Thursday, December 24, 2009

Please Pray for Me

First off, Hey there and more importantly, Hope that you all have a safe and happy Christmas!

OK, onto the matter at hand. The next 24 to 48 hours will be the most physically and mentally draining of my life. To set this up; our cat, Penelope, has been at the vet's for about 3 days now and we are desperately wanting to have her home with us. Hopefully it will be today, but to do that will require rearranging an already chaotic schedule. I have to take my wife to her family early this afternoon to spend time with them. This will be difficult since it's the first Christmas without her brother. But you guys are probably aware of that.

Then, to complicate matters, I have to go to work this evening and stay until who knows when. This is really turning myself and the crew I work with into a bunch of Scrooges. We are all leaving families of one sort or another to get there and the weather is supposed to be brutal. Not as bad as last weekend here, but enough to screw things up. Whenever we are done, I then have to drive back to her family's house to pick her up. She didn't want to be alone on Christmas, and I can't say that I blame her for that.

So, at some point I have to find the time to get our baby(cat), spend some time with her, the wife's family, work, and get some rest. Christmas day should be a snap considering we are spending that with my family. I just don't know if I can make this. I'm already starting to drift writing this. Need to get at least a few hours so I can take a run at things.

So, please keep me in your thoughts. I love you guys and want to be here to have fun with everyone in the new year. I hope that all you wish and hope for comes true in the holiday season and throughout the new year!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Tearing down the walls

First off, hey there everyone. Either those who are looking for me or found this by accident, welcome.

I have three words for you.

I'm coming back. (OK, maybe it's 4, so sue me)

Where have I been? Not anywhere in particular, but not really here either. I have been trying to shake myself out of things for a while and have not had much success. I have been pretty much a ghost to most people, either there or being an annoyance. Sure, I have tried different things to keep myself in the game of life, but not much has really gotten through. So sit back, take a drink while I pour some things out here.

I have been doing things sort of on an autopilot lately. Going to work, seeing people, getting my comics and such and really haven't enjoyed what I've been doing. It's not them (or you, as the case may be), it's been me. As much as I don't want to admit it, the death of my wife's brother earlier this year has been unsettling to me in more ways than I perceived. I think in part because I had to sort of box away my feelings on it to be there for her and her family. We have had the roughest year of our marriage since...the death of our newborn son. She blamed herself for that and there was no way on earth I could hold her accountable for it. It was just one of those things. We survived that and became stronger together. This, this tragedy, has cast a pall over her that I don't know when it will lift.

She has tried to talk to people and some have tried to give her what I call "bumper sticker" advice. Things like "buck up" and "be strong" have been repeated so much she hates the sound of them. No one knows how long you're supposed to grieve. I tend to think that it's different for everyone and how well you knew and loved the person. For some, there is a momentary loss and a heartfelt saddening for the family and themselves, but then it passes. Not that they forget the person, but life goes on. For others, the moment is frozen in time and until they can reconcile themselves, it may be that way for a time.

I don't think she is that bad, but the loss in her life has been a tremendous void. She loved everything about her brother and you could see it when they were together, how happy they were. I know I can never make her that happy again, but I have been struggling to. I love her so very much, and it hurts to see her in so much pain from time to time. She has tried to move forward, but in doing so she shut out a lot of people in her life who love her. It wasn't until I confronted her about this that I realized I had done the same thing.

I haven't played WoW in several months.
I haven't called my friends to talk and hang out.
I haven't done a bunch of things I've set out to do.

Some of this is to be there for her, but this is a cop out. So I have to say something and I hope and pray that these people will hear me say this.

To Shawn, Jim, Matthew, Dan, Tammy, Cory, Sara, Cathy, Tom & most especially my family:

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I haven't been there for you all. I hope that you all can forgive me and grant me the chance to try and regain your love, trust and friendship.

That's it, thats all I have for now. I will try and be more of what I was, but know that while I will laugh and smile and hopefully be fun to be around, there is a small part of me that is gone forever.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

As Promised!

I know I said tomorrow, but shoot me for being a little early for once.

I want to talk about 2 things that have caught my attention, short as it is (oooh look a kitty! whoops).

