WRITING EXERCISE

It's been awhile since I've tried to write anything.  Just haven't had the time nor patience for it anymore.  I use to spend hours and hours writing pages and pages worth of stuff and now... Nothing.  Even thinking about writing makes my brain seize up.  I can feel the gears trying to spin.  Trying to knock the cobwebs loose.

Anyways, I joined a creative website forum to try and get that part of my life back.  I'm sure I'll give up in a few weeks but for now, I joined in on this exercise - Come up with a short backstory to go with this image:

I was supposed to keep it down to three paragraphs.  Here's what I came up with:

MEGAN'S STORY

Larry was a cheat. They all knew it. Yet every Saturday night, here he was at their house playing poker again. Her husband and father-in-law didn't seem to mind him. Even her son Mark was won over by Larry's "charm."

Megan hated Larry. He was a stupid prick with an attitude and roaming hands. He also had no concept of the word "No." For months, she tried to figure out a way to get rid of Larry once and for all. Then it came to her.

She leaned into her husband's ear and whispered "Larry is Mark's real father." Less than a minute later, the Larry problem was solved for good.

THE END

And there we go - The first creative words out of my head for 2014.

Megan's Story copyright © 2014 by Andrew Rubio

COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Moriarty #7

COMIC BOOK REVIEW:

Moriarty #7

Writer: Daniel Corey     

Artists: Mike Vosburg (pages 2 - 21) & Anthony Diecidue (pages 1, 22)

Publisher: Image Comics


Reviewer: Andrew Rubio

Review Date: December 16, 2011


Rating: 8 out of 10

Back in Junior High, I was quite the Sherlock Holmes fan.  I had read all the Arthur Conan Doyle stories; picked up a plethora of stories and novels written by others (some of my favorites include "The Holmes-Dracula File" by Fred Saberhagen and "The Seven-Per-Cent Solution" by director Nicholas Meyer); and watched tons of Holmes movies and television series (including the Granada Television version staring the amazing Jeremy Brett).  It's easy to admit that I was a Holmes junkie.  As time passed however, I found myself drifting away from the character and spending more time with another British import (Doctor Who).  The older I get, the less I remember of the stories I read as a teenager. Such is life. 

As I started reading Moriarty #7, I was immediately taken back to my youth.  Writer Daniel Corey has a real grasp on what a young Moriarty should sound and act like - Brash, intelligent and dangerous.  He's at least three to four steps ahead of you before you even enter the room.   

We join the story at Chapter 3 of The Lazarus Tree story arc.  It's a perfect jumping on point for a new reader, as the entire issue is a flashback to the young professor's life.  In the flashback, Moriarty is already well on his way to becoming the "Napoleon of Crime."  The Professor attempts to employee a young student to take over the operation of his Bombay office.  When the student refuses because of an obligation to his father, Moriarty begins a ruthless operation that will eventually change the student's mind. 

The way Corey writes each scene is perfection.  Moriarty's character is impertinent and despite the odds against him, he remains in control of the situation.  It was a joy to read as the plot played out to the bitter end. 

How the flashback plays against the current story arc isn't covered in this issue outside of the student's involvement.  I'm sure there are more details in the previous issues. 

In the art department, Mike Vosburg takes on the bulk of the chores.  His art fits the story well and captures the flair of the time period.  The crucial finale is layered perfectly and the panels flow without a loss in story.  His style is a mesh between Eduardo Barreto (who unfortunately just died) and Tim Truman. 

Anthony Diecidue's opening and closing pages are a bit rougher but also fit the "present" setting of the story.  It's only two pages so it's hard to mention anything else. 

I have to say I really enjoyed this issue.  I'm tempted to add this title to my Pull List and track down the previous 6 issues or the Trade Edition.  You probably should too if you like Holmes and the characters in his universe.  Professor Moriarty is treated with the respect a villain of his caliber should be treated.   

Pick it up!


(This Review was originally posted on Impulse Gamer)

Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Rubio

COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Bonnie Lass #3

COMIC BOOK REVIEW:

Bonnie Lass #3 (of 4)

Writers: Michael Mayne & Tyler Fluharty      

Artist: Michael Mayne

Publisher: Red 5 Comics

Reviewer: Andrew Rubio

Review Date: December 2, 2011

Rating: 3 out of 10

I have to say… I had a rough time reviewing this title.  I read it in the afternoon and decided to jump into my review that night.  Well, I didn't get a chance to do that.  I had to wait until the following day to type something up.  Unfortunately, I couldn't remember too much about the book.  The dialogue and story just didn't stick with me.  So I had to read it again. 

