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.