Until I Get Home Tomorrow Morning...

...here's a taste of KITH-y goodness thanks to YouTube:

Update/To Ease Your Confusion

First, Dad's surgery has been delayed - maybe it's the bloodwork, or maybe it's the White Castle slider boxes they keep finding hidden under his bed. He's his usual self (and I'm flying back to the Lou early Sunday morning), so please keep those good vibes coming - and thanks for everyone's well wishes.

And now, a little something stolen from the Church of Klugman:


This is Mike Sterling, author of the greatest comic blog in the mulitiverse. He has some interesting taste in comics and movies, but other than that, he's a swell guy. Never met him, but he has a reputation of being a "big cheater pants." Plus, he seems to like the word "pants" a little too much. But other than that, he's harmless.

On the right, is a picture of me at a recent picnic - ironically, my name is Polish for "smoker of meats". (As in "smoke over an open grill", not "smoke as in certain illicit and legal substances"). I normally do not wear lobsters - those were purchased at a dollar store, and it shows. But there are many ways in which Mike and I are amazingly similar.



Finally, this is an Egg McMuffin.


Hope this has been educational, and that you've learned something...because knowing is half the battle!

Coming up on Blog This, Pal! - Khaaaan!
(Here's a sneak preview)

Emergency Blogging Break

Just wanted to let everyone know - I'm going to be away from the blog for awhile.

In short - my dad's getting a triple bypass this week, and the family in Chicago needs me this weekend. (Have to pack, order plane tickets, make arrangements for the kitty, etc).

If you wouldn't mind, please keep me and my family in your thoughts, your prayers, and please send any and all good vibes my way.

Thanks.

A Lot Less Time, But a Lot More Care

Since things are (relatively) slowing down, it's time for some four color reviews. Our motto (besides the one stated above), to paraphrase Gail Simone (through Dr. Psycho) - "Come for the polls and gratuitious shout-outs to fellow comics bloggers; stay for the comic reviews and general witty pop-culture banter."

Uncle Sam & The Freedom Fighters # 1 - I had promised to give this book a chance, but am regretting it deeply. To paraphrase Roger Ebert, I hated, hated, hated this book. Ham fisted characterization, hackneyed plotting, goofy looking art, double ham-fisted political commentary with a side of hash browns - if this is the new DC, I want off. Now. Makes me want to convert to Marvel. Speaking of which...

She Hulk # 8 - Ah, that's much better. Great writing, a great plot, even in the midst of Civil War....makes me regret my embargo on mega-crossovers. Some great moments abound - a change in She-Hulk's ability, the final "reveal", and the "deus ex machina" towards the end." Makes me want to jump into CW...however, one small step at a time - this is definitely going on the pull file.

The Escapist(s) # 1 - Personally, I've felt a little cold towards comic versions of Michael Chabon's character (having read the novel and enjoying its ability to connote the spirit of Golden Age comics). However, this is a nice twist - a young man acquires his father's collection and sets aobut reviving the character. Brian K. Vaughn's work is slightly hit-or-miss for me: I absolutely dig Ex Machina, but Y the Last Man doesn't quite appeal to me. However, this book is well worth the $1 cover price...and then some. Buy it.

Batman: Arkham Asylum 15th Anniversary Edition: Some books deserve to be called "classics", but this isn't one of them. Maybe it's because so many of its themes - Batman's enemies are simply reflections of him, the trauma of losing his parents - have been worked to death. Dave McKean's art is nice; however, the really simplistic and almost sexist reveal (basically, Bruce is in anguish because his mother told him "grow up or we'll leave you" and the next time after that...well, we all know) hurts this book. It's not sure whether it wants to be a taught psychological profile of Batman, a scary horror book, or a meditation on madness. I'm glad that I checked this book out of the library, because I'd probably want my money back.

Supergirl & the Legion of Super Heroes # 20 - Worth reading just for "Bizarro-Brainiac". Silver Age mixed with a slight sense of 21st century post-modernism.

52 # 11 - The debut of Batwoman seemed a bit, well, underwhelming - of course, that's what happens when you hype her appearance. (Since we all knew she was coming, and her "relationship" to Montoya...well, DC jumped the gun on this one.). The plotting is starting to be hit-or-miss (and did anyone catch the potential 52 spoiler in Teen Titans # 37? Or am I imagining things?), but for a weekly book...I may stick around a little while longer, but at some point, it's going to be make-or-break.

