I get rattled, baby...

Let us turn to the Way Back Machine and take a trip back to the grand ol' age on 1988. Compact discs outsold vinyl records for the first time, both Nine Inch Nails and Milli Vanilli were formed (taking both ends of the spectrum here...), the most excellent Megaman 2 video game was released, and Magnum P.I. drove off into the sunset in his red Ferari for the last time. But, most importantly (at least as far as today's post is concerned...), the supergroup Travelling Wilburys released their album 'Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1' to great critical and public success...

A little history first: if you are not aware of who the Traveling Wilburys were, they were a supergroup (in every sense of the word...) formed by Roy Orbison ('Oh, Pretty Woman'...), George Harrison (The Beatles...), Bob Dylan ('Blowin' in the Wind'...), Tom Petty (The Heartbreakers...), and Jeff Lynn (Electric Light Orchestra [ELO...]...) by chance that they all happened to be in close proximity to each other and were doing some separate side projects. Someone (who knows...) said something to the effect of, 'Hey, let's cut a record, guys', and so the Travelling Wilburys were born. Let's look at this a moment: You have one of the great rockabilly musicians, a Beatle, an icon of 60's and 70's counterculture, a highly successfully musician of the Americana variety, and the lead of one of the most successful prog rock bands of the 70's and 80's. How could this fail? Thankfully, for the world at large, it did not fail and proved that there are musicians who are in it for the love of playing music with your friends and not (just...) the cash. Either that or they are great actors as well...

It turns out that I love this album and never knew it. I picked up the album at Salvation Army (my one-stop shop for cds...) because I found the song 'Margarita' a couple years back and really got down on it. So, I thought, 'I bet the rest of the album is pretty good too, what with that lineup and all'. I got the surprise of a lifetime as I began to realize that this album wasn't an unknown to me. About three songs in, it dawned on me that I had heard this whole album before, but nearly 20 years ago. A wash of nostalgia hit me and I was transported back to a small town in Ohio when I was just a lad. I even called up my mother and asked about it. Apparently, this is one of the soundtracks of my childhood. It also may explain why I cling so vehemently to classic rock over many modern rock styles; it's in my blood, plain and simple. I was programmed at an early age do enjoy most music pre-1990 and I guess it worked (thanks, Mom and Dad...)...

The album content is definitely greater than the sum of its parts (and the parts are fantastic on their own...). 'Handle with Care' is reminiscent of Tom Petty's 'Learning to Fly' (actually, that analogy is backwards...), but allows you to really get the power of Roy and George as well as their combined power in the bridges. 'Dirty World' is mostly done by Dylan and is quirky, sexually laden song that is just fun to sing (what does he mean by 'He loves your bottled water'?). 'Rattled' is a throwback to the days of rockabilly (I could see Elvis doing this one...) and Jeff Lynn sings it expertly, though I'd have loved to hear Roy do it. 'Last Night' is a Roy/Petty number, with the rest backing them up. It's a story, literally, about a nefarious woman the singer met up with 'last night'. It's a bit repetitive, but still pretty good. 'Not Alone Anymore' is an Orbison ballad and suits his singing style (always good to hear from the Big O...). 'Congratulations' is mostly a Dylan number about loss and probably my least favorite on the album due to the repetition and Dylan's voice (not much of a Dylan fan here...). However, because of its slightly annoying distinctiveness, it tends to be the most memorable song on the list. 'Heading for the Light' starts out like an ELO number but you can almost feel the Beatle undertones. If the Beatles (the band...) had lived past 1970, I can imagine that this is where their sound would have headed. I'm not sure exactly where 'Margarita' fits in the genre list, but it's a pretty cool song. It builds in intensity and has a quirky mix of folk, country, surf, and rockabilly rock. Very catchy. 'Tweeter and the Monkeyman' is...indescribable, but is apparently a poke at Springsteen (Click here to experience it...). The last song, 'End of the Line', is a sweet, on-the-move number with a touch of melancholy as this is one of the last songs Roy Orbison put down. The music video shows a rocking chair with a guitar in it in Roy's place and is a little sad without him there...

Where I a divinely powered being, I would have created a universe where there is ALWAYS a Traveling Wilbury band. As members get too old to do it or move in different directions or what have you, other rock artists should take up the Wilbury banner and keep the tradition alive. Were I to reform the Traveling Wilburys today, I would use the following artists in various incarnations in the future:
-Paul McCartney to replace George/Roy...
-Eric Clapton...
-keep Tom Petty...
-Joe Walsh and/or Don Henley from The Eagles...
-Dave Grohl to represent the 90's...
-Jack White...
-The Edge from U2...
-Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top...
I don't know about many artists from the 90's and 2000's that would mesh with this more classic rock sound, but I'd be up for some suggestions to add to this grouping...

I highly recommend this album if you are a fan of any of the artists who contributed to 'Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1' or are just a fan of classic American rock. This is a very fun album (though I bet it was more fun to make...) and definitely is on my top 25 album list, if not higher. All the songs are very catchy and easy to get into. In recent times, there seems to be a resurgence of artists getting together to lay down some fresh tunes (Jack White and Dave Grohl have been notorious for this...) for the sake of doing something different and just playing some rockin' music. I feel they are continuing a tradition is older than they imagine. Rock on, everybody...

