Return of the Blog Guy!

Hey kids, it's Meauxses.

Long ago, in a time shrouded in the swirling mists of time (2005), "blogging" was a strange new thing. The word "blog" itself sounded odd...what was it? A monster or automaton from an old 50s sci-fi film? A condition of the foot? A Scandinavian term of some sort?

Blogging quickly became a new means of expression and communication on the Interwebs, and I took part by creating this blog you're reading now, previously known as "Ramblings." I eventually added other blogs and then realized yeah, maybe I have too many. Something was lost.

I decided to come back to where it all started, to shake off the dust, give the whole shebang a new paint job and name, and continue from the perspective of now, a.k.a., six years later (my last Ramblings post was in 07).

I will be blogging daily about everything from reality TV to food to my views on matters like faith and morals to comic books to current events to everything in between. You may like what I write, you may hate it, you may be offended. Hopefully, what you won't be is bored.

Let me know what you think, Meauxses ("Moses" for those who don't know how to pronounce French names)

Christmas Comes On Cinco de Mayo: Free Comic Book Day 2007

Happy Sunday, Ramblings Readers!

May 5 wasn’t just an important day in Mexican history and an opportunity to go down a few margaritas (which I did), it was also the sixth annual Free Comic Book Day, an event which was inaugurated six years ago on Saturday, May 4^th, 2003. FCBD was created to tie in with the release of a little comic book movie that had debuted the day before: the first Spider-Man film. The basic purpose of FBCD is to get folks who have never read a comic book but who have just finished watching—and hopefully, enjoying—a comic book film adaptation to go to comic shops and pick up a free comic. While they’re there, they’ll hopefully see all the other wonderful titles that are available in the comics medium and decide to buy some.

I have gone to every FBCD with the exception of last year’s event, which I missed because it was my first year as the master of ceremonies for the annual talent show at school.

This year, I was yet again the MC, but made time to get down to my favorite comic shop, Acadiana Comics and Collectibles, to pick up some comics and see what was going on.

Those of you who aren’t comic book readers probably don’t realize that the industry itself is not doing as well as it has in previous years. The industry has always faced the same competition that non-graphic books face, like television, films, video games, the Internent, etc. The difference is, regular books will never go out of style and will always have a readership.

We can’t say the same about comic books. The medium is one that is extremely sophisticated in the hands of some creators and there is no other form of storytelling like comic books. Comic book legend Will Eisner called comic books “sequential art,” and that’s exactly what the medium is. Words and images merge together in carefully crafted sequences to create a story unlike anything in any other storytelling medium.

Yet comic books are still seen as children’s fodder. Hence the industry launched FBCD, and it has been somewhat successful in bringing in new readers.

In my opinion, however, if you’re going to bring in new customers, you have to be ready for them. You must make the comic book specialty shop a place that is welcoming, comfortable, friendly, and inviting.

I’ve been to a lot of comic book shops in my days and plan to go to many more. In the days before it cost fifty bucks to fill up my car, I’d drive to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Lake Charles to look for comic shops. When the family goes on vacation, I use my laptop to check The Master List, a website that lists every comic book shop in the U.S. and then go and visit as many shops as I can. I've even visited shops in Texas, California, and Washington, D.C.

So as I said, I’ve been to a lot of shops. And the one that I think “gets it” the most, the one shop I feel is doing everything it can to help the industry not just survive but also thrive, is Acadiana Comics and Collectibles. I’ve been going to this shop since eighth grade, if you can believe. When I had read all of my brother’s comics at least four thousand times, my mother decided that I was interested in a pretty decent hobby. It involved reading, after all, so what good parent and teacher would deny their child such a hobby? My mom took me to what was then Acadiana Book and Comic Shop, and I met Mrs. Teresa Moran the first time. I’ve been going there ever since, and the reason is not just the comics. Mrs. Teresa and her husband Jerry are two of the nicest folks you’ll ever meet. My mom had also taken me to two other shops at the time to look around, and not only was the selection weak, but the people who worked there didn’t seem all that knowledgeable or interested in being helpful when it came to the comics.

When you visit Mrs. Teresa and Mr. Jerry’s store, now named Acadiana Comic and Collectibles, the first thing you’re greeted with is a welcoming smile from whoever is behind the counter. You will be greeted with a hello and then encouraged to look around and also asked if there’s anything you can be helped with. And whether you’re a neophyte reader or you’re a seasoned comic veteran like myself, Mrs. Teresa or Mr. Jerry can answer all your questions. And what’s best, they’ll do it with friendliness.

And that’s the bottom-line for me. So what does all of this have to do with FCBD? Well, I went to AC&C yesterday for Free Comic Book Day, and was instantly greeted by Mr. Jerry as I walked in with a smile and words of welcome. There was also a gentleman named Mike (I think it’s Mike...I don’t think I’ve ever introduced myself) who was very friendly and who I’ve seen at the shop for years. He was helping out by directing folks not only to the free comics that were available, but also to the free merchandise that AC&C was giving away, like action figures, keychains, pins, and posters. I told Mr. Jerry that it felt less like Cinco de Mayo and more like Christmas, and snagged a very cool Spider-Man keychain (I was just thinking about buying a new one…how cool is that!) and my free comic book. I also browsed and snapped the shots you see below, and generally took in the atmosphere. It was like being in the living room of a friend or relative who also happens to have a bunch of extremely cool comic books and related stuff everywhere in sight.

Mike was helping this young lady and her daughter, who appeared to be taking their first steps into the brave new world of comic books. He was very cordial and helpful, and gave lots of great advice as to what would be age appropriate for the young girl. As a father myself, this is exactly what I want from a business: someone who will shoot me straight about what kind of product is good for my daughter. I was highly impressed with that and could overhear Mr. Jerry also having a similar conversation with other customers about comics.

That’s why I keep going back to AC&C and have for years. The honest truth is that I could get my comics elsewhere from various sources. But I’d miss out on the kindness and the warmth that come with the comics at Acadiana Book and Comics. People are put first there, coupled with an obvious love of the comic book genre.

This is how I think every shop should be operated. In my next entry, I'll discuss what I think are the two fatal flaws of comic specialty shops today, and offer suggestions as to how such flaws can be remedied. Until then, stay strong and do no wrong. And be sure to check out the pics I snapped whilst in Peter Parker mode yesterday!

Here you see Mike helping the lady I told you about and her daughter find age-appropriate reading. How awesome is that! It's a regular occurrence at AC&C. And you get a good look at Mr. Jerry's extremely extensive Star Wars collection...how I envy him!

Remember that "living room" atmosphere I mentioned? Here you can see it even better. There's even a few chairs and a very comfy couch, which I didn't get a shot of but have enjoyed reading in often. This is the section of the store that features the week's new comics. Many folks have asked me how often comics come out. Every Wednesday is for us fans "New Comic Day!"

Here we have Marvel's best free comic book for FCBD...Spider-Man: Swing Shift, an original Spidey story designed to be approachable to new readers interested in the comics after watching Spidey 3. Usually, companies put out reprints of past comics for Free Comic Book Day, but Marvel was one of the few to put out something original. It was a very good, entertaining Spidey adventure, and best of all...it was FREE! Now try beating THAT with a web shooter!

Here we have a few more FCBD selections. One of the titles featured there is a prequel comic to the big Transformers movie coming out this summer. I'll be doing a two-parter on the Transformers release, one talking about my interest in the toys and cartoon as a kid, along with a brief history of the property, and then my opening day review of the film.

Ramblings Spider-Man 3 Coverage: The Review

Well, here we go. As most if not all Spidey fans, I have waited with great anticipation for this film for the last three years.

The only place I can begin is by paraphrasing Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott: “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to put too many villains in a superhero movie.”

This is my main gripe with Spider-Man 3, an entry in a film series that had a very high bar set by its predecessor, Spider-Man 2. SM-2 is damn near perfect, as is the first Spider-Man film. They both have their flaws from comic book fan and movie making standpoints, but they’re excellent films.

Spider-Man 3 doesn’t reach the bar set for it. It’s close, but it just doesn’t make it.

