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by J. Brent Stewart
Marvel Minimates were a block-figure collecting geek’s dream come true. But with the Marvel Minimates came an oft-repeated question: where were the DC guys?
At the time, DC was still making its own in-house mini-figure line, Pocket Super Heroes. I may do another article on this failed line at some point, but the fact is that while they did have a certain charm, the lack of articulation and accessories, and the higher price point, doomed the line from the get-go, while Minimates flourished.
Then, suddenly, a bolt from the blue: Art Asylum would be making DC Minimates! But…there was a catch!
You see, due to the various licensing deals held by both publishers and toy companies (Toy Biz, Mattel, Playalong, etc.), Marvel Minimates had to be an exact size (2 inches, no taller), and COULD NOT HAVE VEHICLES. This is why your Green Goblin can’t have a glider, friends. However, Silver Surfer somehow managed to squeak past the watchdogs with his board. Maybe they told people it was an ironing board, and that he was Iron(ing) Man.
Get it?
See, it’s funny because…ok, screw you…
Anyway, in an appropriately Bizarro twist, we could have DC Minimates…but they could ONLY BE SOLD AS PART OF A CONSTRUCTION SET.
Build it yourself
So, no vehicles for Marvel Minimates, but you could buy two figures for about $5-$7, and be happy.
Meanwhile, the only way you could get DC figures was with C3 building blocks, with even the smallest sets starting out around $10.
There was a great deal of wailing, teeth gnashing, garment rending, and the internet breaking in half, and when the dust settled…well, some of us liked the C3, and some didn’t.
Me? I loved ‘em!
I was a huge Lego fan as a kid, spending countless hours totally disregarding the instructions, building my own fantasy worlds and characters. While I’m too old and cranky to do that these days, I still find these sets very appealing, as I do the Star Wars Lego stuff.
C3 (Create, Construct, Customize…I believe) building blocks are “compatible with other popular building sets”. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Lincoln Logs! But of course, you’re wrong, and deserve to be locked in a garden shed.
The rest of us recognize them for what they are: knock-off Legos. The “L” word is never mentioned anywhere, but these are Legos, folks, and you can use them with Legos. No shit.
The difference is that some of the plastic seems a bit flimsy (I had this problem with a couple of kits, but not at all with others, so who knows?) but otherwise you already know how these things work.
The initial wave of C3 kits consisted of:
Four Smaller Sets:
Chemical Factory Playset w/ Joker and Batman (Animated Style)
I guess if you had a little red hood to put on the Joker, this would be more appropriate. Still, not too shabby. Has a cool little crane arm than you can dangle Bats on, and a cauldron that you can throw the Joker into, recreating your favorite moments from “Killing Joke” or “Tim Burton’s Prince’s Batman”. Comes with Joker and Batman. Yay!
Darkseid, Superman and the Joker
Bat-Glider with Catwoman (comic style) and Batman (funky suit)
I don’t remember Bats ever using a glider like this, but it’s still a pretty cool design. He comes in some sort of funky flight suit, that looks not unlike the Guyver. Catwoman is here in her contemporary Darwyn Cooke get-up, complete with whip and nutsack…what? It’s a “money bag”? Sure. Sure it is.
Catwoman (with grapple, whip, and scrotum), Batman, Robin (w/ staff)
Mini Batmobile w/ Batman & Robin (comic style)
! I’m a sucker for Batmobiles, and this is a nice one. The mini-version is mostly bright blue, has a neat feature which makes the turbine flame turn as you roll the wheels, and comes with comic-style Robin (with suction cup grapple and bow-staff) and Batman. Recreate private fantasies where Batman forgets that Robin was working on the muffler, and crushes his head while peeling out of the Batcave!
Mini Batmobile
Apocalypse Throneroom w/ Superman and Darkseid
The only non-Bat piece in the initial C3 line is pretty cool. Superman is an obvious choice, but Darkseid??? Who woulda thought? He’s really cool, and even has a plastic skirt, like in the comics! He’s a crossdresser! And it’s cool!
The Throne Room takes an odd twist when you find that behind the throne is a torture chamber where skirt-wearing Darkseid can shackle Supes in kryptonite chains, and beat the bejeezus out of him. There’s also a neat transparent plastic “flight” stand which makes for a pretty cool flying effect.
Kryptonian S&M Dungeon Playset
The smaller kits retailed for about $10 at mass-market, a little more in direct-market shops.
Three larger kits:
Batwing w/ Pilot Batman
This is the one I haven’t bought yet, because it’s so omnipresent, I’m waiting until TRU decides to give me a case of them for free. It’s a cool design, and Bats comes in a “pilot” outfit, but for whatever reason, it’s a shelfwarmer.
Batmobile w/ Batman (comic)
! This is the king of the line, as far as I’m concerned. Sure, that throne room is cool, what with the Kryptonian S&M chamber and all, but this piece is too cool for school!
The color scheme is not exactly the same as what is shown on the box, and actually trends a bit darker, going with the dark blues and greys and blacks. Which is fine.
This is a classic, fat-nosed, big-winged style Batmobile, with cool turbine boosters that double as rocket launchers. And Batman comes with SUPER SCARY BAT-CAPE, for total display value. REALLY nice piece, and relatively the hardest to find in the set (though I still picked mine up on clearance at K-Mart for $12).
Batmobile
Batcave w/ Batman, Bruce Wayne, Joker
Wait, remember all that stuff I said about the Batmobile being best? I automatically rescind that nonsense when faced with the awesomeness which is the Batcave Playset.
Now, early on, there was a lot of complaining on the message boards because the thing was so hard to assemble. This was because, OOPSY, the instructions weren’t exactly right! In later editions AA fixed the instructional booklet, and also offered advice on their website on how to not give yourself a heart attack while trying to put this thing together.
Personally, I had six heart attacks, but it was worth it. All in all it took me about six hours to put it together, but that’s largely because I got about halfway through, accidentally dropped it (causing it to shatter back into its component pieces), threw the remaining intact portion against the wall, and spent three hours under the couch, quietly sobbing. A more rational person should be able to get it together in a much shorter time.
And once it’s done, boy is it ever worth it! You get the mansion façade (complete with secret Bat-phone and clock elevator!), a second level with a cool display case for his extra Bat costumes, and the true BatCave level, which has a huge super-computer with swiveling chair, and an exercise room with some sort of pommel horse. There’s also another Bat-figure, a Bruce Wayne, and yet another Joker (no Alfred???)
The playability on this thing is out of the world. If I was a kid I would have crapped my pants twice.
Batcave
Launching with the line was a ComicCon exclusive (which is now available at Tower, AFX, etc) Stealth Batwing jet, which is the same as the other large Batwing, only this one is cast in transluscent blue plastic. The thing originally sold for about $40, but can be found pretty cheap now.
Stealth Batwing (in bright blue!)
At last year’s toy fair there was a lot of C3 hubbub, with a wave of “miniflyers” (which would allow the non-builders a shot at DC Mini’s with smaller, cheaper construction sets), more JLU, more Batman tv show and comic stuff, and of course, Batman Begins!
Nightwing MiniFlyer
However, as the initial wave sat on the shelves, and were eventually clearanced out, AA grew quiet. What would happen to our beloved C3?
Unfortunately, the most recent Toy Fair confirmed what we already believed to be true: A few new sets would be released (that were already in production), but the future was bleak, with the possibility of Batman Begins sets being released.
Since then we’ve seen neither hide nor hair of Batman Begins C3, or any other sets, but we DID get a nice send-off wave, should this be the end of the road:
Mini-Javelin w/ Martian Manhunter and Flash
A nice little Javelin jet, with two awesome Minimates: Flash and Martian Manhunter! And to make it even cooler, they have a hair piece for Wally, and a conehead thing for J’onn, which you can exchange for their normal mask/forehead. Cool! Of course, this just makes me ache even more for Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the rest of the JLA, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Heroes...unmasked!
Batcycle w/ Batman and Manbat (“The Batman” cartoon version)
This is the crappy Manbat from the crappy “The Batman” cartoon, but the bike itself is pretty nice.
