I think I knew they were making a Dylan Dog movie. What's news to me is that Taye Diggs is playing the bad guy. What's sad is that - if I'm completely honest - this is way more interesting to me as Private Practice news than as monster news.
Dracula and Frankenstein vs. The Incredible Umbrella
Mike Sterling uncovered this book in his preparations for a paperback book show and rightfully decided to hold onto it for himself. It's also got Sherlock Holmes and I'm guessing some pirates amongst other Victorian Whathaveyou, so on the Wish List it goes.
I'm always envious of my artist friends who can bring people to their convention tables (and make some money besides) with sketches, but I made peace a long time ago with the knowledge that writers just don't have that same - pardon the pun - draw. At least I had until today.
It's too late for me to get comfortable enough with this idea for me to do it at MicroCon, but I'm totally stealing it. Here's an example of one of Matt's stories, by the way, using the words "Judge," "Dredd," and "prom."
I forget why now, but my wife and I somehow got into a discussion about the Comic Sans font the other night. Fonts aren't something we usually sit around talking about, but it came up and I tried to explain why comics people hate that font. Without sounding like a total nerd. I failed on both counts.
That's why we have experts. Todd Klein not only manages to outline clearly why Comic Sans isn't a good font for comics-related projects, but he also sounds smart while doing it. There's still no way I'll ever get my wife to read that article, but it's what I wish I could've said at the time.
I've known for a long time that Thomas Edison's adaptation of Frankenstein was available online, but I just recently learned where. You can either go see a nice, big version at Internet Archive or just stay here and watch the smaller version below. It's only thirteen minutes long and it's surprisingly effective and suspenseful.
Kevin Grevioux (creator of and actor in Underworld) is working on a Frankenstein comic and movie. It's an action story where the modern-day Monster carries guns and meets up with other famous monsters like vampires, werewolves, mummies, goblins, ghosts, etc. Sounds good to me. Just keep Stephen Sommers far away from it.
Greg Jolly sent me this link a long time ago and it's taken me far too long to get around to listening to it. It's a special Jesse James Edition of the Down Home Radio Show podcast. More variations of the classic "Jesse James" folk song than you can shake a six-gun at.
I had no idea that Woody Guthrie's "Jesus Christ" was based on that song. That's my new thing I learned today.
In honor of this weekend's MicroCon and all the vampire cow talking that'll be taking place, I hereby declare this week Monster Week on the Adventureblog. (Not that there won't be room to talk about other stuff too.)
Monsters in Space
I think I linked to this one when it was still a work in progress (because it's so cool and I'm impatient), but here's Schiani Ledo's finished piece.
Easy choice. Though I ended up overplaying it - along with the rest of the world - I played it that much because it was nearly a religious experience for me. Seeing the band live that year at Tampa Bay Stadium was a religious experience. I only thought I loved U2 before this album came out.
I remember that I liked this New Wave girl at the time and our second date was the night after The Joshua Tree came out. She was also a big U2 fan, so I didn't listen to the album as soon as I bought it. I saved it and the two of us went out to a cemetery that night to listen to it together. (Incidentally, our first date had been to see Sid and Nancy; our third date was watching Clockwork Orange - her favorite movie; my first time seeing it - on the VCR at my house. Such a cool, strange girl.)
I don't play The Joshua Tree a lot anymore. Although I still like U2, they never reached this pinnacle again for me and it makes me kind of sad to listen to it knowing that later on they'd be writing songs for Batman and Robin and making albums like Pop.
But then I hear something like this and I'm transported again:
Runners up: Belinda Carlisle: Heaven on Earth The Cult: Electric The Cure: Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me Cutting Crew: Broadcast Def Leppard: Hysteria Echo & the Bunnymen: Echo & the Bunnymen Fleetwood Mac: Tango in the Night Guns n' Roses: Appetite for Destruction Icehouse: Man of Colours Men Without Hats: Pop Goes the World George Michael: Faith Midnight Oil: Diesel and Dust Sinead O'Connor: The Lion and the Cobra Pet Shop Boys: Actually Prince: Sign o' the Times R.E.M.: Document The Smiths: Louder than Bombs Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack Sting: ...Nothing Like the Sun Singles: Aerosmith: "Dude Looks Like a Lady" Aerosmith: "Ragdoll" The Bangles: "Hazy Shade of Winter" Georgia Satellites: "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" INXS: "Never Tear Us Apart" M/A/R/R/S: "Pump Up the Volume" Simply Red: "The Right Thing" Sisters of Mercy: "This Corrosion" 10,000 Maniacs: "Peace Train" T'Pau: "Heart and Soul"
Jess Hickman and I will be giving away stickers and postcards with this on it at MicroCon on Sunday, April 26, so please come by if you're in town and we'll all giggle about udders.
