Poem du Jour: "Old Fashioned Spaceman"

From Leonard Nimoy's poetry collection Warmed by Love,
published by Blue Mountain Press in 1983.

Apologies for slacking, but here we are already six days into National Poetry Month 2020 and I have yet to post anything. Fortunately, this error is easily rectified by digging deep into my book shelf for a poem by recently departed Star Trek actor-director-poet Leonard Nimoy.

"Old Fashioned Spaceman" is fairly representative of the collection as a whole: Nimoy's style is free form, devoid of traditional  punctuation, with occasional rhyme, and frequently self-referential. There are few writer's who can use their own careers, especially an iconic character initially brought to life on a television screen, as a means of providing cultural allusion ("logic"). As we know, though, Leonard "Mr. Spock" Nimoy was not your normal cat.
The typography and publishing elements in this collection (gold hues, New Times-Roman font, bright, chalky strokes of color) strongly suggest the Vintage Hallmark poetry editions sold at the greeting card shops of my youth. These volumes, and my weekend evenings watching Star Trek, represent the breadth and depth of my youthful poetic experience. The warm traditional presentation (the very pleasant and joyful headshot of Mr. Nimoy on the cover for example) occasionally comes into contrast with the cold (logical?) tone established in the lines of poetry. One could interpret this contradiction and  of publishing style and content to reinforce the conflict Nimoy himself once felt about his association with the character.

My hard cover of Warmed By Love is a gift from many star-dates ago, so I am unsure whether it is still in print. If you do happen across it, I recommend picking it up as it is very readable, and worthy of some consideration beyond the kitsch value. Of course my own appreciation of Mr. Nimoy's poetry may be because I, too, often feel like an "old fashioned spaceman."

Folklore Funko Pop: Belsnickel is NIGH!

Like many television viewers in the mid-Aughts, NBC's The Office was must-see viewing. I, however checked out of regular viewing shortly after Micheal Scott (Steve Carrell) left the show in 2011, which is when it apparently got weird. Really weird.

With Carrell's character out of the picture, the show's focus shifted to other Dunder-Mifflen employees, most notably Dwight Schrute. I recall reading somewhere that producers were hoping to successfully spin the character into his on show, set on the Schrute family beet farm. If only that had happened, who knows what kind of wacky Pennsylvania Dutch/German folklore, real and imagined, could have found its way onto our televisions! As it stands, at least we have Belsnickel who made his The Office debut in the 185th episode, "Dwight Christmas", which aired in December 2012.

Fast Forward to 2019 when Netflix and other streaming services have allowed "old" (or in the case of classic comedies such as The Office, timeless) shows find new audiences. While in one English class last week, I mentioned in passing that I had recently come across the Funko Pop! TV: The Office - Dwight As Belsnickel pop at a local Target. I shared that though I was unfamiliar with who Belsnickel was in the context of the television show, a quick check on the cell revealed him to be a holiday folk character so, naturally, I bought it. Simply mentioning "Belsnickel" to my students prompted a few to go into the character's back story as a result of their having seen The Office episode in which he had appeared. Cool!

Because my students were more much knowledgeable than I about such things, I, like Oscar in the clip above, needed to return to the internet for more info. One online article, "Yes, Belsnickel is a Real Thing, and No, it's Not Just from 'The Office'" by Helen Ehrlich, is especially illuminating, though brief, and offers some additional background information on the folk character. Given Belsnickel's renaissance in recent popular culture (apparently "Dwight Christmas" is among the series most popular), along with that of current holiday darling Krampus, perhaps a return to the old ways is not really that far off. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, after all, first appeared in 1939, so Belsnickel and his cadre of creepy holiday tricksters have a significant head start!

Summer Reading: Afterlife with Archie

A few covers from the series (from top left to right) Tim Seeley,  Dave Devries, 

and Francesco Franacvilla. 

True confession: I have never been a reader of Archie comic books. That is, until now. I, like most, have always possessed a passing familiarity with the cast: Archie Andrews, Jughead, Bettie, Veronica, Sabrina, Hot Dog and others. Without having spent much time thumbing through the Archie Digest Comics at the supermarket check-out lane, I have somehow come to know these characters. I also know that I am not alone. Thanks to the success of the current CW Riverdale television show (also streaming on Netflix) a whole new generation of viewers may well insure the Archie empire spanning for another 70+ (!) years. The television show’s success combined with the 2015 relaunch of the flagship series, Archie, likely will at the very least keep these characters within the cultural zeitgeist.

The publisher of Archie comics has long been aware of the iconic status of their characters and unlike other cape-centered comic book publishers, they have used this to their advantage for many years, the recent update notwithstanding. Whereas Batman, Spider-man and Superman are frequently being “re-made” to suit the plotting of their respective writers, “Archie-kins”, and the dynamics of his relationships with secondary characters, has been something of a constant. Which brings me to the most recent expansion of, and my first formal foray into, the Archie-verse: Afterlife with Archie.

Had never heard of Archie's dog Vegas prior to this series, 

but won't forget him now.

Afterlife with Archie is that rare comic book that is likely best read in trade (though I remain committed to the single issue format) if only for getting the complete story in one piece. The sum of the pieces might take a while to make whole though. The first issue of Afterlife with Archie was published back in 2013 and after almost five years, only nine of twelve originally solicited issues have seen publication. But what a run it has been this far!

