The Good, The Bad, and The Joker

The suit distracts from the face…

Starting tonight, the new Joker film is going to be out in theaters. People are probably watching as we speak and I for one am interested in seeing the film as well. However, it does come with some controversy. From the director’s complaints about the “death of comedy” and the depiction of violence to the increased police patrols, this movie is a big believer in bad publicity is good publicity.

Fear and timing really come into play for most of the controversy. Three mass shootings in the month of August are fresh reminders to people of the dangers of people dealing with mental illness and/or dangerous thoughts and attitudes. The film also brings back horrible memories for Aurora shooting victims and they have even written a letter to Warner Bros about the movie.

These are concerns are valid and should definitely not be dismissed, but perspective is still needed. The Joker, since around 1988, was a dark, dangerous, evil, and even charismatic character. People don’t just cheer for Batman’s success; they also root for the Joker’s disturbance. A film about the Joker was inevitable as he is one of DC Comics premiere characters.

And as much as society doesn’t want to take credit, culture has influenced this rise in villain movies as well. The two leading factors: Comic book influence and anti-heroes.

DC and the Dark

The whole gang’s here…at least the evil ones are.

The growth and expansion of morally grey, anti-heroes has lead to movies such as Nightcrawler, Drive, Deadpool, and Venom, and these movies have gotten progressively darker and darker. Movies with anti-heroes isn’t new by any means, but its acceptance has grown substantially.

DC Comics has always had a darker, grittier edge, which lends perfect to anti-heroes. A perfect example would be Suicide Squad. It was literally villains saving the day. Birds of Prey is next on DC Comics list and with Suicide Squad starting production, DC is going to lighten up anytime soon.

Having a movie about Joker, the most well-known and popular villain of all-time (regardless of medium), should not be a surprise. It was inevitable.

And with the growth of comic books becoming movies and expanding influence and recognition in today’s culture, this rise of Joker was not only predictable, but asked for.

And this can be a good thing.

The Good - Social Discussion

Sometimes, movies are meant to challenge you. This movie is going to tackle difficult topics. Whether it’s successful or not, movies should sometimes challenge us. I don’t often feel challenged by Marvel or DC movies. This could be an interesting opportunity to see a movie that challenges the way we perceive people, or society, and or ourselves if we really want to get deep.

The Bad - A Fearful Experience

Not going to a movie out of fear is disappointing. Fear should not dictate our decisions, but in reality, it can. I urge people to not give in to fear and be open to watching the movie. If you don’t want to go to the theaters, that’s fine. But I hope you aren’t choosing not to go because of fear or controversy. That being said, the movie is still predicted to make almost 90 million dollars.

The Joker - What to Know

The Joker is played by Joaquin Phoenix (Buffalo Soldiers, Walk the Line, Signs) and he lost over 50 pounds to play the role of Joker. The film is directed by Todd Phillips, known for adult comedies such as The Hangover and Borat. Other great actors in the movie include Robert De Niro and Zazie Beetz. The movie took inspiration from the comic book, Batman: The Killing Joke, and Martin Scorsese’s films that focused on a character study approach that was popular in the 1970’s. This is probably useless information, but in case you are going to the movies with complete newbies, it might be fun to talk about.

On Saturday, I hope to provide a review of the film to let those on the fence know if the movie is worth watching, waiting, or skip all together (It would have to be pretty bad for me to suggest the last one, I’ve watched some real sleepers).

In the meantime, don’t dress up as a clown until Halloween.

- J.J.

NOTE:

As people are leaving the theater and others eagerly waiting to go in, please be respectfully of each other. A movie experience shouldn’t be popcorn, soda, and fear of death. It should be safe and fun. Also, if you are not of age to watch the movie, please don’t. Wait until you are.

For parents, please don’t take your kids. From my understanding, this movie will be more drama than action and character study films are not exactly Spiderman thrills. It’s for adults and should be treated as such. This movie is rated R, not PG-13.

Spiderman is Back...with Sony

Sharing is caring…until it costs money.

The Spider-man relationship with Marvel and Sony is like a bad custody hearing. Marvel wants to split custody, and Sony is an unreasonable monster who won’t even grant visitation after learning Spider-man is a genius child. Okay, maybe an odd take, but Sony taking full control of their Spider-man property is quite interesting.

The Deal & Downfall

Originally, the Sony-Marvel deal was made in 2015 with Sony putting up 100% of the production costs. The film was essentially a Sony film with a Marvel coat of paint. Disney was receiving 5% “first-dollar” gross and 5% ticket sales, along with merchandising rights.

With this deal, Sony would get most of the box-office profits.

Then, Marvel wanted to renegotiate.

Marvel wanted to move the profit split closer to 50/50 and receive more from the property, which I believe was the real strain that made Sony take back Spider-man. However, Sony did outline their reasons with a full statement on Twitter.

If you want to read the full statement without the three-part breaks in Twitter:

Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s involvement in the franchise. We are disappointed, but respect Disney’s decision not to have him continue as a lead producer of our next live action Spider-Man film. We hope this might change in the future, but understand that the many new responsibilities that Disney has given him—including all their newly added Marvel properties—do not allow time for him to work on IP they do not own. Kevin is terrific and we are grateful for his help and guidance and appreciate the path he has helped put us on, which we will continue.

It is entirely possible that an agreement between Marvel and Sony can be made later to keep Spider-man in the MCU, but sadly this looks like Sony won’t be sharing anytime soon.

What’s Next?

Well, for Sony, they have a lot of options. They can continue the story created in “Far from Home” without other MCU characters, they can add Spider-man in a Vemon movie, and they can reboot Spider-man for the 100th time like they always seem to enjoy. Outside of bringing back Tobey Maguire, I don’t know if any of these options are great.

Putting Spider-man in a Venom movie could be a fun, comic book style adventure, but having Spider-man share the screen with Venom might be a tough task. Venom would have to be reverted to Bad Guy status at a time where his anti-hero status is just taking shape. That being said, it is there best move.

Any other decision would be difficult to entice fans to come and see it, especially at the billion-dollar levels Spider-man had just reached. Spider-man is a fan favorite regardless of MCU branding, but Spider-man definitely grew faster and was arguably more beloved under Marvel’s direction.