A second pass did not endear me to the title. 

Issue 3 picks up where the previous issue left off - Monet, the villain of the piece, uses ancient technology to raise a Leviathan from the ocean.  Monet’s soldiers hold Bonnie Lass and her crew captive on her pirate ship.  

What follows next is a long fight sequence filled with exposition as the Leviathan watches on.  Monet makes quick work of Bonnie and her crew (thanks to the use of his ancient tech) until the tide is turned by random gunfire.  As the Leviathan exits into the ocean depths, Bonnie regains control of her ship and follows the beast into the ether - Determined to take the monster out. 

There is a lot of dialogue and plot that takes place during the fight scenes.  I found it a bit unbelievable that so much could be said during a punch.  Yes.  I know in the world of comics, you have to give a little leeway for character snark and commentary during a battle.  But with Bonnie Lass, I found it going too much over the top.  It became distracting. 

Michael Mayne's art seems Manga inspired, especially the fight scenes.  It's very reminiscent of early Adam Warren work.  It's clean with only a few moments where panel flow is lost in translation and I had to ask, "What just happened?" 

Like movies and television, there's a lot of hard work that goes into the development and creation of a comic.  So I appreciate the effort Mayne and Fluharty put into the title.  However, I really can't recommend this issue unless you're a devoted Bonnie Lass fan.

(This Review was originally posted on Impulse Gamer)

Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Rubio

COMIC BOOK REVIEW: Atomic Robo: Ghost of Station X #3

COMIC BOOK REVIEW:

Atomic Robo: Ghost of Station X #3 (of 5)

Writer: Brian Clevinger          

Artist: Scott Wegener

Publisher: Red 5 Comics

Reviewer: Andrew Rubio

Review Date: November 26, 2011

Rating: 7 out of 10

I go into Atomic Robo without knowing a thing about the character, concept or setting.  In fact, I believe this is the first Red 5 Comic I've ever read.  I am truly a New Reader. 

Stepping into Issue 3 (of a 5 issue series), I'm at the middle point of the story.  Within the first few pages, I'm given the set up and a sense of what's happened in the previous two issues.  This is good.  I'm not wandering blindly into the story. 

Atomic Robo has been attacked and his team now tries to figure out who was behind it.  Meanwhile, a group of scientists are tackling the mystery of a house being shipped out of the country.  Their investigation intertwines with Atomic Robo's crew as they prepare a surprise assault on Majestic 12's operation.  The story moves quickly with a good set up once the action hits. 

The battle in the second half of the comic plays out nicely.  It manages to be both big and intimate at the same time, focusing on Robo taking down a small army.  This builds to an effective cliffhanger. 

Dialogue is a bit clunky at times with a lot of over-technical explanations of how they solve a problem.  But the story flows well once that's out of the way. 

In the art department, Wegener is very clean and stylized.  The story doesn't get lost panel-to-panel.  His action sequences and layouts are handled very well. 

One issue I had as a new reader: I have no idea who these people are.  There is something like 13 supporting characters and only a couple are called out by name.  They seem like props to move the story along.  The review copy I have may be missing a character breakdown on the inside cover so this may not be an issue with print copies (or regular readers).  This didn't affect the reading of the story. However, I wasn't sure who was a major player and who wasn't. 

Atomic Robo has a Hellboy-ish feel to it.  For me, that automatically set a familiar tone to the series.  The character is likable and worth investigating more.  The book seems like an all-ages title, which helped a newbie like me.  I would feel comfortable picking up the next issue based on this one.

(This Review was originally posted on Impulse Gamer)

Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Rubio

PULLED FROM THE BACKLOG: Marineman #1

Previously on Pulled From The Backlog:

From 2009 to 2011, my job had me traveling across the globe.  I found myself traveling from California to St. Louis.  From St. Louis to Singapore.  From Singapore to Macau and Hong Kong.  During that time, I had my LCS in California (DJ's Universal Comics) keep my pull list active. Now back home and readjusting to American life - I find myself facing 3 long boxes FILLED with over two years worth of comics!

