Update on the Byron Vaughns Sale

It's Iron Guy Carl with a quick update on the sale that Mr. Byron Vaughns, comic book artist extraordinaire, is holding to support the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library:

UPDATE
“Due to the technical difficulties of the art download, I have extended the last day of the Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam original art sale to all day Tuesday, June 29, 2010. Pages have been downloaded for purchase and issues 8 and 9 will be downloaded by the end of today, Saturday, June 26, 2010

I have reduced the cost of each piece by $5.00 and in addition, all call in orders will also receive an original drawing of my new superhero, Paxton Knight

I am very much committed to making a personal contribution of 40% from this sale, including FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING, USA, to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in honor of the Boys Rule Boys Read Blog, PLEASE HELP THIS WORTHWHILE CAUSE. BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE ARTWORK TO ENLARGE THE PAGE!

The Boys Rule Boys Read Blog ,created for elementary school-age boys to encourage reading http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com was created by library staffers, Carl Schwanke, Bill Corder & Zack Moore have been avid supporters of the Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam series (especially Bill Corder. Although, Bill and Zack were laid off due to budget cuts, Bill, Carl, and Zack have a new blog, Boys Rock, Boys Read. Their commitment to guiding boys’ reading is still going strong.

Yes, our committment is Iron Guy strong! Be sure to check this out everyone!

Byron Vaughns Sells Artwork to Support the Library!

Hey, all boys and grownup comic fans everywhere, this is Iron Guy Carl with a really special announcement. Comic artist Byron Vaughns, who worked on Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam for DC, is going to sell original artwork and donate 40% of the money to Charlotte Mecklenburg Library! Here's a press release from Betty, his publicity agent:

Emmy award winning cartoonist, Byron Vaughns is starting a 3-day original art sale on Friday, June 25, 2010, at http://shop.byronvaughns.com/ in support of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library System and elementary school-age boys who love to read comic books. He is asking for your help with his personal donation.

“This is unusual for me as an artist ….…selling my original comic book pages from the DC Comics Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam series,

http://byronvaughnsshazam.blogspot.com/ hard for any artist really, but I was moved by the critical funding issues of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library System http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/06092010/rallies-rallies-everywhere-final-budget-votes-loom which in turn affects the library’s unique, Boys Rule Boys Read Blog http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/, created for elementary school-age boys to encourage reading; a place for boys to find terrific books and tell other boys about great reading. Because of the boys’ enthusiasm for the Billy Batson stories (a boy’s positive superhero image and exceptional relationship with his superhero sister), I felt this was a great cause to support. Hey, remember how good it felt to read comic books when you were a kid??”

“So….I am selling about 70 pieces of original, signed comic book pages and personally donating a portion of my proceeds (40%) to the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library System and as the donator, I will retain the tax deduction rights. I am also donating FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING, USA for each purchase at no cost to you!
ORDERS OUTSIDE USA MUST CALL FOR SHIPPING CHARGES. BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE ARTWORK TO ENLARGE THE PAGE!

The 3-day sale starts on FRIDAY, June 25, 2010 at 6am Eastern Standard Time and ends MONDAY, June 28, 2010 at 10pm Eastern Standard Time. BUY NOW THROUGH PAYPAL! OR ORDER BY PHONE (818-749-8536) THIS IS FASTER AND WILL ALLOW ME TO HELP THE LIBRARY’S IMMEDIATE FUNDING GAP. I CAN ALSO ACCEPT CHECKS BY PHONE.
If you would like a personal greeting on the comics page, call and let me know!
For more information on Byron Vaughns: http://www.byronvaughns.com/

The Boys Rule Boys Read Blog, http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/ was created by the library staffers, Carl Schwanke, Bill Corder & Zack Moore. They have been avid supporters of the Billy Batson & the Magic of Shazam series (especially Bill Corder) http://jaja-cas.blogspot.com/2009/07/mario-kart-shazam-and-star-wars-nuff.html Unfortunately, Bill and Zack were laid off due to budget cuts but Bill, Carl, and Zack have started another blog, Boys Rock, Boys Read.

