FM R IZ MAKES ITS DEBUT AT THE END OF THE SHOW AFTER TANGERINE DREAM AND RON BOOTS
Tag: art
A STUDIO REVIEW
CONTACT ME IF YOU WANT TO UNBOX ANY MUSIC EQUIPMENT OR COMPUTER RELATED
CREATNG A NIGHTMARE DREAM TEAM
THIS BLOG is looking to create a team of bloggers passionate hardworking if your passionate about horror Scifi in all mediums…. All are welcome guest spots always welcome. we need editors. this is going dot come soon by the the end of September.
I love Zombies good or bad OLD SKOOL VAMPIRES ONLY. clowns that float and weird stories. if you know of a true stories or have real footage. or write reviews if you got a platform. would love to hear from you. what is your expertise?
write to Craig craigwerks8@gmail.com
NEW ALBUM SOON
COMING SOON
FM R IZ
SUMMER SPHERE
LIMITED EDITION PRINT DISC
ON MY OWN LABEL NIKTO FOBIK REKORDS
THIS WILL BE AVAILABL IN 3 DIFFERENT PACKAGES
1 DISC PRICE NOT DETERMINED
2 DISC WITH LIMITED ORIGINAL DRAWING 8 X 11
3 DISC WITH LIMITED ORIGINAL DRAWING 8 X 11
PLUS CDR OF VIDEOS AND PERSONAL SURPRISES
PRICES UNDETERMINED
SPECULATIVE YAHTZEE WITH JONATHAN MABERRY
We ComiConverse With Jonathan Maberry
February 22nd, 2016 | by Craig Caudill
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ComiConverse contributor Craig Caudill brings the second installment of his series, Speculative Yahtzee. Today he interviews noted writer and eighth degree black belt, Jonathan Maberry.
CC: What novel changed your life, and who is your favorite author?
JONATHAN MABERRY: Richard Matheson gave me a signed first edition of I Am Legend when I was thirteen. A Christmas present. That book absolutely changed my life. It’s landmark in that it’s the first novel in which hard science is used to tell a horror story. And, also, having Matheson and Ray Bradbury as mentors when I was a teen was pretty amazing. Without I Am Legend I would never have become a science geek and would never have written the Joe Ledger series or most of my other science-based horror and thriller novels.
CC: Do you think Wonder woman is sexy, specifically Lynda Carter, and why?
JM: First, I was a Marvel kid, so Wonder Woman wasn’t on my radar until the TV show came on in 1975. I was seventeen. There is not one straight carbon-based male life form who was not in love with Lynda Carter. Anyone who denies it is lying.
CC: You are a super hero, what is your name, power, and costume? Who is your Arch Enemy?
JM: My super power is flight. I used to fantasize about it while sky-diving. (Luckily I’d come to my senses and pull the ripcord!). I would not, under any circumstances, wear skin-tight spandex. Trust me on this. My costume would be a baggy flight suit with cool insignias My enemy would be a villain called Flak who tried to shoot me down.
CC: What is your preference, cosplay or LARPing?
JM: Cosplay. I am a huge fan. I did a bit of it in the past, mostly in zombie crawls. I have friends who LARP, but I haven’t participated. So far.
CC: Can you name a trendy drink named after a superhero?
JM: Even though I’m a Marvel guy, I’m partial to a drink called The Dark Knight. Vodka, black raspberry liqueur, a lemon twist and served in a martini glass. Trendy yet very cool.
CC Who is your favorite villain?
JM: Doctor Doom, but written with subtlety and restrain. The way Lee and Kirby did him in the late sixties. An aristocrat, not a raving lunatic. I tried to capture that vibe in my Marvel miniseries DoomWar.
CC: Are vampires ruined and not scary anymore or just played out?
JM: Vampires, like zombies and werewolves, can be comical but they can always be made scary again. Twilight made them romantic and Count Chockula made them funny, but books like The Strain and my own V-Wars series bring back old school badass vampires.
CC: Could we Co-exist with vampires in a True Blood scenario?
JM: Society will panic and people will flip out –for a while, but then things would settle down. What you’d have, tough, would be an immediate political battle between right and left wings. Always. No matter what the controversial issue is.
CC: Are you high on V right now?
