The Wolverine - Hey It's a Comic Book Movie

Recently, there seems to be a continuous attack on the big budget movies, especially in light of the number of failures this summer.  I know these movies are not among the great films.  I know that they are not going to affect the industry except in a bad way if they continue to fail at the box office.  I also know they are exactly what have been done for years in the movie theaters since the rise of Jaws.  The blockbuster movie is a summer staple.  Sorry George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg, I just don't see your prediction of hundred dollar movies that run in the same movie house for months coming to pass.  The market is not just the US.  The fastest growing market for our big summer movies is China.  So that all said, I love block busters.  Are some stinkers? Yes.  Are some pure fun? Yes.  Are they glossy and glitzy and over-the-top? Well, duh.

I went to The Wolverine.  It was nothing new.  It was nothing unexpected.  It was, in fact, exactly as expected.  I liked it.  Hugh Jackman, once again dons his adamantium claws and takes the show on the road. Wolverine is still the same angst ridden and oldest of the mutants.  He is a cross-over character that is in X-Men, The Avenger, Origins, Spiderman, and any number of Marvel's comic book releases.  Wolverine is who he is and so is the movie.  It is both back story for the character, a better storyline than the first Wolverine X-Men movie, and also a set up for the next X-Men movie, Days of Future Past.

Logan, tormented by his killing of Jean Grey in the worst of the original three X-Men films,  is found by Yukio, a mutant who can forsee death.  Yukio's job is to bring the Wolverine to Japan to say goodbye to a Japanese soldier, Yashida,  whose life he saved in  World War II.  It seems that someone was actually able to capture Wolverine and built a prison camp near either Hiroshima or Nagasaki.  What is more they can apparently wait out the radioactive poisoning by hiding in a hole. I know. I know.  It doesn't make sense to me either, but I remind you of the title of this review.

In Japan, Logan must return to his hero character and protect Yashida's granddaughter, Mariko from the Yakuza, her father, the black ninjas, and a mutant called the Viper, all while dealing with his guilt over Jean's death, falling in love with Mariko, and dealing with his immortality and the aftermath of watching those you love die.  He has become a ronin...a samurai warrior with no master.   He is a warrior that desires a warrior's death, but it cannot come.  Deep, huh?

It is a comic book movie.  It is exactly what you expect.  It is what it needs to be.  It is fun, and it is action filled.  The hero is classic and filled with understandable anguish over the acts he has committed. It is over the top and has a predictable storyline.  The bad guys are obvious and the ending battle is predictable.  There is also one piece of film history homage paid to Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood (a Japanese version of Macbeth).  At least I think it was.  I will show you the pic from Throne of Blood and you can make your own judgment when you see The Wolverine.  And yes, Jackman really is the buff.

You will most likely enjoy the movie.  I didk  It is all I expected. Save your money on the 3D, by the way.  I will buy the DVD

Taking the Joy out of Collecting

Remember when a collectibles price was caused by the people who bought them and not the people who made them? I am not saying that all companies do this. They don't.  Hallmark for example still sells their collectible ornaments for a basic price of usually fifteen to thirty-five dollars. Even the incredibly difficult limited editions stay in this price range although they are still priced higher than the original counterpart. There is, however, an entire group of manufacturers  who produce collectibles that will likely never grow much in value because they are already priced at collector prices.

I am a collector. I collect genre specific items.  I collect Star Trek.  I also have a Lord of the Rings collection but I am preparing to sell that off. (Before any of my students who gave me LOTR gifts ask, no I am not selling those off.  They are a prize beyond price.) There was a glut of Star Trek items, just as there is a glut of everything from Star Wars to My Little Pony.  Anything that anyone might buy and collect is produced.  The trick is finding the right item.  There is a risk that when you buy an item its value might go down.  In fact that happens more often.  Like most items, you have to sit on the items sometimes if you want to see the value go up and sometimes you have to strike while the item is hot before it becomes less valuable.

