Keeping Track 2024

 Graphic Novels / Collections

 FEBRUARY 2024

- Monster Volume 1 (2008) by Naoki Urasawa

- Horny &High Volume 2 (2020) by Ed Firth

MARCH 2024

- Death Note: Short Stories (2022) by Takeshi Obata andTsugumi Ohba

Books

 JANUARY 2024

- The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald 

FEBRUARY 2024

- The Professor In Erin (1918) by L. McManus

- Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said (1974) by Philip K. Dick

Films

 JANUARY 2024

- Passages (2023)

- Saltburn (2023)

FEBRUARY 2024

- Nuovo Olimpo (2023)

- Zone of Interest (2023) Lighthouse

- Madame Web (2024) Savoy

- The Promised Land (2023) Lighthouse

MARCH 2024

- The Marvels (2023)

- Femme (2023)

- Dune 2 (2024) Lighthouse

APRIL 2024

- Poor Things (2023)

- Stigmata (1999)

TV Series

JANUARY 2024

- I Cannot Reach You (2023)

- Bodies (2023)

FEBRUARY 2024

- Watchmen (2019)

Keeping Track 2023

Graphic Novels / Collections

 JANUARY 2023

- Arrowsmith: So Smart In Their Fine Uniforms HC (2022) - Witten by Kurt Busiek, Art by Carlos Pacheco

- The Handmaid's Tale: The Graphic Novel (2019) - Written by Margaret Atwood, Art and Adaptation by Renée Nault 

- American Gods, Vol. 1: Shadows (2018) - Art by Scott Hampton, Story and Words by Neil Gaiman, Scripts and Layouts by P. Craig Russell  

- Cover (2019) - Created by David Mack and Brian Michael Bendis with additional art by Bill Sienkiewicz and Michael Avon Oeming

FEBRUARY 2023

- Rogues (2022) - Art by Leomacs, Written by Joshua Williamson

- American Gods, Vol. 2: My Ainsell (2019) - Art by Scott Hampton, Story and Words by Neil Gaiman, Scripts and Layouts by P. Craig Russell  

- American Gods, Vol. 3: The Moment of the Storm (2020) - Art by Scott Hampton, Story and Words by Neil Gaiman, Scripts and Layouts by P. Craig Russell  

JUNE 2023

- Invasion 1984 (1983) - Art by Eric Bradbury, Written by John Wagner and Alan Grant

- The Agency Case Files Declassified - Created by Colin Craker

AUGUST 2023

- Mikel (2016, English 2019) - Art by Judith Vanistendael, Written by Mark Bellido. Translated by Erica Mena

- When David Lost His Voice (2012) - Created by Judith Vanistendael. Translated by Nora Mahony.

- The Adventures of Tintin: Tintin In The Congo (2006) - Created by Hergé. Translated by Leslie Lionsdale-Cooper and Michael Turner

- Permanent Press (2018) - Created by Luke Healy

OCTOBER 2023

- The Human Target Volume 2 (2023) - Art by Greg Smallwood, Written by Tom King

NOVEMBER 2023

- The Department of Truth Volume One (2021) - Art by Martin Simmons, Written by James Tynion IV

- Horny & High (2020) - Created by Ed Firth

DECEMBER 2023

- Heartstopper Volume 5 (2023) - Created by Alice Oseman LGBTQ

- Dorohedoro Volume 1 (2002) - Created by Q Hayashida

Books

MARCH 2023

- Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik (2022) - Brian R. Solomon

- Is It Hot in Here? (Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth (2023) - Zach Zimmerman LGBTQ

MAY 2023

- Dumb Luck (1936) - Vũ Trọng Phụng, translated by Nguyệt Cà̂m Nguyẽ̂n

- Answered Prayers (1986) - Truman Capote

JULY 2023

- Peter Pan (2011) - J.M. Barrie

SEPTEMBER 2023

- Good Omens (1990) - Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

OCTOBER 2023

- The Sorrow of War (1991) - Bảo Ninh, translated by Phan Thanh Hao, adapted by Frank Palmos.

