Fascinated by Earth since 1976.

My next comic book project is almost here! 

My next comic book project coming soon! 

Today we celebrate when a brave unicorn leads humans across a land made of moldy cheese to liberate the pillow people. The Beatles were the minstrels even though, as we know, this all happened in the mind of an insane parrot. 

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STAR WARS: Episode VII

The New Order

It is a time of galactic peace. The New Republic oversees a thirty-year era of restoration that brought much of the Old Republic back together. Luke Skywalker trains new Jedi Knights who enforce justice. 

However, a new power forms at the edges of the galaxy that gathers the remnants of the Empire and prepares to tear the Republic apart. 

Sensing the coming darkness, Luke warns General Leia and General Solo, and dispatches his two best Jedi Knights to investigate the potential threat … 

Kylo and Rey arrive on Tatooine, a planet ruled by warring gangsters that has not rejoined the Republic. Rey thinks that Luke is wrong about the threat, but the stoic, serious Kylo puts his brash partner in her place. During the investigation, a group of zealots who hate the Jedi attack Kylo and Rey. The fight takes the Jedi across Tatooine’s largest industrial city, but the pair is overwhelmed. Surrounded by the zealots, a powerful new force user, Snoke, appears and rescues them with incredible new powers.   

Meanwhile, Poe, the Republic’s best pilot and leader of the famed Rogue Squadron, is patrolling the Outer Rim under orders from Leia when they are attacked by what looks like new Imperial ships. The squad wins but is forced to land on the volcanic world of Vol, when one of the pilots is downed.  

Snoke tells Kylo and Rey that he was trained in the Force by a forgotten master. He tells the both of them that he can teach them new powers as well. Rey wants to report back to Luke, but Kylo orders her to remain silent until they learn more. Snoke also warns Kylo and Rey about the New Order and where most of their resources are coming from.  

On Vol, Poe and his group discover an old Imperial Factory that is still active and creating fleets of new ships, including one massive new type of Star Destroyer. Poe is told to wait for backup by Leia, but the Rogue team investigate further anyway, leading to the deaths of several team members. Poe is saved from Phasma by Finn, a defecting stormtrooper, and then by Han and a New Republic fleet. To escape, the fleet must contend with a 100 new Imperial ships gathered under the banner of the New Order.

Kylo and Rey debate the truth about Snoke. She doesn’t trust him, but Kylo sees that he’s as powerful as Luke. Rey secretly tells Luke who warns that he can sense Kylo’s growing conflict. Luke orders Rey to return, but she refuses, saying that she will set Kylo straight. 

With Snoke, they reach the planet Canto to find the New Order’s biggest benefactor. However, it's a trap! Snoke reveals himself to be the leader of a new order of Sith. Snoke offers Kylo and Rey a chance to become more powerful than they could imagine, but to do so, one of them must kill the other. Kylo and Rey refuse and make a daring escape when Snoke orders them both killed. 

Han and Poe barely survive the assault by the New Order fleet. However, they return to Leia and begin preparations for a coming war. 

Kylo and Rey return to Luke, but the Jedi Master is gone. Kylo, now the head of the Jedi, orders the Knights to scatter into the galaxy in search of their master. 

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It begins with Laurie Strode in a house. She’s panicked, creeping through a dark room with her eyes peering out, searching for something.  Michael Myers appears out of the darkness and grabs Laurie from behind. A kitchen knife glistens in the moonlight as Myers puts it to Laurie’s throat.  LAURIE Is this what you wanted, Michael?  Myers’ head sinks, just like in the poster. We focus in on his dark eyes.  The film flashes back 40 years, to the day after the events in the original movie. Myers wasn’t shot. Loomis was suffering from age-related macular degeneration and completely missed. Michael faked being shot because he felt bad for Loomis. 

Over the next 40 years, Myers works as a Wal-Mart greeter while searching for love. But he ends up killing every GF he gets. He loses his job at Wal-Mart when the bodies are revealed throughout the store at the end of Act 2. 

We come back to the present. Myers backs away from Laurie and then kills himself. 

Hollywood goes wild. 

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. 

Love them anyway. 

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish alternative motives. 

Do good anyway. 

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest minds. 

Think big anyway. 

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. Give the world the best you have and you’ll be kicked in the teeth. 

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. 

-Hedy Lamarr

It’s easy. 

Put Trump and Un into a room. Lock that room. Then reveal that the room is not a room but a shipping container. The container is coated in a special mix that will promote the growth of coral. Drop the container into the ocean. Elect new leaders. Problem solved. 

