9/20 show

Tonight (LIVE) on "The Comic Book Novice" radio show, Hassan, Peter Palmiotti, Belkis, and yours truly as we discuss continuity in comics. If you have an opinion on this subject, give us a call 631 888 8811. 9pm EST www.am1240wgbb.com
afterwards, leave your comments here.

THE most awesome-est worst moive EVER!

D-Wars, or Dragon Wars (as some of you may be more familiar with) is just that movie. Now the rule is that it HAS to be a movie you see in theaters AND that it is so bad that it goes all the way around back to good. Transformers was just a BAD movie. With a little thought and care put into that movie it could have been actually good. D-Wars, if any effort were made to make it better (casting, acting special effects, plot, editing), it would have been just as bad as Transformers (although that is a very hard thing to do)! And yes, there is a reason why I make comparisons to Transformers (but I'll get to that in a minute).

So, (SPOILER ALERT, well, if not for the spoilers, you may just not see the movie, but anyways...) we start off With a bad Tom Cruise wanna-be (who looks as old as he is, but is supposed to be 20) reporting on an "incident" that happened in the L.A. area. From here, I started thinking that this is gonna be a bad movie, but before I can even finish that thought, we flash back to when he's 5 (or so) and (with his father) in an antique shop. Naturally, the boy wanders off and gets hit with a blue light. The shop dealer feigns a heart attack so that the father can leave (long enough) for him to make tea and tell the boy a story which leads us to a flashback within a flashback! Now I am able to finish my earlier thought.

While contemplating exactly how bad this movie is going to be, I am treated to ancient China with tons of hard to follow (but honestly, by this time I wasn't really paying attention) back story about a girl who must die to give a dragon (or whoever stumbles along) the power to ascend into heaven. Then, it gets really bad. Rejects from Episode I (complete with cannons on their backs) show up and attack...(well, carpet bomb) the city where this girl lives in order to find her, then run in there looking for her. That's when the Kung-Fu guy comes along and starts kicking butt. Even though he takes them all on, (as soon as he gets hurt) he decides to lead them right to the girl (and her "protector"). Now the "evil" dragon shows up. I say "evil" because (now that I think about it) both dragons wanted the same thing, except the good dragon was to receive the power willingly, and the evil one wanted to take it. Anyway....The protector and the girl kill themselves, which (I guess) stopped the power from leaving her (but the power was only to leave her when she died) and that takes us back to the present.

*Whew* So now I'm in full awe of this "epic" and more stuff keeps happening. The main girl (who looks like she's pushing 25, but is supposed to be 19) gets hit on by some "oh-too-friendly" guys outside a bar and the shopkeeper (who is a descendant of the Kung-Fu guy) just walks on screen kicks the crap out of them and (without saying a word) walks off camera. The Bad guy (dressed in his conspicuous bad guy outfit) just lurks around for no reason while the evil dragon chases the girl all over town. When the evil guy and the two leads meet up, the sidekick (who is a black guy who doesn't get killed) first tries to shoot him with a revolver (that only has two bullets in it) then (after that doesn't work) tries to hit him (to no avail). Turns out the the evil guy can handle everything except getting hit with a car (which happens twice in the movie).

Now the final showdown happens (which is just like Transformers) 'cept here we have a full out war going on down ONE STREET in L.A. and man, they went all out with the action. Tanks and army guys (who didn't even bother to show up to acting school when they were showing them how to act like army guys) vs the (yet again) Episode I rejects. Just when the evil dragon (which, much like Transformers, nobody sees until it's too late) is about to kill our leads (on top of a skyscraper) the Blackhawk helicopters show and shoot the @#$%^ out of the dragon. Then the smaller (winged) dragons show up and there is a full on dog fight in the air while the army is (still) fighting down the one street.

With all this that I have mentioned, there is still so much more to be seen in this awesome-ly bad movie: The out of place scenes, the massive amounts of (blood-less) carnage, and even some unexpected deaths made D-Wars "The most awesome-est worst movie ever" and I loved it!

9/13 show

Tonight (LIVE!) on "The Comic Book Novice" radio show. Join Hassan, Peter Palmiotti, Belkis and yours truly as we interview Platinum Studios' (www.platinumstudios.com) creative manager Carly Wagner. 9pm EST www.am1240wgbb.com

afterwards, leave your comments here!

Timing

When I first decided to do a blog, I had two rules. Update it on a weekly basis on the same day(s) and don't get into religion and/or politics.

