My Response (sorta) to Who Wants to Work in Comics?

Jim Mroczkowski over at iFanboy wrote a great post today about who wants to work in the comic industry. Specifically, after tweeting this:

wife got new budgeting software, is reacting like I would if Marvel called and said, "Hey, want to write Spider-Man for a couple years?"

He realized that writing Spider-Man might be horrible. He goes on to discuss how fans are always saying how they want to write/draw a book and be the next big comic breakout star. That the world's constant scrutiny is tremendous pressure for writers and artists. Well Jim (I hope I can call you Jim), I agree with you. It must be hard to be a writer or artist and deal with the crap that we, as fans and media outlets, put out there. Where you lost me is that I do want to work in comics. Just not as a writer or an artist.



I'm sure I'm not the only fan that wants to work in the industry but not on the creative side. Yet, whenever anyone talks about breaking into comics, us normals are ignored. I'm afraid that we are forgetting about all the people that make it possible for comics to come out and reach the public. Don't forget about them because without them, Dan Slott wouldn't be writing for us.

Jim, who knows what careers are available for you in comics. You never know what you could do, so don't discount it. I am an event planner, and I would love the chance to work in comics. Yes, I'm a fan but who cares? The closest I have come is this blog, on the fringes. So close and still so much fun! So next time someone tells you "I want to work in comics," keep an open mind. They might surprise you with their career path.

Sunday Links

Microsoft Paint is fun!

We are starting a new segment at [insertgeekhere] called Sunday Links. Each week, I'll provide you with some of the best stuff I have found on the web. A lot of these links are things that we have posted on our Facebook or Twitter pages, so if you want a sneak peek, go follow us there!

If you found something you want us to feature, email us at insertgeekhere@gmail.com.

This week's had two huge comic news stories:

First off was the announcement that Wizard Magazine was no more. They closed their doors on their print magazine while they get ready to move to an digital format. Wizard seems to be concentrating completely on their convention circuit at this time. With the announcement came posts about sadness, remembering all the people that got their start at Wizard and some juicy gossip about the closing.

Next big story for the week was the highly talked about death of a member of the Fantastic Four! We covered it in full, including an obituary and the review of Fantastic Four #587. iFanboy also had a great article about how the media spoiled it for the world.

MTV Geek brought me some laughs this week with their very naughty article,

10 Comic Book Characters Who Aren't Actually Wearing Any Clothes.

Geek to Me featured Geek∙Lee∙Tist∙ on his blog, to talk about how cliquey the geek community has gotten. It is a truly powerful article that deserves attention from all of us.

DC announced their upcoming, rock the universe event, Flashpoint. It will be comprised of a lot of one-shots and minis over the entire universe but will be centered on the character, The Flash. The Beat has a great write up about the few details released here.

To end things on a fun note,@SyFy released this Sharktopus plushie pic on twitter in anticipation of the dvd release. While I haven't seen the film yet, I want one!

See you next week!

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The Guardian Project Starts Today!

The Guardian Project comes to life today at the NHL All Star game, on the Versus Network at 4 pm ET. This will be the kick-off of the largest group of new superheroes in comic history. Each team has their very own hero, with unique abilities. With 30 original superheroes, Stan Lee has truly mastered a huge undertaking. Today, we get to see what the very first mission is that the Guardians undertake to protect the world.

My Hometown Team!

Over the past few weeks, they have been releasing photos of their heroes on the Guardian Project Facebook page. Video clips of the heroes have also been seen on the Versus network. Each of these Guardians have been designed by the great Neal Adams.

This new universe keeps sounding better and better, and I am getting more and more excited. Go check out The Guardian Project now!

Check out my coverage of The Guardian Project at NYCC 2010!

Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

Peace Out Wizard Magazine!

W is for the wonder you created in me.

I is for the information you gave.

Z is for being so darn zazzy (at least for a while).

A is for anticipation I had each month waiting for you.

R is for continually renewing my interest in comics when I struggled with being a teenaged girl who loved comics but felt like I was a freak for doing so.

D is for being done

As you all know by now, Wizard Magazine announced this past week that it was ceasing publication immediately. It was also shutting down ToyFare Magazine as well. Fans and industry professionals have reacted to this with mixed emotions. Some feel this was a long time coming and are glad it’s done, others are sad to see it gone. I find myself conflicted on how I feel about it.

I didn’t get into comics until I was in high school. My dad used to collect, so they were around me, but he never let me read them. I don’t even know how it happened but a girlfriend got me interested, and then my addiction took off. I collected everything I could; I was a back issue queen, but when I couldn’t afford to get them or I wanted to know more about an event I wasn’t collecting, I turned to Wizard.

Back then, Wizard was exciting because there weren’t any other publications that dealt with comics. Wizard was fricking awesome! I know there are a lot of people who disliked it for a variety of reasons, but for someone who was just discovering this world, Wizard was great because I got to learn more about different artists and writers and different comics. I learned about character histories and in a weird way, it made me feel less alone, because I really struggled with being a female geek. Other than my one friend, I didn’t have anyone to geek out with, not even guy friends, though they thought it was pretty cool. Wizard kept me in touch with the community.

As I got older, money became a big factor, and I had to stop collecting everything, including Wizard, because the prices were too high and my interest started waning as plots got more convoluted and weird and ridiculous, but it always made me smile to see a new issue of Wizard in the bookstores.

