Perkengruven Cafe. This is where I had my first date with Amy in October of 1999. It isn't the best little place, but it's our little place to remember.

4112 University Way
Seattle, WA 98105
206-632-6506
Perkengruven@yahoo.com

Morgan, Madison, and Daddy 11-15-2003

The Darkness / Superman comic: A Review

Admittedly, I don't know much about Top Cow Productions. I do see from the indicia that they are some kind of Image Comics imprint. You know what that means to me? Great artists thinking they can get away with drawing fricking anything and we will buy it, regardless of the story. That's what I thought Top Cow was.

Well, I still do. I picked up this comic ONLY because it was Superman. I was pleasantly surprised however. This was a two-issue limited series.

Ron Marz, who I liked for what he did for Crossgen Comics, wrote this story that could probably have fit into one issue had they left out those five-page previews of something called Hunter Killer. Seeing this as a Superman fan was kind of cool. It was seeing a new antagonist for Superman and how he handled it. I wonder what The Darkness fans thought (is there such a thing as The Darkness fans)?

The interesting item was again one of the things I really like about cool villains: you can see the villain's point of view. Apparently this character called The Darkness (I have no idea, so don't ask) is some kind of mafia hitman that thinks he can go into Metropolis, take over the family, and lead Metropolis crime peacefully. Superman and The Darkness have to come to a mutual cooperation to stop Metallo before they fight.

I won't go into exploring The Darkness or Top Cow, but I liked this for its treatment of my favorite, Superman. It was worth the price of admission.

The Ballad of Sleeping Beauty

As of today, issue number 7 is out, so don't look at the Beckett Comics website as it is apparently a month behind on its own comics.

You can view online all of issue #1 here: ISSUE #1.

I have been really enjoying this comic. Thank goodness for free comic book day back in July. I love the art work and the fast paced storytelling. I feel that the mystery is just deepening and I really care about these characters. That's why I am sorry to see it go. The caption under the last panel of this issue reads, "Next: The journey ends!"

I don't know why that seems a shock to me. The characters have finally reached their destination and the climactic final battle looms. It has to end here, yet I feel a loss that these characters will not continue. Maybe if they had slapped an "Eight Issue Limited Series" at the top I would not be feeling so disappointed.

But this is a good disappointment. With the debacle that is Devil's Due Publishing and the lack of commitment on their Voltron and Micronauts titles, and the debacle that ended up being Crossgen Comics just up and folding, trying anybody but the big two is hard. I just feel with this series that Beckett is committed to the storytelling and not the buck.

I will look deeper into Beckett Comics. I already see an ad for next free comic book day on something called Ronin Hood of the Samurai. Definitely.

(And Beckett actually answered one of my emails that I sent them just saying what a great comic this Sleeping Beauty was. That's cool.)

JLA CLASSIFIED: A Review

This is a mini-review for DC's JLA Classified #1-3.

Individually and separately, I just could not get into these issues. I seemed to have no buy-in very early on when some new superhero group from Africa, yet consisting of a very multiethnic roster, appeared on the scene. I don't know if these characters ever appeared before. The comic acted as if they were old friends.

This seems to be my main concern with some comics these days: the lack of exposition text boxes. I can remember Chris Claremont in The Uncanny X-Men writing quick little blurbs on the characters and their powers. Sure, they were the same in most cases, but I always thought it a necessary evil to let new readers pick up ANY issue. And I do mean any issue. It shouldn't matter if you are in the middle of a storyline or not, characters and situations should get introduced and explained. If anything, this helps me remember what I read a month ago. I shouldn't have to read the first or second issue again to remember what's going on. I found I had to do that on this three-issue story arc.

So when I read the three issues again in one sitting, it was a much better story and seemed to flow very well. So I really don't know how to rate this one. Can you rate it after having to read it twice in order to comprehend it better? If so, do most stories get a reprieve when you don't like them the first time around?

So I am going to have to rate this one like this: Can you comic book writers please put in some text boxes to explain what the hell is going on?? I almost did not give this comic the second chance that it deserved.

Hitchcock Review: Strangers on a Train

My God, is this a good movie.

Based on a concept that two complete strangers can kill each other's problem and get away with it, this was Hitchcock's finest hour. I'm sorry, I know everybody loves Psycho and Notorious, but Strangers on a Train is Hitchcock's most suspenseful.

First of all, the main actors were very good. The creepy Bruno character that concocts this scheme is deviously mad yet a scary that the viewer could truly feel to be the man next door. The viewer can also truly feel that he or she could wind up in this predicament without the slightest provocation, just being a target of a demented individual.

The best part while watching it again with my wife last night, which was her first time viewing it, watching her jump at the best parts. The scream coming out of the Tunnel of Love is worth the price of admission for the jump. When Bruno strangles the older woman at the party, she exclaimed, "Is he choking that woman!" It's great to see it from fresh eyes while still knowing it very well.

This movie receives my highest possible recommendation.

New Superman Movie

Here is the new actor who will portray the Man of Steel, Brandon Routh:

I don't know yet. What do you think?

Although, I think Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor will be pretty damn cool:

Washington Schools

Right on the front lines of Washington schools myself, I stumbled across this article on Bill Gates blasting my state's educational system. My only question is this: Does Bill Gates, an educational system dropout himself, have any actual ways to help a system where schools are held accountable and the children are NOT held accountable for their own actions, or does he just throw money at the situation? My rigor works in the classroom. I have seen some children shine this week while memorizing Shakespearean monologues. I have been amazed at some writing samples I have graded this week. But for the more than several students who would literally rather sit there and stare into space, how am I supposed to reach them, Bill?

My friend and I had a debate once upon a time as we were in college. It was about the "Starfish" story. On a big long beach, washed ashore are millions of starfish. They will die before high tide returns. There is an old man on the beach throwing the starfish back, one at a time. You go up to the man and ask, "What are you doing? You can't hope to save them all." And the man replies, "No, but I saved this one." I had a struggle with that during and a couple of years after college. Why bother if you couldn't save them all? I realize now that you save the ones that want saving. Some starfish will die on the beach. As a teacher, you have to concentrate on the ones that want saving. I realize that now.