How Are Things In Connemara?

Maybe two this week?

Day 4

An early up and off to the ferry for another fun filled Irish day, and what a day it was. The road to Connemara was filled with sights both natural and not, so in some ways, this was Ireland at its finest (including Ireland's wonderful road system, which makes most American roads look like a stroll through the park...)...

I was fairly drowsy until lunch, but I do recall green, rolling hills and quaint little lakes and sheep. Lots and lots of sheep. For gas, we stopped at what I can only describe as a back country Irish strip mall (not as bad as it sounds...). The craft store boasted some of the finest in Ireland so it was worth a stop just to satisfy our curiosity...

We were drawn to a huge statue of a man (turned out to be the Connemara Giant...) and at his base were the words, and I kid you not, 'The Connemara Giant, carved by the Connemara Craftsmen in 19XX, for no reason at all.' You gotta love the Irish sense of humor. This trip is shaping up just right. After a while in the gift shop (and a quick change of pants...), the Irish countryside awaited...

For lunch (for reals, this time...), we pulled over for a pastoral picnic amongst the largest Irish mountain range, the 12 Bens. These mountains reminded me of a cross between our Rockies and Appalachians; green like the east coast, but very treeless like most of the west. Very lovely indeed. Did I mention a butt load of wandering sheep? Cause there's a butt load...

After seeing signs for some sort of music workshop (perking my interest...), it seemed to be a worthwhile side trip. Rather than being an activity center, it was literally a workshop where instruments were made, specifically bo'hdrans (pronounced bow-run...). The salesman, who was surprisingly Texan with a Scottish partner (small world, no?). Long story short, I bought an Irish drum for my father as a Christmas gift (I hope he enjoys it...). I almost want one for me; they're pretty cool...

Cong Abbey was our next stop, which turned out to be ruins (pretty cool; America needs better ones...), a usable cemetery, and a pastoral, verdant back area. If weather had permitted, we'd have walked through the verdance. But Irish weather (such as it is...) persisted and drove us back to the car. In the rain, we pitched our tent and prayed. See you in the morning...

June 16, 2009
Nicholas C. Witte

As before, have some bonus pictures on the house (and yes, that is the Giant from the back...):

Motivation is the key...

Another comic post, but this time in a more serious vein (serious comics?). The motivation for any hero to take up the mantle or cause is fairly straight forward and easy to understand; they want to do good for humanity by using their skills to make the world a better place. But today, we're going to go over the motivation behind two specific events from two comic universes (universi?) and compare the effects of these events on the heroes in question. First, we'll analyze Iron Man's motivation behind his decision in the 'Civil War' arc, then take a look at a moment from 'Superman: Grounded' and compare their effectiveness, appropriateness, and believability...

Roughly 4 years ago, Marvel Comics released a huge crossover event called 'Civil War' (one in a loooooooong string of huge crossovers...). In a nutshell, a reckless tragedy involving a team of lesser known heroes way out of their league, destroyed a small town and killed hundred (all caught on TV, I might add...); calling into question how should superheroes be regulated. This split the hero community between those believing that being registered and regulated by the government for accountability's sake vs. those who believe that heroes should act outside the law since those who were sanctioned could be pointed at targets regardless of right and wrong. The heads of each faction were Captain America, leading the said against regulation, and Iron Man, who leads the registered heroes side of the fence. Iron Man took up the side of regulation when one of the victim's mothers assaulted him emotionally at her son's funeral. She screamed at him that his flagrant attitude towards the law and society over the years inspired a younger generation and precipitated the actions that killed her son. This struck a chord with the armored billionaire and pushed hard for the regulation of the hero community. This inevitably lead to a showdown between the two factions (as well as their leaders...), ending in the surrender, capture and eventual assassination of Captain America...

Now, let's jump to today, but switch universes: after an event which caused the destruction of the New Kryptonians in DC comics (look it up; it's too much to go into here...), Superman was feeling disconnected to the people of Earth. More specifically, he felt removed from the people of America, to whom he had sworn to protect (Truth, Justice, and the American Way and all...). To this end, The Man of Steel set off on a walk (see why it's called 'Grounded'...) across America to help the average person with their daily lives and attempt to reconnect to the everyday, average American (good luck, big guy...). He makes stops at various cities and makes a show trying to connect and going through some self-doubt to show how he is growing as a person and rediscovering what it means to be human. The series is still ongoing, so there is no wrap up yet like with 'Civil War', but the moment in question involves a press conference Superman gives and a grieving woman comes up to him and slaps him (smooth...). She tells him how the love of her life had an inoperable brain tumor and she knew Superman could fix it. But when she tried to contact him (I'd love to know more about that...), all she was told is that he was 'prevent[ing] some big interstellar crisis' (is that all...) and that Superman was 'doing something important'. Her husband died and she blamed The Man of Tomorrow as he could have used his super abilities to save her husband. This moment further spurred Superman to take his journey across the country...

