domo arigato, mr roboto

[verbicide]

So last night, Dudley Manlove played the Top Ten Worst Songs of All Time. I'm annoyed, because I can't remember all of them. Of course we were drinking a lot. Among the list were: Xanadu, Take on Me, Don't Stop Believin', Mr. Roboto, Milkshake. Shit. That's all I can remember. Fuckity fuck fuck. It's going to drive me mad.

I had a lovely afternoon with jeff_nw, who is awesome. Lunch at Jitterbug and much catching up as it had been forever since we'd seen each other. Insert 4 paragraphs of hyperbolic fawning here because omfg he is so cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute! And anytime I get to hang out with Jeff, I am a perky bunny for the rest of the day. He did make the mistake of telling Hobbes that he looked elegant and regal. Hobbes has been posing elaborately ever since.

Afterwards, brabble called to tell me she was already at Elliot Bay Bookstore, so I zoomed over there. I stopped to pick up the latest issue of SiP. The most exciting part about this was easily finding parking for Pike Place Market (and The Golden Age Collectibles). I also bought Blankets, which from my perusal at UW Bookstore is very good, and has been excellently reviewed.

Off to Elliot Bay Bookstore where Sarah and I devoured Issue 69. I also finally bought Art Spiegelman's In The Shadow of No Towers. I've been wanting it for some time and felt spendy today.

Some pizza at Mario's and we walked back to my car, repeatedly assailed by drunk, horny Seahawks fans. It was ridiculous. The cat-calling and jeering is bad enough, but one of the fuckers actually reached out and grabbed my back with both hands. We both walked hurriedly away from the marauding throng. So not okay. Do not touch. I wanted to club them with a 2x4. Hiss.

Back home. It's so dark out, I keep thinking it's like 5 hours later than it really is.



I'm enjoy the series again. Which I really wasn't for awhile. At least things are moving forward. But as much as I love SiP and think Terry Moore has mad skillz, he does need to get over himself just a little bit. He takes himself too seriously or something. He posted this melodramatic thing in the SiP Forum about how the next two issues (68 & 69) were going to be EARTH SHATTERING.

I think I posted this before, but let me share it again:

"Forget everything you've read about what is coming up in the next few issues. Diamond Previews, interviews, my forum comments... they're all out the window. I have rewritten everything to come. If you care anything about Francine and Katchoo and their families, SiP 68 and 69 are going to rock your world. For me, I'm walking on clouds. It's not like I've changed the SiP story, it's like I've finally found it.

I'm not going to visit the forum again until 69 is completed. I don't want to say anymore or answer any questions. I want to stay in this magic place and not think about who is or isn't reading. The love and support you've all expressed to me has meant a great deal to me. I hope the next two issues will return that love and give you something to smile about in a world that badly needs smiles."

First of all, I think it's dangerous to set your readers up like that. And second of all...where's the Kaboom?

The most shocking thing about 68 was the weird change of art-style midway into the issue. Not sure what the point was of Ginger and Freddie. It was so random that outside of giving us insight into Freddie Femur: Still a LOSER, what's the point? What happened to the autopsy chick?

The Mary Midnight thing had already been alluded to, so that wasn't a big shock. And the continued bizarre, unprofessional behavior of Sara Bryan continues to irritate me. And why was Walsh being such an unmitigated dick?

Issue 69 is packed with Casey. What a turn around. I hated Casey at first. Or at least found her seriously annoying--now, I love her. What did Katchoo say? "God bless her little silicone heart."

The format of 69 is different. With a full page picture and surrounding narrative text for Casey, Francie and Katchoo --with regular panels on each of their lives in between. I really liked the update on Casey in Las Vegas. Well drawn, and funny, and sweet.

Francie and Marie. What. The. Fuck. Did Marie Peters suddenly become a cancer patient? The artwork is totally different from even just the previous issue. Even her hair is wrong. Obviously Francie is still struggling with her choices and I'm wildly curious about how Terry Moore is going to close the ten year gap.

And Tambi working for the FBI? Hilarious. Regardless, $4 billion can't be easy to walk away from.

And the ending? David. *sniffles* I've missed him. (I know he bores you, Sarah, but I want to see something nice happen to the poor guy!)

Okay. Next issue now, please.

Comments

[chipperspragish.livejournal.com]

wtf was up with that song list? worst songs ever? lots of my favorite songs were on there :(

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Definitely don't feel bad--I LOVE tons of those songs!.

