Trilogy Of The Nerds

I know I’m hardly writing anymore. Hell, I can’t claim to be active in most senses of the word. But even I can’t ignore three significant releases all in the span of a week. (Okay, one’s a pre-release to those that went in on Mega Ran Random’s Kickstarter, but still...)

Firstly, the Nerdapalooza 2011 Live Recordings are here! It's a great bit of timing because Nerdapalooza 2012 was recently announced for August 3-5...right here, in downtown Orlando! (TM Mick Foley) It's about that time to get hyped for this year's installment, so this works out pretty damn well.

Now, if you’ve ever been here before, you’re familiar with Nerdapalooza. I don’t have to explain what that is right? Excellent. So, know then that the Recordings are single songs taken from each set at last year’s festival.

There’s a pretty good mix of well-known songs and some that are just good to have recorded that may not have been expected. Seeing Brentafloss’s “Tetris With Lyrics” and the patented Illbotz set opener “Illbotz Rock The Spot and Go Crazy” feel like a given, but they’re cool to have right on hand to relive. Bonus points for including a couple personal favorites in Soup Or Villainz’s “Game to Play” (which turned me into a fan of these guys) and Marc with a C’s “Motherfuckers Be Bullshittin’” which was given a whole new life due to the backing of Sci-Fried, captured here in great detail. On top of that, tracks I almost forgot about and fell in love with all over again, such as My Parents Favorite Music "Coffee" are here as well, and all of it sounds excellent. Hats off to the audio crew that busted their asses at the show, especially to turn out a crystal clear result like this.

All in all, it’s 36 tracks of live goodness with some great acts for only $7 on Bandcamp. For that price, you may as well be stealing it, so piracy’s not even a concern.

Not to be outdone, Adam WarRock turns his Nerdcore sights dead on a classic. Neo-Tokyo is a 7-song collection about Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira - a movie that makes my short list of favorites. (If I still did the C3C1 5, it would probably make the cut, but that faded out quick. Kinda like the rest of the site. But I digress.)

I will well, fully, and freely admit that the first time I heard this, I didn’t like it. That bothered me, because WarRock normally slaps it out of the park every time - or at the very least bounces it from the outfield over the wall for a ground-rule double. A baseball reference? Seriously? I mean, he was in fine form as the verses were straight dominant, but the production almost threatened to drown him out. Not in a “Rock the Bells” kind of way, but that the mood didn’t fit his style.

Then it hit me - maybe that’s kind of the point. The production creates a mood all its own that fits the bleak devastation of the Neo-Tokyo setting. WarRock kind of tones down his usual bluster in favor of relaying the hope-in-a-hopeless-place (no Rihanna references, please) story of kaneda, Tetsuo, and the inhabitants of the titular city. Admittedly it may take a few listens to fully embrace, but once the deliberate departure is realized, it’s worth every bit of its $5 purchase price and then some.

And finally, the aforementioned Random’s newest effort, Language Arts: Vol 01, which I remember he and I talking about when I interviewed him for “Revenge of the Nerds” for Substream Pres--

Wait. Whaddya mean, “it’s no longer there”?? The piece I spent five friggin’ months working on is gone?! You know what, that’s fine. Hunky Dory. Nerdapalooza’s coming up...I need to do my part to hype it...and that article seriously needs a home. I’ll have it reprinted here with in the week. And with all the formatting in the right place, too!

Okay, that bit of business out of the way. Sorry for the distraction. Language Arts. The album - and video game, and comic - are set for release on May 22 but can be pre-ordered now. Upon pre-order, you can download three tracks before the official release. Or, if you want a free single, ”Wake Up (feat. MC Frontalot)” is available for free.

However, I’ve already heard the whole thing. And it’s pretty damn cool. There’s a little of the video game-vibe here, but this more harkens back to The Call rather than having much in common with the Mega Ran and Black Materia (Hah! That one’s still there!). Language Arts: Vol 01 is a nice hybrid of the more serious, introspective work Mega Ran excels at along with some of the digital rush of the gamer material.

The best news? This is Vol 01 of three! Next chapter is due in August, and the final part of the trilogy in November. Plenty of time to enjoy what should be one of the best runs of Mega Ran music in a long time.

Spoil THIS.

Okay, I understand I’m walking a fine line here even before I start. Because, you know, God forbid I offend anyone in today’s uber-sensitive climate where people can have their feelings and sensitivities ruffled over just about anything. Even with that said, I’m trying to be the bigger person here.

So, I’ve seen and heard quite a bit lately about people having to read “spoilers” on their social media feeds. Now, we’re not talking about crucial plot points of a movie or show that hasn’t been released yet being given away to a mass audience. That’s more than understandable. No, this has to do with people commenting on events as they happen and rubbing those that can’t see it the wrong way.

For clarity’s sake, let’s use AMC’s The Walking Dead as our example. The season finale aired back on March 18 and roughly 9 million people saw it. (I wasn’t one of them because, between all the podcasts and online geek news I keep up with, I’m pretty much able to follow both the comic and TV series’ without reading or watching either one. I’ll probably get around to both someday.) While it was happening, a new charac--

Wait, wait, wait. So nobody gets mad at me, either...despite the fact that this happened nearly a month ago now...**SPOILER WARNING**, okay?

Anyway, a new character, Michonne debuted. By new, I mean new to the show, as the character has quite a following as far as the comic series fans go.

There, there’s the end of your **SPOILER WARNING**, okay? But it might come up again, because that’s the entire point of this piece, so maybe I need another **SPOILER WARNING** just for the rest of the column so nobody gets mad. We cool? Okay, great.

People watching the season finale live commented all over the place, as they were uber-excited to see an appearance from Michonne. However, there were people that had to work, or be somewhere else and couldn’t watch the show live, having to opt for seeing it recorded later on.

Despite being so busy they couldn’t see the show, however, they were certainly not too busy that they couldn’t check their social media feeds or go online and see people talking about this all over. And then they haul off and call the people talking about the show as it was happening “assholes” and other cute names just because they had the temerity to go online and read about what they weren’t able to see yet.

Now, let’s clarify something here. Despite how sarcastic (caustic, perhaps?) I’ve been up to this point, I actually try not to give away details of something I’m watching live. I definitely threw out a comment or two about WrestleMania 28, but I kept it to commentary and not giving away results or anything. I actually try to be careful about that sort of thing because, well...I’ve kinda walked away from being a newshound. I spent several years doing that sort of thing and, frankly, there are people like Randy at Geek World Order who have taken up that mantle and run with it better than I’m able to nowadays. That’s also one of the reasons I hardly update this thing anymore, but that’s a digression for a-whole-nother time.

Back to our point, I try to be careful about not giving away details when I’m watching a big event for the sake of those that may not be able to see it right then and there and don’t want everything given away before they can see it. With that said, I also don’t agree with those same people getting all mad and claiming the internet as their own sovereign ground, not to be disturbed or treaded upon by those who are watching whatever event live and want to express their excitement in the details they are seeing unfold.

It’s called “freedom of expression”. You remember that, don’tcha? The thing we’re all guaranteed in the First Amendment of the Constitution? The same freedom that those whiny maggots who yelled loud enough to have the ending of “Mass Effect 3” changed have surrendered their right to argue in favor of ever again because of their over-inflated sense of self-entitlement disguised as nerd rage? Yes, we all still have it. We’re allowed to rant, rave, and yes, discuss things that are happening live, right here and right now, even if we’re told by a few that we’re not allowed because now they can’t be surprised.

