MS POLICY introduced (plus the next five books of 2009)

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NOTE: With this post I will be reviewing unpublished manuscripts or unfilmed screenplays. I've not finished a booklength MS in some time --- not since beginning my booklisting --- and I've been unsure how to handle them. After all, it's not fair to treat them the same way I treat a published work; by virtue of being an MS, they are unfinished and worthy of every reasonable doubt. It just so happens that the two that appear here are truly excellent (or at least show every sign of becoming excellent in the near future) and so I have no reason to Play Nice. However, my policy will be, when mentioning MSs, not to say anything at all except a couple nice comments that anyone with reasonable Google skills could guess anyway. Someone's kind enough to let me look at their MS, I will only say nice things. And very few of them. Sometimes I may not even mention a title or author, depending on what seems appropriate. This is my new MS POLICY.

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055) Blue Beetle: Boundaries by Sturges/Albuquerque/Coelho, finished June 6

The last of the Blue Beetle books. Alas. Poor Jaime. I knew him, Horatio.

two or three days

054) [title in flux] (MS) by B.G. Christensen, finished June 5

I've been reading this book now for almost ten years, a chapter at a time, and over the course of it I've watched its author develop from a highly competent writer to a really really (really) good writer. I fully expect Ben to sell his superhero novel and all the planned sequels and I think you should all preorder as soon as you can.

This is the book Mr Fob has been waiting to write all his life although he probably didn't know that before he started. Superheros, religion, homosexuality, teenagers, libraries, burger joints, murder --- all his touchpoints converging into an impressive work of art. Look forward to it.(MS POLICY)

about twenty months

053) Invincible Volume 1: Family Matters words by Robert Kirkman, pictures by Cory Walker, finished June 3

I bought this book because Kohl (see below) told me to check out the work of Mormon comics artist Ryan Ottley. I didn't realize that he didn't work on volume 1. Whoops.

Anyway, it was still a fun book. Straight superhero. Love the mom, taking it all so calmly and matter-of-factly. Good stuff.

two days

052) Der Ostwind (MS) by Kohl Glass, finished June 2

If you haven't seen the Award-Winning Short Film you should. If you have, you know the gist, the great WWI flying ace (German, but not the Red Baron) and his search for a worthy opponent among the allies. Glass's feature-length version of the film takes the character into much deeper territory and has great potential as a film. I imagine it looking like Sky Captain but, unlike Sky Captain, actually having a good story (and no giant robots). I will say no more. (MS POLICY)

two evenings

051) The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde, finished June 2

We had extra time and it fit in so we read this delightful book in my AP Lit class.

weekish

Previously:

050) The Bible Salesman by Clyde Edgerton, finished June 2
049) Superman / Madman Hullabaloo! by the Allreds, finished May 29
048) Beyond Fair Chase: The Ethic and Tradition of Hunting by Jim Posewitz, finished May 26
047) Brave and the Bold: Demons and Dragons by Mark Waid et al, finished May 20
046) Atonement by Ian McEwan, finished May 20
045) Love and the Light: An Idyl of the Westland by Orson Ferguson Whitney, finished May 20
044) Tales Of The Batman: Tim Sale by Tim Sale and some motley group of writers, finished May 17
043) Catwoman: The Dark End of the Street by Ed Brubaker et al, finished May 13
042) Aztek - the Ultimate Man by Grant Morrison), Mark Millar, Keith Champagne, Steven Harris; finished May 11
041) Cypher by Brad Teare, finished May 7
040) My Faith in Frankie by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, Marc Hempel, finished May 5
039) Janes in Love by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg, finished May 5
038) Batman: R.I.P. by Grant Morrison et al, finished May 4
037) 1000 Steps To World Domination by Rob Osborne, finished May 4
036) 110 Per¢ by Tony Consiglio, finished May 4
035) Mendoza in Hollywood by Kage Baker, finished May Day
034) All Star Superman, Vol. 2 by Grant Morrison, and Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant, finished April 22
033) All Star Superman, Vol. 1 by Grant Morrison, and Frank Quitely and Jamie Grant, finished April 20
032) Bound on Earth by Angela Hallstrom, finished April 19
031) Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul by Grant Morrison and colleagues, finished April 18
030) Madman Atomic Comics Volume 2 by Mike Allred with Laura Allred, finished April 14
029) For a Good Time by K. Voss, finished April 11
028) The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told, finished April 11
027) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, finished April 6
026) Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey by Karen Wilkin (essay) and Edward Gorey (art), finished April 5
025) Owly: A Time to be Brave by Andy Runton, finished April 1
024) Blue Beetle: Endgame by John Rogers and Rafaele Albuquerque, finished March 29
023) Blue Beetle: Reach for the Stars by Rogers, Torres, Albuqerque; finished March 26
022) The Complete Peanuts 1967-1968 by Charles M. Schulz, finished March 25
021) Blue Beetle: Road Trip by various, finished March 25
020) Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, finished March 18
019) Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block, finished March 17
018) The Proviso by Moriah Jovan, finished March 16
017) An Ensign to the Nations: History of the Oakland State by Evelyn Candland, finished March 7
016) Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, finished February 27
015) Batman: The Black Glove by Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel and J.H. Williams III, finished February 23
014) The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story by Richard Preston, finished February 22
013) Lex Luthor: Man of Steel by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, finished February 19
012) Blue Beetle: Shellshocked by Keith Giffen and Cully Hammer, finished February 18
011) The Joker by Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo, finished February 17
010) Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, finished February 18
009) Superman: Red Son by MJR&M, finished February 11
008) The Best American Comics 2008 edited by Lynda Barry, finished February 9
007) The Blot by Tom Neely, finished February 6
006) JSA: Darkness Falls by Goyer, Johns, et al, finished January 28
005) The Road by Cormac McCarthy, finished January 24
004) Poor Sailor by Sammy Harkham, finished January 19
003) The Waitress was New by Dominique Fabre and translated by Jordan Stump, finished January 19
002) Stagger Lee by Derek McCulloch and Shepherd Hendrix, finished January 12?
001) The Arrival by Shaun Tan, finished January 8

the first five, 1-5
the second five, 6-10
the third five, 11-15
the fourth five, 16-20
the fifth five, 21-25
the sixth five, 26-30
the seventh five, 31-35
the eighth five, 36-40
the ninth five, 41-45