4th of July.

So, yeah. America. Great country.

I've decided not to do a Public Enemies review. It was a really good movie, but Sam and I have come up with a few really good video ideas and I want to focus on those.

I had a great fourth. I hope you did too.

I'm really kinda drunk.


LOVE YOU READERS!

Dude, get a blog.

One, that title is a line from the new video at Atop The Fourth Wall. For the lazier readers: LOVE LINKARA!
Two, Dear Leader are a really good band.
Three, I started watching Mr. Show clips again. I can't believe I used to watch that show when I was a kid (I was like 10).

I will be attending the midnight showing of Revenge of the Fallen tomorrow.. or, is it Wednesday? I've already read/heard some really nasty reviews and I wasn't a huge fan of the first one so I'm not going in with any hopes for anything good. I will review it for the blog, most likely in text form. Watch out for that.

Sam will be going to Florida for a week on Thursday, so no videos for a while. After the 4th (of July) I have a feeling we'll start churning them out more and more.

I'm about halfway through the second short story we're working on. Sam is still drawing the first. As these things go, I'm always about a step or two ahead of him. I have to say I'm really really happy (and pretentious) about what I'm writing. I think it's my best work so far.

Lastly, I've been making really subtle changes to this blog's layout. Hopefully you can't notice. If you do, thats fine. I hope you think it looks better now.

I love seals, they're fucking beautiful and cute.

A few things before I go to sleep.

I've been listening to a neat little podcast called Made of Fail. If you're into anything nerdy, check them out. Also, if you're interested, listen to DumpsterTech. DT isn't really my thing, but some of you might find it interesting.

Tomorrow night Conan O'Brien takes over The Tonight Show. Maybe you could say I'm a little too excited about this, but I love Conan. I can't wait. Here's a picture of his studio. Its neat!

Tomorrow, Jon, Sam and myself are having our first meeting of the brains. Handjobs abound!

Don't read Bite Club. It's not that great.

Next up: Sinestro Corps War. Excited!

I don't know, guy.

If you aren't familiar with the Spider-Man's post Civil War storyline One More Day then I'll sum things up for you: Everyone knows who Spider-man is, Aunt May gets shot as a result of this, Peter decides the only way to deal with this is SELL HIS MARRIAGE WITH MARY JANE TO MEPISTO SO AUNT MAY CAN LIVE.

Now, I won't go on and on about how fucking insane and stupid a move this was. We all know this is way way out of character for Peter Parker. We all know this goes against some of the main tenements of Spider-Man mythos (Why didn't he ask for Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy back?). My main problem with this is... well... it's just so cruel. If any two characters in any comic series deserve to be happy and together it's Peter and Mary Jane. Marvel editor-in-chief and writer Joe Quesada doesn't think so. Yes. I'll say that again: THE FUCKING EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF MARVEL HAS UNDONE A MAJOR PART OF ONE OF THEIR MOST POPULAR CHARACTER'S LINEAGE.

Now, before I get too off-topic here, in Sunday's newspaper comic strip of Spider-Man, Peter woke up to find out this whole business with Mepisto was just a dream!

To put this bluntly: I am never reading another Marvel comic again.

Need more reasoning? Now you don't.

Quickness

So I pretty much suck. I haven't advanced much in my writing for a few reasons. For one, I am finding it hard to start the chapter I am currently working on. I don't know what angle to come at it and I have yet to "crack" it. Secondly, summer has more or less begun, everyone is home and I have obligations to keep up. Third, my laptop is working again (but for how long?) so I have been going through the long, depressing process and transferring files from one computer to the next and deciding what to keep and what to trash. I'm keeping backups to pretty much everything. I'm going to be smart about this this time. Finally, saddest of all, and the thing that has been taking up most of my time: David Lynch. I'm so obsessed with Twin Peaks. I can't put into words how much a nearly 20 year old show means to me right now. Also, I ended up DLing most of Throbbing Gristle's discography last night.

In other words: I've been busy. Partly for legitimate reasons, partly for bullshit, addictive personality reasons.

I have so many comics to read and have yet to get to them. I need to stop impulse buying things.

On a neutral note, I'm putting drum lessons aside for a while to trying to concentrate on things. Lets see how far that goes.

Blog update - 5/11/09

Expect a bit, if not major, slow down in posts from me. There are two reasons for this. One, I want to start writing more. A lot more. I want to get at least half-way through this comic by the end of next week. The second reason: my computer is old, on it's last legs and most likely about to epic fail soon. It happens.

However, you can expect the following:
-Sam and I will be turning an old radio into a bee
-Artwork from our work-in-progress comic
-More movie and comic review (as soon as I get out to Chris' again)
-More in-fighting between Sam and I over who will be the Green Lantern
-My continued hatred of Family Guy
-A whole bunch of surprises sure to knock your socks off

Here's your first Lil preview of our comic: A PICTURE OF THE OUTLINE!
That little preview comic for the Dawn of the Dead graphic novel came with the Ultimate Edition DVD box-set. Bought it the day it came out. Some of the best 30 bucks I ever spent.

I will be seeing Star Trek.

I know I just went all nerd-rage and blasted origin stories but I will be seeing Star Trek. I know: it's an origin story. Worse than that: it's a mother fucking prequel (I HATE THE WORD!). The simple fact of the matter is: It Looks Good.

