In his Westfield column, KC runs down some exciting books coming out in April, including those from Dynamite, Fantagraphics, Image, IDW, Dark Horse, and of course, DC and Marvel. Find out which company’s new project is said to look like “drums of radioactive waste”! And not for the reason you’d expect.

I’m experimenting this year, putting up this list of movies I watched this past month that I didn’t talk about elsewhere. I find it fun to share my short thoughts on these; hopefully readers will too.

Movies

Arise, My Love (1940) — I’ve liked Ray Milland since I saw The Major and the Minor; this political romantic comedy pairs him with Claudette Colbert in a little-known film notable for being co-written by Billy Wilder. It’s very much of its time, both in tackling the questions of World War II before the U.S. was officially involved and in showing a woman as an equal partner to a man, both professionally (she’s a reporter) and personally (she doesn’t take his guff).

Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile (1978) — My favorite Agatha Christie movie, with an amazing all-star cast. (I like it better than Murder on the Orient Express because I like Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot better than Albert Finney.) A nearly unsolvable mystery starring Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Mia Farrow, and Manimal (Simon MacCorkindale).

Eyes Wide Shut (1999) — the most boring orgy movie possible, but I’m not a Kubrick fan. I did expect it to be more equal between the partners, instead of being just his story. Watched it because it was a Christmas movie, and the decorations are lovely.

The Ghost Writer (2010) — I didn’t realize this was a Polanski film until it was over, or I wouldn’t have watched it. It provided what I expected from an “important” movie; it was slower than I would have liked, and at the end, not much had really happened. But Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan were in it.

John Loves Mary (1949) — A Ronald Reagan film that has him returning from the war to fiancee Patricia Neal. The premise — he married the girlfriend of the buddy who saved his life overseas in order to get her into the country, only to find the buddy didn’t really care that much about her — should have been light and frothy, but it winds up dull, and all the scenes take longer than they should. Slow and ponderous.

Just You and Me, Kid (1979) — I recall watching this I don’t know how many times on HBO one summer as a youngster, so it was interesting to revisit. George Burns and Brooke Shields star in a labored odd-couple caper. He’s a retired vaudevillian full of stories, a wonderful portrait of nostalgia. She learns to care about others, although she’s out of her depth playing a hard-boiled orphan on the lam from a drug dealer. In a supporting role is Chris Knight, still looking like Peter Brady. More interesting are the old pros who play Burns’ buddies, including Ray Bolger, Carl Ballantine, Keye Luke, and Burl Ives. Better than I feared it might be, mostly due to Burns’ character’s stories and props.

The Unguarded Hour (1936) — I don’t recall much about this Loretta Young oldie at this point. There’s some blackmail. It felt like one of those movies where the plot changes abruptly in the last 15 minutes because back then, you couldn’t have a star do anything really bad.

That Uncertain Feeling (1941) — Lesser Lubitsch. Melvyn Douglas and Merle Oberon are married, only she wants to run away with Burgess Meredith because he’s more artistic and interesting. That in itself shows one of the big problems with the film: I thought the only well-cast role was Douglas. Eve Arden is nice in a supporting role as a legal secretary.

DVDs

Bad Girls From Valley High — Julie Benz and Monica Keena are two snobby high school girls who get cursed into prematurely aging. Janet Leigh’s final movie, sadly. This was the 4th on a $5 four-pack of school movies.

The Big Bang Theory Season 4

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs — Very well-written and great voice cast, especially Anna Faris as the former nerd who feels she has to hide her smarts.

Community Season 2 — It’s so sad not to have more of this show available regularly. I hope NBC brings it back soon.

Dave — An amazing job by Kevin Kline playing two people who look alike but clearly have different personalties, conveyed by the way he carries himself. It’s The Prisoner of Zenda recast in the American Presidency. Hard to believe this movie is 20 years old.

Good News (Warner Archive) — This disc includes the movie trailer, two numbers from the earlier 1930 version (starring Penny Singleton, better known as the movie’s Blondie), and a deleted number, which was surprising. Classic old-school musical with huge, colorful numbers featuring a cast of 40 or so, led by the gone-too-soon Joan McCracken.

