MUSIC
Alright, you all knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Normally all we chat about in this blog is comics and art but what better topic to tackle next but Music. I would like the first music post to be about the band that I have been a fan of the longest and that is Johnny Socko from Bloomington Indiana. They may not be the most famous band, but damn it, they are definately the most entertaining. I have been watching these guys PERFORM for over a decade and each performance is better than the one before. What had started out as a ska band has evolved throughout the years into just a great rocking sound of a band. The music is wonderful, but if you have only heard them on CD (or vinyl in the case of Full Trucker Effect) then you are missing half the experience. OK, so they aren't playing out much anymore but if they ever start up again, i highly recommend you drop what you are doing and go see them LIVE. They are a mighty ball of endless energy from the first beat of the drum to the last blurt of the horn. If you get tired of waiting for the live performances to resurface, I would recommend picking up their LIVE album. If there are any left I would pick up the 3 disc set. Disc one has an entire night of live entertainment, discs 2 and 3 are full of the witty banter that kept fans coming back for more and more. If you like smart ass comments, a great horn section, powerful vocals, and a beat that just won't quit even if you beg, then check out any of the johnny socko albums.
Check them out at the link below.
http://www.johnnysocko.com

It's about time
As you can tell it has been a while since my last posting. Well in continuing with the great artists theme, I would like to highlight Joseph Michael Linsner. He is the artist behind the character and series Dawn. There are some wonderful pieces of art with amazing detail on his site. I would also like to point out that every year there is a convention called DragonCon, where there is actually a DAWN look-a-like contest. When I attended this years chicago Comicon Mr. Linsner was there. I approached his booth where he was doing some signings. Not only did he sign the comics I brought, but I also have in my possession a hardcover collection of his art which he did a quick sketch for me on the inside cover. I was very pleasantly suprised! So anyway, take 5 minutes and check out some of his art. It's not going to kill you!
http://www.linsner.com/

A Quick One!
I really have nothing new to say, but I did want to put this image up on the site. I would like to add that I think Family Guy is one of the funniest shows on TV. The writing is brilliant! It is about the only show on TV that I watch regularly. I have all of the past seasons on DVD but i will still make a point to watch them when they are on TV. I think the evil monkey in the closet and the chicken are the best parts of the show!

Another Artist's Link
Ok, along the same lines of the last blog update here is another site that I think everyone should check out. Strange Type Studios. I met these guys at the Chicago Comic Con selling shirts. I bought one of the Hell's Daughter T-shirts they were pimpin out for a mere $5 each. Couldn't resist a cool shirt for the price. I glanced around their site and they have a very interesting look to their art. I am particularly fond of the Maggers & Ripley comic. I haven't read any of their stuff and half of the reason is they don't tell you where you can obtain their work on their site! FRUSTRATING!! If you are going to have a site to promote your goods, you might as well sell them there too! Anyway, check them out, give them a few minutes of your day. It won't kill ya! click the logo below

NEW ART!
Visiting the comic book convention definately has me reevaluating my station in life. I realize (and I am usually the first person to admit it) that what I do for a living (advertising graphic design) isn't exactly art. There isn't too much talent involved in throwing text on a page and using Photoshop to manipulate an image. Granted, there is some skill involved with learning the program and there is something to be said about having an eye for this stuff, and you have to know how to create a good clean readable layout. All that aside, you are still more of a manipulator than an artist. you aren't truly creating anything. I have really been looking at these artists that were at the comic convention. this is the whole reason I started looking at comics in the first place - great art. I used to draw all the time. You couldn't get a graphic design degree without taking countless hours of drawing classes. I keep telling myself that I need to unplug the mouse for a while and pick up a pencil. Someday my daughter might ask me to draw a picture with her and I have this strange feeling that hers will look a lot better than mine if I keep this computer graphics thing up. All I am really trying to say in this little rant is that I really have to start drawing again. I have to make the time! so if anyone else out there is reading this try to get something out of it for yourself. If you never were an artist, maybe you used to write. I can't remember the last time I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and sat down and actually hand wrote a letter. It is such a lost art.
As an act of potential inspiration I will add links from time to time to other "artists" websites. The first will be the art of ERICA ANGELIQUE HESSE. Before 2 days ago I had never heard of her. Just sort of stumbled upon her site as I was looking at some comic stuff. I highly recommend taking 2 minutes and checking out her stuff.
more to come . . .

