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New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2016/06/01/dark-horse-day-is-coming-fond-recollections-of-30-years-and-celebrating-whats-to-come-on-june-3rd-2016/

Dark Horse Day is Coming! Fond Recollections of 30 Years and Celebrating What's to Come on June 3rd, 2016

In my days as a fervent comic book reader, I think I bought more Dark Horse Comics than Marvel or DC combined. Nothing against the big two from out East, but this company based in the Dogwood City of the West in the Beaver State released a lot of translated manga, movie-tie in material and unique titles that I lo gnawed at! Two of the earliest works I enjoyed reading were

Two of the earliest works I enjoyed reading were Aliens and Predator. Of the two, I got my very first issue signed by the artist Chris Warner when he visited my home city of Victoria, BC in a special book tour. A few decades later, I managed to get my Aliens portfolio (my original comics were buried too deep in storage to pull out in time for Emerald City Comicon a few years ago) autographed by Mark A. Nelson.

This publisher is celebrating the big three-o this year, and their big day is being celebrated worldwide on June 3rd. Appropriately enough, they have a release to give out for free which includes an Aliens versus Predator story. This comic book recalls 30 years of their best-selling titles. I’m very curious in which stories get reprinted, but there will be new material too. The worlds represented are Sin City, Umbrella Academy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Best of all, the distribution of this comic is not limited to North America; it’s international! Comic stores from around the world will be offering swag which includes mini-posters, window clings and postcards. Please check with your local comic book retailer if they are participating; the list is huge.This publishing house was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson and is based out of Milwaukie, Oregon. Their emphasis on giving the creators full control of their products is key to their success. While I think Frank Miller (Sin City) helped put this company on the map, the real winner is with Concrete by Paul Chadwick. It garnered multiple awards. To name a few, other great names which helped include Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Geof Darrow (Rusty the Boy Robot) and Stan Sakai (Usagi Yujimbo). While their Star Wars expanded universe did help create a new industry of comics based on films, there was more to this company than meets the eye.

They were quick to bring foreign comics to North America. For me, one of the reasons why I love this company is because of the huge number of manga releases they released back then and still do to this day. They published titles like Akira, 3×3 Eyes, Oh My Goddess, Gunsmith Cats, Dirty Pair, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Astro Boy, Lone Wolf and Cub, Ghost in the Shell and What’s Michael — the huge list does not stop there. While I fully understand why they cancelled 3×3 Eyes due to declining sales and interest, I do hope they will consider publishing Shin 3×3 Eyes, which in theory is a shorter run, and perhaps rerelease the volumes as a digital collection.

But in what I enjoy from this company are experimental manga-inspired series like Mecha! (which celebrates its 30th anniversary this day!). The robot designs in this series are still terrific to look at to this day, and if only I had the modelling skills to build them.

The series which made me know this company is going places is The Mask. Say what you will about the movies, but the comic book series is infinitely better. I loved how it incorporated a touch of Nordic mythology into the development of why this object is “cursed.” Loki is behind it all, and there’s never a Thor to pound him back to place. The tales were so wildly out there and I firmly believe the level of comic-book violence produced from this series can make Deadpool blush!

Other titles I fondly explored were Ghost and Nexus. My fanboy obsession even delved into their video-game tie-in material which began with Oni. This video game was buggy as hell, but I played it all the way to the end. Somewhere in my photo archives is an image of me and the huge banner they brought into Sakuracon 2001 for display. Now I’m digging into figuring out what makes Plants vs. Zombies enduring.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2016/04/15/the-emerald-city-comicon-2016-journals-cosplay/

The Emerald City Comicon 2016 Journals: Cosplay

Early this year, ReedPOP, a producer of pop culture events, announced that it will host the 2016 Global Championships of Cosplay at Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) on April 9, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. The Western Championships of Cosplay is just part of a line-up of events that will cumulate to their Chicago show, C2E2, where the Crown Championships of Cosplay will be held in 2017. The spotlight is going to be heavy.

I’m offering my selection of cosplayers during this event that caught my eye for their work, the diversity in both young and old who loves to dress up, and walk around. I feel that your work is an achievement in itself! I have a huge respect for those folks who are willing to pause for a photo moment to make my attending the 2016 show memorable.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2016/04/15/the-emerald-city-comicon-2016-journals/

The Emerald City Comicon 2016 Journals

When Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) announced the addition of an extra day, I half expected the management would include some mainstream material for nerds to enjoy. What I heard instead was, “Why are the Seahawks important to such a comic-driven show?” A lot of people before the event said that and instead of the usual Friday to Sunday routine, I thought I’d look at what I could find to do on such an early start. It was mostly getting the key bits of shopping of items that I really wanted done and spend the rest of the days walking around and weighing in on if I really wanted that Jiji the cat music box from Kiki’s Delivery Service.

Thurs was not light on the people traffic at all. The venue was probably at two-thirds capacity for those who decided to visit that day. There was nothing of interest in the autograph / photo-ops floor except for those Seattle Seahawks fans wanting to meet Richard Sherman and Bobby Wagner. I suspect they are nerds too and there was some interest. But as for how much, the majority has spoken online and at the show. I was keeping my ears tuned into what people were saying. ReedPOP, the parent organization, hosting the show had at the last minute offer a raffle to sell off their remaining Thurs tickets by asking if Jim Lee could attend this day and the lucky few spent time talking to him and getting their comics autographed. The marketing neglected to say that this contest was for USA residents only. Not everyone reads the terms of an agreement in any contest, and I did. Was I disappointed? No.

Jon Bernthal talks about his works in The Punisher, Daredevil and Walking Dead.

This year, I finally attended more than one panel. Every year, I set myself to wandering the artist alleys and looking at the various vendors in hopes of finding that unique item to pick up instead of wanting to sit down at hearing what’s coming. I can get the news online upon coming home. As much as I like to tweet the information as it’s announced, unless folks had a great cell phone with a mega antenna, getting a signal inside the building was tough! Attending the many Q&As at the main stage is easier to get to than the other rooms, and crossing the Skybridge takes minutes to cross during a non-congested hour. 

Browsing the many displays from vendors and companies is part of why I like to attend these shows. I do not get much of that back in Victoria, with the home-grown shows having the same sellers all the time. I do find it odd that even though ECCC is bigger, Marvel and DC have yet to have an exhibitor presence. The latter did appear one year, and they did have representation in panels, but not for floor displays. I’d love to see not just the west coast operations here. Image, Boom! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, Oni Press and Valiant (who are New York based and they make an effort to appear) are the major players here. Action Lab Comics was invited last minute and I hoped Shawn Gabborin would be present. Alas, he had to manage the fort back home in Pennsylvania.

Jim Lee speaking at DC All Access panel!

Because there was a DC Comic All Access panel spotlighting what’s to come from this company and in what’s announced is very good. This discussion was moderated Vertigo’s Executive Editor, Shelly Bond and had Shawn Aldridge (The Dark & Bloody), Kurt Busiek (Astro City), Mitch Gerads (The Sheriff of Babylon), Gail Simone (Clean Room) and Senior Editor Jamie S. Rich talking about what’s to come from their line. The big news sites reported on what’s to come. The panelists were certainly plugging the new app for readers to stay informed about what’s going on at this company. It’s available for iOS and Android.

In summary, the core titles are getting revitalized in a “Rebirth” campaign, with Supergirl leading the charge. Bombshells is selling very well and there will be plenty of merchandise to boot for folks to enjoy. There’s plenty of more Harley Quinn to come, and there was talk about the Kaman challenge where 12 art teams and 12 writers will pair up to work on the Kaman map that was created by Jack Kirby! The panel ended with an announcement of DC’s Young Animal! a new imprint created by Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy, My Chemical Romance). Four new titles will be part of it and the best part of this panel is an appearance by Jim Lee! I got a chance to meet him and shake his hand, which was all that I wanted to do had I won. Small surprises come in amazing ways at Emerald City Comicon.

Friday was when the star and celebrity power started. I met up with my favourite voice actors and talked to them briefly. I learned from Will Friedle that he loved working with Gil Gerard. I had mentioned I spoke with Buck Rogers before and he let on about being Megatronus before the episode aired. Of course, Will could not say if this nasty villain will return or not but I’m hoping! He’s an awesome individual to have a moment to chat with and I made getting to meet him my first priority of the day! I also wanted to meet Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ashoka Tano from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Rebels. She is such a charming lady and of course, I had to ask about how the producers in Rebels are going to balance the multiple storylines. With Ashoka finally meeting Vader and the big reveal made — just how season three will pan out requires creative juggling without tipping the narrative over on a returning character to the animated mythos universe.

Just one of the few titles to look forward to near the end of the year.

Dark Horse’s panel was great to learn how close they work with the studios to bring those movie titles to the print front. Aliens is celebrating its 30th anniversary, Predator is getting a few new titles, Judge Dredd is going to meet them both (I’m excited) and on my birthday, Tarzan is heading to the Planet of the Apes! I’ve always wondered about dead properties, namely The Mask, and it’s just a matter of finding that right story (even though it was a comic book first). The films went in a direction opposite the books (which came first), but it’s a loose spread. Even for Hellboy, even though it’s technically dead in the water, the finances to pull it off has what ultimately put it to a stop. The Dark Horse Rep revealed del Toro really went over budget.

Afterward, I was on the convention floor getting some autographs of the comic book artists who were not available Thursday and going to see if Mike Yamada (Production artist for Big Hero 6, Lilo & Stitch and many other Disney properties) was around. Sadly, his buddy said he has no material to sell so he declined to have a table space set up. I was disappointed. He has an artistic style that I love and he helped create the world in all the films I enjoyed watching. I’m a fan of his works and he was in Seattle teaching art lessons. I believe that the director is not the only person behind creating my fondest memories in the movies I see, but also the artists. At least I talked to Marcelo Vignali (Lilo & Stitch Concept Artist) and picked up his book to support the work he has done. I spoke with John Gallagher too, the official production artist for CW’s The Flash. He’s done work for Legends of Tomorrow and revealed that season three is plotted. 

In browsing, Stitch did not escape my glance and nor did Jiji, who was caged up in a music box. Weta Workshop had a booth showing their makeup effects artist and selling merchandise. I’m not surprised at that fact. I picked up some patches so I can sort of say I’m part of the behind the scenes magic in the garments I wear. The books and statues they offered could have emptied my retirement fund if I wanted to and I resisted (thankfully). But to see Studio Ghibli merchandise at the Bluefin Distribution Booth nearly did! They only carried the mainstream Studio Ghibli material (Totoro, Jiji and Spirited Away). I still need Ponyo to fill my collection and maybe the next paycheque. After that, I can say I have stuffed dolls representing most of the Miyazaki films this studio put out. But for Gundam enthusiasts, this company carries an impressive range outside of the Gundam Shop in Fuji-Q Highland Park. Most of the space was dedicated to this series instead of the others!

Funko Pop! had a fantastic booth with some limited editions that were released a boxful a day. They said I should return early the next day if I wanted anything and get in line. I love some of their sculpts, but I’m not mad enough to wait an hour to get to the show to rush to their booth to wait for another half hour for a Nerd Cthulhu. I love my spooks, but not that much.

Somewhere in the background, I heard the distinctive saxophone tune of Ghostbusters playing. The Emerald City Ghostbusters (a charity organization which operates much like the Ghostbusters of BC) — perhaps the only paranormal presence in this con — were running around being chased by Hector Ducay, the musician. He was tuckered out with these impromptu moments, but I saw them running around more than once and it put a smile on my face. The enthusiasm and energy by the fandom at large here are infectious. I get more nerdy fun here at this show and wonder if that special magic can be recreated elsewhere? Each event is unique in its own way so it’s not fair to cast total judgment.

