I had my first visitor!!They stumbled onto my blog through a google search looking for "Booster Gold"...at 5am.Why is someone looking for Booster Gold at 5am?It's enough to make me think comic fans are....I dunno...weird.(Shocking reveal...I know.)I guess I've looked for odder things at 5am.Who am I to judge?
Also,I've de-lurked a few times(twice!)to leave comments on other people's blogs.And my world did not collapse around me.It's just so hard to find other people who aren't either raving lunatics or seem friendly.The last one was because a blogger named Ami Angelwings posted an AWESOME video of Japanese people doing stupid shit on a game show.Although I am hesitant to link people because I don't want the attention,this is too great to resist,so here it is .She seems like a cool,friendly person,so I hope she doesn't mind a total stranger linking her on a blog no one reads.(Well,one person did,even if by accident.)The other videos that you can watch after the main one plays are fun too.
She asks a question in her comments about why American reality shows aren't that much fun,but rather are mean-spirited.I think I've spent enough time,between my former cable guy job and my pro wrestling thing, working with the genral public to say that most people are total blank slates.We don't naturally seek out anything different,just safe,cookie-cutter bland entertainment.That's why every show on TV now that isn't a sitcom or Law & Order is a rip-off of American Idol or Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.They shamelessly rip off the formats,which themselves are take-offs of foreign shows,and we just eat them up.But the fun,goofy Japanese shit like MXC(Takeshi's Castle),Bonzai,and even Ninja Warrior is buried at midnight on cable channels that no one watches.If our game shows were like those, I would SOOO be trying to get on every single one.Answering trivia questions can be fun, but swinging from a vine into a floating rubber barrel while wearing a dragonfly costume is awesome(I need a thesaurus.) beyond recognition.
C'mon American TV execs...We obviously like to watch each other get humiliated.Why can't we watch people get humiliated by a guy in a kimono and a Godzilla mask?
Saturday, September 15, 2007
More Useless Info For The Useless Info Monkey On Your Back....
Just because I had so much fun the first time here's another round of useless knowledge about me.
1)I'm the guy who put your action figures in "compromising positions."Maybe you laughed,maybe you hated it.I was entertained.Lowbrow...yes.But oddly amusing nonetheless.
2)I'm trying to collect the whole run of Deadpool's 90's series.I have his first two minis,some one-shots,and a good chunk of the series.I'm not going to count them now.I'd guess about 25-30 issues.
3)I will watch any TV show about outer space on Discovery Science or any similar channel.It just doesn't get old for me.
4)My first comic was actually part of a record album.The record had the audio for the enclosed comic,which had Spider-Man going against the Man-Wolf.I also had a Batman record,but that didn't have a comic with it.They both fell victim to spring cleaning.
5)Ren & Stimpy was never funny.Never.Not ever.Not even a little ,tiny bit.Here's every Ren & Stimpy plot ever:
1a)Stimpy coughs up hairball,or something comes out of one of his orifices.
2a)Switch to close-up of gross-out moment.If it's the hairball you might
see individual hairs, worms, or some other shit in it.
3a)Ren slaps Stimpy in the head and says"You eeediot."
4a)Repeat as much as needed.
6)I used to be a cable technician,but working with the general public drove me nuts.The reduction in my stress level since leaving that job is astonishing.I met some(a lot of) ,shall we say, colorful people.I always used to say that I had seen everything but a dead human body.Then, in my last two months I had a job at a funeral parlor and, lo and behold, I saw my dead human body!Mission accomplished.
7)I've never broken a major bone(toes don't count)or needed stitches.I've never had an anesthetic administered(and I do have fillings) either.
8)I'm finding I watch less and less TV every year.More than half of the time it's on is for background noise as I read.
9)I actually watch American Idol.And I like it.It's custon made for a DVR.The second a performer starts to make you cringe, you can fast forward(provided you've let it record for a while before you start watching.You can't fast forward live TV.)My girlfriend and I can sometimes get through the whole show in 1/2 hour.
10)I've never seen The Godfather,Grease,Little Shop Of Horrors,or Rocky Horror Picture Show.And I don't want to.Fuck them,especially Grease.
11)My LEAST favorite movie of all time is The Mask.It's so unfunny it makes me angry.My favorite movie changes every week.I haven't thought about it this week, so I right now I don't know what it is.
12)It's the little things in life that amuse me,things like mixing up the sugar packets at a diner.Things like activating all of the toys,in any aisle of a toy store or department store, that make noise all at once.I like to change things just a liiitttllllee bit,just enough to throw people off and keep them on their toes.
1)I'm the guy who put your action figures in "compromising positions."Maybe you laughed,maybe you hated it.I was entertained.Lowbrow...yes.But oddly amusing nonetheless.
2)I'm trying to collect the whole run of Deadpool's 90's series.I have his first two minis,some one-shots,and a good chunk of the series.I'm not going to count them now.I'd guess about 25-30 issues.
3)I will watch any TV show about outer space on Discovery Science or any similar channel.It just doesn't get old for me.
4)My first comic was actually part of a record album.The record had the audio for the enclosed comic,which had Spider-Man going against the Man-Wolf.I also had a Batman record,but that didn't have a comic with it.They both fell victim to spring cleaning.
5)Ren & Stimpy was never funny.Never.Not ever.Not even a little ,tiny bit.Here's every Ren & Stimpy plot ever:
1a)Stimpy coughs up hairball,or something comes out of one of his orifices.
2a)Switch to close-up of gross-out moment.If it's the hairball you might
see individual hairs, worms, or some other shit in it.
3a)Ren slaps Stimpy in the head and says"You eeediot."
