And wait till you see how brightly that Epson sign lights up at night. Even with the curtains closed, the glow still creeps in! And right under the O in that circle is a swimming pool...
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Tokyo!
Just realized I haven't posted the view outside my hotel room window yet...
And wait till you see how brightly that Epson sign lights up at night. Even with the curtains closed, the glow still creeps in! And right under the O in that circle is a swimming pool...
And wait till you see how brightly that Epson sign lights up at night. Even with the curtains closed, the glow still creeps in! And right under the O in that circle is a swimming pool...
Cat Update
As a few folks have been kind enough to write in and ask about Lotto and Clyde, here's a quick update that our cat-sitter just e-mailed over...
"the cats are doing fine, so far lotto and clyde have not been fighting, they have been fine with me no hissing or biting,but i feel that they are a little lonley i spend about a hour everyday making sure they are ok
i dont have a digital camera, but i took pictures with my phone so its not so great, but i got pictures "
"the cats are doing fine, so far lotto and clyde have not been fighting, they have been fine with me no hissing or biting,but i feel that they are a little lonley i spend about a hour everyday making sure they are ok
i dont have a digital camera, but i took pictures with my phone so its not so great, but i got pictures "
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tokyo Day One
Caught my 10:02 bullet train out of Shin-Kobe station...
I sleep on trains much like I do on planes, but my magazine fell out of my lap and woke me up just in time to see Mt. Fuji passing by out the window...
(This might be the first real touristy picture I've posted here all week.)
Arrived at Tokyo station at 1:08, fifteen minutes late, which is very unusual and lead to all kinds of droning apologies from JR staff.
My buddy Aki met me there and it's always good to see him! We headed to my hotel where I checked in and unpacked as we discussed lunch plans.
Aki then took me to a very old and very famous place for katsu kare here in Tokyo. "Katsu Kare" is basically a deep fried pork cutlet and curry spooned over a bowl of rice. It's been gaining popularity in NYC recently too thanks to Go Go Curry on 38th St., and a feature article in the New York Time Magazine a few months back. The katsu kare at this joint was incredible though! They make each bowl as it's ordered, no fast food here, so it takes a while but was so worth it! Totally lived up to its reputation.
We then hit up Kinokuniya, Sakuraya and a few other "geek" shops in Shinjuku where I picked up a few toys and manga. The real comic and toy shopping will happen this weekend in Akihabara and Nakano Broadway though.
One thing we did see was a promo poster for the movie RESCUE WINGS, which is a new Japanese live-action film based on the manga written and drawn by our good friend Tommy Ohtsuka. Tommy did Marvel Mangaverse with me a few years back and is now illustrating the Lords of Avalon comic series. Rescue Wings is the manga he does here in Japan and it just hit the big time! Congrats, Tommy!!
Caught the subway and popped over to Harajuku next. Dropped in to Blister, the last remaining American comic and toy shop here in Tokyo. There was a cute girl in there looking for new X-Men comics for her boyfriend. I was gonna recommend X-Infernus, but they were sold out. So she picked up X-Men/Spider-Man instead. I got a few Marvel related Japanese toys and knick-knacks I haven't seen in the States yet. Held off on buying the LOST Kubricks for now, and I knew Mutsumi would kill me if I bought the R2-D2 soy sauce bottle.
Next, we did a quick tour of Nigo's A BATHING APE establishments. I've been a BAPE fan for while, ever since I started collecting Milo stuff years ago. While I admire what he's done with the brand over the years, turning it into a global multi-million dollar empire like Ecko or Sean Jean, I'm not a big fashion guy, as most of you well know, and am never willing to pay $100 for a T-shirt. My fascination with the Bape brand stems solely from the fact that his sensibilities and designs combine Japanese and American pop culture elements for a rather unique look, hitting a niche market so successfully.
Speaking of which, the BAPE 2008 Christmas shirts just happened to go on sale yesterday...
We then hit Bape Kids as I wanted to see the banana pool I'd heard so much about. Even though there was no one else in the store, they wouldn't let me in it. I also looked for something cute for a friend's baby, but they don't really sell anything for kids under two years-old unfortunately. And even those small shirts were 50 bucks a pop!
Beers were then had at Bape Cafe, which was empty and a bit overrated, IMO. Nice KAWS artwork decorating the joint though...
Aki had to jet home to see his family, so I flew solo for the evening, hitting my favorite ramen place Tenkaipin for dinner. Like Mos Burger, Tenkaipin is a chain, and yes there are better ramen places across Japan. But I've been eating their koteri ramen for as long as I can remember when I come to Japan and simply love it! It's comfort food for my gaijin ass and no one else does soup like they do. Truly outstanding!
I then wrote some Astonishing Tales for Marvel, caught up on e-mail, read an article about Digg's Kevin Rose, and watched four episodes of BSG Season Three.
Oyasumi!
I sleep on trains much like I do on planes, but my magazine fell out of my lap and woke me up just in time to see Mt. Fuji passing by out the window...
(This might be the first real touristy picture I've posted here all week.)
Arrived at Tokyo station at 1:08, fifteen minutes late, which is very unusual and lead to all kinds of droning apologies from JR staff.
My buddy Aki met me there and it's always good to see him! We headed to my hotel where I checked in and unpacked as we discussed lunch plans.
Aki then took me to a very old and very famous place for katsu kare here in Tokyo. "Katsu Kare" is basically a deep fried pork cutlet and curry spooned over a bowl of rice. It's been gaining popularity in NYC recently too thanks to Go Go Curry on 38th St., and a feature article in the New York Time Magazine a few months back. The katsu kare at this joint was incredible though! They make each bowl as it's ordered, no fast food here, so it takes a while but was so worth it! Totally lived up to its reputation.
We then hit up Kinokuniya, Sakuraya and a few other "geek" shops in Shinjuku where I picked up a few toys and manga. The real comic and toy shopping will happen this weekend in Akihabara and Nakano Broadway though.
One thing we did see was a promo poster for the movie RESCUE WINGS, which is a new Japanese live-action film based on the manga written and drawn by our good friend Tommy Ohtsuka. Tommy did Marvel Mangaverse with me a few years back and is now illustrating the Lords of Avalon comic series. Rescue Wings is the manga he does here in Japan and it just hit the big time! Congrats, Tommy!!
