An Avenger for a day (or even in a comic book)

I uploaded my pic at IAmAnAvenger.com. Hopefully, I'll get to appear in an Avengers comic book.

After years away from the X-books, here's my jumping on point

I should have picked up Messiah Complex and Messiah War before jumping into this story arc. Nevertheless, the first two parts didn't disappoint. But wow, these X-books have lost all their fun and charm. It's all doom and gloom.

One of my fave comic books of all time

Now that I'm in the process of reacquiring my lost collection, I had to get the first volume of Tom Strong.

I once collected all the titles from America's Best Comics, the Alan Moore imprint from Wildstorm.

This sci-fi book was my fave along with Promethea, the ubiquitous League of the Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Top Ten.

Alan Moore is one of the great comic book geniuses of our time. In fact, no way should this title (along with LEG) should be considered comics. This is a modern pulp book tale. If you love the adventurer side of the Fantastic Four, some early Superman with a dash of early DC stuff then you'll love this.

New Iron Man toys in time for the movie

The Gundam toy section of Toys R Us Galleria

All these cool stuff but not enough moolah.

Good old days and Dave Stevens' The Rocketeer

I have this happy thought. Make them thoughts. During summer and other long vacations, I would always stay with my grandparents in Tarlac. When I was there, I always said to myself as I munched on a bowl of Frosted Flakes, “This is the life.”

I was spoiled. Yes, I was and I freely admit it. I’d sit on my grandfather’s favorite rocking chair watching television (they were connected to the US Armed Forces network emanating from Pampanga) watch cartoons and baseball.

Some days, my grandpa would take me to the train station where he’d let me go up the trains and cabooses. Other days we ride the bamboo rafts along the river. Sometimes we go to a farm where I’d jump on a haystack.

At night, I’d read those books on Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. Read those Time and Life magazines of his about Camelot (JFK and Jackie), the Vietnam War, James Dean, the Beatles, Elvis, Joe DiMaggio, juke boxes, pulp novels, a time when right was might and not the other way around, and the exploits of gumshoe reporters.

Once or twice a week, walk to a nearby panciteria where I’d eat ice cream with barquillos. That was a treat if there was ever one. Some days my grandpa would take me to the convenience store where we’d buy comics. So I became a fan of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, X-Men, and other Marvel Superheroes. That pretty much made me a fan for life.

Those were the days that I cherish so well. They remain so vivid like a Norman Rockwell painting of my brown self in those golden days of summer. Where I’d sit on the tracks with the sweat running down my forehead and onto my nose. My grandpa would wipe my face with his handkerchief and ruffle my hair. I love the man and miss him tremendously.

Because of those days, I fell in love with the culture of a bygone era. Anything on the 30’s to the 60’s, I was obsessed with. Whether it was the music, novels, pin-up girls, heroes, and fiction. Some of my favorite television shows and movies are Happy Days, The Wonder Years, Homefront, Laverne and Shirley, Flash Gordon, A League of Their Own, and Oscar to name a few.

Even if I lost much of my personal collections during the flooding brought about by Typhoon Ondoy, I still seek to reclaim some pieces I cherish and simply must have.

One may say that they are material things. Those who say that know nothing of that loss. They are not only totems but signposts of our lives. They are things that were bought and have much value.

Today, I was finally able to get the late Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer: The Complete Adventures. Ever since I first picked up a copy of Pacific Presents #2 in a bargain bin that featured Stevens’ character Cliff Secord clutching the Rocketeer jet pack, I’ve been a fan. It was like discovering gold. It was my only copy until the comics adaptation of the movie starring Bill Campbell and Jennifer Connelly and the fantastic novelization by Peter David. Then I was able to get the graphic novel of Cliff’s New York Adventure. But my collection remained incomplete until today.

Cliff Secord was Peter Parker without the webs. He was ornery and really nothing special until he got ahold of the rocket pack. If you loved those Indiana Jones movies where there was adventure, intrigue, and Nazis… well, the Rocketeer did it first.

Dave’s art is gorgeous. It’s lively and full of emotion. It pays a lot of homage to the pulp stuff of yesteryear with cheesecake shots and a dash of adventure (can you say The Shadow?). His women are bodacious and paved the way for artists like Adam Hughes and Frank Cho who were made to drawn the female of the species.

Stevens’ design of the Rocketeer’s helmet is one of comicdom’s all-time best. C’mon, name someone with a famous helmet – Iron Man, Magneto, Galactus? The Rocketeer’s fin is awesome!

The movie adaptation is faithful and Campbell is a deadringer for Secord. Betty became Jenny wasn’t the pin-up girl she was in the comics. But Connelly’s breathtaking beauty added to the charm.

After I closed the 148-page collection, I sighed, then went through it again like some photo album from a bygone day. I thought of good things. Good memories. Like my sainted grandfather. Ice cream on a hot summer day. Comic books. Stories of the 1930’s-1960’s. And Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer that will always have a place in my heart.

A childhood cartoon fave of mine

One of the my favorite Saturday morning cartoons when I was growing up. Hope to get this un-remastered DVD soon. Aside from The Herculoids, I loved Gigantor, Astro Boy, Jonny Quest, Space Ghost, and those old Marvel Superheroes cartoons.