4a)Repeat as much as needed.
6)I used to be a cable technician,but working with the general public drove me nuts.The reduction in my stress level since leaving that job is astonishing.I met some(a lot of) ,shall we say, colorful people.I always used to say that I had seen everything but a dead human body.Then, in my last two months I had a job at a funeral parlor and, lo and behold, I saw my dead human body!Mission accomplished.
7)I've never broken a major bone(toes don't count)or needed stitches.I've never had an anesthetic administered(and I do have fillings) either.
8)I'm finding I watch less and less TV every year.More than half of the time it's on is for background noise as I read.
9)I actually watch American Idol.And I like it.It's custon made for a DVR.The second a performer starts to make you cringe, you can fast forward(provided you've let it record for a while before you start watching.You can't fast forward live TV.)My girlfriend and I can sometimes get through the whole show in 1/2 hour.
10)I've never seen The Godfather,Grease,Little Shop Of Horrors,or Rocky Horror Picture Show.And I don't want to.Fuck them,especially Grease.
11)My LEAST favorite movie of all time is The Mask.It's so unfunny it makes me angry.My favorite movie changes every week.I haven't thought about it this week, so I right now I don't know what it is.
12)It's the little things in life that amuse me,things like mixing up the sugar packets at a diner.Things like activating all of the toys,in any aisle of a toy store or department store, that make noise all at once.I like to change things just a liiitttllllee bit,just enough to throw people off and keep them on their toes.
Friday, September 14, 2007
So Many Debates/3 Things
As I spend my time looking through the comics (I'm going to say it)blogosphere,I see a lot of people sniping each other from their blogs.I'm not going to link anyone as I've learned my lesson about linking and attracting attention.(Linking myself is OK.)Damn,I don't want to be part of that.I promise not to sneak around and ambush people on their blogs unless I have a positive contribution.I'm not looking to be a troll or stir the shit around.
I need a topic to write about.In Ragnell's video blog(not linking it.Don't want the attention.)she talks about a "meme".I'm not sure what a "meme" is,but apparently it involves everyone doing the same kind of post with some sort of theme(Once more,I could be wrong.I could look it up,but what fun is that?).I wasn't exactly invited to participate,but it gives me a chance to write something and no one reads this anyhow,so here are 3 things that make me happy:
1)I still have my hair.All of the men on my father's side were bald or balding by age 30.My mother's side...not so much.And it's not receding hairline-style bald.It's the skull cap-style.It's a big deal to me to still have a full head of hair.A lot of my friends are either balding or obviously thinning.If I do go bald eventually,I hope I deal with it well and don't start wearing wigs or shaving my head to camoflauge the bald spot.(I know what you're doing, all of you bald white guys.You're fooling no one.We can see your bald spot through the peach fuzz.)
2)Writing this blog is actually making me happy(Even I'm shocked at this.).I used to love to write in college.My favorite classes were my creative writing classes.And,not to toot my own horn too much, I was actually kinda sorta almost good.I stopped writing after I graduated because I didn't see the need if no one would read it.Writing this has brought the joy of writing back to me and I'm even finding my voice again.I'm still going after almost three weeks,which is two weeks and 6 days longer than I thought this would last.
3)Good heavy metal albums make me happy.Some CDs I can just listen to over and over and over again.As examples of some albums that make me happy I now present a list within a list:
a)Akercocke-Words That Go Unpsoken,Deeds That Go Undone
b)Vintersorg-Solens Rotter
c)Opeth-This is a pick 'em.They're all great.Two best are Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries.
d)Enslaved-Ruun
e)Mr. Bungle-California(Not really metal,but still infinitely replayable.)
Good tunes make a long car trip or sitting in traffic a breeze.When I have a large block of free time at home,whatever I decide to do gets a soundtrack of my choosing.I'd sell all of my comics and video games before I'd sell my CDs.And yes,I like owning the CD.Downloading a song just isn't the same.It's convenient,but soulless.
I need a topic to write about.In Ragnell's video blog(not linking it.Don't want the attention.)she talks about a "meme".I'm not sure what a "meme" is,but apparently it involves everyone doing the same kind of post with some sort of theme(Once more,I could be wrong.I could look it up,but what fun is that?).I wasn't exactly invited to participate,but it gives me a chance to write something and no one reads this anyhow,so here are 3 things that make me happy:
1)I still have my hair.All of the men on my father's side were bald or balding by age 30.My mother's side...not so much.And it's not receding hairline-style bald.It's the skull cap-style.It's a big deal to me to still have a full head of hair.A lot of my friends are either balding or obviously thinning.If I do go bald eventually,I hope I deal with it well and don't start wearing wigs or shaving my head to camoflauge the bald spot.(I know what you're doing, all of you bald white guys.You're fooling no one.We can see your bald spot through the peach fuzz.)
2)Writing this blog is actually making me happy(Even I'm shocked at this.).I used to love to write in college.My favorite classes were my creative writing classes.And,not to toot my own horn too much, I was actually kinda sorta almost good.I stopped writing after I graduated because I didn't see the need if no one would read it.Writing this has brought the joy of writing back to me and I'm even finding my voice again.I'm still going after almost three weeks,which is two weeks and 6 days longer than I thought this would last.
3)Good heavy metal albums make me happy.Some CDs I can just listen to over and over and over again.As examples of some albums that make me happy I now present a list within a list:
a)Akercocke-Words That Go Unpsoken,Deeds That Go Undone
b)Vintersorg-Solens Rotter
c)Opeth-This is a pick 'em.They're all great.Two best are Blackwater Park and Ghost Reveries.
d)Enslaved-Ruun
e)Mr. Bungle-California(Not really metal,but still infinitely replayable.)
