Macbeth is officially "no," BTW. (Thanks for the call, CF, it meant a lot to hear from you.) Silence on Streetcar, which would be fine if they hadn't said they would be contacting "everyone" by Friday. I really don't need to get a polite no, but when they say they'll call...
Anyway.
I there's some stuff coming up that would be fun, and I can put energy there.
It's always been my intention to do another show with New Millennium Theatre Company, so that's probably my main target right now. Good group of people. Fun, energetic work. I did a show called Shakesploitation II: Iambic Boogaloo with them a couple of years ago, and had a great time. Always wanted to go back and do another, but the schedules never worked right. This leaves me wide open to audition.
I'm sure Chad, their Artistic Director, will take me to task for using them as a "backup plan," and complain about how much I "hate" them....blah, blah, blah...I think he's having a "curmudgeon contest" with me.
What happened to us, Chad? *sniff* I remember last summer, in San Diego, out behind the convention center, you in your Comedian costume, me in my jeans. I thought we had bonded, man! I thought we had something special! What happened to the love!?!
;)
What I really ought to do is get back to some music. I haven't played my guitar anywhere near enough in the last couple of months. I've got pages and pages of lyric ideas, and I've started on songs about 10 times. I always end up deleting them. I get frustrated with the limits of my drum machine, and my ability to program it.
What I really OUGHT to do is sit down an figure out how to program the damn thing. That's what I ought to do. I have dreams of getting a decent electronic drum kit, so I can record easily, and bring in drummers. Or, God help us all, work on my own skills.
I mean, I can barely play the guitar! Now I'm talking about drums?
LOL
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, when the weekend seems so close, yet so far...
So, yeah.
No word on my auditions from anyone remotely official. I know some people have gotten the "no thanks" calls for both. I, to date, have not. Really, at this point, I gotta just think that I won't be doing either.
Maybe I'm a back-up for first choices. That would explain why I haven't heard. That's fine, but I just can't imagine that they haven't at least offered the roles to somebody if people I know have gotten the "next time" call.
No biggie. We roll on. I mean, yeah, I'd have loved to do either show, no doubt, but you know what Jagger said.
For the record, I read for Macduff in Macbeth, and Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire. I can tell you now because it's over, and I don't feel like it will jinx me. LOL! I felt I did the best I could, in the circumstances, with both. That's all I can ask of myself. After that, as I've said, it's all a question of taste.
I can't help it if they have no taste... ;)
(And, yes, that is a JOKE)
Anyway...
Thinking about Wednesday Comics. I still love the series, but I would offer the following constructive criticism. One; 15 is too many features per week. Seriously, I think you could cut the cost of the thing by a bit if you only had seven.
The Wonder Woman strip just smacks of a creator who has no clue how to deal with just having one page. The panels get tiny, which sorta defeats the purpose of the "large artwork" selling point, as he tries to stuff more and more story into that one page. The coloring makes it all muddy, and it's just not compelling in any way.
Palmiotti and Conner have it down pat with their Supergirl feature. It works like a daily gag strip, yet it's building a longer storyline. It only takes about a minute to read, but it's consistantly funny, and I eagerly await what they'll pull off next time.
Joe and Andy Kubert also have a winner with the Sgt. Rock offering. Kubert's such an old pro, he knows how to make each and every panel pop. Master class stuff.
The Gaiman/Allred Metamorpho strip really seems stuck in the mud. This week, at least, they broke out of the "whole page as one, giant panel" rut. It's visually interesting, but it slows your story down to a crawl. Nothing seemed to happen at all during weeks 2 and 3 for that reason.
Paul Pope's "Strange Adventures" is also really dense, but maintains a lightness of touch, and more concrete visuals that really hold up well.
Also a fan of the Flash, Green Lantern and Metal Men strips. As well as the Superman, Batman and Hawkman stuff. Really it's all good, but I wonder how the weaker elements got in there.
I think cutting strips back a bit, and dropping the price to say, $2.99 would keep me on board as long as you printed this. Mistakes are inherant in this sort of endeavor, it's brand new. Don't be afraid to fix some things.
No word on my auditions from anyone remotely official. I know some people have gotten the "no thanks" calls for both. I, to date, have not. Really, at this point, I gotta just think that I won't be doing either.
Maybe I'm a back-up for first choices. That would explain why I haven't heard. That's fine, but I just can't imagine that they haven't at least offered the roles to somebody if people I know have gotten the "next time" call.
No biggie. We roll on. I mean, yeah, I'd have loved to do either show, no doubt, but you know what Jagger said.
