Matt Fraction. , originally uploaded by ToFuGuns.

One of my favorite photographers–Ed Peterson–took this photo of Fraction signing books at Emerald City Comic Con this weekend.

Present from Fraction, originally uploaded by Kelly Sue.

[I know there are people who object to what they see as the crass commercialism of the notion of "push presents." They are welcome to their opinion. And they should feel free to post it elsewhere.]

When Henry Leo was born, Fraction gave me an engagement ring. (Sure, we’d already been married for 5 years, but we didn’t have the means for a ring when we were properly engaged. He proposed with a spoon ring that his uncle made for his father and that his father gave to him. I gave it back to him on our wedding day and he still wears it today.) The gift was at once a congratulations, a celebration, a thank you, the fulfillment of a promise and an expression of love and I treasure it light years beyond its monetary value.

He surprised me last night with another gift, the occasion for which is a celebration of the birth of our daughter… albeit, a little early. It’s an antique typewriter–a 1955 pink portable Smith Corona–and it’s just about the most perfect thing I can imagine. I could spell out for you all of the reasons, the many messages embodied by this one gift, but the sap factor of this post is already alarmingly high and besides–I’ll cry.

Anyway, it’s beautiful and wonderful and I love it and I wanted to show you.

…And now I must get back to work.

Last night, Matt’s Iron Man Omnibus was $15 on Amazon–a great deal for a book that usually retails for (I believe) $40. As I write this? It’s $8.24.

Link:
Invincible Iron Man Omnibus, Vol. 1

More Amazon deals (most found courtesy of Chris Sims, btw):
Fraction’s Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia – $15!
Most of the EC Archives – $15!
Criminal (Deluxe Edition) – $15!
Brubaker’s Daredevil Omnibus, Vol. 1 – $8.24!
The Death of Captain America Omnibus – $8.24!

And still more:
The Ultimates Omnibus – $8.24!
Wolverine Omnibus, Vol. 1 – $8.24!
The X-Men Omnibus, Vol. 1 – $8.24!
Fantastic Four Omnibus, Vol. 1 (v. 1) – $8.24!
(Stan Lee) Iron Man Omnibus, Vol. 1 – $14.99!
Madman Gargantua (Madman Comics) – $14.99!
Tomb Of Dracula Omnibus Volume 1 HC Variant (v. 1) – $14.99!
Amazing Fantasy Omnibus HC Brereton Variant – $14.99!
Bone: The Complete Cartoon Epic in One Volume (Vol 1) – $14.99!

Siege (Preorder) – $14.99!
Siege: Embedded Premiere HC (Preorder) – $14.99!
Girl Comics HC (Preorder) – $14.99!

Matt Fraction: Autodidact, originally uploaded by Kelly Sue.

Happy birthday, my love.

• WonderCon was just fabulous. Thanks to Ivan Brandon and his sister, Jon Sung, the Chabon/Waldman family, Sam Humphries, Ariana Osborne, Mel Tomlin, Ed Brubaker, Rick Remender, Barbara, Ray Fawkes, Kit Fox, Kate Austin-Groen (and her lovely family), Jamais Cascio and Janice, Dan Curtis Johnson and his family (ohmygod, I need Robot! Hari!), Meredith Yayanos and Mr. Matt Fraction.
• I didn’t get much work done in SF (it’s always hard when you’re traveling, but particularly so with a toddler in tow) but what I did get done, I’m currently LOVING. That doesn’t actually happen all that often. So yay, San Francisco. Thank you.
• If you missed the X-Men/Dark Avengers crossover news, you can get details here.
• I have such a weakness for madras baby pants.
• Oh, man. I apparently missed the All Souls bell choir playing a Led Zeppelin medley yesterday. Bummer.
• Considering how much I would like to do before Monday, I am opting to skip the two estate sales I was planning to hit. I am sad for missing the bedside table, leopard coat and le creuset that would probably have been gone before I got there anyway. But still.
• Now perhaps I will have time to, um, shower and make Chocolate Ginger Brownies. Also, my office is a DISASTER AREA. It’s so bad, I should take a picture.
• Henry knocked over the Eiffel Tower yesterday. Not the real one. This one. This is particularly upsetting because I’m not sure we got a photo of it once it was completed.
• Er… is this Nick Lowe?
• Black/death metal science fiction. I am still giggling. With AWESOME.
• Has anyone seen this?
• I am considering investing in some reusable snack and sandwich bags as I am not, and never will be someone who will wash plastic bags. (I’m sorry, Green People, it is just not in my constitution.) You know what I’d really love? A freezer bag version.
• We are VERY lucky that HL isn’t a picky eater at all. He’ll try anything. But the information here on erratic appetites and portion sizes is comforting, so I’m passing it along. (Some days HL eats very, very little. Some days, he eats like a linebacker.)

Hellcat and Casanova both made Io9’s Best of 2008 list! Yay!

• My CBT interview on Globecat is up. If you want to check it out, it’s here.
• Fall trend I’m kind of into: ombre. Reminds me of Perrin from 2001 (2000?) Haven’t picked anything up, but I’m keeping an eye out.
• Too old for HL yet, but still cool: Crayon Rocks
• We’re shopping for a chair for HL. I put four options on his Amazon list here. Moms and Dads out there: any thoughts? Suggestions?
• NPR did a piece on Gaiman’s THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Check it out here. (I was honored to have been sent a .pdf file of the book to read before it went to print. Unfortunately, I was a little too raw after the birth of my own son for a story that opened with a toddler in peril, but I have since, uh, girded my loins, and had another go and I must say that (unsurprisingly) I love it. I’ll write more in good time, but for the moment: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.)
• We’re having a very hippy dinner tonight. Fraction’s father would be appalled. Luckily, he’s not dining with us this evening!

Jeffery Klaehn has a blog, wherein he has posted excerpts of interviews with a number of comics folks, including Fraction and me. I can’t remember how long ago we did this interview, but I sound horribly pretentious. (I totally name-dropped Neil Gaiman, btw. As in, “Neil Gaiman once told me…” You can go ahead and shoot me int he head right now.) (Not that I don’t adore Gaiman — I do, absolutely. But really. That was just tacky.)

Fraction comes off far better and, as always, his interview is worth your time. I’m thinking in particular of social fiction and science fiction as illustrated by Warren Ellis’ HELLBLAZER piece “Shoot” and TRANSMETROPOLITAN #40.

(It’s a little beside the point, but if I haven’t said so recently, I’ll say so now: I remain in awe of Ellis’ talent.)

Anyway, the blog is here:

http://jefferyklaehn.blogspot.com/

Happy anniversary.

Well, we’re here. The first year that we haven’t gotten cards or gifts or made plans. We talked about it, assured one another that we were still in love but teething and work and errands and sick dogs and travel and mouse attacks and taxes and, I dunno, household chores or something have all conspired to leave us too tired to make a fuss. Right now, anniversary plans just feel like one more thing on the already novella-length to do list.

Despite my usual lack of filter, I do see (I can be taught, it seems) that it would be inappropriate to go on at length or in detail about how much you mean to me, how very proud I am of you or how catching your eye across the room still makes me giggle like a little girl who kicks her toes in the dirt as she lifts her skirt to cover her eyes.

So I won’t do that. I’ll just say that I love you. And thank you for picking me.