Kung Fu Panda, Zot and the Fantastiks
Soon after I posted my last entry I went out with a friend to see the movie Kung Fu
Panda. It was a fun movie and although I would have to say I have seen movies with greater awesomeness and bodacity, it certainly possessed these properties in abundance. Of course it helps if you like Jack Black's particular comic stylings. Yes I am very late seeing this movie.


On Wednesday I went into Toronto to have lunch with a friend and use the gift certificate he gave me. I also sorted out my student ID for the go train. At the book store I found and bought Zot: The Complete Black and White Collection (I also bought Persepolis, now a major motion picture). I am big fan of Zot's writer and artists Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics and its companion volumes Reinventing Comics and Making Comics. I had previously read Zot Online, so I was somewhat familiar with Zot and related characters, but I had never read any of the original stories. I definitely enjoyed this quirky super hero/ drama (yes I read all 576 pages in less than a week). I suspect that McCloud and I have similar or at least sympathetic sensibilities at some level (although I can always find something to disagree with him about), but I recommend this book to fans of comics especially fans of quirky superhero comics.

Then just to put more on my plate after a full day of academic talks and orienting at my department I went out to Fairview Theatre with my theatre critic friend and saw The Fantasticks. It is a fun little musical and a pretty good production. My only complaint is that the male lead (playing the boy) was a bit one note and that the guy playing "El Gallo"/The Ringmaster sang a bit off in my opinion (perhaps just because he did not sing "Try to Remember" like Harry Belafonte). Still I recommend this show to lovers of musicals in the Toronto area.

Unpacking my boxes was impeded by the need to also move the vast bulk of my books to the basement in accord with my mother's decree to decommission the serviceable but aesthetically dubious bookshelves my grandfather installed years ago. Unfortunately we do not have quite enough shelf space for my massive book collection, despite four rather large Ikea bookshelves, but I have most of my boxes opened and emptied now. To be fair I even with the old bookshelves I had run out of bookshelves before this move. My brother and sister-in-law visited this weekend and it was nice to see them again.