Is Spider-Man 3 a bad movie? A lot of reviewers out there who don’t know the comic source material will say yes. Most reviewers I’ve read/heard are blasting the fact that one key character gets amnesia in the film. They call this “clichéd” and “soap operatic.” What they don’t realize is that this character got amnesia in virtually the same way he does in Spider-Man 3. So if this a person’s criteria for saying this movie’s bad, they need to do their research.

I bring this up to make an important point before I offer my grade of the film: Spider-Man 3, like the films that led up to it, is one of the most faithful comic book adaptations ever made. The spirit of the characters in the Spider-Man mythos, along with many solid plot elements and characters, are taken straight from the pages of Spider-Man comics. The Superman films can’t claim this, the original Batman films can’t claim this, no other series of comic films can claim this.

But the Spidey films can, and they can continue to be lauded as such with the addition of Spider-Man 3.

But to answer that earlier question: is Spider-Man 3 a bad movie? By no means.

But it isn’t a great movie, like the first two films were, despite their flaws.

And that’s what’s most disappointing. SM-3 is just good. And I have to say that as a fan who’s waited for three years for this movie, I wanted more than just good.

On to my review.

The Good

What does work in Spider-Man 3 is everything we’ve come to expect to work from the last two movies. The characterization of the central characters is top notch, as always. These characters are for the most part the characters they are in the comics the movies get their life from.

There’s a moral struggle for Peter Parker, our hero. He’s struggling not just with colorful villains but also with himself. He runs up against the darker side of his human nature in this film and is, like most of us, disgusted by what he sees and tries to overcome it. He struggles for his own redemption and is a means to the redemption of a few other characters. The strong moral aspect of the character and the films thus far are retained here and expanded upon.

Like the previous two films, this film’s got everything a moviegoer could want: action, adventure, romance, drama, thrills, chills, and spills.

The casting is spot on. There are a few new additions to the core cast established in the first film and they blend in seamlessly and are a perfect fit for the characters they play.

Finally, the theme of “with great power comes great responsibility,” which is central to the entire Spider-Man mythos and which is really about who we choose to be and the power of our choices, is explored in depth in new ways that build on the themes in the first two films.

The Bad

Alright, the bad. Since there’s another level below bad, bad isn’t terrible or horrid. It’s just not good.

The number one bad element of the film is its clutter. There are just too many villains, a fact many fans (myself included) have feared since the villain lineup was announced last year. We all remember how the Batman films began to go downhill by adding more than one villain, and we all wondered if this would be the case with SM-3. Sadly, it is. I’ve already discussed the comic back stories of the three villains in a previous entry. If you read that entry, you’ll recall that two of those villains, Harry Osborn as Green Goblin II and Venom, had a lot of history to them. So to try and put those two guys together with yet ANOTHER villain while also juggling the thematic elements of the previous two films is just too much. Spider-Man 3 is a bloated movie because of the villains, and all of them are great characters, but not one gets enough time to develop and grow because there just isn’t time in one movie. In my opinion, the solution would have been to remove Sandman, as much as I love him as a character, and keep the focus on Harry’s feud with Peter and the birth of Venom. The movie would have been much tighter and had a greater emotional impact.

The other bad thing about Spider-Man 3 is that the film is rushed in general. Director Sam Raimi spoiled us with the last two films, which took time to develop and explore characters. Here, new characters are tossed in who are extremely significant in the comics mythos, yet get maybe two or three minutes overall to appear. Even worse is the fact that our main characters don’t really get all the time they should because there’s just too much going on in the film. This fundamental flaw of the film’s pacing and story leads to the final aspect of this review…

The Ugly

Here we go. The first ugly thing about SM-3 is that way back before this film went into post-production, the studio went to Sam Raimi and said, “Hey Sam, the fans really love Venom, you’ve got to use him.” Sam’s initial response was “go away,” because Sam hates the character of Venom and prefers the original 60s villains. But he caved to the folks who cut his very sizable checks. Thus, we have the introduction of a character whose appearance was well-paced in the comic books but who just can’t be given the best treatment in one film.

As a result, too many things have to happen to bring Venom to life later on in the film. Something’s gotta happen so that Spidey can get his black costume, he’s got to loose his black costume, someone else has to find the black costume so they can become Venom. That’s enough for one movie, but probably would have been better stretched out across two. But here we have this entire storyline shoved into a film that’s already got threads to tie up from two other fairly story-heavy films. Because of this, both character and story suffer and in my eyes, that’s just unforgivable.

The last ugly thing about Spider-Man 3 is tied to the other points already brought up: the use of what we call in literature the “Deus ex machina” or “the god from the machine.” This refers to a plot device that is used when a writer has written their characters into a corner and doesn’t know how to get them out. In Greek dramas, a person dressed as a god of myth would be lowered onstage and use their powers to get the characters out of the tight spot they were in.

We see this used in Spider-Man 3 at least twice and it’s downright sickening, because this is not the kind of thing Sam Raimi does. He’s a high-caliber filmmaker and creator, and his last two films had logic and reason as the basis for character development. You’ll know what I’m talking about when you see a very knowledgeable butler appear in the film with key knowledge he should’ve shared two movies ago and a TV newscast that is used to convey critical story points. The oldest rule of writing is “show, don’t tell,” and the scene in question breaks it.

There are also some downright cheesy, cringeworthy scenes in this film. Just stupid, poorly-acted, overwrought scenes, which thankfully come from extras in the film and not main characters. But they’re still awful and they succeed in taking you out of the film. The last two films were immersive experiences. You felt you were there with Peter Parker and his world in the last two films, but towards the end of SM-3, you feel a disconnect.

Final Grade

I have to give Spider-Man 3 a B+. I know that sounds like a generous grade given my negative comments, but the fact remains that this movie is a very good movie that could be great and that it continues the legacy of its predecessors as one of the most faithful comic book films of all time. And Spider-Man 3 is a fun and moving film that actually has substance and meaning, unlike a lot of the crap that fill theaters today. With a few changes, this would have been the epic film that the second movie raised the bar for.

So if you love Spider-Man and/or you loved the first two movies and want to enjoy a good movie that will move you and make you think, go see Spider-Man 3. It's a satisfying and worthy addition to the series. And like the last two films, it really does have everything you could want in a movie.

So as Stan Lee is famous for saying, both in the comics and in his cameo in Spider-Man 3, “Nuff said.”

Ramblings Spider-Man 3 Coverage Continues: The Villains of Spider-Man 3

Hello kids, and Happy Spider-Man 3 Day!

I went to an afternoon showing of the film earlier today with Ali and will be writing my review of the film shortly. I wanted to give myself some time to chew on the film, and I still have to help you, the non-comic reader, get prepped for seeing the film.

Spider-Man 3 breaks the convention of the last two films in that it features not one, but three villains. This news was released about a year or so ago, and was met with great hesitance by the comic book fan community. The reason is because we’re still very sore from the fiasco that was 1997’s “Batman and Robin,” a disaster that put a franchise in ICU and featured three villains.

Thankfully, I can attest that Spider-Man 3 is by no means anywhere in the neighborhood of suckitude that is Batman and Robin. But like that hated film, it does feature three baddies for our hero to battle. Just who are they and what should you know about them going in?

The first is a character whose roots stretch back to the beginning of the Spider-Man mythos. The Sandman debuted back in 1964’s Amazing Spider-Man #4. The Sandman was the third real “super-villain” Spidey faced, trailing after The Vulture and Doctor Octopus.

Sandman’s origin is simple in the comics: common thief Flink Marko is on the run from the law’s long arm when he wanders onto an atomic testing field. A bomb is detonated, and its radiation merges Marko’s body with nearby sand. Marko learns he can change his shape at will and uses his newfound abilities to continue his life of crime. Spidey intervenes, and actually gets a pretty bad pounding before using his wits to capture Sandman in an industrial shop vacuum (yeah, I know…but it was 1964). Ol’ Sandy would return again and again to plague Spidey, and even became a hero briefly before returning to crime.

The second villain of SM-3 isn’t really a villain at all as much as a tragic soul close to Peter Parker: his best friend, Harry Osborn, son of Norman Osborn, The Green Goblin.

You’ll recall that Norman’s Green Goblin was the main villain of the first Spider-Man film, and that he died at his own hand at the film’s end. The second film showcased Harry’s degenerating friendship with Peter and his eventual discovery that Norman was the Goblin, by way of a secret stash of weapons and gear.