I don’t like what I have heard about how Wizard handled shutting down everything, and I really don’t know if they are going to make it as an online publication, but I’m going to mourn the loss of one of the few magazines that were out there for comic lovers and think of them fondly as I remember their almost perfect movie castings, the fan decorated envelopes, and my particular favorite, the Halloween Costume Contest. Man, I always planned on entering. I guess some things are not meant to be.

Thanks for the memories!

See what the industry is saying here and see what other online outlets are saying here and here, and go here to see the official statement of plans to come.

All New and Improved Video Friday!!!

After taking a break last week and mulling things over (and who doesn't like a good mulling), it's been decided that we're retooling Musical Friday and making it Video Friday instead. This doesn't mean we won't showcase musical videos we come across, but there are so many great non-musical videos out there we want to be able to include them too.


For starters, a much needed dose of Lego violence -





Special shout out to the geeks group on Facebook where this video was thrown up. Not to brag, but our group contains some of the best geeks around. They always share awesome stuff.


Next up is something that made me feel a little silly for including it, but this is something we've all done with our friends, and it's nice to see celebrities goofing off and being silly, especially when it's to The Backstreet Boys. So here's Selena Gomez and The Scene "covering" I Want It That Way.





Hmmm, now that I think of it, maybe I should have put the Lego violence after this one, for anyone who dislikes her. Oh well.


This is one of the cutest and most creative videos I've watched all week. Disney Pixar's Up if it had been made in the '60s.





I can definitely see this as a movie. Can't you?


Finally, a theme song for all the Nerdy Girls out there -





A special thanks to Jill Pantozzi, who introduced Amy Lee Radigan to the geeks group. This is Amy Lee's first youtube video, so I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.


This concludes our first Video Friday. Let us know what you think and if you see any great videos you want us to share, send them to us at insertgeekhere@gmail.com.


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Glee - The Substitute

The Substitute is like someone opened a window and delicious fresh air came in to revive the slowly stagnating show. Yeah, I know that was very flowery, but seriously, this episode was desperately needed. It was a return of the Glee of old.


The basic plot is Principal Figgins gets sick, thanks to a particularly "virulent strain of monkey flu," allowing Sue to use the extremely broad clauses in her contract to get herself into the Principal's seat. Will ends up getting sick himself, and after hallucinating the Glee club as children, he goes home sick, leaving the club to fend for themselves. Naturally, Rachel tries to take over, and Kurt, in an attempt to stop this, gets the popular substitute teacher, Holly Holiday, to take over Mr. Shue's Glee duties.

Can't handle the cuteness!

Everyone, including Sue Sylvester, falls in love with Holly Holiday, played with perfection by Gwyneth Paltrow. Everyone that is except Will, who ends up losing his job to Holly, because Sue just really hates him and his beautiful hair. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Holly is out of her depths because she is not used to dealing with the hard stuff, so Will gets his job back pretty quickly, and also learns how to loosen up a little bit with the Glee club.


That's the A-plot. The B-plots involve Mercedes feeling left out as Kurt pursues his new friendship with Blaine and as a way to deal, stages a Norma Rae type of protest when Principal Sue decides to ban tater tots. What I want to know is who in their right minds would ban tater tots?! They're tiny and delicious. 

Viva La Tots!!!

The other more interesting plot is while Will is very sick he turns to his ex-wife, Terri, for tender, loving care. They have an interesting exchange about how Terri preferred Will while he was weak, and Terri doesn't disagree. In fact, she agrees with him and reveals she's been going to therapy and taking meds. Will is initially a jerk to Terri because he didn't really want her there, but after she gave him his favorite sick movie to watch, he soften up and was much nicer to her, which unfortunately led to the "tender and loving" part of the care. He knows it was a mistake but Terri takes it as a sign they were getting back together, and when Will rejects her (in front of Holly), she gets pissed. Very pissed. Like you know she's going to do something messed up pissed. Kudos to Jessalyn Gilsig! She doesn't get nearly enough credit for playing Terri. Terri is an anxious, manipulative, crazy, vindictive, insecure, unsure, yet oddly caring person. She has so many layers, most of them awful, yet Jessalyn manages to give her some likability. That's extremely hard to do. Anyway, one can't help but feel that Terri will be back soon to cause many more problems for Will, and I can't wait to see how she does it.


Now let's talked Gwyneth and the music. There was a lot of concern and confusion when word about Paltrow's involvement hit the news. For some reason, a lot of people seem to dislike her and didn't know if she could sing. I won't touch the first part other to say I've never had a problem with her, but I was excited to hear her sing. I've known for a long time she had pipes because she did that odd movie, Duets, with her father, Bruce Paltrow, some years ago and showed off how well she could sing. Many people will probably agree that this is a career highlight for Gwyneth because not only was she great as Holly Holiday, but she also managed to sway some of the haters into liking her. She really owned the role. I can't wait for when she comes back.

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?

