But I Digress (Comics Buyer's Guide)

Rating:
Summary: funny and informative, but a bit out-of-date
Review: "But I Digress" is a collection of Peter David's columns for Comic Buyer's Guide, from the early 1990s -- the first few years he wrote the column. Reading them in 2001 creates an interesting time-lapse effect, especially when he refers to the "recent" creation of Image, or the "recently concluded" Gulf War. Some of the columns are a bit dated, while others are more or less timeless; even the dated ones are worth reading, for a glimpse at the comics industry in the early ninties.

David has a marvelous sense of humor, and an eye for stupidity and inconsistency. His columns are entertaining, even when I have very little understanding of his subject matter. (Hey, I was only nine years old when these were current! What did I know back then?) He also explains his subject matter, which is very helpful. Looking back, it's interesting to observe which of his opinions and predictions were accurate and well-founded, and which weren't.

Basically, this is good entertainment, with information about comics writers, artists, publishers, and fans in the early 1990s. It's also a good, though indirect, look at Peter David. I would definitely be interested in a collection of his more recent columns.

Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have for Comic Book Readers
Review: A collection of insightful and fiercly witty essays by writer Peter David about the comic industry, he covers mind-boggling issues like why women-starring books don't sell as well as their male counterparts, fanboys and convention behavior, and problems that arise when people who die in comic books always come back in a future issue.

An great, irreverent punch-in-the-gut to a lagging, artistically-comfortable industry even ten years after these essays were originally written.

Rating:
Summary: Insightful and bleeping hilarious--so, when's the sequel?
Review: I love Peter David's writing. Anything with his name on it will get me to read it. His BID articles, with his insight and humor, are at times thought-provoking, and other time roll-on-the-floor funny. An amusing book to those not into comic books, and a must-read for those who are. Hey, Peter--where's BID, Volume II?