For more information about the Boys Rule Boys Read Blog, contact Carl Schwanke at cschwanke@cmlibrary.org (704) 416-4630. Also check out http://boysrockbr.blogspot.com/ a new boy’s blog by Carl Schwanke, Bill Corder & Zack Moore!

Thanks, Betty, and especial thanks to you, Mr. Vaughns! Here's your chance to own some fantastic artwork and support the library! Don't pass it up!

So Glad to Be Here

Hey all you crazy reader cats, this is Iron Guy Carl. When it comes to reading so many really good guy books that other men would faint or carrying more books in one bag than any other mortal would dare to lift, no one beats the IRON GUY! I am SO glad to be blogging again with Bill and Zack. I still am on the Boys Rule! Boys Read! blog we started at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library but the three of us had so much fun together that we decided to start our own independent blog. Hope you guys enjoy it.

First off, let me echo Bill's sentiments about The Prisoner. It's a really cool show and it was good to see it again after all these years. There's action, spy stuff, mystery, and even a chance to stretch your brain. I remember watching it back in the day--it was in the summer and I'd be swimming at the Y all afternoon and then ride my bike furiously to get home and be there in time for the latest episode. I still remembered a lot of them after 30-plus years and they're as good now as back then. Let me say one more thing, though--the ending is just as strange now as it was then too! The last two episodes are Just. Plain. Weird. Watch them. You'll see what I mean. BUT---I liked it that way. As I said, this show gave you a chance to stretch your brain and this ending stretched mine to the max. If any of you watch them, let me know what you think. You too, Bill.

Let me tell you about a couple or REALLY good reads. Since we're talking about mystery, action, and international conspiracy, it's a good time to talk about The 39 Clues. These are the most fun books I've read in a long time and I am always excited when a new one comes out. These two are the newest books in this terrific series.

If any of you have been trapped in The Village the last year or so and don't know the story, here's a brief recap. Dan and Amy Cahill are a couple of kids whose parnets died in a fire 7 years before. They've spent a lot of time with their rich grandmother, Grace Cahill but when she dies, they find that Grace left them an unusual choice--take a million dollars each or join the hunt for the 39 Clues. Whoever finds all 39 of the Clues could become the most powerful person on earth. The only trouble is that they find that the rest of the Cahill family is in on the hunt as well. Not only that, the Cahills have been at this hunt for 500 years, have included every important person in history for the last 500 years, and they will stop at nothing to prevent Dan and Amy from finding the Clues. What chance do two kids (and Nellie Gomez, their au pair) have against THAT? In The Emperor's Code by Gordon Korman, the kids go to China and Dan gets kidnapped! In Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park, they go to the Caribbean to find a Clue left hundreds of years ago by Anne Bonny, a female pirate. These books, like all the 39 Clues books, have slam-bang action, laugh-out-loud humor, and mysterious messages embedded in the books. In other words, these are great guy books! Don't miss them. No one does it better than The 39 Clues!! (and the fun continues on The 39 Clues website. Don't miss it!)

I Am Not a Number!!!!

Hello all traveling in the Land of Blog. Ti's I The Mysterious Library Ninja Guy!!!!!!

Heavy Metal Ninjas Battle till their ears bleed!!!!

This past weekend Iron Carl and myself got together and watched episodes of this really cool TV show from the 60s called "The Prisoner" staring Patrick McGoohan. Here is a summary, taken from Wikipedia describing the series:

"The series follows an unnamed British agent who abruptly resigns his job, and then finds himself held captive in a mysterious seaside "village" that is isolated from the mainland by mountains and sea. The Village is further secured by numerous monitoring systems and security forces, including a mysterious device called Rover that captures those who attempt escape.

The agent encounters the Village's population, hundreds of people from all walks of life and cultures, all seeming to be tranquilly living out their lives. As they do not use names, they have each been assigned a number. The agent is told by the Village's chief administrator "Number Two", that he is "Number Six", and they are seeking "information" as to why he resigned; the task of doing this is carried by the ever-changing "Number Two", acting as supposed proxy to the unseen "Number One". As the series unfolds, the audience learns that the Village authorities have other interests in Number Six aside from the knowledge he

possesses: interests that often spare Number Six from the more destructive information-gathering techniques employed by the Village authorities upon other inmates.