Caught the subway and popped over to Harajuku next. Dropped in to Blister, the last remaining American comic and toy shop here in Tokyo. There was a cute girl in there looking for new X-Men comics for her boyfriend. I was gonna recommend X-Infernus, but they were sold out. So she picked up X-Men/Spider-Man instead. I got a few Marvel related Japanese toys and knick-knacks I haven't seen in the States yet. Held off on buying the LOST Kubricks for now, and I knew Mutsumi would kill me if I bought the R2-D2 soy sauce bottle.
Next, we did a quick tour of Nigo's A BATHING APE establishments. I've been a BAPE fan for while, ever since I started collecting Milo stuff years ago. While I admire what he's done with the brand over the years, turning it into a global multi-million dollar empire like Ecko or Sean Jean, I'm not a big fashion guy, as most of you well know, and am never willing to pay $100 for a T-shirt. My fascination with the Bape brand stems solely from the fact that his sensibilities and designs combine Japanese and American pop culture elements for a rather unique look, hitting a niche market so successfully.
Speaking of which, the BAPE 2008 Christmas shirts just happened to go on sale yesterday...
We then hit Bape Kids as I wanted to see the banana pool I'd heard so much about. Even though there was no one else in the store, they wouldn't let me in it. I also looked for something cute for a friend's baby, but they don't really sell anything for kids under two years-old unfortunately. And even those small shirts were 50 bucks a pop!
Beers were then had at Bape Cafe, which was empty and a bit overrated, IMO. Nice KAWS artwork decorating the joint though...
Aki had to jet home to see his family, so I flew solo for the evening, hitting my favorite ramen place Tenkaipin for dinner. Like Mos Burger, Tenkaipin is a chain, and yes there are better ramen places across Japan. But I've been eating their koteri ramen for as long as I can remember when I come to Japan and simply love it! It's comfort food for my gaijin ass and no one else does soup like they do. Truly outstanding!
I then wrote some Astonishing Tales for Marvel, caught up on e-mail, read an article about Digg's Kevin Rose, and watched four episodes of BSG Season Three.
Oyasumi!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Ghosts of Christmas
This has absolutely nothing to do with me or Japan, but I just thought this Pac-Man Christmas Tree from Spain was too cool not to share...
Briefly...
The last two days have been pretty quiet, to be honest, so there wouldn't have been much to write anyway...
Took my daily morning walks for the newspapers and breakfast.
Spent a lot of time online catching up on e-mail and work as this isn't just a vacation.
Actually took an afternoon nap yesterday which was nice.
Read the new issues of Wired and Fast Company.
Finished Battlestar Galactica Season Two.
Finally bought that new vacuum cleaner, went with a Toshiba.
Picked up our dry cleaning.
Talked to my parents on Skype.
Chatted with my sister on Facebook.
Ate at Aidoru, which could not have been better!
Bought these fantastic new Oreo cookie bars.
Finalized a lot of my meetings and appointments for Tokyo next week.
Drank a lot of tea.
Took my daily morning walks for the newspapers and breakfast.
Spent a lot of time online catching up on e-mail and work as this isn't just a vacation.
Actually took an afternoon nap yesterday which was nice.
Read the new issues of Wired and Fast Company.
Finished Battlestar Galactica Season Two.
Finally bought that new vacuum cleaner, went with a Toshiba.
Picked up our dry cleaning.
Talked to my parents on Skype.
Chatted with my sister on Facebook.
Ate at Aidoru, which could not have been better!
Bought these fantastic new Oreo cookie bars.
Finalized a lot of my meetings and appointments for Tokyo next week.
Drank a lot of tea.
No More Words
I've been told by a couple people who don't mince words that I should just shut the hell up, stop writing so much and just post more pics! Well then, with no further ado...
Me at Mos Burger...
My Mos burgers: a Mos Cheeseburger, a Chicken Burger, and their new Octopus Burger. (This was for two of us as Mutsumi helped!)
And yes, I said octopus burger!!
Messy but heavenly! Trust me, that burger wasn't long for this world...
Our sashimi starter from that night, the toro and fugu being the obvious highlights...
The only way to eat fugu, take a piece of the liver and wrap it in a slice of the fish with some scallions. Pop it in your mouth and pray the chef didn't screw up...
Me at Mos Burger...
My Mos burgers: a Mos Cheeseburger, a Chicken Burger, and their new Octopus Burger. (This was for two of us as Mutsumi helped!)
And yes, I said octopus burger!!
Messy but heavenly! Trust me, that burger wasn't long for this world...
Our sashimi starter from that night, the toro and fugu being the obvious highlights...
The only way to eat fugu, take a piece of the liver and wrap it in a slice of the fish with some scallions. Pop it in your mouth and pray the chef didn't screw up...
On Sale This Week
Part 3 of the Cebulski written "What If the Runaways Had Become the Young Avengers?" in this week's "WHAT IF? Newer Fantastic Four...
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Settling In...
Yesterday started out shitty as it was a newspaper holiday so my walk to the train station was for naught, and then I got to the bakery only to find they were sold out of my two favorite breakfast treats, the German bacon & potato roll and the sausage twist. >sigh< I ended up with a sausage & cheese croissant and chicken & shiso roll. They were good, no doubt, but not when compared to my usual choices. I ended up getting my news from the internet while having coffee.
The day picked up from there though as we headed into Sannomiya, which I guess is what you'd consider the center/shopping/nightlife district of Kobe, for lack of a better explanation. Our first stop was the bank to get cash. The dollar to yen exchange rate now SUCKS and we couldn't have come over at worse time in terms of cost with the dollar being the weakest it's been in years here. It's 90 yen to the dollar now, compared to the 105 yen it was just a few months ago. So rather than take out dollars at this shitty exchange rate, and then also get hit with BS bank conversion charges and international fees, we decided it's better to dip into Mutsumi's Japanese savings this trip. So I finally feel like I have a Sugar Mommy! And it feels good!!
After that we headed straight to what I consider one of the few heavens on Earth, one of the greatest restaurants in the world... MOS BURGER! Yes, it's fast food and yes, it's a chain, but I still love it and it's hard to beat in terms of quality and taste. I've been eating at Mos for 17 years now and it's just as good today as it was the first time I had it. I'll be doing a separate post about Mos so all I'm gonna say about it here was that I had my usual order of a Mos Cheeseburger and a Chicken Burger and they were out of this world! The day got so much better with that first bite!!
After that Mutsumi hooked me up with some cash and I headed over to Junkodo, one of Japan's big book store chains to check out what was new in the world of manga, art books and magazines. Spent about an hour there and bought a few things you can check out if you scroll down.