In all the criticisms I hear from others, the lineups is the most often talked about. When you show up about 45 minutes early, they’re manageable. If you show up late, people will feel the pinch. The mentality is still the same for most: the volunteers (Minions) are told to herd everyone like cattle and have people tightly packed. Some personal space is needed to separate groups but to not have breathing room is wrong. I talked with a ten-year veteran of the convention going scene, and she said the best way to handle separate groups (VIP’s and regular) is to allow two VIPs and one regular so each group can be whittled down instead of keeping each line up waiting for too long. Not every show does that, and that explains why some festivals are held in better regard than others. I think I’ll have to plan for attending to Salt Lake City’s show next year…

I at least found the lineups for the Celebrity Photo ops better managed this year than previous. Showing up 5-10 minutes before the mandatory 15min before the appointment time netted tiny lineups for most of the stars. Part of the reason may be due to not having super A-list people attending, but when certain names are ready to put their best smile, Nathan Fillion was perhaps the largest. At least five groups were created. Each had probably about 250-300 people each. By that math, nearly the entire sixth floor was packed when he was ready to sign autographs or have pictures taken. And that’s per day! Even for the voice talents, whom I was more interested in, the wait was not all that bad. I met the aforementioned people along with Linda Ballantyne, the voice of Serena in Sailor Moon (second half of the series). She’s also was the voice of Janet Van Dyne (Wasp) in The Avengers: United They Stand.

Although Emerald City Comiccon did not feel bigger and badder when compared to previous years, the show is still enjoyable to attend. A few found the executive decision to not do a major tie-in with the anniversaries this year (namely Star Trek) odd, but I did say that at least they advertised the Star Trek Anniversary Concert that was happening nearby and there was booth presence, however low-key that was. There was a panel that talked about the hardcore elements of Gene Roddenberry’s vision and what panelists, authors Greg & Astrid Bear, Trek expert Jeff Ayers, and actors James Lyle (Dr. Alden), and Roy Stanton (T’Von) from Star Trek: Phoenix want to see for the next television show. Out of the panels I went to, this was the deepest in terms of recognizing Roddenberry’s vision and respecting it.

Unless the added day is treated equally in comparison to Friday (at least), there was not any benefit to attending the Thurs show unless folks wanted to get their shopping done early. The ploy to bring Jim Lee in was recognized in the social media front by many people as a method to sell all the tickets instead of having some left. I do not think that’s fair to Mr. Lee. He was probably going to be at this show anyways but he should give his terms to the ReedPOP management instead of the other way around.

Sadly, I think most of these big name shows are more orientated to filling the coffers with money instead of truly catering to the fan. I’m okay with the line-up of guests brought in, celebrity, comic book and what not. I can not expect top talent all the time. This year was lite in comparison to past shows, and who knows what the future may bring. I feel the smaller hotel-based conventions are the one to enjoy (Anglicon is next on my schedule) and the big shows is to put your biggest smile on for autographs with people in the comic book business and displaying your best costume forward.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2016/02/27/chatting-with-shawn-gabborin-about-charles-bands-puppet-master-one-year-later/

Chatting with Shawn Gabborin about Charles Band’s Puppet Master One Year Later ...

One of the best horror comics that emerged from 2015 is Charles Band’s Puppet Master, published by Action Lab Comics. One year later, with three story-arcs completed, this series is only going to get better! Written by Shawn Gabborin and drawn by Michela Da Sacco, the tale continues down the path had the movies been able to continue prior to the Axis trilogy. This new saga fits in an odd place, in between the present day’s terror (the original film) to the past after Toulin shot himself, and giving Danny Coogan the title role in Axis of Evil.

The comics set the tale in the present day to avoid continuity conflicts, and just where the story goes is in bold new directions. For instance, the souls transferred into the puppets are very much human. The first story arc, “The Offering,” (issues #1-3) brings back the flavor of the original films and the second, “Rebirth,” (issues #4-7) really ups the ante. The third story-arc, “The Boy of Wood,” (issues #8-11) finished its run and sets up a young lad by the name of Anthony to be the new Puppet Master. His innocence will no doubt create some interesting contrasts to the puppets like Blade and Six-Shooter who are borne to kill.

To examine the past story arcs, look at a few details revealed and look at what’s to come, I had the opportunity to chat with series creator Gabborin again.

ES: First off, I have to very belatedly congratulate you and the team for a wonderful Halloween issue. It was like reading the storyboards to an 80s style slasher. I have to ask if more one-shots / annuals are planned?

SG: Thanks! The Halloween one-shot gave me an excuse to tell a classic sorority house horror story, so that was a lot of fun! That issue won the Horror News Network’s “Best One-Shot” award for 2015, which is awesome. The other award we won from them was “Best Kill” for the opening kill in Puppet Master issue 4.

I like the idea of doing more one-shots, but it’s a matter of practicality. Our deal is for a set number of issues, so the more one-shots I do, the fewer monthly issues I can do. That makes it hard to pull the trigger on one-shots.

ES: That said, you revealed that Sutekh, the film’s primary antagonist from Puppet Master 4 & 5, is defeated but when considering how the magic works, couldn’t he have simply transferred his essence into that to a “clone” body, and he’s Anapa? The witch Adon passed her essence to a doll, so I wonder why the dark god can not do the same.

SG: In Puppet Master 5, Sutekh transfers his essence & power into a Totem Puppet and sends that to earth to kill the main cast of Puppets. So when they defeat, Sutekh, it is by destroying the Totem that contains his essence. I’m sure you could argue that he was able to do another jump out of the Totem, but letting the Puppets have that victory only for it to lead to a bigger threat (in the form of Anapa) worked better for me as a storyteller.

ES: Issue #7 sets up plenty of new directions to get explored later and I have to ask if 30 issues will be enough to tell it all? As previously mentioned in our past correspondence, there is the opportunity to renew and I’m sure plenty of readers will hope there will be more. How many of the remaining issues do you have mapped out for stories to tell?  

SG: I have the full series mapped out, for sure! I’ve known where the series ends from the time I first pitched the concept to Full Moon. When it comes to writing, I like to plan ahead. If I don’t know where I’m going, it’s easy to get lost… and then have to take shortcuts to get back on the right path. I don’t like that.

So yes, I know where things are going, and should be fine to wrap everything up (if it needs wrapped up) at the end of the 30 issues. I’m hopeful to get to do more, I have ideas to carry beyond the 30 issues, so we’ll see.

ES: Based on sales reports and awards, how do you feel about the reception this series has received?

SG: Reception has been good! The fans are really digging the comic, which is great! I’m a life-long fan myself, so to see people enjoying what I’m doing with a world we all love, it’s really cool.

ES: With the final chapter to the Axis storyline finally being made, will that be an influence to what you are penning?

SG: I’ll have to wait until after I see the movie, but probably not. I think that our two worlds (film and comics) split from each other at the point I started the comics. So for me, everything revealed in the first 10 movies is canon. But if they do something in part 11 that contradicts something I established in the comics world (such as the identity of Torch), there’s no need to change my side of things to match.

That’s not to say if they do something that I CAN work into my stories I wouldn’t do it. It all remains to be seen.

ES: With two compilations now available for newcomers to read, can readers jump in with volume 2, “Rebirth” to get at the new stories?

SG: I think so. Each volume builds off of the previous, and there are some definite things that reading the previous volume will help you understand, but each of the first 3 volumes are fairly accessible.

ES: One detail I appreciated in this story-arc is in how the puppets chose the humans to occupy in their reincarnation into mortal form. They very closely resembled their puppet bodies. What was the motive behind that?

SG: It was two-fold. First, to make it easier for the reader to associate the human form with the puppet they are familiar with. If you can’t follow who’s who, then things get unnecessarily confusing really quick! Secondly, most of the these souls have been living in these Puppets since the 1930s/40s, so there has to be a sense of self-identification with the puppet body after that amount of time. And of course that all worked due to the amazing job Michela Da Sacco did with designing the human forms!

ES: In the narrative, you’ve shown how conscious they were when in the wooden form. They had their full senses even though they were not able to fully communicate. They way they touch and feel each other says it all. All of that is beautifully communicated in Michela De Sacco’s art. In what is not said, am I correct to assume they speak to each other telepathically?

SG: I would say so, yes. Maybe not to the point of having full on conversations, but at least able to read each other well enough to know what’s going on. Similar to hanging out with a friend you’ve known since you were children, sometimes a glance is all you need to let them know exactly what you’re thinking.

ES: As full mortals, Andre and crew showed a bit of killer’s remorse, but when in the dolls, those feelings were muted. In what the witch Adon offered, aside from an alibi to those clients, not everyone she did the soul transfer onto were serial killers. It makes me wonder what’s special about those dolls to enable people to simply kill without a moment’s thought. What’s your take on that?

SG: I think a large part of it is simply being IN the doll rather that then something to do with the doll itself. Look at how people act on the internet when they type nasty comment because they are safe behind their keyboard and not face-to-face with the person. Being inside the doll or puppet gives the person that same level of anonymity and separation from the act while letting them fully participate in the murder.

ES: Could it be that any sense of humanity is a mortal construct instead of a solid product that can not demonstrate feelings?

SG: See, that’s the kind of level people normally don’t think on when they think Puppet Master… but that’s where I’m trying to play. There is so much more to this than just “killer puppets” to the story. The Puppets (for the most part) don’t like killing. They are heavily influenced by their Master. But you figure in 60 plus years of people forcing you to kill, it sort of becomes ingrained in you whether you like it or not. Almost an auto-response or muscle memory. It’s what is expected of you, so that’s your “go to” action.

That’s why we get some remorse from them when they become human again, because (much like those jumping into Adon’s Puppets to commit murder) they finally have some separation from that part of their lives. They get to view everything from the outside now, and some of them don’t like what they see.

ES: When Toulin realizes both he and his friends fate are tied with the puppets, is there any possibility any of them might become flesh again? In what I read from issue seven, they need to be anti-heroes and have to resume their ‘natural’ form. Is that your intention?

SG: There’s a chance to return to flesh again, sure. I wouldn’t say to rule anything out! But yes, for now they are forced back into their old habits. Let’s face it, as much as we all would love to see the Puppets have a happy ending, can we really expect them to have one?

ES: In the four issue story-arc, “Boy of Wood,” which is now all out, we see the puppets start to serve a new master in the child Anthony. The cover is very beautiful in the sense he wears a mask, and I can not help but be reminded of the videogame, Zelda: Majora’s Mask. Can you please explain the origins to that cover.

SG: That cover is all Antoino Ontiveros! I think it’s important that the new Puppet Master be good with his hands, so I wanted a mask that reflected that. While all of the other children’s masks are fairly basic, Anthony makes this elaborate lion mask. My only direction on his mask was to “make it look like it took skill to do and to maybe make it 3D while most others are flat”… the rest (the idea of it being a lion, the look itself, etc.) is all Antonio.

ES: In the tasks that we see finished in this group of issues, can you please tell readers what the significance of the Ankh is that Six-Shooter stole?

SG: The Winged Ankh of Freedom and the Was Scepter of Dominion. Opposing items, to be sure. I wonder what would happen if they were brought together under the right circumstances…

ES: In the seven tasks Anapa requires the puppets to accomplish for their freedom, could that be a nod to the 12 Labours of Hercules? Should that be the case, that’s one classic way to end off a series, but I guess only time will tell and we shall see, eh?

SG: It certainly is an old trope to have the heroes embark on a series of tasks laid on them, but it wasn’t inspired by any one in particular. But the reasoning behind the seven tasks… the result of completing them… that’s where the fun begins!

ES: What will be some of the ramifications for future issues?

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2016/02/01/kylo-ren-vocal-effect-a-logic-pro-tutorial-with-bentley-michaels/

Kylo Ren Vocal Effect: a Logic Pro TUTORIAL with Bentley Michaels

In this new Logic Pro tutorial Bentley goes through his method of getting the Kylo Ren vocal effect in Logic Pro 9.

It’s not quite perfect yet, but it’s a great jumping off point for any audio nerd out there.

Please post your links to your versions of this effect and let’s figure this thing out!

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/12/18/non-spoiler-one-fans-wish-for-where-the-story-direction-for-the-force-awakens-should-head/

[Non-spoiler] One Fan's Wish for Where the Story Direction for The Force Awakens Should Head

Based on the trailers and in what’s considered the new canon of the Star Wars legacy, what I hope to see in The Force Awakens (TFA) is a return to the Joseph Campbell ideologies. I feel they were at the core of made the original trilogy great. The mystique of the title suggests that there’s sentience to this energy that binds the universe. Has the balance between all that is good and evil been restored since Return of the Jedi (RotJ)? Thirty years is a long time for some, but for others, that is a mere blink to the lifespan of any galaxy. Part of the story from other chapters of the saga suggests how The Force can be alive, and will that manifest as a character? Probably not right away, but that’s my hope!

