LBJ Died For Our Sins

Not really. Texas state government observes the former president's birthday by allowing a large number of its employees a day off. So hooray, LBJ!

Some reviews to end the week:

The Losersfeatures a one-shot story featuring Aisha, the Afghani woman who works with the rogue CIA team in the series. The art is great and the action cinematic but the protagonist is unsympathetic and unstoppable, so the story didn't do much for me. I still recommend the series very highly.

Queen & Country: Operation Morningstar on the other hand, is a great story. The protagonist is also a woman embroiled in espionage (in this case, she is a special operative for British intelligence); however, that is where she and Aisha part ways. Tara is very good at what she does but she is not a relentless killing machine with moves that would earn her a gold medal in gymnastics (even taking the rotten judging into account). The conflict in this story is believable and tense and Tara solves the crisis without firing a shot. Highly recommended.

Sleeperis more of the same this month. I like the "Wiseguy"(anyone remember that TV series?) storyline but it is getting a little thin. Our hero is still conflicted and he is still manipulated by heartless bastards who are also vastly more intelligent than you or I. Ho Hum.

Ultimate Fantastic Fouris another yawner. More decompression. It takes our super intelligent, super powered heroes an entire issue to climb into an air car and leave the building. Pulse-pounding excitement! Also: Dr. Doom's special abilties apparently include the ability to make deadly insects out of cell phones and the ability to kill slackers. I have liked some bits in Mr. Ellis' treatment of this old chestnut (such as the wierd biology of superheroes) but he has shown better pacing and conflict in his excellent Global Frequencyseries.

Astonishing X-Men has a nice twist at the end. Messrs. Whedon and Cassaday have a real flair for unspoken character moments. The expression on the Beast's face after hearing a throw away comment in the beginning of the issue and Kitty Pride's reaction to the twist at the end are great examples of how this medium can really shine. But the folks at Marvel are retconning the heck out of this series, aren't they?

I've finished volume four of the trade collection of Grant Morrison's New X-Men. This is not a series for those of you who know nothing about the X-Men except what you saw in the films. The ideas come fast and furious and Mr. Morrison deconstructed twenty years of this very convoluted storyline and rebuilt it into something fresh. No mean feat and I admire how he did it. I reckon Mr. Claremont was pissed when he read these for the first time.

I also enjoyed Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic's rendition of Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica") this week. This recording is from Sony's "Bernstein Century" series and also includes a lecture Mr. Bernstein gave regarding the symphony. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn something about a composer's approach to his music or who wants further insight into this very exciting piece.

The St. Petersburg Chamber Choir single handedly converted me into a choral music fanatic. I have a two CD set issued by Philips on which the Choir performs Rachmaninoff's Vespers and Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Listening to this moving music makes me want to be one of them "Greek Orthodoxers" (anyone out there remember Paul Sorvino in the George Burns' movie Oh God?).

And check out The Lionel Hampton Quintet. I love the smooth sound Mr. Hampton coaxed from the vibraphone. Great swing. You can download the whole album from iTunes for a very reasonable price.

That's all for now. Keep it real, America!