Peter just wants you to know that the simple reason he hasn’t done COwboy Peter is because he is waaaay behind on TV watching. He’s been immersed in writing the next “New Frontier” novel (plus assorted other projects) and just hasn’t had time to sit down and watch the various shows he’s taped the past several weeks. But he’ll be getting current over the weekend and will do a new “Cowboy Pete” this Monday that will be reasonably current. So just hold your comments until then and we’ll go to town.
• 
oooh good. I know I can’t sleep at night not knowing what Peter David thinks about Smallville…
If you’re still using a VCR, you might want to consider a DVR like TIVO. Much easier to program recordings, and you never have to worry about tapes again.
Ignore the snark. A lot of people like reading other opinions on shows they like. I enjoy the Cowboy Pete posts, and I think most of the other readers do too.
Thank you, thank you, for bringing Cowboy Pete back from the high ranges. As much as I love New Frontier novels (can’t get enough), I do care what he has to say about Smallville. Now there’s something to look forward to on Monday other than a return to work.
Well, I have been missing Cowboy Peter’s roundup, especially with Angel in the home stretch, but if waiting means he’ll hurry up and finish that “New Frontier” book I’ve been waiting so long for, I’m happy to wait.
Oh, and I’d suggest the DVR, too. It changed my life. Whether or not in a good way is debatable, but it has changed my life.
Dang, that’s gonna be a LOT of TV watchin’.
COWBOY ROUNDUP!!!
I have to agree with Discord here–if we get a New Frontier book as payment for waiting for his thoughts on Angel, I’ll wait. Gladly.
Call me greedy, but I want new Fallen Angel stories, more New Frontier novels and more of Cowboy Petes Round ups! I want it all!!!
But seriously, not only am I interested in PAD’s opinons of Tru Calling, Smallville & Angel, but I also enjoy reading the opinions of my fellow viewers, and this forum allows that.
I’ve found that Peter’s thoughts. as well as those of the rest of the peanut gallery, have greatly increased my enjoyment of the shows.
I’m already missing what would have been a great next season of Angel.
Yeah, on this I think most of us can agree: It’s a lot of fun discussing these shows with other people who enjoy them! It makes for entertaining discussions. I was actually a little late starting watching “Smallville”, but have watched every episode of “Angel”. Both shows have been extremely high quality for the past month or so, and I feel the season finales are going to be awesome!
Even though some of my favorte shows don’t get discussed in these — ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, THE SHIELD, ENTERPRISE (since talking Trek always leads to complications for PAD), TRIPPING THE RIFT — I enjoy reading the reviews, and the usually vehement fan followup.
I’ve missed Peter’s roundup sessions–I’d be especially interested in his comments on the past few episodes of Tru Calling and its turn (I think) for the better. My secret wish is he’d start reviewing The Shield–an interesting treatment of moral ambiguities dressed up like a “cop show”.
Sweet, I’ve been missing Cowboy Pete, and I’ll be glad to see the round-up once again.
I can’t wait to see What he thinks of Smallville and Angel… and the end of Wonderfalls.
Heh. What will he call it? “Cowboy Pete’s Big Catch Up”?
Thanks for the heads up.
Alan.
As much as I like this blog, I think Peter should spend more time writing things that don’t loose my attention in a minute and a half. This opinion wouldn’t change if Peter were watching or reviewing the shows I watch. I’m of the opinion that Peter needs time with his family and less time worrying about what we– a small group of fans– expect from him. Face it, if you hang out here, you’re probably a big enough fan of his work that if he reviewed a kids’s menu from Denny’s, you’d read it. Not only that but you’d either call it the greatest piece of writing in the world or debate him on the validity of his points. Then it would break down along political lines with half the group favoring the old small four page coloring book style kids’s menus from the eighties and the rest preferring the flat placemat style ones of today.
When is the next New Frontier book due out? I’m salivating already.
Next New Frontier?
*GRINGRINGRINGRIN!*
Don’t worry, I think I forgive you.
Last time I looked at the schedule, After the Fall, the next New Frontier book, is supposed to be published in hardcover in October (the same month that Stone and Anvil is released in paperback).