Gates "appalled" by high schools
By Alicia Mundy Seattle Times Washington bureau
WASHINGTON — Bill Gates blasted the state of U.S. high schools yesterday in a speech before the National Governors Association education summit in the nation's capital.
Using words such as "ashamed" and "appalled" to describe his reaction to the failure rates for students, Microsoft's co-founder called America's high schools broken, flawed and underfunded, and said the system itself is obsolete.
This was one of Gates' first major speeches on public schools before a national political audience. He was introduced by his old friend, Gov. Mark Warner of Virginia, a Democrat who is considered a possible candidate for president in 2008.
Though Gates' philanthropic funds have had an impact on education issues for several years, his personal appearance at such a venue suggests an even stronger move by Gates to fix public education by working directly with key political leaders.
"When I compare our high schools to what I see when I'm traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow," he said.
"The key problem is political will," he said, discussing resistance to change. He said it was "morally wrong" to offer more advanced levels of coursework to high-income students compared with that offered many minority and low-income scholars. And he trumpeted the goal of preparing every high-school student for either two- or four-year college programs.
"Only one-third of our students graduate from high school ready for college, work and citizenship," he said. Gates spoke bluntly about the high dropout rates in America compared with those of other developed countries, and the differences between America's high-tech graduate degrees and those in India and China.
"In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did; China graduates twice as many students with bachelor's degrees as the United States, and they have six times as many graduates majoring in engineering."
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed more than $2.3 billion to education since 1999. It has designated $733 million to a campaign for "smaller learning communities" to replace mass-enrollment high schools.
Washington state schools Superintendent Terry Bergeson applauded the tough-love talk. "He did not pull any punches," she said. She added that it was important that Bill Gates himself came to the governors' conference, saying, "He is making a statement, and his voice will be heard."
Gates grants support changes in 1,500 high schools, about 8 percent of America's secondary public schools, including several in Washington state. The program aims to reduce high-school populations to no more than about 500 students per school. Hundreds of new schools will be built, and many other large schools will divide into smaller entities within the same structure.
Gates said that he wants to emphasize the "three R's — rigor, relevance and relationships." By that, he means stronger curricula (rigor), better preparation for work and higher education (relevance), and a school structure where students have more support from teachers and counselors (relationships).
In discussing standards and achievement measurements, Gates called on community leaders to demand openness from their school districts. Localities need to know the percentages of students dropping out, graduating, going to college, he said, "and we need this data broken down by race and income."
"He's absolutely right," said Bergeson. "You can't allow schools to hide" this information by aggregating statistics over too many schools. "We need to measure it subgroup by subgroup."
"He really addressed the big-picture problem," said Bergeson. "This wasn't 'Big Education' rhetoric. Whether I agree with all his ideas or not, I think this speech was great."
Gates is a "player now in education," said Michael Casserly, director of the Council of Great City Schools, a coalition of 65 of the nation's largest urban public-school systems. "He's helped shape the conversation about many high-school reforms," he added, "though it's still too new to tell what effect they will have."
The governors, led by Virginia's Warner, welcomed Gates' candid assessment. Warner, who comes from the high-tech industry, has championed the Gates Foundation's efforts nationally, and has begun a governors' initiative to redesign high schools.
That was one reason, Gates told a small group of reporters before his speech, that he had come to address the governors directly. "That's where the resources are, and that's part of their mandate."
In that news conference, Gates said he would not give America's leaders a passing grade right now for their commitment to fixing education.
Gates acknowledged that there is some political resistance to the smaller-high-school campaign. "It's very complex," he said.
"But in many schools you need radical institutional change," he went on. "Any radical change is going to upset people. If you look, most of the pushback is not really against small," he said. He suggested it comes from those who run big sports programs, who are "asking why you're trying to change the status quo."
Asked about one Northwest school that is considering ending its $900,000 small-schools grant, the foundation's Executive Director Tom Vander Ark said school leaders "really need to go back and discuss their goals for their students." North Eugene (Ore.) High School's administrators gave mixed reviews to the smaller "learning academies" concept after visiting Mountlake Terrace High School, according to published reports.
The Oregon school's staff may vote to forgo the remainder of the three-year grant from the Gates Foundation and the Meyer Memorial Trust.
"They need to have a broader conversation with their community about the kind of education their kids deserve," said Vander Ark, noting that though he would be disappointed if the school pulled out, the grant is specific in its intent.

Hitchcock movie: Sabotage

I am on my Hitchcock kick again. I ought to write down what I think of all of these individual movie. Most I have taped off of Turner Classic Movies channel. Others I have found bargain DVDs on. I found a ten pack at Best Buy of some of his unknown movies for less than $20. Better than renting.

From 1936 and a pre-war atmosphere, Hitchcock is still learning his methods in this movie. Sabotage, once reissued to the United States as I Married a Murderer has an immigrant in London concocting bomb plots. However, Scotland Yard has already been tailing him.

This was very suspensful. You can feel Hitchcock playing with the medium here with some of his fades and especially the sequence where the boy "pops" into the crowd scene when the lead actress faints.

One of the reasons this one may not be entirely remembered is the sequence on the bus, right before the bomb is set to explode. "Some critics objected to the way Hitchcock chose to end the sequence involving the delivery of the bomb on the bus. Hitchcock, stung by the criticism, is said to have regretted his decision. Nonetheless, the treatment is faithful to Joseph Conrad's book." (Internet Movie Database) I saw an interview on Hitchcock where he says it was a mistake to have the bomb go off while it was on screen.

With that in mind, it is still a great movie. Now one can also see how this was a precursor to the even better and more suspenseful films that Hitchcock subsequently did.

4 out of 5 stars

A Review of the DVD "Bill Engvall: Here's Your Sign"

My Netflix arrived and I got the tenth volume of Robotech and the Bill Engvall DVD. I have already seen The Blue Collar Comedy Tour, The Blue Comedy Comedy Tour Rides Again, and Larry the Cable Guy's Git-R-Done. So I am familiar with the brand of humor.

I really liked it in that I was very amused by all of the little stories he told. He is an engrossing storyteller. It was, however, not "laugh out loud" funny.

There were several bits where I chuckled. As an early-30s married father of two, I better understood many of the stories. The anecdotes were humorous and worth smiling about.

While I did not roll on the floor laughing, I really liked it. Now Larry the Cable Guy made me laugh hard and loud.

This is my favorite picture of Amy. It was taken on our wedding day and it just means so much to me when I see how she is looking at me. I am a lucky man.

Does Not Live Up To the Hype

My wife is a hairdresser and it is amazing how loyal her customers are to her.

We both have heard the hype about the Kanye West CD and she mentioned that to one of her regulars. Lo and behold, he brought her his extra copy. So we got to listen to it yesterday afternoon since she actually had a Saturday off.

Now, I admit that hip hop or rap is not my first choice in music. Hell, it isn't even my last choice. I have liked some songs because of certain qualities, namely a melody. But rapping just to rap is not my forte.

So we started listening to it and immediately I was put off. It has this unintelligible person saying something like, "Kanye, give us sometin fo the people." The first song was good, with a good beat and melody.

Then something started to happen. My wife and I have heard how this was supposed to be intelligent music, about how he was an intelligent guy. The music degenerated. I really and truly felt like it was the same song repeated over and over. I could not distinguish between one song and another.

And the worst part is that I was getting disgusted by the language. I am no prude, but I only believe in swearing when there is a point to it. The movie Malcolm X has the character that teaches Malcolm in prison. He says, "A man curses because he doesn't have the words to say what's on his mind." I believe that. When every sentence starts having a "MFer" and it keeps repeating the "N" word, I get turned off because of its harshness and its lack of expressiveness.

I turned it off halfway through. That may not be fair but I gave him at least a half hour of my time. I wanted to listen to it all the way through but my ten year old daughter Morgan came home from playing outside. I was not going to subject her to that.

Kanye, you do not live up to the hype. In fact, you have reverted to a stereotype that I thought you were supposed to transcend.

Toothbrush brings the end of the world

I woke up as usual at five o'clock this morning. Actually, that's not true, Madison was inbetween Amy and me and kicked my groin about quarter to five. I woke up.

I took my shower as usual though. I prepared for my day with all of the same toiletry rituals that we all come to possess. Then I put toothpaste on my relatively new toothbrush, one of those ORAL-B action motor ones, that twirl and make you "brush like a dentist" as the ad says.

I flicked the on swith and went to put it in my mouth. It didn't start. I pushed at the battery compartment and smacked it a couple of times. Nothing. I couldn't possibly be out of batteries yet. I just got it last week. I don't have any more batteries. What am I going to do? How am I going to brush my teeth?

I actually said to myself, "How am I going to brush my teeth?" I stood there for a moment before I realized that it doesn't have to hum with power. It doesn't have to be a battery-operated toothbrush to work properly. I have been brushing my teeth for thirty years with a regular old toothbrush. They had no buttons. They had no "fresh from the dentist" guarantee.

I couldn't believe myself. Is this the same thing when the cable goes out and we ask ourselves, "What do we do now?" When the microwave is on the fritz, do we say, "How am I going to cook this?" When today's internet or computer is slow, why do we huff at the monitor like a whipping boy?

We are becoming technology dependent. We don't know how the machines work or don't care just as long as they do work. (Paraphrasing The Matrix Reloaded here.) I, for one, couldn't imagine being a teacher without the internet as my net. I have found so much online that helps me, from worksheets to tests to whole lesson plans.

Sometimes it is for the better. If I start thinking about brushing my teeth manually, I don't think I would ever be able to "go to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately...to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life."

Maybe Thoreau was more tuned in than I thought.

Constantine comic: A Review

Even though I'm into comics, I never read Hellblazer before. It was one of those fancy Vertigo title from DC. Those are comics that always surprise you with how good they are but somehow you never really go out of your way to get them. Sandman is written well, but I've always been turned off by the art.

Anyway, I picked up the Constantine movie adaptation, even though it was $6.95. I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about, especially when it is a comic made into a movie. That's another one of those "justification of reading comics" things. Plus, my wife Amy actually wants to see the movie so I thought I better look into it.