If it’s that big of a deal, may I suggest not being on the internet while said events that you can’t see live are happening? Or, at the very least, stay the hell off of the social networks on your phone. The expression “curiosity killed the cat” exists for a reason. If you deliberately stick your foot in an ant mound, who do you really have to blame when you get bit several dozen hundred times? If you know all your friends are watching the show and probably talking about it, then don’t go near it until you’ve had a chance to watch it. It’s really that easy.

I’m sure this came off as being biased toward one side of the argument, but it’s really not. It’s a lesson we can all learn because it’s honestly not that difficult. For those of you that can’t see it as it happens, have a heart for those who can and let them enjoy it in peace while they’re watching it. If you know good and well everybody’s going to be talking about this thing, don’t be so egotistical to think the entire world’s going to steer clear of details because you can’t join the party quite yet. And those of you that are talking about it? Try and have a care for those who can’t see it quite yet. Commentary is fine, but you don’t have to give away every little detail before everyone can see it, because there will be those who simply can’t see it as it happens.

At the end of the day, it’s all about consideration. It’s not as tough as everyone thinks it is, though it does involve some effort in not thinking about just yourself. If we all spent a little more time looking at ourselves to see how we could me more considerate toward others rather than sticking noses in everyone else’s business and picking self-righteous arguments when anyone says something even remotely possibly insensitive toward anyone or anything, I swear to you this world this world would be a much better place. As my good friend Marc would say, “In a world of trolling and negativity, the most punk rock thing you can do is just be nice.”


The classics never get old



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Remember what I said about not breaking news like other dudes? Yeah, everybody and their mom’s already beaten me to this one, but I don’t have to care. I don’t want to be the first to share anything anymore; I just want to share what I like.

Sci-Fried has a new video out for a track called “Never Fall”, an anthemic ditty about the Avengers. So is the video. See, watch:





Oh yeah, and my buddies here are also trying to get to Bonnaroo. Can you find it in your heart to help them out? Maybe even once a day? I promise it won’t cost a dime.

Whatever You Do, Don't Get Killed.

Strictly considered, writing about music is as illogical as singing about economics. All the other arts can be talked about in the terms of ordinary life and experience. A poem, a statue, a painting or a play is a representation of somebody or something, and can be measurably described (the purely aesthetic values aside) by describing what it represents.
- New Republic, February 9, 1918

A day over 94 years later, I would finally find an album that lived up to that very description. Lord knows I’ve written my fair share of reviews about all sorts of madness. In some way shape or form, though, I was able to convey some sort of idea of what the sounds were like and how pleasant they were or weren’t.

Little did I know how tough that would be when I decided to give an ear to a podcaster I’ve come to enjoy over the last 6 months.



The podcast in question is actually plural, with both shows being from the same site. Panels on Pages is a tidy geek culture that focuses mostly on comics, but covers much more. Like video games. And wrestling. JFX316 - aka Jared Whittaker - is a site contributor and shows up on a couple podcasts a week offering his boisterous laugh and laser-focused opinions on a lot of subjects. After this long, I was aware of his music but hadn’t given it a chance until I was virtually dared to by the offer above.

The result? Okay, first, I have to pull a quote from JFX316 himself, from his Twitters:



Keep that exact quote in mind should you decide to make the intelligent decision to go spend $5 on JFX’s latest album, Don’t Get Killed. It speaks volumes about what you’ll hear once the download is done.

Looking for rock and roll? Trance? Trip-hop? A little metal? Dubstep? Where do I stop? There’s so much of a blender mix here it may be more apropos to describe it more like a microwave explosion. Sinking to cliches like “hodge-podge”, “mix of styles”, genre-bending”, and all the rest of those is certainly tempting. Cliches are such because they are true, and they all fit here. But going back to those wells to describe Don’t Get Killed does the record a disservice since it wears its insolence on its sleeve and, for that matter, on its Rusty Shackles-provided cover art:



The rhymes are sprinkled with metric tons of geek references from Tom Brevoort (look him up) to fellow PoP! cohort Dan Mahoney. Oh, and there are mentions of rasslin’ all over the place. And topical stuff that gets made fun of, too! Aside from all that, there are moments when these things are wrapped around JFX’s sonic fist like a chain that drills you right between the eyes:

Hip hop’s a dead man and I’m the White Lantern
Always backin’ up the fam, everyone else is catching a sidewalk slam...
All I wanted to be was the next Chuck D, MF Doom, Kool Keith, or DMC
Life in shambles, like DMZ
- JFX316, “Don’t Get Killed”

If you’re looking to dip out of here now and pick this up, I wouldn’t blame you one bit. But before you go, be warned now if you’re thinking this might make for a great record to have on in the background while you try and concentrate on something else, think again. The disjointed sounds alone will see to it that your attention is focused squarely on Don’t Get Killed whenever it’s playing. The closest thing this guy comes to a single is “Destitute”, which is still all over the place but somewhat refined with the most pop-esque sound you’re likely to hear out of JFX. Even that’s not very radio-friendly; in fact, it’s much more mocking of the idea of “let’s have a hit single” just in sound alone.



Self-effacing is something that JFX seems to do well. Not in the means that he has no confidence in himself, because it takes guts to put out a record at all in the world of digital media gluttony no matter who you are. It takes guts to make any kind of art, really. That having been said, he’ll apparently be the first to tell you:

A year ago, I was screaming “fuck you” on podcasts,
But now I get paid for shitty products like my name was Comcast...
I should change my name to Skynet, I’m self-aware, I’m everywhere
And I’m unsure why anybody fucking cares...
No producer please, sucker, please,
If you talk about me, please put the word ‘rapper’ in parentheses
- JFX316, “Sugary Disaster Cereals”

As far as the beats and the accompaniment go, not many dudes would be willing to make rap beats out of Nine Inch Nails and Danzig. I’m not sure how many would even be able. JFX pulls this off, and the kinda scary thing is those are probably a couple of the more tame beats on the record. An odd imaginarium of dubsteb, electronica, a dash of guitar, a slight hint of cacophony, and generous portions of middle finger are what the music itself is made of. Sits well right alongside the bouillabaisse of apathy, rage, disenchantment, disbelief, and generous portions of middle finger that comprise the majority of the vocals and rhymes.

I’ll be honest, after looking back at what I wrote objectively, it almost looks like there’s no discernible reason to give this a listen. But that might be the strength of Don’t Get Killed is that is might be a challenge to sit through. Let’s just shoot for a second - hip-hop, as we know it, is on life support at the very best. Cats like Apathy, Lyrics Born, Skratch Bastid, and Chuck D are doing their best to keep it alive when most of the art - or lack thereof - is slickly produced, soulless drivel that’s easily interchangeable. I can now add JFX316 to that list after haring an album that would rather stage dive in to a crowd of Occupy protesters on Wall Street from 50 stories up than be considered “Hip-Hop”. By being so openly defiant and not at all what the iPod crowd would probably not even consider actual music, Don’t Get Killed would probably shake the sleeping masses like a drunken nanny were it ever to reach them. For everyone’s sake, I would love to see exactly that happen, because this display of guts deserves that.

Go see for yourself and give Don’t Get Killed a try at the link your eyeballs just passed. If you think guys like Drake, T.I. and The Game are the kings of hip-hop, give up the mediocrity and pick this up. If you’re a music buff wanting to hear something different, treat yourself and pick this up. If any of those aren’t good enough reasons, this should be:

Dust to Dust

Mikal kHill is at it again, kids.

This time? A collaboration with Romero and a change of roles. With The Browncoats Mixtape, kHill mainly played the role of producer, putting together some great beats culled from “Firefly”. Now, he shows of more of his vocal skills on dust with Romero handling the instrumentals.

