Dear Mr. Watterson

DEAR MR. WATTERSON
Joel Schroeder’s ode to CALVIN AND HOBBES and its creator is a little too heavy on gushing but pointless fan sycophancy and self-validation from crappy contemporary cartoonists who unabashedly rip off Bill Watterson. Still, the subject matter shines brightly enough to make you want to revisit its brilliance and magic.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Brett Ratner’s risible THE LAST STAND is rendered mostly moot by Bryan Singer’s entertaining but underdeveloped adaptation of an iconic Marvel storyline. But too much whining by Professor X and some unanswered questions of plot and continuity may forever render the cinematic X-verse too muddled to elicit unequivocal raves.

Genius, Animated: The Cartoon Art of Alex Toth

GENIUS, ANIMATED: THE CARTOON ART OF ALEX TOTH by Dean Mullaney & Bruce Canwell (IDW)
IDW’s Toth trilogy wraps up with a treasure trove of character designs, storyboards, and presentation pieces from the master’s years in animation, including many previously unseen works. Again, thoughts of what might have been add a melancholic tinge to the documentation of a brilliant career self-immolated by perfectionism and misanthropy.