Logline: Sibling treasure hunters march through a swamp to find a long-lost Spanish fortune worshiped by a deadly mythical tribe.

FADE IN:

EXT. TROPICAL WETLANDS - DAY

A sea of grass, the FLORIDA EVERGLADES, stretches as far as the eye can see. Trees sprout up above the sawgrass. The canvas of green meets the rising golden-red sun at the horizon.

TITLE: Florida, Everglades

Closing in on a canal between the plants is a small AIRBOAT with FOUR PASSENGERS and EQUIPMENT. The air boat is propelled by a large FAN MOTOR which emits a powerful sound.

At the front of the airboat is MILA SANTOS, an athletic Cuban-American woman in her late 20s dressed in cargo pants, long-sleeve shirt, and boots. Next to her is RICK SANTOS, Mila's younger brother, and a man thick with strength. Rick is sporting a more aggressive look than his sister with a HANDGUN holstered on his hip.

Behind them is DOCTOR KRAUSS, a frail, pale man, dressed like a tourist and ill-equipped for a day in swamp heat.

Piloting the airboat at the rear is HECTOR, a man who makes his living out in the swamps.

Mila raises a fist into the air.

Hector reacts, powering down the fan, abruptly ceasing the noise and slowing the air boat.

Mila stands on the airboat as it drifts near an object. It's a limestone STATUE, carved to resemble an OWL.

Mila inspects the statue but the morning silence is broken by a TRIBAL CALL.  

Krauss and Hector both react with a touch of terror. They look at each other with concern.

HECTOR The Lechuza are out here.

KRAUSS The Owls?

Mila and Rick take out oars and begin slowly maneuvering the airboat through a narrowing canal.

KRAUSS (CONT'D) They're a myth.

HECTOR Did that sound like a myth to you?

The boat rocks as it bumps into land. A skittish Krauss turns, watching as Mila and Rick hop off and pull the boat onto a small embankment. Hector follows.

Krauss swallows a thick ball of terror.

Hector finishes securing the boat as Rick and Mila begin walking up the trail.

The group carefully hikes the trail, moving between the tall grass growing out of the water. Hector and Krauss cannot keep their eyes still as paranoia forces them to look out into the swamp.

KRAUSS Maybe this treasure isn't worth it, you know?

RICK (to Mila) Can I punch him?

MILA (to Rick) Not yet. (Beat) It's just a three-mile hike,

Doctor. As the team hikes, the sun moves across the sky.

KRAUSS I've spent 15 years locked in a library looking for this place.

RICK I'm surprised you didn't burn alive in the sun.

MILA We promised we'd find el Disco Solar (the Solar Disc) for you, we didn't say it'd be easy.

KRAUSS I could not wait any longer to see the Solar Disc for myself.

Krauss is visibly exhausted, Hector is close, but Rick and Mila are unfazed.

HECTOR How much further? We are too deep into Lechuza territory.

RICK If The Owls were real we'd be dead already.

Krauss recoils and yips at the sight of an alligator on the side of the trail.

Mila raises a fist again and everyone stops. She kneels down and starts to move vines and plants apart. A round, stone manhole COVER is revealed. Carved on it is the face of an owl.

Hector nervously peeks over Mila's shoulder.

HECTOR Lechuza.

MILA This is it. Rick, move it.

RICK Am I just muscle to you? I have feelings you know?

MILA I know. I was there during Beauty and the Beast when you--

RICK --Hey, hey, it's okay. No need to go on. I'll move it.

Rick grips the cover and pulls. It doesn't budge. Rick turns and smiles off a touch of embarrassment.

Rick tries again, this time the stone lid creeks and Rick drags it open, revealing a hole.

An invisible wave of stench created by death rushes out, forcing everyone to recoil.

KRAUSS Dear god!

Rick tosses the rope at Hector who grimaces as he catches it.

RICK Tie this.

Mila shakes a chem-light on and tosses it down into the hole, then looks in.

MILA Doesn't look like much of a drop.

Mila starts to crawl into the hole.

RICK Sis, what are you doing?

MILA You're coming in right after me. Chill, little brother.

Mila eases down and drops in.

MILA Whoa.

RICK Talk to me.

Hector hands one end of the rope to Rick.

RICK (CONT'D) Sis, report.

MILA It's amazing down here. Amazing.

Rick tosses the rope down.

RICK (to Krauss)

Doctor. Krauss moves into the hole.

KRAUSS I should just keep reminding myself of the money we'll make.

RICK Whatever gets you through the day, Doc.