First up is BLACKEST NIGHT. Now, there has been much discussion and dissection of this event since it was announced last year. We are now 2 issues into the main series with one mini wrapped up and another 2 either starting or about to bow. Over the years the phrase "you only have to read the main storyline" has become one of the great lies in the comic universe. Both Marvel and DC have been guilty of this and the maddening lateness of books for the "event of the year" books and it has left many a sour taste in both mouths and wallets. So far, and it has been only a month and a half, DC has kept on pace with their checklist and not overselling this event. By that I mean, they realize it's going to be a hit so they don't have to either cut into main books or overdo the ancillary minis. A huge plus for DC is that they have no plans (at least that I'm aware of) to take this into the main DCU books.The "Tales of the Corps" was a quick 3 issue that you really didn't have to read, unless you wanted to get to know some the players in the other Corps. The timing of the issues has also been very good (again, so far). The day BLACKEST NIGHT #2 drops, BLACKEST NIGHT: BATMAN comes out as well and offers a really cool companion to BN. Again, you don't have to read it if you don't want to, but it is well written by Peter Tomasi. He has been tackling a version of Batman with the OUTSIDERS book and the art by Ardian Syaf is in the Kubert / Morales vein, which works for me.
As for the main story, this is Geoff Johns masterpiece. He has been working toward this for well over 2 years now. Carefully laying down piece after piece until it all comes to a head. So far, the story has more than lived up to the hype. More often than not, that is what eventually kills the "event". It has been hyped to the roof and expectation get raised so that if that first issue doesn't automatically grab you, it's deemed a failure. The first issue did more than that. It actually raised the bar. You see Black Lanterns brought to life and what they do to the living. You have deaths in both issues that actually mean something. It has been a long time since there was a book that I couldn't wait to read, and read it again and again to savor it. This is it. To call this a page turner is like calling the Mona Lisa a nice painting of a broad. I only hope that Ivan Reis (the artist) keeps up what has been stellar artwork over the course of the main book. After this, he should be given any assignment he wants to keep him at DC.

For my second review/ comments, I'm heading into the world of Television. I have found most commercial TV to be really boring or predictable. Reality TV just sucks canal water for me. However, there was an appearance that made me sit up say wow. BBC America recently aired the season of "TORCHWOOD:CHILDREN OF EARTH" over 5 nights. In a row. That's right, a 5 night "event" that constituted a season. To say it was gripping is underselling it. Now, before I get into this, I feel compelled to say that I had watched TORCHWOOD only on occasion and only because JR (my late brother-in-law) badgered me about it from time to time. I had seen the preview for this and with a mix of sadness (about not being able to talk with him about it) and excitedness I watched this. I was totally blown away. If this is the end of the series, it did it in magnificent fashion. I am convinced that Russell T. Davies is the best science fiction writer on television anywhere right now. He did a terrific job constructing a "series" that had enough twists and turns to satisfy a rollercoaster junkie. And while this was a "science fiction" story, it hits with some real and genuine emotion. I really don't want to give anything away, I would hope that you either go and get this on DVD or find it maybe in an "on demand" section. Trust me on this. If you love a great story of aliens, family, love and loss, and the choices that we have to make in life to get to another day, this will not disappoint. You will come away saddened that this show (at least for now) has gone away probably to never return. It will inspire you (hopefully) to seek out the first 2 seasons to learn more about this show and why it works on so many levels.

OK, I know that these technically may not constitute as reviews since I didn't go into specifics. So sue me. I don't like giving plots away to people. I want to find out for myself if something blows or blows me away. So, if reading these got you off your butt and out to either your local comic shop or DVD store, than I consider that a job well done.

Catch you later! =P

A Message from Deep Space

OK, not really.

Just letting you all know that I'm still here and doing OK. Jim, thanks for the kind words. It's always been a blast talking to you and I appreciate your outlook on life.

As for the rest of you lot, I'm sure you were just too shy to say anything. Like I scared you or something. It's like that old saying; "sometimes you're the bug, sometimes you're the windshield." Lately I've been feeling more like the lightning bug you hit on a hot summer night. You know, the one that leaves a glowing stain on your windshield. However, things are hopefully turning a corner. We'll see.

