Yesterday I went in for my physical… this is the first one since retirement and my doctor of over 30 years is retiring… So I met instead with a very nice nurse practitioner to go over my test results and discovered a few things. A new person means a new set of eyes… and a belief that the information you are being given is to new to you… Therefore is a teachable moment. What I think I learned was pretty simple although I might be exaggerating it. 😉
Anything I currently enjoy eating will kill me- so I should stop eating.
I need to also stop drinking anything except water, unless that water also contains fiber.
If I do not exercise every day I will die.
If I die I can stop taking the majority of the medications I am currently on.
Pretty much it looks like I’m as good as dead, and I have about seven pages of scientific reasoning explaining it all. 🙄 Included in those seven pages are detailed descriptions of what I should be doing (see list above for abbreviated version) Now to see how insurance reacts to this… I’m guessing any treatment that might help won’t be covered. “That class of medication is only for the wealthy, not retired teachers.” Maybe if health insurance also had to pay for funerals it would be different.🤔
I also learned that even when you are asked to fill out page after page of family history… like when you give students a reading assignment, Nobody seems to read it and they ask you questions that you already answered… or had to call some relative to answer- “Was the mole Aunt Marge had on her left hand cancerous?” For the record- I filled out the survey the office sent me, not the one the third party sent me from the hospital that required me to sign a release… Maybe I should have done that, but I had just filled out the one so why do it twice? Isn’t that what computers and AI are for?
I do appreciate the work people in the medical field do to try to keep stupid people like me healthy and alive. I just found it funny they are required now to ask questions about depression BEFORE they go over your test results… I wonder what would happen if they asked them AFTERWARDS. Stay tuned… I’m sure with the way health insurance works in the Untied States things will only get worse… politics are way more important than a healthy or educated populace. You know, we wouldn’t want THOSE people to get free healthcare even though that also means you would too. 🙄
I don’t know what to say this week, so many things are going on… Over the weekend I was able to spend time with some amazing fellow artists and creators- the Indy Webcomics Group. I joined this group years ago and with life and plagues I’d missed meeting with them. It was something I thought I had on my list (I’ll count it as part of Bucket List #22 – Draw everyday) The group is young (by my standards) artists and we hang around and draw, usually at a microbrewery. When I first joined we tried some joint tabling, and even an anthology… but it’s settled into a comfortable groove of meeting & drawing. What they call “Drink & Draw.”
Someone posted something on social media about their perfect book club- we all meet at a bar, and drink and read whatever we want quietly. The idea of like minded people gathering is nice… it doesn’t always mean we have to be social. I think that’s what I like about this group. We might start off talking about related things (this week was people’s feelings about the live action adaptation of The Last Airbender) which was interesting to listen to, but way over my head (That’s the one with the kid with the blue arrow on his forehead). We all just sit around tables and drew stuff. Some on paper, some digitally- it was awesome. There were some new people to group who were a little confused at first, I think when you first come in you think this is going to be a bunch of people talking about comics and art… it is, but it isn’t either. For me I played around with the Draw or Die Club prompts and a piece I’d been ignoring for my Local Comic Shop (still am putting it off a bit). When it comes to drawing I know that I’m fast… not necessarily good, but fast. Last week I talked about some of my weaknesses, I thought I’d work on those, but I didn’t. Instead I worked on a “rabbit with an agenda” and “the last dinosaur.”
Update On My Post Dealing With “Comic” Cons
I found it interesting that one of my favorite comic artists posted that he had dropped out of his Fan Expo appearances and was selling those pieces online. He decided to “readjust his focus to shows with little or NO actors.” I’m still waiting for our “local” Indiana Comic Con to actually announce who will be in artist alley and maybe an actual announcement about comic book artists and creators. With about 20 days to go… they are currently still posting about the celebrities who will be coming and those who have “sadly” pulled out. I even commented on one of their posts… within 48 hours they made a post highlighting three comic creators they had attending. Digging on their website, they have listed around seven people attending who are affiliated with comics… and 31 celebrities, a smattering of authors, cosplayers, and YouTuber/Influencers (panelists)… is this an actual Comic Con? I have nothing against the people who are going there to get autographs and photo-ops I just wish that there was more to it. Then again I was talking with someone at IWG about how expensive Cons have gotten when most people are just paying to shop in the dealer hall. I know there should be more programming, and more things to engage people. Here’s an Idea- a room in which you watch the celebrity’s favorite episode of their show… and they provide commentary as they watch it with you- might be funnier than MST3K. The problem is the celebrity makes a lot more money, sitting at a table signing stuff than they would doing that or worse… what happens if no one shows up? Just to compare, as of February 27th- Baltimore Comic Con doesn’t have any “Media Guests” listed yet, but does have 55 comic artists & creators attending their September show. Heroes Convention in Charlotte, NC has almost 70 artists and creators listed… and nothing so far as for media guests – their con is in June. Indiana “Comic Con”… tell me why (as a “comic book guy”) I should attend? 🙄
Health & Safety Update: On My Post About Curling
Wearing a helmet is a good thing. Also the rubber covers for your shoes come in a XXL size. My shoe uses an XL size. XXL don’t stay on well. Yes, I’m fine.
I won’t be posting anything (or even getting my comics next week) On the road again. I’ll tell you all about it…If I survive… I might bring my curling/bicycle helmet just in case.
According to CLZ the winner for most variants this week is: Red Sonja, Vol. 7 #8 with 21 variants!
This Week’s Comics:
HiLo Book 10: Rise of the Cat – Judd Winick is one of my favorites, his Frumpy the Clown was great, his Barry Ween was amazing, and HiLo is even more amazinger. (My blog, I can use whatever words I want). Some might even say it is “OUTSTANDING!” HiLo tells the story of a boy (robot) who comes to earth to stop the evil plans of Razorwark. Through the series we get silly things going on, but unlike some all ages titles, this is 1. well drawn. 2. Wholesome (even with the silly humor) 3. expands and grows the characters including 😱 strong female characters! 4. Has a really cool magic slinging cat (yes, I have a things for cats). In Book 10 we are dealing with Polly (the really cool magic slinging cat) who has now dealing with the consequences of her actions. This leads to a mystery, and a school of magic, and robots.I look forward to reading it again, and again. I do not look forward to waiting for Book 11, but good things come to those who wait. I gave the series to my niece and nephew… I wonder if they have even cracked them open 🙁
Amazing Spider-Man #44 – Gang War ’nuff said. Really there is only one more issue (Daredevil) before we get to the “Gang War: Aftermath” series for the next two or three months. This one did actually end most of the fighting and resulted in a winner, I’m sure this ordeal will end up being written on the winner’s Tombstone.