Krauss vanishes into the hole. Rick offers Hector the chance to go next but Hector insists Rick go first. Rick eases himself into the hole.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVERN

Rick drops down into the dark cave. Mila has placed more chem-lights around, revealing more of the ancient artwork, spiders, snakes, and some long-dead skeletons.

RICK Incredible.

KRAUSS I can't believe it.

MILA Hector, bring the cameras down next.

A moment of silence strikes everyone with curiosity.

Rick looks up into the hole ...  

RICK Hector?

... the rope drops down ...  

RICK (CONT'D) What the--

... Mila rushes over to the hole.

MILA Hector?

Hector peeks in with guilt-ridden concern.

HECTOR Lo siento amigos.

Four men dressed in business suits and wearing owl masks step out from around Hector.

HECTOR (CONT'D) They threatened my family.

Rick and Mila grimace. Krauss' jaw drops ...

KRAUSS They're real.

With a loud clunk, the lid slowly shuts on the group below.

RICK Great.

KRAUSS Well, I suppose dying in the place I spent most of my life looking for is somehow poetic.

MILA We're not dead yet.

Mila confidently storms ahead of Rick and Krauss, heading towards the back of the cavern. She flips on a flashlight, revealing a passage way out.

MILA Want to die while looking for a way out?

RICK I like that idea.

The trio moves into the dark passage. Krauss is enamored by the art on the walls. Paintings of human figures, one dark, one light as if reflecting each other. Each figure has one, large eye that comes together with the other figure's single eye to form a pair of eyes on a face in the negative space.

KRAUSS This is definitely the place. All the depictions here represent human trinity. The dark and light reflect each other. The eyes look for the truth between.

MILA The passage opens up ahead.

Mila reaches the edge of the passage where it opens into a large, circular room. It's lit by sunlight coming through a hole in the ceiling.

RICK There's our way out.

KRAUSS It's the God of the Graveyard.

At the center of the room is a giant owl's head carved from wood, now aged centuries by water and earth falling from above. The owl's mouth is open and there's an OBJECT inside.

MILA Is that the Solar Disc in its mouth?

KRAUSS (glossy-eyed smile) Let's find out.

Krauss begins to take a step into the larger room but Mila quickly stops him.

KRAUSS What's the matter?

RICK Haven't you watched Indiana Jones? These places are always booby-trapped.

KRAUSS (pushing ahead) Don't be silly. This tribe wasn't sophisticated enough for that sort of thing.

Krauss walks right up to the Owl. He turns ...

KRAUSS (CONT'D) See?

Krauss takes the object; it's a small, wooden clamshell. He holds it carefully.

KRAUSS I can't believe it.

Krauss opens the object and a puff of powder shoots out, covering the doctor's face.

KRAUSS Oh, my.

Krauss stumbles back, dropping the object near a SMALL POOL of dirty water at the base of the owl statue.

Krauss claws at his face, moaning louder and louder in pain.

KRAUSS My skin ... It's burning.

Krauss keeps walking backward and falls through a patch of moss on the ground that's covering an unseen pit.

KRAUSS (O.S.) AH! AHH! AHHH!

Rick and Mila grimace from the horrible sound of Krauss' demise. They rush over only to find a pit of SNAKES. Only Krauss' hand sticks up from the reptilian mound.

RICK What's the call?

Mila's eyes lock onto the owl statue ...

MILA The doctor said something about a reflection.

Mila carefully walks up to the owl statue. Rick follows while looking up at the exit.  

RICK I think we have just enough rope to get out.

Mila kneels down and looks into the muddy pool of water. With the skylight above her, her dark silhouette is surrounded by a halo of light.

MILA (muttering) The truth between.  

She runs her hand through the muddy water. For a split-second, a limestone button is revealed.

MILA I found it.

RICK Found what?

Mila runs her hand again, revealing the button and with two fingers she presses it.

A panel on the base of the owl pops opens.

Mila pulls back a small door to reveal the SOLAR DISC, a palm-sized golden metal gear.

MILA (smiling) Jackpot.  

Mila stands up holding out the Solar Disc with a smile but it quickly vanishes when she sees Rick is unloading his gun.  Mila puts the disc in a pocket.

MILA What are you doing?

Rick begins to tie the rope through the pistol grip of the gun.

RICK Need to get the rope up there but it's easier with some weight.

MILA Who says I'm the brains of this outfit?

RICK What? Who says that?

Mila carefully walks over and looks into the snake pit. Krauss has vanished beneath the reptiles.

Rick unsuccessfully launches the gun up into the air. As it comes back down, heavy rain comes down with it.

