Can you guys help me get my feet back in the Madman pool?
Here's the deal: I lost my (signed) early Madman comics and collections in a break-up in the mid-'90s. I picked up Oddity Odyssey and realized how much I miss the title, but have a hard time understanding the chronology of the book (what with Adventures and minis and stuff). What do I need to pick up in what order to get up to date on this character? Thanks!

I'm dying to see this! A married couple the wife and I are friends with are coming to town to stay with us next weekend. He's an old high school buddy and a good friend. He e-mailed and put "dibs" on seeing this with him at our IMAX theater. I almost feel like doing what Jerry did in that Seinfeld when he secretly saw the movie with George that he promised to Elaine...'member that one?

Here's a great summer drink.
Portland Pimm's Cup (Pimm's Cup is a general name for many diff't drinks, I love this one)
In a 12-oz tumbler and over rocks, pour one shot (+) of Pimm's, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, top the glass off with grapefruit soda (like Hansen's) and garnish with a slice of cucumber. One of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had! Be careful, though, they're so tasty that you'll drink many and they get away from you!

p.s. Went to my big bro's for a BBQ with the family tonight. He told me about meeting some older guy that was the instructor of an Intel training he attended. They got to talking summer drinks and this guy told my brother that he used to drink in a bar next door to where the mighty Marvin Gaye cut tracks. He said Marvin went there after sessions in the summer and ordered a "gin and tonic with Pimm's." Apparently, it has no name. We decided that it should be called a Marvin or an MG. Anyway, make a normal gin and tonic (pour easy on the gin if you're pacing yrself) and then add a shot of Pimm's and garnish with the usual lime. Tried it tonight. Enjoyed immensely.

Been kinda enjoying NBC's summer-filler show Fear Itself. It's a horror anthology with "hip" writers and directors a la Masters of Horror. This week's episode was called "New Year's Day" and was directed by the dude who did the Saw sequels (pphhbbbtt!) and written by the 30 Days of Night guy (yay!). It's easily seen online at Hulu or DL-ed from bittorrent sites and worth a watch. The aforementioned ep was a zombie story, by the way.

Thank you, Tim!

I generally hit a couple websites prior to showtime, but this week I only went to one.  The only recipe they had with vodka and grapefruit juice was a Salty Dog and that wasn't something I was in the mood for.

From now on, I will call it a Greyhound!

Yes, David, the might Greyhound is a Salty Dog sans salted rim on the glass. Good choice. Those are what my brother and I have with breakfast before going to a college football game.
Have you had a Presbyterian? One of my favorite summer drinks: http://www.whiskymag.com/cocktails/presbyterian.html

Good show, guys. Don't be so hard on yrselves. Thanks for the EC talk. I fell in love in the early '90s when they reprinted double issues. I loves me some Craig.

Wow! Guggenheim & Jimenez really knocked this outta the park for me. I was not looking forward to a new Kraven, by any means, but am loving Guggenheim's twists and turns. The fun he's having with the concept of identity was probably my favorite aspect, well, that and a surprise appearance by

Vermin - whom I love despite other fans' hatred of the poor bastard

and Jimenez's pencils are really starting to grow on me, too. Plus,

Spidey flashed back to fighting Vermin (in Kraven's Last Hunt), which reinforces continuity a little. I found that comforting because it proves the past happened, it's just forgotten for the moment

Sounds like I really missed the boat by opting out of the whole Annihilation thing. So many folks are praising Nova and GotG that I'm feeling like I cheated myself. 

Thanks for sharing the info about the Bizarre Adventures. The A-list talent had me drooling. I'd love an Essentials collection of this stuff.

Didn't Bendis list him as one of his creative influences...

If you read the next issue, it is revealed that all the "Liberals and Homosexuals" are actually from...NEW YORK CITY!!

NEW YORK CITY?!?! Get a rope. (sorry )

If this guy gets re-elected, I'm moving to any country that'll have me.