From the first page, storytellers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Francesco Francavilla craft a unique vision of the familiar Archie cast as survivors of a zombie apocalypse with its beginnings in Riverdale. Both creators are known (and respected) commodities through their individual work in other comic books, Aguirre-Sacasa as the writer of the complete 30 issue run of Marvel Knights 4 (2004—06) and artist Francavilla from a multitude of variant covers such as those for Dynamite’s Lone Ranger series as well as his own pulpy The Black Beetle (2012).

Each issue includes a secondary 

reprint of classic supernatural stories. 

The chief narrative difference between this Archie and the traditional comic book series, and one shared by other titles in the “Archie Horror” publishing family, is that no character is safe from being (literally) eaten alive. To reveal too much would ruin the surprise, but from issue 1 on, people die violently. Even those characters that one may not know well, such as Archie’s dog Vegas are given strong, if small, character moments. Because Francavilla’s stark and stylized artwork is not particularly detailed, his use of (limited color) and Aguirre-Sacasa’s dialogue is used to maximum emotional effect.

As mentioned, the inconsistent publishing schedule of Afterlife with Archie can frustrate if you are impatient, especially for single issue readers. (I avoided this by buying up the ten issues of the series over a few weeks from my local comic book shop.) The first five issues of the series are available in trade paperback entitled Escape from Riverdale. A second trade, the very-spoilery titled Betty: R.I.P., was solicited (as were issues 11 and 12) but all three have been subsequently cancelled. Based on what I have seen in issues 6 through 10, Cthulhu and Sabrina fans will not be disappointed.

Here's to hoping that Aguirre-Sacasa and Francavilla soon return to conclude the current arc. Given the easy accessibility of these iconic characters, even in a unique setting, as well as the high quality of the content, waiting patience will surely be rewarded.

Seen It: Lone Ranger: "Message from Abe" (1957)

The Ranger (Clayton Moore) and the-man-who-would-be Abe (James Griffith) in "A Message from Abe."

Few television shows stand up to repeat viewing like classic Lone Ranger episodes. In retrospect, as a child, I was much too dismissive of the earnestness and quality brought to the roles by Clayton Moore (Lone Ranger) and Jay Silverheels (Tonto), but I am glad to say that I've learned from the error of my ways. Fortunately, episodes are readily available in low cost DVD collections and online.

For five bucks you can't go wrong.

The school district for which I teach maintains the time-honored tradition of a mid-Winter break, or President's Week Recess. In addition to looking forward to this week's release of Game of Thrones Season 4, this time also provides the opportunity to re-watch some classic shows . Not only is "A Message from Abe" the only color episode on the $5 collection (the DVD artwork of which is pictured to the left) but it also includes a recitation of Abe's (as in President Abraham Lincoln) more famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address.

Playbills are an effective way of advertising...
in the Old West.

Phil Beach (James Griffith) has a checkered past. He's made mistakes, but has endeavored to follow the straight-and-narrow, even becoming a sort of hobbyist cos-player. When the men who brought him to justice, the Ranger and Tonto, come across an advert for his commemorative speechifyin' (right), they decide to "look him up and see if he is [married and living on the right side of the law]." Of course, things don't always go smoothly for the rehabilitated criminal and a mystery (involving the mistaken identity of Abraham Lincoln re-enactors and missing loot) quickly develops

Without giving too much away, this episode once again illustrates the Ranger's keen observational skills, as well as his uncanny ability to fight crime and solve a mystery without resorting to violence or gun play, despite the preconceived notions that come with a story set in the Old West. In this episode, by simply taking stock of subtle gestures, the Ranger proves capable of both capturing the criminal and redeeming the wrongly accused all while invoking the forgiving spirit of President Lincoln.

Thanks to MoviesWebTV, via Youtube, the complete episode is available for free online (and embedded below). There are much less worthy ways to spend 20 minutes of your holiday than returning briefly to "those thrilling days of yesteryear."

Comic Book Beard: Rick Grimes

Sporting his current comic book "look", The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes
in issue 127, with art by Charlie Adlard.

Electing to write daily posts about comic book characters with beards last November was much more challenging than I had anticipated.  After hitting five characters with varying degrees of recognizability (from DC Comic's Aquaman to Robert Crumb's Mr. Natural) to any but the most dedicated fanboy, things petered out.

From issue #1 of The Walking Dead (2003),
art by Tony Moore.

Rather than taking that as a hint to cease-and-desist, I've once again accepted the challenge to ferret out examples of comic book characters who have jumped headlong into beardedness, this time kicking Novembeard off with a very high Q rating. Though this character originated in Robert Kirtkman's successful comic book, he has reached an even greater degree of popularity on the small screen: Skybound Comics' The Walking Dead's Rick Grimes.

In an interview given by actor Andrew Lincoln prior to the start of the most recent season of AMC's The Walking Dead, the actor responded to a question regarding his character's progression in season five that, “I've been growing my beard. I decided this season we’re gonna need a bigger beard. It’s all about the beard this season. I’m just waiting for them to tell me to stop growing it.”

