EPIC Unaired Pilot Episode of the Week

If you’re looking for a new drug for your police procedural buzz, then I’m going to taunt you with what could have been, had this show been picked up by NBC.

As with recent news, a la Whitney getting a prime-time slot in the fall comedy line-up and sidelining Community, NBC has really been goofing on their executive television decisions.

Ratings may matter, but targeting the dumbest demographic isn’t always the best decision. If you kill smartly written and produced series, somewhere a long the way the market is going to decline. Can’t ride the success for too long.

Exhibit B: Ron Moore—creator of 2004’s Battlestar Galactica, you may have heard of it—had a show in the works that would blow all of its contemporaries out of the water. Adding to the fact that the show’s premise effectively blends two completely different genres of fiction into something that you can actually see on screen, this pilot throws around some ambitious concepts, and it’s exciting.

Full pilot below, albeit not the best quality.

The final few minutes throw a curveball that, whether you were expecting it or not, would be a pretty awesome storyline to play out.

The sceptics can suck it, this looks way too fun to have passed up. Thanks, NBC.

Thanks for all you do to kill good television programming. 

The Meaning of Holidays

Happy everything and Merry everything else! Love each other for a few days!

Save the Internet; Watch & Listen to this Video.

Thirty minutes of your time to educate yourself about a potentially destructive piece of American legislation that will cripple and destroy everything about the Internet. This guy is a UK Law graduate. He’s smart. Listen to him.

Everyone will suffer. Corporations, Internet platforms, social networking, digital content creators, consumers, producers, regular people, you, me, your children, your ability to enjoy creativity, cultivation of ideas, Tim Berners-Lee, Mark Zuckerberg, Shaun Parker, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs’ idea of technology progressing society and culture, independent artists/filmmakers/producers/musicians, YouTube videos, Facebook accounts, memes, internet entrepreneurs, free speech, access and freedom to information, and the future of the digital age and new media.

You censor information, you censor people. You censor people, you censor freedom.

Fuck you, Congress. Everyone suffers. Globally. AROUND THE WORLD.

SPREAD THE WORD.

http://www.americancensorship.org has been, fittingly, taken down.

This cannot happen. If this happens, it’s another step to a world in the near future that no one wants to see. Please. Don’t let stubborn 50-year olds tell our generation what’s right and what’s wrong about an innovation that we grew up with.

Send this video out to everyone you know, tell them to watch it. Tell your American friends, tell your parents.

Tell the Internet, before its voice is gone for good.

A Case in Pride

I’ll sound like a broken record soon, but time and time again I encourage most people I see to start reading comics and graphic novels. If there’s at least a hint of interest in simply reading, as in prose fiction, the threshold of picking up a comic book, or a closed graphic narrative, is not far away.

And as the dwindling demand of mainstream comic books is seeing its decline, probably the earliest one to go in the slow, steady, inevitable decline of all print media, I’m concerned.

Losing comics is like losing an entire language—no, imagine losing television. Losing cinema. Losing plays. If that was gone from the combined cultural context of a society. The worst case scenario is, in the 5,000+ year history that sequential art has existed on Earth, that it’s going to die out because of the social contexts and mass preconceptions and the pop-culture pothole it can’t seem to get out of.

The cynic in me broods, but I have high hopes. Despite the marginal attention it gets in its actual domain—minus the adapted properties other mediums suck out of it, providing no aid in pushing a potential consumer base into the works that inspired such properties, I have hope that comics may survive—nay, thrive, if it can climb its way out of those social and cultural barriers it’s been trapped in for the last 20 or so years.

I just finished reading Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud, a cartoonist and a comics theorist—yes, I consider it an actual term, like it deserves to be, and the things it taught me about the medium—the artform—is that there’s way more importance to what it has to offer and and what it provides to the literary world than I originally thought, and most likely more than anyone of my peers or elders think.

It’s a great textbook, a great study and a great tool. If you have any doubts picking up a comic, whether for the potential self-ridicule or judgmental peers, this book quells those anxieties. It made me feel privilege to be a fan, a participant, in the medium of graphic storytelling. It’s a special kind of medium. Like no other.

So, in wondering why there’s not more attention to it, I tried searching for any kind of academic presence towards the medium, because I know old professor-types still read comics no matter how sophisticated they want to seem. Hell, some may embrace it.

Like this guy.

Henry Jenkins – “Comics and Graphic Storytelling: A Sample Syllabus”
He teaches at the University of Southern California, and his students are lucky.

There are programs at SCAD that teach sequential art, and may art schools around the world also offer sequential art programs of study or related courses, which is awesome—no matter how small it is, the comics industry and consumer base will always look for, and find, new artists, inkers, pencillers, letterers and the like.

But teach the academic worth of comics and graphic storytelling as a literary medium, as far as I can tell, is a far-off dream. At my school at least, no such courses exist, sure they may be touched upon by professors who want to spice up their syllabi with ‘fun’ comic book topics. Most pop culture courses refer to comics of staples of Western identity, but most of the time it ends there.

Where’s the deconstruction of Alan Moore’s iconography and character symbolism in Watchmen? Art Speigelman’s mastery of storytelling craft with Maus? The superficial beauty and representation of intimacy through line, shape, and panelling in Craig Thompson’s Blankets? The history and source behind the cultural contexts that characters like Superman, Batman, or Archie provide?

Not in textbooks your school makes you buy, that’s for sure. Jenkins in his proposed syllabus provides Understanding Comics as required reading among Will Eisner’s great Graphic Storytelling & Visual Narrative (that inspired McCloud’s book), and a great sort of graphic novel examples: Batman: The Killing Joke, Persepolis, The Unwritten.

If these names are new to you, Google them. Now. Learn. Teach yourself. Indulge in this medium, for the sake of its preservation and cultivation. So you can read comics in a classroom, and no one is allowed to be ashamed, because there’s no reason you should be.

Maybe, put down the Hemingway and the Plath and the Dostoyevsky and pick up some Alan Moore, some Grant Morrison, some Charles Shultz.

Just pick up a damn comic, and be proud you’re reading it.

The schools might follow suit.

EPIC Cinematic Trailer of the Day (also Spike VGAs)

Right now, Spike’s 2011 Video Game Awards are in full swing, and a slough of awards have already been won, with Portal 2 rightfully taking many of them, including sweeping the voice performance category, as well as Minecraft snatching a well deserved indie game victory.