I'm not a huge fan of J.J. Abrams - I lost interest in Fringe after about 3 weeks (I liked it better when it was called the X-Files). I've seen like 3 episodes of LOST, and I do like Alias but don't care for the over-arching mythos of the show. I LOVED Cloverfield. In short, the man has good ideas, he is interesting. But, the work he is producing has really generated any interest in me.

With that said, I will be seeing Star Trek.

Review: Green Arrow: Year One

Green Arrow: Year One
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Andy Diggle
Artist: Jock (Mark Simpson)

Jock? The Artist's name is 'Jock'? Alright...

Why am I pointing this out? Well, because like everything else about this book: it's all so much bullshit.

I don't really even feel like going over the story. Why? Well, for one, THE FUCKING NAME OF THE DAMN THING IS YEAR ONE, WONDER WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT!

I'm really not even that mad or anything at this book, it's a fun, fast read. Some neat action scenes. You get some - albeit pointless - insight into the character himself. My problem here is this: Origin stories, necessary? I say no. I have always said no. Why do I need to know the origin of a character? Why can't I just live with them? I don't really NEED to know their back story. My favorite books and movies just throw you in the middle of things and say: "Hey, whatever, you'll figure it out." Beside, the Green Arrow has and will always be a second tier character, everyone knows that. He has very little presence in the Green Lantern/Green Arrow crossover aside from popping up every once and a while for a fight scene or to bitch about something. His new storyline is Green Arrow and Black Canary and I think more people care about Black Canary than they do Green Arrow.

Now I really like Green Arrow, I'm one of the few, but, oh why DC? Why do we need this? I would - maybe this is awful of me for saying - call the Green Arrow a wikipedia character. You just need a quick summary of where he came from, then get into the action. I don't give a shit about this story, or whatever the fuck island he ended up on, or whatever the fuck China White did, or any of it.

I will never recommend this. Origin stories are bullshit. This Never Happened.


Note: I honestly could have torn this book apart, but my like of the character curbed that from happening. It's too short, too dull, and just unnecessary. Don't read it. Get the Longbow Hunter or Quiver instead.


And to answer your question: Yes, my hatred of origin stories is the reason - bsides the fact I hate Marvel (see: One More Day) - I will not be seeing the Wolverine movie.

A Picture

To Prove we know what we are talking about:


Busy Bees.

Deadpool loves him his yellow boxes.

I don't know if any of you out there keep up with the "Hi, I'm a Marvel...and I'm a DC" videos on youtube. I have to say this is by far the funniest and its brand new, fresh and hilarious:



Just head on over to ItsJustSomeRandomGuy's proflie for the rest of the videos.





Free Comic Book Day = Tomorrow.

License Plate I Saw Today and the Vomit that Followed.

Yes, it would help if I knew how to spell license.

Today I saw this:

This falls somewhere in between that uncomfortably sick feeling you get around overtly warm and fuzzy new couples and the gratification of seeing an old couple who still love each other. I'm just not sure where. By the way, I'm sorry this picture is so horribly framed. I didn't really feel like getting on my knees to take this.

This is now outside of my house:
So if anyone needs to know where I live: It's the house with the speed trap in front of it. Thank you, Town of Cohasset.


In lighter news: I was ruffling through old journals and notebooks for poetry and lyrics - I'm in a band. To my amazement I came to discover that some of my old writing was decent even memorable and catchy. Then I realised I was reading poetry that I had written and that is so totally gay.

Also, Wyatt comes back today! YAY!

Who wants to go to the comic book store tomorrow?

In Which I Am Impressed / In Which I Have No Motivation.

I've watched this video a few times now and have yet to fully wrap my head around it:
I get the Dark Knight comparisons... I guess. This feels more like the last shoot-out of Hard Boiled to me. A movie which probably inspired Heat which inspired the Dark Knight. Hey, fuck you.


I went to the beach today, which was beautiful. I regret not taking a picture or two but I didn't have my actual camera on me. On a down beat, for some weird reason a hint of sadness has followed me today. I just don't feel very up for anything. I know I should be cracking the second chapter of my comic right now but I have no drive.

I've spent most of my night reading this blog: Atop The Four Wall which is actually fucking great. Go to it. Read it.

And read Batman #686:












Listening to the Hold Steady made me feel like maybe I want to live the type of life they describe.

3 Comic book series you should be reading.

1) House of Mystery

Matthew Sturges and Bill Willingham (Fables) team up for this revival of the series that ran from 1951 - 1983. Revolving around 5 people trapped in a "purgatory-like house" that needs stories to survive. It features a different story within the main each issue.

2) RASL

Written and illustrated by Jeff Smith (Bone). The story is great but here I think the art is the real star. You can feel the movement, everything has atmosphere, nothing seems flat. It's beautiful.

3) Dead Irons

I really don't know much about this series, I have only read the first issue. What I can say is I found it gripping. I think this is over now, but I hope some piece of it continues in some form. This really is a treat for any fan of horror.


I should go to bed now.

Sam Kusek: This and That Guy

This is a Blog for Scott and I to be as Nerdy as possible, while still being a bit serious about the whole shebang.

I review comics, do art, ride bikes, and all around am a general Mensch.

Here's some other links to stuff I do:

http://damageintomp.tumblr.com/

http://www.popcultureshock.com/manga/index.php/author/sam/

I'll be posting a bunch this summer so get ready for stuff.....

~Sam