Ramblings and revalations

I think, occasionally, about what I should do with my free time. This is a problem, you see, as free time sometimes is hard to find, as it is free, it does not belong to me. I once gamed, I know, "that thing that most guys do to waste their free time.” Gaming to me is kind of love hate as on one hand I had a very good time leveling my warrior to level 60 in World of Warcraft. On the other hand, I think I missed some pretty amazing things as well. Things like eating healthily, spending the time with my new family and the like. I know some people managed to do all these things, Alas I found it hard to coexist between the two worlds.

I have been officially game free for about four months and I am pretty happy about it. But for some reason I have in the back of my head a kind of uttering. You know that little sound that resonates within your mind, the one that wants you to do bad things like eat McDonalds and watch two or three movies in a row. That voice is saying to me “What game are we gonna play next?” This voice is both enchanting as well as scary. I was laughing the other day at myself because I found I was looking at some games to play for the summer. Then I thought, "Isn’t summer for being outside?" Oh well we will see.

No matter how old I get I find that I will or have always have or had a crutch, some sort of major/or minor addiction. If I’m not PC gaming I’m console gaming, or collecting and reading comics books, which after 10 years seem to be falling head first into again, again both enchanting and scary. Seems after the initial exposure to this whatever, say a couple months of uncontrolled indulgence, I seem to wake up. I now Think I will be able to say no to that comic’s book dealer when he says I should read the latest piece of crap comic. I now see a direct relationship between comic dealers and crack dealers, lol.

Comics & Podcasts I have read and enjoyed.

The comics I read. Well that a good question. I guess you would have to add “currently” in to the title as I think I would like to read them all if I could. But reality comes crushing down when one looks at ones bank account. I have primarily been a Marvel Lad and I have much love for there ‘verse, but recently I have ventured into the independent scene and have been much impressed with what I see. I will supply links the individual web pages and do a brief review, relax no spoilers. Also I am going to try and cover a book from the four big guys, Marvel, DC, Image, and Dark horse.

The Escapists #1 by BKV (Brian K. Vaughn) is a delightful outside looking in story of a boy whom wants to be in the Comic book industry and purchases the right to his fathers, and by default his, comic book idle “the Escapist”. Check this tile out as it is a 6 part mini, from Dark Horse Comics. That and the price of $1 for the first issue is great.

Detective Comics by Paul Dini is so good that you will want to re-read them again and again. Starting with issue #821 Dini focuses more on the one comic book storyline as compared to the multipart epic arcs we as readers are so fond of. It also delves into the more detective skills of Bruce Wayne as he deals with the underworld of Gotham and its many crime stories. I am kind into the whole one book one story right now. Detective Comics is release monthly from DC Comics and Dini plans to write for a least a year.

Fell by Warren Ellis is an experiment into less expensive but with dense content comics is successful in my mind and in my wallet. Fell is about 16 pages, this compared to the average 22-32 page comic comes in to about half the cost. But this does not mean you get have a comic, no sir, this comic is dense. We follow Richard Fell, a Cop, as he is transferred to Snowtown on his quest to make detective. He prides himself on reading people and solving crime. Each issue is designed like detective to be able to be picked up and read by anybody as they are independent stories of each other. Fell is from Image comics and is up to I believe issue 7.

Ultimate Fantastic Four TPB 1-3 by Mark Millar, Brian Michael Bendis and Warren Ellis released from Marvel Comics. This Series is a re-envisioning of the FF in the Ultimate universe, a separate universe from the traditional Marvel one of the past 60 years. The FF in this ‘verse is a much younger and slightly skewed version that its older variation. The writing duties have changed every 6 issues or so but you still feel as if they are consistently and loyal to the over arching storyline. I suggest getting the TPB for these guys as they look cool on your book shelf and it seems, so far that each book is a contain mini arc. By and by I love the overarching themes of science and technology to the stories and the rapport share by then team members, mostly Thing and Reed.

Podcasts.
Since I was unable to attend the San Diego Comic Con I decided to find a Podcast that would be able to show me all I would need to know. I found www.ifanboy.com. These guys share a similar story as my own except that that stuck it out in the nineties as I had fled comics. I would not have picked up The Escapist if they had not recommended it in the Pick of the Week. Something I might do if I have the time. Mind you these guys knowledge of comics is crazy.
Another Cast is www.fanboyradio.com, they are good for interviews and I have never heard people so excited about comics in my life.

Ok check them out them and let me know.

Mark

Mamacomics

My Wife has been drawing some pretty cool this lately. Check out her blogg.

