The Brothers Bloom  
Rian Johnson (Brick) is a terrifically interesting film-maker and a very talented writer. The Brother’s Bloom looks GREAT, I mean really great– the detail of the design is minute and yet Johnson’s touch is kept light and the pace kept jaunty. The energy established in the first 4/5ths dissipates as the ending(s) overreach, but for the majority of its running length it frolics and bounds along superbly, propelled by some very fine performances. ADRIEN BRODY (The Darjeeling Limited) and MARK RUFFALO (Zodiac) are con-men brothers who have set their sites on RACHEL WEISZ (The Constant Gardener and the Mummy movies*), a social awkward and slightly off-kilter millionaire. Their ruse is elaborate and lines of trust and stretched, bowed and twisted as they try to pull off the perfect con– the con in which everyone gets what they want. It’s worth checking out to see if they pull it off.

A Serious Man  
I’m usually nervous about Coen brothers’ movies. You just never know what you’re going to get. Let’s see: No Country for Old Men (genius); Burn After Reading (lame); The Big Lebowski (awesome); The Ladykillers (dire); O Brother, Where Art Thou? (wonderful). But this? The preview gave nothing away (which in hindsight is a good thing), so my expectations were far from set. But I ended up liking this small, contained, gentle story very much indeed. A fortnight of tiny catastrophes forces Larry Gopnik (MICHAEL STUHLBARG, a relative unknown) to examine himself, his family and his God. It’s set in 60s suburban Minnesota and the design and cinematography are wonderfully evocative. It might be due to the preview (which is odd and wonderful), but it also seemed to me that the sound of the film is evocative too. The cadence and rhythm of the sound effects subtly added tension and claustrophobia to the escalating story. There’s not much I didn’t enjoy about this film – the direction, writing and performances (especially Stuhlbarg) are all great, it’s the stylish design that really shines.

* If you deny the existence of Mummy 3, as I do, then I think you’ll find that Rachel Weisz is in fact in all the Mummy movies.

– Jen

This arc is drawn by the talented Andrew Fulton who is currently travelling with Jen across the grand old United States (actually about now he’ll be in Toronto for TCAF). Andrew’s comic Mumblier is sometimes NSFW, sometimes strange but always beautiful and delightful. Jen and I are huge fans of both his comic and his resplendant beard. Sadly he’s not such a great mario cart player but we still love him.

Today is free comic book day. It’s a day when you can pop into your local comic shop and get more than 40 books designed especially for the day FREE! But it’s more than that. It’s an opportunity to discover comics, find your local store. Engage with comics. For the industry it’s about getting new readers. Comic buying is steadily decreasing even though there has never been a better time for comics as far as the quality of the writing and art. So please give titles you’d not usually read a look, if you see a comic a friend’s kid might like pick it up for them, get them reading!

For my part I’ll be supporting FCBD by doing sketches at All Star Comics in Melbourne between 2-3pm along with 17 other great comic creators. Here is the full list. Hope to see you there.

Sawbones began 5 years ago as Sawyer and Bones appeared as background players of a bunnified version of Poe’s the Raven.

Recently I realised that that story wasn’t on the site and went looking for it. Turns out i don’t actually have a copy on any of my computers. Technology moves so fast i’ve been through 4 of them in that time. So I used my moderate google-fu skills and found it online. Apparently nothing dies on the interwebs.

Anyway reading through the story I was struck by two things.

1. Jen’s storytelling was just as delightful 5 years ago. Reading the story with so much water under the bridge was like reading it for the first time and I loved the turns of phrase and way she balanced the horror tone with the comedic twist.

2. There was no way I could bear putting that art up online now. I don’t know a single artist who doesn’t cringe at old work and i’m no different. So over the last few weeks I’ve redrawn the comic. Tightening it up a little and adding a little more mood. I’m sure in another 5 years I’ll hate this too but it’s a start.

I do however want to aknowledge how this started so as this story progesses there’ll be a link at the bottom of the comic where you can look at the original version.

I hope you enjoy this.