Brightest Day and Siege are still new to me.  Dark Horse has just released Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom.  The Image founders are teaming up to bring out Image United.  Now several storylines behind the rest of the world… I pull an issue from the backlog.

Marineman #1

Writer: Ian Churchill     

Artist: Ian Churchill

Publisher: Image Comics

Release Date: December 2010


Reviewer: Andrew Rubio

Review Date: September 30, 2011

Rating: 3 out of 5



Having read through this week's New 52, I decided to pull something from my two year backlog.  I was looking for a quick read.  A One Shot maybe.  Nothing too complex after having read George Pérez's Superman #1.  Wow!  That book was dense!  After I was done, it felt like I had read a graphic novel.

Packed with words and pictures!

So digging for something breezier, I stumble across Ian Churchill's Marineman #1.  When I originally asked for this book to be added to my pull list, it was because the cover piqued my interest. The main character looked like a bulked up, cartoony Aquaman.  I decided to pull Issue #1 and give it a spin.

First off I gotta say this is one wordy book!  I thought Superman #1 was dense.  Marineman #1 gives any Bendis title a run for its money in the word department.

Wordy!

More Wordy!

Definition of Wordy: Relating to or
consisting of words; verbal.

It really feels like Churchill was trying to teach more than entertain.  I definitely know more about Oceanography now than I did earlier this morning.  I'll admit I zoned out more than once while reading the issue.  This was not the breezy reading I was looking for.

The art on the other hand is very pleasing. Churchill has a good, clean style and a lot of his layouts are very dynamic.  His art literally pops off the page.

No problems here.

For a first issue, it does its job. Introduction to main and supporting characters. Locations. Set up for the first story arc. The book certainly isn't bad but it really wasn't my cup of tea. I never had my LCS pull the rest of the series (which I see runs to Issue #6 - My God! $4.99!?!).  Which worked out well because, to be honest, I'm really not interested in reading further issues.  Sorry, Ian.  

If you're a fan of Churchill's art - By all means pick it up.  Or at this point, pick up the Trade.

Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Rubio

THE END OF A FLING

You know how it is. You're far from home. Away from the people you love. Lonely. Wandering the streets, getting use to your new surroundings. Then you see it - The local comic store. You're pretty sure it has all the stuff you'd find back home at your normal store but you're not that sure . Maybe they have a better discount on new books? Maybe they'll have that back issue you've been looking for? That missing Holy Grail.

Or maybe you just want to try something new. The excitement and anticipation kicks in as you enter the store.

And so begins your tawdry affair with another comic vendor. It's only temporary. You both know what you're getting into from the get-go. It was never meant to be long term. It's only to fulfill your selfish need for instant gratification. You could wait until you return home to your faithful comic guy but you can't. You need it now.

Right now, dammit!

I've been on the road, off & on, for the past 3 years. Sometimes for a couple of weeks. Sometimes 6 or 7 weeks. Or like now, 10 full months. Each time, I'd have my local comic store (DJ's Universal Comics) hold comics for me. Meanwhile, I'd find some local "action" in each city. For the most part, it's been pretty hush-hush and I've been able to get away with it.

However…..

After a trip back from St. Louis last year, I got caught. I returned home and hit Universal Comics. As I picked up my haul from the past 5 weeks, I made the mistake of adding the few titles I had been reading in St. Louis. To raise suspicions even more, I asked for a few bag and boards more than what I was buying. My comic guy (Cat) looked me in the eye and asked "Dude, are you cheating on me?"

Caught. I fumbled a response before admitting I was getting some stuff on the side. Just to hold me over until I returned home.

He gave me the stink-eye the entire time he bag & boarded my purchases. I felt lousy having it come out that way.

This is the same comic guy who has been my comic guy since after college. The same comic guy who found a first printing of Captain America #25 for me WEEKS after it sold out. Who knows I worship Grant Morrison and holds his titles for me even if I don't ask. The same comic guy I've followed to three different store locations faithfully for close to 16 years.

Yeah. I felt pretty crummy.