From The Walking Dead, Volume 7,
trade paperback by Adlard.

Of course, those of us who've been reading Robert Kirkman's comic book for the past 10 years already knew that it has always been about the beard. In fact, Rick's reoccurring facial hair (as illustrated by Tony Moore and especially, Charlie Adlard) can be tracked throughout the comic book series since it's first issue wa-a-a-ay back in 2013.

Issue #1 kicked of with 5 o'clock shadow Rick (above, left), recently awoken from a coma to a zombie apocalypse. Though he has lost the facial hair on occasion, Rick's look has lately evolved and developed into the "crew-cut wearing, thick, hillbilly bearded Rick" that stars in the most recent issues of the comic book. In a slight twist on the standard "character grows a beard when they go nuts" motif, this new Rick is living a fairly well-adjusted existence in as orderly a world as possible (heck, even Carl has achieved a level of normalcy!) given the cannibals, psychopaths and murderous zombies. But we all know that current state of affairs won't last long...

From The Walking Dead, Volume 12, trade paperback with art by Adlard.

As seen in The Walking Dead, Volume 12, even Rick occasionally goes clean shaven.

Of course, the beard is back for the showdown with Neegan in the final installment of
the "All Out War" arc in issue #126

Comic Bookshelf: Queen Crab (2012)

Part horror, part romance and part sci-fi, Queen Crab by Palmiotti and
artist Artiz Eiguren is an all-engaging mature graphic novel.

With crab-handed characters making a comeback of sorts with the popularity of actor Evan Peters' Jimmy Darling on American Horror Story: Freak Show, now seems like a good time to briefly revisit the awesomeness of Jimmy Palmiotti's 2012 offering, Queen Crab.

Released as a slim, hard-covered graphic novel in 2012 by Image Comics, Queen Crab represents long time collaborative writer Palmiotti's initial foray into solo writing. After having been a long time fan of his work on the two most recent Jonah Hex series from DC (among other titles on which he's written), investing on a very reasonably priced $12.99 graphic novel was not much of a leap.

With thematic beats from sources ranging from Kafka's Metamorphosis to any number of jilted-lover romance novels, Queen Crab tells of the figurative and very literal transformation of protagonist Ginger. If the premise rings of your standard comic book origin story, the execution reflects a much more grounded and mature introduction to a promising character. While adjectives "grounded" and "mature" as comic book/movie descriptors have lost their luster in a time when nearly every such product attempts to be more grounded, and mature and financially successful than Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, here the smaller, more personal scope of the conflict keeps the story from being overwrought with its own sense of self-importance.

The suggestive cover and titillating pin-ups included as extras by other artists not withstanding, Artiz Eiguren's artwork stays away from the cheesecake. Employing a visual style that veers away from a more traditional comic-book characterization of both Ginger's figure and transformation, Eiguren's art effectively evokes a horror vibe. With a color palette reminiscent of Richard Corben's recent Poe adaptations for Dark Horse Publishing, and with an overall style similar to that of Avatar Press star Jacen Burrows (The Courtyard and Neonomicon), the artwork blends three genres (romance/horror/sci-fi) into a single well-constructed tale.

The story is familiar: Ginger is getting married, and (surprise, surprise!) she is marrying the wrong guy. So wrong, in fact, that on their honeymoon, he attempts to murder Ginger by casting her overboard the cruise ship they are celebrating on. As her body sinks to the briny depths, something happens...

Beware blue underwater light shows!

The result of Ginger's underwater face-to-face with a blue light show are some impressive and unusual body modifications, as well as a desire for revenge. Soon after catching up with her husband the story jumps two years ahead when Ginger's former best friend and romantic friend-with-benefits from early on finally catch up with her in Florida. Rather than going the superhero route with her new talents, Ginger chooses to blend in, joining an aquatic show, in an effort to lead a semi-regular life. While not quite in a freak show, Ginger's occupation does seem permissible in the real world setting, as one that would allow her to exist without drawing undue attention to her situation.

I've reread Queen Crab a number of times since it found it's way to my comic bookshelf, and, as mentioned earlier, as a character worthy of further exploration, Ginger has promise. I also hope Palmiotti does not write a sequel. Not because I wouldn't buy, and very likely enjoy, it, but the themes and open-ended possibilities are better reflected by a natural next step for the character that remains only inn our imagination. We, the reader, don't know what comes next, though we do realize that Ginger has embarked on a great adventure. It would be just too obvious (and traditional) for us to be privy to where that adventure takes her. Sometimes a single experience with a strong character who's arc is completed by being incomplete just rings truer than the over the top explanations that would come along with more background and a sequel.

Trading Cards: Star Date 1979

10 year-old me would be psyched to know that I eventually did end up with all 88 cards!

Once again I've gone back to the old box of trading cards my mother recovered from her attic months ago, to seek inspiration for a blog post. The late 1970's were a great time to be a young science-fiction fan. Following the success of Star Wars, television networks were trying to cash in with shows like Buck Rogers in The 25th Century! and one movie studio, Paramount Pictures, attempted to breathe new life on the big screen into a short-lived television show, Star Trek.

The original crew was back looking none the worse for the wear after a decade away.

