Events
Glasgow
Harry Potter Week But'dcrs Book‘s. l-‘oit Rctail Park. 773 29l0. l'ntil 2] Jul. 'l‘imcs yary. l‘rcc. l)aily storytclling aitd colouring-in actiyitics at 2pm linkcd to all thc l’ottcr Ilt)\'L‘l.\ and culminating in a party with Rcal Radio's Stcyc McKcnna on Fri 20. You cotild also gct your hands on a copy of Harry Potter and I/It’ Di'uI/t/y' Ila/Inn's attcr ntidnight or at Sam on Sat 2 l.
Edinburgh
New Scottish Poetry .\'orth lidinbui'gh Arts (‘cntrc. l5a l’cnnywcll (‘ouit. 3l5 2l5l. l0am 4pm. l-‘rcc. (’hock-t'ull of Scottish humour. this cxhibition ot' ncw work by l2 Scottisli writcrs. including pcrt'ormancc pocts and stand-up comcdians. sccs publishcd and unpublishcd work. t‘rccstylc poctt'y. monologucs and haiku sit sidc by sidc. The Bridge Readings: Iain Banks 'l'hc .-\ugustinc ('htirch. 4| 4.3 (icorgc l\' Bi‘idgc. 623 3845. 7pm. l‘rcc. .\'c\t tip in this sc‘t'ics ol rcadings by Scottish attd intct'national w ritcrs is lain Banks. thc Stirling graduatc and bcstsclling author. who talks abotit his latcst titlc. 'I'lu' Slurp .‘l/l/ll'tltlt'll Ir) (irirlmr/u/r'.
The Big Word 'l'hc Ja/l Bar. 1 (‘hambcrs Strch 220 4290. 9pm. £4 (£3). A big summcr slam night of pci't‘ormancc poctry. l’caturing Aislc l6 t‘oundcr Ross Suthcrland. (ilasgow Slam champion I)rcw 'l'ay lor. thc Big \Vord Slam collcctiy c. (iracmc llaw lcy and music l‘roin Ila/cl Morrison.
Glasgow
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows \Valc‘t'sluttc‘ls. l7-l :\t'gy lc‘ Strcct. 248 4M4. midnight. l‘rcc. 'l‘hc shop opcns its doors at tttidnigltl l-UI' Iltosc who can’t w ait until thc morning to gct thcir hands on thc tinal instalmcnt ol‘JK Rowling’s staggcringly popular scrics.
Edinburgh
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Watcrstonc’s. (‘amcron 'l‘oll Shopping ('cntrc. 6 Lady Road. 666 l866. Midnight lam. Lice Scc Fri 20.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows \Vatcrstonc‘s, 98/9 ()ccan 'l‘crminal. ()ccan l)ri\'c. l.cith. 554 7732. Midnight lam. l‘rcc. Scc Hi 20.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Watcrstonc's. l3 l4 l’rinccs Strcct. 556 3034. Midnight 2am. l’rcc. Scc Fri 20.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows \Vatcrstonc’s. I28 l’rinccs Strcct. 226 2666. Midnight. l‘t‘cc. Scc Hi 20. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Watcrstonc's. S3 (icorgc Strcct. 225 3436. Midnight. l‘rcc. Scc Fri 20.
Edinburgh
William Dalrymple: The Last Mughal National Library of Scotland. (ic‘ttt'gc‘ l\' Bridgc. 226 45.~l. 7pm. l-‘rcc. 'I'hc bcst-sclling Scottiin author giycs this talk on thc tinal part (it his Mughal trilogy.
Tuesday 24
Edinburgh
Starting Out Workshop Scottish Book 'l‘rtist. Sandcman llotisc. 'l'runks (low. 55 lliglt Strcct. 524 0l60. l 5pm. l‘rcc. Workshop introducing thc basics ol‘ working as a prolcssional artist or crcator. Book in adyancc by cmail or on 0844 544 9990.