Back from the Comic Con!
Well it was a very very very long day but I survived! I started off the day in a very dissapointing fashin. After being let into the convention I decided to wait in an additional line for 45 minutes to get a "special event" ticket. I waited because I was hoping to get a ticket for what I thought was a Kevin Smith Signing. Finally after my wait I received my magin ticket. I read it carefully and it was for a Kevin Smith "Q&A". So my choice for the day was to either get my other comics signed by my favorite creators or sit in a giant room and listen to fanboys hollar questions to Kevin Smith. So needless to say I decided to scrap my ticket to the Q&A (not the best use of my time). The best event of the day was to come next. As I was strolling down artist's alley I happened upon a table with a bunch of "Dora the Explorer" books surrounded by a bunch of Zombie drawings. I asked the kid behind the table was it was all about. Turns out he is the illustrator for Dora the Explorer, Dave Aikins. For those of you who don't know, this is only a big deal to me because my daughter is a HUGE Dora fan. I bought a book from him and he did a quick dora sketch on the inside cover and signed it. Quite the thrill! I also got to meet Joseph Michael Linsner, who created a comic called DAWN. He signed some of my comics and did a quick sketch as well for me on the inside cover of a hard cover book. I also got to meet Astonishing X-Men artist John Cassady and House of M writer Brian Michael Bendis. i waitied in line for a total of 4 hours for the Cassady and Bendis signings but was worth every minute of it. So in all the convention was a success, I got a lot of really good finds, and spent a bit of time in the up and coming artists section and might have a few new titles to keep my eye on. Ejnoy the pics.

CHICAGO COMIC CON!!!!!
I invited 6 other guys (you know who you are) to attend the Chicago comic book convention with me this weekend. Needless to say, I will be attending the convention all by myself. I will be attending Saturday's festivities and supplying a full report on my return. Stay tuned for my convention experience!!!!!

Fantastic Four VS. Batman Begins
A few weeks ago I successfully attempted my first "2 for 1" movie day. I paid my matinee admission and walked on into Batman Begins. If you have not seen this movie, stop reading this blog and run to the nearest theater. Long gone are the days of Jim Carey and Arnold running around in brightly colored costumes spewing dumb catch phrases. This movie is dark! It is an actual drama, you walk away with the feeling that this could actually happen. Some very rich guy could have lost his parents, and instead of carrying a chip on his shoulder he decides to train himself to be a vigilante and cleans up the streets. Alright, it isn't likely but it is at least possible. Great cinematography, wonderful acting, excellent story. Trying not to spoil anything, but the villan in this one is the Scarecrow, and it is by far the scarriest villan yet. Wonderful effects with that mask.
Riding that "great movie high" I left the theater and walked right in next door (timed perfectly) to watch "The Fantastic Four". FASLE ADVERTISING. It sould have been called the Campy Four. Bad story, no character development, hokey plots, a Very Labored romance. UGH! This was the movie that I thought I would like so much better than batman. In comparrison to other comic book movies, I would rank this slightly bettwe than the HULK. (And I thought the HULK stunk!)

Welcome!
This is my little spot on the web to spew out all of those random thoughts that run through my head during the day. Movie reviews, music reviews, tech reviews, comic reviews, rants and raves, we will cover it all and feel free to debate. And because I know i will receive some questions, someday I would like to start brewing my own gourmet soda, and when that day comes, i will be naming that first drink "Soduh".