I think Luke Skywalker has added demons to confront. He’s worked past some of the problems of becoming a fully realized Jedi but there will be other destinies to face. Is he ready to head a new Jedi Order, as some story theorists have suggested? After the climatic battle in RotJ, The Empire is defeated and what survives of their forces are scattered all over the galaxy. As the trailer indicates, one faction has fought their way up the ranks to be the new galactic threat. But a lot of people, myself included, will want to know what Luke is up to. The only telling moment is when he passes on his lightsaber to another character, presumably Leia (maybe Rey), to deal with establishing a new army of Force sensitive individuals. The Jedi were the peacekeepers of the galaxy once, and Luke cannot handle it alone. Some vestige of the Sith Order may well be hiding somewhere and Skywalker has to track them down by going undercover. That can explain why he is not such a prominent figure in this film. He has to at least appear in flashback sequences, but I don’t think he will be that important in what’s to happen in this new film. Ideally, The Force Awakens needs to follow-up on ideas about what the Force represents — as previously revealed in the animated front.

In the Clone Wars season three episode “Overlords” and “Ghosts of Mortis” Obi-wan, Anakin and Ashoka visited Mortis, a planet heavy in the Force. In what I understood from this story arc, I believe the people they met are manifestations of the mystic energy. Father, Son and Daughter represent how opposites are always in conflict and when considering Anakin’s future was revealed, I thought about how he’s going to handle the remaining days of his life until his fate takes hold.

On the movie front, Luke saw a vision of himself in Vader’s mask (Empire Strikes Back) and he teetered at the edge of being the next disciple of the Emperor (Return of the Jedi) — I predict his spiritual journey requires finding Mortis too. I think he needs to go on a Quest for the Holy Grail to discover where his moral compass lies. Luke did give in to anger and he stopped himself short to fully turning to the dark side in RotJ. While I’m not expecting the Skywalker story to fully continue in this film, Episode 8 will be the one to pay attention to.

Qui-Gon Jinn (The Phantom Menace) pointed out and Kanan (Star Wars: Rebels) said even a Master has more to learn about the ways of the Force. That never stops. Luke has to find a balance within himself and that was wonderfully explored in the Dark Empire Trilogy in Dark Horse Comics’ Expanded Universe. Sadly none of that is canon but my hope is that the writing team will incorporate elements from the rejected universe to appease long time supporters of the comic. Even alienating a small sector of the fandom is not without some consequences.

In what I’m hoping for with this new film is the potential of Kylo Ren being a Sith Inquisitor. Although his role has been revealed already in other reports and by the director J.J. Abrams, I would rather see him as a former member of this order. The costume design and trademark red lightsaber suggests he was a member once before changing sides. I just may laugh should the movie reveal the possibility that Kylo was once a Padawan of Skywalker. True to the past narratives, like Obi-Wan was to Anakin, what comes around goes around.

In the trailer, Kylo vows to continue what Darth Vader started but what motivated him to be such a devotee? Just how did he find the scorched remains of this former Sith Lord? Whatever happened between apprentice and master shows how classic embracing the dark side can haunt the Skywalker legacy. That can explain why Luke has gone into hiding or to meditate on what The Force is about.

Star Wars can not be Star Wars without the good and evil at odds. I love to see Luke arriving at Mortis. There’s plenty of mountainous foggy terrain on planet Earth to make that dream sequence happen. I just hope J.J. Abrams realizes he has to assemble the theories and thoughts the animated series has been putting forth to fans about the nature of The Force. He does know he’s part of the board that’s assembling the galaxy from far, far away — there’s a ton of pieces to consider. In terms of what kind of story he wants to tell, he’ll no doubt break the mold of visual storytelling somewhat. He’s learned his lesson in how lens flare can be distracting.

In terms of what the latest trailers, TV spots and international ads have offered, this movie will be exciting to go watch. Essentially, it has to follow the pattern of giving a hero’s introduction and letting adventure come what may. The chase is on for something and every classical trope from A New Hope will get used. That means a trench battle, speeder bike chase, a siege and grand explosion. The heroes will have to total five (seven if you include the droids) to represent the samurai code and the torch (a lightsaber) will be passed. The still broadcasting TV trailers reveals that detail, and without having seen the film, those facts are certain.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/11/26/in-the-depths-with-the-kickstarter-creators-of-cthulhu-the-conquerer/

In the Depths with the Kickstarter Creators of Cthulhu The Conquerer!

It’s very rare that I can pick the brains of two comic-creators looking to change the weird works of H.P. Lovecraft around in a Kickstarter campaign. Instead of the typical madness that transpires in the fiction of that revolves around the Cthulhu mythos, where the most famous passage detailing the mighty octopoid’s fate is sealed between realms, just how he will awaken is questionable. While this creator wrote, “That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even death may die,” just what does that mean? There’s several death gods. I’ve often wondered which one he’s referring to.

In the Cthulhu the Conqueror story that Steven Saunders and Myke Allen are creating they believe the individual is one from the Hindu religion. I’ll divulge more on that later. These two comic book aficionados want to provide a fun pulp-filled action story, filled with moments of philosophical thought. They want to give Cthulhu a chance to understand himself. It’s not a mindless beast intent on causing chaos in a simple global-scale, but instead, it’s a creature with a soul. It’s an entity who’s waiting to meditate on its station in life; I don’t give this beast a gender because I feel Lovecraft never intended on giving it a gender. As for what this being represents to Saunders and Allen, I’ve asked them what this creation represents in their take.

They intend on having this cyclopean beast taking on the entire pantheon of gods from the planet Terra. In the Latin world, that’s when various entities from Lovecraft’s pantheon started manifesting. In the Greek World, Gaea has never taken a liking to a cosmic entity resting/dreaming within her womb. In what’s unleashed, well … 

Maybe first, we should talk to these creationists about their own cosmic plans to rattle the mythology of this world up! (Disclaimer: yes, our own illustrious Steve has been contributing to Nerd Titan for years and is the senior editor. He’s allowed me to poke him with Poseidon’s trident to bleed out what’s in store about this comic without giving away all the spoilers. I believe that this project is more than just a “let’s kill as many gods as possible” strip).

Ed Sum (ES): Please tell me more about yourselves, Myke and Steve.

Myke Allen (MA): People may know me as the artist who helped launch “Red Lance,” Gary Bloom’s gender-equal Kickstarter title. He found a different artist for the comic but I built the initial art and designed the main characters.

I also do a lot of comic art commissions. You can check out my work at www.mykeallen.wix.com/graphicallyill

My work was featured in a comic book series Degrassi: The Next Generation Extra Credit. A friend of mine got me on as a substitute artist for an issue. It was minor exposure but it was my first real taste. I illustrated some 10-12 pages of one of the four issues in the series.

I’ve drawn comics since I was about 12 years old. Starting with Super Mario and in the summer, when I was in 7th grade, where I got an issue of “Werewolf by Night. I was committed to the cause ever since. I studied Digital Art at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Steve Saunders (SS): I encourage people to check out www.baconlich.com, which is my personal website, and it’s full of links to a lot of my work. Music can be found at mrzoth.bandcamp.com and I’m currently in the process of setting up www.mrzoth.com (it’s there, but currently lacking content). Lastly, I also write tabletop roleplaying games material from time to time and publish it under my own imprint, Black Goat Games. My products can be found through sites like DriveThruRPG and RPGNow. There’s also blackgoatgames.com!


ES: In the years I’ve known you Steve, I didn’t realize you were such a talented musician. When did you get into that?

SS: Aw, thanks, man! Well, that is both a long and short story. I have been involved with bands and music for many years. I started playing the recorder when I was little, moved into tenor saxophone, learned every freaking woodwind and brass instrument after that, and then lost interest when I dived into DJing and working with primary industrial and metal bands.

I worked as a booker, promoter, DJ, and at countless shows (as a crew chief and more) through bars and nightclubs for about a decade. I learned a bit from folks in the industry, but mostly what I learned was the business side of things. Only pretty recently I started writing my own music. Really, it just happened one day. I was doing videos for Black Goat Games (Black Goat TV) and wanted to have a theme song. At first I considered asking bands I knew for usage of song excerpts from them (Hate Dept’s “Beat Me Up” was at the top of my list, if you’re curious), but I found this site called Soundation that is a free DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) with stock sounds and I started going to town. I made a theme song. I bought more options and made more music. I was having withdrawal from a medication for a health issue, and I got even more entrenched in making music, picking up soft-synths and the Reaper DAW. Within a short time I was releasing all that garbage on Bandcamp. The whole process was both cathartic and calming at the same time. I recommend it as good therapy, if anything. *laughs* 
 Eventually, I was asked to do a soundtrack (“Slow Boat to Fast City”, an alt-history ray gun gothic anthology released by Pine Float Press– of which I was also a short story contributor). This led to more soundtracks… and now I’m being paid to do video game soundtrack work and Foley (sound effects). I, uh, never got back around to doing a video with that theme song. I should probably get on that!


ES: And as most people who’ve visited the Kickstarter page knows, you’re offering an album. What can you tell me about this?

SS: Totally! I’ve already started composing it, and I’d be lying if I said if the “Conan the Barbarian” soundtrack by Basil Poledouris wasn’t a direct influence. It’ll still have that Mr. Zoth and the Werespiders grimdark touch that I have developed with that project, but it will also have a personality all of its own. Furthermore, I have reached out to the indie industrial and electronic music legend Wade Alin for mastering services. I do enjoy producing and mastering music myself, but like with writers and editing, it’s always a serious bonus to have other ears on a release to make sure it’s mastered in the best way possible. Naturally, Wade isn’t free, but he certainly is worth every penny and more! 



ES: How’d you two meet?

MA: Steve and I met at a local festival’s beer tent. Our partners worked near one another and thought we’d hit it off. They were right, of course. He took a look at my art and made an amazing effort to focus what he saw in my work that was marketable.

He already had the interest in dark noir but I was used to drawing supers. It was a fun transition for me to build darker scenes, more harrowing stories. Steve sent me to the Whitechapel message board where I came up with the concept [of Cthulhu the Conqueror]. Once he saw it, he knew the possibilities — We just needed to hash it out and get solid story down. I think the most important part of comics is to tell a story that moves the reader. Steve has a great way of doing that.

SS: Myke is too kind, really. I was working as an editor for this electronic magazine called “The Uninvited.” at the time and we ran into a small snag on our side with a comic I’d created for the magazine, “The Devil Eggs”. Myke was instrumental in getting some spot art and other tweaks done, and we discovered we enjoyed working together.

Myke can really do anything, as far as his illustrative style is concerned. I mean, I always seriously appreciated his skill and talent, but I got a whole new POV on it when I started doing music. See, I use whatever’s available to me and make it work — usually quickly and efficiently, without loss to quality and presentation. And that’s Myke in a nutshell with his art: He’s fast, efficient, and also really good.

Honestly, I don’t compare myself to Myke creatively this way too much, because his art blows my music out of the water, pound for pound. He’s a serious pro who knows what he’s doing. So, once he came up with the idea for Cthulhu the Conqueror and asked me to help flesh it out from the story and writing end, there’s absolutely no way I would tell him no.

ES: Next to the writing, what’s the most important part of making a comic book?

MA: I think the colouring is the most important phase for me. I personally don’t think I’m the greatest at it but I guess that why I spend so much time doing it. I have the most fun doing the inks but I feel that there are some elements of an image that just can’t be seen until you add colour.

ES: When did you two become a fan of Lovecraft’s works?

SS: I’m a huge role-playing games player. I first became acquainted with the Cthulhu Mythos through the first edition of Deities & Demigods, a book for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. It was in late 1984– I was nine. I read about H.P. Lovecraft through a few sources, and my dad knew who he was because he read stuff like Weird Tales. I managed to get my hands on a few HPL stories, but I wasn’t all that impressed; I suppose I was more of an R.E. Howard fan at that point. A few years later, I discovered the RPG Call of Cthulhu, and subsequently read even more Lovecraft stories. “Cool Air” got me, but the one that REALLY got me was “The Dream-Quest of the Unknown Kadath”… and then more and more stories. I began reading stories by Robert Bloch and Brian Lumley, especially, and I really loved Lumely’s Titus Crow books. This led to me reading more and more, and by my mid-teen years I had read everything Mythos related I could get my damned mitts on.

The roleplaying game Call of Cthulhu very much opened my eyes to the fact that there were oodles of like-minded geeks out there, wanting more and more of that kind of stuff. It wasn’t just a game to me; it was like a union handbook or something. *laughs*

MA: I became a fan in college when a friend showed me some of his books. Later I found the Cthulhu Mythos fascinating and because of reading The Invisibles spoiler alert.