For the record, I read for Macduff in Macbeth, and Stanley in A Streetcar Named Desire. I can tell you now because it's over, and I don't feel like it will jinx me. LOL! I felt I did the best I could, in the circumstances, with both. That's all I can ask of myself. After that, as I've said, it's all a question of taste.
I can't help it if they have no taste... ;)
(And, yes, that is a JOKE)
Anyway...
Thinking about Wednesday Comics. I still love the series, but I would offer the following constructive criticism. One; 15 is too many features per week. Seriously, I think you could cut the cost of the thing by a bit if you only had seven.
The Wonder Woman strip just smacks of a creator who has no clue how to deal with just having one page. The panels get tiny, which sorta defeats the purpose of the "large artwork" selling point, as he tries to stuff more and more story into that one page. The coloring makes it all muddy, and it's just not compelling in any way.
Palmiotti and Conner have it down pat with their Supergirl feature. It works like a daily gag strip, yet it's building a longer storyline. It only takes about a minute to read, but it's consistantly funny, and I eagerly await what they'll pull off next time.
Joe and Andy Kubert also have a winner with the Sgt. Rock offering. Kubert's such an old pro, he knows how to make each and every panel pop. Master class stuff.
The Gaiman/Allred Metamorpho strip really seems stuck in the mud. This week, at least, they broke out of the "whole page as one, giant panel" rut. It's visually interesting, but it slows your story down to a crawl. Nothing seemed to happen at all during weeks 2 and 3 for that reason.
Paul Pope's "Strange Adventures" is also really dense, but maintains a lightness of touch, and more concrete visuals that really hold up well.
Also a fan of the Flash, Green Lantern and Metal Men strips. As well as the Superman, Batman and Hawkman stuff. Really it's all good, but I wonder how the weaker elements got in there.
I think cutting strips back a bit, and dropping the price to say, $2.99 would keep me on board as long as you printed this. Mistakes are inherant in this sort of endeavor, it's brand new. Don't be afraid to fix some things.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
New Comic Wednesday 7/29/2009
DETECTIVE COMICS #855 $3.99
Writer: Greg Rucka
Artist: JH Williams III
Co-Feature Artist: Cully Hamner
The second issue with Batwoman as our star attraction. Also the second issue at the $3.99 price point, and The Question back-up feature. Like most of the post-Battle for the Cowl Batman titles, this is holding on pretty strong. Rucka has built a pretty solid story, and Williams' art is amazing.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #35 $2.99
Writer: Len Wein
Artists: Tom Derenick and Pow Rodrix
So, now it falls on Len Wein to try to make this title interesting. Really JLA has been a meandering mess for months and months, but I hold on. First it was because I knew former writer Dwayne McDuffie was struggling under editorial mandate, and forced to spin his wheels a lot. Then he was fired for speaking out about the situation. I like him a lot.
Now, I'm holding on because James Robinson and Mark Bagley are taking over this title in 2 months, and Bagly is my favorite artist working right now.
WEDNESDAY COMICS #4 (OF 12) $3.99
Writers: Various
Artists: Various
I love this series, I love the concept and the art still looks gorgeous on the oversized pages. That being said the $3.99 price point is a bear for a weekly title. I doubt I'll stick around after the first 12-issue cycle.
ULTIMATUM SPIDER-MAN REQUIEM #2 (OF 2) $3.99
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artists: Mark Bagley and Stuart Immonen
...And, with this issue I can finally jump off this sinking ship. Marvel had one series that I was fully dedicated to, Ultimate Spider-Man. I had EVERY, SINGLE ISSUE. I loved it. Then, they slapped this Ultimatum crossover into the picture, and frankly threw the finely crafted work Brian Michael Bendis was doing on this series into a wood chipper.
Yes, the series re-starts in a couple of months. Stupid foil cover and all. However, I already feel kicked in the nuts. So, bye-bye Ultimate Spidey....I surely loved following your story.
Finallly a holdover released last week:
GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #2 $2.99
Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Guillem March
I'm not really sold on this series. It's obviously the weakest link in the post-Battle for the Cowl Batman line. This despite one of my favorite writers, Paul Dini. The man was writing the best Batman comics around, in Detective Comics, for the lat couple of years, in the face of Grant Morrison's high-concept misfires over in the Batman title. Dini held the line, telling compelling one-off, well, detective tales.
But this series seems a little off. Almost like Dini is indulging his own fetishes a bit too much.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Why didn't anybody tell me they had a dwarf/midget for a drummer?!?
Seriously, dude was awesome.