Next I headed over to see my buddy Maeda-san who runs GUILD, one of the best American comic shops in Japan. Outside of Tokyo, Kobe is one of the most international and ethnically diverse cities in Japan, and GUILD feeds the comic and pop culture habits of the large foreign population here, making it one of the two or three best comic shops in the country. The shop was pretty busy for a Monday and I got to chat and catch up with Maeda-san briefly. Although the exchange rate is working in his favor as he buys most of his stock from Diamond Distributors in the States, it seems the depressed world economy is affecting his business as well as people are spending less, cutting the amount of titles they read, and becoming more selective with the purchases. For comparison's sake, I saw the average $2.99 comic was selling for a little over 500 yen here. His best seller... IDW's Transformers series! I also noticed he didn't have any copies of X-Infernus #1 on his shelves. I hope he was sold out.
I then rendezvous'ed with Mutsumi and we dropped by Japan Railways to buy my Shinckansen tickets to Tokyo. I usually buy them back home in the States before I leave, but we got busy before we left and had to buy them here, which was more expensive. I bought roundtrip coach class tickets, but could have gotten first class seats for the same price had I bought them in New York prior to coming. Oh, well...
Then we headed home to meet my oldest Japanese friend, Izumi. Our plan was to hit Aidoru, which is my favorite restaurant EVER. Yes, I love it even more than Mos Burger. It's one of those places where if I ever had to choose a last meal, I would request it be at Aidoru. However, much to our shock and disappointment it was closed, the mother and daughter that run it having taken a rare day off. Arrrggghh!!
So we instead headed to one of Kobe's finest fish restaurants, one of the city's hidden gems, a little hole-in-the-wall run by an old couple who used to work in Kobe's once booming fish market. The menu changes almost daily and everything they serve is pretty much caught fresh each day, the chef using his old connections to get the best fish that comes in each morning. So we ate and drank and filled our bellies with the best the seas on both sides of Japan had to offer. And yes, there was fugu! Even the dreaded fugu liver no less! But that'll be a separate post as well.
I also got to try some super expensive sake, which runs about $500 a bottle I was told, courtesy of some old rich dude that wanted to buy me a drink. I tried to refuse but was told that I should just accept the drink, try it, thank him and get back to our table, which I did. I like sake and all, but it wasn't worth the money in my opinion.
To end the night we hit a new bar called Mishima that's run by an old buddy of Izumi's and has become kind of a local hot spot in Sannomiya, with Ichiro and other Kansai celebrities known to hang out there. It was empty on a Monday night so we got ourselves a nice area in the lounge and just hung out and drank the night away. It was there I was a shocked/disappointed/upset to hear that another old friend of ours had run into some recent financial trouble and unfortunately turned to some unsavory underground types for help. They got him out of his jam, but in return he's had to leave Kobe. Now he's working off his debt as a driver for the Yakuza in Tokyo. Thought maybe I could hook up with him next week, but I'm not really sure I want to get involved...
We got home in the wee hours and I found my computer was still on, so I went online for a bit. After a little surfing, I came to my senses and decided that on top of my main two rules of "Don't Drink and eBay" and "Don't Drink and E-mail", I now had to add a third: "Don't Drink and Twitter"!
How long until I'll have to add "Don't Drink and Blog"?
The day picked up from there though as we headed into Sannomiya, which I guess is what you'd consider the center/shopping/nightlife district of Kobe, for lack of a better explanation. Our first stop was the bank to get cash. The dollar to yen exchange rate now SUCKS and we couldn't have come over at worse time in terms of cost with the dollar being the weakest it's been in years here. It's 90 yen to the dollar now, compared to the 105 yen it was just a few months ago. So rather than take out dollars at this shitty exchange rate, and then also get hit with BS bank conversion charges and international fees, we decided it's better to dip into Mutsumi's Japanese savings this trip. So I finally feel like I have a Sugar Mommy! And it feels good!!
After that we headed straight to what I consider one of the few heavens on Earth, one of the greatest restaurants in the world... MOS BURGER! Yes, it's fast food and yes, it's a chain, but I still love it and it's hard to beat in terms of quality and taste. I've been eating at Mos for 17 years now and it's just as good today as it was the first time I had it. I'll be doing a separate post about Mos so all I'm gonna say about it here was that I had my usual order of a Mos Cheeseburger and a Chicken Burger and they were out of this world! The day got so much better with that first bite!!
After that Mutsumi hooked me up with some cash and I headed over to Junkodo, one of Japan's big book store chains to check out what was new in the world of manga, art books and magazines. Spent about an hour there and bought a few things you can check out if you scroll down.
Next I headed over to see my buddy Maeda-san who runs GUILD, one of the best American comic shops in Japan. Outside of Tokyo, Kobe is one of the most international and ethnically diverse cities in Japan, and GUILD feeds the comic and pop culture habits of the large foreign population here, making it one of the two or three best comic shops in the country. The shop was pretty busy for a Monday and I got to chat and catch up with Maeda-san briefly. Although the exchange rate is working in his favor as he buys most of his stock from Diamond Distributors in the States, it seems the depressed world economy is affecting his business as well as people are spending less, cutting the amount of titles they read, and becoming more selective with the purchases. For comparison's sake, I saw the average $2.99 comic was selling for a little over 500 yen here. His best seller... IDW's Transformers series! I also noticed he didn't have any copies of X-Infernus #1 on his shelves. I hope he was sold out.
I then rendezvous'ed with Mutsumi and we dropped by Japan Railways to buy my Shinckansen tickets to Tokyo. I usually buy them back home in the States before I leave, but we got busy before we left and had to buy them here, which was more expensive. I bought roundtrip coach class tickets, but could have gotten first class seats for the same price had I bought them in New York prior to coming. Oh, well...
Then we headed home to meet my oldest Japanese friend, Izumi. Our plan was to hit Aidoru, which is my favorite restaurant EVER. Yes, I love it even more than Mos Burger. It's one of those places where if I ever had to choose a last meal, I would request it be at Aidoru. However, much to our shock and disappointment it was closed, the mother and daughter that run it having taken a rare day off. Arrrggghh!!
So we instead headed to one of Kobe's finest fish restaurants, one of the city's hidden gems, a little hole-in-the-wall run by an old couple who used to work in Kobe's once booming fish market. The menu changes almost daily and everything they serve is pretty much caught fresh each day, the chef using his old connections to get the best fish that comes in each morning. So we ate and drank and filled our bellies with the best the seas on both sides of Japan had to offer. And yes, there was fugu! Even the dreaded fugu liver no less! But that'll be a separate post as well.
