At the moment 2022 feels less like a year, but rather like a twisted Pokémon trainer that runs around and collecting comic icons, instead of Pokémon. Not only did we lose Neal Adams, George Perez, and Tim Sale this year, but quite recently, Kevin O’Neill, Carlos Pacheco, and Kevin Conroy, also died.
I don’t know what I can say about these three icons, that has not already been said before, by far better writers and journalists over the last few weeks. In saying that, I’d still like to say something.
I can’t be sure, and it won’t come as a surprise; but I think the first time I saw Kevin’s art was with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I do realise he had created a lot of art through 2000AD content, Marshal Law, and other material, but the League stands out to me.
I loved his attention to background detail, body proportions and facial expressions; so it meant that Kevin’s art was very recognisable. Have you ever seen a drawing of Daredevil, Green Lantern, Zorro, or any other character, and just by glancing at the art work, you could name the artist? Kevin’s art was like that for me, I could stare at a picture and realise, “Kevin O’Neill drew that, that’s Kevin’s.” I loved his art.
Speaking of loving art, I loved Carlos’ work for different reasons. His work grew on me, because I’d sometimes see his art ranging from Fantastic Four, Captain America, X-Men, Avengers, Inhumans, Excalibur, Green Lantern, The Flash, Superman,Arrowsmith, and so many more.
After discovering that the art I’m looking at belonged to Carlos, I would often comment about how he could draw anything, because it seemed like he was drawing everything on the shelf. I loved his range, but also his commitment to getting each panel to almost sing with positivity and direction.
Both Kevin and Carlos were masters of their beloved trade, and it showed through in the volumes of their work. They helped me to learn and discover new ways to appreciate stories, as well as being gobsmacked with stellar art work.
As for Kevin Conroy, well he was Batman’s voice, wasn’t he? I’m old enough to remember when Batman: The Animated Series was released, but young enough to have watched it. It was amazing and so was Kevin. Over the years, if I was watching an animated version of Batman voiced by Kevin, then I knew it was legit.
Through two decades and countless animated series and movies, coupled with his video game work and his live-action performance, Kevin was the definitive Batman. He brought more depth and range to the character than anyone beforehand, but also shone a spotlight on Bruce Wayne’s pain and compassion. He helped to flesh out Batman’s 2-D existence and dragged him by the cape, into our 3-D world. Damn it was glorious and it still is.
Thank you Kevin; Thank you Carlos; Thank you Kevin. I don’t know what else to say about three people that I never met, other than their work has brought a lot of happiness into millions of people’s lives and including my own; and will continue to do so.
This was another strange post to do, so I’m sorry about that. I’ll return to our regular weekly blog about nonsense next week. Thanks for following, go walk your dog, buy a banned book and I’ll see you next week.
I want to talk about San Diego Comic-Con, in particular, the 2022 edition. Why? Well for starters I’ve never been. I live over 10,730 km away, so I’m practically next door, but I have yet to drag my broke arse there.
Another thing is that this year was the first one to be held in person, since the 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled, because of everybody’s least favourite virus, COVID-19.
For those of you that already know about the San Diego Comic-Con, congratulations! For those of you that don’t know about it; I’m very sorry, but I’ll give you a quick summary. Don’t panic.
The San Diego Comic-Con is arguably, one of the the largest events; if not the largest, celebrating popular culture on the planet. The event is designed for creators and companies to advertise new products coming up like toys, anime, computer games, manga, books, comics, movies, tv shows and anything else; as well as being able to sell their existing products to the public.
Because of this, it attracts people from all over the world, to help celebrate everything that is pop culture. Oh, I forgot to mention the cosplayers. So many cosplayers!
I think San Diego Comic-Con is usually held over 3-4 days in July, and even though I’m thousands of kilometres away, I can still get excited. This is because of the important reveals, trailers, and announcements.
This year has been no exception, with an avalanche of information released to the public. But is any of it interesting? Being the writer of this blog; and the person to blame for anything that happens here, I’ve decided to breakdown the most interesting things I have discovered from the event.
Let’s establish a few things first:
1.) I have not read or seen, every article or trailer released from San Diego Comic-Con. There’s probably a ton of information I have missed, but I’m only one man against the odds. I can only discuss the things I have knowledge on, but also things I’m actually interested in. Any news about a Sour Cream and Chives themed computer game, will not be mentioned.
2.) Just because a product is on my list, does not mean I’ll actually get to see it or purchase it. There are so many different streaming services, I can’t subscribe to all of them; I would need a higher paying job for that. Simply, if something has landed on this list, it has my attention.
I know the High Republic is not for everybody and that some people don’t like it. Having said that, no one is perfect, and I fall in the other camp, because I enjoy this series!
I loved learning about the Phase II reveals, new characters and stories, listening to the creators, but also looking at the amazing novel and comic book covers for the series. I’m invested with this for the long haul, so I was pretty happy to learn new things about Phase II. One day soon, I’ll write a blog about the High Republic and explain it better. Anyway, we are off to a good start!
Batman/Spawn
There was news that DC and Image will be getting together for another Batman/Spawn crossover. I understand that Batman and Spawn alumni artist, Greg Capullo, will have the art duties, with Todd McFarlane as the writer.