Good tunes make a long car trip or sitting in traffic a breeze.When I have a large block of free time at home,whatever I decide to do gets a soundtrack of my choosing.I'd sell all of my comics and video games before I'd sell my CDs.And yes,I like owning the CD.Downloading a song just isn't the same.It's convenient,but soulless.
The DC Experiment II(Part Two!)
OK.So,today I decided to grab a few DC along with my regular stack of Marvel as part of my attempt to see exactly how impenetrable DC's continuity is to someone who knows next to nothing about it.A few weeks ago,I bought my first batch and enjoyed most of what I got,but did feel a little lost(as I expected I might.)I come into this with an open mind,not seeking to find crap,but rather to find some fun new stuff to read.So...here comes the list.
1)Sinestro Corps Special #1:I remember Sinestro as "the guy who used yellow" in Superfriends and I know who Green Lantern is,so I had that much going for me coming into this book.About the beginning,it still feels weird for me to see Batman,Superman, and Wonder Woman in a comic.I think maybe it's because I have seen them in every medium significantly more than I've been exposed to them in comics.For just a fraction of a second each time I see them,its like seeing a celebrity at the supermarket.It's like"Hey!Look who it is!"That amuses me.Anyway...This was a cool story.Johns did a good job of getting across the different Lanterns' personalities.I really enjoyed Sinestro as a villain.He seemed very over-the-top,which is a good trait to have in a villain.I like that there's a lot of Green Lanterns all at once.I didn't know that about the character.The art was fantastic too.This hooked me enough to get Green Lantern #21 next week.
2)Suicide Squad #1:This is one of the books that I wish I had more background on the characters.Even though it was a #1 it felt like I walked into the middle of something.I'm not saying it sucked.There were some fun moments(The miniature bomb in Puma's neck.)and the story itself was pretty good.I just wasn't feeling it.That Boomerang character's outfit is awful.I think it's the blue paper fast food chef hat.Or maybe it's the matching outfit with the,you guessed it,boomerang print.He redeemed himself by severing Bolshoi's fingers,which made me smile.Still,I don't think I'll get #2.For this book,not knowing the characters hurt my overall experience.Maybe if I read some older stuff with the Suicide Squad,I'll come back to this book when it's in TPB.
3)Booster Gold #2:Last time,I got Booster Gold#1.While I didn't know who everyone was or why they were important,I liked the premise enough to give issue #2 a try.The first few pages were a little continuity dependent and I started to think that I was going to get lost.Once Booster's mission was announced though,the story got a lot more welcoming to someone who hadn't even heard of Booster Gold 6 months ago.Strangely enough,Sinestro was in this issue as well.The fight between Booster and Sinestro was cool enough,and I liked the resolution as well.I have to say,when Sinestro twisted his moustache at the end,I totally geeked out.There's not nearly enough moustache-twisting in comics.Only evil people do that!I gotta say I really enjoyed this issue.Okay,I'll get #3.
Overall,This was a pretty good experience.As the(crappy) Meatloaf song goes"Two out of three ain't bad."I really enjoyed Sinestro in the two books.I'm wondering if he was always written basically like this,or if this is a reimaging.I can also see the appeal of Green Lantern.I might have to pick up a trade and learn a little more.Funny enough,whenever I read someone blogging about Green Lantern I just kinda tune out.Once I learn more about the character I'll read those blogs again and maybe appreciate them a bit more.I'll stay away from Suicide Squad though,at least until I can get more info on the characters.
1)Sinestro Corps Special #1:I remember Sinestro as "the guy who used yellow" in Superfriends and I know who Green Lantern is,so I had that much going for me coming into this book.About the beginning,it still feels weird for me to see Batman,Superman, and Wonder Woman in a comic.I think maybe it's because I have seen them in every medium significantly more than I've been exposed to them in comics.For just a fraction of a second each time I see them,its like seeing a celebrity at the supermarket.It's like"Hey!Look who it is!"That amuses me.Anyway...This was a cool story.Johns did a good job of getting across the different Lanterns' personalities.I really enjoyed Sinestro as a villain.He seemed very over-the-top,which is a good trait to have in a villain.I like that there's a lot of Green Lanterns all at once.I didn't know that about the character.The art was fantastic too.This hooked me enough to get Green Lantern #21 next week.
2)Suicide Squad #1:This is one of the books that I wish I had more background on the characters.Even though it was a #1 it felt like I walked into the middle of something.I'm not saying it sucked.There were some fun moments(The miniature bomb in Puma's neck.)and the story itself was pretty good.I just wasn't feeling it.That Boomerang character's outfit is awful.I think it's the blue paper fast food chef hat.Or maybe it's the matching outfit with the,you guessed it,boomerang print.He redeemed himself by severing Bolshoi's fingers,which made me smile.Still,I don't think I'll get #2.For this book,not knowing the characters hurt my overall experience.Maybe if I read some older stuff with the Suicide Squad,I'll come back to this book when it's in TPB.
3)Booster Gold #2:Last time,I got Booster Gold#1.While I didn't know who everyone was or why they were important,I liked the premise enough to give issue #2 a try.The first few pages were a little continuity dependent and I started to think that I was going to get lost.Once Booster's mission was announced though,the story got a lot more welcoming to someone who hadn't even heard of Booster Gold 6 months ago.Strangely enough,Sinestro was in this issue as well.The fight between Booster and Sinestro was cool enough,and I liked the resolution as well.I have to say,when Sinestro twisted his moustache at the end,I totally geeked out.There's not nearly enough moustache-twisting in comics.Only evil people do that!I gotta say I really enjoyed this issue.Okay,I'll get #3.
