Discover Finder and his latest series

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, August 17th, 2009

Joseph Finder’s one of the leading voices when it comes to books filled with crackerjack intelligence dudes and espionage aplenty (and lots of Washington intrigue, which we Northern Virginians are familiar with), and he’s started a new series starring Nick Heller, former Special Forces operative and ace investigator. In Finder’s latest, “Vanished,” Finder’s brother has, well, vanished in Georgetown and he teams with his nephew, comes to grips with his corrupt dad and takes on a nefarious corporation. You gotta love nefarious corporations. Finder is coming to town to sign copies of the book at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Baileys Crossroads Borders.

Those who are interested in breaking down fiction, or even just writing some, may want to stop by Politics and Prose downtown at 7 p.m. Wednesday, when James Wood will be chatting about his collection of essays, “How Fiction Works.” The store also hosts local author Eugenia Kim at 7 p.m. Tuesday when she’ll be there promoting her debut novel “The Calligrapher’s Daughter,” about her mother’s struggles in Japanese-occupied Korea.

There’s been all these shakeups in Gotham City lately, with a new Batman and Robin and the town going to heck with Arkham’s finest running amok, so why not add a new Batgirl to the mix? She makes her debut this week in her own monthly title, and the Man of Steel’s got one heck of a problem in the form of Black Lantern Superman when the ring-bearing corpse shows up in Smallville in “Blackest Night: Superman.” Daredevil celebrates his 500th issue by continuing his arc with Kingpin and Lady Bullseye, “Punisher Noir” (written by the fantastic Frank Tieri) looks great with the gun-toting vigilante targeting Dutch Schultz, and the first two books from the Vertigo Crime line debut: Ian Rankin’s “Dark Entries” (starring John Constantine) and Brian Azzarello’s “Filthy Rich.”

“The Time-Traveler’s Wife” debuted in theaters on Friday, so if you’ve seen it, what’s better: the movie or the book? Let me know in the comments.

They’re not booing. They’re saying, ‘Duuuuuune.’

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, August 10th, 2009

Frank Herbert’s 1965 vaunted space opera “Dune” and its five sequels are close to many a sci-fi fan’s heart, and the series spawned the 1984 David Lynch film (you know, the one with Sting) and many other pop-culture adaptations over the years. Herbert died in 1986, but his son Brian and fellow scribe Kevin J. Anderson are keeping the sandy political and ecological epic going with a set of prequels and, currently, a set of novels set in between dear old dad’s tomes. The latest, “The Winds of Dune,” is a direct sequel to “Dune Messiah,” and Brian Herbert is coming to town for a signing event at the Baileys Crossroads Borders at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The store is also hosting ace crime novelist Linwood Barclay at 7:30 Thursday, who will be promoting his latest thriller, “Fear the Worst,” about a single father and the daughter who mysteriously disappears. And Democratic types will want to hit up Politics and Prose downtown at 4 p.m. Thursday since Howard Dean, former DNC Chairman, will be chatting up his new book, “Howard Dean’s Prescription for Real Healthcare Reform.”

The debut issue of “Blackest Night” last month was fantastic, and so should the second issue be this week. It’s getting pretty crazy with the Martian Manhunter, the Dibnys and (possibly) Hawkman and Hawkgirl being turned into Black Lanterns. Who’s next? I can’t wait to see, because Geoff Johns is writing some magnificent stuff. Batman gets his own “Blackest Night” miniseries, and he’s teaming up with Deadman to deal with some resurrected people from his own past. Also debuting is “Adventure Comics” featuring Superboy and Starman from the Legion of Superheroes, and “The Marvels Project,” a series breaking out of Marvel’s 70th anniversary this year that tells the origins of the Marvel Universe.

Better fantasy epic: “Dune” or “The Lord of the Rings”? As always, let me know in the comments!

The inherent zen of a motorcycle shop

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

I’m back! And so is Matthew B. Crawford, who’s both philosopher and Richmond motorcycle shop owner. He worked at a D.C. think tank for some years before opening up his shop and writing the tome, “Shop Class as Soulcraft,” and he’ll be signing copies of this biography/self-help book about finding more of yourself through manual labor at the Politics and Prose downtown at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The store also hosts Washington Post writers Dan Balz and Haynes Johnson at 7 p.m. Wednesday — they’ll be discussing their coverage and analysis of the Obama/McCain presidential election that went into creating “The Battle for America 2008.”

