Comics: God Among Men Pin-Up

In case you haven't been keeping up with my writing career, God Among Men is the comic book that I pitched in 2008, that got picked up in 2009, and will (hopefully) arrive in stores in 2012. The book, its characters, and its look have gone through many creative hands, and the pin-up you see above is the result of all of our hard work.

I hope you like it, and when I'm allowed to post colored interiors, your mind will be blown. Vitor, Tiago, and Luis are phenomenal individuals, and I can't wait to share their work with the rest of you.

Advice: Thoughts on "Grown Up" Relationships

As we get older, it's only natural that we lose small bits of who we were as children. Although certain core traits tend to stay the same, childish ideologies go by the wayside because we realize that our naive beliefs are rarely sustainable. It's impossible for us to want to be a fireman, a police man, and a super hero all at the same time, and we can't sit on the couch, watch cartoons, and eat Frosted Flakes forever. The world will surely push us away from the simple joys we once enjoyed to a system of jobs, rent, bills, and most importantly, "grown up" relationships.

By "grown up" relationships, I mean ones that we see all around us every single day. One's filled with compromise and sacrifice. One's that we hope will last, but frequently don't. One's that are influenced by our past experience in such a way that it makes us mature and sensible but also harder and colder when we approach each new relationship. Although I've set them up rather negatively, I certainly do not believe that they are bad by an means. Adult relationships are healthy, mature, and a necessary part of our socio-economic system. And, it's also possible to find true, everlasting love as we get older (or at least I hope so), but I believe only a few of us are able to find it because of our fears of being alone and our fears of heartbreak. It is these very fears that destroy the naive ideas of love that children are fed by Disney movies and romantic comedies and create relationships that are more compromise than compassion; are more appreciative than affectionate; and sometimes, are more in like than in love.

But, if there's anything that I learned from Elliot and Bowie [video above], it's that even though the world will do its best to crush our childish belief systems we should still hold on to as many dreams and desires of our childhood selves because it is in those foolish, naive, and silly moments that we were most happy. It is our young, juvenile understanding of what love should be that makes love such a worthwhile pursuit in the first place.

Even though we'll get older and kisses and hand-holding will be replaced with making out and marriage, let us thrive to enjoy all the little kisses we share with our partners and be just as ecstatic in our relationships as Elliot and Bowie are in theirs. Because, yes, it's foolish, childish, and possibly temporary, but at least it's pure and gentle and filled with love.

And if that doesn't help, maybe this story will remind you why it's okay to continue the good fight:

Batman Arkham City: Trailer

This might be the best trailer advertising Batman Arkham City, which, I might add, comes out tomorrow.

Comics: The Starfire Controversy [from a man's point of view]

From ComicsAlliance.com

The comic community has been debating about the representation of females in comics for as long as I can remember, but with September's relaunch of the DC Universe, the arguing has reached a level that is impossible to drown it out due to images like the one above. If you're not familiar, this character is Starfire. She is an alien from space who possesses super strength, flight, and energy projectiles. She used to look like this:


From ComicVine.com

Although she's always been a seductive character, she still had a personality and became incredibly popular with the 2003 cartoon Teen Titans. However, with the reboot, DC Comics has decided to make her more sexually liberated. From what I can only assume, they wanted Starfire to be more of a "Samantha" character rather than a "Charlotte" [Sex and the City reference]. Unfortunately, DC's attempt at doing this has sparked a huge fire within the comics world because there's a very big difference between being sexually aware/open/liberated and being a whore from a porn that teenage boys are watching behind closed doors:


From ComicsAlliance.com

As any educated reader can see, this isn't the sexual liberation that DC might have championed. Instead, the character comes off as one of those girls out of porn that happens to find a penis in their pizza and proceeds to blow the guy rather than slam the box on the delivery man's dick and pepper spray the shit out of him. Starfire isn't a genuine representation of anything other than the fantasies of DC's perceived target audience.

What DC forgot, though, was that when you parade your comic book relaunch so that new readers can sink their teeth into some of the most iconic characters of the modern age, anyone will read it including seven year old girls.

So what does this man think? I think Starfire, at this point in time, is a cheap way to get the male readers to come back for more. In the same way that Power Girl might have been gotten readers for her obscenely large breasts and money shots, Starfire will easily do the same. But what I hope is that Scott Lobdell and Kenneth Rocafort can do what Jimmy Palmiotti, Justin Gray, and Amanda Conner were able to do. Take an obviously sexual character, give her depth, and make her into strong, honest representations of a certain segment of women.

As it stands, however, Starfire isn't the ballsy character that Kim Catrall played on Sex and the City [if that's what Lobdell, Didio, Johns, and Lee were going for], and if they were going for just a "modern" female voice in a 30 year old character, they failed at that too. Because this first issue doesn't present even a shred of dignity in Starfire. She isn't someone that you can commend for her openness. She isn't someone you want to be. And really, she isn't even a hero. She's a one dimensional character that doesn't provide anything to the story [or the changing landscape of minority representation in comics]. All we're left with is a comic that we'll have to hide from our daughters and sons for two very different reasons.

[Read Laura Hudson's post at ComicsAlliance for a much more articulate critique]

Confirmation: I Live with a Girl

I love my roommates, and I'm so glad that I'm able to live with Megan--a friend from college who I know has goals and dreams and won't leech up all the electricity and not be able to afford it. It's a really great situation.