Overall,This was a pretty good experience.As the(crappy) Meatloaf song goes"Two out of three ain't bad."I really enjoyed Sinestro in the two books.I'm wondering if he was always written basically like this,or if this is a reimaging.I can also see the appeal of Green Lantern.I might have to pick up a trade and learn a little more.Funny enough,whenever I read someone blogging about Green Lantern I just kinda tune out.Once I learn more about the character I'll read those blogs again and maybe appreciate them a bit more.I'll stay away from Suicide Squad though,at least until I can get more info on the characters.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The DC Experiment,Part II
A few weeks ago,I picked up some DC comics just to see if there would be anything I liked or even just anything I could even follow with no knowledge of their continuity.(My DC knowledge starts and stops with Superfriends and some of the movies/other cartoons from over the years.)This week I plan on picking up a few more DC books.I liked the premise of Booster Gold,even I didn't understand some of the references.So I will be getting #2 today.If I like that issue,I'll get #3.If I still like it and feel I can follow it without buying 7 other books,I'll add it to my pull list.What with Irredeemable Ant-Man being cancelled and Cable & Deadpool on the way out,I'll have some room.I will probably pick up 2 or 3 others,depending on my whole vibe when I get there and if there's even 2 or 3 others that interest me.
For me,it's all about finding some new things to read.I could go to the indies too,and I do dip my hand in their bag from time to time,but I prefer superheroes.It's kinda funny.I got back into comics just wanting a few stand-alone stories to read.Now I'm grabbing 10-12 titles a week,with a tpb or graphic novel thrown in every so often.I guess as long as I feel that my money is being well spent I don't mind.I haven't gotten sick of them yet,so I doubt this is a fad.Even if I get sick of superheroes down the line,there's still a shitload of stuff to read.Hell,I could even move to Manga.The Manga sections in the bookstores here are huge.Oh yeah,that reminds me.At the Borders in Rockaway Mall,for anyone living in New Jersey,Not only is the graphic novel section as big as the Manga section(It has actually gotten bigger over the past few months.It's now a full aisle with four bookshelves full of them,with quite a few complete sets.),but they have a well-stocked spinner rack of comics in the magazine section.I may get a discount,by association,at Barnes & Noble,but Borders kicks ass with it's selection.
That's it.It's off to the store I go!
For me,it's all about finding some new things to read.I could go to the indies too,and I do dip my hand in their bag from time to time,but I prefer superheroes.It's kinda funny.I got back into comics just wanting a few stand-alone stories to read.Now I'm grabbing 10-12 titles a week,with a tpb or graphic novel thrown in every so often.I guess as long as I feel that my money is being well spent I don't mind.I haven't gotten sick of them yet,so I doubt this is a fad.Even if I get sick of superheroes down the line,there's still a shitload of stuff to read.Hell,I could even move to Manga.The Manga sections in the bookstores here are huge.Oh yeah,that reminds me.At the Borders in Rockaway Mall,for anyone living in New Jersey,Not only is the graphic novel section as big as the Manga section(It has actually gotten bigger over the past few months.It's now a full aisle with four bookshelves full of them,with quite a few complete sets.),but they have a well-stocked spinner rack of comics in the magazine section.I may get a discount,by association,at Barnes & Noble,but Borders kicks ass with it's selection.
That's it.It's off to the store I go!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
11,Count Them,11 Pieces Of Useless Information!!!
I really would like to talk about something other than comics.I'm thinking today I could keep going with the whole list thing and list some uncommon facts about myself.There will be nothing shocking or damning, just fun(Fun?),useless(That's more like it.) trivia.
1.I was a D&D nerd up through High School.I never had many powerful characters since I almost always liked rolling a new character better than building up any existing ones.My best character was a level 10 Paladin.I got one EXTREMELY lucky roll and....and I'm about to give a play-by-play of a D&D game.(sighs)Next...
2.I have about 200 records in my house and no record player.
3.I actually like my job right now.It's not glamorous,but the type of works fits my personality.And it's only about 5 miles from my house.And I get to sleep in every day if I want.
4.I've told nobody I know that I have a blog.It doesn't seem important.It's for me anyway.
5.Come to think of it, I rarely advertise anything I do.It just seems personal to me and I'd feel weird if anyone made a fuss.I'm not embarrassed,but my hobbies are usually niche interests(i.e. comics,heavy metal,the fact that I actually participate in pro wrestling,tattoos.)and that means any conversation about them could potentially be a newbie(I will not use "noob")Q&A session.I get bored with those.
6.I've had long hair 3 times in my life.I don't mean mullet-to-my-shoulders long.I mean close to my waist long.I much prefer my hair long.It's more fun and I think I look better with it than without.Hey,I can be a little vain if I want.
7.Here's a bizarre one...Whenever I empty the garbage and use the last bag in the box,I never want to throw the empty box in the new garbage bag.It seems like such a waste.I just changed it and here I am about to throw crap in it before the bag even settles.
8.My CD's,DVD's,and comic books are all alphabetized by title,and in the case of the CD's and comics,arranged in chronological order with each comic title or music performer.It seems REALLY anal,but I always know in just a glance if I'm missing something.Messing up the order of my CD's is a really good way to annoy me.
9.I absolutely suck at Super Mario Brothers.The only stage I can get through without a guaranteed death is the very first one.It's like all of my hand-eye coordination deteriorates to nothing whenever that music hits.