Detective Comics #1082 – OK- maybe it was falling and hitting my head on the ice during curling this morning, but this is really getting confusing. How much of this is actually happening, how much of it is just going on in Bruce Wayne’s messed up psyche?
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17 – No more Gang War! 😁 Miles is also no longer dealing with the Anti-Vigilante law, but that won’t stop Agent Gao, or will it? Then there’s Rabble and let’s not forget the great and mighty Zip Zephyr!
Jay Garrick: The Flash #5 – Jay & Judy keep searching for Doctor Elemental and try to figure out his master plan. A guest appearance by Owl Man? At least the guy’s lair has an owl vibe going… And it wouldn’t be a comic without a damsel in distress! Still liking this title and hoping that bad things don’t happen to good people.
Phantom Road # 9 – We learn a bit more about the back stories of our main characters thanks to MacGuffin creature interaction. Still a bit confusing, still interesting enough for me to want to read more.
Defiant #12 – After soul searching and lots of introspection the crew of the Defiant arrive at Starbase 99 to deliver their prisoners. Starbase 99 makes Starbase 80 look like a five-star Risan Hotel. Wow! Did they pull something out of the past and hopefully tie up a few loose ends that trekkies have been wanting for a while… or maybe it’s just part of a growing “Conspiracy.”
Undiscovered Country #28 – So our heroes reunite and are on the train filled with bounty… will they ever get a break? More puzzle pieces seem to fall into place, as they wish they could just click their heels and go home. No such luck.
The Flash #6 – Just when I thought I was starting to understand what was going on… then this happens. At least it looks like Barry’s back (or is he?). I do like Wally, but this Speed force, multi dimensional whatever is giving me a head ache. Can we just fight super intelligent gorillas? Maybe deal with some teenage angst?
Radiant Black #28 & 28.5 – The third door… Who will deal with it best? Nathan or Marshall? Better yet, will Chicago survive after they are done. It is interesting that the comic is telling the same story in two different multiverses. Seems like either one has issues… Soon the “Catalyst” War might be over, or at least both universes might combine… just not right now.
Quested Season 2 #2- Captured by Jellii King Franz can Jinx escape? Courtroom Drama! Clever twists and turns not to mention legal hijinks! If he survives what horrible thing will he face next as he quests in the Underbraun.
This week’s witty banter has something to do with style, art and mental blocks. You see I have been drawing or “doing art” since I was very young. It has (like comics) been my way to escape. I’ve taken classes but a lot of what I do is self taught & that can be a problem. Over the years there have been times when I draw something and I know it is “good” basically because after I look at it I try to figure out who drew it. A lot of times I try too hard and it ends up just wrong. I have a picture in my head of what I want it to look like… many times it just doesn’t match. I’ve had many people ask me if I ever considered being a serious artist… what is that?!? Van Gogh? Monet? Warhol? Pollock? Lichtenstein? Calder? We all have our muses and mine happens to be a short, pudgy guy named Earl who has a big nose.
I’m currently doing some work for Comic Carnival, my LCS, and I’ve hit that stumbling block with my style… the female form. You see I was teased anytime I attempted to draw the female form so I have a bit of an anxiety about it. It’s something, as an adult I should be able to get over, but it will take practice. Walking around with a sketchbook full of sketches of women just makes me nervous. I’ve taken life drawing classes, I’m just concerned with the reaction when I open my sketchbook of “What kind of a pervert does drawings like this?” It’s something I have to get over. The funny thing is, as an artist and a teacher I tend to look at women in two ways- 1. As subject matter… like a still life. A bowl of fruit, a group of shapes. 2. As a teacher- it goes back to having taught for 35 + years and an old court case which defined a teacher in Indiana as having moral conduct “in all respects exemplary and beyond reproach.”(Crawfordsville vs. Abbie Hayes – 1873) I think of most young women (especially those that many Con attendees drool over aka cosplayers or the ones at booths used to draw in people) as former students… she could have been one of my third graders. Like any teacher with morals beyond reproach would want to get intimate with a student- that’s just yucky. I’m going to start working on drawing from life and then warping it into my style… whatever that is, but I think for now I’ll stick with whatever Earl comes up with. Side Note: Earl was sick the day they filmed the “I’m Alive” scene in Xanadu where the muses all danced… he’s still a little mad about that- he had a great tap dance/clogging bit choreographed.
This week, the issue with the most variants is: Edge of Spider-Verse, Vol. 4 #1, with 17 variants! After last week it looks like they’re slacking off.
This Week’s Comics:
Edge of the Spider-Verse #1 (for the record I have cover 1A) – An anthology comic with a number of stories from a variety of creative teams. The first story deals with “Weapon VIII” taking its lead from the program that in Marvel comics created Wolverine (Weapon X). It looks like it is all going to end up (if given the chance) in a “Into the Spider-Verse” kind of organization- fighting bad guys, but what if the good guys, aren’t all that good?
U & I #1 – This month I got hit with three comics written by some of my favorites: Kirkman (Fire Power), Busiek (Arrowsmith) and Stracyzynski (U & I). Stracyzynski created a universe in which the world is hit with a plague (right around when COVID hit). This plague was similar to the one that happened in George R.R. Martin’s Wild Card stories. People got super powers, got a burst of super powers- then died, died (These people are called Moths), or had nothing happen. The comics deal with the world’s reaction to this event. I highly recommend them and will not spoil the stories here. in U & I we are just starting to learn about these characters… We start off discovering the first person we meet has powers, basically a super healing factor. He’s also a bit delusional. Our second character is a bit more of a mystery and all we know is that her name is Isabelle and was kicked out by her uncle’s family who has control of her money. She’s living on the streets and, while surviving, on the run from not so nice people. So what happens when these two meet up? We’ll find out next issue.
Batman #144 Joker Year 1 Part 3 – This looks like it was a simple three issue arc. Telling the origin of the joker intwined with a modern story dealing with the Joker basically turning everyone crazy using harmonics… As part of the origin timeline we also get to learn more about Jim Gordon dealing with the corruption in the GCPD as he started out and how the Joker manipulated so much even early on.
