It took a couple of days to foment--the Plague, I mean--but today I woke up with what can only be described as zombie-like symptoms.
Putting two and two together, I came to the conclusion that, after being exposed to 85,000 people with various airborne bacteria in a hot, open space, I am the latest victim of the dreaded Con Plague that has befallen so many convention-goers over the years.
Nay, decades.
At last year's NYCC, for example, Nathaniel broke all known contraction records as he developed symptoms of the plague during the car ride home from the show. Here's what happened. We left the convention and headed out to grab some dinner. We ate, chatted a bit, and all seemed fine. We then got back in the car and headed home.
It was at that point that things started going wonky, and I knew something was wrong. Nathaniel completely shut down--like a lamp being switched off, he was out cold in the passenger seat and I was doing my best to keep my head out the window as I drove, trying not to breathe in any of whatever the heck he had.
This year it seems that I'm the latest victim of Con Plague and as such I really wish I didn't have a deadline at the office today. It's hard enough to meet those things on a normal day, but when you feel like Ash after a weekend getaway to a cabin in the woods, it's doubly so.
Still, I guess the thing I'm most annoyed about is the fact that I actually managed to catch anything at all. You see, I take lots of precautions before entering any con I attend (a list that has managed to whittle down to NYCC, by the way).
I load up on vitamins, drink plenty of water, and always always always carry--and use--hand sanitizer. I'm a bit of a germaphobe by nature, and conventions are a major trigger for such obsessive compulsive acts as excessive hand washing and showering.
In fact, I often say that my favorite part of any convention is the shower I take when I get home. And not the first shower. No, no; that one's done to decontaminate. No fun in that.
It's the second shower that's the best part.
And with that somewhat awkward statement, let's get into this week's books, shall we? There's been lots of talk on this here blog about DC's relaunched titles--and for good reason. Overall, the new numbers 1's have been quite good, and I've enjoyed exploring my way through this new DC Universe.
There's more good stuff out today, including Wonder Woman, issue two, and Justice League, issue two, but I want to focus on an independent book this week. You know, just to get out of the mainstream a bit and to get back to my indy roots.
From Monsterverse Entertainment, Flesh and Blood, book one, ships today--or, at least, it's supposed to. The publisher's website says it's today, but for some reason it's not on Diamond's shipping list.
So I got in contact with the nice folks over at Monsterverse (now there's a strange sentence) and they gave me the scoop. There was a delay on Diamond's end, so the book will be in stores next week, for sure. So this week's Waiting for really lives up to its name.
Anyway, Flesh and Blood is a full-length graphic novel by writer Robert Tinnell and artist Neil Vokes and it's the first volume in a four-book set.I've read--and loved--previous work by these creators, especially the excellent Black Forest. These guys live for classic monsters and in Flesh and Blood, it looks like there will be a mix of the classic universal-style horror movies with the bloodier, gorier, (dare I say) sexier Hammer-style films.
Vokes' art, especially, is a draw for me. He works in a classic horror style that's full of wonderful shadows. Like the late, great Gene Colan, I feel that Vokes' use of black on the page is masterful. Take a look at a commission drawing by Vokes of a character from The Black Forest (which I was lucky enough to snag off eBay earlier this year):
See what I mean? And Tinnell writes the heck out of a horror story and he plays perfectly into Vokes' strong suits. Here's the description of Flesh and Blood, book one, from Monsterverse:Unleashed to comic shops and bookstores this Halloween!
This story for mature readers is the horror movie that you always wished to see but never knew it until this graphic novel was created! It ties all the terrifying action and Gothic erotic romance that genre fans love about literature's iconic horror characters into one truly epic graphic novel series.
FLESH AND BLOOD Volume One begins with the bloody destruction of the legendary vampire, the darkly seductive Carmilla. Her death ignites an epic firestorm of events that draws the greatest icons of Gothic horror into battle across the lush backdrop of 19th century Europe.
At the center of this ghastly conflict Baron Victor Frankenstein is forced to merge his diabolical scientific prowess with the black arts of a terrifying supernatural world. This unholy war between light and darkness will not be measured in months or years but across centuries of horror and devastation until one force reigns triumphant. Vampires, werewolves and scientific monsters are unleashed like nothing seen before in film, comics or literature.
As Amicus, Hammer, AIP and other studios enlarged upon the Universal horror canon bringing a sexier maturity to the world's most terrifying monsters along with a more realistic savagery to the violent action, FLESH AND BLOOD brings a modern update to these classic creatures.
Obviously, this one's not for the kiddies. But it does seem perfect for Halloween, and I've already ordered a copy from my LCS. I'm really looking forward to picking this up, even if I have to wait an extra week.
And that's all I've got for today. How about you guys--what are you Waiting for?
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