Doctor Who - Season Premiere

Quick comments about the first episode of the new DOCTOR WHO season. Hope everybody had a chance to see it already. Didn't really give anything away, but had to mention it.

Marvel Stridex Reprints & older books

I really should learn to edit this stuff. I should also stop saying "you know" so often. I am a pretty annoying SOB, if you think about it.

ghoulish comics

Not the great material you would get from the Warren books like CREEPY, EERIE & VAMPIRELLA but black & white reprints from the pre-Code days. Used to pick up these books at a small store in my hometown that also has spnner racks of regular comics, paperbacks and pornography. What teenage boy wouldn't love the place?

A few comments on comics and other stuff

Man, it seems as if I can't keep reading comics even if I want to. Am I being too picky in my choices or too cheap? (Don't answer that!)

With DC ending both the Red Circle (former Archie heroes) and the First Wave (Doc Savage, Spirit, First Wave)titles I'm down to about a half dozen regular titles and a few mini-series. Only one of them, Stan Sakai's USAGI YOJIMBO, have I been collecting for more than a couple of years, just picking up #135 which is the 100th issue of that book I own, in addition to some TPB collections as I to fill in the rest of the run. I started reading THE WALKING DEAD with #50, going back to buy all the previous TPBs. The various DOCTOR WHO series (classic and current) from IDW I have been reading since they started, along with the Mike Mignola titles from Dark Horse (Hellboy, B.P.R.D., Lobster Johnson, Witchfinder, etc.).

I gave up on DC about eight issues into BRIGHTEST DAY and MARVEL (with the exception of Secret Warriors) less than a half dozen issues into the Heroic Age. Have to be honest that I really don't find myself missing either and if Secret Warriors ends anytime soon that will do it for the big two. I am still buying and recommend AMERICAN VAMPIRE from Vertigo, so I guess you could count that as a DC book. Sadly, I'm still a sucker (pardon the expression) for the various MARVEL ZOMBIE series & one-shots, so I just got MARVEL ZOMBIES SUPREME in my weekly shipment. To show you how often I go to Nuclear Comics, I got both the first & second issues of MZS just yesterday.

Before I wrap this up let me also recommend RED VS BLUE (RvB) from Rooster Teeth. The series of 'mechanime' shorts were collected and my old shipmate Jeff was kind enough to send me a 3-DVD collection. Basically, the guys at Rooster Teeth have taken clips/captures from various HALO games and re-dubbed them. Sort of like Woody Allen's WHAT'S UP, TIGER LILLY for RPG geeks. I talk about it a bit more over on YouTube if you look for my SACHAPUT50 channel over there.

Sorry that it has been so long since dropping in here, but I spend all my time on Facebook & Twitter, so I've learned to rant in under 140 characters or less. Blogging seems almost like a term paper now!

Trading Cards

Rubber - Official Trailer [HD]

C'mon! Tell me this is going to be instant classic?

Fission Chicken's World

This is for J.P. Morgan! We are going to miss you.

J.P. Morgan - R.I.P.

I was saddened earlier today to find that J.P. Morgan had passed away on Dec. 30th. I first became aware of him when he was doing cartoons for various zines, including INSIDE JOKE, produced by Elayne Wechsler (now Riggs), back in the '80s.

While J.P. did other comics, it was his character FISSION CHICKEN for which he became best known. FC, known as The Chicken of Wrath, used his powers (including flight, power blasts & super-strength) to fight various evil creatures (human & alien). Most were J.P.'s satirical takes on modern commercialism and mega-corporations. While he might have been one of the good guys, FC had a pretty short-fuse and he would just as soon hit something as try to think his way through any given situation.

J.P. was one of the good guys and I'm sorry to say that I lost touch with him years ago. I kept meaning to drop him an e-mail or comment on the on-going Fission Chicken webcomic, but I always figured there would be time. Another example of why we should stay in touch and tell your friends you are still there. It doesn't take long to drop them a short e-mail or pick up the phone and chat for a few minutes. With J.P. I just won't have that opportunity.

For the rest of you, just know that I do think of you.

Talking about some movies

Just some rambling about a few of my favorites. Let me know if you like it and would like me to talk more indepth about any of these or other films.

Four-Color Fiend - Comics recommendations and rambling.

Merry Christmas!

christmas commercial

Makes you tear up, right? Merry Christmas!!

Four-Color Fiend - DC's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

A demonstration that you should not publish something to YouTube without previewing it. I had already deleted the original and did not realise I was repeating myself.

Doesn't change my opinion of the book, but I should have presented it better.

Four-Color Fiend #1 - comic reviews

My first attempt to do reviews on YouTube. What a geek!