Oh, and as a tease, I plan to post tomorrow with a couple of reviews of some things that might interest you. so tune in tomorrow. Same Bat-time, Same Bat-channel!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Opening a Vein

And letting it bleed all over the Internet until I stop.

First off, Hi there.

If you're reading this, either you're a friend, someone who trolls the net looking for stuff, or just someone looking for some time to kill. Whatever the reason, welcome to my tiny corner.

I feel a need to introduce (or re-introduce) myself. I am not giving out tremendously pertinent information, just a generalization. So, who the hell am I?

I am a man who lives with a terrific wife who is going through the year from hell. I am a son of 2 people who give of themselves to friends and family. I've learned a ton from them and would hope that I act that way too at times. I am a brother, uncle and brother-in-law who tries to be a decent person to those I love and sometimes falls way short. I am a friend to those who I have come into contact with on a consistent basis and try to help on the way of life.

You know what? None of these things really mean a damn thing.

I feel lost. Like I'm living outside myself. None of those people mentioned above probably take the time to even read this. I don't know what has happened to me. Sometimes it feels like I'm just going through the motions. Like I'm a ghost. If I should go away, none of these people would truly miss me. Oh sure, they would wonder about me, what happened and so forth. But in the end, none of them would give a second thought to me. Don't get me wrong. I am not feeling suicidal or any of that morose, goth crap. I am just wondering where I belong in the universe. I can't really share any of these thoughts with my wife. It would scare her too much, and she has been through too much already this year. The loss of her brother, who was a big part of her life, has left her needing to lean on me more and more. I have tried so hard to be there for her, but there is only so much I can do. I guess I'm missing him too, but I can't let that show too much to her as I worry that would send her spiraling into a depression that I can't help her dig out of. I love her so much. I try to help her, and it feels so....empty. Like it's just words. I don't know. Maybe it's just the weather that's gotten to me. I am sure that this will pass in time.

Sorry to have bothered you.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Pop Culture thoughts..

or ramblings as it were (see? and you thought the blog title made no sense).

-First off, the party was great as usual Jim. You really know how to throw a shindig. (OK, that wasn't really pop culture, but it's my blog dang it!)

-The Harry Potter movie. Man, there is a big divide between those who have read the book (a lot apparently) and those who haven't (myself included). Those who didn't read the book seem to enjoy the movie for the most part. Nice story, good character development, and the story seemed to move forward organically. To those who read the book, opinions vary from an OK movie to an outright travesty that J.K. Rowling herself should rise up and slay Warner Bros. for putting this out. All I can say to those die hard Potterheads is the same thing I have said to the comic fans who are highly offended at certain changes in their favorite stories or characters: LIGHTEN THE HELL UP!!!! Cripes, if they included everything you wanted in the movie, we would have been sitting there for close to 6 hours. Changes have to be made in order to put a good coherent story on the screen. There was this same hue and cry from the comic world over the Watchmen movie over the epic disaster at the end. It worked in the movie and made sense. End of story. If it doesn't work as a movie, it would flop epically and only the fans, large and vocal you may be, would be the only ones enjoying the movie and the studios would not make another. From what I gather, the overall story and major plot points (who is the prince, what the deuce is a horcrux) did not suffer nor did the death of Dumbledore seem diminished. At least to me they didn't.

-I must pass along condolences to the family and fans of Steve McNair. I am a huge Ravens fan, and while I hated them playing against him, I respected his talent and desire. I remember being stoked when they signed him, thinking he was the final piece to the puzzle. For the 2 years he was here, he did not disappoint. He was a leader that the team needed on that side of the ball and commanded respect from his peers. It was truly shocking how he died, and I guess that we always seem to be that when someone we put on a pedestal so high becomes human after all. On a side note, there seems to be a lot of teeth gnashing about the fact the Derrick Mason announced his retirement suddenly last week, but not from me. He was very close to McNair, and the fact that his friend was taken so suddenly and relatively young had to play a part in it. All I can say is, for the fans and the team, give him some room. Let him grieve, and for God's sake, don't badger the man. I would think that we would want him to remember his time here fondly, not that we wouldn't let up on him.