Batcopter
The last large-scale vehicle in the line? Perhaps so. Still, it looks to be a nice one. I wouldn't know, as I've been too cheap to pick it up so far. But soon, SOON!
Miniflyers:
In order to appease the whiners as best as they possibly could, AA tried to compromise with their contract by giving fans the DC Minimates they wanted, at the lowest price-point they could, while still adhering to their “must come with construction blocks!” rule. The result? Mini flyers!
This is a really cool assortment of characters (Nightwing, Batgirl, another Flash, Riddler (!), and Justice Lords Superman (!!!) with cool little vehicles. These are now hitting Target and TRU, though I personally haven't seen them yet. Argh!
Justice Lords Superman MiniFlyer
So, will the mini-flyers be the last hurrah of C3? The rumor mill is churning about a possible adjustment to the AA contract, so that they could finally release DC minimates without the construction sets, possibly through DC Direct. While I enjoyed the sets, I'd enjoy even more the possibility of quickly accumulating a universe of DC characters to complement all of the great, diverse Marvel Minimates.
Let us cross our fingers and pray to The Toy God that this may come to pass.
Until then, we've got a few really cool DC characters to square off against our Marvel MM's, and a torture chamber to torment them in. FUN!
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Posted by YourMomsBasement at 10:00 AM
by Pete Goodrich
This past weekend, we had a barbecue. But an exotic barbecue. Yes, we grilled some steak, some turkey burgers, some hot dogs. We had corn, and pasta salad. But we also had EXOTIC MEAT. Weird meats! We went as far and as wide as we could in the Boston area to track it down, but we bought and grilled up the oddest, most delicious meats that we could find on one beautiful Saturday afternoon. And I tell you of this...now!
To start, the official theme was 'Exotic meats and meades.' My buddy Aaron brews...well, all manner of things. Beer, wine, grappa, and yes: mead. He brought over several types of mead: ginger based, maple based, this thing called 'cyzer' (which was an apple cider mead) and it was all very potent and tasty. If you've never had it, it's not what you think. It's very light, very sweet. A really subtle flavor, it was very tasty for a warm summer day.
No joke here: mead is one tasty beverage!
When it comes to mead, I'd always thought of it as a thick, hearty beverage...but it's actually lighter and easier to drink than beer. The homemade stuff anyways. Some folks brought storebought mead, which was...well, piss. Sour. I don't know if it was skunked or just poorly made, but that stuff really made me appreciate the homebrewed stuff a lot more.
So! What did I eat?! In order of worst to best!
Cuttlefish: Nasty! Rubbery AND flavorless! And usually, I actually enjoy squid! fried calamari rings, or smaller pieces in a paella or something. But not this time, oh no! This was thick chunks of rubbery cuttlefish. Less said the better!
CTHULHU RYLEH!
Duck: Yeah, I know it's not especially 'exotic' but it's a far cry from 'common.' It's not that I disliked the flavor (tho it was incredibly greasy) I just feel bad for my little ducky friends. I like ducks. I used to spend many a quiet, contemplative afternoon feeding a loaf of stolen dining commons bread to the ducks in college. It was better than going to class. I tried a piece, just to remind myself why I dont eat duck. It's greasy stuff. And it makes me sad.
Ostrich: Well, this is a more common 'exotic' meat as far as I can tell. As in people are familiar with the concept of eating ostrich meat as opposed to other odd meats that can be purchased. This was ground, in patty form (as many items were) and simply grilled with maybe some salt and pepper. And it was...quite a lot like ground turkey. Only thing is there was a definite funk to the meat. Ostrich revenge perhaps? "You're gonna EAT me? Fuck you!" *releases internal stink enzymes, pollutes own muscles* Hah ha! Hey, try my thighs! I promise they don't smell like sock!"
Moose (chili): One of the hosts friends brought this over. It was...well, blazing hot. Nuclear hot. So hot I could barely taste the meat, which was a bit of a disappointment. The meat seemed tough almost, which leads me to wonder if this had once been jerky before it was made into chili. I liked it, though I could only eat a little bit of it as it was in fact: incredibly hot.
Goat: yeah, this was....something. Our own contribution; we went to a halal butcher (like kosher, but for Muslims) where the downstairs fridge was lined with goat carcasses. Bunches of them. It scared us. It was a sketchy meat to us reg'lar 'Mericans, you know? Not something one thinks of as a common meat product. Goat cheese...delicious! Goat leg...what?
Tip: Raw goat meat smells just as good as you think it does!
So the goat meat was scary stuff. We got a few pounds of meat, and boiled it to take some of the funk out of the meat, also to tenderize it. Then we stripped the bones of meat and fat, trimmed the fat, and tossed the pieces in a sauce of ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard powder, hot pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Then we grilled the fuck out of it (the fear) and passed it around. Everyone commented on how good it was, but I noticed that of all of the meats we served, this was the only one to have leftovers.
Yak: This was also purchased ground and shaped into patties. We in turn reshaped the patties into little meatballs, which we grilled and served so as to provide more portions for people to taste. And the yak balls was delicious. They tasted very much like a sirloin, or just a better quality of beef.
I wonder. I know a lot of farms raise ostriches and bison for the meat, so that's part of why they're becoming more common. But the yak...where did they get that? Is there a small farm up in Wisconsin raising yak for sale? Or was the meat of this noble beast shipped all the way from Tibet, just to be devoured by a pack of drunken yuppies in Massachusetts? Either way: fuck it, it was delicious and I would totally eat it again if I had the chance. Only next time I'll put bacon on it.
Buffalo: this was also served up in patty form. Seems that the easiest way for places to provide these exotic meats is to grind the meat. I'm not a butcher, but I'll assume that it's just easier for shipping purposes to process it in this manner, as opposed to sending out huge flanks or steaks of whichever animal we're dealing with. The buffalo was the only one of the meats here that I'd had before, and it was as good as I remembered. Yes, another beef-like meat but hey: it was so damned tasty. Salt, pepper, Worcestershire and a little garlic, then we just grilled it and consumed it.
Irony: this noble beast has been rescued frm the brink of extinction by the same folks who want to eat it.
It's funny. The former rep of weird meats (like snake, frog legs, alligator) was that they 'tasted just like chicken!' But the new one for the new breed of exotic meats is how much they either 'tasted just like beef!' (buffalo, ostrich, yak) or were 'better for you than beef! (buffalo again, goat, kangaroo.)
Yes, kangaroo. We didn't get it, as the swanky butcher that many folks had gone to was all out of it. Which is in itself an amusing concept. "Sold out! Big day for kangaroo today!" This place is Savenor's Market, located in one of the swankiest neighborhoods in Boston. I'll never go back. One can find other meats at small local places (like the halal butcher I mentioned above) or even at Whole Foods, a nationwide chain of...swanky grocery stores. Okay, so it's very hard to do an exotic meat thing like this without spending quite a bit of coin, as the Number One item on the BBQ list will display. It costs to do this sort of thing.
But here's a thought to keep you warm at night: if you're willing to pay for it it is entirely possible for you to replicate and eat the entire cast of Winnie the Pooh.
Number one: Wild Boar! Wild boar, described to me as being 'like pork...but better.' I grew up reading Asterix comics, and the main foodstuff the plucky Gauls enjoyed in those pages was wild boar. I'd always wanted to try it, but knew I'd never have it as wild boars are hard to come by in the Massachusetts suburbs. Until the rise of Savenor's Market!
Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur Strikes Back
...for $22 a pound, that is. $22 fucking dollars for a pound glorified pig meat!! That's insane! I'm glad my friend and host Joe paid for THAT! But it was sooo goood. Tender and succulent. The Dictionary should change the definition of 'succulent' to 'wild boar meat, as seasoned with a little Montrael Steak salt.' So good. We had to split it up into tiny portions so that everybody could get a taste, and as I was an unofficial assistant on the grill I stole an extra piece for me. I do not regret it.