That hasn't stopped me tho. These past 10 months, I've been "stationed" in Singapore. I diligently send a Pull List back home each and every week but find myself visiting the local store (Comics World) to pick up at least one title a week. Without this store, I would have been MONTHS behind on reading Blackest Night - And that's something that could not happen! Of the three stores out here (Yeah, ONLY three stores), this one is the best in terms of customer service. They've treated me really well each and every week.

This weekend, I'm going to have to tell the owner (Bill) that it's over. Like St. Louis and New Jersey before, our weekly relationship is coming to an end. I'm heading home in two weeks and I probably won't be coming back. I'll try to stay in contact. If you're having trouble finding a specific back issue or promotional item, drop me an e-mail. I'll see if I can send it to you. 

Don't shed a tear.  We can end this amicably.

HELLO AND WELCOME

Hello.  My name is Andrew Rubio and I read comic books.  I read them for pleasure.  I read them for research.  And for a brief period of time, I was actually paid to read them as a consultant.  Comic books have been the one constant throughout my life, haunting me like a four-colored banshee.

My earliest comic book memories usually include man-handling a Disney, Bugs Bunny or Archie comic.  I vaguely remember images from various early stories but can never place where they came from.

1972

From a young boy to an outcast teenager to a grumpy adult, the art form known as the COMIC BOOK has always been there. My grandfather taught me how to read using comic books (especially with Spidey Super Stories as presented by Marvel and The Electric Company).

Yes.  I still have this!

Well, the California school system helped out too but Spidey definitely left a larger impact.  I continued reading throughout my school years becoming a "serious" collector in Junior High (which means I stopped folding them over to read 'em). Continued reading as a working adult. Continued reading after my children were born. Continued reading as prices steadily increased (I started reading comics when they were .35¢. They are currently $3.99). I even got married the same week Clark Kent and Lois Lane did, reading that issue on the way to the chapel.

Lois & Clark: Oct. 9, 1996
Dawn & Andrew: Oct. 13, 1996

I’ve made 2 serious attempts to give up comics (not counting the times that financial situations forced me to take brief sabbaticals or the one time my mom forbade me from buying new comics for an entire summer).  Both of those attempts saw me crawling back to my true love after a few months.

Comic books have been there for as long as I remember. And more than likely, they'll be there for a long time to come.

I had a MySpace blog way back when (like 2007) and never really stuck anything on it.  This is my second attempt at a blog and I'm sure it'll work exactly like the last one.  Eventually, I'll add the original MySpace stuff to this blog to keep all my thoughts in one place.  It'll also pad this place up a bit.

If you're looking for a blog with in-depth reviews of comics, this probably won't be the place to find them. Admittedly, I'm not smart enough to deliver an insightful or scholarly review of anything. I just like to babble. But if you're looking for aimless ramblings about the Micronauts or the time a friend of mine took the bus, carrying his entire comic collection in milk boxes to trade with me then this is the place for you.

Thanks for reading.

ALONDRA SMILES SCREENING

(Originally posted on my MySpace blog back in 2007)

Well, here we are.... a day later and I'm still buzzing.

On Saturday December 15th, the feature film I edited (Alondra Smiles) was screened before a packed theater.  Needless to say, I was a nervous wreak!

Hey, that's me!

For a film I stumbled blindly into, I never expected to be so nervous on opening night.  I was a hired gun on this project, brought in long after the film was shot.  I would be working from a script that I had no input in.  Using an assembly edit I had never seen before.  It was a completely new experience for me.

I started work on the film in August 2006.  The Producers/Writers were very gracious, giving me my privacy to re-sculpt the film.  Changing the pace and sometimes, deleting entire scenes that felt padded.  Over the course of several weeks, editing late at night after work (on a diet of Cheetos and Diet Coke), I had completed my first pass on the film.  What followed was several more weeks of working closely with the Director, tweaking the movie here and there.  At one point, I suggested shooting a small bit that would help make one scene flow smoother.  A few weeks later, they went out and got the footage I needed to make that scene complete.  By early 2007, I was done.  The Producers were now going to send the movie out for scoring, grading and some other bits that didn't require my hand.  I left the project, feeling fulfilled.

While working on the film (and soon after), I was making major adjustments to my life - Editing out people and situations that were negatively effecting me.  I set out to change my life, making it better for both myself and my family.  Breaking out of my comfort zone, I quit my editing job and started work in the Theme Park Industry.  It was shaky at first but after a few months of plugging along, I started earning more money than I ever had in my life!  All that negative energy that surrounded the people I cut out of my life was gone.  I was a new man.  Life was fantastic!