I also got to try some super expensive sake, which runs about $500 a bottle I was told, courtesy of some old rich dude that wanted to buy me a drink. I tried to refuse but was told that I should just accept the drink, try it, thank him and get back to our table, which I did. I like sake and all, but it wasn't worth the money in my opinion.
To end the night we hit a new bar called Mishima that's run by an old buddy of Izumi's and has become kind of a local hot spot in Sannomiya, with Ichiro and other Kansai celebrities known to hang out there. It was empty on a Monday night so we got ourselves a nice area in the lounge and just hung out and drank the night away. It was there I was a shocked/disappointed/upset to hear that another old friend of ours had run into some recent financial trouble and unfortunately turned to some unsavory underground types for help. They got him out of his jam, but in return he's had to leave Kobe. Now he's working off his debt as a driver for the Yakuza in Tokyo. Thought maybe I could hook up with him next week, but I'm not really sure I want to get involved...
We got home in the wee hours and I found my computer was still on, so I went online for a bit. After a little surfing, I came to my senses and decided that on top of my main two rules of "Don't Drink and eBay" and "Don't Drink and E-mail", I now had to add a third: "Don't Drink and Twitter"!
How long until I'll have to add "Don't Drink and Blog"?
Fantasy indeed
I just love that "geek" culture is such a prominent part of the overall Japanese culture that you can walk into a convenience store and the first thing you find staring back at you are Final Fantasy soda cans! Some designed by Yoshitaka Amano no less...
Corrections and Clarifications
Long time Chesterfest blog fan Benita Cebulski, a.k.a. my mom, wrote in to remind me that "a palette is for artists that paint; you're talking about a part of your mouth called and spelled palate!" Still correcting my grammar after all these years!
She also has a request: "I would have liked to see some photos of other things than food and beer!" Okay, mom, it's coming. Just keep reading...
In regards to the $25.00 movies, I found out that the tickets at that price are for assigned seating in the center of the theater in larger seats. Standard general admission tickets "only" run about $18.00. Still hurts my wallet at that price though. However, I saw Wednesdays are still Ladies' Days where women can get in for $10.00.
I also got a little explanation about the higher alcohol content "beers" that seems to be so popular here these days. I found out that technically it's not beer. The laws about beer here, particularly taxes on malt content, are strict and enforced, so the breweries use different processes to increase the potency and call it sparkling liquor or Happoshu instead, thereby skirting certain laws/taxes and creating a cheaper product by doing so. You can read more about it here if you want. Looking at my Strong Seven can, I see now it does say "liqueur" on it, not beer. Too weird! But if it tastes like beer...
She also has a request: "I would have liked to see some photos of other things than food and beer!" Okay, mom, it's coming. Just keep reading...
In regards to the $25.00 movies, I found out that the tickets at that price are for assigned seating in the center of the theater in larger seats. Standard general admission tickets "only" run about $18.00. Still hurts my wallet at that price though. However, I saw Wednesdays are still Ladies' Days where women can get in for $10.00.
I also got a little explanation about the higher alcohol content "beers" that seems to be so popular here these days. I found out that technically it's not beer. The laws about beer here, particularly taxes on malt content, are strict and enforced, so the breweries use different processes to increase the potency and call it sparkling liquor or Happoshu instead, thereby skirting certain laws/taxes and creating a cheaper product by doing so. You can read more about it here if you want. Looking at my Strong Seven can, I see now it does say "liqueur" on it, not beer. Too weird! But if it tastes like beer...
Oh so real
People have long marveled at how real the plastic food displays that Japanese restaurants put in their front windows to attract customers look. And this shot proves it's not just us humans who get be fooled by how real they look...
A poor choice of name?
This new product stood out at the pharmacy. Not something I'll be putting in my body...
A little afternoon shopping
Picked up three things on my first day out and about town yesterday...
Bathing Ape's BAPE KIDS Winter Collection catalog came out. Comes with stickers and a Milo bento box. Still looking for the adult Winter Collection catalog though as it was sold out down here.
Naoki Urasawa's new artbook's out! It collects a lot of his color illustrations from Monster, Pluto and all this other manga masterpieces. Definitely worth the 3000 yen!
And lastly, I scored the first volume of Kuru Neko, a collection of four panel manga strips about cats. Heard nothing but good things about this one and so far it's been an entertaining read.
Bathing Ape's BAPE KIDS Winter Collection catalog came out. Comes with stickers and a Milo bento box. Still looking for the adult Winter Collection catalog though as it was sold out down here.
Naoki Urasawa's new artbook's out! It collects a lot of his color illustrations from Monster, Pluto and all this other manga masterpieces. Definitely worth the 3000 yen!
And lastly, I scored the first volume of Kuru Neko, a collection of four panel manga strips about cats. Heard nothing but good things about this one and so far it's been an entertaining read.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Speaking of Newspapers
As I mentioned them yesterday and people have been asking for examples about what kind of news is being reported, here's a quick recap of today's headlines from the two papers I read...
From The Japan Times:
Corporate malaise deepest since '74
Nomura's Madoff hit: 28 billion yen
Redress nixed over Isahaya Bay project
Abhisit named new Thailand prime minister
Bush created loophole on executive pay in U.S.
Steelers outlast Raven
Sorenstam closes career with birdie putt
From The Daily Yomiuri
Business confidence dives 21 pts
Bush: Iraq war not over
Opposition leader becomes Thai premier
Ichiro, Matsuzaka head list of WBC candidates
Gamba earns clash with Man U.
Steelers top Ravens, take AFC North
From The Japan Times:
Corporate malaise deepest since '74
Nomura's Madoff hit: 28 billion yen
Redress nixed over Isahaya Bay project
Abhisit named new Thailand prime minister
Bush created loophole on executive pay in U.S.
Steelers outlast Raven
Sorenstam closes career with birdie putt
From The Daily Yomiuri
Business confidence dives 21 pts
Bush: Iraq war not over
Opposition leader becomes Thai premier
Ichiro, Matsuzaka head list of WBC candidates
Gamba earns clash with Man U.
Steelers top Ravens, take AFC North
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Beer!
At times it seems like the Japanese breweries release new beers on a weekly basis. And I usually make it my mission to try as many as possible while I'm here!
I'm only two days in to this trip, but I already have a new favorite, STRONG SEVEN...