Apparently it will be released this December, and I thought these characters would never met again, after their two 1994 meetings. I didn’t see this one coming at all. I’m not sure what to expect from this, apart from the stellar art. I’m quite interested, to be honest.
As for other comic news, um…..nope. I have to admit, nothing else that I’ve heard from Marvel, DC, Image or anybody else, released from Comic-Con actually has me interested in their upcoming comic book projects. It’s quite strange. Just Star Wars: The High Republic and Batman/Spawn. Maybe I’m getting too picky in my old age.
Movies
DCEU: Shazam! Fury of the Gods
The first film, Shazam! was cool. I mean I thought the film makers did a great job balancing Billy’s personal and superhero life. It was also refreshing to see the villain actually survive. What mischief will Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind get up to?!
It was fun, which is why I’ve been looking forward to the sequel. Bringing more mythology into the franchise with Hespera and Kalypso, will be entertaining. Will it be predictable and a bit corny with Billy’s family? Yes and yes, again, however it will be a lot of fun.
It just makes you want to stand up and shout, “SHAZAM!” Damn, I want to watch the first film again now. How good is bullet immunity?!
Black Adam
Speaking of Shazam!, how about we discuss the Big Red Cheese’s antithesis villain. I have always thought that Teth-Adam is similar to Magneto, Namor, or Ronan the Accuser; a leader or symbol to his people, which means he can and will fight alongside the heroes, as easily as against them. A classic anti-hero.
I’m nervous, but I have high hopes for this film. Having the Rock play Black Adam is a master stroke, and it will also be interesting how the Justice Society will connect with audiences. Doctor Fate was my first introduction to a superhero magician, so hopefully this film will not disappoint. How far will they push things? I have no idea.
We do need to see the Shazam!/Black Adam or Superman/Black Adam fight somewhere in the future. Pretty please? Teth-Adam is the last person on Earth that should have these powers, so let the smackdown begin!
MCU
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
I liked Black Panther, because at least to me, it brought a lot of political and social issues of living in a superhuman world into the light. Plus I thought Chadwick Boseman was phenomenal as T’Challa. He’s one of the greatest characters Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, ever created together. I’ve always liked T’Challa.
So because of that, I’m nervous about the sequel for three reasons. Firstly, since the original film was such a massive success, there could be a lot pressure to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time. An example of this is Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984. The sequel did not quite hit the mark.
Secondly, I feel it was a mistake not to recast T’Challa. I know they did it to honour Boseman’s memory, but I feel allowing T’Challa to exist in the MCU, would have been a better tribute. Allowing another excellent actor to step into T’Challa’s sneakers, is not something uncommon in superhero films.
And lastly, Namor. I’m always concerned when great villains are not adapted in the best way. Doctor Doom is the best example, with three films behind him, the film makers got it wrong, three times over.
Namor just like Black Adam, he is an anti-hero. His arrogance is only equal to Batman’s, so it will be interesting to see how the film makers translate this; but also for his culture. Obviously there will be some tension/conflict between Wakanda and Atlantis, just like T’Challa and Namor in the comics.
I want this film to work, which is precisely the reason why I’m interested in it. And the Dora Milaje kicking arse helps.
Phase 5 and Phase 6: The Multiverse Saga
This covers Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, The Marvels, Blade, Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and Avengers: Secret Wars (February 2023-November 2025).
I’m interested in all of these films, but I’ll wait to receive more information about them as the wheel turns, as the world moves on.1 I also do realise there are some MCU tv shows as well, but I’ll talk about them below.
Television shows (streaming)
Disney +
I don’t have Disney +, but if I did, I think my family wouldn’t see me for a few weeks. Without discussing the shows already on the platform, the reveals and trailers from Comic-Con include Andor, She-Hulk, Secret Invasion, Echo, Loki Season 2, Ironheart, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and I am Groot, sound quite fantastic.
These announcements are awesome and I’m interested in watching all of them…one day I guess. However, there was one reveal that was jaw dropping: Daredevil: Born Again.
I’ve seen Netflix’s Daredevil Season 1 and 2 on DVD, and that show was astounding. I loved it, but I haven’t seen the third season. I’m very impressed that Charlie Cox and the rest of the crew (I think) will be coming back.
Whether the show will be based on the famous Born Again storyline, or a play on words like Spider-Man: Homecoming, I don’t know…but Daredevil is back! I’ve always thought Daredevil was a very underrated character, so I’m stoked that he’s getting more camera time.
The Sandman
If you’re a follower of my blog, you will understand how special this show is to me. I’m actually not going to discuss it too much, other than stating that The Sandman trailer was mind blowing; but also this was the most interesting reveal/trailer/announcement to come out of San Diego Comic-Con.
Meeting the Endless will bring me a lot of happiness, but I also can’t wait for people to meet Desire, because they were woke, before woke was a concept.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power
I understand the Rings of Power are getting some flak from Tolkien super fans over changes to characters, the timeline, and other things. As a Tolkien fan myself, not every fan has to agree on a product’s direction; however, I am ready for this show.
I’m not sure how much of the plot will be taken from The Silmarillion, The Fall of Númenor, The Nature of Middle-Earth or Unfinished Tales, but it looks great. I know it’s set during the Second Age of the Sun, and….I’m so excited for this.
