I Love My Job Part Deux (updated)

Updated: Alex Shelley, who is apparently a huge comic fan, contacted me to echo Sabin’s sentiments.

Updated: Chris Sabin contacted me to thank us for the kind words and support. HAIL SABIN!

It’s a well-known fact that I love my job. I get to promote awesome comics (including the awe-inspiring Immortal Iron Fist, available in hardcover next week!), work with great people and get paid. Now you know I love wrestling and so do many of my co-workers, in particular Bill Rosemann and Jim Nausedas. I’ve known Bill for abotu six years and he’s the epitome of integrity. I’ve known Jim since I started at Marvel and he’s been nothing but a class act, in addition to a good friend. We’re all fans of TNA Wrestling, especially the new(ish) tag team called “Motor City Machine Guns.” Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley are the wrestlers, managed by the legendary Kevin Nash (better known to some as “Diesel”), and not only are great in the ring, but also know how to make things fun. They pose and bring a theater to their matches that unites the best of Japanese and American wrestling. They’re simply amazing. here’s one of their funny skits:

So today, Bill, Jim & I decided to mimic one of their poses and form B.A.D (Big Apple Defenders), our own wrestling “tribute tag team.” The photos below.

In the left photo, it’s myself and Jim, with Bill standing on top. On the right, we’ve got MCMG, with Kevin Nash up top, Alex Shelley on the left and Chris Sabin on the right. Our pose isn’t all the same, but we were also trying to take these photos during a five minute work break so no one would interfere. We laughed a lot trying to take these photos, as Jim laughed that we were doing “coreographed posing” and we all began to laugh. We finally got that one photo off and our friend Henry walked up to us, with a surprised look on his face. He’s a wrestling fan too and while he knew what we were doing, he couldn’t stop laughing at our sheer desire to mimic MCMG.

So, as the title of this all says…I LOVE MY JOB. Where else could I find like minded wrestling fans who’d pose with me and help form a new tribute team?

Make Mine Marvel.

My First Marvel Writing Credit

To be honest, I write for the monthly Daily Bugle newspaper that Marvel sells in stores (which focuses on Marvel products), but Marvel Max Sampler 07 is the first comic with my name attached…and it feels good. I’m not writing much– more overseeing the project with some other people– but it’s still cool to see my name up on Marvel’s website. The Marvel MAX Line is a mature readers line that tells some very intelligent, challenging and adult stories on a monthly basis, so I’m glad to help promote it. Add in Axel Alonso, Warren Simons and John Barber, three of the coolest editors I know, and you can see why the line produces so many damn good books. You can find all the details right here:

For over six years, the Marvel MAX line has redefined the mature reader comic and pushed the limits…but that was only the beginning! With the launch of FOOLKILLER, TERROR, INC. and a shocking new direction for PUNISHER, MAX is going to once again change how you look at comics! What’s next for this groundbreaking line? Which red-hot creators are launching new books? You’ll get all those answers—and exclusive art—in this specially priced issue!
32 Pages/ Explicit Content…$1.00

So make sure to order your copies for October– it’s gonna be a real fun issue…for mature readers only!

Does Anyone Else Remember Saber Rider?

I’ve been taking time to re-watch some of my favorite childhood cartoons, not only because of the nostalgia attached to these shows (and great memories of spending time with my family) and because I wanted to see if I still enjoyed these shows. Of all the shows I’ve watched this far, the two best I’ve watched are Robotech and a much lesser known show called Saber Rider. You can learn more about it right here and if you’re a fan of current sci-fi like Serenity & Firefly, you’ll see a lot of similar ideas reflected in this show.

In the distant future humans have spread beyond Earth and colonized planets across the universe, creating a New Frontier of man.

In order to protect these new settlers and maintain laws and regulations in the New Frontier, Earth’s Cavalry Command was created. Cavalry Command was in essence a military organization, maintaining an army and fleet of ships to protect the New Frontier. Within Cavalry Command was a unit of special operatives known as Star Sheriffs that functioned as field agents, investigating crimes and plots against the security of the New Frontier.

The main foe of Cavalry Command and the Star Sheriffs was a race of non-human creatures known as Vapor Beings (or Outriders) that jumped into our dimension in order to conquer it. They attacked the settlers, destroyed settlements and kidnapped humans in order to mine various metals or crystals from the soil.

And if you’ve ever seen the show, you’ll no doubt remember this memorable opening:

So why do I still enjoy the show so much? Admittedly, most battles end with the giant robot using it’s all powerful weapon to win, but there’s always a good deal of strong character moments before it and there are strong character arcs running through the show. Sure, this show is aimed at children, but it’s a plain fun program. Each leading character is distinct and not perfect– they’re all flawed and those flaws don’t get “solved” as in most cartoons. Hell, the titular hero is a total dick in the first episode and we see throughout the series that he’s not going to apologize for how he protects the innocent. Even more surprising, the female lead, April, is a genuinely strong character who doesn’t often play damsel in distress. In many ways she’s the most capable character on the show!