Academic Papers / Articles / Essays

MARCH 2023

- Gay Outlaws: The Alpine County Project Reconsidered (2017) by Jacob D. Carter, University of Massachusetts Boston

Films

 JANUARY 2023

- Wings (1927)

- Superman: Red Son (2020)

- Batman: Hush (2019)

- Son Of Batman (2014)

- Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013)

- Rashomon (1950)

- Nerys Man (2022) - IFI

- Predestination (2014)

- The Fabelmans (2022) Light House

FEBRUARY 2023

- Jung_E (2023)

- Wakanda Forever (2022)

- The Giver (2014)

- Protect Me From What I Want (2009)

MARCH 2023

- Broker (2022) IFI

- Cocaine Bear (2023) Cineworld

- La Noveau Moi (2020)

- Poison (1991)

- Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon (1998)

- A Bigger Splash (1973)

APRIL 2023

- John Wick Chapter 4 (2023) Cineworld

- Shazam: Fury of the Gods (2023) Cineworld

- Super Mario Bros. (2023) Cineworld

- Suzume (2022) Lighthouse 

- In From The Side (2022)

- In The Shadow Of The Moon (2019)

- Credence (2015)

MAY 2023

- Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

JUNE 2023

- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

- Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate (2023) LGBTQ

JULY 2023

- Asteroid City (2023)

- WHAM! (2023) LGBTQ

- High Life (2018)

- Barbie (2023) Cineworld

AUGUST 2023

- Oppenheimer (2023) Lighthouse

- Cruising (1980)

- Marry My Dead Body (2023) LGBTQ

- They Live (1988) Lighthouse

- Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

- The Cat Returns (2002)

- Whisper Of The Heart (1995)

- Tales From Earthsea (2006)

- T.I.M. (2023)

- Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

SEPTEMBER 2023

- The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

- The Swan (2023)

- The Rat Catcher (2023)

- Past Lives (2023) Lighthouse

- Poison (2023)

OCTOBER 2023

- Alien Vs Predator: Requiem (2007)

- Crossing Rachmaninoff (2015) 

- Closet Monster (2015)

- The Creator (2023) Cineworld

NOVEMBER 2023

- V for Vendetta (2006)

- Doi Boy (2023) LGBTQ

DECEMBER 2023

- Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway (2021)

- Godzilla Minus One (2023)

- Red, White & Royal Blue (2023) LGBTQ

TV Series

JANUARY 2023

- 1899 (2022)

MARCH 2023

- Bojack Horseman Series 1 to 5 (2014 - 2018)

APRIL 2023

- African Folktales Reimagined (2023)

- Bojack Horseman Series 6 (2019 - 2020)

JUNE 2023

- Muted (2023)

- Black Mirror Season 6 (2023)

- Guardians of Justice (2022)

JULY 2023

- A Very British Scandal (2018) LGBTQ

AUGUST 2023

- Osmosis (2019)

SEPTEMBER 2023

- One Piece (2023)

- Heartbreakers Season 2 (2023) LGBTQ

NOVEMBER 2023

- Tore (2023) LGBTQ

- Pluto (2023)

DECEMBER 2023

-  Squid Game: The Challenge (2023)

- Fellow Travelers (2023) LGBTQ

Personal Picks Episode Twenty One - Don Your Gay Apparel

I've already shared this one on GCN but, seeing as I'm obsessive compulsive in many ways, I'm gonna share it here as well. It's my third Christmas playlist but this one is a little different as every song features an LGBTQ artist.

The playlist  (You can check out this playlist on Spotify).

1) Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who’d Be A Turkey At Christmas) - Elton John

2) Thank God It's Christmas - Queen

3) Last Christmas - Wham

4) It Doesn't Often Show At Christmas - Pet Shop Boys

5) Little Drummer Boy - Ronan Keating ft Stephen Gately

6) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Sam Smith

7) Happy X-mas (War Is Over) - Miley Cyrus ft Sean Ono Lennon

8) Thank You - Pentatonix

9) O Holy Night - Kat Kunning

10) Glittery - Kacey Musgraves and Troye Sivan.

Personal Picks Episode Twenty - Bob In The Basement (1967)

 

Welcome to a long overdue new episode of Personal Picks. As with episode ten, this is going to be Bob Dylan centric but we're focusing on one album, the Basement Tapes, which was released in 1975 but was recorded largely in 1967 in Bob's basement. As with my last episode, we'll have five songs from Bob and five people covering him. To make it a bit more fun, I've taken five covers that Bob did for his selections.

The Songs

As I mentioned Bob's songs are all covers and really show his musical interests with folk ballads from around the world and some other interesting picks. For the covers, I looked up a few of my favourite Basement Tape songs and ended up getting a version of Wheels On Fire by Kylie Minogue! There are a few selections from the excellent soundtrack of I'm Not There. I also discovered an entire album of covers of Basement Tape songs from, a previously unknown to me, band called Famous Horses. 

The playlist  (You can check out this playlist on Spotify).