I could tell within the first three pages that this probably makes a much better movie than a comic. It was trying to do things that you could sense the camera imagining. That's probably a good thing.

However, I had to do a lot of re-reading several key pages to make sure I wasn't missing anything. When it introduced the character Balthazar, I though there were a couple pages stuck together that I missed. I found it skipping exposition items that a die-hard fan probably didn't need--but I did.

All in all though, as I continued, it was a good story. I really wanted to know what was happening and the story did reveal itself at key moments. I don't know if the author planned it suspensefully or it was a good mistake. It did came full circle and I was not disappointed with the ending.

One good thing is that it makes me want to see the movie. And I guess that is the goal behind a comic book adaptation.

Daddy holding his little angel, Madison, December 2003 at Amy's grandparents' house.

Teaching practice

I am a ninth grade English teacher in Washington state. Well, I try to teach English anyway.

Sometimes I think my first period class gets the shaft. This is my first year teaching ninth grade. The curriculum is new to me. While I have studied Romeo and Juliet, I have not taught it before. First period seems to be a practice period unfortunately.

Today, I simpley forgot to give them practice time for their Shakespearean speech memorization. We completed a worksheet on figurative language (metaphor, simile, personification, and classical allusion) and I was tongue tied on other examples.

Now my third and fourth periods will be fine. I have had time to really think about examples and counterattack questions that students will have. But my first period is a testing ground and I think it shows in their scores. More kids fail in first period for me.

True they are half asleep at 7:30 am. I think that might be part of it. It is hard to have a discussion when no one wants to participate. I have no one to play off to better my examples. Third and fourth period are much more vocal and that can be due to the fact that those periods are after lunch or right before we go home.

How can I improve first period instruction? That's a question I have to work on.

Page 123

My friend had this post so I thought I would put in my two cents...

From Brian Fauth by way of Texas Biscuit by way of Bella by Barlight:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

This is what I found:

"They hugged one another.
The small child went and sat on the lap of the old woman, and she rocked him and rubbed her cheek against his.
Jonas opened his eyes and lay contentedly on the bed."

--The Giver by Lois Lowry

My ninth graders will be reading it in a couple of months. Great book.

Brian's site

Second Mile High Comics shipment

Here is the second order from Mile High Comics that should arrive by the end of the week.

ACTION COMICS (1938) #586 1 V'Good @ 1.00
ACTION COMICS (1938) #587 1 Good @ 0.60
ACTION COMICS (1938) #596 1 V'Good @ 1.00
ACTION COMICS (1938) #654 1 V'Fine @ 2.00
ACTION COMICS (1938) #675 1 Fair @ 0.35
ACTION COMICS (1938) #676 1 N'Mint @ 2.50
ACTION COMICS (1938) #682 1 N'Mint @ 2.50
ACTION COMICS (1938) #815 1 Fine @ 1.00
ACTION COMICS WEEKLY #601 1 Fine @ 0.50 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #467 1 Fine @ 1.00 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #487 1 Fine @ 1.00 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #488 1 N'Mint @ 3.00 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #489 1 Fine @ 1.50 ATLANTIS CHRONICLES #7 1 Good @ 1.60
BATMAN (1940) #440 1 N'Mint @ 0.80
BATMAN (1940) #441 1 N'Mint @ 0.80
BATMAN (1940) #442 1 Good @ 0.50
BATMAN (1940) #492 1 N'Mint @ 1.00
BATMAN (1940) #493 (2ND PRT) 1 Fine @ 0.60
BATMAN (1940) #494 1 N'Mint @ 0.80
BATMAN (1940) #495 1 N'Mint @ 0.80
BATMAN (1940) #496 1 Fine @ 1.00
BATMAN (1940) #497 (NEWS) 1 V'Good @ 0.75
BATMAN (1940) #498 1 Fine @ 1.00
BATMAN (1940) #499 1 Good @ 0.50
BATMAN (1940) #500 (2ND PRT) 1 V'Good @ 1.00 BATMAN (1940) #501 1 V'Good @ 1.00
BATMAN (1940) #502 1 N'Mint @ 1.00
BATMAN (1940) #503 1 Fine @ 1.25
BATMAN (1940) #504 1 Fine @ 1.25
BATMAN (1940) #505 1 V'Fine @ 2.00
BATMAN (1940) #506 1 Fine @ 1.25
BATMAN (1940) #507 1 Fine @ 1.25
BATMAN (1940) #508 1 N'Mint @ 2.00
DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #659 1 Fine @ 1.25 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #660 1 N'Mint @ 1.00 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #661 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #662 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #663 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #664 1 Fine @ 1.25 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #665 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #666 1 Fine @ 0.60 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #667 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #668 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #669 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #670 1 Fine @ 1.00 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #671 1 Fine @ 1.00 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #672 1 Fine @ 1.00 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #673 1 N'Mint @ 1.20 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #674 1 V'Good @ 0.75 DETECTIVE COMICS (1937) #675 (NEWS) 1 Fine @ 1.00 GHOST RIDER (1990) #27 1 N'Mint @ 2.00
GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN II #6 1 Fine @ 0.50 SECRET WARS II (1985) #1 1 Fine @ 0.75
SECRET WARS II (1985) #2 1 Fine @ 0.50
SECRET WARS II (1985) #3 1 Fine @ 0.50
SECRET WARS II (1985) #4 1 Fine @ 0.75
SECRET WARS II (1985) #5 1 V'Good @ 0.60
SECRET WARS II (1985) #6 1 Fine @ 0.50
SECRET WARS II (1985) #7 1 V'Good @ 0.50
SECRET WARS II (1985) #8 1 Fine @ 0.60
SECRET WARS II (1985) #9 1 Fine @ 1.50 SHADOWHAWK #1 1 Fine @ 0.90
SPIDER-MAN (1990) #16 1 Fine @ 1.25
SUPERMAN (1986) #187 1 Fine @ 2.00
THOR (1998) #85 1 N'Mint @ 4.00
WILDSTAR: SKY ZERO #4 1 V'Good @ 1.00
Summary Of Charges -----------------------------------------Merchandise Total 73.60Discount 14.72 (20% on all comics&mags)Postage & Handling 0.00 (Shipper: UPS) --------Order Total 58.88

Some of these comics were just because I have always wanted the Batman Knightfall series in Batman and Detective Comics (where the villain Bane breaks Batman's back--I like the alliteration) and I had fond memories of Secret Wars II as a kid.

Reviews of all will be forthcoming.

First order from Mile High

Here is the order I did last week from Mile High Comics.

