prestigious awards ...

Favorite New Podcast of 2018
Runners-Up: Count Dante's Black Dragon Society, Drawn & Paneled, A Gal Walks Into a Comic Shop, The Professor Frenzy Show, See You Space Cowboy, Silent Knight, The Sinnergists, The Vineyardists.

Winner:  Into the Weird!  Herman and Grant do an excellent job covering the unusual and oddball comics produced in the 1970s by Marvel Comics. They talk about Doctor Strange, Morbius, and other weird shenanigans. They have gotten their show off to a great start, and I look forward to listening more of this excellent show in 2019!

and ......

Favorite Overall Podcast of 2018 
Runners-Up: Arsenal Vision Post Match Podcast, Back to the Bins, Earth Destruction Directive, Required Reading, The Tolkien Professor

Winner: DH Unplugged. This weekly discussion of events in global financial markets is hosted by tech and business columnist John C Dvorak and money manager Andrew Horowitz. Every episode, they spend about an hour in casual conversation, discussing financial news and stock market activity. Their realistic and thoughtful approach sets this one apart from the majority of investing and stock market shows.


Saturday, January 12, 2019

This Week in Reading

COMICS:
Backways 2
Betty & Veronica 261 & 266
Daredevil 127
Everything’s Archie 121
Forgotten Realms 1 – 8  
Midnight Mystery 2
Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. 12
Rivers of London: Night Witch 1 – 5
Savage Sword of Conan 3
Spelljammer 1 – 3
Tenchi Muyo! 6
Winnie the Pooh 16
Wonder Woman 61
             
BOOKS:
Essays on Various Subjects, by Hannah More, COMPLETED.
The Encyclopedia Blazertannica, by Michael Davies & Rog Bennet, pages 128 – 175.
Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe, pages 117 – 292.

Saturday, January 5, 2019

This Week in Reading

COMICS: 
Archie Giant Series 554
Batman: Preludes to the Wedding – Robin vs Ra’s al Ghul, Batgirl vs Riddler, Nightwing vs Hush, Red Hood vs Anarky, Harley Quinn vs Joker.
Eternal Warrior 12, 14, & 18
Feast or Famine 1
Manhunter 21
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four 0
Mek 1 & 3
Tarzan: The Reckoning 1 – 7
Tailgunner Jo 1 – 5
  
BOOKS:
Death is Forever, by John Gardner, COMPLETED.
Boo Humbug, by Rene Gutteridge, COMPLETED.
The Encyclopedia Blazertannica, by Michael Davies & Rog Bennet, pages 93 – 128.
Essays on Various Subjects, by Hannah More, pages 1 – 67.
Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, by Sean Howe, pages 1 – 117.   

Thursday, January 3, 2019

2018 Reading Analysis

I have been keeping track of my annual reading for more than 10 years now. In 2018, I read 54 books, down slightly from 56 last year. In 2016, I read 49 books, which compares to 50 in 2015, 55 in 2014, 66 in 2013, 75 in 2012, 84 in 2011, 73 in 2010, 80 in 2009, 110 in 2008, and around 140-150 in the few years before that.

This decrease from the mid-2000s is because I listen to an absolute ton of podcasts, which cut into my reading time. I have also stopped counting graphic novels and comic book collections, after I started listed them weekly on this site, and preparing the monthly Comic Reading Journal episodes. I hope that I can again read 50+ books in 2019. That seems an achievable goal.

I have always been a fan of audio, and 37 of the 54 books I consumed this year were via unabridged audio. 16 were traditional dead-tree books, and only one was one of those newfangled digital e-books.

The 43 novels I read break down as follows: (note that the total exceeds 43, as many books fit into more than one category)
Mystery/Thriller -- 19
Fantasy/SF -- 16
Comics / YA -- 10
Religious/Christian -- 7
Historical -- 2
Contemporary -- 2

The 11 non-fiction works I read break down as follows: (note that the total exceeds 11, as many books fit into more than one category)
Christian/Theology -- 8
Memoir/Biography -- 3
Business -- 1
Personal Management -- 1
Sports/Entertainment -- 1