Today I am breaking that rule (sort of). I mean isn't the saying "rules are made to be broken."?

Anyway, seeing as how this is Sept 11, and a Tuesday, I feel that talking about anything else in this blog would be wrong somehow.

Everyone has a "this is what I was doing..." story, and here is mine...

I was living in my old house at the time and working at "Big Choice" video. I woke up late morning and went downstairs to turn on the TV. It was static. I had cable, but it was only hooked up to the TV in the basement, so I figured that my antenna had fallen down from the roof (which had happened a few years prior). So I went to the basement and turned on that TV (before going outside to see if the antenna had fallen off).

And there it was.

I don't need to get into specifics, but needless to say (so why say it?) I was shocked.

I didn't lose any one during that time, and (while I lived near the city) I really never went there, so I wasn't affected personally. So to me, it was like everyone else finally knew what I was going through (I had lost my mother 2 years ago). That I can empathize with.

So here we are X years later and what really has changed? For me I drive into Manhattan more frequently now and can say that there are more cops around. But it still "feels" the same. Turn on the news and it's all the same as it was before, 'cept now there is a war going on (and it's not like we haven't had wars before). I bet if we look X more years into the future, it will be the same, just slightly more askewed.

Will the terrorists strike again? Probably, but I doubt it will be on such a grand scale any time soon.
Will we win the war on terror? No. You can't win a war based on a concept.
Will life go on? Yes, what other choice do we have?

on a lighter note (cause I find it difficult not to find humor in life) whenever asked how this day had affected me, I used to (and sometimes still do) say that Terrorists took away my TV.



10/21/08 update: Things are still "the same". There is still a big hole at ground zero. People are still worried that we will get atacked again. Life is still going on.

9/6 show

Tonight (LIVE!) on "the Comic Book Novice" radio program, Hassan, Peter Palmiotti, Belkis, and yours truly will be reviewing Rob Zombie's remake of the movie "Halloween". As with all of our review shows, this will be a free flowuing conversation and spoliers may be discussed. Seen the movie? have an opinion on it? give us a call
(631 888 8811) 9pm EST on 1240AM (in the New York/Long Island area) and online @ www.am1240wgbb.com

You get what you pay for

You know the saying. When I first started out on this adventure (it's an adventure to me!) it was just me. Then I got a business partner. Although we have since parted ways, that time together was very helpful and educational. Soon thereafter I was back on my own. I started the radio show and kept on pressing forward on my comic. With the radio show, I got 3 other people to work with. The comic, I recruited 2 others.

now (of course) not being made of money, I have to take whatever I can find. Not that they are bad people, or not as dedicated, but they have their own lives, their own (paying) jobs. So while they do help, I just don't get the same type of results as I would get if I actually pay them (and understandably so).

So here I am (roughly) 12 years later. I have the comic fully penciled, the radio show is up and running, I have a webmaster, and I continue to meet people willing to give their free time to help better my company.

where does that leave me now? I have a (much) larger force working with me, I'm still not paying them (well, not much anyways). Yet because of the time I put into this, the people I meet (who seem to be investing as much or even more time and effort into their own things) are willing and more able to give me what I need to succeed and that kind of help, money can't buy.

08/21/07 update: ah, another pay for play post. I think it was here when the differences really started to show through. I was putting in more and felt that I still wasn't getting to the places I wanted to be as fast as I probabaly would have if I was paying out a salary. But I know I wouldn't have gotten this far withoth them...

ComicSpace Page

So I totally created a comicspace page and been having a blast with it. Been meeting some interesting people on it and love looking at the art that is out there. Not just in the US but other countries as well. So come visit my page at www.comicspace.com/belkis.

-Belkis

8/30 show

Tonight (Live!) on "The Comic Book Novice" radio show, Belkis, Hassan, Peter Palmiotti and yours truly will be interviewing "King!" creator Tom Hall. Join us 9pm est @ www.am1240wgbb.com

hypNOsis

So despite my best efforts, out of all the stuff I had planned to shoot for the TV show this past weekend, I only managed to do the hypnosis shoot with Belkis. It could have gone better, but I think I can squeeze a few segments out of it. If I manage to get the other stuff shot, I may have to ask her back to do more, but that can wait. She really wasn't into it and only did it for the sake of the show, so to ask her again with no real outlet would be a waste.

So now I have to push back the debut of the TV show (again) until I have everything shot and I start editing (which can take me up to the end of the year).