Superman #11 – With Superman and Action Comics (Bizarro storyline), things like this get confusing… Lex Luthor is in prison. He gave Lex Corp to Superman to do good in the world. Bad guys who hate Lex are trying to kill him and destroy everything he has created. They’ve done a bunch of stuff (like send Superman into the wild west of 1800’s) now we find out who all the players are and which team they actually are on. We also find out about all the rainbow of fruit flavors that kryptonite can come in (I swear after “Crisis on Infinite Earth” kryptonite only came in green- but I must not have been absent or just not paying attention at some point there have been a lot of “multiverse shattering” events over the last few decades). How will this end up? Will Lex die? Will Superman kill him? Will the entire population of the Earth die? Am I being overly dramatic?
Titans #8 – I did not read the Beast Wars crossover event… I’m too old to do that. From what I can tell people turned into animals, other people died, and the world has issues with Beast Boy. So after that kind of thing what would you do? Bring in one of the original big bad guys from Titans’ history… and plan for a double cross. Oh my…
Mech Cadets #6 – I’m guessing final issue in this arc… Can the Mech Cadets save the world from the Shard invasion being lead by one of their own? Will they continue working for the evil general who doesn’t like them (not one little bit). How does the military control giant robots that have bonded to their pilots if their pilots won’t follow orders?
Man’s Best #1 (Ashcan) – Spaceship, heading to another planet to colonize. A scientist has her two dogs and a cat with her (emotional support animals?) who have been augmented and can operate various machines. This is only part of issue one which will be released in a couple weeks. It’s an interesting story being told not only through the eyes of the humans, but also through the animals. I’m looking forward to reading more.
For those confused- “Ashcan” was a term used to describe a prerelease comic usually printed cheaply and given out to hook readers to a new title or concept.
Fire Power #30 (Final Issue) – For the last 30 issues we’ve followed Owen Johnson as he comes to grips with a bunch of stuff. Now he’s finally pulling together everyone (still alive) and saving the world. One thing I like about Robert Kirkman is his stories seem to have an end to them. The Walking Dead, Invincible, and now Fire Power. Some, like The Walking Dead I didn’t last through… others like Invincible the last few issues were a great way to celebrate the character and end the story in a nice way so those who read it can sleep knowing that sometimes, characters do get their happily ever afters. It’s also nice to see a series end without a ? and the possibility of continuation. Yes, there could be more… but there doesn’t have to be. We don’t need it.
Star Trek #17 – Oh boy, Dinosaurs, Romulans, possible intergalactic war, and undercover shenanigans (get your mind out of the gutter didn’t you read my intro?). It does look like things will be coming to an end, but is it the end of the Theseus and her crew? (non-Ensign) Harry Kim, Sisko, Scotty, and Data all have threads weaving together to hopefully bring this all to a world shattering (or not) conclusion.
Midlife #5 – So our hero does some saving and introspection while trying to figure out what to do next. After, of course talking with the kidnapped special agent responsible for dealing with fire demons. He learns about his past and his father… but not enough for us to know too much and we will need to tune in next month to find out more.
Spider-Boy #4 – The story of Bailey unfolds even more as he tries to find out his place in the world. Unfortunately his creator (the “They called me ‘MAD’ at the University) scientist creates another version of him (Boy-Spider) to draw him out, and give him a more problems. He’s also wrestling (like most kids) with strong emotions and these play a part in how Boy-Spider acts.
Ultimate Spider-Man #2 – Peter Parker, what have you done now?!? Imagine a world where most of the marvel heroes never existed. Then somehow they are given the choice to gain their powers. Peter Parker who has: married MJ, had two kids (Richard & May) now has powers and is trying to figure them out. He’s also learning just how trusting he is… which can lead to some issues. I’m enjoying this take on Spider-man almost as much as I did when the first (and second) versions of ultimate Spider-Man came out. It’s nice to see old heroes being taken in a different direction.
Arrowsmith – So Smart in Their Fine Uniforms Trade paperback vol. 1 – Imagine another world… there are many great writers who reimagine the world or a time period to meet the needs of their narrative. Kurt Busiek has done this a few times masterfully. In Astro City he focused on character driven storytelling in a super hero inhabited world. Many stories focused on the ordinary people, but the world was filled with twists and turns and Easter eggs galore. In Arrowsmith, he goes back in time to World War 1, but the twist is- magic and magical folk are real. Things like airplanes have not needed to be invented, because men can use dragonets (small dragons) and magic to fly. Here we find a young man Fletcher Arrowsmith from what we would call the Midwest, it’s part of the United States of Columbia, Fletcher joins up to help in the war effort in Europe prior to the U.S. joining in. This is his story. This first volume goes through his early days and his discovery that “War is Hell.” I highly recommend it especially if you are into “what if” or alternate history type stories. There are only two volumes in this series due to the untimely death of one of the creators.
It seems that with the popularity of comic based media anything and every gathering that crosses over into comics is a “Comic Con.” I remember as a kid in high school going to various Cons and most took place in a ballroom of a hotel and featured a dealer room which consisted of a bunch of guys with long boxes on folding tables. There might be some programming, which was someone talking to the crowd the history of a certain character. Big Cons had artists and writers. Bigger Cons might have an actor or two from a comic book based movie or TV show. Even in Los Angeles there was maybe one Con that had studios come in to talk about upcoming movies. I recall hearing about Buckaroo Banzai and The Last Starfighter at this convention. But they were short presentation showing maybe a trailer and giving away some promo material. My blindfold when I was a pledge in college was my Team Banzai headband.
Now it seems that almost every pop culture convention goes by the name “Comic Con”. I love that the most important announcements from these cons seem to be which actor will be there for photo ops and autographs. I’ve been trying to figure out which cons I want to attend and I can’t see which artists and creators will be there, who will be in artist alley… only that this actor will be there – aren’t you excited!?!?
I’d be more excited to know that one of favorite artist would be there and how to get on their commission list. Some cons are a little more than a month out and they still haven’t posted who will be in Artist Alley… Then again some don’t even have a listing for anyone in comics- just TV & Film (36 actors and voice actors so far) and Panelists (Panelists: being TikTok “stars”, Cosplayers, and Bloggers) no comic book people… yet it is called a “comic con.” Wha? Huh? and you want me, a comic book guy, to buy a badge?
So what should we call these “Comic Cons” that only tangentially connect to comics? Pop Culture Cons (Pop Con does exist- it seems to focus on YouTubers and Influencers with a dabbling into Cosplay & other geeky pursuits) Geekfests? There are a lot on conventions that focus on specific shows or media/genre which is awesome! I do understand that this is an income stream for many actors… I wouldn’t want them to lose out, but… How about they just put something in from of it and “con” afterwards – “Photo-Op & Autograph Con.”