10.I hate Led Zepplin,Bruce Springsteen,The Grateful Dead,Pink Floyd,The Steve Miller Band, and the Eagles(Don Henley solo included).The hate grew from basic indifference over time due to overexposure on almost any rock radio station.The soft wuss-rock stations could play the Eagles.The classic rock stations could take any of them.Even my beloved metal stations,which are few and far between,could use Led Zepplin.And the same fucking songs every time for each of them!!No need to go into why I hate each group individually.That's another blog altogether.
11.(BONUS TRIVIA!!)I have 16 tattoos and plan on eventually completely covering my arms and getting a full back tattoo.I already have the design picked out.I just need the money cause it's going to be a least $800.But I could use the $800 for things I actually need.Damn conscience!!
1.I was a D&D nerd up through High School.I never had many powerful characters since I almost always liked rolling a new character better than building up any existing ones.My best character was a level 10 Paladin.I got one EXTREMELY lucky roll and....and I'm about to give a play-by-play of a D&D game.(sighs)Next...
2.I have about 200 records in my house and no record player.
3.I actually like my job right now.It's not glamorous,but the type of works fits my personality.And it's only about 5 miles from my house.And I get to sleep in every day if I want.
4.I've told nobody I know that I have a blog.It doesn't seem important.It's for me anyway.
5.Come to think of it, I rarely advertise anything I do.It just seems personal to me and I'd feel weird if anyone made a fuss.I'm not embarrassed,but my hobbies are usually niche interests(i.e. comics,heavy metal,the fact that I actually participate in pro wrestling,tattoos.)and that means any conversation about them could potentially be a newbie(I will not use "noob")Q&A session.I get bored with those.
6.I've had long hair 3 times in my life.I don't mean mullet-to-my-shoulders long.I mean close to my waist long.I much prefer my hair long.It's more fun and I think I look better with it than without.Hey,I can be a little vain if I want.
7.Here's a bizarre one...Whenever I empty the garbage and use the last bag in the box,I never want to throw the empty box in the new garbage bag.It seems like such a waste.I just changed it and here I am about to throw crap in it before the bag even settles.
8.My CD's,DVD's,and comic books are all alphabetized by title,and in the case of the CD's and comics,arranged in chronological order with each comic title or music performer.It seems REALLY anal,but I always know in just a glance if I'm missing something.Messing up the order of my CD's is a really good way to annoy me.
9.I absolutely suck at Super Mario Brothers.The only stage I can get through without a guaranteed death is the very first one.It's like all of my hand-eye coordination deteriorates to nothing whenever that music hits.
10.I hate Led Zepplin,Bruce Springsteen,The Grateful Dead,Pink Floyd,The Steve Miller Band, and the Eagles(Don Henley solo included).The hate grew from basic indifference over time due to overexposure on almost any rock radio station.The soft wuss-rock stations could play the Eagles.The classic rock stations could take any of them.Even my beloved metal stations,which are few and far between,could use Led Zepplin.And the same fucking songs every time for each of them!!No need to go into why I hate each group individually.That's another blog altogether.
11.(BONUS TRIVIA!!)I have 16 tattoos and plan on eventually completely covering my arms and getting a full back tattoo.I already have the design picked out.I just need the money cause it's going to be a least $800.But I could use the $800 for things I actually need.Damn conscience!!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
This Sucks...
They're cancelling Cable & Deadpool for a Cable book(That's my second link...I'm on fire!) ?I'm crushed.I hope Deadpool gets a solo book or put on an existing book.He's too damned entertaining to let fade into obscurity.At least I still have about 6 months left until the change happens.So disappointed...
Sifting Through The Garbage
At my job,I get a pretty nice chunk of time during the day to do what I want.All of the "action" at my job is at the beginning and end of they day.As I've stated in the past, I spend much of that surfing the internet.I go to a lot of comic websites and blogs as that is probably my top interest right now.Anyone who's been on the internet knows(If you're reading this and still not sure....Congrats!You are on the internet!)it can be a frustrating experience as a veil of anonimity(as well as a healthy amount of pure assholery)tends to taint every conversation with an ugly layer of hate.It's distressing to see that many people in so much anguish all in one place.The internet comic community is,if you take everything you read at face value, full of shattered childhoods and faced with cold-hearted comic company bureaucrats out to taint everyone's favorite characters and teams all in the name of money and their own blind greed and ambition. All of this grief,caused by comic books.Or so sayeth the fans.
But I'm never one to paint everyone with the same wide brush.Lost amidst the shouting matches are those of us who just want to have fun with our pasttime and find cool new shit to read.That's why I'm here.And I'm developing a system to focus on that task.It's a work in progress,but I'm still here to share it between myself and the one guy who wandered here by accident and read this far before realizing that there's no porn here.I find I enjoy the list format,so here's my system(so far) in list form:
1)Ignore all negative comments.I don't get mad at negative comments because they are dissing something I like.Hey,it's their right to have an opinion that's different than mine.My taste in comics does not need to be held up as a template for everyone else.I hate negative comments because they waste my time.I'm not interested in what you DON'T like.Tell me what you DO like.Tell me what's good.I'm always looking for something new and interesting.If you know of something I might love I would really appreciate you pointing me in its direction.If you continue to buy books you hate it's your own fault and no one else's.The hate can be fun to read...as entertainment.Comic book fans are too cynical to be taken seriously all the time.
2)You just have to try the mainstream books.Trust no one's opinion.For every person who loves a story,there's one who hates it.For every person who's entertained now, there's one who liked the book better 20 years ago.The only way you'll know for sure is to try it for an issue or two.It's not a huge investment and you might find your next favorite book.Conversations about niche books tend to be a little more positive.It's usually a smaller crowd just pushing for their book to be successful.The few haters are mostly just people who bought the book once or just looked at it and went "Huh?"They never have much to add.They can't wait to go talk about Countdown or New Avengers so they can REALLY go vent.