So how is kHill on vocals? Please. You heard him on MegaRan’s Black Materia album, right? Sure you did, on track 7. (If not, you have another chance because the remix album is out now, too. On that one, look for track 13.) Good stuff. Now imagine that dexterity, only grittier. Hungrier. Tossing the mundane frivolity of life’s inane prattling out the window. You have an idea on how good he sounds on dust.

And Romero backs him handily. For a guy in good company with 8-bit sounds and brilliant remixes of television scores, kHill sounds downright amazing backed by piano instrumentals, sirens, and whatever else Romero can get his hands on to make sure kHill’s vocals - and moods - shine.

The best part of this is? This show’s hitting the road, starting today. kHill is on a mini-tour with Jesse Dangerously and Shane Hall (also of Whatevermore: Live From The Raven). With them, in each town, are selected local acts. Giving back to the community and rocking out. I knew I liked kHill for a reason.

Catch the Humbled to Dust starting today at the following locations (courtesy of the tour’s Facebook page, which I just linked):


Feb 3 - Columbia, SC @ Conundrum 8pm door/ 9pm show / $6 over 21 / $8 under 21 (Mikal kHill, Tribe One, cecilnick, Shane Hall & MC Stealth)


Feb 4 - Orlando, FL @ Back Booth 7pm door / 7:30pm show /$7 ALL AGES (Jesse Dangerously, MC Wreckshin, Rainbowdragoneyes, Mikal kHill, Shane Hall, Slice of Life)


Feb 6 - Charlotte NC @ The Milestone 8pm door / 9pm show /18 and up/ $7 over 21 / $?-9 under 21 (ThoughtCriminals, Jesse D, Shane Hall, MC Stealth, & 6SIGMA)


Feb 7 - Durham, NC @ The Garage Bar @ Motorco -doors at 7pm/show at 8pm/$5 18 & up (17 and under welcome with a guardian) (ThoughtCriminals, Jesse Dangerously, Shane Hall)


Feb 8 - Baltimore, MD @ Bohemian Coffeehouse 7pm / 8pm show / FREE $0.00!!! ALL AGES (Collectible Humans, Jesse D & Shane Hall)


Feb 9 - Philadelphia, PA @ Little Bar ( Mikey Mo, Sketch Lightly, Jesse D, Shane Hall, Voss & LTC)


Feb 10 - Brooklyn, NY @ moon-ii [319 Rutledge St, Brooklyn] (Schaffer the Darklord, People With Teeth, Jesse D, Mikal kHill, Shane Hall, remind) Hosted by Shane with DJ Halo on the tables ALL NIIIIGHT LOOONG


Feb 11 - Worcester, MA @ 97 D Webster St. / $5-$10 suggested donation / ALL AGES (Jesse D, Mikal kHill, Shane Hall, Jon Von Wonderful, The Grand Arkanum, HW) with an opening set by DJ Snaxx


Oh, yeah. Here’s a video off the new record. Because I like you.

Kim Kardashian Admits It's All A Circus?

"Claims of tension in the marriage have spread across entertainment media for the past week, with reports of 26-year-old New Jersey Nets player Humphries' reluctance to play his role in the Kardashian brand and differences over where the newlyweds should make their home.".

- From Reuters

So basically, Kim Kardashian filed for divorce because Kris Humphries didn't want to join the media circus? Is that what I'm to understand out of all this?

Anybody who knows me and/or has read my ramblings for any length of time knows how pathetic I think prefabricated celebrity and corporate media both are. The above statement could very well stand as confirmation that the Kardashians are both.

So, why the hell are people still paying attention?
And the funniest part is? E! is still showing reruns of the "wedding of the century" because it's a huge ratings draw. Brilliant.


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C3C1 Mobile - 10.21.11

Meet the new Caylee and Casey Anthony.

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Let's Hear It For Originality 01

Wait, why does this sound so familia--



Fergie, you thieving bitch.

WWE Walks Out - On Logic And Sense

How bad did the ending to this week's WWE Raw suck? Let me count the ways...





1) If the Board of Directors for WWE were the ones that gave Vince the Vote of No Confidence and had him replaced, why are they not doing the same to Triple-H?



2) How can WWE’s talent give him that vote when they’re not even technically employees of the company?



3) They’re all independent contractors, remember?



4) Why did this happen on live TV and not in the Boardroom? Name one other company that has televised a live “Vote of Confidence” meeting.



5) Wade Barrett railing against chaos and an “unsafe working environment” and being afraid of being “attacked in the parking lot”? Really?



6) Okay, that was actually pretty funny.



7) Mike Chioda is the spokesperson for the referees. The guy that just came off of a Wellness suspension. Because his credibility can’t be questioned.



8) Beth Phoenix? Of all people? Pulls the “we’re ickle pwetty girls and we could get a boo-boo” card? The girl who just recently had a Twitter profile pic of her holding an alligator>? Whose entire persona revolves around not being a Barbie doll but being tougher than the average Diva? Seriously?



9) And if you’re that concerned with getting hurt, ladies, then why on earth are you there?



10) I don’t know much about the “Vote of Confidence” procedure, but doesn’t everyone have to give their vote individually? And state their reasons for their vote?



11) So, hold on - everyone walked out? Isn’t that a resignation from the job? They just all quit, right?



12) Hell, buy TNA and replace them all! Not like they’re doing anything important!



13) What exactly happened to merit a “Vote of Confidence”, anyway? The place is an “unsafe working environment” and Triple-H “lost control of the company”?



14) Why wasn’t any of this done when the Nexus attacked in June, 2010? You mean to tell me a run-in from The Miz and R-Truth was worse that that?



15) I don’t think so. A couple referees and a few of the talent took a beating, but who else has been attacked?



16) Oh, but things were already bad before this? How? Name one instance that was worse than the end of the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.



17) And no, the heels banding together to air their grievances doesn’t count. Claiming an “unsafe environment” for instances that you have done yourself isn’t even an argument?



18) Doesn’t all of this seem rather silly? Especially for a wrestling show? Yeah, that’s what I thought, too.



19) But, you know what? It’s their fault for trying to be more “realistic”. In doing so, logic has to be part of the equation. And it’s obvious that none was employed here.



20) If you want to be “more realistic”, try presenting WWE as an actual sports product. Focusing on the word “entertainment” isn’t working out for you.



21) Because all it’s lead to nonsensical storylines that are completely illogical. It may please the kids you’re coveting as an audience, but it’s driving long-time fans away who simply want their wrestling product to make some sense.



22) Oh, and please don’t give me the party line about how I’m a “hater” because I’m not willing to “see how this plays out.” I tried that once already. With CM Punk. And we see how well WWE followed up on that.



23) Speaking of CM Punk, where was he during all this? Isn’t he that guy that wanted “change” so bad? And he wasn’t there to vote?



24) For that matter, where were John Cena and Randy Orton, the two biggest stars in the company? Would this not concern them as well?

Quoth The Browncoats, Whatevermore

Mikal kHill of the ThoughtCriminals has been one busy dude. Within less than a month, kHill has two releases in the can.

One, you may have heard by now, as kHill provided the beats and a handful of vocals on The Browncoats Mixtape. He and fellow Nerdcore star (I think we can cut “rising” out of the equation at this point) Adam WarRock have released an album dedicated to Joss Wheedon’s lamented “Firefly” series. Going in to this, I knew next to nothing about “Firefly” and wasn’t sure I’d pick up on a lot of what was about to transpire.

The good news, I didn’t have to. WarRock takes themes easily relatable - those of being your own man and standing by what’s right, relying on no one’s ideals but your own - and wraps them around stories involving the crew of Serenity. WarRock’s lyricism is deftly done here, as metaphors are easily woven in to the mix.