We finished with peaches grilled with brown sugar over ice cream, then proceeded to drink for the rest of the afternoon. A fine, fine day.
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Posted by YourMomsBasement at 11:11 AM
Writing 101: Characterization and Script Writing
by Gary Walters
When writing your comic book script, it is important to have the right tools. I prefer to write my scripts in MicroSoft Word, which is a part of the MicroSoft Office suite of products.
To write a comic book script in Microsoft Word, you need to first open the MicroSoft Word program. If you do not have an icon for it on your desktop, click on the "Start" button on the lower left corner of your taskbar (the gray bar on the bottom of your computer screen). Then put your cursor over "Programs" and a menu will come up where you can click on Microsoft Word. Once the program opens, you should probably first save your soon to be script as a Word document. To save a Word file go to the upper left where it says "File" and then click. Then click on "Save As." Give the file a name, probably the name of the comic book you're writing and the issue number, then click the "Save" button. Also, make sure you pay attention to where the file is being saved on your computer. It can take hours to find a file sometimes if you forgot where it was saved when you come back to it later! LOL!
The next most important thing is to know how to format your comic book script so that it is properly formatted to the accepted comic book formatting requirements. Generally you need to identify what page you are on, what panel and then describe the action in that panel. Provide tha captions that further explain what the artist is attempting to draw and give the speech bubbles that the characters say. Most speech bubbles (or word balloons) emphasize a specific word in the sentence by bolding it. That takes an exciting bit of dialogue and makes it even more exciting. Take the following sentence from Issue Number Two of my comic, "Even Steven": "YOU WILL BOW BEFORE ME AND I SHALL SEE THAT YOU SUFFER!" Now, you might think to bold the word "ME" or "YOU". But often the bolded word doesn't often fall where the reader expects. Instead try the following: "YOU WILL BOW BEFORE ME AND I SHALL SEE THAT YOU SUFFER!" Again, it's all about surprising your readers with the unexpected to keep them entertained.
Dialogue is hard, but worth it to get right. Particularly when writing a teenage character, it's important to make sure you have a good handle on teenage dialogue so that you know how they talk like. Good dialogue equals good characterization. I've read elsewhere the idea that you should reveal your character through their actions. "Don't say it, show it", my writing teacher once said. After working as a comic professional for a time, I can tell you though that that isn't always true. Comics are a mix of words and pictures and you, as a writer, don't have complete control over the pictures, so it's important that the dialogue and captions give a full explanation of what is also happening in the image. Great art is fine, but it's the words that matter most and are most necessary top convey meaning in a comic book.
Imagine the following: a comic panel with a drawing of Superman, flying majestically through, the air. Now imagine the same panel with the following panel captions: "SUPERMAN: MY POWERS OF SUPER SPEED AND SUPER FLIGHT WILL GET ME TO LUTHOR IN TIME TO STOP HIS BOMB." "CAPTION: SUPERMAN STREAKS THROUGH THE AIR, IN AN EFFORT TO STOP LUTOR'S NEFARIOUS BOMB!"
See what I mean?
Lastly, its very important that the reader be able to identify with your characters and see themselves in the action. Dialogue can help with that, but there are other ways to create and engaging character. When creating my superly powered character Even Steven, I felt it necessary to ground him somehow. Make him more relatable to the comic book audience of kids and teens. After all, how could they possibly relate to a character with amazing supernatural powers? They gave Superman his kryptonite for those very reasons. Kids couldn't identify with Superman, a man of steel who was impervious to all injuries, until after he had his kryptonite weakness. 
After the introduction of kryptonite, kids knew that Superman was more like them than they had previously beleived. Kids could finally identify with this alien from another planet who could fly, sure, but who also could now be injured by an alien mineral from another planet. So, in order to make Even Steven more accessible, I decided to dress him in jeans, which is a popular choice of clothing among teens. I also have him wear his school's letter jacket over his bandaged wrapped body, because who didn't want the kind of recognition that wearing a school jacket brought growing up? I also gave him the weakness that he could no longer go out in the daylight, because many teens hate waking up in the morning.
Finally, you should always remember, that when you are writing, you are not just writing for yourself or your audience, your also writing for Hollywood executives who will see an exciting, marketable character and option the character for television and movie projects. This can be very lucrative and for the best, most exciting characters can pay thousands of dollars. Think of your comic as an ad for a movie to be, or a storyboard for an exciting animated film like last summer's blockbuster The Incredibles or this summer's Batman Begins.
Good luck!
Read Volume 1, Issue 3 of The Tricks of Turning Pro.
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Posted by YourMomsBasement at 08:00 AM
by Rajan Khanna
Tim Truman is a veteran writer and artist. From his time with First Comics in the 80's, where he helped co-create Grimjack, he has been bringing us unique visions of worlds and characters not typical in the comic industry. Truman created Scout for Eclipse Comics, retold the origin of Hawkman in DC's Hawkworld, and told the historical account of Simon Girty in Wilderness. He's equally adept at doing westerns (The Kents, Jonah Hex), science fiction (Star Wars), and dinosaurs (Turok). In addition, he has done illustrations roleplaying games and for musicians such as the Grateful Dead. Tim also teaches at the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, teaching courses in Illustration and Sequential Art.
Tim's current work includes Grimjack: Killer Instinct, from IDW, and upcoming Conan work from Dark Horse.
Tim is a very nice guy as I learned when I met him at Wizardworld Philadelphia, and he kindly agreed to answer some questions for us.
1. You're an accomplished artist, and yet many people have also come to respect your writing as demonstrated on such titles as Scout, Wilderness and Hawkworld. How did you get into writing your own works?
I'd always wanted to write, just like I'd always wanted to draw. The drives to do each has always been the same. Most good comic book artists ARE writers, to a degree. The good ones that don't have specific literary skills most certainly have storytelling skills. In my case, when I was a kid, I would write prose for a few hours then draw for a few hours. Later, I would write, then draw, then spend hours playing the guitar. I had to do all three, and for a long time it was a struggle trying to figure out which one I'd try to make a profession of. Luckily, comics offered me the advantage of being able to both write and/or draw a story. Will Eisner once told my class at the Kubert School during a presentation he was giving that comics are the most sophisticated and complicated artform that one person can get into, because the form encompasses so many separate disciplines. It sounds self-righteous, I guess, but hey, he was absolutely right.
2. When writing projects that you are also illustrating, do you even bother to write out a script? How does that work?
Yes, because the editor likes to see a script. So I'll either do a full plot for them to read-- "Marvel style", as they say. I did my Scout scripts that way. Or sometimes just go ahead and do a full script for myself. The full scripts I do for myself won't have the kind of super-specific details that I'd give to another artist to draw, but they have to be tight enough to impress the editor.
I've often wanted to start from a blank page, with no idea in mind, and see what would develop. Giraud tried that in the 1970's -- as a go-for-broke, stream of consciousness artistic experiment-- and it was the key to his becoming "Mobius". And when Joe Lansdale writes his scripts, he sort of wings it like that, without much of an outline, and let the characters and situation develop into a story. He's great at it-- a natural storytelling conduit. However, my stuff is usually too researched to do that. I like to get an idea, do research, look for a theme or a hook that the story can and then let something develop from that.
In any case, editors and publishers like to see where you're taking a story or property, so most demand some sort of synopsis or outline up front. That's OK with me, because it fits well with how I develop a tale anyway.
3. Is it more difficult to write for other people to illustrate? Do you have greater expectations about how things will look?
Not really. The only difficulty comes when I don't know the person I'm working with, or when the book changes artists after I'm a few issues into it. That's really a horror, because I try to write for the artist. It's a really fun collaboration when you're working with someone whom you respect, or whom you've been anxious to do something with. Working with Paul Gulacy and Rags Morales on Turok was were my favorite experiences, as was working with Scott Eaton on Creature Commandos. Scott's a perfect example of what I mean when I say that I write for an artist. I wrote the first script of Creature Commandos without knowing who would be the artist, just an idea of the style I wanted to see. Scott came into the picture while I was scripting issue 2. So you can almost see this leap take place in the writing between issues 1 and 2. Issue 2 really catches fire, because I had Scott's character sheets in hand. I had an idea what the people in the story looked like and I had a better idea what the thing might look like, visually.