There are really two types of collectors.  There are those who buy collectibles with the aim of selling them off and making money from them.  Then there are those that buy them, catalog them, look at them, display them - in short enjoy them.  For these it is the quest of that one missing item, finding it well below market price and bringing it home.  I am one of these collectors. So it seems to me that when a collectible is produced at an already collectible price or is made so rare it is nigh on impossible for the small collector to obtain, it cheapens the art and joy of collecting.

And this brings me to overpriced manufactured collectibles.  A collectible needs to grow in value for both buyer and its actual cost.  That said, some collectibles are never going to increase in value from the monetary end. There are too many of them, they just don't become popular, or they were overpriced to begin with.  Take for example the collector's edition lightsaber.  Depending on style and color, this little item runs from $120 to $249 brand new.  This will likely never gain in monetary value.  They are already overpriced.   While it may be really cool for the one who collects purely for the joy, for the one who thinks of it as an investment it is of no value.  The problem is that its already collectible price also puts it out range of the collector who does it because he loves it.

Another example is the Comic Con Diamond Select Exclusive Cloaked Bird of Prey.  It was pressing my ability to buy it at $60.  It was overpriced to begin with but because it is a rare collectible it will go up on the market.  It has in fact already done so.  Currently on Ebay, the toy is now going, just a few days after they were sold, for $110 to $200.  It is officially out of range for me.  There are collectibles that are out of my range, but that was because of market.  The problem isn't that.  The problem is the collectibles already priced at a collectible market price.  I suppose as long as there is someone who will pay these prices, it will continue...in the meantime, I must wait for someone to sell the Hallmark Gold Uniform Uhura ornament or the Tri Fold Borg for a price well below its market because the owner has no idea what they have.  I am again on the quest.  This one could last years...

                                                                                                                                               

George Alexander Louis...much ado

I cannot tell you how much I don't care about the royal baby.  First: I am not British.  Second: I am not from Britain. Third: The British Royalty are very wealthy figureheads. Their every whim is met, and every need is given to them.  They have no power. Zero Power. Nada. Nothing. Zip. They haven't had power for years and yet England, and apparently Americans or at least American TV seems to think they do.  They cling to every tawdry affair a royal has.  They report their college-like hijinks in Vegas.  Lord knows, no one else has ever done something stupid in Vegas.  They report how awful it is when the Royal Princess is caught sunbathing topless in plain view of the paparazzi. And the Royals are surprised and appalled.  And the regular press who run the pictures and paid for them is also surprised and appalled.  Honestly, how stupid are these people.


Royals live very public lives.  They are constantly followed, and when the baby is born, they ask for the young couple to have their privacy respected.  This of course after a pompous method of announcement by sending the information to an encased bulletin board on an easel.  Seriously...an easel.

I haven't cared about the Royals and their doings since pretty much ever.  I was not surprised by all of Charles and Diana's problems,and I didn't care.  I was saddened at her death, but I didn't go into mourning. Afterall, they are not my Royals.  I seem to recall that there was this thing called the War of Independence that made it so.  Yes, the historical Royals are fascinating history but then again, Henry VIII had power.  Elizabeth I had power.  Even that thing about the King's Speech was pretty interesting.

Okay there are two interesting things about this.  With four generations of "the next to sit the throne," we could be looking at about 150 years of English monarchs, and for the first time in my life I find myself agreeing with Rush Limbaugh about the over-coverage of this event.  I know, right?  That said, it is just another baby to a spoiled pampered group of wealthy do nothings who are no longer world leaders but ambassador figureheads.  I would much rather see reporting on important things like the pirate who plunders Walgreens than what George Alexander Louis' first word or gurgle is.  Congrats Royals, you have an heir. Whoop. Whoop. Yawn.

I'm not famous...give me money

This is a sequel to a blog I did a while back about paying celebrities for their autographs.  It is really something that I didn't quite expect. Other than authors and comic book writers as San Diego Comic Con there were a boat load of stars.  All of them demanding their $40 from the fans who made them famous.  I was even stopped at on booth by a guy who announced that Sean Astin was signing and no tickets and no lines.  He did require $40 for the signature.  I looked him square in the eye and said, "I made him famous, and I am not paying for the privilege of the autograph," and walked away.  The guy was taken aback but
oddly nodded yes as I stated this.  There was one table which touted Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, David Duchovny, and Gillian Anderson and others, all asking for their signature money.  $40 to $80 dollars was the going rate.  I only wish they had not been so busy. I would love to see them all sitting there with their no photo signs behind them, pen in hand, stack of 8x10 glossies sitting undisturbed as fans walked by reminding them we made them popular. We made them in most cases genre stars.  They should feel honored to give us their John Hancock.  We should not pay. I remember when we didn't.  I have, in fact, Marina Sirtis' autograph to prove it. I also have Patrick Stewart's signature which he also now charges for.