The music was stellar for this episode. There's a great song and dance scene with Matt Morrison and Harry Shum, Jr. to "Make 'Em Laugh" from Singin' in the Rain. But it was Gwyneth who stole the show. They made her work! She covers (too briefly) "Conjunction Junction" from Schoolhouse Rock, does "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" from Chicago with Lea Michele, a fantastic mash-up of Rihanna's "Umbrella" and "Singin' in the Rain" with Matt and the cast, but the standout performance goes to her rendition of Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You." Yes, it's the clean version, but that doesn't matter because it's so awesome you can't help but play it over and over again. It's gotten such good reviews, Cee-Lo and Gwyneth are going to be recording a new version of it. If there's a Glee song worth buying, it's this one.

Make 'Em Laugh

This was one of the strongest episodes to date. The bullying of Kurt was not forgotten, there was a scene between him and Karofsky where he threatened Kurt's life if he told anyone about the kiss, but it took a backseat to everything else. It was a good thing because it set us up for the next episode and it gave us a break from how heavy the show had become. This is probably my favorite episode of season two so far. We'll see how the rest of the season goes. Til then... here's Gwyneth Paltrow and the cast of Glee with Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You." Adieu!





Check out all of our GLEE reviews here!

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Review: Fantastic Four #587

MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR 
Spoilers Ahead!!!

Where it all began

As you've seen, we've already written the obit, but what about the issue itself? Is it a just and fitting end to Johnny Storm aka The Human Torch?

A little background first - I'm a Marvel Girl. While I started getting into DC a few years ago, Marvel is what I always come back to. It's like an old friend. X-Men are my primary group, but for a good while, I was collecting all X-titles, Avengers, Spider-Man, and the Fantastic Four, with the random Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, etc. thrown in, depending on what major event was happening. Lack of funds and convoluted storylines caused me to scale back considerable, but I've always tried to stay informed about what was going on with Marvel Universe.

I'm a little sad to say The Fantastic Four were not as interesting to me as Spider-Man or the Avengers, yet I've always had a major soft spot for Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm. I loved them together, as well as when they went on individual adventures. When I heard they were going to kill one of the Four I didn't really believe it. We all know no one truly stays dead in the MU, but the thought of one of them dying kinda sucked. For some reason I wouldn't allow myself to think it would be Ben or Johnny, though deep down I knew they were the logical choice. Even my dad, who gave up reading comics in the 80's, said it was going to be one of them, probably Johnny.

So how was it? I bought the issue without knowing what's been going on the last few issues, so it's a little confusing. Reed is off trying to save a planet from Galactus (when isn't he?), Sue is under water dealing with political situations with Namor (surprise, surprise), and Johnny and a de-powered Ben are trying to fix a breach in the Negative Zone portal, with the help of the Future Foundation, which includes the Richards' kids, Franklin and Val (is Franklin ever going to age?) and a couple of my old favs, Artie and Leech.

I'll be honest, Reed's story held no interest for me because I didn't have a clue what was happening, but Sue was awesome! She somehow becomes a Queen of the Ul-Uhari (?), and she declares them under her protection from Namor. Namor being Namor, tries to argue with her in a prickish manner, so she knocks him down, and when he gets all pissed about it, she puts him in his place. *Side note - Another reason I gave up on FF was that I really hated how weak Sue was portrayed. She just seemed like the team's weakest link and like a pushover. It was fantastic to see Sue being strong and in charge, and I can't help but smile whenever I hear or read a woman say, "And I'm a queen that bows to no king." Can't help that.

On to the important story - I won't go into all the details because that would take away some of its power, but Johnny, Ben and the kids need to close the portal and are having difficulty. It was damaged and they need to go over to the Negative Zone to manually close it. They can't close it and all make it back; someone needs to stay, and you know who makes the choice. Johnny makes his Stand, and it is beautiful.

What makes this a great issue is even without knowing and fully understanding all that was going on, my heart broke. Reed and Sue's stories helped set up future plots, but Johnny's story is very accessible. You understand the sacrifice he's making and why.

Jonathan Hickman wrote a great script and Steve Epting, while I didn't always like how he portrayed Johnny (felt he looked a little too old), perfectly captures Johnny's essence, creates one of my absolute favorite pages with Ben, Johnny and Franklin working together, and those last few pages nearly killed me. He captured the strength and love of Ben and Johnny's friendship, Valerie's determination to get him back, and the agony on Ben's face as he watches Johnny before the portal closes. I take it back, it broke me and my heart. Each time I look at those final pages I tear up.

If the Human Torch is going to go out, this is how it should be, but the thought of never seeing him say "FLAME ON" is not something I am comfortable with. I understand there is a much bigger arc in store for the Fantastic Three, but this is one case where I really do hope the dead rise, in a non-zombie or vampire way, and once again, we get to enjoy the antics and heroics of Johnny Storm. Until then, I guess I'm going to be keeping a much closer eye on the Fantastic Three to see how they carry on.

We'll miss you, Johnny

What did you think of the issue? Did it do Johnny justice or would you have liked to have seen something different?

V is pissing me off.

RANT ALERT!!

But not for the reasons you think. As you may remember, I'm a big V fan. I enjoyed the show's first season immensely. However, Warner Bros., who produces V, is ruining Season 2 for me.

I was so excited about the premiere. The spoiler clips I saw at NYCC this year were great, and the cast seemed so excited with what's to come. However, the night of the premiere, life got in the way and I missed it. Now I wasn't worried, I knew that I could watch it online. I waited until I had a chance to go on hulu to check it out.

Little did I know that Warner pulled the streaming rights for the show. Not even ABC can show it on their player. I even resorted to trying to get it illegally, but I all I got was a stinkin' virus.