10/21/08 update: I still think the TV show is a good idea. but maybe it is just not meant to be. I have had numberous false starts and all I have to show for it is aome footage of the hypnosis segments (and most of that with no sound!)

The King and I

So I was on the train today and decided instead of listening to my ipod I would read a comic book. I took the liberty of reading THE KING by Thomas Hall whom we will be interviewing this Thursday on the show. I had the pleasure of speaking with him at the New York Comic Con this past July. Therefore, I'm very eager to chat with him again. It definitely was a pleasure to read something on the subway besides a novel or the newspaper like any other New Yorker. I liked the way children looked at the comic book with that stare that read, "I want to read that to." I also attracted the attention of the male species. I guess they aren't use to girls reading comic books on the trains. Must have been an odd sight for them. This reminded me of the time when two cops stopped me at a magazine shop because I was buying wrestling magazines! Yes, wrestling magazines. At one point, I took out my license and people were wondering what I did wrong. The funny thing was that the cops only stopped me because they thought it was attractive to see a girl buying a "guy" thing. I have to do the guy thing more often. So I think THE KING and I should have trips on the subway more often.

Your Public Eye
Belkis

MFCbustour1.wmv

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8/23 show

Tonight (Live) on "The Comic Book Novice" radio program, Hassan, Peter Palmiotti, Belkis and your's truly will be interviewing Sky Pirates creator Everett Soares. 9pm est www.am1240wgbb.com

Afterwards leave your comments here!

Forces

You know, being involved in the comic book-fantasy world tends to help with one's imagination. And anyone who knows me knows that I already have a vivid imagination. So when i start talking about "forces" (not "The Force") you'll know where all this is coming from.

It seems that (to me anyways) every time something that comes along to help me (or my company) out, the forces seem to do something to help negate that fact. For example, every show after a convention (which should yield our biggest "new" audience) something goes wrong. Usually, we lose the online feed. Two weeks ago, we had trouble with the phones when we were trying to give away free tickets to the Wizard Chicago con (another "big" event.).

But last weekend was a major blow.

I have mentioned (quite a few times) about "The Comic Book Novice" TV show. This past Saturday was set aside to shoot the panel portion of the show. Now Pete (who just came back from the Chicago con) had forgotten to bring back our banner (which was going to be used as a backdrop for this segment) so I had to postpone that until I got a new banner (seems there is no recovery for forgotten banners at a con). Since I had already took the day (well night) off from work, I decided to do the hypnosis segment with Belkis instead.

She over slept. Her Apt had no hot water. She went the wrong way to meet me. By the time she was back on track, it was too late to come to do the shoot. A wasted day.....

It wouldn't be so bad, but the place i have set aside for shooting will only be available till the end of the month (and not only that, the chances to get together to shoot anything will be reduced because I am now living really far away from her) and the only free day she has is set aside for the panel shoot.

Brian Ferrera (The New Gal Jess's husband), was set to do the animation segments, now he s getting swamped with work and is unable to do it.

So the show may (once again) be postponed.

Do not despair tho.. there are other forces at work to keep me going. How else would you explain that I have gotten this far?


10/21/08 update: ah yes, the "Forces". What can I say about them? I ran into a person who claimed to be psychic. We talked and she told me "just because you don't believe in soething doesnt mean it does not exist.". I told her about my theory regarding the forces, she was skeptical, and I told her the same thing. She said "true enough".

8/16 show

Tonight (Live) Belkis, Peter Palmiotti, Hassan, and yours truly will be interviewing big time artist Jamal Igle (www.jamaligle.com) tune in! www.am1240wgbb.com 9pm EST

afterwards, leave your comments here!

Ringo

I was a fan of Jim Aparo. I passed him by during a convention many years ago thinking I would get him next time (I was there on business, so I didn't have anything for him to sign with me). A few years later he died.

I mentioned death in an earlier blog, and really I don't have more to say on the subject. But this death. Mike Wieringo (signed his name Ringo! however) dying of a heart attack needs to be addressed. While I have all the Fantastic Four issues he drew, I was not a "Fan" of his work. That's not to say that it wasn't dynamic, or any good, it was just not my cup of tea.

They say he was very healthy, and a vegetarian. They also say he was very dedicated and loved his work. I never met the man (nor did I ever pass him by), but the fact that he died still affects me. Maybe it's because it was a sudden thing. Maybe it's because he was so...young (44). Maybe it's because he is a "name" that I can associate with (since I have his comics). But regardless, I can sympathize with his family and those close to him.