Rick unsuccessfully launches the gun up again, trying to wrap it around a thick branch. He ducks as the gun almost hits him on the head.

A worried Mila looks around as parts of the ground is already flooding from the water.  

Rick fires the gun up again, this time it sneaks around the branch and comes back down. He pulls it down so that he can just barely hold both ends of the rope.

RICK Take the end with the rope. I'll pull you up.

Mila takes the rope, grips it tightly and nods at Rick.

Rick starts pulling and as if weightless, Mila zooms up.

The water in the cavern is reaching Rick's ankles. A snake slides across the ground and slithers around Rick's foot.

RICK Oh, hell no!

Rick jerks his leg, releasing tension on the rope. Mila begins to fall, heading straight for the snake pit.

MILA Rick! Rick! Rick!

Rick kicks the snake away then grips the rope with both hands while bracing his legs and body. Mila's fall stops just seconds from hitting the snake pit. The Solar Disc slips out of her pocket and falls into the snakes.

As Mila reaches for the Solar Disc, the undulating snakes reveal Krauss' lifeless face for a second.

Rick pulls and Mila lifts back up ...

MILA No, wait!

Rick is kicking more snakes that are coming out from all around the cavern.

RICK What?!  

Rick pulls Mila all the way to the top.

MILA I dropped the disc.

RICK I'll get it. Tie the rope.

Rick charges ahead, kicking and fighting off snakes while heading for the pit.

Above, Mila frantically ties the rope.

A snake bites Rick's ankle, forcing him to the ground and to the edge of the snake pit.

Krauss' body is back at the top and the Solar Disc is resting on his chest.

RICK You ready up there?

MILA Ready!

Rick grips the gun end of the rope and swings across the pit. As he moves through the air he snags the Disc off of Krauss' chest.

Rick swings back, putting a foot on the ground when another snake bites him, forcing Rick to let go of the rope and drop the Disc which lands at the edge of the snake pit.

Rick hits the ground on all fours, he grips his ankle that's swelling from the bite, grimaces, and groans.

Mila grips the rope and slides all the way down.

RICK Sis, no!

MILA Shut up!

RICK Get out of here!

Mila reaches the ground next to Rick. She takes the Disc and puts it in her pocket.

MILA I told mom I'd take care of you.

Mila helps Rick up to his feet.

MILA You still got arms, right?

Rick grabs the rope. Mila wraps herself around him.

MILA Pull!

Rick growls and pulls himself and Mila up the rope, out of the reach of the oncoming snakes.

With each pull, the branch above creeks and bends. And with each pull, Rick lets out an incredible pain-filled growl.

At the top, Mila climbs out then reaches back to help Rick escape. The pair fall to the side and breath a deep sigh of relief.

Mila holds out the Solar Disc. Rick looks at it and they both smile wide.

CUT TO:

EXT. SWAMP - NIGHT

Under a cloudless sky and bright moon, Mila struggles to help Rick walk. Rick is pale and fighting to move while or keep his eyes open.

RICK No more hikes for a while, okay?  

MILA We should be close.

RICK And if we're not?

MILA You die and then I probably die too.

RICK Estaremos con mamá otra vez. (We'll be with mom again.)

Rick collapses to the ground. Mila falls to her knees.

MILA No, Rick.

Mila uses all her remaining strength to roll Rick onto his back.

MILA (CONT'D) You freakin' ox. You're not dying on me--

Mila's words fade out as four shadows loom over her.

Mila turns, eyes wide. The Lechuza, the four men in suits from before, surround her.

FADE OUT.

I won’t get into the details of my mostly mundane existence but let’s just say I’ve lived a life with questionable father figures. The closest thing to one that I ever felt I had was my grandfather and he passed when I was 17 years old. So, before anything else, thanks to all the amazing women in my life who’ve gotten me this far, and thanks to family and friends who acted like surrogate fatherly figures throughout my life. 

Somewhere there’s always been an unconscious part of me searching for a man from an older generation who could fill that role, or as much of whatever the role was supposed to be. For the past six years, I’ve had a great man playing the part -- Ricardo Diaz. My girlfriend’s father and a classic Cuban male. A powerful reminder of my grandfather in so many ways. He’s Yoda-wise and Superman-strong. And he’s gone from this from world as we know it.

We spent a lot of time talking about science, energy, matter, where it all goes and what it all means. I still don’t know most of the answers. But some of it, the part that made me connect to him, it goes in the heart, and I’ll cherish that until it’s my turn to find out for myself.