Another point to be made is the lack of information on returning cast and director. Jon Watts, director of the last two Spider-man films, is not confirmed to return for the next Spider-man movie. Only Tom Holland is confirmed to return, but even that might be suspect if they don’t start production soon.

The 3rd Spider-man film is in the works with early writing work, but a lot can happen from now until pre-production and production rolls around. I can’t foresee what will happen next for the Spider-man franchise, but I hope Sony learned from their time working with Kevin Feige and Marvel on how to create compelling, character-driven narratives that keeps Spider-man’s universe fresh and full of life.

Website Update:

I recently noticed my website was down due to some email issues. I have since fixed it and it should be working well. I will also need to fix my Twitter account a bit as well, so please leave comments below for any questions.

-J.J.

It's Cold, Send Blankets

It doesn’t usually get this cold in Minnesota, but these next two days are not usual. A high of -14 and a low (with windchill) of -60 or -70 (-51.111 or -56.666 degrees Celsius respectively) at night.

To put that in perspective, that’s nearly as cold as the surface of Mars. Okay, nearly might be a stretch (average temperature on Mars is -80), but I think it’s close. Thankfully, I’m able to work from home the next two days and it will give me to time to catch up on some much needed reading, writing, and other school/work obligations.

With the first month of the New Year nearly in the books, it’s a good time to evaluate your progress on your writing goals. Some of you may have set some on New Years. Others may have just set some now. That’s okay. Better late than never!

My goals, as far as writing is concerned, are simple. I only have two:

1. Write a blog once a month

2. Write at least one page a month

The last goal stings because it feels so low to me. I want to be writing WAY more, but it might not be possible with my current schedule. The light at the end of the tunnel is nearing though and I will be able to write more in a few months.

To those who feel they are underachieving on their writing goals, just keep going and do your best. It might be a sentence, a paragraph, even a page, but whatever you do, don’t stop pushing toward your goals. Tell your story the way you want to tell it and enjoy the ride!

For those affected by winter’s bitter grip, stay warm and hide under as many blankets as you can find. That’s my plan. Stay safe and see ya next month!

-J.J.

Plot vs Character - Which is More Important?

When creating a story, inspiration and ideas come from anywhere. Sometimes we’ll think of an awesome story premise, but it has no plot. Maybe we have a great character, but don’t know where they belong.

What is more important when creating a story?

Before I answer this question, let me first explain the difference between Plot and Story.

PLOT VS STORY

For the most part, the difference between plot and story is a Google search away, but often we get the two confused.

A story is a sequence of ordered events. More accurately put, it’s the history or timeline of events. “Doug took the ball, then a cat chased Doug, then Doug grew wings, then the cat morphed into a thermonuclear warhead…etc.” X happened, and then Y happened, and repeated until there is nothing more to tell.

However, plot is different.

The plot is the reasoning behind why these events work together and what the story is communicating to the reader. “Doug took the ball from the greedy, ball hording cat. In the cat’s rage, it chased after Doug. Fearing for his life, Doug grew a pair of wings to escape and deliver the ball to his friend Wilbur, a ball-enthusiast. The cat would not allow him to get away with its favorite toy and morphed into a thermonuclear warhead as both a means of catching up and a threat…”

The rationale is present and tries to answer the “why?” in a story. Why are these pieces coming and for what reason? That’s the job of plot.

It’s a difficult balance that writers must balance or confusion for the reader can quickly set in.

PLOT VS CHARACTER

Okay, so which is more important, plot or character?

The short answer: Both

Character is important. A great character or cast of characters is what really keeps you wanting to learn more about the story. A good character is one we root for (or against) and have genuine self-interest in learning more about them. We want to follow the character on their adventure. However, if you have a bunch of awesome characters with nothing for them to do, nobody would read that either right?

Character and plot should work together, weaving fast-paced, exciting events with engrossing, multi-dimensional characters. There is no wrong way to write. You can work on characters that are interesting and insert them into a story. You can think of an awesome sequence of events that would make a great story and organically build the characters inside of it.

At the end of the day, you want both to blend together in your story. If you don’t have both, readers might get bored and have no reason to stay around.

That’s all I wanted to cover in this post and if you want to see more of this on the blog, please let me know on the comments or on Twitter.

-J.J.

Why I’m No Longer Part of the Romance Writers of America

*Reads title again* You were a romance writer? For many, this may seem a little out of left field. Maybe a bit unexpected.

Not many would guess that I used to write romance stories. There isn’t much that would give anyone that sort of takeaway.

I write about comic books and sci-fi/fantasy on the blog, I have no romance stories on the free story selection, and, to top it off, my bio photo is terrifying on the front page.

The question remains, “What made you want to write romance?”

I don’t know. I used to read quite a few Nicolas Sparks books. I liked the way the stories moved and the emotion of the characters. After some feedback on some creative short stories I wrote in college, I thought I would give it a shot.

I was a member of the Romance Writer’s of America (RWA) for about a year. I set out a plan to have a novel completed (which I did) and start querying agents (I did that too). The story was supposed to be a romance story about a nerdy teenage girl, who is also a member of the school’s cheer-leading team and the school’s most popular group of teens.

I went to a writer’s conference, got it critiqued, and met some great writers and agents. The critique went awesome and my spirits went through the roof when I started querying. I even had my work recommended to an agent at the conference. All wins in my book!

However, once I got my feedback, I was discouraged. Every query came back with a rejection, some more detailed than others. At that point, I just slowed down. Passion for writing those types of stories waned. My efforts to edit my story, a story I used to love, slowly became more and more disinterested.

Writing became harder.

I was pushing to improve in all areas, but it felt like the more I tried, the farther back I went.

Once it came time to renew the romance writer’s guild membership fee, I didn’t want to keep the membership up, especially if I wasn’t going to have anything to show for it. Plus, $100 dollars was a lot for me.

I was lost, weakened by rejection that every writer faces. I knew it was coming, but you can’t prepare for it without facing it. In hindsight, it was for the best. It gave me time to rethink what I wanted to write and what to do moving forward.

Where I am now…

I don’t think I will be returning to writing romance stories for awhile as I have a stronger passion for science fiction and fantasy. Stories with adventure in far away, fictional lands. It was part of the reason I made the website.