Wednesday 25
Edinburgh
Storytelling Cafe: Gerry Durkin Scottish Story tclling ('cntrc. 43 45 High Strcct. 556 9579. 7 9pm. £3. Stoi'ytclling. music and song in a rclaxcd catc
atmosphcrc hostcd by (icrry Durkin. (‘omc along to listcn or join in.
Edinburgh
Lin Anderson Watcrstoiic‘s. 83 (icorgc Strcct. 225 3436. 6.30 7.30pm. lircc. Lin Andcrson launchcs hcr ncw book. Dark Light. a crimc thrillcr starring t‘orcnsic scicntist Rhona Maclcod.
Roll the Bones 'l‘hc (‘anons' (iait. 232 (’anongatc. 556 44SI. 8pm. £3 (£2). Liyc rcadings of original tiction by thc \Vritcrs' Bloc spokcn word pcrt'ormancc group in this ncw monthly cycnt.
Edinburgh
Wide White Page Scottish l’octry Library. 5 (‘richton‘s ('losc. ('anongatc. 557 2876. l lam 6pm. l‘rcc. A new cxhibition of whitc-out bcauty t'ccordcd in photographs and papcr t‘orms. crcatcd by book artist Racth lla/cll and inspircd by Antarctica.
The Guid Crack Club Waycrlcy Bar. I St Mary’s Strcct. 5569579. 7.30pm. £3 donation. lidinbtirgh’s popular storytclling club. whcrc all arc wclcomc as listcncrs or tcllcrs. This month thc club wclcomcs spccial gticst Sybillc Alcxandcr l'or ‘Sccrcts of thc (‘cltic \Vorld’.
Edinburgh
Book Group \Valcrstottc‘s. (‘atttct'ott loll Shopping ('cntrc. 6 Lady Road. 666 1866. 5 6pm. lircc. A rcgular book group mccting on thc last Sunday (it c\ cry month. to join in with thc discussion ot‘ .Milr's on u .S't'mu/u/ by 7.06 llcllcr and Amy A’- [Ml/H’Hl’ by lili/abcth Strout. plcasc contact Stcphcn at thc branch for morc int'orination.
Shore Poets Mai Thai. 'l‘hc 'l‘un. Jackson’s lintry. l l l llolyrood Road. 3l3 2797. 7.45pm. £2 (U l. An ‘()rkncy lixchangc' spccial. with pocts Patti licasant. Yyonnc (iray and Alistair l’ccblcs making thc trip down to rcad cxamplcs ot' thcir work. With liyc music.
Monday 30
Glasgow
Jefferey Deaver \Vatcrstonc‘s. I53 I57 Satichicliall Strcct. 332 9l05. 6 8pm. £2. 'I‘hc bcstsclliitg Amcrican crimc author launchcs his latcst book. 'l'lir' .S‘lr'r'ping Doll. starring Kathryn l)ancc. thc kincsic supcrslcuth.
Rio Cafe Rio (‘alt’x 27 llyndland Strch 334 9909. S lllttltt. l-rcc. :\ cabarct ot spokcn word and poctry from lan Macphcrson. Magi (iibson. l)ayid Mandcrson. opcn spots aitd coinpcrc Robin ('airns. To pcrl'orm. plcasc contact i'obittcait'nsm btconncctcom.
Wednesday 1
Glasgow
Denise Mina Mitclicll Library. 20l .\'oith Strcct. 287 2999. 6.30pm. l‘rcc. Dcnisc Mina launchcs My 1115'! Bl'l’llI/l. thc third titlc in hcr Paddy Mcchan scrics. Reading Group Pilot Sessions Scottish l’octry Library. 5 (‘richton's (’losc. (‘anongatc. 557 2876. 6.30 8pm. lircc. 'l‘akc part in onc of two trial scssions on rcading poctry tising ait Amcrican approach callcd ‘Sharcd Inquiry '. Please book in adyaitcc as spaccs arc limitcd.