However, since I’ve begun re-watching episodes, I’ve found that most of my friends say they’ve never watched the show. Do you remember it? Did you ever see it? And if you want to purchase some of the best episodes, you can purchase them right here in a special two-disc set.

As for why Robotech is so good? We’ll get to that some day soon.

Montreal Canadiens Tickets

I’m trying to purchase some tickets to the season closer of the Montreal Canadiens’ 07-08 NHL season. Specifically, I want to be front row at the April 5th game in Montreal so I can see my first home game of my favorite sports team ever. Problem is that the only tickets I’ve found cost $500 per ticket (I need two) and that’s a bit steep for me. Any ideas how I can get a better deal? Or where to look?

Additionally, I’d love to see the Leafs at a Rangers game, but I’m running into the same prohibitive price issues. Any help in purchasing cheaper hockey tickets would be appreciated!

Sit Back & Relax?

One of the more annoying things I hear from some in response to my criticisms of certain films (or comics, or television programs, etc) is this idea that I need to learn to sit back and relax when it comes to big, epic, action-filled films. It’s a frustrating comment not only because it assumes that’s not my intent, but that I’m also looking for things to dislike, which is just patently silly. Hell, I enjoy 2 Fast 2 Furious and Top Gun, so I don’t mind some simple, straightforward fun—neither are stirring character pieces, but they play by their own rules and maintain a consistent tone. So why do I get annoyed by things like the plotting in Transformers than I do by the mad scientist water device in Batman Begins?

The simple answer is that we all have our own tastes and there’s no need to justify it past that, as long as we’re respectful towards others. The more complicated answer is that I prefer strong character arcs and consistent writing than films centered around “moments” or action set pieces. Not that those movies have no value to me, it’s just that it’s not what I enjoy to spend time experiencing. I guess I’m also pretty stubborn in my belief that smart, challenging writing and cool action scenes aren’t mutually exclusive—just look at a film like Casino Royale that is both intelligent and thrilling. That’s why a film like Transformers bugs me so much with scenes such as the infamous “hiding in the backyard” scene. It just struck me as stupid. Not that liking it makes you stupid, but it just felt so out of place and disjointed to me. I understand they were trying to bring humor into the film and show that the Autobots are unfamiliar with human culture (though they claim earlier to be familiar with Earth language and customs), but it just felt stupid to me after a point and made other characters look stupid in a way that drew me out of the film. And I really did enjoy the movie—but I don’t think enjoying a film and recognizes one’s issues with it are mutually exclusive either.

Some will say “you should appreciate the movie for what it is” and perhaps there’s some validity to that comment, but I feel that I’m just a critical person with my entertainment choices. However, that doesn’t mean I feel like there’s a lack of enjoyable entertainment out there—I just watch stuff that sounds interesting, much like others do, though my preferences may be different.

So, in the end, I don’t see myself as needing to relax any more than I do when watching films—I just need to make better choices and be realistic about the kind of film I’m seeing.

Transform & Roll Out To Success

In case you hadn’t heard, Transformers is a huge success:

The sci-fi saga “Transformers,” DreamWorks and Paramount’s big-screen take on the Hasbro toys, debuted with $67.6 million in ticket sales in its first weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. That gave it $152.5 million since opening with preview screenings Monday night.

If the weekend figures hold when final numbers are released Monday, that would give “Transformers” the biggest first week revenues ever for a non-sequel, surpassing the $151.6 million of 2002’s “Spider-Man.” But factoring in today’s higher ticket prices, “Spider-Man” drew more people in its first week, about 26.1 million, compared to 22.5 million for “Transformers.”

Sure, I’m happy because it’s a damn fun film and a special effects extravaganza, but also because it means we might see more films based on some of my favorite childhood properties. There’ve been reviews for a Voltron script floating around that sounds promising and G.I Joe seems like a natural for a big screen adaptation. Not that I want every little cartoon from the eighties turned into a film, but c’mon…how cool would it be to see a brutal, savage and fun He-Man film?

And it means we get a Transformers 2, with more special effects, more action and more goddamn Optimus Prime!

Which childhood cartoons/shows/etc would you like to see adapted into big screen films or television shows?

Yankees Culture

I talk a lot about the Yankees, but don’t get me wrong—hockey is my #1 love when it comes to sports and always will be. That said, there’s no baseball experience quite like a Yankees baseball experience. A lot of people hate the team and I don’t mean to speak for them all, but when it comes to hating them for buying up all the best players, well, get over it. Without the necessary limitations on salaries, any team can buy any player and the Yankees aren’t breaking the rules. Hell, it’s not like they’re the best team either and regularly get trounced by far less wealthy teams. To be honest, I didn’t much care for the Yankees till I moved to New York and realized how much they embody the fighting spirit & dignity of the city.

Anyway, as I’ve been to a few Yankees games (from which I’ve included some pictures here—including one where I look drunk though I’m sober) and I love how passionate fans are about their team. Sure, sometimes they get a bit too blinded by the passions (as evidenced by the way many fans turn on players on the drop of a dime), but they care about the game. They care about their team. It’s great being part of that crowd because they’re so damn energetic.