In the comics, Peter first met Harry when they both started college. Peter and Harry became quick friends, along with Mary Jane. Peter was shocked to learn that Harry’s father Norman was Spider-Man’s deadly foe, the Green Goblin, who also discovered that Peter was Spider-Man. Norman and Peter’s conflict came to a head when Norman tossed Peter’s first true love, Gwen Stacy, off a bridge. Peter used his web in an attempt to save Gwen, but the force of the fall snapped her neck. Enraged, Peter viciously fought Norman, and during the course of the fight, Norman tried to impale Peter with his glider, but ended up killing himself in the process. If this sounds familiar, it’s because much of this storyline was adapted with some changes for the first Spider-Man film.

The stress of dealing with his father’s erratic behavior and lack of approval led Harry to become a drug addict. Harry secretly witnessed the Goblin’s death and hid any evidence that Norman was the villain. Eventually, Harry discovered that Peter was in fact Spider-Man, and decided to become The Green Goblin and enact revenge. Through the course of various events, Harry suffers a concussion and loses his memory that Peter is Spider-Man. However, Harry’s long-suffering mind eventually buckles under the stress, and the taunting of his father’s “ghost” lead him to subject himself to the Green Goblin formula, which drives him completely insane. Harry and Peter fight one last time, and Harry has the upper hand. But the good man that Harry always was wins out, and he saves Peter from death before dying himself from the effects of an overdose of the Goblin formula.

The third and final villain in Spider-Man 3 is a character who entered the Spider-Man mythos later than the previous two, specifically, in the late 1980s. When Spider-Man rejected his alien costume, it appeared to be dead. In truth, it retreated into the church where Spider-Man defeated it and bonded with Eddie Brock. Brock was a one-time reporter who made his name by helping capture a vicious serial killer named The Sin-Eater. Unfortunately for Brock, Spider-Man captured the true killer, and Brock’s name and reputation were destroyed, along with his marriage. Unbeknownst to Peter, Brock was at the same church, praying for mercy and contemplating suicide. The alien costume sensed Brock’s strong emotions and overtook him. Together, Brock and the symbiote became a new villain who called himself Venom.

Not only did Venom have all of Spider-Man’s powers because of the alien’s time with Spider-Man, he also knew that Peter Parker and Spider-Man were one and the same.

Venom revealed himself by first visiting Mary Jane, who initially mistook Venom for Peter. Spider-Man and Venom would do battle many times over the years, and Venom became one of Spider-Man’s most popular and deadly villains, his appeal lying in the fact that he was a dark, twisted version of Spider-Man.

There you have it, folks, the scoop on the three baddies in Spider-Man 3. My next update will be my review of Spider-Man 3, followed by a new discovery I’ve made in another hobby beloved to me: the world of beer.

Ramblings Spider-Man 3 Coverage Begins: Spider-Man's Black Costume

Greetings, Regal Ramblings Readers!

Well, tomorrow’s the big day: the release of Spider-Man 3. The film’s actually already been in release for the last few days around the world and will be premiering in some places at midnight tonight. But tomorrow is the first full day of the film’s release, and most folks will be hitting theaters tomorrow to see the film.

As promised, I thought I’d give you non-comics readers a little background info on some of the elements of SM-3 that have been heavily promoted in the film’s marketing campaign. These three elements are Spider-Man’s “new” black costume and three villains, The Sandman, Green Goblin 2 (“New Goblin” according to the film’s advertising) and the mysterious Venom.

First up, let’s discuss Spidey’s “new” black costume.

While the black costume in the SM-3 is simply a black version of Spider-Man’s costume, it’s inspired by a black costume that Spider-Man originally acquired way back in 1984. During the course of a comic book mini-series entitled "Secret Wars," Spidey and most of the popular Marvel superheroes were transported to a distant planet by an alien being known only as The Beyonder, who wanted to the heroes to engage in combat with the army of supervillains who'd also been "beamed" to the planet. This led to the “Secret Wars,” so named because no one else but the heroes and villains knew that they were happening on this alien planet.

In the eighth issue of the twelve-issue limited series, Spidey’s costume was damaged in battle. He observed other heroes using an alien costume repair machine (I know, convenient) to repair their costumes, so he went up to an alien machine and placed his hand underneath it. A mysterious black ball fell into his hand and then overwhelmed him, removing the tattered remnants of his old costume and replacing them with a brand new, sleek black costume.

Spider-Man eventually returned to Earth with the other Marvel heroes. He quickly learned that the costume, which he assumed was merely advanced alien technology, had a great deal of special abilities: it responded to his mental commands by turning into civilian clothing and creating an opening for Peter’s mouth when he needed to eat. The costume even produced its own webbing, thus freeing Peter from having to rely on his webshooters. Eventually, Peter learns that the costume is in fact a living alien creature, a symbiote that wants to permanently bond with him. Peter discovers that intense sound negatively affects the creature, and heads to a church belltower, where the loud ringing of the massive bells weaken the creature but almost kill Peter. Unable to move on his own, Peter almost succumbs to the bells. But at the last minute, the creature moves Peter out of harm’s way, having learned about compassion from its time with Peter. The creature seemingly dies, and Spider-Man goes back to his old red and blue costume, sometimes alternating it with a cloth version of the alien costume.

The story of the alien didn’t end there, however. It would later resurface in the form of a new villain, whose history I’ll discuss in my next entry.

Until then, ramble on.

Ramblings Returns!

Welcome back, Ramblings Readers!


It's been six months since I last updated my original blog, "Ramblings," which all of you have read from time to time over the last two or three years. It's been a busy six months, between teaching, being in school, and spending time with Ali and Ava.

It should come as no surprise that what brings me back to Ramblings is what I created the blog for to begin with: coverage of new comic book and sci-fi films.

In particular, it's the long-awaited second sequel to the original Spider-Man film, Spider-Man 3, which opens next nationwide Friday, May 4th.

I've had some conversations over the last six months with a few folks about Ramblings, and the consensus seems to be that sometimes, these entries run long, especially when the movie being covered is a lengthy one.

That has indeed been the case, and while it's my blog after all, I don't want to overpower the readership.

Thus, my coverage of Spider-Man 3, which will be extensive and educational for those of you who know nothing about the film so far, will begin with this entry and span at least four more. The final entry will be my review of the film.

So let's begin. Spider-Man 3. Long have we comic fans waited for it's coming. Until director Sam Raimi made the first Spider-Man film, the only other truly accurate comic book films that managed to perfectly capture the heart of a character were the Richard Donner Superman films of the seventies and eighties. The Tim Burton Batman films managed to at least make The Batman dark again, if not giving us a faithful look at the character.

So when Spider-Man debuted back in 2002, it was a mega-event milestone for comic book films in a lot of ways, which I won't get into here. It was faithful to the character of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and his unique status as the everyman superhero, a regular guy who struggles to make ends meet while also struggling to land a fist on the jaw of the latest supervillain.

2004's Spider-Man 2 took things to the next level and was an even better film than the first. The fights between Spidey and Doc Ock dropped a lot of jaws, and the story was well-written. Characters actually evolved and were clearly moving from where they'd started in the first film to a clear end point, which is of course, Spider-Man 3.

So to say I'm excited about this flick is like saying Rosie O'Donnell is excited about being obnoxious and inappropriate.

Last week, I purchased tickets to the film. Helping me show them to you are the stars of Spider-Man 3, Spider-Man in his original costume, and Spider-Man in his new black costume.


Not the best picture, I admit. Note that there are two tickets. This indeed means that my blushing bride will be accompanying me to see the first showing of Spider-Man 3 on Friday. There is a geek midnight showing, but I won't be attending that one. There will be a lot of parents taking their kids and letting them stay up late to watch the film and there will be a lot of geeks and freaks. Which I'm not opposed to, as I fall squarely in the middle of both categories. It's just that some of those people will be waiting for the midnight showing longer than even I would. The point is, it's going to "off the hizzy," as the kids say today. I get anxious enough as it is to deal with people more zealous than me. My Superman Returns experience taught me that lesson.

So instead of running the "geek gauntlet again," I've opted to go when there will be a less stressful crowd on opening day itself. I'll be getting to the theater at least two hours before the film as usual, and Ali will be coming to meet me about a half-hour before the film starts.