Now, I'm no expert, but if you have a show on the bubble, don't you want to make it available to fans, not to mention, potential new viewers? It seems a little backwards to me to cut off fans. And this happening after the Buffy movie drama makes me think that Warner Bros is out to kill everything I love. Not that I'm paranoid......

Please Warner Bros. GIVE ME BACK MY V!

Rest in Peace, Fantastic Four's......

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Jonathan Lowell Spencer "Johnny" Storm, aka The Human Torch of the Fantastic Four, was killed today in an epic battle to save humanity from the creatures of the Negative Zone. He was instrumental in closing the barrier and protecting us all. Storm was known for all the good he accomplished since receiving his powers. He truly lit the way for Justice and Decency throughout the world and inspired so many.

"He was my hero." says 5-year old Ricky Jackson.

He is survived by his teammates Reed Richards, Ben Grimm and sister Sue Storm Richards.

Fantastic Four will never be
the same without you.

Glee - Never Been Kissed

Is it bad that as important its message and as well acted as it was, this episode doesn't really do it for me?

Never Been Kissed's main plots focus on Kurt and Coach Beiste. Karofsky's harassment of Kurt has been steadily increasing and causing Kurt to start to crack under the pressure, while Coach Beiste finds out several of the boys and Tina have been imagining her in compromising positions in order to cool down when they're with their significant others. The minor plots revolve around Puck getting out of juvie and declaring Artie his "community service," and Mr. Shuester setting up another boys vs. girls mash-up competition.

There are many great moments in this episode such as Coach Beiste, as the unlusty star in the gang's fantasies, is hilarious. Seriously, Dot-Marie Jones should get an Emmy nom for this episode. She's just amazingly funny, but when Beiste discovers the truth, Jones is just heartbreaking. Her speech at the end of the show was so painful but honest. Granted, the lines felt a little cheesy and predictable, but Jones made them work.

Other highlights include the introduction of Blaine, Kurt's new crush, as the adorable, older student at rival school, Dalton Academy. Darren Criss is wonderful as he lightly flirts with Kurt (you know he was  when he was singing Teenage Dream) and then helping support Kurt as he confronts Karofsky. Darren Criss and Chris Colfer have great chemistry together, and I'm excited to see how their friendship develops and whether it develops into something more.

The big revelations of the episode were Coach Beiste and Kurt had never been kissed until this episode and who did the kissing. For Coach Beiste, it was Will Schuester coming to the rescue to help her get past this, so she can move on and go forward with her life. If that sounded a little over the top or sarcastic, it is, because while Dot-Marie Jones was lovely during this scene, as I said before, it felt cheesy.

For Kurt, however, his first kiss was more traumatizing than liberating. In an intense moment during a confrontation between him and Karofsky, Karofsky grabs Kurt and kisses him. It's brutal and filled with anger, and I think left most people surprised.

Overall, this is an episode that should have left me emotional in some way, but other than a few moments,  I was left mostly cold. The acting was great. Chris Colfer once again knocked it out of the park, as I said before, Dot-Marie Jones was wonderful, Darren Criss - loveable, and Karofsky -violently self loathing and angry, but the writing was just rough. I think they've been laying on the bullying too heavily. I know this is the reality for far too many kids, but in an ensemble comedic show, there needs to be a balance and they tried to do it with the Coach Beiste plot and the Puck gets out of juvie sub-plot, but it wasn't balanced, and I feel like it hurt the episode rather than enhance it.

That said, the music was awesome. It was another boys vs. girls mash-up competition with the twist of the boys doing girl songs and the girls doing boy songs. The girls got to rock out with a mash-up of Livin' on a Prayer and Start Me Up, though Quinn's bandana and Rachel's hamming it up with the mic made me laugh. The boys, as a form of apology to Coach Beiste, were a little more old school with Stop! In the Name of Love and Free Your Mind. It was an unexpected combination that worked perfectly and in my opinion, won the competition for the boys.

Puck and Artie sang One Love (People Get Ready), and while it was a nice performance, it was really random and made little sense. But it was a lot fun and made me wish I could have done something like that when I was in high school.

Standout performance, however, goes to the boys at Dalton Academy. Darren Criss and the Warblers singing Teenage Dream is one of my all-time favorite Glee performances. It was just perfect. Rather than explain what made it so perfect, I'm just going to show you. Enjoy!

I never wanted to be a part of an acapella group so badly. Looks like so much fun.

So once again Glee offers us an uneven episode, but it shows signs of improvement. I'd say this was good, not great, but definitely better than the Rocky Horror ep.

Review: Being Human (US Series)

SyFy is at it again with a reimagining of the popular British drama, Being Human. This show is about the lives of three roommates, all dealing with surviving and thriving while they learn about being good people. Also, they are a vampire, werewolf and ghost.

The US version is starring Sam Witwer as Aiden, Sam Huntington as Josh and Meaghan Rath as Sally. It premiered on Monday night and I did enjoy it. I probably would be writing only glowing, happy thoughts if I didn't have the original to compare it to. I have only seen a few episodes from the British one, but you can see the differences. The pilot for both shows has the same basic premise but starts off with differences. In the British one, you jump right in to the story, feeling almost that this show has been on for seasons and you had been left behind. The US version provides more of an intro to the characters, even showing how the guys, Aiden and Josh, meet Sally. The US version also adds more emotion and suspense, like the episode cliffhanger.