John K Snyder III and I had a ton of fun on Prowler. It was a dream come true working with one of my best and oldest friends, Tom Yeates, on Tarzan Vs. the Moon Men.
The roughest experience I ever had was on some of my Star Wars stories. The original artist for the series blew the deadlines on the very first issue of my run, and after that there was this endless series of fill-in and catch-up artists. It was very heartbreaking, because I was writing stories that I was extremely proud of. The fans liked the books, and I became one of the series' favorite writers, but it was heartbreaking and frustrating, nonetheless, because I like to write for an artist and get in sync with what they're doing.
4. As an artist you've worked with some great writers such as John Ostrander and Joe Lansdale. What kinds of things have you picked up from them?
From John, the best thing I picked up was that each character should have their own special voice-- a vocal style, a dialect, a way of saying things that sets them apart from the other characters. That was a big revelation when John told me that. Few writers do it. John is great at it. Also, when working together John and I had the mutual revelation that the action stories that people enjoy most are the ones that also have a healthy dose of humor.
The thing I picked up from Joe by working with him was to keep things rolling. Joe has such a brilliant pacing style. Also, most recently, that you should think of something that your readers might expect the character to do, then do something else. Twist things 90 degrees and do the unexpected. That's why Joe's stories are always so interesting--something really unexpected and strange is always happening to the characters. Joe deplores the obvious.
Ostrander and Lansdale are my brothers. When I work with either of them we become these mutant artistic extensions of each other. We get so in sync with each other, it's scary. But way fun. Always.
5. You've been busy lately as an artist, most recently with Grimjack and now working on Conan. Any plans to write anytime soon? Any projects in mind that are just waiting for the right time?
Since 2003 or so, I've been working on a big project called Odin the Wanderer. It started out as a children's book idea, but has since turned into a concept that would basically be an illustrated book that children and adults could enjoy. Comics cross over like that, and I think that prose books can, too. I work on the book whenever I get some time. If anyone wants to see samples of that I've done thus far, go to my website, http://www.timothytruman.com and hit the "Odin Gallery" button. There's also a draft for one of the chapters, too. I'd like to do Odin as three books-- the old fantasy trilogy thing, doncha know: Odin the Wanderer, Odin the Warrior and Odin the King. I've had some interest from publishers, but finding the right one will be the chore. Mike Gold is repping the project for me as a book, and Ken Levine, our Grimjack partner in Hollywood, will rep movie rights. Ken is the guy who sold "Road to Perdition" and Hellboy" to studios. Both are great guys to have on your side.
Writing-wise, Odin's the main project, and it's a real dream project. I'd like to return to Scout at some point, for a miniseries or graphic novel, but I imagine we'll do another Grimjack miniseries before that, which we're hoping to start after I complete my Conan projects.
Other than Conan, art-wise, I pitched John Ostrander and Mike Gold an idea do a special graphic novel about St. John of Knives and St. Dryden, two demon-slaying outlaw priests who are mentioned in the Grimjack: Killer Instinct miniseries. I'd love to get into that. The story would take place during an earlier time in Cynosure-- if such a thing as "an earlier time" can indeed exist in that multi-dimensional place. I visualize it as a sort of "Victorian Era" Cynosure, before the Demon Wars. I think it would give us a chance to expand the borders of the Cynosure mythos a bit. I'd love to hear what fans think of the idea.
6. Which of your works, as a writer, are you the most proud of and why?
Scout and Wilderness, of course. I'm real proud of Hawkworld, too-- there's some good commentary about heroes and society in it, but it's nicely encased in an adventure story. I think Dragon Chiang is my best writing, dialogue and caption-wise. It's like a big rock opera. It's been interesting that some people have recently leaving posts at my message board at my website which note that the global industrial picture that I envisioned in Dragon Chiang-- the fact that China would become a huge industrial giant-- is coming to pass. (Note: Anyone who wants to check out Wilderness and Dragon Chiang can pick them up at "Timbomart" at Tim's website.)
I must say that Creature Commandos, Black Lamb, and Guns of the Dragon have a real special place in my heart, because I was so tremendously pleased with them when I wrote them yet they didn't sell very well. Argh!
Gee, that doesn't leave out much, does it? Sounds like I'm cheating a bit on your question, I'm sure. I've been unusually lucky throughout most of my career in that most of the stuff I've done has been miniseries and special projects, so I've been able to write stories that I really felt inspired to do.
7. Which of your works, as an artist, are you the most proud of and why?
Without a doubt, comics-wise, this new Grimjack stuff. I've always hated looking at my own work. All I see is the deficiencies. But over the last two or three years I've felt like I've finally been getting where I want to go. Editors who haven't seen my work in awhile have really seemed to be amazed. They've commented on how much my technique has changed and improved and that's felt great. Four things happened: a- I started teaching, and that made me want to live up to my own lessons. Plus, it put me back into an environment where people are constantly learning and experimenting; b- I got glasses. My eyesight isn't that bad at all, but the glasses made a nice difference. I was always used to having perfect 20/20 vision, so things snuck up on me and I wasn't really aware that my vision had changed a bit; c- I got diagnosed with ADHD about 5 years or so ago. I was off the charts-- 98th percentile!-- and I'd been operating that way for more than forty years. I was always so impatient and tended to rush through things. Getting treated for ADHD helped me settle down, relax and focus on my artwork more, so I can concentrate on my work. It's been amazing. Finally, there's d- I took a needed break from comics for a few years at about the time I started teaching and made an effort to do more illustration jobs. So I did a ton of single illustrations, book covers and CD jackets and used them to refine my technique. I discovered that in comics, I'd been depending on a lot of shortcuts and doing some really half-assed drawing, but my storytelling and layout techniques always overcame my drawing deficiencies. When I started doing single illustrations, it gave me a chance to really concentrate on each and every drawing so I learned to tighten things up a bit. Also, it gave me a chance to experiment with different black and white and painting techniques. I developed a new painting technique that felt really comfortable to me, using a mixture of fully-toned graphite drawings and Peerless watercolors. Peerless is a watercolor system that was developed for photo retouching.
Besides comics, I've done a lot of book covers and CD jacket illustrations that I'm real proud of. The best of these can be seen at my website-- look in the galleries. My favorites are the cover to Joe R. Lansdale's novel "Flaming London", the cover to Norm Partridge's short story collection "Mr. Fox" (these can be seen in the "Illustration Gallery"), and a CD cover that I did for country singer Jim Lauderdale (which can be seen in the "Rock 'n' Roll Art Gallery"). I'm also quite proud of the cover I did for Issue #1 of Grimjack: Killer Instinct. When I look at these four paintings, I can enjoy them on a weird level-- almost as if they were done by someone else. That's never really happened to me before.
And of course there's the Odin stuff, which really represents where I'd like to take my work. I made real breakthroughs, stylistically, when I started on that project. We'll see where it goes.
8. What's it like working on Grimjack again?
Well, I've finished art for the entire series, and it was a fantastic experience-- working with John Ostrander and our old editor and Mike Gold again, getting to draw Grimjack again-- who, of all the characters I've ever done, was always the most comfortable and natural one for me to draw-- and doing it in my "new improved" art style, with the added advantage of me being able to scan my own work.
Doing Grimjack was like coming home. I missed the book and character tremendously. The characters and the locations are so easy for me to visualize and put down on paper. I love Grimjack, and I absolutely love working with John.
9. Are you happy with the book's reception? Where would you like to see it go from here?
The response from fans and retailers has been almost 100% positive. I think I've only read one so-so review. It's been really gratifying. The plans are to start work on a new series early next year, after I take my long-anticipated trip with Conan into Hyborea.
10. Tell us a little about your upcoming work on Conan. Were you a fan of the Howard stories? Have you changed your style for the work?
