All that Glisters is totally Gold

I was going to blog about totally different books today, but we just got the first two volumes of Glister in at the library and I'm obsessed. In a weird way.

From the guy who brought us Clubbing (Minx) we have an odd little comic that's... almost old fashioned? Is that the word I'm looking for?

Short stories, no real subplots, with illustrations that remind you of 60s children's books (I'm thinking Drina here--totally different style from the super-slick Clubbing), witches, magical houses and ghosts, Glister still has spunk to spare. You can see examples of what I'm talking about at Watson's Flickr pages.

Glister 1: Haunted Teapot

So, in this first issue, we see Glister Butterworth as she receives a random teapot. It quickly transpires that the teapot is haunted. A Victorian author whose dreary works have fallen out of favor lives in the teapot and wishes to complete his last novel.

Glister is not fond of being the secretary stuck transcribing a book where something awful happens to the main character on every page. Can Glister get out of this?

It also has a mini-story from Watson's Skeleton Key which was very entertaining.

Glister Vol. 2: House Hunting

Glister loves Chilblain Hall. It's constantly sprouting new wings, has ballrooms that come and go, the occasional Masonic temple, visiting Questors, and even a troll under the bridge. But, when the village of Gravehunger Moss enters the bonny village competition, the man in charge of getting the village up to snuff isn't so sure about Chilblain Hall. With the house's feelings hurt, it decides to run away. Glister and her dad are homeless, and Glister is board without the entertainments her house provided. Can she find it and convince it to come home?

I have been obsessed with this series since I read the first one last night. I've scoured the internet for more information. Especially as volume 3 came out in December, but isn't available through the major book retailers. It *is* however available other places on the 'net, mostly comic retailers. I don't know enough about comic publishing to know if it will eventually show up on Amazon or Powells? Anyone out there know?

Anyway, Glister is a comic for the smart girl, especially the ones that like things a little off-beat. I will definitely be talking this up when my after-school kids come back next week after spring break. I think the girls will go for it.

Also, I really want Glister on a shirt. The muted colors on the cover lend themselves to hipster wear so easily! I LUST!!!

Anyway, check this one out. It's probably not everyone's cup of tea, but it will make some people, like me, veeeeeeeeery happy.

Sassy!

Forgive me if I am distracted, but wouldn't you be if such a bundle of cuteness came and started to live with you? Meet Sassy, our new puppy-dog. She's almost 3 years old, a hound mix (hound is the only identifiable breed in her) and is super sweet, pretty mellow, and big fan of getting scratched behind the ears.

I'm celebrating Vetran's Day over at Geek Buffet today with my list of recommened WWI reading.

But, let's get down to some books, ok? Earlier this summer, I blogged about DC Comics new imprint, Minx. I have now had the chance to read two more books in the series.

Clubbing Andi Watson and Josh Howard

Exiled to her grandparent's Lake District golf resor after a minor incident involving a club, a fake ID, the cops, and a school, night, Charlotte is set for a summer of drudgery. But then, a woman trying to tell her something is found murdered, drained of blood, with some weird symbol carved into her arm. The police rule it as suicide, the Charlotte and her friend Howard think differently.

Vaguely reminiscent of Hot Fuzz, the ending left me a big underwhelmed.

I really liked the drawing style of clear, bold lines, with lots of large blocks of space.

Re-Gifters by Mike Carey, Sonny Liew, and Marc Hempel

Dixie is hapkido (a Korean martial art) fanatic. Living on the edge of LA's Koreatown, she battles the usual high school crap of boys and the urban crap of which side the street it's ok for Koreans to walk on.

In a daring move to get the guy, she spends her tournament entry fee on a statue of a Korean warrior. The guy promptly gives it to the prettiest girl in school. Heart in the gutter, with no way to enter the tournament, Dixie needs to find her missing ki, and fast.

A most fantastic story, this is my favorite Minx title so far. Very well done. I love Dixie's prickly character and the very real story arc.