MONDAY LINKS TEAM UP

-"The Smuttiest French Novel Ever Written, Still Shocking 50 Years Later" by Sasha Watson for Slate: I guess it's cool that somewhere, anywhere's reviewing Crepax's Story of O, even if it's a whole bunch of months after the release date and barely reviews the graphic novel and just kinda gives you a rather weak narrative of Story of O's publication history. But there's one sentence, I'd really take issue with: " But the images, which can be merely voyeuristic in the absence of Aury's layered writing, do not quite get at the crux of the novel." As if the only thing an adaptation can do is closely resemble that which its adapting? This is especially moronic because Crepax's adaptations are almost like their own form of literary criticism or something, where he's messing with and confounding the original, not so much making a typical adaptation. I get the feeling the author of this piece knows nothing about Crepax.-b

-Independent comics publishers during the 80's were popping up left and right and just like punk bands or rap record labels, there was too much shit going on to really know what was good or bad. One of the comic's companies that did have success however, was Mirage Studios, best known for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. What most people don't know though is that they published a ton of other weird books, nearly all of which are listed here. If you're looking for some new a White Box Hero to check out, go dig through some dollars bins for Grunts!-s

-NEW BRANDON GRAHAM LJ ENTRY!

If you scan the timeline in the Hellboy Companion, there's a quick reference to Hellboy befriending some Mexican wrestlers and getting really drunk with them. 1956, May-October, Palenque, Mexico: "Hellboy's "lost weekend." He teams with three Mexican wrestler brothers to fight monsters and drink. After six months, B.P.R.D. agents are sent to bring him home." The opposite page has a cool Mignola drawing of Hellboy with a Luchador. ANYWAYZ--so this is becoming a comic finally! Drawn by Corben! Comes out in May.-b

-Also, what the hell is iMAGE Comics doing? Here is their website's listing for the comics that come out this week. Elephantmen #24 comes out this week, not #26, and well, we're still waiting on Orc Stain #2. The site's been like this forever and it's just sort of amazing how half-assed it is.-b

-Jerry Lawler Wrestling Art: Swiped from a link from another article on Robot6. Pretty self-explanatory.-b

--Awesome Bendis/Fraction Interview You Probably Read Already: Also stolen from Robot6 and lots of other places, but really, two guys who really take their craft seriously talking about it is endlessly fascinating.-b

House of the Devil directed by Ti West. Watched this last night and highly recommend it. It'll freak you the fuck out, but it's also just this well-made, solid movie. Though it isn't always employed, Horror is really the only genre that's just like, bare-bones cinematic and direct. Where your basic film grammar and tricks like omitted information, creeping atmosphere, etc. still really work and don't come off as well, manipulative or bullshit. House of the Devil just really ratchets up the tension that comes from these tricks until you're kinda going insane watching it. Lots of critics say the "pay-off" doesn't work and well, that isn't the point, but it does work. Really really well. Don't want to ruin anything about this so I'll just stop typing. Rent it.-b