How do these moments stack up to each other? Both speak to how the populace of each universe view and regard their hero population and it is for this reason the 'Civil War' moment is more poignant that the one from 'Superman: Grounded'. In Marvel, the public are not always on the side of the hero and often regard superheroes as much in fear as in adulation (look at what Wolverine, the Punisher, and Hulk do on a regular basis and tell me I'm wrong...). So a public outcry over the reckless nature of young heroes in the Marvel universe is to be expected if not a complete given. By having the mother assault Tony Stark and make him realize that his hedonistic nature contributed to the idea that anyone with powers could do whatever they please, it speaks to the maturity and evolution of the character of Iron Man and that he is willing to become the role model and take responsibility for his actions (Uncle Ben would be so proud...). In a different time, Iron Man and Cap would have been on opposite sides, but having the split this way and forcing Tony to choose between his brothers-in-arms and what is good for the people of America is good story telling and good character development...

In contrast, the moment in 'Superman: Grounded' does not work for me as motivation for Superman to try and reconnect with the Untermensch (if you get it, you get it...). The idea of Superman has been built upon that most view him as a god and that he is a well respected and well loved member of society. This also leads to the fact that the people of DC's Earth lean on their heroes more than Marvel's seem to. When you have protectors such as Green Lantern, Superman, and Wonder Woman around, life can go on a bit more recklessly than it might otherwise if such demigods didn't exist. Also, the responsibility of the safety of man, accidental or otherwise, is now placed on super beings able to do the impossible at the drop of a hat. This moment is the case and point of the attitude towards supers in DC comics. Granted, we are supposed to feel bad for this widow, but to have her displace the blame onto Superman (he was battling Kryptonians in space to save Earth, for God's sake...) is a bunch of weak sauce. Superman, as close to a deity as he might be, cannot be everywhere at once and it is childish, even in the face of the death of a loved one, to blame him for something that is small potatoes in comparison to Earth's safety...

What it comes down to is cause in the end. Iron Man's actions (as well as many Marvel heroes...) as a super hero can be traced as the inspiration for the actions of later generations of heroes. His recklessness and lack of responsibility for his actions is transferable to the next generation. It makes sense for him to be personally affected by the tragedy when put into context by a grieving mother. However, Superman did not cause the husband's tumor, much like he did not cause an inescapable flood or a terrorist bombing. Does he have the abilities to stop said catastrophe? Absolutely. Does that automatically make him available to handle every potentially tragic event that may, and probably will, occur in life? Hell to the no. Superman's sin is being gifted with these powers and having a populace that unfairly treats him like a miracle on a stick. I feel sorry for the Big Blue Boy Scout...

Guilty as charged...

It's true that we all have some kind of guilty pleasure in this world. For some, it's a television show or movie that really speaks to them (that goes out to all you Sex in the City and Jersey Shore watchers who aren't proud of it...). For others, it can be food related, be it chocolate, fatty foods, or some other cheap snack food (mmmm, cheese food product...). For me, I have a handful of musical guilty pleasures, some of which I am proud of and others not so much. Today, let's talk about the extremely radio friendly Bryan Adams...

Bryan Adams is one of those artists who seem to have always been around, which is likely because of his radio friendly sound. The Canadian rocker has been spinning chart worthy hits since the very late 70's and has been able to continue this trend until modern times (not an easy feat for many, more publicly accepted acts...). However, I would be willing to speculate that between the mid 80's to early 90's shall be remembered as Mr. Adams heyday. During this time, we received such hits as 'Cuts Like a Knife', 'Run to You', 'Heaven', 'Summer of '69', 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started', and 'Everything I Do (I Do it For You)' (which you may remember from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [quite possibly a guilty pleasure as well...]...). While this time period was the greatest success for Bryan, he has still found more than enough work, what with doing movie soundtracks, music collaborations with artists from all stripes, and writing songs that (despite never reaching the top spots...) still receive solid airplay...

I would imagine that a lot of my peers aren't fans of Bryan Adams due to his seemingly corporate sound, the idea that his brand of rock may feel like he 'sold out', and that the sound of his edge is a weak sauce (read: pussy rock...). Bryan has been around as long as many, better regarded (at least among my friend group...) bands, such as ZZ Top, The Eagles, and Heart (more on them later...). This seems contrary to critical reception of Mr. Adams, as he has been nominated (94 times!) and won a great many awards over his 40 years in the business, including a Grammy, an American Music Award, and 18 Juno Awards. Granted, most I know don't give much thought to awards as they can be quite political at times (read: pointless...) and they don't necessarily add up to great musical talent. An indicator sometimes, but never an absolute. Friends of mine would tend to listen to harder contemporaries of Bryan Adams, such a Def Leppard, Aerosmith, and Van Halen and lump Mr. Adams in with lighter bands such as Wham!, Sting, and Journey...