Released 10 years after the original series was cancelled in 1969, Star Trek the Motion Picture (1979) was not very successful, likely due to the filmmaker's efforts to go "big" with special effects rather than focusing on the smaller human stories that Star Trek episodes did so well during its brief 3 year run. Like most potential sci-fi franchises of the era such as Disney's The Black Hole or television's Space: 1999, the Star Trek movie was supported by a set of trading cards, that, like the movie itself, never really caught on. Even now, thirty-plus years later, a complete set of the Topps Star Trek the Motion Picture "picture card series" (with stickers, too!) can be had on Ebay for anywhere from 10 cents to $12.

Hunky newcomers Persis Khambatta and Stephen Collins were introduced as hip,
new Enterprise crew members.

I have fond memories of seeing the movie as it was a passion of my father's. Though it may not have been as action packed as this then-ten year-old would have liked, it was Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, Bones and the gang on the big screen, which was (and remains) good enough for me. Flipping though these old cards, and fondly remembering the movie and my life when it came out, must be what it was like for baseball card collectors back-in-the day; I never felt as invested in sports memorabilia, but have a similar affection for most things sci-fi and comic booky.

Unfortunately alien practical effects and costumes failed to advance much in
the 10 year's since Star Trek the television show had been cancelled.

Count me as a fan of the hippie looks both Spock and McCoy sported
at the beginning of the film. Will always be a DeForest Kelley/McCoy fan.

Not only are these two cards almost exactly the same, they'r ordered right next to one another!?

I spent nearly an hour this evening sorting through my Star Trek the Motion Picture Topps trading cards, and it was time well spent. Not only did it remind me of simpler times, but it also gave me the opportunity to verify, after all these years, that I had indeed managed to get a full set (minus the stickers). I'm willing to make this concession to my momentary desire to have the entire set--as a ten year old, stickers often found their way onto notebooks, wall sand other places. For a young fanboy just learning to fly his geek flag, that's where they belonged anyway...

A Game of Allusions

The cover to Angie's List recent mailer and a pormtoinal poster for season one of the HBO's series.

As I continue my literary journey through the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin, I can't help but have A Game of Thrones on my mind. Especially satisfying is being able to talk with students about the novels and how they relate to our recent study of Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf. The common archetypes present in both selections as well as in the ever-popular Tolkien novels, have been been gateways to exciting and refreshing class discussion. That talks occur with teens about story lines from the Thrones novels (interestingly, most have enjoyed the books and not yet seen the HBO series) is a tribute to the far reaching appeal of Martin's literary work, and because both fantasy works share such familiar archetypes (patterns and forms) it is not surprising that we find them resurfacing in even more unlikely places. So widely read and appreciated are the Lannisters and Starks, that even organizations and companies that one wouldn't necessarily associate with the fantasy genre can't help but make a healthy, if somewhat obvious, attempt at appealing to the audience through their promotional materials. One such allusion turned up in my mailbox earlier this month, care of Angie's List.

A concept building off a common euphemism for a toilet, Angie's List's recent mailer featured the headline, "Change of Thrones." The visual accompanying the title utilized a variation on one of the series' strongest iconographic visuals, Eddard "Ned" Stark sitting upon the Iron Throne of Westeros. The combination of both title and visual completes the allusion which at first glance is literary in nature, but given the success of the show, can properly be identified as a cultural allusion, too.

The only aspect that draws me outside the intended reference is the costumed(?) character standing in for Ned. I wonder what someone who has had no prior engagement with the Game of Thrones phenomenon would make of a superhero sitting upon a throne of plungers with toilet paper piled in the background?

Classic Lion-O Costume, HOOOOOO!

Vintage Lion-O unleashed in all his vinyl glory!

In the movies, the teachers' lounge is often depicted as the center of the adult universe within a school building. It has been my experience, however, that in truth it is primarily a place for folks who are moving or cleaning out their garages and file cabinets to leave their discarded stuff. Occasionally, I'll walk into the school's copy room (our building's de facto "lounge") and there will be piles of dividers, nick-knacks and other things placed atop a sign declaring their status as "FREE." Once in a blue moon, there are even interesting things to be had!


At first glance, parents might think
this is a crazy-haired clown, but it's
just Lion-O!

Two years ago (yes, it has been sitting on my classroom bookshelf for that long before finding its way home at the close of school this past June), someone left behind a child's Vintage Ben Cooper Lion-O Halloween costume circa 1985. (Fun Fact: At one point, Ben Cooper, Inc. was the largest supplier of Halloween costumes in the United States.)

While I have neither children young enough to wear the costume, nor a great interest in the current iteration of ThunderCats, I do have a healthy nostalgic affection for the show and characters from my own childhood. Originally on air from 1985 to 1989, ThunderCats was a popular animated kids show that, while having a thin narrative thrust, featured lots of cool super-cat character designs. Lion-O was their youthful leader who's battle cry, "ThunderCats, HOOOOOO!" still resonates today.

The Internets supplied me with some quick background regarding the box I brought home: The costume I have has the original price sticker on it ($4.99) and even at the age of fifteen I would have loved to have had this costume. Though realistically, I could never have squeeze into a large-sized costume (let alone the medium I now have in my possession), I would have testes that vinyl by giving it a shot "back in the day."