Number Six, distrusting of anyone involved with the Village, refuses to co-operate or provide answers. Alone, he struggles with multiple goals: determine for which side the Village works, remain defiant to its imposed authority, concoct his own plans for escape, learn all he can about the Village and subvert its operation."

Patrick McGoohan - The Mysterious Secret Agent dubbed Number 6!



The Opening for each Episode!!!!

Very Cool!!!!!

And finally just a brief sequence from the series:




Pretty cool stuff huh? Well I am hooked after just two episodes and will be on the look for the rest of the episodes. I love this show cause you cannot confine it into just one genre. It's awesome spy stuff, trippy sc-fi and just plain fun!

Hope some of you guys reading this try to look for it. I'm sure some libraries probably carry the series.

Hey, what are some of your favorite TV shows? Let us know so we can check them out.

Well peace all,

Bill

Let's Get This Party Started!!!!

Hello all in The Land of Blog and welcome to the brand spanking new "Boys Rock, Boys Rule" with extra strength manliness. What is this blog site about you ask? Well let me give you the facts, just the facts:

1) This Blog is focused at guys ages 8 through them there teen years (that is authentic "country talk" for those unfamiliar - although I assure you I am more a Heavy Metal listener myself).

The Great Renaissance Guitar God - Sir Jester of Metal.

2) We Warriors 3, Library Guy Zack, Iron Carl, and myself (Ninja Librarian Bill), who also happen to be Youth Services Librarians, will talk about guy things we like: Books, Comics, Graphic Novels, Movies, Sports, Gaming, Music, etc.

3) We want readers of our Blog to be more than that!!!! We want you to be contributor's also. Talk about the things you love and enjoy. Share it so that all guys can know about it.

4) This Blog is about having fun. If you don't enjoy anything, this Blog is probably not for you.

So with all that said let's get to some random things I have been up to recently:

First let's talk about a most excellent book I just finished reading,

The Last Apprentice: Curse of The Bane by Joseph Delaney -  This is the second book in "The Last Apprentice" Series and just like the first one, I loved it! The story starts off with Tom still under the apprenticeship of the Spook Mr. Gregory. Because the Spook is sick, Tom must deal with a very nasty Boggart called a Ripper. For those of you who are uninitiated a Boggart is a type of ghost and a Ripper is a Boggart who lives off blood (be it animal or human). Tom deals with the Ripper, but a part of this incident involves the death of the Spooks brother who is a priest.

This starts a serious of events in which the Spook and Tom must head to Priestown, not only for the burial of the Spook's brother, but to deal with an old score from the Spook's past. It seems that underneath Priestown in the catacombs exist a creature called the Bane. The Bane is an ancient evil spirit that once had physical form but lost it (you will have to read the book to find out how). The Spook, when he was younger, tried to deal with the Bane but was beaten badly and barely escaped with his life. Now with Tom at his side they are going to take on the Bane once more. Oh I forgot to mention that besides this there are many other things going on, like the churches highest pursuer of all things evil, the Quistor, taking many innocent people and accusing them of being witches so that he can mainly take belonging of any possessions that they may own. Well one of the people that the Quistor has taken is Tom's friend Alice, who actually is a which - but a good one (so far), and Tom must find a way to rescue her.

Well as you can probably tell their is allot going on in this book and in the end it does all tie together, but why don't you read it yourself and find out!!!! Ninja rating on this book: Two Thumbs of Death Up!!!!!!

Well so goes the first official post with a book review. I hope I have peeked some of you guys interest and you give this book a try along with the first in the series: The Last Apprentice: Revenge of The Witch. Also, please feel free to review books that you like and share them here!!!!! All you have to do is write in the comment section for the most current posting or even an older posting and we will see that it gets on the blog!!!!

Well good reading, gaming, or whatever you enjoy doing.

Peace,

Ninja Librarian Bill