1) Big River - Take 2 - Bob Dylan, The Band

2) Apple Suckling Tree - Famous Horses

3) The Auld Triangle - Bob Dylan, The Band

4) Goin' To Acapulco - Jim James, Clexico

5) Four Strong Winds - Bob Dylan, The Band

6) This Wheels On Fire - Kylie Minogue

7) The French Girl - Take 2 - Bob Dylan, The Band

8) You Ain't Going Nowhere - Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová

9) A Fool Such As I - Bob Dylan, The Band 

10) I'm Not There - Sonic Youth

Girl From The North Country

 

I am still recovering from the impact of seeing Girl from the North Country. For those that don't know, the show is a musical based on the music of Bob Dylan. The title comes from a Dylan song from 1965, the earliest song used, albeit without vocals. The story was written by Irishman Conor McPherson and, as other people have noted, is not dissimilar to the works of John Steinbeck. It is set in a boarding house in Dylan's hometown of Duluth, Minnesota in the winter of 1934 when America is in the grip of the Great Depression. The plot is deceptively simple but what makes it great, at least when it came to the performance I saw, was the skills of the actors involved. Indeed they won over my three companions and they were largely unfamiliar with Dylan's work and so their responses were due to the actors skills in word and song. (I think one aspect of my enjoyment was the wonderful interpretations and performances of songs I was largely familiar with). All of us agreed that Frances McNamee was a standout as Elizabeth Laine. She created a believable character and gave us wonderful performances of Like A Rolling Stone and Forever Young amongst others. A bit unfair as there were a number of times where each main actor shone but she was the one we were discussing when it was over. 

To be a Dylan guy for a second, I found the song choices interesting as McPherson largely stayed away from the big names and big albums. There was only one song each from the celebrated albums Blood on the Tacks (1975) and Desire (1976) whereas less favourably reviewed albums Street Legal (1978) and Infidels (1983) supplied three songs each. I personally find Street Legal to be an underrated album and grew up listening to Infidels so was delighted with the choices. Also included is a personal favourite I Want You (beautifully performed as a duet by Gregor Milne and Katherine Draper). All in all, McPherson has chosen songs that fit the narrative and create an atmosphere that got an emotional reaction out of me. Oddly, for me as a Dylan fan, one of the performance that resonated with me, and my husband, was of the relatively new song, and newest one used, Duquesne Whistle (performed by Ross Carswell). One of the more lively songs. You Ain't Going Nowhere equally picked up the mood. Other interesting aspects are the medleys created (with such smooth transitions) and how all the songs conform to the overall style and mood.

Here's a summary of some of the songs that feature in the show in general (with albums included as I can't help myself):

• Sign on the Window (New Morning, 1970)
• Went to See the Gypsy (New Morning, 1970)
• Tight Connection to My Heart (Has Anybody Seen My Love) (Empire Burlesque, 1985)
• Slow Train (Slow Train Coming, 1979)
• License to Kill (Infidels, 1983)
• I Want You (Blonde on Blonde, 1966)
• Like a Rolling Stone (Highway 61 Revisited, 1965)
• What Can I Do For You? (Saved, 1980)
• Make You Feel My Love (Time Out of Mind, 1997)
• You Ain't Going Nowhere (Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II, 1971, original recording 1967 recording with The Band released in the Basement Tapes, 1975)
• Jokerman (Infidels, 1983)
• Sweetheart Like You (Infidels, 1983)
• True Love Tends to Forget (Street Legal, 1978)
• Girl from the North Country (Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, 1965) (Acoustic)
• Ballad of a Thin Man (Highway 61 Revisited, 1965)
• Hurricane (Desire, 1976)
• All Along the Watchtower (John Wesley Harding, 1976)
• Idiot Wind (Blood on the Tracks, 1975)
• Duquesne Whistle (Tempest, 2012)
• Señor (Tales of Yankee Power) (Street Legal, 1978)
• Is Your Love in Vain? (Street Legal, 1978)
• Forever Young (Planet Waves, 1974)

As a Dylan fan, I think I was hardwired to either love this or hate the show and I am happy to say it was the former. In fact, my reaction was pretty much summed up by Dylan's own reaction: "Sure, I've seen it, and it affected me. I saw it as an anonymous spectator, not as someone who had anything to do with it. I just let it happen. The play had me crying at the end. I can't even say why. When the curtain came down, I was stunned. I really was. Too bad Broadway shut down because I wanted to see it again." (Taken from a New York Times interview with historian, Douglas Brinkley). I want to see it again too and I highly recommend it.

Five Villains I'd Like To See Face The Batman

After seeing Barry Keoghan become the fifth or so person (depending on whether you count the 1960s films) to portray the Joker on the big screen, I was kind of disappointed. I think the character needs a rest. Who knows when he will actually show up again though. Anyway, it got me thinking about Batman's rogues gallery, and DC's rogues gallery in general, and at who might be a potential alternative choice to more of the Clown Prince of Crime. Also, some comic book recommendations!

