This week was Halloween, a time that most school’s don’t look forward to at all. On November first kids show up in a variety of states: exhausted, on a candy buzz or a combination of the two. Kids bring candy to school thinking they are so smart at hiding it, what they don’t understand is most teachers don’t care. Many have packed their own lunch – which consists of a bag of candy. It’s all part of growing up. Thinking you are “Sticking it to the man” or whatever.
Sue and I are hot and cold when it comes to All Hallow’s Eve. Having taught in the same neighborhood as many of my students I’ve given out worksheets to some kids. Other years we’ve just closed up the house. Unlike my brothers, I’m not into decorating. Again it runs hot no and cold, but never something that elaborate. On Halloween this year it rained a bit. The number of kids have steadily declined throughout the neighborhood and most seem to be imported from other neighborhoods. I don’t know why, because our neighborhood isn’t a large candy bar Mecca or anything.
I guess what I found interesting was the lack of imagination when it came to costumes, and how some kids felt entitled. Most of the time the kids will go through the moves “Trick or Treat!” Listen to an adult say something nice about their costume, then “Thank You!” As they run off to the next house. This year, I actually had a kid throw the candy back in the bowl! She said “I don’t like jelly beans” and then her brother, who I think was almost as shocked as I was sheepishly returned his to the bowl. I dug around and found the last M&M small size bags in the bowl and stood there dumbfounded. When they left I decided to do one of two things- first was just lock the door and turn off the lights. The other option was to go downstairs and pull out the LEGO poly bag tub and start handing that out. I chose the latter and confused some kids, but made some very happy. Next year? Who knows? After Tuesday who knows what the world will even look like?
Enough. After last week’s double batch I’m back to just what was on my subsheet or titles they know I want.
This Week’s Comics:
Night Club 2 #3 – In the first series a few non-popular kids end up becoming vampires and then superheroes. In series two adolescence kicks in and frankly as many geeks/nerds will say- they are easily manipulated. so in our last issue one of the group decided to turn his “girl friend into a vampire… ah young love. this issue we get to deal with the ramifications of this decision. Those being she really wasn’t his girl friend and just a popular kid who wanted whatever he had… once turned- she turns all of her friends (aka the popular kids/bullies) in the school the results aren’t pretty.
Captain America #14 – Cap is back! fighting Nazi’s and fascists just before the election! Oh wait, no he isn’t. He’s now helping Thor out with a mystical issue from a while ago when Asgard relocated to Earth and then weird things happened. Spider-Man has been brought in since Steve and Peter were about to have dinner and chat about their lives as superheroes- See Spectacular Spider-Men for a similar encounter but with Miles instead of Steve. Coming up next: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Therapist.
Amazing Spider-Man #60 – It’s the 60th issue of Amazing Spider-Man! wow! its like 1965 or something… Actually according to Legacy Numbering it is actually Issue #954. This is a series of short stories some intertwine and give us some foreshadowing as to what might be coming up in the future.
Trick or Read Fantastic Four #1 – Free Comic Book Day happens in May, over Halloween comic companies have a second free comic opportunity. This one I picked up because after NYCC and seeing Doctor Doom riding an armor plated T-Rex. So, Doom and the FF meet with Dino Doom and the Dino FF and try to save each of their respective universes.
Quested Season Two #5 – The story of Lothar (Jinx’s Father)
Ultimate X-Men #8 – This is really starting to make me think I need to read it as a compiled series and not individual issues. We’ve got more and more characters being introduced and people trying to find out about the multiple suicides,a nd the “Children of the Atom” cult. I appreciate the art style and really need to sit back and carefully read each issue.
Action Comics #1073 – Still in the Phantom Zone. We now meet Aether the big bad of the moment. Will Superman and Mon-El be able to stop him? Will Superman escape the fate he has been tossed into?
The Magic Order # 2 – So Cordelia Moonstone isn’t Codelia Moonstone , head of the Magic Order, and protector of the Earth from evil magical thingies? Can she escape this weird universe she’s been put into? Who did it? Why? answers are forthcoming as is retribution for putting her through this.
Minor Arcana #2 – When we last left Theresa she was trying to help her mom out and had just started doing a Tarot card reading for one of her mom’s clients… Theresa thinks this is all just bunk, but find out… maybe it isn’t. Can she figure things out enough to be able to return to her world? How will this experience change her?
Oh, I haven’t had time to catch up on the stuff I planned to do because it seems my idea of part time work is not exactly what the real definition is. I kind of miss being fully retired, not working and having time to fiddle with various projects… I guess I got spoiled. At least today I got a text asking me if I really wanted to work- I said “Thanks! No” so I could spend some time at home and even get this post out.
Please make sure to vote on or before Tuesday. It’s important. Maybe we can return to some semblance of sanity… I doubt it, but I can dare to dream.