To Be Invincible

Yesterday it was announced that Robert Kirkman's INVINCIBLE is getting his own movie. And I'm not ashamed to say that when I read that, I had an outburst of joy similar to the day I learned that Spider-Man would be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Why? Not only is Invincible one of the best comic books ever created, but I believe it can add a whole new dimension to the superhero genre of media. Here's why...

1. The Concept

INVINCIBLE follows what appears to be a simple premise: Mark Grayson, who seems to be a regular high school student, is the son of the world's greatest superhero Omni-Man. Mark soon dons his own costume and the nom de guerre of Invincible, due to inheriting his father's Viltrumite powers of super strength, speed, flight, and durability.

But the story doesn't stop there; throughout the course of its 100+ issues the series takes massive twists and turns, and either challenges, lampshades, or subverts several tropes of the superhero genre. You never know what's going to happen next. And in order for the superhero genre to survive on both film and television, it has to keep surprising us.

1. The Creators

A lot of people groan when they hear Seth Rogen's name, due to the nature of the comedy movies he and fellow collaborator Evan Goldberg have created. But...they're sleeping on PREACHER.

PREACHER is honest to god one of the better comic book adaptations I've seen. (And coming from a guy who dislikes Garth Ennis that's saying something.) And it stems from the fact that Rogen and Goldberg worked with Ennis to adapt PREACHER for television; the fact that they are closely working with Robert Kirkman on INVINCIBLE means nothing but good things.

1. The Possibilities

Real talk: the one thing I absolutely HATE about being a comic fan is the stupid, asinine, moronic pissing match between Marvel fans and DC fans. It's only escalated with the rise of the superhero movie in the modern age, and both Marvel and DC establishing their own cinematic universes. Luckily INVINCIBLE will change all that, and be the first major Image Comics property to make it big on the screen. Image Comics has undergone something of a renaissance in the last few years, transitioning from "everything wrong with comics" to "some of the best damn comics out there." Half of my pull list is Image related; as I said before INVINCIBLE-and other titles-are pushing the boundaries of the genre. And while I love both Marvel and DC, ultimately they are cyclical in nature.

In short, I am eagerly awaiting this adaptation, and hopefully other great Image Comics (Black Science, Tokyo Ghost, Jupiter's Legacy, etc) can make the jump.

The Problem With Video Game Movies

(Before I start this entry, I want to apologize for the lack of posting. I've been dealing with a bout of depression, which lead to self doubt, which lead to writer's block. I talked it out with a few friends and I feel somewhat better. Hopefully writing it out will ease the pain.

Anyways, back to your regular geeky programming.)

It seems like there are two facets of geek culture that don't really translate well into film; anime and video games. Despite some well meaning efforts, films like Warcraft, Assassin's Creed and Street Fighter never seem to click with the general public. Why?

The answer is simple: Films aren't the right genre for video game adapations.

Think about any video game you've ever played. Skyrim. The Zelda series. Final Fantasy. What do they all have in common? They take time to beat. You pour HOURS into these games; some of them have plenty of side quests and other content to keep you occupied. Not to mention the story behind some of these games-it's enough to fill novels and comics and other spinoff material. Clearly you couldn't stuff that into a two hour movie. And you'd be foolish to try.

Therefore, I propose that any live action video game adaptations be restricted to television. Imagine a Infamous series for Netflix. Or Skyrim on HBO. Those would be projects that could adapt the lore faithfully, and have enough time to develop the characters and invest hardcore gamers, as well as audiences who aren't familiar with the games. It's just a thought.

In any case, let's hope Tomb Raider is the movie to break this curse...

Later, Vader

Darth Vader is one of the most iconic villains in film history. Thirty years after his debut in the original Star Wars, he still stands out in pop culture. The black domed helmet. The deep, inhuman breath. The blaze of his lightsaber. Fans have wanted to see the Dark Lord of the Sith cut loose, and in ROGUE ONE they get their wish.