Of course back in 1985, when costumes were much less expensive, $5 was a lot of money...

Oh, what treasures lurk in the teachers' lounge!

They Came from 1979: Buck Rogers Trading Cards!

"Biddi-biddi-biddi... do the Hustle!"

Returning to the recently discovered box of childhood trading cards, I was very pleasantly surprised to come across some artifacts from one of the greatest television shows of all-time... well, for two short seasons in the late seventies anyway, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century! Though the cards I found are far from a complete set, there are more than a few cards featuring my two favorite characters from the show's first season: sidekick robot Twiki (with the portable Dr. Theopolis, naturally) and sexy sort-of-romantic-interest, Colonel Wilma Deering, played by the fantastic Erin Gray.

If you missed the pilot movie (which premiered in 1979), a loose narrative outline--complete
with goofy one liners) is provided on the back of the cards.

Inspired (like much sci-fi produced after 1976) by the huge financial success of Star Wars, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was must-see fanboy television during the course of its all-to-brief television run. The stills and narrative text from trading cards are primarily from the feature-length television pilot. Like the show itself, the cards must have shown a lack of staying power, as the Buck Rogers trading cards only lasted for one set of 88 trading cards, released in 1979.

"Lucky Buck" appears to be falling asleep at the wheel of his cumbersomely named "Earth combatship."

Trading cards are carries of nostalgia, and this Buck cards are no different. Though I have not actually watched an episode in nearly 30 years, these cards bring back many of the plot points and character beats that made it memorable for newbie sci-fi fans such as myself. As a ten year old, I had little insight to the fact that I as a television viewer was being fed standard action/adventure tropes or character designs ready made with the potential action figure sales. The fact that certain episodes still stay with me ("Space Vampire," anyone?) is as much a credit to Gray and Gerard's easy onscreen chemistry as much as every kids urge to watch all things sci-fi.

Erin Gray... 'nuff said!

Buck Rogers of the 25th Century trading cards are a prime example of the value of childhood collectibles: often in terms of dollars and cents, they have very little value to anyone. They do, however, have personal "value." Old trading cards allow the holder (in this case, me) to briefly revisit the days of my own childhood during which a walk to the corner store to find a brand spanking new set of wax-paper wrapped cards on sale were among the best memories of my youth.

 Twiki does it all: dancing, drinking and lending a mechanical ear to 20th Century barflies.

"Biddi-biddi-biddi... do the Hustle!" (Extended Mix)

(Serious) Comic Book Collecting 101

Dresser drawers full of comic booky goodness! (9/14/13)

Apparently without realizing it, I have been buying more comic books for my stepson for much longer than I had thought. I came to this conclusion a few weekends ago when, after dropping him off at Columbia University, I set about beginning the process of putting his comics in a large box with the intent of  formally boarding and boxing them. This has been common practice with my own comic book collection going on 20 years now and I thought it might be fun to do the same for him while he was away. Little did I realize (or recall) that he had so many books in need of organization!

Some did make it into a box though! (9/14/13)

He did have an opportunity to do this for himself. Last Christmas, I bought him a short box, some bags and backboards thinking he might do it himself, but he never really took to it. Due to perceived poor fit between the boards and backboards (an issue I fully understand though I thought I had checked both sizes before purchasing), he soured on the idea. Despite his absence his collection continues to grow. While he has been away to college, I have been buying new issues of the books he enjoys along with my own pull list each week, and each of the past few weeks I have picked up additional boards and bags of the correct size.

A fun evening for a fanboy: boards, bags and books. (9/14/13)

The titles of greatest interest to my step-son are primarily those adapted from science-fiction video games or television shows such as Dr. Who, Transformers and Halo. For each of those franchises, as well as others he enjoys, there has been at least two restarts of series with issue one and numerous micro-series. Some have even switched publishers over the past eight or so years, yet the beat goes on..

One of four short boxes neatly organized... but I'm NOT done yet! (9/14/13)

At this point, I have completed boarding and bagging nearly 300 comic books. These comics have been further organized by title and genre into four individual short-boxes. I have always been one to find occasional manual labor labor (mowing the grass, weeding and painting to name a few) and this process has been oddly relaxing: taking each individual board sliding it into the empty bag just enough to "catch," and then inserting the comic book, too, filling the bag. The board and bag sizes I prefer result in a tight fit, so after using Scotch tape to seal the tab on the back, I need to smooth the sealed bag out before putting the prepped book behind the appropriate labeled tab in the correct box.

Sometimes I delude myself into imagining that this repetitious activity would make Eugen Herrigel proud, but in the end hope that my stepson is appreciative, and more importantly, enjoys the comic books that have been collected in his stead.

The Last of Us the First of Mine?

Historically, there is a long tradition of comic book tie-ins supporting popular television shows and movies. Sometimes they are "good," such as the current Django Unchained series being published by DC Comics, and sometimes, not so much. In the past fifteen years, there has also been a huge increase in video game tie-ins as well, some of which most mainstream gamers and comic book readers may not even be aware of. (For example, did you realize that Archie Publications has been publishing a Sonic the Hedgehog ongoing comic book since 1993?!)