WarRock’s strongest asset as an MC is that he can spin lyrical tapestries that defy the human tongue, yet none of them are so heavy with slang and references that make no sense that they’re impenetrable. On the contrary, WarRock keeps things sophisticated yet simple. Anyone can follow along, but still marvel at how well the lyrics are spun.

In the case of The Browncoats Mixtape, WarRock has an excellent backdrop to tell his tall tales to. kHill takes the nouveau-Western music of “Firefly” (I assume) and turns them in to great accompaniment. The melodies are those of simultaneous despair and hope, capturing the feeling of not only WarRock’s stories, but of how many fans felt about the series itself.

The Browncoats Mixtape comes highly recommended, whether you’re a fan of “Firefly” or not. At the end of the day, it’s a solid hip-hop work. And it’s free! You can grab it from both the sites of Adam WarRock and the ThoughtCriminals.

After picking up The Browncoats Mixtape from the ThoughtCriminals site, you can then head to their Bandcamp site and pre-order the Thought Criminals live album. Whatevermore (Live from the Raven) was recorded not too long ago - July 31, as a matter of fact, on the second night of the “Pay What You Can” festival at The Raven in Worcester, MA.

For the live record, the ThoughtCriminals shared the stage with Shane Hall, a Massachusettes native with as much energy to burn as the ThoughtCriminals themselves. Having known each other a long time, 2011 is the year they started tag-teaming stages all over the country, starting at SxSW in March.

Here, the ThoughtCriminals and Hall are presented in all their independent, “no-money-mo’-problems glory”. That is to say, the record is a showcase of not only independent musicians dominating a stage with talent, guts and willpower, but also of the problems they face in doing so. The record is presented with technical problems intact to show the perils of independent art and touring, but those issues are actually rather minimal - a testament to the know-how of all involved.

And the music? You’re in for a treat. Whatevermore (Live from the Raven) represents the best of the ThoughtCriminals with tracks such as “Return of the Antagonist (Drastic Measures)” and “Warp Zone (1-2)”. kHill and company - Sulfur (vocals), Kevin Morgan (guitar), Alan Erickson (bass), Chris Wilson (keyboards), and Stephen Williams (drums) - combine to form a hip-hop collective that also include components of chiptunes (kHill does play an NES, after all), rock, punk, and just plain attitude. Hearing that on stage is a great time once it’s realized they waste no time bringing the energy. About halfway through, they are joined by Shane Hall. His manic, infectious rantings go perfectly with the ThoughtCriminals mentality of laying it all on the line each time they take the stage.

Whatevermore (Live from the Raven) can be pre-ordered now via the ThoughtCriminals’ BandCamp. On October 25, those that took the plunge will glad they did once the record is released. As Adam WarRock himself said, the album is “not just a great live RAP album, this album is a great example of acts sharing a stage, collaborating, melding hip hop and live instrumentation, and just making good damn music."

The Irrelevance of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Blogcritics Music

Or: Why we no longer care who’s inducted

This wound up going in a completely different direction from what I originally planned.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2012 Nominees Announced - Orlando rock music | Examiner.com

And the Nominees are...

Squash The Tomato...

...and play catch-up.



First of all, the "C3C1 5" series has pretty much determined on its own that it's going to be a bi-weekly feature. And that's depending on whether or not I make a pretty big creative decision, but that'll be in a minute.



Second, if you've been missing out on the Tumblr page, the New DC reviews have started there as an exclusive. Go get caught up:



Justice League #1



Action Comics #1



Swamp Thing #1



Detective Comics #1



They're hitting at the rate of 4 a week now, so keep coming back. It works.



Third, I'm weighing a decision to pursue something I've always wanted to do. Something that, because it would take a lot of effort to make happen, would seriously cramp my schedule (on top of already having a family, working full-time and going to school. This would be creative writing...on a pretty big scale if it gets published.



Bad news is, because of all of that, it would take me away from here a LOT more than I already am now. Like, I may be here once in a blue moon, but ANY regular updates would be out of the question.



Any thoughts?

WWE's Newest Signee Is...

(FCW = WWE's farm league Developmental Area, by the way.)

In case you may not know who that is, Arda Ocal, host of Right After Wrestling Aftermath Radio, explains a little more...

In case you still don't know who that is:

1) Get out from under that rock.

2) I'll then tell you he is a former Ring of Honor World Tag-Team Champion, along with Chris Hero - collectively, the Kings of Wrestling.

My question now is...is Hero coming with him? If WWE is serious about "rebuilding their tag-team division", I certainly well hope so.

Be that as it may, this is still pretty big news.

Count3rCu1ture, The New DC: Justice League #1

Exclusive to Tumblr! Starting today and twice a week for...probably a while, you can see how the New DC unfolds and how a jaded fan reacts with surprise (in some cases).

Oh, hey, while I have you here...

You may remember a while back I mentioned that Shinobi Ninja had their video for "Rock Hood" out for your perusal. In case you didn't catch it, let's go to the instant replay:



So why am I bringing this up again? Because this video now has a chance to be in regular rotation at MTVu. And you can help make it happen.

If it can be done, Shinobi Ninja has promised a surprise for their fans. I'll let them give the details (courtesy of the Facebook Event page they've set up for this):

If we win this contest, we're going to throw a FREE rooftop party/concert with all sorts of swag and food. Invites will go out to everyone who votes, blasts the link, and attends and posts on this FB event. If you aren't an NYC native, you'll get an exclusive invite to stream the show and party with us online.

Its been a long and winding road but today, we're here to tell you dreams really can come true!!! Right now at this moment, Shinobi Ninja is on the brink of something amazing. No label, no suits, no BS...All of it is because of the love and support that fans like you have given us over the past three years.

A few weeks ago, MTVU.com posted an interview with us on the "Hot Seat" section instead of adding our Rock Hood video into rotation. The response to the interview was so overwhelming that MTV's staff came to see us play later that week in NYC at Arlene's Grocery. The combination of our live performance and our incredibly dedicated fans earned us a shot at the BIGTIME!!!!

Every week, MTVU selects 5 new artists to compete for an add in MTVU's regular rotation.

Millions of people discover new music on MTVU every day.

THIS WEEK, ITS OUR TURN! Its the biggest thing to happen to us since we played our first show ever at the Knitting Factory in August 2008 (by the way we are about to play our SECOND show at the Knit this week...coincidence or destiny?!?!)

Help us write the last sentence in the first chapter of the story of Shinobi Ninja and vote for "Rock Hood" on MTVU.com!

Just a little hint, you can vote as many times as you'd like!

Share this link on your social networks and tell your friends to vote too!

Happy Voting!!!!

Terminator Dave + Shinobi Ninja

The reasons I'm putting this out there?

1) Hell yeah I want an invite to this show online!

2) After seeing their set and meeting them at Nerdapalooza, I can personally vouch for not only their talent and stage presence, but for the fact that this is a genuinely nice group of folks who love recording and performing. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and I can't help but dig that.

3) They said it themselves: Shinobi Ninja is on the brink of something amazing. No label, no suits, no BS...All of it is because of the love and support that fans like you have given us over the past three years. This is a classic tale of a do-it-yourself act that's gotten to where they are on nothing but hard work, fan appreciation, and an ethic that this site embraces. They deserve to see their dreams come true, and this could be the chance they have to make it happen.

So please, go check out the video and vote for them. I'm sure you want to be invited to the party too, right?

The New DC Flash: Why (Not)?

It’s been well-documented that I have my misgivings about “The New DC”. At the same time, I also understand why they’re doing it and what may come from it.* Some of the changes made to DC’s characters regarding the New DC I’ve agreed with, and some I haven’t. There’s one change, however, that I don’t know if I’m on board with or not.