http://mammacomic.blogspot.com/

Mark

Renewed Interests, and other ponders

Recently I have been getting back into the comics thing, rather running head first into a gigantic monster of addiction that is about to engulf my very being with want, rather than need. Seriously, I have throughout my life been somewhat of a lover of comics, my infidelity is rearing its ugly head once again as I see good thing being produced. In the early nineties I was part of a mass of people who thought they were investing into a future market of comics, the problem with that was that the big companies realized the popularity as well and decided to capitalize on this fact. With multiple covers (Chromium, metallic, to name a few), to increased costs and hype about back issues to even the death of superman, this was a time of collecting but also a time of really poor art and subpar writing. I like so many other left the scene, embittered. But like so many thing left, we like to visit from time to time the annals of our past. I decided, now that I am done with a certain life stealing computer game (WOW), I would, yet again try my hand and my mind at the creative aspects I so dearly miss. This being finishing my Movie I have been working on the past 4 months, and possibly try my hand at some illustration. This has drawn (HEHE) me back into those little places that are rather hard to find these days, The Comic Shop.
The first time I had returned to one after many years was a real experience. The smell alone caused me to remember the old days of buying stacks, and I mean stacks, of those little books that I was so smart in purchasing all 16 variant covers of the number ones, let alone any number one as I did not want to miss out on my future fortune. Pushing these thought aside I ventured in.
Now these days it seems that good things are on the rise, it reminds me of the old days when before the hype of the books was beyond reason, before running a comic shop was one of the top 10 businesses you could start ( Most shops I knew are now parking lots or hair dressers). The colors attracted me like a deer in the headlight of a car destined to mow me over. I went into a Zen like state and ignored my buddy who came with me, a fact I later was scolded for. I engaged into conversations with the clerk manning the store about the old days and what’s happening now, which by happenstance is a lot, and perfect time to jump back in, which is still a bit frightening. We left, I had a few.
Wow I didn’t actually think I was going to put this all down it sort of just came out of me. I guess I am just practicing so I can flex my creative muscles more and more. The cool thing is now; Angie my wife, an artist at heart is kinda into it as well, not as much but there none the less. I wanted to do a quick list of the book I have been reading.
Fables, Y the last man, Exmachina, and Marvel’s Civil War and a few Ultimate’s. I also want to mention that I was never really into the Non-Super Hero genres but after I read Allan Moore’s Watchmen (Which I rate all Graphic Novels against) changed all that, and opened me up to the world of Independents.
I hope to bring these comics to this Blog, Reviews and such. I know no-one reads this but who cares.
Later,
Mark

Battlestar Galactica - Season Three

Shiver. I know am not the only one, but isn't Battlestar Galactica hands down the best show on tv? I know that season three is looking to have a bit of a different style than the previous two but I know that it will still be awesome. Anyways here is a sneak preview of season three.

Meteorite Collision 1

Meteor Strike 2

I Want this!!!!!!!

Very cool video of Google Earth and Warcraft 3 running on a large multi-user table top display

read more | digg story

Wee Guppy

This weekend we brought Marcel to the pool. It was quite an adventure. When we started out it was decided that we would bring him to the Leisure Centre thats located right near our house. As it turns out, so did everyone else. Not wanting to have his(Marcels) first experience to be a crazy, frantic protective nightmare, we promptly left and headed to Talisman Centre.

On the way to the pool.

New Trunks, Marcel loves to look cool for all the babes.

AH......Refreshing!!!

I think I got it.

After we arrived it was sooth sailings. Marcel took to the water like a wee guppy. With a stern emotionless exterior he was fearless. I was amazed on how bouyant babies can be. Marcel even went under the water for brief seconds with no trouble at all. This is the fist of many future adventures.

Enjoy the pictures.

Mark 

Trailer #1

Some people were having issues with Google so I decided just to link the video directly. Please Enjoy!

Freedomball Trailer

I have posted a new trailor for the Mockumentary "Freedomball". Its located here on Google Videos. Its a bit rough but I did it for my mate Martin who is in Europe right now. Martin is married to my Wifes sister, Tara. You can check their blog here, its real cool. Anyways I need to focus more on school so I better finish this up. Oh ya check the new pic for Marcel. Ain't he cute!

Why I can't stop watching Smallville

OK I guess I can say I am an addict. I think hands down "Smallville" is the best show out there on TV today. I know its about superman, but...come on...It's SUPERMAN! for crying out loud. Anyways check it out. I can alos say, sadly, I got my wife hooked on it as well.

This Summer there are two comic movies that I know of that are coming to the big screen. Superman Returns and X3. Looking forward to them both.

I have been listening to Podcast recently and 2 have kinda stuck out, mostly related to tech and geekdom they are diggnation and twit. Both very good productions that include interesting humor and insights. I think Podcasts are going to get bigger and bigger as more people are introduced to them, so check these out. I will get more Podcasts to share in the future.

Later.

Sept = School

Well looks like things are going ahead with school. I am equally excited and scared. I have been out of school for about 14 years now and I wonder if I still have what it takes? Thats actually funny beacuse I didn't have what it took 14 years ago, so why now?

Heres a good reason

Marcel John Hebert - Born Jan 03 2006
ain't he cute?

....More later.

This is me. In all my magisty.

Freedomball

Been working on a short film with my brother-in-law Cam. Its called Freedomball and it came about when we were filming Cam doing crazy stuff with a soccer ball, not skill mind you. It kinda blow up from there as we even put some rought work on www.youtube.com. I have been working on learning Adobe Premiere as I have heard is the most widely used editing tool. With some rough cutting and interesting transitions I actually, in spite of avoiding some much needed studying, I have managed to put together about 3-4 minutes of footage. Mostly introducing Cam as a slightly off beat "soccer player". I uses this term lightly as you will have to see the footage, you can view it here for the first film and here. We used this idea as a jumping board to produce more Freedomball. Anyways I will keep updating this page with more information on the film.

New Baby!!

Please Welcome Marcel John Hebert, Born January 03 2006.