From the Warner Archive Jean Harlow set: The Girl From Missouri, Reckless, Suzy, Personal Property

Leave Her to Heaven — One of those old movies that seems surprised that beautiful women can be evil, but with gorgeous old-school production design and rich colors.

Monsters vs. Aliens — Disappointing and predictable.

The Shadow — Wow, look at young, hairy Alex Baldwin (his first scenes feature him shirtless). This is a pulp film, which makes it true to its roots, but an enjoyable trifle for a Sunday afternoon, with gorgeous period sets and costumes — and what a cast! Ian McKellan, Penelope Ann Miller, Peter Boyle, Tim Curry, Jonathan Winters, and more.

Sleeping Beauty

27 Dresses — I like James Marsden, what can I say?

Otomen Book 12

Otomen Book 12

by Aya Kanno, $9.99, Viz

Ah, if Otomen has returned, warmer weather must be on its way, since we saw the previous volume at the end of last summer. That’s appropriate, since this is a lighter book, better read in a balmy frame of mind.

Since Asuka’s mother has been cracking down at school, enforcing rigid gender roles, Asuka and his friends have escaped to a men-only baking class to avoid the pressure placed by living up to old-fashioned stereotypes. The panel where Asuka ponders how good life would be “if we didn’t have to run and hide… if we could tell people who we really are…” will strike a chord with most teens. Everyone has secrets they’re taught to be embarrassed about, and seeing a light-hearted take on how to be happier being yourself is a welcome escape from the worries.

Much of the book deals with Asuka’s discovery of the truth about his father, who’s been gone for much of his life. There’s a kidnapping, to force things even more dramatically, and the combination of pastry and criminals reminded me of Antique Bakery, in a good way. The sparse panels, full of full-face reaction shots, make for a quick page-turner.

Dawn of the Arcana Book 2

Dawn of the Arcana Book 2

by Rei Toma, $9.99, Viz

The royal couple, married for political reasons, find themselves misunderstanding each other frequently. Prince Caesar tries to give his new wife a gift that would please her, but fancy clothes and a shopping trip don’t matter to Nakaba. The small incidents, simply told, are given more significance through the foreboding, “had I but known then”-style narration. We’re told that her happiness was short-lived, and she should have never have forgotten that she was living in an enemy kingdom.

We start getting hints of the melodrama as Nakaba begins having prophetic dreams, although she doesn’t always know how to interpret them. Meanwhile, her companion Loki confides in her his desire to overthrow the kingdom to free his people, even murdering the prince if necessary. So Nakaba, like a typical shojo heroine, founds herself torn between two pretty men — only the consequences are life-threatening in this historical fantasy.

She’s accused by the queen, confused by her roiling emotions for her husband, stupidly loyal to her assistant, struggling to understand her new powers, and finally, finding herself overwhelmed by stolen kisses. Girls should love it.

@Full Moon Book 2

@Full Moon Book 2

by Sanami Matoh, $10.99, Kodansha Comics

Second and final volume of this series, but it’s a sequel to the two-volume Until the Full Moon series, originally brought to the U.S. by Broccoli Books in 2005 and republished last year by Kodansha.

It’s goofy. Marlo is a half-vampire, half-werewolf guy who becomes a girl under the full moon. She/He has married childhood friend David, who’s a doctor and also a vampire. However, in this book, little witch Mona has cast a spell keeping Marlo female, which frustrates her/him immensely.

The art is full with detail, costume, setting, and characters. There’s plenty to look at, which is good, since I wasn’t always sure I was keeping track properly of the various cast members and their schemes. (That’s my fault, for trying to start with what’s effectively the fourth book in the series, but that’s the one I had.) Still, I can see why this is appealing; the romantic scenes are hot, and the light-hearted tone is a welcome change from traumatized, brooding vamps.

The new element in this volume is stalker Ingrid kidnapping David, so Marlo has to find and get him back. That happens relatively quickly, so this is a good manga for readers who don’t like drawn-out plots. Every few pages, there’s something else happening or a new person introduced. With the misunderstandings and the crushes, it’s kind of like a really twisted Archie comic.

