There’s a cool like feature on Top Shelf 2.0 which organises related comics. There’s a fair amount of collaboration between artists and writers so following on from one team member usually leads to another team – it’s great way to make your own connected pathways through the catalogue. Sometimes the comics stack up – in more ways than one. Join me on a little journey through six comics and three creators to see what we can find. (more…)

To be truthful, I didn’t know exactly who Noel Sickles was when I spied this impressive tome produced by IDW Publishing.  I was just beginning my education of the early newspaper comic legends like Alex Raymond, who created “Flash Gordon” or Milton Caniff, who penned and penciled “Steve Canyon” for 40 years.  In truth, not many folks would have mentioned Sickles among the top comic artists of the time, and that’s a shame … for Noel was one of the top artists of his day, period.

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I say the plot thickens – but possibly more in hope than actuality! As I glance across the desk at my 1922 the bookmark looks unpleasantly close to the front cover – and I had thought I was making good progress! Still a long way to go.

At any rate I now join Leopold Bloom as he makes another journey – this time primarily to the Post Office to collect a letter, which it turns out is addressed to one Henry Flower esq. I can only take from this that our Mr Bloom is having or has plans for some kind of affair – with a lady of the opposite sex no less. I maybe assuming wrongly but is it not intimated that Molly Bloom might have something to hide also? I’m more than happy for this to be the case as I am by now desperate for a story to hang my hat on.

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Writing on the fly a bit today as my wife and I get ready for a trip to Paris tomorrow. We’ve never been and, no, neither of us speak a lick of French. So some of this past week has been spent struggling through Rosetta Stone software and iPhone apps intended to bolster up the idea that we’re at least trying to understand the language.

In looking for a subject for this week’s blog post about comix, Michael suggested something on the process I use for adapting Joyce’s novel into the comic; what do I look for when reading the text and so forth. Well, given all this French homework I’m doing just now, that’s a pretty easy thing to talk about. (more…)

Once more my weekly round-up of links, articles, conversations and general stuff pertaining to Ulysses and James Joyce himself – and sometimes even not. Here’s an old article from Newsweek that explores the idea and purpose of re-reading novels, something I’ll no doubt have to do myself after I finish my first go through the great book.

And what book can’t be improved by pleasant surroundings and an flagon of ale. There is an aspect to this novel which is more social than academic – something which is hinted at by this post from Chuck Boyd’s blog Chuckography. Must try that tour myself one day.

Although taking this tour through Las Vegas might be more exciting – Davy’s Locker where neither James Joyce nor Frank Sinatra ever drank.

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