But like a lot of 70s and 80s stuff, they're considered musical cheese :)

[brabble.livejournal.com]

I think that in a lot of cases, the songs voted for were "technically bad songs that people really love and wanted DMQ to play." So, songs you love in a Britney kind of a way. If they were just shitty songs people hate, the concert would have sucked :)

[chipperspragish.livejournal.com]

yeah, but bohemion rhapsody? safety dance? total eclipse of the heart? those aren't shitty, and aren't britney. i demand a recount!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I totally love Bohemian Rhapsody and Total Eclipse of the Heart, too. Those definitely rock.

Again, I think most of this list is really "What we want to make Paul sing" rather than horrible songs. You should come to one of their concerts--they are a fucking blast! :D

[brabble.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but they're total cheese, which pretty much automatically relegates them to "top 100 worst songs of all time." Which is why the concert was so fun -- the number 1 "worst" song was Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

Hee. Awesome.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Well said, Sarah. That's exactly it. :D

[rimrunner.livejournal.com]

I loved issue 69! It was really great. Though I too wondered WTF was up with Marie's hair. Did she get a dye job to celebrate embracing her past? It would make sense, I guess.

I don't have as many readers as Terry, but I don't talk about my serial story—I just post bits as they come. Because the trouble is, you're letting people see it before it's finished. You can't go back and revise. I think that Terry had no idea WTH to do once he set up that 10-year-separation, and a lot of the last few YEARS has been him trying to figure that out.

Which is okay. Give me good characterization and I'll follow you anywhere.

But issue 69 felt very fresh, like he'd acquired renewed focus. I'm glad of that.

And I really wonder about Sara Bryan. Granted I've only ever seen FBI agents in their professional roles and at a distance, but they don't exactly strike me as emotional types.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I did like the style of 69. The pleasure he took in writing it comes across clearly!

I agree--a serial is limiting. I can deal with the altering of Casey, for example. He obviously realized she had much more potential than as a punchline. So he evolved her--and I'm glad he did.

The ten year thing is very unfortunate. I think he backed himself into a corner there, too. He may have to retcon his way out of that one.

Looking forward to 70 already *greedy*

[brabble.livejournal.com]

I don't know. David does bore the hell out of me, but I'm glad to see that he's back. It means that - omg - Terry is MOVING FORWARD. After years of flailing about, not knowing what to do with the story.

I really wish he hadn't written that "10 years from now" piece. Ever since those issues (which were like 8 years ago), I've been waiting to see how he's going to get to that point, instead of just enjoying the story as it comes. He pretty clearly had no idea where he was going when he wrote those, fascinating as they are during rereads.

Marie's hair and face really bother me. Brh. That she's growing out of her Good Southern Christian Wife And Mommy phase is interesting, but um. She just looked weird. I kind of miss the nattering Marie from waaaaay back at the beginning of the series, when she showed up at Francie and Katchoo's with that damned yippy dog.

I need to read the issue again. But not right now, for I am comfortable and would have to get up to go find it.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

You know, upon a re-read--Francie looks odd, too.

And yay for finally moving forward. The ten year glimpse did ruin the story as it unfolded, because everything had to be viewed with this future-perspective.

I wish he could just delete that issue.

I loved the yippy dog issue :D

[brabble.livejournal.com]

The milkshake song!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Yes! I finally remembered it and added it! :D

What a disturbing song. God, can you remember any others? It's making me CRAZY!

There was maybe a Boz Scaggs song I didn't know. And something else. Hrm. I remember jumping up and down and shrieking along.

[brabble.livejournal.com]

Hrm. Yeah. I think I knew the something else, too. Was there some Blondie song? Or did you list it already.. I don't actually know song titles for most of them.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I keep getting confused from their first set.

The Blondie thing was part of a medley they did, during the first set. They were also a couple of Abba songs and some Hal and Oats songs but I think those were also part of the first set.

I'll just have to wait for them to finally list it on their website.

*pout*

I hate waiting.

[brabble.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. Hrm. Oh well. *waits*

[jdquintette.livejournal.com]

Is this some kind of "Gen X" thing, or are we actually supposed to believe that the 200 worst songs of "all time" were all written and recorded in the last 25 years?

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I think it is. They used to have a 'No songs after 1981" policy but that was eventually waylaid.

Most of the fans and attendees are from Gen X. The songs we grew up loving to hate :)

[jdquintette.livejournal.com]

Ah."Narrowcasting." May the concept roast in hell.