As a comic book collector and gamer, sometimes these are worth picking up because of the additional narrative insight provided or simply because of the synergy between the two. The admiration of one does not necessarily lead to the collecting of the other; for example, while I enjoyed the Mortal Kombat-esque Injustice: Gods Among Us X-Box 360 game, (and a healthy appreciation of the updated character), I did not jump on board the comic book prequel which, like Django, is also a DC Comics publication.  (DC/Wildstorm had some success, I felt, with the recently concluded 24 issue run of Gears of War.)



Issue #3 cover by series artist
 and co-writer Faith Erin Hicks. 

I recently begin reading the four issue miniseries (of which issue three came out two weeks ago) The Last of Us: American Dreams, published by Dark Horse.  Co-written by the game developer's (Naughty Dog) creative director Neil Druckmann, this prequel to the highly lauded PlayStation exclusive game, The Last of Us, this four issue miniseries introduces a younger version of one of the game's main characters and establishes the narrative tone that is further developed in the game.

A game, regrettably, I may never play as I am an X-Box 360 gamer. But, if I play my cards right, The Last of Us may be the first of mine. The reviews for the game and the quality suggested by the comic book are so strong that I am considering greasing the skids with my wife to purchase a PlayStation unit, solely for the purpose of playing this game. (I have been fortunate that the better Resident Evil games have been re-worked for X-Box to this point, though there has been a wait.)

I have not previously seen the works of writer and artist Faith Erin Hicks, but she is clearly one of the creators I would now pick up at least the first issue of whatever she works on. While Hicks artistic style is clearly influenced my manga, it is not to the point where there is a "large eye" distraction--a pitfall other artists tend to fall into. The framing and execution of action "set pieces" is exquisite and worthy of multiple "re-reads." I intentionally placed "re-reads" in quotes as the series of panels in which these take place often are without words.

At a cover price $3.99, the color comic book (printed on high quality paper--unlike Marvel comic books), is a bargain, something that is not easy to type or say about much of what is published today.

Odd Inferences & Allusions: Life of Passion?

"One's ability to find meaning in literature is dependent on how broadly and deeply read he or she is." I often share this assertion while teaching high school English literature classes. When doing so, I invite my students to do as I do: always look for literary allusions in contemporary media. Like many, though, it very often takes viewing one "thing" (television show, movie, song, etceteras) in the light of another to make the connection, make the inference or spot the allusion.

For example, during this most recent Winter Recess, I took advantage of the time to catch up on reading, television viewing and going to the movies. Despite a wide array of "sources": comic books, novels, poetry, action films, reality television and flights of fantasy, some connections--and eventually allusions--presented themselves to me.



While Krishna may have a
universe in his mouth...

...can the same be said of
Jack Passion's beard?

First came reality television. Though often depicted in the very niche reality show Whisker Wars, as self-centered and egotistical, former full-beard World Champion and multi-media icon Jack Passion, strikes me as, is if nothing else, a literate individual. (Full disclosure: I identify myself as a fan of Passion's, much to my wife's dismay.) He often alludes to ideas or quotes, whether intentionally or not, in his sound bites. One such occurrence struck me during last week's second season finale of Whisker Wars on the IFC television network. During the course of one outburst of bravado, Passions asserts that "I have the universe on my chin." When I first heard it, I tweeted it to the inter-webs (and Passion, in turn, kindly re-tweeted it, too!), but gave it little thought beyond that online interaction.

At the same time, I had began reading Yann Matrel's Life of Pi, a novel I had long intended to take in, but had lacked either the time or access to a copy. This recess, I had both.

By no means the original source for the quote, there is a small exchange in the book (and as I later observed, the movie adaptation directed by Ang Lee), that touches on a story of Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, as a youth. The set-up for the story's telling (on pages 54-55 of the novel) is this: Krishna and his foster-mother Yashoda were in the garden together. One day Krishna, as usual, was playing in sand. During this act of play he swallows, or eats the sand/dirt/mud. Krishna, like any child, denies doing so. Mother Yashoda requests to look in Krishna's mouth to better discern whether he is telling the truth. Here is the heart of the "lesson" from a more formal telling of the anecdote "A Story of Young Krishna", which in the novel is recollected by Pi and in the film by his mother to him:

And the Lord [Krishna] who had become a human child out of sport, without any loss of His divine powers, now opened His rosebud mouth. She bent forward to peer more closely and lo! she felt herself to be whirling in space, lost in time, for inside the baby mouth was seen the whole universe of moving and unmoving creation, the earth and its mountains and oceans, the moon and the stars, and all the planets and regions. She was wonderstruck to see the land of Vraja and the village of Gokula, herself standing there with the child Krishna beside her with a wide-open mouth, and within that mouth another universe, and so on and on and on.

Within Krishna's mouth is the whole universe (in fact, universes), while in a bit of hyperbole, Passion asserts that his beard (which he has also famously compared to an exploding volcano of red lava) also contains a "universe." So, is this purported (by me) allusion to Krishna's tale a stretch on the part of the reader (once again, moi)? Maybe, but the connection is there nonetheless... though the emphasis may be rightly placed on "less." If  "One's ability to find meaning in literature is dependent on how broadly and deeply read he or she is," then these moments of connection are available for identification all around us, IF we can connect those dots resulting in a (marginally) reasonable inference!