Being a comic geek, one of the events I’m most looking forward to is on Saturday, when the very talented Ben Templesmith stops by Laughing Ogre Comics in Lansdowne for a signing between 12 and 4 p.m. He’s one of the best horror comics around, co-creating “30 Days of Night” with Reston native Steve Niles and hatching both “Welcome to Hoxford” and “Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse,” which he writes as well. He also co-created and does the art for Warren Ellis’ fantastic “Fell.” His style is unmistakably detailed and colorful, so definitely be sure to check this out since he’ll be signing anything and everything.

And while you’re in the comics mood, be sure to pick up the debut issue of the new “Doom Patrol” series. The “world’s strangest superheroes” have gone through many different incarnations since 1963, but this time could be better than ever since the book’s courtesy of writer Keith Giffen. Also out this week: We fnd out what happened to the Masters of Evil when the Scarlet Witch went bonkers in a “House of M” special; “Luke Cage Noir,” featuring the great period art of Falls Church’s own Shawn Martinbrough; and everybody’s searching for Steve Rogers in the second issue of “Captain America: Reborn,” while Steve is doing his best “Lost” impression and is somewhere else in time.

It’s now August! What’s the one summer read you still need to get to before Labor Day? Let me know in the comments.

California dreamin’

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Hey all! I’m off to San Diego for the better part of the next two weeks, but I wanted to fill you in on what to do in the meantime. Because I know you’re all lost without me. (I kid, I kid.) So…

Go to: Sarah Dunant’s signing at Politics and Prose downtown at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 29. She’s presenting “The Sacred Heart,” a 16th-century historical fiction revolving around a convent and perfect for anybody who was a fan of her “The Birth of Venus.”

Read: “Amazing Spider-Man” No. 600. It’s a milestone issue for Spidey, and to celebrate, Doctor Octopus is back! All eight of those mechanized arms will be in full effect, as will an appearance by Daredevil, a wedding the Webhead never saw coming and a return of someone we haven’t seen in a while. All that and Stan Lee, too.

Watch: One of three movies this week, depending on your interests (and age): the Disney family adventure “G-Force,” starring a bunch of guinea pigs who are crazy good at espionage; the chick flick “The Ugly Truth” pitting Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler in a war of the sexes; or “Orphan,” a horror movie featuring one of the creepiest little girls since those twins in “The Shining.”

Buy: “Watchmen” Director’s Cut on Blu-ray. OK, you can get the standard edition, but this is the kind of thing that makes you upgrade your current home entertainment system. While the movie was good in the theater, Zack Snyder’s director’s cut is 30 minutes longer, features more stuff cut from the Alan Moore masterpiece, and looks INSANE in high definition. Seriously, go now. Turn off the computer. It’ll still be here when you get back.

What are your feelings on standard editions vs. super-duper extended extreme editions of movies on DVD? Let me know what you prefer in the comments, and here’s your video of the next two weeks:

Who doesn’t love national security and baseball?

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

It may be post-Independence Day, but the patriotism continues this week in area book stores. Heck, even a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is out our way for a chat! Gen. Richard B. Myers is stopping by the Baileys Crossroads Borders at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to talk about “Eyes on the Horizon,” his look at his whole career, what it was like being in the frontlines warring against terrorism and what he thinks is a good plan for national security in today’s times. Equally American is the national pastime, and Tim Knouse will be doling know-how at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Woodbridge Borders from his “Amazing Baseball Tips” book. (Hey, at least it’s not “Mediocre Baseball Tips.”) And Thursday offers a double feature of sorts at Politics and Prose downtown. Olivia Gentile will be signing copies of her new book “Life List,” the biography of famous bird lover Phoebe Snetsinger, at 7 p.m. Thursday, and she’s bringing her husband along with her: comedian Andy Borowitz, author of “Who Moved My Soap?”