Pretty happy with what’s been shown so far, save for the uber-casual vibes I keep getting from both host (though he was great in Tangled) and audience—the way they say ‘graphics’ just irks me, maybe it’s just my elitist geek showing through—but one of the greatest things about gaming award shows is that I can see the trailers live as well. Conventions are lame in that you have to be there to see them.

Despite the fact that I just saw Charlie Sheen onstage and Modern Warfare 3 win an award, it’s still a good feeling when you feast your eyes upon something like this:

Get More: GameTrailers.com, The Last of Us - VGA 2011: Exclusive Debut Trailer, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Naughty Dog Inc. are the guys behind the Uncharted franchise. Three games in, they’ve established themselves as one of the most innovative game developers when it comes to interactive storytelling. They did the games industry a huge favour, if you already didn’t know.

They’re developing this. So hopes are high, and that’s helped well along by this amazing cinematic trailer above. What’s wrong with that zombie-or-whatever’s head in that trailer? Well, it’s not science fiction.

It’s just science.

Okay, not fully just science, but damn it, this concept is outstandingly cool for a post-apocalyptic game, and there’s already been a huge surge in recent years, we’re hoping for a fresh take. Could this be it?

Naughty Dog has yet to fail its fans, or its industry. Or its console. If this is a PS3 exclusive, Microsoft might finally have a run for its money. Console-war pointlessness aside, this trailer is a definite reminder for me of how far video games have come artistically as a form of more than just cheap entertainment.

It’s a medium that’s like no other, and should stay that way. It should be the next step. If this lives up to what this trailer is teasing, lets hope games like this push that notion forward.

Previously: Dead Island’s GDC ‘11 Trailer gave me a similar reaction.

UPDATE: Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim takes Game of the Year, along with Best Role-Playing Game. Bethesda Game Studios takes developer. This makes me happy, and makes up for Charlie Sheen / MW3 combo (a fitting one, actually).

EPIC Everything About this Video of the Week

No words. Too much awesome.

EPIC Badass of the Week

Oh, excuse me while I go retrieve my fucks.
My bad, they all seem to have been smelted into molten metal to make swords.

EPIC Game Trailer of the Week

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom, following up the vanilla release a few months back, included a new roster of additional characters for both sides.

The game’s been out for a while now, with those additions wilfully ready for your fighting pleasure.

I could talk about how well-crafted, simplistic, and conceptually awesome this trailer is, but my mind can’t even comprehend what I just saw.

DEM MATCHUPS. DAT EXPRESSION. DEM FIGURES.

Excuse me while I go change my pants.

[via theawesomer]

Green Lantern: The Animated Series (2011) | Review

It’s a damn good month to be a geek.

Along with the assload of amazing video games releasing/released this month, and the New 52 still going strong from DC’s print side, the televised world of geekiness has steam running in its engines too. If you hated Green Lantern movie like I did, and looking for some redemption, or just some faith that the property isn’t completely dead after that debacle, look no further.

This is the review of Green Lantern: The Animated Series’ first sneak peek.

Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Episode 1x01 “Beware My Power”
Directed by: Sam Liu, Rick Morales
Written by: Jim Krieg, Ernie Altbacker
Executive Producers: Sam Register, Bruce (fuckin’) Timm

I actually chanced upon the season opening, thinking Cartoon Network shows wouldn’t be automatically syndicated over the border to Teletoon so I could set aside my time to catch the entirety of the show. Fate would have it that I’d watch it anyways, and it glued me to my seat until the credits rolled.

This is a new kind of cartoon. Not just a superhero cartoon, a cartoon in general. I’m making a bold statement because this is a bold move by both Warn Bros. Entertainment and DC Entertainment, to venture so far up into the space of wild creative ideas without tethering it in whatever’s been half-working for the network executives and higher-ups. Now, I don’t have one tiny particle of an insider look at what’s going on at the roundtables and the board meetings, but hell, the final product shows us something—things are changing for weekend children’s television.

Because of my late entrance, shameful, I know, I didn’t catch the first few minutes, but when I did flip to it, it seemed pretty much already in full swing. The show centers around everyone’s ‘favourite’ Green Lantern—Hal Jordan, ace pilot, sometime jerk-wad, cocky-yet-goodhearted star corpsman of our wonderful little 3,600 strong space force. He’s already an established character within this universe—it’s not a coming-of-age tale. Considering what didn’t work with the Green Lantern movie, there really wasn’t any other way to go.

Rudimentary comic book knowledge aside—if you’re a complete newbie to the Green Lantern mythos, or comic books in general, you won’t have problems with this. This is a condensed, approachable series from the get-go. That’s reflected in both the visual elements and the narrative ones, at least from this pilot episode. Given the projected demographic I’m assuming they’re trying to reach, maybe somewhere around 12-18, that’s a necessity to do this in order to hold onto those viewers I think they’ve indeed hooked in with this premiere.

Down to the nitty-gritty. As the plot in this pilot goes, Hal along with hardened, no-nonsense drill sergeant Kilowog choose to investigate a missing Lanterns case out on the fringe sectors, despite the threats of reprimand from the Guardians of the Universe (their bosses). From there, the narrative trajectory is straightforward for older audiences, but for the kid in all of us, it’s still a thrill ride from the start since the villains of this episode are featured prominently in the opening sequences.

Here’s where the backstory kicks in that propels this into an ambitious endeavour. These guys are Red Lanterns—a ‘Lantern Corps’ that only recently appeared in the Green Lantern publications by DC. These are new ideas from comics being translated into television. Hyperaccelerated creative syncretism. The television industry is rigid. This doesn’t happen often. But, the creative minds behind this project—Sam Register (one of the big guys at DC animation) and Bruce Timm (the Stan Lee of DC’s animated properties) propped these characters up as golden for the show.

Boy, were they right. Not only do the concept of Red Lanterns fit perfectly and easily into the structure of the plotline, they retain their thematic value from the comics—for the hardcore fans, that’s major points. They seem natural, even if we’ve never seen them before on the screen. They’re even new to the Green Lanterns who first battle them, Kilowog’s on the same boat as the audience is. But he’s intrigued by these raging, blood-vomiting vengeance seekers, and so are we.

