The Crooked Man

For the last couple of weeks I have been plugging through my series of Hellboy books. All of them have been extremely entertaining and full of action but I have not come across a story yet that sent shivers down my spine. It is possible that I am hard-hearted, desensitized perhaps would be the better word. But none of the scary stories have truly scared me.

That is until The Crooked Man.

In 1956, somewhere in the mountains of West Virginia, Hellboy encounters Tom, a man who in his youth sold his sold to a backwoods demon known as the Crooked Man. Together they travel back into the dark heart of the Appalachian Mountains to confront that demon and see if Tom's soul can't be saved. 

Maybe it got to me because this was the first supernatural Hellboy story that took place in the United States, you know, close to home. It could have been because of its location in the mountains. That is kinda freaky since I live so close to the mountains. It also could be that it had to do with demons, and that can be very real to me. There are a ton of reasons, watching a witch slip into a human skin, the Mellingeon Witches (which are the settlers that disappeared at Roanoke which mixed in with the Croatan Indians) who follow and call for them while they hike to find the Crooked Man and the tense stand-off between the Crooked Man and his followers and Tom, Hellboy and a priest in a church.

While all that can be downright spooky, that is not what makes this story so spine-chilling. 

I'll never EVER go hiking in the Appalachian Mountains.

What really got me was the creepy art by legend Richard Corben. His interpretation and first appearance of the Crooked Man is what gave me a huge case of the willies. 

This fantastically creepy story is now my all-time favorite Hellboy stories. If you like to be frightened and haunted by something odd and unsettling, this book is for you. I won't give away any more details or what happens to Tom. You'll just have to read it for yourself.

Random Ramblings: Really?

Hurting: I am a little sore today. My biceps are quite tender and they feel like they could fall off at any moment. Last Friday I did a workout and then Saturday I played racquetball (on an already sore arm) and then I went and helped sandbag.

Flooding: I only live about two blocks away from the Logan River and it looks like we are in for some flooding here in a couple of weeks. The Blacksmith Fork River is already past flood stage (and I only live a few miles away from that river) and it looks like it may get even worse. I went up the canyon and helped sandbag one of the cabins that my neighbor owns. Man, those sandbags are incredibly heavy!

Loving: A few days ago I was asked if I would go back into the Primary for a couple of weeks at church. Yesterday was my first day back and I really missed it. I was helping teach the 5-year olds and it is really Comedy Central. I am looking forward to staying there for a couple of weeks and I am lobbying hard to make it official!

Loving Part II: Ever since I went and saw Thor last week I have been in a God of Thunder mood. I dug out a few old trade paperbacks of Thor that I had and I have been re-reading them. I have not read these for years and I am getting a kick out of them. I am reading and in the middle of the fantastic Walter Simonson run (Thor issues #337-382 along with the Balder the Brave #1-4) and I just finished one of my all-time favorite issues of that run (Thor #362) where the Executioner makes his valiant stand against the hordes of Hel. My favorite quote from the comic is when someone asked how the Executioner would be remembered.

"He stood alone at Gjallerbru. And that answer is enough."

Smiling: Last Thursday I got a nice package of comics in the mail. For the last couple of years I have been trimming down my massive comic collection. I am running out of room to handle them all but the real reason I am doing this is because I want a comic collection that is all stuff that I love. So I have been going through my collection and re-reading a ton of books and purging those books that just no longer cut the mustard. So far I have sold over 1,000 comics. One of the sites that I sell comics back to gives me double store credit and I trade comics for comics. Last Thursday I got a set of books that I am really looking forward to. But the one that I was excited for the most turned out to be quite the embarrassment for Marvel.

Shaking: Shaking my head and wagging my finger at Marvel Comics. There was a storyline running in Captain America that I really liked. It involved this character named Scourge who was going around and killing villains. He was shrouded in mystery and he appeared and killed villains in a ton of other Marvel comics like the Amazing Spider-Man, the Avengers and so forth. I wanted to get every single issue he appeared in when I was younger but I never got the chance. Fast forward twenty some odd years later and Marvel has collected all of Scourge's appearance along with all his killings from other books in one handy volume called Captain America: Scourge of the Underworld. And I was giddy with excitement!

Take a closer peek at the cover.

Really Marvel?

Yeah, they spelled Underworld wrong. How in the blue heck do you spell that wrong in the age of Spellcheck? Not only is it spelled wrong on the cover but also on the spine. How was it that this book was still published? How embarrassing and unprofessional for Marvel. You would think that they would be able to catch such an obvious mistake especially with Disney's deep pockets now backing them up. But then I still bought it and it is a beautiful reprint. So I guess it wasn't that* bad.


*yes it was.

The Walking Dead Review

Oh man...

That was good. That was really good.

Very true to the source material. The acting was fantastic and I was surprised by what AMC was able to get away with. In the comic there are a lot of tense moments that on screen felt amplified. There is a lot of gore in the comic book that is unsettling and seeing it in true life really had an impact.

This felt like the comic book.

I feel safer reading the comic book. Maybe it is because it is print and doesn't feel real. The art is realistic but it is nothing like seeing happen for real. The moments in the book that were disturbing were much more disturbing on screen.

So if you are squeamish, you may want to watch it with your face hidden by your hands. So if you want a good scare, if you want a good study on human behavior (and not all of it is good) than this show is for you. The zombies look freaky, they look dead and this feels more like a movie than a TV series. And so far, just in the first episode it looks like the show will go its own way. While being true to the source material, they have already added extra things to it. Nothing big but enough that comic fans will see the difference. But it doesn't detract at all. It really is the icing on the cake.

The only drawback is that going in I know what happens to the characters. I know who survives, I know who dies and I know what is going to happen the majority of the time. And part of me doesn't want to see what happens because I know what is going to happen. But I'll watch it anyway.

Got Clutter?

Day 354

I have been doing some thinking. Yeah, that is what happens when I am feeling sick, I sit around and think about stuff. Lately I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed, a feeling that my life is too cluttered.

And then I look around my home and I know why.

Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion. [D&C 132:8]

Now this is not a shot at Kristy or the way we live our life. This is a shot at me. I have way too much stuff and I hold on to things for very stupid reasons. I believe that my house should be a house of order, I know that when my house is clean, I feel good and I feel like I am in order. The more stuff I have cluttering where I live, the more cluttered my brain feels.

I watch Hoarders and it makes me feel better about my mess. Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for these people; I am not making fun of them. I am just thankful that my hoarding problem is not this severe. This is NOT a picture of our home.

And then I came across this blog: Do you hoard your underwear? I have to admit that I am like this. I hoard things. I hoard things that I don't even need. At first glance at reading this article I thought this was not me. But then I look around and I see this behavior in many ways. Take comic books for instance. I buy and read comics but then I will sell them so I can get a nice paperback or hardcover. But then the hardcover stays on the shelf UNREAD! They are just so nice, I don't want to ruin them! So why the snot did I buy them? I still want to read them right?

So I have been thinking...

It is time for me to make a change and last night I made a huge change. No, I am not selling off all my comic books. But I am getting rid of stuff that I have not read/used/listened too in years. I have been paring down my comic book collection for the last few years and I am proud to say that I have sold close to 2,500 books. I sell them to this online comic store and I get double the credit. So I do get comics in return but I am getting comics that I really want. So instead of having all this comic clutter, I have a collection of comics that I absolutely love.

Last night, I bit the bullet and I am moving into the digital age.

The last physical CD I purchased was Queen + Paul Rodgers The Cosmos Rocks which came out about two years ago. Every CD I have purchased since as been online through iTunes or some other online music service. Most of my CDs that I have now are in my iTunes library on my computer. I rarely grab a CD and listen to it. All my music is digital. So I have decided to get rid of my CDs. I have the music already, I just don't need the physical CDs anymore.

My main "worry" is that I won't have a copy of my music. Everything will be on my computer and what if that crashes? I make regular backups on an external hard drive which includes all my music files. And not only that, since I am so worried anal, I am going through my entire music library and converting everything to mp3s and then burning them to a couple of DVDs. So I will have another set of backups. Only this time, my physical backups will only take a few DVDs instead of the large stack of CDs I have now.

Now some CDs I will not sell, at least not at the moment. I will keep my Queen collection as well as others. I like to look at the CD pamphlet and I like to read the lyrics too. But I am only keeping a small percentage, merely a handful of what I had. The rest of them I have already sold online.

Not only am I getting rid of stuff I don't need, I am also making a tidy profit too. Sure, I paid much more for the music than what I am making back but if I don't use them anymore what's the purpose? The $150 I am making is worth it. I can find many, many things comics that I can spend that money on and I bet I will not even miss the CDs I have sold back.

Why would I? I don't listen to them now anyway.

So I am dejunking. And I am uncluttering the place where I spend the most time in. And already I can feel my brain work. It is hard work and I still have lots to do and it can be difficult to let things go but it will be well worth the effort I put in. Besides, I don't want to move and have to take this crap with me.

List-Mania: 5 Comics that Wigged Me Out!

Day 335

I haven't done a List-Mania column for a long time, let alone a real geeky one too, and I thought that the time is right for another List-Mania devoted to comics. This time I am choosing comic books that are difficult for me to read and get through. These comics are ones that stay with me long after I read them. They are either creepy, or they really tug at the heart strings or they portray pain, sorrow and anguish. They are not shocking just to be shocking. These are real moments, moments that made me take pause. Basically they are Comics that Wigged Me Out!

In no particular order.

What If? #30 "What If The Fantastic Four's Second Child Had Lived?"

Marvel published a line of comics called "What If?" and they would take a storyline and choose a different route for it to take. Most of the time the stories would be tragic and this one was no doubt one of the few comics that creeped me out. Mr. Fantastic (the stretch guy) and his wife the Invisible Woman have one child, a boy named Franklin. He is a mutant and has the ability to have special dreams that foretell the future. The Invisible Woman gets pregnant again and she dies in childbirth. But this story shows what would happen if the baby survived. Franklin sees the future and sees that his sister is a monster and no one believes him. Eventually family members die and Franklin sees that his sister is the reason. So Franklin turns to the Fantastic Four's deadliest enemy, Dr. Doom for help.

Dr. Doom kills Mr. Fantastic and he dies but before he dies he sees his daughter as the monster that his own son described. Doom also dies facing the monster and Franklin manages to send it to the Negative Zone (long story... basically he sends his sister to another dimension).

The final words of the story, spoken by Franklin looking on all the destruction and death were haunting.

"At first you said it was a nightmare... ...a child's dream gone away. Probably from something I ate. The you chalked it up to jealousy... ...sibling rivalry... ...as old as Cain and Abel. But I was never jealous of her daddy.. ...I was afraid of her. And as I stand here amid the ruins of your lab... ...over your body... ...I take no solace in the fact that I was right and you were wrong. If only you'd listen to me things might have been different."

Vigilante #50
I was in the sixth grade when I first read this comic. Vigilante was my friend's brother's favorite comic. I read a few on and off but I had to get this final issue. And I was not prepared to what happened right at the end and it bugged me for days. The character (Adrian Chase) was a lawyer who became disenchanted with the law and took the law in his own hands as the costumed hero Vigilante. Unfortunately Adrian was a tortured soul who made grave mistakes and was often haunted by the decisions he made as Vigilante. And soon it was too much for him to take. He gets caught up in a situation where he mistakenly kills law enforcement agents and realizes he has gone too far.

I honestly didn't expect him to kill himself and I thought it took a lot of guts for the writer to make that call. I eventually picked up the entire series and you can see how Adrian slid down that slippery slope.

Generation Next #4
The Age of Apocalypse storyline was a bold move for Marvel. They cancelled all the very popular X-Men titles and replaced them with a whole new set of X-Men drastically different from what has happened before. Essentially, a huge reset button was pressed when Professor X's son travels back in time to kill Magneto (a play on if you would go back in time to kill Hitler) so mutants can live in peace with humans. Only his son accidentally kills his dad, Charles Xavier and (as usual) something horrible happens and changes everything. In this world mutants are in charge and one of the most evilest mutants, Apocalypse, is in charge and a small team of X-Men, led by Magneto is all that stands in the way of total mutant domination.