Justice League of America # 0 - I did not expect to enjoy this book - basically, it's a series of vignettes with Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. (Plus, given the left-field ending of Identity Crisis, I wasn't too hopeful for Meltzer's efforts). His take on the "big three's" reaction to Batman punching out Guy Gardner in the JLI days was worth the price of admission....I'll cautiously pursue this, but it better not be another Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters.

I hated that book. Seriously.

Calm After The Storm

It's been a hectic week after not one, but two killer storms hit the St. Louis area. I'm OK, if drained (the area I work in got hit badly), but I'm doing ok.

Now's time to clean off and post some stuff in lieu of content - first, a little something stolen from Lefty...



What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

and the reason I haven't found my Monica, as this test from Roger suggests...
Pure Nerd
78 % Nerd, 39% Geek, 30% Dork For The Record:


A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.

A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.

A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.

The times, they are a-changing. It used to be that being exceptionally smart led to being unpopular, which would ultimately lead to picking up all of the traits and tendences associated with the "dork." No-longer. Being smart isn't as socially crippling as it once was, and even more so as you get older: eventually being a Pure Nerd will likely be replaced with the following label: Purely Successful.
Congratulations!
Also, you might want to check out some of my other tests if you're interested in any of the following:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Professional Wrestling

But that's OK, 'cause tonight, I'm going to blow off some steam by seeing the greatest rock band from Rockford IL...

Musical Goodness

Much like the Ian Brill, work's been keeping me busy and dry of ideas - so here's some musical goodness for you.

First, since Lefty's got a birthday, might I suggest...

Then, Andy just got DSL, so he deserves this....

And finally, for the rest of you.

Enjoy!

EDIT: And now, the bad news....

Mickey Spillane, RIP

The last of the hard-boilers writers is gone.

For more information, click here and here.

He will be missed.

Records You Should Own

When people discuss the whole "Chicago rock" movement of the late 1980s/early 1990s, mention is made of the usual suspects - the Neil Diamond-obsessed Urge Overkill, Guyville exile Liz Phair, and the extremely melodramatic Smashing Pumpkins. However, Material Issue - a band which opened for the Replacements' last show in Grant Park on July 4, 1991 - gets lost in the shuffle.

Well, that's going to change, because Material Issue's International Pop Overthrow is July's "Record You Should Own."

If your Green Days/Blink 182s/pop-punk band of the month had any sense, they would listen to this record non-stop. Jim Ellison wrote the kind of instantly catchy, can't-get-that-riff-out-of-your-head songs that were tailor-made for radio. Add that to the killer rhythm section of Ted Asani and Mike Zelenko, and Material Issue's ambitiously titled first album will convince you of the power of pop.

The album begins with a potent one-two-three punch: the jangly, moody "Valerie Loves Me"; the balls-out "Diane", and the hooky "Renee Remains the Same" set the tone. Even though there are some slightly cliche affectations (naming songs after girls names, a false British accent in one song, and the execrable "letter/better" rhyme scheme of one song), the music is just too damn catchy to complain. Personal highlights: the above three, along with "The Very First Lie", "International Pop Overthrow" and "There Was A Few".

As one of Lefty Brown's top 10 musical gurus, it is my job to make sure that good music does not go unnoticed. Although Material Issue released three albums (including one compiled after the band met a tragic end), this is the one with the most listenability. (Plus, you can always check out the other two albums later)

But don't take my word for it - buy it. Listen repeatedly. You'll thank me later.

The Only Adventure He Can Never Have

My world has completely been rocked...and it's all thanks to Doctor Who.

The final four episodes of Series Two show a much more tightly-written, more confident show than Series One. So far, out of the past thirteen episodes, only three have been relatively weak - "New Earth", and the "Rise of the Cybermen/Age of Steel" two-parter. The rest have ranged from fairly good to excellent.

"Love and Monsters" has taken a lot of smack because it...well...seems to make fun of Doctor Who fans. I mean, Elton - a guy who likes ELO? Meets a fellow group of misfits? Has very brief encounters with the Doctor? This episode...isn't all that bad. Much like those who post on comic message boards, some fans do deserve to be made fun of...and this episode has some really heartbreaking moments, especially around Elton's involvement with Jackie, Rose's mom. The ending is also portentious, dealing with the "price" of encountering the Doctor...but more on that later.

