The Truth Is Out There

At the start of the summer I was really hyped to see “X-Files: I Want To Believe”, but now thanks to extremely poor reviews I think I’ll be waiting for video or cable. This brings me great pain because from about 1997 to 2001 I was a really huge X-Files geek.

The X-Files is easily one of the BEST shows in television history. It was scary, funny, had two extremely well crafted central characters, played around with the form, had intense mythology and was also able to go off on single episode tangents.

I think this is why the show was able to appeal to such a wide audience – it had something for everyone. None of the current sci-fi/fantasy shows out there seem to be able to garner an audience anywhere near to that of X-Files.

It has been years since I’ve actually watched an episode. I’ve seen the big box set and have toyed with the idea of getting it. What holds me back is a question gnawing at the back of my mind, ‘was it really that good?’ Would it still scare me? Would the effects still look as good? Has my own deep sense of nostalgia built it up too much?

After reading review upon review about how * shoulder shrug * the new film is I’m about ready to accept that the X-Files is something best left in the past. Or maybe I’ll borrow someone’s DVD and try it out at no financial cost to myself because, like Fox Mulder –

Get Some Culture

“The Dark Knight” has really got people talking. How can a movie with such dark and relevant themes also be a big popcorn movie that broke every moneymaking record?

Today’s LA Times Calendar section features a really awesome article by Scott Timberg titled either, “Highbrow. Lowbrow. No brow. Now what?” (in print) or “High culture meets low culture in a mass-media world” (online). The article examines the dissolution of the old high culture, masscult and midcult hierarchy has broken down and what this might mean for our society. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-shame27-2008jul27,0,5993805.story

Youth of the Beast

Recently I read Rob Schrab’s “Drywall Unzipped” in which two AWESOME Don Ho songs (“Happy Me” and “A Lover’s Prayer”) are referenced. When I was done with the comic I instantly sampled the songs on iTunes and bought them. They are pop perfection and I have been playing them incessantly since.

While listening to the songs on our way down to San Diego the other day, my lovely fiancé mentioned that Don Ho had appeared on an episode of her favorite TV show – “I Dream of Jeannie.” Tonight, having nothing to do, we found ourselves watching not only that episode but also two others featuring Phil Spector and Sammy Davis Jr. respectively. It is here that we encounter a, ‘chicken or the egg’ situation.

Watching these episodes I encountered so many period-specific things that I adore:

- Pathé Color©
- Mid-Century furnishings & fashion
- Lounge Music
- Space-Age obsession
- Animated title sequences
- Exotica
- Random musical numbers
- Self-deprecating celebrity cameos
- Crazy opticals & transitions
- Jabs at the youth culture of the time

I then began to wonder:

“Do I like these things because I watched “I Dream of Jeannie” as a child, or do I like “I Dream of Jeannie” because it has these things in it?”

I know that I watched a lot of “I Dream of Jeannie” when I was young, and I admit to looking back on my childhood with nostalgia, but is that enough to really build an obsession? Plenty of people my age watched this show and others like it growing up and they don’t give two fucks about the things that I find beautiful.

Where does obsession begin?

I guess it’s kind of like, “How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll© center of a Tootsie Pop©?”

The world may never know.


Mahalo.

Do The Con

I’ve attended Comic-Con off and on for the past decade. Over those years it has grown exponentially. It has evolved to the point where there is absolutely no way to really, “Do the Con,” in one day. Take it from me – I’ve tried.

Last year was my first time going in four years. It was quite a culture shock and knocked me on my ass. Though I had been there before, I felt like a stranger in a strange land. I was overwhelmed.

When I first started going back in middle school, the convention floor was small enough that you could walk every aisle and still have time for a couple of panels. Now the floor is so large (and packed with so many people) you really need a whole day (or parts of multiple days) to dedicate solely to visiting booths.

Thanks to increased interest from Major Hollywood Studios© booths that were once simply booths now can tower two stories and feature lighting rigs that would blow your house’s circuit breaker. Also thanks to Them© the swag has taken a huge leap up in both awesomeness and quality but… you have to play their game in order to get it. The right two panels could literally eat up a whole day.

It’s like a dance: Wait in line an hour and a half for the panel. Sit through panel. Get ticket for item. Wait in line one hour to receive item. Rinse. Repeat.