I'm an unrepentant, unreconstructed Robert E. Howard Conan fanboy. Have been since 1970, when I bought the Lancer edition of "Conan the Conqueror". Conan had perhaps the biggest impact on me than any character or concept I've ever come into contact with. Howard's stories and Frazetta's covers literally shaped me and made me-- they formed the mold that all my other influences got poured into. Howard's Conan stories have influenced every hero I've ever created and every story I've ever done. So working on the character is in every way a dream come true. I was born to draw the character, but except for a pitifully executed 8 pager that I did for Marvel many years ago I've never had the chance to.
I'm glad it's happening now, though. In may ways, I don't think I was up to the task, artistically, before now. My drawing chops are so much better now , so I feel more comfortable doing the project that I might have felt even two or three years ago.
A lot of fantastic artists have done Conan. I especially love what Barry Smith did, especially his later stuff-- Red Nails, Hawks of the Sea, and the Song of Red Sonja stories. Those were a huge, huge influence on me. However, though I loved the drawing, when I compared his drawing with Howard's writing, I never felt he was really doing REH's Conan. It was Barry Smith's Conan.
Buscema I loved, too, especially when he was inking himself. He had this magic way of doing Conan's anatomy. His Conan never looked entirely like a weight-lifter, you know? He looks like a big, very well-defined strongman. And Buscema's abilities with facial expressions and body language are things of glory. Absolutely unreal. (By the way, I'm hunting for a copy of Buscema's "Conan the Rogue" graphic novel, if anyone out there has an extra!)
My very favorite Conan by far is Neal Adams' version. His "Curse of the Golden Skull" and those precious few pages that he was able to do complete on his own for Savage Sword of Conan are really high water marks. He and Mike Ploog, who did an astounding King Kull adaptation for one of the Marvel black and whites, might be the only artists out there who really, really understand what Howard was doing and what Frazetta tapped into.
I was blown away by the illustrations that Mark Schultz and Gary Gianni did on the new reprint editions. They're fantastic, aren't they? I really liked what my buddy Gary Kwapicz did with the series, when he was inking his own work, and it would have been real interesting to see what he would have done without the Marvel/Buscema model. And Cary Nord and Dave Stewart have done some really striking work on the new series.
Love all these guys as I might, I have to reluctantly confess that I never, ever got that nearly religious surge from their work that I felt the day I first encountered Robert Howard and Frazetta's Conan. No one ever really nailed that vibe, although, like I say, Neal Adams always comes really, really close.
My personal goal is not to compete with anyone, because that would be impossible, given some of the people who have been connected to the character in the past. I'm approaching the Conan projects with a sickening reverence. This is my own little artistic pilgrimage to the holy Robert E. Howard Mecca. It's a personal test, and I'm intent on making it a personal best.
Working with Kurt Busiek should be fun-- I'll be doing two issues of the regular book, as well as a miniseries that's separate from the main title, which will be written by Joe R. Lansdale. Kurt talked on the phone the other day and got along great. We're into a lot of the same stuff, as it turns out. He's a Norse myths freak, too, for one thing.
And I'm real anxious to Work with Dave Stewart, the colorist. The digital painting techniques that Dave has developed have been really groundbreaking. I don't think many people realize that. So Dave and I will be trying to come up with a style that will mesh the best of what he does with some finishing techniques I've been wanting to get into.
As far as working with Lansdale again, what can I say?
In any case, I promised (editor) Scott Allie that I wouldn't give away too many nitty gritty little details about the series now, because Dark Horse wants to time the announcements just right for press releases and such. Keep your eyes on my website for news, though.
11. In the current market, which creators and projects tickle your fancy? Why?
I love Walking Dead-- I just discovered that book a few months ago, though it's been out for awhile. Great story, good writing and really good layouts and storytelling. I like the Goon, especially the early, self-published editions. Fun story and really cool inking technique. I love and have always loved Hellboy. Mignola's work astounds me. Mike is such a nice guy. I always feel nervous and stupid when I'm around him because I'm so awed by his command of the medium. Really silly, because Mike is so approachable and self-effacing. There are other things out there-- the stuff the Kubert brothers do, Jan Duursema's and John Ostrander's Star Wars, David Finch's work. I'll just stop there because I'm sure I'm going to get someone miffed at me for not mentioning them.
12. You're a writer, an artist, and a musician. Where does all your creativity come from? Could you give any of them up?
Man, I don't know. Maybe if I concentrated on one thing I could do it better! I've just always been that way. I serve the spirits of creativity, I reckon. I'm compelled to have a go at all three things with equal interest, devotion and enthusiasm. I can't help it. I could
never, ever give any of them up. If I did, I wouldn't be me. Lord help us all.
Discuss this article on our Message Board.
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 07:36 PM
by Jim Dandy
We’re at the All-Star break now, and I’ve got a handful of trophies for the good, the bad, and the really, ridiculously hideous from the first half of the season.
Most Valuable Player
American League
Candidates: Manny Ramirez, Brian Roberts, Vladimir Guerrero, Miguel Tejada, Mark Texira
Texira gets eliminated automatically for disappointing his country in the Home Run Derby. Shameful. Tejada is having a great statistical season, but he splits the votes with Roberts (more will be said of him later), and the Orioles recent fade isn’t helping either of their causes. So it comes down to Manny and Vlad. Let’s go point by point.
Crazy Hair: wash.
Violence of Swing: Vlad
Ability to hit absolute garbage: Vlad
Aloofness: Manny by a country mile
Stats: Tough one. Manny’s played more games, so it has to go to him.
Team impact: Insane to judge, but I’ll try. In Sox wins (hat tip to Buster Olney), Manny’s hitting .335, with 18 homers, and 54 RBI. In Boston losses, he’s hitting .194 with four homers and 23 RBI. On the other hand, we have Vlad, whose Angels were decent without him, barely clinging to a lead over the Rangers in the AL West. Vlad comes back, and the Angels are now starting to walk away from the pack. Guy hit .440 in June, and the Angels are still my pick to win it all, so it goes to Guerrero.
National League
Candidates: Derrek Lee, Albert Pujols, Andruw Jones, Dontrelle Willis
Willis can’t win because he’s a pitcher, and the MVP voters are mildly retarded. He and Jones are in the same boat, though—their performances have essentially been carrying mediocre (even high-mediocre) teams. Everybody on the Braves has been hurt for some period of time this year, from Tim Hudson and Chipper Jones all the way down to their Assistant to the Traveling Secretary, who missed some time with a strained quad earlier this year. Willis, well, you’ll see later. So we’re left with Lee and Pujols. Let’s break it down again.
Minutiae: Derrek Lee plays for the Cubs, so he’s surrounded with interesting little tidbits of information, but Pujols wins EASILY with this info from his ESPN.com bio: "Pronounced: POO-holes" That’s almost enough to give him the MVP right there.
Team Performance: The Cards are the best team in the NL, and the only team there who can really contend for a World Series title. The Cubs are fading fast.
Stats: Lee leads the league in every statistical category, making up for the ground he lost to Poo-Holes in the minutiae category.
Prior awards: Pujols has the MVP of his class-A league, NL Rookie of the Year, and would have been MVP the last 3 years except for that guy Barry Bonds. Lee has a Gold Glove.
Since Pujols has a record of continued success, almost assuring him of a future MVP award, I’m giving it to Derrek Lee.
Cy Young
American League
Candidates: Roy Halladay, Jon Garland, Matt Clement, Mark Buehrle
Kenny Rogers would be in here, but there was that whole thing with the stuff and the guy. You know what I’m talking about. That dude. And the thing he did.
Halladay gets eliminated because he plays for Toronto. Whatever. Shut up. Seriously, his knee injury is going to hurt his standing for this. Clement is eliminated because while he’s been great, he just doesn’t have that Cy Young feel to him. Garland and Buehrle would probably split the votes in a final tally, but I really think one of them is going to end up with it. And I’m fairly confident it’s going to be Buehrle. He’s been one of the most underrated pitchers in the American League for the last 5 years—consistently giving the White Sox 15-20 wins every year, no matter how crappy their team has been. Well, now they’re good, and Mark (I’m tired of writing out that last name) should be recognized for being their ace.