ACTION COMICS (1938) #662 (2ND PRT.) 1 N'Mint @ 1.50
ACTION COMICS (1938) #688 1 Fine @ 0.50
ACTION COMICS (1938) #689 1 N'Mint @ 0.75
ACTION COMICS (1938) #690 1 N'Mint @ 0.75
ACTION COMICS (1938) #795 1 Fine @ 1.50
ACTION COMICS (1938) #796 1 V'Fine @ 3.00 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #426 1 Fine @ 0.75 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #500 1 Fine @ 0.50 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #503 1 N'Mint @ 0.75 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #505 1 N'Mint @ 0.75 ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1987) #608 1 V'Fine @ 3.00 AQUAMAN (1991) #1 1 Fine @ 0.50
BLACKHAWK (1957) (#108-273) (DC) #252 1 Fine @ 1.20 DARKSTARS #11 1 N'Mint @ 0.75
DARKSTARS #12 1 V'Fine @ 0.75
DC UNIVERSE: TRINITY #2 1 V'Fine @ 2.25
GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN II #1 1 N'Mint @ 0.90 GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN II #2 1 Good @ 0.60 GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN II #3 1 Fine @ 0.50 GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN II #4 1 N'Mint @ 0.75 GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD DAWN II #5 1 NMint .75
HAVOK AND WOLVERINE (1989) #3 1 N'Mint @ 1.50 HAVOK AND WOLVERINE (1989) #4 1 N'Mint @ 3.00 INVASION! #2 1 V'Good @ 1.05
INVASION! #3 1 V'Fine @ 1.00
JUSTICE LEAGUE EUROPE #49 1 N'Mint @ 0.90 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #71 1 N'Mint @ 1.50 JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL SPECIAL #1 1 Fine @ 0.60 JUSTICE LEAGUE QUARTERLY #2 1 Fine @ 0.60 JUSTICE LEAGUE QUARTERLY #5 1 Fine @ 0.50 KRYPTON CHRONICLES #2 1 Fine @ 0.90
KRYPTON CHRONICLES #3 1 Fine @ 0.60
LEGION '89 #57 1 Good @ 0.70
LEGION '89 #58 1 N'Mint @ 4.20
LOSERS SPECIAL #1 1 Good @ 0.50
METROPOLIS S.C.U. #1 1 N'Mint @ 0.75
METROPOLIS S.C.U. #2 1 N'Mint @ 0.75 METROPOLIS S.C.U. #4 1 Fine @ 0.90
NEWSTIME: LIFE & DEATH OF THE MAN OFSTEEL #1 N'Mint @ 1.00
SUPER POWERS (1984) #2 1 N'Mint @ 3.00
SUPER POWERS (1985) #6 1 V'Fine @ 3.00
SUPER POWERS (1986) #1 1 N'Mint @ 1.00
SUPER POWERS (1986) #3 1 N'Mint @ 1.00
SUPER POWERS (1986) #4 1 V'Fine @ 2.00 SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #29 1 Good @ 0.75 SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #131 1 N'Mint @ 3.50 SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL ANNUAL #1 1 N'Mint @ 0.80 Summary Of Charges -----------------------------------------Merchandise Total 58.70Discount 11.74 (20% on all comics&mags)Postage & Handling 0.00 (Shipper: UPS) --------Order Total 46.96

All of these comics filled some sort of hole I had, or was an issue I once had and wanted again. If these came out today at the average price of $2.50 each, I would have spent $117.50.

Older comics

Another amazing little tidbit that I recently remembered is the price of comic books today.

My latest issue of Superman costs $2.50. The latest issue of The Uncanny X-Men costs $2.25. And these are the cheapo comics. I get a few that are $2.95 and DC's latest blockbuster Identity Crisis cost me $3.95 per issue for a seven-issue limited series. That's $27.65 for all seven issues. Ouch to the pocketbook. (The really sad part is that when it is finally collected into a trade paperback, which I know it will be, it will probably be half the price. That's one reason I personally place on the death of the comic book in the early 90s...but I digress.)

So I decided to fill a few holes in my back issues. I realized that I had some series where I was missing key issues or missing some finales of limited series. (I have had the first two of the four-issue limited series called Havok and Wolverine: Meltdown since the late 80s but I have never finished the series.)

In the last two weeks, I placed two orders with Mile High Comics. I used these guys in the 80s and early 90s when I was still in high school. My first order was about $42 and I got almost 50 comics. My second order was for 67 comics and it only totalled $58. Abso-flippin-mazing.

The important part for me is that these are reading comics. I saved the few dimes and got fine instead of near mint condition. When I got my first order last week, what they were calling fine I was calling near mint when I was a kid. So they were in great condition. And to top it all off, orders of $40 or more were sent via UPS with free shipping.

This is the way to go. The only problem that arises is if the issue that you need in your series raises in value. Action Comics #813 had some new villain and skyrocketed in value from its $2.50 cover price to $7.50 in near mint condition. But I was able to pick up Action Comics #815 that I missed for only $1.20. That's $1.30 off the cover price.

I am going to get more back issues and fill holes. I can remember when I was in my early teens and before, where Morgan is now in age (almost 11), where I wanted to read certain comics but I couldn't afford them and mom and dad couldn't (and shouldn't have) bought me all the comics that I wanted. I can go back and collect, and still get good reads for a cheap price.

This

Raunchiness in Romeo and Juliet

I never knew just how raunchy the play Romeo and Juliet was until teaching it this year.

I teach ninth grade English and while I have studied and even taught Shakespeare before, this is my first experience teaching the famous Romeo and Juliet. The beginning can be started with all sorts of lewd and bawdy comments and behaviors. It was Shakespeare's way of getting the groundlings watching the show on his side so they would watch more and not throw tomatoes at the players, which they sometimes did.

Today, while introducting promptbooks and how to handle a script, we looked at Act II scene 1. Mercutio and Benvolio are chasing around Romeo who has been bitten by the love bug. They keep talking about raising spirits but they don't mean spirits. They mean raising one's manhood. It's all right there. I had to glance over it and tell the kids they were just being silly and talking about how crazy Romeo is, like raising the spirits. But if I were to tell an adult, it would be the raunchy stuff. I told the students about the dirty jokes in the beginning, but I did not want to tell the ninth graders about Romeo's boner today.

'Twould anger him

To raise a spirit in his mistress' circle

Of some strange nature, letting it there stand

Till she had laid it and conjured it down.

Wow. Shakespeare just said he's got a hard-on and only the mistress can get him laid to where he has no more hard-on.

Shakespeare was fun.

My wife and I at my parents' home, 12-2-2004.

Morgan holding Madison soon after the little one was born.

Here are my two little girls, Morgan and Madison, at the Seattle Center sometime in 2004.

Madison, my reason

October 21, 2000. Matt marries Amy with Morgan looking on.

Old Friends

In a recent email to a newly discovered old friend, I thought about life. Wow. He asked for an update and it is amazing how years can be compressed into a few succint paragraphs.

Can you compress years into a few sentences? Is that what our lives boil down to?


My response to Brian:
Hey there!
An update proper? Man, how do you summarize your past six years of existence. Do you realize that it has been just about six years out here? I moved out in July 1999, same week the Mariners first started playing at Safeco Field (that's how I'll always remember it).
Everything here is proceeding great. Family is excellent. Amy and I just celebrated four years married and five years together in October. Morgan is ten almost eleven now in fourth grade. She is going out for about ten days in June to visit with my mom all by herself. Madison is 22 months old now. I tell you, whenever I look at her, I see the past and the future all at once. I look at Madison and say to myself, "She's my reason."
This is now my third full year teaching, my second in Bremerton School District. I am at what they call the Freshman Academy this year trying to teach English to ninth graders. Washington doesn't usually have ninth graders in the same building as 10-12. That's what I am going to start concentrating my Blog on are my adventures in teaching. I always thought of starting a book, a collection of little essays by teachers, and call it, "I have this one kid..." Ever notice how other teachers always start out that way?
I have to get some pictures up...I have to get this digital camera to work...
Madi just woke from her nap. I'm off today for President's Day so I have been fooling around too long on the computer.
Talk again REAL soon!
Matt---

Voltron comic situation part III

I got another repsonse from Devil's Due comics.

Greetings Matt,Yup, I completely understand as an avid comic book reader myself. It is a shamethat both books had to be canceled, but I know that DDP did keep the booksgoing for many issues + did not make any money on them in a valient effort tokeep them alive. But, I'm sure you know, people + utilities need paid, and youcan't keep a business running that supports employees w/ families when yourproduct is runnig in the red. Comics are a much different business for ussmaller companies, and we are trying not to fall prey to the same problems asother companies, ie. CrossGen, Dreamwave + more.The catch to that thinking Matt, is if you don't pick up the book - it may notbe there in the future directly because of low readership. So it's a gamble Iguess, but I myself love to read to read + I'll read as long as the book is out+ enjoy it as long as I can. Hopefully you feel that way too. I know that DDPwant's their Aftermath line to be around for a good long time. Only the readerscan make this happen. If you haven't checked out Defex, Infantry, Breakdown orBlade of Kumori, I highly suggest them! Especially if you liked Voltron, Ithink you might enjoy Defex + Breakdown.Thank you for all of your past support Matt + I hope you Keep Reading!!!Store ManagerDevil's Duehttp://www.devil-dealer.bigstep.com/

My only real response to this is that I love to read and read but I wish the stories that I'm reading would at least finish themselves. For Voltron to stop in the middle of a storyline is poor fan management. One more issue, at least to tie up loose ends and say, "That's it" is all I really wanted.