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR ROGUE ONE IN

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The tail end of the film finds a squadron of Rebel soldiers encountering Vader...who mercilessly plows through them. Blaster bolts are deflected into bodies, blasters are yanked away, and one soldier is pinned to the wall...then cut in half. It's Star Wars as a horror film and it works. It's also what left a huge impression on moviegoers, with many people wishing for an R-rated Darth Vader film.

And...I don't think that will happen. More specifically, I DON'T want that to happen. Here's why.

1. Vader is best in small doses. Apart from his expanded role in the Original Trilogy, every time he has shown up (both in Rogue One and Rebels) his appearances have been sparse, and for good reason. The display of power he shows is more than enough to remind you who our heroes are dealing with, and if he had a constant presence it would take away from them.

2. Star Wars is never going to have anything rated R. And it shouldn't. Yes there has been darkness in the series (Rogue One and Empire being the standouts) but this has been a series for all ages. And that should never change.

3. The movie you want already exists. In comic form. I highly suggest that everyone who is craving more Vader action pick up Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca's Darth Vader comic from Marvel, which paints the Sith Lord in a new light (and is really really REALLY good.)

So yeah, Darth Vader doesn't need a movie.

Sleepless In Seattle

I'm not a fan of horror films.

It's nothing against the genre; more like one film dug deep into my subconcious and upped the fear factor to eleven. That film?

A Nightmare on Elm Street.

I saw the film during a sleepover in high school; the adults were asleep and the kids wanted to stay up all night-a horror movie it was.

And I did stay up all night. In fear that if I ever fell asleep, Freddy Krueger would appear and slit my throat.

Krueger is the most frightening horror villain in my mind. Because that's the point-he gets you where you think you're safe; your mind. Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface, you could potentially outrun them, The Xenomorphs and the Predator, you can fight and kill them. The Cenobites and the Necronomicon? Just stay away from the creepy books and puzzle boxes. But Krueger is a different beast.

And the fact is that most of these guys will kill you. It'll be bloody and brutal, but it'll be over with. Krueger is a sadist-he drags it out, he keeps it waiting, and when you least expect it-BAM! You're dead.

I think this is especially terrifying for me because I'm a writer. My imagination is almost always firing, and the idea of a guy who can invade your dreams and kill you is one of the most infinitely horrifying scenarios I could think of

So if you have ever wondered why I rarely watch horror, or haven't written it, you can blame Freddy Krueger.

Forward

I wasn't going to write this.

I struggled, I procrastinated, but eventually I had to sit down and write this.

Earlier this year, I met a girl. Her name was Emilene. She was smart, witty, gorgeous. Me? I was smitten. I started talking to her, wanted to visit her and hopefully get things going. Then one day she tells me she has a boyfriend. And it's serious. Right up out of the blue.

It hit me hard. This was the first time in two years that I actually had genuine feelings for someone and I got shot down. I grew depressed. Then I grew angry. I lashed out at friends, I would pick fights and insult things just to feel better. It even seeped into my geek life, in the form of one character: Batman.

See Emilene loved Batman. And so, my annoyance with the Dark Knight grew into genuine hate-in my mind, he represented everything about her, like a knife being twisted in my heart.

That anger impacted my writing as well. I couldn't find the drive to work on projects, or even remember why I wrote.

Eventually, I even considered killing myself out of spite. I hated that every one of my friends and family was with someone and I was alone. I hated that every time I was interested in a girl, she was either A: with someone or B: not interested. I just wanted someone to love me.

But...I obviously stayed my hand.

I tried going on about my business. But there were days when the anger and grief crept back, and I tried pushing it down.

Then...I got advice from an unexpected source.

As you know, Luke Cage premiered at the end of September. In the show, Luke works at a barbershop, trying to escape the ghosts of his past. The barbershop's owner, Pop, has a motto he passes on to Luke: "Always forward."

