Comic Cuts

I missed posting something yesterday for the first time in a while but kind of made up for it over on the FP International blog who put up my (fairly brief) contribution to their Best of the Year column. Fact is, I've read so few graphic novels this year that I didn't think I could make any kind of reasoned choice. The only collections I've been reading of late have been Fables, Modesty Blaise and James Bond although I also have volumes of Hellblazer and Daredevil sitting in a pile waiting to be read.

I've no doubt that there are plenty of books and comics out there that I'd love if I got around to reading them, so I'm keeping my eye on those lists as a useful way of picking up some books that I might otherwise miss. Santa will be bringing me Posy Simmonds' latest book Tamara Drewe and the new Alan Moore & Kev O'Neill League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier. And some slippers. I always get slippers.

I don't have much to add. We went to see Andy Parsons on Friday and managed to become part of the show due to my attempts at sneakily taking a photograph going wrong. It would have been OK if the resulting photo had been better. It was a superb show, by the way, with Parsons delivering jokes at rapid-fire pace and not being phased one bit when a he had to admit he'd missed setting up one of the later jokes (it could just be part of the act, of course). The crowd loved him.

Also went to see The Golden Compass. I can't compare it to the book because I've not read it but it definitely works fine as a movie. I've asked Mel if I can have an armoured polar bear for Christmas. I will probably get slippers.

Talking of which... if you do a search for Bear Alley on Google, one of the results that pops up is the Polar Bear Alley blog of stories and news from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. It's tempting to book up for one of their tours but if you take a look at the little weather monitor they have the temperature is -28. I can take "a bit parky" and even "chilly" but -28! Even a Geordie would want to put on a jumper.

Bits of news...

* The Forbidden Planet International blog reports that Maw Broon's Cookbook, featuring traditional Scottish recipes has been entered for the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. This after the book was attacked for promoting unhealthy eating.

* Lew Stringer reviews Captain Britain: A Hero Reborn and the new Dan Dare comic.