tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-129072882024-03-07T13:29:54.060-06:00Noetic ConcordanceThe blog that respects your intelligence!Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.comBlogger576125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-49689237877646916062010-04-02T20:18:00.001-05:002010-04-02T20:20:07.173-05:00Well, damn. Maybe I will get an iPad<a href="http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/04/first-look-at-marvel-comics-ipad-app/">Wired has a review of Marvel's iPad app</a> and it looks pretty sweet. <br /><br /><br />__--_Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-82836191885816992902010-03-27T20:56:00.000-05:002010-03-27T20:57:05.138-05:00R.I.P. Dick Giordano<a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/rip-dick-giordano,39615/">R.I.P. Dick Giordano</a><br /><br />_Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-44268738248792869592009-05-18T20:03:00.001-05:002009-05-18T20:04:56.005-05:00Whew! Take that Senator Kelly!<object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" width="375" height="230" id="orn_player" align="middle"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/onion/radionews/player/player.swf?soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etheonion%2Ecom%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2Fradionews%2F09%2D088%5FMutant%5FRegistration%5FT%2Emp3&title=President%20Obama%20Vetoes%20Mutant%20Registration%20Act&date=Mon%2C%20May%2018%202009&slug=president%5Fobama%5Fvetoes&autostart=no" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><embed src="http://www.theonion.com/content/themes/onion/radionews/player/player.swf?soundFile=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etheonion%2Ecom%2Fcontent%2Ffiles%2Fradionews%2F09%2D088%5FMutant%5FRegistration%5FT%2Emp3&title=President%20Obama%20Vetoes%20Mutant%20Registration%20Act&date=Mon%2C%20May%2018%202009&slug=president%5Fobama%5Fvetoes&autostart=no" quality="high" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="375" height="230" name="player" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer" /></object>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-12407087582690188992009-04-25T18:34:00.001-05:002009-04-25T18:34:37.072-05:00Hypericon Gaming ScheduleThe Hyperion 2009 <a href="http://hypericon.info/games.php">game schedule</a> has been posted. We've also added <a href="http://hypericon.info/">some new guests</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://hypericon.info/">Hypericon 5!</a> June 5 - 7. Nashville, TN.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-87705074914774933382009-03-20T17:52:00.000-05:002009-03-20T17:53:15.306-05:00BatLogo Evolution<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.todaysbigthing.com/betamax/betamax.swf?item_id=1352&fullscreen=1" width="480" height="360"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="movie" quality="best" value="http://www.todaysbigthing.com/betamax/betamax.swf?item_id=1352&fullscreen=1" /> </object><div style='padding:5px 0; text-align:center; width:480px;'>See more <a href='http://www.todaysbigthing.com/'>funny videos</a> and <a href='http://www.todaysbigthing.com/'>TBT Videos</a> at <a href='http://www.todaysbigthing.com/'>Today's Big Thing</a>.</div>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-65824887902323667532009-03-15T23:56:00.006-05:002009-03-16T00:00:29.887-05:00Cosmopolis LexiconThe three of you who are still reading this or who are seeing this post through the magic of the RSS feed might be interested in the <a href="http://lexiconcubine.wikidot.com/cosmopolis">Cosmopolis Lexicon</a>. A <a href="http://www.20by20room.com/2003/11/lexicon_an_rpg.html">Lexicon</a> is a shared world-building exercise created by a really cool guy called Neel Krishnaswami a few years ago.<br /><br />Click the link above for details on that.<br /><br />This Lexicon features the superheroes and supervillains of a fictional city called Cosmopolis. The game begins on March 18, 2009 and is open to anyone who's interested.<br /><br />Check it out.<br /><br />Thanks.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-77278761786299837722008-12-05T00:31:00.001-06:002008-12-05T00:31:00.836-06:00Awesome Cover Friday: The Spirit Part TwoHey, Kids! It's part two of my Spirit coverfest! <a href="http://noeticon.blogspot.com/2008/12/awesome-cover-friday-spirit-part-one.html">Part one is over here</a>.<br /><br />What I said yesterday still stands but I want to point out Eisner's use of shadow and line. Especially in the first two covers below. Also, I want to reiterate how awesome it is that each of these covers tells a story. Each image feels active as if there are things happening before and after it instead of just being a portrait.<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit46.jpg"><img title="Psst! He's over there." style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 612px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit46.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit48.jpg"><img title="Watch out, Spirit!" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 617px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit48.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit50.jpg"><img title="What happened to his legs?!?" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 614px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit50.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit51.jpg"><img title="Can't a fella just have a nice dance every now and then?" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 614px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit51.jpg" border="0" /></a>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-85797973110247842442008-12-04T14:10:00.004-06:002008-12-04T14:28:55.644-06:00Awesome Cover Friday: The Spirit Part OneI love <i>The Spirit</i>. I have a deep fondness for Will Eisner's work and I am a big fan of Darwyn Cooke's recent reboot. I have such a love for this comic that I am making this Awesome Cover Friday last two days. The covers below are from Kitchen Sink Press's reprints of the post-WWII spirit issues. <br /><br />I'm not going to comment on each one because they speak for themselves. Each one is an exemplar of what comic-book covers should be. They are evocative and each one practically tells a whole story in a single image. It <i>really</i> makes me want to see how The Spirit got into that predicament and, more importantly, how he's going to get out.<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit31.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 608px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit31.jpg" border="0" title="Oh, that can't be good." /></a><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit34.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 615px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit34.jpg" border="0" title="Jesus Christ! It's a shark! Get in the car!" /></a><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit52.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 620px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/spirit52.jpg" border="0" title="Ouch" /></a>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-19769910075339046252008-12-03T14:57:00.006-06:002008-12-03T15:17:21.588-06:00Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Feature Comics<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/kingclownape.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/kingclownape.jpg" title="" border="0" /></a>Greeting, subcreatures. I have returned to shake each of you out of the stupor induced by your recent food-and-gratitude orgy. <br /><br />For the record, I am thankful for my three brains, limoncello, and lax extradition treaties. Now, go and enjoy the jocularity! King Clownape commands you!<br /><br /><strong>Vaklam: </strong>Thanks again, your majesty and welcome back. This week, we're going back to the late 1930s - early 1940s to focus on <em>Feature Comics</em>:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Feature071.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 575px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Feature071.jpg" border="0" title="Now, THAT'S a plumbing problem!" /></a>I <em>so</em> want the octopus to be named Vincent so this cover will be the lead-in to a Twilight-Zone style twist ending!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Feature024.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 552px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Feature024.jpg" border="0" title="The first rule of hunt club..." /></a>Joe Palooka was actually a highly-skilled assassin. Knobby was never seen again after this tragic "hunting accident".<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Feature021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 540px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Feature021.jpg" border="0" title="Oooh, that's HOT!" /></a>Fun Fact! This same cover also appeared on an issue of <em>Laundry Fetish Quarterly</em>,Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-83975926745467565192008-11-19T00:02:00.008-06:002008-11-19T10:26:11.552-06:00Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday Goes to HellAh, Marvel Comics in the 1970s. They were both awesome and ridiculous. This was the company and the decade that brought us Hellcow, Manphibian, Shang-Chi, Heroes for Hire, the motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider, and a <a href="http://noeticon.blogspot.com/2008/10/awesome-cover-friday-halloween-style.html">whole slew of monster titles</a>.<br /><br />They also brought us <strong>Daimon Hellstrom, Son of Satan</strong>. You know how he got that nickname? It's because he's literally Satan's kid. Unlike his sister Satana (now, <em>that's</em> a name!), Daimon rebelled against his father and sought to do good. Seriously, though, how surprised can Satan be when his son betrays him? He really should have seen that coming.<br /><br />Daimon (not Damien, please don't sue!) was a badass magician and healer who went around the Marvel Universe kicking ass. And being the son of Satan. Check out the covers from his title:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/sonofsatan1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 608px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/sonofsatan1.jpg" border="0" title="To Hell With The Devil!" /></a>This comic wasn't messing around. You know that climactic confrontation that most story arcs end with. This one started with it! Take <em>that</em> dramatic expectations!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/sonofsatan7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 613px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/sonofsatan7.jpg" border="0" title="Highway To Hell!" /></a>Marvel was known for it's hyperbole, especially on its covers. This is the company that proclaimed <em>The Fantastic Four</em> to be "The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine" every single month. Now, let's take a look at the text in the lower right-hand corner of the cover:<br /><blockquote>Possibly the most thrill-packed supernatural adventure you'll read this month!</blockquote><br />Hey, now! Don't get cocky, Marvel copy writers!<br /><br />What's with all the qualifiers? "Possibly" and "this month" are bad enough but to further limit this issue's competition by only including supernatural adventures does not inspire the reader with confidence.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/sonofsatan3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 618px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/sonofsatan3.jpg" border="0" title="I'm All Out of Love! Er, wait." /></a>Holy crap! That dude's got three faces! And he's fighting Satan!