3)Accept your failures/loses.So you went and bought all seven issues of Civil War,even though it lost you at Spider-Man's unmasking.Too bad.No one told you to buy all of those.If you even fancy yourself only halfway intelligent,you can take 5 or 6 months off from a book and jump right back in.Nowadays,you're only missing one story arc in that time.With delays, it might not even be one whole arc.And you can read the spoilers on the internet on any one of hundreds of sites!There's no excuse for falling behind unless you have the reading comprehension of a slice of toast.If you're buying it to complete the set you started,or to have an unbroken run then you are a collector.Having the full run is your ultimate reward.It's why you're spending your hard earned dollars.Loving the stories is pure gravy.Stop poisoning the message boards because you can't curb your spending.
4)Look for consensus opinions.This one can be tricky,since popular doesn't always equal good.(ex.Top 40 Radio.If it's something you'll be ashamed to admit you liked five years from now,it's crap.Revel in now it if you like,but just remember I told you so when you're erasing it from your ipod to make room for the next flavor-of-the-month.)I mean keep an ear to the ground.When I saw my 100th message about how great Fables was, I though it might be worth looking at.I was right.And so was everyone who recommended it or praised it.If you have a friend who has similar taste to yours and you trust them then, by all means, go with their suggestion.But if you're like me and know almost no one else who likes comics,the consensus method works pretty well.Remember,if you don't like it...you don't have to buy it again.
That's all I have now.Like I said,it's a work in progress.I do not make any claims that this will work for anyone but me.Do not take this advice with large amounts of alcohol as irrationality and rage may result.Do not take this advice while operating heavy machinery because you should be paying attention to the heavy machinery and not surfing the internet.People can get hurt...
But I'm never one to paint everyone with the same wide brush.Lost amidst the shouting matches are those of us who just want to have fun with our pasttime and find cool new shit to read.That's why I'm here.And I'm developing a system to focus on that task.It's a work in progress,but I'm still here to share it between myself and the one guy who wandered here by accident and read this far before realizing that there's no porn here.I find I enjoy the list format,so here's my system(so far) in list form:
1)Ignore all negative comments.I don't get mad at negative comments because they are dissing something I like.Hey,it's their right to have an opinion that's different than mine.My taste in comics does not need to be held up as a template for everyone else.I hate negative comments because they waste my time.I'm not interested in what you DON'T like.Tell me what you DO like.Tell me what's good.I'm always looking for something new and interesting.If you know of something I might love I would really appreciate you pointing me in its direction.If you continue to buy books you hate it's your own fault and no one else's.The hate can be fun to read...as entertainment.Comic book fans are too cynical to be taken seriously all the time.
2)You just have to try the mainstream books.Trust no one's opinion.For every person who loves a story,there's one who hates it.For every person who's entertained now, there's one who liked the book better 20 years ago.The only way you'll know for sure is to try it for an issue or two.It's not a huge investment and you might find your next favorite book.Conversations about niche books tend to be a little more positive.It's usually a smaller crowd just pushing for their book to be successful.The few haters are mostly just people who bought the book once or just looked at it and went "Huh?"They never have much to add.They can't wait to go talk about Countdown or New Avengers so they can REALLY go vent.
3)Accept your failures/loses.So you went and bought all seven issues of Civil War,even though it lost you at Spider-Man's unmasking.Too bad.No one told you to buy all of those.If you even fancy yourself only halfway intelligent,you can take 5 or 6 months off from a book and jump right back in.Nowadays,you're only missing one story arc in that time.With delays, it might not even be one whole arc.And you can read the spoilers on the internet on any one of hundreds of sites!There's no excuse for falling behind unless you have the reading comprehension of a slice of toast.If you're buying it to complete the set you started,or to have an unbroken run then you are a collector.Having the full run is your ultimate reward.It's why you're spending your hard earned dollars.Loving the stories is pure gravy.Stop poisoning the message boards because you can't curb your spending.
4)Look for consensus opinions.This one can be tricky,since popular doesn't always equal good.(ex.Top 40 Radio.If it's something you'll be ashamed to admit you liked five years from now,it's crap.Revel in now it if you like,but just remember I told you so when you're erasing it from your ipod to make room for the next flavor-of-the-month.)I mean keep an ear to the ground.When I saw my 100th message about how great Fables was, I though it might be worth looking at.I was right.And so was everyone who recommended it or praised it.If you have a friend who has similar taste to yours and you trust them then, by all means, go with their suggestion.But if you're like me and know almost no one else who likes comics,the consensus method works pretty well.Remember,if you don't like it...you don't have to buy it again.
That's all I have now.Like I said,it's a work in progress.I do not make any claims that this will work for anyone but me.Do not take this advice with large amounts of alcohol as irrationality and rage may result.Do not take this advice while operating heavy machinery because you should be paying attention to the heavy machinery and not surfing the internet.People can get hurt...
Monday, September 10, 2007
A Short List
(Edited in on 9/13/07):I linked this post to WFA not realizing that they have access to a list of everyone who links them.Sure enough,they linked to this entry.While I find it to be kinda cool(I guess) that I got linked,the fact that they picked this particular post to link to sucks.If you're stumbling onto this from WFA,this post is basically me venting out the last of my forum-induced anger.I don't "rant" well because I'm not really an angry person.If I'm going to be linked,I'd rather someone link to something of mine that's well-written.Oh well.Such is the bottomless pit of suck called life.If you insist on commenting,keep this in mind.Thank you.You've been warned.)