This year I was able to take it more in stride. The boy who once had to see and do everything decided to settle for a few really special things. While it is true that you cannot, “Do the Con,” in one day, you can still have one heck of a time – as long as you’re selective.

See you in the funny papers.

The Kid From Left Field

I owe Rob Schrab so much.

Because of him I was able to become far cooler than any 6th grade comic geek rightly deserved.

After seeing a pic of Scud: The Disposable Assassin in an issue of Wizard I instantly set about finding an issue. The one that I eventually found was issue #11 "Neutron Dance: Dimension of Blood II." It didn't matter that I had no clue what had gone down in the previous ten issues - I was hooked but good.

The dynamic black and white art, the cinematic layouts, the pop culture references I didn't quite get (but would eventually seek out and love) and most of all - the dirty words. While all my friends were still reading X-Men and Gen 13 (which admitedly I was also still reading) I was frequenting the "indie" section of the comic shop fiending for my clown colored assassin fix.

Every time a new issue came out the hunt was on. Many stores didn't cary the book and the few that did didn't order very many. As a result, my collection is very patchy. Those books are prized highest because of the hunt that prefigured their possession.

Around the time I stopped reading comics regularly, Rob also ceased doing Scud. He left it at issue 21 with one hell of a cliffhanger.

CUT-TO:

May 2007

I take the occasion of "Free Comic Book Day" to return to the world of comics. I picked up the first "Y: The Last Man" collection and was hooked. Like lost loves, comics and I were reunited.

Aided by the internet, I frantically began looking into what all of my favorite writers and artists were up to these days. That is when I came across...

(http://www.robschrab.com/)

Awesome! But even more awesome was the news that Rob was going to be returning to Scud to resolve that cliffhanger and bring the series to conclusion. Originally it was going to be just a single issue that would be added to the end of a big book collecting the whole series, but as most projects tend to do - it grew.

Eventually it became a four issue arc released over the course of as many months. Schrab churned out some of the best work of his career and ended the series on the perfect note completing not only the arc of his series but an arc in his personal life.

As of yesterday (7.22.08) you can now buy the big-ass "Whole Shebang!" book. For the sheer volume of comic you are getting the $29.99 cover price is nothing. Pick it up and have some fun.

Unfortunately since I am only able to attend Comic Con on Friday, I will not be able to meet Mr. Schrab in person to thank him for this comic and what it has meant to my life. Le sigh. Perhaps one day I will. Or maybe he'll read this blog.

Mahalo

...Meow?

The day after seeing "The Dark Knight" Becca and I started talking about what they could do for the next film and we both felt the next logical step would be catwoman. But who would they get to play her?

Some one with balls. Someone dark. Someone European.

My ideal Catwoman is...

Asia Argento

Discuss!

Combination of the Two

When Malcolm X was little his father imparted to him some very important advice:

"Credit is the first step back into slavery."

I have really taken these words to heart. I have only one credit card and I don't let debt pile up. I pay the full balance each month. I know people who seem to have cards from every possible company. I'm pretty happy with my one card. But if I were to get a new card it would be

AMERICAN FUCKING EXPRESS!!!

This has absolutely nothing to do with rewards plans, fees or anything like that. I would go with American Express purely because they are endorsed by two of my favorite people

Martin Scorsese & Tina Fey

And now they've decided to put my pleasure center to the test by having them do a commercial together



It's cute. Not as funny as the Scorsese at the photomat one but it has cute moments. If I were to ever become a company I would want to be endorese by sheer awesomeness!

OK I'm done.

CORMAN 2009!!!

Every year after the Oscars, I read articles about how that year was the lowest rated ever. Everyone has an opinion on how to fix this. Make them shorter. Pick movies people know better. No musical numbers. I think those are all horrible suggestions.

If the Oscars were shorter they’d be nothing. ‘Oh they’re over already?’ Picking movies that people know better makes ABSOLUTELY no sense. ‘Yeah guys let’s compromise our reputation as a serious film organization by picking “Transformers” for a best picture nod instead of “There Will Be Blood”.’ As for cutting the musical numbers…I guess that would be OK but they do kind of help break things up and make it a SHOW.