JM: Not anymore. It wears off. I bring myself down to earth with a nice, cold Dark Knight cocktail.
CC: Stephen Hawking has warned everyone not to interact with aliens. However if you suddenly meet one. what would you talk to him about?
JM: Logistics. How the hell did they travel so far and why the hell did they come here? They’re reasonable questions.
CC: Do you believe in Life on other worlds?
JM: I do. But I don’t pretend to know what it’ll be like.
CC: Did you cry when E.T. Died?
JM: I did, and I’m man enough to admit it.
CC: Roger Moore or Sean Connery?
JM: Sean Connery. The Bond in the books was a cruel bastard. Roger Moore always seemed too genteel.
CC: Does working for Rotor-Rooter qualify anyone to be an expert on the paranormal?
JM: I should think so. There’s some very weird shit down there.
CC: Do you fear a zombie reality?
JM: No. But I do think that a plague scenario is more likely than is comfortable.
CC: If your significant other was a zombie would you let them eat you?
JM: Nope. I would be merciful but not suicidal.
CC: If someone you knew was made out of chocolate would you eat them?
JM: In a heartbeat. And pour some wine to go with it, because chocolate goes great with coffee. And enough wine would soothe my remorse for eating a friend.
CC: If there was an election now between Emperor Kang Vs Emperor Kodos who would you vote for?
JM: I’m Team Kodos all the way.
CC: Who would win in fight Sawyer from Lost or Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead?
JM: Daryl would cheat, so…him. He also takes a better punch than Sawyer.
CC Same question but the original Ricardo Montalban, Wrath of Kahn vs Benedict Cumberbatch in the Star Trek reboot?
JM: Ricardo was badass, but Cumberbatch was more restrained and calculating. So…Cumberbatch.
CC OK, True or False: There is only one Batman, Adam West?
JM: False. Sue me, but I have high expectations for Ben Affleck. The thing is, much as I enjoyed the old Batman show, I generally don’t like campy versions of super heroes. I like dark, edgy, and as realistic as the subject matter allows. It’s why I liked Christian Bale and why I will probably dig Affleck,
CC: Okay, Big Foot is now discovered he’s booked on your talk show, but everything he says is outdated, racist, sexist, and Homophobic…but he’s Big Foot. How would you handle this situation?
JM: I’d want to kick his hairy ass. Being a legendary monster doesn’t excuse that kind of behavior. Or, I might get him rocked on Dark Knight cocktails and try to talk sense to him.
CC: What superhero would you like to portray?
JM: Reed Richards or T’Challa (I know, bad casting choice, me being a white guy). Those are my two favorite heroes. Tough and smart.
CC: Big Foot, Chuck Norris and Danny Trejo are in a room. A brawl breaks out. Who is the last man standing when it’s over?
JM: I hate Chuck’s politics but he used to be a superb fighter. And I knew him. He’d kick Big Foot’s ass. Danny is great, but he’s an actor. Now, if the question was Chuck Norris or Machete…then, Machete, clearly.
.CC: Ok, seriously, the last question. How has moving changed your writing better worse and what surprises await your fans
JM: I get to sit at my desk and watch whales and dolphins outside my window. That is a measure of what my writing career has done for me and my family. I grew up dirt poor in the inner city.
The 8th Joe Ledger book, Kill Switch, comes out in April. Other new releases include the anthologies I edited, The X-Files: The Truth is Out There, V-Wars: Night Terrors and Out of Tune Vol II. And my 2nd middle grade novel, The Nightsiders: Vault of Shadows, debuts in a few months. Plus my first board game just came out, V-Wars: A Game of Blood and Betrayal.
Jonathan Maberry Essentials:
NY Times Bestseller and 5-time Bram Stoker Award winner
The Nightsiders Bk 1: The Orphan Army – Simon & Schuster
Rot & Ruin Series- Simon & Schuster
The Joe Ledger Thrillers- now in development by Lone Tree Entertainment and Vintage Picture Company
Bad Blood – from Dark Horse Comics
X-FILES: a series of all-new anthologies from IDW Publishing
V-WARS: IDW -anthology and comics; now in development for TV
Ghostwalkers – A Deadlands novel from TOR
Website & Blog: www.jonathanmaberry.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jonathanmaberry
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonathanmaberry
CRIMSON PEAK REVIEW
Film Review: Crimson Peak
February 15th, 2016 | by Craig Caudill
ComiConverse Contributor Craig Caudill reviews Guillermo Del Toro’s latest film, Crimson Peak.