Aiden, the vampire, and Josh, the werewolf, are a great duo. These guys play off each other really well, especially in the moving in montage. Throughout the episode, they provide each other with great stability and a family setting. They are similar in a lot of ways to their British counterparts. Aiden is a calm, cool guy that has a dark past we get a glimpse at. Witwer really brings the struggles of addiction to light when we see him deal with killing Rebecca and then facing Marcus in the hospital. Josh is a nervous, scared guy who seems awkward around everyone. He needs to learn to accept who he is and I think he will be entertaining to watch through this process. I like the addition of Josh's sister, who is a new addition from the British show. She adds a new element to his character, plus a lot of new story lines.

Sally is the only one that seems different from her predecessor, Annie. Annie is more independent and sassy than Sally, not to mention she can touch things and leave the house. However, we are seeing Sally at the beginning of her journey, so hopefully her character will grow into a stronger force. All the characters show more emotion, which is decidedly American.

I'm excited to see where they head with this series. The best part of the original series is the character development, and I feel they have really captured that. I do hope that they move away sooner than later from the original story and create something great that stands on its own, without comparison.

Midseason Musings

I don't know about you but I watch a lot of television. A lot. I might even be considered a "television junkie." With many shows in reruns for another week or so, now seemed like a good time to take a quick look at the shows, new and old, and see how they're doing.

American Dad - I don't like American Dad as much as Family Guy, but I like it more the The Cleveland Show. It doesn't wow me but it's fun. I really liked the Christmas episode. I enjoyed angry, wrathful Santa.

Bones - I've been a little ambivalent about it the last few seasons. It's felt a little too formulaic, but I think they have revived the show a little by deepening the character relationships. The most recent episode was one of their strongest because it forced Bones to examine her life and allowed her to have a few necessary breakthroughs.

Castle - I love Castle. I love Nathan Fillion. There's very little I don't think he can do (except maybe rap like NPH). I think some of his considerable talents are wasted on Castle, but I like seeing him as a lighter  character. The show itself keeps growing. The supporting cast is getting more developed, and that's fantastic because all of them are wonderful. I would like to see more of a story arc than just the average standalone procedural.

Chuck - Linda Hamilton. How awesome is she? I love her inclusion this season. It's deepened the mythology and lead to some hilarious and heartbreaking episodes. I love that Casey is learning to navigate fatherhood (sort of) and that Sarah and Chuck have been dealing with genuine relationship issues while working together. It's these type of stories that help keep the show grounded.

The Cleveland Show - It's okay. Occasionally there will be something that makes me laugh, like "It's a Great Pancake. Cleveland," but mostly, I watch it in the morning when I'm having breakfast and just want a little something to watch.

CSI - I miss the Grissom years but Laurence Fishbourne has been embraced. It's a show that had its peak and is now slowly going downhill, but it still has some life left to it.

CSI: Miami - Not only has it felt stale but it pissed me off recently, when out of nowhere, without any context to the storyline, religion was brought into the episode, and Horatio went to visit his dead wife on her birthday. It was awkward, weird, and left a bad taste in my mouth.

CSI: New York - Not as stale as Miami but definitely feeling a little stiff. The addition of Sela Ward was brilliant. She's given the show some extra life. What kills me about this show is this is the show where they should spend a little more time of the relationships and not just the crimes. The writers created all these interactions and then rarely go anywhere with them. It just leaves you dangling and not in a good way.

The Event - I have tried to get into it. I hear it's gotten better but it started off soooo slowly and felt like it didn't have a clue what kind of show it wanted to be. I stopped watching after five episodes. I'm going to go and try to finish it but so far, I'm unimpressed.

Family Guy - This season started off strong with the Clue-like murder mystery, then became a little uneven, and got better with Brian and Stewie and emaciated Santa. Sometimes I think Seth MacFarlane is at his best when he's writing the longer episodes. Other times, I just think Seth is nuts.

Fringe - I had to give Fringe up last season because of time constraints, but I started watching again and I'm so glad I did. It was risky to alternate between the two universes, but it has worked out brilliantly. Even with missing last season, I was able to just jump right back into the world and understand what was going on. This is one of the few shows I get excited about seeing.

Glee - See other posts for my opinion on it because there is not enough space for my thoughts on it.

Grey's Anatomy - I was sucked into Grey's about four years ago and I've sporadically watched since. Last season's finale was definitely "Must See TV" but other than the first few episodes of this season, I haven't been impressed. It feels tired, but the most recent episodes have gotten stronger and are starting to suck me back in... at least for a little while.

Hawaii Five-O - One of the few new shows I've fallen in love with. Smart writing, strong cast, good action and a gorgeous location. I would like them to develop Kono more, but other than that, it's a solid show.

Human Target - It's a fun show. I thoroughly enjoy it and by adding a couple of strong females to the cast, including their new benefactor/boss, they've taken the show to a new level of hilarity. It's got great action, interesting situations and characters and funny. It's the whole package without taking itself too seriously. What more can you ask for in a show?

Lie To Me - Sometimes feels a little formulaic but I love this show. Strong writing, fairly interesting stories, great cast and Tim Roth always keeps it interesting because I never know what to expect from him and as a wannabe performer, it's really fun to watch and study on-screen.