In this story, the X-Man Colossus and his wife Shadowcat train a set of young mutants to be the next generation of X-Men (hence the name) and Magneto assigns them a mission to find Colossus's sister whom he thought was dead. Things quickly get out of hand and the team find themselves in a situation and battle that they are unlikely to survive. But this is Colossus and Shadowcat we are talking about. Colossus is one of the most bravest and noblest heroes. But not in this universe. Colossus and Shadowcat succeed in their mission and rescue Colossus's sister and they get her out of the death and mayhem caused by the revolt. Shadowcat wants to go back to rescue their students but Colossus stops her. He volunteers because he does not want to lose his wife. So Colossus goes back to rescue them. He peers inside to see the massacre and hopeless battle and shuts the door.

He goes back to his sister and his wife and tells them there was nothing he could do. He left them to die because he was afraid. He was afraid of losing his sister again and his wife. All I remember is the look on the abandoned student's face when she watches Colossus shut the door on her. And the look on Shadowcat's face because I think she knew.

There were a lot of horrible and heroic moments peppered throughout this series but this one made the biggest impact. There was another one at the conclusion of the massive storyline and unfortunately it involved our good friend Colossus once again.

Colossus does not want to be without his sister Illyana and tries to involve himself in Magneto's plan to save the world. But he would screw it up (long story, trust me). Shadowcat has the mutant ability to become like a ghost and she counted that her husband would stop if she said so. So she doesn't use her powers and Colossus runs her over and tramples her to death. Another X-Man uses his powers to stop (kill) Colossus before he does any more damage. As he dies, he sees his younger sister and says, "Forgive me sister. I thought... I was the bravest of us all. And then I met you. I am so scared... please... give me courage and hold me while I..." And then he dies.

Will To Power #11
The story followed the descent of Titan from hero to villain. Titan was like Superman. Except he had a difficult childhood involving abuse from his father and trying to fit in. He was told throughout his life that he was never good enough. Slowly, as he made mistakes and tried to be a true Superman-like hero he became more distant and angry. Eventually he wanted to prove he was the best and tried to take down one of the most powerful beings on Earth just to prove a point.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is what I thought of when I saw the look on Titan's face here. There is no pity, there is no conscious thought here. This is pure rage and hate and Chris Warner (the artist) really captured that look here. One simple look from Titan was all it took. The pages before showed him easily dispatching the Army and destroying Las Vegas. None of those shows of power told the story like that the bottom panel.

Star Wars Annual #2
Yes! A Star Wars comic! It had Han on the cover so it had to be safe right? Set after the events in the Empire Strikes Back, Luke, C3-P0 and Lando are escaping from Stormtroopers when they find a gold statue of Han Solo. Han was one of my favorite characters so I had to have this comic. I remember flipping through the comic to find out what happened but I didn't get too far because I came across a panel that freaked me out and even to this day I cannot look at it. Go ahead and call me chicken but I didn't re-read this annual because I was too creeped out. Check out the panels below:  BRRRRRR!

 

Just looking at that gives me the creeps! I am sure that I could find more stories or pieces of art that stuck with me but these were the ones that came right to mind.

Simple Pleasures

Day 305

This last week has been chock full of very simple pleasures.

-Getting out in the great outdoors for some much needed fresh air.

-Teaching Logan some old-school board games

-Out running by the temple and not feeling beat

-Jamming on the bass guitar with fingertips that are no longer sore

-Karma!

-A package of comics in the mail!

-Rain so hard you can hear it

-Another Solar Smile

-Getting an unexpected hug

-Fresh garden veggies and fruits

-Drinking a cold Mountain Dew after Logan goes to bed

-Eating Muddy Buddies and laughing our heads off with Logan watching AFV

Pic of the Week: Comic Book Logan

Day 272

I have not done a Pic of the Week blog post in months. Unfortunately my camera fell into the river and has passed on. Part of me is happy since it gives us an excuse to buy a better camera but it leaves us in a lurch since we have no camera at the moment and probably won't get one until later this week.

I was looking through all of our pictures looking for a topic to blog about and found a bunch of Logan reading my comic books and thought they would be fun to blog about.

I have to be a cool dad. How many dads out there have thousands of comics in their house? The older Logan gets the more of my comics he gets to read. And I have a ton load he can start off with. When I wrote for a comic book blog a few years back, I used Logan in some of my pics.

Logan is an Alan Davis fan in waiting. Why not start him with some of the best comics out there?

The comic Secret Wars II will go down as one of the WORST comic story lines. Logan is shocked that I paid $50 for this hardcover collecting the entire series. If he only knew that it retails for $100. And yes, it is not a great story but it came out when I first started reading comics so it has a heavy nostalgic factor.

One of my favorite characters, one of my favorite writers and my favorite artist. So this must be my most favorite hardcover right? Logan agrees, it is awesome!

My comic book friends make fun of me because I almost have a complete run of Quasar. A very cheesy superhero. But sometimes the cheese is the best part, you know, like on a pizza. Logan is totally mocking me in this pic.

There are two things wrong with this picture. One, I would never let Logan drink a full can of Mountain Dew Livewire. And 2nd, I wouldn't let him read Watchmen. At least not until he is much older. He totally faked this picture looking like he was really enthralled by the book. It is one of the best graphic novels but not one for looking to read comics like Superman.

Logan is such a sport. Here he is posing with my favorite comic book character and X-Man (and will be in the new X-Men movie) Banshee. I was so excited for a Banshee action figure but was so disappointed in how stupid he looks.

List-Mania: Writing Comic Books

Day 265!

That means I only have one hundred days to go! So I am going to celebrate by being all geeky!

I was trying to think of a subject for today's List-Mania, something other than my usual favorite something. I didn't want to do something cliche for List-Mania like favorite fruits or my top favorite colors. I also get bored writing them. I can make the list but explaining why I like them bores the crap out of me and I usually leave the column half done.

