Thank God for Disney Villains

     So, there I was, sitting in my chair watching TV and eating my dinner.  The dog was sitting on the floor next to my throne, watching intently and waiting for the smallest of crumbs to fall within her eager reach.  I smiled as I watched Ickey Woods doing his celebratory dance for some cold cuts.  Then the screen changed and my attention was immediately drawn in to the images and the voice on the screen.  It was one of my favorite things...a MOVIE TRAILER!
 
     Anyone that's been to the movies with me knows that one of my favorite parts of actually going to the theater to see the movie....is the previews!  It's like you get four or five mini movies before the movie you are actually there to see.  And yes...I'm that guy who will tell the person I'm with, "That looks bad ass.  It's on the list."  I don't mind talking during the previews...they are not the movie.   I do believe there's a special hell for people that talk or use their cell phones during the actual movie.  It's a dark place, where they force you to watch re-runs of Cop Rock for all eternity.

   But, I digress...back to the topic at hand...  

     I was in my recliner and I was watching the trailer for Nightcrawler, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Renee Russo.  It was touted as  one of Gyllenhaal's most commanding and career defining performances.  The clips that they strung together for that trailer were great.  They did their job well.  I was interested.

Gyllenhaal gives a stunning performance, but the plot of Nightcrawler, left me in the dark.

     I decided to go see Nightcrawler in the theaters.  The trailer was right.  Gyllenhaal gave a powerful performance.  He was interesting to watch and at certain points, I almost felt for the character he played...regardless of how psycho he was.

     Unfortunately...that's where the praise ends. 

     I spent about two hours wondering when the conflict was going to happen.  What was the point to this movie?  I admit, it was intriguing...they hooked me with the strange character and brooding mood of the film.  But once I was hooked in...they failed to reel me in and keep me interested.

     There were moments in the movie that I wanted the story to circle back around to...that I wanted to see "what happened with that" later on.  It never happened.  I will try not to give anything away...but I have to say, the detective in the movie was so bad at her job that it crossed to the realm of unbelievable.  I'm sure there are inept cops out there....but you don't make movies about them. 

     Let's not forget about the stalking/sexual harassment issues that never seem to be fully addressed.  I mean...c'mon!  In this day and age, that plot point alone could have added so much to the story.  But...like much of the plot...it was somewhat glossed over.  Again...I questioned the writing.

     I left the theater disappointed to say the least.  I felt confused, and frustrated.  It was one of those, "Why did I pay to watch that?" kind of moments.  I have to say, I will never consider a movie very good if I walk out with more questions than I walked in with.    A strong character performance, and interesting cinematography are not enough to make up for an aimless plot full of holes and a weak story.

     I had hope though...that cinema wasn't dead.  And a couple weeks later, I went to see another film that seemed well reviewed.  Again, the trailers for it had me curious...for various reasons.  The classic murder mystery with what seemed like a unique twist (according to the trailers)...what's not to love?  So, I was off to see Gone Girl.

     I thought I would take the shot and see Ben Affleck perform in something OTHER than a Kevin Smith flick.  He did well.  As a matter of fact...compared to Nightcrawler, I felt like I was watching a Scorsese masterpiece.  That is, however...ONLY compared to Nightcrawler.  So Gone Girl kept me much more engaged.  I saw an actual story developing.  There were even points when I thought I had it figured out, just to have the story twist and throw me for a loop...questioning my arm chair detective skills.

A pretty good thriller with a twist ending.  The twist...no one liked the ending.

     However, there was a pretty distinct point in the film when I lost the intrigue and got frustrated.  Once again...plot holes started to develop and things started going down hill.  I feel like, where Nightcrawler tried to emphasize the odd character over plot, Gone Girl's mistake was trying to make the twist SO different that it lost the desired effect.  When it feels like the writers are trying too hard, that's when the magic of the movie is gone.  To be lost in the story requires my mind to accept what's happening...or at least be so enthralled that the implausible seems acceptable.

     Perhaps I was being too critical.  Perhaps I'm being too much of a movie snob about this.  But I asked around.  I wasn't the only one that felt that way.  Especially about Gone Girl.  The general consensus was that it was good...but no one liked the way it ended.  I completely agree.