The LXD - If you haven't seen it on Hulu, go now and watch. The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers is just that - extraordinary. It has a cohesive storyline, and while the acting is sometimes cheesy or stiff, it doesn't matter because that's not why you watch the LXD. The dancing is amazing. All the gravity defying moves are 100% the dancers, no wires or anything like that. It's beautiful to watch.

NCIS - Keeps holding steady. It's well written and well acted. I like how they are delving into the other characters' pasts like using Tony's father or dealing with Ziva's daddy issues. I hear there will soon be an Abby-centric episode as well as a flashback to Tony's days as a Baltimore cop and his first meeting with Gibbs. It's definitely one of the shows I really look forward to each week and watch the reruns often when they are on USA.

NCIS: Los Angeles - Started off rocky but steadily improving. I really like the unexpected team of Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J. They just work so well. Adding Deeks and sending Nate away helped smooth out some of the bumps and Linda Hunt's Hetty is hilariously terrifying, though sometimes I think they lay it on a little too thick. I love Hetty but it gets a little one note after a while.

No Ordinary Family - I like it but I don't watch it regularly. I'm still playing catch up with it. It's cute. I think they are still finding their footing. I really the focus on how the family struggles to maintain a normal life with the powers. Only one of them is really interested in using his powers in a heroic way, while the others are just trying to adjust and figure out why they got them. One thing I found annoying was how they all got powers that were exactly what they needed like the son with the possible learning disability got brain powers. Just a little too convenient for my tastes, but this is one of the new shows I hope sticks around for a few seasons. There's still a lot of potential with it.

Private Practice - The show really came into its own with the Charlotte King rape plot. It forced everyone to step up their game, from the writers to the cast, and everyone delivered. As I said earlier, KaDee Strickland has been simply beautiful this season. There are a few stories that as bland or feel tired, such as the current Addison wanting a baby story, and I really hope they can find a story for Naomi because right now, as much as I adore Audra McDonald (they really need to get her to sing on the show), she doesn't have much to do and frankly, I wouldn't miss her if she left the show. Overall, the show has been really strong and if you haven't watched it before, this is the season to give it a shot.

The Simpsons - They're like an addiction I can't quit. We all know the show is tired and will eventually have to end, but until then I continue to be a loyal viewer. Occasionally, they have a really good episode, the kind that reminds me of the first few seasons, but more often than not, it's nothing special.

Supernatural - I <3 this show way too much. It's like crack for me. Hot guys driving across the country, in an awesome car, killing evil beings? I'm there. Supernatural is reminds of Buffy because it often gets mocked and overlooked, but it's a show filled with great stories and great characters and at the heart of it, it's about two brothers and the trials they go through in order to keep their family together. Plus the writers are not afraid to laugh at themselves and pop culture or break the fourth wall, which always leads to fun times. If you don't believe me, check out the season 5 episode, Changing Channels.

The Walking Dead - See group review for that.

So these are the shows I watch on a regular basis. After tallying the number up, I find myself a little scared at the amount of TV I watch. This doesn't even count the midseason or off-season shows like So You Think You Can Dance and The Cape or the shows I watch sporadically like The Big Bang Theory, Raising Hope and Nikita (recommend them all). You might have noticed these are mostly network shows, and there's a good reason for that. I don't have cable so most of my watching has to be network tv or what I can easily access on the interwebs. I know there are amazing cable shows out there like Dexter, Sons of Anarchy, White Collar, Breaking Bad and Mad Men. Eventually I will get to see those shows. Until then, I'd love to know your thoughts on the current season and if you can recommend any shows, I will gladly give them a shot.

Review: The Green Hornet

In most stories there is a beginning, a middle and an end. The Green Hornet however, is different. There was a something that could be a beginning, some daddy issues, an explosion, some back story, and then they drive a car in a building and out a window. While the action was fun, this movie just failed to impress me.

The Walking Dead Marathon and Review!!!

The Walking Dead is one of the biggest shows of the year, which can been seen in the slew of nominations it has been receiving. AMC is even doing a marathon of Season One on January 18-19. In honor of that, we are *finally* posting our reviews of the series.

@Wysefyre's review

I became interested in The Walking Dead comics shortly after this year's San Diego Comic Con. The buzz around the show was so great, I had to see what everyone was talking about. I still feel a little silly for not knowing about this amazing series. I devoured the TPBs and then, when I finished getting caught up, trepidation sunk in because I didn't know if the television series would live up to the comics. Needless to say, my fears were unfounded.

In six episodes, I fell in love with The Walking Dead all over again. I love how true to the comics the show was, while also veering off the story's original path to add new twists to the mythology. I really liked a lot of the new characters, such as Merle and Daryl, I liked keeping Shane around a little longer, and I liked the trip to the CDC. I think the small break for the survivors was needed. They needed to remember what having luxuries such as hot water was like, that way when it's taken away from them, it hurts all the more (yeah, I like them being tortured. It's part of the fun.)

That said there were a few things I didn't like, starting with Shane. As I said in my midseason post, I was worried about how they were going to deal with Shane. I like the idea of keeping him around for a little bit because in the comics, you don't get to really care about him, but at the same time, I really want this particular storyline finished. I want them to move on to the next arc because I want all the great character development that comes with it.

