Dec. 15th, 2009
Athena, meet snow!
Dec. 15th, 2009 11:34 amSo innocent and unsuspecting...
( Read more... )
The courtyard, pre-Athena:
( Read more... )
Athena, meet snow!
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
The courtyard, pre-Athena:
( Read more... )
Athena, meet snow!
( Read more... )
Santa Claws
Dec. 15th, 2009 11:46 amThe werewolf bust atop my TV with glowing red LED lights in the eye sockets. And, for the season, a Santa hat. >:-)
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Curiously, I'd never read L. Frank Baum before. Most are familiar with the name as the author of The Wizard Of Oz, and after watching the movie growing up, I was so annoyed with the cowardly lion that I had no urge to read the book.
In the last Jack Of Fables graphic novel, there was mention of the original, unrevised L. Frank Baum series that the film was based on. In the original tale, the lion was not cowardly; he was fierce and impulsive, looking for restraint. That, to me, is a much more important lesson to learn than the cowardly/courage bit.
I digress. 'tis the season of my goofy, innocent, beloved old Rankin-Bass stop-motion animated Christmas specials. There's one they no longer air, no doubt because it exuded aspects of Paganism in a positive light.
Naturally this was my favorite of the slew of specials. It featured the Great Ak, Master Woodsman Of the World, who wore his beard long and white and brandished a rack of antlers upon his brow. He resided over the forest of Burzee, where nymphs, fairies, gnomes, and other immortals dwelt. I won't give away anything else, save for one of my favorite points: The young Claus was nursed by the lioness Shiegra.
I remembered the special was based on a novella by L. Frank Baum. A month ago I searched amazon.com for the book, and found it! I've since read it and recommend it highly: L. Frank Baum's Book of Santa Claus: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus & A Kidnapped Santa Claus. Baum's writing style is ultra-vivid, and I wish more authors wrote with such antiquated grace. No talking down to children here; the philosophy is to the point, deep, and moving.
In the last Jack Of Fables graphic novel, there was mention of the original, unrevised L. Frank Baum series that the film was based on. In the original tale, the lion was not cowardly; he was fierce and impulsive, looking for restraint. That, to me, is a much more important lesson to learn than the cowardly/courage bit.
I digress. 'tis the season of my goofy, innocent, beloved old Rankin-Bass stop-motion animated Christmas specials. There's one they no longer air, no doubt because it exuded aspects of Paganism in a positive light.
Naturally this was my favorite of the slew of specials. It featured the Great Ak, Master Woodsman Of the World, who wore his beard long and white and brandished a rack of antlers upon his brow. He resided over the forest of Burzee, where nymphs, fairies, gnomes, and other immortals dwelt. I won't give away anything else, save for one of my favorite points: The young Claus was nursed by the lioness Shiegra.
I remembered the special was based on a novella by L. Frank Baum. A month ago I searched amazon.com for the book, and found it! I've since read it and recommend it highly: L. Frank Baum's Book of Santa Claus: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus & A Kidnapped Santa Claus. Baum's writing style is ultra-vivid, and I wish more authors wrote with such antiquated grace. No talking down to children here; the philosophy is to the point, deep, and moving.
Bill Willingham's Peter & Max: A Fables Novel
Dec. 15th, 2009 06:12 pmBetween Queer Wolf and the Book of Santa Claus, I devoured Peter & Max: A Fables Novel by Bill Willingham.
Now, everyone knows (or should know by now) I'm both an addict and a pusher of the exquisite Vertigo-brand comic book series, Fables. When I realized Bill Willingham was penning a novel based on the comic, I pre-ordered it awhile back.
I won't give a shred away. I will, however, make this statement: This was within my top five of the greatest books ever written. Well, the greatest books I've ever read, that is.
From Publishers Weekly:
Understanding Willingham's new novel (the first from comics house Vertigo) doesn't require knowledge of the comic it's based upon, but it certainly helps; Fables follows a population of fairy tale characters seeking shelter in our world after their enchanted lands were conquered. Familiar figures like Snow White, Rose Red, the Beast and Belle, the Big Bad Wolf (a human PI in the mundane world) and others fill out a cast led by Peter Piper and his brother, Max. Sibling rivalry, magical flutes and, yes, pickled peppers factor in the clever, adventurous plot that sees Peter pursuing Bo Peep. Fans will find all the charm and in-jokes of the Fables universe intact; like Neil Gaiman, another acclaimed comic book author, Willingham writes without the help of thought bubbles and keeps everything clear enough that readers new to the series won't be confused for long. Though it toys with notions of mythology and its origins, this work still keeps true to the spirit of the Brothers Grimm: dark, fast-paced, moving and entertaining, with a few surprises along the way. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Now, everyone knows (or should know by now) I'm both an addict and a pusher of the exquisite Vertigo-brand comic book series, Fables. When I realized Bill Willingham was penning a novel based on the comic, I pre-ordered it awhile back.
I won't give a shred away. I will, however, make this statement: This was within my top five of the greatest books ever written. Well, the greatest books I've ever read, that is.
From Publishers Weekly:
Understanding Willingham's new novel (the first from comics house Vertigo) doesn't require knowledge of the comic it's based upon, but it certainly helps; Fables follows a population of fairy tale characters seeking shelter in our world after their enchanted lands were conquered. Familiar figures like Snow White, Rose Red, the Beast and Belle, the Big Bad Wolf (a human PI in the mundane world) and others fill out a cast led by Peter Piper and his brother, Max. Sibling rivalry, magical flutes and, yes, pickled peppers factor in the clever, adventurous plot that sees Peter pursuing Bo Peep. Fans will find all the charm and in-jokes of the Fables universe intact; like Neil Gaiman, another acclaimed comic book author, Willingham writes without the help of thought bubbles and keeps everything clear enough that readers new to the series won't be confused for long. Though it toys with notions of mythology and its origins, this work still keeps true to the spirit of the Brothers Grimm: dark, fast-paced, moving and entertaining, with a few surprises along the way. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
My current read, by a longtime friend and old school AHWw packmate!
Here's the product info as a teaser:
As long as Man has seen himself as separate from nature, there have been those who sought to understand both, to help explain each to the other, and there have been those who wished to sever all connections between the two. When a disaster threatens to kill one of the few remaining Children of Nature, the rest must turn to a Child of Man to save him.
Kristy dedicated it to Bobby (![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
reemul), which made me smile. I'm only a few chapters in, so I can't review it--but I can plug it.
Werewolves, a werebear, and a wererabbit figure prominently thus far. The were-animal as a spiritual and physical steward to an area of land is a cool concept, and one I identify with on a spiritual level.
Be sure to give Kristina and Jessie Tracer's Child of Man a try.
Here's the product info as a teaser:
As long as Man has seen himself as separate from nature, there have been those who sought to understand both, to help explain each to the other, and there have been those who wished to sever all connections between the two. When a disaster threatens to kill one of the few remaining Children of Nature, the rest must turn to a Child of Man to save him.
Kristy dedicated it to Bobby (
reemul), which made me smile. I'm only a few chapters in, so I can't review it--but I can plug it. Werewolves, a werebear, and a wererabbit figure prominently thus far. The were-animal as a spiritual and physical steward to an area of land is a cool concept, and one I identify with on a spiritual level.
Be sure to give Kristina and Jessie Tracer's Child of Man a try.