-On to some comics. Everyone seems to be geeking on the new weekly by DC called Wednesday Comics. It's been a different take on comics and while I am enjoying it, I am also enjoying the fact that it's only 13 weeks long. The weekly comics have been a steadily progression downhill for DC. 52 was fantastic for the most part; Countdown was OK, but started to weaken to the end; and Trinity was a waste of Mark Bagley's talent, in my opinion.
The Blackest Night debuted this week and has just blown everything else away. Geoff Johns has become a masterful storyteller in my book, laying the foundation for this some 3 years before it was even announced. Ivan Reis' art looks tremendous and hopefully he can keep that standard up for the coming months.
Is it me, or is DC doing a much better job in handling it's universe than Marvel? The Batman universe relaunch has been really, really good and the Superman universe has some interesting things headed down the pike. What I find fascinating is that The Blackest Night will impact these characters, but in a mini-series, not in the core books. This is great. Not only will we not have to have an interruption of a story for a 2 issue "event" that may or may not have an impact on the book down the road, it will be up to the reader of those books if they want to pick up said minis. I have also heard that you don't have to pick up any of these in order to enjoy the main event, but I have heard that before. However, as long as it's Johns at the helm, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. As for Marvel, this "Dark Reign" has taken over a ton of books but also has left some, like Thor and Captain America, alone for the most part. I personally am not happy reading about "Dark Wolverine". He was already dark in my book, they just lightened him up too much for the movie. Not all that comes out of Marvel is bad; Greg Pak is returning to Hulk as of issue 601. This got me back on the book, since I loved his work on "Planet Hulk" and dropped it as soon as he left it in Jeph Loeb's hands(ugh). The bad news is that with JMS (you know who he is) going over to DC, Thor will probably start to suffer. He did a terrific job on the relaunch and crafted stories that were really fun to read. I can only hope that he will return in time to this character he so carefully and artfully rebooted.

Well, that's about it for now. Please feel free to comment, good or bad on anything stated here. I promise to read any and all. Be good and take care of each other.

Later!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Sticking my toe in the water

Hey gang.

I'm back.

I haven't really gone anywhere, just hiding in the dark corners of the internet watching the downfall of mankind as a human race. Seriously, I'm surprised that we don't have cannibals running amok eating their own here. But after some thinking and wondering about whether or not to shutter this blog and move on, I thought that I still would need a place to vent and rant about things that I care about. Everyone else seems to prattle on about nonsense, so why shouldn't I add my voice to the din?

So keep checking back in so often and I'll try and make it at least interesting.

I hope.

Friday, May 8, 2009

My thoughts on STAR TREK

Hey there.

I know that the interweb has been abuzz about how bad or good this movie is going to be. The old schoolers seem to hate that it's a big budget flick without any of the stars (well, there is one, but you already know that). The new schoolers seem to think that this was a waste of time rebooting a wheezing, decaying franchise that had been past it's prime for a long time. Well, here's some news for both of you and anyone else:

You're wrong.

This is a terrific movie.

Before I go on, I must observe something, so please indulge me. My brother-in-law, JR, who passed away earlier this year was a huge TREK fan. He was excited to see the movie after I showed him the pictures of Zachary Quinto as Spock. He talked about how much he was looking forward to this movie. So it was with a strange mix of excitement and morose that my wife and I approached the movie. I noticed a couple of times that she had tears and I must admit that the first time I saw the Enterprise I got choked up, and found myself again choked up during the final part before the credits (won't spoil). I miss having him here to talk about it. OK, enough about me, onto the movie.

This was what any good TREK fan would love, a mix of action and story. I don't really get why TOS people are clinging to their hate on this story. We never really learned back in the day how this crew came together. This story told it from a perspective of the two main leads; Kirk and Spock. I can't say enough about the job Quinto did as Spock. My wife said it best when she saw him on the screen for the first time;"uncanny". There may be some plot holes (again, refuse to spoil) and the fact that Scotty didn't appear until almost halfway through are little nitpicks on my part. What I can say is that the action did not disappoint, the actors nailed the motivations and inflections of their (older) counterparts, and that this was a tremendous reboot.

In my opinion, this crew has earned their stripes and should fly at least a couple of more missions.