The topic for this column will probably only interest me but it will help flex my writing abilities. For this column I am choosing my Top 5 comic books that I would want to write and why I would want to write them. These are my dream projects.

5) Cloak and Dagger

The Concept: Cloak and Dagger met in New York City as runaways. The two teens were soon forcibly delivered to a criminal chemist who was developing a new synthetic heroin. Cloak and Dagger were injected with the drugs as a test for the new drug and they gained superpowers.

Why Would I Write It: Cloak and Dagger first appeared as vigilantes but eventually they were turned more into superheroes and later was involved as mutants in the X-Men. I would remove them from this and return them to the street where they belong. Dagger's abilities would be the thing I would focus on. Dagger can generate and throw "light daggers" which stun targets by forcing them to confront the darkness in their own souls. Her light can also cure drug addictions in some people, as a side affect of that painfully enlightening experience. Additionally, her light can alleviate Cloak's thirst for light and warmth. What if she could cure more than just addictions? What if she could cure disease? Everyone would be after her and that is what I would tackle. I would also play up the supernatural feel to the book and they would venture into the dark corners of the Marvel Universe.

4) Cyberforce

The Concept: Cyberforce is a team of mutants who had all at one point been captured by Cyberdata, an enormous corporation with ambitions of world-takeover. Cyberdata used their elaborate technology to enhance the mutant powers with cybernetic implants. Eventually the members of Cyberforce escaped Cyberdata and Cyberdata is no more.

Why Would I Write It: What attracts me to this team is the fusion of mutant abilities with hardcore cybernetics and technology. Instead of making them typical superheroes I would really concentrate on the science fiction behind this concept. My first storyline would involve one of the characters, Ballistic, searching for her missing sister Velocity and the rest of the Cyberforce squad. It seems like they have vanished from the face of the Earth. There is no record of them even existing, it was like a computer hard drive that was wiped clean. For some reason I also think it is cool that the females outnumber the males on this team.

3) Spider-Man

I don't think I should draw the comic though. This drawing of mine comes from 1984-85.

The Concept: Everyone knows the story of nerdy Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive spider and gaining super abilities. What comic book writer wouldn't want a chance to write the best superhero in the world?

Why Would I Write It: Who wouldn't want to write Spidey? While I would mix my stories with classic villains, I would also create some new baddies for Spidey. What I really admire about Spider-Man is his sense of responsibility and core beliefs. Peter tries his hardest to be a good person even when things are going bad. And I would throw everything at him including the kitchen sink. After I had plotted a storyline I would read it again and wonder what would be the worst thing to happen to Peter and then I would write it in.

2) Alpha Flight

This has to be one of the best and simpliest costume designs.

The Concept: Alpha Flight is Canada's premier superhero team.

Why Would I Write It: How could I turn away the job of writing Canada's own superteam? Alpha Flight has been treated like a joke at Marvel and I would want to change that. In fact, I already have. For my first ScriptFrenzy project I wrote Alpha Flight: Dark Reign. I have lots and lots of ideas for the various members of Alpha Flight. Did you know that Wolverine was supposed to lead this team instead he bolted and joined the X-Men? Personally, I see a lot of potential for this team and more than likely I would try to get them tied into the Avengers franchise. After writing my script I did find it difficult in writing a large cast of characters and it made me appreciate those writers that do.

1) The Powergate Project

The Herald makes his first appearance.

The Concept: In the search for an alternative energy source, a terrible accident binds three strangers together and leads them to even stranger discoveries.

Why Would I Write It: I would love the chance to write about the adventures of Dr. Mercury, Professor Taylis, Brock, Alecia, Nick and all those guys from Legacy and the Guild.

Wait... ...you never heard of these guys?

My friend Joel did all the conceptual art for our comic.

That's good because this has been my special comic project for the last ten years or so. My friend and artist Joel and I developed this cast of characters while we were in college. It was more of a Fantastic Four homage but definitely metamorphosed into something completely different. The first time I participated in NaNoWrMo I decided to write my comic book in novel form from the beginning. I will eventually go back to this and complete it and may revisit next November. I have hundreds of pages of plots and scripts. One day I will complete this massive story.

Posting this has really put me in the mood to do some writing.

Zombies!

Day 248

Zombies freak me out. I can really get myself freaked out thinking about zombies. I think what freaks me out about them is that anyone can become a zombie. I think what even freaks me out even more is that people you know, people you have close relationships can become a zombie.

So why do I have this weird attraction to the zombie genre?

I like zombie shows. The original Night of the Living Dead is one of my favorite movies.

I also like zombie comics as well and I have recommended the Walking Dead comic book to all my fellow zombie folks.  I will warn you though, this is not for the faint of heart. It is pretty gory and contains some extreme situations that some people might be offended at. If you have seen a zombie movie and like them, you should like this quite a bit. What sets this book above many others is that it is focused on the survivors and not the zombie apocalypse itself. You may never know what caused the zombie breakout and I personally don't care. I care more for the survivors and believe me, there are not that many. The author, Robert Kirkman is not afraid to get rid of some favorite cast members at any time. Oftentimes, the zombies are an afterthought. The real danger comes with those surviving with you.

And so I am stoked that AMC has picked up this series at a television show. According to Kirkman (who is very involved with the production) the only thing the show can't do is use the harsh language found in the comic. But that is it. Everything is fair game!  I cannot wait for this to start.

The Big Picture

Day 225

Creating that large image was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be. Using PhotoShop to cut each picture out was a different story. But I am happy with what I got. Some of the images you cannot see all that well so here is the full picture along with a legend.

1. Lime Crush - One of my all-time favorite sodas that they don't make anymore. Sadly the new Mountain Dew Lime is nowhere like this flavor. I would drive back to Canada tomorrow if I knew I could get some.

2. Brett Favre - I have always like the Packers (even though the Jets are my team) but I really liked Favre. I own 3 different Favre jerseys and no matter the flipflops of retirement, he will go down as one of my all-time favorite players. His boyish love of the game is just one of the reasons why I admire Brett. In fact, Logan was almost named Brett (after Favre) and Kristy and I are thinking of travelling and visiting the Football Hall of Fame when Favre gets inducted. If he retires...

