My Latest Photoshop Adventures

I've had this idea for quite some time, and I think it's blossoming into a possible project. Either way, i'm booking the HYPOTHETICAL WWE VS. UFC megacard, and it's fun stuff. This is the level of nerd that you are dealing with.

First batch:

this really could turn into something 

i think wrestlemania season has just got me energized...and 2013 was an OUTSTANDING year in MMA

Musings on stuff

So yeah, I've been in something of a creative rut recently. That doesn't mean I don't have ideas. I have a ton of ideas and projects in the works, I just haven't felt as inspired recently. However, there is some movement, and hopefully my webcomic will be live before Christmas. I've been developing another project recently that has nothing to do with comics, and it's kind of reinvigorating me. I have been reading quite a lot and watching a lot of tv more recently. I know I haven't put up any reviews, and there's a TON of stuff over the summer that I absorbed that I'd like to go into detail about, but it was consumed in such rapid fashion that it's kind of just blurring together. Either way: I got some quality reading time in, and I finally finished a book that's been sitting in my queue for just about two years, and before that, it was on my "to-buy" list for like 5 years: The Clash Of Civilizations by Samuel P. Huntington.

I attempted to start this book no less then three times, and on the third time, I finished it. I've taken my fair share of Poli Sci classes, but sometimes reading this did feel like homework. In fact, I probably should have written a paper on it, just to reinforce the wealth of information on every page. Basically, Huntington predicts 9/11, and he goes into great detail about how The United States is losing power and influence to China and exactly why it's going to continue like that for the next 100 years and beyond. Honestly, I couldn't do this book justice trying to remember it here today when I finished it in July. Suffice to say, it was fucking brilliant and still relevant, I believe. I'm definitely going to have to read it again. 

I also finally finished the Monster anime, based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa. Couldn't be any more different than the book above, but it was just as brilliant. I've been wanting to finish this for years. I bought the first couple volumes of the manga in like 2009 and was blown away by how good it was. The anime is no different. Naoki Urasawa has crafted such an intricate plot it makes me want to cry tears of joy, it's just a treat to see it unravel. It's got complex characters (and a lot of characters, to boot) and it does go on for quite a bit, like 70 episodes I believe, so it's a time investment, but the pay out is definitely worth it. I give this my highest recommendation. It's more for adults than most anime, and I'd compare it to Death Note on scale and general feel. This was great.

Okay, there was much more stuff, especially graphic novels (Like Locke & Key) but I will save that for another installment. This is what i'm currently digging:

CM Punk: Best In The World

This gives me hope for pro wrestling. I've mentioned it on here several times that I'm a huge CM Punk fan, and if you are a current wrestling fan, odds are, you are also a huge fan of this guy. He's one of the most unique and intelligent guys to ever lace up the boots. This set has a great documentary on his life and career, and how he struggled to make it to the top. It's good stuff, and of course it's awesome to see a home town boy make it big. It's crazy how much I identify with this guy: He's A) A guy from Chicago(land) who's into the punk rock scene B) A huge comic book fan C) Pro Wrestler. It's so refreshing to see someone who refuses to compromise on being them self reaching the pinnacle of the business. He's done almost everything right in his career, and even when they gave him some what less stellar programs or people to work with, he almost always hit a home run. He's going to go down as an Icon, on the same level as Macho Man, Bret Hart, HBK, and others. Best in the world.

Finally making my way through Planetary by Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. Can't believe it took me this long to get to this since i'm a HUGE Warren Ellis fan, but here we are. John Cassaday on pencils does not hurt one bit. Currently starting the fourth and final volume, and it's typical Ellis. Typical Ellis is really fucking good comics. Critics love this book and rank it among his best work, so far it's pretty interesting.

Finally got the third and fourth volumes of Walter Simonson's Thor. Can't wait to dig into this goodness. 

I also picked up iZombie, heard it as good, and I tragically do not own anything by Michael Allred. Crazy. 

I am in love with anything by James Stokoe right now. I finally got the first Orc Stain trade for my birthday and it was fanfuckingtastic. This guy does comics with much love, and  I will buy anything he does. His current Godzilla book (and pretty much everything he does) is like candy for my eyes. Love it.

That's it for today. Check out my Walter White/Heisenberg look for Halloween this year. Not bad eh?

WRESTLEMANIA BABY

Should be a great show. There hasn't been a truly great WrestleMania in 8 or so years....hopefully we see some magic tonight, and if Brock Lesnar returns, shits gonna get crazy. I'm planning on doing my first podcast on this event. Oh yeah.

Money In The Bank

So, I can cross off a couple things that i need to see as a wrestling fan.

A. Epic, 5 Star Main Event

B. Historic Pay-per view

C. WWE Title change hands

D. The chicago crowd proving why it is THE hot crowd

The main event was amazing. I got most of it recorded on my bloggie, and hope to put some of it up soon. It was everything you could hope for in a pro wrestling match. The stars don't align as often as they used to like that. A 33 minute title match is a gift. I've always been critical of WWE's booking during the last couple years...but this was a home run. It was a great Chicago moment, seeing our hometown boy beat Vince's golden boy, the new Hulk Hogan, John Cena. The montreal screwjob scare, many, MANY false finishes, and Punk finally winning was just....why wresling is an art form. They did so much using the ring as their canvas. Cena deserves credit too. Alberto Del Rio attempting to cash in his title shot and then getting shellacked by Punk, was perfect. That's GREAT booking and keeping the interest going, delivering above and beyond what we as fans bargain for. Punk disappearing into the crowd with the title was also, pitch perfect. He's the new People's champ. Fucking great match.

A couple sidenotes:

1. i wore a purple john cena shirt to the event, i also had a "PUNK IS DEAD" sign, just for shits and giggles

and i got some heat at the chili's by the allstate arena, where some guy called said "nice purple shirt, fag" and then started a loud "Fuck you Cena" chant, directed at me, cuz yeah, I'm John Cena. It was fun. Also, my buddy Jordan, a HARDCORE CM Punk fan, claimed he "didn't know if he could be seen with me." That's some heat, folks. Heat like that doesn't come around often these days.

 I look like a little kid.

2. I actually met CM Punk at Warped Tour '07, back when i was a stoner. It was the summer Chris Benoit happened and i was disillusioned and couldn't watch wrestling. CM Punk was the guy scheduled to wrestle Benoit..match never happened. Either way, Punk was coming out of the pit and i just kinda said "Hey it's CM Punk" He shook my hand, and we went our seperate ways.