Most of the debate beforehand came from the approach that the animation style was way improper for the content of the show. After the impact of Justice League, helmed by Bruce Timm in the early 2000’s, his set style as lead animator paved the way for all comic book animated properties to follow. With this foray into CGI, heads were shaking. I can see where they’re coming from, but the argument me and many others have made in support, is the ‘why not?’ aspect of it.

If this is Green Lantern, the source of their power is two-fold, willpower to wield the green energy in their rings, and the imagination required to utilize it. GL’s can create anything with their minds—it’s all just light from a ring. In a 2D world, sure, that would look fine—but Bruce Timm’s already done 2D worlds, three times over. The change is a chance for the team and for this show. The producers consciously decide on this creative direction because it’s a way to separate and diversify a visual style.

But most people just want a pretty cartoon. Well, for you guys, it’s sleek, polished, and clean. The influences from The Incredibles and  stylistic throwbacks to early CGI like Toy Story, as my friend compared it to (although with negativity attached) aren’t attempted to be hidden behind embellishments. It’s simple and shiny. It’s Timm’s style made into three dimensions, and the eyes just have to adjust a little.

This is seen in those character designs of our two other, non-comic Green Lanterns that act as the plot points that push the story forward. This is where the writing comes in and adds a layer of sophistication that’s desired so much as a formula for success. The fast version: they have depth. They’re not beats on a script for our leads to have something to do. The story pushes character development for everyone, including these ‘one-offs’. They mean something by the end, as characters, and not footnotes.

If you watch the episode, it’s an easy feeling to grasp onto—they’ll feel like more than caricatures, or mock-ups of what the other, more important guys feel like. They’re peers, not sideshow acts. They’re Green Lanterns, damn it. And as a result, it feels like a bigger universe ready to be explored in the future. Kudos to the writing team on that one.

Diversity in character weaves in with diversity of design—those alien looks are the traditional varied humanoids you’d expect from a space opera. Bottom line is, it’s cool—that should be one of the reasons you come to this cartoon. It presents itself within this visual style with elegance. Nothing’s overtly wonky with design and the look—static or moving. The digital lighting effects add those touches of detail, but their soft and implied, the presence is on the shapes and figures.


The animation side of it is the shaky area, you’d think, it’s handled beautifully here. The scarcity of detail in the look of the whole thing is an opportunistic decision. It allows for swift, fast-paced action that hits hard and keeps hitting, because our eyes don’t have to wander too long. It’s easy on animators and pleasing to my eye. The clean-cut nature of it allows for denser, faster movement. And with the fact that these are guys using mind-made hard light weaponry, the cleanliness is a treat.

Plus, the believability of the whole thing is stemmed into the performances. The casting director, a veteran at the studio, casted it perfectly. The actors working on this are established (Lucius Malfoy among them), and their voices work synonymously with the animation. It’s probably my favourite part of this episode—having voices that fit the character. They sound like that in my mind when I flip through comic pages.

These guys aren’t scared either, or safe or cautious—like I said, they’re bold. They’ve introduced new characters, thrust viewers into an established world that they’re confident they can craft for us, and used the mythology cleverly enough that it works despite the preconceptions. That should get some respect.

Then again, these are super-experienced, seasoned veterans at animated television tactics, with a double major in superheroes and awesome. Why would they do more of the same? They’re pushing boundaries, getting new viewers, spreading awareness, and coming up with new ideas.

It’s a excitedly fresh move from these producers, and I’m down. I’m so very down.

“Beware My Power” can be found online everywhere, soon probably. The rest of season will commence Spring 2012. So you have lots of time to brood and reread this to convince you ten times more to watch it. Just you wait.

In brightest day, motherfuckers.

EPIC Illustrators of the Week

Kevin Wada has a knack for combining the elegant with the awesome to create a pretty stellar take on our favourite X-Girls. Kitty Pryde, Emma Frost, and Mystique below.

There’s more at his art blog. He takes on many recognizable ladies from the X-Universe and retools them into chic supermodels with some clever visual references to their looks in the comics. Neat-o!

Round 2? Max Wittert who takes another stylistic direction with his depictions of the X-Ladies. Equally high-end and chic, but a very different look. Tons more at his blog.

Dazzler is dazzling as usual. 

Six arms? Six times the accessories.


Jubilee and her trenchcoat. Don’t fix what ain’t broke.

Any of of these works by these guys could pass off as magazine ads in Vogue or something. These guys are legit fashion illustrators, so that explains most of it.

Who said comics can’t be chic?

[via io9.]

Young Justice: Season 1 (2010-Present) | Review

Created/Produced by Greg Weisman & Brandon Vietti

The resurgence of the superhero genre in entertainment is certainly something to be excited about. Franchises like Spider-Man and X-Men began pushing for more presence on the big screen, while Justice League brought back almost everything that cartoons like X-Men: The Animated Series did for comic book properties in the 90’s. When I was growing up, there were only about three superhero shows to watch, and probably never at the same time.

Then, when the 21st century hit, I’m assuming the creative professionals in the field started to realize there was a market in people like me, and hopefully you. Justice League and Justice League Unlimited carried the weight of having a critically and commercially successful property. Then Teen Titans came along and reinvigorated the range of viewership that a superhero cartoon could attract. They were all great, and I wasn’t even a little kid—well into my teens, and I was still hooked on those characters.

So coming back to the animated comic book universes, after dipping my feet into the actual comic book universes, is a good feeling. To see how everything’s developed since the 90’s when I first got my childhood glimpse into those worlds, till now, when the demand and ability for animation to reach new heights is, well, higher than ever.

The premise of a show like Young Justice isn’t new. Like the names I just dropped above, superhero teams strike a cord with wide-eyed kids and nostalgic comic book fans alike. When the announcements for this series first hit the net, people were either screaming foul, or screaming it’s been done before. Little was there the notion that it could a breath of fresh air. And fifteen episodes in, that’s exactly what it’s become.

The show follows a new team of teenage heroes from the DC universe, not explicitly the Teen Titans, and not something you’ve seen together before. The roster consists of Robin (Dick Grayson), Aqualad, Kid Flash (Wally West), Miss Martian, Superboy, and Artemis (Tigress in the DC Universe). Existing on what the producers call Earth-16, as in not the actual main DC Universe, the show features many familiar DC characters amidst a slew of classic villains that the team has faced since their pilot episode.