From Ang Lee's Life of Pi (2012).

A Nascent Beardsman?

Following a "successful" No Shave November during which I only trimmed 2-3 times (in the interest of neatness), and cleaned up my neck once or twice, I have yet to fully shave. I've also recently begun watching Whisker Wars on IFC and been jesting with my friends and family about training to be a competitive "beardsman." I'm fairly untrained in beard grooming, so unless there is a "hobo beard" category, which according to the "Categories" page on the US Beard Team's website, there is not, I've either got learn to groom, or just go full beard natural or full beard natural with styled moustache.

My dog, my beard, and I.

As a professional, and with a wife who definitely is not that supportive of this possibility, neither is really as neat and cared for in appearance as either of the other possible options: the Garibaldi (a wide, full beard with a rounded bottom and integrated mustache) or Verdi  (a short, full beard with rounded bottom accompanied by a prominent mustache). Both the Garibaldi and the Verdi have length limitations (one's Garibaldi may not exceed V 10cm in length, while a Verdi is not to be longer than 10 cm) and, at least in the case of the Verdi, one may use "aids" such as moustache wax, for grooming. The moustache of a Garibaldi is not be integrated into the rest of the beard, so one can reasonably assume that some grooming might be necessary.

Seeking information about proper care and grooming, a quick online search on grooming led me to two resources, GC's The Modern Man's Guide to Beards and Jack Passion's book, The Facial Hair Handbook. Having previously read and reviewed (sort of) Passion's treatise, a quick review of GC's offerings only reinforced how incredibly well thought out Passion's book is, especially (for my purposes) the "Technique" chapter with a little part entitled "Shaping and Sculpting."

I would reckon that for now the goal would be to maintain my health, and the health of my beard, and let it continue to grow out a much more. In the meantime, I can continue to read up on the subject, enjoy following Passion's exploits on Whisker Wars, and resist my wife's occasional request to "shave it off."

Giving Thanks for Ugly Dog

I'll admit it; I enjoy watching the Purina National Dog Show on Thanksgiving Day. It has become almost as much of a tradition as checking out the last few minutes of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to watch the most recent incarnation of Santa Claus start the holiday shopping season.

There is just something oddly regal about the dog show on network television. This morning J. Peterman... er... John O'Hurley will once again host the Philadelphia Kennel Club's dog show. In between the well-bread Spaniels and Toy Poodles, I suspect I will once again be reminded of, as I am annually, Thanksgiving 2005, when I first read of the passing of a legendary canine competitor named Sam.

Sam  passed away in November 2005.

So it is on this Thanksgiving morning in 2012, that I take a moment to go back and reread the article that first caught my eye as I signed onto Yahoo and came across the image to the left accompanied by the headline "World's Ugliest Dog Dies at 14". This was the story of Sam, an award winning pedigreed Chinese crested who had reached something of a celebrity status in the world of "ugly dog contests."

Lately I've been thinking about my own dog Gracie, who works with me in the back yard during fall clean-up, lays with me when I read, or whines (occasionally) when I leave, and how much she means to my family and I. She and I have been at this for almost nine years now, though most days the time has physically only passed for me.

Like Sam the Ugly Dog, Gracie can sometimes be what I affectionately call a "knucklehead." But I'll be darned if she isn't consistently forgiving of my family's (as well as my own) foibles and screw-ups. I freely acknowledge (with little need for confirmation, thank you) that I am a knucklehead sometimes many times, too. On his passing, Susie Lockheed, Sam's owner, noted that "I don't think there'll ever be another Sam. Some people would think that's a good thing." Not me, and how unfortunate for those who miss the part of what makes Sam a distinctly human symbol.

The memory, or idea, of Ugly Dog continues to stay with me even year later, as a bygone representation of my own knuckleheadedness, especially in, on occasion, judging things or people by their superficial traits. That knee-jerk reposes to new and strange "things" is inside you, too, I'd reckon. But, just like our incredibly, great nation that will once and a while take a misstep regardless of what your political affiliation is, we can always return to our balancing point by self-correcting and making whole that which we have diminished.

I never even realized that Sam the Ugly Dog was even "there" until he passed, but, as I embrace and struggle with my own inner Ugly Dog, I feel a slight bit less for his having passed. On Thanksgiving, I try to show gratutiude for all I have receievd by doing my best not dismiss those other Ugly Dogs out there whose beauty is only waiting to be seen, when I choose to allow it to be revealed to me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Honoring the Spirit of Iron Eyes Cody

As is common practice, while awaiting the start of the Class A race this past weekend at the New York State Cross Country Championship in Elma, New York, myself and a few coaches walked parts of the course. While doing so, one coach , between talking points, finished drinking the remainder of a plastic bottle of water he had purchased. Upon drawing the final swig, he walked ahead of our small group of four, looked around and flipped his bottle into a small area of long grass just to the side of the path.

I happened to see this and quickly prompted the coach to "pick up your litter, there's cans and bins all over the place!" There were indeed trash and recyclable receptacles throughout the course and in the tent village where teams had set up shop for the day. This brief interaction prompted a short discussion during which one of my colleagues asked, "Do you remember that old commercial with the Indian who had the tear running down his cheek?" I did.