I enjoy myself some Bryan Adams and I won't lie or hide it. I do, however, get a little sheepish if the topic comes up. My music collection is full of a wide variety of song styles; from the poppiest pop to some serious heavy metal and most styles in between (I like to think I appeal to all types...). But, since I am known for enjoying some serious rock, the knowledge of my affection from Bryan Adams' music is a little off-putting. I would imagine most would feel it is beneath me to have most of his albums and public rock it out, but I don't mind (usually...). While I'm not as big a fan of his slow ballads (they feel REALLY long...), I think his faster rock tunes are solid, especially when compared to much of modern pop rock. He's a great guitarist (I do love guitars...) even when his lyrics aren't the deepest. I get very pumped when I hear 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' and 'Summer of '69'. I can't help; I think they are great songs...

I believe Bryan Adams is the bridge between pop and rock, at least in the context of 80's and 90's rock. He's not as hard as most hard rock and metal bands of the era, but he is by far more solid than the majority of pop music that came out at the same time. Given the choice, I'd listen to Bryan Adams over most of his pop contemporaries (and even some of his rock contemporaries actually...) much of the time. Does that make me a weak rock fan? Nah, it just means I'm diverse in my love of the rock. Tell me; what is your musical guilty pleasure? Go on, it'll be fun...

Pryde (In the Name of Love)...

Looks like its two comic style posts this week (wee...). Today, we're going to look at an obscure piece of animation, one that seems to go under the radar, even in this YouTube generation. Few think to even look for this cartoon and, since it never took off, you'd have to have a friend like me tell you about it. Most comic fans remember, or at least know about, the 90's X-Men cartoon on Fox (and love it to pieces...). What many people don't know (or forget about...) is that in 1989, a pilot for an X-Men cartoon was released, titled 'Pryde of the X-Men'...

In the 1980's, the youth market were flooded with cartoons that definitely did not treat their audience as seriously as many cartoons do today (except all you Pokemon knockoff shows [jerks...]...). For example, let's look at most episodes of He-Man: There is a problem that, it turns out, only He-Man can solve. Something bad is going to happen, tension builds, He-Man is summoned, he performs some Herculean effort, and the crisis is averted, wrapped up in a neat little moral before the credits rolled. Rarely are any innocents in any real danger as the villains didn't want to kill people, just lord over them with 'EVIL'. Even natural or cosmic dangers felt too big to be REALLY threatening and, since He-Man IS the 'Most Powerful Man in the Universe' (and won 3rd in the bikini contest...), you could be assured that he would always save the day. The same could be said of G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, and basically all action-adventure shows of the decade. No one died and the status quo was maintained (again, wee...). As kids, we bought these situations because the heroes were big and bold and the villains were over-the-top and mostly ineffectual and we loved seeing the good guys win in the end, regardless of the issues at hand, the ridiculousness of the outcome, or the stapled on moral lessons...

But, to speak of the X-Men pilot in question, it has all the elements of its 80's brethren: Magneto is a super hammy version of himself (I'll destroy the world with a comet!) and employs the 'Brotherhood of Mutant Terrorists' (why?), the bad guys give up with little fight (or sometimes with NO fight...), the heroes really seem to be in little danger (Nightcrawler is the closest to being in trouble...), and the same/similar voice casts is used for the characters (let's give it up for Frank Welker...). As it is 1989, this almost seems a parody of what had come before, but I know this is not the case. Parodies of that nature would be reserved for the 2000's and beyond. I can imagine the main reason this did not take off. Due to when this came out, much like the advent of alternative/grunge over hair metal, the market was over saturated with this kind of kids show and the formula had grown tired. This did not press any boundaries and would thus leave us without an X-Men cartoon until the fall of 92...

Not that there was no good within this (failed...) toon. On the contrary, the biggest bonus it has going for it is the art and animation. Coming in at the end of 80's era cartoons, it has all the polish the genre could muster and made it look good (better, in fact, than the last handful of the 90's era X-Men episodes...). Not only was the animation sophisticated, but the characters were all spot on for their time in the X-Men. The costumes were all of the 80's era, and while some were a bit ridiculous (I'm looking at you, Colossus...), they were authentic and accurate (what's up, Brown-and-Tan Wolverine...), just as the 90's counterpart were (different styles, same dedication...). And, while the voice talents were many you would recognize from Transformers or G.I. Joe, I can't fault their abilities to bring the characters to life in a dynamic manner. I do prefer the relative unknowns used in the 90's version, though...

I would be remiss if I did not mention a hidden (near forgotten...) bonus that came from the production of this pilot. As a kid, I remember very fondly playing the arcade game of this pilot in malls wherever I lived. It was a great game, which supported at least 4 players and played like a standard beat-'em-up game, but with mutant special powers added in. Most of them didn't make much sense (Wolverine's 'laser claw', Nightcrawler's strange damaging teleport, Colossus's 'RRRRAAAHHHH!!!' ability [don't ask...]...), but it was great fun and nice change of pace to play a full team of X-Men with your buddies for a change...