Will we see the Silmarils? Will we see the rise of Sauron? Will we see Angband? Will we see the War of the Last Alliance? Or even better, will Morgoth have a cameo, even in a flashback or prologue? I have no idea!
There are many things that can go right or wrong with this show, but I’m choosing to be positive; I have to. I’m just stunned that the show exists at all. I love the genres of superheroes and science fiction, but throw fantasy in there also, and I’m going to be immersed in geekdom.
I’m not a subscriber to Amazon Prime, but this show is tempting me.
Can I also mention House of the Dragon? This show is one I can actually watch on my streaming platform, so I have to research the Targaryen family tree a lot more, before it starts in a few weeks. Things to do.
Ok that’s it. What reveals from San Diego Comic-Con were you interested in? Please let me know. My dog needs his belly rubbed, so look both ways before you cross the street and I’ll see you next week.
I want to talk about saying goodbye to a series. Why? Over the many times I have travelled around the Sun, this strange event has happened repeatedly. To understand this subject better, you won’t need Herb Powell to build a translator for you, I’ll just try to do a better job at explaining it.
You don’t have to be a geek or nerd to enjoy a series. This could be in the form of comics, novels, television shows, movies, video games, music, or just about anything that is created for people’s enjoyment and entertainment.1
Now for whatever reason, you love that series. Maybe you have grown up listening to a special artist or band, read all of the books in a saga, played all of the games in a franchise, watched every episode in a tv show, or seen every movie in a series.
Whatever it is, there is something you like watching, listening to, or reading, that…well, makes you happy; like lying in bed, listening to the rain fall on the roof, or eating some some Salt and Vinegar chips, while watching your favourite team win.
Whatever the case, you have a relationship with…and I’m doing to use the word, product, for the purposes of context. You have a relationship with that product; whether it is positive, negative and everything in between.
But here’s the problem: just like the relationships you have with other homo sapiens, every relationship has a beginning and an ending. Just the same as the relationship you have with your product.2
The way I see it, I can think of three different ways the relationship with the product will end.
1.) The product stops creating
The band could split up; the singer retires; the monthly comic book finishes; the tv show screens the final season; the final movie in a trilogy or series is released; the makers of the video game, have discontinued the line; or the last and final book in a saga, is finally released.
It doesn’t matter what the reason is, but the product that you enjoy, will no longer be creating any new content going forward, on a regular basis. Yes, it’s possible that tv shows and movies, could have spin offs; the monthly comic book could come back as a mini-series; the band members could join or create new bands; or the author may decide to explore prequel eras of the saga; but it’s not the same, is it?
Basically what I’m saying, is that the product broke up with you. It hurts, but it’s out of your hands. There will be no new book, album, movie, tv show, or comic book; whatever story the creators of that medium were telling, that story has been told and now, it’s finished.
You also know, if it was up to you, the product and yourself would still be together. All you can do now, is listen to the songs again, reread the saga, play the games again, or binge watch the tv shows and movies; compounded by the blessing and the curse, that you know what happens.
2.) The product is high maintenance
As the stale, old, bread winner of our one income family, this reason is a no-brainer: money. ABBBA and Pink Floyd warned us about this in the 70’s, to various degrees. The loss of a job, extra bills, crossovers, multi-media projects, dwindling savings, or just the slow and steady rise of the product’s cost, could result in you declaring that the product is now, high maintenance; therefore, you can’t afford it anymore.
It sucks, because you love the product, but the product is out of your league now. You could try to figure out a way to keep it: buy less food, give up the gym, or decrease on using electricity.
However when there are children or UMCs involved, you have to admit that you’re the adult, and you need to give up the product for their sake. Bread vs the new book? Electricity vs the new video game?
You’re a parent and you’re doing the best that you can for your kids, so you quit the product to help them. Or until you can afford it again!
3.) You and the product want different things
So we have finally arrived at the most strangest and personal reason, you and your product are no longer together: you’ve lost that loving feeling.
There are so many various situations about why this happens. It can cover the product receiving a new artist, new writer, new direction, new singer, death or return of major characters, new music video, new songs, games becoming easier/harder, storylines getting repeated, bad dialogue, or maybe just the fact that you have moved on from the product.
Whatever it is, the love and the passion you once had for the product, has slowly faded away. It could have been your family’s influence, or your friends, spouse, partner, work mates, or quite honestly, it was you realising that you and the product are travelling down different roads now, and you want something else.
There is no shame in this. I think about my own life and the products that I have quit for different reasons, is probably more than Chuck Norris has executed a roundhouse kick. Wait…that’s physically impossible. You can’t beat Chuck Norris at anything, except receiving roundhouse kicks to the face.
And you’re back in the room. This may sound quite odd, but hey, a geek’s going to do, what a geek’s going to. Every time I have quit a product; whether it involves movies, novels, comics, bands, or tv shows, I feel the need to explain myself.
By this I mean writing an email or letter to the director, author, or whomever it would be, to apologise for leaving the product, and explain why I have done it. I never have though, but the desire is there.
Sometimes it’s extremely easy for me to identify, the reason(s) why I’m not interested in a product anymore, but there are times when it’s the opposite. I’ll know that I’d like to quit the product, however I’m unable to explain why.
