Beware the Sixth-Level Cataloger

I like the online comic Questionable Content anyway (not to mention the fact it's the source of a great library-themed Tshirt) but today's just rocks, on several levels. One, it's QC. Two, it's a guest comic by Bill Barnes, one half of the Unshelved creative duo. Third, well, hey! Laser eyes!

New Info on Rex Libris: The Movie

From James Turner, creator of Rex Libris:

"Mark Burton (Madagascar) turned in a screenplay to Warners for Rex, but they weren't happy with the result. He's out. The search is on for a new screenwriter.

I had a conference call with the producers (Mosaic; they produced Batman Begins, Dark Knight, etc) about direction and possible ideas. No idea how that went. Everyone in Hollywood says they love you, and when everyone says it..."

Keep your fingers crossed!

Random Fridays

Bits-n-pieces to end the week!

* More on the forthcoming calendar from the Texas Library Association. (thanks to many!)

* The secret side of happenings at the ALA conferences? (NSFW language)

* I just love precision book cart drill teams, especially ones that channel Marilyn Monroe. (thanks Coleen!)

* Speaking of bookcarts, don't forget that Unshelved's Pimp My Bookcart contest is accepting entries!

Yeah, sorry, that's all I've got for now. More next week! Currently 103° and thinking about rain.

Book of Monsters now available!

Volume Two of the collected Rex Libris, "Book of Monsters," is now available! Get your copy from SLG Publishing today, or ask your local comic book store to order you one! If you weren't able to get the individual issues, this is the best way to see what you've missed, and based on the extras added to Volume One, "I, Librarian," there will be lots of fun extras in this one too.

"We call it Book."

Penny Arcade for the win once more!

But... but... what happens next?!?

In case you haven't already read: the last issue of Rex Libris was released at the end of October. "Titans clash and chaos reigns as the most powerful evil forces on earth find themselves embroiled in a life and death struggle with the freshly awoken minions of Cthulhu. Team Librarian is caught in the middle of the mayhem, and it will take all their ingenuity and experience to survive!" Things were already tricky at the end of Issue 12... I have to know what happens next!

I own every issue, the first trade collection, the figurine, the Tshirts... what will I spend my mad money on now?!? (Do you have mad money? Spend it here.) I'm off to my local comic book store to pick up - and then cancel - my standing order. I'm hoping for a second trade collection from Mr. Fabulousness, James Turner - the extras were worth it - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the mused-about Rex Libris movie will actually, really happen.

I <3 ya, Rex! I'll miss you greatly.

Rex Libris, Stereotypes, and All That Jazz

Hi, all - I'm back! I've been saving up a few things but rather than stuffing them all into one big posting I'm going to dribble them out over the next couple of days, get back into the regular-post thing :-D

Check out "When Stereotypes No Longer Apply," an ACRL blog posting by Melissa Mallon. Good stuff, and good comments, too. Yes! We need to move towards a time when it doesn't matter what the librarian looks like, but what the librarian does. (Bet it doesn't happen anytime soon, though.)

I simply cannot stop singing this catchy tune: Hi-Fi Sci-Fi Library! Michael Porter (Libraryman) and David Lee King have done an amazing job. Check out the lyrics, too, if you miss a few during the video!

Just in case you haven't read about it (or heard it) yet, the group My Morning Jacket's recent album release "Evil Urges" has a song called "Librarian" on it. I think I've already commented on the lyrics.

After a small delay, Rex Libris issues #11, "R'lyeh Rising", and #12, "Space Balls... of Evil!" are now available. Go forth and get!

I <3 Rex

So. If you've been reading this site for any amount of time you know I have a thing for Rex Libris, the world's most awesome, bad-ass butt-kicking librarian around. Well, the new web site for Rex has been rolled out (so go check it out!), and to top it off, SLG Comics is offering a FREE COPY (yes, you read that right) of Issue #1, "I, Librarian" - you just pay for shipping.

I can't wait to run down to my local comics shop and pick up my copies of Issue #11 ("R'lyeh Rising") and #12 ("Space Balls... of Evil!") as soon as they're released. I'm keeping my eye on the site... and passing the time by browsing through the new Rexopedia.

As the cool kids say on twitter, I <3 Rex.

Speed Bump: now in poster form!

One of my favorite librarian comics from Speed Bump has become so popular the author, Dave Coverly, is now making it available as an inscribed, color poster!  It's a bit spendy but would be very cool to have on the office wall.  (Hmm, gift idea!)

(Mr. Coverly gave me permissions to use this particular comic three talks ago... he's a groovy dude!)

More from Rex Libris

My favorite a$$-kicking sesquipedalian librarian is back! Rex Libris #9 ("In the Grip of Ogpu!") came out just after Christmas, and Rex Libris #10 ("A Cock and Bull Story") has just been released... I love the standing order with my local comic store, I have them both to hand and will probably (finally!) read them on the plane this week.