Summer 2007: I got a call from the Producers.  They had some ups and downs but finally got the film (virtually) completed.  They asked if I wanted to come in and give the film another pass before it was locked.  They especially needed to re-adjust some scenes that they couldn't get the music rights for.  So once again, I returned to Alondra to give her a final shine.  They asked if I could stretch out the header and footer of a few scenes because they wanted to add a couple of cool transitions to them.  Looking back, I almost wish I didn't.

Anyways, after that final edit, I was done with Alondra Smiles.  I walked away (again) feeling fulfilled.

Cut to December 15th.  I'm nervously pacing around the lobby.  I walk past the familiar faces of the film's cast.  None of them have ever met me before and I'm way too nervous for introductions.  I stumble around the lobby, waiting for everyone to enter the theater.

I don't know who most these people are!

Once they're in, I take a seat WAY in the back.  I believe I'm the last person to enter the theater.  The lights dim and the movie begins.  I hold my breath throughout the film.  Waiting a beat before every moment, hoping for the proper response from the audience. Thankfully, for the most part, they respond exactly has intended.  Either I'm really really lucky or I (sort of) know what I'm doing.

This was the first time I had the chance to watch the completed film with sound, music and color added to the mix. Well, it certainly looked like a movie!  I soon notice that the "cool" transitions were never added to the final cut.  Some scenes needlessly hold for an extra second before cross fading to the next scene.  I'm mortified.  I contemplate leaving the theater before the audience turns to attack me.  Realizing that no one on the planet other than me (and probably several thousand other editors) would even notice the extra beat here and there, I decide to stick around.

AFTERMATH:

There was a reception afterward and I was finally calm enough to meet the people whose faces I've stared at on a monitor for six months. Everyone one was extremely nice and very positive about the movie.

The Editor and the Director

It was nice to chat and talk about what the next step was. It was also nice to get my ego stroked by so many people. That's something I'm definitely not use to - Strangers telling me "Good job."  It's like I died and went to Back-Pat Heaven.

Before I left, I received a copy of the movie poster to hang up in my office.  Not too shabby seeing your name in print.

Big thanks to Conchita and Juan! Without them, I never would have had this opportunity to do something so.... unlike what I usually do (There was no cursing or punching of dictators). It was definitely a chance to spread my wings. 

I just wish I had one more chance to tweak the final edit. Just one more chance.

C'est la vie.  What's done is done.


Copyright © 2007 by Andrew Rubio

ODE TO THE ASSHOLE PRINTER

(Originally posted on my MySpace blog back in 2007)


I thought this little ditty up at the office today.

*******************************************************************

ODE TO THE ASSHOLE PRINTER

Ode to the asshole printer.
The bane of my fuckin' life.

Hate you. How I hate you. 
Hate you with all my soul.

I know I'm supposed to rhyme.
But I can't even do that now I'm so pissed at you.

I only ask that you print something.
Why do you constantly suck?

What's with all the God Damn paper jams?
It's not like this is fuckin' new!

You're supposed to print!
You're a PRINTER!! 

PRINT!!!!

Fuck you, HP Warning box!
I know the door is fucking open!!

I put a bucket of ink in yesterday!
Why can't you just fuckin' print!?!

Now what the fuck are you printing!?
I wanted that yesterday!

You piece of shit fucking printer!

I swear I'll kill you!

Fuck!!!

I can't even print this stupid poem out!!!

God, how I hate you.

*******************************************************************

Thank you.

We now return to our regularly scheduled blog.


Copyright © 2007 by Andrew Rubio

THE STORY OF THE MAKING OF LOSS OF MUFFIN

(Originally posted on my MySpace blog back in 2007)


It was June 2003, during one of our Three Monkeys Worldwide "production" meetings, when the idea for Loss of Muffin came to be. 

We were just a few months out from shooting Punching Hitler. We had just lost Penn & Teller as our stars (a story for another time) and were trying to figure out how we were going to pull this off without them. The other problem we were dealing with was what to shoot Hitler on. The previous September, we shot our Short The Meditation on a Canon XL-1 and weren't too impressed with the quality of the image (nor of the Short!). It was just three months later that we got our hands on the Panasonic camera but at the time, we were really worried.