Personally, I think "Fear Her" is going to be the "Boom Town" of Series Two - a very well-written episode that will get lost in the shuffle. (Especially since "Fear Her" is a last-minute replacement for a Stephen Fry-written episode). With a minimum of special effects, this tells the story of Chloe, who is able to make other children disappear through drawing them. It takes an interesting turn because we learn that there is an alien presence...but it's a clever twist. This has been compared to Sapphire and Steel, but I don't see it. (Plus, I don't get it - S&S just seems kind of slow and meandering to me. Please e-mail/leave a comment if you think I'm not being fair). But all-in-all, one of the creepiest Doctor Who episodes ever made.

And then, it's the "Army of Ghosts"/"Doomsday" two-part series finale, and friends - it was worth it. I have to admit that, with "Army of Ghosts", I got a little tired of David Tennant's Doctor being a little too pop culture obsessed - the Lion King reference in "The Christmas Invasion" is one thing; but the "who ya gonna call" is a little excessive.

Let's just review all the cool stuff in this two-episode in bullet points, just so that it's easy to read:

• The slightly subtle hints - a newscaster reading about these ghosts in "military formation" as well as the creepy use of bluetooth;
• Jackie's concern about Rose's becoming less "human" as a result of her travels with the Doctor;
  
• The revelations of Torchwood;
• Nods to three Cyber-classics, one to be restored and released on DVD
• The return of Mickey, who's nobody's tin dog
• The inhabitants of the "mysterious sphere"
• Like pal Brian, the Dalek/Cyberman verbal smackdown (and you better agree with us)
  
• Favorite line from above: "This is not war, this is pest control"
• Clever nods to Series One (including an explanation from a key scene in "Dalek")
• Flying Daleks
• The reunion of Pete and Jackie (which explains the subplot in "Age of Steel/Rise of the Cybermen"
• And so much more..

But in the end, the real revelation is Rose's evolution from "shop girl" to "Defender of the Earth". Throughout this series, we see her becoming more assertive, more empowered, and increasingly less like typical companions. If Sarah Jane Smith sat around for years because she had a "hard act to follow", we know Rose Tyler will avoid that trap - in fact, she seems ready to become her own person, because she has had adventures and experiences with the Doctor. In fact, can you imagine a Doctor Who companion saying the following:

In fact, at the very end, Rose is reconnected with her family - if the Doctor truly is the "lonely god", he cannot have the kind of experiences Rose can - or, at the very least, he can only be a visitor (witness the scenes in "The Christmas Invasion"). If the Ninth Doctor was too shell-shocked to connect, the Tenth Doctor seems all too willing to cut off those connections, to avoid the hurt, and for him, living day to day - with all of its smaller scale battles and victories - truly is "the adventure (he) can never have".

It would have made an excellent coda for the series...had RTD not camped it up slightly in the last ten seconds. I mean, really, did we need a preview of the Christmas special?

But that's just me complaining...yes, this is probably the longest post I have written on this blog. But it's worth it.

The Doctor's back. Hopefully, for good.

One Year Later...

I didn't realize that I had an "anniversary" until an abrupt comment from a former co-worker.

It was a meeting of a board I belong to - one of three, to be precise. On this board, I serve with a former supervisor - from my prior employer, just to keep it in perspective. She was discussing how several people were leaving, and mentioned that, "There's such turnover, we're losing people....we lost Gordon..."

And then it hit me - one year ago last month, I had left my prior employer.

It was...to put it bluntly, it was a tough, but necessary choice. I enjoyed what I did, but had way too much put upon me. (Luckily, the agency has now split my job into two pieces - and I have met both the new "tobacco dude" as well as my second replacement. My first replacement stayed about as long as Christopher Eccleston's tenure as the Doctor). However, there was no growth, no real ability for me to move beyond...and in retrospect, I seriously underestimated my lag time.

Six months of unemployment, temp work, eating store brand food....worrying about bills (oh, like I've never done that). Looking back, however, it helped build character - developing strong discipline, leaning on friends emotionally, and more importantly - being single-minded in pursuing my goals. This is the next logical step career-wise; now the time comes to deal with learning what I need to learn, and deciding where I need to go from this point forwards.