So how is this different than any other baseball team in any other city? I don’t know. Perhaps that invalidates this entire discussion, but there’s something about the nuances of New York and the way the fans of the Yankees love the teams storied history that is infectious. The only comparison I can make is regarding how Canadians feel about their hockey teams. There’s something visceral, something primal, something actually quite awesome about how these people view the Yankees. In a day and age where the passion for baseball seems to be dwarfed by that of football and basketball, it’s great to see a town that loves their baseball team blindly. For all the hate that the Yankees and their fans endure from fans outside of New York (and I don’t blame them, as some of us Yankees fans can be obnoxious), there’s nothing like being a part of the Yankee nation and seeing how random people on the street give you a smile just for wearing a Yankee’s hat.

And in case my Canuck friends think I’ve turned traitor…go Blue Jays!

Kwik-E-Martketing

In one of the shrewdest and most fun marketing moves in recent history, 7-11 has teamed up with The Simpsons Movie to transform certain stores into Kwik-E-Marts. There’s more info about the fictional franchise—and renovated locations—right here. This campaign gets me excited because it’s such a simple and effective marketing tool, fun for both the consumer and the retailer. All that’s happening is a re-packaging and re-branding of old products—Slurpies becomes Squishies, no-name cola is now Buzz Cola, etc. It’s all very simple but it creates a lot of excitement. With that in mind, I headed to the Kwik-E-Mart in Times Square yesterday afternoon and took a few pictures for your enjoyment.

I’ve been to this 7-11 before and I can say that it was much busier than normal—and everyone was exiting with purchases! The exterior of the store is simple and when you enter, you’re greeted by life sized standups of various characters, from Chief Wiggum to Homer to Apu. The freezer even has an image of that old man who always seems to get trapped inside! I quickly purchased some Krusty-O’s cereal and Buzz Cola (the same purchases everyone made) and made my way over to the Slushee machine, to try a Pina Colada Slushee (which is great). I even took a photo with a Kwik-E-Mart employee since the employees have even been outfitted with new uniforms!

It’s probably a sign of our times, but I found it interesting that so many people were taking pictures with their phones and saying “this is going on MySpace.” People loved being photographed next to the life-size stand ups and the East Indian customers seemed to love their picture with Apu the most—he’s probably the most prominent East Indian character in American media…ever! Sure, there’s Suresh in Heroes and Hadji in Johnny Quest, but I never liked them as much as Apu—he’s Apu damn it!

So there you go—marketing at its finest! Sure, there’s nothing inherently special about these products and the new look for the store, but y’know what? It’s just plain fun. It’s fun to see a popular fictional setting recreated for interaction by the mainstream and to see the smiles on faces as people enjoy it. And in case you’re wondering, the Buzz Cola tastes horrible!

“You’re Under Arrest”

I know I can be intimidating to some and appear to be a pompous, self-righteous jerk…but more often I’m mistaken for a cop. That isn’t some assumption—it’s been proven repeatedly through my visits to Toronto and my time in New York City. I’m constantly accused by strangers of being a cop by strangers and at the oddest time, such as yesterday.

My friend Mike and I went to a nearby deli to get a sandwich at 11:30pm, as we were hungry and I noticed a somewhat drunken middle aged man point at me. I assumed he was pointing at someone else, till I heard him yell, “You’re not fooling anyone. You’re undercover.” Turning around, I saw him pointing at me and decided to ignore him, though he continued, “Damn cop. You won’t get me. You got nothing.” And later added, “You don’t want this trouble!”

I was a bit dumbfounded, as I was wearing running shoes, jeans and a polo shirt, hardly the outfit of an undercover cop (I was missing the clichéd leather jacket and gun on my hip). Additionally, I was half asleep and could barely keep my eyes open, so I’m not sure how this random crazy dude thought I was watching him or getting ready to arrest him.

After he left the store, I hoped it would be the last I’d see of him…but then I walked out the store and I heard him yelling, “Keep walking cop, you’ll never get me!” He was walking backwards, yelling this and for all I know he was flipping me the bird.

So, I guess I should never apply to be an undercover cop because, frankly, my cover is already blown.

Transformers: Roll Out Or Run Away?

So, I organized a group of Marvel employees and went to see Transformers today. As many of you know, I’m a huge Transformers fan and I expected a lot from this film. I’ll be blunt—I had a ton of fun watching this film. The special effects are amazing and have to be seen on the big screen.

The problem is…the script is just horrendous. There’s no reason for an action film to be stupid and ignore logic at every turn. Even some of the cute scenes—like the Autobots hiding in a certain scene—last too long and just seem silly. I don’t want to say much more, as I’ll spoil plot points, but there are a lot of moments where I was drawn out of the movie because of the silly/clichéd the moments. The new designs for the robots look great, but at times the camera angles made it all look like a blur because of the very similar designs of all the heroes.

Still, those last 45 minutes of fighting made me feel like a kid again and it didn’t matter that it made no sense…it was plain fun. Go see this movie. Turn off your brain and enjoy the ride…I mean…Transform & Roll Out! I may do a more spoiler filled review later, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on this summer blockbuster.