Arisa Book 6

Arisa Book 6

by Natsumi Ando, $10.99, Kodansha Comics

Having missed a couple of books since I last read the series, I was hoping I’d be able to catch up, but apparently more happened there than I realized. However, the mystery doesn’t seem to have progressed any further.

I think there’s a disconnect between what I was hoping for with this series and what the author wants to do. I wanted to follow an actual mystery, with clues and progression on finding out who the King is; Ando seems to want to use the framework to tell stories about teen friendship without advancing our understanding of the underlying setup. Which is her right, of course, but it’s not the series I’m looking to read, because I’ve seen plenty of that already.

This volume tells the story of Shizuka, who has a bunch of the special King cellphones, and she struggles with how to use them. She’s after some kind of revenge, but Tsubasa thinks being friendly can defuse her. A bunch of characters then talk about friendship and whether it’s pretending or not. If you’re looking for a lot of emotional showdowns that don’t accomplish much, this is the series for you. I liked best the two bonus stories. One is a flashback to seeing the younger twins together; the other is a short in which the artist talks about taking a research trip.

The Story of Saiunkoku Book 6

The Story of Saiunkoku Book 6

by Sai Yukino and Kairi Yura, $9.99, Viz

These characters are really pretty, all the more so in the color two-page spread that opens the book. I’m glad I had that eye candy to tide me over, since the book opens with the conclusion of a fight I didn’t remember starting in the previous volume. Soon enough, though, that’s settled, and we’re back to Shurei’s quest to become a civil servant in a world that doesn’t believe females should be allowed in that role. With the help of the city’s leading courtesan, who gives her makeup lessons, because she is told to remember she’s still a woman.

However, passing the nation’s service exam is only the beginning. Performing well on a test doesn’t convince the bigots that she belongs in the work, and obstacles keep being placed in her way by those who hold grudges. Of course, she keeps a good attitude throughout, inspiring those who know her, and the Emperor continues to stand behind her and support her. It’s grueling just reading about what she’s put through, but her dedication is inspirational.

(The publishers provided review copies.)

I gotta admire the publicity people working this weekend — the game isn’t even over, and I’m already getting email about the geek movies promoted in the ads so far. (Ok, maybe they scheduled their email ahead of time, but I prefer to think they were waiting by the keyboard.)

Here’s the biggest comic-fan release of the summer — Marvel’s The Avengers, out May 4.

Neat finally seeing all the heroes in one shot, with that circle at the end.

Also from Disney is John Carter (no “of Mars”, not after their last film with that in the title), out March 9.

I don’t even like sword-and-sandals battle pics when they’re set on Earth, so that one’s not for me, but I suspect it will be hard to avoid hearing about it.

Also aired so far are trailers for Battleship and GI Joe 2: Retaliation, which look like they could be the same movie.

As with any addiction, sometimes I’m afraid to talk about the hold Bakuman has on me. I called the series one of my Best Manga of 2011, due to how much I enjoy and anticipate reading it, but I well know that it also has flaws, mostly relating to its horribly cardboard female characters. Still, I look forward to each new volume with great gusto, since I love following the struggles of the manga artists and the details revealed about the industry, especially how they work with the magazine staff who are their bosses.

Bakuman Book 9

The boys’ original editor is now working with Iwase, introduced in the previous volume as a rival for Takagi, the writer. I like her skills, but her motivation to beat Takagi as a way of forcing him to be interested in her is ridiculous. The rest of her attitudes, though, are quite amusing. When told her series was accepted for serialization, her editor is surprised that she’s not more excited. She responds, “It’s just that I’ve never failed an exam or had a submission turned away in my life.” I could grow to like her.

Perhaps I should follow Ed’s advice of simply ignoring any relationship story pages and just read the bits about making comics. That especially goes for the subplot of Takagi promising his girlfriend they’d get married if their new story got accepted as a series. I suspect that’s to allow for comedy bits, such as Mashiro pretending to be her father so Takagi can practice asking him for her hand, but it’s at best funny in an uncomfortable way. Few American readers can relate to either wanting to get married so young or the girlfriend’s lack of any ambition or goals for herself.