Despite a concerted effort on the part of communities, schools, and businesses to promote recycling, my friend still thought little of simply dropping his garbage on the ground. Of course, this doesn't make him "bad" or "evil," but it is indicative of a level of short-sightedness. Nationally, we may all be negligent in this regard.  I distinctly recall as a child in the Seventies, watching two television characters in particular do their darnedest to teach children (and adults) about the importance of recycling: Iron Eyes Cody and Woodsy Owl.

Star of the ad at the top of the post, Iron Eyes Cody was most famous for his "crying Indian" role in the "Keep America Beautiful" Public Service Announcement (PSA) in the early 1970s. It was an ecology commercial in which Cody, playing a Native American, sheds a tear after some trash is thrown from a speeding car and lands at his feet. The announcer, William Conrad, of Bullwinkle and Cannon fame, memorably declares: "People start pollution; people can stop it."


While Iron Eyes was a serious, powerful combination of image and message, I have always been  partial to United States Forest Service mascot, and spokes-bird, Woodsy Owl. Another environmental icon, he first came on the scene in 1970 for the first Earth Day in order to raise awareness in children and families for protecting the environment. Having been through a number of updates and hip redesigns, 40+ years later, Woodsy's messages of common sense conservation still lingers in my memory: "Give a hoot, don't pollute."

When my friend did pick up his bottle, and together we found an appropriate blue bin to drop it into, it was good to feel in some way the ghosts of those old PSAs past were pleased by the tiny difference this act (among many more) have made.

Rare Comic Finds: Road Rage (2012)

Panel from page 9 of IDW's Road Rage by artist Nelson Daniel.

Now that October is in full swing (and there are a few free minutes to sit at the keyboard), I'd like share a some horror themed titles (or similarly themed characters in more popular titles) from the bowels of my comic book longboxes. The first is an extremely high quality tribute to the 1971 short story "Duel" written by the acclaimed author of the many-times-filmed-but-never-well I Am Legend,  Richard Matheson. Published this past year by IDW Publishing, Road Rage is itself an adaptation of the short story "Throttle" penned by legendary horror novelist Stephen King and his son, acclaimed novelist/Eisner-winning graphic novelist Joe Hill previously published in 2009.

"Throttle" began as something of a family affair, especially given the combined talents of father/son team of King and Hill. Based on the source story, "Duel," which had also been previously adapted as the television movie of the same name by then little known director Steven Spielberg, the comic book brings the two together as singular narrative experience. That's quite a pedigree for two stories that at their hearts are about a men battling killer vehicles.

IDW's Road Rage is ably adapted for the comic book medium by writer Chris Ryall and artist Nelson Daniel. Combining both "Throttle" and "Duel" into a single story with a hint of the popular FX cable drama show Sons of Anarchy mixed in, Road Rage begins with story of motorcycle gang "The Tribe" as they're picked off one by one until ultimately the remaining club members, led by their leader Vince, face off with the rig.

As a study in there being roughly six-degrees of separation between most pop culture fiction, and as a fall entertainment, Road Rage is worthy purchase. It is also very likely still available for purchase as individual issues at your local comic shop, and worth the price. A pricey ($24.99) hard cover collection of the miniseries was also released in 2012.

NBIM Day 3: Star Trek #34 (1975)

Star Trek #34 (1975)

Somehow I've been blogging for nearly five years and have yet to have posted once about the "real" Star Trek; you know, the one with William Shatner's Kirk and Leonard Nimoy's Spock. This error is all the more grievous as Trek was (like many fanboys, I suspect) among the earliest influences of my television viewing and reading habits... which leads to today's National Back Issue Month read, Gold Key Comics Star Trek #34.

Splash page with crystal dinosaur and
Mr. Scott's (mercifully short-lived) new
catchphrase.

Issue 34 features a story entitled "The Psychocrystals" and does the main thing early comic book adaptations of television shows were expected to: deliver familiar characters in unfamiliar (translation: too expensive for television production costs) situations.

While the story reads much like an early Star Trek television episode, through the reuse of common themes and set-ups, the partially Scotty-centric nature of the story is refreshing. Except when there seems to be a clear attempt to cater to the viewer/readers desire for more Scotty-isms.

Throughout the issue, the storytellers (both writer and artist are uncredited) attempt to further develop the lesser Trek cast member with characterization that appears to have been thrown in for marketing purpose. Nearly every other page features Mr. Scott's attempts at adding to his canon of catchphrases ("Ahm givin' 'er all I kin!") with the much less memorialized "Great Moons of Mars!" (used twice in this issue) and "Flaming Lakes of Orion!"

The Gold Key series has the distinction of being just the first of many (Marvel, DC, IDW) attempts at licensing and publishing successful Star Trek properties in comic book form. While more recent series may have more recognizable creators at the helm, few did the "real" Star Trek as closely to the show as Gold Key, at least as represented by this issue. Online this issue, in "Good" condition goes for nearly $10, but I would venture to guess that relatives or neighbors probably have this one lying around for future neighborhood yard sales... the issue I have was acquired when I friend was cleaning out his garage!

Scotty very concerned about a fate much worse than death!