And six months into the job? It's not perfect, but what job is? I'm no longer tying my existence or my self-worth into my performance. There's still office politics, a heightened sense of responsibility (I am a director now), and despite whatever other issues I may have, I am grateful to be working. Things aren't easy, but nothing's forever - not even work. I'm redeveloping a social life (major goal - start actually dating), learning to take things one day at a time...in other words, life as usual.

Coming soon on this blog: a Record You Should Own, more posts about pop culture, more snarky comments about Mike Sterling, and - of course - the first ever Dalek/Cyberman verbal smackdown.

Good Things.

Unfortunately, I'm recovering from a double-whammy of both a health fair yesterday morning and a major allergy attack. However, here are some good things to help kick off your week:

• This unusual, probably NSFW video (If you work at a place where it is safe to view that, please let me know);
• The All-New Atom #1 - the preview in Brave New World didn't lie; I love this book.
  
• From Lifehacker: how to save money online and 55 fun things to do with Google;
• I survived Stoned, quite easily the worst movie in 2006. Ostensibly, it's a hodgepodge of Austin-Powers grooviness, tons of female nudity, and pretentious filmmaking that leads to one conclusion: Brian Jones was a creepy dude. Wow, what an incredible insight. Avoid this movie. You will be grateful.
• The comics blogosphere, and a hearty thank-you to everyone who has linked to this blog. You're appreciated.
• Supreme: The Story of The Year: much like this year's biggest movie hit, this Alan Moore-penned series featured the return of a hero after an exile in space. The art ranges from the exceptional (Rick Veitch and Chris Sprouse) to the barely competent (one female hero seems to have a waistline of 12). However, this is a long-deserved reprint.
• And finally, this thought from the immortal Mike Ditka: "Success isn't permanent, and failure isn't fatal."

Have a great week, everyone!

The Surgeon General ROCKS, Man!

Something that may have gone unappreciated in the major media...

(and yes, I'm open and willing to handle flame bait...but prefer rational, well-thought-out discussion).

And two things which I borrowed from near-twin Roger:

You Belong in 1969

If you scored... 1950 - 1959: You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in! 1960 - 1969: You are a free spirit with a huge heart. Love, peace, and happiness rule - oh, and drugs too. 1970 - 1979: Bold and brash, you take life by the horns. Whether you're partying or protesting, you give it your all! 1980 - 1989: Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day. 1990 - 1999: With you anything goes! You're grunge one day, ghetto fabulous the next. It's all good!

What Year Do You Belong In?

The Movie Of Your Life Is An Indie Flick

You do things your own way - and it's made for colorful times. Your life hasn't turned out how anyone expected, thank goodness! Your best movie matches: Clerks, Garden State, Napoleon Dynamite

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

All In Color for a Buck

I have to admit, the post-Infinite Crisis DC Universe has me...a little stumped. Is it a new universe? A rebooted universe?

Much of my confusion stems from Brave New World, which previews several "new" DC series. Eighty pages for a buck - sounds interesting, doesn't it? However, based on this, I know there will be three series I'll definitely be checking out, and three that I'll pass on.

(Favorite comment about Brave New World: Redhead Fangirl's. So cool that I had to look up "fentanyl".)

Omac - I liked the story, up until the slightly cliche ending. I'm all OMAC-ed out. Pass

Martian Manhunter - Personally, I don't think we need a grim and gritty Martian Manhunter. The redesign does little for me. Yet, I like the "everything-he's-known-has-been-changed" premise, so I'll give it a go.

The Creeper - Always liked the Creeper, and I like this take on the character. Definitely check out.

The All-New Atom - Gail Simone gives us some Silver Age-y type goodness. (Byrne's art is passable - however, how to reconcile my appreciation of his art with my contempt for his jerkiness?) Plus, it seems to have a really cool vibe about it - definitely worth investigating.

Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters - looks interesting; however, there's the Phantom Girl issue. I hate to offend the female readers out there, but I'm beginning to suspect that, with the way some other female characters are portrayed, that Dan Didio is a Russ Meyer fan. I'll give it an issue or two.

Please feel free to flame my sexist comments in the comments box.

Trials of Shazam - I've had a soft spot for Captain Marvel; however, do we need a grim-and-gritty version of the character? (I like the magic focus - makes a lot of sense). This is one I just...don't know.

First lesson learned: listen to Greg - never buy anything just because it's a buck.

Second lesson learned: ok, Lefty, I'll take Catwoman off my Netflix queue. Thanks for watching my back.