3. Edmonton Oilers - Before there was football there was hockey. And Hockey Night in Canada was a staple growing up in Canada. And I was very lucky to be there in Edmonton during the dynasty days. Hockey is the only sport that I can sit down and watch any team play each other and know I will be entertained.

4. Wolverine and the X-Men - I love comic books but I don't have a love of comic book movies, that is until the first X-Men was released and raised the bar. I never thought any actor would be able to portray one of my favorite comic characters but Hugh Jackman nailed the role and it only took a few minutes to convince me. Now when a comic book movie comes out I am not as nervous as I used to be. Most of them have been good with X2 being the best.

5. Ric Flair - WHOOOO! I admit that I love wrestling and I was lucky enough (if you consider that to be lucky) to watch wrestling when it was awesome. Ric Flair is my all-time favorite wrestler, again like with Brett Favre, the Nature Boy just loves to play the game. And no one plays an evil (heel) wrestler like Ric Flair. Nothing gets you more excited when a hated villain finally gets what is coming to him!

6. Nexus - I don't think I have mentioned Nexus here on the blog yet but that is one of my all-time favorite comics. It came out in the 80's and was way before its time. It combined science fiction along with a heavy dose of politics with just a hint of superheroes. The main character Nexus (picture here) is gifted with god-like powers to act as judge, jury and executioner. He dreams of evil people (mass murderers) and is haunted by these dreams until he tracks them down and kills them. If he doesn't eventually the dreams will kill him. Awesome comic series.

7. Cadbury Creme Egg - I wish I had one right now. I love these tasty Easter chocolates. My all-time favorite candy.

8. U2's Zooropa - I love U2 and I am one of the few fans that think Zooropa is their best album. And this is one album that I cannot just listen to one or two songs, I have to listen to the whole album all at once. Johnny Cash's voice on "The Wanderer" is the perfect and fitting end to such a wonderful album. For some strange reason I really like the album cover too. I wish I had a T-shirt of this album cover.

9. Mountain Dew LiveWire - I don't get to drink this very often since it is not available where I live but it gives me a grand excuse to go down to Salt Lake. My old boss used to complain that it was just orange soda mixed with Mountain Dew and I would laugh (in my mind) at him. That is EXACTLY what it is. I don't know why I love it but I do.

10. The Laughing Cat - You are either a dog person or a cat person. While I don't mind dogs, I do prefer cats. Kristy found this picture of a laughing cat in a magazine and I had to keep it. Whenever I feel down I can always look at this pic and smile. So sorry dog people, I like cats better.

11. Alan Davis and Captain Britain - Captain Britain (pictured here) is one my favorite heroes. So why not Captain America? I like Captain Britain because he is a flawed hero. He doesn't want to be a hero and makes mistakes but ultimately becomes a hero. My favorite comic book artist is Alan Davis (who drew this) and I first saw his artwork drawing this character as well. He drew the good Captain aloof and brooding but powerful. And I just had to learn more about him. I have followed Captain Britain and Alan Davis wherever they go. I also run an Alan Davis message board and I have been extremely lucky that I am in contact with my favorite artist. A comic geek's dream come true.

12. Bottlecaps - My tongue has cankers. Yes, I went out and bought another box and ate them while watching the World Cup. It shouldn't come as a surprise that I love this candy. I love soda and candy. And those orange ones taste like children's aspirin, which I love.

13. Queen - I love this picture (taken from the album The Miracle) and it totally represents what Queen means to me. They are so diverse and creative. Listening to them relaxes me and makes me want to be like them and create. I never tire of them. This may surprise you though, Crazy Little Thing Called Love is one of their songs I like the least. Not sure why, it might be because I have heard it too many times.

14. Banshee - My favorite comic book character. Why? Beats the crap out of me. I think it is because he is not popular and is not seen very much. Something about his gliders on his costume and his powers that make me think he is cool. When I participated in the ScriptFrenzy, I wrote a comic book script that had Banshee in it. One of these days...

15. Princess Leia and Star Wars - My first celebrity crush as a kid. And it wasn't until Empire Strikes Back that I really began to think that she was hot. And then Return of the Jedi came out (I was 9 at the time) and I really began to crush on her. I didn't know it at the time but I am sure her little slave outfit had something to do with it.

16. Mr. Burns and the Simpsons - I quote the Simpsons all the time. Seriously, I do it all the time and I think I do it unconsciously, without even thinking about it. Mr. Burns is my favorite character. I can watch this show anytime and every Halloween, Kristy and I will whip out all the Halloween episodes and watch them. We love the Simpsons around here.

17. NaNoWrMo - I love to write and this novel contest is awesome. If any of you are aspiring writers or want to see what you are capable of, I highly HIGHLY recommend doing this. It is very rewarding and I am looking forward to doing it again this November.

18. Bob and Doug McKenzie - SCTV was a fixture growing up. People still believe that all Canadians are like this and that is not true. Only a few of them are exactly like this. Watching Strange Brew quickly brings about my Canadian accent. I can use the Great White North call and my family would immediately call back and come running.

19. New York Jets and the NFL - I get asked this all the time, why the Jets? My mom and I share a love for the NFL and I followed the Packers and 49ers but it was not until my LDS mission where I started to follow the Jets. I was in Queens and we used to go over to Mike's, a member's house every Sunday after Church. Mike’s dad did not like us at all. He did not want to be disturbed while watching football and this Sunday wasthe Giants/Jets game. Sometimes I would peek in and see the scores but I never stayed and never made any noise. But for some reason Mike’s dad wanted to know where that one missionary was. And he for some reason was talking about me. I walked in and his dad yells out “Are you going to stand there or are you going sit here and watch the game with me?” We were all flabbergasted! I sat down next to him and I was nervous. He looked over and said, “Who are you for? The Giants or the Jets?” I did not know what to say so I looked over at the television and I saw that Ronnie Lott was on the Jets team. (I guess he was traded while I was on my mission.) I replied “I like the Jets!” I picked the right team because he muttered “Damn Giants. I hate them!” He looked over at me and I blurted out "I hate the damn Giants!" He smiled and asked Mike to bring me my dinner plate so I could watch the game with him. I did what no missionary ever did. I ate quietly (I was a little scared) and after the game was over Mike’s dad wanted to take a nap but before he went upstairs he told me he expected me next Sunday to watch the Jets play. I have rarely missed a game since.