KILLER CROC

Art by Jim Lee

Created By: Gerry Conway (writer) and Gene Colan (artist) with his first full appearance in Detective Comics # 524 (1983).

Character Bio: Waylon Jones was originally a side-show wrestler who suffers from a condition that eventually gave him a crocodile-like appearance. This drove him insane and he adopted the name "Killer Croc" and turned to a life of crime. He has gradually gotten more savage over time

My Opinion: I'm actually pretty surprised that he hasn't shown up in a Batman movie before now even as a secondary villain. Maybe some other villain is using him. I'm thinking of something similar to Batman: Hush. You could use Jim Lee's roided up version from that storyline or maybe Penguin has the trench-coat version as a bouncer or muscle. Or with Poison Ivy (more on her later) as there's the nature connection. The character has potential whatever way you use him. I liked Suicide Squad (yeah I was one of the people) but didn't really that version of Croc. They got some parts right though.

Recommended Reading: Batman #608 - 619 (Batman: Hush), Batman: Reptilian #1 - 6

THE MAD HATTER

Created By: Bill Finger (writer) and Lew Sayre Schwartz (artist) with his first appearance being in Batman # 49 (1948).

Character Bio: Inspired by the Alice In Wonderland character, Jervis Tetch is a scientist who invents and uses mind control devices to influence and manipulate the minds of his victims.

My Opinion: I know some people may consider this is a strange choice and I must admit it is entirely inspired by one mini-series Secret Six: Six Degrees of Devastation, written by Gail Simone, with Bradley Walker, Karl Kerschl and Jimmy Palmiotti on art. Gail works magic on minor villains so when she gets one of the better known ones it is very often a sight to behold. In the story, she goes into why he is the way he is and in doing so makes him even creepier and shows that he is possibly the MOST underrated Bat Villain. 

Recommended Reading: Secret Six (vol.2)  #1 - 6 (Six Degrees of Devastation), Secret Six (vol. 3) # 1 - 7.

POISON IVY

Art by Jim Lee

Created by: Robert Kanigher (writer) and Sheldon Moldoff (artist) with her first appearance being in Batman #181 (1966).

Character Bio: Dr. Pamela Isleyis a botanist and biochemist who possesses a poisonous touch, enhanced physical abilities, and a supernatural control over plant life. She uses for the purposes of ecoterrorism. 

My Opinion: Cheating with this one but Batman has a pretty low number of female villains to choose from. Catwoman has been done a lot with four (?) different actresses on the big screen. Talia Al Ghul has appeared recently enough. The obvious choice, to me, is Pamela Isley. Her last appearance was 25 years ago in 1997's Batman & Robin. Ugh. Even before even researching this, I thought of that appearance and that I kind of wanted to see a new version of Ivy. Her status an ecoterrorist is timely with Climate Change being a hot topic. Plus there's her romantic relationship with Harley Quinn in the comics and animated appearances.

Recommended Reading: Batman #608 - 619 (Batman: Hush), Gotham Sirens, any book that has Harley and Ivy in the title lol.

PROFESSOR PYG

Art by Mitch Gerard

Created by: Grant Morrison (writer) and Andy Kubert (artist) with his first appearance being in Batman #666 (2007).

Character bio: Pyg is Lazlo Valentin, a scientist who suffered a schizophrenic breakdown that led him to become a supervillain that wears a pig mask.

My Opinion: I wanted to look at some "newer" villains and, actually, this guy would be a very good replacement for the Joker. He even has a gang of underlings called the Circus of Crime. He's also a favourite of mine. Morrison intended Pyg to seem disconnected from reality, seeing him as the "weirdest, most insane" characters in Batman's rogue gallery.

Recommended Reading: Batman and Robin # 1 -3, Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes!, Batman (vol. 3) # 62.

CHESHIRE

Art by J.G. Jones

Created By: Marv Wolfman (writer) and George Pérez (artist) with her first appearance being in New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983).

Character Bio: Jade Nguyen is a French-Vietnamese mercenary, expert fighter and is known for her knowledge of poisons. 

My Opinion: I decided to go for a villain outside of Batman's rogues gallery for my final choice. At first, I thought of using Lex Luthor but he is as over-exposed as the Joker in my opinion. So, once again, Secret Six influences my choice as I first became aware of the Cheshire character in Villains United as part of that team. (Gail Simone had previously used her in Birds of Prey but I read that after). She's an expert at deception and she has a name that makes you think of a cat (so brings to mind Catwoman). Also, she could probably take Batman in a fight or at least give him a good one. It's a bonus that she, being a woman, fills a gap I pointed out in Batman's villain list. It'd also be nice to see an Asian villain on screen.