The inclusion of the CDC was smart of the writers. The survivors were in Atlanta, so why wouldn't they go to the CDC? What I didn't like about it was Jenner telling the group that it was a worldwide occurrence. I had naturally assumed that, but by outright saying it, it kills potential storylines because it killed hope. They now know there's no way to gain answers, not that we really want those answers anyway, but watching them struggle to find them would have been interesting.

I'm also opposed to the end of Jacqui's story. I get why she did what she did, but she was a poorly developed character, and it felt like the only reason they resolved her story like that was to simply get rid of her. It reminded me of Grey's Anatomy a little bit. Grey's had too many characters so they had someone enter the hospital and kill a bunch of people. What's the point? There would have been more emotional resonance if it had been T-Dog, another new poorly developed character, but he was developed better than Jacqui. Seriously, what did she do other than know how to get to the sewers?

Overall, I love the show. I look forward to see what other twists they throw at us, and I want to know how long before we get to meet Michonne. It wouldn't be TWD without her, so she needs to get introduced soon. Can season two get here already?

@Wilderowens Review

Unlike the other members of [insertgeekhere], I have only read the first issue of The Walking Dead. Now, before you stone me, I will tell you why. Zombies terrify me and this show didn't help that at all. I mean, I was hallucinating zombies walking down the street! It was bad and I really wish I was kidding.

Despite my fears, I did enjoy the show. I even watched it twice. The story really pulled me in and kept me simultaneously terrified and excited. Towards the end, I did feel like the plot was a little rushed. This could be due to the short six episode season. I am still excited to see where they head from here. With the whole world available to you, yet deadly at every turn, where would you head toward?

I especially enjoyed the character interactions. Each actor really embraced their character role in a way that made me connect with them. Shane had this down, with his alpha role in the group and his girl. He really showed how power-hungry he was when the one person who always outshines him showed up. When Jacqui stayed behind with Dr. Jenner in the CDC, I could understand her wanting to end the struggle. I am curious if we will see any of the characters that left the show but may still be alive.

All in all, I enjoyed the show and will recommend it to all. I even promise to finally read it and try to get over my fears. *runs and hides

Musical Friday - Remembering January's Fallen Broadway Shows

Broadway suffered very heavy losses this month. Twelve shows have closed since January 2 with at least two more scheduled by the end of the month. I can't remember the last time so many shows closed in a month, so we're going to honor a few.


First up, Promises, Promises





Promises, Promises is based on the film, The Apartment, and has music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and book by Neil Simon. You might recognize a few of the songs, especially if you're a Gleek. And how could you not like a show starring Jack MacFarland, Carl Bruner (Ghost) or Tarzan, depending on age, and Glinda/April Rhodes? 


Next, West Side Story

Written by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (his Broadway debut), West Side Story is loosely based on Romeo and Juliet. One of the most interesting aspects of this revival is not only did Arthur Laurents direct it, but to help make it more authentic, the production team wove Spanish into the book and lyrics.

And finally, my personal favorite, because I just can't let this show go... In the Heights

This is the first soundtrack I had that made me cry before I saw the show. I've gotten a little teary during shows but that's while watching them. What's unique about In the Heights is just how much emotion comes across, both on the stage and in the soundtrack. Part of the reason for that is, instead of sticking the performers in the booths while recording, they were all put together where the orchestra normally plays, so the cast could play off each other, as you can see in the above.


So let's bid a fond farewell to In the Heights, Little Night Music, La Bete, Free Man of Color, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Fela, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Brief Encounter, West Side, Elf: The Musical, Pee-Wee, and Promises Promises. Thank you to the casts and crews of the shows. You will be missed. Until we meet again...

Review: The Day After and Other Stories by Wil Wheaton @wilw

Did you know that Wil Wheaton came out with a book of short stories? I got my hands on a copy of The Day After and Other Stories a few weeks ago and just got the chance to sit down and really enjoy it. It was part of a very short release in December, and I am so happy I bought it for two reasons.

One: It's wicked good.
Two: I got a tweet from Wil himself!!!!!!

Yep, so here is the story. When I bought it, I got a very nice automated email from Wil, thanking me for buying his book. So of course, I tweeted this:




To which I got this as a response:




Needless to say, I fell off my chair, then babbled incoherently for about twenty minutes. I did handle it better than I thought I would, especially after my first Wheaton encounter.

Oh yeah...so since this is a review, I should probably talk about the book. The Day After and Other Stories has four short stories, ranging in size and topic. Despite what I anticipated, these were not all sci-fi/fantasy stories. The element that ties the book together is that these are people stories. Each tale, no matter the length, touches upon the human condition. The title story, The Day After, is a zombie survivor story. One kid is trying to deal with his realization that his world is gone forever and there is no going back. Frankly, this story freaked me out but in that good way. You know, when you feel that connection to the characters. My favorite part is that he gives an intro for each story and his reasoning for writing it. One story, Language Barriers, is based on a conversation he overheard one day. Another story, Room 302, is based on a photo that a friend gave him. He even manages to bring his love of poker into a touching story about a bar patron called Poor Places.



In the intro for the book, Wil Wheaton says that he wrote this for his fans that wanted him to write more fiction. Well, the only fiction works of yours that I have read are this and The Last Unicorn (Pegasus Kitten) from Clash of the Geeks. Mr. Wheaton, I have to agree with them. You have great talent for drawing a person into a story and you should explore that.