<br /><br />Hmmm. Maybe this one should have gone in with the Awesome covers.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-61063965853618400672008-11-15T00:06:00.003-06:002008-11-15T00:06:00.649-06:00Again with the WatchmenI just saw <a href="http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/watchmen.html?showVideo=1">the new Watchmen trailer</a> and hoo-boy! I continue to be encouraged by what I'm seeing.<br /><br />Also, I noticed something on the Ozymandias poster that thrills me beyond words:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/ozzy.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 426px; height: 660px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/ozzy.jpg" border="0" title="I'm the biggest ant you'll ever see!" /></a>That long-eared cat thing looks exactly like the ones Gibbons drew. Aieeeee!<br /><br />I am easily amused. Carry on.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-9806182635244441692008-11-14T00:11:00.002-06:002008-11-14T00:11:00.958-06:00Awesome Cover Friday: CreepyApparently I've still got Halloween on the brain because I was thinking about <i>Creepy</i> the other day and how cool the covers were. <i>Creepy</i> was technically a magazine due to its larger format but it contained sequential art so to me it counts as a comic book. The covers did a great job of selling the stories inside.<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy06.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 549px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy06.jpg" border="0" title="OK. So. She's a dog." /></a><a href="http://www.frazettaartgallery.com/ff/index.html">Frank Frazetta</a> did a lot of covers for <i>Creepy</i> and this is one of my favorites. I love the dark palette and the sense of claustrophobia the image evokes. Also, the fact that you can't quite make out all the details on that beast just rocks.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy18.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 527px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy18.jpg" border="0" title="Sometimes a sea serpent is just a sea serpent." /></a>This cover by Vic Prezio is in sharp contrast to the moody, dark Frazetta above but it is no less effective. The palette is bright but still fairly limited. Prezio's sense of composition and line really comes through on this piece.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy09.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 539px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy09.jpg" border="0" title="Hoo. Hah. Ho! Parry. Thrust!" /></a>Here's another cool Frazetta piece that is more indicative of his fantasy-action work. That dude with the knife has got his work cut out for him.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy41.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 540px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/creepy41.jpg" border="0" title="Don't take the brown tab." /></a>This is one of the <i>Creepy</i> covers that lives up to the magazine's title. It's by Kenneth Smith and there's not much I can say about it that the image doesn't say for itself.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-88295858375432091882008-11-13T00:29:00.009-06:002008-11-14T12:11:55.385-06:00Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday From Beyond The GraveCasper's adventures were pretty lighhearted, in general. However, in the 1970s, the editors at Harvey Comics approved a title which put a darker spin on the character. They added a spectral horse named Nightmare to the Casperverse and the two of them rode around the world making more dead people in the name of their unholy lich lord, Morguul.<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare11.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 585px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare11.jpg" border="0" title="How do you even write a ticket for that?" /></a>This policeman reported a strange sighting out past the old Johnson place on Highway 4. He was never heard from again but they say that on moonless nights, when the wind is right, you can hear a spectral voice saying, "Is this sort of thing even my jurisdiction?"<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 586px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare08.jpg" border="0" title="My Heart Will Go On!" /></a>And here we have Casper and Nightmare cooperating to lead ships to their doom against the sharp, unforgiving rocks. There was much celebrating in the Grand Bonehalls of Morguul's blood-soaked realm that night.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare33.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 600px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare33.jpg" border="0" title="Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker." /></a>Having a drought, boys? Well, let's see how you like it when my horse and I drink all your water. And here's the kicker! We don't even <em>need</em> it! We're already dead! See you in hell, amigos!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/11701_4_035.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 584px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/11701_4_035.jpg" border="0" title="Michael Kennedy's got dibs on the next race." /></a>Hey, Sonny Bono! Race you to the bottom! Loser buys the hot chocolate!Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-85414107829387361362008-11-12T13:53:00.005-06:002008-11-12T18:43:47.762-06:00Casper Covers Preview<a href="http://noeticon.blogspot.com/search/label/Weird-ass%20Cover%20Wednesday">Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday</a> is going to be Weird-Ass Cover Thursday this week. So, here's a hint of what I'm working on:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/casperinspace08.