So what can be done to get people to watch? I have an answer but it will only work once:

GIVE ROGER CORMAN AN HONORARY OSCAR!

In the summer of 2002 MOCA was doing a huge show of Andy Warhol’s work. The American Cinematheque at the Egyptian decided to follow suit and was showing a bunch of his films. It was this amazing two-fronted assault. If you were of the right artsy mind you couldn’t go anywhere without encountering Warhol. I think the Academy as well as independent theatre owners and entrepreneurs could generate the same type of synergistic campaign around Roger Corman getting an Oscar.

Roger has had his hand in so many different pies over the years. Entrenched in both high and low art. The man who made “A Bucket of Blood” was also the American distributor of Ingmar Bergman’s “Cries and Whispers.” Imagine in the month before the Oscars having the New Beverly showing a series of Corman double features while across town at the Egyptian they’re showing “Amarcord” and “The Tin Drum”.

The Academy itself would also have to contribute to all of this by advertising around town like gangbusters. How cool would it be to see lurid grindhouse-esque banners hanging from the street lights promoting Roger’s Oscar?

The last and final step would be to make more of a production out of the actual presentation of the Oscar. Roger is a showman and the presentation should reflect this. Lots of cool clips, maybe some nice set design and let’s not forget – Hollywood stars o’plenty. Roger helped so many now legendary people start their careers that they should all likely want to participate in giving him this award.

Oh man if something like this could actually happen it would be awesome.

So how do we make it happen?

Well first we need to get the Academy to decide they’re going to give Roger the Oscar and that’s a bit tricky.

According to the letter I received from Academy President Sid Ganis, the person to receive the Honorary Oscar is selected by the Academy’s Board of Governors in December. Who is on the Board?

http://www.oscars.org/academy/governors.html

So if you are reading this and somehow have access to anyone on that list please sing the praises of Roger Corman so that they’ll vote for him come December. That’s really about all that we can do right now. Hopefully my letter to Mr. Ganis at least planted the idea in his head. Let’s see if it takes.

If they do decide to give him the award we’ll then have to start a new phase so that this can become the big brouhaha that it should be.

Remember kids…

Something For The Yanks

Finally! After seven years, American fans of Simon Pegg, Jessica Stevenson (Hynes), Nick Frost and Edgar Wright can own the entire 14-episode run of “Spaced” without also needing to own a multi-region DVD player.

For those un-initiated, “Spaced” was an amazing British sit-com put together by the same people who eventually went on to do “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”. The show focuses on Tim and Daisy two complete strangers who pretend to be a married couple so they can get an apartment. Yeah I know it sounds like your standard sit-com circa 1977 but it is really so much more.

The thing that made “Spaced” really stand out for me was the references to pop culture. There are so many that the Region 2 DVD (and now the Reigon 1 DVD) comes with an “homage-o-meter.” Now I know what you’re probably thinking. You’re thinking, ‘I don’t need to see another dialogue heavy, Tarantino-lite, naval gazing festival of look how hip I am’. At least for the sake of this blog that’s what I hope you’re thinking.

I’m aware that there is a contingency out there that thinks popular culture has become that snake that eats its own tail (Ouroboros). And to some degree that is true. We do have films like “Snatch” that consist of nothing but style and witticisms with absolutely NO substance. But then there is a television show like “The Simpsons” which some people believe cultivates a more intelligent audience due to the fact that so much extraneous knowledge is required in order to simply get the jokes.

What makes “Spaced” so awesomely original is that it really gets to the heart of why characters make references. Pop-culture is the prism through which we view our lives. It is our frame of reference. When Daisy finds herself working at a Mexican restaurant ("Neo Nachos), we see it through her eyes and it looks a LOT like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”. These characters all see themselves as stars of their own mental movies and at least for me that’s how life really is.
I highly recommend this series to anyone and everyone. If you have the ability to check it out please do. The DVD comes with all kinds of goodies including commentary tracks with guests like Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Diablo Cody, Patton Oswalt and Matt Stone.

Check out these two clips:





And now it's time for the part in my movie where I sleep.

Mahalo.

Duck Season, Kubrick Season

Stanley Kubrick has long been one of my top three favorite directors. For the curious my other two are

Martin Scorsese
Woody Allen

Since January my friends and I (usually just four of us) have been doing something called "The 12 Months of Kubrick".