I've had favorite comics cancel on me before. But at least they had "Last issue" emblazoned across the cover.

Talking to Mom

Just got off the phone with my mother. It never ceases to amaze me how she will always be there for me, probably my number one fan. I am scum and don't talk to her as much as I should but it is always nice. She wants to know everything. Even being two thousand miles away, she wants to know everything. She takes care of my family too.

I love ya, Mom.

The New Mutants Annual #3: A Review

Since I have no other outlet for reviewing old and new comics, this seems as good a place as any. I may as well tell the thin air these thoughts since no one else in the immediate vicinity is into the same stuff I am into. I am currently re-reading almost all of my old comics and I would love to record my thoughts on them. Who knows--maybe this will act as a sort of journal for my daughters and other descendants as they try to put together a story about my life and hobbies. They might.

The New Mutants Annual #3 from 1987 pitted Warlock versus the Impossible Man in a fun little contest on their changing ability. For a summer annual, this was absolutely perfect. It includes many inside jokes and references to the rest of the Marvel Universe. I think this is one of my favorites of the series. You have to love writer Chris Claremont. He really knows how to take characters and give them personalities in stories that don't mean a big deal to the Marvel Universe but these stories help you care about the characters later on. This was a fun read.

Seven Days TV Show Episode Guide Part One

I plan on adding my two cents in on the episodes of this three-season television show from UPN.

Seven Days TV Show Episode Guide--Part One

The Seven Days television show starring Jonathan LaPaglia was one of my favorites. The concept of an NSA team going back in time seven days to correct major disasters was intriguing. Unfortunately, and even as a die-hard fan I realize this, some of the episodes were crap. I remember getting ready for the third season premiere and then being disgusted by such a crappy episode that I did not watch the rest of the season. And then it was cancelled. How does a series with such a good concept and a good cast of characters get cancelled? That is why I put this episode guide together, in order to figure out which episodes in my video collection were worth watching again. Ratings are out of five stars (five being absolutely loved the episode, four being really liked it, three being liked it, two being didn’t like it, and one being crap).[Some of the text excerpts regarding the show are taken from Yahoo.com's TV page--they are reproduced for informational purposes only.]

"Pilot", Episode #101A&B. ***** stars
Far and away the best episode of the series. This is the origin of the program and begins a great interaction among the cast members. It is also a great action episode. A former CIA operative races back in time to thwart a bombing at the White House that will kill the president and vice president in seven days.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson.

"As Time Goes By", Episode #108. **** starsOlga's presumed-dead husband reappears and impresses the Backstep team. Olga’s husband returns with a major twist as she decides between what was and what is now.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Ravil Isyanov, Ned Romero, Jerome Butler, Charley Lang, Lowell Raven, Stacey Stone. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Tim Finch, Tamara Show. Original Airdate: November 25, 1998.

"Vows", Episode #104. **** starsParker's mission to prevent a bombing on Washington's Embassy Row results in tragedy for his family. In a good episode and a tough backstep, Frank has to prevent a new Korean War and the death of his ex-wife’s new husband. Frank actually quits the program in order to save him and we see the rest of the program put it all on the line for Frank and see what they really think of their chrononaut.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Jenna Lyn Ward, John Allen Nelson, Rick Cramer, Charley Lang, Jerome Butler, Roland Gibbons. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Tom Ropelewski. Original Airdate: October 28, 1998.

“The Cuban Missile” **½ stars
This episode has a Fidel Castro imposter! Some elements are very cheesy about the death of a Cuban boxer that makes Castro fire a nuclear missile at Miami.

"Shadow Play", Episode #107. **** starsParker's mission to prevent a terrorist bombing backfires after he kidnaps the suspected bomber. Frank has to go on the lam with the girl he’s protecting as they try to uncover the NSA mole. Good espionage.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Nicholas Surovy, Gina Phillips, James Morrison, John Christy Ewing, Jerome Butler, Charley Lang, Eric B. Gerleman, Richard Israel, Spencer Knowles, Reggie Lee, Stoney Westmoreland, Kristina Hayes. Director(s): David Livingston. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): B.B. Smickers. Original Airdate: November 18, 1998.

"There's Something About Olga", Episode #115. **** starsOlga's double, an unstable Russian agent, steals the fuel formula then turns on her handlers. This episode is very cool. It has spies put an “Olga lookalike,” who is insane, inside Never Never Land.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Charley Lang, Jerome Butler, Levani Outchaneichuili, Levani Outchaneichvili, Christopher Neame, Vladimir Skomarovsky. Director(s): Jeannot Szwarc. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Tim Finch. Original Airdate: March 31, 1999.

“Galena II” ***½ stars
Looked like it was going to be another ho-hum episode with just some interesting character interaction but there is a plot switch worthy of Hitchcock that makes it worthwhile.

“Daddy’s Girl” *** stars
This was a decent episode that puts Frank in Bosnia during the war for the vice president’s daughter. It asks an important question on what magnitude of tragedy requires a backstep and who is important enough for one.

“Buried Alive” **** stars
This show was interesting because it showed how dangerous traveling in the sphere really could be as Frank Parker materializes inside a mine shaft and can’t get out. It also helped to show what made Frank Parker into the man he became. Very good episode, but only after getting into the series and the characters.

“The Backstepper’s Apprentice” ** stars
This episode concentrates on a little boy saving his grandfather. Somehow he gets sucked into the sphere as it is materializing. Other than some character interaction, this episode isn’t worth a lot of time.

“Déjà Vu All Over Again” ***½ stars
This was a decent episode that kills Talmadge and considers the problem of time burps that has Frank experience the same bit of time several times. The weird parts where Frank talks to Frank over some beer and chicken in a strange room without walls makes this one hard to stomach.

“Space Station Down” * star
A crappy episode that ends in a very cheesy way. Does Frank know frickin' everybody in the whole world?

“HAARP Attack” **1/2 stars
This episode had such potential. A government radar facility is blown up in Turkey. Unfortunately, Frank somehow turns into an adolescent in this backstep and doesn’t remember who he is or why he backstepped. Miraculously, he snaps out of it at the last second in order to save the day (a little cheesily, I might add).

“Last Card Up” ***½ stars
A Koresh-type leader has his complex attacked by ATF agents, killing 61 people and ruining the President’s human rights conference. Frank backsteps due to a reporter finding out about the program and he and Olga infiltrate the religious cult. Good, but another cheesy ending.

“Last Breath” *** stars
This episode is interesting and action packed except for some story flaws. First of all, after all the talk they always have over how the sphere isn’t very predictable and can’t be landed on a dime, Frank manages to land this one under the Arctic Ocean right where he needs to be. Too convenient. Second, how stupid would the mutiny leader be to leave the room that could prevent them from surfacing unguarded? Especially after Frank and his new buddy had already escaped? Just some too convenient elements that helped this one along. Sometimes, you need smart bad guys to make it believable. If you stop to think about this one, the bad guy was never believable. Sometimes, it also feels that episodes are forced into their little 45-48 minute timeframe when it really doesn’t do them justice.

“Parkergeist” **** stars
This episode has a mole that sabotages the Sphere so that Frank dies and cannot prevent a new tracking satellite from blowing up. Frank comes back as a ghost to fix things. The very interesting thing about this one revolves around the fact of what happens if one dies and then Frank fixes it, or what if Frank died. What happens to the soul when you have been dead and then Frank fixes the timeline? Plays like the movie Ghost.
"Sleepers", Episode #109. ***½ starsHonored at the White House, Parker and Donovan get caught up in murders. A very intriguing episode that centers around a post-hypnotic suggestion given to Donovan and Parker. What I really liked about this episode is that the bad guy’s plan changes after the backstep and it is only because of an interesting random element that causes the good guys to succeed.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Wade Andrew Williams, Soon-Tek Oh. Director(s): Charlie Picerni. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Gannon Kenney. Original Airdate: December 16, 1998.