     So I was losing faith in modern cinema.  I contemplated what may be going on.  Is Hollywood trying too hard to shock us?  Are they focusing on the bizarre and not the story itself?  Or are they trying to tell us a story that hasn't been told yet?  Either way...I feel like they are falling short.  For some time now, movies have been hit or miss...and there have been more misses than big hits! I was losing faith in the movies.

     They say that there is no such thing as an original story idea anymore.  I'm not sure I one hundred percent believe that.  But I DO agree that a truly original story is very RARE indeed.  The thing is, I don't have a problem with that.  My philosophy...when it comes to story telling....is not so much the story you tell, but HOW you tell it.  Sure, the idea that is being shared may be as old as stories themselves...but if it's told in a way that captures the imagination and loses the reader/viewer in the story itself...it's a good story.

     And that's what I look for.  I've heard war stories...we've all heard war stories.  But when Saving Private Ryan came out, the world was amazed...because of how that war story was told.  I recently saw Fury, with Brad Pitt...and I feel the same.  This was a well told war story.  I am sure I could relate, having been through the darkness of war myself.  I liked how they focused on the Tank Crew as a family....dysfunctional as they may be...they were a family.  I left the theater feeling like I saw a GOOD, well told story.

Based on a true story, Fury takes you to some dark places in war, with some solidly portrayed stock characters.

     I thought about it, though.  That was a true story (as many war movies are).  So of course it's going to be a bit more solid in the sense of plot and what not.  Character development is often times glossed over in these stories.  I would say that was generally the case in Fury as well.  The characters we meet in the beginning of the movie are the same ones we see as it comes to a close...not much has changed in them.  We didn't get much back story, and we don't see any big epiphany moments.  Save for the young 'rookie' on the crew.  That's where the character development happened for this film.  I feel like it was he and he alone that changed through the movie.

     Still....going into it, knowing it was a true story...I felt like it was generally well done, and made up a little bit for the two previous fiascos I wasted my time with.  It wasn't an original story...but it was told well.

     My faith was restored, however, by the most unlikely of movies.  I know I was more than surprised...pleasantly...by my own reaction to the next movie I saw.  It was exactly what I needed.  A NEW way to tell an old story.  Well written, with amazing character development.  And of course, the cinematography was gorgeous.

     I watched...and was enthralled...as I found myself rooting for one of the most infamous villains in fairy tale history.  I wasn't cheering for the prince...I was wholeheartedly cheering for Maleficent!

     We all know the story.  Upon her birth, the young Princess Aurora, AKA Sleeping Beauty, was bestowed with gifts by fairies.  Enter Maleficent...the evil sorceress who was jealous that she wasn't invited to the party.  She curses Aurora....the curse takes effect....Aurora is saved by Prince Phillip, after a battle with Maleficent.  They all live happily ever after.

    But....is that how it all really happened?

Pure evil personified.  But did we ever think about WHY she was that way?

     Maleficent takes a look at that classic tale of Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the villain.  I loved the concept.  I loved the development.  How did Maleficent become such a horrible, cold, and evil person that she would curse a BABY?  And...if the story isn't quite how we know it...what is the true ending?

     Disney nailed it on this one.  They hit all the points.  Character development, story telling, creativity, and cinematography.  For a self proclaimed sci-fi and action movie junkie...I was shocked that I liked it so much.  But what Maleficent did...what they did right....was simply tell a really good story.  Again...it wasn't anything new.  We know that story.  But the way they told it...was simply amazing.

Everyone has a story....even the most despicable of Villains.

     Movies are meant to entertain.  They are an escape.  Movies bring families together for a couple hours, or get friends out of the house for an evening.  Perhaps Hollywood needs to remember that it's not the special effects, or the surprise endings, or the shock factor that brings us to the movies.  All they need to do, is tell a good story.

     All the special effects, all the twist endings, all the crazy characters are lost...if the story is just not told very well.  It's a shame that such talented actors can give such strong performances that, due to a poorly written script, are over shadowed by lack of plot or poor story telling.

     In a world of Hollywood thrillers and blockbusters, edge of your seat action and strange characters, all I have to say is...Thank God for Disney Villains.

Sarge,
Out

Get My Geek On

Nerd. Dork. Geek. Dweeb.

