After wrapping my final (co-written) episode for Heroes season four, I decided to take a break from the entire internet-happy world for a few days (otherwise known as "a vacation"). But I'm back and ready to face 2010 with a smile in my heart and a bottle in my hand...
And I came back to a pile of cool stuff.
*Like District 9 and Paranormal Activity on Blu-Ray.
*A bunch (12!) of live-from-2009, totally authorized Elton John CDs from www.concertlive.co.uk.
*"Metal Box", an exact replica of Public Image's first release. I still have the vinyl version somewhere (three 12" records packed in a metal film-can like container), this is a smaller CD version. It's a great collection, and I love the way the otherwise discordant/throbbing set ends with a swelling, elegant instrumental piece that feels like score from a lost Stanley Kubrick movie.
*Yet another full-color collection of Steve Ditko comics, this one a big coffee-table-type book from Fantagraphics.
*News from Fletcher Hanks fanatic Paul Karasik that two and possibly three "new to us" Fletcher comics stories have been discovered. If you haven't discovered the genius that is Fletcher, rush to Amazon right now, search Paul's name and buy both reasonably priced collections.
*A fantastic piece of original art by DC comics master Curt Swan -- a Batman/Hostess Cupcakes ad/story where Batman tackles "The Crime Director", a film-director villain wearing an ascot who "directs" his goons to rob the "City Bank" by yelling "Roll 'em!" Only to be foiled when Batman distracts the thugs with a handful of Hostess cupcakes. I'm going to try this trick next time I'm faced with an unruly cast! To quote the flummoxed Crime Director, "You guys are breaking your contract!"
And I also came back invigorated and ready to tackle the feature projects on my plate. It looks to be another busy year, always a good thing in the spooky and uncertain world of TV and feature writing.