National League
Candidates: Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, Dontrelle Willis, Pedro Martinez, Livan Hernandez
What a lineup. This is going to be a very difficult award to hand out. Clemens immediately gets crossed out because he’s the offspring of the fallen angel Lucifer, the forked-tongue backstabbing piece of crap. Livan Hernandez, while he’s having a great year for a sleeper team, just doesn’t have the numbers.
As for the remaining three, all three are in the top 5 in the National League in Wins and ERA, and Willis is one inning shy of putting all three in the top 5 in innings pitched. Pedro leads the NL in strikeouts, with Willis and Oswalt tied for 12th, while Oswalt leads all non-Satanic National League pitchers in ERA and Willis is tied for the league lead in wins. How the hell do you choose between the three? The only way I can see is team impact.
Pedro is the anchor of the Mets rotation. Without him, the Mets would be terrible. As it stands now, though, they’re still only mediocre.
Oswalt has been fighting to pull his team out of the depths of the NL Central cellar, and has them competing again, but there’s that issue of his demon teammate.
Willis wins, because the Marlins are still contending for both the wild card and the NL East division crown, and he’s got very little else on his team going for him right now.
Best Reliever
American League
Candidates: Joe Nathan, Mariano Rivera, Dustin Hermanson, Francisco Rodriguez
Rivera hasn’t given up a run to anyone but the Red Sox this year, apparently, but I’m still going to give it to Nathan. Joe Nathan has been one of the 2 or 3 best closers in the game for the last several years, and he always gets overlooked for awards. So despite Rivera’s continued awesomeness, Nathan.
National League
Candidates: Jason Isringhausen, Brad Lidge, Derrek Turnbow, Chad Cordero
Isringhausen is continued excellence, Lidge is the up and coming flamethrower, and Derrek Turnbow from the Brewers is Jeff Spiccoli. 
Chad Cordero is the one guy you can single out, one big reason for the Nationals’ success. He’s got 31 saves in 34 opportunities—nearly automatic. That’s how the Nationals can be 16 games over .500 and yet be outscored by opponents.
Rookie of the Year
American League
Candidates: Gustavo Chacin, Huston Street, Nick Swisher
For me, this is all about two people—Chacin and Street. Chacin had a great great first quarter, but the Jays have been kind of stumbling along, not doing much of anything. The A’s have shown some life in the AL West, and coincidentally enough, all it took was Octavio Dotel going to the DL for the season for them to start winning. Huston Street stepped in and was an immediate and dramatic upgrade for the A’s. He wins.
National League
Candidates: Yhency Brazoban, Clint Barmes, Ryan Church
It says something that Barmes has been out for like, a month and a half and he’s still the fifth best player available in my fantasy league. One skill he must learn is patience in the face of slow moving elevators when hauling several tens of pounds of deer meet into his apartment building.
Managers of the Year:
There’s very little competition for these awards, not because there have been loads of crap managers, but because 2 really stand out. Ozzie Guillen for the White Sox and Frank Robinson of the Nationals have their teams playing out of their trees, and it looks to stay that way all year. Bobby Cox certainly enters into the discussion, because this year’s Braves have suffered through some pretty ridiculous injury problems, but I can’t in good conscience not recognize Guillen and Robinson.
Surprise Player
American League
Candidates: Brian Roberts, Jon Garland
Garland’s been nothing before this year, but every report has Mark Buehrle playing a huge role in his development (working quickly, getting into a groove, and trusting his catcher). Brian Roberts had 50some doubles last year, and his power production this year has been because he increased his strength enough to turn half those doubles into home runs. So because you could see a progression leading to Roberts’ breakout this year, and Garland came out of nowhere, I’m giving it to Garland.
National League
Candidates: Derrek Lee, Livan Hernandez
Livan’s not really a surprise—he’s been a consistently good pitcher who’s been put in a no-pressure situation where he can be an ace again. Lee, however, is having a monster season in statistical categories he just shouldn’t be (batting average being the most notable—he’s a career .266 hitter who’s hitting .378 this year). Lee wins.
Surprise Teams
I figured I’d knock both out without separating them, because hands down it’s the Nationals and White Sox again.
Now the fun really starts. The “Crappies”:
Least Valuable Player
American League
Up until last week, it would have been Jason “Mysterious Pituitary Gland Growth” Giambi, but he’s on fire right now and carrying the Yanks, and the local media is all up in his Kool-Aid, so whatever. I’ve also seen people listing Juan Gonzalez (Juan Gone—excellent nickname. It still applies!), but really, how dumb are you to have expected anything from him this year? He’s played a grand total of what, 2 games in the last 3 years? The Indians took a flier on him for crap money. If he produced, he would have been a pleasant surprise. As it stands, they’re only out nothing (I’m sure they had insurance), and you get sportswriters with their panties in a bunch over a superstar who even injured has more skills than their dumpy asses ever had (always enjoyable to the fans). Win-win where I’m sitting. For me, this year’s LVP is head and shoulders above the crowd. It’s Slumpin Sammy Sosa. Ever since they took his cork AND his juice, he’s been nothing, but nostalgia keeps getting him paid.
National League
Up yours, Mike Lowell. Keep making me look bad, and there’s going to be hell to pay.
Crap Pitcher
American League
David Wells gets honorable mention for comparing a sleazy cameraman doing his job to a rapist. And also for sucking. The entire Royals organization too garners honorable mention, but pointing out that the Royals suck is like giving Barry Bonds the MVP when he plays a full season at this point. So the big winner is Dewon Brazelton, the “future ace” of the Devil Rays. I’ll let Mark Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times take it from here:
“Dewon Brazelton. Eight losses, a 6.84 ERA…[then] went AWOL for three weeks after being demoted to Triple A with no explanation, though manager Lou Piniella said the specifics were ‘between the team psychologist and whomever.’"
National League Crap Pitcher AND Worst Free Agent Acquisition
We have a dual winner! Eric “Whiplash” Milton! If 66 home runs in a season and an unintelligible tourism commercial for the Dominican Republic by Sammy Sosa is enough to win him nostalgia contracts, then I think we can award a bonus “lifetime achievement Crappie” goes to whatever genius in the Reds’ front office decided bringing in a gopher-ball prone pitcher to a homer-friendly ballpark was a good idea.
Worst Manager
Sweet Lou Pinella is the first manager in my lifetime to ever openly campaign to get fired. At least Larry Brown has the decency to play intricate PR games with the Pistons. Take a bow, Sweet Lou. And leave first base right where it is.
Surprise Crap
American League Player:
Honorable mention go to Brett Boone (the tearful goodbye keeps him off the top of the list) and Keith Foulke (who we now find out was injured all season). The winner of this Crappie is…
Johan Santana.
Santana, you say? Why would you put last year’s Cy Young winner on the list, Jim? He leads the AL in strikeouts! You crazy.
I know he seems like he doesn’t belong on here, but with last year raising his expectations so high, 7-5 with a nearly 4 ERA (high-level mediocrity, basically) is a disappointment. Foulke, after last October, has been shockingly terrible. And Boone is what, 2 years removed from being one of the top 2nd basemen in the game? But Foulke was bound to drop off, and Boone was already sliding down. Santana was expected to continue his lights-out performances, maybe unfairly, but still.
American League Team:
Tampa’s disappointing, but they sucked anyway. It just sucks that they’re not really making any forward progress. Cleveland was supposed to compete, and they’re starting to now. The winner is probably Seattle, being more disappointing because of all the money they spent. Not much snark for them, though. They have young pitching progressing (not quickly enough for some, but still) and old pitching on their way out the door, but no one expected them to be this bad after all the money they spent.