     These are but a few of the names that I...and those like me...have been called all my life.  Being different made me the target of much ridicule. And, I admit...I was different.  My imagination worked non stop.  I was a day dreamer...doodling the images from my head in the margin of my school work.  I would fill notebooks with stories that I thought of while I should have been doing my Spanish homework.  

     What I did not know...what most of the nerds and geeks that grew up with me did not know...was that people like us have a place that we can call our own. Not only can we go and get our geek on in a completely judgement free environment...but our Nerditude is celebrated!

     While sports fans have their Super Bowls and World Series (which I love...but, more as an excuse to party...and less for the actual game)...Nerds have Comic Con!  It is the one time a year where we can gather en mass and celebrate all things Comic, pop culture, and Nerd.

Hey....you costumed Nerds!  I've got something to say....

COMIC CON IS COMING!!

     I love going to Comic Con...then again, I have no problem celebrating my inner...and outer...Nerd year round.  It is good, however, to have a place to go and just straight geek out with other like minded individuals.  I have made it a tradition to go to Comic Con every year with my son (The Punk).  I was only able to have him with me on Sunday this year, so I also tagged along with my friend James (Bro) for the weekend.  Spending time with both of them was really fun. That, truly is the best part of the whole event, for me.

     Enough of that sentimental crap.  Back on topic!

     As with most things, I have my favorite parts of Comic Con and there are parts I would like to see....improved upon.

     One of my favorite parts of the whole convention, is that anyone can come dressed up as anything....and no one really cares!  Yes...I have gone to Comic Con in costume, and I loved it.  Costume clad comic and entertainment aficionados ...or Cosplayers....are a staple of the Con.  They range from someone wearing a character t-shirt and a mask, to full blown...hand made suits of armor with lights and sounds.  (Literally, all the bells and whistles.)

     I tip my hat to the creativity and dedication that hardcore Cosplayers put into their costumes each year.  While many Convention attendees go in costume...only a few actually achieve what I would consider 'cosplay' status.   Don't get me wrong.  If someone spends the money on a good Halloween costume and wears it to Comic Con, I salute you for your enthusiasm for your favorite character.  (Except, maybe the Tarzan guy....the old dude who wore nothing but a leather flap over his man parts and butt crack....and that's IT.  I could have gone my whole life not seeing that and being perfectly happy....)  As far as everyone else...Halloween costumes included... I love that you did it.  However...in this guy's humble opinion, store bought doesn't have the same impact as scratch building your costume has.

     The best cosplayers start their costumes months, if not a full year, before the Convention even starts.  Their creativity and talent blow me away.  The details they put into each costume reveal just how dedicated they are to the character and how big a fan they are.  And one of my favorite things to see, is when they twist a concept and make a recognizable character their own.

    I spent some time taking pictures at this years Convention.  Ok...let's be honest.  The first two days of the Con were filled with nothing but taking pictures and meeting the independent artists and publishers (more on that in a little bit.) I have added some examples of the costumes/Cosplay that were wandering the Convention hall. And then there's the Annual Comic Con Costume Contest.  This is always The Punk's favorite part.  Bro is a big fan, too.  So we headed to the contest hall and took our seats.  I took so many pictures that my camera battery died and I had to end the day Sunday taking pics with my iPhone.

     So, essentially...the costumes fall into BOTH categories....one of my favorite parts of Comic Con, AND one of the things that could be improved upon.  What follows is just a sampling of the hundreds of costumes we saw throughout the entire weekend.  I'll leave it up to you to decide how good or bad each comic fan did with their versions of these characters.  I personally pass no judgement....(except toward Tarzan guy...).  I am simply a fan of the fans.

     

 

 

               
 

 

 

 

 

      But it's not all about the cosutmes.  The backbone of the Convention is the comics themselves...and all things comics related.

     That's the other part of the Convention that I want to focus on, the one that is near and dear to my heart.   There is a plethora of highly talented independent artists and publishers that form nearly half the convention floor.  I am consistently blown away by the pure talent that is on display in "Artist Alley."  Independent artists are the heart and soul of the Comic world.  Every big name title out there is drawn by someone who started out as independent.  And I honestly believe the independent artist and publishers are not given enough credit or spotlight.

     So that's what I'm going to do...

     I walked the floor in awe.  I talked to MANY artists and publishers.  From small, two man outfits that literally operate out of basements, to bigger independents that have multiple titles and series....I soaked it all in.  They were all inspiring and renewed my belief in what I do as a writer/artist.