My first reaction to viewing Guillermo Del Toro’s latest work, Crimson Peak, was that it was either the sequel to 28 Days or Devil’s Back Bone. Right now, I’m not sure. All I can say is, it’s a glorious blur. But the impression has left a mark on me to last a life time. After watching Del Toro’s latest supernatural thriller, I am reminded of the Simpsons episode where Montgomery C. Burns is itching to have a biopic film of himself. He tells Mr. Smithers “Get me Steven Spielberg.” Mr. Smithers reminds him that Spielberg would be unavailable. To which Mr. Burns says, “Fine, then get me his cheaper Mexican equivalent.” I’m paraphrasing here, but I think Mr. Burns would have been happy with the results if he hired Mr. Del Toro.
Quick Take
Crimson Peak worked on many levels. It was an edgy film complete with nods to silent era scene transitions, slightly steam punk gadgets, and optic photography wall projections. I often feel I’ve seen it all and read it all. In a world were production companies rely heavily on pop cultural referencing as a safety net or crutch, Del Toro handles his subject matter with more nuance. There is no Tarantino-esque dialog or endless references to Star Wars. In Crimson Peak, I feel as if he is creating his own frame of reference while drawing on the aesthetic of Jane Austin. Based on this film, I would love to see Del Toro’s take on a space opera like Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers. I feel he would maintain the old swash buckling of matinee theatre, with a modern twist rather than creating a hyper-CGI remake.
The Story
Credit: Universal Pictures
Crimson Peak is about a young woman, Edith Cushing, who dreams one day of becoming a writer. She is specifically interested in ghost stories and all thing that go bump in the night. In her dreams she is visited by a ghost, and throughout the whole movie. Which we shall find out later.
Unfortunately for Edith, she is a female writer in an era when many women writers were not taken seriously. Edith is discriminated against because of her penmanship, which is deemed too florid. Her next course of action is to switch to a typewriter. Eventually, Edith finds herself being courted by a smooth British gentleman, Thomas Sharpe, played by Tom Hiddleston, best known for his turn as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sharpe is visiting America with his sister to try and secure funding for a clay mining invention.
Soon after, we find Edith being wooed after her father’s passing. Though his death is ruled accidental, it comes after he refuses Thomas Sharpe and his sister Lucille money for the invention. Edith is whisked away by Thomas to England to live with him and his sister in a castle, which appears to ooze a red clay substance. I will refrain from going into too much detail here to avoid spoilers, however, I will say: spectral warnings, Thomas’ money troubles, his easy manner with women, and his (too?) close connection to his sister combine to create the foundation for the film’s bloody climax.
Charlie Hunnam: A Bit Out of Place
Credit: Universal Pictures
I also want to mention Charlie Hunnam, best know for his portrayal of Jax in Sons of Anarchy. Hunam portrays Edith’s childhood friend, Dr. Alan McMichael. While Hunnam is a fine actor, he does not seem to fit in the time period of the movie. Hunnam did not have an easy time making this film. He had already accepted the role in Crimson Peak when he was offered the lead in Fifty Shades of Grey. Part of the reason he left Fifty Shades was because he had already committed to Crimson Peak. Though I don’t feel he was right in this role, I loved his work on Sons of Anarchy and hope that he finds more work that suits him better.
Since I don’t want to spoil anything from this movie, which has more than a few twists and turns, I just want you to prepare yourself for a good flick. I was impressed with the steam punk gadgets and the fact that they didn’t feel like an overload. I particularly enjoyed the gramophone player and another device which played recorded journal entries of people important to the story.
Overall, this was a great film. I’m always excited to see what Del Toro is up to. I’ve read his Strain novels, which were awesome, and I can’t wait for the second season of that show. I will also be looking for his next projects, like the long awaited Carnival Row which will be coming out soon on Amazon. Based on how well Del Toro engaged with the texture of an era while retaining his fresh directorial perspective inCrimson Peak, I can’t wait to see what he does with Pinocchio. That should be very strange.
Craig Caudill is a contributor to ComicConverse. Follow him on twitter: @craigcaudill