Eeewwww! I need another shower? I just got dressed! That thing looks like a graphic novel done on toilet paper by a convict; it just needs some explicit sex scenes in it. How did he get Daniel Johnston to illustrate it?

This link worked for me...
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/2H2R50ONT-Q&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/2H2R50ONT-Q&rel=1</a>

I doubt there will be a Spider-man clone saga omnibus issued anytime soon.

there is one on the way (in two volumes): http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=145298

It's in French, though. I loved all the dumb twists and turns in the clone saga. That's part of my enjoyment of serialized storytelling. I personally love some of the evil-twin-brother contrivances that come with the genre, but can understand how some folks don't. I have respect for their position...hope it's mutual.

[no vermouth]

I stopped being generic to bartenders shortly after I watched my friend order a Crown Royal highball and receive straight Crown in a highball glass. I always specify what I want for mixed drinks, even if it's obvious that the bartender knows what they're doing.

Yeah, it's rough out there. I'm taking the wife to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse tonight (anyone?) and must have a martini before dinner (for Sinatra's sake) and I will have to order it "dry...no vermouth." You'd be surprised by how many folks don't know what "dry" means and won't bother to ask before making yr $8 drink!

Watched Factotum last night. I went through a Bukowski worshiping phase in my late teens/early twenties, I think lots of folks do. My wife has 'pert near every word the guy published.
Anyhoo, this movie was very unsatisfying. It was Bukowski Lite. It tries to please everyone and, in the process, pleases no one. Too watered down and not enough V.O. of the man's words for hardcore fans and too aimless and episodic for any stranger to the work. I'd rent the doc Born Into This if I were you...hell, I'd watch Barfly again while I was at it.

On the Spider-Office blog someone chimed in, with only this image posted, that we're in for some retelling of ASM #33.  I just shook my head.

Yeah, that was going on elsewhere, too: "Oh, wow. The Master Planner story again." I don't get it. My first thought was that it was an homage to iconic Spidey storytelling, not derivative drivel. I'm such a nut, I might even read it before judging its merits.
I second that man-crush on Martin. His art really reminds me of Ditko's stuff...and I don't throw that name around lightly.

This board moved above Spider-Man Crawlspace MB on my bookmark list today. I deleted that bookmark from my home PC. The SMCSMB was my gateway to Internet discussion about comix. Since January (OMD-day) that place has been infested with bad vibes and in-fighting. I've been checking it less and less frequently and joined the Marvel Noise board recently. The reason I'm babbling about this is that this thread is a stark contrast to what goes on there. Someone started a thread just like David's, then someone got on and said "Oh, yeah, we replaced JMS to get rid of moody, angsty Spider-Man and now here we are," then there was so more bashing form other guys, one perennially nice guy said "hey, guys, you haven't even read it and we don't know anything about it beyond this teaser," and then someone said something back like "I wish I could add you to a f*cking ignore list," then a mod came on and edited that comment and the conversation continued...
I thanked David a while back for praising ASM in his Marvel Noise podcast, but just wanted you all to know how cool this place is and how genuinely positive the posters are here. No one's saying ASM is perfect, but it's nice that the parts people like are emphasized over what doesn't work for them.
Anyway, just made me feel mushy. I think I had too big of a dinner.
I can't wait for New Ways to Die and now I can't wait for this story, either. There. Thread back on track.

Amazing Spider-Man
New Avengers
Avengers: Initiative

Thunderbolts (is it juts me, or does this have some deadline issues? Loves what I gets, though)

Karma to David for not leaving me twisting...

Another one I thought was Maximum Clonage.  First of all no one like the clone saga to begin with,

 
this is awkward
 

I thought the music was stinky. Some kind of John Zorn "Naked City"-type stuff would suit that better. It looks a little overwhelming, visually. I did really like that visual of The Spirit sliding out of the giant mouth. That reminded me of an Eisner splash page.