300 and The Break Up

Four years ago, I saw the movie "300". The following is my immediate reaction to seeing that movie after having it highly recommended to me. Bear in mind I have NOT seen "300" since, so my views may have changed. That being said, my views on "The Break Up" remain the same. Jennifer Aniston is the worst. Please enjoy.

I have to get something off my chest, and I may come away from this having a couple less friends, but I have to put it out there. ..

There has been something happening more and more frequently to me lately. People keep telling me about these "awesome" and "amazing" movies that I just "absolutely HAVE to see, because it is the best piece of cinematic gold ever created". So what happens? I get REALLY excited to see these movies, and then I spend $10 to go and see this "life changing film", and it ends up being the cheesiest piece of crap I've ever seen. 

In the past month I have encountered this twice. The two movies I speak of are "The Break Up", which I think was quite possibly the shittiest movie I have ever seen, and "300". I just don't get it. I went to see "300" with 3 other people, and they all were as disappointed as I was. Not one person warned us that it wasn't that good, so I feel that I have to take a stand, and let everyone know that "300" is nothing more than "Braveheart: Roman Edition". I actually got bored. When we were 25 minutes into the 3rd fight scene, I could have fallen asleep, not going to lie. Also, I found the movie to be a little...how do I put this?...gay. Jamie and I decided that this was possibly the gayest movie we had ever seen. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but there were definitely certain parts of the movie where we were uncontrollably laughing about the blatantly homoerotic undertones.

Just a little gay?

And briefly touching on "The Break Up"...I didn't get it. I just didn't. I couldn't understand how two people in an adult relationship could be as daft as these two. The whole movie was about Jennifer Aniston being a total bitch, to get Vince Vaugn to love her, which he already did. Aw, "baby wanted 12 lemons", tough shit, he's a guy, he forgot, you should have done it yourself. I would drink lots of beer and play playstation if she was bitching in my ear too. Its more exciting than listening to her speak. Friends of mine actually get offended when I tell them how much I HATE this movie.

The WORST movie I have ever seen.

All I'm asking is that if you are going to make a big fuss about a movie, make sure that you warn someone, that they may not feel the same way. All that needs to be said is "I thought this movie was great, however, there are parts of this movie (possibly the entire thing) that you may not like. I am simply telling you this because you are my friend, and I don't want you to waste $10, and two hours of your life to come out of this movie and want to kick me in the balls."

That's all I'm asking.

Sidenote: After putting the finishing touches on this post, I found THIS Wired article supporting my argument about 300.

Nerding 101: Guide to Nerdy TV

There are quite a few nerd essentials you should be, or should have watched. I'm going to break it down for ya!

Current Nerdy TV Shows


The Walking Dead- If you're a comic book fanatic, chances are, you've read this. Chances are if you read it, you loved it. The television adaptation of one of the biggest comics ever written does not disappoint. This show has everything. Violence, drama, you name it. There are heart wrenching scenes of people trying to survive and there are also nasty zombies tearing people limb from limb. Its the hottest new show of the season, and you should DEFINITELY be watching.

Fringe- As mentioned before, if you're not watching Fringe, you should be. The show follows FBI agent Olivia Dunham as she and her team try and figure out answers to cases that are seemingly unsolvable. While solving these cases Olivia gains insight into exactly WHO and WHAT she is. This show features grotesque cases and alternate universes. Also, I dare you not to love Walter Bishop. 

Big Bang Theory- Sure, this TV makes stereotypes come to life, but these guys are downright loveable. The show follows two guys living next door to a hot blonde, and all of the trials they go though to make her notice. It's a very cute show, and extremely funny. 

 30 Rock- This show appeals to everyone. The writers on this show (most notably Donald Glover and Tina Fey) are both huge nerds themselves, so there is a lot of hidden nerd humor in the show. Especially from Tina Fey's character, Liz. This show works on every level, so if you're looking for something new and hilarious, I highly suggest 30 Rock.

 Smallville- Now in it's 10th and final season, this series follows Clark Kent from a high school freshman to a full fledged adult. The show features characters like Green Arrow, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, Supergirl, The Wonder Twins, Aquaman, Zatanna, Zod and Doomsday. Not every show is a winner, but overall, it's got my vote!

 The League- As discussed between The Editor and myself, this is easily the funniest show out there. It revolves around a group of guys who play fantasy football. It's a little raunchy at times, but all funny. I guarantee you will LOL numerous times in each episode. 

 True Blood- Yeah, it's a vampire show. But it's the BEST vampire show in the world! Based on "The Southern Vampire Mysteries" by Charlaine Harris, this witty, sexy, scary show shows what happens when vampires "come out of the closet". It leaves you wondering what else there is out there in the world. 

BBC Current Nerdy TV Shows

Dr Who- Dr Who was a show that began way back in the 60's, but don't worry about that! The series of the show began 5 years ago, and there's not much you need to know to catch up. They change doctors quite frequently, so you're good to jump on board whenever. I had time to go back and watch the newest series in its entirety, but if you don't have that kind of time you can just watch the season previous to this. Basically, Dr Who is a time lord who travels through time with his companion. It's full of action and adventure, and sometimes it is downright frightening. If you want a good place to start with British TV, this is where to begin.

Being Human- Being Human is a television show based around a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf that live together. It sounds completely ridiculous, but it's a truly great show. The ghost is very needy, and sad, the werewolf struggles with what he is, and the vampire is a sex addict who through a series of events has to lead the vampires into the new age. It's a very suspenseful, touching, funny show.

  
Torchwood- This show will soon be in the "Current" for American television as Showtime has picked it up. This show is a spin off from Dr. Who that follows Captain Jack Harkness. Captain Jack is special because he can't die. Captain Jack and his team protect Earth from aliens.

Nerdy Shows of the Past

Firefly- This sci-fi space cowboy show focuses on Mal Reynolds and his crew. Swaying on the edge of the law, Mal and his crew are simply trying to survive, while avoiding run ins with the law and "Reavers". It's full of action, and will make you wish you lived in 2517.