At one booth, hocking Stan Lee's graphic novel of Romeo and Juliet: The War, they announced that if we bought the collectors edition, Stan Lee would be there the next day to sign.  One printed form of the graphic novel was the largest graphic novel, dimensionally speaking, ever printed  according Guinness.  It was printed in a 25 book run and is the size of 24.875" by 33" by 2". There was one on display.  The over-sized book is valued at $10k for each edition.  The normal sized consumer, collector's edition book is $30, and Stan Lee's autograph was $75. Let me get this straight: you want me to pay you for a book which will give Stan Lee royalties and then pay for his signature?  The irony was that the day before, I had been in a panel with Stan Lee and received a ticket for an autographed poster from ... wait for it...Stan Lee.  It was free, and I got to say hello to Stan Lee too.  You see, Stan Lee has for years signed virtually everything that has come his way.  As a collectible, it is far from  valuable; nevertheless, $75 for a Stan Lee is not money he will ever see from my pocket.

But then came the shock.  While my son and I were on the autograph floor, we became separated.  He found himself in front of one of the signing tables.  The person sitting there was not recognized by my son.  He explained he was the main voice for one of the Assassin Creed games.  In other words, his claim to fame was that he was a voice actor on a video game.  He wanted $30 for his autograph.  Has the performance industry digressed to such a point that even the nonfamous now think they should make autograph money.  Don't get me wrong, voice acting is difficult and important for modern games, but honestly, money for an autograph of a virtually unknown performer is the limit.

Thus ends the myth that this money goes to an actor's charity.  It clearly goes into their pocket.  Sorry, but we need to put an end for paying people we make famous more money not for their talent or, in many cases, their luck but for being famous or semi-famous or even...not famous at all. Time to remind them who made who a "star." Don't pay!

Brooks and I..me..No I.

I am like most OCD only on a few things.  One of them is if I collect something, I want the set.  Not just a few but the set. One set, I started working on was getting every book by Terry Brooks I own, signed. I was doing pretty well for a while.  In the past decade, I was unable to make the few signings that Brooks had done in Colorado because of schedule conflicts or because I missed the announcement.  Needless to say I had about over a dozen books by him unsigned...until last night.

On Monday, July 22nd, I saw my favorite author, Terry Brooks.  I'd seen him many times before.  He is a kind, charming and generous man to his fans.  I have no idea what he is actually like, but I do know that he treats every fan, every reader, every would-be writer with genuine, honest respect.  He had to be tired.  You see, I saw Terry Brooks just two days before at the San Diego Comic Con.  Here,he made the fateful error of telling me to bring all  my unsigned books to his Colorado signing.  I did never actually expecting him to sign them all.

Touring and signing books has got to be brutal. Brooks also signs every book for every fan in line.  He will not stop until he has.  He will chat with each and even get up put an arm around them and take a picture.  He, unlike so many in Hollywood, understands how important his readers are.  They have made him a best selling author. No author, no matter how critically acclaimed, becomes a best seller because critics like his book.  It is his fans.  I cannot imagine Terry ever asking for a fan to pay him for his signature. I am also astounded that he still signs every single book.

I first met Terry Brooks in the late 70's.  I met him through his novel The Sword of Shannara. I know many people have done two things with that book...the first is mispronounce the name 'Shannara' saying "shah nare rah" instead of "shan ah rah" and the second is accusing Brooks of stealing from Tolkien.  Finish the book, it is an epic fantasy which involves all the things that every epic fantasy does. When you've read the incredible arc of the story, then you will know it is a long ways from Tolkien.  As to what Terry Brooks thinks about the accusation.  He responded in one interview with one statement about the accusation, "Thank you."