"A Dish Best Served Cold", Episode #116. ***½ starsA former Back-Step pilot sabotages the sphere, forcing the team to hunt for the original time-travel machine hidden in the Amazon rain forest. A previous chrononaut once thought lost resurfaces to take his revenge. This episode also combines some interesting metaphysical aspects to backstepping in general.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Jeff Kober, Kelsey Mulrooney, Aki Aleong, Jordan Marder. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Stephen Beck. Original Airdate: April 21, 1999.

"Witch Way to the Prom", Episode #220. * starThree teenage girls who try witchcraft mistake Parker for a conjured prom date.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Christine Lakin, Arroyn Lloyd, Lauren Woodland, Terrance Leigh, Mike Curtola. Director(s): Don Kurt. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Tim Finch, Tamara Shaw.
Original Airdate: May 3, 2000.
And the only reason this gets one star is some good interaction between Frank and Olga. Other than that, this episode is craptastic. A crappy episode that is only somewhat interesting to die hard fans. Three young girls think they “conjure” up Frank as a prom date.

"Mr. Donovan's Neighborhood", Episode #221. ***** starsParker reveals the Back Step program to the press in a desperate attempt to save Donovan's life.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Dorien Wilson, Karen Malina White. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Brad Markowitz. Original Airdate: May 10, 2000.
For some reason, I just really love this episode. I love how Frank goes out on a limb for Donovan. I love how Donovan stays a stand up man and calls the police after his mistake. I love how the reverend sees the backstep as St. Michael’s chariot, sent to help him and his church. I just love the faith that is portrayed and it makes me think how all these backsteps might be the work of something higher.

"Playmates and Presidents", Episode #222. *** starsParker learns of a presidential candidate's evil underbelly and works to get the man to destroy himself.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Vaughn Armstrong, Paige Rowland, Holmes Osborne, Brian Markinson. Director(s): Michael Vejar. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Dan York.
Original Airdate: May 17, 2000.
This episode is cool because of the fact that the backstep saved a presidential candidate that Frank ends up exposing as a fraud. The backstep shouldn’t have been made. This is interesting for the question over what is worth “fixing.”

"EBEs", Episode #118. *** starsParker exposes a cover-up involving UFOs and aliens when the Back-Step crew takes action to avert a toxic spill. I remember watching this one ages ago and thinking it was silly. Fortunately, looking at it again has shown me that there is some merit to it. The coverup was interesting, especially how it was cracked using both sides of the timeline. It was interesting to see a very mysterious Dr. Mentnor, skeletons in the closet and all.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Harry Shearer, Michael Baily Smith, Bobby Edner, Jennifer Parsons. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Michael Cassutt.
Original Airdate: May 12, 1999.

"X-35 Needs Changing", Episode #217. Olga and Parker try to retrieve a genetically engineered baby that was kidnapped from the lab.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Michael Kopsa, Garry Chalk, Bill Dow, Malcolm Stewart. Director(s): Charles Picerni Sr. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Original Airdate: April 5, 2000.

"Brother, Can You Spare a Bomb?", Episode #218. Parker and Ramsey team to prevent Ramsey's brother from killing a senator.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Michael St. John Smith, Kevin Blatch, Matthew Harrison, Colin Lawrence, Alison Matthews, Gene Borkan, Eli Ranger, Liam Ranger. Director(s): Charles Correll. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Nick Searcy, Peter Farriday.
Original Airdate: April 19, 2000.

"Pope Parker", Episode #219. A back-step problem exchanges Parker's body for the pope's.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Walter Marsh, William Dennis Hunt, Jay Brazeau, Samuel Vincent, John R. Taylor, Bruno Verdoni. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Paulette Polinski. Original Airdate: April 26, 2000.

"The Cure", Episode #223. A time traveler reveals that a celebrated cancer cure eventually destroys the human race.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Norman Lloyd, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Moira Walley, Lawrence Monoson, Richard Blade. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Original Airdate: May 24, 2000.

"Stairway to Heaven", Episode #301. Atmospheric conditions botch a back-step and land Parker 20 years earlier than his target date.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Mary Ann Evans, Tori McPetrie, Emily Graham, Maxine Miller, Jim Shield. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Stephen Beck. Original Airdate: October 11, 2000.

"Peacekeepers", Episode #302. Parker helps soldiers with a rescue operation that could prevent warfare.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Kevin Christy, Alan Scarfe, Rick Worthy, Will Calderon, Justin Shilton, Peter Lacroix, Andrew Kavadas. Director(s): Charlie Picerni. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Tim Finch, Reuben Leder. Original Airdate: October 18, 2000.

"Rhino", Episode #303. Parker teams with a SEAL buddy when he tries to prevent the assassination of the Colombian president.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Bob Koherr, Anne Marie Loder, David Adams. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): David Aaron Freed, Howard Salus.
Original Airdate: October 25, 2000.

"The Dunwych Madness", Episode #304. A viral madness sparks violence in a remote village.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Sam Whipple, Norman Lloyd, Eric Pierpoint, Kevin McNulty, Lesley Ewen. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Stephen Beck. Original Airdate: November 1, 2000.

"Olga's Excellent Vacation", Episode #305. Romantic sparks fly between Olga and Parker when he attempts to save her life.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Doug O'Keefe, Francoise Yip, Bill Croft, Michael Tiernan, Kristen Dalton, Christel Smith. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Harry Cason.
Original Airdate: November 8, 2000.

"Deloris Demands", Episode #306. Parker ignores a caller until her threats are realized.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Norman Lloyd, Lennie Lofton, Katie Mitchell. Director(s): Mike Vejar. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Howard Salus, David Aaron Freed.
Original Airdate: November 15, 2000.

"The Fire Last Time", Episode #307. Parker's flashbacks to a fatal mission in Somalia mingle with reality on a dangerous back-step.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Gary Graham, Boyan Vukelic, Terrance Leigh, Le'Mark Cruise, Jason Emanuel, Elan Ross Gibson. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Tim Finch. Original Airdate: November 22, 2000.

"Tracker", Episode #308. A vengeful Chechen zealot implants a tracking device in Parker.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Peter Lucas, Anne-Marie Plowman, Mackenzie Gray. Director(s): Chip Laughlin. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Reuben Leder.
Original Airdate: December 20, 2000.

"Top Dog", Episode #309. Nathan Ramsey takes over as chief of the Back-Step program.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Kevin Christy, Alan Scarfe, Claire Riley, Garwin Sanford. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Peter Farriday.
Original Airdate: January 3, 2001.

"Adam & Eve & Adam", Episode #310. Parker must prevent a neutron-bomb explosion that obliterates all life on Earth.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Rick Ravanello, Bobby Stewart, Paul Jarrett, Marc Bauer. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Peter Farriday.
Original Airdate: January 10, 2001.

"Head Case", Episode #311. Parker must prevent a Peruvian dictator from blackmailing the president.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Kevin Christy, Alan Scarfe, Christina Moore, Holmes Osborne, Francis Guinan, James Kirk, Courtney Kramer, Sean Campbell, Sal Landi, Chris Kelly. Director(s): David Livingston. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Harry Cason.
Original Airdate: January 31, 2001.

"Raven", Episode #312. Parker must find a beautiful thief fixated on revenge.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Bobbie Phillips, Matthew Walker, Mark Gash, Hrothgar Mathews. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Stephen Beck. Original Airdate: February 7, 2001.

"The First Freshman", Episode #313. Parker must watch over the president's uninhibited daughter.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Elizabeth Bogush, Nancy Sorel, Andrew Heffernan, Kirby Morrow, Holmes Osborne, Mark Evanshen, Catherine Barroll. Director(s): Charles Correll. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Peter Farriday.
Original Airdate: February 14, 2001.

"Revelation", Episode #314. Parker must heed the words of a terrifying man from the future.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Robert Picardo, Nathaniel Deveaux, Kevin Hayes, Bill Millerd, Emma Duncan, Dillon Moen, Claire Riley, Garwin Sanford. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Don Handfield, Darren Maddern, David Aaron Freed, Howard Salus. Original Airdate: February 21, 2001.

