Cover Story: Escape Artist
Comic-book artist Jim Steranko helped the genre escape its bounds--and ended up in the pages of Michael Chabon's novel.

News: Not Your Father's Trance State
Hypnosis has entered the mainstream, but don't be alarmed that there's no swinging watch--this is a whole new hypnosis.

Patch Politics: How does a Girl Scout troop leader, whose troop was the first to complete an exemplary program in domestic violence and win state recognition, get fired? It's all in who you know.

Public Eye: Schoolyard Recession.

Biter: Bachelor of Hearts.

Techsploits: Social Experiments.

The Peter Principle: Sixties graphic icon Peter Max opens a new gallery in San Jose.

Threesome: Rebecca Miller's trilogy film, 'Personal Velocity,' peaks in the middle with Parker Posey's best role yet.

Grandma's Boy : 'The Way Home' outdoes even kimchi as a Korean heartwarmer.

Room-Service Romance: 'Maid in Manhattan' is arthritic New Depression fluff, based on Cinderella tale.

Exterminate!: 'Equilibrium' delivers a shocking--shocking, we say--warning of future events.

Imagining the Unimaginable: Atom Egoyan's 'Ararat.'

Clone Alone: 'Star Trek: Nemesis' brings the series to a much-needed close.

He Likes to Score: Peter Gabriel's recent soundtrack work just might overshadow his latest album, 'Up.'

Axl to Grind: Guns N' Roses stands up San Jose--and you're surprised?

Aural Fixation: Mix 'N' Matchbox.

Designer Dining: Flashy flavors in a gorgeously understated setting define Palo Alto's Tamarine.

Cheap Eats: California Noodle in San Jose.