DC Editor Brian Cunningham, who now takes over The Flash in the New DC, announced recently that in the new Flash series, “The Flash is a single man. He’s a bachelor who has never been married.”

Let me translate for those of you that may not grasp what just happened. Barry Allen and Iris West Allen were married in Flash #165 (vol. 1), which came out in November of 1966. With one stroke, a 45-year character marriage has been wiped from history.

My initial reaction to this? “Um, excuse me, Mr. Cunningham, sir?”





Let’s clarify this before it even starts: I didn’t decry this just because DC ditched a 45 year-old marriage. The problem here was that marriage came to define Barry Allen’s character as much as the costume he wore.

As stated before, what got me in to the Flash - and in to comics as a whole - was “The Trial of Barry Allen.” Allen was on trial for the murder of his arch-nemesis, Eobard Thawne (Professor Zoom), who had attempted to murder Allen’s fiancee. Allen killed Thawne not just because of the attempted murder, but because Thawne had also murdered his wife, Iris, the same way. That emotional turmoil was at the center of this story, and has been at the center of so many more.

In fact, the relationship between Barry and Iris was so strong that it became a focal point of the entire Flash Mythology, period. The original Flash, Jay Garrick, always his spouse, Joan, at his side. Barry’s successor, Wally West, was married to Linda park, and writer Mark Waid used that relationship to emotionally ground West just like his predecessor, Barry, was grounded by Iris. In “Flash: Rebirth”, the series that brought Barry Allen back proper - and actually began the series of events that would lead to the New DC in the first place - Allen escapes the “Speed Force” by remaining connected to his “lightning rod”...his wife, Iris.

Many comics fans are mad as hell over this particular change. Voiding the marriage of Superman and Lois Lane? not so bad; they were married for 15 of the character’s 73-year history. But this one? Oh, man.

Here, I’ll give you an idea. Ari Berenstein, writer of 411 Wrestling’s Column of Honor” and comic fan, offered me a quote for this story: "DC you don't have to undo marriages in order to create personal conflicts and tensions in a story. If you can't create an interesting story with conflict and tension without saying "this didn't happen and we're starting over" then get out of the industry and stop writing comics, stories, anything!" There are many more sentiments like that out there, and I was certainly one of them.

But then, I started thinking about it a little more. Iris West Allen wasn’t all that defined Barry Allen as The Flash. She was certainly a constant, but this was only a piece of the puzzle. Barry Allen was always - with or without Iris - defined as a good man who sought justice. A little vague for a comic book superhero, sure, but Barry Allen was one of the few that exemplify the values of a superhero.

Why can’t he do that as a single man? I mean, wasn’t this one of the qualities that Iris Allen fell in love with about him in the first place? Seeing Barry Allen redefined as the same person he ever was...actually sounds fascinating. And there’s no reason this can’t be done.





However, I’m not 100% sold on the idea quite yet. That task is going to fall on Francis Manapul. Manapul can certainly draw The Flash. Not since Carmine Infantino himself was an artist born to draw Barry Allen and his adventures. But, is he as good of a writer as an artist?

The immediate, knee-jerk answer is...I have no idea. I’ve never read anything that Manapul has written. I’m not sure he’s written anything at all, to be honest and if he has, I haven’t seen it. In that regard, Manapul certainly comes off as a wild card here.

All in all, I’m curious to see how DC can redefine a character in such a manner. I’m curious to see if Manapul can pull this off. I’m curious to see, since Cunningham also revealed that Iris West will still be around, if this will eventually tell the courtship of Barry and Iris. if that’s the case, I’m curious to see how long they can keep away from that.

As you can guess, though, I’m certainly curious enough to pick up the first issue of the new Flash series. This will have to be seen to be believed and examined further.



* - (Cheap plug time: I wanted to wait a bit until after everybody else and their mother had their say so I could have some time to not be influenced by the reviews. Now that enough time has passed, I’ll be reviewing selected new books starting tomorrow, at the rate of two a week. Those reviews will be brief, and available exclusively at the Count3rCu1ture Tumblr page. Bet you didn’t even know I had one of those, did you? You do now. Go check it out.)

C3C1 5 - Superheroes

Welcome to as personal of a look at me as you’re going to get here.

“C3C1 5” is a series of lists detailing my personal favorite...whatever topic I happen to choose. I am trying to make these a weekly ongoing feature. Of course, my reputation for regularity isn’t the greatest in the world; heck, I’ve already skipped a week due to having to get a lot of other work done while adjusting to a new schedule, but now we commence with round 02.

The reasons and rules for this are available in the first installment. Suffice to say, they can be summed up very simply with this statement:

The views and opinions expressed herein are those solely of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the rest of the human race.


Welcome to round 02 (Fight!) of C3C1 5. This week’s list of five is:

Five Fave Superheroes

It’s that simple, folks - the big guns. The guys we all know and love from the funny book pages. I was actually going to save this because I wasn’t sure I wanted two comic-centric lists back-to-back, but there is a particular reason this is going up now. You’ll get a hint later and find out exactly why tomorrow.

Enough of the jibba-jabba. Let’s do this:




05: Green Lantern

Admittedly, I’m a little late to the game here. And Geoff Johns has a lot to do with GL’s placement this high on the list with the way he’s completely redefined the mythology. All that out there, Green Lantern - and make no mistake, this is certainly Hal Jordan we’re discussing here - has always fascinated me because of the idea of redemption. From losing his dad early on and living up to the ideal he thought his father would have had, to losing his schtuff when Coast City was destroyed, setting him on a path of evil and a return to righteousness, Jordan’s story has always been one I’ve enjoyed following and, at times, certainly relating to. And let’s face it, that ring can do some amazing stuff.






04: The Hulk

(A momentary aside: you can tell I’m pretty much a DC guy when there’s one Marvel character that cracks the C3C1 5. Not that I hate Marvel at all; I grew up with the X-Men. I dig the Avengers trinity as much as the next fan. But, when it comes to individual characters, you can tell which publisher has always had my attention more than the other.)

Anyone who’s seen my temper up close and personal knows exactly why The Hulk is on this list. I can rage with the best of them, and most times it’s for the same reason - I’ve always let myself be walked on when it comes to relationships with other people. When I see just how bad I’ve gotten the shaft for how long...yeah. I don’t grow to 5x my size or turn green (or gray or red), but this is pretty much the result. Nowadays I’m a lot better at not letting my temper get that far. However, if I went through what the Hulk did in Planet Hulk, I totally would have done what he did in World War Hulk (one of my fave Hulk stories). And I wouldn’t think twice about it.






03: The Flash

The Flash is what got me started on comics in the first place. It was The Trial of Barry Allen, and the end of his first series. Watching a man go through losing his first wife and then almost having his new fiancee murdered by the same person was captivating. That did it.

There’s a lot more to be said for The Flash and Barry Allen (the version represented here, although Wally West is a very close second). And it will be said tomorrow. Some news came about The Flash in the New DC that has to be discussed in detail. Yes, The Flash is the reason this list was posted now instead of later. Stay tuned.






02: Batman

Bat man is a straight-up icon of a man honing himself to be the pinnacle of human achievement using only his mind and his will. It’s the reason he tops probably a couple million “favorite superhero” lists - he has no superpowers; he’s just a man that built himself to be the best, an ideal most o0f us strive for.

What made me love Batman was Batman #400. It was here that Batman’s nightmare came to life, putting him against odds he couldn’t possibly overcome. And yet, he did. It’s a story that sums up his will and ability to overcome anything, all done in a beautiful, self-contained story.






01: Superman

If you don’t think the comic book fanbase has its share of hipsters, think again. It’s all the rage to hate Superman nowadays. “He’s too powerful”...”he’s such a boy scout”...”man his recent stories have really sucked.”