The problem with team-based anything from a production standpoint is establishing distinct characters that the viewer has to care about, and especially in a superhero cartoon, those characters have to balanced both narratively and with their action. This is where my biggest praise comes to this show. As it’s travelled from pilot episode to where it is now, the character development has been nothing short of phenomenal, and it culminates in the most recent episode, “Failsafe”, which many fan sites, and critics, are citing as the best episode of the season.

When you compare it to a show like Teen Titans, the levels of competency in establishing and fleshing out character relationships is on par with is predecessor. The archetypes are played with throughout the season, keeping it direct and accessible to its demographic, yet there’s enough substance for even older viewers to latch onto. At least that’s how I see it. Teen Titans was aimed at a pre-teen crowd, while Young Justice’s more ambitious visuals and older characters are to attract the more mature teenage audience. With that, the producers understand the necessary steps to take in order to present their characters. They know their stuff.

The examples can be found if you dedicate yourself to watching the show. I’ll admit, it’s kind of a rocky start from the beginning five or so episodes, but the over-arching plot and classic cliff-hangers sure do give enough incentive to come back. But, it’s the characters that are at the core of the show.

The voices, while at the start of the season, may seem even grating to some (it did to me for a while), they collectively pull of convincing teenage tones. Each cast member brings a vibe to their voices that helps distinct personalities from one another, that only builds upon the strength of character for Young Justice. They have a pretty good writing team to work from too, including comics great Peter David on board. The plot they’ve hashed out, that recently has finally reared its head, is worthy of a fist-pump, but still, the crew has taken the narrative for this team in new directions.

They work with an established universe, and distil it into how a team of kids fighting for validation are slowly becoming the centre of it. It’s the ultimate fantasy for any teen watching it. I find myself now hooked on seeing how they triumph too.

An equally praiseworthy element of the show is the extensive action that it packs into every episode. Again, like Teen Titans, this one’s got its fair share of fights. While the stylistic choices of Teen Titans were very angular and simple, Young Justice finds its stride in the incredible movement it puts into its sequences. And the costume designs are a kicker—they’re a chance to see familiar faces in different outfits—perfect for the comic book geek (stop whining, haters).

The animation is headed by an overseas production company, MOI Animation Inc, in collaboration with Warner Bros. Animation studios. The combined effort gives, if anything, a satisfactory amount of superhero badassery in showcasing all the talents of the team members, including the antics of the 150+ other characters that have shown up since the premiere.

From the episode “Downtime”. Atlantean fight scene. Excuse the lame opening.

The acrobatics of Robin, the dynamics of Artemis’ archery, digital effects showing off Miss Martian’s abilities, Kid Flash’s speediness, and Aqualad’s water constructs are all juicy visual treats that any kid, and any adult, can get down with.

If the witty quips from Robin or the catchphrases from Miss Martian throw you off, their battle sequences will get you back on, trust me on that. It’s got the features you want, and the cameos a show like this needs. There’s something for everyone.

So if you want to ignore the challenge of writing team-based superheroes on television, and that Young Justice achieves its goal in representing them in a way that works (wait till you get to “Failsafe” to see that in action), then the impeccable animation should hook you in for when the series really gets rolling. It’s worth the wait.

This is a show for a comic book fan, or a comic book cartoon fan, if you want to get back the nostalgia from the 90’s or just miss Teen Titans and all its glory. Give it to your kids to watch, and watch it with them cause it will probably hook both parties.

There’s enough in this show to quell the fears of doubters who seem weary for another superhero cartoon, but really, where else can superheroes be successful off the panel? Young Justice is doing its fair share of introductions into comic book universes for potential fans, and that gets my respect any day.

Don’t do a disservice to comics and superheroes and the fantasy of capes, go watch Young Justice.

iam8bit – The new age of artistic expression

One thing I am, aside from a geek, gamer, and sometime gnome enthusiast, is a student of media production and theory. So I see a video like the one above that I really do hope you watched, especially if you’re into one of the following:

• gaming culture
• artistic cultivation
• cultural relevancy
• the application of design in multiple media platforms
• Donkey Kong/Super Mario/Atari/Capcom/Zelda/Pac-Man/Pong
• new artistic endeavours
• the electronic entertainment industry
• entrepreneurial possibilities
• cool shit

So yeah, I just heard about Iam9Bit today, but what I’ve learned from Machinima’s coverage of the art initiative/independent collective/grassroots start-up is that the limits of artistic expression can be continually pushed into regions that our traditional understanding may not be able to grasp yet.

Throughout history, artistic movements have pushed past scrutiny and criticism to bring upon new ages of creative expression, and therefore affect the entire culture that it draws from and vice-versa. I get good vibes from this collective. Will it achieve such iconic status? Probably not. But I can agree with that they’re pitching in that video; there is no other group doing something like this.

It’s an amalgamation of art and culture, in that it brings two worlds that are incredibly similar on principle, though worlds apart in perception and cultural significance and combining them how they should be seen: awesomsely.

What do they exactly do? Well watch the video if you haven’t already. But if it’s not clear, they make/collect/share art inspired by video game culture. If you check their site, linked here, you can see their most recent stuff includes commissions by top game developers to promote/market their products.

Shit like recreating Newt’s doll from Aliens to celebrate the release of Aliens: Colonial Marines, and also a kick ass NERF-replica pulse rifle, customized and detailed to resemble the movie props. Badass? I think so.

Their earlier stuff includes and underground community event promoting the then-upcoming Street Fighter 4 with what better than a fight club?

Marvel vs. Capcom 3 FIGHT CLUB (LA) from iam8bit Productions on Vimeo.

Their site has tons more in their portfolio and gallery, and just looking at all this awesome stuff blows my mind, as a student and as a appreciator for gaming and art.

These guys combine the two and really transcend preconceptions and assumptions about both. They throw those in the bin and cut off the binds that tie them down. The result is amazing art pieces and attention from major industry players from both the gaming and artistic communities locally and abroad. They are how you do entrepreneurship, and it all starts with the grand idea and the passion required to pull it off.