I may start second guessing myself over the decision, but if I start doing that, I know it’s over. Throughout my life, my love of music, books, comics, movies, and tv shows has not changed, but the genres have.
My tastes in popular culture have changed, just like me. I’m definitely a work in progress, but I’m still evolving, which means the products that I spend my hard earned money on, have to reflect what makes me happy. Though my taste for Sour Cream and Chives will never, ever change. Ever.
We have now arrived at the point of the conversation where I ask you the question: Are you a quitter? What products were you interested in, but have now left behind? What caused the break up? Please let me know.
Sorry, this was a long one. As usual I have a bad idea, then it spirals out of control. Alright, thanks for reading, walk your dog, and I’ll see you next Monday.
1 Alliteration much?
2 Am I the only one that has Closing Time, by Semisonic, as an earworm now?
2022 is slowly becoming a crappy year for the comics industry, because another legendary artist has died. On 16th June, Tim Sale passed away in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. He was 66 years old.
I can’t tell you what the first Tim Sale art I ever saw was, but I can sure as hell tell you that I liked it. I loved his work, because it was moody and edgy, but at the same time, it was classical and mythical.
To me, the way Tim used shadows on characters and the background, was an art form on its own. His art kicked so many different types of arse. From Marvel, there was Daredevil: Yellow, Hulk: Gray, Captain America: White and Spider-Man: Blue; which is regarded as one of the best Peter Parker stories ever.
And from DC, there was Superman for all Seasons, Catwoman: When in Rome, and…Batman. The way that Tim drew Batman’s cape, you would think the cape was actually alive and sentient, because of the way it moved.
His work on the various Batman projects was so powerful and mind crunching, that I can only offer this compliment: for me, Batman is synonymous with Tim Sale, like Tim Sale is synonymous with Batman.1
His work has had an impact on me, and it still does to this day. Thank you, Tim.
Thanks for reading, avoid Sour Cream and Chives, and I’ll see you next Monday.
1 I’m really sorry if I have forgotten to mention any of Tim’s other work.
I want to talk about Saga. Why? Well let’s be honest shall we? After my last four blogs about the morally bankrupt Tories, I thought it might be nice to talk about something, that actually makes me happy; like watching rugby, and eating salt and vinegar chips.
After waiting 41 months, Saga is back and I’m pretty stoked.1 For those unlucky people that have no idea what Saga is or what it’s about, I’ll try and keep it brief. Saga is a monthly 2 comic book that’s published by Image Comics. It’s written by Brian K. Vaughan and illustrated by Fiona Staples, since the release of #1, back in March 2012.
This book is good. Seriously good. The book, Vaughan and Staples, have won multiple Eisner, Harvey, Hugo, and various other comic book awards. I’ve been very blessed that I started reading Saga with #1, so I try to convert anybody to the title. 3
Now I’m not going to bore you with a rant about Saga’s plot or why you really should read it 4, however what I am going to discuss, are my five favourite Saga covers. Basically, this is for fun and Fiona Staples is a kick arse artist.
At the time of writing this blog, Saga is on Chapter 59, otherwise known as #59. The covers I’m going to discuss are not ranked by awesomeness, but by the order of their release.
Also, just because certain other covers did not make this list, it’s not because they suck; because they don’t. I just can’t have a list of 59 covers, I need to sleep, eat, work, and play Lego with UMC1 and UMC2.
Sweet as?
Saga #16: November 2013
Saga #16, Art by Fiona Staples
As soon as I first saw this cover, I liked it. I’m not sure whether it’s because of the contrast of colours, or the image of Upsher and Doff, putting themselves in harm’s way, in search of the truth; or maybe it’s both of them. The cover is a great indicator to their personalities and their motivation.
Also having Upsher writing, “Please Do Not Kill,” on a helmet, is a nice, but funny touch. I love this cover. It’s so striking.
Saga #34: February 2016
Saga #34, Art by Fiona Staples
This cover features of my favourite characters from the series: Ghüs. He’s such a cool character, you just want to pick him up and tickle his belly. And of course, he is chilling with Friendo, his walrus creature.
To me, it’s just a simple scene that highlights Ghüs’ personality and his lifestyle. The blurry reflection of the two characters, helps to draw your attention to the beautiful sky in the background. The only thing missing from the cover, is Ghüs’ battle axe. This cover is utterly gorgeous.
Saga #38: September 2016
Saga #38, Art by Fiona Staples
I have mixed feelings about this cover. On one hand, you get to see the relationship between Hazel and her ghost-babysitter, Izabel. With Izabel’s shape shifting abilities on display, you get to see how much fun the two characters can have with each other, but also how important they actually are. Plus, the use of various shades of pink is quite impressive.
This of course leads us to the other feelings: anger, and grief. Izabel was such an amazing character and being a ghost, you thought she would be safe to protect Hazel, and to be in her life. Wow, we were wrong.
Looking at this stunning cover, I’m reminded of how the characters interconnect with each other; which is the strength of the book. I’m also reminded that sadly, no character in the book is safe.
