Comic Con 2017 - What I am excited for and you should be too!

Comic Con 2017 is almost here! With preview night later today, I wanted to talk about two upcoming movies I am excited to hear more about. There is so much going on at Comic Con that I can't possibly cover it all, so I will only cover a little taste of it. So, let's just jump right in.

MOVIES:

Marvel movies are nearly the staple of Comic Con the last few years. This year may be the most hyped year yet. The biggest one, which was already shown at D23 this year, is Avengers: Infinity War. I am really hoping (more like expecting) to see a trailer released at some point in Hall H during Comic Con. If it is anything like the Infinity War comic book series, it is going to be a non-stop action thrill ride!

The other movie that I am excited to learn more about, which I think has been flying under the radar, is Ready Player One. In case you are not familiar, Ready Player One is a novel written by Ernest Cline about a young boy named Wade Watts who searches for an Easter egg inside a virtual game that contains the vast fortune of the game creator, James Halliday. It is an awesome book that I highly recommend if you are into video games and 80's nostalgia. Why I am excited for this movie? Ready Player One will be directed by the amazing director, Steven Spielberg. What makes it even better is the movie will also be written by the novelist Ernest Cline.

Fun Fact: Ernest Cline has written screenplays before, his most well-known work among some Star Wars nerds like myself was Fanboys.

Those are just the two that I am super excited for, but there is so much going on throughout the week and into the weekend. What are you most excited about for Comic Con 2017? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter! - J.J.

Great Opening Lines and How to Make Them

Have you ever read a comic book or graphic novel and the first opening line of dialogue blew you away? The answer is probably no right? Comic books are visual by nature. More should be shown through visuals vs words. But, what if you could have a comic book that really hit you with words?

Simon Spurrier is a great writer who can use a well placed line to drive the story, along with Mark Millar and Max Landis. Yet, its the opening lines that I feel go under polished.

If I ever make a comic book, I would want to try using a great opening line accompanied by a strong image to get people excited. Here are some great opening lines from novels that really demonstrate what I am talking about:

• "A screaming comes across the sky." - Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow
• "Mother died today." - Albert Camus, The Stranger
• "They shoot the white girls first." - Toni Morrison, Paradise
• "It was one hell of a night to throw away a baby." - Julia Spencer-Fleming, In the Bleak Midwinter

The last one made me laugh out loud for some reason. I don't know why. Anyway, these opening lines are great for bringing the reader into an emotional part of the story. Most of these examples are pretty sad, but they have a pull to them that makes people want to read more. It breeds curiosity.

To make your own, whether it be for a comic book, short story, or even a novel, think of the story's setting or character and create a line that is the opposite of what the story is about. Its all about the unexpected. For example, "It was love at first sight."

It sounds like a pretty common phrase, but I bet you would never guess that it was the opening line to Joseph Keller's Catch-22. Give people something unexpected

I think opening with an unexpected, gut-punching line can really put the reader of the comic (or any story) in a great mindset for the story and lead them into the world. Sure, you could say that is the point of the visuals, but sometimes a line with a visual can make a story so much better.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you have even better opening lines? Please let me know in the comments.

Some of you might be wondering why I have not posted a blog in two weeks...and then lead with a more writing focused post? Well, I have big news coming up. Something unexpected. If you are on the newsletter, you will know first (in a few short days). So, if you want to know what the big reveal is, sign up for that newsletter!

The Worst Superheros...Ever.

Everyone enjoys watching a great hero. Someone who stands up for what is right in the darkest hour, even if the hero in question has their own flaws (even more interesting then). But, what happens when we have heroes that we don't really want to root for?

I looked up a few superheros that had less than spectacle attitudes, powers, etc. but the best article to display horrible heroes would be an old Dorkshelf article called, "Top 10 Superheroes Way Lamer Than Aquaman." 

After reading the article, I agree with pretty much all of them. Except Squirrel Girl, but that's because I like Squirrel Girl. 

Anyways, I just thought of an ensemble comic book idea that could be equally stupid as it would be hilarious. 

I kind of want to know if that would be a good superhero story, so I may try my hand at a little fan fiction. I am not 100% sure yet, but it could be a fun little project. Still, my favorite horrible superhero would be none of these amazing characters. It would be...

Red Bee and his trusty sidekick, Michael. I can't even make this up!

Red Bee

Red Bee is a pretty horrible character. His only ability is to control swarms of bees. Outside of his useless ability, Red Bee has a "stinger gun" and a pet bee named Michael. Michael literally lives in Red Bee's belt and is only used for "special" situations. I shutter at the thought that a bee would be anyway near my body, let alone my belt. 

Hopefully, you learned a little bit about horrible superheroes to impress your friends, because I can almost guarantee your girlfriend/boyfriend does not care.

Let me know in the comments what your favorite horrible superheroes are and if you would like me to write a short fan fiction story about horrible heroes. 

-J.J. 

DIY Comic Book Table

I was looking online for some cool ideas to put my old comic books to use and I thought I would share this with everyone. I came across an old, but definitely sweet video by cakeycharms on how to make a comic book covered desk. If you are squeamish around brutal paper violence, you may not want to watch the video...or do the project. Otherwise check it out:

The video goes step-by-step on how to make the table, but the main concept can be applied to any surface. Chairs, shoes, that bird feeder you had to build in shop class that looked more like sifter pan the 49ers used in the wild west. Just me?