Plus SLG Publishing has come out with another Rex T-shirt, which I simply must have! "Have YOU returned your library books?"

I loves me some Rex! :-)

"Read or Die" in PvP

If you've been here for a while, or heard/read one of my talks, you've probably heard me mention "Read or Die", the anime adventures of Yomiko Readman (aka The Paper, a special operative for The British Library). Well, RoD has made an appearance in the online comic PvP - made me laugh! Thanks to Laurel for the heads-up!

It's cool for us - we haven't cleared 90° - and overcast. No rain, though.

Wait a second...

"So you're saying men can be librarians?" Check out "The Couch Dialogues", today's Penny Arcade comic (today being 2007/08/03 if you have to go back through the archives).


What do you think, guys, do you like "librarianman" any better than "guybrarian"? (How about Libratorr?)

No rain last night, very sad. Currently 86° and 50% chance of rain today.

Shelf Check

So, there appears to be a new library comic in town (thanks, Stephen!) - Shelf Check. There are only 14 comics right now but they're worth checking out. (#9 made me laugh out loud!) Here's hoping creator Emily Lloyd (aka Poesygalore) starts sharing them a bit more often with us!

Currently a nice, even 100°.

More Librarians in Comics

Thanks to August for telling me about another librarian-related comic: the Jack of Fables. But it seems the librarian's the bad guy this time around; August says, "In it, the character Jack of Tales is captured by a nefarious Mr. Revise and his team of Librarians and taken to the Golden Boughs Retirement Village. It seems Mr. Revise wants to 'retire' fables so that they will fade from popular consciousness and so lose their magic." It's one I'm off to investigate!

(Currently 96°.)

Beehives and Buns, or, Comics du Jour

The May 2007 issue of American Libraries (thanks, Mom!) has an opinion page titled "How the World Sees Us" with a panel from a WayLay comic, that states, "And I never should have drawn a librarian with a beehive or a bun, although I understand they might wear sensible shoes." Of course, I had to go looking for the original sources... the page, which includes a bunch of quotes about libraries and librarians, isn't on the AL website (at least, not for us non-members) but if you access it via a database, it's page 38.

So, hopefully you're familiar with Carol Lay's "WayLay" comics; it also helps to be familiar with the whole "Higher Power of Lucky" thing that went embarrassingly kablam a few months ago to get this. She wrote a comic, "The Word", about the whole thing, and then a second comic to apologize to librarians, called "A-Mends". (The comics don't seem to appear on her site, but they appear freely on the Salon site.) While I agree that not all librarians are like that, I hope she didn't get any rude messages about it...

Advantages to Dating Librarians

Today's xkcd cracks me up! (I must admit to my own twitches.)

Random Musings on Comics

* Questionable Content (home of the "Blinded Me with Library Science" Tshirt) does it again, asking "Have you ever seen a gaggle of drunken librarians?" The answer made me laugh, especially since I'm wearing my "Don't make me use my Librarian voice" Tshirt today (thanks, Mom!)

* Support your local comic book store! I've been unable to find Rex Libris locally so have been ordering it online, but these folks not only ordered the latest issue for me, they've set me up with a continuing subscription - for free - where they'll order it and pay for shipping, then call me when it's in. Awesome!

This constant state of single-digit humidity is wreaking havoc with my sinuses. It'll be cooler - and moister! - in Denver next week (mental note: pack a jacket).

More Rex!

Rex Libris #8 is now available; continue the adventures of the World's Most Kick-Butt Librarian (apologies to Andrew, the original Butt-Kicking Librarian) in this "all-action-all-the-time extravaganza"! I found Rex's home page as well, and I really encourage all librarians to read about the Ordo Bibliotheca :-D

As well, I've just learned that Warner Brothers has optioned Rex for the big screen!

Conference Plug: I'll be talking about Rex (and a whole lotta other librarian pop culture stuff!) on Tuesday, June 5th starting at 2:30 pm. I hope you'll join me!

Feh... it's only 94°. Guess our heat wave is over... for now!

Super Librarian vs. The Virus!

"When villainy threatens readers, Super Librarian springs into action." Thus says the new comic book from the always-amazing New Jersey State Library, released May 5th (Free Comic Book Day). Wish I could get my hands on one!

It's a (very) cool, beautifully sunny 71° this morning.

Rex Libris: Movie Star!

Yes, it's true - Warner Bros. Pictures is making a movie about Rex! Too fun - I'll be keeping an eye on this project, that's for sure. Wonder if it'll be live-action or animated? (My bet is on animated.) Get the Rex Libris comics, action statue and Tshirt from SLG Publishing.

It's a cool, overcast 83° and I'm about to start a long weekend! Happy Easter, everyone.