Once again the time has come to deliver a monthly dose of awesomeness that has clogged up my sparse free time and may have slipped through the cultural cracks only to be brought back to life by the mad scientist hands of yours truly. I view it as a win-win; I get to watch and read some quality stuff, you, the reader, get alerted to things you may not know about or have forgotten existed and this here magnificent website gets new content. If only one person watches or reads something from this list I’ve done my job. Without further ado, here’s my picks for May.

The Thin Man: The adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s classic novel on screen, plus subsequent film sequels, not only stand as some of the finest comedy/mysteries of the 1930s and 40s but also cemented William Powell and Myrna Loy as the pre-eminent screen couple in Hollywood. Filmed 2-3 years apart to insure the return of the same principle cast and crew each film is an a-list extravaganza. The mystery was secondary to the interplay between Powell and Loy and their natural charisma and comfort level is evident. Nick and Nora Charles are written as independent people who compliment each other so perfectly and have such an affinity for one another that there is nothing they couldn’t accomplish. The scripts are fast-paced and extremely witty and the mysteries are well crafted and compulsive but the series really is the Powell and Loy show. They proved so popular they headlined roughly 40 movies together in their long, illustrious careers, all of them thoroughly enjoyable. I cannot recommend any of their work enough, especially the Thin Man series of films and if you enjoy a good mystery wrapped up in the blazing repartee and visible camaraderie of two of the screen’s Legends, give these films a go immediately. Some of my all-time favorite films and certainly two actors I hold in the highest regard.

League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century 1910: Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill present the third installment of their popular League comic book, this time as an 80 page graphic album for $8 from Top Shelf Productions instead of the usual Wildstorm/DC imprint. Picking up shortly after the events in the Black Dossier, Mina Murray, a rejuvenated Allan Quatermain, eternal warrior Orlando, reformed criminal Anthony Raffles and supernatural detective Thomas Carnacki are called into action when the world is once again assailed by evil. This time, Carnacki is haunted by visions of an occult organization bent on bringing about something called a Moonchild, which spells great disaster. Meanwhile, the most notorious serial-murderer in history seems to have made a return, much to Mycroft Holmes’ dismay and the daughter of Captain Nemo discovers herself and makes some hard choices. The series will have 3 parts, the second taking place in 1969, due in 2010, and the conclusion will follow the League into the 21st Century. What has always made the League, and stellar series such as Warren Ellis‘ Planetary which League informed, so fascinating is the way Moore takes the whole of literature and layers it in such a manner that the whole work is elevated beyond a simple tale of adventure into a fully realized world where everything ties together so magnificently. As always, Moore provides a text piece at the end providing a bridge between this book and the next, carrying the reader through 1964. This books is stunning and if you’re a fan of the League, Mr’s. Moore and O’Neill, or literature, it is not to be missed.

Star Trek: Not that new thing, either. Star Trek. Captain Kirk, Spock, Bones, Scottie, Uhura, Chekov and Sulu, boldly going where no man had gone before. Exploring strange new worlds, seeking out new life and civilizations through 3 years of television and one really underrated cartoon series. A handful of mediocre films and the outstanding Wrath of Khan (1982). Wagon Train in space. You know, Star Trek. I’m that hardcore 8% everyone talks about when discussing niche audiences and I am an Original Series devotee. Anything later is fake Star Trek. The draw, of course, is William Shatner. Oh, Leonard Nimoy is great and his interplay with DeForest Kelley is priceless and Scottie shines in his appearances (remember the fight he starts with the Klingons in Season 2’s “Trouble With Tribbles?”) but Shatner was the show’s driving force and main reason to tune in. He emotes, he makes decisions, he commands, he sleeps with women of all races and types, he fights, he phasers, he flat-out takes the galaxy by storm, Prime Directive be damned! Indeed, of all the basic Star Trek plots, either the Enterprise is just minding it’s own business and is set upon by some menace or Kirk has screwed up bad enough to have to do something and doing something is what Kirk does best! No 45 minute meeting to decide a course of action, hell no! Instant action! Spock provides the logical alternative to the situation, McCoy the emotional, humanitarian viewpoint. Kirk listens to both sides and then kicks ass. It has been suggested that Kirk, as smart as he proves to be time and again, really has to know nothing at all; everyone else has it covered. His job is to make things happen, beat aliens up and have random sexual encounters. For an envoy of a Peacekeeping Humanitarian Force, Kirk is a descendant of the Errol Flynn school of captaincy. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’ve been watching a lot of Star Trek lately and, unlike the new film, will recommend the Original Series (and cartoon, which is the same voice-cast and writers as the series and also awesome) for some great space adventure.

La Vaca Guano – Retrato Difuso: My house has had a Spanish flavor lately with this 2005 release from good friend and jack-of-all-trades Javier Albarrán. A mixture of funk, hip-hop, rock and electronica, Retrato Difuso (“diffuse picture”) blends musical styles and subgenres in such an effortless manor that just when you think you’ve got them pinned down they completely change their style, sometimes mid-song, providing a wholly unique and pleasurable listening experience. The cd has all the necessary permissions for copying and distribution and the band has at least 4 albums dating back to 1995 so I urge you to seek this out for a glimpse of auditory greatness and diversity. The band, reportedly, has taken a hiatus but Javier has proven himself quite a funk/jazz musician and has been flirting with Industrial music as well so keep you ears tuned for further sounds of the Spanish Underground scene.

Marvel Essentials: Part of the problem with comic books for new readers is that by the time you come to some series, like the Avengers or the X-Men, they have been published for so long (indeed, some series number 500+) there is now way you’ll ever own, let alone catch up, on their marvelous histories. Granted, Marvel, as well as other comic companies, are aware of this problem and create plenty of opportunity for new readers to jump in and join the fun but part of that fun is discovering the rich history of the character(s) in question. That’s why Marvel has produced it’s Essentials line of graphic novels reprinting the early adventures of it’s famous comic heroes. Each volume of Essentials provides 25+ issues of your favorite heroes in black and white, including early crossovers and guest spots when applicable and run about $16, providing a cheap way to read their high-priced and rare early adventures. I am a casual fan of Captain America, for instance, but I have the first 4 Essentials for the Nick Fury appearances and Cap’s casual membership in S.H.I.E.L.D. I’ve been a fan of Doctor Strange for some time but who can afford all those Strange Tales issues? Marvel Masterworks are the best reproduction of those early comics but at $50 a pop for 10 issues gets expensive but 2 volumes of Essentials get me roughly 50 tales at only $30. DC Comics has followed suit with it’s Showcase series and I applaud both companies for releasing such sought-after material in such an affordable format. Collections abound for most of the popular and iconic series like the Defenders, Thor and Iron Man, as well as cult oddities like Godzilla, Howard the Duck and (my favorite but I have all the original issues) Tomb of Dracula. Again, great reads and phenomenal artwork at a reasonable price. Strongly Suggested.