Nexus The Origin remastered

Just learned of this now. Have been so out of the loop but I'm slowly coming back. My priorities are my Nexus comic books. The Origin, when it first came out, was my jumping point for the Nexus mythos. From there it was no looking back.

And am looking forward to getting this.

I can't believe that Marvel Films intends to reboot the Spider-Man movie franchise. Why? They could have moved forward sans Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi.

As for the Thor movie, I wonder what the plot will be. For sure they will meld Asgard and Midgard. Lady Sif or Jane has to be a babe, huh.

Siege

Am not so much into collecting comic books now (after Ondoy) but this one I am following. I picked Prelude and the first ish. Riveting is the word. Now here's hoping they don't change artists midway through the story because that always annoys the hell out of me.

I'll say this though -- the Marvel Universe sure is one dark place now.

Getting back my Nexus

Trying to get back all these titles:

Nexus The Origin

Alien Justice

Wages of Sin

Executioner's Song

God Con

Nightmare In Blue

Space Opera

Nexus/Madman

Nexus/Magnus the Robot Fighter.

Also looking for his Space Ghost issue.

And speaking of cartoons, here's Charlie Brown

Another cool album with jazz musicians performing music from the Peanuts cartoons. This was some two decades ago now. And I once got the vinyl album of this. Once the compact disc version was out, I made sure to get it.

Saturday Morning Flashback

I picked this up more than a decade ago around the time of the tribute music craze and when Alternative Music was in full swing but this album -- Saturday Morning Cartoons Greatest Hits -- was something else. This one spoke my language as I grew up watching many of the cartoons whose theme songs are featured on this album. The alternative acts here are cool. And the television/video version was hosted by Drew Barrymore! I never get tired of listening to this as I love it as only a kid can.

Avatar

James Cameron's Avatar reminded me of The Mission and Dances With Wolves but I still loved it. Can't wait to watch it again and get myself the DVD.

Nexus First

One of the toughest things after Typhoon Ondoy was losing a lot of personal belongings and effects that I had accumulated through the years. I feel bad about my comic book collection that I've had since my school days. I sort of lost my taste for buying comic books since then. I did pick up a few trades such as the Ultimates and Avengers Forever but that's about it. The one series I am going to get back are all my Nexus comics books that were released under Dark Horse. nexus happens to be one of my all-time fave characters and seeing a letter of mine printed in the pages of Nexus: Alien Justice was a fanboy moment. I recently got in touch with the owners of Comic Alley to help me get the entire Dark Horse and Steve Rude Productions comics. I'll start with that and work my way backwards to other titles. For me, it's Nexus or nothing.

Image United - the jury's still out for me

If you think I'd be impressed, after reading the first issue, I'm not. The jam art doesn't work I'm sorry to say as does Robert Kirkman's script. But I am intrigued enough to pick it up. Let's hope that it doesn't suck the way Final Crisis did.

FOX TV bring these three back for a 3rd season or be terminated!

Terminator Heaven

Of all the sci-fi horror stuff that came out in the 1980s: Aliens, Predator, and Terminator, it's the latter than I'm a huge fan of. I have all the DVDs and even collect the comic books. Great great story and Salvation -- I'm tempted to say it's even better than T2 which is my personal fave. But who cares? As long as they bring it on. As for the Sarah Connor Chronicles, it is so much better than I expected and totally love the show. And Summer Glau and Lena Heady are both hot. To FOX TV, BRING IT BACK NOW. 

Pedal to the metal

I loved the first movie and the second one can only get better. 

One of my fave comic book characters of all time has one of the best comic book movies of all time.

And the sequel has Scarlett Johansson. She just takes my breath away.

One of the great superhero stories of all time

I have every single version of this great epic -- from the original limited series to the collected versions and the novelization. An instant classic from the moment it was displayed on comic racks.

One of the few comics I read today

I don't follow too many comic books now. In fact, I only buy three: Green Lantern, Ultimate Avengers, and Captain America. The Blackest Night series looks far better than Final Crisis which was really terrible. I hope after this they give all these doom and gloom extinction event level stories a rest. But Blackest Night is cool.

Millar is back (Jeph Loeb sucks forever)

I've been away from comics far too long. What a surprise to see Mark Millar doing the Ultimates again. No more terrible stories that have no rhyme or reason (Jeph Loeb is one of the worst shitheads to ever happen to this line).  And although I miss Bryan Hitch's art, Carlos Pacheco is not a bad choice. Wahoo!

You're just a toy!

My new toy... from Playskool! It says for ages 2 and up.

My emotional rescue for the day

Get the limited edition with a free bonus disc.

Captain America #600 What a cover by Alex Ross

Stuff that I get now: Astonishing X-Men, Captain America, Justice Society of America, Flash Rebirth, and Green Lantern. And Cap is just tops!

Ed Brubaker is one heck of a writer!

And while I'm not as crazy for my old favorite artists like Jim Lee and company, Alex Ross -- after all these years -- is one artist I still get up for.