I guess, for me I should be happy that unlike when I was growing up bullies are now wearing comic book characters on their t-shirts so those of us who actually know something about the character aren’t getting teased as much anymore. I should also be happy that girls are now more openly supportive of the geek culture, which freaks out a lot of geeks, kinda like Taylor Swift going to football games freaks out some football fans.
I just wish that the comic creators would get as much praise, recognition, and attention as the actors who play their creations. San Diego Comic really started this whole thing… I recall being their one year and having a great time (no one was in line for days to see the people I wanted to see) but I kept getting texts from people I knew asking if I’d seen this or that celebrity. If I was in Hall H or Ballroom 20 for this sneak peak. No, I was listening to this Eisner award winning artist talk about character design, or listening to this writer talk about the future of one of my favorite characters. It’s not that I don’t want actors or celebrities at a con, I just wish they weren’t the big draw. My first year there it wasn’t as big of a deal and I did go to Ballroom 20 to hear about a Superman movie (Which didn’t do well in the theaters), and listen to Kevin Smith (who was Kevin Smith). No lines back then either… Nostalgia, ain’t it great?
For the record I have been to a few Cons over the years- not in any order (many more than once):
Creation Convention Los Angeles
Wizard World Chicago
Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention Los Angeles
Cincinnati Comic Expo
Indiana Comic Con
WonderCon
C2E2 (Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo)
New York Comic Con
San Diego Comic Con
AwesomeCon (Indianapolis)
PopCon Indy
Gen Con (not Comics- Games)
Galaxy Con Columbus
CXC (Cartoon Crossroads Columbus)
Power Con (Not Comics – Toys/Action Figures)
With all that said “Comic Cons” are still a place where I can find my people. They are still places where If I look, there are people there who understand what I say, and sometimes make me feel far less of a geek than I do when surrounded by people who only care about sports scores and… well sports scores. That’s what makes these places sacred, You can be yourself without worrying about people thinking you are strange. Even with all the celebrities. I won’t stop going and maybe someday I’ll cosplay. I’m still a bit leery about cosplay, I have it on my bucket list (#62 to be precise), but I’m concerned about getting that personal… it’s the introvert in me.
According to CLZ our winners with most variant covers this week are: Vampirella, Vol. 6 #666, with 16 variants, and Penthouse Comics #1 with 16 variants. I’m guessing both are not all ages. 🙄. Then again nothings says “I Love You” or “Happy Valentine’s Day” as much as a scantily clad female vampire and an all adult comic.
This Week’s Comics:
Amazing Spider-Man #43 – Gang War ‘nuff said… only one more issue of Amazing Spider-Man until we get a whole bunch of “Gang War: The Aftermath” comics! 🤪 Woo Hoo!
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16 – Gang War ‘nuff said
I Hate Fairyland #11 – How does Queen Cloudia fare in the “Real World”? <Major Spoiler> Yes, it is an entire issue devoted to making light of death in comics, and a fart joke, so all is good.
Wesley Dodds The Sandman #5 – The Sandman continues to look for the evil behind stealing his notebooks… but is that evil too close for him to notice?
The Ministry of Compliance #3 – C’mon it had a cover with people in monkey masks wielding katanas… of course I was going to buy it. Who is going to save the world from the alien menace that has been secretly ruling for… and who gave katanas to monkeys? Would you trust someone in a monkey mask with a katana?
Blue Book #1 1947 – Flying Saucers? No, this is not the comic adaptation of a bad Netflix documentary or something that was on the History Channel after dark… or is it? Ancient Astronaut Theorists say… <redacted>
The Displaced #1 – As a first issue it sets the stage for the actual story, that will answer the question: If a small city in Canada vanished… would anyone notice? Would anyone care?
Action Comics # 1062 – So magic has changed everyone into a Bizarro version of themselves… We discover why… but also find out who might be the only person who can save the world (hopefully before Superman loses it).
Batman #143 – Joker Year One Part 2, We learn more about how the Joker became the joker, with a little help from someone from Bruce Wayne’s past. Does every comic DC makes have to have something to do with multiple personalities? The trope is wearing thin.
Speed Force #4 – After four issues, I’m finally starting to figure out this whole thing… while it might be that this issue was mostly told from the POV of the villains who seem to be more Gen X or Z so in a dialect that I understand. Monologuing without actually monologuing. Although I will say- After this and Batman, I’m thinking I need to just wear earplugs 24/7.
Brick Journal #84 – Yes, I do get a LEGO Fan magazine. Mostly so that I can keep up with things but also so I can look at what I create out of LEGO bricks and groan at how bad my stuff is. This issue we have articles about cool cars (1/22 scale), and a massive cyberpunk collaborative build (Minifig scale). A bit on customizing mini figures. Along with short articles on a Pandora build (LEGO does make Avatar sets now, but this is bigger and more complex than the LEGO sets) and Echo Base from Star Wars. I’m still working on my town and Batcave… which will be finished about the time I need to sell all of the LEGO, sets and pieces.
Those people who know me, know that I am not a big fan of sports in any shape or form. My older brother was the athlete of the family and I learned from an early age to avoid sports so as not to compete (and lose) against him. My parents reinforced this by focusing on his successes and ignoring my failures or attempts. I recall being affectionately called “Speedy” (with a laugh) by my mother because I was so slow when I tried my hand at swimming. I decided to focus on drawing and frankly imaginative play since I spent a number of weekends growing up at home, by myself with the instructions to not answer the phone or the door. Later in life I learned that if it dealt with throwing, kicking, hitting, or catching a ball, that ball tended to hit me someplace that would be amusing to everyone around me… so again- reason to avoid most sportsing especially team sports.
I have mentioned my interest in downhill skiing. It was one of the only things I actually was pretty average at and enjoyed. I was introduced to it in high school and while I haven’t had as many opportunities to hit the slopes I have enjoyed any time I get out. Living in Indiana makes skiing a challenge, especially after learning in California and Colorado (climate change hasn’t helped). I then tried golf out of an attempt to make Sue happy, since she grew up playing the game. After being teased and bullied at our local country club, I decided that it was not for me. I can say, I have played horrible golf on some of the finest courses in the country… but that’s not saying much. I tend to just have problems with sports, I’m not that coordinated and I tend to be the one laughed at when it comes to catching and throwing things.
So Why Curling?