—KRAD
^^^
Psi Phi announced fairly recently that it had been moved from October to November.
Much as I love the TV round up, take your time laddie, write a good story, and make some money! We’ll be here.
Do your work, PAD. That’s what keeps food on the table and a roof over your head. Entertaining us monkeys doesn’t pay squat!
Besides, I haven’t seen Angel since the beginning of the year and never watched any of the other shows you review. Especially Smallville, yuch!
Jess,
I’m sure PAD will correct me if I’m wrong, but he writes this blog because HE wants to do it. He writes about what HE is interested in. To make sure it “holds your attention for more than a minute and a half” is not one of his primary goals. He certainly doesn’t write this blog because we “expect it from him”. As evidence, please look to all the posts that disagree with him. And if you don’t think he’d get plenty of flack for a review of a Denny’s menu, you haven’t been paying attention.
I’m sure PAD will correct me if I’m wrong, but he writes this blog because HE wants to do it. He writes about what HE is interested in. To make sure it “holds your attention for more than a minute and a half” is not one of his primary goals.
I know. But what you gotta do ALWAYS comes before what you want to do. Keeping my attention for than a minute and a half is no easy task.
And if you don’t think he’d get plenty of flack for a review of a Denny’s menu, you haven’t been paying attention.
My attention span maybe shorter than Verne Troyer, but even I know he’d get some flack. Mostly from people prefer IHOP or Dunkin Donuts to Denny’s. Personally, I miss Bob’s Big Boy. They don’t have them around here anymore but I occasional see them while riding along the road on family trips.
If you want PAD’s take on the shows, Monday will do – although Peter, I agree with those who say that if it delays your next book, forget the blog! 🙂
On the other hand, if you just want snarky recaps of those shows, check out http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com. It even makes it bearable to keep up with “American Idiot” – er, “Idol”, and “How Can These Twerps Survive?” – ah, that is, “Survivor”.
Karen,
Right on! Somehow, I think PAD knows enough to spend quality time with his family and on the novels, comics and other things that keep the money rolling in. To echo your sentiments, he sxpresses his opinions on this blog – and has the blog in the first place – because it is something he WANTS to do. The moment he felt it wasn’t, he would simply discontinue it.
Also, I almost feel it is insulting for Jess to say or even imply that us fans of PAD’s work are basically sheep that would basically buy whatever he puts out. We continue to seek out his work because he continues to be an extraordinary writer. There are plenty of writers who I feel have lost their “fastball” from when I enjoyed them (John Byrne, anyone?). PAD has given no sign of doing so, and therefore I will continue to support his superlative work.
thank god. i’ve been jonesing for a roundup for the longest time. real excited about the new NF book too, but i still need my regular cowboy pete fix…or i start going into convulsions…
I am jealous of the information that Keith DeCandido has…how did he know that in October, After the Fall, the next New Frontier book will be released then!! And how did he know the name of the book???
If you do know where to find this information, please do share how one can find updated info on this!
And by the way PAD, just to let you know we all are eagerly awaiting the next New Frontier book and I think we all want you to take your time and make it as good as it can be, because thats what we all want it to be!! YEAH! WE ARE ROOTING FOR YOU SO KEEP WRITING!!!!
I love reading the TV round-up, but I enjoy reading the Star Trek “New Frontier” novels even more (although it is sucks, that in Germany they don’t translate them and my friends don’t speek English well enough to read them, so I don’t have anyoe to discuss the books with).
I can’t wait for the next novel and will start re-reading the novels for about the fifth time until the next one is puplished.
Also, I almost feel it is insulting for Jess to say or even imply that us fans of PAD’s work are basically sheep that would basically buy whatever he puts out.
When I said mostly on the board, I included myself, so it’s not that bad. I saw the Spider-Man premade RPG adventure that he did at a con once. It was in the name your price box. I almost gotten it, when someone else offered the guy $12 dollars for it. If I had more that $12 dollars that late in the con, I might have bought it.
We continue to seek out his work because he continues to be an extraordinary writer. There are plenty of writers who I feel have lost their “fastball” from when I enjoyed them (John Byrne, anyone?).