Okay, I can’t argue with that last one. But everything else is excuses in the form of gross oversimplifications. Superman was the first superhero. He captured imaginations in 1938 for the same reason he does now - who doesn’t want the ability to do damn-near anything? Many fans that bag on him now cover that jealousy with another excuse: “He can do anything he wants, yet he chooses to be a good guy?”

Yes, he does. And for all that ability and power, Superman is still mortal. He’s just as human as any of us. The best stories illustrate this perfectly, and even comic creators tend to screw that up. Hell, J Michael Straczynski inexplicably wrote one of the best and worst superman stories ever!

He’s a tough character to nail because not any people can fully grasp how someone so all-powerful can also be so vulnerable. But when he’s done right, Superman shows us that he is our actual self, while Batman is our ideal self. Batman has made himself perfect, while Superman was made perfect, but continues to show us how human we all are.

Remembering September 11: The Music - Blogcritics Music

Remembering September 11: The Music - Blogcritics Music

A look at some of the albums released on that fateful day.

Count3rCu1ture Mobile - 08.31.11

**SPOILER WARNING for "The Man of Steel"**

This picture just happens to leak today. The same day that the "New DC Universe" officially launches with Justice League #1.

Today's vocabulary word, class, is "corporate synergy". Say it with me now...

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C3C1 5 - Second-Tier Comic Characters

Welcome to as personal of a look at me as you’re going to get here.

“C3C1 5” is a series of lists detailing my personal favorite...whatever topic I happen to choose. I am trying to make these a weekly ongoing feature. Of course, my reputation for regularity isn’t the greatest in the world and even I realize that, but we shall see.

The reasons for this feature are threefold. One, I get to talk about stuff that I like. Two, you get an idea of how my tastes and philosophy in doing this site are shaped. Three, I understand lists are all the rage because the average internet peruser has the attention span of a hummingbird, so why not use that to my advantage?

Oh and for any “I can’t believe you didn’t include so-and-so” comments that may arise? Go play in a hurricane. The reason that “so-and-so wasn’t included” is because these are lists of personal tastes, not All-Time Greatest, Most Significant or anything of the like. These are simply my picks, and...hell, we’ll go with an oldie but goodie...

The views and opinions expressed herein are those solely of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of the rest of the human race.


Welcome to the first installment of C3C1 5. This week’s list of five is:

Five Fave Second-Tier Superhero Comic Characters

Yeah, I know - what a weird place to start, right? That’s because thinking of the very list you’re about to read is what inspired the idea of doing this feature in the first place.

That’s kind of a long title and I understand there’s some explanation of criteria to be had, so here it is. These are characters that have appeared in mainstream superhero comics, but are not, by any means, mainstream characters.

Only one of the below has appeared in a movie and one is about to get his own TV show, but overall these are characters that mainstream audiences would hear the names of and go, “who?” Yet, at the same time, these are characters that have helped shape my love of comics since I was a kid.

And this was tougher than I thought it would be, because there were quite a few characters that shaped my comic tastes back then. Off of this list, I had to carefully consider and painfully eliminate a few "Honorable mentions" such as Warlord, Vigilante (Adrian Chase), Etrigan, and a couple others. After mulling it over for several days, the list below represents the "Final Cut".

Speaking of the top five...



05: Blue Devil

This series was such a blast when it first came out - and off the norm of what DC was offering. That’s why I initially read it - to see something different. What I wound up with was a wisecracking “average guy” who worked in Hollywood - stuntman Dan Cassidy, who has the super-techno-advanced Blue Devil suit used for a movie fused to him during an attack on the set by a real demon. Cassidy remained a guy trying to live as normal of a life as he could while being stuck inside this suit - oh, and fighting bad guys who would keep showing up thinking he was something other than what he was. The comedy of errors blended with more of a real sense of someone being a reluctant hero put Blue Devil over for me. Now I only hope, during the reboot coming up in a few days, they decide to do something worthwhile with him other than making him a real demon (which removes most of the basis for his entire character) and so depressingly grim.





04: Kamandi

Strangely enough, one of the Jack Kirby creations that stands out to me the most is probably the least known of all of his works. Kamandi is "The Last Boy on Earth", and the first "post-apocalyptic" story/character I came in contact with. Of course, as a kid, the idea of an Earth with nothing/no one left was mind-blowing in and of itself, but the sole survivor was my age? Kirby did a great job with telling Kamandi's story and portraying the "animals" (or beasts mutated in to humanoid form by "The Great Disaster") around him. Come to think of it, One of the reasons I took to ThunderCats so well - both as a kid and now - could be due to the fact that, all things considered, ThunderCats looks a lot like Kamandi, only without the human boy.





03: Sebastian Shaw

This is the one people are probably the most familiar with now on this, having seen Kevin Bacon portray him in X-Men: First Class. Bacon did a good job with what he was presented as the character, but it wasn’t 100% right - and I don’t just mean his powerset. Shaw can only absorb and re-direct kinetic energy; or, as he puts it, “the harder he’s hit, the stronger he becomes.” So, how does a guy with what could be considered limited abilities become leader of the Hellfire Club alongside powerhouses like Mastermind and the White Queen, Emma frost? For the same reason I dig him as much as I do - for being a cunning and conniving SOB.

P.S. I totally had no idea that the actor that played the unmasked Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi has the same name until I went looking up pictures of the character. That’s rather interesting.





02: Legion

One of the most fascinating characters I’ve seen in any comic at any given time. (In fact, if a project I’ve been working ever gets off the ground, you’ll see a character inspired by him.) Legion is David Charles Haller, son of Professor Charles Xavier. He’s been referred to as autistic and schzophrenic, so his actual condition isn’t clear, but its effect is - Legion employs a variety of powers determined which of his personalities is in control if his mind at that moment. At heart, he is a good person who cannot control the harm he has caused. Sympathetic and multi-layered...so why hasn’t Marvel done more with him again? And don’t feed me that “Age of Apocalypse” crap, either - that was so 90s.





01: Deadman

Boston Brand went from cocky, self-centered trapeze performer to a wandering spirit in search of atonement and his killer with a hook for a right hand. All it took was a bullet through the chest during one of his performances and a long fall from the big top. The stories told with him and walking a fine line between the supernatural and realism hooked me ever since I first saw him. He’s about to become the CW’s follow-up to Smallville, and that should make for good television. Someone described the concept as a supernatural version of “Quantum Leap”, and I suppose that’s rather accurate, if not simplifying the character a bit. There’s a rich history and story potential that follows Boston Brand, and I’ve always been a fan of that.

Virtual Pop Music: The Creation and Rise of Aimi Eguchi - Blogcritics Music

"Do you wonder what it's like living in a permanent imagination?"



Creepy. And fascinating.

Atomic Comics R.I.P.

The market for the tablet has exploded in the wake of the success of the iPad, with nearly every electronics company rushing their own models in to production. Of course, the tablet is just the right size for reading comics, and the popularity of apps such as Comixology is growing right along with the tablet market.

But, where does this leave the traditional shops? Long seen as a haven for dyed-in-the-wool nerds, many people have normally strayed away from comic shops...For most shop owners that may not know how to adapt to changing times, the announcement of same-day digital releases can be a little scary…

- Me again, Examining the DC Relaunch Part 01: The Business, Examiner.com


Several news bits have come out this week that have made the above statements a lot more interesting.

First of all, did you see the movie Kick Ass? Remember the comic shop the gang hung out in? That was Arizona-based Atomic Comics, one of the biggest and most popular comic shops in the country. And earlier this week, they closed their doors for good.