I do have some questions, though (as most fans of X-Men do after watching this little goodie...):
-Why is Wolverine Australian?
-Why is the White Queen in the Brotherhood and throw bolts of light?
-Why is Wolverine Australian?
-Why does Colossus sound like a stereotypical dumb Russian?
-Why does Prof. X give the 'Key' to Kitty Pryde, who he's known for exactly 10 minutes to protect?
-Why is Wolverine Australian?
-Why do the X-Men stay with their beaten opponents?
-Lockheed? Dazzler? Dumb Blob?
-Finally, why is Wolverine an Australian?

I give this pilot a B and mostly for nostalgia's sake. Most people who grew up on, and enjoy more, the cartoons of the 90's will be constantly rolling their eyes at this one, from the cheesy intro song to the hammy villains to the infallible heroes. But it does score points for animation proficiency and faithfulness to character designs (if not completely to the characters themselves...). If you are a diehard X-Men fan or dig the toons of the 80's, it's worth a watch or two. If you are more of a casual fan, I'd recommend waiting to find a fan that digs this kind of thing. Click hereif you want to begin the journey into Pryde of the X-men...

And Aran, Aran so far away...

Missed a week...

Day 3

Up-an-attem, bright and early, for to catch a fairy...er, ferry. We caught the ferry in Rossaviel after hanging about for a couple of hours. Apparently, things don't really get going until after 9 in the morning or so. Me and Tara did get a chance (while we waited for Ireland to wake...) to munch on some unique UK goodies. Being processed by the Cadbury company, their chocolates are more rich than our home grown Hershey's and Nestle's, but at a similar cost. We are so missing out on the good stuff...

Anyways, the ferry and the island. Nothing much to say about the boat. It was full, but not crowded. I napped. I'm finding it difficult to properly stay awake yet, but I imagine it will come to me, given time. Right off the boat, we were dumped into probably the busiest area on the island and were immediately scooped up for a bus tour. This was handy, since biking the island would have been SUPER tiring and we would have never really known what we were looking at...

So, Aran Island (best known as the home of Samus...in the future...on another planet...) is an island of around 800 people, part of which is transient tourists. More than half of the cars there are mini-tour buses, since there really is no place to go. Plenty of pubs, though, much like the rest of Ireland. The island contains over 7,000 miles of hand built, loose stone walls (not like pebbles or small rocks, but good sized stones, uncemented and properly stacked...). Apparently, this wall building trade has nearly died off and has become a near art form. Specialists are hired by other countries (like Norway...) to build these walls for a considerable cost...

Anyways, back to the island. Pretty indeed, but on the whole, not much to say about it. The hostel was decent (very...hostely?), but nothing else. The pub, Joe Wattie's, was real good though. Good decor, layout, everything. Well, almost. The two entree's Tara wanted most were out (seriously, how can an Irish pub run out of Traditional Irish STEW!?), but mine was there (a burger, I believe...). We picked Joe Wattie's due to its reputation (among locals...) as having the better pub music on the island. I wasn't disappointed. The duo played a bunch of songs I'd never heard before (not saying much, really...), but the biggest treat was that they played The Mermaid Song. That's right; the old Camp Ware, meal time stand-by (I think we even did it at Lexie's wedding in lieu of TCCB...). Few not in-the-know wouldn't appreciate hearing it (or any camp song for that matter...) out here in the wild, as it were.

That's all from Aran Island. Tune in next time for The Road to Connemara. Back to you, Tom...

June 15, 2009
Nicholas C. Witte
Guinness Count: 3

As a treat, have a couple extra pictures...

If I go crazy...

Probably the most iconic superhero in the business is Superman and for good reason. He's got an extremely recognizable (near garish...) costume and a symbol that anyone knows from a distance. The S shield is likely even more recognizable than Batman's symbol as it has changed the least since it first débuted in the 1930's. Further, his power set (while rather generic...) is memorable in that many comic book fans think of Superman when the idea of flight, heat vision and the like are brought up. And it is the power set that we shall discuss today; specifically the topic of invulnerability and super strength...

It's no secret that Superman can take most anything thrown at him, be it missiles, super strong opponents, or even meteors. The impact may throw him back a ways, maybe it would even 'hurt' him, but he sustains no real lasting damage (after all, he is The Man of Steel...) unless it is a ridiculous level of damage or the opponent is his match or his better in strength (see Doomsday...). Further, Superman can dish it out as well as he takes a hit. He has shifted tectonic plates, moved the moon, and punched 'reality' so hard that it changed (ok, that was Superboy Prime, but the principle is still sound [and it's ridiculous...]...). It's likely that Superman could honestly solve a majority of the world’s problems by a mere application of force, but he doesn't because of his upstanding, 1950's morality. This level of power also means it is nigh-pointless to have him stopping everyday crime. No one would commit petty crimes with a Superman around (that's for another post altogether...). However, this amount of power and toughness comes into question when we bring in Kryptonian or Kryptonian-esque beings on par (power-wise...) with the Big Blue Boy Scout...