New role models? Hell yes. Thanks, iam8bit.

Come to Toronto to show us how it’s all done!

They’re based in Los Angeles. Reach if you’re near. You won’t be disappointed.

TEH MEWSIKS, LET ME SHOW U THEM.

Two things to talk about on the docket. CHARTattack & Chill, Bro.

CHARTattack.com just revamped their site in a number of big ways, and if you haven’t heard of this awesome music site, then it’s the perfect chance to get on board. New content, new voices, and new music. It’s a Toronto-based website focusing on independent and alternative music from the local scene and internationally. CHART started as a Canadian music magazine back in the 90’s and has since moved into the Internet to focus on a specific demographic: us. It’s focus has always been campus radio, which meant students, which means that its music that’s important to us that we want to hear about. 

I love music. I’m sure you love music. If you like the music I like, then you should check out this website. The Pitchforks and the SPINs may be the bigger boys, but if you’re from the GTA, and you want some people who show you music like it is, participate as much as you do, and just like to share with others, I’d go with these guys. Rock, hip-hop, electronic—it’s all there. And CHARTattack wants you to be a part of it, Canada or abroad. So like them on Facebook, and check the site.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Changing topics, there’s also Chill, Bro.

I’ve been doing internet campus radio with SPIRITlive.net for three semesters now, and done a number of shows. Different Levels Productions Co-Founder and buddy of mine Issa Shah tells me:

“You’re like the Orson Welles of SPIRITlive.”

Which I do think I’m going to be using for a while. But I digress, this year, Joey Ferguson and I teamed up to create a show that would have a pretty distinct focus, that would let me share some of my music taste to interested ears, and just plain have some fun. And oh, have we.

Chill, Bro. is a show that we developed for a specific purpose: to calm everyone down. Since this is radio for our fellow Radio & Television Arts students, we want to share music that will have that effect. Calming, collected, soothing—you name it, just as long as it’s chill. If you’re a student and your stressed, this is the show to listen to.

If you want more info, check us out on Facebook, and follow us on Tumblr.

Chill, Bro airs on SPIRITlive.net every Tuesday from 4-5pm. If you can’t catch that, we have archives of every episode. Listen in below.

So, there some new music endeavours to subscribe to! If you want new music, just holler at any of these two places, and your bound to find it. Happy music-ing!

EPIC(ly shocking) Music Video of the Week

Lights Out at The Daily What usually has some interesting internet tidbits for those who can’t really sleep at one in the morning, and they usually help the insomnia along with videos like the one I’m about the show you.

Apparently, a French animator/director by the name of Jérémie Périn knows his away around the tablet and the timeline, and brings a pretty stellar animation to the table for DyE’s debut single “Fantasy” of his new album. The sounds remind me a lot of M83, really good atmospheric melodies combined with simple, bubbly synths. Matches the video a lot. Until…

Lovecraft approves.

If you ever do watch The Thing, which I endlessly prompt you to do in every other post, you’ll like the similarities. Or Akira. You know what, just anything with mutating flesh and terrifying monster-morphs.

The Thing (2011) | Review

Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.
Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead & Joel Egerton

Antarctica, 1982. It’s cold, snowy, and isolated. There’s hardly a soul, and where there are, they’re countless miles away from anyone else in the icy landscape of the loneliest continent. But, they’re less alone than they think. A team of Norwegian researchers find something in the ice, something big. Something not from here.

They dig it up, bring it back, and study it. They find out too late that it probably wasn’t a good idea. And they slowly discover what they’re dealing with; a thing that can hide in plain site, prey on whoever it wants to, and keep coming back without you knowing. It makes you scared. It keeps you on your toes. It pits you against your friends. It feeds off paranoia. And it doesn’t stop until it’s gotten everyone.

In 1982, John Carpenter produced a film that stands as my favourite movie of all time. It made me love science fiction and special effects. It was an inspiration for me to immerse myself in everything I do today, and it sparked my imagination. It was a great movie, and still is. It was digusting, terrifying, heart-pounding, and throught-provoking. It was like no other horror I’d seen.

So this prequel had a lot to live up to.

Purely from a fan’s point of view, did it? Well, yeah.

Coming into this film, when I first heard about it I was incredibly cautious. I didn’t know what to make of it through the early news releases and the rumours that it was a remake, that it would be all CGI, that it was actually a sequel. It was scary at first preparing for the worst, that your favourite movie would be tainted by modern day horror sensibilities and the filtration of quality through the lens of mass appeal.

Initially, I was on the fence, and the closer it got to the release date, I was getting more optimistic. Would it be a film for the fan? Or simply an exploitation of cult value? Would it be an honest take? Or take everything away from the original?

I’ll say right now, if you’re like me, you’ll like this prequel. It does its job. Does it do more? Not really, no. But that’s really the crux, if you expect more than John Carpenter’s version, you’re pretty naive as a fan. The producers, I highly doubt, wanted to achieve the same status and fame. More so, I think, they were fans first and moviemakers second. It’s a love letter to the original. That I could get on board with.

That status of the horror genre in contemporary cinema is a daunting one to examine. Franchises dominate box offices, the same tropes and formulas are rehashed under new attractive casts and big-name directors. Scare factors come in the form of cheap thrills and superficial shock value. The horror that thinks is long over. The time of The Thing, the original, seemed over too.

But, this prequel supersedes those tropes, if not only for the reliance on its parent film to guide its every move. It brought back a lot of what The Thing from 1982 gave to the sci-fi and horror genres. It was a competent effort, devoid of those resemblances to current contemporaries. It was a stand-alone film in its genre, it was tunnel vision from the producers, ignoring the surroundings and getting straight down to the gory, paranoid business.

Things like a strong female lead, in Winstead who does a superb job of not being like any other female protagonist in recent horrors, to the atmosphere that it tries to match as closely as it can to the original, to the lack of useless sub-plotting and a swift script. For that, it gets some points.

But as much as it tries to achieve that validation from the original, like a little kid looking for a compliment from his dad, it tries a bit too hard. It does go over the top a bit, and it suffers.

It’s easy to determine where a fan might pick out the downfalls, which says a lot about the film as a whole. For the average movie goer unfamiliar with the legacy this film tries to live up to, chances are it might be more tolerable and enjoyable—it’s a fresh take (or reminder) on horror nowadays. It’ll be different from other ones.