20. Annyong and Arrested Development - The best show ever. Seriously, go google and find the episode Pier Pressure and tell me you didn't laugh. If you watched it and didn't laugh you have no soul. How can a TV show be so wrong be so right?

21. The Little Mermaid - I already confessed that I love the movie The Little Mermaid. As I left my LDS mission in New York, this cute little girl Tina, gave me her favorite puzzle of the Little Mermaid. She was so sad that I was leaving and she wanted me to have it. We used to put it together when I would visit her family.

22. Chris Hansen and Dateline - I love Dateline and Chris Hansen is awesome. One of my guilty pleasures was watching him when he did those To Catch a Predator news stories. He asked the perfect questions and said the funniest things. If I was a journalist, I would want to be Chris Hansen.

23. The Platypus Clan - My awesome family. Without them I wouldn't be what I am today. My life would be so boring without them. They are the center of my life.

List-Mania: More Graphic Novel Recommendations

Day 209

Last month I blogged about my favorite graphic novels and recommended them to you guys. These were the books that I would want to have if I was stranded on a desert island and in looking back I definitely got the list right. But if I was really on a deserted island I would miss these books quite a bit.

So here are more graphic novel recommendations. I have included a link directly to Amazon so you find more information and reviews as well and if you want to buy it. I have also included the synopsis/review of each title and why of course I love them.

I tried to choose a variety of different books this time instead of just my favorites. Hopefully there is something here for every one.



SCOTT PILGRIM: Precious Little Life
Vol. 1
By: Bryan Lee O'Malley

Scott Pilgrim is 23 years old, lives in a cold, unnamed Canadian town, plays bass in a band called Sex Bob-Omb and has a very cute 17-year-old Chinese-Canadian girlfriend, Knives Chau. His "precious little life" is amiably unstructured, and he drifts, happily unemployed, between band practice and time spent with Knives. But then he starts having dreams about Ramona Flowers, a mysterious, equally cute and perfectly legal hipster chick on Rollerblades who delivers books for Amazon.com. Ramona is anything but simple, and O'Malley's tale of adorable slackers in love is transformed into a wildly magically manga–kung fu fantasy adventure. We meet the first of Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends, Matthew Patel, who challenges Scott and his band to a supernatural martial arts duel right out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  It's an alt-lit, rock 'n' roll graphic novel with wonderful manga-influenced drawing and a comically mystical plot that manages to capture both the genuine intimacies and serial dishonesties of young love.

If you want something completely different and very unique, I recommend picking up this first volume of Scott Pilgrim. It is funny, cute and exciting. Real life mixed with Nintendo. Michael Cera (of Arrested Development fame) is set to star as Scott Pilgrim in coming soon to theatres and I cannot wait. And the final Scott Pilgrim book (in a series of 6) is coming out in just a few short months.


ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN: ULTIMATE COLLECTION
Book 1
By: Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley

High school, puberty, first dances - there are many pitfalls to being young. Compound these with intense personal tragedy and superhuman powers, and you can start to visualize the world of Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man. Following the murder of his uncle and the Green Goblin's assault on his high school, Peter finds himself on the brink of manhood: getting a job at the Daily Bugle to help support his widowed aunt and taking on extracurricular activities - such as bringing down the Kingpin, the head of organized crime in New York City!

If you enjoyed the Spider-Man movies, I cannot possibly recommend these books any higher. While there are big differences between the movie and this version, it is still Spider-Man at heart. You don't need to worry about being lost reading this, it starts right at the beginning. Bendis really delivers a powerful and believable story and Bagley's art is perfect for new readers. Once you start, I promise you will be addicted and luckily there are about 20 volumes so far. Seriously, it is probably the best Spider-Man stories I have ever read.


HELLBOY: SEED OF DESTRUCTION
VOL. 1
By: Mike Mignola


Hellboy is one of the most celebrated comics series in recent years. The ultimate artists' artist and a great storyteller whose work is in turns haunting, hilarious, and spellbinding, Mike Mignola has won numerous awards in the comics industry and beyond. When strangeness threatens to engulf the world, a strange man will come to save it. Sent to investigate a mystery with supernatural overtones, Hellboy discovers the secrets of his own origins, and his link to the Nazi occultists who promised Hitler a final solution in the form of a demonic avatar.

Hellboy and Hellboy 2 are some of my favorite movies and Hellboy is definitely one of my favorite comic books. If you like mystery, action and horror, this series of books (10 volumes) are definitely up your alley. If you like strange monsters, Lovecraft, fables and urban legends, this book is definitely for you. Mignola takes real fables and sends Hellboy out to figure them out. And the Hellboy character is just perfect, even though he is a demon, he is certainly human. Just writing about him makes me want to go read them.

STAR WARS LEGACY:  BROKEN
VOL 1
By: John Ostrander and Jan Duursema

The Jedi Temple is attacked, an Emperor is betrayed, and the Sith are born anew! A lot can happen in a hundred years, but that's just the beginning of the story! Not since Luke Skywalker first stepped aboard the Millennium Falcon has the galaxy seemed like such a vast, exciting, dangerous place! Readers will meet a host of new characters, see fleets of new spaceships, and visit scores of exotic locations - some new and some familiar. This is a perfect jumping-on point for any reader - an epic beginning to an untold chapter of the greatest adventure in the universe!

What kind of geek would I be if I didn't recommend a Star Wars title to read? I read these in comic book form and I absolutely love this series sanctioned by Lucas himself. The story idea is wonderful, it is set over 125 years after the events in Return of the Jedi. It features a descendant of Luke Skywalker who was trained as a Jedi but has abandoned the order. The series begins with an attack on the Jedi Temple and the overthrow of the Galactic Empire by a newly created Sith order. If you like Star Wars you will love this series. And there are more volumes published.