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 597px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/casperinspace08.jpg" border="0" title="S'Mores from Hell!" /></a>Hey everybody! It's DEAD-alus. <br /><br />Thank you, I'll be here all week.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 596px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/caspernightmare12.jpg" border="0" title="Wilbur? I'm thirsty, Wilbur." /></a>And here's everyone's favorite spectre on his dead, rabid horse!<br /><br />More ghoulish hilarity tomorrow.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-495842601566014132008-11-12T10:35:00.004-06:002008-11-12T10:39:52.815-06:00Watchmen Posters RevealedThese look pretty sweet:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/watchmenposterssilkcomedian.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 430px; height: 337px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/watchmenposterssilkcomedian.jpg" border="0" title="Hrrrrm" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2008/11/11/warner-brothers-unveils-watchmen-character-posters/">Click here</a> for more images.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-31836399772081200902008-11-05T10:33:00.004-06:002008-11-05T11:56:24.140-06:00Hope? Hope!<a href="http://noeticon.blogspot.com/search/label/Weird-ass%20Cover%20Wednesday">Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday</a> is taking a week off. King Clownape has retreated to an undisclosed location but he reports that two thirds of him is pleased with the results of the recent US presidential election.<br /><br />Speaking of which, does Alex Ross need to 'have a talk' with the Obama campaign? You be the judge!<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/powerofhope.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 545px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/powerofhope.jpg" border="0" title="Audacious!" /></a><br /><br />It's a good thing this didn't come to light during the campaign.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-75867783632386684092008-11-04T22:50:00.001-06:002008-11-04T22:50:00.336-06:00Kelly Does ZatannaSo, Zatanna is one of my favorite characters and <a href="http://funrama.blogspot.com/">Ryan Kelly</a> is one of my favorite artists.<br /><br />Behold!<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/zatanakelly.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 418px; height: 500px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/zatanakelly.jpg" border="0" title="Dneirflrig tenretni ym si Annataz!" /></a>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-40190746492368695852008-11-04T09:24:00.000-06:002008-11-04T09:25:21.211-06:00VOTE!OK, so this isn't directly comics related but if you are in the US and have not yet done so:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/vote.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 382px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/vote.jpg" border="0" title="Seriously. Vote." /></a>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-9738913416684884652008-11-02T01:26:00.003-05:002008-11-02T01:26:00.194-05:00BPAL + Gaiman = CBLDF Win!<a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/graveyardbookcover.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 207px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/graveyardbookcover.gif" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The <a href="http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/">Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab</a> has released a series of scents inspired by Neil Gaiman's <em>The Graveyard Book</em>. <br /><br />This is awesome news for two reasons:<br /><br />1. BPAL makes incredible scents that people go crazy over. Seriously, I've seen it. Dozens of women in a hotel lobby sniffing each other.<br /><br />2. The proceeds from every single bottle go to the <a href="http://www.cbldf.org/">Comic Book Legal Defense Fund</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/graveyardbook.html">Go buy yourself something nice</a>.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-55043091664695812132008-11-01T12:03:00.000-05:002008-11-01T12:03:00.149-05:00Video Time: Sing - Dresden DollsThe Dresden Dolls are one of my favorite bands and this is one of their best songs. There are two versions of this video but I like this one better because a friend of mine is in it.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pl3P8xCOUeY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pl3P8xCOUeY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-82317346459150644772008-11-01T00:37:00.006-05:002008-11-01T17:19:24.063-05:00Hey (web)kids! Webcomics!Happy Day after Halloween! Here are some of my favorite recent webcomics:<br /><br />Cat and Girl <a href="http://www.catandgirl.com/view.php?loc=670">go trick-or-treating!</a><br /><br />OK, this one from <strong>Dinosaur Comics</strong> isn't Halloween-themed but <a href="http://www.qwantz.com/archive/001336.html">it is funny</a>.<br /><br />Finally, <a href="http://www.vexxarr.com/Index.php">Vexxar</a> and crew sit around telling scary stories:<br /><a href="http://www.vexxarr.com/archive.php?seldate=103108"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 450px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/Vexxarr103108.gif" border="0" title="Blue Screen of DEATH!!" /></a><center>Click image to Embiggen</center>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-76451883956423661762008-10-31T00:00:00.002-05:002008-10-31T12:07:36.082-05:00Awesome Cover Friday - Halloween Style!Monster comics hit their peak in the 1970s. Marvel put out a ton of scary titles featuring Ghost Rider and various relatives of Satan. But since this is Halloween and this is a pop-culture blog I am bound by the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_Squad">Monster Squad</a> Act of 1976 which states that at least one reference must be made per year to the iconic movie monsters Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and The Werewolf.