"ask yourself in the stillest hour..."

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"You are directing your thoughts outwards, and that above all is what you should not do at present. No one can advise and help you. No one. There is only one way. Withdraw into yourself... ask yourself in the stillest hour of the night, 'Must I write?' Dig deep into yourself for an answer. And if this answer should be in the affirmative, if you can meet this solemn question with a simple strong 'I must,' then build up your life according to this necessity. Your life right down to its most indifferent and unimportant hour must be a token at a witness to this compulsion."

52, Week 21 (Johns, Morrison, Rucka, Waid / Giffen, Bennet; DC, 2006)

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Every Wednesday morning, I make a blind pull from Siri's (randomized) choice of one of the 20 alphabetically-organized shortboxes that constitute my comics collection, (re-) read it, write about it, and publish the resultant review/memory/whatever. Earlier installments live here.

(Box09): Probably not the best narrative to channel switch into 21 issues in but fond memories of DC's post-INFINITE CRISIS continuity experiments (One Year Later was mostly a success, IMO – mostly) and scrapped ideas nonethless manifest: in addition to Ralph Dibney and Dr. Fate's helmet looking for an entrance to hell and some mechanic in the middle of nowhere rebuilding Red Tornado, I'd forgotten that Lex Luthor had his The Seven in Infinity Inc ("The Everyman Project": in addition to Natasha Irons's "Starlight" codename, we get Lex in full LexCorp/Vought mode – Giancarlo Esposito's already playing him in THE BOYS, might as well make him Lex in SUPERMAN LEGACY because he'd be perfect); we even wade into anti-nepo-baby ("blood brat," excellent term) superheroics – before Lex kills one of them for ratings.

As for the 52 series as a whole (its sequel, COUNTDOWN, left much to be desired; think I made it a few issues in before giving up), my fondest memory is it being both the debut of Batwoman and Renee Montoya's The Question, two of my favorite characters of that era. In Rucka I trust, always; the GOTHAM CENTRAL omnibus beckons.

Always thought that weekly comics would make a great digital comics exclusive: how would 52 worked in today's iPad / DC Universe Infinite world? Given how piss-poorly mainstream comics are adjusting to and making use of digital possibilities, probably not as swimmingly as it should.

Shugendō

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As someone who accepts Stoicism and Shugendō, I can see that both have their place. On the surface, Stoicism may appear to be more suited to the struggles of our modern lives. But Shugendō is the more practical of the two. Stoicism relies on thought experiments and reflection; it relies on rational thinking. Shugendō relies entirely on learning from the world, from nature, from the mountains. As yamabushi, we are not tasked with rationally escaping our problems, but simply accepting the vicissitudes of the Universe as it inexorably moves between life and death. For me, these embodied lessons of nature – indescribable through human language – have provided the most solace.

Superman Carnival Chalkware (early 1940s)

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Latest arrival of a burgeoning fascination with chalkware carnival prizes (and salt and pepper shakers), this bootleg Superman from the early 40s came in a variety of paints (and occasionally doubled as Shazam / Captain Marvel) and lacks the S to avoid being sued. Picked the one that now calls my desk his home because he was less painted up (here's a particularly... interesting take) and reminded me most of the Shuster drawings / Fleischer cartoons that remain my favorite incarnation of the character.

Chalkware, defined:

Carnival chalkware is a generic collecting term used for figures made from molded plaster of Paris or sculpted gypsum during the 1920s through the 1960s—the Great Depression through the mid-century. The name derives from their use as prizes at carnivals. They also served as prizes for games of chance at amusement parks and boardwalks.

Early carnival chalkware figures were painted with oil and watercolors. Airbrush painting was used extensively, starting in the 1920s.

For a brief period in the 1930 and early 1940s, carnival chalkware figures replaced stuffed animals as the primary carnival prize.

Doll and novelty companies produced carnival chalkware in large quantities. The wholesale price was as low as a dollar a dozen.

Suppose stuffed animals are less likely to be used to bludgeon people to death...

Aforementioned salt and pepper shakers: my delightfully fucked up Dick Tracy and Junior set(s) from the late 30s / early 40s.:

Note: were I to do a DICK TRACY film, part of it would be an EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE homage where DT and Junior enter into a universe where they're misshapen chalkware salt and pepper shakers: hot dog fingers, eat your heart out.

POKER FACE, s1 (2023)

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Took our time savoring each and every episode of this bit of throwback magic and antidote to standard streaming doldrums. Lyonne finally – along with RUSSIAN DOLL – gets the vehicle and the credit she's long-deserved for her talents; that she also directed one of the best episodes of the season, a welcome screen return for Nick Nolte (which, coupled with my recent BAY OF ANGELS viewing really made me want to watch Neil Jordan's Nolte-starring BOB LE FLAMBEUR remake, THE GOOD THIEF), makes her triumph here all the more satisfying.

Highlight remains the Judith Light guest-starring senior living episode: that was amazing. My only gripe – other than a tepid boredom with the Tim Meadows / Ellen Barkin episode (which may be a result of it coming after my favorite episode and my aversion to dinner theatre) – being the wrap-up of the season finale: enjoyed 90% of the episode, but a fork that should, IMO, have been taken, one that would have infused the second season and the show's formula with even more-heightened stakes (instead of the same stakes with a different voice(s) on the phone), wasn't taken, an opportunity lost, in favor of more cut-and-dry off-screen one. Maybe Johnson, et al, weren't sure that a second season was in the cards when that was written? Quite possibly: finale did feel like it could be a season or series finale. Relief that it's only a season finale – though I do wish they had taken the more challenging path.

That being said, count me in for whatever path Johnson, Lyonne, and company choose to take: what a great show – and what a joy to see Lyonne finally get the quality of role and the accolades she's so long-deserved.