Edinburgh
BeatniX Poetry Nite 'l‘hc Jan Bar. I (‘hambcrs Strcct. 220 4290. S l0pm. £4 (£3). ()pcn mic poctry and music hostcd by Anita (ioyan. t'caturing :\lltct'iL’itIl jail poctry from Young l)aw kins thc lll. 'l‘hc ('hcmical l’octs. singcr/songw'ritcr \\'illi;iiit Douglas and. of coui'sc. opcn mic spots. (‘all 07962 9l2590 t'oi' morc int'o.
Comics
BATMAN
BOB KANE 8: VARIOUS
The Batman Chronicles Volume 3 (DC/Titan) .0.
lllllllll
ls Batman the greatest comics character of all time? Probably. The depth of personality that has been examined through the years is just astounding: the darkness concealed within the cowl and the simple visual punch of the Batman image can still be breathtaking in the right creator‘s hands. That a character created in 1939 is still one of the most popular superheroes in comics is testament to the quality of his conception. It's a central conceit can be used to tell myriad tales. from the gritty urban sci-fi of Frank Miller's opus The Dark Knight Returns to the high camp of the 60s TV series.
Every month there is a plethora of Batman tiles launched. and here we pick just some of the most interesting. First we have the third volume in DC's massive project to reprint every Batman story in ‘the exact order they were published'. It's a mammoth task — and this only goes as far as 1941. They may seem simplistic. but they whip along with a breezy 40s gusto and set the groundwork not only for all Batman stories to come but. in many ways. the blueprint for modern comics as we know them today. (Henry Northmorel
BATMAN MATT WAGNER
Batman and the Mad Monk (DCiTitan) .0
Matt Wagner. who remains best known for his own Dark Knight creation Grendel.
Books
W.
will".
continues to re-envision the early career of the caped crusader. a sell- consciously old-school pulp fiction read. boasting appropriately lurid content and an old movie serial-style title. Here. Batman does battle with what he reluctantly comes to believe may be his first supernatural foe. an immortal medieval monk who lives in a gothic castle outside Gotham and who prolongs his life by draining nubile yOung women of their blood.
It‘s all very intriguing in conception. but on paper Wagner's execution is woefully amateur. The artwork is rushed looking. and there's little attention to detail either in terms of characterisation or settings and props. Worse is the clumsy storytelling and bland dialogue. And worst of all. Wagner adds absolutely nothing new to the Dark Knight myth. (Miles Fielder)
BATMAN
DAN CURTIS JOHNSON, JH WILLIAMS & SETH FISHER Snow
(DGTitan) OOOO
The first thing that strikes yOu on opening Show is the cartoon styled pop art. which is unlike any other Bat- book. Seth Fisher is one of the most distinctive artists in the world of superheroes. and his crazed cartoon graphics and smooth lines are
instantly recognisable. Regrettably, Fisher died suddenly in 2006. falling from a hotel root in Osaka and leaVIt‘tg behind a gorgeous. inspired but all too small legacy (Fantastic Four/Iron Man: Big in Japan in particular is well worth checking out). In the retelling of Batman's first encounter with Mr Freeze. it's the art that really brings this five issue story-arc to vibrant life. Adding a new fluid dimension to the story. every panel is a joy to look at. drinking in every exuberant detail. A pleaSLire from start to finish. (Henry Northmorel
BATMAN
SAM KEITH Secrets (DC/Titan) OOO
Sam Keith is a another singular and distinctive talent in comics. The unlikely co-creator of The Sandman with Neil Gaiman. he‘s more famous for his own series The Maxx. His rough, exaggerated painted work is certainly eye-catching. it not to everyone's taste.
The central premise has the Joker released from the Arkham Asylum. yet again. He's now on a publicity tour for his new book and 0th to frame Batman for his latest killing spree. It's an unofficial seguel to Alan Moore's The Killing Joke (perhaps the greatest Batman story of all time). and this is where its problem lies. While perfectly readable and pretty entertaining — with the Joker on suitably psychopathic form — it jUSl pales in comparison with the aforementioned classic. The exchanges iust don't have the same resonance in Keith's hands. Close but no (exploding. toxic gas- filled) cigar.
(Henry Northmorel
19 Jul—2 Aug 2007 THE LIST 29