Comic books mix the genres, blend themes and styles seamlessly, without being tied down to traditional expectations. Science fiction and fantasy, I feel, go hand in hand. They complement each other.

That is where I’m heading now. I am almost finished with my “draft zero” of my science fiction/fantasy story. For this story, once I get it in a comfortable place, I will seek out some beta readers to help me fine tune the story.

In the meantime, I would like to add more stories to the site. I have one I’ve been sitting on for far too long that was a runner up in the Writer’s Digest competition a few years ago. It’s a romance story, but I think it’s a fun one.

Believe it or not, I was going to post another nerdy romance story on the free short story section back when Comic Con was in full swing. In the end, I didn’t.

I was a bit self-conscious about the short story. I tried cleaning it up, but the more I worked on it, the less confident I was on the piece.

And it probably steams back to my rejection letter. Inside, I felt like I worked months on a project that I was happy with, just to be told it isn’t good enough. Not to say the critique was unhelpful. It was concise and clear with just enough explanation to help me get control of the story. It was what I needed to hear, even if I didn’t like it.

So, I want to second-guess myself a little less. I plan on posting that story as well…next month.

Also, I don’t want to knock the RWA. I think it’s a great organization, but you need to be fully invested to get the most out of it. If you have an interest in writing romance or want to learn more about it, visit their website.

I hope everyone learned a little bit about my writing journey and maybe take away something for yourself. Don’t let rejection tear you down and steal away your joy of writing. If something does work out right away or the way you planned, take a step back and don’t be afraid to take it slow.

In the end, we get where we want to go by moving forward, not by stopping. I say to all of you, “Don’t stop.”

-J.J.

AI and Science Ficition - What is the Future?

I was scrolling through my Twitter feed today and came across an article over at Arstechnica about science fiction and AI. On the article, it has a video interview with Robin Sloan, the author of Sourdough, talking about how to write a novel with machine learning.

The idea of writing novels with machine learning has been around for a few years now, but it hasn't really caught on outside of a fun hobby. Most people probably heard about it, shrugged, and completely forgot about it. 

And I don't blame you, there are still a vast amount of limitations and problems. It isn't exactly Shakespeare, but it certain does try. If you are a curious person and want to learn more, definitely check it out on Robin Sloan's website. He has a cool little machine learning program you can download and play around with.

What the article made me think about was how science fiction is evolving today and how it might look in the future. Many science fiction classics like Blade Runner, Man in the High Castle, War of the Worlds, were created back in the 60s and if you read them, they still feel unique, rooted a fiction world that still seem unbelievable.

However, there are stories about space travel that now seem more likely than ever before. Stories like The Martian and Interstellar feel more possible every single day. I mean, I doubt we'll discover time travel in the vacuum of space after traveling through a black hole, but stranger things have happened before. People still pour all the flavors from the soda dispenser in their oversized cup...

I digress. 

Science fiction and the landscape of the stories will start looking quite different moving forward. It has already started, not just from a content perspective, but a creator perspective. Sci-Fi greats like N.K. Jemisin is an unstoppable powerhouse of science fiction/fantasy stories. Martha Wells is another great science fiction author, creating the Murderbot Diaries (Yes, it's as cool as the name suggests). These two are first names that comes to mind, but there are some many others moving the science fiction genre forward. 

Artificial intelligence is a common subject in science fiction, but the way it can be approached in the future will make for incredibly interesting stories. I just keep thinking about all the amazing possibilities of science fiction moving forward and how it can show us our evolving world.

Stories about the dangers of advanced technology implants (transhumanism), how humans and advanced artificial intelligence co-exist, how the ideas of deities and politics transform when facing superior technology advancements or the discovery of new life.

I'm barely scratching the surface and I know this must sound like complete idea vomit, but I'm really excited about it. 

So, the questions I didn't really address yet, "What is the Future?" More robots? Decentralized economies? AI overlords? All of them? 

I don't truly know, but I am excited to see what's happening next. 

-J.J.

How to Handle Toxic Fandom

If anyone is on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram, you should be mildly aware of recent events and statements involving outraged or toxic fans. From Star Wars to Doctor Who, there are fans who are displeased with the new work being done with franchise movies and books.

It's common for people to not like something. Maybe it's a character, a plot, or even the overall story and concept. It happens and we'll all feel that way at some point in time about a series or franchise that we love. However, our love for something can become toxic. There is a clear difference between disliking Doctor Who because you didn't like the story vs. not liking Doctor Who because the new doctor is a woman. 

The problem starts with how we express that frustration. The internet allows our voice to reach a vast amount of people across the world instantly. It can connect us with the world, but with this comes a level of responsibility. 

Unlike other countries, the United States offers its citizens the freedom of speech. It's a special protection, a right given by the constitution to prevent the government from silencing the voice of the people. It really is an empowering thought to know that we can say anything without repercussions from the government. That said, it's only a government protection and it can lead people to feel they are free to say anything to anyone.

People who subscribe to the toxic end of the fandom spectrum will ridicule and discredit people that work hard bringing new stories to life. People like Kelly Marie Tran being shamed and harassed for her work on Star Wars Episode 8 is beyond disheartening.

Blaming an actor for the "poor" work they did, which in most actor's cases is following the groundwork set by someone else, is not appropriate, constructive, or helpful to anyone.

This topic hits home for me as a creator. I love writing stories and creating new worlds. I have a passion for it. I want to share it with people, readers like you, and I can only hope everyone enjoys it. I would be a bit saddened if people took any of my stories and created a toxic environment for other's trying and/or continuing to experience the work. 

TOXIC FANDOM AND YOU!

So, how do we handle toxic fandom? On the internet, it's not easy. People are anonymous and often just want to express themselves anyway they feel fit. Ignoring the toxic fans and blocking them out can be as easy as unfollowing or muting on Twitter (not sure how it works on other platforms).

Another great method is simply being positive. Show support to the creators and collaborators, whether that is buying a copy of the book or movie, giving a positive review, or even sharing their content with others, it all makes a difference. 