But for the fan, the list is pretty substantial. Won’t spoil anything, but there’s definitely more presence to the antagonist, if you catch my drift. The original was built on staggering suspense and tension between characters and the environment—here it was sacrificed for the more immediate and shocking. The problem here is the original had the equal amount, but still had those former elements framed around it. Another big pointer is obviously the special effects. There’s a huge dichotomy between processes and the subsequent impact. For both the 80’s version and this one, they have a central importance.

The question is, will the average movie-goer or the fan like or dislike this movie more? Some argue that it’s a bland re-hash, following the exact same footsteps of the original providing no variation or interest. Others say its a faithful, respectful companion piece meant to be just that, an add-on for an already established universe.

The impossibility of examining it as a film by itself poses concerns, since I have a bias already to begin with. The detracting qualities don’t overwhelm the necessary elements to make it a “Thing” film. The real concern was, did The Thing need another one at all? That’s where some predispositions might be up in arms.

Breaking it down into a T-chart of what worked and what didn’t work, what it maintained and what it was missing, I think is beside the point. Personally, I think the special effects were tastefully (if it can be called that for these effects) done—they respected the process and look for the original creature design. The CGI is in inescapable truth, it’s the environment movies are made in now, like it or not. Again, taking the viewpoint of a newcomer, I’d say it’s the same reaction whether it was prosthetics or not—even with that, datedness doesn’t work well in today’s audiences. It’s an argument about this film that will be a big one, but I think it’s taken without a context, which takes away from its worth.

As a whole, the film acts like a blend. A mixture of modern day horror and a big bag of cues from the original. It’s easy to go down for some, tough for others. I liked it, because of the Easter eggs it gave me, and the competence I can live with from the production. It was decent, to say the least, but I’ve said much more than that.

It’s a recommendation definitely for the fans, because the temptation is probably already too much. And for a horror fan, this is a breath of fresh air in the current situation for horrors, it’s a unique entry for the theatres (despite its nature).  For sci-fi, it’s a jumpstarter I hope for more originals to come along and debunk those tropes that keep the genre in a stand still at the moment.

Walk into it with open, tolerant, unassuming arms, and you’ll exit with a good taste in your mouth.

DC Comics New 52 | September Pull List

A month later, and the first phase is over. Would you call it a success? Well, every single issue one has been sold out of first printings and gotten back to the presses, and Justice League #1, released August 31 to kick it all off, is going back to a fifth printing. All fifty-two new comic books are going back to second printings.

May not be amazing to you, but it is to me considering the controversy, criticisms and scepticism that dominated online forums, blogs, and comic book websites. How about that DC Comics boycott (pretty sure this isn’t the real campaign, but it’s funny and sad nonetheless)?

Wonder how that’s working out for them.

Just maybe, DC Comics gets the upper hand on Marvel for monthly sales returns. Wouldn’t that be something. In following this entire re-launch from day one, examining all the discussion and dialogue exchanged between retailers, publisher, and audience, it’s a really interesting case study into the sociological and cultural workings of fanbases, and the industry of comics as a whole, both creator and consumer end.

This is just trying to make things relevant. Because I know so many of you care about it. In all honesty though, studying the response on a weekly basis—more than just pulling my books of the shelf and reading them—actually participating in how the audience reaction is taught me a lot about how a niche market operates and how, in turn, are affected by a very specific, loyal, and incredibly passionate consumer base.

Going into detail is for another post. Here’s what I’ve picked up since last time:

Up from 12 to a lovely round number like 20, I’ve added a few ones that have won me over. As well, ones I was eyeing from the beginning for Week 4 of this first month. Specifically:

The Flash #1 – Written by Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato, art by Manapul.

Superman #1 – Written by George Perez, art by Jesus Merino.

Aquaman #1 – Written by Geoff Johns, art by Ivan Reis & Joe Prado.

Green Lantern: New Guardians #1 – Written by Tony Bedard, art by Tyler Kirkham & BATT (Matt Banning)

Justice League Dark #1 – Written by Peter Milligan, art by Mikel Janin.

I, Vampire #1 – Written by Joshua Hale Fiakov, art by Andrea Sorrentino.

All-Star Western #1 – Written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti, art by Moritat.

All-Star Western I just picked up today, because there were literally three of DC’s new ones left on the shelves at Silver Snail in Toronto today. Sad to see Aquaman sitting lonely in a corner, but what can you do, slow and steady wins the hearts of haters, I hope?

Speaking of Aquaman, that one I will definitely be talking about soon. All-Star Western was a gem, can’t believe I passed on it till now. Sleeper hits like I, Vampire, and earlier released ones like Batwing deserve some praise (considering the controversy surrounding Batwing’s author for his other book).

There’s still 32 more, but unfortunately I’ll have to cut it here for the month. The three issue ones I never got a hold off cause I was late to the game—or rather the comic book shop, were DC Universe Presents, Wonder Woman, and Detective Comics.

The others I’ll still read, but necessarily in the most supportive of methods.

Big pile of comics on my desk makes me a happy fanboy. Reviews to come when I muster up the energy. Really, these are all just really good issue ones.

Oh and, Francis Manapul signed my Flash #1, and drew me a sketch. I bet you’ll want to see that.

Stay tuned. And read comic books!

EPIC Illustrative Art of the Week

Fuck essays, look at art!

Not looking forward to Monday.

In the meantime: Caitlin Hackett.

There’s a certain calming quality to high Victorian portraits melded into morose detailing of scalped animal heads. Brava!

Straight off the Tumblr dashboard presses. It does have its uses.

Check out fuckyeahillustrativeart, some neat shit over there.

[via fuckyeahillustrativeart]

Back to Terra Nova.

School sucks guys, don’t go to it.

DC Comics’ New 52 – Current Pull List

Last Wednesday marked the 3/4 mark of DC Comics’ New 52 Initiative, with their re-launching of 52 all-new issue one comic books introducing both brand new and iconic characters to their line of monthly ongoings.

There’s be debate, there’s been controversy, there’s been a substantial amount of buzz regarding DC’s new venture. For a niche market like comic book fans, this is bigger than World War Three (I hope this is an exaggeration). For newbies to the market of comic books, this is a great start for them to get on, and for others to get the word out.