I was fully immersed in the idea of a darker dimension and cult involvement with that place. I also liked Terry Parachute’s descriptions of the creatures outside of existence just waiting to get through to our world. That was astounding for [a guy like me with] a big imagination.


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ES: Why’d did you decide to make the Hindu Goddess Kali, Cthulhu’s one true love? She’s not necessarily just a Death Goddess, but also a Universal Mother. What does she represent in this world? In the Marvel Universe’s terms, are you saying Cthulhu is courting Kali much like how Thanos courts Death?

SS: Can I be honest? It was actually a split second decision on my part. When developing this story, we had all the beats and main things down, but we also felt that there should be a tragic love story. We had some interesting ideas at first, but Kali, one of my favorite deities, popped into my head and I just went from there.

Cthulhu and Kali’s love isn’t really covered too much in Cthulhu the Conqueror. When the story in the comic begins, the love affair between Cthulhu and Kali is already in the past. It’s a mystery as to whether or not Kali knew about Cthulhu’s exile when the gods were planning to trick him into the Nether Realm, but the way their love story finally ends will give large hints as to what her motivations might have been. I’ll be up front: Their story is Shakespearian/Sophoclean on the tragedy scale. I actually teared up writing it all out.

Kali represents within the realm of the gods and the people who worship her the Mother of Death, Preserver of Change and Destruction. We wanted to make Kali complex, relatable, and interesting, but also pay homage and respect to her actual mythology. While I love Thanos and Death’s story (and Jim Starlin– that man is a hero to me), this really isn’t the same thing. Like I said, Cthulhu and Kali’s story is a past item, but he’ll get to revisit her demanding answers and explanations. Their love and bond is strong, so be prepared for some serious sadness.

MA: She’s on my desk being built right now. Kali is no one’s wife or courtesan. I don’t imagine Cthulhu would have need of such tender luxuries. Kali is more of an equal among lesser beings in Cthulhu’s eyes. Savagery is their common thread but its openly known in regards to both.

To answer the question, no. I think [their relationship is] more like that of Superman and Wonder Woman’s. Theirs is a relationship of mutual respect, built on blood. Their hearts are an adjoining set of graveyards.

ES: How obscure are you going to get with which ethnic mythologies are going to get offed (or met by) by Cthulhu? I’ve noticed an interesting range, which includes Nigerian, Slavic, Russian, Mayan, Etruscan, Akan (New Guinea).

MA: We’re going to feature a slew of different mythological and cultural gods [and include] some big names in the “divine continuum” — but we really want to focus on the holistic connections between the deities and the relationships they share with each other not just in relation to their worshipers or subjects. We may dive into some very obscure levels to keep the roster fresh and surprising!

SS: In some cases, pretty obscure. In some cases, only obscure if you’re not a Dungeons & Dragons fan (Orcus, punisher and underworld god from Roman myth, for instance). In other cases, not very obscure at all.

We simply cannot include every pantheon of gods or spiritual creatures from every world culture. We sure as heck would like to, but we would need the rest of our lives. And then we’re limited to the amount of pages to tell a story without making it a crammed mess. So, we decided to pick particular gods Cthulhu knows for particular scenes, mix and match a bit, and take care of larger scale god-killing events with awesome splash pages. Just wait until you see Cthulhu take on the Egyptian gods!

Now, he can’t kill all the gods. That’s a lot of gods!! But he’ll certainly destroy quite a few of them. Some gods and similar beings will help Cthulhu, too. It’s a time of change for not only Cthulhu, but the very gods themselves. So, yeah, we try to keep the range of gods and mythology interesting, but without cost to pacing and story.

I certainly hope we can do “Cthulhu the Redeemer” and “Cthulhu the Vanquished” (working title)! Then we can tell more of the gods’ stories, as well as Cthulhu’s path to the something many readers might already be familiar with.



ES: What makes Cthulhu such an enduring character?

SS: It’s the magnificent horror and the terrible mystery [he represents]. Also, Cthulhu has a great name. It’s catchy and fits titles to Metallica tracks well. *laughs*

But, more seriously, the enduring legacy of the Cthulhu Mythos isn’t just about Cthulhu. Despite his incredibly awful personality flaws, Lovecraft encouraged the sharing of his creations and worlds. Pretty weird for a weird fiction writer with the kind of worldviews he had for his most of his life. Cthulhu belongs to all of us, I feel, and we’ll constantly get all kinds of takes and interpretations on not just him/her/it, but also interpretations of all other Mythos-related beings and ideas, as well.

Cthulhu lies dead and dreaming. Come on, just with this line alone, how freaking cool is THAT? When the stars are right, shit’s gonna hit the fan? Sign me up. Well, not in reality — but creatively and fictionally, yes! The story Call of Cthulhu is brilliant in both its scope and succinct parsing of mind-breaking ideas. Lovecraft wasn’t afraid to pastiche and crib the feel of who influenced him, like Bierce, Chambers, Dunsany, and Machen, but he also leapt headfirst into exposition most pulp writers would simply be terrified to engage in (why I feel a lot of HPL can read “dry” to many out there). Cthulhu’s enduring legacy also primarily hinges on how mysterious Cthulhu is, I think. People love to add their own ideas, hopes, and desires to fictional tropes and concepts, and as far as cosmic and existential horror is concerned, nothing quite says, “Less is more” like Cthulhu itself.

MA: I think it’s the idea that even in death he has immortality. That he is not unlike Schrodinger’s cat — alive and death all at once, existing and yet not, or living in a dream within his own rotting corpse. Is this getting too dark? It’s chilling, no matter how many times you tell it.

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ES: Are you concerned that the story might move in a similar direction as the video game made by Sony Entertainment, God of War?

MA: No. God of War is a great storyline but we are looking at building something in a Lovecraftian vein. We’ll still be dealing in cult mystery as well as raw brutal mayhem, but we’re gonna steer a’ different course than the video game took. I think there’s a dark heart to pierce at the center of this story and it’s going to be mind blowing to get to.

SS: I dug playing the first God of War, and have only recently picked up a PS3, not only for the Blu-ray aspect, but also to play games like Killzone and the other God of Wars, finally. Historically, mythologies have gods fighting each other all the time. The only similarities between Kratos and our Cthulhu is the vengeance thing, but Kratos wasn’t tricked into a Nether Realm, which now that I think about it, is like combining General Zod with the preamble stuff for Planet Hulk!

Of course, we’re not looking to reinvent the wheel, but Cthulhu the Conqueror has its own identity. Have we been inspired by a bunch of other stuff? Damn right we have. And we pepper Cthulhu the Conqueror with nods to those things, from Conan to the Punisher to Terminator to Judge Dredd to the stories of Lovecraft himself. I think I might have even worked a Lazy Town reference in there… uh, don’t quote me on that.

To be perfectly frank, I didn’t even think of God of War until the other week, and Cthulhu the Conqueror was first idea-spawned in 2012. That said, I’m glad it was brought up because I think I’ll be playing some catch-up with those games once the comic is wrapped!

MA: I think we’ve seen Cthulhu as a monster far bigger than the stories he’s played roles in. We wanted to see him from a view, which allowed the reader a chance to view him in a new way. The old paradigm of “good guy & bad guy” doesn’t really work on this scale so instead our motivations are to show the power and ferocity but in proportion to the rest of the cast.



ES: Why are you two taking on an action-oriented approach?

SS: Well, I think if we had Cthulhu the Conqueror run like an episode of Mad Men, people would be rather pissed. Though, I kinda like that idea. *scribbles down notes*

When Myke showed me that cover he did for that contest for the Whitechapel boards and said “Think you can come up with something for this?” my mind raced 4d12 Yes-athons. Action was first and foremost. Now, I enjoy a lengthy comic read like From Hell and Rex Mundi, but even they fit in exciting bits here and there, with more in the latter than in the former. When you have “Conqueror” in the title, it better damn well be chock full of carnage and action.

That’s how this project came to creative fruition. It’s based on the concept that Cthulhu is basically a field marshal god-tool. He’s a weapon that was created/designed/mysterious explanation for destroying the True Old Ones, and then he got screwed over when it came time to reward him (all he wanted was peace and a little farm– cliché, but that’s what I’d want to, I think). In many ways, Cthulhu is a disillusioned and disgruntled veteran who is seeking answers and some payback after being mistreated by the very people he protected. Why yes, I loved the book and film, First Blood.

Ultimately, in order to make this concept work, we have to make it action-oriented. Simple as that, my friends!

ES: If readers are to believe in the “Star Trek: TOS” theory of how gods attain their power through worship and belief in the episode, “Who Mourns for Adonis?” then how does the gods in your comic book work? (including Cthulhu)

SS: Oh, man, I love your tastes! The running for my favourite older shows from when I was a kid is Star Trek, The Outer Limits, and The Twilight Zone, so I’ve seen every TOS episode multiple times since a very, very young age. My father said that no child of his would hate Star Trek, after all.

We never quite explain how the gods get their powers in Cthulhu the Conqueror. The plan is to touch on that more with the later storylines, if we can get the chance to do them. As far as this book is concerned, how the gods receive their power is a mystery, but we do drop some hints. The same goes for Cthulhu himself, who I have already hinted at being some kind of weapon. “Fight fire with fire”, is how the old saying goes, I do believe.

MA: In our comic the realms of the gods are like dimensions in the multiverse but power is still based on [REDACTED! It’s still hush-hush!]. However, if worship is exercising belief (and power could be drawn from that), the stories themselves are the source of all belief… If worship is a power-base in one way or another, this at least partly explains why we have such a wide variety of cast members.

We’re drawing extensively from the ageless and ancient pools of myth and folklore. Worship has its purposes but our deities draw strength from their stories they make for themselves, especially our Cthulhu, since his can be seen as both a resurrection and vengeance story.



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ES: Cthulhu has been depicted in many ways, from a humanoid to amphibious shape. I have to ask, why present him with a Conan the Conqueror like physique?

MA: Like you said, he’s been depicted a million ways and some of which I intend to show over the course of the series. However the Conan-esque physique is just a manifestation of his power. That is not his real body.

The reason is simple: He needs to be able to challenge a god and his nature is physical so why not make him a brutal warrior beast? Plus, I always liked the Conan comics. They are raw and brutal.

SS: We wanted him to be a warrior with the physical aspects to match. He’s not just Conan with a squid head, but he kinda looks that way at first. Always remember that our Cthulhu is a weapon, and he’s a badass one at that. Not that we’re discounting the Conan, Kull, and Bran Mak Morn influences!


ES: Will any other monsters and divinities from Lovecraft’s world get presented? Will we see Nyarlathotep or Yog-Sothoth interfere with Cthulhu’s mass rampage?

SS: It’s funny you mention Nyarlathotep, because yes, they are involved… somewhere. This is a thing I feel if I talk about too much, it will ruin some twists and surprises. *ominous laugh*

Yes, the cosmic horrors of the Mythos will totally work into the story. In our version, Cthulhu fought the True Old Ones, who are essentially all Mythos entities. We’ve taken a few creative liberties, but overall they will be the ones many of you know and love and/or terrified of.

MA: We definitely have a pile of old ones, shapeless, and creatures from before Time to show you. It wouldn’t be Lovecraft without some [of his original] monsters to play around with! Yog-sothoth will most definitely attend!

ES: Which pantheons will be featured?

SS: Oh, so many. But like I said earlier, most pantheons will be only touched upon. Norse/Baltic, Germanic/Gothic, Mesoamerican (Aztec and Mayan, primarily), Greek/Roman, Hindu, Slavic, various African, Chinese and various East Asian figures, Cthulhu Mythos, various Native American/First Nations, Sumerian, Egyptian, Canaanite, Zoroastrian (hint: This one plays a huge part in the story!) … and more. Even an angelic entity or three.

While we’re having fun playing around with various mythologies, I would like to note that we’re also trying to be as respectful as possible without compromising our creative vision. Mythology/Religion is quite important to a lot of people, whether it be part of their culture, their keen interests, or personal belief systems, and we don’t want to just crap all over that for shock value and cheap thrills. Naturally, one’s mileage always varies.



