When thoughts cannot stand on their own, they are tossed here, into a blog post that can go anywhere. More random thoughts for your soul! Or your brain. Or something.
I travelled to Pittsburgh, Pa this past Thursday in order to take part in Norma Jean’s recent tour. For those on the outside, Norma Jean is a pretty sweet metal/hardcore group, and I enjoy them very much. Now, while this was not my first show, or “concert” as the old term goes, it was the first one where I was actually a big fan of the performer. Granted, KISS and Anamanaguchi (whom I have both seen) put on fun, exciting shows, but there is something extra when watching a live performance and you know the exact moment to nod your head or pluck your air guitar. I had that experience, and I totally lived it, pushing my way to the front of the crowd, taking part in the pushing and shoving as the music drilled on. The time was great, and Mr. Smalls Theater, the venue hosting the show, definitely holds a cool aesthetic quality as it still showcases a few stain glass windows from the times when it was a church.
Here are a few (blurry) pictures of the show:
Norma Jean at Mr. Smalls
- Norma Jean at Mr. Smalls
Norma Jean at Mr. Smalls
A year ago, my opinion on Brian Michael Bendis was not very positive. Today, I cannot get enough of this guy. Why the sudden shift? I have learned to look past the “evil company man” reputation and see Bendis’ work for what it really is. Yes, the guy’s work does dictate the Marvel line of comics to some degree, and, yes, he does cheerlead for Marvel quite a bit, but I feel these acts now geniune rather than cycnical. His recent activity shows me that this guy is still very much an artist first and a sales man second. The Bendis Tapes, over on the Word Balloon Podcast, have been pretty straight forward the past few months, and the guy has been launching a whole slew of new creator-owned projects while also making his main line Marvel work shine.Bendis is the real deal, as he probably always has been.
Most may complain that his Avengers talk too much, but that is the take, and I for one find it very interesting. Not because they are talking necessarily but because Bendis is using the dialogue to explore the super-hero genre in a different light, showing these characters as the people they really are, wrapping their lives in a Mighty Marvel drama while backdropping against time travel, Civil Wars, and Norman Osborn.
So, I am on “Team Bendis” as you may call it. At least, that is what my buddy Joey Aulisio calls it. I am picking up a majority of his work right now, and I am excited about what this guy is doing in comics because I feel Bendis still have things to say. He is not a hack nor does he phone anything in.
With this recent positivity, I have even returned to titles such as Avengers and Ultimate Spider-man. Books I loved at one time and then dropped due to my “anti-corporate comics” phase, I am now back with, rapidly picking up any and all backissues I can find from the time I have missed. So far, my actions have been successful, nearly having all the books I need to read the entire sagas of Bendis’ Avengers and Spider-man work.
So, the point? I like Bendis again.
I know not much of Jim Shooter, the one time editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, but I really enjoy his new blog.
It is basically Jim Shooter chronicled as he, by way of his handy computer assistant, relates to us his own history in the comics industry. And hey, he is detailing the events chronologically.
Jim Shooter can be a guy with a bad reputation, but if you are not already, read this guy’s blog. I am learning a lot.
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Daredevil by Marcos Martin
alec reads comics 