Book Review: TALES FROM THE DEEP THAT ARE COMPLETELY FABRICATED by Jim Toomey

Sherman the Shark, Fillmore the Sea Turtle, Hawthorne the Crab, and the rest of the lagoon gang are back in TALES FROM THE DEEP THAT ARE COMPLETELY FABRICATED, the 20^th collection of “Sherman’s Lagoon” comics. There is no annotation in the book, but based off references, most of these strips appear to be from 2014. Some of the storylines in this collection include Hawthorne being pinched by and becoming a werecrab, Sherman becoming a human lifeguard to win a bet, the guys getting their old band (Smooch – an obvious parody of KISS) back together after being inducted into the Hall of Fame, and a Christmas-time allusion to A Christmas Carol that features Hawthorne in the role of a Scrooge-like character. There’s even a long storyline that finds Sherman and Ernest being kidnapped on an interstellar trip to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. “Sherman’s Lagoon” collections usually have at least one environmental issue that is featured and in this collection the main issue tackled is ocean acidification. Overall, TALES FROM THE DEEP THAT ARE COMPLETELY FABRICATED is a nice “Sherman’s Lagoon” collection. It’s a must have for any fans of the comic and is a nice collection for anyone who just enjoys reading good comic strips.

Popeye & Lent

 

"Inherit the Mirth" March 9, 2013

Disney in Oz

"The Argyle Sweater" March 20, 2014

Baby Batman

"The Argyle Sweater" March 25, 2014

Charlie Brown & Rogain

"The Argyle Sweater" July 9, 2014

HAPPY DAYS the Musical

Beginning this Friday, July 29th, the theatre company I am a member is performing the musical Happy Days. It's based off the beloved hit tv series and was written by show creator Garry Marshall with music by Paul Williams. I play Arnold (the owner of the local diner) in the show. If you are anywhere near the St. Louis area this weekend or next, you should come out and see it!

This Just In...

Based upon the author's own life, BREAKING CAT NEWS is a series of comics that imagines the three cats in one family (Elvis, Puck, and Lupin) as if they were reporters reporting on the news of the day. Everything from a spider on the ceiling, to their woman owner taking a nap, to buying new cat food, and even the arrival of a baby are explored through the eyes of these cat reporters. The incidents are filled with humor and are taken from real life. BREAKING CAT NEWS is a perfect little gift book for the cat lover in your life.

The Thea Sisters Are Back

In THEA STILTON GRAPHIC NOVELS #5: THE SECRET OF THE WATERFALL IN THE WOODS, it's summertime at Mouseford Academy on Whale Island and the students are all preparing for the annual trek into the woods to watch the opening of the dam and to watch the return of the waterfall. However, when Professor Van Kraken is almost attacked by a bear in the woods, it becomes clear that something isn't normal. Some want to call the whole excursion off, but the Thea Sisters and a few others decide to investigate to see what exactly is going on. THE SECRET OF THE WATERFALL IN THE WOODS is another interesting tale about the students at Mouseford Academy and the selfish ambitions of Vissia de Vissen. I look forward to reading more of their adventures in future volumes.

Review: STAR WARS SHATTERED EMPIRE

What happened in the days immediately following the destruction of the 2^nd Death Star in the movie RETURN OF THE JEDI? Well, STAR WARS: SHATTERED EMPIRE is a graphic novel that fills in some of the gaps. Instead of focusing on the main players from the original Star Wars trilogy, SHATTERED EMPIRE follows the exploits of a couple of, until now, unknown fighters of the Rebellion. There's Shara Bey, an amazing pilot and her husband, Kes Dameron, a skilled fighter. The couple fight in different divisions and are looking forward to the time they can retire and begin the life together that they have been fighting for. However, before that can happen, Shara is sent on one last mission to assist Luke Skywalker in an important task.

At the end of the SHATTERED EMPIRE story, there is the first issue of the PRINCESS LEIA comic. In addition, the issue of PRINCESS LEIA is followed by the very first issue of the STAR WARS comic from 1977.

Overall, I enjoyed SHATTERED EMPIRE. Shara was a great character and it was nice to see some back story about the parents of Poe Dameron.  It's a nice story that Star Wars fans will enjoy, particular fans of THE FORCE AWAKENS.

State and Regional Premiere of DRINKING HABITS 2

This little play I've been directing, DRINKING HABITS 2, opens this Thursday, January 21st. If you're anywhere near Highland, IL this weekend or next, you should make a point to come see it. It's a hilarious farce that will leave you laughing. I'm proud to say that our production is the state and regional premiere of the show and that we are only the second place in the world that you can see this show. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online or can be purchased in person at the Highland Chamber of Commerce or at the door.