ES: Which pantheons will be decimated? SS: I can safely say that Cthulhu the Conqueror kicks off with the joint ancient Germanic/Gothic realm being wrecked in an ocean of divine blood and furious violence. The Norse and Baltic pantheons are related, and will share a similar fate. The Egyptian, Greek, Hindu, Aztec, and Maya mythologies will also be largely destroyed. Aside from that, I don’t want to give too much away. You understand, I hope!


ES: How many world pantheons would you like to get represented?

MA: We want to feature at least four pantheons at a time [per comic] during certain scenes. If we can get in 32 different groups over the course of the book that’ll be great. Each one of those characters has the potential to be a drawing of one the donors. So, if you ever wanted to be a god… now is the time!

SS: The more funding we get, the more we can expand certain gods and pantheons involved past a panel or two or a mere mention.

MA: I’m building a set specifically designed as a meeting place for gods and deities of all sizes. Were referring to it as “Pantheone” to serve as middle ground between dimensions. In it we plan on featuring as many different groups of gods as possible.

ES: Are you guys working around the premise that all the gods from various pantheons can work together if they wanted to band together to destroy Cthulhu? Is that possible?

SS: All war is ultimately over resources. The gods themselves are like us: social and political beings with their own interests often coming first; those interests involve their own immediate kind and the resources they control. The more ancient gods are often more willing to stay out of the fray and try to help (as with the African gods in our story; it’s almost as if they’ve seen this go down before…). As with our world and its tumultuous and violence-ridden history, ideologies and self-interest often get directly in the way of pragmatic and sensible mutual assistance. Many of these pantheons are enemies or rivals of one another, which is how Cthulhu is able to inflict so much bloody havoc on them straight out of the Starry Gate. In many ways, Cthulhu the Conqueror is a blunt example of how neglecting to mutually assist one another will lead to mutually shared destruction.


ES: As for the comic book, will you still produce it even if the goal is not reached?

MA: We’re looking into getting it in the hands of publishers if we can’t get it funded ourselves. It’s a project were both excited about. It may take us more time than we like without funding but eventually we’ll put it out, rain or shine!

SS: We are prepared for the event if our ambitious Kickstarter goals fall short. There are several plans on the table in the sad case that sort of things occur. We can relaunch the project with a smaller financial goal in mind, for instance, with fewer things attached, like runs of physical copies of the graphic novel; instead we’d focus on mostly digital fulfillment and special print-on-demand options for particular backers. And that’s just one option. We’re not giving up just because our first Cthulhu the Conqueror Kickstarter campaign doesn’t succeed, we assure you!

ES: If the Kickstarter is successful, just how many more issues will you make? Should you get more money that exceeds your wildest dreams, will Cthulhu take his fight into the Dreamlands? Or what about the deeper reaches of Space where he has to battle his own kin, namely somehow plugging his ears against the mad piping numbness that’s Azathoth?

SS: I’m glad you asked! Being prepared for failure is one thing, but being prepared for success is another thing entirely, and one that is actually more stressful in parts when we think on it.

Aside from all the backer fulfillment, which if Cthulhu the Conqueror greatly exceeds expectations, we’re prepared to take off day-job time to make sure everything runs smoothly, we also have some other plans…

Should this prove to be a serious success, we will then begin putting together a comics anthology called “Dreams from the Nether Realm”, where many of our industry artist and writer buddies would be paid to contribute their own stories and ideas centered on the Cthulhu the Conqueror universe. We’ll also introduce other comics ideas twisted nicely into our variation of the Cthulhu Mythos. The book’s concept hinges on the idea that Cthulhu is dreaming while trapped within his Starry Nether realm prison. Time and space will have no meaning, so we feel this will make for a great anthology backstory. We’ve already talked to a few writers and artists about this and they’re as excited about doing it as we are!

Myke and I would also really love to do two more books with our Cthulhu, “Cthulhu the Redeemer” and “Cthulhu the Vanquished” (Note: That one is a working title). The basic gist of these books have already been plotted and arced, and will answer many of the questions people will be left asking with Cthulhu the Conqueror.

There are also some other things in the works concerning Cthulhu the Conqueror, because the idea itself has really hooked some folks who’d love to see this particular intellectual property in other formats– like, say, a tabletop or video game of some kind.

Then there’s the stretch goal we’d really like to see happen, which is a magazine styled Cthulhu the Conqueror tale in the vein and format similar to Savage Sword of Conan. 
 We have a lot of other ideas and aspirations, and it was tough trying to figure out which ones we should focus our dreams and hopes on. Myke and I, of course, keep all options open for consideration.

Oh, yeah: YES, there will be flashbacks of Cthulhu fighting the True Old Ones in Cthulhu the Conqueror itself, as well as plans for tales covering his campaigns against these ancient horrors through the aeons.

ES: Do you have any parting words to readers uncertain about contributing? MA: It’s always been my dream to illustrate a great comic and have that story live on gathering interest and fans! We’re set to tell an epic story! With a little funding we’ll get that story told and shown to the world!

SS: From my end, Cthulhu the Conqueror is pretty much a loving homage to Deities & Demigods, released by TSR in 1980. I read my venerable and battered copy to my kids as bedtime stories, instilling the same imagination and wonder I had when I was their age, going through its pages and envisioning all of these pantheons at war. We’ve had endless discussions about it. I want to share that our shared childhood vision with anyone ready and willing to come along for the ride.

Myke has similar creative influences and aspirations in regards to Cthulhu the Conqueror, which is why we’re having so much fun putting it together. We’re a well-oiled machine, where neither of us thinks the other has a bad idea. Sure, many ideas aren’t or cannot be used, but a production meeting on Call of Cthulhu is like some sort of creative love fest. I wouldn’t want in any other way. (Myke, you complete me, buddy.)

All in all, we want to bring this rip-roaring, action-soaked take of violence and woe to life, and we’ve been super stoked to see our backers so far get really pumped about Cthulhu the Conqueror. I can’t say it enough, but we can’t do this without interested readers.

If you’re reading this and unsure about contributing, please feel free to drop us a line and ask us questions. You can do it through a comment to this interview, a Kickstarter message (which would be a great change of pace from all the parasitic KS PR promotional spam!), through our Cthulhu the Conqueror Facebook page, or, heck, you can email me directly: [email protected]. I’m always happy to field just about any kind of questions. Except about that one time in Sweden. That subject is verboten.

And we couldn’t do this without you, Ed! Thanks to you and the wonderful gang here at Nerd Titan for taking the time to ask Myke and I these awesome questions!

Be seeing you… in the funny pages.

—

For more on Cthulhu the Conqueror, please visit the Kickstarter page!

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/11/12/imaxs-exclusive-poster-rewards-is-getting-amced/

IMAX’s Exclusive Poster Rewards is getting AMC’ed

Most fans who attend first screenings which are part of IMAX’s poster rewards program (formerly known as Fanfix and 12:01 Exclusive) are going to feel slighted should the current trend of AMC Theatres getting the exclusive continues. As a collector who knows supply and demand is at the heart of how any collectible market works, just why one movie theater chain is mainly distributing these items is questionable. Before, in the early part of last year, Cineplex Canada, Regal Theatres and AMC were on board for Interstellar. Three prints were offered and each theatre chain had only one or two of the set. By trading through forums or purchasing the missing pieces through eBay, a complete set can be attained. This method was fair to everyone interested in obtaining this triptych.

Since then, the opportunities have dropped. Loyalty to a theatre drives which chain continues to offer these miniature sized posters regularly than by the parent company. Regal and AMC (USA-centric theatre chains) competed with exclusive prints for Transformers: Age of Extinction, Terminator: Genisys and Ant-Man. The former company had Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Sadly, collectors living out of the States are out of luck; in Canada, Cineplex Entertainment has not offered many promotional items after The Avengers: Age of Ultron, which had many theatre chains participating.

If a location is not listed on IMAX’s blog announcing these exclusives, that theatre is almost not worth going to. For this Marvel Entertainment film, the fan’s choice for the winning design was distributed throughout North America and the red Ultron variant managed to trickle into one theatre chain’s distribution method. In the States, at least three of the four designs saw distribution at some level. Either it’s time for die-hard collectors to make frequent trips to this country’s screenings or IMAX’s marketing division should take a serious look to even the playing field by using the same distribution method back when Interstellar was screening.

The assumption in how this promotion works may well lay in which theatre chain is willing to invest into the printing costs. When considering the posters have the company’s logo printed on it, the connection is obvious. When AMC is the second largest operation lagging behind Regal, to see them invest into luring moviegoers to their operation makes sense. When they do not have sibling operations in other countries, the distribution is not fair to collectors who live in other parts of the world. When there’s a chance to get one freely as a reward of attending a film at a price tag of $18 for a seat instead of paying online prices is a juggling act. There’s no satisfaction of buying online when the movie was not seen. Even as I search for forums like Reddit to see of other people are trading prints (I sometimes grab a few extras set aside on a table), I’m not finding regular talk to exchange missing prints. The four-set Hobbit posters barely got a mention in the Canada premiere screenings and I had to buy them at a convention.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/11/12/closing-the-doors-to-the-ghost-dimension-in-paranormal-activity/

Closing the Doors to the Ghost Dimension in Paranormal Activity

The Paranormal Activity franchise is reportedly coming to an end, and if the last product, Ghost Dimension, is any indication, then just what this latest film presented is a less than fitting method to put a finish to a franchise. It gets literal in opening a portal and upon closing, is the crack on the wall a foreshadow that it’s not 100% over? When considering a demon will get unleashed upon the world, will the story (if it did continue) be like the video-game Diablo? Perhaps not. This series has always been a social experiment from the get-go. It’s designed to see how many people can get scared at the jump scares than to present a cohesive tale that’s being built over several movies.

To unleash this latest one to VOD just weeks after the theatrical presentation is a newer experiment to improve sales — if not interest in an ailing franchise. There is no guarantee of this business tactic working. Fans of this series will miss out on the only good thing about this last film unless they have a newer TV that peeks into the third dimension. The 3D effects work. When audiences get to peer into this aether realm through the lens of a modified camera, the pop adds to the perspective of just how the paranormal world is more ‘realistic’ than the flat one. That idea is well thought out. The camera that Mike (Dan Gill) carries is modified to have six sensors to record this ghostly dimension. As for whether than can be done with current video recording equipment in the real world, there’s going to be some people who will try to invent a new contraption. 4K is probably not the way to capture paranormal evidence. A highly sensitive charged coupler device that can see in the dark is required.

The only problem with modifying an older camera is that the video presentation looks terrible on a big screen. At the same time, this movie presents a huge problem: to bounce between this low resolution image that’s meant for 3D to that of high-resolution can induce headaches. The eye can only handle the swapping of visual presentation so much and for me, I had to close my eyes several times to adjust. The 3D glasses did not help the low-lit scenes since no compensation was done in the theatre to compensate for the loss of lumens (a unit of measurement for how much light is presented). Nausea quickly developed. There was only about 30% of real 3D footage and the rest was presented very flatly.

If this technical gaffe was better edited to transition between 2D and 3D, the shocks (however tame that they were) might have been more effective. Having resting eyes in a film that relies on jump scares destroys the point of going to the theatre.

Also, the plot is no different from previous films. The innovativeness is miniscule. The previous films offered motion-tracking cameras through the use of Microsoft Kinect or multiple cameras to follow the ghostly action. The producers assume the public loves 3D movies. Eventually, this effect / fad will die. If there’s ever a case to kill this format, this movie can be added to the list of movies that is not worth the price of a 3D ticket.

All the viewers are getting is an average tale about a young couple, Ryan (Chris J. Murray) and Emily (Brit Shaw) living a great life with their daughter Leila (Ivy George) in a fantastic looking estate. After Mike (Dan Gill) discovers this magic camera, strange activity picks up. Just why he continues to film when things get hairy is never understood. Any sensible individual would put it down and deal with the situation with a camera set upon a tripod. If this franchise series is supposed to be stitched together after the fact all these hauntings and killings occurred, then there exists a video editor who believes putting together a cautionary tale about how not to go rooting around at other people’s belongings is a good idea. Even though the former residents have have moved on (figuratively speaking) and the previous films have shown people dying under terrible circumstances, why is there no movie to show what the police are doing to investigate?

The last film, Marked Ones, showed Hector leaping through time and space which lands him to the events from the first film. He would have left evidence (assuming the body was dragged away) when the police came crashing in to find Micah’s body. The camera containing the footage would have been discovered too. It’s strange that nobody is investigating! A few of the previous films showed that the families affected had friends. Surely somebody must be asking questions like why thse seemingly random individuals have horribly died.