Well, I was worried. Ed was of the opinion that as long as the script was good....it wouldn't matter what we shot on. I thought otherwise (it has to look good or it won't be taken seriously). So to prove his point, he was really hot on shooting something over the weekend using his itsy-bitsy camera (a one chip something or other). Scott and I joked around with him and our Hitler production meeting became a "What should Ed shoot this weekend" meeting. 

At some point, Ed told us a joke with a silly, turn-of-the-century punchline that made us snicker. Fueled by that "laughter," Ed had the idea for his Short. And to make it even kookier, he would say it was adapted from something written by Edgar Allan Poe (who he was reading the collected works of). But which story to use? In the end, we chose ALL of them (in the credits, the title reads Based on the collected works of Edgar Allan Poe. Snicker!). But which official title to use? Thumbing through the table of contents, we found a winner - Loss of Breath. A Tale Neither in nor Out of Blackwood. Edgar be praised! We had our Short!

Ed made me swear on the lives of my children to edit whatever footage he shot. Not thinking he was serious, I said okay and the meeting was over.

The following Monday, Ed gave me a DV tape with raw footage. The nut actually did it!! So now I was sworn to edit the damn thing! I loaded the footage in and quickly cut something together with a basic scratch track (using the soundtrack from Four Rooms). I also made a horridly long end credit sequence (using music I really wanted to use in The Meditation but Ed refusing to let it in). 

I dropped a VHS copy off with Ed two days later and let him review it. Apparently, he loved the flow of the project and wanted to work together on the final edit. He found a music track by Uber Superstar Sayed Sabrina to drop into the project and came to the edit bay the next day.

Using Soundtrack & Garage Band, Ed and I finished the rest of the music (becoming Three Monkey's official composer - Mark Andrews) and we dropped it in. We threw in some sound effects, I did some tightening and a few hours later...we were done. We had a completed Short.

Or so Ed thought. After all, this wouldn't be a Three Monkeys Worldwide production without the input of the Third Monkey. The next day, I called Scott in and we set to work on fine-tuning the "outlandish" end credits. Amusing mostly ourselves, we thew everything in including the kitchen sink. With that done...it was a wrap!

We submitted it to a few places and actually won an award (Best Comedic Short Under 5 Minutes). Who knew?

Now that the experience is 4 years in the past, I look back at Loss of Muffin with fondness and nostalgia. I didn't realize it at the time but Muffin was the first project in a really really really long time that felt like the "good old days." You know. Those days when a friend would call you up and say "Hey! You wanna shoot something this weekend?" and you say "Yeah! But what?" and your friend says "Who cares? Let's shoot!" then you race out the door. Making a Short hasn't felt that carefree in a long time. It's all based on schedules and budget and actors and producers and etcetera now. It was nice to goof around like that again.

I hope you enjoy this exercise in fooling around with no real intent.

Now....why "Remastered," you ask? (You'd better ask! I'm not typing all this shit for my health!)

Once Muffin was done, I mastered it onto a DV tape and forgot about it. Years later, I discovered the DV tape was faulty and the sound had several audio drop outs. And when I say several, I'm being very generous. It had TONS of drop outs. I always said that one day, I would go back and fix it. Of course, I never really meant it!

Cut to a couple of weeks ago. I was thumbing through Ed's CD collection and found a very small, mpg version of Loss of Muffin....with NO AUDIO DROP OUTS!!!! Apparently, this was a copy of something I gave him years ago before dumping the Short out on the crappy DV.

Re-loading the Short back into the computer and using this new-found audio, I remastered Muffin back to it's original "glory". The thumbnail version had it's share of problems so I only used that audio to cover up any drop outs from the original. And boy-oh-boy, was there plenty to cover up. Overall, this solution worked 90% of the time. There are a few glitches that couldn't be completely fixed but...I'm happy with it now.

So there you go. The story of the remastered Muffin. It'll never be perfect (heck, it never even started out perfect!) but it's finally done.

And...did I mention we won an award for it? I did? Oh. Well....whatever!

Loss of Muffin copyright © 2003 by Three Monkeys Worldwide

Blog copyright © Andrew Rubio