Recommended Reading: New Teen Titans Annual #2, Birds of Prey #63 - 67, Villains United #1 - 6

Five DC Black Label Books I'd Like To See

 I've been a big fan of a number of the DC Black Label books. They remind me of Marvel MAX. Creators can take beloved characters and do different things with them as they are not (at least I don't think) set in the DC proper. This means they don't break one of the rules, which I think creators should largely follow, with rare exceptions, in that they should put the toys back the way they found them. Someone can remind me who to attribute the quote, I'm paraphrasing, to. Anyway, one of things I enjoy doing is "fantasy booking" so I've decided to come up with 5 Black Label books I'd like to see.

SECRET SIX / JOKER'S SIX / RIDDLER'S SIX

Declan Shalvey (a) Gail Simone (w)

Yeah I know Gail has done a long run on Secret Six but I LOVE that series SO much. Also, I kind of want to see what she would do if she could pick a new Six from any villain on the DC books. She did wonders with Bane so I'd like to see her work on say Riddler's Six or Joker's Six and what crazy reason they have for creating a team. Also, if you read Gail's creator-owned books like Leaving Megalopolis (with Jim Calafiore) and Clean Room (with John-Davis Hunt), you know she can go to a darker place.

I picked Declan Shalvey as I love his work. I know he is busy with creator-owned work like Time Before Time and Old Dog but I'd hope he could fit in a short series or one-shot. Also, he can draw some creepy stuff. I think of some of the things in his Moon Knight run and a particularly creepy villain from his Venom run.

THE HAUNTED TANK

PJ Holden (a) Jimmy Palmiotti (w)

PJ Holden may hate me for wanting him to do another war book but nobody can deny that he is very good at them. I'd hope that the "haunted" aspect would allow him to go in a bit of a different direction or maybe the angle would intrigue him.

Jimmy Palmiotti has moved into doing a lot of Kickstarters as it allows him (and his co-creators) the freedom to go in a more adult direction as he believes that there is an audience for that (the success of his campaigns seems to bear that out and I've backed a lot of them). The title of his book Sex & Violence sort of says it all. The Haunted Tank seems like the quirky kind of book that Jimmy could do some fun stuff with. If I was the editor, I would just say "Have at it!"

HELLBLAZER / CONSTANTINE

Donna A. Black (a) Maura McHugh (w)

Donna A. Black has a style that screams emotion and darkness and horror to me. There's a psychology to it that feels like would suit the world of John Constantine. I can only imagine that physical horrors she could create for him to face or how she could show the things the haunt his mind.

Maura McHugh is known for her horror writing and she has done some great stuff with Judge Anderson. I feel there is some crossover with these characters in what they face in their lives. Also, with two Irish creatives involved, could we see John face the Sidhe or some Irish horror? It would be fun to see something authentically Irish go after him. The titles "Irish Eyes" just popped into my head.

HAWKMAN / HAWKWORLD / HAWKUNIVERSE

Cian Tormey (a) Michael Carroll (w)

Michael Carroll's writing experience on Judge Dredd and more recently on Proteus Vex means that he suitably qualified to take this book in a several directions: the cop / detective style of Hawkworld series I love or a grand space opera. Indeed, his superhero book series, the New Heroes / Quantum Prophecy series, shows he how well he does superhero stories too. All these works also show he can go in a darker direction too. I'd be interested to see what Hawkman he would want to do.

Cian Tormey has really made his name for himself and he recently signed an exclusive with DC Comics. Everyone can see his superhero skills quite plainly on Superman but he has also done some darker stories with the likes of Doctor Doom in The Darkhold. I'd be curious to see what he would do with Hawkman and what he and Mike would come up with together.

THE DEMON / BLOOD OF THE DEMON

John McCrea (a) Garth Ennis (w)

I know we've seen this before but, in my experience, if you let Garth Ennis be Garth Ennis (e.g. Punisher MAX and Batman: Reptilian), you get some really dark, interesting and entertaining books. Pushing the Demon into darker areas seems like a way to make that happen. Being Garth Ennis, I'd imagine he might pull in some quirky, obscure characters from the darker side of the DC Universe.

John McCrea did some great work on The Demon but I think it would be cool to see what he would do with the gloves off. His many collaborations with Ennis show that his art really meshes with Garth Ennis' dark sense of human and I can only imagine the kind of characters they could cook up. Or who else might show up from their previous collaborations.