To set the stage, let's say we take a body builder and have him punch a dude who is not a body builder. The guy who got punch will fly back farther than if he had also been a body builder. It's an application of resistance and force; pure physics if you will. Now, let's bring in Superman and an average, comparable Kryptonian (Zod is good...) or Captain Marvel (Shazam for those of you who need clarification...). If a Kryptonian punches something (or somone...) that is not supernaturally tough, the target will go flying. But, using the body builder analogy, Superman should react to a Kryptonian/Shazam punch as if he were a normal guy getting hit by a normal guy. Because of The Man of Steel's inherent toughness, the reaction of his getting sent through the air/through walls/etc. should not occur...

There is a hidden statement when we see Superman take a punch in such a way (and it may be a trifle...). When he gets hit by such a being/force/what have you, not only does his inherent invulnerability become negated, the force of the blow overrides his ability to fly as well. Superman has been shown to be able to turn on a dime and have fine control of his ability to fly, but when he gets hit by such a force, this ability becomes lost until he lands. Afterwards, his flight returns as normal. Again, I realize this is for effect alone and makes combat with Superman better, but by having the Man of Steel react in such a ways makes a statement that has never been explained completely enough for my tastes...

In specialized instances (being surprised, getting hit with a large object with Kryptonian force, etc...) though, I can understand seeing Superman sailing through the air or getting beaten down. It would be similar if someone got sucker punch or knocked a guy out with one punch. And I also understand the need to use such effects in comic books; seeing Superman smashing and getting smashed by a powerful opponent leads to good combat panels and makes a comic that much more exciting. I get it. It would not nearly be as much fun if Superman got punched by Zod and he reacted as if I got punched by, let's say Brian. Not that exciting, really. Now, my knowledge of physics is limited so the original analogy may be flawed due to lack of science know how. However, this is how the subject of invulnerability vs. super strength (with a dash of flight...) is being handled in a not quite believable manner. Prove me wrong, folks...

Blaaaaaaaarrrrggggggggghhhh......

Who doesn't love zombies? It's a wonderful little subgenre of fiction that gets a lot of attention (maybe more than it deserves, but that's speculation...) for what it is. The idea of zombies tends to fluctuate in popularity (much like most fads...), going from a mere glimmer on the pop culture radar to society wide obsession level. Currently, zombies are still going strong, but we definitely are waning away from the 'obsession' level (over exposure will do that...). However, we're going to talk a little about a game spawning from this undead obsession and it's called simply 'Zombies!!!'...

Game play is pretty straightforward: The game is governed by a series of die rolls and tile placement. The players are trying to make their way out of a zombie infested city to a helipad and, subsequently, safety (a la Romero-esque zombies...). The city is a tile based board that grows each turn. Each player flips up a new tile and lines up the road squares so that no road dead ends at a building. Each player is a 'shotgun guy' and must mow their way through an army of zombies, picking up equipment along the way (with die rolls, action cards and equipment cards...). Beyond moving their own piece, they must also move the zombies at the end of their turn (per another die roll...), which effective allows the player to impede (read: screw with...) the other players' progress. Each player starts with 3 health and 3 bullets; bullets aid combat rolls, health gets you out of unwinnable scraps. When your health is gone, you go back to start and halve your zombie kill collection. You can also win by having 25 zombie kills in your collection...

In contrast to the last board game I reviewed, this game is almost completely driven by luck. It has die rolls, a deck, and a random game board each time it's played; there is little in the way of classic strategy. The best you can do is try to facilitate your zombie kills and block off the other players with the new tiles and hope for cards that mess up your opponents. However, this game just drips with flavor. A mad dash to escape an undead ridden city is fantastic and is simple enough to get into. There is very little in the way of complicated rules, so once the game gets rolling after the first few turns, the kinks (if any...) are all smoothed out. Having your friends all do their best zombie impression, however, is probably the best part of the game. My favorite moment while playing Zombies!!! has to be reading from the Zombie Haiku book (find a copy, it's delightful...) with Tyson & Vicki. Awesome...

My one complaint: Zombies!!! can turn into a very long experience. If you have poor die rollers (we have a few...), killing zombies becomes problematic, which means moving towards the goal is even more problematic. Further, if you die, you often have an even bigger zombie army in your way, slowing you down further. It's definitely not Monopoly level of length, but it can get moderately tiresome if you die a lot and have trouble moving through the zombie horde. The cards are supposed to facilitate an easier time of it, but it never ends up being that way (at least not for my group...). This, in turn, makes me nervous for the multiple expansions that have been released. As fun as they look (they even released a version where you play as the zombies and try to eat all the humans [awesome...]...), I would be afraid that it would add too much length, offsetting the fun level. I could be wrong, and I certainly wouldn't pass an opportunity to try the expansions, so I would approach the other versions with subdued excitement...

Final thoughts: This is a very fun game, if a bit mindless (not a bad thing; just a label...). It won't stress your brain muscle much, but very, very enjoyable, especially with the right people. Zombies!!! is a must have for any hardcore zombie fanatic and would be a great gift for the casual gamer. If you ever want to blow holes through the undead, this'd be the way to go...