  
Heroes- You really only need to watch season 1.

Reaper- Reaper is a show about a kid whose parents sold his sold to the devil before he was born (in their defense, they were told they couldn't have kids). Now their son has turned 21, and the devil wants to cash in. Sam, now has to hold down his job at The Work Bench, while also trapping souls that have escaped from hell for the devil. Sam and his two friends have crazy adventures while trying to capture the souls and save Sam's once and for all.

Now these are just a few of my personal favorites. I know I'm probably forgetting a few, or there are a few I haven't watched yet (Chuck, Psych, Battlestar Gallactica, The Event), or a few I PERSONALLY wouldn't recommend (V),  but these are my current recommendations. I'll post more if I come up with another post worth, but until then, enjoy!

Zatanna!

Hey everyone! Over the past weekend, I read "Zatanna", up to the current issue. Below are a few likes and dislikes about the book.

Zatanna Zatara is a powerful sorceress, who moonlights as a magician. Previously a member of the JLA, the new series is independent of the JLA. The story mentions her being a part of the JLA, but doesn't go any further than simply mentioning it. Her talents are genetic, coming from her father, who was a very powerful sorcerer.

I dig that Paul Dini wrote the story. Paul Dini is easily one of my favorite writers. Other projects he's worked on include: "Gotham City Sirens" and "Streets of Gotham". Having loved Dini's work for so long, I was a little bored with his work on "Zatanna".

I love "Batgirl" and "Gotham City Sirens" because the characters are very relatable. Even though they're crime fighters (or former villains) these girls are funny. They gossip and they backstab, and they make mistakes. Zatanna makes mistakes, but they're not really anything I care about. Below is wikipedia's explanation of the story line.


Now no longer an active member of the JLA, Zatanna is asked by officer Dale Colton to help her solve a murder case at a restaurant frequented by mobsters. Zatanna informs Dale that the murderer was a powerful sorcerer known as Brother Night, who rules the supernatural crime scene in San Francisco. After Zatanna shows up at Night's demonic nightclub and threatens him, he responds by calling upon a powerful demon for help in taking her down

Maybe it's not the story that I'm not interested in, maybe its the supernatural element that I'm not interested in. I mean, as far as her powers go, I love it. She has the ability to get into people's heads, and to cast spells on just about everything. I don't care about the supernatural part though. There are demons that cast "shape shifting" spells on aliens and demons that make them look like people, and I think that is weird. Lol. I really like sci-fi, but I don't like it in this capacity. I'm not even sure if that makes sense. I like my superheroes being a super human version of myself. I don't like my superheroes fighting weird dream monsters. It's certainly an interesting story, it's just not for me.

Like it or not, she sure is nice to look at.

Book Reviews with Evan T.

Hey all. I just got done reading a book called Death Troopers. It's about zombies. In the Star Wars universe. I am pretty sure that if they found a way to stick Iron Man in there then I my head would have exploded with awesome. Below will be a quick review and do be warned: Spoilers ahead.

The story is about the Imperial prison barge Purge and it's inmates and crew. They have have engine troubles (SHOCK) and their only chance lies within the star destroyer Vector which is conveniently derelict. A small group of the c.o.'s go on board to scavenge parts for their engines. They then find something aboard the star destroyer.
  
The novel is well written in the short chapter style by Joe Schreiber. It ends up being a little formulaic but is totally enjoyable. A few things I liked:

Zombies! - these zombies are different than the ones we are used to. The way they interact and attack is totally new and very interesting. Another novel, a prequel, will be coming out soon and I would like to see some of the origin of the virus.

Star Wars! - Yeah, I know there have been some dabblings in horror for the Star Wars universe but this one is fresh and I hope it is a sign of things to come.

Han and Chewie! - Yes, in the depths of the prison barge is the solitary section. And in that section? A wookie named Chewbacca and and a smuggler named Han Solo. Having established characters was a neat little cherry on top

Things I did not like:

Introducing new species - there are about five thousand species of aliens in the Star Wars universe. I felt like the new species introduced in this book is a little forced. Ha, "forced".

Von Longo's death - this is a major plot point that they never really addressed and it was hanging out there begging to be explored. Why leave it?

Story era setting - the whole time I was reading the book I was wondering what era it took place in. It might not be as big a concern for non-Star Wars geeks but I would have liked to know it while I was reading, not afterward when I read it online.

All in all it's a neat bit and I am excited for Red Harvest, the prequel. Check it out if you get the chance or ask to borrow my copy.

Things You Should Be... Friday

Hello everyone! I'm back in action and full of turkey! Apologies for not posting yesterday, it was Thanksgiving, and I was with my crazy-awesome family. Today is going to be a "Start of the Season" post, so wake your ass up, and away we go!


Things You Should Be Listening To

Christmas Music!-- Obviously, since today IS the "official" start to the holiday season, why not throw on some Christmas music? I'm not talking about shitty old Christmas, I'm talking about something to put a little pep in your step! Download the album "Merry Mix-Mas", and I promise you will not be disappointed!




Things You Should Be Watching

Football!- The playoffs are almost here, and if you're a fantasy football freak like me, you know that this is the perfect time of year! There is more football than you can shake a stick at playing right now, so I suggest you eat waaaaay more than your stomach can hold, grab a beer, and curl up next to the fire with your loved ones, and watch your dad and your uncle argue over whether the Lions or the Bills are a better team. Correct answer? Lions. But I'm just a teensy bit biased ;-)

Christmas Movies!- Whether it's "Elf", "Scrooged", "Christmas Vacation", "Miracle on 34th Street" or my favorite, "It's A Wonderful Life", pop in a Christmas movie, and start feeling great about the holidays!