If all else fails, I think it would be best if we followed Adam Roger's example over at Wired and abide by the three tenants of Nerd: 

THREE TENANTS OF NERD:

1. A nerd must not harm another nerd, or through inaction allow a nerd to come to harm.

2. Nerds must cooperate with other nerds, except where such cooperation would violate the previous tenet.

3. Nerds must protect the existence of nerddom, except where such protection violates the first two tenets.

Sometimes the best rules come in threes. 

-J.J.

How Ant-Man Saves the Universe

Ant-Man doesn't have the strength of Thor or the cunning of Black Widow or even the fighting skill of almost any Avenger. However, what he does have is heart and a smart tech genius like Hank Pym helping him out every step of the way. That is why, with Hank's help, Ant-Man will save the universe.

CAUTION: Before I go further, there will be SPOILERS to the Avengers: Infinity War film in this blog post, so if you haven't seen it yet, may want to avoid this one. 

Saving the world can be a dirty job...for an ant...man.

EVENTS OF INFINITY WAR:

As many of you may remember, Thanos snapped his bling fingers and eviscerated half of all life as we know it. Thanos, now the hero of his own story, is gone and the gauntlet destroyed with all the infinity stones missing. It really is a mystery what happens next. 

There are a lot of gaps, leaving many people to speculate what will happen next, but I have a good idea what may happen. The heroes who dematerialized at the end of the movie are clearly not dead. How do I know this? Contracts and comic books!

Pretty much everyone who disappeared (Black Panther, Spiderman, the Guardians of the Galaxy, to name a few) all have another movie coming out in Marvel's Phase 2 schedule. I know, kind of lame way to know that, but it makes the most sense to me. Also, if you read some of the Infinity War comics, or any comics, you know death is pretty short-lived.

This means someone has to save them.

Ant-Man and Hawkeye were the two most noticeable no-shows in Infinity War, only mentioned by name (even though I think Ant-Man was doing some miniature spy work that we couldn't see, but I'll get to that later). 

Ant-Man is going to make a huge impact on the story moving forward, along with another character teased at the end of the movie: Captain Marvel.

Reader: "So, how does Ant-Man save the world? Tell me or I'm leaving!"

Fine, I'll tell you, just giving everyone some quick background. Geez!

HOW ANT-MAN SAVES THE UNIVERSE:

If you have watched the any of the Ant-Man and Wasp trailers recently, you know that they are facing off against a villain who seems to have a firm control of time and reality. Luis, in one of the trailers, hints at the villain stealing Hank's technology that allows the wielder to access the quantum realm.

Now, if you really have been paying attention to all the movies, you know that the quantum realm has been hinted at a few times. 

In the first Ant-Man, Scott Lang is trapped in the quantum realm after his battle with Cross and barely escapes. In Doctor Strange, Stephen flies through the quantum realm for a short period of time. 

I believe this will be a major part of the next movie because I think the quantum realm is where everyone went after the Thanos-led Armageddon. They're all trapped there, and Ant-Man will need to bust them out! 

Ant-Man, who I believe was monitoring every move Thanos made during Infinity War, stayed in a miniature state and was waiting for the best opportunity to stop him. But, when he arrived on Vormir, Ant-Man stayed behind to find the best location to enter the quantum realm with the least amount of problems. 

Before Ant-Man even goes to Vormir, the hard work was already done. Hank refines the technology to handle the conditions, maybe with the help of Tony Stark, and Captain Marvel will assist in some capacity when retrieving them. Maybe she has knowledge of the quantum realm from her alien interactions or can travel there due to her Kree-infused DNA.

In broad terms, that is how Ant-Man saves the universe: By going into the quantum realm with Captain Marvel, where all time is irrelevant, and traveling back through time to save them and preventing Thanos from getting the stones in the first place. 

I am aware I'm not the only one with this theory, there are others who thought of this as well. ScreenRant also has a theory that's nearly identical to mine with more industry-related knowledge. Definitely check it out.

Anyways, that is my theory. There may be many like it, but this one is mine. Let me know your theories in the comments or feel free to tweet or email at me. Now it's time to sit back, relax, and hope my theory pans out. July 6th can't come soon enough!

-J.J.

Your Privacy, My Policy - Privacy Policy Explained

Hello everyone, 

I just want to update everyone on a few changes around the website and upcoming projects. On the website, I made one significant change: Outlining the privacy policy.

To avoid any long-winded, technical talk about privacy laws, I'll keep it simple: Your privacy is important and your information you provide me is NOT sold. 

The information you provide me is limited to what you find on the email/newsletter form: Name and email. I kept it pretty simple. However, there is some information I do receive from you when you come onto my website. 

I do receive some location information, IP address, and devices a visitor uses on this site through analytics provided by Squarespace and/or Google Analytics. The information I receive doesn't mean I know where you live and who you are. I don't have government access to spy systems and listening devices. 

The only information I receive is the information you freely give me. With this great responsibility, I do my best to protect the information you provide. I don't sell it to third-parties for financial gain or marketing improvements. I use the information to provide better service to you.

That being said, a third-party may get access to your information when you use their platforms, systems, or plugins. For example, if you bought a book on Amazon via PayPal from my book link. Amazon and PayPal would have your information in that situation.

To know what they take and learn more about Squarespace's cookie policy on your device(s), please review my privacy policy under third party or Squarespace's privacy policy.

Now with the boring stuff out of the way, upcoming projects! I wish I could say I have a lot of projects, but I don't...at least not finished anyway. I did finish a screenplay that I submitted to a contest (fingers crossed it does well) and I've been working on a few short stories. My goal is, by summer's end, to have one story done. 

I know, not much of an update, but it's all I got.

There will be another blog post this week and I will outline a few of the projects in more detail.

Also, if you haven't had time yet, check out Solo: A Star Wars Story. It's way better than people think! 

-J.J. 

May the Fourth Be With You - Star Wars Day

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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...May 4th would not be celebrated. Instead, a war would break out among the stars with an entire galaxy's fate resting in the hands of Anakin Skywalker...and then Luke Skywalker...and then Rey Skywalker. Okay, Rey isn't a Skywalker...for now.

I absolutely love Star Wars Day! It's a great day to remember an incredible franchise that shaped culture and was a force for change in movies, literature, and scientific advancements. As a kid, my imagination would soar like an X-Wing, dodging the blaster fire of reality, to escape in a world of adventure. 