Alright, that's about all for now. A few folks who don't know a whole lot about Spider-Man from the comics have asked me a lot of questions about all the villains in the film, and why does Spider-Man have this new black costume? I'm going to address the black costume in an entry devoted to its origins in the comics, and then I'll offer another two entries on the villains of the piece. And yes, there are indeed three bad guys in the film.

It's good to be back! Thanks for reading and feel free to post any questions about the film in the comments section.

Chris

Top 10 Reasons You Should Go See Casino Royale

Hey kids.



It's been a while since I updated Ramblings, mainly 'cause I've been devoting my blogging time to Rambling's sister blog, The Trektastic Voyage. I was compelled to come back to Ramblings to give you a brief review of the newest James Bond adventure, "Casino Royale."



I usually give very detailed movie reviews, but I thought I'd go for a bullet-style approach here. Ali and I had a date last night and after a lovely dinner at the wonderful Antoni's, we went to The Grand to see "Casino Royale."

Here we go, from the home office in Youngsville, Louisiana...


10. "Casino Royale" is a "reboot" of the James Bond franchise. You don't need to know anything about the other twenty Bond films from the last forty years to enjoy this. It's a restart, like "Batman Begins" was for the Batman franchise.

9. Direction: the last three Brosnan Bond films were criticized for their use of "edgy" film techniques from modern successful blockbusters. This wore thin fast as it seemed too derivative. "Casino Royale" doesn't look like any other movie out today. It's tightly directed by Martin Campbell, and edited by veteran editor/director Stuart Baird, who worked magic on the first Superman film. This movie is fast-paced, exciting, and never tedious, thanks to the direction.

8. Cinematography and location shooting: the lenswork in this film is amazing, and brings to vibrant life the myriad global locations one expects from a James Bond film. The exotic locations appear as lush as they are in life, and the film jumps with color and style. And unlike a lot of action flicks today, you'll actually be able to tell what's happening and you won't get motion sickness, as the camera work is energetic but stable.

7. Action: "Casino Royale's" action is much more realistic than previous Bond films, though amazing stunts and set pieces are used to great effect. Think "Bourne Identity" instead of traditional James Bond action, which sometimes bordered on the superhuman.

6. Characterization: this is a film about characters, not just Bond walking around striking cool poses and dropping witty or cheesy one-liners. You will find you care about Bond's character, who is not yet the seasoned agent we knew from past films, and his love interest in the film. The writing is also focused on developing themes and plot points for the twenty-second Bond film, due out in 2008. But don't worry, this film doesn't have a cliffhanger ending. It just sets up the next film, and believe me, you'll want to see it after seeing "Casino Royale."

5. Dame Judi Dench: Dench played "M," the head of Bond's MI:6 in the Brosnan Bond films, but returns here despite the fact that this film is a reboot. Dench was brought back because she's a classically-trained actress who brings fire and humor to the role of M that no other actress likely could.

4. Score: I couldn't help but smile when I heard some of the cues in "Casino Royale." The score has that wonderful classic Bond sound many of us remember from the Connery Bond films, replete with classy brass and string work. But thankfully, the score doesn't overpower the film as is the case in a lot of contemporary films today. And while the classic Bond theme is used, it doesn't come into the film until it really matters and really shines. You'll see what I mean when you hear it.

3. Devotion to the original novels: Bond began life in a series of novels by Sir Ian Fleming, the first of which was "Casino Royale." Though a spoof version and a TV episode adaptation of "Casino Royale" was produced, this is the first official Bond film to adapt the novel. The film is faithful to the novel, avoiding the campier Bond seen in later Bond films as well as the gadgets and other sillier concepts. More on this in #1...

2. Bond girls: Can't leave the ladies out. Caterina Murino is the lovely Solange, a minor Bond girl role that is nonetheless important to the film. The major Bond girl here is the beautiful Eva Green, who you'll likely remember from her role in "Kingdom of Heaven." Green brings not only beauty but charm and depth of character to the role of Vesper Lynd, giving us a Bond girl who is far more than mere window dressing.

Eva Green as Vesper Lynd


And now, the #1 Reason to Go See "Casino Royale..."

...Daniel Craig as Agent 007, James Bond.



I admit I hated the idea of this guy when I saw the first teaser. The blue eyes, the blonde hair, the face that looks worn. I thought, "THIS is the new James Bond?!" But this man is amazing. Craig brings intensity, charm, and depth to a character that has long been seen as a one-note, invincible, and often campy hero. Craig's Bond is brutal, violent, and downright brutish, but also suave, sophisticated, and charming. I really think Craig is the best Bond since Connery, and might even surpass him, given the right writing in future films. And Craig's Bond is the Bond of the novels, who didn't rely on gadgets or toys but on his own two fists, his cunning, and of course, a good gun. And Craig delivers some classic lines that I don't dare spoil here, a few of which we expect to hear from James Bond. My favorite has to do with the preparation of a certain drink, and one of my others occurs when Vesper asks Bond if it doesn't really bother him when he kills. Ali loved the humor and edginess that Craig brought to Bond, and I agree that he's much more interesting now than in the last few films we've seen.

So go out and see "Casino Royale" as soon as you can! Chris

Robert Downey Jr. Cast as Marvel Hero Iron Man!

Marvel's press release on the casting:

Academy Award(R) Nominee Robert Downey Jr. will take on the role of one of Marvel's greatest Super Heroes, signing on as the title character for Marvel Studios' highly-anticipated IRON MAN. This project, the first feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment, will launch into theaters May 2, 2008. The film is being directed by Jon Favreau and will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Downey is widely recognized as one of Hollywood's most versatile actors. Nominated for an Oscar(R) for his extraordinary portrayal of Charlie Chaplin in Chaplin, Downey has been featured in more than 50 films. His upcoming credits include Fur (co-starring Nicole Kidman), A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, and the David Fincher film Zodiac. He has also recently been seen in such films as: A Scanner Darkly, The Shaggy Dog, Good Night, and Good Luck, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Gothika, The Singing Detective and Wonder Boys.

Based upon Marvel's iconic Super Hero, IRON MAN tells the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. Upon his return to America, Tony must come to terms with his past. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man.

"Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most talented and acclaimed actors of this generation. His versatility sets him apart and makes him an ideal fit to play such a complex character as Iron Man. We could not think of another actor better suited to bring one of Marvel's crown jewels to the big screen and be the centerpiece of our first independently produced feature," said Kevin Feige, President of Production, Marvel Studios.

Marvel Studios is currently casting all supporting roles. Filming is slated to begin in Los Angeles in February 2007.

*********************************************************************

In my opinion, this is a strange yet also smart move on Marvel's part. John Favreau was an odd choice as director (he directed "Elf" and "Zathura"), but all indications from Favreau are that he respects and knows the source material and intends to be faithful to it.

So Downey Jr. could pan out. Tony Stark is a billionaire industrialist in the comics and is one of Marvel's "Trinity" along with Captain America and Thor. Stark builds a suit of armor to keep himself alive after shrapnel pierces his heart, and then turns the armor into a sophisticated weapons system which he uses to combat evil. In the 80s, Stark struggled with alcoholism, and Downey Jr.'s own substance abuse struggles might come into play in the character.

I used to read Iron Man religiously in high school and am cautiously optimistic about this film. Time will tell...

Chris

It's official: I'm going to my first comic book convention!

Greetings, Ramblers.

I haven't posted here in a while, as I've been working on Rambling's sister blog, The Trektastic Voyage, which got coverage in last week's Sunday Advertiser.

But I have an announcement I want to share with you, my loyal if often silent readership.

I'm going to my first comic book convention!

I've never been to a convention in all my years of loving comics. There were various reasons, none of them important. But now, I've realized I have the opportunity and the resources to go to a convention that won't require a plane trip to attend.

I'll be going to Wizard World Texas, held in Arlington, Texas from November 10th through November 12th. I reserved a room at a nearby hotel and now all that remains is to buy tickets for the convention. I'll be going up Friday and returning sometime Saturday evening.

Since I'm a convention virgin, I'll be bringing along my digital camera and camcorder. I'll post pics and videos for your viewing pleasure, and will chronicle the whole journey here on Ramblings. I'll also be doing a special edition of The Trektastic Voyage, which will of course go on despite the convention.