CATACLYSM SONG WoW Kanye West Runaway Parody

I'm not a gamer, but I thought this was pretty clever.

Four-Color Fiend: DC's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS (a waste and an insult)

(WARNING & SPOILER ALERT: Much of the information in this piece is from memory so I may have some dates and names wrong. I hope that you'll forgive me and put it off as me ranting freely. I also give away the entire plot of the first issue of the DC book, in hopes that none of you will pay money for it.)

The cover you see reprinted was the 'alternate' cover of the first issue of DC's revival of the classic T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENTS. The original characters drawn and co-created by Wally Wood for the Tower Comic group. I loved the original series and having lost two earlier collections of the books, went and re-collected them along with the solo titles of DYNAMO & NO-MAN. I also have copies of the related U.N.D.E.R.S.E.A AGENT, and even the short-lived (as they all were) war title, FIGHT THE ENEMY. I totally loved the company when they were in existence and can still enjoy those books today.

Over the past several decades a number of companies attempted to bring these characters back, partially as it became widely believed that the characters were in the 'public domain'. I recall an issue of the old COMICS READER "summer preview" that listed well over a dozen TAgent books (as part of a running gag). When the dust settled (and I found myself with about a dozen T.A. issues both authorized and apparently not), the characters went into comics limbo with only occasional rumors about their return. Things actually seemed close when DC appeared to finally have the license, but that joy quickly faded and nothing appear to come of it.

The original agents of THUNDER (I refuse to keep typing those periods) were heroes. They were men & women who dedicated themselves to the idea that the world was a good place and could be better. They worked for the United Nations, when many people still believed in the promise of that organization and the concept of a world working together for common good. It was either a more innocent time or many of us were just too stupid to look at the reality of the world to come. The stories in the books were simple and action packed. Most were 12-pages or less and there was an attempt at continuity but the writers were not slaves to it. Plus, unlike most of the super-heroes of the time, some of these brave heroes died. They would sacrifice themselves to protect thier friends or innocents. Apparently it was only the deaths that registered with the current folks writing and editing the current DC incarnation of the characters.

I can't remember exactly how many agents die in the first issue since I stopped caring after the third or fourth. Did these characters even have names? They appeared in uniforms that were based on those of the original TAgents, but we didn't know who was wearing them. Frankly, that seemed to be the point. We didn't have to care, since all the 'heroes' that died (and we saw on the cover) were (if I understood the dialogue correctly)losers that nobody would miss anyway. That seemed to be the recruiting program. "Your life sucks, so why not let us give you powers that will end your useless life even sooner. Oh, we're too important to put them on ourselves. Why do you ask?"

In the original series, a drawback in the costume that empowered the super-speed character Lightning, caused the character to age rapidly. Each time the agent put on the suit and went into action he shortened his lifespan by months or even years. Now it seems that all the costumes/equipment has this same flaw. Now if we are supposed to be introduced in future issues to characters we are supposed to care about, than writer Nick Spencer has wasted his efforts. I don't care enough to buy future issues and can't see why anyone else would.

The book opens with two unidentified woman having lunch, which we soon discover is taking place in a building undersiege. Then we see some recognizable heroes (because of their uniforms) fighthing some armored thugs with spider logos. Old time T.A. fans will know who these are and newer fans will soon learn they don't care either. SPIDER is a group that, along with several others including aliens, fought the agents of THUNDER throughout their run. The only reason this organization existed was because super-spies always have arch-foes to battle (i.e. James Bond vs. SMERSH; CONTROL vs CHAOS). The current incarnation of this group is apparently so large and disorganized that they are not only fighting THUNDER but other divisions within their own organization. Do the Marvel lawyers know about this? Aren't ATLAS & HYDRA over at that universe doing pretty much the same thing. Guess Spencer has been reading "Secret Warriors" the last few months. We get a dozen pages of characters talking about how the people in the uniforms are doomed and they don't seem to care, so why should we.

I'm an aging fan boy who is not the market for this book. Frankly, I don't know who it is aimed at. Old T.Agent fans like me are not going to embrace it and I don't know why younger fans, who have no clue about these characters would either. The only half-way decent thing in the book is the art by CAFU (really???). S/he makes the characters identifiable, but since you don't care who they are it seems a waste of his/her/their talent.

Did I get around to mentioning that the book S*U*C*K*E*D? Pardon me while I dig out my yellowed copies of the REAL T.Agents and have some fun.

It all looks funny!

Can't recall if I mentioned this before, but I'm having trouble adjusting to our big HDTV set. Don't get me wrong...I love it, but the shows look odd. Not just that the characters are 'bigger' but even shows I have been watching for years suddenly take on a different look than they had on our old TV. Sometimes I can't even concentrate on the story as I'm checking out how strange everything appears. Boy, we do love Hawaii Five-O on the new set.