Anyways, the most five important materials you need are: 

1. Comic Books, duh!
2. Mod Podge
3. Clear, non-yellowing sealer
4. Brushes
5. And Masking Tape

Make sure to clean the surface you wish work on and outline any edges or areas you don't with to be affected with the masking tape. Then, start placing the comic pieces on the surface and cover with a layer of Mod Podge. 

Quick tip: Make sure to move quick as Mod Podge dries fast. 

I plan on doing this in the coming weeks, but it will probably be something much smaller. I will update everyone on it via Twitter. 

If anyone has tried this and has any tips or better techniques, post a comment below. I would love to see other people try this as well so feel free to post photos in the comments as well. 

-J. J. 

My Favorite Superhero

Everyone was introduced to the comic book world in a different way. Some grew up going to comic book stores, browsing the history-filled collections and waiting patiently for the next edition to be dropped off. Some watched the amazing adventures on TV and sought them out during birthdays and holidays. Others read them quietly in the corner of the grocery store, waiting for their mother to retrieve them from the monotonous drag of shopping. I was in the last camp.

My brother and I would tuck ourselves in the corner, away from the busy shoppers, and seek out gaming magazines. On occasion, we would be lucky to find a Dark Horse comic book and read the latest Star Wars adventure. Now, that was my first actual comic book experience, but it got me wondering who I would consider to be my favorite superhero. I know, my mind works in weird ways.

I don't think I could say who my single favorite superhero is outright because I like so many of them. But, if I had to say just one, I would probably say Wolverine.

I feel like Wolverine was the model for every Gears of War character...#Probably

Beast and Dr. Harold Winston are practically the same...minus the blue.

I remember watching, not reading, Wolverine on Saturday morning cartoons. My brother and I would wake up early (like 6 or 7am), sneak down our creaky stairs, grab a box of dry cereal, and start watching our favorite shows. It was the usually suspects of the 90s/2000s: Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon, Digimon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sherlock Holmes, Gargoyles, and X-Men. Are any of these shows still on the air? I have no idea. Pokemon and TMNT have to be right?

Anyways, I always liked seeing X-Men because of Wolverine. Being a small kid, I liked having a superhero I could kind of relate with. Having never reached the average males height, Wolverine remained special because his size. He was small, but strong. He was hardworking and had the coolest costume. Plus, who else can shot claws out of their hands!

As I have gotten older, I started to enjoy all the superheroes more and more (especially Deadpool) and it made the idea of having one favorite superhero quite unrealistic. So, if anyone asks me who my favorite superhero is a month, year, or several years from now, I would probably say I don't have one. Yet, deep down, I think it will always be Wolverine.

Or Spiderman...he was cool too!

Here's looking at you kid!

What is your favorite superhero? Leave a comment below and tell me what your favorite superhero(es) is/are. - J.J.

Top 5 Upcoming Comic Book Movies for the New Year!

I was reading a bit of news this week and I stumbled upon an article on yahoo called, "Why 2017 may be the year of 'comic book nirvana' for superhero movies." I breezed through the article like a swift breeze in a sweatshop and it got me thinking about the new comic book movies for this year.

If you read the article, it will it mostly talks about the movies from a broad, money-centrist point of view. It makes sense. We would have never seen this many comic book films if they weren't financially successful. But for me, I would rather just be generally excited to see the likes of Cyborg, Wonder Woman, and Old Man Logan jump off the pages of the comics.

So, in that spirit, here are the 5 upcoming comic book movies I am most excited for:

#1: Spider-Man: Homecoming

I am probably most excited for this one of all them. Watching the trailer and seeing Tom Holland in Civil War made me feel like we are finally going to see a genuine, comic book accurate Spider-Man. Plus, I miss the old high school vibes in movies, reminds me of the 90s.

#2: Logan

The story sounded interesting based on my limited knowledge with the Old Man Logan comic books, but the trailer really blew me away. The pacing was solid and a unique music choice gave it an indie, western feel. If the trailer is like the movie, I think audiences (critics and non-critics alike) will be quite surprised. Award run?

#3: Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman had an awesome trailer (I mentioned it when I first started the blog), but my biggest worry is on the writing front. Gal Gadot proved she can play the character, but the more I played the trailer, I can't help but wonder if some of her lines are a bit weak. I think this movie is quite important for the future of DC movies, but it should live up.

#4: Thor: Ragnarok

I would have had Guardians at this position, but something seems oddly intriguing about this movie. I know absolutely nothing about it other than the director and the funny mockumentary. I can't even find a quality trailer. I think its an interesting move and it makes me want to see it even more.

#5: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

First time this movie came out I had no idea how people were going to respond. I could have seen it be a success or a flop. Thankfully the latter wasn't true and it was a nostalgic sci-fi ride. Now they Tango & Cash! It's going to be a wild ride.

So what are your favorite upcoming comic book films? Do you agree or disagree with this list? I would love to hear you, so leave a comment down below.

See ya next Friday...or on Twitter I guess - J.J.