Saga #39: October 2016
Saga #39, Art by Fiona Staples
Having the previous issue cover saturated with pink, this cover is surrounded by purple. Petrichor is shown here in all her beautiful detail, with magic lighting the foreground, while darkness is crawling around the edges.
I also think Petrichor paints a haunted image, to go along with the haunted past and her outlook on life. I’m not sure what else I can say about this cover, except that it’s evocative and extremely effective.
Saga #41: January 2017
Saga #41, Art by Fiona Staples
I found this cover to be fun, because of Alana’s and Marko’s stances. Alana is on brand, by firing a weapon, willing to kill anybody to protect her family. Marko is also reflecting his personality by wielding a shield, like his pacifist nature.
The use of various shades of green, at least to me, brings out some sort of neutrality to the cover, because of the happy couple’s opposite natures. I feel it works. It’s also the last cover, where Alana and Marko are on it together; minus Hazel. It’s just husband and wife, against the galaxy. It’s a cool image.
But then again, what do I know? Nothing, except that Sour Cream and Chives is the worst. I’d rather lick my dog’s paws, than eat any product of that flavour.
In conclusion,these are my five favourite Saga covers. Do you read Saga? What are your favourite covers?
Ok, that’s it from me today. Thanks for reading, wash your hands, look after yourselves, and I’ll see you next Monday.
1 Lying Cat would not have a problem with I just said.
2 Saga is one of the few monthly titles I read anymore.
3 I converted my wife to Saga. She saw me reading, what she thought was a soft porn comic book. After explaining the plot and her reading the trades to catch up, we now read the new issue of Saga together, when it arrives by post. Ahhh…romance.
Anybody that knows me or follows my blog, will understand that I’m a comic book fan. I’ve been reading and collecting comics for decades, so over that time, I’ve learnt a few things, which have included Neal Adams and George Perez.
Growing up and teaching myself about comics, I discovered and identified Neal’s and George’s art, before I could recognise their names. As a kid, the names of artists were not important to me, only if I liked their artwork. And for the record, I liked them both.
To me, and thousands; if not millions of people around the world, these two men were amazing storytellers. Their passion for their medium, shone through in their art, but also through interviews, attending conventions, and their community work. Neal and George also worked for different publishers, not just DC and Marvel.
Both men challenged what a comic book could be, by drawing strong, but flawed characters; introducing new and exciting characters that would push social boundaries; incorporate more mature themes to comics; redefining the way the body and muscles were drawn; but also being top quality storytellers.
Neal and George helped to build worlds, where a small boy, from a small town, from a small country, could escape to and dream that all things were possible. From intimate and personal stories; to race against time, globe trotting stories; to reality-crushing and cosmic stories, they could do it all.
Neal Adams cover for Avengers Vol 1 #92/George Perez cover for Crisis on Infinite Earths #1
Sadly, Neal passed away on 28th April, aged 80; while George passed away on 6th May, aged 67. My condolences to their families and friends.
Just like many other people I admired and respected; like Stephen Hawking and Stan Lee, I always thought I would meet Neal and/or George. It would have been at some sort of comic convention, where I would shake their hand, thank them for all of their amazing work, and then apologise for saying something they would have heard thousands of times before.
That can never happen now.
In New Zealand, we have some mighty trees called tōtaras. They are symbolically important, because they are massive, straight, quite light, and resistant to rot. Basically, they’re forest giants. Māori would use them to make large wakas (canoes), but also carve the tōtara to decorate maraes.
These are not my words, but they convey my thoughts and feelings:
KUA HINGA TE TOTARA I TE WAO NUI A TANE
THE TOTARA HAS FALLEN IN THE FOREST OF TANE
THE TOTARA IS A HUGE TREE THAT GROWS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THE GREATNESS OF THE TOTARA IS A METAPHOR FOR WHEN SOMEONE OF IMPORTANCE PASSES AWAY.
Simply put, Neal and George were tōtaras.
Whenever I see their artwork, until the end of my days, I’ll push away the thoughts of sadness and anger; and just be grateful that I’ll be looking at 2-D representations of what love looks like: the evidence of someone doing a job that they love.
Neal Adams cover for Green Lantern/Green Arrow #6/George Perez cover for The Infinity Gauntlet #1
Thank you Neal. Thank you George. Thank you for your art, stories, imagination, and passion. You are both immortal now.
I want to talk about Star Wars. Why? Hmmm….maybe because it’s Star Wars Day! The 4th of May aka May the 4th be with you, can mean different things to different people; but ultimately, it’s a day to celebrate all things Star Wars.
Slowly over time, UMC1 and UMC2 have been becoming more interested in Star Wars. They recently saw A New Hope, last week for the first time, and they now want to see all of the films. Patience, my clever padawan and youngling, patience.
Oddly enough, they like Star Wars for different reasons. UMC1 seems to be all about the different vehicles, whether they fly or drive. He wants know to about their engines, passengers, speeds, and other capabilities. UMC2 on the other hand, is all about the droids. He is nearly 4 years old, but he is hard core about droids.
Because of Star Wars Day, UMC1 and UMC2 decided to take after their artistic mother, and make some Star Wars art projects.