Things You Should Be Doing

Donating some time/items to charity- This is the time of year to really start thinking about others. Go through your closets, look for any old coats, jackets, mittens, hats or gloves to donate to local shelters or Goodwill. Drop off some food at a local food pantry. And if you're reeeeeally lazy, if you happen to pop into a Toys R' Us, or Dollar Tree, just pick up some sort of inexpensive toy to donate to Toys for Tots. That $6 Super Hero Squad three pack may not mean much to you, but it'll mean the world to some kid on Christmas morning.

Go shopping!- Obviously, it IS Black Friday today, and because of this, you should be spending money. I mean, what better way to say "What recession?" than spending all of that hard earned cash? And don't forget when you're out there fighting someone for a towel that is 10% off, that the amount of money you spend on a person is directly related to how much you care about them! ;-)

Snakes on a Muthaf***in' Plane! By Evan T.

Hello All.  I'm gonna do a freakin' sweet write up of this movie's awesomeness, but there will be SPOILER INFORMATION, So beware......

Ok, so here's some reasons why this movie is the zenith of movie making.

 1) Snakes on a Wang - A dude taking a whiz is attacked from the toilet by a snake which latches onto his junk as he screams "Get off my Dick". Amazing.

2) Boobies - They added some boobies in the five days of re-shoots and it was worth it. Also, a snakes attacks these boobies, chomping down on her nipple. Breathtaking...

3) An Asian Dude Karate Chops a Snake...To Death! - An Asian dude who just got done with a kickboxing tournament save a female passenger and in the process ninja death chops a snake. Magnificent.

4) Snake Vision - Apparently snakes see in a fuzzy fish-eye green vision. That's some straight out of Animal Planet shit right there. Awe-Inspiring

5) Freakishly Nasty Snake Deaths - Snakes bite necks, eyes, mouths, arms, feet and other places. One dude gets trampled and has a woman's high heel get stuck in his brain. Snakes fight each other. And an anaconda eats a dude whole. Not Bad.

6) David Koechner - You might know him as Cooter from the Dukes of Hazzard movie or  Champ Kind from Anchorman. He plays a pervy airline co-pilot and is an awesome surprise addition. Outstanding.

7) Samuel L. Jackson - Jesus, man, he is the baddest mutha fucka on the planet kickin snake ass all over this plane with tazers, spear guns, makeshift flamethrowers and broken bottles. He is THE MAN and he hates muthafuckin snakes on that muthafuckin plane.

8) Hilarious editing when watching on basic cable television - So, somewhere where movies get edited for content and language, someone thought changing " I have had it with these motha fuckin snakes on this motha fuckin plane!" to "I have had it with these monkey fighting snakes on this Monday through Friday plane!" was totally legitimate. The second line is actually no more odd in context.

Yes, this is a major movie. It has Suspense, Action, Horror, Comedy, and Drama. And if you pretend that Neville Flynn is actually Mace Windu in disguise, you have Sci Fi. I wish i had the vocabulary to properly describe this movie but I am woefully inadequate. See this movie. Then tell a friend and see it again. Till next time , I'll be waiting for Snakes 2: Muthafuckin Bugaloo

Evan T. is Too Fast, Too Furious

The other day I was talking about The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and I got to thinking I should probably lay down some points from the movie for those of you who read this blog and might be mentally retarded... I mean, have never seen it.

1) These cars are NOT quick and moderately angry, they are Fast and Furious - My GOD does Japan just have the most beautiful cars in the world, all lying around. If you are into that stuff, you already know. If not, you can look at the different styles that are there. Really neat stuff.

2) You can totally cause thousands of dollars of damage (with video proof) and not go to jail - The movie begins with our main character Shawn (played by Lucas Black. Side note: Let's see this cat in more movies) racing the school football star (Zach Ty Bryan from Home Improvement fame...if that's fame) and busting up a ton of shit in a new housing development and wrecking his car in an awesome crash. He gets brought to a police station instead of a hospital. The cop even says 100% conviction on this kid. Then his moms comes in and a few minutes later Shawn is on his way to live with his father in Japan. We should totally be using this in the courts.

3) There is no learning curve to drive stick on a Japanese car, were the steering wheel is on the right side - Shawn ends up racing the DK (Drift King NOT Donkey Kong) and is in a Japanese car. After being in it for about 30 seconds, BOOM, kid is on it like he grew up there.

4) Japanese people speak English a lot - From my observations of this movie, I could visit Japan and have NO problem whatsoever in communicating. Which is awesome, cause I wanna go there. Like, tomorrow.

5) Watching drifting race scenes is like watching cars dance - It really is amazing. I am being totally cereal.
If you haven't seen it, people, do yourself a flavor. Easily the strongest film of the franchise. I'll freakin watch it with you since I have the DVD AND I have it on my DVR. Yeah, that's what's up. Just in case I need to watch it, I don't have to mess around with all that "getting the DVD and putting it in the DVD player" crap.

Nerding 101: CGC Comics

Hello everyone! HUGE apologies for the lack of post last night, it was my birthday, so I took the evening off to have dinner in a castle with my friends! That's right, a castle. And it was awesome. :-)

Tonight we will be discussing the CGC. CGC (which stands for Certified Guarantee Comapany) is a comic book grading company who will help protect your super rare comics. Well, they'll give you a grade on comic, it just makes more sense to do it when the comic is worth a a lot. The comic book in question is rated on a scale from 1-10. 1 being the lowest grade, 10 being the highest. Most comic books that you pick up at a store, especially if they were freshly bagged and boarded and virtually untouched would be between a 9 and 9.5. The more scratches, folds, dents, tears and fingerprints are on the comic the lower the grade is.

Below the CGC describes the investment you'll make with them:

Professional comic book grading eliminates concerns about grade misrepresentations by providing an expert assessment of condition and quality. Every comic book certified by CGC is graded by the hobby’s most experienced and trusted team, according to well-established grading standards. Furthermore, every CGC-certified comic book undergoes a thorough restoration check by leading professionals during the certification process. When restoration is detected, it is fully noted on the certification label.

Once certified by CGC, a comic book is encapsulated in a state-of-the art, tamper-evident holder, providing superior protection and stability for long-term preservation.