That’s one of the biggest plot holes this series does not address. Audience take the narrative for granted as a sick look into a haunted house scenario with bits of back story to suggest the possibility that black covens are planning the end of the world.

Why anyone want to watch a stitched together narrative of a family getting killed is rather morbid. Curiosity is killing the cat multiple times and that’s what drives this franchise. We’re more interested in finding out how the background story drives the plot, and this movie does a not-so satisfactory job in tying up the loose ends. New questions are raised, and all it does is stay true to the trope of leaving audiences unhinged. There’s evil which is being unleashed upon in this world and nobody is doing anything about it. Whoever is putting these tapes into a found-footage story does not care about this fact. Will a followup occur where the point of view change and we see investigators looking for clues how to stop the demon that children call Tobey? Probably not. Is he the creator of all these black-eyed children we see all over the world? Perhaps.

Oren Peli, originator of the series, most likely did not plan to have a series of movies. It was fluke that it built a cult following. To have a cohesive franchise meant following in the steps of Wes Craven ala Halloween — something this saga failed to deliver. Each film was meant to exploit what’s current in video recording technology to catch paranormal activity by people not versed in the lore than to create a fulfilling story about a coven intent on summoniing a demon. When you sic this movie upon masses who has an idea (there’s plenty of reality tv shows that looks at how people go investigation) of what goes on, the appeal is only good to those who want to feel goosebumps in the night. Maybe R.L. Stein can do a better job. At least he knows how to offer terrific twists to an age old tale. What this latest film in this series presents only gets stale.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/10/21/judge-dredd-megazine-celebrates-25-years-of-existence/

Judge Dredd Megazine Celebrates 25 years of Existence!

Drokk, yeah! One of my favorite comic offerings of all time, Judge Dredd Megazine, has been around on this speeding, filthy space-rock for 25 whole solar-revolutions. A UK comic book institution, and the monthly spin-off of weekly (and even older) 2000 AD, the Megazine is something that is always chock full of awesome, kick-ass comics, cool stories, interviews, and, of course, Grud-damn JUDGE DREDD.

Here’s what they have to say in their press release…

“2000 AD’s sister comic, Judge Dredd Megazine, celebrates its 25th anniversary this Wednesday – with a special cover by artist Barry Kitson.

The veteran artist on Judge Dredd, Anderson: Psi Division, Fantastic Four, and The Amazing Spider-Man has returned to the ‘House of Tharg’ after 23 years to produce an image of Dredd having bested many of his most dangerous foes, before beckoning the next generation of villains to try their best.

Launched in 1990, the monthly Megazine has published some of the most seminal Judge Dreddstories of the past four decades, including ‘America’, ‘Young Death’, and ‘Bury My Knee At Wounded Heart’.

Its first issue in October 1990 featured the artistic talents of Glenn Fabry, Sean Phillips, John McRae, Peter Doherty, Cam Kennedy, and Jim Baikie. Over the past 25 years it has also debuted popular characters such as Gordon Rennie and Frank Quitely’s Missionary Man, Simon Spurrier and Fraser Irving’s The Simping Detective, and Dan Abnett and Phil Winslade’s Judge Metta Lawson.

The special cover by Kitson features 25 of Dredd’s all-time greatest villains, including: Kraken, Judge Death, Judge Fear, Call-Me-Kenneth, Judge Mortis, Mean Machine Angel, Trapper Hag, Fink Angel, The Judge Child, Stan Lee, Chief Judge Cal, Judge Fire, Captain Skank, Sabbat the Necromancer, Judge Rico Dredd, Don Uggie Apelino, Father Earth, PJ Maybe, the Mutant, the zombie Dredd from City of the Damned, a Sov Judge, Pa Angel, Whitey, and several more… with city blocks in the background named after John Wagner and Alan Grant, paying tribute to the two scripting titans of Dredd’s world.

This month’s issue sees the start of a stunning new Dredd thriller, ‘Terror Rising’, by the ‘America’ team of John Wagner and Colin MacNeil; Brit-Cit Psi-Judge Lillian Storm goes underground in her pursuit of the mysterious box in ‘Storm Warning: The Relic’ by Leah Moore, John Reppion and Tom Foster; Colonial Marshal Metta Lawson has more than her hands full keeping the town in check as the carnival kicks off in ‘Lawless: Between Badrock and a Hard Place’ by Dan Abnett and Phil Winslade; and ‘Demon Nic’ faces the Assassin Apostles, by Paul Grist! Plus, in the bagged graphic novel this month, we catch up with Carl and Kilquo in the ‘Freaks’ sequel ‘Faces’ by John Higgins and Mindy Newell.

Judge Dredd Megazine #365 is on sale this Wednesday from all good newsagents and comic book stores, as well as digitally through the DRM-free 2000 AD webshop and the 2000 AD apps for Apple and Android devices.”

For more on the Judge Dredd Megazine and 2000 AD, please visit their home base in the current 4 temporal realities.

New to 2000 AD, the Meg, and the like? Check out this first video the droids at 2000 AD put together, starting with some talk about the ABC Warriors!

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/07/03/insidiouspoltergeistreviewed/

The Frights are Light with Insidious 3 and Poltergeist, A Double Bill Movie Review

Some movies are not worth watching right away. Both the Poltergeist remake and another Insidious (part 3) movie are certainly a pair to wait on. When other movies have been exhausted, then just maybe time can be spent figuring out whether or not these two films are worth the price of admission. After a cheap Tuesday, that’s not a problem. Even afterwards, the feelings are left mixed. In these two films case, they’re better off as a video rental.

As both films feature families tormented by a poltergeist-like figure, to wonder if one of them are better than the other is worth examining. In the Poltergeist remake, the Bowen family is getting tormented by spirits from the grave. Because the lost souls have become attracted to young Madison (Kennedi Clements), they want her badly. The can sense her because she’s a shining beacon of innocence and hope for them. For some unexplainable reason, she can guide them to the light. Just how a young girl can lead the dead to the next life really needs to be asked. Unless this film is revealing enough to explore Taoist philosophies, where going into the light means reincarnation, to take this ideology ad verbum is tough to swallow. 

In third part of the original trilogy, what does get addressed is the fact this world runs parallel to many others. These other dimensions where the undead may lay are accessible through portals. Any holes made in the walls of our universe can potentially be telephone lines to another reality. Thus, these spirits are able to communicate through closet doors, light bulbs or television sets because they represent a means to travel between two different quantum states. Ultimately, where the paranormal world exists relies on having a greater understanding of physics that science has not reached yet.

Sometimes, the five human senses are not always capable of perceiving or quantifying them. When one of them does, what’s experienced can be frightful. Griffin (Kyle Catlett), the middle child, has fears of his own, and Kendra (Saxon Sharbino), is obsessed with social media. This elder sibling is far too removed from her family because of her reliance on technology (a computer and cell phone) and when reality comes crashing upon her, she’s not ready to believe it. The funny thing about this older of the siblings is her vague interest in the paranormal. She watches a lame para-reality television program named Haunted House Cleaners because it’s fashionable. When this fake program within a film makes a pointed stab at the paranormal reality shows, an opportunity is missed by not exploring how Carrigan (wonderfully played by Jared Harris) turned into a paranormal pop star. He’s clearly vested into “cleaning” evil spirits away from spooked locations, but not all of them, he admits, that were filmed for the television show were real. When he is called into investigating this real case, there’s a certain morbid fascination for me to seeing how real cases are treated versus facsimiles.

Carrigan’s act nearly saves this film from total ruin. This movie is a throwaway product that not many paranormal enthusiasts will take to. The original film is a classic. It offered genuine scary moments, especially with the fact that real skeletons were used on set, and this movie, which is mostly digitally created, has all the sensibility of borrowing from Insidious for its depiction of the afterlife and The Conjuring with a possessed doll for a good part of the narrative.

Parts of the original film’s dialogue were intentionally copied verbatim from the original script and intoned with the skill of a novice performer. Not even a willing suspension of belief can make the last act of this film stand on its own merit. If a spin-off can occur and Harris returns as a character for future films, like in what Insidious 3 has done where Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) takes center stage, then I have hope for a refreshed franchise to take off.

For Rainier, she’s frightened by what exists in The Further in Insidious 3. Both films feature a gothic realm where the dead lay. Poltergeist is more action paced and Insidious is just moody.

In the afterlife according to writer/director Leigh Whannell , the freaks of purgatory exist because of their own devices. Whether due to family neglect (which seems to be where the evil is manifested by the Demon Who Cannot Breathe) or desire by an entity to take a soul for its own, just what’s next for this series of movies really shows that the dead need the living in order to survive. In what was plotted for the Insidious series is that fact that the undying are looking for a second chance at life through possession. That alone makes for creating terrifying horror.

Although the frights by Quinn Brenner (Stefanie Scott) are not altogether convincing and the fact that no one else in their apartment complex are affected by this spirit, there’s pieces to the haunting logic puzzle which will never make sense. While most real life hauntings affect all individuals in a complex, this one is only targeting a poor, innocent, girl.

When Quinn pays a visit to Rainier in hopes to make contact with her dead mother, maybe she did not realize that she’s been broadcasting much like Madison. She was warned by Elise, “When you call out to one of the dead, all of them can hear you.”

Although both films have different producers behind their mutual product, certain similiarities are noticable. It’s always the youngest girl that’s targeted and paranormal investigators are called in to help when everything else fails. The formula has moreorless stayed consistent with films like The Exorcist and The Entity. Whether by clergy or expert paranormal academics, some kind of authority needs to be called upon to save the day. In Insidious‘ case, the smiling bat-duo, Specs and Tucker, do not earn their cred until this film’s end, when they finally realize they’re dealing with the real thing and Rainier takes lead.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/07/03/talk-salad-and-scrambled-eggs-frasier/

Talk Salad and Scrambled Eggs: Frasier!

  The character of Dr. Frasier Crane was a regular on the hit show Cheers.  The show Frasier picks up after his divorce and return to his home town of Seattle.  The show as part of Must See TV 1998-1999.  It is one of the most successful spin off shows of all time. 

I used to watch the show all the time in syndication.  In my humble opinion, the show should have been called Niles.  I never liked the Frasier character on Cheers.  I watched Frasier because I really liked the supporting cast. Sitcoms work best when you have a really good ensemble. 

It’s been 11 years since the last episode aired.  Until now, I have not had time to revisit this series.  Even the many mentions of this beloved show on the Nerdist podcast by Matt Mira was not enough to get me to go to Netflix and start re-watching.  I have to admit that when Matt mentioned “Talk Salad and Scrambled Eggs” as a rejected podcast title, I wanted it to be real.  So when he tweeted that episodes were going to be released soon, I was beyond my usual level of excitement.  I finally had an excuse to revisit Frasier from episode 1 all the way to 264!

You can join us on this journey! Matt Mira has joined Kevin Smith to bring to life a podcast that perhaps only I really wanted, “Talk Salad and Scrambled Eggs.”   There are currently only 2 episodes released.  Kevin and Matt work very well with each other.  They are passionate about source material.  This makes it a real delight! 

The pilot is chuck full of American one camera sitcom history!  Matt Mira is passionate about comedy writing.  He gets to share this passion in this podcast! In episode 1 they get to the first two episodes of Frasier.  There is a great deal of back history to the show.  If you are interested in learning about the show Frasier, this podcast is for you.  If you are still not sold, I have included the first two episodes right on this very page!  I really love this podcast!

  Here is the pilot episode!

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/04/10/fanexpovancouver2015/

Redefining the Fan Expo Vancouver Experience

Is Fan Expo going the way of generic Horror? Scooby Doo Fans won’t complain.

Fan Expo Vancouver is now in its fourth year and although Rue Morgue Magazine’s Festival of Fear is no longer part of its Canada wide show, I’m definitely going to miss them. They were a part of the ‘original Fan Expo Experience.’ At least what’s offered in their place might put the paranormal pop culture scene in a different spectrum along with the team of regulars who have appeared in programs like the Walking Dead and other up-and-coming shows like iZombie. Although the event is now branded as a ‘Horror Expo,’ just how that will fare remains to be seen. 

