I Just Read About That…

SOUNDTRACK: BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG-“I Think We’re Alone Now” (2020).

This quarantine has already brought out a ton of creative work from musicians.  If not new items, exactly, then certainly a lot of home concerts.  And also a lot of cover songs.

Billie Joe Armstrong released the first cover that I heard about that was specifically quarantine themed (even if jokingly).

It includes a homemade video (of what one might do at home with a lot of time on your hands).

So, yes it’s a cover of the song by Tommy James and the Shondells.  It’s about 2 minutes long and it’s terrific.

A simple. formulaic Green Day pop punk take on a simple, formulaic pop song.  It’s instantly recognizable as Billie Joe.  He recorded the song in his bedroom.  I feel like it sounds like it’s not the full band (the drums are really simple and the bass isn’t as prominent as usual).  But it’s a really short poppy song, so the spareness is understandable.

Whatever the case, it’s a fun cover and one of the, by now, dozens of fun things musicians have done to keep busy.

[READ: March 20, 2020] Comics Squad: Detention!

I really enjoyed the first two Comics Squad books and I was delighted when T. got this third one.  I wanted to read it when she brought it home, but I forgot all about it until I saw it the other day.

And what a better time to read a book about detention than during a quarantine.

Like the first collection, this one is edited by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm (Babymouse/Squish) and Jarrett J.  Krosoczka (Lunch Lady).

This book has comics from Krosoczka, George O’Connor (the Olympians series), Victoria Jamieson (Rollergirl), Ben Hatke (many many great books), Rafael Rosado & Jorge Aguirre, Lark Pien, Matt Phelan and the Holm siblings.

Like the previous book, the Holms and Krosoczka sprinkle the book with comments and interstitials from Babymouse and Lunch Lady. Like that Babymouse is in detention and Lunch Lady is going to slide her some cookies (no cupcakes?).

JARRETT J. KROSOCZKA-“The Breakfast Bunch In… Detention Disaster”
This story almost doesn’t have Lunch Lady at all.  The Breakfast Bunch believes that their new science teacher is bio-engineering lab rats to rob the school!  He put the Bunch in detention to avoid detection.  The Bunch (and Milmoe) work together to discover that he didn’t say “bio-engineerd rats to rob the city blind” he said “big-engined rafts are the hottest find.”  But what does THAT mean?

GEORGE O’CONNOR-“Cheating Death w/ Sisyphus”
The primary joke here depends upon you knowing the story of Sisyphus.  Sisyphus was caught cheating on his test in Mr. Hades’ class.  What punishment does he deserve?

VICTORIA JAMIESON-“Worse Than Detention”
What could be worse than detention?  How about being the teaching assistant for the kindergarten class in your school?  Especially if there’s one little boy who just can’t leave you alone.  Although, is there any chance that a kindergartner would get the knock knock joke “Otto who?  Otto Remember I’ve got amnesia?”

BEN HATKE-“Milo’s Journey”
Milo gets detention.  He is not to move.  But when he opens his desk, there is a note that leads him on a fantastic quest, through the lockers, out of the school and onto a gryphon!

RAFAEL ROSADO & JORGE AGUIRRE-“Too Nice!”
Avery thinks that Tommy is really cool. He gets detention a lot (and has an electric guitar and an amp in the school for some reason).  But Avery is too nice to get a detention, right?  What if she hatches a plan to release a flock of birds in the hallway–and maybe some cats to get them when that doesn’t work?  What will she have to do to get detention?

LARK PIEN-“Cyclopean Kid: Detention is Forever!”
It was pretty fascinating to have a story about Greek myths and also this one about the Cyclops.
I don’t know if this is from a series or not.  Basically, Cyclopean Kid gets put in detention and realizes just how much he is missing out on.

MATT PHELAN-“Think About What You’ve Done!”
What the kid in detention did to get detention was to draw doodles on a test.  So what happens when he thinks about doing that?
I liked that in the bios at the back it says “this is the first comic he has set in the present day.”

JENNIFER L. HOLM & MATTHEW HOLM-“Squish: Leave No Cell Behind!”
Squish’s friend Pod says he wants to borrow Squish’s Twinkie for an experiment.  Pod is always eating Squish’s Twinkies, so Squish is reluctant to hand it over.  But when Squish and his pals get detention for being late–and the detention hall is filled with the really bad kids, they may hope for Pod’s antimatter ooze after all.

I enjoyed that the last pages showed “How to Draw Squish” by his friend Peggy.  And her suggestions are mostly designed to upset Squish rather than help you draw him.

The end of the book has a Stay Out of Detention game board, but I don’t see how it could possibly be played for real.

I wonder if there will be another installment.