CGC employees are prohibited from commercially buying or selling comic books, eliminating any potential conflicts of interest. CGC is the only expert, impartial, third-party certification service.

Over one hundred thousand comic books are submitted to CGC each year. Books are carefully handled and tracked through the grading process, and always fully insured while on our premises. You can explore comic book grading by tracing through the grading process.

After your comic book is carefully inspected by a number of different professional graders, the comic is then encapsulated in plastic, and the grade of the comic is encapsulated with the comic for all time. Once the comic is graded and encapsulated, you'd better hope you read it before it went in there, because there is no reading a comic once it had been CGC'd (unless you crack open the case that you just paid allll that money for).

If you have one of these laying around, congratulations, you're a millionaire!

So, if you have an Action Comics #1 or just a Walking Dead #1 laying around, it would probably be worth your while to contact the CGC!

For more information on CGC, check out their website here.

Things That Make No Sense...

This might as well be titled "Things I Don't Get: The Jersey Shore Part 2", because both clips I'm about to share with you feature someone from that show. I was recently given this article to explain why we love that stupid show so much. It's actually a pretty good read.

Now presenting....

The WORST PSA Ever Made



Okay... I'll give you a moment to process what you've just seen..... Yes, that was a teen mother and a STD infected jack ass pretending to act. My personal favorite is that "The Situation" refers to Bristol Palin as "B-Palin". Am I REALLY to believe that Ms. Bristol is being abstinent? Not a chance. With a mom as hot as hers, she definitely has something to prove. Also, "The Situation" wraps it every time? Psssssshhhht. Bullsit. Guaranteed that his doctor took one look at his disease ridden penis and that was where "The Situation" came from.

Without further adieu, I give you...

The Worst Song Ever Sung



WHO THE F**K GAVE HER STUDIO SPACE?!?!?! I mean seriously, I am ENRAGED right now. Lets forget for a minute that she has no talent, didn't she LEAVE the show TWICE?! Does anyone even like her? I mean, the others have SOME redeeming qualities, what does she have besides a trashy accent and a bad attitude? I don't get it.

Things You Should be Friday

Things You Should Be Listening to...

M.I.A.- M.I.A. is a British rapper/producer/songwriter who is kind of euro-pop and very awesome. He best known song is probably "Paper Planes" which was featured in the movie "Slumdog Millionaire". A hot chick with a crazy sense of style, M.I.A's music is best listened to while playing the game "Zombie Apocalypse".



Bagged and Boarded- I'm telling you, if you're not on the SModcast podcast channel, you are missing out bigtime. Matt Coen and Brenden Creecy are the best dorks around. They talk about comics, movies and everything nerdy. They have guests like Taylor Negron, Guillermo Diaz and Alex Winter. Who are these people you ask? The kind that when you see who they are you go "Oooohhhhh... THAT guy.".

Things You Should be Watching...

Adventure Time with Finn and Jake- This TV show is downright ridiculous. It started out a few years ago on Nickelodeon as a 9 minute time filler, but had so many hits on youtube that Cartoon Network decided to pick it up. It is a crazy, technicolor explosion of awesomeness. You truly are missing out if you don't know what I'm talking about.






I've got no suggested reading for this week, as I have been out of my mind all week! However, I'm planning on doing some catching up this evening, so I'll be sure to have some recommended reads soon! Ta!

Hot Nerd of the Week: Nathan Fillion!

Nathan Fillion is hot nerd of the week this week! Nathan is a Canadian born actor who is in everything awesome. He is currently on the TV show "Castle", but you may know him as Malcolm Reynolds on the TV show "Firefly" or the movie "Serenity". If these three things aren't ringing a bell, I should hope you know him as Captain Hammer from the amazing webseries "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog". If you don't know what that is, you should not be on this blog. He did voice work on "Wonder Woman" the animated movie as Steve Trevor, he has also done voice work on the Halo video games. He's been in so much stuff, that if you don't know who I'm talking about, once you look at his picture, you'll go "oooohhhhh, THAT guy!".

Ohhhhhhh! THAT guy!

 In 2007 Nathan co-founded the non-profit  organization "Kids Need to Read". Kids Need to Read helps get more childrens books into schools, so that every child has a chance to expand their imagination.

Wizarding Wednesdays!

Due to my current state of laziness at the moment, I will be taking the easy way out again today. I promise you will get your fill of "Hot Nerd Thursday" tomorrow! Now presenting, trailers for upcoming kick ass movies!

Kittens!

My brain is spent today fellow viewers. So in lieu of my brain working, here are some adorable videos featuring KITTENS! That's right KITTENS! Everyone loves KITTENS!

Nerding 101: Comic Data Base

Good evening class! Tonight I will be discussing what comic book archiving software you should be using to catalog your comic book stash.

If you're like me, you have what seems like a bazillion comic books. You're constantly rebagging and reboarding, and filing. The last thing you want to have to do after all that work is worry whether or not you have a certain issue of something when you go to the comic book store or a con. I mean, sure, you could go through every single comic you have and see if there are any books missing, but wouldn't you rather just have something on your phone telling you what you need?

The software that The Editor and I use is called Comic Base. It's a wonderful system. You just catalog your collection as you go, and you're able to generate tons of reports! The reports include things like: what comics you're missing in a particular run, whether or not you have any multiple comics, the current value of your comics, variant covers, etc. The program will even give you little pictures next to each comic that you have (or need) so there is no second guessing when you're at a con! These reports can be printed out, or saved on your smart phone for easy access. This way, you don't have to be carrying a notebook full of chicken scratch around with you!

At $40 I personally think that this is the best investment you can have for your comic collection. Class dismissed!

Learn more about Comic Base here.

Just to Clear the Air About the Whole "Marvel Thing"....