"Crystal Blue Persuasion", Episode #315. When an alien virus makes an astronaut irresistible to women, Olga finds herself pregnant with extraterrestrial babies, before long.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Rod Rowland, Judy Taylor, Melia McClure, Jocelyn Loewen, Patricia Idlette, Dan Muldoon, Rice Honeywell. Director(s): Chip Scott Laughlin. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Dan York, Michael King, Stephen Beck, Larry Barber, Paul Barber, Peter Farriday.
Original Airdate: February 28, 2001.

"Empty Quiver", Episode #316. A glitch sends the sphere into the past without Parker.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Jewel Staite, Matthew Bennett, Jenny-Lynn Hutcheson, Norman Lloyd. Director(s): Les Butler. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Mike Mistovich, Tim Finch. Original Airdate: March 21, 2001.

"Kansas", Episode #317. A power surge during a back-step lands Parker in an alternate reality that reflects his deepest needs.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Jeremy Guilbert, Vanessa Dorman, Kendall Saunders. Director(s): Charles Correll. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Michael King.
Original Airdate: March 28, 2001.

"The Final Countdown", Episode #318. Parker must prevent a patriotic zealot from allowing the launch of a nuclear missile.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Justina Vail, Don Franklin, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Jason Schombing, Phil Morris, Carmen Moore, Dan Joffre, Cam Cronin, Holmes Osborne, Andrew Johnston. Director(s): Chip Scott Laughlin. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): David Aaron Freed, Howard Salus. Original Airdate: April 4, 2001.

"The Brink", Episode #319. Parker infiltrates a mental hospital to locate a man who controls the minds of inmates.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Gerald Plunkett, Suzy Joachim, Benjamin Ratner. Director(s): Chip Scott Loughlin. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Mike Mistovich, David Aaron Freed, Howard Salus, Max Work. Original Airdate: May 8, 2001.

"Sugar Mountain", Episode #320. Parker discovers that a stolen military-weapon is actually a child with telekinesis.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Devin Douglas Drewitz, Victor Love, Doug Abrahams, Christopher Shyer, Stefanie von Pfetten. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): David Aaron Freed, Howard Salus, Mike Mistovich, Kamran Pasha. Original Airdate: May 15, 2001.

"Born in the U.S.S.R.", Episode #321. Olga delays divulging Russian secrets to the NSA team, a decision which proves disastrous.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Misha Collins, Bill Meilen, Alan C. Petson, David Nyki. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Tom Finch.
Original Airdate: May 22, 2001.

"The Gettysburg Virus", Episode #102. Parker goes back in time to find the origin of the virus that is killing the world's population.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Garret Dillahunt, Thomas Kopache, Bruce Wright, Charley Lang, Jerome Butler. Director(s): Vern Gillum. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Harry Cason.
Original Airdate: October 14, 1998.

"Doppleganger", Episode #105. An evil twin is cloned from Parker as he goes back in time to stop a nuclear bomb.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Tom Amandes, J. Kenneth Campbell, Brian Thompson, Wayne Duvall, Dale Dye, Holmes Osborne, Anne Bellamy, Joe J. Garcia, Jimmy Staszkiel, Richard Stay, Al Taylor, James Geralden, Karen Gregan. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): James Crocker.
Original Airdate: November 4, 1998.

"Doppleganger", Episode #106. Starker must intervene when his evil clone takes control of national security.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): James Crocker.
Original Airdate: November 11, 1998.

"Vegas Heist", Episode #117. A Sudanese gang robs to raise money to free an enslaved village, but it goes awry; the Back-Step crew hits Las Vegas for some R&R.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Charles Malik Whitfield, Ntare Mwine, John Toles Bey, Garikayi Mutambirwa, Kai Soremekun. Director(s): Kenneth Johnson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Dan York. Original Airdate: May 5, 1999.

"Walter", Episode #119. *** starsParker must find and terminate a code breaker responsible for the deaths of CIA operatives. I saw the obvious rip off this one made off the movie Mercury Rising which was an adaptation of a book called Simon Says. Other than that, no new ground is really broken, other than Frank being the morally high one and trying to “change” his orders once he realizes Walter is autistic and not responsible for his actions.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Benjamin Rainer, Tamlyn Tomita, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Michael K. Lee, Ursula Brooks. Director(s): Charles Correll. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Stephen Beck, Harry Cason. Original Airdate: May 19, 1999.

"Lifeboat", Episode #120. Parker must prevent an alien in Roswell from escaping and wreaking havoc at a nuclear reactor, killing thousands.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Michael Bally Smith, John Posey, Michael Forest, Charley Lang. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Tom Ropelewski.
Original Airdate: May 26, 1999.

"The Football", Episode #201. Parker must find a briefcase containing launch codes in order to undo events leading to nuclear war.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Roger Haskett, Leslie Hopps, Scott Owen, Reese McBeth, Nels Lennarson, Malik McCall, Bobby Stewart, Holmes Osborne, Lisa Bayliss, Oleg Palme, Jean Claude Lamarre. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Original Airdate: September 29, 1999.

"Pinball Wizard", Episode #202. Parker must convince a teenage game whiz that she is the key to halting missile attacks from a disgruntled technology developer.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Merritt Hicks, John Wollner, Ryan Robbins. Director(s): Charles Correll. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Dan York. Original Airdate: October 6, 1999.

"Parker.com", Episode #203. Parker must prevent disaster when a supercomputer deactivates the world's nuclear weapons systems.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Lindze Letherman, Kendall Cross, Norma Jean Wick. Director(s): Michael Vejar. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Peter Farriday. Original Airdate: October 13, 1999.

"For the Children", Episode #204. Parker goes AWOL after his request for a Back-Step mission to save children from terrorists is denied.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Norman Lloyd, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Sam Whipple, Alan Scarfe, Maro Vann, Scarlett Pomers, Michael Angarano, Nikki Tyler-Flynn, Yvonne Zima, Douglas Roberts. Director(s): Don Kurt. Producer(s): Christopher Crowe. Writer(s): Ann Hamilton. Original Airdate: October 20, 1999.

"Live From Death Row", Episode #322. Parker tries to save the life of friend wrongfully convicted of murder and scheduled for execution.
Cast: Jonathan LaPaglia, Don Franklin, Justina Vail, Nick Searcy, Alan Scarfe, Kevin Christy, Mark Acheson, Nell Carter, Jeremy Roberts, Alan Gray, Tanya Reid, Adam Harrington. Director(s): John McPherson. Producer(s): Tom Ropelewski, Reuben Leder, John McPherson. Writer(s): Adam Grossman, Harry Cason, Tom Ropelewski.
Original Airdate: May 29, 2001.

Voltron comic situation part II

As I perused that Forums section of devilsdue.net, which I didn't even know they HAD until that email, others are also experiencing frustration. Again, a little knowledge goes a long way. Maybe they could have published a quick notes page in the Voltron comic telling us that there WAS a Forums page?

And to be told with a small blurb by the Forum moderator, having to search very hard for the answer, just leaves me with a bad feeling.

I will not be getting any Devil's Due comics, no matter where they are going. I see them as Crossgen Comics. Give them about 30 issues of each series and they will wink out of existence.