More to come as November draws nearer...

Chris

Ramblings Restaurant Review: New York Pizza and Deli

New York Pizza and Deli's owners coined a rather clever acronym for their little hole in the wall establishment in downtown Lafayette:

NYPD.

Covers all the letters in the title of the place, save that pesky but oh so necessary article.

So we have NYPD: New York Pizza and Deli.

Having visited the joint, I have a different set of words to plug into that same acronym that I think is a hell of a lot more accurate and avoids the same blatant false advertising:

NYPD: Need Your Patience, Dude.

Exclamation point(s) may be added at your discretion. Especially after you eat there.

I love pizza. Not a big surprise to those who know me. If you'd cut off certain cubes of the fat deposits around my body, you'd probably see they're actually cubes of stored pizza.

It takes a lot to ruin pizza. I've had some terrible pizza in my thirty years and some great, even downright beautiful pizza. The stuff of sonnents and frescoes and arias.

Here's the worst part about the pizza from Need Your Patience, Dude: it's neither terrible or great. And as Jesus put it in the "back of the Bible," like my kids say, we spit the lukewarm out of our mouths.

My bride and I went on a double-date with our friends, Roy and Mindi Petitfils. We got babysitters and were excited to have a night on the town. We decided on trying NYPD, because it was new and we'd all heard good reports.

HUGE mistake. The first thing that should have clued us in that NYPD was going to fail us was the fact that we were the only patrons at five thirty on a Saturday evening. Parlors like Alesi's, which is falling from grace itself, Deano's, Pizza Village, and La Pizzeria, are all seeing brisk business early in the evening on the weekend's longest night. Should have been a red alert for us, but still we stayed.

This guy comes out who could be a waiter there or a guy who works at Sbarro's in the mall and asks for our drink orders. I shoot back with "Whatever you've got of the beer-esque type drinks," and he laughs. LAUGHS. According to that acronym and the all the hype, this joint's a pizza parlor. Yet they have no beer.

I give him the look I give my students when they say they didn't know they had to do something they damn well know they have to do. He says, "Uh, I'm serious, you have to go to one of the bars because blah blee blue blah." I stopped after "You have to go" because I'm thinking, "I don't have to go anywhere. I came here because I wanted to be served. If I wanted to go get my own beer, I'd have stayed home and walked to the fridge in the garage.

So Roy and I do the gentleman's shuffle out the back door of the joint and head to the bar behind it. We get some beers in what may have been either a bar or a set from The Lord of the Rings that was transported to Lafayette and left intact. I half expected to see folks hanging from the walls from manacles. We get the beers, which begin their countdown to being room temperature the minute our hands touch them, and then head back to Need Your Patience, Dude.

Once there, we order the pizza and an appetizer. A whole pizza at NYPD is over twenty bucks because New York pizza is big. I get it, that's the whole schtick of the place, alright. But twenty-three bucks? Please. I could work wonders with that amount with homemade pizzas made from store-bought ingredients. Ali orders two pieces, I order a half, Roy orders a half, and Mindi orders two pieces.

We get the appetizers in advance, which is one good thing. They weren't bad or great, just middle of the road. A taste of things to come.

Then the pizza arrives. I'm the only dark cloud in the room, which now has two more patrons by six-fifteen. And yes, it's still Saturday. I pick up one of the large slices and...lose all of my toppings. Not some. Not a few. ALL. After the Frankensteinian task of rebuilding my pizza is done, I get that first taste. Surely this will redeem the place. Maybe you don't come for a few brews or the atmosphere. Maybe this is a place you come to just for the great...

...then I bite into the pizza. It's mediocre at best. See a pattern forming?

The crust is subpar, the toppings are undercooked, the cheese is so so, and the sauce is struggling to be something more than a can of Ragu with added oregano and tomato paste.

We finish quickly and all realize that we neither got our bang for our buck nor felt the excitement that can come from trying a new place. We thought about going to that wonderful mainstay of Lafayette pizza, Deano's, but didn't.

We probably should have. And so should you. Go anywhere else, in fact. Even the chains like the Hut and Dommie's and Papa J's. At least you'll get what you pay for and you don't have to go to a place so filled with potential (great location, great building) but so off the mark when living up to that potential.

And you'd get your pizza much faster ordering it from the chains, even on a busy Saturday night. We waited almost thirty minutes. That's long even for a busy place like Coyote Blues on a Saturday night. This place had four customers.

There's just no excuse. And that's why from service to selection to affordability to quality, you'll Need Your Patience, Dude.

Cap

There's a new Blogger in town...

Hey kids,

I just wanted to take a moment to talk up(or in this case, write up)the newest writing endeavor of my good friend, Roy Petitfils, The Tropical Update. Roy is a columnist and writer, as well as a teacher at STM here in Lafayette. We worked on a book together over the last six months(damn Roy, can you believe it was that long?) and we share a love of writing and reading, among other things.

Such as hurricanes. More to the point, how they're hatched from hot plains a world away and then their brief but sometimes cataclysmic lives.

Some folks (among them my bride and my mother)are a little put-off when Roy and I say we're "hoping" a tropical storm or hurricane forms. They're certainly right on for having that reaction, since we're using the wrong words and thus feeding their misunderstanding.

We don't "hope" for hurricanes to form and cause damage and death. Not at all. We've both been victims of hurricanes in the past, in Roy's case physically, and in mine, psychologically. As I've shared here in past entries, I thought I was going to die as a result of Hurricanes Andrew, Katrina, and her bitch of a sister who decided to come on over a week or so later for a visit, Rita. In each of those storms, I didn't just "think I'd die," the way we often say we might when we take a chance on a yellow light or when we see a bug bigger than our own fist in our showers. I'm telling you that I had actually prepared myself for death. I felt that in each case, I could very well be killed by those storms.

And the truth is, I could have. We all could have been. For me and Roy and the others who are interested in these storms, it's not because we want to see misery, destruction, and death. It's simply fascination with a force beyond ourselves capable of doing such damage. We're awed by it, we're humbled by it, we're terrified by it. Yet like most people, we're also thrilled by that fear at the same time. Unlike most folks, though, we express our excitement and fear. Odd, maybe. But true nonetheless.

So we like to follow these systems as they form from a few rowdy barnstormers out in Africa or wherever else and become engines of terrible potency. I've had this fascination with deadly weather all my life. It started when I was a kid, sitting in the backseat of our family car on a Texas highway and wondering why the sky was black as night at two in the afternoon. I found out later that there were tornadoes touching down nearby. I've been "fascifraid," to coin my own word, ever since.

And dadgummit if you aren't, too. You just might not be as quick to admit. That's all fine and good, that's what we writer-types are for. We sketch with words what other people think, feel, and fear. In my case, generally the last.

So hop on over to Roy's The Tropical Update. Sit back and let us express your "fascifear" for you.

Chris

TS Chris and Brokeback Joker

It's an old story. A man leaves home for a few days of vacation and all hell breaks loose in the meantime.

I was enjoying Stephen King's mammoth "Bag of Bones" when I heard the words "tropical storm Chris." We don't have very good reception in our condo, both phones and the TV, so I hadn't been able to watch The Weather Channel. There's also the fact that the jackals who run the condo don't allow guests to even use dial-up to access the Internet; you have to use their ten bucks a day modem, and it's not even wireless. Pathetic. So outside of coming to The Dizzy Bean Cafe to plug in to the WWW, I've been in the dark.

Anyway, TS Chris. I just checked the latest news on this guy over at NOAA's website, Wunderground, and Perillo's blog over at KATC.com. Seems as if the big guns are saying Chris is going to become a depression again and not re-strengthen in the Gulf.

Folks, hopefully you see how crazy that sounds. The Gulf is extremely warm, and we were told after last year's historic hurricane season that the gulf didn't cool down like it usually does. So we're supposed to believe that Chris isn't going to strengthen when he gets into the gulf waters? Please.

I was in those very waters yesterday. The water is damned warm and it's eerily calm. Not many waves. The water almost seems heavy somehow. Weird, I know. But I'm a writer, not a meteorologist.