There is a special feeling attached to Star Wars that has been incredibly difficult to explain, at least for me. Star Wars captivates you in ways you can't describe as a kid and that feeling just sticks with you as you age. If you're new to Star Wars, I can't guarantee the "feels" would be there for you considering the wide assortment of science fiction options on the market today. It's an experience you have at a young age that really influences you. You feel like you can be Jedi, a smuggler, a princess, a hero. 

Now I don't want to really go too much into what you SHOULD be doing today. It's pretty obvious. You can do anything to show of your love for Star Wars. However, I have a recommendation if you want to be a Star Wars hero in real life.

Each year, Star Wars: Force for Change helps raise money for charities around the world that help children with healthcare and/or education. This year, they are teaming up with UNICEF Kid Power and Starlight Children's Foundation.

If you want to donate, I will provide links below to the Force For Change along with the individual foundations mentioned.

If you can't donate, but still want to help, I have a challenge for you! Well, they do actually...

#ROARFORCHANGE

Roar For Change is a global challenge that supports UNICEF. All you have to do is share your own version of Chewbacca's roar on any social media platform with #RoarForChange. You can do this anytime between now and May 25th and for every post, like, or share, Star Wars: Force for Change will donate $1 to UNICEF. I would turn Star Wars Day into a weekend and bust out a cool post. 

To learn more about the initiatives, click on the buttons below:

Take the Pledge

Donate

Take the Challenge

I hope you all have a great Star Wars Day and make sure to celebrate! And now, to leave you with a song that has been stuck in my head for days. May the force be with you. -J.J.

Avengers: Infinity War - The BIGGEST Movie Of The Year

Marvel is going all out for this movie and it will be the biggest movie of the year. Not much of a statement if you are a fan of the Marvel movies or have been semi-conscious in the comic book world. The movie was literally the biggest when they first announced the cast.

CAST:

If anyone remembers those Expendable movie trailers where they just list action star after action star, it's like that, except triple the size. All of the characters from the last 10 years are returning from Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man to Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther. Along with the returning characters will get to see new heroes and villains as well (I won't say who in case you'll like surprises). Knowing there is these many actors in one movie, many of them award winners, it's bound to be cameo bonanza. 

If you are interested in a list of the cast, you can click the button below.

So, the cast size is massive. But, what about the run-time?

RUN-TIME:

The movie currently clocks in at a Lord of the Rings level TWO HOURS AND 40 MINUTES! Yes, I yelled when I heard about it. Why? Because it's the longest Marvel movie in the collective Marvel Universe and if the Russo Brothers are telling the truth, Avengers 4 will be even longer.

To give it a bit more perspective, here are a few movies that can claim to be that long:

1. Watchmen (2hrs 43min)
2. Troy (2hrs 43min)
3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2hrs 41min)
4. Avatar (2hrs 40min)
5. Dark Knight Rises (2hrs 45min)
6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2hrs 41min)
7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2hrs 32min)

*NOTE: The Lord of Rings and Hobbit movies are all longer.

The run-time of this movie is setting Avengers: Infinity War up to become a true epic. Now we have a large cast size and a long run-time. Outside of those visible factors, what makes this movie the biggest movie of the year? One word: Anticipation

The press tours, the trailers, the overall hype of seeing every after-credit sequence finally coming together is mind boggling. To think, 10 years ago, there was going to be this expanded universe that would get to this boiling point of epic action is incredible. 

The only other movie franchise that can garner this amount of attention is probably Star Wars and Star Wars took arguably longer to reach the same heights as Marvel is at today. This movie has the potential to create what movie theaters have been desperately lacking to bring people in as well. Marvel is making this movie not just a movie, but an event. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to create enough anticipation for fans and non-fans to be interested in anything. However, the level of anticipation built up over the years will make this movie a grand event for fans and catapult the film to the prestigious status of biggest movie of the year. Some early positive reactions, like here and here, also help too!

I for one can't wait for Friday to see a both a conclusion of one timeline and the beginning of a new era of superheroes. Movie drops on April 27th, but you should already know that.

-- J.J.

P.S.  Venom trailer just dropped yesterday as well, so check it out below: 

READY PLAYER ONE - Why you should watch it!

I have returned from the Oasis without a single key or coin to show for it. However, I do have a ticket! 

I went to Ready Player One the day before it officially opened in theaters and it was amazing! I really enjoyed the story and how Spielberg created an incredibly CGI-filled world. Today will be part review and part reasons to watch list. But first, some background.

NOTE: Spoilers beyond this point. You shall not pass...if you don't want spoilers.

Ready Player One - Background

For those unfamiliar with the book, I first recommend reading it. It is a fun story that probably has even more pop culture references than the movie. For those who wish to not read it, here are the highlights:

What is Ready Player One?

Ready Player One is about a teen living in a dystopia version of Ohio in the year 2049 where he becomes the first person to find one of three keys hidden inside a video game called Oasis. In the story, the creator of the game, James Halliday, died, leaving behind an enormous fortune. The right to his fortune is hidden inside the game as an Easter egg. The Easter egg can only be found after acquiring all three keys, also hidden in the game. When our hero, Wade Watts, finds the first key, he finds himself in a race against an evil corporation to find the remaining keys and prevent the corporation from taking over the Oasis. 

Now that you have a short background, we will dive into the review. 

Ready Player One - Review

Having read the book prior to the movie, I have a bit of a preference toward the book. That being said, I really enjoyed this film. The film starts off like a classic Spielberg film, introducing us to the world with smooth, sweeping shots. The way Spielberg paces an opening, and films in general, is always impressive to me. In this movie, we jump right into the action with an amazing car race sequence that got my adrenaline pumping immediately. Also, listening to Van Halen's Jump helped too!

The movie grabs you and keeps you interested throughout. The characters Wade Watts/Parzival, played by Tye Sheridan, and Samantha/Art3mis, played by Olivia Cooke, had a great dynamic between each other. It was fun and light, but kept the romantic connection strong as the movie progressed. The side characters were, at least for me, a bit more forgettable. Well, except for Sho, played by Phillip Zhao. James Halliday, played by the great Mark Rylance, was my favorite character. He portrayed the anti-social, nerdy side well and displayed the heart behind the character in a genuine way. Honestly, in that regard, I felt the movie did better than the book. 