As I've already explained before,this blog is a way for me to occupy myself so I'm not restless and ADDed out.I didn't plan on making this about any one thing.Still,I've noticed I'm writing about comics a lot.I think this is because when I'm at work I read a lot of comic blogs.I find them to be much less frustrating than message boards.It's much easier to avoid the assholes.I usually go to When Fangirls Attack(Hey...my first link.Hope no one minds.).They link to a lot of interesting places and provide good reading material for a bored worker.I guess I had blog-envy and wanted to write too,even if only for me to read(I hope it stays that way.I'm going to get VERY self-concious if people start reading and leaving comments.I don't deal with people well.).
Anyway,I see a lot of topics come up in the blogs and on the message boards and I thought I could touch on a few of them.Here it goes...
1)Continuity:I'm a big fan of maintaining continuity,but am not a fanatic.I like that there's a shared universe with a history.I like that something a hero does came come back to haunt them 10 years later.But I also believe that the characters should be allowed to change and mature over time.I see fans get really upset when someone acts "out of character" and think that's usually an overreation.Superheroes see a lot of fucked up shit in their lives.Friends die and are resurrected.Powers come and go.Someone's always trying to kill them in some sort of perpetual pissing contest.Every once in a while you have to stop a giant purple guy from eating the planet.So yeah,your outlook might change a little bit after dealing with all of those things for the 32nd time.
The other thing with continuity and the fans reaction to bad continuity is how it is dealt with.Used to be,at least at Marvel,when a fan found a continuity mistake they wrote into Marvel and proposed a solution.If the solution was approved, the person got a "No-Prize".That was a great system in that fans could get involved in a fun,positive way and could also put their own ideas about how the story could've gone to the test.Now, when a continuity error is found, fans hop on the internet and bitch in a forum or on their blog to whoever will pay attention.I'm not sure if the "No-Prize" even exists anymore.It's sad,so much energy being wasted on venting just because some writer forgot who Peter Parker's first girlfriend was.
2)Event Fatigue:I don't get this one at all.Why does it matter if a comic is part of an event or not?Can't they just be enjoyed anyway?Some of the points usually made I can understand.Yes, things should have time to settle after a big event to see the changes before the next one comes.Yes, events would be more special if they didn't happen twice a year.That said, I still fail to see why I should be bothered.If I don't like a book, I won't read it.If I miss something,I'll catch up.I like to think that I'm bright enough to figure things out in a comic book within an issue or two.I don't see how a five-issue World War Hulk event is any worse than a regular five-part Hulk story.I'm certainly not going to skip it JUST because it's an event.Stop being such a completist and exercise a little self-control in your purchases.Actually, what I think bothers me most about "event fatigue" is how dramatic people can get.An event is not a reason to go vomit.Marvel/DC are not specifically targeting YOU to be miserable.Drop the book if you'd like.Your opinion has no bearing on my enjoyment of any title.And mine should have no bearing on yours.
3)Sexism:I really don't want to touch this one as there are other places to go for a much more informed opinion(see the link at the start of this post).I'll just say that even though I don't always agree with some of the controversies(Very tough to truly offend me),I can usually at least see why there's a problem.The MJ statue may not have bothered me at all as I just dismissed it as cheesy,overpriced crap,but I could easily see why other people might be offended.I don't think any of the feminist demands,if addressed,would hurt my comic reading experience in the least.It's nice that all of these comic women have big,full breasts and nice asses, but those are not superpowers.I understand that Ms. Marvel is attractive.That's great but I just want to see her be a superhero and fight some evildoers.I don't need her ass in my face every other panel to see that.So...I'm behind the cause, but I'm not an activist and don't plan on being one.
4)Decompression:I'm all in favor of decompression.I don't need a 30 line thought bubble every time Peter Parker shows up late to dinner at Aunt May's.Sure the stories stretch out a bit.I'm patient though.I don't mind waiting.I usually re-read the whole arc in one sitting once I collect it all anyway.It also lets the artwork do some of the talking.When I look at my older comics,sometimes I just see two floating heads surrounded by humongous word balloons everywhere.Not to mention the constant describing of powers.I know Daredevil has super-hearing.I don't need to be told every single time he uses it.Let the story breathe.Let the dialogue be more realistic.If I want "done-in-one" I have X-Men:First Class on my pull list.I'll read that.
5)TPB's v Monthlies:Once more...what's the big deal?I love my weekly trip to my LCS.It's like having a holiday every week.I always have something new to read.I like to bag and board and organize my comics.I'm very organized to the point of being obsessive and comics can sure as hell scratch that itch.But if I'm looking for an older story where finding individual issues is going to be a chore I'll just get the trade.If I discover a new book,but am a bit behind in it,I'll get the trades to catch up.I get all of my Vertigo books in trade format,because they usually look really nice as a full set on my bookshelf.I don't think I'm killing the industry by doing this.
This is a short list as there are a million things comic fans gripe about and I'm getting tired of typing.I buy comics to have fun.I don't buy them to look for problems to bitch about.If I don't like something,it's my fault for buying it.I could have taken the time to thumb through it at the store.It's not the artist's fault.It's not the writer's fault.It's not the editor's fault or the company's fault.For all I know, the next guy or gal through the door might pick up that same book and love it like it was one of their children.Their opinion is no more or less valid than mine.And there's sooooo much to read out there.I could drop superhero books altogether tommorrow( I won't.) and still would have a seemingly endless list of reading material.I'm 33 years old and still have all of my hair.I'm not going to lose it stressing over comic books.