Here's my prediction, if anyone's interested: Chris will become a TS within a day of entering the gulf. He'll be a Cat 2 storm by the time he's off the Louisiana coast. He'll make landfall somewhere in southeastern Texas or maybe Louisiana. You want me to be honest? Okay. I think you all need to start planning. Seriously planning. Buy some new batteries for the flashlights, get some water, etc., etc. Because despite what the pros are saying, my feelings are that Chris could turn very quickly to the north and affect us.

As for the Meaux fam, we'll be at Blue Alert when Chris enters the GoM sometime on Sunday (correct me if I'm wrong, Roy!). Blue Alert, as you'll recall from this very blog, means a tropical storm or hurricane has entered the GoM and we're watching it carefully. If Chris looks like he's going to start some drama with us, we go to Yellow Alert and then Red Alert if he's got us in the crosshairs.

Alright, one other thing. If you've been watching the news in the last week, you know that Heath Ledger, most recently of Brokeback Mountain fame, is set to play The Joker in the sequel to Batman Begins, entitled The Dark Knight.

Kids, I gotta level with you here. I think this is absurd. The word on the street is that director Chris Nolan picked Ledger himself. That's nothing new, considering that's how most casting is done. But let's be clear: Nolan's being pressured. The last I read on the various comic sites I visit, Nolan was favoring Paul Bettany, who ironically enough co-starred with Ledger in "A Knight's Tale." You probably remember Bettany as Russel Crowe's imaginary buddy in "A Simple Mind." He was also in that tennis movie a few years back.

Bettany has the look and the intensity to play The Joker. Ledger does not. I think this is just another case of what I call "token casting." Ledger's not gay, but the studio wanted to hire him precisely because he was in a controversial movie. Their thinking, if it can be called that, was "Hey, he was in Brokeback, that'll get people's attention, and we can make more money."

I want to trust Nolan on this one. Memento and Batman Begins are two of my all-time favorite movies. But this just doesn't work for me. Nolan's casting for Batman Begins was genius. And the cast for The Dark Knight was all set with everyone from the previous film but Watanabe and Neeson. I was hoping on Bettany or, even better, Johnny Depp.

Not freakin' Heath Ledger. He's a fine actor, but c'mon. He's a pretty boy. He's not The Joker.

More to come on this as The Dark Knight begins production in the next year.

And certainly more to come on that mischevious maelstrom out there with my name on it...

Chris

Does whatever a spider can...

Welcome to a special Vacation Edition of Ramblings. I'm reminded of those times when Johnny Carson or Dave Letterman would take the show on the road and do a week of programs from a different studio. As I mentioned in my last entry, I'm on vacation in Orange Beach with my mother, my wife, and my daughter all week. We've had a great time so far. The weather hasn't been as agreeable as we like, but we have a beautiful condo and we've rested and done a lot of shopping and playing with Ava.

Finally, the last hero in the Spandex Trinity: The Amazing Spider-Man. As with Superman and The Batman, there are visual records of this redhead receiving Spider-Man items for birthdays and Christmas. While visiting my parents a few weeks ago, my mother brought out an old photo album, and there I was, showing off a big, cheesy grin and a Remco Motorized Spider-Man action figure. When I saw the photo, I immediately remembered owning the figure. It was a twelve-inch figure and had a string that you could run through Spidey's back. He was battery-powered, and would "climb" the string or swing across it, depending on how you positioned it. I went to that repository of youthful dreams, where a stroll down memory lane is possible for loads of cash: Ebay. There was the old Remco Spider-Man. He could be mine if I was willing to sell an organ and fork over almost four hundred bucks.

Spider-Man, or Spidey as most fans lovingly refer to him, is a character that I fell in love with early on. My brother didn't have any issues of the main Spider-Man titles in his collection, just one issue of the "Spider-Man vs. Wolverine" mini-series. I read that issue and others featuring Spider-Man in guest-starring roles. My exposure to the character didn't come from that issue, however. I discovered the character through the live-action Spidey TV show and the wonderful 60s Spider-Man cartoon with the immortal theme song that refrained, "Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can. Spins a web, any size, catches thieves just like flies. Look out! Here comes the Spider-Man!"

Look out, indeed. I didn't have to read too many comics to know Spider-Man was beyond cool. He had that cool costume, which was colorful yet also slightly creepy. He could spin and swing from his own web, which was also a defensive and offensive weapon. He had the agility of a circus acrobat and more, could stick to walls and just about any surface, and his villains were the best. Doctor Octopus, The Green Goblin, The Vulture, Sandman, The Lizard, Electro. The list goes on.

It wasn't until I was a little older, round about middle school, that I picked up my first issue of one of the main Spider-Man titles. I was floored by the art and the stories. What amazed me most, however, was the character of Peter Parker. Stan Lee, who created Spidey and most of the other Marvel characters you would immediately recognize, says that he wanted to create in Spidey an answer to the older heroes of comics, who were more fathers or big brothers to the readers than peers. Thus he decided that he’d take the idea of the teenage superhero sidekick and make him the hero. Stan The Man went to his editor filled with excitement over his latest creation. He was summarily told that A) no one wanted to read about a teenaged hero and B) spiders are scary and disgusting. Thus, Stan and artist Steve Ditko weaved Spidey’s first tale in the last issue of a recently axed comic, Amazing Adult Fantasy. Previously a venue for sci-fi and mystery stories, Amazing Adult Fantasy became Amazing Fantasy with issue number fifteen and introduced Spider-Man to the world.

Spider-Man was an overnight sensation. Amazing Fantasy’s last issue sold more than any of the issues that preceded it, and Spider-Man was quickly given his own solo title. Turns out Stan was right: teens really do want to read about a hero who is like them, a hero that they could themselves imagine being.

And therein lies the magic of Spider-Man. Peter Parker isn’t the mask, unlike Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent. He’s actually the real guy, and Spidey’s just a costume he puts on to help people. And Pete didn’t rocket to Earth from a distant, doomed planet, nor was he manor born with silver spoon firmly in mouth. Pete was an orphan, like most heroes. His parents, agents of a secretive U.S. government organization, were killed in the course of a mission. Pete went to live with his father Richard’s brother Ben and his wife, May. Pete grew up in a simple home with simple people. They didn’t have much money, but they had a lot of love. It was in that environment that Pete was molded into the hero he would later become.

When his Uncle Ben was killed by a robber Pete could have stopped with his newfound powers, Pete learned a lesson that is universal in its truth: “with great power comes great responsibility.” This belief would guide Peter’s life as he struggled to support his now-widowed Aunt May by working as a freelance photographer for The Daily Bugle and battled crime as The Amazing Spider-Man.

The thing about Pete is that he’s human, he’s one of us. Notice that I call him Pete, as if I know him. Yet I feel like I do know him, perhaps more than any other superhero. Because I can identify with him. Peter Parker was a nerdy teenager who was mocked by his male peers and ignored by his female peers. He was a good young man, with a gentle heart and manner, yet he was timid and shy. Those of you who know or work with teenagers know that these are adequate descriptions of most of them. I was a lot like Pete growing up. He might have been scrawny, but I was overweight and rejected just the same. We both wore glasses and were pretty shy in uncomfortable situations and around people we didn’t really know. We were ignored or rejected by girls and felt the pain of knowing that within us was a good young man who just wanted to be recognized.

When I was that pained young man, I was here in Orange Beach with my family. I was heavily into comics by then, and when we stopped at one of the many Tom Thumb convenience stores in the area, I came back to the car with a stack of comics. There were some issues of Iron Man and X-Men, but the majority of the issues featured Spidey. I was remembering all of this yesterday as we passed a few Tom Thumbs on the way to the condo. I devoured those issues and became a loyal Spider-Man reader. It was around this time that he joined Superman and The Batman in The Spandex Trinity.

Even today, as a thirty year old husband and father, I still identify with Pete. He struggled to make ends meet in high school and college, and I had some of those moments myself. He was unlucky in love and often in his work, and so was I. Though I hit the love jackpot the day I met Ali, I still struggle. I will always struggle. Everyone will, though in different ways. But that shy young man who was maligned for who he appeared to be while bursting with joy in who he really was in secret, will likely always speak to me.

Now to answer the question: which of The Spandex Trinity is my favorite? This is extremely hard. I go through phases of intense obsession with all of these characters, and I buy and read all of their comics every month. So it's hard to say. Obviously, each of them resonates with me in different ways and for different reasons.