The story itself was going to be difficult to deliver. The book was packed with references and the movie had to at least live up to that. I couldn't imagine being the producer on this movie. The amount of phone calls and favors they made/asked for had to be ridiculous! Even with all the references, the story had to be sound. Thankfully, it was faithfully adapted by the writer of the book, Ernest Cline. Zak Penn helped too (another solid, Hollywood writer). The references did not get in the way of the story, but the story wasn't trying to be overly complex. It was a simple story that was told well. The movie was a great example of all pieces of production coming together to make a solid movie. 

The best part about the movie was the CGI. Movies have been improving CGI for a few years now. Star Wars and Marvel films tend to be the first movies that come to mind when you think of CGI-heavy movies, but I believe this one deserves serious consideration. The car race sequence and final battle scenes are the most epic CGI experiences I have ever seen. For many, Spielberg isn't the name that comes to mind when they hear about a CGI movie. He's been known for Academy Award winning films and pop culture classics like Jurassic Park, Jaws, and E.T. Yet, he has been quietly working on some amazing CGI films like The Adventures of Tintin and The B.F.G.

I could probably go on forever about the CGI and Spielberg's talent, so I'll stop here and just say, it was impressive. The movie overall, is a solid film with impressive CGI that is fun entertainment. Now for the Top 10!

Top 10 Reasons To See Ready Player One

These are in no particular order:

1. STEVEN SPIELBERG!
2. The impressive CGI of fake people in a fake world
3. A Delorean that doesn't go back in time
4. Mark Rylance acting awkward and not like a big, friendly giant
5. Seeing Director Krennic again lose to a rebel group
6. Awkward teenage romance
7. Raging adults wearing headsets and power gloves
8. 80's music
9. An abundance of outdated, but lovable pop culture references
10. A giant freaking egg!

Have you seen Ready Player One? Do you agree with this review? Please let me know your thoughts in the comments or on social media. 

-J.J.

Avengers: Infinity War is Coming!!!

Get hyped because the Avengers are coming to town! Although made pretty clear in their latest trailer, Avengers: Infinity War is coming a little bit early. Premiering April 27 and it's already tracking to be the best selling MCU movie of all time.

I am beyond excited for this film to drop. It feels like this is the movie every fan has been waiting for. A sort of semi conclusion to the old MCU and an opening to the new universe. The event that brings everyone together to fend off the "spiritual journey" of Thanos. 

However, this film is actually quite a bit different than the comic book, The Infinity Wars. 

The Comic

The Infinity Wars comic book is a six-part series made back in 1992 about Adam Warlock and what happens after he is deemed "unworthy" of using and controlling the Infinity Gauntlet. It's a complicated story, but I will try to simplify it.

Magus, the evil incarnation of Adam, was created from the use of the gauntlet and now Magus wants revenge against Adam. Probably blames Adam for keeping him locked up emotionally. For Magus to defeat Adam, he needs help. Magus sets out on a universal conquest to find 5 cosmic cubes in order to create an army of evil superhero doppelgangers and conquer the universe.

Pretty crazy right! I'd say more, but I don't want to ruin it. The story has a fair share of twists and turns. The film is different.

The Film

I stumbled upon a "logline" for the film in an article by Anthony Breznican at Entertainment Weekly: 

"It's the story of a humble rock collector, traveling from afar to fulfill his lifelong dream, only to run afoul of mask-wearing troublemakers."

Pure gold! Humble rock collector gets me every time I read it. He's right though. It's a story about Thanos and his unquenchable thirst for domination and power, which can be achieved through the collection of the infinity stones. 

The Difference

The big difference between the comic book series and the movie are pretty apparent. Thanos in the film is a combination of comic book Thanos and comic book Magus. In the comic, Adam Warlock is an important character. In the film, we are hinted at creation of Adam Warlock in Guardians of the Galaxy 2. From my understanding, the Adam Warlock in MCU movie series will more likely follow the Earth X series with Kismet. Although, I don't know if we'll see a Mar-Vell reincarnation. 

There are quite a few more differences, but I feel those would be moving in on spoiler territory, so I won't mention them. You're welcome!

Anyways, I'm excited to see this story unfold on the big screen and bring some closure to lingering questions in the collective series of Marvel films. We'll also get more questions, but that is a discussion for after the film's release. 

Next week, I hope to blog a bit about the Ready Player One movie coming out on March 29th. If not, it means I'm too busy living in a virtual world controlled by Grandmaster and ants with oversized spectacles. Sounds like an Ant-Man meets Guardians of the Galaxy movie that I would totally watch!

- J.J.

How Black Panther Can Change The World

It's pretty hard not to know about Black Panther coming to theaters this week. There have been numerous articles about Black Panther and its timely inclusion into the Marvel movie series from both a cultural and political perspective. There have been numerous articles in the news talking about its importance, like this one, and this one, oh and this one. 

I have no doubt this movie will be great, not just from an entertainment perspective, but as game changer in creating films and stories in general. Before I dive in, I want to give you some quick comic book history on Black Panther.

Black Panther: Quick Facts

• Black Panther was originally created in July, 1966 (Fantastic Four #52).
• It wasn't until 1973 that Black Panther was finally featured as the main hero (Jungle Action #5).
• The title of Black Panther is not only a hereditary title of the ruling chief of Wakanda, but also one that must be earned through trials. 
• Black Panther was created before the Black Panther Party (no relation from my understanding).
• Wakanda is a technologically advanced, but fictional African nation...or is it?

To learn more about the history of Black Panther, click that giant button below:

The Game Changer:

Black Panther has an enormous opportunity to do something quite unique. It can change the way we look at films from both a means of representation in film, and how we craft stories that engage audiences. Representation has been an often talked about issue in the film industry. From women behind the camera and directing to proper representation of culture in movies about history, people seem to want more accurate representation. Even in fiction, not every character is a white hero brandishing oversized weapons in an effort to save the world, while a "minority" character is merely a sidekick that clings to the coattails of the hero's successes. 