I’d say “because it isn’t pickle ball” and while that is very true, there is more to it. A few years ago , on a whim, 😉 Sue signed us up for a “Learn to Curl” evening just for fun. We’d seen it on the Winter Olympics and it looked like it would be interesting and a bucket list kind of thing. One night at the Indiana State Fair Grounds… I wasn’t great, but neither was anyone else. I actually wasn’t half bad. There seemed to be something just weird and logical enough that I could wrap my head around some of the basic motions. I looked at other opportunities and due to limitations on ice availability It wasn’t going to be possible. Yes, I was an adult and I didn’t have a set bedtime, but I was also a public school teacher who had to be at work at 7:00 in the morning if not earlier to prepare for the day. So I wrote it off as a maybe later when I have time.
Recently the Circle City Curling Club got dedicated ice. Which is a fancy way of saying they didn’t have to use the ice after the hockey practices were over at 8:30PM. When I retired I added this to my bucket list (#70 to be precise) after seeing that they had a “Rookie League” starting with “Learn to Curl” and then try it out for 4 weeks on Saturday afternoons. Their facility is only about 30 minutes away, so not that far. I went to my first session, had fun, but realized I had a lot to learn, then I got sick.
The Basics
What is Curling? Let’s have the experts explain it.
I posted something on Social Media about this and got some interesting feedback so here are some of the things people wondered about:
Does everyone participate? Yes, each person on the team of four has a role, so everyone does get to participate. The Skip- is the strategist and tries to help each person figure out the best place to put their stones. They throw last. The Vice- is responsible for the all important coin toss and takes over for the Skip at the end. Lead- the first person to throw. I’m under the initial impression this is usually the weakest player (aka me!) so they don’t get into too much trouble. I think they are called the “Lead” for self esteem purposes. Second- the second person to throw. When you are not throwing you are sweeping. Following the directions of the Skip in order to properly position the stone. Sweepers can add a few feet to a stone’s distance.
So what kind of gear do you need? When you arrive you change into different shoes, because who knows what you might bring in from the parking lot. You also have rubber covers to go over your shoes to provide grip. You’ll get a broom for when it is your time to sweep. When it is your time to throw, you put your non-dominant foot on a slider and have a stabilizer to help balance. When you are starting out it’s best to have some kind of head protection (I wear a cycling helmet) the club does have “Halos” – squishy headbands because hitting your head on the ice hurts and could cause problems.
Order of operations: 1. Put your dominant foot into the hack. 2. Put your non-dominant foot on the slider. 3. Crouch down using the stone and the stabilizer to help maintain balance. 4. Look to see what directions the Skip is giving you. 5. In my case be reminded that you have the stone in the wrong position- pointed at 2:00 when it should be at 10:00. 6. Push off using your dominant foot, and before you reach the hog line release the stone turning it back to 12:00, let your momentum carry the stone. 7. For me fall and slide all over the place. 8. Get up and walk back to the hack trying to regain some dignity in the process. 9. Be politely told that you actually turned the stone to 6:00 instead of 12:00… then grumble a bit (maybe that’s just me).
“Broom Stacking” has nothing to do with stacking brooms.
It was a comedy of errors my first day, just trying to figure out silly things like how to line up in the hack, or not slide all over the place. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing- I thought I was better at it than I actually was… Fortunately, most people were in the same boat. By the end I was at least feeling like this was something I could continue. I thought I’d try to figure out when I could come in a practice, but being sick did not make that possible.
The third week of the League was a focus on sweeping since week 2 had focused on delivery, aiming, and just getting the rock going the right direction. All the stuff I really needed to know. I spent that week repeating my mantra of “I missed last week, so I’m still figuring this all out.” I decided that I would take some time and return to the ice later in the week to practice. Funny thing, unlike Golf (my other attempt at sporting at a club) I was asked if I would be interested in coming out Wednesday and substitute in a league they had going. If they didn’t need anyone, then I could just practice. I figured, “Why not” and that Wednesday participated in seven ends. While I wasn’t great (heck, I wasn’t even good) I did feel as if I was getting better.
Our fourth week we covered buying the stone in the right place, so what would be called “weight.” Weight is the speed at which the stone is traveling across the ice. You should be able to properly position the stone exactly where the Skip tells you. If the stone goes too fast, it won’t curl, if it has too much rotation it also won’t curl. It’s funny the stone doesn’t start really curling until it slows down (must be physics. I looked it up on YouTube, and there are a bunch of competing theories as to why with white papers flying between Sweden and Ireland… This week allowed us a lot more time to work on delivery since we were trying to figure out how to get the stone to stop right where we wanted it. We then had couple of ends and even learned how to use the scoreboard. Talking it over with everyone we had fun and were trying to figure out how to continue.
Having dealt with golf and a golf club I had noticed some differences early on. When I was first trying to play golf everyone had their own ways to help… most of the involved advice that contradicted each other, or joking about how I played. “Swing Faster.” “Swing Slower.” One guy kept teasing me about my “magic putter.” 🙄 They might have thought it was all in good fun, but for someone who was never athletic and had low self-esteem… My “favorite” memory was when I was just warming up while putting when the “men’s choose” was about to go off. In golf this is like elementary kick-ball and all the anxiety that goes along with choosing teams. Some nice person yelled to me and asked if I’d be interested in playing… Another person yelled out before I could respond – “No!” This was about a month into our membership at the golf club. From that point on I tried to only be on the course when no one else was. Sue would ask me to join her, and I reluctantly would, but I knew I wasn’t really welcome, it was Sue’s thing.
In the immortal words of Monty Python – “And now for something completely different!” While I am not by any means good, the people I have worked with have been so nice and yes, they have opinions on how to improve my game, for the most part they all agree, that practice is important. While complex and there is definitely nothing natural about anything dealing with curling, the advice I’ve been given has been consistent and usually simple things that I can do as a beginner. Unlike the golf club, curlers seem to be passionate about the sport, and more importantly willing to help bring in new people. Most of the people I’ve been working with have maybe a year of experience. It seems that the “team aspect” does help in that you want everyone to be good, where in golf, it is an individual sport… and there are limited tee times so you don’t want too many people playing.. especially those who play “slow.” My issue will always be, I’m kind of socially inept, so just getting me to start working with a “team” is hard for me. The question is- do I like this enough to get over that anxiety?
There were more people present, but we were some of the die hards who finished three ends on the last day, and going over time. No time for broom stacking It was a lot of fun and I definitely saw growth in my game, but still have a lot to go.
After the last day of the “Rookie Curling League” I have some options and I’ve decided that like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Balloon Handler bucket list item, I’m going to keep going through the season. I’m not going to jump in with both feet and be in every league, and sub, and… do what I have done with other things, because I’ve learned that is the quickest way to burn myself out. I’ve signed up for one non-competitive league and an event called the “Shamrock Spiel” in which two new curlers are paired with two experienced curlers for a two day tournament over… you guessed it, St. Patrick’s Day. I’ll see how I feel about the sport and the club after that.