*Sigh*

Let me begin by saying that I never said I didn't like Marvel. Never ever did I say that. I do have some feminist issues with things over at both Marvel and DC, but at no point did I say I didn't like Marvel. I prefer DC to Marvel for the most part, but I also prefer Image to DC, but that doesn't mean I don't like DC. I'm open to anything in the comic world, really. When it really comes down to it, I do like the more independent stories (Fables, Y the Last Man, The Walking Dead, Air, The Unwritten, Sweet Tooth) more and I don't know why. I've never been a big "capes" girl. The X-Men were my first exposure to comics, and they hold a big place in my heart, and I guess part of the reason I get so "razzed up" about Marvel, it's that when they make a movie, I don't think they don't do the characters or the stories justice (up until Iron Man). The Editor thinks I'm getting upset, and I assure you I'm not. I just want it to be known that I never said I didn't like Marvel.

There seems to be some confusion in what I said about Marvel movies. If you go back and read the post "More DC/Marvel BS" all I say is basically that I PERSONALLY feel like DC movies have more drama and Marvel movies have more explosions. Yeah, I slam Stan Lee, but that's only because I think he's a dick. At the end of the day, I think they're both just fine. What it came down to for me was I PERSONALLY preferred one over the other. I also finished that post by saying how disappointed I was that both companies were throwing away characters that would be appealing to me, personally. If you did happen to take notice of the Halloween and Comic Con Pictures, you'll also notice that I was dressed up as a Marvel character for both.

I hated her so much that I HAD to BE her!!!

In the post that opened the floodgates (I <3 DC Comics) the only place I can see people thinking I was "slamming" Marvel is when I compared "Marvel Divas" to "Gotham City Sirens". As far as that goes, all I have to say is this: I own the first issue of both comics. You read them and tell me which one is the bigger piece of shit.

In closing, when it comes to comics I am an equal opportunity employer. I love Rogue, Emma Frost and Ms. Marvel just as much as I love Batgirl, Catwoman and Harley Quinn. When it comes to ensembles, I actually prefer the X-Men to the JLA. That does in no way mean that I don't like DC. Content is content, and if I like your story, I like your story, if I don't I don't. End of story.

Below is further photographic proof that I have no beef with Marvel.

A series of pics of Marvel characters proudly displayed in the Nerdatorium.

The lunchbox I keep my spare derby wheels in.

Best Travel Documentary EVER.

Let me begin by saying that I love British TV and cinema. "Extras", the "Harry Potter" movies, "Dr. Who", Robin Hood" (the TV show, not the movie), "Being Human", just to name a few. Ricky Gervais is one of my favorite things about British culture. I've watched "The Office" (the British version, and the American version, which he is EP for), I've seen his stand up, and listened to his podcast. After being such a fan for so long, I know that he, his friend, and business partner Steven Merchant and pal (and often punching bag) Karl Pilkington, are almost inseparable. Ricky and Steven often like to make fun of Karl and his senseless ramblings, and he is always the butt of the joke. When I found out that Ricky and Steven created a travel show just for Karl, I knew I had to watch.

"An Idiot Abroad" is a travel documentary where Karl Pilkington is sent to the seven wonders of the world. Karl, often the pessimist is reluctant to go, but is eventually talked into it. He is put into situations where he has no prior warning as to what is going to happen. This show is the most amazing, hilarious look to travel abroad you will ever watch. I guarantee you'll love it. Below is the trailer for the show. I hope you enjoy!

Things You Should be Friday

Things You Should Be Listening To...

Girl Talk- This is the most amazing thing you will ever listen to. Do you like music? If your answer is "yes", there is a 95% change you will love this. Gregg Michael Gillis is the real name of the Philadelphia born DJ that is "Girl Talk". The songs are all "mashups". If you are unfamiliar with a mashup, its basically where you take different songs and put them together. The beats match, and it sounds like the song was supposed to flow that way. This music is good to listen to in any scenario. I especially like it at the gym, because it helps the time go by really quickly. Having a party and you don't know what music to play? Girl Talk will save the day!




Jay and Silent Bob Get Old- Another gem from the SModcast network! Jay and Silent Bob Get Old is Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith's weekly podcast.  The podcast talks about upcoming projects and everyday life. The podcast was created to help with Mewes' drug addiction, and help him stay off drugs by being accountable for himself. It's inspiring and hillarious.

Things You Should be Watching...


The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret- This show is written, produced and created by David Cross (Tobias on Arrested Development). Todd Margaret is a temp who gets thrown into an international sales position for the energy drink company he works for. Todd has no experience, but everyone is expecting him to do a good job. Todd decides that he's going to lie to try and make things better, but things just keep getting sooooo much worse. Will Arnett plays the role of Cross' boss in the show. The trailer sums it up better :-)





Things You Should Be Reading...


Batgirl- The new volume is up to #15, and it is an amazing read. Anything that needs to be said about it, was said in Wednesday's post, so refer to Wednesday's post to learn more!

Thursday Throwdown feat. Evan T.!

Hot Nerd Thursday is being pushed off this evening, because we have more pressing issues over here at Carly on Comics. Evan T. has finally decided to rebuttal my Marvel/DC post from last week. Below is a series of e-mails passed back and forth between he and I this morning. YOU can tell US who the winner is... Please do enjoy.

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To: Carly
From: Evan
Subject:  :-P
Sent November 11, 2010 at 10:13 AM

Listen. I have stood by as the main writer for this site has slandered the good name of marvel for too long.  No more. The glorious company that I have loved for going on twenty plus years now has been demeaned and I will stand for it no longer. It is time. Marvel Rebuttal.

The first post that Carly had mentioned how she likes DC (Stands for Douchey Comics) more than Marvel. Don't get her wrong, she is a pretentious indy comic reader, for sure, but if she does read those silly mainstream books she reads mostly DC. First of all, let me just drop a bomb of truth on you boss: If Marvel and DC didn't have the mainstream juggernauts like they do they independent scene would not exist. So, yeah.