<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/frankenstein06.jpg"><img title="Charlotte's Web, this ain't." style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 586px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/frankenstein06.jpg" border="0" /></a>Sweet! This one's got a giant spider <em>and</em> a dude in flashy RenFest garb! It really captures the combination of action-adventure and creepy horror that Marvel did so well.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/werewolf27.jpg"><img title="Ia! Ia!" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 628px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/werewolf27.jpg" border="0" /></a>Damn! Just...damn! This is one messed-up cover. I <em>really</em> want to know what's going on in this issue. <br /><br />Also? My D&D character totally fought something like that and got a badass sword and, like, a billion experience points out of it.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/dracula50.jpg"><img title="The Power Cosmic vs. Great Hair. Who will win?" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 619px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/dracula50.jpg" border="0" /></a>Just in case you thought the movie monsters weren't part of the larger Marvel Universe, we have Silver Surfer throwing down with Dracula. I don't know what the vampire did to piss off Galactus's herald but he's gonna be sorry.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-43295799248804741352008-10-30T00:02:00.005-05:002008-10-30T15:58:28.822-05:00Doom '08Last year, for election day, I featured <a href="http://noeticon.blogspot.com/2007/11/awesome-cover-friday-decision-2007.html">some outstanding election-type covers</a>. Two of them featured Dr. Doom as president. And with the US presidential election coming up soon, I thought I'd post an update:<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/doom.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px;" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/doom.jpg" border="0" title="Doom Demands Cheetos!" /></a><a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/slideshow/view/165211">See more here</a>.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-70879931338007791822008-10-29T00:00:00.003-05:002008-10-29T16:10:28.459-05:00Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday - Black Diamond Western<i>Black Diamond Western</i> ran in the early 1950s and had some of the wackiest covers ever. OK, maybe not <a href="http://noeticon.blogspot.com/2007/08/wierd-ass-cover-wednesday-wonder-dog.html">Rex The Wonder Dog</a> wacky but these things are insidious.<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond056.jpg"><img title="Dadgum FICO score!" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 595px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond056.jpg" border="0" /></a>If only we had listened to Black Diamond, we wouldn't be in this mess! Damn sub-prime mortgages!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond031.jpg"><img title="It kinda looks like he shot the cover." style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 601px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond031.jpg" border="0" /></a>Black Diamond don't let a little thing like Euclidean geometry get in the way of meting out justice. The Law of the Frontier takes precedence over the Laws of Physics. Is he the sheriff of Flatland?<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond048.jpg"><img title="Could be worse. Could be raining." style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 596px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond048.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ahd the snake pit! And the horde of ninjas! <br /><br />And ebola!<br /><br />And the fact that your torso is twisted at a hideous angle!<br /><br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond016.jpg"><img title="Horse Fight!" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 610px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond016.jpg" border="0" /></a>This might just be the best comic-book cover ever. This one practically has an entire issue's worth of words on it. Let's break down the elements that make this great:<br /><ol><br /><li>A wicked awesome villain named <strong>Randito </strong>who refers to himself in the third person.<br /><li>A guitar that is actually a gun.<br /><li>The sentence "Oh! Your guitar is a gun!"<br /><li>Horse fight.<br /></li></ol>Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12907288.post-57484039433474027052008-10-28T14:22:00.004-05:002008-10-28T18:31:41.188-05:00Badasses on ParadeIt's been a while since I put up a Baddass Files entry for you but Scott from <strong>Polite Dissent</strong> has done it for me by celebrating <a href="http://politedissent.com/archives/2111">Teddy Roosevelt</a>.<br /><br />Speaking of badasses, check out this dude from the cover of <i>Black Diamond Western</i>. He's gonna knock that door down with his head!<br /><a href="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond010.jpg"><img title="Consarn it!" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 615px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Vaklam/blackdiamond010.jpg" border="0" /></a>I also want to bring your attention to the guy in the front who is such a huge <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Biro">Charles Biro</a> fan that he has put his name on his hat. And the fellow on the far left whose concern for his floors has caused his beer to defy the laws of physics.Vaklamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14839979414750032302noreply@blogger.com0