Midnight in Paris | Solitaire Times

I'm in Paris for two days (professional trip).

Tonight, I decided to have a walk near Jussieu, a university where I studied for a year. This is also where I met my wife! I went to a lousy Lebanese street food place (usually Lebanese sandwiches are delicious but this one was rather disappointing), watching the Zamansky tower from afar, the core and symbol of the Jussieu university, and breathing the fumes of the constant ballet of UberEats motorcycles. Actually, I had better plans for dinner, but the place I liked to go to (they had delicious and very weird Taiwanese stuffed crepes) has been replaced by something else.

Oh but... What's that, on the chair next to me? Now this is suspicious!

Let's wait for the hotel if you don't mind.

I had to cross the Ring, a big road that circles Paris and which is just a giant river of honking cars jammed next to each other. The stream of light you can barely see because I don't know how to take a proper photograph is just that. My hotel is a bit remote, but I know from my past life here that it's a decent place with a direct underground line to the conference place. This way I can save a bit of money (hotels in the city center just can't be afforded).

Ah, finally! Here comes the loot!

Yes! When I realized I was going to Paris on the exact first day of the French sales, I felt super excited! I had but one obsession in mind: going to the best English comic bookstore in Paris for the amazing sales they have here twice a year!

I got super lucky, with two Mignola books (including the second volume of an omnibus I planned to buy), the complete Bone (!), two Jeff Lemire titles (including one from a series I follow), the latest Marjorie Liu (I love Monstress!), and the Dark Knight Returns - I wouldn't have purchased it but when I put it back this stare popped up in mind:

In truth, as I was going to the store I secretly wished to find some Lumberjanes titles, one of my favorite book series, and there were 7 of them on sale! Jackpot!!!

In the end, I spent much more than I had planned, but it was so much worth it! I love comics!

Oh, and if I am not in the mood to read tonight, here is a little extra...

(Actually and as always, I have to work. No comic book, no dice conquest for me tonight.)

Comments (5)

Derek

Jan 20, 2023

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I enjoyed that post Z. Enjoy the comics!

*Love "The Stare" pic 🤣

Zerbique

Jan 21, 2023

Replying to

So far I've only read one of the comics (The Forgotten Queen which was 1) forgettable and 2) severely unfinished, and the sequel has apparently never been published. This reminded me of Marvel's The Eternals: extremely powerful and immortal beings live amongst humankind and meddle with their business. Promising, but the story didn't go anywhere, and plenty of characters die, but reading "Oh no, Eugene is dead, oh no!" when you can barely remember who this Eugene guy is already isn't quite impactful.)

I don't want to read too much because I used to write small reviews on BGG and I have too many in need of being written. However, since I won't write about The Dark Knight (it's not fantasy), I guess it might suitably be next. Or Plutona maybe? It does seem closer to my usual picks. Discovery or comfort, that's always a good dilemma.