The magazine issued a public statement stating, “Although we have had a great run over the past eleven years and have always enjoyed putting together a stellar event for you, we felt it was time to part ways with the show. Thank you all for your support over the years and stay tuned for further news…”

Although the show felt smaller without them, the arena was still packed with fans looking for merchandise to fill their shelves with. Although the Ghostbusters of B.C. was not present (they had an exhibit in the last two shows), most likely owing their allegiance to Rue Morgue Magazine, the Vancouver Paranormal Society (VPS) was out in force and proving that the pop culture scene welcomes anything supernatural! I welcome this change for the fact I like to take a scholarly approach to studying spirit lore and understand the psychology of it. From last year’s show, Robert England was intriqued with my take of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, and hopefully I can find time to sit down and chat with him about it since the work he’s done after that saga and with his independent features follows on similiar themes in how the boogeyman cometh.

And besides, not every group approaches investigations from a purely technical standpoint, and I hope to get to know more people who likes to understand horror literature and interest in the paranormal the same way I do. 

The Vancouver Paranormal Society with a young fan.

The VPS had a standing room only panel where they talked about what they do and played back audio/video clips showing that there is something that exists after death. Their interaction with fans lasted beyond the scheduled hour (it spilled to personel discussions outside the room). According to Blair Jordan, media liaison, and Peter Renn, the president, being at this show was a fantastic experience. This group hopes to do it again next year and tweak it up (perhaps into a 90min presentation?) so that what’s offered is even better. Who knows, maybe they will also have a table so people can talk to them during the day. I chatted with them after the panel and there were plenty of folks waiting in line for a moment to talk about the evidence that was presented. Some even want to be members.

The artists from the local scene were out in force. Although two comic-book illustrators (George Perez and Bernie Wrightson) cancelled due to illness, I wish them the best in a speedy recovery, and am hoping they will return to the Pacific Northwest at another show. I really wanted to talk to them about Infinity Gauntlet and Swamp Thing. I had hopes to hear what Perez thought of the Marvel Entertainment’s plans to build to the storyline he helped illustrate, and wanted to learn what the world is horror is like according to Wrightson. I have his collected works that I hoped to get autographed. Maybe next year!

Adopt a Dragon?

In the Artist’s Alley, indie publishers from 13 Flames to Zombie Robot Comics were there plying their (undead) wares. The balance between these publishers and exhibitors is remarkably even! As I walked around, I even spotted Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon made by Dominique Declerck of Daemonique Arts Studio to get the animation nerd in me squealing. Ahem, well, there was a lot more to find in this alley than at merchandise row. When I had limited room in what I could carry home, I had to be picky. Sadly, when I’ve attended two big conventions one weekend after another, what I want to buy was in short supply. Not everyone will be bringing their entire catalog of items to these shows and I overheard another person saying it’s the same stuff you can buy from last year. Sadly, that’s true. 

David Attar (the voice of Cragger in LEGO: Legends of Chima)

 I’m not after more nerdy clothing to wear or graphic novels that I can buy for cheaper on Amazon. I am looking for unique items, and that’s when scoping out Artists Alley is better than checking out the vendors. While I’m always on the lookout for items to get autographed by the writers and artists who attend these shows, the pickings in what the exhibitors offer are limited.

If the LEGO company knew that the voice actor for Cragger in their Legends of Chima animation was present at this show, I’m sure certain opportunities would have opened up. I’ll speak more on this later.

I’m usually attending the shows for the informatiional industry panels, entertaining celebrity Q&A’s and fun photo opportunites. Fan Expo always delivers in the regard. They always get great headliners. I like the fact that they contracted John Barrowman, Carrie Fisher and William Shatner to appear for this Vancouver show. Sadly, Captain Kirk was only available for a day, and the lineups for meeting him or getting a photo was huge. Eventually, I will get to meet the surviving cast of the original Star Trek series. I don’t always need an autograph and I feel just a moment to talk them is all I need. From The Next Generation, I really need an animated venue to start from since some of the talent, like Marina Sirtis, Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner has done work in the voice-over front.

Of the three, Spiner was at FEV and I asked about his work in this area. When I talked to him, he had very little to go by when prepping for the character of Puck in Disney’s Gargoyles for the first time. That faerie was so animated, full of vitality, and to hear that Spiner initially had no visual reference to know how to emote that when Puck was still in development was interesting to hear. I wish I was allowed to record conversations with the guest so I can have a means to recount exactly what I was told but as I vaguely recall, he was given free reign to do what he wanted. He pretty much winged it.

Reboot gets Jim Su letting fans know that this series is alive and well, and getting a version 2.0 soon!

I loved the fact that School Creative, Institute of the Arts had a panel about how to break into the voice-over world and they offered tips. Part of it does require having a proper education to learn the foundations and relocating to the right city to get the opportunities. I knew Vancouver is a center for reworking many a Japanese Animation product, but I didn’t realize it’s also a center for North American voice over work too. David Attar (the voice of Cragger in LEGO Legends of Chima) and Scott McNeil (the voice of Hack in Reboot or Nick in Roswell Conspiracies, to name a few) are two instructors at this institution and by that virtue alone, I’m considering finding a new career in voice over work. There’s a lot I need to work on still, but at least anyone who goes to this school are being trained by the veterans! They have experiences that they can use to explain how to get into a role.

At least I have a firm memory of Bruce Campbell’s grin (He was at FEV2014) when I asked if Mia from the Evil Dead remake is going to team with Ash somehow. With a television show Ash vs Evil Dead in development, that’s now possible. Technically, these two characters are not the same, but the fact they fall into similar circumstances can not go unnoticed.

Carrie Fisher speaks about her fame.

 More questions was asked by the fans during the Q&A’s throughout the long weekend. Lance Henriksen talked about his career and there were plenty of Millennium fans in the house. When Carrie Fisher took the stage, I could see she’s very close with her pet dog, Gary. Both William Shatner and John Barrowman packed the house with an entertaining retrospective of their careers. I say Barrowman won out for the best in show when he sang a few lines of “All I Ask of You” with a fan, and revealed that “Rhinestone Cowboy” is his favourite song when out karaoking with his hubby, Scott. Some discussion was had with Stephen Amell about the latest news of him being in the next Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie as Casey Jones. But when Michael Bay’s name is attached to the project (I wasn’t rocked by his first film), all I can say is that I have mixed feelings.

Read To Hell You Ride, since Lance approves it heartily!

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/04/10/world-of-tomorrow/

World of Tomorrow

I was introduced to the Don Hertzfeldt’s animated films though the film REJECTED.  I love that he can bring such heart and soul to stick figures.  I adore Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.  The humor is warped and twisted; it works on so many levels!  I love this short film. Here it is with commentary!!

There are so many wonderful videos featuring his truly singular view of life.   From the terrors of dating depicted in LILY AND JIM to the everyday awkwardness of the Billy trilogy (EVERYTHING WILL BE OK (2006), I AM SO PROUD OF YOU (2008), and IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY (2011)).  His videos show that there is nothing more profound or funnier than the truth. It’s worth the time to get lost in the videos he has on YouTube. 

In his newest project, WORLD OF TOMORROW, Don Hertzfeldt is trying a something new.  He made the film and is now hoping people will rent it.  The proceeds will go towards his next project.  He calls it a reverse Kickstarter. I gladly paid $3.99 to see Mr. Hertzfeldt’s latest work. I quickly fell in love with it.  There is an innocence to it.  The subject matter is very topical.  The lesson is to be present and enjoy your burrito.  It is a deeply philosophical 17 minute journey that was so much fun. 

If you are a fan of his work and you really love philosophy, this project is for you.  Not only do you get a fantastic and original film, you get to support him in making more stuff!  Go to YouTube and watch his stuff!  If you like his stuff then buy his DVDs and most importantly, go rent this awesome film.  Here is the link!

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/04/09/eccc2015/

Looking At The Changes in Store for Emerald City Comicon 2015 and Beyond!

Changes are in store for Emerald City Comicon now that it is under new ownership. Some of it is noticable at the 2015 event, and based on what I’ve experienced, I think what’s planned will be good. For one thing, instead of three days of the show, there will be four. That might eleviate some of the congestion as not many people will attempt to cram as much into a day. 

And maybe for next year’s show, some events can be spread out better or there will be the return of some fond favourites. The Star Wars Radio Play was missing this year. In previous shows, it was re-enacted by the voice talent that comes to this Seattle-based show. This year would have been killer with the fact that Patrick Warburton, the voice of the Tick and the television version of Buzz Lightyear, was in the house! Include Janet Varney, the lead character in Avatar: Legend of Korra, and the possibilities would have been spectacular. Other great vocal talent included Steve Blum (voice of Starscream in Transformers Prime), Veronica Taylor (Ash from Pokemon) and Tabitha St. Germain (My Little Pony).

Hopefully with ReedPOP managing this show and wanting to make it as huge as the New York Comicon, they can pay the licensing rights required to make this radio show happen again. To not do so is remiss. When I was first told about this show and missed it the first time, the next two times I went to ECCC, I made attending this special event a top priority. Without it, this convention seems a little smaller.

Last year had FlipON.TV tape most of the panels. For a reasonable price, I could watch what I missed by subscribing to their channel. Sadly, this company is now defunct and most of their videos are freely viewable on Youtube. That’s a bonus, but sadly, I heard that for the 2015 year, no company was hired to tape the panels. There were a few media guest Q&As I had hoped to see, but when they took place on one floor and the photo ops and autographs were on another, that was okay, but when there were other events taking place inside another building adjoining the convention center, I had to prioritize since I knew bouncing between parts of the show meant a 10 to 15 minute dash from one end of the building to another. If there are urban engineers involved with next year’s show from the parent company, I’d love to see a break so folks can make it from one event to another without needing a Transporter from Star Trek.

Although I heard some of the panels were indeed recorded, but I have yet to find out who is the company or if this was a fan endeavor.

I’m usually attending the big shows for the autograph and photo opportunities more so than anything else. I’ve shopped till I’ve dropped before, and honestly, I have nearly everything I could want that’s been made. It’s the new stuff, which I see very little of during these shows, that I want. I browsed through Diamond Comic Distributor’s recent catalogs to make my wish list and did I find any of them? There was no Avengers messenger bag because that would’ve been cool to have. I even scoped out The Adventures of the 19XX website for what kind of new merchandise they might bring, and I did eye their Flight Crew Backpack. Sadly, they didn’t bring any of those to sell. Other than a few cloth patches, two comic book exclusives and a Unicron eating the Space Needle T-shirt, that’s all that I bought.

I did snag The Master’s Sonic Screwdriver as a prop to use for a photo-op with the Team Doctor Who moment, but other than that, the variety of goods offered felt the same as the previous few years that I’ve been regularly attending. IDW was even remiss to bring their entire catalog as there were titles I wanted to buy. DC did not appear this year, and I wonder if Marvel Comics ever will? With ReedPOP now managing things, I suspect the big companies will now have to pay attention to the events happening at the Jewel of the Pacific Northwest.

That weekend was super busy with the grand opening of a new exhibit at the Experience Music Project Museum. I took the night off and away from the Washington State Convention Center to check out the Infinite Worlds of Science Fiction gallery, and I was impressed. It showed off the variety of gear that has been used in science fiction films and television, and I got to look at what an actual Dalek prop looked like. People do not realize it’s made of wood until viewed up close, and the Cyberman costume was intimidating. I wonder of Jon Davey wore the one that’s on display? When Anglicon rolls in mid-June, I can ask to find out! The weapons display was really impressive and although I did not scope out the rest of the exhibits in full, at least quick walk-around did some good. When I have a photographer friendwho’s impatient with lineups, we didn’t get to see everything I had hoped.

When we finally split up so he can go photograph cosplayers and me collecting autograph moments, my first day was mostly spent on the sixth floor, where all the meet and greets with the big names happened. I spoke to John Wesley Shipp and he was intrigued with the theory I offered: I believe the new Flash series is building up to crisis of parallel Earths. Harry, the character Shipp plays, is a version of the original Barry who did not get super powers. But as a medical doctor, there must be some background that’s not been revealed yet that sets up the fact that the Allen family consists of very bright minds. 

I believe Harry is just as important to the series as Barry. As Shipp revealed, he will be appearing in the series finale and that his character will not be as frequent for the second season. That’s sad because there may be more to Harry that meets the eye. I like to know what kind of medical doctor he is. Maybe he’s doing something with nuclear energy? That’s sometimes used in certain branches of medicine….

