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One day, future generations will regard the removal of the sagging shelf as akin to the eradication of polio.

That said, we must ever be on our guard against its return.  Gandalf taught us this.

I need to be careful what I say here to avoid spoilers for future posts (my arrogance is now in full flow since I was hailed by Tordelback. Fear not I strongly suspect a future post will have you all wailing in derision at me and I will come crashing back down to Earth.) BUT I have course for concern that I might have created a situation where saggage may become an issue. We'll see but I'm not happy with a support / hardback ratio I have created... we'll see.

Whatever about the inherent beauty of your subject, you're also a very entertaining writer. Keep it up, Colin, every update is eagerly clicked.

Well I'm not sure about that. Though its too my credit that I make each posting a word puzzle for all readers. Adding 'typos' and other grammatical errors to challenge anyone to interrupt their own meaning for each piece. It takes hours of thought and planning let me tell you. It also forces the reader to create their own story reflecting and highlighting the role of the reader in all reading. If your not careful you could see all this as simple self absorbed wittering not an exercise in literacy genius. I'm glad to see my fans (ha my ego has finally come on in full force, I'm truly and author now) have seen past the surface to the subtext beneath.

Can you spot the reference to Wolfgang Iser in this post?

Today the 'Self absorbed making of comic porn thread', in a tribute to the food based thread that inspired it, is off on a field trip. This road trip, a literal journey so for once the term will be used well will of course be recorded and documented. I'm very excited about this expansion of our scope. To stem any excitement for you lot a bit more mundane shelving talk before we get to the good stuff. Last time I said I had a few bits of detail to share and when I said a few I meant one BUT for some I know its a biggie. Yes friends the Bend of Kirby is no more. When shifting everything around I finally removed the offending shelves and



There you have it in all its villainous glory. I've put it down humanly and such shelf saggage will never darken this thread ago.

Oh sorry there is more. From a long time ago The Cosh said

Ah. That would never have occurred to me. I assumed the real quandary was whether to start filing from the top down or the bottom up.

and never let it be said i don't listen to good advice. So in tribute to The mighty Cosh you may have notice from this photo.



I've done just that. I've also pulled the Prog to the front again. I listen to my audience I do, after all its your story too.

Finally cracked this open to help get me through a trip to Meadowhell Sheffield's darkest shopping centre. Glad go report work suit purchased cheap and Prog on fine form so double good. The Future Shock is a pretty functional tale but would welcome more from tbe artist Jake Lynch who does a fine job. ABC Warriors does what it does well as does Strontium Dog. Ulysses Sweet js wonderfully daft fun.

Dredx star of the show with a great opener with glorious art from Mr Flint.This

Durham Red.

The race for Post of the Year just got very interesting.

I don't get it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beard_%28companion%29

Well I never knew that. The term that is, the whole Johnny thing was obvious.

Wow just the two you enjoyed Mr El Back that must have been disappointing, please delve into the disapointment I'm more than intrigued now... well either that or get back in line old chap.

Sorry I know its poor form to talk about another boarders avatar like this BUT does anyone else think that Joe Soap's new one is a bit like that episode of The Simpsons when Homer goes to the real world. A little wonky and unsettling.

I'm sorry I know that's rude... so to get back on topic my daughter and I are currently watching 'Boo, Zino and the Snurks'... I've no idea of what its like as I'm not really paying attention, as you can see...

So last time dear reader I related a tale of oversight, poor planning and dumbheadedness (I think that's a word) leading to problems. You think I've stopped there, you are a fool if you underestimate my dumb-headedness (it works hyphenated too).

So yes I left you with barren shelves, which of course did not say barren for long. I quick bit of re-shelving later*.





And we're all but back were we started, just with transposed shelves. I'll take you through some of the detail here in a bit, there are a couple of points of note (I know, I know I shouldn't leave you hanging on with these dangling plot points but I have much to cover and so little time.). All seemed well, however when finally liberating my Megazines and getting them onto shelves DISASTER STRUCK.

Now I don't want to seem to be melodramatically overstating thing here. After all people in our country have gone through X-Mas without power. In other parts of the world I'm quite sure many, many more have gone through the festive period without a lot more. Indeed as the song tells us so poignantly do some folk even know its X-Mas time at all. I do however feel I can say without hyperbole that none have faced something as terrible as this.



Yes I forgot that while the shelves I planned to accompany my 2000ad shelves were indeed the required 40cm deep, they were in fact the same height as the American comic shelves. Please for the more nervous of you don't look at this close-up its grim.

[spoiler][/spoiler]

There was simply not enough height to have the Megazine and other taller European books on these shelves as planned.

I'm sorry, I really am. For lack of the use of a tape measure I feel I've let you all down... badly.

Fear not however a solution is in hand. I hope to be able to report that in the next couple of days.


*Please remember I'm a trained professional librarian who worked his ways up through the ranks and indeed spent two days of one of his first library jobs as a grunt, shelving at a University Library. Please will the untrained not try to shelve at high speed. Especially where comic bags are concerned as it may led to all sorts of accidents.