As I've already explained before,this blog is a way for me to occupy myself so I'm not restless and ADDed out.I didn't plan on making this about any one thing.Still,I've noticed I'm writing about comics a lot.I think this is because when I'm at work I read a lot of comic blogs.I find them to be much less frustrating than message boards.It's much easier to avoid the assholes.I usually go to When Fangirls Attack(Hey...my first link.Hope no one minds.).They link to a lot of interesting places and provide good reading material for a bored worker.I guess I had blog-envy and wanted to write too,even if only for me to read(I hope it stays that way.I'm going to get VERY self-concious if people start reading and leaving comments.I don't deal with people well.).
Anyway,I see a lot of topics come up in the blogs and on the message boards and I thought I could touch on a few of them.Here it goes...
1)Continuity:I'm a big fan of maintaining continuity,but am not a fanatic.I like that there's a shared universe with a history.I like that something a hero does came come back to haunt them 10 years later.But I also believe that the characters should be allowed to change and mature over time.I see fans get really upset when someone acts "out of character" and think that's usually an overreation.Superheroes see a lot of fucked up shit in their lives.Friends die and are resurrected.Powers come and go.Someone's always trying to kill them in some sort of perpetual pissing contest.Every once in a while you have to stop a giant purple guy from eating the planet.So yeah,your outlook might change a little bit after dealing with all of those things for the 32nd time.
The other thing with continuity and the fans reaction to bad continuity is how it is dealt with.Used to be,at least at Marvel,when a fan found a continuity mistake they wrote into Marvel and proposed a solution.If the solution was approved, the person got a "No-Prize".That was a great system in that fans could get involved in a fun,positive way and could also put their own ideas about how the story could've gone to the test.Now, when a continuity error is found, fans hop on the internet and bitch in a forum or on their blog to whoever will pay attention.I'm not sure if the "No-Prize" even exists anymore.It's sad,so much energy being wasted on venting just because some writer forgot who Peter Parker's first girlfriend was.
2)Event Fatigue:I don't get this one at all.Why does it matter if a comic is part of an event or not?Can't they just be enjoyed anyway?Some of the points usually made I can understand.Yes, things should have time to settle after a big event to see the changes before the next one comes.Yes, events would be more special if they didn't happen twice a year.That said, I still fail to see why I should be bothered.If I don't like a book, I won't read it.If I miss something,I'll catch up.I like to think that I'm bright enough to figure things out in a comic book within an issue or two.I don't see how a five-issue World War Hulk event is any worse than a regular five-part Hulk story.I'm certainly not going to skip it JUST because it's an event.Stop being such a completist and exercise a little self-control in your purchases.Actually, what I think bothers me most about "event fatigue" is how dramatic people can get.An event is not a reason to go vomit.Marvel/DC are not specifically targeting YOU to be miserable.Drop the book if you'd like.Your opinion has no bearing on my enjoyment of any title.And mine should have no bearing on yours.
3)Sexism:I really don't want to touch this one as there are other places to go for a much more informed opinion(see the link at the start of this post).I'll just say that even though I don't always agree with some of the controversies(Very tough to truly offend me),I can usually at least see why there's a problem.The MJ statue may not have bothered me at all as I just dismissed it as cheesy,overpriced crap,but I could easily see why other people might be offended.I don't think any of the feminist demands,if addressed,would hurt my comic reading experience in the least.It's nice that all of these comic women have big,full breasts and nice asses, but those are not superpowers.I understand that Ms. Marvel is attractive.That's great but I just want to see her be a superhero and fight some evildoers.I don't need her ass in my face every other panel to see that.So...I'm behind the cause, but I'm not an activist and don't plan on being one.
4)Decompression:I'm all in favor of decompression.I don't need a 30 line thought bubble every time Peter Parker shows up late to dinner at Aunt May's.Sure the stories stretch out a bit.I'm patient though.I don't mind waiting.I usually re-read the whole arc in one sitting once I collect it all anyway.It also lets the artwork do some of the talking.When I look at my older comics,sometimes I just see two floating heads surrounded by humongous word balloons everywhere.Not to mention the constant describing of powers.I know Daredevil has super-hearing.I don't need to be told every single time he uses it.Let the story breathe.Let the dialogue be more realistic.If I want "done-in-one" I have X-Men:First Class on my pull list.I'll read that.
5)TPB's v Monthlies:Once more...what's the big deal?I love my weekly trip to my LCS.It's like having a holiday every week.I always have something new to read.I like to bag and board and organize my comics.I'm very organized to the point of being obsessive and comics can sure as hell scratch that itch.But if I'm looking for an older story where finding individual issues is going to be a chore I'll just get the trade.If I discover a new book,but am a bit behind in it,I'll get the trades to catch up.I get all of my Vertigo books in trade format,because they usually look really nice as a full set on my bookshelf.I don't think I'm killing the industry by doing this.
This is a short list as there are a million things comic fans gripe about and I'm getting tired of typing.I buy comics to have fun.I don't buy them to look for problems to bitch about.If I don't like something,it's my fault for buying it.I could have taken the time to thumb through it at the store.It's not the artist's fault.It's not the writer's fault.It's not the editor's fault or the company's fault.For all I know, the next guy or gal through the door might pick up that same book and love it like it was one of their children.Their opinion is no more or less valid than mine.And there's sooooo much to read out there.I could drop superhero books altogether tommorrow( I won't.) and still would have a seemingly endless list of reading material.I'm 33 years old and still have all of my hair.I'm not going to lose it stressing over comic books.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Kittens Are Still Cute Dammit!!
If this picture does not make you smile or give you an "Awwww..." moment then you're not human.
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