Did you catch “Captain America: Reborn” at your comic shop last week? Get it now if you haven’t, especially if you like “Lost.” But this week is the time to start gearing up for “Blackest Night,” since the official prologue begins in “Green Lantern” No. 43. Black Hand has been a GL for years, and we start to discover his ties to all the upcoming hubbub as the first Black Lantern is unveiled — or unearthed, as the case may be. (And should we read into the fact that Black Hand is positioned around the grave of Bruce Wayne on the cover?) DC Comics tries something new with its “Wednesday Comics,” a weekly tabloid-size book that tells tales of your fave comics characters in the newspaper comic-strip segments. (Me, I kinda like consuming my comics in their normal state.) I’m going to have to get the 13th and last volume of “100 Bullets,” entitled “Wilt,” to complete my collection, the miniseries “North 40″ features the denizens of a small Midwestern town with all sorts of weird things creepin’ around, and “Dark X-Men: The Beginning” breaks down Emma Frost’s super team in a “Utopia” tie-in.

What’s your “great American novel”? Let me know in the comments section!

Henry Thoreau, John Dillinger and one inspiring golf lover

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

It’s Fourth of July week, and it’s front-loaded with goodness. So let’s take a quick look at some cool things you can attend, read and see before channeling your inner caveman and being wowed by pyrotechnics.

D.J. Gregory, an inspirational guy with cerebral palsy who walked with a different player during each PGA Tour event, talks about his experience and will sign copies of his book “Walking with Friends” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Baileys Crossroads Borders. At the Politics and Prose downtown, John Pipkin comes to town at 7 p.m. Wednesday to promote “Woodsburner,” his debut tome about the Massachusetts residents affected by a fire inadvertently set by Henry Thoreau.

The big news in the comic book world these days is the return of the thought-dead Steve Rogers just in time for Independence Day, and the original Cap is back in “Captain America: Reborn.” Suck it, Red Skull! Another fan favorite — one who actually never dies — gets a new series with “Deadpool: Merc with a Mouth,” which finds the antihero in the Savage Land seeking out the dangerous severed head of the Marvel Zombies Deadpool. (It’s a lot cooler than it sounds.) Those “Sex and the City” girls have nothing on “Marvel Divas,” which brings together Black Cat, Firestar, Photon and Hellcat all in the same book. I loved the debut issue of Grant Morrison’s new “Batman and Robin” so I’m looking forward to the second issue that pits the revamped Dynamic Duo against the Circus of Strange and the mysterious Professor Pyg. Those getting ready for “Blackest Night” will want to pick up the “Rage of the Red Lanterns” collection, and Vertigo takes ancient gods and tosses them into the back alleys of London town with “Greek Street.”

Because of the holiday, Hollywood’s throwing out its movies early, but Wednesday brings a doozy: Michael Mann’s “Public Enemies.” Love gangster flicks? Love Johnny Depp? This flick is like peanut butter and chocolate, with Depp as legendary most-wanted man John Dillinger in his glory days as a bank-robbing Robin Hood-esque figure. Oscar winner Marion Cotillard as his love interest, Billy Crudup as head FBI guy J. Edgar Hoover and Christian Bale as crack G-man Melvis Purvis.

What are your Fourth of July plans? Let the rest of us know of anything cool brewing in the comments section. Check out this brilliant video of the week, and have a great holiday!

Sedaris brings the essay noise, ‘Berzerker’ brings the pain

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, June 24th, 2009

Remember those essays you used to HATE reading in school? David Sedaris doesn’t write those — his rock and are in no way lame. The acclaimed humorist and frequent NPR contributor stops by the Baileys Crossroads Borders at 7:30 p.m. Friday to read from and sign copies of his latest book of essays, “When You Are Engulfed in Flames.” His other books might not have as cool a cover (it doesn’t get much more awesome than a chain-smoking skeleton), but tomes such as “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim” and others are well worth a buy while you’re there. The store is also hosting local jazz musician Marcus Roberts at 4 p.m. Saturday, when he’ll be performing and putting his John Hancock on copies of his new album “Poetically Justified.”