Also, nothing beats zombies eating a horse in HD, huh? I absolutely love THE WALKING DEAD on AMC. With some minor changes, which haven't really bothered me, the show has made a perfect transition from the comics. Nice choice of casting for the leads, with a balance of new and familiar faces. Even those actors I know from other roles are doing good jobs in WD, allowing me to accept them. Writer, co-creator Robert Kirkman warned readers in the book's letter column that we should not expect a page-by-page copy of his work. It is obvious the producers respect the book enough not to "F" with what was already solid work. A couple of folks at work are watching the show and keep asking me about what to expect. I hate being Mr. Spoiler, but have told them somethings that happened in the book that may or may not be reflected in the show.

Don't know if I should mention this in a 'family' blog (did I ever ask for proof of age here?) but Donna happened on this program run late night here, called Shop Erotic. Basically an hour of QVC-style infomercial for sex aids!! OMG!!! The funny thing is that Donna discovered that it was also broadcast back in NY, but not on a station we were getting. Imagine what we have missed!!

All probably more than any of you needed to know, but I found it pretty amusing.

STUNNING - 'I REMEMBER, SO I'M VOTING, AND NOT REPUBLICAN.'

There is still time to vote today. Even if you are not voting Democrat, you should not let the GOP take control.

Walking Dead review

Not a whole heck of a lot I can add to Jeremy's review of the show. I think he nails it pretty well.

I if you already read WALKING DEAD you'll enjoy seeing how Robert Kirkman's characters are portrayed, but you don't have to be familiar with the title to enjoy what the AMC production is doing. They introduce the characters nicely and I can't wait to see how they deal with Rick's son, Carl. In the book the boy goes through some serious trauma and is much more mature than a kid his age should ever be. I hope they keep true to the series in that extant, even if they do make some allowances for series television. Plus, I wouldn't mind some surprises and not always be a step or two ahead of the show.

On a side note, never saw it on our Cox system but Donna & I were pretty taken back to discover a show called "Shop Erotic" on DirectTV. Sure don't recall seeing it back in New York with we had our dish. Do people really use those things?!?!?!?!

Does Comic Continuity Alienate Potential New Readers? (1 of 2)

Personally, I think the short answer is YES. On the other hand, a good writer can make the book accessible to a new readers. Sadly, many of the current DC writers & editors seem to have forgotten this. It's great that Marvel includes a 'what has gone before' page, but it should not be necessary.

Time for cutting back!

Maybe it was bound to happen anyway, but the upcoming move is causing me to rethink my comics buying habits. For those of you who know me, this is something that occurs periodically so it probably is not a surprise.

Even if the move was not going to happen I find myself in one of those periods where I am buying titles more out of habit than enjoyment. When that happens you are moving our of comics fan into collector mentality and that has never really been where I see myself. I'm not putting down those who do collect to keep their runs of a title complete or have writers & artists that they follow anywhere. Except for a Ditko period, I've never really been that type of fan. (And yes, I do still have dozens of issues of misc. Ditko stuff from series I never would have considered picking up otherwise.)

The last Friday I realised that I had picked up my bi-weekly bag of books and discovered that I had only read about half of the previous bag. We're not talking hundreds of books, since I often pick up fewer than a dozen titles each time I visit Nuclear. It also probably helps that I never remember to bring my list of titles and that the shop's owner sometimes has his part-timers filling the subscription boxes. I think they play favorites, since it is not uncommon to find that I have missed an issue, only when I get home and begin cataloging.

Off the top of my head I can think of a half-dozen titles from both DC & Marvel that I'll be dropping, along with all the Project Superpowers & Green Hornet books from Dynamite. Just don't care anymore. I think the DC & Marvel events (that oddly enough got me back into reading comics) have finally dulled my enjoyment, since it is pretty established that both companies already have plans for further sales boosting storylines. Time to get out while the getting is good and consider picking up TPB collections down the road.

Keeping on my list? The Doctor Who titles from IDW; Walking Dead, Vikings & Haunt (for the time being) from Image; Usagi Yojimbo, any Groo mini-series and just about all the Hellboy/B.P.R.D. titles and tie-ins from Dark Horse. Finally, American Vampire from DC's Vertigo imprint These are all books I look forward to reading and grab as soon as a new issue arrives.

I can't think of a single DCU book at the moment that I would miss at all, and certainly nothing I wouldn't enjoy just as much in TPB at some point. There are a couple of Marvel titles I like, but except for any that involve the Agents of Atlas or Hercules (with Amadeus Cho) I think I'll be dumping those along with the DCs. I'll let you know exactly what I'll be getting when I know myself.