Secondly, Carl says she enjoys the stronger, more stand alone female characters. Then references that Ms. Marvel, Emma Frost and Rogue are members of groups. Hmm, introducing female characters in mainstream, popular comic teams is bad? To have these characters reach a larger reading group? Oh, that's bad? Ok. I started picking Ms. Marvel after having seen her in an Avengers story and loved her book. What about She-Hulk? She's not a good female character. She is a secretary. Oh wait, she's a lawyer and one of the more powerful heroes in the Marvel Universe? Oh. Elektra has always been a strong character and risen in popularity and prestige the last couple of years. I wont mention Jewel, Mokingbird, Spider-Woman, Scarlet Witch, Maria Hill, Firestar, Jocasta, Wasp, Black Widow, Sharon Carter, Valkyrie, Stature, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop), Karolina Dean, Nico Minoru, Gertrude Yorkes, Molly Hayes, Songbird, Moonstone, Colleen Wing, Misty Knight, Photon, Lyja, Invisible Woman, Namorita, She-Thing, Mudusa, Ronin/Echo, Vindicator or ANY of the about 30 mutant female characters because they are a part of a group.
   
Then Carlifornia sites Catwoman (Batman's Rogues Gallery and only got her own book due to the "Bad Girls" craze of the ninties), Zatanna (Long time JLA member) and Supergirl (Long time mess in the DC universe. Clone? Angel? Actual Kryptonian? Who knows). The only one I would have coincided is Wonder Woman. Easily the strongest female character in either universe.
   
I don't know what a female reader is looking for and I am sure it is difficult to relate. Neither of these companies have flawless records with integrating in Female, African American, Latino, Native American or disabled super characters. I will say they have made huge steps over the last couple of years, though. To say DC does it better offended the Marvel Zombie in me. Make mine Marvel.

P.S. - The majority of DC characters are super idealistic humans who then have every super power ever. As if they were created by the kid on the playground who always had the anti-bullet shield when playing guns. Marvel's characters are flawed from jumpstreet and not everyone of them could reverse the rotation of the Earth to go back in time (REALLY DC???). :) Hugs Chief. 


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To Evan
From Carly
Subject: :-P
Sent: November 11, 2010 at 10:53 AM

Superman is flawed. Sure, he may be bulletproof, but he is left with the burden of being the savior of mankind. He is the last of his kind as far as he knows. He's an orphan who was sent to save the world. Like that isn't pressure? What about Batman? Batman watched his parents get murdered in front of him, which has left him an emotional retard. He also has the burden of knowing that anyone who has contact with the batman is putting themselves in harm (remember "The Killing Joke"?). Elektra wouldn't be around if it weren't for Daredevil. Namorita wouldn't be around if not for Namor. She-Thing? Same thing. She-Hulk? Exactly. These women are not "unique" characters. Same as X-23 being the female counterpart to Wolverine. Just because you put a vagina on it doesn't make it all better. I'm just defending myself because I feel like I'm getting unfairly attacked. Not to go all feminist on you, but you're not a girl, so you don't know what it's like to love something the way I love comics, and then come to the conclusion that the two biggest companies (Marvel and DC) really don't give a shit what the female audience thinks. I mean, not to bash on "kids today", but who the hell do girls have to look up to these days? Kim Kardashian? Paris Hilton? Girls are being told that its okay to be airheaded assholes and exploit their bodies because it may lead to them being famous someday. Famous for doing nothing. What it comes down to for me is not Marvel/DC, it comes down to sexism and role models. I understand that Marvel has created some female characters who are original (Rogue, Storm), and don't have a male counterpart, but the majority of them don't. I'm not saying that being a vigilante is a great idea, because teamwork is great too, but for crying out loud, girls should have more than one comic book role model that they can name. I'm not giving DC a whole lot of leeway here either. I mean, even if they do have stand alone women characters, they still objectify the hell out of them. I'm not saying that introducing characters as part of a team is bad, but even my beloved Ms. Marvel is the counterpart of Captain Marvel. I'm fully aware of this. I didn't go on a killing spree and attack anyone personally. In my mind (and it could be different for everyone on the planet, and I understand that) DC movies are more dramatic, Marvel movies are more action packed. Yee haw. They both have something to offer the audience. I'm simply saying that my PERSONAL taste is in DC movies. That is all. I don't think that my personal opinion warrants being called an elitist. Yeah, I do like independent comics. So fucking what? At the end of the day, all I'm saying is that as a girl, I think we could use more Wonder Woman in the world.

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To: Carly
From: Evan
Subject:  :-P
Sent: November 11, 2010 at 11:00 AM

Are you angry? Because we are talking about comics. And i don't want you yo be angry. It seems like your main argument so much about strong female role models which is an entirely different thing which I agree about and am not happy about. I want my nieces to have more strong female role models. But then I can give them a comic and they can see there are more to female characters than being Batmans girlfriend. Much love chief. Also female super heroes are useless one week a month.

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Thoughts and comments are welcome. End communication

Wizarding Wednesdays!

Hidey ho! Here I am, all hopped up on "Smallville"! I'm currently on the 21st episode of the 8th season.... Why do these seasons have to be so loooooong? Lol. So, after reading copious amounts of the new series of "Batgirl" the comic book last night, I have decided that if you are a chick and want to get into comics (Deadlie Mercury, I'm talking to you), "Batgirl" is the place to start. Basically, the new Batgirl is a somewhat ditzy, disaster magnet. I love it because she is just like me, only she can kick way more ass. You watch her go through most things a late teen's/early 20's chick does. Things like, making time for school and friends and boys, having awkward run-ins with her ex, and constantly seeking approval. Other first time comics for chicks to read include "Supergirl", "Fables", "Brids of Prey" and "Gotham City Sirens". They are all female empowermenty, have good stories and are incredibly easy to relate to, considering it could never really happen.