In my opinion, John Byrne was ALWAYS an average writer and an average artist. He had one or two books that he had some good runs on, but even stopped clocks can be right sometime. What gave him his fan base was a willingness to do both on the same title. I liked his Superman, She-Hulk and parts of his Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight. I haven’t liked much else of his since.
PAD has given no sign of doing so, and therefore I will continue to support his superlative work.
That’s generally my REASON for buying PAD stuff. With my ever shrinking comics budget, I can’t afford to spend money on things that don’t entertain me. The more good experiences I’ve had with a writer’s work, the more of it I’m likely to buy in the future.
And DC Verus Marvel proved Peter can take even a ho-hum ho-hum idea and make it entertaining. Of course the over all badness of #3, I blame on the voters.
Jess,
You are correct. Ever since Fantastic Four and Superman, the only thing Byrne has done that has even been halfway decent was Namor.
“Wonder Woman”? Please. They could have had Alex Ross or Jim lee doing the art and it still would have been obscured by the ridculous, copious amount of word balloons.
Don’t even get me started on “Spider-Man:Chapter One”! The Burglar revealing who he is to Spidey?! give me a break! And not to offend anyone, but only the truly simple, in my opinion can find anything enjoyable about “The Hulk” (they kicked PAD off the book for THAT?) or “Doom Patrol”.
You were definitely right about “DC vs. Marvel”. Wonder woman would kick Storm’s head off in a real fight! And Wolverine beating Lobo?! Give me a break!
I think most fans want to get their hands on the next NF book as we get engrossed in the story etc. and have an over-whelming curiosity about what happens next. In other words, “Peter, please make it another good un. Thank you.”
Anyone trying to track their favourite authors next book, the only thing I can suggest is using amazon.com (or in my case co.uk) as they do let you know if check evry now and then.
To Brandon Stewart:
1) Keith DeCandido, being a “Star Trek” author/freelance editor/reference book, knows a lot about Trek publishing.
2) Psi Phi (www.psiphi.org) is a Star Trek books site with lots of useful information.
You are correct. Ever since Fantastic Four and Superman, the only thing Byrne has done that has even been halfway decent was Namor.
I liked She-Hulk. I kinda wish She-Hulk vs. Ambush Bug had been in DC vs. Marvel. Well, that and G’nort Vs. Rocket Racoon.
“Wonder Woman”? Please. They could have had Alex Ross or Jim lee doing the art and it still would have been obscured by the ridculous, copious amount of word balloons.
… and he gave Donna Troy YET another origin. Needlessly, IMHO.
Don’t even get me started on “Spider-Man:Chapter One”! The Burglar revealing who he is to Spidey?! give me a break! And not to offend anyone, but only the truly simple, in my opinion can find anything enjoyable about “The Hulk” (they kicked PAD off the book for THAT?) or “Doom Patrol”.
I’m going to give Doom Patrol a shot. Though there is no way it could be as good as Morrison, Pollack, or Arcudi.
You were definitely right about “DC vs. Marvel”. Wonder woman would kick Storm’s head off in a real fight! And Wolverine beating Lobo?! Give me a break!
What struck me as wrong about Wolverine VS. Lobo was one small simple thing. Wolverine’s healing factor takes time to function. Lobo’s is instaneous. He’s taken an atomic explosion to the face and just dusts it off like nothing. Lobo is essentially Logan’s love child with Wile E. Coyote.
john byrne sucks. he made superman so weak it was rediculous. and his krypton origin sucked. im glad the new writters made superman what he should be more powerful and a better krypton.
I personally think they should make superman faster several times the speed of light. and bring back the unstoppable doomsday i mean the savage one. and I believe they should bring back the multiverse, at least a couple of earths. and dont kill off superman from earth 2. hey whats the point they already have a multiverse right? I mean you have the marvel universe teaming up with dc universe, and its in continuity right now then you have the wild storm universe. those are earths right so why create crisis on infinite earths. to my knowledge thats part of the multiverse. so they should bring back earth 2 and 3 and 4 and so on.