While oversimplified, that is changing in the US. Not just in films, but stories in general. Books like, "The Hate U Give,"  and "Pachinko" show different perspectives and cultural views of the world. Sure, neither of these books have the above action as mentioned, but shows how the world view of story is diverse and increasingly less singularized. Black Panther is going to be a story that will also touch on difficult situations that draw similarities to issues the United States has been dealing with for a long time. What this story could do is not only improve dialogue among people across cultures, ideas, and identities, but create new stories in the process. 

Sharing ideas, combining them to create stories (fictional or otherwise) that engage people in the world is something I hope grows and continues. I like seeing different stories and it seems like this may be a unique story I may not have heard before. Even reading the synopsis of past Black Panther stories really show how much I still need to learn about Black Panther and his adventures. 

Black Panther could be a really great movie, not just because of its iconic character(s) or its historical first for a major blockbuster film celebrating African culture, but for its ability to potentially cross borders and bridge an understanding between people in way, that I believe, sometimes only stories can do.

Don't Forget: Black History Month

It may be halfway through the month, but never to late to learn! I can't educate people on Black history or its importance in our society as well as others. There are so many people more knowledgeable than me. But, I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't provide at least a few options for people to learn on their own. The first link is from History.com page that has a few resources, but definitely less than I thought there would be. I also found another website hosted by the Library of Congress. If you want to learn even more, seek out the information. There are probably plenty resources in your own local community as well.

Please let me know what you think of this article in the comments or on Twitter. I am somewhat concerned that you can't actually comment while I was looking through past blog posts, so please let me know on Twitter or email. Also, no spoliers on Black Panther. I can't make it out to theaters until probably Monday. 

-J.J.

2018 - New Possibilities & YOU!

I know its nearly a month into the New Year, so I apologize for the lack of blogging. 2018 has been pretty busy already and it holds a lot of possibilities. Writing new stories, experimenting with mediums, just trying new things. 

I'll admit, I have been inconsistent. Late posts...like really late posts. Some uninteresting. Oh, and don't get me started on my pathetic attempt at National Novel Writing Month. It has been disappointing, trying to put fingers on the keys and words on the blank screen. 

However, with every New Year, comes new possibilities. My goal is simple: Consistency. I know I will have difficulty keeping up with every news article and event surrounding the wonderful world of comic books and pop culture in general. The train's always moving, never stopping, and becoming more and more saturated. So, my goal is to be consistent. A blog post a month is the main goal. I want it to focus on either writing or comic books/pop culture. Long as it stays in that realm. I have quite diverse tastes. One second I want to write about spaceships blowing up bigger spaceships ran by androids, the next I want to do a romantic comedy about two penguins roaming the refrigerators of South Africa. So many ideas, not enough time. 

So, on this blog, I want to just keep it simple. I also want to add a free short story or two. Something new, a bit off the beaten path. Or maybe not, I'll see how I feel. 

Anyway, that's what you should expect this year. Still, I do want to know: What do you want to see here? To say the responses to my questions after each post has been...limited. Let your opinion be heard! But, not too loud because I think i'm going deaf. Not sure, just a precaution really. 

Leave a comment and I'll read it. Maybe even answer! Who knows? Who am I kidding, I'll answer. Also, I plan to be a bit more active on Twitter than I have been. Keep it loose and fun. Oh, and no politics! 

Hope to hear from you all soon and start of 2018 off right! -J.J.

Disney BOUGHT Fox - What It Means For Comic Book Movies

As of today, Disney has officially bought Fox Studios for over 50 billion dollars. Well, $52.4 billion in assets, assuming $13.7 billion in debt, but that's what mergers are for. You get the good with the bad. 

Anyways, many people are freaking out (again both good and bad) about the future of MCU, X-Men, and other titles from Fox. There is quite a bit that will be happening. 

The Future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe 

With Disney buying Fox, they acquire many comic book properties, most notability the X-Men franchise. Of all the franchises Fox owns, this particular franchise has been quite successful over the decades it has been around. The acquisition of the franchise will shift the initial direction of the overall franchise, probably in the form of a franchise reboot, that may (or may not) be combined with the new generation of Marvel heroes like Black Panther, Doctor Strange, Spiderman, and Captain Marvel. 

Either way, X-Men is a franchise that could be easily transitioned alongside other Marvel story lines, creating a consistent Marvel brand. The same could also be said of the Fantastic Four franchise as well!

The Marvel universe will also have the option to explore these newly acquired franchises in the streaming world along with Star Wars. For fans of the Marvel, this is a huge win in some respects, bringing more stories with less limitations in terms of character options and story directions. 

The Dark Side of Disney-Fox Merger

The biggest danger with the merger of Disney and Fox, which if Twitter is any indication, has a lot of drawbacks. The biggest argument I see thrown around by creator's of movies and TV shows is the fear of losing original, creative storytelling. Companies like Netflix and Hulu offer a wide variety of content that isn't dependent on financial success in the same way Disney, Fox, or other movie companies are. Most large movie companies are publicly traded and rely on good box office revenue, DVD/digital sales, merchandise, etc. to keep the wheels going. Netflix and Hulu, although similar, rely on subscriptions and DVD rentals and are willing to amass more debt to deliver quality content. It's not that other companies aren't, but investors have more expectations with larger companies. Plus, Disney is more than just movies.

However, with this move, Disney will be taking up nearly 40% of the film market with their properties, which could lead to further saturation of the market, or worse,  less creative stories. The need to push out as many movies as possible with the new franchises could lead to cutting corners creatively, only focused on delivering the next adventure with Silver Surfer. 

This also leads to the next point...rating system. 

Disney is known universally and family friendly, two words Deadpool knows very little about. Movies like Deadpool and Logan may also be avoided entirely in the future. It looks unlikely that Deadpool would be messed with this late in the game with principal photography pretty much finished and post production under way, but stranger things have happened. The consensus is Disney would not mess with anything currently underway, but future stories with more mature subject matter will definitely be under scrutiny. 

There is probably a lot more to cover when it comes to the positives and negatives of Disney's merger, but for now, it really is a matter of waiting to see what will happen. My hope is it's all for the best of storytelling and the audience. 

Let me know your thoughts on the Disney-Fox merger. Is it a good idea? Bad idea? You have no idea and just want to be heard...err...read? Is that a thing? I don't know, but if you do, let me know in the comments! 

