Amy Reads the Week (of June 22nd, 2008)

Still playing catch-up, Gentle Reader, and this time, I have gone Way Way Back. Over the past few days, I have worked through over 50 issues of New X-Men, Academy X, and the New Mutants.

I think what these titles really drive home is the awful face of Hatred in the X-Men universe. That is to say, it is one thing when someone expresses Hate against Emma Frost, or Wolverine, or another Grown-Up who can Fight and Protect Him-or-Her-Self, but to see that same racism, that same hatred against children, against teenagers, to see that hatred bring forth death and destruction of children, well, that is to see the True Face Of Hatred, Indeed.

Some parts of the run handle this better than others, of course, but I think what they all reveal is the immediate danger for those Mutants, particularly the young ones post House of M. For the Younger Members of the 198, the world has become a Very Dangerous Place Indeed. What Marvel does as an Imprint, and what it has always Done Well, is to use the comic book universe as a marker for "real-world" problems. The Hatred directed against the Mutants, purely because They Are Different, and that Hatred directed against Young Children, solely out of Fear, is analogous for racism, homophobia, sexism, classism, anything in which there is blind hatred and fear against someone different.

DC does archetypes well; Marvel handles analogies with perfect aplomb.

I have never been a very big fan of the X-Men until reading Morrison and Whedon. I grew up a DC Girl, and in my heart, a DC Girl I will stay. But when written well, the X-Men are written Very, Very Well, and I am about to embark on Mr. Brubaker's and Mr. Carey's run on the Mutants, as they are two writers whom I Absolutely Adore. Then, Friends Who Adore Those Of A Greenish Hue, I embark on a Quest of Brightest Day and Blackest Night.

Amy Reads the Week (of February 17th, 2008)

I've had a Rather Enjoyable Couple of Weeks Pop-Culture-Wise, Gentle Reader, as I've read a few great books, begun a great comic series, and watched a few great movies. The new Knight Rider was not part of the "great" equation, as Mr. Reads and I just sat through approximately eight terrible minutes of it. But the movie Rocket Science was fantastic, as were the Holmes on the Range books by Steven Hockensmith. Bonus: Amazon.com has proven to be Quite Fruitful by informing This Humble Author that the third book in the series is due out This Very Week!

The Comeback, the HBO series with Lisa Kudrow, is the Reads Household's fantastic Netflix find, and Ben Affleck's Gone Baby Gone was nothing short of amazing. But the cream of this week proves to be Mike Carey's X-Men collection, Supernova. Kitty Pryde is to Astonishing X-Men as Rogue is to X-Men, even though, as This Humble Author has confessed again and again, she is not a Marvel girl. But I do love my Strong Characters, and the writing Mr. Carey puts forth on Rogue's character diminishes even Emma Frost, a possibility heretofore thought inconceivable.

I do think that word means what I think it means, Gentle Reader, but please, correct me if I'm wrong.

In the meantime, please send Happy Thoughts to Pup Reads, who had one vet visit for a bit of a tummy upset last Wednesday, and is following it up with another visit to the vet this Wednesday for the Much Dreaded Teeth Cleaning. As she will have to be sedated, Wednesday proves to be a Rather Stressful Day for the Non-Canine Reads-Inclined. But it is Dental Hygiene Month, according to our vet, so we will Do Right by our Pup.

Amy Reads the Week (of November 18th, 2007)

I have just—just, Gentle Reader!—finished preparing the Reads Turkey for the Reads Early Thanksgiving Extravaganza. That is to say, the Parents Reads have dropped by for an Early Thanksgiving before they drive to Another State to spend Thanksgiving Proper with their Young Godchild, whom they have not seen since the beginning of the year. We are having Quite the Thanksgiving Feast, as We Reads, despite blips and bleeps and Rather Annoying Rejection Letters and Health Issues and Chocolate Cravings and Comic Book Frustrations, have much to be Thankful For in 2007.

But part of the visit from Parents Reads is due to the fact that We Reads—the younger generation—cannot spare the few days of traveling to Head Home for the Holidays. Thanksgiving Break is a rather difficult time, travel-wise, for those in school or academia. Mr. Reads and I both have Many Papers to grade, and I do have That Pesky Chapter to get done. Given that school runs Up Until Wednesday, we had no time, truly, for travel.

But staying here means that We Reads also get to do things around the time spent on grading and dissertations. Reading Comics, for example, and finally—finally!—watching Lone Wolf and Cub with real attention, as My Dear Friend Mr. Fanboy loaned it to me many months ago, and This Humble Author has other delights to send to him, in addition to his kind loan of a DVD. (I do feel as if announcing it So Publicly will assure My Dear Friend that I have not forgotten him!). Mr. Reads, on the other hand, will spend the majority of his break playing Doom, Bioshock, and all the games for the Wii we have bought but have not opened. And there will be more turkey on Thanksgiving Proper, and, I dare say, many, many servings of leftovers.

But I have decided, declared, really, that Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, will be spent in the pursuit of nothing else but Turkey and Fun. Mr. Reads and I will stockpile episodes of Jericho and finish the season that day. Also, I will read some DC Elseworlds, and more New X-Men (also in anticipation of something in conjunction with My Dear Friend Mr. Fanboy!), and otherwise, spend a Fine Day on Couch Reads.

Any good plans for the upcoming American holiday, Friends?