How I Spent My Fourth of July

To be completely honest, I wasn't sure I wanted to see Superman Returns - not because of the buzz on the Internet (which I tried to avoid), but did I really want to see an angsty turn on the character? Could I believe again that a man could fly?

The answer to those questions is no...and yes, this movie actually made me believe that a man could fly. As someone who saw the first two movies when they came out (I missed 3 and 4 - but not that much), this is not a slavish aping of Donner's movies, but uses them as a great template to move forward. It may not be one of the greatest comic movies ever made...but this is a Superman movie for adults.

That's right - for adults, not the whiny fanboy types that deserve our contempt. But enough of me - onto the review (potential spoilers - read with care):

First, the movie is a well-crafted, very nicely paced piece of filmmaking, and some of the sequences (especially the space plane rescue) are handled very well. We're not given a lot of exposition - we know that "Superman Returns", and that he fights Lex Luthor. Brandon Routh handles the role of Superman very well, giving us an almost (gasp) human version of the character, taking bits of Christopher Reeve's performance and mixing them into a brand new tapestry. Kevin Spacey rocked as Luthor - instead of being as overtly hammy as Gene Hackman, Spacey's Luthor runs the line between genius and insanity, giving us an antagonist worth our while. Even Parker Posey as the "comic relief" works for me, especially since I just caught Party Girl and didn't care for it, thinking it more as a bad recruiting film for librarians. However, this blog is very pro-librarian. Just ask Roger.

However, like many others on the blogosphere, I thought James Marsden stole the show as Richard White - a human guy who, much like Superman, does what he thinks is best. I was expecting to hate the character, but he works - a man who will do anything to protect his family. I'm willing to bet that Marsden was relieved to not have a huge role in X3 - this is the kind of character I would like to see more of - the "nice guy" who's willing to do what's right. In short, the whole movie seems a meditation on the nature of manhood - breaking down the traditional stereotypes and showing us a more emotional, vulnerable side to the 21st century male.

(Even Frank Langella got into the act - I never saw anyone declare "Great Caesar's Ghost" with such awe and wonder).

And now, my thoughts on The Big Reveal - thematically, it worked in the movie. As an addition to the mythos, well....I know the last Superman television show started dealing with it. However, there are some cool parallels between Superman's own experience and The Big Reveal. (And if you want a spoiler for that, Google it. I'm not going to). For me, it was a touching way to show the dilemma of Superman - wanting to be part of humanity, but not knowing how he fits.

And now, the quibbles:

• Kate Bosworth....doesn't do a convincing Lois Lane. Sorry, but she seems a little young and too fragile to be a world weary, Pulitzer-winning reporter. Maybe it's the patronizing man in me, but she really didn't work all that well.
• Although Routh's Superman was excellent, I found his Clark Kent rather off - maybe this was deliberate on his part, but it still didn't quite jibe, even during a scene where he left his glasses off a little too long.
  
• Plotwise...ok, you're Lex Luthor. You have advanced technology, and want to earn "your cut". If it were me, I would use the technology for advanced superweapons, faster-than-light ships, even new energy sources...but a whole new continent? Doesn't make sense.
• Also, when Lois is investigating - I know she was heading to a party; wouldn't most mothers (especially with Lois' history) think to not bring their child into a potentially dangerous situation? (Again, I could be wrong on this call - please call me on it if I am).
• Too much Superman-as-Christ imagery. Ok, we get it, Superman's our unwilling savior. He metaphorically "dies" in a crucifixion-style pose, and rises again. We get it. Please move on.

It's not a perfect movie, by any means, but Superman Returns does something that the comics haven't done in awhile - provide the perfect balance between the super and the man.

For that reason alone, it's worth seeing.

And Now, A Brief Word...

Happy Fourth of July!

And here's a NSFW reminder that the "A" doesn't stand for France...

EDIT: click on these words for another reason to be grateful for self-expression.

Random Blogging Thoughts

First, everyone, I met up with Eddie yesterday, and he's a pretty cool guy - be sure you read his blog. (Plus, he gave me this really cool mix CD - I need more Americana in my musical diet).

Also, if these two ever form their own Justice League - I want in.

Now That's Entertainment!

Located on You Tube - Locally Produced 80s Dance Show + Overdubbed Punk Tunes = Snarky Fun



It's quite like watching Saved By The Bell on meth. Enjoy!