Books: (May 1 - May 7, 1997)

SIX-ISSUE PARTY: Comic book artist Jon Morris started a buzz about a year ago with the creation of Fishbone (so says the back of the May issue, anyway, which states it "has already garnered a cult following and critical acclaim.") For late arrivals, "Six Issue Party," (Hierographics, $3.50) contains the first six episodes, wherein we're introduced to the spiny-headed superhero and his quirky outlook on "beating down" on crime. We weren't terribly impressed with the project after the first 26 pages, but a few more pages of leafing turned up the 'Bone Yard letters page, which is really just one long letter from Morris himself, where he helpfully explains how Fishbone (the superhero) got booted from his original background gig in another comic, Project: Dark Matter, and into his own book, which is really great for Fish' and almost as great for Morris, who wasn't necessarily prepared for the sudden publishing success. This explained everything. ("Five years out of art school and my first nationally distributed comic-book effort looks like a crayon drawing," he aptly states.)
Since he's obviously his own worst critic, we'll join the ranks of those offering critical acclaim rather than just being predictably critical. I mean, it's a comic book for Chrissakes! Besides, the potential for an exoskeletal crime fighter who's signaled by police via digital beeper is, well, HUGE. As Morris says, "Not bad for a 'hero' created for a crappy Mortal Kombat knock-off during my amazingly brief semi-employment at a video game company which shall remain nameless." Plus, there are some really great pin-ups, too.
Meet the maker (Morris, that is) at a "Six Issue" signing from 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Big Kids Comics, 8791 E. Broadway. Call 290-5080 for information. You can also catch up with him at Fantasy Comics, 3100 N. Stone Ave., from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. Call 620-1880 for information on that signing.
LAWLESS ON-LINE: Xenites rejoice! Your Kiwi cult queen (Lucy Lawless/ Warrior Princess Xena) has a four-page spread in the May issue of Yahoo! magazine (newsstand, $2.99). It's all about--you should've guessed--how cool the Internet is (yawn), her appearance on Letterman, how she isn't really Xena (for those of you who might be confused), and what all the "Becky and Bobs" get from watching a bodacious warrior princess on syndicated television: inspiration, the great model for friendship inspired by Xena and Gabrielle, and viewing females in "a different role." Yeah, whatever. The only thing the Bobs we know glean from the program is more fodder for their fantasies about what's "really" going on between Xena and Gabrielle, and what a talented costume designer the show has. For those who get more from the show than sexual fantasy, the Yahoo! spread also has a couple of sidebars with mythology sites and "women's power sites," which are kinda cool.
For example, it lists Bullfinch's Mythology as a decent site for checking your facts on Greek and Roman myths: http://www.webcom.com/shownet/medea/bulfinch/welcome.html. If Xena, however, is the only goddess you need, you'll find her on-line and in full color at http://plaza.interport.net/logomanc/XENA/index.html.
For the lowdown on the roles of women and gender in the ancient world, check out the Diotima site at www.uky.edu/ArtsSciences/ Classics/gender.html.
INK SPOTS: Keith Snyder signs Show Control from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at Clues Unlimited, 123 S. Broadway Village, at Country Club Road. Call 326-8533 for information.
Abigail Gumbiner signs Vacant Eden: Roadside Treasures of the Sonoran Desert, from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at The Book Mark, 5001 E. Speedway. Call 881-6350 for information.
And Roseann and Jonathan Hanson, resident naturalists of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge's Brown Canyon, discuss and sign the Southern Arizona Nature Almanac at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, at Tohono Chul Park, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte. Call 742-6455 for information.

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