I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad, I got sunshine in a bag

[thorne_scratch]

I bought Neil Gaiman’s “Fragile Things” recently, which I am quite enjoying. Neil Gaiman is one of those authors who handles both short stories and novels equally well, which is damn hard to do. While at the bookstore, I also found and leafed through the first issue of Battle Pope.

...Why didn’t anyone ever tell me there was such thing as a comic

Comments

[flidgetjerome]

I let you down on Battle Pope, I'm sorry. The thing is I hate, with amazing terrible burning hate, Robert Kirkman's work on Invincible so I've been staying the hell away from Battle Pope.

However since this didn't stop me from pimping Invincible to Twig I still need to apologise profusely.

[thorne_scratch]

It's okay. I think both you or Ann (or possibly both of you) hit me with "The Incredible Popeman" link, right after the Pope died, so you get a free pass on this one.

So Invincible is good? Bad? Meh? Worth looking at? On scans_daily? Will Twig start screeching and throwing things if I ask her about it? Did you take my pants?

[flidgetjerome]

I think the answer from either of us would be 'meh'. Believe it or not the main problem with it for me was 'too much needless angst'.

Oh, speaking of which, are you familiar with the concept of hell money?

Also, your pants are safe. For now. If you want them to stay that way you'd better send the money like I told you.

[thorne_scratch]

Excuse me while I laugh in disbelief at the thought of you proclaiming something has "too much needless angst."

Are we talking about the fake money you burn or throw around at Chinese funerals to make sure the dead person is rich and not stuck in a bad afterlife? If so, yes. If not, nope. I remember having to buy it when my grandmother died. Por que?

First, send me a picture of my pants holding a copy of today's newspaper so I know they're alive.

[teenygozer]

Thus endeth a great wedding. Can't wait for Wedding Part 2, better bone up on your Washington DC landmarks!

I've been watching an extremely bizarre Japanimation on Adult Swim called Trinity Blood in which the Roman Catholic Church is a major military power that fights vampires with karate kicks and futuristic weaponry. Except mostly they talk a lot and wear lots & lots of Infant-of-Prague-like clothing.

[thorne_scratch]

You know, I've had so many out of the country vistors lately, that I've learned to give a quick and dirty tour of the most obvious DC monuments, just by driving along the GW Parkway. This will probably not stop me from just making up random stuff about them, though.

I've heard of that, actually! I think Flidget was talking it up to me one day, although it is possible she was refering to another show where the Pope was kind of an uke and the Catholic Church was a vast military force. It is possible there is more than one show like that from Japan. I might have to stay up long enough to watch it, now.

[flidgetjerome]

Nope! Amazingly we are all talking about the same particular massively entertaining Japanese misconception of the Vatican. (I do wish they'd branch out a little more, because their take on any religion is always the good crack. Hellsing will ever remain dear to my heart for being under the impression we actually pray to the Queen over here and, the more I think about it, I am starting to suspect that Final Fantasy 7 is actually what Japan thinks Judaism is like.)

Also the uke!Pope has an amazing hat. As do most of the Cardinals though, sadly, not any of the main characters.

I think I've mentioned that before but it bears repeating.

[teenygozer]

I thought the Pope was the blonde chick with the eyepatch, but somewhere along the line, I got the feeling that's not a chick, he's a very pretty guy? Or is the blonde chick with the eyepatch a cardinal and not the Pope? But yes, an AMAZING hat. Not to mention 32 layers of heavily belaced and bejewelled clothing.

I have sat through 3 fascinating episodes so far and I still can't make out what the hell is going on beyond Vampires = Bad, but it shure is purty to look at.

[soranokumo]

There are a lot worse things in life to find yourself lying on the grass in the sunlight, playing with kittens in a strange country.

Kittens tend to make a lot of things better.

Also, I can't wait to see the goat sign because it really does sound like one of the bestest signs ever.

And oddly enough, I read about the overall bit of your trip and it really sounds rather like you were stuck in a giant Katamari game. Bears in a moat, goat signs, geese, kittens in sunshine, giant bloody castles, ghosts - all you need is a pint-sized prince!

I seem to recall a White Lady that was bricked up inside one of the walls of some castle somewhere, but it seems like there are plenty of castles with white ladies. Quite possibly they have conventions?

I am going to reply to your email! I'm just still recovering from various oddnesses from the past week.

[thorne_scratch]

Boy, do they. When I get the goat picture off the camera, I'll try to get the kitten picture off too.

You know, it does sound a bit like a Katamari game. Man, and I've never even been to Poland... but seriously, a European Katamari would be cool. You need to get big enough to roll up castles, and I imagine that takes some time to build up.

Yeah, there's a lot of White Ladies out there. Heh, a White Lady Convention. That's pretty cool-- almost gives me a story idea. Maybe they all hang out and discuss ways to get their draperies whiter.

No worries, take your time. I hope the week didn't treat you too rough.

[soranokumo]

In the second game there is one where you're rolling up a rather large portion of the world, including bits and pieces of countries, and before you actually start rolling up the countries you're just big enough to roll up their landmarks, so actually, one can in fact roll up European castles!

...they just don't have one specifically for that purpose.

And hee, I'd had a similar thought as well, but then with all my girls in the water I guess I should give up the white ladies for you. Ah, well.

All of these Sad Clouds in Churches! ...I kinda want to watch the movie again, if only for the eyecandy.

[thorne_scratch]

Damn, this game thinks of everything. European castles? Check. Giant squid? Check. Hundreds upon hundreds of crabs? Check. Your own cousin? Check. There is nothing that cannot be added to the great katamari of life.

No, no, the idea is yours. I think you'd do well with it. I'm just puttering around.

Aww, poor Cloud. Yeah, maybe I'll break out my DVD at some point this next week. Couldn't hurt to have a hit before New York.

[shadow_chi]

Ooh, Neil Gaiman. He's one of my very favourites. He has a blog, you know, and updates it all the time and sounds quite a bit like a normal person, not the lofty idea I always have of authors in my head. Check him out: http://syndicated.livejournal.com/officialgaiman/

[thorne_scratch]

Yeah, he's pretty awesome; I've had his feed friended for a long time now. Always good to meet another fan!

[nazarale]

I think I remember seeing a Battle Pope scan on scans_daily a long while ago. With God making fun of him for being a homophobe or something. I should try and find it again.

[thorne_scratch]

Really? Awesome. I'll have to sort through their old memories to see if I can find it. Thanks for telling me!