National League Player:
We’ve got Danny Kolb, the flash-in-the-pan ex-closer from Milwaukee, now in Atlanta, who has absolutely BOMBED. We also have Corey Patterson and Austin Kearns, two “rising stars” who’re now freefalling through the Cubs’ and Reds’ respective farm systems. But the winner, for me, has to be Barry Bonds. His half-assedness led to him being out MUCH longer than he should be, and his personal vendetta against Pedro Gomez (why the hell does ESPN keep him out there, anyway?) has gone so far that I half expect Bonds to walk up to Gomez at his next press conference and just start mushroom slapping the guy.
National League Team:
It’s a tie between the Marlins and the top of the National League West. The Marlins’ pitching has been so good, but their hitting has been soooooooooooooo bad. They should be winning the division, and it’s their own fault that theyr’re not. The NL West looks like a geriatric orgy—limp and messy.
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 12:00 PM
by Ryan Higgins and the Your Mom's Basement staff
Giffen. DeMatteis. Maguire. They brought the laughs again to a reborn 80s Justice League. Can they do it again outside of familiar characters? We had a group of bespectacled fanboys ask Fan Favorite Retailer Ryan Higgins 20-Odd Questions about the new Marvel series.
1) Is this just the Justice League dressed up in different clothes, or are these characters unique?
I was expecting The Defenders to be a bunch of b-list characters cracking jokes for 22 pages, but that's not the case. Nightmare, Marvel's lord of the Dream Realm, comes to Dr. Strange, asking for his help. The dread Dormammu and his sister Umar the Unholy have struck an alliance...and they're preparing to invade Earth! The only ones that can stop them are Earth's Mightiest Her...er, wait...Marvel's Mightiest Muta...um....oh yeah, those 4 guys that don't get along together.
2) Seriously, who's in this? I gather from the preview pages that it's at least Dr. Strange, Namor, the Hulk and maybe the Silver Surfer. Anyone else? Personally, I don't think it's the Defenders without Hellcat, Valkyrie and Nighthawk, but I think two out of those three characters are dead. Aren't they? Marvel's continuity is so f-ed up.
As of the end of the first issue, it's Dr. Strange, Namor and Hulk. Silver Surfer is busy hanging out with the only people on Earth he can relate to...surfers.
3) Why are they called Defenders in the first place? Is it because they defend the Earth, defend against incontinence or defend against the offence at a first down and goal to goal?
The Defenders defend the Earth against the largest of attacks...if they can get their giant egos and muscles out of the way first. This question begs, Who Defends The Defenders?
4) Do any of the B-list Defenders show up in this one, like Nighthawk, Valkyrie or Hellcat?
Nope, barely a mention of any of them. Damn shame.
5) Can we really be expected to enjoy and believe in a team made up of the Defenders when the Ultimate version are such weak sauce?
Um...
I don't...um...what was the question again?
Yeah, um, excuse me for a minute.
6) Do they reference the mid-90's Larsen Defenders at all? If not, can you explain what the hell happened in that series?
I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about.
7) Any reference to The Order when they all got pissed off being puppets and decided to rule themselves?
*ahem*
I SAID, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about.
8) For that matter, how does this play into the current titles where these characters appear? Being New Invaders (ugh), Hulk, Silver Surfer, etc?
I'll tell you what; when I can sit through a single issue of any of those thankfully cancelled books, I'll let you know.
Ok, ok, that's not fair. Hulk is still being published, but what, the entire run by Bruce Jones was a giant dream or something? I don't know, I can't get into Peter David's run at all.
9) As Namor is such a moany face moan moan usually, how can he be humorous? Or is it the fact that he is a moany face moan moan that is accentuated and therefore funny? How can Doctor Strange or the cosmic Silver Surfer throw out one-liners? Does it seem forced?
I don't think the guys that said "By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!" and "Whatever Namor Says!" will be spitting out the one-liners.
Although there is some of the same type of one-liner humor that Giffen and DeMatteis have used before, it's not quite the same here. They didn't just change the art and keep the dialogue from Formerly Known As... Most of the humor comes from Nightmare telling Dr. Strange that people don't actually talk like that.
That, and Silver Surfer checking out the chicks in bikinis.
10) Whatever happened to Gargoyle? You know, the guy who was a member of the Defenders during the latter stages of the original series and was something like a 90 year old man trapped inside the body of a mystical gargoyle?
He went on to star in a series of television commercials as a spokesman for a popular auto insurance company. Take that, you damn gecko!
11) If he got really hungry in the middle of a battle, do you think Devil Slayer (or whatever his name was) could pull a Big Mac out of his cape, or was he limited to just pulling out swords and axes and the like? Because a Big Mac cape would rule.
There comes a point in every nerd’s existence where he has to admit something, and this is mine.
I have no idea. In fact, I don't think I've even heard of this character before now. When something like this happens, there's only one place we can turn...to GOOGLE!
-----
http://home.flash.net/~jeanneb/d.html#devil
Devil Slayer
Real name: Eric Simon Payne
First appearance: Marvel Spotlight 33
Powers: After extensive training by the Demon Cult, Payne developed a low-level telepathic ability and the capability to psychically manipulate physical objects. He also used a special "Shadow Cloak" to teleport between dimensions.
History: A war veteran who enjoyed killing a little too much, Payne became a hit man after he left the service. After killing a woman and her child, Payne decided he wasn't cut out for the mob. Joining the Demon Cult, he went along with their plan to repopulate the Earth with demons until he realized that meant destroying all humans. Payne began to travel the Earth, expunging demons where-ever he found them.
Current status: Despite a stint with the Defenders and a storyline in Marvel Comics Presents, Devil Slayer has vanished from the Marvel Universe so completely one wonders if his Shadow Cloak swallowed him up.
-----
Right, there you go. He can "psychically manipulate physical objects," which I'm going to assume means he can pull a Big Mac out of his cape.
12) Is the Essential Defenders Vol. 1 worth getting?
EVERY Essential tpb is worth getting. Nothing like 500 pages of comics for less than 20 bucks. Who cares that it's in black and white? These are perfect for mass-consumption of crazy Silver Age stories.
13) How would you describe this version of the Defenders through the medium of fire? No, as a cream filled dessert? Actually, as any kind of dessert, but not with too much sugar; I'm on the South Beach.
It's a little sweet, a little sour, somewhat bitter, and it makes you laugh. I'm not sure what kind of dessert that would be, but it sounds disgusting.
14) If this incarnation of the Defenders were to cross over with the Giffen/DeMatteis Justice League, who would hook up with whom whether it be same or opposite sex?
Dr. Strange and Big Barda. He likes it rough.
Silver Surfer and Ice. He likes it like space. Cold.
Namor and Fire. Who says that water and fire don't mix?
Hulk and Oberon. Poor, poor Oberon.
15) Any nods towards Identity Crisis or FKATJL?
It looks like the creators know who their audience is, based on the title bar:
"ALMOST A GOOD IDEA...
Well, they've desecrated one comic book universe...and now they're coming for yours! Yes--Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis & Kevin Maguire are here to do that thing they do--and the Marvel Universe will never be the same!(Ok, so maybe we're exaggerating...but wasn't Marvel built on a foundation of overheated hyperbole?)"
16) Are the words "Bwa-ha-ha" uttered at any time during this?
Alas, no "BWA-HA-HA", but there is some "KWA-THOOOM!", "KRA-KOOOOM!", "THA-RAASSSH!" and "OOOOOOMMM!!"
17) Does the Hulk get addicted to Oreos?
HULK HATE PUNY COOKIES WITH WHITE FILLING! HULK ONLY EAT NUTTER BUTTERS! NUTTER BUTTERS! WIMP BANNER EATS OREOS WITH MILK! BAH! HULK SMASH MILK! HULK WON'T TWIST COOKIE AND LICK CENTER BEFORE MASHING WITH TEETH! HULK'S TEETH THE STRONGEST ONES THERE IS!
18) Do we have a flashback sequence to Clea being raped by Dormammu, leading to the Defenders voting to wipe his mind? Because that's damn good drama, right there.
Good drama, and good comics! Clea's rape leads the Defenders who responded to her cry for help (Hellcat, Nighthawk, Moondragon and Son of Satan) to make a pact that they would never let the rest of the Defenders know what happened. After a number of years, though, Moondragon's mind wipe has started to wear off. Dormammu starts remembering...things...