My apologies for playing the "girl power" card. If you haven't noticed, I'm buying time, because I don't have those promised character sheets for Aberrant... I kinda, sorta, fell asleep at the table last week, and I have no idea where we're at. Sorry! Hopefully tonight will be a "Lunch Money" kind of night. "Lunch Money" is a super fun card game based on girls in the playground catfighting. You basically just kick the crap out of each other (with our imaginations, not physically). It keeps me engaged much more that RPG games do, I'm sad to say. I just have a short attention span, kind of like that of a goldfish. It's part of my charm. I'll be back tomorrow with "Hot Nerd Thursday". Blog ya later!

Best. Game. Ever.

Catching up With Superman...er..boy...

Hello! Good evening everyone! I'm on a 3 season Smallville marathon at the moment, and I just keep asking myself "Why did I ever stop watching this?!". I love this show. Seriously. I don't give a shit if I'm half way through season 8 and Kal El hasn't flown yet, and I don't care if Lana Lang is the most irritating character (next to Britta from "Community") on television. Hell, I don't even care that Tom Welling is a sub-par actor. I love this show. I mean, really, where else am I going to get to see Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor, Aquaman, The Flash, Green Arrow, Doomsday, General Zod, Supergirl, the Legion of Superheroes and the JSA all in one series?! It really is the ultimate DC Nerdgasm. It's a superhero soap opera. You watch these characters progress from teenagers to adults, while dealing not only with everyday teenage drama, but dealing with having to hide secret identities. It's pretty much the ultimate "origins" store ever. That being said, I could certainly do without Lana and Clark's romance. She's such a tease. At the end of season 6 when I thought she was dead, I was the happiest girl in the world. Then she came back. What?! Why? Does anyone even like that character? I mean, I get that guys think that Kristen Kreuk is hot, but she's so irritating to me that I can see past her hotness. Green Arrow and Lois Lane are my two favorite characters on the show, because they don't take any B.S. and they keep Clark's whining to a minimum, which is much appreciated. I also appreciate that the characters wear garments that are the colors of their comic book characters uniforms (eg: Clark and Kara wear red and blue, Green Arrow wears green, The Flash wears red and gold, Aquaman wears green and orange...). What can I say? I'm a sucker for fashion. Anyhoo, I'm going to get back to the marathon. I promised I'd be caught up by Friday, so I could enjoy the rest of the series in real time with the rest of my Smallville loving peeps.

Before I go though, I just need to pimp the North Carolina Comic Con that is going on this weekend. The guys at Ultimate Comics will be there (sadly, I will not), so if you're in the Raleigh area stop by and say "HEY!"

Nerding 101: Intro to Protecting Your Comics - Organization and Boxing

Good evening class! It's a snowy, chilly day here in the Northeast! It's the perfect day to write about comics. The topic this evening is about boxing and organizing your comic books.

Generally speaking, there are two sizes of comic book boxes to choose from: Long boxes and short boxes. The long box is about 27.25 inches long, and is ideal if you have many comic books that you'd like to store. Conversely, the short box measures in at 15.75 inches, and is great if you just have a few comics to store. The easiest way to organize them right off the bat, is to go in alphabetical order. Start with numbered comics, and then go from A-Z. For example: "30 Days of Night" goes before "100 Bullets" and "The Avengers" comes after "100 Bullets". You can usually get long and short boxes from any comic book store, however, if you're ordering bags and boards as well, you may want to check out www.BCWSupplies.com, as they have the best pricing.

Size is everything

Comic book boxes can be stacked on top of each other, but you want to be sure that you don't stack them over 3 high, as you do not want too much weight on them. The best thing that I have found, that beats the heck out of a traditional long box is a drawer box. They hold slightly less than a traditional long box, but you can stack them neatly in a corner, and have super easy access to all of your comic books. Instead of having to open and dig through each box to try and find which box is the box you're looking for, with drawer boxes, you can simply open up the box like a drawer, and have organized access to what you need. Also, because of the hard, reinforced shell of the drawer boxes, you are able to stack these higher than traditional boxes without worrying about the comics on the bottom being damaged. The Editor and I order ours from www.collectiondrawer.com. They do cost more money than regular long boxes, but the extra money is well worth it.

Neat and organized is the name of the game in my house!

No matter what type of box suits you best, you want to make sure that the boxes are stored in an area with low moisture. The boxes will protect your comics from the sun and temperature changes, however, they will not protect against moisture. Next week we will be discussing how to archive all of these comic books. We'll be talking about the best organizational software, generating lists and reports, and how to send said reports to your phone, so you can have easy access to them, etc. Class dismissed!

Things I Don't Get: Jersey Shore Edition

Happy Sunday! On this day of our lord The Editor, Russel H. and Tiffany W. have decided to have a "Jersey Shore" season 2 marathon. When The Editor announced this to me yesterday, my response was to immediately find something else to do. I've been hold up in my bedroom watching"Smallville" for the past 5 hours.

I don't get it. I really really don't. I watched the first season and, not going to lie, I enjoyed it. I like to be entertained. I got it the first season. It was new and exciting and something for people to laugh about at the water cooler. What I want to know is why the hell do we still think this is funny? The same thing happens every episode. Ronnie and Sammy fight. Snooki is irritating. JWow plays with her boobs. Angelina looks like a muppet. And "The Situation", Vinnie, and DJ Pauly D manage to stay in neutral territory, all while collecting as many STD's as possible  These people are not interesting, and they certainly don't have anything to add to society, so why does everyone still tune in? When the point comes that I can't even turn on non-cable stations without seeing these people, we have a problem. Nay, an epidemic. It's disgusting that people look up to these idiots as role models. I mean, really? It's totally okay to have people promoting alcohol poisoning, skin cancer, STD's and generally inane behavior? The girls refer to a man who likes to work out, and is obviously on steroids as a "Juicehead". Yeah, that's exactly what I hope my daughter comes home with some day. Maybe my son will meet a nice stripper too.

How many STD's can you count in this picture?

