Is Nothing Sacred?

This is the place where I discuss all things Sacred and Profane. Stop by and check me out. Leave a comment (or not), as this is done for my own amusement. If you too are entertained, all the better, but that is not the motivation here. For I, am a...Writer with attitude! Comics, Sci Fi, movies, TV, Books, the Internet, Pop Culture, you name it. I talk about all of these things and more. These are the things that entertain me. I can only hope that some of them will entertain you as well.

Showing posts with label Ghost Rider. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

My latest Marvel Work

OK Kids, you might already know by now, but the Official Index to the Marvel Universe that I’ve been contributing to for the past three or four years, has finally been canceled. Volume #1 covered Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men) I worked on Spidey entries. Volume #2 covered Avengers, Thor, and Captain America (I worked on Thor & Cap). With Volume #3 covering Wolverine, Punisher, & Ghost Rider (I worked on Punisher and Ghost Rider).

Well, with the collecting of the Punisher entries into this bound volume, that's wrap for that series.

Next up is this History of the Marvel Universe comic where I helped frame some of the history.

Hopefully I'll get to do some more work for Marvel soon.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Ghost Rider, Gary Friedrich, and Marvel/Disney

OK, it’s time to talk about the film Ghost Rider, Spirit of Vengeance. This past weekend, The second Ghost Rider film came out and well, that is simply something that we never thought we’d ever see. If only because while the first film had some very cool parts (not only the appearacne of Peter Fonda as Mephistopheles, but Sam Elliott as the original Ghost Rider), as well as a respectful adherence to Ghost Rider’s comicbook origins — always a cool thing to see in a film adaptation), but just because we thought the CGI effects were, well, somewhat lame. To be sure the Rider himself looked cool, but some of the riding around stuff just didn’t come off well by my take.

Still, while it was a serviceable enough film, I just wasn’t a big enough fan of the comicbook series to really care if there was a sequel. Yet, here it is. (more a nod to Nic Cage’s interest in the project — and that it was filmed in Eastern Europe one would suspect, than to any great outpouring of fans clamoring for a sequel. So, Like I said, for better or worse, it’s here.

Only there’s more to it all than just a sequel, there is the whole Gary Friedrich v Marvel/Disney thing. As a movie critic for examiner.com, we felt that we had an obligation to review the film, and yet as a freelancer/comicbook fan we had no small amount of sympathy for Gary and his plight. Hence, We felt that we simply could neither simply review the film nor ignore it (or Gary) so we chose a middle ground. we reviewed the film but ran a paragraph at the end explaining ourselves.

Briefly, Gary Friedrich was original writer of the Marvel Comics series, and — spurred on by his lawyer — sued, Marvel/Disney over ownership of the character and in turn was countered-sued by the corporation. Friedrich not only lost his suit but was hit with a $17,000 bill from Marvel/Disney. Friedrich, who is 68, unemployed, and broke, intends to appeal the decision against him. In the meantime comicbook writer Steve Niles set up a fund to contribute to help Gary pay the bill.

Some comicbook creators are calling for a boycott of not only this film, but all Marvel films. While we personally are not going quite so far, we are strongly urging fans of the original comicbook series to send some money Gary’s way, because if you can spend $10+ to see the film (and more on popcorn and a drink), you can surly find it in your hearts to send a few bucks Gary’s way as well. (One individual indicated that while he wasn’t planning on seeing the film, if he were, he would simply pay for another film, then slip into the Ghost Rider screening).

Needless to say, this whole matter has caused us no small amount of consternation. While we have always seen ourself as not only a writer, but a journalist, we still feel a loyalty to Gary, so have been torn (A comicbook friend of ours reviewed the film on a comicbook site without even mentioning the suit, which we sort of understand, but well, not really). Still, everyone has to make their own choices in this life, so we strongly urge you all to do just that, Still, to clearly state our own views of the matter, we didn't pay to see the film (as a film reviewer we hardly ever pay for films), but did donate to Steve Niles fund for Gary.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Gary Friedrich v. Marvel Comics

For what it’s worth, Marvel can deny the facts all it wants, but this is the way it was when it began back in February of 1975.

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Another Index from Marvel

Hey kids, it looks like I’m nearly famous again! Yep, another of the soft-cover Official Indexes of the Marvel Universe has come out (this one about Ghost Rider), and, yep, I’m a contributor, again. How cool is that?

Thursday, August 11, 2011

It is “Official Index to the Marvel Universe” Time, again!

That’s right, kids, Volume #3 of The Official Index to the Marvel Universe (subtitled Wolverine, The Punisher and Ghost Rider). This time out I’m contributing to both The Punisher & Ghost Rider entries.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Official Index to the Marvel Universe, Avengers, Cap America & Thor

Yep it is out, issue #11 and (apparently) I’m a contributor (cool, eh?).

Well, what's even cooler is that the writing staff (of which I am a part) has just been informed that we are beginning on Vol #3 of this series, and, yep, I'll be contributing once again to the series.

This time around we will be covering Wolverine, Ghost Rider, and The Punisher. As it stands now, I'll probably be concentrating on the Punisher entries.

More as it develops.

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Ghost Rider gets his taxes done by Jackson Hewitt

Just saw this as a post on my Facebook page, and it is hilarious!

Ya just gotta love commercials with a sense of humor.

Monday, June 29, 2009

More Spidey, More Spidey, More Spidey!

Went to the movies last night to see Transformers, and while I was there I made my usual trip to the toy dispensers that are in the lobby. One of them contains Marvel characters packed in a little plastic egg. Well there eight toy figurines and I now have seven of them (only Missing the Human Torch).

Needless to say, I also managed to score five duplicates (two of which I’ve given away, one is slated to be given away, and the other two are sitting on my desk, looking for a good home.

The figures in the set are two Spideys (different poses)Wolverine, Ghost Rider, The Thing, Captain America, and Hulk. (The ones awaiting “homes” are an extra Hulk and Ghost Rider.) They each come in three pieces and need assembling.

They are very cool, and only a buck a figure. Whenever I go to this particular theater, I drop a buck (or two) into the slot and (hopefully) grab a figure I didn’t have. Well, like I said, I have only one more to go. Normally, I stop after I score the Spidey figure, but it wasn’t ‘til this last time that I managed to get the 2nd Spidey.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Mini Marvel figures

So I’m at the movies the other day, and I wander by the those bubble gum machines that no longer dispense bubble gum, but toys, and I discovered one that contained Marvel characters.

The last few times I’ve attempted to acquire toys from these type machines, I keep pulling the same Spidey figure. Still I thought that I’d try again, and I’m glad that I did, as this time I managed to snag Ghost Rider and captain America.

These little guys are very cool, they cost a buck, and come disassembled (in like three parts, plus a base). So now I’ve got three of ‘em. There are about half a dozen figures in the mix.

The next time I’m at that theater (probably next week) I’ll try again, to see what I get.