GRADE: A+

Saturday, March 28, 2009

The Future of Comics?

Hey gang.

Got involved in an interesting conversation at the comic shop yesterday. Marc Nathan, the man who runs the Baltimore Comic-Con came into the shop to talk to the owner Rusty (most of you know that, duh) and was discussing a meeting he attended in Memphis. The subject turned to the price point of comics, which I'm sure most of you have seen or heard about. For those who haven't, it seems that the price of comics has moved from 2.99 to 3.99. This is not done for every comic, just among the big 2 (Marvel and DC).

At the meeting, the Marvel president said the the price change was "something they were testing the waters on to see if there was a market for it" if memory serves. DC said the price change would affect those books that added more story, so you'll get more bang for the buck (in theory). In the course of this discussion, a motive for Marvel seemingly arbitrary price increase is to try and kill the market was posed. To drive the price so that people wouldn't want the books, I guess. There appears to be some facts behind this theory. Recently there was an announcement at a con about SPIDER-WOMAN preview or #1 being released only online for a period before heading to the comic shops. The only way to see this comic is to be a subscriber to Marvel's digital comics line, which costs an amount per month. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not completely and totally factual. I remember a time about a year or so ago that Marvel announced this and at the time, I was financially unavailable to do this. It sounded like a great idea at the time. You would eventually have access to the entire back catalogue of Marvel comics, stretching back now 70 years.

Now, I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next guy, but the idea that Marvel would eventually go totally digital and no longer have current material at the brick and mortar stores sounds....suicidal to me. I am old enough to remember when Marvel tried to make a power play to have their own distribution (breaking away from behemoth Diamond) in the early '90s. It was a disaster and left customers and retailers confused and angry. They abandoned it in a short period of time and returned to Diamond's fold. This doesn't sound like that, but in a roundabout way, could be just as disastrous. Most of us comic fans read our books in other places, like the bedroom, in a comfortable chair in the living room, or even the bathroom. We don't sit for hours on end staring at a computer screen catching up on the events in Spider-Man or Batman's lives. We like being comfortable when we are transported to another world, not hogging the computer at home (work would be another matter). I think that Marvel underestimates comic fans (no big surprise here). There would be a large section of fans who would follow them into the internet. That's why they're called Marvel Zombies. However, I think a large section of fans would head somewhere else. They would give IDW or BOOM a try. They would pick up something from DC, Image or Dark Horse instead.

What I'm trying to say is that while there is a demand and marketplace for comics on the internet, to totally remove yourself from what made you who you are is to cut your off at the knees for no good reason. I say this while also being sad that a few months ago, Scott Kurtz announced that he was cancelling his brilliant PvP book at #50. But, in fairness to Scott, he did start out as a webcomic and is still continuing to do a 5 day a week strip. They just wont be collected in true comic form. Sad, yes, but I'm sure that there will be trades from time to time.

So, what is your opinion? Think Marvel's idea is brilliant or sucks on ice? Drop me a comment and if I should get enough of them (more than 1) I'll post with either a comment or a polite rebuttal. Thanks!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Some Random (or Randumb) Thoughts

Thought I would throw some things at the internet and see what sticks.

-Saw WATCHMEN last night, finally. I had read some of the reviews and thought Shawn was closest to the mark. I liked it, but found myself feeling "meh" after it was over. Maybe it was because I was in a small theater with sound for a larger theater that at times pinned my head to the back wall. Couldn't get out fast enough. My wife, who never read the book, enjoyed it and thought that Rorschach and Dr. Manhattan were excellently done. I agree, and thought that at times it was a spectacularly done thing. But something I haven't seen a lot of; the fascination that Snyder has with slo-mo. Man that was totally overdone at times and seemed to almost stop the movie for me. Will be interested in seeing the director's cut when it's released on DVD.

-on the comics front, I found that my choices of books has been dwindling down without really noticing it. I stopped reading Spider-Man, Punisher, Titans (old not Teen) and the Hulk books. It hit me the other day that these were my entrance back into reading way back in the early '90s, but they have lost me. I have picked up Spawn again (sorry Shawn, I'm an addict) and have been enjoying that. I am giving Iron Man a chance again. I have kept my mainstays in the DCU, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash but they are being changed again. Other than the GL event due in the summer, what is happening in these other books has me sort of apprehensive about my continued patronage. Buffy is still a good read and I like where things are starting to go there. It really does feel like the series. They will get off the main story arc from time to time, but those detours are interesting and add to the color of the characters.