Y: THE LAST MAN: UNMANNED
VOL 1
By: Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

A mysterious plague has killed every man on earth except Yorick Brown, who was somehow spared. The sole Y-chromosomed survivor is an amiable, headstrong young man, the son of a U.S. congresswoman and, as it happens, an amateur escape artist. He tries to escape to Australia to find his girlfriend but finds that being the last man on Earth to be a much greater problem.

This series is not for the weak-hearted. Terrible things have happened and terribly things will continue to happen as Yorick tries to travel to Australia to find his girlfriend Beth. During his travels he will encounter various groups of women that have different beliefs and have different views on what they should do with Yorick. But during his travels he learns a lot more about himself. This is a fantastic science fiction story that really addresses a lot of what the world would be like if all the men died. But like I said before, this book is for Mature Readers Only. There is cursing and adult situations.

Most of these books are available at any book store and I am sure you could find copies of it at your local library. Do yourself a favor and try one of them out and you'll see why I love this medium so much.

Confessions of a Comic Book Geek

Day 177

**WARNING**   **GEEKY POST**  **WARNING**

You know you have a comic collecting problem obession when you see a number and you can remember a certain comic book with the same number. And the number 177 is memorable for me.

Issue #177 is the first issue of the Uncanny X-Men that I own and I have every single issue from that issue on. I officially started to collect the Uncanny X-Men with #200 but I soon went back and bought back issues all the way down to #177. I do have a copy of every issue in some form whether it is in a trade paperback or hardcover collection all the way down to Uncanny X-Men #94.

I am sure that to some that doesn't sound impressive. But let's take a look at the current issue that just came out a few weeks ago.

That means I have 345 straight issues of the Uncanny X-Men. And yes, to answer your question about how geeky I am, I can probably tell you what is on the cover for each one.

List-Mania: Graphic Novel Recommendations

Day 166

It shouldn't come to a surprise but I love comics. Now most people think that comics are merely superhero stuff and that is partly true. Most comic books do deal with superhero themes but that only scratches the surface of what comics really offer. There is something for everyone and this column is devoted to my Top 5 Favorite Graphic Novels.

Now you might be asking yourself what is the difference between a comic and a graphic novel? There really isn't much of a difference except one big one. A Graphic Novel is a comic book but it is a larger comic book that most times collects a bunch of individual comics and puts them into a nice complete volume. So these can be read in one sitting. You don't have to buy multiple comic books, just one big volume. And these are my favorites.

Only one of them is a superhero book. You will find that much of these books dabble in history, science fiction, fantasy and plain real-life drama.

I have included a link directly to Amazon so you find more information and reviews as well and if you want to buy it. I have also included the synopsis/review of each title and why of course I love them.

5) MAUS
By Art Spiegelman
Combined for the first time here are Maus I: A Survivor's Tale and Maus II - the complete story of Vladek Spiegelman and his wife, living and surviving in Hitler's Europe. By addressing the horror of the Holocaust through cartoons, the author captures the everyday reality of fear and is able to explore the guilt, relief and extraordinary sensation of survival - and how the children of survivors are in their own way affected by the trials of their parents. A contemporary classic of immeasurable significance. Don't let the cartoonish nature of the art fool you. The author draws the Jews are mice and the Germans as cats but trust me, about six pages in you won't even notice. If you are interested in history like I am you will be enthralled by this book. Uplifting, sad and harsh, this book really hammers home what the Jews faced during World War II.

4) BONE
By Jeff Smith
The complete 1300-page epic adventure from start to finish in one deluxe trade paperback. Three modern cartoon cousins get lost in a pre-technological valley, spending a year there making new friends and out-running dangerous enemies. Their many adventures include crossing the local people in The Great Cow Race, and meeting a giant mountain lion called RockJaw: Master of the Eastern Border. They learn about sacrifice and hardship in The Ghost Circles and finally discover their own true natures in the climatic journey to The Crown of Horns. This black and white fantasy adventure has it all. But what I enjoy most out of this sprawling story is the characters and the humor. Combine that with Smith's animation-like art which adds an amazing atmosphere and you have a book that anyone would enjoy. The Great Cow Race will guarantee you for some laughs. Ask Kristy, this is one of the two comics she has read.


3) BLANKETS
By Craig Thompson
The realism in Blankets reigns supreme in both the story arc and in the humanity of its characters. Thompson himself is the protagonist, and this is his tale of growing up, falling in love (and realizing the physical and moral complications that can imply), discovering the texture and limits of his faith, and arriving at a point from which he can look back at those experiences. The snowy Midwest, peopled by overweight parents, hairy youths, and lovingly depicted younger siblings-including a respectfully and realistically treated minor character with Down syndrome-is energetically realized in Thompson's expressive lines and inking. Much of the story occurs when Craig and his brother Phil are young boys and includes images of such boyish pranks as peeing on one another. Older high school students who have reached an age when nostalgia is possible will warm to Thompson's own wistfulness. This is a big graphic novel, in concept and successful execution. I bought this book and read it all the way through it in one sitting. There were experiences in this book that I have felt in my life. Confusion about religion and God, being somewhat of an outcast in school, lost loves and lots more. The author offers his soul here and does not hide anything. Because of that, reading this book opens the floodgates of my own memories of youth.

2) WATCHMEN
By Alan Moore (Author) and Dave Gibbons (Illustrator)
WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN? Following two generations of masked superheroes from the close of World War II to the icy shadow of the Cold War, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's monumental WATCHMEN is one of the most influential comic series of all time.
If you liked the movie, you HAVE to read the book! If you hated the movie you might as well skip this book even though you should check it out. This book really delves into what this world would have been like if superheroes existed. It can be beautiful at times but then it can be extremely brutal as well. The ending (I won't ruin it for you here) is one of the best endings to any comic book. And one that is different than the movie and much more meaningful and impactful.