If you are interested, many localities do have curling clubs, in Indianapolis you have the Circle City Curling Club that has a facility in Anderson just off of exit 222 on I-69, about 30 minutes from where I live, so not that bad of a drive. Sue drives farther to go geocaching (currently I think she goes to Iowa to find new caches😉). Check out their Website, Facebook, or Instagram to see what is going on. They have one more “Rookie League” coming up starting March 2. The season runs from late-September until mid-April.
My family was notorious for getting involved in something and going whole hog, investing in everything needed, then getting bored after a few months. Doll houses, ceramic winter villages… my mom would do one and then go out and buy every single one that existed. If tools were needed she’d buy the top of the line… then all this stuff would sit around, for years. I’m taking it slowly with curling. I know if I decide to take it seriously I should buy my own broom, and shoes. Fortunately, not a massive expense, but for a person trying to divest themselves of stuff- I just don’t want it to join my golf clubs in the basement.
Oh- and broom stacking? You have to experience it to truly understand.
I had a piece ready to go all about comics and collecting and then this week’s comics came in and I decided to jump ahead and just talk about one as my intro- Art Club by Rasha Doucet. Yes, there is a lot of commentary and not much about this awesome book, that kids and adults should read… sorry, but giving kids a chance to create visually, is a big thing with me, and always has been even when I was a teacher being told to do things with “Fidelity” and “Intentionality” to improve test scores just like the high paid consultants promised. “Remember: if it doesn’t work- you as the teacher must have done something wrong.” – any Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop consultant
When I was a teacher one thing I prided myself on was my classroom graphic novel library (Multi-Modal Literacy Space – when the consultants came in.). When I retired, I opened the library up to the teachers at the school. “Take what ever you want.” I was disappointed when very few took me up on the offer. Most who actually took things did it for their own children, and not for their classrooms. 🙄 Then again, Books are being banned, teachers are being threatened with jail time if a parent doesn’t approve of the books in their classroom library. Which was also why when asked if I would set up a library in my name at the school, I turned down the offer… I was willing to stand up for any book in my library, I couldn’t see someone being as careful at a school level. “It’s Batman! Of course it’s appropriate!” Page One: Batman raids a topless bar looking for information about a crime… true story.
When my school switched from a Science and Technology Magnet School to a STEM school (the difference? the district received a grant.) In the process my school lost Art class, because the “highly intelligent” administrators at central office felt that STEM did not need art, and instead needed robotics or some other “sexy” class to make it stand out. I can’t complain too much since I ended my career as the “Robotics & Design” teacher. I had requested that “Design” be put in the title since without any art, how do you design anything. The result over the years of “no art” ended up with kids who can’t hold a pencil, draw a straight line, cut with scissors… basic skills that were either taught or reinforced in Art Class. Couldn’t change all that while trying to teach engineering and computer programming in the little time I had. Special Classes end up with around 32 days each year, total. Teachers, were busy making sure kids would pass all the various mandatory assessments required by the district, none had anything to do with cutting, pasting, or drawing. I spent a lot of time trying convince the school and district admin that we needed Art… When I left they had a “STEAM” class which was basically “Art” under a different name and that made me happy.
Art Club by Rashad Doucet – is a graphic novel about a student who loves art in a school that doesn’t have an art class. This one student makes it their mission to bring it back and prove to the adults that art is important and should be a part of everyone’s education. After an impassioned speech to the Assistant Principal (that get’s him thrown into the principal’s office) the Principal explains why they no longer have Art at his middle school. I appreciate the reality of the “produce students who excel on standardized tests” line- which is the standard go to for any school especially in this day and age of school letter grades and funding going to schools with the best test scores. In my experience most tests actually are really good at seeing which schools have families with the highest income…
I’m embarrassed to admit that one of the arguments the Assistant Principal uses “Art is just a hobby” I used in college when confronted by the University Art Department. I was an Education Major. I had taken Studio Art AP in High School and had my mediocre score sent to DePauw. During orientation they asked me to get my portfolio out so they could go over it. Being across the country in a time before FedEx, my parents overnighted it ($$$) and at the end of the week, they basically told me, “No.” I would still have to take all the required classes. I started with Studio Art 101, which was a review of everything I had already taken in High School. As a sophomore I took Art Teaching Methods or Elementary School Teachers in which I was told numerous times that I was not allowed to answer questions because I already knew the answers (You don’t want the class to rely on one student). I saw my fellow education majors in tears over this class, which was stupid. It should have gotten them excited about the possibilities and how to integrate art, not that art was some kind of magic that they would never really ever understand. This was when I went in for my “Sophomore Crit.” Remember, I’m an Education Major, not an Art Major. The same teacher who would not let me answer questions, went over my drawings and basically said what many cartoonists art teachers have said to them- “You’d be pretty good, if we could just get these creatures out of your head.” Outlined the courses I needed to take in the next year (which would have been most of my course schedule). Then asked me what I saw myself doing in 5 years… I said teaching 3rd grade. When asked “What about art?” I replied… “Art is a hobby.” After that I never took another art class at DePauw. A friend of mine switched to an art major, and ended up having to switch to something else at the last minute, because they decided after everything, he just wasn’t good enough… as a Senior after taking and passing all of their required classes for graduation, he wasn’t good enough to graduate.
When I go back and consider events I like to think what could have happened to change the outcome? In this case a couple things. First, I would have felt a lot better and more positive towards the art department if they had honored my previous work and said- we’ll let you skip Studio Art 101. That would have been a start. Secondly, if instead of focusing on “fine art” they had some idea about cartooning and graphic novels. If during, the Crit, they had emphasized the importance of life drawing in cartooning & animation instead of berating what I had done, I may have double majored, but I didn’t. Later in life I took a portraiture class, the instructor had us draw in a style that was comfortable for us one evening… after looking at my work he, said- “I now get it… you’re a cartoonist!” The model actually asked if he could keep my drawing. The instructor changed the way he approached my instruction to better deal with how a cartoonist interprets things. I can’t complain about the path I’ve taken, but it just takes some small changes- and maybe this will help some other art department professor trying to increase the number of people majoring in art.
Still Art Club reminds me of how the visual arts of all the “arts” tends to take a back seat. Performing Arts have shows and entertain, parents get involved in a wide variety of ways. Visual Art is a deeply personal thing, most visual artists do their thing by themselves without an audience, some people need that alone time and we as a society, just don’t seem to care enough to support it, especially in schools. I’d give my copy to a school, but I’m not sure anyone would want it… it isn’t on the test.