Of course, when Moon Knight shows up while they're in the middle of the mind wiping...
19) Does Moon Knight know he was mind wiped or does he at least suspect?
Why do you think JoeQ has been making such a big deal about Moon Knight recently? He will soon remember everything the Defenders have done, and turn on them, vowing to never help them again! There will come...a crisis...
20) Does this mean that Namor will be shot in the head as part of the House of M?
Having figured out that his company Oracle Incorporated was hostilely taken over by former S.H.I.E.L.D. Commander, Nick Fury, Namor tracks Fury to an AIM headquarters in Belgium where he confronts him. After being taken down by a Spider-Slayer, Nick offers Namor a choice, join him or die.
"Rot in hell, Nick."
I think we all know what happens next.
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Read 20-Odd Questions: BATMAN BEGINS
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 07:00 PM
by Libbette Mahady
What is a foodie? I consider myself a foodie (or at least aspire to be one, as my budget and experiences grow), but defining exactly what a foodie is gives me pause to think. Certainly, a foodie enjoys eating. But don’t most people? (Although, on that note, I was on the train the other day and I heard some teenager saying “I hate eating. If I didn’t have to eat, I wouldn’t. Most food tastes like crap, and just makes you feel full. Except Hot Pockets. Those taste pretty good.” Most people listening may have just thought the kid was a bit of an idiot. I thought he was some alien freak, and instantly dismissed him as the plebby-est of all the plebes.) That aside, it seems that I will be writing some foodie-related articles for YMB. Some of these will be restaurant reviews, some will be ingredient or technique focused. I do not profess to being an expert – just someone who enjoys food – reading about it, shopping for it, cooking it, and of course, eating it!
I wanted to go to Casa Mono ever since I heard it was opening – I like Mario Batali’s TV show, and his restaurants, but Italian food has never been my “thing”, so the idea of Batali doing Spanish food really appealed to me. Having heard that certain holidays/ event days are the best days to get seats at hard-to-book restaurants, we decided to go out to eat at Casa Mono on July 4th. I called at about 5pm, and was told that we could come in at 5:30. So we did, and it was indeed quiet, as compared with our one previous visit. It’s not a big restaurant, but it conveys a sense of openness through its large windows. Dark wood fittings and colored tile floors add some festivity. When we arrived we were offered a choice of tables, which is always nice. We sat against a window, with a wall of wine to our side, in relative privacy.
Casa Mono serves its food tapas-style – meaning you choose several small plates, rather than one main entrée dish. The intention with tapas is that you share, which is good news, because all the dishes are so interesting that missing out would be quite upsetting. Having been to Casa Mono once before, and being advised that five plates was a good number for two people to share, we decided to order four dishes from the main menu, and one vegetable dish. The menu is divided into two columns – lighter, fried and seafood dishes on one side, and heavier and meat dishes on the other. This was lost on me the first time we ate at Casa Mono, even though I did notice that they brought the food in two separate “courses”. This allows you to tailor your wine to suit, which is always a good thing.
One very cool thing about Batali’s restaurants is that they offer their wines by the quartino. The term refers to a quarter of a litre, or 250 millilitres – one third of a standard bottle of wine. Thus, a quartino is enough for two small glasses of wine. Why is this so exciting? How is it better than wines by the glass? Well, you generally cannot share wine by the glass, for starters. And by-the-glass wine lists are usually a “token” representation of what’s available, at best. In short, wine by the glass is usually treated with a lack of respect and forethought. This is not the case with Batali and his quartinos – the quartino list is usually immense, and if you get a good waiter, they will deviate from the list to pour you a quartino of something they think you will like. The other advantage (and this is a big one) means that you can, as I touched on above, drink wines that suit every course. Thus, we chose our food then asked our waiter to choose wines that would suit. This is a trick I frequently employ, particularly when faced with an unfamiliar wine list – and all I know of Spanish wines is Rioja and Tempranillo. Not much to go on.
We wanted to order some different things than what we had eaten the last time (highlights from the last visit were pumpkin and goat cheese croquettes, and duck). The first two dishes to arrive were baccala (salt cod) croquettes, and razor clams with lemon. I looooove fish cakes, so the baccala croquettes were a no-brainer for me. Soft and fluffy inside, crunchy and tasty outside. Unfortunately, there were only three of the 2-inch long croquettes on the plate – what a tease. The razor clams were tasty but not as enjoyable. I’d never had razor clams before, but I found them to be somewhat chewy and gritty. I’m inclined to think that this is just what razor clams are like, but it’s possible the restaurant had a slip-up with its ingredients. To go with this first “course”, our waiter brought us a very light white wine. Unfortunately, his strong accent and my poor memory mean I have no recollection of what the wine was called – I just know it was in a thin green bottle with a bright yellow and green label. Helpful, huh? Anyway, in describing the wine, the waiter told us it was one he had just recently tried himself and liked, and was “acidic and had almost a mineral quality,” with a slight fizz, even though it was not technically a sparkling wine. Oooh, yummy. In an unprecedented move, I finished my glass first and then stole some of Rajan’s. It was light and delicious, and met very well with the seafood. In a move I thought was very cute, our waiter hovered, watching nervously, to make sure we liked the wine he chose for us.
When the waiter cleared our plates from the first round, I told him I wanted him to now choose a wine for our second course – which included pork and octopus, and asparagus. I told him we’d like a “‘bigger’ white or a light red”. He wisely chose a white with some fruity honey and herbaceous notes – strong enough to stand up to our asparagus (which is known as the hardest food to pair with wine – something to do with the sulfur, I think -- the same reason it makes your pee smell bad). The octopus and fava beans were very good – light but with substance, and the baby octopus had just the right amount of charring. The beans were sitting in a tasty olive-oil based sauce. Our asparagus with lemon aioli (garlic mayonnaise) was as good as you would expect – it’s kind of a hard thing to mess up, short of seriously overcooking it. The highlight for me (a lover of all things porcine) was the pork with grilled melon (honeydew and cantaloupe) and pickled watermelon rind. Wow. In addition to having a thing for pork, I have a thing for fruit with savory and meat dishes. In this case, the fruit itself was grilled, adding a smoky flavor, as well as an extra depth of sweetness (as the grilled flesh caramelized). The watermelon pickle could have easily been mistaken for a garnish, but it was so much more than that. A thin strip of the white part of the watermelon added a vinegary depth which contrasted well with the light-pink flesh (pork is never done “well” at Batali’s restaurants, which is okay if you know where your pigs are coming from, as they do) and the sweet fruit. A few bites contained something extra sour – maybe sumac? We cleaned our plates, and when the waiter came to clear them away he joked “Was there something wrong with your food? Should I send it back to the kitchen?”
We sought his advice again when it came to dessert – he recommended a type of crème brulee with manchego cheese formed around bay (laurel) leaves and deep fried. This sounded interesting, so we decided to give it a go. I also instructed him to choose an appropriate dessert wine (by this point, I think he was enjoying the challenge of finding something that suited, and further with pleasing us when we liked his choices – the mark of a waiter who is not just their because it’s a job, but rather because they truly enjoy the restaurant and the food). This dessert was great – a simple pleasure in life is cracking the top of a crème brulee – this one cracked appropriately, and the crème underneath, while rich and satisfying, was not cloyingly sweet or overly creamy as this dessert can sometimes be. Similarly, the pale amber wine he chose for us was sweet enough for the dessert, but did not taste like sugar syrup. (I really wish I could remember the names of these wines.) The real highlight was the leaves – you had to grip the stem, put the leaf in your mouth, and scrape off the cheese with your teeth, leaving the inedible bay leaf on the plate, while the fresh green flavor lingered on the cheese. A dessert that seemed like it would be too much – creamy, cheesy, sugary, fried – was in fact perfectly balanced. We ordered coffees to finish and wandered away happily, after leaving a big tip for our excellent waiter.
Posted by YourMomsBasement at 03:51 PM