But they question remains, for a creative medium that I’m hope isn’t nearing its end in the coming future, was it a success?

To fork out four dollars every week to get twenty-five pages of fisticuffs and sequential art may seem like a dollish routine, but hell, lots of people do it. It’s the best way to support what comic book creators and audiences do and love.

So how I have helped? Well, let’s see.

Usually, recognition goes to the writer and both the pencillers + inkers, and the colorists (as represented below) as the combined art teams. Collaboration for the win!

Justice League #1, Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Jim Lee & Scott Bryant.

Action Comics #1, Written by Grant Morrison, Art by Rags Morales & Rick Bryant

Batman #1, Written by Scott Snyder, Art by Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion.

Batwoman #1, Written by J.H Williams III, Art by J.H Williams III & W. Haden Blackman.

Batgirl #1, Written by Gail Simone, Art by Ardian Siaf & Vincent Cifuentes.

Batwing #1, Written by Judd Winick, Art by Ben Oliver.

Green Lantern #1, Written by Geoff Johns, Art by Doug Manhke & Christian Alamy.

Green Lantern Corps #1, Written by Peter J. Tomasi, Art by Fernando Pesarin & Scott Hanna.

Animal Man #1, Written by Jeff Lemire, Art by Travel Foreman & Dan Green.

Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E #1, Written by Jeff Lemire, Art by Alberto Ponticelli.

Swamp Thing #1, Written by Scott Snyder, Art by Yanick Paquette.

Demon Knights #1, Written by Paul Cornell, Art by Diogenes Neves & Oclair Albert.

Resurrection Man #1, Written by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning, Art by Fernando Dagnino.




I think all of them are first prints—the ones that matter at least I know are. Still on the hunt for Detective Comics and Wonder Woman, but I’m pretty sure they’re all sold out around the GTA, Toronto for sure since I’ve been to both Silver Snail and The Beguiling and coming up empty handed this week.

It started with Justice League and Flashpoint #5 at the start of the month, and now we’re three weeks in with most of DC’s new titles selling out in a day, if not sooner. Which is great for the industry, bad for me. Still, looks like all wheels are go on this initiative. And I’m still looking for grabs, so DC’s doing something right.

Going to do some more reviews on my grabs so far, but all-in-all, I’ve been careful with my grabs in making sure they’re worth it, all others I just download because I’m poor. All the Jeff Lemire (Animal Man, Frankenstein) and Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing) are probably going to be subscriptions from me.


Batwoman is a definite, you just can’t find that kind of art anywhere else. Both Green Lantern books are looking good, and GLC just has that ‘space epic’ feel I can depend on—I’d much prefer that over Legion Lost #1 or Legion of Superheroes #1 and their more closed-off and teen feel (but still looking forward to testing out Teen Titans #1 next week for my teen book fix).

So, there’s my proof. I’m a legit geek. I’m looking at you, Sheldon.
Don’t need some stupid quantum mathematics knowledge to get some geek gratification. Fuck laugh tracks, buy comics.

EPIC Sound Design of the Week

Audio production last year was an awesome course, save for the shitbag teacher that gave me and my buddy a 75 for the most horrifying soundscape our class has ever heard.

But I learned a few things, and I like how I can appreciate stuff like this now:

Diego Stocco - Music From A Dry Cleaner from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

Good vibes.

[via dailywh.at]

StoryCorps–The Importance of Listening

I think I may have posted about this a while back, but it deserves readdressing because I’m really a sucker for these kinds of things.

Especially now, on the wake of 9/11, which personally doesn’t emotionally impact me that much at all, but you realize it’s important for a lot of Americans. My opinions aside, there really is no better way to recount or remember all the people who died there than to do it through something like this.

StoryCorps is a non-profit organization devoted to telling stories. Oral history of ordinary people from ordinary lives. Yet, they always seem to be able to capture something greater, and the audiences are always captured by them.

They’re sad, yes, but every story enriches the viewer’s life. I certainly get a better understanding of humility and humanity. It makes you feel good about yourself, and people as a whole.

Now, if these were international, it’d be a great way to raise awareness. StoryCorps in crisis zones in the Middle East, Palestine, parts of Africa, that would really make an impact.

These is the oral history of the ordinary, and yet, there’s always something amazing about discovering people’s lives. We relate, because we want to, because its necessary, because it’s instinctual.

The themes are always the same, and that shows you a lot about why StoryCorps exists, and why it needs to continue to exist to share stories about ordinary people.

We need it. Check them out on Wikipedia. Subscribe on YouTube. 

Everyone has a story, just takes the right person to listen to it.

Comic Reviews!: Animal Man, Batgirl, Swamp Thing

Hey, hey, hey, guess what? Reviews are coming back.
Yeah, they basically change with whatever I’m into at the moment, and I’ll admit I don’t usually review things unless for something else (ahem, WILDsound those eons ago), but god damn it, it’s new comics.

AND I LOVE ME SOME NEW COMICS. 

Might do some more movie/television/book reviews. Like always, read this blog with a grain of salt. Except for what’s below. Follow it to the letter.
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Every Wednesday in North America, in comic book stores everywhere, is comics release day. Like how movies are usually released on Fridays, comics have a particular day that publishers send their books out to stores to go on sale.
This Wednesday, out of the dozen or so comics that DC Comics released, I only got three (but now I definitely plan to get more). I’ll just cut to the chase. DC is re-launching 52 of their comic books this September with all-new Issue Ones.
Some big names released today, but I went on the fringes and got some that I always wanted to get into—which is the real point of this entire initiative.
BATGIRL #1

One of the two Batman titles releasing today, I decided to pick this one up because I’ve always wanted to see Gail Simone’s work on other titles like pre-launch Secret Six.

I never got around to it, which I regret, but the re-launch gives me a chance to sample some of her writing, which I’ll admit doesn’t astound me like it’s hyped up to be given what I see on forums, but it’s definitely up there on quality.

The internal dialogue is a big hitter with this one.
If you get comics and read them frequently, you realize how important internal dialogue is to characterization, especially in a solo title. Gail knows how to write women, and I don’t think it’s solely because she’s one of the rare lead writers that is female, I just think she gets the character of Batgirl. ‘Getting’ a character is a loaded term, but it’s a necessity for a writer to engage with the story they’re telling. And that’s happening in this one.

