Staff Picks of the Week – October 21st, 2016
LET’S DO THE STAAAAAAAAAAAAAFFFFFF PIIIIIIIIIICKS AGAAAIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!!!!!! Sorry, I am currently working on this while watching the Rocky Horror remake. The week is over, in case you haven’t kept up with us this week, let me catch you up on a little of what you’ve missed. We have reviews for Gotham Academy Second Semester #2, Great Lake Avengers #1, and Adventures in Crime #1. Amelia and Billy continue their 31 Spooky Nights series, where they watch a different horror movie a night and review it. It has been a fun series to read so far, so make sure to check it out! Michael has part 3 of his History of Hammer Horror and of course we have our podcasts, Comicsbound and Scooby Dos or Scooby Dont’s. And now, our Staff Picks of the Week!
Stephanie Pouliotte’s Pick of the Week – I’m a pretty eclectic reader and I enjoy a good non-fiction book as much as any sci-fi, fantasy, or great adventure story, especially if it’s a bit niche. I love cracking open a book on seemingly mundane subject matter only to find some really interesting and thought provoking ideas; so when my roommate handed me The Design of Everyday Things, I instantly knew it was my kind of read. Donald Norman, former Director of the Institute for Cognitive Science at the University of California, takes a closer look at the everyday things we take for granted and forces you to really think about why they work the way they do. Why does a door open in a particular fashion, why is the handle of a tea kettle on the opposite side of the spout? “Because it’s obvious” you might think, well it turns out it isn’t so simple and lots of poorly designed objects are proof positive that we don’t always think of the obvious when designing or creating something new. Even though it’s about doorknobs and tea kettles and computer programs, The Design of Everyday Things is an entertaining read that defines why some things are satisfyingly functional, while others are downright frustrating to use.
Ryan’s Pick of the Week – My pick of the week is Legends of Tomorrow. I love Flash, and always had a passing interest in Legends of Tomorrow, but never got the time to sit down and finish season 1. This week after watching Flash on the not-so-horrible CW website, it auto played Legends of Tomorrow before I could stop it, and the new season premiere hooked me in. It is the American Doctor Who with an ensemble cast, and I love it. Glad to see more of Firestorm in action, but honestly the show is missing Wentworth Miller’s epic scenery chewing. That said, it is incredible dumb fun and I look forward to watching more.
Greg’s Pick of the Week – This past Wednesday the last issue of Mockingbird came out. The last issue ties up Bobbi’s story perfectly but leaves the reader wanting more. It ties up loose ends leaves the character ready for the next adventure whenever it may come. And while my pick of the week is officially issue #8, it’s actually the entire run that you should be picking up. The series is filled with adventure, fun moments, and tons of Easter eggs hidden throughout the art. Hopefully this will not be the last time that we see a Mockingbird series. Nor the last time we see this creative team.
Josh’s Pick of the Week – This week I am late to the party by a few years. My pick is Shameless, a show already a few seasons in with a huge fan base, but I’m just now starting. It’s a show about an alcoholic father and his kids who are just trying to live their lives as well as they can with the situation they’ve been given. With drama ranging from sex, sexual orientation, consent, and even grand theft auto, the story presented is one that could easily capture the attention or any viewer. The show itself is a lot of fun, but also offers a lot to learn from lower class citizens. It does well to showcase the problems within economic classes that news media fail to show or present inaccurately while also allowing viewers to have a lot of fun with the characters. If you haven’t already watched Shameless, I would advise to catch up now. You will not regret watching such a fantastic show.
David’s Pick of the Week – My pick this week is Dissociation, the final album from The Dillinger Escape Plan. I have been a fan of this band for a long time. They are not your everyday, household name metal band. But if you are into mathcore, then you know these guys. It is a hard pill to swallow knowing that this is their last album, but they go out with a bang! DEP have always been an experimental band and I think this last album is their most experimental, as well as their moodiest. They have their familiar sound with “Limerent Death” but then change it up with the interesting mix of “Nothing to Forget”. This album also contains one of their most heaviest songs they have ever done, ” Manufacturing Discontent”. And the album ends with Dissociation, the perfect swan song to end their musical career. If you are into DEP, then most likely you picked the album up this week. If you have not heard of them and dig metal, then you have a lot of catching up to do! You’re fine to start with this album, but I strongly suggest you go back to their beginning as well. So crank it up! Pick up a chair and throw it through a window! This album is a beautiful mix of madness!
