Review: The Impossible

There are few things as absolutely mind-blowing as seeing nature at full fury against what mankind has establish-

You know what?  That sentence is completely wrong.

There are few things as absolutely mind-blowing as the fact that nature doesn't care about what mankind builds, and will simply steamroll right over us at times because it needs to shift a tectonic plate slightly or release some pressure under a mountain.  Much like how you don't notice that small cluster of ants you tread over while jogging or think about all the bacteria, both beneficial and harmful, that you might wash off of a dish, we're barely a speck in nature's grand vision.

And when a natural disaster occurs, it's one of the few things that lets you think about both how precious life is as well as the fact that in the grand scheme of how the universe works, the universe really doesn't seem to care about us.

Over the weekend I watched The Impossible, probably one of the more powerful movies I've seen in recent years, and it simply reaffirmed in my mind the fact that when a disaster occurs, all you can really try to do is be one of the lucky few to emerge from it.

Ask Erik: Episode Sixty-Nine

To Erik: Do you think we're creating an issue when we make movies regarding something originally child-focused (like a teddy bear, X-Men, Transformers) and make it a movie for adults?

This is in response to my previous post about children seeing movies rated "M" for "Mature."  And it's actually something I've thought about, but never really managed to ask myself the right way.  So kudos to the asker for prompting this.

Battle of the Gregs Part 3: The Showdown

On our left, a prolific comic book artist who can manage to draw extremely engaging interiors to comics, but seems forever hindered in how the fans perceive him due to a reliance on tracing, duplicating images, and in some instances just photoshopping the same picture multiple times, sometimes in the same frame.

On our right, an artist who can draw and paint some of the most gorgeous artwork I've ever seen on a comic book cover, but seems to have a strict mindset to make things as close to pornography as he can.  And he has some really strange ideas about horses.  

Yes, that was the actual cover to an actual comic book.  Picture "MARVILLE" plastered across the top.

So, whose artistic integrity is lower?  Who should only be brought onto a book when it's either absolutely desperate or is simply trying to pander to the lowest common denominator when it comes to books?  Who has the most potential to rise above his reputation?

We settle it here, in BATTLE OF THE GREGS: GREG LAND vs. GREG HORN.

Battle of the Gregs Part 2: Greg Horn

So last time we discussed Greg Land, an artist who can put out some really quality work but tends to simply decide to trace dubious material for most of the women he draws.

Today, we're going to look at another artist who can do some absolutely amazing artwork when he tries it, but whose taste in subject matter leaves me scratching my head sometimes.

We're talking about Greg Horn.

Battle Of The Gregs Part One: Greg Land

Greg Land is a rather infamous figure in comic books these days.  An artist for various companies for over a decade, he's become either a figure whose art people love or people hate.  Often if you bring him up at a convention or just in a message board, someone will soon decry his popularity, pointing out that he "uses photo sources" to work his art in the most liberal use of the phrase.

In other words, he traces.

And not only does he trace, but he recycles his source material.

You might be able to understand why it's divisive.

Let's Talk: Rated "M" For Mature

I'm going to preface this article by stating that I believe the current movie rating system in America is rather broken.  In fact, the way movies are currently rated might be one of the most broken systems we have, considering that the MPAA is run by the heads of major film industries, so any independent film that wants a chance to be in the theaters and be rated has to let the "big boys" determine their fate.

Ever wonder why any small, independent movie that involves kids being bullied, young people discovering their sexual orientation, or dealing with family issues usually comes out rated "R" thus killing their target demographic?  That's why.

However, I think the MPAA also has a responsibility to hold films to certain standards.  That's the whole point of having a rating system.  If they let the masses determine what was okay for people to see, you'd have a lot more swearing in PG movies based on how young people act on the Internet and in online games.

So, what prompted my consideration of this issue?

This shirt.

Let me explain.

Ask Erik: Episode Sixty-Eight

I didn't dare save this one for episode sixty-nine.

To Erik: What's the one post you just haven't been able to bring yourself to post?

At one point I typed up a twenty question quiz:  "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic character or porn star?"

I dunno, it would just feel wrong to post it.

Post it.

Nah, I c-

Do it.  Do it now.

Man!  Fine!  Sheesh!  You'll find it after the cut.

(For the record, I wouldn't be surprised if there's actually some overlap in this list.  There's a LOT of porn stars out there.)