Utinni the Jawa by UMC2Utinni the Jawa by UMC2
UMC2 decided to make a Jawa, named Utinni. This is because he thinks they’re the worst aliens to purchase a droid from. He also believes that Jawas are extremely funny, but he doesn’t trust them. UMC2 constantly tells random people, to never buy droids from Jawas, because they’ll have bad motivators.
Gonky the power droid by UMC1
UMC1 chose to create a power droid, called Gonky. Apparently Gonky is some sort of super power droid, because he can run at extremely fast speeds, helping to fix broken spaceships, by supplying power to them. Oh, I forgot, he can also dance.
That’s it for today. From all of the staff at Some Geek Told Me, have a Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you. Always.
Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you next week.
I want to talk about children’s names. Why? This is because selecting a child’s name is supposed to be a meaningful process, but sometimes it feels like it’s one of the most difficult things a parent can do. I thought my wife and I would get divorced, over our inability to compromise on UMC2’s name!
Both UMC1 and UMC2 have pop cultures names, but they are not mainstream names. It would only take a geek to identify their names and the meanings behind them.
Now this blog is not an original idea. My wife saw something similar on social media, about non-geeks giving children extremely cool sounding names from pop culture, but the parents not understanding the background of the names.
I liked the idea so much, that I put it to a vote to all of the staff at Some Geek Told Me, and I received 100% support for this, to create my own list.
As a parent, you could name your child after anything; like a traditional name from your family, or your favourite singer or sportsperson. Maybe it’s a name you have heard from pop culture that you quite like, but have no understanding about where it’s from.
Could you imagine yourself as a parent saying, “Luke, please wash your hands,“ or “Where are your shoes, Shuri?” That works, right?
But, what about, “Iago, please wash you hands,” or “Where are your shoes, Cruella?” Does it work now? No, no it doesn’t. Not for a child, at least. Or an adult I guess.
Below you will find some truly awesome sounding names from across pop culture. The issue is that these names will be from characters that have not made the wisest of choices. This will be because of two reasons; 1.) Characters that have very wobbly moral compasses, so they have made some very shitty decisions, or 2.) Characters that have betrayed their values, beliefs, country, family or friends, for vengeance, money, or power.
My humble apologies if there are real people with these names out there. It’s not to cause offense to anybody, I’m just trying to get some parents to rethink their choices, because you’re upsetting the geek community. And that is dangerous….just kidding, no, it’s not. We’re harmless, apart from trivia nights, where we conquer all whom stand before us. Pity the fools.
Alright, let’s do it in alphabetically order, because I can’t think of a better way!
Anakin Aoyama Atomica Baelish Barriss Belloq Bellwether Bertholdt Black Adam Briony Brutus Caliban Cersei Claudius Cruella Cypher Daenerys Davros Demona Don John Dooku Ephialtes Fredo Gambit Ghirra Gin Goneril Gothel Hamlet Hans Iago Judas Kaede Kisma Kylo Loki Lotso Macbeth Madhouse Maeglin Meleoron Melkor Miek Mondego Morgoth Namor Nedry O’Brien O’Dim Obadiah Othello Palpatine Pettigrew Pong Prosset Reiner Roose Saruman Sauron Scar Severus Sinestro Smeagol Squard Starscream Stinky Pete Tandro Terra The Master Tyrion Valeris Vegeta Vizsla Volemort Vulko Walder Waller Waternoose Zuko
If you’re thinking of selecting a name from this list for your future child, please reconsider. Seriously, please rethink it. Don’t be a hipster; just trust a geek when I say: Your child will not thank you for it, nor will the geek community. Stay away from these names, like the Bog of Eternal Stench!
Did you recognise any names on the list? Do you think I missed some out? Please let me know your thoughts.
That’s another blog down, and a whole week to think of a new topic to rant about. Thanks for reading, wash your hands, and I’ll see you next week!
I want to talk about my relationship with The Sandman. Why? Because the Netflix TV show is getting released some time this year, so I thought now would be a great time to discuss the Lord of Dreams, and my relationship with him.
Let’s establish some facts first. When I say the Sandman, I am not referring to the Sandman, one of the villains in Spider-Man’s rogue’s gallery; one of the original members of the Sinister Six. You know, the sand guy from Spider-Man 3 and Spider-Man: No Way Home. It’s not that guy.
And no, I’m not referring to the Wesley Dodds, Garrett Sanford, Hector Hall, or Sandy Hawkins versions of the character, published by DC Comics; however great they are. I think you’re smart enough to know that I’m referring to the Sandman character from Vertigo/DC Comics; aka Dream of the Endless.
For those of you that have no idea about what I’m talking about; you’re not alone, it happens all the time. Just ask my wife, or UMC1 and UMC2. In the shortest summary of the character I can do justice to, The Sandman was the titular character of a comic book that was published by Vertigo/DC Comics, from 1989-1996.
The series was created by Neil Gaiman, with Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, Todd Klein, Dave McKean, and many more.1 The Lord of Dreams and his siblings, The Endless, have appeared in multiple stories over the years, but also with characters from the Dreaming.
The Sandman #6
Alright, I have to veer off for a moment to discuss something. Yes, it’s another thing, sorry. The rest of this blog will not be donated in listing the different awards the series has won; or the cultural impacts on society it’s made, or a deconstruction analysis of the characters.