Back to reality and off the soapbox… As for variants this week- The big winner according to CLZ is Thundercats #1 with (drumroll please)… 69 variants! 😳 Yes! Sixty-nine different covers! I have no idea why… Prices ranging from $4.99 to $29.99 each. If they all were just cover price it cost someone over $350 (including tax) to purchase all of them. 🙄 Whatever makes you happy. I guess I should think of it as 69 different artists got paid to do a Thundercats cover and that is great!
This Week’s Comics:
Batman #142 – So I’ve either missed something, (probably) or whatever. In this issue we start a new arc dealing with the Joker. DC has done a lot with the character altering it with every film adaptation. So Joker Year One-Part One I think is trying to tie things together and make a cohesive background story about one of the most chaotic characters ever. We shall see how they do it. There have already been some call backs to other origin stories like The Killing Joke. Who knows? I might keep reading Batman.
First appearance of the Joker… no dramatic scars creating a smile… just a guy, a psychotic sociopathic guy who is pretty good at mixing chemicals.
Captain America #6 – Everything ties together as we end this arc and start another. Steve is still bouncing between memories of the 1940’s and fighting Nazi demons trying to take over the world. It actually adds a bit to the origin of Captain America with a tie back at the end, which is nice.
Star Trek Defiant #11 – A Piece of the Action and Gorns? Worf and the crew of the Defiant try to complete their latest mission and stay within the boundaries of Star Fleet morals. Can they?
The Space Between #4 – Each issue of this series seems to end up with a few people making the ultimate sacrifice or at least having to make the hard decision that their elected officials won’t make for the good of everyone. IN this last issue the question becomes do they settle on the planet they’ve spent generations getting to, or do they continue to live on the space ship, adapting to the changes that occur due to dismissing resources? Robert Heinlein wrote a book called “Orphans of the Sky” which was my introduction to him as a writer. Many thanks to my dear friend and sometimes older brother Eric for requiring me to read it. Similar as to caste system and just the crazy stuff that can happen on a generation ship after generations… No muties in this comic and civilization seems to stay together.
Midlife #4 – Again, I may have ended up skipping one, I need to check… but our midlife crisis superhero is still balancing his real life and being a superhero while dealing with a government agency concerned about what terror he may bring… C’mon the guy only wants to help people.
Rogue Sun #18 – Here’s the final boss battle with everyone joining in to save the world. We’ve got Vampire Werewolves, and evil demonic creatures and a good guy, along with a doppelgänger bad guy. Did I mention zombies? Of course there are zombies. Will good triumph over evil? Will the comic return in May (like they advertised)? Nice character development and I’ll be interested to see how things play out in the future.
Love Everlasting #12 – We follow the cowboy as he searches for Joan (his true love) on his way to Rochester. In the end we learn why for the past 11 issues, through time and space the cowboy has been stalking Joan as she moves through life and love…
Batman & Robin #3 & #4 – Catching up on missed issues. The story makes a bit more sense now that I have read the missing portion. Think of reading a novel and skipping two chapters. You can follow it along but there would be some holes that need filling.
So do you have a place where you can escape? We’ve been in our house for over 30 years and during that time some rooms have changed what their purpose has been. The room I currently use as a studio/office was originally the “library” since it was the size of a bedroom, but didn’t have a closet. The “guest bedroom” morphed into Sue’s office/craftroom, except that since it has three outside walls it gets either too hot, or too cold, so the dining room is her actual office. Both rooms at one point were TV rooms, but neither have had the purpose of being bedrooms. I tell people being introverts, we have never thought of the house as a place for guests. We’ve had people stay, but usually for very short periods and only as a last resort. It’s not you… it’s me, being honest.
So here is what I like to call the Upper Lair. The house doesn’t really have hallways it’s a great room with other rooms stuck around it. If the front door was 12:00, the door to the room would be about 1:00. To properly cast ritual spells the room does have five walls so a pentangle can be drawn in goats blood on the floor when needed. When I first took over the room I covered the walls with prints and artwork. a few years ago we put in new floors and repainted. I took that opportunity to reduce the wall clutter allowing me to rotate works when I remember to, which isn’t that often. You might recognize some of the artwork on the walls from the blogpost I did on hoarding.
A – My Rocketeer Collection. This includes the pre-release poster which Sue had framed for me as an anniversary gift, and all my Dave Stevens books. I’m working on how to properly display artwork as I collect more original art from various artists.
B – The Comfy Chair. This was originally meant for this room, but has spent most of its life in the great room. It gives me a nice place to sit and read. You might notice the white elephant next to it with a can of Diet Dr. Pepper… I’d say I got it as a gag gift at a party, but I’d be lying.
C – The Great Outdoors. Yes, I have a window that allows me to see what the weather is like as I hide away from the world. On the window sill is a silhouette of a raven… because I happen to like ravens.
D – My Grandfather’s Bookcase. When my grandmother was downsizing I happened upon this bookcase in a storage room off her basement. I asked about it and she basically said, my grandfather had made it and I could have it if I wanted. So, I took it home with a number of old books still inside it. Right now, it contains some of my favorite books. I also contains a few things I have collected over the years: A tin plane commemorating Doug Corrigan’s flight across the Atlantic, a limited edition MINI Cooper from MINI Takes The States 2008- #37, A automaton of a bird from my grandmother, and frankly just a lot of weird sentimental stuff, and lots of purple crayons.
E – My 2019 District Teacher of the Year Award – as the story goes after being named Teacher of the Year for my school district I realized something… I could apply to be State Teacher of the Year, but I wouldn’t get it. The current State Teacher of the Year was a high school STEM Teacher from my district. I did apply but was not shocked when I was not named a top ten finalist, or when the Teacher of the Year came from a more rural district and was an elementary art teacher. Pretty much politics, making sure that the honor is spread between disciplines, and districts across the state. Which was fine, because the last thing I wanted was to be State Teacher of the Year- as a introvert… being district teacher of the year was anxiety enough.
F – My Antique Drafting Table. I found this in a knick-knack shop in Fountain Square and knew I had to have it. The mechanism has the name “Donald C Ridge” engraved on it. I don’t know who Donal was, or where it actually came from, but it is AWESOME!