Anyway, Iwase’s artist is Nizuma, taking on a second series in a groundbreaking decision, and he’s always a pleasure to see more of, since he comes the closest to “crazy obsessive artistic genius” in type. (I wouldn’t want to work with him, but he’s great to read about, especially how everyone else uses him as a barometer for talent.) How all the other young creators take the news of the new series allows for checking in with the wide cast of supporting players. I particularly like the brief mentions we get of Hiramaru, the one who can’t make a deadline without his editor sitting in his room staring at him. He’s developed a crush on Miss Aoki (who’s shown on the cover), and his editor is taking great advantage of this romantic pressure point to keep him working. (I like her, too, in her quiet certainty and her request to only work with female assistants to avoid complications.)

The more I read, the more I share the guys’ dislike for their editor, who doesn’t seem to know much about what he’s doing. Even when he is clear on his goals, they’re not the same as what the boys want, pointing out how what’s good for the manga magazine and the business may not be the best thing for the artists. He does get some development this volume, though, learning to make different kinds of choices.

The conflict in this installment is that the boys’ new manga is doing well, but it’s a joke-based series that mostly appeals to kids. It’s successful, but none of their friends like it, because it’s too young for them. Those friends, meanwhile, are working on series that rank higher, so the guys have to figure out whether to be satisfied with what they have or strive to create something more artistically challenging. In short, it’s the classic debate of art vs. commerce, whether a working creator should aim for prestige and recognition or stability and money.

Once again, we’re left with a cliffhanger that puts the guys’ career on the line, all the while they’re shaking up the usual way of working. It becomes clear that Takagi’s marriage is another way of ramping up the potential effects, since he’s going to have a wife to support. Changing his state is a way of signifying the importance of learning to make adult decisions. I should have had more faith in the Bakuman creators — they use their characters like paper dolls, the women especially, but there’s always a dramatic purpose behind it. (The publisher provided a review copy.)

Warner Bros. changed its release plans halfway through putting Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated on DVD. While the first 12 episodes came out on individual discs, sold separately with four episodes per disc, this volume, labeled “Season 1 Part 2″, has the remaining 14 episodes in a two-disc set.

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated
Season 1 Part 2

Personally, I enjoy the longer packages, since watching more episodes in a bunch means I pick up on more of the details. Even though there is no “Season 1 Part 1″, I hope there will be in the future, combining the previous volume-numbered discs in one package.

I’ve talked about the appeal of the show previously, when I reviewed some of the individual discs, so please read those for the basic details. There are no extras or special features on this set.

This set opens with the 13th episode, which originally aired October 2010. “When the Cicada Calls” features insect attacks. Is there anything creepier than a menacing swarm of bugs? Especially when it’s shown in such a visually interesting way, resembling at times living static. This show can be funny, but in episodes like this, it can also be pretty scary.

One of the group’s professors (Dave “Gruber” Allen), who *really* loves his bugs, is a suspect, as well as making Fred jealous of Daphne’s fondness for him. During the classroom scenes, we see that Scooby goes to class with the other kids, sitting in his own desk. I love id’ing the creative examples of voice casting; for example, in this episode, Marion Ross plays Grandma Moonbeam, a natural snack spokeswoman with a secret. You can hear her briefly in this clip:

That episode is kind of a one-off, without the allusions to other genre works I most appreciate about this show, but the next, 14th episode (which marked the show’s return in May 2011) is one of the series’ high points. In “Mystery Solvers Club State Finals”, guest stars include Speed Buggy, Jabberjaw, Captain Caveman, and the Funky Phantom, plus their respective teen teams. All these Hanna-Barbera groups had the same basic premise as Scooby-Doo, mystery teen solvers with some weird mascot: dog, car, shark, ghost, etc. Here, they assemble for a competition, only for all the teens to get kidnapped, leaving the sidekicks to save the day.

