Destiny City Comics

The first day of October will find a welcome new resident to the Stadium District: Destiny City Comics. Located near Tacoma's foremost hub for literature, King's Books, Destiny City Comics will be starting out of the gate as one of the city's premier spots to find illustrated creativity. The shop will be joining newcomers such as zine-distributor the Nearsighted Narwhal in bringing more independent and varied sources of the written word to Tacoma.

Wednesday, as comics fans know, is the day when new arrivals appear at stores, waiting to be pounced on by hungry readers. The first day of Destiny City Comics falls on Wednesday, Oct. 1, so plan on coming early and often to nab product from your favorite major or indie imprint.

Wolf in White Van

In other literature news, John Darnielle has released his debut novel, Wolf in White Van. As the frontman (and often sole member) of The Mountain Goats, Darnielle has been delivering devastating indie rock for more than 20 years. For those familiar with his work, the idea of Darnielle eventually releasing a novel is far from unexpected - one only wonders why it didn't happen sooner. As a lyricist, Darnielle excelled at painting beautifully heartbreaking pictures that hinted at characters' long, deep backstories. He creates worlds with his music.

Now, for the legions of frighteningly devoted Mountain Goats fans, there is a chance to see what Darnielle can do with a more long-form expression. Already garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews, Wolf in White Van follows Sean Phillips, a man who deals with the agony of his own life by creating a sort of endless, by-mail role-playing game with players around the world. Reviewers have been mum about the lengths that this scenario might descend into the psyche, but it seems clear that tight-framed idea extends far beyond its boundaries.

Plus, role-playing games? How could Nerd Alert not cover it?

The Trip to Italy

In less intense nerd news, The Grand Cinema will be bringing The Trip to Italy to its theaters, this Friday. A sequel to the beguiling comedic travelogue, The Trip, Italy finds us once again in the company of British comedy legends Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as they tour through Europe, tasting food and trying to prove which one has the better Michael Caine impression.

The Trip was a supremely funny and laid-back quasi-documentary, perfectly content to ride the wave of its two stars' remarkable affability. Simply put, the movie is basically just watching two funny dudes being funny together in beautiful locales. What's not to like? This is what a sequel should be: you want to spend more time with these guys? Well, here you go.