I'm not scrutinizing people for watching it. I myself watch some sub-par programming too. All I'm asking is why do these people belong on a pedestal? What exactly have they done to deserve it except for drink, smoke, tan, and "smoosh"? When you're watching the show, thinking about how white trash these people are just remember, they're probably earning at LEAST 3 times as much as you do annually, just by being total assholes. Sleep tight!

Steven Seagal Lawman Drinking Game Saturday!

Hello hello! So, last night The Editor and I were flipping through the Seagate (which is WAY better than a DVR) trying to figure out what to spend our evening watching. Like lightening, it hit us both at the same moment: Steven Seagal Lawman. "Steven Seagal Lawman" is a fantastic, generally overlooked TV show about actor Steven Seagal's career as a deputy sheriff in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. We laughed through the first season, and plowed through the first half of the second season, when it came to me that "Steven Seagal Lawman" would be the best drinking game ever.

If you are unfamiliar with the show, here is the synopsis from A&E:

"Steven Seagal Lawman" - His movies have grossed more than $2 billion worldwide. He is an expert martial artist with a 7th-degree black belt in Aikido. He's considered to be in the same class of action hero as Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, Steven Seagal isn't just an action hero in the movies. For almost 20 years, Seagal has been working as a fully commissioned deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office in Louisiana. In addition to going out on patrol, Seagal is an expert marksman who has worked with their SWAT team and has instructed Jefferson Parish officers in firearms and hand-to-hand combat.
"Steven Seagal Lawman" will allow fans to ride shotgun with Seagal as he and his hand-selected elite team of deputies respond to crimes in progress. Then, when Seagal goes off duty, the cameras will continue following him as he pursues his many ventures, including musical performances and philanthropic efforts in Jefferson Parish and New Orleans.

The Editor and I came up with the rules of the game. Basically, you take a drink any time one of the following things happen;

• Steven Seagal breaks a sweat
• Steven Seagal tries to speak with an "urban" accent
• Steven Seagal yells "Get 'em Johnny!"
• A suspect is a black male
• "Seagal vision" is used
• Steven Seagal references the orient
• Someone asks Steven Seagal for an autograph
• Steven Seagal ironically refers to himself as a "movie star"
• Steven Seagal pulls out a guitar

I asked The Editor if I was missing anything, and he promptly told me that if I added anything else to the list that people would die from alcohol poisoning. Happy drinking! Just remember, Steven Seagal is ALWAYS watching.

              

Things You Should be... Friday

Things You Should be Listening to...

Animanaguchi- Animanaguchi is a fantastic band out of New York City. Their style is "8 bit music", meaning it sounds like a video game. Listening to them while doing any sort of mundane task, automatically makes you feel like you're in Super Mario Bros. If you're a video game fan, you know that they are the band that did all of the music for the game Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Below is my personal favorite track "Jetpack Blues, Sunset Blues".

Tell 'em Steve Dave- Tell em' Steve Dave is part of the View Askew universe created by Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier. It is a weekly podcast featuring Bryan Johnson, an unemployed part-time author who lives with his girlfriend, Walter Flannigan, a family man who runs Kevin Smith's comic book store "Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash" in Highlands, New Jersey, and Brian Quinn, a firefighter from Staten Island and friend of the show. These three guys put together a somewhat raunchy, completely hilarious view on life. They also help raise money for some really good causes. Previously, they helped raise money for Brendan Marocco, a vetran who lost his limbs in Iraq (http://www.brendanmarrocco.org/). Currently, they are donating 5 iPads to a special needs classroom, to allow the children to learn better. You can catch them on iTunes, and while you're there you may want to check out some of the other podcasts in the SModcast network!  

Things You Should be Watching...

Fringe- This show has taken a lot of flack as far as being compared to "The X-Files". The comparisons go about as far as that they are both sci-fi themed mysteries. Below is the official description of the show from Fox:

From J.J. Abrams (“Lost”), Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the team behind “Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible III” and “Alias,” comes a new drama that will thrill, terrify and explore the blurring line between science fiction and reality.
When an international flight lands at Boston’s Logan Airport and the passengers and crew have all died grisly deaths, FBI Special Agent OLIVIA DUNHAM (newcomer Anna Torv) is called in to investigate. After her partner, Special Agent JOHN SCOTT (Mark Valley, “Boston Legal”), is nearly killed during the investigation, a desperate Olivia searches frantically for someone to help, leading her to DR. WALTER BISHOP (John Noble, “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King”), our generation’s Einstein. There’s only one catch: he’s been institutionalized for the last 20 years, and the only way to question him requires pulling his estranged son PETER (Joshua Jackson, “Dawson’s Creek”) in to help.
When Olivia’s investigation leads her to manipulative corporate executive NINA SHARP (Blair Brown, “Altered States”), our unlikely trio along with fellow FBI Agents PHILLIP BROYLES (Lance Reddick, “The Wire”), CHARLIE FRANCIS (Kirk Acevedo, “Oz”) and ASTRID FARNSWORTH (Jasika Nicole, “Law & Order: Criminal Intent”) will discover that what happened on Flight 627 is only a small piece of a larger, more shocking truth.
FRINGE is directed by Emmy Award-winning Alex Graves (“The West Wing”) and produced by Warner Bros. Television and Bad Robot Productions.

 The show features strange happenings, parallel universes and mad scientisit. Being a huge fan of the show since the beginning, I got The Editor to start watching it with me during the second season, because the show is SO good that I didn't want him to get too far behind. 

Things You Should be Reading...

Kick Ass vol 2- The second volume of Kick Ass is now out! I devoured the first issue, and I'm very hopeful about how this volume will go. The first issue was a bit slow on the uptake, but I think that by issue 3, we should see a really amazing tale. It's too new for me to go over the synopsis (I don't want to ruin anything), I'm just happy to see little miss Hit Girl back in action! The only downside to to the Kick Ass series is the looooong duration between issues. If you're a comic collector, certainly buy the individual comics. However, if you're just buying time before the next movie comes out, wait until the second volume is done, then get the compendium. Happy reading!

Kick Ass Volume 2 Ultimate Comics Variant cover.