Most Japanese beers, like my beloved Asahi Super Dry, contain 5% alcohol. However, the new trend here has been to start releasing stronger beers with higher alcohol contents. So far, this new entry from Kirin, clearly named for its 7% potency, is leading the pack. Unlike the other higher percentage beers now on the market, this one has a smooth, crisp taste that doesn't overpower your palette like some of the others do. Highly recommended!
My favorite can design so far goes to Clear Asahi, whose tallboys are made to look "clear", so you can try and imagine you're holding a glass of frosty brew...
I'm only two days in to this trip, but I already have a new favorite, STRONG SEVEN...
Most Japanese beers, like my beloved Asahi Super Dry, contain 5% alcohol. However, the new trend here has been to start releasing stronger beers with higher alcohol contents. So far, this new entry from Kirin, clearly named for its 7% potency, is leading the pack. Unlike the other higher percentage beers now on the market, this one has a smooth, crisp taste that doesn't overpower your palette like some of the others do. Highly recommended!
My favorite can design so far goes to Clear Asahi, whose tallboys are made to look "clear", so you can try and imagine you're holding a glass of frosty brew...
Sunday Food Fest
In addition to my Japanese baked breakfast treats, my mother made an omelet stuffed with suji, which is beef tendon and tastes SO MUCH better than it sounds, konnyaku (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konnyaku) and scallions.
Dinner was a feast of sashimi (chu-toro, kanpachi, hotate, tako and katsuo) and shabu shabu, which is a traditional Japanese dish where you cook meat and vegetables in a hot pot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabu_shabu). Apologies in advance for the poor pic...
My mother-in-law also found some simply AMAZING kimchi at a Korean market, some of the best I've ever had. Not too sour or tart, not too spicy... it was just perfect!
Dinner was a feast of sashimi (chu-toro, kanpachi, hotate, tako and katsuo) and shabu shabu, which is a traditional Japanese dish where you cook meat and vegetables in a hot pot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabu_shabu). Apologies in advance for the poor pic...
My mother-in-law also found some simply AMAZING kimchi at a Korean market, some of the best I've ever had. Not too sour or tart, not too spicy... it was just perfect!
Lazy Sunday
As I mentioned earlier, I sleep on planes. As soon as I get on and take my seat, always a window, I fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly, sometimes for the entire duration of the flight. Slept the whole Tokyo - JFK route once, 13 hours straight, and the stewardess woke me up only when I was the last person left on the plane, still snoring. Some people call it a gift, and I have to admit, it does help greatly with all the traveling I do, as it means I usually never suffer from jet lag. And that's how it went this trip as well, I got about 10 hours of sleep between both flights. So I woke up early yesterday morning fresh as a daisy and began my lazy Japanese Sunday.
I have a daily morning routine I follow when I'm here. Shortly after waking up, I leave the house and walk to Popura, our corner convenience store, where I buy a warm can of Cafe Au Lait. I crack it open and drink as I continue on to the train station, about four blocks away, where they carry English language newspapers. I buy the Japan Times and the Daily Yomiuri. I then proceed to my favorite bakery where I've been going for years and where they make the best "pastries" I know. I put the word in quotation marks there as the shop doesn't really make pastry as you know it, not sweet stuff anyway, but rather uses ingredients like bacon, ham, corn, sausage, potatoes, curry and cheese in these amazing rolls and breads. They're not really sandwiches either. I'll post pics to show you. After that, I head home and have another cup of coffee while I read the papers and eat my bakery breakfast. I began this ritual again yesterday and it felt immediately comfortable.
Even after two years, our neighborhood is exactly the same as it was when we were last here, with only a couple new additions: a new cake shop and a new seafood joint, part of some national chain which my mother-in-law says sucks.
I love the newspapers here because they give me an interesting perspective on the world I don't usually get in the States, even from an "international" news source like CNN. The reporters that work for the English language papers here, as well as the people who read them, are from all around the globe and cover world news from every country and every possible angle you can imagine. While the front page headline is usually about Japan, the papers are then divided by region, so I get news and op/ed from Europe, Asian, Australia, and plenty of other places, along with the usual big updates and human interest pieces from the States. Soccer, F-1 and rugby results usually take precedence over baseball and basketball scores in the sports section. Plus, the comics and editorial cartoons have a broad international diversity to them as well. We still get Dilbert though.
Anyway, rather than just sit around the house all day yesterday, we decided to venture out for a walk and headed down to this new mall they built to buy a new vacuum cleaner. (See how exciting life is here?!) The mall was surprisingly big by Japanese standards, with an enormous Yamada Denki (think Best Buy), a Sports Authority, Uni Qlo, Kansai Supermarket, McDonalds, ABC Store, Babies R' Us, and what surprised me the most, a new 10 screen movie theater! Most of the U.S. movies playing were a little dated, like Blindness and Tropic Thunder, and I was pretty surprised to see the John Cusack/Sam Jackson thriller 1408 had just opened! Quantum of Solace and The Day The Earth Stood Still are on the way. However, what shocked me most was the price of movies here these days... $25.00 a ticket!! I thought it was expensive the last time I went to a see film here, which was Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai, for $15.00, but today's prices are just ridiculous! Good thing you're allowed to bring your own food and drinks into the theater with you. (But truth be told, that gets pretty annoying as well with people unwrapping food and crunching McDonalds bags and making all kinds of noise as most of the audience is reading the subtitles and don't give two shits about the people who actually want to hear the movie in English!)
We didn't get the vacuum as my mother-in-law couldn't find the one she saw on TV that she wanted. I didn't go home empty-handed though as I picked up were a few Japanese design mags at the bookstore. Oh, and we got groceries for dinner at the supermarket, which I'll post pictures of right after this. We also hit the drug store, where I picked up a bottle of my favorite shaving cream and tube of the only toothpaste I ever use. Regular blog readers here may recall my affinity for Japanese hygiene products, and that I've only used Gatsby Shaving Cream and Clean Clear Citrus toothpaste for the past 10 years or so. Yeah, I'm a creature of habit, even when those habits mean coming halfway around the world to find the toiletries I like. I also discovered a new shampoo I like, Asience, and these new hard Q-tips that work wonderfully.
Sunday night TV in Japan sucks. There was nothing on. So I caught part of the Gamba Osaka vs. Adelaide soccer game until Mutsumi and her mom wanted to watch some historical samurai drama. So I fired up this new laptop and dove further into the second season of Battlestar Galactica. I know I'm late to the BSG party, but man, the show just keeps getting better! Those Battlestar Pegasus episodes were amazing!! Loved Admiral Cain. It does not let up and you never know which way the story's gonna twist and turn. Simply awesome writing and acting!!