All About Books and Comics is working to fill the shop’s orders to customers that have been left out in the lurch. That having been said, it has to be tough to be any comic shop owner and watch one of the giants fall with virtually no warning. Makes you wonder what hope any of the other shops have.

Interestingly enough, one of the biggest threats to brick-and-mortar shops is stepping in to help out. Digital retailer ComiXology has opened more than 100 digital “storefronts” for comic shops. The move is part of ComiXology’s comic shop affiliate program to help physical shops serve online customers as well, and seems like a good move. However, some owners of physical shops don’t think ComiXology’s terms are fair at all and are afraid that this may only hasten the death of the comic shop as we know it. And would that serve as the death knell for the market itself?

There’s certainly a lot of behind-the-scenes going on right now in the comic world, and some of it looks scary. Depending what side of the coin you call on, however, the future could look pretty bright as well. All of this merits keeping an eye on, because the future of an industry...check that, a culture could be at stake.

"Man of Steel" Taking Lead From DC Reboot

WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for the in-production Superman: Man of Steel.


Another reason DC may be holding out information is the current lawsuit between DC’s parent company, Warner Bros, and the heirs of Superman’s creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. If the lawsuit is not settled by 2013, some core elements of Superman’s origin and character become property of the estates of Siegel and Shuster. Is DC planning a pre-emptive srtrike in completely changing the world’s most recognizeable superhero?

- Me, Examining the DC Relaunch Part 03: The Heavyweights, Examiner.com


It was a damn set-up.

Looking back on that statement, it certainly helps make the DC Reboot make a little more sense now. Sure, that's an awful lot of change, but it goes a long way toward reigning in a little more control of the biggest character in the industry (no matter how many wanna hate, let's face facts here).

Let's get right to it. Take a look at the cover for the new Superman #1 (drawn by the legendary George Perez), coming out in September, for just a moment:



Got it? Good. Prepare to use that as a reference point, okay?

Now, some enterprising individual(s?) happened to snap some set shots of Superman: Man of Steel, due out Summer, 2013. The shots are meant to be a revelation of the character Faora, played by Antje Traue. Before you ask the question, no, I don't have a clue who she is. The actress or the character. And really, it's not important here.

And I have to say, I normally tend to ignore spoiler shots like this. They very rarely tell anything about the final product because, in the world of CGI, there's so much missing. And a photo can't say a thing about whether or not the plot's any good. However, this one I came across - and these set pics happened to tell me a lot. Not about how the movie looks or how great of a story we're in for, but more of how DC and Warner Bros plan to get around this lawsuit issue and still create a new buzz for the biggest character in comics all at the same time.

Take a good look at the set photo. Pay particular attention to the man in red and blue:



Whoa wait, what? One more time, in slow-motion:



Yeah, I think that's exactly what DC has in mind. "Freshening up characters," "relating to real-world situations," and "injecting new life" all sounds good and fine, but exerting more control over your properties - and how they're portrayed in other media - is just as important.


++++++++++++++


A coupla music videos for ya. Well, one full one and one teaser.

The full one comes from my pals Shinobi Ninja. It is the title track from their record, Rock Hood, which packs one hell of a catchy melody. But don't take my word for it...



The teaser is from the forthcoming The Browncoats Mixtape from Adam WarRock and KHill of the ThoughtCriminals. Not what I'm used to hearing from these guys at all - and it sounds so cool...



Oh, and speaking of WarRock? Feel free to head to the link above to check out (among all the other good stuff this guy unloads) the free singles he's been releasing this month, the latest being "Commedia Dell’Arte". He's unloading free stuff as part of a donation drive to help handle expenses for his upcoming tour with Random (aka Mega Ran), MC Lars and MC Chris. Go help a brotha out. And score some excellent free tunes to boot!

ThunderCats (2011) Review

If you read the next paragraph and understand completely what I’m getting at with it, you’re more than welcome to click the “Back” button and go check out other like-minded folk such as Slacker and the Man or Nerdy Show. Because if you get the references, then you’ll have the review completely summed up in a few lines. Ready? Go:

The new Thundercats show is to the old one what “The Ultimates” is to “The Avengers”. Imagine Lion-O and the crew as written by Brian Michael Bendis. Or if J Michael Straczynski and Shane Davis were put in charge of Thundera. Yeah, exactly. That’s what you’re walking in to here.

Now, if you read that and are thinking, “What in the f--” -ollow me for the rest of this and I’ll explain everything, I promise.

I can’t state enough that if you’re expecting the new Thundercats show to be just like the old with a fresh coat of graphic paint and some updated slang thrown in just to sound cool for the kids, then know now that’s not what you’re getting here at all. The original series featured Lion-O, Panthro, and the gang stranded on “Third Earth”, battling Mumm-Ra and the Mutants. Now? Much different, as the ThunderCats are actually--

Okay, hold on. I suppose I should disclose there will be MINOR SPOILERS as we go on. Nothing that will ruin the show or anything, mind you; matter of fact, everything in the next paragraph is all revealed in the first hepisode as set-up. Anything past that (as we’re now five episodes in) will only hinted at so I don’t ruin anything for you. You know, a new study has revealed that, even if I did spoil some of it for you, you wouldn’t mind. But I won’t do that. You’re welcome. Digression over.

The ThunderCats are actually on Thundera. No “crash landing on Third Earth” or any of that. Lion-O’s father, Claudus, is still alive. So is Jaga. And Tygra is his older brother. They’re both heir to the throne of Thundera, with Lion-O somehow first in line (despite the fact that he’s the younger of the two). Oh, and another change that makes the new show worth checking out almost by itself? Snarf doesn’t talk. At all. Even characters like Grune and Jaga are given character overhauls here, and every bit of it serves a point.

I could list of all the different changes made from then to now until people actually get sick of the Kardashians, but that wouldn’t begin to explain what’s going on with ThunderCats. Rather than a “reboot”, this is a complete reimagining of the series and its mythos. Executive producer Sam Register, and producers by Ethan Spaulding and Michael Jelenic (writer of Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam and producer for Batman: The Brave and the Bold) have taken great care to honor the combined elements of fantasy and sci-fi the original brought to the table. However, in keeping that flavor, they have re-written the book on these characters. No one could have imagined, 27 years ago, the depth and power these characters were capable of. All it took was putting them in a setting that was familiar to them, but one we had never seen before.

And that’s exactly what ThunderCats comes down to. Taking familiar elements and re-presenting them as if we’re seeing them for the first time. Preserving classic elements of the original show, yet turning other aspects of it completely on its ear. If you’re among the purist type and can’t stand the thought of seeing Chetara, Panthro, Slithe and the rest of the old gang tampered with, think of this as “what could have been”. What if the ThunderCats stayed on Thundera instead of being pursued by the Mutants and winding up crash-landing on Third Earth?

The answer: much more epic than we could have imagined. Tobin "Ted" Wolf would be proud of what’s become of his creations.


Then again, he may have seen this crew and given up on the whole thing.

Sunday Morning Coming Down 08.14.11 - The Pros and Cons of Spotify: Why Century Media Seceded - Blogcritics Music

At least one independent label gives Spotify the bird.

C3C1 Mobile - 08.11.11

On the heels of the teasers released this week (covered in Count3rcu1ture News Desk 08.11.11), Marvel announces today Fantastic Four #600 for November - as well as another teaser in the form of the title's cover.

So…is it the Fantastic Five now?

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Count3rCu1ture News Desk - 08.11.11

Count3rCu1ture News Desk - 08.11.11

Welcome back, script kiddies. Having took a minute to recover from Nerdapalooza as well take care of some other business, I check the interwebz to find some interesting comic teasers, some great news involving a comic strip as old-school as it gets, some new (and free!, in at least one case) music to check out now and in the future, and some upheaval in one of the most prominent Nerd Music labels around. Let’s get to this...