     One of the publishers/writers I met was Odd Truth Publishing.  I was intrigued by the title of their book, Torchbearer.  After talking to Victoria Rodriguez and Torchbearer creator Nicolas Dedual, I found that their story was something I could be really interested in. They took familiar Cyberpunk/sci fi themes....corporations gaining too much power, political unrest, and a dark future...and expanded it to an interstellar level.  The art is very well done and the story, while familiar, is told in a way that piqued my interests.  I just had to find out how, exactly, a corporation can buy an entire solar system.  Check them out here to see what they are all about.

     Another publisher I want to spotlight is Big Dog Ink.  Writer/Creator Tom Hutchison uses BDI to do something that I absolutely love...taking the familiar stories we all know and making them their own.  I first came across them at last year's Comic Con, where their title, "The Legend of Oz, the Wicked West" caught my eye.  They took the familiar story of Dorothy Gale being swept off to the land of Oz, and twisted it into an amazing Wild West fantasy adventure.  Again, the artwork was lovely...but it was the story that caught my attention. 

     Last year, Big Dog got me with "The Legend of Oz."  I took one look at the book and was hooked.  This year, I discovered Critter....their super hero title.  It's an'old school' take on the costumed super hero, which I find refreshing in an industry that is saturated with horror, suspense, and crime/political drama titles.  I bought all four volumes, and The Punk picked up the "In Crowd" trade paperback...which has a tie in with Critter.

    Big Dog carries several titles, all of which are interesting, creative...and fun!  Stories like, Shahrazad (an interesting take on the Arabian Queen from 1001 Arabian Nights), Oz, Ursa Minor, and Penny for Your Soul (about a Demon who wants in on the End of Days war....) grab the reader with stunning cover art, and then keeps them enthralled with innovative story telling and continued amazing art on the inside.   Big Dog Ink is easily one of my favorite creator owned publishers at the Convention.  As a matter of fact, watch this blog for a full review of the company at a later date.  Until then...check them out at the link below and buy some of their books.

     Click Here for Big Dog Ink's Homepage.

     Another indie publisher that caught my eye was FarCorners Studios.  They also had a super hero title out.  Their giant Team Genesis banner was the first thing I noticed.  A picture of the team, in the classic team pose, grabbed my attention.  I decided to speak with the Editor in Chief and writer of Team Genesis, Lincoln Farquharson.  A story teller all his life, he now has the opportunity to tell his stories through comics at FarCorners.  With beautiful art and an interesting storyline, you should check out their page here, and see what the FarCorners Universe is all about.

      Bro is a huge fan of reading books.  I mean, real books with few or NO pictures....just words.  Lots of words.  He likes Comic Con for what it is, but isn't the biggest of comic fans.  This is a fact I enjoyed pointing out frequently all weekend by quizing him on who people were dressed as, or if he knew what comic certain action figures were from.  He got me back, however when it came to other Geekly Wisdom....such as characters from games or books that I hadn't read yet.

     So...as he is the resident book worm of my group of friends, I make it a habit to take Bro's advice when it comes to which novels I should read.  This is doubly true when he has RAVE reviews of new reading material.  This was the case at Comic Con.

     Bro went to AwesomeCon in Washington, D.C. earlier this year.  I, regretfully, was unable to attend.  While he was there, he bought a single book.  Apparently once he opened it and started reading, he couldn't put it down.  He read the whole thing in a weekend.  And then proceeded to tell me all about it.  The book was called the Shadow of the Gauntlet, by Casey Caracciolo.  Here's what Bro had to say about it.

     "Werewolves. Magic. Robots. Vampires. Cybernetic Dragons. Gene manipulated bats.  Each one has been the basis for a novel, or even the spawn of entire genres and yet, all of these things, and more are in Shadow of the Gauntlet.  It sounds like it is too much for one book.  And it is.  That's the good thing about this story.  It's the beginning of a series that I am very excited to follow.  The characters are as varied and colorful as you can possibly ask for, and the world building that went into the story is commendable.  There are allusions to back stories that, hopefully, will show up later in the series, and there is a history to this world that is not our own and which I look forward to reading more about.  All in all, I found the book entertaining and a bit of a tease, because now I am looking forward to finding the answers to some of the questions left unanswered in the first installment."