8/21/08 update: There have been so many deaths since then yet no one is any worse than the one you are associated with. At times I think about how there are so many things that can kill you any given day. Yet we (as a race) still beat the odds.

Japanese Newspaper looking for Cartoonist submissions

So a good friend of mine passed this information on to me. Here's the scoop....
The Yomiuri Shimbun, one of Japan's leading newspapers, seeks submissions for their 29th Yomiuri International Cartoon Contest. The contest is well known among renowned cartoonists from all over the globe. Winning cartoons will appear in the New Year's edition of The Yomiuri Shimbun and in early January in The Daily Yomiuri. Amateurs and professionals from all nationalites are encouraged to enter. Visit www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/info/cartoon for more information. The deadline is Sept. 21, 2007.

-Belkis

2 Free 3-day passes to a Con

That's right! Tonight (Live!) on "The Comic Book Novice" radio show Belkis, Peter Palmiotti (calling in from Chicago), and yours truly will be agiving away 2 FREE pases to the Wizard con this weekend while discussing the "Underdog" movie. Make sure you are the first caller after I make the announcment to win the tix! As usual, this is a free flowing conversation, so spoilers may be heard. 9pm EST www.am1240wgbb.com afterwards leave your comments here!

1408

A while back we did a 1408 show. I liked the movie so much I went out and read the short story that it was based on. This is the first time I have ever read "the source material" of any movie. It was an unique expierence. For one thing I had a difficult time remembering that the movie came after the story I was reading, so I was like "Hey, they left this out!" or, "They changed that" referring to the book as opposed to the movie. Another thing was that the characters in the book (regarless of how they were described) were the actors in the movie. So it was Sam Jackson and John Cusack.

Now I have only read "The Stand" (then saw the movie), and I have seen only a handful of Stephen King's movies. I even watched "Kingdom Hospital." And I have always had a problem with the way he ends the movie (with the exception of this one, 1408). We met Stephen King at the NY Comicon and he said "You know the problem is that no matter what ending you come up with, it won't beat what the reader already has in his/her mind".

But (on our show) You can hear that I said I really liked this ending. and I liked the movie. Turns out that 90% of the movie was not in the book. It really was a short story and soooo much was added for the movie. The ending was completly different, there was no daughter, and almost nothing that happened in the room happned in the book! I have to say that I really didn't like the story at all. I wonder if I had read the story first would I have even went to the movies to do and do a show on it?


10/21/08 update: Recently I saw the movie "The Ruins" (based on the novel by the same name). It was really bad. A friend of mine who didn't see the movie had read the book told me that alot of points that I had mentioned to her in the movie were in the book. Yet the (SPOILER) fact that the girl got away at the end didn't happen. I am actually curious to see what happens in the book. Peter David, my favorite comic book writer once said that the whole point of any movie that is based on a book (or even comic book) is designed to make you go and read the source material. So I guess "The Runis" did its job (only sort of seeing as how I don't plan to go run out and buy the book, but if it ever crosses my path, I'll give it a read.

My Calendar Project Update

James Rodriguez from Nova Studios and I have been working on this calendar project for a few months now. We are taking our time with it because we don't want to rush. It has to be done in a timely and proper manner. Basically, it will be a calendar with about 12 artist collaborating together for a self-promotion. If the schedule goes well, the calendar should be done for 2009. I'm very excited to be working with all the artist because I feel that they are very talented. So I recently got the final artwork from them and I fell in love. The work is gorgeous and really believe it will be a huge success. The next step is to shoot. I found a lovely and great photographer for this project. She is great with light and I saw more of her work today. I am confident that she will get the job done. She is more than willing to help us. We decided we could shoot in the next two weeks. I can't wait for it because that will let me know in what direction this is going. I finally feel that this is coming all together.

posted by Belkis

8/2 giveaway show

Tonight (Live!) on "The Comic Book Novice" radio program, join Belkis, Peter Palmiotti (from the Vegas strip), "New Girl Jess" (well, actually her hubby Brian Ferrera will be sitting in for her) and yours truly as we talk about the Simpsons movie. This will be a free flowing discussion, so spoilers may be heard.

In addition to us talking about the Simpsons movie, we will be giving away 2 3-day passes to the Wizard World Chicago convention (www.wizarduniverse.com/conventions/chicago.cfm)! Listen in for your time to call!

9pm est (www.am1240wgbb.com)

afterwards leave your comments here