MONDAY LINKS TEAM UP

-Joe the Barbarian #2 comes out this week, which is very exciting. It will be interesting to see how and where the story develops after the pitch-perfect debut issue and because it's Morrison, it could be great, it could be awful, but it'll at least be interesting.

-Also, Punisher #14 which means...MORE FRANKENCASTLE! If you're not reading this storyline, you're nuts. Go read Sammy's post if you more further convincing.-b

-Oh wow, the latest issue of McSweeney's is out and it's done in a fold-out newspaper style and is as twee and predictable as usual. Complete with a comics page full of all your favorite smug, alt-comix bros (Tomine, Clowes, Ware, Seth, etc.). Finally! Something crappier than Wednesday Comics!-b

Kevin Smith too fat to sit on the plane?: Alright so, Kevin Smith is a hefty dude but not the type of hefty one would think problematic to sit next to on a plane. But apparently, Southwest Airlines kicked Kevin Smith off a plane for just that reason. This is next level airline customer disrespect- the kind you can't blame on 9/11. Anyhow, Kevin Smith tweeted about it and was given a $100 voucher for his next flight...hmm? I would call that further mishandling the situation...-m

-S.O.N 2 by James Frankhouse: DJ Dirrty of Ballers Eve--Wednesday from 10pm-12am on East Village Radio--posted this amazing skate video for which he mixed the music: Lots of rap, some metal, it's all awesome. I want a whole DVD of this stuff!-b

Wahahafactory Halloween-o-fies a Hong Kong Double Decker Bus!: I was hipped to Wahahafactory by The Fader's really great style contributor, Chioma Nnadi. Wahahafactory is a weirdly diversified group? or person? designing everything from art, makeup, jewelry and media. Kind of reminds me of an asian version of the French graffiti artist, Fafi. I took to the "tram" because it's actually kind of eerie looking like the Cat Bus in My Neighbor Totoro and much more bizarre and fun-looking than the art-buses that run around in my city right now! -m

-So, I was watching Nausicaa Valley of the Wind last night and was really taken by the score, done by Joe Hisaishi, who does a lot of the Miyazaki scores (and also scores for Takeshi Kitano). It's a mix of J-Pop melodrama and some like killer 80s synth type stuff (at points it's downright Hypnagogic), and even some very weird Terry Riley-esque synth drone shits. A lot of it doesn't seem to even fit the movie but it works. Especially this early fight scene set to a song very similar to "Steppin Out" by Joe Jackson.-b

-Producer AraabMuzik's been providing rapper Cam'ron with these weird, trebly, electronic type beats for a while now and more recently, he's been releasing these amazing solo performances on his drum machine. Really mind-blowing stuff. Someone needs to book this guy a tour or something.-b

POKEWALKER!: Every so often, there comes a moment in life. A pokemon moment. I'm having one of these moments right now...and March 15th, Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver launch in the United States. But hold on, that's not it. The most exciting thing of all, is this great little device that comes with the game called a Pokewalker. Essentially, it's a pedometer that also allows you to interact with your friends (kind of like fighting tamagotchis...or..hold on, DIGIMON) and also, include these experiences or items gained in gameplay. Can't wait.-m