Grade: Solid B+...

No man is an island...

I was challenged by Brian (my true and faithful follower...) that I should rise to an earlier challenge posted by a radio station I don't really listen to. I'm not sure of the full details of the challenge, but I believe it goes something like this: 'You are stuck on a desert island and you can have 10 songs to keep you company. What are they?' Brian did his own and you can find them here. Not to be outdone, I have thought long and hard about what to put on this list. It wasn't easy at all, though such a decision should not be really. Let's cut the crap and get to it. Here is the Witteman's Widget of Desert Island Music:



As this seems appropriate (and since Brian set the precedent...), I'll break down the why for each song in a short paragraph:

1)How Long - The Eagles: I love me some Eagles and this song encapsulates their 40+ years in the music business. The harmonies are fantastic and the blending of Glenn Fry's and Don Henley's vocals are fan-friggin'-tastic. The song itself is very infectious and it is hard not to sing along with it. While not a complex piece, it does warm the heart and keep me company like an old friend...

2)Baluchitherium - Van Halen: Ramping up from the realm of classic/southern rock is this instrumental from one of my favorite hard rock/heavy metal bands. It has a soaring lead that tells it's own story and a driving bass that never lets up. For being stranded on an island, this little piece not only play well on the ears, but drives me to do tasks such as manual labor and exercise. It makes me feel powerful and, by being empowered, this will save me from abject loneliness...

3)Limelight - Rush: This is quite possibly the most perfect rock song I have in my collection. The guitar hooks in this are incredible, Neil Pert's drumming is supra-excellent, and Getty Lee's vocals rise like a cathedral without becoming a screech. I cannot adequately profess my joy of this song enough. Were I required to put together just a top five, or even a top three, song list, this would make the cut even then...

4)Runnin' on Empty - Jackson Browne: This song is on this list for one reason and one reason alone: Hope. I cannot tell you how upbeat I get when this song comes on the radio and I want that feeling to follow me to which ever island I land on. Also, much like Baluchitherium, this song has a tendency to get me up and moving with it's driving rhythm and up tempo vocals. This song also emphasizes the fact that, even though I might be all alone and 'runnin' on empty', I can still make it through...

5)Digital Love - Daft Punk: From the realm of rock, we detour into the land of techno/electronica and find a selection from my all-time favorite techno group. This one is chosen due to it's lack of repetitive music, pop-infused sound, lovey-dovey lyrics, and a lead at the end that hints at Van Halen level of technique. It's an extremely light song compared to most on here and the pop flavor runs off of it like water. By adding a song such as this, I prolong the despair I may end up sinking into...

6)Times Like These - Foo Fighters: Another empowering song regarding solidarity, it is also one of my most favorite songs ever. It was a toss up between this one and Everlong, but won due to the overall more positive vibe I get from listening to it. The song is very powerful and is a contender for the hardest song on the list. In such a lonely island situation, when things are looking the most grim, put on this song and remind yourself that it is indeed 'times like these we learn to live again'...

7)Running from an Angel - Hootie & the Blowfish: This is a fun, almost folksy piece that bring me great amounts of enjoyment each time I hear it. It was never a radio hit, but it was a wonderful find after purchasing the album. I love to just sort of dance around like a white dude to this one and just enjoy listening to the music. Also, thankfully Hootie's range is right in mine so singing feels natural. It's a good friend to have on your island...

8)Ventura Highway - America: I have adored this song for well over two decades at this point. I cannot picture my life without this song in it. I get very vivid pictures of traveling down the road with a friend or two, casually so. There is an air of nonchalance and a laid back energy that helps mellow up the days where stress may build. Also, I find this song is a very hopeful, if strange lyric-wise, song and I listen to it when I am feeling down in the dumps to pick myself back up...

9)Faithfully - Journey: Quite possibly the greatest rock ballad of all, Faithfully gives us another song of soaring vocals and excellent guitar work as we wind the list down. The message that, no matter how far apart we may be, I will be yours faithfully is both powerful and cathartic In the dark times of isolation, when hope and drive seems all but gone, Journey's eternal song of heartfelt love can shine through. The epic level of such a mighty, mighty song cannot be overstated and I would be a fool not to bring it along to the island...

10)Aqueous Transmission - Incubus: A late, almost dark horse, entry to the list is this very odd little piece, but one I cherish. I have fallen asleep many nights listening to this story song with a smile on my face. It is a dreamy, flowing song that stays mellow like a calm river and soothes the nerves on even the most troublesome days. It's affect on me is almost zen-like in nature. I can allow myself to be taken by this song and lose myself in the lyrics, the music, and the mood. The pieces just all fit together beautifully...

So there she be, friends and neighbors. Not what you might choose for certain, but we all go into the 'desert island' situation for different vantage points. I took it from more of a 'I will eventually dive deeper into lonely despair and need the company of up tempo numbers to pull me out of it' standpoint. I treat these songs like I would companions and have chosen them according to qualities I would look for in people. Makes sense? Not completely, but I bought it. What would YOU have picked?
New Widget
http://grooveshark.com/playlist/My+Widget/43128285

Wolverine AAAAATTTTTT SEEEEEEEAAAAAA......