Best of all, much of this episode is animated in the classic Scooby style. I love the revamp redesign, but it’s also a nostalgic kick to see the old-school approach. With all the details and gags, this is definitely an episode best watched on video, with the pause button handy. I thought it was wonderful hearing Speed Buggy’s putt-putt voice again, especially when Angel Dynamite (Vivica A. Fox) drove him up to the school’s roof.

“The Wild Brood” is another evocative blast from the past, only this time, it mashes up motorcycle movie The Wild One with monsters — well-spoken orc bikers, specifically. This episode also features the return of the season-spanning Mr. E (Lewis Black) mystery.

A love spell takes over the town (masterminded by a character played by Tricia Helfer) in “Where Walks Aphrodite”, featuring the return of the parrot Professor Pericles. “Escape from Mystery Manor” really ramps up the season-spanning secret quest, as the gang attempts to find out what happened to the previous version of Mystery Incorporated while investigating the disappearance of the Darrows and their (now booby-trapped) mansion 75 years ago. It also features one of my favorite Scooby lines: “Why does he think I’m a bird?”

An exchange student comes to town in “The Dragon’s Secret”, which opens with a sequence reminiscent of Gremlins and guest-stars George Takei. The student, Mai Le (Stephanie Sheh), and Shaggy hit it off surprisingly well, which is convenient when a wizard (James Hong) comes after her, in a battle that reminded me of Big Trouble in Little China, with plenty of eye-catching electrical effects.

Shaggy and Scooby talk to Vincent Van Ghoul

Vincent Van Ghoul (from The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, but voiced this time by Maurice LaMarche, excellently) returns in “Nightfright”, which also references a number of Vincent Price movies. Shaggy and Scooby win an essay contest to have dinner with the famous horror movie star, only to be attacked by a monster. Very funny, especially in the details, such as how Vincent sets his home alarm: by playing a pipe organ. Another one of the show’s top episodes.

Disc two begins with “The Siren’s Song”, in which aquatic demons attack. Velma investigates on her own, since she’s feeling lonely, what with Fred and Daphne dating and Scooby and Shaggy gorging at a restaurant’s all-you-can-eat night. Soon, though, her friends get involved in fighting the “fish freaks” as well. There’s a cameo appearance by Flim Flam (also from The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo), who’s revealed as a teenage con artist, as well as an even more famous former Scooby supporting cast member. Plus, we learn Angel Dynamite’s backstory.

Mr. E and the original Mystery Incorporated

Revelations continue in “Menace of the Manticore”, as the local carnival is terrorized, with the identity of Mr. E shown to the viewer. Favorite cameos this episode include Dylan and Brenda, returning from the first episode, and voice actress Linda Cardellini, who played Velma in the live-action movies.

“Attack of the Headless Horror” brings an Indiana Jones/Allan Quartermain-type explorer (James Patrick Stuart) to Crystal Cove, where he’s teaching school in order to give his wife (Julie Bowen) a rest from the jungle. Typical of this series, it’s a cock-eyed take on a familiar genre, one that wonders just how everyone around the super-adventurer feels about his self-centered activities. That’s what gives Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated a layer that appeals to adults, not just kids.

Dr. Spartan and the Scooby gang

Things move quickly through the final four episodes of the first season. “A Haunting in Crystal Cove” attacks Fred’s dad, the Mayor (Gary Cole), leading us to ask “if Fred is an only child, why does he have bunk beds?” Vincent Van Ghoul cameos, and this episode has my favorite monster: Evil Pizza, a possessed pie. There’s a former sheriff’s ghost in “Dead Justice” who looks like Jonah Hex, only with screaming bullets, and he’s out to force the retirement of the current Sheriff Stone (Patrick Warburton). This felt like something of a filler episode to me, since I was interested in finding out more about the modern-day mystery involving the town, but I suspect if you like Westerns or horses, you’ll enjoy it more.

“Pawn of Shadows” finally reveals the fate of the prior Mystery Incorporated group, with the assistance of H.P. Hatecraft (Jeffrey Combs), who’s trying to write a teen vampire novel, because his style of horror story is no longer in fashion. There’s a cameo by the Jonny Quest gang and a callback to episode six. The season ends with “All Fear the Freak”, which wraps up the mystery — for now — with the revelation of Fred’s secret family history. It’s something of a down note, with the group going their separate ways temporarily, but I presume they’ll be reunited for the second season of Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, due to return in May.