Voltron comic situation

Emailing every single address at devilsdue.net to get an answer on Voltron, I finally got one. Here it is:

store@devilsdue.net wrote:> Matt -> > This link might be be able to answer your question.> http://www.devilsdue.net/forums/showthread.php?t=17192> > "Voltron #11 is the last issue that will be coming> out for long time and> possibly forever.> > Steps were taken and some corners were cut to try> and keep this book viable,> but it finally slipped to the point where it wasn't> even breaking even. Despite> that we kept it going for a bit to see what would> happen with the addition of> the Waid story, but the numbers just weren't there.> > So, we've had to put the book on hiatus.> > It's unclear how long it'll stay that way, but I'm> keeping my fingers crossed> that it'll be back before too long."> > > Store Manager> Devil's Due> > >

This was my reply to this email from "store":

Thank you for getting back to me. I just wish there was some way of notifying readers on the last issue, especially right in the middle of a story arc. Is there any way this might be a back up feature somewhere else?
And what happened to Micronauts?
I can tell you this, as a long time comic reader, it makes me weary to try a new company, especially a new company's superhero universe that they are trying to do when issues get cancelled without notice. Why should I try your superhero universe when I'm not ever sure if there is going to be another issue?
Matt

This was my initial email:

What the hell happened to the Voltron comic???> > Matt>

Going to that link provided, here is what it said:

Voltron #11 Preview is up and ...
Hey all .... you can find the preview to #11 here.Unfortunately, it's my sad duty to let you all know that this is the last issue that will be coming out for long time and possibly forever.Steps were taken and some corners were cut to try and keep this book viable, but it finally slipped to the point where it wasn't even breaking even. Despite that we kept it going for a bit to see what would happen with the addition of the Waid story, but the numbers just weren't there.So, we've had to put the book on hiatus.It's unclear how long it'll stay that way, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll be back before too long.I apologize for breaking this news just before the holidays, but I wanted to let you guys know as soo as I could so you weren't kept wondering.take care gang,crank

Print versus PDF

I just read a very interesting Blog at http://jmc-omniverse.blogspot.com/2005/02/pdfs-of-existing-printed-work.html
on Wizards of the Coast selling online work for the same price as PDFs on their website.

I agree wholeheartedly with his conclusions. Bookstore trips recently have been a bummer because I refuse to pay $7.99 or more for one of the skimpy scifi or fantasy paperbacks. Paperbacks. I swear that I would buy more books if the price were less. I can't justify the price. And to find out that these books from Wizards are offering their stuff for the same price in both print and electronic format is just disturbing to an unfathomable level. Just how the hell do you use a 300 page PDF file easily?

I have tried getting books off of Gutenberg.net--the classics. But I just can't read it online. I've tried. And printing it would cost me probably an inkjet cartridge and a ream of paper.

Shouldn't PDFs, which are completely unalterable, be super cheap? It must be an issue where they know several mates will be giving it to each other free of charge on a homemade cd-rom. They want to get their money for one copy, at least. Is that it, Wizards?

Voltron comic by Devil's Due

Apparently, the Voltron comic has ended unceremoniously with issue #11. The website at devilsdue.net has a picture of #12 but my comic store has never seen it. And that website is never updated. How do you stop producing a comic in the middle of a story??!!??

Micronauts apparently ended with issue #3.

Those were the only two Devil's Due comics I was reading, as I am not much of a G.I. Joe fan and I really can't afford, both for monetary and time restrictions, a new universe (their Aftermath universe). And they stop two comics without a word. Not a single word.

This is the reason that independents don't get the circulation that some of them deserve. We consumers do not want to invest in a new series and then not have it ever finish! Call it a mini-series then with a finite number of issues! Although that sometimes doesn't work either--remember Frank Miller's and Geof Darrow's Hard Boiled? That three-issue comic had about a year inbetween #3 and #4.

So I will not be buying any more Devil's Due comics, no matter how tempting. To cancel a series is one thing, but to stop producing without so much as a by-your-leave and right in the middle of a storyline is inexcusable.

I Can Save Hollywood

The last post I put up on the review of Alien vs. Predator just wasn't enough. It is really starting to grate on me. I have a proposition to Hollywood movie makers. Let me review the film BEFORE you put it out. Most fans always have that one thing they can't stand about the movie overtake the rest of the movie. Well, let's look at those one things before the movie gets out.

What good is it to have Roger Ebert or me trash your movie afterwards? Both Roger Ebert and I have a varied taste in movies. Roger Ebert loved the Rugrats movies when it would be really easy for a critic to not even bother with a Nickelodeon cartoon movie. I love movies I wouldn't like to admit to, like Arnold Schwarzenegger in Commando. (Come to find out, years later, the screenplay for Commando was done by Jeph Loeb, one of my favorite comic authors. But I digress...)

This all started when I saw a few years ago a movie I was really looking forward to. Dungeons & Dragons starring Jeremy Irons. It was "all right," another one of those movies that you shrugged your shoulders and just thought of it as a pleasant way to waste two hours. What really got to me were the DVD extras. On the DVD, it has deleted scenes with director commentary. When I watched one cut scene, where two of the characters are getting told what to do inside a magical place, the director said they couldn't finish the movie due to budget but most importantly TIME constraints. That scene made the movie completely click into place for me. I thought it was so integral that I was absolutely disgusted that they couldn't finish it due to time constraints. Excuse me? Isn't it more important to put out the best product possible? Apparently not.

Then there was the Star Wars prequel debacle. I was so psyched up for this movie, going to the midnight show and everything. I had been looking forward to this movie for EIGHTEEN years. Talk about high expectations. And then George Lucas had to muck it all up. My biggest complaint? Those stupid midicholorians. They quantified the Force. They put a Star Trek explanation onto the cosmic way of life, religion, life force, call it whatever. You need a technical manual for Star Trek; you do not need a technical manual for Star Wars. Putting a number on your Force-parasites or whatever the hell they are, just takes any of the magic away. With the first movies, as a boy, you could pretend to stretch out for the lightsaber at home just in time to hack at the Wampa beast. Now you have to have a certain midicholorian count to even think about it. And there were some other plot things I would have loved to talk over with the producers.

And now Alien Vs. Predator comes out and if they had just had me sit there, watch it, and then talk about it with them for an hour, I feel that some of the inconsistencies or slightly underdone aspects to the movie would have been at least looked at. I just saw that the director of AVP was the same as the screenplay writer and story writer. Maybe he was too closely attached, as they teach us in writing class. I feel that he thought whatever he wrote was golden and just couldn't cut anything or add to anything. When a writer knows the characters, he still has to express it to the audience. We don't know everything that the director knows. Even if the producers talked with me and said, "Well, this is why we did this..." I could give in or help them tie in to other factors. I just think the TALK is what is required.

So I propose to Hollywood, especially for fanboy movies, that I get a preliminary screening before you are done with the movie. We just need to talk about it for an hour or two. Some of the loopholes will be closed before the harsh critics get to it. That's all I want.

Alien Vs. Predator: A Review

I gave this movie three stars on a five-star scale (think "Netflix"). This movie was just "all right." It had almost no character development and anything in this movie has been done before in either the first series of Aliens vs Predator comic books or the Batman vs Predator comic books. On some pretense a secret mission goes to Antarctica and finds a Predator hunting ground for Aliens. Since it was less than two hours, they could have taken twenty minutes and done some character development. It was neat for the premise and some "geek" factors (I'm sure every fanboy loved the last ten seconds). It was worth seeing but that was about it.

Which is very disappointing. Are they still bothering to make movies just because they think they will make a quick buck?

Everything was here for this movie, story- and action-wise. Develop characters more. Maybe TALK some more. It is rather sad these movies get made for a quick buck.

Flash #218: A Review

After finishing a recent run of Flash comics, I have to say that I have been suitably impressed. Admitedly, Flash is not on my must-have list every month. I usually only get him because of crossovers. That is why I picked up the recent batch of Flash comics, all at once, from Flash #214-217 because they were Identity Crisis crossovers and I also picked up #218 because it was there. Flash was only in one panel in #218 and I couldn't have been happier.

The recent trend with DC is to make some really hardcore but extremely personal villains. They cannot be just one-dimensional, stale, flat, static characters anymore. Identity Crisis showed us a glimpse as to why Doctor Light was an idiot--the JLA messed with his mind. After peeling that back, these villains have to be impressive if they were to ever become "super" vilains. That is what #218 did.

Heat Wave sounds like a one-dimensional character on the surface, but you can tell that the author wants to really play his psychosis of pyromania and his guilt off of each other. There were a few cliches but once you put those aside, you really wanted to get inside that mind. At the end, you couldn't help feeling for the guy as a kind of anti-hero. If they had started a new book called Heat Wave, you would have been hooked into a new good guy that has some problems. The great part of this issue was that this was not the first issue of a new title. It was the re-introduction of a villain that you know is going to cause our main character Flash some grief in the next issues. It foreshadows some great tension for our hero in the issues ahead. When you like the villain, then the battle just becomes better. When you see the other side of the issue, it all gets muddy. But that is what makes it good.

Flash just moved to the top of my must-have list.