This stuck with me. I was in a similar predicament-haunted by something in the past. And to beat it, I had to move forward.

Then The Flash premiered.

The current season finds Barry Allen making a monumentally selfish choice in altering time to save his mother; and the reprecussions of said action. Jay Garrick, the Flash of Earth-3 and guardian of the Multiverse, sits him down for a chat and says the following:

"Are you just gonna take a do over every time you make a mistake, or are you gonna live with them and move forward?"

And it was clear for me: what happened happened. I can't dwell on the past, I can't keep thinking about Emilene, I have to move on. Or it's gonna consume me.

I guess for now I'll just work, write, focus on geeky stuff. Maybe a girl will come along, maybe she won't. But that's not the endgame. Or the end of the world. I just have to live my life, and come to terms with the fact that Emilene is never going to be a part of it.

Like Pop and Jay said:

Forward.

Venom: Agent of Justice

Today is World Mental Health Day. A day that resonates with me and many of my friends. As a guy with Asperger's I'm used to being misunderstood, mocked, what have you. I channel that frustration into something positive-my love for geek culture and writing. Many of the stories I love feature characters, who like me, struggle with mental issues. Which brings us to today's topic...

Flash Thompson, AKA Agent Venom.

I have been drawn mostly to Marvel's heroes because they are human; flawed, but still striving to do the right thing. Flash is no exception. He has struggled with alcohol issues, and PTSD following a tour of duty overseas that cost him his legs. Yet he still strives to be a good person, especially when he becomes the new host for the Venom symbiote and undergoes black ops missions as Agent Venom.

Flash has also been on my mind recently because of Sony's plans to make a Venom spinoff movie. Even though they struck up a deal with Marvel Studios to incorporate Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Sony still owns the character's film rights. Thus they planned to forge ahead with the Venom movie. Many fans cried foul, especially since Spidey and Venom's history is intertwined.

Enter Agent Venom.

One of Flash Thompson's defining characteristics is his hero worship of Spider-Man. In fact that was a driving reason for him becoming Agent Venom in the first place. So centering a movie around him would work.

Also: Sony could touch upon the Spider-Verse idea and explore multiple earths, with multiple Spider-Men. The Agent Venom movie could theoretically take place on an Earth where Spider-Man falls in battle, and Flash takes up his position to honor his hero. This way you could have a darker themed Spider-Man movie, where Flash struggles to keep the Symbiote's murderous urges in check, and deal with his mental issues and him being a different hero than Peter Parker. You could even introduce characters like Black Cat and Carnage who would feel more at home in a adult oriented Spidey film. And when was the last time we had a superhero movie with horror elements?

Sadly this will probably never happen because if Sony's past theatrical exploits have proven anything, they're not very smart.

But in a perfect world...

Where's My Money, Honey?

As many of you know, Luke Cage premiered on Netflix this past weekend. And continuing the trend of the Marvel Netflix series, we had a pretty damn great entry, anchored by a solid cast and a willingness to tackle the hard questions. I loved it.

And funnily enough it reminded me of a comic I had read back in the day.

Luke Cage, Power Man #8 focused on the titular Hero for Hire being hired by Doctor Doom-yes, that Doctor Doom-to destroy some renegade robots. Cage agrees to the job, provided he is paid $200. He finds the robots and takes care of them, then returns to the Latverian embassy only to find out Doom has left without paying him.

Luke...does not take this well.

One visit to the Fantastic Four later, Cage takes their private plane to Latveria and confronts Doom. There is a fight, where Cage disables Doom's armor...and then more renegade robots show up. Cage deals with them which leads to this page;

Now this page is important. Not only did Cage get the money he wanted, he earned Doom's respect. Remember this is Victor Von Doom we're talking about. The man has an ego the size of the Death Star, it would take something really big to gain his respect.

And Luke Cage, of all people, managed to earn it.

That's pretty badass if you ask me.