Audiobook of the Week: A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, performed by Fisher Stevens. Someone’s life is turned upside down when they take a new job as performing the function of Death? I’ve read this book before, haven’t I? Well, if there’s anyone we trust to smack this idea around some more, it’s Moore, who we’ve admired ever since he made Lovecraft a character in Practical Demonkeeping. This Harper Audio release comes unabridged and is perfomed by Fisher Stevens (Buy it)
Art Book of the Week: Autopsyrotica by Chad Michael Ward. If you’re into dark and weird photography, filled with attractive and tattooed, slight demonic looking females–rejoice, because NBM is giving you this. The photos are great and could launch a thousand stories, but some of the text bits I’m not sure if they’re descriptions, inspirations or what. Buy it for the photos if that’s your thing. It’s Fetishpalooza in there. (Buy it)
Comic-Related Book of the Week: The Dark Age: Grim, Great & Gimmicky Post-Modern Comics by Mark Voger. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. And, honestly, it hasn’t even ended. It was the period in the 90s when comics went really freaking grim. And while a few stories like that were good, the Big Two (and others) decided that if it worked for a few it should work for all…and here we are now: Infinite Catharsis and Civil Bore. Featuring interviews with the guilty parties, it’s more of TwoMorrows work at documenting the good that was and the bad things have become. (Buy it)
CD of the Week: Liza With a Z by Liza Minnelli. Well, Mother’s Day is coming up, so if for some reason you don’t like this, there’s that to think about. But regardless, it’s a shame that Liza’s…well, like the song says, let herself go. She deserves respect, not just because she could sing her ass off in her day–check out any of the tracks on this Columbia release to get the proof of that–and she was in Arthur, dammit. So just back off. (Buy it)
Comedy CD of the Week: Comedian by Eddie Murphy. Another classic comedy album that was out of print and I never even realized it. Completely lacking in political correctness, it is, regardless of anything else, funny. And it contains some of his classic bits involving Mr. T, the Ice Cream Man, and his intro where he warns people away from thinking he’s going to be wearing “the Buckwheat wig,” which these days could just as easily be warning that he’s not Donkey when in concert. Ah well. This hits, or re-hits, rather, from Sony Legacy. (Buy it)
Graphic Novel of the Week: The Ticking by Renee French. Edison is a boy who loses his mother being born and loses his father in a much more subtle way: he looks like his father, possessing the same deformity. What follows in this Top Shelf release is a story that is, by turns, disturbing, touching, confusing, but at no point does it fail to engage. It’s a fascinating look at the luggage that our parents carry and try to hand off to us. Do we accept it, or not? Highly recommended and will stay with you. (Buy it)
Magazine of the Week: Draw! #12. TwoMorrows brings the noise yet again with this issue, focusing on art and the folks who make it. Kyle Baker is on tap for a nice (and huge!) interview, talking about everything from working with the Big Two to his technique to one of my favorite topics: self-publishing. Chris McCullough from Venture Bros. is on tap to talk about that insanity, plus an interview with artist Mike Hawthorne, tips and techniques that even this shmoe can understand–and more. If you’re an artist, you need this. It’s your friend. (Buy it)