Terry Brooks is the reason that there are shelves and shelves - walls of fantasy fiction at your bookstore or perhaps on your e-reader.  He was the first fantasy writer to break onto the New York Times Best Seller list. He was there before J.K. Rowling and  J.R.R. Tolkien. I am not saying Tolkien wasn't read; he was.  I am saying that it was the boom of Brooks and perhaps role playing that made fantasy a hot property.  When I was a kid on the lone, fantasy book shelf there was maybe the Lord of the Rings, Peter Pan, and a slew of Tarzan books.  Brooks made the rest possible.  He opened the doors.

I still remember when Elfstones of Shannara came out.  I sat on my front porch reading and savoring what would become my favorite book of the series.  My wife and a student named Ray, kept coming out checking to see where I was in the book.  They wanted to read it next, and they wanted me to read it faster.

I would meet the Terry Brook in person in the early 90's. I had finally moved from the middle of the mountains to the front range and discovered my favorite author signed books at places like book stores - who knew?  I brought my books and discovered that Brooks not only signed books purchased at the store but every book.  I still recall the lecture we received on how to pronounce Shannara.  I too had been pronouncing it incorrectly.  Even more exciting was that Brooks did not read from the book he was promoting but from the next one he was writing.

A couple of years later, a few of my students went to a signing he had at the Tattered Cover.  One or two nights later,  I went to a signing at a bookstore in Colorado Springs. They brought with them their Shannara books and proudly announced they had been turned on to him by Mr. Travis who taught their Fantasy Literature class.  I had adopted Shannara as one of my texts for the class.  When I introduced myself, Brooks announced how thrilled he was to have met my kids and how bright they seemed.  I would later write him a letter thanking him for his kind words and told him if ever he wanted to talk literature and writing in my class I would gladly arrange it. Hey, it never hurts to ask.  Terry Brooks wrote me a letter.  Not a typed letter with a stamped signature, but a handwritten letter.  I have it framed and hanging on one wall of my family room.  He, of course politely declined, but he was kind and cordial and charming.

I hold no illusions that Terry Brooks would know me from any Adam or in my case Mitch.  Whether it was from those years and our brief two letter correspondence or from the fleeting moment in line at Comic Con or standing in the line hopeful that he would sign even a half dozen of the books I brought with me,I would not expect him to remember another fan.  Not only did he sign those six, but five more plus one for my daughter as well.  I knew he would still be there, still signing long after I left.  He will be back, perhaps next summer, with his next book, and I will be there if I can.  I doubt he will remember me, but I will remember him.  It is not hard to remember one writer who does this for his fans.  It is not hard to say,

"Thank you, Terry Brooks."

(Note for you fans: Magic Kingdom is in development with Steve Carell attached as the lead,  and Elfstones is about to become a TV series.)

Taking a few days...back soon

Will return to blogging soon.  Hang in there!

A Meme of Nothing

Here's a  meme that's got it all.  I'm still amazed at the expanse of this type of propaganda.  Let put this into perspective.

Gun Control? This relates to the other things in the meme how?  Ninety percent of the nation favors background checks.  Are all of these people  Liberals?

Religion? Separation of Church and State. I'm sure you've heard of it. Again how exactly was religion taken by Liberals?

Health Care? The Affordable Care Act is whether you like it or dislike it the single most sweeping healthcare reform in history of the US. How was healthcare lost?

Job and Home? It seems to me the job and housing market crashed under someone who is less than liberal.  That guy from Texas...you remember...George...something or other.

Children? Who is taking your children? Kidnapping is still a Federal offense.  What on earth are you talking about -- the loss of headstart, the attempt to cut food stamps to the most needy, the elimination of Medicaid which affects families and kids? Sorry.. I just don't get how all these liberals are taking kids.

Food? Someone is stealing food?  I hate to repeat, but what are you talking about? I still don't see it. 

or Rights? Please remind me what rights have been repealed except the voting rights or choice both of which are rights trying to be controlled by the Right.

Seriously? Create sweeping and inaccurate generalities much?