[The Maxx]

Dropped The Maxx Maxximised, Grindhouse, and Rocket Girl this month...

I've a drop this month but its not The Maxx. Really enjoyed the first couple of issues, or more accurately was intrigued enough to defo come back for more. Its pretty rough around the edges but very very interesting and different. My drop is Pretty Deadly. Its too much effort but without any real hook, intrigue or characters to pull me back to to find out what the heck is going on.

A couple more teeter on the edge. East of West 8 has solidified some concerns I have with the comic. Its a very good comic, full of ideas and scope. Its problem however is its all so BIG. Death rides, leaders of the world plot but who grounds it? No one and that's a real problem. I'm really starting to wonder about this one. Batman 26... hmm has Snyder got anything new to give. I hope so as this far into the run I'd prefer not to have to bail... but. Elsewhere a couple of disappointing mini's finish, very much less than the sum of their respective parts, with issue 4 of both Mars Attacks vs Judge Dredd and Rocketeer and The Spirit. Animal Man 26 takes a curious tangent, one that doesn't feel necessary or welcome. Still with 3 issues to go this one has me to the end.

Hinterkind 3 comfortably pulls the series through my typical 3 issue trial into an ongoing. Elsewhere all is well with The Victories 7, FBP 6, Lazarus 5, Three 3, Sex 9, Wonder Woman 26, FF 15, The Massive 18. As ever though Si Spurrier wins the day with a nice X-Men Legacy 21 and a frankly sublime ending in Six Gun Gorilla 6, one of the best mini's I've read for an age.

Morning everyone.

Quite the evening was had in the nerd cave last night. Highs and lows, progress and DISASTER... yes disaster.

But first context. Here's a plan of my man-den courtesy of those good folk at Rightmove.com (other property websites are available, but lets face it they might as well not be!).



Now the issue in question last night was raised by the columns in the middle of the room. These ones.



Now looking at these with hindsight its obvious that these aren't equidistant from the window wall... DAMN YOU HINDSIGHT. See I assumed they were, I thought they were the reminiscence of the old back wall of the garage. What a damned fool. This typically careless oversight (wait for the disaster coming) led to the following issue, my thicker 2000ad shelves where on the short left space (looking at the window). Not a problem you say, after all they're the same length as the american comic shelves and they all fit. The problem however lies in the fact that I plan to have another smaller, but equally deep set of shelves on the window wall. So the following problem was created.



I've added the red lines in so you can see where the column is. This only left me a small gap.



To be precise.



25cm and the 2000ad shelves are 40cm deep. So you can see the problem. The solution however was simple, on the other side the pillar is further from the window wall and therefore plenty of room. See for yourself.



So as you may have guessed from the barren shelves shown on these photos this foolish oversight led to.



More later.

Didn't realise Skreemer was originally planned as a 2000ad story. Good to know.

Oh and look out for the upcoming Johnny Nemo collection by the same team as Skreemer and I'd suggest is more 2000ad

There's also the Rian Hughes collection that has some 2000ad stuff in I think. Oh and didn't Charley's War get an appearance in the Meg?

In a more general sense I'm also interested anything that 'feels like' it would fit into the pages of 2000AD. I appreciate that's rather hard to define and probably slightly different for every fan but well, any suggestions along these lines are also welcome.

In that case I'd defo go with Bolt's suggestions, particularly Outcasts which is both brilliant and very 2000ad.This email

Well it turns out that basking in the glory of the fruits of your loins illness has some sort of karmic downside...

... I know who'd have thought.

Anyway having benefited from my son's illness by getting an extra day in the nerd cave I was struck down by same illness - we now suspect not tonsillitis as the vomiting and pooing from Friday (last not this) hit me on X-Mas eve and laid me low. Then last night when I was meant to be out for the night in my little geek haven by wife had the temerity to be inflicted as well. Not a problem for me you'd think, after all once the kids are in bed I'm free to go right.

Wrong.

See the comic cave is at the back of the garage, at the end of the garden (must do some sort of map for you chaps at some point, for two reasons now) so if I was there I apparently.

1) wouldn't be able to tend to my wife's needs in illness

2) Tend to the kids needs if they woke up.

I know, I know bloody ridiculous. So I had to spend the night in the living room, in ear shot catching up with some comics reading.

As if that wasn't bad enough my wife apparently now feels well enough to attend the big family get together for all her family so I don't even get a pass on that one. Its as if she had hatched a plot with the Karma Police and this is some organised pay back.

I'm sorry you all miss out in the cross-fire and here's hoping we get back from Warwick in time for me to get a night out in wonderland tonight... why do I have my doubts?

Well I didn't know that. Well done that man... I assume, never watched it so know it only by reputation but seems a good show to be on!

Why did the scarecrow win an award?

Because he was outstanding in his field.

Gold!