     As Bro and I walked, we were stopped in our tracks and found ourselves gawking at some truly stunning art.  Bold, dark images of familiar characters, done in a style that invoked true emotion hung on the display in front of us.  And to the side, the artist was working on an original piece, right there....hand painting it on a pane of glass!  It was truly incredible.  The artist is CJ Draden.  The artwork is stunning.  He even has a graphic novel out.  Check out "The Wooden Heart, A Pinochio Story" here.

CJ Draden painting on glass

     There were so many other artists and publishers that I was literally overwhelmed and not sure if I could talk to everyone I wanted to, let alone see ALL the artists that were there.  I shook off the overwhelming sensations, and throughout the weekend, made my way across the entire floor.  I stopped and talked to many of the artists and publishers.  I tried to show my support to ALL of them in one way or another.  I don't think the internet is big enough for me to write even just a paragraph about every amazing person I met this weekend.

     BUT, I do think it would be an injustice to not mention everyone I talked to and share their links with you all.  After all, if those of us that are doing this on our own....independent and proud....can't stick together and support each other, how can we ever hope to make our dreams come true?

     So, in the interest of support, fandom, and flat out AWE at some really amazing talent, here are the links to these artists sites.  Check them out.  Support them.  Even if it's just looking at their page and telling them how awesome you think they are.  Trust me....we check that kind of stuff...and it helps...A LOT!

     Chris Campana:  Amazing art, and a very unique and interesting story.  Check out First World at Firstworldcomic.com.

     For some very cool prints and designs from some awesome '80s pulp icons, ESPECIALLY the classic TRANSFORMERS, check out www.facebook.com/mythsandheroes.  They also do a Transformers podcast.  You can find it on You Tube at Shateredcastuncut.

   Join Lyssa Peate, otherwise known as the pirate bounty hunter Razia, as she balances piracy and planet explorations, her family and new friends, and traverses the uncharted territory of her own heart.  Read more about S. Usher Evans' book "Double Life" here: www.susherevans.com/book-info

     Advent Comics has several titles and the art looked very well done.  Check them out at www.adventcomics.com.

     There were several other artists that turned my head.  Here are their links.

     Brian Hoang: facebook.com/brihoangdraws
     Chris Judge: brightspiralcomic.com
     Keron Grant: kerongrant.net
     Maureen Stewart: facebook.com/designbystew
     Mervyn McCoy: paperlabstudios.com
     Deron Bennett: he can be reached at dbennett@andworlddesign.com

    A couple indie publishers:

     TJ Comics: TJcomics.com
     RCS Comics: www.RSCcomic.com
     Brian Vissagio (writer) and Kevin Roberts (artist) from Redline Comics: the-stronghold.net
   
     This is a fun and free web comic strip by Don J. Morgan for all you movie buffs/film fanatics out there:  filmsvsmoviescomic.com

Check out Caleb "Clive" Lee's WWII spy novel, "Coral Hale: Atomic Agent" at coralhale.com.

     What's a fan without their T-Shirts?  There are several unique clothing companies that provide some really cool shirts and other clothing that you don't see all the time.  Here are a couple.

     Little Petal designs convertible dresses inspired by Comic characters.  Check them out here, LittlePetal.net.
     For some really fun and unique shirts, check out TeeMinus24.com,  I've already got my "Rogers 2016" campaign shirt ordered.  Because, yes...I believe the US needs Captain America to lead the way.

     All in all, it was a great weekend.  I spent time networking and getting to know some wickedly talented artists, writers, and all around creative people.  They are an inspiration to me, and to so many others.  I left the event feeling ready to write the next great American Novel, blog for days about it, and draw at least a dozen new comic characters I thought up while I was walking the convention floor.

 

 

     I enjoyed the time with The Punk, and with Bro.  It's definitely a fun way to bond.  My absolute favorite part of the weekend was watching the Punk search bin after bin of back issues of comics to find the ONE that he needed to complete a story arc, and it made me smile.  And, when he finally found that issue...and the pure joy that crossed his face...well, I totally understood.  Because all weekend, at Baltimore Comic Con, I was that 13 year old fan boy all over again...and it was really good to get my Geek on.

Sarge,
Out