Stanley directed 13 features while on this planet but only 12 are easily locatable since he was ebarassed by his first ("Fear and Desire"). 12 films, 12 months it's just too perfect.

January = Killer's Kiss
February = The Killing
March = Paths of Glory
April = Spartacus
May = Lolita
June = Dr. Strangelove
July = 2001: A Space Odyssey
August = A Clockwork Orange
September = Barry Lyndon
October = The Shining
November = Full Metal Jacket
December = Eyes Wide Shut

With "The Shining" falling in the same month as Halloween, "Full Metal Jacket" in the same month as Veteran's Day and "Eyes Wide Shut" set around Christmas it's almost like Stanley planned it.

And it seems I'm not the only one with Kubrick on the brain. BBC 4 has decided to have a "Kubrick Season" and in order to promote it they have created an amazing little promo.



Apparently they even used the same type of lens Stanley used.

!GEEK MOMENT!

Why So Serious?

Well it seems like "The Dark Knight" is set to overtake Spider-Man's title of 'highest grossing comic book movie' and I couldn't be happier.

I really really really didn't like the first "Spider-Man" (the third one too). I had problems with the effects and with some of the performances but my main problem was the Green Goblin. I found him to be a really shitty villain and his plastic mask did him no favors.

I knew directly after seeing it that I didn't like the film but I could not exactly place why. About a week or so after it came out I read a review written by filmmaker Kevin Smith where he hit the nail on the head. He described the rooftop scene where the Goblin is trying to talk Spider-Man into being bad as reminiscent of a young child playing with his action figures.

Green Goblin: "Come on be a bad guy!"

Spider-Man: "No way man!"

In order to have a truly great comic book movie you have to have a truly great villain. Sure Sandman in "Spider-Man 3" had this whole sob story and was all misunderstood and such, but we never had time to care 'cause the movie was trying to ram so many other things down our throats that we wound up not caring about any of it. Zilch.

While I do have some problems with "The Dark Knight" (the "scary" bat-voice, some editing in an early scene and the way hand-to-hand combat was filmed) all of them are rendered tolerable thanks to one key element - an awesome villain.

People have been saying for a long while now that the late Heath Ledger is headed for a posthumous Oscar nod (and possible win) and after seeing this movie I agree completely. Heath's Joker is one sick, scary son of a bitch. This character is a completely un-predictable sociopath and that's what makes him so scary - he doesn't care and you never know what he's about to do.

A problem I had with the first film was the philosophical speechifying. You know the whole, "Gotham is worth saving," stuff. Here the speechifying goes down a lot smoother because the debate about man's base nature, is so tightly woven into who Joker is as a character. Whenever Batman (in the "scary" voice), Harvey Dent or Jim Gordon would go off on a tear about heroism or some such, I found myself waiting for the plot to move forward. The Joker, on the other hand, I could listen to for hours.

If you haven't seen this film yet you probably should. While it's not as rip-roaring as "Iron Man" it's still a great ride that has something to say and features, front and center, one of the greatest swan songs in cinema history.

Heath – you will be very sorely missed.

Do The Preservation Bop

This entry is very much inspired by one on my fiancé’s blog which you can check out over at (http://perfectlyswell.blogspot.com/)

From the perspective of history America is an extremely young nation. We’re like on the cusp of puberty. As a result of this we do not have very many historical structures – particularly here in Southern California. The primary reason for this is that we just LOVE to tear shit down.

How are we ever supposed to have a record of our past?

Now some would argue that the stuff they’re tearing down is just cheap pre-fabricated pop architecture from hardly 50 years ago.

To this I put on my best Miles Davis voice and say, “So what?”

Could you imagine how boring and homogenized our world would look if every 20 years or so we just tore everything down and re-built? We would desperately yearn for variety.

Look how beautiful these babies are:

If you have any interest in preserving this period please check out:

(http://www.atomicage.org/)

And if you want to find out more about this type of architecture here are some key words you can look into:

1)The Case Study Homes
2) Joseph Eichler
3) Googie
4) John Lautner

5) Mid-Century Modern

Help preserve our past

Mahalo

PS: If you're interested in this type of stuff and are reading this before October 12th 2008, the Hammer Museum in Westwood is having a show titled "Between Heaven and Earth: The Architecture of John Lautner". The exhibit consists mostly of floor plans and designs along with models and video footage.