P.S. STAR WARS IS COMING TODAY/TOMORROW!!! 

-J.J.

Update - National Novel Writing Month

As promised, an update on my writing progress for this month. In a word...disappointing. It has been a struggle to get words on the page, especially good ones. I have been experimenting with different forms to get the content out, but its been mostly a struggle. However, there is good news! 

The last couple of days have been going well! I mean, its not 1,000 words a day, but it's definitely better. 

So, you might be asking, "Why are you struggling to write?" Maybe you aren't asking, but I am going to tell you. I have been juggling quite a few projects, one being a film. A few years ago, I made a film with my brother and a few friends. My brother and I had been doing some promotion, but I really put my brother in charge of it. The movie is called, "Continuity and Other Errors." It's a weird story and the trailer doesn't really do it justice. 

It has only played at one film festival so far and was preselected for the New York Film Festival. We are waiting on responses from other film festivals, but right know, its been pretty slow. 

Now you know a bit about what has been slowing me down this month. I am looking forward to the rest of the month where I hope to completely turn this slump around and meet the 1,000 words a day mark. Maybe even have another free short story! Maybe.

My question for you, "How has your writing been going?"

I hope it's been better than mine. I will provide a final (more comprehensive) writing update at the end of the month or December 1st. 

Until then, keep writing! - J.J.

National Novel Writing Month has Begun!

November 1st - 30th - Write that novel!

Today is the first day of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and I am not participating. It's not because I don't want to, I do, but I know I shouldn't. Last year, I took up the challenge. I tried to write 50,000 words in a month's span. I ended the month with around 40,000 words. That was 40,000 words I didn't have before on a brand new story. To make it harder, I did it without an outline.  I impressed myself with how well I did. The writing itself may not be spectacular, but it was a great exercise. 

The reason I am not doing it this year is simple: I have too many story ideas. I am always coming up with different stories. Novellas, short stories, screenplays, full novels, a series of novels. I have all these ideas, most of them somewhat outlined, but the problem is none of them are complete. I want to take the time to complete at least one of them. The one project I would like to finish is last year's NaNoWriMo story. I am 40,000 words deep and thought it might be good to finish it and do some editing on that draft zero of a story. If I finish the draft before the end of the month, I'll work on two other stories I had in mind as well. It's good to get some space from a draft before editing anyways. 

So, that is my own personal NaNoWriMo challenge I guess. Finish one novel by the end of the month. I plan to give you an update on the progress at the halfway point and the end of the month. 

That being said, NaNoWriMo is a great opportunity to challenge yourself as a writer and push yourself creatively. If you have a story idea and really want to see it finished, even if it is just for yourself, I recommend participating in NaNoWriMo. Also, don't limit yourself to writing just novels. If you got a cool comic book story, write that. Take this month to make your own writing challenge and go after it.

If you haven't done the NaNoWriMo challenge, I highly suggest you try it. Their website has a lot of great features, inspirational content, and even some support groups. They even have a 2017 worldwide word count on their webpage, which is pretty cool!

For more information on NaNoWriMo, visit their website.

Get out their and start writing! -J.J.

My (Guess) at the Top 10 Halloween Comic Book Inspired Costumes

Halloween is tomorrow and everyone is probably going to be dressing up (unless you live in the tundra, then everyone might be winter explorer). I was kind of curious what most people would dress up as this year. Superheroes are always a great option for Halloween, but which ones are most popular?

So, here are my guesses for the most popular comic book inspired Halloween costumes: 

1. Wonder Woman - With the success of the Wonder Woman movie, I believe this will be a vastly more popular costume this year for both women and men. Yes, I can see men dress as Wonder Woman. It might be more for cheap laughs, but a wins a win.
2. Thor - I put Thor on the list because the new movie comes out this Friday, in case you didn't know. Plus, slap on a wig and grab a hammer from your Dad's workbench and boom, you are ready! Pretty easy costume if you ask me.
3. Harley Quinn - I feel like this is the most socially accepted clown in all of comic books and Halloween costume lists. It is also the most searched costume online. For some reason, Harley Quinn looks more like a punk rock renegade Geisha than a clown, but popular none the less.I don't know a better excuse to support the World Series and self-defense than carrying a baseball bat as part of costume.
4. Joker - I feel like Joker is kind of a gimme for years. Two parts terrifying, one part hilariously dark, it brings a new meaning to clown costumes. The only one more terrifying might be Pennywise...or Insane Clown Posse. 
5. Batman - Joker and Harley would be running amok a quaint, suburban neighbor if not for a sprinkling fear from the Dark Knight. Justice League is also coming this November, so I put Batman on this list. Same with Flash and Aquaman...I have no shame.
6. The Flash - I can only imagine the poorly delivered pickup lines with people dressed as The Flash. Short, quick, and uneventful. Still, I think Flash may be a fun costume. Just challenge people to races and if you lose, just say you lapped them 100 times. 
7. Aquaman - If this was any other year, I would say no way. But, again, with Justice League on the way I had to include him. Plus, it has to be the easiest costume in the world. Shirtless dude in board shorts with sharpie tattooed of sharks and jellyfish. And if people don't like it, just say you are Sub Mariner. 
8. Superman - I actually have a non-Justice League reason for Superman. Blue tights, red cape, red boots. It doesn't get too much easier than that! 
9. Hulk - ...green paint and rage issues. Probably for the selective few, but if green is your favorite color, I say go for it! BTW green is not my favorite color.
10. Generic Superhero - You can't go wrong.

So, here is my sort of nonsensical list of comic book inspired Halloween costumes. I got a feeling I will be right on most of these. Halloween really does grab from a variety of places, so if you someone dressed as at least one of these this year, let me know. 

Remember, Halloween is also the perfect time to enjoy some "scary" stories, so if you are in the mood for some monster stories, check out the anthology, "The Monsters Hiding in Your Closet." It's got a story from yours truly in there. Honestly, mine isn't scary, but it is great if you are seeking something positive on a scary Halloween. The other authors also have great stories and for 10 stories at 5 bucks, you can't go wrong. 

Make sure to have a safe and fun Halloween tomorrow!

- J.J.