Anyway. CByrd got free tickets to the show last night, and so we went. I cannot honestly say that I would pay to see Toad the wet Sprocket. The Opener was a total snooze. They didn't even really tell us their name. Not that I cared to look it up, or anything.
I was a little worried right off the bat when Toad hit the stage. A little too mannered, no real fire. Things picked up as they went along. I was sort of surprised at how many of their songs I remembered. They had a lot more hits than I thought. I did really enjoy the show, they had some charm and warmth, and the songs are catchy.
I was curious enough to go looking around about their history. Their last album came out in 1995. They "broke up" in 1998, and, I guess, officially are still "broke up."
Yet they're playing shows.
Hmmm....
I almost laughed out loud when, at one point, the singer said "I see you guys like the old stuff."
OK, dude...There. Is. No. New. Stuff.
I have to ask myself, why? I mean, OK, so you're playing shows. You were big enough that SOMEBODY would pay you to do another record. There has to be some reason why you'd play together, but not want to spend the time to actually write and record new music. Do you guys still have problems, but needed the cash enough to put up with each other for short tours?
I dunno. It's all conjecture. I had a good time, but I still can't help wondering what the backstage politics of this group are like.
No word on auditions...The waiting is the hardest part.
Seriously, dude was awesome.
Anyway. CByrd got free tickets to the show last night, and so we went. I cannot honestly say that I would pay to see Toad the wet Sprocket. The Opener was a total snooze. They didn't even really tell us their name. Not that I cared to look it up, or anything.
I was a little worried right off the bat when Toad hit the stage. A little too mannered, no real fire. Things picked up as they went along. I was sort of surprised at how many of their songs I remembered. They had a lot more hits than I thought. I did really enjoy the show, they had some charm and warmth, and the songs are catchy.
I was curious enough to go looking around about their history. Their last album came out in 1995. They "broke up" in 1998, and, I guess, officially are still "broke up."
Yet they're playing shows.
Hmmm....
I almost laughed out loud when, at one point, the singer said "I see you guys like the old stuff."
OK, dude...There. Is. No. New. Stuff.
I have to ask myself, why? I mean, OK, so you're playing shows. You were big enough that SOMEBODY would pay you to do another record. There has to be some reason why you'd play together, but not want to spend the time to actually write and record new music. Do you guys still have problems, but needed the cash enough to put up with each other for short tours?
I dunno. It's all conjecture. I had a good time, but I still can't help wondering what the backstage politics of this group are like.
No word on auditions...The waiting is the hardest part.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Audition Report
Things went pretty well over the weekend. I felt like I made some strong choices, and went with the stuff being given to me pretty well for both Macbeth and A Streetcar Named Desire. I know that Stanley and Macduff are roles I would love to play, which can either motivate the hell out of you, or send you down the wrong path entirely.
But did I do "well?"
How the hell do I know?
The only thing I can really point to and call a turning point is in the Streetcar audition, I just went ahead and took my shirt off when it was indicated. I THINK I either got it, or lost it at that moment.
Who knows?
But did I do "well?"
How the hell do I know?
The only thing I can really point to and call a turning point is in the Streetcar audition, I just went ahead and took my shirt off when it was indicated. I THINK I either got it, or lost it at that moment.
Who knows?
AVENGERS movie lineup news....
I think it’s going to be Iron Man and Thor, Captain America and Nick Fury. I think it’s safe to assume that there will be some members of the Hulk universe in the film as well. In terms of the additional I think Black Widow, sure. The SHIELD organization for sure. What’s exciting, for me, about The Avengers movie is seeing those four characters interact with each other. I think anywhere from the first issues of The Avengers to Civil War the dynamic between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark is just awesome, it’s fascinating. It brings out sides in others that won’t be brought out in the other franchises. Going forward with the mix is a whole other thing, I think it will be cool. So to pile on another 15 or 10, frankly more than four would be too many.
- Marvel producer Kevin Feige
Well, this is the first news about this that actually makes me feel like somebody's thinking over at Marvel.
Of course the fanboys are up in arms. "Where's Hawkeye?!?!" "Where's Wasp!?!!?" "Where's Triathlon!??!?!"
What's sad to me, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better, is that fan's now seem to have the attitude that a comic "doesn't matter' unless it gets adapted to film. It's ridiculous. I love comics as comics. If something gets a movie deal, great...but the comics are still the good stuff.
Take Watchmen. If ANYONE expressed interest to me in that graphic novel, would I send them to the good, well-made, but in no way ground-breaking or transcendent movie? Or would I send them to the original comics? It's a no-brainer. It's actually a silly question. Compared to the comics, the movie is empty. In fact, much like the Harry Potter films, it really has no resonance unless you've been exposed to the book prior.