Afterwards, I got to meet Janet Varney, who is the voice of Korra. I asked if there will be new stories, but the creators have regular jobs too that they are focussing in on. She’d like to hear them call her up and say let’s record a new saga, but for now, the Avatar is resting.

After these moments to talk to these stars, I hit the show floor. For a Friday, it felt like a Saturday crowd. Afternoon wasn’t so bad, but I found that the line-up Mike Mignola was constantly filled. In order to prevent a bottleneck from happening in the small corridor, only a dozen or so people were allowed to wait in line. People had to come back to see if an opening is available. I like this idea and the Minions had specific instructions in how to handle the crowds in this small of a space. The corridor was like only five people wide. This method is far better to use than allowing the huge lineups to snake around the building. That happened when Jhonen Vasquez was at the show.

When I wasn’t sure of when to get in line for ECCC exclusives, I was advised by a different minion that now is the best time. What he counted was the shortest lineup he’s seen throughout the day. I took his advice and jumped in! Even in the celebrity areas, depending on the person, I was allowed by theminion to go the media guest so I can chat with them. Sometimes I don’t want an autograph or photo. I just like to speak to them and thank them for the many years of entertainment they had given me, since I’ve seen him or her on the big or small screen.

Meeting Curtis Armstrong and Orlando Jones was easy. Hoping to thank Stan Lee for all those entertaining bullpen bulletins from the late 70’s to mid 80’s that I would always want to read first (than the comic) was not. They were adamant in only allowing paying customers in and I did not want to push it. I saw a moment where he was exhausted from dealing with a huge crowd and even if a Minion was required to tackle me down and create an incident, I’d explain that all I wanted to do was to go up to him, and say, you deserve a break, and offer to take him out to anywhere he wants for a chance to relax.

Stan the Man is loved by everyone because he was there for the creation of the Marvel Universe that we all love, and his signature commands a high price these days, but can anyone imagine a time where his appearances at these shows was netting small returns? I’d say that it is because of the Marvel Entertainment movies that he’s back in demand as a headlining guest and that’s become his secondary source of income after all the residuals he gets from other sources. Sadly, I can tell that he’s getting on in age (he walked by me at the hallway at a different convention I went to, and I let him be instead ofnerding out). I see a time where he will retire from the convention touring scene. I’d say he has a few years left before he decides to limit his appearances.

Even as I wandered back and forth in this floor, I had hoped to speak to John Barrowman when I finally saw that there were only a few people left. Alas, I was denied because at least I can understand the reason that he needs a break before the photo ops with him began. Thankfully, I had my moment to express how much I love his singing at Fan Expo Vancouver, and I want to hear him sing most of Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s catalog of hits. I told him I’d love to see him play the Phantom, but because he has a skin allergy to prosthetics, that will never happen.

If I had the extra funds, I would’ve gone to Seattle Thursday to see John Barrowman entertain a small group of fans. Sadly, that did not happen. But if he ever decides to do a show in Vancouver (I’ll have to pay attention to his official page a lot more to know), I’m there in a heartbeat! I think of him as an entertainer for all generations. He’s Elvis Presley and Donny Osmond all rolled into one!

Since I made this show floor my home, I spent a lot of time observing how the lines were handled. The area certainly feels bigger than the previous location, but it was a lineup nightmare when the really big stars were ready to do the photos with all their fans. John Barrowman, the Walking Dead and Stan Lee were perhaps the biggest and they stretched into the autograph signing areas. I think the staff at ECCC/ReedPOP will have to figure out a strategy in order to prevent that from happening again. Sadly, that will mean capping the number of photos allowed per session. With an extra day added to the 2016 show, folks should have greater flexibility in choosing one of four opportunities should there be that many that might exist to get a photo taken with the media star.

Thankfully, Epic Photo Ops is ECCC’s new choice for photo service this year and I’m really glad this has changed. Froggy’s method of distribution just was not cutting it anymore. I’m sure there were complaints, and pictures they took from last year did not emerge on the day of, and appeared too late the next to get autographed. Their method of distribution is to simply line up all the images for people to search and find whereas Epic brought them out and looked for the individual who is waiting in line to pick up. The option to buy an inexpensive picture holder is good, but the smart will realize cheaper can be found at the show floor. What I noticed is no framing service. Sadly, when considering how hugeECCC has grown, the investment for thousands of proper frames with matting services is not feasible.

To see that offered somewhere on the show floor might be doable but the issue is having enough supply. The demand for a perfect framing job is there and the staff would have to be properly trained. I criticized a staff member at Fan Expo Vancouver about the job once — since the image stuck to the glass making for an unsightly blob — and that’s an epic no-no. Fortunately, the individual understood, and fixed the print while I explained the purpose of what a matte does. In a show, that can’t be done quickly enough and my advice for the future for all patrons is to buy something solid to store the picture while at the show, and get it framed by a professional service who knows what they’re doing after the show. I was told that the printers this company uses are not bubble jet and they should be long-lasting. The archivist in me quirked an eyebrow as high as Spock’s and only time will tell if that’s true. I keep my prints in a special photo binder with archival sleeves, so I’m not too worried. Plus, I have digital copies of everything!

Even though I’ve spent more time at this floor more than others for the days I’ve been at this show, I did mange to check out the gaming floor, examine the layout of the rooms for panels and look at where the food trucks are.

I had reservations at first for all the RPGS and card games going on and when I wandered around the second floor, it surprisingly works. Tweaking is required to identify where the vendors are hiding (inside the rooms) but I like the fact that the show is almost concentrated back into one building. One side of the floor had Magic the Gathering tournaments going on, and if I had the time, I’d gladly relearn what’s new about the game. Instead, I just wanted to see if any products I haven’t heard of before can catch my interest. There’s a zombie game called Last Night on Earth that I’ll have to check out, since survival is always a great theme to explore.

And I’ve heard the panels were a resounding success. I like the fact that the main hall for the celebrity interviews is right next to the exhibit hall. There were a few in the autograph/photo op floor too that was fine to quickly reach. However, the rest of them were delegated to a floor where I think that there’s only two ways to access. Either through an escalator from the exhibit hall in the second building or from the street. Both are okay. But to deal with jumping from one building to another really meant spending 10-15 minutes to get from one floor to another. When I was wanting to reach the second building some meet and greets and discussions in between my waits for autographs, managing to hit any panels never happened. I glanced in at Hayley Atwell’s interview and that was about it. I even missed the rousing John Barrowman moment where Alex Kingston came in to ride him like a cowgirl. Thankfully some of the panels are posted online, so I saw it, but as with any convention, the best parts of the show are with witnessing those random moments of nerdom (not so much with the guests) first hand.

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/03/28/angliconreturns/

The Pacific Northwest's Anglicon is Regenerating!

A much beloved convention in the Pacific Northwest is making a comeback. After a decade long break, Shawn Marier is leading a team of enthusiasts to bring back Anglicon, an event that celebrates British popular culture. It originally ran from 1988 to 2004 and back then, declining interest was part of the reason why it no longer continued.

Although nobody was certain about Doctor Who, BBC’s seminal show returning to screens the next year, interest in British started growing again. When folks took notice of programs being remade, namely The Prisoner, and in seeing Red Dwarf coming ‘Back to Earth’ thankfully interest in programs from across the pond never faded away. Heck, even Thunderbirds is being remade!

In the West Coast, only one Doctor Who themed convention, Gallifrey One, prospered. However, unless fans planned half a year in advance, there were limitations because of the venue limiting numbers. Part of the reason is due to fire code regulations, and thankfully Anglicon is not going to do that. Marier assures that everything they are going to do for this regeneration is to ensure the event will grow in the years to come.

Since the late 80’s, Marier is a fixture in the Pacific Northwest scene Having been involved in this region’s many science fiction and fandom events (like Norwescon) over the years, working behind the scenes and acting as convention chairman, the one thing that really mattered to him was to help give back to the fanbase. The theme of the convention never mattered since it was about the people and camaraderie that can be experienced in shows put on by dedicated fans for fans.

Meet the staff: (Back) J. Spyder Isaacson, Chris Nilsson, Eric Gjovaag, Cate Siguenza. (Front) Steve Jensen, Shawn Marier, Scott Surber.

“I found fandom in high school and it was a place which just felt like ‘home,’ and has been a part of my life since. 




I have created so many life-long friends here, and it’s like belonging to a large extended family.










 But you really develop close friendships at the conventions you’re part of the staff at,” said Marier.  

That kind of heart defines a true fan-run convention. It’s at these events where people can meet to talk about their favourite episode, recount fond memories of when Doctor Who was broadcasted in television (including one hard-core fan,  Gary Malkasian who introduced every Doctor Who episode before its broadcast in the early 90’s on KVOS) or chat about the latest rumours about where the new series is going. Bigger for-profit conventions have their place, but to explore them is a different thesis altogether.  

For now, Anglicon has guests Colin Baker (the Sixth Doctor), Sophie Aldred (Ace) and Katy Manning (Jo Grant) attending. Everything attendees can expect for a Doctor Who convention will be there: stories from the set, industry panels, celebrity Q&A, photo ops, merchandise, how to build your own Dalek (or TARDIS), autograph signings and game shows. 

Actor Jon Davey with Peter Capaldi.

More is coming and no official word is made as to when or if they will get performers from the new series. They do have Jon Davey, a supporting actor who has played many a supporting role, from U.N.I.T. Soldier to Cyberman (as well as other monsters), and who knows, maybe he has the scoop as to what’s happening for current murmerings in what’s going on with the New Series.

And at least the “Legacy” is alive with Executive Producer Susan Cummings and Creative Director Lee Cummings, of Tiny Rebel Games, LLC who made the mobile game Doctor Who. Fans can expect to receive codes to try out this program on the go. 

As a rebooted convention, the organizers have to lay the groundwork down. This incarnation is already bigger than one of Anglicon’s original shows from more than a decade ago. Marier reveals that the next step is to prove to the sponsors that they are reaching enough fans and a market exists for a very specialized event such as this convention.

“I look at Gallifrey One (The biggest Doctor Who exposition in the States) and see which companies are sponsoring guests. If we can show to these businesses that Anglicon can also pull in large numbers, then they are more likely to want to come and bring special guests with them.








” said Marier.

Many fans want to see David Tennant make a convention appearance (he doesn’t do many State-side shows) and while anyone from this modern series will no doubt get plenty of people interested in coming through this events doors, that’s not the only reason why Anglicon is returning.

“Both Anglicon and Norwescon are 501c3, so they also pass on profits to good causes,” revealed Marier. “For us, a portion of profit will be going to KBTC, one of our local public broadcasting stations that’s regularly showing Doctor Who.




 I know a number of their staff will be at our convention, and a couple of them are helping to work behind the scenes.



 
We’re also doing a charity auction and all the proceeds from that will be going to them.”

But some money will be saved too. If this event makes a profit in its first year, then it will go into a reserve fund to help run future years. Who knows, maybe some of the Anglicon staff will get seen at KBTC during a pledge drive to help build momentum for this show. But not everyone can get this station. Pacific Northwesters have a choice of various PBS stations to tune in on, and for Canadians, KCTS9 is better known. They also run pledge drives to build their coffers. This station is based out of Seattle and some viewers may recall the times they brought Craig Charles or Robert Llewellyn out to talk about the fun antics that happened behind teh scenes during this station’s Red Dwarf marathon. When this program is soon filming a series XI, just what are the chances of Anglicon to bring in other names known outside of the sphere of Doctor Who?

New Post has been published on http://www.nerdtitan.com/2015/03/06/62-eric-alexander-moore-talks-norm-mcdonald-stand-up-comedy-and-where-to-get-a-really-great-burger/

#62 - Eric Alexander Moore - Talks Norm McDonald, Stand Up Comedy and where to get a really great burger!

Eric is back for the first recorded episode of Thinking Thoughts in the year 2015. This is one of my personal favorites that I’ve ever recorded. 

We talk about all the great things that have developed comedically in the last year for the both of us. Eric tells a fantastic Norm McDonald story and the subsequent advice that Norm dished out, that really helped Eric in shaping his career over the last year. It had been a while since I had laughed this hard during a recording of an episode and I’m very excited to share it with you.

Eric and I will be opening for Dave Anderson at the Level B Theater in Salem Oregon March 21st.

www.levelbtheaterpub.com for more information.

Stream the Episode below, download it from iTunes or tap straight into the RSS FEED!

[email protected] to get Starktooned by Kevin Smiths animator. Tell him Bentley sent you.