This is about my relationship with Dream; along with his dysfunctional family, and what they mean to me.
It all started with fear. I’ve been reading comic books for a long time, and over the years, I’ve dabbled in superhero, fantasy, horror, science fiction, western, and literary comics; and sadly, many others.
The point I’m very badly making, is that while I was reading all of these different titles and genres; I had never read The Sandman. To be honest, it was because I was afraid of it. Wow, this will take some explaining!
When The Sandman was being published, three things were happening to me:
1.) I had just started reading monthly comics.
2.) Through advertisement in magazines and comics, I slowly started to hear more about The Sandman.
3.) There was no way The Sandman was available to read, in my home town. Because of this, I was an observer to the never ending critical acclaim for the series, in magazines, newspapers, comics, and eventually the internet.
After moving to the South Island’s titan city of Christchurch, and years of falling into the rabbit hole of comic books, the media had given me the impression that the Sandman series was for two different kinds of people; it was a comic book for people that didn’t read comic books, and also it was a comic book for intelligent people.
It was for this stupid reason, that I had built up an image of what I thought The Sandman was: something that if I read it, I wouldn’t understand it. I hate not understanding something, so my fear was I would feel like an idiot during and after reading it.
“I don’t need to read a comic book to make me feel stupid, I can do that all myself.” That was my policy moving forward. I would avoid reading The Sandman, because I felt it will just make me feel stupid.
This carried on for years, until I found myself living back in Christchurch. One fateful day, I was looking at a very famous auction based New Zealand website, when I saw The Sandman #1 for $15 NZD. I really wanted to look away from it, but it was like passing a car accident; I couldn’t stop looking at it.
As the story goes, I ended up purchasing the issue. When it arrived, I made the awkward decision that I would actually read it. And I did and I loved it. This led me to read the trades from the library, but they didn’t have the entire collection.
This of course meant only one thing; if I wanted to continue reading the story of Dream, and if the library was unable to stock the missing trades…I was going to have to search the globe and buy the single issues.
And that is precisely what I did. I searched familiar and new websites for back issues, and even though it took me a few years, I managed to complete the series, so I could actually continue reading it. When I had collected all of them, I went back and started reading again, caught up to the point where I had to previously stop, then I kept going.
Because of this, and in my humble opinion, the story was astounding. For me, The Sandman transformed what was possible for the medium, but also for the scope of the project. From the writing, the art, inking, colouring, and the lettering, The Sandman had become an instant classic for me.
I’ve always been a slow starter, so I felt it was on point that it took me years to finally catch up with the world, on their love for The Sandman. The funny thing is that while I was reading about Dream and his world, I never felt stupid. It was honestly the opposite.
So what positive impacts has The Sandman had on me? Not counting the previously two paragraphs; it would be these:
1.) I’ve read comics through trades via the library before, and have been unable to finish the story; but this was the first time, I went out and purchased the comics, BECAUSE I needed to know how the story ended.
2.) My taste in comics has changed, because I have been more open minded about new titles. If a new title sounds and looks interesting, I’m going to try it. If it turns out that I don’t like it, then I’ll know. I am not going to have another Sandman on my hands, where I’ll think that I’m beneath the comic.
3.) Usually at some weddings, there are readings made from famous literature, to celebrate the union, like from the Bible, or a poem or a song. I asked my sister to read out Rose Walker’s Have you ever been in love? speech from The Sandman. Not the whole speech, but enough to drive the message home. Yes, The Sandman was quoted at my wedding.
4.) For the naming of UMC2, female and male names were discussed, because we didn’t want to know the gender of the baby. For the boy’s name, I campaigned hard for Daniel. Not Dan, or Danny, but Daniel. If UMC2 was going to be a boy, I really wanted him to be named after Dream. He didn’t of course, because I had to compromise by giving him a Jedi name, but the desire was there.2
5.) With any new projects connected to TheSandman or TheDreaming getting released, I’m going to buy them. Always. I’m a fan for life now.
6.) We don’t have Netflix, but I’m still excited that The Sandman has been adapted. I have no idea how I’ll ever watch the show, but after showing my wife the trailer, she mentioned that she had never read the series, and since I had the entire single issue collection, she asked if she could read mine.
I pretended not to hear her, until I gave her the reply, “I love you, but please don’t make me answer that question.You may not like the answer.”
If you have never read The Sandman, don’t be like me and put it off. After reading this blog, go out into this crazy world and find it. Your future self will thank you.
I want to talk about One Punch Man. Why? Because I’ve fallen in love with the series and not ashamed to admit it. It’s become a guilty pleasure of mine now, for better or worse. For those people out there that have never heard of One Punch Man; 1.) I’m sorry to hear that, and 2.) I’ll explain what it’s all about.
The story of One Punch Man started off as a webcomic, then transitioned to magna (print) anime (television) video games and a live action movie, which is being developed. One Punch Man was created by ONE1 and Yusuke Murata; while the manga has sold over 30 million copies and has been translated into several different languages.
Image by Some Geek Told Me
So, who or what exactly is One Punch Man?One Punch Man follows the story of a man named Saitama, that has trained and developed his body to a point that he has become so absurdly strong, that he can defeat any opponent with only one punch. He has also gained super speed and invulnerability through his training.