Anyone worrying about the health of the manga publishers should see what happens when you stack up a month’s worth of releases from the three majors: Viz, Yen Press, and Kodansha. There are so many books here, I don’t know how I’ll get to them before the end of February, the shortest month.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 11

Kodansha sends out the past month’s worth of books in their mailings, so in the January batch, I’m looking forward to catching up with the twin mystery in Arisa 6; sampling @ Full Moon 2 (it’s the final volume, but since it’s a gender-mixed vampire/werewolf romance, I’m guessing I can get up to speed quickly); escaping with the sugary 4-koma strip Shugo Chara Chan 2; and trying Sailor Moon for the first time with Book 3. Also out are the adventure sagas Fairy Tail 17 and Deltora Quest 4, as well as the magical harem action fantasy Negima! 33: Magister Negi Magi.

I’m honored to be added to the Yen Press list, giving me a sneak peek at their February releases. Soul Eater 8 doesn’t sound like my kind of thing, but I’m curious to try The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya 11, the supernatural alien secret organization comedy. I’m not sure a demon-slaying story rated Mature, such as Omamori Himari 6, is for me — I thought the rating was for violence, but after a flip-through, I’m guessing it’s due to the nude shower scene — and the other two books, Nabari No Ou 9 and Sumomomo, Momomo 11, look like fight manga, although the latter has a romance twist that might be intriguing.

The biggest problem for a new reader is that Yen’s series are long-running. That’s a huge benefit for fans, who may be concerned about the stability of titles after some of last year’s industry upheavals, but it makes it a little more difficult to be sure you’ve got a good jumping on point. Readers, what Yen series and volumes do you recommend starting with?

Hana-Kimi (3-in-1 Edition)

Then there’s Viz. They do several mailings a month due to their different categories of titles, so I’ve already received and mentioned some of the shojo titles coming out in early February, but there’s lots more. (I do wish Viz had a list at their website of all their titles during a particular month. It’s one of my very few complaints about their site, since otherwise, they do a lot of things right online.)

Viz also has the longest lead time in review copies. They’re ready for March now, with a selection that included new series The Earl and The Fairy 1 (Lydia, a fairy doctor, gets involved in a quest with a mysterious heir to the fairy kingdom), One Piece 61 (can you believe it? over 60 volumes of pirate adventure?!?), La Corda d’Oro 15, and the new Hana-Kimi omnibus re-release. I was a fan of this series when it started in 2004, and I’m curious to see how I approach it now that I’ve read a lot more shojo manga. (We know that revisitation didn’t work out so well for Love Hina, but I’m guessing Hana-Kimi might be a little less problematic.)

Hourly Comics Day was February 1, which means a lot of great comic creators put up short glimpses into how they spent their days. (The event encourages artists to create comics every hour, so it’s kind of like a sketchbook diary.) Here are some of my favorites:

Lucy Knisley went way above and beyond by doing hers in watercolor.

I liked finding out more about Sarah Becan‘s day job, although I was sorry to hear she’s sick. Favorite quote in reference to customer feedback: “‘Oomph’ is not adequate direction.

Alex Heberling shows the nocturnal style of creative living in a simple but colorful style.

Jen Wang uses collages of multiple images to capture her day. Features happy poop and other biological effects.

Raina Telgemeier provides this excellent observation: “The most productive days are also the most painful!” Work takes effort and has a cost, but it’s so worth it! (Something I needed to hear right now.) The panel right before the one shown here is outstanding cartooning, by the way. And I like seeing the quiet domesticity of artist couples.

In her writeup, Brigid Alverson notes:

Hourly Comics Day brings journal comics to their logical extreme: Every hours, creators stop what they are doing and draw a comic about it. There’s an inherent flaw in the concept, in that the best artists are the people who draw comics all the time, which makes for a dull diary.

Yet I like seeing comic creators drawing themselves making comics, at least in short bursts. There’s such diversity in how they show themselves to us and the staging of the scene.