The Dark Knight is a fantastic Batman story...but there are a dozen comics that top it. Comic that allow Bruce Wayne to push outside the "heroic" ideal. Bruce can be an absolute dick in the comic books. There's Bruce's way, and the wrong way. The comics have been able to play with the idea that Bruce's way ain't always the right way. The Dark Knight touched on this, but couldn't really dig in.
A friend of mine put it thusly:
The comics are the real deal, the meat and potatoes. The movies are those properties shoved through a funhouse mirror of mass-marketing. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, and I've loved several adaptations. (First two Spider-Mans, First two X-Men, the Donner Superman, Iron Man, The Rocketeer, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, etc...)
But, see here's the deal...You're a COMIC BOOK fan? Then why the hell are you in Hall H looking at Avatar footage, or worse STANDING IN LINE for that footage, when Jerry Robinson, Sheldon Moldoff and any number of other pioneers of this medium are sitting off in a corner of the convention center, in a room you could walk right into? These men, and their stories, will not be around forever. You know my most treasured memory of my first SDCC in '06 was sitting in a room with Jerry, Shelly and several others listening to them talk about what a ass Bob Kane was.
Those encounters are to be treasured. Plus, I could walk right up to Shelly and say hello. He wasn't shuttled off to a private, VIP-only room to be hidden away from the public. He'd sign books. HE DIDN'T CHARGE YOU TO SIGN SOMETHING, and this is a man who can probably use the extra bucks. These men are the history of this medium we profess to love.
Look, I love movies, too. I would've liked to see the Avatar footage, too. I'd like to hear Cameron hold court. I saw the Watchmen presentation last year. These are cool things to see.
But I booked a hotel for next years convention today, and in 2010 I am going to re-think what I choose to give my percious time to when I'm in that convention building.
- Marvel producer Kevin Feige
Well, this is the first news about this that actually makes me feel like somebody's thinking over at Marvel.
Of course the fanboys are up in arms. "Where's Hawkeye?!?!" "Where's Wasp!?!!?" "Where's Triathlon!??!?!"
What's sad to me, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better, is that fan's now seem to have the attitude that a comic "doesn't matter' unless it gets adapted to film. It's ridiculous. I love comics as comics. If something gets a movie deal, great...but the comics are still the good stuff.
Take Watchmen. If ANYONE expressed interest to me in that graphic novel, would I send them to the good, well-made, but in no way ground-breaking or transcendent movie? Or would I send them to the original comics? It's a no-brainer. It's actually a silly question. Compared to the comics, the movie is empty. In fact, much like the Harry Potter films, it really has no resonance unless you've been exposed to the book prior.
The Dark Knight is a fantastic Batman story...but there are a dozen comics that top it. Comic that allow Bruce Wayne to push outside the "heroic" ideal. Bruce can be an absolute dick in the comic books. There's Bruce's way, and the wrong way. The comics have been able to play with the idea that Bruce's way ain't always the right way. The Dark Knight touched on this, but couldn't really dig in.
A friend of mine put it thusly:
The comics are the real deal, the meat and potatoes. The movies are those properties shoved through a funhouse mirror of mass-marketing. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, and I've loved several adaptations. (First two Spider-Mans, First two X-Men, the Donner Superman, Iron Man, The Rocketeer, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, etc...)
But, see here's the deal...You're a COMIC BOOK fan? Then why the hell are you in Hall H looking at Avatar footage, or worse STANDING IN LINE for that footage, when Jerry Robinson, Sheldon Moldoff and any number of other pioneers of this medium are sitting off in a corner of the convention center, in a room you could walk right into? These men, and their stories, will not be around forever. You know my most treasured memory of my first SDCC in '06 was sitting in a room with Jerry, Shelly and several others listening to them talk about what a ass Bob Kane was.
Those encounters are to be treasured. Plus, I could walk right up to Shelly and say hello. He wasn't shuttled off to a private, VIP-only room to be hidden away from the public. He'd sign books. HE DIDN'T CHARGE YOU TO SIGN SOMETHING, and this is a man who can probably use the extra bucks. These men are the history of this medium we profess to love.
Look, I love movies, too. I would've liked to see the Avatar footage, too. I'd like to hear Cameron hold court. I saw the Watchmen presentation last year. These are cool things to see.
But I booked a hotel for next years convention today, and in 2010 I am going to re-think what I choose to give my percious time to when I'm in that convention building.
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