But if I had to pick the one that was closest to my heart, the hero who I most identify with and feel like I know best, there's only one. It's Peter Parker. The character feels like an old friend that I've known all of my life. That's a credit to his creators. When I went both of the Spider-Man films, there were moments in each that actually brought me to tears. Because those moments were true to the character and his plight, and made me feel that connection and empathy that I've always felt.

So there you have it. You now know my favorite superhero. If you see any Spider-Man memorabilia at a garage sale or in the dollar aisle at Wal-Mart, pick it up for me and I'll pay you back.

I'm off to finish writing some pages on a novel I'm working on, tentatively entitled "Abbeville Nights." As with most of the stories I want to tell, this one's set in areas local to us. Abbeville is the major setting, of course, but so too Lafayette and other cities. Thanks for reading, Chris

Na na na na na na na na na...

...NOT Batman.

Let's get this out of the way right now: the old Adam West "Zip! Bow! Bam!" version of Batman isn't the real deal. Never was, never will be. It's about as much Batman as a gay hairdresser with no fighting experience would be acceptable as Rocky Balboa. No offense to gay hairdressers. It's just a comparison.

The character who we call Batman today was created seventy-three years ago by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. Bill got the short end of the stick when they created the character, since he didn't have a lawyer representing him. Thus, Bob Kane was credited until his death (and as long as DC publishes the character) as the sole creator of Batman.

Specifically, the sole creator of "The Bat-Man," who made his debut in the spring of 1939 in Detective Comics #27. For those of you want to impress your friends around the water cooler, Detective Comics is the book that gave National Publications its second and eventually final name: DC Comics. I've been asked by many what DC stands for. Now you know.

So, The Batman. My mother has pictures of me (which should be destroyed) in an awful Batman costume, circa 1983 or thereabouts. I loved the character even then. Like The Man of Steel, I'd been exposed to The Dark Knight Detective through my brother's comic collection. Superman and Batman were the coolest of the DC characters, though I also loved Green Lantern and The Flash, two of my other favorite characters to this day.

I also remember putting a blue towel around my neck while dressed in Batman Underoos and interrupting my brother and a girl who was visiting with her parents one day at home. They were talking in his room and listening to tapes (yes, tapes. And that's all they were doing, trust me.) I crept into the room unbeknownst to them and then sprang onto the bed at the foot of which they were sitting. I stood with arms akimbo, declaring nothing in word but everything in poise, posture, and presence (or so I thought at the time, but without those big words.)

And that's the essence of the character. At age eight or so, I got The Batman better than the folks that made that old Batman TV show and director Joel Schumacher. The Batman doesn't need to talk, or threaten, or do anything but just stand there . That's all it takes.

The Batman is distinctly different from just plain old "Batman." Batman is more of the superhero version of the character, the one well-known from that insipid TV show, from the old Super Friends cartoon, from Underoos and Halloween costumes and Scooby Doo Meets Batman and Robin.

But The Batman is something else entirely. He's a shadow come to life, a piece of the inky black that envelops Gotham City. Imagine it. You're in New Orleans, let's say. It's night time. You're leaving a bar after a few brews. You're tipsy, so you don't see the mistake you made going to your car alone in an unlit area. A scumbag with a gun appears from behind your car. He's got the desperate look of the crazed on his face. He demands your money and the keys to your car. You're terrified, and you freeze. He thinks you're trying to play with him. His finger tightens around the trigger. Then...

...a jagged shard of the night itself detaches from somewhere above you. It falls upon your assailant with blinding speed, yet does so with unearthly silence. You can no longer see the gunman; he's engulfed in pitch. The gunman screams as you imagine a pig would in the slaughterhouse when its turn is up. You fall back a few steps, now more sober than you've ever been. The screaming is cut off in such a rapid and final way that you wonder if the guy's dead. Still you can't see a thing. Then, as if being spat out from the maw of darkness itself, the mugger falls to the ground. You can see that he's still alive, though unconscious. You hear a faint mechanical sound. Eyes wide with terror, you look skyward to see a massive, dark form launch into the blackness above you. As far as you could tell, it was a giant bat, six feet high with a wingspan twice that.

That, folks, is The Batman. A dark avenger of the night who metes a swift justice to those who would prey upon the innocent. I rediscovered The Batman when I was in middle school. I kept reading and hearing about the new Batman movie that was going to be released. I was interested, and of course started buying any Batman comics I could get my hands on. Before long, I'd read not only comics starring The Batman, but also, anything else I could about the history of the character. I learned that this new film was going to bring The Batman back to his true roots. He was going to be a dark, intense guy, not some smiling fool in a bat suit.

I've stayed in love ever since. The Batman resonates deeply with me because I can identify with him. We all can. Not because I lost my parents to violent crime at an early age. But because I know what it's like to know loss, period. To know loneliness. To know fear and doubt. And to know powerlessness. Bruce Wayne felt all of these things until he resolved at his parents' graves to rid Gotham City of the crime that took their lives. We can all say that we would want to do something like this if someone we loved was taken from us in a violent way.

So for me, it's the fact that Bruce Wayne is human. He's breakable, he's just a regular guy. But he's the ultimate self-made man. He wasn't born with abilities far beyond those of mortal men, and he didn't fall ass-backwards into powers. He trained his mind and body to the peaks of human perfection and then kept going. I know that same drive and passion when it comes to those things in my life that I'm passionate about. My wife and daughter, my writing, my hobbies and interests. The list goes on.

And I love The Batman because of the darkness of the character. I'm just a dark guy. Always have been. I've always been attracted to Halloween, to vampires, to gothic stuff, to black. My high school friends will attest to this, and the all-black clothing phase I went through.

But at the heart of my love for the character is that The Batman wants to help people. He wants to make a difference in the lives of others. I want to do the same thing. I know that all of us do as well. And so we're drawn to this character, who built himself into something more than just a man, a creature of the night, who goes out and does the things we might wish we could do. Maybe not scaring the crap out of thugs or fighting colorful yet freakish villains. But changing the world around us for the better.

Tomorrow, the third hero of the Spandex Trinity: The Amazing Spider-Man.

Chris

Faster than a speeding bullet...

More powerful than a locomotive!

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...

SUPERMAN.

The first superhero. The one just about everyone will mention when you bring up the term "superhero."

He's part of the American experience, but like all true art, was bigger than any one nation, political movement, or era.

He's been around for seventy-four years. Without him, comic books as we know them today would never have come to be. And when you consider that "Superman: The Movie" influenced a generation of filmmakers and film production, you realize that an entire genre of films would have never come to be, either.

This is just one small example of the impact the Superman character has had on the world. According to research, Superman's "\S/" is the second most recognized symbol in the world, right after the cross of Christ.

That's amazing when you think about it.

How did I come to love Superman? Well, let's be clear: what kid doesn't, or at least didn't, at some point? This is especially true for our generation. The Christopher Reeve films took a character that existed only in two dimensions and made him real. Superman was real. There wasn't any doubt to those of us who were kids when those movies debuted.

But even before then, I knew Superman and was a big fan. My brother, who I've mentioned before, had stacks of comics featuring Superman, from The Man of Steel's own solo titles to books that featured Superman regularly, like Justice League of America. And I had Superman pajamas and a huge Superman action figure with glow-in-the-dark kryptonite.

When I became a comic fan on my own, however, I didn't find that I was all that interested in Superman. I read a lot of X-Men related titles, and was a huge fan of dark, sometimes violent characters, like Wolverine, The Punisher, Ghost Rider, Morbius The Living Vampire, and so on. I was also a huge fan of The Batman, who was my favorite character during this "dark age" I went through.

Flash forward to 1992. I read an article in the Lafayette newspaper about a shocking event: The Death of Superman. The article said that Superman was going to be killed and the comics featuring him cancelled. Like the ill-informed media at the time, I believed this truly was the end for Superman. I was kind of relieved, since I preferred those darker characters I mentioned and had found Superman a little one-dimensional and "goody two-shoes" for my liking. It seemed to me that Superman was a character out of date and no longer relevant.

One of the two comic shops I frequented at the time had the entire six-issue run of "The Death of Superman," and my mother bought them for me as a Christmas gift. They were first-prints, which is usually only a big deal when a story is important enough to warrant reprints. My shock and fear grew as I read one issue after another, each bringing the clock that much closer to zero hour for The Man of Steel.