-on the WoW front, I finally hit 80 with my char. Now I look forward to doing some of the other ancillary things that make that game so freaking addictive. Like killing and maiming. Those are always fun.

See ya! =)

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Where I've Been

Hey there everybody. Thanks for checking back in.

Missed me?

I thought not. I wouldn't have missed me either.

Well, time to come clean with everyone. I promised in my last post that I would reveal why I had to go away for a while. There was a time that I didn't think I was ever coming back, but things have settled down for the moment and I can tell you what happened.

On January 3rd, at 8:30 in the morning, my brother-in-law and probably one of my closest friends, JR Evens, died from a heart attack. He was 42 years old.

He was about as close to a brother as I have had in the world, other than my sister's husband, but JR was closer in age. There was nothing that I couldn't talk about with him, from cars and comics to relationship issues. He was funny, personable, and if you got the chance to know him for more than a few hours, you left feeling better for the experience. I miss him terribly.

As bad as it has been for me, this has been totally devastating for my wife. She was very close to him and we even bowled as a team. They had their nights when they watched Doctor Who, either on BBC, Sci-FI, or MPT (which used to run late night on Saturdays). They would spend the time talking about the episode and what was going on in each other's lives. I would occasionally watch along with her, but never interfered with their moment. When he was having some money troubles lately, she paid for his bowling until he got back on his feet financially. I would try and help out with some food or snacks so we know that he would have something substantial to eat. It wasn't much, but he appreciated any little bit. We thought that he had turned a corner and started back on the road again, and we were all hopeful that 2009 would be a good year for us all.

Then we got the call from his sister, who he was living with.

We hightailed it to Carroll County General, where he was taken. We got there, and a nurse said that someone would come to get us. I had to pee and found a bathroom. I stood there for a minute and heard a wailing that at first, couldn't understand. A nanosecond later, I realized where the wailing was coming from. It was my wife. She was being told by her sister and father about JR. She was inconsolable. I grabbed her and hugged her and tried to comfort her and her father. I was about as useful as broom trying to beat back a tidal wave.

This was about a month and a half ago. In that time, I have tried to stay as close to my wife as possible. For the first couple of weeks, I just about never left her side, except for a few things. She would sleep, but everytime she awoke, the memory of what happened would come rushing back to her and she would cry. This has diminished over time, and I think I can say that she is doing much better, but she still has her days. The first time we went back to bowling was very difficult for her, and she couldn't bring herself to bowl that night. But she promised him that she would keep doing it (he was the reason we got into it in the first place) so she went last week and did very well, both in bowling and emotions.

I am going to go now, but before I do there are some people I need to thank. My family, especially my mom and sister have been terrific in both talking to Boo and trying to be there for her. I've said it before and I'll say it here; I am a very lucky man to have family like this. I love all of you. On a lighter note, Rusty kept my comics warm for me (man were they the escapism I needed at the time) so thanks bud. A very big thank you goes to our friends. Cathy, Tom, Dan, Tammy, Sara and Cory, you guys have been so helpful and loving toward Boo that I can't begin to thank you enough. You were there from the moment you heard, offering unwavering love and support that even now, there are no words to accurately convey my appreciation, so the simple (but insignificant) "Thank you and we love you" will have to suffice.

To my friends (Jim, Matthew, Shawn) I can only say that I will be back but just be patient. There are days that it's the old me, but sometimes there aren't. I promise to be around more as I can.

Oh, one last thing. I will be posting a picture of JR at some point. Sorry, I don't have a scanner so it will take some doing.

Monday, January 5, 2009

I have to go

Due to circumstances beyond all control, I am putting this blog on a hiatus. Things are so far out of control that I cannot even begin to focus on something as trivial as this.

I don't know when I'll be back, hopefully soon. When I do come back, all will be explained.

Please keep checking back from time to time and please, keep me and my family in your thoughts and prayers.

We'll need them.

Later