Friday, 20 February 2009

Friday Night Fights: Mr. Masago vs. the chefs of Shinto Pete's



From Johnny Hiro #2 (2007). Story and art by Fred Chao. (click pic for larger)

One panel? Lobster!

Amazon Top 50

Here are the Top 50 Graphic Novels on Amazon this afternoon. All the previous caveats apply.


1 (+1). Watchmen
2 (-1). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw
3 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid
4 (-). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
5 (-). Watchmen (hardcover)
6 (-). Batman: R.I.P.
7 (+2). Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
8 (-1). Scott Pilgrim Volume 5: Scott Pilgrim vs The Universe
9 (-1). Batman: The Killing Joke
10 (+2). The Joker
11 (+6). All Star Superman, Vol. 2
12 (-1). V for Vendetta
13 (-3). The Walking Dead, Vol. 9: Here We Remain
14 (-1). Serenity, Vol. 2: Better Days
15 (+3). Batman: Year One
16 (-2). Watchmen (Absolute Edition)
17 (+12). Secret Invasion
18 (+1). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
19 (+7). The Sandman Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes
20 (N). Naruto, Volume 38 *
21 (N). Naruto, Volume 39 *
22 (N). Naruto, Volume 40 *
23 (+2). Naruto, Volume 35
24 (N). Naruto, Volume 41 *
25 (-9). Wolves at the Gate (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 3)
26 (+5). Naruto, Volume 36
27 (+9). The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle
28 (+16). Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel
29 (+1). Naruto, Volume 34
30 (-6). The Hidden Temple (Star Wars: Legacy, Vol. 5) *
31 (+15). Mercy Thompson Homecoming *
32 (-12). Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition)
33 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim Versus The World
34 (N). DMZ Vol. 6: Blood in the Game
35 (-20). The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
36 (-8). Crown Of Horns (Bone)
37 (-15). Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History
38 (+10). The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Vol. 1)
39 (N). Wanted
40 (-7). Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
41 (-6). Barack Obama Amazing Spider-Man #583 Flag Cover Variant Third Printing
42 (-19). Serenity, Vol. 1: Those Left Behind
43 (-11). The Complete Persepolis
44 (N). Fables Vol. 1: Legends in Exile
45 (N). Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began
46 (N). Unmanned (Y: The Last Man, Vol. 1)
47 (-4). No Future For You (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, Volume 2)
48 (N). Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness
49 (N). Bleach, Volume 26 *

Items with asterisks (*) are pre-order items.


Commentary:

* Watchmen finally breaks into the top spot. The hardcover remains at #5, and the absolute edition also maintains strong sales. Even the Dave Gibbons retrospective gets some pre-movie love, jumping up 16 places.

* Four new Naruto pre-orders land on the chart, bunched up in the early-twenties. The only non-Naruto manga to make the charts is a pre-order of Bleach, eking in at #50.

* A couple of Vertigo perennials resurface near the bottom of the chart--the first volumes of Y, the Last Man and Fables. (Y made an appearance on this week's episode of Lost, as Hurley was seen reading a Spanish-language edition.)

Three Amigos

Bizarro is brought to you today by Lethal Lingerie.

I'm not one to poke fun at people who are different, deformed, or disabled, but three-headed people always make me giggle.

I often wonder which position I would want if I was part of a tri-noggin organism. The outside positions would have slightly more privacy and better access to the nearest arm, but the middle position would feel a natural authority, balance and inclusion in any conversation.

In the negative category, the middle would have no privacy whatsoever and might be prone to feelings of claustrophobia, as well as being caught literally in the middle of any arguments between the outer two. The outer positions could feel excluded if the middle and opposing head spent too much time conversing, or should decide to keep secrets. An additional drawback of the middle head would be having to wait your turn for certain tasks like brushing your teeth or shaving, as the outer heads would presumably have the option to service themselves first.

But another positive for the center melon would be protection from objects approaching from the side, a definite advantage in a bar fight.

One also wonders who controls singular tasks like bending at the waist, sitting, breaking into a run, etc. If an outside head tries to sit without telling the other two, one imagines the body falls to that side as the leg bends. If he should decide to run without alerting the others, he might well run in a circle. But what if the middle head attempts to bend over quickly, as when dodging a flying shoe at a press conference, for instance, and the other two are unaware of the attempt? Does the middle head give itself whiplash?

So many questions, all answered in the upcoming autotriography. Pre-order yours now.