Gang Of Four No More

2007 was a great year for film. I didn’t go and see as many films as I did in 2006 but about 90% of the ones that I DID see were excellent. There was bawdy comedy like “Knocked Up” and “Superbad”, there was thoughtful indie comedy like “Juno” and “The Darjeeling Limited”, there was even a rockin’ Korean monster movie in “The Host”. Back in January I picked four films as my key favorites of the year. And, in no particular order (‘cause no one film is truly greater than any one of the others) they are:

There Will Be Blood
No Country For Old Men
Grindhouse
Zodiac

Tonight I decided on the film that will turn my marvelous quartet into a mind-melting quintet.

Persepolis

I first saw this film back in February (though it came out in like December thus allowing it to qualify for both the Oscars AND my list). Immediately upon seeing it I knew it was a great film and rooted for it at the Oscars (where it lost to the immensely talented Brad Bird and those geniuses over at Pixar) but the thought of adding it to the list had simply never crossed my mind.

Tonight Becca and I went over to John and Melody’s to watch it on DVD. Since this was my second time seeing the film I was able to really step back and look at all of the individual elements and each is astonishing. The film is a perfect melding of style and story, the personal and the political. It shifts tones from funny to sad like a top of the line cinematic racecar.

If you have not yet seen this film please do. It is a masterpiece of the highest order and is also very relevant to what the Chinese would call these “interesting times” we are living through.

Mahalo.

PS: Check this out. To the truly hip this is old news but to me and possibly to you it’s new: (http://www.banksy.co.uk/films/movie5.html)

Practice Makes...

As much as I hated taking statistics in college, it is that course more than anything else that has kept me humping the dream of being successful at any type of art. It was in that class that I learned about the “law of large numbers”. This is the law that keeps Vegas alive. To explain:

Let’s say you flip a coin 10 times. The odds of flipping heads are 50/50 yet it is entirely possible that all 10 flips might come up tails. The law of large numbers states that if you continue to flip that coin several more times the odds will gradually grow closer to 50/50.

Everything is chance including art. The law of large numbers is why some of Woody Allen’s recent films have not been that great. The man makes approximately a film a year. Throughout the 70s and 80s these films were by and large excellent. From the 90s onward that trend has reversed itself. Woody’s career is quickly approaching 50/50.

This is why I keep writing and taking photographs. I figure if I keep doing something over and over again I will eventually generate good work. I will also generate a lot of horrible tripe but it comes with the territory.

On a somewhat related note I have noticed in the past few months that many of my photos look the same compositionally.

I attribute this to the fact that for nearly three years I was taking hundreds of pictures a day at Goofy’s Kitchen. It is my belief that if you do anything enough a style will start to emerge. Whether or not that style is any good is for others to decide.

OK I am done with this mental masturbation. Go about you business.

Hope

Ever since my political awakening some eight odd years ago I have been firmly in the progressive camp. I'm a far left leaning liberal and social democracy is my wet dream. The first thing I did on my 18th birthday was register to vote and I registered Green! In those early years I had the fervor of a religious convert. I would never think of voting for a fucking Democrat.

I still have great hopes for third parties in this country but I don't think a presidential election is the place to start. A third party needs to build from the ground up. I fully support the electing of third party councilmembers, mayors, governors, etc but in order for us to EVER be able to even entertain the idea of a president from a third party we need:

INSTANT-RUNOFF VOTING (http://instantrunoff.com/)

Anyhow. Back to the task at hand...

I am aware that Barack Obama is probably not your ideal candidate (my candidate was Edwards) but he's what we have to work with. Sure he ONLY supports civil unions and sure he voted for Bush's FISA bill but what do you expect? Candidates ALWAYS drift towards the middle as the general election draws closer.

Obama is like Obi-Wan Kenobi - our only hope. It's either him or four or more years of a "maverick" who sold his soul to get this far. Over the course of the Bush presidency I have seen great evil and sickness creep over this nation and I know McCain won't change that tide because it's his bread and butter.

Under Bush we have become a nation ruled by fear and it's driving me crazy. Fear has lead us into two wars (with a third maybe on the way), fear has destroyed our civil liberties, fear has caused us to turn against eachother. I cannot continue to live like this. I am tired of fear.