1) V FOR VENDETTA
By Alan Moore (Author) and David Lloyd (Illustrator)
The date is November 5th, 1997. War has ravaged England, entire races have been eradicated, the entire British populace is under constant surveillance, and the absolute power is absolutely corrupt. On this historic day, a man with a strong resemblance to Guy Fawkes (in action and dress) blows up Parliament. The bomber, a masked character named V, saves a girl named Eve from a violent crime and takes her under his wing. Moore's dystopian, fascist version of England, ruled by one central leader and his sects (named after parts of the body, such as Finger, Nose, and Voice), is systematically dismantled by the enigmatic V. Readers must ultimately decide if V is a mad anarchist/terrorist or a freedom-fighting avenger for good.
If you liked the movie you will LOVE this book. If you didn't like the movie you should read this book anyway. It is much different than the movie and is much more of an emotional read. This will make you think about how you view your freedom and it should make you cherish what you have. An engrossing read, one that will captivate you. There is action, humor, revenge and romance. If I had to take a book to a deserted island, this would make the list!

Most of these books are available at any book store and I am sure you could find copies of it at your local library. Do yourself a favor and try one of them out and you'll see why I love this medium so much.

List-Mania: Warren Ellis

Day 111

I have been really trying to keep my geekiness in check but some days these columns just scream out geekiness. And who I am I to stop it completely? Especially when I am having a hard time wanting to blog.

So bear with me or just skip this column altogether because I am going to be talking about comic books and graphic novels. Today I am going to spotlight my favorite writer Warren Ellis.


I first discovered Ellis with his run on Stormwatch and immediately I was impressed. He took a team of just typical superheroes and turned them completely into real people with real situations. It is hard to describe why I like his writing but I will follow him where ever he goes and no matter what he writes. What impresses me is his imagination and how well he grasps human emotion. He can write some impressive hardcore science fiction but yet gives us characters with many layers and personality quirks. Like I said before, I will pick up anything he writes. He can write horror, science fiction, superhero stuff and crime books. And he can mix these genres together and get something extremely fascinating and exciting. I prefer his superhero work but I love pretty much everything he has done. I better stop before I really start gushing. Here are my Top 5 favorite works by Warren Ellis. I have listed the product description along with my comments.

5) NextWave
RRRAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH! Action! Excitement! Explosions! The Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort, or H.A.T.E. (a subsidiary of the Beyond Corporation) put NEXTWAVE together to fight Bizarre Weapons of Mass Destruction. When NEXTWAVE discovers that H.A.T.E. and Beyond are terrorist cells themselves, and that the BWMDs were intended to kill them, they are less than pleased. In fact, they are rather angry. So they make things explode. Lots of things. And that's only the beginning! Starring Monica Rambeau (formerly Captain Marvel and Photon), Aaron Stack (Machine Man), Tabitha Smith (X-Force's Meltdown), monster-hunter Elsa Bloodstone, and The Captain! If you like anything, you will LOVE NEXTWAVE! BOOM!
I love this book because he takes the Marvel Universe (and superhero stuff in general) and makes fun of it. Ellis's dark humor at its best.

4) Fell
Detective Richard Fell is transferred over the bridge from the big city to Snowtown, a feral district whose police investigations department numbers three and a half people (one detective has no legs). Dumped in this collapsing urban trashzone, Richard Fell is starting all over again. In a place where nothing seems to make any sense, Fell clings to the one thing he knows to be true: every body's hiding something.
I love this book because it is not for the squeamish. Ellis takes his stories from real events in life and that makes it all the more creepy. Like the pack of dogs in Detroit to the man that keeps his daughter sick on purpose to the horrifying tradition of hanging baby corpses in your house to ward off evil spirits. Fascinating stuff!

3) Scars
How much of a monster do you have to become to hunt monsters? John Cain has been working Homicide long enough to get hard to pretty much anything; even wrenching personal loss. But everyone has a limit, and today it's gotten too much to bear. Today, he gets assigned something that finally breaks through his defenses - a child killing that hits horribly close to home. Until today, he's been a good cop, a cop who goes by procedure because it's the best way to ensure that scum go to prison. Now, he makes the parents of the victim a chilling promise: he will find the killer using any means necessary. And the killer will not get away with it - no matter what it takes!
This is perhaps the only Ellis work that I have only read twice. This book felt too real and is based on a horror that we unfortunately see every day in the news. Horrifying and heart wrenching at the same time. This book stayed with me for a long time.

2) The Authority
From the ashes of StormWatch (a United Nations super team) comes a new team of individuals who will use their incredible powers and abilities to force the planet Earth to pay attention. Together they are the Authority and they will change the world.
The Authority grew naturally from being a United Nations super response team to a group of heroes that are proactive instead of reactive. They are not afraid to use their power to make the world a better place and they will not let anyone stand in the way. I love Ellis's run on this book because his ideas get bigger and bigger. It starts off with a super villain terrorist that tries to take over the world and they wipe him out. Then the Authority wards off an invasion from another dimension and lastly they fight off the original owners of the Earth.

1) Planetary
This first collection stars a team of super- powered mystery archaeologists who have uncovered evidence of super-human activity that spans the centuries. The team includes the ancient and enigmatic Elijah Snow, hot-tempered Jakita Wagner, and the insane techno-expert Drummer, as they deal with a World War II supercomputer that can access other universes, a spectral spirit of vengeance, and more!
I love this series because it blends everything that I love about Ellis's writing in one place. You get superheroes, crime, horror, action, it homages every genre of comics.

Honorable Mention: Orbiter
In this science fiction mystery tale, Venture, a space shuttle that disappeared ten years ago with its crew of seven, miraculously returns from outer space without warning or explanation. Occupied by only an insane pilot, the spacecraft shows evidence of a remarkable journey through the solar systems. Now, in order to solve the mystery of the shuttle's inexplicable journey and the fate of its six lost astronauts, three NASA specialists are called upon to investigate the alien instrumentation and materials that adorn Venture. But as secrets are revealed, it soon becomes apparent that the shuttle's journey not only took it outside our solar system but to a realm of existence that is unimaginable.
If you love science fiction, I cannot recommend this book enough. Beautiful, haunting and full of imagination. You just gotta read it!