Dr. Strange

If I could take a Marvel character and revamp the character, which character & what twist would I do? Hm... Doctor Strange, because I wouldn't take on someone from the super-hero line. I like darker, moodier characters... The revamp is a little harder to come up with...

I'd have to do some research... I forget if there's a significant other in his life. Don't think he has any kids... From the stories I do remember reading, he seems isolated, emotionless, cold... Not really a likable character like Batman. Part of the coldness might be from his religious/magic studies, but can't seem to put my finger on it. I remember that he was an arrogant surgeon, who had nerve damage, that sent him on his quest, which led him to study mysticism...

Some initial thoughts, I'd do some flash back (al la Alan Moore's Supreme style).

...more later...

New Comic Store

Last weekend, went to a new comic store in town -- Packrat Comics (in Hilliard, OH), I think. They've been advertising around town with little signs on street corners & in people's yards. It's a little shop... I set up a pull there... maybe a mile away for the house. The owner was friendly... He said they had a comic store a few years back, and he was getting back into the business...

Cerebus: Church & State

First heard about Cerebus the Aardvark back in college. It was toted as the greatest comic ever at the time... Had no interest in it them... Never read it until now. Found copies of Church & State (I & II) at Half Priced Books. Picked them both up and I just finished reading them... the artwork is wonderful. The story line is great, but I'd probably like it more if I had read the first 2 volumes -- it's like jumping into the middle of the story... I like it enough that I'll try to find copies of the first 2 volumes to pick it up. Rate: A

Star Wars!

In honor of of the DVD release, I picked this and the 2nd & 3rd trades up at Half Priced Books over the weekend. Great read! I have in my collection issues #1-9, 50-107... I'm missing most of everything between #10-49... I might have an issue here or there, to this has been a great way of going back & catching up on the issues I'm missing without paying out a lot of money to collect them. Rate: B+

Oh... and I picked up a few Oh My Goddess! trades from Dark Horse that I was missing as well.

Latest News

Let's see... where to begin. I've gotten married -- we're both adjusting to married life. Been busy & haven't had time to update my web-page or have any time to devote to LEGO. Just finished reading a book on Japanese folk lore. Also been reading Lone Wolf and Cub from Dark Horse and Super Manga Blast whenever I can find it.

21st Century?

What did I imagine the 21^st century to be like? Did I believe in the dreams of flying cars, rocket back packs, & mechanical maids? All of life's troubles being completed in a push of a plastic button? I don't think I ever did.

I wasn't raised on a diet of Flash Gordon ray guns, on quirky expressions from Dr. Zachary Smith, on moon landing missions, or on space men traveling to Earth only to steal our women. From bad acting, bad props, simple stories, to dated technology -- it all have always turned me off of the sci-fi mind set. No one could capture the future as I saw it.

I wasn't easily fooled by the juxtaposition of the words 'space' and 'cowboy' -- something that appealed to all boys, both young and old. I didn't believe in technology that was built out of spare parts, had flashing lights with random bleeps and blips. And I just couldn't bring myself to believe that everyone talked so melodramatic in the future... or maybe they will... but did they have to take everything so seriously?

... more later ...

The Super-Human Race

One of the ideas that I’ve been thinking about is a post-WW II world that didn’t have the a-bomb or the space race; but a super-human race. Countries like England, US, Russia, China, Japan, & some other countries start manufacturing post-humans.

In the United States, four different groups were set up for post-human production. First group’s goal was to create more intelligent humans – a post human think tank. The second group was to create a super power human. The third group’s goal is to develop technologies for super powers. And the fourth group is to keep the other three groups in check – the place for information exchange between the three groups.

One image I keep getting is a child of a post-human tracking down one of the doctors that worked on the government projects, turned AWOL. A German in his late ‘70s, still very sharp, with traces of a great mind hidden behind wrinkles. He’s ex-Nazi, but really didn’t have a political affiliation – most scientist don’t – but was forced to work on government projects, the division of gods & monsters (insert German equivalent here). Later in the story, we find out that he’s gay – what forced him to leave the US government projects was the death of his lab assistant Karl, in a incident similar to Ictheas; the boy who flew to close to the Sun and crashed to his death. This, and some other policy changes in the fourth group forced him to leave.

This PH child is looking for some answers to his recent developed powers. His father was one of the earlier test subjects of the first group – his mind was chemically enhanced/altered. He became super smart, but the effects seemed to wear off over time. Adding more chemicals seemed to damage him physically & psychologically, that he could no longer used the drugs. But the alterations affected his son; he developed telekinetic & psi powers.