Then I read Superman #75. There were two versions: a "newsstand" edition, which is just a regular, mass-market printing of a comic, and a direct edition. The direct edition was packaged in a sealed black bag featuring a bleeding, red \S/ over a black background. I read my newsstand copy and marveled at the first comic I'd ever read that used one big panel for each page. At the end of the issue, the creature called Doomsday, which had beaten every other hero and which was bent on wiping out all life on Earth, was defeated. But at a great cost.

Superman was dead.

Of course, no one stays dead in comics. I added the Superman titles to my folder, surprised that there were going to be future issues in light of Big Blue's demise. One year later, after the debut of four mysterious beings who each claimed to be Superman, the one, true Superman returned from the dead.

I'd been hooked with the first issue in the "The Death of Superman" series. Granted, this guy didn't have blades coming out of his hands, he didn't have a flaming skull for a head and a demonic motorcycle that could streak up the sides of buildings, he didn't wear black and gun down bad guys with an unbeatable arsenal. That's what I found some refreshing and inspiring about him. Instead, he came to the aid of people who needed him, even if they didn't seem to respect him or care for him. And he fought Doomsday, the first villain who could actually give him a run for his money, knowing full well he might have to lay his life down to save others.

I was "converted," I guess you could say. And I still love Big Blue to this day. Some say Superman is appealing because of the power fantasy. We all wish we could fly and were invulnerable, that we had the strength to change the course of mighty rivers, that nothing could stop us. And there are those who say that Superman is a popular character because of his relationship with Lois Lane and because he's a symbol of American immigrants who moved here to start a new life.

That's all fine and good. But I'll tell you the real appeal: we wish we could be like Superman. I don't mean have his powers. I mean we wish we could make a difference and be the good people we know we really are at heart.We wish pettiness, bigotry, hatred, fear, arrogance, and bloodlust would bounce off of us like those bullets bounce off Superman. We wish we could soar, not above cityscapes or into space, but above those failings that keep us from being better than we are.

We wish that we could be heroes ourselves.

I know I certainly do. Superman is one of my three favorite characters for these reasons, and of course, because he's a great character. The sci-fi stuff is fun and exciting. There's truth to the wish fulfillment, power fantasy stuff. And who doesn't like a story where the guy gets the girl and vice versa?

Tomorrow, I'll tell you a tale of my love for a certain Dark Knight Detective, who you know better as Batman. And I'll even explain why I refer to him as "The Batman." Chris

The Holy Trinity of Spandex

Greetings, kids. It's Tuesday night. Ali's watching Big Brother 44.5 or whatever number the show's on, Ava's making gurgling sounds and nibbling on a picture book about numbers, and I'm writing, as you probably already figured out.

All of you know that I'm a huge comics nut, and have been for decades. But many people ask me: "So Chris, Superman's your favorite character, right?" Others have inquired, "Ah, so you have a Batman beer coozie. Surely The Batman is your favorite comic book hero?" And then there are those who query, "I guess Spider-Man is your favorite?," after seeing a Spider-Man figural keychain hanging from my car's rear-view mirror.

So...who is my favorite character? Which of these three characters takes the top spot? Well, I'm not going to tell you just yet. I've set up a poll here, where you can go and vote. I'll share the results with you after I've gotten some results.

In the meantime, I thought I'd spend some time discussing what most comic fans consider to be "The Holy Trinity" of superheroes, Superman, The Batman, and Spider-Man. Why are these such a big deal? Let's start with the most obvious reason. Be honest. If I were to ask you to name three superheroes you've either heard about, read about, or have seen in some form of media in your lifetime, these three are most likely to be listed first. Oh sure, some of you out there will say "Captain America" or "Green Lantern" or "Aquaman." Maybe even "Wonder Woman." But in general, the first heroes listed are one of these three.

Why is this? And why are these very different characters with very different origins and backgrounds, the ones that have resonated most in popular culture? What about an alien with great powers beyond those of mere humans, a rich orphan who dresses up like a rodent, and a nerdy teenager who can stick to walls and swing around on a homemade web remains so appealing after seventy-four years in the case of Superman, seventy-three years in the case of The Batman, and forty-four years, in the case of Spider-Man? Why have they entered what our German buddies called the "zeitgeist," or the collective consciousness of a culture or society?

The answer is simple, though it requires that I use another five-dollars and a little change word like "zeitgeist." Superman, The Batman, and Spider-Man are
archetypes. I'm going to provide you with a three-fold definition for archetype, which will suit my purposes well.

Zeitgeist:

1. An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype: “‘Frankenstein’ . . . ‘Dracula’ . . . ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ . . . the archetypes that have influenced all subsequent horror stories” (New York Times).
2. An ideal example of a type; quintessence: an archetype of the successful entrepreneur.
3. In Jungian psychology, an inherited pattern of thought or symbolic imagery derived from the past collective experience and present in the individual unconscious.

In all three senses of the term, Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man are archetypes. All three are models after which other superheroes and characters have been patterned. Superman is, of course, the archetype of superheroes; when Siegel and Shuster created Superman, they created the superhero genre with him. Batman was only created by Bob Kane because of Superman's success. Batman's success inspired numerous other dark, grim, and mysterious characters. And Spider-Man was created as an answer to both Superman and Batman in a way. Stan Lee wanted to create a hero who wasn't going to have a teenage sidekick; he was going to be the teenager himself. Hence, fifteen-year old high school student and nerd Peter Parker becomes the first teenaged superhero, The Amazing Spider-Man. We can't count Superboy, who was a teen hero, but was essentially Superman as a boy.

As for the second sense, Superman, Batman, and Spidey are ideal examples of superheroes. They have perfect origins, in that it only takes maybe three lines at most to explain who they are and how they came to be super. They are paragons of nobility, virtue, and heroic humanity, albeit in differing degrees and expressions. All the other heroes either want to be these guys, or in the case of Spidey, wish they were as good at what they do as he is. In the third and more psychological sense, Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man tap into a subconscious and indeed iherited, consciousness. They represent certain human qualities, attributes, and emotions that all people can identify with. Their origins and their struggles tap into the very fiber of human experience.

First of all, and perhaps most interestingly, all three of these heroes are orphans. Superman was rocketed to Earth as his planet exploded, leaving him as The Last Son of Krypton. Bruce Wayne watched both parents murdered in cold blood. He had no siblings or other close relatives, just a paternal figure in his butler. Like Batman, Spider-Man was also an orphan. His parents were secret agents working for the U.S. government. They often left young Peter in the care of his Aunt May and Uncle Ben when they were off on secret missions. When they were murdered in the course of a mission, Peter is left only with Ben and May. And while all three of these characters had surrogate parents or parental figures, they were still marked by the fact that their parents were gone.

We can all understand the feelings that attend loss on this level, even if we've never lost our parents or any loved ones in violent ways. We all have an acute awareness of the cold pain of loneliness. Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man also embody other emotional responses we all know: they love, they lose in love, they keep on loving. What most people love about superheroes is the fact that they fight and win, whereas we fight but sometimes don't win. There's something liberating in the escapist fantasy of a hero who overcomes because of the extraordinary that lies beneath the veneer of the ordinary, whether it's an extraordinary power, will, or determination.

These characters are heroes. Scholars of philosophy, literature, psychology, and religion tell us that the heroic ideal resonates with us because it's been with us since the beginning of us. We've always had heroes. The Greeks and the Norse had their colorful and sometimes fearful gods, the British had King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and just about every other culture has had folk heroes and characters. These heroes may not always be larger-than-life or superhuman, but they did overcome. They did succeed in the face of adversity and past failure. They were the best and the brightest, the likeness of which we hoped to find in ourselves.

As for Americans, we have our superheroes. They've been around for seventy-four years. There's no indication they're going anywhere, blatant exploitation and commercialism be damned. They will overcome even our present society's predilection for fads and fickle attention spans. They are our mythology, gods in tights who fight battles that represent our own.

Over the course of the next three entries, I'll share with you my feelings about each of The Big Three, in the order I've discussed them here. Afterwards, I'll give you the results of the poll and tell you which answer was the right one. Some of you will be surprised, while others already know the answer. Keep it real and take it light, Chris