For his training, Saitama spent three years completing the same daily fitness workout: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, a 10 km run, as well eating healthy food, and not using the air conditioner or heater to reinforce his mental toughness. This training regime transformed Saitama into quite possibly, the strongest person in the world, but at the cost of his hair falling out, and slowly being disconnected from emotions.
There are many more facets about Saitama and his world, that I could explain to you, but I feel a lot of that can be found on other websites. Because of this, I want to talk about why I actually like this series, whether it’s the manga or anime.
I have the first 21 volumes of the manga, while the 22nd and 23rd volumes are still on pre-order for me. I have also watched both seasons of the anime, so I can come at this from both mediums. It’s just so much fun and entertaining! To me it’s just a guilty pleasure, it’s just so much fun.
I love how Saitama has deep and philosophical questions about himself, his role as a hero, as well as his place in the world. I find this very refreshing to see this coming from a protagonist, because Saitama is actually a complex character. He’s bored and he’s trying to find some adventure and bring meaning to his life. I think that’s awesome, I really do.
Another thing I love about the series; regardless if we talking about the manga or anime, is the fact that there are strong background characters. I mean, they really are amazing. There could be many spinoffs from these characters. I mean, I would love to have a backstory for Speed-o’-Sound Sonic; or for some of the Class S heroes, especially Pig God.
I also love the ranking system for the heroes, which I feel is very original and quite innovating, because it shows you superheroes from a completely different prospective and in my humble opinion; it works, it really works.
I don’t know if the ranking system could have been pulled off in American comics, because it would possibly come off as nonsensical. However, I think this is one of the advantages manga has over American and Western comics.
Sorry, I just love this series. Whenever I get a new volume, I try to make it a priority and read it within the first week; but usually, I go back and read the previous volume beforehand. This is because, it could have been four-eight months since I read the series, so it’s better to refresh myself with the story again.
I love how with the Class S heroes, everyone is quite different and they all have various motivations; and since I’ve already mentioned him, take Pig God for example. From what I have read and seen about him, he defeats his villains by eating them; that’s completely horrifying and hilarious at the same time.
Also there’s Puri-Puri Prisoner; he’s an amazing character because of his Angel Style fighting move, which can only be performed naked and the fact that he has a harem of men. He likes being in prison, because he’s closer to his “honies”. He is wickedly funny.
This series is so much fun, it’s rare for me to be reading something that makes me laugh so much. The series is so hilarious and it works, because Saitama is not a serious character, but Genos is. I feel the fact that these two have become heroes for different reasons, actually works in their favour, when working together. They are actually learning from each other.
There have been some magnificent scenes in the series, but I think one of best ones, is the practice fight between Saitama and Genos, especially in the anime. Reading it in the manga was brilliant, but to see it translated into anime, was simply just awe inspiring; it seriously was.
It was one of the coolest fight scenes I have ever witnessed; at one point Genos was fighting Saitama’s after images, and then displaying just how unbelievably and ridiculously overpowered Saitama is, his non-connecting thrown punch caused mountains to be smashed. It’s absurd and awesome at the same time. I can’t say enough about this series, I love it, I really really love it.
I feel that One Punch Man; just like Invincible, has added something to the superhero genre. The dialogue is funny, the art is exquisite and you can’t but help root for Saitama; not just to win, but because you are watching his internal growth.
One Punch Man is more than a comical or superhero spoof, it’s intelligent and it’s also very hilarious. This could be very naive of me to say, but I feel this series can make a lot of people happy.
And isn’t that the reason for storytelling; to make people think about things and themselves, but also to be entertained and One Punch Man does this. It doesn’t matter how long this series exists, I’m in for the long haul.
I can’t forget to mention about everybody’s fighting styles. Some of these are the best sounding names, this side of the Dragon Ball Saga. Lion Slash Meteor Shower, Tank Top Tackle, Void Shaking Tiger Fist, Hell Storm, and Collapsing Star Roaring Cannon, are just some of the epic fighting styles.
I think when it comes to One Punch Man, Saitama has become one of the new faces of superheroes in the 21st century; along with Class S, Class A, Class B, Class C heroes, and the monsters too.
I also think it would be a mistake for me to not discuss Mumen Rider. I think he is Class C, Rank 1 and to me, I think he is one of the most outstanding characters in the series.
This is because he has no powers; he is a rider for justice! When he turns up for a fight, he’s got his bicycle helmet, goggles and his bike, and that’s it. He get his arse kicked very single time, but that’s not what I like about him.
The reason is that they’ve created a character, that whenever there is someone that needs help, or if there is a crisis, Mumen Rider is usually the first person to put his hand up or the first person to turn up. Even though he is going to lose, he still turns up, which is actually extremely heroic.
One Punch Man is a series I only discovered 3 years ago, but it’s now become one of the greatest titles in my reading diet. If you have already read or seen One Punch Man, let me know. If you haven’t, do yourself a favour and correct that mistake.
Thanks for reading and I’ll see you soon.
1 ONE originally created the webcomic, then Murata came on board as the artist for the manga.
SOME GEEK TOLD ME 
#/media/File:KevinO'Neill6.13.09ByLuigiNovi.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
You must be logged in to post a comment.