And that was day two... bored yet?
I have a daily morning routine I follow when I'm here. Shortly after waking up, I leave the house and walk to Popura, our corner convenience store, where I buy a warm can of Cafe Au Lait. I crack it open and drink as I continue on to the train station, about four blocks away, where they carry English language newspapers. I buy the Japan Times and the Daily Yomiuri. I then proceed to my favorite bakery where I've been going for years and where they make the best "pastries" I know. I put the word in quotation marks there as the shop doesn't really make pastry as you know it, not sweet stuff anyway, but rather uses ingredients like bacon, ham, corn, sausage, potatoes, curry and cheese in these amazing rolls and breads. They're not really sandwiches either. I'll post pics to show you. After that, I head home and have another cup of coffee while I read the papers and eat my bakery breakfast. I began this ritual again yesterday and it felt immediately comfortable.
Even after two years, our neighborhood is exactly the same as it was when we were last here, with only a couple new additions: a new cake shop and a new seafood joint, part of some national chain which my mother-in-law says sucks.
I love the newspapers here because they give me an interesting perspective on the world I don't usually get in the States, even from an "international" news source like CNN. The reporters that work for the English language papers here, as well as the people who read them, are from all around the globe and cover world news from every country and every possible angle you can imagine. While the front page headline is usually about Japan, the papers are then divided by region, so I get news and op/ed from Europe, Asian, Australia, and plenty of other places, along with the usual big updates and human interest pieces from the States. Soccer, F-1 and rugby results usually take precedence over baseball and basketball scores in the sports section. Plus, the comics and editorial cartoons have a broad international diversity to them as well. We still get Dilbert though.
Anyway, rather than just sit around the house all day yesterday, we decided to venture out for a walk and headed down to this new mall they built to buy a new vacuum cleaner. (See how exciting life is here?!) The mall was surprisingly big by Japanese standards, with an enormous Yamada Denki (think Best Buy), a Sports Authority, Uni Qlo, Kansai Supermarket, McDonalds, ABC Store, Babies R' Us, and what surprised me the most, a new 10 screen movie theater! Most of the U.S. movies playing were a little dated, like Blindness and Tropic Thunder, and I was pretty surprised to see the John Cusack/Sam Jackson thriller 1408 had just opened! Quantum of Solace and The Day The Earth Stood Still are on the way. However, what shocked me most was the price of movies here these days... $25.00 a ticket!! I thought it was expensive the last time I went to a see film here, which was Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai, for $15.00, but today's prices are just ridiculous! Good thing you're allowed to bring your own food and drinks into the theater with you. (But truth be told, that gets pretty annoying as well with people unwrapping food and crunching McDonalds bags and making all kinds of noise as most of the audience is reading the subtitles and don't give two shits about the people who actually want to hear the movie in English!)
We didn't get the vacuum as my mother-in-law couldn't find the one she saw on TV that she wanted. I didn't go home empty-handed though as I picked up were a few Japanese design mags at the bookstore. Oh, and we got groceries for dinner at the supermarket, which I'll post pictures of right after this. We also hit the drug store, where I picked up a bottle of my favorite shaving cream and tube of the only toothpaste I ever use. Regular blog readers here may recall my affinity for Japanese hygiene products, and that I've only used Gatsby Shaving Cream and Clean Clear Citrus toothpaste for the past 10 years or so. Yeah, I'm a creature of habit, even when those habits mean coming halfway around the world to find the toiletries I like. I also discovered a new shampoo I like, Asience, and these new hard Q-tips that work wonderfully.
Sunday night TV in Japan sucks. There was nothing on. So I caught part of the Gamba Osaka vs. Adelaide soccer game until Mutsumi and her mom wanted to watch some historical samurai drama. So I fired up this new laptop and dove further into the second season of Battlestar Galactica. I know I'm late to the BSG party, but man, the show just keeps getting better! Those Battlestar Pegasus episodes were amazing!! Loved Admiral Cain. It does not let up and you never know which way the story's gonna twist and turn. Simply awesome writing and acting!!
And that was day two... bored yet?
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Kobe Quick Pix - Day One
Arrived without a hitch at Kansai International Airport in Osaka. Waiting for the bus...
...to take us to Kobe, where my mother-in-law had a nice home-cooked meal waiting for us. Or uncooked, if you count the octopus!
She'd been stewing the oden for two days...
...and it always tastes best when washed down with a super cold Asahi Super Dry!
Tasted so good I could kiss it. And I did.
...to take us to Kobe, where my mother-in-law had a nice home-cooked meal waiting for us. Or uncooked, if you count the octopus!
She'd been stewing the oden for two days...
...and it always tastes best when washed down with a super cold Asahi Super Dry!
Tasted so good I could kiss it. And I did.
Next Stop: Nippon
I’ve been Twittering more and more recently and in turn have simply let this blog turn into a series of posts about my upcoming projects and writing work. But now that I’m in Japan for a month, I’m gonna try and get back on track with daily posts of a more personal nature. I’m sure I’ll slip every now and again given the holiday season and certain commitments I have over here, but I’m gonna do my best to keep this blog regularly updated from now through January. Also, to make things easier, in the spirit of Twitter, I’ll try and write a little more freely, more train-of-thought if you will, rather than struggle over every phrase and sentence.
So yes, I’m back in Japan. While I was in Tokyo last year on business (Afro Samurai: Resurrection on sale February 3rd!), Mutsumi hasn’t been back in two years. Therefore, we decided to make this an extended stay so she could spend some much-needed and long overdue time with her family and friends here in Kobe.
Despite heavy rain in NYC and freezing cold and snow in Detroit, our flights were thankfully on time and uneventful. We flew Northwest, which I haven’t been on in years due to certain past problems with them, but not much had changed. We were on an older plane, so no personal entertainment systems, which kinda sucked, but I sleep on planes anyway, so it didn’t really bother me. I did wake up at one point and watched Fred Claus, which had a moment or two but was nothing worth wasting two hours on if I hadn’t been trapped in an airborne metal can. Looking at the menu, their crappy meals were exactly the same ones they were years ago. One new stitch was that they were charging for drinks! Five bucks for a beer on an international flight I already paid $1800 for?!! And as with past flights to Japan, I again noticed that the flight attendants were all elderly grandmother types, not one under 50, I would guess. So do the stewardesses with seniority request the long hauls or are they dumped on them as no one else wants them?