Let's (belatedly...) hit February hard and give 'em a comic book post to chew on, shall we? It's no secret that if I had to choose my favorite comic book character, Wolverine would likely be on the top of that list. Yeah, I realize it's not all that original for a fan boy to think Wolverine is all that great, but he's got a lot that people find interesting; a tragic story line, a rigid code of honor, a reluctance to kill with the tools given to him, an internal war between civility and savagery...Ok, let's be honest: He's got unbreakable metal claws, he's hard to kill, and pines after the hot redhead, just like you did in school (you know who you are...). Boom. As far as today is concerned, we will be looking at Wolverine #44 (vol. 2...)...

We start with our hero reminiscing (while needlessly wearing tattered...cloth, I guess...) about days gone by and experiences on the sea. This leads us into story at an undetermined time in Wolverine's past. Logan is plagued with dreams of floating, golden babies, which is strange enough. He ends up on a cruise (lord knows why; he sticks out like a sore thumb with that hair [maybe the babies told him to...]...) and meets up with these pregnant women. After a short conversation, one of the women dives into the pool and is quickly (and brutally...) murdered in broad day light. No one saw the murderer, but ol' Wolvie has some suspicions. The party breaks up and Logan dons his brown and yellow costume (my personal favorite costume of his...) and gets down to business. Meanwhile, one of the other women is killed and strung up in the elevator. We then finally see our killer; he's a monster with a lot sharp teeth, sharp spikes, and sharp claws. They fight briefly and the monster slices an elevator cable (innocents in danger...), forcing Wolverine to stop fighting and grab both ends of the loose cables (more on that later...). The monster escapes and, following a brief frackus with security, Wolverine rushes to the last woman's room just as the monster does. He tackles the monster into the water and they fight, all the while the giant rotors (the 'screws', as mentioned in the issue...) get closer. The monster gets sucked into them and is chopped to bits while Wolverine swims away. The issue ends with Logan and the last woman sharing a heartfelt moment...

I've had a copy of this comic book for longer than I can remember. It was a coverless copy even when I received it back in the very early 90's and its condition shows its love. Tara bought me a cherry copy a couple years back, which meant a lot (if you don't know why, I can't teach you...), so now I don't have to be nearly as gentle with the original as I have been. As far as the contents go, the story is alright (written by mega-veteran Hulk author, Peter David...). It's in the vein of a suspense monster movie, but quick (it IS a comic book issue, after all...) so there is little in the way of development and more of a headlong plunge into the final battle. The art, though, varies from really good to absolutely great. This came out during my favorite era of comic art, so I dig a little Marc Silvestri on the cover and Larry Stroman did a bang up job on the rest of it, giving the relative realism of the time while still putting his own spin on it. The inker, Dan Green, should definitely be given a shout out as there is a ton of great panels where the inking was everything. There is great mood in the panels and very simple shots keep up the pace until the end...

Not that I have no problems with this issue. As a kid, I totally bought that Wolverine would just crouch there in rags. I would have thought, 'Oooh, I wonder who Wolverine just fought? I bet it was Sabertooth and Lady Deathstrike!'. As an adult, however, it seems a little pointless. I'd imagine he'd just rip them off by the time this panel happened and/or changed clothes, though I know why they used it. It's very evocative of the character. Next, the scene in the elevator. Regardless of how strong Wolverine really is, I don't buy that he can hold an elevator car aloft without it slipping through his hand (check the singular status...). It's not a question of his bones; it's just not possible for someone at his assumed power level to do this. Not buying it at all. Further, the battle in the water needs to be addressed. My problems are twofold: 1) Adamantium is heavy (it was once said that he had 300 pounds of adamantium laced to his bones...) so, even with Wolverines augmented strength, he'd have to constantly swim to stay afloat. Augmented strength does not give augmented buoyancy. And B) Why didn't Wolverine get sucked into the rotors with the monster? I can suspend my disbelief for the floating thing, but this completely defied conventional logic and physics. Sure, it wouldn't have killed him, but he doesn't have anti-rotor pheromones or whatever. I may be getting picky as I age, but these just seem a little silly, even in the realm of comic book physics...

It's a very groovy one-shot Wolverine comic. It does not serve to forward any of the Wolverine plotlines of the time, but that's ok. #44 served more as a break in the storyline to develop the character a little and branch out from what was happening then (we were knee deep in the mind wiping cover up and the Shiva program and all back then...). Silvestri was the primary artist at the time (and still did the cover and first page...), but I would imagine this was an effort to allow another artist shine and give Mr. David a crack at writing a Wolverine story. This is definitely one of those issues I still pick up and read to this day, even though I know the entire thing by heart. It is well drawn, well written, and well paced. I feel I can draw a lot from this particular issue and apply to my own comic projects. If you see me and I happen to have it around, give a read and tell me what you think...