Oh, and for those curious - yes, I made sure I checked facts this time so as not to ruin my journalistic unprofessionalism.


”Four” What?

This past Monday, August 8, was the 50th anniversary of the release of Fantastic Four #1. The book that started it all for Marvel. And what better way to celebrate than with another media teaser?



So much for the death of Johnny Storm lasting, huh? Not so fast. A second teaser appeared the day after:



Hurrm. Looks like the current Future Foundation to me. Four total. Not a Torch in sight. So, this was something completely different then, right? Sure – until Wednesday came...



Umm, I...wait—



Yeah, Kitty. That was my initial reaction, too.

Until I thought about for a little bit. Marvel hearts them some media buzz. Kinda the same way Vince McMahon does, only Marvel honcho Joe Quesada is actually good at getting that attention. Marvel does stuff like this all the time - keep us guessing until right before the issue comes out and then drop the big news on USA Today so we’re kept talking, whether we read these books all the time or not.

And that’s what’s happening here as well. It certainly looks like Torch may be back. And as of this typing we have 2 more days of teasers to go (if Marvel follows their standard MO) to see where this might be going. I’m betting on his return, personally. If for no other reason than the date the teasers keep featuring? November 2011? Would have been when Fantastic Four #600 would be on comic stands had Marvel not re-numbered the book.


FLASH! AAAAHHHHH!!

Oh man, this makes me happier than Michelle Bachmann in an insane asylum.


“Does this suit make me look crazy?”

Anyway, Titan Books has announced the publication of The Complete Flash Gordon Library. No, seriously. All of it.

Going all the way back to creator Alex Raymond’s original strips, The Complete Flash Gordon Library is a representation of every single Flash Gordon strip in existence, re-colored, remastered, and in chronological order. Each page will be 11" x 10", and each volume will feature 176-plus pages of the saviour of the universe.

All I have to say is...two things, really. One, if you see the name “Flash Gordon” and your first thought is, “who?” -- get of this site right now and go back to TMZ where you belong. Second, if anyone is looking for any Christmas ideas for yours truly, starting here would guarantee a bond.


Music for the Hard of Hearing

Several new records have come across the pike within the last week or so. A couple of these, I owe my southern brethren Z a vote of thanks for the heads-up for, as he was kind enough to share his stash. Puff, puff, give. That’s my pal. We therefore have, in chronological order...

Up first is Illbotz’s Pudding is Delicious. This actually came out way back in February. Yeah, I’m a little late to this party, but the good news it was still going strong when I arrived. There’s almost no way it couldn’t have been with Stevie D, Big Perm, and DJ Samson bobbing and weaving with nerd references galore. Even if it was just nerdy, Pudding is Delicious would still be an excellent Hip-Hop record, as Stevie D can open up like Roadblock’s .50 caliber and Samson puts together some great beats. A perfect example of the two coming together is “Stank Ass Rappas (feat. Sarah G)”, which has Stevie moving at Warp 3 over a beat made up of Men Without Hats’ “Pop Goes The World”. Excellent stuff all around, you can find it for a mere $5 (a steal!) at the Illbotz bandcamp page.

Next record came out just two days ago and is a mixtape from Shinobi Ninja. Duke Sims and Baby G are in great form, oozing sexiness and dominance all over this record. DJ Axis Powers puts together some great mash-up beats for the group to tear all over, including some heart-warming melancholy on “Downhearted” (with Suzanne Vega and Primitive Radio Gods duking it out in the background). This record has a lot going on sonically and can take several listens to take it all in. You’ll need to catch your breath after the first run, though. This is an excellent way to enter the world of the Shinobi Ninja (who is my personal pick for Nerdapalooza 2011’s Breakthrough Performer), and you can do it for absolutely Ennh Oh (that’s Michael “P.S.” Hayes-ese for “Free”) at Shinobi Ninja’s website.

Last but by no means least is Supercommuter’s Products of Science. First of all, Wheelie Cyberman, Stenobot, and Tron Juan compose “8-Bit Sci-Fi Hip-Hop”. While that has my attention right off the bat, what I really dig about this album is that this is the first time I think I’ve had my eyes opened to what the Chiptunes (8-Bit) genre is truly capable of. I love some old-school video game themes as rap backdrop as much as the next guy, but here...there’s no old-school video game themes. It’s all original compositions used for the music. I’m sure they’re not the first ones to ever compose original tunes in 8-Bit, but they’re actually the first I’ve heard do it. And the melodies they come up with are another world unto themselves. Put all that on top of great mic skills? Sold. For $10, at the Supercommuter website. Official release date on that is Tuesday, August 16, but you can hear some before hand at the link provided. Go clickie!


Scrub Club - Transform?

Holy Dogsnot, has Scrub Club Records had a hell of a week.

The Hip-Hop label and Nerdcore beacon is undergoing some serious roster changes. The good news is that the label has signed Torrentz and Soup Or Villainz (which you saw announced on this very site).

Now, the bad news? Oh, man. Scrub Club has lost (between August 7 and now): Powerlifter, Krondor Krew / Shinobi MC (not to be confused with Shinobi Ninja), Dr. Awkward, ZeaLouS 1, Shammers, Lefthand, and Jay Bishop.

That seems a lot of bleeding, but label head MadHatter has confirmed on the label’s Facebook page that, “here's the artists for sure sticking around on Scrub Club: MadHatter, Kabuto The Python, HDninja, Dale Chase, Torrentz, Untested Methods, Soup or Villainz, Emergency Pizza Party, Deafinition, and King Pheenix.” To further elaborate on what the hell’s going on, Hatter announced with the departure of Lefthand and Bishop that, “ Now the roster is final!” - alluding to an earlier post that explained what the hell is going on:

“Oh, there will be plenty artists. We're in the process of switching gears a bit, and really pushing a few core values to the limit. Some are down for it, some are not. But Scrub Club continues on, stronger than ever with what we've got brewing. No worries!”

So, it seems that there’s more news to come from Scrub Club regarding the future of the label, which apparently involves a plan. I think I may try and get a hold of MadHatter himself and see if we can get to the bottom of what’s going on.

Sunday Morning Coming Down 08.07.11: Paul McCartney and Journalistic Espionage - Blogcritics Music

This could get uglier than the divorce...

You can't really see it now, but I screwed up pretty bad here.

I made a pretty big error in referring to Heather Mills as Linda McCartney. I wasn't 100% sure how that happened, but I now chalk it up to familiarity. I know the name Linda McCartney, but I know much less of Heather Mills. Regardless, it was my error and I'll own it. So be it.

I'm sure quite a few readers might want me gone, and that's okay, too. Please feel free to go back and listen to the 08.02.11 edition of "The Real Congregation" for an answer to that.

Anne Hathaway as Catwoman

No face mask with ears? I'm actually in favor of that. The goggles are a plus toward the more realistic feel and design. And is she ganking Batman's bike? That's too funny.

C3C1 Mobile: Henry Cavill as Superman

Henry Cavill as Superman. No way of telling which costume design they went with quite yet, but he fills out the suit well based solely on this. Looking forward to more.

Death and the Marketplace: Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z and Kanye West - Blogcritics Music

Thoughts on the passing of Amy Winehouse and rap's biggest duo make retailers mad.

Bear in mind as you read this that, while most of the form and content is indeed mine and I won't shy away from or disown from that, that there are some changes made to this article that I was not notified. For the most part they're so minor it's really inconsequential, but one or two are a little more important.

I just wanted that put out there before any heat I may get from this starts warming up. If I'm gonna be yelled at, I'd at least like it to be for the right reasons.