Sadly, The Day After and Other Stories is no longer available, but I'm sure if enough people tweet him about it, he will cave to your demands. The Mob Shall Not Be Ignored! Until then, you should check out his bookstore, where he sells other literary delights!

Review: Batman Beyond #1

This issue is important. Very, very important. Why, you ask? Because this is the very first DC comic I have ever bought. *Fun shout out to a fan - TheCBGuy was surprised too.

I have said it before, Marvel and DC have too much background for a later in life comic reader. I tend to stick to series that I can embrace without reading 20+ years of work. I'm not saying that it's bad, just way too overwhelming for me. What ultimately drove me to buy this was my childhood. Batman Beyond was one of my favorite cartoons. If I was going to date an animated fictional character, it would be Terry. I still listen to the soundtrack, and I've got the series box set on my Amazon Wish List. So when I saw this on the Previews upcoming releases list, I was *mildly excited* to say the least.

I was somewhat pleased with the start of this new series. The writer, Adam Beechen, gave a decent intro to this world and in the first few pages, introduced us to many of the key and new characters. In this is a 3-issue arch, we get a brand new villain rather than an old standard character. This villain also doesn't really want to be a villain, so I'm not sure where this will go. I am hopeful that we will get some of the villains I remember from the past. The addition of the futuristic Justice League kinda threw me. I really wanted to read about Terry and Bruce's fight, not all of these other heroes. Hopefully, the next arch gives me some of the things I remember from the series.

The art is spot-on to what I remember of the show. Ryan Benjamin & John Stanisci are splitting the work. I feel that they really captured what the story was and brought that to the book. I am torn by the cover. It is nice and pretty but at the same time, kinda boring.

I still have to read the small Batman Beyond series that came out prior to this one but I will continue to read this. I am hopeful that it will turn into one of my favorite comics, and it has given me a chance to break into the DC Universe. The best thing this book did was make me want to rewatch the original show.

Musical Friday - Make Mine Marvel

If you haven't heard, there have been some exciting developments at Marvel this week - Tom Brevoort was promoted to Senior Vice President of Publishing and Axel Alonso was named Editor-in-Chief. With Joe Quesada moving up to Chief Creative Officer, this is going to bring forth a new age of Marvel (cue dramatic music). Completing the trifecta of Marvel family news, Stan "The Man" Lee received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To celebrate, we're dedicating this week to all things Marvel.


For Major Brevoort -





What I like about this video is that it manages to capture the intensity and scope of the story in just a few minutes while leaving you wanting more.


For Colonel Alonso -





 Who would have thought Wolverine's Theme to be so mellow and Jewel-like?


And for Generalissimo Lee - 





I think Spider-Man's animated evolution coupled with The Ramones is a wonderful way to illustrate the long journey Monsieur Lee has been on. He keeps getting bigger and better and rocks hard!


Congratulations everyone! You deserve it and we can't wait to see what you do next. 

Half a Review: The Cape

Last night, thanks to the awesome people at DC and NBC, I was able to preview the first hour of the two-hour series premiere for The Cape. According to Mashable, only iPad users were able to watch it, after downloading the DC Comics app (so happy I got an iPad for the holidays! Squeeee!). The video streaming wasn't great and I have a good connection. If you try to watch it on your iPad, be patient.



The Cape stars David Lyons, who I remember from the last few seasons of ER, as Vince Faraday. He is the hero cop who gets pulled into the city corruption by the mysterious Orwell, played by Firefly alum Summer Glau. They both perform their parts to the best of their abilities, which is outstanding. James Frain really stole the show as the supervillain Chess. He could switch on and off the creepy but you always felt that he was not quite right.

I have to admit, this show reminds me of the plot of a few hero tales. The whole plot takes place in Palm City, which reminds me of Gotham from Batman Begins, with corruption in every level of government. Vince Faraday, the good detective (a la Jim Gordon from Batman Begins) seems to want to believe in his fellow cops but after the Police Chief goes boom, he decides he has had enough. His best friend, Marty, convinces him to join the private company that's taking over the police department. Yeah, if it had been called OCP and a cyborg walked in, I wouldn't have been surprised.


Instead, enter Peter Flemming/Chess, a billionaire by day and villain by night or whenever he gets bored. Well, Marty and Chess betray Vince when he asks questions and frame him as a super villain. They think Vince dies but he is saved by a criminal circus troupe. Yes, I just said Criminal Circus Troupe. Now, before you roll your eyes and stop reading... they are freaking hysterical. I would watch a show just about them! Faraday hides with them to protect his family from Chess while he trains to become the Cape, his son's favorite superhero. He teams up with Orwell, who has a techno-filled garage just to help stop crime. They work to stop Chess, but he gets away in the end until next week.

Despite all of the borrowing of plot points, I really enjoyed it. The creator, Tom Wheeler, took everything I loved from superhero stories and rolled it into one great hour. I enjoy this superhero who uses illusion and some cloth to fight crime. Does it have some campy flair? Of course, but superhero stories need that, and this show has a lot of potential to grow. I will continue to tune in.

The Cape two-hour series premiere is January 9th at 9/8c on NBC.


Thanks to capesite.net for some of these great photos. They also have a great interview with the creator, Tom Wheeler here.