This week is a good one for comics fans, beginning with the debut issue of “Berzerker.” Presented by “Heroes” star Milo Ventimiglia’s DiVide Pictures and written by “Friday Night Lights” scribe, the brand new Top Cow title follows a couple of two dudes with primal rage issues leading to an insane level of strength and power, and the mysterious group that wants to use them for their own means. There’s a lot of good buzz on this one, so check it out. (For a preview of some of the carnage, read the issue zero preview here.) The “Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men” miniseries takes “Dark Reign” out to San Francisco, where mutant riots break out in the X-Men’s new neighborhood and leads Norman Osborn and his crew out that way for a major-league throwdown. The storyline also spawns “Lethal Legion,” where bad guys such as Mr. Hyde and the Absorbing Man aren’t brought into Osborn’s fold and act up out of spite; “The Sinister Spider-Man,” featuring the new Venom (and old Scorpion), Mac Gargan; and a new supervillain who’s ready to shake up everything in “Zodiac.” There are a trio of Bat-titles worth picking up, too. “Gotham City Sirens” is a new monthly series starring the city’s femme fatales Poison Ivy, Catwoman and Harley Quinn. Batwoman, a breakout star from “52,” gets a lead role starting in “Detective Comics” No. 854 (it’s worth it just for the insanely top-notch art of JH Williams, who might be the next Jim Lee). And fans of Frank Miller’s “The Dark Knight” will enjoy the collection of his work in  “All Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder,” now in softcover form.

With July 4 quickly approaching, what’s your favorite American history book, fiction or nonfiction? Let me know in the comments below.

Pick your comedy: quirky, romantic or biblical

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, June 19th, 2009

Before I opine about this week’s flicks, I wanted to tell you about the summer reading program hosted by the Laughing Ogres Comics stores in Lansdowne and Fairfax. If you’re a NoVA Popaholic, you know I’m for all things comics-related, and this summer Laughing Ogre’s got a really cool thing going to get struggling and reluctant youngsters reading and loving the art form for a lifetime.

It works thusly: Kids keep a reading list of graphic novels and any other sort of book they want. If they read five books total, they get 20 percent off their next purchase of an all-ages graphic novel. Read six more books, then they get 25 percent off. If they get around to seven more books after that (18 total), they then get 30 percent off! Can’t beat that.

To get the deals, children need to bring in their list to the store of what they’ve read with a parent’s sign-off. Just remember, moms and dads: Sometimes comics can get pretty racy in theme and language, so watch out for “mature” titles. You might also want to read what they’re reading, too, especially in the comics realm — you just might like ‘em!

A bunch of new comedies are out this week, starting with the quirky “Away We Go.” Opening at Cinema Arts Theatre this weekend, the indie film stars John Krasinski of “The Office” and Maya Rudolph as an expectant married couple who go on a cross-country trip to figure out the best place to raise their little one. It’s directed by Sam Mendes, who’s mainly done serious dramas (“American Beauty,” “Road to Perdition,” “Revolutionary Road”), so it’s a humorous tale that’s funny AND well-crafted.

If more mainstream romantic comedy is your thing, Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds play a boss and her assistant who need to get hitched to keep her from being deported in “The Proposal.” The one reason to see this one? Betty White, the 87-year-old “Golden Girl” who steals the movie and is as feisty as ever.

And odd couple Michael Cera and Jack Black team up for the ancient laugher “Year One” as two dudes stumbling their way through Bible stories.

Pretty slim pickens in the ol’ DVD shelves this coming week (although you can find Slim Pickens riding a bomb in the newly released “Dr. Strangelove” Blu-ray). The Brendan Fraser family adventure “Inkheart” is for the little fantasy lovers in your household, the chick flick “Confessions of a Shopaholic” starring Isla Fisher will hold “Sex and the City” fans over till the next movie (or they decide to watch all the TV seasons again), and Steve Martin makes a really bad career decision with “Pink Panther 2,” taking Jeremy Irons and Alfred Molina down with him.

If you’re willing to try an odd little foreign movie, take a chance on the Oscar-nominated, animated Israeli documentary “Waltz With Bashir.”

What’s your favorite summertime comedy? Let me know in the comments. And the video of the week comes from NBC Washington, an interview with comic rapper Remy Munasifi about his viral hit “Arlington Rap” (if you haven’t seen this particular piece of local genius, here ’tis):

A dinnertime cup of Joe

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, June 15th, 2009

One of the many new faces of broadcast journalism that broke out from the recent presidential election, Joe Scarborough is a favorite of many for his radio show and MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” But he’s making a nighttime stop at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Baileys Crossroads Borders to sign copies of his new book, “The Last Best Hope: Restoring Conservatism and America’s Promise.” Scarborough’s a former congressman from Florida and Republican pundit, but in a world full of pompous windbags, he’s one of the good ones.