G – Various Hats. When growing up I had a collection of hats, I have continued to pick them up during some adventures. The ones currently on the wall from left to right: a Viking Helm worn during “Going Caching” in 2023, along with a sword and a large version of the dragon charm from the event. A “Police Box Fez” from Fez-O-Rama because fezzes are cool, there are goggles hanging from it. A leather pirate hat I picked up at Gen Con after my robotics team had made it to the World Championship, the medal from the event hangs from it. A Driving Helmet I picked up while attending Phil Wicks MINI Driving School, hanging from that is an “I am here” marker from the first MINI Together. Below those are a German Alpine Oktoberfest hat, I bought at the City of Lawrence Oktoberfest celebration. Finally, my Tilly. This is my second Tilly. The first I picked up in Charleston, SC and wore on many an adventure around the world until I misplaced it. While in Wales (Hay-on-Wye) I found a duplicate to replace it. It is my “go to hat” when I need one.
H – Van Gogh’s Starry Night LEGO Ideas Set 21333.
I – Important Stuff. Since I do have to deal with finances these shelves tend to be the catch all for mail, and bills. Above you will find my infamous Kindergarten Report Card (See Below). It is also a Cecil storage area, and I have a large wooden mini fig. Next to the important stuff is a place of either cat to sleep while waiting for treats.
J – The Box of Perpetual… The boys spend a lot of time in here and therefore this box is always needing emptying.
K – Bailey’s Bed. While Bailey has been known to pick almost anywhere to crash, this is one on his favorite places outside of the Comfy Chair and Cat Cave.
L – Shelves of Stuff (1). These shelves contain various things including: a number of graphic novels and books about various artists. A black statuette of a bird carved from the stuff dreams are made of… My Star Trek stuff- not everything, but most things. My role playing game books and dice. The top of the shelf has my first computer, an original Macintosh purchased in 1984 as a graduation gift.
M – Shelves of Stuff (2). These shelves contain books about drawing. Some other weird things like Pinky & the Brain, Doctor Who and Batman collectibles, and more graphic novels. There are also two notebooks, one containing geocaching trackable and the other holding the pins I have collected over the years… not all, some are lurking somewhere in “the pit of despair.”
The view from my desk. You might notice some things like the moose head above the door. This moose head was given to me one Christmas when I was in middle school or just starting high school. It has always been in my room since then. It had a place of honor in my classroom for 35 years. Funny thing, I never named him, but he is the last thing I take down before I leave a place
A closer look at the “Cat Cave” on my desk and the mess that my desk usually is. The framed letter is a copy of my kindergarten report card which states: “His temper has been better controlled for one thing. He has only displayed anger to any significant degree once since Christmas (the report is dated January 25). He is a little too independent at times still but on the whole much more agreeable.” Everything is spot on except the “much more agreeable” comment.
Usually this is where I will be hanging out at home, unless I’m toiling away in the Lower Lair also known as “The Pit of Despair” which is still needing a lot of work… A lot of work. 30 years in a house and lot of stuff ends up in the basement… at least there aren’t stacks of National Geographic Magazines holding the house up. I’m in the process of culling comics, and other items down there, it does look a lot better, just still not ready for the general public.
“The Pit of Despair”
Around the walls you’ll see mostly finished LEGO Sets, and my LEGO Town taking up a large portion of the middle. When we had the first floor floors redone (the original carpet replaced with wood flooring) a lot of things ended up here. When I retired another round of things ended up here from my classroom. It is going to take some time, but fortunately I’m only attached to about 89.3% of the things down here so in a decade or so I should have made a decision to keep most items.
I thought a couple weeks ago was a short week… I’m guessing I must have missed a few on my pull list, and I know there are a few comics I thought of picking up, but after a morning of curling and broom stacking over lunch, I obviously forgot. I’ll pick them up next week, or miss out on them entirely.
I was surprised and honored that one of the pieces I’d been working on has become a sticker for my LCS, Comic Carnival. I’m working on some other ideas to help celebrate their 50th anniversary. What would a carnival be without some monkeys? If you want a sticker, stop by Comic Carnival and buy one! Yes, that is a shameless plug. You should also buy some comics, too. For the record, there are subtle differences between CeeCee (the Comic Carnival monkey) and Cecil (the evil geocaching monkey).
The winner for most variants according the CLZ this week: Lily & Stitch #1 with 25 different covers! I ended up with none of them, because… I really could care less about it.
This Week:
Spider-Boy #3 – Bailey tries to succeed at being a hero even though he has some monstrous aspects to his personality… physiology? (Did you see the cover?!?) He ends up actually doing good and maybe, just maybe, starts changing public perception about him- Hey, Thor even thinks he did an OK job. What does this have to do with “Gang War” the story taking over all the other Spider-Books? Nothing, which is refreshing.
Alan Scott Green Lantern #4 – It’s time to learn about the secret origin of Alan Scott’s lost love and Red Lantern. Yes, it’s time to bring in the Soviets! Personally, I’m enjoying this take on the early years of the Golden Age Green Lantern and how it addresses some of the social issues of that time period, which sadly, are still hanging around. Oh no! Woke stuff in comic books! The world is about to end! Why can’t comics just cover family friendly kid stuff like…
Dark Ride #10 – What if Walt Disney had actually made a deal with devil? I know that’s just conspiracy theory #347 currently being thrown out into social media by conservatives everywhere, but that’s the basic premise behind Dark Ride. In Dark Ride a Disney-like character wants to build a theme park based on Horror. Well what do you know… after some contract signing it happens, and it is magically successful! Now as he has gotten older things aren’t going to Hell… or are they? As we come to issue 10 his son, Sam (Samhain), has kind of figured things out and is now frantically searching for his daughter, who is lost in the park after being escorted around by… cute furry park mascots (who happen to be cute furry demons). Sam’s sister, Halloween, unfortunately seems to be fine with the status quo and we have drama, and blood, and gore (along with cute furry demons). Did I mention this isn’t a comic for kids?
Plot Holes #5 – This happens more times than not… I start a series a at some point during the run either it is late, or after a month, I just forget that I was reading it. I guess this is why some people now devote themselves to buying trade paperbacks. The problem I have with that is there are some great series that never make it into a trade. I have spoken with a number of creators who are now just working on doing things in a long form. Telling the entire story because individual issues aren’t as marketable. Enough- let’s talk about the final issue of Plot Holes. The premise is characters from books go around through unpublished works, editing them to make the stories work. Basically, they are physically removing characters or plot points that just don’t work. These are, of course unsuccessful characters in their own right. One of their group has decided to destroy everything… the rest of the group needs to stop him. Tragic loss, and lots of tropes get stomped on.