Thanks to American Express we got into the Northwest WorldClubs at both LaGuardia and Detroit, which was nice. We had morning flights, so it was too early to take advantage of the free open bar, although I was tempted to have one Bloody Mary. The free wireless was a great perk though, and I was able to catch up on some work and e-mail comfortably and free of charge in both lounges.
We landed at Kansai International early and while Mutsumi got right through Immigration, new procedures for foreigners meant long lines for me. Just like the States requires now, all foreign visitors needed to be fingerprinted and photographed upon entry in Japan, even those of us married to Japanese nationals and already registered here. I have to admit it bothered me at first, and I felt a little violated even, but looking at it from the other side of the table, I know why they’re doing it. So I pressed my index fingers down on the NEC finger scanners and smiled for their camera. The nice Immigration lady didn’t make me take my Spidey baseball cap off though so at least I don’t have bed head in my mug shot.
Got a laugh in line while waiting though as some young know-it-all, ex-pat kid tried to tell me what it was like for foreigners in Japan. Turns out he was an ex-JET like me, having just finished his run, and was returning to be with his girlfriend, who he met while teaching here in Shimane. As I remembered what that was like, I just smiled and listened as he lectured me about what to expect as an American visiting Japan and offered me advice on how to get by during my stay, assuming I knew nothing about the language and culture. Thanks, pal!
As Mutsumi’s mother doesn’t drive and we didn’t want to disturb any of our friends on a Saturday night, we got the airport bus without any problems and headed into Kobe. As we crossed the bridge into Osaka, I felt old for some reason. Jaded. I’ve done this trip so many times now, it’s nothing new for me, and I kind of resented being an old hat at it at that moment. I still clearly remember when I stepped out of Itami Airport back in ‘91 and how magical Japan was for me that very first time, with its bright neon lights and Japanese chatter and cars that drove on the wrong side of the road. Sometimes I wish I could go back and experience it all over, fresh and new again like that.
We got to the apartment around 7:30 PM and my mother-in-law was waiting for us. It was a nice reunion for Mutsumi and her mom as they’re close and had a lot of catching up to do, in person now after two long years of nothing but phone calls.
Dinner was on the table, and as usual, it was a cornucopia of my favorite foods. Yes, my mother-in-law spoils me to no end! Two types of karage (fried chicken), two types of shumai (dumplings), tako-su (sliced octopus in vinegar), and a big heaping pot of oden, which is a Japanese winter stew, simply put. Not the fanciest of meals, but more of what I consider comfort food for my first meal back. And beer, of course, Asahi Super Dry.
We spent the even eating and chatting and gossiping about all that was going on in our lives. We then unpacked and gave her mom the Zabar’s coffee, rugelach and chocolates she asked we bring from New York and had a very non-Japanese dessert.
Although we technically have three bedrooms in our apartment here, the sleeping arrangements when we visit always end up being a challenge. There’s a single bed in each bedroom, which usually go to Mutsumi and her mom, with me getting stuck on a futon on the floor in the tatami room. I don’t mind sleeping on the futon, but the thin-walled room is near the kitchen and laundry room and Mutsumi’s mom is an early-riser, which means I’m usually woken up at 4:30AM when she starts cooking and cleaning. So this year, after my suggestion that her mother just learn to stay up later and sleep later was overruled, we worked out a rotating system that will hopefully make everyone happy, with me getting the bed this week. We’ll see…
So that was my first day back. Loads of excitement, I know, eh? I’ve got some pictures I’ll be posting soon, and hopefully more exciting reports in the days and weeks to come, including trips to Tokyo and Kyoto, which are guaranteed to be dangerously fun.
Welcome to my life in Japan. It’ll get more interesting… I promise!
So yes, I’m back in Japan. While I was in Tokyo last year on business (Afro Samurai: Resurrection on sale February 3rd!), Mutsumi hasn’t been back in two years. Therefore, we decided to make this an extended stay so she could spend some much-needed and long overdue time with her family and friends here in Kobe.
Despite heavy rain in NYC and freezing cold and snow in Detroit, our flights were thankfully on time and uneventful. We flew Northwest, which I haven’t been on in years due to certain past problems with them, but not much had changed. We were on an older plane, so no personal entertainment systems, which kinda sucked, but I sleep on planes anyway, so it didn’t really bother me. I did wake up at one point and watched Fred Claus, which had a moment or two but was nothing worth wasting two hours on if I hadn’t been trapped in an airborne metal can. Looking at the menu, their crappy meals were exactly the same ones they were years ago. One new stitch was that they were charging for drinks! Five bucks for a beer on an international flight I already paid $1800 for?!! And as with past flights to Japan, I again noticed that the flight attendants were all elderly grandmother types, not one under 50, I would guess. So do the stewardesses with seniority request the long hauls or are they dumped on them as no one else wants them?
Thanks to American Express we got into the Northwest WorldClubs at both LaGuardia and Detroit, which was nice. We had morning flights, so it was too early to take advantage of the free open bar, although I was tempted to have one Bloody Mary. The free wireless was a great perk though, and I was able to catch up on some work and e-mail comfortably and free of charge in both lounges.
We landed at Kansai International early and while Mutsumi got right through Immigration, new procedures for foreigners meant long lines for me. Just like the States requires now, all foreign visitors needed to be fingerprinted and photographed upon entry in Japan, even those of us married to Japanese nationals and already registered here. I have to admit it bothered me at first, and I felt a little violated even, but looking at it from the other side of the table, I know why they’re doing it. So I pressed my index fingers down on the NEC finger scanners and smiled for their camera. The nice Immigration lady didn’t make me take my Spidey baseball cap off though so at least I don’t have bed head in my mug shot.
Got a laugh in line while waiting though as some young know-it-all, ex-pat kid tried to tell me what it was like for foreigners in Japan. Turns out he was an ex-JET like me, having just finished his run, and was returning to be with his girlfriend, who he met while teaching here in Shimane. As I remembered what that was like, I just smiled and listened as he lectured me about what to expect as an American visiting Japan and offered me advice on how to get by during my stay, assuming I knew nothing about the language and culture. Thanks, pal!