The store is also hosting “The Starter Wife” author Gigi Levangie Grazer at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. She’s in the area promoting “Queen Takes King,” about the messy divorce between a Manhattan real estate dude and his loving-the-good-life wife. (Maybe there are some other chess metaphors in there.)

Culture guy Dr. Charbel E-H Moussa, author of “The Ultimate Peace: America’s Challenge in the Middle East,” has two area dates of signing and discussion goodness: at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Borders in Springfield and noon Sunday at the Woodbridge Borders.

And the Politics and Prose downtown hosts former Washington Postie Peter Carlson at 7 p.m. Friday, when he’ll be chatting about Nikita Khrushchev’s comic road trip across America in 1959 that’s at the center of “K Blows Top.”

The big news turning the comic book world upside down today is the reported resurrection of the original Captain America himself, Steve Rogers, next week in “Captain America Reborn.” You’ll remember that he caught the bad end of a sniper’s rifle two years ago and was thought to be very much dead. (Well, until “Secret Invasion” last year, when it was thought that a Skrull might have been impersonating him.) We’ll find out more next week, but this week’s “Captain America” No. 600 is a ginormous issue featuring the anniversary of Cap’s death, a classic story, old-school covers and more good stuff featuring the most American of superheroes. (Expect some drama between ol’ Steve and the current Cap, his old sidekick Bucky Barnes.)

A new member of Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery gets his own miniseries with “Dark Reign: Mister Negative,” “Ultimatum: Spider-Man Requiem Book One” takes a look at Ultimate Spidey’s recent death (at least till Brian Michael Bendis decides to revive him), and “Batman: Streets of Gotham” is the latest Bat-title featuring the new Caped Crusader.

Who’s your fave pundit: Scarbrough? Hannity? Olbermann? O’Reilly? Maddow? Let me know in the comments section.

Cars, food, Nazis and a Red Robin

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, June 8th, 2009

Political satirist P.J. O’Rourke is one of our finest writers these days, but did you also know he’s a total gearhead? O’Rourke loves him some cars, and has for decades. At 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Politics and Prose downtown, O’Rourke will be signing copies of his new book “Driving Like Crazy,” a paean to his automotive adoration, from tooling around the South in a beat-up Buick to facing the off-road classic Baja 1000 in a decidedly on-road contraption. Let’s hope the tales he regales you with live up to his excellent written standards. Also in the store this week: Annie Barrows, who’s in town at 7 p.m. Thursday to talk about the book she took over from her late aunt, “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society,” where a collection of letters chronicles World War II survivors who fought off Nazi occupation on their quaint island; and at 7 p.m. Friday, Mark Kurlansky discusses the regional and seasonal edibles that Americans enjoyed prior to the fast-food revolution that make up his latest effort, “The Food of a Younger Land.” If you want to stay a little closer to suburbia, though, Claire Shipman is stopping by the Tysons Corner Borders at 7 p.m. Thursday to pronote her and Kitty Kay’s females-in-business tome, “Womenomics.”

How’d you like that “Batman and Robin” premiere from last week? Good stuff, huh? Gotham City is getting interesting again, with ace comic writer Judd Winick taking over “Batman” with issue 687, co-starring the other members of the big three (namely, Superman and Wonder Woman). And now, the mysterious Red Robin has surfaced in his own ongoing title and is hot on the trail of finding Bruce Wayne. (Might the Red Robin be Tim Drake, the last Robin before Damian? That’s my guess.) Supes also shows up in “The Flash: Rebirth” No. 3 for another one of those “who’s faster?” arguments that we nerds like to get into, the Justice Society faces off with an old bunch of baddies in the “JSA vs Kobra: Engines of Faith” miniseries, “X-Men Noir” collects the best X-Men tale I’ve read in a while, and Chris Claremont (who wrote my favorite X-Men storyline, “The Dark Phoenix Saga”) returns to the world of the mutants with “X-Men Forever.”

What’s your favorite X-Men epic: “Messiah Complex”? “Fall of the Mutants”? “Days of Future Past”? “Inferno”? “Mutant Massacre”? Let me know in the comments section.