Ever since September 11th 2001 America has been like a hostage with Stockholm syndrome. We love being held captive. This state of fear has become all that we know. It’s not going to be easy to change the tide after eight years of indoctrination but I think Barack Obama has the right idea. The key word throughout his campaign has been “hope”. Hope has the potential to shake us out of this malignant funk and THAT more than anything, is why I will be voting for Barack Obama this coming November.

Bleach & Paint

Tonight Becca and I went to an art show in Costa Mesa. The place is called evocal and the art is by Will Koffman a friend of Becca's from OCHSA. Both the venue and the art are awesome and I highly recommend it to anyone. The show is titled "Bleach & Paint" and those are the principal mediums used. I took photos of my two favorites both done in bleach.

Seeing all of Will's art up there made me a tad envious. It's been a long while since I've had my photography shown anywhere and I think I've grown as a photographer since then. I should look into that. But anyhow go check out will's show it's awesome and also check out his website at: http://www.killmecomix.com/

Big Red

As any fan boy worth his salts knows, we are existing in a great time for comic book movies. This summer we have have Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Wanted and Dark Knight. I loved loved loved Iron Man but took a rain check on both Hulk and Wanted. Tonight Becca, Dri and I saw Hell Boy II: The Golden Army.

Aside from the opening scene featuring a 9 year old Hell Boy I really liked the movie. Director Guillermo Del Toro put his bigger budget to great use. It was funny as hell, the action was AWESOME (tooth fairies are fucking viscious man) and despite all of the make up you could really feel for the characters. A lesser directors would get too drunk on all the new "toys" and made a pretty but vacant film.

Like the best comic book movies (Ghost World, Superman II, American Splendor) it stays true to the comic without being so reverent as to render it lifeless. I once read (or maybe heard) an interview with Mike Mignola where he said that he created Hell Boy because he liked to draw monsters fighting other monsters. This Hell Boy film is exactly that.

I think I might like this one more than the original but I won't say for certain until I've had time to really live with the film. But yeah it was really good and I hope it gets its moment to shine at the box office before Batman's arrival next week when everyone gets laid waste.

In Praise of Nancy Kulp

During my formative years I was watched by either my grandparents or my great grandparents while my parents were at work. Needless to say I watched a LOT of TV and since neither had cable my viewing consisted mostly of syndicated shows from the 50s and 60s. Lots of "I Love Lucy", "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Bewitched".

Recently Becca and I were visiting her cousins when one of them put on an episode of "Beverly Hillbillies". I remembered loving the show but had not seen an episode in years. Part of me was afraid that I was going to be let down. That I'd see the episode and wonder what the hell I was thinking growing up. Fortunately I was wrong.

The episode was great but what really stood out was Nancy Kulp as Ms. Jane Hathaway. I went home that night and started researching her. She was quite the woman. Actress, Patriot, Democrat, Linguist, Lesbian and -for your viewing pleasure - comic genius:

Meat On My Mind

"On a hot summer night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?"

So begins "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" the second track on Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman's classic album "Bat Out of Hell".

The hot weather of this summer has kept Mr. Loaf very much on my mind and tonight on my drive home from Becca's house I decided to listen to the album for the firs time in forever and it reminded me that

Man I fucking love me some Meat Loaf.

I've loved him ever since the 4th grade when he hit big with "Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell" and "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". I love love loved that album and boy was I suprised to discover that there was a Bat Out of Hell I.

I found it in the CD collection of my Uncle Gary who had died years before. When he died he was living with my grandparents and when I got to 4th and 5th grade I was spending a lot of time at their house after school. Since they didn't have cable TV I had to find other ways to entertain myself and one of those was listening to albums over and over again. The one I listened to the most was of course "Bat Out of Hell".

Over the years my love of "Bat Out of Hell II" has decreased greatly but my love of the original has only grown. I don't care what anyone says. This album is FUCKING AWESOME!!! It's big and operatic in the way pretty much nothing is these days. The only recent songs I can think of that come even close are Knights of Cydonia by Muse & No Cars Go by Arcade Fire.

I wish music this big and ballsy could hit on the radio these days.

Le sigh.