Except for when we're getting ready to go out.

Up until this point, I thought, "Wow! Living with Megan is great. There's not a single problem in the world!" And then the below conversation happen, and my epiphany plowed me over like a truck: I live with a girl!

7:48pm.

Me: So, I told Abbee we would be at her place at 9.
Her:Oh..I thought you said we were leaving at 9. I have to shower.
Me: Whoops. My bad. ^^;; oh well then we can leave whenever you’re ready.

(Author’s note) This is where I made my mistake. (/Author’s note)

Her: I’ll just leave with my hair wet.
Me: Okay, sounds good.

8:30pm.

Her: I’m going to straighten my hair.
Me: It’s cool. We’ll just leave a bit late. Maybe get there at 9:10, 9:15.

9:03pm.

Me: It’s nine o clock.
Her: My hair is only this much done [shows me a complete mess].
Me: Is that good?
Her: It’s like…half way.

9:10pm

Me: Yo. It’s 9:10
Her: I only have a little bit left! [shows me a more manageable mess and walks back toward the bathroom] I also have to put on make up.
Me: [Insert audible grumble]
Her: I’m going as fast as I can! I have a lot of f—-ing hair!

9:21pm

Me: [walks into her room and sees her putting on socks] Is this a good sign?! Are you almost ready to go?
Her: [venom-filled eye stare]

9:30

[we leave]

Writing: Thought Catalog

One of my best friends showed me a few articles on Thought Catalog that she felt mirrored our lives, and after slowly reading a few pieces every so often, I've quickly found myself reading at least one article every day on the subway. I believe this is the case because the articles, usually, have strong writing, and the writers are able to vocalize a lot of the internal dialogue I have with myself on a day-to-day basis. More importantly, certain authors (Ryan O'Connell, Stephanie Georgopulos, and Colette deVille to name a few) are able to shed new light on life, love, and the human experience. So what more can you ask for?

Here are a few of my favorite pieces to get you started:
1. Things To Remember When You're Single
2. I Just Broke Up With My Partner Of Five Years
3. A Letter To Your Crush
4. Reasons Why You Shouldn't Be Friends With Your Ex

Things I Want To Say To The People On The Subway

"Thank you, Music Man. Normally, I would call you a douche bag for blasting your music so incredibly loud that the entire train car can hear what you're listening to, but today was a long day. Today, was one of those days that made me question whether or not my life was passing me by. That one day I would wake up to go to work, and suddenly, I ten years would have passed me by, and I would have no idea what happened to the boy that wanted to 'change the world'. Hearing Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" at a volume that makes me question the long term endurance of your ear buds rejuvenated me for just a moment. It made me feel pride in my country, and it made me remember that no one should be able to question or condemn our choices to make us happy even if we are disturbing other people on the subway. More often than not, I will look at you with rage, but today, I give you a fist bump."

"Where are you going with that enormous suitcase? Since your monstrosity of a luggage has a perfectly minted white tag that says "SFO to JFK" it looks like you're a new resident to one of the greatest cities on Earth. So, what brought you here? Has this always been part of your post-undergrad plan or did you decide one day to pack up your whole life and move out here to figure out what you want to be? Did you watch too many movies and fall madly in love with an idea of what the Big Apple could be like? If so, what movies were they and has the harsh reality smashed through that fragile image like a wrecking ball through glass? Because behind all of the bright lights, great theater, and beautiful sites [and people], New York will bleed your bank account till there's not a drop of liquid left, and unless you have an immense amount of determination, it will take all of your hopes and dreams, kick you out when your year lease is done, and fill your spot with next bright-eyed, eager twenty-something looking to 'make it big'."

"You are wonderful. Judging from the sand pail, shovel, and neon green beach towel, you probably just took your boy to Coney Island. Also, since it's now 7PM and your son's head is resting on your lap, you probably spent the entire day running around and doing whatever you could to make him happy, and the fact that you're still doing your best to keep your eyes open so the two of you won't miss your stop is absolutely amazing. I wish I could give you a hug and a medal and tell you that these are the moments you and your son will cherish forever, and that when he's older and he argues with you and tells you, rather hastily, that he hates you, he will, in fact, always love you for taking him to the beach and building sand castles."

"What's your story? I don't really care about your name, age, religion, race, or anything that you might think I would care about unless it's actually relevant to your story. I really want to know who the person is behind the Kindle-reading, iPad-checking, music-listening wall that we have all consciously created so that no one bothers us. No judgment! I do it to, but I'm trying something new and maybe you could give me your story and tell me what brought you to this subway stop at this very moment? Why did you pick the seat that you picked? What music are you listening to? Why do you--or rather, society--feel that it's necessary to build walls to be left alone? Do you think that the world would be a better place if we looked up from what we were doing and smiled at one another? Read the signs above the seats that said 'Priority for Handicapped' and actually followed them? Do you think that if we just put down our eReaders, unplugged our iPods, and saw the world around us that we could see beautiful people that all have stories to tell but are too jaded to even give just an inch of who we are to another person in fear of being vulnerable? And do you think that if we just shared a fraction of who we are, where we're going, or where we've been that maybe we can see how we all struggle, how we all have bills to pay, and how we all are, in some form or another, looking for happiness? And do you think that if we could just begin this journey with a simple 'Hello' that maybe the world will be a better place? Or are you just really tired and want to be left alone?"