As Mutsumi’s mother doesn’t drive and we didn’t want to disturb any of our friends on a Saturday night, we got the airport bus without any problems and headed into Kobe. As we crossed the bridge into Osaka, I felt old for some reason. Jaded. I’ve done this trip so many times now, it’s nothing new for me, and I kind of resented being an old hat at it at that moment. I still clearly remember when I stepped out of Itami Airport back in ‘91 and how magical Japan was for me that very first time, with its bright neon lights and Japanese chatter and cars that drove on the wrong side of the road. Sometimes I wish I could go back and experience it all over, fresh and new again like that.
We got to the apartment around 7:30 PM and my mother-in-law was waiting for us. It was a nice reunion for Mutsumi and her mom as they’re close and had a lot of catching up to do, in person now after two long years of nothing but phone calls.
Dinner was on the table, and as usual, it was a cornucopia of my favorite foods. Yes, my mother-in-law spoils me to no end! Two types of karage (fried chicken), two types of shumai (dumplings), tako-su (sliced octopus in vinegar), and a big heaping pot of oden, which is a Japanese winter stew, simply put. Not the fanciest of meals, but more of what I consider comfort food for my first meal back. And beer, of course, Asahi Super Dry.
We spent the even eating and chatting and gossiping about all that was going on in our lives. We then unpacked and gave her mom the Zabar’s coffee, rugelach and chocolates she asked we bring from New York and had a very non-Japanese dessert.
Although we technically have three bedrooms in our apartment here, the sleeping arrangements when we visit always end up being a challenge. There’s a single bed in each bedroom, which usually go to Mutsumi and her mom, with me getting stuck on a futon on the floor in the tatami room. I don’t mind sleeping on the futon, but the thin-walled room is near the kitchen and laundry room and Mutsumi’s mom is an early-riser, which means I’m usually woken up at 4:30AM when she starts cooking and cleaning. So this year, after my suggestion that her mother just learn to stay up later and sleep later was overruled, we worked out a rotating system that will hopefully make everyone happy, with me getting the bed this week. We’ll see…
So that was my first day back. Loads of excitement, I know, eh? I’ve got some pictures I’ll be posting soon, and hopefully more exciting reports in the days and weeks to come, including trips to Tokyo and Kyoto, which are guaranteed to be dangerously fun.
Welcome to my life in Japan. It’ll get more interesting… I promise!
X-Infernus #1 Goes Back to Print!!
X-Infernus Heats Up And Explodes With A Second Printing!
Marvel is please to announce that X-Infernus #1 (of 4) has sold out at Diamond (though copies may be available at the retail level) and will return with X-Infernus #1 (of 4) Second Printing Variant! Join fan-favorite writer C.B. Cebulski and red-hot artist Giuseppe Camuncoli as they promise to make this one of the hottest winters in recent memory with the return of Illyana Rasputin! When fans last saw the Darkchylde, she had claimed the throne of Limbo as her own. Now, she wants her soul back and nothing will stand in her way, not demons, not the X-Men, not even Colossus! She’s ready to raise hell and her rampage will lead her straight to Earth. And once the flames have settled, the X-Men will never be the same again! Plus, an all new eye-popping cover, featuring the interior art of Giuseppe Camuncoli!
The reviews are in and both fans and critics agree: X-Infernus is a hit!
“This is a heck of a first issue and the creators really get the ball rolling.” – Paul Steven Brown, ComicAddiction.com
“C. B. Cebulski has made X-Infernus #1 accessible, dramatic, and fun.” – Timothy Callahan, ComicBookResources.com
“Camuncoli does a great job of storytelling” – Daniel Crown, IGN.com
Marvel urges retailers to check their orders on future issues of X-Infernus as the first issue sold out quickly at Diamond. And, this January, there will be hell to pay when Illyana Rasputin battles the X-Men in X-Infernus #2 (of 4)! And don’t miss X-Infernus #1 (of 4) Second Printing Variant!
X-INFERNUS #1 (of 4) SECOND PRINTING VARIANT (OCT088195)
Written by C.B. Cebulski
Penciled by Giuseppe Camuncoli
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC—12/18/08, On-Sale—01/14/09
X-INFERNUS #2 (of 4) (NOV082411)
Written by C.B. Cebulski
Penciled by Giuseppe Camuncoli
Cover by DAVID FINCH
Rated T+ …$3.99
FOC—12/18/08, On-Sale—01/07/09
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
YTHAQ 1 Shipped This Week
Ooops, I completely forgot that YTHAQ: The Forsaken World #1 shipped this week! It's a wonderful sci-fi adventure written by Christophe Arleston with art by Adrien Floch, to which I provided the English adaptation. There's a U.S. exclusive Floch variant cover to boot! Hope you'll check it out...
Sunday, December 07, 2008
"What if the Runaways...
...had become the Young Avengers" continues this week as the back-up story in WHAT IF FALLEN SON?, hitting stores this Wednesday, December 10th. Written by me, drawn by Patrick Spaziante, colored by Christina Strain. Hope you'll all give it a look. Thanks!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
I Always Wanted A Threesome
I actually have three comics hitting shops this week...
X-INFERNUS #1, by me, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Jesse Delperdang and Marte Gracia, with a kick-ass David Finch cover...
X-INFERNUS also features an awesome J. Scott Campbell variant cover as a bonus...
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #4 with a Mercury/X-23 story by me, Andre Coehlo and Rain Beredo...
And last but not least, all this month's issues of WHAT IF? will feature an inter-connecting back-up story by me, Patrick Spaziante and Christina Strain telling the tale of "What if the Runaways had become the Young Avengers?". It launches in this week's WHAT IF HOUSE OF M...
X-INFERNUS #1, by me, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Jesse Delperdang and Marte Gracia, with a kick-ass David Finch cover...
X-INFERNUS also features an awesome J. Scott Campbell variant cover as a bonus...
X-MEN: MANIFEST DESTINY #4 with a Mercury/X-23 story by me, Andre Coehlo and Rain Beredo...
And last but not least, all this month's issues of WHAT IF? will feature an inter-connecting back-up story by me, Patrick Spaziante and Christina Strain telling the tale of "What if the Runaways had become the Young Avengers?". It launches in this week's WHAT IF HOUSE OF M...
Some X-Infernus Links
My "Setting the Stage for X-Infernus" interview over on Newsarama: http://www.newsarama.com/comics/120803-X-Infernus.html
A sneak peek at David Finch's sweet X-Infernus 2 cover: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=24492
And an advance review from SBC: http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/122825647587401.htm
A sneak peek at David Finch's sweet X-Infernus 2 cover: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=24492
And an advance review from SBC: http://www.comicsbulletin.com/reviews/122825647587401.htm
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