Barbara Gordon, aka. Batgirl, has been paralyzed for three years, as the continuity regarding her wheelchair escapades has been kept. Controversy prior to launch day regarding how her miraculous recovery has swept the web, and the big question—probably the final say on whether this issue one is worth it, is how Simone writes it (or ignores it) in the book.

I want you to read it for yourself, but if you’re a new reader, you need not worry, the information of her past is front and centre, and well composed into her characterization, visually and narratively.  The best part is, if you’re familiar with Barbara Gordon, it’s even better. Really intuitive way to keep her grounded in who she is, combined with essentially a completey new identity with his relaunch.

It was a good taste for me into Barbara Gordon as a character. She was done right in this issue. On the fence for a monthly pick-up, but a good start. And Simone leaves nothing under the table, which is expected of a writer of her capacity.

Check it out.

Forgot all about art; I’m writing this on a whim. Ardian Syaf makes it action-packed, poppy, and clean. Easy on the eyes, like it should be.

SWAMP THING #1

Been following this one closely since it was announced, and pretty hyped. The comics master/completely senile old man that is Alan Moore gave the green giant comic book fame, and the decision to re-launch him with Supes, Bats, and the rest, is a respectable decision (one Moore is cranky as usual about). Gives me a chance to finally get into Swamp Thing; again—something I’ve always wanted to do, that this re-launch lets me do.

I won’t summarize it for you, but basically it revolves around a botanist who died developing a flora-saving compound, and resurrected as a creature composed of plant matter with sentient thought, and the memories of this man. That was before this rewriting of origins. What struck me is that this starts off with Alec Holland, the man instead of the creature, and focuses on him in detail. The decision to bring Holland back to Swamp Thing stories (he was absent for most runs of prelaunch Swamp Thing) was a nice turn. It represents a true retracing of steps back to the core of the comic character and its mythology.

This is a comic that’s dialogue-heavy, but has a nice cameo interaction that, I think, connects it closely to the entire new DC Universe within these 52 comics. Really nice to see that Swamp Thing’s importance is represented in these interactions with big name characters.

This is all thanks to Scott Snyder, responsible for American Vampire—an award-winning series. In interviews he’s cited Moore’s run on the comic as a big influence, and if I read Alan Moore’s run (sadface), I bet I’d agree. The dialogue, while heavy, gives a lot of presence to Holland as a character, plus its exposition was a treat, since I never really understand what’s behind Swamp Thing—that’s a new reader standpoint.

From the art, I can gather the ‘dark’ side of the new DC pretty well from Yanick Paquette’s artwork. To me, I get a sense of the range of artistic styles throughout all these artists working on the 52 books. The villain reveal is a real treat, I can say its definitely dark, and quite literally, twisted visuals. It balances out with clean and bright colours, but when it does go deep into the supernatural, it delivers.

Not really any negatives, since I’m treading new territory, and it’s engaged me on a level that makes me really want to see where Alec Holland and his troubles with chlorokinesis go. Snyder immerses me with the dialogue, and Paquette drags me into the world with those swell visuals. Could definitely be a monthly pick-up.

Check it out.

ANIMAL MAN #1

Animal Man is one the other ‘Dark’ line of titles coming out of the new DC. And damn, did it hook me on this line. Probably the most hyped ‘fringe’-style book on the web, it did not disappoint anywhere, I don’t think.

Jeff Lemire is some new talent, coming straight out of Toronto for one thing, and his Sweet Tooth project, I hear is worth the endless reads. When it comes to Animal Man, shot from C-list status into the DC front-line by writer superstar Grant Morrison in the 80's, I had a feeling from the news and previews that Lemire was going to take this book to some crazy places, much like many think of the prelaunch Buddy Baker and his numerous adventures.

Within the first three pages, I was seeing some quality writing, and some striking, unique artwork by Travel Foreman. The way it starts out too, is unconventional to say the least, but for an Animal Man new reader, it worked very well. I’ll let you read for yourself when you pick it up, but it perfectly summarizes what I need to know in order to get with this book, and it did it in a way that seamlessly blends into the narrative. It engaged me right off the bat, and I got to know this character in one page.

From there, it’s easy pickings for Lemire. He knows Buddy Baker, and his writing shows it. It was naturalistic dialogue coming into my head easily, and by the time the action starts, the artwork by Foreman signifies a narrative change that the writing almost has to catch up with—like the naturalistic feel is leaving Buddy Baker’s life at that moment, and he as to deal with something pretty unnatural by the middle of the issue. You can clearly see it in the intricacies and technical details of Foreman’s art.

By far, this is my favourite of the three. If not only that it’s unlike any other superhero comic I’ve read in a while, it combines generic elements from horror and fantasy and just crazy stuff that’s even outside a cape comic’s norms—and that’s saying a lot—but it’s what you’d expect from the 'Dark’ titles of the New DC.

And that villain reveal, it gave me chills. Foreman’s artwork shines most here. Lemire’s carried the character the whole way, and plops him right in front of some twisted shit that puts the cherry on top. And the ending is like putting another cherry on top.

That’s two cherries. It caught me from the start, and dragged me into a story that I don’t think I can get out of. You start feeling a little of what Buddy Baker might be, and it gave me goosebumps. I hope it gives you some too. This is alternative/counter-culture/’contemporary-style’ comics given a new spotlight. Morrison should shake Jeff Lemire’s hand, because this comic is in good hands.
Definitely going to be following this awesome comic book. Check it out.
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Alright, that’s it for now. Three comics that were definitely worth picking up, which is a good thing because it lessens the blow of the cash I freely give to the comic book overlords. Not an addiction people, creative resource.

If I had bad reviews on a comic, then I’d regret buying them. And that sucks. So they’ll probably be good reviews. Sorry for the lack of variety.

Go to your local comic book store and ask about DC’s The New 52. Hell, ask about what’s happening with Marvel if you feel so inclined. And guess what, you can buy them online, and read them on your computer. No creepy fat guys accosting you.

Just buy some damn comics—the ones above, or any others that catch your eye.
Happy hunting.

[no, there probably won’t be posts about not-comics for a while.]