If you don't already own it I really suggest you pick up "Bat Out of Hell", throw it on and take the ride.

On a hot summer night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red rose?

FUCK YES!

Counselor

I first heard of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson in 1998 when the film version of "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" was released. My friend Sean's older brother Pat went to see it and he returned saying that the book was better.

There was a book?

Fortunately Pat owned a copy and let me borrow it. I read it very rapidly and thought I was so cool. I fixated hard on the style/voice and so much of my shitty writing from that period tried unsuccessfully to ape it. It wasn't until much later (in college) that I started to get into the actual substance of his writing.

The only good thing to come as a result of the Bush Administration is my political activation. In middle-school/high school I wasn't really the political animal that I am today. I would check out a book like "Generation of Swine" from the local library and just couldn't get into it. Thanks to the thief in chief I was finally able to dig in and enjoy the political works of the good doctor.

Hunter's death really depressed me. Who was going to rant and rail against this tyrant in the oval office? Why had he left us in our hour of need? Why hast thou forsaken us?

On Monday Becca and I went to see "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson". It was an OK doc. It felt way long and didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know but what it did do was something magical. It brought Hunter back to life for two hours. The documentary uses Hunter's life to comment on the mess we're in. It makes you angry that we're stuck with a president who's ten times the mean bastard that Nixon was. This film is a nice little moltov cocktail. Goes down smooth.

Now how to end this bastard?

I'll say farewell with Hunter's farewell:

Football Season Is Over
No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won’t hurt.

1937-2005

Hello

It seems that everyone has a blog these days and I'm somebody so here we go.

This will be a place for me to blab about shit that I think is cool and perhaps to post rants. Maybe that's how i'll start this off. Eh - I'm too lazy at the moment.

Instead I'll take a moment to sing the praises of Los Bros Hernandez.

I've been into comics since the 3rd grade. This was mostly the result of my teacher telling my mom that it would help me to better socialize with my peers. I'm not exactly sure how that works because a) comics are something you read by yourself and b) comic geeks are commonly social outcasts. Anyhow...for most of my life I've been a comic reader. Sure there have been times where I didn't read very many (college) but in the past year + I've gotten back into comics with a vengeance.

Here are some titles I've followed in the past year and recommend:

Runaways (ongoing series):

Y: The Last Man (completed 60 issue series)

Grendel: Behold the Devil (almost complete 8 issue series)

Madman: Atomic Comics (ongoing series)

Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder (ongoing but who knows for how long)

Invincible (ongoing series)

In addition to these I have also been catching up with important works in the history of comics such as:

Reading all of these has been an extremely enriching experience. Sequential Art (as Will Eisner called it) is such a wonderfully diverse medium. It can tell intensely personal stories as well as fantastical stories about heroism. There is endless potential and I feel that nobody explores that better than Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez with their legendary series Love and Rockets.

Jaime and Gilbert are so different yet so similar. People have tried to pidgeonhole them by saying that Gilbert is the better writer and Jaime the better artist but that is not really the case. I'm blown away by Gilbert's art just as often as I am Jaime's. Jaime's stories about Las Locas fascinate me just as much as Gilbert's tales of Palmoar. I love both equally. And I think the reason for that is they take the best elements of so many different genre's and styles and mix them all together very beautifully. There is touching drama, funny gags, thrilling action, experimental storytelling and personal expression all wrapped up together. Fantagraphics Books has recently started publishing chronological collections of all the Love and Rockets stuff. There are three books of Gilbert's Palomar stuff, three books of Jaime's Locas stuff and one book of misc. stuff by the two of them. I highly recommend picking up the first Gilbert book (Heartbreak Soup (blue cover)) as well as the first Jaime book (Maggie the Mechanic (red cover)). Great great stuff in both.

Gilbert Hernandez

Jaime Hernandez

Well I guess I did have enough energy for a rant of sorts. Not bad for a first blog. I guess the moral of this story kids is to go out to your local comic shop and start reading. Try any of the titles suggested in this blog as well as Persepolis 1 & 2 (recently made into an awesome Oscar nominated animated film) and the four currently available volumes of Scott Pilgrim (soon to be major motion picture directed by Edgar Wright and starring Michael Cera).

Long Live Sequential Art!!!

See you in the funny papers.